Darcy wakes up at 6:30 every morning to prepare breakfast for the three lab rats, Jane, Tony and Bruce. After feeding them and forcing those who were awake for more than 30 hours to sleep. She went to the main kitchen and set out breakfast items like toast, pop tarts, French toast and fruit before making three pots of coffee and head down to look over the scientists and shorthand notes and aid Jane. This was a Darcy Lewis morning and daily routine. It had been for a good three years now but...she had one of those night again and it led to her terrible position.
Staring face to face with a sitting coral snake and Scorpion half-submerged in the almost empty bottle of snake whisky. Half burnt White papers, blunt ends and ashes litter the ashtray and bed. Blood was dried thin on to the pillows.
Her iPod lazily played the radio, a song called Cold Sweat played and it was ironic of her situation because she was damp in a cold sweat. Darcy's body ache as a knot tied itself in her belly and her ears rung with a headache. She sniffed as hot tears forced themselves down her flushed face and a sob pushed up her throat painfully. It was so long ago, he's been gone, so long and the memories still held the poor girl.
"You're really special Babe." Stated Cole as he looked her over. Darcy laid on the couch with hand cuffed wrists over her head and classical rock filter though the radio. She was dressed in a sheer white crop top and short to match. Bruises riddled her chest and sides, a slim long cut was to the side of the base of her neck along with bruises in the shape of hands and a swollen cheek.
Her cheeks seemed hallow and her eyes wer e lost of all life. A cloud of whatever he had cramped in the blunt for his latest high burned the air and Darcy's chest burned from hit she was forced to take.
"I'm sorry that you are so special that your bring my bad side out. Hey, at least I dressed you back this time! I didn't hit your face." He ran his fingers up her leg and rubbed a circle on her thigh under her shorts.
"Tell me another one of them mythology stories you study so much. What are the called Norse, or was it those southern folklore's?" She looked up at him."Your request, for I am your loving wife."
Darcy shutter another cry, she forced herself up and looked at the clock that showed it was noon. No one cared that she was late, probably didn't notice. Who would care over the petite dark-haired assistant anyway? She made you smirk with a sarcastic comment or observation when she could. She could cook some tasty food but, that was it of what the people in the Avengers tower saw of her and she'd take it to the grave that, that was all to her. Her hand shook as she looked at the raw cut skin of her wrists from the handcuffs.
"It's not normal to sleep in handcuffs."
She knew that but in her drunk and high of last night she must have slipped them on tighter than usual. Which was becoming normal as of the last two months, it's this way because a horrible incident that forever set her life into hell.
"Darcy sat in the truck bed with the other three girls for sell, dressed in a little white dress that held her tightly. He hair did in an elegant bun with a face done with a blue smokey eye and dark lips.
17 year olds aren't supposed to be sold as brides. But here she was in the closest she'll get to a Sunday best for the wedding to her new owner, a drug lord's son. She swallow back the urge to scream as he placed the veil over her face and paid for her. She just thought of how she'd be better dead.
"This one is still feisty when she's alone. She may seem quite and quaint now but behind doors she spitting and cussing. It's best to keep her in cuffs when you're done with her Cole." Advised her seller. An ugly baster as she nicknamed him.
"She has a lot of talent though. She's one hell of a singer and story-teller, she's also a good worker. She's great at computers and codes she a good smoker too." He said and Darcy finally let out a scream and head butted forward. Making a nice smack against ugly baster temple.
She kicked her bare feet at his knee causing him to crumble and giving her the wiggle room to start running down hill. Her bare toes stubbed over rocks and her feet skidded on the slick grass. She ran with wild pumps of her leg and held tears as her feet came down on the rock gravel road with sharp small stones.
A stone was thrown from behind her and smack her at the hip and she fell with a roll. She groaned and tried to get up again but gasped."Oh I'm gonna like this game babe!" Said Cole as he stabbed a taser in the base of her shoulder and let the volts knock her out.
Darcy trembled as she broke out the cuffs before setting them in the drawer and wobbly cleaned up. She hid the rest of the whiskey under her bed along with the blunts and ash tray. She lit the rose scented candles Ian got her before he left the internship, he couldn't handle Norse gods and magic.
