Pic or it didn't happen, was the text Darcy sent with the picture.

It was a picture of her surrounded by raptors. Blue was behind her now, her head resting lightly on Darcy's shoulder. Delta was on the other side, and Darcy was giving her an exaggerated kiss. Charlie and Echo were basically in her lap (yeah, getting up was going to be interesting).

They had all moved into the Innovation Center. Standing near the holograms, she could see Steve reaching over, hands hovering at one of the buttons, then moving back. She really wanted him to just press the button. Clint apparently had the same idea because he just mashed his hand on the closest button and an apatosaurus filled the space.

The awe on Steve and Bucky's face made her smile.

It didn't last long because god forbid Tony keep his mouth shut. "See? Everything was fine. Didn't need to waste gas on the jet getting here."

All eyes flew to Tony.

And then it started:

"How could you be so stupid?" That was Steve.

"Stark, you're a fucking menace." Bucky.

"Okay, hear me out, but can we keep them?" Clint.

Natasha just stood there, arms crossed and staring at the billionaire. That was scarier than anything she could have said. Darcy was pretty sure she actually saw Tony gulp.

"Go forth and explore," Darcy said, getting up from her pile of raptors. They looked at her for a second before talking amongst each other and wandering off. She watched for a bit as they explored the room. She was nearly one hundred percent sure they wouldn't eat anybody. She was also nearly certain that they could come if she called them. Or if Owen called them.

Speaking of.

Owen was standing near where the Avengers were still tearing into Tony "but it wasn't my fault" Stark. He clearly didn't know what to make of the situation and was having fun watching. She made her way over to him. Coming from behind him, she wrapped an arm around his waist and moved one of the arms that was crossed over his chest to wrap around her waist. He looked down at her and smiled, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

All conversation stopped.

Darcy turned her head. They were all staring at her. Correction: they were staring at herand Owen and the arm he had around her.

"Oh, hell no," Bucky exclaimed. "You were coming here for a vacation, not to find a fucking boyfriend."

Darcy just rolled her eyes. "Well, we didn't exactly plan on running for our lives, either. I think this is the better of the two."

Bucky glowered.

She blew him a kiss. Then, "As much as Tony is usually at fault for, like, everything, this one wasn't on him. They brought him here to make sure it wouldn't get out. Epic fail."

Tony grinned. "See?"

Natasha took a step forward, giving Owen a very thorough once over as she did. Darcy figured she was already planning the background check. The very thorough background check. "Explain, please, exactly what happened."

Darcy sighed. "I told you. They made a dinosaur. It was like tyrannosaurus rex, raptor, fucking cuttlefish, with a splash of tree frog." She saw the confusion. "The cuttlefish gave it the ability to camouflage, and the tree frog, uh, enabled it to control its thermal output. I swear to god, I wish was joking."

"And what's this about HYDRA?" Steve asked, his eyes going back to the hologram behind them.

Darcy snuggled closer to Owen. "InGen was HYDRA. Or their private security was. Wanted to use the raptors in war. Send them after people. Use them. Weaponize them." She saw Bucky flinch. She nuzzled her face into Owen's side, and he tightened his arm around her. He was as unhappy as she was with the situation.

"And whose blood is it that you wear?" asked Thor.

She knew how she must look. The blood from her head wound had tried on her face and she could feel bruises forming around her neck from Vic's hands. She was going to be very, very sore tomorrow.

Her clothes were stained with blood and the other things that had come from Vic's massacred body. She didn't want to think about what exactly it was. But, really, she couldn't bring herself to care. Most of these guys had shown up after a mission looking far worse. It was her turn now.

"When we went after the Indominus with the raptors, Vic had three of his guys stay behind with Darcy," Owen explained. "He must have given the order from the control room to," he hesitated before he went on, "to take her out." His hand was now splayed on her stomach. "Charlie and Echo went back to protect her. Thankfully, they got there in time."

There was a collective look of astonishment at the thought of velociraptors protecting someone. A human.

Natasha raised a brow. She knew there was more to it.

