Pairings: Steve & Loki, Clint & Natasha (explicit)

Explicit Content: Spanking, Stripping, Vaginal Sex

WARNING: Contains the conclusion to Ant-Man and the Wasp

Ava Starr keeps looking at the shrunken lab between scanning her mirrors and checking the road ahead. She's sure she got away clean but doesn't want to take any chances. Also, driving while going in and out of phase is no easy matter.

After picking up Bill (who takes over driving thankfully), Ava enlarges the lab in an area with several warehouses and abandoned buildings. She doesn't know enough about the technology to help Bill set everything up. All she can do is wait patiently, and she is not a patient woman. Especially not now when they are so close to curing her.

She pulls the nubs of her fingernails out from between her teeth to ask, "How much longer?"

"Not long," he tells her.

More time goes by. Ava hugs herself as she tries to will away the pain. It doesn't work. She hears a hum as a machine comes online. "Is it ready or not?"

"We can begin the extraction process." Then he adds, "But, Ava, this whole thing could be very dangerous. Maybe we should –"

"Maybe we should what? Wait? I haven't got time. You told me I may only have days until I'm dead. We're doing this, Bill. Now."

He nods. Guilt won't let him contradict her. He heads to the controls and powers it up.

The machine whirls to life then almost immediately powers down again.

"What is it?" Ava asks, anxiety and anger swirling in her stomach.

"I don't know," he admits. But there is a soft sound that might help explain it. He crouches down and looks beneath the controls.

Countless ants are pulling the wires away from the boards.

"It's them," he says.

Anger bubbles up her throat. "They can't be far." She grabs her helmet and heads out. She will not let them take this from her.

Stepping outside, a massive trail of ants leads to a nearby building. It's too easy. Likely a trap. Fine. But they'll find she's not that easy to catch. She phases before following.

She's almost disappointed when she gets to the end of the ant trail. The trap, if it can be called that, seems to only consist of Scott staring out the window. She gets a certain satisfaction in striking just after he tells Hope there is no sign of her. She pushes him against the window then kicks him to the back wall.

"Call off the ants, Scott," she says as she strides toward him.

Scott pushes a device to shrink, but it isn't working. A quick decision has him running.

Ava follows. It's a chase. No, a hunt. She doesn't rush. Anticipating where he'll go, she walks through walls, kicking him when he enters the room.

Outside the window, the lab shrinks out of sight. She rushes to the glass and sees it being loaded into a van.

"Misdirection," Scott says. "The first thing they teach you at Online Close-Up Magic University." That's when he shrinks.

"No!" She rushes back outside, but it's too late. The van is already gone.

Then it comes back with multiple cars chasing it. Ava watches them go by. She phases and jumps onto the hood of one of the cars. She sees Sonny Burch through the glass. She crawls inside. The urge to become visible is almost overwhelming, but she fights against it.

Staying invisible causes her to fly out of the car when it hits a barrier at the top of Lombard Street, 'the crookedest street in the world'. She lands in a flower bed, the air knocked out of her.

The cars are gone when she gets up.

Ava is not giving up yet. She runs. It isn't too long until she sees the van pass in front of her. There are multiple motorcycles giving chase. She runs, becoming solid to slide across the hood of a moving SUV and kick off one of the motorcycle drivers. A moment later, she is part of the chase.

Ahead, a giant Hello Kitty Pez dispenser appears behind the van. It takes out the two motorcycles ahead of her. Some quick maneuvering allows her to avoid it. Thirty seconds later, she's next to the van. Scott is driving. In the passenger seat is Luis, the man who told her where to find the lab last night.

She jumps onto her seat before leaping to the van. After climbing to the top, she jumps and phases through the windshield using the momentum to kick Hope out the back.

It's quick work to grab the lab from Luis. She slides open the side of the van and jumps to a flat-bed truck.

The truck driver barely has time to react before he is literally kicked out of it.

Ava places the lab on the passenger seat as she gets behind the wheel.

Suddenly Hope appears in the passenger seat. They immediately start throwing punches. Hope's fist goes through Ava's hood. Ava gets Hope in a headlock only to find herself holding air.

Ant-Man appears on the windshield wiper in front of her. She uses the clean windshield function to get rid of him. That's when Hope appears. Ava phases to the back seat grabbing Hope from behind. She quickly moves to the front again.

Scott grows himself to twice the size of a human and punches through the windshield. His fist breaks Ava's mask.

Hope grabs the lab and jumps out to the back of the truck.

Ava wedges a toolbox onto the gas pedal before phasing to the back. She punches Hope who flies back, hitting the SUV behind them. Sonny just happens to be in it. He grabs the lab from Hope with a yell of triumph.

The lab is the most important thing. Ava picks herself up and goes after it.

xxx

It's all over the news. A giant Ant-Man is at the waterfront.

Cassie smiles between sips of her orange juice as her parents look on in surprise.

Meanwhile, Agent Woo rallies all of the agents on his team to deploy.

xxx

Ava is almost to the waterfront when she sees Luis running toward her. He has the lab and the remote. She smiles before making herself tangible and kicking him in the stomach. After taking the remote, she enlarges the lab in the middle of the street.

She strides inside.

"Bill?!"

She's surprised he isn't inside. It doesn't matter. The machine is running. She just needs to hook her stabilizing chamber into it. She'll soon have her cure. If only she could stop the phasing! It's getting harder to control.

"Ava!" It's Bill's voice.

"Almost ready for extraction," she tells him.

"Please stop! People are getting hurt."

Her patience is just about gone. "Everything hurts. Don't talk to me about pain."

Bill asks, "What if Hank is right? What if this kills Janet?"

"Oh, you're worried about her." She refuses to let him distract her from verifying that the connections are working.

"All I'm saying is that she is a brilliant scientist. She may be able to help," he reasons.