She turned the music off and made her way to the bathroom. She had dark circles, a flushed face and messy hair. She ran her hand over the slim scar on the side of her collar-bone. She flexed her fingers noticing she singed them again. She skillfully bandaged them and her wrists as well from the wrung of the cuffs earlier. She started a cool shower and washed as she thought of an excuse.
"Jarvis has anyone asked or talked about me?" She called over the rushing water.
" called for you but quickly got into an argument with Sir. Mr. Rogers and his friends missed your French toast this morning and asked me about you. Since you asked for privacy, I told them you were still sleep. Is everything alright Miss. Lewis?" said Jarvis.
Darcy sighed and turned off the shower. "I'll be fine J. Thanks for asking" she hurried and got ready.
Putting on a loose black hoodie, grey sweatpants and putting her hair under a beanie, she gather her iPod, cellphone, and laptop then shuffling to the elevator.
"Afternoon." Said a voice and Darcy looked up with wide eyes and gave a small smile. It was Natasha and she dressed in workout clothes.
"Clint missed your strawberry muffins this morning. Was complaining over the coffee about it." She said and Darcy have a chuckled. "I'll make up with lasagna for dinner." She said and Natasha looked at Darcy almost nurse level bandaging of her hands.
"What happen to your hands?" She asked, Darcy swallowed nervously then breath a relief as the elevator stopped at the lab before the gym.
"This is my floor. Nice talking Nat!" She hurried off before the Widow could integrate her and into the lab.
Tony and Bruce were tinkering over a robot and Jane had a pile of notes and was looking through the program of a thermal light motor.
"Hi guys did you eat?" She asked setting up her laptop and Jane glared at her. "Where have you been? Oh never mind, I can't decipher your short hand, not even Stark could crack it." She said and Tony was quickly over to witness Darcy translate the shorthand.
"I have to see this. What's with all those numbers and shit?!" He said. Darcy laughed, she's always had a talent for making codes and solving puzzles and it only got better when she had to work deals for Cole before she escaped.
The laptop was an older make but Darcy liked it. She participated in online classes secretly she took a weird liking to political science. Thinking of what Cole would do if he caught her.
"I should be in college! Hell I'm 20 this was all I was ready for before that ugly baster kidnapped me!"
She took some pride in the fact she could type pretty fast in handcuffs. She had finished up shipment hook ups for Cole and in return he fed her and gave her a riddle book to pass time with. The door knob rattled and she hid the laptop quickly and picked up the riddle book and Cole entered.
He smiled down at her and ran back his grease blonde hair, "I need the probability of the horse race and the baseball game tonight, give me some numbers and shit." He sat on the bed and stared at her with drunk eyes."
Try and try again." She thought. "His taser and gun is in a ceiling tile in the bathroom. His back up cash is up their too. Does he have guards outside the room? Fuck it!" "Can we play codes?"
"Darcy? What happen to your hands?!" Asked Jane as Darcy transcript notes and Jane tinkered over the motor.
"I was making coffee and boiling water from the coffee maker scalded them. That's why I wasn't here this morning, I was having Jarvis help me patch them up." She lied smoothly. Being "Married" to a criminal had some part in that.
"Oh." Said Jane and Darcy looked up at the clock to see it was 5 time to start dinner. "Okay, you guys have an hour to finish up and then I'm coming to get you for dinner alright? We're having lasagna.". They mutter and Darcy chuckled at them before taking her iPod up with her to the main rooms kitchen.
"All I am is a mess
I want the world in my hands
hate the beach but I stand
In California, with my toes on the sand"
Darcy sung softly as she prepped and cooked. "You're a pretty good singer." And Darcy turned to grin up at Steve.
"Thanks cap, I know it's not show tunes but I'm glad you like it!" She said and went back to humming as he sat and watched her, a drawing pad laid in front of him.
"We missed you this morning. Sam about cried, raced all the way up for your smoothies, he still lost and got no smoothie." He chuckled and Darcy hummed. Her eyes slid over and she gasped a little, noticing Bucky had taken his place by Steve silently and he just nodded at her.
"Hello Bucks." She said and he smirked at the nickname but frown when he saw her hands. "What the hell did you do to your hands Doll?" He asked and Steve frowned as well.
