It was like an anchor was sitting atop Hope's chest; it felt so tight and weighted. She cracked her eyes open while hearing her parents voices. She couldn't quite grasp what they were saying as it sounded like her head was underwater. The bright light of her surroundings and the heaviness of her eyelids made it hard for her to awaken.
"Hope?" She heard her mother say.
"Mom?" Hope pried her eyes further open, now seeing the woman's face before her as she was looking down at her daughter. "Where am I?" Hope croaked.
"Asgard." Janet reached out to her, stroking her face. "In their hospital."
"Hospital?" Hope couldn't recall what had happened, now suddenly worried.
"You're all right." She insisted, probably hearing the panic in her daughter's voice, as Hope took notice of her mother in her Wasp suit.
"Wha—" Hope looked around the room, seeing her dad on the other side of her bed, also in his Pym Particle suit. But when she turned her head to the side, her sights fell onto Maria who was lying still in a hospital bed about two metres away from her. "Maria!" Hope jolted up, her heavy body now a distant care as she suddenly remembered what had happened and the arrow that claimed Maria's heart.
"Whoa." Hank reached out to her, pushing her back by her shoulders. "You need to lay down and relax."
"Let go of me!" Hope squirmed under his hold.
Hank strengthened his grip on her. "Hope, if you don't want to kill Maria you – need – to – calm – down."
"Jellybean, he's right." Janet insisted, "You need to relax."
"Kill her?" Hope stared into her father's eyes as she begged him to tell her that a miracle had occurred. "You mean—"
"She's alive." She took a gulp of air as she could feel her eyes instantly welling up. He let go of his hold on her body as she had stopped struggling. "For now," he added.
"Seriously?" Janet narrowed her eyes at him, clearly not liking his morbid clarification.
"Sweetheart," she then calmly said to her daughter, "You and Maria quantum entangled. But you did it in a very unexpected way." Her statement jogged Hope's memory, now remembering her time in the quantum realm. Though, most of the recollection was dark and muddled.
"What does that mean?"
She elaborated, "In the quantum realm your particles slipped past each other's, and once you lined up your chest cavities… well… your heart became hers as well."
"Wha…" Hope thought back, now recalling how her body felt sluggish when she was holding onto Maria in the other realm; at the time, she'd just thought it was her grief physically manifesting in her body.
"And then when we separated you two – well – the individual particles making up your heart created an equal but opposite partner in her chest."
Hope was rather confident that she was following what her mother was saying; their particle spins were inverse, but their structures were the same. "She has a clone of my heart?" she asked just to be sure she fully understood.
Janet nodded. "A clone that's still entangled, so when your heart-rate goes up, so does hers." She had a worried expression on her face.
"Which – by your reactions – is a bad thing?" Hope was still trying to get a grasp of the situation, which included trying to read her parents.
"Jellybean, sweetie" – her mother's eyes cast downwards as she fiddled with Hope's hospital gown, only now realising she was wearing one – "the heart she has" – she timidly looked back up to meet Hope's eyes – "is pumping your blood through her body in addition to her own, slowly replacing it."
"No." Hope shook her head, understanding that this could be a very bad thing. "Don't say it."
There were more tears in her mother's eyes as she struggled to say, "Her blood type is O-negative and yours is—"
"A-positive!" Hope's heart jumped, knowing that they weren't compatible blood types. "Oh, god, I'm poisoning her!"
Suddenly, there was a woman by her side who she did not recognise. She put a small, cold object to her neck that she could only assume was metal. Then a pinch came. "What are—" Hope rolled her head to look at her.
"To calm you," she said right before Hope closed her eyes, passing out.
Fading away, vibrant colour to hue.
Fading away, disappearing from view.
Hope fluttered her eyes open, a bright, but quiet, room to greet her senses. After her eyes had adjusted to the light, she spotted Scott sitting curled up in a chair, reading Paper Towns in his comfortable street clothing.
"Hey," Hope murmured while addressing him.
Scott looked up. "Hey." He smiled as he stood up and put his book on his seat behind him. "How're you feeling?" He took a step to her and gently placed his hands on her upper arm.
But Hope didn't think over his question as she only then just recognised the room. Instead, she turned her head to the side, knowing that Maria might still be next to her. She hoped that it was all just a bad dream and Maria was perfectly fine.
Unfortunately, Maria was indeed still there. She lay motionless on her back. And Steve was present too. He – who was also in casual clothing like Scott – stood up from a chair that was on the far side of Maria's bed.
Hope jerked up into a sitting position, her eyes fading to black as she got a head rush from the result of her action.
"Hey. Easy." Scott wrapped his arm around her shoulder as Hope took a deep breath; her head hung just over her lap.
As soon as Hope regained her sight she looked over, studying Maria. Her hair was down and she was in a white hospital gown that looked identical to the knee-length one that Hope was wearing. "How is she?"
Steve answered her immediately. "She's in a medically induced coma to keep her heart rate down."
Hope worried that she was harming her by being awake. "What about my heart rate?" she asked just as she noticed that same woman who had knocked her out before, coming up from behind Steve towards Maria's bed.
Scott squeezed her shoulder. "Your heartbeats fell out of sync a little while ago." Hope looked over to her partner. "Your Dad says you guys aren't entangled any more. That's why Doctor Eir here" – he pointed at the approaching woman, making Hope turn to see her – "allowed you to wake up."
Now that she knew that she didn't have to worry about her own pulse, Hope jumped out of bed, stumbling over to Maria. "How long?" She nearly ran into the side of the mattress, her weight falling against it as it kept her upright from her sudden onslaught of vertigo. Once she found her balance, she reached out, taking one of Maria's hands in her own while the other slid to the side of her neck, her thumb resting on her jaw.
"How long what?" she heard Scott ask while coming around to her.
"Have I been out?" She took a breath, trying to regulate her body as she fixed her eyes onto Maria's pale face.
"Five hours," Steve said from the other side of the bed.
"And Maria?" Hope looked up to the doctor who was now beside Steve. "What's happening with her?"
The doctor, who looked around her mother's age but was an Asgardian which meant she would have been much, much older, clasped her hands in front of her. She had a stern look on her face as she addressed Hope. "The patient is currently experiencing blood decay." She spoke in a calm, almost uncaring tone like she was bothered by the fact that she had to waste her breath on this. "Her red blood cells are breaking down causing her circulatory system to undergo thrombus." Hope's heart dropped. What did she do? Did she just bring Maria back only for her to die again, but this time, slowly and right before her eyes? "She's being scanned for clots every quarter of an hour. If any are found, they are broken down – ideally, catching them before embolisation occurs."
"How do you do that?"
Hope took a few classes in biology during her university years, but her main focus was in physics. However, she had enough knowledge to understand the basics of what an incompatible organ, along with incompatible blood, would do to a body – it wasn't good. Yet she did not comprehend Asgardian medicine so she wanted everything to be explained to her.
Eir reached over to the head of Maria's bed. "Remove your hands from the patient." Hope complied as she watched the doctor toggling a switch on some sort of large, freestanding device. Suddenly, above Maria was – what looked like – a holographic display of the inside workings of her body, hovering about a metre over her body. It was also of Maria's exact size and body position.
Hope studied the image before her as she knitted her brows together in relation. "Wait, is that a quantum field generator?"
"It's a Soul Forge," she curtly said in a sour tone. "You Midgardians speak like infants so I know not of what you brand things on your planet."
The woman did not seem pleased with humans in the slightest, making Hope's blood boil as she worried for Maria's safety under her care. "Well," she snapped, "is this Not-Branded-By-An-Idiot-Device saving her life?"
