The Not Quite Justice League in... The Bee's Pleas!!!

[stands_for_hope]

[continued from here]

Finishing his article, clearing everything with Keith, those things took time. That was why it took a few hours before Clark was ready to make his usual call to Lois that night. He had worried that he might not make the time window that she cleared every day to talk to him and the others, but he was proud to say that he'd left himself an even half an hour as long as everything was to schedule.

After the fifth time she didn't pick up (didn't so much as text or ping him), it became clear that things were very much off schedule.

Clark made his way back to the main floor where everyone seemed to congregate and headed straight for Tony, holding up the phone to him.

"I know we're all tired and we've certainly had a long day, but... can you find out where Lois's phone is from the number here?"

In all the madness of the day, all the fighting and the close calls and the weakness brought on by the proximity of kryptonite, he'd lost track of her heartbeat. Usually, it was simple enough to pick up over the phone once again, a steady pulse that he could find his way back to once the phonecall had ended.

He couldn't hear her. He couldn't tell where she was. And she wasn't answering her phone. She always answered her phone. He didn't want to think anything was wrong, but he wasn't naive enough to discount something like this. Not after today. Not after they'd pulled out kryptonite weapons.

Comments

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve took his hand and gave it a soft squeeze. Then he breathed in and out and closed his eyes.

"These kids don't deserve this."

And he shouldn't think of them as kids. Lois was, when it came to lived experience, older than he was. But he couldn't help but think of them as kids in a way. Lois, and Clark.

[kolodnoykovki]

"I know," Jim sighed. "Believe me. I know. They... I halfway feel like I'm a parent."

And it terrified him. Being responsible that way. But then... He'd been responsible for Steve for a long time. The difference was his feelings for Steve had been anything but parental. Even if in hindsight.

[stands_for_hope]

Steve looked down at Lois and smiled just a little.

"I asked her if she wanted me to try and get a hold of her father, get him here. Lord knows I've got enough people in the military who'd be willing to help Captain America.

"She said no. But lookit who she's got here."

The answer was pretty obvious since Lois was curled up against Jim in sleep.

"I'd say we're a little more than halfway."

[kolodnoykovki]

Jim smiled. Kissed her forehead. And then he whispered, "I promised her I'd wash her hair for her, like I used to do yours."

More than halfway a parent. Well... at least this skipped the awkward diapering stage.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Lucky her," Steve said with a warm smile.

Steve squeezed his hand again.

"Lucky us."

[kolodnoykovki]

He brought Steve's hand to his lips. "Don't worry. I'll wash your hair anytime you want."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Jerk," because Jim knew what he meant. Both then and now. "And only if I get to wash yours, prettyboy."

[kolodnoykovki]

"You can put these beautiful hands on me anytime you want, too," he agreed with a teasing look in his eyes.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve leaned over and kissed his cheek before quietly settling beside him again.

"I talked with Tony, and had a phonecall with Sam, who's apparently heading up the cross-team communication efforts. We're still strictly on the, uh, reserve list, but this should mean we'll have a better idea of what might be coming down the pike."

[kolodnoykovki]

"Sounds good to me. I'm going to enjoy more news of Hydra chasing their own tails. Hell... I kind of want to go watch," he admitted, but rubbed his thumb over Steve's. Right now, he was happy being right here.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Maybe if we ask nice, Tony'll give us a satellite feed of it. A whole channel of HYDRA getting eaten by alligators and crocodiles."

[kolodnoykovki]

"We'll put it on for entertainment between shows on Lois's Netflix queue." He wasn't sure what a queue was on Netflix, for all he'd gotten to like the program, but he could parrot the words back.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Sounds like an excellent plan."

He leaned over to give Bucky another kiss before pulling back a little.

"I'm gonna get us all packed up, see if I can settle Clark a little more, and talk to her doctor, make sure we have everything we need to take care of her."

[kolodnoykovki]

Jim nodded. "Thanks, sweetheart. Love you."

And, really, he was looking forward to going home. To the place that was theirs.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve leaned in again to plant a kiss gently against his lips.

"Love you too."

Then he was standing again, moving with surprising quiet out of the room, closing the door behind him.

[kolodnoykovki]

When Steve left, Motya leaned her head on the bed and Jim threaded his fingers into her fur. Comfort in dog form.

[stands_for_hope]

A few minutes later, Lois's eyes fluttered open again.

"Okay, that... was not what I was going for. I wanted to wake up and go home."

[kolodnoykovki]

"Morning, sleepyhead," Jim greeted gently. "Somebody came to say hi."

A soft murmur, and Motya hopped up onto the bed, her weight on Jim for all she sniffed at Lois gently. Service dog training at work.

[stands_for_hope]

"...I swear, she grows more poof when you don't look at her for a second," Lois said fondly before reaching over and using the three fingers on her hand that were working properly to scritch the top of the dog's head.

[kolodnoykovki]

Motya didn't push up against her hand, but she did get that perfect 'big happy dog' grin.

"She missed you, too. But as for getting you home, we're working on that," he promised. "Mostly we didn't want you to wake up and be somewhere you didn't expect."

[stands_for_hope]

"Much appreciated," she said with a huff out and a shiver she couldn't quite suppress. "Fully conscious movement is definitely the superior mode of travel."

She gave the dog a grin in return.

"You got prettier too, didn't you? Didn't you, flufferface? Mmm."

That was accompanied by Lois leaning in to put her face in the dog's fur just a little.

[kolodnoykovki]

Jim smiled and Motya nuzzled gently against Lois, avoiding places with bandages. Getting that dog had done him a world of good. Now he was thinking she'd done all of them a lot of good. He reached up to scratch her ears.

"When you think you're ready, we'll head to the apartment. Then you can get cleaned up, get some fresh clothes on so you feel like yourself, and I'll make whatever you want for dinner."

[stands_for_hope]

"I don't care what you make," she said, "but I want one of your desserts. Whichever one you want. Something with chocolate, though."

She gave the dog another nuzzle back before breathing in deep and pulling back.

"All right, let's get me out of bed. The only thing broken is my arm, so I can walk."

And she started shifting and nudging herself up to get her feet on the ground.

[kolodnoykovki]

Motya hopped down and Jim carefully stood. Yes, Lois' legs were fine, but she still probably had some of the painkiller in her system - which meant he moved to catch her just in case it was making her dizzy. "You're going to have some weird jet lag," he offered as he settled his arm around her.

[stands_for_hope]

"Jetlag is for people who actually stop moving," Lois said airily though she let Bucky hold onto her and didn't pull away. She seemed to be mostly on her feet, though it was clear from the way her eyes were reacting that it was just an admirable tolerance for such things.