Author's Note – I hope you like how this goes, but I could so see this happening to them.

"Your family is….assuredly unique," Phil noted in amusement as Darcy let herself collapse next to him after a vigorous dance with one of her cousins.

"They are," she laughed. "What sold you on them?"

"I can't decide if it was the old-fashioned warning – complete with shotguns – or the modern approach to family gatherings," he replied, his eyes shifting over to where part of the family joined them via Skype. One of her younger cousins seemed to be participating in the current dance in her dorm room while one of the older men seemed to be trying to climb through the screen as he argued with Darcy's father about something.

"Don't worry," she winked. "They grow on you. Besides…they like you."

"Do they?"

His bland tone caught her attention and she leaned into his side. "Yes," she continued softly, "they do. They'd have done their best to like you for my sake, but you won them over all on your own." He turned a look on her that she could only translate thanks to her hours of study of his facial features and expressions. "It's true," she insisted, reaching out to straighten his collar.

"Okay, you two lovebirds! Break it up." Darcy Aunt Siobhan appeared out of nowhere. "You're cuter than a pair of puppies, but it's time to break out the Jameson's for the family toasts!"

Darcy slumped against Phil's shoulder with a dramatic groan. Laughter rang out and various voices tossed out teasing comments about what the toasts should be. "Just go with it," she whispered to him quickly. "It's a family tradition." He managed to nod before everyone began moving. The family arranged themselves around the dance floor as Darcy's parents drew the couple to their feet and ushered them into the center of the circle. "All right, all right," Darcy put her hands on her hips. "Let's do this. Who goes first?"

"Mother first!"

Maire gave the group a brilliant smile before she cleared her throat. "I-"

Suddenly two loud, distinctive ringtones echoed through the gathering. Most of the crowd glanced around in bemused surprise as Darcy and Phil all but dove for their jackets. The Lewis clan stared as they snatched up phones with an air of collected urgency. Phil answered his phone even as he moved to the doorway. Darcy didn't bother.

"What happened?" she demanded as soon as she got the phone up to her ear.

Natasha…no, Widow's voice came in cool and steady. "Hawkeye's been injured."

"Excuse me?" Darcy frowned. "He didn't have any missions lined up."

"Director Fury-"

Darcy interrupted Widow in a furious hiss. "I'm going to kick that man's ass!" Phil's head came around and his gazed raked over her. His face remained impassive as ever, but his eyes held a light concern she could read. She waved him off and he gave her a quick nod before turning back to his own call. She turned her attention to the silent, waiting Widow. "I'm supposed to approve all of your schedules."

"There was an emergency," Widow replied to the unvoiced question. "Two of SHIELD's scientists were taken. They needed a sniper to cover the agents sent in for retrieval."

"It damn well better have been an emergency if he got injured."

Widow paused and then continued in a quieter voice. "Fury wants to put them under our watch."

"Them who?" Darcy asked, a small hint of dread entering her voice. "The scientists or the bad guys?" Even as she asked she wasn't sure what she wanted the answer to be.

"The scientists."

"I knew it," Darcy sighed, wincing lightly. "Did Fury give you a reason? Beyond the fact that someone managed to snag them right out from under his nose and got one of us injured?"

"Both of them are genius level scientists and they manage to work together effectively," Widow replied. "One is a bio-chemist and the other is an engineer."

"At least they can share their toys," Darcy muttered. She heard a few suppressed chuckles and glanced around; blinking as she suddenly recalled her current location. In for a penny, she thought. "I've already got four genius level scientists to worry about and he wants to give me two more?"

"Yes."

"What is going on over there?" Darcy asked. Her voice remained calm, but concern flooded every syllable to anyone who knew her. "First he barely blinks at our demands to be more independent and now he's moving people into our sphere of influence and out of his?"

"I don't know," Widow answered. The unsaid 'yet' hung over the conversation, heavy and foreboding.

Darcy drew in a deep breath. "Don't get caught."

"I won't."

"All right then," she continued, pushing past the concern. "Who are they and when is our extraction?"

"Dr. Jemma Simmons, bio-chemist, and Dr. Leo Fitz, engineer – both level five scientists," Widow reported. "They are already headed to the Tower."

"The tower?"

"Yes," Widow said firmly. "The security is more up-to-date. We decided it would be safer to relocate for the foreseeable future – at least until we have a handle on the bigger picture."

"Who is 'we'?" Darcy asked.

"Soldier, myself, and the Captain."

"Heaven forbid I argue with that line up," she chuckled. "Even if I did, Phil will back the idea." Her eyes tracked back to her fiancé. He tapped his watch and she nodded. "Extraction?"

Widow paused, apparently checking something before coming back to reply. "The quinjet should be there in ten minutes." There was another short pause. "The pilot will be a level seven female agent – Melinda May. Coulson knows her. Anyone else means something has gone very wrong. Do not go with anyone other than May."

Phil joined her at that moment. She lifted an eyebrow at him before finishing her call with Widow and hanging up. "Phil?"

His lips thinned slightly. "We need to evacuate the civilians in case of trouble," he told her.

