you're the fire and the flood
and I'll always feel you in my blood
Darcy's alarm jarred her from sleep, from that gloriously warm, fuzzy place where Loki's lips hovered over hers as he bid her goodnight, where his long fingers were at her back, splayed against her skin...
Okay so those may been exaggerations, but that reality of her dreams had been so vivid that she hadn't wanted to wake up. Duty called however, and though she had stayed up late the night before packing for the research trip, (or expedition as Jane liked to call it, though Darcy thought that was a little too Indiana Jones for a scientist who spent most of her time indoors) she felt she should probably try to be a little early to meet up with everyone. Darcy for one did not want to spend the whole time dodging daggers from Maria's glare.
She rolled onto her back to look at the ceiling, a ridiculously goofy (at least she was sure it was) smile on her face as she thought about last night. She and Loki had sat next to each other for at least an hour, saying practically nothing, and yet so much had happened between them.
Darcy had been sure he would at least hug her when she had to go, dare she even say kiss her? Or maybe she was just desperately hoping for it. Loki had told her as she was leaving that he'd be away from the lab for the rest of the week, so could she please try not to get herself killed in his absence? She had been about to tell him about their two day trip, but thought better of it. It was technically classified information, and though she trusted Loki far more than she trusted 90 percent of SHIELD, Darcy didn't need it getting back to Fury that she'd let loose sensitive info. She was already crazy paranoid with how perceptive he'd looked during the meeting when Tony was spouting off about that woman.
So Darcy told Loki she'd see him when he got back (and that yeah, duh she wouldn't get herself killed, to which he looked extremely doubtful), and he had nodded slowly, his lips (god they were probably so soft) pursed together in a dissatisfied way. Was he bummed about not being able to see her for that time? Darcy fucking hoped so. She knew that whatever was happening between them wasn't just her. Maybe Loki didn't want her in the way she wanted him, but they seemed to have crossed mountains the last two days.
It was amazing what could transpire in such a short time. Last week she'd only had the occasional thought about how handsome Loki was, how she wished they could at least be friends. And now...it was safe to say she was falling head over feet for him. Which was, of course, a really bad idea, but it felt so good, and so right. That's what everybody said though, didn't they? But Darcy's right was more right than some people's. Most people's. For one, hello, Darcy fucking Lewis here. She may not have been a super hero or a super spy or a super anything, really, but she was still a pretty big deal in her own mind, and that's what counted. And Loki was a god! Well, she'd never say that to his face (probably), and to her, it was semantics, as Thor had pointed out several times before (Aesir, friend Darcy, Aesir) that "god" wasn't exactly true.
The point was, this wasn't some run of the mill, average Joe off the streets. This was magic and destiny. And if it wasn't those things, dammit, she'd make it those things.
oooo
"I hope you remembered everything on the list, Darce," Jane said from the back seat, where she sat beside boxes of equipment, tapping a pen on a notepad.
"Thanks for the confidence, boss." Darcy replied, staring morosely out the window. Okay so camping was always a good time, and she got to hang out with people she genuinely liked- she'd been pleased to learn that Bruce, Steve, and Sam were accompanying them as well. Between them, Thor, and Jane, it was sure to be a blast. But none of them were Loki, none of them really actually understood her, and what was more, tried to.
Darcy had thought about telling Jane about the red book, but then she'd have to explain why she was at Loki's place and Jane, scatterbrained though she was, would put two and two together and realize that's why she'd been late to the meeting...it was a lot of explanation and Darcy herself wasn't sure of a lot of it, so how could she tell it somebody else? Though Jane would probably understand best out of anybody this desire, this attachment, to a man from another world.
Still, she just wasn't ready to shout from the mountaintops what had been going on. It was almost like she and Loki were in a sort of sandbox of safety, and she wanted to stay there. Right now, just now, Loki had yet to reject her, and that in and of itself was something she wanted to keep for herself for the time being.
"I'm sorry," Jane said, letting out a breath, "I'm just so nervous. I have to prove to these suits that I'm worth my salt."
"Oh please! Like there's anybody at that rag tag operation with even a modicum of your brains." Darcy said, turning in her seat. It was just them in the car, a special model straight from Tony- SHIELD had a whole fleet of them now- smart cars that were controlled by Jarvis, and Darcy personally preferred this over one of the many drivers that always seemed to be at SHIELD'S disposal. It was much safer, in her opinion, and she did promise Loki she'd stay safe...
