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Laugh Often (So I Suppose I'm Going to be Fine)

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Darcy Lewis did not have daddy issues, and she punched the last person who declared that she did. She just plain had issues.

Her most pressing issue at the moment? The fact that her cell phone was going off at dark fucking thirty in the morning, when she was damn near positive she had only gotten herself into bed less than an hour before. She rolled halfway out of bed, groping blindly at the floor for pants she knew she had just left there when she threw them off earlier. Finally getting a hold of them and the phone in the pocket, she rolled onto her back and picked up the call without even looking at the caller. “I will murder you if this isn’t important.” she rasped out. If it was anyone from her S.H.I.E.L.D job, they’d consider her to be blowing smoke. If it was anyone from her other job… well.

“Darcy.” A cold voice on the other end of the line said.

“Madame Viper.” Darcy answered, suddenly much more alert. She opened her eyes and stared up at her ceiling in the pitch black of her bedroom. What had she done to warrant a phone call like this?

“I have sources that tell me the brother Gods have made it off planet with the cube.”

She suppressed the urge to curse. “I thought I was your only source who could get information like that.” she said carefully.

The woman made a humming noise. “And yet, I didn’t get this information from you.”

“I didn’t find out until after they were gone. It’s not like there’s anything we can do about it.” And Darcy knew she should probably check the attitude in her tone, but damn it, she was too tired to be having this conversation.

“I did not get you entrust you with the task of infiltrating SHIELD just so you might disappoint me. It’s been more than a week since their departure, I should’ve been alerted the moment you knew.”

She bit her lip to keep from blurting out that it had never been the plan to put her in SHIELD, that had just been dumb luck. She had set Darcy up with the internship with Jane, made it so there were no other applicants, but Darcy was pretty sure that had just been a fluff task, to keep her out of the Hydra leader’s hair. Thor had kind of just fallen [literally and figuratively] into their laps. Darcy had planned to turn down the offer to work at the secret organization, when she’d gotten the order to take the position, and feed all information she gained access to back to Hydra. Which she could do. Totally. Sure, she wasn’t really trained to be a double agent or spy of any sort, but she’d grown up around them, and she did know a quite a bit more than she let on.

Darcy wasn’t on Black Widow’s level, but she could take care of herself. And she could do this.

“I made a mistake.” Taking the blame was just the best course in this situation. “I’ll do better next time.”

“See that you do. If I find you choosing to not alert me to things again, the consequences won’t be pleasant.”

Before she could reply, the line went dead. Darcy pulled it away from her ear and stared at it for a moment before letting a burst of frustration take over and she threw it against the far wall of her room. “Yeah. Miss you too Mom.” she mumbled.

Darcy Lewis had many issues. She insisted daddy issues did not make that list.

Mommy issues on the other hand?

Well that was a whole different argument.

Chapter Text

As it turned out, a side effect of receiving a call from your mother, who is the leader of a super evil organization at four in the morning [seriously, what the fuck], was not being able to go back to sleep. It probably had something to do with the fact that the call in question [and this whole op really] had been the most attention she’d gotten in years from the woman. And yeah, people liked to say that for children seeking out the attentions of parents, any attention was good, but Darcy didn’t agree. This kind of attention sucked almost as much as the whole ‘darling, mummy is plotting right now, go play somewhere’ thing.

It wasn’t that Darcy thought her mother didn’t love her; Madame Viper totally loved her. She just wasn’t terribly maternal. Or affectionate. Or easily impressed. She held her daughter to the same standards she held her Hydra minions too, if not higher ones. That meant that there wasn’t a single moment in Darcy’s life that she could remember impressing the woman.

She managed to keep herself in bed until five, even if it was just by staring at the ceiling for an hour. Finally though, she got up and decided to shower, dress, and straighten her hair while sitting in front of her television, watching the early line up for Cartoon Network. Unsurprisingly she wasn’t hungry, not with the knot her stomach was still tied in from the call and her current mood. She did manage, at seven, to start wanting coffee.

While the pot brewed, she leaned against the counter in her tiny kitchen and considered what she could do with her day. Yes, she had gotten up and dressed and did her hair, but not with any real intention beyond distracting her mind. It was a Sunday, and for once, she wasn’t pulling a weekend shift at work. In fact, this weekend had been the first time since the Battle for Manhattan had occurred that she had any day off. Since the loss of Coulson, it seemed the higher ups weren’t quite sure what to do with her, but having her process all the paperwork that Coulson normal would seemed to them to be a good substitute until they could figure things out. To that, all Darcy had to say was, she had not had any idea how much paperwork the man truly did, considering as his assistant/trainee/whatever the hell she was, she’d done a lot herself, and had actually thought she was already doing all of it.

Though Darcy knew she shouldn’t, she kind of missed her boss. And ‘kind of’ could definitely be read as ‘totally regretted his loss and missed him and shed a few tears when no one was around’. That was a weakness she couldn’t afford though, getting attached to her coworkers and the friends she made to get information. Even if she already kind of was. There was no describing the sympathy she had for Jane after hearing Thor had been back and Jane had not gotten to see him. Which again, she shouldn’t care about things like that. She should pretend to yes, but this wasn’t pretending.

She poured her coffee and contemplated going out shopping, or to see a movie, or just for a walk. Anything to get out of her apartment and be somewhere that wasn’t the SHIELD ground headquarters.

Then the pounding on her door started.

Darcy groaned, because that couldn’t be anything she wanted to deal with, and if it hadn’t persisted, she probably would’ve tried to pretend she wasn’t home. Instead though, she went to the door and answered it and was surprised. She’d expected her neighbor maybe, complaining about the noise she made coming in the night before [it was like the woman’s past time], or, if it was something to do with work, a junior agent, or some sort of SHIELD bottom rung flunky. Definitely not one of their top players. Definitely not Clint Barton.

She raised an eyebrow at the man, who she’d barely talked to at all the in past few weeks. They had kind of started dating [completely as a part of her cover and to get information. Yep. It had not a damn thing to do with those buff arms, or how he made her laugh], about a month before he had been sent off to watch over Selvig and the Tesseract. And that had been okay. There had been a few light hearted phone calls, nothing epic because they weren’t like that. This wasn’t some love at first sight story and they weren’t Thor and Jane or anything near that. They enjoyed each other. Then, he’d been kidnapped and brainwashed by Loki. And yes, he’d come back, but they hadn’t really talked about it. As in, at all. Clint didn’t offer to and Darcy didn’t ask. She’d just given him a hug and that had been it. Whenever he’d seen her in the two and a half weeks since the end of the battle after that, they hadn’t really talked more than a passing greeting.

“You’ve got the wrong girl, Bird Brain. I don’t have work today. I am free of all super secret bullshit until Monday morning.”

Clint looked at her over the top of his sunglasses. “Fury needs you to come in. And you’re not answering your phone. So he sent me.”

Again she groaned. “Right. Of course. Because evil or terrorists or purple spotted aliens don’t rest, right?” When he didn’t answer her, she sighed, stepping aside. “Come on in, I’ve gotta grab my jacket and put some shoes on.”

He stepped inside and she closed the door before moving to go to her bedroom. She grabbed a black and white pleather jacket and tugged on her favorite worn pair of black combat boots quickly, then went back out to Clint. It didn’t even look like he had moved, and he stared at her now, it was very obvious he was looking her up and down, even behind his sunglasses.

“Did you have plans?” he asked, and that made Darcy look down at herself. She hadn’t realized she’d done it until he mentioned it, but she did look way out of her normal range for looks; like she would dress when she was younger to try and appear big and bad and catch her mother’s attention. Hair straightened to more resemble Viper’s [she’d dyed it green once too; her mother had told her she looked silly and to wash the dye out], the make-up she managed to put on was heavy handed and dark, her clothes out of her usual realm of t-shirts and oversized sweaters, ripped jeans, and worn converse sneakers.

“Uh, no.” she said slowly, looking back up at him and shrugging. “Just, had a lot of time on my hands this morning.”

“Right.” Clint said, and again, even with his eyes hidden behind his glasses, Darcy could tell he was looking at her just a bit too hard. “And you weren’t answering your phone this morning then because…?”

She blushed, and moved past him, going for the door and grabbing her purse from a small side table along the way. “I broke it.” It had been a little frustrating when she got out of bed and realized just how hard she had thrown the phone; it had cracked and pieces had fallen off.

“How?” he asked, following her.

“Got annoyed and threw it at a wall.” There was no reason to lie about that. A broken phone was just a broken phone, and making up unneeded lies could just trip her up later on.

“You threw it… don’t you have like, one of those old, god awful Nokia phones? Those things can live through anything.”

“Apparently not me throwing a tantrum at four in the morning.” They were out of the apartment now, and getting on the elevator. Clint jabbed the lobby button and turned to look at her.

“A tantrum over what?”

“I was talking to my mother.” she said before she could stop herself. She should’ve said something else. Like a fight with a friend, or a stupid ex, or, well, anything that didn’t bring Viper into the conversation. “She’s just, hard to deal with and it was too early and I got annoyed. That’s all.” She added quickly, hoping the tone in her voice made it very clear she didn’t want to talk about it.

Apparently it did, but that didn’t stop Clint from watching her for the rest of the elevator ride, or when they got off and went outside, or as they got into the very SHIELD standard black SUV. “What?” she asked finally as he started the car and pulled away from the curb.

Clint glanced over at her, then back to the road. “Nothing.” he said, and she wanted to shake him.

Instead she settled for letting out an aggravated sigh and crossing her arms over her chest. “Why does Fury want me to come in on my day off? Has there been a mass attack of paperwork?”

“You’ll see when you get there.” Darcy rolled her eyes, and for once in her life, she didn’t press for a better answer. She wouldn’t get one, and Clint seemed to already be suspicious of her mood, she didn’t want to make it worse. Then, after a few minutes of silence, Clint spoke again. “You’re uh, okay, right? I mean, with everything that happened, Coulson…” he trailed off for a moment “…I never did ask if you were okay.”

Darcy waved a hand. “I’m fine. I was on Jane sitting duty the whole time. Didn’t even know what happened until it was over.” She looked out the window at the busy New York street. All over Manhattan there were still signs of the battle, but slowly they were rebuilding. “I miss the boss-man. But, we all do.”

“Yeah.” was all Clint said to that.

They rode the rest of the way without talking. The ground headquarters for SHIELD were in a tall, fairly normal for Manhattan, building. The sign read something about a temp agency. They went inside, Clint flashing his laminate over the electronic lock to the elevator, saving Darcy from having to fish her's to do so. Though they were still apparently experiencing an agreed upon silence, he did let his hand touch her back, something Darcy did her best not to jump at. It felt good, but it was a surprise.

He had to swipe his card across a reader again before the elevator would let them off, and then Darcy let Clint steer her down the hall to a conference room.

Darcy was not terribly surprised that Fury wasn’t the only person in the room. After all, if she were just meeting with him, Clint would’ve taken her to his office. She was however, a bit startled by who was waiting for her also. Sure, an Avenger had been the one to pick her up, but that didn’t mean Darcy had expected to see more Avengers. She’d never met any of the others besides Thor and the Black Widow before, but Darcy knew who they were and that these people were them.

“Um.” she said, eyes darting between the heroes before falling on the Director, who stood watching her, arms crossed over his chest. There were very few people that Darcy was actually even a little bit afraid of, and most people at SHIELD just didn’t make the cut. Nick Fury? He made the cut.

“Lewis, is there a reason,” Fury began, “that you failed to answer your phone any of the several times I attempted to contact you this morning?”

“The phone had a fight with a wall and the wall won.” she answered, forcing herself to give at least some sass, and to not let how nervous the current situation was making her show.

He looked like he was going to start with something else, but instead Fury shook his head. “Get yourself a new phone Lewis.”

“Sir yes sir.” she said with a half smile and a sloppy salute. “Now, or…?”

“No not now, Lewis. Now you need to be briefed on your new assignment.” he gestured to the heroes in the room. “Welcome to the Avengers Initiative.”

“Um…” she said again, losing a bit of the fake confidence and sass she’d managed to force out. “I’m not a superhero Director. Is this about people complaining about Black Widow being the only girl on the team? Because, like, maybe you should issue a statement pointing out she can hand all the guys their asses. I mean, if you absolutely want to add a girl, Hill maybe? Or is Agent 13 around? She might—”

“Lewis!” Fury cut off her babbling with one sharp word. The others were staring at her, Natasha had an eyebrow raised, and Clint, who had moved to stand with his teammates, was visibly struggling not to smile. “We’re not putting you on the Initiative as a member, we’re putting you on as a babysitter.”

Darcy blinked at the Director. “They all look grown to me…?”

“They look grown, but they still need watching. Your job is to manage them and make sure they don’t do anything too stupid in their downtime. You’ll also be transferring relevant information between the team and SHIELD. Understand?”

She nodded slowly, her thoughts racing. Just how much stupid luck was she allotted in this lifetime? Because she knew this would please her mother, and it would be a great opportunity for them. Her worry though, was that stupid luck ran out. And then, things got bad.

Hopefully, she would be gone before that luck ran out.

Fury was talking again, and she forced herself to pay attention, lest he pick up on her traitor thoughts. Darcy was sure he had that ability. “You already know Hawkeye and Black Widow,” Clint grinned at her and Natasha just nodded. Natasha was another on the short list of people at SHIELD who actually put fear in her heart. And she absolutely didn’t trust Darcy, though Darcy tried not to let that make her paranoid, because she knew Natasha trusted almost no one.

“This is Steve Rogers, Captain America.” Steve was adorable, and actually stepped forward to shake her hand.

“Ma’am.” he said, and oh, precious baby.

Darcy blinked at him. “Darcy is fine. I’m only twenty-two, way too young to be a ma’am.”

He just smiled at her while Fury went on. “Doctor Banner, who is also The Hulk.”

The Doctor nodded at her, a shy smile curling his lips. Darcy had heard stories of him, partly from being a Culver student, partly from being a SHIELD employee. It was a general consensus that the man was a genius, but his genius wasn’t worth the danger his counter-part posed. Darcy knew she wouldn’t be sure of what to think of him herself until he actually spoke to her.

“Finally, we’ve got Stark. Iron Man.”

Darcy looked at the man. He’d been the person she’d been most instantly aware of when she’d entered the room, but now she let herself actually take him in. Really, with her time at SHIELD, even if it was all of six months, she probably should’ve seen him before. Coulson dealt with him a lot. However, Darcy had always made sure to not be around if Stark was coming in to see her former boss, or if Jane asked her along when she went to make use of the Stark labs in New York she would opt out of accompanying her friend.

Stark looked her over, starting at her feet and moving up to her face, halting on her tits just a bit too long. Which, Darcy was used to, but irked her way more when he did it. He barely even acknowledged her face before he turned to Fury, arms crossed to match the director’s stance. “We don’t need Baby Agent Barbie, Fury. No offense, I’m sure you’re a nice girl,” he added in quickly, tossing another glance at her boobs, “but we’re not running a halfway house for wayward agents here.”

Darcy glared at him. Under normal circumstances, she probably would’ve like Tony Stark. They probably could’ve been best friends once he got over his little diva fit. Unfortunately, there were… circumstances that made that not an option. “Well, that was two strikes. Staring at my chest, which really should get you three since you did it twice but I’ll be nice here, and calling me Barbie, because do I look like that bitch to you? You won’t like what happens if you get to three.” she said before anyone else could speak. And, okay, she knew she was baiting him. She wanted him to take the bait. It would be satisfying if he did.

This was Tony Stark. Tony Stark did not disappoint. He raked his eyes over her again, of course finally settling on her rack, and spoke. “No, I guess you don’t look like her. The chest is just a tad too big. Man, are those all you?”

Steve was already reprimanding the man. “Stark! What is your problem?” And Doctor Banner said a quiet ‘Tony’. The SHIELD agents said nothing, and Fury shook his head. Darcy, never one to make an empty threat, reached into her purse while Tony and Steve exchanged snipes at each other and pulled out her, surprise surprise, Taser. Clint, Natasha, and Fury made no moves, while Bruce took a step back at the sight of the weapon. Tony and Steve didn’t even notice, completely absorbed in their little argument. Well, Tony noticed once she’d aimed at his center mass and fired. And by noticed, it meant he hit the ground like a rock.

“I warned him.” she said with a shrug when Steve whirled to look at her, eyes widened. Bruce had dropped down next to Tony, and was already helping him sit up. “See, he’s fine, he’s already getting up.”

“She did warn him Captain.” Natasha said, with what Darcy thought might be an amused smile tugging at her lips.

“Put that thing away Darce.” Clint said, his smirk very obvious. Darcy made a face at him but listened while Bruce helped Tony to stand, Steve holding out an arm to give support to the billionaire. Oddly enough, Tony didn’t slap it away like Darcy assumed he would. Instead he held on while he leveled a dark look at her.

“Son of a bitch.” he said.

Darcy smiled sweetly at him. “My dad’s quite the bastard too. A lot like you really.”

As said before, Darcy Lewis had a lot of issues. For most of her life, she insisted daddy issues were not one of them. After all, she was of the mindset that you had to at least have met your father to have issues with/about him.

Now, as she looked at Tony Stark, Darcy suppressed a sigh. She supposed she couldn’t deny the daddy issues anymore.

Chapter Text

Fury ordered them to stop bothering him and go “Do some team building shit. Go out to eat or something. Hell, go to the Central Park fucking Zoo, just go together. Lewis, you report to Stark Tower starting tomorrow. Pepper Potts will have packets for you when you get there.”

“The hell Fury, does my CEO work for you now?” Tony asked. Fury didn’t even answer that, just shot the man a look before he turned his attention back to Darcy.

“Don’t taze any other team members, or I will take that thing away from you. You’re menace enough.”

Darcy grinned at him. “Oh Director, you say the sweetest things. I might blush.”

“Get out and take the brat pack here with you.”

She was more than ready to comply, even if being left alone with the Avengers was a daunting idea in itself. Oh well, at least she had Clint. He seemed to have loosened up a bit now, perhaps because she’d managed to push down her mood over her mother. “Avengers, you heard the man, we’re out.” she said, jerking a thumb at the door.

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They went out to eat, because Darcy hadn’t had breakfast and it was nearly 10AM now, meaning brunch was a totally viable option. Tony and Bruce had both tried to beg off on going, but Steve, taking his leader role very seriously, had insisted that they participate in the team spending time together. Darcy was sure that Tony was just being difficult. Bruce? He seemed nervous at the prospect of being around people. It looked to her like he was somewhat relaxed around his teammates, but the idea of anyone else being around alarmed him.

The diner they ended up at was small, and they had to push two tables together to fit the lot of them, but the food was good. Or, Darcy was just really more hungry than she had previously thought. She sat next to Clint, Steve directly across from her. Bruce sat between Steve and Tony and Natasha sat on the other side of Clint.

“So you’re a junior handler?” Steve asked her, still obviously taking this getting to know you thing seriously.

Darcy shrugged. “Maybe? I mean, I guess. They said I was Coulson’s trainee when they handed me the job. But I’m mostly here because one way or another SHIELD was going to track me. At least this way I get a paycheck.” And access to loads of information that makes Viper happy.

“Track?” he asked.

She grinned at him, and sat up just a bit, because now she knew she got to tell her favorite story. “I was on the team Thor first made contact with. Jane hit him with a van; she’ll tell you that was me, but it wasn’t, she took the wheel so it was her. She did it again too, later on. I tazed him. Knocked him right out.”

“Make a habit of that, do you?” Tony drawled, completely unamused.

“Hey, be grateful, you only got a low setting. I cranked it up to high voltage for Thor. Clint got… whatever the hell it was on because he surprised me.”

Eyes turned to Clint and he shrugged. “She didn’t appreciate me jumping down from the vents.”

“It was my first day! People kept telling me to watch out, we have things in the ceiling, but I thought they meant like, rats, and Fury was too cheap and or paranoid to authorize an extermination team for it.” She waved a hand. “That’s not the point though. I tazed the big guy, but we became bros after that. Then government thugs come in, action action, Thor goes back to whence he came, Jane and Eric are moved about to better places for their research, and then there is me, the lowly intern. I’m pretty sure they only made the offer because they can’t erase my memory, which is cool I guess. It’s a sweet gig.”

“Intern… you interned for Jane Foster?” That was Bruce, perked up a bit and looking interested now. She knew Jane had already met him, less than a week before, because afterwards her friend had called her babbling about potential this and that and hypothesis’ and other things that only made sense in Jane’s head but Darcy carefully took note of and passed along to Hydra for their scientists to mess about with.

“Yep, got the last six credits I needed to graduate.”

“What did you major in?”

“Political Science.” Bruce blinked at that and she couldn’t help but laugh. “An internship is better than sitting in class and no one else applied so I got it.” Well, it was close enough to the real story. Although there was always one or two people surprised that no one else applied for the position. “Plus it was nice getting away from Culver for awhile. Only had to go back to grab my diploma after.”

“You went to Culver?”

“Oh yeah.” She pointed her fork at him. “You. You are the reason every freshman class has to sit through a seminar on the dangers of drug use, since they billed your freak out as some kind of PCP rage attack.”

“…Sorry?”

She shrugged. “Eh, don’t be. It was a fun seminar. I made up fake street names for drugs and kept asking questions that would send the presenter into a panic. And like, I got all of these kids to act like they knew exactly what I was talking about just by going ‘come on, everyone’s heard of it’. Man I love how easily freshman are swayed. It’s the reason why I volunteered to be a campus guide the other three years in school. Just to sit through that thing again and amuse myself.”

Everyone stared at her, and all seemed to be at a loss for words. “I really want to like you, because that was really warped and I admire it. Your taser makes me not like you though.” Tony said, eyes narrowing a bit.

“Good think I’m not too invested in having you like me then.”

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They spent the bulk of the day out and about, Tony finally got to leave after a couple of hours, followed by Natasha, who claimed she had training she needed to do. Steve and Clint stuck around, and surprisingly enough, Bruce didn’t leave either. For the most part they just walked around, chatting easily and having a pretty decent time.

When it started to get dark out, Clint offered Darcy a ride home while the other two decided it was time to go back to Stark Tower. He got her there just fine, and rode the elevator with her up to her floor and of course walked her to her door. Unlike earlier when he had come to get her, he was now obviously checking out the building as he went, looking up and down the hallway in what Darcy supposed was meant to be a nonchalant manner as they stopped before her apartment. When she gave him a questioning look, he answered her immediately. “This place isn’t very secure.”

“Guess it’s a good thing I’m not a super spy/hero amassing enemies left and right.” Darcy quipped back quickly with a roll of her eyes, turning to unlock her door. As she turned her key in the lock, she became very aware of Clint pushing in close behind her. Leaving the key where it was, her hand went into her bag and closed around her taser. He was about to try and make a point, she could tell.

“And if someone does a push in like this to you? It doesn’t have to even be over your job—which still makes you a target, agent or not –it could just be a random crime. Then what are you going to do?”

