The Darcy Lewis Story

Author: daxcat79

Rating: R

Pairing: Loki/Darcy, Tony/Pepper, Thor/Jane

Genre: Drama, Humor, Romance

Warnings: Non-Explicit Sexual Content

Summary: We've heard the stories of superheroes and assassins, but no one really knows Darcy's story… until now.

A/N: I blame this story entirely on my internet wife "sunny_serenity" who actually inspired me with this story while answer a meme. So Sunny, I guess this one's all for you! Thanks so much for all the feedback from last chapter! Keep them reviews coming! I LOVE IT! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but I enjoy borrowing them.

Part Six "We're All Just Stories"

The first fairytale ever read to me was "Beauty and the Beast" and the irony of this doesn't escape me. It's always been my favorite. It's not just about romance and magic. It taught me lessons like 'never judge a book by its cover' and 'it's probably not a good idea to piss off local villagers.' It gave me hope that even the worst people have the ability to change. Those kinds of lessons stick with you. You don't even realize it, but they become a part of you. Stories and fairytales, but filled with fundamental truths. Sometimes you're the beast, and sometimes you're the beauty. I think most people are a bit of both. The weird thing is, I learned something else from that story that I never even thought about before. Magic really does exist, family is everything, and at the end of the day… the good guys always win.

It occurs to me that this isn't really something I can go to my dad about. He was always the one I looked to for advice in the past, but this is so far beyond him… so I go to the next best thing. I must be desperate if I think it's a good idea to get advice from Tony Stark! I am desperate though. Thor keeps looking at me like I'm Jesus Fucking Christ, savior of his little brother, and future princess of Asgard. Jane won't calm down long enough to actually listen to what I have to say about this whole thing. In her eyes Loki is probably seconds away from raping me so he can be a 'god' again, which would be kinda interesting to see considering the guy is so broken he can't even take a dump without assistance.

So I find myself arguing with some douche that Tony will want to see me, and I should be allowed to enter Stark Towers. I'm seconds away from giving him an indignant glare and screaming 'don't you know who I am?!' just for kicks… he probably wouldn't get it. "Look dude, I don't have time for this. I get it! Stark probably gets a lot of Iron Man fangirls rushing in here with short skirts and halter tops, but I am wear neither! Tony Stark is a friend! I need to talk to him, and I swear to god I will taser you if you touch me again!"

"Hogan, what's going on?"

It's Pepper, and I let out a shout of triumph because I've met her before and at least that's something I can build on. "Oh thank god! Look… I need to talk to Stark. Please tell this man I'm a friend!" I'm kinda frustrated, and I'm using my 'angry voice' now. It's basically just like my 'pissed off voice' but an octave lower.

Pepper smiles at me, and I see understanding on her face… she recognizes me. Hallelujah! "It's okay, Hogan… she works for S.H.I.E.L.D. and she's a friend of Thor's. Ms. Lewis right?"

It takes me a minute, but it occurs to me that this is my birth father's girlfriend I'm talking too. In a few years she could be like my stepmom or something. Weird. "Call me, Darcy… please." I give Stark's… ummm I honestly don't know what he is… bodyguard maybe… a smug grin and push past him to greet Pepper properly.

He rolls his eyes, and shares a look with Pepper, and she just smiles kindly. "I'll take it from here… why don't you warm up the car. I'll meet you out in a minute." Once the douche is gone I turn fully to face Pepper and I realize just how tall she is. She's also really slender, and she's wearing these insane high heels that would probably break my ankles if I even attempted to walk in them. "He's on the top floor, just follow me."

The awkward silence as we wait for our floor gives me time to think about what it is I plan on saying to Tony when I see him. I'm absolutely no one to him. He doesn't have a clue who I am. Just because he knocked up some chick over twenty years ago doesn't make us family. Why would he care that my life is in crisis and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do? This is a mistake. I'm not even sure what I'm doing here anymore. I should have just gone back to my apartment to cry and eat chocolate in front of the TV until I could gather my thoughts together. I'm obviously spiraling. I'm not clear-headed enough to make logical decisions. Such a mistake… this is a big, BIG mistake.

