3rd Person POV
3 weeks had passed since the fight in Wakanda. The battle that Thanos had won and wiped out half of humanity. Y/N didn't wake up until two days after the fight. The proximity to the Infinity Stones had been too much for her. Amy was left with only her mother, since her father had disappeared with the snap like everyone else.
Carol, had found the Guardian's ship in space and brought it back to Earth. Tony and Nebula were the only ones who survived Thanos snapping. After finding out where Thanos was hiding, they went to see him in hopes of using the stones.
They wanted to undo everything, but when they found Thanos, the stones were destroyed and Thor cut off his head. For the first year, Y/N was still in contact with the others, but her demeanor changed from day to day and she isolated herself from everyone.
Tony and Amy couldn't get through to her anymore. Natasha couldn't get through to her either. She was also ignored by you. The only two you spoke to were Venom and Vision.
5 years later
Natasha POV
I made myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I listened to what the others had to say. In the whole 5 years I hadn't given up hope to get the others back.
"Yeah. We boarded that highly-suspect warship Danvers pinged. It was an infectious garbage scow. So thanks for the hot tip."
"Well, you were closer."
"Yeah. And now we smell like garbage."
"You get a reading on those tremors?"
"T'was a mild subduction under the African plate."
"Do we have a visual? How are we handling it?"
"Nat. It's an earthquake under the ocean. We handle it by not handling it."
"Carol, are we seeing you here next month?"
"Not likely."
"What? You gonna get another haircut?"
"Listen, fur face. I'm covering a lot of territory. The things that are happening on Earth are happening everywhere. On thousands of planets."
"All right, all right. That's a good point."
"So, you might not see me for a long time."
"All right. Uh, well....This channel's always active. So, if anything goes sideways....anyone's making trouble where they shouldn't...comes through me."
"Ok."
"Good luck."
The others left and Rhodey was the only one left. I looked at him and needed to know if he had found him. After Y/N isolated herself, Clint was gone too. I was afraid that Clint would do something stupid.
"Where are you?"
"Mexico. The Federales found a room full of bodies. Looks like a bunch of cartel guys...never even had a chance to get their guns off."
"It's probably a rival gang."
"Except it isn't. It's definitely Barton. What he's done here...what he's been doing for the last few years...I mean, the scene that he left....I gotta tell you, there's a part of me that doesn't even wanna find him."
"Will you find out where he's going next?"
"Nat?"
"Please?"
"Ok."
After Rhodey disconnected, I didn't know what to do. I really need someone to talk to, but Y/N hasn't spoken to me or the others in 4 years. So I didn't even notice how Steve entered the room.
"You know, I'd offer to cook you dinner...but you seem pretty miserable already."
"You here to do your laundry?"
"And to see a friend."
"Clearly, your friend is fine."
"You know, I saw a pod of whales, when I was coming over the bridge."
"In the Hudson?"
"There's fewer ships...cleaner water."
"You know, if you're about to tell me to look on the bright side...Um...I'm about to hit you in the head with a peanut butter sandwich."
"Sorry. Force of habit. You know, I keep telling everybody they should move on....and grow. Some do. But not us."
"If I move on, who does this?"
"Maybe it doesn't need to be done."
"I used to have nothing. And then I got this. This job. This family. And I was better because of it. And even though they're gone...I'm still trying to be better."
"I think we both need to get a life."
"You first, but we must try everything. Amy needs her father back. Since Y/N doesn't really care about her anymore. As Pepper told me." I said to him now. I never thought Y/N would neglect her daughter like that. Before Steve could answer me, a message came in from the main gate.
"Oh, hi, hi! Uh, is anyone home? This is, uh, Scott Lang. We met a few years ago at the Halloween party. I was the guy dressed as Superman. You wouldn't recognise me."
"Is this an old message?"
"Ant-Man? I know you know that."
"It's the front gate."
"I really need to talk to you guys."
I let Scott enter. Steve and I were curious what he had to say. Maybe this was the hope we needed.
"Scott. Are you ok?"
"Have either of you guys ever studied quantum physics?"
"Only to make conversation."
"All right, so...five years ago, right before....Thanos...I was in a place called the quantum realm. The quantum realm is like its own microscopic universe. To get in there, you have to be incredibly small. Hope. She's my, um...She was my....She was supposed to pull me out. And then Thanos happend...and I got stuck in there."
"I'm sorry, that must have been a very long five years."
"Yeah, but that's just it. It wasn't. For me, it was five hours. See, the rules of the quantum realm aren't like they are up here. Everything is unpredictable. Is that anybody's sandwich? I'm starving." Scott said now and then grabbed my sandwich. I let him take it. Because I wasn't really hungry anymore.
"Scott. What are you talking about?"
