#hollyspacey

As it turned out, Darcy’s version of a staycation meant keeping him up past midnight with sex so hot, he almost thought he could have dreamed it, except his imagination wasn’t this spectacular.

And now she was giving him ‘breakfast in bed’ as well?

He reached for her, running his palm down her bare waist and down under the sheets to graze her hip and thigh as well. “Sounds like it was going to be spectacular, I’m sorry I have work…”

“It was going to be the breakfast of champions, I’ll have you know,” she replied haughtily. “I hope you realize that you’re missing a veritable banquet, Coulson.”

He chuckled and shifted closer. “It wasn’t a red alert, I could spare maybe twenty minutes or so? This hotel is closer to work than either of our apartments…”

She grinned. “I guess I could give you two courses rather than the full five.”

“Five? You’re aware I’m a helluva lot older than you, aren’t you? Five courses could kill me.”

“What a way to go,” she breathed, leaning closer and capturing his lips in a sensual kiss that damn near curled his toes on its own.

He wondered as she ducked under the covers. If she knew just how wrapped around her finger he really was. That he’d give her the world if she so much as asked.

Phil had made that promise to himself about four microseconds after Darcy had kissed him that first time. Call him a sugar daddy, call him whatever you wanted, but he wasn’t ever going to say no to her about anything.

Leave it to Darcy to be such a stellar example of humanity that she never so much as asked him for the time. Well, she asked for his time. Which, as it turned out, was one of the only things he couldn’t give her.

He’d put the room on his credit card, though.  And after this wake-up call?  He was going to add a massage and full spa day as well.

“You okay?” she asked, her head coming back up from under the covers and tilting quizzically.

“Fantastic,” he assured her. She made it so easy to love her. Even if he couldn’t tell her yet.

Jane poked her when they reachedthe med bay and Darcy looked up to find the Avengers, Nick Fury and Maria Hillstanding there in a circle. Thor broke off to envelope Jane in his arms, pressinga brief, relieved kiss to her lips.

“Darcy,” he said with a smile,turning to give her a hug as well.

Darcy happily hugged him back,squeezing his biceps and lingering deliberately until he barked out a laugh andpushed her away.

“Lewis,” Tony Stark greeted, beckoningher into the circle. “How many times have I told you, no inappropriate behaviorin my tower?”

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Likeyou’re one to talk. How’s Bucky?” she asked, adding belatedly, “And Clint?”

“They’ll be fine.”

“Cool.” She stifled a sigh ofrelief. “So why am I here?”

Tony eyed the people around them.“Anyone want to fill her in on what happened?”

The first person to catch Darcy’seye was Steve. He looked drained but offered her a polite smile. Beside him,Natasha Romanoff smirked, looking no less scary than she usually looked. Furyand Agent Hill were as impassive as ever. Dr. Banner sported tattered clothesand looked about ready to collapse.

No one stepped up to answerTony’s question.

“What is it?” Darcy finallyblurted, unable to take the suspense. “Is it my parents? Are they supervillainsnow? ‘Cause last I checked, my dad was working with unstable chemicals at KripkoChem.”

Darcy had warned him to becareful. Playing with science was what had caused Johann Schmidt to become theRed Skull in the first place. It wasn’t safe, dammit! Why did no one everlisten to her?

“This is all your fault,” shethrew carelessly at Jane, who gave her a flat look, totally unaffected by thebaseless accusation. She was used to Darcy blaming her for every wrong thing inher life. More often than not, it was funny.

“Your dad’s fine, Darcy,” Steve assuredher. He sighed and looked at Fury, who grimaced.

“I’m outta here. Debrief in anhour.”

“I dislike him a lot,” Darcywhispered to Tony as the former director of SHIELD stalked off, his leathercoat billowing impressively behind him.

“Everyone does,” Tony whisperedback. “He’s very unlikable.”

