A/N:

Disclaimer:
NTS
She wasnt sure how she got here.
Okay, maybe she did; it had something to do with graduating, having no job offers, being told by
S.H.I.E.L.D that even if she did have job offers she couldnt take them unless theyd been vetted by
S.H.I.E.L.D and then being handed a list of jobs she could do. One job in particular caught her attention
and managed to drag her from her home state of New Mexico all the way to New York for nothing more
than an interview. Which she was now late for.
A quick glance at her watch proved her hypothesis, yup, definitely late. Butshe flinched a little as a
wall somewhere nearby flew aparton the up side, it didnt look like her potential future employer
would mind much, considering he was smack dab in the middle of the fighting himself, blasting away at
the alien things. She ducked as one of the said alien things flew over her head into the building behind
her.
She should probably be freaking out right about now, Darcy thought, but all things considered, she just
couldnt bring herself to do so; it wasnt going to help the heroes stop the bad guys, and it wasnt going
to get her anywhere safe so what would be the point? A small grin twitched at her lips as she watched a
blond haired man with a red cape fly by, yeah, so she had some mental health issues, but seriously, why
wouldnt she stick around to watch Thor and Mew-Mew do their thing?
Her head fell back as she watched a group of alien creeps get fried by Mew-Mew lightning and a small
laugh escaped, even as people behind her jostled her forward a bit in their desperate attempts to get
away from the action. How was this her life? How had a simple six credits turned into her being
personal buddies with the God of Thunder and unafraid (mostlyokay maybe she was scared out of her
mind, but really, what was running around in a blind panic going to do for her other than make her an
even more obvious target?)to stand in the middle of the street in downtown New York watching as said
friend and several other superheroes took on some seriously creeper alien dudes?
Maam? Maam! a panicked voice shouted from behind her and Darcy turned her head to find herself
looking back at a dust covered NYPD cop, Maam, please, we need to get you suddenly the mans
eyes widened and he took a step back as he stared at something over her shoulder. Darcy frowned and
nervously clenched her hand around the trusty taser that shed been holding since the party had started
not so long agothere was something behind her, something big and giving off a lot of heat, Maam,
the cop squeaked, and Darcy absently noted that he couldnt have been much older than her twenty-
five years, Please, move very slowly towards me.
Somehow not at all reassured by the man gesturing her forward, and feeling more than a little curious
about what was standing behind her, Darcy squeezed her god-stopping-taser and tried to still her
thundering heart for a beat before slowly turning around. She barely managed to catch sight of three of
the green alien things before she saw their weapons aimed at her and the cop, Get down! she
shouted, dropping to her stomach and covering her head just as the aliens fired.
Stumbling to her feet she tripped a few steps away from the aliens before one of them landed in front of
her blocking her path to wherever shed been headed. Without even really thinking about it her hand
lifted and fired the taser directly at the things face. Darcy watched in surprised and slightly terrified
fascination as the alien screamed and jerked before eventually lying still. There was a loud thud behind
her and the ground shook causing her to stumble as she whirled around, taser at the ready, heedless of
whether or not it held enough charge to fire again; only to find herself face to face with a huge hulking
green mass.
Darcy took one involuntary step backward as she watched what she now recognized as the Hulk tear
apart the other two aliens that had been attacking her. She squeaked a little when the arm of one of the
aliens came flying her way and she jumped back a little, causing a small pile of rubble to collapse to the
ground. A large green head whipped around to stare at her, its green eyes menacing as it took a small
step towards her.
Uh, Darcy stepped back again, holding her hands up in a surrendering position, Hey there big guy,
she noticed the taser still clutched in her grasp and quickly threw down the weapon, watching as the
Hulks eyes watched the small object hit the ground before they returned to her as he took another two
steps towards her, Nice Mr. Hulk, she breathed, hoping she didnt sound as panicked as she felt. The
Hulk tilted his head a little and took another step towards her, growling a little through his panting
breaths, Youre a good guy right? Darcy rambled, mostly to herself, silently trying to decide if she
would be better off turning and running or holding her ground, And Im a good guy, so she trailed off
as the Hulk took another large step towards her.
Just as she was about to start rambling about green being her favorite color, the Hulk bounded over to
her, covering the few feet between them in seconds, and Darcy flinched just before she felt his large
hands tug her towards his chest as he folded himself over her. The sound of the alien weapons was
heard and Darcy wasnt sure what to think about the fact that she could now feel as well as hear the
Hulks snarls of anger for several moments as she clenched her eyes shut waiting for whatever would
happen next. A few seconds later the almost stifling warmth from the Hulks body vanished as he took
off to tear apart another small group of alien invaders.
Blearily Darcy blinked as she tried to process what had just happened. Her arms lowered from her chest
to her sides and she frowned as she noticed the ground surrounding her was black and charred from the
aliens weapons fire. Had the Hulk been shielding her from all of that? Squinting into the sky she
watched in amazement as a giant green mass flew from one alien to the next, flinging them around as if
they were ragdolls, tossing them into one another or dropping them to the ground. He lunged from one
building to the next and Darcy had the errant thought that she should probably get going, though a
quick glance around her proved what shed already predicted, there was no one around, and she had no
idea where they all went. She wasnt sure she could even begin to guess.
Returning her attention to the sky she tried to locate the Hulk once more, but found she couldnt spot
him, Hey! she growled indignantly, Where did he just then the ground was swept out from under
her and she found herself shrieking as she watched the ground grow further and further away and a
building grow closer and closer to her. Her hands frantically tried to grab at what they could to stabilize
her before she realized that what she was clawing at was an arm; a big green muscly arm.
She jolted as the body belonging to the arm latched onto a ledge on the building in front of them before
lunging sideways at another building. Darcys heart was in her throat as she watched the city fly by in
jolted movements as the Hulk bounded from building to building with her held tightly between his chest
and his arm. Her mind whirled as she tried to comprehend what exactly was happening, well, she knew
what was happening, the Hulk was taking her somewhere, hed been protecting her, but what she
couldnt figure out was why? Why would the Hulk be helping her?