"Oh, she will help. Right now! And if she dies, she dies."

Bill grabs her arm. "No. No. I'm sorry, we can't do this. We have to find another way."

Ava grabs him and throws him across the room with a yell of frustration and betrayal. "This is the way." She's certain they don't have time to try anything else. She pushes the button to begin the extraction and strides into her chamber, closing the door behind her. It hums to life.

She can feel it working. Her molecules are rejoining. Her heart races with excitement. But then there is the sound of powering down. She sees Scott pulling out the connection to her chamber. "No!"

Ava jumps out of the chamber, anger and frustration having replaced the hope she felt.

The fight is short and aggressive on her part. She kicks Scott out of the way then strides to Hope.

This fight is longer. She ends up punching and kicking at air. And when Scott joins the fight, she quickly goes down, flying across the cold, hard floor. That only hardens her resolve. It isn't long before Scott and Hope are the ones on the ground.

"Hope!" Scott yells.

It's the last thing Ava hears before she's hit by the vehicle coming out of the Quantum Realm. It slams her into some metal shelves along the opposite wall.

She hadn't had time to phase. Her body pulses with pain. She forces herself to stand, body going in and out of phase. She can't control it.

"Wait!"

Ava looks up and sees an older woman with long grey hair. It can only be Janet van Dyne.

Janet approaches with her hands held out in front of her. "Your pain. I can feel it."

She feels paralyzed by failure and pain and the deep compassion in the voice of the woman she was willing to kill. "It hurts." It's all she can say, and she hates how shaky her voice sounds when she says it. "It always hurts."

"I'm sorry." Janet slowly moves her hands to Ava's head. "I think I can help you." She brushes some hair away from the younger woman's face as her fingers then her palms make contact.

The pain starts to dissipate. She can feel her body stabilizing. Her eyes tear up with relief. Her head lowers only to feel Janet's forehead against her own. It reminds her of her mother. And for the first time since she lost her parents, she feels…whole.

Ava looks at her hand, opens and closes it, turns it around. It never leaves the present. And then Janet touches it. The feeling is overwhelming. She opens her mouth to speak but can't find any words.

"It's okay," Janet tells her.

"Guys, the cops are coming!" Luis' voice comes before he does. When he does enter, he abruptly stops and gapes at everything he sees. "Whoa." He sees everyone turn to him. "Uh, the, uh, cops are coming. Like, all of them."

Scott says, "I gotta go."

"We gotta go," Hank corrects.

Hope gestures to Bill and Ava. "What about them?"

Janet takes her daughter's hand. "I don't know everything that happened, but I do know what it's like to fight for survival." She looks at Ava. "We both deserve a second chance."

"Are you sure, Mom? She was willing to kill you."

"If I had been in that much pain, I would have, too." She squeezes her daughter's hand. "What I did may not be permanent. And I can't help her if she's in custody."

"Fine. Let's just go."

They can hear the sirens as soon as they step outside.

"We've gotta get out of here," Hope says. "Fast."

Scott wonders what Loki would do in this situation. If he didn't have magic that is. Then it comes to him. "I have an idea." He starts to strip.

"Scott!"

"What? I have clothes on underneath."

Hank demands, "What's the plan?"

"We make the suit really big and stand it against the building. But we're going to need lots of flying ants to puff it up and make it look like I'm inside. Then while the FBI is busy talking to fake giant Ant-Man, we make our escape. I go home, and you go to wherever you…would…go."

Bill says he likes it.

"I don't," Hank says. "We can't let the FBI have the suit."

Hope has a solution for that. "I'll shrink it then fly in and grab the suit. They'll be so focused on getting Scott that they won't notice."

"Fine. But we should split up," Hank says.

Bill understands. "Ava and I will find our own way."

"Good."

Ava looks at Scott. "Do you need help setting up the giant suit first?"

"Nah," Scott replies. "We got it."

She nods. "Good luck. And…sorry." It feels inadequate given the circumstances, but it's the best she can offer. After thanking Janet, she leads Bill away using alleys as much as possible.

The sirens sound closer. Ava's clothes make her an obvious target. Bill, on the other hand, could blend into the crowd easily. He's the one person she cares about who is still alive, still free. She needs him to stay that way, to not resent her more than he already might. Making up her mind, she stops to face him. "Leave me."

"We can make it."

"You said it yourself. I've hurt people. You haven't. Go. Please," she begs him.

"We can make it, Ava."

"Bill…"

"I'm not leaving you."

Ava searches for any doubt in his eyes. All she sees is conviction and love, the love of a man for his surrogate daughter. She pulls him into a hug. "You're the one good constant in my life."

"I love you, too." He holds her just a moment longer. "We should go."

"Right." She pulls back, wiping her eyes with the palm of her hand. "Right."

They make their way back to their car then head back to the cabin.

xxx

Agent Jimmy Woo is a man on a mission. He's sure he's been duped by Scott, and he's not going to let him get away with it. Not this time.

He skids the SUV to a stop in front of Scott's house. Gun drawn, he kicks open the door.

Room one is clear.

Room two is clear. But there's a sound, a steady beat coming from somewhere. Jimmy follows it to the source – Scott with headphones drumming on an electric drum set. He seems oblivious to the agents in his house.

Jimmy and two other agents walk slowly to Scott, a scowl on his face.

Scott finally notices them and pulls off his headphones. "Oh, hey, guys. Is my house arrest over already?"

A mixture of anger, respect, and disbelief make it hard for him to speak. "Have you been here all morning?"

"Where else would I be?"

"Just answer the question."

"Well, yeah. I mean, the ankle monitor doesn't lie, right?" He brandishes an innocent smile.

Jimmy sighs. "Let's get this over with."

