Author's Note - The rape/non-con will mostly be told in verbal reports of instances happening offstage, but if this is a trigger for you, please, please take note. I am posting this with an interesting amount of trepidation. I'm not sure what led me to writing this, but the story suddenly started bothering me and demanded it be written. The story line is one I look forward to getting into now that I have introduced the world, and I hope you will bear with me until the end. I know this does not (and will not) match the usual A/B/O type of story, but I wanted to take something and say what if? Never fear - I am still working on my WIPs - I have not given them up, and I won't. One way or another I am determined to see them through.
Chapter 1 – So Many Changes
Darcy Lewis stuffed papers into boxes marked "School Stuff". The car taking her and Jane to Stark Tower would be there before too much longer and she needed to finish getting things trashed, packed, or just generally cleared up. Why did she keep some of this anyway? It's not like she needed it anymore. Every so often she would stop and read a fragment or two. She had to shake her head. All of this seemed so elementary to her now.
"I can't believe I had to write this," she muttered, glancing at the page in her hands.
Excerpt - You Are Who You Are: A Historical View on Designations by Darcy Lewis, Beacon Secondary School
People seem to be under some weird kind of impression that designations are flexible. A change here, a change there, and hey presto! You too can be the 'fill-in-the-blank' of your choice! Designations simply don't work that way. You are born to a certain designation and while you can negate it, you cannot change it. Designations have nothing to do with sexual preference or the ability to have sex. They are purely related to biology, fertility, and a person's ability (or lack thereof) to procreate. Social norms or practices have nothing to do with designation.
The current triad designation format is a relatively new form. It only became necessary after the Industrial Revolution. Prior to that, humanity lived in much closer context with the world around us, particularly in a certainly level of harmony with the so-called 'animal kingdom'. Although our minds and spirits quested both outward and inward, our physical bodies kept many of the same rhythms as other mammalian species found in nature. We were male and female with no need for any other identifiers. Our mating cycle turned with the season and our lives went on. Humanity created many taboos and ceremonies to control our natures, but quite a bit of that was mere stage dressing to keep the peace as people chose to live in closer and closer contact as history moved forward.
A change was noticed sometime during or just after the Industrial Revolution. Men and women began being born who did not possess the characteristics humanity shared with other forms of mammalian life. The new arrivals overset the ancient designations of male and female. Although their numbers have always been few, less than five percent of the world's population, they are still a sizable enough group to require some kind of recognition. Various ideas were tried, but none stuck until scientists decided to fall back on the Greek alphabet. For some reason, this particular designation resonated and held. Thus came the current triad designation format.
Omegas – these are the traditional females. Omegas are the only designation capable of sustaining and bearing life. Like most natural life forms, Omegas have a cycle of fertility. They will go into a time commonly referred to as a 'heat' during which they are exceedingly fertile and give off a pheromone to attract an Alpha. The 'heat' creates a biological imperative to mate. This cycle occurs between three to four times a year unless the Omega is pregnant or nursing. Omegas have a high probability – over ninety-three percent – of becoming pregnant if mounted by an Alpha during her heat. Her child is ninety-one percent likely to be either Alpha or Omega. Only nine percent of live births are Betas – these are generally from the few times a Beta manages to sire the child.
Alphas – these are the traditional males. Alphas possess physical attributes that connect them to our past and to the rest of nature. Unbonded Alphas will be drawn by scent to an Omega during her heat. The pheromone sets off his biological imperative to mate and he will seek to mount her. He in turn will give off his own mating scent designed to increase the Omega's 'frenzy' or willingness to mate. At this point, it becomes impossible for either side to change their mind or refuse. At the climax of the sexual act, the Alpha increases in size and cannot withdraw from the Omega until the act is completed. Scientists believe this is to increase the likelihood of fertilization.
Betas – these can be either male or female. They have lost the characteristics of the more natural world. Both males and females are capable of having and enjoying sex, but there is no biological imperative to do so. A Beta female does not have a cycle of fertility. She is infertile – incapable of bearing life. A Beta male may sire a child on an Omega during her heat, but it is highly unlikely. On average, a Beta male's likelihood of fathering a child is less than eight percent. (Compare this with an Alpha's likelihood – over ninety percent.)
