Avengers: Don't Get in My Way
Chapter 7
The Avengers suddenly found themselves on board the ship once more. It took a moment for them to find their bearings and the ability to actually think straight enough to try and determine their present condition.
"We're back on the ship," Bucky said, as he looked the controls and computer over with a somewhat bemused expression. "And we're headed for Earth really, really fast, if I understand these readings."
The confusion everyone was feeling slowly dissipated as they took stock of their situation. Rhodey found his way over to the controls as well, and frowned as he looked at the readings as well. Finally, he nodded and said, "Bucky's right, we're on a heading straight back to Earth, and we're moving fast. At least five times this ship's top speed."
"The ship should be flying apart moving this far above its top speed, but yet we seem to be flying smoothly and normally," Bruce commented as he glanced out the window. Stars were passing by as streaks of light that faded and brightened with different colors. "Whatever Wanda did, she's making sure we're safe."
Sam looked around the cabin for a moment, and then frowned. Something was missing. "Hey, where's Carol?" he asked. "She was the first to disappear, but she's not here. For that matter, where's Clint? Wanda couldn't have…" He trailed off as he looked at everyone in turn, observing the expressions on their faces. He was trying to determine what they thought was the more likely answer.
"Oh, she could have," muttered Hank as he found a place to sit down. He shot a glare over at Dr. Strange, where the cloak was finally releasing him. He didn't say anything, but from the look he obviously had a very strong opinion. "She could have done anything she damned well pleased. Whether she did or not, we don't know, yet."
Everyone started as Clint suddenly appeared in from nowhere. The expression on his face was as startled and confused as any of the others. "Well, that's a ride that you should definitely read the warning sign on," he quipped as he finally settled down enough to speak. "They might want to jack up the height requirement to ride it. That was intense."
Everyone breathed easier when it was obvious that he was all right, just as they all were. Thor, who had been silent thus far, pushed off from the console he was leaning against and hefted Stormbreaker thoughtfully.
"Welcome back, Barton," the Asgardian said quietly as he surveyed his companions in the cabin of the ship. "We still have the mystery of what happened to Carol. She's not among us; she's not alongside us in space, so she must be somewhere."
Rhodey snorted and crossed his arms. He regarded everyone intently before speaking, "Thor, you know as well as I do that she could have, hell she most likely blinked Carol out of existence. She was the only one that was causing a significant threat to her at the time she started zapping us all. She didn't look like she was going to bake us a batch of cookies. She looked pissed to me. With that much power in the hands of somebody that unstable, I wouldn't put anything past her as far as possibilities."
Bucky leaned against a support strut with his arms crossed. Thus far, he'd been mostly listening to what all was being said, remaining characteristically quiet. At that point, however, he decided to break his silence, stating, "I'd be pissed too if I was jumped by a half dozen or more people that were supposed to be my friends and family. If she was going to do what you're suggesting, she'd have done it to all of us.
"Last I checked we're all standing here, alive and breathing. She didn't have to keep us alive if she was as whacked out as you keep saying she is. But she chose to. That doesn't seem like some crazy chick with a murderous agenda to me."
Rhodey immediately spoke up at that. He was convinced that Wanda was a major threat, and he was determined to make sure everyone saw that. Surely they must see the facts that were before their very eyes.
"Yeah, she left us alive, this time," Rhodey said with more than a little gravity. "What's to say she'll feel so generous the next time we go at her? Can you really trust her to do that? Are you willing to lay your life, and everyone else's life, on the line for the possibility she may just trying to follow some crazy idea that she can fix things? You can't afford to be that naïve, Bucky."
Pietro suddenly popped into existence in the midst of all the arguing heroes with an expression of complete bewilderment. Somehow he'd heard the words even before he'd appeared aboard the ship. It must be Wanda's doing, so I'd know what's going on. At least I won't be completely lost.
"Kid?" asked Clint with incredulity. Of all the things he figured could happen, this was the last thing that he would have expected. He'd watched Pietro die, die saving him and a Sokovian boy from gunfire eight years ago. It couldn't be… or could it?
"Yeah, it's me, Old Man," Pietro said with a grin, as well as an expression that was losing its total befuddlement. "I bet you didn't see that one coming. I know I sure as hell didn't."
Clint stared at the young Sokovian man for several seconds, and suddenly drew him into a brief manly hug. "I sure as hell didn't. I'd ask how in hell this happened, but I think it's kind of obvious. Wanda brought you back, didn't she?" he asked as he continued to try to convince his eyes that he wasn't seeing things.
Pietro blinked in surprise when Clint embraced him and he stood in shock for a couple of seconds before he returned the embrace. "Yeah, she did," he answered as his eyes betrayed his unsettled disposition for that moment. "She's got the stones. She's got all of the stones and she's planning on 'putting the universe back in order.'"
He paused for a moment as he studied Clint's face. The emotion in his face seemed genuine. That was weird enough in and of itself. Finally, he gave a lopsided grin once more and tilted his head. "I thought you hated me," he said. "Why the sudden happiness to see me? Did she bring me back to the right universe?"
"Yeah, we know," said Dr. Strange as he unfurled the Cloak of Levitation once more and returned it to its proper place on his shoulders. "What she's planning is extremely dangerous and catastrophic. The destruction of anything and everything there is in all the universe and reality dangerous and catastrophic. She's playing with forces she can't begin to understand, and hasn't even the slightest inkling of just how dangerous what she's doing is."
