The Winter Soldier
Maria waved back to Natasha as she watched her leave the apartment, the mid-level agent on the phone still rambling in her ear.
“Shadow soldier or not, the intel is crucial for the continuation of this mission,” she pinched the bridge of her nose.
“I understand that, ma’am but the guys are pretty shaken up about the whole ordeal.”
“Use this as a training exercise,” the Commander shook her head, “figure out how to motivate your team and I will see you back at the Triskelion, intel in hand, in 3 days.”
“But, ma’am-” the agent's voice wavered.
“Three days.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Maria hung up her phone and glanced around the now quiet apartment. The brownies had all been neatly added to a bag by the door for the next day, the dishes were waiting to be done, and the widow's bites that once sat on the countertop were no longer there.
Maria: Hey sorry, I didn’t get to say bye.
She sent off the text to Natasha and walked over to Ellie’s bedroom, half expecting to find the girl awake. Instead, she was greeted with the child already lopsided in the bed, the covers pulled up snugly against her chin.
“Goodnight, little bear,” Maria kissed her daughter's forehead and silently walked out of the room.
Maria: and thank you for bringing her to bed.
The Deputy Director tried her best to not act like a teenager who was glued to her phone on the off chance that the Russian responded. She failed and continued to check her phone every few minutes until late in the night when she finally went to sleep.
The next morning started with a flying knee to the chest as Ellie bounded into her room and onto her bed in excitement.
“Cookies day,” the child’s big eyes grew even wider as she bounced on top of her mother.
“They’re for sellin- ow,” she winced as the girl’s boney knees continued to assault her body, “not eating, you know that, right?”
“Cookies day,” the child reiterated as Maria’s alarm clock chimed.
Ellie moved her hand to turn it off and hesitated where the Commander’s gun was stashed in a holster on the side of the nightstand.
“Hey,” she watched the child click the button off, “what’s the new rule.”
“Do not touch weapons unless we are in big danger,” Ellie recited.
There had been a new rule added to the list after the girl turned 6 and became more interested in the weapons Maria had stashed around the apartment. It was hard to explain to the child, who knew how to dismantle a gun faster than most rookie agents, why she was not allowed to touch them.
“That’s right,” Maria sat up, “now let’s go have some waffles and take our meds.”
<ok> The girl hopped down from the bed and took off towards the kitchen.
Maria looked at her phone and tried to stay calm after seeing that she had one new notification from Natasha.
Tasha: no problem, glad to help.
It was times like this that she wished Phil was still around, he would know how to respond to this, he would know what the message really meant, and he would- tell you to stop overthinking. The brunette sighed and got up, making her way into the kitchen where Ellie sat patiently in her chair at the bar.
“Scott moved.”
Maria placed two waffles in the toaster and pulled out the peanut butter, “Oh yeah, is Scott a friend from school?”
“No Mommy,” Ellie shook her head, “Scott.”
“Right… Scott…” She wracked her brain for any friend Ellie had made with that name.
“Scott,” the girl held up her jar.
They didn’t happen often, but there were times when Maria truly wondered how much the girl had found out while in the Room. There was no way of knowing if the child had picked the name at random, or if the Red Room had also had their eyes on the man named Scott who was able to shrink down to the size of an insect.
“Why’d you pick that name,” Maria squinted.
Just as she suspected, Ellie squinted back before smiling and shrugging. Maria added peanut butter to the now-warm waffles, checked the clock, and decided she didn’t have time that morning to push it any further.
It wasn’t until weeks later when they were at the Barton’s farm that she remembered to ask the girl about it again. Ellie and the Barton children were celebrating the start of the summer as they ran through the front yard in the hunt for the best place to find another caterpillar now that Scott 1 had turned into a butterfly.
“And she won't change it?” Clint leaned back in his chair on the front porch.
Maria shook her head and called out to Ellie to prove a point, “What’s the new one going to be named?”
“Scott 2!” Ellie yelled back with her little voice.
“How weird,” Laura took a sip of the iced tea next to her.
“She’s a weird kid,” the Deputy Director shrugged.
“But she’s cute,” the mom of two laughed, “speaking of cute… you and Tasha…”
“Are good,” Maria took a sip of her own drink to try and cover her smile, “she just got back from a classified mission with Steve but were-”
She cut herself off as her work phone began to ring, “This is Hill.”
“I need you here in DC,” Fury’s voice was controlled, “Deep Shadow Conditions.”
She took a breath to calm her nerves at the information that was just given to her, “give me four hours.”
“You have three, over.” Fury hung up before she could get another word in.
How she was going to get to DC in three hours was the least of her problems as she stood up and made eye contact with Barton.
