About a week after Hope had successfully snuck in and out of the Raft to see Maria, Natasha informed her that Maria had taken her trial and told her when and where her court date would be (since, both, she and Scott had the security clearance to attend it). It was set three weeks later in New York City.
In that time, Hope ceased her efforts that she'd been placing into Pym Tech, waiting on the results of the trial to see where she'd go from there – a trail which she was nervously attending in that very moment. She was sitting in the benches of the courthouse, awaiting for it to begin.
The courtroom was like no other. The seats where her, Scott, and the other Avengers (along with a few S.H.I.E.L.D. agents) were sitting in were elevated like a church balcony. They were completely separate from the courtroom floor with no access point to the lower level in the room, which was most likely done for security purposes. There were also no windows in sight, just cold concrete walls. On the lower area there was a single desk for the judge and a single steel pillar protruding out from the floor with a small ring at the top of it. Hope was pretty sure the pole was used to bolt the prisoner to.
Hope was silently biting her nails, just staring out at the empty floor while she could hear the others around her quietly talking amongst themselves.
Suddenly, a door opened – its sound echoing throughout the space – as four armed guards escorted Maria into the room, making Hope jolt up in her seat as the voices in the room instantly fell silent.
Hope held her breath as she watched the woman. She was dressed in – what she could only assume was what she was wearing when she was arrested – black dress pants and a tucked in pinstripe button up shirt; her hair was tied back in a low bun. However – breaking the otherwise professional look that she was presenting – Maria had chains around her feet, wrists, and waist that she noisily dragged along to the post where – Hope was right – they had fastened her to it.
Hope felt sick in her stomach as she watched the way she was being treated like a dangerous criminal. Maria, however, stood tall despite her circumstances. She held her head up and her jaw tight, refusing to look back behind her at the gallery. This seemed befitting of her, always needing to appear though, in control, and independent.
Through another door, to the front of the courtroom, entered a man in uniform with Director Fury trailing behind him. The man then pointed to the back of the room for Fury to stand, not terribly far away from the four armed guards.
Then the gentleman looked to the courtroom before announcing in a clear voice, "All rise."
Everyone in the benches got to their feet as a black man in robes, who looked to be in his fifties, walked into the room, going straight to the desk at the front where he sat down.
The man in uniform – who was evidently the bailiff – announced, "Department One of the United Nations Tribunal is now in session. Judge Williams presiding. Please be seated."
The gallery did as instructed.
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen," the judge addressed the room, taking note of the bench seats. "I have to say, I've never seen my courtroom so full." He looked up at the stands. "Don't normally have this many people with the security clearance." He reached out where the bailiff stepped to him, placing a file in his hand. "Anyway." He opened the folder, putting on a pair of reading glasses. "Calling the case of the People of the State versus Hill into session."
Williams looked to Maria as he lowered his head, peering at her over his glasses. "Ms. Hill, I don't know how much you've been told pertaining to the trial proceedings – with you not permitted to any legal advice in the Raft – so I'll say it once now in front of you" – he then gestured to the rest of the room – "and the gallery. In this tribunal, you are without counsel and jury. I will be questioning you directly, and if I so wish, I'll call witnesses. At any point, once I feel like I'm satisfied to deliberate, I'll read my verdict." Hope tensed up, praying that the judge would be reasonable since Maria's life rested on his decision alone. "Ms. Hill, do you understand?"
"Yes, Your Honour," Maria's voice came calmly which made Hope realise just how strong she truly was.
The judge nodded and looked down to the file, reading off of it, "You have been charged with, and admitted to, the individual crimes of knowingly sharing classified information with an enemy of the state. And assisting an enemy of the state in eight individual acts of terrorism which resulted in the deaths of twenty-six innocents." He looked back to her, asking, "Do you still plead guilty to these crimes?"
"I do, but guilty with explanation," she answered as her voice remained steady.
"Alright, Ms. Hill," he said while Hope wondered if he was unknowingly not calling her by her rank, or if it was purposeful, like being a prisoner of the Raft striped you entirely of your personhood, including your earned titles. "Do you promise that the testimony you give in the case before this court shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"
"I do."
