Something to Sleep To

She had always wondered why things happen they way they do. She knew things and events happened for a reason, but the events themselves were always confusing and made her wonder why. So many things could've gone wrong, or they could've gone even better than what she already had, but she could say her life was going pretty good. Over the passed several years, many different and life changing events had happened to her, one of them being her powers. Seeing that as the greatest moment of her life, she wondered if it could get any better than that.

Yes…

Her mind was telling her yes, only because that was what she truly believed. Though she was an Avenger and a great super hero, the broadcast was still repeating over and over in her mind. Weakest…inadequate…worthless…those were just some words that circulated deep in her mind without her even knowing it. She knew she was good at taking down certain villains, but when it came to the stronger ones…well that was left to Thor, Iron Man, or the Hulk.

So as she sat on the bench, listening to the other guys spar while staring blankly at the ground, it took every ounce of her power to not let the tears form in her glistening eyes. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts while adjusting her tight sweat pants and sports bra, getting comfortable for her next fight. Steve sat down on the bench next to her, chuckling a bit. The Hulk sat in the bleachers, laughing every so often when someone got hit.

"No Clint, you have to move away from T'Challa's fist," Steve smiled, still chuckling.

"Yeah, thanks for the advice, Captain Obvious," Clint rolled his eyes, swatting down another punch from T'Challa. After a few minutes of silence, Steve noticed Janet wasn't exactly…talking. The last couple of days had been crazy and insane, to say the least, and he couldn't imagine what was running through that speculative brain of hers.

"Something on your mind?" Steve asked rhetorically.

"You have no idea," she mumbled in an irritated tone.

"Like what?"

"Ugh…" she groaned, sinking her head lower. "So many things…"

"Trust me, I hear ya. So much crap has been going down, it's hard for me to sleep," Clint answered, ducking from T'Challa's kick.

"Ok, but don't you think it's weird? This whole Strucker thing has just been so bizarre and insane. It seems unreal and false…like a nightmare," Janet blurted, still trying to figure it out.

"Definitely a nightmare," Steve nodded in agreement.

"And it's just so frustrating that we haven't figured it out yet!" Janet growled, crossing her arms. Clint threw a punch, as T'Challa moved to the side and kicked Clint in the ribs. Cling fell over, grunting in annoyance. T'Challa looked up to Janet.

"If anyone could figure it out, it will be you," T'Challa said, nodding proudly. Janet smiled sweetly, really appreciating the compliment.

"Less talking, more hitting!" Hulk shouted from the bleachers, becoming impatient. Clint rolled his eyes once more, flinging himself back on his feet.

He grinned, "Did anyone else see Morse checking me out? She's so into me."

"Seriously Clint?" Janet giggled.

"I may have seen you staring at her, but I didn't see it the other way around," Steve smiled, chortling away, as the others began snickering. Clint narrowed his eyes.

"No way, I so saw it."

"Maybe that is what you wanted to see, my friend, but that is not the truth," T'Challa nodded, smiling in amusement.

"Alright, I think Clint has had enough of getting his ass kicked. Step aside," Janet stood up, making her way towards the ring. Steve stood up with her, walking towards the ring while T'Challa agreed to sit down for a bit, despite Clint mumbling inaudible comments to himself.

Janet and Steve began to spar, while the other two guys watched in awe. It always amazed them to see her move as graceful as she did. Ever since Steve had entered into the mansion and the Avenger team, he had been teaching Janet a thing or two on self-defense. She was a fast and eager learner, wanting to know how to defend herself if something were to go wrong with her powers. Not to mention, she was good at it. She had sparred Clint and T'Challa on several occasions, bringing herself in the game and becoming a fair competitor between them.

"Are you sure she wasn't looking at me?" Clint asked again, looking down on the floor.

"She has an image to uphold, Clint. She's not going to be checking out other guys when her boss is standing next to her," Janet responded, ducking from Steve's wild kick. Clint continued to mutter inaudible statements while growling to himself.

Steve lunged forward with a punch, only Janet moved to the side at an angle. Because Janet's body was composed to electrical voltages that were spaced out in various areas (this being one of the reason she could shoot stingers) she was able to move more quickly than the average person. She saw things in slow motion before they happened, giving her an ultimate advantage. In all honesty, she didn't mean to do it; it just came naturally. After Janet moved from Steve's punch, she reacted quickly, punching him in the ribs while thrusting up her hand to his ear. Then, she swiftly side-kicked his knee, causing him to buckle and go forward. Janet saw her next opening, as she did an outside crescent kick, slamming her leg on Steve's neck. Steve's face hit the ground roughly, chuckling as he did so.