"We're here." Shit!

Pepper walks out first, and I hesitate. If I leave the elevator there's no turning back. She's staring at me with a question on her lips that she won't actually ask. She probably wants to know what the hell I want with Tony. I lick my lips and force myself to exit the elevator and she's walking again, so I follow her. Tony's making himself a drink, and he's not looking up. "Seriously Pepper, I know I'm late, but again… it's MY plane. I'm sure it won't leave without me!" Finally he lifts his gaze and he's staring at me. "Darcy?"

Hey… look at that. My father knows my name now. I feel special. I wave hello. "Hey… I uh… didn't realize you had a plane to catch."

Pepper clears her throat and Tony breaks my gaze to look at her. "I'll be downstairs. Don't take too long, Tony. We have a schedule to keep."

He smiles, trying to be charming. "What would I do without you kicking my ass?"

"Hire someone else to kick your ass?" she flirts. Now I just feel awkward watching this. Tony Stark is eye-fucking Pepper Potts.

"Wouldn't be nearly as fun," he assures her.

Pepper rolls her eyes and leaves, re-entering the elevator. The moment the doors close he's handing me scotch and taking a sip of his own glass. "So… what brings you here?"

The alcohol is perfect, because I could totally use some liquid courage right now. I down it fast and ignore the burn. "Odin fucking screwed me over!" Okay, that's probably not the best way to start this conversation. I would never talk to my dad like this… however Tony's just my birth dad… does that make a difference? Somehow I find I don't care at the moment.

Tony blinks. "I take it this is about the whole… weird… mating bond… thing… with Loki?"

"Thor told you?!" How is he not freaking out? How is he not pissed?! My dad would be pissed! Then again… Tony has no idea I'm his daughter… so yeah… nevermind.

Tony takes a cautious step closer to me and gently relieves me of my glass before walking back to the bar to pour me another drink. "He tried too… it was a bit hard to follow when Thor and Jane started fighting with each other. I gather you're feeling a bit conflicted at the moment."

That's the understatement of the century! "Conflicted?! Try pissed… and confused… but mostly pissed! I mean, I talked to Loki and as far as he's concerned his father is just fucking with him… or testing him! It's not enough that Loki's changed… he needs to be loved too… by me… someone who was affected by his actions. Because if I can forgive him than he's truly earned the right to be given back his powers. Loki doesn't think I'll save him…."

Stark hands me my drink and I gulp it just as fast as the first one. My vision blurs for just a moment, and I barely notice the burn this time around. I can already feel the alcohol doing it's job. "Correct me if I'm off base here… but do we really want Loki to have his powers back?"

"Tony, they say he has some kind of infection. He's sick… and then there's Thanos! I mean, his life could be on the line!"

"Do you love him?"

"Of course not!"

"Then I'd say your decision is already made. You can't just prostitute yourself to Loki so his bad decisions don't come back to bite him in the ass."

I'm officially horrified with this whole conversation. How could Stark ask me to be so selfish? Loki is a human being who deserves a second chance! "So you'd just stand back and watch Loki get killed?!"

Stark let out a sigh. "Look, I like the guy… really I do, but I'm just trying to make a point. Odin's the bad guy here, not you. He's the one that put you in this situation."

"But it doesn't change the fact that I'd be idly standing by while Loki's enemies tear his imortal/i body apart limb by limb!"

Tony's head fell back and he looked tired and frustrated. He closed his eyes for a second and pinched the bridge of his nose as if trying to fight off a headache. "What do you want from me, Darcy?! Are you here for advice? You really think I'm the guy to talk to about this?!"

I don't think it's too much to ask. Even if he doesn't know he's my father, I at least thought he considered me a friend. "It's not like I have a lot of people I can talk to about this! Why do you have to be such a jerk about this?!" I shout at him angrily.

"I don't know what you want me to say! Yes, Odin screwed you over big time! Yes, this whole situation is messed up! I don't have the answer! Why are you even here?!"