Pietro looked over at the unfamiliar man, and gave him a slow look up and down. He didn't know the man, and he surely didn't know how to take him, dressed as he was. His clothes looked like a cross between a monk's robes, a stage magician's clothes, and Dracula, if his cloak was black. "Who the fuck are you, and what makes you think my sister doesn't understand things?" he asked. The tone of his voice indicated anger was rising in him towards the man who was a stranger to him.
Clint slapped the young man affectionately on the shoulder and glared over at Strange. "Yeah, I do hate you, Quick Feet. I hate you enough to name my youngest after you," he said as his eyes narrowed at Strange as Pietro's were. "I never got to thank you for what you did in Sokovia, so… thanks."
"I'm almost sorry to interrupt such a touching and sentimental moment, but I figured I'd let you know I'm right here, on Earth, and doing fine," a voice said over the communications panel. A screen above it flickered to life, and the face of Carol Danvers appeared on it. It was hard to determine where she was since so much of the background was obscured by her head, but it was indeed the Kree hybrid warrior. "Thanks for asking."
"You named your kid after me?" asked Pietro with an unbelieving expression as the communications screen came to life. He couldn't believe the older man would do such a thing. In Sokovia, they'd had a somewhat playful rivalry with each other, but he thought that the man truly wasn't fond of him at all. Maybe his bonding as a friend with Wanda had influenced his opinions?
Their conversations fell silent as Bruce turned towards the screen. "Carol!" he exclaimed as he settled into the ill fitting chair. "We weren't sure what happened to you. We were hoping you were okay, but we had no way of knowing. Where are you?" He was trying to study the background behind her but wasn't having much luck.
Carol stared at his image on her screen for a moment, and then laughed. She turned and let more of the scenery be visible. The sky was a bright blue with only a few tiny white wisps of clouds, and there was bright white sand over the land. In the distance, Bruce could see literal throngs of people enjoying the sun and fun.
"I'm on the beach in Maui, of all places," Carol said as she brought the focus back to her face once more. "If I was going to be blinked across a dozen light years to a remote spot, at least it's a nice one. She's got good taste. Maui's one of the best beaches in the country. If I'd known, I would have packed a swimsuit. I'm kind of overdressed, you know?"
Stephen Strange pointed at the screen and his face hardened in righteous purpose. "Miss Danvers is safe… for the moment. Miss Maximoff was feeling generous. She could just as easily have transported Miss Danvers to a very deadly, very inhospitable location, such as the heart of the sun, or in the core of Pluto, or somewhere even worse."
After a moment, he continued, "Miss Danvers' powers are considerable, and if Miss Maximoff had been so inclined, she could easily have placed her somewhere that her powers are inconsequential, or could have removed those powers completely. I know the truth hurts and is hard to swallow, but you have to start thinking with your minds. Wanda Maximoff is an enormous threat whose mood is infinitely capricious at this time. She could respond in any way to anything we say or do at any given time. We could all be destroyed if she has such a whim, or she could destroy numbers hitherto never imagined if the mood happened to strike her. The sad truth of the fact is that she can't be trusted."
Clint growled, but before he could say anything, Pietro moved across the cabin and right in front of Strange in the blink of an eye. He wore an angry expression, and had his finger right in Strange's face.
"I don't know who the fuck you are and I don't care," he said in a low tone. "But since I don't know you, I don't trust you, and if you tell me that my sister can't be trusted again, and keep talking about her as if she were the enemy, I'll break every bone in your body before you can even realize that I just told you that I'd do it."
Strange blinked several times, obviously not expecting something like that. Around him, everyone seemed to be preparing themselves to speak at once. It would be a huge discordant argument if they allowed their feelings to get the better of them. The young man's finger in his face did get to him, however.
Strange coldly stared at Pietro a moment, and then in a quiet but menacing tone said, "Boy, move your finger right now. I don't care who you are, no one talks to the Sorcerer Supreme in such a way. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."
"Sure I do," Pietro came back in an equally quiet and cold voice. "I'm getting hip deep in kicking your ass is what I'm getting myself into. That whole 'no idea what you're getting into' shit goes both ways. As for me moving my finger… make me."
The others had been having quiet conversations among themselves all that time, until the confrontation between Strange and Pietro started. Then everyone fell silent and watched the pair.
Bucky stepped over towards them, and looked at them intently, Strange in particular. Finally, he looked around at everyone else. "'She can't be trusted,' you say," he said with a half smile on his face.
"You know, it wasn't very long ago that most of you didn't trust me. I can't say I blame you. A brainwashed, programmed Russian version of a super soldier trained in covert ops and assassinations, among other things, wouldn't be my first choice for the Most Trustworthy Award, either."
Bucky glanced over at Sam and continued, "Some of you distrusted me more than others. Some of you a lot more than others. But here we stand, together, united. A team working together on the same side, watching each other's backs. You learned to trust me, despite my past, despite what I'd been programmed to do.
"Wanda earned your trust and has kept it. You all were willing to stand by her through hell itself. Steve trusted her, and I trust Steve. So, I trust Wanda. I don't have to understand what she thinks she's doing to understand her. Whatever she's doing, no matter how far off the rails she might go, she's still Wanda. Obviously, she thinks she's doing the right thing, something no one else seems to be able to do. Whatever else she may have rolling around in her mind, she wants to make things better and put things right. It doesn't matter if it's the 'right' or 'wrong' way to do it. She deserves for you to give her the benefit of the doubt, to lean on that trust you've always had for her."
