Hope and Hank

- - - - -

"Hey, sleepyhead..."

Ana sat up, reaching up to rub her eyes of the grogginess she felt. Her mind was in a blur, and she couldn't get ahold of her senses completely. She yawned, stretching her arms up until they hit something. That was when Ana realised her seat was shaking. Her eyes flew open and she looked down at her body, hands flying to the seatbelt across her torso. She was in a car. How did she get in a car? The last thing Ana remembered was nodding off on Scott's couch in his house at two in the morning. Sunlight hit the side of her face, meaning it had been hours since then. Before she could start panicking about being kidnapped, a feminine hand rested on her shoulder, and Ana glanced to the driver beside her. And she squinted, not believing her vision.

"Hope?"

The woman smiled, somewhat guiltily, towards Ana. She didn't think Scott would have company when she sneaked into his home after the voicemail he left Hank, and when she realised it was Ana, she thought to take the Warrior for an extra pair of hands. Hank and Hope were on the run because of the Sokovia Accords. They were constantly moving from place to place while still working nonstop at a chance to get Janet Van Dyne back from the Quantum Realm. They had an unbreakable belief that Janet was well and truly alive, and it was what kept them both going. Hank was working hard to bring back his wife, and Hope was equally as determined to reconnect with her mother.

Hope focused back onto the road, glancing back at Ana from time to time. "Sorry about taking you also. But I figured if you woke up and Scott wasn't in the house that you'd go to the authorities and we couldn't take that chance." She explained.

Ana placed a fist over her churning stomach, grimacing at the vomiting sensation that slithered up her throat. She could never handle being drugged well, something about her strange body systems. When Ana hadn't replied, Hope looked to her, and winced. Ana's face was clear of colour, and sweat started to line her forehead. Without saying anything, Hope rolled down Ana's window and picked up a plastic bag from the glovebox. Ana took the bag and emptied last night's dinner, groaning at how unpleasant she felt in the moment.

"How much... did you... use?" Ana asked Hope in-between breaths, referring to the tranquilliser.

"Five times more than Scott." Hope replied in an apologetic tone. "I remember how you told me about your tougher systems."

"That'll do it." Ana murmured, rinsing her mouth out with water from a bottle Hope handed her. "You coulda just told me about whatever it is you're doing and I would've helped you, Hope." She shot the Van Dyne a stern look, though it didn't stick since she melted into an expression of worry.

"I know, and again, sorry." Hope replied.

"You look good." Ana mentioned. She pointed at Hope's sleek black hair. It grew a lot since the last time they saw each other. "I like the hair. It's nice."

"Thanks." Hope smiled. "I wish I can say the same for you, but you look like hell."

"That's very sweet of you, thanks." Ana responded dryly.

"You getting any sleep lately?" Hope questioned, noticing the bags under her eyes.

Ana paused and thought momentarily about what to say. Then she realised it wasn't the time nor place to get into that lengthy conversation. So, Ana simply said, "It's complicated."

"I'll bet." Hope breathed out.

"How's Hank?" Ana asked.

"Buried in work. I'll explain more about it later because our friend in the back is beginning to wake up." Ana realised Scott was starting to wake up and turned to face him.

"Hope? Is this another dream?" Scott asked, head lulling from one side to the next as he sat up in his seat.

Hope didn't even bother looking back at Scott. Something that threw Ana a little. "Do you think it's a dream? Or is it possible that you really saw my Mom down there?"

Scott yawned, eyes blinking slowly, "I'm not sure..." He began, then once he registered that he was in the back seat of a car, and not in the comfort of his home, his eyes bugged out of their sockets and he dove for the door handle, "I can't be here! I can't be... I'm under house arrest!" He exclaimed, trying to budge the door open.

"They won't open while the system's engaged, Scott." Hope told him, and Ana frowned. She looked out the window when they rolled to a stop and reared her head back at what was on the other side of it. A pigeon the size of a skyscraper was peering into the car, and Ana grabbed onto the seat with brute force as her heartbeat rose to concerning levels. Scott seemed to panic, but not as much as Ana. He was used to it. Ana stared at Hope, who didn't want to admit how much she enjoyed the situation.

"That bird is huge!" Ana blurted out.

