2016

After her mother died Hope had never had much of a family.

She never had much of a love life either. There was Darren Cross, but not much ever happened between the two of them.

The day she realized she was truly in a happy place, it wa spring and it smelled like spaghetti sauce.

She was sitting on the couch in Scott Lang's living room, watching Disney Channel. On the floor in front of her was an eight year old Cassie.

Scott was in the kitchen, concocting something that was probably due to be a terrible ode to his grandmother's sauce recipe.

She looked over to him, and found Scott staring at her. He smiled and looked away sheepishly.

Cassie clambered up onto the couch next to her, insisting that Hope braid her hair. Hope complied and later Cassie chattered on about how she hoped Scott and Hope would get married.

They didn't eat the spaghetti sauce.

They ordered Chinese instead.

----------------------------

2018

"Hey."

"Hey."

"I'm still sorry, you know. About Germany."

"I know."

"Will you forgive me?"

"I don't know, Scott."

"Hope, please, what will it take?" He whined desperately. They sat at opposite ends of his kitchen table, two cups of coffee between them.

"I don't know, Scott, what will it take?" Hope snapped angrily. "I was finally happy, we were happy, and you ruined it." Her eyes started to water. "We had to run."

"I know," Oh, he was crying. She needed to hold herself together.

"I know. It's all my fault I know, and I'm sorry. But I," he looked away and inhaled, tried to wipe top he tears off his face, "I still love you." He said shakily. "And if you can't forgive me, it's ok."

He placed his hand on top of her's, that had been resting on the table.

After a long pause Scott spoke, "Also, Cassie misses you."

"Are you using, your daughter, to guilt me, into forgiving you? Scott Lang?" Hope asked in a sarcastic tone, a laugh hidden behind her words.

"Maybe a little bit." He mumbled.

She laughed and he looked up at her with the same sheepish smile from two years ago.

They didn't look away this time.

A lot had changed, and they had too. But maybe there was still room for each other.