hiddencait

This one was for

borg_princess and is way over due considering it was supposed to be for last year. Hopefully she still enjoys it anyway!

Cross posted to AO3 here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/1078249

Testimony
Prompt: "Maria being awesome and competent and having Fury's back even if she doesn't occasionally agree with him"
Maria Hill - centric with Nick Fury and WSC
Avengers with mentions of Agents of SHIELD
Total wordcount - 1196

Maria stood in parade rest just two steps back and two to Commander Fury’s left, a silent and as yet unacknowledged presence at this hearing with the World Security Council. She thought that might be for the best; she was having a hard time keeping her disgust off her face. If she had to actually speak to the nuke-happy council, she might betray that disgust.

Bad enough they’d tried to nuke Manhattan – now they were trying to pin the damage caused by Loki and the Chitauri, and the so-called Avengers, Maria reminded herself, on a few individual agents. Agents Barton and Coulson in particular. As if those two hadn’t suffered as much or more than any others.

Fury had already stopped the notion of denying Coulson’s request for a small team of his own. Maria had an uncomfortable suspicion that had been far too easy of a win. She rather though the Council simply wanted Coulson out of his unofficial position of the Avengers’, or at least Tony Starks’, liaison. Their loyalty to his memory had come across clear enough for even the narrow minded council members to miss.

At least he was off the chopping block. Now it was just Barton who was set to be a fall guy. She took in a deep breath, struggling to keep herself from shouting. Hell, she hadn’t even liked Barton all that much – but she could still see this was a travesty. Fury and the councilors were fast becoming more and more combatant with each other, and Maria didn’t doubt it would have already come to blows had they actually been in the same room instead of merely conferencing in on screen.

“Agent Barton was instrumental in Loki’s operation-”

“Agent Barton was not a victim. He was a POW, one who continued to undermine the enemy at all times-”

Both Fury and the councilman tried to speak over each other, but it was Maria who stepped forward to interrupt them both.

“Agent Barton was fighting at all times.” Her calm, clear voice silenced both men, and Fury turned slightly to eye her. The woman on the council leaned forward.

“I assume you have proof.”

“My own eye witness testimony which I believe is included in the reports each of you were already sent. Perhaps they weren’t read.” Maria didn’t blink, but she noticed the very corner of Fury’s lips twitch at her subtle barb to the council. She went on. “Setting aside the fact that the assault on the helicarrier did not succeed, which, considering Barton’s skill set, it should indeed have; the fact that Commander Fury and I are here is the most telling point.”

“Indeed?” The woman at least appeared to be willing to listen, but Maria forced herself to turn her hard stare to each of the council members in turn as she spoke.

“Agent Barton does not miss. Ever. Not unless he intends to. Also, Barton’s preferred targets are the neck and eye in order make his kills as quick as possible. His skill level allows for the difficulty of targets, and his kills are clean and efficient.” Maria straightened her shoulders as she spoke, confident that she was right even if her opinion was not popular in this particular crowd. “Contrary to that preference, he fired to hit Commander Fury in the chest. And with regards to my personal experience, over the course of a firefight with multiple shots fired, he never hit me even once.”

“If you are implying that Agent Barton was somewhat aware while under Loki’s thrall, he, himself has reported otherwise.” The man at the far left wasn’t even trying to hide the smug edge to his voice, and she suppressed a roll of her eyes.

“I’m not implying anything. I am stating that part of Agent Barton, whether conscious or merely instinctive, spared my life. And I think we can all agree that Loki would not have directed him to do so.”

The man to the far right was now eying her with the same look of veiled approval that the council woman had.

“Agent Hill raises some relevant points.” His eyes flicked as if he was meeting the gaze of the other council members on his home screen, and Maria risked professionalism just enough to cross her fingers behind her back. Two members was almost a majority… Please let something go in their favor! The council man paused for another moment and then nodded slightly. “I move that Agent Coulson continue as team leader for the mobile unit so long as he does not provide a reason that he be removed. And Agent Barton should be re-activated… on a probationary basis.” Fury looked ready to argue on that count, but the councilman held up a hand to stop him. “If he is as determined to protect fellow agents as her story paints him to be, then let him earn that right on the field. Judging from his file, that would be in character for Barton anyway.”

“I second the motion.” The woman spoke up quickly, her gaze still seeming to be fixed on Maria though that could easily be an optical illusion due to the screen. “Will you abide by our decision, Director Fury?

Fury clasped his hands behind his back and was silent for a moment as if trying to decide if he would agree. He’d be stupid not to, Maria decided – this was as close to the ruling he’d demanded as he was likely to get. The implied probationary status of Agent Coulson and the out right stated one of Barton were an insult, sure, but she knew both agents well enough to know they’d prove themselves to be assets once more.

Finally Fury nodded once to the Council. “Yes, councilor. I will abide.”

“Very well. It seems we have nothing further on the agenda. Meeting adjourned.” Before any of the men could possibly argue with her, the councilwoman’s screen went black. One by one, the men followed her example until it was just Fury and Maria in the dimly lit room.

“It’s interesting – you speaking up.” Fury turned his one eye on her, but she’d long since grown almost immune to that glare. “I seem to remember you disagreeing with me on the subject of the Avengers. And on Coulson’s team for that matter. Why the change of heart?”

“Because this time it was the right call, sir. Coulson deserves the team – and more, he’ll make one hell of a success out of it. We both know he isn’t built to do anything less.” She kept her hands clasped behind her back, keeping up the armor of formality as she usually did. “And, I only disagree with the Avengers on principle as a small group in control of a massive amount of power. I disagree with the WSC for the same reason.” She shrugged. “Unfortunately, they don’t seem to have the same heroic tendencies.”

Fury nodded slowly and then turned to leave the room ahead of her, without replying. There wasn’t really anything else to be said, and really Maria knew he likely was just a little miffed he hadn’t gotten the last word.