Pumpkin- Tony Stark

Finding a Helper

Scott hesitated as Tony handed him a drink as well and then asked, "A time heist?"

"Yeah, a time heist. Of course." Tony chuckled. "Why didn't we think of this before? Oh, because it's laughable. Because it's a pipe dream."

"The stones are in the past." Steve said, always calm, always cool. God Tony hated him for it. And yet also somewhat admired him though he'd never admit that. "We could go back, we could get them."

"We can snap our own fingers. We can bring everybody back. You could get Y/N back." Natasha said.

"Or screw it up worse than he already has, right?" Tony asked. The idea of bringing Y/N back was amazing. He loved it. But. . . the odds were against them. And if he died doing it and it didn't work, Y/N would kill him in the afterlife for leaving Everleigh without both her parents.

"I don't believe we would." Steve said. Nope. Never mind. No admiration.

"Gotta say it. I sometimes miss that giddy optimism." Tony said. He wondered if Elizabeth had been told of this yet. Yes, she'd get her kids back. But she'd lose Steve when Steve got Bucky back. At least with him and Pepper, he'd get Y/N back, she'd get Happy back, and they'd share custody of Morgan. But Elizabeth wouldn't get Loki back. But. . . maybe she'd be okay with that. "However, high hopes won't help if there's no logical, tangible way for me to safely execute said time heist."

Tony sat down and continued, "I believe the most likely outcome will be our collective demise."

"Not if we strictly follow the rules of time travel." Scott protested. "All right? That means no talking to our past selves, no betting on sporting events."

"I'm gonna stop you right there, Scott." Tony said, holding up a hand. "Are you seriously telling me that your plan to save the universe is based on Back to the Future? Is it?"

"No."

"Good. You had me worried there. 'Cause that'd be horseshit. That's not how quantum physics works."

"Tony." Nat said and he'd never heard her voice so shaky before. She no longer looked like the confident, vibrant red head that he'd met when Y/N was still a rabbit, back when he thought he'd die. Now, her hair was less red, fading to white and she was by far less confident as well. Shaky. "We have to take a stand."

"We did stand. And yet, here we are."

"I know you got a lot on the line." Scott said slowly. "You got a new wife, two daughters, But I lost my soulmate. A lotta people did. You were one of them. And now, we have a chance to bring her back to bring everyone back." The at first friendly man was getting angry and passionate, "and you're telling me that you won't even-"

"That's right Scott." He interrupted quietly. "I won't even. I can't."

The door opened and Morgan came out, climbing up on his lap. "Mommy told me to come and save you."

"Good job. I'm saved." He said, hugging her close, hoping they saw that he couldn't lose this. Y/N would've understood. Like he had said before, Y/N would kill him if he left Everleigh if he died on this or got stuck in the past. "I wish you were coming here to ask me something else." He stood up, "Anything else. I'm honestly happy to see you guys, I just. . . Oh, look, the table's set for six. "

"Tony," Steve said, touching his elbow, "I get it. And I'm happy for you, I really am. But this is a second chance."

"I got my second chance right here, Cap." Tony said. "And so did you. And quite frankly, so did Elizabeth and if we brought everyone back you'd leave her for Bucky and I can't let her get hurt like that. Can't roll the dice on it. If you don't talk shop, you can stay for lunch." Tony added louder for everyone else to hear.