It was a warm and breezy evening when Maria found herself in her civilian clothes, leaning up against her vehicle that was parked on the street just outside of Maggie Lang's, Cassie Lang's, and Jim Paxton's house in San Francisco. She stared at the home, lights streaming through the windows and into the darkness as it was the evening of Cassie's birthday party, and Maria was well over an hour late to the event; the sun had already set and the moon was brightly shining.
Maria shouldn't have been there. She should've been halfway around the world right then; distancing herself from exactly where she was, but she couldn't help herself. She needed one last time. A time to be with the woman whom she loved before everything would change.
Maria was sure that her movements there had not been tracked, yet she was still beyond nervous to be standing there. Her anxieties about her mission were instantly replaced by what lay beyond that door, inside that house in front of her.
Both Scott and Hope's family were in there. Even though she felt pretty safe with both Janet and Scott, everyone else was an unknown and it freaked her out. 'Meeting the family' wasn't really something she was familiar with, and as a gay woman, it scared her even more.
The only thing that gave her the strength to pull out her newest burner phone was her desperation to see Hope again. Maria looked to the screen, plugging in the other woman's number before sending her a text that read: "It's me. Sorry, I'm late. I'm outside now." She hoped that she'd see it so she wouldn't have to knock on the door. She was a grown-ass woman, a Commander, the freakin' Deputy Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and yet she was scared shitless to approach the house unaccompanied.
Just as Maria was placing her mobile into her knapsack, the front door swung open, and out stepped Hope. She stopped for a moment, standing at the top of the front steps as she looked to Maria. Her long unbound hair blew in the breeze as her face split into the most beautiful smile that made Maria's heart skip a beat. Quickly, the woman trotted down the steps as Maria pushed herself off from the side of the vehicle, the two made haste to meet in the middle of the small yard. Maria dropped her bag to the grass right before their bodies crashed together in a hug as Hope picked her up, spinning her once as she cheered, "You made it."
After Hope placed her down, Maria pulled back only to slide her hands to the sides of Hope's face, looking at her ever so briefly before she pushed her mouth to hers. She held Hope's head securely between her grasping hands and her unwavering kiss.
The kiss wasn't gentle nor was it passionate, it was forceful like a strong magnet pulling them together. Maria felt an unbelievable sense of dread that it would be one of the last times that she'd have with her lips pushed up against Hope's. She also felt such guilt, but could not help herself from drinking in every ounce of her beautiful angel as Hope so willingly allowed Maria to take as she pleased. She just couldn't let Hope go. She was her sanctuary. But for how long? Maria feared to find out.
Hope's arms, that were tightly around Maria's back, slowly moved up her body as her hands casually slid atop of the ones that were at her face. Hope then gently wrapped her fingers around her hands as Maria allowed her hold on the woman's cheeks to loosen while Hope took them into her own grip. She then timidly pulled her mouth away from Maria's, it took the other woman a second to allow Hope to ease herself free. Maria opened her eyes to find Hope already staring at her as her gaze bore into hers, only for Hope to quickly press a kiss to both of her hands, sending a chill through Maria's body. She had a way of making Maria feel safe. Then, like Hope could read her needs, she let go of her hands and gently pulled Maria's head into her shoulder where Maria sighed into her body, wrapping her arms around her, holding her tightly.
"It was really that bad out there, huh?" Hope kissed her scalp before resting her cheek to her head.
"The worst," she said as a surprising smirk found its way onto her face.
"Is it over yet?" Hope started gently combing through Maria's hair with her fingers.
Maria gulped, knowing that the worst had yet to come. "Not yet." She tried not to let her nerves come through in her tone of voice.
"When do you have to get back out there?"
The true answer was, 'right away', but she'd be damned to live in that reality. "Soon."
"Soon?" Hope repeated for clarification.
"A few hours," she said while stubbornly forcing Hope into her schedule. Hope aggressively sighed in response to her answer before tightening her grip around Maria as if to communicate that she didn't want to let her leave. "I'm sorry," Maria said in defeat as she too squeezed her harder, feeling terrible for everything.
Hope pulled back a little to cup Maria's face in her hands. "Don't apologise," she said fervently before she pushed lose locks of hair behind Maria's ear with her fingers which made her skin tingle. "I get it." Hope smirked. "The magic wears off at midnight so you have to leave your shoe on the stairs before your car turns back into a pumpkin."
Maria chuckled at her words, making Hope giggle along with her. Maria stared into Hope's shining eyes as she couldn't get over just how much she felt for her.
"Hope?" A young girl popped her head out of the front door who Maria could only assume was the birthday girl.
"Hey, Cassie." Hope moved her hands away from Maria as she then waved the girl over. "Do you want to come here and say hi to Maria?"
The girl looked timidly towards Maria before nodding. She then hung her head as she slowly walked down the stairs towards them, her long dark hair fallen across her face in hiding.
Maria, wanting to make the girl feel more comfortable, acknowledge her. "Oh, good, there you are." Maria smiled. "I'm short on agents these days, and I heard you might be just the person to help me out."
"Me?" The girl stopped in front of them, snapping her head up to look at Maria as her interest seemed piqued.
"Yeah. You've gone through agent training already, right?"
Cassie looked to her in confusion. "My daddy taught me how to sneak around and escape places that I'm not supposed to be in."
"Oh, that's good." Maria nodded. "That's definitely a skill that's needed."
Cassie's eyes lit up as she asked with excitement, "Does that mean I can be one of your agents?"
"Absolutely." Maria reached for her bag. "But first, we need to make sure you're properly equipped for your missions, Agent Lang." She then started rummaging through her sack. "The sun's down right now which means you have to be ready for a night op. Do you know what you need for those?" Cassie shook her head. "Night vision goggles." Maria pulled out the mentioned item from her pack and quickly turned them on.
"Woah!" Cassie squirmed with glee as Maria gently put them over her head as the girl was quick to adjust them properly over her eyes. She then whipped her head about, looking around. "I can see in the dark!" The girl instantly moved around the yard in pure excitement.
Hope took a hold of Maria's hand, threading their fingers together as she leaned into her, yet never took her eyes off of the girl. "Did you really just give a nine-year-old a night optical device for her birthday?"
"Well, It's not like I had a chance to stop into a toy store." Maria smirked, moving her head to look at Hope as the woman turned to catch her peering.
Hope grinned before leaning in to quickly kiss Maria on the lips. "You just made a new best friend. I hope you realise this."
"Correction, I just made a new best agent. She's gonna put all my other agents to shame."
"How come everything's green?" Cassie asked loudly like she was trying to yell over the noise of the colour itself while she approached them, still wearing her goggles.
"They make them that way because our eyes are sensitive to the colour." Maria recalled back to how they were explained to her. "Apparently, if they didn't do that, then they'd be in black-and-white and that makes it harder to see."
"But how?" she asked while taking off the headgear.
"How?" Maria shook her head in confusion.
"How do they work?" Cassie shook the goggles in her hands.
"Ah..." Maria was completely dumbfounded, not actually grasping the technology herself. She was fairly competent when it came to mechanics that she could physically see the system of; things like machinery and circuit boards. But with something like night vision goggles, she didn't have the scientific background to understand how they worked.
"The dim light from the night sky enters this lens here." Hope jumped in as she pointed to the end of the gadget. "Now light is made up of a bunch of teeny-tiny particles called photons that, inside of here" – she gestured to the centre of the short spyglass shaped tube – "get turned into elections and they're even smaller than photons."
"So electrons make me see in the dark?" Cassie asked her.
"Yes, but there's a little more to it."
"What else more?" The girl was excited to learn.
"Okay." Hope smiled. "Then those electrons get turned into even more electrons by something called a photomultiplier."
"Photomultiplier," Cassie repeated. "That's what's inside here?" She pointed to the goggles.
"Yes." Hope nodded. "Then all those electrons get to this last part here." – she pointed to the inside of the goggles – "and they make little tiny flashes of light, like a T.V. screen, which is the image you see when you look through them."
"Cool!" Cassie grinned. "Flashing electrons make me see." She put her goggles back on as she went to look at the dimly lit garden in front of the house.
"You know" – Maria let go of Hope's hand as she pushed her long hair off of her shoulder to behind her back before she spoke into her ear in hushed tones – "you're kinda hot when you talk science. I mean: photons, electrons, and photomultipliers. Tell me more."
Hope turned her head to face her. "Well, I didn't even mention the photocathode and the phosphor screen," she hummed seductively.
Her eyes were glued to Hope's mouth as Maria licked her lips, absolutely turned on by how smart she was as all her worries were temporarily replaced by her gorgeous and intelligent girlfriend. Maria then wrapped her arm around her waist, tugging her closely into her body. "Yes talk nerdy to me, my sexy little scientist."
Hope chuckled while dropping her forehead to the other woman's. Then, just as Hope had teasingly nipped at Maria's bottom lip, they heard Scott calling. "Really, guys?" They both turned towards the sound of his voice to find him standing at the top of the stairs. "You're making out right in front of my kid?" They then looked to Cassie, who was crouching down, intently studying a flower pot through her goggles, with her back turned to them.
Maria then looked back to him to discover that he was now wearing a playful grin. "Hey, Maria," he greeted her as he made his way down to them.
"Hi." she nodded with a smile.
"Glad you could make it."
"Daddy!" Cassie then came running over to him. "Maria made me one of her agents and gave me goggles that make you see in the dark!"
Scott threw his hands on top of his hips as he said to her in a tone of warning, "Now, Cassie, you know you can't just become a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and then continue to call Maria by her first name." She cocked her head as she listened. "She's now your superior officer, which means – from now on – you must address her as Commander."
"Oh." She pushed her goggles up on top of her forehead. bearing wide eyes.
"Did you say thank you for the night vision goggles?"
The girl took in a sharp panicked breath. "I forgot!" she blurted to her dad before turning to the agent. "Thank you, Commander Maria!"
Maria chuckled in hearing her first name trailing after her title like that but didn't have the heart to correct her. "You're welcome, Agent Lang." She smiled at the girl.
"Can I show you all the other presents I got?" she asked her excitedly.
"Sure." Cassie reminded her a lot of her little brother, back when he was a kid, and how he'd always excitedly engaging with her like that.
"Yay," she cheered. "They're in the living room." The girl turned around and barreled up the front steps to then wait for her to follow.
"Wow," Scott muttered to Maria under his breath, "she doesn't normally take to new people this fast." He then turned to make his way towards his daughter as Hope grabbed both Maria's hand and her bag as she then tugged her to follow.
"Okay, Peanut." He addressed the girl as he opened the door and guided her inside. "Just give Maria a chance to settle in before you bombard her with all your new toys, okay?"
"Okay," she agreed while she disappeared inside the house as Scott trailed in after her.
Right before the two women started to climb the steps, Hope halted them. She then turned to Maria before asking in an apprehensive tone, "Are you ready for this?"
"Are you?" Maria saw the fear in her eyes that made her much more concerned for Hope's sake than her own.
