They don't find Steve. Steve finds them.'There's something approaching,' Agent Abigail Brand mumbles to Maria before klaxons wail across the Peak, bathing her green hair in red. Maria has known Abigail for years, since their days at Quantico when they were just two young women trying to find their place in life. Maria had escaped her father, his fists and contempt and the ghost of her dead mother. Abby was running from herself, from the energy that would coat her arms to the half-alien heritage that she had revealed to Maria on a night that seemed entirely too long ago.'What's happening?' Tony demands and Abigail tells him to shut up as her crew scramble to decipher the approaching craft.'It's Skrull,' someone yells out and the ship swells into a cacophony of noise.Abigail tells them to shoot at the same time Tony tells them not to.'Look! It's morse code,' Tony's smiling like he's seen a miracle and Abigail is ready to deliver a cutting remark, when Maria finally makes out the message.'It's…'An armoured hand claps her on the back forcefully. 'Looks like the old man still has a trick or two up his sleeve!'A few minutes later and Steve appears, thinner and with his cheekbones more prominent, a beard threatening to cover half his face. Maria looks at his blue eyes and finds her chest finally easing, a weight getting off her shoulders.'Huh,' is all Abigail says at her said as Tony takes off his helmet to pull Steve into a hug.'God you smell terrible.''Yeah. It's amazing what being a captive entails,' Steve answers Tony.'What?' Maria asks, making sure to remain out of sight.'Fury is going to have your ass for this. You circumvented his authority and let Tony Stark be your accomplice,' Abigail points out too casually. 'All for the good Captain.''I didn't do this for him,' Maria answers and it's true.'Oh I love how you think you can lie to me,' Abigail smirks. 'There's nothing wrong with letting down a few walls. From what I've heard, the Captain seems to have made quite a good impression on you.'Maria feels the heat on her cheeks.'Agent Hill?' Steve calls out and the blood rushes to her face when she turns to see him looking at her with those eyes. 'Tony said you're the one who spotted I wasn't…well, myself.'Stark looks insufferable along with Abigail.'Just doing my job Sir,' Maria replies, making sure to keep her stance and tone rigid.'In any case, thank you,' his smile is warm and full, despite his haggard appearance and the fatigue buried in the lines of his face, and Maria feels her lips quirking in response.All that gets pushed aside when the Skrull armada appears.