"I thought the teacher was supposed to teach?" Steve asked, easily flinging himself back up.

"I can teach myself a thing or two, as well," Janet replied, ignoring the Hulk laughing wildly in the back. Janet was smart; she knew how to come up with her own ideas and concepts. She observed, learned, and then did it on her own. Steve was too straightforward, a soldier that only did what he was taught. He didn't explore his options like she did, and he certainly wasn't as creative. Her positive outlook made her want to learn more as time went on. Both stood in fighting stances once more, ready to continue.

"Is it me? Did I do something wrong?" Clint asked himself, while T'Challa sighed loudly, shaking his head.

"You are thinking about it way too much," T'Challa replied. Janet smiled in amusement, loving the fact that Clint was so caught up in something. That's how he usually was though; when something was on his mind, he couldn't get it out for the longest time.

"I don't think you need me anymore," Steve grunted, dodging another side-kick.

"That'll never happen, Cap," Janet responded, taking a blow to her thigh.

Ever since the first day Steve and Janet got to know each other, they became extremely close. They had a really close bond that was very intimate, but never was it romantic. Steve was like the older brother she never had, always there for her, protecting her and sticking up for her. At times Janet needed a break from the guy, but most of the time she enjoyed his companionate company. Hank one time questioned it, but both assured him it was nothing. Plus, Hank and Janet's bond was clearly way stronger than anything she'd ever felt.

Besides, Janet knew how Steve's mind worked and she could always tell when he was 'interested' in something else…or someone else. Janet knew Steve had someone special in mind, although he would never admit it, only because the woman of interest wasn't exactly on the same fighting side. Captain America would never admit he had fallen for someone who was bad, let alone someone in general. He was a man who didn't like to get distracted, like most men, and ignored the true feelings he felt. Her opinion? Her opinion would be to just go for it…anyone could be changed.

And as she continued to spar one of her best friends, a smile crept onto her lips, knowing he had a grade school crush on someone. She didn't know how men acted when he was in his own time period, but today men were very forward when it came to women…best example would be Tony.

"Are you absolutely sure she didn't look at me?" Clint blurted once more, throwing his hands down.

"Give it a rest, Clint," Janet commanded, breathing heavily and perspiring. She walked over to the bench, put a towel over her nape, and chugged a bottle of water quickly. Steve followed, doing the same thing.

"Sorry…in all honesty, this HYDRA thing has gotten off my regular mood," Clint admitted.

"And you like her," Janet said with a knowing smile, taking another swig of water. Clint grinned in agreement, throwing his hands behind his head casually.

"HYDRA has caused worry in the hearts of many. Even my people are scared. So far, his plan is flawless," T'Challa added.

This left an ominous silence in the large room, as each felt a shiver run down their spines. But no one felt worse than Janet, who still couldn't get Baron's eerie face out of her mind. His eyes penetrated her very soul, freezing it up like a glacier in the arctic. What did he want? What was his plan? What was he after?

I'm not gonna let some creeper get away with this…I have to do something, Janet thought, her brain traveling at light speed, while her teammates were silenced altogether. They couldn't help but jump after hearing Tony on the loud speaker.

"Avengers, meet me in the conference room. We have a little field trip to take," Tony's voice said loudly, sounding determined and annoyed at the same time. All of them quickly jumped up and ran out of the arena. Each swiftly changed into their uniforms, presenting themselves in front of Tony, where he was standing and looking at the large projector in front of him. Thor was already there, watching with him.

"What's happening now?" Steve asked, looking at the large screen. The building of the United Nations was projected, as every news station and crew lined up in the front.

"You'll never guess," Tony said blankly, pressing a few buttons on the control panel. An image of Strucker came up, showing him waving to the public with a friendly smile plastered on his face.

"No…not the United Nations," Clint muttered slowly.

"He can't be!" Janet's eyes were wide with shock. Tony sighed.

"I guess I don't have to tell you…he's joining the UN today, supported fully by the United States," Tony explained.

"By what nation?" Janet shouted incredulously.

"Germany would be my guess," Steve muttered.