Hope bit her lip nervously before sighing. "My dad he's… ah…" She dropped her head as she seemed to be failing to find the words, but Maria was pretty sure she understood.
Maria squeezed her hand encouragingly. "Don't worry, disapproving parents is kinda my thing."
Hope looked up giving her a soft heartwarming smirk. Maria smiled back before she turned to climb the stairs, Hope then hurried in front of her to open the door and lead her inside.
The entryway lead into the living room where Maria caught sight of Cassie already at a pile of toys and ripped up wrapping paper on the floor. On a recliner chair at the far end of the room, sat Hank Pym, and to the opposite side, were a blonde woman and a tall man with dark hair, who both stood up to the sight of them entering. Maria assumed the two were Scott's ex-wife and her fiancé.
The couple came over to Maria, pushing past Scott. "Hi, you must be Maria," the tall man said with a very welcoming smile. "We heard you might swing by. We're so happy to have you. I'm, Paxton." He extended his hand to hers.
"Hi, nice to meet you." Maria shook his offered hand.
"And I'm Maggie." The blonde leaned in and took her hand next. "My God," she muttered, now closely studying her face, "you're stunning." Her comment made Maria feel slightly embarrassed. "I mean, Hope definitely found her match." She flicked her eyes to the other woman. "You two make an absolutely gorgeous couple." Maggie then released Maria's hand.
"Whoa," Paxton exclaimed, "Scott is stunning too. Don't make him feel like he's less pretty than Maria." He went to the mentioned man, stepping behind him as he wrapped his arms around him. "I mean, look at this beautiful face." Paxton let go of him only to then squish his palms into his cheeks.
"Thanks, buddy." Scott patted his arm.
Maggie stepped to the guys as Paxton removed his hands from Scott's face where Maggie was quick to aggressively pat Scott's cheek. "Yes, your face is pretty too." She then leaned in to quickly kiss the spot that she'd just lovingly smacked at repeatedly.
Maria turned to Hope, a little confused by the trio's dynamic, as the other woman just smiled and shrugged. Maria couldn't help but smirk back at her, not quite believing how welcoming and nice Scott and his family were being. And not only towards her, but towards each other too. Though, it was all making a lot more sense to her now as to why Scott had been so good towards her after she and Hope started dating. He already had experience with being friendly with the ex and their new partner.
"Maria, are you hungry?" Maggie asked. "We have lots of leftovers."
"No thank you. I'm fine," she said even though she hadn't eaten in awhile; she just didn't have much of an appetite that whole month. She was one who could never seem to get food down when she was stressed which explained why she'd always been on the thin side for her whole life.
"Okay. But if you change your mind. Feel free to go into the fridge and help yourself to anything." Maggie pointed off to the other room. "Kitchen's just through there."
Maria then heard the squeak of a floorboard as Janet soon appeared, descending the stairwell that ended in front of the foyer. "Maria!" The woman grinned as she made her way over to her. "Oh, I'm so glad you made it." She threw her arms around her as Maria didn't hesitate as she instantly hugged her back. She'd only known Janet for a brief moment in time but felt so comfortable with her. She emanating this warmth that she'd always wished that her own mother had possessed. Janet then pulled back as she held Maria by the elbows. "This is where you belong. Here, with us." She made direct eye contact as she nodded, causing Maria's eyes to well up; which was the second time that Janet had evoked that reaction in her.
"Pfft." Maria heard an aggravated grunt coming from Hank in his chair. Janet then let go of her to quickly turn and glare at him from across the room in reaction to his outburst.
"You know what?" Maggie seemed to have noticed the newly arisen tension as she awkwardly said, "I'm gonna make you up a plate just in case." She looked at Maria before turning to her daughter. "Cassie, come help me in the kitchen for a minute."
"But I wanna show Commander Maria my presents."
"Yes, you can afterwards."
"Okay," she huffed while getting up and walking towards the kitchen as Maggie was quick to grab Paxton's arm, dragging him away behind Cassie, making Maria wonder if everyone had known that Hank wasn't her biggest fan.
"This is Hank." Janet moved to give Maria a full view of the man sitting in the chair, who had a three-dimensional puzzle contraption made up of rope, rings, and balls, in his hands that she'd assumed was Cassie's.
After a moment of him refusing to acknowledging them, with his head down, playing around with the puzzle, Hope sharply hissed, "Dad!"
He sighed in annoyance before he spoke. "I'm surprised you showed up." He lifted his head to look at Maria. "I didn't think the leash Fury had you on was long enough."
Maria could sense Hope's body tensing next to her like it was ready to attack, but she didn't want Hope to worry about her. She didn't want Hope to have to defend Maria, herself, or anybody else, ever again, against this man who had hit her mother and made the two of them feel unsafe. So Maria placed her hand across Hope's body, putting a literal barrier between her and her dad, as she said calmly with a disingenuous smile, "My leash has never been quite as short as the one Stark attached to you." She referenced his late mentor.
"Howard's long dead," he grunted at her as if she were stupid.
"Yes, and yet S.H.I.E.L.D. still stands." Her smile never faulted as she implied that Hank was indeed still on a leash and she was the one now holding it.
She could see his eyes go wild in regards to her statement. "When I heard you might show up, I didn't know what to expect," he angrily snarled. "Yet, here you are, and I'm not the least bit surprised by any of it."
Maria stared him down, never once allowing her gaze to falter as she said, "Funny, you're exactly what I'd expected, so I guess neither of us are surprised here."
"Commander Maria!" Cassie came rushing in. "Do you want chicken or tofu?"
Maria peeled her eyes away from Hank to look at the girl.