Scott gets up, leading them to the living room. He puts his foot on the coffee table to make it easier for the agent who unlocks the monitor. It feels good to be officially free. He's still on parole, but at least he gets to go out into the world. "What's it like out there? I mean, do people still dance? Are food trucks still a thing?"

Agent Woo isn't buying the boyish charm. "You got away with it this time, Scott. But, uh, I'll be seeing you again."

"Where?" Scott asks just as the agent turns away.

"Huh?"

"Where will you be seeing me again?"

Jimmy can't believe he's having to explain this. Was he not sinister enough? The line always works in movies. "Like, in general…like, the next time you do something bad, I'll be there to catch you."

"Oh. You'll be watching. I get it. I thought you were inviting me somewhere," Scott explains.

"Why would I do that?"

He shrugs. "That's what I was wondering. Why would you do that?"

"Like a party or dinner or something?"

"I don't know," Scott replies. "I thought you planned the evening."

"No, I meant I'd arrest you." He can feel himself becoming flustered. "I'd arrest you later again."

"Of course. That would be strange." He offers his hand. "Take it easy, Jimmy."

"Okay." He shakes it. "Did you want to grab dinner or something? I mean…because I'm free." He regrets saying it as soon as it's out of his mouth. Damn that boyish charm. "Come on," he tells the other agents as he makes his way out.

Scott can't help but smile. Things are finally looking up.

xxx

The staff at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters eat with the students. This is to ensure that powers are not used improperly or to at least quickly reprimand those students who do. The staff tables are at the periphery of the room.

It's to one of these tables that Storm walks with her lunch. "Logan, Rogue, may I join you?"

"Sure thing," Rogue replies. "That is if you don't mind Remy joinin', too."

"Not at all," she says as she sits. "He can share the looks Vali and his friends keep sending my way." There is amusement in her voice.

"How long are you gonna make 'em wait?"

"I have Vali in an afternoon class. I'll let him know at the end."

Leaning back in his chair, Logan asks, "What do you make of 'im blocking Jean?"

Storm carefully picks up her silverware. "I'm wondering why she felt the need to check the mind of a child. If Vali felt her, he will not trust her."

Rogue reminds them, "He knows to trust us. You're practically family, and I'm BFFs with his sister. And Logan…" She looks at him as she tries to think of something.

"Don't sweat it," he says. "You're enough of a handful."

"Aw, you love me. Anyway, if Vali was really concerned about Jean, he'd just have to stick with Leech."

"He can't be with Leech all the time," Storm replies. "And he shouldn't have to be."

Logan decides to change the subject. "Anyone hear from Colossus?"

Rogue answers, "Ilyana says he's doing well. They were gettin' things ready for Colonel Rhodes to take command at the headquarters. He starts soon if he hasn't already."

"I'm glad that's settled," Storm says. "The Avengers need a strong leader, particularly with it now being part of the U.N."

"Is Thor still one of 'em?"

"No. He has his hands full with Asgard. Perhaps once things are settled he can travel back and forth again." She has no idea when that will be though. Her fork moves the vegetables on her plate around.

"Having second thoughts?" Logan asks.

"About?"

"Becoming Queen of the Asgardians?"

"They are not my people," she answers. "But they were not his mother's people, either." She considers her next words. "It wouldn't be the first time I left everything to start a new life. But it would be the first time leaving a life I truly love."

Rogue asks without thinking, "Do you love it more than you love him?"

"That's the question, isn't it."

"I don't think you do," Logan says. "Asgard 'll never give you what you have here."

"She'll be queen," Rogue reminds him. "She'll be able to get whatever she wants."

Storm replies, "That's not entirely true. But I do like to be in charge."

"Just don't wait too long," he tells her. Then he looks right at her and says, "Primary duty of a queen is to have an heir."

"Ugh." Rogue shakes her head. "That's some patriarchal bull crap right there."

It doesn't seem to bother Storm. "He is simply stating what many believe. They're wrong, but it is a popular opinion. The truth is that there have been many queens who did not bear any children." She turns to the Canadian. "Perhaps you should attend some of my classes, Logan. There is always room for you."

"I'll pass. Thanks."

Gambit takes a seat. "I'm surprised Logan isn't the one teaching history given his longevity."

"I wasn't part of the big stuff. If you wanna learn about how people actually lived, then sure. But when some politician signed some paper, I got no clue."

"How many wars you fight in?"

"Too many."

Rogue teases, "He don't remember their names just what he fought with."

"You ain't wrong," Logan tells her.

Storm tells Gambit, "We've tried putting Logan in front of a classroom. It proved to be more of a distraction than a learning experience." She takes a drink. "I understand your 'Thief Arts' club is proving popular."

"The sign-up sheet is completely full. There were even names on the back."

Logan asks, "Is that why Scott's got an even bigger stick up his ass lately?"

"Be nice," Rogue tells him.

"Why? He's the one being an ass."

Storm shoots him a stern look. "I'd say he isn't the only one." Her eyes return to her plate. "Please tell me this isn't about Jean."

"It's not about Jean," he replies.

Gambit says, "Maybe you need to go out and sow some oats." That earns him his own stern look from Rogue. "Some-"

"Don't," she warns him. "You're just gonna dig yourself into a hole." She turns to Logan. "Scott doesn't seem worse to me. If anything, having Jean back has made him more fun."

Logan grunts his disagreement.

"And it ain't about Jean," she tells Storm. "If anything, it's about Bruce."

"I need to start sittin' with Kitty," he says.

She shoots back, "You wouldn't be the first guy to leave me for her."

Logan and Rogue look at each other for a moment. They exchange a silent apology. He offers, "I never liked Bobby."

"You don't like anyone," Gambit points out.

"I like Rogue. Even if she has bad taste in men."

"Can we change the subject please?" she asks. "I think we should change the subject."

