To all those who are hoping Darcy will be rescued soon, I feel I should tell you that it won't be happening for a while. In fact, the length of time in-story between abduction and rescue could be considered unrealistic by some people, myself included. The thing is, I already had a solid idea of how I wanted the rescue scenario to go, and unfortunately it requires a long wait time. Perhaps if I had placed Darcy's abduction when she was further along in her pregnancy, I could have shortened the gap, but that would also cause some implausibilities with the story that I wanted. If any of you are familiar with TV Tropes, then you may have heard of the Idiot Ball, or the Conflict Ball. For those who haven't, these are instances where a character (or a group of characters) behaves in an uncharacteristically stupid and/or antagonistic manner because the plot that has already been decided on by the writers hinges on that behaviour. In this case, it has more to do with the fact that the Avengers haven't already said "Screw waiting, and screw diplomacy" and started kicking down doors, because if they did, the plot I want wouldn't happen.
On the plus side, I finally finished writing the epilogue, so now the whole story is completely written!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Potterverse, or any characters from either of them.
WORD COUNT: 3,258
Previously on 'Dahlia Parkinson is Dead':
Potter was quick to agree that a war between the magical and Muggle worlds over the Sokovia Accords was something that had to be avoided at all costs. "I'll see what I can do about extra surveillance on Nott, but I can't do anything about Parkinson and his daughter, yet."
Tracey frowned, but conceded that this was the best she could hope for, for now. "I'll let Romanoff know to alert me if they come up with any other evidence."
It was a bit underhanded, going through back channels to get results instead of the official ones, but if it meant preventing a war (and hopefully saving the newest descendant of the Howling Commandoes and their mother), then Tracey felt that it would be worth it.
Wednesday, October 5th, 2016
"And that's when your Daddy punched Uncle Steve in the nose!" Darcy's small smile widened when she felt the baby shift under her hand. She'd been feeling movement for about two weeks now – the first time had woken her up at half past one in the morning – but this morning marked the first time she could actually feel it from the outside. She'd also been telling the baby stories about their crazy friends and family since the first kick.
Darcy was just past five months pregnant, according to Healer Farley at their last appointment on Saturday, and she was certainly feeling pregnant by now. Her feet were swollen and her back was sore as hell, and she had no one to help her with that. On the plus side, her morning sickness was finally gone, even if she had to pee with increasing frequency. She was also now finally wearing robes that actually fit her. Darcy had been floored when Pansy had told her that their mother had worn them when pregnant with each of her daughters. She didn't think she would be deemed 'worthy' of wearing these, but Pansy had dismissed it, saying that it made more sense than forcing Dederick to spend money on new maternity robes for her.
Her days were spent in a rather tedious routine. She would sit down to a tense and usually silent breakfast with Dederick, joined by Pansy only about fifty percent of the time, as she did live with her husband on his family's own estate. Then her mornings and afternoons were dedicated to various etiquette lessons, as Pansy and Dederick tried to cram about a decade's worth of moulding her into the perfect pure-blood bride into the space of a few months. Darcy hated them with a passion, and after hours of being told to sit up straight and act like a lady (especially since the changes her pregnancy was making to her body made those tasks even tougher), she was more than happy to sprawl on her bed as ungracefully as possible at the end of the day.
After dinner, however, was when she finally got to have time to herself. She wasn't given entire freedom of movement around the house; Dederick's study, as well his, her late mother's, and Pansy's bedrooms, were off-limits. She also wasn't allowed in the library or the fancy parlour that was reserved for when company was over, and she was 'encouraged' to stay away from the Entrance Hall in case of unexpected visitors. Darcy first tried to entertain herself with the various novels from the few bookcases in the family-only sitting room, but she usually found them either incredibly dull or disgustingly prejudiced in their depictions of No-Maj's, Squibs, and non-Brits – usually both.
So, story time with her unborn child had quickly become her favourite pastime. It was what kept her grounded, and helped her remember the people who'd been ripped away from her. She played the part of the beaten-down, submissive daughter, but she had to keep reminding herself of who she really was, lest she wind up becoming that.
Most of her stories were of her own personal experiences, but she also related a few that she'd heard second-hand, such as this one. "Daddy was so mad at Uncle Steve, because he told him not to do anything stupid until he got back home, but Uncle Steve went and volunteered for that crazy project less than an hour after he said it!"
The baby shifted again. Darcy liked to think he/she was laughing.
"You are aware that talking to yourself is the first sign of madness, yes?"