"No, it's not. We're just small." Scott told Ana just as another car drove above them, turning into the next street. Ana visibly tensed. Was that supposed to make her feel better? Scott switched his focus to Hope, who smirked in Ana's direction. "You have to take me home. They can show up any second."

"Relax. As far as your nanny cops know, you're still at home." Hope said.

"I'm the size of a friggin' ant?" Ana grabbed her head and pulled the skin on her face back as she squinted at the dashboard. "I think I'm gonna be sick again..."

Hope handed her another bag and grimaced when Ana threw up inside of it. She felt guilty for putting Ana in that condition. Ana raised her head, feeling woozy and drained. Scott and Hope both watched as Ana took out a piece of bubblegum from her hoodie pocket and popped it into her mouth. Hope continued speaking with Scott, and showed him her tablet where a map was on the screen with a blinking dot labelled Scott.

"He's programmed to replicate your daily routine." Hope informed Scott, referring to the giant ant that he had kept as a pet. "Nine hours in bed, five hours in front of the TV, two hours in the bathroom, whatever that's about." She finished, looking slightly disturbed.

Ana looked over at Scott. "Dude, your life sucks." She told him.

"That's totally inaccurate." Scott said in defence. "How do you know about my daily routine? Are you spying on me?"

"We keep tabs on all security threats." Hope declared. She sent Ana a side-eye and the Warrior noticed it. Ana even sent her an expression of clear confusion because she didn't want to be considered a threat to Hope and Hank. She would never do anything to hurt them. "And so far, the biggest one we've had is you. Hank and I know Ana isn't as... impulsive as you. So we've ignored her extracurricular activities in New York."

Ana scoffed out a laugh. "Hope, honey... I can get reckless when the time calls for it. But just so we're clear, I'd never be a threat to any of my friends." She said genuinely, placing a hand on Hope's shoulder. Hope sent her a soft smile in response.

Scott sighed. "I'm sorry about Germany. They just showed up. They said it was a matter of national security, that Cap needed help." He tried to explain.

"Who's Cap?" Hope asked.

Scott faltered, giving Ana a blank look when she wouldn't help him. Instead, she crossed her arms and smirked. She knew Steve would be surprised to hear Scott call him by his casual nickname since they only met briefly before all the fighting began. "...tain America. Captain... Cap. It's what we call him." He said, slapping Ana on the bicep. He grimaced when it felt as if he had hit stone, then poked her muscle when she flexed, shooting her a look that told her he was impressed by the solidity of it. "If you're a friend. I think I'm a friend, a little. I know him. He's not, we're not..."

Ana shook her head, motioning for him to stop babbling.

Scott groaned. "I'm sorry! All right? I didn't think I'd get caught."

Hope raised a brow. "You didn't think about a lot of things."

"How's Hank?" Scott changed the subject.

"We're still running, the house is gone. So is our freedom. How do you think he is?" Hope remarked. Ana switched her focus to the passing buildings outside the car, feeling the pit of remorse in her stomach grow. She wanted to face Hank and apologise for her part, and hope for a chance to make it up to him. To all of them.

"I'm sorry. I know you're mad." Scott mumbled.

"I'm not looking for apologies, Scott. The only reason why we're even talking is because we need what's in your head." Hope replied.

Ana looked up at the large building Hope had stopped the car in front of. The first thing she could tell about the area was that it was deserted, telling her there was nothing or nobody to disturb Hank's construction on the inside of the building. Ana grabbed the hand rest attached to the car door and tensed when Hope deactivated the system that shrunk the vehicle. The car rocked slightly when it grew to it's normal dimensions. Ana didn't even bother waiting for Hope to unlock all the doors to open her door, and instead wriggled out of the open window. She landed on her hands and knees on the asphalt road, and let out a relieved sigh, "Oh, thank God!"

Scott stepped out of the car, and helped Ana up, steadying her when she wobbled on her feet. "Yeah, let's not make you tiny ever again." He commented.

Ana followed Scott and Hope inside the large building, and sighed. "I second that notion."

As they made their way to the elevator on the other side of the main floor, Ana took the time to observe the dull environment. The place was empty, save for a few framed pictures and trash cans anyone could find in a typical office establishment. She passed by scaffolding and tarps, and frowned when the downlights would flicker on and off above her. The temperature was borderline freezing, causing her and Scott to hug their arms when they felt the chill get to them. They must have been using the electricity to power something a lot more important than the heating and lighting.