"Quesadillas." Scott timidly brought clarity to his daughter's question.
Maria smirked at the girl and her innocence as she gently said, "Tofu please."
"Okay!" She then bounded off as quickly as she'd appeared. "Mom, she wants tofu!" They heard her yelling from the other room.
"Um," Scott awkwardly yet quickly suggested, "how about we all sit down?" He forced a smile while gesturing to the sofas, taking full advantage of his daughter's interruption.
Janet nodded as she linked her arm around Maria's. "Sounds good," she said in a warm tone like she was completely ignoring Hank and his attitude towards the new party guest. She then led her to the large couch that Maggie and Paxton were previously sitting on, with Hope trailing behind (first dropping Maria's bag by the door).
"So, tell me how you've been." Janet lowered herself to the seat, bringing Maria with her as Hope claimed the spot on the other side of her girlfriend.
Before Maria could even process the question, Hank huffed as he stood up from his chair, throwing the puzzle on top of it, grumbling to himself while walking to the front door and exiting the house.
Maria heard Hope sigh in aggravation before Janet spoke up apologetically. "Sorry about him. He has this issue with S.H.I.E.L.D. and everything connected to it."
"He just has issues, period," Hope scoffed under her breath from the other side of her. Maria, in response, blindly reached over to her leg. Hope was quick to take her hand in her own while Maria remained focused on Janet.
"You don't have to apologise." Maria was displeased with how Janet was taking on the responsibility for his actions. "And besides, it's not like I was helping the situation." She was now worried that she'd offended one or both of the women with her comments towards Hank.
"No," Hope responded, "you definitely didn't help while living up to your cold bitch title." Maria then whipped her head to the side, relieved to find the woman smirking at her.
"When I said 'disapproving parents was my thing', I more so meant that I had experience with them, and not so much that I knew how to properly deal with them."
Hope chuckled at her before saying, "No, I think you dealt with the situation just fine."
"Yeah." Scott jumped in as he sat down on the couch opposite them. "Now I won't be the pebble in Hank's shoe anymore because of you." He cheekily smiled.
Hope eyed him. "Don't get your hopes up there 'cause Maria will probably just be the rock added to your pebble. And I'll be" – she stopped for a moment to think – "I'll be the hole that keeps tearing bigger and bigger in the toe of his sock."
"Oh, don't be so dramatic." Janet huffed with a chuckle before she patted Maria's leg, making her look over to the older woman. "Hope might not be as stubborn and theatrical as Hank, but it's still fair to say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." She winked at her.
"Really?" Hope pushed her face over Maria's shoulder so that she could glare at her mother.
Maria let go of Hope's hand only to bring it up to her head, sinking her fingers into the other woman's hair as Maria turned to focus onto the side of her face. She then teased her. "Don't be so dramatic." Hope responded by shifting her glare from off of her mother, to Maria. Resulting in Maria's hand position changing as her fingers were now brushing over Hope's surgery spot. "Hey, your mini putting green feels so soft," Maria said while trying to get a rise out of her as she moved her digits back and forth over the area.
"Stop!" Hope growled while smacking her hand away and pulling her head back. "You people, always touching my head," she muttered. Maria chuckled at her as she then shared a look with Scott who was smiling at her.
"I have your plate!" Cassie came into the room, stopping when she noticed an empty chair. "Where did Doctor Pym go?"
"He needed some fresh air," Janet answered.
"Oh." She then continued on to Maria, passing her her food. "Mom says you don't have to eat it." She then passed her a can of pop that she was holding in her other hand. "Hope said you like Diet Doctor Pepper."
"I do, thank you." Maria smiled, loving that Hope remembered that personal detail about her as she placed the plate on top of her lap and held the drink in her hand.
Cassie then turned back to the older woman. "Is he coming back? Because he said he'd figure out my puzzle for me."
"How about you pass the puzzle around the room and see if anyone else can get it," Janet suggested while not answering the part about Hank's possible return.
She nodded while going to the mentioned item, passing it to Janet first just as Maggie and Paxton came back into the room and sat down on either side of Scott on the sofa. Maria heard the two muttering a question is regards to Hank's whereabouts directed at Scott that he basically answered with a look and a shrug.
Cassie went to her present pile and grabbed up a large white box. The girl then hurried towards Maria. "Look, Commander Maria." She held up the gift in front of her to see. "Hope gave me this!"
Maria studied the box before looking at Hope. "You gave her a chemistry set?" she smiled. "You're such a nerd."
"Oh, shut your face" – she picked up a piece of food from off her plate – "and eat your quesadilla." She then shoved it into Maria's face as she grabbed it between her teeth. Hope then leaned in closer before she whispered right into her ear, "Besides, I already know you're into science nerds." Her words, that couldn't be any truer, sent a shiver through Maria's body.
Maria quickly straightened her back, trying her best to not be distracted by Hope as she bit off a piece of food; chewing and swallowing. "So, are you going to clone anybody with your set?" Maria asked the girl, now ignoring Hope.
"Yes!" Cassie grinned. "Daddy's first, then mom wants to be next so her clone can do the dishes for her."
"And the laundry." Maggie added.
"Makes sense." Maria smiled at the woman.
"Do you want to be cloned too?" Cassie asked her.
"Yes please. But can I have like five clones?"
"Okay, as long as I have enough supplies in my kit left."
"Fingers crossed." Maria winked at her.
