The Woman in the Red Dress (Howard and Maria Stark One-Shot-- AU)

Chapter Eight

When the alarms blared, the Avengers were scattered. Some had been taking full advantage of food and sleep. Some had been taking advantage of the showers, needing the refreshing water. Iron Man had still been in the shop, trying to fix the suit. Even the chief didn't see it coming, and he hobbled down the hallway as military personnel ran around, holding their large guns.

The Avengers came to halt in the main bay, where an airplane rested, and large metal doors led to outside of the compound. For some of the Avengers, it was a longer haul, and some of them floated in air. All stared to the large doors, waiting for the impact. The military had set themselves up, pointing their automatic guns toward the sky. Red lights flashed, and the high pitched blaring continued.

Chief Sousa hobbled to the front, carrying a pistol in his hand. "Pegs!" he yelled, and in she came, holding a large machine gun in her hand. Her eyes drifted to Steve for a second, but she looked at the door too. "Where's Stark?"

"Here, sir!" Maria walked in, leaving Howard behind Sergeant Barnes. She gave Bucky a warning look, and a silent message passed between them. Bucky glanced at the elder Stark and nodded. Walking to the front of the group, she stood beside Chief Sousa. The Avengers hovered back in their uniforms. Agent Carter ordered Maria, and she didn't even glance back. Whipping out her hands, the swords sprung off her wrists, turning into vibranium blades. She stalked forward with soldiers on her trail.

"What's going on?" Steve asked, watching as the metal doors started to creak open.

"Do we known who is attacking?" asked Peter Parker, warming up in his Spider-Man suit.

"No," Agent Carter answered. "Maria will investigate and then report back."

Maria put in an earpiece and strapped a communicator to her thigh, pushing against a gun.

"What if it's Thanos?" Tony wondered. While there were a few kinks in the suit, it was back to working order.

"It's not Thanos," Thor responded. "We would already be under attack if it were him. Whoever it is, they are waiting for something."

"Why?" Bruce questioned.

The metal doors were open a sliver, which led to bright lights shining through. The sun stood high in the sky, but it mattered little. When attacking in daylight, it meant there was no need for the act of surprise. Either this was a diversion or they had confidence in their win, and either way, it meant the bigger battle was meant for later.

First went out the members of the military, black uniforms and high guns. While the Avengers itched forward, they were not given clearance. Tony didn't like his mother going out their first without any protection, no matter how well she used swords. The Avengers were a secret weapon and not to be used unless truly necessary. Maria disappeared outside the doors and when bullets didn't shoot off, it looked like a good sign.

Suddenly, a large boom rocked the compound. Smoke bloomed into the sky.

"Hold!" Chief Sousa yelled.

The Avengers managed to hold, except for one who operated on the orders of one Agent Maria Stark. Turning on his heel, Bucky grabbed Howard Stark. The elder Stark let out a growl, however he was not able to escape from the grasp of Sergeant Barnes. They disappeared into the back of the compound.

"What the hell?" Tony sounded off.

"Let them go," Agent Carter said with a watchful eye.

"Maria gave her own orders," Chief Sousa grunted.

"She would do anything to save Howard," Agent Carter responded, eyes on the door again.

Another blast made the building tremble. The Avengers had no patience to wait any longer, especially Iron Man as he shot forward. Bullets blew through the air, exchanging from both sides. In the sunlight, smoke rose toward the sky as the grenades didn't seem thrown at anyone in particular. Along with the people on the outside side, they were not in particular. These were the allies that Thanos had found and used; the question was where was Thanos? Did he mean to attack here? What did he wait for? What did he want?

Flying forward, the bullets had no effect on the Iron Man suit, which the bullets fell to the ground with a small pang. The bullets flew through Vision, who was left unbothered. As for the rest the Avengers, they took cover behind the armored vehicles left outside. While the soldiers returned fire, they were left outnumbered by the allied forces against them. There certainly wasn't a lack of people that hated the SSR-- now SHIELD.

Maria had taken cover behind an armored vehicle with Agent Fury beside her; eyes narrow and lips pursed, she was annoyed and checked her watch. A dead soldier of the opposing side laid at her feet, blood seeping out of the wounds. The two agents were further ahead, almost in the middle of war zone. Other agents and soldier laid dead, indiscriminately. Agent Stark gave orders to Agent Fury, who jumped up and gave cover as Maria made a run for it, arching around the edge. The cover she received only lasted a few seconds as another grenade went off, and Maria flew back, landing hard in the dirt. Her grunt was heard from across the field.

"Shit," Tony muttered, automatically flying over and covering her with his suit. Grabbing a hold of her, he pulled her beside another vehicle. "That was dangerous."

"I know what they're after," Maria breathed. Blood pooled out of her side.

Tony's eyes grew wide under his mask.

She caught him looking. "I'm fine, or I will be." Maria pressed her hand into the shallow wound and removed the bullet. "Our communications are down out there. Get back to them and tell them they are after Howard. They need to get into the safe zone."

"Why do they want him?"

"The Soul Stone."

Tony gripped his mother, already knowing this.

"No. I'm not leaving Fury."

"You're not dying today."

She smiled. "You're right." Swinging around her wrists, the blades turned into bracelets. Taking a deep breath, she let her right hand hover in the air. With her eyes closed, she waited and calmed herself, even as more blasts boomed.

Above them, the cloudless blue sky started to turn black. The rumble of thunder gave in waves. Tony looked back to Thor, who stood at attention, his eyes turning light with lightning. However, Thor's mouth was open in awe. Iron Man turned back to his mother, and he couldn't understand what was different about her, except for the wound bled no more.

Even with the metal doors not fully open, it didn't matter. Nothing stopped Mjolnir from getting to its master. Thor's hand were raised. It zoomed past him. Landing in Maria's hand, she held it easily, like it weighed no more than a feather. She stood from behind the vehicle and looked at her future son.

"Now, tell them."

Maria strided straight into battle with bomb blasts and buzzing bullets all around. Still in her SHIELD uniform, a lightning bolt shot down from the sky, gracing her where she stood. The wind picked up, blowing a vehicle to the side. The rain poured, drowning the lying dead. When the bolt escaped into the sky, Maria Stark was gone.

With Maria Stark as worthy, and the worthiness came from Odin's blessing, had Odin ever visited Earth to this point? Later, yes, but now, when had he stepped onto this ground? When had he chosen her? How had he chosen her?

There were four people who were probably to answer this. One was currently somewhere hidden in the compound with Bucky. Two others were behind the metal doors inside the hanger. One was currently floating back to Earth with a red cape flapping in the wind behind her, blonde hair flowing around her, a silver plate covering her chest for protection, and brown pants and boots. Mjolnir rested in her hand.

Maria landed on soldier the ground, which led to the rain and wind stopping. The soldiers from the other side stood with open mouths, the feeling of the moment. The blasts stopped as the bullets did. If Thanos was here, it was the perfect chance to runaway since his army had gone still. Perhaps Thanos was only a shock for his purple skin and large body, but somehow turning into a god was confusing.

One brave soldier rushed forward with a raised gun and took one shot at the god who did not defend herself. The bullet hit her breast plate with a pang and then fell to the mud. Her head tilted to the side, and she arched an eyebrow. Her hand rose into the sky, and one bright lightning bolt hit the ground, splitting it open, directed at the incoming enemy soldiers. Up through their feet went the electrical shock, and the soldiers fell to the ground.

Maria stood alone in the middle of the field.