Nicholas Joseph Fury did not celebrate Christmas. He appreciated the holiday and let his agents celebrate in their own way, but he never joined. He never wanted to. He was never wanted. It was all the same in the end. He just didn't celebrate it. Every Christmas he locked himself in his office above the bridge and did his work until the parties died down and all was quiet. Then, he finally retired to sleep once more.

This Christmas was just more of the same. He had gathered his pile of work and set it on the table. Two hundred and sixty-three documents were just waiting to be signed. Fury sighed as he pulled yet another sheet off the stack. Music echoed through the walls as the Helicarrier was abuzz with activity, all, but Fury. Like every other year, no one had invited him to the Christmas party. It was traditional that he never attended though he didn't know why it turned out like that.

A part of Fury wished he could go out and celebrate with the rest of his agents, but he knew it would be more awkward if he went. It was practically a Christmas gift to his agents that he didn't go. It would ruin the mood of the entire event. Fury scribbled another signature before moving the paper over. He laid his pen on his desk and stared down at the wood despondently. That was when he heard a knock. "Come in!" He called out.

The door was turned open, and Maria stepped into the room. The brown-haired agent shut the door behind her and walked over to Fury's desk. "What are you doing in here, Commander? Don't you want to come down to the bridge?"

Fury snorted. "Not particularly. I'm not really the type who enjoys partying, Agent Hill. You can go if you wish though. It is of no consequence to me." Maria quirked an eyebrow and looked over the paperwork on Fury's desk.

"Aren't you going to give yourself a break at least?" Maria snatched Fury's pen out from his hand and stuck it in her pocket. "Of all days, Christmas shouldn't be one filled with paperwork. Unless you are really that interested in authorizing the cafeteria to buy three tons of oranges," Maria commented, looking over the piece of paper that Fury had been signing.

"Why are you doing this, Hill?" Fury asked as he leaned back into his chair. "There is no need for you to come out to talk to me. I'm sure you would have much more fun if go to celebrate with the rest of the agents." Fury inclined his head towards the Christmas party that was going on in the bridge just through the glass. The echoes of their cheers penetrated the walls and faintly met their ears.

"To be honest," Maria turned around and crossed her arms. "I came in here because you looked lonely just signing your paperwork. You've been doing this for the past four hours, Commander." Fury frowned. He did not look "lonely." He had been perfectly fine all of his life without needing friends or companions. He was a soldier, not a schoolgirl who needed friendship to survive. "Don't deny it, Commander." Fury snorted. What did Maria know about how he felt? She was just his subordinate! "I can see that look in your eyes. And I'm not stupid, Commander. With all due respect, it's my job to pick up on the small things. I asked the other agents, and they said that you never celebrate Christmas with them. After watching you for a little bit, I think I know why."

"Oh really now, Agent Hill? Enlighten me," Fury challenged. He wanted to see why she thought such ridiculous things. A hand clenched inside of his dark overcoat pocket. He wasn't lonely! That was for people much weaker than him.

"Christmas is the happiest time of year for some," Maria said, waving to the agents celebrating in the bridge. "But it's also the loneliest time of years for others. When you have no one to celebrate with, it only brings attention to all the others who have friends to celebrate with. You're not exactly the most sociable of people, Commander. It wasn't very hard to tell that something was wrong." Maria smiled softly at Fury. "You needed someone to celebrate Christmas with. It isn't the same when you try to celebrate on your own."

Fury grunted and looked away from his subordinate. Something about Maria's words reminded him about all of the Christmases he spent on the Helicarrier. In his first years, he spent Christmas sitting in a corner of the cafeteria working on paperwork. After getting his own office, he drank and did more paperwork. And still, all of these years later, he did more paperwork. The first years had been the most painful because no one ever asked him to join them in celebration, so work was the only thing to keep him company. All of these years... Fury closed his eyes. "Thank you, Agent Hill. I appreciate what you have done."

Maria smirked. "I'm glad to help, sir. Now come on, Commander. The night is still young. I doubt the Helicarrier is going to sleep for a long time yet, and you're not going to spend the rest of night signing papers." Maria held a hand out to Fury. Fury looked at the hand warily before taking it and pulling himself up from out of his chair. "Now let's go. I know Agent Coulson makes a mean apple cobbler, and I think I hear it calling."

Author's Note: Sorry for the late update everyone! ^^ I've been baking pumpkin pie today, and I'm dead tired. I hope you all had a great Christmas Eve! Tomorrow will be the last one-shot, so I hope you enjoy this one-shot series to the very end! ^^