She turned quickly, pulling the taser from her purse as she went. Probably she was moving too fast, showing off just a bit too much of the training she wasn’t supposed to have, if the surprised look on Clint’s face was anything to go by. She pressed her weapon of choice into his stomach, careful to keep her fingers away from the trigger. “Sparky works just fine without at cartridge. It’s not exactly ideal but it’ll get the job done.”

Clint took a step back, holding his hands up in the universal gesture of ‘no trouble here’, and Darcy forced the tension in her shoulders to relax. “Trust me Clint, I can handle myself. And I don’t like people trying to make points like that, okay?” she said, putting the taser back in her purse. It had happened far too often growing up, especially once she hit her teen years. Hydra operatives wanting to make a name for themselves and using her as the method to catch Viper’s attention. Sneaking up, grabbing her. Needless to say Darcy had learned quickly to deal out her own punishments to them rather than get a disappointed look from her mother because she needed to be rescued.

“Noted.” Clint said, lowering his hands. “Even with your taser though Darce, this place is practically asking to be broken into.”

Darcy scoffed, turning back to her door and pushing it open. “We’re in New York City Clint. Anywhere I can afford to live is going to be shady and ‘asking to be broken into’. And unfortunately, we can’t all be superheroes who get to bunk in Stark’s giant, totally overcompensating-for-something, tower.”

“You work for the initiative now, you probably could.”

She looked over her shoulder at him, raising an eyebrow. “Come again?”

“It’s not just Avengers who can live in the tower. It’s a base for the initiative in general, meaning you as a liaison could be living there too.”

“Yeah, no. Aside from the idea of living that close to Tony Stark being unappealing, I think I’d rather not mix my personal and work life that much.”

He was quiet for a moment, then, “…That not mixing personal and work thing mean I’m not allowed to stick around?”

Darcy smirked at him, then walked inside. “Nah, you can stay. Make sure everything is secure and stuff.”

He followed, giving her a smirk of his own. “And what exactly does ‘stuff’ entail?”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

--------

“I still don’t think that place is secure enough.” he said the next morning as they left for Stark Tower. Darcy waved it away, climbing into the car.

“Good thing no one is asking you to live there then. We need to stop on the way, I’ve gotta pick up a new phone.” She also needed to get in touch with her mother, something that would be easy to do with a phone. She would’ve sent out an e-mail from her tablet last night, but with Clint over, she hadn’t wanted to risk it. At least if someone saw her messing around with her phone, she could claim she was getting familiar with it. Still not all that ideal, but if she didn’t get the news of her new position to Viper soon and someone else did, her mother wouldn’t be all the pleased with her.

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Her first three weeks working directly with the Avengers were fairly dull, or as dull as you can get working with superheroes. There weren’t any major disasters for them to go flying off too, just a lot of training and PR stuff that she found she had to coax most of them out to actually go to [Steve is the only one who cooperates; even if he’s not excited by the media, he follows orders to go smile at them].

Tony, apparently over her tazing him during their first meeting, seemed to be trying to bribe her to like him like she obviously did the others. She knew she had to at least try, if only because her so very obviously disliking someone was out of character and had made even Jane stop and ask her if Tony had done something to her they needed to know about. Because hey, Darcy was easygoing and got along with everyone, right? At least the Darcy they knew, and really, even when she wasn’t acting it was fairly difficult to get on her bad side. She just didn’t have the energy to actively dislike many people, that shit was draining. For Tony Stark though, she could summon the energy for it.

It probably deserved some explaining, the entire situation. Darcy reflected [read: brooded] over it a lot, especially now being in such close proximity to the man; constantly haveing to do things like herd him to interviews and meetings with the rest of the team or drag him and Bruce from the lab so the two could eat and not get distracted. After all, how does one end up related to a Stark?

She needed to vent about it.

Two and a half weeks in, she got drunk with Jane at her apartment and did just that. Because what was the point of making a best friend [even for less than above board reasons] if you couldn’t vent about family drama to them?

Of course, she wasn’t really drunk, it took far more than two beers to knock her out of the game, and she kept most of the facts vague as she fake-stumbled through the story, but it had to do.

“My mom got pregnant during a one night stand y’know.”

“I did not.” Jane said carefully, eyebrows raised at Darcy. She wasn’t even buzzed, having stopped after one bottle because they had already designated the night for girl-talk, and supposedly she didn’t want to give shitty advice. ‘Drunk me gives shitty advice Darce.’, and honestly, after going out to the one bar in Puente Antiguo a few times with Jane, Darcy knew that was the truth.

“She did. My father is this rich hotshot business guy.” Honestly, Darcy wasn’t sure why her mother had slept with Tony Stark, though her theory was to lure him to the dark side. After all, sex could be a better lure then cookies. “And my mom, when she found out she was knocked up, she went to tell him; his dad, he kind of dealt with the whole situation.” Okay, so it was a bit of a dick move calling Stane Tony’s dad, even if that as the best descriptor for what he had been to the genius at the time. It had all taken place before he’d gone batshit crazy of course [Oh yeah, Darcy knew the real story. It had been one of the first things she’d rooted out of SHIELD’s files when she got there with her shiny level 5 clearance; clearance which, by the way, had been bumped up to level 7 with her new position]. “He paid my mom to just take me and keep quiet about the whole thing. It was a lot of money, and he promised more as long as no one heard about my dad’s bastard.” Wow, that came out more bitter than intended.

“Oh Darce.” Jane said, reaching out and rubbing her shoulder.

“My mom, she has this business, yeah? And she was just starting it back then. That money, it got her on track, and all the other payments she gets for this just help more.” More vague truth. If her mother’s violent takeover of Hydra could be considered ‘starting a business’. Most of what Hydra had achieved in the past two decades had been funded by Stark money. “I didn’t really get it until I was like, ten. And then, my mom was always dealing with my father’s dad, not directly with my father. So I used to think, hey, maybe he doesn’t know I exist. Maybe it’s not that he didn’t want me, but his dad never told him.”

“It’s possible.” Jane agreed with a nod.

Darcy shook her head and took a few gulps from her beer. “No. His dad, he died about two years ago. And I thought, well, the money is going to end now, because I was so convinced at that point that my father couldn’t know. We were due for a payment though, and it came through, right on time. And so did the next one. And the next one.” She took another long drink, and stared straight ahead at the wall, not wanting to see the pity that was almost certainly in her friend’s eyes. “I guess I shouldn’t complain. I mean, Mom didn’t just use that money all on her business. I was a spoiled kid. And I didn’t go into debt in college because of it.”

Since she wasn’t looking at Jane, she was somewhat startled when she was tackled into a tight hug. “He missed out Darcy.” she said, absolute certainty in her voice. “You’re awesome and he missed out on having that in his life.” When she pulled away she went for her bag, digging through it before she pulled out a packet of tissues and thrust them Darcy’s way. Darcy took them, confused until she touched a hand to her face.

Well, she supposed she could pass the tears off as being emotional when drunk. Even if she wasn’t even tipsy.

--------

It was three weeks and two days in that Darcy was cursing Clint for jinxing her, constantly calling her apartment unsecure. She was going to forever insist it was because of that jerk that when she got home that day, she found her door already unlocked. Before even stepping foot in the apartment she made sure she had her taser, and once she had it out and on, she moved inside, closing the door as quietly as possible behind her.

He was sitting on her couch, and Darcy knew where he was from, even with his back to her. She had grown up around that green monstrosity most Hydra agents called their uniform. She took aim, and then spoke calmly. “I’d explain myself, and quickly, if I were you agent.”

When he stood and looked at her, Darcy could tell he was a no-name to her, just a generic agent. Sure, the uniform meant most of his face was covered, but years of practice made her able to still for the most part tell one person from the other in them. “Madame Hydra sent me. She wants you closer to the Avengers, I’ve been assigned to pretend to take you hostage due to your connection with them so they’ll be prompted to move you into their head quarters.” He gave her a salute, one Darcy didn’t return. Internally she was cursing.

Her mother had already brought up that she wanted Darcy closer. Darcy had pointed out she was already sleeping with an Avenger and best friends with a scientist who at this point was constantly working with them. How much closer could she really get? What could she find out living at the tower that she couldn’t with her normal friendly routine? That Romanov slept with a teddy bear? [She didn’t, but apparently she did have quite the impressive collection of ballerina themed stuffed toys; something Clint had told her and made her pinky swear to never speak of.]

No, living in Stark Tower would only put her under too much of a microscope. With JARVIS, it was damn impossible to keep a secret, never mind the fact she would never be able to let her guard down living there. “How are the Avengers going to know you’re even here?” Maybe she had time to call this off. She could overrule him and send him on his merry way; call her mother and promise to scrape up every bit of intel possible but tell her how not prepared she was to be that deep in.

“I had another agent watching the building. When you entered he called the police to report suspicious activity, signs of struggle, and yelling at this address.”

“…And SHIELD will automatically be notified if my address pings anywhere, like police scanners.” she said, and lowered her stance. She couldn’t hold it forever and now she had to reevaluate her options. “The Avengers will be here in a few minutes. Fuck.” With a sigh, she ran her hand through her hair, then turned and tossed the taser across the room.

Turning back, she pointed at him. “Rules.” Because hell if she was just going to let him beat the crap out of her just to make this look good. “Trust me when I say this is the only chance you’re ever going to get to beat up Viper’s kid. You get two hits to my face. Anymore and you will regret it. You can toss me around, I am going to fight back or it’s not going to look like a struggle. Refrain from attempting to break my bones or doing anything that will require major medical treatment. Got it?” He nodded, and she pointed across the room to where she’d tossed her weapon. “You’ve got until I get to my taser. When I get to it, I’m shocking you and not letting up until the thing runs out of juice. You’ll probably end up in SHIELD custody. Someone will probably break you out. At some point. Maybe.” There was a bit of a twitch from him at that, and she couldn’t help the smirk she gave him. “Well come on then, we haven’t got much time.”

He was fast, and lunged forward, grabbing her sweater with one hand and delivered a hard backhanded slap across her face. Her glasses went flying and her lip split. She cursed, and kicked out, landing a blow between his legs. No one said this was going to be a fair fight, and it did make him let her go. She kicked again, and since he was doubled over, she caught him on his jaw, which made him stumble back a couple steps. Though tempted to hit him again [because fuck, that slap had hurt more than expected; her cheek and mouth were throbbing, and she could taste the blood from her split lip], she moved back, going for the taser. This could be over quickly, she thought as she turned away.

Since she’d kicked him where the sun don’t shine, Darcy supposed it was more than fair that he grabbed a fist full of her hair and tugged on it firmly. She just barely stopped herself from falling back and landing on her ass, but she did let out a yell. He pushed forward, moving them until she was slammed up against a wall. The air was knocked out of her, and when he turned her and pushed her back against the wall again she wasn’t able to dodge the punch that followed, though she did move enough so it didn’t hit her square in the eye.

She kneed him hard in the gut, and though it did push him away from her, he held onto her shoulder with one hand. It was an easy enough hold to break; she turned in and brought her elbow down on his arm. As soon as she was released she chose to make sure he was down before actually going for the taser again. She swept his legs out from beneath him, and watched him drop to the ground.

Again he got her while she moved away from him [she was starting to curse the fact that she ever let herself get out of practice with fighting], grabbing her ankle. This time she did fall, and she took the brunt of it on her shoulder. The pain from that made her grit her teeth and tears jumped to her eyes. At least she’d fallen forward, and was close enough that when she reached out with her unhurt arm, her fingers closed around the taser. She could hear her front door slamming open even as she managed to push herself up, take aim, and fire. The Avengers poured into her small living space while her fake attacker yelled and stiffened under the shock.

“You can let up on the trigger Darcy.” It was Steve, no Captain America. There was a difference, one Darcy only understood when he was kneeling next to her in that uniform, using his Captain voice. Tony in the Iron Man suit and Clint and Natasha suited up surrounded the Hydra agent. Bruce knelt beside her too, and it was Bruce, not the Hulk. Maybe they anticipated she’d need a doctor? Her shoulder felt like she needed a doctor, and that fact made her hold onto the trigger. She’d told him not do anything that would need much attention. Later she’d attribute the fact she didn’t listen to Steve at first because of the adrenaline running through her body and fear over what had just happened.

Only Darcy and the agent had to know it was outright punishment for how much he had pissed her off.

Chapter Text

“Bruce? Did you hear what I just said? Something isn’t right about this.” Tony poked him in his side. The man had been babbling for about twenty minutes straight, and honestly Bruce had tuned him out after the first five. He was trying to go over some equations Jane had come up with regarding the bifrost. They were promising; there were just a few missing links among them that needed to be figured out. Tony was meant to be helping, but had instead quickly been absorbed when some alert had pinged on his tablet.

“We don’t have time for that Tony.” he said, his voice clearly distracted. Besides, he already knew what Tony was going on about, and it was Darcy. Bruce might call the fixation unhealthy if Pepper hadn’t assured Bruce how very Tony-like it was to become absorbed in theories and cling to them. Though the two had broken up about three weeks before, Pepper was still Bruce’s go to person while he navigated being Tony’s friend, and she and Tony were still close [well, that first week had been rocky, but Tony had then made a few things explode in his workshop and he’d seemed better, or at least more willing to act like the adult he was when it came to Pepper]. Pepper’s words had actually been ‘I’d be more worried if he didn’t find something suspicious about her, he’s suspicious about most people he likes but doesn’t want to admit to liking.’.

Tony’s tablet was shoved under his nose, so close to his face that he had to take a step back to actually look at the screen. Darcy was on it, talking on the phone and pacing back and forth in what looked like a standard Stark Tower apartment living room. “Is this the security feed from Darcy’s rooms?” he asked, a hint of disapproval in his voice. Bruce understood the need for JARVIS and security cameras wired throughout the building, because it was Stark Tower, and it was the home of the Avengers. He however didn’t approve of Tony taking advantage of that fact to keep tabs on the private lives of people living in the tower.

“Yeah, from two days ago—look, just listen.” Tony pressed a button that brought the volume to life on the device. Darcy’s voice was crystal clear, talking about… something. Bruce couldn’t understand though.

“What language is that?” he asked, and felt somewhat guilty for the question. It shouldn’t matter because they shouldn’t have been watching the footage at all.

“Italian.” Stark answered, then started babbling on. It took Bruce a moment to realize he was translating what Darcy said. “I told you I would call when I had the chance. No, I can’t right this second. Because I don’t like talking while I’m here. Because Tony Stark has goddamn cameras everywhere that’s why. I would rather my life not be advertised to the man, he’s probably shameless in spying. Yes. Yes. Okay, I get it mother. I promised you. And I am going to do what I said I would. Just, I—” On screen, there was a knock, cutting both Darcy and Tony off.

Switching to English, Darcy called “Come in!” and spoke once more into the phone into the phone. “I’ll call you back when I can. Bye, Mother.” She hung up the phone just as Clint walked into the frame and to Darcy, giving her a kiss in greeting. Bruce looked away from what was meant to be an intimate moment, and then pushed the tablet away.

“Please tell me you’re not listening to all of her phone conversations Tony.” he said to his best friend. Because, that, no matter how much he was assured it was normal for Tony to be suspicious, would be crossing just one too many lines.

The other man scowled. “No. She refuses to use the Stark phone I gave her, and tapping those Nokia phones is no joke.”

“Tony!” Bruce exclaimed, because that made it more than clear that Tony was willing to invade Darcy’s privacy. “I don’t see what you think was so odd at about conversation. She was talking to her mother.”

“In Italian.”

“Maybe it’s her mom’s first language—”

“It’s not, I checked her file. It doesn’t even list her as knowing Italian.”

“Maybe it’s because she knows you’re invading her privacy with your paranoia.”

“How would she?”

“Maybe she’s as paranoid as you are.”

“And the Italian?”

“Someone fell down on their background checking because she’s a typical American twenty-something just out of college with no real history to check?” Bruce wouldn’t be surprised if some junior agent had been a bit lazy about Darcy’s background when she hit SHIELD’s radar; all he’d learned about her in the past weeks since she’d started working with the Avengers pointed to a pretty average life up until this point.

“And what could she possibly want to keep so secret she won’t talk about it in the Tower? And who talks to their mother that way?”

“She’s allowed to have a personal life and how she talks to her mother is none of our business.”

“You just like her because she’s imprinted on you like a baby duck ever since you treated her shoulder and didn’t make her go the SHIELD medical to get it done.” And okay, the part about Bruce treating Darcy’s shoulder was true. He did, because she had insisted she didn’t want to be anywhere near SHIELD’s medical ward and they had the equipment at Stark Tower, might as well use it. He’d also checked her lip and it hadn’t needed stitches, and though she seemed to have a couple bruised of bruised ribs, there were no cracks or breaks that he could determine. Other than that all she’d had were bruises that varied in severity. Though none of it was life threatening, he had gotten a hold of some pain medications for her, because they did all hurt.

Still, “‘Imprinted on me like a baby duck’?” sometimes he had to repeat the things Tony said just to see if the other man heard how ridiculous they sounded.

Of course, for the most part Tony heard no such thing. “She organized all of your files and data for you. She brings you tea down here.”

“She brought me tea before I treated her and she organized all of that stuff because she finished organizing Jane’s lab.” He could admit to being a bit flustered by Darcy, the easy way she’d inserted herself around the labs, offering to help by being a gopher, entering data, and organizing piles of notes. He’d long since rationalized it as she was like this with Jane also, it was just how she was. Darcy and Tony didn’t get along, so of course she wasn’t going to be down in his workshop all the time like she was in Bruce’s lab.

“But why? Why does she spend so much time down in the labs? She’s not a science person, her job isn’t as a lab assistant.”

Bruce rolled his eyes. “Is this because she likes all the other science people and not you? It might help if you would stop telling her political science doesn’t count.”

“It doesn’t! Political science is the science for people who can’t do real science!”

“For your information Stark, I got through most of a double major in Botany before I dropped it.”

Both men turned at the voice to see Darcy standing in the entrance of the lab. One arm was in a sling, as it had been for the past two weeks since the incident at her apartment. Her other arm held a tray, two cups sitting atop it. When she moved further into the lab, Bruce moved also, meeting her halfway and taking the tray from her. She gave him a warm smile and he smiled back before walking the tray over to the work station and setting down.

Tony rolled his eyes. “So in other words you can’t handle science.”

“No, in other words I was going to have to stay another semester to finish the second major and didn’t feel like it.”

“Oh, even better. How much of that conversation did you hear anyway?”

Darcy propped her fist on her hip. “I’ll have you know, I haven’t imprinted on Bruce, I just reward the people around me who are nice by being nice in return.”

“I’m nice!” Tony objected.

“Sure you are. And I brought you down tea also.” She gestured to the tray. Bruce had already taken one of the cups and sipped from it. “Of course, you probably should know that I got far enough in the Botany degree that I learned a lot about poisonous plants. So, ingest at your own risk.”

Bruce knew Tony didn’t like tea. He made faces at tea; asked how Bruce could stand the stuff. Darcy however, seemed to know how to push all the right buttons on Stark, because he narrowed eyes at her then turned away, grabbing the other cup on the tray. Behind him, Darcy caught Bruce’s eye and then waited for Tony to start drinking from the cup. When he did, she made a fake coughing gesture and waved for him to do it. He caught on quick and decided to play along, forcing himself to cough. He grabbed the edge of the workstation with one hand and bent over slightly.

Tony’s eyes grew wide and he spit out the tea, the drink going all over the front of his shirt. Behind him Darcy snorted, then broke out laughing, while Bruce’s coughs dissolved into his shoulders shaking as he tried hard not to laugh aloud.

“Real mature you two.” Tony growled, wiping ineffectually at his shirt.

“You talking about maturity, now that is funny.” Darcy mused. He made a face at her and put the cup back down on the tray.

“Bruce, I’ll just leave you to your duckling. Let me know when you’ve got answers on Dr. Foster’s equations.”

He left, muttering to himself, and Darcy smiled wide at Bruce. She moved forward until she stood directly in front of him and pushed up on her toes to brush a kiss against his cheek. “You’re a sweetheart Doc.” Then she leaned around him, and thankfully set her attention on the screen he’d been going over Jane’s equations on, which meant that she didn’t see the blush that bloomed bright on his cheeks. “Oooh, are these part of Jane’s new theory on bringing back the big guy?” She moved, walking close to study the screen. Bruce watched. For a moment, he took in how her bright eyes concentrated on the screen, how her lips moved as she read what was up there to herself.

The thing about her studying Botany was one of the few real personal things she’d shared, he realized while he looked at her. Sure, she could babble on down here in the lab, but mostly she never talked about a time before her internship with Jane, as if her life had started there. He assumed her life before all of this was normal, but he didn’t actually know. It wasn’t really any of his business, but he found it felt nice that he had even that small peek at her past, since he guessed it was something she probably reserved for Clint.

“Doc? You wanna explain this to me? Even with three quarters of a Botany degree, it’s not even remotely close to…” she gestured to the screen. He smiled and nodded, pushing out all other thoughts on her and her life that were none of his business.

Yet… “Botany?” he couldn’t help but ask it.

Her smile this time was small and sweet. “I just really love flowers.”

Chapter Text

At six in the morning, the sun hung low in the sky and Darcy might as well have been alone in the small park near Stark Tower. It was NYC, so of course there were still people about, but even the city couldn’t escape the sleepy calm that early morning held. It was the only time she could reasonably escape from the Tower without much notice and without much question when it was noticed. A morning jog was what she was supposed to be doing. And she would jog some, just after she made her report.

She sat on a bench on the far edge of the park, talking quietly, but not whispering, because that would just look ridiculously suspicious. New Yorkers as a rule never seemed to be particularly nosey, even when you were acting shady, but why draw the attention? Her clothes were jogging clothes, sweat pants and a zip up sweater over a tank top. As she spoke, she picked at a loose thread on the hem of her sweater. “…the Captain is protective of the entire team. Hurt any of them and you would draw him out, but hurting Stark would probably be the quickest way. I think he reminds Captain Rogers of his days around Howard.”

“And Stark?” her mother asked, and you would never be able to tell that she was asking about the weaknesses of the man who fathered her daughter.

“He’s a lot like Rogers.” Darcy answered her, letting her tone match her mother’s. “He might act like he dislikes the team, but it would be easy to get to him through them. It’s be easier to go for War Machine though. Even easier to go for Potts. They’ve broken up, but they’re still close.”

“The Black Widow.”

“Barton. A few of her old connections are also ones she might risk herself for; you’d have to go over our old intel on her for that.”

“And for Agent Barton? I assume Romanov.”

“Yes. And me.” she did her best to sound bored with the idea, and not as hesitant as she felt handing it over.

Viper was silent for a moment. “You’ve become that close with him?”

