Work Text:
It just doesn’t make any sense, Maria thought, her expression a blank, far-away look unreadable by even the most well-trained of SHIELD’s psychologists. Her uniform, soot streaked and crusted with blood and other bodily fluids both human and alien. Her hair was a mess and a dull purple bruise was starting to blossom across the right side of her face from orbital socket to jawbone. But for just this one moment, Deputy Director Maria Hill didn’t care. She didn’t care about the mess this round of Skrull invaders had made. She didn’t care about Tony Stark, still in his power armored Iron Man suit standing just a few feet away watching her inscrutably. She didn’t care about the humid gusts of breath coming from the Hulk standing all to close behind her.
No, for this one moment nothing mattered; nothing except the deep certainty in the pit of her stomach that she was finally free. Free of Nick Fury’s shadow. Free of the constraints placed on her as SHIELD’s Deputy Director. Free even of her loyalty to the President of the country she’s fought to defend for so long. No, for just this moment, she was no one but Maria Hill. It was the first time in her life that she could ever remember having been defined by nothing and no one externally imposed upon herself.
If he’d bothered to think about it, Norman Osborne might have been very afraid of the tiny smile hovering at the corner of her previously solemn lips as Maria stepped over the body of the Skrull she’d so recently killed.
“Did you hear what I said, Hill? By order of the President of the United States, SHIELD is formally disbanded. You are no longer Deputy Director. You are no longer in command of these troops. And if you’re not careful, you’ll be detained for court martial the same as your ex-boss,” The low whiny in Osborne’s voice was almost as ugly as his face.
If he’d had the time, Norman Osborne would have stepped backwards. But Maria’s gesture caught him by surprise as she stepped forward, shook his hand, and then stepped back and offered a crisp salute before turning to look at Tony. Tony Stark, the billionaire playboy whom she’d refused to trust for so very long. Tony Stark, the man who had grudgingly taught her what duty and service to one’s country truly meant.
Tony didn’t move. As always, his helmet concealed any facial expressions that might have betrayed his thoughts. Still wondering if she’d completely lost her sanity or if perhaps she’d finally awoken to the truth of the world, Maria picked her way through the bodies on the ground until she was standing before him. She looked up briefly at the glowing “eyes” of his suit. Unable to bring what she had to say to words, Maria placed her hand over the brilliance of the power core at the heart of his armor, hoping he’d understand the gesture. I trust you now. I understand now. Finally I am free to follow my own conscience and it’s landed me on the wrong side of the law but for once, I don’t care.
The cold hardness of metal as Tony wrapped his arms around her was all the answer she needed.