"Okay, I will begin my questioning," he said after making a note in her file. "Did you act independently when you joined the terrorist group known as Advanced Idea Mechanics?"
"I did."
"You had absolutely no outside entities directing your actions? No orders from S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"I acted with complete independence. There were no orders given."
"What were your justifications for your actions?"
Maria took a deep breath before starting. "I received intel that A.I.M. was in the process of bringing a Delta Level threat to the planet. I concluded the only way to gain the amount of information needed to stop the threat, was to infiltrate the organisation myself." She licked her lips as if she were parched before continuing. "I used the attack that was placed on the Avengers tower, that transpired on June fifth, 2019 as my in – claiming that I specifically compromised the system inorder for A.I.M. to breach it. Convincing them I was defecting."
"Did you compromised the system?"
"Negative. There was an unintentional error created during a rewiring mishap."
Hope couldn't help but look over to Tony in the benches. He looked guilty, yet touched, that Maria didn't name him responsible for the error.
"And why is it you didn't run this plan past your Director first?" the judge asked while Hope looked back to the floor.
"I managed to gain A.I.M.'s attention before I had the opportunity to inform Fury. By that point, I figured it was too great a risk to tell him." She visibly swallowed. "They were already watching him. Also," she added, "if nobody knew of my plan at S.H.I.E.L.D., it only made my cover stronger with A.I.M."
"And yet you stopped by to see the two Avengers, Mr. Lang and Ms. Van Dyne during this time when you claimed to be deep undercover." The judge pointed out to both her and Scott. Hope was startled by the fact that he knew who they were. "Why?" he asked, making Hope's body stiffen, scared that she'd indirectly made things worse for Maria.
"A.I.M. wasn't interested in them. They weren't privy to their new recruitment status into the Avengers project." Maria continued, but Hope could see that she was now a little rattled by the line of questioning, "So, I was able to briefly see them that day without drawing attention to myself."
"Did you tell them about your self-appointed mission?"
"No."
"So what was it you were doing there?"
"Attending a little girl's ninth birthday party," she said flatly.
"You're telling me you took a party break in the middle of playing terrorist?" The judge's level tone got a little excitable. "I'm having a hard time believing this. What was your true objective there?" He leaned forward in his chair, pointing at her. "And remember, you're under oath."
For the first time, Maria dropped her head as she took a moment before looking back up to say, "I went there specifically to see Hope Van Dyne."
"Why?"
Maria sighed taking another moment before she spoke up, "I knew this mission would change everything. Either my true intentions would be discovered by A.I.M. and I'd be killed for them. Or, I'd successfully hold my cover and survive the mission only to be found a traitor of S.H.I.E.L.D." She shook her head. "No matter the outcome, my life was essentially over. So I decided to spend one last time together with the woman I love."
Hope gasped as her breathing fell shallow and her eyes started to well. Maria loved her too. Now she really couldn't handle it if she were to be sent back to prison. She needed Maria more than ever.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on her own as Scott reached over, giving it a supportive squeeze while the judge looked directly at Hope. However, she wasn't much bothered by the attention she was receiving from the officer of the court when – for the first time – Maria looked back to catch her gaze. Hope could only stare at her beautiful face with her eyes that looked at her with vulnerability.
"Okay," the judge said plainly like he believed her, which seemed to have drawn Maria's attention back to him for that she turned away. The man flipped a sheet of paper like he'd decided to move on before he announced, "I will be calling Director Nicholas Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. to the stand."
As the director walked forward to stand close to Maria, Scott squeezed her hand one last time before pulling away. "Do you promise that the testimony you give in the case before this court shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" the judge asked Fury as Hope tried her best to discreetly wipe her eyes dry.
"Shouldn't I have my hand on a Bible?" Fury asked like he was questioning the validity of the court case itself.
"Are you requesting one? Because one can be provided."
"No, that won't be necessary," he said in annoyance. "I swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God." the man stubbornly added the God part on, showing his disapproval.
"Can you confirm that Ms. Hill acted independently in her actions and without orders from you?"
"I cannot confirm this. No." His words made Hope cock her head in confused intrigue.
"Are you telling me you ordered this mission?" the judge asked in a manner akin to the puzzlement that Hope was experiencing.