The doctor seemed unbothered by Hope's rage. "It's prolonging it – for a time – but your antigens are still killing her." Hope's stomach knotted, hating herself even more for having the wrong blood type than she hated the doctor for being a bitch. "She'll likely experience kidney failure by day's end at the rate things are progressing."
"Can't you use this to strip her red blood cells of their antigens?" She aggressively flailed her hand at the Soul Forge.
"I can dismantle the entirety of her blood cells, including the O-negative ones, but your antigens will still be in her circulatory system flowing through her plasma – expediting the death process." The woman dipped her head to the side, a visible vein popping out of her neck. It was obvious that Hope was getting on her nerves. "The Soul Forge cannot remove from the system, it can only disrupt it to a limited degree." She started walking away to the far side of the room, to do – god only knows – what, as she continued speaking with her back turned. "It's mostly used as an observation device."
Hope understood what she meant. A particle field could be oscillated to break up a clot, but to slice a cell and discard its unwanted bits was a whole nother story.
Steve said, "Dr. Helen Cho is trying to find a solution for Maria's blood situation as we speak. She's the world's top geneticist and – according to Jane – has an extremely advanced lab that's designed for this type of research." Hope was already familiar with the scientist and her work but was only slightly relieved to hear this. Sure, she was a genius, but Maria was falling apart before her eyes. Would Doctor Cho really be able to find a solution in time?
"So what do we do now?" Hope huffed while the Soul Forge shut down. "Just wait until her kidneys fail?"
Steve caught her eyes, locking onto her gaze. "All of us S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel here are ready to donate a kidney – problem is – none of us are the right blood type."
Hope sighed, nearly in tears. "Only seven percent of the population are O-negative," she said as if she were back in her grade twelve biology class answering a test question.
She looked back to Maria's beautiful face, reaching out to it once again to stroke her thumb over her cheek. Typical Maria. Of course, she'd be a universal donor but only a recipient of her own, rarest blood type. Her self sacrificing nature was to a fucking genetic level.
"Jane's got Maria on a donor list back home," Steve continued. "So if her kidneys do fail, hopefully, there'll be a transplant ready for her."
"Hopefully?" She looked up to him.
He only nodded, clear distress behind his eyes. His worried state brought on another wave of dizziness as Hope fell harder into Maria's bed as she dropped her head.
"Are you okay?" Scott placed a supporting hand on her shoulder. "You should lay back down."
"I'm fine." Hope aggressively rolled her shoulder back, pushing his hand off of her. She meant nothing at that moment and wanted to be treated as such.
"And what about the battle and the rest of our team?" she asked Steve, knowing that she still had a responsibility to the Avengers and the mission.
"We won." Hope sighed in relief. "Enemies were captured. The Avengers and everyone else are fine." Steve then looked down to his fallen friend with soft eyes. "Mostly thanks to Maria, that is."
Hope started to sway to the side, her vision blurring as all of this new information, mixed with the fact that she'd just woken up, was hitting her body hard.
"Hope, you're not looking so hot. Why don't you lie down?" Scott gently put his hand back on her.
"I said I'm fine!" She pushed his hand away, but this time by swiping her palm over her shoulder like she was swatting away an annoying fly.
"Okay, but you told me you were fine after you kicked that barbell too, and then after our sparring session, you finally took off your shoe and your sock was completely soaked in blood."
She understood that he was just trying to look out for her, but his words of concern felt more like pinpricks to the back of her eyeballs.
"My god, Scott, it was a fucking ripped toenail!" She whirled around, facing him, which almost knocked her off her feet as she gripped the side of the bed. "Just because that's basically a severed limb to you doesn't mean it is to the rest of us. Man-up already!" She snapped, instantly hating the gross, gendered insult that perpetuated toxic masculinity, but she was just so angry, and Scott was such an easy target.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," he said with pity in his eyes which only further infuriated her.
"For fucks sake, what did I just say?" She was practically yelling now. "Stop letting me use you as a punching bag."
He put his hands on his hips as if he were taking in her comments. After a mere moment, he nodded his head. "Okay. Fine," he calmly said before scooping her up into his arms.
"Hey!" Hope yelled but didn't have the energy to fight him.
He walked over to the far side of her bed, plunking her down so that she was laying on her back. Then, with a grunt, he pushed her bed over to Maria's, making them flush with each other.
Eir, then snapped at him, "Excuse me, this isn't one's sleeping chambers." She hurried back over to them. "Beds stay apart in my hospital."
"Not today they don't," Scott calmly addressed the angered doctor. "My very mean friend here needs to rest because she's obviously not fine and – I promise you – if she's not next to her fiancée she's gonna turn on you next."
"You think that some Midgard youngling – despite her Queen Slayer status – can intimidate me?" Eir stiffened her body even more, which was something Hope didn't think was possible. "I've had to defend my hospital policies from entitled princes and the Allfather himself for longer than your planet has had life on it."
"I assure you," Scott said, "Allfathers have nothing on Silicone Valley heiresses."
"I don't know what that means." Her tone was as sharp as ever.
"And pray you'll never have to find out." Scott was not stepping down as he fought for Hope, despite the fact that she had only just been a bitch towards him. He truly was a great friend.
Eir studied him, then shifted her eyes to glare at Hope who was already possessively wrapping her arms around Maria's closest limb while staring right back at the doctor. "Very well, you may remain." She spoke through a clenched jaw, eyes fixed on Hope. "Just do not touch the patient while the Soul Forge is active. And if you take advantage of my leniency, I will put you into another room" – she pointed to a wooden door at the far end of the room to Hope's right – "and deny you discharge."
Hope could no longer hold her intensity while glaring at the woman. She'd won. She could stay put. So Hope dropped her head to Maria's shoulder, closing her eyes to surrender to her exhausted state while breathing in the comforting scent of her love.
Heartbreaking symptoms, watched by heartbroken eyes.
A face filled with sorrow, a chest full of sighs.
"Hope?" She heard Steve's voice cutting through her murky brain state, along with an annoying beeping sound.
"Yeah?" She opened her eyes, realising that she'd been out of it for a little while.
"You're gonna have to let go of Maria for a minute."
She didn't understand what he meant for a second until he pointed, from a standing position next to her bed to the device behind them. "Right, the Quantum Field Generator." Hope murmured as she shifted her body away from Maria.
As soon as Hope uncoupled from her, the machine stopped beeping and activated. Hope then did a quick scan of the large room, only finding Steve there with them.
"Where is that asshole doctor lady?"
"I don't know." He shook his head like he was just as exhausted as she felt. "She set up an automated system for this" – he pointed at the device – "a few minutes ago then wandered off."
"And Scott? Did I scare him away?"
"Kind of." He awkwardly shrugged.
She felt guilty. "I really need to stop doing that."
"He seemed understanding of the situation."
"Yeah, he always is, and to a fault too." She hated herself for taking advantage of that specific positive nature of his.
"Well – at risk of also being yelled at – are you feeling alright? Physically, I should clarify, because Doctor Eir was very abrupt when we asked about your health, saying you were adequate and didn't elaborate much past that."
"Yeah, I'm fine." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Really," she insisted. Her body was tired but not in any sort of pain.
"Good." He softly smiled. "I'm relieved to hear."
"And everyone else is really okay?" She still needed that reassurance.
"Like I said, our guys are good." He took a step back to sit in the chair behind him. "But a few Asgardian soldiers were injured. Fortunately, none were killed."
Hope nodded. "Is Enchantress dead then?"