I'm starting to wonder that myself. I never should have left the elevator. I realize now that I'm just living in a dream. Stark is a nice guy… but he's also a jackass. Even he knows he'd be the worst father ever. So why am I here? Did I really expect him to know what to do? Did I really just ask Tony Stark for advice? He's not John Lewis. He's not my father. We share DNA, but what the hell does that matter? It certainly didn't matter to my birth mom? So why should that matter to Stark? "I should go." I place the empty glass I was holding on a table nearby and head towards the elevator.

"Darcy… wait… I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

I shake my head, and I'm so angry at myself. I'm actually surprised! I fooled myself into thinking Tony Stark would be there for me. "Sorry to bother you. I know you have a plane to catch," I reply just before the doors close… and that's when I really break down.

I'm so distressed about my argument with Stark that I don't even notice that the door was already unlocked when I shoved my key in. I've kept it together since I left Stark Towers, but I know I'm just barely holding on to my sanity at this point. This is too much to deal with all at once and I feel like I'm facing it all on my own. I'm a big girl. I can usually handle a crisis, but this… this is so completely beyond me. I fall against my door and let my eyes slide shut. I force myself to breathe, to feel my lungs fill with oxygen, and I remind myself that my problems could be so much worse. I'm sure there's at least ione/i person more screwed up than me… there has to be.

"Rough day, Miss Lewis?"

"Holy shit!" I pull out my taser in seconds, but I'm staring at Nick Fury… the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. is in my living room. This day just keeps getting better and better. "How the hell did you get into my apartment?" Wow, now that was just the stupidest question ever. "Better question… WHY are you in my apartment?!" Yup, now that was a question worth asking!

Nick calmly sits on my sofa like he owns it. His leather jacket hangs off on the side and I wonder how long he's been waiting for me. "I think we need to talk, Miss Lewis."

I swallow hard and set down my taser, but I still keep it in reach just in case. Nick Fury scares the shit out of me. The fact that he's sitting on my sofa does not help soothe those fears. "Talk? So you broke into my apartment to talk? Haven't you ever heard of a cell phone? Or maybe video chat? Send me a friggin' message on facebook! Or maybe… just maybe… you could wait for me to come into work tomorrow and leave a message on my desk that you wanna set up a meeting! Why did none of these ideas occur to you?!" Honestly, I shouldn't be surprised. These are the same people who took Jane's research… and my ipod. What the hell would they want with my ipod?! I mean seriously… overkill!

Fury is smiling at me. That can't be good. "It's come to my attention that you were the reason Odin opened up the Bifrost… he sent you something."

I should have known this would have to do with Loki and that stupid blue jewel. "Yeah… he sent me an invitation to be his god damn daughter-in-law. I was less than amused."

"It's also come to my attention that you've recently discovered your true parentage."

I really want this day to be over… like right now. "Why do I get the feeling you're not surprised about any of this?"

Fury tilts his head and stares at me for a moment, as if trying to decide how much to tell me. "His name was on your birth certificate, Miss Lewis. You really think we weren't aware that you were Tony Stark's daughter?"

Ah right… secret organization of spies… intel gathering is kinda their thing isn't it? Wow, now I just feel stupid. "I guess it would have come up during the background checks, huh?"

Nick nodded, looking slightly amused. "What? You thought we offered you a job simply because of Thor and Miss Foster?"

"Ummm… yeah, pretty much," I admit. I mean, at the time it made perfect sense.

Fury glanced down at my coffee table, staring at my 'Annie' doll. I'd taken it with me after my trip to see dad. It was old and a little worn in places, but it smelled like home. He picked up the childhood doll, a curious look in his one eye. "In the year 1942 a man name Howard Stark and Doctor Abraham Erskine conducted an experiment in the hopes of creating a super-soldier that would help them win the war not only against Hitler, but an organization named HYDRA. It was a success, but sadly Erskine was killed not long after and the secrets to his experiment were lost. Howard Stark helps build an organization which would later be known as S.H.I.E.L.D. and spend much of his life preparing his son to create a better and brighter tomorrow for us all using technology he helped develop. Fast forward a couple decades and Tony Stark is captured by a group called the Ten Rings. In order to escape… he creates the first Iron Man suit. He becomes a hero… sort of. Not long after, a young woman named Darcy Lewis runs over a being from another world-"

"Technically, Jane ran over him…" I interrupt. Fury looks less than amused by my joke.

