A/N: Sorry this took so long! But, on the plus side, I have a list of fics with Maria that won't be affected by whatever plot Civil War churns out, so be on the lookout for those.

operation fireworks

a surprising fulfilment

Friday July 4th, 2014 – 10:39 AM

She steps into the lobby and is instantly assaulted by the cacophony of noises and smells. Picking her way through the crowds of SI employees and families and children among the bouncy castles, petting zoos, and hot dog stands, she spots the instigator in question.

She swears his face lights up for an infinitesimal fraction of a second, and she doesn't break the eye contact as he makes his way over to her.

"Hill. How'd you like the arrangement?"

"Not what I thought," she replies slowly.

He sighs dramatically and passes her a soda. "You threw out the invitation, didn't you?"

"It was written in Comic Sans with fucking clip art," she says. "No one in this goddamn building would have deliberately created that except you."

"Yeah, Pepper thought it was a joke when she got one," he admits.

She gestures around the packed lobby. "So this is an annual thing?"

"It can be," he shrugs. "My dear dad's parties – Christmas, New Year's, the Fourth, you name it – were always executives-only, alcohol, women, and self-promotion. Not that I don't care for that, but, I—well, we seem to do a bit of property destruction on a semi-regular basis, so take this as my community service," he finishes with a smug smile.

She looks around again, and nods absently. "Not bad, Stark."

"I know," he says with an air of arrogance.

Shaking her head, she surveys that packed space for familiar faces, this time with a sad smile. "I've got another Congressional hearing next week and a stack of reports to read through. So I'll stay for a while, but…"

(there are stories that her father told her – stories involving laughing people and food and balloons and fireworks and sunlight and parades – stories that feature her and her dad and her mom, stories that are entirely lies)

"Yeah, I get it. Put on happy faces for everyone," he says uncharacteristically quiet. He rubs his eyes before switching back to his normal smirking self. "Real party starts tonight, though."

She rolls her eyes, gives him one last small smile, and walks away to join the group of workers from the security division.

...

Friday July 4th, 2014 – 7:50 PM

"Coming?" Pepper's head pops through the doorway.

"So we're still on?" Maria counters warily. "Where's Romanoff?"

"Downstairs. Staring contest with one of the guards."

"And Tony?"

"At the Tower with the others. Clint's not in yet, so it's a fair game of darts."

"Yet?" She asks, as she switches off her light and grabs her purse.

Pepper shrugs, joining her in the corridor. "Tony said he'd be there."

"Gang's back together again," she mutters.

Pepper looks at her with no small amount of amusement. "It's just a night off. You, me, and Natasha. Anything that happens after that is out of my control."

"Really."

She winces and looks down at her phone. "Mostly out of my control," she amends.

"Of course it is. I'm surprised you invited Nat, actually," she says, looking sideways at her and testing for a response. "After we sent her undercover here a few years back."

Pepper smiles serenely. "Well. We all have our jobs to do, don't we?"

Maria stares once at her, hard, and a flicker of understanding passes between them. "Right," she nods. "Let's do this, then."

...

Friday July 4th, 2014 – 8:56 PM

"Okay, this round's on me," Pepper announces to her two companions.

"Thank god," Natasha says. "Avenging doesn't pay nearly as well as S.H.I.E.L.D. did."

"What pay?"

"Exactly," Nat replies, turning to Maria. "At least you've got a nice private sector salary. Probably even better than S.H.I.E.L.D., right?"

"Yes, but still seriously underpaid, given the shit and fallout I have to deal with," she mutters, missing the understanding nod from Pepper. "Not why we do it, I suppose."

"No, but it doesn't hurt," Pepper says, waving the bartender over and giving her order. "I'll have a dry martini—"

"—a cosmo—"

"—and an old fashioned. Thanks," Maria adds before turning to Nat with a slight look of incredulity. "Cosmo?"

"Free country," Nat shrugs. "So, what were we talking about?"

"The lack of appreciation in privatising global security," Pepper answers with a smile.

Natasha hums in agreement. "Okay, best job you've ever had. Go."

"Easy. Barnes & Noble during college."

"Really? Retail's usually a nightmare."

"I loved books. And that was the last job I had before Killian and Stark Industries, so the nightmare paled in comparison," Pepper answers with a wistful grin. "Maria?"

She snorts. "Funnily enough, S.H.I.E.L.D. was the best job. But let's say undercover as a diving instructor in Havana."

Nat lets out a low whistle. "So, how long did that go for?"

"Three and a half weeks, until Coulson pulled us out," she says. "So, not nearly long enough."

"Best undercover op I did was curating that art gallery in Milan. Had to fight Carter, Mikkelsen, and Lee for that one."

"And what about Stark Industries?" Pepper asks with an arched brow.

"Well, we both know how well that went," Nat says lightly. "It was the start of a beautiful relationship, but…"

"Good lord, Romanoff."

Natasha gives a delicate shrug. "We Avengers have a unique and tested bond that's—"

"—Nat, you are so full of shit," Maria smirks.

"Okay, partially true, then," Natasha allows. "But Tony even let me play around in his mech lab yesterday. Grudgingly, but still."

"Barton's in there all the time."

