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“Okay, sure,” Darcy said as she took a sip of her latte and continued to walk hand in hand with Tony down the block, “But what if-”
“Hold that thought, Kid,” Tony grimaced as his phone chimed out a familiar notification. “Shit,” he said as he checked the message, “That’s not far from here.”
“Call to Assemble?” Darcy asked casually, relatively used to their dates being interrupted by now. She’d be pissed about it, but Tony always made it up to her in spades.
“Yeah,” Tony replied as he cast his eyes around. “The team is already on the way, the meeting place is less than a block from here.” They continued moving, Tony not stopping the swivel of his head until he spotted what he was looking for. “Okay, yep,” he said as he pulled Darcy along into a small alcove of a building. “I need you to stay here, Darcy. Like, really, really stay here. I can’t be worrying about your safety right now, got it?”
“Totally,” Darcy smiled. “No interest in being involved with the bad guys anyway, I’ll stick here and you come find me when you’re done?” When Tony nodded she smiled and leaned up for a kiss. “Be safe,” she said as he walked away.
Ten minutes must have passed, Darcy could make out the flurry of activity 500 feet away from her but couldn’t make out which side was winning or how long the fight would continue to go on. There was a cracking noise overhead and Darcy looked up just in time to see a heavy stone gargoyle falling towards the ground. She’d barely had time to acknowledge that she was in danger when the heavy stone made contact with her shoulder, shoving her down to the ground with a force greater than she would have expected.
“Oh, fuck,” she exhaled with the last of the air that was in her lungs. When she made to inhale again she found it harder than she expected, the heavy stone gargoyle resting on her chest preventing her from getting anything close to a full breath of air. “Tony?” she called out weakly, knowing there was no way he’d hear her over the din of the fight. “Tony, I really need you,” she whimpered.
Her breaths were shallow, the pain from the weight of the gargoyle was almost nothing compared to the pain in her lungs from the lack of air. Combined with the anxiety of knowing that no one would know to check on her until the fight was over with, Darcy could feel her body moving closer and closer to a panic attack with each gasping breath. She couldn’t see the fight now, could only hear the sounds of it in the distance and she had no idea if it was anywhere close to stopping.
She tried to move her legs, found that she could still wiggle them around but that the top half of the gargoyle seemed to be resting solidly on her hips, the weight heavy and preventing her from moving. The wings had fallen in such a way to perfectly trap her arms at her side, her right arm at an odd angle from where she’d evidently tried to catch herself. There was a warm, wet feeling on her right side but she didn’t have the mental capacity to think about that just yet. “Tony,” she kept crying out weakly. “Daddy, please, come save me,” she whispered as her vision went dark.
“Darcy, Darcy, c’mon, Darcy wake up,” someone was muttering over and over again as they brushed the hair out of her face. She struggled to suck in a breath then let out a low moan at the remembered pain. “There we are, Baby Girl, c’mon open your eyes,” Tony kept talking, “Let me see those beautiful blues, huh?”
Darcy cracked her eyes open, tears already gathering in the corners from the pain in her chest. “Tony?” she said softly, afraid to try and take in another breath lest she caused herself more discomfort.
“I’m here, Baby Girl, I’ve got you. Can you tell me where it hurts?” he asked gently as the gauntlets from his suit retracted so he could take her right hand in his. He was kneeling beside her, hands and head the only thing out of his armor, while the rest of the team continued to do damage control in the street behind him.
“Ev-everywhere,” Darcy shuddered. “My chest, though, a lot. I can’t breathe,” she panted. “I can’t breathe and my lungs hurt,” she stammered out.
“Okay, Darcy. It’s okay, we’re going to get you out from under this thing,” Tony said, his voice calmer than he was feeling inside. “Can you move your legs for me?” he asked, casting his gaze behind him to see her feet wiggling. “Okay, great, that’s great, Baby Girl,” he continued reassuringly. “Do you know if you’re bleeding anywhere?”
