3688/My Name is Nadia Pym-van Dyne

My Name is Nadia Pym-van Dyne
Date of Scene:	05 October 2020
Location:	6A - Janet's Condo
Synopsis:	Nadia comes to Janet with a question and leaves with a new name, as well as a discussion about things to come.
Cast of Characters:	Nadia Pym-van Dyne, Janet van Dyne

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Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
It is a sunny afternoon. The sun is shining, birds are singing, the leaves have begun to turn, and fall is in the air. It is the sort of beautiful day where one could almost forget they were fighting their way free of tortuous experiences in a Soviet Bunker just a week prior. It's a peaceful idyllic day.

That is until the human whirlwind that is Nadia flies in through the window in a tizzy shattering the calm. She is dressed relatively nicely compared to the borderline punkish-goth fashions she typically gravitates to, in a white blouse, long red skirt, and a pair of low heels. Even before her bio-synthetic wings retract, she is already looking this way and that for Janet, "Janet? Janet?! Are you here?!" She calls out. "Maybe I should have tried JVD Fashion first..." The last bit said mostly to herself.

Janet might recall Nadia was supposed to have a preliminary meeting with an immigration judge today, which raises the question why Jennifer Walters isn't with her, but then Jen can't fly.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"I'm here," Janet calls back. There's only one time Janet's less-than-dressed to the nines, and it's when she's in her art studio. The fashionista emerges from her studio in a thin, paint-spattered white tee and a pair of brief shorts that were red before frequent laundering washed them into a pale sunset rose. A rag smelling strongly of paint thinner is between her hands while she scrubs the paint away from her fingertips. "Cute outfit," she compliments Nadia. Her smile fades at the urgent expression on Nadia's face. "What's up? Is this an emergency-- is everything okay? Is someone after you?" Janet's pacing speeds up and she moves to stand near Nadia with a familiar defensive posture, prepared to go back-to-back if need be.

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
Nadia is quick and the intervening space is crossed in an instant, "Janet!" This time directed at her, she seems quite relieved to see her.

"I didn't know you paint." Is the first thing out of Nadia's mouth before she shakes her head forcing herself to focus on why she is here. "No, no, it's not an emergency, nobody is after me."

She reaches out to take Janet's hands in hers, "I just... I have something really important I need to ask you and you can say no if you want to, I can definitely see why you might, but I hope you won't and I know maybe this is weird..." She is in full motormouth nervous chatter mode.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Don't tell anyone you saw me like this," Janet warns Nadia immediately. She hugs the Waspette back (carefully) and then checks her for paint stains right after. "Steve's the only one who gets to see me in my art space. C'mon, I'll give you the tour," she offers, and bumps Nadia's shoulder with hers before heading to the sideroom.

In contrast to the rest of Janet's immaculate, photo-ready apartment, the 'art space' is a disaster. Oil paints, watercolors, sewing equipment-- anything and everything that might tickle a creative fancy.

Janet darts deeper into the room and tosses a dropcloth onto a half-finished painting. "Uh, Steve wouldn't want you seeing that one," she admits wryly.

"Anyway! What's up?" Janet gestures at a stool and takes her seat on a large garment table, folding her legs with ankles under her knees.

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
Nadia is a bundle of nervous energy and forcing herself to sit still on a stool is a task, "Well you see. Ms. Walters and I went to see the immigration judge today now that the General Attorney is no longer blocking my Asylum request, you know that." Of course Janet knows that, a judge that is a real stickler for the rules too, so she couldn't go with them.

Nadia takes a breath, "The DNA tests provided by SHIELD are fine so there's no problems there..." She is dancing around something. "They need me to fill out a form, that should be easy right?"

She takes another breath, "But it's not easy. It should be easy, why isn't it easy? He's my dad right? I should just be Nadia Pym." She seems to be telling this to herself as much as to Janet. "But maybe I should be more than that, too. I learned something from the Titans though, they call it found family, where sometimes you lose people or never got to know them but you can find new ones and that's okay."

It's just an endless stream of words as her thoughts jumble together, still not having reached an actual question yet. She probably planned out how she was going to say all of this but it is just getting mixed together in the moment.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Nadia, just--" Janet's hands lift and pat the air, and she giggles. "Slow down a little, okay? God. You're all over the place. Look, just do whatever Jen recommends," Janet suggests. "She's our lawyer for a reason. Granted naturalization law isn't her speciality," Janet allows, "but her whole 'what does the four-hundred-pound lawyer get, anything she wants' vibe usually works out in our favor."