"No. She's currently in a prison cell. The battle was essentially over after she was neutralised. The magical weapons her army had went dead with her no longer in the game."
Hope's thoughts went to her parents and how they were there, off-world, in Asgard. "Along with the planetary barrier, I'm assuming."
"Yeah," he said just as the Soul Forge disengaged.
Hope couldn't tell if the device had found any blood clots or not, and she really didn't have the mental energy to study it enough to figure it out.
She then looked over to Maria, brushing a strand of chocolate brown hair behind her ear. "She really did save the day, didn't she?"
"That's kind of her default."
"Yeah, but why does she have to be so damn self-destructive when she does it?"
"I swear she normally isn't. The picture you're seeing is a deceptive one. Usually, when she's being a hero it's done so efficiently we don't even realise it's happening."
"Like in Tanzania." She couldn't help but smirk at the memory of Maria storming that warehouse as she had.
"Oh, I definitely realised that one from the giant lump she left on my head."
Hope couldn't help but laugh at his words. She witnessed that blow with her own eyes; it was intense. But soon Hope's laugh turned into a sob as tears ran down her face. She couldn't lose Maria. She'd only just found her. The person who understood her through and through. Who saw her and loved her, warts and all.
Hope let her body roll back to Maria's, resting her head on her shoulder once again. She turned her face into Maria's neck and closed her eyes, hiding away from the world.
Hope could've sworn she heard Steve opening and closing his mouth like he was attempting to say something but backed off before doing so. Fortunately, his attempts of trying to say something didn't last long for that the sound of the large wooden doors that were located down-way from Hope and Maria's feet, were heard, as well as footsteps that carried into the room and towards them.
"You here to relieve me?" Steve asked.
"Yeah." She recognised Natasha's voice. "Go get some food, maybe even a little shut-eye if you can manage it. Besides, I have a feeling Hope here doesn't feel much like talking right now, and I know I definitely don't feel like talking so we'll be a perfect match."
Hope turned her head and opened her wet eyes, noting the woman's tired face and odd shawl that was draped over and around her neck. She then softly said, "Nat, it's like you can read minds."
"So, I'm getting the Scott-treatment after all. " Steve smirked at Hope. "Well, it's a good thing I'm so understanding too."
Steve stood up before taking Maria's closest hand in his own, bringing it up to his lips as he tenderly kissed it while looking at his friend's face.
Hope felt like she should have backed off from Maria to allow him a proper goodbye but before she could move a single muscle, he gently squeezed her forearm and stepped away.
"So, your mom's outside in the waiting room wanting to know if she can come in and visit." Natasha gracefully sat in the chair that Steve was previously occupying. "Apparently, each patient is only allowed one visitor at a time so since Scott's now gone—"
"I really don't want to see anyone right now," Hope cut her off. She really didn't have the energy to see people, especially not her mother. She wasn't ready to witness those tears. The ones that only a mother had, reserved exclusively for her young.
"I'll let her know," Steve said as he made his way to the doors that Natasha had just entered from. "Maybe she'll accompany me to the banquet hall."
"Thank you," Hope said so quietly that she was sure that the man didn't hear her with his head already out the door.
She then looked to Natasha who was squirming in the chair with her feet now dangling over the one armrest. "I think I preferred the windshield," she said, referencing the last time they were in a similar situation while waiting on Maria. Natasha then slid her shawl into her lap from around her neck. Only then did Hope realise that it was actually her battle suit. Natasha pulled a needle out (already threaded), which was stuck through her shirt at her collar, and started to sew a hole shut that was in her pant leg. Hope appreciated that the woman kept to her word as she remained silent as she worked.
Hope laid with her arm over Maria's body, resting her hand on her heart… their heart. And every quarter of an hour she had to stop holding onto her as the Soul Forge activated. Eventually, she shifted completely onto her own bed, uncoupling from Maria so that she could drift off without the constant beeping from the device.
Listening to the thump, thump of her heart,
Beats numbered like dots on a star-chart.
It had been hours. Food was offered and rejected. Visitors were also turned away. Natasha held down the fort, keeping silent as she watched over the both of them.
Then, at some point, there came a beeping. But it was different from the one she was accustomed to hearing.
She instinctually let go of Maria as the Soul Forge activated, but this time the doctor came rushing through the side door from the right, towards Maria.
Eir looked up, studying the holographic projection. "Her kidneys are failing."
"Already?" Hope jolted up in bed, heart pounding. "Do we have a donor?"
"Yes." Eir went behind Maria's bed, along with other medical personnel who'd followed her into the room. Hope fumbled out of bed. "Now move." She instructed both of the Midgardians as they were already hurrying towards Maria in motion. "We're taking her to the surgical theatre."
They pushed Maria out of the main doors, her and Natasha following after. Once they reached the hallway they turned in through another set of doors as Eir snipped at them, "You two cannot accompany us in here." And with that, Maria was gone and Hope and Natasha were left behind.
Hope took a step to the wall, sliding down it to sit on the floor. Her elbows were on her knees and her head in hands as her hospital gown hiked up to her thighs. She just stared at the prickly stubble on her legs as she thought out loud. "If her body's shutting down this quickly, what are her chances of getting through this?" She couldn't imagine her new kidney lasting very long. "What if death knows I stole her from him and now he's trying to take her back?"
"You know" – Natasha slid down the wall to sit next to her – "you say the most bizarre things when you're powerless and overthinking. First, it was your Bonnie and Clyde comment and now it's a personified death character trying to wrestle Maria's soul back from your thieving grasp."
Hope turned her head to find an intrigued look on her face. "Okay" – Hope sat up to rest her head against the wall – "you made my death comment sound way more absurd than it actually was."
"Did I, though?" The corner of Natasha's lips tugged upwards in a smirk, yet Hope noticed that her eyes didn't match. They looked burdened with worry for her best friend.
Hope went to pull at her wasp necklace, an action that she was starting to replace her nail biting with, but she didn't find it around her neck.
Her palms went clammy at the loss of her dear item. She prayed that she didn't lose it out in the field. In response, she brought her fingers to her mouth as she began chomping away at her nails – embracing old habits – while she looked down at her other hand that housed her engagement ring.
She'd been avoiding looking at it that whole time. She knew that examining it would only bring her pain. But she was at rock bottom now and was ready to accept her suffering. Maria was being cut into because her body was failing her.
She fixated on her little galaxy on her finger through eyes that were beginning to well up. The ring was truly remarkable and yet, the only remarkable thing that she wanted at that moment, were Maria's fingers sliding past Hope's as she clasped her hand.
Suddenly, Hope felt a palm on her shoulder. "I'm gonna go down the hall there and tell everyone what's going on." Natasha squeezed her lightly before letting go of her.
"Everyone?" Hope wiped her eyes dry, touched to hear that Maria meant so much to her team.
"Well, everyone who deals with uncomfortable uncertainties by pacing the floor of a waiting room," she said as she raised to her feet. "I'm assuming you don't want to come with."
"Yeah, not really."
"Okay, just let me help you up off the floor so you can at least go back to your bed and lay down." She reached down to her as Hope accepted her assistance, grabbing her hands as she was tugged up to her feet.
Natasha gave Hope a sympathetic pat on her upper arm before turning around to disappear down the hallway.
Hope deeply sighed and went back into their room. It was an agonising endeavour before her. Something that was slowly killing her – waiting.
A leader's duty, a lover's smile.
If only she could stay awhile.
It was probably at least four hours later when Maria was brought back into their room. But Hope's sense of time was out the window by that point to really know for sure.