"Well the coffee maker was acting up this morning. Scald my hands. I-I had Jarvis help me out." She said with a stutter. She usual could pull off her lies but Bucky and Steve were so honest to her it was hard for her to lie to them. She turned from them and started cutting and slicing carrots and lettuce for a salad, "Well don't be so clumsy before you have us worried." Said Bucky and the words trigger a memory in the girl.
"Run bitch!" Said Cole as gunfire rang around them. He was jacking prices up and fucked around with the wrong client. So now the two were running for life towards his SUV.
Her hands were cuffed behind her back in obedience, she wore those black heels she hated. They ran through the hole filled alley, a bullet burned its way into her thigh and when she stumbled and fell into the brick and Cole just left her.
"You're little shit of a husband will learn what happens when he fucks me over!" Shouted the man and soon him and his goons started to beat her and take another shot into her thigh. She screamed and they left before she could cause a scene with them.
Darcy panted a bit in groaned in pain before rolling her self up and walking on her knee to the end of the alley. Maybe this could be her escape! All hope died however when the crunch of gravel under tire and Cole's SUV pulled up in front of her. The door open and Cole looked down at her, "Why did you leave my like that you Fucker!" She yelled and he just rolled his eyes.
"Well, don't be so clumsy."
"Shit!" She swore as her hands wobbled in the memory and cut her left hand. She moved away before she could get any blood on the food, "Um can you guys finish this up. Just make the salad and put the lasagna in the oven for 30 minutes, I gotta fix this.". She ran out before they could respond and hurried over to the medical bay. She leaned over the sink and let the blood trickle as she tried to heave her chest to breath. With a hiss of pain she turned the water on to rinse the blood off.
It's been years, three years, she should be over this and she was.
Why the hell was she having relapses, she escaped and its behind her for Pete sake's.
"Damn you sure are accident prone." Said a plain voice and Darcy sighed at Natasha.
"I'll be fine just need to bandage up again." Darcy waved off and waited for her to leave but grit her teeth as Natasha came over and took the first aid kit down from the shelve.
"I really got it Nat you don't have to- well I want to. Now sit." She commanded and Darcy sat twitching. When Natasha took her hand Darcy swallowed nervously.
"Darcy do you want anesthetic or something? This is a minor cut it shouldn't hurt this bad. Just need totake- I can do this can you just go!" Darcy exclaimed, interrupting her. Her eyes widen in fear and shock.
"Darcy let me see your hands." Said Nat with a bit of sympathy in her voice and Darcy shook her head ready to cry.
"I can't you won't understand. I'm sure hardly anybody could understand." Explained Darcy and Natasha shook her head. Darcy looked away from grand the view of her hand as Natasha unwrapped it.
"Oh my, Darcy what the hell. You fingers are burned a little swollen even and...and your wrist." Said Natasha and Darcy let the tears start to roll.
"I can do this..I - I know you wouldn't understand. Just go alright." Said Darcy bitterly but Natasha just started to unwrap the other hand. She looked down with a void of emotion at Darcy matching cuff scared wrists.
They were puffy, red, and darkening with bruises. Dried blood from the small cuts the handcuffs caused and were scared from past holdings.
"Are... Are these handcuff scars...Why are you wearing handcuffs Darcy?!" Natasha said quiet yet demanding and Darcy shook her head. The two woman were both silent as Natasha started to disinfect and applied antibiotic cream to her injured hands.
"That cut going to need a stitch." Darcy said. She knew this, from all the stitches she gave to those who worked for Cole and herself. Natasha just sighed and did as such, only two were required. Natasha just stopped she didn't finish to even bandage her hands just stare at them and then up at Darcy.
"When were you wearing handcuff?!" She demanded and Darcy rung her hands. "I-I sleep with them...I know it's crazy but...when I don't. I-I can see them try to put them on me. I can see them force me into them. Last night was pretty rough for me. I guess I moved in them too much." She explained and Natasha nodded.
"I understand...Darcy Who are they? Are they after you are something? Harassing you if so-" Natasha trailed off when Darcy shook her head and started to bandage her own hands and wrists.
"I'm not feeling that well...I'm just going to bed, make sure the lab rats eat." She said and quickly she left leaving Nat in the Medical bay and the others to wonder and worry over her.
