Hope hasn't slept very well the past few months. It didn't help that her and her father were on the run. But still she felt something was missing when they'd constructed the lab bedrooms. She'd asked her dad if everything from her bed was in the lab a few times and each time he'd assure that everything was and ask why. Hope only knew that even with all the covers she was always cold and maybe her bed didn't have enough pillows? She didn't really know. So she'd go through the days with her dad going to Sonny to get the components for their tunnel to get back her mom. They weren't even close to being done yet but they had ants to help them with it so there was steady progress.

"You ok Hope?" Hank would ask occasionally.

And Hope would nod and then Hank would leave her alone thinking she was just doing her regular closed off act. Hope was just really trying to search for the reason she felt like something was missing in her days, missing in her nights. But she could figure that out later.

"So how do we build this thing to be perfect to find mom?"

"Well it will be trial and error, but we can get prototypes and test it from these blueprints here, we got the ants doing the work in places that are hard to reach and all, but we'll need our own touches."

Hope nodded. Hank smiled, "It'll be exciting to see your mother again. It's been kind of lonely until recently."

"That's cause you pushed me away at first, sent me to boarding school. I just grew hard and returned the favor because of it."

"I know and I'm sorry Hope I'm sorry."

Hope nodded and looked at the clock, "it's 1 am I'm gonna turn in."

"Ok thank you, I hope you sleep better tonight."

"Thanks me too."

She went to sleep and fell asleep pretty quickly which was good.

Arms snakes over her and pulled her close. She sighed happily as the body heat warmed her and she snuggled up. She never knew she could be so comforted sleeping in someone's arms but she found it sheer bliss. She turned over and snuggled close to his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. She'd never felt more at home.

Hope woke up with a start and looked over at the empty side of her bed... at least now she knew why she always felt so cold. She was sleeping alone. Scott wasn't there to pull her close when she started to shiver. She looked at the clock, it was 8 am. She heard noise coming from outside her room so she walked out and saw Hank tinkering.

"Did you go to sleep last night?"

"Yeah, not long after you, like 1:30. Got up about 10 minutes ago."

"Ok. You had anything to eat?"

"No. Sleep better?"

"No. But I have a solution so I'm gonna start there."

"Good. Dang it."

"What?" Hope asked walking closer.

"The regulator just broke."

"Well why don't I get us something to eat and we'll go from there." Hope told him and he nodded and waved her away. She yawned and walked away. She grabbed some clothes and started to think, and as she thought she realized how much she missed Scott. Hope had no idea what Scott thought about this. She just wanted him to come back to her and hug her when she was feeling shaky or wanted to just close herself off to the world. He would protect her and bring her out of her dark place.

Scott was so bored other than having Cassie and Luis occasionally coming over. But at nights he felt lonely and he woke up every day to an empty bed. He told no one about it. But he missed Hope. Having someone to fuss about again. Have her lay on his chest as he stroked her hair. She wasn't the emotions type but there were little things. She smiled a lot more during that period of time.

The next few nights Hope slept better after finding the cause, she piled on blankets and hugged an extra pillow. It helped and then one day they turned on the tunnel and Hank's phone rang. He ignored it and then the tunnel shut down. He grumpily mumbled about them needing a new part and he listened to the voice mail.

"It's that idiot Scott."

"What about him?"

"He's the one that called. He was talking about your mother." Hank informed her.

"So what now?"

"Suit up. We need him to find her."

"Already on it." Hope went suit up and grabbed a few key things. Hope drove in the tiny car to Scott's house made the car full sized and buzzed in. Scott was watching something on the TV and she bit her lip tempted to just watch him for a minute. But she shook it off and tranquilized him waiting for him to fall. She giggled a little when he just dropped his spoon and fell. She grew to her regular height, made Scott smaller taking off his monitor and placing it on the oversized ant that arrived. She put him on an ant and flew out. The ant flew away as she grew Scott to normal height, buckled him in. Buckled herself and shrank the car. They drove and Hope occasionally looked over at him. She had forgotten how cute he was when he slept. What was going to happen with them working again? Could they be professional? Scott started to stir so Hope put on her 'You're so bothersome' face as he woke up and continued to drive.

Working with Scott was harder than Hope thought it would be. He was his same goofy self. With the same pointless silly banter. She was pretty amused with the ant man suit malfunctions. But then he messed it up again and she was so disappointed however, her priorities remained the same: Find mom. She didn't think they had any chance of getting out of the police station, once again it was all her... until her suit appeared. She was so confused so she looked up and saw ants crowding the light, "Scott?"

"What are you doing standing around we gotta get that lab!"

She was ecstatic. She wasn't alone! Scott had come to their rescue, putting everything on the line to do so. She felt this bubbly feeling well up inside her as she flew next to her dad as he walked by everyone. Then she resized herself and she saw him. Wow she was speechless so she just smiled a small smile.

"Hi." He said.

"Hi." And she felt butterflies, until her dad ruined the mood, "um excuse me are we planning on leaving soon or are two gonna keep staring at each other until they start shooting at us?" and she turned away and blushed deeply. The next major thing was Scott made himself way too tall! He could die if she didn't help soon. She ran as fast as she could and dove into the harbor. She tried the buttons to no avail. She reset the sizing coils and Scott shrunk. She started to panic when she couldn't see him. Crap what if she couldn't find him, but then she saw him and breathed out. She set him down on the harbor deck. He didn't respond at first which worried her, "Scott?" Please wake up, please be ok please please plea... "Oh hey." Scott said. She grinned and breathed out again relieved before her emotions took over and she kissed him. He was ok. But they needed to find Ava to get her mom and dad back.

"Come on! We need to make sure my mom is ok!"

"I hope we're not too late!"

"Don't even say that! I hate you."

"Buuuut you're the one that kissed me."

