104 Whatever it takes

"So the two of us taking a stroll through your birthplace." Tony said to Steve.

"Yeah. Never thought that'd happen." Steve said.

In New Jersey, 1970, a car was being driven with rock music playing in it while on the back of it was a sticker saying 'Nuff said.' As it passed by Camp Lehigh, the elderly man inside it said to the soldiers, "Hey man! Make love, not war!" He and the woman next to him happily raised their fingers as they drove away.

"Wise words." Thor said and all nodded.

"This was the last time we saw him in any of the recordings." Benjamin said.

"Yeah, he just never appeared after this one." Logan said.

"Don't know why." Odinson told everyone.

"Maybe he went to a better place than where we all are." Peter said and all nodded.

"As shocking as it sounds, I'm gonna miss him." Tony said.

"Yeah, it feels like we are all connected to him somehow." Natasha said as all wondered.

"Excelsior!" They all said together to him in goodbye.

Tony and Steve walked together in disguise as Tony asked if Steve was actually born here and he said the idea of him was.

"Yes, the idea was." Bucky said.

Tony asked where they would hide the Teserract and Steve said in plain sight as they noticed Howard Stark and Edwin Jarvis entering a doorway.

"Dad." Tony said with a lump in his throat as Pepper held his hand while Bucky sighed guiltily.

Tony scanned the doorway with his glasses to see an elevator and then they walked into it with a dark-skinned woman who was reading a file and looking at them suspiciously. Tony walked out, wishing 'captain' luck on his mission as Steve wished 'doctor' luck on his project.

"Now you're the doctor." Bruce said to Tony as all chuckled.

The woman asked if Steve was new and he said not exactly as she shot him a weird look and he walked out.

"She knows you two are up to something." Scott said to them and they nodded.

Tony ran to where he knew the Teserract was kept, using his glasses to scan all the containers before eventually finding the Teserract in one. He used his Gauntlet to laser it open and taking it out, put it in a case.

"At long last!" Loki said as all sighed in relief.

"So now we have 5." Hope said.

"One more to go." Hill added.

Then Howard Stark spotted him when he arrived to look for Arnim Zola.

"Uh-oh." Rhodes said.

"Dad saw me." Tony whispered in a thick voice as Pepper held his hand and all watched him in sympathy.

"Dad, I know it's hard, but watching what happens can make you feel better." Morgan assured.

"Really?" He asked.

"Really." She said.

Tony started walking away as Howard said the door was the other way. Tony walked to him as Howard asked if he'd seen Dr. Zola and Tony said he hadn't seen a soul. Howard asked if he knew him and Tony said he was a visitor from MIT, showing a fake ID.

"MIT. It's not much." Tony said and all rolled their eyes good-naturedly.

Howard asked if he'd a name and Tony said his name was Howard. He then added it was Howard Potts.

"Howard Potts?!" Pepper asked in shock and amusement as all found it a bit funny.

"Hi, I am Howard Potts." Tony said jokingly as he gave Rhodey a hand.

Rhodes shook it and said, "I'm Doctor Drake Ramoray."

Everyone laughed at the Friends reference.

Tony shook Howard's hand as Howard told him to shake and not pull.

"I remember that." Steve said fondly.

Noticing Tony's expression, Howard said he looked a little green around the gills.

"He is a hard man to fool." Fury said and all nodded.

Tony said he was fine and just had gone long hours. Howard asked if he wanted to get some air and he said it'd be swell as they started walking out and Howard picked his briefcase for him, giving it to him.

"So you left it on purpose for Howard to return." Clint noted, "Smart."

Tony nodded.

Hank Pym was in his lab, working with his Ant-Man helmet next to him when he got a call from 'Captain Stevens' from shipping who said they had the package.

"There's my dad." Hope said, "So young."

"And his helmet is there too." Scott pointed at it.

"The original Ant-Man." Cassie reminded.