"Thanks," Jane said warmly, and Darcy was struck for a moment that even Jane- smarter than anybody in the world, head of the most advanced laboratory anywhere, had her self-doubts, had her own very real worries. Whoa. She'd never thought of it before- Jane always seemed so confident! And Loki always seemed so collected, his feathers unruffled. And Steve always seemed so content to be a lone wolf, to keep everybody at arm's length. And what did she always seem like? What were all of them hiding, keeping buried from the world and most importantly, each other?
"Lewis, you read me?" Sam's voice cackled over the car's speakers, and Darcy gripped the dash, startled.
"Loud and clear. Jesus, Sam, way to scare me to death."
"Jumpy, jumpy," Sam mumbled, and Darcy could practically hear him roll his eyes, "we'll be arriving in three minutes- Thor and Banner are already at base camp. See you then. Over and out."
"Yeah yeah, right back atcha." Darcy said, fiddling with the buttons where, in a regular car, the radio dials would be. She finally found the right one and switched the walkie system off.
"You know, you haven't exactly told me what's up with all of this." Darcy gestured out the windshield, where they could now see the convoy ahead of them pulling off the dirt road. Their usual small operation had seemed to expand overnight.
Jane narrowed her eyes at Darcy. "Excuse me, I most certainly did. The briefing you were late to ringing any bells?"
Darcy winced; now Jane knew she definitely hadn't been paying attention. She'd probably never let her sit next to Tony again. "I mean, I got all that," Darcy fibbed, "I meant why are so many people here. Usually it's just us, or Erik, maybe Thor or one other supe. But we have the whole damn circus this time. Four Avengers? It's a little much, isn't it?" Natasha, Tony, and Rhodey were guarding the home base, Darcy assumed. Like the President and Vice President, barring a catastrophic global event, Earth's Mightiest Heroes never traveled together.
Jane bit her lip and Darcy sensed she may have stumbled on something (she'd go over Jane's notes later to catch up on what she'd actually missed about this whole assignment) that wasn't clear even to her.
"I wondered that too...I mean, Thor yeah, obviously I'm not going to complain about that...and Bruce is pretty helpful, I mean it's so nice to have another serious scientist to bounce ideas off...but Steve and Sam? And Maria Hill? Why is this such a big deal to everybody? There's been atmospheric interference before, and sure this particular weather fluctuation is pretty severe, but again, it's nothing we haven't seen. I think..." Jane dropped her voice, "I think there's something SHIELD isn't telling us." Jane shrugged and then lapsed into silence, busying herself with one of her many spiral notebooks filled to the brim with calculations, diagrams, and theories.
Darcy stared out the window as the car slowed, joining the line of other identical vehicles leading the way to a collection of equipment and uniformed agents. Loki had said he'd be out of the lab for a few days...he'd made it sound like he would be working, not just sitting in his apartment twiddling his thumbs. Did his new errand have anything to do with the reason they were here? The reason SHIELD was taking this, whatever the hell it was, so seriously? It was definitely fishy.
"Holy mother of god!" Their car shook violently, a large dent appearing above them, and Darcy hurriedly slid down on the seat, covering her head though she doubted it would do any good against whatever was above them.
"Relax Darce," Jane said, reaching up to slide open the sun roof. Thor dropped down onto the seat, wedged himself in between Jane and the boxes, and immediately pulled Jane to him, kissing her roughly, as though they hadn't seen each other in months.
"Ugh, get a room. And next time maybe wait for us to get out of the car like a normal person?" Darcy mumbled, pulling herself back up onto her seat, trying to take deep breaths to calm her racing heart. If her time spent around Loki was relaxing, she made up for it out here, in the actual world. She could feel her nerves getting tighter and tighter, wrapped around something stiff and wooden, like violin strings.
"My apologies, Darcy," Thor said, once he and Jane had let go of each other. "I am to be sent with the Falcon to do a large perimeter check, and I don't know how long I shall be gone for. I missed Jane, and wanted to see her before I was off."
Darcy waved a hand dismissively at Thor then opened her door, hopping out, though the car hadn't stopped completely yet. It was only just inching along to its destination a few feet ahead, and emanything/em was better than being trapped in a tight space with two people who could give any pair of horny teenagers a run for their money.