The jostling ride came to an abrupt halt as the Hulk landed with several large strides in front of the very
building that seemed to be at the epicenter of everything that was happening. The Hulk set her down as
gently as he could, though it still sent Darcy stumbling a little as she sought to regain her land legs. The
Hulk took a small step backwards and glanced up at the hole in the sky where the aliens were coming
from before looking back at her, SAFE, his deep gravelly voice stated, FRIEND, he looked at the doors
behind her and Darcy turned to look, INSIDE SAFE.
Darcy looked back up at the large green mass in surprise, Friend? she repeated, causing the Hulks
attention to snap back to her from where hed been glaring at some aliens a ways away, Friend, she
nodded, Thank you Big Guy, she nodded her head again in thanks, Now go save the planet okay?
Just then there was a large explosion in the sky nearby that turned both their heads just in time to see a
man in a green and gold go flying into the S and T letters on the top of the building. Blinking once then
twice, Darcy barely had time to process that the fragments of metal that had once formed the first two
letters of Tony Starks last name were falling directly to where she was standing before she once again
found herself curled protectively into the Hulks chest. It took a few more seconds before the metal
pieces and glass began pounding into the ground around them, and the Hulk flinched and grunted as
some large fragments hit him.
Im sorry, Darcy murmured, as she cringed into his chest, Im sorry.
Soon enough it was over and Darcy found herself being nudged towards the front door of Stark Tower
none to gently, INSIDE, the Hulk grunted again, SAFE.
Darcy nodded and blinked a bit of dust out of her eyes (she wasnt cryingshe wasnt!) Thanks again
Big Guy! See you around? but the Hulk was already hurling himself upwards toward where the man in
green and gold had landed just moments earlier. She watched until she couldnt see him anymore
before she scurried inside, trusting the big guy when he said the place was safe. Inside she was met
with the typical entrance of any business building, a large open space with a secretary slash help desk
situated in the center. There was furniture scattered around the large entry way, looking like it once
would have been quite comfortable but was now covered in dust and tossed in various directions.
The irony of this moment is not lost on me, Darcy spoke softly to herself as she looked around before
glancing down at her pressed grey interview pants and blouse that had once been purple but was now
an odd shade of gray from all the dust particles that had been falling all around her earlier, Hello Mr.
Stark, she chirped self mockingly, Im here to interview for the position of your new personal
assistant, she rolled her eyes and pressed her lips together, Looks like thats never going to happen
now, she muttered, just as the ground shook once more and a lamp across the room dropped from its
place on a side table to explode across the marble flooring.
Okay, she breathed, trying to calm her erratic heart beat after the startle the exploding light had given
her, Okay, now what? she looked around as if expecting someone to pop out and tell her what to do,
though the building was pretty much vacant, Standing around in a huge building by yourself while
youre waiting for it to collapse on you doesnt exactly seem like the best strategy, so what now? she
squeaked as her new yet now scuffed up boot kicked a rock and caused her to trip, and the rock to
skitter across the room where it rebounded off a wall and down a hallway, Stupid rock, she grumbled.
Not really wanting to go back outside to watch the fighting anymore, and not daring to go either up or
down in this unfamiliar building, Darcy sighed only to jump a little when she felt her pocket begin to
vibrate, What the--? she reached into her pocket to tug out her phone, Hello? she pressed the
phone to ear, Hello? she repeated when all that came through was a jumbled mess of sounds. Pulling
the phone away from her ear she was only moderately surprised to find that there was no cell service,
Hello? she tried again before a crunch from the hallway the rock had disappeared down earlier caused
her to whirl around.
Hello? she squeaked, hoping against hope that it was a human and not an alien that made the noise.
Of course, luck was not on her side when a pair of aliens appeared from the hallway looking all big and
menacing. One of them had their weapon trained on her while the other one seemed to be searching
the rest of the area for anything or anyone else that would pose a threat. Her fingers were cold, she
noticed. Why were her fingers cold? Did it have something to do with fear? Because that would make
sense for the moment, considering she was scared half-way out of her mind!
She almost opened her mouth to ask the aliens which way the bathroom was, if for no other reason
than to break the tension when she noticed the first alien didnt seem all the intent on taking prisoners.
Crap! she muttered as she crouched down and covered her head just in time for the shot to go flying
over her head, Crap, crap, crap, crap crap! she hissed as the alien continued to fire and all she could
think was that she hoped the whole zigzag factoid was the one thing Hollywood got right otherwise she
was a dead duck. Like deader than dead duck. Fried, shish kabobbed , toasted, cooked, like a goose, a
cooked goose, Holy she exclaimed as she felt the blast singe some of her hair as she made her way
to the door shed only come in a few minutes ago.
Instinctively her arms came up to cover her head and face and she screamed as one of the blasts
managed to shatter the entire glass front of the entrance way and she felt the sting of several small
shards of glass cutting into her arms. The explosion only stopped her forward momentum for a second
though, before she was up and running again towards the court yard that shed come from earlier,
Think Darcy, think! she muttered to herself, trying to get her mind to switch from blind panic to an
actual plan of attack, or defense, she wasnt really picky.
Catching sight of the large fountain not too far away Darcy began to aim her zigzagging in that direction,
hoping to at least be able to take some sort of cover behind it. Blasts from the alien weapons narrowly
missed her as she dodged and weaved, up and down, left and right, she even tripped once only to go
straight into one of those awesome rolling things you see in all the spy movies. About three fourths of
the way to the fountain she recognized somewhere in her panicked brain that the huge boulder on her
right would probably provide better cover and she changed course for the boulder instead. She was
going so fast that by the time shed made it to the boulder she actually had to reach out a hand to grab
the boulder to slow herself down before hauling herself behind it, narrowly missing getting shot in the
process.
Panting, and swearing up and down to whatever god did exist that shed make sure to get more exercise
from now on if he (or she, Darcy wasnt picky) would just let her live, Darcy rested her head back against
the rock as she waited for the aliens to catch up to her. The sound of three more shots was heard and
not seconds later the boulder she was hiding behind began to explode into smaller pieces. Darcy
couldnt contain the surprised shout she gave when smaller bits of rock began collapsing on her; it went
silent not long after except for the sound of the two aliens stalking closer. Suddenly, just as Darcy was
sure they were about to fire at the boulder again there was a loud roar from behind her that Darcy felt
all the way in her chest.
