Own Nothing
"Darcy, this is Owen, he's going to be working with us for the summer." Her Dad stated as he brought a young man from high school back to where Darcy was working. She looked up from where she was taking inventory to scan the new recruit and nodded before turning back to her work. She recognized the guy from school. He was in a couple of her advanced classes with her and they partnered in a lot of projects together. "Darcy's going to be your supervisor, so if you have any questions, just ask her. Now be aware, she's tough because she just loves her animals." Her Dad gave her a smile and wave for leaving them together.
"Hey." He stated, unsure as he walked over to her.
"Hi. So first off, this is inventory, I'm checking to see what needs to be ordered and what's in stock. You won't have to worry about this because newbies don't do this. But we're here, so deal." Darcy started as she handed him the clipboard. "Mark what I say we need while I say it, then we'll move to the pens."
His eyes brightened. "Are we going to see the animals?"
She shook her head. "I don't start you out on them until I know that you're going to stick." She replied as she reached up on the top shelf. "We need more…"
The rest of the day was spent with Owen trailing after her and listening to her instructions as she explained things. He ignored the laughter as some of the handlers called him 'Darcy's new pet.' Or her 'Fresh meat'. "So, uh how maybe recruits actually make it through the summer program?" He asked her when they stopped for lunch. They walked into the employee kitchen as her Mom was serving lunch.
"Only the good ones." She replied with a straight face as she went and sat next to her Dad.
He stared after her before taking a seat next to some of the handlers to listen to some of their stories before he caught himself staring at her every so often. A few times she was staring back at him with a raised brow in question.
….
It was two weeks at working at the Lewis wildlife Park and he was starting to see some muscle tone underneath his shirts from all the heavy lifting and cleaning that Darcy had him doing from six in the morning until eleven at night. He had to replace his work boots twice since he started because the first pair were handy-me downs and the others were cheap and broke apart within the first three days of the second week.
"Here." Darcy set a pair of boots in front of him one morning. "They were my brothers but he's not using them anymore." She shrugged and turned away. "You're welcome to them."
"Thanks." He stared up at her in shock. He quickly untied his crappy ones that just broke and tossed them into the trash and laced up the news ones. They fit perfectly and he found that they were comfy too. "Thank you."
"You said that." She replied as she readied the food for the animals for breakfast. She handed him the knife so he could start cutting up the fruit for the primates. "I'm hard on you because I want you to appreciate everything that is done for the animals first. We take care of them, feed them, clean their pens, and make sure all their meds are in stock. Because sometimes hotshots just think their just for show. And I want you to see that they are living creatures."
He remained silent because he had wondered for the last two weeks why he wasn't allowed to work with the animals. He's gone to see them on his breaks. He likes the tigers and the lion with the injured paw. And he wants to work with them, to be a handler but he respects Darcy and if she wants to wait, he'll wait. "When you're ready." He replied as he slid the finished bowl over to grab a new one. He looked up to see her looking at him with a look he couldn't decipher.
….
A month into his summer program Owen had to get some new shirts and Darrell Lewis, his boss, and Darcy's Dad gave him some of handy-me downs. "There were Darcy's brothers' but he isn't using them anymore." He said with a shrug.
"Are you sure he'll be okay with me wearing them?" Owen asked unsure as he recalled Darcy same mannered with the boots two weeks prior.
"He moved to California to become a lawyer, he helps us with legal stuff. But he was never much for this life." Darrell Stated. "Darcy on the other hand took to it like a fish to water. And her mother and I never been prouder. She'll probably inherit this place if we keep it in good shape." He smiled at Owen. "She'll need good people with her Owen, ones she can trust to run it."
Owen looked up unsure to what to say when Darcy appeared. "Dad, enough. Don't scare the kid away, he's the best I've had."
"There's a compliment right there." Darrell smiled at Owen. "Keep the clothes, the way she's working you, you're going to keep growing."
Darcy rolled her eyes. "Come on, I want to show you something." She walked out of the locker room, which doubled as their back living room in the house. Owen put the clothes in his locker and followed her out to one of the pens he hasn't pen before and opened the door and walked in. He followed her into see three small tiger cubs. "This is going to be your first lesson." She grabbed his hand and led him over to the small cubs. The cubs saw them and called out in small meows that cracked towards the end of them. "There are two boys and a girl. And we haven't name them yet." She smiled up at Owen. "You and I are."
He stared at the cub in shock and slowly turned to her. "Can I touch one?"
