Greetings. I know. I have too many projects on my plate already. I even have parts of those projects written in my head and some even on paper or open office documents. So, why am I working on something else? Because the Muse demands it. 'It's a little, short one-shot,' she told me. Yeah, right. It's up to 30 pages now, and still going. I'm still working on it, but should get it finished in the next day or so. I figured I'd post a little bit, hope someone likes it, cry if no one does, put some more up, cry if no one likes, and repeat until it's done. ;-)

Then, maybe I can get something else written. Hopefully, one of my other in progress stories and not this other little idea that's started niggling at me (Please, Muse. I promise, I'll work on it later)

Oh. Not connected with any of my other stories.

A Shared Philosophy

Chicago, Illinois, 1990

Nick Fury stood on the roof of the apartment building, surveying the area around him, seeking the best vantage point. All was quiet for the moment.

SHIELD had gotten information that some stolen top secret intel was being exchanged in this area and they were eager to find out who was buying. His job was to wait and watch and place a tracking device on the buyer if at all possible.

And he would make it possible. He had been rapidly climbing the ranks and had his sights set on the top of the organization. Not a position earned by doing a half-ass job.

As the sun dropped low, he continued watching, ready to wait as long as he needed.

Voices in an alley below him drew his attention. He crept to the edge of the building and peered over.

Three boys in their early teens had another, slightly smaller boy pushed up against the wall. They formed a semi-circle around him, cutting off any avenue of escape. Every time he moved, one of the others would shove him back against the wall.

Though he couldn't make out the words, the tones of the voices were enough to let him know that it wasn't a friendly gathering. He continued watching, wondering if perhaps this was a diversion to distract his attention from the drop.

Another sweep of the area showed no movement on the rooftops.

Still, he hesitated. As much as he would like to help the kid out, he had a job to do.

It happened. Kids got in fights. They got beat up. It had certainly happened to him enough back in the streets of Hell's Kitchen.

"Hey! Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" a voice challenged from the alley. Nick looked down again to see the new addition to the scene.

The girl was probably about 8 years old. Her dark hair was pulled back in a sloppy ponytail, shorts and short sleeved t-shirt providing little protection against the cooling night air. Her arms and legs looked thin. Scrawny even, but the determination on her face and the fists planted firmly on her hips spoke of inner strength.

The three junior thugs turned their attention to her briefly, then laughed.

"What would be the fun in that?" one of them asked.

"I don't think Jeremy's having much fun," she retorted, nodding towards the other boy.

"Sure he is," one of his tormentors disagreed. "Aren't you, Jeremy?"

He pushed the smaller boy again.

"Let him go," the girl growled, teeth clenched.

"Or what?"

"Just do it," she told them.

With their attention on the girl, Jeremy took advantage of their momentary distraction to push past his attackers and make a dash for the street. Unfortunately in doing so, he bumped into the girl and knocked her to the pavement.

"Run, kid," Nick muttered under his breath, taking his eyes from the scene below just long enough to check the rooftops again.

Still clear.

When he looked back, the biggest of the boys had grabbed the girl by her thin arm and pulled her to her feet. He angrily shoved her against the wall.

"He owed us, kid. Since he's not here to pay up, I guess you'll have to do."

He drew his fist back and punched her in the stomach.

She grimaced, but didn't cry out.

One of the other boys followed with a slap across her face.

She kicked out suddenly, catching the first boy in the shin. While he grabbed his leg, the third boy reached for her, only to have her bite down on his arm.

He threw her against the wall again, her head bouncing hard against the brick. As she shook her head to clear the cobwebs, one of them punched her again, finally driving her to her knees. They moved in closer, kicking at her. Even as she curled to protect herself, she grabbed at their feet, trying to bring them down.

Nick had seen enough.

As much as he would hate to miss the switch, he couldn't stand idly by and watch this. Fixing a grappling hook to a pipe on the building roof, he quickly rappelled down the side of the building. He landed silently behind the group, then cleared his throat.

One of the boys turned and caught sight of him and froze.

He grabbed at his buddies and all three stared.

