Maria Hill groaned and rubbed her temple. She really hated paperwork. Like, really, really hated it. Especially on days where it all just piled up. She stretched her hand out before grabbing her pen again. She's been working since 6 a.m. and has only really stopped for bathroom breaks. She hasn't even eaten lunch yet, but it's well past the normal lunch hour. After the whole ordeal with New York, the paperwork seems to be growing larger.

She sighed and leaned her chair back, pinching the bridge of her nose. She could feel a throbbing sensation in her head, and her hand has probably gone numb by now.

If it wasn't for Loki and his stupid ass god theories they wouldn't be in this mess right now. SHIELD has been going crazy since then, trying to control the media and sort things out with the government. And unfortunately, a majority of that had to be handled by her.

"Um, ma'am?" Comes a timid voice.

WHAT?! The agent is almost tempted to shout. But she knows better than that. Maria takes a breath before opening her eyes and putting on her best professional look. "Yes, what can I do for you agent?"

"Um, well…" The young agent fiddles with her shirt sleeve, unsure how to proceed.

"Agent?"

"It's, well, it's Director Fury ma'am."

Maria continues to stare at her.

"H-he said he wouldn't give me his work? I-I'm supposed to process it see, but he won't let me and if he doesn't let me then I can't do my job properly and if I can't do my job then my boss will surely—"

"Agent, relax. Take a breather," Maria said gently.

"R-right, sorry ma'am." She takes a few calming breaths.

"It's alright, no need to apologize. Give me your boss' name and I'll straighten things out with him. I'll talk to Director Fury for you." And possibly put a couple bullets in that thick head of his.

"Th-thank you so much ma'am. And again, I am terribly sorry." The agent bowed her head and walked away more relaxed.

However, this didn't mean she herself was relaxed. Maria sighed and headed for the elevator. She stepped inside and angrily punched in the Director's floor number.

She tapped her foot impatiently as the screen blinked through each floor number. Every few floors a horde of people would crowd in and she would grow more irritated. It was too stuffy, and the people talking and jostling her around was only increasing the headache she had. She drummed her fingers against her thigh, willing the elevator to hurry the fuck up.

The doors opened again and she held her breath to prepare herself, but the only person who walked in was Steve Rogers. She sighed in relief.

"Agent Hill," the captain nodded.

"Captain Rogers," she replied back.

He smiled politely and went to stand beside her. They rode up to the next floor in silence.

"How are you doing?" He asked, trying to make conversation. "I haven't seen you since the Loki incident."

"Oh, you know. A little stressed but hey, it's all part of the job." She tried to sound as casual as she could. She was not going to lose her calm now. She was saving it for a certain director after all.

"I hear ya. It's the paperwork."

"You have no idea." As an afterthought she asked, "Are you settling in okay?" She may be stressed and anxious and a little ticked off right now, but she knew when to be polite at least. Plus out of all the other Avengers Steve was probably her favorite.

Steve shrugged and huffed a laugh. "I mean you know, it's… it's been a strange couple of months for me. I'm still a little slow, but I'm getting there."

Maria nodded sympathetically.

"So where are you headed off to?" As soon as he asked that she could feel her growing resentment towards the Director coming back.

"To see Director Fury," she said in a very falsetto voice. "I have some things to discuss with him." She said that last part a little bitterly.

Steve raised his eyebrow but just nodded and stared straight ahead. Was it just him or was there something strange in the air? He could almost feel the goose bumps underneath his suit.

"Well, looks like this is me. Give my regards to Fury," he said as he walked out.

"Oh I will," Maria said conspiratorially as the doors closed. "I wiiiiillll."

When the doors finally opened onto the Director's floor she calmly walked out and tried to tamper her emotions. The hall was completely empty save for the clicking of her heels across the linoleum floor. She knocked on the door before entering.

Nick Fury was at his desk, head bent down in his own grueling amount of paperwork. As director he probably had ten times more than a mere agent like Hill. She walked up to his desk and waited.

"Hill."

"Director."

But she didn't continue.

Fury looked up and was met with her steely gaze.

"Something wrong, Hill?"

"Sir, if you could, could you please refrain from trying to ruin other people's careers for the sake of your own needs?" She said in a clipped tone.

Fury leaned back and folded his hands, resting his elbows on the armrests.

"Excuse me?"

"I mean it's very troublesome, not to mention more problematic for me!" She was raising her voice now.

