More Sorrow

The TV screen was turned on, screening the news cast for the day. The picture showed the Avenger team, fighting the small invasion of mythical creatures. The many scenes shifted from SHIELD to the Avengers, showing the multiple battles they had over the course of the couple weeks.

"It's been exactly two weeks now and still no sign of Wasp," the anchorwoman presented the news as usual, her face unusually surprised. "The video presented is of the past couple weeks, and as you can see, Wasp is no where to be found. Even when we questioned the Avengers personally, they had nothing to say."

The video switched, the screen now showing Iron Man in his full armor, the team cleaning up some dead creatures in the back. The camera rushed forward, running up to him, "Iron Man, any thoughts on Wasp's disappearance?"

"No comment," he quickly said, turning his back towards the camera.

The woman came back on, "It seems the team is baffled themselves. It has officially been documented that Wasp has quit the team and left. But is this because of Baron Strucker? Is the new mayor of New York and respected member of the United Nations actually now seeing the ex-member of the team? Is their love blossoming under the sheets of HYDRA? We won't know until Wasp reveals herself to the public once more. Up next, is HYDRA finally changing their name from its negative light? Or will it-"

The screen abruptly turned off, as Hank threw the remote control on the table forcefully, sick of watching the news. Clint, next to him, gulped nervously, as Thor beside him sighed deeply. The entire team was silent for a brief moment, as the SHIELD agents around them awkwardly continued their work. Maria Hill, on the other hand, grinned widely.

Fury walked to the table, picking up the remote and giving it to Mockingbird. He knew the team would've been bothered by her leaving, but they were furious. The rage coming from the room was unbearable.

"I can't believe this is happening," Hank mumbled, feeling betrayed. The entire team was feeling betrayed. "Why is she doing this?"

"I don't know. Damn it, she's going against everything we've discussed with her. I told her specifically that we do this as a team!" Tony said gruffly.

"It's more than that. She didn't even tell us about it or give us any warning," Clint added.

"Tis not the fact she left, but her reasons for not trusting us," Thor also deduced, very sad about her leaving. The team hadn't realized how much joy Janet gave to the team until she left.

"I don't know why all of you are crying about her. She's doing all of you a favor," Fury interrupted, as their glares shot toward him.

"We made a deal from the very beginning, Fury. She knew her job," Tony replied.

"She took the mission in her own hands, something a true agent does. Not only is she protecting your sorry asses, but this entire city and world."

"If she can't even keep her team involved-!"

"You don't even know why she did it, Stark! You don't know what she's sacrificing! She's doing this for you! For all of you!"

Tony stood up sharply, "You don't even know why! How do you know she hasn't been taken or captured!"

"I seriously doubt Strucker would pull a stupid stunt like that so early in his reign. You really think we're dealing with some mediocre villain here?"

"It truly amazes me how calm you are about this, Fury. I'm surprised you're not barking around the room like you usually do."

"Unless he knows more than we do," Hank finally spoke, turning his chair and eyeing Fury skeptically. The sudden silence in the room was deafening. Hank, being the genius that he was, focused on Fury, "Are you still in contact with her?"

"I can assure you I know as much as you and I'm in no means in contact with her. In the meantime, all of you need to calm down and let her do her job without all of you screwing it up. The last thing we need is the Avengers attacking the mayor without cause," Fury never hesitated and remained calm. "Now…all of you get out."

The sweat seeped down her neck, as she panted aggressively while blocking a punch. She moved as fast as she could on her feet, practically flying out of the way. She grunted, receiving a jab in he ribs, as the kick went for her stomach. She winced in pain, standing straight and going for her own attack.

"Your ankles are shaking. Keep yourself calm," Natasha commanded, attacking her once more. Janet managed to block the punch toward her face by stepping to the side, raising her leg to kick. Still, Natasha managed block everything with ease like a graceful, but deadly, animal. Janet did get a few jabs here and there, but nothing fazed Natasha; she took pain quite well.

"Steve's training is nothing compared to this," Janet panted, dodging another kick.

"Captain America is a noble man, but doesn't understand how the body works. I could easily take him down."