Once Fury had disappeared, Stevestepped forward and took Darcy’s arm, leading her some distance away from thegroup. Tony followed, a curious bounce to his step. For a man sporting an uglybruise on his forehead, he looked a little too gleeful for Darcy’s comfort.

“Uh,” she mumbled, glancing backat the others. They watched her for a moment before Jane said something andeveryone turned their attention to her. Darcy scrunched up her face at Tony.“Am I fired? Because I swear I haven’t posted unsolicited Avengers photos ontwitter in more than three weeks!”

Tony snorted, but was otherwiseunsurprised by her admission. “You’re not fired, but we’re gonna have a talkabout your extracurricular activities in the tower.”

“Never mind that,” Steveinterrupted impatiently. “Darcy. This is about the mission.”

Darcy blinked, a surprised smilebeginning to creep onto her face. “You’re allowed to tell me? Am I beingpromoted?”

“Uh, no. Normally, we wouldn’ttell you about where we go and what we do but…” Here, Steve paused and lookeduneasily at the closed door to his left. “But this concerns you, so…”

Darcy nodded slowly, wonderinghow in hell an Avengers mission could concern her. Stranger things have happened, Darcy, she reminded herself, smilingat Steve in encouragement. “Lay it on me, Captain.”

Her eyes flickered briefly to theclosed door. Was Bucky in there?

“Right,” Steve began. “Have you,by any chance, heard of Sirens?”

“Sirens, as in the myth? As in,mermaids who lure sailors into their traps with songs? As in–”

“Yeah, yeah, they’re real,” Tony declaredloudly, cutting her off.

Darcy’s smile didn’t falter. Ifanything, it widened in amusement, a laugh bubbling up inside her, ready toburst forth at the first sight of a mischievous smile on their faces. Shewaited for one of them to yell ‘Gotcha!’ and when no one did, her brow furrowedin confusion. She focused her questioning gaze on Steve, who looked as seriousas ever. If Captain America was serious, it definitely couldn’t be a joke.

“I guess,” she began carefully. “Iguess I can believe that.” After all, she had faced aliens, giant firedemons and more recently, before coming to live in the Tower, a handful ofHYDRA creeps trying to kidnap Jane.

“They’re not from here. But theydo exist in Asgard,” explained Steve. “Apparently, someone thought it’d be funto drop Sirens into the Pacific and let them cause havoc. Thor found out and weimmediately left to capture them.”

Wow, Sirens. Darcy couldn’t stopthe grin spreading on her face when the cool quotient of their mission finally settledin. Her overactive imagination instantly began conjuring images to supportSteve’s words. Stormy skies, dark choppy waters, a mysterious tune in the air,a ship manned by Midgard’s most capable warriors… it was a scene right out of amedieval fantasy novel.

“So, you were off on an excitingfishing trip this past week, eh?” Darcy couldn’t help but ask, “What are theylike, the Sirens? Beautiful or monstrous? Green or sparkly? Wait… how are youguys even here right now? Shouldn’t you be rotting in their underwater caves,lulled there by their enchanting voices?”

“Your confidence in our abilitiesis inspiring,” deadpanned Tony.

Darcy snickered. “So, whathappened? Did you capture them all?”

“We couldn’t. It got really uglyand none of them survived.” Steve paused and looked at the door again. “Exceptone.”

“Oookay.” Darcy’s eyes swept fromSteve to Tony and back. “I’m still waiting for the part where you tell me howany of this concerns me.”

“The remaining Siren… well, Buckywouldn’t let us kill her and,” Steve cleared his throat, “and so we brought herhere.”

“Also, she looks like you,” Tonyadded quickly, earning a glare from Cap. The billionaire merely shrugged.

Darcy stared at them, utterlynonplussed. “What?”

“Yes, well, Sirens assume theform of–”

“The person you desire the most,”she finished impatiently. “I know that, Steve! But what does that have to dowith… wait, are you in love with me?”