There was a band of sweat that had popped up along her back (thanks to big, blond and clueless in there), and looking back at the car, at how small a space it really was, she felt her arms go limp, and she was gasping for air. Darcy crouched on the ground, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt like she was being submerged in ice water. It all flew before her eyes- being trapped in the elevator, the lights cutting out, and with them what felt all the available oxygen, not just in the elevator car, but in the whole goddamn world- metal slicing through her arm, her crying out for help as blood seeped through her sleeve, pushing herself to not pass out-
"Darcy." and there was that velvet voice, the one that belonged to the man who been there both of those times, the man who not only helped her through them with no complaint, but had also kept trying to help her after them. Loki actually fucking gave a damn, and though she knew that, before, though it jolted her and surprised her even still, she could, right now in this very second, feel that he truly cared about her.
"Darcy!"
Darcy blinked, looking up, Thor and Jane crowded around her. Just Thor and Jane. Definitely no Loki in sight.
Whoa, where had that come from? She was totally calm, now, her breathing even, her heartbeat normal. Just the thought of Loki's voice had been enough to help her...Loki, who had never ridiculed her, who thought about her well-being, who welcomed her into his life when he welcomed almost no one else. Of course it made sense that it was his voice that soothed her...but it had seemed so real! She'd felt it inside of her, like it was...Darcy squinted, trying to explain it to herself. Flowing inside her, moving through her shoulders, her legs, to the very tips of her fingers...her blood? Darcy turned her hand over, examining her palm, where Loki had last touched her. She had wanted so badly for that to continue...to see where it might go. Still did. That feeling definitely wasn't going away any time soon.
"You're alright?" Jane asked, her expression full of worry, as Thor pulled Darcy to her feet.
Darcy nodded, but only so they'd stop looking at her like she was holding a live grenade. She wasn't crazy, okay, she was...totally crazy. One million percent loco, call the 800 number, book the all-inclusive suite at the psych ward complete with straight jacket, padded walls, and finger painting therapy.
But...if she was going to be hearing voices, she was grateful that it was Loki's. And if anything made her certifiable, it was definitely that.
Funny, though. For being insane, Darcy had never felt happier.
oooo
Thor left them, and after grabbing their personal bags, Darcy followed Jane around the caravan of trucks and jeeps.
SHIELD did not do anything half ass, Darcy had to give them that much. The base camp Sam had referred to looked more like a military training compound, with neat rows of camo tents, a line of stalls in the middle of them all that were probably showers and bathrooms, and outside the tents was a large fire pit with folding chairs already out around it.
"Doctor," Maria Hill called from where a group of agents were setting up a large canopy, and Jane and Darcy hurried over to her.
"Glad you made it. We're just establishing a mess tent and then we'll get down to business. Lunch will be served in," Maria gave a quick glance to her watch, "forty-two minutes. Until then, make yourselves comfortable. Your equipment will be unloaded here," Maria made a sharp gesture behind them at a tan tent with a plastic door, "and your sleeping arrangements are there," another wave to the two camo tents directly next to the tan one. With a curt nod she was gone, somebody calling for her attention.
Darcy and Jane exchanged a glance, then heaved their duffle bags over their shoulders and made their way towards the tents. Darcy figured Jane and Thor would share one, and she would get the other to herself. She was right; when Jane unzipped the flap of the first tent they came to, Thor's red cloak, a spare pair of boots, and his favorite pillow from their apartment was already inside.
Darcy went to the next tent, which was empty except for an army cot and sleeping bag, and tossed her bag on the ground. It was a beautiful Fall day, the kind that usually got her blood running, that made her happy to be alive. Leaves crunched underfoot and the air itself was filled with something you couldn't quite put your finger on, something alive and adventurous. She'd managed through another anxiety attack, if only because of her severe mental instability. Still, if she couldn't be with the particular person she wanted, at least the scenery was bomb.
"I'm going to go talk to Bruce, can you put this in with all our stuff when they're done?" Jane handed Darcy a backpack, and Darcy nodded, threading her arms through the straps.
"I'll meet you for lunch, okay?" Jane said, and Darcy could see that she was still worried about her. With good reason, of course, but Darcy didn't want Jane to lose focus on why they were here. While Darcy would stay out here as long as Jane needed her, the sooner they wrapped this us, the sooner she saw Loki again. Ugh, middle school much? Darcy inwardly rolled her eyes. It was the truth, though. She actually had butterflies in her stomach at the thought of seeing Loki again- him towering over her with those damn green eyes, the smirk she couldn't stop thinking about spread on his lips...
"For sure, boss." Darcy gave her Jane what she hoped was a convincing enough smile. Jane smiled back and nodded, then disappeared between the rows of tents.