"Are you worried about the Russians showing up again? Or someone harassing your dad? Talk to me, kiddo," Janet says, and offers Nadia a reassuring squeeze of both hands to help calm and center her a bit.

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
Nadia shakes her head vigorously back and forth, before she takes a deep breath and does her level best to slow down, "No, none of that. The last few weeks and their revelations made me think, made me think a lot. I've been chasing the past so much I was missing the people right in front of me. I am sure Maria Trovaya was a great woman, one of the greatest. She brought me into this world and gave me my name, but I will never be able to know her, not really. I meant what I said at the spa, I want to let her rest. I will always remember who she was, what she did for me, but she's dead and I need to move forward with living."

Nadia gets up out of her seat and steps towards Janet and the garment table, "Look, you've been there for me when I didn't even know I needed someone to be there for me. You've stopped me from doing stupid things with a look, nobody has ever stopped me from doing /anything/ before not even the Red Room. I want to help everyone around me but if I'm being honest I can't say there's many other people I would have bowed my head to mother again for. I know you hate the 'M' word, call it Guardian, whatever, I don't care. You're the closest thing I've got, you're my found family. I checked New York Law and two different unmarried individuals can adopt the same child."

She takes a deep breath and finally says it, "If it's okay with you, if you'll let me copy your brand just one more time, I want to be Nadia Pym-van Dyne."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
It's to Nadia's credit that she's the sole witness to one of the few times that Janet van Dyne's ever been utterly at a loss for words.

Her jaw moves a little, trying to work the words out-- the proposal's clearly caught her entirely flat-footed and she doesn't know how to respond at first. Finally her chin stops wagging and Janet blinks away tears, looking away from Nadia in a fruitless attempt to compose her thoughts and then back at the girl.

A beatific smile crosses her face, making shining little droplets appear on her cheekbones. "God, Nadia, I-- I'm a little blindsided," she admits, and squeezes Nadia's fingers more firmly.

"I, uh-- I always thought the mom thing was gonna be a ... y'know, 'future Janet' thing. Like in another five or ten years. Maybe. Even Steve's been pretty touchy on the subject of kids."

She carefully brushes the damp away with the heel of her thumb. "But, uh, y'know, I'm started re-thinking it since you showed up. You're awesome, and you deserve to have everything you need, and that includes parents. So, uh..." Janet takes a deep, steadying breath, like someone about to jump off a high-dive.

"If that's what you want, then that's what I want, too. I guess me and your dad, we'll..." she smiles lopsidedly. "I never thought I'd say the word 'custody arrangement' with Hank, but there it is."

"Just, uh, y'know, let people know I'm your young and still-hot stepmom, not like, someone already ancient and in her 30s," she adds, quickly.

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
Nadia watches Janet's changing expressions carefully, hanging on every word. She probably played out different scenarios for this moment a thousand times in her head and not all of them ended well. It was a chance, a leap of faith in someone she has come to rely on and care about a great deal.

When Janet agrees Nadia practically leaps forward wrapping her in the biggest of hugs. "Thank you! Thank you! Janet, you're the best! Don't worry, I'm pretty sure everyone will just think you're my beautiful older sister." She's getting good at this.

When Janet mentions Hank, Nadia pauses like maybe she hadn't really thought about what her Dad might think, "I hope Dad isn't mad..." she closes her eyes for a moment as she leans against Janet, "This is my decision though and I've made it. Thank you so much."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Oh see, that's a perfect line, 'beautiful older sister'. Commit that to memory," she suggests. Janet giggles and hugs Nadia tight, this time ignoring any paint smudges. "Okay. Wow. Uh, big step, biiiig.... huge step," Janet says, and takes a few more slow breaths to steady herself. "I need a drink. Drink?" she offers. "Well lemme rephrase, I'm getting a drink, so if you want one, have at it."

Janet hops off the table and heads out into the living room to her little serviette, and pours herself a few fingers of rum. She doesn't even make an effort to dilute it with anything, and leaves the bottle and a second glass where Nadia can get it.

The three or four fingers is pounded down pretty fast and she looks out onto New York with a thousand-yard stare.

"Oh, uh-- about Han-- your dad. My advice is not to spend a lot of time worrying about what frustrates him," she suggests. "I'm not saying go out of your way to piss him off or ignore his feelings, just... for a scientist, Hank has a tendency to have kind of emotional reactions to things before he sits down and thinks them through."

