Eleven - A Quick Little Detour

New York City - Earth

2012

"Did you seriously just give up one of the Stones? When we literally had it!" Tony could not believe what Steve had done.

"What the hell just happened?" asked Scott.

"Steve, you're killing me here, buddy!" Tony rubbed a hand over his face. "They couldn't seriously need it more than we do right now!"

"No, maybe not, but I have a gut feeling that it's in good hands."

"What, in the hands of Reindeer Games? But not in our own hands, where it needs to be." Tony cursed under his breath. "So now what? I'm assuming you have a plan considering that you just let exactly what we needed go. Or at least I'm hoping. We need that Stone or else no one's going home."

"But we can't get the Stone without going somewhere else to get it and we don't have enough Particles," said Scott.

"Exactly. So we'd need to go somewhere with both the Stone and the Particles - hang on a second..." Tony sighed. "Son of a-"

"What, you know of a time and place where that happened?" asked Cap.

"Yeah, I think I do." Tony sighed in disbelief.

"You know where we need to go?"

"Yeah..."

"Scott, you take this, please." Cap handed off Loki's sceptre containing the Mind Stone to a very confused Scott.

"Captain Steve? Sorry, America, Rogers. Sorry. What's going on?"

"So, where exactly are we going?" Steve asked Tony.

"You'll know it, I think. But once we find it, I'm taking care of the Stone."

"Deal."

"Do you trust me?" Tony held out his hand.

Cap shook it. "I do."


New Jersey - Earth

1970

Abandoning Scott in the aftermath of the Battle of New York in 2012 wasn't ideal, especially not while they skipped back to 1970. But this was meant to be just a quick detour.

Agent Karen Granger was making her way to Dr. Pym's lab when the doctor himself flew around the corner towards her in a mad rush.

"Karen! Oh thank God!"

"Hank, what is it?" she cried, startled.

"Trouble at the loading dock! I need you to keep an eye on the lab for me while I'm gone - thank you!" And with that, and without any further explanation, he was gone, flying down the hall, narrowly missing knocking over more agents.

"But I need to meet with Howard - oh all right." Hopefully Hank would sort out this issue quickly and she could catch Howard before he left for the day.

She wandered down the hall and to the lab, finding the door slightly ajar. Hank must have forgotten to close it in his frazzled state.

She was unable to help herself sneaking a glance at all the charts and tools and supplies. Science had come so far since she had worked during the war, and to a passionate scientist it was truly fascinating just how far it had come.

Vials filled with red liquid - Hank's famous Pym Particles, that he was very protective of - lined the back cabinet.

Scanning the notes Hank had been in the middle of making, it didn't take Karen long to notice a discrepancy - the number of vials he had catalogued in the notes did not match the number of vials on display. And the notes bared today's date.

"You see anything funny going on around here?" she asked Hank's ants.

"Oh, thank you! That was a near disaster! Luckily, we got it all under control!" Hank burst into the room then, clearly having solved whatever had been going on at the loading doc.

"Uh, Hank, I think you're missing some particles." Karen nodded to the vials.

Hank took one look before his face went pale. "Security! We've had a break in!" he cried, racing down the hall once more, this time in the other direction. "Karen - lock the lab!"

"On it." She stepped outside, making sure the door was locked and secure.

"And I witnessed some suspicious-looking activity," said one agent, rushing past with a few security officers in tow. "Two unfamiliar men. One had a hippie beard."

Keeping on the lookout for more suspicious activity - there seemed to be lots going on today, more than average that was for sure - Karen made her way through the facility. It was quarter to five o'clock - Howard would be heading home for the day about now.

"Oh Howard, there you are." Finally she found him, coming back from his office, in the company of an unfamiliar man. "I need you to sign this before you go."

"Karen Granger, you look younger every time I see you," declared Howard.

"Well a lady doesn't have to reveal her secrets, does she?"

"Well, I know a lot of people who would love to look as youthful as you."

"Howard Stark, always the flirt. Need I remind you about your pregnant wife at home? Now sign this."

"Fine." Howard sighed and took the pen and papers she held out to him. "Potts, this is Karen Granger, one of our leading agents and chemists," he told his companion.

"Hi, Ms. Granger." Tony held out his hand and shook hers. "Howard Potts."

"Ah, Howard and Howard. What are the odds? Hello, Mr. Potts. Nice to meet you."

"You as well." Tony nodded to the diamond ring on her finger to try and make some conversation while his father signed the papers. "Married? Hope Mr. Stark here isn't keeping you working late while you've got a family to get back to."

"Surprisingly, no, she's not married," said Howard, not looking up from the papers.

"That's quite enough from you, Stark." Karen turned back to Tony. "Oh, no, no family. And this is a promise ring given to me by my boyfriend. He died in the war."

"Oh." Barnes. Tony decided to feign innocence. "Vietnam?"

"No, sorry. World War Two."

"Ah, I'm sorry."

"Thank you. It's a long time ago now, I know, but..." She trailed off, looking down fondly at the ring, a promise, always with her, on her finger. "But those we love never truly die, you know?"

"Yeah." Tony looked at Howard, but quickly looked away when his father turned to him.

"War is a terrible thing. Karen and I would know, we worked together during the war." Howard handed the pages and pen back to her, walking towards the main doors of the facility.

"Yes, it is." She took them back. "Thank you, now you're free to go home."

"Excellent. You heading out as well?"

"Not just yet, I've got to stop by Peg's office, see the Director herself. And Hank is having another crisis in the lab, so it might be a long evening. Good night, Howard, see you tomorrow," she said as they exited the building. "And nice to meet you again, Mr. Potts."

"You too, Ms. Granger. Listen, I know that Sergeant Barnes would be very proud of you. For all that you've done."

She looked taken aback at first, but then touched, and gave him a warm smile. "Thank you, Mr. Potts. That means a lot."

With one more smile and nod, Potts left them. They watched him walk away.

"I didn't tell him Bucky's name," Karen said.

Howard shrugged. "Strange guy. Seemed kind of familiar though..." He climbed into the awaiting car, Jarvis driving away.

Heading back inside, Karen made her way to the Director's office where Peggy was sorting through paper's on her desk.

"Hey Peg, you heard about all the stuff going on today?"

"Yes indeed."

"Just another day at the office, huh?"

"Oh, yes."

Aw, so many feelings in one scene! 'Howard Potts' - great improvisation Tony! ;)

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as always! :)