T is for Trouper

A soft beeping noise woke Darcy from a deep sleep and a lovely dream. She sat up with a groan, reaching for her phone. Only then did she realize the beeping was not her alarm. Frowning, she looked around.

"JARVIS?" she asked in a bewildered tone as she looked at the time. "It's three in the morning."

"My apologies, Miss Lewis," JARVIS replied in what she would swear was a chagrined tone. "I regret awakening you, but I believe your..." Here the AI paused as if searching for an appropriate word. Darcy pulled herself out of bed and began putting on her robe. Anything that required JARVIS to put on his most tactful personality was probably not good. He finally continued. "I believe your input will be needed to…'keep the peace' I believe fits the situations."

"Situations?" she asked, halfway through pulling on her slippers. "Situations…as in plural?"

"I am afraid so, Miss Lewis."

"List them off, please, JARVIS," she sighed.

"Mr. Stark, Dr. Banner, Dr. Ross, and Dr. Foster are currently having a highly volatile discussion in the main laboratory over the appropriate placement for the third connection point of the Bifrost."

Darcy nodded. "Situation one, scientists."

"Indeed," JARVIS agreed solemnly. "Agents Romanoff, Barton, and Barnes are currently gathered in the secondary kitchen discussing punitive actions against suspected collaborators with the recent attempts on the life of Agent Coulson as well as your abduction."

"Situation two, spies." She drew in a slow breath.

"Captain Rogers and Prince Thor are on the roof of the building discussing battles and demonstrating fighting techniques while imbibing alcoholic beverages."

"Situation three, super guys."

Darcy leaned against her wall thinking things over for a few moments. "Okay, J.," she looked up towards the ceiling. "Please tell me Phil is still in the building?"

"Agent Coulson is currently asleep in his room," JARVIS confirmed.

"Thank you," she acknowledged happily. She grabbed her phone and dialed. It rang…once…twice…

"It's three o'clock in the morning." His answer was direct and to the point, but she could hear a note of exasperation in there.

"No kidding," Darcy chirped out. "It is definitely ridiculous o'clock in the morning."

The sigh told her she was definitely talking to Phil as opposed to Agent Coulson. "Darcy-"

"Sorry for the wake-up call," she continued blithely, "but since you're here, do you want spies or scientists?"

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. "Apparently," Phil's driest voice sounded in her ear, "I needed sleep even more than the director thought. Your question seems to be missing pertinent details."

"Do you know you sound more lucid when half-asleep than most people do after getting a good night's sleep?" she mused curiously.

"Darcy."

"Steve and Thor are on the roof talking shop," she told him, humor threading through her voice. "They're also drinking, but I'm not sure why. Steve can't get drunk and Earth alcohol might as well be water for all the impact it makes on Thor. I'm not really worried about the super guys, but I know how you are about details."

After a moment's pause, Phil spoke once more. "What are the other two groups doing?"

She could hear him moving around and her lips began to curve. "Apparently all four scientists decided that it was a perfect time to have an argument over where the next Bifrost connection point should be."

"Of course they did," he noted calmly. "Sleep is hardly a necessity when balanced with the possibility of science to be done."

"Very good," she laughed. "You speak scientist almost as well as I do."

"And the 'spies'?" he asked, breaking into her amusement.

"The triplets seem to be less than happy with the people who put targets on you and me," she told him. "They are planning their own version of mischief, murder, and mayhem. I haven't checked yet to figure out who's responsible for what, but I'd presume Clint will be making mischief while Tasha handles the murder and Bucky starts the mayhem."

His heavy sigh came over the line. "I'll take the spies," he told her.

"In that case, Trouper Lewis is off to corral scientists," Darcy laughed.

"Trooper?" Phil's tone grew amused.

"Not like a state trooper," she replied as she headed for the labs. "'Trouper' as in 'a reliable, uncomplaining person'. I figure I get to claim the title since I'm going to go to the lab and not tase them despite being woken up at an insane hour of the night. I think it qualifies."

"Naturally," he agreed in quiet amusement.

"Does it ever worry you about what might happen if we both are out of the house for longer than twenty-four hours?" she asked suddenly.

A much longer pause greeted her words. Finally he replied in a strained voice. "I would appreciate it if you did not attempt to give me nightmares." Something undefinable filtered into his voice. "You interrupt my sleep enough as it is."

"What-" she started.

"I'm at the kitchen," he interrupted, his voice retuning to its steady tone. "I shall let you know the outcome of my discussion afterwards."

"Okay," she agreed. He hung up and she stared at the phone in her hands. "Did he really just imply…"

"You may wish to hurry, Miss Lewis," JARVIS spoke up suddenly.

Her head came up and she hurried towards the elevator. "Oh, right, scientists." Even as the elevator began to drop down towards the labs, she had to smile. So she was interrupting his sleep pattern, was she? Good, she thought, turnabout is definitely fair play.