Darcy Lewis is working hard trying not to smack Jane upside the head when her cellphone goes off. She half expects it to go off, SHIELD has been trying to keep her updated on the "Protect Jane Foster" mission, but the caller ID surprises her.
"Mom?"
"Darcy...! Darcy, sweetie, your father has been severely injured..."
Darcy feels tears well up in her eyes at this and covers her mouth. Jane looks over at her, concerned, but Darcy turns around quickly and heads outside to talk in private.
She knows she's been waiting for this call ever since her parents told her about their jobs, but she feels like its still so unexpected and far too early.
"Is Dad okay?"
She hears her mother sniffle on the other end, and Darcy starts crying herself.
"...They won't let me see him yet. I don't know, honey."
Darcy sits down against the lab wall and holds her breath. She barely sees her parents anymore, and now she might be losing one of them. She has a feeling this has something to do with Norse mythology, but she lets it go and just cries into the phone.
"Your grandpa is coming to get you. I'll see you in a few hours."
"Okay, Mom..."
"Darcy... He's going to pull through. He promised to take you to Harry Potter World for your birthday next month, and you know he never breaks his promises."
She can tell her mother is saying this more to herself then to her, but Darcy whispers okay, and tries to sound hopeful when her mother tells her she loves her and says goodbye. Darcy hangs up her phone and cries a little more until Jane finds her and comforts her.
Ten minutes later, a black car pulls up, and two men in suits get out. Jane is immediately defensive, still upset over the last time SHIELD raided her lab, but Darcy springs up and runs over to the older man and flings herself on him. He catches her and hugs her to him and strokes her hair.
"Grandpa! I haven't see you since Christmas!"
"I missed you too, princess!"
They pull apart, and Darcy turns to the other man and punches him playfully on the arm. "Jay! You came too?"
Said man smiles and takes off his sunglasses. "Of course. Stopped off at the gas station and pick you up some snacks for the trip."
For a few minutes, Darcy's mind isn't on the worst possible scenario. She introduces Kay and Jay to Jane as her grandpa, a senior FBI agent, and his partner Jay. They chat a bit, but then Kay monitions to the car.
"Time to head out, kiddo. Someone's waiting to see you."
Jane hugs her goodbye, and the two agents and Darcy get in the car and drive off. Once a good distance away, her grandfather flips the top off the gearshift to reveal the red button and leans back to Darcy in the backseat.
"Would you like to do the honors, princess?"
Darcy slams the red button hard, and the car shoots off. It's almost like a roller coaster, and Darcy enjoys it guiltily. After an hour, they approach the helicarrier and Jay picks up the car's radio.
"This is Agent Jay and Kay, requesting landing."
Nick Fury just walks out of the council room when an agent calls him over radio with an unidentified aircraft requesting landing. He heads to the control room and is informed it's a flying car. He sighs, rolls his eye, and has the car's radio patched through.
"Kay, what do I owe the pleasure of you landing a car on my helicarrier?"
"Fury! Good to hear you. Just a little family reunion. Someone needs to see her father, and I need to speak with someone about increased security."
Fury cuts the call and gives them clearance to land.
They park and head to the medbay, where Maria Hill is outside pacing. Darcy catches sight of her first and runs to her. "MOM!"
Maria spins around, and everyone can see her red eyes and tear tracks. She looks so relieved once she catches sight of Darcy and meets her halfway. She pulls the girl in close and holds her tight. "I see your grandfather got you here safely."
"We took the car this time. I wore my seatbelt, don't worry."
Agent Kay and Jay finally catch up, and Maria looks over Darcy's head with sad eyes. Kay puts a hand on her shoulder and Jay looks down at they ground, and everyone is silent for a moment. Then Kay pulls away and steps back.
"Jay and I are going to have a talk with Fury, and then we'll be back. Keep us posted if anything changes."
Maria nods and watches the MIB agents turn a corner before she goes back to holding Darcy and asking her about Jane Foster and their research.
Finally, the doctors leave Phil's room after two hours of mother and daughter nervously waiting. They inform the family of Phil's condition, that he has a lot of healing to do before he can be up to his game, and how it will be a while untill he wakes up.
They let Darcy in to see him while Maria calls her father-in-law with the new information. Once she hangs up, she grabs a seat right next to Darcy and watches her resting husband. He's got IVs and heart monitors all over him, but he's breathing on his own, and Maria and Darcy are so relieved and happy that the main man in their lives is going to pull through.
Darcy begins to slump in her seat, and Maria pulls Darcy against her shoulder and strokes her hair until her daughter is drowsy. "Have I ever told you the story of how your father and I met?"
"Once, a while ago," Darcy yawns. "I don't remember most of it."
"Well..."