“No! God, no! I mean, you’regreat, but…”

“I get it, Cap, jeez!” Shecrossed her arms and regarded both men shrewdly. “So then, Tony saw Pepper andThor must have seen Jane… correct?”

“Not quite. Thor is a demigod.He’s immune to Sirens. And I was in my Iron suit. It protected me from theircharms.”

Darcy frowned. “Okay. What aboutthe others?”

“The Hulk doesn’t desire anyone,nor does Romanoff, which,” Tony turned to Steve with a pout, “was a missedopportunity. Now I’m wondering if she’s a cyborg.”

Steve rolled his eyes. “Women areimmune to Siren magic, Tony. Don’t be an ass.” His tone changed then, as he spokesoftly, “I saw Peggy. She was beautiful. She swam out of the water and took myhand.” Steve gulped. “But I snapped out of the enchantment when Tony punched meand reminded me she’s dead.”

“You’re welcome, by the way,” sangTony. “Otherwise she’d have pulled you right into the ocean with Barnes.”

Darcy’s gaze flicked from one manto the other as they spoke, her brain working full time to process all this newand incredible information. Needing a moment to sort everything out, she tunedout the conversation and focused her energy on what Steve and Tony wereultimately trying to tell her.

She thought she knew. It scaredher a bit, but she was beginning to get an inkling of where this conversationwas headed and how she was involved. Butterflies erupted in her stomach at themere idea of it, giant butterflies, ones that only took flight when a certainsuper soldier was around.

“We don’t really know who theSiren turned into to hypnotize Clint,” Steve was saying when Darcy focused onhim again.

“I heard him call her Laura,”supplied Tony, sounding intrigued. “Who’s Laura?”

They stood in thought for a momentbefore Steve placed a gentle hand on Darcy’s shoulder, his blue eyes earnest. “Ithink you know now why you’re here.”

“Y-yeah.” She looked hesitantlyat the door. “Are they in there?”

Steve nodded. “The Siren is theretoo, but she’s beyond the glass pane. Imprisoned. Don’t… don’t look at her.”

Tony waved off his advice andremarked, “You can check her out if you want, but since she refuses to changeforms, it’ll be a bizarro parent trap kinda situation, so try not to freakout.” He opened the door and stepped aside to let her in.

Darcy found herself in a smallprivate ward with three beds lining the opposite wall. To her right lay anunconscious Clint, bruised and battered, with his leg in a cast. She watchedhim for a moment, her heart heavy. Suddenly, the latest mission didn’t seem socool anymore. It had evidently been dangerous and exhausting. And Clint seemedto have gotten the short end of the stick. The Sirens had done one hell of anumber on him.

“Darcy?”

She jumped slightly and turned tosee Bucky sitting on a bed, shirtless, his metal hand resting just above a longred gash on his abdomen. He looked alarmed to see her. “Who let you in?”

Darcy stepped closer, her eyestrained on his injury. An inch of it, at the top, had healed already and thescar it left behind was pink and swollen. She was about to ask him how he wasfeeling when a movement to her left caught her eye.

“Don’t…” Bucky began but it wastoo late. Darcy had already whipped around and was now gaping openly at thesight before her.

“Woah,” she murmured, momentarilyforgetting about Bucky and going to stand before the glass pane. If she didn’tknow any better, she would have thought she was looking into a mirror.

The woman on the other sidelooked just like her. Same blue-green eyes, pouty lips, flowing dark hair… eventhe expression on her face reflected Darcy on a typical day, bored and ready todish out a sarcastic comment at the drop of a hat.

Still, there was something about her. A certain glow, that Darcylacked. She wore rags which she plucked and pulled at, clearly wanting to getrid of them. But someone, one of the Avengers perhaps, had strapped twin beltsaround her frame to hold the rags in place and to keep her from strippingnaked. Darcy flushed, thinking about one of the guys covering her bare bodywith the fabric. It was embarrassing to think someone wearing her skin had pranced naked in front ofthe mighty Avengers.