Darcy checked that the equipment tent was still being put up, then headed back to her own, sitting cross-legged on the cot while rifling through Jane's backpack. Bingo. As she'd hoped, there was a spiral notebook entitled "Initial Findings, Area 86".
On the inside cover Jane had taped a three cutouts of different pictures, one a geological survey map complete with longitude and latitude and the elevation of the highest peak of the mountain and the lowest level of the valley. The next one was a copy of weather reports of the average temperatures for the last two weeks, for the last three years. Under that was an aerial picture, looking down on the valley. Jane had scribbled a few notes in the margin, but nothing ground-breaking.
Dr. Banner was leading a botanical survey group, searching for a unique root on the orders of one Helen Cho, to be used in the SHIELD pharmacy for antibiotics for Steven Rogers, as his super-soldier metabolism absorbs modern medicine too quickly for it to be properly effective. Organic substances are found to be more beneficial to him and to other enhanced individuals. Dr. Banner noted obvious gamma radiation traces in the surrounding plants, soil, and water supply (well, that accounted for the massive water drums that had taken five supply trucks to haul in, Darcy thought), as well as out-of-season temperature fluctuations confined to a one mile north and south radius. SHIELD has named this Area 86. Thor and Tony Stark were summoned for further investigation. Inconclusive results on the origin of the gamma radiation. Subject area is evidently uninhabited, and traces of radiation are not found in soil, plants, animal droppings or water sources outside of Area 86. There are no irregular thermonuclear readings, and an infrared scan of Area 86 and the surrounding ten miles in every direction proved normal. SHIELD archives show no known bases, ally or enemy, in this area or surrounding areas. A Ranger station fifteen miles east of point of origin is the only structure. Ranger station is run off a solar-powered generator. No gas lines, phone lines, water lines, or electric lines have been installed. Alien matter is being considered. Thor will be returning to Asgard briefly following the conclusion of on-site expedition.
Okay, so basically a shit ton of gamma radiation just showed up out of nowhere, happened to be found by Bruce fricken Banner, and what was more, in that small mile strip, the weather was totally freaking the fuck out. And nobody knew why. Darcy felt a glimmer of pride- literally Jane was SHIELD's final hope for answers. As always, Darcy had totally hit the nail on the head- Jane had zero reasons to worry about her place here.
Darcy read over Jane's last line again. Thor would be going back to Asgard...probably to some investigating of his own, especially if there was any possibility that whatever was going on, had something to do with- or had come from- another realm. Asgard was the most obvious place to start. But Asgard meant Odin...
Did that mean Thor was taking Loki back home?
oooo
It was the smell that brought Darcy out of her reverie, the smell of freshly baked bread and roasted chicken. She stood, stretching, and on her way to the mess tent, where she could see a group congregating. She dropped Jane's backpack off, adding it to one of the long tables in the equipment tent.
"Darcy, this way!" Darcy heard Thor's booming voice calling after her, and she looked across the line of people outside the mess, and saw he was holding up a plate already filled with food, gesturing that she should follow him.
Darcy gave him a relieved smile- she would not be able to get rid of the gnawing in her stomach if she didn't ask Thor what he intended to do about Loki. It wasn't actually possible that he was going to whisk him away to Asgard, because just no. The Universe couldn't hate her that much. She wasn't perfect, sure, but she wasn't a douchebag (well, at least not all the time), and this would be like, Red Skull-esque Karmic payback. So yeah. Just no.
"I thought you might be hungry," Thor lead Darcy over to a collection of picnic tables, where he sat down in front of his own food, three heaping plates filled with chicken salad sandwiches, piles of potato chips, and scoops of coleslaw. There were two frosty bottles of water next to the salt and pepper shakers that had somehow found their way to the middle of nowhere. Fresh-made chicken salad and bread? Kettle cooked chips? Damn. Darcy needed to camp out with SHIELD more often!
"Starving." Darcy concurred, pulling her plate towards her.
"I need to speak with you." Thor said abruptly, after swallowing a massive bite.
"What a coinkidink." Darcy said, raising an eyebrow. "Coincidence." She explained, confusion all over Thor's face.
"Ah, yes. Regarding?"
Darcy shook her head. "You first."
"Right. The matter is..." Thor leaned in, though the table nearest them was empty, "I wish to...what was the human phrase? Ask for Jane's hand."
Darcy choked on her coleslaw, taking a gulp from one of the water bottles. "Oh my god! That's fantastic!" She pushed her plate out of the way, reaching over the table to throw her arms around Thor. "Congrats, dude! Oh man, Jane is gonna flip!"
