"Again," Wong demanded.
Willow stared him down and screamed all the cuss words she knew, in her head. He smirked and she wondered how safe her mind was. Then she realized she didn't want to know. The not knowing was fun sometimes. Especially now. She desperately wished she could go back to a time when she didn't know this too.
She took a deep breath and held out her hand for Carol to take. They'd already agreed she would be Willow's anchor. Carol's time-traveling ability had been even more finicky than Willow's, so it was her job to make sure Willow could get home. They still hadn't completely made up, but they were better than before. They were talking. They'd hash it all out soon, but for now they were worried about getting everyone back where they belonged. For once, Willow was important to a mission. She still didn't know if she liked that or not yet.
With their fingertips barely touching, Willow let her mind go blank like Wong had been training her to do. She pulled out the image they'd been working on: her apartment in Chicago. She knew it better than anywhere else, so Wong decided this was the best place to start. She was getting good at conjuring up very specific parts of it, but she hadn't actually left since the other day with the painting. And that was by accident. Wong insisted that she could do it again. But as the hours turned to days, she was feeling less confident.
He'd also told her, in great detail, what she was capable of. She hated the pressure this "power" offered her. She found herself wishing a couple of times she could give it back and go back to blending in with the wallpaper, but she didn't really mean it. She liked helping. Loved even, maybe.
"Again," Wong repeated, but it sounded far away.
She opened her eyes slowly and realized what had happened. Willow jerked herself back to the compound without meaning to and saw Carol smiling over at her, hand still outstretched.
"That was very, very good, Willow. Would you like to try again? Or should we break for lunch?"
"Lunch at my place?" she joked.
"Sure," he answered.
Willow closed her eyes, more determined, and forced herself to appear in her dining room. Seconds after she got there, Wong appeared at her side through his portal. A small part of her was resentful of how easy he seemed to have it, but she never voiced that. She knew it wasn't really as effortless as he made it seem.
"I can only stay for a few moments. And I can't take anything with me. I'm strong, but not as strong as you." She nodded and looked around. "When is this?" he asked.
"Umm, last week. I'm about to get a call from Tony, but I don't hear it. 'Cause my phone is..."
Right on cue, Willow's cell phone started to vibrate on the marble countertop between them. She watched it wistfully before realizing she was alone. She made her way back to Carol again and saw Wong was already back.
"Can I touch things yet?"
"Do you think you can?"
"Yes?"
He chuckled, "Then be confident, Willow. Can you take things?"
"Yes," she said.
"Good. Do it." She gave him a funny look. "Take the cell phone. Bring it here. Put it back."
"What if I see myself?"
"You won't," he answered.
She liked that their training sessions were actually getting more intense, but she didn't enjoy the feeling afterward. She was drained and today would probably be the worst time yet. It was like her body was always playing catch-up for the hell she put it through.
Willow closed her eyes and materialized back in her apartment. She did what she was told with no difficulty. She showed Wong the phone and then went to put it back. Carol clapped lightly beside her and Willow giggled.
They were twins, sure, but her sister had always been on a different level. A pedestal, to be more accurate. She couldn't quite reach her, but now it felt more even. Not totally the same, but not so off balance either.
They did break for lunch finally and ate in Tony's lab, which was becoming their ritual. He wanted to know all about it, but had been banned from training from the beginning. He was just too much of a distraction for Willow, which was to be expected.
Wong spoke is almost imperceptible tones, but she could make out some of the words and her name was in their conversation.
"What is it?" she asked, cutting off Carol.
Tony and Wong turned around and Tony bit his lip. It was something he always did when he was afraid to tell her something because she'd be mad at him. She hated when he did that.
"We were discussing some of the things that may be hard for you," Wong answered truthfully.
"Which are?"
"I'm not sure what the repercussions are for bringing Ms. Potts forward in time."
"And the others?"
"If you don't arrive in time, or even a second too late, you would have to watch Pepper die."
"I can't..."
"I'm not as strong as you, Willow," he continued. "Or even Dr. Strange. I can see some of the outcomes, but not all. Steven could sift through them in seconds. It takes me much longer. I don't know what will happen and that makes me uncomfortable."
"It makes you uncomfortable?" she asked, indignant. "How long would it take you?"
"To test all the outcome and find the best ones? Maybe 6 months or so."
That was out of the question. Tony would die of starvation or exhaustion or something equally horrible before then. She didn't want to watch Pepper die. She really, really didn't, but she didn't see a whole lot of choice here either. She needed to hurry. For both their sakes.
"I'll try," she said, emphasizing the 'try'. She didn't want Tony getting his hopes up, but she was afraid it was too late.
"We will work on it tomorrow morning. If you're up for it," Wong answered.
Willow nodded her head and her heart started to speed up at the thought that she could see Pepper as early as tomorrow. She could be home that soon. She needed her back, so she wasn't complaining. She just wondered how she was supposed to tell her best friend that they'd just lived the past week without them. Was it even something she could be honest with Pepper about? She sure knew that Tony couldn't tell her the truth.
