Author's Note: This story keeps surprising me with each chapter that I write, but I love it all the same! So, this is my first time writing as Nick Fury and Tony Stark and I hope they sound alright. Forgive me if they are out of character! I am sure that I will learn with time. Please enjoy!
Jane was scaring Darcy.
She hadn't moved from her spot at the computer for five hours. Her coffee had to have gone cold by now and yet, Jane kept drinking it. Frankly, Darcy was starting to worry. True, her boss could be at times, odd, but it she had become zombie-like before. Even the SHIELD employees were starting to shoot Jane worried glances.
"Jane?" Darcy called cautiously from her seat on top of her desk. When her boss didn't respond, Darcy placed her yogurt aside and walked over to Jane's desk. "Jane!"
"What?" Jane snapped, her eyes never moving from her computer screen. "I'm in the middle of something." Darcy pursed her lips and then let her eyes wander to the screen. It was another computer simulation of a prototype of a machine that could open dimensional doors or something. To be honest, Darcy hadn't really been paying attention when Agent Coulson had given the briefing about it, but she did know it was being developed by Iron Man himself—Mr. Tony Stark—and that Jane was supposed to supply Stark with coordinates for Asgard or something. It was all really complicated and frankly, most of it sailed about Darcy's head. She did know; however, that there was tons of pressure on Jane. Fury wanted Thor here and he wanted him now.
"You've been sitting her for five hours," Darcy told her frankly. "You're starting to scare your employees."
"So what?" Jane retorted, pounding a few more numbers into the simulation. "This is my job."
"And how do you think a certain Thunder God would feel if he saw you working yourself to death like this?" Darcy snorted and Jane froze. A mixture of happiness and grief filled Jane's eyes and it took Darcy off-guard. "Sorry! I didn't mean to make you upset or—"
"I just—" Jane began quietly, facing her assistant for the first time. "I just need him back."
"And you'll get him," Darcy assured her. "You're the smartest person I know. If anyone could, it's you." That comment got a smile out of Jane and relief flooded through Darcy. She hadn't meant to get Jane upset. She had only wanted to make sure that Jane was keeping herself healthy—and sitting at a computer for five hours with nothing but cold coffee was not healthy.
"Darcy—" Jane began as the door burst open. Two armed SHIELD guards walked in with Agent Coulson after them. He shot Jane an apologetic smile as Jane stood from her desk. "Oh no, not him."
"Who?" Darcy whispered.
"Director Fury," Jane replied. "He's here."
Nick Fury stormed into the room and angrily scanned the room. Darcy thought about making a comment about he looked like a pirate, but decided it wasn't the best choice given the fact that he looked like he could throw anyone who got him upset in jail for a very, very long time. He surveyed the working space before allowing his eyes—or rather "eye" as Darcy had noted—to rest on Jane.
"Miss Foster," He began with a slightly annoyed twinge to his voice. "I must tell you that I'm getting very tired waiting for you to deliver me a pathway to Asgard. It has been two months, Miss Foster, and frankly, I'm starting to doubt that you can actually find Thor and bring him here." Jane took a deep breath in and was about to speak when Darcy shouted:
"Jane's been working her butt off! She barely eats and barely sleeps! She is doing all she can to finish the project!"
"Darcy!" Jane interjected sharply.
"What?" Her assistant replied. "He's pissing me off."
"He's giving us our funding!" Jane exclaimed.
"Indeed, I am," Director Fury sharply added. "So, if you would be so kind as to shut up, then maybe we could make this meeting actually productive." Darcy opened her mouth to shout something not so kind at Fury, but Jane held her back and pinched her. The pain caused her to keep her mouth shut.
"To what do we owe the pleasure, Director Fury?" Jane asked. Director Fury walked further into the room and glanced at Jane's computer.
"I want answers, Miss Foster," Fury replied. "Let's start with why the Norse God of Thunder isn't here yet. Think you could answer that one?" Jane suppressed the fury threatening to consume what little composure she had left. She didn't need this! She needed to bring Thor back and Fury's angry meetings weren't going to help with that.
"I am doing my best," Jane answered honestly. "But rushing with this kind of project could lead to a disaster. I am not willing to test anything other than my best work."
"Your best work," Fury sneered. "Could cost everyone here their lives because you are taking so damn slow!" Jane recoiled back from how sharp Fury's words had been and Darcy was ready to punch him. No one could speak to her boss that way—no one!
"I think someone needs a time out," A sarcastic voice piped up from the back of room. "Don't you guys think so?"
"Who the hell is—?" Nick Fury began when Tony Stark strolled into the room and removed his sunglasses. Smiling jokingly at Jane and Darcy, he turned to his boss and smirked.
"Now, now, Fury," He jokingly scolded. "Is that anyway to speak in the presence of such beautiful women such as Miss Foster and her assistant?"
"Oh my god," Darcy whispered to Jane. "He is way hotter than I pictured him."
"Well, don't get too attached," Jane commented. "He's taken."
"Damn it!" Darcy pouted. "Why does this always happen to me?"
"Stark!" Fury barked. "I don't recall inviting you to this meeting."
"That's because you didn't invite me, Director," Tony continued with a sly grin on his face. "But since I'm here, why don't you just leave the nice scientist alone and let me work with her?" Without waiting for an answer, he marched over to Jane and offered his hand to her. "Tony Stark." Without hesitating, she took his hand and shook.
"Jane Foster," She replied. "It's a pleasure."
"Well, Jane Foster," Tony grinned. "What do you say we ditch the annoying Director over there and find out where Thor is?"
"I'd love that, Mr. Stark." Jane confessed.
And so, the beginnings of an odd partnership formed on a mutual dislike of Director Fury, was formed.
Author's Note: Next chapter, more Thor and Jane fluff! Please review!