The girl then proceeded to show all of her birthday gifts to Maria while the woman continued to eat her food as she enjoyed everyone's company. She couldn't help but feel at home there. It was different than when she was hanging out with her friends at S.H.I.E.L.D., whom she'd considered her found family. What her colleagues had not fulfilled in her was what she felt in that two storey San Francisco home with her current company. It was what she'd always dreamed about when she was young. Sitting on a sofa with the woman whom she loved, and on the other side, a motherly figure who accepted her for who she truly was. She had a home-cooked meal in front of her while a little girl, who'd basically adopted her as an aunt figure, was happily engaging with her. Even Scott was seemingly turning out to feel more and more like a brother to her. This happiness that she was feeling was now making her concern even greater, knowing that she would most likely lose these people in her life forever.
"So, Maria." Maggie spoke up after Cassie had efficiently talked off Maria's ear about all her presents. "Is commander like one of the highest ranks in S.H.I.E.L.D. then?"
"Ah, not exactly." Maria shook her head. "Commander isn't technically a rank in the organisation, it's a title." The blonde looked to her in confusion. "So, I have more than one title, but my highest one is Deputy Director."
"Which means she works directly under Director Fury." Paxton helped explain to his fiancée.
"Oh yes, I remember Scott mentioning him," she said.
"Yeah." Maria continued. "But because I also command the helicarriers, I have the title off—"
"Commander." Maggie nodded. "Okay, I think I get it. So you basically have two titles?"
"Actually, I have three."
"You have three titles?" Hope gawked.
Maria turned her head to her. "See, this is why I need five clones. Too many jobs."
"Wait," Maggie asked, "what's your third title?"
"Yeah." Hope eyed her. "'Cause being a cold B-I-T-C-H isn't an official title."
Cassie then looked up from one of her toys as she gasped, "I know what bad word Hope just spelled!"
Maria allowed her mouth to go agape as she had to hold back a laugh. "You're such a bad influence on the innocent child."
Hope then pushed her hand into Maria's face as Maggie addressed her daughter. "It's fine Cass. Don't worry about it."
After Maria swatted the annoying hand away, Hope asked her again, "So, what is it?"
"It's Agent," Maria said as if it were obvious.
"Oh, Yeah. I forgot about that one." Hope looked sheepish, but then she got a funny look in her eye as she muttered, "But at least Scott and I have the cooler title." She brought her legs up onto the couch as she hugged her knees into her chest. "Cooler than all three of your titles combined." She eyed her mischievously.
"Oh, please. Being an Average is not that cool." She rolled her eyes at her.
"I heard a hint of envy in that tone." Hope intensely studied her. "Scott did you hear it too?" She never took her eyes off of her as she asked him.
"Loud and clear." He agreed with his partner. "Cassie." Scott caught the girl's attention. "What do you think is cooler, being an avenger like Daddy and Hope?" he pointed to the two of them with excitement. "Or" – he scrunched his face in disgust – "being second in charge, not even first in charge, of a boring agency and telling a bunch of lame flying ships what to do" – he then pointed to the agent – "like Commander Maria?"
"The question is irrelevant." Maria stared him down.
"How so?" he asked.
"Because I'm firing the both of you right now from the Avengers 'cause my superior title gives me the power to do that."
"Yeah!" Cassie jumped to her feet. "'Cause Commander Maria is the boss!"
Maria excitedly asked her, "Which makes me the coolest, right?"
"Right!" Cassie cheered while Maria put her hand out as the girl was quick to jump to it and give her a high-five.
Scott then bounded to his feet while he jokingly pointed at his daughter. "Traitor!" Cassie screamed before running away in laughter as her dad chased her right out the front door.
"Don't run into the streets!" Maggie called out at them like it was a force of habit and not so much as if she was legitimately worried about their safety.
"She's going to sleep like a log tonight," Paxton said to his fiancée where she smiled at him in agreement.
Maria then turned to Hope, but to her surprise, she wasn't looking at her with annoyance. Instead, she had a soft expression on her face before she smirked and gently asked, "So, I'm fired then?"
"Unfortunately." Maria nodded with fake sympathy as she turned her upper body to face her. "No more Avengers for you."
Hope held her gentle expression as she took the empty plate and pop can from Maria's hands. She then turned away to place them atop the end table to the other side of her before Hope dropped the weight of her body into the woman's side. Maria smirked while wrapping her arm around her upper back, hugging her in close. "Well, it was a good run while it lasted." Hope sighed, resting her head atop her chest. Maria chuckled in response to her while she reached, with her free hand, to take a hold of Hope's in her grasp, threading their fingers together.
Suddenly the front door crashed open where Cassie pulled Hank inside by his hand. "I found Dr. Pym!" she announced. "He said he was out walking." Maria then felt Hope tense in her arms in response to the man's presence.
"Yes, yes," he muttered, yet was clearly trying to remain pleasant in front of the girl while Scott entered the house behind them.
Hank then noticed the two women cuddling on the sofa which made him scoff. He then quickly took his eyes off of them before he made his way back to his same spot in the recliner.
"Cassie, dear," Janet called the girl over.
"Yes, Aunty Janet?" She walked over to her.
"I'm just not getting this puzzle." The woman passed her the object that she had been fiddling with for a long while. "Maybe you could give it back to the doctor over there." She gestured at Hank with her head.
"Wait." Maria, who was not pleased by how the man had made Hope react by simply walking in through the door, asked, "May I try it first?" Wanting to see if she could solve it before he could.
"Okay." She passed it to her; Maria had to untangle herself from Hope to take it. The woman studied it, turning it over in her hands. "You have to get the ring that's by the red ball all the way over to the green ball." Cassie pointed to the mentioned objects that were all tethered by a single rope that was twisted through various blockades, with the two balls on opposite sides.