"How was it?" Hope jumped out of bed to meet them.
"Successful," Eir simply said as Maria was wheeled back into place, right beside Hope's bed, by two men that she didn't recognise.
One of the assistants turned on the Soul Forge just as the other of the duo left the room through the small door at the side of the room.
"Everything seems to be as it was in 'Observations'," the man said as he examined the projection. Hope assumed that was a location where they kept Maria directly after her surgery, so as to keep a close watch over.
The doctor nodded at him in understanding before he too, left out of the side exit.
Just as one door closed the others opened. "Greetings, Doctor Eir." A familiar voice came from the large entrance that led out into the hallway.
"Greetings, Senator Jane," the doctor responded, not a touch of warmth in her tone.
"I'm here to offer you retirement for this evening while I take watch over your patient." Hope found it interesting how Jane had shifted away from her native vocabulary and way of speaking to something that better fit within Asgardian culture. "You must be spent from those lengthy surgeries." Hope furrowed her brow, not understanding why Jane pluralised 'surgery'. She quickly chalked it up to a simple misspeak.
"Your elementary understanding and basic Midgardian education do not suffice in the face of our medicine. You're not even so much as a specialist in your own world's standards." Jane held her head up, seemingly, not allowing the woman's harsh words to get to her. "I'd much rather call one of my own medical practitioners to take over before I retire for the evening."
"Eir, you've already done such a good job here that even a Midgardian child could adequately keep watch." She smiled sweetly as she gestured. "I see even the Soul Forge is automated right now," she said right after it had disengaged.
"This is true." Eir looked deep in thought. "All right then. You shall relieve me of my position." Hope wondered if she was only conceding because Maria was a human whom she looked down on, judging by the way she was staring at Maria with a face of disgust. "Notify me if there are any changes," she said while she began crossing the room to exit.
"Of course," Jane called out while she was passing through the doors. "אוי ואבוי (óy va•vóy), all that woman needs is to tell me I'm nothing without a husband and child and she'd sound exactly like my aunt," she muttered under her breath.
Hope crawled back into her bed, ignoring Jane's grumbles. She leaned over and kissed Maria on the forehead before she looked over at her body. She slowly pushed down the blanket to her pelvis, then she lifted up her gown to reveal her stomach. At her belly she had bandages that wrapped around her body, completely covering her lower torso. The sight brought tears to her eyes as she covered her back up to then lay down and snuggle in beside her.
Hope could feel Jane's eyes on her, hearing her sigh. "I just talked to Helen." Hope's head jerked up, needing to know if the geneticist was making any ground. "She's still working on Maria's blood."
"And?"
"She's not sure if she's making any progress or not." She dropped her head, shaking it. "Cellular experimentation just isn't a quick process."
A tear fell down Hope's check as her lip quivered. "It's gonna take too long to figure out, isn't it?"
Jane approached Maria's bed as she locked eyes with Hope. "Look, I'm gonna be straight with you. Yes, time is very precious right now. I honestly don't know what's gonna happen." She closed her eyes and sighed before continuing, "That's why I wanna give you the option to wake Maria up." She opened her eyes and pulled two vials and a needle out of her pocket, presenting them to Hope.
"I thought she couldn't be…" She shook her head. "Her heart rate should stay at rest."
"It should, you're right. But…" She looked at Hope with sympathy.
"You're asking me if I want to say goodbye." Hope gasped while another hot tear ran down her face.
"Not necessarily." Jane shook her head. "Maybe you could encourage her. Remind her what she's fighting for. Willpower is a hell of a drug." Hope looked back down to Maria as she lovingly swept her fingers over her cheeks. "But it's up to you if you want to take the risks that come along with speeding up her circulatory system. And as her fiancée, I feel this decision is yours and yours alone."
Hope hated how this was the second time now that the word 'fiancée' was being used in reference to their relationship. She should have been giddy when hearing that title at an engagement dinner with friends. But instead, it was being used in a hospital setting as she was now choosing whether or not to gamble with Maria's life just so that she could talk with her.
"I… " Hope sighed, not knowing what to do.
Jane placed her medical supplies on a cart near the bed; the clanking sound made Hope look up. Jane then clasped her hands together as she took a deep breath before starting, "When I was nine my mother died of cancer." She looked off into the distance. "I still remember that last day, my father went to the hospital but I refused to go. I thought if I went to say goodbye I would be giving up on the hope that she'd live another day." She awkwardly smiled. "Turns out the only thing I was giving up was the opportunity to talk to my mom one last time." She then looked at Hope, her sad eyes holding the answer to Hope's dilemma.
"Wake her up." Hope nodded with more confidence than she'd felt.
She nodded back before she turned to prepare Maria's shot.
It didn't take long before she was holding up a needle, asking, "You still sure?"
"Do it."
Jane pushed up Maria's sleeve, swabbing a spot at her upper arm. "You might only get a few minutes before the automated system here puts her under again," she said as she injected Maria with her concoction.
"Kay," Hope said softly just as Jane capped the needle and backed away from them.
Hope was up on her elbow, pushed in tightly to Maria's left side, as she looked down upon her.
It only took a few seconds before Maria started to stir beneath her.
"Maria." Hope cupped her face just as the woman fluttered her eyes open. Seeing the familiar sapphire irises looking up at her brought Hope to tears.
"Hope?" Maria croaked.
"Hi, my beautiful baby." Hope sniffled through a smile as she stroked her thumb over Maria's cheek.
Maria studied Hope's reaction. "What's the matter? What happened?"
"You have my heart and it's killing you," Hope admitted, hating herself all over again.
"What? What are you talking about?"
Hope shook her head. She didn't know how to explain everything. It was too complicated and she didn't want to waste what little time they had while trying to make sense of it for her. "They're trying to fix the problem but you have to hold on, okay?" She insisted, "You need to give them time."
Maria stared at her as her eyes began to well up. "Am I dying?"
"No!" Hope blurted. She squeezed her eyes shut, aggressively shaking her head as fresh tears ran down her face. "I don't know," she admitted.
"Hope. It's okay." Maria lovingly placed her hand on her face, making Hope open her eyes to the touch.
"No! You promised." Hope was furious that Maria was just accepting her fate. "You promised we'd survive this. You have to pull through. I will never forgive you if you don't. I—"
But Maria cut her off as she pulled Hope to her, capturing her lips with her own. The kiss was wet and salty from the tears running down their faces, but Hope didn't care. She wanted to live in that moment forever, receiving the love she most needed from her soulmate.
Maria pulled Hope back as she spoke into her lips, "You're gonna be okay."
"No, I'm not. I need you." Hope pushed her forehead to Maria's, her eyes still closed. "You can't go. You said you'd fight the whole universe for me."
"I will fight it for you." Maria's words were now becoming sluggish. "I love you so…" But she didn't finish her sentence.
"Maria?" Hope opened her eyes just as the woman's hand fell away from her face.
"I'm sorry," Janet said from beside her, "it kicked in faster than I thought it would."
Hope's face was still wet with tears as she collapsed beside Maria. Closing her eyes, she gently hugged her body and stayed like that until she was shooed away by beeping.
Counting every minute while wishing them away.
Too painful to live through this dreadful day.
"And you're sure her heart is no longer producing A-blood type?"
"Yes, I've already said this. It stopped several hours ago," Doctor Eir responded to a woman who Hope didn't recognise the voice of.
"Good."
"What's going on?" Hope sat up in bed to look at the women in conversation who'd entered the room a good few hours after Maria's surgery.