"So....what I'm saying is...time works differently in the quantum realm. We don't have a way to navigate it. But what if we did? I can't stop thinking about it. What if we could somehow control the chaos...and we could navigate it? What if there was a way...that we could enter the quantum realm at a certain point in time...but then exit the quantum realm at another point in time? Like....Like before Thanos."
"Wait. Are you talking about a time machine?"
"No. No, of course not. No, not a time machine. This is more like a...Yeah. Like a time machine. I know, it's crazy. It's crazy. But i can't stop thinking about it. There's gotta be...some way...It's crazy."
"Scott. I get emails from a racoon...so nothing sounds crazy any more."
"So, who do we talk to about this?" Scott now asked. I knew who to go to. It was just a question of whether he would help us.
3rd Person POV
"Chow time!" Amy called now as she looked for Morgan. Amelia was outside to get her aunt to lunch. In the five years she saw how her grandparents became parents. She knew her mother was adopted, but she was still treated as if she were there own flesh and blood. Even though Morgan was her aunt, Amy saw her more as a little sister. A little later Amy found a tent in which Morgan was staying.
"Maguna. Morgan H. Stark, you want some lunch?"
"Define "lunch" or be disintegraded."
"Ok. You should not be wearing that, ok? That is part of a special anniversary gift, your Dad is making for your mom. There you go. You thinking about lunch? I can give you a handful of crickets on a bed of lettuce."
"No."
"That's what you want. How did you find this?"
"Garage."
"Really? Were you looking for it?"
"No. I found it, though."
"Hmmm. You like going in the garage, huh? So does I." Amy said and then picked Morgan up. She placed her on her hips and then headed towards the garage. She wanted to bring back the helmet Morgan had taken out.
On the way to the garage, the two heard a car pull up. Amy looked at the car, when she saw who got out she put Morgan down. "Tell grandfather and my mother that visitors have arrived." she said now. Morgan now ran into the house to let the others know. Amy approached Steve and Natasha. She hugged Steve first, then Scott and Nat held her longer.
"It's good to see you again. Aunt Nat, try talking to Mama. She's not listening to me anymore. All I want is to have my mother back." said Amy to Natasha. Nat hugged her and stroked her back. "I'll talk to her." it came from her.
Then they heard the front door open and then they saw Tony and Y/N come out. When the redhead saw Y/N again after a long time, she caught her breath. The last time she saw her was four years ago. Her hair was shorter and she had extreme dark circles. From the looks of it, you didn't get much sleep.
"No. We know what it sounds like."
"Tony, after everything you've seen, is anything really impossible?"
"Quantum fluctuation messes with the Planck scale...which then triggers the Deutsch Proposition. Can we agree on that?"
You listened to what your father discussed with the others. You only understood half of what was said. Thanks to Vision, you understood what it was all about. If Vision was right about what he told you, then there might be a way to bring everyone back.
"In laymans's terms, it means you're not coming home."
"I did."
"No. You accidentaly survived. It's a billion-to-one cosmic fluke. And now you wanna pull a... What do you call it?"
"A time heist?"
"Yeah, a time heist. Of course. 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. We could go back, we could get them." When Y/N heard what Steve said next, she bit her lower lip. If only the others knew.
"We can snap our own fingers. We can bring everybody back. Amy needs her Father."
"Or screw it up worse than he already has, right?"
"I don't believe we would."
"Gotta say it. I sometimes miss that giddy optimism. However, high hopes won't help....if there's no logical, tangible way for me to safely execute said time heist."
"I believe the most likely outcome will be our collective demise. Not if we strictly follow the rules of time travel. All right? It means no talking to our past selves...no betting on sporting events."
"I'm gonna stop you right there, Scott. 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 would be horseshit. That's not how quantum physics works."
"Tony. We have to take a stand."
"We did stand. And yet, here we are."
"I know you got a lot on the line. You got a wife, two daughters and a grandchild. But I lost someone very important to me."
"A lotta people did."
"And now, now we have a chance to bring her back....to bring everyone back, and you're telling me that you won't even...."
"That's right, Scott. I won't even. I can't."
You all heard the door open and then saw Morgan running towards Tony.
"Mommy told me to come and save you." Y/N smiled briefly when she heard what Morgan said. Natasha didn't miss the brief smile and then she knew that you were open to the idea.
"Good job. I'm saved. I wish you were coming here to ask me something else. Anything else? I'm honestly happy to see you guys, I just....Oh look the table's set for eight."
"Tony. 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. Can't roll the dice on it. If you don't talk shop, you can stay for lunch." Tony said now and then went back inside together with Morgan. You stayed outside with Amy and watched the others walk back to the car.
"Well, he's scared."
"He's not wrong."