"HYDRA…" Tony head dropped slightly, afraid of what would happen next. "He's giving a speech in front of everyone today, telling them of his new good nature."

"What good could come out of a dictator trying to rule the world? Nothing at all," Steve reasoned, crossing his arms.

"Is that what he is doing? Telling people he has changed and he's a good man now?" T'Challa asked, still not believing.

"That's exactly what he's doing," Tony said, narrowing his eyes in disgust. "Anyway, we have to go down there now."

"And why, exactly, do we have to attend? It's his thing, not ours," Clint stated harshly.

"Because we were invited by the mayor…and Fury wants us to go as well, but just as a precaution," Tony replied.

"How many precautions are we going to give this guy? He already has control of New York City!" Janet stated, throwing her arms out exasperation.

"I don't know, Jan!" Tony raised his voice slightly, cringing in regret. The entire room became silent immediately. Janet opened her eyes, still full of strength.

"Then we have to go…" Janet finally said.

"Why?" Clint asked.

"Because there are innocent people gathering before the United Nations, and if something does go wrong, we'll be there to stop it…just like we always have," she answered.

"Jarvis, prepare the ships," Tony responded immediately, shutting the frontal face of his mask. In a matter of minutes, the ship was soaring in the sky, over the UN.

Despite the gloomy weather the city had provided before, the day was beautiful, sunny and glorious. The sun's warm and tender rays hit the earth perfectly, supplying a wonderful change for the city. The clear skies, all but a few white puffy clouds here and there, were blue and radiant, glistening like the ocean of the sky. The day was absolutely perfect for one to deliver a speech…how convenient.

Just like what the projector showed, the place was crawling with reporters and random bystanders, ready to view the speech Baron Strucker was about to give. They landed the ship a few blocks away, stepping off the ship warily. As soon as they approached the mass crowds of people, the reporters went off in a frenzy. Cameras were flashing, microphones were being pushed in their faces, as people yelled questions and comments.

"Iron Man, what do you think of Baron Strucker's recent events?"

"What are his motives?"

"Has he really changed? Is he a good man?"

"Please tell us your thoughts."

All of them remained silent, avoiding every question there was. They pushed through the crowd, as HYDRA soldiers stood on the steps, allowing them to go in. A few SHIELD agents were also in the front, as Agent Maria Hill quickly came up to them.

"Agent Fury is waiting for you, follow me," she commanded, leading them into the building. She went straight to the conference hall, and immediately all eyes went on Strucker, who was casually talking to a reporter in the corner.

"Finally," Fury huffed with a grumble, getting up from his chair. "I was beginning to think all of you had chickened out."

"Trust me, it was tempting," Iron Man droned, glancing at Strucker. Baron obviously noticed, for he excused himself from the reporter and casually sauntered over to them.

"Ah, I was wondering when the Avengers would arrive. You are, after all, my main guests of honor," he boasted proudly. Janet suddenly felt her self tremble, for Strucker managed to glance at her once more. Officially, it was no coincidence; Baron had been staring at her. She wanted to call him out on it or speak her mind, but the trembling wouldn't stop. He was a man of fear and terror. He scared her immensely, though she would never admit it.

"If we're your guests of honor, Strucker, then why don't you fill us in on your colossal plan you've got in store," a voice called out behind them. Baron's eyes twitched, turning around to see Hank Pym in uniform. Hank had his eyes narrowed with hatred, fully glaring at Strucker and never caring who he was.

Janet's trembling instantly stopped, "Hank?" A sense of warmth filled her up and a bright smile crept to her face. He was here, in the flesh, being a knight in shining armor and ready to save her from the evil dragon. Even though he was glaring at Baron, his honey eyes couldn't have been more mesmerizing and beautiful to her. She felt like running up to him and leaping into his strong arms, never letting go of his protective embrace.

Despite Hank finally being in town, that didn't stop Baron to keep gawking where he wanted. He gazed into Janet's eyes once more before finally turning around, walking straight passed Hank and ignoring him completely. Black Widow followed behind closely, never leaving him alone for a second. Janet gulped down her saliva, clearing her throat and looking up to Nick Fury.

"That's our cue," Fury stated, gesturing some men to follow him out the door. Hawkeye finally saw Mockingbird come out with Agent Woo, talking seriously and joining Fury outside to the podium.