Peering around the corner for a split second Darcy hesitated as she processed what she was seeing
before stepping around the boulder entirely, just in time to see the Hulk separate one of the aliens from
his head and toss the other so far away she was sure he must have broken the sound barrier. The Hulk
stood there heaving breath after breath as she approached him; not wanting to scare him into attacking
her Darcy gave a small polite cough, causing him to turn around.
Uh, Darcy looked around, her heart still racing, well, she coughed, Ive never pictured myself as the
damsel in distress type, but uh, she looked up at the huge creature in front of her, You sure seem to
have taken to the hero role, the Hulk frowned and grunted stepping menacingly towards her, Oh dont
even, she shook her head at him, You and I both know youre just a big growly teddy bear, she
smirked up at him, but was stopped from saying anything else by the sound of rockets approaching
quickly.
Looking up Darcy had to lift a hand to watch as the Iron Man escorted what appeared to be a nuke up
through the giant hole in the sky. Her jaw dropped when the realization that someone had fired a
freaking nuclear bomb at Man-freaking-hattan and that Iron Man was not returning from rerouting the
bomb into the enemys territory. Hed just sacrificed himself for the thousands of people in Manhattan
because someone with a trigger happy finger had authorized what would have been the biggest mistake
in human history.
Come on, come on! Darcy whispered to herself as she waited for Iron Man to reappear, causing the
Hulk to look down at her curiously and snort a little, before returning his gaze to the sky, Yeah, like you
arent thinking it, she muttered with narrowed eyes. Just then as she watched the portal grow smaller
and smaller, Iron Man appeared. She nearly shouted for joy as she watched Iron Man escape death, but
then she realized, Hes not slowing down, the longer she watched Iron Man fall, the more certain she
was; without thinking her hand reached out to touch the Hulks wrist, Hes not slowing down! You need
to help him! the Hulk looked down at her and then back up at the quickly descending Iron Man, Catch
him! Darcy insisted.
The Hulk only hesitated a moment longer before launching himself through the sky at the falling man of
metal. The catch was a bit rough, but it significantly slowed the decent of Iron Man, probably saving his
life. Unable to contain herself, Darcy shouted as loudly as she could, throwing her hands in the air and
tossing her head back, Yes! she did a little dance, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! she laughed, feeling
completely relived that it was all over.
It was over.
The laughter slowly turned to tears as everything that had just happened sunk in. She had nearly died! If
it hadnt been for the Hulkslowly she sank to her knees and tried to get a hold of herself. She counted
to ten, and then twenty, thirty, forty, she was just about to reach seventy-eight when a booming voice
shouted her name.
Lady Darcy! there was a pause as Darcy lifted her head to look through tear stained eyes at the
speaker, Lady Darcy, are you unwell?
Slowly Darcy rose to her feet, gazing unseeingly at the sight before her, Captain America, the Hulk and
Thor along with that totally hot and way out of her league bow and arrow guy from way back when in
New Mexico and an incredibly beaten up Iron Man-sans-mask were all walking towards her; and though
it had been the Hulk who had been saving her time after time today she couldnt tear her eyes from the
familiar form of the God of Thunder, Thor, she breathed, Thor was familiar, Thor was her friend, Thor
was safe, Thor! she felt a small tremulous smile spread her lips as she took one step towards the man
then another before she lost all control and launched herself at the big man.
Thor chuckled as he picked the smaller woman, I am glad to see you too Lady Darcy! Thor declared
nearly crushing Darcy with his hug before setting her down, seemingly oblivious to the loud grumblings
originating from the Hulk, However I must ask that you await our reunion a few moments longer while I
and my friends capture my brother.
Darcy stared up at him silently for a moment, Your brother? she questioned, Your brother Loki? she
looked around, He did all this?
Thor frowned and bowed his head for a moment before returning his saddened gaze to her face, I am
sad to say, he nodded.
I she trailed off unsure of what to say, Um, I dont really knowI dont know where to go? she
looked around at the others in askance.
The man in iron stepped forward, Well, we were all on our way up to party central, via the elevator
inside since the suit, he gestured to himself, is pretty much kaput, why dont you join us? he took a
few steps closer before moving around her to head towards the decimated front entry way to his
building.
Uh, Darcy swallowed a few times, still trying to pull herself together after her slight breakdown, Yeah,
right, thats not really going to work, she turned to watch Iron Man walk away as she spoke. When he
stilled and turned a little to look at her in askance she blinked and pointed to the building, The power is
out, she stated.
Iron Man stood a little taller, My building is powered by a separate power source, he replied, almost
managing to look truly offended.
Darcy nodded, And yet the power is still out, she shrugged, trust me, I just had a near death
experience involving your building, two creeper alien dudes, a lot of exploding glass and absolutely no
electricity. So yeah, your plan wont really work.
Iron Man stared at her for a moment before looking at his building, Thats right, he said as if
remembering something, I disabled the ark reactor; JARVIS remind me to he stopped and his face
dropped a bit, Right, no power in the suit either, he rolled his eyes, Well, alright then, any ideas of
how to get way up there, he pointed with a metal finger, from way down here?
When none of the superheroes surrounding her offered up their own ideas Darcy spoke, Stairs? she
suggested, you know, like normal healthy human beings, she glanced at Thor, and Asgardian
people.
Thats over a hundred stories up, Iron Man stated, sounding actually offended this time that she
would suggest such a thing.
Her hands flew up in an automatic defensive yet frustrated move, Well I dont see any of you geniuses
coming up with anything else! she looked them all over, noting briefly the way the Hulk appeared to be
studying her intently before moving her eyes over the other two men and Thor, I guess you could have
the Hulk throw you, she commented with narrowed eyes.
HULK SMASH! the Hulk declared loudly.
Darcy narrowed her eyes a little at him, Or not, she muttered, Or you could have Thor fly you all up
there separately, she eyed Thor and Mew Mew before sighing, You know what? I really dont care
what you crazies do right now. Im just going to go over there, she pointed to the boulder shed been
hiding behind before, and lay down to contemplate my place in the universe and just why Im not
currently singing Saint Peters praises in hopes to get in his good graces long enough to get through the
pearly gates to the Other Side, with that she sauntered towards the boulder, sat down on the ground
in the shade, seemingly forgetting all about the superheroes behind her as she twisted and shifted just
enough to rest on her back to stare up at the blue sky.