Eir ignored Hope while addressing the other woman, "Doctor Helen—"
"It's Doctor Cho," the famous, genius scientist corrected her.
Eir muttered to herself, "You Midgardians with your double names." She then addressed Helen, trying again, "Anyway, the patient is nearly at Valhalla's gates and I don't believe you'll be successful in bringing her back from it, but – nonetheless – she's all yours to do as you wish."
"Great... 제 동료에게 불편한 의견을 보내 주셔서 감사합니다 (je donglyoege bulpyeonhan uigyeon-eul bonae jusyeoseo gamsahabnida)," Doctor Cho muttered something in Korean under her breath that Hope didn't understand. The only Eastern language Hope was familiar with was Mandarin.
Doctor Eir moved to the far side of the room, picking up a book to read. She seemed ready to step in if need be but ultimately didn't care beyond that on what was happening to her patient.
Hope then shifted her attention onto the brilliant South Korean scientist before her, who was both young and very beautiful.
"Have you figured something out to help Maria?"
"I hope so." She cocked her head and studied her like she was trying to figure out who she was talking to. "My lab trials are promising but, unfortunately, they haven't had enough time to fully resolve."
"Promising?" Hope nearly jumped out of her seat. "How promising?"
"I've made an elixir that targets her unwanted antigens, destroying them without harming the red blood cell that they're attached to." She placed a small black case on the tray next to Maria's bed.
"Really?" Hope's eyes widened.
"Yes." She briefly bit her bottom lip. "Well, it worked in a small sample size. My larger trial has yet to show any meaningful results."
Hope's body tensed up, biting the inside of her cheek in response. "So you're just gonna go for it in her?" She gestured with her eyes at Maria. Not loving the idea that she was going to be the test subject. If something went wrong, it could make things worse.
"It's really her only option." Helen sympathetically shook her head. "She's already experienced kidney failure and this new one won't last long if something's not done now." Hope nodded as she allowed the information to sink in while Helen began to study her once again. "Sorry, but are you Hope Van Dyne?"
"Yes." Hope was suddenly very aware of how terrible she probably looked in that moment.
"I thought I recognised you from your Forbes issue. The work done at Pym Tech has always fascinated me." She shrugged. "Not that I understand any of it."
"As long as you understand whatever biology is needed to help Maria, that's all that matters to me."
"Yes, of course." She shifted her weight like she was embarrassed for averting the conversation away from Maria.
"So." Hope looked down at Maria's chest. "What about her heart itself?"
"She's got Anti-H.L.A. in her system from the incompatible organ." Hope's head rose to stare at her blankly, not understanding what she just said, but she was certain that it was bad. "Thankfully, I have an antidote that attacks those antibodies. I developed one last year. It's never hit the market since it's still in the process of passing national health regulations, but it has a ninety-three percent kill rate over a period of twelve hours. So – if all goes smoothly – neither her heart nor her kidney should be rejected… granted they can hold on for those twelve hours."
Hope swallowed hard. "And as long as this experimental antigen medicine works."
"Yes." She pulled a vial and needle from out of the case next to her, preparing it as she said, "Good news is, your heart size is comparable. It fits rather well in her chest cavity and should be adequate for her body's proportions."
Hope was thankful for that little sliver of victory as she watched Helen open Maria's gown, at her collar, to then inject the needle directly into her heart.
Watching time as it slips on by,
Trying so hard not to give in and cry.
There were no windows in the hospital room so Hope didn't know how many sunrises and sunsets had passed. If she were to guess, she'd been in her bed for two days. Sleeping the majority of it away.
She was sluggish but awake and they hadn't had any visitors for many hours now. It was only her, Maria, the beeping, and the periodic medical personnel.
"She hasn't had a clot in over an hour," Eir said to Helen as they both walked in through the main doors.
"Good." Helen walked over to the side of Maria's bed as she said to Eir. "Her latest blood sample has been completely antigen free."
Eir went to Helen's side. "I did not think you could accomplish this, but she no longer seems to be at Valhalla's gates."
Hope sat up in bed with a lightness in her heart. "She's getting better?
"Things are starting to turn around, yes," Helen addressed Hope with a small smile as Eir stepped back. Hope was certain that the Asgardian despised her the most. She was discharged at least a day ago but refused to leave her bed beside Maria, and she was sure that irritated her. "I'm going to give her the antibody elixir and a blood transfusion now. That should replenish her circulatory system and give her a much higher chance of surviving this."
"How much higher?"
"Well, she's not out of it yet, but she's finally got a fighting chance – hoping she has the ability to take it on."
"She's extremely capable." Hope only knew Maria as a fighter to victoriously concur everything in her wake.
Helen locked eyes with her. It was the first time she'd truly looked at her since they'd met. "In Korean we have a saying: '하늘이 무너져도 솟아날 구멍이 있다 (haneuri muneojyeodo sosanal gumeongi itda)' which translates to: 'even if the sky collapses, there is a hole to escape out of.' Commander Hill has always struck me as one who finds that hole. Especially after seeing how long she's been holding on here."
"Well, I believe you're the one who's digging the hole for her to find, so thank you." Hope had to do everything not to break down and cry after hearing how strong Maria had been through all of what's happened.
"You're welcome." She smiled at her before turning to get to work in treating Maria.
Now caring for her as she did for them,
Not only a lover but also a friend.
The Soul Forge had become Hope's way of telling time. Its beeps were the new hands of her internal clock. After two sessions of the Quantum Field Generator were completed from when Maria received her treatment from Helen, Janet walked in through the side door. Her entrance confused her since the only people who ever arrived from that way were medical personnel.
"Hey, jellybean." She came over to them, approaching from Maria's side. "How are you doing?" she gently asked with a forced smile.
Hope was aware of her mother's fake smiles, they were the ones that she often gave her father during her childhood days.
Hope only shrugged as Janet stopped next to Maria. Her mother studied Hope for a moment before looking down to the unconscious woman.
"Did you catch that, Maria?" She smirked at her newest daughter. "Hope's not even speaking." She then took Maria's hand in both of her own, lovingly holding it up to her heart. "You've got us all so worried some of us are losing words."
"Maria's the one without words, not me," Hope snapped. She always showed anger during emotional crises, especially towards the ones she loved. That was something that she never liked about herself. She turned into a bully when under that specific type of stress.
"She's in a mood but we don't blame her, do we?" Janet continued talking to Maria. "I know your silence is killing her" – Janet's voice started to waver as her eyes welled up – "just as much as it's killing me." Janet then pushed Maria's hand to her lips, kissing it.
It was too much for Hope to handle. She knew that her mother's presence would have that effect on her. "My wasp necklace is missing," Hope said, desperate to make her mom snap out of it before she witnessed a tear escaping down her cheek.
"Oh." She placed Maria's hand down. "Yes" – she wiped her eyes dry – "it was in the way of your heart monitor so they took it off." She reached for her own neck, exposing the item. "I put it on for safekeeping." She unclasped it before handing it over to her.
Hope barely looked at it as she folded her hand over the pendant, creating a fist, only to rest her head back down to drop her forehead against Maria's shoulder.
"Hope, sweetheart, why don't you take a break here?" Janet asked softly. "Doctor Eir said you're healthy and ready to leave whenever. Go stretch your legs, eat, get some fresh air."
"I'm not leaving her alone," she forcefully stated.
"She won't be alone," Sharon's voice was heard along with her footsteps as she entered from the main doors. "News flash, you're not the only one who cares about Maria and other people would like to see her too."
