The Man Out Of Time

Chapter 5: Master of Time

The portal shimmered around Steve as he stepped into 2012 New York. The familiar skyline was still dusted with smoke from the aftermath of the Avengers' battle against Loki and the Chitauri. It was strange-he could almost hear the faint echoes of explosions, the clashing of metal, and the roar of battle from a city that had just witnessed one of the most significant turning points in its history.

But now, Steve wasn't here to fight. He was here for something much more complicated, something far less tangible than an enemy to punch. He was here to return the Time Stone, a gem that controlled the very fabric of reality.

The Sanctum Sanctorum loomed in the distance, and as Steve approached the familiar building, his thoughts churned. What would the Ancient One say? What would she know? The woman had lived through countless realities and had wielded the Time Stone for ages-how could someone like Steve, who had spent his life focused on the present, truly comprehend what time meant to someone like her?

He passed through the Sanctum's entrance, the door creaking open as if the building itself knew he was coming. Inside, it was quiet, the space feeling both immense and intimate at once. The air seemed heavier, the weight of countless possibilities lingering like mist in the corners of the room.

"Captain Rogers."

Her voice was calm, as though she'd been expecting him for hours-or centuries. The Ancient One stood in the middle of the room, her golden robes flowing elegantly as she turned to face him. Her bald head gleamed in the faint light filtering through the windows, and her expression was one of knowing curiosity, as if she had already seen this moment a thousand times over.

"You knew I'd come," Steve said, stepping forward and pulling the Time Stone from his pocket. It glowed faintly, pulsing with the infinite power it contained.

She nodded. "Of course. All things happen in time, Captain. And returning the Time Stone was always a part of your journey."

Steve glanced down at the glowing gem. "I'm just here to put things back where they belong. I'm not looking to change anything."

The Ancient One smiled slightly, as if humored by his simple understanding of the mission. "Time is not so linear as you think, Captain. It bends, stretches, and weaves. What you see as a straight line from past to present is much more... fluid."

Steve clenched the stone a little tighter. He had always been a man of order, of structure. Time-despite his experience traveling through it-was still something he viewed in terms of action and consequence. "Then how do you explain what I've done? What we've all done? We went back and changed things. We put the universe at risk."

"And yet, here we are," she replied, her tone maddeningly serene. "The universe, as you see, has not shattered under the weight of your actions."

Steve's brow furrowed. He remembered what Bruce had said, that returning the Stones would prevent alternate realities from diverging into chaos. But something about the Ancient One's words made him feel uneasy. It wasn't just about restoring the Stones-there was something more at play.

He handed the Time Stone to her, watching as she gracefully accepted it. The green light seemed to flare briefly in her hand, as though recognizing its rightful keeper. She closed her hand around the stone, and the air around them seemed to hum with energy.

"You said that if the Stones weren't returned, there'd be branches-new realities," Steve said, his voice lowering. "But what happens now that they're back? Does everything just go back to the way it was?"

The Ancient One looked at him, her expression softening into something more serious. "The truth, Captain, is that time and reality are far more complex than we allow ourselves to understand. Returning the Stones prevents catastrophic branches, yes. But the ripples of your actions-of all your actions-still exist. You can't unwrite history."

Steve felt a chill run down his spine. "Are you saying... we still changed things?"

"I'm saying that no action is without consequence. You think of time as a thread, and you've worked to keep it from fraying. But even a thread, once touched, is altered in ways you may not perceive."

He thought about his encounters in the past. His fight with himself in 2012. The warnings he'd given Tony and Howard. And... Peggy. She was waiting for him, somewhere. What did his actions mean for the life he wanted? The life he hoped for with her?

He shook his head. "I didn't want to change anything. I just wanted to save everyone."

The Ancient One smiled sadly. "And you did. But you are not outside the consequences of your actions, Captain. Every decision you've made echoes through time."

Steve stood in silence, letting her words sink in. He thought of Natasha. Of Tony. The people they'd lost. He had come here to undo damage, but now he wondered if there were some things he couldn't fix. The past wasn't meant to be perfect-it was meant to be lived, mistakes and all.

"Natasha," Steve whispered, his voice cracking. "What happens to her?"

The Ancient One's gaze softened, though she remained composed. "The Soul Stone demands a sacrifice, one that cannot be undone. Her death was part of the universe's balance, just as Tony's was."

Steve's fists tightened. "So... that's it? We lose them forever, and there's no going back?"

"There is no power in this universe or any other that can return what was given to the Soul Stone. Natasha's sacrifice was final. But her impact, her legacy, lives on."

He looked away, his eyes burning as the weight of those words settled in his chest. "I thought this was supposed to fix things. I thought putting everything back would..."

"Fixing things is not the same as restoring them to the way they were," the Ancient One said gently. "You cannot undo what has been done. What you have done, Captain, is ensure that the universe does not unravel. You have given it a future. But some costs are permanent."

Steve's heart ached. He had known, of course, but hearing it now, from someone so powerful, made it all the more real. Natasha was gone. Tony was gone. And nothing-not even the might of the Infinity Stones-could bring them back.

He took a breath and straightened, his resolve hardening again. "I guess that's the price we pay for doing the right thing."

The Ancient One nodded. "It always is."

For a long moment, they stood in silence. Steve couldn't help but feel small in the presence of someone who had seen the flow of time and space from a perspective far beyond his understanding. But there was comfort in that, too. The knowledge that, even with all its chaos, the universe had a pattern. A design.

Finally, the Ancient One broke the silence. "Your journey is not over, Captain. You still have choices to make."

Steve frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You are more than just a soldier. You have always had the power to choose your path, even if it wasn't always clear. And now... you stand on the precipice of a decision that will change not just your life, but the lives of those you care about."

Her words hung in the air like a prophecy. Steve felt a strange mixture of anticipation and fear. What choice was she talking about? Was it his future with Peggy? Was it about leaving the past behind?

The Ancient One gave him a knowing smile. "The future is not set in stone, Captain. Even now, you have the power to shape it."

With that, she turned, walking away with the Time Stone. Steve watched her disappear into the depths of the Sanctum, her words still ringing in his ears. He had returned the Stone, but the journey wasn't over. There was still more to do. More choices to make.

And as he stepped back toward the portal, the weight of those choices settled on him like the weight of the world itself.