Muffled sound of Bucky callingher name reached her ears but Darcy couldn’t take her eyes off of herself. Sheidly wondered if Sirens could bewitch, not just men but, women too. Withoutthinking, she raised a hand and placed it on the thick sheet of glassseparating them. The Siren’s lips moved but no sound came out. The glass was probablysound proof.

For a moment, it looked like shewould imitate the action and place her palm over Darcy’s, but the next second,she lunged at the glass, her lips pulled back over her sharp, animal-like teethin a seemingly silent growl.

Darcy shrieked and jumped back,colliding with something solid. Heart hammering in her chest, she tore her gazeaway from her scary clone and turned to find Bucky standing behind her.

“Are you all right?”

“Dude,” she breathed, clutchinghis arm tightly. “Why did the Siren take on my image to try and seduce you?”

Bucky looked pained, like he wasfighting with himself and didn’t know how to respond.

“Is there something you wannatell me?” Darcy pressed, willing him to speak.

She was nervous and excited to hear his confession. Inall the months she had known him, not once had he given any indication that hedesired her as more than a friend. He hung out with her whenever they ran intoeach other, but never went out of his way to seek her. He was also veryunapologetic about leaving abruptly when he wasn’t in the mood to be around heror anyone else.

Jane had once remarked that hiseyes followed Darcy whenever they were in the same room. Her off-hand remarkhad been waved aside, presumed false and possibly a product of her vividimagination. But maybe she had been right. Darcy was always so focused on not staring at Bucky for too long thatshe hadn’t realize he noticed her too.

Now, as she stared hopefully intohis slightly glassy eyes, she cursed herself for how blind she’d been.

“You should leave.” His gruffvoice, low with restraint, popped her growing bubble of happiness and Darcylooked at him, confused.

“What?”

“Go. Now,” Bucky practicallybegged and Darcy’s heart sank.

“Yeah, okay.” He was embarrassed,that was it. Maybe he was ashamed of wanting her. Or maybe he didn’t reallywant her and the Siren’s magic was flawed; it had shown him Darcy instead ofsomeone else.

She stumbled away from him,feeling utterly stupid. “Cool. It’s all cool, Barnes. I… I won’t ever bring itup, if that’s what you want.”

She turned around and fled theroom, slamming the door shut behind her. Everyone outside had left, exceptSteve and Natasha, who were standing in a corner with Steve slumped against thewall and Natasha whispering something fast in his ear. At one point, she pulledher hand back and slapped him hard.

“Snap out of it,” Darcy heard hersay before she stepped into the elevator and let it whisk her away from thecraziness.

–o–

That evening, Thor brought thelimp body of an unfamiliar woman into the lab.

“What the hell?” Darcy exclaimed,rolling her chair far away and making a face at Jane.

The astrophysicist lookedapologetic. “This is why Steve had to tell you about her,” she said. “So youwouldn’t freak out when Thor brought her here.”

Darcy had no idea what Jane was talkingabout. “Who is she?”

When she got no answer, only twinexpressions of ‘take a guess, why don’t you?’ realization dawned and Darcy’sgaze snapped back to the unconscious woman who looked nothing like her. She had ginger hair, dry thin lips, and skin thecolor of lichen.

“Why does she look like that?”she asked Thor.

“It’s her original form,” heexplained. “I assumed seeing her awake would upset you, like it did earlier.”Darcy wondered how he knew. “Therefore I requested the Midgardian healer todrug her. Following that, she naturally changed back into her original form.”

“Whatever.” Darcy sniffed. “Whydid you bring her here?”

Jane cleared a table far awayfrom the important equipment. “Bruce wanted me to run some tests on her beforeThor takes her back to Asgard. Are you going to stay and help?”