"You're going to be me raise them the rest of the summer, so yes." She nodded. She leaned down and picked one up and handed him to Owen. She grabbed the other two and led him to the office so them could weigh them and get the food ready. "We have to feed them and weigh them every day. There are schedule vet visits to make sure they are healthy. They will be living in the house with me until they are old enough to be in an enclosure together. But don't think this means you're slacking off your other duties. So you might be here later then eleven at night. You might want to clear that with your parents."
"It'll be fine." Owen told her. "It's just me." He stated as he wiggled his fingers in front of the cub's face. The cub suckled on one when it got it in his mouth. Owen looked up to Darcy's stare and sighed. "My old man kicked me out when I was sixteen and I lived with my Grandpa in his trailer this past year but he passed away, I got emancipated from my Dad. So I'm on my own. And My Gramps left me his trailer and truck to pull it." He shrugged and looked back down at the cub and smiled. "The only stable thing in my life is my love for animals, my Grandpa was a vet and we would help any of our neighbors when they brought their animals to us. So when I got this job, it was a dream come true. It helps with bills sure, but being here, helping the animals." He looked up at Darcy. "This is what I want to do."
"Okay." She whispered. "Okay."
That next week, Owen's trailer and truck was permanently moved to the back side of the house so he could help Darcy raise the cubs.
…
"Hermione! Don't bite." Darcy warned as she walked through the pen and office to get the food ready for the trio of cubs.
"Harry, Ron." Owen called out. "Eyes one me." He whistled and they looked up at the man and the two month cubs fidgeted in their spots as they waited. "Good boys." He clicked the clicker and gave them a treat. As Darcy shook her head in amusement. "Go find your sister." He pointed and they ran off.
"You know that trick won't work when all three all older." She replied.
"Positive reinforcement at an early age helps them. I've heard all the stories from all of the other handlers here, talked to your Dad and I've read books." He replied as He helped her with the formula. "School starts next week."
She sighed and nodded. "I know." She glanced over her shoulder to see the three cubs playing with the toys set out for them. "I don't suppose we could get a long enough hall pass to check on them?" She joked.
"I was actually thinking on taking the GED." He replied.
Darcy stopped and stared at him. "Is this because you'll miss this cubs? Because Owen, I'll miss them too. But we've been integrating Martin with them and they like him and he can care for them while we're at school and we take them after and at night. I have to deal with this every summer and it isn't easy."
"No, it isn't that." He sighed and sat down on a stool and looked at her. "I was planning on joining the Navy. After the summer, I was going to finish up here, take the GED and join. That was the plan. Since my Gramps died. He was Navy, and all I wanted since I was a kid was to join to. But now." He stared at the cubs and there at her. "I want to spend more time here."
"With the cubs." She clarified, her voice shook.
"And you." He replied with a blush.
Darcy turned away from him and starting the blender to mix the formula and ignored him for a few minute as she collected her thoughts. She had grown to like Owen over the summer, she had like him throughout school as well. He was always quiet in school and he never talked much. But he always smiled at her and they worked well together. And this Owen, this one that she worked with seemed unsure with her sometimes. As is they both were seeing each other in a different light this summer.
But they grew into each other, seeing the other one every day for hours. And she had to wonder if she could like him more in another setting other than work or school. She stopped the blender and filled the bottles of formula and cleaned up. She looked down to see the trio of cubs looked up at her. "It's always you three." She smiled at them. "It's time to eat." She handed Owen a bottle and they went into the pen to feed their hungry trio.
Later that night Darcy sat on her bed, it was her night without the cubs, Owen was sleeping with them. She sighed and walked down stairs to see her Mom in the kitchen with a bowl of popcorn and hot chocolate. "Something bothering you sweetie?" Her Mom asked as Darcy set down at the dining table across from her.
"I think Owen wants to work here full time." She replied. "He wants to get his GED."
Her mother nodded. "He told your father in the interview that he was joining the Navy."
Darcy's eyes widened, her hand stopped barely reaching the popcorn. "You knew?"
Her Mom nodded. "He's such a sweet boy and he really wanted to work here and to work with you. You're father said he had such a crush on you. And you've been so distant since Stuart left for Cali."
"So what, I just let him quit school and work here, while I go to school and then what?"
"Honey, he's signed up to take his GED and he's been studying every night all summer. He isn't quitting school. And you're more than welcome to do the same if you want if you're so worried, there is no prejudice in this family."