Silence reigned in the cabin of the ship for a long moment before Carol broke the silence from the screen. "Bucky's right, guys," she let out slowly. "I don't know her very well compared to the rest of you, but I do know what sort of person she is. I fought side by side with her against Thanos. She gave everything, and then gave even more, to take the fucker down. She had my back, she was on my side. I trusted her then. Because of all that, I trust her now.
"It's true, she could have killed me, or she could have sent me to some really bad places, especially after I tried to take her down. Instead, she sent me to Maui. As angry as she was, you'd expect her to lash out and start killing people. She didn't."
More silence filled the room with a tangible pressure. Those that were convinced that Wanda was a threat to be taken down found themselves temporarily without a voice to further argue their position.
Finally the silence was broken. Thor hefted Stormbreaker over his shoulder and swept his gaze over them, "Carol's right. Wanda is a friend. She's family. She could have killed all of us. If we have to stop her, fine. We stop her. But we stop her peacefully; we treat her as the family she is. She's filled with enormous grief. Everyone's grief is different. This is hers. We can't condemn her for her grief."
X
Morgan Stark sat at the little table in front of the tent her father had put up for her, playing with her toys. The day was quiet, especially around the secluded cabin where she and her mother now lived. The wind rustled by softly now and then as Morgan's imagination took her to a fantasy land where her father was still alive, and they were doing something fun together.
Inside, her mother was making lunch and keeping an eye on her through the window in the kitchen. Morgan knew her mother was very sad, and her Uncle Happy had said it was because she missed Morgan's daddy so much. Morgan thought that made sense. She missed her daddy too, and all the things they did together. Everything was okay when her father was around, and he made both her and her mother laugh so much.
Her dad had left a message for them, and she would sneak downstairs at night, and watch her mother watching the message repeatedly. The image of her father was exactly as she remembered him. Her mother always cried when she'd watch the message, and it made Morgan sad too, not just because she missed her dad, but also because it made her mother so sad to watch it. She knew that her dad wasn't coming back, and that hurt her mother terribly, and that made Morgan sad.
Morgan had just poured a cup of imaginary tea when she heard leaves rustle and the snap of a twig behind her. She turned to look over her shoulder, and she was surprised to see the woman from her father's funeral with the pretty hair walking towards her. Around her left hand, multicolored jewels floated a couple of inches from her skin, and they shone with a distinct light. She wore a red leather jacket, and dark pants. This was very different from the pretty black dress she had worn the last time Morgan saw her.
"Hello, Morgan," Wanda said with a soft smile as she came closer to the little girl. She knelt down to be at her level and tilted her head. "Do you remember me? I'm a friend of your mommy and daddy's. I'm Wanda. I was here for your daddy's… funeral."
She hated bringing up such a terrible memory for the little girl, but how else could she describe it? The girl looked at her with such intensity that she could almost feel the wheels turning inside the little girl's head. Her eyes were bright and alert, and she could see so much of both Tony and Pepper in her right then.
The little girl smiled and answered, "Yes, I remember you. Your hair is still so pretty. You were really nice. Why are you here?" Despite her abrupt greeting and question, Wanda smiled fondly. It was simply an innocent question, asked by a five year old innocent little girl. Young children had no filters, and in true Tony Stark fashion, his daughter didn't, just as her father didn't.
The corners of Wanda's lips turned upwards a little and she nodded towards the chair on the other side of the table. "May I?" she asked as she took stock of Morgan. She was trying to see what the girl's general mood was, and if it was prudent to talk about some of the things she wanted to talk to both her and Pepper about.
Morgan's face lit up in a magical kind of light and she nodded very formally and waved to it. "Yes, of course. Please," she replied as she set an extra tea set down in front of the Sokovian. Next to Wanda were a teddy bear and a stuffed Tyrannosaurus Rex. On the other side were a stuffed monkey and elephant.
Wanda sat and curled her legs up as much as she could. "Thank you," she said to the young girl with another soft smile. Her expression grew soft, yet serious. "I wanted to say I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly during the… that day." Wanda brushed a hand nervously back through her hair. She wasn't sure what the girl's reactions would be.
Instead of sitting down, Morgan came around the table and wrapped her arms around Wanda in a tight hug. When she finally let go of the stunned young woman, Morgan smiled and said, "Its okay. You were really sad. Sometimes when you're sad, you don't want to be around anybody. I was sad too. I understand."
Wanda wasn't expecting that. She found herself squeezing the little girl warmly and tears welled up in her eyes when she forgave her. "I was, yes. I still am, Morgan. We lost so many people; I lost people I love, too. I was sad to lose your dad," she said in almost a whisper. Her eyes shimmered as she tried to keep her cool.
Morgan laid her hand gently on Wanda's shoulder. It was easy, considering that Wanda was practically sitting on the ground since the tea table chair was so low to the ground. "Daddy didn't want us to be sad. He said he was helping to make sure we were all safe, all of us. But I was sad anyway. I miss my daddy," she said with a soft voice and serious gravity in her tone.
"Morgan, honey?" called out a voice from around the bushes alongside the walkway.
Morgan perked up and called back, "At the tent, Mommy. Wanda came to see us. Can Wanda stay for lunch with us?" She gave Wanda a pathetically pleading look, and even though it was a joke, the little girl was too cute for words.