They got inside "oh no she's started the extraction."

"You go unplug."

"Ok."

Then they had to fight Ava which Hope found pointless and like she really was just being a nuisance, I mean she was all for helping the girl but not if it meant it would cost her mom her life. Ava kicked her and Hope crumpled on the track as the pod came speeding out. Scott grew bigger and grabbed her. She felt safe in his big hands. Scott took off his helmet and took off hers. "Hope?"

And for a moment it was just the two of them and she contemplated kissing him again until she heard movement. She looked up and there was her mom. She was so happy she started to cry. She couldn't believe it! Her life when from really crappy to really great in 2 days.

The next few days were good. She got to talk to her mom and catch up. She told her everything that happened with Pym tech and all that entailed. The conversation her mom was most interested in was Hope's love life. Which usually she wouldn't like but she really didn't mind now.

"So the only thing I know about Scott is he is why you found me. Is that it? What's up with him."

Hank walked by and poked his head in, "I recruited him because he was expendable. Worst decision of my life."

"Why?" Janet asked.

Hank rolled his eyes, "He's still expendable to me but..."

Hope smiled, "He's not expendable to me."

Hank rolled his eyes again and left.

"What's his deal?" Janet asked.

"He's been like that ever since he caught Scott and I kissing."

"You did!"

"Yeah Dad was trying to ask about you since Scott went to the quantum realm and came back. I told Scott I'd walk him out. All I wanted to do was commend him but he grabbed my arms kissed me. I kissed back, I was on fire and then dad opened the door. Never have a been more embarrassed in my life."

Janet laughed. "So what's happening now?"

"We were separated for a few years. I can get into that later. But we reunited to find you. He was himself and I realized I had missed him so much. He's goofy, and funny and sweet."

"What do you feel for him?"

"I didn't know that any one person could love another so much."

"You love him?"

"More than my own life."

"That's drastic."

"I don't know how else to explain it."

"Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"I do. Talk later?"

"Of course!"

They stood up and Janet went into the other room, Hope could here them as she was about to leave.

"Our daughter's in love Hank."

"I know gag me."

"It's cute! I'm glad I didn't miss this!"

"I wish I could."

Hope left and went to Scott's house. She rang the doorbell and Scott answered? "Hey! Cassie isn't here yet but she'll be here soon."

"Sounds good."

"Come in."

Hope stepped inside and looked at Scott. Scott kissed her slowly trying to memorize the feeling and taste of her lips. He broke it apart, "I missed you."

Hope attacked his lips with hers and it became heated as Scott tossed off his jacket and unzipped Hope's. She tossed it off and she started to unbuckle his pants and took it off with one fell swoop as he put his hand up her shirt unclasping her bra and then the doorbell rang.

"That would be Cassie."

Hope nodded and Scott started to get the door.

"Um Scott, the jackets and your belt?"

"Uh..." he grabbed his belt and tossed it on the couch on the next room.

"Get the jackets?" He asked. Hope nodded and hastily picked up the jackets and walked into the back area to as Scott opened the door.

"Hi daddy!"

"Hey peanut!"

"She could not wait to get here." His ex wife said.

"We're gonna have so much fun this weekend!"

"Bye mommy!" Cassie said as she stood next to Scott.

"Bye sweetie! Love you!"

And then Scott closed the door.

"Hey Scott, where's your popcorn machine?"

"Is that Hope?!" Cassie asked wide eyed. Scott smiled and nodded. Cassie dashed into the kitchen, "HOPE!"

Hope turned around to the eager girl running at her. Scott intercepted, "Woah slow down there tiger."

"What?"

"She's not a fan of too much physical contact."

Hope took a sip of her water and Cassie looked at her dad, "But she likes your physical contact doesn't she?"

Hope spewed her water and started to choke, coughing violently.

Scott turned around and looked at her and Hope waved him away as if saying she'd be fine. She took another sip of water and cleared her throat. Her face red from the coughing. "Are you ok miss Hope?"

"Please just call me Hope."

"Ok."

Scott looked at them, "Well as for the popcorn question, I actually already made it."

"Well look at you!"

"I know I thought ahead."

"I'm impressed."

Scott threw a piece at her and she giggled. Cassie bounced up, "I have an idea! Throw it and catch it in your mouth daddy!"

Hope grabbed the popcorn, "You ready?"

Scott nodded and Hope threw it and it hit his nose and landed on the ground. She tried again and it hit him in the eye.

"Ow."

"Scott are you ok? I'm so sorry."

"Try again."

Hope threw another piece and Scott caught it. Cassie clapped and laughed with glee.

"Ok ok enough fooling around. We got a movie to watch!"

They shrunk and got into the car. Scott played the movie and huge ants started ravaging things on screen. Cassie started to eat her popcorn, "this is awesome."

Hope turned around, "So Cassie, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

"I want to help people, like my dad. I wanted to be his partner, but he said he wants you."

"Is that so?" Hope and looked at Scott looking at her she put her head on the chair with a small smile her heart filling with love.

"Is Hope staying?" Cassie asked after the movie.

"I don't think that's a good idea Cassie." Scott told her.

"Yeah probably not." Hope affirmed.

"Ok."

"But you little missy need to go to bed. Goodnight."

"Goodnight daddy! Goodnight Hope."

"Goodnight Cassie," Hope smiled. Cassie skipped up to bed.

"I'll help you with the popcorn dishes." Hope told him walking to the sink and plugging it. Scott came up behind her and put his arms around her waste kissing her shoulder and laying his head on it. They then got the dishes down and as Scott was putting away the last dish Hope delicately kissed him. Then she parted and only their foreheads were touching.

"I love you Scott."

"I you too Hope."

"I love you so much it hurts."

"Me too." Scott affirmed as he kissed her forehead and they hugged.