Wait a minute! Somebody's missing.

[ladyhatshepsut.livejournal.com]

I've seen this in real life (usually with kids), and in movies.  I've seen thin in other fanfic fandoms (The Sentinel and Magnificent Seven, to name two).  I'm wondering if this has been done for the Avengers.  It could be after a battle, on the trip back home.  Or maybe after a long day and they get together to go out to dinner.  The team/group gets to their destination or they're almost there, when someone thinks to do a headcount and realizes somebody is missing.  One of them was lagging behind, or in the bathroom maybe, and got left behind withoug someone noticing for the longest time.  What happens then?  Do they rush back, embarrassed and ashamed or do they say "fuck it, we'll worry about it later, he/she didn't want to be with us anyway."

The thought came up while reading the extras for the First Impressions and Second Chances series where Tony Stark isn't wanted on the team and every friendly gesture and gift from him is met with scorn and finally violence.  But the outside/forgotten person doesn't have to be Stark; it could be any one of them.  (I'd love to see Darcy kick ass and take names if the group went out for a "family" dinner and forget she was in her apartment changing clothes or something and came back to the common floor to find it empty.)   Or maybe the team goes to some event and the press is there as they get out of the limo and they're asked "Hey, where is (whoever) and they realize they've forgotten someone.

Comments

Discussion -

[vinib.livejournal.com]

Not a rec, but I can understand the trope of kids being left behind. However, Wouldn't a grown-ass person left behind catch a bus and reach the place where they are supposed to go anyway. Or y'know call them and say "hey fuckers, you left w/o me" instead of just sitting there like a child waiting for mommy and daddy to come and pick him up. Even if he were tired or injured, no grown-ass person would sit around crying like a helpless baby because he got left behind, especially if there was no indication that his presence is not wanted or needed.

Re: Discussion -

[parakaleo.livejournal.com]

I guess you haven't seen the movie "The Martian"?

Re: Discussion -

[vinib.livejournal.com]

At this point, I think any example featuring Matt Damon being left behind is basically moot. He is like Princess Peach from Mario. Me thinks, most of the time he "gets left behind" on purpose.

Seriously, though, getting left behind in space is not the same a superhero getting left behind on a pizza outing.

Re: Discussion -

[parakaleo.livejournal.com]

I guess I just don't understand why you jump to the left-behind person just "crying like a baby" upon being left behind (although depending on where they are left they totally deserve a few minutes to fall apart!) and don't think they would do what they needed to do to get back.

Re: Discussion -

[ladyhatshepsut.livejournal.com]

Well, I'll briefly give the examples of the two fanfics I recall with that trope. The Sentinel: The team just finished a huge bust out in the boonies somewhere, with a large number of vehicles for the cops and the crooks. They're almost back to the city when Jim calls someone in the other car wanting to speak to his partner, when he's told that they thought Blair was in the care with him. They hurriedly turn around and find a seriously pissed off hippy a mile or two from the bust site, walking along the roadside.
Magnificent Seven ATF: The team plans to go out camping together but find that Josiah's van won't start, and since Chris's car won't hold everyone someone has to drive to Denver and rent a vehicle large enough to hold most of the team and their camping gear. They unload the van and load up everything and everybody into the rented van. Ezra comes out onto the porch from getting one last cup of coffee just in time to see the taillights disappear down the road. Oh, well, he didn't want to go camping anyway, not being an outdoors person at all. The team is at the ferry (last trip of the day) before realizing that no, Ezra is not in the other vehicle. They get back to Chris's ranch to find that Ezra has availed himself of Chris's finest bourbon and a good book.

So, no, while valid your scenario doesn't alway work.

Re: Discussion -

[vinib.livejournal.com]

I don't follow these shows or fandoms, so I have no idea what you are talking about.

Re: Discussion -

[ladyhatshepsut.livejournal.com]

This is an Avengers site so I'll be brief. You can find info on the TV shows The Sentinel and Magnificent Seven at imdb.com. M7 is a western but fanfic writers have brought the characters forward as modern day ATF agents in Denver.