"I forget, is flip a good thing an ill one?"
"Oh, it's a good thing. A great thing. An amazing thing! So, when are you gonna pop the question?"
"This is why I needed to speak with you. I...have very little idea of what to do. How does one go about this? Loki made some suggestions-"
"Whoa, you asked Loki for advice?" This definitely was an interesting turn in events. Maybe that's why Thor had needed him the other day? Fancy that, Thor asking Loki how he should propose to Jane! Earth had done wonders for their relationship...all the more reason Thor should leave Loki exactly where he was.
Thor nodded. "He said I must have a ring. I asked Stark, and he said, "every girl wants a huge rock on their hand". I remembered I had a piece of meteorite- I found it in the desert when Jane and I first met, do you remember?"
Oh she remembered alright! Darcy patted her back pocket affectionately- she never went anywhere off SHIELD property without her trusty taser.
"I found a tradesman who was able to forge a ring set with the stone. Do you think she will like it?" Thor opened his palm, revealing a small black velvet box. Darcy took it from him and opened it, holding a breath of anticipation. It had a delicate silver band, and the stone was kept in it's purest form- a small glittery chunk that would take Jane's breath away. How could it not? Like Thor, it had come from so far away, traveled so long and endured so much to end up here.
"The jeweler said he would be able to grind it down with facets, so it resembled a diamond. I thought Jane would like it more this way."
Darcy nodded, gently closing the box and handing it back to Thor, her eyes filling with happy tears. "Definitely. She's gonna love it." God, her two best friends getting married? She was totally calling dibbs on maid of honor.
"Now, what did you wish to discuss, friend Darcy?"
Oh, right. Sidetracked much? Well, she couldn't help it. Thor asking Jane to marry him was pretty much the event of the century. The only wedding that would be as anticipated would be if Tony ever got off his ass and popped the question to Pepper.
"I thought I should just check with you," Darcy began cautiously, unsure really how to ask what she was dying to. Even more than Jane, Thor would understand her caring about Loki- after all, he'd stuck by his bro even after the shit had hit the fan in New York, and he was still here, still trying to recover that bond they'd once had.
"Wait," Thor stopped her, placing a warming hand on her arm, "Before you go on. I must thank you, Darcy. Not only for always being there with Jane, for being a true friend to both her and I, but for being one to Loki. My brother is not an easy person to...appreciate. Yet you do, and I can tell how you have changed him. Almost as I have, thanks to Jane."
"Oh, it's not like-"
"I will be keeping him on Midgard for now, for this very reason," Thor talked over her, and Darcy could've sworn the damn clouds in the sky cleared, trumpets sounded, and an Autumn breeze swept gently around them, as if in celebration. Loki was staying. "Because he has shown that he is, indeed, capable of changing his ways. He is kinder now, less brusque. Less, shall we say, angry. That is a miracle, one I did not believe would ever come to pass."
Darcy was about to reply when Jane plopped down next to Thor, who casually took his hand off the table, stowing the ring box in his cloak. Jane gave him a quick kiss, then flashed Darcy an amused frown.
"Thanks for meeting me, Darce. They were almost out of cookies by the time I gave up on you and got in line." But she wasn't mad- Jane knew when it came to lunch, hey, every girl for herself.
Darcy shrugged, reaching over to take a chip off Jane's plate.
"It is my fault," Thor said, his arm now around Jane's back, "I was just telling Darcy how grateful I am to her for her interactions with Loki."
Jane nodded, lightly smacking the back of Darcy's hand as she now tried to grab her cookie,
"who would've thought that Loki could change so much? You really proved that."
Darcy smiled. "Hey, being a spaz for once paid off. Go me!"
Jane gave her a real frown this time, but before she could say anything, Maria Hill appeared in front of them (out of practically nowhere, like where did Darcy sign up to learn that little trick?) and cleared her throat. "Sorry to interrupt," she said, passing Jane a clipboard with a checklist attached to it, "they're nearly finished with your...instruments. Can you verify this is everything you need? We'll start running diagnostics immediately."
Darcy stood, reaching out for the list. "I can do it. You," Darcy pointed severely at Jane, "eat. Thor, tie her down if you have to. She didn't have breakfast."
"Tattletale!" Jane called after Darcy, who followed Maria away from the table, trying to keep up with her, as Thor admonished Jane on proper and frequent nutrition. Dear Lord were those two meant to be together! Marriage would suit them perfectly.
