After Greenwich, Darcy began to feel distinctly like a third wheel. It wasn't even so much the ridiculously loud sex – though that didn't help – as the fact that Jane was just so utterly wrapped up in Thor and his science/magic explanations that Darcy understood even less than she did Jane's straight Science!
Ian had pushed off back to Cambridge to finish his thesis – and frankly, kissing him when not hopped up on adrenaline from almost-death-by-dark-elf just hadn't been the same, anyway. Even Erik had settled down, returned to lecturing, and almost never had to be reminded to wear pants any more.
She didn't even have to remind Jane to eat, Darcy thought, staring disconsolately at the kitchen counter. Thor needed regular meals, and made sure that both he and Jane ate them.
So when the knock came on the door and she opened it to see Maria Hill standing there, at least that was a spark of brightness in the dull that was currently her life.
"Ma'am," she stepped back politely to allow Hill into the apartment. "I'm afraid Dr Foster and Thor aren't here at the moment."
"I know. I just came from the lab. I'm here to see you, Ms. Lewis."
"Me?" Startled, she blinked.
"At least twice now that we know of, you've shown a surprisingly level head when unexpectedly faced with serious extraterrestrial threats. Do you have any idea how rare that is?"
"Um. No?"
"It's exceedingly rare, Ms. Lewis. Most of the people who have close encounters at that level end up in therapy within weeks."
"Huh." Darcy realised they were still standing in the entryway, gestured behind her a little helplessly. "Would you like to sit down?"
"I can't stay. I just came to deliver this." Hill handed her an envelope. "It's a job offer, Ms. Lewis. Think about it."
"Why do I have the feeling that I've stumbled into Men In Black IV?" Darcy asked the closed door.
She accepted the job, of course, though she could wish that Jane had shown a little less enthusiasm for sending her off. Or that SHIELD had been just a teensy bit more forthcoming on the 'Transport will be arranged for you' part of the offer. Because getting woken up in the middle of the night by a Goliath in black combat gear climbing in her bedroom window and telling her to come with him right now really wasn't on her Top 10 list of preferred travel methods.
"No!" Darcy hissed, clutching the sheet to her chest. Yes, she was wearing a tank top (you do not sleep naked with G-cup boobs, not unless you want to be able to wear them as a scarf, thanks very much), but still!
"Ms. Lewis, I'm Agent Rollins, from SHIELD, and I need you to come with me right now."
"And again, no!"
"I don't have fucking time for this," and to her utter horror, he scooped her right out of bed and tossed her over his shoulder as though she was a goddamn sack of potatoes.
Darcy squealed and tried to hit him – kick him – anything, but it was like trying to fight a building.
"Ms. Lewis, either you be quiet or I'll sedate you."
She spluttered with rage, but recognising the icy cold intent in his tone, stopped screaming. At least until he tossed her into the back of a black van and climbed in after her, slamming the door. Instantly the van was off, tires squealing as it accelerated down the street. Darcy, who'd been pushing herself up to her hands and knees, was flung off balance and would have hit the floor hard if Agent Rollins hadn't reached out a negligent hand and caught her by the back of her top, steadying her.
"Get off me, you ass!" she twisted to glare at him, and he let go with a shrug, only to chuckle roughly as the van braked hard at an intersection and she was flung in the opposite direction – right into his lap.
"Oh for fuck's sake," Darcy disentangled herself – though a small, traitorous part of her brain started noisily protesting as she discovered just how muscular Agent Rollins' thighs actually were – and shoved herself across to the other side of the van, trying to brace herself. It wasn't until she'd settled herself in a reasonably stable position that she remembered she was only wearing panties with the tank top and she had her legs spraddled in such a way that she was giving him a really good look at her crotch.
And even though it was dark, she could see a tell-tale gleam of what she was pretty sure were night-vision goggles.
Darcy closed her eyes, counted silently to ten. Then twenty, then fifty. Finally at seventy-eight (what? Arbitrary numbers be damned) she opened her eyes and said "Can we start with just why it was so necessary for you to abduct me in the middle of the night?"
Rollins was lounging back against the side of the van, she could see the shadowy outline of his massive body.
"Circumstances made it necessary," he said laconically.
Darcy made a growling noise in her throat and heard him chuckle.
"All right, Ms. Lewis, I'll tell you as much as I know, which ain't much. An attempt was made earlier tonight to hack Dr. Foster's secure servers – at the same time as an attempt was made to abduct the good doctor herself from the hotel she's staying at in Tokyo."
"What?" Darcy bolted upright. "Is Jane okay?"
"Thor was with her; I understand he dealt with the attackers handily. And the server has Stark encryption, the hackers didn't get in."
"I'm still failing to understand where I come in? And who are these people, anyway?"
"I'm not a scientist, miss. Just a grunt. But I understand Dr. Foster's work has some very far-reaching implications. Hopefully the two men I took down outside your apartment might provide some answers."
"What?" Darcy whispered, suddenly feeling very cold.
"An attempt was thwarted in Cambridge, too. Your former intern was caught in the crossfire, though. He's been taken to hospital."
"Ian?" Fighting not to hyperventilate, Darcy pulled her knees up, put her head between them. A moment later, she felt Rollins' huge hand between her shoulderblades.
"Easy, now," he said quietly. "I've seen your file, you don't panic when things go wrong. Just breathe, Miss Lewis. Everything's going to be fine."
She breathed slow and deep, using the warmth and weight of his hand on her back to anchor her. "Where are we going?" she felt able to ask eventually.
"The airport. There's a jet waiting to take you back Stateside. Commander Hill felt, under the circumstances, that it might be best if you start work a little earlier than expected."
She huffed, not quite a chuckle, and nodded between her knees. "Yes. I see that. Thanks."
"All in a day's work, Miss." There was something resembling laughter in his own voice. "I'm afraid the spare clothes I have in my pack won't fit you, but there'll be something on the jet."
Reminded of her undressed state, Darcy groaned. "Awesome. I'm starting my employment with SHIELD wearing a tank top and panties."
"I'm not complaining." That was definitely a laugh in his voice, and she jabbed an elbow in his general direction. It connected with hard body armour, impacting painfully on her funny bone, and she squawked with distress.
"This is just not my lucky night, is it?"
The van finally came to a halt then, the engine cutting off; she sighed and got up carefully, cradling her sore elbow. "Now for a lovely walk of shame."
"I could carry you," Rollins offered, rather unexpectedly. She'd expected that he'd be amused by her embarrassment.
Darcy considered for a moment which would be worse. "Thanks, but no thanks," she said finally, a little regretful.
"Up to you." The door slid open and she saw that they were right next to one of SHIELD's fancy little quinjets. There was no long walk across the tarmac, or God forbid, through a crowded airport terminal.
"It's all right." She scrambled out of the van, glanced back when he made no move to follow her. "You're not coming along?"
"My night ain't finished, Ms. Lewis."
"Darcy," she offered on impulse. "You saved me from - I don't know, but I don't think I'd have liked whatever it was. So thanks again."
"I'm Jack, Darcy. And you're welcome. Good luck," and then there was another agent at her elbow, a woman carrying a long coat, putting it around her shoulders. The van door slammed before she'd even turned away.
The jet was halfway across the Atlantic when she realised she'd never even seen his face.
There's 6 chapters (obviously, with the 5 + 1) and the smut is in the last one! I'll be posting a chapter each day for your enjoyment :)