Steve said they couldn't bring the package as some men had opened it and felt sick. Hank angrily bolted out of the office, pushing people away.

"No offense, but he is kind of unpleasant." Lila said to Hope who sighed, knowing she had a point.

Steve snuck into the lab and picked up some Pym Particles.

"Now you got it." Sam said to Steve.

"Sorry Hope." He said to Hope who shrugged.

"Now he apologized to me." She said to Hill who groaned.

Tony and Howard were in the lift as Tony noted the flower and sauerkraut and asked if Howard had a date and he said his wife was expecting. Tony congratulated him.

"Now I'm congratulating my dad for having me." Tony said, "Never thought that'd happen."

"Back to the Future may not be accurate but now it's kind of like that." Scott said and all nodded.

Tony held the flowers for him as he asked how far along was she and he said she couldn't stand the sound of his chewing now so he'd have to eat in the pantry.

Everyone chuckled as Pepper asked, "Was I like that?"

"Much worse." Morgan said and she groaned while all chuckled.

Tony said he had a little girl and Howard said a girl would be nice as she would turn out less like him.

"You turned out like grandpa but a bit better." Morgan said to Tony, "You learnt to be a better dad than him."

Tony smiled and nodded in appreciation.

Tony asked what was so bad about that and Howard said the greater good rarely outweighed his own self-interest.

"Both of us are futurists." Tony sighed and Pepper held his hand.

Steve was sneaking around when he noticed the woman from earlier telling two guards about him and Tony, saying one of them had a hippie beard like Mungo Jerry.

"What the hell?!" Tony asked in shock and bewilderment as he touched his beard while everyone else burst out laughing, "Mungo Jerry? Really?!"

"She's got a point." May said and all laughed more while Tony looked indignant.

"And hippie!" Rhodes added and the laughter increased.

"Just wait, Doctor Ramoray, I will write the next episode of 'Days of our Lives.'" Tony said to Rhodes as the laughter increased even more.

Steve hid in an office where he noticed a picture of him before the Super Soldier Serum. He then noticed an older Peggy talking to someone and looked at her with sadness on his face.

"You still miss her, don't you?" Natasha asked comfortingly.

"Yeah." Steve said, "But I know we can't be together."

The future people exchanged grim looks at that. Steve wouldn't be pleased when he would see what his future self did.

Tony and Howard walked out as Tony asked where he was with names and Howard said they were thinking Elmonzo for a boy.

"Elmonzo Edward Stark." Tony said, "More like E.E. Stark."

"Double E. Stark." Sam joked and all laughed.

"Good thing that didn't happen." Morgan said and all chuckled and nodded.

Howard asked if Tony was nervous when he had a kid and he said wildly. Howard asked if he felt qualified, like if he could operate on that thing.

"Wow!" A bewildered Tony said. His father so involved in work he was talking about a baby in terms of a machine.

"Yeah. We all have our flaws." Pepper assured and he nodded.

Tony said he pieced it together as he went along as Howard said his old man had no problem he couldn't solve with a belt.

Everyone looked at Howard in sympathy, knowing how much he had suffered. And in spite of that, risen to greatness.

"That's why he kept his distance." Tony said sadly, "He didn't want to turn out like his dad so he tried to be indifferent."

Pepper held his hand for comfort as Morgan gave him a reassuring smile and he nodded gratefully.

Tony said he'd thought his dad was tough on him and occasionally dropped the odd pearl. Howard asked like what and Tony quoted him, ""No amount of money ever bought a second of time.""

"Yes, he used to say that back then too." Steve said fondly as all smiled.

"He was a smart guy." Tony said, "If flawed. I miss him."

"I'm sorry." Bucky said apologetically.

"It's not your fault. It's Hydra." Tony said, forgiving Bucky at last and all felt the atmosphere in the room get happier.

"Thank you." Bucky said gratefully as he smiled at him.

Howard said he was a smart guy and Tony said he had done his best. Howard said the kid wasn't even here and there he was nothing he wouldn't do for him.