"Clint and Nat are almost back," Steve said, poking his head into the room.
Everyone filed out and went to stand in their normal positions around the room. They all knew what they were about to see. Someone as overwhelmed by grief and sorrow as they'd been. She didn't want that feeling to be multiplied in such a condensed area.
They could hear baby Nathaniel prattling on and it put a smile on her face. It wasn't anything more than babbling, but it meant that this awful thing hadn't touched him yet. They might all know that his mom, brother, and sister were gone, but he was still okay. He wasn't torn and raw like the rest of them. He was going to be a welcome addition to their new home. A salve to the open wound that was this place and these people.
"Hey, guys," Clint said, his voice gravelly.
"Hey," they all offered.
Natasha had Nathaniel propped up on her hip as they came around the corner. Willow was the first to hold out her hands to take him and Nat gave him up easily. Headquarters was going to need a few more babies. She already felt better. Her own little Prozac. She refused to think about anything except his chubby cheeks and making him laugh. She didn't want to think about what tomorrow might bring.
"I can do this," Willow lied to Tony.
She didn't believe herself and she knew he probably didn't either. He couldn't let himself with what was at stake. It would be too hard if they were wrong. Or worse yet, if Pepper got here only to disappear in front of them all instead. Most scenarios were unspeakable, so they didn't.
"I know," he lied too.
He put a soft kiss on her temple and passed her off to Rhodey, who did the same, before they let her head with Wong to the art gallery. That small space had become her totem in some ways, and that's where she felt she should try her first real trip from. It's where it'd all started and that's where she felt the strongest.
She'd gone over and over in her head as to where she needed to land and at what time. As far as saving people went, Pepper would be the easiest. She knew that apartment better than any other place she might visit soon. Emotionally, well...
She held out her hand for Carol's and closed her eyes. She waited for the sensation of being jerked around to come and it did, stronger than all the other times before. It was a like a rope was attached to her waist and was pulling her back.
She came out of her own personal wormhole in the hallway of her apartment, right where she'd meant to. She was off to a good start. She could hear Happy discussing the game pieces. She smiled at the memory and it faded quickly, like it always did lately.
Willow tiptoed to the bathroom and knocked lightly. She could hear Pepper washing her hands, so she was still there. The water hadn't been on when she and Happy had come to check on her later. She knocked again.
"I'm coming," Pepper called.
Willow's breath caught in her throat. She was really here. It was only a second later that she jerked the door open and gave Willow a puzzled look and looked her up and down. Uh oh, she hadn't thought about what she was wearing that day. Of course Pepper would notice that.
"I need you to come with me."
"Come with you? To the living room?"
She was waiting for Willow to laugh or tease her. Pepper thought she was joking. They needed to get gone, though. They couldn't stay here much longer if Willow had any hope of actually saving her.
Willow grabbed Pepper's hand and, without thinking, forced herself to be pulled forward to where she'd come from.
She was gasping for air as they popped back into existence into Pepper's future. For her, this was only mildly confusing. Her brain was still trying to catch up. She could only imagine the state of Pepper's mind.
"Where are we?"
"Avengers Headquarters," Willow gulped between words.
This was so much worse. Every single part of her hurt. Every muscle, every tendon, was on fire. She couldn't take her eyes off Pepper as she looked around, though. Willow was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
When she managed to hold herself upright, she turned back to Pepper. "Ready?"
Pepper didn't answer, but followed behind Willow quietly. She trusted Willow. There was no way she would be able to travel through time with someone, even her best friend, without asking a thousand questions. Willow was, honestly, in awe of her.
As soon as they broke the tree line, Pepper doubled over in pain. Here it was. The worst. Willow was gasping and sputtering again as she leaned over her friend. She wrapped her arms around Pepper and waited for her friend to disappear.
It felt like an eternity before she pulled back, realizing she was still here.
"What are you doing?" Pepper asked, sitting on the ground.
Willow sat back on her heels and looked at her in disbelief. She was still here. If that was it, they'd be fine. Sure, she wanted to peel off her own skin it hurt so bad, but that was fine. She would learn to deal with that aspect. It was worth it.
"Do you wanna, uh, go inside?" Pepper asked cautiously, pointing to the large building.
Willow nodded and helped her to her feet. It wasn't long before everyone figured out where they were. Wong had to of told them. He was more in tune with Willow when she was gone. It was usually annoying, for someone to know her so well, but for now it was beyond amazing she didn't have to talk.
"I am so, so, so mad at you," she said to Tony as soon as they were wrapped up in each other again.
"I know, Pep. I'm mad at me too."
"I'll never forgive you," she said.
"Yeah, solid game plan," he laughed, tears streaming down his face.
"You okay?" Steve whispered to Willow as everyone walked ahead of them.
"Yeah, great."
She was still about to cry because of the pain, but she wasn't going to be able to wipe the smile off her face either. Especially because this meant she could save everyone. It was time to get to work.