“I’m sharing a bed with him most nights, I would say we’re close. That’s what you wanted.” And okay, reporting on a job or not, Darcy was not all that excited to be telling Viper the intimate details of her life here. Yes, getting close to Barton was all in the way of getting what she needed to know, or that was what she kept telling herself. Fact of the matter was hitting her though that there were ways to keep herself emotionally detached from him and still get what she wanted, and she wasn’t even trying them.

As if she could hear Darcy working through the always alarming fact that fuck, she cared about Clint, Viper spoke. “Just ensure that you don’t get your loyalties mixed up. What about Banner?”

And just like that the matter was closed, because when Viper gave out and order, she damn well expected it to be followed, no need to confirm or deny. It was Darcy’s turn to be quiet as her mind turned to Bruce. “Doctor Banner is… difficult.”

“Not what I want to hear Darcy.”

She bit her tongue against the answer she had been about to automatically give, knowing that telling her mother ‘tough shit’ would win her no points. Instead, she went a more neutral path of explaining herself. “He tries to distance himself from the team. Other than Tony, he doesn’t really spend much time with them, and I wouldn’t call any of them a direct weakness for him.” She switched from the loose thread she was playing with to twirling a lock of hair that had fallen loose of her messy bun around her finger as she thought about Bruce Banner.

The only side of him she knew was Bruce, not Hulk. From basic observation she had been able to see he was more at ease with the people who treated him as Bruce first and didn’t always seem to be tensed for the Hulk to come bursting out. It was probably to Darcy’s advantage that she’d yet to meet big and green really, because she could see no reason to be afraid of a supposed monster she’d never met herself. Thus she did just treat him like Bruce, and the result? A sweet guy who didn’t mind her hanging around the labs, or mind explaining the science that would fly over her head, and was just a bit flustered around her.

This was all good for Darcy, though she could admit to herself that she didn’t want to step too much over the line when it came to messing about with his feelings. There were a lot of things she was prepared to do, and hell, if it weren’t Bruce and instead say, some random SHIELD agent, she could probably do even this. Just, not with Bruce. As it was, the things she’d done already –things she got away with doing by telling herself there was a difference between being friendly and flirting– didn’t quite sit right with her. It was bad enough to become his friend and then betray him as she inevitably would with all of them [at this point, Tony was really the only one she wouldn’t feel even a little bad over screwing over], she didn’t need to become a love interest for him on top of all of that.

She was already going to do that to Clint, and just the thought of it made her stomach turn. Darcy definitely did not need two people on that list.

“Darcy.” her mother said, just a hint of impatience in her voice, enough that Darcy could tell this wasn’t her first time saying her name.

She forced herself to focus. “I’ll find out more on Banner.” she promised, doing her best to sound obedient and resolute, despite the thoughts that could be classified as downright disloyal that kept running through her mind.

“And the efforts to get the god back to Earth?” Viper moved on without acknowledging her words, something that made Darcy wince. Dismissal was never good.

“Dr. Foster’s worked out equations that seem to be the answer to their biggest problem of what’s going to power the bridge and cut the right portal open. They’ve begun small scale tests and building of the right equipment.”

“I don’t want Thor coming back. Do not let them get anywhere with this.”

It was Viper’s ‘there is no way but my way on this’ voice, but the order had left Darcy still. “That might not be possible. They’ve already got the numbers work out, and any equipment that gets damaged can easily be fixed by Stark.” Or Jane, she thought, but knew saying the name would give her mother too many target ideas. Another thing Darcy didn’t want on her list of shitty things she did while infiltrating the Avengers? Getting Jane maimed or killed. “I’m not even sure a delay is possible.” she said honestly, and forced her voice to keep steady despite the fact she was in essence telling her mother ‘no, sorry, can’t help ya’.

“You will delay and you will come up with a way to set that project back to infancy.” Viper said coolly, and there was really no room for argument there, not if Darcy wanted to keep herself away from being accused of insubordination.

She took in a deep breath and released the air slowly. “Of course.”

“Good.” And just like that, the other side of the line was dead. Darcy pulled the phone from her ear and dropped it into her lap. She could not afford to break another phone. Instead she closed her eyes and took in more breaths, telling herself this would be okay, she could do this.

“Miss Lewis? Are you okay?”

Darcy’s eyes snapped open and she looked up to find Steve approaching her. Right. He ran in the mornings too, didn’t he? A lot farther and longer than Darcy ever did, but a) her running was half for show, and b) he was a super solider and it took so much more for a workout to even mean anything to him. It often meant that she left the tower later than he did in the early morning and got back more quickly than him. He’d never caught her during one of her pit stops in the park, and she was glad to have already gotten off the phone.

He stopped in front of her and Darcy gave him her best smile. “I’m fine Cap, just had to take a break, my shoulder was starting to ache a bit.” The lie fell from her lips easily. And it could’ve been true. It’s been three weeks since the incident at her apartment, and she’d only gotten out of the sling she’d been wearing due to her dislocated shoulder a couple of days before. “I guess I should’ve listened to better to the Doc about not doing too much activity.”

Steve frowned, the worried look she’d come to recognize he had for everyone he worked with filled his face. “I’ll walk with you back to the tower.” he said, and she decided not to argue. She was done with her call, and it would only look odd to brush off his company. Instead she nodded agreeably and scooped her phone from her lap as she stood.

“Whatever rocks your boat man.”

They walked the first block in silence, Darcy mostly watching her feet and feeling Steve continuously glance at her. The quiet was interrupted midway through the second block when Darcy’s phone let out the short burst of sound that was her text tone. She slipped the phone from where it had ended up in her pocket and flipped it open, already confident of who the text was from. Thank god for personalized ringtones.

Woke up and you were gone. You could give a guy a complex disappearing like that.

Darcy smirked and quickly formed her reply to Clint.

Gotta keep you on your toes Tweety. Went for a jog, ran into Cap. We’re on our way back now.

She put the phone away and caught Steve watching her with a curious look. “It was Clint checking up on me.” she explained.

Steve nodded. “Oh.” And then, “So, you’re doing well—Clint and you I mean?”

“Ah, yeah. We’re doing really well.” she said, and felt her cheeks heat.

“That’s good. It’s nice to see things working out for someone on the team. What with Miss Potts and Tony…”

He trailed off and Darcy glanced up at him. “That positively sucked.” she declared and saved him from needing to elaborate. “Even if Stark is a jerk.”

“You two really don’t get along well.” And Darcy knows this talk. She’s had it with Jane already, and with Clint. The only reason she’d managed to escape it with Bruce was because she could fluster him and change the subject quickly. Internally she sighed as she prepared herself of the Captain Goddamn Sincerity and Puppy Eyes America version of the conversation. Steve was by far the hardest to lie and make up excuses to of all of the people around her. Sure, he read lies for shit half the time, and she was so much closer and more attached to Jane and Clint; yet Steve was the person who she had trouble locking gazes with sometimes. It felt wrong to know that just like he did with everyone else, he truly believed she was a good person, just trusted she would always be honest, and didn’t bat an eye at trusting her around his team; his family.

Jane she’d told the mostly true story, minus the part where Tony was the father who ignored her; with Clint she’d said ‘I just don’t like him, okay? He’s a paranoid jerky mcjerk face and no one can make us get along.’, which had prompted Clint to leave it alone from then on. Steve wouldn’t leave things alone with the Clint version, though Darcy was pretty sure she was going to regret giving him the Jane version.

“Cap, it’s a long story. With feelings.” she tried weakly.

“We’ve still got a bit of a walk back to the Tower. And I don’t mind feelings.”

Of course it they did and of course he didn’t. Darcy sighed and looked away from him, watching her feet. The Jane lie it was, but she was leaving parts out. “It’s just… I was raised by a single, inattentive mother, okay? My dad didn’t want a thing to do with me. He’d rather pay her off to keep me out of his hair. Too big of a rich hotshot to have a kid interfering in his life. Tony… he just reminds me of that, and it rubs me the wrong way.”

A silence fell between them. Darcy could feel Steve watching her, and avoided looking up and making contact. Finally, he spoke. “I’m sure Tony wouldn’t do something like that. He’s done a lot of things, but I don’t think anything like would ever be on his list of wrongs.”

She huffed a dry laugh, mostly because his words made her feel like crying. Jane had said as much too, eventually. How could everyone believe in Tony the exact opposite of what she knew to be truth? “Maybe not. Doesn’t stop the fact that he reminds me of dear ol’ dad Cap.” she sped up her walk just a bit, and though she knew Steve could easily keep up, he let her go, though she was very aware that he didn’t let the distance between them grow to be more than a few yards.

--------------

It was just half past seven when they got back to the Tower. Clint and Bruce were both in the kitchen when Steve and Darcy entered. She stopped, watching the two dance around each other easily while they put together enough food to feed everyone [which was a lot. Everyone ate a lot, and Darcy found it just a bit disturbing how much food all the Avengers could put away]. They were talking, and she was just far enough away to not be able to hear what about. She could see they were both relaxed though, Clint’s ever present joking grin firmly in place and Bruce’s much smaller, but still very obvious smile.

It definitely wasn’t odd to see Clint relaxed around his teammates, but Darcy tried to think of a time when she didn’t see Bruce at least a little tensed. Even around Tony, his best friend, she didn’t recall that last bit of tension in his shoulders rolling away.

Darcy felt a bit guilty over the idea that she could use this to her advantage that popped into her mind.

Steve wandered off—presumably to his rooms to get changed, leaving her alone with the two men. Clint was the first to notice her, turning and letting his eyes light up. She smiled at him and actually moved into the kitchen, rather than standing there watching the pair like some stalker.

“What’s for breakfast boys?” she asked, peering around Bruce to look at the various pans on the stove. “More importantly, which one of you is getting me coffee?”

“You see how she is, Freckles? No greetings for us, just demands, demands, demands.” Clint said, dramatic as ever, but he still went to the coffee maker to make her up a mug just as she liked it.

Bruce’s eyes flickered away from the stove top and between Clint and Darcy. “I, uh, think it’s better I just don’t answer that.”

“Which is Bruce’s way of saying stop being a baby Woody Woodpecker, and grateful you’re graced with attentions.” Darcy interpreted, patting Bruce’s shoulder. The blush that darkened his cheeks didn’t go unnoticed by her as he turned away.

Clint snorted, crossing the room to press a warm mug into her hands. “Only you could interpret the Doc’s need to stay neutral as him picking your side.” he said, before leaning in and giving her a light kiss. “Mmkay, not that I’m complaining, but you’re not sweaty and gross. You just came back from jogging. Shouldn’t you be?” he asked when he pulled away.

“Ah, well, my jog sort of turned into a stroll.” she lied, making a face. “It was a little too much action for my shoulder.”

Clint’s face flickered to one of worry, and she spoke quickly. “Oh, don’t look like that please. It’s just a little achy. I pushed it too soon after getting out of that sling.”

“If you don’t want to be back in that sling, Darcy, I suggest you listen to my instructions and take it easy for a bit longer.” Bruce said as he moved around them to place plates of eggs and pancakes on the table for people to serve themselves from when they eventually made it out of their rooms.

Darcy saluted him with a raise of her mug and a small smirk. “Aye, aye, Doc.”

----------

Two days later, Darcy wasn’t sure if flailing her arms around like a mad woman counted in the list of things she shouldn’t do that could strain her shoulder, but if it did, right at that moment she didn’t really care.

“No, I can’t watch this. Jane! Why are we watching this?!” She turned away from the television, burying her face in the astrophysicist’s shoulder. “Just tell me when it’s over, kay?”

“Darcy, they’re fine, you don’t need to panic—” she cut herself off with a gasp and Darcy found herself turning back to the TV, afraid of what she’d see in the shaky news coverage clips. “It’s okay Darcy, it was Tony, one of the bots hit him, but look he’s already getting up.”

“Where’s Clint, why isn’t there any footage of him?” she said, her voice growing just a bit shrill. Stupid Doctor Doom and his stupid doombots. Didn’t he have a dictatorship or something to run? Was this really an effective use of his time?

Jane put an arm around her shoulders, giving a gentle squeeze. “Darcy, relax. He’s probably up high somewhere, see—” an arrow whizzed by on the battle feed, hit a bot in one of its laser emitting lenses. “That had to be him. He’s just up in a building safely picking them off like fish in a barrel…” Jane trailed off while Darcy gaped at the screen. “Okay, maybe not up in a building.” she said quietly.

“What the fuck is that thing?!”

“It looks like a flying bike.”

“I can see that Jane, why the hell is Clint on it?!”

“That I don’t know. But he’s doing fine on it Darcy. Just calm down.”

She tried to, she really did. Jane was right, Clint was great on whatever the hell it was he was riding [probably something Tony built that Clint was stupid enough to try out—Darcy was going to strangle the lot of them once she knew they were okay. Tony for building it, Clint for riding it, and everyone else for letting him ride it.]. As the battle started to wind down to the point that the station saw fit to actually put the anchor on the screen every so often, and Darcy could feel her tensed muscles relaxing just a bit.

Really, she should’ve expected what came next.

Clint got himself shot out of the sky.

Clint got himself shot out of the sky and Darcy was gasping, looking away and hiding her face in Jane’s shirt again. She waited. For Jane’s gasp, for her apology, for something. She wasn’t completely sure what to expect. But what she didn’t expect? For Jane to let out a whoosh of air, almost like a sigh of relief. Darcy didn’t expect that, and she didn’t expect to hear, “You know, if this whole superhero thing doesn’t work out for Bruce, he’d make a great outfielder.”

---------

By the time they were out of debriefing and back at the Tower, Darcy was about ready to jump out of her skin. Jane had long since left for the lab, leaving Darcy alone with her thoughts. Thoughts, which for the most part, consisted of her calling herself stupid for getting so attached.

When Jarvis alerted her to the fact that they were on their way up, they being Natasha, Clint, and Bruce, Darcy found herself standing and pacing. And when they actually made their appearance? She shoved herself into Clint’s arms, disregarding the quiet ‘umf’ noise he made. For a few moments it was just that, just holding on tightly to him. Then she pulled back, and slapped weakly at his chest. “What the fuck was that Lt. Puffin? Do you just have a thing for falling out of the air?”

“…There is not any bird character named Lt. Puffin.” Clint said disbelievingly while also trying [badly] to change the subject. Darcy rolled her eyes.

“We’ll talk about the fact that you’ve never seen the epicness that is Swan Princess later. Right now you need to explain what you were doing zooming around the air on a fucking bike like goddamn Hagrid.”

“I was fine.”

“You got shot out of the sky Clint. The only good thing about it is that that stupid thing is caput now.”

“Tony’s fixing it.”

“Tony has a deathwish.”

“Darcy.” he lifted his hands, cupping her cheeks. He leaned in, pressing his lips to her forehead before pulling back. “Everything is okay. That’s not the first time I’ve fallen through the air and it won’t be the last. Hulk caught me, you saw that right?”

She let out a quiet huff of air and nodded, looking around for Bruce. He was still standing there, looking awkward as ever. Natasha had slipped off at some point during her and Clint’s bickering, but Darcy didn’t need her. She pulled away from Clint to go to Bruce though. He look rumpled; tired. She knew she’d read in a file somewhere that changing into the Hulk really took it out of him energy wise. After a moment of looking at him, she moved in and grabbing him up in her arms, much like she had Clint. Bruce stiffened, but just seconds later he seemed to let himself relax into the old and put his arms carefully around her.

“Thank you.” she said, her words muffled by the fact that she was talking into his shirt.

“I… it wasn’t me.” he said hesitantly.

“Don’t be stupid Bruce, just say you’re welcome.” Clint said. “She’s not going to be happy until you do.”

“But it wasn’t me.” Bruce stressed again. “It was the Hulk.”

“Hate to break it to you Freckles, but you and Jade Jaws are one in the same.”

“I really wish you would stop calling him that.”

“Tough luck; he likes it.”

He had to have figured he would be bickering all day with Clint, because she could feel the whoosh of air that left Bruce’s body under her arms, and he felt one of his hands move to pat her head gently. “You’re welcome Darcy.”

Chapter Text

The extra big lab space Jane, Tony, and Bruce had moved into while they collaborated on the last parts of operation bring Thor back was filled with people. That was part of the reason why they had needed to move into a large space. The work apparently required many lab assistants to keep everything going at once and properly watched. All Darcy knew was that she was going to be using the new additions to her environment to her advantage. She even felt good about it, because the new lab assistants? They were uppity asshats. Or that was what she had grumbled when one shoved her out of the way to show something to Dr.Banner while she and Bruce had been talking. Dr. Banner had of course made the man apologize, because that was how Bruce was, but for Darcy forced apologies just weren’t good enough.

So of course she chose to make the most use of him in her admittedly simple plan.

Darcy had noticed the man was a bit of a klutz. Nothing huge, but there was one bunch of wires that ran in the middle of the floor of the lab that while everyone else learned to step over them, he was constantly stumbling. It lead to the great big thing [Darcy wasn’t quite sure there was any other way to describe it] they were building to reopen the bridge. She had simply waited until the machine was opened up again for more work, and then thrust a hot mug of tea into his hands. “Bring that to Dr. Banner.” she ordered him. He looked like he wanted to object, but one of Darcy’s best glares had him simply drawing his mouth into a thin, unhappy line as he nodded curtly.

She watched him as he crossed the lab, and just as predicted, he stumbled over the wires, going forward while his arms jerked on instinct for balance. The mug, not being the usual travel mug with caps you tended to find down in the labs, was spilled. Most of the scalding liquid landed in the machine as Darcy intended. What she hadn’t intended? Was for it to hit and burn the lab assistant that was working on it currently. He was how she could tell it was still really, really, hot, from the way he yelled and instinctively pulled away. Of course this set off a chain of events Darcy really truly hadn’t accounted for.

She probably should’ve.

The burned assistant’s arms flailed, knocking into the work another was doing. Work involving a Bunsen burner and a rack of open vials with who knows what chemicals. The burner and rack toppled, the chemicals mixed and hit the flame.

It wasn’t a big explosion, she supposed that was a good thing. And she was across the room from it; though the boom did make her ears ring a bit, she wasn’t otherwise hurt. The lab was quickly filling with smoke, obscuring her view of everyone else. Coughing, she slipped out the door, standing to the side to count the lab assistants that stumbled out after her. Some looked to have mild burns, but they all seemed okay too.

‘Four, five… ’ she counted in her head, and blinked rapidly when she didn’t get to six. There had been seven people in that lab. Her, five lab assistants, and Bruce. She forced herself to get a grip on the panic that clutched in her chest. He had been further from the blast than some of those assistants, he had to be fine.

She ducked back into the lab, calling herself stupid even as she did. This was not her problem. She did not need to be doing this, in fact she had no business whatsoever doing this. “Bruce!” she yelled. It was still a bit hazy, smoke stung her eyes, but the two large fans set into the ceiling meant for occasions like this had already set to work in clearing the smoke from the air.

Her yell was answered with a growl, and Darcy froze. Her eyes were finally focusing, and the form they focused on was bigger than Bruce. So much bigger.

A smarter person would’ve turned tail and run, or at the very least backed slowly out of the lab. A brave person would’ve stood their ground, but not gone any closer. Only a stupid person, like apparently Darcy was would move closer to the Hulk and try to talk to him. “Hey big guy, I don’t think we’ve met.” She was so very proud of the fact that he voice didn’t shake as she spoke. Her legs felt like they would give out any second, her hands might’ve been trembling just a bit, but goddamnit her voice stayed steady. “I’m Darcy.”

Hulk looked at her and growled again, and Darcy licked her lips. “Yeah yeah, grr to you too.” she answered, because obviously baiting the Hulk was the best move here. Yep.

He huffed what might’ve been a laugh, she honestly wasn’t sure. All she knew was that she wasn’t a pancake on the ground, so it couldn’t be anything bad. “Darcy.” he rumbled. “Banner likes Darcy.”

“Bruce? Well I like him too. He’s a chill dude.”

“Darcy Cupid’s. Banner can’t have. Banner likes Cupid too. Can’t have Cupid either.”

Darcy blinked, because while this wasn’t entirely a surprise to her, it was one thing to suspect and another to know. “…What about you big guy? What do you think of Clint and me?”

He watched her for a long moment, then made another huffing noise. “Don’t know you. Know Cupid. Like Cupid. Cupid not scared.”

“Well, I like you too Jade Jaws.” Clint’s familiar drawl came from the lab entrance. Darcy half turned to see him as he walked confidently towards them, bow clutched at his side and quiver on his back. It was a bit of an odd sight since he wasn’t suited up, just in a t-shirt and jeans. He stopped when he was standing just ahead and ever so slightly in front of Darcy. “Now what’s the problem here? Can we get Bruce back?”

Hulk looked around the lab, which was finally clear of all the smoke. The machine for the bridge project, Darcy’s intended target, was very clearly destroyed now. There were also some new scorch marks decorating the area around where the blast had concentrated. “Banner not like other people. Loud. Mean to Darcy. Do this. Don’t want them around anymore.”

And that—it was said in a damn near conversational tone, or as conversational as the rumbling bass that was his voice could get. It surprised Darcy, and she didn’t really have anything to say in reply to it. She didn’t need to worry though, because Clint was perfectly on top of things. “You can’t smash the squints, Hulk.” he said in a tone that could’ve been taken completely seriously if a) he hadn’t had a smile tipping the edge of his lips, and b) he hadn’t made a reference to Bones (seriously, Clint’s odd love for crime dramas never failed to make Darcy roll her eyes). “Tell you what, I’ll scare them really good though, especially if they’ve been giving Darce a hard time,” the look he tossed Darcy said they would clearly be talking about that later. She chose to ignore it.

“Anyways, I think after this, Stark and Jane won’t be letting any of those asshats back into the lab.” She pointed out.

Hulk made a noncommittal grunt, but he was already starting to shrink, his green fading away.

---

He felt disoriented, but that wasn’t uncommon in coming back from the Hulk. He stumbled forward slightly and felt more than one set of hands grab him to keep him steady. Clint had caught him one handed by the elbow, while Darcy had on hand on his shoulder and the other gripped his forearm. “Easy Freckles.” Clint said.

Bruce blinked and struggled to remember what had happened. As always with his time as the Hulk, he remembered flashes. The explosion, the machine being damaged. Then there was green. Green, and Darcy. ‘Yeah yeah, grr to you too.’

He looked to the girl holding him. “Are you crazy?”

Darcy, being Darcy, was quick with her reply. “Well they let me join SHIELD despite my psych evals, so I can’t be that bad.”

“‘Grr to you too’?” he turned the quote into a question. “Did you wake up this morning and think ‘I want to get myself killed by taunting the Hulk’?”

“Well I’m not dead, so I’m going to go with no. Anyways, I think he thought it was funny. And I thought you couldn’t remember things from when you went all green.” she added in, her eyebrows furrowing.

“I remember flashes.”

“And do you remember anything else?” she drawled.