"Except against California." Darcy muttered as she finally ate the piece of popcorn.
"Be nice." Her Mom scolded with a smile. "Stuart is happy, we should be too." She gave Darcy a wink and scooted the popcorn bowl over to her. "Go talk to him." She took her hot chocolate and left the room for bed.
Darcy stared at the bowl of popcorn before getting up and taking the bowl. She walked outside and walked over to Owen's trailer and knocked on the door. "Ow. Harry, Ron, stop. Hermione, eyes on me." There was a pause before the door swung open and Owen's surprised face appeared. "Darcy."
"Movie night?" She held the popcorn up to him.
He smirked at her. "I just put in a movie." He let her in and closed the door.
…..
"They grow up so fast." He replied as he and Darcy watched as the three teenage cubs walked around their new enclosure.
Darcy nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes. "We've, uh. We've gotten an email from another zoo." She used her sweater sleeve to wipe the tears away. "They want to mate with Ron."
Owen looked down at Darcy before looking over at the cubs playing with the toys that he and Martin had placed in there before they opened it up the cubs. "Way to go Ron."
Darcy snorted and pinched his side. "It's in Japan and they will give us another female they can't breed because their siblings in exchange for him."
"What about Hermione?" He asked her. "Her and Ron and the closest."
Darcy nodded. "We have to watch them and see if she can handle the separation, but either way, she might not like him mating with another female either."
"Girls, just can't make up their minds." He whispered.
Darcy glared up at him. "I'll pinch you again." She warned him.
…
Darcy walked into the kitchen after school to see him working on school work. "You decided on taking a few college courses?" She asked him as she opened the fridge and grabbed them both a soda. She set one in front of him and opened the other one for her.
He looked up at her and nodded. "Getting a degree in Biology, trying to at least."
"You know you can test out of the stuff you know, like the basic stuff and even a few electives." She stated as she got her own homework out. "I've already looked into." She slid the paper to him. "That way you can get down to the good stuff."
He took the paper and rea though it. "Why don't they ever tell you this stuff?"
"Because they want your money." She replied. "Now study." She cracked open her advanced A&P book and flipped to the chapter on tissues. "I have to memorize tissue samples."
A few hours later when her Mom came in to start dinner for the employees she found them both heads bent over books and legs tangled underneath the table.
…
It was springtime and Darcy was overseeing the talks with Stuart about Ron going to Japan. Owen spent his time with the now grown tiger trio and training them with Martin and taking care of his other jobs. He didn't hear from Darcy until she knocked on his trailer at ten at night. He opened the door to see her standing there exhausted. He opened the door all the way to let her and closed it behind her. "Hungry?" He asked her. He didn't have much in his trailer but he did have food to hold him between meal times.
"Owen." Darcy whispered.
"Yea." He turned to her worried all of the sudden. She looked so small, so scared.
"Shut up." She reached up and kissed him, he leaned into the kissed and held her tight. The image of her small and scared pulled to the front of his mind and he pulled away.
"Popcorn and a movie." He whispered as he placed a kiss on her forehead. "Go relax, it'll be okay." He rushed to put the bag in the microwave and grabbed a random movie off the shelf and put it in the player. He grabbed a bowl and a couple of cokes and the popcorn was ready by time he finished. He poured it into the bowl and set it on the side table with the coke and pulled her close and held her as he started the movie. He felt her tense but as the movie started to play, Harry Potter, he cursed himself for not paying attention. He could feel her tears on his shirts as the movie started. "I'm sorry, it'll be okay."
"He's leaving in six weeks." She replied with a sob. "We have to quarantine him and have him checked out by the vet. Then he'll get shipped out to Japan for another two more weeks of quarantine to make sure he didn't catch anything. Then he'll be introduced to his new mate." She wiped away her tears. "They are allowing one of our handlers to go with him to make sure he is safe."
"Martin is good and he is the senior tiger handler." Owen stated. "He'd love Japan." Honestly Owen was a little jealous himself.
Darcy shook her head as she stared at the screen. "Martin's wife is pregnant and her delivery date is near the time of the exchange."
"So one of the other guys, your Dad, Schools will be ending soon. You could do it." He gave her a hug. "Hey, You in Japan."
"Owen." Darcy raised her voice. "It's you, I chose you to go. It was my choice and I chose you."
"How." He took a deep breath and paused the movie. "How long would I be gone?"
"A month maybe." She stated, still not looking at him. "You have to bring back the new mate for Harry."