Darcy jumped, startled, and saw Pansy coming into view from behind the open doorway. "You are aware that eavesdropping is rude, yes?"
Pansy stepped into the room without an invitation (of course, it had long since been made clear that, even in the room that had been designated as 'hers', Darcy had no right to grant or deny such permission). "You're telling stories to a child who isn't even born yet; stories of a life that is no longer yours."
Darcy glared at her. "Just because I'm not allowed to go back to that life, doesn't mean I have to forget it. And I want my kid to know about their dad, even if they won't actually remember this story until I tell it again when they're older."
Pansy looked at her incredulously. "And how, pray tell, do you intend to do that? Do you really believe that Father or the Flint family will let you bring the child with you when you marry? I know Marcus Flint, and I guarantee you that he would gleefully make life hell for a Muggle child like yours. And Father will want the child's entire existence hushed up – the last thing this family needs is another scandal like this one."
Darcy had so many questions, she didn't know where to start. One thing that kept repeating over and over in her mind was that she was going to lose her baby. Even if she was allowed to give birth, and her child was allowed to survive, they would be taken away from her. She wrapped her arms as tightly as she dared over her belly, the closest she could get to hugging it. The baby kicked softly in response. "What's going to happen, then?"
Pansy shrugged. "The most likely scenario is that the nearest Muggle orphanage will be getting a new charge shortly after the birth. Your child will grow up knowing nothing of our world."
"Or their family," Darcy whispered, "Can't… If I can't keep my baby, can't they go to their father, or another family member?"
"Are you mad? What part of keeping this whole thing quiet do you not understand? If your old fling finds out this child exists-"
"He's not just some 'fling', first of all," Darcy snapped, "I love him, and he loves me! Second, he probably already knows I'm pregnant. I told two friends before I was kidnapped, and I was about to tell him when it actually happened. My friends know that, so they would have told him about the baby by now; he's probably driving himself into the ground looking for us – assuming your pet Dementors didn't kill him when they grabbed me!" She felt the tears running hot and fast down her face. Vivid dreams of the man she loved losing his soul to those monsters would often wake her up in the middle of the night, and she still had no idea whether or not that had even happened. It terrified her, not knowing if he was okay.
Pansy was quick to snap back. "First off, those were not my Dementors! I had no idea Theo used those foul creatures until after he arrived here with you." She shuddered. "And second, there is a chance that he fell victim to the Dementors. The Prophet stated that an American Auror and two Muggles lost their souls, but only the Auror was named."
Darcy swallowed hard, vividly remembering the poor Auror – she couldn't even recall his name – collapsing under the Dementor's Kiss, and Bucky trembling on the floor as he was forced to recall the very worst of his hellish past. "Can you find out?" she whispered, "An attack like that could've made it into the No-Maj media, even if it was reported as some… weird virus outbreak, or something. The victims' names would probably be mentioned. Please, I need to know if he's alive or as good as dead."
Pansy looked unmoved. "I'll see what I can do, but I'm not making any promises. What's his name?"
"James Barnes. Although he usually goes by his nickname, Bucky, and they might refer to him as 'The Winter Soldier'." She huffed out a sad laugh. "God, he hates that name." It was a name that had been attached to HYDRA's mystery assassin, and to a life he desperately wished he could forget.
Pansy's brow wrinkled in confusion, but there was no way Darcy was getting into the superheroes and codenames thing. Not only would her sister be unlikely to believe her, but Darcy did not want to blab too much about her friends to the enemy – and as long as she took part in keeping Darcy here, Pansy was the enemy.
Steve could barely see his best friend through the glass walls of the cryo-pod. It was lined with so much frost that the silhouette of the sleeping man inside could only be recognised as such by those who already knew somebody was in there.
He had not pretended to understand Bucky's decision to go back into cryo-sleep. It made no sense, given that Darcy was still missing. But learning that HYDRA's triggers were still present in his brain had really rattled him. He was now convinced that he couldn't do anything to find Darcy until they got new information, and even if they found her, he'd be a danger to her and the baby – if it was still alive – until his brain was 'fixed'. He'd made Steve swear to keep looking, and to wake him as soon as they got a concrete lead, or until Princess Shuri and her team figured out a cure for him. Whichever came first.
"I mean it, Stevie," he'd begged, "I can't help her; I can't even get to any of the people who might know where she is to get them to tell me! Promise me you'll keep looking!"
