Chapter 29
Earth 616…
Well Tony finally understood what Hanna meant when she said the next bad guy he faced would be a fire breathing dragon.
What she hadn’t mentioned was that the fire breathing dragons were a knock off attempt at creating a super soldier serum and while it did help people heal and even regrow limbs it also caused them to spontaneously explode.
As he left the kid behind and drove off to Miami he tried to remember everything Hanna had told him. Of course that also meant remembering that she was now gone and it was his fault.
He was going to have to get creative and to start he had to find out more about AIM which meant calling his best friend.
Earth 1218…
“Come on Steve… Let me see.” I said as I sat outside of the fitting room.
“This doesn’t feel right.” He said.
“It’s just different, Give it a chance.” I said looking through my phone as I recapped everything happening in this world. All I could say was… it’s still a mess.
“Is this really necessary?” Steve said coming out in a really tight tee shirt, jeans and boots.
“You were the one that didn’t want to size up.” I said. “Can you even breath in that shirt?”
“It’s fine.” Steve said pulling at the collar a bit.
“Okay how about you try these pants they’re a straight fit so they won’t cut off the circulation to your feet.” I said. “And you like button ups so… let’s try a flannel maybe a henley.”
“I don’t need so all these clothes. We’re not going to be here that long.” Steve said.
“We don’t know that.” I said. “And in the meantime it’s good to have options.”
“Okay.” Steve said taking the clothes and going to change. He came out a few minutes later visibly more comfortable.
“Better?” I asked amused about the visible difference.
“Yeah.” He said.
“Great. Let’s get those in every color they come in and a few pairs of pants.” I said picking them out. Once I paid with my credit card we grabbed some lunch at a diner not too far from the store.
“So how are we going to get back?” Steve said.
Well he humored me for a few hours, I had to give him that.
“The first time I jumped off a rooftop bar, the second time I got blown off a house on a cliff…” I said.
“And you drowned.” Steve said.
“So maybe falling is the answer?” I said.
“A fall like that could kill you if it doesn’t work.” Steve said.
“You’d also have to jump with me.” I said. “What do you prefer bungee jumping or skydiving? I know you’ve jumped out of a plane without a parachute before.”
“But you haven’t and I think you’re forgetting the part were you actually died.” Steve said.
“I drowned and I was out for like a minute.” I said.
“It wasn’t a minute. It was hours.” Steve said.
“The water was cold it slowed my heart rate down and preserved brain function. I’m fine.” I said. “You know the reason we don’t get hurricane on the west coast is because the Pacific Ocean is warmer than the Atlantic.”
“Either way you are not dying again. There’s got to be another way.” Steve said.
“Well I’m a lost cause but I think I’ve made enough progress to not want to willingly off myself.” I said.
“I never said…” he said.
“You did but I’m just putting that out there.” I said. “Alright if we want to get back into the MCU I think its time we read up on the comic book multiverse and I know just the spot.”
So with that we headed to a comic book store. It had been years since I had set foot in this place and it also happened to be years since the last woman had walked in. That woman also being me.
“Hanna!” The shop owner said.
“Dan… it’s been a while.” I said.
“Yeah, how’s the little guy?” Dan asked.
“Uh.. He’s good.” I said not knowing how else to answer that considering I hadn’t seen the ‘little guy’ in years.
“No Theo?” He asked.
“Nope he’s… busy.” I said also not really knowing the answer to that. “But I could use some help. I’ve got a comic themed trivia night coming up with an emphasis on multiverses.”
“Because of Multiverse of Madness being added on Disney Plus. Sounds fun, where is this place?” He asked.
“Some place down in San Diego A friend of a friend invited me.” I said.
“Ah, well follow me while guide you on your journey through the multiverse.” Dan said coming out from behind the multiverse while he came out led us through the store while he pulled out books and comics from different shelves around the store.
“All of this?” Steve said surprised.
“Well there have been a lot of iterations of the multiverse theory since it first came up in Strange Tales #103 in 1962.” Dan said quickly. “And this isn’t counting the Marvel and DC crossovers.”
“And there’s that.” Steve said still in shock.
“So take a minute and skim through some of those and if you have any questions just let me know.” Dan said. “Oh and there are a few new Spiderman’s I’m sure the little guy would love or is Batman making a comeback?”
“No he’s a loyal member of the Marvel Fandom.” I said.
“Smart kid.” Dan said.
“Alright. I think we should just stick with the comic book universes that involve, any of the Avengers, Doctor Strange, and The Scarlet Witch.” I said.
“Sure. Who’s Theo?” Steve asked.
“No one.” I said.