Darcy sucked in a shallow breath, “I think, maybe?” She took a few more careful sips of air before continuing, “My right side feels kind of wet, but,” she paused to get more air.
“Shhh, stop talking, let me check for you, okay?” Tony said gently, his hand loosening in hers as he began to turn to her side.
Darcy gripped his hand hard with what had to have been all the strength she possessed in her body, “Don’t leave me, Daddy!” Her eyes were as wide as saucers, tears clearly streaming down the sides of her face. “Please,” she gasped out, barely holding in a sob that would have shaken her body had it gotten loose.
“Alright, Baby Girl. Alright, I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying right here,” Tony soothed, one hand wiping away at her tears as the other pressed the button for the communication device. “Hey, Birdbrains, I need your assistance over here,” he called out.
Moments later Clint approached them, “Oh, fuck,” Tony heard him mutter when he walked up.
“Listen up, Darcy’s bleeding somewhere under this stone batman so I can’t just pull it off of her. I need you to look and see how bad the damage is so we can be prepared when I finally get this thing off of her,” Tony explained patiently, as he continued to stroke Darcy’s hair.
“Oh…kay,” Clint said as he got on his knees. “Is there a reason you chose me for this? Surely Sam would have been a better choice.”
“Because she’s comfortable with you, dumbass,” Tony spat out. “And you’ve got better eyesight.”
“Alright, Darcy,” Clint stated, ignoring Tony’s shortness and leaning around him to catch her eye. “I’m going to check over your legs first, okay? Try not to jump when I touch you,” he said softly.
“Daddy,” Darcy whispered, “I’m scared.”
“Did she just-” Clint started to speak but shut up when he saw the look in Tony’s eyes.
“You can either shut your mouth and help us out or get the fuck out of here, but I chose you for a reason, Clint,” Tony said without taking his eyes off of Darcy. His voice softened before he spoke again, this time addressing Darcy, “I’ve got you Baby Girl. You’re going to be fine, just keep looking at me, okay?”
Minutes passed in tense stillness, Darcy’s soft gasps punctuating the sounds of the city while Tony kept whispering softly to her. Finally, Clint stood back and moved to Darcy’s other side so she could see both him and Tony. “Looks like the wing got you on its way down, there’s about a two inch cut on your abdomen causing the bleeding. It’s not punctured,” Clint added to Tony.
“Okay, Darcy,” Tony said firmly, “Here’s what’s going to happen. Clint is going to come around here and take your hand from me. He’s going to stay right here by your side while I get up and get this damn thing off of you.”
“Okay,” Darcy nodded, tears still streaming down her face.
“When I do get it off I need you to do something for me, okay?” Tony asked, continuing on only when she nodded. “You’re going to be real tempted to take in a big breath of air, but I need you to try as hard as you can to keep breathing shallow.”
“Okay,” Darcy agreed, “I’m ready.” Tony and Clint switched places in an instant, so fast Darcy barely had time to register the switch of their hands, just the sudden press of Clint’s calluses on her soft palm.
The gauntlets came back on Tony’s suit as he reached down to take hold of each of the wings. “On the count of three, Baby Girl,” he said just before the facemask closed over his mouth. The countdown sounded from the tinny speakers in his chest before he pulled back, launching the gargoyle to the back of the ally and enjoying the sight of it smashing to pieces.
He saw her start to take a deep breath then stop herself suddenly. Seconds later he was back by Darcy’s side as she moaned in pain. “I tried so hard, Daddy,” she cried, “Why can’t I breathe?”
“You did great, Darcy,” he said soothingly. “I think you’ve probably got some broken ribs, though. It’s why it’s hard for you to breathe. I don’t want you taking too deep of breath either, it could make it worse,” he cautioned, stopping himself before he told her she could puncture her own lung.
Clint cleared his throat softly, “I, uh, think Sam should check her over before we try and move her at all.”
“You’re right,” Tony said looking up at where Clint stood. “Hey, Baby Girl,” he said as he smiled down at Darcy. “You think you’ll be okay if Sam comes to take a look at you?”