Pepper came around the curve and smiled gently when she saw Wanda. Once she was able to regain her feet from the extremely small chair, Pepper hugged her, and glanced between her daughter and their guest. "Of course she can, if she wants," answered Pepper. She turned towards Wanda and asked, "Would you like to stay for lunch? What brings you all the way out here?"
Wanda returned the embrace, and nodded with a faint smile. "Of course, if that's okay? I actually came to speak with you about something. Something serious that I'm hoping will make things better for everyone," she told Pepper with a serious expression. She was hoping that Pepper would see what she was trying to do and that she would be on her side, rather than think she was losing her mind. She was hoping Pepper could reassure her that she wasn't losing her mind.
Pepper fell silent and it was then that the sparkling jewels swirling around Wanda's hand caught her attention. She couldn't understand how she hadn't noticed them instantly upon seeing the young woman. Maybe it was because she was happy to see Wanda because seeing any of their friends was a relief or therapy for Pepper?
Hesitantly, she pointed towards the stones and met Wanda's eyes with her own. "Wanda, are those… are those what I think they are?" she asked. A cold chill of apprehension raced down her spine and it was getting hard to breathe. Those things had killed Tony, they had practically ripped him apart right in front of her. She had never wanted to see them again.
Wanda's eyes traveled down to the stones and back to Pepper. She nodded softly as their eyes locked once more. Her voice was soft and quiet. "Yes. That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Pepper. I think I can fix things, that I can put things back the way they're supposed to be. I want things to be the way they should be, I want people to live that shouldn't have died, I want you and Morgan to be happy again," she finally said.
She is afraid, yet she is also intrigued. It seems as if the hope that you can, indeed, do as she hopes will be stronger than the fear she may experience. You can put things right once more, Wanda. You must. You must, not only for your sake and for the sake of countless trillions of trillions of people, but also for Pepper and Morgan…
Wanda heard the voice that sounded so very much like her Vision once more in her mind and she simply nodded, hoping the disembodied presence would understand her. She hoped very much that Pepper would see the importance and necessity of what she was trying to accomplish instead of fearing her as most of the others did.
Pepper's brows furrowed and she turned to Morgan. "Sweetheart, go wash up and then I'll give you your lunch. Why don't you eat while watching your cartoons? Wanda and I need to talk, and we don't want to bore you," she said softly as she knelt down to give Morgan's shoulder a squeeze.
The little girl agreed and ran into the house, exclaiming her excitement and turning the TV to the Cartoon Network, she got herself settled. Usually she ate lunch with her mother, and they would watch cartoons together, but today they had a guest, so she would stay quiet so they wouldn't be disturbed, and her mom would watch cartoons with her later.
Pepper invited Wanda into the house, and she made Morgan's plate as Wanda started from the beginning. Once Pepper had given Morgan her plate, the conversation started getting serious. She listened as Wanda told her what had happened in detail, when it had started, what she had done, all of it. Every detail that Wanda could remember, she told Pepper. She related everything from the first stirrings of feeling something tugging at her to feeling the stones, to reforming them, the fight with the Avengers, and even her resurrection of Pietro.
Pepper gasped as she told her about these things, but the part about Pietro caught her attention the most. She stared, open mouthed, across the table at her guest for a long moment. She was unable to speak, or even move, for several moments. During that time, Wanda simply watched her face and eyes, wondering what she would say. She was scared of what Pepper might say, what she would probably say given how most of the others had acted.
When she could finally speak again, she cleared her throat and leaned across the table. Her face was a mask of shock and almost desperation. "Let me get this straight. You went to Pietro's grave and… and you just did whatever it is that you do to use the stones, and you brought him back. Brought him back from the dead? And he's himself and not some weird soulless zombie or something? It's really Pietro?" she asked in a hushed voice. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Wanda nodded softly. There was still fear of persecution in her eyes, but she answered the question all the same, "Yes, that's right. I brought him back to life. I don't really know how or how I knew I could, but I did, and yes it's really Pietro. He's exactly the way he's supposed to be, no zombie stuff, no evil reflection, none of that stuff. From his perspective, he's only been gone a short time. He remembers everything… and he is afraid of what I want to do. He thinks I'm messing with forces that shouldn't be messed with. What do you think, Pepper? Would you risk tweaking forces to put things back the way they're supposed to be, the way they would have been if Thanos hadn't carried out his mad scheme?"
Pepper leaned back, still reeling from everything she'd just been told. It couldn't be true; it was too good to be true. But it had to be true, didn't it? Thanos did incredible and terrible things with the stones. Tony and the others had traveled back in time and brought back versions of the stones from the past. That was supposed to be impossible, and if anything was messing with the fabric of the universe, that had to be something near the top of the list, didn't it?
She looked into Wanda's eyes from across the table. She saw the same person that she'd known and had talked to all those times. She wasn't crazy, or at least didn't seem to be. She was in pain, and she was scared. Everyone had lost so much, lost so much that they should never have lost to begin with. If it could be fixed, shouldn't it be fixed? If you didn't, reality was cracked in some way, wasn't it?