"What are you reading?" Jane interrupted, poking her head in the door.
Darcy glanced up and had to smile as Jane seemed to be vibrating in place. Her fellow Omega had been vibrating with excitement for the past two weeks. Sometimes it was hard to tell what thrilled Jane more – the idea of finally moving in with her bondmate Thor, the chance to play with all of Tony Stark's tech-toys, or working with Bruce Banner and Betty Ross. Not that Darcy cared, she was just happy Jane continued to insist she needed Darcy with her. Who would turn down an opportunity to live and work in such a prime location?
"Some of my old school stuff," Darcy replied with a grimace as she dumped the first paper in the box. "You should see some of this." She glanced at the new paper she pulled from the drawer. "I mean…oh my God! This is just ridiculous." She waved it at her friend.
Jane grinned and snatched the paper. Darcy tried to grab it back, but Jane danced back out of reach and began to read.
Excerpt - Understanding My Designation: A Journal by Darcy Lewis, Beacon Secondary School
You know, Ms. Slocomb, I'm not sure why you thought it'd be a good idea to assign us to write this in journal format. Now you're going to just get me instead of me being all formal and together. (picture me shrugging here) But since you asked, here we go!
What do I understand about being an Omega? I know that once every three months I'm a raging set of hormones and my parents are a freaking mess. I'm not sure my dad can fit another gun in the house and my mom is probably going to start electrifying the grass. See, people seem to think having a figure like this is a great thing, and yeah, I can see where it might be…you know, eventually? When I find an Alpha I'd be willing to let mount me? Right now, when I'm not on my hormonal roller coaster, I've got no intention of being mounted or having a kid. I want to get out, see something of the world, maybe even go to college.
What does that mean? It means I can tell you with precision exactly where every Omega shelter in the city is located. It means I am down on official record as unavailable. It means any Alpha that comes sniffing around my house at the wrong time can be arrested for attempted assault.
I like being an Omega. I think it's some kind of cool to know that one day, when I'm ready, I will be able to have a kid with the Alpha of my choice. Yeah, the whole 'biology runs my life' shtick can be a pain, but it is what it is. I'm not crazy enough to go trying those suppressant drugs. I mean…when the side effects list is longer than the list of ingredients in artificially sweetened cereal? And one of them is 'potentially fatal'? I looked it up – those things are fatal something like sixty percent of the time! I'm thinking no! I can go celibate.
Okay, so I know you wanted us to be more serious, but really? I've been doing this kind of assignment for years! Whatever, whatever – easy grade, right?
As an Omega, I've got the three day cycle. For three days I get to go through wave after wave of heating up, the heat itself, cooling down, and a nap. Me, myself, and I? Do I get to be one of the lucky ones who gets one of those four hour waves and a four months cycle? Nope! Thank you genetics…I have a two hour wave and a three month cycle. What does that mean? It means if and when I ever do decide to go for it, I better pick an Alpha with one kickass amount of stamina or I'll need to pick more than one or I'll just have to suffer through some of the waves…gee, kind of like I do all the time right now? A two hour wave, seriously?
Anyway, silver lining – thanks to worker compensation laws, I get an additional two days of paid leave after my cycle, so hey! One full week of paid time off every three months – and that's in addition to the regular stuff? Not a bad gig really. It translates to four weeks of cycle leave, two weeks of vacation time, one week of holidays, and one week of sick time – all fully paid.
Kind of makes me feel bad for the betas…they only get half that time.
"It does sound like you!" Jane laughed. "Especially the smug, 'look at all the time off I get' part."
"Oh, ha, very ha, boss lady," Darcy stuck her tongue out, but had to laugh. "At least that one was a fun one. It sure beats the pretentious ones."
"Pretentious?"
"Yeah, where they had us try and write full-fledged research papers. We were freshmen maybe?" Darcy shook her head.
Jane lifted an eyebrow and picked up another page.