“I…” he trailed off, trying to make sense of the jumble in his head. ‘Banner likes Darcy…. Banner likes Cupid too’. Suddenly Bruce was aware he was standing almost naked [if the rags that remained of his pants even counted as clothing] between the two people who his alter ego had just admitted his feelings for. And they were both watching him intently. Darcy, who was sweet and sarcastic and so confident, and Clint, who unlike everyone else, seemed to have no reservations about the Hulk. In fact, he’d met the Hulk before he’d met Bruce, and didn’t seem to bat an eyelash over it. Sure, the rest of the team trusted Bruce, but they didn’t seem to put that same amount of trust in the Hulk [aside from Tony perhaps, but that was a whole different story]. “I need to go.” he said quickly, and tugged away from their holds. They let him go, but Bruce knew they could both see the flush that was flooding his cheeks and both had a nearly identical look on their faces that he couldn’t really decipher. Pity? Humor at his expense? Disgust?

He moved past them and though neither touched him, they did call after him. “Bruce, wait.” Darcy.

“C’mon Doc, it’s not like that—” Clint.

Then he was out of the lab and moving as far from their presence as he could and still be in the tower.

-----

It was odd, being left in the lab when neither she or Clint were truly lab people. Had they just run Bruce out of his own space? They had. Well, that could count as part of Darcy’s bad quota for the day. Anyone who could run one of the Scientists Three out of their own home turf so easily had to be evil on some level, because getting any of three out of the labs was always a fight and a half.

“So, that just happened.” she said faintly.

“Yeah.” Clint ran a hand through his hair and looked away from the doorway Bruce had just disappeared through, then to Darcy. “What exactly was that? I just got an alert from JARVIS that Hulk was down here and you were confronting him.”

“Why you and not Stark?”

“Tony’s at some board meeting or something like that. Now answer the question Darce.”

She sighed and shrugged. “One of the lab assistants fucked up and spilled tea over open machinery and another assistant. Set of a chain of events that resulted in boom and Bruce going all green.” she waved her hands around for emphasis. “It’s set the Thor project back a few weeks, it’s going to take some time to reassemble that tech, longer since they won’t have lab assistants working on it.”

“And you stuck around to chat with the Hulk?”

Again she shrugged. “At first I just thought Bruce was hurt and went back in to help him. When I saw Hulk… just seemed wrong to turn tail and run.”

Clint snorted, but slung and arm around her shoulders and tugged her in to plant a kiss on her temple. “That’s my girl, but it was still recklessly dangerous y’know.”

“You’re the one who keeps trying to convince Bruce that he doesn’t need to worry about the Hulk around people!” she objected.

“Around people he knows; the team. You’ve never met Jade Jaws.”

“Well I have now, so you can just add me to the list of people safe around him.”

Clint blinked, then shook his head. “Fine, fine. No harm no foul I guess.” He furrowed his eyebrows together. “So what are we going to do about the other thing?”

Darcy didn’t need to ask what he was talking about. It was her turn to run a hand through her hair. “What can we do? No matter what we say, he’ll think we’re just trying to humor him or something. And if we ignore it, he’ll think we’re disgusted with him or something.”

“You like him.”

It was a statement, not a question. There was nothing accusatory about that, which made Darcy feel just a bit guilty about how defensive her answer was. “I’m not the one with pet names for him!”

Being used to Darcy, Clint didn’t rise to the bait. “I wasn’t saying I don’t like him Darce.” he said carefully.

She groaned and covered her face with her hands. “I know, I know!” she exclaimed, her voice muffled.

Clint moved so that he was standing in front of her. He gently pulled her hands from her face. “Hey, hey. Calm down, okay? We’ll figure this out. For now, we can leave it be. We’ve got to tell everyone about the snag the Thor project just hit anyway. We’ll do that, then we’ll go up to my place and watch a movie or something. Sound good?”

She looked at him for a moment then took a deep breath and nodded.

------

Jane, predictably, was devastated. This means more time until they get Thor back, just when it seemed so close.

Darcy can’t meet her eyes for very long.

Tony wasn’t back from his meetings yet, but Steve and Natasha were there. Steve looked disappointed but took in all the facts and seemed to understand it all. He walked away, pulling out his phone to call Tony. Natasha stayed and watched them, arms crossed. Darcy did her best not to twitch under the red head’s gaze.

“Where’s Bruce?”

“He’s fine Tasha. He Hulked out, but we got him back. I think he just wants some time alone.” Clint said. Darcy saw him raise eyebrows at his best friend and partner, a very obvious ‘please leave this alone for now’. For her part, the Black Widow’s eyes flicked between the two of them, landing on Darcy a few seconds longer than was comfortable. Darcy forced herself to meet Natasha’s eyes and act like there was nothing to crack about under that look. After a moment, Natasha gave a curt nod and turned, walking away. Tension rolled out of her shoulders and she let out a breath she’d been holding.

If Clint noticed, he didn’t say anything.

-----------

Darcy volunteered to make the popcorn while Clint picked their movie, if only to get a few minutes alone. While the popcorn maker stirred the kernels back and forth she pulled out her phone, leaning against the counter facing the only entrance, so Clint couldn’t sneak up on her. That would be her luck with the way this day was going he would, and would see her cryptic text to her mother.

But that was just it, wasn’t it? The day had gone great, she’d done what she was supposed to and it had succeeded, even with the small hitch of Bruce hulking out.

It’s done.

She looked at her words, her thumb hovering over the send button before finally hitting it. Bruce problems aside, she had done this right.

The reply was almost instant. Next time be quicker, you’re testing my patience.

Darcy stared for a moment at the screen then deleted both her mother’s message and the one she had just sent, as she always did. She put the phone away, finished making the popcorn and went back to Clint on the couch. “You okay?” he asked when he saw her, and the small frown on her face.

“Yeah, just tired. It’s been a long day.” she said as she sat next to him, and it wasn’t entirely a lie, but it definitely wasn’t the whole truth. The look on Clint’s face said he knew that, but he left it alone, instead just slipping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her in to lean against him.

Chapter Text

“Tony?” Steve was standing in the workshop doorway. “You’re not looking at those videos again, are you?” he asked, eyes traveling from the billionaire to the displays he was concentrating on.

 

“It doesn’t make sense.” Tony mumbled. “She said a week before that those wires were a hazard, and that the guy was a klutz. I heard her. But look, she’s the one who gives him the mug and sends him directly over the wires.”

 

“I’ve seen it before.” Steve said, and walked further into the room. “Tony, you need to stop. Darcy didn’t plan anything, what happened was not some conspiracy.”

 

Tony ran a hand through his hair and refused to look at Steve. “I don’t trust her.”

 

“Just because she doesn’t like you doesn’t mean she’s untrustworthy.”

 

He knew that he’d hit the nail on the head when Tony flinched. “There’s no reason not to like me. Unless she’s trying to hide something. Which she is, Steve, really. There’s evidence.”

“This is not evidence Tony.” Steve said with a wave at the displays. “This is you getting out of hand instead of maybe just talking to Darcy. Talking works Tony. We didn’t like each other, we talked, and now look at us.”

 

All he got from that was Tony looking at him with a leer. Their relationship was still new, a week and half of being official, but time had never been something to stop Tony. “I don’t think you want me to talk to her if that’s what happens from it.”

 

Sometimes it was frustrating, how Tony deflected things with quick words. Okay, more than sometimes. It was often frustrating. Very often. Steve sighed. “You not being willing to talk to her is part of the problem.”

 

“She’s not scrambling to talk to me either Steve. I can’t be blamed when she’s acting the same way.”

 

“You’re only confirming what she thinks of you by not even trying Tony.”

 

“And that would be?”

 

Steve sighed. It really wasn’t his place to share, and he knew that, but maybe it would give Tony a push. “You remind her of her father. She said he’s some rich guy who paid off her mother rather than be in her life. Maybe if you make an effort, she’ll make one too.”

 

Tony narrowed his eyes at Steve, then turned back to his displays, typing something quickly so the pictures on the screens changed. “That’s not true.”

 

“What?”

 

“Whatever sob story she told you about her father—it’s bullshit.”

 

“Tony—” Steve started, his tone disapproving. This was not how he expected Tony to react.

 

A held up hand cut him off. “No, listen,” Tony commanded, spinning in his chair to look at Steve. “You don’t think SHIELD would have records on who her father is if he was someone rich enough just make her existence go away for him? It only takes one person knowing and SHIELD would find out who he is. By my count with her story, at least three people would know, probably more to make that story work. There would be a trail, and SHIELD would follow it, no problem. It’s SHIELD, Steve.” He gestured to the displays behind him. “Those are Darcy’s files. Granted, they’ve missed little things, like the fact that she speaks Italian, but it’s pretty fucking thorough. Her history is in her an her father is listed as completely unknown. If he were paying her mother off, SHIELD would know. You know they would Steve. What’s more, they do list a step father. Some guy named Patch. Looks like he was married to her mother for four years when she was a kid, and even when there was a divorce, it looks like they stayed in contact. She lied to you Steve. And I’m not going to trust someone who can lie to Captain goddamn America.” 

 

“You lie to me all the time.”

 

“Tease you. I tease you. What she did was lie and manipulate your inherent goodness to throw you off her trail.”

 

“Enough. I get it Tony.”

 

“You do?”

 

“Yeah, I get that you’re getting completely out of control here and I need to leave until you’re able to pull yourself out of it. I’d make sure Clint doesn’t see you going through all of this. If it were my girl and some guy was stalking her—because that is what this is becoming –I’d clean his clock.”

 

Tony rolled his eyes and waved away Steve’s words and warning. “Fine, fine, don’t believe me. I’ll be up in a little while.”

 

For a moment Steve hesitated before leaving, wondering if he should push more on this subject. He decided against it, thinking he’d be better off enlisting help and staging an intervention of sorts before Tony really did go too far. He’d call Pepper; she and Tony were doing better with each other and she was the one to talk to when he went all Tony on them. He’d bring Bruce in too. With two of the saner people in Tony’s life to help him, he might actually figure this out.

 

 

Tony wasn’t sure how long ago Steve had left before he heard someone enter his workshop. “I said I’d be up later.” he announced, assuming it was Steve come back.

 

“We need to talk Stark.”

 

He swiveled in his chair to look at the person who was very much not Steve. Natasha stood near the door, arms crossed over her chest. “Oh god, you’ve finally come to kill me. Barton sent you, didn’t he? I should’ve—”

 

“Shut up.” The assassin said, moving forward. “I need to talk to you about Agent Lewis.”

 

“Are you going to give me a lecture? Because I’ve already gotten one from Steve today so I think I’m good.”

 

“No.”

 

Tony blinked, now really confused as to what was going on. “Then what…?”

 

“Agent Barton cares greatly for her. I believe she does care for him. I also believe she is hiding something. I know she’s hiding something.”

 

“Finally, someone believes me! I knew—” Natasha held up a hand and Tony stopped.

 

“I will deny this if you tell anyone and I only care because I need to look out for Barton. Do you understand?” Tony nodded slowly. “Good. Show me what you have on her so far.”

 

 

“He’ll come around.” Clint murmured tiredly into her hair.

 

It was creepy, how he could read her mind like that. Of course, Darcy supposed there weren’t very many things on her mind that would have her staring blankly at the ceiling on her late-morning off. “Seriously Darce, I can hear you thinking, and it’s too early for that.”

 

She turned slightly and blindly reached for her phone on the nightstand so she could tell him just how early it wasn’t, but her range of motion was limited by the arm around her middle holding onto her tightly. She gave up with an exasperated sigh. “It’s been almost two weeks.” she mumbled, knowing she sounded pathetic.

 

As much as she hated to admit it, the way he nuzzled her neck was somewhat comforting. “I know. He’ll come around.” he repeated.

 

Darcy shifted in his hold so that their chests were pressed together, their faces only inches apart. “He practically runs out of the room anytime you or I are around for more than a few seconds. Jane has asked me what have I done to her science buddy.” She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. Words began to tumble from her without filter. “I feel so stupid worrying so much about this. I have way bigger things to keep my head spinning for days and this is what I agonize over.”

 

“Like what?”

 

It was with Clint’s question that she realized what she had just sent spilling out of her mouth. She opened her eyes and looked at him, finding his gaze intently focused on her. “I… nevermind, it’s nothing.” Darcy knew he wouldn’t just leave it, but she also knew she had nothing to give him.

 

“Darcy, it’s obviously something if it bothers you more than this Bruce thing.”

 

She pulled away from him and sat up. “Leave it alone Clint.”

 

He stayed laying down and just watched her. “Everyone has their secrets, Darce. I’d be an idiot if I didn’t think you had your own. If you’re letting them slip though, maybe that means you need to start sharing.”

 

For a moment, she let her mouth fall open, and she contemplated just letting everything out. Clint would help her untangle herself from the mess she’d managed to get into. Or he’ll be unbelievably angry and turn me over to SHIELD.

 

She closed her mouth and shook her head, getting out of the bed. “I’m going for a walk.”

 

“Darcy—”

 

“Later, Clint. Later.”

 

 

Of course she couldn’t get a half hour of peace in the madness. “You have to be kidding me.” she muttered as she walked out of the coffee shop and her phone went off with its dedicated ‘assemble’ tone. Juggling her cup and the wallet she had yet to put away, she got the phone out.

 

Brotherhood of Mutants. SoHo. Avengers Assembled to Assist the X-Men.

 

“Jesus fucking Christ.” she stuffed he phone in her pocket before scrambling to the curb to flag down a taxi. Damnit, she’d have to pay them double to take her anywhere near a battle.

 

 

Usually, the Brotherhood goons were just minor annoyances that even the X-Kids could take care of. Of course, that was partially attributed to the fact that their leader and their heavy hitters weren’t always out to play. Not unless Magneto had a real plan. Otherwise, it was Blob and Toad and other small timers that made Darcy gigglesnort when the Avengers actually got called out to deal with them.

 

She threw a wad of money at the cabbie, figuring she could harass Fury for reimbursement later, and ran the last block into the battle, jostling past people who were running the opposite direction and giving her bewildered looks. In all fairness, she probably wasn’t entering into the best possible way, but the text have conveniently failed to note where the Avengers’ aid crew was set up.

 

Well at least she had her taser.

 

Of course it couldn’t do much about the slimy tongue going for her from her bag. Of course the mutant to set eyes on her had to be Toad. That was definitely the kind of day she was having.  She dodged left and barely avoided him, and when he made another go at it she was too off balance. She closed her eyes. This was in no way going to kill her, it probably wouldn’t even be all that painful, aside for emotional pain.

 

There was a growl, a yelp, and then a lack of being touched by Toad tongue. Darcy opened her eyes to be greeted by the sight of a short man in a bright yellow uniform with metal claws  coming from his knuckles. Everyone knew Wolverine when they saw him. Maybe Darcy more than most.  He had Toad by the back of his neck, claws of his free hand at his mouth. “Keep that thing to yourself or I’ll cut it off.” he growled at him. Toad just nodded frantically and Wolverine threw him to the side. When he turned to Darcy, she found herself rooted to the spot.

 

There was a very good chance he wouldn’t recognize her, and that would be good. It had been years after all, and she had only been a little girl. He started to move towards her, but didn’t get very far. A roar from behind her stopped him, and before Darcy could turn to see who she knew was there a green arm was sweeping her up. She let out a yelp and scrambled to hold onto something, which eventually turned out to be the Hulk’s shoulder.

 

“Darcy okay?” the Hulk rumbled. Well, at least one side of Banner was still talking to her.

 

“Fine, big guy. I’m fine.” she assured him, a bit breathless.

 

There was a nod and then, “Little man leave Darcy alone.” Hulk directed at Wolverine.

 

“Just let the girl down, Bub. We don’t need to have any more problems. I’ll get her somewhere safe.”

 

Another growl ripped through Hulk when Wolverine took a step forward. “Hulk keep Darcy safe. Little man stay away.”

 

Darcy patted Hulk’s shoulders lightly. She didn’t want him to go on a rampage with her in his arms, even if it was all over perceived dangers to her, which was kind of sweet. “How about Clint, Hulk? Where’s he?” Sure, she and Clint had not had a very good morning, but she had to take advantage of what little time any part of Bruce would be willing to deal with them.

 

“Darcy want Cupid?” he asked and, yeah, that was definitely dejection.

 

“I want both of you, man.” she corrected quickly. “But, that is a problem Clint and I have to talk out with Bruce.”

 

“Banner stupid.”

 

“Yes he is. Right now though, Clint can take me somewhere safe and you guys can finish this and then you can let Clint and me worry about Bruce.”

 

“I can take you somewhere safe kid.” Wolverine objected, and Darcy waved a hand at him to go away, not that he did.

 

“What’s going on here? Hulk, we need—” Tony’s suit modulated voice came quickly into earshot as he zoomed up, stopping short when he saw who the Hulk was holding. It also might have been the growl from the Hulk as he turned slightly away, like a child trying to keep a toy from their sibling. “Great, it’s you. Hawkeye, come get your girlfriend. She’s here distracting our Hulk.”

 

He flew away without another word, and Darcy flipped him off while he retreated. It was no time before Clint was there, on that stupid skycycle that Darcy hated. “Darce, what are you doing here?”

 

“Really, you’re going to ask me that now? How about we wait for all of this to be over and then we talk about how it was a serious fail on someone’s part not to give me information on where support staff was stationed?”

 

“Natasha sent out the call today, what do you mean she didn’t—”

 

“Clint! Out of the way of battle! Me!” Darcy cut him off, not letting her mind focus too much on the Natasha thing. She would have time to think about it and over think about it later.

 

Clint gave a curt nod. “Right. I’ll take her Jade Jaws.” He held out a hand to help Darcy onto the flying bike thing. Hulk hesitated in helping Darcy move though.

 

“Cupid keep Darcy safe?” he asked cautiously.

 

“Of course.” Clint said, looking at him over the top of his sunglasses. “Why wouldn’t I?”

 

“Fighting.”

 

Darcy and Clint looked at each other. They were snapping at each other, but neither had expected the Hulk to pick up on it, much less care. “I still care about her Hulk, even if we are fighting. And I won’t let anything happen to her.” Clint said slowly. Darcy resisted the urge to roll her eyes while at the same time his words made her chest tighten.

 

With a grunt, the Hulk nodded, then helped Darcy move until she grabbed Clint’s hand was able to swing herself onto the skycycle behind him. “Be right back big guy.” Clint said while Darcy wrapped her arms tight around his middle.

 

He took her one street over and two blocks down, her hair wiping around them. On the ground she could see the vans that were SHIELD and were where she was supposed to be. They hovered down to just a foot above the ground and Darcy hopped off. “Stay safe.” Clint said.

 

Darcy grabbed the collar of his vest and pulled him down into a kiss. “You too.” She said once she pulled away.

 

 

This was taking advantage, and Darcy knew it. Bruce had just changed back and he was tired, probably too tired to evade her and Clint. She was done waiting for him to come around though. She and Clint still had issues to work out, but Darcy could at least get a temporary reprieve from that. Clint had only put up one weak protest to her declaration that they were talking to Bruce before following her to the elevator and up to the doctor’s floor.

 

She punched in the override codes that let the elevator doors open to the floor without Banner’s consent needed, even if those codes were technically only for emergencies. So what if she bent the rules a bit?

 

He was right there, in his living room, laying on the huge couch with a book, though he looked to be more dozing then reading. His eyes however did open when they entered unannounced.

 

“We need to talk.” Darcy declared, stopping at the foot of the couch, arms crossed over her chest. Clint hung back a bit, standing fairly warily, as if anticipating Bruce kicking them out on their asses. At least she knew it wasn’t because he wasn’t okay with this idea. That talk they had had really in depth a week ago, and it had been decided that if Bruce ever did come around, they were both okay with seeing if they could make this work with three people. Clint just didn’t seem to want to be as pushy about this as she was suddenly feeling.

 

Really, Bruce didn’t look terribly surprised, and Darcy would put money on Jarvis having warned him of their approach. He sat up and sighed. “There’s nothing to talk about. The other guy made my feelings known when I never had any intention of acting on them. I don’t want things awkward between the three of us and I don’t want to break up your relationship. I—”

 

“Bruce, please, stop talking for a second.” Darcy cut him off with a roll of her eyes. “Your feelings were pretty known before Hulk went blabbing. He’s pretty attached to Clint and you could never look at me without turning beet red. Things are only awkward because you’re letting it get that way. You wouldn’t be breaking up our relationship, you’d be joining.”

 

That left Bruce doing some incomprehensible sputtering for a few moments before he seemed to regain the proper words. “I do get flashes from the Other Guy Darcy. You two were fighting today.”

 

Clint was quick to speak there. “That’s something Darcy and I have to resolve ourselves, and it has nothing to do with you Bruce. Not a single thing.” He moved up so he was standing closer behind Darcy, his hand came to  rest on the small of her back. “Trust me Freckles, we are in complete agreement when things come to you.”

 

The doctor’s eyes moved between the two of them, both caution and curiosity shining in them. “I don’t know.” he said finally.

 

Darcy sighed and moved around the side of the couch so she could sit beside Bruce.  “We can go as slow or fast as you want, Doc. But, we don’t have to do this at all if it’s not what you want. You have stop avoiding us though. We’ll do whatever you want as long as you stop avoiding us.”

 

“Slow?” Bruce asked, his voice quiet. Both Darcy and Clint nodded, and Bruce let a small smile tug at his lips. “I think I can try slow.”

 

Darcy still had a lot of problems. Her phone was buzzing in her pocket with a message she didn’t doubt was her mother. She and Clint were going to have to talk about their earlier argument at some point. Tony was still suspicious of her and now she was getting the feeling that Natasha felt more than just her natural mistrust towards her. She definitely still had a lot of problems and this shouldn’t have been a chief concern in her life, and still for the first time in the past couple weeks, she was beaming.

Chapter Text

“So that thing the other day with the X-Men, you sent out the all hands on call, yeah?” Clint was a little breathless as he asked the question, but sparring with Natasha could do that to any guy. At least he could proudly say she hadn’t handed him his ass. Much.

 

A water bottle was tossed his way and he caught it out of the air easily, opening it and taking a few quick gulps. “I did, why?” Natasha wasn’t at all breathless. Of course, she was also an enhanced Russian super solider, and to get the level of work out she needed to be such, she had to see her American counterpart. Steve was finally learning to go all out with her at least.

 

“You included where the support staff were stationed in it, right?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Huh, Darcy said her message didn’t say.”

 

“Because hers didn’t.”

 

Clint’s eyes snapped up to his best friend. She stood, relaxed, and was using a towel to wipe what you could not convince him wasn’t imaginary sweat from her forehead. “Why not?”

 

“I wanted to see what she would do.”

 

“What?” he knew he sounded incredulous, but that couldn’t be helped. If it were anyone else he’d have them on the ground in a painful hold until they explained themselves. Natasha didn’t do things just for kicks though, and he expected her to have a damn good reason for sending a barely armed primarily support staff junior agent into a fray like that.