“You have a photo of him in your apartment.” Steve said.
“Leave it alone Steve.” I said.
“And your nephew was also in the photo.” Steve said.
“Oh look kid Bucky is in this one.” I said. “I never understood why they put him in a sailor’s suit. He was in the army not the Navy.”
“Probably because of the colors. Was I wearing Theo’s clothes?” He asked.
“Okay I’m just going to say this once and then we’re never going to mention him again. He was my best friend and for a few years my roommate we had a falling out and we don’t talk anymore.” I said.
“Why did…” Steve started.
“Doesn’t matter. It’s in the past and we’re not sticking around long enough for you to even need to know.” I said.
“If you say so… but you still have that photo of the three of you…” Steve started. “Why would you keep a photo of him if…”
“Because it’s the only photo Jamie doesn’t make a serial killer face in.” I said. “Now can we get to it?”
“Alright.” He said not buying it but finally looking through the comic books.
We were there until closing and we were still no closer to figuring out how to get back…
Two Weeks Later…
Visiting the comic book store everyday was not a viable option considering the long commute. That and at the end of our first week back this universe’s reality decided to give me a reminder that While I was not planning on sticking around in the meantime I had to do things like pay my bills and rent.
So after a week I went back to work at the call center. Trying to get people to sign up for credit cards with ridiculously high interest rates.
All I could say was that as horrible as the soul crushing company that paid me to do this was, the jerks I had to talk to everyday where even worse.
I took the bus to and from work only to come back home to Steve waiting with dinner and a bunch of ideas that were not going to get anywhere because space travel in this universe had not caught up to the MCU.
The only upside to the past two weeks was that Steve had finally started adapting to the new normal. He could finally go outside by himself without ending up in a fight or offending anyone. I did more in two weeks than Bucky did the entire time he knew Steve.
This worked for a while… until it didn’t.
One Month Later…
It had been one hell of a day.
A horrible day.
It was one of those days where if I had gotten hit by a bus I still wouldn’t feel as bad as I did right now.
I walked up the stairs into the apartment.
“Hey I just found…” Steve started but I ignored him walked to my bed and face planted into a pillow before screaming. “Uh are you…”
I screamed again cutting him off.
“Okay?” Steve said.
“I hate this universe.” I said.
“It’s okay.” Steve said.
“No it’s not. Can we go to the rooftop bar and try jumping now?” I said.
“No but do you want to talk about it?” Steve asked.
“What’s there to talk about? We go in there toast goodbye to this shitty place and take a swan dive back to 616.” I said.
“I meant your day.” Steve said firmly.
“It sucked.” I said. “Please tell you found something.”
“Nothing we didn’t already know.” He said. “But we can’t give up…”
“Uh!!!” I groaned louder.
“There is one thing we haven’t tried.” Steve said. “I know you said it was a bad idea but…”
“We are not watching the movies. They were fun to watch until the characters turned out to be real. I don’t think I can watch Tony be a douche again. He’s really worked on himself since then.” I said.
“Then I don’t know what to do anymore.” Steve said. “We’re not going to find anything in a comicbook.”
“Science here still sucks.” I said.
“Too bad magic isn’t real.” Steve said.
“Bleeker street isn’t a real street in this universe or Hogwarts and also magic isn’t real.” I said. “Unless you count CGI.”
“Then let’s take a break. Go out and try to have some fun.” He suggested.
“Too far. Too tired… and people suck.” I said finally feeling the weight of the day.
‘I can’t believe I’m saying this but if Tony were here, what would he do?” Steve said I took the pillow off my face to see if he was being serious.
“Did you really just say that?” I asked.
“He’s good in a crisis.” Steve said. “Also the smartest person I know alongside Bruce.”
“Stubborn as hell though.” I said.
“Not when it comes to you.” Steve said.
“Did you hit your head when the house got blown up or when it fell on us?” I retorted.
“You got him to go to therapy.” Steve said.
“Not that it made a difference.” I said.
“He’s all of that but he’s also the guy that flew a nuke through a wormhole, always thinks on his feet and always finds a way to make a comeback. So if he were here instead of me what would he do?” Steve asked.
“Besides snoop and try to find out everything he could about me which you have pretty much done already. He would have watched the movies by now.” I said.
“There’s an app for that.” Steve said. “Did I use that right?”
“Yeah… okay I don’t think knowing too much about the future is a good thing so compromise we watch all the movies up to Iron Man 3.” I said.
“In the order they came out or order they happened?” Steve said and I gave him a look. “I may have found a rather long conversation online about it.”