"Jarvis... I don't want anybody to bug me for the rest of the night and tomorrow. I have shorthand cheat code on my laptop if Jane asks. If they ask about me tell them I'm sick." She asked, the AI of course complied.
"Miss. Lewis this isn't healthy. I suggest rest and moral support for your problem." He said concerned in his voice and Darcy scoffed as she turned the lights off and curled under the sheets.
"Goodnight J."
"Goodnight Darcy."
"His hands are cold...too Cold." Thought Darcy frighten as Cole drunkenly suck at her breast and cold hands trailed her thighs and stomach.
"Moan for me Babe." He commanded.
Darcy grimaced. "Babe, do as I ask." He demanded and Darcy jerked back and pushed her bound hands against his chest.
"Fuck you! Ahhh!" She screamed as in a swift wave Cole cut at her collar-bone. Blood leaked down and Darcy shook with shock and gave a groan in pain.
Cole pressed his finger over the cut, the tip of his nail dig in. "Listen her my lovely wife, you do as I say and when I say. My heart breaks every time you don't do my will so I will cut every time. Right above you heart right above those perfect tits of yours." He said before forcing a kiss and going back to kissing her neck.
"Moan for me Babe." He commanded.
Darcy woke with a start and gave a huge gasp. Her chest heaved, a cool sweat coated her skin and she trembled. She moved her hand up her chest and felt the softness of scar tissue instead if the smoothness of the rest. Bile crawled up throat, she only had the time to roll to a sit before throwing up in the trash by her bed.
"See what happens when you disobey,you break my heart and its only fair that I break you."
Cole's words were a chilly whisper in her ear and she gagged over the trash again.
"Miss. Lewis!?" Alerted Jarvis and Darcy swallowed.
"I'm fine Jarvis. Just sick...I'll be fine." She assured the AI and sat back on the bed. Darcy walked over to the sink and got a drink of water, this was bad.
Meanwhile, Clint rubbed his hands greedily and glared at the lasagna on the stove top. "I love you Darcy!" He exclaimed readying to make a plate when Bucky took it out of his hand.
"We have to wait for her, she about killed herself making this so she deserves the first piece." He scolded and Clint rolled his eyes as he sat at the table. The sharp scent watering his mouth, he looked up at see Natasha walk in but could tell she was off.
"What's sup Nat, you see a ghost?" He asked and she gave him a blank glare, she just nodded and waved him to the hallway. He went over and the two leaned on the wall in privacy, "Darcy sleeps with handcuffs on." She said quietly Clint was shocked at the quiet tremor in her voice.
"What!?" He whispered in surprise.
He remember when he saved Natasha and would have to hold her wrists and wrap them when they got cut or raw it lasted a good year before she slowly broke the habit.
"I caught her in the medical bay just staring as the sink like she was lost. I asked her about it and she said that without her cuffing them, they'd find her and make her wear them. She won't say who they are and...its just...she doesn't deserve that. No one deserves that fear!" Said Natasha with closed fist and Clint rest a hand on her shoulder and ran it down her arm soothingly.
"We'll talk to her okay. Your confrontation probably spooked her a bit, well talk to her tomorrow morning. Alright?" He offered and Natasha shook her head.
"She's going to sleep in them tonight." She said quietly and Clint sighed.
"Hey Jarvis where's Darcy at?" Asked Jane as she plated her food and sat at the table next to Thor.
"Miss. Lewis has informed me to tell that she is feeling under the weather. An upset stomach also that she wouldn't like to be disturbed while she rest." Answered Jarvis.
Natasha tighten her grip on her fork and stabbed her food. After dinner Natasha stalked up to Darcy room with Clint hot on her heels. "Nat, you're going to scare her." He warned, but Natasha kept walking. She gave three sharp knocks to her door.
"Darcy its Natasha open the door." She commanded.
Darcy laid on her bed with two throw blankets over her curled form. She looked at the scorpion and snake whiskey that sat in front of her contemplating on drinking the rest. Her eyes where red rimmed from both crying and lack of sleep, a migraine was coming though her temples. The sharp knocks of Natasha cause another sob out her throat and another memory to plague her.