Finally, she swallowed slowly and then found Wanda's eyes again. Her hand reached across the table to rest lightly on top of Wanda's as she replied, "Wanda… that's a lot to take in. It's… well, honestly it sounds insane. But I can see in your eyes that it's not insane. Thanos basically took a jackhammer to reality and the way things are supposed to be. Things are better now, but they're not right. If I had the chance to fix it, if I had the chance to bring those back that shouldn't be gone… you're damned right I'd put things back the way they're supposed to be. I don't understand a lot of this stuff, but for the past five years, despite all the happiness we've had and all the bad stuff and tragedy, it didn't feel right. This is why. It needs to be fixed. A bubble gum and bailing wire solution just doesn't cut it."
Wanda remained silent, though she did nod softly. Her brows knit together a moment as she thought. Pepper was well known for being level headed and if anyone could keep Tony Stark even, then they were probably the most reasonable person on the planet.
Pepper is realistic and pragmatic, Wanda. She understands what must be done, and why, even if she is not aware of that knowledge within herself. If you were seeking confirmation from an outside source that your intentions were the correct ones, it would appear you have received that confirmation. The beginning of your journey is here. Soon, we will be reunited. Soon you will be with me, and I with you…
Resisting the urge to answer the voice in her mind, she looked up at Pepper and gave her hand a squeeze. It was as if everything was rushing over her like a tidal wave, and she had to find a way to swim through it and reach the shore. "I… I want to… would you want me to bring Tony back?" she asked after a couple of false starts. Her mouth was dry and it felt like she was rubbing two pieces of sandpaper together when she'd speak. "He shouldn't have died… he shouldn't have had to die, not like that, not at that time. It's only because of Thanos that he found himself on that path. If Thanos had not done what he did, all of this would be right, both the good and the bad."
Tears spilled from Pepper's now bloodshot eyes as she covered her mouth. After a few seconds, she nodded rapidly, trying to push down all the pain and sadness. Her entire being shook and she glanced towards the doorway where Morgan was cheerfully watching cartoons in the next room. She thought of what having Tony back would mean to Morgan, what it would mean to Tony, and what it would mean to her. In a choked harsh whisper, she croaked out, "Yes."
Wanda nodded silently, and glanced out towards the place where Tony was buried close to the house. She gave Pepper's hand a squeeze and then started weaving her hands in intricate patterns. The stones revolving around her hand glowed brighter and brighter, and a kaleidoscope of light flickered around the room. There was a rush of air as if it were being sucked into something, and there was a light, followed by a reddish fog.
The fog billowed and shimmered and seconds later, a human form stumbled out of the fog and the fog dissipated as quickly as it came. Tony Stark caught himself and broke his fall by grabbing a kitchen chair. His eyes wildly looked around with rapid glances until his eyes came to rest on Pepper.
"Pepper? Is that… am I really here? Or is this some cosmic existential joke?" he asked. His body still shook somewhat, but he was getting more steady as he acclimated to being upright once more. He ran his hand back through his thick hair and steadied himself.
Seconds after he found himself in the kitchen, Pepper jumped up from her seat and nearly tackled him in a tight hug. Her lips peppered wet salty kisses flavored with tears all over his face and mouth. "Tony! It's real, it's true… you're really here," she whispered emphatically. She couldn't believe her eyes, but there he was, in the flesh. He was solid and real, and getting his bearings a little more every second.
"Yeah, Pepper, I'm here. I'm here with you. I don't know how but at the moment, I really don't give a shit. All I care about is that I'm here with you and Morgan," he said as his arms returned her embrace, squeezing her nearly as tight as she squeezed him.
"You can't say that," said a voice from the doorway. "That word belongs to Mommy. She made it up. Are you a ghost, Daddy?" Morgan stood there, staring at her father, with a teddy bear hanging from her hand.
With a wink at Pepper, Tony released her and turned towards Morgan. "You're right, that is Mommy's word. I'll have to pay her royalties on it. I'll cut her a check. Do you think a couple of thousand will be enough to cover it?" he asked his daughter deadpan as she stood there still with a huge grin on her face. "Oh, wait, I'm dead. That means Mommy's already got all my money. I'm paid up for awhile, don't you think?"
He just looked at her for a moment, unable to believe that he was here, that he was alive and seeing those he loved most in all the world again. He felt perfectly healthy. There were no signs of the horrendous injuries he'd gotten fighting Thanos.
Finally, he opened his arms and waved Morgan to him with a jerk of his head. "Yeah, sure, I'm a ghost. Do I look more like Casper or Beetlejuice? What do you think? Come here and find out, small fry," he joked with his daughter as she came running to him once he knelt down to her height. He spun her around a couple of times, which elicited a loud giggle from her as her arms went around his neck even tighter.
"I just can't believe it," whispered Pepper to Wanda as they stood watching Tony with Morgan. "He's really here. He's alive. You brought him back to us, Wanda. Thank you. Thank you so much." Impulsively, she grabbed the younger woman in a tight hug and squeezed her for long moments.
Wanda hugged back, and whispered in return, "Of course, Pepper. We have had so many losses. It's time to get some of those back, and put things back to the way they're supposed to be. This is one of the first steps to doing that." She then moved a couple of steps out of the way, and silently watched the reunited family with a soft smile of satisfaction on her lips.
After over an hour, Tony seemed to recognize that Wanda was actually present. Pepper had been trying to explain everything to him, but there was only so much that she knew to tell him.
Finally, he whispered to Pepper that he needed to talk to Wanda, and then he lifted Morgan again into his arms. "Remember when you told me that you loved me three thousand, Morgan? Well, I found out today that I love you an insane amount."
