A/N: Hey guys! So here's the next chapter, i'm sorry it took so long to update! And if you celebrate it, I hope you have a very merry christmas!
Agent Ward and Agent Hill sat in awkward silence for what seemed like forever.
"Look, I will tell you exactly what I told everyone else. I'm not HYDRA anymore." He said exasperatedly as he put his head in his hands.
"But you were at one time HYDRA, correct?" She asked, crossing her arms.
Grant nodded, "Look, you don't like me and I don't like you. That much is clear, but I am telling the honest to God truth right now. Give me a lie detector test for all I care, but HYDRA is after me now. They want revenge and will target the people that have come in contact with me. You, Captain Rogers, the children, everyone. If we don't stop them for good, more people are going to die."
Maria raised an eye brow at him before sighing. She didn't like him, he was right about that part, but he did save her life the year before so he at least got some brownie points for that, "Alright, fine. But if you for one second give me any reason to suspect that you're still working with them, you will be shot dead before you can even blink. That's a promise." She said, getting up and leaving the room.
The two of them found Emily and Skye in the break room with Steve, who surrendered little Madison back to her mother.
"So, Emily, you got into another fight." Maria said, making it sound more like a statement.
"It was self defense."
Maria put her hands on her hips, "Oh really? You said that about the last fight. And the fight before that. And the fight before_"
"Well I wouldn't have to keep using that excuse if people learned to keep their fucking hands to themselves! Besides, the last guy deserved it! Fucking asshole making rape jokes..."
Maria was about to respond when a small voice stopped her.
"Mama come play?" Alexa asked, making them turn around to stare at her.
"Maybe daddy can go play with you." She said, turning to look at Steve who nodded and picked Alexa up to leave the room with her, "She's always asking to play with me. I need a break." Maria added when they were out of ear shot.
"Well, you did save her from our abusive aunt." Emily said, shrugging.
Skye and Grant raised an eye brow inquisitively.
"Our Aunt Shawna was AJ's foster mother. She was actually Lilith's foster mother for a short time too. Treated Lilith the same way." Maria said, sighing as she sat down.
"Yeah, and AJ broke something and our Aunt Shawna got really pissed off so she grabbed a wooden spoon to go hit her and Maria stepped between them. She had a welt on her side below her rib cage for almost a week. She got into a stare down with her too. That's when I pulled out the adoption papers and Aunt Shawna signed over her rights."
"That's awful! I don't understand how someone could ever lay a finger on a child."
"She treated the other foster kids great! It was because AJ and Lili are mutants that she treated them that way." Emily said, sitting down beside Maria as the children in question came running back into the break room.
"What are you guys doing?" Grant asked, taking Madison from Skye.
"We play tag with uncle Steve!" Lilith squealed before she turned tail and ran back out, taking a sharp right and Alexa following closely behind.
Moments later, Steve stopped at the doorway to the break room, nearly out of breath from chasing down a almost three-year-old and a five-year-old.
"Where'd they go?"
Without saying a word, everyone pointed to their left, indicating the direction the two children had gone in and Steve let out a sigh and almost rolled his eyes before he began running to catch up to them.
"Is that the game AJ always wants to play with you? Tag?" Skye asked, leaning back in her chair.
"I had no problem with it before, but now that i'm pregnant I can't keep up with her."
"Is that what we have to look forward to?" Grant asked.
"Yup!" Emily exclaimed, popping the 'p'.
"Oh, Emily?" Maria asked, letting out a sigh as she began to get up.
"Yes?" The teen asked hesitantly, tilting her head to the side in confusion.
"You're grounded."
A/N: Let me know what y'all think! Please review :)