"Do you ever stop bragging about yourself?"

"I speak only the truth," Natasha defended. "Once you memorize my techniques, you will be better than Captain America, Hawkeye, and Black Panther combined."

"If I can survive that long," Janet mumbled, taking another jab.

Janet attempted to lunge forward again, this time following Natasha's side step. She saw her opening, thrusting her hand upward and hitting Natasha's sternum, followed by a reverse punch in her stomach. Natasha grunted briefly, impressed with the strength and speed Janet already learned in a couple of weeks. She quickly seized the moment, blocking another punch Janet was throwing, slapping it down and vertical punching her ribs. Natasha finished the job, swinging a roundhouse kick straight into her gut. Janet grunted uncontrollably, falling to her knees and panting vigorously. Natasha waited till Janet got back up.

"Perhaps it is your uniform that slows you down. It is bulky…"

"Ok, ok, I get you don't like my outfit. Besides, I usually train in normal clothes, not my uniform," Janet sighed, extremely tired.

"That is your first mistake. Train in the clothes you're going to use in battle," Natasha corrected, as Janet reluctantly nodded in agreement, standing back up.

"How is the new uniform going anyway? You haven't told me much about it since you insisted I get a new one."

"It is practically finished. I'll deliver it to you tomorrow," Natasha answered, swiftly moving. She grabbed Janet's arm and swung it behind her back, kicking her leg so she was off balanced and pinned her to the floor. Janet grumbled in the padded floor. "This will be the first technique I show you."

She picked Janet back up, knowing Natasha was giving her a break. Janet picked up her water and chugged it. The sparring ring was quite as glamorous as the one back at the mansion, but it was formidable. She looked around and saw many other agents doing the exact same thing, as well as exercising and weight lifting.

"How has your transition been?" Natasha asked suddenly.

"Fine I guess. I prefer Tony's place over this any day, but it's pretty good. The media has been on my ass these past weeks though…"

"Ignore the media. Their world should never be mixed with ours."

"It's hard not to when Baron has the TV on in every room."

"He likes to keep up, seeing where he stands in the eyes of the public. He needs to be in a positive light with the public before he can further move forward," Natasha explained. Janet knew cameras were littered around the training room, so Natasha had to speak of Baron optimistically.

"Makes sense. I can't wait to see what else he has for the city," Janet smiled enthusiastically, acting excited. Natasha nodded.

"Has he informed you of the ball he is planning?"

"Ball? As in fancy dresses, champagne, instrumental music, and dancing?" Janet lifted a brow.

"In the upcoming months, a ball will be held at Baron's mansion, in honor of everything he's done and will do. Practically all of the United Nation's leaders will be there, including other noble directors from different countries and even the president. It is definitely going to be something grand."

A question occurred in Janet's mind, but she knew she couldn't ask it now. "The only ball I've been to was my high school prom…and that was horrible."

Natasha smiled lightly, "This will be nothing like a simple prom." She paused, collecting her thoughts. "The Avengers and SHIELD will also be invited."

Janet almost spat out her water and gulped, "Oh…well that's going to be awkward."

"Indeed. I would avoid them as much as possible."

Janet shrugged, "They probably won't even go. Fury, on the other hand, wouldn't miss it; he's pretentious like that." Natasha grinned, agreeing with a nod. "Or hey, maybe you can dance with Steve; he's had a serious crush on you for quite sometime now." Janet giggled, expecting Natasha to laugh with her, but she didn't. Natasha's eyes were wide and quite surprised. Janet quickly covered up, "But hey, I'm sure a lot of guys have a crush on you, right?"

Natasha shook her head, "Fear is the first thing men feel."

Janet's lips tightened, suddenly feeling guilty. "Um…"

"Let's continue," she said quickly, placing herself in a fighting stance.

"Ladies…" a voice interrupted, as Baron Strucker strode forward. Natasha instantly gave a small bow. Janet gulped, doing the same thing. He looked pleased when she did this, smiling big. "I see you two have become quite close. I'm pleased; this is what I wanted to happen. Now both of you can learn from each other."