 

Natasha sighed, throwing the towel down and crossing her arms over her chest. “She’s technically a SHIELD agent but only in the loosest definition of the word, Clint. Of all the support staff that comes in and out of what we get into, she’s the most likely to get into the middle of a fight, even if she doesn’t mean to. We know from the incident two months ago that she must have some skill, however basic, since she was able to fight off that attacker, but that could have been pure luck. I needed you to see that she needs training Clint, so when she does end up in these situations, she can protect herself.”

 

“And you couldn’t just make that suggestion?”

 

“You see better than you hear, Barton.”

 

“Yeah, guess I do.” he muttered, turning to walk towards the exit. “I’ll talk to Darcy about it okay? See what she wants to do.”

 

“Whatever you say.”

 

And he would talk to Darcy about it, he told himself as he left the gym. Even if Natasha had just lied to him. There were four people in the world Natasha could only hope that her lies worked on. One was dead, one was long ago missing, one was Nick Fury, and the last was Clint Barton. Sometimes she did manage it. This time however, Clint had caught the flash in her eyes even as her words came easily. She had wanted to see what Darcy would do, but not for the reason she gave.

 

Clint could only hope she took his tension and chalked it up to annoyance over her putting Darcy in danger.

 

 

“Bruce, you have like a gazillion point IQ, and you can’t fold a piece of paper a bit?” Darcy laughed, couldn’t help herself, as Bruce stared at the square like it was some complex equation. “C’mon baby, you’re thinking about it too much. You just have to follow my steps like Steve is.” Steve glanced up from where he was sitting on the floor just like the two of them, bent over the coffee table. “You can stop creasing it Cap, it’s good.” 

 

“This is silly.” Bruce said, his eyebrows pulled together in concentration.

 

“That it is.” Darcy agreed with a smile and a nod. “That’s why it’s fun, here.” She plucked the paper from him and folded quickly. Where Bruce and Steve had been working for the last ten minutes, it took her all of two to present the paper toy. “See? Easy peasy!”

 

“See what?” A voice asked from somewhere behind them.

 

She tilted her head back, wrinkling her nose first when Stark came into her line of vision. He was and had been sitting on the couch behind them, after declaring what they were doing was stupid before burying himself in his tablet. However, that wrinkled nose disappeared quickly when she caught sight of Clint. For him she had a wide grin. “See this!” she said cheerfully, holding the paper fortuneteller higher so her lover could see. “Bruce and Steve have been seriously deprived in life and have never known the fun of schoolyard fortunes.”

 

Clint came closer, until he was around the couch and able to seat himself on the floor next to Bruce. He tilted his head slightly and reached for the paper. “Schoolyard what?” Darcy leaned out of range, mouth falling open.

 

“You too Clint? You grew up in a circus, c’mon, that’s like, kid central!”

 

“I worked at the circus, Darcy. Didn’t leave much time for other kids. And we had a fortuneteller; we didn’t need whatever that is.”

 

“I’ll show you ‘whatever this is’.” Darcy muttered, and grabbed up one of the colorful pens she had gotten out when she declared she was going to teach them how to do this. The three men all craned to see what she was writing, but she waved them off. When she was done, she straightened, and held the now decorated paper toy out to Bruce. “Pick a side, Doc.”

 

Bruce hesitated for a second, but eventually did as Darcy instructed. She led him through the steps until she unfolded the paper and read aloud. “You will receive a kiss.” She lowered the paper and a mischievous smile crossed her face. “Well, don’t want to make a liar out of it.” With that she leaned over and planted a quick kiss on the doctor.

 

When Darcy pulled away, there was a light flush to Bruce’s cheeks. They were definitely taking it slow, and not many kisses had taken place in the few days since the three had gotten together. She winked at him, and then turned to look at Steve. “Your turn Cap!”

 

Steve held up his hands. “I think I’m good if those are the kind of fortunes that thing hands out.”

 

Darcy shrugged, her smile persisting. “Your choice, here, I’ll make you a tamer one. Clint, Bruce, and I can keep this one for later.”

 

Clint laughed, Bruce blushed an even darker red, and Steve followed suit. From the couch, Tony muttered something that went ignored. Darcy took Steve’s fortuneteller and bent over it, scribbling a new set of fortunes into it, laughing and shielding with her arm when once again the men tried to look.

 

She had to pause when her phone went off in her pocket, planting on hand over the fortuneteller while she shifted and got her phone out with the other. A quick glance at the ID only confirmed for her that it wasn’t her mother, but that was enough for her to be okay with answering. She accepted the call and propped the phone between her shoulder and ear. “Darcy’s home for wayward superheroes. Adopt a Captain America have the adoption fee waved on Tony Stark. Or, just take Tony Stark. We’ll pay you to.”

 

“Hey!” Tony objected, but was once again ignored. Clint snickered and Bruce shook his head, though he had a small smile. Steve leaned back and placed a calming hand on Tony’s thigh.

 

“You’re still as much trouble as ever, kid.”

 

Darcy straightened, eyes going sharp. “How would you know old man, your memory has always been for crap.” Her heart pounding, her pulse was picking up, but she was also grinning, something she could never really help when it came to this man. However, she was aware of the eyes on her. “Hold on a second dude.” she said, and started to get up.

 

“Darcy?” Clint asked once she was standing and moving. She paused, holding the phone her chest as she leaned over and kissed first Bruce’s cheek, then Clint’s.

 

 “It’s just an old friend. I gotta take this.”

 

With that she made her way out of the room, waiting until she was alone to put the phone back to her ear. “How’d you get this number?” she asked bluntly.

 

The voice on the other end of the like chuckled. “I’ve still got friends out your mom’s way kid, and favors owed to me.”

 

“We’re going to pretend I didn’t hear that, because you know what will happen is Mom finds out about anyone helping you.”

 

“What about you. Viper wouldn’t be jumpin’ for joy to see you with the Avengers.”

 

“Don’t play stupid Patch, it doesn’t work well on you. We both know whoever gave you this number told you exactly why I’m here.”

 

“Needed to hear it for myself.”

 

Darcy sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “Yeah well, I’m not going to talk about it over the phone.”

 

“I know a good place where we can grab some grub and you can explain the mess your mother has gotten you into. It’s not far from Stark Tower.”

 

Darcy agreed and took the address from him, because there was no way in hell he was picking her up at the tower. She even reluctantly agreed to meeting him that night, only weakly pushing for some time. After all, there was a side of this that could be good for her. For the first time in several months, she was going to be able to talk to someone who cared about her about everything going on around her and in her head without holding back, and without worrying she’d be judged or have horrible consequences to answer to.

 

When she hung up and turned around, she was very proud of herself for not jumping a foot in the air at the sight of Natasha leaning against the wall. She hadn’t left the common floor to take the call. Stupid, and sloppy. She didn’t know how much Natasha heard, and now she needed to be careful. If she only caught the tail end, Darcy didn’t want to make another mistake in giving her more than she had.

 

“My step-dad.” she said in response to Natasha’s eyes flickering between her face and the phone in her hand. She forced herself to sound relaxed and not go on the defensive just because the Black Widow may or may not have overheard what at worst was only a very slightly incriminating phone call.

 

Natasha raised wordless eyebrows at her and Darcy did her best not to shrink back. “I’m just, I’m going to go back to the guys now. Y’know how they shouldn’t be left unattended for too long.” She scurried past the assassin and Natasha let her, but Darcy didn’t make the mistake of taking that as a good sign.

 

 

He was staring at her. Not only could she feel his eyes on her back, she could see him in the mirror. Darcy was tugging a brush through her hair, trying to look at least somewhat world presentable after a day of lounging around the tower. Both Clint and Bruce were in the room, but where Bruce was looking everywhere but at Darcy and Clint, feeling the tension in the room, Clint was watching his lover with sharp eyes.

 

“What is this Darce?” he asked, not for the first time.

 

“I told you already. Stepdad. Going to catch up with him.”

 

“Why can’t we come?” again, not the first time the question was asked.

 

“Because you can’t Clint. Jeez, would you calm down? What’s with the sudden let’s meet the parents bit? He’s not even technically my stepdad anymore.”

 

“Then why are you seeing him at all?”

 

She mumbled something as she put her brush down and grabbed up a scrunchie to pull her hair up in a messy bun.  “What?”

 

Darcy sighed. “Because he was a better parent than my mom ever was.” she said through gritted teeth, regretting having said it in the first place. But she had, and she’d recently made the choice to share what she could with Clint about her life in the hope that it meant he would push less over the things she wouldn’t open up about. Darcy turned to face him when he didn’t say anything. “Look, I just want to go see him and catch up. I don’t want to complicate things, and bring my boyfriends would definitely complicate things. I’m just not up for mixing that past with this present and future.”

 

Clint didn’t say anything, and after a moment of watching her and her watching him back, he left the room. Darcy closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. What was happening between them?

 

“Darcy?” That was Bruce, voice careful. She didn’t snap at him, even if her first instinct was to. That was just her frustration talking and it wasn’t fair to take that out on him when he hadn’t done anything. Instead she looked up at him, wordless. “I just, I mean, was your mom… was she abusive?”

 

“What? No, no Bruce, what?” She knew she was babbling her answer, but he had caught her off guard.

 

“When things turn to your family, your mother, it seems like something you never want to talk about. It’s what makes you an Clint fight.”

 

“A lot of things make me and Clint fight.”

 

That got her a look from Bruce that said she knew he knew better than that. And of course she did. “My mother wasn’t abusive, Bruce.” she repeated. “Just, absent and dismissive. Critical when she was around and paying attention. Still critical. It wears on the nerves so I don’t like talking about it.”

 

“Your stepfather wasn’t like that?”

 

“No, Patch was good. He looked out for me. Gave me some of the parenting I sorely needed. Hell, if he could’ve I’m pretty sure he would’ve taken me with when him and my mom divorced.”

 

“You still talk to your mother though,” Bruce said slowly, carefully.

 

Darcy’s mind flashed on his file, the documentation of the abuse he’d gone through as a child. It also ran through Clint’s crappy childhood, and she could see why Bruce wanted to be very clear on this subject and very careful about what boundaries he pushed. None of them had very good track records in the parents area, but Clint and Bruce didn’t get the rundown that she did by being able to look at her file.

 

Her position got her the file access to see theirs; Clint technically had the same clearance, but he had a thing about going into the files, and Bruce didn’t have the same clearance. Not that looking at her file would tell them much. The bare facts were true, but that was all it was, the barest facts that could be given. When you looked back at the history of Darcy Lewis, it was the most ordinary, boring history, with some vaguely interesting highlights that could be found within the SHIELD archives. Because that was the back story HYDRA had put together for her.

 

Well, she had put it together and told the minions to make it happen. Perks of being the head honcho’s kid and all.

 

She sighed and tried to figure out how to best explain her relationship with Viper to Bruce without sharing too much or anything that would make him too curious. “She’s my mom. I love her. It’s definitely a hard thing to love her, but I do. Things would probably be way easier if I didn’t care about her being proud of me, but…” she trailed off, shrugging. “And I know she does love me, she just never really intended to have a kid, y’know? Just because she didn’t give me up doesn’t mean she suddenly grew maternal instincts. I think she did the best she could with what she had in that department. It just sucks for everyone involved that what she had wasn’t all that great.”

 

Bruce gave her a thoughtful look, then nodded, as if she had answered more than just the question he asked. He walked closer to her, extending a hand. Darcy took it and he gave hers a tight squeeze. “You’re an amazing young woman Darcy; anyone who doesn’t see that is missing out.”

 

Her nose wrinkled but at the same time she smiled, and closed the distance between them to kiss him. It was Bruce who deepened the kiss, free hand coming up to tangle in her hair while Darcy’s grasped his shoulder.

 

When they broke apart, she stayed close, pressing her lips to his cheek. “You’re so corny, Doc. Thank you.” she said softly, her lips against his skin. He didn’t say anything in return, just watched her through those ever observant brown eyes when they finally pulled fully away from each other. “I’ve got to go meet up with Patch. Keep an eye on our pouty boy?”

 

A smile tugged at Bruce’s lips as he nodded that made Darcy want to kiss him all over again, but she resisted. “He’ll cool off.” Bruce assured as they both began to leave the room.

 

Darcy gave a nod and a smile of her own, but she couldn’t help the bit of doubt that floated through her as she left the apartment. Even as she and Bruce and Clint and Bruce were getting closer, she and Clint seemed to be drifting.

 

 

Because things could never be simple, Viper called her on her way to meet up with her ex-stepfather. “Report.” she’d said as soon as Darcy picked up the phone.

 

“Report what?” Darcy asked, struggling not to let her weariness and irritation leak into her voice. Every day it seemed more and more pointless to have her in there, when there was nothing earth shattering to give her mother.

 

“Where have they gotten of the recovery of the bringing the god to earth project? What is there for us to use against the monster?” her mother did not bother to hide her irritation like Darcy did, then again, she never did.

 

Darcy flinched at how Viper referred to Bruce. “The project has been delayed, but eventually they are going to bring Thor back, that’s just fact. If you’re planning something that you don’t want him around for, it’s gotta happen soon. I’m not going to stall things again.”

 

“You’ll do it if I tell you too.”

 

“I can’t mother. Never mind that they’re way more protective of things now, Stark’s suspicious. If something else happens it’s going to be really hard to keep making him look like a paranoid boy crying wolf.”

 

For a moment Viper was silent and Darcy paused in her walking while she wait for her mother to say something. “And your progress with Banner? His weakness?”

 

She hesitated, licking her lips as she began walking again. “I… Barton and I. He’s grown… attached.”

 

“That’s two men you’ve got under your control. Using you will make things far easier then.”

 

“Make what easier? What are you planning?”

 

“You’ll find out when you need to. For now, make sure you don’t lose any ground Darcy.”

 

With that Viper hung up, and left Darcy staring at her phone. Whatever her mother was planning, she wasn’t sure she would like it. Of course, that was her own fault. She’d let herself grow too attached.

 

 

“You’re quiet, kid. I live with you for four years and could hardly get you to shut that smart mouth. You telling me you suddenly learned how to shut up?”

 

Darcy rolled her eyes at the man she sat across from and took a bite of her burger rather than answer him. Patch, Logan, whatever the hell he was going by these days, took a gulp of his beer and gave her a long look. “So what’s the story here, what’s got you running around with Avengers? Couldn’t even pick a classy group like the X-Men?”

 

She narrowed her eyes at the short, burly man. “The only reason Viper would send me to you lot is if she wanted to drive you up a wall and back.”

 

Logan cracked a smile. “How is the Harpy? And what has she gotten you into? You’re not avoiding that question kid, so don’t try to.”

 

“Wasn’t trying too.” she grumbled. “She’s the same as always. She’s got me here… keeping an eye on things.”

 

“What things?”

 

“Things.” Darcy drawled, attempting to tell him to mind his own business with the one word.

 

A snort escaped from the mutant. “She hasn’t told you.” It wasn’t a question. Darcy knew Logan knew Viper more than well enough to know he had the right answer. “What about your dad, kid?”

 

“What about him?” she glared, a warning for Logan to watch where he went with this. Not that Darcy had much threat to put behind that warning.

 

“I think I’ve got my answer then.” he said, and her eyebrows knit together, not sure what he was getting at. After a moment of silence between them, he sighed and shifted in his seat. “Look, Darcy, if you ever want to get out of this, you’re welcome up in Westchester, no questions asked kid. You don’t have worry about your mom or Avengers or anyone coming for you.”

 

Darcy scoffed, looking down her drink. “One, yes I would, and you’re crazier than I thought if you think I wouldn’t have to worry about them all. For the record, I already think you’re pretty damn crazy, old man. Two, I’m not a mutant, I don’t have a place up there. Three, I can take care of myself Patch, I’ve been doing it for years.”

 

“We take care of our own up there, and if I say you’re one of us, you’re one of us. It’s not about having an x-gene. As for taking care of yourself, I never said you couldn’t, I’m just giving you the choice of having people in your corner for once.”

 

“I’ve got people in my corner,” she said softly, still not lifting her eyes.

 

“Your mom is a long shot at best and you’ve only got the Avengers so long as they don’t know who you are. I don’t care who you are and the Professor’s all about giving second chances, even when it’s stupid. It wouldn’t be stupid for you though, kid.”

 

She looked back up at him, knowing her eyes were just a bit bright with held back tears. Her throat was tight. Why did he have to remind her that everything she had was unsteady at best? “Viper is my mother, Patch. So long as she is, I’m going to do what she wants. Hail Hydras and all.” She stood, taking out a couple of bills and putting them on the table. “I should get back.”

 

Logan didn’t stand, didn’t try to stop her. He just watched her, and gave her that tired smile Darcy knew not very many people got to see from him. “If you ever need help kid, you know who to call. No questions asked.”

 

The smile she gave him back was just as tired. “I know. Want me to tell Viper you say hi?” she added the last part with the hope that they could end this on a somewhat less pessimistic note.

 

It worked, Logan groaned and shook his head, and Darcy let out a laugh before leaving, disappearing into the New York crowd on the sidewalk.

Chapter Text

On the heels of Darcy leaving, Bruce had somehow talked Clint into settling down to watch a movie. They were still in the apartment Clint and Darcy essentially shared and lived in together, even if it was technically Darcy’s and Clint still had his own two floors up. They sat on the couch, not exactly cuddling, but close enough that their knees and thighs touched and Clint had an arm around Bruce’s shoulders.

 

Neither of them were actually watching the movie. Clint had his eyes on the screen but he was absorbing nothing. Meanwhile Bruce’s eyes kept flickering to Clint, making it a bit hard to catch what was going on in the movie.

 

Eventually, Clint sighed and paused the movie. “Okay, what?” he asked, not sharp, just resigned to the conversation that they were going to have.

 

Bruce didn’t try to deny the coming conversation either, he just took time to organize his thoughts before speaking. “You’re angry.” he said, and okay, he didn’t really need to pause to think that up, but either way it was the truth.

 

“Not at you.” Clint pointed out.

 

“It doesn’t matter who you’re angry at—well it does, I just…” the doctor sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “We’re all in a relationship now. So if you’re angry with Darcy, or Darcy’s angry with me, or I’m angry with you, it doesn’t matter, it still affects everyone in the relationship. I’m trying to figure out what’s going on between you and Darcy and how much of a right I have to saying anything because this is so new, but I feel like I have at least the right to know what’s going on.”

 

Clint knew Bruce had a point, but that didn’t make him any more inclined to share. He blew out a huff of air and shifted so that he was facing Bruce and actually looking at the other man. Of course, the actual keeping eye contact only last for a few moments before he dropped his head so that his forehead rested on Bruce’s shoulder. Bruce brought a hand up, hesitating a second before he began to comb his fingers through the dirty blond hair.

 

“I love Darcy.” Clint admitted, and Bruce waited for more, because as far as confessions went? This was one of the most obvious statement of facts he’d heard in a long while. “She has so many goddamn secrets though.”

 

“We all have secrets. All three of us.” Bruce said, eyebrows pulling together. Because really, as far as the matter of secrets went, he would’ve ranked Darcy as having the fewest of the three of them. Of course, even though he was working on becoming closer with her, he knew Clint did know her better than he did, and he could readily admit that.

 

The archer shook his head. “I know that Bruce. But at this point, I’ve told her so much. More than I ever thought I’d be telling anyone. Anytime we come even close to talking about hers, she shuts down. She has nightmares, did you know that? Not like the kind where she’s screaming and waking up, but I know what a nightmare looks like.”

 

Bruce nodded, because he did know that Darcy had nightmares. Like Clint, Bruce knew exactly the look of someone stuck in some horrible dream. Darcy had fallen asleep on the couch in the labs a few times, and Bruce could see her twitching, hear her breaths catching every so often, and the so quiet whimpers that you’d miss if you weren’t listening for them. They never seemed to wake the young woman up, at least not in the way you’d expect someone to come out of a nightmare.

 

“I’ll ask her in the morning how she slept, and she always just tells me fine. She never opens up, never even thinks about it. She’s just fine.” Bruce could hear the bitter note in the other man’s voice.

 

“Some people don’t remember their dreams.”

 

Clint raised his head, blue eyes meeting Bruce’s brown. “Maybe what a dream is about, but have you ever forgotten having a nightmare, Freckles? Not the contents, but the feeling? That horror that you can’t even explain when you open your eyes?”

 

“No.” Bruce answered quietly, unable to break eye contact with the other man.

 

“Exactly. And I don’t want Darcy to be alone in dealing with that feeling; in dealing with anything that goes on in her head. She’s choosing to go through that though, and it’s frustrating because I have to watch and know she doesn’t trust me with whatever this all is.”

 

It was getting easier and easier to see how the situation between Darcy and Clint came to be the way it was. Darcy, while being able to put out the image of being an open book, was very skilled at being intensely private. Bruce would suggest to Clint that he might also be annoyed that she was managing to beat him or at least match him at his own game, if he didn’t already know that wouldn’t help anything. Obviously he had shared things with Darcy, and was disappointed and hurt when she hadn’t shared back.

 

How had Bruce managed to get himself pulled into this situation? How was it that he would rather be nowhere else?

 

He leaned in and gave Clint a quick peck on the lips, a gesture meant for comfort more than anything. When he pulled away, he leaned his forehead against his boyfriend’s. “Being angry with her doesn’t help anything Clint. If anything, it makes her push you away more.”

 

“Barton? Are you there? Process of elimination puts you in this apartment. Steve won’t let me keep the cameras on in the apartments anymore and your girlfriend somehow figured out how to override some of Jarvis’ protocols on tracking when it comes to her rooms, but you’re not anywhere else so you have to be—”

 

Clint groaned. “Yes Stark, I’m here.” he said into the air, effectively cutting off Tony’s rambling. “What do you want?”

 

“Come down to my workshop and I’ll tell you.”

 

The forehead thumped back onto Bruce’s shoulder. “Can this wait? I’m kinda busy here.”

 

“What, watching movies with Bruce? Because I know you two haven’t gotten to the fun stuff yet, he would’ve told me.” a pause, then “Bruce? You’d tell me right? Because I’d be so hurt if I didn’t get all the—”

 

“Will you shut up if I come down there?” Again Clint cut the billionaire off because it was better than listening to Tony go on.

 

“Huh? Yeah, hurry up, Robin Hood.”

 

Clint rolled his eyes and looked up at. “I guess I’ll go see what he wants. You can stay in here if you want. Darcy wouldn’t care and I don’t either.”

 

Bruce shook his head, smiling slightly. “I think I should maybe go back to my place.” Clint shrugged, and they both stood, heading out of the apartment together. They lingered in the hallway for a few moments, Clint catching Bruce by the arm so he could get a kiss in before they went their separate ways for the evening.

 

“I’ll try. Not being angry at her I mean. I’ll try that.”The words tumbled from Clint’s lips and Bruce smiled at him. They separated with Bruce feeling like he was getting better and better at finding his footing between the brunette and blonde that had previous had him running in circles.