"I got back here as fast as I could to try and find Bruce. I was on my way to the control room when I passed the lab. It had been emptied out. They took all the eggs and embryos. Vic caught me looking around. I know, I know. I let my guard down, I'm sorry," she added, pointedly ignoring the looks from Bucky and Natasha. "Vic, uh, may have tried to strangle me. I got him with my taser," she said that part proudly. "Blue and Delta joined the party. They sort of tore him to pieces in front of me. This is mostly him," she said, gesturing to her clothes.

The doors to the Innovation Center burst open, Claire and her nephews running in.

The raptors looked up from where they were nosing around the holographic apatosaur. Taking in who it was, they watched for a few more seconds before going back to their examination.

"The T-Rex worked!" The younger boy yelled, clearly excited.

"You let the Rex out?" Darcy asked, trying very hard not to yell at a child.

Claire raised her hand, "I did. Gray said we needed more teeth."

"We had a Hulk!" Tony yelled.

Claire straightened, "It was a fluid situation."

Darcy thumped her head against Owen's ribcage. Save her from these idiots. "Did you ever think to maybe not listen to an eleven year old?"

"Hey, I'm twelve," Gray said, indignant. "Wow, the Avengers? Oh my god. Zach, look!" He was tugging on his brothers sweatshirt as if, he too, wasn't already looking around surprised.

"Kid," Tony called. "Do I know you?" His head was cocked to the side, trying to place that face. He could have sworn…

Gray shook his head, mouth open in shock. "No…no, sir."

"Hmm. Ever fire a potato launcher?" Tony was nothing if not persistent.

Zach laughed, "Yeah, right. Like our parents would ever give him one of those."

"Wait a fucking minute," Bucky said, waving his hands to get everyone's attention.

Steve hissed, "Language. There are kids here."

Bucky ignored him. "Lady, you set a T-Rex on the loose?"

"It worked," Gray muttered.

Darcy had to back the kid up. "He's not wrong. Look, I know it's crazy, but the Hulk and the Rex both helped care of that thing. Then the whale ate it." Jesus, the more she explained what happened, the more it sounded like a bad acid trip.

"Mosasaurus," Gray said.

"What?"

"It wasn't a whale. It was a mosasaurus. It hunts near the surface of the water, and has even been known to grab animals that were on the shore," he informed them.

"Are you sure I don't know you?" Tony asked again.

"I think I would remember meeting one of the Avengers," he scoffed.

Zach rolled his eyes at his brother, but looked decidedly more nervous when he looked at the rest of the group. "Um, can I…if it's not too much trouble, sir. Can I get a picture with you, Captain Rogers?"

Steve blushed, and it was adorable. He still wasn't so used to the fan aspect of what they did. Darcy figured he was afraid they would all be like Phil Coulson. Rabid fanboys. Steve recovered quickly, putting on his Cap face, "It would be my pleasure, son." Oh god. He was acting like an actual ninety-year-old again.

Tony snorted. "Yeah, if we don't get eaten by anything in the meantime."

"Tony!" Darcy yelled. They were finally done with the yelling. Really?

Before Tony could defend himself on that one, Clint shrieked. An actual, honest to god, shriek.

Darcy looked over at him and tried not to laugh.

Delta was right behind Clint, trying to inspect the quiver strapped to his back. With her teeth. She wasn't trying to eat it, more… explore it. When that didn't work, she reached her arms and tried tugging, pulling Clint back as she did so.

She huffed and chirruped low in her throat as she gave up. Peering at the human in front of her, she slowly walked around him, her tail flicking.

Delta stood in front of Clint, who was frozen, eyes wide. She gave that clicking call and hopped a few times. When Clint didn't move, she huffed again and head-butted him.

Clint stumbled back but stayed on his feet. Delta clicked again.

"You don't happen to have any food on you, do you?" Owen asked.

Clint turned those wide eyes to Owen. He nodded. "Jerky?"

"Don't suppose you feel like sharing it? She smells it."

Nodding, Clint reached back and pulled the package a beef jerky from a side compartment in the quiver.

Natasha rolled her eyes.