"They were implicit orders."
"Implicit orders?"
"Look, I don't have the time of day to give my deputy director a direct order for everything that she needs to get done. But when she gets something done, it's 'cause it was an implied damned order."
"Watch your language in my courtroom," Williams warned him.
It was clear that Fury was about to snap back at him, but Maria gave him a look which seemed to make him re-evaluate his behaviour. The director took a calming breath before he continued. "She was right, too. She didn't need to risk her mission to tell me about it 'cause she already knew I'd tell her to carry on with it."
The judge studied him over for a moment before he asked, "So you're telling the court that you take full responsibility for all of Ms. Hills actions, regardless of what they are?"
"Yes, I take responsibility for all of CommanderHill's actions" – he was sure to emphasise her rank – "because they always prove to be necessary. So if you need to put anyone on trial here, it should be me. And if not that, I would ask the court if I could get my deputy director back."
"According to my file here" – he gestured to his papers – "she tried to kill you. Why are you so insistent on having somebody back into your ranks who opened fire on you?"
"Your Honour, if Commander Hill wanted to kill me, I'd be dead."
"Dead like the twenty-six in your service?"
"Look" – the man was clearly having a hard time containing his anger – "being a leader is about making the hard decisions. And sometimes that's choosing who lives and who doesn't. But let me ask you this, judge. What's better, twenty-six dead, or seven billion dead?"
"This is my courtroom, I ask the questions, director." Fury only nodded in frazzled understanding. "Everyone who lost their lives was a part of S.H.I.E.L.D., correct?"
"That's correct."
The judge looked to Hope and the others in the benches. "Those sitting in the gallery, are they all members of S.H.I.E.L.D. as well?"
Fury turned to confirm. "They are."
"Those of you in the benches" – he kept his gaze on them – "I'd ask if any who support Ms. Hill's actions, please stand."
Hope got to her feet. When she looked around she found every single person there standing as well. Hope then noticed Maria turning to look into the gallery, as Hope could have sworn she could see Maria's eyes tearing up like she were in complete shock over the scene in front of her.
"Okay, you may be seated." The judge then looked to the man standing in the middle of the floor. "You too, Director Fury. You may go back to the perimeter."
Williams allowed everyone to settle back into their seats, and Fury to walk back to the side of the room, before he said, "I feel like I've heard enough here. I'm prepared to read my verdict."
Hope gulped as she instantly reached over to Scott who took her hand once again.
"Ms. Hill. your life sentence will be reduced" – Hope held her breath as she squeezed Scott's hand tightly – "to two months in the Raft, with a one week probation period."
Hope gasped in relief as Scott let go of her hand only to then wrap his arm around her, hugging her into his side. Hope covered her face with her hand in shock as tears instantly forming in her eyes. "You may free Commander Hill of her restraints. She's served her time," the judge ordered the guards while – for the first time – using Maria's rank.
Two of the armed men walked to Maria, uncuffing her as they untethered her from the chains around her body.
Maria looked back to her as Hope stood up, her stomach doing somersaults and her heart pounding. She wanted to hop down to her, but she knew that that would be both inappropriate and a little dangerous to do so.
"This way," a guard told Maria as he started guided her out, making the commander turn away from Hope as she exited the room with Fury behind her.
Hope beelined it to the exit, needing to catch up with Maria as soon as she possibly could while desperation took her over.
"You know, you could've shot me just the one time." Fury looked to Maria as they walked down the hallway of the courthouse together with two guards guiding them.
"You always tell me to never half-ass anything." Maria smirked, still not fully comprehending that she'd just gotten out of prison.
"Well, now I'm seriously reevaluating all the things I've ever told you."
Despite Maria's smart-ass response to him, she'd actually felt immense guilt for shooting him. "Sir, I'm sorry I—"
"Don't." He put up his hand to stop her.
"Right." She nodded, knowing that their relationship had never needed words. He knew that she was sorry, and she knew that he understood. "Sir?"
He sighed like he wasn't prepared for whatever it was that she was about to say. "Yes, commander?"
"Thank you." She had immense gratitude for how he fought for her during the trial.