"Yeah, but, I mean, what are we gonna do? We need him. What, are we gonna stop?"
"No, I wanna do it right. We're gonna need a really big brain."
"Bigger then his?"
You didn't want to hear any more and went back inside with Amy. You really hoped Tony would help the others.
Y/N POV
After dinner I watched Dad and Amy trying to figure out the time travel. Hours passed and by the looks of it, the two weren't going to find out. And that took all hope away from me. Hope to see the two again and to tell all three what I feel. The five years have given me enough time to think. Vision also helped me deal with my grief.
I was so lost in thought that I didn't even get what F.R.I.D.A.Y was saying. I was only pulled out of my thoughts when we all heard someone say shit who wasn't supposed to hear the word.
"Shit." we all heard Morgan say now. Dad wasn't too thrilled to hear this. Because he knew how Mom would react to it. She didn't even like it when I cursed in front of Amy. I had to bite back a grin when I saw Dad looking at Morgan. Amelia walked over to Morgan and picked her up. "What do I have to do so you don't tell mom anything?"
Dad was really trying to bribe Morgan. I saw her thinking and I could already imagine what she would say. "I want ice cream." said Morgan now. I had to laugh about it. Dad now looked at Morgan, then at Amy and finally at me. "Ok you get your ice cream. Amy you too? And what about you honey" he said now.
Amy nodded in response and Dad kept looking at me. "Thanks, but I don't want ice cream." I said and Dad nodded. I saw the three of them head towards the kitchen and a little later went upstairs to put Morgan back in bed.
"Y/N what are you going to do now? What are you going to do if Mister Stark doesn't want to help?"
"Vision I don't know. I can't let the others stay away forever. I'll help them tomorrow. I've grieved enough. We have two stones. We'll get the others too."
"I'll help you as best I can. You know I'd do anything for you." Vis now said and put his hand on my cheek. I leaned into his touch. I closed my eyes for a brief moment. When I opened my eyes again, I looked at Vision and he nodded.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and wrote an email. After I sent those off, Mom walked into the living room. "Where are your father and Amy?" Mom asked me as she sat down next to me.
"They're bringing Morgan back to bed. Dad and Amy found out. We have a chance of bringing them back." I now said to her. The more I think about it, the more emotional I got. I didn't even realize my tears were falling until Mom wiped them off my cheek. "Honey, everything will be fine. You'll see them again and then tell them how you feel." It was Mom. Before I could answer her, Dad came back.
I excused myself and went outside for some fresh air and to make a phone call. After the person answered, I had a short chat with them. Everything went according to plan and if the other plan should work, then we could put an end to it all.
I went back inside, said goodnight to Mom and Dad, and went upstairs to my room. Tomorrow would be a long day. And I would have to apologize to Nat for my behavior.
Next Day
Still Y/N POV
"Somebody peed my pants. But I don't know if it was baby me or old me. Or just me me." I now heard Scott say as I entered the room together with Amy.
"Seriously now? You pissed your pants?" it came from me and I had to laugh. All eyes were now on me. Natasha ran up to me and hugged me. And then she slapped me on the cheek.
"That's for acting like an asshole. Still, I'm glad you're here." she said now. I just smiled. I now saw Hulk standing further back or was it Bruce or was it both of them? "Now you look even uglier than before." said Venom, who appeared briefly.
Dad showed up now and nobody had expected him to show up. But before he could say anything, someone appeared behind him. Amy walked straight towards him and let the person pick her up. "Uncle Clint! I've missed you." said Amy now. To be honest, I didn't expect Natasha to find him.
Clint came towards us and stopped in front of me and Nat. "I missed you both too. How is Lucky?" it came from him now. Lucky was the name of the dog Clint gave Amy four years ago for Christmas. "Lucky is fine." I said and then we heard Dad clear his throat.
"Why the long face? Let me guess, he turned into a Baby?"
"Among other things, yeah. What are you doing here?"
"It's the EPR Paradox. Instead of pushing Lang through time, you might've wound up...pushing time through Lang. It's tricky, dangerous. Somebody could have cautioned you against it."
"You did."
"Oh, did I? Well,thank God I'm here. Regardless, I fixed it. A fully functioning time-space GPS. I just want peace. We got a shot at getting these stones, but I gotta tell you my priorities. Bring back what we lost, I hope, yes. Keep what I found, I have to, at all costs. And maybe not die trying. Would be nice." it came from dad now. I didn't think he would say that.
Clint had volunteered to test the time machine. I had an uneasy feeling about this, then I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Vision who stood behind me and realized how nervous I was. "All right, Clint. We're going in three, two... one." it came from Banner. Clint disappeared and a little later he reappeared and collapsed to the ground. Natasha and I rushed to Clint. Nat squatted down next to him and I looked at him worried.
