"What exactly are you up too?"
Looking up from the computer screen, her eyes lands on Natasha. The red-haired assassin is standing in front of her, a cup of what she hopes is coffee in her hand. The lift eyebrow is giving her the signature judging look that Maria hade once wish she never would have to get use too. Now it was just an everyday look.
"I'm just looking a few things up."
She decides to answer, turning her attention back to the computer screen once more. Seeing how Natasha moves around the couch, Maria knows that the other woman won't give up until she finds out exactly what she's up to.
"Officer George Stacy?"
"Just checking up on Skye's new friends' family before her next dance lesson."
She can see the mysterious smile through the computer screen, and she just rolls her eyes. She's just waiting for her to make a comment so she could tell the assassin that if this was her, she would be doing the exact same thing, they all would. The day Natasha saved Skye from what ever had happened, they swore that they would do anything for the young girl, a girl that had become their little sister the moment she called Clint Bird Brain for the first time.
Remembering that day brings back a smile, Skye had been so scared and unsure about the whole thing and Maria couldn't blame her. What she had figured out later, the small girl had just started to get use to Melinda, then have the only person she trust thrust her to an unknown woman. Not to mention having two crazy, and one of them quite scarry, just show up out of no where when eating, it was quite a day for Skye. But she had also grown slightly in that moment and every moment that followed that.
It took a few times before she trusted her, Natasha and Clint as much as she trusted Melinda, but they managed to reach that point. Only for her to be moved off to another place, it was just pure luck that time around that it had been Phil and that he decided to call Clint for help. Victoria was probably to biggest surprise, but Maria had learned after talking to the other agent the last time they meet, Skye hadn't closed herself off as much as she had done with Phil. Sure, Skye have always had an easier time warming up to females than males, but she guess the biggest help that time around had been Evgenia.
And here they are once more, Skye have managed to find herself a friend and it's all thanks to Evgenia's class. They really should be giving that woman something, she has been to so much help, more so than she might even realise herself. She had jumped on the helping part mostly because she owed Natasha a favour, a favour that quickly turned into something else.
"Hey, earth to Hill? Are you there?"
Seeing a hand snapping in front of her, Maria pulls herself back to reality once more. She didn't even realise she had zoned out until that moment. Looing up at Natasha, she can see a hint of worry in her eyes, but the worry soon disappears and the red-haired assassin sists down beside her.
"So, what do we know of this Officer Stacy?"
Natasha asks, lifting her cup to her mouth to take a sip. Turning her attention back to her laptop screen, Maria starts to go over the information she has managed to find on the man. So far, she liked what she was seeing, but she won't let Skye near him until she has a proper talk with the man, one on one.
"What I have found looks good, he's a good officer. But I will have a talk with him when I drop of Skye today, just to be on the safe side. Anything can be written in a report, it's harder to hide the truth once face to face."
Maria starts to explain and from the corner of her eye, she sees Natasha nod her head. A silent fall over them, turning her head to the side, she can see the gear turning in Natasha's head and she rolls her eyes, already knowing what is to come.
"Just be careful and make sure you don't get caught."
She says before Natasha even has a chance to voice her newest plan. Seeing the wicked grin behind the coffee mug, Maria shakes her head and closes the laptop. Turning her attention towards the clock, she realises it's time to wake up the young girl in question, otherwise they will never get in time.
-X-X-X-X-X-
"Skye!"
The happy voice calls out the moment Maria have opened the door and the students and parents inside can see who is entering. Looking down, she can see a shy smile grow on Skye, making Maria smile herself.
"Go on, go and join your friend. I'll be here when the class is over."
Maria says, giving Skye a small nudge forward. Skye turns her head to look at her, a hint of worry can be seen in her eyes and Maria gives her a warm smile.
"You got this, you're our little sister, you can do anything remember."
She adds in a low voice so only Skye would be able to hear, this made Skye nod her head and she quickly heads of to meet with Gwen. Watching the two girls, Maria smiles, a smile that disappears the moment she starts to look around herself and her eyes meet with the girls' father. Entering the dance studio fully, just as Evgenia tells her class it's time to start, Maria moves towards Officer Stacy.
"Officer Stacy I presume?"
She asks, better to come of as she knows as little as possible for this. She doesn't need him to be more suspicious than he already is, and she can tell the man is already suspicious about her. After a few seconds he nods his head.
"Yes, who are you?"
"The name is Maria Hill, and as I guess you realise, I'm Skye's older sister."
She answered, keeping her answer as short as possible but still giving enough information. Keeping her eyes locked on the man in front of her, she is fully aware of the fight going on between them, she also knows there is no way she will back down. It took a few more minutes before the man in front of her let's out a sigh and sists down, backing down from the fight himself. Seeing this, Maria let's a bit of her tension go and takes the seat beside him. From where they are sitting, they can see into the dance studio and her eyes quickly lands on Skye.
"She hasn't had it easy, has she?"
Maria can't help but to feel slightly surprised over the sudden question and she turns to look at him, eyes slightly narrowed as she tries to read him.
"She backed away quickly from me when I meet her last week, I could see the fair in her eyes, she seemed to at least calm down slightly once you entered and placed yourself between us. I've seen that fair before, usually from children whose family we have needed to visit from time to time."
Officer Stacy starts to explain, his eyes kept on the action happening inside the studio. Turning her own attention towards the room, eyes once more landing on Skye.
"She has been moved around from one foster family to another, some of them have apparently been very bad before me and her other two siblings first meet her. After the last home, we decided it was time we took her in ourselves, we weren't going to let her go through something like that every again. What we have learned is that she's scared of men, but she can warm up to them, it just takes time for her to trust them. So far only two have earned her trust, the man she calls her brother and the only man I know she has ever seen as a father figure."
Maria starts to explain, feeling that she might have been telling this man to much, but something deep down told her she could trust him with this. After all, he had seen and recognized that fear in Skye's eyes for what it is.
"And I take it you and, how many of you are watching over her?"
"She lives with me, another sister and her brother. We have a person she calls her aunt on speed dial."
"So, I take it the four of you are very protective over her?"
Maria can't help but to let out a small laugh at that.
"Oh, you have no idea. I'm quite sure we would go into war just to keep her safe from any more pain."
Maria says, and she's very curtain they will if needed. They are a group of soldiers after all, and Natasha had gone through fire after all when she went to pick up Skye when she had called. And if Skye had called her, she knows fully well she would have done the exact same thing, she however would have taken Natasha with her instead of Clint, however.
Silent falls over them once more, this time, Maria is feeling slightly more okay with the person beside her. So far, he was passing the test, the only thing left now is to see if Natasha managed to find something else on the man. But for the time being, she feels like she can trust this man.
"I guess you could use this, for now I trust you. And I'm happy to see Skye finding a friend her own age."
Maria says once she has come to a conclusion, a piece of paper with her number on is hold out to the man beside her.
"But for now, let's just see how things go before I let you take my sister home after training."
She adds as Officer Stacy takes the piece of paper and he nods his head.
"Fully understandable."
Is the answer she gets.