Maria Hill chapter 10

Chapter 10

They drove back to Stark tower, Coulson called Maria telling her they needed her to meet them at Stark Tower. She had bet them there so when they arrived on the main floor where she was waiting for them her concern grew with their expressions but what worried her most was Nick was walking next to Sam and he was showing his grandfather side. He would never do this around Stark, he was there with Steve arguing over something… she wasn't paying attention to them. Alexa looked up from her book as they entered concerned, part of her thought Sam was in trouble, that she did something reckless while out but their moods were different.

"We need to talk." Phil said, walking them into a conference room, sealing the door shut and closing the blinds.

"Seriously Phil what is wrong? Sam what did you do? You didn't try breaking into SHIELD again did you?"

"Maria she's not in trouble."

"Then what?" she froze at their expressions.

"Mum…" Sam stopped looking at the others, they indicated for her to continue. "I will probably get in trouble but hear me out first. I went and saw Dr Bishop." Sam blurted out

"Why?" Maria asked although she could feel the pit in her stomach opening.

"I've been feeling off lately."

"You've seemed fine…" Maria began

"Acting mostly."

"But Jarvis."

"I sort of hacked him to update you with good reports."

"Why?"

"You're happy… like really happy, I didn't want to ruin it. Alexa needed you and she always takes a step back so it was my turn. I didn't think…I didn't want to burden you, I'm sorry."

"Oh Sam." Maria said hugging her tightly she looked over the others in the room. "We've beaten this before we will do it again." Maria said. Even though Sam couldn't hear her, she mainly was saying it to herself.

Tony, Steve and Alexa each looked at the door, Alexa with concern the other two with curiosity. They were in the room for ten minutes, Tony couldn't get any info from Jarvis because Maria put him on blackout. Something she learned from Natasha. When they finally came out the mood was grim, Sam was walking between Maria and Nick. They didn't say anything to those in the room they walked past them and into the elevator both wearing blank expressions.

"Jarvis where are they going?" Tony asked

"To MR Banner's lab Sir." Jarvis replied Steve looked at him and made his way to the stairs, he saw Maria's expression he needed to go and comfort her. Alexa also saw their expressions and could feel dread begin to build within her.

Maria entered the lab with the others in tow; Banner looked up as they entered, he read the mood and frowned. He moved over to them looking at Maria but was curious as to why the Director was here.

"Can I help you with something?" he asked

Maria moved over to the ipad and pulled up Sam's medical file she handed it to him and he frowned again, he has read it before he didn't understand why she handed it to him.

"I need you to run those tests?" she asked highlighting specific tests. He arched his eyebrows in concern.

"You know what they are for." He stated

"Yes."

"I went to a doctors today away from here, she told me its back." Sam said and saw the pity in his eyes. He nodded his head and indicated for her to come and sit on the stool. 15 minutes later he was looking over the results and frowning, he grabbed her blood and moved over to examine it and sighed.

"She was right, the doctor you went to…it is back."

"Huh." Sam said now that Dr Banner has said it, it makes it feel more real. "Excuse me." Sam said moving out of the lab and going up to her room. The others watched her leave, Alexa Steve and Tony who were locked out of Banner's lab watched her leave. Alexa tried stopping her to get answers but she simply ignored them all. Alexa entered the lab to hear what Maria and Nick were discussing and froze. Tony gasped and Steve remained silent but his eyes revealed his feelings.

"What's the plan?" Tony asked, grabbing their attention, Maria saw Alexa who had tears in her eyes.

"Not again." She whispered but Maria's expression told her it was true. Alexa went off to be on her own knowing Sam wanted to be alone. She needed to wrap her head around it.

"Bruce?" Tony asked but Bruce was looking at Maria.

"Dr Bishop…" Maria began, "I don't know." Maria said going after her children, how her day started off so good.

She found Sam in her room, she was just sitting there on her bed Maria moved over and sat next to her.

"Chemo?" Sam asked

"Yes." Maria replied

"I'm going to lose my hair aren't I?" Sam stated but Maria could tell that was not what she was wanting to say. "What if I don't have enough luck?"

"Luck?" Maria asked and frowned when she figured out what she was asking. "Hey you're a fighter, you will beat this. It's not about luck Sam." Maria said as she signed

"I don't know if I have it in me to win this fight." She said.

"Hey, look at me missy, you will beat this." Maria said pulling her into a hug, Sam gave her a small smile but looked down. Alexa entered her room and looked at her, she came over and sat on the other side of her. Holding her hand she pulled her into a hug.

"People get huggy when they hear cancer." Sam smirked but hugged her sister back, they sat in the room for half an hour, Sam ended up lying down with Alexa, Maria had to go and talk with Phil, Nick, Bruce and Tony to make a plan. She hoped to get Mel too she needed her now more than ever. Sam was looking at the ceiling Alexa still held her hand. They had talked for a while but Sam felt tired and lay down, she was surprised that Alexa was the one to fall asleep first.

Maria had made a plan one she was happy with, she called Dr Bishop and arranged it all Sam would get her treatments here at the tower under Bruce's watchful eye. He was happy to do so, she informed Tony that Sam had changed Jarvis and asked him to fix it he seemed surprised at this but made sure to fix it. Nick had to return to SHIELD but made it so Coulson and his team were free to help, May was on her way over now, Phil was going to stay and Skye who felt so bad but Maria reassured her she did the right thing and was not at fault.

The next day Sam came out for breakfast and was surprised that everyone was there including Coulson and his team. She locked eyes with Natasha and Clint she nodded at them Clint looked upset Natasha she couldn't tell but she gave her a slight nod so she knew they were all good. She sat next to Alexa and by the looks she was receiving it became clear that everyone knew. Pepper was looking at her sadly, Wanda was giving her a small smile, and Pietro looked upset.

"Is Jimmy and the others still allowed to come next week?" Sam asked as she noticed that Maria served her plate and gave her a glass of milk. She looked at her quizzically her response was a shrug.

"That depends."

"On what?"

"How your first round of chemo goes."

"Figured, when?" Sam asked looking down Maria had to wait for her to look back up before she signed her response.

'Today.'

"Today?" Sam asked she looked around the table they seemed to find anything else of interest to look at.

"Is it at Dr Bishop's?"

"No Dr Bishop has agreed to do your treatment here."

"Here."

"Now you're just parroting her." Alexa told her sister, she smiled at that before shaking her head.

"I forgot how fast you can move." She told her mother but started to eat anyway. The others began talking amongst themselves but Sam did notice tension between Steve and her mum and sighed.

As Sam sat in the fancy chair in the medical wing that Tony had set up watching the poison drip into her (she knew it wasn't poison)to kill the poison already inside of her she thought long and hard of what this will do to her family. She came up with two set of three words one good one bad, either 'this will suck' or 'unite each other.' She had a feeling it will be both, in the long run it will unite them but there will be a whole lot of suck beforehand. Maria and Alexa were with her, Maria was looking over some non-classified files and Alexa had her phone out she was on either Instagram or Facebook Sam didn't know.

"You know you don't have to sit with me." Sam said but the looks she received were clear, as if it wasn't an option. She smiled at them before turning her attention back to the books that May recommended.