From across the hallway

Part 39

Christmas came and went in a flash, and before anyone knew it, it was January. Cold and wet and dreary.

Missy stared out of the window at the darkening sky, clutching a hot mug of tea, but her eyes were out of focus and glazed over.

Missy knew she should be happy. She had only this morning, finally gotten a call back from SHIELD telling her that she had been successful in her interview. And that if she was willing, could she start in two weeks' time.

It was just an admin position doing paperwork. But it was certainly better than nothing. And in any other circumstances she would have been jumping for joy.

But not today.

It had been two weeks since Missy had seen or heard from Wade. Not since that fateful night that Emily had gone missing.

She had heard his front door opening and closing a few times across the hallway, but that was about it, no calls to messages...nothing.

It was all Missy's fault and she knew it. She remembered the look on Wade's face when she had told him to stay away. Missy truly regretted the words that had spilled from her lips in that stupid moment of pain and anguish and worry.

Emily had been let out of hospital late on Christmas eve, but when they had gotten back to their apartment there had been no sign of the merc. And Missy had been too stubborn to call him...too frightened, perhaps.

She had been certain she would see him on Christmas Day, but when the day came there were no signs from across the hallway that Wade had even come home at all.

Missy had dreaded to think where he could be.

Drowning his sorrow at a bar perhaps...or even in someone else's bed.

That day, she had hurriedly pushed thoughts like that from her head, but as the weeks drifted by, she presumed that something like that may be truer than she'd hoped.

Missy loved him...desperately. And for him to not even call over to see how Emily was...

Missy lifted the mug of steaming tea to her lips and glanced over her shoulder at the little girl sat on the couch playing with a teddy bear.

Emily had been quiet since she had come home from the hospital.

Whether it was the events of before or after her running off that had gotten to her, Missy wasn't sure.

Emily had not even mentioned Wade since or asked where he was, which was a worry.

But perhaps she was confused.

With Scott walking into their lives like that and giving the tiny three year old the shocking information that he was her father, there was no wonder she was a little out of sorts. Something like that was life-changing...even to a kid her age.

And it most certainly showed.

Since her return, Emily had been gloomy and had taken to throwing temper tantrums, hurling toys and objects across the room, in what looked like frustration.

Missy had a feeling it was partly because of Scott and partly because she was having trouble hearing.

The doctors had been right of course, putting it down to her body being close to hypothermia, Emily's hearing was deteriorating rapidly. 

Missy had tried her best over the last few days to try and coax Emily to start wearing the new hearing aids she had been given at the hospital, but Emily, once again, had flat-out refused.

She had burst into tears, kicking and screaming until Missy had been forced to stop and remove them, packing them away once more.

Missy had never seen Emily like it. Not even during her 'terrible-twos'.