Darcy would never claim that she was enjoying herself or even really adapting to the whole situation. She was well aware that she was currently being sheltered in a mini-S.H.I.E.L.D. bubble protecting her from real life in the 60's. She was a bit shocked about the time travel thing. But she was dealing with it. And by dealing with it she meant she was trying her best to ignore the big picture and spent a lot of time complaining about the clothes she was forced to wear. So, not dealing.

She wondered what Jane was doing. A lot. After all the woman had attempted to rip apart time and space for a space-hottie she had known for like, 3 days, so Darcy was fairly confident that as Jane's science minion/BFF/official playlist maker of the last few years, Jane was out there in the future sciencing her best to get Darcy back. She hoped. Like really hoped. Occasionally begged, pleaded, and prayed.

She wrote notes. Lots of notes. Song lyrics, lines from books and movies, internet memes, and names of people she knew.

Sometimes she kept them.

Sometimes she had to destroy them right after.

Sometimes she forgot things. How things looked, tasted, and sounded.

Dates of important events (both personal and worldwide). She had never fucking missed Google and internet more than now. That week Future! S.H.I.E.L.D had blocked out all their communications after New Mexico had nothing on this. It was culture shock like nothing else.

Then there was the elephant in the room she really really really did not want to confront.

Maria Collins Carbonell.

Some of her history texts had put Carbonell right up there with Jacqueline Kennedy when it came to famous women of this time period.

Except, it was Maria Stark that was making the waves. Scandalous waves. Waves that would shape the future in ways that Darcy did not want to think about.

So, naturally, anytime she had a second to herself outside of training and being oh-so-subtly being question further by Agent Carter, it's what she thought about. A lot.

She also occasionally thought about Howard Stark.

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.

.

"So are you ever going to trust me enough to let me loose on New York City, or even the state of New Jersey? At this point I'm not very choosey. Hell, I'd be down for a short drive to the gas station down the road." Asked Darcy over one of her 'lunches' with Peggy Carter.

She still wasn't sure what Peggy Carter thought of her. The Brit had been rightfully suspicious of Darcy from the start, but she had also been the friendliest and most helpful person in the S.H.I.E.L.D. base that Darcy interacted with. It probably helped that Darcy was now one of the few women she had seen working around the base. Chalk it up to female solidarity or something.

"It's just that I'm going a little insane here. Like is this going to be what the rest of my life is like? Wandering non-descript secret government halls and annoying the hell out of your jackbooted thugs?"

Peggy twisted her lips into what could have been a sympathetic smile.

Darcy continued before Peggy could respond. "Can't I get a temp job or go work for an office or something? I was able to use the typewriter last week without messing things up that badly."

"It's not my call, unfortunately, Maria. You are to continue here at S.H.I.E.L.D. until Mr. Stark returns from his trip." Peggy might be one of a handful of people that knew her real name, but she never ever failed to call her Maria or Ms. Carbonell. Darcy didn't like it.

"Howard Stark is calling the shots on what my future holds?"

"That would be correct on some parts. He's the one that decided to get you an identity and to try and assimilate you into the time as much as possible. He also tends to 'call the shots' on most actions around these parts."

Darcy took a second to process this information and then decided she may as well go for broke at this point.

"If that's so, where's he been for the last few months then?"

"That's classified, excuse me, I have a phone call to make soon."

Well, that was an obvious shut down.

.

.

.

Darcy is flopped down on her bed in her small room reading Ian Fleming's Casino Royale in a desperate attempt to keep her mind occupied. Despite finding it a bit different, less campy at times, from every James Bond movie she'd ever seen it had managed to grab her attention. Luckily for her there was a number of them already written that she'd be able to get her hands on after she finished this one.

So when someone ended up knocking on her door with quick, impatient hits, she was less than pleased with the interruption. But whoever it was, was insistent and she had to put her book down.

"What exactly do you want?" she snapped as she pulled the door open.

Howard Stark raised an eyebrow at her tone and smirked.

"Interrupting something, am I?" he asked as he looked over her shoulder, as if something scandalous was going to miraculously appear in the small room. When nothing did, he turned his gaze back to her.

"Just spending some quality time with Mr. James Bond. Um, so, can I help you?" she asked not moving from where she blocked access to her room. She had not been prepared for Howard Stark to wind up at her door.

"Which one?"

"Huh?"

"Which book are you on?" Howard asked, like he wasn't just banging on her door like the world was going to end.

"Casino Royale, and if you spoil any of the book for me, I will not be responsible for my actions."

He laughed and nodded, like this was a completely acceptable response.

"I met him once during the war."

"What? Huh?"

"Fleming, the author? I met him once when I was in London with the SSR during the war. Anyway, you hungry? I'm hungry. Dinner, I'll buy. Peggy mentioned you were getting a little cabin feverish." When Darcy just stood there staring at him, he rolled his eyes impatiently. But Darcy was a little stuck on how similar he sounded to Tony Stark back in her time. She had seen enough interviews once the man had become Iron Man to remember how he talked. The accent was thicker and different, but still.

When Howard realized she wasn't going to respond he reached out a hand and lightly clasped Darcy's shoulder.

"Let's go Maria. I got some questions for you anyway." He gave her a small smile, perfect mustache twitching in humor, as she pulled herself back into the present situation.

"Right, I'll just.., go change then." And promptly slammed the door in Howard's face.