2014-02-17 - Lovers and Strangers

 Hanging out in the sickbay, even if it is onboard one of SHIELD's helicarriers, is no fun when you actually have to *stay* in the sickbay. And waking up in one is no picnic, either.



 Jan rolls to her left side, lifting up her right arm and holding her head. "Ooow. You know, for a oversized brain with little spindly arms, he sure packs a wallop." She pauses...looking around to see where she is at. "Oh...great. He knocked me out, didn't he?"



 Hank is standing by one bulkhead looking out a porthole. He turns around and hurries to Jan's side. He's wearing a dressing on his forehead and one eye is bruised. "Jan ... thank goodness you're awake ... I was thinking the worst. Never mind MODOK, he looks a lot worse. If he survived the blast."



 Then Hank is reaching in his belt for a torch and trying to check Jan's eyes for dilation and such.



 A hand reaches up to try to swat away the light, though it is a half-hearted attempt. "Hey, cut that out, Hank! I'm fine!" Jan tries to sit up, but vertigo catches her and she reluctantly lays back down again. "Looks like you get to chastise me now for being reckless, sweety." Physically, she looks like she is sporting some new bruises. Landing in a heap does that. "So, what happened? One minute we were fleeing through the cafeteria with the documents from the dorms...then the next I find myself the guest of SHIELD's flying medical center."



 Ant-Man puts the light down after a moment. The alternative being a slappy fight. He always loses those. "MODOK psi blasted you. I ... I lost it. The operatives there told me I took down MODOK and ... I lost it. Jan, I have bad news."



 The expression on Janet's face slowly darkens. "Wait....wh..what is it?" She heard how Hank said he lost control, but yet that still isn't the bad news. "You're scaring me, Henry. What is wrong?" Jan used the first name....she really is concerned.

 Ant-Mantakes Jan's hand. He starts to speak but can't. He shuts his eyes tight.



 A tinge of panic creeps into Janet's voice. "What....what is it? Did we lose someone? Was it Natasha? What's going on?!" Janet's voice raises in tone as the fear sets in. Her mind is racing, trying to remember everything going on in the chaos...trying desperately to recall if there was any reason for Hank to be so shaken as he is.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;"> Hank opens his eyes and seems less shakey. "We lost Cap. I'm not sure of the deatils. A sniper cut him down, I think. But it's confirmed. Tony brought him back." No tears now.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:14px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;"> "What?" Jan's voice, just a moment ago shrill and frightened, has lost all of its power. It was if she had just been punched in the stomach and lost all her breath. "We....we lost Steve??" The concept just hasn't hit home. After all, he's Captain America.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:14px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;"> Ant-Man squeezes Jan's hand a little to tightly. "Yes. But we'll get through this. We have to. AIM and HYDRA have to be made to fear and then to pay. We have to be strong and see Cap's murderers brought to heel."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:14px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:14px;"> The pain from Jan's hand is barely felt. However, it is the pain of a lost friend that grips Janet now. She knows she must be strong. Hell, Hank just told her to be. But, there...in the sickbay, with Hank holding her hand. Jan just can't do it.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:14px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;"> Tears start to well in Janet's eyes. She releases Hank's hand, rolling to her right side. Despite the pain within her body, she doesn't want Hank to watch her cry. And crying she does, her shoulders shuddering as she does so.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;"> Ant-Man stands there watching her. Anyone watching who knew him would find his expression far off and unreadable. beast would certainly. After a moment he says, "I'll let you rest dear. I have some preparations to make. I'm glad you're all right."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:14px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;"> With Jan's back towards Hank, she doesn't see the distant stare. She also doesn't quite catch the tone used when he told her about preparations to make. She just nods, her face buried in her pillow as she just sobs. So many things on her mind.....and Steve dying was not one of them.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:14px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;"> After a moment to compose herself, Jan turns to face Hank. Her cheeks streaked red with tears, she simply nods. "Al...alright, love. Th...thank you."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:14px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;"> Ant-Man pats Jan's shoulder. "Try to be brave. I'll be back with a tray for you in a little while. I need to write some things down. I don't trust committing anything to a laptop here." He turns to leave.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;"> Avengers,

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:14px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;"> As Hank turns to leave, he doesn't see Janet giving him a confused look. She mouths silently what he just told her. <Try to be brave?> Even in the throes of her own grief, Janet is able to recognize that something just isn't right with the man she loves. She watches Hank walk away...too stunned to stop him.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;min-height:14px;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;"> Hank says, "We have to have a nice pleasant date one of these days. :-)"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;">

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-size:12px;line-height:normal;font-family:Helvetica;"> Janet Van Dyne says, "Since when do we do anything simple and pleasant.?"