Chapter 5
The rest of the night went by in a blur after the fight. I told the gang about how my body ended up in Hydra captivity, but was then quickly rescued by a group of drones sent by Jor-El and Keevo. I also told them about my latest discovery regarding my physiology. Though it was a relief to all of them to have me back, they all voiced they didn’t want me to test out my possible immortality anytime soon. They in turn told me about our littlest member, Shana. Seems her foster family was killed in my fight with Doomsday and Skye, being well acquainted with the foster care system, volunteered to take the kid in until permanent arrangements could be made for her. With Coulson and May’s support naturally.
Wouldn’t be surprised if she talked mom in to taking her in, since she is still classified as a foster parent. Or she might talk her parents in to doing the same. Either way I know Shana will be taken care of regardless who adopts her.
Still feeling sore and beat up, I crashed on to the bed the minute we got to our place at the Tower. All my stuff was boxed up still, to be delivered to my mom after my funeral, with Nat and Darcy each keeping a few things for themselves. I didn’t care about that, trusting Skye to fill her in till I drop by and talk to her myself. I was barely aware of Nat and Darcy stripping me of the suit I was still wearing. The only thing I remember feeling is both of them cocooning me between them, their feelings of pleasant relief and love flowing through the bond helped put me to sleep.
I woke up alone in bed, but I could sense both of them out in the living room. Grabbing a quick shower and throwing on a pair of comfy jeans and an old loose t-shirt, I padded out bare foot to see Darcy working at the stove and Nat keeping her company sitting at the island counter.
“That ham and eggs I smell?”
“It’ll be ready shortly. Mean time we got fresh fruit and coffee. Help yourself,” Darcy answered.
I stepped behind her, placing a loving kiss to the top of her head as I poured a cup of the strong dark brew before sliding in beside Nat. Giving her cheek a good morning kiss as well, I took a drink of coffee to help my nerves. Both of them were being to calm and quiet so far about what happened. I couldn’t feel any troubling feelings or thoughts through the bond coming from either of them. Just the normal good vibes and soothing thoughts they usually have when we’re together.
“So,” I drew out, my mouth taking on an O shape at the end there, “Are we going to talk about the elephant in the room.”
“What elephant?” Nat asked seriously.
“Really?” I questioned.
“I think she’s referring to her death honey. Or her supposed death,” Darcy supplied.
“Oh that,” Nat said as if Darcy was mentioning some flippant thing Tony usually wants to discuss.
“I’m confused,” I told them, my brow scrunching up as I looked between them.
“So were we,” Nat laughed, taking pity on me it seems and turning to face me, “Your mark on us didn’t disappear. Your words faded after your fight with Doomsday, but they didn’t go away. Darcy was on a mission to figure out why, combing through every case of one soulmate dying and checking all lore on the bond itself.”
“And?”
“And there isn’t exactly a section on alien soulmates listed in the records,” Darcy quipped, “What I did find was sketchy at best. Marks remain even if your potential bondmate finds love somewhere else. Only death can erase them from the flesh. Ours were only faded, meaning something completely different.”
“You see, we never really believed you were dead. Regardless of what your vitals and condition showed or Bruce and the others said,” Nat explained.
“So what you’re telling me is you were waiting for me to pull a Lazarus?” I laughed.
“We were hoping for a miracle, yes,” Nat breathed softly as she reached out and took my hands, “We thought we got that when you…your clone…showed up to help us with a gang armed with modified Chitauri tech. But she barely acknowledged me beyond her teammate. Even when she stopped by the Tower.”
“She treated me like hired help when she saw me,” Darcy snorted.
“That why you shot her in the back?” I asked jokingly.
“That and I was the only one not held prisoner on the roof. I was planning on vacating my hidey hole and freeing them, but Nat told me not to so…”
“So instead you run off, pick up the Kryptonite Gun and drive through the city like a maniac in order to help…what did you call her, ‘Biker Barbie’?” Nat finished.
“What!?”
“It was either that or ‘Dominatrix Barbie’,” Darcy defended, turning around and placing two plate of fresh greasy goodness in front of us, “Don’t let that go to your head babe. We all know whose top dog in this relationship.”
Nat gave Darcy her most lethal Black Widow stare while hid my face and ate my food. I glanced up a few times to see Darcy staring back at her unflinching with a smirk on her face. I might be an alien solar battery powerhouse and Nat’s a lethal assassin/spy queen; deep down we both know Darcy is the strongest and most put together of us. Fate put her with us for a reason and this is it, to keep us grounded and not let our power or past change us.
“You’re right as usual love,” Nat finally said, leaning over and kissing Darcy on the lips, smiling warmly at her before digging in to her own plate.
“Good,” Darcy nodded before turning to face me, pointing a spatula at my face, “We don’t need to talk about what happened. As long as you swear, under penalty of Kryptonite cuffed tickle torture that you will never ever leave us to think the worst again.”
I opened my mouth about to argue, but Darcy shoved a strawberry in my mouth to shut me up.
“I know, I know. You couldn’t risk contacting us out of fear that your evil twin might have some kind of kill command if her cover was blown. Regardless, next time something like this happens either you, your father or that floating robotic sister of yours better call us. Clear?”
“Crystal,” I answered after quickly chewing and swallowing my fruit gag.
Darcy nodded then turned around to get her plate ready so she could join us. Nat and I looked at each other, a knowing smirk on both of our faces as we made the universal signed for whipped to each other.
“I heard that,” Darcy warned us, a happy note in her tone.
We’re in trouble now. But its trouble I missed and can certainly handle. I love my life just the way it is and wouldn’t change it for anything or anyone.