Tnanks, Marvel, for letting me play with them again. See how nicely I returned them?
Ella: Thank you. I'm glad you enjoy
Princess PrettyPants: I'm glad she's got Nick, too. Have to add the plane/no parachute suggestion to my list
Sandy-wmd: Must agree. I doubt many folks see Nick as the snuggly, cuddly type. That's what makes it so much fun to write.
All For Jesus: Thank you. I'm enjoying creating back story for these characters and am glad you find it believable, even if it is a bit dark
ShadowBeats22107: Thank you again. I'm glad my love for this duo comes through. Waiting for more of your Hury story.
Marqueza: I think some others might find them worth time and attention as well. I could certainly see Natasha becoming involved.
Again, thanks so much to all who follow and favorite and especially those who take the time to review. I love hearing your thoughts and reactions.
On with the show.
Risks 13
Several days later, Maria found herself preparing to return to the Avenger's Tower for another meeting with Pepper regarding the Avenger Initiative financing. Phil would be accompanying her under the pretense of debriefing Clint who had just returned from a mission. From the looks Phil had been giving her, she had a feeling that Nick had asked him to keep an eye on her.
She finally cornered him in his office. "You want to tell me what's going on?"
He gave her an innocent look.
"What did Nick tell you?" she clarified.
"My discussions with my boss are confidential and on a need to know basis," he told her. "If you needed to know, you would have been included."
She stood in front of him, arms crossed, 'don't mess with me' face firmly in place.
She stepped forward.
Phil stepped back.
The pattern repeated until Phil found his back against the wall. Maria stepped forward once more, grasping his tie and rising on her toes to look him in the eye.
"What. Did. He. Tell. You?"
Smiling, he tapped her on the tip of her nose. "That he loves you and that he's concerned about you because you had to deal with your bastard of a father again."
Though she had never shared details with him, long shifts together over many years had given him enough hints to know that her childhood had been hellacious.
"I'm fine," she assured him, releasing his tie and stepping back.
"I'm sure you are," he told her, "but when my boss tells me to keep an eye on his girlfriend who also happens to be my best friend," he grinned, "I'm going to keep an eye on you."
She sighed, knowing it was hopeless to argue with him. In spite of everything he had seen her do over the years, Phil was still a bit protective of her. But then again, she supposed she was pretty protective of him, too.
"I suppose if you feel you must. Just don't go overboard," she warned.
"Yes, ma'am."
Much to her relief, by the time they arrived at the tower, Phil was back to treating her normally. He had stepped into a meeting room with Clint while Maria sat down with Pepper and Tony to set discuss the proposals they had and to set up a second round of interviews with some of the companies. When they had wrapped that up, Pepper cleared her throat and looked at Tony. He looked back at her, nodding his head towards Maria.
"Was there something else, Ms. Potts?" she asked.
Tony nodded his head, encouraging Pepper to proceed. Maria braced herself, fearing she knew where this conversation was heading.
"Would you like a drink, Agent Hill?" Tony asked, jumping up and heading over to the bar.
"No. Thank you," she told him. He nodded and fixed one for himself, looking back at Pepper.
She folded her hands on the desk in front of her. "Clearly, Walsh Financial is not the appropriate choice for the Avenger's needs."
Maria grunted noncommittally.
"However, our accountant seems to think that they might be the right company to take care of some things for Stark Industries." She paused.
Realizing she was waiting for a comment, the agent shrugged. "That's entirely up to you."
Stark pulled up a chair and sat down facing her. "Here's the thing, Agent Hill. I've done my share of wild living and hanging out with people who've done the same. Some of the people I do business with have lifestyles that most people disapprove of. Drinking. Drugs. Sexual promiscuity. Stuff that they choose to do that doesn't hurt anyone but themselves."
He watched her closely, trying to make sure she understood. "But I do have standards, lines that should not be crossed. People who sell drugs...hurt kids...old people...small animals...large animals...those who can't defend themselves. You get the point."
She nodded.
"I will not do business with people like that, regardless of what they have to offer. I guess what I'm saying it this. Knowing my position, do you think that this is a business relationship that SI should pursue? 'Cause Pepper and I were both picking up some pretty creepy vibes from daddy dearest and his pet Igor."
With both of them watching her, she stood up and walked over to the bar, picking up the bottle of scotch. "Is this the good stuff or is it the horse piss you keep for people you don't like?"
Tony crossed to join her. He took a sip from his own glass, considering for a moment. "The good stuff. I think." He took the bottle from her and fixed her a glass, then topped off his own.