“I need you to stay here, to go into complete lockdown with the family. Ellie is going to stay with you,” the Commander spoke quickly and precisely to the man in front of her, “You do not make any calls, you do not answer your phone for anyone but me, you lock the front gate and do not open it for anyone until I call you. Do you understand agent?”
As her friend, it was clear that Clint wanted to ask what was happening, as her asset he nodded once, “I understand Deputy Director.”
This time she turned to face Laura who had concern etched into her features, “She takes her meds every morning with breakfast and every night with dinner, her flashlight is already on the nightstand, if that one breaks there is another one in her backpack. Let her have as much tablet time as she wants to keep her as happy as possible. You’re already her emergency contact on everything so legally you have as much access to anything I do if you need it.”
Maria calmed herself for the sentence she didn’t want to say, “If anything happens to me-”
“Ria” Laura cut her off.
“If anything happens to me,” the Deputy Director held up her hand, “I need to know that she’s going to be okay here.”
“We got her,” Clint placed a firm hand on his wife’s shoulder.
Maria went inside, changed into a button-down and slacks, and placed her weapon in its holster before grabbing anything she needed and heading back outside.
“Elizaveta,” Maria swallowed hard and waited for her daughter to come running.
Out of breath and sweaty the girl tilted her head to the side.
“I have to go to work and you’re going to stay here,” she watched as the child shook her head, “yes, you are and you're not going to teleport. You're going to stay here with LoLo and Clint and have so much fun while I go work okay?”
“Want to go with,” Ellie shook her head again.
“I know and you’ll be back with me soon but right now I need you to stay here okay?” Maria choked out.
<no> the girl signed as tears filled her eyes.
“Yes, you have to stay here.”
“No,” Ellie called out in Russian.
“I’m going to come back, I love you, little bear” She wrapped her arms around the child who had begun to cry.
“Please do not go!” the girl cried out, her little fingers digging into Maria’s uniform.
“I love you, I love you, I love you,” she pulled tiny fists away as she stood up.
Laura warped her arms around Ellie and spoke to her in Russian as her cries grew louder and louder. Maria couldn’t bring herself to say goodbye to anyone else as she picked up her bag and ran to her rental car. On her way down the dirt road, she looked into the rearview and could see Ellie still crying on the porch.
She touched down and was at the Triskelion in less than 3 hours, but it was 3 hours too late as she found out the details of the Directors' car crash and subsequent missing status. Maria’s earpiece crackled on every few minutes of new reports of possible sightings of the man but none of them were confirmed. Her phone rang continuously as agents and handlers looked to her for direction, a role she had known she needed to take on. A role she took in stride until it was swiftly taken away from her as the Secretary of the World Council walked in.
“Deputy Director,” he addressed her as he walked in.
“Secretary Pierce,” she shook the blonde's hand, positive that she was not to trust him.
“I appreciate your leadership role over the last few hours,” he sat down in a chair across from her, “however, they are no longer needed.”
“Sir?” She took her own seat and looked at the man.
“I’m sure you’re familiar with Agent Sitwell?”
“I am,” she had gotten into a verbal altercation with the agent, who smelled like a rat from a mile away, multiple times.
“He and I will be working together to ensure project insight continues while we continue to search for the Director,” Pierce leaned back in the chair, “I know how close you two were and wanted to keep this already emotional time from causing you too much distress.”
“I assure you, I can handle this,” Maria clenched her jaw.
“I believe those were the words you also said before your… episode in New Mexico,” he gave her a look of faux pity.
“Those were extenuating circumstances,” she breathed out, keeping her face as neutral as possible while trying not to recount the PTSD attack.
“Nevertheless,” the man stood up, “we will be taking over from here, thank you for your help, Deputy Director.”
She watched as he left, making sure the door was fully closed before she called a SHIELD surgeon, a few agents, and a scientist who were all integral parts of Deep Shadow conditions. The Commander continued to procure everything else that was needed for the mission for the rest of the day, only stopping as the familiar voice of Sharon Carter broke through her earpiece.
“Foxtrot is down, he’s unresponsive,” the agent spoke quickly, “I need EMTs”
In a matter of 4 seconds, Deep Shadow conditions were in play. She sent off the encrypted message to those who would play a part and raced down to the garage as soon as she heard what hospital Fury would be taken to.
The Commander met with the SHIELD surgeon who would be helping operate on the Director, slipping him a vial as Steve crashed through a set of double doors.
“He- I couldn’t,” he choked and looked at Maria, “the shooter, I couldn’t catch him and-”
“Hey, hey,” she put her hand on the man’s shoulder, “take a breath.”