"Come on." Hope nodded her head at the two wandering about, motioning for them to get inside the elevator. Once they were all inside, Scott spoke up softly, glancing at Hope to address her living arrangements. "Is this where you're living? If you need help or money or something, maybe I can-"

"We're fine." Hope interjected, before stalking out of the elevator when it stopped and the doors pulled back. Ana and Scott shared a look, then walked out behind Hope, gawking at the laboratory they found themselves in. It was filled with all types of technology, ranging from computers and monitors to control panels and various gadgets that had Pym Particle capabilities. Hank had been busy, Ana thought to herself.

There was an enormous Quantum Tunnel in the making at the centre of it all. Giant ants were the troops in the situation, and scattered about carrying all sorts of resources meant to be added to the machine. Ana was a little lost, having no real strength in the science department. It was something she was self-conscious about, seeing as she worked alongside some of the world's greatest geniuses. They liked to remind her she possessed strengths they didn't. Speaking every language on Earth, above all. Tony was still baffled by Ana's skill, to which she would argue was a natural talent.

Scott accidentally bumped shoulders with Ana when he stepped back after one of the ants scurried past him in a hurry. Her hand flew and caught his other shoulder before it could come into contact with an expensive looking invention on the table behind him. He sent her a thankful nod, and they both stuck close to Hope when she guided them to Hank. A few ants were working on a vehicle that reminded Ana of a deep sea diving submarine pod. Scott had paused in his steps and looked over at Hank who was inside the tunnel on a laptop. The tension between their stares made Ana shift uncomfortably. Hank then shut his laptop and tucked it underneath his arm, making his way towards the trio.

Scott offered Hank a hesitant smile, "Hey, Hank. Look, I just wanna-"

"Save it." Hank spoke over him. He glanced over at Ana, silently frowning, before nodding at his daughter. "Can we start?"

"Yeah." Hope replied, and crossed her arms. She looked to Scott, "So, while you were relaxing at home, we were building this. It's a tunnel, to the Quantum Realm. To my Mom. We think she might still be down there. We just don't know where."

Ana held her hand up. She knew what the Quantum Realm was, and she knew it wouldn't be safe for anybody, even her, to enter it. "Hope, the Quantum Realm is one of many dimensions that aren't meant for human exploration. I've seen it once when I began as a student of the Mystic Arts. No time to explain what that was like, buddy." She said quickly when Scott sent her a look, "The place is endless. If you go through with this, you'll end up searching for Janet for decades. Maybe even centuries. There's also a chance the alien I threw in there could still be alive. Again, no time to explain, Scotty." Ana shook her head.

Scott huffed.

Hope uncrossed her arms. "That's why Dad and I found a way to pinpoint my Mom's location. Then the pod can take me down to get her." She argued. "This way there's no time to waste. I'll be in and out within minutes."

Ana pressed her lips together. She was concerned. Anything could go wrong at any second. Scott tilted his head. "You built all this and you don't even know if she's alive?" He asked.

Hank spoke up by saying, "It's called a hypothesis. Last night, we powered up the tunnel for the first time. It was overloaded and it shut down. But for a split second, the doorway to the Quantum Realm was opened." Hank explained to them. There was a twinge of optimism in his eyes, and for a moment, Ana forgot about the dangers of travelling to the Quantum Realm. It was starting to get to her, how Hank and Hope were serious about entering the unknown for a possibility of finding their missing piece. She knew how important it was to find what was lost in terms of family, and she decided to go with it.

"And?" Scott prodded.

"And five minutes later, you called, talking about Mom." Hope answered.

"That can't be a coincidence." Ana murmured, lifting a hand to place on her shoulder.

"We think when you were down there, you may have entangled with her." Hank added.

Scott seemed uncomfortable by Hank's choice of words, and launched into an apology, becoming flustered. "Hank, I would never do that. I respect you too much."

Hank sent him a look. "Quantum entanglement, Scott." He corrected.

"Still sounds a little... weird to me." Ana whispered, and Scott nodded beside her, having heard her.

"We think she might have put some kind of message in your head. Hopefully, a location. And opening the tunnel triggered it." Hope said.

