Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

January 17, 2015

“What I don’t understand about us moving into the Tower is how no superheroes are helping us. Like, Black Widow, where are you so you can carry my coffee maker into my apartment?” Darcy whined, breathing heavily as she hauled the Tiffany blue coffee maker all of thirty feet to the elevator.

“Darcy, the walk from the car to the elevator takes all of fifteen seconds at most. Maybe you should start heading to the gym.” Jane suggested, holding a box of her star books.

“I can’t believe you just suggested that.” Darcy scoffed. “Darcy Lewis and the gym don’t like each other. That is a fact. But if Captain America or his emo buddy there spend any time in the gym, then running on the treadmill may be my new hobby.”

Jane rolled her eyes at Darcy and the elevator pinged. The two exited the elevator and into the small hallway in which their apartments were located.

“I’m going to bring this box to Thor and I’s apartment and see if he’s back from sparring with Steve. We’ll get unpacked in no time.” Jane stated.

“Sure thing, Jane! I’ll meet you at the moving van, but beware that I could be potentially dying or dead from the weight of my belongings.” Darcy moaned dramatically, making a ridiculous face to prove her point.

“Hey, we’re lucky enough that Stark paid for the renovations on our apartments. We don’t have to move in any furniture.” Jane pointed out. “Anyways, I’m going to go find Thor. I don’t feel like carrying anything else either.”

Darcy kicked her apartment door ajar, and plopped her coffee maker on her countertops. She had to admit, Tony had done a nice job redoing her apartment. Well, Darcy assumed it was probably Pepper who oversaw the renovations. Tony just paid for it, and for that she was grateful. Darcy wasn’t really one for the sleek lines of the modern style that Tony preferred the Tower to look like, and Pepper was kind enough to renovate the apartment to the more eclectic, homey style she preferred.

She took a few minutes to really peek around the apartment, admiring the marble countertops and other luxurious finishes that she never would have been able to afford had she not stumbled into this life. Like she had done a million times before, she wondered how she had gotten this lucky to have this life. She was so lucky to have Jane as her Platonic, and she couldn’t imagine a better soulmate for her than Thor. Darcy ambled back to the living room, staring at the blank wall and contemplated which painting she wanted to hang in the spot.

She heard Thor before he entered her apartment. He appeared with Jane in tow a few seconds later. “Darcy, my sister! It is wondrous that Anthony, Man of Iron has extended an invitation to you and my lady Jane to take court at the Tower. It is a very fine place to live. There is always a feast waiting in the box that makes thing cold!”

"Thor, my man!” Darcy exclaimed. “I’m so happy we get to live next door to each other! As long as you don’t get up to any funny business with Jane, I’m sure we’ll be very happy neighbors! Also, just so you know, the box that makes things cold is called a refrigerator.”

Thor furrowed his eyebrows. “I’m not sure what you mean by this ‘funny business’.” He stated, puzzled.

Darcy patted his arm. “Never mind that. Let’s move Jane and I into our sick apartments!” She exclaimed.

Before Thor could question why the apartments were sick or ‘ill’ as he might question, Jane and Darcy dragged him to the elevators.

The trio headed back down to the moving truck where the rest of Darcy and Jane’s items were. Darcy wished she had Thor’s strength when she watched him pile three boxes on top of each other and lift them with ease. She grabbed a box of her books and grunted, not realizing how much it weighed. She swung around and was startled by the man standing behind her.

Woah. He was hot. And he was definitely Captain America’s emo friend, Bucky Barnes, except he wasn’t so emo anymore. The last pictures Darcy had seen of him were from the skirmishes that had happened down in DC, when he had the shoulder length hair and black face paint smeared down his face. This Bucky Barnes was an updated, 21^st century version of his 1940s self. His hair was cropped short and clearly had taken advice from Steve, as he was wearing an athletic jacket that was probably a size or two too small for him. Darcy couldn’t complain though, his biceps were huge and beautiful.

Darcy had clearly spent too much time checking Bucky out, as he was staring at her with an amused smile graced upon his stunning face.

“Need a hand, gorgeous?” He smiled, and gestured to the box she was clearly failing at holding. Her mind short-circuited for a moment as she realized he said her Words. The winter wind whipped the air around, and she snapped back to reality a second later.

“That’s not the only thing you can help me with.” She replied, a flirty smile upon her face, scanning his face to see if she had said his words. Her Words weren’t very unique, and there was always a chance she didn’t say his Words.

A large smile decorated his face and Darcy knew that it had to be him. Bucky took the box from Darcy’s hands, and when his flesh hand brushed against her, the electricity she felt reassured her. She grabbed a bag filled with some of her clothes and slung it over her shoulder, and grabbed a box filled with her pillows. It was much lighter and much easier for her to handle.

“I’m Darcy Lewis.” She introduced herself. “I believe you just said my Words.”

“Indeed we are soulmates, Darcy Lewis.” Bucky affirmed, glancing over at her with a brilliant smile. “So where are we going?”

“Follow me! I’ll show you my apartment.” Darcy nodded her head in the direction of the elevators, and the pair stole sneaky glances at each other, smiling little smiles, believing that neither one could see the other stealing a look.

“Where do you want me to put this?” Bucky asked once they reached her apartment. He took a look around at the apartment, taking in the new surroundings. “This is a nice place you got. Stark did a good job.”

“You can just put it on the ground! I’m going to unpack everything later. And I think it was more Pepper that did a good job.” Darcy told Bucky.

He snorted then, agreeing with Darcy’s statement. “Need any more help carrying stuff in? I’ve been told I’m quite strong.” He offered.

“I’ve been told the same thing.” Darcy joked, smirking at Bucky.

“Oh really?” Bucky questioned. “Well can you do this?”

Bucky hoisted Darcy over his shoulder and she let out a shriek of delight. “Put me down!” She giggled.

“Nope! Not unless you say ‘Bucky is my hero, my soulmate, my one and only, the sexiest man alive and certainly sexier than anybody in the Tower.’”

He used his free hand to tickle her in her secret ticklish spot, which she was surpised he found so quickly.

“Never!” She laughed. He tickled her more and she shook with silent laughter.

“Wait? Did I miss something?” Jane asked at her doorway. “Tell me you didn’t meet your soulmate and I missed it! Oh god, I missed it. I’m an awful Platonic, Darcy, forgive me. I’m awful!” Jane whined dramatically and Darcy knew this was just another reason why they were Platonic soulmates.

“You didn’t miss anything, Jane! Jane, this is my soulmate, Bucky Barnes. Bucky, this Dr. Jane Foster, astrophysics extraordinaire, Thor’s soulmate, and my Platonic.” Darcy introduced the two of them together.

Jane squinted her eyes at Bucky. “You may be a foot taller than me, but I can and will beat you up if you ever hurt Darcy.” She threatened.

“Understood.” Bucky stated. “I have no intentions of ever hurting Darcy.”

“Good. Now come help us move in.” Jane ordered, and Bucky soon followed. 

A few hours later, everything was moved into Darcy’s apartment. At least, all the boxes had been moved into Darcy’s apartment, and the new couple was unpacking everything. Darcy was on a mission to unpack everything by the end of the day, as she didn’t want to live out of boxes. If she didn’t do it now, she never would. Jane would get caught up in science and Darcy would have to go help and the boxes would remain untouched for the rest of forever. Bucky was a doll and offered to help her, so she could get everything done and still go to bed that night.

“How many copies of Pride and Prejudice can you possibly have?” Bucky questioned, holding up what he thought to be at least the seventh copy he’d found that day.

“I have twelve copies!” Darcy explained. “I was named after Mr. Darcy, you see, and whenever my mom would find a different edition, she’d give it to me. Plus, fun reading what’s inside the front cover. My favorite one is an edition from the 1940s; the inscription is so sweet. It’s from one soulmate to another.”

Darcy contemplated with throw pillows she wanted to put on the couch, and settled on two dusty blue ones. She threw her favorite throw blanket over the couch and smiled. It looked like a home already. Onto the mantle on the fireplace… What pictures to put up there? She turned to one of her boxes that she knew had some of her favorite photos in.

“Is Pride and Prejudice your favorite book?” Bucky asked, placing more books on the shelf. He didn’t know how she wanted the books organized, so he settled for alphabetical order.

“Surprisingly, no. I think my favorite book is probably Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Something about a woman inventing a whole genre of fiction with one novel just gets me going.” Darcy explained. Happy with her choice of pictures, on the fireplace mantle, Darcy got to putting more pictures around the living room.

“What do you think?” Bucky asked, getting her attention. He showed her the bookshelf like he was a showgirl on a game show, and she giggled.

“It looks great!” She approved.

Bucky snuck his arm around Darcy’s waist and she leaned her head against his side.

“I’m going to be real happy here.” Darcy told him honestly. “I can feel it.”

He looked down at her with an odd look in his eyes. It was a mixture of content, love, and something else Darcy couldn’t place her hand on. It kind of looked like he knew something that she didn’t.

“We’re going to be very happy, Darce.” He agreed.

He pulled her in for a tender kiss and Darcy’s heart swelled with love. Not that she was in love with Bucky yet, but it was their bond as soulmates that made her body feel wacky things. She could see herself falling in love with him so so easily, though.

“Steve and Sam will want to meet you.” Bucky told her, playing with a strand of her hair.

“Steve is your Platonic, right?” She asked.

“Yeah, and Sam’s his Romantic.” Bucky answered. “They’re going to love you.”

“I don’t know, I get really awkward in situations where I meet new people. Especially if I’m intimidated by them.” Darcy admitted.

Bucky barked out a laugh. “Steve is probably the least intimidating person I know. He made a secret Facebook account so he could post his drawings of dogs in the Dogspotting group.”

“No!” Darcy gasped, her whole face lighting up. “Don’t tell me that Steve is actually Roger Barnes! I see that guy post drawings on the page all the time!”

“That’s him!” Bucky confirmed, and Darcy howled with laughter.

“Okay, I don’t think I’m that scared of meeting him anymore.” Darcy said.

Her stomach growled and Darcy realized she hadn’t eaten since breakfast that morning.

“Hey, want to go grab some food?” Darcy asked. “My fridge is empty and my stomach is telling me it’s time to eat.”

“Do you like Thai food? Because I know of this great place and it’s only just around the corner; it’s perfect for cold nights like these.” Bucky suggested.

Darcy’s coat and boots were on within thirty seconds. “My body is ready for some Thai food.” Darcy stated.

Bucky laughed. He put on his winter jacket, which he had grabbed sometime during the process of moving everything into Darcy’s apartment, and the two were on the elevator just seconds later.