"Hill—"

"Did you even consider that I might be busy with my own work?"

"What—"

"That I'm actually wasting my dear sweet precious time to come and lecture you, a grown man, about the ethics of work?!"

"Maria—"

"All I am saying is that you should really just—!"

"Maria," Director Fury finally said.

"WHAT SIR?!"

Fury jumped in his seat, shocked by the agent's break in composure.

A very awkward silence followed.

Maria blinked at her sudden outburst and closed her eyes. When she re-opened them she looked a little more calm and took a breath. "I'm sorry sir. That was, uh, uncalled for."

"Just a little." He held up two fingers and pinched them together to show her.

She cleared her throat. "Really sir, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled like that."

"No, you really shouldn't have. Now would you mind telling me what's going on first before accusing me?"

She blushed. "Yes, sir."

"So?" He asked, prodding her on.

"Um, it's about the agent you sent away. You were supposed to sign over your paperwork to her so she could complete her job. Otherwise she'll get in trouble with her section chief," Maria explained quietly.

"And this has to do with you… how?" He tilted his head.

"Sir, if you haven't realized yet, the problems you don't want to deal with are usually dealt by me, meaning more work for me when I already have enough on my plate," she said, trying to keep her voice even but the accusation was there.

Normally the director would be fuming if someone spoke to him like that, much less yelled and accused him. Their asses would have been so fired by now. But seeing it was Hill, well, usually he was the one cowering in fear when she was angry. Not that he actually showed it of course.

"Maria," he said carefully (he didn't want to piss her off again), "You seem a bit, uh, off, are you…?

"I'm fine, sir," she answered too quickly.

He quirked an eyebrow up. "Nick," she amended herself.

"Have you eaten yet?"

"…."

"Maria?"

"Not exactly," she coughed and looked away guiltily.

Nick stared at her admonishingly but didn't say anything. He pushed his seat back and walked around the desk to grab her arm.

"Uh, sir?"

"Come on, I'm starving. Let's go." He tried to pull her along but her feet were still planted to the spot.

"Sir?"

"You haven't eaten, right? And I'm hungry, so stop staring and move it." He didn't mean for it to sound harsh, but Maria knew him well enough to understand his true intentions.

She smiled a bit and relaxed her shoulders, letting him pull her forward.

"And I'll talk with that agent's boss," he made sure to add.

"Thank you, sir." He gave her a pointed look. "Nick. My apologies."

"Stop apologizing Maria," but he smirked a little and lead her out of his office.

They both walked to the elevator and waited for it to reach their floor.

"Um, sir, why didn't you give your paperwork to that agent?" Hill asked. "You know she was supposed to process it for you, right?"

The director coughed and shifted his gaze off to the side.

"Sir?" Still no response. "Nick?"

"Because it wasn't you, Hill," he simply stated, turning to face her now.

Maria looked taken aback. Wasn't her? What on earth did he…

Oh. Oh. Her eyes widened as the realization hit her.

Usually she was the one to process his paperwork for him. She had always done it for him, ever since she started working at S.H.I.E.L.D. But then Loki and New York happened and she found herself preoccupied with more work than ever. So she decided to assign someone from another division to process it for her. It was only supposed to be temporary, but she didn't think the director would react like this.

She couldn't help smiling at him.

"Sorry about that sir. It was only supposed to be temporary."

He grunted in response. She smirked. Maybe it might be okay to tease him just a little.

"You're looking a little red, sir. You're not getting a fever are you? Otherwise my job would only get more difficult."

"Shut up Hill," he said in a threatening voice. But that didn't stop her. His good cop/bad cop facade may scare other people but it never did work on her. It was part of the reason they got along so well.

"I mean I figured you'd be a little upset but I didn't think you'd throw a tantru—"

"Finish that sentence and I'll personally fire you myself." His face was definitely a little red. It was pretty rare to see him so flustered.

"You can't. You need me too much," Hill said smugly.

She heard the Director scoff and turn towards her. "Believe it or not, I can get by perfectly fine on my own without you."

"Of course sir." But she secretly smiled to herself. It was good to know she was appreciated, regardless of whether Nick said it out loud or not.

There was a dinging sound, signaling the elevator had reached their floor. They both stepped in and watched as the doors closed in front of them.

The next day she came into his office again, this time no yelling. She held out her hand while waiting for him to sign over the papers.

She tried not to point out the more-than-pleased expression on his face.