Maria nodded, already understanding the objective. She had to figure out a pattern to move the various pieces about to allow the ring to slide along. She'd noticed Janet already trying different things, making note of how far the rope could be manipulated throughout the system – which wasn't by much. Maria turned the puzzle in her hands for about a minute, visualising the possible movements without physically trying any of them.
"Okay," she said, "I think I've got it."
"Please." Hank spoke up from his spot, sounding unconvinced.
Maria looked up to glare at him, not saying a word before dropping her head to start executing her plan; she began to move the pieces about.
"Wait," Cassie said as she watched Maria work, "you're supposed to get it to the other side, not slide it further away." She pointed at the ring that the commander was moving; she was pushing it in the opposite direction of where its intended final destination was supposed to be.
"To complete a task" – Maria twisted at the rope – "often you have to look at the bigger picture" - she looped it over part of the puzzle – "because when you focus only on the individual steps independent of the system, they might seem counterintuitive." She put a specific, loose knot in the rope, manipulating the ring around and then through its loops. "But it's not until you look at the problem as a whole" – she changed up the knot and pushed the ring over and then through it again – "you can find your solution." She then finally slid the ring straight to the green ball.
Cassie's eyes lit up as she gasped, "You did it!"
"Did you really?" Scott leaned forward in his chair.
"Cassie got that from my mom yesterday," Maggie said like she were in complete awe. "We've all been trying to solve it since then."
Scott continued. "I was playing with it for awhile when the kids were all here. I was convinced you needed plyers to complete it."
"Daddy said it was impossible." Cassie told Maria as she took the puzzle out her hand and brought it over to her father. "But you were wrong." She looked at him.
He scooped her into his lap. "Well, it was almost impossible. I mean, we had to bring out the big guns to solve it."
The girl looked at him in confusion. "But a big gun didn't solve it. Commander Maria did."
"I was ready to take a big gun to that thing," Paxton griped. "I was frustrated after one minute with that—" He gestured at the puzzle.
"Luis seemed to have almost had it this afternoon," Maggie said.
Both Paxton and Scott chuckled before Scott shook his head. "He really didn't."
Maria couldn't help herself as she looked over to Hank. He was ignoring everyone while he was conveniently reading the back of the chemistry set box, hiding his face behind it.
Just then Maggie's mobile phone chimed, making her check a message. The action reminded Maria of the time passing, knowing that her window was soon closing. She couldn't be gone for too long or she'd raise suspicion; the possiblity of sabotaging her mission lingered over her. Maria, in response, gazed down at her wrist, checking the time on her watch.
Hope then gently took a hold of her wrist, right next to her timepiece, as Maria looked up to her. "You don't have to go yet, do you?" Her eyes looked at her with a hint of sadness behind them.
"No, not quite yet." Maria couldn't deny her happiness. She – theoretically – would be alright to spend a little more time with her. If all went to plan, that was.
"Do you want to get out of here with me now?" Hope asked in a low voice. "I could show you our lab." Maria bit back a grin, ecstatic by the idea of getting away to be alone with Hope as she placed her hand on the one that was grasping her arm, giving it a firm squeeze. Hope smirked. "I'm gonna take that as a yes."
"That's smart." Hope's green eyes were fixed on hers as Maria slid her hand up the woman's arm to her elbow, only to then move it back down. "Also," Maria hummed softly, "I'd like to keep my word on what I'd said I'd do to you the next time I saw you."
Suddenly, Hope's grasp, that she had on Maria's wrist, tightened where she then quickly turned to the room. "Ah, Maria and I are gonna start heading out now."
"No," Cassie whined as she slid off her dad's lap, throwing the puzzle onto his legs, where she hurried over to them. "You guys can't leave yet." She placed her little hands on both of their knees.
"Now, Cassie," Maggie said in a tone of warning. "You can't hold your guests hostage."
She pouted. "Commander Maria, I'm still gonna be your agent, even after you leave, right?"
"You better be because I have a top-secret mission for you." Maria studied the girl, realising that Cassie had the potential to help her.
"What is it?"
Maria looked around the room before she leaned in towards her. "Not here. I'll tell you in the dining room." Maria remembered seeing the location when she'd initially walked into the house.
Soon the two were in the other room together where Maria had a knee to the floor as she gave Cassie her specific instructions; then making her promise that she wouldn't tell anyone.
"Are you two secret agents done with your mission briefing yet?" Hope popped her head out from behind the wall after about five minutes had passed.
"Yes, I think so." Maria nodded before looking back to Cassie. "Do you feel confident you can complete your mission, Agent Lang?"
"Yes, ma'am." She saluted her.
"Good." She smiled.
Then, right before she was about to lift herself up off the floor, Cassie sprang forwards, hugging her around her neck. "Thanks for coming to my birthday party."
Maria gently hugged her back. "Well thanks for inviting me."
Cassie then pulled away from her before she made her way to the other woman where she proceeded to hug her around her waist. "Bye, Hope."
Hope wrapped her arms around her shoulders. "Bye, Cassie." She smiled. "I'll see you next weekend."
The girl's head jerked up as she looked at her. "At my soccer tournament, right?"
"Yes, but I might only make it for one game though."
"That's okay." She let go of her.
Shortly, everyone was up and at the door, minus Hank who grumpily remained seated, as they all said their farewells to the women.
After leaving the house, outside in the front yard, Hope turned to Maria as she asked, "Do you want me to drive us both over to the lab?"
"But what about my vehicle? She pointed at the crossover parked on the street.
Hope pulled out her keys that seemed to have a little device attached to the rings. "I could always shrink it and we can take it with us." She pointed the device at her vehicle.