“So, tell me about something about yourself.” Darcy asked Bucky.

The two were seated at what was honestly the swankiest Thai restaurant Darcy had ever been to. She was really regretting her jeans and sweater combo, because this restaurant definitely called for something a little nicer than that. They were munching on the most delicious Thai food Darcy had ever tasted, and Darcy was warm and content. She didn’t even have it in her to be embarrassed by her lack of nice clothing. If anything, Bucky was wearing casual clothes too.

“I have a sister.” Bucky started. “Her name’s Rebecca. She passed away a few years ago, but I got a niece and a nephew that I met up with once. James and Nancy are real good people; I even have a few great-nieces and nephews. I know it’s odd for them though, knowing what I did and everything, so I don’t think I’ll be seeing them too often.”

Darcy could tell how much it hurt Bucky that his family didn’t really want to see him.

 Well you have family here.” Darcy offered. “You and Steve are as good as family, and I know deep down in your heart you have to love Sam a little, even if he loves annoying you. And you have me, and I’m not going anywhere.”

“You’re definitely the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.” Bucky confessed. “Much more than you know.”

Bucky changed the topic quickly, not wanting to delve into such heavy topics so soon.

“Did you know that Steve used to get into fights on a regular basis back during the war?” Bucky asked.

“No! I feel like there’s a story behind this.” Darcy said, ready for a good tale.

“Oh, there’s multiple stories behind Stevie getting into fights, darlin’.” Bucky started.

Darcy felt her insides go hot as Bucky called her darling. She made a mental note to try to pry this side of Bucky out as often as she could, because she loved his Brooklyn drawl and old 40s slang.

In a day, she felt like her whole world had been turned upside down, but knew this flip was definitely for the better. Never in a million years did she expect to be Platonic soulmates with an astrophysicist, who was Romantic soulmates with a literal alien God from another planet. And she most certainly did not expect her soulmate to be a supersoldier born during World War I. Her life was crazy.

But James Barnes knew it was about to get a whole lot crazier, and he had no idea how to tell her.

Chapter Text

January 24, 2015

It took Darcy all of a week to settle into a comfortable routine in the Tower. Jane finally had the budget to work on creating a method of communication between the realms, and was making leaps and bounds of progress in only a week. All of her theories and calculations were in a cautionary testing period, so Darcy spent a bit of time helping Jane out. When she wasn’t in the labs, she was either with Bucky or hanging out with the rest of the Avengers. She hated to admit it, but she may have cried a little bit when Natasha (yes, she was on a first name basis with the Black Widow) asked her if she wanted to get a pedicure with her some time. Natasha claimed that although Thor was a fun partner to get pedicures with, nothing could beat girl on girl friendship time. Jane was invited too, of course.

She met Bruce, who was a delight, although he needed a bit of TLC, especially when it came to taking care of himself. So Darcy took him on as one of her stray little puppies and made sure that he always had a cup of steaming tea and fresh food whenever she noticed him getting a little green. Darcy didn’t like to boast, but she definitely noticed that Bruce was happier when he didn’t have to worry about feeding himself.

Tony was completely not surprisingly, the worst of all the scientists on the floor. He had a complete lack of self-preservation, which was unforseen to Darcy because she worked with Jane, of all people. Tony had no idea how to feed himself anything other than the sludge his little robots made him, and blared classic rock so loud, Darcy was wondered why he hadn’t gone deaf yet. Also, he called her DD (after her boobs). Although he was a bit of a freak, Darcy still decided to take him under her wing, because she was a nice person who did nice things.

Immediately upon meeting Clint, Darcy knew she and him were going to make great friends. Clint was graced with a hilarious sense of humor; One that Tony did not find that amusing, but Tony’s sense of humor was usually just dirty jokes. Clint and Darcy both loved watching the Bachelor (it was kind of hilarious), and the Monday after she moved in they had plans to watch it. Alcohol was most definitely present that night.

What Darcy didn’t expect was how much she was going to get along with Steve Rogers and his soulmate Sam Wilson. She predicted that the two would be stone cold soldiers, but quickly found out that they had surprisingly great senses of humor. The night after she moved in, she was invited to dinner at Steve and Sam’s apartment with Bucky.

She had already heard multiple stories about Steve’s idiotic fiascos fighting men twice his size before he got the serum, but what she didn’t know was some embarrassing stories about Bucky, which were quite honestly hilarious. The three men bickered light-heartedly like siblings, and Darcy was overjoyed at the thought of knowing that these men were likely going to be in her life for a very long time.

Darcy could not get over how wonderful Bucky was; he was snarky, enjoyed a good bickering, playful, kind, caring, a gentleman but also had a dirty mind, and completely and exactly just right for her. They got on ridiculously well, but Darcy could not help but feel that he was hiding something from her. She could always tell when someone was hiding something from her, and she could not shake the feeling that he knew things that she didn’t. Whenever he thought she wasn’t paying attention, he would look at her almost as if he knew something. Knew her. But that was impossible because they had only just met. Occasionally, he would mention something about her that Darcy knew she hadn’t told him. She brushed it off at first, thinking maybe they had all the same interests. Then she brushed it off when it happened again, believing that it was their bond as soulmates. But Jane had known nothing about Darcy when they first met, and they spent months getting to know each other. When she came back to her apartment on Wednesday night to Bucky cooking her her favorite dinner, she knew something was off. Very, very off, in a very bad way that made her stomach uneasy. Again, she decided to give Bucky the benefit of the doubt and not mention anything. If one more thing happened, she vowed to herself she would discuss it with him.

A week after moving in, Darcy found herself lounging on her couch with Bucky, enjoying their day off watching the Star Wars movies. Bucky was still catching up on up on all things pop-culture related, and Darcy was more than happy to show him her favorites. Bucky was lazily tracing letters on Darcy’s back, and she was half asleep, snuggled into Bucky’s side and curled under a blanket.

“I’m going over to Jane and Thor’s for dinner tonight. They said you’re more than welcome to come.” Darcy yawned.

“Sounds good to me. What’s for dinner?” Bucky asked. His eyes bulged as he watched the explosions light up the TV screen. That Luke guy was trying to blow up the Death Star and things were getting real intense.

“Thor is cooking.” Darcy explained.

“Oh. I’m sure that will be…interesting.” Bucky raised his eyebrows and tried not to sound too impolite.

“Yeah. I don’t know how good its going to be, but he’s very excited to have us for dinner so we should just tell him it’s delicious no matter what. Also, I don’t know how Asgardians eat, but I have a feeling its going to messy, so I wouldn’t wear anything that you’re emotionally attached to.” Darcy added.

“Ok, got it. No clothes that I actually like, and be prepared to get dirty. Actually sounds like a pretty good dinner to me.” Bucky responded. Another explosion lit up the screen and Bucky was entranced in the movie again.

A comfortable silence fell upon the pair. Darcy dozed on and off throughout the rest of the movie while Bucky remained enraptured by the special effects. He had no idea how they did it; he tried looking it up one time but could not wrap his mind around what a green screen was. Not knowing didn’t really bother him all that much.

When the movie was over, Darcy woke up again and sat up from her half slouched position.

“I’m getting way too old for this.” She moaned. “I can’t be sitting in these positions anymore.” She stretched and Bucky heard a few of her joints pop and crack.

“Excuse you, I’ll have you know that I am a very comfortable person to take a nap on. And aren’t you like, maybe twenty-three? You’re too young to whine about being old. I’m the old one! Actually, how old are you? I’m curious. I need to know when your birthday is. I don’t want to miss it!” Bucky rambled, also stretching.

“I turn twenty-three on August 18^th.” Darcy told him. “I was pretty young when I started school anyways, but I was smart so my parents let me skip first grade. When started working for Jane, I was only nineteen, but a junior in college.”

“Wow, you’re young. Also, have I ever told you that you’re brilliant? Because you are. I think Bruce told me that physically, I’m somewhere around my late twenties, maybe thirty.” Bucky admitted. He stood up and stretched, his shorts rising up ever so slightly.

Darcy’s eyes darted to the words in her handwriting splayed across his right thigh, and then to Bucky’s face. He looked as though he’d been caught. Darcy had never asked so she had never seen his tattoo; this was probably the exact opposite of what she was expecting. Something was not adding up, and Darcy felt her heart drop all the way to her stomach.

“That’s my handwriting, but those aren’t the words I first said to you.” Darcy stated, her eyebrows furrowing a little bit in confusion.

“I can explain.” Bucky told her, taking a seat next to her on the couch. He twiddled his thumbs, thinking of what words to say next. Darcy could see the gears in his mind turning, trying to think of an explanation.

“Can I just say something?” Darcy started, rubbing her fingers against her temples. Her brain was starting to hurt, and she didn’t like it. “I don’t know if this sounds absolutely crazy to you, but I feel like you already know me. You know my favorite foods, my secret ticklish spot – which by the way, don’t mention that to Jane – my favorite oldies songs, and know exactly where to rub my back when it hurts! Why and how do you even possibly know this things? And why don’t our marks match up?”

She was desperate for answers; Darcy just wanted to know why these strange things had kept happening. It was killing her. Her heart was telling her that something was deeply wrong.

Bucky looked defeated. “I just want to start off by saying that you’re not crazy.” He told her truthfully. “We meet at two separate times.”

“What?! How? Did I meet you when I was younger or something? I’m pretty sure I would remember saying that, and I’m also 100% sure my ten-year-old self didn’t know half of those swears.” She questioned, completely exasperated.

She put her hand against her forehead and questioned what the living fuck was going on and what had even happened to her life. This was even crazier than the time Jane disappeared to Asgard.

“Jane kind of, accidentally, sends you back in time through a wormhole.” Bucky confessed.

“What the ever fucking living hell?!” She sputtered. “How the fuck does something like that happen?”

“You live in The Tower, Darcy. Stuff like this happens kind of on a daily basis. Yesterday, somebody accidentally created the opposite of an explosion in the lower labs. I don’t even know what that is and I don’t want to know.” He answered.

“Don’t change the subject on me, Bucky! I get sent back in time! How? When? We can change this; we can make it work out somehow. Maybe I don’t need to get sent back in time. Maybe-“

“Darce, calm down.” Bucky interceded. “It’s okay. Let me explain everything before you pop a vein in your head.”

Darcy took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. In. Out. In. Out. She felt her heart rate slow down and felt calmer than before. “Okay.” She breathed. “Give it to me straight.”

“You never really told me exactly what happens, but all I know is that Jane sends you back in time sometime this spring.” Bucky started.