“Uh huh,” Darcy nodded, already beginning to feel the adrenalin crash.
“Nope, no you don’t,” Tony said as he squeezed her hand, “You’ve got to stay awake for us right now, okay?”
Sam was there before she knew it, his careful hands feeling her limbs and asking her to move just a little at a time. “I think she’s okay for transport,” Sam spoke finally after he’d done as thorough an exam as he could in the field. “Not okay for flying, though,” he added pointedly to Tony.
“Wouldn’t even dream of it,” Tony replied, still keeping his eyes on Darcy. “You ready to get up now?” he asked her gently.
“Yeah, okay,” Darcy replied.
“Go slow,” Tony commanded as he helped her to lean up, Sam moving in behind her in case she began to fall backward. It took another few minutes before they got Darcy all the way to standing, Tony’s arm firmly supporting her at her waist as they moved toward the street.
“See that ambulance over there,” Tony asked as he pointed out the closest emergency vehicle. “Think you can make it or do you want me to carry you?”
“I can do it,” Darcy said bravely.
“Okay, just keep going slow,” Tony encouraged her. They moved slowly towards the waiting ambulance, Tony supporting more and more of Darcy’s weight as they got closer. By the time they got there, he was close to carrying her anyway, her breath rasping in his ear. The medic helped ease her down on a gurney while Tony told them what happened, Iron Man suit retracting into the wrist cuffs he’d worn out of the tower as he spoke.
They loaded Darcy into the back of the vehicle and Tony stepped inside. The EMT cut him a look that clearly said he wasn’t supposed to be there and Tony just ignored him. “Sir,” he began to say before Darcy interrupted.
“Don’t make him go, please,” her breath still weak. “Please,” she said again, and Tony’s heart broke at the sound of her voice.
“Right,” Tony said loudly, “I’m not leaving her and we both know she needs to get to the hospital ASAP.” His hand was extended, something cupped in his palm, “So would you please just strap her in and get her there?”
The hospital visit didn’t take long, Darcy couldn’t be sure there weren’t more bribes to usher her through but she also was certain she didn’t care if there were. Her ribs were cracked, the cut on her abdomen stitched up, and her body bruised from the weight of the cement. “Coulda been worse, Kid,” Tony smiled at her when the doctors and nurses had finally left them alone. “I thought I’d lost you there for a little bit, couldn’t have had that.”
“Mmmm, okay,” Darcy smiled back, the pain medicine coursing through her veins making it hard for her to care about anything but the feel of Tony’s thumb stroking over the back of her hand.
“Just rest, Baby Girl,” Tony whispered into her ear before kissing the side of her head. “We’ll be home soon.”
They were a third of the way through the years big Oscar contender the next afternoon when there was a sharp knock at their door.
“Dammit,” Tony muttered, “I knew I should have carried you down to the screening room.”
“I wonder if they’ll go away if we just ignore it,” Darcy asked from where she was lounging on the couch, her feet in Tony’s lap. There was another rapping at the door, a little louder this time. “Jarvis, who is it?”
“Mr. Barton, Sir.”
Tony glanced over at Darcy, “You ready for this?”
She sighed as much as her bruised chest allowed, “I guess. Let him in, Tony.”
“Hey, Darcy, how are you?” Clint asked as he awkwardly shuffled into the living room, taking a seat in one of the empty chairs.
“Battered and bruised, but in better spirits then I was yesterday,” Darcy replied with a slight smile. She shifted some in her seat so she could see Clint better, wincing when her back hit the armrest of the couch.
“You alright, Kid? You need some more pain killer?” Tony asked as he hovered above her.
“No,” Darcy smiled up at him, “I’m okay, but you know what would make me better than okay?”
“Sweet Treats,” Darcy and Tony said at the same time, calling out the name of a homemade ice cream shop Darcy had found months ago.
“Katniss, you good to stay here a while?” When Clint nodded Tony shrugged himself into a jacket then knelt on the floor in front of Darcy. “You sure you're alright?”
