Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

13

"I don't know– Uh– She's at the point where she can't stand the sound of my chewing. I guess I'll be eating dinner in the pantry again."

"I have a little girl."

"A girl would be nice. Less of a chance she'd turn out exactly like me."

"What'd be so awful about that?"

"Let's just say that the greater good has rarely outweighed my own self-interests."

---

The elevator lady talked to security guards about Tony and Steve looking fishy.

"And you've never seen these two men before?" the security officer asked.

"No, I've got an eye for this," the elevator lady answered. "The two of them looked fishy."

"Can you describe them?"

"Well, one of them had a hippie beard."

"Hippie? Like Bee Gees or Mungo Jerry?"

"Definitely Mungo Jerry."

"Yeah, this is Chesler. I need every available MPs on sub-level 6. We have a potential breach."

---

Steve walked into a room. Feeling safe, he suddenly saw a picture of himself. He was surprised to see his love Peggy Carter.

---

Tony and Howard were still talking to each other.

"So, where are you at with names?" Tony asked.

"Well, if it's a boy, my wife likes Elmonzo," Howard replied.

"Huh, Might wanna let that stew awhile. You got time."

"Let me ask you a question. When your kid was born– were you nervous?"

"Wildly. Yeah."

"Did you feel qualified? Like you had any idea how to successfully operate that thing?"

"I literally pieced it together as I went along, I thought about what my Dad did, and–"

"My old man, he never met a problem he couldn't solve with a belt."

"I thought my dad was tough on me. And now, looking back, I just remember the good stuff, you know. He did drop the odd pearl."

"Yeah? Like what?"

""No amount of money ever bought a second of time.""

"Smart guy."

"He did his best."

"Let me tell you. That kid's not even here yet, and there's nothing I wouldn't do for him. Good to meet you, Potts."

"Yeah, Howard– Everything's gonna be all right. Thank you– for everything– you've done for this country."

"Jarvis, have we ever met that guy?"

"You meet a lot of people, sir," Jarvis said.

"Seems very familiar. Weird beard."

---

2014!Nebula had captured 2023!Nebula and 2014!Nebula was fighting her future self.

"You're weak," 2014!Nebula said.

"I'm you," Nebula retorted.

2014!Nebula threw a punch straight at Present!Nebula. 2014!Gamora walked into the room.

"You can stop this," Nebula told her past self. "You know you want to. Did you see what happens in the future? Thanos finds the Soul Stone. You wanna know how he does that? You wanna know what he does to you?"

"That's enough," 2014!Nebula ordered, kicking Present!Nebula to the wall and pulled out her electric knife. "You disgust me. But that doesn't mean you're useless." She stole the golden plate on the side of Present!Nebula's face and wore it herself.

2014!Nebula walked up to Thanos, gave him a Pym Particle, and showed him her new look before asking, "How do I look?"

VORMIR - 2014

Natasha and Clint arrived.

"Wow– Under different circumstances, this would be totally awesome," Clint said.

Natasha and Clint started walking towards the mountain and climbed it.

"I bet the raccoon didn't have to climb a mountain," Natasha commented.

"Technically, he's not a raccoon, you know," Clint told her.

"Whatever. He eats garbage."

"Welcome," 2014!Red Skull greeted. Natasha and Clint drew their weapons. "Natasha, daughter of Ivan. Clint, son of Edith."

"Who are you?"

"Consider me a guide. To you, and to all who seek the Soul Stone."

"Oh, good. You tell us where it is. Then we'll be on our way."

"Ah, liebchen– If only it were that easy." He led Clint and Natasha to the cliff. "What you seek lies in front of you... as does what you fear."

"The Stone is down there."

"For one of you. For the other... In order to take the stone, you must lose that which you love. An everlasting exchange. A soul, for a soul."

---

Natasha sat on a log while Clint watched the Stonekeeper.

"How's it going?" Clint asked. "Jesus... Maybe he's making this shit up."

"No," Natasha said. "I don't think so."

"Why, 'cause he knows your Daddy's name?"

"I didn't. Thanos left here with the Stone without his daughter. It's not a coincidence."

"Yeah."

"Whatever it takes."

"Whatever it takes."

Natasha stood. "If we don't get that Stone, billions of people stay dead."

"Then I guess we both know who it's gotta be."

"I guess we do."

Clint held Natasha's hand and she reciprocated and they looked at each other. "I'm starting to think– we mean different people here, Natasha."

"For the last five years I've been trying to do one thing: Get to right here. That's all it's been about. Bringing everybody back."

"Oh, don't you get all decent on me now."

"What, you think I wanna do it? I'm trying to save your life, you idiot."

"Yeah, well, I don't want you to, because I– Natasha, you know what I've done. You know what I've become."

"I don't judge people on their worst mistakes."

"Maybe you should."

"You didn't."

"You're a pain in my ass, you know that?" Both Clint and Natasha leaned their heads against each other.

"Okay. You win." Clint smiled and knocked Natasha to the ground. "Tell my family I love them."

Natasha returned the favor by tackling Clint to the ground. "You tell them yourself."

Natasha electrocuted Clint and ran towards the cliff. Clint got up and shot an explosive arrow, knocking her down. Clint ran towards the cliff and jumped. Natasha jumped after him and hooked him up to a grappling hook.

"Damn you!" Clint yelled.

"Let me go," Natasha said.

"No. Please, no."

"It's okay."

"Please–" Natasha kicked the wall, fell off the rope, and plummeted to the ground. "No!!!"

Her body was on the ground, dead. A boom in the sky sent Clint in a pool of water with the Soul Stone in hand. He hit the ground out of sadness. His Quantum Suit activated and he shrunk back to the present day, soon joined by the others returning from their journeys.