"I know dad. I know." Tony smiled, feeling better now.

Howard then moved to his car as Tony noticed Steve and gestured he had the Teserract. Howard said it was good to meet him and Tony said everything would be all right before hugging him to his shock, "Thank you for everything...you've done for this country."

"For everything you've done." Tony said with a few tears in his eyes as Pepper held his hand while Rhodes put a hand on his shoulder and Morgan gave him a reassuring look.

Everyone felt good for Tony. Now he had worked things out with his father at last.

Tony walked to Steve as Howard asked Jarvis if they had met the guy and Jarvis said he met a lot of people. Howard said he looked familiar but the beard was weird.

Everyone laughed as Tony asked, "What is wrong with my beard?"

"Hippie!" Bruce teased and he groaned.

"Anyone heard Black Sabbath's 'Iron Man' song?" Clint asked and Tony raised his hand along with several others except Peter.

"Kid, improve your taste." Benjamin said to his younger self who looked sheepish but nodded.

"You remember the line- 'When he travelled time, for the future of mankind?'" Clint asked and everyone's eyes lit up.

"So Iron Man travelled time with others for the future of mankind." Pepper said proudly while Tony smirked. He had no idea such a dark song could be referred to in a hopeful way too.

In Sanctuary II, 2014 Nebula threw 2023 Nebula down as she told Gamora she could stop this as she wanted to. She asked if Gamora knew what Thanos did to her to get the Soul Stone. 2014 Nebula shut her up by kicking her down, saying she disgusted her.

"The desire to please her father is strong." Scarlet Witch said and all nodded.

2014 Nebula then said 2023 Nebula wasn't useless as she took out her knife and cut off some armor plating. She then walked to Thanos on his throne, asking how she looked as she held out the Pym Particle for him.

"Oh no, no, no, no, no." Rhodes said as all paled.

"Now he is going to send her as his spy." Fury said.

"And she will bring them all to our timeline." Steve said grimly as the atmosphere dropped instantly.

The future people knew it was about to get even worse.

Natasha and Clint arrived at Vormir as Clint said it would be awesome under different circumstances. They trekked through Vormir as Natasha complained the raccoon wouldn't have to climb a mountain. Clint said he wasn't a raccoon technically and she countered by saying he ate garbage.

All laughed at that.

Then the Red Skull appeared, announcing, "Welcome. Natasha, Daughter of Ivan. Clint, Son of Edith." They took their weapons out in defense.

"Ivan?" Natasha whispered as all looked at her, "I-I never knew his name."

"I'm sorry." Steve said apologetically as Bucky held her hand and all watched her sadly.

Schmidt said he was their guide for the Soul Stone. Natasha said he could tell them where it was and they'd be on their way. He whispered something in German before revealing his face, saying if only it were that easy.

And then everyone paled as they remembered the condition at last, the denial fading away.

"No." Bucky whispered.

"A soul for a soul." Thor remembered as everyone felt pits in their stomachs.

"Which means…." Loki trailed off as looks of horror crossed everyone's faces.

"No, no, no, no, no." Steve was saying to himself in disbelief.

"Why does this thing even have a condition ?" Tony asked angrily, feeling helpless as all put hands to their mouths.

"Nat….." Clint trailed off as he looked at her.

"Clint…" She whispered to him.

Lila looked at them both with tears in their eyes, not able to control herself and now everyone knew what was going to go down.

"No!" Steve snapped and put his head in his hands as Peter and Wanda tried to control their tears.

"The guy had to have made it up to screw with people." Sam said about Schmidt, trying to put blame on someone due to his grief at the impending deaths of one of Clint or Natasha.

"What you seek lies in front of you...as does what you fear." Schmidt said as he led them to the cliff, "The Stone is down there. For one of you. For the other..." He trailed off as Natasha and Clint realized what he was saying, "In order to take the Stone, you must lose that which you love. An everlasting exchange. A soul, for a soul."

