Darcy drummed her fingers as she stared down the large document on her desk. This was not where she wanted to be. She had studied political science in college to be able to go out and add her voice to the clamor of the world, to do something. But SHIELD, it seemed, had other plans for her. Plans that involved a lot of reading. She checked her mailbox again, just in case her salvation had appeared in the seconds since she'd last looked.

Nope.

This is what you get for being adventurous in your 6 credits of physical science required for your degree, Darcy. Of course, how were you to know that fun and easy internship in New Mexico would turn into you becoming friends with your boss, who just happened to become the girlfriend of a freaking Norse god, who also a member of a super-secret band of heroes. That all is pretty awesome but apparently means you know too much and can't get a job that puts you in a place of power just in case you happen to blab about some top-secret superhero stuff. Which apparently means you can only get a job with SHIELD, and not even a really fun one, because your only kick-ass talent is the ability to tase Norse gods like a bamf.

The door to her office opened, and she couldn't help but yell; "My hero! Please tell me you have something for me to do!"

Dr Banner flinched slightly at the yelling, but seemed fine. Her office was nowhere near large enough for Kermit-on-steroids. She liked him much better human, anyways. He was the definition of adorable, with his secretive smiles and curly hair. She basically just wanted to hug him whenever he was around.

"Actually, I was told I need to see you about some sort of paperwork?"

She stared blankly at him for a moment. "Um. Yeah. Any idea what it was for? I kind of have a lot of paper around here."

"I need to get access to one of the labs."

"What, Stark Tower not good enough for you?"

"Surprisingly, Tony doesn't have everything. I feel better about him not having to buy millions of dollars of equipment just because he lets me use his lab."

"Good enough for me. Here ya go. Fill out this form, and someone will contact you about ID cards and stuff."

"Thanks."

He turned to leave, but she wasn't ready to let him go. "Do you want to get some coffee?"

"What?"

"Coffee. You know, it's hot and brown and contains one of the few legal addictive drugs?"

"Now?"

"Why not? I'm going on break," now that pretty boy time was an option.

"I'd love to." He smiled shyly, and her heart skipped a beat.

"Cool. I know just the place."

If there was place that Darcy felt at home in New York, it was Fafa's café. It is the sort of place that plays music that everybody knows the words to and doesn't pretend to be fancier than it actually is. They also made awesome coffee.

Bruce, however, apparently preferred tea.

"Coffee not good enough for you, Banner?"

"I try to avoid things like caffeine that could make me lose control."

"No coffee. That's a sad life. I practically lived on it in college. Still do."

"What did you study in college, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Political science, but if SHIELD has any say in it, and it appears they do, I'll be pushing papers my whole life."

"I know the feeling. We don't always have as much choice in our lives as we'd like to think."

"That was deep, Obi-Wan. Anyways, I kinda picked poli sci because they made me pick a major to graduate. I pretty much loved everything; I took all the different classes I could. That's how I ended up in New Mexico: it was a hint of adventure mixed in with a combination of stargazing and storm chasing. How's a girl to resist?"

"I know the feeling. When I was younger, I hitchhiked across the country just to go to a concert." Darcy tried to picture a younger, carefree Bruce hitchiking. She couldn't. "You know, I've heard a lot of people sign up for SHIELD because they want an adventure."

"The only thing remotely dangerous about my job is the potential for papercuts."

"Danger is not the same thing as adventure."

"Stop being so wise, Obi-Wan."

"I hope I'm not interrupting." Tony Stark sprawled casually in the booth next to Bruce.

"You never really care if you're interrupting," Bruce replied.

"Not really. Aren't you going to introduce me to your lady so I can interrogate properly?"

"Darcy Lewis, this is Tony Stark."

"Please; call me Iron Man."

"Not gonna happen," Darcy drawled.

Bruce sighed, "Why are you here, Tony?"

"The coffee here has the highest concentration of caffeine legally available. Plus they sometimes have donuts with Captain America sprinkles. Seeing you two here was … a bonus."

Darcy sighed. She could tell he wasn't going to leave them alone.

"Tony…"

"Nope. I have to protect you; I suppose you could call me the father figure of our little band of misfits." Bruce stifled a laugh. "What are your intentions towards my friend?"

"Well, basically all I want is for Bruce to take me home and make sweet sweet love to my vagina."

Bruce spit tea all over the table.

"I like her. She can stay."

A guy wearing way too much khaki for modern style slid in the booth next to Darcy. Not that she was complaining: tight t-shirt plus muscles is a win any day.

"Tony, where did you hide my suit?" He said.