“This spring?! But Beyonce is coming to town and I have tickets!” Darcy cried. She got over that one pretty quickly. “I’m guessing I say your words when I travel back in time?”

“Yeah. Steve and I stumble upon you only minutes after you arrive. Since it’s the first time I ever talk to you in 1943, you say my Words. You gave us such a fright, for a second we thought you were pranking us or something. Or at least, we thought my sister Rebecca told you to prank us. We pretty much have this same exact conversation in the 1940s, except you telling me that you’re from the future; you’re much better at hiding that you know things, though. But you always led Steve and I to the right direction without us even knowing.” Bucky ranted, explaining only a portion of the things Darcy wanted him to.

“Do I have to go back, Bucky?” She asked meekly. “Does 1943 really need me all that much?”

“Yeah, you do, Doll. You help out with the war efforts more than anyone will ever know. Plus, it already happened. You went back. I have memories of our time together.” He told her. Bucky’s heart hurt for her. He didn’t like to see her this confused or this upset; her whole life was being flipped around and she didn’t really get a say.

“I help out with the war?” Darcy questioned.

“Because you know things about the future, you give little tidbits of advice to the men you think will actually listen to you. It was quite awful for the dames, back in the 1940s, but you made men listen to you, whether they liked it or not. Always made me so proud, knowing I had a girl who could handle herself.” Bucky smiled proudly.

 “I don’t like knowing this information.” Darcy said, a large lump forming in her throat. She could feel the tears stinging at her eyes, threatening to pour out. “I don’t want to be in charge of people’s lives. I can’t do this, Bucky. I’m only a lab assistant, for Thor’s sake! I was not meant for this.”

“That’s why you have me.” Bucky reassured her. “Back during the War, we would tell each other everything. The weight of the war was heavy on me too, and it always helped knowing that you were there to listen. We’re in this together, Darce. You’re not going to go through this alone.”

He rubbed soothing circles on her back and she took a moment to let all the information sink in. It wouldn’t be that bad. She would have Bucky and Steve. She wouldn’t be all alone. Jane would work night and day to get her back. Oh god. How was she going to get back? What was Jane going to do without her? Darcy didn’t know how to tell Jane everything… Jane was going to feel terrible and cry for days. She just knew it.

“Do I ever make it back?” She asked frantically. “Or am I stuck in the past forever?”

“You make it back just fine.” Bucky consoled her. “I looked into the records, and they show that Darcy Fillman disappears in a bright light in May of 1945. I had Bruce take a look at SHIELD’s meager records on you, and the pattern of light resembles the one when Thor first came to Earth. I can only assume that’s the Bridge thing that Jane keeps talking about.”

“I’m assuming that I get fake records?” She questioned, looking at Bucky. He nodded his head in response. Darcy took another few deep breaths to calm herself down. “Okay, I can do this. I’ll have you and Steve and we’ll be just fine. I make it back, and then everything will go back to normal. Just a normal life. A beautiful, normal life.” Darcy reassured herself.

“You have Peggy Carter too.” Bucky offered. “You’re one of her closet friends.”

“Oh my god, I’m best friends with Peggy Carter?” Darcy asked, perking up a bit. “I think I might be looking forward to this time travel thing more than I should be.”

“Can you wait here for a second? I have some things back at my apartment that I think you might want to see.” Bucky informed her. He was gone a second later.

Out of all the things Darcy would have guessed, the fact that she was a time-traveler was definitely not one. She had been through a plethora of life-altering and ridiculous events, and to think that she would be going through many more almost gave her a headache. Almost. What did give her a headache was the fact that the fate of World War II rested upon her shoulders. What a fucking ludicrous thought. She thanked the heavens for her political science degree (which she had finally got only a month prior) and knew that she was going to be putting it to good use.

Darcy almost thought for a moment that Bucky was pulling her leg, but the look on his face and concern in her eyes told Darcy all she needed to know. This was serious. This would require intricate planning on many of the Avengers parts. Was SHIELD going to contact her?

Darcy really had to come up with a plan. She was lucky enough to know what was ahead for her, but there was still so much she didn’t know. Suddenly she wished she was a History minor when she was back at Culver, but her stupid nineteen-year-old self thought stupid photography would be more useful. Should she start reading books about the war? There were so many she didn’t even know where to begin. Darcy was sure Bucky would tell her what she needed to focus on.

The support she was receiving from Bucky was the only thing keeping her sane in all of this. Jane was sure to be a mess, and she needed someone steady in her life. They had only known each other a week, but they were relying on each other so heavily. What was this going to do to their relationship? Darcy didn’t want to think about that.

She also needed documents; she supposed Natasha could probably take care of that for her. It would most definitely not be legal, but Darcy knew Natasha would know a guy. Natasha just seemed like the type of person who would know several guys for several things.

What would she do for money? For a job? There were so many thoughts jumbled in her head, but she had time to figure it out. She had time to figure it out. Bucky said she wouldn’t get thrown back until the spring. That was several months away.

Darcy heard her door open and close and knew Bucky was back with the things. He was carrying a whole trunk that, from the looks of it, looks like it was stuffed to brim with items from her life back in the 40s. It was a large trunk that looked as though it had seen better days.

“I had Howard Stark keep it safe until we needed it again. When I sorted everything out of my brain after what happened down in Washington DC, I went and grabbed it.” Bucky explained. Bucky moved the coffee table out of the way and put the trunk in front of the couch. “You ready to look at this?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Darcy told him nervously. Her heart thumped in her chest as Bucky opened the trunk. Like she suspected, it was overflowing with memories that she didn’t have yet.

She picked up the first thing she saw. It was clearly Bucky’s uniform – the one he wore to formal events. The fabric had held up well over the years, although she had to admit that it smelt dusty and old. Darcy felt her nose prickle with a possible sneeze and did her best to hold it down.

She flipped through a leather journal, clearly her diary, filled with thoughts, dates, and plans that she hadn’t thought of yet. She smiled at a photo of Steve and Bucky. Bucky had Steve in a joking headlock and was ruffling Steve’s hair. She had only seen a few pictures of pre-serum Steve before, and was shocked at just how small he was.

“When was this taken?” Darcy asked, turning the frame over to Bucky.

“Right before I left for Europe.” Bucky said. “We wanted to have a photo of just the two of us, before everything changed.”

Darcy thumbed through a few more of the items. A few of Steve’s drawings had made it into the trunk, and she was in awe of his talents. The drawing was just a sketch, but clearly of her. She was dressed in a jumpsuit, curls flowing in the wind, casually leaning up against an airplane and staring off into the distance. Was it a dramatic pose? Most definitely. But it was a gorgeous picture. She placed the drawing down to look at the rest of the items. There were a few casual dresses, some makeup that had sadly not survived the seventy years it hadn’t been touched, and a few more photographs; one of her and Steve, and a few of her and Bucky.

“We look pretty happy.” Darcy commented, tracing her fingers lightly over a photo of her, Steve, and Bucky.

“We were pretty happy. Not all of the times were tough.” He admitted. “We had a lot of laughs.”

It was what was at the bottom of the trunk that stopped Darcy’s heart.

It was a photo of her and Bucky, smiling at each other like there was nobody else in the world. They looked so in love, and this was exactly what Darcy had dreamed of being when she grew up. It wasn’t so much the picture that made her heart skip a beat, but what she was wearing. The dress that was tucked away at the very bottom of the trunk.

Her hands skimmed over the white fabric.

“Bucky…” Darcy began.

“Did I mention that we got married?”

Chapter Text

“Bucky…” Darcy began.

“Did I mention that we got married?” Bucky asked nervously.

“I feel like that is something you should have mentioned earlier.” Darcy breathed.

Darcy let a breath of air. In. Out. In. Out. The list of truth bombs Bucky was dropping on her kept growing. What was he going to say next? That they had a child or something? This day was getting more interesting by the minute, and not in a good way. Darcy knew that things at the Tower were always a little crazy, but this seem so far fetched… How could it be real? Darcy took one look into Bucky’s eyes, which were so expressive and cautious, looking to her for any reaction. The way she reacted would most definitely affect Bucky, and she didn’t want him to think that she was against the idea of them getting married. In all this mess, Darcy really didn’t want to hurt Bucky. The amount of pain and rejection Bucky had been unwillingly forced into in past years still affected him, and Darcy had to react calmly to this. She was just a little startled. She could handle that.

“I definitely should have told you. I’m sorry I didn’t, Darcy. I just didn’t know how to tell you… How is a person supposed to tell their wife that she’s a time traveler and gets married in the past?” Bucky apologized. He ran his metal hand through his hair and sighed. He looked guilty and Darcy felt terrible. “I bet we are the only couple that has ever had this problem.”

“Hey, don’t work yourself up over it. In a few months, I’m going to have this same conversation with you in the 1940s. It’s just a twist in our relationship that God himself thought we needed.” Darcy reassured him. “I’m not going to get mad at you for this, or run away. You said this to me just a few minutes ago: we’re in this together. We’re a team, Bucky. I’m a little startled over these new revelations, but I understand why you didn’t tell me. Please don’t feel guilty. I haven’t known you for that long, but I know that look in your eyes. Don’t feel bad. Please.”

“Can I just say that you’re handling this a hell of lot better than I did?” Bucky joked.

Darcy rolled her eyes; typical Bucky, trying to lighten the mood with jokes during inappropriate times.

 “How did you react?” She questioned. “I feel like that is something I should know, just in case your 1940s self decides to run off to Coney Island or something.”

“I feel like I should prepare you now.” Bucky started. “I don’t run off or anything, but I’m definitely the dramatic one in the relationship. I may have thought you were lying and then passed out. Steve was there too; he handled it much better than I did and he was coming down with pneumonia at the time. I couldn’t handle the idea that time travel was possible. Or that my soulmate was from the future.”

Darcy bit her lip and tried not to laugh at Bucky. She didn’t want to be mean by laughing at him, but it was kind of funny that he passed out.

“I’m glad you defeat the archaic stereotype that it’s only females who pass out when startled by something. You can be my little damsel in distress.” Darcy cooed jokingly, patting Bucky on the cheek.

“Yeah, my dramatics got us into quite a few arguments then.” Bucky admitted sheepishly.

“I still think it’s so weird that you have memories of events that I haven’t even experienced yet. It’s such a weird thought to me. I don’t even know where to begin with the planning, Bucky. How am I going to do this? I’m going to have to tell Jane and Thor.” Darcy looked up at the clock, and jumped off the couch. “Oh my god! Shit! We were supposed to be at Jane and Thor’s fifteen minutes ago!”