Seriously, why in the name of grandmas crazy cat was the sky blue today of all days? It just seemed all
sorts of morally wrong to have blue sky on the day that world could have potentially ended. Her eyes
fluttered shut as she tried to remember every movie shed ever seen of the apocalyptic variety and
whether or not the sky was blue or cloudy and grey. Cloudy and grey, she decided just before she felt
herself trail of to the sandmans realm, was what made for a good Hollywood style end of the world. She
was seriously glad the sky was blue today.
She didnt know how long she slept in the shade of the large boulder, at some point she remembered
being jostled around a bit, the ground shifting (it could have been part of her dream, she wasnt
sure)some flashes of gold, and warm low voices speaking, though what was being said she neither
understood nor cared to translate. She was pretty sure there had been some wacko dream that had
something to do with gigantic ducks with multi-colored feathers that were jumping around in Central
Park behind some dude in a magicians costume. Shed asked how they dyed all the feathers different
colors. Hed laughed and handed her an ice cream; it was green.
When she did finally wake up from her little nap, the sky was no longer blue. In fact, the sky was no
longer a sky. Squinting a little and moaning as she lifted a sore arm to block some of the light coming
from who-knows-where, Darcy shifted around on the soft surface she was laying on. It took her a
moment to try and figure out where she was, clearly this was not the grassy area next to the lifesaving
boulder, but when a woman in scrubs came around one of the curtains surrounding her with a
clipboard, things started to make a little sense. Kinda.
Why am I in a hospital? she mumbled, surprised at the tiredness in her own voice.
The nurse looked up and smiled a tired smile, Miss Lewis! she greeted, Youre awake!
Pulling herself into a sitting position Darcy grimaced as she felt muscles she didnt even know she had
pull and protest the movement, So it would seem. Unless this is some funky alternate version of the
Matrix she trailed off, watching as the smile the nurse had on became more real at her words, But
that still doesnt let me know why Im here.
Well, the nurse flipped through some papers before setting the clipboard down, It seems you were
brought in by aSteve Rodgers? she checked the paper again, And Natalie Rushman, she said you
were her roommate and youd been hit by some exploding glass. We brought you in, removed the
various shards of glass from your arms, the nurse nodded to her arms with a quick look, and a few bits
from your head and cleaned the wound on your forehead. It required seven stitches to close so well
have to go over the care of that and she scanned the paper once more, seeing as how you were
unconscious when they brought you in we decided to keep you here until you woke up to assess your
mental facilities.
Darcy forced a smile to her lips, And how is that going so far she trailed off waiting for a name to be
given.
Heather, the nurse answered, and things seem pretty good as long as you werent completely serious
about the Matrix thing.
Lifting two fingers to demonstrate, Darcy shrugged, ignoring the pull of her muscles, Only a little, she
smirked.
Heather gave a small laugh, Well thats good, she made some notes on her paper and moved forward
to lift up Darcys arms, There were a few small cuts on your arms that youre going to have to take
extra care of over the next few days, she then went on to give Darcy a list of her injuries (there were a
lot, much to her surprise)and instructions for how to care for them (it was going to be a long few weeks
she decided).
Darcy felt like a bobble head by the time the conversation was over, and her head swam, flitting
between being beyond a little overwhelmed by the information being sent her way, and just plain
confused. Her confusion must have shown because Heather paused and smiled knowingly, Do you have
any questions?
Ah, yeah, Darcy lifted her head to scratch a spot on her forehead that itched only to stop herself a split
second later before she scratched at the stiches, What time is it?
Heather narrowed her eyes and her smile dimmed a little, It is just past two, she answered before
asking a question of her own, Do you know what day it is?
Eyes wide as she took in the time Darcy nodded absently, Its Thursday, or it was Thursdayis it two in
the morning or afternoon?
Afternoon, Heather replied, Whats the date?
Date? Darcy blinked, her mind trying to figure out how it had gone from being somewhere around
three on Thursday toOh, the date, umwell the battle was on the twentieth, she stated, but I have
apparently been asleep for a while, soI dont know what date today is.
Heathers shoulders relaxed as she finally seemed to understand Darcys confusion, Today is Saturday
the twenty-second, she supplied, I was a bit worried you had lost some of your memories there for a
moment.
Darcy grinned, Nope, still all there, she tilted her head, Well, as much as they ever were.
The other woman gave a small laugh at that and was about to speak when a familiar booming voice
shouted from somewhere outside the curtain room, Lady Darcy! Darcy blinked and a slow smile began
to spread across her lips as she recognized the voice, Lady Darcy are you in this chamber?
Over here! Darcy shouted back, giving a slightly apologetic grimace to Heather when the woman
jumped at her sudden exclamation.
It took a few moments and a few curtains were shifted and indignant shouts gradually grew closer
before her own curtain was whirled out of the way to reveal none other than the god of Thunder
himself, Lady Darcy! he greeted stepping forward into the room, I am pleased to see you awake.
Darcy smiled up at him in response, And I am pleased to see you looking so she searched for the
word, here, she settled for.
Thors eyebrows furrowed even as he smiled, There are not many other places I would rather be, he
commented.
A small gasp brought Darcys attention back to Heather who was gaping at Thor, who, despite being
dressed in casual everyday human clothes, was still an intimidating yet handsome example of the male
species, Oh! Darcy exclaimed, Heather, this is my buddy Thor, she gestured to Thor, Thor this is my
amazing nurse Heather, Heather slowly rose to her feet to extend her hand to Thor.
Nice to meet you, Heather greeted, seeming to pull herself together, Um, Darcy, she turned her
attention to the other woman in the room, Everything seems to be in order, your wounds seem to be
doing well and you seem well rested so you can check out today if youd like.
Darcy nodded eagerly, That would be great! she exclaimed scooting the edge of the bed before
pausing, Wait, she remembered her earlier question, Why was I out of it for so long? she asked, I
dont have something like encephilody right?
Heather smirked, Its encephalitis, and no, you dont have anything like that. There could be several
reasons for your exhaustion, you could have had a concussion, or you could have been overly tired. Your
file says your from New Mexico correct? she watched Darcy nod before going on, It could be cause
from recent travel over different time zones
You mean like jet lag? Darcy asked incredulously.