“Not if you’re planning tomutilate her for science.” At the horrified look on Jane’s face, Darcy quicklybacktracked. “Joke. ‘Twas a joke, Janey.”

She watched Thor lay her down onthe table, then asked quietly, “Is Bucky okay now?”

Thor nodded and regarded herseriously. “Are you?”

Darcy broke into a reluctantgrin. “Pfft. I’m alive and kickin’, big guy. Never been better. Tell me, whatdo I have to do? Remove an eyeball, pluck out all her hair, superglue her fingerstogether…?”

Jane huffed. “Let’s start withtaking a sample of her blood, shall we?”

Two minutes in, Darcy exclaimedtriumphantly, “Look at that, her blood is green. Told you there’s somethingwrong with her.”

“Darcy, focus.”

“Her magic is clearly flawed. TheAvengers were duped.”

–o–

The Siren incident turned herentire life upside down. She couldn’t meet Steve’s eyes or Bruce’s orNatasha’s, knowing that they had seen her naked, watched her attack them and mercilesslypull one of their friends underwater. She couldn’t talk to them freely withoutwondering if they’d be triggered by the sight of her.

She knew it hadn’t been her. They knew it, too. But Darcy stillcouldn’t reconcile with the fact that a monster had taken her form to seduce anAvenger.

“I don’t understand what’s soupsetting about this,” Tony wondered when he visited Jane’s lab a few dayslater and saw Darcy moping around. “Shouldn’t you be happy Barnes is warm foryour form? Granted, he’s a first class jerk most of the time but he’s an okayguy overall.”

Out of all the Avengers, Tonyseemed to have moved past the incident really fast. Darcy didn’t know if itdisturbed her or endeared him to her. These days, he was more open to herinterference in his life and had started calling her Darcy instead of Lewis. Itfelt nice. He didn’t judge her, didn’t look at her like she had betrayed himsomehow. Well, neither did the others, but Darcy couldn’t help but feel herpresence made them uncomfortable.

“Tony,” she sighed, shooting hima halfhearted glare. “First of all, he’s not a jerk. Second of all, you don’tunderstand what I’m going through.”

“You’re thinking too much, Darcy.Stop assuming things and get out of this stuffy lab once in a while. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Good.” He winked as he left.“Now forget about the Siren and see the bright side.”

Darcy moaned and thunked her headon her desk. There was nothing bright or positive about what had happened. Sheblamed Steve for telling her about the Siren. Making her think, for a few shorteuphoric moments, that Bucky Barnesdesired her. Clearly he didn’t, and was just as disturbed as she was about itall.

In a bid to clear the air withher, he had taken to showing up at the most unexpected moments. When she washaving breakfast in the kitchen with Thor and Jane. When she was returning fromher afternoon coffee run. When she snuck up to the communal floor to relax whenno one was around.

Darcy knew he was deliberatelyseeking her out. She knew because, while previously she had a hard time findinghim whenever she wanted to hang out, now he was everywhere! He even went so faras to send her a box of her favorite cookies with a small note attached thatread I’m sorry. We need to talk.

But Darcy wasn’t stupid. If allhe wanted to say was sorry, that the Siren incident had been a terrible mistakeand Darcy shouldn’t have been there in the first place, then she had nointerest in talking to him whatsoever. In fact, he had nothing to apologize for. None of what had happened was his fault.Seeing the Siren take Darcy’s form had caused everyone to jump to false conclusionswithout a single consideration of thefact that the darned sea witch could have made a mistake.

It was the reason why Darcywasn’t ready to face Bucky, wasn’t ready to hear him say sorry. She didn’t wanthis pity. Nor was she keen to see the rejection in his eyes. Again.

No. Staying away was the bestoption.

With that thought in mind, shebegan to avoid him. She left the kitchen when he showed up, changed directions whenshe glimpsed him in the distance, avoided the communal floor, ignored his calls,and tossed the box of cookies to Jane, not before snagging a cookie for herselfand stomping up to her room to sulk. Howwas this her life?

