Thank you to everybody who read or reviewed the last conversation. You are fabulous. We are still in the beta timeline. After so many chapters in the gamma timeline, it makes sense that we spend a little time here.

It seems like things are slowing down where the last several chapters have only covered a couple of hours, but we will be moving forward again. It's just that these last few chapters have been emotion-heavy. That was made worse by the recent once-every-three-weeks update schedule. Unfortunately, with everything going on with my personal life, we probably will be sticking with this schedule at least until summer. I just need more time to catch up and be healthy.

Conversation 67: Please hide Thor's beer

Agent Laura: I am sorry I didn't attend the meeting. Friday did give me access to the feed. However, I missed your conversation with the Princess. I was too busy talking to my Tony. Sorry.

Tony Potts: You do not need to apologize, especially twice. It was best that you took a moment for yourself.

Tony Potts: And you were nowhere near the alcohol. Finding out my not-a-boyfriend's soon-to-be ex-wife died in another timeline makes me want to grab one of Thor's beers.

Tony Potts: I didn't, but it was tempting.

Agent Laura: And she wasn't your May.

Tony Potts: Yes, but I am sad about any world losing the woman who broke the hands of the asshole who tried to kidnap Morgan.

Agent Laura: Oh god, that's so her. Did she ever tell you what she did to the previous owner of your Malta property after he shot Daisy? That happened before the dividing line, so I know it happened here too.

Tony Potts: I have heard that story multiple times. It's my personal favorite.

Agent Laura: Do you own property in Malta in this timeline? Right now, it's the Europe Avengers compound. It was the main hub for the Secret Avengers before the accords were renegotiated. After leaving the EU, Malta wasn't a fan of UN regulations.

Tony Potts: Yes, although I wondered why they sent all the young kids to my summer beach house in Europe. It makes more sense that it's another Avenger compound.

Agent Laura: You own a lot of houses, probably even more in this timeline since you got into real estate. Apparently, you've given the one in Mexico to Bruce.

Tony Potts: Ross was a piece of shit. It wasn't safe for Bruce to stay in the States. So, I gave him the Mexico property and remodeled it a bit to make it more suitable for Brucie Bear. It gave me something to do when Pepper wasn't speaking to me for being a dick. It's also where I had my epiphany moment to get sober. Even Bruce couldn't take my drunk rants about Steve.

Agent Laura: I have so many questions about that, but more about how bad things were during the Ross administration.

Tony Potts: A fucking mess. You're aware of the internment camps. Honestly, I thought May and Steve would have to relocate to Karachi for a while. A few of Kamala's cousins survived the decimation. She also has family property there. And yes, Pakistan had better Inhuman rights policies than the US when Ross was president.

Agent Laura: Your timeline is a disaster.

Tony Potts: It's getting better and will get even better soon. The fact that the team has four out of six stones gives me hope.

Agent Laura: They have that many stones?

Tony Potts: Well, they're counting the one Dr. Strange has. We assume he'll hand it over if it's in the universe's best interest. Apparently, their Dr. Strange sees options that ours didn't. I'm glad because obviously, that option was me dying too.

Tony Potts: Did you know about that part? Clint only told us that you knew May died, so you stayed back. Although, I am really glad he told us instead of reading it in the Princess's reports.

Agent Laura: It wasn't mentioned during the conversation I wasn't there for? I know Phil was preoccupied with the president.

Tony Potts: No. Even though he wasn't reading live, Phil would receive a copy of the transcript, and nobody wanted him to find out that way.

Agent Laura: That makes sense. If Tony had Ana change that, it would be a big red flag. Tony's on his way to DC to tell him in person.

Agent Laura: He told me what's going on. He almost had a relapse earlier today and wanted to talk.

Tony Potts: Is he okay?

Agent Laura: For the moment. Although as soon as this is over, we are checking ourselves into rehab for a tuneup.

Tony Potts: You're welcome to stay here, but you have your own facilities.

Agent Laura: Yes. But I'll still think about the offer. If I do rehab here, I can get through the program without missing time with my kids.

Tony Potts: Time really is relative when you have time travel.

Agent Laura: So, what else did I miss?

Tony Potts: We think we can run the first test on the time GPS Saturday. If it works, they'll send the little kids over here along with the ring pops. We want to avoid risking them with the upcoming battle.

Agent Laura: I rather have the kids away from the purple one too. So, I'll be home soon?

Tony Potts: If this all works, you will be. Although, for now, it's more likely you'll see your kids here first.

Agent Laura: I hope it does without us losing more people. I don't want to lose you or other Tony. I kind of like you.

Tony Potts: I kind of like you too. I'm gonna miss you when you go back.

Agent Laura: That just means you're going to have to become friends with the other Laura.

Tony Potts: I'll add it to my list.

Xxxx

Melinda: Thank you for the tea and the notes. I'm glad I know what happened in the original timeline. What are we calling that one?

