far and away | quill

nineteen

Question:

"If she controls it, why is it still broken?" Rocket was the owner of this question. The Collector looked at the fragments.

"Without her concentration and connection, it is solid. It is broken in shards. Therefore, the only one that can fix it, is you," he looked at Quinn.

"I don't know how."

"Yes you do. You must," the Collector sat at his desk chair and turned to face them. "Think hard."

"Is there a way to always keep it liquid?" She asked.

"Not unless all of your focus, all the time, is on it. Think again."

"You said the Stones can't work on other Stones, so the Time Stone is useless?" The Collector answered her question with a single nod.

"But other wielders aren't powerless..." She thought out loud.

"You don't mean..." Stephen was the only one following.

"Stephen you've got to, please."

"I can't alter time without the Stone. It's not possible."

"You've got to try," she insisted. She begged.

Stephen was defeated. He pulled the necklace off for safe measure and set it on the desk. She held the shards in the palms of her wrapped hands.

He raised his hands, they steadied.

He began to move his hands in odd motions. Bright sparks spat from the previous nothingness. Shapes cascaded, symbols shifted, soon only green sparks ignited.

He furrowed his brow in concentration.

The shards began to float up in the air, glowing almost.

They began to piece themselves back together, forming the beautiful square Stone the crew discovered in the temple.

He eased the sparks and the Aether began its descent to her palm once more.

It was then the Collector stood, grabbing the necklace with one hand and seizing the Aether with the other.

Time seemed to slow, ironically.

The Collector forced boxes down behind him as he made a grand escape. The crew fled after him, trying desperately to reach the Stones.

The Collector was at Peter's ship before the crew even got outside. He was gone. He escaped, with the Stones.

Time caught up to them, staring them in the face.

"You had exactly one job," Rocket glared at the two.

"Rocket," Peter hissed.

"Peter," Gamora butted in. "He's right."

"So the universe is saved because of him," Drax nodded to Stephen. "But lays in the hand of a psychotic hoarder because of her."

"Watch yourself," she cocked an eyebrow at Drax.

"And he took the ship," Peter leaned back against a pillar. "My ship."

"Communicator," she commanded from Peter. "Now."

"Who're you going to call?" Gamora glanced at her.

"James has a ship."

"He does?" Peter watched her as he pulled the communicator from his robes. He placed it in her extended hand. She nodded as she dialed the number.

She held it to her ear and everyone watched.

"Hey Jamey."

...

"Okay so we took the Shards to the Collector-"

...

"I know he's a bad guy, but he owed me a favor. Besides, he knows what he's doing."

...

"James," she groaned. "Shut up for a second and let me talk. I'll make it brief. Collector showed us that I'm the Stone's person-"

...

"Yeah, the person. Anyway, we fixed it and he took it and the Time Stone and ran-"

...

"I know it was a bad idea to have it vulnerable okay? He took the ship so can you come and pick us up?"

...

"Thank you," she hung up before he could get the last word. She handed the communicator back to Peter.

"He's coming," she said happily.