She’d have to tell Steve to tellBucky to get off her back. She knew what he wanted to say. He didn’t have to freakingspell it out to her!

–o–

“Jane, can I have the eveningoff?”

“Why?”

“I’m sick.” Darcy faked a cough.

Jane looked skeptical. “Nice try.Why do you really want the eveningoff?”

Darcy sighed and spouted anotherlie. “I have a date.”

Instead of smiling and giving herthumbs up like she always did, Jane frowned. “With whom?”

“You don’t know him.”

“Does Bucky know?”

Her heart skipped a beat at themention of his name but Darcy had successfully learned to control her reactionsover the past few days. “Why would I tell him about my love life?” she saidcasually, taking her phone and getting to her feet. “I’ll see you tomorrow,‘kay?”

“Darcy!” Jane called after her.“What about dinner tonight with the Avengers? You can’t miss that.”

Watch me, she wanted to retort, but she merely grinned and said,“Sorry, Jane. Next time.”

A week ago, Darcy would havejumped at the chance to hang out with the Avengers. Now, it was exactly thekind of thing she was looking to avoid. It wasn’t the only reason why shewanted the evening off, though. The day before, Bucky had wandered onto the labfloor–without warning!–and, forget facing him like a grown-ass woman would,Darcy didn’t even have the courage to smile and make some excuse to leave. No. Shehad chickened out and had hid behind the generator until he went away.

She had a feeling he would comeagain. He had never invaded her work space before, so she felt particularlyannoyed about it. Especially since every time she saw him, a thrill shotthrough her system and her heart rate quickened. She hated herself for it.

“Darcy, Darcy, Darcy,” she scoldedherself tiredly, kicking shut the door to her apartment and throwing herself onthe couch. “You can’t run forever… can’t take every evening off… can’t go here…can’t go there… all because of a stupid Siren.”

She lay there for goodness knewhow long, her blank stare tracing indistinct patterns on the ceiling, until theabrupt sound of the doorbell broke her out of her reverie.

“Un momento,” she called,dragging her feet to the door and pulling it open. Only to gasp and slam itshut again.

But before she could shut itcompletely, five metal fingers curled around the edge and pushed the door openwith ease. Shocked and more than a little angry at the intrusion, Darcy scowledat Bucky when he stepped in and carefully closed the door behind him. His eyeswere trained on hers and his gait was determined as he slowly advanced on her.

His voice, when he spoke, wascool, restrained. “How long did you think you could avoid me?”

Darcy bristled at his tone, herprevious reservations about talking to him forgotten. “You were the one whotold me to leave,” she bit out. “I was simply following orders.”

Bucky’s eyes flashed. “Don’t sassme, Darcy.”

“What do you want me to do?” she demanded,crossing her arms defensively. “Sit through your baseless apology and then goour separate ways?”

He gave her an incredulous look. “Isthat what you think I want?”

“Why else would you follow me allaround the tower if not to apologize for something that isn’t even your fault?I get that you’re embarrassed but you have nothing to be sorry for.”

“What–no, that’s not at all whyI wanted to talk to you!”

Darcy scoffed. “Why, then? ‘CauseI’m pretty sure it wasn’t just to tell me my hair smells good.”

“It does smell good,” Bucky said quietly, blue eyes momentarilydropping to the locks of hair resting over the swell of her breast.

Darcy faltered, sidetracked bythe sudden shift in conversation. “Um,” she fumbled, blinking rapidly. Hewasn’t supposed to look at her like that. It was making her forget what she wantedto say.

“Darce,” Bucky said, takingadvantage of her temporary speechlessness. “You have no idea what happened that day. Please don’t presume–”

“No,” Darcy said immediately. Shelooked at him, eager to make him understand. “I know what happened. Jane and I figured it out. It’s not your faultthe Siren’s enchantment was crappy. She clearly made a mistake with you.”

