Thank you to everyone who read or left kudos for the last conversation. Also, thank you to everybody who left reviews for my Loki story. You are all so wonderful, and I adore you for your continuous encouraging words. You definitely keep me working on my marvel projects along with all the fresh Marvel content.
This was another chapter written during the WandaVision episodes. They made me want to work on the story, even though I probably should have worked on my Star Trek stories. I'm finishing off the next batch of Star Trek stories before working on the next batch of chapters for the story. Which I'm going to be working on during what if. That's going to be fun.
We are in the bad timeline for one more chapter. We switch over to the other timeline for conversation 35.
Mood music: Climax by Usher
The song may have started playing while proofreading. I think Ana has taken over my iPhone.
Conversation 34: Maybe some of this conversation should have happened in person
Steve: Robin wants me to tell you good morning.
May: She already did that herself because Morgan already has her own phone.
May: Apparently, that picture she drew last week of you and Tony waking up in bed together came true. Pepper sent pictures. You look happy. I think that's the most peaceful you've looked in the morning since we were neighbors in DC.
Steve: Which just tells you how stressful the last few years have been. You knew we were sharing a bed. Tony even asked you if it was okay.
May: I am perfectly fine with the two of you sharing a bed.
Steve: I couldn't force him to sleep on the couch. I was sleeping in his bed; it was only polite to share.
May: I'm sure you were just being polite when you woke up wrapped around him like a security blanket. We've shared a bed for almost five years, and you never wake up curled around me.
Steve: Nothing happened despite what you packed for me. Also, you would kick me in the head if I tried. I know you're not a cuddler.
May: Thankfully, Tony is not me.
Steve: All we did was talk. Which was good and needed. Maybe the situation isn't as dire as I first thought it was. Did you know about the actual status of his relationship with Pepper? You've implied that it wasn't what I thought it was, but you never outright said it.
May: What did you talk about?
Steve: I will take that as the spy version of "yes, I knew but wasn't allowed to tell you."
May: I'm going to take that as you don't want to tell me about your deep and meaningful conversations with our daughters' future stepdad.
Steve: I wouldn't go that far yet. We did some icebreaker game from the New York Times. 36 questions that lead to love. They're ridiculous. But apparently, it's how our other selves worked through their problems.
May: Are you sure the other timeline isn't pulling a prank on you? I feel like this is something my other self would do with you.
Steve: You're a prankster?
May: I never told you about the stuff I did at the Academy? I was a legend at Shield Academy. Not that people could prove what I did. Although I regret not doing worse to Garrett.
Steve: You did try to tell me about it before, but then you think of him, and you stop talking to me.
May: I know. I'm sorry about that.
Steve: I should be asking you how you're doing. It wasn't just me who found out their other self is married to the love of their life in another timeline. That's difficult to process under the best circumstances.
May: Because at least Tony is still alive, and you have hope of still getting the guy.
Steve: Yes
May: The other May and Phil are not married. They're possibly engaged. Nobody could get clear intel.
Steve: They probably went to Vegas and told no one.
May: Virginia would be closer and a better option. Vegas is tacky.
Steve: [Laughing so hard you start crying emoji]
May: In some ways, that makes it easier. At least in one timeline, Phil and I got a happy ending. I'm glad she got that.
Steve: I'm glad that version of you got a happy ending. I just wish you got the happy ending you deserve.
May: I'm not bitter or angry at my other-self. I'm happy with our kids.
Steve: But if we succeed, we're going to lose Kamala. Tony says that she's old enough to decide who she wants to live with, but I'm sure she would like to go back to them.
May: We'll work something out with Kamala's biological parents. I'm sure they'll be grateful that we took good care of her while they were gone.
Steve: Or they'll be upset that she was raised for the last five years by a lapsed Catholic and his nonreligious wife.
May: I think they will have other things to worry about.
Steve: Bringing people back is going to be a mess, isn't it? Even if they come back, we're still legally her parents. How will that even work? Tony's right; we can't force her to go back. But I'm sure she would want to go back, so we don't even have to worry about the worst-case scenario.
May: She may not. It is going to be complicated. They're going to come back thinking she's the 11-year-old they left behind when she's a 16-year-old who has lived in a dystopic hellscape for the last five years and barely stayed out of an internment camp.