Fury stopped in front of the door where the guards were now flanking, awaiting for them to step through and leave. He nodded before ordering, "So, I'll be expecting you to report back to command in exactly one week's time."
A smile grew on Maria's face before she said, "Yes, sir."
He gestured for her to go through the door which they could already hear voices emanating from on the other side of. She nodded, mustering up the courage before she pushed it open. It lead into the courthouse's large foyer.
Inside, everyone from the gallery was communing with each other. They slowly started noticing her presence as multiple voices died down into silence while Maria nervously looked about the room. Soon, her breath caught in her throat as her eyes fell onto the sight of Hope, standing next to Scott.
The breathtaking woman was wearing an emerald coloured suit jacket with black pants. Her hair was down and wavy like she'd allowed it to dry in a French-braid after her shower.
When Hope's eyes locked onto Maria's from across the way, nothing else mattered in that moment. Maria had to go to her, and this time there wasn't a stupid balcony stopping her.
Natasha, from nearby, quickly addressed the room, "Let's all go – you know – not be here." She grabbed at people's arms, herding them to the other side of the room to congregate closer to the main entrance.
Hope started slowly walked towards Maria, eyes fixed on her, which made Maria's stomach knot. Soon Maria's feet were moving underneath her, quickly carrying her to meet Hope, not able to last another second apart from her. She needed her more than ever.
"Hope," Maria cried out as the other woman nearly lunged at her, wrapping her arms around her neck as Maria enveloped her too. Maria forcefully pushed her face into the side of Hope's head, squeezing her eyes shut as if she were trying to merge her being with hers. She then spoke into her hair with desperation, "I'd fight the whole universe for you. I love you so goddamn much."
Hope pulled her head back while sliding her hands to Maria's face, quickly muttered, "And I love you." She then aggressively pushed her mouth to Maria's, kissing her passionately.
Maria's stomach fluttered as she could feel her closed eyes welling up, tears trying to escape down her cheeks. She didn't think she'd ever experience the loving touch of Hope again, and now that she had her back in her arms – while she reacquainted herself with the familiar homely taste of her mouth – she'd thought she'd ascended straight to heaven.
When they eventually broke off their kiss they dropped their forehead together as Maria opened her eyes to catch Hope with hers still shut. Smiling at her gentle expression and shiny teary cheeks, Maria brought her hands to Hope's face, rubbing the wet spots dry, which resulted in a beautiful smile to break across Hope's face. She fluttered her eyes open to look at her.
"Hey," Hope said, her green eyes shining at her.
Maria smiled back to her. "Hey."
Hope lifted her hands to Maria's face as she too wiped away at the tears that had managed to roll down her cheeks.
Hope continued to rub her thumb lovingly over Maria's face as her soft eyes gazed into Maria's. "You okay?" she asked gently.
Maria closed her eyes, taking in a deep breathe as her reality was starting to sink in. As much as she felt safe in Hope's arms, she was about to face all the others that she'd wronged. "From one to ten, how mad are people at me right now?"
"In this room?" Hope moved her hands to rest them on Maria's shoulders.
"Might as well start in this room." She opened her eyes.
"Well, starting with me, I'm no longer mad at you since you got your ass out of prison." She gave her a cheeky smirk before looking out to everyone else, who all seemed to be trying their best to mind their own business. "Nat wants to slap you for not telling her your plan. Tony's really upset about the Avengers Tower, but has yet to name you as the person he's mad at." She looked to Maria as she said in a surprised tone, "He seems to have a bit of a soft spot for you. He didn't speak one ill word about you this whole time."
Maria wasn't terribly shocked to hear that. Her and Tony actually had a really good working relationship. He'd respected her more than the majority of people throughout her life ever had – never having her prove her value to him, nor was he ever judgemental towards her actions.
Hope turned back to the crowd. "Sharon – I think – wants to kick your ass for trying to kill her."
"She always wants to kick my ass," Maria muttered under her breath.
"And I feel like everyone else is relatively good."
Maria looked over to see the two senior agents off to the far side of the room, talking amongst themselves. "What about Coulson and May?"
"Honestly, I can't get a read on them. But your Agent Johnson was pretty rattled."