Excerpt from Snakes in the Grass: The Dangers of My Dynamic by Darcy Lewis, Beacon Secondary School
While being an Omega is a positive, it does have some very definite drawbacks. An Omega's cycle means the continuation of the species and the bringing of life, but it also leaves her vulnerable. If she does not retreat – either with female friends or with her choice of mate or mates – she will draw every unbonded Alpha within scenting distance…and the scent of a heat travels a long way. This will often lead to violence if the Alphas chose to fight for the right to mount her. Death and destruction are not uncommon in those instances.
The heat is a catch-22 for both the Omega and Alpha designations. Once the heat begins, both are at the mercy of their biology and refusal is not an option. Regardless of their emotional standpoint, their bodies and the pheromones they produce will overwhelm their senses. This inevitability has led to some major cultural and legal traditions. An unbonded Omega who chooses not to retreat or go into seclusion during her heat cannot level an accusation of rape. This is to protect the Alphas who cannot fight the biological imperative to mate. Unfortunately this leaves some loopholes – what about Omegas who are prevented from going into their retreat? It can be difficult to legally prove that someone deliberately caused such a delay.
An unbonded Omega in heat can be mounted by any Alpha strong enough to take her. Technically this is true of the bonded as well, but there are some pretty strict taboos against this. Since a bonded Omega's heat scent is muted, the Alpha can control his actions. To take a bonded Omega in such a way does qualify as rape, but the Alpha will be lucky if he gets to court. The bond creates an aggressive, almost feral possessive instinct (on both sides) demanding the mate be protected. Any threat to a bondmate will draw out a violent reaction that usually leaves the unwelcome outsider dead. The law will take no action against a bondmate reacting to protect their mate and their bond.
"Did I really have to write this stuff?" Darcy demanded as she took the paper from Jane and tossed it in the box. She taped it closed. "I remember school being boring, but seriously? How basic can you get? They should have had us writing this stuff in junior high."
"Research papers?" Jane teased.
"Okay," she admitted, "less with the research paper style maybe, but most of us started going through puberty in junior high. Why wait until high school to make sure we knew what the hell was going on with our own bodies? Shouldn't it have been included with general sex ed?"
Jane started to answer, but was interrupted by her phone ringing. She answered it, stepping into the hall, as Darcy continued packing. A few minutes later she darted back in. "Darcy!"
"Yeah?" Green eyes lifted curiously.
"That was our ride," her friend replied. "They'll be here in thirty minutes. You ready?"
Darcy ran a quick eye over the room. Boxes stacked haphazardly around the floor and empty nails waited forlornly on blank walls. "Yep, I think so!"
"Then come on!" Jane laughed. "Let the movers worry about the rest. It's why Tony pays them after all."
"You got it, boss lady."
Darcy turned and left the room, the boxes and their contents already being swept to the back of her memory as she focused intently on the new future open before her.
Two years later…
Darcy repressed a laugh as she watched Jane arguing with her fellow scientists over some numbers. That paper kept getting creased and torn as the four pulled at it or shoved it in each other's faces to point something out. They agreed, disagreed, and switched sides every few minutes. It looked like they were having a grand time.
"What's with Team Science?"
Her boyfriend's amused voice brought her head around and she gave him a bright smile. "There've been some huge energy spikes going on in Colorado," she explained as she turned to face him. "Jane thinks it might be some kind of alien technology because some of the readings are similar to the Bifrost. Bruce disagrees claiming the radiation levels are much more common with certain earth readings and Betty thinks they're both wrong and it's just a natural cycle we haven't previously observed."
"And Tony?" Clint grinned as he moved to stand beside her, slipping an arm around her waist.
"He's playing devil's advocate for everybody." Darcy's shoulders shook as she held back another laugh when Jane's voice reached an epic note of command.
"Ah," Clint nodded in a mock-serious attitude. "He's fulfilling his chief role in everybody's life."
"To be a pain in the ass," she agreed solemnly.
Tony looked over at them. "I can hear you, you know," he pointed out.
"Oh, we know," Clint grinned unrepentantly.
"We just don't care," Darcy chimed in. Tony huffed, stuck his tongue out at them, and then turned back to the ongoing battle of scientists. She rolled her eyes. "They clearly don't need me here," she said, looking up at him.
"Good," he pronounced, his arm tightening around her. "Nat and Cap called in this morning and they think they're getting close to something or someone. Nat was being cagey about the whole thing." He rolled his eyes before grinning down at her. "Come on. I'm in the mood for some lunch."