Steve: I know. I'm just starting to realize how problematic it will be bringing people back after 5 ½ years. Where are the Khans even going to live? We sold their house. We put the money in a trust.
May: If we just bring people back, it would overwhelm the system. We can't do that. Especially because we're not planning to rewind the clock five years.
Steve: Because we can't wipe out all the kids born in the last five years out of existence. We've been focusing so much on bringing people back that we didn't think about what would happen when we did it, did we?
May: Laura has. We talked about it this morning. She and I are on our way to pick up someone who might help us. At a minimum, she will help us with our rehab project. We are also calling Rio in. Who apparently took over the Jarvis foundation's relief efforts in Puerto Rico in the other timeline. Because of her, it wasn't a shit show like here.
Steve: She could be very useful. When does Laura even sleep?
May: I'm not sure. Although I did find out that I am her SO in the other timeline. That came out over dinner yesterday.
Steve: That makes complete sense.
May: Clint was disappointed. He swore up and down it would be Natasha. I also found out that in the other timeline, Daisy is dating Natasha.
Steve: How do you feel about that?
May: I am happy that Daisy has finally moved on after Lincoln. More than I did.
Steve: You moved on.
May: I didn't. I married a man who is completely in love with someone else.
Steve: I'm not going to lie to you and say that I don't love Tony. We both know better. Even though I now think we can become real friends again, I don't know if we could ever be like our other timeline counterparts.
May: Except that's a lie. You know that's a lie because you wouldn't be there with him right now if there wasn't a chance. I want you to have what I couldn't have. I know you, Steve. You won't make a move on him if we are still married, even if I pack lube and condoms for your overnight trip. You can't make this work if we're still married to one another.
Steve: What are you saying?
May: Once this mission is over and we've managed to bring everybody back with some actual planning, I think we should get a divorce.
Steve: I know this has been a possibility for a while when we were both ready for it but are you ready?
May: I hope so. Daisy and Fitz will be back. Mack will be back as well, and I can turn over SHIELD to him if he's up to it emotionally. We can rebuild the organization the right way.
Steve: We need a better organization. I don't trust SWORD.
May: I don't trust them at all. Once Rambo died, the organization became complicit with Ross's orders. I think I can build something better. Other Tony is making the ATCU less spycraft and more superhero social work. I want that. I can finally make Phil Coulson Academy happen. Pepper even said I could stay with her for a while. I'll be okay.
Steve: I want to be there with you, helping you do that.
May: You will be. Just not as my husband. I want you to be happy.
Steve: Can we talk about this after we make this work? I think we need to focus on that for now.
May: Okay. You're right.
Steve: So, I heard from Tony last night that Simmons agree to go into treatment.
May: She did. Apparently, Tony agreed to be her AA sponsor.
Steve: I heard.
Steve: I know you've been mostly reading reports, but did you start putting the list together regarding where the stones were in 2018?
May: I'm still reading reports. Although I know we only have to worry about locating five stones because they took care of the mind stone without traumatizing Wanda.
Steve: I know.
May: Clint and Natasha are working on the list. We got the coordinates from Nebula this morning regarding several stones. That arrived just before I left. We are debating whether we should go to Norway now or wait until after the meeting to get specifics from Thor regarding the Tesseract.
Steve: I vote for after. Where are you going with Laura?
May: I mentioned Laura's trying to bring someone else to help us plan and help with Simmons. And possibly for Thor. This is why we probably should wait until we have her to go to Norway.
Steve: That might be best. Who does she want to bring in? Besides Rio.
May: Dr. Margarita Cruz. She's the number two of new Shield's psych department. She's in charge of the in-house rehab program. Also, she was a protégé of Andrews. I think I can talk her into coming on board. So we are currently on our way to Empire State.
Steve: I hope you're successful.
May: Piper is on her way to your location.
Steve: Why?
May: Because I need you and Stark at the compound for the mission tonight. But I still want our kids safe.
Xxxxx
Virginia arrived in her kitchen, fully dressed for her 9 AM business meeting. She's hoping she can convince Tony and Steve to keep the kids until at least 11 AM because she needs Kevin in the meeting with her. She would have mentioned the meeting last night if she knew about it. But it ended up on her calendar overnight.