"Why is it everlasting?" Bruce moaned.

"To make people understand the consequences of power." Odinson simply said, "And the Soul Stone is different from others."

"That thing is evil then!" Scott snapped angrily.

"I wish things were that simple, dad." Cassie said with quivering lips.

Natasha was sitting down later as Clint sarcastically waved to Schmidt. He told Natasha Schmidt was making this shit up but she said he was right. Clint asked if it was because he knew her daddy's name but she said she didn't know it either.

All watched the screen sadly.

Natasha remembered Thanos had left with the Soul Stone but not Gamora which couldn't be a coincidence. She looked at a picture of Bucky and herself, taken in Wakanda, when things were simpler and they were happier. Putting it inside, she said, "Whatever it takes."

Bucky paled as he held Natasha's hand while grateful she had held onto that picture the entire time.

"Please…" Clint begged her.

"We have to bring them all back." Natasha said to him.

"But we can't lose you." Steve said, trying to wipe his tears, "Any of you."

"Whatever it takes." Clint said too. Natasha walked to him and said billions of people would stay dead if they didn't get the Stone. Clint said then they both knew who it was gotta be. Natasha said they did and as they held hands, Clint realized they meant different people.

"You think I'll let you die?" Natasha asked incredulously.

"Why are you doing this?" Clint asked, not wanting her to die while Bucky was panting, knowing he wouldn't be able to handle it. No one would.

"For us." Lila said with tears in her eyes.

"For the last five years I've been trying to do one thing: Get to right here." Natasha told Clint, "That's all it's been about. Bringing everybody back." Clint said, "Oh, don't you get all decent on me now." "What, you think I wanna do it?" She asked, "I'm trying to save your life, you idiot."

"I didn't ask for you to!" Clint snapped as Wanda held his hand.

"A friend never has to ask." Natasha said, trying to keep emotion out of her voice.

"Yeah well, I don't want you to, because I..." Clint trailed off, "Natasha, you know what I've done. You know what I've become."

"You knew what I did. Yet you gave me a chance." Natasha reminded Clint in a quivering voice as Clint had tears in his eyes. So did Steve, Bucky, Tony, Wanda, Peter and Lila. The others were watching with hearts beating against their chests.

"I don't judge people on their worst mistakes." She said to him. "Maybe you should." He told her guiltily. "You didn't." She reminded.

"Maybe I should have so this doesn't happen!" Clint said, not wanting to see her die.

Clint said she was a pain in his ass as they held hands and touched their heads. He said she won. They were like that for a few seconds before he suddenly flipped her to the ground and said, "Tell my family I love them."

"I won't. You will." Natasha said as all watched with heavy hearts, knowing something was going to happen now.

Natasha flipped him down and said, "You tell them yourself." She fired her Widow's Bite, sending shocks through him and ran off.

"Damn that thing!" Clint said as all paled.

Then Clint recovered and fired an explosive arrow next to her, sending her down. He threw off his bow and ran to the cliff, jumping off. At the last moment, Natasha grabbed onto him and used a grappling hook to leave them both hanging. She was below him as he held on.

"Why couldn't you have just let me go?" Clint asked with tears.

"Because she wanted you to come back to us." Lila said with tears of her own as she got up from her chair and walked next to him, both of them hugging each other with tears in their eyes.

"Nat…" Bucky trailed off, words failing him as there was a lump in his throat.

"For you." She whispered to him and he hugged her with tears in his eyes as she hugged him back. Steve was still trying to wipe his face. Fury's façade was close to breaking at this point. Hill looked devastated too. She and Natasha had been friends at least. Not best friends, but good friends.

"Damn you!" Clint whispered as he held onto her. "Let me go." She whispered.

"Don't let go!" Clint urged his on-screen self.

"No." He begged, "Please, no." She whispered in an assuring tone, "It's okay."

"It's not!" Bucky said.