Sheer annoyance arose in Hope, as it nearly always did when Sharon was around, making Hope sit up in bed to properly address her.
"I'm not stopping them," Hope growled at the approaching woman.
"Trust me," Sharon presented a soured face as she said, "your attitude is scaring everyone away almost as much as your post-battle B.O. is." She stopped right next to Hope's bed. "You really planning on greeting Maria after her long journey from the dead with this whole dumpster fire situation you got going on?" She gestured at Hope's body with a wave of her hand. "'Cause she's gonna give you one look and decide it's not worth it and die all over again."
Hope knew that she was exaggerating her current state but still didn't appreciate it. "Fuck off, Carter!"
"You first." She challenged her while crossing her arms over her chest. "And if you don't by your own volition, I'll grab you by your greasy ass head and pray I can properly grip your slip-and-slide hair as I use it to drag your ass out of this room and into a shower."
"You're not touching me," Hope growled through a locked jaw.
"You wanna try me, Van Dyne?" Sharon stared her down, but Hope didn't let up as she glared back at her. "All right then," Sharon said after a moment and lunged at her. She had Hope's arm twisted behind her back in a second flat, as she started pulling her off of the bed.
"Okay! Fine!" Hope yelled at her through the pain that she was inflicting on her bent wrist. "Let go of me and give me a fucking second, you deranged ass-hat!"
"You've got ten." Sharon released her, stepping back from the bed. "Starting now."
Hope aggressively huffed as she rubbed her sore wrist with her other hand (The one that was still holding onto her necklace.). God, Sharon was the worst.
Hope glanced over at her mom who very abruptly avoided eye contact with her. It was clear that she didn't want to insert herself between the two feisty women.
She then bent down to the unconscious woman, securing her necklace around Maria's neck. If she, the Wasp, couldn't be there to look after her, then at least her pendant wasp would be. She then moved to kiss Maria on the forehead before she whispered into her skin, "Don't you dare let the universe win because I love you so goddamn much."
She sat up and looked at her mother. "If anything changes—"
"You'll be the first notified." Janet nodded with a small smile.
God, Hope hated to leave Maria. Yeah, things were looking up, but that didn't mean there was a guarantee for a positive outcome.
"Your ten seconds are up!" Sharon called as she started making her way back to the bed.
As soon as Hope's feet hit ground Sharon grabbed her arm to assist her out. "I said, don't touch me!" She jerked out of her grasp as she began moving towards the exit. "I can walk just fine on my own." She pushed the large wooden doors open. "God, you're so fucking annoying."
"Don't swear in front of your mother. What's wrong with you?" Sharon said as she followed her out.
"Oh please" – Hope rolled her eyes – "you can't play the civility card when your vocabulary has more curses than a witch's spellbook."
"Not in front of my mother, it doesn't." Sharon gave her an exaggerated grin as she kept pace beside her as they walked the hall. "I am a lady, I'll have you know."
But Hope didn't have a chance to throw anything back at the woman, for that they passed the waiting area and her attention was pulled towards the one and only person in the area. It was Agent Jonson. She was huddled in the corner with a blanket over her lower body and a laptop resting on her knee.
Daisy looked up at them as they wandered by, tracking them with her eyes, but she didn't say a word.
Once they travelled a little further down the way Sharon said, "The waiting room's been empty for about a day now. The only person holding out there is Jonson. That girl just parked her ass in the corner there and never really left."
Hope recalled back to when the agent was holding Maria's dead body in her arms while they were under attack. She wondered what was all going through her head in regards to her C.O. after all that had transpired.
"What exactly happened in the tunnel there with them?" Hope briefly bit the inside of her lip. "Like, before Maria…" She shrugged awkwardly. "You know."
Sharon looked upwards as she swung her arms in exaggeration while she walked. She resembled a little kid trying to distract herself from her own emotions. "According to May," she said in a – most likely forced – nonchalant manner, "Maria basically made herself into a turret to shield Jonson while she used her powers on Enchantress."
Hope sighed. She was already sure that Maria had sacrificed herself. The only clarification that she now had was the exact details of how she did it. She also felt bad for Agent Jonson. The poor girl had such a confusing relationship with her commander.
Sharon rushed ahead, leading the way. "Now hurry up before I rewrite your agent's exam in Latin."
Hope welcomed the forced change in conversation as she called out to her, "Pedicabo ego vos."
Sharon burst out laughing. "That's all you got, isn't it?"
Hope knew that Sharon read her file and was well aware of which languages she knew and which ones she didn't. Latin was one that she really never touched. "Maybe," Hope growled with the slightest hint of a smile as she sped up to join her.
A little smile to lift and make fun,
While stomach churns with what's to come.
She was brought to a personal living chamber that she assumed was given to Sharon. The bath had Earth hair products sitting on the edge specifically labelled 'For blonde hair' on them. She ended up using the colour formulated shampoo and conditioner since it was the only thing there. Though, the room did have her bag waiting for her so she could change into proper clothing; finally getting out of her hospital gown. As well as, brush her teeth; since she had her small toiletries pouch packed along.
When Hope exited the bathing-room Sharon craned her neck from her seat to look at her. "Your mom just stopped by."
"I thought she was staying with Maria?" she asked while ringing her hair dry with a towel.
"She said Romanoff's with her now." She stood up from the sofa which was situated around the large, open fire which was ablaze in the room.
"Anyway, I'm supposed to pass this on to you." Sharon waved a red envelope in her hand. "Apparently, she wanted to give it to you earlier at the hospital." Sharon then studied it. "I'm assuming it's a Well Wishes card or something of that nature, 'cause that's a proper etiquette thing that my mom would totally do in this situation too." She looked back up at the freshly bathed woman who was walking over to her. "I swear they learn that stuff at deb training. Not that I would know firsthand; I climbed out of windows at all the events I was forced to go to."
"Of course you did." Hope threw her damp towel on the back of the sofa before she took the item that was offered to her.
"Though, I don't understand where she got the card from? We're not even on Earth," Sharon gawked. "That's like some mom-level trickery right there. They don't even teach that top-tier shit at the academy." Hope couldn't help but smirk as she opened the envelope, sliding out a card. "What the— Christmas?" Sharon commented on the fact that it was a festive holiday card with a decorative evergreen on the front.
Hope noticed some writing up by the spine of the card, she turned the parchment sideways and read aloud the pen-written message that was in her mother's cursive. "Don't mind the tannenbaum, he's just protecting you guys from creasing."
Hope didn't understand its meaning but appreciated the German name given to the holiday spruce. Her mom always used to call their family Christmas tree, the Tannenbaum because Janet's mom, who was a German immigrant, called it that when Janet was a kid. Or, so Hope was told.
Hope opened the card to find two photographs, face down, inside. She slid the inserts to the side as she read the message, in her head:
I was at Office Max yesterday getting prints for scrapbooking and still had them in my bag. Thought you might find these two particular pictures comforting.
Hope flipped over the stacked photos. The one at the top was of her and Maria at the docks. The two of them were partially in silhouette in front of an orange sky. Their foreheads were touching and they both had a hand lovingly caressing the other's face.
Hope closed her eyes as she imagined that she was back in that position with Maria running her thumb back and forth over her lips like she often did. She couldn't imagine not feeling that sensation again. It had a way of sending tingles through her skin. God, she missed her so much, she thought to herself as she absentmindedly brought her thumb up to her lips to rub it over them.
She opened her eyes and dropped her hand, quickly remembered her place there with Sharon, as she gathered herself before she emotionally unravelled. She then flipped to the next photograph, which may have been a mistake since it made her mental state even worse.