Clever girl, indeed.

Delta hopped a few more times and made reaching motions. Holy shit, it was the raptor version of grabby-hands.

When Clint when to throw the entire thing, Owen snapped, "Take it out of the plastic!"

Clint scowled, but did it anyway. Delta, for her part, was just watching him, clicking and chirping as if to say hurry up.

Finally, the jerky was out of the package and Clint was just holding it. With her nose, Delta nudged his hand, but she didn't bite.

Clint was being very brave.

"Delta, back!" Owen called, figuring Clint could get some breathing room.

Throwing her head back slightly, and looked annoyed, Delta took a step back. A very small step back. Smartass. Well, at least she listened.

"Toss it to her," Owen instructed.

Clint nodded and gave it a small flick in her direction. Delta snatched it from the air and swallowed.

She was still staring at Clint.

"I don't have anymore," he said, making shooing motions.

Delta cocked her head. And then she sat, laying her head on the floor and looking up at the archer.

Darcy laughed. "This is fucking great. It's not just me!"

Clint just glared at her, then turned his eyes back to the beast in front of him. "Well, she is kind of cute. Think she likes pizza?"

"Has we all forgotten we have a T-Rex on the loose? Small detail. Tiny, really," Bucky said, looking around at everyone.

"Just send Bruce after it," was Tony's answer.

Thor held the hammer up high, "I shall go and slay this beast." He paused and looked at Darcy. "Think my Jane would find that dashing and brave?"

"Yeah, big guy, she probably would –" Thor preened "- but we're not killing the Rex." He deflated. "I think Bruce is the best idea we have so that we don't get eaten by it. I think she has a crush on the Hulk. That should keep us safe. Maybe Bruce can make a new friend!"

Thor was pouting.

"We need to figure out the HYDRA angle. Where they went. What they have," Steve said. He wasn't wrong.

"Jarvis is already tracking their online activity. Bank accounts. Properties. Porn subscriptions. We'll find where they took everything," Tony answered. Once he had learned that HYDRA was behind this (because why fucking not?), he sent Jarvis into the Jurassic World system. He'd find each and every breadcrumb he could, and would follow it to the source. Jarvis was good people.

Darcy bit her lip. "What are we going to do when we find them? We can't destroy them. Maybe we can bring them back here. They can hatch on the island. Live their little dino-lives."

"We?" Natasha asked. "You've had enough fun already."

Rolling her eyes, Darcy responded, "Whatever. Regardless, you have to save them!"

"Don't worry, doll, they'll be fine. They'll, uh, grow up as normally as they can. For dinosaurs. Which are actually extinct." That was Bucky's version of assurance. It worked.

"Anybody else want to go raid what's left of Margaritaville?" Darcy asked. She could really use a drink. What? It'd been a long day. You'd want a drink, too, if you spent most of it running for your life.

Owen leaned down to whisper in her ear, "I have tequila in my bungalow."

His breath was hot against her skin and she shivered.

"Right! Um, so we should probably go feed the raptors. Yes! That is exactly what we should. Me and Owen. Alone. Together," Darcy rambled taking a few steps backward, pulling Owen with her.

Owen laughed and let go of her. Darcy tried very hard not to pout. He was already signaling to the raptors to round up.

They came quickly, bouncing across the room. They stood at attention.

"We're moving out!" Owen called, leading them to the door.

Darcy turned and had only taken two steps when Natasha said to her, "We'll talk in the morning, sestra. After you feed the raptors." Darcy could hear the suggestive tone in her voice.

She didn't respond.

As they were leaving, Darcy heard Steve asking, "Do they really let you ride the triceratops?"

Darcy yelled over her shoulder, "Steven Grant Rogers, you are too fucking heavy to ride a baby triceratops. Go make sure they're okay, but don't fucking ride one!" She thought for a second. "Maybe try the edmontosaurs. They're pretty chill. Got a duck-bill and everything."

She heard Clint cheering at the suggestion. Bucky was already asking Claire for a map.

Darcy breathed in the night air as they stepped outside. They were children, all of them.