Dressed in solid black t-shirt, cargo pants, and combat boots, Nick knew he looked frightening. The boys watched the muscles in his arms ripple as he reached to adjust the rifle slung over his shoulder, then tapped at the knife on his belt.

"I'm not your size either," he said, his voice low and menacing. "Would you like to try that on me?"

He followed up with a glare.

One of the boys finally broke, making a run for it.

Nick took a step forward, arms crossed at his chest.

A second boy took off.

Another step forward. Almost toe to toe, Nick looked down at the leader.

"So you want to go mano a mano?" he asked,

Shaking his head, the boy moved to slip around him. Nick shifted, blocking his path.

"I asked you a question, dirtbag," He thought it best to tone down his language around the kid. "I expect a proper answer."

"No," the boy finally squeaked out.

"No, what?"

"No, sir," he managed.

He continued glaring at the youngster as he waited, his face pale and his lower lip trembling. Slowly, he started sidling carefully around the older man. Finally, he took a deep breath and broke in to a run, leaving the alley in record time.

Nick smiled briefly, before remembering the girl.

He turned and knelt beside her. He checked her breathing and pulse, relieved to to find both. His mind searched for options, but he couldn't seem to think of many.

Leaving her there where she was wasn't an option. Too risky.

The best one seemed to be taking her with him. Carefully, he slid his hands underneath her, lifting her small form and drawing her close.

She moaned softly.

"Sorry, kid," he whispered to her. "I know it hurts, but you're safe now."

Holding her carefully, he hit the button on his grappling gun to pull himself back to the rooftop. He quickly looked around again, releasing the breath he had been holding. It seemed that nothing had changed. Hopefully, the few minutes he had been gone hadn't been long enough for the exchange.

He looked down at the girl to find her looking up at him with crystal blue eyes. He started to reassure her, but realized that her expression was one of curiosity, not fear. Putting a finger to his lips to indicate the need for silence, he waited for her to nod, then made a circuit of the roof.

When he returned, she sat right where he had left her, arms wrapped around her thin legs. Even in the low light, he could see the chill bumps and the slight shivers she was trying to suppress. He reached into his bag and pulled out a jacket and tossed it to her.

She looked for a moment like she might argue, but he glared down at her. Finally, she dipped her head in a small nod, then wrapped the too large garment around herself.

The building was the tallest in the area, and offered the best view of the area and the small building that housed electrical equipment would give him even more height.

He considered. He should probably send the girl on her way. The problem was, he had a job to do and he wasn't entirely comfortable with letting her wander off on her own. Between the injuries she might have suffered and the boys who might still be looking to cause her problems, she might not be safe.

He could keep her with him. Someone was probably concerned about her. But if that was the case, why had she been out here alone and so under dressed for the the weather?

She wandered over to where he stood and pointed towards the roof of the maintenance building, a questioning look on her face. When he nodded, she reached up expectantly, then looked at him. Instead of picking her up, he linked his fingers together to form a stirrup. She stepped in and he lifted her up until she caught the edge and pulled herself over the edge.

He grimaced, knowing the movement would not be comfortable on her injuries. After several moments, she leaned over and reached down. He handed up his bag, supporting it's weight as long as he could. When she leaned over again, offering a hand to help him up, he waved her back, then took a short running leap to grasp the edge and pull himself over.

He was happy to see that a short wall surrounded the top of the small building, offering a little more concealment. He looked around, then nodded his satisfaction. The girl studied him, then also looked around and offered an agreeing nod.

He unzipped his bag and pulled out a telescopic lens that he carefully attached to his rifle. Once it was secure, he put it up to his eye, making a sweep of the area to be sure he could see everything. Satisfied, he lowered it and looked back at the girl.

She was staring into his bag with wide eyes. At first he thought she might be bothered by the firearms, but he finally realized that her gaze was fastened on the wrapped protein bars. Taking one out, he offered it to her. Though her eyes said 'yes,' she shook her head.

Stubborn kid.

Time for a little acting. He opened it and pinched off a bite and put it in his mouth. After a moment, he made a face and looked at the wrapper. Pointing at the flavor, 'Oatmeal raisin,' he made a gagging motion and shook his head.