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
There is much hugging, so much hugging. Eventually Nadia releases Janet to go have her drink though.

For her part Nadia is eyeing the bottle and glass rather suspiciously. Her experiences with alcohol have been mixed to say the least between the vodka that she thought was water and the mimosas at the spa which were much more pleasant. "Is this one more coughing and burny or more bubbly fruity?" She finally asks.

She nods her head at Janet's advice about her father, "He is my hero, I love him so much, but and this may sound strange from someone who just asked someone to be their parent, but I've been tightly controlled for so much of my life, I think I need to start figuring out what I want too and making decisions for myself."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet eyes Nadia, then reaches for a bottle of chilled pina colada mix and upends it over a few fingers of clear rum. The muddled concoction is slid a few inches closer to the girl. "There, first rule of decision making, is know what you like to drink, know how to order it, and don't be afraid to tell the bartender they made it wrong," Janet suggests. "Quiet women rarely make history, you know."

Janet sips her drink and folds an arm over her stomach so she can prop an elbow against her ribs, the drink curled protectively near her shoulder. When Nadia comes near, Janet slides an arm around Nadia's shoulders and hugs her close enough to rest her temple atop Nadia's head. "Your dad doesn't like social rules, because they slow him down," Janet explains, and gestures at the city with her glass. "I live for it, though. There are a thousand ways to tell someone 'fuck you' without having to literally use those words. There's a lot of fun to play the game, play it 'inside' the draw lines. Anyone can say 'well I refuse to play along' but that's just like, one step removed from those dreadfully boring anarchists. Real victory in this city? It's knowing how to play the game better than anyone else in it."

Janet looks at Nadia and squeezes her shoulders. "I guess what I'm saying is, I grew up kicking and fighting anything that smacked of authority. I figure you get enough of that from your dad, perpetually in a quest to control variables to his life. If you're looking for someone to teach you a little constructive mayhem, though..."

She gestures again. "I can do that."

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
"How do I know what I like to drink when I've never had most drinks?" Nadia asks curiously as she accepts the drink. She actually seems to like the pina colada, not only is it fruity but rum seems to agree with her more than vodka despite all of her connections to Russia.

Janet's hug is returned as Nadia leans into her and enjoys her drink. Alcohol is just another series of experiments for a young scientific mind afterall. "That sounds like Science though, you can do a lot of amazing things with Science but there are rules and you can't really break them, you have to work within them. Sometimes people say some radical new experiment breaks the rules but it actually just reveals we didn't understand the rules right and shows us new ones." Nadia can apply Science to literally anything, even being social, "Social things are one place where Dad and I are really different, he hates them but I love people, maybe because I was mostly kept away from people for so long. But meeting new people, being with people, it feels like living life. For me it is hand in hand with science, and science can even improve their lives."

She smiles brightly at Janet as she finishes her fruity much weaker rum drink. "Dad is Dad and he's great at being Dad. You're you and I love you being you. And I'm me, I'm not completely sure who me is yet, but I think I'm starting to figure it out a little. Our family may not be like other families, but I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"I feel the same, honey," Janet promises Nadia. "You're gonna be amazing no matter what you end up doing in life."

They hug again and there's a brief and comfortable quiet as the two of them look out over the view from Janet's penthouse.

"Just promise me one thing," Janet says, finally, and turns to give Nadia a critical side-eye. "This doesn't turn into some freaky 'Parent Trap' plot to get me back with your dad. We're much better friends than we ever were as spouses, I promise you," she advises Nadia.

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
Nadia stifles a laugh, she doesn't know what a parent trap is but she can make an educated guess based on the words. "No, no, I agree. I think you are both better off apart. Sometimes I wonder how you even got married in the first place. And while I'm glad you did, because I might not have gotten to know you otherwise. I am happy with the way things are. I think Dad is happier with Science and I know you are happier with Captain Stepdad."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet breaks out laughing, a high and merry sound. "Oh my *god*, Steve's going to die when I tell him you called him that," she admits, and the pealing laughs take a few seconds to abate. Janet wipes at her eyes and finds somewhere to sit, cradling her glass between her knees.

"Yeah, it's... I think everyone's better off," Janet agrees, her tone a little subdued after she comports herself. "Your dad's first love has always been science and research. He does get lonely, but he needs people a lot less than he needs the lab." Janet sits back and props one arm behind her on the table for support, elbow locked out. "The problem is that you can set lab experiments aside and go be with people, but you can't set people aside to go be with your lab. It's just not something I think Hank's ever gonna be able to do. At least, not until you came along," she tells Nadia. "Maybe he will change. I'm not-- I'm not putting that on you to 'fix'," she amends, quickly. "Just that it's something he might do."