Steve: Simmons suggested the alpha timeline, but Hunter suggested the prime timeline. Alpha timeline's easier, though.

Melinda: It is. You know you didn't have to check on me. I'm okay. I just need some time to process and read through the notes on my own. I'm not surprised you made questionable choices regarding Tony in multiple timelines.

Steve: Yes, I needed to check on you. I just needed to do something. I can't help the scientists, but I can make a good cup of tea.

Melinda: You wanted to make sure I was still here?

Steve: Yes.

Melinda: I'm still just down the hall from you. I'm not planning to throw myself off a cliff to get any of the stones anytime soon. I'm not leaving you and the kids.

Steve: I know that specific scenario won't happen here, but I could still lose you.

Melinda: Or Tony.

Steve: In one timeline, I lost you, and in another, I lost Tony. I'm worried I could lose you both this time.

Steve: Or someone else. I lost Natasha in the same timeline I lost Tony. She was my first friend here.

Steve: Well, friend, I wasn't having sex with.

Melinda: You made a whole new timeline because you lost Tony, which makes complete sense to me. You would do a lot for Tony.

Steve: Me too, honestly.

Melinda: I can't promise we will all make it out of this because you're aware that may not be possible.

Steve: I know.

Melinda: But I will try my hardest to return to you and the girls.

Steve: I know that too. I'm just worried about what could happen.

Melinda: My counterpart and Natasha chose between surviving and saving the ones they love. Gamma Melinda is just another version of myself, so I know she would always choose others over herself. Alpha timeline Tony did the same thing.

Steve: You and Tony are a lot alike in that regard. That's what has me worried.

Melinda: I'm not angry at Phil for making a deal with the devil to stop Aida. He will always give of himself to save others. That's who he is. I am angry at myself for wasting so much time before that. At least my counterpart had two years together. I had a few weeks on the beach. Half of that time, I was barely holding it together.

Steve: I know.

Melinda: We are people that died to save the world. Sometimes more than once. That's who we are. You wouldn't love Tony if he wasn't that person. Don't waste the time you do have because you don't know how much you have left.

Xxx

Tony: How is May? Friday told me you broke into the good tea stash earlier.

Steve: Contemplative. She has her own theories about why the gamma timeline May did what she did.

Tony: I'm sure it's something along the lines of we all have saving people problems. Our collective martyrdom complex is off the charts.

Steve: She also wanted to get Daisy back, even if it wasn't her Daisy.

Tony: That makes absolute sense. I would do a lot for the Morgans of the universe.

Steve: I would do the same for my kids. How's Laura?

Tony: Probably not in danger of grabbing the nearest bottle of bourbon, but barely. But she's going to stay very far away from a drinking Thor.

Steve: And how are you in that regard?

Tony: Constantly reminding myself that I don't want to end up like Howard.

Tony: Apparently, the detached alcoholic was the better version. I could've got a homophobic detached alcoholic for a father. Thankfully Steve 1.0 did something to make Howard work through some of his bullshit beforehand. I am thankful to Steve 1.0 for at least trying.

Steve: So, are we going to have to talk about that?

Tony: Me dying, or you deciding to fix the timeline? Because even cynical me sees that as a love declaration. We are multi-verse hopeless.

Steve: Except it didn't work because Thanos still happened to us.

Tony: But maybe we can win this time, and I will live to see my baby girl's first day of kindergarten.

Steve: I hope so. I don't like the idea of you and May being gone. I don't want to lose either of you this time.

Tony: Sacrificing myself is not one of my favorite things either. I will do everything possible to make sure I don't have to do what other Tony did.

Tony: Besides, we have a head start. Sometimes when you know what doesn't work, it's easier to figure out what will.

Steve: I hope that's true.

Tony: I don't think I'll fall asleep tonight, but I've been banned from the lab. Do you want to come over to my suite and watch a movie?

Steve: Why are you banned from the lab?

Tony: Simmons is doing better, and Hunter realized I may have gone about 40 hours with only a couple of bathroom and snack breaks while he was distracted with his girlfriend. So, I'm locked out until tomorrow morning when he's up for supervising.

Steve: Tony, you know that's not good for you.

Tony: Thanks to my bender, we might have the stones by this weekend. It was worth it.

Steve: Don't do stuff like that. I need you to be healthy.

Tony: I'll try.

Steve: Somehow, I don't believe that. I would be happy to watch a movie with you, although something happy where everybody lives and no one dies. Also, no aliens or high stakes.

Tony: That rules out most of the Disney animated canon and the action movies still on your list. Although I can not in good conscience subject you or myself to Up right now.

Steve: I don't think that's part of the Disney animated canon.

Tony: Pixar is close enough. Okay, we'll go with something Muppets. They recanted Gonzo being an alien anyway.

Steve: Better. I'll make popcorn.

Tony: Perfect.

To be continued...