“You’ve gotten really tech savy in the last month.” I said. “Let’s go with the order they came out. Some stuff isn’t really relevant yet and there is such a thing as knowing too much. Trust me.”
So I turned on the TV set the movie, logged onto Disney plus and started the movie.
“uh…” Steve groaned and looked away when Tony was hooking up with a reporter. “I thought these were kids movies.”
“PG-13 for a reason” I said.
“He died?!” Steve said with a heart broken expression when Yinsen died helping Tony escape.
“Keep watching…” I said.
We spent the entire weekend catching up on everything that had happened to everyone until the end of Iron Man 3. It didn’t give us any clues as to how to get back but at least we didn’t feel as alone.
Another Month Later…
At the three month mark I was starting to come to terms with the fact that I might be stranded here. Permanently.
My life here sucked but I was starting to get used to being back. I had even gotten a promotion at work. I was now the team manager so when all my coworkers got the insane neurotic customers that demanded to speak to their manager they transferred them to me.
I really hated my life.
Steve had decided to take a slight step back. He did still spent all of his free time learning about the comic book multiverse but he was a man of action not someone that could sit so he had gotten a job managing the building.
It started off with a leaky faucet in the bathroom. Steve liked it quiet while he read his comic books and it was really bugging him. So he tried to fix it and somehow made it worse before finally really fixing it. Of course he had to shut off the water on the whole floor and when someone found him and mentioned they were having trouble even getting water to come out of their shower he fixed that to.
Somehow the building owner found out and offered him the job. He’d get a small stipend and free rent. It also helped that that technically the loft wasn’t supposed to be a loft.
Either way it kept him busy while I was at work and helped him work out some of his pent up energy. He had also decided we needed a car so Steve had saved up some cash and bought us a Junker and had taken to teaching me how to drive.
That’s how we ended up at Target. Once I got over my fear of going over twenty an hour the gas pedal had become my best friend.
“Okay… why don’t we go in and get you some of that stuff you call coffee?” Steve said as I parked.
“It’s a caramel Macchiatto with an extra shot of espresso made with oatmilk.” I said.
“It’s overpriced and there’s hardly any coffee in it.” He said.
“Careful Steve your age is starting to show.” I teased before we headed into Starbucks. Steve got his usual while I went with my order except I was interrupted by the last person I ever wanted to see.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” A very familiar voice said.
“Oh shit.” I said not needing to turn around to know who it was.
“Uh Is that…” Steve said.
“Yeah cancel our order.” I said.
“No cancel our order.” He said.
“Uh okay…” The two teenagers taking out orders said looking awkwardly.
“But we just…” Steve said.
“We’re going.” I said ushering him out.
“Oh typical just run away from your problems.” He said.
“I think we said all that needed to be said.” I said.
“And you’re just shutting down. Typical Hanna.” He said.
“Says the guy making a scene at Starbucks. Again.” I said to Theo.
“Oh screw you.” Theo said.
“Up yours.” I said flipping him off as I stormed out.
“UH…” Steve said “Hanna?”
Got in a car and refused to say anything the entire way home.
“Are we really not going to talk about it?” Steve said.
“It’s not your problem.” I said. “Stop asking.”
“I don’t know what happened but you two used to be very close and…” he started. “Maybe you weren’t meant to date…”
“What are you talking about?” I asked suddenly realizing we were both talking about two very different things.
“Theo is your ex that’s why you don’t like talking about him.” Steve said.
I couldn’t help the laugh I let out after he said that.
“You… you think Theo and I…” I said laughing again. “No… no no no… not even in another universe. I told before I don’t date and I’ve never had a boyfriend.”
“I thought you were kidding or just saying that so we didn’t feel bad.” Steve said.
“Some of us aren’t ashamed of being a virgin in our 20s and you’ve been here long enough to know that there aren’t a lot of great options.” I said making Steve blush. “Also Theo’s gay.”
“Oh.” Steve said finally putting everything together. “Then what happened to make you go from this…”
He said handing me the photo that for some reason I still had lying around.
“To refusing to being in the same room as each other.” He asked.
“Things happened, we grew apart.” I said. “That’s all you need to know.”
“Hanna.” Steve said giving me the disappointed Captain America Voice.
“Steve.” I said crossing my arms and countering his attempt at staring me down.
We stared at each other for like a minute before he sighed.
“You should talk to him.” Steve said.
“We said what needed to be said.” I said before there was a knock at the door.
Of course the week that followed it was like I just couldn’t help but run into Theo. On the train, at Starbucks, Target when I decided to try going back.
The last time Steve and I were going to have dinner at a diner when he walked in.
“I’m going to use the restroom.” I said excusing myself.
