𝐖𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒 [𝖙•𝖘] [𝖎𝖒 - 𝖊𝖓𝖌]

⁷⁵. 𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑡 𝑇𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰ ───

There was no turning back now. First thing in the morning, they were ready to set sail and get the stones back. Tony and (Y/N) called Morgan earlier than usual to make sure she was safe and sound before departing, as if she was their good luck charm.  (Y/N) had offered to go with Rhodey and Nebula to Morag, much to Tony's disagreement. He was stubborn in not letting her go on her own because he was worried about not having her around, but Rhodey made the promise that he would do his best to take care of each other. Natasha had offered to do (Y/N)'s hair, claiming to be a special occasion, and both had almost matching braids.

"Five years ago, we lost." Steve began with his eyes firm on everyone around the circle they had formed on the platform. His tone was serious, the one he reserved for these types of speeches. "All of us. We lost friends. We lost family. We lost a part of ourselves. Today, we have a chance to take it all back. You know your teams. You know your missions."

(Y/N)'s eyes flickered to Rhodey and Nebula, who nodded in her direction when they found her gaze. She knew they would get the job done without any distractions or problems of any kind.

"Get the stones. Get them back," Steve continued. "One round-trip each. No mistakes. No do-overs. Most of us are going somewhere we know. That doesn't mean we should know what to expect. Be careful. Look out for each other. This is the fight of our lives and we're gonna win."

His eyes flickered to Tony's beside him. "Whatever it takes."

"He's pretty good at that," Rocket Raccoon muttered in his usual tone with his arms ( or frontal legs ? ) crossed.

"Right?" Scott agreed to the statement.

"All right. You heard the man," Tony clapped his hands together. "Stroke those keys, Jolly Green."

Bruce wasn't on the platform with the others; he was flicking the last switches to turn on the machine and made sure everything was in order. "Trackers engaged."

Clint was handed the shrunken version of the Benatar ship ( curtesy of Scott ) by Rocket, who didn't look too pleased about handing his most precious possession off to someone else.

"You promise to bring that back in one piece, right?" he asked, looking up at him.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Clint nodded with a dry tone. "Okay, I'll do my best."

"As promises go, that was pretty lame."

Bruce joined the others in the circle and pressed a button in his own suit, activating the machine. It beeped as it began working, and (Y/N) could feel a knot tightening in her stomach due to the nerves. She closed her eyes and exhaled a sharp breath, feeling Tony's hand slip against hers for reassurance.

"See you in a minute," she heard Natasha say with her typical smirk on her lips.

The helmet covered (Y/N)'s head from the back to the front, leaving her eyes covered by a fine glass that would allow her to look at her surroundings. Around her, everyone else was going through the same, the only thing still visible about their expressions being the hardened and determined gazes. The quantum tunnel opened underneath them, and before anyone knew it, they were swallowed inside its realm and were being taken to wherever they had planned in advance.

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰ ───

📍MORAG, 2014

"All right, bring it down, Blue."

It was weird to be back on extraterrestrial planets after such a long time, but (Y/N) easily adjusted. The planet of Morag had been abandoned for a long time, so there was nothing to worry about beside its resident creatures. With the Benatar already grown into its full size, Nebula was doing her best to lower the pod down into the ground with Rhodey's instructions. The plan was to leave Natasha and Clint the larger ship for their trip to Vormir, while the trio kept the small pod.

"Right on that line. That's it," Rhodey kept instructing. "Down, down."

"Hey, can we hurry it up?" Clint sighed from behind them.

"Guys, chop-chop," Natasha added on more pressure. "Come on. We're on the clock."

"All that is really helpful."

(Y/N) stood with her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes focusing on the sky above her as she spoke up. "If you had taken my offer of me just carrying the pod down, we wouldn't be taking too long."

"All right, Miss-Glowy-It-All, want to give it a try?"

And she did. In a few minutes, the pod was laid down on the ground without a single scratch. The rear hatch of the Benatar was open, waiting for the others to enter as they bid their goodbyes to the trio. (Y/N) hugged Clint and then moved on to Natasha, squeezing her arms around her tightly as she rocked them both side to side.

"Take care, okay?" she said to her. "I mean it."

"Yeah," she whispered with a smile.

"Get that stone and come back," Rhodey added this time. "No messing around."

Clint walked up to Rhodey for a firm handshake as a form of goodbye. Natasha was already climbing up the ship, and Clint was eager in not wasting any more time and following after her.

"We got this."

"Let's get it done," Clint agreed with a nod.

"Yes, sir," Rhodey replied. "You guys watch each other's six."

Natasha and Clint smiled at them one last time before the hatch closed behind them. (Y/N), Rhodey and Nebula watched from below how the ship's engine was ignited and its motors roared as they were turned on before flying off into the sky, disappearing out of the planet's atmosphere.

"Coordinates for Vormir are laid in," Nebula broke the silence between the three. "All they have to do is not fall out."

Now that they were left alone, they had to continue with the set-up plan; which was finding the Power Stone.

Rhodey took a look around their surroundings. "Okay, so, uh. . .we just wait around for this Quill guy to show up and then he leads us to the Power Stone, is that it?"

"Let's take cover," Nebula suggested in her raspy tone. She turned her back on them and walked away, still talking. "We're not the only ones in 2014 looking for the stones."

"Wait a minute," (Y/N) tensed at her words. "What do you mean?" 

"Who else is looking for the stones?"

Nebula turned back solemnly. "My father, my sister. . .and me."

"And you?"

"Where are you right now?" a