"No!" Maria pushed her hands up playfully while grabbing her wrists. "I still have P.T.S.D. from the last time you did that to my ride."
Hope laughed. "Is this still about your candies?"
"Yes." She let go of her. "No shrinking. I'll just follow you with my car like a normal person." Maria then started off towards her vehicle.
"Are you calling me abnormal because I shrink things, including myself?" Hope called out to her.
"Yes!" Maria smiled at her cheekily before she got into her vehicle. She could see Hope shaking her head at her through the passenger window before she went to her own car that was in the driveway.
Soon, Maria and Hope found themselves in front of of the lab that was sitting atop a hill right next to the ocean with no other buildings within a ten kilometre radius.
"So, you can just park your lab on prime waterfront real estate and no one notices or says anything?" Maria pointed at the dimly lit lot while she walked over to Hope who was already standing in front of the building's entrance.
"Well, we own this land." Hope shrugged.
"This land?" Maria pointed to where the building sat, not knowing where the lab's latest location had been until that moment since it was no longer her job to track it.
"More like" - Hope gestured over the rolling hills on one side, then moved her hands in the opposite direction to point off into the distance on the other side - "this land."
"Wow. Okay there, Daddy Warbucks."
Hope chuckled. "Shut up." She then took her hand and dragged Maria inside.
Hope led her through the first floor that looked like a rundown office building. "Impressive decoy entry." Maria looked about the space.
"Thanks, I had a lot of fun smashing up the place." Hope smiled as she brought her into the elevator.
When the doors opened to the lab Maria gawked at just how large and high tech it all looked. "Okay, this place definitely gives Tony's lab a run for its money." She took a few steps into the floor as she turned about, letting her eyes fall onto the magnitude of it all. "The only thing you're missing is a collection of luxury cars."
"Untrue." Hope walked over to a table off to the end with Maria following. She then grabbed a satchel from atop it, unzipping it before she tilted it open for her to see a bunch of miniaturised vehicles inside.
Maria grinned. "Well, I'll be damned." She shook her head.
Then suddenly, from the corner of her eye she saw a giant ant passing by which made her body jolt. She gulped while she speedily focused onto the creepy looking insect that was blown up in size. She felt her heart beginning to race while watching its disturbing looking feelers twitching about while she took a giant step backwards. Not wanting it anywhere near her.
"Hey." Hope touched her elbow which made Maria jump. "Oh my god, are you afraid of ants?"
Maria whipped her head around to look at her. "No, I'm not afraid of ants," she said defensively. "Because ants are this big." She used her thumb and index finger to show the size of a little insect. She then gestured back to the insect that was now walking away into another part of the lab. "That is not natural. Okay?"
Hope chuckled as she wrapped her arms around her waist from the side. "Don't worry, I'll protect you from the scary bug," she said patronisingly.
"Shut up," Maria grumbled while she turned in her arms, hugging her back as she dropped her forehead to Hope's. "They shouldn't be that big," she huffed.
"Just like your vehicles shouldn't be that small?"
"You guys are playing God with sizes. Not unlike how seven-eleven made the Big Gulp. I feel like I'm allowed to be a little wary."
Hope laughed. "Please, we're way more competent than seven-eleven."
"You better be because the whole world laughs at us for our abhorrent drink sizes and it's all because of that kind of irresponsibility."
"You are ridiculous," Hope muttered before she pushed her mouth to hers in a soft kiss. "Do you want to see my apartment upstairs?" she asked after their lips parted. "I promise there are no giant ants up there."
Maria didn't say a word, instead she grabbed Hope by the hand and made hast towards the elevator as the other woman chuckled while being towed behind.
When they entered her apartment, Maria couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by emotion. It wasn't because of the room's stylised yellow sofa set that sat next to a stone fireplace, nor was it the rich looking stainless steel kitchen off to the end, or the windows that lined every wall of the space. No, what it was was the fact that it was Hope's place. It was an extension of her which made Maria feel instantly comfortable in it.
"What?" Hope asked her.
"Huh?" Maria looked over at her.
"I don't know, you look like you have something to say."
"No, it's just that your place is really nice. Definitely not what I'm used to."
"Why? What's your place like?"
"I don't really have one." Maria shrugged. "Or, I guess, I have many. Housing on various bases, my apartment at the tower, my bunk rooms on the helicarriers."
"None of those sound like a home."
"No, they don't." Maria agreed, realising that she couldn't remember the last time she truly felt at home anywhere, except for maybe her childhood's best friend's house before her family moved out of state. But she had to admit it – Hope's apartment sure did have that same familiar aura about it that her friend's place had. Like she was safe inside of it. "Does this place feel like home to you?"
"Yes." Her tone then shifted. "But I fear that might change."
"Why would it change?"
Hope sighed. "My dad." She meandered to one of the windows that overlooked the ocean that was partially lit up by the night sky. The woman stood in front of it where Maria could see her downtrodden face off of the reflection in the glass. "His problem wasn't just because of your job."
"Yeah, I know." Maria went up from behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist as Hope was quick to fold her arms over Maria's to hug her hold around her. "You know what I think?"
"Hm?" Hope hummed as she tilted her head back to rest it on Maria's shoulder.
"I think it's going to work itself out." She referred to Hank's opinion on Hope's sexuality as she thought back to her own experience. "I know what a parent turning their back on their daughter looks like. I don't see that when I look at your dad."
Hope sighed. "My mom thinks all he needs is time."
"I think she might be right." Maria slipped an arm away so that she could comb her fingers through Hope's hair. "As long as you feel comfortable giving him that time."
