Previously

I turned back to Steve who was looking at the ground. "Hey, what is it?"

"Nothing. It's nothing." he said quickly and left for his room. What was that about?

I went into my room first, got changed and read my mails quickly. There was one from Fury.

Hill,

Come to my office immediately.

Fury

Would a please have been too much to ask for?

I went to his room and heard frantic pacing behind the door. I put my hand up and knocked on the door. The shuffling stopped and there was silence for a couple of seconds before the footsteps became louder.

I heard him stop at the door before opening it.

"Hey, is your cheek alright?" he said, putting his hand against my face. I could tell that something was up with him beyond my injury.

"It's fine. Now what's wrong? You just...stormed out." I said.

He pressed his lips into a firm line and released them, taking his hand back too. Then he sighed deeply opening the door. Cautiously, I entered, slipping past him. I carried on walking and stood next to the table, waiting for him to come over.

He shut the door and came over to me. "I'm annoyed you got hurt. I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's not your fault. Tony's the one who scared me, which caused me to fall in the first place." I explained and he nodded.

"Okay. Next time, I will be there to catch you."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

I smiled and hugged him. I've got used to hugging him now. We weren't together, but I think we both knew that something was going on between us. Well I hope that he feels like that too.

"What are your plans for today?" he asked, pulling away.

"Going to S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury needs to speak to me on the helicarrier."

"Have you cleared your room yet?"

"I already did."

"What all of it? When did you do that?"

"When I first came here. Fury said take everything and I only had a couple of bags. All my stuff was on that ship."

"Why?" he asked.

"What do you mean why?"

"Why is all your stuff there and not at your house?"

"I don't have a house. I'm kind of homeless since Fury kicked me out. No house. No little cats. Nothing. You guys have taken me in like a stray dog."

"Well, this can be your home now. If you want. I mean Tony won't mind." Hmmm...

"I don't think he would do that." I said.

"Then we shall persuade him to let you stay here permanently."

I nodded. "Okay, but I'll do it after I go to S.H.I.E.L.D. I'll see you tomorrow Captain." I said smiling as he rushed to the door to open it for me.

"Goodbye Maria." he said, smiling. That sweet innocent smile that would make a girl melt to the floor in an instant.

I stepped out of the door saying "Thank you." and then walked down the corridor.

Maybe this could happen? I need to put some work into it though. I can't just stay like this in ordinary clothes and stuff. I need to find the things we have in common and chat to him about weird random stuff until 3 in the morning. Would you stop planning your romantic life and get a move on?

First, I went to my room, got changed and then left.

I paced over to the lift and got in, going down to the bottom floor. When I arrived, the outside of the building was filled with photographers and press, all wanting a peak into our lives. How did we become so famous so quickly. I mean, they don't even know us. Our likes and dislikes. What we like to eat. Even our favourite colours.

I walked to reception, my heels clicking against the hard floor and asked "Car for Maria Hill please."

"Of course." the receptionist said and dialed a number into the phone to send for my car. Tony always was very efficient. After a while of waiting and ignoring the cameras, the receptionist said "The car is outside waiting for you Miss Hill."

I nodded and opened the door. Bright lights were flashing in my face, but the body guards were doing a good job of keeping them away. This time nobody got through. Tony must have upped his body guards, because there seemed to be more there than last time.

"This way Miss Hill." a body guard said, leading me through the crowds of people. He was gripping my hand tight, but only because there were so many people rushing around us. However, I could hardly feel my hand now and I said "Can you loosen your grip please?"

He turned around, nodded and said nervously "Sorry, Miss Hill. Didn't mean to hurt you." Trainee's are so adorable.

I got to the car, the guard opened it for me and I got in. I had a red mark from where the security guard had held me. Damn reporters.

"S.H.I.E.L.D helicarrier." I instructed the driver and he drove us to the bay, because S.H.I.E.L.D decided to spend some time on the ground. There is no doubt, however, that Tony would've invented a car to fly. Coulson had Lola. Had Lola. I wonder what's happened to that car now.

