7934/Sentinels: Pym is Home

Sentinels: Pym is Home
Date of Scene:	18 June 2019
Location:	Medical, Avengers Mansion
Synopsis:	Hank Pym returns from his coma. Steve and Janet brief him on what he missed.
Cast of Characters:	Captain America, Ant-Man (Pym), Wasp (van Dyne)
Tinyplot:	Sentinels

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Captain America has posed:
Thank god for the advanced medical technology within the wards of the Avengers mansion. Immediately upon arriving in the van at the side doors of the mansion, the few medical staff on-site spilled out like...well, so many ants to greet the Captain, the Wasp, and their companions. Pym himself was carefully shifted to a gurney with all equipment attached while two other stayed with Richard and Alisa to aid in delivering Dr. Sandhu to SHIELD's own highly-advanced medical wards. Janet with her migraine earned by commanding a good million or so insects to cover their escape is carefully shuffled off to receive what care is deemed necessary for her

This leaves Steve to follow along with Pym's rolling stretcher. He doesn't leave the room, but rather stands off to one side in his memetic leotard still set to reflect the security of Trasks' Sentinel facility. After asking a few pertinent questions and answering some of the staff's queries, he retreats outside into the hallway to begin fussing with the leotard.

Come on...come on... Janet's still got his suit somewhere on her person, same with his shield. He ditches the hat to one of the hallway's chairs, its toss lazy and Frisbee-like. "Almost..." Steve mutters to himself as he shifts through the fabric's settings with what little knowledge he knows. At least it's navy-blue now? Oh, look -- there's a star in the middle of his chest. Hank is sure to recognize that. Maybe?

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
Dr. Pym waking up to strangers or guards from Trask's organization probably is highly dangerous, so the retreat to the hall to change makes sense. It does appear that Steve has some time, though. The medical staff attempt to work with Pym: successfully at first, as he's unconscious, but they roll him over.

There's a burst of noise and voices, as Hank suddenly becomes a little combative: disoriented, and trying to pull out an IV. The disorientation level is clear, and he's ignoring the urgent, "Dr. Pym. Hank. You're safe," that the medical staff is attempting. He's very weak, but he's alarmed and very groggy. Enough to growl at a nurse, which starts a tug-of-war with the IV cable.

Captain America has posed:
By the time the first cajolings from medical staff attempt to counter the scared reaction of Dr. Pym, Steve's at least got a passable facsimile of his usual stealth suit, complete with what appears to be a belt. No hood, of course, but that wouldn't help anyways. Bare-headed and open faced, he steps into the room and gently grabs at Hank's wrist in an attempt to slow or halt the tugging of tubing.

"Hank -- Hank, it's Steve Rogers. You're at the Avengers mansion downstairs in medical. These folks want to help you," he too tries to placate the man. He shoots an apologetic wince towards the nurses, as if some of this was his fault.

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
"I'm fine," Hank huffs in answer. His voice is scratchy from breathing tubes, like a smoker's. He's still out of it, his gaze rolling from the wall and finding Steve's face. It's blank at first, but then recognition and awareness come in more solidly, out of whatever drug-addled place Hank had been occupying. Hank's steely blue eyes stare sharply for a moment, and then he looks at the IV, and releases his grip on it. He allows himself to sag back onto the bed, and squintingly try to come back to being present in the room.

"You've redecorated," Hank says, in a semi-judgemental tone that does certainly sound like Hank.

Captain America has posed:
"I'll be honest with you, Hank, I had no idea that we did," Steve replies with a soft laugh. Relief floods through him as he watches the man further settle himself and allow the medical staff to work to comfort him. He glances around the room regardless. "Might've switched out the paintings. I know there's a seasonal shift." He loosely folds his arms and watches the switching of lines and setting of leads on Pym's body. Otherwise, he remains quiet, letting the team do their work. It's up to the patient to lead the conversation -- bombarding the man with questions while still both mentally and physically uncoordinated isn't going to help anyone.

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
"Sometimes, I feel like I should reconsider my life, when my first question to something like this involves asking what the current date is," Hank says, seeming to entirely be ignoring the medical staff now, for the most part. It helps: they're able to do what they need to do without Hank actively fighting them. They do get in his face (literally) to shine a light in his eyes, and he's intolerant about it, but doesn't shove them away. He just grumbles and presses his eyes shut when they're done.