Darcy tripped as she ran to her bedroom to find something to wear. Damn hardwood floors! She threw on an old plaid shirt that she didn’t care about and her shoes and slid back into the living area.

“Okay. I’m ready.” Darcy asked. “Also, before we leave, I think it might be a good idea to tell Jane and Thor what’s going on tonight. I know eventually the rest of the crew will find out, but I think we should tell her first.”

“You don’t have to ask me if you want to tell Jane things.” Bucky told Darcy. “These next few months are going to be very difficult and trying for everybody, and it’s okay if you want to tell Jane things. She’s your Platonic soulmate. Everybody needs to talk with their Platonic soulmate. That’s why we have Platonics.”

“Are you trying to say that you and Steve gossip about me?” Darcy teasingly accused.

“No…?” Bucky answered, trying to sound like he wasn’t lying. “Okay, alright! I talk about you with Steve all the time, but it’s fair because he talks about Sam. Sometimes I need advice to make sure I’m not being an idiot. Steve knows 21^st century etiquette better than I do.”

“We’re going to have a discussion later about why you go to Steve of all people to learn about 21^st century etiquette. For now, we’re going to Jane and Thor’s and we’re going to eat us some good food. And we’re going to tell them everything so we can start coming up with a plan.” Darcy stated confidently.

“Sounds like a great idea to me.”

The best part about being late to Jane’s (if there really was a best part) was that they were only right across the hall from each other. Darcy and Bucky didn’t have to be any later than necessary.

Jane opened the door before Darcy could even knock.

“You’re late.” Jane humphed.

“I know! I know! And we’re very sorry.” Darcy apologized. “We completely lost track of time.”

Jane stepped out of the doorway to let the couple in. Bucky went straight to the kitchen to get a beer, and Darcy tried to follow before Jane could ask any questions. Jane grabbed Darcy’s arm and pulled her aside.

“What’s the matter? Something’s wrong. I can always tell when something is wrong because you get this little wrinkle in your forehead.” Jane asked worriedly, pointing to the exact wrinkle in Darcy’s forehead that she was talking about.

“I’ll explain it to you later. Thor should know too.” Darcy replied.

“So something is wrong! I knew there was something you weren’t telling me.” Jane accused.

“I literally found out a few minutes ago. Your sixth sense for these sort of things is really freaking me out. You and Thor are the first people I’m telling. Don’t get mad at me, please.” Darcy said.

“I’m not mad, I just know when something is upsetting you. When free food is on the table, you’re never late. I knew something was up when you didn’t show up on time.” Jane explained.

“Why don’t we sit down and start dinner? I don’t want to be rude to Thor, I know he’s been looking forward to this dinner for quite a few days know.” Darcy said, walking into the kitchen.

“Believe it or not, he’s actually a pretty good cook. As long as you’re okay with eating with your fingers and getting a little messy, it’s great food.” Jane told Darcy.

The sight of Thor cooking in a little pink apron was enough for Darcy to forget the day’s prior events. It was kind of hilarious. Thor was literally too sweet. He was the brother she had always wanted.

“Thor, my man! What are you cooking today?” Darcy greeted, grabbing a beer from the fridge.

“Chicken! Lots of chicken!” Thor exclaimed. “Chicken is very similar to a bird we have in Asgard, although it’s quite a bit smaller. My mother used to teach me how to cook when I was much younger. I never fully appreciated it then, but I now see why she enjoyed it so much.”

“Well, it smells pretty great.” Darcy admitted.

“Let’s eat!” Thor announced.

Darcy, Bucky, and Jane sat down at the dining room table and waited (slightly apprehensively) for Thor to put the food down at table. Darcy was pretty amazed when the chicken came out looking just like her Grandma’s famous roast chicken.

They ate the food (which was amazing, Darcy was definitely going to steal some leftovers) and talked about what was going on in their lives. Darcy thought she was almost off the hook, but when Thor came out with desert, Jane cornered Darcy and Bucky into a corner and brought up exactly what Darcy wanted to forget about.

“So what’s this news you had to tell Thor and I? Wedding bells in the future or something?” Jane asked fake-innocently.

Damn Jane trying to get the gossip at of Darcy before she was ready. Might as well do it quick like a band-aid. It would hurt less that way.

“Is everyone sitting down?” Darcy asked, looking around the room. Jane and Thor nodded. She glanced at Bucky, who squeezed her hand in reassurance. “Jane, you send me back in time to the 1940s. And I fight HYDRA. There. That’s it.”

“Explain everything. Now, please.” Jane commanded.

“Yeah, so… That’s everything.” Darcy finished her rant. She let a giant breath she had been holding.

“What the fuck?!” Jane exclaimed. “That is the craziest story I have ever heard.”

“I know. I almost didn’t believe it at first until I saw the pictures. I was there! Really there! There was a notebook with my handwriting in it and everything.” Darcy commented.

“Well, what are you going to do?” Jane asked.

“That’s what I’m wondering. I’m going to sleep on all the new information tonight and then start the planning tomorrow; I’m going to need to tell the rest of the Avengers. They’ll be able to help me get everything I need.” Darcy explained.

“That is a great idea, Darcy. If I may add, I am here to help whenever you need it.” Thor offered. “I will help you in whatever way possible; perhaps I could see if Heimdall will be able to watch over you while you are there.”

“Thanks, Thor. That really means a lot to me.” Darcy hugged Thor, grateful to have a brother-like figure in her life that cared so much about her.

“Want to move this to the living room? I feel like we have a lot more talking to do.” Jane offered to the group.

They each grabbed a beer (which was pretty amazing, Tony would only allow the best alcohol in the Tower), and sat down on the various seats in living room.

“When does Darcy get sent back?” Thor asked seriously.

“I’ve kind of mapped out a general timeline of sorts.” Bucky admitted. “Darcy gets sent back to June 1943 sometime in April of this year. She’s in the 40s for about two years, take a few months. Sometime during May of 1945, she disappears into a bright light, or so SHIELD records say. We can only assume that means she makes it back to us, but we don’t know when.” Bucky informed the group.

“I’m barely halfway to being able to make an Einstein-Rosen Bridge!” Jane blurted. “How am I supposed to be able to get her back if I don’t even know how to make a bridge?”

“Jane, I know the first thing you want to do is worry, but we have time to plan. I’m kind of freaking out, but I know the best possible plan of action is to stay calm and map out all the things we have to do. We’ll get it done in time; I promise.” Darcy reassured Jane.

An uncomfortable and looming silence fell over the group. The sat like that for a minute or two, contemplating what their future was to bring them.

Darcy didn’t tell anyone she was terrified. She knew it was okay to be scared for her life and that it was okay to freak out a little, but she didn’t want to worry anyone, especially Jane, who was the biggest worry wart of them all. She couldn’t wait to go back to her apartment and be alone. She honestly and truly appreciated Bucky in all of this, and knew that he was going to be a huge part of it all, but she just wanted to process all the information alone. Darcy wouldn’t call herself an introvert, but she appreciated her time all by herself.

“This kind of sucks.” Jane said, thinking aloud.

“Aye, Jane. But we will figure out a way to get Darcy safely back home to us.” Thor told her, and ran his hands through her hair to comfort her.

“I know this situation is overall sucky, but we have to think of the good that could come out of this. I go back in time and I say Bucky’s words; that’s literally amazing how the universe knew that. I’m going to help thousands of people. I’m going to get married to Bucky in 1944. I’m going to be the only person on Earth to time travel. Think of all the research you’ll be able to do, Jane. Not all of this is bad. We can prepare for the bad, but we can look forward to all the good too.” Darcy pointed out. And it was true. Not all of it was going to be bad.

“You’re right, Darcy. I just don’t like the thought of losing you for almost two years.” Jane responded quietly.

Darcy was over to where Jane was sitting within a second. “You’re going to make my cry, Jane. I’m going to miss you more than you’ll ever know. You’re my best friend. I’m gone for less than two years! I’ll even write you notes and you can read them! You’ll know everything that’s going on with me, even though I’ll be in 1943. Think of how cool that will be! I’ll make sure the notes are put in a very safe spot. I’ll give them to Howard Stark and tell him if he gets rid of them I’ll strangle him!” Darcy rambled, trying to make Jane feel better. She was also trying to reassure herself that everything would be okay; Darcy could feel the lump in her throat forming at the idea of not seeing Jane for almost two years.

“That would be pretty cool.” Jane admitted. “I wonder how that would work, though. The letters would have to have been written already. Where are they? Don’t worry, I won’t read them, I’m just curious. But if you were to not write them in the past, would they just disappear into thin air? Because they already exist?”

“See! Already thinking of all the science behind everything. You’ll be able to study it while I’m gone. And I’ll make sure to write you all the time. It’ll be like I’m never even gone.” Darcy said.

“You have to make sure that you write me at least two times a week! You hear me?” Jane told her, pointing a finger at him.

“I would never write you any less than that! You’ll be all up with the good gossip from the 1940s.” Darcy comforted Jane.

Darcy closed the door to her apartment. She and Bucky had stayed for another hour or so, coming up with ideas for the upcoming months. Jane started thinking about her science again, wondering how she could possibly create an Einstein-Rosen Bridge in only a few short months. Jane had wanted to get started immediately, but Darcy adamantly told her that she couldn’t because she was emotionally compromised.

Darcy let out a steady breath to calm herself. This night was not going to end in tears. Do not cry. But all she wanted to was cry. She could hear her heart thumping in her chest, her throat killing her as she tried to hold back the tears.

“That didn’t go as bad as I thought it could have.” Darcy told Bucky shakily.

Darcy took another deep breath. It didn’t help.

“You’re so lucky to have Jane and Thor.” Bucky said, trying to reassure her that everything was going to be okay.

“You’re lucky to have them, too. Now that you’re my soulmate, you’re basically as good as Thor’s brother and Jane thinks you’re the bee’s knees.” Darcy replied.

Another breath. Darcy could feel the tears stinging at her eyes.

“What are you going to do while I’m gone, Bucky?” Darcy asked suddenly.

“I don’t know. I’ve been thinking of maybe joining up on missions with the Avengers, actually. That would keep me busy for a little while.” Bucky responded. “Why?”

“You’re finally in a place in your life where you’re okay, and we just got together and it’s just so unfair.” She cried, the tears finally spilling out.

“Hey, Darce. It’s okay. Everything is going to be okay. I wouldn’t trade those years with you in the 1940s for anything. If it means I get to be with you later, then I can do without. And I have Steve and Sam, and even Jane and Thor. I won’t be alone.” Bucky reassured her, taking her and holding her close to his chest. Darcy cried into his chest as he rested his head on top of her head. Bucky had never seen Darcy this small before.