"Yes, but Clint's basically Stark's guinea pig for all Avengers-related weapons and paraphernalia. Anyway, you can tell, because the testosterone is through the roof with those two in the same room."

"So, why the fuck would you go in?"

"It's the principle of the thing," Nat shrugs again. "If he says I can go ahead and modify my own tac gear using his admittedly superior equipment, why wouldn't I? It's a frat house, but I'll take what I can get."

"God, you're right, it is essentially a frat house. This job is insane," she vents.

"What was it you said you wanted? A cocktail and a lobotomy?" Pepper remarks, eyes dancing with laughter.

"Absolutely," she says, raising her glass disdainfully, her two friends following suit. "To cocktails and lobotomies."

...

Friday July 4th, 2014 – 10:57 PM

Pepper punches the button for the elevator, and as they get in, Maria sighs. "He's got JARVIS to put a lock a on my apartment, hasn't he?"

"Unfortunately, yes. But, you only need to hang around for ten minutes on the Avengers' floor," Pepper answers, shooting her a sympathetic smile.

"This is blackmail," Maria mutters.

"His methods could improve," Natasha agrees dryly, lounging against the glass wall of the elevator. "But, if you really wanted to, you could have stayed at your own place," she adds, with a shrewd glance at Maria.

She glares at her friend, before turning to stare out the polished glass. She watches as the lights outside get smaller and smaller, as they hurtle up towards god-knows-what. The elevator doors open, and she throws one last wary glance at Pepper before stepping out.

"Okay, let's get this over with, Stark," she says, coming face-to-face with the Avengers line-up, including the tired but smiling face of Captain America on the plasma screen.

Tony fiddles around with a remote before saying a tad too innocently, "Surprise?"

"It's not my fucking party," she says, rolling her eyes and turning to the screen. "And happy birthday, Rogers."

"Thanks, Maria," he says with an amused grin. "Didn't think you'd be here."

"And I wasn't planning to come." She sends an icy scowl in Stark's direction. "But, here we are."

"Couldn't have you miss Captain fucking America's birthday party, could I? He's here, but not here. It's what you wanted, right?"

"Tony, it doesn't matter what I want, it can't matter what I want. That's the point," Maria says quietly, looking past the billionaire and at the others scattered around the room. She spies Natasha and Pepper and Barton covertly listening in from the bar, Banner and Thor in conversation, Wilson loitering in the corner of the large screen. And she gives Steve a thoughtful look before continuing. "Because no one gives a flying fuck about the former deputy director of a corrupted intelligence agency, and your party is none of my business, unless you lot decide to level half a city again. I do my job, so you can do yours. Don't put me in a position where this is compromised."

She looks alternately at the two leaders, waiting out the silence.

"Bullshit," Stark says finally.

Steve nods slowly from the screen. "Language," he smirks, "but I have to agree. What you do with this team, what you're going to be doing with us, it makes no sense if you don't have a say. Even with something like this," he says, gesturing at the room. "You're more integral to the team than you realise."

"So what do you want from me?" She eyes both of them carefully.

"Negotiation time, my favourite," Tony rubs his hands with glee. "Okay, we want your stunningly taciturn presence at all public Avengers' events, parties, galas, fundraisers, you name it—"

"—Thirty percent of them."

"Seventy-five."

"Fifty," she snaps back.

"Fifty, plus the ones where Tony and I are going, and Steve isn't," Pepper jumps in, with an almost imploring look. "Intelligent conversation is disappointingly scarce sometimes."

"I am not, nor should I be the part of the Avengers' public image," Maria reasons, before sighing. "Forty, plus those."

"Deal," Stark beams. "JARVIS, you got that?"

"Of course, sir," the smooth voice intones. "Ms. Hill's contract has been updated. All parties will receive an—"

"—Tony, it doesn't have to be a formal agreement," Steve winces, turning to Maria. "The point is, you can have the freedom to choose, Maria, we'd just rather have you here."

"Right, what he said," Stark nods sagely.

She huffs a small laugh. "Yeah. Okay."

"Really?"

"For now," she smirks. "I'm sure there'll be other issues of contention later on."

"Thanks for reminding me. I'll be working on that."

She rolls her eyes. "Of course you will."

"Absolutely," he replies with a shit-eating grin. "Right. Now that's over, party can start. Thor, hit that button on the panel over there, it does a thing…"

Maria shakes her head, preparing to leave and sending a tight smile to the figures still on the screen. "All the best, Captain. Message me if you need more resources."

"Of course," he nods. "You're not staying?"

"Yeah, where are you going, Hill? Forty percent starts now," Tony chimes in.

"Forty percent of public events, Stark. And no, as Pepper so kindly told me, my ten minutes is up. We can start next week. Have a fabulous evening, gentlemen," she says dryly, before walking to the elevator.

Tony hums to himself for a moment. "I think that went well."

Steve simply rolls his eyes in response.

...

Monday July 7th, 2014 – 7:28 AM

She walks into her office and comes face-to-face with a red helium balloon dangling from the ceiling, a square piece of card attached to the string.

She thinks about grabbing the letter opener from her desk and plunging it into the balloon, but changes her mind and reaches for the note instead.

Congratulations! First party down, a shitload more to go. Welcome to the club.