1:07 p.m. Darcy's Apartment

Maybe it was the fact that they would be separated so soon after coming together in one glorious night (and morning) of crazy passion. Or perhaps it was her prudish metaphorical mothers voice screaming at her for sleeping with Steve way too fast. More realistically, because she wasn't all that bothered by what they did, it was that she barely knew him from him. Nearly all the information she knows about her new lover was either from overhearing Jane, Thor, or Coulson or from the media and history books. Which is also really freaking weird.

SO it wasn't too strange that she was getting the first date jitters after the first night pleasures. Right? Really, she was a strong girl. Head in the clouds, feet on the ground type of chick. She'd had plenty of dates. Some good, some so awful she wanted to burn the memories straight out of her dome. (Seriously, the guy spilled spaghetti on her boobs in an attempt to get her to take her shirt off.)

Take a breath and shake it out. Darcy danced along to her cheesy pop radio station as she worked what little beauty magic she possessed. A hair curler was hot, makeup laid out, and that nice little dress she had ordered was draped over her newly made bed. Thank Odin she was living in a building with an A.I. butler who could measure your bust, waist, and hips accurately and have a dress delivered custom. She had ordered this particular red man-killer the day after meeting Steve and going on the little bike ride through New York.

Even before she realized she had a crush, she was a step ahead. The deep crimson dress was cut in her favorite way. Simply scandalous. A deep scoop neck put the girl on display, the tight waist line made her look like a fucking hourglass, and the pencil skirt hugged all of her assets, making her look like a Bond girl. Now, she was a p.j.'s kind of girl but when she got dolled up, she went all out.

Darcy was going to look crazy amazing. So why did she feel like maybe it was too much? Or not enough? Why were her knees feeling a little too much like Jello? Not to mention the way her stomach was sort of making questionable flips. Holy hell, she literally had clammy hands. What if he didn't like this side of her? What he hadn't even wanted to go out?

She was about to call the whole things off when her phone started to buzz.

"Yo." She answered with her usual swag, hoping the listener didn't hear the single word shake.

"Darce? Hey, it's me. Thor just filled me in. You ok?" Her bestie was clearly concerned and even the tone of Jane's usually high strung voice was soft and sweet. Damn it all.

"Nope. I seem to have forgotten how to not freak out before a date. I mean, we've already done the diddy, but Jesus Jane, I'm going to look like an idiot. I got this dress, but... And I don't even know what we'd talk about…And-," She was rambling, unable to stop herself from word vomiting.

"I'll be there in 5. Don't freak." And so Jane was. Her hair a clear tousled mess, jeans and a t-shirt tossed on and wrinkled. Didn't take a scientist to figure out this woman hadn't left the bed in the last 24 hours.

"Ok kid, what's up." Jane spoke quietly, moving Darcy to the large seating area. She really was an awesome friend, though a little flighty at times. Far be it from her to not take the hand that's offered. No room for egos here.

Darcy took a deep breath and slowly began to collect her thoughts. First thing.

"Right, well there's the whole time difference. Like, everything we know about the world is completely different. So what will we talk about?" She asked, her voice shaking just a tiny bit but she stayed strong.

"Easy. Talk about the things you like. Ask him about the things he had liked. Find the middle ground and go from there. It's a discovery process for any first dates. Next." Jane smiled at Darcy's gaped mouth shock. "I am dating a guy from a whole other world. You'd think I'd have learned something." Well that made sense. It was just so strange to see the normal part of Jane shine through all of the techno babble or the girlfriend of the thunder god. Not that Jane ever bragged. She just rambled.

"Right on." Darcy whispered, feeling one tense knot fall apart. Time for the next one. "Ok, so what do I do about the whole, he's-a-hero-I'm-a-zero thing?"

Jane eyed her for a second, looking like she almost didn't believe Darcy had talked down about herself sober. But it was true. Rubbing elbows with heroes was one thing. Dating one was a whole other cup of soup. There's a whole shit load of things she had to now contemplate.

