Thank you to everybody who read or reviewed the last conversation. You are all absolutely fabulous. You definitely keep me in the writing zone.
We are again in the bad timeline. This makes sense because we will have three days in this timeline before we meet back with the other timeline, only a few hours later.
Warning: This chapter does have some references to information that we discovered in WandaVision. Of course, it's been twisted for this timeline.
I'm going to behave and not put anything from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier for at least a month. However, I have thoughts. I will say, Tony managed to fix things a lot more than he thought he did. Apparently, he fixed more things than I thought he did. More to come as we go forward
Conversation 29: Warning Messages
The boss: I probably should have sent you this text message before I got on the road, but Steve and I are on our way to Pepper's house. So, you can have the night off.
Hunter: I sincerely doubt I'll actually have the night off. What do you need me to do?
The boss: Why do you automatically assume I'm asking for a favor?
Hunter: I've worked with you for four years.
The boss: Do you know what we're working on?
Hunter: Simmons sent me several text messages. I'm actually pretty good at understanding her ramblings when she's pissed. Which is the majority of the time. Although it's now worse that the grandkid is missing. I told her she should have told him what she was doing. But she was worried he would've said no.
The boss: And you didn't think to warn me?
Hunter: You didn't want anything to do with this.
The boss: That's not accurate. I didn't want to lose Morgan. I didn't want her to lose me. I'm not some heartless monster who doesn't want to bring everyone else back. I know you lost Bobbi. We all lost people; even Carol lost her stepdaughter. Although, does the person count as your stepdaughter if the marriage happened after they were dusted?
Hunter: I know Morgan is your everything. Just like Fitz was Simmons everything. The grandkid was a close second, and now they're both gone. She's lost because she lost everything. I hate when she's this lost.
The boss: Deke is not exactly lost. He made contact with us from 2018, the better version. He's safe, and they're working on a plan to get him back to us.
Hunter: That's good. Did you tell her?
The boss: Actually, that's what I want you to do.
Hunter: I don't know why you need me to do that. She'll be happy. There's something else, isn't there?
The boss: There always is. Contrary to what we thought, the monolith blast didn't kill Fitz 1. It caused him to go back in time. Because he decided to try to stop the impending apocalypse, he created a new timeline.
Hunter: This is still not bad news.
The boss: He's married to your alternate timeline counterpart. Apparently, he assumed time travel was more like Back to the Future than Star Trek.
Hunter: I need a drink.
The boss: I suggest you hit Pepper's chocolate stash instead. I know she still has a lot of the good German stuff. You need to be able to drive.
Hunter: Friday can do that for me.
The boss: You need to go in sober.
Hunter: I realize that, but I still want one. Is it weird being jealous of your other self even though you're currently sleeping with his new husband's widow? Although I guess widow isn't the right word anymore.
The boss: I understand the feeling, though. My other self is engaged to Steve. Apparently, they got there by playing ridiculous icebreaker games and honest communication.
Hunter: If they're engaged, obviously, those games weren't ridiculous.
The boss: Especially because the Accords are gone. They're already working on a purple asshole contingency plan. Better than what we did because instead of the Avengers being broken in pieces, they have like four squads working together.
Hunter: I'm surprised you haven't gone for the bottle yet.
The boss: It was tempting when I found Simmons' lab stash, but I called Steve to help me get rid of it. I've also gone to an AA meeting a day with Laura and had a few mini therapy sessions with her. But it's still hard to accept that maybe things are so screwed up right now because I never tried to reach out to Steve before it was too late.
Hunter: You can't take all of that on yourself. He could've reached out to you.
The boss: He made the first step. He sent me the phone. And I did write messages to him. I just never sent any. I think I did in the other timeline or Friday overrode my orders, possibly because the time-traveling Fitz told her to do it for the good of humanity.
Hunter: That's seems like something he would do.
Hunter: I'm packing a bag. I'll go over in person to break the bad news.
Hunter: The good news depending on one's perspective. I'm glad Fitz didn't die.
Friday: I am sending you a primer of what you need to know and what Simmons needs to be informed of.
The boss: Friday, sweetie, since he is an expert at understanding drunk Simmons ramblings, can you please pass him all the notes.
