Chapter Six

Orphaned at seven, when her mother died in a car accident. Darcy learned to handle being alone as she was thrown into the foster system. She bounced from one home to another, not sitting right with the families she was placed in. She merely wanted to go home to her mother in their small apartment. All she had was her dreams, dreams of becoming successful and making a name for herself in history. She had to work hard for that through her grades in order to go on to finish high school. She was glad Stark's genes of intelligence were passed down to her, making her dream a step closer when she decided on pursuing a science career.

Although the woman was used to being alone, she was comfortable in the company that came from her friends. When she got involved with Jane Foster's work in the final year of her college education, she was involved with new discoveries that came in the form of a god. She met Thor and believed there was a link of friendship while they figured out a way to get him back home. To Darcy, she was a part of something helping the greater good.

When Darcy finally got somewhere successful in her career, working for a government agency, something stopped her. That was becoming pregnant with SHIELD's enemy's child, Loki. The brother of Thor. How it happened was still bizarre to her, he knew her weaknesses and Loki merely wanted a source of power shall he find the need to produce an heir when his ruling over the earth was successful. When her doctor gave her the news she immediately resigned. She didn't want to answer questions from her colleagues for her to become their next science experiment, her child wouldn't be human. Darcy had to hide, although she remained in New York, she took a remote job doing administration tasks on a freelance rate while her son developed. She would finish her employment the day her son arrived, not even her close friend Jane Foster knew about the existence of her son Theodore.

Darcy would fill in the role of being a single mother, raising her son who appeared normal to her. Although she knew the truth of his heritage.

Loki would return for a few fleeting moments when Theo was two years old. The adults became intimate once more, without the help of protection which resulted in another pregnancy. When she became ill weeks after the encounter with Loki, she knew she had to disappear from New York. It was too close to her former friends and allies, there was also the risk of SHIELD becoming aware of her children's existence. They would be interested in studying them, finding out if they contained the powers that Loki possessed.

Leaving in a hurry, she left her apartment intact only taking the basics that would fit into the small car she rarely used. Theo was promised an adventure as Darcy buckled him into the car seat and he was left with wonder as she raced out of New York. It would be a new chapter in their lives. The small family would keep driving, Darcy relying on a constant stream of instant coffee to keep her awake. She knew how easy it was for the government to find her, so she was glad she was using cash rather than being tracked with her credit card purchases.

It was how she found herself in a small town in the state of Montana. The town of 1500 people lay along the Big Timber Creek which was named rightly so. Big Timber is a successful agricultural area, with strong community bonds, surrounded by large mountains. Darcy thought it was the perfect place to blend into the background, able to set herself up with some accommodation in exchange for helping out on a farm just outside of the town centre.

Although Darcy was comfortable being alone she immersed herself in the town, working for the Johnson family. She was kept busy with the odd jobs given to her, although her boss Suzan knew the truth about her situation being left pregnant with the father of her daughter she learned she was carrying. That's how Darcy was pushed toward her son Josh Johnson, the farmhand that was set to inherit his parent's farm when the time came for them to retire. There was no denying that between their banter there was a tone of romantic ties behind it, however, Darcy's main focus was her children and wanting to make them independent rather than relying on others to help them through a stressful situation.

Darcy put her walls up, she didn't want to be hurt anymore. Others had used her for various reasons and now she wanted to be selfish to protect her children.

Time would help Darcy crack under the pressure, she would fall for Josh. He too exposed secrets surrounding his family, more so his childhood with a portrait Darcy had seen once in an empty bedroom that lay bare but a single bed in the centre of the room. She thought it was odd when she was asked by Suzan to help move belongings from another room into the closet, although she never questioned it at the time. Everyone had their selection of secrets.

When Josh was younger his parents had adopted a girl from China, Suzan named her Daisy. Josh would recall many memories with his adopted sister as they would explore the wilderness in the area, they were close for the short period of time she had stayed with the family. She had explained the curiosities she had about her biological parents and why she was parted from them and her desire to find them one day. Josh would support these ideas, as seeing support was something she was never granted in the orphanage. Although just as he thought he was bonding with his sister, she has ripped apart from the family and government officials came one day to expose they had the wrong child. They took her from their family with the clothing she was wearing that day, only leaving her toys and a small handful of photography. "I have tried to find her, for years. Although as she liked to tease me about, I am horrible when it comes to technology." He explained to the woman who stood there offering him a hot beverage.