"I'll miss you." He whispered to the top of her head.
"It's still six weeks away." She replied as she shifted on the couch.
…
When Owen came back from Japan all he could think about was showing Darcy the gifts he got her. But when he and the truck with Harry's new mate pulled up, it was Darrell who greeted them and not Darcy. "Hey Mr. Lewis, where's Darcy's?" Owen asked.
"She's doing a few campus tours right now with her Mom, they'll be back in the morning. Come on, let's this get this girl settled."
Owen blinked and nodded as he helped Darrell and Martin with the animal crate to the vet's office to have her looked at before they put her in her temporary enclosure. "So, uh what colleges are Darcy looking at?"
"Culver I think." Darrell stated as they walked back to the house together. "She already applied. Since you're still thinking about joining the Navy and she's needs to continue her education." Darrell gave him a look. "You are still thinking about joining right?"
Owen nodded. "Yes sir."
"Because joining the Armed Forces is an honorable thing, a proud thing and as your boss and your friend I couldn't be prouder. And if you were my son, I would tell you that. But be it that I know that you and my daughter have feeling for each other, but if you hurt her, that Navy might be the safest place for you." Darrell gave him a look.
Owen startled. "I don't want to hurt Darcy, I." He stopped and looked down and sighed. "I don't know sir, if my feeling are returned."
"They are son, don't worry. They are."
….
Darcy and Owen were working in their office when her Dad knocked on the door. "Owen, there's a Navy recruiter here for you." Darcy and Owen looked at each before Owen got up slowly and headed towards the house to meet the recruiter.
"You knew this was happening sooner or later sweetie." Her Dad stated as he stared at his daughter.
"And you said he was supposed to work here for only a couple of months." She shot back with no bite.
An hour later Owen walked back later with two cokes and handed one to Darcy before opening his. "So when do you ship off?" Darcy asked him as she opened her own.
"At the end of the summer." He replied. "I have enough credits because I tested out of stuff and I did full course loads and online classes that I'll graduate this summer with an AAS and part of an Biology degree so once basic is done and I'm placed I can finish school."
"So it's not a complete waste." She replied and caught his eye. "All those hours studying together.
He set his coke down and walked over to her and set his hand down on her desk. "Would you like to go out on a date with me?"
"Is this one of those last supper kind of things, get it out of your system before you hop aboard?"
"Shut up and answer Darcy." He cut her rant short. "Would you go out on a date with me? Outside the park?" He leaned down closer to her
"Dinner?" She asked him.
"Whatever you want."
"I want you to kiss me, you asshole." She whispered.
"Okay." He leaned down further and captured her lips.
….
Owen found her up in her room, it had been a month since their first date and the vague threats from the other handlers if he ever hurt her. He found her sitting on the floor surrounded by boxes and her hands in her hair. "Hey." He spoke and he watched her jump. "Hey, it's just me."
"Sorry, I haven't slept."
He looked her over to see the dark rings around her eyes and nodded. He glanced down at her feet to see the letter that her parents were having hushed whispers about all morning. He lifted it gently up to read it. "You got accepted."
"Yup."
"That's good." He kissed her cheek.
"Then why am I a train wreck right now?" She asked him.
"Because it mean leaving something familiar." He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to him. "It's gonna be scary, us being so apart from home."
"Is this really your home?" She asked him in a whisper.
"You're my home." He whispered back as he kissed the top of her head.
….
He went with Darcy and her parents to help her move into her dorms and get her settles before they dropped him off at the recruiters. "Four years. It's not that long." He stated as he carried two boxes into her room.
"Listen Owen." She grabbed his hand and stopped him. "If you meet someone and she's, you know what you need."
"You're what I need." He kissed her. "We'll be okay." He gave her a look. "It'll be hard but I understand, long distance is going to be hard on the both of us and I don't want to put stress on you more than what you're going to feel here."
"Owen." She whispered.
"But I'm here Darcy for you. I've waited for you all through high school, even got your Dad to higher me."
"Don't make this creepy." She warned him as she pinched him.
"We seemed to be doing all the work here." Her Dad warned from the doorway. "He's not even at the Recruiter yet, say your goodbyes later."
"Dad." Darcy groaned.
…..
Four years and countless phone calls, skypes, emails, letters, visits, and an internship in New Mexico later Darcy sat in the car dealership nursing a beer when her phone ring. "Hello? Stuart? Is everything alright?"