Captain America has posed:
Steve's still wearing that vaguely pitying expression even as he sighs. He waits until the staff is done checking pupillary reaction time before he answers, knowing that his answer will surely garner a response.

"It's the middle of June now. You've been out for a while, since the end of February. I know the idea of lost time is a helluva thing to think about, so breathe for a little. You don't have to talk. Think as long as you need to."

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
The response is not surprise, but a very angry scowl. "Stop that; I'm not even a moving target," Hank snaps at one of the medical staff. The mood has slid, and the disorientation isn't helping any either. "Put the IV in and step away," he says, pointing at her. "Better yet. Give me that." A gesture of fingers at the poor nurse and he'll put in his own IV, skillfully. He lets her tape it, though.

Hank's reaction is to take is upset out on those around him, very clearly. Share the misery. "June. Where's the report on my physical condition?" he asks, demanding, still of the staff. They probably liked him better before he was awake, but he's healthy enough to issue commands, at least.

"June," Hank repeats, glowering. "Damn bastard, Trask."

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
There's a sound of bootsoles scuffing on the ground. Janet dithers in the doorway for a moment, her expression suddenly a rare one: uncertainty. As if hesitating to cross over the line into the room. Unsure of Hank's reception? If she's welcome, even? And it's not like she and Steve had time to talk about--

She realizes she's been spotted, and a timorous smile flashes across her face. "You're awake," she tells Hank in a neutral tone. Janet ventures a smile. "Heard you yelling at the nurse. You must be feeling human." She's shifted her outfit to a newer version of her superheroic attire, a bodysuit with a corset-style top with a bell-shaped skirt in yellow and matching boots and gloves. She looks to Steve, eyes softening for a second before flickering again.

Captain America has posed:
Opening his mouth to inform Hank that a medical report will be forthcoming, Steve hears the soft sounds of approaching steps. Glancing over at Janet with thought aborted and lips open, he returns the small smile, though it's tight around his eyes in discomfort for the current state of affairs.

"Give 'em a bit, Hank, they'll get that information for you. If there's no one around to answer questions for you, you can ask JARVIS. He's still around," he ends up replying to the bedridden scientist. He shifts to one side, wincing again, but it's because of the lingering sting at his hip.

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
Hank looks past Steve to take Janet in. His expression goes through an interesting little series: out of his hatred of Trask, into controlled pleasure, and then into a very clear skepticism or distrust, as memories collect. "Janet. I'm feeling a lot of things, though 'human' is a stretch, still," Hank retorts, letting his eyes close for a long blink. He's had it rough; he's fighting, but he doesn't have the strength to really do much. His fighting spirit has to come in words. If there was any look passed between them, Hank read it as concern for his state.

"Janet, going to need you to prove you're not a fake or clone," Hank says, next, and opens his eyes, giving her a direct, but no-joke stare. There's no funny sarcasm here, he's really asking. The calculative watchfulness that Janet no doubt knows very well is present, to identify that this is serious business.

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"Oh good! You're still an asshole," Janet says, promptly. She folds her arms over her chest and rolls her weight over one hip. Her left eyebrow hikes a half an inch at the two men, her expression skeptical and exasperated at once. "I was worried they might have cured you of that."

It's probably her.

Captain America has posed:
The Captain needs a raise for not running a hand down his face in mild frustration. On a sigh, Steve adds, "It's really Janet, Hank. We dealt with the clone. She's done for, system's totally fried. Tony had a hand in it. You remember Ultron. He wasn't going to play nice about it."

Even the thought of the contained and locked box, safetied many times over downstairs, is enough to make a chill run down his spine.

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
Hank Pym stares at Janet a few more long seconds, but then allows a rusty laugh to come. He goes into a coughing spasm, though. His throat is damaged, and the deep laugh really triggered off some pain for him. Veins stand out on his forehead and throat as he tenses, making himself come down out of it. He doesn't let the medical staff put a mask on him, but he does let them hand it to him. Controlling? Maybe, but a lot was just out of his control, with the loss of months. He accepts the mask, pressing it onto his face, and watercolored pale blue eyes examine Janet again.