Friday: I did keep a copy when transferring the notes to the other timeline. However, Ana 2018 said that the Simmons of that timeline would begin deciphering and send back her notes.
The boss: We should still work on doing what we can here. I want to do an all-hands meeting tomorrow with everybody.
Friday: I'll speak to Romanoff. She is the head of the Avengers.
The boss: Right, this is her show now.
Hunter: I speak as your nanny, personal assistant, and bodyguard; you are very bad at retirement. I even know about your side businesses.
The boss: I am aware. My other self ended up the director of Shield or rather the replacement agency.
Hunter: I'm sure he can't be worse than Jeffrey. I heard stories.
The boss: Tell Pepper Pot we'll be there in 45 minutes.
Hunter: Will do. Lucky for you, I made cookies. I'll even leave some.
The boss: You're the best nanny/assistant I've ever had.
Hunter: And the only one you ever had. Even though I'm sure, Pepper felt like your nanny half the time when she was your assistant.
Pepper pot: You know you could have sent me a text message first to let me know that you were taking our nanny away for Avenger business
Tony: It's more like we're swapping places. I am bringing Steve with me. We could take the kids to Queens. that way, you can have a night to yourself. I feel like you need half a glass of wine and some of the good chocolate.
Pepper pot: The wine is an option, but Hunter just ate the last of my chocolate stash.
Tony: I will stop off and get you more. We're almost in the City.
Pepper pot: And who is "we?" Melinda?
Tony: No, our AIs in the two timelines are conspiring with each other and sent May a bunch of work stuff. Although she's going to possibly come up on the weekend.
Pepper pot: Oh, good, we will have brunch.
Tony: You'll be happy to know that your CCO is healthy and happy in the other timeline.
Tony: Okay, not necessarily happy but healthy. Deke also misses you.
Pepper pot: I miss him too. I could definitely use him right now, balancing work and the kids. Especially because you're taking my nanny away.
Tony: He will be back in the morning.
Pepper pot: I don't believe you.
Tony: Okay, he probably won't be back in the morning. I know you want Deke back, but we're working on it. And to do that, we need Hunter.
Pepper pot: Still annoyed, but only enough to put you two in the same room together.
Pepper pot: There's no point of you going all the way back to Queens. Just stay here. Besides, I would like to go over some work stuff with you since Deke is unavailable.
Tony: Actually, I feel like Deke would like for you to text him some work stuff. Friday could send it to him. Although with the way the time windows works, it's actually better on our side. We have like two more days before we're going to be able to connect again. However, only a few hours have passed on their side.
Pepper pot: I still feel like you need someone to talk to. How are you handling things?
Tony: Ana 2018 sent me a picture of my less idiotic self kissing Steve in the Rose Garden. I only feel like crying a little.
Pepper pot: Now, was that so hard to acknowledge?
Tony: Yes, but we are trying to work through things. I don't know where this will end up, but I told Steve the truth about our relationship.
Pepper pot: How did he not know that already? May knows.
Tony: Nick Fury Junior knows everything. There's not much you can possibly keep from her. She doesn't share everything with the husband because he's an idiot. Steve is a cute, adorable, fluffy idiot but still an idiot.
Tony: Him being an idiot doesn't change the fact that he is still married to her.
Pepper pot: And if you undo the decimation, then they won't need to stay married.
Tony: I don't think the inhuman internment camps will go away. Ross didn't blame the decimation on the Avengers fucking up. He blamed Daisy and created this entire anti-inhuman landscape. That's not going to go away if we bring everybody back, including the asshole's daughter and grandkid. He's out of power, and things are still a mess.
Pepper pot: But the other timeline doesn't have that problem?
Tony: No.
Pepper pot: Maybe you have to ask yourself why that is?
Tony: I don't know, although it seems like my other self is more hands-on.
Pepper pot: It's something to look at.
Tony: Between everything else. I'm letting Steve drive the rest of the way here to read through reports and send text messages.
Pepper pot: That must be awful for you.
Tony: He's actually managed to become a decent driver. It's probably the kids.
Pepper pot: Probably.
Tony: We're picking up your chocolate now and will be there in 20 minutes.
To be continued …