Steve had agreed, of course; he would have done it even if Bucky hadn't asked. And to be honest, Steve was strangely glad that Bucky wouldn't have to deal with the anxiety of missing her while he was like this. After Sylvanus Rookwood's testimony had been a bust, Bucky had only continued to fall apart in Darcy's absence. He was barely sleeping anymore, to the point that Steve had to convince him to take extra-strength sleeping pills just to keep him from passing out in the middle of the day, and he usually woke up screaming and sobbing. He would only eat when Steve, Sam, or one of the others pushed him to do so. The only times he ever left his room were to go down into the gym and hurl knives at the targets. Sometimes, Steve or Natasha would convince him to spar, but he was so unfocused that he always lost. Steve wound up having to take Bucky off the roster of active-duty Avengers for that reason.
A slight noise behind him and to his right alerted Steve to the fact that he was no longer alone. "Your friend is in good hands, Captain," T'Challa – as the king insisted the Avengers call him – assured him for what was probably the tenth time or so. Steve had been doing a lot of fretting and worrying, and doubly so today, because today he was leaving Wakanda, and leaving Bucky behind.
Tony, Pepper, and their team of lawyers had officially finished cleaning up the mess regarding Bucky's unwilling rampage at the UN building and the whole… Steve couldn't even begin to find a word to properly describe what had happened in Siberia. So, the Avengers who'd helped Bucky escape being wrongfully persecuted were all clear to go back home. Even Rhodey had been healed remarkably quickly, and would be sent on his way with the rest of them (Tony, upon seeing Rhodey walking in the background during a video chat, had looked ready to kiss Princess Shuri for her hand in his recovery – and so had Pepper, for that matter).
But Bucky would be staying in cryo-freeze in a secure area of Shuri's labs, an area that only she could access (others could only come and go if she was there to let them in or out), waiting until the genius princess came up with a way to undo HYDRA's programming.
"I know," Steve sighed, in response to the king's statement, "That doesn't make this any easier."
"Of course. After all you have both been through, I can see why you need to see for yourself that he is safe. Is he…? Are there any others remaining, of your friends from before?"
Steve sighed and shook his head. "Peggy was the only other one left when I came out of the ice, but she… She had Alzheimer's… didn't always recognise me when I came in, or remember my previous visits, so she would think it was the first time she'd seen me since 1945. She died last July, the same day Darcy was taken, actually, so I only went to DC long enough to attend the funeral. Bucky needed me."
T'Challa was quiet for a moment. "Darcy?"
Blinking, Steve suddenly realised that, during their entire stay in Wakanda, the topic of Darcy had never come up, at least not in the king's presence. "Bucky's girlfriend. She works for the Initiative as an assistant in the labs, and since she was already a good friend of Thor's, the rest of us got to know her pretty well. Last June, she was kidnapped, right before she was about to tell him she was pregnant. And while we have a good idea of who's responsible, we can't go after them without more proof. Bucky… It would be an understatement to say that he hasn't been taking it well. Between her and the baby being missing and the new bad memories the Dementors that grabbed her brought up…"
"Dementors?"
Steve swallowed. Shit, he needed more sleep. "I- I mean- The people. The horrible, horrible people who took-"
"I have heard of Dementors, yes. Thankfully, they don't come this close to the Equator. I don't think the heat agrees with them. But where have you heard of them?"
Steve swallowed, then remembered something Kowalski once said about all heads of state being aware of the magical world. T'Challa was the King of Wakanda, so of course there was a very strong chance that he was in the know. He checked to be sure no one was listening in, then he explained. "Darcy's biological family can do magic, but she can't, so they've been estranged since she was a kid. We weren't in the know until they hired a guy to kidnap her and bring her back to England so they could marry her off without her permission. Bucky got in the way, and the bastard tried to torture her location out of him. He failed, obviously, but her sister still tracked her down later and confronted her on the street. Thor knew about magic, as well, so he filled us in."
T'Challa nodded. "Here in Wakanda, our magical citizens do not have to hide their abilities from others. Wakanda is not a signatory to the International Statute of Secrecy, although we do respect it outside our borders."
Steve breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, good. I was afraid I'd slipped up in a really bad way, there."
"If you were in any other country, perhaps. But not here. The study of magic has, in fact, been an important factor in the advancements in our technology." He looked back at Bucky's cryo-pod. "I can introduce you to the head of our magical Ministry before you leave, and we can see what he knows about the situation, and what he can find out."
"You would do that? I mean, you've already done so much for us."