"It's one of your cats." Stuart shuffled some papers over the line. "Hermione. She died. Mom and Dad are dealing with the vet and the burial."
"But why are you calling me?" She asked him. "You never call me."
He sighed. "Because Owen Grady listened you next of Kin in his records for the military."
"Yea so." Darcy glanced around at the men in suits who were watching her. "Owen told me that he listed me."
"Did you neglect to inform the family that you and Mr. Grady got married?"
Darcy choked on her beer. "No. We did not get married. Shit Stu. We're the only family Owen has and we've been working together for years. He helped me place Ron." She stood up to pour the rest of the beer down the sink and toss the bottle. "What's the big deal? It's just some paperwork, get a life, go for a jog, or go get a boyfriend. There's no prejudice in this family." She hung up and called Martin. "Tell me about Hermione." She ordered as she listened to him tell her what happened.
…..
When she graduated she convinced Jane to let her have a week off to visit family and she would meet in her London for the next leg of research. She went back home to help back at the park. She looked over at the new cubs as Martin took care of them with love and care that warmed her heart. Harry and his mate were doing well together. The old lion with the injured paw was doing well as expected.
At night time when the park closed, her parents threw a graduation party for her and the employees all came together to celebrate with her. They laughed and drank while they ate her Mom's home cooked food and cake. It was almost two in the morning before most of the people started head home. Darcy started to head up to her room but stopped and stared at the old trailer sitting out back. She walked over to it and unlocked the door. It was musty but it still smelt like him. She set down on his old bed and laid down on his pillow and cried into his scent.
"If I knew that you missed me this much, I would've sent you a shirt or something." Owen stated from the doorway.
She sat up and stared at him. "When did you get here?"
"Right before the waterworks it looks like." He replied as he set his bags down. "I'm out of the Navy, my four years are up."
"Finally." She smiled up at him.
"Yup." He locked the door shut and stormed over and captured her lips with her and pushed her down onto the bed.
…..
"Let's have a look at them." Darcy Lewis stated as she looked through the computer screen from London at her old friend Owen. "How's my girls?"
"They're. Ow!" Owen shook his hand and glared down at Blue who just bit his thumb. "They're good. They like to bite me a whole dame lot." He set Blue down on the ground and she chirped angrily at him. "Hold on, I'm talking here sweetie."
Darcy giggled as she watched him through the screen. "It's so cute watching you play Daddy."
He snorted and glanced at her. "Yea well, if I'm Dad, then you're mom." He smirked at her. "Delta, Echo stop fighting." He whistled at them, they stopped and looked up at him before they climbed up his legs. "Say hi to Darcy girls." They turned and chirped at her through the screen. Blue jumped on the screen and growled at her. "Blue." Owen warned.
"Where's Charlie?" Darcy asked as she looked at the three raptors. "I don't see her."
"Shit." Owen glanced around as he wrapped his arms around his three girls and got up. He looked around to see a pile of his dirty clothes and Charlie sleeping in them. "Found her."
Darcy snorted as she listened to the raptors chirp off screen as they joined their sister in the pile of dirty clothes. "Girls after my own heart."
….
Darcy had both of the Maximoff twins with her, Pietro had made a slow recovery, despite his annoyance. And to rewards them, she was taking them to Jurassic World. Because according to Tony, when you survive one horrifying ordeal of death and destruct and theme park was the best way. She thought about just taking them home to her park, but her Dad was ill and she didn't think the added stress of meta-humans would help him. So on Tony's dime and the fact that Darcy had a knack for taming wild beast, she and the twins were here. At least she could see Owen if he wasn't busy and his girls.
"So what do you guys want to see first?" She asked them, she glanced at them to see their wide eyes as they glanced around. "We have VIP passes, so we can jump lines and Tony gave me the card so we can get gifts and splurge on whatever you want."
"Really?" Wanda asked unsure.
Darcy smiled and grabbed her hand. "This is for fun and we are going to have fun. Do you want to ride some rides? Or lay out on the beach? Or go see some dinosaurs?"
Pietro appeared next to Darcy in a flash. "Let's go see the T-rex."
Darcy laughed. "Okay, we'll go see the T-Rex." She grabbed their hands and led them into the crowds to the T-Rex attraction.
…
Darcy remembered waking up from the surgery from when tony had to put the implant in her ear after the battle of London. It was after Ian, the Hydra plant tried to blow up Jane's mothers' flat and one of Darcy's ear drums blew. The sensation was a strange was to her even though it's been over a year. The implant gave her right ear hyper hearing as well as allowed Jarvis, now F.R.I.D.A.Y to speak to her through the implant. "Miss Lewis, there seems to be a problem."