"Doctor Foster seems to trust you a great deal." Maria said, and Darcy was too shocked that Maria had even spoken to her to reply. "It's very helpful, to have people like you around. You see things others might not. Hear things they might miss." Maria's intense stare met Darcy's- was she trying to say something more, or was she simply giving Darcy a compliment?
"Um, thanks. I really do love working with Jane." What else could she say? It was the truth, though. Even through all the anxiety and shit, she had it pretty good.
Maria nodded, and an agent rushed forward to hold open the flap of the equipment tent for them. "The work in the lab is crucial. We need all of you to keep it up, to keep doing what you're doing. Do you understand?" Maria gave her another long look, and Darcy could've sworn that she wasn't talking about logging Jane's data and keeping her hopped up on caffeine But what else could she mean? She had said, "all of you". Not, "the two of you". Not, "just" you, or "just" Jane. Well, the only other person in the lab was, of course, Loki. But how could Maria have any inclination about her friendship with Loki? Nobody had even seen them together! Unless they were being spied on. Although Thor hadn't seen them together, either, and Darcy knew Thor definitely wasn't the peeping type. He'd still drawn his own conclusions, and though Thor was probably the greatest guy around, he wasn't exactly one to get subtlety or implications.
Darcy's eyes never left Maria's. Whatever Maria knew, Fury knew, and vice verse, which explained a few things. But all she saw in Maria's glance was a positive affirmation that things were going well, and that they should continue to do so.
"I think so." Darcy mumbled, and with a curt nod, Maria handed her a pencil, indicating she should begin checking everything out.
"Excellent. I'll check with HQ and then we'll hopefully get this show on the road." And as quickly as she'd appeared in front of the picnic table, she left the tent before Darcy could bid her goodbye.
oooo
Loki knocked on the appropriate door, wondering if it was protocol for the Head of SHIELD to have an office on every floor, or if Fury had thrown one together so he would not have to take Loki out of the special security bounds he had set up on these two floors. For surely Loki had never seen Fury coming or going, and though he was not everywhere at once (not without his magic, anyway) as he used to be, he still managed to notice quite a lot.
The door swung open, and Fury, already seated at his desk, gestured for Loki to sit in the empty chair across from him. The room was sterile white, the only furniture the chrome, glass-topped desk and two chairs. This room, Loki noticed, had no windows. Security feature or oversight? It was hard to know with SHIELD.
"Thor says you're more cooperative now. Nicer. At least, he thinks you've show that the last few days." Fury said, leaning back in his chair. "I have to wonder why that is." But his face seemed to tell a different story than his words- he had the look of a man who already knew the answer to whatever question he was asking.
He surely could not be talking about Darcy, yet what else would this man be referring to? Loki narrowed his eyes at him, and Fury stared back, his face a blank slate and though there was a time when Loki would sooner run him through with his long-lost scepter (he was not ruling that feeling out, at least not as of yet, if only he could find the damn thing) than look at him, oh how he would love to dine on the going-ons inside Fury's head.
"So here's the deal. I have a problem. And you're gonna fix it."
oooo
Getting the show on the road, as Maria had put it, proved harder than expected, but Darcy was used to technical difficulties at this point in her career. When you made your own equipment and instruments, there wasn't exactly an owner's manual to refer to, no tech support number to call and troubleshoot with. With Bruce's help, and Tony barking suggestions via speaker phone, they were able to have most everything up and running by the time the sun had started to set.
Jane wanted to keep working with flashlights and kerosene lamps, but Bruce (with Thor heartily agreeing) said they should call it a night and get started bright and early in the morning. So here they were, around the fire pit, finishing off barbecued chicken and cornbread. Maria had disappeared into one of the tents- Darcy swore she never saw her eat, drink, or use the bathroom. Much like Fury himself, she was sure. Thor was doing another perimeter check with Sam, which left Darcy sitting beside Jane and Bruce, which was all well and good until they started chit chatting about Brewster's Law this and Tesla that.
Scraping the last bit of chicken off her plate and into her mouth, Darcy stood, leaving Jane and Bruce to their gobbledygook. She found the trash and tossed her plate and cutlery, then looked around in search of somebody at least semi-normal to hang out with until either lights out, or Jane needed her again. Judging by the way Jane was showing Bruce her notes and Bruce was taking them very seriously, she'd be off the hook until morning at the very least.
Spotting Steve finishing up his own dinner, Darcy made her way over to him. He too dumped his plate, saw Darcy coming towards him, and motioned for her to follow him.