I wasn’t entirely sure why but when I came back Steve was gone and Theo was sitting in his place.
“Great.” I said.
“Your boyfriend said you wanted to apologize.” Theo said.
“Of course he did.” I said annoyed. “He’s not my boyfriend.”
“He is out of your league.” Theo said.
“And you’re not his type.” I said.
“Are we done? Can you stop stalking me?” he said.
“I’m not stalking you psycho.” I said.
“You’re everywhere I look.” He said.
“You don’t own the fucking train.” I said.
“Then take the bus.” He said.
“You’re not the boss of me.” I said.
“That never stops you from deciding everything for everyone because you know everything and you’re always right.” Theo said.
“I did the right thing Theo and you know it.” I said.
“No you didn’t and it wasn’t just your choice Hanna!” He shouted.
“Yes it was because at the end of the day I was the one who had to sign the damn papers.” I said.
“Theo…” Steve said coming over.
“No it wasn’t just your choice. I was right there with you every day. He was not just your kid Hanna. I helped raise him just as much as you did and you gave him up to that fucking junkie!” Theo shouted.
“She’s his mom, Theo. It was always supposed to be a temporary thing.” I said.
“It was five years.” He said. “That’s not temporary. That’s abandonment and you gave him back to her like those five years meant nothing to you. He was our kid.”
“We took care of him but he was not our kid.” I said.
“Typical. I get that you’re emotionally stunted but this you being a cold hearted bitch!” Theo said before storming off.
“Hanna…” Steve said approaching.
“I told you to leave it alone.” I said.
“You needed to talk and…” He started.
“It was none of your fucking business. Butt out!” With that I grabbed my bag and stormed off.
Old habits die hard.
Or they don’t die at all.
Which is how I ended up at my favorite Korean Irish fusion gastropub.
Yes I know how bad that sounded. Yes it was an unorthodox combinations and would I have much rather gone to just a plain old regular Irish pub?
I would have but this place had its hidden charms. Mainly that drinks were half off because it was the middle of the week and my first drink was always whatever concoction the bartender tried to invent that could possibly match the fusion theme of the bar and I never threw up.
I also always came here because Stan the owner made sure to keep the seats around me empty when I was having a day like today and already knew where to tell the cab to take me when it was time to close.
It had been a while but one look and he could already tell what I needed. He didn’t beat around the bush and started me off with a Korean/Irish whiskey flight.
Then came the pickle-kimchi-backs. It was not as bad as it sounded. Though by the third one I think my tastebuds were too drunk to actually taste anything.
“Stan the man… I fucking hate this universe.” I said to the bartender who didn’t say anything just poured me another drink. “This world is crap and it’s just getting worst. Every horrible thing that has ever happened to me happened here. I gave up and learned to make due but life just likes kicking my ass. And then when I finally get it together, And I’m talking going to therapy and actually trying and I start to see the good in the world a freaking house falls on me and I’m thrown right back into this shit.”
I gulped my drink down again and gestured for him to keep it coming.
“I’m just going to leave the bottle.” Stan the bartender said. “You need it more.”
Well that’s what he told me.
The night gets really blurry from there.
Third Person’s POV…
Steve was up worried sick and kicking himself for trying to push Hanna into talking to Theo when obviously that was her trigger. It was not the first time in the past couple of months he actually wished Tony was there to help.
He was too busy feeling sorry for himself to even notice someone unlocking the door downstairs and stumbling through.
“Can’t believe you still keep the keys in the planter.” Theo muttered.
Theo came in with a passed-out Hanna dangling over his shoulder.
“Are you going to just stand there looking pretty or are you going to help me with your girlfriend?” Theo sassed.
“Theo?” Steve said surprised.
“Ehem?” He said gesturing to Hanna.
“Oh right.” Steve said immediately going to pull the covers aside and helping Theo gently put her down. Theo went into the bathroom while Steve slipped her shoes off.
He came back and put a trashcan that was double bagged on her side of the bed with a bottle of aspirin and a glass of water.
“Next time you try to ambush her do a better job of keeping an eye on her. Seriously you can only coast by on your good looks with her for so long.” Theo said before trying to leave.
“Wait I thought you and her…” Steve started.
“She’s my best friend idiot. Even if I’m pissed at her I’m always going to make sure her drunk ass gets home safe.” Theo said. “Seriously, do better and those pants do nothing for your ass.”
With that Theo stormed out.
He looked at the door then back at Hanna before catching his reflection in the mirror and looking at his pants confused about what Theo was talking about.
Then Steve finally admitted it.
“I know nothing.” Steve said to himself just as Hanna let out a loud snore.