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Bond #7 – The Dancer

Clint still owed her all the margaritas, but she would forgive him the rain check since he volunteered to head security at whatever new science thing Erik had decided to do. SHEILD dangled some kind of fancy puzzle in front of him and off he went. Phil's assignment kept him drifting between the two locations, so when Darcy began fretting over the exhaustion she could feel from Erik, Clint stepped up to help. He kept her apprised of Erik's well-being and made sure the older man talked to her at least once a week.

"I can't tell you what he's looking into," her archer soulmate half apologized.

"No, I know," she shook her head with an understanding smile. "And that's fine – I'm just glad you're there keeping an eye on him." The smile morphed into a grin as she continued, "Besides, I probably wouldn't hear much more than – 'interesting science blah blah science blah blah fascinating' – anyway. It's that Charlie Brown teacher noise to me, you know?"

He was still laughing as they hung up.

"Hey, Jane!" She flipped through some of the new files sent by SHIELD. "We've got some of the additional satellite access codes we were promised!" Her lips pursed. "And how does SHIELD even have some of these?"

Jane muttered something from her place in her little corner, half hidden by one of her many machines. Her words might have been an insult or a question, but she did not bother to look up and their bond buzzed with the static of focused concentration so Darcy shrugged and ignored any input from the brainy half of their duo. She dropped the files on the desk. The displacement of air sent a couple of loose notes twisting and turning in the air. She picked them up and put them back where they belonged before turning to head to the kitchenette.

A woman stood less than a foot in front of her.

Darcy shrieked in surprise, jumping back as her hands came up in a defensive position. Panic rolled down every one of her soulbonds. A cacophony of emotions flooded into her as her soulmates responded. Only Thor's connection remained empty and blank like a phantom pain.

Jane's emotions came through the loudest even as she rushed around the equipment. "Darcy!"

"I'm fine!" Darcy called back, leaning against the desk as she willed her heart rate to slow down. The woman, a green-eyed red-head, remained still, watchful and waiting. Jane appeared beside her, eyes narrowed and filled with suspicion as they raked over the stranger. "Really, I'm fine," Darcy insisted as she tried to send the same soothing conviction to her other soulmates. Not one of whom seemed ready to believe her, though Betty and Erik settled to an attentive concern. She would have to call them later and explain. Phil and Clint persisted in pestering her with pulses of alarm and worry. "She startled me. I wasn't expecting her to be standing there."

"She shouldn't be standing there," Jane huffed as she planted herself between Darcy and the unknown woman. "Who are you? What do you want?"

Clint's concern spiked and a phone rang before the woman could answer. Darcy grabbed her phone and held it to her ear. "I'm fine," she began, skipping the formalities in her haste to reassure him. "I'm fine. I was just surprised and I probably overreacted."

"What happened?" he demanded, his voice tense and unhappy. "I almost fell out of my perch."

"It's okay. Everything's fine." She kept her voice calm, doing her best to ignore Jane's bristling protective streak as well as the other woman's subtle amusement. "I turned around and there was a woman in the lab. I didn't hear her arrive and to have her just standing there probably scared a couple of years off my life, but hey! As long as there are no gray hairs, right?"

"A woman?" An odd mix of emotions – a mix of wariness and resignation – jangled their bond. "She wouldn't happen to be a statuesque redhead, would she?"

"Ah…" Darcy blinked as a suspicion began to stir in her mind. "Funnily enough – yeah."

"Well, shit." Now their connection sighed with an apologetic amusement. "If I'd have known she was coming, I swear I would have called to warn you."

"Warn me?" Darcy repeated. Jane's lips thinned and Darcy grabbed her soulmate's arm to hold her still. The scientist looked ready to do battle. Her reaction warmed Darcy's heart, but she did not want to see her get hurt…something that sounded likely based on Clint's reaction.

"Yeah, definitely would have warned you." He sighed. "Do me a favor, would you? Put Nat on the phone."

Both of Darcy's eyebrows shot up, but she pulled Jane back and held out her phone. "It's for you."

Green eyes which had been watching the petite scientist with amusement shot to scan Darcy's face before accepting the phone. Jane and Darcy watched as a quick conversation took place between Clint and Nat – none of it in English. A handful of minutes passed before Nat hung up, offering Darcy her phone back. She tilted her head, eyes flickering between the scientist and the intern before settling on Darcy. "I'm Natasha Romanoff," she informed them. "I'm with SHIELD."

"I'm Darcy," she replied as she felt the now familiar prickling at her wrist. "This is Jane Foster…Doctor Jane Foster." An uncertain incredulity crept down the new soulbond even as she felt a victorious smugness ringing down her link to Clint. She sighed and offered Nat a shaky grin. "Sorry about the screaming and all, but you need a bell, you know that, right?"