"And don't worry about Steve. I did sort of... run this scenario past him a while back. After you showed up and I realized you needed more ... help. Life advice. He told me to go with my gut, and that's worked out pretty well so far," she says, smiling up at Nadia.

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
"I do hope he finds someone, I worry that he might be chasing the past, too." Nadia says as she leans against Janet looking out over the twinkling skyline, "Someone perfect just for him that can help him feel alive again that can share his science. I want to be there for him, too. But I don't think I'm ultimately the one he needs."

She is quiet for a bit staring at the city lights and stars, before her next brilliant idea hits her. "Maybe I can help him find someone!"

Her mischievous expression passes as she looks back to Janet, "I think your gut has worked out pretty well, too."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Y'know, it's not the worst idea," Janet tells Nadia, thoughtfully. "Maybe he needs someone who can keep his feet on the ground. I mean, look at Sue and Reed Richards," she points out. "I've met Reed. He's got the hot salt-and-pepper thing going but the man lives with his head in the clouds. Sue's the real brains in that couple. She's the reason they've got the money and influence they do, keeps Reed from disappearing into his lab to pursue theoretical study instead of, like, practical applications."

Janet tilts her head at Nadia. "Y'know that raises another question-- since you're not doing school, you need a job," she points out. "You'd be brilliant at fashion design but I get the feeling that isn't your cup of tea. I think maybe it's time to dust off the GIRL project. Maybe integrate some of the more stable Red Room assets into it when they're able. Pym Industries has been getting a little stagnant lately. A few dozen brilliant young girls cranking out ideas in a think tank would be a win-win for everyone involved."

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
"I imagine that's how he and Maria were." Nadia agrees. "It's just a feeling I get."

She perks up visibly at the mention of GIRL, "Oh right! The lab!" It is possible that in all of the shuffle of chaotic events that she had nearly forgotten. "So much has been going on that I haven't been able to make any progress towards it. Though I bet my friends Valeria and Shuri would be willing to be involved! And yeah, I'm not sure what I can do for those girls, but I think for any who haven't been completely turned off of science it could go a long way towards helping them find a place outside of the Red Room. I was a special case, most of the girls who get brought there are orphans and don't really have any connections or roots out here in the real world."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Well, I can't do much for them, and that's Natasha's project anyway," Janet says. "But I do know a little about team dynamics, and even if they can't do the *research*, giving them a sharp looking outfit and a purpose is going to help them a lot," she suggests. "Maybe make them security guards, or something. Help them get some kind of ... GED or vocational thing. You're special, Nadia," Janet reminds her adoptive daughter. "Not everyone can operate on the same level as you or take advantage of the same opportunities. You gotta..." she hedges, looking for the word. "Well, some people need a bit of a hand up, y'know? I think you can do that for them."

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
Nadia smiles brightly, "I want to help them, I want to help everyone, so much I sometimes forget to even SCIENCE! it's just the how that can get overwhelming sometimes. I think your idea is great though, it helps kill two stones with one bird, proving to the world girl and women scientists are every bit as good and helping them the way everyone has helped me AND showing their past doesn't define them and instead of evil science they can make advances that will help the world instead! So maybe three stones? I'm not entirely sure how these birds and stones work. Though that might still be the second stone." She stops to think about it for a moment. "Anyway, there's definitely still work to do. I know Ying will want to help, I bet the others can do amazing things, too!"

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Nadia, Nadia-- relax, bring it down a step," Janet suggests, and makes a lowering motion with fingers extended from the glass she holds. "Look, big picture stuff, that works for you. Worked for your dad, works for Reed," Janet remarks. "And there's nothing wrong with that. But it doesn't work for everyone. You aren't going to motivate a bunch of isolated and abused young women with 'turn all your focus towards bettering society'. Women have been stuck doing that for *centuries*, and it's kind of a step backwards," Janet remarks with a dry tone.

"Get them interested in something they *like* to do. You like science. Maybe one of them is into art, or calligraphy. Or wants to, I don't know..." Janet rolls her eyes around for inspiraton. "Work on cars. This is kinda what 'leadership' is. You can't make them all 'love science'."