Sometimes he forgot that she wasn’t his Darcy yet, the one that he knew back in the 1940s. Bucky was smart enough to realize that he was probably never going to see that Darcy again, even after she came back. He kept forgetting that this was all fresh news to her. She wasn’t the booming personality that had appeared out of nowhere in the 1940s. This Darcy hadn’t prepared herself for war. She hadn’t asked for any of this, and Bucky wanted nothing more than to take away all the pain that she was feeling. His heart ached as she cried.

“Everybody keeps saying that everything is going to be okay, but I can’t help but feel like its not going to. I try to tell myself that I’ll be fine, but what if I’m not? How can I go back in time knowing what is going to happen to you? How is that fair? How is any of this fair?” Darcy sobbed.

Bucky felt his chin wobble and knew that it wasn’t long before he would start crying. “I know it’s not fair, doll, but we just have to make it work. We’ll make it work.”

Bucky felt his eyes sting as the first few tears spilled over, running down his face. Darcy and Bucky slid to the floor on her kitchen, and wept for themselves and for each other.

Darcy didn’t know how long they embraced each other for, but she knew it was a very long time. She cried harder when she felt Bucky’s chest heaving up and down with quiet sobs.  When she finally felt as thought she could breathe again, she looked up at Bucky’s tear stained face.

Darcy gently wiped away the tears from Bucky’s eyes.

“Is it too soon to tell you I love you?” She told him honestly.

And Darcy meant it. She didn’t know if it was because they were soulmates or because of the circumstances, but she had never felt this sort of romantic love and appreciation before for a person. It lit a fire in her heart to know there was someone that was always going to be there for her.

“It’s never too soon.” Bucky responded. “I haven’t heard you say those words since 1945. When I was the Soldier, I would hear those three words ringing in my head, a reminder that somebody loved me. You have no idea how much those words have carried me through dark times. I love you more than the universe itself loves you, Darcy.”

They shared a passionate kiss. Darcy believed it outshone Princess Buttercup’s and Westley’s kiss in The Princess Bride.

For now, there would be no more tears.

Chapter Text

When Darcy awoke the next morning, she felt fresh. It was a new day, and she was going to start planning. There was a lot of things that needed to be done, the first on the list was telling the Avengers. Together, they would start organizing everything that Darcy needed to know before she went on her little vacation to the 1940s. Darcy knew that list of things she needed to know was going to be lengthy, but after the good cry she and Bucky had last night, she knew that she was not in any of this alone.  Bucky was wrapped around her, his leg over her hip and his chin resting contently on the top of her head. His metal arm was thrown over her waist and he was snoring softly. Darcy wished she could stay like this forever. She stayed in the bed, content and ready to ignore whatever problems she had for a few more minutes. About five minutes later, Bucky woke up.

“G’mornin.” He mumbled sleepily. Bucky’s voice was laced with grogginess and scratchiness, and his eyes were barely able to stay open. Darcy thought it was the cutest thing in the world. Darcy ran her fingers through his soft hair and caressed his cheek. He nuzzled into her touch, muttering something about wanting to go back to sleep.

“Good morning to you too, sleepy head.” She replied. “We’ve got a big today.”

“I don’t want to think about that. Let’s stay in bed forever.” Bucky murmured, burrowing his face into a pillow.

“That sounds like a great idea, but we actually have things to do today. Like, we need to tell all of your buddies what’s about to go down.” Darcy chuckled. “I’m going to get dressed. I want to see you here, ready for the day, in a half hour. I can make us breakfast too.”

“Pancakes?”

“I can make pancakes.” Darcy reassured. When was she ever the voice of reason? This was new. Darcy wouldn’t describe herself as a morning person, but she had gotten used to them because of the years she spent getting up early to go to the labs. She had yet to find out that Bucky was not a morning person, but she thought that this little surprise was actually rather adorable.

Bucky untangled himself from Darcy, stretching his limbs, giving her a kiss on the cheek and lazily strolling out of her apartment. Darcy rolled out of bed and straight into the shower, glad to wash off yesterday’s makeup and everything from the day before. Her outfit of choice for the day was her usual jeans, t-shirt, and cardigan getup that was her staple for day to day living in the Tower. It was casual enough to still be comfy, but nice enough that she wouldn’t feel like a fool in front of Pepper Potts. Scratch that, Darcy always felt like a fool in front of Pepper Potts.

As Darcy promised, she got started on pancakes for her and Bucky. She mixed the ingredients together, humming a cute tune to a song from a musical Bucky took her to the week before. When she was almost done mixing the batter, she felt strong hands wrap around her waist.

“You are an excellent cook.” Bucky commented.

Darcy laughed. “The pancakes aren’t even done yet!” She quipped. 

“One, you’ve cooked for me before.” Bucky started. “And two, you’re magical, so anything you cook is definitely going to be magic. Also, Steve and I pretty much suck at anything cooking related. I don’t remember it very clearly, but I remember Steve and I boiling potatoes and veggies most nights for dinner.”

“What the hell, Bucky? I need to teach you some serious cooking skills.” Darcy replied. “You’re going to finish making these pancakes.”

“Nooo!” He whined. “I want you to make the pancakes. They won’t be good if I make them.”

Bucky’s pleading eyes almost won over Darcy, but she had to stay strong.

“Well, the batter is all done so all you have to do is flip them and make sure they don’t burn. I’ll even help you. And if they come out a little, that’s okay. I don’t like perfect pancakes anyways.” Darcy responded.

“I guess I can do that.” Bucky sighed dramatically. “But if they come out bad, I’m blaming you.”

“You can blame me all you want if they come out bad, but they’re going to come out fine.” Darcy retorted.

Darcy showed him how to pour the batter onto the griddle and how to flip the pancake.

“See? It’s not that hard.” She said.

Together, they made the pancakes. Occasionally Bucky would screw something up, like making the pancakes too big so they touched each other, or flipping it wrong so the batter splattered everywhere. Darcy showed him how to sprinkle the chocolate chips on at just the right time so the pancakes would be the perfect amount of chocolate-y, but Bucky didn’t catch on to that technique so quick. Even with their few mishaps, the two had a stack of ugly but delicious pancakes on their hands.

“This is amazing!” Bucky commented, his eyes going wide. “I made delicious pancakes!”

“Well technically you flipped the pancakes, but yeah you did it!” Darcy exclaimed.

They high fived without looking, and went back to eating their pancakes. Darcy reckoned that it was funny that she and Bucky were so in tune with each other. It was probably the soulmate thing, or maybe it was because Bucky had technically known her for a few years (that thought was still kind of crazy to her.  

“Do you think we should call everyone and tell them to meet us in the common living space in about an hour?” Bucky suggested, shoving his face with food.

“That’s a good idea. Maybe we should just ask Jarvis to inform them?” Darcy asked. She looked up to the ceiling (how could she not?). “Hey, Jarvis! Do you think you could you please tell Clint, Natasha, Steve, Sam, Tony, and Thor to meet us in the common room in an hour? Tell them it’s an Avengers Family Meeting and that they have to come whether they want to or not.”

“I can inform them of your desire, Miss Darcy.” Jarvis responded.

“Thanks, Jarv! You’re a doll.” Darcy thanked.

“It is my pleasure.” Jarvis said.

“So what are we going to tell them?” Darcy asked Bucky.

“Well, I was thinking maybe the part where you travel back in time. But you know, that part isn’t very important.” Bucky quipped sarcastically. He gave her a devilish smirk and Darcy knew he was in a playful mood.

She rolled her eyes and smacked lightly him on the arm. “Do shut up, Bucky. I think the best thing we can do is tell them all everything. We know that Steve and Thor know everything, but do any of the others know?” She questioned.

“I don’t think so, but I think Natasha might know whispers of something.” Bucky commented. “She’s in the loop about everything.”

“Okay, and from there we will start devising a course of action. I feel better knowing that things are starting to move along.” Darcy admitted.

The two chatted for a few minutes longer, sharing a few giggles and sneaking in a few little kisses before they had to go. Darcy made sure everything was in the dishwasher (she hated coming home to a dirty kitchen) before putting on her flats.

“I’m ready!” She exclaimed. “Let’s go.”

Bucky smiled and grabbed her hand. Together, the meandered to the communal living space. They were a few minutes early, and only Steve and Sam were there. Darcy held back a giggle when she noticed the two old geezers were arguing over a crossword puzzle.

“Who even reads the actual paper anymore? And literally nobody does crossword puzzles. You guys are such dorks and so perfectly made for each other that it hurts my heart.” Darcy commented, interrupting the argument.

“Darcy!” Sam exclaimed, a little surprised by Darcy’s sudden appearance. “Why did you call us here this morning?”

“Good morning to you too.” Bucky greeted, plopping on the couch next to Sam.

Before Sam could say anything snarky (jokingly, of course), Darcy continued. “I’ll explain everything once everyone gets here. It’s a really long story that I’ve already had to explain once before, and I want everyone to be here for it.”

Sam turned to Steve. “You know what it’s about?”

A guilty look flashed upon Steve’s face. “I do know what it’s about.”

“Wait, you didn’t tell Sam?” Bucky asked Steve. “I thought you would have told him by now.”

“Why does everyone here know what’s going on except me?” Sam asked, confused.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what’s going on, but it’s not my story to tell.” Steve explained.

“Don’t be sorry, I understand that there are some things that need to be kept secret. I’m not mad.” Sam reassured Steve.

Steve sighed in relief. Out of the corner of her eye, Darcy spied Natasha and Clint entering the room.

“What’s up!” Clint exclaimed. “What’s the deal-io for today?”

“Bucky and I have some news.” Darcy said nervously. She picked at the turquoise nail polish that adorned her finger tips and bit her lip.

“Pregnant?” Clint questioned, staring at Darcy’s stomach.

“I’ve known Bucky for a week, Clint. It’s completely impossible. You’re supposed to be a spy.” Darcy quipped, rolling her eyes at Clint.

He raised his hands up in defense. “Hey! Who knows how potent that super-human sperm is. You never know.” He raised his eyebrow at Bucky and gave him a smirk. Bucky hit Clint on the back of his head with his metal hand. He couldn’t bring himself to care.

It took a few more minutes, but eventually Thor, Jane, Bruce, and Tony showed up.

“Okay, so what’s going on with Double D?” Tony greeted, sauntering into the room.