Exactly like jet lag, Heather laughed, Or it could simply have something to do with the fact that you
seemed to have found yourself in the middle of the most out-of-this-world battle in existence ever here
in New York, she paused for a breath, Or you know, jet lag.
Darcy smiled, I think I like you, she stated, pointing her finger at Heather, So when can I blow this
popsicle--? shed scooted a little more over the edge of the bed but cut herself off as she realized
Where are my clothes? she exclaimed.
They were shredded and covered in blood when you came in, Heather answered easily, but you can
pick them up at the desk on your way out if youd like, but I dont think youd want to, she smiled once
more, Ill be back in a few moments with them if youd like, then without waiting for Darcys response
she left, as if she already knew what Darcy was going to say.
Darn, Darcys expression darkened, I just bought those, she frowned, but caught sight of the small
backpack Thor was holding silently, Whats that? she pointed at the bag.
Thor looked down at the bag as if hed just realized he was carrying it, Lady Natasha gave this to me to
give to you when I came to see you. She told me it contains apparel for you to wear, he lifted the bag
and handed it to her.
Darcy held the backpack in her lap and tore it open, reaching inside to find a pair of dark blue jeans and
a black mens ACDC t-shirt that had been part of a large group of her shirts shed cut and tied in a DIY
attempt once upon a time when shed been bored. As she furthered her search of the bag she
discovered a brand new toothbrush and toothpaste, her favorite pair of mismatched stripped socks,
some underwear, her worn pair of black and purple skater shoes, her cell phone that had clearly seen
better days, a hair brush and a hair tie. Grinning at Thor she spoke, Why thank you Thor! she
declared, before pausing, Whos Lady Natasha? not bothering to wait for an answer she went on, You
mind if I change?
Thor gestured for her to go on expectantly and Darcy stared at him. After a few awkward seconds of
Thor clearly not understanding Darcys need for privacy, and Darcy clearly not understanding Thors lack
of understanding about personal privacy, Darcy lifted her hand, A little privacy please? she hinted,
flicking her fingers in a turnaround motion.
Thors eyes widened microscopically before he chuckled a little, Forgive me, I forget you humans have a
more sensitive sense of privacy, he smiled before turning around and folding his arms.
Darcy laughed a little as well and scurried into her new clothes, glad to be in something comfortable and
familiar, You can turn around now, she informed him as she finished gingerly tugging down her shirt
and moved to pull on her socks, So, she shoved her feet into her shoes and began to run a brush
through her hair, back to the Lady Natasha question, she flipped some hair over her shoulder to be
able to reach it better with the brush, who is she? And how did she get my stuff?
Lady Natasha is one of my new warrior friends. She is quite fierce in battle. I do not know how she
acquired your clothing, but I am told she is skilled in the art of stealth and manipulation, Thor unfolded
his arms and stepped forward to retrieve the bag from Darcys side only to jerk back when she slapped
at his hand.
Nu-uh blondie, she warned him, I still need to brush my teeth, she flashed her dirty teeth at him in a
mocking smile before she slowly began to move from the bed. Just as she was about to round the edge
of the curtain Heather reappeared with a plastic bag containing what looked to be the messy remains of
her clothing, Uh, hi there Heather, Darcys smile became an innocent one, she wasnt exactly sure that
she was allowed to be moving around yet, so she decided to try and play it safe, Is there a bathroom
around here? as she looked past Heather to search briefly for the bathroom herself, she noticed for the
first time just how many people they had managed to cram into the small space. Apparently the invasion
had landed more than enough victims in the hospital to keep the staff busy for weeks.
Heather nodded, Just outside that door, she pointed, but before you go and disappear forever, she
winked knowingly, This man, she reached over and tugged a tall slightly older man in a white overcoat
into the room, Is Dr. Hoffman. Hes here to sign your release papers.
Darcy smiled, eyeing the gold color that stretched between Heather and the doctor, but knowing no one
else could see it she just returned her focus to the people in front of her instead, Nice to meet you,
she declared, reaching her hand out to shake his.
I hear youre ready to jump ship, Miss Lewis, Dr. Hoffman smiled in amusement.
Yes sir, Darcy nodded, I feel perfectly fine after my long nap, she gestured to the now empty bed
behind her.
Dr. Hoffman shared a small look with Heather before nodding, Well then, he looked down at the
clipboard Heather had handed him, I guess I will simply have to let you go, wont I? his eyes twinkled.
Darcy shrugged, Unless you want to do my best impression of a vanishing ninja sometime soon, she
offered with an innocent tilt of her head.
I dont think that will be necessary, Dr. Hoffman signed the paper in front of him with a flourish and
smiled once more at her as he handed it over, Consider yourself out on good behavior, he joked,
Hope I dont have to see you again anytime soon Miss Lewis, but call me if you have any concerns, he
nodded at Thor who nodded back, before exiting the small curtain room.
After a quick look to make sure the doctor was out of earshot Darcy gave Heather a knowing look, I
approve, she nodded with a teasing grin.
Heather paused, her lips moving as if searching for an appropriate response before the words, Theres
nothing going on between us, finally managed to make their way from her mouth.
Uh-huh, Darcy remembered the gold band that stretched between Heather and the doctor and
smiled, Trust me, there is definitely something going on there, she waggled her finger between
Heather and the direction the doctor had gone, I have a sixth sense about these things. Its almost one
of those cool mutant power things.
Green eyes met Darcys blue and held for a moment as Heather seemed to mull this over, Well, maybe
I have a thing for him, but hes at least ten years older than me. Hed never look at someone like me
anyway, Heather shook her head as if to shake out the thoughts floating around.
Age is just a number chica, Darcy rolled her eyes, And trust me when I say hed definitely look, and
that Im pretty sure hes still looking, she smirked before deciding to let the subject drop, Anyway,
she reached up and pulled a hand through her hair, grimacing as she felt the dirtiness of it, am I free to
go now?
Heather nodded, looking relieved at the subject change, Yep, just sign here, she pointed to a place on
the paper Dr. Hoffman had handed her, and youre golden.
