I just couldn't leave things hanging for Darcy and Steve. So here's 'what happened next'.

Darcy hibernated in her apartment over the weekend, not answering her phone or returning texts. The tiny part of her that wasn't dying of absolute mortification was grateful that the party had occurred on a Friday. She didn't have to be at work until Monday, so maybe by that point, she would be able to face people again.

Captain America. She'd jumped Captain America. Had even tried to seduce him, even though he'd seemed a little clueless. He'd been such a good guy about it too, not calling her out as a complete tramp for lunging at a guy she didn't even know. Then again, he was Captain America, so being a good guy went with the uniform.

Then there was dear Thor, who still wasn't up to speed with Midgardian customs. No idea that inviting someone for coffee meant something else completely, so he'd enthusiastically suggested they all go. God. Tony Stark had been howling with laughter, which probably meant that both Thor and Rogers would get teased about it. She was now responsible for embarrassing two Avengers.

When Jane threatened, via text, to bring Thor over to break into Darcy's apartment, she sent a very terse text in reply. She was fine, nothing wrong, just didn't want to talk to anyone right now. Then she continued to sit on her sofa in ratty, stained clothing that was four times too big, eating comfort food. She'd be five pounds heavier by the end of the weekend, but possibly able to face people again.

This was why she was perpetually single. Because Darcy Lewis was a walking embarrassment to herself and most everyone around her. Also apparently why she couldn't have her own hot superhero hookup. It was just too embarrassing for the hero in question.

At the end of the weekend, Darcy came to two conclusions. One - ice cream could not make her feel better. Two – she couldn't hide forever.

So Monday morning she donned her bulky layers, pulled on a knit hat, and said to hell with doing her hair or using makeup. Why bother? Thus armored and immune to worries that came before, she made her way to Jane's lab.

Jane, bless her, didn't say anything, just offered a sympathetic smile. Darcy was grateful for that. She didn't want to talk about her appalling blunder, or her complete inability to function like a normal girl. She just wanted to go back to being Darcy, the overlooked intern. That was comfortable. It was safe.

It wasn't meant to be.

A murmur went through the lab, somewhere around noon. Darcy ignored it, intent on her data entry, until a shadow fell over her. She looked up and squeaked in surprise, pushing her chair back as far as it would go.

It was Johnny Storm. For real this time. The hair was very short and dark, the shoulders and chest weren't as broad, and the expression was a dead giveaway. Storm looked like he wanted to get into trouble. And there was that panty wetting smile she had appreciated. Except now, it looked a little superficial. She couldn't help comparing it to that slightly self-mocking half smile that his blonder, broader superhero doppelganger had worn.

His smirk only grew at her retreat. "So. I heard that I almost got lucky Friday night at Stark's party. Shame I wasn't actually there."

The flush of embarrassment shot through her, and Darcy squeezed her eyes shut. "How long did Stark wait until he contacted you?" she asked in resignation, already suspecting the answer.

"Friday night," Storm confirmed. She could hear the laugh in his voice. "I heard you totally mauled Cap. How was he?"

Darcy wilted a little, eyes still closed. "Confused. I mean, with the way he looks, he should be used to women lunging at him, right? But he's a standup kinda guy, because it least he didn't push me away and try to embarrass me or anything. I did that all on my own."

Storm snorted softly. "I also heard Thor was trying to make it a group thing."

Darcy was going to slap Tony Stark when she saw him next. "Yeah. He hasn't quite picked up on all the nuances of Midgardian dating life yet. To him, coffee is coffee. I hope no one explained it to him."

"Well actually, Stark helpfully explained it to Thor. And Cap, who was also a little clueless."

Oh god. Just what she'd feared. How would she ever look Thor in the eye again? She wasn't that worried about Captain America, since she'd never even met him prior to the party, but then again, the shame of Cap knowing she was…free…with her affection…ugh.

Storm was still reveling in the humor of the situation though. "According to Stark, Cap nearly swallowed his tongue when he figured out what going back to your place for coffee actually meant. Thor was concerned that you were being disrespected, and 'had words' with Cap."

"Stop," Darcy croaked, feeling bile and shame close up her throat. "Please just stop and go away. I don't want to even think about this anymore."

"Hey. Hey, I didn't mean to upset you. C'mon Darcy. Open your eyes and look at me, okay?"

He sounded apologetic, so she cracked her eyes open. Storm looked concerned, but not overly sincere about it. Darcy shook her head. "I meant it, okay? Please go."

Instead, Storm hooked an empty chair with his foot and dragged it over to sit down. "Hey c'mon. You shouldn't have to go through all of that without anything to reward you. You know?"

Unbelievable. "Please tell me that you're not trying to get into my pants right now." Darcy leveled her best glare at Storm.

He shrugged, completely oblivious. "Wasn't that what you were going for on Friday night? Getting into my pants?" Apparently he thought that flashing his panty wetting smile would make her forget all the embarrassment she'd gone through.

Darcy waved him off. "No offense, Storm, but Friday night kinda killed my libido for the moment, and probably any desire whatsoever for a superhero. I mean, you're totally cut and smoking hot, but I'm not up for making an ass of myself again. And I know your mode of operation, you're definitely the love 'em and leave 'em type. Makes me think you're probably the bag 'em and brag type too, and I really don't want details about me like that getting circulated in superhero gossip."

He actually looked a little stunned. "You're saying you don't want in on this?" He gestured to encompass his whole body.

Darcy sighed heavily. So, her initial impression of Storm was completely correct, a total narcissistic playboy. Even more so than Stark, which was hard to believe. Then again, Stark probably had at least a decade on Storm, if not more, so he'd had time to mellow out a bit.