"Fuck." Maria shut her eyes, knowing that Daisy would most definitely be taking Jemma's death hard.
"Hey." Hope cupped her face, forcing Maria to look at her. "You're gonna get through this," she said with determination. "I'm gonna make sure of that."
Maria loved her so much in that moment as she let out a small, "Kay." She then sighed and nodded, trying to snap herself into gear just as Sharon walked up to them, putting her hands on her hips.
"I do want to kick your ass," the newly presented woman said sternly.
"You nosy, eavesdropping, asshole." Maria turned towards her, breaking contact with Hope as she took a step closer to the agent. "And don't give me that hostile revenge B.S. like I wronged you, you could've handled six of those untrained buffoons."
"Six?" Sharon eyed her in offence. "No, you could've handled six. I could've taken seven." Sharon held her gaze before letting a smirk slip. "Which still doesn't mean you're off the hook." She huffed. "Making me think you were trying to off me and all."
"If you kept a cooler head you would realise when I was playing you, and when I was trying to kill you."
She crossed her arms as she barked back defensively, "I figured it out!" Her reaction made Maria chuckle, resulting in Sharon grinning from ear to ear. "You owe me drinks for a year, I hope you realise this."
"Yeah." Maria sighed in defeat.
"Me too." Natasha popped into their conversation from behind Sharon, looking at Maria with both playfulness and love. "Just thinking about having to break in a new deputy director was stressing me out. I deserve compensation for my mental health," she said coyly.
"Ah-huh." Maria eyed her while sliding her jaw to the side. "Fine, I'll pick up your tab too." She caved.
"Good." Natasha smiled with a nod.
"Anyway," Sharon huffed before asking in exasperation, "so are you gonna get your butt over here or what?"
Maria chuckled as she closed the gap between her and the agent, who she viewed more as a sibling than anything else. She threw her arms around her in embrace.
Sharon squeezed her tightly before pulling away as she scrunched her face. "Gah, you smell like my grandma's soap."
"I'm sorry, it's not like they had a Lush in prison," Maria shot back dryly.
"Okay." Steve came over. "It's my turn." He extended his arms where Maria smiled and welcomed his hug, walking right into it. She loved his embraces. His body was so much larger than hers that she felt protected in his muscular arms. "Please don't give me grief for saying this – and more importantly – don't shrug it off," he said while enveloping her.
Maria groaned in annoyance as she asked, "Oh god, what is it?"
"You're my hero," he said before kissing the top of her head.
"I hate you."
He chuckled at her words before pulling away from her. "Glad to see prison hasn't changed you."
"Hope." Maria tuned to her. "Can you please take me away from these people now?" she said in a somewhat joking manner, beyond relieved that her friend's were supporting her. Yet, she really did find the reintegration a little overwhelming. Especially, after her stressful trial.
"I don't know." Hope took a step towards her as Maria couldn't help but wrap her arm around her waist, needing the contact with the woman as she pulled her into her side. "It looks like you have a few more people to see before I can do that." She smiled, placing her hand on Maria's far hip, hugging her closer as she looked out to the room.
Thor seemed to instantly notice their wandering gaze as he caught their eye, grinning at them before he started his way over. The trio split for the Asgardian as he approached the couple.
"Praise Odin, I am so relieved that you are out of prison and back with your Queen Slayer," he said joyously.
"Queen slayer?" Maria asked in confusion.
"Yes!" he cheered excitedly as he explained, "The Hope Wasp is infamous across the Nine Realms for defeating the brood queen. There are planets wanting to erect statues of The Queen Slayer." He grinned evoke gesturing in grandeur towards Hope.
"What?" both Maria and Hope asked in shocked unison, while Scott speedily stepped over, clearly overhearing their conversation.
"Yes." He looked to Hope. "It seems the brood could not find a suitable female to unite them. There are reports that the entire race is slowly dying off."
Maria – still completely shocked – turned Hope's body in her arms to face her, as she asked in befuddlement, "You killed the brood queen?"
Hope stuttered through a shocked smile, "I— I literally just shot the stargate as she was stepping through it with my blaster. I barely put any effort into it."