"Darcy Lewis. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Steve smiled, the kind that Darcy couldn't help but return, and they walked past the last row of tents, almost outside the camp itself before Darcy replied.
"Can I ask you something?" Darcy asked, her voice nearly a whisper. They were far enough away from camp that nobody would hear them, but she still wanted to be careful.
"Before you do, you should know that I'm always honest and, according to Nat, an over-sharer. So beware."
Darcy laughed. "I'll tread lightly. I guess I'm just wondering..." Darcy trailed off, not exactly sure how to word what she wanted to ask.
"Why we haven't gone public?" Steve guessed, his hands in his pockets. Him and Sam hadn't said anything since she'd found out their secret, but then words hadn't been necessary. She was honored that they trusted her enough to keep their romance under wraps.
Darcy nodded. "Something like that, yeah."
Steve considered this for a moment. "I think, for the most part, because we want to stay like this for a while longer. We know we can't hide it forever, and we don't want to by any means. It's just..."
"You want to stay in the sandbox." Darcy murmured, and Steve glanced down at her, one eyebrow raised.
"I'm not sure if-"
Darcy waved her hand dismissively. "It's a metaphor. You know, safety, security."
"Child-like innocence?" Steve added with a chuckle.
"Well maybe not so much," Darcy said, thinking of Loki's fingertips on her pulse, on her palm. She shivered, though not from the deepening night.
"My turn for a question," Steve said, slipping his jacket off his shoulders and wrapping it around Darcy's. Darcy gave him a grateful smile, tugging the sleeves down so it was tighter, "why do you ask?"
It may have been a different kind of questioning, not an interrogation exactly, and much more subtle than say, Tony's approach, but Darcy found herself wanting to side-step the question.
"Um..." She trailed off, but she knew that she could be truthful with Steve- at least about her feelings, if not about who they were regarding. Darcy could pretty much guess how he'd react to anything in regards to Loki.
"Somebody special, Lewis?"
"Special is..."
"Putting it mildly?"
"Exactly. He's not like anybody I've ever met before." Darcy nodded fervently.
"Believe me," Steve gestured to the sky, where they could see the outline of Sam's wings high above them, circling the camp, "I know what you mean. It's going to be hell to pay when the world knows about Cap and Falcon. But this is who I am- who we are. And we love each other. We'll just have to keep reminding ourselves that's what really matters."
And for that second, Darcy knew that somebody, somehow, understood.
oooo
Loki was lead by no less than five agents, armed to the tilt, into a large room. Floor-to-ceiling shelves were filled with books, and in the center of the room was a long table. It had a few chairs around it, and upon it was a box of pens and a stack of blank notebooks, just waiting to be filled. There was also a slim silver laptop next to the pens, should Loki wish to use it. He did not. He, like Jane, preferred the old method of using paper; it was easier to catch any mistakes that way.
As with every room on this side of the building, the far wall was made out of windows, though Loki was sure they could withstand nuclear fallout and not show even a crack. The agents were joined by others, who stationed themselves at exact points in the room. They were more for show, Loki was sure, than anything; if Fury was actually concerned about a security breach, he would have at least one Avenger here, breathing down Loki's neck and doling out bathroom breaks like a trumped-up school teacher. These were probably new recruits, those just itching to don SWAT gear and hold a gun. Whatever Thor had said to Fury had further gained his trust.
This was little more than an errand to keep him busy, he was sure, but truth be told, Loki was looking forward to it. Whilst this sort of research was not something he was particularly fond of, it would pass the time and perhaps keep his mind from wandering to places it should not be going.
Though those places were so refreshing, so new, that he did not try nearly as hard as he ought to to keep the thoughts he should not be having at bay. He may not have known much in the way of Midgardian romance (Thor and Jane were not exactly his choice example), but he was not daft enough to think he did not have an effect on Darcy, and he most certainly was affected by her. When, he wondered, did this all begin? When had he started to notice her, more and more? Surely the elevator was their turning point, but he would be a liar if he had said that was the first time he had noticed her.
He gave his head a small shake, trying to stay focused. Fury had set him to a task, and he was not going to risk further isolation because of petty impudence.
Isolation from whom, he wondered?
oooo
Darcy let out a sigh as she rolled over once again. The tent was too stifling, too closed-off; she needed space, open air. She preferred sleeping under the stars when she was camping, and by the sound of it, nobody else was awake. She pulled her boots on and grabbed her sleeping bag, thinking that the reclining folding chairs around the fire pit would be perfect to lean back in and look up at the sky.