Darcy tapped Wanda's shoulder letting her know she was taking a step back but was nearby and pulled out her phone and Bluetooth so it would look like she was one the phone. "What's wrong?" She asked in a whispered as she looked out another window and walked past some kids.
"I am indicating an containment anomaly, something is out and running loose."
"How far away?"
"Four miles from the nearest attractions, they are sending ACU after it, next protocol would be to start closing down parts of park closest to it to avoid danger."
"Do we need to send help?" she asked as she glanced around at all the families and frowned.
"I don't know Miss, they believe to have it under control…." F.R.I.D.A.Y. paused. "ACU has been terminated by the creature."
"Alright, I want you to monitor the situation, ghost it quietly. I want everything about the creature and who created it. And F.R.I.D.A.Y?"
"Yes Miss?"
"If there is something to do with HYDRA, contact the team." She whispered. "We're not repeating history here."
"Yes Miss." F.R.I.D.A.Y. went into search mode and Darcy put her phone away and turned to see the Twins right behind her. "Hey."
"For fun?" Pietro asked with a frown.
"I wish it was." She muttered with a sighed. "Come on, somewhere less crowded." She grabbed their hands and led them out of the attraction. She pulled them to an alcove and looked around. "F.R.I.D.A.Y picked up chatter of an creature getting out and its rampaging out there four miles out coming in. I have her looking into it."
"HYDRA?" Wanda whispered upset.
Darcy shrugged. "I don't know. She's searching, but I know someone who works here. I'm going to give him a call. Just give me a second." She pulled out her phone and dialed. "Owen? Where are you?" She glanced at the Twins. "Listen, I'm on the island, with… with two avengers and I can't explain over the phone but I know what's happening." Her eyes widened. "What? Okay, sure." She hung up. "He wants us to come to the command center."
"Let's go." Pietro wrapped his arms around their waists and held them close and ran to the command center. They stopped outside the doors so the girls could collect themselves.
"I hate when you do that." Darcy muttered.
"You wanted to get here, we got here." He smirked and pushed opened the door and ignored the security guard. "I was invited."
"I am told you are an Avenger." Simon Masrani stated.
"Pietro and Wanda Maximoff." Darcy pointed to them. "Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Darcy Lewis, Avenger Handler." She walked past him to Owen. "What the fuck?" She asked him.
"They created a dinosaur." He replied exasperated.
"That is classified information." A red head in all white stated.
Darcy turned to face her and shook her head. "It's about four miles north of here and just killed your ACU team. My job is to keep my team safe, so it doesn't matter how secure you think you are, you really not." She glanced at the Twins. "I'm sorry your vacation isn't as relaxing as you thought it was going to be. When this is done, I'll drop you off at the farm."
"Why didn't you take them to the Park?" Owen asked in a whisper.
"Dad is sick." Darcy replied with a shake of head. "But that isn't the issue."
"Girl is right, the issue is what the hell are doing civilians here?" A man with a goatee and a beer gut walked in with a glare. "Hoskins, and this could all be dealt with my plan."
"No." Owen stated. "We are not using my Raptors."
"I agree with Mr. Grady, we are not letting raptors loose on the island." Simon stated.
"Miss Lewis." F.R.I.D.A.Y spoke softly into her implant. "The creature has a base of a T-Rex, cuttlefish, tree frogs and something else that I can't identify yet. They have too many firewalls. It was be a few more minutes." Darcy nodded slowly and glanced at Owen who was looking at her strangely.
Darcy looked over at Simon and raised her voice over the two men. "Cuttlefish can camouflage and tree frogs and hide from thermal energy. Is that why you used them to make your new creature?" She took a step forward. "As well as a T-rex? There's something else, and when I find it and I will, I honest to god will bring this park and all of dumb ass scientist playing gods to their knees." Her voice was stone cold.
"Are you hacking us?" Vic asked. "That's illegal you bitch." He stepped forward to grab her but Pietro was fast and threw him back.
"It is not nice to grab women where we are from." He stated calmly. He turned to face Darcy. "Are you sure he is not HYDRA?" He glared at Vic and cracked his knuckles. "I would like to hurt him for threatening you."