Storm tries not to smile. "What would you like to talk about, Rogue?"

"I don't know. Think Mystique is really gonna start a school for mutants in Europe?"

"It's a good idea," she replies before wiping her mouth with her napkin. "Particularly with the rise in nationalism and, well, cruelty to anyone different."

"Yeah, but ain't that happenin' everywhere?"

"In many places, yes, unfortunately."

Gambit says, "I'm surprised there ain't schools in other countries already."

"There might be," Storm admits. "Though I suppose Cerebro would have let Charles know if there were." She isn't certain of that though. "It is an interesting question."

A proud smile appears on his lips that makes Rogue's heart flutter.

xxx

It's agreed that the three Secret Avengers teams will leave tomorrow morning on their various ops. Loki will leave later, but that's because he'd rather use Yggdrasil than be carried by Pietro. Sam and Clint will remain a bird team. Natasha and Wanda will drop them off in the jet before heading to Armenia for their op. Steve will stay in the Philippines providing support as well as remaining available should he be needed.

Clint is pretty sure Steve and Loki just want the place to themselves for a bit.

"I prefer Brooklyn," Loki tells him. "It's not as sticky. Or rather it's the kind of sticky I like."

"Eww. Also, there are children present."

Wanda reminds him, "We are not children."

"I was talking about Oliver." It's a lie. The cat just happened to jump on Steve when Wanda was talking.

Steve pets the orange fur. "Oliver says not to bring him into this."

The words dig up a memory in Natasha's mind. "Hey, remember that charity gala thing? It was the first time we saw Loki as a woman."

"How could I forget?" It had been an amazing night. Loki had looked stunning. The memory brings a lopsided grin to his face, especially the memory of what had happened after. "It was…" A slight blush comes to his cheeks. "What made you think of it?"

"Oliver Queen. Helena danced with him."

"Did she?" Pietro asks. "Who is this Oliver Queen?"

Clint answers, "A rich pretty-boy. Think Tony Stark but without the genius part. And younger."

"Except for seeing Loki dressed up, I do not miss those galas," Steve says. "Small talk is definitely not my super power."

"That's because you're a bad liar," Natasha tells him.

"I don't know." Clint reminds her, "He kept Loki a secret for a while."

"Not from me."

Sam can't let that slide. "Way I heard it, he told you before you figured it out."

"I knew something was off," she insists.

"But it was a big secret." Wanda can't help relating Steve and Loki's beginning with her and Vision's secret relationship. "And now you are married." It gives her hope for her own future. "It's very romantic."

"It was," Loki agrees.

Steve adds, "I'm glad we don't have to hide it anymore. It was… It took a toll." He moves Oliver's tail. "Now we're hiding ourselves, but that's actually easier."

Clint admits, "I'm a little surprised they haven't found us yet."

"Way to jinx it," Natasha complains. She gets up.

"Where you goin'?" he whines.

She grabs a guitar that's leaning against the wall then holds it up for him to see. She takes it to Steve. "Play us something."

"Is that an order?" he teases as Oliver moves to Sam's lap.

"Sure is." She sits back down next to Clint.

Steve starts to strum individual strings to make sure it's still in tune. "Any requests?"

"Whatever you want."

"Nothing super old," Pietro requests.

Sam asks, "Super old for him or for you?"

"How about nothing older than me."

"I'll try," Steve says. He looks over at Loki and smiles. "Helena introduced me to one. I've been trying to learn it." It starts out with a single strum. "If I should die this very moment." His fingers strum a new chord at the end then another as he sings, "I wouldn't fear." First chord. "For I've never known completeness." Second and third chords. "Like being here." The pattern breaks as he continues. "Wrapped in the warmth of you. Loving every breath of you. Still my heart this moment. Oh it might burst."

He begins to tap his foot, increasing the tempo of the song. "Could we stay right here. Till the end of time until the earth stops turniiiiing. Wanna love you until the seas run dry. I've found the ooooone I've waited fooooor."

His hand moves up and down over the strings creating a driving rhythm. "All this time I've loved you. And never known your face. All this time I've missed you. And searched this human race."

"Not human," Loki interrupts.

Steve chuckles. "And now I've lost my place," he sings even though those aren't the words to the song. "You made me lose my place. Where was I?" He elongates the 'I' while in his head he sings the last bit of the actual song. Having found his place, he continues the song, "Here is true peace. Here my heart knows calm. Safe in your soul. Bathed in your sighs. Wanna stay right here. Till the end of time. Till the earth stops moviiiiing. Gonna love you until the seas run dry. I've found the ooone I've waited foooor." He stops playing after a flourish. "There's more, but I think that's probably enough."

"It was wonderful," Loki tells him, love in his eyes. The corners of his mouth angle up. "Even if I'm not human."

"Which is why it took so long to find you." He leans over and kisses him.

"Nat, you should sing," Clint says.

"I prefer to listen."

"Or dance," Loki adds with a grin.

Sam asks, "How about you, Wanda? It's been a while since you've sang for us."

"I will sing after you," she promises.

"I would, but the song I'd wanna sing is older that Pietro."

That makes Pietro curious. "Which one?"

Sam can't just say the title. He has to sing it. "Purple Rain. Purple Rain."

"Nice," Clint says. "Haven't heard that one in a long while."

"That okay, Pietro?" After getting confirmation that it's fine, he turns to Steve. "Do you know it?"

"Afraid not. I've heard it, but I don't know it on guitar. I can get the chords though." He grabs a tablet and searches for the song. "Got it." He studies the list of chords he'll need and practices each one. Then, after a quick scan of the lyrics with the chord changes indicated above the appropriate words, he hands the tablet to Loki. "Would you mind holding this, Kitten?"

"Not at all, Darling." He makes sure their fingers touch as he takes it.