The blonde bent over at the waist and breathed in deeply, it was only then that Maria could see the small pieces of glass that covered his jacket. She picked a few off before rubbing the man's back and pulling out her phone.
Maria: At Walter Reed.
Tasha: be there in 15
“I tried,” Steve stood up, his voice distraught.
“I know you did,” she hugged him, breaking apart after watching Sitwell and his attack dog approach.
“Dead?” Rumlow asked.
“They're taking him into surgery now.” The Deputy Director leveled him with a gaze.
“Operating Room 6, ma’am,” a nurse approached the group, “there is an observational window as requested.”
“Thank you,” she inclined her head as more pieces of the puzzle fell into place.
Maria stood at the glass next to Steve, watching as the surgeons continued to work on Fury to try and reverse the damage that had been caused by the bullets that pierced his skin. Nurses moved quickly to hand over what seemed like endless surgical equipment as the doors flew open.
Natasha rushed to the glass first, paying no attention to Maria, Steve, Sitwell, or Rumlow. Her focus was solely on the man in front of her.
The Russian couldn’t take her eyes off the scene as she spoke “is he gonna make it?”
The Commander stayed quiet, she didn’t want to give hope when there was none.
Steve spoke quietly, his voice wavering with uncertainty, “I don't know.”
“Tell me about the shooter,” the Russian swallowed her sadness.
“He’s fast, strong,” the blonde paused for a moment, “had a metal arm.”
Maria turned to face Natasha, catching something in her eye she couldn’t quite place, “tell me about the ballistics.”
“Three slugs, no rifling, completely untraceable-” she went on to continue before the redhead cut her off.
“Soviet-made.”
“Yeah,” Maria nodded, wondering how the woman knew a detail she herself had only just found out.
Before she could ask her, the equipment in the room began to ring at an alarming rate as one of the nurses called out “BP dropping, he’s in v tach.”
She knew what was about to happen, she had been the one to sneak the SHIELD surgeon into the OR. Yet, as she stood there and watched them defibrillate Fury, she couldn’t keep the tears at bay. The woman next to her repeated the same thing over and over as if it was a prayer that just needed to be said a few more times until it was heard, “Don’t do this to me, Nick.”
“TOD 1:03am” One of the surgeons stepped away from the table and looked at the clock that hung in the OR.
Steve pushed through the doors before the time had even been called, Maria was next to follow, unable to keep staring at the man presumed dead anymore. She walked towards the signs that indicate where the morgue was, knowing that was where they would bring him next. The two agents that continued to talk behind her needed to see, they needed to see that he was gone even if it broke the Commander's heart.
She waited for what seemed like an eternity before a young man, the nurse she had recognized from the OR rolled Nick in.
“Can we have a moment to say goodbye before we take him?” the brunette kept her voice low and professional.
“Um, I think that there are forms you have to sign before you can take him-” he looked around.
“SHIELD policy that I take it from here,” the Deputy Director cleared her throat and put on a mask as she flashed the man her badge.
“Oh, okay,” the nurse seemed to know he was out of his league and scurried out of the room.
Before the doors fully closed Maria pulled the sheet abc and took Fury’s wrist in her hand. A full 49 seconds passed before she finally felt the weak pulse meaning the SHIELD surgeon had successfully slipped the Director an injection of tetrodotoxin-B.
“Thank you,” she whispered to whatever higher power had listened.
Ria: Fury is gone, stay safe.
Clint: details ASAP. You too.
It felt like a rock in her stomach knowing she was lying to every friend she had. A minute later Steve and Natasha slipped into the room, the former approaching Fury first as the latter hung back next to Maria.
“I’m sorry,” Natasha curled her body into Maria’s briefly, “I know what he meant to you.”
She wasn’t sure if the tears were from the realization that Fury had died that day, or from the knowledge she had and was keeping from the woman in her arms. Either way, they began to fall once more.
Steve walked away from the Director, leaving room for the Russian to approach and pay her respects. She stood in silence next to the man for a while and Maria wondered if she had figured out that Fury wasn’t truly dead. She knew the protocol, she knew who was to be trusted. Against her personal feelings, she spoke up to make sure the cover stayed intact.
“We need to take him,” Maria heard the words come out of her mouth before she could think. Years of experience, years of preparation had led her to this point and she wouldn’t mess it up now.
Natasha placed her hand on Fury’s head, turned on her heel, and left without another word. Maria waited until she heard the two agents talking in the hallway before releasing the locks on the gurney and pushing it out towards the service entrance. She continued pushing it out of the building and into the back of an ambulance where the SHIELD doctor was waiting for her.