"How much, Daddy?"
He paused a moment and slowly smiled. "I love you… wow, I can't believe I'm saying this, this is an insane number. I don't know if you can take it. Do you think you can take it? Are you strong enough? I don't know, I don't know if you can take it all at once. It's a lot you know? I mean a lot. Maybe you can make a couple of trips to get it all?"
Morgan giggled and bumped her forehead against her father's and looked him eye to eye. "I can take it," she said ever so seriously. "I can take it all. So just tell me already!" Morgan was happier than Pepper had seen her since before Tony left to deal with the Thanos situation.
Tony paused dramatically, and winked at Pepper and Wanda. "Well, Morgan, Daddy loves you… oh, man, this is so much, I don't know. I just can't stand the thought of you getting crushed under it all." He laughed when she swatted his shoulder and gave him the stern little scowl she got sometimes. "I love you ten thousand, sweetheart. I love you so much." He kissed her cheek and set her back down on the floor.
Morgan screeched happily and grabbed Pepper's hand and her mother led her back into the next room so that Tony and Wanda could talk. She looked back at her newly returned husband and smiled again, unable to believe the miracle she'd witnessed that day.
When he was sure that Pepper and Morgan were out of immediate earshot, he leaned back against the counter and nodded towards the Infinity Stones whirling about Wanda's hand. "Great taste in jewelry. Flashy. It really brings out your eyes," he said as he regarded her carefully. He seemed to be almost studying her.
When Wanda didn't say anything, Tony continued, "Okay, so what's the game plan? What's your idea of what exactly you're going to do with those glitter rocks there? I've already died fighting somebody using those things. I don't think I'll have to fight you, I mean you brought me back. Why stack the odds against yourself, right? You're a friend, so what's your play, what's on your mind, what have you got up your sleeve? Spell it out for me, Wanda."
Wanda shook her head with a faint smile. Being dead hadn't diminished Tony's personality in the slightest, though there was a slightly more haunted look in his eyes. That was probably from the knowledge that he had died. Wanda was glad to see that he was the same man that she remembered.
"I felt the stones' energy calling to me across the universe. I felt that energy move and obey my wishes. Wong says that the stones all control an essential aspect of the universe, therefore they can't be destroyed permanently. They will always reform somewhere in the universe," she explained with a sigh. Her eyes kept roaming over his face.
"If they didn't reform, the universe and all of reality would fold in on itself because those aspects would no longer be maintaining those forces. I plan on putting things right, Tony. I plan on putting everything right again, the way it was supposed to be before Thanos wreaked his havoc on the universe.
"I plan on restoring everything and everyone but Thanos and his minions. I'm leaving them in the oblivion that he consigned me and countless others to. And don't worry. Your marriage, Morgan, all of that will be staying the same as well. Once I've done everything I can with all of the stones, I'm returning the Soul Stone to Vormir and bringing Nat back, I'm returning the Mind Stone to Vision and bringing him back and then… then I'm scattering the stones to the far flung corners of the universe. I'm sending them all to places where even I won't know where they are, and they won't and can't be found ever, if we're fortunate. Everything will be right once more."
She watched his face, trying to gauge his thoughts and reactions. Thus far, she was having little luck. At the same time, he was studying her, staring at her with such intensity, it felt like he was dissecting her. The only thing she could think of was that he must be weighing her story, deciding whether he could believe and trust her, and what he would do as a result of his decision.
"Clint said that Nat had to sacrifice herself and give her soul in exchange for the Soul Stone. A soul for a soul. It doesn't sound like this red guy is exactly the type to take merchandise back, exchange it, or give refunds. So, how are you going to get him to swap with you?" he finally asked. His gaze was still intensely on her.
She thought a moment, took a breath, and then answered, "I'm going back in time and exchanging it at the moment Nat sacrificed herself. It would be as if the stone was never taken. Then, because Thanos would never have come seeking the stone, the Gamora of this time period's soul would never have been given in exchange for it, and she would be alive as well."
Tony stared at her a few more moments. Wanda could only imagine he was considering her planned actions, and she anxiously waited to see what he would say. She hoped he would be on her side, that he would see the truth in what she said. The seconds ticked by as if each was an eternity unto itself.
Suddenly, Tony took a hold on her arm in a light grip and led her into another room. In the center, near the staircase was a large platform that somewhat resembled a billiards table. He moved closer to it, and flipped over several cabinets, revealing sophisticated computer equipment.
"Friday, pull up the reality model from when we were planning the time heist, and track every known change in the flow of reality from the moment Thanos committed his first act with an Infinity Stone. Lay them out in diagram form with annotations and equations, and correlate them against each other, and the present state of the flow of reality."
"Boss?" asked the computer in a decidedly confused tone. "Welcome back, Boss. Calculating the requested affected nodes and extrapolating data as requested."
"Good to be back, Friday. When you get it calculated, superimpose it over an inverse Mobius strip, and apply the Sharapov Dimensional Interaction Curve to it as well in a transverse position."
The requested images materialized over the platform as Wanda shook her head in confusion at Tony. "'Time heist?'" she asked with a bewildered tone.
"Long story," Tony replied with a noticeable sigh. "In a ten billion to one chance, Lang actually pulled off a successful theory. He proposed it; I did the math and figured it out."
"Of course you did," she replied with a small but definite smile. "You are Tony Stark, after all. Tell me, please… am I crazy, or is what I'm proposing possible? And do you believe me?"
