April 1946, New York City

Maria

"Elissa, you have to let me come!" I burst out.

"Maria its not that big of a deal! And don't you already have something to do that day?"

"I'm coming," I concluded. "And you have to do my hair."

"Seriously?" she asked.

"Yes, Elsie you're doing my hair. I have to look good if I'm coming to your party. And didn't you say your cousin is coming?"

She rolled her eyes, "Yes, he's coming."

"I cannot believe you're cousins with Howard Stark! You are so lucky! But then again, I pity you, you can't date him," I giggled. "You have to introduce us."

"Fine," she sighed. "But don't be disappointed, he's bringing bringing a date-"

"He's bringing a date?! What? You never told me this Elsie!"

She laughed, finding my reaction hilarious.

"This is not funny Elsie, stop laughing!" I demanded.

"Well, I would've thought you knew, Maria, all the papers were talking about it. You're the one who's practically in love with him."

"I am not. I've never talked to him!"

"Oh please, Maria you have a huge crush on him. It's like a celebrity crush."

I stamped my feet. "Whatever, I'm coming to your party."

Peggy

"It's nice to meet you Peggy, I'm Howard's cousin, Elissa."

We were at Elissa's party. Both she and Howard called it a little party, but it seemed like a big party to me. It was at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City and she had invited all the wealthy, well-known people from the city.

"Hi Elissa." I smiled.

"Oh, you can call me Elsie!" she giggled, and Howard laughed too.

She was definitely as charming as Howard, maybe it was a quality that the Starks all had. But Howard was more glamorous while she was all sweet and bubbly. She looked nothing like him at all, with pretty golden hair that looked like warm rays of summer sunshine and sky blue eyes.

"Oh Howard! Come here, I need to introduce you to someone!" She grabbed his hand and steered him towards the other end of the room. I followed to, interested in who we were about to meet. It could be any acclaimed, celebrated person seeing as this was a party that Elissa Stark was hosting.

She led us to a petite, graceful girl standing in a corner, listening attentively to the person talking to her. She had obviously seen us walking over, but was in the process of making herself seem completely absorbed in the dull conversation she seemed to be having with a rather pretentious young man.

Elissa tapped her on the shoulder and she delicately turned her face towards her friend.

"Maria, you wanted to meet Howard? Remember?" Aside to Howard, she whispered, "she's quite a big fan of yours."

The girl looked at her friend through her long eyelashes and smiled. "Oh, yes, I did, didn't I? I almost forgot…" she trailed off.

"Well, Maria this is Howard Stark, Howard Stark this is Maria Carbonell."

Howard nodded at her politely. "It's nice to meet you Miss Carbonell, Elissa told me you're interested in some of the technology my company makes. You must spend a lot of time studying science."

Maria giggled. Her laugh was a light little sound, like the sound of wind chimes. "Oh, not too much really."

I couldn't help feeling annoyed. Her attempts at trying to seem uninterested really were pathetic.

Howard didn't look as annoyed as I was. "Well, if you'd like Miss Carbonell, I can give you a tour sometime, let you take a look of the latest things I've been working on. If you'd like."

She laughed. "Yeah, maybe if I have time."

"Well, let Elissa know. She can call me."

"Of course," she agreed.

When the party was over, Howard helped me into my coat and we went outside to where Jarvis was waiting with the car.

"Oh, how petty was she?" I exclaimed.

He looked at me with genuine confusion. "Who?"

"What's her name? Maria."
"Oh her. You didn't like her did you?" he asked with a grin.

"No. Did you see how she was trying to look so uninterested in you? Thank God she's not an actress."

"Well, I didn't mind her too much."

Oh, I could tell, I thought to myself.

"Peggy? Is that a bit of jealousy I see?" You know green's not a good color for you," he joked.

"No-no! It's just-" I stopped. "She was just annoying is all."

Howard

It was all going well. Peggy and I worked on S.H.I.E.L.D. and in our spare time went to the museum, walked around Central Park and fed the pigeons, and went to see the ballet. But then some fool who had worked in the SSR, and neither of us knew who, went to the press and told them that Peggy and Rogers had been a couple. And that was a disaster. Sure, it gave the reporters plenty to write about but it was terribly embarrassing for Peggy and they wrote the worst things about her. I told her not to let it get to her, but she was still upset.

Maria

The phone rang and I walked slowly towards it.

"Hello?"

"Maria! It's me!"

"Elsie!" I squealed. "I'm coming over you're house for dinner tonight! Ooooh and I'm wearing my new Chanel dress! Oh, wait until you see it, its so pretty!"

She didn't say anything. "Elsie! Are you even listening to me?!"

"Maria, umm Howard is going to be there tonight-"

"He is?! You never tell me anything, Elsie!" I sighed in exasperation.

"Listen, Maria!" she interrupted. "Don't be too, what's the word. Loud. Just for today. Howard's likely to be in a not too good mood."

"Oh gosh! Why?" I asked.

"Well…" she trailed off. "I don't know if I should say."

"For heaven's sake Elsie, you can't not tell me now!" I snapped.

"Umm… He asked Peggy to marry him-"

"WHAT?!"

"Let me finish. And she said no."

'WHAT? Really?"

"Yes. I'll see you tonight. Don't be too loud."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, Elsie don't hang up! Is she going to be there." I asked.

"Yes." she replied.

"See you tonight. Bye, Elsie."

It was so terribly awkward. We all sat in silence mostly, and sometimes I would attempt to start a conversation and only get one word answers. Elsie didn't need to tell me not to be loud, I hardly had anyone to talk to.