Cole sat on the other side of the small kitchen table his laced cigarette smokes slowly and danged off the end of his lip. He watched her with calculating eyes, as she ate a bowel of Noodles and beef. She had two glass of drink, one was water and the other a light lime colored liquor with a snake head floating in it.
"It's called snake whiskey, Brandy was my old man choose of drink. You see my step mother was from India. When I took trips with her we used to go to theses shops where they would sell liquors with snakes and scorpions in it. It's my specialty and I want my wife to be able to handle it so drink up babe.".
He made her finish up her meal and pushed the liquor to her, she swallowed uneasily. He held in his hand, the familiar fish knife, the one that slashed her collar.
"At least half." She took the glass with a jittery hand and took it back. Forcing herself to keep it down when the top of the snake head touched her lip. She choked back and sat down the half empty glass, "Fuck!" She sputter as he pushed the glass of water to her.
She took slow sips and he watched her with a slimy smile. He took the rest of her drink down like a pro, as Darcy began to feel woozy.
"I hate you." Darcy slurred as they stared at each other."Whatever you say." She screamed as he took a sudden move and gave her hand a quickly nick.
"I being gracious since you're getting the buzz. Don't worry babe, soon you'll be sober after drinking a whole bottle of the shit." He said and Darcy shot up from the table and dizzily ran to throw up in the bathroom.
After the first bout she slammed the door and jerked the lock to clasp. As the world blurred together Darcy wobbled up and laid against the door and trembled as Cole banged the door three times.
"Open up Darcy."
Darcy narrowed her eyes at the door and shakily got up before Natasha could try to disassemble Jarvis and the door. She wrapped her self in the blankets and hid the snake whiskey back in its place then, cracked the door open. "Yes?" Asked Darcy with a whisper and Clint sighed.
"We just want to talk Darcy." He said.
Darcy tighten the hold on the throw around her shoulders. "I'm not feeling all that hot you guys, I just want some sleep." She said and Natasha pushed her way in.
"Where are the cuffs Darcy." She demanded and Darcy paled. "Listen is this because I missed cooking breakfast? I've had a clumsy day, that's top off with me being sick. In the morning I'll cook breakfast and get back to schedule, since I can't get a sick day from you people." ranted Darcy.
She wanted to be alone she deserved that, she hated the attention of the two Avengers. Because that meant this would catch the attention of Jane, then Thor then Banner, Tony and most terrifying Steve and Bucky. She's just a political scientist with a friendship slash partner ship with the lab rats below her room, she cooks well.
She an average and shouldn't concern the heroes, "I don't deserve whatever you're trying! Okay? Please leave.". Clint walked in front of her and took her hands into his, carefully handling her wrist he turned them over and felt them to test the swollen flesh.
"No innocent person deserves to sleep in handcuffs, Darcy. Who would make you do this?" He asked. Darcy pulsed her lips.
Who did?
Cole was gone, she hasn't interested any of Cole's enemies or friends since last year when she caught the internship with Jane. She felt horrible when she slept at night her hand always cuffed in front of her or above her head and she put herself their like some freak. It seemed like whenever she slept at night without them she's risk punishment, like with Cole.
If she stop drinking snake whiskey he'd find her a cup of poison to force down her throat.
If she told a soul he would quickly have them killed.
If she didn't wear these cuffs, he would find her, he would make her. She was bound to him.
Fuck him. Fuck her. Fuck the line of fate the lead her into his hand and shape her into her pitiful state. Darcy frowned.
"A twisted fuck if you must know Clint. I-I know he's gone but dammit he's a boogie man or something. He's a haunt or a ghost that favored scaring me." She said quietly. She took her hands out of his and left her room to go to the kitchen to sulk and eat. Her stomach was uncomfortably empty.
The kitchen was empty and clean, however there was a linger smell of lasagna and bread. Darcy moved unusual timidly and simply made some Noodles and some warm cider still left from Christmas. As soon as everything was warm and cooked she placed them on the counter and sat there comfortably and started to eat. She slowly let her thoughts wander as she ate, thinking of what seemed to be the best day of her recent life. Her escape.