"Please..." Clint begged when Natasha let go. "NAT!" He screamed in horror. A second later, Natasha's broken and bleeding body was shown on the ground.

"NO!" Bucky screamed and in his shock, he grabbed Natasha's hand so hard it broke.

"AH!" Natasha screamed and he let go as he turned to her, seeing her hold her hand in pain.

"Oh my! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" He said apologetically as he held her hands with guilt on his face.

"It's all right." She said as she winced.

"You…..did it…for everyone…." Steve struggled to speak coherently as he broke down in that moment while Sam put a hand on his shoulder, tears in his own eyes as he looked at Natasha.

"Why? Why did you have to jump?" Clint asked. He knew the answer already but he was just asking it out of grief.

Natasha started, "Clint…"

She was cut off as Clint got off his chair and grabbed her in a hug so tight she was being suffocated, "I'm sorry….I'm sorry…Please don't go."

She hugged him back, trying to breathe as she said, "I won't."

Wanda and Peter were crying at this point with May trying to comfort Peter as Benjamin and Scarlet Witch had tears in their eyes too.

"You didn't even hesitate…" Bruce said to himself, grief getting to him.

Tony wasn't speaking a word, just looking between Natasha and the screen with eyes wide in disbelief as he put a hand on his head and tried to wipe any tears that were forming. Pepper held his hand, horrified and saddened herself.

Even Vision's eyes had widened in horror as he felt sad at her death.

Morgan, Cassie and Logan were just watching the screen sadly as Thor said to her, "I should have been at Vormir."

"Don't say that!" She said to him.

"I wanted to save you." Odinson told her, remembering his outburst after her death.

"You wiped the red in your ledger." Loki said to her, respect shining in his eyes. And even he looked saddened.

Scott and Hope were holding each other's hands for comfort. The recordings had made them like Natasha very much so seeing her go was a very, very bitter pill to swallow.

Hill had a hand on her mouth.

No one noticed Fury wiping a tear from his eye.

"My hand." Natasha reminded and Clint let go.

"Come on, Auntie Nat, we'll get it patched up." Lila said as she got off her chair and led her away while Steve, Bucky and Clint went with them.

"I-I-I-I-I…." Tony trailed off and broke down as Pepper held him for comfort, crying herself.

The others were too numb to talk. Everyone was affected by her death.

Lila and Steve bandaged Natasha's hand as Lila said, "I missed you, Auntie Nat. Every day."

She turned to Clint, "And you were never the same after her death."

"You gave your life so others could live." Steve said through a veil of tears, "No one can thank you enough."

"They don't have to." Natasha said.

"I do." Bucky told her, "You did this for me. For us all. Without asking for anything in return."

"You deserved better." Clint said to her, "After everything you've been through, you deserved much better."

"That's why we are here." Lila said, "So you all can get much better than you got."

"And it's done." Steve said as the bandaging was finished and Natasha looked at her bandaged hand.

"I'm sorry." Bucky said guiltily.

"It's all right. You didn't mean to." Natasha said before joking, "It just shows how much you love me."

Everyone gave watery chuckles and then all four of them embraced Natasha with tears in their eyes, grateful to her for what she did but devastated by it too. Natasha closed her eyes and hugged them back as tears rolled down her cheeks too.

After about 5 minutes, Steve, Natasha, Clint, Bucky and Lila returned and took their seats, still wiping some tears.

All of them wanted to say something but they were too saddened to discuss anything.

"I'll just….continue." Logan sighed before unpausing the recording.

A bright light shone and later, Clint woke up in water. He looked around, panting heavily before noticing the Soul Stone in his hand. Seeing that, he sobbed bitterly, hitting the water angrily.

"That thing!" Clint said with venom in his voice as all had lumps in their throats still.

