"May used to be different. She was always quiet, she just… She was warm. Fearless in a different way. Getting in trouble, pulling pranks. Thought rules were meant to be broken."
Phil Coulson, episode 1x09
.::.
„Do you know why you're here?"
To be honest, she had no idea.
Ever since she had graduated from S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy a few years ago, her career had been going steadily upwards. She had excelled at her classes, had even read all of the optional literature and had taken the additional courses her instructors had recommended to her. Sure, she was only a Level Two now, but she thought everything was going well.
So no. She didn't know why she had been pulled from her analysis of ultra low frequency radio transmissions intercepted at the Baltic Coast and called to the Deputy Director's office. She didn't know why she stood rigid in front of the Deputy Director who acted as if this very situation bored him to death while he regarded her with that one damn eye.
"No, sir." She stood straighter, hands behind her back.
"Did you know that your S.O. recommended you for a promotion?"
She had a hard time hiding her surprised smile. "No, sir."
Fury leaned back in his chair and held up a single sheet of paper as if trying to read it in better light. "He wrote that you showed 'great potential' and that you displayed 'qualities well beyond your level two status'." He let the paper slide back onto his desktop. "And that was even before you slept with him."
"I-" She didn't even know what to say to that.
Fury held up a hand. "Save it, Agent."
She bit down on her lip.
Once.
Once, damn it.
Fury leaned forward on his desk again. His arms were crossed over the surface as he regarded her with his one good eye. She thought she could taste blood by now. "So I glanced at your analysis from last month's situation in Peru. And… it was total crap."
Yep. That was definitely blood. Her eyes swept over his office. Everywhere, really, to avoid that piercing stare. It was made up of dark wood mostly. The view from his window wasn't half bad. With all the paperwork she had to do she had expected more shelves though. As it was there was only his desk with two chairs in front of it, a small filing cabinet to her right and a potted plant obviously fake behind him. She hadn't been asked to sit down so she stood stiffly in front of him.
"But…" Fury looked as if it pained him to say that. "The other stuff you did wasn't half bad. I'd even go so far as to say it was good."
Stuff? This was her work. Her blood, sweat and tears. She had spent countless hours wading through crap to- Wait.
Did he say good?
"So, Agent Hill. Have you heard of Agent May?"
"Agent Melinda May?" Who hadn't heard of her? Even at Operations she was somewhat of a legend. Rumor had it she suffered two gunshot wounds and a broken arm during the Barcelona incident last year. And still she took care of the bomb and the assailants single handedly.
"The one and only." Fury smirked and pressed a button on his intercom. "Send her in please."
Maria discreetly tried to turn around as the door behind her opened. But what she caught from the corner of her eye was definitely not what she had expected. She was small. If it wasn't for her stance and the black leather jacket complementing her outfit, on emight even describe her as delicate. Agent May shot her a quick look before coming to stand next to Maria facing Deputy Director Fury.
"You wanted to see me, sir?" Personally detached and right to the point.
Fury leaned back once more and crossed his arms in front of his chest with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. "Agent May, meet Agent Maria Hill. You'll be her Supervising Officer for the foreseeable future."
"What?"
"Sir?"
Both women exclaimed at once before shooting each other wary looks. Maria held her chin high, hoping to pass the older woman's sudden inspection. Fury's smile seemed to grow. May made a decisive step forward, her face growing hard.
"Sir. With all due respect but she is not a Specialist and I'm not a babysitter."
Fury shot Maria a quick look before facing May again. "No she is not. Not yet."
Maria tried to make herself as inconspicuous as possible when she heard May's subtle but sharp intake of breath.
"Sir, if you think I need a break because of what happened in Oslo-"
"If I was trying to go easy on you, I'm pretty sure you would have smashed my head in." Fury interrupted her. The way Agent May squared her shoulders indicated that he was not far off. "Agent Hill." Fury was facing her again, trying to look placating. "If you would excuse us for a minute. I think my secretary can point you in the right direction for a coffee."
Maria nodded without a word and tried to get another glimpse of Agent May as she left. But the other Agent just sent her a non-descript look.
::
The leather chair outside Fury's office was sticky and his secretary kept glancing at her whenever the voices inside were getting louder. Not that they were quiet to begin with. Maria had come back from drinking one of the worst coffees only to hear their raised voices inside. She couldn't make out any words, but by now it was mostly Fury doing the 'talking'.
Great. This was probably a once in a career opportunity. To be trained by Agent Melinda May. Not that she aspired to be a Specialist but her friends would never believe her if she told them. David certainly wouldn't. Only that there was nothing to tell. Because for all intents and purposes, Agent May had no interest in taking her under her wing. None what so ever if her very loud arguments from a few minutes ago were anything to go by.
She looked up as she heard steps coming her way, cushioned by the carpet. Agent Coulson. He was a Level Five if she wasn't mistaken and she had seen him in a few meetings and around the offices. He seemed to be nice enough. Smiled a lot.
He slowed down as he reached them. Mrs. Gray answered his smile with a little shake of her head just as the volume level inside Fury's office rose again. Coulson nodded understandlingly and let himself fall into a seat next to her.
He turned his head to look at her and offered his hand. "Phil Coulson." He smiled.
"Maria Hill." She said, shaking his hand. "I read your analysis of the stipulations and constraints of Project Freeway. It was very impressive."
"Thanks." His smile brightened for a second.
"The way you reinterpreted the matrix was revolutionary! I mean the handbook has always been so vague that I actually think the author didn't have a clue. But the trouble with the X302-"
"Wait." Coulson interrupted her with a frown. "You read the part about the X302 predicament?"
Maria nodded slowly, suddenly unsure if that was a good or a bad thing.
"Wow." Coulson looked forward again and smirked. "I don't think anyone has ever read any further than the abstract."
Oh.
Great.
Maria opened her mouth only to close it again the next second. She didn't know what to say to that. She was saved from having to say anything as the volume in the adjoining office rose once more and Fury's voice carried well into the hallway.
Coulson gave her a look, again with his ever present smile. "I take it you met Agent May."
Maria had to refrain from snorting and rolling her. This was a higher ranking agent after all. And Agent May was a higher ranking agent. And if she had learned one thing at S.H.I.E.L.D. it was to keep your off-record thoughts to yourself.
"Yes, sir. Do you know her?" She asked, hoping to succesfully conceal her curiosity.
"I saved his life once."
Maria immediately jumped to her feet as Agent May suddenly made her presence known. She hadn't even heard the door opening. Coulson next to her took his time standing up, straightening his suit jacket.
"Agent May." He greeted with his ever present smile in place.
Maria couldn't be sure but she thought she saw a small smile flitting over May's face.
"Coulson." Her tone was definitely friendlier.
"How long has it been? Seven months?"
"Something like that." May agreed as she folded her hands behind her back.
"If I remember correctly, you owe me a drink."
Maria felt like watching a tennis match as her gaze flicked from one agent to the other.
"If anything, it's you who owes me a drink."
Coulson's smile widened in victory. "So you do remember. I wasn't so sure, considering all the pain medication flowing through your system at the time."
Agent May just rolled her eyes good-naturedly and changed the subject. "Don't tell me Fury ordered you here for this little project of his."
Coulson's smirk was answer enough. "How long until you're ready?"
May gave Maria a once-over that made her feel uncomfortable. "Four weeks."
"Ready for what?" Maria asked confusedly, looking from one agent to the other.
It was May who answered. "Our first mission."