"The tile in the ceiling next to the door in the bathroom, there's a 5,000 volt taser up there with a revolver with three bullets and 300 dollars. There's a bus stop three blocks away, the next stop is in Elliot about five cities over.". Darcy thought this over and over again as she laid achy and bruised next to Cole her hands as usual cuffed behind her. Darcy looked over miserable at Cole, he stunk with Snake whiskey and dank blunt smoke. He rubbed her thighs slowly, before his buzz led him to sleep and Darcy turned towards him.
"I hate you. I had three younger adoptive brothers I called the Teddy, Freddy, and Frankie. I had three best friend that are now sold off to some scum assholes, you make my stomach hurt and my body ache. Your hands are too cold and you're not some fucking drug dealer you're a damn junkie. Because of you I like the taste and...effects of your damn snake whiskey...will I ever get these cuffs off? Huh you grimy, ugly, cockroach looking baster. You deserve Hell and if there's a pit after that I hope you freeze there." She said to his slumbering form.
She maneuvered herself off the bed and into the personal bathroom, Darcy sat on the yellow tile and moved in a practice pace. She gritted her teeth as she made her arms move painfully over her legs and knees until her elbows popped and her hands clasped to her chest.
She wobbled up and looked at the tile above her head, she glared into the bedroom and found a crate that was usual used as a chair. She pulled it quietly into the bathroom and stood on it moving her arms carefully to pull the tile down and away. She grabbed the fist thing her hands caught and it was the taser. She smiled and walked slowly into the room, grabbing the quarter empty bottle and lighting the taser. She sat on the side of the and gently shook Cole until his eyes open half lidded.
"Darcy?"
"Darcy?"
"Darcy?"
"Doll!" Said a voice loudly in front of her and Darcy looked up her vision still hazy from her flashback. She blink a few times and Bucky came into view, he looked at her with concern and she swallowed and looked away.
"Hey Bucks, can't sleep either huh?" She chuckled, the one arm man nodded and sat in front of her. "Jarvis said you were sick, what are you doing out here?" He asked and Darcy shrugged.
"My room is stuffy. Made me feel even more sick." She said picking at the last of her lukewarm Noodles. "What's wrong Doll? It pretty obvious you're more than just dealing with a stomach bug." He said and Darcy gritted her teeth.
"What is up with you people?! All in my business! First Natasha and Clint and now you, I'm just a nobody in a room full of some bodies and you're all staring at me. I don't like it and I tired of being denied the right to be...I wanna a lawyer." Darcy ranted trying to cover up her desperation with a joke.
"Doll?" Asked Bucky and he moved to hold his flesh hand to one of her bandaged ones. He rubbed her knuckles and made her relax some when Natasha stormed in with both handcuffs and the bottle. She placed them on the table and looked at Darcy.
"Darce...what are these for?" Asked Natasha. Darcy moved her hands from Bucky's and placed both of them in the front pocket of her hoodie. She gripped both hands together tightly, "Doll?!" Said Bucky as he looked over the cuffs noticing they were blood stained.
"I sent Clint to get Jane." Said Natasha and Darcy eyes went wide and her body tighten. "What!?" Squeaks Darcy and Natasha placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I know how it feels Darcy, you aren't alone. You have to let us help you." She said quietly and Bucky looked sadly at her.
"I feel sick..." Darcy trailed off as she tried to get up and away but Natasha sat her back down. Silent tears started down her face she glared up at Natasha. Soon the elevator door open to reveal not just Jane but the science Bros plus Thor. Jane hurried over and started mothering over Darcy.
"What's wrong Darcy are you sick? I don't feel a fever or anything, are you hurt? Why are you crying?!" She questioned and it just caused another sob out of the brunette.
"She's sleeps in handcuffs and she poisoning her self with this...Whatever it is!" Said Natasha and Clint placed hand on her shoulder.
"Tasha, you can't just pressure her like this." He said gently and Natasha sighed. Tony inspected the bottle, "Snake whiskey with a scorpion in it. It's almost venomously toxic. It is however foreign, how the hell did you get this?" He asked and Darcy sunk into her seat.
"Okay in all honesty?" Asked Darcy and Natasha nodded. "I'm kinky as hell and have a few friends that can get some good liquor for me. No more no less." she lied but none of them brought it.
"Darcy?" Asked Bucky he carefully moved her arms to the table and slowly unraveled the bandage on her left wrist.