A/N: This is very AU, has characters from all over the MCU, and is a long, slowburn of a story. Basically don't expect to see Steve for several chapter, and Bucky for even longer.

Heartlines

Darcy stared at the book in front of her, the words blurring on the page as exhaustion and distraction battled for control of her psyche. She'd been in the library for going on five hours, trying to find good sources for her dissertation, and basic vocabulary terms were starting to lose all meaning. What kind of word did significant think it was? Because it no longer held any significance to her.

Poor little naive undergraduate Darcy, thinking her thesis was the worst she'd ever have to face. So optimistic about collecting degrees like they were pokemon. She stuck her tongue out at the dense volume of essays that was her latest failed conquest and let it fall onto the table with a thump and long-suffering sigh. A bare second later she winced in realization and waited for a sharp voice, then relaxed when it failed to appear. She had chosen this table specifically because it should be out of hearing range of Martin, the reference librarian who could give Madam Pince a run for her money in the scowling stereotype department, but the man was the terror of the student population thanks to his uncanny ability to hear the slightest hint of noise.

Clenching her jaw against a yawn, Darcy leaned over and rested her forehead against the thin pages of the book. Thirty hours since she'd last slept. It would be at least another five before she made it back to her apartment and the lumpy futon that had reached cloud-like comfort in her fantasies. She had one more hour to research for her dissertation; after that she was teaching her advisor's Global Women's History class, and then she was scheduled to help in the tutoring center until seven. To think she'd volunteered for the barely controlled chaos they called higher education. Before that thought could lead into a familiar mental spiral, the upbeat notes of 'I'm a Gummy Bear' exploded out of her bag and she almost fell out of her chair.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!"

Flailing wildly, Darcy nearly knocked Sex, Gender, and the Sacred off the table as she struggled with the zipper on her backpack, still muttering profanities in a furious whisper.

"I will thank you to take your noise and your foul language out of my library."

Darcy flinched as the pointed words in that nails-on-a-chalkboard voice were spat into her ear. Finally reaching her phone, she thumbed the volume button and let out a relieved sigh as the song stopped instead of growing louder. Turning her head, she saw Martin glaring at her from a bare foot away and gave him a weak smile. "I apologize. I'll leave as soon as I've shelved my books."

The older man sniffed haughtily. "See that you do." Spinning on his heels, the librarian stalked away, righteous fury hovering around him in an invisible fog.

Dropping her head into her hands, Darcy groaned. Well, she was awake now.

Who the hell had called her and why on earth had she forgotten to silence her phone? Oh right, she'd been hoping the girl from her Witchcraft, Christianity, and Gender in Colonial Society lecture would call for that wondrous thing known as a date. A near mythical concept that she hadn't experienced in nearly a year. At this point she even missed the awkward small talk and intense nerves that came with every first attempt at romantic contact.

Silly Darcy, graduate students didn't get to have lives.

Lifting her head again, Darcy pulled her hair tie out and massaged her scalp in a futile attempt at pain relief, wishing she hadn't run out of excedrin last week. She gave up after a minute and redid her ponytail, then reached back into her backpack and pulled out her phone. Turning on the screen, she clicked on the missed call icon and stared at the words on the display, her heart stuttering in her chest with mingled disappointment and excitement. The call wasn't from the girl with the runic tattoos who'd made her salivate; it was from Misty, the private investigator she spent nights filing paperwork for in order to pay for her services.

Had Misty finally found something? Or did she need Darcy to come in to work again?

God she hoped it wasn't the latter. If she didn't get some sleep soon, she was going to start hallucinating during lectures and that hadn't gone so well the last time it happened. She still got shit for telling her professor that he made a very handsome elephant, as if it was her fault that she'd been obsessed with Fantasia as a child and had a very vivid imagination. The experience had definitely put her off experimenting with any hallucinogens until she was at least 70 and no longer obligated to give a shit.

Only one way to find out what Misty wanted, but first she needed to get the hell out of the library before she was murdered and her body was found shoved into the book return slot. As awesome of an obituary as that would be, Darcy refused to die before they could put Doctor on the tombstone. Pushing her chair back, she stood and stretched, listening to her back pop with a wrinkled nose. Should the back of a fairly healthy twenty-five-year-old sound like that? Or had academia aged her prematurely?

Releasing the stretch, she scooped up the volume of essays and the other three books she'd been using and smiled wryly as her biceps flexed. No need to lift weights if you were in a doctoral history program, carrying the books around more than took care of any exercise requirements you might need. Not to mention how many stairs the University had, and the oh so convenient way her on campus job and the history department were half a campus away from each other, and both equally far away from the only parking lot that ever had open spaces.

She wandered into the stacks and returned the books to their proper spots; the only usable one had a digital copy she'd use for further research. Returning to her table, she picked up her phone and slipped her backpack on. Frowning in habitual annoyance, she pulled her ponytail out of the right shoulder strap before heading for the door. She'd call Misty back, see what she needed, and then grab a bite to eat and another coffee before heading to class. Luckily enough the ickle firsties were taking a test today, so all she'd have to do was watch them sweat and try to stay awake.

Martin was back at his desk and shot her a glare as she passed by. Darcy grinned at him, a firm believer in fighting grinch-like behavior with excess cheer, and wondered how the librarian would react if she brought him some coffee next time. She grimaced and shook her head as she pushed open the front doors and stepped into the sunlight. Martin would definitely not react well to her carting hot liquids around his precious books. If she wanted to bring him a unwelcome peace offering, something non-food or beverage related was probably her best bet.

Sliding her phone out of her pocket, Darcy leaned against the sun-warmed brick wall of the library and pulled up the missed call screen, selecting the return call button next to Misty's name and holding it up to her ear. Her heart rate had picked up again and she anxiously counted the number of rings as she willed herself not to get her hopes up.

"Finally deigned to pay me some attention, hmm?" Misty teased as soon as she picked up, amusement clear in that smooth contralto voice that Darcy envied deeply.

"I was in the library," Darcy retorted, "and I was accosted by its dread guardian."

Misty laughed, a rich sound that carried over even through the shitty speakers of Darcy's cellphone. "Well, his wrath was worth it. I have good news."

Darcy held her breath, her pulse racing as the hope she had willed away came flaring back as a roaring fire in her chest.

"I found your family."