Whatever it Takes: Endgame

Chapter 3

When the group reached Tony's new house that was right next to a lake, Tony came outside to greet them.

Natasha put on her green jacket and got out of the car and watched as Tony came over to hug Bruce after he got out of the vehicle.

Bruce smiled as he hugged him back. When they separated, he asked, "How's Pepper?"

"She's good," Tony said with a wide smile. "Great actually. Everyone's healthy."

Tony and Pepper were expecting their first child and were over the moon. The couple recently asked Bruce and Natasha to be the godparents, which they accepted.

Bruce gave his friend a happy nod then said, "I know I wasn't very specific over the phone, but we might have a way to bring everyone back."

They all went to the porch and explained the situation to the engineer then gave him time to mull it over, at least until Scott spoke up.

"We know what it sounds like," Scott told Tony.

"Tony, after everything you've seen, is anything impossible?" Steve added.

"Quantum fluctuation messes with the Planck scale, which then triggers the Deutsch Proposition," Tony said. "Can we agree on that?"

Bruce nodded and sighed, then said, "Fair point."

Tony handed Steve a drink off a tray and explained, "In layman's terms, it means you're not coming home."

"I did," Scott protested.

"No," Tony rebutted. "You accidentally survived. It's a billion-to-one cosmic fluke. And now you want to pull a... What do you call it?"

"A time heist," Scott asked as if he were a student being lectured by a teacher, yet proud of his discovery.

"Yeah, a time heist," Tony replied. "Of course. Why didn't we think of this before? Oh, because it's laughable. Because it's a pipe dream."

"The stones are in the past," Steve interrupted. "We could go back, we could get them."

"We can snap our own fingers," Natasha added. "Bring everybody back."

Tony looked far away for a second before adding, "Or screw it up worse than it already has, right?"

"I don't believe we would," Steve said.

"Gotta say it. Sometimes I miss the giddy optimism," Tony told Steve. "However, high hopes won't help if there's no logical, tangible way for me to execute said time heist even with
Bruce's help. I believe the most likely outcome will be our collective demise."

Natasha knew it was more than that. Tony didn't want to lose his unborn child or be responsible for sending Natasha to her death.

"Not if we strictly follow the rules of time travel," Scott said. "Alright? It means no talking to our past selves, no betting on sporting events."

Natasha rolled her eyes then glanced at Bruce, who facepalmed and shook his head as if he couldn't believe what he just heard.

"I'm gonna stop you right there, Scott," Tony said with irritation in his voice. "Are you seriously telling me that your plan to save the universe is based on 'Back to the Future?' Is it?"

Scott scoffed and answered, "No."

"Good, cause otherwise there go my 7 Ph.Ds.," Bruce replied in a dry tone.

"That's not how quantum physics works," Tony added, lecturing Scott.

Natasha thought about everything she did to get here. If they didn't do this, what was her sacrifice for? How was she going to save her family if they didn't do this?

"Tony," she said. "We have to take a stand."

"We did take a stand," he told her. "And yet, here we are."

"I know you got a lot on the line," Scott said to Tony. "You got a wife and a baby on the way. But I lost someone very important to me. A lotta people did. And now, now we have a chance to bring her back, to bring everyone back, and you're telling me that you won't even-"

"That's right, Scott," Tony interrupted. I won't even. I can't."

He looked at Bruce, who took a shaky breath while looking down. Natasha knew he was going this over in his head and if he could do it alone.

"Tony," Bruce spoke up. "This is our one chance. We don't screw it up and it could work."

Tony addressed the group as he stood up. "I wish you were coming her to ask me something else. Anything else. I'm honestly happy to see you guys, I just. Oh, look, the table's set for five."

"Tony," Steve said. "I get it. And I'm happy for you. I really am. But this is a second chance."

"I got my second chance right here, Cap. Can't roll the dice on it. If you don't talk shop, you can stay for lunch."

Tony looked at Natasha with an apology in his eyes and she nodded, telling him she understood.

"I'm sorry, I just can't risk what I have," Tony told Bruce.

"It's okay," Bruce said in an understanding tone.

Bruce met Natasha's gaze as he walked up to her. They both knew what it was like to not want to risk a second chance. If they had a family of their own, they'd be skeptical too.

When the group was leaving, Natasha spoke up, "Well he's scared."

"He's not wrong," Clint said.

"Yeah, but I mean, what are we gonna do," Scott asked. "We need him. What, are we going to stop?"

"I'm trying not to get offended that you think only Tony can do this," Bruce said. "Tony knows more about quantum physics than I am and he's a better engineer, but I can still do this. Scott, I know that you dabble in this so I could use your help."

Scott nodded, accepting that answer and seemingly eager to help as he got in the car.

"I understand where Tony's coming from," Clint said. "I want my family back more than anything too, but I get it. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn't want to take this risk either."

"Tony's been through a lot," Bruce said. "Now he has everything to lose. We need to get the others back to the compound and explain how this is gonna work."