Again, he offered it to her, his eyebrows raised. Slowly, she reached out, taking it from him. As she waited, he dug into the bag to find a different flavor. When he started eating, she did as well.

As the darkness continued to deepen, they sat side by side, watching and waiting. She tapped him on the arm and pointed when a man walked onto the roof of a nearby building. He watched, but shook his head when the man lit up a cigarette. Once he had finished it, he went back in the building.

It wasn't long until they heard footsteps on the stairs of the building they were on. Nick stretched out on his stomach, peaking over the edge to watch. The girl flattened out next to him, ducking when he motioned for her to keep her head down.

He watched as the figure walked out onto the rooftop and looked around. Satisfied that he was alone, he walked into the shadow and slid the case he carried into into a small alcove. Nick ducked down as he turned and walked back toward the stairwell door. After another look around, he slipped through the door.

After several moments, Nick started to get up. The girl reached out a put her hand on his arm to get his attention. When he looked down at her, she shook her head, then pointed to her ear. He didn't quite understand, but decided to trust her.

Moments later, the door opened again and the courier looked around. When the door closed again, he heard what she realized they hadn't heard before: footsteps going down the stairs. He looked over at her and smiled, giving her a thumbs up.

After several more minutes, he sat up, motioning for her to stay put as he slid down to the roof. Crossing to where the case was hidden, he attached a tiny tracking device and activated it, then returned to his spot next to the girl.

As they continued waiting, he observed her, watching for any signs that her injuries were serious. He also worried about the whole situation, hoping that he wouldn't find himself in trouble with her parents or the police. She seemed unconcerned by the situation or the late hour, sitting wrapped in his jacket as she looked around.

Eventually, they heard approaching footsteps again and both stretched out flat again. The figure wasted no time crossing to where the case waited. Nick quickly reached into his bag and pulled out a small gun. The girl watched him with wide eyes. He smiled slightly, trying to reassure her.

He peered over the edge, pointing the device at the man's back and fired off two quick shots. He nodded in satisfaction, then ducked back down. They listened to the steps of the man crossing the roof again, then opening the door and heading down the stairs.

After waiting several more minutes, he sat up and started putting his stuff back in his bag. He held the small gun out to her.

"Shoots a miniature tracking device," he explained.

She leaned over to study it, then nodded.

When he had everything repacked, he slid over the edge. The girl lowered his bag, then herself. He caught her easily, setting her on her feet then led her down the stairs and into an empty apartment. He turned the lights on low, then lifted her onto the kitchen counter.

"Nick," he told her, holding out a hand.

She studied him for a few moments, then placed her hand in his.

"Maria."

"Your family is probably worried about you," he commented, pulling a small first aid kit from his bag.

She shook her head as he went to work, cleaning up the scrapes on her knees and hands, then gently treating the ones on her face.

"Dad's probably passed...asleep. Doesn't even know I'm not there. He works hard and needs a lot of rest," she explained.

"And your mom?"

"Dead."

Once the obvious injuries were treated, he stepped back and looked at her. He looked her in the eye.
"I know your dad and your teachers have probably talked to you about being cautious around strangers and particularly about letting strangers touch you, especially under your clothes."

She nodded cautiously.

"Those boys hit and kicked you in the stomach and ribs pretty hard and we need to be sure that they didn't hurt you inside," he explained. "I can take you home and your dad can check you over." She shook her head. "Or I can take you to a hospital."

He knew that was probably the best option, but he also knew what was likely to happen if someone who looked like him walked into the hospital with an injured little girl that looked like her.

Again, she shook her head.

"Or I can check you out. I've had some medical training." At the very least, he could assess if he needed to insist she go to the hospital.

She looked him in the eye, finally nodding. He helped her take the jacket off, then watched her face as he reached out to touch her. He started by palpitating her belly, To his relief, it wasn't hard, indicating bleeding into the abdomen.

Moving up to her ribs, he pressed lightly, watching her face for signs of pain. She winced slightly, but quickly hid the reaction. Her breathing sounded good.