"I suppose you pass," Hank grants. "I was going to say, there's a clone of you running around. Obviously I knew the difference. But I'm not up to speed, it appears. Miss a few months, my news gets stale."

And then Steve brings up Ultron. Hank's tone changes: the snark and sarcasm drop away. Into something more real. "Good." He closes his eyes, probably not intentionally, with a deep breath. His fiesty nature is covering his problems.

"Do I get a briefing now, or are there vital things you need to ask, first?" Hank asks into his mask. The medical staff has finished, and gets out of their hair.

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"She was a lousy fake. Ugly, dumb, no sense of style," Janet says with an airy flick of her hair through the air. "Steve saw through her like that." Fingers snap once in the air. "I mean, of course, /I/ knew she was a clone, but good luck proving it to people."

No one spend too much time unpacking that one.

She drifts closer to the bed, not quite sure where to stand. At the foot? She starts there, realizes how standoffish it looks, and moves to the side of the bed. Hank's hand is given a quick, tentative squeeze, then she quickly releases it and steps back to the foot of the bed as if unconsciously putting the footboard up as abarrier between them.

"Brief away, Cap," Janet says, waving a hand at Steve.

Captain America has posed:
Now that medical staff is out of their hair, Steve relaxes a visible touch. Their absence is a silent seal of approval about the stability of the patient under layers of sheets and now not only stuck with IVs, but masked up for better airflow.

His briefing is concise and contains all the pertinent information that Hank might require to be on-board with the current Sentinel situation. By the time Steve's done explaining, a modicum of his own weariness is showing on his face. "It's been hell, Hank," he ends quietly.

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
Hank just watches Janet give her description of her clone. The clone had been pretty believable, which makes the comments about her other traits sort of humorous. He's too tired to make fun of her, and not in the mood, so he doesn't rouse to being handed such good material. He doesn't feel like starting a fight, for once. He feels like sleeping: but he won't. He's slept enough.

Hank didn't respond at first to her touching his hand, and she pulled away before he had time to move. His eyes examine her over top of the breathing mask, and there's no animosity, for once, but also nothing outside of accepting that she was friendly. And that he saw it.

"I have... a lot of information," Hank says, after the briefing ends. His exhaustion is showing, though. "About the Sentinels. But I'm glad to hear that.... they haven't gotten as far as I projected they could have."

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"It's been an uphill fight," Janet admits quietly. "Some of us got hurt. People got killed or injured." She puts a palm on her ribs over near-invisible burn wounds. "But we've been holding the line. That Jocasta bitch was a ticking time bomb. I'm not so scared of the Sentinels, that's a social justice issue. We can fix that in legislation with a good PR campaign. But the cyborgs, the clones? Those are a serious problem. All we need is some notable metahuman getting duplicated and being caught murdering baby chickens on the six oclock news. That'd be it for metahuman rights, overnight."

Captain America has posed:
Steve snaps his fingers quietly at his side. "Just like that," he echoes of Janet's thoughts. "But you're not wrong, Hank. Just like Janet said, we've been standing our ground...stalling and managing as best we can while we find a solution. Still, I think that might enough for now." His eyes slide to the Wasp and linger, his wheat-gold brows drawn together. "There's time to talk, even if it doesn't feel like it."

He looks back to Hank and steps up beside the gurney without flinching. "Hank, you need anything from us right now?"

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
"I had some virus ideas to disrupt the cyborgs - assuming they're based on the big project I was brought in on," Hank says, following Janet's statements about the cyborgs and clones. "Most of it related to initialization, so it'd need to hit the factories..." He sounds distant, like he's out of it somewhere.

There's a lag, and then he comes back mentally, though he still has his eyes shut. "I wasn't...going to permit a second Ultron," Hank insists, despite nobody asking. "No." Was that answer for Steve's question? Probably not, probably Hank talking to himself.

"What?" Hank asks, suddenly. He got the end of the question. "Everything on the reports and data on Vision," he says to Steve, firmly.