“Tony, I told you to stop calling me that!” Darcy exclaimed.

Tony turned to Bucky. “Well? Aren’t you going to defend her honor? And then cry something about 1940s chivalry?”

Bucky picked a flake of imaginary dust off of his t-shirt. “Hey, Darcy’s the one with a taser and a wit quicker than yours. I would be afraid of her destroying your honor and possibly your ability to have kids.” Bucky answered nonchalantly.

“Good point.” Tony replied, sitting down on the couch and shutting his mouth.

“Okay guys, what Bucky and I are about to tell you is strictly confidential.” Darcy started. “If the wrong person gets hint of this, then the outcome of WWII could be in danger.”

Tony raised his hand. “Can I talk?” He looked around at the serious faces surrounding him. “Okay, what the fuck?” 

The room was dead silent. In the distance, Darcy was almost sure she could hear crickets chirping. She looked down at the edge of her shirt, which was completely wrinkled because of how much she was playing with it. Her lip was gnawed half to death, and her beautiful nail polish was all chipped. So much for staying calm; she was a giant ball of nerves.

Nobody was speaking, but Bruce decided to break the uncomfortable silence.

“Do you know the exact date and circumstances in which you get sent back?” He asked. “That could help us a lot with what we need to do.”

Darcy shook her head. She hadn’t had any time to read through the journal, and now that she was thinking of it, she probably should have brought it. She turned to Bucky. “Do you know?”

Bucky shook his head. “You never specified the exact date or time. You never wanted the wrong person to find out so you just didn’t write it down. All I know is that Jane sends you back sometime in April.”

Dammit. That certainly made things harder.

“What are you going to do then?” Sam asked.

“Now I haven’t had much time to think about all of this, but there are a few things off the top of my head that I need to learn. One, I need a job. Two, I need to read up on some history. Three, I need my WWII aficionados Bucky and Steve to tell me what battles exactly I drop some intel on.” Darcy explained to the group.

“Not to mention you needs to learn how to properly fight.” Natasha added. “I will train you. We only have a few months, so I expect to see you in the gym later this afternoon.”

“Thanks, Natasha.” Darcy said gratefully. “As long as you teach me how to kill a man with your thighs, I’ll be in your debt forever.”

“Sam and I will cover battle strategies. We have different tactics, but that should add more insight for you.” Steve offered.

“I agree. Its best that you have multiple perspectives; it can only help you in the long run.” Sam added.

“Wait, I’m not going to be leading anyone into battle, am I?” Darcy questioned. She turned to Bucky, her eyes filled with fear. It’s not that she didn’t think she couldn’t do it, but a part of her didn’t want to and another part told her she was better off as the sidekick.

Bucky’s eyes told her everything. Darcy felt her stomach turn and she grabbed the armrests on the chair she was sitting in. In. Out. In. Out. That had become her mantra as of late.

“I know that isn’t what you wanted to hear, Darce.” Bucky told her reassuringly. “And it’s only a few skirmishes, not any major battles. Steve does all the boneheaded stuff. He would never let you run head first into a battle you didn’t want to go into. Every battle you fight, you willingly join and lead. The Howling Commandos would never ask you to lead them into something that you weren’t comfortable with or ready for. You didn’t ask to get thrown into all of this, so nobody forces you to do anything.”

“That makes me feel a lot better, actually.” Darcy replied. And it did. Knowing that she had a choice in it all made her feel more human and less like an outsider. In the past twenty-four hours, she felt like her life as she knew it had been ripped away from her. She still couldn’t comprehend that this was all going to happen to her, of all people. Why not Natasha? Darcy wished that it was somebody better skilled and better suited for this. If Darcy had anything to be glad for, it was the fact that Thor did not offer to teach her about battle tactics. She loved the guy, but subtlety on the battlefield was not one of his strongpoints.

“I’ll help Darcy with her shooting. Gotta learn from the best, you know what I’m saying?” Clint piped up. “Tony, you think you can get us some vintage machine guns?”  

“Sure thing, as long as I don’t have to be down there when you fire it. I think I trust Thor more with a gun than you. I can get Darcy fake documents, too!” Tony exclaimed. He shrugged when he noticed the surprised looks from the rest of the Avengers. “What? I had to get into bars somehow while I was at MIT. The guy may not be alive though… He was pretty old thirty years ago. I’ll have to check on that.”

Darcy decided that it was probably best to change the subject from what Tony was talking about.

“I’m going to start reading up on all of the main battles that happened, and everything I can get my hands on about HYDRA and the Howling Commandos.” Darcy started. “I know Steve and Bucky will be able to fill me in on a lot of things, but I want to have every perspective. I need to be as prepared as possible going into this.”

For the next few hours, The Avengers and Co. joined their brains together in drawing up plans for Darcy. Darcy was eternally grateful that each of the Avengers, whom she had only met a week before, were being so helpful in this mess.

Darcy was discussing her job options with Steve when she noticed Bucky whispering with Natasha out of the corner of her eye. They were very serious, clearly engaged in a very deep conversation. She wanted to know what they were talking about, and why they felt the need to whisper in Russian. Darcy wanted nothing more than to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“You there, Darcy?” Steve asked, waving a hand in front of her face. He noticed her staring at Bucky and Natasha and turned back to her. “He’ll tell you what’s going on later. Don’t worry.”

“Do you know what they’re talking about?” She questioned, her eyes still trained on Bucky.

“I think I have an idea, but I’m not really sure. It’s not my place to tell. Like I said, I’m sure Bucky will tell you later tonight.” Steve replied. “Now, when you were living with us, you worked as a secretary. You didn’t really like it much, though. Your boss was a bit of a jerk but the pay was decent, so you said. However, when I become Captain America, you’re hired as my personal assistant, so you get to travel with me and all that. Personal assistant is a very loose term, also. It just gets you to Europe, where you help out with everything.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad, but I’m not really looking forward to having a sucky boss. Or being a secretary. Bleh.” Darcy commented, making a disgusted face.

It was then they heard a bang at the door. Everyone in the room froze.

Clint was the first to react. He counted everyone in the room, including himself. “Well the gang’s all here, so who could that possibly be?”

Natasha was up, hand on her holster, ready to pounce if she had to. The rest of the Avengers adopted similar defensive positions.

“Dammit, Stark!” They heard a voice yell. “I’m about to blast this stupid door open!”

The door was kicked open. Darcy’s eyes widened when she noticed who was bounding towards them. The long leather coat and eye patch gave away everything.

Tony opened his arms to the man.

“Hello, Nicky! What can we do for you today?”

Chapter Text

Fury pointed at Darcy, Bucky, and Steve and then to the door.

“Golden Trio, outside with me, now.” He demanded.

Darcy, Bucky, and Steve looked like kicked puppies as they practically ran out of the common lounge area and into a more private room. Fury stayed silent for a few moments, contemplating what exactly he wanted to say.

Darcy thought her heart was in her ears based on how loud it was pounding. She prayed she wasn’t in trouble, but she knew she was. Of course she was. Trouble followed her ever since Thor crash landed to Earth. Based off of the looks on Bucky and Steve’s faces, the following conversation was not going to be a pleasant one.

Fury slammed his hands on the table and Darcy flinched at the noise.

“Why is it when something happens, it is always you three?” Fury articulated, the aggravation in his voice clearly palpable.  He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a deep sigh.

“Fury, we can explain. We were going to tell you eventually –“ Steve began.

“I don’t care if you were going to tell me eventually. You need to know that things are happening outside of these walls that could impact all three of you.” Fury stated. He pointed at Darcy. “HYDRA has heard whispers of her; they don’t know who Ms. Time Travel over here exactly is, but they’re getting ideas.”

“What?” Darcy gasped, putting her hand over her heart. She turned to Bucky. “Is this true?”

“I was going to tell you later; that’s what Natasha and I were discussing earlier. I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you sooner; I only had suspicions.” Bucky explained, looking truly guilty.

“I think we should talk about that later. Let’s hear what Fury has to say.” Darcy commented, she turned back to Fury with an expectant look on her face. He had to explain what was going on, pronto. She didn’t want to be kept in the dark in any of this.

“And what do we have here? Two little lovebirds coming out to play?” Fury noted. “This certainly complicates things, and definitely for the worse.”

“For fucks sake, Fury, can you tell us what’s going on?” Bucky demanded, a concerned look spreading over his face. Darcy could tell he was getting frustrated because of the way his lips were set in a straight line. “Stop beating around the bush; if Darcy is going to be in danger, I would like to know about it.”

“I wouldn’t be leaving your little friend here alone, from now on.” Fury told the trio. “HYDRA knows something, and they know a big chunk of it has to do with you, Bucky. If they find out that you two are soulmates, she’d be in more danger than she already is in now.”

“Okay, can you talk to me and stop acting like I’m not in the room? So I don’t leave the Tower without a superhero buddy by my side. That’s not a big deal. I don’t really venture out too much anyways; Is there anything else I should be cautious of?” Darcy questioned angrily.

While Darcy knew that the men were trying to protect her, she was the center of the drama and wanted to be included in the plans. She could take care of herself.

“I would suggest constant vigilance. I’m telling STARK we’re upping the security whether he likes it or not.” Fury stated. He paced back and forth around the small room, his large stature slightly intimidating Darcy.

“Did you just say a Harry Potter quote?” Darcy half-joked, trying to lighten the mood.

“Lewis, I would suggest you shut your mouth. My patience is wearing very thin because of you three.” Fury snipped.

Darcy did not know the man well, but she could tell that he was trying to formulate a plan on the fly. She rolled her eyes subtly. Even though Fury’s words held a lot of truth, she also had a feeling he was slightly melodramatic and treated the Avengers like his own superhero children that he couldn’t quite get a handle on. She glanced at Bucky and Steve, both of them caught up in her own thoughts. Nobody was going to speak, so she was going to end this conversation as soon as she possibly could.

“I appreciate your concern, Director Fury. I understand the consequences of what is going to happen to me and I take responsibility for all of my actions now and in the past. The Avengers and I have drafted a serious regimen of training and battle education that I shall complete before April, which is just over two months from now. I am also aware that two months to train is considered a very short time; It has been discussed and Tony has relieved me from my working duties and my only job is to train. If you would like to look at what we have drafted, feel free to take a look. If you think that we have not thought this through carefully, I am afraid you are sorely mistaken. Now if you would excuse me, I have more plans to go over, as I do not have the time to be distracted right now.”

With that, Darcy got up from the room and left, not looking back in fear of what Fury would do or say to her.

It was too bad, because she completely missed Bucky and Steve’s stunned expressions.

