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Chapter 2

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Inglourious Basterds turns out to be a rousing hit, that the whole team joins them for. It's the first time Steve's really been back for a movie night with everyone else, since the failed attempt at Game of Thrones. Darcy can't help grinning the whole time, watching Cap in a situation, outside the field anyway, where he's blending in with everyone else seamlessly. Violence is nothing new to him, and after nearly a year in the modern world, neither is the prolific foul language, so everyone in the room is yelling, cheering, and laughing at Brad Pitt's accent together.

"I'll admit, I didn't much approve at first," Bruce notes quietly, when he and Darcy get up for more drinks at the same time. She narrows her eyes at him good-naturedly, and Dr. Banner chuckles, juggling his root beer and Betty's Guinness, "Of him dating -anyone- so soon after thawing, not you especially."

"Yeah, I guess he did kinda latch onto me pretty quick," Darcy allows, grabbing two blackberry Long Trails. Jarvis remembers everyone's favorites, and Steve likes the flavor. She grins, "Not like you were very keen on ANY super-person having a girlfriend though, Hulky."

"Below the belt," He totally fixes her with a dad-stare, before smiling again, "Honestly, though, you've been amazing for him, Darcy," He says earnestly, nodding to where Steve and Tony are actually -laughing- together, repeating lines at each other, while Jane is still trying to explain to Thor exactly how Aldo Raine is getting everyone's accents wrong, and Nat has already gotten buzzed, perched in Clint's lap like a grinning teenager. "He and I have been...the ones holding back. I guess we both kinda needed a lady around to kick our asses," He notes, looking down, as Betty leans over the back of the couch and makes grabby-hands at her beer.

"Nah," Darcy smiles, spinning back toward Steve's side, "You needed a lady around to remind you both that you're worth it."

"So, this is NOT how Hitler actually met his end?" Thor was asking, again.

"Nope, coward killed himself all holed up in a bunker," Natasha sighs, limbs all over a stoically pleased Hawkeye, "Call this 'fictional history'. What most people kind of wish had happened."

"And while I feel like I should be all against indulging violent fantasies," Steve smirks, taking his beer as Darcy snuggles into his side, "We -are- the Avengers." There was a collective groan.

"Good grief," Tony throws popcorn at his head, "You and Lewis deserve each other."

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The labs at Stark Tower have started to feel more like home than work...all right, maybe that boring part of your home, Darcy thinks. That desk you pay the bills at or do your homework at. But between the proximity to her actual home and the fact that she spends her working days with her best friend, three other seriously nice people, and a slew of interns who actually kind of look up to -her-, of all people, it's still pretty awesome. Never mind the giant wormhole generator upstairs, and the army of Stark robots puttering around. Darcy's pretty sure there isn't a better place to work on planet Earth, even if she is a little biased.

"Here's the latest data on the last portal," Jane hands her a disc the next day, containing all the info on her most recent trip to Asgard. Apparently she's made quite the impression up there, with Thor's folks. She's also traveled half-way across the universe, which has certain people calling the labs at all hours."Also I don't suppose you can proofread my next report for NASA, can you?" Darcy pauses, blinking.

"...Every now and then, someone says something in this lab that makes me have to stop, remember where I am, and that this shit is normal," She grins, "Sure, stupid-fingers, I'll beta your space-fanfic."

"Thanks," Jane rolls her eyes, but does look a little apologetic, tilting her head, "That's kind of outside your current job description Darce, I'm sorry." Darcy waves a hand, punching some keys and putting the disc into her shiny new Stark computer.

"It's no big Jane, really. I'm a SHIELD agent now, yeah, but I'm still your serving wench first."

"I just feel like we've been swamping you," Jane squints, "You haven't even gone back to school yet." At that, Darcy does bite her lip, nodding.

"I actually ah, have some hang-ups about that," She replies, eyes on the screen and fingers flying as she organizes the data, not missing a key, "I want to swap my major." Darcy grins, "Different science. Physics kinda science. I mean I'm good at this shit, it makes sense in my head the more I learn." This has the expected reaction, Jane busting out in a grin, and both Erik and Bruce looking up from their desks. "Thing is, not many of the places I've looked into have really in-depth online courses for applied physics, and I don't wanna leave New York." She adds, in her Natasha-accent, "Am credit to team."

"Hell yeah you are," Jane assures her, bouncing a little on her heels with enthusiasm, and looking over to Erik, the two of them doing their freaky mind-meld thing, "I'm pretty sure the bunch of us can pull some strings, too," Bruce nods, "You've done more than enough practical legwork and you've had a lot of education the last six months, you just need someone to bully people into working around your schedule."