"Enough." Darcy warned. Her eyes turned to Simon. "I would have a talk with your head scientist, because that isn't a dinosaur. And if you kept her alone in captivity her whole life, then this is a whole new world to her. She doesn't know where she stand in the hierarchy and you can bet you don't want her to find out." She glanced at Owen and nod in agreement.
…..
Darcy and the Twins helped everyone evacuate the island before heading back to help. "You guys should go too." Darcy told them. "You can still make it. They haven't left yet."
"Not without our handler." Wanda stated. "How come you never told us you used to handle animals?" She asked as they made their way to the command center.
"I've live my whole life on this Wildlife Park and I know that one day I'll go back to it. Like I'm not going to be with guys forever." They walked quietly for a few minutes trying not to attract attention. They heard noises from the lab and ran towards it and saw the InGen security taking the lab samples. "Stop!" Darcy pulled her Taser out and pointed it at them.
Pietro was quick and knocked them both out and grabbed the crate before it fell and set it back on the table. "Wanda force field." Wanda nodded and created a force field around the lab and Darcy glanced around and frowned at the computer screen.
"They're creating more." She whispered. "F.R.I.D.A.Y. I want an alert for any scientist that work for Jurassic World, I want their bank accounts, travel records, facial recognitions, and I want everything on them. If they try to sell or recreate any dinosaurs I want to know about it. Anything on the HYDRA front?"
"No Miss, but there seems to be a trail that leads back to Hammer, shall I inform Sir?"
Darcy arched a brow at the name. "At all the hair brained schemes that son of the bitch. Yes, inform Tony."
"Yes Miss."
They all three looked up at the roars of the Indominus Rex and a T-Rex. "Shall we go see what the fun is about?"
"You fucking bitch." They turned to see Vic there glaring at them.
"Go to hell." She flipped him off.
They heard a growl from beside them and they looked to see a raptor there glaring at Vic. "No, I'm on your side." He pleaded with her. The raptor chirped before pouncing on him and eating him.
"Go." Darcy whispered to the Twins and they quietly walked around the raptor devouring her prey. They made it out of the lab before Darcy turned to see the raptor up and staring at her. She stopped and breathed. "Good girl Blue." The raptor chirped happily and nodded.
…..
The disaster of said vacation was over and Darcy pleaded her case for another one because it wasn't fair to the Twins to actually save the world on their first vacation. So they were at her Park helping her family. Her Dad still ill and terminal, but the help was appreciated nonetheless. Darcy gave Wanda her room and Pietro stay in her brother's, she stay in Owen's old trailer for old time sake. She cleaned it out and put in new bedding because it was old and musty and hasn't been used in ages. But somehow it still had his scent in it. And she loved it.
Though the Twins didn't have to work, they still helped out and her Mom doted on them, she was teaching Wanda how to cook for the employees and Martin was teaching Pietro had to take of the pens. Darcy smiled as she stood there in the inventory closet taking stock like she had done thousands of times before. She turned when she heard knock on the door. "Hey."
"Hi." She smiled up at Owen.
"You're Dad says there's an opening." He replied.
"You know, you always had a job here." She replied as she looked back at her inventory list.
He walked over and took the clipboard from her. "Tell me what to mark off."
She smiled and shook her head and grabbed it back. "You're taller than me now. You tell me."
"Are you going back to New York?" He asked her.
"Probably. I'm the Avenger handler, it's hard to handle them when I'm not there."
"When did you become such a people handler?" He asked her.
"It just sort of happened." She shrugged. "What happened to that Red head? Didn't you two go out?"
"She brought an itinerary to the date." He replied with a shrug.
"Shame." She laughed.
"I want you to stay, with me, here." He whispered to her. "I don't want to keep losing you, only to find you and lose you again."
Darcy stopped and stared up at him. "Owen."
"Miss Lewis." F.R.I.D.A.Y cut into her ear implant.
Darcy took a step back. "F.R.I.D.A.Y. What is it?" She held up a finger to Owen and pulled out her phone and set it on the table and set it to AI mode. "Go on."
"Sir would like to inform you that both Maximoff Twins requested residency moved to your address."
"What?" Darcy asked, confused.
"We want to live here." Wanda spoke from the doorway. She looked shy as she glanced between Darcy and Owen and smiled at Darcy. "We asked your Parents, we can help around the house and we don't need much. And we get paid for being Avengers, we still go out on missions, we still have team training. But we live here."
"But won't the drive to the tower be long?" Darcy asked.
Wanda shook her head. "The new Avenger training center is only an hour away and we train only certain days a week. It's like." She stop to think of the word. "Reserved duty. Please, can we stay? We want to stay."
