Steve Rogers had been trying to find Maria Hill for two days now, but for a woman just out of a wheelchair and injured, she was difficult to track down. And nearly impossible to sneak up on, even for super soldiers. So Steve gave up on the subtle approach, deciding to find her by making as much noise as possible. Currently, he was sitting at her table in the mess hall, watching the door and hoping she would come in. As soon as she did, he stood up and called across the room, "Maria!"

Maria Hill turned to look at him along with half the mess hall. Steve smiled his most charming smile even as her glare threatened to reduce him to a pile of ashes. "Over here!"

With that, she had no choice but to head over to his table, where he passed her the cup of coffee he had fetched her. Agents were visible staring, despite their stealth training, and obviously gossip was starting to circulate.

"You said we needed to talk?"

Her expression was stony, giving away absolutely nothing. "I have nothing to say to you, Captain Rogers."

Not prepared for the iciness of her words, he flinched slightly. "Maria . . ."

"Good day, Captain."

"Maria, wait!" He scrambled after her, pride be damned as she strode out of the mess hall and the stares of everyone inside followed them. Maria led him to her office, where they could at least argue privately.

"Have you lost your mind?!" she hissed at him the moment she had shut her door behind him. "What are you thinking? Are you even thinking?" The desk was the largest piece of furniture in the room, and she retreated behind it.

"Maybe I have lost my mind, Maria. Because I screwed up, and I hurt you and I'm so, so very sorry."

Maria's expression didn't change; she kept staring at the wall just to the left of his head.

"Look, you said you wanted to talk and I ran out on you. If I could go back and do it again, I wouldn't run, but you scared me so much when you almost died and then you wanted to talk and it terrified me. Look, the people I like leave me. Like my parents, like Bucky, and I couldn't bear if you had to go too."

There was silence in the small office, filled only by the soft sound of breathing as Maria stared at Steve and Steve stared at Maria. Then Steve was walking towards her, rounding the desk, and Maria was retreating until her back hit the wall and she stared at him with desperate eyes.

"Steve . . ."

"Maria," he breathed.

"Goddamn it, kiss me."

He complied, and she could feel his grin against her lips. When he kissed her, she felt his pain and sadness, but more than anything else, she could feel his hope. They broke apart, and she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Well, we're a pretty fucked up pair."

A reprimand for her language was falling from his lips, but he swallowed it and laughed instead. "I suppose we are."

Maria took a deep breath. "I'm used to the people I care about leaving too, like my parents and Coulson. And then you walked out, and I couldn't handle it." The stare she leveled him with was defiant more than anything, but he stared back, his gaze completely free of judgment. "There. Now we're even."

Again he kissed her, and all other thoughts flew from her mind.

Maria went with Steve to dinner at Stark Tower that night. As soon as she walked in the door, she was enveloped in hugs from Darcy, Jane and Pepper, and so she completely missed the nod exchanged by Coulson and Steve. Natasha did not, as she slid up behind Maria and touched her shoulder. Natasha was not the hugging type, but Maria knew she was glad to see her back. Darcy was chattering excitedly about something or other, Clint waved at her from over by the stove, Tony made a weaker crack at her than normal, and Thor and Bruce pulled up a chair by where they were sitting for her to join them.

Maria's eyes met Steve's over Thor's head and Maria realized that she was happy.