"What, do you need it today? Is the world in danger from aliens again?"

"Well, I need to know where it is in case of emergency."

"I sent it to the cleaners."

"It wasn't dirty."

"It was when I was done with it."

"Awkward."

"Well, Darcy and I are going to be going now."

The blond one seemed to notice Darcy for the first time. "Oh, I'm sorry, where are my manners? Darcy, nice to meet you, I'm Steve."

"Nice to meet you, too. Are your muscles actually real?"

Tony chuckled.

"Because if they are, there should be a law somewhere that says you aren't allowed to wear a shirt."

"I've tried to get that added to the Avengers rulebook many times," Tony replied.

"That wouldn't be fair to the rest of humanity."

"Aww Bruce you made a joke!" Darcy blurted. She spotted a burly blond man over Tony's shoulder and frowned. "Oh no. Who got Thor addicted to caffeine? The last thing he needs is more energy."

"Actually, pretty sure that was your fault. New Mexico, remember?" Tony sighed, "Trust me; we don't appreciate that. He gets even more yelly with coffee."

"Although it does make mornings better. He's really grumpy without caffeine," Steve piped in.

"DARCY! IT HAS TRULY BEEN TOO LONG SINCE I LAST SAW YOU." The girls in the booth next to theirs giggled as Thor pulled a chair up to the table. Darcy couldn't decide if it was a reaction to his volume or glorious pecs.

"You saw me yesterday when you picked up Jane for your date." A date she sincerely hoped had gone better than this one.

"THAT IS TRUE, BUT IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU. YOU ARE ALWAYS SO AMUSING."

"Easy, tiger. Don't want Bruce to turn green with envy. I mean, this is technically a date."

"Is it really? I am sorry. Tony, Thor, we should be going," Steve said politely. At least someone cared. Maybe if things went completely to hell with Bruce she'd finally get to see what was under Steve's tight shirt.

"But this was going to be an impromptu Avengers Assembly," Tony whined.

"You call your meetings Assemblies? Awesome."

"IS THAT WHY YOU TEXTED ME ON MY CELLULAR DEVICE?"

"Yep."

"Tony…did you seriously invite all the Avengers to our date?" The only sign Bruce was unhappy was the low growl in his voice and the white of his knuckles. Other than that he looked totally not green. Maybe slightly minty around the edges.

"The other two should be here any second."

Two people dressed in altogether too much black appeared behind Thor. "Darcy, this is Natasha and Clint."

"I do not appreciate the insinuation that we were late." Natasha said, pulling up a chair.

"What, making passionate love in the love nest?" Tony quipped.

She smirked and tapped her fingers casually on the hilt of her sidearm. Tony paled slightly. Clint's mouth twitched. Darcy liked them already.

"Guys, can you please just go?" Bruce ruffled his hair, making Darcy's fingers itch.

"A little rude, don't you think? We just got here," Clint said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I mean all of you. In case you haven't noticed, we are on a date. Or we were."

"Bruce, give it up. The date was over the moment Tony walked in the door," Darcy sighed.

"Yeah, you never had a chance when compared to this."

Steve huffed and stared off towards the vintage jukebox.

"Anyways, don't you want to know why I called this meeting?"

"You mean it wasn't just to undermine my pathetic love life?" Darcy muttered.

"Not quite. See, Pepper has just informed me that we are in need of a new program director for our research department."

"Didn't the previous one sue us for sexual harassment?"

"Possibly. Anyways, I thought Darcy here might be an obvious candidate. Didn't you study some sort of science?"

"Political science."

"Close enough. Program director is basically just grants and publicity stuff anyways, the occasional patent, you know. They also settle disputes as to music selection, which can get surprisingly heated."

"Not everyone likes constant AC/DC blasting while they're trying to work, Tony."

"And not everyone likes Bachtoven or whatever you listen to."

"Classical music is supposed to be good for the brain."

"And yet it gives me a headache."

"I'll take the job if anyone is wondering."

"Are you sure you can handle working with these two?" Steve said, quickly adding, "No offence, guys."

"Well, at least it won't be as boring as my current job. And I might get to actually use some of my knowledge somewhere."

"Anyone have any objections to Darcy working in Stark/Avengers tower?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"Fantastic. I'll have your office set up right away. Well, I guess my work here is done. We'll leave you two alone."

Bruce and Darcy were left alone at a table strewn with coffee cups and donut crumbs.

Darcy broke the silence, "Hey, do you wanna get out of here? Maybe start this date over?"

"I'm all for second chances." Bruce smiled to himself.