Tony looked over at her as the model continued to render. After several intent moments of observation, he let out a breath. "Where the Infinity Stones are involved, nothing is impossible. Everything and anything is possible. So yeah, this is possible. We just need to figure out what exactly needs to be put back on the right current so when you do your thing, you know what needs to be specifically be put back on track. So yes, I believe you, Wanda. Anything's got to be better than the shit box Thanos left us in, right? Everybody comes back. Nobody's left behind."
He studied her another moment and then suddenly drew her up into a tight hug and he clapped her back lightly. "Thank you, Wanda," he said quietly. "Thank you for everything. Now, go make whatever arrangements you need to make, or whatever it is you're going to do, and I'll work with Friday on getting this down to a science. I'll let you know when the model is done and the simulation says we're green to go. You can do this. You know that, right? I know you can. So, let's get out there and do it, let's kick it in the ass and get it going again."
Wanda nodded as she broke their embrace, and watched him for a second, and then once more, she stepped into the reddish fog, and was gone. Seconds after she was gone, the fog disappeared.
Tony thoughtfully chewed the inside of his jaw for a moment, and then moved to a side console. "Friday, can you call up the… what do we call the damned thing, anyway? The space ship that I almost died in. Call that, priority one, will you?"
Silently, Friday complied, and after a second, Bruce's face appeared on the screen. Tony's face was blank for a moment, and then like flipping a switch, he grinned like a fool and made a "ta da" pose.
"Tony?!" yelled Bruce as the image came over the screen. The big man's green features were confused, happy, shocked, amazed, curious, and more. It was obvious that he was blindsided by what he was seeing. "How the hell did this happen? It's really you, right? You're not some holographic prank are you?"
"No, no prank. No joke, no funny, no jest, no ribbing, just little old me," Tony replied as he took a seat in front of the screen. "It's a long and really confusing story, so for the sake of not causing brain cells to explode, I'm going to give you the bathroom wall version. Wanda used the Infinity Stones and brought me back. I'm back. Yeah, I know, it sounds crazy and it can sure look like the girl's flipped her wig, but she's got the Stones. Anything is possible with their power. Even something like this."
"Yeah, we've already had a run in with her. Tony, she's losing it. She thinks Vision is talking to her, and she's got this grand plan to 'fix' everything. We're talking about an infinite universal scale. She brought her brother back too, and she sent Carol to Maui during the… I wouldn't even call it a fight. It was more like watching a bunch of kids trying to learn to walk and falling on their faces."
"Maybe she is talking to Vision. The Mind Stone was part of him, so obviously they'd have to be linked in some way, right? Maui, huh? Well, there are worse places she could have sent her. She could have dropped her in New Jersey. Did she get a tan?
"Anyway, Bruce… listen to me. It's not as crazy as it sounds. She can do it. Not just because she's got the stones, but also because she's got the will. I've got Friday building a model and running sims right this second for the Snap 3.0 patch. I'm running the math."
Bruce scratched his head, but he didn't look completely convinced. He heaved a sigh and wiped his obviously bleary eyes. "Look, Tony, I want her to be right as badly as you do, or anyone else. I do. I just don't know if she's in her right mind right now. She seems like she's losing her grip. I love Wanda, you know I do, but she's not thinking straight right now. It's bad enough that we've got a decisive split in our opinions here. And neither side is really happy with the other over their opinion."
Tony nodded and scratched his chin, deep in thought for a moment. "Tell you what," he said finally. "I don't know where she's going, but she doesn't seem like she's making any huge effort to cover her tracks. Intercept her. Don't engage her or make any sort of move that can be perceived as threatening. Watch her, talk to her, play checkers with her, I don't care, just ease your mind and be ready if you have to be. While you're doing that, I'll finish this up and get it to her.
"If she's right, she can fix everything, Bruce. Everything. Including getting Nat back. If she's wrong… we can figure that out then. I don't believe she'd hurt us, and I don't want to take the infinitesimal chance we've got of hurting her at this moment."
Bruce sighed and then nodded. "Okay, we'll play it your way, Tony. I just hope to God you're right, and this isn't going to be a cluster fuck."
X
Reddish fog rose at the edge of the protective shield over the nation of Wakanda, and from it Wanda stepped out, followed by the body of Vision. She had stopped to retrieve his body from the compound, and she brought it with her to the kingdom that T'Challa ruled. The stones whirled slowly around her hand, and glowed a little brighter than usual.
The guards seemed surprised, and somewhat on edge, until one of them recognized her. He had called for Okoye, the general of the Dora Milaje. A skimmer approached and stopped before Wanda and the floating body of Vision. The bald dark skinned woman gave Wanda a respectful nod. "Welcome back to Wakanda. King T'Challa is not presently here. It's unknown precisely when he will return. Is there something we may assist you with?"
Wanda cast her gaze around her at the well armed Wakandans, and then back to Okoye. She could see that Okoye's eyes were focused on the whirling stones about her hand. The stones had caused Wakanda much trouble, and it wasn't surprising that the general was cautious about admitting someone wielding them.
"Hello, General," she responded respectfully. She shook her head as she spoke, "Thank you, but I'm not here to speak with King T'Challa. I was hoping that Princess Shuri would talk to me. I have something very important to ask her."
