Bow

~Ultron~

Fancy people all over the place danced around below Mary and Natasha. Natasha wanted to introduce Mary to new fashion, so what better way than at a party.

"I was guessing you liked the whole army green style, so I bought this." Natasha unzipped a bag to reveal a white, spaghetti strap crop top with army green, high waisted dress pants.

"I was the only woman in the army other than Agent Carter." Mary admired the outfit.

"That's so inspiring." Natasha rummaged around in a bag and pulled out a tan coat and a pair of tan heels. "I also have these to keep you from being cold."

"Can women wear boots with their dresses now?" Mary asked, picking up her boots. "I kind of have an attachment."

"Oh yes." Natasha nodded quickly. "It's called a fashion statement and I think it will look amazing."

"Okay." Mary smiled excitedly. "Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Did men like asses in 1943?"

"Gosh." Mary rolled her eyes. "You don't know how many times my ass was grabbed by those pigs."

"So, it's about the same." Natasha nodded. "Well, I have to bartend, I'll leave you to get dressed and if you need anything during the party, find me."

"Thank you, Natasha." Mary smiled as Natasha left.
_

Mary ended up chickening out on going to the party. She stayed away from everyone until the noise died down. When she was sure a lot of people were gone, she began down the stairs.

Steve was in the middle of trying to pick up Thor's hammer when she made it to the stairs. Everyone's attention was drawn to the young old woman. Steve's grip on the hammer slipped as he watched Mary gingerly come downstairs.

"Cat got your tongue?" She smiled.

"No, no, no, I can talk perfectly fine." Steve chuckled. "You just look so beautiful- I mean, you've always looked beautiful, even when we were kids, but now it's a different beautiful, like Christmas lights compared to the sunset."

"Well, thank you, Steve." Mary smiled.

She sat next to Thor. "You're wearing boots with dress pants." He said.

"And you're concerned because..."

"That's not what I meant." Thor turned away from Mary, staring blankly at the floor.

"That's rigged." Clint said.

"You're just not worthy." Thor got up and flipped his hammer.

A high pitched noise pierced their ears. "Worthy." A mechanic voice groaned.

A poorly put together robot staggered into the room. "How could you be worthy?" It asked. "You're all killers."

"Jarvis." Tony said. "Reboot Legionnaire OS. We got a buggy suit."

"I had to kill the other guy." The robot said. "He was a good guy."

"You killed someone?" Steve asked.

"It wouldn't have been my first call." It said. "But, down in the real world, we're faced with ugly choices."

"Who sent you?" Thor asked.

The robot played a voice recording of Tony saying something about a suit of armor around the world.

"Ultron." Banner said.

"In the flesh." The robot said. "Or no, not yet. Not this chrysalis. But I'm ready. I'm on mission."

"What mission?" Natasha asked, slipping Mary a gun.

"Peace in our time."

The whole Iron Legion blew through the walls. Mary shot at the robots, but nothing worked considering they were steel machines. She picked up a table and used it as a shield.

Steve jumped on a machine and began beating it. Mary jumped down to the platform below her to help Rhodey. When he was okay, Mary went back up to fight.

Clint threw Steve's shield to him. Steve quickly slammed the shield into the last robot. It landed right on top of Mary.

"Ah, shit!"

"That was dramatic." Ultron scoffed. "And I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world, but you don't want to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to evolve?"

Ultron took the iron corpse off of Mary. She scrambled to Banner.

"With these, these puppets?" Ultron crushed the head of the bot. "There's only one path to piece. The Avengers' extinction."

Thor threw his hammer, busting the machine to pieces.

Mary cautiously stood up and stumbled to the bar. She grabbed the only drink left and downed it in one sitting. When the bottle was empty, she threw it to the side and stopped when she saw the others' faces.

"Oh, I have the same thing Steve does." She half smiled and wiped the residue off her lips.

"I suddenly love humans." Thor said.
_

Mary felt shuffling coming closer to her. The bar she was at wasn't busy at all on a week night, so she figured it was Steve. He stared at her for a moment.

"Yes?" Mary tapped the side of her glass.

"How are you?" Steve tilted his head.

"I've been better." She turned in her seat to face her best friend. "I just can't believe I missed seventy years of my life. It's also quite surreal how I still feel 18 years old."

"I know it." Steve shook his head. "But you'll get used to it."

They sat in silence for a moment. "Do you mind telling me where I was?" Mary asked.

"I don't think you're ready for that conversation." Steve shook his head.

"I think I am." Mary insisted. "Tell me."

"Okay." Steve slowly nodded. "Do you remember Johann Schmidt?"

"That ugly ass Hydra leader?"

"Yes, that ugly ass Hydra leader." Steve confirmed. "He brainwashed you with code words. You..."

"Killed people?" Steve stared at his hands. "Who?"

"I don't know." Steve said. "Do you remember Bucky?"

"Yeah." Mary smiled to herself. "He was a regular at my diner, then we went out once, but I was head over heels for him."

"He was head over heels for you." Steve said. "You were the first person he had a hard time showing how he really felt to."

"Damn." Mary bit her lip. "I wish he would've let me know a bit sooner."

Steve chuckled. "Hey, communication works both ways." He put a hand on Mary's shoulder.

"What else happened?"

"Honestly, I thought you died." Steve said. "Bucky and I found you on a Hydra train, but you was shooting him."

"Did I kill him?"

"No." Steve shook his head quickly. "Another soldier tore a hole in the side and you flew out. I wasn't able to see it, thankfully, because I had to watch Bucky fall to his death."

"Steve, I'm so sorry." Mary grabbed Steve's hand.

"Let's change the subject." Steve straightened up in his seat. "Why didn't you stay after the whole Ultron thing?"

"I'm not an Avenger." Mary said. "I'm a murderer."

"No, you actually have healing powers."

"Yeah, I know that." Mary said. "But I'm also an enhanced human. I can heal, but I can kill as well."

"I'll talk to Tony about making you an Avenger." Steve said. "We could really use you with your combat skills from the army."

"I was kidnapped within a week."

"Quit contradicting me." Steve playfully slapped Mary on the arm. "By the way, you're outfit you had on when we got you back, you should wear that when we fight. You look badass."