 

 

“This better be—” Clint started, but came up short when he entered the lab. It wasn’t only Tony in the room, but rather the whole team, plus Jane Foster. “What the hell is this? If everyone is down here why didn’t you tell me to bring Bruce down?”

 

“We thought it’d be better is Banner didn’t hear this yet.” Natasha stood with her arms crossed, and looked ready for a fight.

 

Tony, who was distracted as always by something else, this time being a tablet, snorted. “You guys think that.  I think he has just as much a right to know as Barton.”

 

“Barton doesn’t turn into a seven foot tall rage monster.” Natasha snapped back.

 

“We all agreed that we would tell Bruce when we got the situation figured out. Until then, there isn’t any point in telling him about something he can’t do anything about.” Steve interrupted the bickering with a stern look at both team members. Tony looked back to his tablet with a mumble while Natasha just looked unremorseful.

 

“What situation? What’s going on?” Clint asked, eyes narrowing. He didn’t have to know what was happening to know he didn’t like it.

 

“I still don’t believe it. You guys made a mistake.” Jane looked pale and tired, more so than she had in recent weeks. The rebuilding of the bifrost was really taking it out of her. Clint wondered what she was even doing there. Yes, she was a brilliant scientist, but they tended not to pull her into team things unless it involve the entire science team, which included Bruce. The only things she was an authority on that would call for her was Thor and Darcy.

 

His face shut down as he put it together. “What happened? Where’s Darcy?” his voice was rough, his throat tight. If they didn’t want Bruce around, it had to be because something bad happened, and they didn’t want him to lose his grip on the Hulk.

 

“She loves you guys, you can’t really believe this.” Jane continued.

 

“We’ll give her a chance to explain, but there’s evidence to support it, Doctor Foster.” Steve spoke.

 

“A taped conversation probably taken out of context? C’mon, this is ridiculous!” Jane was growing furious as defending her friend quickly became the most important thing at that moment.

 

“What happened?” Clint asked more loudly, through gritted teeth. “Where is Darcy?”

 

Tony clucked his tongue. “Relax, your girlfriend is just fine. Absolutely evil, but just fine.”

 

“This again? Really Stark, do you want me to—”

 

“I put a bug on Darcy.” Natasha interrupted calmly, speaking in a completely conversational tone.

 

Clint turned on her, eyes widening. “You what?”

 

“The other day. I dropped it into her bag, and she hasn’t found it.” Well that wasn’t a surprise, Darcy’s bag was a bottomless pit of stuff. Still, Clint had no idea what to make of what was going on.

 

Tony spoke before he could demand answers again. “We’ve got evidence now that you’re literally sleeping with the enemy. Listen.” He pressed something on his tablet, and soon sound was playing around them.

 

“So what’s the story here, what’s got you running around with Avengers? Couldn’t even pick a classy group like the X-Men?”

 

Clint’s eyebrows knit together. He knew that voice. After all, Wolverine had a very distinct, gravelly, smoked too much, drank too much, voice. “Is that…?”

 

“Wolverine, Logan, yep. Also known as your girlfriend’s ex-stepfather Patch. He has quite the file if you look him up in the SHIELD database. Now listen.” Tony ordered.

 

“The only reason Viper would send me to you lot is if she wanted to drive you up a wall and back.”

 

 “How is the Harpy? And what has she gotten you into? You’re not avoiding that question kid, so don’t try to.”

 

“Wasn’t trying too. She’s the same as always. She’s got me here… keeping an eye on things.”

 

“What things?”

 

“Things.”

 

“She hasn’t told you. What about your dad, kid?”

 

“What about him?”

 

“I think I’ve got my answer then. Look, Darcy, if you ever want to get out of this, you’re welcome up in Westchester, no questions asked kid. You don’t have worry about your mom or Avengers or anyone coming for you.”

 

 “One, yes I would, and you’re crazier than I thought if you think I wouldn’t have to worry about them all. For the record, I already think you’re pretty damn crazy, old man. Two, I’m not a mutant, I don’t have a place up there. Three, I can take care of myself Patch, I’ve been doing it for years.”

 

“We take care of our own up there, and if I say you’re one of us, you’re one of us. It’s not about having an x-gene. As for taking care of yourself, I never said you couldn’t, I’m just giving you the choice of having people in your corner for once.”

 

“I’ve got people in my corner,”

 

“Your mom is a long shot at best and you’ve only got the Avengers so long as they don’t know who you are. I don’t care who you are and the Professor’s all about giving second chances, even when it’s stupid. It wouldn’t be stupid for you though, kid.”

 

 “Viper is my mother, Patch. So long as she is, I’m going to do what she wants. Hail Hydras and all.”

 

Tony stopped the recording, and Jane was shaking her head. “We don’t know what that was about. Darcy is a good person.” she insisted.

 

“C’mon Doc, I know you’re not stupid, so what’s with the denial? Listen to this, we got it earlier.”

 

What he played next was obliviously something that was picked up while Darcy was outside. The general noises of people and traffic around her could be heard, as well as her conversation, which sounded one sided, like she was on the phone.

 

“Report what?”

 

“The project has been delayed, but eventually they are going to bring Thor back, that’s just fact. If you’re planning something that you don’t want him around for, it’s gotta happen soon. I’m not going to stall things again.”

 

“I can’t mother. Never mind that they’re way more protective of things now, Stark’s suspicious. If something else happens it’s going to be really hard to keep making him look like a paranoid boy crying wolf.”

 

“I… Barton and I. He’s grown… attached.”

 

“Make what easier? What are you planning?”

 

Now Jane looked even more pale. It was obvious she had yet to hear that recording. On the other hand, Clint could feel an odd mix of feelings bubbling in him. At the end of that conversation she’d been talking about him, and if he had to guess, Bruce.

 

She was using them.

 

It was a feeling that he supposed he should be used too. Clint Barton, after all, was no stranger to being used. His brother, the circus, Loki. No stranger at all. Still this ripped him up, even more when Bruce was brought into the picture. A protectiveness he wasn’t sure he had any right to was rearing up in him. Yes, he was used to being used, and even this couldn’t surprise him that much. Or that was what he was telling himself. Bruce though, Clint didn’t want him to have to deal with that, especially the special kind of pain it caused when the person who used you was someone you cared about. He knew people had attempted to and succeeded in using Bruce in the past. But that had been the military, SHIELD, Loki. Not people Bruce had grown to care about. Not Darcy.

 

He didn’t realize he was storming out of the workshop until Cap called after him. “Hawkeye!”

 

Either someone kept the super soldier back or he decided himself not to follow, because when Clint stopped, he found himself in the hallway, alone. Cursing to himself, he pulled out his phone and dialed Darcy’s number from memory. It only rung for what felt like forever before she finally picked it up.

 

“Hey Scuttle, I’ll be home in like, five minutes.” Darcy answered.

 

“Don’t bother.”

 

 

The slight smile on Darcy’s lips faded and she slowed to a stop at Clint’s words. She was just a block from the tower and here he was calling her, telling her not to come back.

 

“What do you mean don’t bother? What’s going on.” she asked carefully, while her pulse picked up. This wasn’t good. She could already tell that this was very not good.

 

“I don’t know who the fuck you are or what the fuck you’ve been doing or why I’m even giving you this chance, but don’t come back here. I don’t want to see you, I don’t want Bruce to see you, just make yourself disappear. I don’t care where you go as long as you’re gone.”

 

Darcy felt her heart start to sink and tears start to prick at the corners of her eyes. She knew this would happen one day, but… “How?” she asked softly.

 

Clint laughed, and it was a bitter, angry, sad sound. “It doesn’t matter now. The point is we know and if you had any sort of real feelings for Bruce or me, you’ll just go and make this easier on us.”

 

He hung up and Darcy kept holding the phone to her ear for several moments after the call went dead. Eventually she shook her head and moved under an awning to the side of the walkway, working on trying to calm he quick breaths and ignoring the curious looks of passerby.

 

She should’ve called her mother. That was what she was supposed to do in an event like this. Call her mother, tell her she’d been found out, arrange extraction.

 

And then what? Go home and listen to her mother’s silence, which as good as being unspoken criticism and disappointment? Yes, being home, even with home being a Hydra base, would be far less complicated than this. It brought along its own set of problems though. Problems that while being straightforward, she wasn’t sure she could deal with anymore.

 

Instead of dialing Viper, she dialed the number Logan had given to her.

 

The mutant answered in two rings. “Yeah?”

 

Darcy swallowed. “Is that offer you made still good?” she asked, proud her voice only wobbled a little bit.

 

Logan was silent for a moment. “Kid? What happened?”

 

“Is that offer you made still good Patch?” she repeated herself, closing her eyes. She couldn’t tell him what happened because she didn’t quite know herself yet. That and she was still in a state of shock.

 

Thankfully Logan didn’t push it. “Yeah, it is. I’ll pick you up. Where are you?”

 

 

“You know they won’t just let her go.” Clint heard Natasha as he hung up the phone.

 

“She’s gone. We don’t need to worry about her anymore.”

 

He didn’t turn around to look at the other spy, but his shoulders did tense as he heard her approach. “She’s been here gaining trust and taking information for months. We’ll have to bring her in, if only because we have to know what she shared.”

 

Clint shook his head and clenched his hand tightly around his phone. “We can’t bring her back here. It’ll kill Bruce.”

 

Natasha put a hand on her friend’s shoulder, but Clint only pulled away. “Not now Tasha.” he said gruffly, before walking away from her. The Russian was grateful he didn’t look back, and therefore didn’t see the concern etched onto her face.

Chapter Text

They were so very nice to her. Even when she felt like she didn’t deserve it. From the moment Logan got there it was kindness, and they had to know full well who she was and what she did. At least, the Professor did, and Darcy didn’t think Logan was shouting from the rooftops her wrongs, but she also didn’t think he was completely hiding them from those who asked.

 

“Chuck, this is my daughter Darcy. She’s got herself in a bit of a jam and needs a place to stay.” It had made her heart swell the hear him call her his daughter, even knowing that had always been the best way to describe their relationship. Yet she never called him her father. Mostly because from experience she associated the word father with asshole and other colorful words. Logan may be those words sometimes, but not to the point where it earned him the title full time. For her he was always just Patch. Since it was a name he seemed to have long ago stopped using, it served just as well a title showing their link.

 

The bald man in the wheelchair before them smiled serenely. “Of course. Hello Darcy, I’m Professor Charles Xavier.” He reached out to her and numbly she gave him her hand to shake. She was still in shock over what had happened only a couple of hours before. “You seem quite tired.” Well there was a kind way to say she looked like shit. “Why don’t I let you get some rest. Logan will be able to find a room for you.”

 

She wasn’t sure if she’d nodded in a agreement or anything, but she heard Logan rumble out a thank you before putting a hand on her shoulder and guiding her away.

 

The room he put her in was in the hallway for the teacher rooms, right across from his apparently. It was an idea that under normal circumstances would’ve had her making wisecracks and things of the like, Logan being allowed to participate in the process of shaping young minds.

 

On the way to the room he pointed out where other things were, the kitchen, the rec room, bathrooms on this hallway placed so two rooms had access to each one. The one she had she apparently shared with a woman Logan called ‘Ro at first, then by the name Darcy knew her by, which was Storm.

 

She fell asleep in her clothes, and when she woke up, there were a couple of bags with new clothes on a chair in the corner with a note from Logan. ‘Had Rogue and Jubilee pick these out for you –Patch’ She took the clothes, and after making sure the bathroom was empty, took a shower and got dressed, only to go back to her room and stay there.

 

It had been eight days. She barely ever left the room, only venturing to the bathroom when she knew there was no possible chance of running into Storm, and the kitchens she went to in the dead of night, when most of the mansion of was asleep, or when the students and teachers were meant to be busy with classes. Occasionally she’d find a student or another adult in there, and during those times she grabbed food and left quickly. One time she found Logan waiting for her, and he didn’t force her to talk, just sat across the table from her while she ate in silence.

 

Once in awhile she heard people murmuring outside the room, but she tried not to listen to hard, not sure if she could deal with what they said.

 

It was the ninth morning that Logan walked into the room interrupting Darcy and her daily routine of not doing much other than reading whatever she could get her hands on [someone had started leaving books outside her door, which was so nice it made her throat tight, considering how crappy a guest she has been]. “C’mon on kid, you’re coming out of this room and eating with the rest of us.”

 

Darcy blinked up at him. “What? Patch, no.”

 

“Yes.” he insisted. “I’ve let you do this damn shut in routine for six fuckin’ days too long. It ain’t doing you any good. So either you come out walking, or I carry you out there, but you’re leaving this room one way or another.”

 

She bit her lip. He would do it, she knew he would. And he would do it because it was for her own good, she knew that too. She needed to stop throwing the nonstop pity party she was letting herself wallow in. It wasn’t helping her and it was putting her in any better a position. She knew all of this, but she still hesitated when she put the book she was reading to the side. “Fine, can I change out of my pajamas first?”

 

“No.” Logan said bluntly, stepping to the side and gesturing for her to go ahead of him. Muttering under her breath, Darcy left the room.

 

 

The kitchen was warm and bright and filled with people, who all silenced when she entered. Her first instinct was to turn tail and run, but the fact that Logan was right behind her and she knew he would stop her kinda killed that idea. As it was, the fact that she even paused had Logan sighing and putting his hands on her shoulders, steering her in the direction of the nearest open seat at the table. It happened to be between the two people Darcy recognized as Rogue and Beast. Really, she recognized almost everyone at the table, even though she’d never met them up close and personal.

 

“Well hiya Sug,” Rogue said in a thick accent, all smiles as she broke the silence. “I was startin’ to believe Wolverine was a lyin’ about you comin’ to live here. I’m Rogue. Anna. Whatever works for ya.”

 

“Darcy.” she replied, because damnit, she could do this. She would do this.

 

Introductions were made all around the big table. Aside for Rogue and Beast [‘Henry, call me Hank.’], there was Cyclops [‘Scott.’], Jean Grey, Storm [‘Or Ororo, whichever you please.’], Shadowcat [‘That’s what you’re going by this week kid, really?’ ‘Shut up Logan! Just call me Kitty.’], Jubilee [‘Please don’t call me Jubilation. Please.’], Nightcrawler [‘Kurt is just fine.’], and Gambit [‘Or you can call me Remy, chère.’]. Of them all, Darcy was only unfamiliar with Kitty and Jubilee, but that was because they were students who more often than not managed to worm their way into breakfast in this kitchen rather than with the other kids.

 

She stayed quiet for most of the meal, content to eat what was placed in front of her by Logan [which was a lot, because he apparently wasn’t satisfied with how she’d been eating the past few days], and listen as the large group chattered. If she pretended not to notice the glances aimed in her direction, it was eerily similar to a breakfast at the tower with everyone. They talked over each other and laughed and bickered over who got the last pancake [Hank did apparently, just taking it while the others argued and smiling when they stopped and stared]. The only thing missing was the warm presence of Clint beside her, and the still new feeling of Bruce bumping knees with her under the table and shy smiles he’d give her when it happened.

 

And there, she’d just wrecked this for herself. She stared hard at her plate, determined not to cry at the table. Clint had been right of course, if any of her feelings for him and Bruce were real, this was the best thing to do for all of them. And of course, because she was stupid, so very stupid, she did have real feeling for the two men. She’d let herself get too invested, and there was no one to blame but herself.

 

If anyone noticed her mood change, they were polite enough not to mention it, or question her. And really, she was sure they did notice. When breakfast finished, she offered to clean up while they all got on with their day. “Oh, you don’t have to.” Jean said as Darcy started gathering up dishes.

 

“I don’t mind, it’s the least I can do.” Darcy said. Plus, it was more than likely to give her some alone time without having Logan dragging her out of her room again. And the breakfast had used up about all of her social abilities for the morning. Thankfully no one really fought her on it.

 

 

“Why isn’t anyone looking for her?!” he demanded, his voice rising in frustration. Nine days. It had been nine days since Darcy hadn’t come home after going out to dinner. A SHIELD job, they said. Bruce had accepted it with only some hesitation, because no matter how much she seemed otherwise, he knew Darcy was technically a SHIELD agent. She wasn’t like Clint and Natasha, but he had to remind himself that she had to have skills all her own, for the agency to have wanted her to begin with. Around the third day with no word from her he’d grown antsy. It was only Clint, tense but so sure that this was normal, that kept him from bursting with worry. The sixth day he’d started asking questions no one could give him the answers to. The ninth day, today, he was five minutes from losing it. “She’s disappeared! She could be hurt! We need to look for her!”

 

“Doctor Banner, calm down.” Steve said steadily, his hands making placating gestures. “We haven’t gotten any word from SHIELD that would call for us going on a retrieval.”

 

“SHIELD won’t even tell us where she is!”

 

The whole team was there. Steve, all soothing words and movements. Tony, looking surly and as if he had a whole bundle of words on the tip of his tongue. Natasha, face blank except for the eye flickers in Clint’s direction. Clint hadn’t said anything, had said so little in the past several days, Bruce didn’t know what was wrong with him. Didn’t know why he wasn’t fighting just as hard for the okay to go help Darcy wherever she was.

 

“If there was trouble, they’d tell us.”

 

Bruce let out an aggravated sound that was almost a shout but not quite. He wanted to throw and break things. He wanted to lose control until he knew Darcy was okay. However, he knew he couldn’t. He had to settle for storming out of the room and away.

 

He knew, in theory, if Clint wasn’t worried yet, he had no reason to be. There was something in the back of his mind though, whispering that there was something not right about all of this. The others were acting odd, tiptoeing around him And Clint… every time Bruce brought Darcy up when they were alone together, he only managed to ever listen for a few moments before he changed the subject.

 

All he needed was to take a few minutes to himself. To calm down, then he could go back and talk reasonably to them, to Clint. He was being paranoid, his worry skewing his view of things. By the time he walked to the opposite side of this floor of the tower and back, his thoughts would be collected. He’d be able to go over things sensibly.

 

That’s what he did, and when he found himself outside the room he had started in, he paused, only to prepare himself to make a reasonable argument. He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop.

 

“—all know she’s probably hiding out with the X-Men. We should just go get her.” that was Tony.

 

“We don’t know that Tony, and without evidence, I’m not going to start a conflict with them.” Steve.

 

“I could get proof.” Natasha spoke and Bruce could imagine the nonchalant shrug that went with the assassin’s words.

 

“No!” Clint this time, speaking with a startling harshness, considering how shut down he’d been before. “We’re not bringing her back.”

 

“We need to Clint.” Steve said calmly. “You know we do.”

 

“This wouldn’t even be a problem I you hadn’t told her to run, Legolas. And if you would man up and tell Banner she’s not worth all the time he’s spending going crazy about her.”

 

“Back off, Stark.” Natasha ordered.

 

“Why should I? He’s the one who screwed around with her for months and supposedly didn’t know she was playing spy. He’s the one refusing to tell Bruce when Bruce deserves to know that the girl he’s worrying so much about was just using him.”

 

They were talking about Darcy. They knew something and they weren’t telling Bruce.

 

Clint wasn’t telling Bruce.

 

Reality blurred until he saw green. So much green.

 

 

“Mind if I sit with you, Sug?”

 

Darcy blinked up at the woman, then shrugged. “If you want.” She was in one of the common areas of the mansion; it wasn’t like she could say no even if she wanted to. Logan had told her she couldn’t sit in her room for the rest of the day, so she’d just brought her pile of books to read out into a public area to appease him.

 

“So you like the books the Doc’s been leavin’ you?” Rogue asked as she settled down.

 

“…Doctor McCoy’s been leaving them?” Darcy asked, a touch surprised. He didn’t know her. Hell, up until today, he’d never even seen her. Why do such a nice thing for someone you didn’t know, who you couldn’t be sure would appreciate it?

 

“Well Logan was talkin’ about you—he’s been doing a lot of that this past week. He cares about you a whole lot, girl. He said you liked to read, so Hank thought leavin’ you books would give you something to do.”

 

“I liked to read the last time Patch saw me, when I was twelve.” Darcy said with a sigh and a fond smile as she looked down at the book she held in her hands. “For all that old man knew, everything I like could’ve changed between more than a decade ago and now.”

 

“It’d still be the thought that counted.” Rogue said gently.

 

“Yeah, it would be.” Darcy agreed and sighed again.”So Patch asked you to talk to me?” she guessed, giving the mutant a sidelong look.

 

Rogue laughed and nodded. “Well he did say you weren’t stupid, and that you’d know he sent me.”

 

“Yep, that’s me. The not stupid girl who’s got herself in a mess so big she can’t even make it out on her own.” She said, and knew there was a flare of bitterness to her words.

 

“Hey now, everyone gets into messes that they need help gettin’ out of. Ain’t no shame in that.”

 

“Does everyone let their mom get them into those messes?”

 

“I did.” When Darcy looked at her more directly, Rogue shrugged. “There are a lot of people who will do anything for family because they are family and they love them. I’m one of them, and apparently you are too. That don’t mean family is always thinkin’ about what’s best for you. Half the time, it’s too late when we finally realize that. But I did realize Mystique was doin’ wrong by me, and I found my way here. I ain’t perfect, but the professor took me in, and I’m doin’ what I can to deal with what I did in the past. I don’t know what you did, or how bad you messed up, but you came here and didn’t go to your momma, that’s a start.”

 

“Yeah well, it’s kind of late at this point. Not like I can fix what I did.”

 

“Well why not?”

 

“Let’s see. I sabotaged my best friend’s only way of getting her lover back, I lied to Captain America, oh, and the Black Widow, I reported on people who trusted me to an evil, seeking to dominate the world, organization, and I also manipulated two of the sweetest men for my own benefit. Kinda hard to go back and fix all of that.”

 

“It might be,” Rogue agreed slowly. “But, you won’t know until you try. You gotta talk to them before you call this all a bust.”

 

“I’m not sure that you convincing me to go talk my problem out with the Avengers is what Patch had in mind when he asked you to come talk to me.” Darcy pointed out. Rogue gave her a mischievous smile.

 

“Maybe not, but it sounds to me like what you need is a family that cares about you. We can certainly be that here, but from where I’m standing, I think you want that crazy bunch down in Stark Tower to be.”

 

Darcy opened her mouth to respond, then closed it, unsure of what to say.

 

“Rogue, suit up, we gotta go.” Cyclops came into the room, already in his uniform. Both woman looked over at him.

 

“Where’s the fire, Scott?” Rogue asked.

 

“The Hulk’s lost it down in the city. Avengers are there, but it looks like they need some back up.”

 

Darcy stood faster than the other female. “I’m going with you.” she said, before the thought of what she was evening doing formed in her head. Really, the only though that could run coherently through it anyway was ‘Bruce. Bruce. Bruce Bruce Bruce Bruce.’