Hope didn't respond she simply remained in Maria's embrace while gently swirling her fingertips over Maria's forearm. It was then that Maria's thoughts shifted back to her mission. She closed her eyes, pushing her cheek to Hope's head, desperate for her time with her to never end.
Eventually, Hope turned to face her as she instructed. "Follow me."
Maria didn't have the choice to disobey for that Hope seized her hand and pulled her along, with zero complaints from her.
She took her to the back of the apartment, guiding her into a huge master bedroom. Hope didn't even have the opportunity to flick on any lights for that Maria was too fast, tugging her back into herself while scooping her up into her arms.
Hope let out a chuckle as she wrapped her legs around her hips and her arms around her back before Maria lowered her onto the bed.
Maria studied her angelic face, lit by moonlight that streamed in through the windows, as she muttered, "You're so goddamn beautiful." She lowered her head to kiss her, pushing her tongue inside Hope's welcoming mouth.
If this were to truly be the last time she'd be with Hope, then she'd be spending it apologising to her in little sorries within every touch on her body. She – honest to God – hoped that her mission would kill her because it would be a better fate than to survive and bear witness to Hope losing faith in her; her seeing Maria as the one who betrayed them all. But she truly had no other choice, so she'd spend her final moments making love to the woman of her dreams, savouring the last of her happiness before her inevitable doom.
Maria had been so gentle and slow with her, taking her time to pour her love and devotion into every inch of Hope's body. It was so different from their first time which was fast and passionate. This time, however, Hope was on the verge of tears the whole way through; not being able to handle everything Maria was giving to her and at the degree she was delivering it. Hope had fallen undone more times then she'd thought was physically possible with Maria refusing her advances to reciprocate any of it. Hope had even struggled in removing Maria's clothing, only getting her down to her socks and underwear because Maria was far too focused on Hope to help her get them off of her.
Hope had now found herself tangled in Maria's limbs, her head resting on Maria's shoulder as they held each other. She'd never felt so blissful. It's not like she'd never had good sex before, nor was she a stranger to the feeling of love, but what she felt for this woman in her arms was beyond what she'd ever experienced with anyone else. She'd never known that what she was feeling was even possible until Maria.
Hope lifted her head so that she could press a kiss to Maria's neck. She pushed rather forcefully as she held her lips to her skin; her thoughts dwelling on just how much she felt for her. Their evening together had been practically perfect, even despite her father's grievances. Maria just fit in with everyone like – how her mother had put it – 'she belonged there with them.'
After Hope pulled away from her neck she could hear Maria taking in a sharp choppy breath while she slid a hand to Hope's head, only to pull it back into her body. Maria's grip then tightened as to hold her closer.
After a moment, Maria broke the silence as she softly asked, "You know the trolley problem?"
In absolute confusion as to why Maria was bringing up a thought experiment in ethics, Hope recalled out loud what she assumed the other woman was referring to. "You mean, there's a train moving towards a group of tied-up people on the tracks. You have the option to pull a lever to switch the tracks but if you do, you hit a single person who's on the other line who's also tied up?"
"Yeah."
"What about it?"
"Would you pull the lever? Sacrifice the few to save the many?"
Hope tilted her head up to look at her. "Is this normal pillow talk for you?" She almost laughed.
"Isn't it for you?" Hope caught a soft smirk on her face but Maria didn't look too her, her eyes were glued onto the ceiling.
"Moral philosophy?" Hope smiled as she sunk her head comfortably back onto Maria's shoulder as she answered sarcastically, "Oh, yeah. Totally."
"So would you?" Maria repeated her question.
"Pull the lever?" Hope thought it over for a moment. "I honestly don't know."
"What if that one person on the other side had a knife so there was a chance they could cut themselves free?" Maria changed up the scenario but her question came so seriously. "Would you pull the lever then?"
"Maybe." Hope shook her head, not really concerned about the question itself but as to why it was being asked in the first place. She pushed up onto her elbow so that her head was over top of Maria's. "But seriously, what's got you thinking about this?" Hope studied her troubled looking face.
"Nothing." She shook her head. "It's nothing. Never mind." She then placed her hand on Hope's shoulder and then gently shifted her away as she sat up in bed. "I should get going."
Hope's heart dropped in hearing her words as she silently watched Maria throw her feet off the side of the bed as she grabbed at her discarded clothing, pulling them on as she got dressed.
Their roles were reversed from the last time they were in that situation. Now Hope was the one who had to watch her leave and it was excruciating. Especially because Maria kept letting these little indications slip. Whether they were a grave look in her eyes, a loaded kiss, or an odd choice of words – they were really beginning to scare her.
"Maria." Hope crawled over to the woman who was yanking on her shoe which was her final piece of clothing. Maria turned to her instantly as she pulled her into her arms. "Please tell me that you're—" But before she could finish asking if she was going to be alright and come back to her, Maria had leaned in to capture her lips.
Maria kissed her like Hope dreaded; like she was being kissed for the last time. After a moment she felt wetness on her face. At first she thought that she was crying and not noticed it, but she soon realised that they weren't her tears, they were Maria's. In discovering this, Hope instantly tightened her hold around the woman, deepening their kiss while pressing their bodies tighter together.
Maria eventually pulled away and focused her wet eyes onto Hope while saying, "Stay safe. You have many resources, use them." And with that, Maria stood up and exited the room, not stopping to look back or say goodbye.
Hope brought her hands to her face as she started to weep into them. She didn't know what was going on but she had a feeling that something really bad was about to happen. She feared that Maria, along with herself, were in trouble. Hope was utterly terrified.