"Oh my god." Hope laughed through tears that instantly breached her eyes, running down her face.
"What?" Sharon asked while Hope took in the picture through blurred vision. "Dude, don't break down on me here."
"I'm not, you asshole." Hope sniffled while rubbing her eyes. She then handed the picture over to Sharon so that she could see it.
"Fuck." Sharon laughed in amusement at the photograph of a teenaged Maria. "Look at our girl." Hope's cheeks warmed in reaction to Sharon referring to Maria as being theirs. "And that must be her brother." She continued to study the picture. "Shit, now that's someone she never talks about." She then looked up at Hope. "Well, not that she talks about any of her family, for that matter." She handed the item back to Hope. "Wonder where your mom got that from."
Hope smirked. "Knowing her, she probably prodded Maria for it. She likes carrying around photos of loved ones."
Sharon looked at her in puzzlement as she softly asked, "Loved ones?" She stared at Hope with wide eyes as if it'd finally just penetrated her bomb shelter-thick skull that Hope and her mother were actually a loving family for Maria.
"Yeah," Hope responded in a similar tone.
"Alright. Ah. You're ready, right?" She spun on her heels, facing the other direction. "Let's head out and get me some food, 'cause I'm starving." Hope just shook her head at her with a smirk as she followed her to the door. "And while we're there, I guess you can have some too if you want."
"Gee, thanks," Hope said sarcastically, earning her a cheeky grin over the shoulder.
While they were on their way to the banquet hall they ran into Lady Sif, passing by in the corridors.
The statuesque Asgardian bowed her head, eyes locking onto Hope, as they met in the middle of the hall. "Queen Slayer, it brings a bål of warmth in seeing you up and about." Both parties stopped to chat.
"Ah." Hope awkwardly rubbed her arm. "Could you not call me that?"
"The Queen Slayer?"
"Yes." She was really starting to hate that title. She found it kind of cool at first, but as time progressed, and circumstances changed, it was no longer sitting well with her. "Please just call me Hope. That's my name."
"I understand that is your name" – she looked at her like she thought that Hope didn't understand the complement of being addressed by such – "but the Queen Slayer is a great and honourable title that's been bestowed upon you by the realms."
"It doesn't rightfully belong to me though." Hope's skin started getting hot in agitation. "I'm not the person responsible for the destruction of the Brood race."
"You're not?" Sif cocked her head in confusion. "Who is then?"
"Commander Hill," Hope abruptly stated. "The person who's currently lying in a hospital bed fighting for her life." Her voice was unintentionally raising in volume. "She's the one who gathered the intel and orchestrated the events that led to the queen's death, I was just the one who delivered the killing blow."
Sif calmly acknowledged her words. "I understand, but those factors do not strip you of your title."
"No, you don't understand." Hope hated how she had to defend her position. And more specifically, how she had to defend Maria. "I barely did anything and have suffered zero consequences for my efforts, unlike her." Maria carried so much guilt in regards to the Brood situation. Guilt, that she fully believed to have played a role in Maria's most recent sacrifice. "I'm given the glory and she's given the punishment." Hope took a calming breath, bringing her volume down. "See, she's really good at bearing everyone else's burdens so the rest of us don't have to. She's the true Queen Slayer. The hero of that day and this one too."
Sif studied her as she then slowly nodded. "I hear you, young warrior, but I ask that you heed my words." Her tone came like one of authority and wisdom, reminding Hope that the woman before her may have looked around her same age, but – in reality – was nowhere near it. "I would never deny my warriors their victories for fighting underneath me. My duties, as their leader, do not diminish their accomplishments while they serve my blade." She bore her gaze into Hope's as she said, "You must learn to accept your accolades from the battles that are directed by others. Your honourifics will always carry the name of your command and company. You honour them by bearing your title just as much as others honour you while addressing you by it."
Hope mulled over her words, still not loving that Maria wasn't the one being directly honoured for her efforts. "I don't…" She shook her head, not knowing exactly what to say.
"You want to honour Commander Hill?" Sif's eyes softened like she understood her inner thoughts, yet her words wouldn't allow them to win. "Then wear your title proudly."
Hope was not entirely convinced but she was now without an argument. She was not in the right frame of mind to continue on so she decided to concede to Sif as she slowly nodded her head.
Sif smirked at her as she bowed her head. "Farvel og god dag," she said before she walked away, disappearing down the hallway in the opposite direction that they were heading.
"What the fuck is a 'farvel og god dag'?" Sharon said, breaking the serious mood. "Like, they do realise that none of us speak Asgardian, right?"
Hope chuckled, grateful for her silly comment. "Norse." She corrected her.
"Whatever, you know what I meant." She started moving down the corridor once again. "Let's go, I already smell food and it's making my stomach rumble."
It wasn't that much further before they entered the great room. It was an open space with a wall missing on the one side, leading into a terrace. Lining the opposite wall were huge buffet tables spilling over with food, and in the centre, there were lines of wooden picnic style tables that looked to all be individually carved out of a singular piece of wood. And no Asgardian space would be complete without an enormous fire burning in the middle of it (save for the hospital rooms).
The place was buzzing. Hope assumed that it must have been supper time judging by the night sky that she now had a good view of from the lack of wall to her right.
Hope was so overwhelmed by all the Asgardians and their boisterous nature. There were people smashing plates on the ground, clanking mugs of mead, and arm wrestling over their food. If she was in a better headspace, she probably would've been able to take in the environment a lot better. Maybe she'd even enjoyed it. But, right then, it was a little much. So she kept her head down and quietly followed Sharon over to the main buffet table.
Looking over the spread, Hope nearly threw up. The place was covered with sausages, fish with their heads still attached, various hunks of meat, and a roasted boar looking creature smack dab in the middle of it all.
"I think I'm gonna be sick." Hope covered her mouth. She hadn't eaten a single piece of meat since she was the age of sixteen, so this was an assault to her senses on an already nervous stomach. "This is absolutely disgusting. Do these people not eat vegetables?"
"They do..." – Jane came around from behind her – "sometimes." She smirked at her once she came into view. "But it's usually stuffed inside of the animal for flavouring." Hope pursed her lips at that information. "Don't worry." Jane chuckled while patting her arm. "I'll get you some untainted veggies from the kitchen. I've made a friend with one of the cooks who prepares me kosher meals, which – up here – basically just means vegetarian."
"You keep kosher?" Hope was shocked to hear.
"I know, seems kinda silly when you think about it." She gestured to the room. "Here I am amongst the Norse gods, following the laws of another God I've never met." She lightheartedly sighed. "To say I'm in a constant crisis of faith would be an understatement."
Hope smiled. "Well, I don't know exactly what I believe but I'd like to think there's something bigger than all of us out there."
"Agreed." Jane nodded. "I like to say – magic is science we can't yet explain, and Yahweh is the arbiter of the mystic. So, no matter what lens we're looking at the universe through, it's still all woven together by a greater power."
Hope didn't necessarily believe in the Abrahamic God, but she liked the idea of everything being interconnected like that. "That's comforting."
Jane chuckled. "Well, I'm glad to hear you say that because when I told Maria my outlook she just raised an eyebrow and told me it didn't make any sense."
Hope smiled. "Please do pray for our godless heathen."
"Well," Jane said in a more serious tone, "she's kind of already been in my prayers lately." Jane looked at her sympathetically as Hope nodded in saddened acknowledgement. "Now go sit down, I'll bring you a plate." Jane encouraged her.
