5:48 pm- Darcy's apartment

"You are dead to me." Darcy stated numbly to the shocked scientist that stood staring, open mouth at the back the retreating figure. Such a nice back too. And it would have been hers had it not been for Jane.

"Inside. Now." She muttered, pulling the thin woman inside her apartment. Darcy was still a little wet from the dishes and… well, everything else, so she went straight to her room aware the other woman was still standing, dumbfounded, in her kitchen. After a moment of blessed silence, Darcy was tugging on a pair of flannel P'Js (so not what she had wanted to wear tonight), when she heard Jane start to stutter.

"Calm down! Jesus, I was just having dinner with him." She mumbled, though not able to effectively hide the blush that was creeping up into her face. Jane turned to her, a goofy confused smile pulling at her features. She looked really pretty when she wasn't scowling.

"You had dinner with Captain America? Darcy!" She squealed. Darcy was hard pressed not to freak out with her. It was a pretty incredible turn of events. Although she will forever hate Jane for ruining a good night-of-patriotic-passion, she couldn't actually be mad. Flirting with Steve was one thing, but banging him? After only one dinner? Yea… even though it sounded incredibly fun, she still had stupid standards. One of which is no one-nighters. If her and Steve were going to flirt, she might as well be serious about it.

"Yea, and I've got some serious game going with him. And his name is Steve." She laughed, tossing some popcorn in the microwave. She knew what Jane had come here for. The poor woman was so nervous about tomorrow that she couldn't sleep. Probably hasn't eaten either. Hey, that's what besties are for, right?

"Well color me impressed." Her ex-boss smiled, walking over to the fridge. Darcy sat down on her large couch and wondered how her life had gotten here. Crazy scientist B.F.F. with a thunder God boyfriend, her own super star-spangled crush, and a home inside Ironman's dojo. Her only complaint is that damn Coulson. Though is she were honest, she didn't really hate him; just liked throwing some shade.

"Beer or wine?" Jane called from inside the fridge. She knew Darcy was going to need a little liquid encouragement if this night was going to be any fun at all. And a bottle with Jane was fun. The crazy lady had a seriously twisted mischievous side when inebriated and Darcy exploited it whenever the opportunity arises. Maybe tonight wasn't going to be so bad after all.

It was impossible to do anything but think of Darcy. She had effectively invaded his mind, flown past all the barricades he had in place to protect himself, and settled herself somewhere he didn't care to think about.

And the worst part was that he felt the gap but simply didn't care. She was a whole new world, expressions and actions, little things that make it obvious how different they were and yet he couldn't find it in himself to use that as an excuse as he did when other women tried to get close.

He felt less tired in her presence, as if the world was still spinning despite him enjoying himself. For the longest time both before and after his freeze he felt the weight of the responsibility sit heavily on his shoulders. At least back then he had a courageous woman with whom he had hoped to spend his days with. And now?

Now there was this witty spitfire that seemed to be determined to raise him from his sullen thoughts and make him smile or blush or any number of things Darcy did to him. And for that he was thankful.

And now he just had to figure out if it was really the girl that he liked or was it what she offered. Not the passion or coupling, though he was positive that was what would have happened had they not been interrupted. No, she was comfort and happiness, but the most concerning, she was a distraction.

He marched to his rooms, flinging his door open and pacing the rooms. He didn't want her being a distraction to his chaotic life to be the foundation of... whatever it was they had going. He really needed to stop and think, to put this in perspective.

After all, she was busy with Ms. Foster and would likely not be free for a few days seeing as Thor was scheduled to arrive in the morning.

Maybe a little time away from the Vixen would clear his head. But then he remembered his question about coffee and her promise to be there. He owed her that much at least.

So he sat, having made up his mind to head up state tomorrow. He'd have a bag packed tonight, make coffee in the morning with her, and leave for two, maybe three days. It would give him time to figure this out. He smiled softly, looking down at his desk.

He had been working on what had started out as a doodle, but then had evolved into a whole new work. It was a classic pin up, a little on the R-rated side. She was sitting on his bike, big round shield in front of her leaning figure. Only enough to see the tops of her rather large breasts. Her raven hair tumbling down in soft curls. She had large red lips, and a small blush. But his favorite thing, and the one item that set her apart from the other pin-ups from his time, was her black rimmed glasses.

He hoped to god Darcy never saw what he had drawn. She'd think him the biggest kind of creep.

8:15 pm- Darcy's apartment

"S'not like I was going to ask him!" Darcy barked, though there was no venom in her slightly slurred voice. "S'ides, I bet you've never asked Thor to wear his cloak thingy to bed."

At Jane's silence and beat red face, Darcy realized that her friend had indeed made Thor wear his getup during sexy time. That's… pretty awesome. Go Jane!

"The costume is hot, but a little much for bed sport. Maybe just the mask." Darcy laughed deeply pouring the amber liquid into the neat little glasses. She paused, looking at her friend with slightly blurry eyes. "I don't even think I'll be getting that far with him." She grumbled after taking the shot.

Jane followed suit, though she always cringed no matter how many she had taken. "Why d'you say that?" She asked, snacking around the edges of another cherry pop-tart.

"Cause he's so nice and I'm so far under his level of awesomeness." Darcy bemoaned. It was rare for her to show any kind of self-pity but she really did have a feeling her and Steve were worlds apart.

"Um, no? You tasered Thor, hit him with a car, you kicked ass against those dark elves and s'mhow manage to keep me alive, fed, and sane. That's pretty awesome if you ask me." At Darcy's I-don't-believe-you look, Jane squared her thin shoulders and put on her stern face. (It was so adorable.)

"These are the facts. You are as awesome as Captain America. I am a scientist. I have facts, therefore I win." She stated grandly, as clear and concise as one can when one has had several shots of Captain Morgans.

"Well I can't refute science!" Darcy cheered raising two full glasses of yummy rum, handing one to Jane. She would not deny her epicness and of course there was facts.

"To science!" Jane yelled to which Darcy replied just as joyously.

10:35 pm Avengers private kitchens

Darcy stood gazing out the windows that had first drawn her to this room. The room in which she met a charming man and had somehow formed a crush. Now, after a night full of drinking and girl talking and all the insanity that is Jane, Darcy had a moment to reflect, though not as clearly as she had hoped. Tomorrow she was going to ask him out.

Like, an actual date. She was a strong woman. It shouldn't be that weird that she would initiate such a thing, right? He liked her; that much was clear. And she liked him. She just needed to get to know him a bit more before climbing that man like a tree. And trust, when the time came, she is going to just… Unf!

Darcy smiled to herself, turning her eyes to the view. Even moderately drunk, she could appreciate everything she saw. The lights from the city, casting a beautiful glow that stretched for the horizon. There was life buzzing down there, people constantly moving and building and being fantastic.

She let her eyes drift shut, and as was happening often, she saw the sweet face of a smiling blond. Darcy sighed, knowing that she was in a little too deep.

"I think I like him." She mumbled to no one. Thankfully no one answered.