"You'll have to scroll it up for me." Steve moves the guitar to a comfortable position.

"Consider it done."

He looks to Sam before strumming the first chord.

Sam doesn't need the lyrics. "I never meant to cause you any sorrow. Never meant to cause you any pain." He pets Oliver as he continues to sing. "I only wanted to one time see you laughing. I only wanted to see you laughing in the purple rain. Purple rain, purple rain." He can feel it in his chest. "Purple rain, purple rain. Purple rain, purple rain. I only wanted to see you bathing in the purple rain." He closes his eyes to sing some of it, and he almost feels like he's back in his childhood bedroom. His voice is deeper now though.

Pietro leads the clapping. "That was good. I will amend to allow songs up to twice my age."

Clint raises his beer. "Well that's a start."

xxx

"Ava?"

She wakes with a start. She's in the car. It's parked next to the cabin. There's no pain. "I fell asleep."

Bill Foster confirms, "Once the adrenaline wore off, you were out. How are you feeling?"

Slowly closing and opening her hand, she smiles. "I'm whole."

His shoulders relax. "That's fantastic. Unfortunately, I need you to get out if I'm going to make it to the university in time for my class."

"Huh? Oh, right." She opens the door. Before getting out, she looks at him. "Thank you. For everything."

"That almost sounds like goodbye." He gives her a piercing look. "It better not be. We don't yet know if this is permanent."

"I know. It's not goodbye," she promises.

"Okay. Get some rest. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Pick up something for dinner?" she requests.

"You bet."

"Okay." Ava gets out of the car. After closing it, she gives him a wave. She knows he won't leave, not until he sees her enter the cabin. Her hand wraps around the doorknob. Is it the first time she's done this without her hand phasing through time? It might be. The thought makes her tear up.

She walks in.

There's a large empty space where her chamber used to be.

Emotion tightens her chest. She's free. For now. For a long while hopefully. Collapsing onto the couch, she curls up into a ball and sobs.

xxx

Vali walks into Storm's classroom and heads straight to his desk, not even pausing when he greets her.

"Good afternoon, Vali," she replies in return. She's almost tempted to give him the news now, but patience is an important lesson.

"Hey, Valet," one of the students calls. They make the T silent like valet parking. "I'm talking to you, Valet."

He continues to ignore the teenager, instead saying hello to Leech. And when a spitball is shot at him, he uses magic to stop it in midair and fling it back at the sender. "My name is Vali."

Some of the students don't think Vali should be at the school. He's not a mutant. If he were, he wouldn't be able to use his powers when Leech is around. It puts them at a disadvantage.

"What did I just witness?" Storm asks, her tone clear that she will abide no cuteness.

Vali looks at her with wide, innocent eyes as the other student tells their teacher that the non-mutant used magic to throw a spitball at him. It's a gamble. Neither knows how much Storm saw.

Storm looks at the accused. "Vali?"

A saying he heard from his friend Sarah pops into his head. It might be a very bad idea, but he says it anyway. "I'm rubber; he's glue." He wonders if it's his Poppa's influence.

Her eyes widen almost imperceptibly. "See me after class."

Leech tries to help. "Vali was just defending himself."

She looks at him with no change to her expression. "You will join him." She turns away before he can object.

It makes Leech horribly anxious the rest of the class even after Vali whispers to him he has nothing to worry about. He doesn't respond back. He doesn't want to get into more trouble. It all makes it hard for him to concentrate on the lesson. Luckily he knows Vali will be able to tell him the important points and help him with any homework.

When class ends, Leech and Vali slowly pack up their things and walk to Storm's desk. Vali stands eyes down, body still. Leech fiddles with the strap of his backpack.

She waits until the last of the students is near the door. "Vali. Leech."

"Are Vali and Leech in trouble?" Leech asks.

"No," she informs them. "But, Vali, as much as I understand the instinct to strike back, it would be better to let any spitballs hit the windows next to you rather than sending them back to their origin."

"They won't learn any lessons that way."

"I'm the teacher. Any lessons will come from me."

Only he knows she didn't correct them of give them any lessons. Vali stares at the pen on her desk. It has the school crest and name on it - 'Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters'. Code for mutants. He's surprised by his disappointment mostly because it means he thought this place would be different. He should have known better. Now he does. "I understand," he replies. "May we go now?"

"No." She forces herself not to smile. "The true reason I wished to see you after class is to inform you that the cat club has been approved." Now she allows a smile. It fades when she realizes only one of them seems excited. "Vali, is that not what you wanted?"

"Yes, thank you," he replies as though she had just told him his shoelaces were untied. "Should I talk to Mr. Gambit about the details?"

"Yes." She expected a bigger response. "Vali, is everything alright?"

"Yes, Miss."

Leech looks from one to the other. He can feel something is off but doesn't want to ask in front of the teacher. "Leech and Vali have to get to the next class."

"Of course," Storm replies. "You may go."

When they are in the hall, Leech asks Vali what's wrong.

"Nothing," he replies. "Just thought I'd fit in better."

"You fit in better than Leech."

He stops and holds his friend with his gaze. His voice is soft so passersby can't hear. "You are a mutant. This place is for you regardless of your power or how scared you make them."

"They're still taller and have more muscles," he points out. They've had this conversation before. At first Leech didn't believe the others were scared, but Vali convinced him. Still, even with no powers, Leech is the smallest kid in the school.

Vali exhales forcefully through his nose. His friend is missing the point, and he doesn't feel like explaining. "We should get to class. Come on." He leads the way without another word.

xxx

Sitting on the bed, Natasha rubs lotion into her hands. She'll do her feet next before getting under the covers where Clint already is. Instead of pajamas, she's wearing one of Clint's t-shirts and her own underwear. "You all set for your op?" she asks looking over her shoulder at him.