 

“I’m not sure—” Cyclops started.

 

She cut him off before he could get anywhere with that thought. “That seven foot tall ball of green rage bouncing around the city right now? That’s my boyfriend. Or he was. So. I’m coming. I sure as hell have a better chance of calming him down than you do.”

 

She was sure that if she could see the older man’s eyes, he would’ve been staring dumbly at her. After all, the rest of his expression kind of gave that away. He didn’t try to argue anymore though, which was the important part.

 

 

Logan tried to argue it.

 

Darcy won with glares and crossed arms and words that quickly dissolved into yelling [‘YOU WANT ME TO STAND UP FOR MYSELF? THEN YOU BROUGHT THIS ON YOUR OWN DAMN SELF, PATCH!’]. So, he let her on the Blackbird. Of course, he then tried to not let her off. She didn’t go for that either, and rushed passed him, taking in the scene of the city.

 

And oh, it wasn’t a very pretty scene.

 

It seemed like for the most part they managed to at least herd Hulk into an area where the civilian population had been evacuated, but they’d failed to actually calm him down. Having SHIELD agents, whole squads of NYC cops, Avengers, and now X-Men swarming around probably had something to do with that. There was yelling and guns and craziness and did they really expect to get him under control with all of this? “Stupid.” she muttered, moving forward. She ignored the yells and dodged the reaching hands. From cops who didn’t know her, SHIELD agents who didn’t get a good enough look at her to recognize they knew her, and X-Men who just didn’t know what to do with her. The Avengers were too busy to notice the chaos going on that wasn’t related to the Hulk.

 

His back was turned to her, and he looked very intent on beating the crap out of Captain America. Cap for his part, was doing a lot of dodging and trying to talk him. Which obviously wasn’t working. “YOU LIE!” Hulk yelled, smashing a fist down only a foot away from where Steve was standing. “CUPID LIE! WANT DARCY!”

 

“Hey! Hey! I’m right here big guy!” she yelled.

 

She stood her ground as the Hulk whirled on her and let loose a ground shaking roar, then had to rethink that if she didn’t want to break her neck looking up at him. So, she took a step back but still refused to flinch. After all, when he took her in, his face did soften just a bit in recognition. Still the word that left his mouth was accusing. “Left.”

 

Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she nodded. “You’re right, I did. But, I’m here now. If you calm down, we can talk.”

 

“Talk now.” he insisted, taking a step towards her. Not wanting to upset him by moving away, she settled for the neck craning she had been avoiding.

 

“Lewis, what the fuck are you doing? Get away from him, we don’t need you adding to the problem!” Stark flew in close in his armor, and Darcy only let her eyes flicker to him for a moment before focusing back on Hulk.

 

“Looks like I’m helping, Stark.” she said through gritted teeth. “Unless you wanted him hitting and throwing things around.”

 

“Go away!” Hulk ordered Tony, and arm lashing out. “Upset Darcy!”

 

Tony flew  out of range. “Woah there, big guy. I’m looking out for you here. That girl is bad news.”

 

Darcy rolled her eyes, because really, now was the time Tony wanted to be snarky. Hulk only lashed out at him again, this time Tony was unable to get out of the way fast enough, and though it only ended up being a sideswipe, it sent him sailing. That, of course, was enough to startle the jumpy, armed, NYC cops and even jumpier, armed,  junior agents [rule of thumb, junior agents are always jumpier. Always.] into a round of firing their weapons. Bullets of course weren’t going to hurt the Hulk, but they would sure as hell piss him off, and they very well could hurt her.

 

“Stop!” she yelled. “What the fuck are you doing!” They didn’t listen to her, no one listened to her, but heroes were yelling for them to back down, and so were senior agents and it was starting to work, but it was too late. Hulk let a growl rip free, and leaned forward, covering her with his body. ‘He’s protecting me.’ The thought flew through her mind and out just as quickly as she realized not only was he protecting her, but now he was scooping her up with one arm and moving, he was moving and jumping and she had to close her eyes or she was going to be sick. She could hear the crunch of things breaking under his feet and free hand and were they climbing? They were definitely climbing, oh god where was he taking her, this was either going to turn out very good or very terrible.

 

She didn’t open her eyes again until the world felt steady, until the Hulk ever so gently set her on her feet. They were on a rooftop, how high up she didn’t know and you could not pay her enough to go looking over the edge to find out. “We talk.” Hulk said, focused fully on her.

 

“I… did a bad thing. A lot of bad things. I messed up a lot, Green Eyes.”

 

“Darcy good.” Hulk said, in what she was pretty sure was meant to be a reassuring voice.

 

“I’m really not.” she said, her voice small and soft.

 

“Good.” the word was a bit more forceful this time around. “Why leave?”

 

“For Clint and Bruce. It’s what’s best for you guys, not having me here. I’m not what they deserved.

 

The Hulk scoffed, or Darcy was pretty sure that was what that was. “Stupid.” he told her.

 

She raised an eyebrow at him. “Excuse me?”

 

“Darcy stupid. Cupid stupid. Banner less stupid. Darcy not give Banner choice. Banner want Darcy.”

 

“How much does Bruce really know about what’s going on?”

 

“Enough. Knows Cupid lied.”

 

“Hey now, that’s not fair Jade Jaws.” Clint came through a roof entrance, bow pointed down but tensed enough to be aimed and fired at the drop of a hat. His eyes fell onto Darcy and she could see a moment of pain flash through him before he hardened his features. “She lied way more than I did. I didn’t want Bruce hurting over her.” As he spoke, his gaze didn’t leave Darcy. For a moment she wondered how she got to the point in her life that she was treated as more of a threat than the Hulk. “Now I’m going to need her to leave. She shouldn’t have come back in the first place.”

 

“Not Cupid’s choice.” Hulk said gruffly and moved, blocking Darcy’s line of sight to Clint. He reached for her, and sensing where that was going, Darcy took a step back, holding her hands up.

 

“I can’t do another trip dude. I’m gonna lose my breakfast if I do.”

 

Hulk stopped, eyebrows pulling together, like he didn’t know what to do with that off the table. Darcy sighed, dropping her hands to her side. “Let Bruce come back, please? I promise I’m not going anywhere right now. I need to talk to Bruce though. None of this is going to be figured out if he and I don’t talk.”

 

The next few moments were tense as the Hulk seemed to debate her request. Finally though, he grunted and nodded.

 

The giant shrank, the green faded, and Darcy found herself falling into Bruce’s arms before she could think better of it.

 

 

“It was just supposed to be a fluff job. I was in a decent position to get the internship without raising too many questions and I know it wasn’t expected to really go anywhere. If she’d thought it was, I probably wouldn’t have been the person put on this. Once I started though, it wasn’t like I could be pulled and replaced.”

 

“Who’s ‘she’?” Steve asked her, definitely still in full Captain mode. They were in a tower conference room, because apparently no Avenger had yet to tell Fury that she was a spy [something she supposed she should be grateful for, because she certainly didn’t deserve it]. Everyone sat around a large table, save for Darcy, who felt just a bit intimidated at the idea of also sitting. Not that she would really be able to make an escape either way, but still, it was the principle of the matter. Logan was in the room too, refusing to leave her alone with them. He leaned against the wall, but no one was mistaking him for being anything but hyper vigilant of everyone’s movements.

 

“My—my mother. Viper.”

 

“The modern leader of Hydra.” Natasha provided when Steve looked confused. She focused on Darcy. “She doesn’t have a daughter. Or any child.”

 

Darcy wasn’t sure if this was a test or a gauge or something else. She just forced herself to meet the assassin’s gaze as she spoke.  “I don’t know where you got your information on here, but it’s wrong. I’m her daughter. She wouldn’t put up with me if I wasn’t.” When Natasha arched a clearly questioning eyebrow at her, Darcy sighed, running a hand through her hair, which was hopelessly tangled and messy, a side effect of jumping around with the Hulk. “I’m not exactly pining after the power or anything else that’s all that common in her world. She doesn’t exactly know what to do with that.”

 

“If you don’t care about it, then why be a part of it at all?” Steve was trying to understand and give her the benefit of the doubt, it looked like he really was, but she could tell he didn’t consider her choices to be helping her case. Bruce was already trusting her, she could see that. Clint refused to even look at her, and what she did catch of his expression was hurt and hard and unforgiving somehow all rolled into one. Natasha definitely still didn’t trust her if her expression was anything to go by, but she did seem willing to listen. Tony, well, Tony looked bored of all of this.

 

“C’mon Steve, you can’t be buying this!” he exclaimed. “She’s part of it because she wants to be! She just said her mother is the leader of HYDRA, who’s your father Lewis, the Red Skull?” there was a sarcastic bite to his words and Darcy narrowed her eyes at him.

 

“That’s none of your business, Stark.” if he wanted to play it this way, fine, she could do that. There was no way she believed he didn’t now know who she was though. How could he not, unless he thought there were two bastard kids running around HYDRA with their rich sperm donors happily paying rather than dealing with them? Darcy felt better off not having to deal with him as a father anyway.

 

“Oh, I think it is. The way I see it, you’ve run around telling everyone your poor sob story about how mommy didn’t love you enough and daddy didn’t want a thing to do with you. I wanna know how much of that is true. Can’t do that if we don’t have a name to confirm your story with.”

 

“Fuck you.” She growled at him. “I’m telling you all everything you want to know, but that, that I’m keeping. That’s mine and has nothing to do with any of this.” She looked around at the others, her fists clenched at her sides. “As much as I hate to say it, even though he’s a bastard who won’t own up to what he did and won’t acknowledge his kid, beyond that, he’s not a strictly bad person and knowing who he is isn’t going to help you all with anything. I’m telling you the things that are going to help you, you can take it or leave it.”

 

Tony snorted. “And we’re supposed to just believe it. With your stellar history or telling the truth.”

 

“As rude as Tony is being—” Steve had to pause when Tony made a sound of indignation, “—I do think we need your full background, Ms. Lewis. That includes your father.”

 

“I’m sorry Captain, but no.” Darcy said firmly, though far more politely than she had told Tony.

 

“If you don’t tell us, we do have other methods of finding out.” Natasha informed her, leaning forward to brace her elbows on the table. “If he’s in SHIELD’s system at all, a DNA test will tell.”

 

Darcy stiffened before she could tell herself not to. It was far too easy a read, she just as good as told them she knew they would find the answer they wanted in SHIELD’s files. Damn it. Damn it damn it damn it.

 

Behind her, Logan shifted slightly. “Kid, do you want—”

 

“No.” she said more harshly than she meant to, then winced at the edge in her voice. It was the edge she used at home, when she bossed people about, when she was fully immersed in her role as Viper’s daughter. She sighed, running a hand through her hair. “No, Patch, whatever it is, no.” she said more gently. Closing her eyes, she spoke slowly. “I don’t deserve anyone’s trust or favors, I know that. But knowing who he is, it won’t give you any extra answers.”

 

“You’re right, you don’t deserve our trust.” She nearly jumped at Clint’s voice. He hadn’t said a word since they’d gotten into the conference room, and she hadn’t thought he’d be breaking his silence at all.

 

“Clint…” she started, but he shook his head, plowing on.

 

“We gave you trust and you used us. You used me, you used Bruce, you used everyone. I knew something was wrong, but I figured you’d share it when you were ready. I didn’t think… and then to keep me off your back when I did ask about your problems, you used your supposedly fucked up childhood to make me feel bad about it. I don’t know about everyone else, but I deserve a real answer, and I want to know who your father is.”

 

It was almost enough to shock her into just opening her mouth and spilling it. So close to being enough. And if she hadn’t hesitated those few moments, she would have missed the reprieve that came, in the form of the tower lights flickering, the whole building seeming to give a rumble and a shake. Suddenly lightening was cracking and thunder was booming outside the windows.

 

The team was on their feet, Logan was standing at attention, claws extended. Darcy was tensed even without a weapon at hand.

 

Someone was running down the hall leading to the room, if the thudding noised were any indication. “It’s finished! It worked!” it was definitely Jane’s voice yelling, and soon the door was sliding open and the scientist was bracing herself in the frame. “Thor’s back on Earth! We need to go get him.”

Chapter Text

As the lightning and thunder continued on, the Captain was quick to take control of the situation. “What do you mean, Dr. Foster?” he asked.

 

At first, Jane didn’t answer, having finally noticed Darcy in the room. Her eyes widened as she stared at the younger woman, and Darcy had to fight her guilty instinct to look away. Jane at least deserved to have her eyes met. “Why?” she asked softly, and Darcy could see the small tremble going through her friend. Former friend. She was pretty sure that what she did probably got her permanently expelled from Jane’s list of friends.

 

“Jane, I…” she trailed off as there was another booming clap of thunder, having no idea what to say. Somehow any apology seemed like it would sound insincere while any explanation just seemed as if it would be excuses, excuses. Of course, the building giving another rumble also reminded them that there were other, frankly more pressing, things that needed to be taken care of.

 

“Dr. Foster.” Steve said again, and Jane snapped to attention.

 

“I know I was supposed to wait, but all the simulations ran well, and it was going to be another week at least before we could come up with a way to pin down the point where the bridge would open, so I just…”  the astrophysicist didn’t finish her words, just shrugged.

 

“You ran the machine designed to open the bridge for Thor?” Natasha clarified, and Jane nodded. “And we have no idea where he would’ve come out?”

 

“It will be at least within the city.” Bruce spoke up. “I know that doesn’t narrow it down a whole lot, but it’s something.”

 

“The thunder and lightning out there is probably Thor, but what’s going on with the building?” Clint asked.

 

Now pink tinged Jane’s cheeks. “That’s the other reason I should’ve waited. The tech isn’t entirely stable. It won’t bring the Tower down or anything,” she rushed to add before anyone could panic. “But it draws a lot of power even by arc reactor standards and it makes things a little shaky. It’ll calm down soon. But we have to get to Thor and make sure he got through okay.”

 

Tony was the one to ask the question Darcy was pretty sure was lingering in the back of some of the other’s minds. “What are we going to do about her?” he asked, jerking his head in Darcy’s direction. “Because no fucking way do I trust she won’t disappear while we’re busy tracking down goldilocks.”

 

“I’ll stay with her.” Bruce volunteered. “It’s not like the other guy would be much help anyway. He doesn’t care much for Thor.”

 

“Yeah, sorry Bruce, but you’re pretty damn likely to just let her go if she says she wants to.” Tony pointed out. Bruce opened his mouth to object, then closed it. Apparently, he couldn’t really deny something he knew he would do.

 

It was Clint who spoke next. “I’ll stay back with them. She’s here and Bruce knows what she did, there’s no point in me letting her go now.”

 

Steve looked between the three of them, obviously knowing a ticking time bomb when he saw it. “I’m not sure...”

 

“Leave it Captain.” Natasha said with a shake of her head. “Let’s go.” she led the others out of the room, Steve only hesitated for a moment; Jane longer. The scientist stared at Darcy before shaking her head and turning away. Darcy cast her eyes at the ground, and didn’t move them until she heard the door to the conference room close.

 

When she looked up, there were three pairs of eyes on her, and Darcy wasn’t sure that was any better than facing Jane’s hurt. Logan was fine, but Bruce and Clint….

 

Bruce very obviously was giving her the benefit of the doubt, but he was still confused, no matter how he tried to hide it. Clint could try for a guarded look all he wanted, but Darcy knew how to see past that, though she really wished she didn’t. At least then she could pretend to be oblivious.

 

A hand landed on her shoulder. “I’ll be right outside if you need me Darcy, just yell.” Logan told her.

 

“Chicken.” she accused.

 

Her former stepfather chuckled. “This ain’t my argument kid. I won’t let anything happen to you—” he cast a warning look at Clint and Bruce. “But I don’t think you want an audience for this.”

 

He was right and she was willing to admit that. With a sigh, she nodded. Logan gave her shoulder another pat before he slipped out. Which left her alone. With the two men she’d screwed up with the most in all of this.

 

“How long?” Clint asked, his words harshly filling the silence.

 

Though she was pretty sure what he meant by the question, Darcy decided to put off answering it. “How long what?”

 

“Don’t play fucking stupid. How long did you plan to lie? How long was this job supposed to last? What were you going to do when you were done? Just disappear? Fake your death so we wouldn’t look for you? Tell us?”

 

“I didn’t ask for this job Barton.” she said softly.

 

“Well you sure as hell didn’t try to get out of it, did you?”

 

“Clint, calm down.” Bruce said.

 

The archer turned to the other male. “How the hell are you just taking this like it’s nothing? Like she didn’t lie to you?” he demanded.

 

“Because I know what it’s like for people to just assume the worst about you and what you are. You do too, Clint. If you would calm down, you would see you’re doing to Darcy what people were doing to you after Loki.”

 

Even though it wasn’t directed at her, Darcy winced, because those were harsh words coming from Bruce, and kind of a low blow. And, she found herself disagreeing. “It’s not… it’s not the same Bruce.” she said, trying to diffuse the situation between the two men. When they looked at her, she went on. “I had a choice. You didn’t. Don’t. The Hulk isn’t something you choose to be, and Clint definitely didn’t choose Loki’s control.”

 

“Darcy, you told me you love your mother.” Bruce said.

 

“I do.” she answered, not sure where the doctor was going with this. “She’s my mother. Of course I love her.”

 

“Just because someone is your parent doesn’t mean you have to love them.” Bruce pointed out, a sad smile tugging at the edge of his lips. Again, his file flashed through her mind, and she had to agree. And after all, it wasn’t as if she was bursting with caring feelings towards Tony. “But my point is, you do love your mother. Our choices when it comes to people we love can suddenly become very limited. And no matter what your original plans were, you changed them to do your best not to hurt us, didn’t you?” Darcy hesitated, then nodded slowly. “So you made a mistake getting involved in all of this. Mistakes happen, and I’m not in the habit of holding them against people, especially the ones I care about.”

 

Clint snorted, shaking his head. “That’s one big fucking mistake.”

 

Darcy wasn’t sure why, but it was that comment that made her snap. “You don’t think I know that Clint?” she demanded of him. “You don’t think I know that I’ve royally fucked up something that could’ve been really good? That we could be having a completely different conversation right now if I had told you all who and what I am before you found out on your own? What do you want? I can apologize, but you and I both know those are just fucking words. I need you to be willing to give me a chance to prove that they’re not just words. If you don’t want to do that, there’s nothing I can do for you Clint, other than say I’m sure as hell not going to let you talk shit and walk all over me. There is a limit to how much I’ll put up with and if you exceed it you’ll learn just how much I am my mother’s daughter.”

 

She knew it wouldn’t help her case, making threats and bringing Viper in. However, she couldn’t see how much worse it could get. She glared at her lover [former lover, god, how she hated how that sounded in her head, bitter and full of loss] and he gave back what he got. It was Bruce who edged in between them, wrapping one hand around his fingers and putting the other hand on her shoulder. “You two need some time to cool off I think,” he said gently.

 

It was at Bruce’s words that she saw the slightest shift in Clint’s eyes as he looked at the scientist from anger to vulnerability. Darcy swallowed the cynical remark she’d been about to say in favor of nodding her head. “Yeah, maybe we do.” she agreed quietly. She looked down at where the two men held hands. They could still have something, they could still be fine after all of this. It was obvious Bruce wanted them both, wanted the relationship he’d been pulled into, but he could go on with just Clint. It would be confusing and would hurt for awhile, but it could work.

 

It’s not like I could stay anyway, she told herself. No one here would ever really trust me. No, she’d go home to her mother, back to her life before, living in compounds that she didn’t really belong in. Or she’d go with Patch, back to the X-Men, trying to make new friends and build something different from her other choice.

 

She wouldn’t be living here. It had never been a forever option, and Darcy had known that from the start.

 

Alarms started to blare, pulling their attention on one another back to their surroundings. “JARVIS, what’s going on?” Bruce shouted over the noise. As the AI replied, the door opened and Wolverine was in the room once more, battle ready.

 

“There are intruders in the Tower, Dr. Banner. They have bypassed many of the normal security measures through use of override codes but have tripped one of the alarms. Mr. Stark has been alerted and he is on his way, the rest of the Avengers following. Estimated arrival time for Mr. Stark is eight minutes, fifteen minutes for the rest.”

 

“How did they get the codes?” Bruce asked, speaking more to himself than to anyone else.

 

“How do you think?” Clint retorted anyway, shooting a look at Darcy. She bit back her reply, because it wasn’t as if she could really deny it.

 

Logan however, saw fit to object for her. “Listen Bub, blaming her ain’t gonna change the fact they’re here, but it will get you gutted by my claws. It’s your choice, but I’d suggest leavin’ her alone.”

 

The two men glared at each other, until JARVIS’ voice floated from the ceiling. “Surveillance shows that the intruders are originating from the roof and predicts that will also be their planned escape route. Might I suggest you make your ways there.” The AI spoke with that same slightly condescending air that Tony could have at the drop of a hat, but it was enough to shift the focus in the room to what was really important. Clint grabbed his bow and quiver from where they rested against a wall and led the way out. Logan followed closely behind, while Darcy and Bruce brought up the rear together, Bruce’s hand resting on the small of her back as they moved.

 

They took the stairs because even though it was several floors up, common sense said very loudly not to use the elevators when someone who clearly meant harm had the access codes for things like that. An encounter in the stairwell or on the roof would be far better than a fight in the confined space of an elevator.

 

There was a helicopter on the room when they got there, blades wiping through the air. However, there was currently only two HYDRA agents, one guarding the outside of the copter, the other in the pilot’s seat, obviously meant to stay there to help in a quick exit.

 

Darcy had to try really hard not to roll her eyes as the hand on her back turned into an arm in front of her, keeping her from getting anywhere near the aircraft or it’s guard, who was aiming one of HYDRA’s lovely signature weapons at them. “There’s an easier way to approach this boys.” she told the men, doing her best to sound absolutely sure of herself as she pushed Bruce’s arm out of the way.

 

“Lewis, stay back.” Clint ordered, though her didn’t move from his tense position, bow aimed on the agent.

 

“Screw you Barton.” she shot back, starting a jog across the roof.

 

“Stop her!” she could hear Clint telling Logan.

 

“There ain’t any stopping her.” the mutant said, clearly resigned to what was going on. “Calm down, she’s the safest person up here right now. Viper’s a raging bitch and shit parent, but her people know better than to do any real damage to her kid if they wanna keep walking this earth.”

 

Darcy blocked out the yelling as she drew closer to the HYDRA agent. “Put that thing down and call your men in, you guys need to get the fuck out of here. I don’t know where your orders came from and I don’t care, just go.” she told him in the best authoritative voice she could. She couldn’t afford to act anything but confident at this point.

 

“Get the hell out of the way, Darcy!” Clint was yelling again, and of course, that was what made Darcy turn. Stupid really, and something she was really supposed to know better than to do. She only had herself to blame when she was grabbed from behind and pulled back against the chest of the man she hadn’t given enough credit to. He definitely had way more balls than she pegged him to have.