"Sounds good to me." She grabbed her purse and her phone. "Hey, JARVIS?"
"Yes, Miss Lewis," the AI replied serenely.
"If they come up for air anytime soon, let them know I've gone to lunch, would you?"
"Of course, Miss Lewis."
"Thanks, J," she grinned at a camera. "You're the best."
"Naturally."
Clint chuckled. "Sometimes I wonder how much personality Tony programmed in and how much JARVIS has picked up from the insanity around here."
"Either way, it's best to stay on his good side," she replied. "When he finally decides we've all mucked the place up enough and takes over, I intend to be one of the allies."
Both of them laughed as they made their way out of the tower. Darcy cherished the peaceful look on Clint's face. She had met the Beta male within days of moving into the tower. There had been such darkness in his eyes when they first met. She knew his story, of course. Thor told her and Jane about Loki's return to earth and how much damage he did – both to the city and to the individuals he met. Clint and Erik were still recovering from his mind rape and everyone in the tower still went a little quiet when someone mentioned Coulson.
She made it her mission to help him. It had taken a long time, but he finally opened up to her and their relationship flourished. They moved from acquaintances to close friends in no time. Both of them loved sarcastic commentary, pranks, and Saturday afternoons in front of a big screen with something from Hollywood's golden age. Unfortunately, from her point of view, things stalled there for a long, long time. She couldn't figure out why until one day Clint showed up at her apartment.
"So, hey," he said, scratching the back of his head. "I…I kind of wanted to talk to you."
She stepped back, surprise clear on her face. "Sure," she agreed. "You can always talk to me, you know that."
"Um…well, privately." His eyes flicked around the room in a quick, but suspicious manner.
"That's easy enough," she told him, closing the door and patting his arm. "Just talk. I had JARVIS cut all the feeds when I moved in. Unless I ask him to, or there's an emergency, my apartment is a complete blank." A confused frown crossed his face and she lifted a brow. "What? You didn't know that?"
He gave a self-depreciating chuckle. "I'm a SHIELD agent," he replied simply. "I just accept that everything is bugged."
"Not here," Darcy insisted, curling up on the couch. "You don't have to worry about that here."
"Right," he nodded before sitting down next to her and staring down at his hands.
She opened her mouth a time or two to speak, but he would glance at her and she'd let her voice fall quiet. Finally he took a deep breath. "Look, Darce, we've been having a great time and all, and I know you're wondering what's up with me, but…" He trailed off.
"Is this the 'we're just going to be friends' speech?" Darcy asked, one eyebrow going up. "I'm a big girl, I can take it." She could too. It would be a bit of a wrench because she was fairly certain her feelings ran deeper than that, but she wasn't some teenage ninny either.
His lips thinned. "I'm just a Beta-."
"Which has never bothered me," she interrupted.
"And," he continued, talking over her, "we're not…well, I'm not…" He let out an annoyed sound and took a breath. "I'm asexual."
Now she did blink in surprise. That was not something she expected. The silence stretched out and his face went a little remote. He began to gather himself to stand and she put a hand on his arm. "Wait," she said.
"Why?" he demanded, his voice a little hoarse.
"Give me just a moment?" she asked, a hint of pleading in her voice. "It was just…unexpected."
"But you get it, right?" he asked. "Why a relationship won't work? We're not compatible."
She let go of his arm and smacked him softly on the head. "We're not sexually compatible," she huffed at him. "That's completely different." He opened his mouth to protest and she held up her hand. "I'm not saying it's not important and we might not have issues to work out, but a relationship doesn't require sex any more than sex requires a relationship."
"Sooner or later, you're going to want both," he said quietly. Now he shook his head at her when she started to reply. "I know you," he gave a sad smile. One hand reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. "I know you," he repeated, "and you were meant for both. You love being an Omega…you love the idea of having kids one day." Now he gave a small laugh. "And after watching you with the scientists, you are going to be one kickass mother. More than that though," he continued, growing serious once more, "you're a sensual creature." Her brow wrinkled and he shook his head. "It's not a bad thing. It's just who you are – tactile, warm, and amatory." She bit her lip and he nodded. "I can't give any of that to you."