"The same being she helps save will join together with her father and the very super-soldier Stark's father helped create to protect this planet… along with a Hulk, a few assassins, and a lot of luck. Quite a coincidence… wouldn't you agree, Miss Lewis."

I shrug. "I guess… but I'm really not sure why you're telling me all this." I mostly knew all this already, but now that I think about it… it is kinda weird how everything seems to line up. I mean, I grew up in New Mexico and suddenly I come to find out I'm Stark's daughter? Feels so completely out of nowhere for me.

Nick Fury stood, pulling out the blue jewel I'd dropped earlier when Thor told me the 'bad news.' I had forgotten all about it. He placed the jewel on my coffee table and grabbed his jacket. "I don't believe in coincidences, Miss Lewis. You have quite the legacy to live up to. We've been watching… we were always watching. You see… I make it my business to notice these little connections. My people and I are trained to see the things other people miss." Nick Fury pulls out a piece of paper that looks old and worn. It's a birth certificate, but it looks different from the one I found in that box gathering dust in my parent's basement. "I thought you might want to take a look at this."

I reach out to take the birth certificate. My name is on it, but it's totally different. Darcy Sigyn Walsh-Sykes I look up, confused. I hadn't even realized it before, but the last name on my other birth certificate was Lewis. "I don't understand," I admit.

"Your old birth certificate was lost, and your parents had to file for a new one. That's the original."

I look back at the birth certificate Fury gave me and shake my head, cause it looks all wrong to me. I'm still not sure what to make of this. "My mother's name was Sykes… what's with the Walsh?" I ask, and I'm a little curious about my middle name too. My middle name is Sandra… Darcy Sandra Lewis… not Sigyn. I wouldn't even know how to pronounce that. It does look familiar though, and I don't know why. I feel like I've seen that name somewhere before.

"That would be your grandfather. He was a soldier in World War Two… imprisoned by HYDRA until Steve Rogers helped free him and many others. Unfortunately, he didn't survive the end of the war, and your grandmother went back to her maiden name… Sykes."

It should creep me out that Nick Fury knows more about my background than I do. Instead, I find I'm kinda grateful. For a person who grew up without a past, this introduction to my genealogy is mind-blowing. The pieces of my past begin to connect like a puzzle and a picture is forming. I smile. "That's kind of cool," I finally say.

Fury is staring at my old birth certificate. "There's something about you, Darcy… something that doesn't quite add up, but I will say this... you belong here. You don't even see it yet, but you will soon." He walks over to me and I move out of his way so he can pass. He pauses and turns his head to look down at me, and then at the certificate. "Have you decided what you're going to do yet?"

My smile fades, and I'm once again reminded of everything I've been struggling with. "No… what do you think I should do?" I ask. Good grief… first Stark and now Fury? I don't think desperation fully covers what's going on here anymore.

Fury shrugs. "Not my choice to make… Odin sent that rock to you."

"You don't like Loki very much, do you?"

"No… not really."

"But if I decided tomorrow to help him regain his powers… would you stop me?"

Nick Fury snorted, looking extremely amused with me for a moment. "There's two things I don't do, Miss Lewis. I don't stand for bullshit, and I don't stand in the way of fate." He just walks away after that… no explanation… just leaves.

I let out a sigh and stare down at the birth certificate, wondering why he would give it to me now. He's obviously trying to tell me something about myself… but what? "Yeah sure, just leave without answering my question. You've been delightfully cryptic as always!" I mutter to myself and shut my door, being sure to lock it. I drop back against the door and stare at my original birth certificate. I was never a fan of mysteries….

To Be Continued