Before Janet could run up to Hank, Iron Man and Captain America were already talking to him. Janet sighed, and instead of joining the three men, she joined Thor outside, ready to hear what Baron Strucker had to say. Hulk remained outside, considering he was too large to fit in the small doors. They stepped to the side, far from the podium, watching the newscast people line up in the front with anticipation.

"It makes me wonder why mortals give evil a chance in the first place," Thor muttered to Wasp, shaking his head in disapproval.

"Here's the thing with mortals, Thor…we're followers and need to be told what to do. We can't speak our own minds and we always do stupid things. We can't be who we want, only what society tells us to be," Janet explained sadly, watching the photographers flash their cameras.

"Hmm…you must be immortal then," Thor responded, as Janet smiled slowly.

She bumped him lightly, appreciating the comment at a time like this. Iron Man, Captain America and Ant-Man finally came out and joined the rest of the group. They looked across and saw Nick Fury standing with his companions, staring straight at Strucker and never taking his eyes off him. The flashes of photography never stopped, as the many video cameras recorded the scene.

Janet smiled lightly, as Hank took his place next to her like he always did. Call it being protective, defensive or caring, but he always did it, and frankly Janet didn't care. She absolutely loved it. She cleared her throat before speaking, "You're back early."

"Tony contacted me right away when it happened. I came as fast as I could," he replied, never taking his eyes off the podium. She nodded in response, taking a silent pause.

"Which means the Vibranium display was cut short. That must have been disappointing," she spoke softly, knowing exactly what to say when it came to Hank.

"Yeah I suppose, but this is way more important, Jan. So many lives were at stake and I couldn't risk that," he replied honestly, looking into her eyes. She smiled and nodded, mentally melting within her own body. Always the selfless and confident man she had known, especially when scary times like this came up.

"So is this guy for real or what? Says he wants to change the world," Janet spoke, making small talk.

"I don't believe a single word that comes out of his mouth. No one wakes up one day and changes his entire life and personality. It's all wrong. He's a liar," Hank was livid, bantering on about Strucker's insane ideas.

"How are we going to figure this one out? We seem to be stuck," she said, biting her lip nervously.

"It's like we need someone on the inside…" he mumbled, sighing while shaking his head desperately. Janet took her eyes off him, obviously sensing that he didn't want to talk about the certain subject. Did he always have to put up a guarded shield? Why wouldn't he let her in? She couldn't help but huff in irritation, crossing her arms in the process.

Baron adjusted his collar and took a sip of water before clearing his throat. He smiled respectfully to the audience, as the cameras rolled and streamed the telecast live.

"Ladies and gentlemen, honorary guests and hosts of the United Nations…I come before you humbled and aware of your current situation. I know my recent actions have confused and scared many of you, but I speak to you today to tell you that I am a changed man. I have fought so many battles and so many wars…but in the end I realized that the innocent people needed to have a voice as well. I come before you to seek the truth and put a stop to all this evil once and for all. We need to come together as one and stop the corruption, deceit and tyranny this country has been hiding. With your help, I can finally halt and end all dishonesty. As mayor of your city, I promise to uphold everything true and law-abiding, so that this city can be safe for everyone! Can we do it together?"

Strucker raised both hands in the air, as the crowd applauded with enthusiasm. Many people nodded their heads in agreement, giving Strucker a chance to continue his speech. Janet's mouth hung open, as Baron's words captivated the crowd, twisting his words so the public would believe him. It was true; he was very persuasive, especially when it came to crime, money and politics in general. He was literally feeding the crowd what they wanted to hear, and what was worse was the entire world was watching, as the cameras continued to record. Many of the people nodded in agreement, consuming every word he fed to them. It was working…

She felt Hank tense up next to her…although he wasn't the only one. Tony, Steve and Thor's faces were emotionless, but their eyes were full of terror and anger. Hank bent his head sideways to whisper something to Tony, as he nodded in agreement, keeping the same face. No one was happy with this, as Nick Fury's face became more and more livid by the second. One questioned remained; How could anyone possibly believe him after all he's done?

He finally finished his speech and threw his hands into the air in a mighty gesture. The crowed applauded and cheered loudly, praising him with everything they had. The news anchors immediately went in front of the cameras, talking about Strucker's speech. Janet's eyes narrowed at the Channel 4 news van parked on the side, seeing the same telecast woman that degraded her on national television. She flipped her long platinum blonde hair behind her back and smiled for the camera while glorifying Strucker's words of encouragement.