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"We'll get it to you. It's all been archived. Some of it's a little redundant," Janet tells Hank. "But JARVIS can help sort through the nuts and bolts and summarize it. We've made some headway. There's also been some, uh, setbacks." She quirks her lips. How do you explain 'Megatron' to Hank in fifty words or less?

"But I think the tide's turning in public opinion. If we can keep the pressure up going into the election cycle, make Sentinels a hot button issue, there's a good chance we can get their federal funding yanked. That'd be a huge setback."

Captain America has posed:
"Yes...setbacks." The Captain gives Janet an oblique look. That's a task, explaining 'Megatron' in less than fifty words. No nose goes. "But we've been leveling setbacks of our own and we'll keep at it. Last I checked, polls aren't in Trask's favor."

Not by a lot, he doesn't add, but every little bit counts.

"And we're working at it at all levels. SHIELD's got a hand in it...Xavier and his staff, some of their advanced students, they're all carefully involved. You'll be amazed at the amount of information we've got for you, Vision included," he reassures the tiring scientist.

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
"Amazed? Mmmm. I /was/ lacking in light reading material," deadpans Hank, with a slight half-smile, opening his eyes to observe the reaction to his words. He's being snarky, because he's uncomfortable and groggy, but not aggressive. Which could mean a number of things, chief among them being exhaustion. He doesn't have it in him to stay upset.

"I'm also starving. I haven't eaten in months, apparently. Don't I get hospital jello?" Hank challenges, raising his voice. It's aimed towards the medical staff at the doorway.

Then, something occurs to him. "I'm glad to be back. I'll solve things for you," he murmers. That's a Hank version of a thank-you while annoyed: appreciation, and returned favor. His hand drops, his mask falling with it.

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"Don't start yelling at the staff," Janet chivvies Hank, automatically. "I'll tell them you need a laxative in your meals." It's peevish, but there's a fond familiarity to her voice, and she realizes it immediately. Janet rubs the back of her neck as if fighting off an itch, grimacing out the window.

"We're glad you're back, Hank," she says, her tone forced into a neutral note again. "This is an 'all hands on deck' thing. Tony's not going to be thrilled," she jokes. "I guess we'll put you in the east wing of the mansion. Do I need to ask JARVIS to make sure you two don't step on each other's toes accidentally?"

Captain America has posed:
There it is, that old attitude. Even as Steve's mentally prepping himself for dealing with the ambulatory variant of it, he counts himself relieved to see it crop up, even when Hank's far too skeletal for his liking. It brings back bad, bad memories.

"If you can do half of what I think you can, Hank, we're in good hands," he says quietly. The medical staff get a discreet thumbs-up from Steve about the demand for food. He'll defer to them, but food is an excellent idea along with the glucose in the IV feed. He does wait, however, to hear about potential rooming decisions and whether or not the AI needs to weigh in.

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
"Don't play about laxatives, Janet, you'd be doing me a giant favor," Hank answers back, quick as a whip. "This stasis process, from what /I/ know about these--which is a lot? I'll be praying for a shit that won't come for maybe another month," he answers her, actually getting enough steam to lift his hand and point at her with index finger. The hand is weak, skeletal, dragging the IV. There's a lot of familiarity here: she knows the buttons to push, and he'll come to the challenge, to get into a semi-playful argument over nothing. A pattern from years gone, that somehow evolved into very mean arguments between them. Yet it started here, in playful snark. Plus the comfortable zone of discussing bowel movements between spouses.

"Won't be problem, I'm sure Stark will be out at parties all night, or drunk," Hank snorts, in a way that broadcasts that he has some current beef with Stark.

"/I/ can behave," Hank adds, to Steve, in a clear way. He does droop back, though. "It's for Vision. I'm not petty."

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
Janet glances at Steve, face going stricken. "Um, Hank, I..." She takes a deep breath. "Vision, uh... Vision's offline," she says, glancing at her fingernails. They're battered and chipped. "There was an incident with a Sentinel. Tony's working on Vis but it's not... he's talking 'reconstitution'. THat's not 'activation'," she observes, lips thinning. "He took a bad hit. I don't know how bad the damage is but Vision hasn't been awake-- er, active-- for a few days. He might not come back at all."