"Yep. Don't worry, I'm only taking one explosive arrow."

"And now I'm thinking it's a mistake to send the two people who mainly use guns to an ancient city."

He reminds her, "You use guns more than I do."

"That's true. Fine, two of three people," she corrects.

"Steve sometimes uses a gun."

"Just don't destroy any major archeological finds." Satisfied with her hands, she picks up the bottle of lotion again.

"Want me to do your feet?"

"Mr. Barton, are you trying to seduce me?"

"That depends. Is it working?"

She hands him the lotion. "I'll let you know after you've finished."

He dives forward and to the side to position himself at her feet, one of his legs dangling off the bed. Only then does he take the lotion from her. As he coats his hands, he asks, "Which foot first?"

Natasha answers by putting her right foot in his lap.

He picks it up and rubs the lotion into it. His thumbs press along her arch. His palms move her toes back in forth as a set first then does the same to each toe individually.

"No popping," she warns him.

"It was one time, and you nearly broke my hand. That made it hard to forget." He lets go of her foot. "Okay, give me the other one."

Her toes push against his stomach before she pulls her leg in. Her left leg goes into his lap. She wiggles her toes.

Clint chuckles. "You sure you want to tempt me like that?"

"I trust you."

He knows how special it is to be trusted by Natasha Romanoff. "I promise not to squander it on pulling your toes."

"Thanks," she says as she watches him pour more lotion into his palm. "You're sexy when you do that."

"Oh, yeah?" He picks up her foot and begins to rub it in his warm hands.

"Yeah."

"You like my dad bod?"

"It's my favorite kind," she tells him. "Especially those archer arms." She leans forward. "Do you have any idea how much I love watching you shoot."

"A lot?"

"A lot," she echoes in a husky voice.

"I must be doing this right." He gives her a soft smile as his thumb rubs along her arch.

"Must be." She watches him for a moment. "You sure you don't want to trade? You with Wanda, and me with Sam?"

"He'll need my eyes more than she will. You worried about me?"

"You do have a tendency to get hurt."

Clint protests, "Not always." He gently lowers her foot. "All done."

She leans forward. "Oh no you're not." Her lips find his as she continues forward, not stopping until he is on his back.

He reaches up, caressing her neck before his hands slide down the soft cotton to her breasts. He squeezes gently.

Natasha moans in appreciation. Straddling him, she moves her hips to get a bit of friction against his cock. As he begins to harden, she sits up and pulls off the t-shirt. She gives him a moment to appreciate the view before sliding her pelvis against him. The thin cloth of their underwear dulls the sensation only slightly. She decides his should come off first.

Digging his heels into the bed, he lifts his ass to help her get his boxers down. Once they are at his knees, he uses his feet to get them all the way off. "Your turn."

She moves her leg, dismounting him and the bed in one smooth arc that turns her around. Back to her lover, she sways her hips. "How much of a show do you want?"

"It'd be nice if we had music."

She raises her arms up. "Nts-nts-nts-nts." She moves her hips to the faux electronic beat she's making only because he can't see her face. It takes four more beats for her to squat down, legs wide. Placing her fingertips on the ground, she straightens her legs, widening her stance. Ass in the air, she shakes it vigorously.

Clint wolf whistles at her. "I'd make it rain if I had cash on me."

Natasha shakes her ass vigorously before squatting down again.

"I am one lucky son of a bitch," he mutters. Then louder he says, "Take 'em off."

She hooks her thumbs onto her undies, keeping them where they are as she straightens her legs again. They end up just below her knees. As she rolls up to stand, the underwear slides down the rest of her legs. She steps out of them when she turns around and ends with her hands on her hips.

"Wow."

"Does that mean you liked it?"

"I liked it. I loved it. I always love watching you dance."

"Not sure that counts as dancing," she says as she gets back on the bed.

He takes her hand, entwining his fingers with hers. "Widow, you dance every time you move." If he sees a blush on her cheeks, he doesn't mention it. Instead he pulls her close and kisses her lips.

Natasha doesn't break the kiss as she moves to straddle him once again. Her hand moves down to his genitals, massaging them. Her tongue slides into his mouth. It's just a taste before she sits up.

"What do you need?" he asks.

She smiles before taking his hand and pulling him up. After placing a kiss on his palm, she turns around. She guides his hand to her ass then gets onto all fours. Looking over her shoulder at him, she says, "I've been bad."

"Have you?" His hand slides over her ass.

"Mm-hmm."

"What did you do?" he asks as he gets onto his knees.

"How much time do you have?"

"Probably not enough. We'll skip the confession and go straight to the punishment." He gives her ass a slap.

"Is that all you got?"

"I'm starting to think you got off on your interrogations." The next spank is harder.

"Maybe a little," she admits. "Mainly because I knew I could take them all out." She gasps with the next slap. The pain reverberates with warmth.

"Just like you know you can take me out." Clint continues to spank her.

"You're harder."

"I'm definitely hard." He presses his cock against her crack, sliding it down to rub against her labia.

Desire flushes through Natasha's body. She's almost ready. "Pull my hair," she orders.

Clint grabs a fistful of hair and tugs. In a blink he finds himself flat on his back and looking up into Natasha's beautiful face. Her red hair blocks out the world like wavy curtains. "Hi," he says.

She smiles, eyes sparkling with want. "Hi."

His cock feels her fingers first, wrapping around, taking a firm hold. Then it feels the warm wetness of her entrance engulfing more and more of him. "Damn," he breathes.

"Too fast?"

He shakes his head. "Perfect. You're perfect."

"Please don't say that." She pushes her torso up. "You of all people know I'm not."

"You're perfect for me," Clint amends. "I want to grow old with you. And watch your sagging breasts bounce around as you fuck me."