"Baron's words touched millions today, promising peace and justice to all. Despite all he's done, it seems the crowd that gathered at the UN is giving him a second chance," she smiled with a nod. "Is he a changed man? We'll know in the future, but the promised words of something that not even the Avenger's could uphold is now being touched by our hearts. It would seem Baron Strucker has a lot to offer and he is, in fact, a changed man."

Janet was ready to rip her bimbo head right off her neck. She dug her nails into her skin with rage, wanting nothing more than to blast a stinger right on her perfect face for the world to see a swollen bump. In minutes, she slowly calmed down, letting her arms fall, as the cameras suddenly turned towards the Avengers. She couldn't even smile; she didn't want to lie and show the world that she was happy with this. However, the other Avengers were doing the exact same thing. Blank expressions were plastered across their faces, as many news crews hurried over to get their take on what just happened. The blonde ran up to Iron Man quickly, wanting to hear what he had to say.

Janet sighed, slowly stepping off to the side while the main Avengers put in their thoughts. Hawkeye, Hulk and Black Panther joined her, wanting nothing to do with the press. All she wanted to do was shrink and fly back to the mansion, but she knew deserting her team in a crisis, such as this, was not acceptable. Instead, she decided to glare at the woman who humiliated her on television.

Her instincts suddenly jolted, as she looked up to see Strucker staring at her once more. She narrowed her eyes, mentally trying to tell him she wasn't afraid of whatever thoughts were rolling through his mind. The Black Widow was also staring, only her face looked more worried than hate. Strucker lifted his hand and waved slightly with an eerie smile, as he turned around and walked away, strutting toward the press. Janet was so disgusted, she wanted to spit to make a point.

She was about to head back to the ship, now beyond down with the madness that was happening around her, when she glanced at Hank who was now staring at her. She was ready to yell in his face, having enough of being stared at for the day, only when she locked eyes with his, his face was confused and suddenly extremely worried.

It was then Janet realized that Hank caught Strucker gawking at her…and he wasn't okay with it.

She finally turned out the lights after the rough day, sauntering over to her luxurious bed. She dove into her sheets and stared out her large windows, letting the brisk night air kiss her cheeks. The moon was brilliant and full, shining down on her as she let her mind wander. The night sky was calming, and the stars above only gave her more peace. She loved the night sky and everything about it; it always relaxed her. She gazed at the moon with admiration, suddenly feeling helpless compared to what was happening around her. She frowned sadly, afraid of what was going to happen in the near future. She'd been through a lot, but nothing had ever been like this.

The world was crumbling right before her eyes and she couldn't do anything about it. A mad man had been elected into office, and was now a respected official of the United States and the United Nations. It was literally the beginning of the end…and she didn't know what to do. She absolutely hated the feeling of helplessness and what it brought. Her other teammates were probably feeling the exact same thing, especially Tony, Hank and Steve. Leave it to them to fix the problem…they usually do.

She avoided Hank thoroughly when they got back, steering clear to hear an infamous lecture from him. He would promptly ask her why Strucker was doing that and what right does he have to do so. Truth was he didn't…but what could she do about it? Staring wasn't exactly illegal until it became threatening. Sure her life felt threatened, but what proof did she have? Hank sometimes treated her like a child, acting like her father instead of a friend. It was one of his flaws, one of the many, and she wished he would let his pride go. They were alike in so many ways; prideful, stubborn and relentless. All the negatives rolled into one big mess. However, that never stopped her true feelings that lay deep within her. He was also sweet and kind, intelligent and sacrificing. She wanted the whole package, flaws or not, she still wanted it all. However, things were always put on pause for the team. The team would always come first for some reason, and that was just natural.

And as she stared at the moon, so beautiful and radiant, she silently hoped Hank was staring at it with her. She finally closed her eyes and drifted to sleep, hoping for a better tomorrow while thinking of him…

In my mind

Everything we did was right

Open your eyes, I'll still be by your side

How could I ever have been so blind?

You give me something to sleep to at night...

Chapter 2:

Thank you to everyone who likes the story so far. Hope I'm not disappointing anyone, considering this story is, so far, the only Wasp/Ant Man story there is. I would also like to remind everyone that this story does revolve mainly around Wasp and what her destiny has in store for her. Just letting my imagination type freely on the computer, hoping all of you will enjoy it. Next chapter promises a new step, as Janet walks forward and challenges her own destiny...

Please review

SilverShadow65