"You know, that sounds like a brag when you say it like that," Scott interjected before he brought his attention onto the newly released woman. "By the way, it's great to have you back, Maria."
"Thanks, Scott." Maria turned her head to address him. "Love to catch up, but I kinda need to deal with The Queen Slayer here." She used her head to point at Hope.
"Yup, totally understandable."
Sam then piped up from behind the group, "First mission out in the field and she's a hero of the galaxy. Best future team leader ever." Then a smacking sound was heard followed by an. "Ouch!"
Maria ignored the man's words of just praise towards her girlfriend, and the hit that she was pretty sure Steve had delivered to him, as she looked to Hope, too concerned by her actions. "That wasn't in the mission. The brood are extremely dangerous," she said, not liking the risk that she put herself in.
"Hey, I saw the way you freaked out over our giant ants. I knew you'd be a wreck if those big bug aliens were around, so I had no choice but to deal with them for your own benefit."
Maria couldn't help but chuckle before she said with the most disgust, picturing their foul forms, "They were so gross." She shivered which made Hope giggle.
"Bugs are not supposed to be that big." Hope shook her head, mocking Maria's words.
"I know you're making fun of me, but I don't care, because they aren't supposed to be that big." Maria looked to her longingly, wanting to show her personal hero just how much she appreciated her.
"Okay, we're gonna go," Scott said as if he caught the desire in Maria's eyes for his partner. "Leave you two at it."
"Yup," Sharon seconded his words, "let's blow this popsicle stand." She spun on her heels before asking, "Who wants to get shawarma?"
"Did someone say shawarma?" Tony jumping in on their conversation as the gang passed by him, along with Bruce and Clint.
Almost immediately they were all exiting the building, arguing about where they should stop for food.
The foyer was now empty as Maria noticed that Fury, Coulson, and May must have slipped out earlier, which made her disheartened. She wanted to know what the two agents were feeling in regards to her and her actions.
Maria turned back to Hope, losing her train of worried though as soon as her eyes fell back onto her precious smiling face, captivated by the dimples on her cheeks.
Maria leaned in for another kiss as Hope wrapped her arms around her, pressing up against Maria's body, fully engaging in the activity as Maria pushed her tongue inside Hope's mouth as Hope let out a moan. Thus caused Maria to tighten her hold around her, trying to touch every inch of her body to Hope's.
After a heated moment, Maria broke the kiss to mutter into her mouth, "That was for saving me from those gross, giant bugs." She then pressed her lips back to Hope's while the woman giggled at her words, cutting off her laughter as she deepening their kiss even more. She then repeated her actions, again, speaking into her mouth, "And that was for saving me from myself."
Hope pushed their foreheads together, lightly panting for air as she said, "Yeah, you're definitely your own worst enemy." Maria opened her eyes to see Hope smiling at her. "In the time I've known you, you've tried to destroy yourself twice. And that's only what I'm aware of. God only knows what you get up to when I'm not around."
Maria knew she meant it light-heartedly but her comment really hit her. It wasn't that Maria was a danger to herself that had bothered her, it was that she was a danger to Hope. After all, it was Hope who was the one who almost died in the infirmary after Maria had gone kamikaze in a helicopter. Just like how it was Hope who was the one who went up against a powerful alien creature when Maria recklessly went behind enemy lines.
"Hey." Hope looked at her with concern. "What is it?"
Maria pulled her head away as she simply asked, "Can we get out of here?"
"Absolutely." Hope grabbed a hold of Maria's hand. "Do you want to go out with the gang, or go home?"
Maria, realising that her New York residence was now a pile of ash along with the rest of the Avengers Tower, said flatly, "I don't have a home here."
"Don't worry about that. I've got you covered," Hope said as she dragged her knuckles gently down Maria's jawline.
Maria assumed that she meant that she had a hotel room or possibly even a piece of real estate in the city that they could go to.
The truth was, Maria was beginning to feel drained. She needed a place to wash off her prison experience and collapse into the arms of the woman whom she loved, all while trying to push away the guilt that was starting to bubble up once again. "Please take me to place with a shower and a bed big enough for the two of us."
Hope softly smiled at her as she said, "I've got just the place."
And with that, Hope pulled her by the hand to follow her out.