Darcy was six months pregnant at the time and she was given special treatment for her condition, although she still had the ability to help out with the chores. "My biological father has a legal team designed to keep his children from getting in contact with him, giving a small monetary value to leave him in peace," Darcy explains. "The desire to push past that was strong for years." Especially when her friend Thor was now close to the billionaire.

"What a shitty father," Josh comments making Darcy shrug her shoulders.

"When you spend your whole life being alone, being rejected isn't that special." Darcy muses, glad she had put her son to bed early that evening. She didn't want him to hear this conversation.

"You don't deserve that Darcy!" Josh tries to cheer the mother up. She didn't want to let him in close, he would learn the truth about her being the daughter of Iron Man and a God who impregnated her with two hybrid mortals that have the possibility to possess powers. Hear research hadn't given her conclusive evidence if they will be able to as all she had to go on was old footage of Loki on Earth and the fable tales in storybooks. "Give me a chance to prove you wrong."

The pleading look was what set Darcy off the edge. She yearned for an opportunity like that. Perhaps she needed to give in to her own selfish desires, up until this point it had been about running away and protecting herself and her son who slept peacefully in the bedroom next door. She had been alone for too long and something had to change in her life, Loki wasn't going to turn up anytime soon.

Finally letting someone else into her small family turned out to be a big blessing. Josh's parents had both been expecting it to happen sooner but her ecstatic to find out the news, welcoming Darcy into their family. Theo was already loved by those around him and by the time Darcy welcomed her daughter into the world, he had his adopted grandparents wrapped around his fingers, spoiling him.

Darcy named her daughter Brooklyn Jane Lewis, an ode to where she last lived in New York and her former best friend.

Theo felt protective over his infant sister, even at the young age of four years old. She was smaller than other babies he had seen, so he felt like he needed to protect her from any strangers. He would immediately rush out of the car when he was picked up from daycare to make sure Brooklyn was safe. It seemed he had a hard time trusting the capabilities of the adults around him, including his mother. That concerned Darcy, but she put it to the change in circumstances within their family dynamic. Theo was used to being an only child so having a male figure and a sister in the home was confusing for him, Darcy didn't keep the truth from him. He knew who his father was.

Things changed the day that another government agency had been created to replace SHIELD, SWORD. They had used the old database covering Darcy Lewis to find her current location. Turns out that even if you run from the government they were able to find you. She was found by Jimmy Woo, whom she remembered in SHIELD. He was shocked to find her in the role of housewife with a small boy clinging to her leg eyeing the agent suspiciously with his bright blue eyes. "I have no interest in helping." Darcy comments as another agent that travelled with Jimmy Woo explained what they needed her for.

"It's Wanda." Jimmy comments as Darcy picks up Theo in her arms.

She turns back to the agents. "How can a powerless mortal help an organization built to take care of the Avengers, need my help?" She wondered.

Jimmy sighed. It was going to be harder to convince the woman who was different from the brief given. "We need your expert mind about a mysterious supernatural phenomenon happening in New Jersey." The other agent explained that her intelligence in astrophysics would help greatly with the case.

"What about Jane Foster?" Darcy asks as Theo clings tightly to his mother.

"She's placed elsewhere working for a different mission." The agent replies. "We desperately need your help."

Obviously, the dark tone given by his fellow agent wasn't going to cut it to convince Darcy to join them. Jimmy told his agent to give him a moment with Darcy. "I would've picked a Stark to take on any opportunity," Jimmy comments casually.

Darcy eyes the agent, of course, they now knew all her secrets. Nothing would change as Tony Stark had recently died in the battle against Thanos and Darcy would never be granted a time to even introduce herself now. Before Darcy can make a snarky comeback, Josh comes out into the backyard with an unsettled infant in his arms. Brooklyn had suddenly become fussy from her afternoon nap. Jimmy realises it will be much harder to convince Darcy to join him on the mission he had been hired to find sources of people to help figure out what was going on with Wanda.

"And look where Stark ended up when he took on the final chance." Darcy mocks, exchanging the children over so she could cradle Brooklyn in her arms. "I'd risk everything to protect my family and staying away from the industry is the first step."

Jimmy would respect that decision. He gave the rundown of what was occurring on the site, hoping to at least get her perspective on the matter. Josh remained nearby to listen, he knew of Darcy's role with the government. He could see the interest that Darcy held in her gaze, she was dying to matter in the world again. "Go, Darcy." He comments into the conversation. "I can take care of the children."

Darcy sighed, she knew he was capable of doing that with the help of his own parents in the house across the driveway. "I'll only go if all traces of my identity are erased from any database and what was seen here is forgotten about." Darcy offers.