Okoye's eyes moved from the Sokovian to the floating and damaged body of Vision, positioned just behind and to Wanda's right side. She recognized the synthezoid from their stand against Thanos' Black Order several years before. "If you will give me a moment?" she finally asked as she brought up her wrist, adorned by technologically sophisticated large beads.
"Of course," nodded Wanda as she tried to calm her breathing. She could have simply stepped into the palace, but that would have startled them, and they would have mistaken her for a threat. That's not something she wanted. She liked the Wakandans and was particularly thankful to Shuri for her attempts to help Vision.
Finally, Okoye got the word that Shuri would see Wanda, so Okoye gave her and the body of Vision a ride to the palace, and escorted her to the Princess' laboratory. Shuri smiled when she saw Wanda and gave her a warm and welcoming hug.
"Welcome back to Wakanda, Wanda," she said with a smile. Her eyes noticed the Infinity Stones, but her attention was drawn to Vision's body. Her face softened, "I am so sorry that this happened to him. It is a shame. Neither machine nor human, he was fascinating. An artificial man. And he was quite pleasant to talk to."
She shook her head softly, showing that she grieved with Wanda and then tilted her head. "Okoye said you came to see me? What may I help you with, Wanda?" She suspected it had something to do with Vision, but she couldn't be sure.
Wanda closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Finally, she opened her eyes once more, and replied, "I've come to ask a favor. I hope it's not presumptuous on my part. I need help restoring Vision. I need someone besides Tony and Bruce to be familiar with his structure and systems in case anything happens, and I need some special precautions… um… installed, I guess."
Shuri listened, and nodded, but then she finally nodded towards the Infinity Stones revolving around Wanda's hand. "I see you have the Infinity Stones that we tried to keep Thanos from collecting. If what I've heard is true, then you could simply decide that it was so, and Vision would be restored as you wish him to be. Why don't you just use them to do this, Wanda?"
Wanda felt her head swelling as it were about to burst. She pressed against her temples and sighed. Shuri could see how exhausted and drained she looked. Finally, Wanda managed to speak, "I could, yes. But then no one would be familiar with his structure and systems, and once the stones have been scattered if something happened to him, time would be wasted trying to figure out how to help him. I'm scattering these stones into the universe once I've done what I have to do. I won't be able to help him once they're gone.
"Please, Shuri, help me. Help us. I need to be sure this is done right, and that every possible fail safe I can think of is in place."
"Of course I'll help you," Shuri responded as she took Wanda's arm and helped her to a chair. "You don't seem to be feeling well. Do you wish me to call a doctor? And could you please place Vision upon the table? I need to make some scans, and design from those."
Wanda let her lead her to the chair and she sat, and she moved Vision's body to the table as Shuri asked. Shuri started the computer to scanning Vision's unique makeup, cataloging every synthetic organ, every connection, and every circuit, everything that made up his being.
Wanda waved her hand and shook her head at the idea of calling a doctor. "No, thank you. I'm fine, just tired. I've been going nonstop for a while now," she said softly. "I need to be able to reunite Vision with the Mind Stone, and have it integrate into his being as it was before. Is that possible?"
Shuri thought a moment as she monitored the scans being taken through several levels and different types of scans. "Yes, it's possible," she replied as she positioned a magnifier over Vision's forehead. "There are trillions of connections, but we aren't under attack this time, so it should be easier. I want to make sure we get this right, Wanda. This way, it affects Vision's well being as little as possible."
Wanda's eyes moved over the face of her friend, and Shuri could see the emotions playing over the Sokovian's face. "Can you repair him in such a way that the Mind Stone can be reinserted and removed at will?" Wanda asked. "Make it as strong a connection as before, but be able to remove it easily if the need should come up?"
Shuri looked through the lenses and computer screens of the apparatus she was using and adjusted a couple of settings before she answered, "I believe so, yes. I can make it where it will fool anyone looking at it into thinking it's a complete part of him and not removable, and it won't accidentally pop out. It could be easier to set the connections and synapses that way, actually. It'll take me a few hours, but I'll do my best."
Wanda nodded softly in satisfaction and pushed her hair back from her face. "Thank you, Shuri," she said quietly. "It's okay if it takes a while. I could use the break. I'll tell you everything that's going on when you're finished so you'll have the whole picture. It's nothing to harm anyone, I promise. It's just not a popular plan."
"I understand, Wanda," called Shuri from behind the large machine she was using. The computer's laser scans danced over Vision's gray body and damaged cranium. She adjusted settings as she went along. "I believe you. I'll do my best to be as quick as possible, but I won't sacrifice doing it right in favor of getting done, but you knew that already. There's a cot over there that I nap on. Feel free to use it."
"I know you won't Shuri, and thank you," replied Wanda sleepily. She looked over at the cot, and moved towards it. "I'll nap for an hour, and then I have to get busy. I've got a lot to do, and I hope to be finished with the Mind Stone and be able to bring it back to you by the time you're ready for it."
Shuri nodded and resumed her very delicate work while Wanda lay down on the cot and closed her eyes. Sleep didn't come immediately, but it didn't take long.
We are growing closer to our achievement every moment, Wanda… Soon, reality will be repaired, we will be reunited, and I will once more be whole, for my essence and my body will be one, and I shall be with you. I sense that you have come to know fear that prompts you to question your sanity, and the validity of our purpose. I wish I knew how to assuage those doubts and fears for you. Trust in yourself, Wanda, for I trust in you…