Following their visit from Fury, Darcy dove head first into training for her ‘vacation’, as she called it. As serious as the situation was, Darcy had to bring some humor to the table or else she would drive herself mad. Every single time she thought about everything she had to do, she could feel the anxiety bubbling all the way through her body. She decided that the best course of action was to just do, and not think about it too hard. So the very next day after talking with Fury, Clint decided to take her shooting for the very first time.

The pair traveling to the Avengers Compound, located just a few hours north of the city. Darcy whined and moaned when Clint woke her up at quarter to seven, and claimed it was much too early for any sane human being to be up. Clint argued that he was not sane, and Darcy shut up. She knew when to pick her fights; arguing right after she woke up would surely mean a loss for her.

The ride to the Compound was fairly calm; Darcy hadn’t spent all that much time with Clint yet and was looking forward to getting to know him a little more. All she knew was that he was Natasha’s soulmate, and that he frequented the air vents as a means to travel around the Tower. Turns out they had a very similar taste in music, loving everything from David Bowie and The Rolling Stones to Taylor Swift. The ride there wasn’t as awkward as Darcy had expected it to be, except for the part where Clint hotwired one of Tony’s less auspicious vehicles instead of just asking for the keys like any normal human would.

The Compound was in the heart of upstate New York, the lush greens of the foliage and rolling hills reminding Darcy of her home back in Ohio. It reminded her of simpler times – times that would never come back. Darcy didn’t even bother trying to hide her dropped jaw when she saw the compound for the first time. Everything about it was upscale, sleek, and modern. Clint smirked when he noticed her stunned expression.

“Cool, huh?” He stated casually.

“This is more than just cool. This is awesome! Amazing! Unbelievable! Are you sure I’m allowed in here?” Darcy questioned.

“Well technically since you’re not an Avenger, no. But I do what I want, so yes, you’re allowed.” Clint responded cheekily.

“That doesn’t sound very legal, or safe, but I’m in.” Darcy stated. Just do, don’t think.

He took her through a series of hallways, each containing rooms that Darcy was sure had classified information and technology that she probably didn’t have access to. When they entered the last room, Darcy assumed this had to be the shooting range. Clint tossed her a pair of soundproof earmuffs so she wouldn’t ruin her hearing.

“What about you?” She asked.

“Completely ruined my hearing back when I was younger.” He tapped his ears and Darcy noticed the little hearing aids he was wearing.

She shrugged. “Probably better for you. You don’t have to listen to Tony bitch all the time.”

Clint nodded. “Very true when you put it that way.”

He went to the back room and Darcy followed. Darcy’s head almost exploded when she saw the amount of ammunitions that were in the room.

“You could make an army with all of these! Who needs to practice with a flame thrower? How is any of this necessary.” Darcy rambled.

Had the room always been this small? Were there any windows? Why was it so hot? She tugged at her sweatshirt and pulled it off. She was thinking too much and she knew it. She didn’t want to touch any of the guns. None. Nope. She didn’t want to do this. She didn’t think she could do this. She edged away from the weapons just a little, scooting closer to the door.

“Don’t pop a vein in your forehead, Darcy. We’re just starting you off with something small today.” Clint reassured. He picked up a pistol.

Okay, she could do that. She was expecting Clint to hand her a machine gun or something. A pistol was no problem.

“This is a Colt M1911. Pretty standard for a handgun. Still used in a lot of places. It was used in a shit ton of wars. I figured this is probably the safest thing for you to start off with.” Clint explained.

He led her back to the range, and she was pretty sure she saw Sharon Carter nailing a few shots some stalls down from her. It was completely badass watching her. She was going to be that badass one day. Darcy thought of all the badass woman in her life who could properly handle a weapon and wanted to make them proud.

“Okay, so it’s fairly simple how you load it. Just pop a few bullets into the magazine, and then pop the magazine into the magazine well just like this and you’re good to go! Except if you’re not going to shoot it, then put it on safety. It’s just this little thing right here. It makes it so the gun doesn’t shoot. Quite handy, if you ask me.” Clint showed her the basics of the gun. “It’s a pretty easy gun to shoot; not that heavy, not a ton of kickback. I’m sure you’ll be shooting it like a pro in no time. If you do well with this, I think I might show you some of the British handguns just in case you ever get a hold on one of those.”

“I don’t know if I can do this.” Darcy stated, staring at the gun. The sight of the metal gun in front of her and what it meant made Darcy nauseous. She wasn’t hesitant to Taser somebody, but shooting them was a completely different story. She might have to kill… She didn’t want to ask Bucky if she ever killed anybody.

“If you don’t want to, then you don’t have to. It’s all your choice.” Clint consoled her.

“I just have to do it before I psyche myself out. Show me how to shoot it.” Darcy said half-confidently. “I’ll do it fast like a band-aid.”

“If you’re sure… You might want to put your ear muffs on for this” Clint said. Darcy nodded her head and put the soundproof headphones on, leaving one of the ears off so she could listen to the rest of Clint’s instructions. “So to shoot, you just take the safety off and point and pull the trigger. Easy as that.”

Clint turned to the range and Darcy made sure her earmuffs were on tight. She stood a comfortable distance behind him, watching as he popped a bullet straight into the center of the target. He popped the safety back on and turned around.

“That was sick!” Darcy exclaimed. “How do you make sure it hits the target every time?”

“That takes practice. Want to try?” He asked. He held out the gun for her and Darcy tentatively took it.

The cool metal felt strange in her hands. The idea of shooting something was completely foreign to her. She cautiously walked up to the stall that Clint was shooting at. The hole in the center of the target intimidated her. The hole reminded her that there were herculean expectations for her. What would Clint think of her if she didn’t get a hang of it? What if she wasn’t good at shooting a gun? Darcy forced her insecurities down and decided she would face those another day; right now was for learning how to shoot a gun. She flicked the safety off and looked back at Clint, silently asking him if she was doing this right. He nodded his head in approval, and Darcy turned back to the stall.

Darcy pointed the gun at the target, holding the gun with both hands like Clint had shown her. She looked down the center of the gun, using that as her guide for her aim. She inhaled a deep breath and pulled the trigger and exhaled as her finger loosened off the trigger. It didn’t have a lot of kickback, but the feeling of shooting a gun was definitely not what was she had expected.

It wasn’t a bullseye buy any means, but she had hit the target. Maybe if she adjusted her arm just a little and pointed it up ever so slightly, that would change it. Darcy pulled the trigger again. Still not a bullseye, but getting there. A few more shots rang out and nothing changed much with her aim. Her shots weren’t dead center, but that was to come with practice. At least she hit the target; that was certainly better than how she thought she was going to do.

Darcy flicked the safety on the gun and turned back to Clint, who nodded his head approvingly.

“Not bad for a beginner, but you certainly have a long way to go. Try holding it like this, with your elbow positioned more this way.” Clint explained, showing her how he would hold the gun.

Darcy nodded her head and turned back to the stall.

This was going to be a long day.

When Darcy got back to her apartment, she had never been more glad to take a shower. Her arms ached from holding up a gun for most of the afternoon, and she felt like her spirit had been drained. The whole day was mentally taxing and Darcy couldn’t wait to get into her pajamas and eat Chinese food with the girls.

Darcy had promised a girl’s night in her newly minted apartment, and so Jane and Natasha were coming over for dinner, movies, and lots of girly things. As tired as she was, she was really looking forward to spending some time with her friends. The thought of being friends with the actual Black Widow still kind of put Darcy on edge, simply because she was intimidated by the woman’s success and ability to kill a man with only her thighs.

Darcy slipped on her favorite pair of comfy leggings and Bucky’s crewneck sweatshirt, which fell almost to her knees. The scent of his cologne lingered on the grey fabric, and Darcy inhaled its scent almost instinctively.

Somebody knocked on the door and Darcy walked over to the foyer. Natasha was there, looking more relaxed than Darcy had ever seen her. Dressed similarly to her in leggings and an oversized sweatshirt, she looked less of a soviet assassin and more like a young woman who really wanted to eat half of her body weight in dodgy Chinese food. The scent of Chinese food wafted into the kitchen and Darcy’s stomach growled in response.

“Mmm… Are those spring rolls I smell?” Darcy asked as Natasha let herself in.

“Sure are. I may have snagged one on the ride up to your apartment though. They smelled really good.” Natasha admitted.

“I don’t blame you.” Darcy responded, grabbing some dishes and silverware from the cabinets. “If Jane doesn’t get here within the next minute, I’m going to devour all of that.”

Jane let herself into Darcy’s apartment then, and Darcy was surprised she actually showed up on time.

“I needed food in my system like, yesterday.” Jane greeted. “I think I’m hungry enough to eat a horse.”

“Hello to you, too.” Darcy laughed. “And for someone as tiny as you are, you certainly know how to pack down some food.”

The three girls grabbed their food eagerly and sat down on Darcy’s amazing couch. Darcy grabbed the clicker and turned to Jane and Natasha.

“What movie are we watching tonight, ladies?” She asked.

“She’s the Man.” Jane and Natasha responded simultaneously. They looked at each other with excited faces.

“You’ve seen that movie?” Jane asked, some noodles tumbling down from her sudden movement her shirt and effectively staining it.

“I may be a spy but I’m not a social recluse. A good chick flick is a good chick flick.” Natasha shrugged.

Darcy looked at the two with stunned expressions. “Are you sure you two aren’t actually Platonics?” She asked, waving the remote between them.

“No, that job is taken by Elektra.” Natasha stated.

“Wait, you mean to tell me that your Platonic is Elektra. Like, the Elektra? The one that’s been spotted about with Daredevil?” Darcy gasped.

“The one and only. She’s off in London right now on a business trip.” Natasha revealed.

Something about the tone in Natasha’s voice told Darcy that Elektra wasn’t really on a business trip. Darcy imagined all the cool, badass things she was doing right at that very moment.

“That’s absolutely sick! Tell her she’s welcome to join girl’s night if she ever wants to.” Darcy offered.

“I’ll tell her; I’m sure she’ll come over sometime. She was just whining about not having enough girlfriends just the other day.” Natasha said.

“Okay, can we start the movie now? My food is going to get cold and if it gets cold then you guys will have a very angry Jane on your hands.” Jane demanded.

“And we cannot have that! I’ve seen angry Jane, it’s similar to the Hulk.” Darcy told Natasha, who let out a small snicker.

“I want to see that!”

Tonight was exactly what Darcy needed.

Chapter Text

April 7, 2015

It was a rainy day when it happened.