“What are you on about?” Buckygrumbled. “She didn’t make any goddamn mistakes! In fact, she did her jobexceptionally well if the fading scar on my torso is any indication.”

Darcy shook her head vehemently.“But her magic was flawed…”

At her words, he shot her a lookof utter disbelief. “Is that what you tell yourself to ease your misplacedhurt? Jesus, Darcy, what’s wrong with you?” He started to pace, his movementsquick and jerky. “That day, when I told you to leave, I wasn’t rejecting you.”

“Bucky, it’s okay. I don’t–”

“No, you need to hear this!” heinsisted.

Darcy clamped her mouth shut andnodded for him to continue.

“That day, when you came in, theSiren… she recognized you.”

“Well, of course she did!”

“Shut up for a minute, will you?”

“Fine.”

Bucky huffed and went on, “Themoment she saw you, she started… humming.”

“Humming?” But she hadn’t heard asingle peep out of the Siren.

“Yeah. It was faint, not likewhen we were at sea, where the music was loud, clear and near impossible toresist.” Bucky’s eyes glazed over as he spoke and Darcy listened to him,stunned into silence. “It was chaos. The Sirens were powerful and unrelenting.They each picked one of us as their target and didn’t back down until eitherthey were dead or we were in the sea with them. Stark may have gotten over itquickly but I know he was scared shitless when Steve succumbed to theenchantment.”

Hearing Bucky recite the fullstory made Darcy suddenly realize how much the mission had affected him. Shehad been so engrossed in her own concerns, she hadn’t stopped to think aboutwhat the Avengers had been through. She remembered the state of Dr. Banner’sclothes that day, the bandage wrapped around Natasha’s forearm, Clint’s brokenleg in a cast, the quiet look on Steve’s face when he had mentioned Peggy.

She also recalled Natasha hittingSteve, telling him to ‘snap out of it’. At the time, Darcy hadn’t paidattention to them. But now she knew. Like Bucky, Steve was hearing the musictoo.

“It was a sound proof ward Starklocked her in,” Bucky continued. “But a hint of that godforsaken tune slipped throughsomehow. It was distracting. I was hurt and you were there… and I couldn’tconcentrate… and–”

Before he could say another word,Darcy stepped closer and placed a hand on his cheek to stop him. She’d heardenough. She didn’t want any more explanations.

“It’s okay,” she whispered,grazing her fingers down his face. The bristles on his cheek felt deliciousagainst the soft skin of her palm. “I get it.”

He covered her hand with his andbrought it to rest over his heart. “I wasn’t rejecting you, Darcy. I justdidn’t want you to see me at my weakest.”

“Okay,” Darcy said simply,ignoring the sudden burst of hope that filled her chest at his words. “Ithought you didn’t want me,” she added in a small voice.

Bucky raised a hand to tuck alock behind her ear, his fingers combing through her hair before coming to cupher neck. “You thought wrong.”

Darcy swayed closer to him,reveling in the tiny sparks of electricity his touch elicited. She caughtherself wishing she had approached him sooner, cleared everything upinstead of avoiding him like a coward. They had wasted so much time playinghide and seek.

Her eyes dropped to his mouth. Shereally wanted him to kiss her, she knew he wantedto, but he made no such move. He just stood there and looked at her like shewas the most amazing thing in the world.

“I tried so hard to stay awayfrom you,” he murmured, leaning down to brush his lips over her forehead. “Ireally did.”

“Why?” Darcy breathed, closingher eyes when he pressed light kisses over her eyelids.

“I didn’t think I was ready for arelationship.” His lips moved down her cheek, as slow as ever. “I didn’t thinkyou’d want one with me anyway.”

“Because you’re the WinterSoldier?”

“Mm-hmm.” He smiled against herjaw when he felt her wrap her arms around his waist and pull him flush againsther.