She took a drink and returned to her seat. After staring into the depths of the amber liquid for several minutes, she looked up at Pepper.
"No."
Tony started to speak, but Pepper gave him a silencing look.
"That's all we wanted to know. Thank you."
Maria nodded her head, taking another sip of her drink.
Just at the point where the silence was about to become uncomfortable, there was a tap at the door and Phil poked his head in. His smile disappeared as he sensed the mood of the room.
"Are you about ready to head back to headquarters?" he asked, studying his coworker.
"Almost," she told him, skimming through her notes one more time. While she and the other woman finalized a couple of details, Tony offered the man a drink. Phil shook his head, standing with his hands behind his back as he waited.
When Pepper's phone rang, she distractedly hit the speaker button.
"Potts here."
"Ms Potts," a smooth voice intoned. "Gavin Walsh here."
She sat up straight, focusing her whole attention on the phone. "What can I do for you, Mr. Walsh?"
Maria became engrossed in something on her data pad while the two men watched, Tony openly curious, Phil deadly still and silent.
"I was just following up on our meeting several days ago and wondering if there was any more information you need from myself or my staff to assist you in making your decision.."
Pepper looked at the phone for a moment. Usually, she tried to be gentle when delivering bad news, but there was something about this man that tempted her to neglect her normal courtesy. "Actually, Mr. Walsh, we're still in the winnowing process, but it looks like we will be going in a different direction."
There was a brief silence. "I see. And the possibility of a deal with Stark Industries?"
"I don't think so, Mr. Walsh."
Another silence, then anger crackled across the line.
"This is because of HER, isn't it?"
Pepper's eyes flickered to Maria.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Ms Hill," he clarified, his voice icy. "I'm sure she told you about our relationship."
Pepper said nothing. The man seemed to realize his anger was getting him nowhere and his tactic changed. He sighed heavily.
"Maria is a very troubled young woman, Ms Potts. I blame myself. You see, her mother died when she was born. Abigail was my whole world and when I lost her, I sank into a very deep depression. It was months before I surfaced, before I was able to function again. By then, I had missed out on being able to bond with my daughter and she had lost the ability to do so."
His voice sounded sad as he continued. "She was never able to make those connections that normal people make. I sent her to doctor after doctor, but no one could get through to her. She hated me and would do anything to get back at me. I had to stop bringing business associates home because of the lies she would tell about me and because she started trying to seduce them. If Howard Stark and Obadiah were still alive, they could vouch for what I'm telling you."
Tony's head snapped up, his gaze turning to the dark haired agent. Walsh continued, unaware of his audience.
"I tried to set up a business deal through Mr. Stane several years ago, but she screwed that up for me. Unfortunately, I finally just had to walk away from her. When you have multiple medical professionals telling you that your child is a psychopath with sociolopathical tendencies and can't be cured, you finally have to believe them. It broke my heart when she went to court at 17 to change her name and get emancipated, but when someone wants you out of their life, especially someone that toxic, you finally have to let go."
He sighed again. "My apologies, Ms. Potts. I know I shouldn't be airing my dirty laundry, but I feel I would be remiss if I didn't warn you about the kind of person you were doing business with and the things she's capable of."
"We are very careful about who we do business with, Mr. Walsh," Pepper replied, her tone icy. "Our business is concluded." She disconnected the call and stared at the phone in distaste.
No one spoke or moved. Phil's stance never wavered, but anger rolled off him in waves.
Maria finally looked up. "He did actually have me diagnosed as psychotic," she admitted.
Pepper shrugged. "If you have enough money and influence, you can find a doctor to say whatever you want them to say." Maria could tell by the look on the other woman's face that she had made the connection between his comments and Maria's reaction at their previous meeting.
Tony sat perfectly still, his mind pulling up details of a long forgotten overheard phone call. He had been a teenager, sitting in a dark corner of his father's lab when Stane had made a phone call.
'Walsh? Obadiah Stane here. Howard Stark's aide? I wanted to thank you for your time the other day.'
He paused, listening to the response.
'Mr. Stark is actually looking at several options right now.' He listened again.
'Yes. About your 'special' offer? The girl? I don't think Mr Stark would be interested. However, I do have a great deal of influence with him and with other things being equal, I might be inclined to recommend someone who will offer me something that your competitors don't.'
"Hill?" Tony's voice sounded strangled.
She looked at him, the fear on his face asking the question he couldn't bring himself to voice.
"I never met your father, Tony."
"And Stane?"
She pressed her lips together. Her non answer was all the answer he needed.