Darcy was lounging around on the couch with Bucky. The two hadn’t even bothered to get out of their pajamas, nor did they feel the need to. With Darcy’s trip hours, days, weeks away, they wanted to spend as much time together as they possibly could. The threat that loomed over their heads put a damper on both of their moods. Starting at the beginning of the month, both Darcy and Bucky were constantly on edge, waiting for what was going to happen. Weapons were stashed in every corner of Darcy’s beautiful apartment; a handgun under the counter, stun gun in the couch cushion, knives hidden behind the TV. Little reminders that they couldn’t have peace. For Darcy, she knew that true peace wouldn’t come for another two years.

Despite the deadline that was hanging over them, Darcy and Bucky did find some happy moments for themselves. Only weeks before, they had celebrated their wedding anniversary, which was strange for Darcy, considering that she had only known Bucky for the span of a few months. She had been utterly surprised when she walked into her apartment, sweaty and disgusting after a workout session with Natasha, to find Bucky holding a dozen roses, and a romantic candle lit dinner on the table.

It was the tons of little things that Bucky did for her that let her know that she was appreciated, that he loved her exactly for who she was now, and not who she was to become when she traveled back in time. She tried her hardest to reciprocate, to let him know that she didn’t want him to change. They were still learning each other, as they would for many years to come. Darcy didn’t let her thoughts linger on what would happen if she didn’t make it back; it was always a possibility. Instead, she focused on training even harder with everyone that was helping her.

She had come a very long way in the previous few months. Training with Natasha had made the soft parts of her body more muscular. Her mind was much more tactical, looking out for any possible threats and dangers. She tried to remain carefree when she could, but walking out in the street knowing that she was a target had left her more cautious than she was before. Darcy had a plethora of World War II knowledge crammed in her mind, specifically information about HYDRA. She read their leader’s war plans, learning the way the fought and how their minds worked. Darcy couldn’t help but reflect on how much she changed. She knew that her changing so much was very necessary and only temporary, but she could see the effect that it had on her, Bucky, and the rest of the team.

They were lounging on the couch, watching Forrest Gump. It was the part when Forrest was running around the states, when Darcy thought she heard something suspicious. Maybe it was her nerves (she was on edge all the time nowadays) or maybe it was because she was tired, but Darcy was sure she heard something.

Sitting up a bit, she reached for the stun gun in the couch cushion.  

“Did you hear that?” She asked quietly, eyes darting around the room, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

“Actually, yeah I did. I’m surprised I didn’t hear it before you.” Bucky muttered. “Let me go check the hall.”

Bucky got up from the couch, and Darcy relaxed a little bit into the couch, her hand still on the stun gun. In a weird way, she was glad that she was the one to have heard that. Bucky still struggled every day, more than she really knew, about what HYDRA had done to him. Some days were good, and some days were bad. Bucky not hearing this little noise meant that he was relaxing, instead of constantly living on edge. Darcy was almost sure that the noise was nothing, but there was something different about the air. She kept her eyes and ears open for anything that could happen. When she didn't hear Bucky coming back to the couch, she knew that something was going to happen. She could feel it. The air was almost electric, and her apartment was just too quiet for her liking, even with the TV on in the background.

Before she could stand up to check on Bucky, a hand wrapped over her mouth. The other hand on her wrist. The masked man dragged her off the couch. Where the hell was Bucky?

Well, crap. She couldn’t scream, but was ever thankful for Natasha’s lessons in combat. Elbowing the guy in the crotch, she managed to startle him enough to flip herself onto his shoulders, and then wrapping her thighs around his neck, squeezing hard so he couldn’t breath, and dragging herself down with him. His head landed hard on the ground and Darcy kicked him in the crotch as hard as she could. She grabbed her stun gun and shot him twice for good measure. Running to the kitchen counter, she took the gun hidden away and ran toward the hall, where she found Bucky fighting three other men.

Once the HYDRA agents saw her, the tried to attack. Bucky used the agent’s distraction to disarm one of the men. Darcy shot another with her stun gun (she really didn’t want to kill anyone unless she absolutely had to), and Bucky got effectively knocked out the last one with a forceful kick to the head.

“Stay right beside me, and run. Okay?” Bucky told her. She nodded her head.

This was it. This had to be it. She tried to stay focused, but this was the first time she had ever been in a situation so real. Before, it had just been Clint dropping down from the vents in her apartment and trying to disarm her. Her heart was pounding, and she could feel the adrenaline pulsing through her body. Darcy tried to only think of the mission.

Get to the labs so Jane could propel her into the 1940s. It was easier said than done when HYDRA agents were on your tail trying to kill you.

They didn’t bother taking the elevator. Taking a side stairwell, the couple practically flew down the stairs as fast as they possibly could, only coming across two HYDRA agents as they ran. They were running up the stairs at her, and Darcy jumped down at least six steps and into one of the guy’s chest. He landed on the ground with a dramatic thud and Darcy was sure he was knocked out. Bucky dislocated the other man’s arm, taking the shoulder right out of the socket and pushing him through the brick wall. Darcy was 99% sure he was dead. She didn’t want to tell Bucky that a push like that could certainly kill your average human.

“Come on!” Bucky yelled. He was completely in the zone, and Darcy wished she could have reflexes like that. She was too on edge, and a little jittery, despite the adrenaline rush.

Several flights of stairs later, they finally reached the floor of Jane’s labs. Darcy heard the commotion before she saw it. Something big was happening behind the doors, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to see it. But Darcy knew that she had to.

“Why couldn’t I have been a Gryffindor? Damn you Pottermore for sorting me into Hufflepuff.” She muttered to herself. “It’s now or never.”

Taking a few deep breaths, Darcy braced herself for the battle. She took the moment to look over at Bucky, who was staring at her, a concerned look in his eyes.

“I love you.” He said, grabbing her hand. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles, and it comforted her slightly.  

“I know.” She replied, squeezing his fingers.

They ran into the fight together.

There had to be at least twelve more HYDRA agents in the lab, fighting Thor, Steve, and Tony. Although they were superheroes, they were highly outnumbered. A little help wouldn’t hurt, Darcy supposed.  

Darcy dove right into the action, hitting on the HYDRA agents over the head with a metal rod the she had found in the entry way. Darcy wasn’t afraid to take a few cheap shots from the behind instead of facing the agent head on. While she had been trained by Black Widow, only years of training could properly prepare her to fight against some evil doers. So cheap hits to the back of the head were what she was going to go with. When the agent hit the floor, completely passed out, she mused that the agent totally had to have gotten a concussion from that.

“Nice one!” Steve commented, impressed.

“I know!” She replied, already jumping onto the back of another agent. Before the agent could back her up into a wall, she tased him in the stomach. She wasn’t about to use the gun that she grabbed. That was for emergencies only. As much as anyone sane would have argued that being attacked by HYDRA operatives was an emergency, she didn’t want to kill unless she absolutely had to.

Her streak of disarming people ended pretty quickly when one of the HYDRA goons recognized her.

“That’s her! Get her!” The HYDRA operative cried out.

Immediately, the remaining five HYDRA were after her. Her eyes darted to Bucky, who was still by her side. She nodded at him before she darted off toward Jane’s lab.

They were clawing after her, but Bucky, Steve, Thor, and Tony were already after them. Darcy was thankful that Natasha forced her to run every day, because she was at Jane’s lab in only a second and was not nearly out of breath.

She approached the lab cautiously and hoped to God Jane was in there. She couldn’t help but notice the trail of blood that was leading up to the lab. This time, she had her gun out, only because she was all alone. Darcy couldn’t be too careful.

“Oh God, Jane. Please be alive.” She said to herself.

Her heart was pounding, and everything went quiet as she walked into the lab.  She could feel the bile in her stomach threatening to expel itself all over the floor.

Natasha and Jane were casually leaning against the table, talking about what they were going to eat for dinner tonight. When they noticed Darcy, Natasha only raised an eyebrow in amusement.

“We’ve been waiting for you.” Natasha said nonchalantly.

Darcy took note of the three HYDRA goons laying on the floor, a small pool of blood emerging from one of the agent’s stomach.

“Let’s get this show on the road before anything else can happen.” Darcy said.

Darcy stared at the contraption that Jane had spent most of her career laboring over. It had only worked for them once, and Darcy wasn’t even sure if it was going to work now. It was sleek and small, but Thor said it somewhat resembled his Bifrost back on Asgard.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.” Jane said then, her bottom lip wobbling a bit, and tears were threatening to spill over her eyes.

“You’ll be fine! You have Natasha, Pepper, and even Helen, as much as you butt heads with her sometimes. You know Thor can visit whenever he wants, so you’ll never be alone. And you have Bucky. You can tell him all the embarrassing stories about me that you want. I even set up reminders on your phone so you know when to eat and sleep.” Darcy replied. Her throat was getting awfully tight and she knew she was about to cry. “Just do it before I cry.”

Jane nodded and pulled the lever.

A bright light appeared. She could see Jane saying something, but she couldn’t hear what it was. She felt herself being tugged and pulled into a million different directions and Darcy imagined that this was what it felt like to be sucked through a black hole. The last thing she saw was a HYDRA agent at the door, shooting at the glass like a madman, and Bucky tackling him to the floor.

Darcy was sure she was turned inside out as she traveled. All the air was sucked from her lungs and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t move. Darcy didn’t even know if she was even human anymore. Maybe she was a string of consciousness?

More light. Blinding pain. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. It went on for what Darcy felt like was a century. Maybe it was, she was traveling back in time after all. Just as she thought the pain couldn’t get any worse, it stopped.

Her ears were ringing. Darcy couldn’t hear a thing. The world around her was spinning violently, and she didn’t know if she was standing or sideways or upside down. Darcy fell on the ground before she could figure out what was going on. She stared at her hands dripping with blood from taking the most of her fall.

Did she hit her head? She didn’t know. The world was still spinning. She still couldn’t hear anything. Her stomach flipped then, and she retched onto the side of the street. In the distance, she could see somebody running. Were they running towards her?

His mouth was moving but Darcy couldn’t hear the words he was saying. The world was still spinning too much for her to tell his facial features. Her stomach heaved again. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. Little by little, her ears stopped ringing and the world stopped spinning. After several miserable minutes, she opened her eyes.

Steve Rogers, in all of his tiny glory, peered into her eyes, his face contorted into a weird expression.

“Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.” She muttered.

And then she figured, she was in the arms of Captain America. Or the future Captain America. Whatever. His patriotic sense of duty was still the same in 1940, so she figured that it might be okay if she passed out.

And that’s exactly what she did.