"Thank you." Hope was forever grateful for the woman. Not only for the food that she was about to go get for her but – more importantly – for what she did for her and Maria earlier in the hospital.
Jane nodded at her, seemingly understanding the length of her gratitude, and turned for the kitchen.
Sharon was still busy filling up her plate when Hope turned to those already dining. Off, a few rows away, Hope noticed Scott at a table with Sam. She wasn't surprised to see the two together since the duo would often gravitate together. There was a nice friendship blossoming between the two of them.
Scott, all though was facing her direction, didn't seem to have noticed her. Not that she could blame him, there was a very animated game on a tafl board happening on the table in front of his own, making an effective wall of distraction.
Hope walked the perimeter to make her way over to them. Once she was practically at her destination, Sam noticed her, smiling in greeting from across the table.
She smiled back as she approached. She then sat beside Scott, instantly sliding her arm around his as she hugged it close.
Scott turned his head, meeting her eyes as she gave him the most apologetic look that she could muster. He softly smiled at her before gently elbowing her in the side like he understood and everything was fine between them.
Suddenly, there was a clank, as the sound of a plate and a mug made contact with the table. Looking up, Hope saw Sharon sitting down across from her, next to Sam, with a healthy serving of food in front of her.
"So," Sam said with a slight hint of trepidation in his voice as he made eye contact with Hope, "Jane says Maria's improving." Hope took not of the fear in his eyes as she wondered if her moodiness was making a reputation for itself, not liking that thought.
"Of course she is." Sharon shoved a drumstick into her mouth like she was actively trying to rewrite all her childhood etiquette lessons. "That woman's gonna outlive us all," she said as she chewed.
"Especially with Hope having her back." Sam smirked while pointing his thumb at the mentioned woman, now looking much more at ease with her.
Sharon swallowed her bite. "I wouldn't count on that for much longer 'cause at the rate she's going she'll be dead before she passes her agent's exam."
"Only if it's written in Latin." Hope shot back.
"Pft, don't sell yourself so short." She waved the bird bone at her. "You'll probably be snowboarding off a cliff next week while using a giant paperclip as your ride or something equally as stupid."
Hope flashed her a funny face in response, doing everything not to burst out laughing. Sharon was annoyingly good at distracting her from her depressing thoughts.
"So, you're feeling alright?" Sam asked her while he wiped his hands on a cloth serviette. "Scott told us about the crazy quantum stuff that went down. And how you were – like – Maria's Ventricular Assist Device."
"Whoa." Sharon gawked. "That was some impressive medical jargon there. Did Jane teach you that one?"
"She did." He picked up his mug, coherently muttering behind it, "And I may have had to practice saying it a few times for it to stick in my head." He then took a drink.
Scott vigorously nodded. "Well, it was worth it because I was dazzled by it. You sounded very scholarly."
Sam swallowed and smiled. "Thank you." He then turned his attention back onto Hope "So? You alright?"
"Yeah. No. I'm good." She forced herself to say. "Though" – she desperately wanted to change the subject – "the scent of Scott's food here is making me woozy." She looked at his plate that was just sausage and a fried snout.
"Hey, you choose to sit next to me and my stinky food," Scott said while giving her another gentle nudge before he slid his plate away from them.
"Yes, because I'm trying to extend an olive branch to you."
"Olive branch?" Sam tweaked a brow.
"Yeah, I was mean to Scott earlier."
Scott grinned. "'Earlier' doesn't even narrow down a time frame. She's been mean to me ever since the day we met."
"No I haven't!" she shot back before realising that she absolutely despised him when they first met. "Well, no, maybe that's true," she gently admitted.
"See," Scott said, gesturing at Hope with his head just as Hope noticed Jane approaching.
"Here you go." Jane reached in-between Sam and Sharon as she put down a plate of vegetables and lentils in front of her.
"Thank you." Hope smiled up at her.
"You're welcome." She nodded while taking a step back. "And now I'm off to find Volstagg."
"Now?" Sam turned in his seat to face her as he gently took her hands in his own. "Babe, you've been running around non-stop since the attack."
Hope cocked her head in seeing the two. She had no idea they were an item, making her kind of hate herself a little. She was one that got so wrapped up in her own life that she often forgot about others. She should have known this.
"I know." Jane sighed. "The senate members are not taking these latest events well. You'd think ancient beings would have better coping mechanisms but I swear they're long years have just made them paranoid."
Sharon grunted through a mouthful of food, "Politicians are politicians no matter their age or planet." Jane smirked at her with a nod.
"Come sit down for a few minutes with us." Sam gently pulled her down into the seat right next to him. "Leave the ancient babies to Volstagg for a bit." He coaxed her to swing her legs up and onto the other side of the bench before he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
"You know Volstagg likes you, right?" Jane gave Sam a look of warning. "But if he catches wind that you're keeping me away while the wolves are circling him, he's gonna change his mind about you."
"I'm willing to risk it if it means your sanity gets to stay intact." He lovingly smiled at her, making Hope instantly support them as a couple.
Suddenly, from behind, there was a goblet placed down on the table, right in front of Hope. It wasn't like the othere cups around, this one was gold and had gaudy jewels embedded all around it. "One – such as yourself – does not grace this hall without a proper beverage," Valkyrie said as Hope strained her neck back to see her.
"Ah…" Hope began in confusion.
"The Hellig Goblet!" A large, bearded man from the table in front of them stood up, pointing at her drink.
Whatever that meant must have been significant, as the whole place fell silent. Soon people were on their feet trying to catch a glimpse of the goblet and who it was in front of.
Another man from further away shouted while glaring at Valkyrie, "What say you give such a sacred honour to a simple ally?"
"She is not a simple ally," Valkyrie spat, "she is the Queen Slayer!"
"And I permitted this act." Thor entered from the terrace.
Now the room was in hushed rumbles as they talked between themselves while staring at Hope. She felt very uncomfortable and wanted them to just leave her alone. She didn't ask for the cup. She didn't ask for the title. She just wanted to go back to Maria.
The man who had just berated Valkyrie, grinned as he bellowed, "All hail the Queen Slayer, hero of the Nine Realms!"
"Har! Har!" The whole room boomed as they repeatedly banged their mugs on the tables.
Jane leaned in close to Hope so that she could hear her over the ruckus. "I know you probably don't feel like it, but they're all waiting for you to take a drink."
Hope nodded, picking up the goblet, just wanting this to end while not being disrespectful to the room of Asgardians.
"Remember, it's for Maria too," Sharon said, making Hope feel better as she brought metal to lips and took a sip.
The whole room cheered as they all then downed their drinks. Mead dripped down bearded chins as the Asgardians celebrated. It looked like Thor had intentions of going to Hope, but was distracted by some Asgardians who took him by the shoulders as they started singing something in Norse; Thor happily joined in with them.
Valkyrie clapped her shoulder before sitting down beside her. "Hope this makes up for trying to steal your mate earlier," she said, clearly inebriated.
Hope shook her head, not able to deal with a drunk Asgardian. "I just want to eat."
Valkyrie looked down at her plate. "You're a Kosher too?"
"I'm…" Hope sighed, not having the energy to explain. She pushed the goblet back to the Asgardian. "Thank you for the drink." She then picked up the utensil from off her plate and started to slowly eat, trying her best to ignore all the noise and commotion around her.
She only got a few bites in before one of the medical assistants, whom Hope recognised as being one of the men who wheeled Maria back into the room after her surgery, stopped in front of their table.
"It's Commander Hill," he said. "There's been a development."
A lifetime of love from a commander received,
Repaid by her grateful soldiers in her time of need.