Scott didn't think he heard Hope right. And if he did, he thought she sounded silly. "Your Mom put a message in my head?" He questioned. "Come on, that's insane."

Ana stared at the floor as she replied. "Not really."

"No, Scott. Insane is going to Germany without telling us and fighting the Avengers." Hank remarked, raising his voice as he stalked closer to Scott.

Ana looked up. She stepped into Hank's view, and raised a hand. She put her Avenger face on, the one Peter would try to replicate, and stared into his eyes. "Hank, it's my fault. Okay? All of it. I got to Scott. I told him what we were up against and that we needed his help. I didn't realise what I had done until after we got caught with the others. My old boss at S.H.I.E.L.D. told me about Scott's house arrest, and I knew how much I stuffed up. I wasn't thinking about him and his daughter. I wasn't thinking about you and Hope. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything I've put you through. None of you deserve any of this, and that's on me. Alright? So, if you're going to blame someone, blame me." Ana spoke with a strong voice, and it never wavered, showing Hank just how direct and sincere she was about the whole problem. She didn't want Scott to be blamed for being under the Avengers' scope. The truth was that they could've left Scott alone, and gone through what transpired in Berlin on their own. If Ana could go back, she would mention to Sam that they didn't have to pull Scott, a family man, into their mess. That way, Hank and Hope wouldn't be on the run and Scott wouldn't to be confined in the limited space of his house to spend time with his daughter.

Scott was surprised by Ana's outpour, and noticed Hope hadn't expected it either. Hank removed his glasses from his face, and pinched the bridge of his nose with his eyes shut. Ana was patiently waiting for his response, and glanced at Scott next to her, sending him a short smile when he sent her a grateful one.

"Ana, you are not responsible for Scott's actions." Hank began. "He could've picked to stay home, or at least let us in on what he was about to do. But I suppose your choice to approach him in the first place with a message from the Avengers persuaded him into going."

"It was Captain America, man..." Scott said in a hushed tone, making it sound like it was a big deal. "And, y'know, Ana."

"I appreciate the apology, Ana." Hank continued. "But I still think Scott is full of shit." He turned to the man in question, and narrowed his aged eyes at him. "Just tell me you weren't lying about the suit you took. Tell me you really destroyed it."

Scott nodded eagerly. "I did! I destroyed it. I swear!"

Ana frowned when Hank's face contorted into disbelief. "I can't believe you destroyed my suit! That was my life's work!" He exclaimed.

"What was I supposed to do?" Scott panicked.

"You were supposed to not take my suit!" Hank shot back as he backed away towards the staircase on the other side of the platform.

Scott followed him, "I'm sorry, Hank! I'm sorry I took the suit. I'm sorry that I called last night. I don't remember seeing Janet down there. I wish that I did. I just had a dream about her playing hide-and-seek with a little girl." Scott explained as he tried his best to keep up with a speed walking Hank Pym. Both Hope and Hank froze at Scott's last sentence. Ana paused momentarily, thinking Scott had hit something, an old memory of the Pym's perhaps. Hank whipped his head around to stare at Scott while Hope settled next to Ana, eyes narrowed as she glanced at the retired Ant-Man.

"What?" She asked.

"I had a dream." Scott repeated, this time slowly. "She was playing hide-and-seek with a little girl. Cassie and I do it all the time. Doesn't mean anything." He shrugged it off.

"But was it Cassie in the dream?" Hope questioned.

"No." Scott answered.

"Where was she hiding?" Hope stepped forward.

"What?"

"The little girl. Where was she hiding? Was it in a wardrobe?" Hope elaborated.

"No, it was in a tall dresser." Scott corrected her.

Ana suppressed a chuckle. "You mean a wardrobe."

"Is that what that's called?" Scott gave her a blank look, confused.

"What colour was it?" Hope asked.

"Red." Scott replied.

"Were there horses on it?" Ana looked to Hope, noticing just how much she was hanging on every word Scott was saying. She was anticipating the next response even though she already knew what the answer was going to be.

"Oh, boy." Scott mumbled, understanding what it meant.

"It's where I hid every time that we played." Hope recalled, letting a smile grow on her face.

"Every time? You didn't switch it up at one point?" Ana questioned.