Chapter 7
Darcy Lewis had discovered that she didn't like Captain America.
She was afraid that statement would get her tried for treason, but she couldn't help it. He was so serious and honest and righteous. She wanted to crack and corrupt him with pop-tarts and glam rock, but no. He just gave her his patented "I'm very disappointed that you can't be serious now"-look. Darcy had seen that look four times during her first two minutes with him.
Natasha had collected her from the hospital room, an experience that Darcy would treasure forever. The former spy hadn't said a single word but Darcy understood her just fine. She also understood that this was a person who would not tolerate her usual mindless chatter. Not that it stopped Darcy.
She was going to be quiet and mature and silent, but then she spotted a robot cleaning up a lab all by itself and she was off. "Who had built it? It was probably Stark. I assume he named it something stupid. He should have asked me, I am great at naming inanimate objects." And so on. Natasha didn't even twitch an eyebrow. Damn that woman was impressive. And scary. Very scary.
And then she found herself in a room with the Avengers. Well, not all of them. But enough that Darcy felt a little intimidated. It didn't help that the first thing Tony Fricking Stark did when she walked in to the room was give her jazz hands and say "Good work kiddo".
They asked her about the kidnapping and Hydra and the interrogations. When she told them of her plan the room went silent for a while.
"You thought no one was coming to rescue you?" Steve asked.
"Well, no one came to rescue me. Sure, you ended up rescuing me, but that wasn't why you were there."
There is a long silence after that. Except that Tony Stark is in the room, so the silence doesn't actually last for more than a few seconds.
"That's harsh kiddo."
Darcy just shrugs. What else can she say? It's the truth.
When she asks about the trap that Hydra had set, it's Sam turn to laugh out loud. This earns him the disapproving look from Steve, but he doesn't seem to notice. Sam was not impressed with the trap, and Darcy has to agree with him.
"There were more men than we had anticipated..." Steve starts, only to get interrupted by Darcy.
"Are you seriously defending the Octopus Nazis right now?"
A few seconds of silence.
"Octopus Nazis?"
Tony looks like he just found the holy grail.
"I love you and I'm keeping you!"