"It has been suggested." The corners of Nat's mouth began to curve up into a small smile. She glanced at Jane. "My apologies for the dramatics."

"Can you at least tell me why you thought it necessary to sneak in?" the scientist sighed.

Her shoulders moved in an elegant shrug. "Barton is my partner," she replied. "And any change has to be investigated."

Darcy watched Jane consider that and then she bumped the scientist's shoulder with her own. "Ah, boss lady?" She gave a cheery grin combined with a hint of sheepish acknowledgement. "Guess what?"

"What?" Jane asked, turning to face her. Emotions flit across the scientist's face and then her eyes grew wide. "Seriously?"

"Yep."

"Oh, my God," Jane moaned, "you are not allowed to meet any more SHIELD agents! I don't care what questions they need answered or paperwork they need signed. They have to send everything via email from now on!" She threw her hands up in the air before giving Nat a fierce glare. "Darcy was my soulmate first! SHIELD does not get to steal her!" Jane turned back and gave Darcy a swift hug. "I'm happy for you, but they're still not allowed to take you."

"Not going anywhere, Jane," Darcy promised.

"Damn right."

The scientist strode back to her machine, picking up a hammer as she grumbled, "Now I have to work on something else entirely because I do not have the patience I need for the delicate stuff."

Darcy and Nat watched as Jane began to bang on a piece of metal. The younger woman opened her mouth to say something when a shot of amused resignation – or was that resigned amusement? – shot down her link to Phil. She giggled instead. "I think Clint called Phil as soon as he got off the phone with us."

"I believe you are correct," Nat inclined her head as Darcy's phone rang yet again.

"Hello, Agent iPod thief."

"Miss Lewis, I believe you are going to be bad for my blood pressure," Phil informed her.

"Blame the universe," she riposted. "Not my fault all of you spy types need a sarcastic dose of normal to balance out."

"Is everything…well between you?" Caution colored his voice.

She grinned, sending a wave of reassurance down their link. "Yeah, yeah, we're good here."

"And the clanging sounds?"

Darcy chuckled. "Jane's working out her adrenalin surge."

"Please tell agent Romanoff not to startle you like that anymore," he instructed as he hung up.

"That man needs a hobby," she murmured as she put the phone down. Her gaze swung up to meet Nat's. "Phil says you're not supposed to surprise me like that."

Nat's eyebrow flicked up and then settled back into a serene look. "Coulson needs to acquire a pet," she commented as if about the weather. "It might do something about those repressed paternal urges he seems to possess."

"And on that note," Darcy giggled, "you want some coffee?"

"It's eight o'clock in the evening."

"Science knows no clock," she shrugged. "It's eight a.m. somewhere in the world, right?" She made her way to the kitchenette and began to put together two cups. "How do you take it?" Her fingers tapped the countertop. "And what do I call you anyway? Clint calls you Nat, but you said your name was Natasha?"

"Black." The redhead leaned took a seat at the table. "And Clint enjoys nicknames."

"Natasha's a mouthful," Darcy mused. "Do you like Nat? Or do you mind Tasha?"

"Tasha?"

She smiled. "You look like a Tasha," she replied, her humor a light and teasing note between them. "I figure Phil can stick with Natasha since he's so much more formal than the rest of us. Nat sounds a little too harsh…might fit you, but…" Her voice trailed off and she wrinkled her nose. "I don't know," she finally concluded. "I just like Tasha better."

Amusement glittered in the other woman's eyes and sparkled along their bond as well. "You may call me Tasha," she agreed in the indulgent tones of an older sister for the baby of the family.

"Great!" Darcy finished making the coffee and joined Tasha at the small table. "So," she drew out as she handed over the coffee, "About Clint…"

"Yes?" Tasha asked as she lifted a brow. Both women ignored the still muttering scientist hammering at the machines.

"Any good – by which I mean embarrassing – stories?"

Wicked humor began to creep up the other woman's face. "A few."

"And Phil," Darcy continued, lacing her fingers together and leaning on her forearms where they rested on the table. "Any ideas on how to make him nervous about our future plans for world domination?" She pursed her lips. "Or pranks. Pranks will do for the short term."

"Remind me to introduce you to Hill the next time you're on the east coast," Tasha ordered, her lips curving into a smile. Their connection warmed with a hum of watchful contentment.

"Sure," Darcy agreed. "If you trust her enough to bring her into our plans, I'm all for it."

The two women shared a look of understanding and something relaxed in Tasha's shoulders. Darcy considered it a win. She settled in to listen as her newest soulmate began to talk about a mission somewhere in Eastern Europe that managed to involve stolen chickens, a stampede of cows, and a ballet troupe. It would be her turn soon to tell Tasha some of the stuff Clint and Phil already knew – about her and her potential soulmates – but for now she let herself get swept up into the fun of the story.

Three scientists, three spies, and a Thor.

How was this even her life?