 

Instinctively her hands went up to the arm that now encircled her neck and she grabbed hold, letting her nails dig in. “Let me go.” she ordered, forcing herself to keep her voice level and not let it rise to the shrill level she wanted it to be at. He was pointing a HYDRA gun at her head after all.

 

She was pretty sure that allowed for at least a little shrillness.

 

“I’ve got my orders, and they don’t come from you, little girl.” he informed her, speaking low and close to her ear. “Now, tell the mutant to put his claws away, the archer to stand down, and the monster to keep his cool.” He was backing them up slowly, towards the helicopter. Logan moved forward as they moved back, Clint kept his bow trained, looking for an opening, and Bruce was clearly, now more than ever, little more than held back rage. He pressed the weapon more firmly against her head. “Tell them.” he hissed at her.

 

This is not giving in, she told herself as she closed her eyes. This is saying hello to the inevitable.

 

“Back off!” she yelled to the three men. “Worry about who’s in the Tower right now and whatever they want!” They were at the door now, and Darcy would admit to letting her weight drop down a bit, to forcing him to drag her into the helicopter. She would not admit to the tears that were stinging at her eyes. They took off as soon as he had her in all the way on the floor.

 

Over the noise of it all Darcy could hear a “No!” which clearly belonged to Bruce as it changed from a word to a yell of pain and anger that meant he was struggling to hold onto the Hulk.

 

“Go!” the agent who’d grabbed her yelled, now standing half bent over her, gun still in one hand, other hand now gripping at one of the rigs to keep his balance. Choosing to act without thought, she kicked out, foot connecting with his gut hard before he could react. He doubled over with a grunt and a curse.

 

“You ruined everything!” she yelled at him.

 

“I should—” he started, aiming his weapon back at her.

 

“What? Shoot me?” she cut him off with a taunting voice. “You’re clearly a smart one—go ahead, shoot Viper’s daughter, see if that get’s you anything other than dead!” she shifted into a sitting position, moving as far away from him as she could, which honestly wasn’t very far. His hand waivered at her words and she tilted her head at him. “Oh, didn’t know that did you?” she asked, a slightly hysterical laugh falling from her lips. “Fan-fucking-tastic. You have no knowledge of the operation yours collided with because they sent a fucking baby out to do the jobs meant for the big kids. And you just left your guys back there, with one of the most vicious mutants in existence, the world’s best marksman assassin, and the fucking Hulk, who is kinda attached to me? You’re doing a crack up job.” she could use this to her advantage, she would use this to her advantage. “My assignment isn’t done, and you’re going to let me go.” she snarled at him.

 

His gun snapped  back into place, aimed right at her center mass. He let go of the rigging, hand digging into his pocket for something. A button, a switch, whatever you wanna call it, is what he came out with, and before Darcy could say or do anything it pressed.

 

Even from the distance they managed to put between them and the Tower, the explosion was deafening.

 

“No!” she screamed, lunging to look. It was definitely the roof of the Tower covered in a scattering of flames. “You idiot!” she looked back at him. “Your men are in there! What did you just do?!”

 

“There’s another escape route and they know they’re expendable. That takes care of your three though.”

 

Darcy was not going to cry—she just wasn’t. She knew logically Logan could come back from just about anything, the Hulk wouldn’t let Bruce be too badly hurt, but Clint. He was their squishy human. For all he wasn’t useless, far from it in fact, he was the most vulnerable physically [as long as they were counting Tony while he was in the suit]. “And it also puts us way up on the Avengers’ radars! You think they’ll just leave HYDRA be when you kill two of their people?!”

 

“Shut up!” he yelled at her.

 

“Make me!” she yelled back. Yep, totally mature and probably absolutely deserving of the smack she got with the barrel of the gun. She swore, a hand going to her face and pulling away with blood on it. He was preparing to do it again clearly, but a crack of lightning had the pilot swerving the copter with a yell and throwing both Darcy and the agent off balance. They were thrown even more off balance when something collided with the helicopter.

 

Darcy had never been relieved to see Tony Stark in her life and she wouldn’t admit to it this time either. He hovered in front of the helicopter, repulsor aimed. She would however, admit to the grin that lit her face when she saw Thor, gripping the side of the copter and forcing the door open, pulling himself inside. “Lady Darcy!” he boomed, easily knocking the agent away. He lost his grip on his weapon and it went flying out into the air. There wasn’t much room to maneuver, but Thor clearly wasn’t looking to fight, and the agent seemed to have sense enough to know he wouldn’t fair well against the godlike alien.

 

Thor grabbed her, pulling her to her feet and against him, one strong arm keeping her in place as he leaped out of the aircraft. Darcy clung to him, holding her breath until they were very surely staying in the air. “Get her out of here.” she could hear Stark’s suit modulated voice order, one of the last things she heard as the world blurred out.

 

 

She lost time. That was all, mostly. She knew she hadn’t passed out, but one moment she was in the air with Thor, the next she was on the ground beside Captain America. Then she was moved again, and they were in front of Stark Tower, surrounded by police, firemen, EMTs, and SHIELD agents.

 

Logan was there, shoving people away as he healed before everyone’s eyes, and Hulk was snarling at anyone who came too close to him—even Tony. Clint... Darcy felt her chest constrict and her already light head get a little lighter. Someone’s hands were on her, someone trying to calm her as she turned and searched the faces of the people around her frantically. Realization dawned in her hazy thoughts and she pulled away from whoever was trying to hold her and stumbled through the crowd that surrounded the Hulk, all seeming to be trying to calm him.

 

She broke through the group and saw why he was so agitated [aside from being the Hulk that is]. Held close, shielded by his body, there was Clint. It wasn’t a good view, but the marksman was definitely down for the count, his chest rising and falling shallowly. There were EMTs trying to get at him to treat him, but Hulk wasn’t having any of that. Swallowing a lump in her throat, Darcy moved even closer. Hulk eyed her, but didn’t give her the same warning growl he gave the others. She moved until she was able to reach out and rest a hand on his knee. “It’s okay Hulk, they just want to help Clint.” she said softly.

 

“Hurt.” the giant rumbled, tightening his hold on Clint and bending the shield his body more.

 

“I know big guy, he’s very hurt.” Darcy’s eyes scanned the parts of Clint she could see. There were cuts and bruises blossoming, burns and scrapes. “He needs to be treated, that’s all they want to do, I promise.”

 

He lost some tension, but not much. Enough so that he was willing to let go of Clint with arm and reach out to brush a large finger against her face and the long cut she knew was there. “Hurt.” he repeated.

 

She smiled gently, placing a hand over his finger. “Yes, but not as much as Clint.” and her voice only shook a little, now there was an accomplishment. Hulk looked down at the man he still cradled with his other arm. “I know you’re protecting him big guy, and you did a great job. But now you have to let them help him. You can stay close by, just let them help.”

 

It took a moment, but Hulk eventually gave a grunt of agreement and crouched close to the ground, putting Clint down on the concrete as gently as possible. Darcy took in a sharp breath as she took in a better look of the archer. More cuts, burns, and bruises were visible, along with blood that she couldn’t tell the exact origin of. Slowly, she led the Hulk in stepping away from Clint so that the EMTs and agents could come forward and surround Clint. She wanted to shout, to tell them to be careful, but she kept her mouth shut, they would do what they had to, and she wouldn’t be any help yelling.

 

“What happened?”

 

Darcy’s back stiffened at Natasha’s cold voice, having not even noticed the other woman approaching. She cast a glance at her, and though it was obvious she was trying to keep her face locked down, there were emotions fighting for dominance as she watched them work on making sure Clint was stable enough to move.

 

“HYDRA attacked the Tower and set off alarms. I don’t know what they were looking for or if they got it. We tried to cut them off at the roof, instead the agent there grabbed me and took me. They must’ve left at least one bomb behind, because once we were in the air he set off an explosion.” She forced herself to meet the Black Widow’s eyes when she stared at Darcy. “Wolverine, Hawkeye, and I assume at that point Hulk and not Bruce, were on the roof when it happened as far as I know.”

 

They were putting Clint on a stretcher, and Natasha looked away from Darcy to watch, while Darcy chose to watch the other woman looking over her best friend. “We’ll talk about this later.”

 

All Darcy could do was nod. She didn’t have it in her anymore to argue.

Chapter Text

She wouldn’t leave the room they set up for Clint in the medical ward at SHIELD’s New York headquarters, and Bruce wouldn’t let them force her out.  Whenever someone entered the room, he stood from the chair he’d taken to camping out in and stand beside protectively next to wherever Darcy sat or stood, daring anyone to try something. It led to countless meetings and interviews in the room, much to the distress of the medical staff, but there wasn’t a whole lot they could do.

 

It had only been three days, and the only constants in the room with Darcy, Bruce and Clint. They were keeping the marksman heavily drugged and asleep, to help him through the worst of the healing process. His eyes had opened a few times, only to flutter shut again after a few moments. The other Avengers were a changing constant, taking shifts in watching over everything while medical staff, other SHIELD personal, and Agent Sitwell cycled in and out.

 

The questions from Sitwell had started out just as she thought they would.

 

What are you? A HYDRA agent, but only in the most technical sense of the term.

 

How long have you been under? From the very start in New Mexico.

 

What does HYDRA want? What does any evil organization want? Power.

 

What are their plans? Beats me.

 

Were you aware of the attack on Stark Tower before the event? No.

 

Who is your father Miss Lewis? Go fuck yourself Sitwell.

 

The first time Sitwell left. Of course, he returned not much later, and several more times over the three days, always with a mix of questions, always ending with the same one.

 

Who is your father Miss Lewis? None of your business.

 

Who is your father Miss Lewis? You can keep asking, I’m still not talking about it.

 

Who is your father Miss Lewis? The Easter Bunny.

 

Who is your father Miss Lewis? Seriously, you’re trying that again?

 

The forth day was the first time Bruce was able to convince Darcy to leave the room for any length of time. “You need to get cleaned up Darcy. Some rest would be ideal too, but I’ll deal with just a shower and getting some real food in you.” They both knew Darcy wasn’t going to leave long enough for what a nap in an actual bed would require.  She was already reluctant enough in agreeing to the shower and meal, but she knew she badly needed both. Bruce went with her, leaving Natasha and Steve in Clint’s room.

 

They still were not leaving SHIELD, they couldn’t really, no one was going to okay Darcy just walking out of the building. So it was in the locker rooms in the training area that she showered, and Bruce had a set of SHIELD issue sweats for her to change into when she got out. He led her to the cafeteria and guided her in making a miniature food mountain on her tray. It wasn’t until they were sitting and she was eating that he started talking to her.

 

“Darcy, this whole thing about your father--”

 

“No Bruce, not you too.” she cut him off, shaking her head. “That’s mine and it has nothing to do with all of this.”

 

“I understand that Darcy, and I’m not going to make you tell me, but you have to realize they’re not just going to let it go. What’s the worst that is going to happen in telling?”

 

“It’s complicated Bruce.”

 

“Last time I checked I had the brain capacity to deal with complicated scenarios.” he said, that self-deprecating smile of his tugging at his lips. Darcy rolled her eyes, and for a second, it was like they were having a normal moment, even though she knew at the back of her mind that those were few and far in between.

 

“I’ll let down a lot of people, okay?” she looked down at her tray and tucked a lock of hair that had fallen into her eyes behind her ear. “I’m never going to stop thinking he’s a jerk, but the reality of it is he’s not as terrible a person as he could be. In the whole scheme of things, the situation between me and him is small potatoes compared to what he’s done for people. Sure I’d probably ruin some people’s images of him, but for the most part…” she trailed off, her hand clenched into a fist on the table. “They’ll think I’m being a selfish little kid who can’t look at the big picture.”

 

A moment of silence passed between them. “Well are you?” Bruce asked.

 

Darcy looked up at the older man. “What?”

 

“Are you being a selfish kid who can’t look at the big picture?”

 

“Fuck you Banner.”

 

Bruce looked completely unphased by her words, merely raising an eyebrow at her. Darcy broke first, letting out a noise of frustration and covering her face with her hands. “Stark.” she said, the word coming out muffled through her hands.

 

“What about Tony?” Bruce asked slowly.

 

“My father—Bruce you can’t tell anyone what I just told you.” She let her hands fall and stared at the man, her eyes wide and full of disbelief that she really just let that fall out of her mouth. “Tony Stark is my father.” she said, somewhat numbly.

 

Bruce looked around, but thankfully any allure a SHIELD agent might of found in sitting near her to overhear possibly fantastic intel was outweighed by the fact that she was sitting with the perceived time bomb that was Robert Bruce Banner. When he looked back at Darcy, her face had changed to the edge of tears. “I’m telling the truth Bruce I swear. He doesn’t want me, he never wanted me, and he has to know who I am, especially now and he just taunts me by asking that stupid question over and over—”

 

“Shhh, Darcy. Calm down.” he covered one of her hands, which had clenched into fists on the table, with his. “We’ll figure this out.”

 

She pulled her hand away as if he’d burned her. “You don’t believe me.” Of course he didn’t, she’d called it. ‘We’ll figure this out’ was just code for ‘you’re wrong and I’ll show you’.

 

“Yes, I do. What I have a problem believing is that Tony knows. Wait.” he held up a hand to stop Darcy’s objection. “I know you think he does, but for all Tony has done some shitty things, even looking at his past actions he’s never been that despicable. I’m not going to tell anyone, but I am going to look into this, and I do think you should tell; it’d clear things up a lot quicker.”

 

A silence fell between them for several moments, each just staring at the other until Darcy was the one who broke eye contact. She stared at the table. “I want to go back to Clint.” she said softly.

 

“Darcy—” Bruce started, cutting himself off when she stood. She didn’t wait for him to stand, to follow, she just started away. It took Bruce a moment to force himself to his feet after her. He caught up quickly, his long strides easily keeping him in step with her.

 

 

They didn’t talk when they got back to Clint’s room, barely talked for the hours leading into the next day. Bruce very carefully kept to himself when Natasha and Agent Sitwell let themselves in, Natasha to go stand over her partner and best friend, Sitwell to question Darcy more.

 

Sitwell’s last question was the same as always. “Miss Lewis, who is your father?”

 

“Let it go Sitwell.” Darcy said, sounding more tired than anything at that moment.

 

And he wanted to speak, wanted to end this all, but he couldn’t do that to Darcy. Not when it wasn’t what she wanted or was willing to do.

 

“Your time to cooperate with us is running out Miss Lewis.” Sitwell warned, but he did leave. Natasha moved away from the bedside, but didn’t make her exit just yet. She instead planted herself in front of Bruce, arms crossed over her chest.

 

“I need to talk to you outside, Dr. Banner.” Her tone indicated it would be nothing pleasant, but he nodded and stood anyway, following her out of the room.  

 

“She told you.” The assassin accused, rounding on him the second the door was closed and they were a few steps away. “You know who her father is.”

 

Bruce blinked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

Natasha moved until she had him cornered against a wall. The Russian may not have been taller than Bruce, but she had a way of making him feel like she was. “Clint is in there because of that stubborn, stupid, little girl. The man she claims she loves is in there because of her. The man you care about. For some reason, you still trust her, but you’re not going to be able to protect her from this. The only way she’ll get to stay safe is if we know everything about her. If we can’t rightly judge whether she’s a threat or not, she’ll be treated as one regardless.”

 

“Don’t threaten her.”

 

The gravelling tone that crept into his voice made Natasha twitch ever so slightly. She didn’t back off, but Bruce could see the same look in her eyes that she’d had during their first meeting. “I’m only stating fact, Bruce.”

 

Inside of him the Hulk growled protectively and called bullshit on the agent’s words. It took everything Bruce had not to mimic his other half’s actions outwardly. He told the Hulk to calm down; he would handle it. There was a moment where he wasn’t sure if he was going to have control ripped away or not, but eventually Hulk did give in, but stayed close to the surface. If Natasha so much as gave the wrong look in Darcy’s direction, Bruce was not sure he would be able to control the Hulk.

 

As it turned out, it wouldn’t be Natasha Hulk needed to protect Darcy from.

 

It was Steve who stormed past them, in a blur of khaki and plaid, rushing into the hospital room. The door slammed behind him, and it wasn’t until there was a yell from inside the room that Natasha and Bruce were startled from their shock at the sight.

 

Bruce was in the room first, and he had to shut a huge lid down on the Hulk at what he saw.

 

 

“What did you do?!”

 

Steve was yelling, why was Steve yelling at her? The better question probably was why had he rushed the room, grabbed her from her chair, and pushed her against the wall, not at all gently. Her back would definitely show a bruise from the encounter. She shoved back at him, but it was like trying to push a brick wall out of her way. “I didn’t do anything.”

 

A hand slammed into the wall beside her head, making her jump. “What. Did. You. DO?!”

 

“Nothing!” she yelled back at the Captain. “Whatever has happened now is not my fault, cannot be blamed on me, and I won’t take the blame! I’ve been with Bruce or in here for the last five days!”

 

Someone got hands on Steve from behind and hauled him back; Natasha. Darcy whipped her head around, taking in who else had come in. The only other person was Bruce, who was standing just inside the doorway, chest heaving in that way that said he was very much having to work to keep his anger in. It wasn’t even a choice; going to him, putting hands on his shoulders and meeting his eyes and the startling shade of green they’d turned without flinching. There was no room for a Hulk in this hospital room. There was no guaranteeing Clint’s safety in a room with a Hulk who’s looking to do some smashing. “Bruce, look at me. I am okay; everything is okay. Natasha has Steve, no one is going to hurt anyone.”

 

Bruce tries to look past her; Darcy moves to stay in his line of sight. Behind her she can here the scuffle between Steve and Natasha. “I’m good, let me go Natasha, I’m good!”

 

“No you’re not, what the hell was that?”

 

Darcy keeps her eyes on Bruce, alternating between squeezing and rubbing his shoulders until the chest heaving stops and his green eyes fade to brown. He’s still tense, that much she can feel, but when he gives her a nod she accepts it and lets go of his shoulders, turning to look at the other two. Natasha had placed herself between Steve and the rest of the room; apparently for all she didn’t like Darcy, she didn’t want to let Steve rip her apart. Probably wants to save that honor for herself, Darcy thought to herself. Bruce moved until he was standing ahead and ever so slightly in front of Darcy, which, as long as he kept his cool, Darcy would let slide, even if her inner independent personality wanted to whack him over the head to the protective BS.

 

“—and they have no idea what the hell they injected him with, just that it’s some kind of poison! He was HYDRA though and everything HYDRA leads straight back to her!” Steve was exclaiming as Darcy centered her attention on him.

 

“A HYDRA person injected who with what?” Bruce asked carefully, his tone balancing calm on a knife’s edge.

 

“We don’t know what! They’re question and they’re running all sorts of tests and Tony is in pain but he’s not dead but we don’t know how long we have and I need to know WHAT SHE DID!”

 

“Tony?” Bruce asked, the single word not much above a whisper.

 

Darcy didn’t need a mirror to know she’d paled. She breathed out a curse; something she would swear no one else could hear, yet all eyes turned to her. “I didn’t do it. I have nothing to do with this.”

 

“So it’s just a coincidence that HYDRA singles out Tony and you hate him?” Steve accused, taking a step forward but not getting very far with Natasha restraining him.

 

“And I’d be an idiot to send HYDRA after him then wouldn’t I?” she shot back. “I can give you an idea of what happened but no one is going to be happy with it. There’s been a plant in SHIELD for I don’t know how long. They’ve only been mentioned to me once, I never knew who it was and I never made it my business to know. My plate was kind of full. Best I would be able to guess is that’s who your attacker is.”

 

“And who ordered it?”

 

“My mother, but that’s not the fucking same as me calling it in!”

 

“Enough!” Bruce yelled over the both of them. They quickly silenced; Steve tensing and Darcy going completely still. “Tony has been poisoned. We need to focus on that.” he turned to look at Darcy. “Do you know what they would’ve used? Does HYDRA have a standard?”

 

“I don’t know!” she ran her hands through her hair and bit her lip. “It depends on what point Viper wanted to make. If she just wanted him dead, it would’ve been something that acted quickly. But she obviously wants t draw this out for him and they’ve got a ton of shit to do that. Poison is a go to for them.”

 

“Anything with an antidote we can try?”

 

Darcy shook her head. “Half of this stuff they developed themselves. Things like antidotes were not something they wanted also.”

 

“Darcy think, what if your mother ever got poisoned? She wouldn’t want her people to have the antidote.”

 

“No, no. She’s got an immunity to toxins. The fact that that’s the only thing she passed on to me kills her everyday—” she cut herself off, gripping Bruce’s arm. “I have an immunity to toxins.” she said carefully.

 

Bruce nodded, not sure where she was going with this. “Okay.” Steve was yelling again, but Darcy didn’t pay attention, all of her focus on the doctor.

 

“It’s in my blood. Stark and I… I’ve seen his file, we have the same blood type. It could take in a transfusion right? It’s more likely, yeah?”

 

Bruce’s eyebrows furrowed, and she could see him going over data in his head. “It’s worth a try, it’s not like we have any other viable options.”

 

“No! You’re not bringing her anywhere near her! The serum gave me all sorts or immunities too, just use my blood!”

 

“Steve, that’s not how that works. One, we don’t know if it gave you a specific immunity to all toxins. Two, Darcy’s has a better chance of taking.”

 

“Why?!” Steve demanded. Bruce hesitated. “I’m not letting you bring her to Tony if you don’t explain to me why!”

 

“Because transfusions always take better if they’re from family and he’s my fucking father!” Darcy yelled, and it was like opening floodgates. “He’s my father, I fucking hate him, but I’m trying to be a decent goddamn person here and right now I’m the only chance you’ve got, so fucking take me or leave me, but pick quick because even slow acting poisons finish the job eventually!”

 

The silence that fell over the room was smothering. Bruce’s hand found hers and squeezed, Steve was staring and Natasha seemed to be gauging what to believe. “We’re going to find Tony now.” Bruce said after a few moments. “It’ll be quicker if you show us, Steve.”

 

That seemed to break Steve of his shock. He nodded and moved forward, this time Natasha letting him. He still kept wary eyes on Darcy, but he led the way out of the room. Bruce guided Darcy to follow, a hand on the small of her back. They’d barely gotten to the door though before she stopped.

 

“Who’s going to stay with Clint?”

 

“What?” Bruce asked. “Darcy, Clint’s safe here. He doesn’t need to be watched.”

 

“What if he wakes up for real Bruce? He can’t wake up alone. Someone needs to be here.”

 

“I’ll stay.” Natasha said before Bruce could make another objection. Darcy looked at the other woman. “You go.” she said firmly when their eyes met. Darcy nodded. For all she was sure Natasha hated her, she was sure she loved Clint, and would be there for him if he needed her.

 

Bruce tugged on Darcy’s arm and Darcy let him pull her out of the room.