T'Challa just smiled. "Do not worry for me. I am more than happy to help."
Thursday, October 6th, 2016
Pansy slapped the newspapers down in front of Dahlia, still irritated at having to go out into Muggle London and hunt down a three-month-old issue of a Muggle newspaper just to make Dahlia happy. She'd finally found the issue she was looking for, and sure enough, the name 'Bucky Barnes' was mentioned in the article. Mentioning that same name to the vendor she'd asked for help had also gotten her a second issue, one containing an article speculating on whether or not the man had been culpable in the attack in some way. Apparently, Dahlia's lover was a rather notorious figure in the Muggle world, leaving Pansy strongly questioning her sister's taste in men.
"Were you seriously dating an infamous mass-murderer, Dahlia?" she accused, letting every ounce of her disapproval show in her voice.
Dahlia glared up at her. "He was captured and tortured by some people who make your Death Eaters look like fluffy bunny rabbits in comparison. They wanted certain people dead, he had the skills needed to make that happen, but he wasn't willing to help them whatsoever. No-Maj's can't put people under the Imperius Curse, obviously, so they used far more brutal and damaging methods to force him to do their bidding. This has been proven in a court of law, after he finally escaped them, and he was cleared of all charges. When I first met him, he was still recovering from what they did to him, but he's been getting better. And yes, he's still dangerous, but only to those who threaten the people he loves. Or those who are stupid enough to actually hurt them."
Pansy felt the slightest chill of fear run up her spine, and was suddenly grateful for the wards that kept the Parkinson Manor hidden from Muggles. Wizardkind was still superior to Muggles in every way, but she didn't like the idea of that Muggle assaulting her childhood home to get Dahlia back. "Well, either way, you can read the article yourself, but your lover did survive the Dementor attack. The Muggles seem to think he was the one responsible for the incident, actually."
Dahlia had sagged in relief when Pansy revealed Barnes's survival, but her eyes lit up in rage upon hearing of the accusations against him. "They what?!" she screeched, snatching up the papers, "Those fucking- He was cleared, dammit! They never give up, do they? Fucking Ross and Jameson must be having a field day!"
"Dahlia!" Pansy scolded, "You're lucky Father didn't hear you using that kind of language! I thought we'd-"
"I don't care, Pansy, those people deserve a lot worse than a bit of cussing!" She flipped through the papers angrily until she found the right article. "I can't believe this! He survives that hell, has to jump through a bunch of legal hoops just to prove that he was, in fact, a victim and not a traitor, and they still go out of their way to accuse him of being the bad guy every chance they get!" She rubbed her hand over her expanding middle. "It's okay, Baby, Uncle Steve and Tony and Pepper won't let them get away with this."
Pansy didn't care much for the words, or whoever these other people were. But seeing her Squib sister comforting her unborn child sparked feelings of jealousy in her. She and Theo had been trying to conceive for seventeen years before a Healer had finally confirmed that she was infertile. One of a pure-blood wife's primary responsibilities was to produce an heir for her husband's family, and her inability to do so would have been grounds for a quiet divorce. The fact that she was the only available wife willing to marry the son of a convicted Death Eater was probably the only thing that had saved her from that dishonour.
And here was this Squib, who had been blessed with the very thing that Pansy had been denied. It just wasn't fair.
I have it firmly ingrained in my headcanon that, on the way back from the HYDRA factory in 'Captain America: The First Avenger', Bucky asked for more details on how Steve became a super-soldier, and then punched him in the nose upon finding out that he volunteered to be a government lab rat less than an hour after Bucky told him "Don't do anything stupid until I get back." And that he did so in front of all the other rescued soldiers, including the Commandos.
Timeline-wise, the most of events of 'Black Panther' take place a little longer after the death of T'Chaka. Since Killmonger and Klaue's museum robbery is what really kicks things off enough that there's no room for the scenes featured here, let's say it waits until Steve has left Wakanda. The room Bucky is being kept in is sealed so that when Killmonger takes over, no one can get to Bucky, even assuming that anyone told Killmonger about him.
It's kind of a sorta-plot hole that I noticed; Bucky had to already be on ice in Wakanda when 'Black Panther' happened, unless he's actually 'Broken White Boy' #3 and we still haven't met #1. The best guess I can make is that Shuri or someone else locked down the section of the lab he was in.
Next week's chapter will be focusing entirely on Darcy's side of things, and introduce a character that has only been mentioned up until now. We'll also be having a bit of a time-skip to move things along a little.