"Seriously?" Darcy shook her head, lips curving into a wry grin. She tilted her head towards her avidly watching family. "You have met that bunch, right?"

His eyes shifted around, scanning the room. One hand came up to rub his forehead. "Darcy," he started only to break off as Darcy's father came over.

"Trouble?" Brian Lewis asked. Serious eyes flickered over Darcy before settling on Phil.

Phil angled his chin in agreement. "Possibly. There's…a problem back in New York and it may try to trace us here."

"Right," Brian nodded slowly, focusing on his daughter. Darcy gave him an apologetic smile. He turned and faced the now silent and watchful family. "Shut it down. We might be getting some unfriendly visitors."

Phil's eyebrows lifted in a mild surprise as the Lewis clan suddenly sprang into motion. It looked like chaos in action, but no one crashed into each other. None of the seemingly disorganized movement ever slowed. Instead the room emptied as people streamed out of the exits at a rapid clip. He turned a curious look to her and she smiled.

"Come on." She led him out the door and pointed. All of the children and the elders continued towards the collection of houses. Half of the others followed them while the remaining half armed themselves and melted away into the trees. Darcy just grinned.

"What are they doing?" Phil asked, eyes carefully noting each detail.

"Protecting the home front," she replied. A faint frown appeared on his face and she shook her head. "The Lewis clan guards its own. The noncombatants are going into special hiding places. Half the family fighters will be in the houses, armed and ready to deal with anyone trying to break in. The rest of the clan are surrounding the houses and the clearing as the front line." A wicked light entered her eyes. "If someone comes thinking the two of us will be easy targets, they are going to get a nasty wake up call."

Phil's frown grew a little heavier, but before he could speak they both heard the unmistakable sound of their ride. They stepped back into the shadows, Phil pushing Darcy behind him as they each drew a weapon. The quinjet landed and the back door opened. It seemed like the entire place held its breath, waiting to see who stepped away from the vehicle.

A tall woman walked down the ramp. Her dark hair gleamed in the light as piercing eyes scanned the clearing. Phil gave a small sigh of relief. "May?" he called out.

"I heard you needed a ride," came the swift reply.

With that, Phil stepped out of the shadows, holstering his gun as he walked. Darcy followed. Agent Melinda May gave Darcy a calm, searching look. Those cool eyes seemed to be considering her and reserving judgment for the moment. Darcy just gave her a bright, cheerful smile. After working with madcap scientists, half-crazed heroes, and a trio of spies, not to mention Pepper Potts and Maria Hill, there was no way one agent was going to make her nervous…not even this woman.

"Are we ready to go?" Phil asked May.

"Yes, sir," she nodded. "Soon as you are."

Darcy turned and gave a wave towards the house. Brian and Maire came out and walked over to their daughter's side. Maire reached up and tucked a lock of Darcy's hair behind one ear. "You two have to be going now?"

"Sorry, Mam," Darcy replied as she reached out to give her a hug. "Duty calls."

"That's all right then," Brian told her. He accepted his own hug. "We know how duty works."

Phil stepped towards them. "My apologies-"

"Don't worry," Maire shook her head, holding up a hand to stop him. "The clan always comes first. Darcy might always be a part of ours, but now you two are creating your own. If they need you, then you've got to go." She paused and then reached up to pull him down to her. Planting a quick kiss on his cheek, she gave him a soft smile. "Just don't forget you're part of ours now too."

"Ah…yes, ma'am," he replied, a light flush staining his cheeks. Darcy repressed a grin, and May went up in her standing as Darcy spotted a quickly hidden amusement in the woman's eyes.

"If we don't see you before, we'll see you when we come to the city for the wedding," Maire continued. "Now you two get going and quit wasting this young lady's time." May blinked at the comment but merely moved back towards the pilot's seat.

A final flurry of hugs saw them off. Darcy and Phil boarded the quinjet. It lifted into the air and began moving. Darcy sighed, leaning against Phil's shoulder. "It's always something," she murmured.

"At least it's never boring?" he offered, his arm tightening around her waist.

"Thank goodness," she chuckled. "We'd die halfway through the first day."

"I do like your family." Phil's quiet voice sounded both thoughtful and amused.

"Good," Darcy replied, letting her eyes slip closed. "Because we've got to start prepping the tower and the team to meet them."

She felt more than heard him repress a snort. "Please make sure we tape your mother's first meeting with Stark."

"Oh, just you wait," she grinned, never opening her eyes. "JARVIS and I have already been plotting – Mom meeting Tony, Aunt Siobhan meeting Bruce, and I seriously can't wait until my little cousin Aileen meets Clint."

"Which one was she?"

Darcy started laughing. "The one who wants to be the next Katniss."

"OF course," Phil mused, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Remind me to pick up a child's bow and arrow set before they arrive."

"Clint will kill you," she warned.

He leaned against the bulkhead. "Only if he can get past your family."

"Your family too," she insisted, tightening her hold on him.

"Our family," he agreed.

She burrowed into his side and let the motion lull her into a doze. Our family. It sounded just perfect.