“It worked,” he breathed out, in relief through his mask, “but he still needs medical attention.”
“Don’t let me stop you,” she stepped away and called for the driver to take them to the secret base.
It was hours before Fury was out of the woods and slowly starting to wake up, the tube in his throat being pulled out caused him to gag and sputter. Maria looked away before feeling the man’s grasp on her wrist.
“I thought you were crazy,” she scrubbed her face with her free hand, “deep shadow conditions, I thought you were crazy for having me practice and make sure everything was updated and ready.”
“Oh,” he coughed, “I am crazy.”
He coughed a few more times before Maria handed him a cup of water that had been placed on a nearby table.
“But I’m normally right,” he sipped at the drink and leaned back against the bed.
“You scared me, Nick,” she held his hand tightly.
“It had to be done,” he spoke firmly at first before softening his voice, “But I am sorry, thank you for keeping me alive.”
She squeezed his hand twice before sitting in the chair next to the hospital bed.
“She’s going to be pissed, you know that right?” she looked the man in the eye.
“Romanoff, or little miss,” he smiled.
“Both.”
“Remind me to send a year's supply of peanut butter to your apartment,” he tried to laugh but it came out as a cough, “should smooth things over.”
“You better hope so,” Maria sighed, “if not you’ve got two Red Room assassins after you, and this time I can’t save your ass.”
The Director hummed in response as his eyes closed, the events of the day taking their toll on his body. It was only then that she looked at her phone, noticing a missed call from Sitwell almost an hour previously.
“I need to go take care of something,” she spoke to one of the agents who was dressed head to toe in riot gear, “no one in or out without me.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he inclined his head.
She walked quickly to her car, changing into her uniform as soon as the door closed, “fucking Sitwell and his annoying fucking face.”
The drive back to the triskelion was quick but only caused her anger to increase, knowing she had more important things to take care of than a meeting with a rat like the one who was the current right hand to Pierce.
She walked through the doors of the control room, “you called?”
“About an hour ago,” he didn't take his eyes off the screen in front of him, “where have you been?”
“Arranging a funeral,” she lied, hoping to use emotions to keep him from finding the truth.
He looked at her, his face falling slightly. Bingo.
“Sorry,” he swallowed, “I was wondering if you knew anything about this?”
The screen in front of him showed a hooded Natasha and inconspicuous Steve on what appeared to be CCTV from an Apple store.
“No, but, I’m not surprised. That’s Captain America you’re after,” she smirked and looked at the man next to her, “he tends to inspire a certain amount of loyalty.”
The Commander turned around to leave the room, almost getting to the door before Sitwell called out to her.
“When’s the service?”
“Friday,” she continued walking.
“As soon as it’s finished, you’re going back to New York,” his words left her stopping in her tracks.
She couldn’t go back to New York, not only would that mean she was being kicked off the current mission, but she would be sent back on to the Helicarrier. A long stint on the carrier meant she would be working in the field once more which would not be possible with a 6-year-old in tow.
“Why?” Maria would call him on his bluff.
“You’re off the investigation, the Director feels your connection is a liability,” he walked closer, “SHIELD demands loyalty too.”
The doors in front of her opened, she went through them, the lights above her flickered, she walked under them, the stairwell smelled like damp concrete, she climbed it. It was only when she had made it to her office, lungs on fire, mind racing, that she finally broke down. The realization that she couldn’t take care of Ellie while on the carrier without Nick and under Sitwell's thumb hit her like a ton of bricks.
“Fuck!” papers went flying from her desk as she swept her arm across them.
“FUCK,” she dropped into her office chair, head in her hands as she tried to piece together what she was going to do, how she was going to do it while keeping her sanity.
“Commander,” there was a knock on the door, the voice familiar.
“Come in Morse,” she sat up and brushed out her uniform.
“They have eyes on Rogers and Romanoff, Sitwell wants to keep it as quiet as possible,” the agent walked through the doors and kept her voice low.
Meaning they were looking to imprison the two rogue agents without anyone else finding out.
“Thank you for telling me, I’m no longer on the mission and wasn’t aware of that update” The Deputy Director watched as the blonde in front of her shifted around, “What is it, Morse?”
“I don’t think they plan on taking them in alive.”
“Why not?” The Commander questioned the woman who was clearly fighting internal conflicts, unsure of who she was really supposed to trust.
“Bobbi,” Maria prompted, “why do you think they are looking to take out Steve and Tasha?”
“I overheard another conversation,” Morse finally looked up, “Pierce gave the order to deploy the Winter Soldier.”
She shook her head in confusion, “who the hell is that?”