Darcy snatched the pen from Heathers hands and scrawled her name across the indicated line, Alrighty
then, she grinned, I can go now?
Yep, Heather smiled, It was nice meeting you Darcy, she stated before turning and preceding Darcy
and Thor out of the small room.
Darcy watched her go for a moment before turning to Thor, Alright, first the bathroom then were
gone! she grabbed Thors wrist and tugged him behind her as she weaved her way through the large
room and out into the hallway. A brief scan of the crowded hall revealed the bathroom and after some
pretty slick maneuvering if she did say so herself she managed to make it to the restroom. Leaving Thor
to wait for her out in the hall she entered the bathroom and went about brushing her teeth and pulling
her hair into a sloppy knot at the base of her neck using the hair tie Lady Natasha had gotten for her.
A few moments later she exited the room to find Thor eyeing an IV unit attached to some man whod
dosed off in his wheel chair in the middle of the hall, Alright Thunderbird, she called him, Lets make
like a tree and leaf, a banana and split, a twig and break, like rain and get the hail out of here, like a
hockey play and get the puck out of here, like a missile and cruise, like a she trailed off, running out of
jokes and rolling her eyes as she noticed Thors complete confusion at her words, Lets go, she
gestured to the exit sign at the end of the hall, I have no idea where we are, how to get back to my
hotel, or even how to get there, she paused, Or if there is even a there to get to
She was silent as she led Thor down several flights of stairs and out the admittedly slightly smashed up
front doors of the hospital where she stopped and looked around, Its official, she stated, I haveno
idea where we are.
Thor smiled, Do not worry Lady Darcy, he raised his hand and waved, Lady Natasha has offered to
escort us to your place of residence in her chariot of red.
Darcy turned to look where he was waving to find a sleek black and red convertible headed their way. As
it pulled up to the curb Thor escorted Darcy to the car, helping her into the passengers seat before
sliding into the back himself, Lady Darcy, this is Lady Natasha, Thor introduced, Lady Natasha this is
Lady Darcy.
The red head sitting in the drivers seat looked over her shoulder at Thor as she slid the wide sunglasses
on her head over her eyes, We talked about this Thor, I am no lady.
Thor chuckled, Yes of course, he smiled, it is just Natasha, he remembered.
So youre the one who stole my stuff for me, Darcy looked pointedly at Natasha, who looked back at
her for a moment before refocusing on the road in front of her going probably twice the speed limit, All
I want to know is whether or not you stole a piece of the chocolate that was sitting on top of the
suitcase, she narrowed her gaze at the slight twitch of the other womans lips, Because that was
chocolate sent special to me from my aunt in Sweden.
Natasha smirked then, The chocolate was from California, she stated.
Well, yeah, apparently chocolate is expensive in Sweden or something, she shook her head, It doesnt
actually matter anyway, its the thought that counts, she frowned carefully, So did you? Take a
chocolate I mean. Because Ill know if you did.
A shake of the redheads head was her answer, I did not take any of your chocolate from your room.
Darcy eyed her for a moment but eventually shrugged, Whatevs she reached forward to flip on the
radio, Got anything good? she asked as she flipped through the stations, before opening the center
console to find a small collection of CDs, Oh em gee is this Darcy lifted the CD that had caught her
attention, it is! This CD isnt even out yet! her hair whipped around her as she stared at Natasha
incredulously, How in the name of Old McDonalds farm did you get this? without waiting for an
answer Darcy scrambled to open the CD case and slid the CD into the player (and if she squeaked a little
when the sirens of the first song started blaring from the speakers who would know?)
I know people who know people, Natasha answered with a small smile before reaching forward to
crank up the volume.
Almost with her permission Darcys arms rose above her head as she did a little dance in her seat to the
beat of the song, So, Darcy said after the first song was over as she reached forward to turn down the
volume of the music, I think you are officially my new best friend.
Natasha shot her a look Darcy couldnt decipher, though it may have something to do with the large
glasses covering the older womans eyes, You dont even know me, Natasha finally spoke a few
seconds later.
Thor likes you, Darcy pointed over her shoulder at the man who was currently watching the world fly
by with avid attention, and you have an awesome car, you apparently know how to be all sneaky spy
ninja like a boss, and you obviously have awesome taste in music. What more is there to know? Darcy
smiled winningly, Besides, thats the point of becoming friends isnt it? To get to know people?
A long silence followed Darcys little spiel before Natasha spoke again, I could have killed hundreds of
people and you wouldnt even know it.
Now Darcy was beginning to get the feeling that A) Natasha clearly wasnt used to people suddenly just
declaring themselves her friend and B) she sounded as if she were trying to warn Darcy away. Silently
Darcy stared at the redheads profile, quietly contemplating her, Well, according to Thor you are a
quote, warrior, she used air quotes, and quite fierce in battle so Im guessing that one, you have
probably most definitely killed at least a few people in the past, two that you must work for or have
something to do with S.H.I.E.L.D, which generally means that you have to get a little down and dirty with
some people occasionally, three, even if you killed people in the past, the person sitting next to me now
isnt that same person. I subscribe to the life theory that whats in the past is in the past and that we
should always make the best of the present to achieve the best possible future. So yeah, sorry to say it,
but youre stuck with me as your new bestie, Darcy smirked at her, Yay, right?
A few quick glances was her answer as if Natasha were trying to figure her out, I should warn you, I
havent exactly ever really had a close girl friend.
Really? Darcy exclaimed, though she secretly admitted she wasnt all that surprised, Like, ever?
Natasha shook her head, There isnt really a whole lot of time for friends with my job being the way it
is.
Wheres your phone? Darcy demanded following her words, Come on, gimme, she opened and shut
her hands in a give it to me motion.
A little awkward shifting later that would have looked ridiculous if it had been Darcy doing it, but
somehow managed to look simply awesome when Natasha did it, a small thin Stark phone was being
handed over to Darcy. Natasha watched her carefully as Darcy pressed different buttons and pulled out
her own phone to repeat the process, There! Darcy declared a few minutes later, Now you have my
phone number, and I have yours, she handed the phone back to Natasha, Now you can call me
whenever you want and we can hang out, or just send me a text or something, Darcy blinked as she
stared down the street, suddenly realizing that she vaguely recognized the surrounding buildings, Oh,
hey, thats my hotel down there!
