Log: Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne WHO: Jan and Hank WHAT: Jan’s been found. WHEN: May 30 WHERE: Medlab
She was kind of tired of being treated like a pincushion, and she figured Hank could have done all of this much faster. After all, he was far more familiar with her altered by Pym Particle biology than any of the doctors currently running tests, but Janet did not want to see her husband at the moment.
It was the reason she’d called Steve when she was released and not Hank. When she’d arrived she’d told him to let Hank know she was alright at least, but she just couldn’t see him at the moment.
But yes, so tired of being a pincushion. But at least she was conscious for this. She still had no idea what Ultron had done with her all those times he had her unconscious, and that was what was making her shudder at random moments. She was just extremely freaked out about what these tests might find, and that was what was consuming her thoughts at the moment. She’d trail off and space out randomly and that was what she was thinking about.
Still, she figured almost 24 hours was enough time to pass. She picked up a pair of sweats with the SHIELD logo on them and took another shower. (It was her third; she’d taken one the moment they said she could.) When she got out a doctor was waiting for her, after taking some more blood she finally requested to see her husband, and she leaned against the bed which was in the sitting position.
Hank had thought that he was beside himself when Jan was missing - but he had realized that no, he had not know what that feeling was before he had gotten word that she was back, but that he couldn’t see her. He had spent the last almost 24 hours, alternately pacing around his lab, or sitting staring off into space. Hank knew this was his fault. He had made the robot. He had failed to find the robot, hell he still didn’t know where the robot had gotten to . . . Yes. This was his fault. And he didn’t know how (short of finding Ultron and turning the thing into scrap metal) that he could make this better.
When he was finally granted access to see Jan, Hank found himself going to see her empty handed. Because flowers? Flowers didn’t seem to quite cut it, so he hadn’t bothered with those, or balloons. There was no (as far as he knew) glad you survived your kidnapping Hallmark cards either, so he didn’t have card for Jan. All ohe had was himself, and a look of complete and utter releif on his face. And maybe a few more worry lines on said face, and probably some grey in his hair.
“Janet?” He was going with the full name, as he entered the room, resisting the urge to rush over to the bed. “Your - it’s very good to see you.”
For the first time in a long time, Hank realized he didn’t know what to say to her, or how to talk to her.
Seeing him made her forget about herself for a fraction of a minute. He looked like he’d been drug through hell. And suddenly she wasn’t angry anymore, though she was more than certain that feeling would come back in a few minutes. It was the lamest thing he could say at the moment. And she was happy to see him. She’d felt relief to see Steve. She’d felt safety to see and be in Avengers’ Mansion. Seeing Hank though, however stressed he looked, made her feel a bit normal.
And after the last two weeks, she needed that feeling for a few seconds. She did wonder why he was keeping his distance, but then it hit her. Hank was a smart man. He’d figured out who exactly her captor had been, and he was feeling guilty. (Rightly so.)
It took awhile for her to say anything, but she ran a hand through her wet hair. “They fill you in?” She told Steve everything she’d remembered which hadn’t been much at all when he’d come to get her.
“Yes.” Hank took a few steps closer, actually started to reach out a hand towards her, and then let it drop down to his side. “They filled me in on what you were able to tell them.” He would have liked to hear it from Jan herself, primary source and all that, but he wasn’t going to ask her to relate it again. This wasn’t just a primary source this was Jan - his wife.
“I’m so -” his voice cracked for a second. “I’m so glad you're alright.”
So, he definitely knew. She saw and heard his arm drop back to his side, and she couldn’t help but sniff when she heard his voice crack. She pointedly moved her head so she was looking straight ahead and not at him. She did not want to start crying here. “We do- I have no idea what he did to me.” She stated moving one of her hand to her side to try to steady it. Her nerves were shot by this whole ordeal.
“So this is what you’re going to do.” She said in a measured voice meant to keep her composure. “That thing will be in parts on your lab floor, alright? And you will find out what he wanted me for.”
She wasn’t looking at him, and that hurt. But Hank decided that it was a hurt that he deserved. It also hurt what she said, that she had no idea what the thing that Hank had made might have done to her. He wanted to ask if there were any test results but - he couldn’t ask her that.
Instead he stood there and nodded his head. Vigorously. He would do that. Forget the fact that he hadn’t been able to find the robot before - this time he would.. Because Ultron had done this thing, had kidnapped his wife. And Hank knew - the robot had to know how Hank felt about Jan, because his brain was based on Hank’s, and that meant the robot also knew that Hank had lost someone he loved before …
Oh yes, Hank wanted Ultron in pieces on the lab floor. And he had more motivation now then he had before.
Jan hadn’t heard a verbal response so she moved her head to see him looking hurt and nodding his head vigorously. Those were the things she needed right now. She could feel her eyes well up with tears, and she took a steadying breath to stem them.
She wanted to him sitting on this bed with her, but she needed him working on that since she didn’t have the brains to do so. She sniffed loudly before finally looking back at him. “I told them... All the tests they’ve run, the tests they plan to run, you’re getting sent copies. You know out kind of unique biology better than anyone. I need you to figure out if he did anything to me. If he changed me.” That was the prospect that frightened her more than anything in the world, and it showed by her tone.
Hank had been trying to give her space, because he was worried that he might go to try and touch her, or get in her personal space and she might pull away from his hand. Or she might ask him to leave and - Hank didn’t think he could take that. At all. But screw what he might be feeling right here, and right now, because Jan, who was his wife, sounded so scared.
He moved over to her bed and went to take her hand. “I’ll look over all the tests. All of them. He - it didn’t do anything.” Hank hoped, surely if the thing had his brain, then it would feel like Hank felt about Jan, and not - not want to hurt her. Hank had to believe that.
She nearly jumped when he grabbed her hand. Considering how he’d been keeping his distance, she hadn’t expected it, but she squeezed his hand and moved her hand so she could thread her fingers with his. But there was a bit of annoyance and anger that flashed in her eyes at him. “He kept me periodically unconscious. He was doing something.” She didn’t need reassurances that everything would be alright.
The anger and annoyance that flashed in her eyes registered with Hank, but he kept a hold on her hand. He had a feeling they were coming to the end of the hand holding time, so he was going t maximize it while he could.
“I’m - I’m so sorry.” That sounded so inadequate, but it was what he had to offer at the moment. “I’ll go over all the tests.”
She nodded and finally pulled her hand away from his grip, albeit a bit reluctantly. “I know.” She knew he was sorry. She could read the guilt and sorrow on his face, but right now she kind of needed his brain. “So I need you to go do that now.” She didn’t look at him because she figured he’d look really bad at that. “I want to try to get some sleep anyway.”
“Okay.” What else was there to say? He wanted to stay, wanted to say and sit by her bed and make sure she was okay, but he did need to go look at the tests. He knew that there would be SHIELD agents watching her room …. she wasn’t going to vanish again.
He had lost Maria. He had lost Janet but she had come back. He wasn’t going to lose her again.
Standing he looked at her for a moment; “If you need anything …” He was drawing this out because he didn’t want to leave.
“Yeah.” She said with a nod, but she was already putting the top of the bed down and pulling the covers up to her chin. She knew he’d be around at a second’s notice if she needed him for any reason, but she really did need to try to rest, and at the moment she couldn’t worry about them both.