"I have taught Wasp many things, my Baron," Natasha replied. "Her hand to hand combat is improving dramatically and she will be a great asset to your aid."

"Wonderful, and I am pleased to see that she has also taught you many things, my dear."

"I'm sorry?" she asked, confused.

"You're smiling more," he replied, as her mouth dropped slightly, actually surprised. Had she really been smiling that much? Sure Janet was funny, but she didn't expect her to actually show emotion. She suddenly cursed herself for being so reckless. She could feel the grin on Janet's face growing.

Janet was actually shocked Baron would notice something like that. She now truly believed he paid close attention to the two of them. They had grown closer over the weeks, but the friendship was still more professional than social. Natasha was still, in a way, in charge of her until Baron saw Janet fit to perform missions with her.

"Have you told her about tonight's festivities?" Baron inquired, looking at Natasha.

"Forgive me, I have not informed her," Natasha replied, blinking in amazement.

"Ah, you did not think she was invited," Baron smiled knowingly, glancing at Janet. "She will update you. In the meantime, I did purchase a small token of gratitude for my appreciation. I trust it is your size."

Baron turned and left swiftly, keeping the same grin on his face. Natasha's expression was emotionless, "I did not think he would invite you…"

"Where? A mission?" Janet asked in excitement.

"A club."

Janet's face went blank, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me correctly," Natasha sighed, picking up a towel and wiping her forehead.

"But…but he's old," she whispered the last part.

"He's been doing more activities that involve a more youthful experience. Where he goes, we go."

"And he bought me a dress?"

Natasha shrugged, "Yours are probably unflattering anyway."

Janet grumbled, "You can stop calling my wardrobe unflattering."

"That yellow sweater is hideous."

"It's comfortable…"

"It's unfathomable how you can wear that in public."

"Whatever, Tasha. You said yourself you were going to take me to get new clothes. When is that going to be?"

"When Baron thinks your ready to be in the public again, then I'll take you."

"Great…"

"Until that time…" Natasha began, picking up a Bo staff and throwing it to her. Janet struggled, but caught it nervously. "…you continue to learn."

The limo ride on the way to the club was something she had seen in a movie once. It was insane, to say the least. It was packed with some of the city's most trusted officials, with half naked women hanging on top of them. If anybody had seen this, they wouldn't be so trusted anymore. Janet nervously sat next to Baron, who was talking calmly to Natasha next to him. Beers were being thrown around like Frisbees, as the men continued to howl and say provocative things to the women. Janet gulped anxiously.

She looked down at her new dress, a stylish navy blue cocktail dress that she fell in love with as soon as she laid eyes on it. She hated crossing her legs, but she had to for this instance; the short dress barely ended at her mid-thigh. Natasha's dress was similar, only a deep purple. She took out her compact and put more lip-gloss on, trying to calm her nerves. A hand touched her shoulder gently, as she looked up.

"Don't worry, we're almost there," Baron whispered into her ear, trying to be louder than the music. She nodded with a smile, grateful. After a few more minutes, they did stop at a club, but in the back. Security immediately opened the door of the limo, as Janet sprang out of there as fast as she could. Despite the havoc the men created in the limo, something told her Baron did it on purpose.

"That was great, Strucker," one of the men said, whom Janet recognized as a senator. He was still in the motion of zipping of his pants, "I hope our table is VIP."

"As always, Senator Kelly," Baron nodded with a smile, as everyone entered the club. Janet nearly jumped when Natasha came next to her.

"Stop being jumpy. Act professional," she commanded, standing tall with beauty and confidence. "You act like you've never been to a club before."

"I've been before, but not with men getting lap dances in a small limo. This is just weird," Janet replied, already hearing the loud music.

"You'll understand the ulterior motive later…" Natasha explained vaguely.

Before Janet could ask more, they went into the building. The music was loud and blaring, the lowly lit space filled with multi-colored lights. Dancers were on platforms shaking everything on their bodies, and a DJ was blasting his remixes. Men, whistling as they walked by, were already staring at Natasha. However, Janet was surprised when she also received the same attention, men wanting to walk up to her if Baron hadn't been there. Her mouth dropped slightly, but she had to remember to keep it professional. She didn't think she looked that great compared to Natasha…then again, her dress was short and she was wearing a push up bra for once.