I know, Natasha reminded her with a small smile, So what are you doing in New York anyway Darcy?
she asked curiously.
Darcy scoffed, As if you couldnt get your hands on that information on your own, she smiled, her
head bobbing a little to the beat of the music, But just so you dont have to go through the effort of
digging for the information Ill tell you, I was here to interview for a position working as Tony Starks
personal assistant.
Was? Natashas eyebrows appeared over the top of her sunglasses, And why would you want to work
for Tony Stark of all people.
Well after all of this, Darcy waved her hands around to some of the minor but still there destruction
laying around, I kinda figure finding a personal assistant isnt very high on the list of things the Iron Man
needs to worry about right now, there was a shrug and a tilt of her head, And on a scale of no way in
Hades, to I could totally roll with that, out of all the jobs S.H.I.E.L.D says I can do, Tony Starks PA was
pretty up there on my list of things that will probably never bore me.
Thors head suddenly appeared between the backs of the two chairs in the front, The man of Iron
would be greatly amiss not to hire you Lady Darcy. I have seen how well you work for and with Lady
Jane, you would be a great asset to any person who was wise enough to hire you.
Awe, Darcy patted Thor on his not-at-all-insignificant bicep, Thanks buddy.
The car slowed to a stop in front of the slightly shabby looking motel Darcy was currently spending an
absurd amount of money she didnt technically have to stay at, Were here, Natasha stated
unnecessarily.
Darcy smiled a little at the dubiousness in Natashas voice, It scored a D- on grademyhotel.com, she
informed them, But it was the best rated place in my price range, sohome sweet home! she
declared, grabbing the door handle and pushing the door open, only slightly surprised when Thor
followed suit and exited the car as well. Natasha remained in her seat, but lifted the sunglasses from her
eyes, Thanks for the ride Nat.
A small look of surprise crossed Natashas features at the use of the rarely used nickname, Any time
Darcy, she replied, Let me know if I can do anything else for you while youre still temporarily
unemployed.
Yeah, we should definitely hang out sometime, Darcy nodded, Thanks again, I mean it. I would have
been so beyond lost without you, and with this one, she pointed to Thor with her thumb, That
probably wouldnt have ended well.
Natasha smiled and nodded one last time, calling a See you around Darcy! before she put her car in
gear and pealed out of the small crumbling parking lot.
So Darcy started as Thor spoke, You have lodging here?
Darcy tilted her head up to stare confidently at Thor, Yes, Blondie, I have lodging here, she rolled her
eyes, Come on, my room is up there, she pointed at one of the peeling lime green doors on the second
floor. A few moments and several skipped stairs later Darcy came to a stop just outside her door where
she pulled out the key and shoved it brutally into the lock, Welp, she popped the p, Here we are!
she tried to force a cheerful and proud tone into her voice as she opened the door and stepped inside,
but if the dubious look Thor was giving the place was anything to go by, she wasnt exactly succeeding,
What, she caught his attention, You dont like it?
It is very, Thor hesitated, small.
She blinked, once, twice, and then a laugh escaped her followed by several minutes of potentially
hysterical laughter (you werent there, dont judge)before she managed to pull herself together, Oh
Thor, buddy, pal, chum, she lightly tapped his shoulder with her fist, this place is a dump no need to be
polite, she smirked up at the relieved look Thor gave her at her words, Honestly, I am very much
aware that I am paying far too much for far too little, but whats a girl to do? she shrugged with a small
smile and headed over to the small vanity area near the bathroom on the other side of the room.
Thor hovered around the door as she walked around, looking as if she were inspecting things until a
sudden Ah-ha! startled him and brought his eyes back to Darcys smaller form to find her pointing
triumphantly at a large luggage bag that was flung open, I knew she took some of my chocolate! Darcy
shook her head in amusement before reaching forward and snatching two Lindor chocolates from inside
the suitcase, Here, she tossed one to Thor, have a chocolate.
Darcy watched Thor carefully as he unwrapped the chocolate and placed it in his mouth; it took a
moment but the surprise and glee that spread across Thors face as the chocolate melted was certainly
worth the wait, Right? Darcy nodded her head rhetorically, Is it the best chocolate youve ever had or
what? she smiled and went to go sit on the bed before hesitating mid-sitting motion, eyeing the bed
suspiciously, and changing her path to sit instead on the uncomfortable but probably cleaner wooden
chair that rested near a small cluttered table in the corner, So, she started, flopping down into the
chair and gesturing for Thor to sit across from her, how long you here for this time?
Eyeing the chair in the same way Darcy had the bed earlier, Thor moved slowly to take his seat, The
man of Iron and Dr. Banner said they would have a device capable of harnessing the Tesseracts power
by the early morning tomorrow. I will be returning the Tesseract and my brother to Asgard tomorrow
afternoon.
Darcy blinked, And have you happened to take a moment of your time to visit Jane yet? she asked,
though she was worried she already knew the answer.
I have not, Thor ducked his head, looking saddened at the prospect, There has not been enough time.
Were I able to remain on Midgard a while longer I would certainly go to see her, but Loki must be
returned to Asgard as soon as I am able. My father has instructed me not to linger.
There was a pause before Darcy exploded, Are you kidding me? she shot to her feet, Do you have any
idea just how furious Jane is going to be when she finds out that you were here forforfor a while and
you didnt take the time to go see her, yet you came to see me? She is going to kill me! without
realizing it Darcy began to pace, Shell tell me how horrible a friend I am for not telling you to go see
her first thing, like pronto, and then shell be mad that you didnt just go do it yourself, and then shell
be totally angry at S.H.I.E.L.D because they wouldnt let you go, and Loki for being the stupid Darcy
took a deep breath, Maybe you can call her! she suddenly switched gears, reaching into her pocket for
her phone, At least then I can honestly say that I tried to get you two to have your moment before you
teleported away from here.