"I'm good at bullying," Betty notes, breezing by with a huge trunk of tech in her deceptively buff arms, "We'll have you attending somewhere by next week." She drops the trunk by Bruce's desk, beaming sweetly down at him. Darcy almost makes a Hulk joke (She-Hulk, maybe? Is that a thing that can happen?), but thinks better of it. Instead she affects a teary expression, hand to her heart, sighing.

"You guys are just too-too."

"Our little oompa-loompa really IS growing up," Jane takes up the act, wrapping her arms around Darcy's shoulders, swallowing an imaginary lump in her throat, "I'm just...just so proud!" She breaks down in pretend sobs. Darcy laughs, shaking her head.

"Careful, Fury will think we're having fun."

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"You can hit harder than that!" Nat's shouting at her, grinning, as the two of them circle each other in the boxing ring. Black Widow is still miles ahead of Darcy as far as physical prowess goes, but Darcy's also fast, darting every which way, and she can pack a punch. Hitting Natasha though just seems like it should always end with the person who did the hitting missing a few pints of blood. Even so, Darcy circles a few more times before aiming a hit to Nat's jaw, which she just barely dodges. "Perfect!"

From the weight benches, Tony and Steve applaud. "Pepper's developed a hell of a right hook," Tony notes, tossing a barbell between his hands, "Super hot. This one beat you up in bed, Cap?" Oh Steve, he turns ever so red, and it thoroughly distracts Darcy. Nat gets in a hit to her gut, and she doubles over.

"Only sometimes," Steve replies, evenly, eyes on the ring, face impassive except for the blush, "Most of the time though she's tied -to- the bed." He succeeds in making both Tony drop a weight on his toe, and Natasha stumble, allowing Darcy to land a punch. Oh, she could just kiss him. Steve just smiles.

"Agent Romanov," Jarvis' smooth voice issues from somewhere above, and everyone takes pause, "Director Fury has summoned you for a briefing, in the ready room."

"Well," Natasha notes, brightly, "I hope they're sending me somewhere sunny and warm. Behave yourselves, kids." She saunters out of the gym, and Darcy waves after her, turning and grinning to Steve.

"Don't break Tony, Steve. He lets us live in his house."

"Nope, go right ahead, keep breaking Tony," Tony grins, limping over to the weight rack. "So is it handcuffs, actual rope, chains, or...?"

"Never you mind," Steve growls, plucking up a giggling Darcy and tossing her over his shoulder, making for the door. She winks, giving his ass a good smack.

Her life, what was it?

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A few days later finds them settling in for another movie, the snow still falling, and Natasha still absent from the Tower. As such, Steve and Darcy have Hawkeye perched on the end of their couch, Volstagg having jumped ship for the night and lolling around in Clint's lap. The dog was a fan of undivided attention.

"Any word from her yet?" Darcy asks, and the sharp-shooter shakes his head, looking unconcerned enough, though the way he's scratching the mutt behind the ears is telling.

"S'good though," Clint says evenly, eyes on the black and white film filling up half the wall before them, "No news is good news with Nat. ...She usually disobeys orders and tells me where they're sending her, though."

"Not this time, I gather?" Steve tears his eyes away from Stalag 17 long enough to ask, frowning. Clint shakes his head again.

"And she was tight-lipped while she was packing her things," He shrugs, putting on a grin, "Lady has to have her secrets, though." He makes it sound so simple, but Darcy knows it's not. She's watched Hawkeye and Black Widow together, and though they haven't been together much longer than she and Steve, even just as friends and teammates, they seem able to read each other like a book, while the rest of SHIELD just sees two carefully schooled faces. All the Avengers have gotten much more relaxed with each other, trusting each other, but Natasha remains a trained stone fox when she wants to be, and Clint can still read her on her most inward of days. They're the old married couple of super spies, and if Clint didn't see something on her face that worried him, Darcy's Volstagg's mother.

"Horse shit, but as you will, Katniss," She smirks, leaning sideways against Steve as the old, yet seriously hilarious movie plays on. "God I haven't seen this movie since I was a kid and it's -still- amazing."

"It's funny, without downplaying the reality that they're in a prison camp," Steve observes, right before busting out laughing again, that goofy, uncaring laugh that says he's really and truly relaxed. Darcy grins around her beer, watching him.

"Mind, this didn't come out until long after the war ended, but people still needed a reason to laugh I think," She bites her lip, "The 50s might have seemed all clean-cut, but those people had seen shit, man."

"And the cold war was coming on," Clint adds, and then sighs, pushing a hand through his short hair, "Aaaand there's the pangs again. Why am I worrying so much about a woman who can break me without breaking a sweat?"

"Cause you're in looooove," Darcy beams, and Hawkeye hangs his head in defeat, smirking. Steve just tightens the arm around her.

"Trust me buddy. Way worse things can happen to a man."

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