Everyone returned through the Quantum Realm to the Compound and took off their suits as Bruce realized they had got them all and Rhodes was shocked in a good way that it worked. Then Bruce asked Clint where Nat was. Clint's expression was all everyone needed to know as Bruce gasped softly while Steve and Clint exchanged a look and Steve lowered his head, trying not to break down. Bruce angrily punched the ground.

Everyone flinched at their on-screen selves' reactions.

Later, the other five original Avengers stood near the water, trying to come to terms with Natasha's death. "Do we know if she had family?" Tony asked in a voice that was barely a whisper. "Yeah." Steve said, "Us."

"It was always you guys." Natasha said with a lump in her throat as the others tried to control their tears.

"What?" Thor asked as he walked to Tony. Tony said, "I just asked him a question..." Thor, still in disbelief, cut him off, "Yeah, you're acting like she's dead. Why are we acting like she's dead? We have the Stones, right? As long as we have the Stones, Cap, we can bring her back, isn't that right? So stop this shit. We're the Avengers, get it together." Clint said sadly, "We can't get her back." "Wha- what?" Thor slurred. Clint let the harsh reality sink in for both himself and Thor, "It can't be undone. It can't."

"An everlasting exchange." Odinson recalled sadly as all sighed.

Thor laughed, "I'm sorry. No offense, but you're a very earthly being. Okay? We're talking about space magic. And "can't" seems very definite don't you think?" "Look, I know that I'm way outside my paygrade here." Clint started, "But she still isn't here, is she?" Thor started, "Now that's my point. "It can't be undone." Clint said again before snapping angrily, "Or that's at least what the red floating guy had to say. Maybe you wanna go talk to him? Okay? Go grab your hammer, and you go fly and you talk to him."

Everyone flinched, never having seen Clint this angry ever. But he had lost Natasha. What could he do now?

Thor looked guilty as Steve looked up with a tear rolling down his cheek. "It was supposed to be me." Clint cried.

"Don't say that." Natasha said, trying not to cry herself.

"I'm sorry." Odinson apologized to Clint and Natasha for his behavior in the recording.

They waved him away.

"She sacrificed her life for that goddamned Stone. She bet her life on it." Clint said. Bruce angrily ripped out a bench and threw it into the water.

Bruce's reaction only increased the gloomy atmosphere as Bruce's lip quivered.

Turning around, Bruce said, "She's not coming back."

"Fuck the Soul Stone!" Clint snapped angrily and Wanda had to grasp his hand to start calming him down.

Bruce told everyone, "We have to make it worth it. We have to." Steve got up, recovering himself and masking his emotions said, "We will."

"They all made sure it wasn't in vain." Scarlet Witch told Natasha.

"Then that's all that matters." Natasha said.

"Don't say that, please." Bucky said as the two held each other.

Later, Tony, Bruce and Rocket worked together to make the bots attach the Stones to the newly made Nano-Gauntlet. Tony still looked like he was trying to stop himself from crying. Soon, the Stones were assembled together in the Nano-Gauntlet.

"Did we make it?" Tony asked, trying to get his mind off of Natasha's death.

"Yeah." Morgan said, "The Nano-Gauntlet."

"Boom!" Rocket said, startling the other two and then chuckled mischievously.

Everyone gave watery chuckles. It was clear he was only trying to cheer them up with a prank.

Later, all of them stood together as Rocket said the Gauntlet was finished and the question was who snapped their fingers. Thor stepped up, saying he would do it as Steve and Tony tried to stop him, saying they hadn't decided who was gonna put it on. Thor asked if they were waiting for an opportunity, saying staring at the thing won't bring everyone back. "I'm the strongest Avenger, okay?" He said, "So this responsibility falls upon me. It's my duty."

"Your mental state isn't right for snapping." Loki pointed out and Thor nodded.

"Tell that to him." Thor said.

"They tried. I didn't listen." Odinson said, "I could have snapped. But I might have made it worse due to everything going on in my head."

"So who does it?" Tony asked.

"Just watch." Benjamin said.

"Just let me. Just let me do it. Just let me do something good. Something great." Thor begged.

"Or something even worse." Odinson whispered sadly as Thor sighed while Loki put a hand on his shoulder.

Tony said the glove was channeling enough energy to light up a continent and he was in no condition to do it. Thor asked what he thought was flowing through his veins right now. Rhodes jokingly asked if it was cheese whiz.

"Dude!" Tony snapped at Rhodes as all glared at him and he raised his hands.

"I'm sorry. That was way out of line." He said apologetically to Thor and Odinson and they nodded, accepting it.

Thor said it was lightning when Bruce said, "Lightning won't help you, pal. It's gotta be me. You saw what those Stones did to Thanos. It almost killed him. None of you could survive." Steve asked, "How do we know you will?" Bruce walked to the glove and looking at it said, "I don't. But the radiation's mostly gamma. It's like...I was meant for this."

"So you snapped." Natasha said as she turned to Bruce.

"Looks like it." Bruce said.

"And it had hurt like hell." Scarlet Witch remembered his charred arm.

"Oh it sure would have." Bruce said.

"So you snapped us all back to life then." Peter realized and all who had been snapped away looked at him gratefully. He simply nodded humbly.

Outside, 2014 Nebula walked to the machine and using her cybernetics, hacked into it.

"Oh no." Rhodes said as all paled.

"She is bringing him here." Steve said.

Bruce looked at the glove as Tony reminded him to bring back everyone Thanos had snapped 5 years ago and not change anything else. "Got it." Bruce said. Steve raised his shield as Scott and Rhodes shut the visors on their suits while Thor put an arm in front of Rocket to protect him and Tony put on his Iron Man Armor: Mark LXXXV. He also formed a shield, putting Clint behind him and said, "Friday, do me a favor and activate protocol 8." "Yes, boss." FRIDAY said as all the doors and windows were shut and barred. Bruce looked at the Gauntlet and said, "Everybody comes home."

"Here goes." Bruce said as all tensed.

He then slowly put on the Gauntlet and immediately screamed in pain as energy surged through him. Thor told him to take it off as Steve asked if he was all right and Tony asked to talk to him. Bruce assured he was okay.

"You don't look like it." Clint said.

"I have to do it." Bruce said.

"Good luck." Scott said and he nodded.

Outside, 2014 Nebula pressed some commands and a gateway was opened from 2014. The Sanctuary II flew through the Quantum Realm at atomic size before flying out, enlarging to its regular size as it shattered the ceiling above.

"Shit!" Sam said as all paled.

"Now he has to mess it up." Pepper groaned.

"Too badly." Morgan whispered so only she could hear.

Bruce panted heavily and yelled before raising his hand and snapping his fingers.

"YES!" Peter said as all cheered a little, though it was rather restrained as the shadow of Natasha's death still loomed over them.

"We did it." Bruce whispered.

Bruce fell down as the Gauntlet fell off his hand and Clint kicked it away while Tony used his suit's mechanism to cool down his now charred arm. As the doors and windows started opening, Bruce asked if it worked and Thor said they weren't sure but told him to take it easy. Scott walked to the window when Clint heard his cell phone vibrate. He walked to it and was shocked to see Laura's picture on the screen.

Clint put a hand on his mouth, trying not to cry out of joy as Natasha gave him a smile.

"I remember that day." Lila remembered, "The house was covered in cobwebs. But the phone was still there for some reason. Mom was shocked to see the year on it."

"It worked!" May said happily as all sighed in relief, very briefly letting their minds off Natasha's death, including Natasha herself.

Clint picked up the phone and said in a heavy voice, "Honey?" "Clint?" She asked. "Honey?" He said again.

"It worked. They are all back." Clint said in a voice that was a mix of a laugh and a sob.

Scott and Hope gave each other smiles as May and Peter embraced each other while Clint held Wanda's hand.

Scott noticed birds chirping outside as the sun shone a bit brighter and he said, "Guys…..I think it worked!"