"I did, Storm. Not anymore. It's not you. It's totally me." Which wasn't completely true, but he was looking like a kicked puppy. What a complete child!

Then he perked up. "It's cool. How about next week?"

She deflated. "Johnny. Go away. I'm trying to be nice about that, but you're pretty persistent."

He frowned. "But you were totally going to hook up with me. Well, Cap me. So now that you have the real thing, why don't you want it?"

Darcy clenched her jaw shut over the first three things she wanted to say. "Did you even listen to anything I just said? Go find someone else to hook up with, Storm. I'm done with it."

He hopped up, but didn't leave. "See, I know you're embarrassed right now, and that's natural and everything, but you don't want to miss out on this." He gestured to himself again.

She'd tried to be nice. Storm made a weird sort of grunting noise when the taser probes hit him, and dropped to floor, muscles twitching. Darcy switched it off immediately, not really wanting to punish him, and watched quietly while the twitches slowed. Storm slowly sat up and then rolled to his feet a little unsteadily. He smiled a lopsided smile.

"So…next week then?"

Darcy was opening her mouth to reply when the lab doors hissed open. "The lady asked you to leave, Storm."

Darcy actually shivered at the power in that voice. It hadn't sounded that way the other night, when he'd been all shy and confused. But now? Now he sounded like Captain America.

She leaned back in her chair, enough to see around Storm. Rogers was in his uniform, without the head gear, and it was the first time she'd seen them both together. His friend, Barnes, was in step behind him, followed by Thor.

Rogers walked over to Darcy, placing himself beside Storm, and folded his arms across his chest. How could she have possibly thought that Storm had buffed up that much in a few weeks? That chest and those shoulders were very broad. She slowly rose to her feet, to save herself a sore neck. They were both tall, although Rogers seemed to top off Storm by an inch or two.

"Turn around!" Barnes barked at the two men, who slowly swiveled to face him, instead of Darcy. What a view from the back though. Nice.

Barnes came to a dead stop, looking from one to the other. "Huh. Whaddya think, Thor?"

The God of Thunder also looked from one to the other. "Uncanny. They truly do closely resemble each other." A frown wrinkled his brow. "Their personalities could not be further apart, however. Tell me, Storm, do you wish court Darcy as a proper suitor?" He tapped Mjolnir into the palm of one hand, eyes narrowed menacingly.

He probably couldn't have said anything that would have scared Johnny Storm more. The hothead stumbled over a panicked denial, and then made a hasty retreat. Darcy bit her lip to hide her smile, suspecting that Jane had placed a call for help to get rid of Storm. But now she had to face her embarrassment head on, and that really kinda sucked.

Rogers slowly turned back to face her. He had that serious look on his face, but she didn't miss that his eyes focused briefly on her mouth before snapping up to meet her gaze. He inclined his head. "Darcy. It's, uh, nice to see you again."

She flushed and rolled her eyes. "C'mon Cap. Say what you really mean."

She didn't miss it when Barnes shouldered him hard. "Yeah Steve. Say what you really mean."

Rogers swallowed, looking down at the floor, then slowly back up at Darcy. "I've thought about kissing you again nonstop since Friday night," he admitted.

Darcy sat down abruptly as her knees grew a little weak. Okay, the world had not prepared her for having Captain America admit he wanted to kiss her again. But…

She looked to Thor. He had just chased off Johnny Storm for wanting to get in her pants. But Thor was smiling. He inclined his head toward her. "I approve of the Captain, Darcy. He knows how to respect a lady."

Darcy looked up at Rogers. He was biting his lip, staring down at her in trepidation, with Barnes a solid presence at his side, supporting him. And she was sure that there had to be a hell of a story in there somewhere about why Captain America was almost painfully shy around women. Maybe it would be a good idea to find out why.

She smiled. "Well Steve, contrary to your first impression of me, I really don't go around kissing men I just met. So, if you're thinking of skipping right to the coffee…"

His eyes widened comically. "No! I don't want that!" Barnes shouldered him hard again, eyes rolled toward the ceiling. "I mean, I might want that in the future. I mean, you're beautiful. Oh god. Um…" Steve floundered, face bright red, looking to his friend for help. That was just too adorable.

Barnes shook his head. "What the wonderfully eloquent captain means is that he'd like to 'court' you, as Thor put it. And while getting into your pants is probably a goal for the future, he doesn't want to skip right to it because that's not how ladies should be treated."

"Bucky!" Rogers shouted in mortification. He covered his face with his hands. It was totally not fair that Captain America was shy and apparently really bad with women.

Darcy stood up again. "Steve." He peeked between his fingers at her, and slowly lowered his hands when he realized she wasn't going to smack him. One side of his mouth quirked up in that so-cute half smile. "Since Thor approves, you may proceed with courting," she told him. "But you'll have to work a bit for that kissing, because you got quite a bit already on credit."

A real grin broke out on his face. "Yes ma'am." Then, when Barnes smacked his shoulder in exasperation, he stuttered a little. "Um…okay? Okay, Darcy." He ducked his head and then looked back up. "Can I take you to dinner? Or a movie? Or…what would you like to do?"

Watching him flounder through it, Darcy felt a little sorry for him. "Let's start with dinner, Steve. Barring any hero-related emergencies, you can pick me up at 7:00 on Friday. Okay?"

He nodded, scratched the back of his head nervously, and twitched a little. "I'll uh…I'll see you then."

Barnes shook his head and pulled/pushed Rogers out of the lab. Thor stayed, small smile tugging at his mouth.

"He is a good man, Darcy. Treat him well."

She didn't think that would be a problem. "I will, Thor. I will."