We arrived and I stepped out. Lots of agents were looking at me and whispering to other agents, who smiled. I ignored them, as usual, and continued my walk to Fury's office as people continued the dirty looks.

Finally, I arrived and knocked on his door. I heard him say come in and I followed his orders. There were 3 agents in there, now leaving the room, and Fury sat behind his desk as always.

"Maria Hill." This is the first time that I have been called my actual name by him without the word Agent sitting in front of it.

"Director Fury."

"Call me Nick."

"Why?"

"Because only members of S.H.I.E.L.D call me Director." he said with a raised eyebrow.

"What is it that you wanted to see me about...Nick?" I replied sassily.

"As I said, you are no longer an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, but there is some news that I need to inform you about, even though this is strictly confidential. You were meant to be told this when I came to visit you a couple of days ago, but that visit ended in your unemployed status."

"The point?" I asked, getting bored.

He gestured to his left and out from the shadows came a familiar face. "Coulson?" I asked, slightly breathless from the reality shock I was getting. How is he alive right now?

"Hey." he said, smiling. I looked from Fury to Coulson to Fury and finally back to Coulson.

"I thought it was your right to know." Fury explained. What the fuck is going on?

"How did...what hap...why..." So many questions were filling my conscience that it was just too much to speak. I ran up to him and threw my arms around him. He put his arms around me and said "Guess who cheated death."

"Yes," I said, pulling away. "and how exactly did you do that?"

"That would be Director Fury's helping hand. Project T.A.H.I.T.I. Helped me survive." he explained.

"But...you were dead. You died." I almost whispered, trying not to cry.

"I know. The project brought me back to life." he said smiling. He walked towards me and pulled me into a hug again. He kissed my forehead and I asked "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I've only been alive for a day. Gimme a break." he said and I chuckled. "Lets talk." We walked into a private room that we both knew for a fact didn't have any cameras or recording devices, so our conversations were free.

After talking about T.A.H.I.T.I for a while, he moved onto the topic of Steve.

"So, I heard that you and Cap have been spending a lot of time together." he said, taking another sip of water.

"Yeah, so what?"

"Nothing, nothing. I just wanted to know whether the rumours were true or not."

"Which ones?" I asked, drinking my coke.

"The one's about you sleeping with him." he said, causing me to choke on my drink. "Wow, with that level of attractiveness, I'm not surprised he's sleeping with you."

"What? There are rumours going round about that?" I asked, once I recovered from my truly beautiful coughing fit.

"Yes, about you and Steve doing it. I thought you knew."

"Obviously not."

"Don't shoot the messenger. I just wanted to know the truth."

"No. We're not." I said, sulkily. Oh shit.

"But you want to. I can tell."

I didn't even bother arguing. I just placed my head in my hands and groaned. "Look take your time with him okay? He's 90. Not 27. Let him make the first move. Flirt with him and toy him along all you like, but let him make the first move."

I just nodded and asked "So, how's Lola?" trying to change the topic.

"Ah, the old subject changeroo. It worked." he said smiling and then went into a deep explanation about the car that he adores.

I can't believe that no one told me. Fury didn't even tell me about him being resurrected. What an asshole. Of course, I can think that now because he is no longer my boss. That's a good thing. I'm no one's boss. I don't have to assess the Avengers of anything. I can do what I want. But that means that I'll have no job. No money coming in. I have a huge amount of money saved up from S.H.I.E.L.D that would last me two lifetimes, but I still wanted something to do.

By the time I got back to the tower, it was already 6:30. Man, I'm tired. Where does my energy go?

I came in and Steve was sitting on the sofa. He turned his head to me when he heard the doors of the lift open and said "Hey."

"Hey." I replied and walked towards him.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Uh...yeah. I've...I've gotta tell you something." I said, taking his hand and dragging him towards my room.