He stepped back. "I need to to lift you shirt up. Just a little. I need to see your stomach and your side right here," he told her, pointing to the area that had caused the reaction.

She did so, keeping a close watch on him. Hands clasped behind his back, he leaned down to look. He could see bruises starting to form, but didn't think that there was any internal damage or broken ribs.

He nodded and straightened. "Thanks. I think you'll be sore for a few days, but I don't think they did any permanent damage," he told her.

"Good. Thanks for everything," she told him.

Packing up his first aid kit, he looked at her questioningly. "So, why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Take on three boys who were all twice your size."

"They weren't that big," she protested.

"Maybe not, but they were all bigger than you. You could have been badly hurt. And the boy you were trying to help ran away and left you to fend for yourself."

She shrugged. "Jeremy gets picked on a lot. He runs away when he can, but I guess they caught him this time."

"But why did you step in?" he repeated.

She lifted her chin and looked him in the eyes. "Because I don't like bullies," she answered.

His laugh barked. "That's kind of the motto of the people I work with," he told her.

"Good motto," she replied with a nod.

He checked around, making certain that he had collected all evidence of their presence, wrapped his jacket around her again and set her back on the floor.

"Let's get you home," he told her as he led her to the door.

"I'll be fine," she told him, moving to take the jacket off.

"I'm sure you will be, but I'm walking you home," he answered. She started to argue, but stopped when he leveled a glare at her. "It's what a gentleman does."

She shrugged. "It's not far, but whatever."

He motioned for her to lead the way and she did.

They walked along in silence for several minutes.

"What are you going to tell your dad about what happened to you?" he asked.

"Nothing."

"You don't think he might be curious about the scrapes and bruises?"

"Nah. If he even notices, he'll just figure he did it himself," she shrugged.

He stopped, squatting next to her and turned her to face him. "Does he do that often, Maria? Does he hurt you often?"

"No," she hastened to reassure him. "Not often at all. Only one or two times, really. Once. And he didn't mean to. It was my fault. I fell." She spoke quickly, watching his face to see how he reacted.

"Because there are people who can help," he told her gently.

She nodded, then suddenly turned and took off running. Cursing under his breath, Nick jumped up and ran after her. In spite of her head start, his longer legs soon brought him even with her. He snaked out an arm, grabbing her around the waist.

He felt bad when she gasped from the pain of his contact with her bruised ribs, but he didn't want her disappearing on him.

"It's okay," he reassured her softly as he repositioned her to keep the pressure off the sore areas. "Calm down. Everything's going to be okay."

She was gasping for breath. "Please don't call CPS, Nick," she begged.

"Why not, Maria? If he's hurting you, they can help."

"No, they won't," she answered. "They've come before. When I broke my arm, the doctor at the hospital called them and there was a someone in the neighborhood that called them another time."

"What happened?"

"They talked to us, looked around, and said everything looked fine. But it made him really mad and that's not good."

She stared at him intently. "Really. It's okay. Everything's fine. Promise me you won't call them."

"I can't make that promise," he told her. "I won't leave you in a dangerous situation. But I won't rush to judgment. I'll keep an eye on things and act only if necessary."

"That's what they said, too," she muttered softly.

Suddenly, she gasped and looked down at her hand. He did likewise. In her anxiety, she had twisted a button on his jacket until the the thread had given way and the gold metal circle now rested in the palm of her hand.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Nick."

"It's okay," he assured her.

"No, it's not. You let me wear your jacket and I tore it up. I'm so sorry," she was fighting back the tears. "If you got a needle and thread in your bag, I can fix it," she told him. "I sew things up all the time for me and my dad,"

"Don't worry about it," he said again. "I rarely wear that anyway and usually don't have it buttoned up when I do." He reached out, closing her hand around the button. "In fact, why don't you keep it as a momento of tonight."

She looked at it a moment, then shook her head. "Not a good idea. My dad might find it and wonder about where it came from," she told him, handing it back to him.

Nick accepted it, wondering about a man who would be more curious about a button than he would about his daughter's injuries. He mentally reaffirmed his promise to keep an eye on things.