"So we figure something out," she told him, voice strong and firm. "I've got a lot of dreams, and I don't want to give any of them up without trying to find a solution."
"And bonding?" Clint pointed out. "That won't be something you choose."
Darcy shook her head. "What is the likelihood of that?" she asked. "Bonds are rare...insanely rare." She wrinkled her nose. "Okay, so we've got two bonded pairs here. The odds of a third are…I'm not even sure how remote they are considering the odds of two bonded pairs in one building are astronomical." There was a pause and then she giggled. "And doesn't it just figure one half of one of those bonds would have to come from another planet! Where do you think mine's going to come from? A time traveler?" She shook her head. "Sorry, but I've met Steve, and nothing zinged."
Clint shook his head, but couldn't keep the tiny smile from curling his lips. "Okay," he finally said. "We can try."
It had been a struggle, but they finally managed to carve out something for the two of them. They would curl up together to watch movies or just to sleep. If she sometimes wanted more than he could offer, she put it away. It wouldn't be fair to ask it of him. He would give her these looks from time to time, but he never called her on it. Sometimes his eyes held a muted guilt, and she'd have to either ignore it or lecture him out of it. She still secluded herself with friends during her heats, but nobody questioned it. Most of them figured she and Clint just weren't ready for kids. Darcy was sure Natasha knew better, but they never discussed it. The redheaded assassin seemed to make it her business to check on Darcy whenever Clint was working, so Darcy could only presume Natasha approved of their relationship. Jane and Thor certainly did.
Okay, so they didn't have sex…they shared everything else. The love between them was real, and growing.
Her life seemed to be on the right track, probably too perfect all things considered, but she loved it. Or she had…until recently. Recently she began to feel unfulfilled. Something inside of her…searched. She didn't know for what, but she kept straining to see or hear something just beyond her reach. It felt like something woke up in her recently and it couldn't go back to sleep.
She had never felt a pull like this before.
Why now?
Just when her life was coming together like nothing she could have imagined, why was she feeling this yearning?
Darcy shoved it away. She would think about it later. Right now she intended to enjoy lunch with her boyfriend. They spent a nice hour in the café, sipping their drinks and making up stories about some of the people they watched walk past in the park. Talk swirled around them in eddies and flows. Darcy's ears pricked up as she heard something about an Omega drug, but Clint's phone range before she could try and tune in on the conversation.
He answered before the second ring. "Barton." Darcy watched as his eyes lit with a muted relief and then turned puzzled. She raised an eyebrow, but he just shook his head. "Okay, but…yeah…Nat…" He hung up after a few more moments.
"So, what's up with Tasha?" Darcy asked.
"According to her," he replied, confusion still lacing his tone, "we need to get back to the tower because she pulled a 'me' by bringing home a guest and Fury's less than amused even though Cap's happy about it."
"Uh…what?"
He nodded. "Right there with you."
They started towards home. Darcy mused over his words for a minute and then shrugged. "Okay, if she pulled a 'you', when was the last time you brought someone back and the bosses weren't happy?"
"I haven't got-." His voice cut off and he blinked. For a moment his steps faltered and then they picked back up, slightly faster than before. "The last time I brought someone in unexpectedly," he answered in a tight voice, "I flipped Nat."
She hurried along beside him. "When you talked her into changing sides?" she exclaimed. "Does that mean she and Steve have….flipped someone?"
"It's the only thing I can think of," he nodded.
No further words were exchanged until they reached the tower. As the elevator opened on the Avengers' private floors, she could see Clint being subsumed by Hawkeye. The agent turned Avenger stepped out of the elevator, eyes sweeping from one side of the room to the other before fixing on the group waiting for them. He carefully kept Darcy behind him until Steve stepped up.
"Stand down, Hawkeye," Steve ordered, his 'Captain' voice coming into play.
Hawkeye hesitated for a moment before his shoulders relaxed and he gave a sharp nod. "Cap," Clint said quietly. He let Darcy slide sideways to peer around him.
