Chapter 20
Darcy loved Jane immediately when they met. Not only because the woman was so tiny Darcy wanted to put her in her pocket, but also because her questions made Darcy’s day.
“How do you feel about Pop Tarts?” She had asked Darcy randomly.
“I think I’m a college student and it’s a requirement I love them and Ramen.” Darcy admitted.
“Good, because I’m starving. Heat us up some?”
Yeah, this lady was a keeper. The first few weeks that Darcy was with Jane, she spent most of her time just taking care of her like she was a child. Reminding her to eat and go to sleep was the biggest of her chores. And then it was also a blessing Darcy got the chance to be around an interesting science. At first, Jane had been frustrated that Darcy didn’t really understand most of the work, but when Darcy explained her interest in it, Jane became more willing to teach Darcy a few things.
The best/worst part of it all, it helped keep her mind off the pain of losing Steve. Sometimes she would catch herself, though, when her and Jane would be on the roof of the “lab” in the cold New Mexico night. Darcy would be looking at the stars and the small town surrounded by sand and would wonder what Steve would think of all of this. Would he be happy that Darcy was venturing out and meeting new people?
One day, Jane received a phone call from her ex that sent her into a spiraling emotions that amazed Darcy. After the phone, the first hour Jane had just been indifferent, then angry, then sobbing, then finally ended with them on lounge chairs on the roof drinking through a bottle of wine. It was enough emotion roller coaster to make Darcy nauseas. This was definitely winning the Most Interesting Internship Ever award.
“Have you ever been in love, Darcy?” Jane asked quietly.
Darcy closed her eyes, Steve’s face smiling back at her. His hands moving carefully across blank pages. The sound of his laugh, the look of his confusion. His beautiful snark. The warmth of home he radiated.
“Yeah, uh, yeah I have.” She said with a voice thick with emotion.
“What kind of love was it?”
Darcy turned to her boss. “What do you mean?”
“Was it passionate and quick? Or was it like, you fell in love with them because you had been with them so long that it felt rational to say the words?” Jane’s voice was hinted with bitterness.
“It wasn’t the last one, that’s for sure.” Darcy tipped the bottle and emptied it into her glass. “It was unexpected to begin with. It was like…”
“Like what?”
“Like life without him was the most unbearable thing in the world.” Darcy’s voice was soft against the wind blowing. “Whenever I wanted to talk to someone or just share something, he was my first thought. Being with him….it was the best experience of my life. I felt whole with him, like anything could happen and we could get through it. Nothing mattered as long as I had him. It was full of passion, and yeah maybe we did fall in love quickly, but it was like it didn’t matter because it felt right.”
“What happened?” Jane’s eyes were soft as she stared at Darcy.
Darcy focused on swishing the wine in her glass. “Things were complicated...we were apart more than we were together. He broke up with me, tore my heart out right from under me. And then he died…”
“Oh Darcy, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean…”
“No, it’s okay.” Darcy quickly shook her head. “It’s been several months, but it still hurts. I was able to talk to him before he died, though.”
“Did it make it better or worse?”
“I’m still not sure.” Darcy admitted. “But if I had the chance, I would take him back in a heartbeat. As far as I’m concerned, he was the love of my life and always will be.”
So…It wasn’t too long ago when Darcy had wondered if her life could get any weirder. She had a relationship inside her head, that’s pretty up there on the Weird Chain. Yet, having a so-called god fall down to Earth and a secret government agency steal all your things (including an Ipod, the least scientific thing in the whole damn building, and that’s including the Pop Tarts!) kinda makes you put things into perspective. Darcy had known when she saw the looks exchanged between Thor and Jane before he left that they were going to need more wine. He had left three days ago, including Erik.
“Pants, Jane.”
“Not now, Darcy.” Jane muttered, shooing her away with a hand.
“Come on,” Darcy started wheeling the chair away against Jane’s protests. “Pants for little scientists everywhere!”
“Darcy!” Jane huffed. “You’re insufferable, you know that?”
“Eh, it’s come up a time or two.” She tipped the chair and Jane clumsily stood. “Put on some pants and I’ll make more coffee.”
Jane perked at the idea and started walking away before halting and turning to Darcy. “Do you remember the conversation we had about being in love?”
Darcy’s back straightened but she continued to clean up the food around Jane’s desk. “Yeah, I remember.”
“I think I know what you were talking about now.” Jane admitted quietly. “I didn’t then. To be honest, I thought you just had young love.”
Anything but, Darcy thought mildly.
“But,” Jane continued. “I can almost see what you mean though. He was only here a short time, but…it all seems so weird without him now.”
“I know,” Darcy gave her a slight smile. “But he said he was coming back for you.”
“I’m not stupid,”
“Uh duhhh!”
Jane rolled her eyes. “We don’t know how long it will take.”
“No, but it’s not like it’s going to be fifty years or whatever.”
Jane sighed. “When do you go back to school?”
Darcy’s face scrunched at the thought. “I leave out here Monday.”
“I wish you didn’t have to.” Jane began fidgeting with her nails. “I know you were the only applicant, but I’m kind of glad. You make things feel less lonely.”
To be honest, Darcy didn’t want to go back either. Culver reminded her of when things had been normal, before aliens and government agencies. It also reminded her of singing along to songs with Steve and posing for drawings. Them reading each other to sleep and preparing for Basic.
“I don’t want to leave either.” Darcy bit her lip.
“But you need to finish school,” Ever the so rational Jane, she started walking away again but Darcy stopped her.
“Jane?”
“Hmm?”
“If I said I would rather stay with you and be your unpaid intern, would that be okay with you?”
She didn’t expect the answer to be Jane rushing and wrapping her arms around her.
“I’m sorry I can’t pay you, but hopefully I can soon.” Jane said quickly. “And I’ll try to be nicer and not snap at you for not knowing things. I’ll be a great boss and we’ll start getting the Pop Tarts you like!”
“You can start by putting on pants. Pants, Jane.”