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
Nadia blinks a few times, "I don't want to force anyone to love Science, you can't force that, everyone should see it's beauty for themselves! I just meant any former members of the Science Class who still want to do science that isn't evil science. The others? I mean yeah they should do whatever makes them happy, find themselves, if that can somehow fit in with a lab, great, if it doesn't Natasha can probably think of something. She's from the other class. Mother even called her her 'favorite'. I wonder what that means, but if they're more like her she'll probably have a good idea of how to help them."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Sure. I'm just saying, take the... enthusiasm down a half a step," Janet suggests. "This is something your dad struggled with all his life, it's something in the science brain. You see a problem. You have a logical solution. So you just want everyone to just jump on board that train."

She stands and gives Nadia's hands a familiar calming squeeze, trying to reinforce physically an imperative to curb a mild surge of manic enthusiasm. "This is, also, kind of a bipolar thing." Her voice is low and very soothing, making it gentle observation rather than accusatory statement. "When you're up and have a great idea, you're unstoppable. And it's a great thing to have in the lab. It doens't work so well around people. A lot of people will fight even a really good idea if they suspect the other person's way too enthusiastic about it. It's just human nature. If you wanna help these girls, you wanna lead them, you're going to have to really work hard at understanding what makes them tick-- what motivates them-- and appealing to that carefully. It's going to be hard and counter-intuitive, but it's the only way forward."

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
Nadia nods her head slowly, maybe its sinking in. It's really hard to say though she generally only has two speeds, up and down. "So... don't be excited?" She attempts to turn this over inside of her head but definitely seems to be having trouble processing it, "I just want them to do whatever they are enthusiastic about and I want to be enthusiastic about it, too. It's the only way I know how to be. Just ask them and go from there." It can be quite hard to believe this girl who wears her feelings on her sleeve came from the same program as Black Widow.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Kid, I get it, trust me," Janet says with a wry smile. "You'll figure it out. Just be patient with the girls okay? Not everyone's as unstoppable as the Waspette."

Janet releases Nadia's fingers and goes to pour herself a refill, and goes so far as to offer Nadia some unless she demures. "So, um... back to, uh, parent stuff. It's not really a secret that I'm kind of shooting from the hip with you," Janet admits. "I don't know what your situation is with ... housing, or work, or whatever. We'll get the job front sorted out. I mean, if you need someplace to stay, y'know, I've got... like... ten empty guest rooms," she offers with a vague gesture at the rear half of her penthouse. "I guess if you're okay with staying with Hank, you don't need it."

She blinks. "Jesus, Hank," Janet mutters, and glances at Nadia. "I don't suppose you ran this one past him, did you?"

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
Nadia doesn't really demure from the alcohol, she's never actually learned she's not supposed to have it. One of the many things children normally learn from their parents or school while she was memorizing all of the pressure points of the human body. She's not especially affected by it either though thanks to all of the stuff her blood has been injected with over the years. Regardless she happily accepts another pino colada from Janet, it's a happy time with happy drinks.

"I like having options." She smiles at Janet, "Maybe sometimes I'll stay there, and sometimes I'll stay here and sometimes I'll stay in my room at the Titans Tower. They actually have me a room there, too. It's pretty neat... though half the time I wind up sleeping in the lab anyway." She admits.

"I uh no. I haven't told him." She says when Hank is brought up. "I love him, he's my hero, but I don't know what I'd do if he tried to say no and I think this is my decision to make, so hopefully he'll forgive me?"

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet peers owlishly at Nadia, then makes a frustrated noise and waves off an invisible fly. "Right. You said that," Janet remarks. Didn't you? Anyway." Janet peers at her glass and takes a healthy swig. Between her heightened metabolism and a lifetime of partying hard, Janet could probably go toe to toe with Thor in a drinking contest in a pinch. For a little while, anyway.

"Okay, so lodging, work or school, you've got friends in the Titans-- reminds me, I need a list of their names, the ones who came on the rescue. It's polite to send fruit baskets."

Janet flicks a fingernail against the edge of her glass, deep in thought. "I just-- I don't really know." A frustrated sigh slips Janet's lips. "You've got friends, you've got a dad who loves you, you'll end up winning a Nobel prize someday, I'm sure. You're gonna be *the* Wasp. Someday. In like, many years, when I retire graciously."

It's then that Janet turns to look at Nadia, and allows herself a small and helpless shrug. "I guess I don't ... know what you need from *me* here."

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
"You're overthinking it." Nadia informs her, "And that's coming from /me/. The Queen of Overthinking, or maybe the princess, one of those things." She wraps Janet in another warm hug, "You're already doing everything I need from Janet. I just need you to be you."