"There's some good in this world. And it's worth fighting for." Scott said as all nodded, knowing he was right.

Then Bruce looked up to see the Sanctuary II as it rained fire down on them. Scott was sent flying off but shrunk just as the blast hit him while Rhodes, Bruce and Rocket were thrown down when the floor below them shattered. All of them were thrown around as the entire Avengers Compound was blown to bits, the only thing left of it being rubble.

"No." Steve whispered in horror as all paled and their breaths became hoarse. The Avengers Compound had been like a home to them. And now this monster had destroyed it all and reduced it to rubble.

"We won't let him off this time." Thor snarled.

"No bub. You won't." Logan said.

Rhodes and Rocket were trapped under rubble with water flowing around as Bruce held up the collapsing building to save the other two.

"Okay, that's a lot of strength." An impressed Cassie noted as all watched.

"Being Bruce and Hulk in one won't reduce his strength." Hill pointed out.

Rhodes said 'Canopy' 3 times and his suit opened as he fell out while Rocket was trapped under rubble. As Bruce held up the collapsing building, Rhodes crawled to where Rocket was and using a rod, lifted the rubble, helping him out. Water was falling on them from above due to the attack.

"Now what?" Hope asked.

"Now it gets worse." Lila said.

Rhodes and Rocket lay down when Bruce called out to them and they saw water rushing towards them as a flood.

"Shit!" Sam said as all paled at what was happening.

"He hit us right where we live right after we were at our most relaxed." Tony groaned.

"Which is why he is such a cunning opponent." Odinson pointed out.

Scott woke up and pushing rubble off him, heard Rhodes' 'Mayday' as he asked if anybody copied. "Wait! I'm here! I'm here, can you hear me?" Scott asked as he tapped his earpiece.

"Now dad is about to do something." Cassie smirked.

"Will it give me fans?" Scott asked jokingly.

"Everyone in this room are your fans." Steve said and all nodded while he smiled in appreciation.

Clint woke up, pushing rubble off him and switched on his gauntlet's light, walking around. He saw the Gauntlet nearby and picked it up.

"That!" Bucky said and all groaned.

Then he head a growl.

"Are those…..?" Rhodes trailed off in horror.

"Yes." Scarlet Witch said and all groaned.

Clint fired a light arrow in the direction, illuminating several Outriders. Picking up the Gauntlet, he ran as they all chased him.

"Run faster, Clint." T'Challa said.

"I'm trying!" Clint said.

The Sanctuary II beamed Thanos down as 2014 Nebula walked to him. "Daughter." He said. "Yes father." She said as she walked to him. "So this is the future." Thanos noted and said, "Well done." "Thank you father." She said as she ripped the plating off and threw it away, "They suspected nothing." "The arrogant never do." Thanos said as he planted the Thanoscopter in the ground and put his helmet on it.

"We're arrogant? We're arrogant?" Sam asked angrily as all glared at him.

"He is getting overconfident." Fury noted and all nodded.

Sitting down he said, "Go. Find the Stones. Bring them to me." "What will you do?" She asked. "Wait." He said as she walked away.

"For us." Steve noted grimly as all tensed.

Up in the Sanctuary II, 2014 Gamora looked down in horror and walked to where 2023 Nebula was held prisoner, asking, "Tell me something. In the future, what happens to you and me?" Nebula looked up and said, "I tried to kill you. Several times. But eventually, we become friends." She added firmly, "We become sisters."

"Very close sisters." Thor said as all watched.

Gamora walked to her and giving her a hand and said, "Come on. We can stop him." Nebula grasped her hand and both walked together.

"Bet Thanos didn't see that coming." Wanda used her brother's words as all smirked.

"Now what?" Peter wondered.

"Now we fight Thanos." Odinson said and all tensed, knowing this was the fight of their lives. The Battle of Earth. No, not just the Earth, but the Universe.

With that in their minds, they continued watching.