Lifting the phone to her ear as she waited for Jane to pick up Darcy, turned to find Thor staring at her
with a look that fell somewhere between concerned and amused, Trust me Blondie, youll be glad I
she stopped as her attention was turned to the voice in her ear, Unavailable? Darcy pulled the phone
away to check the screen pointlessly before putting it back to her ear, What do you mean Dr. Jane
Foster, she imitated the voice sarcastically, is unavailaHi Jane, Darcys voice switched from high
pitched frantic words to calm and collected in a millisecond, I know you probably wont get this for a
while, in fact you probably forgot your phone somewhere or let it die a slow death. Anyway, I just was
calling you to let Thor speak to younever let it be said that I never did anything for you. However you
werent able to answer your phone soon enough. Give me a call back as soon as you get this, love, bye!
Jamming her finger on the end call button Darcy muttered something about stupid airheaded geniuses
who wouldnt pick up their stupid smart phones. There was a pause as she thought and then Darcys
face lit up, I know! she declared, You can write her a letter!
Thor smiled as he thought her words over, That sounds like a fantastic idea Lady Darcy, he agreed, Do
you have a scroll, and some ink and a quill?
Looking around Darcy spotted the sketchbook shed decorated with various words and pictures from
magazine clipings resting on the table next to Thor, I dont have scrolls because those are so outdated,
she moved towards the sketchbook and flipped it open, thumbing through several sketches of mostly
overly animated but still cute animals among others, she came to a stop on a blank page, Here you can
write on this, with she reached into the satchel bag that was also resting on the table and snatched a
calligraphy pen from somewhere inside, this, she flourished the pen in Thors direction, Its like a quill
but not so difficult to use and the ink is all inside the pen.
My gratitude knows no bounds for what you are doing for my beloved and I, Lady Darcy, Thor
proclaimed, accepting the pen and turning to hunch over the paper in front of him.
Darcy watched him write with a contented smile for several minutes before the Despicable Me minions
started singing their banana and potato song from her pocket. Wondering if Thor would get to talk to
Jane after all Darcy reached into her pocket and pulled her phone out, answering without even looking
to see who was calling, Wazzup? she asked.
Is this Darcy Lewis? a womans voice came over the line, sounding unsure.
Standing up straight as she recognized that she didnt recognize the voice Darcy paused a second before
answering, Speaking, she stated.
Miss Lewis, this is Pepper Potts from Stark Industries, the words had Darcy collapsing into the wooden
chair numbly, I am calling to reschedule your interview for the position as personal assistant to Tony
Stark.
One hand rose to run through her hair until it came to a stop at the ponytail, Uh, hi, Darcy replied.
Peppers voice hesitated, Is everything alright Miss Lewis?
Darcy nodded before realizing that Pepper couldnt see her and spoke, Yes! she exclaimed, before
backtracking, I mean, yes, everything is great, fantastic even. I uh, Im just surprised to hear from you is
all. I thoughtwell I dont know what I thought.
There was a laugh on the other end of the line that had Darcy relaxing a little, Dont worry, things have
been a bit complicated all around for the last few days havent they? without waiting for a response
she went on, Anyway, Tony and I are busy all day tomorrow and Tony is booked all day the day after,
but would you be willing to meet with us on the there was a pause, twenty-fifth?
A small sigh escaped her, followed by a humorless chuckle as she leaned forward to prop her head, still
clutched in her hand, on her knee, I dont know if I can stretch my money until then, she admitted
after a short debate with herself, I was barely able to afford to come to New York for our meeting the
other day, Im not sure I have enough to go for another night let alone three, internally Darcy was
preparing herself for the gentle turndown from Pepper, but was surprised at what actually came.
Well Miss Lewis, there were some papers being shuffled around, you come recommended by
S.H.I.E.L.D, which isnt something that can be said about many other applicants. So how about I put you
up for the next few nights on Stark Industries.
Darcy pulled the phone away from her ear to stare dumbly at it for a second, Are you serious? she
asked the second the phone was back to her ear, You would do that?
A small laugh was her answer, Yes, I would do that. It wasnt in anyones plans for the whole world to
go crazy these last few days, so why should you be punished for it? So what do you say?
I say yes! Darcy exclaimed as if the answer should have been obvious, Of course I say yes, that would
mean a great deal to me.
Alright, Pepper laughed again, Tell me the name of your hotel and I will get a hold of the
management to arrange payment.
Darcy gave the name eagerly, The Stardust motel, she offered.
There was a pause, The Stardust motel? Pepper repeated cautiously and a loud outraged cry was
heard from the other line before a mans voice was demanding the phone. A few seconds later the oddly
familiar voice of Tony Stark was speaking to her, Pack your things Miss Lewis, he declared, I am
making reservations for you at Langham Place on Fifth Avenue as we speak, regardless of the outcome
of the interview you will be housed there for the next two weeks with everything on me. And no, he cut
off her protest, I will not take no for an answer, Darcy couldnt find any words, hed stunned her into
silence, Also, before Pepper steals the phone back, come dressed in whatever clothes you wear when
you feel most comfortable, some other words were said but Darcy couldnt understand them as the
voice was getting further and further away.
Sorry about that, Peppers voice returned, Tony likes to be a little
Essentric? Darcy offered, the words escaping her before her brain could filter it, Oh! she exclaimed
as she realized what shed just said, I didnt mean but Peppers laugh cut her off.
That is it exactly Miss Lewis, Pepper stated, Anyway, I will be sending a car for you in the next hour or
so, do you require any assistance with your things?
Darcy looked over at the large man bent over her sketchbook and smirked, Nope, I think I got all the
help I will need, she answered, Thank you again, for everything.
It is absolutely not a problem, Pepper replied, So we will see you on the twenty-fifth at, lets say one
in the afternoon here at Stark Tower?
Again Darcy nodded before realizing she couldnt be seen, That sounds great Miss Potts, thank you!
We will see you then, Pepper stated, a grin in her voice, Have an enjoyable time at Langham Place,
their spa is to die for.
Thank you, Darcy repeated dumbly, saying a final goodbye before hanging up. She stared blankly at
the floor at her feet for several minutes in shock before a wide grin broke out across her face. Rising to
her feet Darcy began to whirl around the small room collecting her things, Hey Blondie, she called,
distracting Thor from his letter, Were moving, so in the next few minutes or so Im going to need you
to pack up your stuff for a short trip across town.
Thor smiled, Where are we moving to Lady Darcy? he asked, Have you found better accommodations
than this?