She immediately noticed the state officials walking upstairs and taking their seats, ordering alcohol. The area was cushioned and comfortable, as the dancers filed in, already knowing who each man was. The dancers gave them cigars, lighting them. The officials laughed wildly, having he best time of heir lives.

"Disgusting," Janet mumbled.

"I fully agree," Baron said next to her.

"I am a bit confused. You invited them?"

"Yes, they enjoy coming to these things," Baron answered, watching them from the corner of his eye. Janet studied Baron more closely. He was wearing his fancy Armani suit with an expensive black glove over his powerful hand. He took off the monocle he always wore, as well as the sword he kept strapped to his hip. She would admit he was changing, but that didn't mean she trusted him. But she had to admit…he gave no indignation that he was trying to take over the world. He kept his cool and was genuinely nice to others. "You still look confused, my dear."

"Sorry, it's just that…well…I don't know why…" she couldn't finish her sentence.

"You don't know why an old man, like myself, would come to this sort of place," Baron finished for her, still smiling. She nodded sheepishly, slightly embarrassed. He looked away from her, grinning proudly, "I won't be old for long."

He mumbled a bit, but she caught it perfectly. Her confused face became more apparent, wanting to ask him more what he meant by that. However, he never turned back to her. Instead, he looked down at the dance floor, watching the young crowd dance to the music. Janet met eyes with Natasha, who also caught what he said. She didn't know what it meant, but it couldn't be good. Instead of freaking out, though, she had to act like she didn't hear anything.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that," she said with a bright smile, touching his arm gently.

He cleared his throat, "I simply do it for my friends." He gestured toward the many senators and other government officials.

"I can see they like the gifts you give them."

"It helps that I own this building now," he bragged, slowly liking the way her hand was on his arm. Janet's eyes lit, stunned that he would do that.

She shrugged, "Hey if you got it, go for it. That's what I always say."

He nodded, "I like your logic."

"Hey Strucker!" one of the senators yelled, yelling random words with a cigar still in his mouth. "How about you give me one of your fine ladies!" Janet was shocked to see Baron put a protective arm over her body, defending her. Baron suddenly looked like a lion, ready to tear out a throat. In that instant, she saw the hatred once more.

"My Baron," Natasha's hand flew over to his. "I will go to him, if you wish." He considered it, but he knew Janet was watching, and that wouldn't be very good of him.

"No, my dear. He does not deserve you," he replied, releasing his hand off Janet. Natasha blinked several times, surprised. Usually he flung her around like a piece of meat. It was then she finally saw how much he genuinely liked Janet. It almost made her sick; the poor girl was in deeper than she thought. Natasha sat back and continued to listen to their conversation.

"I hear you're now torn from keeping HYDRA's name or not," Janet brought up.

He nodded, "There's so much history that comes from that name. Unfortunately, the name is painted negatively and is considered evil, by means from America. I would like to keep it, but I will be forced to change it for my people."

"I definitely agree that it makes you look bad, no offense. The symbol and everything HYDRA stands for is pure destruction. If you really want the people to love and accept you, I suggest changing it. Only, don't change what you stand for, just become something that is willing to take risks and show adoration for this country," she explained.

"You have convinced me," he smiled wide. "But I don't know what to call my organization…"

She grabbed his hands tenderly, "We can do it together." She smiled big, her eyes sparkling with delight. Baron stared at her, utterly mesmerized by her. He didn't say anything, so she became nervous, "Or…you can do it, of course."

"No…that is a perfect idea," he agreed, grabbing her hand. They stared at each other for a brief moment, and Janet didn't flinch or pull back this time. "Can I ask you something, my dear?"

"Sure."

"Well, it's not exactly a question, but more of an inquiry," he restated, dropping her hand and sitting back. "I was surprised when you left the Avengers to come live with me."

If Janet had been drinking, she would've spewed it out of her mouth from the abrupt question. She was panicking slightly, not really knowing what to say to him. "Well, as you know, Black Widow has been teaching me a lot of things, and it's hard to keep up living elsewhere."

