What If... the other 50% were snapped?

Chapter 8: The Clock Ticks Forward and Back

On Morag...

2014 Quill arrives dancing and singing to himself. Drax, Mantis and Groot all turn to stare at present day Quill behind the bush they all are hiding behind.

"Oh shut up," Quill whispers. When 2014 Quill reaches the bush, present day Quill jumps out, standing directly in front of 2014 Quill, blocking his way forward. 2014 Quill's mouth drops and he stays completely still, rooted to the spot.

"What the hell?" 2014 Quill whispers. Mantis sneaks up behind 2014 Quill and places her hands on either side of his head.

"Sleeeeep," Mantis croons. 2014 Quill's eyes roll back and he falls face forward onto the ground with a large snore. The guardians leave him and walk to the building that houses the Power Stone. Drax rushes ahead of them and throws himself against the locked doors with a roar, smashing and slashing them with his body and knives. Quill pulls a tool out of his pocket and picks the lock. The others follow him inside.

"Now we gotta be careful," Quill tells everyone. "You can't just stick your hand in or it'll-" Quill trails off as Groot sticks his hand into the glowing container that houses the orb. His hand and arm sizzle as he grasps the orb in his hand. He removes the orb and his arm comes out covered in flames. Groot drops the orb into Mantis' hand who puts it in her pocket while Drax uses his hands to slap the flames off of Groot's arms. Once Groot's arm is no longer on fire; everyone looks to each other in silence. Mantis presses down on her button and returns to the present day. Groot and Drax follow suit. Quill is about to press down on his when he stops, remembering something.

"Gamora," Quill whispers. "Gamora is here. 2014 on Morag. She's here," Quill says to himself. He turns away and sprints across the planet in the other direction.

Meanwhile on Vormir...

Shuri lands the Benetar and she and T'Challa exit the ship. Shuri and T'Challa walk forward in silence. Shuri takes T'Challa's hand as they walk. They reach the top of the mountain and Red Skull floats out of the shadows. Shuri and T'Challa freeze.

"Welcome," Red Skull whispers raspily. "T'Challa, son of T'Chaka. Shuri, daughter of Ramonda."

"Who are you?" T'Challa asks.

"Consider me a guide. To you, and to all who seek the Soul Stone," Red Skull replies.

"Great!" Shuri responds. "In that case, why don't you tell us where it is and we'll leave you to float around here in peace." T'Challa looks at Shuri while she says this, eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"Ah... if only it were that simple," Red Skull breathes, turning around and leading T'Challa and Shuri to the edge of the cliff.

"What you seek lies in front of you... as does what you fear." T'Challa and Shuri look at one another, perplexed by Red Skull's cryptic words. "The stone lies below for one of you. For the other... In order to take the stone, you must lose that which you love. An everlasting exchange. A soul, for a soul." Shuri lets out a little gasp and T'Challa hangs his head.

Meanwhile on Knowhere...

The auxiliary pod lands on the surface of the planet; the red glow that had been surrounding it; dissipating. Wanda and Bucky traipse out of the pod and walk towards The Collector's Museum. They enter cautiously, side by side. The door shuts behind them with a slam. They walk forward together; looking around at the strange artifacts that surround them.

"Hello," The Collector says from somewhere in the maze of artifacts; slightly startling Wanda and Bucky. Wanda and Bucky walk towards the voice. They stop in front of him and he meets their eyes with a piercing stare.

"You have the Reality Stone," Wanda states simply. The Collector tilts his head slightly staring at her intensely.

"So I do."

"Can we see it?" Bucky asks. The collector turns his head to stare at Bucky instead but says nothing.

Meanwhile at the Avengers Tower...

Hope and Scott are shrunk and watching as all the 2012 avengers surround Loki, Hawkeye's arrow pointing directly at Loki's face.

"Your team better hurry up, things are wrapping up here," Hope whispers into her headpiece.

"Got it, heading to the elevator now," Fury responds through the headpiece.

"If it's all the same to you... I'll have that drink now," says 2012 Loki.

"All right, get him on his feet. We can all stand around posing up a storm later. By the way, feel free to clean up," 2012 Tony Stark says in response to Loki's words.

"Wow," says Scott as 2012 Steve Rogers passes by, "That is America's ass." Hope shoots him a look and Scott grows silent, standing up straighter on the wall ledge they're perched on.

"Who gets the, uh, magic wand?" says 2012 Natasha.

"STRIKE team's coming to secure it" 2012 Tony responds. The Hydra/SHIELD team enters.

"We can take that off your hands," 2012 Sitwell says, taking Loki's scepter from Natasha.

"By all means. Careful with that thing," she replies.

"Unless you want your mind erased. And not in a fun way," adds 2012 Clint.

"We promise to be careful," 2012 Sitwell assures.

"Who are these guys?" Scott whispers.

"Hydra but we didn't know at the time. They were infiltrating SHIELD," Hill says through the headpiece.

"Seriously, you didn't know? I mean... they look like bad guys."

"Scott shut up," Hope hisses.