“Positive,” Darcy smiled.
“Okay,” Tony said leaning over to press a kiss to her mouth, “I love you, Kid. Be back soon.”
When the door shut behind him Clint’s mouth was agape, “How many times has he called you that in mixed company and no one has even noticed?”
“Do you really want to know the answer to that?” Darcy deadpanned, “Because I could-”
“No! I just,” he stared at her bewilderedly. “How has no one caught on to it before?” he finally asked.
“Humphrey Bogart,” Darcy grinned. “People don’t see what they don’t want to see, Clint.” After a minute she spoke again, “I’d offer you something to drink but currently just about every one of the motions required for that would cause me some pain, so you’ll have to help yourself.”
Clint stood and moved to the kitchen, “Want anything?” She replied with a request for water and listened as Clint shuffled around the kitchen cabinets looking for glasses. When he came back to the living room it was with a sheepish expression on his face.
“What, were you expecting cartoons on the television and bottles in the fridge? It’s not like that.”
Clint handed her a glass of water then sat back down across from her, “Then what’s it like?”
Darcy shrugged, then winced at the pull of her muscles. “I don’t know, I mean, there’s no age play if that’s what you’re asking. I think the closest we’ve gotten to that was me putting my hair in pigtails before I went down on him, but that was more for the handlebar aspect than anything else.”
“Jesus, Darce,” Clint sputtered, “I really don’t want to know that much.”
“Well, before your mind wanders too far, it didn’t work out too well. Turns out a firm hold on the back of the head works better anyway,” Darcy continued to taunt him.
“Can you not?” Clint pleaded. “I really just,” he trailed off taking a sip of his water. “I just want to make sure you’re okay. That there’s nothing…weird going on.”
“Look, Clint, Tony’s relationship with his dad was horrific and my father may have well been a sperm donor for all the interest he took in my life. It’s nice to have someone take care of me, someone I know has my best interest at heart. I can’t speak for Tony,” she continued, “But I suspect he enjoys getting to prove to himself that a Stark man can be a good father after all.”
“If that’s all it is for him, then why not just have a baby? Actually prove it.”
“I know you’re not trying to kink shame me, Clint. I’ve house sit for you before, I’ve seen your suspiciously large collection of silicone arrows.”
Clint’s ears turned pink at Darcy’s words, “You got me there. But, still-”
Darcy interrupted him before he could finish, “I can’t conceive.” Clint made to speak but Darcy held up her hand, “No, don’t, okay. I’ve come to terms with it and I don’t need your pity.” Clint nodded and took her hand in his, squeezing gently to show his support. “And, I mean, sure adoption is always an option but I literally just got crushed by a stone gargoyle while walking home because I’m in a relationship with one of you guys. Do you really think bringing a kid into this is smart?”
“I guess not,” Clint replied.
“We make each other happy, Clint,” Darcy said with an air of finality. “That’s all that matters in the end.” Clint nodded in agreement. “Now, listen. Tony is a fretter and if he knew how much pain I was really in he wouldn’t let me go to the bathroom without an escort. Pretending I’m even ten percent better than I am is exhausting, so I’m going to take a nap on the couch until he gets back with my ice cream. You’re welcome to stay, but it’s going to be pretty boring,” she smiled as she carefully scooted to the middle of the couch and laid down.
“You sure he won’t kill me for leaving you alone?” Clint asked as he stood and helped to settle the blanket over Darcy.
“Nah, you’ll be fine. Just text him that I fell asleep on you and all will be forgiven.”
Left your girl asleep on the couch. Thanks for taking such good care of her , Clint texted to Tony as he walked down the hall towards the elevator. Can I bring Lucky by tomorrow?
The reply came quickly, No dogs in the tower, Barton! You know the rules.
Then, barely a moment later, I’ll be in a meeting from 1 pm to 3 pm and there are no cameras in the service elevator from the kitchen to my floor ;)