"You're terrible." She moves her body against his. "Besides, you'll probably have erectile disfunction. The only way I could fuck you is with the strap on."

"Whatever works." He wiggles his eyebrows.

She laughs. "We'll practice that when we get back from our ops. But tonight," she moves her pelvis to slide up and down his shaft, "I want you inside."

"Good thing that's where I am."

Natasha picks up the pace. She can feel Clint beneath her trying to help. She places her palms on his chest and adds some force to each thrust.

Their breathing deepens.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Clint asks, "You ever miss sleeping with other people?"

"You want a threesome with Sam?"

"What? No." His reflexive response out of the way, his brain kicks in. "Do you?"

"I'm not the one who brought it up," she replies through heavy breaths.

He's pretty sure that isn't true but tries to remember just in case. "I said threesome. You mentioned Sam. Wait. No. I didn't mention threesome either."

"Are you sure? I'm pretty sure you did."

"No." It's really hard for him to think during sex. "I asked if you missed having sex with other people."

"Oh."

"Oh?"

Natasha's nails dig into his skin. "Ask me when we're done."

"Sure." It's very possible he might forget, but that might not be a bad thing.

"You still with me, Hawk?"

"Yeah. Yeah," he tells her. He forces himself to make it true, refocusing his attention to her, the way her body moves. It ends up not needing much force from him at all. Were they having a conversation? What's a conversation?

Clint's fingers make their way to Natasha's clit. When they find it, he keeps them still, letting her movement cause the friction between them.

She bites her bottom lip as pleasure builds within her. Her body shifts to get his touch where it feels best.

"I'm…almost…" He feels her spasm around him before he can finish the sentence. He growls hoping that'll bring his own orgasm. It does but after a five-second delay.

Panting, Natasha kisses him. "Now what were you asking?" She gazes down at him with hooded eyes.

"Not important."

Her eyebrow rises with incredulity. "Not important but you brought it up while we were having sex." Her eyes narrow. "Do I make you feel inadequate?"

"No."

"Do you think if I had a sexual fantasy I wanted fulfilled I wouldn't tell you?"

Clint opens his mouth to answer but hesitates. "I think it would depend on the fantasy."

The only movement on her face is a blink. "Do you miss having sex with other people?"

He points at her. "So you did know what I asked you."

"Huh."

"What?" There's a gnawing at his stomach that isn't from hunger.

"You didn't answer the question." It's amazing how much intel one can get from the questions that are not answers.

"You didn't answer the question first."

"Yeah because we were in the middle of fucking at the time," she reminds him. "The answer is no. I don't miss having sex with other people. I do sometimes miss my vibrator."

"The one I got you?" Clint knows immediately that she's not going to answer.

"Your turn," she replies. Her knees squeeze him just enough to make it noticeable.

"No. I mean sometimes I fantasize, but I'm a guy. Doesn't mean I would ever want to."

"Everyone fantasizes. Most people," she corrects. "So we're good?"

"We're good," he assures her.

"Good." She gracefully moves to lie next to him. "Please don't ask questions like that while we're having sex."

"I'll try to remember that." He takes her hand. "To be fair, my brain stops functioning when you're naked. Or partially naked."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Just to make sure – no threesomes. Especially not with men."

"Only in your dreams, Hawk." She yawns. "Unless you somehow get Charlize Theron or Dylan O'Brien to agree."

"Yes on Charlize Theron. I don't know who the other person is."

Natasha pats his chest. "Don't worry about it. Get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

xxx

The first thing Scott wanted to do when he got the ankle monitor off was to go see Cassie. But since she has school, he decided to go see his partners at X-Con Security Consultants. He had to wait a couple of hours for them since they were still talking to the police about capturing Sonny Burch and his henchmen. While he waited, he texted Maggie to let her know that he was officially free and not to worry about anything she had seen on tv. When the guys finally arrived, there were hugs and congratulations all around.

Scott is still there when Maggie calls.

"Hey, are you still at X-Con?" she asks.

"I am. Why?"

"Wanna come with me to pick up Cassie?"

Luis, Dave, & Kurt see Scott's face light up.

"Yeah, I would."

"I"ll come pick you up."

He starts looking out the window even before the call ends. "I'm gonna go with her to pick up Cassie."

"Cassie is gonna love that," Dave tells him.

Luis asks, "How much does she know about, you know, everything?"

Kurt makes a face. "Cassie or Maggie?"

"Cassie," he says as though it were obvious. "He can't tell Maggie any of this. She's living with a cop."

"So is Cassie," he points out.

Scott decides to answer before they keep going. "Cassie knows I put the suit back on. I think she might have been proud of it actually. Maggie probably suspects, but she hasn't asked about it."

"Good. Good good good."

He points out the window. "I'm gonna go wait for her outside. I'll see you guys tomorrow, okay?"

It isn't a long wait. As soon as she pulls up, he jumps into her vehicle. "Thanks for letting me come."

"That's what she said," Maggie replies as she rejoins traffic. "Sorry. I couldn't help myself. And I'm doing this for Cassie. I want to see her face when she sees you out of the house." She warns him, "The pickup line can get kind of long. We might have to wait a bit."

"That's fine. At least I'm out of the house."

"This is true. Oh, Sunday night we want you to stay for dinner."

"I'd love that. Should I bring anything?"

Maggie checks her rearview mirror. "Nope. Just Cassie."

Scott looks at the world passing by outside the vehicle. He feels a calmness, a certainty that life is going to finally get back to normal. A new normal. A good normal. A normal that involves him earning an honest living and taking care of his daughter. A normal where a certain trickster god may still visit, but he won't be part of that world. Not really.

"How's it feel?"

"Hmm?" He looks at his former wife and current friend. "It feels…nice."

Maggie was right. The school pick-up line is long. Scott can see Cassie waiting with her friends. "She's growing up so fast."