As they continued walking, he noticed a small diner with the lights still on. "You hungry?" he asked.

She shook her head, but he noticed her breathing deeply, inhaling the tantalizing smell.

"I am. Come keep me company," he said, motioning for her to follow him. He knew he was taking a risk, letting someone see them together, but decided it was worth it to get some food in her.

When they entered the place, she slid into a booth while he stepped to the counter and placed an order. Waiting for it to be prepared, he watched the girl. She folded her arms on the table and rested her head on them. Though she was looking out the window, he had little doubt that she was watching him in the reflection as well.

When he sat down, he sat a burger, fries, and hot chocolate in front of her.

"Two for special," he told her.

After watching him for several minutes, she finally tentatively reached out and took a fry. She eyed him as she put it in her mouth as though expecting him to grab it away or start yelling at her. When he didn't react, she started nibbling at the burger, sighing in contentment.

He finished his meal, then sat back and watched her as he drank his coffee. When her burger was about half eaten, she pushed it away and looked at him.

"Guess I was a little bit hungry."

"Guess so," he replied, starting to gather his trash. He pointed towards her uneaten food. "You done with that?"

"Um." She chewed at her lip. Before she could answer, he stood, discarding his trash before walking back to the counter. When he returned, he handed her a styrofoam container.

"Why don't you take the rest of it home for later?"

With a nod of thanks, she carefully placed her leftovers in the box, then the two headed back out onto the street. They walked side by side, both comfortable with the silence.

"That's my building," she told him, pointing at a crumbling old building, well past it's prime. "I can make it on my own from here."

Nick shrugged. "It's not a problem. Might as well see you safely inside."

She sighed, her steps slowing as she approached an alley. She stopped, peering into the darkness.

"Cedric?" she whispered. A dark form moved, separating from the shadows and approached.

"What you doin' out at this hour, girl?" the raggedly dressed man asked in a raspy voice. He looked past her at man standing behind her. "Everything all right?"

"Just fine," she assured him. "I brought you something." She held out the leftovers from her dinner. "Just a burger and some fries, but they should still be warm."

He smiled at her, revealing a mouthful of stained teeth and reached out to pat her on the head. "You're a good kid," he told her.

"Whatever," she responded, walking away as the man disappeared back into the alley.

Nick followed her into the building and up the stairs to the third floor. He watched as she turned the knob. When it didn't turn, her shoulders slumped.

"Locked out?" he asked.

"Nah. I should be able to go up the fire escape and get in through the window," she told him.

"No need." He pulled a tool out of his pocket, unfolding a slender pick. Kneeling in front of the door, he inserted it in the lock . Within a few seconds, her turned the knob, pushing the door opened. She poked her head in, looking around, then quietly crept into the room.

Nick's gaze traveled the room, taking in the worn furniture, stacked papers, overflowing ashtrays, and empty beer cans before coming to rest on the man snoring loudly on the stained couch.

"He works really hard," the girl explained in a whisper.

'Drinks really hard is more like it,' Nick thought, breathing in the stench of alcohol.

She was home and as safe as ever and he knew it was time for him to leave, but he found himself oddly reluctant to do so. He turned and headed back to the door, Maria following close behind. She shrugged out of his jacket and held it out to him. He took it, squatting in front of her.

"Thanks for your help tonight," he told her.

"Thank you for everything," she replied.

"You be sure and tell your dad or someone it your stomach or ribs get to hurting too bad," he reminded her. "I don't think you have internal injuries, but I can't say for sure."

She nodded, then awkwardly stuck out her hand. He shook it solemnly, then rose and slipped out the front door.

"Lock it behind me," he commanded, then waited in the hallway until he heard it click. Satisfied, he headed back down the hallway and exited the building.

Thanks for reading. I seem to have a bit of a fascination with this particular character and thought it might be interesting to look at some of what made her who she is and how certain people might have affected her life and decisions. As I said, I have quite a bit more of this already written, so you shouldn't have to wait long for the next bit (if you want more) and I hope to have it completed in the next couple of days. I'd really love to know your thoughts on this idea. Please.