“I think the Winter Soldier ispretty cool,” Darcy teased. “It’s Bucky Barnes who’s an idiot.”

Bucky huffed out a laugh. “Notgonna argue with that, doll.”

“Good. Now, are you planning to kissme soon…” Darcy stretched up on her tiptoes until her lips were a hair’sbreadth away from his. “Or do I have to place an enchantment on you?”

“No, ma’am, once is enough,”Bucky replied with a grin, leaning down and capturing her lips in a sound kiss.

So, maybe Tony was right. Maybe there was abright side to the Siren incident after all.

But this was her last interview. The last one before she could go home to her empty apartment and sleep for the foreseeable future.

She’d rather curl up in bed with her super-speedy boyfriend and their collection of abandoned dogs and cats that they’d accrued over the years, but she’d settle for her animals, who she’d only seen in the mornings and in the evenings when she fed them.

Pietro wouldn’t be back for a while yet.  Or so she assumed.  Cell service was patchy, and she hadn’t really heard from him other than when he checked in after the big battle.

If she thought about him too much, she wouldn’t be able to function.  The key to functioning was no thinking, only word vomit.

Darcy arrived at the radio station with a few minutes to spare.  Trish Walker, who looked about like Darcy felt, waved her in and started introducing her immediately.

Darcy didn’t mind doing Trish’s show, in fact, she’d done it a lot before the snap. Afterward, there wasn’t really anything to report… but when Trish’s number showed up on her phone, she knew she had to make time.

And she graciously answered all the questions, pushed the cough button when she had to yawn, and thought she saw a blur of blue and black in the window outside the sound booth, but chalked it up to her lack of sleep.

Except she kept seeing it.

And then she saw him. Standing there in the window.  Pietro waved, grinned widely, and pointed to the speakers. He gave her a thumbs-up, and for the first time in the past three days, Darcy almost burst into tears.

Of relief.  She hadn’t realized how much not seeing her favorite goober made her shoulders tense up.

Trish noticed a change in her demeanor and squinted out into the other room, a smile coming to her face.  “Looks like we need to cut this short. Our favorite PR manager looks like sleep on a stick, but we’re super glad to have you here, Darcy.”

“Thanks, Trish.  Anytime, and I mean it.”

Trish winked and waved her off.  And Darcy turned, almost forgot to remove her headset, and after removing it, practically ran out of the booth.

He met her halfway, wrapping both arms around her and hugging her close. “I saw you on the internet,” he said, whispering softly as she burst into tears against his chest.

“Coming from anyone else, I’d almost be offended…” she joked, tears clogging up her usual candor.

“I meant on a news site,” he clarified. “I certainly hope all the other videos are for my eyes only…”

Darcy laughed. And then sobbed.  And then laughed again, looking up into his eyes.  She brought both hands to either side of his face and tugged him down for a kiss.  A long kiss where she tried to talk in the middle of it, but gave up because she just didn’t want to stop kissing him yet.

“I’m so glad you’re okay.  Thank you for coming back,” she murmured.

“You think that oversized grape-man could keep me away?” Pietro scoffed. “Never. I’d like to see him try to keep us apart.”

“The cats and dogs missed you.”

“What about the rabbit?”

She shrugged. “He was unphased. I dunno, man.”

“What about you?” he asked, clearly pushing for more shmoop.  If he wanted shmoop, he was going to get it.

“I haven’t slept in three days, and I’m considering making it three days and one hour,” she said, waggling her eyebrows.

“Only one hour?” he asked, slipping his arm around her waist and leading her to the door. “I could go for two.”

“I give you permission to go for two.  But I can only promise one,” she replied, her eyelids already growing heavy as he led her from the building.

“Counteroffer, how about we go home, sleep for a solid ten, and go for three in the morning?” he suggested.

“Have I told you lately that I love you?” Darcy asked groggily.

“Nope, but I already know,” Pietro replied. “Love you more.”