He chuckled lowly, "My dear…you've lost complete contact with them since you've been living in my home. I don't mean to pry, but I am curious…" She hadn't been expecting this. Since when did Baron Strucker care about what she did with her team? Ok, so he cared all the time, but this was the first time he was getting aggressive about it. She could tell Natasha was cursing in her head right now. "On our date, you had your teams best interest, including SHIELD."

She scoffed, "I don't think you'd believe me if I told you." His face remained the same. She gulped before continuing, "I don't know Baron…I…I feel like I had to." She paused, building up the tension, but he listened to her intently. "I don't know if you know this, but I feel absolutely worthless compared to the rest of my team. I really do feel inadequate when it comes to their amount of power."

She paused again, looking up at the flashing lights that were whizzing everywhere. "So when you took my hand and told me I was worth pursuing…my world changed." Her face turned to look at him, "You told me I did have power and that I wasn't as insignificant as I thought I was. So…I took a chance and followed my heart instead of my head." She turned once more away from him, slightly embarrassed. It was as if the music faded and only she existed suddenly. Part of it was actually true, besides the joining him. He hadn't spoken in a while and it made her nervous.

"Well…" he began. Their eyes met suddenly, and she couldn't help but gulp once more. "I have no further questions for you."

"Do you want to dance?" she blurted without thinking.

He smiled in appreciation, "I would love to, but unfortunately I cannot 'dance' the way your generation does." He paused, looking down and watching the younger crowd grind against each other. Janet smirked when he wasn't looking, knowing he would say no. "But I believe after time goes by, I will be able to dance the way your cohorts can." Once again, his statement confused her, but she didn't show it.

"Then you wouldn't mind if Natasha and I go, right?" she asked, wondering if he'd agree. His expression said no, but his words were positive.

"Of course," he nodded, although his face looked somewhat irritated. She quickly stood up and grabbed Natasha's hand, dragging her downstairs to the dance floor. She wanted to make a dash for the bathroom, but Natasha pulled her away from it, stepping on the floor.

"Hey, I wanted to talk in the bathroom," Janet protested.

"Baron told you he owns this club. He has cameras and microphones in the bathrooms and VIP rooms, as well as the dance floor."

"Seriously?" she exclaimed loudly. "So we can't talk here?"

"It can't be heard because of the music, but we can be seen. Trust me when I say he'll be reviewing the footage of us later," Natasha said seriously, eyeing the crowd with a deadly stare. Janet rolled her eyes, moving her hips to the beat. Natasha continued to stand still.

"Don't you know how to dance?"

"Yes," she replied bluntly.

"You do know where we currently are, right?"

"Yes."

Janet's eyes twitched slightly, but still continued to sway her hips back and forth with the beat the DJ was creating. Natasha sighed and moved with her, finally dancing. Janet said loudly, above the music, "You don't know how to have fun, do you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Like you're always focused on the job and never yourself. You're very selfless, but it is ok to be a little selfish sometimes," Janet figured, loving the next song that began to play. "You need a break."

"I'll take a break when this war is over," she replied quickly. Two guys came up to dance with them, but the glare Natasha gave them was so deadly, they quickly dashed away in fear. She swiftly changed the subject, "You handled Baron very well…a little too well."

Janet furrowed her brows, "What's that supposed to mean? I'm doing what you told me."

"You truly surprise me sometimes. There are moments when I think you're a complete child, and then there are others that impress me."

"Um, thanks? Seriously, how am I supposed to respond to that?"

Natasha ignored her, "He's going to trust you now…but it only gets harder from here."

Janet nodded, "I'm ready."

Another three weeks went by, causing her disappearance to be longer than a month. He sighed longingly, walking down the hall and sauntering aimlessly. He finally made it to her door, stopping directly in front of it. He opened it slowly, peering into the dark room. He looked around for a brief moment, taking in the loneliness and silence.