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
"Jesus. Did my kitten also get run over by a car?" Hank answers, cutting, and harsh. It isn't about her, it isn't even AT her, he just doesn't react well to things, a lot of the time. He drops his head back fully, picking up his mask and dumping it unceremoniously on his face. He stares at the tile ceiling.

"Reconstitution's going to be a bear. He'll /need/ me," Hank asserts. It isn't arrogant, for once. It just is.

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"You don't have a cat, and it's not just about you," Janet sallies back, crisply. "We've been in the shit for months and you're late to the party. These Sentinels are /everywhere/. And it's not just robots. It's politicians and lawyers and inventors and military forces. There's this whole fucking ... /system/ propping them up and we need to dismantle it before more people get hurt or killed."

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
"Not anymore," Hank rebuffs back about his nonexistant cat.

"I was first to appear at the party, thanks. I stopped a renegade sentinel from the /future/. I just got kidnapped and shoved in a freezer for a while, I'm catching up on the point tally of who's done what," He adds, very willing to be sarcastic, now, when feeling overwhelmed.

"I'll trade further information for Jello. With laxatives, if you have them." Hank closes his eyes, forcing a breath. He recognized his emotional spike, for once. "Look. We're all stressed. When I can think, I'll start working."

Captain America has posed:
"I think it's time to take a break here."

Steve takes a step forwards and inserts himself between Hank and Janet, if only by dint of the turn of his shoulder and their respective breadth. "A night's sleep here in the mansion will do everyone a world of good. We'll all be here tomorrow and we'll get going. Can't work with a toolkit half-full and a short extension cord."

He reaches out and very, very gently takes it upon himself to pat Hank once on the shoulder. "You're safe here. Rest. You'll get some food soon enough." And probably laxatives, given there was enough complaint about it. "We're due for dinner soon here ourselves," Steve adds, glancing over at Janet.

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
Janet glances at Steve, nods. "Yeah. Uh..." she glances at Hank, then back at Steve. "Would you give us a minute?" she requests, quietly. "I'll meet you in the hallway. One minute," she promises, giving him a pleading look.

Steve slips past her and she waits until the door is closed, then looks at Hank. "Look, I know this is shit timing," she mutters. "But I'd rather you hear it from me than the staff. /Someone's/ gonna tell you. Might as well be me. Steve and I, we're, uh..." Fingers twist together against her palm. "We're together. Dating," she says. "I'm not trying to ... I don't wanna start anything. I just don't want you to get blindsided," she says, quietly.

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
Hank had his eyes shut, until Janet asks for personal time with him. Where is this going? Is it because he almost was lost? Did she miss him? A lot of confusion is very clear on his face when Steve leaves, the door shuts, and she comes back over. It woke him up. Is he going to need to break her heart?

But that Janet doesn't take his hand or do something physical towards him suggests the direction this is going in.

Hank's expression goes from a sort of tense alarm, and then into a more honestly relieved one. "Well. /We/ were sure as hell not getting back together," Hank answers, exhausted, but honest, and with a sudden rueful smile. It does have loss in it. "/You/ probably need somebody that's not like us. Not an asshole." He looks away from her, then. And then back.

"This doesn't mean I'm okay with you making out on my hospital bed. Do it in the hallway," Hank says, grumpily.

Wasp (van Dyne) has posed:
"Oh no, you foiled my master plan," Janet says, rolling her eyes at Hank. "God. And here I was hoping I could somehow get your attention again by making out with the sexiest man on Earth, solely for the purpose of rekindling a teenage relationship." Sarcasm much?

She heads to the door and opens it, then glances over her shoulder at Hank. "It's good to have you back in our corner, Hank," she says, her voice more normal. "I'm glad you're not dead. Try to stay that way, huh?" she invites, with a lifted brow, and then she's gone from the room as well.

Ant-Man (Pym) has posed:
Hank picks up the plastic cup near him, drinks the water out of it, and then throws it at her. It exploded in size, to wastepaper-basket size. She'll have no problem dodging it, of course, and can use the door as a shield.

His expression is just sort of smug. But he's protecting himself, in his way. He has mixed feelings on what she told him. Relief, but? What else? It's a tangled thing. Emotions are tangled, and Hank's are like jungle vines.