entranceway | 004 ✦ Text

[She'd been back on the real side with her memories restored for about an hour... And what a grueling hour it had been. One of the first things that had struck her was that in the past week or so - the entire time she'd spent as a kid and then that, is that she hadn't seen Jane.

Starting in the basement, Darcy had slowly worked her way up to the roof looking for her, the panic she was already feeling from the past week plus getting worse with every minute. By the time she reaches the roof, in the hopes that maybe she'd missed the whole Jabberwocky mess stargazing - something that honestly wouldn't surprise her, is hanging by a thread. When she's greeted with what seems like an empty roof and a bitter cold, whatever that had let her hold onto the little bit of hope that not everything was hitting the fan finally snapped.

There's no tiny astrophysicist to greet her when she gets up there and babble about something she doesn't understand. It feels as though she's had the wind knocked out of her, a debilitating panic starting to take over - she needed help. With shaky hands, she settles on text, not sure if she'd be able to keep herself composed enough for voice or video. Not right now.]

I can't find her. I can't find Jane. Has anyone seen her? Please let me know ASAP

[She needs to keep it check - it's possible that maybe Jane was just taking longer to get back from the other side if she'd been stuck there. Or she'd set up in a completely different area, somewhere a little more secluded. Until someone confirmed the sinking feeling of one of her worst nightmares becoming real, she wasn't going to let it completely destroy her.]

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[ It's not till the 27th that Natasha sees this, having been passed out in Bruce's room for most of the time after her return t the Real Side. Now, though, she hastens to reply. ]

Darcy? Any luck locating her?

No. I looked everywhere.

[And had eventually made her way back to her room and off the cold roof... Not that she'd slept.]

What if she's gone for good?

[ This not a conversation for text messages. ]

Where are you?

In my room.

[Curled up on the couch in a very familiar position, similar to one she'd adopted a few months ago. The door wasn't locked, was pretty much never locked considering who her neighbors were, and she hadn't bothered to turn on the lights. Nope... Today was a sit in the dark and stare at the wall kind of day.]

I'm on my way.

[ It's not far and Natasha's slipping through the door a few moments later, a frown on her lips, her expression worried. ]

Darc?

Over here.

[She doesn't move to greet her or turn on any lights, perfectly content to instead just to sit there as her world slowly unravels.]

No one's seen her and I couldn't find her. I don't even know where else to look.

[The words are flat, too overwhelmed to connect any emotion to anything right now.]

[ Natasha crosses the room to sink down beside Darcy, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and tugging her close. ]

Her room. Is everything still there?

[It's easy enough to settle against Natasha, letting the exhaustion win out over her attempts to keep it all together.]

Thor's in there. I couldn't tell - but her machine... [It was gone.] I don't know - I don't know what to do.

[ Natasha lifts a hand to tangle her fingers in the girl's hair, holding her close, offering her the comfort she seemed so desperately in need of. ]

It'll be alright. Somehow. If she went back home... well, we all know life carries on there as normal, right? She'll be waiting for you when you get back, just like you remember. Otherwise, maybe she'll be back in a few days to rejoin you here and it just requires being patient. Harder than it sounds, I know.

[It was more than that. A lack of direction she'd been feeling when it came to Jane - a division that had been growing the more they started to rely on other people here. Jane had been so focused on her machine and the science of Wonderland that it was easy enough with the other scientists to rely on them to keep an eye on her. Easy enough to count on Thor.

Which left her with a whopping pile of nada.]

If she comes back, she won't need me. I don't even think I'd be much help to anyone right now. [Internalizing, she eventually pulls away, drawing her knees up to her chest. She's overwhelmed and between the memories of being a child and then being totally empty and running into Will - she just... She can't deal with anything else right now.]

I'm sorry. I'm sor- but I - I'm so...

Hey, hey...

[ Natasha catches that hitch in her voice, the stammered words, suddenly more worried than just Jane being missing. She wraps her arms around the girl, drags her close and holds her securely, one hand sliding comfortingly against Darcy's back. ]

You don't always need to be a help to someone, you know. You can be just Darcy. That's plenty. Don't be sorry about that. Now what's wrong? This is more than just Jane being missing, isn't it?

[If she could turn herself into a tiny ball right now, she would - without any hesitation. It'd be easier than dealing with it all.]

I can't do this. I'm not cut out for any of this. I'm not a super anything - I'm just an intern without a boss. [And a creepy mirror stalker and the added bonus of having getting eaten by a Jabberwocky. While being trapped in Wonderland. Jane had given her a foundation to at least attempt to hold onto while here, some reminder of home and who she was so she could push through it. Her leaving, especially so soon after shit hit the fan seems to be a great catalyst for everything finally hitting her.]

[ Natasha lets her curl into as much od a ball as she needs to, still carefully wrapped arounf her, one hand lightly rubbing against her back in a soothing motion. ]

Sweetheart, I'm not sure that any of us are cut out for this place. There is no amount of training or preparation you could have done back home that would have made this place any easier to cope with. Trust me. I feel just as out of my element here as you do. It's frustrating as hell. And scary. And not even being a super anything helps that - all of them are in the same boat as well.

[ She tucks her fingers under Darcy's chin, tipping her face up so she can meet her gaze. She tucks away a stray lock of hair from the girl's face, tucking it back behind one ear. ]

I don't know where Jane is or if she'll be back or when. But you're not alone here, Darcy. You have people who care about you and who are looking out for you as best we can. You're not just someone's intern. You're a friend. And you're a lot stronger than I think you give yourself credit for, some days.

[It's true, honestly, it's not like they'd all signed a travel waiver giving this place permission to take them. Shining eyes finally look up at her when fingers tilt her chin, listening and trying to hold onto the logic behind it.]

Steve said to wait, see what might happen with Jane. That she could come back even though her things - [At least what she'd deduced from the suddenly missing stuff from the basement] - I don't know what to do with myself while I wait.

You keep doing what you always do. [ Natasha's voice is gentle but steady. ] If she's gone home, then she's there waiting for you when you get back, and as I'm from several months in your future, I can guarantee you're both safe and sound.

In the meantime, here, you have the rest of us and you are invaluable to us, Darcy. You're part of our team as much as anyone is. Whatever you want to do that helps keep you busy and makes you happy. Whether it's still riding herd on the scientists and superheroes running around or running your cafe. In a way, we're all waiting. That doesn't mean we can't make the best of the time we do have here.

[There's something reassuring knowing that their future was pretty secure for at least the next few months. That she could at least not worry too much about her while she was away. They'd been through a mess already so they were due some quiet science time... Or rather Jane was due that quiet science time and some quality Thor time.

And as stupid as it seemed, it was nice to hear you were needed. Even if it's just for comic relief or something dumb like coffee. She'd gotten so used to having Jane basically depend on her that the scientist's independence threw her for a loop. On top of everything else, it's just a little much.]

Thanks. I think I need to curl up in a ball and sleep for like 2 years.

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