Darcy unzipped the tent and as quietly as she could made her way to the fire pit. The fire had been extinguished, though there were flood lights at both ends of the camp, and Darcy could see, a few hundred feet away, a pair of agents patrolling. No doubt the supes were off keeping watch as well. But here, it was quiet and dark enough that Darcy could appreciate the night sky above. She loved living in the city, but damn, there was just something about being out here, in the mountains and clean air where the stars looked close enough to touch.
What would Loki think about this? Would he enjoy it, like she did? It was easy to see him as the sort who would wait until everybody else had gone to bed to come out and truly soak up the sights. It would be easier for him to appreciate something so beautiful if he could do it in his own way, in his own time. Darcy had, at least, learned that much about him in the past few days. While she knew solitude had been forced on Loki, she had decided that sometimes, he really did just like being alone.
Settling down comfortably with her sleeping bag pulled up around her, Darcy leaned back in the chair and sighed deeply. This was much better. She could breathe out here, she could feel out here. She thought back to what her mom had always said about nature, it's opener there, in the wide open air...maybe her mom was batshit crazy where everything else was concerned, both her parents were, but they had at least done her the justice of passing on their love for the outdoors.
Even if her family was totes off the deep end, Darcy had some pretty awesome people in her life, and she loved them fiercely. But here, under the black velvet sky strewn with opal constellations, with swirling sapphire and ruby planets, out here where the air was chilly and scented with crisp, falling leaves, she didn't think that anybody could genuinely appreciate it like she did. For Darcy, this was religion, this was spirituality personified, and usually she wanted to sneak away, to enjoy how peaceful it was by herself, to seep in how whole she felt, standing in the middle of such splendor. Only now, she felt a deep longing to share this state of mind, to have somebody beside her she could lean into, could melt into, somebody who could understand her feelings.
Jane was interested in nature, of course, but she was always asking a thousand questions that demanded answers and she cared more about how things worked than enjoying them. Thor was too hyper, too busy, to stop and smell the roses, which was just one more reason he was pretty much perfect for Jane. But Loki would love it, Darcy knew, would crave it like she did. He would cherish the sound of wind in the trees and the smell of fading embers and the knowledge that whatever the mystical powers of the Universe really were, well, this is where you could be one with them, here is where that old saying of being made of stardust actually hit fucking home. It really got to her, now, here in the vast night, that she and Loki were both more alike than she really ever knew.
Darcy took a deep breath, closing her eyes, wishing more than ever that he was beside her.
oooo
Thor surveyed the valley below him, wishing he did not always have to answer the call of his duty; he would have much preferred to stay in the make-shift shelter with Jane sleeping peacefully in his arms. Yet he was here for her protection, and see that through he must. Harm would not befall her, nor Darcy, nor all of the work they were currently doing.
Thor's thoughts drifted, as they usually did in the quiet still of the night. He thought of his brother, of the fact that he was now able to put some trust in him, to have confidence that he was not in fact wreaking havoc at every opportunity. When had that begun to change? It had been some time, now, probably since Loki had been put to use in Jane's lab. Usefulness does wonders for all creatures, as his mother used to say.
Work was not the only thing Loki had on his mind however, and Thor was not blind. He had watched his brother's interactions with Jane and Darcy particularly closely, mostly out of regard for their safety, yet also out of curiosity. And Loki tolerated them both seemingly well. He had seemed particularly amused by Darcy, though that was not so strange, as Thor had yet to meet anybody who was not. Ah, but then, things had begun to shift. Loki had reached out to Darcy, had aided her, and what was more, kept trying to. Loki had asked Thor for that red book, and though he did not think much of it at the time (Loki often requested books of many varying subjects), now he understood what, exactly, had brought about this transition in Loki's character.
He himself had first-hand knowledge of how a woman, a particular woman, could change one so. In mere days he had witnessed his brother softening, returning to the Loki that he knew when they were growing boys. There was still that rift, of course, between them, and Thor would spend his days trying to cross it, but there seemed to be more give on Loki's side of it, instead of only take.
Thus Thor had faith, faith that it was possible for his brother to be saved, faith that his brother wanted to be. And he also had, because of Darcy, hope. Hope that Loki could possibly be happy, hope that he could open his heart to somebody. Hope that Loki could find a love like he had with Jane.
After all, lesser men than Loki had been saved by lesser women than Darcy.
Lyrics used from Fire and the Flood by Vance Joy. As always, feedback is appreciated. This will be more than my original intended 5 or so chapters. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing...