"Okay. Going subatomic in five… four… three… two… one." Hope Van Dyne counted down. She threw the switch and Ant-Man shrank, entering the quantum realm gate that was contained in a brown van they had recently purchased from Scott's friend, Luis.

"Alright, Scott, this is a mic check." Hank Pym held up his microphone expectantly.

"Mic check, one two, one two." Scott Lang's voice came through the microphone. "How's everyone doing tonight in the quantum realm?!"

"Scott, we read you." Hank sighed in relief. Every time he used that machine, he tensed up. He was well aware of what that technology was capable of doing, that was why he had built it in the first place. He was also well aware of what it could take away from someone if it didn't work. Or, rather, their loved ones.

"Alright, just want to make sure." Scott responded. "Okay. Healing particles secured for our new… ghost friend."

He sounded as though he hadn't known which words were going to come out of his mouth before he had uttered them.

"Great." Hope said. "Preparing for re-entry in…"

"Five…"

Katy Chen.

"Four…"

Xu Xialing.

"Three…"

Xu Shang-Chi.

"Two…"

Jim Paxton.

"One…"

Maggie Paxton.

Scott grew to normal-size once again as he exited the Quantum gate.

"Ta-da!" Scott said. "Here, Janet."

"Well, that was painless." Janet said. "These particles are going to change Ava's life. I just know it. Me and Bill have been in touch, trying to find her. We had this idea for a suit of armor, not unlike Vision's exoskeleton or the suit she's currently using to regulate her Astralinstability."

"Tell him the acronym you came up for it, honey." Hank began loading up the equipment back into Luis' van.

"J.O.C.A.S.T.A." Janet said proudly. "Had a similar idea for it back in the S.H.I.E.L.D. days, passed it along to Howard Stark. He said there needed to be more research done before testing began. The acronym currently stands for Janet's Objective: Cure ASTrAlinstability."

"Does it need to be an acronym, though?" Scott asked. "I mean, you're allowed to call it that, you invented it. But just calling the project Jocasta is fine, right?"

"Well, the name Jocasta comes from Oedipus Rex." Hank said. "You ever wonder where the concept of the Oedipus Complex came from, she's partly responsible for it."

"That's my point." Scott said. "Why remind people of that?"

"You're just salty because you failed your Greek Literature term paper because of that play." Hope said as the van shrunk and they began to drive back to Scott's house.

"Actually, Hope, if you remember the story I told you in confidence I got an A+ when I first submitted it." Scott bragged. "They only gave me an F later when they found out that I had - hold up. Somebody's calling me."

"Oh. Hey, Laura." Scott said. "No, I haven't heard from Clint lately. Last thing he sent me was a meme about the Bears-Hawkeyes game. Wait, what? Who called? Nick Fury? Yeah, call him back. Send someone to pick me up at my house. I'll be right there."

"Scott? What's happening?" Janet said.

"No time to explain." Scott said, putting his helmet on. "Hank, stop the car. Hope, you put on your Wasp outfit. I need to be home in five minutes, let Cassie know."

With a quick-change and a rushed goodbyes to the Pym-Van Dynes, The Wasp picked up Scott and they flew off to Scott's house.

"That was Nick Fury. Something's happening in Wakanda. You're moving up to the big leagues. Welcome to the Avengers, babe." Ant-Man said through the radio transmitter in his helmet.

"It's about damn time!" Wasp responded gleefully.

Ant-Man and the Wasp made it over to the former's house well before Wasp's parents did.

Ant-Man grew to full size and knocked on the door.

"Hey, peanut?"

"DADDY!" A child's voice came from within. "Something happened to one of your ants! He was playing the drums, and just disappeared!"

Ant-Man didn't even bother to unlock the door this time around. He shrunk through the keyhole to be with his daughter.

Wasp fumbled with the keys in her pocket, but finally found the correct one to her boyfriend's house.

"Scott?" Wasp called out. The television was on, droning the alert system. "Cassie?"

The sight that met Wasp's eyes was one she knew that years from now would still haunt her memories. Ant-Man was kneeled on the ground, cradling his daughter in his arms.

"Daddy, I'm scared."

"You don't have to be, peanut. I'm here. Don't you lose-"

"Hope?"

Cassie Lang.

"Oh, Jesus. Jesus christ." Wasp said. "Scott… I'm so sorry…"

It wasn't fair. Cassie was the sweetest, most innocent little girl Wasp had ever met. She had never wanted kids, or even liked kids that much, but she had known the moment she had met Cassie for the first time that she wanted to be her step-mother. It was one of the best parts of dating Scott, getting a front-row seat to him as a father.

"I've never felt so small." Ant-Man whispered.

Ant-Man.

Wasp stood there in the kitchen for what felt like an eternity. She felt so stupid standing there in that costume, having only been concerned for the adventure she had been longing for only a minute ago. All the Wasp could do is listen to the warning system, and hope that it would stop.

*Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooopppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp*