A/N: Continuation from last chapter with a little more Maria backstory.

Maria grit her teeth as Bruce pulled the tape tighter around her midsection. One, possibly two fractured ribs, but as long as she didn't overdo it, they should heal quickly. Right. Her voice was still raspy and her throat had swollen slightly as dark bruising started to appear on the previously unmarred skin.

"Do we know who they were?" she asked, her eyes flickering between Romanov and Fury.

"Cyanide capsules," was all Natasha said.

Maria let out an exasperated huff, and gingerly rose to her feet. The look on Fury's face made her roll her eyes and sink back down to the couch.

"I've called a team in to repair the damage," Fury said. "Are you following your usual protocol?"

"I'll call the realtor in the morning," she replied with a nod and a sour expression.

"Any recent threats?" he asked.

"No more than the usual," she added to the concerned stares of the rest of the group.

Fury nodded, his eyes appraising her once more. He frowned, then left without a word. She wearily rubbed a hand over her face, and Hermes put his chin on her leg. She gently massaged under his chin, and the dog's tail continued to wag.

"Seven damn incident free years," she muttered. "I liked this place too."

"Speaking of which," Tony cajoled. "Upper East Side?"

"I use my mother's maiden name," she said, locking eyes with him.

His eyes narrowed, and she could tell he was shuffling through society information in his brain. The rest of the group watched with wary interest. She had always been closed off about her past, although the rumors had circulated. His eyes widened, flashing back to hers.

"Holy Shit! You're Montgomery Townsend III's daughter!"

She ground her teeth, and gave him a reluctant nod.

"I'd forgotten he had a daughter."

"So did he, unless he needed to beat the crap out of something," she said bluntly.

Tony blanched, but held her gaze. The rest of the room remained silent. It was becoming a common theme.

"You're coming to the Tower," Tony said firmly.

She leveled a glare in his direction.

"Excuse me?" she questioned pointedly.

"It's secure, and we have a doctor on call," he replied with an innocent smile. "Capsicle, convince her."

The man in question turned suddenly, his face slightly red after being caught browsing the items on her bookshelf while turning over the new information he'd just learned. A book wobbled, then fell off the shelf, and he caught it with one hand before quickly putting it back. Maria closed her eyes, fighting back the headache. She inhaled deeply, then stood, her face impassive.

"Fine. Just nobody touch anything," she ordered and motioned for her dog to stay.

She carefully picked her way up the stairs, avoiding broken glass. Surprisingly, the house wasn't too destroyed. She pushed open her bedroom door with a sigh, and grabbed a duffle out of the closet. She recognized the sound of footsteps outside her door, and lifted her head to see Steve standing sheepishly by the doorframe.

"I'm sorry you had to find out that way," she muttered, turning back to her packing.

"I don't care," he said seriously.

He put his hand on her lower back and gently turned her towards him. Now that they were alone, she could see the anger and worry clouding his eyes as he carefully checked her over himself. He ran his fingers gently down her side, frowning at the hitch in her breathing. His hand ghosted up her arm, before trailing lightly across her throat. Gently, he cupped her check, his thumb brushing across her skin, and she allowed herself the brief moment of comfort. He pressed a featherlight kiss to her lips, and pulled away. Maria could see his fists clenched in anger.

"I'm fine, Steve," she said softly.

"I almost lost you," he replied, his eyes stormy.

This time he kissed her with more urgency. It was a clash of teeth and tongues, and somehow her hair came loose from her ponytail and his hands were running through the long strands. It was concern and reassurance, and a battle of needs and wants. Then she winced, and he let go. She stared back at him with a half-lidded gaze, her lips swollen, and her face flushed. He felt a wave of heat shoot through his body, and his nostrils flared as he exhaled slowly.

"We finally get time together, and it hurts to breath," she said dryly.

He chuckled, and ran his thumb over her lips. Her eyes darkened.

"Don't start something we can't finish."

He smiled a real smile that reached his eyes. Leaning forward, he kissed her softly on the forehead and headed towards the door.

"Can you get the dog food?" she asked. "Natasha knows where it is."

He nodded and left her to her thoughts as she pulled a few extra outfits from the dresser. Heading into the master bath, she dumped her most used toiletries into the bag before zipping it with a sigh. She added 'calling professional movers' to her mental list. She'd clear out the sensitive stuff, like the small arsenal she kept locked up, later this week. She softly padded downstairs, and dropped her bag by the couch. Stark was giving Hermes a slightly unsure look.

"I go, he goes," she stated firmly, and the billionaire sighed.

"Well, let's get this party started," Stark said with a clap of his hands as they headed outside.

The ride to the tower was quiet, and Steve kept an eye on Maria as she leaned against the door, staring out the window. She stayed silent, shifting uncomfortably every few minutes. Softly, Steve reached up and pulled her back. She stiffened, resisting at first, and her eyes darted around the limo before she slumped against his chest. Stark and Barton continued to watch with feigned disinterest. The events of the day eventually caught up with her, and she felt her eyes droop. She tried to fight it, but eventually gave in, the soft rolling of the vehicle lulling her to sleep.

"So, you two?" Banner questioned softly.

"It's new," Steve replied, daring the others to make a comment.

For once, Stark remained silent, his eyes fixed on the sleeping Deputy Director with a small frown. The tension left her face while she slept, and Stark was struck by just how young she was.

"I met her father once," he said out of the blue.

The other occupants of the vehicle shifted their eyes to him.

"He was a shipping tycoon- Chicago. My father took me to the meeting, and I remember meeting his son. There was a girl in the shadows, limping. I thought she was a maid."

Steve clenched his jaw.

"He died, maybe 14 years ago. Accident in the shipping yards," Stark paused. "Although now..."

His eyes locked back towards the sleeping woman with a thoughtful look.

When they arrived at the Tower, the others dispersed quickly. Steve quietly lifted Maria into his arms, Hermes following behind him.

"There's a spare unit on your floor," Tony called to him. "We can get security straightened out tomorrow."

"Thank you," he said sincerely.

Tony just nodded and Steve headed towards the elevator, pushing the button for the residential floors. Jarvis unlocked the door with a click, and Steve nudged the door open. He gently placed her on his bed, smiling when the dog jumped up and curled up beside her. Hermes regarded him with warm, chocolate eyes. Steve patted the dog on the head, and turned back to Maria. He carefully brushed her hair away from her face before pressing a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth. Pulling a blanket around her, he smiled, and headed back towards the living room. Hopefully, she wouldn't kill him in the morning.