"Hey. Hey, look at me. You ok?"
"Yeah. Yeah. It worked." when Clint said this he looked at Amy. I didn't understand why until he held his hand up and then he dangled a necklace. I recognized the necklace. It was the necklace I gave Amy for Christmas 5 years ago. Now I looked at Amy and she pulled her necklace out from under her shirt. "It worked." I whispered. I just couldn't believe it actually worked.
We were all sitting in the meeting room. Thor, Loki, Nebula, Rocket, Rhodey and Carol were there too. Steve looked around before he spoke.
"Ok, so the how works. Now, we gotta figure out the when and the where. Almost everyone in this room has had an encounter...whit at least one of the six Infinity Stones."
"Or substitute the word "encounter"...for "damn near been killed" by one of the six Infinity Stones."
"Well, I haven't...but I don't even know what the hell you're all talking about."
"Regardless, we only have enough Pym Particles for one round-trip each. And these stones have been in a lot of different places throughout history."
"Our history. So, not a lot of convenient spots to drop in, yeah?"
"Which means we have to pick our targets?"
"Correct."
"So, let's start with the Aether."
I was about to say something when I heard the Aether, but a hand covered my mouth and I knew I had to be quiet. We were all looking over at Thor now, but he looked like he was asleep. I looked questioningly at Loki and he shrugged his shoulders.
"So, Thor, what do you know?"
"Is he asleep?"
"No, no. I'm pretty sure he's dead."
"Uh, where to start? Um...The Aether, firstly, is not a stone. Someone called it a stone before. Um, it's more of an angry sludge sort of a thing...so someone's gonna need to amend that and stop saying that. Here's an interesting story, though, about the Aether. My grandfather, many years ago...had to hide the stone from the Dark Elves. Scary beeings. So Jane, actually...Oh, there she is. Yeah, so Jane was an old flame of mine. You know, she stuck her hand inside a rock this one time... and then the Aether stuck itself inside her...and she became very, very sick. And so I had to take her to Asgard, which is where I'm from...and we had to try and fix her. We were dating at the time, you see...and I got to introduce her to my mother...who's dead and um....Oh, you know, Jane and I aren't even dating any more, so...Yes, these things happen, though. You know? Nothing lasts forever. The only thing that...."
"Why don't you come sit down?"
"I'm not done yet. The only thing that is permanent in life is impermanence."
When I heard what Thor was saying about the Aether I just couldn't believe it. Jane carried the Aether and became ill. He had to take her to Asgard to be helped and I've had it in my left eye since birth. So I didn't get where to find the other stones because I just couldn't get it out of my head. I just didn't understand why the stone doesn't make me sick. What was so special about me.
I didn't catch what Nebula was saying about the Soul Stone until Amy took my hand. She noticed that I wasn't there. And looked at me worried. I smiled briefly and squeezed her hand.
"Thanos found the Soul Stone on Vomir."
"What is Vomir?"
"A dominion of death....at the very centre of celestial existence. It's where Thanos murdered my sister." said Nebula now. And I didn't know why, but getting the soul stone might not be easy.
"That time stone guy."
"Doctor Strange."
"Yeah, what kind of doctor was he?"
"Ear-nose-throat meets rabbit-from-hat."
"Nice place in the Village, though."
"Yeah, on Sullivan Street?"
"Mm... Bleecker Street."
"Wait, he lived in New York?"
"No, he lived in Toronto."
"Uh, yeah, on Bleecker and Sullivan."
"Have you been listening to anything? Guys. If you pick the right year, there are three stones in New York."
"Dad, Bruce, Tasha's right. If we pick the right year, we'll have three stones at a time." I said now. I had been listening to the three of them from the doorway.
Steve had assigned the teams and Amy wasn't thrilled that I was on one of the teams. I could understand her concern, so she gave me her necklace for good luck.
"All right. We have a plan. Six stones, three teams, one shot. Five years ago, we lost. All of us. We lost friends. We lost family. We lost a part of ourselves. Today, we have a chance to take it all back. You know your teams. You know your missions. Get the stones. Get them back. One round-trip each. No mistakes...no do-overs. Most of us are going somewhere we know. That doesn't mean we should know what to expect. Be careful. Look out for each other. This is the fight of our lives...and we're gonna win. Whatever it takes. Good luck."
"He's pretty good at that."
"Right?"
"All right. You heard the man. Stroke those keys, Jolly Green."
"Trackers engaged."
"You promise to bring that back in one piece, right?"
"Yeah, yeah,yeah. Ok, I'll do my best."
"As promises go, that was pretty lame."
I shook my head at Clint and Rocket's childish behavior. Then I looked at Natasha and she smiled.
to be continued.....