She was thankful to see Tony at her stove cooking what looks to be an omelet. She's happy to see him in the kitchen. She was worried she would have to interrupt his Steve time. The picture earlier was enough for her.
"Although that actually smells good, that does not seem to be enough omelets for five people," Virginia commented.
"This is just for you, Pepper Pot. Your driver will be here in half an hour to take you to the office."
"Kevin called you?" Pepper asked.
"Course he did. He was my assistant before he took over for his wife." Who they lost in the decimation along with Kevin's youngest son. Pepper wanted to promote Kevin for years, but his job with her allows him to spend time with his three remaining children. "You told him I was here for a little while, and he wanted to make sure I had your back for this meeting."
"Which apparently you do," Pepper said as she poured herself a cup of coffee. She definitely needed it.
"Before Kevin called, we were already planning to take the kids for pancakes this morning. Now we're just going to keep them out until 11. Kevin said he could watch them after that."
"Is this your way of telling me that Hunter isn't coming back? Because May already told me that earlier. Although she didn't explain why." And she would really like to know why.
"Simmons has agreed to undergo treatment for her drinking problem."
"Thank God." Deke would be so happy.
"She needs Hunter with her right now because of that, so…" Tony trailed off.
"My nanny is on family leave. I understand." Too well, really. She's just thankful Tony has committed to staying clean, unlike her own mother.
"I knew you would. I'm still sorry." Tony really was sorry.
"I really do understand. It's important, and Deke would want her to get help. If she needs Hunter there, then he needs to be there. We can make other childcare arrangements." Apparently, May was already making those arrangements for them.
"Steve mentioned asking Kamala if she would be willing to stay here over the weekend and on nights to help you with the kids. Are you open to that?" Tony asked.
"If she's okay with that, then I am. I know she's planning to come tonight. If you could please change the sheets in the room, that would be lovely."
"I will. I'll also burn the one in Hunter's room. Actually, I want to order a whole new mattress." Tony actually shivered, and Pepper was trying not to laugh.
"I'm the one who dropped the KY bottle in there. I also neglected to mention that the couch in my office is now a convertible. I told you I would make you share a bed with Steve." Pepper smirked at him.
"You are so devious," Tony said as he grabbed a plate from the shelf to put her omelet on.
"I think I get at least five more years of doing stuff like this." She's forgiven him for accusing her of cheating on him when she showed up pregnant with Morgan. But she deserves some vengeance, especially after watching Tony moon over Steve like a teenager for the last five years. Okay, it was more like 11 years, but she hasn't had enough coffee yet to acknowledge that.
"This is true." He said, handing the omelet to Pepper. He's definitely a much better cook now. He also remembers her food allergies since, unfortunately, Morgan inherited both of their allergies.
"I don't know if you need to make up Hunter's room for guests. It depends on if May is staying over tonight. Apparently, she's in the city for a mission."
"You already talked to May this morning?" Tony asked.
"I sent her a picture of her husband wrapped around you."
"Which she is probably cool with because she sent him here with a toiletry bag packed with sex toys, condoms, and lube." Pepper snickered at that. She covered it up by taking a drink of coffee.
"I assume she probably is."
"I'm sure Steve is still texting his wife right now. Sugarplum, ask the wife if she is coming over tonight or tomorrow?"
XXXX
Steve: Tony just called me sugarplum again. He wants to know if you're staying over tonight?
May: Yes. Kamala's going to be mad that she missed you.
Steve: I would go over to the school to get her for breakfast, but I think her teacher would be mad if she missed chemistry.
May: He would be furious.
Steve: Although I think I'll come back after the meeting for a couple of days. You and Tony need to focus on the mission. I am more expendable.
May: You're not. Piper can take care of the kids. Actually, she should be there any minute.
Steve: Do I have time to take Robin and Morgan for breakfast with Tony?
May: You do.
May: Enjoy your time with the kids, and I'll see if Kamala will be okay if you stop by the school for a few minutes.
Steve: You're wonderful.
May: I know.
To be continued…
OK, maybe some conversation shouldn't happen in a text message.
I am waiting until the next chapter to explain how Loki and Black Widow fall into the continuity of the story. I want to give everybody time to watch before I explain or start throwing the word variance around.