"She really is."

"I feel like I've missed most of it."

"Because you have." She doesn't say it to be mean. It's just the truth. "But she knows how much you love her."

"I won't miss any more," he promises.

That makes Maggie laugh. "Not sure how she'll feel about that once she becomes a teenager."

"We've got some time before that happens."

"Thank God. I'm not ready for her to hate me just yet." She pulls up another car length. "Okay, she sees the car. You should get out."

Scott tries to get out before unbuckling his seat belt. He is quickly reminded it's still on. Hands shaking with excitement, he finally gets it unfastened. Then he's out of the car.

Cassie's eyes go huge when she sees him. Then she starts running.

He kneels down and captures her in his arms.

"You're here! You're free!"

"I've still got probation, but yeah. I'm free. Ready to go home?" He takes her backpack and helps her into the car. There will be more time for hugs once she's home.

xxx

Vali is quiet during dinner. This isn't a new or strange occurrence, but there does seem to be something different about it. Maybe it's because he had very little to say when Leech told them Cat Club was approved. Or maybe it's because he is looking at the other tables more than at his friends.

"Rogue is going to tutor me on Tuesdays, so I won't be able to hang then," Alani is telling them. They stopped talking about Cat Club a while ago.

Sarah says, "I'm sure it'll help. She used to not be able to touch anyone. That's what my sister says."

Leech offers his help by just being there to negate her powers. "Not that you need it."

"Thanks, Leech." She looks at Vali. "What's up with you tonight, Vali? You got a crush on someone?" She starts looking around.

"No." He is considering how to say what's on his mind. "I realized something today."

"Uh-oh," Sarah says. "Is it that you don't actually like cats?"

It's clear he isn't amused. "I'm being serious. Leech and I, we aren't… We don't fit in. More than that, we aren't liked."

"So?" Alani asks. "Who cares what other people think?"

"You should," he replies. "Being our friends will only make you outcasts, too."

Sarah sits back. "You say that like we aren't outcasts already." Her arms cross in front of her chest. "If you don't want to be friends with us anymore, just say so."

"I do want to be friends," he tells her. "But I'm not a mutant."

"Yeah, we realized that when you could still do magic stuff near Leech."

He tries a different way to explain it. "This school, like everywhere else, has a social structure." Using his hands, he continues, "Those with more power are on top. Those with no power, those who are different, who are outcasts are on bottom."

"We're all different," Alani reminds him. "It's kind of the core of being a mutant."

"Not here. Not in a society of mutants."

Sarah says, "We get it. You're not a mutant in a society of mutants putting you at the bottom of the school hierarchy. And, what, by being friends with the two of you, Alani and I lose whatever popularity we might have had if we weren't?"

"Yes."

"Jokes on you. I was never going to be popular anyway."

Alani shrugs. "Hard to be popular when you accidentally disintegrate stuff. Plus I don't really fit in with any of the other groups. It's not like there's a surfing club here."

Leech has a sudden idea. "Alani, Sarah, and Leech will make Vali an honorary mutant. Then Vali will fit in more."

"That's not how it works," Vali tells him.

Sarah shrugs. "We're your friends like it or not."

Alani wants to know what brought this on. Vali tells her about the spitball incident and how Storm singled him and Leech out and not the person who actually sent the spitball.

"She will," she assures him. "Storm is really fair."

"It didn't feel fair. Poppa would have been proud of how I handled it." He's sure of it. "But then Storm reversed the lesson. And now all he'll remember is that he got away with it. He got away with it, and I didn't."

"Didn't you?" Sarah asks. "Not that you had anything to get away with. But you weren't punished."

"They don't know that. All they know is that Leech and I had to see her after class. It's easy to assume that we got punished." He gestures to his friend. "Leech was so sure of it he couldn't concentrate during class."

"It's true," he admits with a small frown.

"Has she done other things that make you think she dislikes you?" Alani wonders.

"No."

Sarah asks, "Is it possible she just saw it as a good way to get you to stay after class and not let on that it was about the cat club?"

He hadn't thought about that. Why hadn't he thought about that. "When you put it that way…"

"It sounds reasonable, right? I bet that's what happened." She's proud of herself for finding a possibility that Vali hadn't considered. "So it's fine that we're friends. And we get to have Cat Club."

Vali smiles with relief and a bit of excitement. "We get to have Cat Club."

The four of them start drumming on the table. "Cat Cluuuuuuub."

"I need to talk to Mr. Gambit about it," Vali realizes.

"Tomorrow," Sarah tells him. "Tonight it's homework and video games. Prepare to get trounced."

"Don't get too cocky," he warns her. "My grandmother taught me some of my best moves." The others have heard that sentence so many times, they say it with him. He's not sure why, but it makes him very happy.

A/N: Thus ends Ant-Man and the Wasp…well except for that last bit at the end. You know the bit I mean.

Ant-Man and the Wasp was written by Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Paul Rudd, Andrew Barrer, and Gabriel Ferrari.

Storm's bit about a lot of queens not having kids was found on Theresa Earenfight's blog from August 18, 2014 called "Queens with child, and without" that talks about queens in Medieval Europe.

The song Steve sings to Loki is "Górecki" by Lamb. Thanks to Lunchboxgrrrl (ao3) for the suggestion. It's a very cool song I hadn't heard before. Thanks for introducing it to me!

Sam sang "Purple Rain" by Prince. You may not believe me, but he started singing it before Chris Evans posted himself playing it on the piano. One of those weird coincidences that happen in life. I tried to find another song for Sam, but none of them felt right. What song do you think Wanda would have sung?

That's all for this chapter. Thank you for your continued support. Have a wonderful Halloween and/or Día de los Muertos if you celebrate. Otherwise have a fantastic rest of autumn. Until next time…