Pepper frowned. "If it was back when Howard and Stane were involved, it would have been over 20 years ago."
Tony matched her frown, turning back to Maria. "You would have been...what? 7 or 8 years old?"
"Something like that," she agreed, not meeting his eyes.
"And Obadiah.." he couldn't finish the statement, but Maria nodded again.
"I was such a fool to trust that man," Tony commented, walking over to stare out the window.
"He was a master manipulator," Pepper reminded him. "Just like your father, Maria," she added, looking to the other woman.
With a nod, Maria rose and turned to Phil. "We need to get back to the base, Phil." As they started out the door, Tony's soft question stopped them.
"Stane wasn't the only one, was he, Hill?"
She paused. Her answer, when it finally came, was equally soft. "No. He wasn't."
The two took their leave, flying back to the base in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
Meeting them on the landing pad, Nick sensed the mood and immediately ordered them both back to his office immediately.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Coulson debriefed Barton on the Pakistani mission and Ms Potts and I set up some follow up meetings on the financial management company. We hope to have a final plan in place in the next few days," Maria told him.
Nick continued to stare, his eyebrow raised.
She held his gaze for a few moment, finally breaking. "What makes you think anything happened?"
"Because Phil looks to be in 'seek and destroy' mode and you," he paused, examining her for a moment, "are in about the same state you were in the other day when we met with your father,"
She refused to meet his gaze, so he turned to Phil, pinning him with an inquisitive stare.
"Yeah," he told Nick. "The bastard called Potts to follow up on their meeting. He didn't take well to being told he was no longer in the running for the contract. He ended up telling her all about his 'troubled' daughter and how she tried to seduce Howard Stark and his right hand man." He didn't bother trying to cover the anger in his tone.
Nick turned to Maria. "Howard Stark?"
She finally looked at him. "No, Nick. Like I told Stark, I never met Howard. I think my father tried to get to him through Obadiah."
The dark skinned man sighed with relief. "I wouldn't have thought Howard capable of that, but sometimes people fool you."
He led her to a chair and nudged her down into it, kneeling in front of her.
"How are you holding up?" he asked, his voice gentle.
She shrugged, keeping her gaze locked on his chest. Slowly, she leaned forward, burying her face in his chest. His arms wrapped around her, holding her close, one hand rubbing slow, comforting circles on her back.
Finally, she disengaged, gently pushing him back. "I'm doing okay, thanks in a great part to you," she told him, softly stroking his face. "I'm just not sure how I'm going to face Stark and Ms Potts again. It's tough enough facing Phil."
Phil's expression shifted and he quickly crossed to squat next to her, grasping her hand.
"You face this just like you face everything, Maria. With your head high and your hand on your gun. You have no reason to be embarrassed or ashamed of anything."
"Just like I told you," Nick agreed. "You had no choice in the matter. Your father, van Drake, Stane. They're the ones who should be ashamed."
"What they should be," Phil interrupted, "is dead."
"Stane already is," she reminded him.
"So why aren't your father and this van Drake guy and all the other guys?"
"Because that would be murder," Maria protested.
"You had no problem killing Malik," he reminded her, referring to the man who had tortured and raped her years before.
"That was different. That was during the course of a mission. This would just be revenge," she replied.
"Not revenge. Justice," Nick said.
"Murder is a crime," she reminded them.
"And what happened to you wasn't?" Phil asked.
"Of course it was," she told them, her frustration evident, "but it was a long time ago. There's a statute of limitations and no evidence. I don't want either of you to get into legal trouble because of what they did. I lost too much to him and I won't lose you."
She looked from one to the other, her voice and face revealing and edge of panic.
"Okay," Nick hastened to reassure her, looking a warning to Phil.
The other man squeezed her hand. "Whatever you want, Maria."
Nodding with relief, she smiled. "Thank you." She considered for a moment. "Although..."
"Yes?" Nick prompted.
"He knows who I work for now. That's likely to make him a little nervous," she added, still thinking.
Phil started to smile. "Maybe even a lot nervous."
"We could probably make him even more nervous without too much effort," Nick added.
"A car following him here and there? A dark suit or two watching? We have a few people who are very good at making people nervous," Phil suggested.
"Things in his home and office moved around? Anonymous calls with no one at the other end?" Nick commented.
"A campaign of terror?" Maria postulated.
"A campaign of terror we can do," Phil confirmed.
'At least it's a start,' Nick thought.
Another slightly dark one. I'm thinking that it's time to give her a bit of a break and make the next chapter a little lighter. Please let me know what you think.
Love my reviewers!