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

Chapter 10: A New Plan

Outside a half demolished pizza place in New York 2012...

Hank and Peter are sitting at a table outside the shop, each eating a slice of cheese pizza. Peter puts his down on his plate, finishes chewing and wipes his face with a napkin.

"C'mon please?" Peter inquires. Hank shakes his head without a word. "It's been a while, what if they need our help?" Peter asks. Hank raises his eyebrows. "I just wanna be doing something you know?" Peter adds. Hank sighs.

"Look, kid, I get that you want to be helpful. But that isn't something a kid and an old man should be doing. And honestly, two of them can fly, two of them can change their size and two of them are spies; I think they'll be fine." Peter sighs at Hank's words and nods; picking up his slice of pizza again. Sam, Scott, Hope, Fury and Hill walk up to Peter and Hank's table; Fury holding the case that contains the scepter. Peter looks up; excitement on his face.

Meanwhile on Vormir...

T'Challa sits on a rock on the ground, his head in his hands as Shuri stands next to him and Redskull floats in place 20 feet away watching them. "There has to be another way," Shuri says under her breath.

"No," T'Challa shakes his head. "This is no lie; nothing we can think or fight our way out of." T'Challa meets Shuri's eyes. Shuri takes his hand in hers and takes a deep breath. T'Challa stands. Shuri embraces him in a hug. T'Challa wraps his arms around her and closes his eyes; sighing.

"I know you will continue to be a great king," Shuri whispers. "I love you brother." T'Challa unwraps his arms and steps back to look Shuri in the eyes.

"Shuri you're not going to be the one to jump."

"Our people need you T'Challa. Everyone else needs you. I need you," Shuri begs, taking his hand in hers.

"Our people need a compassionate and brave leader and they will have that even with me gone. The world needs me to make this sacrifice." Shuri shakes her head at these words. T'Challa kisses Shuri on the cheek; lets go of her hand and turns around; beginning to walk in the direction of the edge of the cliff. "I love you sister," T'Challa calls over his shoulder as Shuri stays rooted to the ground in shock. T'Challa begins to run. Shuri runs after him with a scream but she does not reach him in time and he jumps. Shuri stands at the edge of the cliff, mouth open, tears pouring down her face.

Empty alley in New York 2012...

Sam, Fury, Hill, Hank, Peter, Hope, and Scott stand there in a circle, each thinking.

"We should take this one back now and then figure out what to do about the other. We can't let something happen to this one too," Fury states with authority. Hank nods in agreement and Peter looks back and forth between everyone.

"Best of luck with the other," Hill tells Hank, Peter, Hope, Scott and Sam. They all acknowledge her words as she and Fury press down on their buttons to return to the future, Fury holding the case with the scepter inside.

Hank, Peter, Hope, Scott and Sam look at one another. Sam sighs and shakes his head, leaning against the outside wall of the building on the left of the alley. Peter opens his mouth and then closes it.

"Stop being all quiet and sulky, we gotta figure this out!" Hope barks with urgency. Everyone looks at her expectantly.

Meanwhile on Knowhere at the Collector's Museum...

The Collector figuratively glides across the floor, Wanda and Bucky following close behind. The Collector stops; clearly finding a new object to show the pair. Wanda and Bucky wear weary looks upon their faces. The Collector sighs with admiration, a smirk forming on his face as he reaches into a drawer and pulls out the Aether. Wanda puts her hand over mouth and her eyes widen. Bucky sighs with relief that at last The Collector is showing it to them. The Collector turns slowly around to face them, his smiling face lit by the glowing red light. Wanda reacts with haste, using her own glowing red magic to make the Aether fly out of The Collector's hands and into hers. The Collector yelps as it happens and Bucky reacts accordingly, throwing his metal arm in front of The Collector and pinning him against a large glass container to keep him away from Wanda. Bucky kicks The Collector sending him soaring through the air to land in a grumbling heap 10 feet away. Bucky and Wanda look to one another. Wanda holds the Aether out to Bucky to take. Bucky looks at her and then at it and then to her again.

"Why me?" he asks her.

"Why not?" she replies.

"What difference does it make who brings it back?" he questions.

"Exactly... what difference?" Wanda pushes, trying to put the Aether into Bucky's hand. Bucky pushes Wanda's hand and the Aether away.

"Wanda..." Bucky whispers with trepidation. "Why do you want me to take the stone back?" The Collector groans in pain from his heap on the floor but Wanda and Bucky pay him no attention.

"Why don't you want to?" Wanda asks him, surveying him with her eyes. "Why are you afraid to become a hero?"

"Don't do that," Bucky growls. "We both know that's not what this is about."

"So say it then," Wanda demands. "Tell me why you're so afraid of being the one to bring it back. We're both going to the same place at the same time right?" Wanda steps closer to Bucky as she speaks, staring him in the eye. "Why should it matter which one carries the stone?"

"Vision won't be brought back with the stones," Bucky states. Wanda swallows. "Steve will come back. Thor. Stark. The Wakandans. Everyone who Thanos snapped away; we can snap back if we get all the stones back to our time. It'd be selfish to use this time travel to be with the one you love instead of helping save the universe? Right Wanda? You aren't planning on going to a different time were you? Let me bring the stone back while you go to before the snap, to live out a life with Vision? That wasn't your plan was it?" Wanda sends Bucky flying across the room and he slams into the wall with a thud and a groan. He uses his vibranium arm to get back up and he walks back to Wanda.

"You know you could just give it back to me since it's rightfully mine that you stole. Then you wouldn't have to argue over which one of you has it," The Collector offers from his pile on the floor. Wanda and Bucky both turn to glare at him.