Steve stood closest to them, but behind him, surrounded by the rest of the household, stood Natasha and a strange man. He stood just shorter than Steve with shaggy brown hair, cold blue eyes, and a metallic left arm. His eyes took in both of them in a quick glance but he focused mostly on Clint. Darcy could understand that – of the two of them, Clint was definitely the biggest threat. She'd be more worried, but Steve and Natasha seemed….relaxed was the wrong word, but she couldn't come up with another one. The rest of the pack didn't seem quite so happy, but strangers had a tendency to upset the balance.
"Thank you." Steve smiled as his own shoulders relaxed. "Clint, Darcy, I want you to meet James Barnes." His blue eyes bright with happiness, he turned towards the stranger. "Bucky, this is Clint Barton and Darcy Lewis."
Bucky nodded, as did Clint, but Darcy rolled her eyes. "Nothing confusing there," she muttered. Bucky turned his frown on her, his gaze locking with hers. Something seemed to snap inside her mind, like a puzzle piece locking into place, and she noticed his nostrils flare as though he tried to scent something. She forced herself to remain steady and light, giving him a wide innocent smile. "So," she slipped around Clint until she stood in front of him, "do we call you James or Bucky or what?" He blinked, seemingly surprised about something, and she shrugged. "Well, Steve's calling you Bucky, but is that like a private nickname and everyone else should use James? Or are you going to ignore anyone calling out James because you're expecting to hear Bucky?"
"Bucky works," he said quietly. A hint of some new emotion entered his eyes. She couldn't have said what it was, but it seemed like a shadow lifted away.
"Good to know." Darcy meant it too, but even better – people seemed to be relaxing. If the pack could just settle down, maybe he would too. Steve gave her a grateful smile and Natasha nodded in approval. She responded with a quick smile before leaning back against Clint.
Steve started talking, explaining to them how he and Tasha and some other guy named Sam Wilson – who might or might not be joining them at some point in the near future – managed to find Bucky and bring him in. Darcy started tuning the words out when it began to get detailed way beyond her desire to know. She slipped away from Clint and headed for the kitchen, intent on finding the brownies she could smell. That seemed to be a sign to the others and they began breaking up.
"How did you know what to say?" Jane demanded softly. The petite scientist followed her into the kitchen.
"What?" Darcy asked distractedly as she scanned the countertops.
"Nobody else could figure out how to get him to relax," Jane explained, pulling herself onto a clear space. "He was getting more and more anxious which got Steve and Natasha wound up which got the whole pack nearing a tizzy." She shook her head. "You come in and ask three questions and suddenly everything's fine!"
Darcy shrugged. "Got me," she blinked at her friend. "I just figured we should make sure to get the name he wanted to be called by. No reason to go calling out something he won't answer to."
"Tony won't use it," Jane pointed out with a sigh.
"Tony's a loveable ass," Darcy retorted. "At least he's consistent. If he's using names, then we know some kind of shit's about to hit the fan." She opened the oven.
Jane frowned in confusion. "What are you looking for?"
"Brownies," Darcy replied. "I swear I can smell brownies…you know, the really rich dark chocolate kind?"
"Your nose is acting up," Jane told her with a laugh. "That or you're in desperate need of some chocolate. All I can smell is Bruce's favorite tea."
"Seriously?" Darcy drew in a breath. She could still smell those brownies, but now she realized the smell seemed to be coming from the sitting room. "That doesn't make any sense," she muttered as her confusion grew.
"What doesn't?" Jane asked curiously.
"I…I…" She shook her head and stepped to the doorway. Most of the pack had scattered, leaving Steve, Natasha, Clint, Thor, and Bucky alone to talk over the situation. Steve was busy explaining something to Clint and Thor while Natasha added her own commentary. None of them paid any attention to Darcy.
One pair of eyes immediately swung around and locked onto her. The rich, bittersweet scent intensified as Bucky's gaze caught hers and she could feel a tug somewhere near her sternum. Steve asked Bucky a question and those too-insightful blue eyes blinked and turned away. Released from their intensity, Darcy stepped backwards into the kitchen and let the door close.
"Darcy?" Jane hopped off the counter and moved up next to her. "What is it? What's wrong?"
Darcy turned and leaned back against the door. She buried her face in her hands for a long moment before her muffled voice finally responded. "I think I'm in trouble."