Hank finally walked in, closing the door behind him. He walked to the dusty curtains, opening them widely to reveal the sun. Her entire room was suddenly lit with sunlight, as the dust particles floated in the air. He remembered when Tony and Steve searched throughout her dressers and cabinets, collecting her means of communication, shutting the curtains, and forever sealing her door. Some of the team felt betrayed, while some was just sad that she left.

Him? He felt a mixture of both, but nothing was worse than not seeing her beautiful smiling face everyday. She was a light of his path, but unfortunately his light wasn't around anymore.

Some of her things were still there, collecting dust and dirt. He picked up her headphones and brushed them off, suddenly getting the urge to throw them across the room. Instead, he set hem back on her bed, letting them rest there. Tony and Steve already went through her things, but he couldn't handle it at the time. He simply walked over to her nightstand and opened the first drawer he saw. He pursed his lips at what he saw, picking it up slowly.

It was a picture of him and her, smiling merrily. He remembered the day perfectly; they went to the beach with a few colleagues to celebrate a breakthrough in the study they had been working on. The beautiful sunset was behind them, but nothing compared to her radiant smile that was across her face. She held him tightly, happy to be in his arms and away from the cold chill. He was so nervous, for it was the first time she had ever been so close to him.

He remembered at picture on her nightstand, but he never paid close attention to it. She had a picture of him this entire time? It just sat there and he never saw it. Had she felt something and he didn't even know it? No, he was her best friend, how could she ever have feelings for him? Still, he had never felt more connected to anyone before. She made him want to be a better person.

"Dr. Pym, an important live television broadcast is currently airing now. Mr. Stark recommends you to view it," Jarvis suddenly spoke, breaking his thoughts.

"Alright," Hank nodded with a long sigh, as the flat screen TV instantly turned on from across the room. The blond anchor was seen, looking shocked and excited at the same time.

"We have breaking news. Video footage has just come in from an anonymous tip regarding the sate senators and government officials. We advise you, for what you're about to see is vulgar and offensive. Use discretion upon viewing…" she said in a rush, as the video changed to the state senators, drinking, smoking, and being bombarding with half naked women. The club music was loud and blaring, but the men did not care; the focused on what was in front of them. They began throwing out their money randomly, as some women took them into the back.

"F**k New York City!" a senator proclaimed, as a bleep blocked out the curse word. He suddenly began drinking down shots, snorting a white powder substance, and diving on top of a woman. The video suddenly stopped, as the woman came back on.

"There is more video footage, but the rest is too crude to be seen. Of these senators include: Senator Conrad, Senator Blaine, Senator Weinberg, Senator Kelly-"

She continued naming off the respected officials, as Hank's mouth remained open. So many good men, some which he knew personally were being named off that were on the video.

"…and Senator Elias are, as we speak, being arrested for prostitution and drug paraphernalia." The video switched, as Senator Conrad was shown being arrested in front of his own home. His wife was sobbing in the back, curled up in a corner.

"I swear, I don't remember anything!" he cried, being shoved in the police car. "Please!" The door slammed shut, leaving him inaudible. The video went back to the woman again.

"It is a tragic day for New York, for our leaders were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. We will know further information of their upcoming trials. I'm Daniela Stone, Channel 7 Eye Witness News," she finished, as the TV turned off.

Hank gripped the photo furiously, glaring at he black screen, "Strucker."

I know what it takes to move on…

I know how it feels to lie…

All I want to do is trade this life for something new…

Holding on to what I haven't got…

Chapter 7:

The rating finally made its view. I tried to make it as PG13 as possible, but I could've gone further with making it R. However, I feel I kept it pretty low if regarding offensive behavior.

I'd like to apologize for the wait; it is the end of the semester and, for some reason, teachers always feel the need to bombard their students with last minute research papers, projects, and other assignments we do just to survive. So again I apologize for any inconvenience. Now it will be easier to update…hopefully. I am taking a small vacation this summer, but it shouldn't be too strenuous.

I'd also like to remind others that the story is MAINLY FOCUSED ON JANET. Yes, it will be Hank/Janet EVENTUALLY, but for now it is about her and NOT the relationship. Get used to it.

Ok, angry rant is now over :D Please review!

SilverShadow65