"Don't. Stop that train of thought right now, Darcy Lewis." Jane demanded, standing to pace the living room. Here was a prime example of the scientist getting all riled up for one of her speeches but Darcy was feeling like she could use one right about now.

"Darce, hun. Dating a hero is hard work. There's a lot of emotional baggage and scary situations that will come about over and over and over again." The thin woman was waving her hands around as if to paint the very picture. Her words, however, were not helping. "No. No! You don't get it." She sighed.

"It's worth it, Darce. All of it. The time spent apart, the fear of danger, the pieces of him that belong to the world and not to you. Just to have him be the man, not the legend, with you and only you… If you are strong enough, and trust me here sister, you are, it is so fucking worth it."

The moment stretched out before them as her strange friend's words settled themselves deep inside her heart. If Captain America was needed by the world, Darcy wasn't going to get in the way, but could she be content with Steven Rogers? The man behind the mask?

Fuck yea. Like Jane said. Worth it. Maybe she was getting herself into a world of trouble by letting her heart lead the way, but she'd not be Darcy jumps-head-first- Lewis if she didn't.

4:45 Darcy's apartment

Jane had taken off a few minutes earlier after helping Darcy with her beautifying. She had even postponed her and Thor's departure time by 2 hours to ensure that she would be there to say good bye.

So it looked like Darcy had a crazy night ahead of her. She only hoped it was in a good way. The music had been turned down so she could hear if there was a knock, though really she was just being jittery. Her fingers fidgeted, not having anything to pull or pluck, her usually knit sweaters would be replaced by a slim grey peacoat. Said coat was hanging off the back of her dining room chair. It was her intention to give her date an eyeful of everything she had physically put into this night, then cover it up for the ride and show him how she had mentally prepared. (She damn near shoved the note cards with questions and suggestions into her bag having only been convinced she was too good for that by Jane...)

4:50

Holy crap. What if he doesn't even show? He could have been sent away on assignment or something. Or maybe he doesn't want to go out like she thought. Oh man, she was pushing things too fast with him. She just knew it. First the crazy spur of the moment banging, now the serious date thing. Oh maaann.

4:54

Darcy had found a dish rag and was in the process of pulling it apart string by string, when a soft knock at her door made her jump. A moment of surprise passed before she flew to the other side of her entertainment area and practically threw open the door.

Steven Rogers stood before her, All 6 foot 2 of him dressed in a classy yet still old fashioned suit and tie. His dark grey pants and jacket, combined with the light blue button up, made him look like a god-damned supermodel, not superhero. Or both. Yea, both.

She would have felt awkward for staring had it not been his own face. Or more honestly, his eyes, as they slowly roamed her ENTIRE body. The normally light blue eyes were dark and heavy as they caressed her body, making her skin tingle and goosebumps begin to form.

In a moment of uncertainty, Darcy couldn't help but blurt, "How do I look?" It was a whisper, thick with lust and nerves. That drew his eyes to hers in an instant. She couldn't tell, but he either looked like he wanted to smile or like he wanted to eat her alive.

Ye gods!

"I have never, in all of my ninety years," he paused to wink. WINK! Oh they'd be lucky if they even made it to the cab. "-seen a living piece of art like you."

"Where did you get game?" She breathed huskily, face completely flushed with pleasure at his words. The deep chuckle that came from his chest went straight to her lady parts, making her contemplate pulling him into her apartment and not leaving it. Ever.

"I have zero game. I was just being honest." He smiled, a heady mix of apprehension and clear want. Darcy had never set out to seduce Captain America. Hell, she had only just discovered the man behind the hero, but now, as they stood so close together already knowing what pleasures could be found with each other, Darcy was beginning to wonder if that strange thing called destiny really did exist.

Either way, here they were. The American legend, holding out his hand to little old her. She wasn't even talking about The Cap. Steve was, at his core, the dream.

And she was going to fucking live the dream tonight.