"Sir says you are mainly the Twins handlers and this allows you two take care of your family and keep everyone safe." F.R.I.D.A.Y. stated.
"Thank you, tell him that it is okay." Darcy replied with a smile. She gave Wanda a smile and nodded. "Go tell Pietro to rest up because tomorrow we're going into New York to get our stuff."
Wanda beamed and rushed and gave her a hugged and kissed her cheek. "Thank you. Thank you." She rushed out of the closet leaving them alone.
"And here I thought all they care about is our love life." She smiled up at him. "You were saying?"
"I love you." He simply stated.
She blinked taken back, before she smiled. "I love you too."
"Marry me?" He asked her. He pulled out a ring that recognized was her grandmother's one that her Mom had given to Stuart to give to his wife. But Stuart never got a wife, he had gotten a boyfriend.
"Oh my god, you've met Stuart." She breathed.
"He was the one who got me out of all the legal trouble with the lawyers with Jurassic World. I told him I wanted to marry you." Owen smirked. "He thought we were already married. But he gave him this ring and told me good luck because you're a spit fire."
"He's an asshole." She replied.
"You didn't answer my question." He replied.
"Asked me again." She looked up at him. "I was in shock there."
He laughed and got down on one knee. "Darcy Lewis, I'm asking you, where this all started for us. In the inventory closet." She rolled her eyes at him. "Will you marry me?"
She nodded. "Yes." He slid the ring onto her finger and stood up. "Shit, yes."
…..
A year later they still live out in his trailer and the Twins in the house. But they are building onto the house to make it bigger. And the Park gets more people once they hear that one of the handlers is one of the guys who used to work with the raptors from Jurassic World. He works with the big cats and teaches them with Martin. They sometimes has little tiger cubs or lion cubs playing in the trailer or house with them during the day.
It was been six months since Darcy's Dad passed away from Cancer and the Park took a hit with Morale. He was the spirit and soul of the Park and the animals miss him and Darcy knows it. And Owen can see that she misses him too.
The Twins got their GEDs and had started their first year of college and Darcy couldn't be prouder of them. She is there for them when they return from missions with popcorn and movie nights and they snuggle with the cubs that they imprinted on.
She started to notice one of their regular seasonal patrons who comes weekly with the kids she babysits who shyly looks at Pietro. Before Darcy, who got the all clear from F.R.I.D.A.Y. to prove she was just a normal girl with a crush, accidentally pushed him towards her. That started them talking and a high five from Wanda.
Their wedding was small, just one night after the Park was closed and all the guests had gone home, employees, family and friends and of course the Avengers. Tony paid for it all. Which helped out her Mom and Darcy loved him for it. It was sweet and the reception was fun and it lasted into the early morning and lucky the Park was closed the next day for rest.
They moved into the finished part of the house which of a mother-in-law suite with bedroom, small kitchenette, bathroom and laundry room. Two weeks later Darcy was sitting on the bathroom floor in shock as the pregnancy tests in front of her.
"Hey Darcy, we just an email from New Zealand." Owen stated as he walked into the bedroom. "You in the bathroom?"
"Yea, hold on." She grabbed the sticks and open the door. "What does the email say?"
"That they want to mate one of our cubs with theirs? Isn't that great?" He asked her with a smile.
"That's amazing." She smiled and hid the sticks behind her back.
"Now, what do you want to share?" He asked her as he glanced at her arm behind her back.
She slowly brought them forward and showed him. "They're positive."
"Are you serious?" He dropped the letter and grabbed the sticks and looked at them with a smile on his face. She nodded as she watched him. He looked up at her smiled and kissed her. "I'm so happy."
"Are you sure? We're animal handlers, not children handlers."
"Well we have about nine months to get used to the idea." He smiled at her and then frowned. "We just finished construction. Now we have to build a nursery."
She laughed at him. "We do have another room, you know? It's Dad's old office and its right next to us. We can use that."
"Look at you Momma, already planning ahead." He smiled.
She blushed. "Mom." She whispered. "We're going to be Mom and Dad."
"I'm thinking Darrell for a boy." He whispered. "Darrell Ron Grady."
"Ron, our first to leave the nest." Darcy whispered with a smile. "Hermione Grady for a girl."
He snorted. "Let's not tell them they're name after our first tiger cubs and not the golden trio instead."
"Okay." She kissed him. "Okay."
…