In Your Eyes // Steve Rogers

Back to the Future

"Why should I give you back the Time Stone if you've just told me you let it be destroyed?" wondered the Ancient One, then raised her chin at us. "I'm sorry. I can't. If I give up the Stone to help your reality, I'm dooming my own."

"But you aren't," I disagreed.

"The science doesn't support that theory," continued Bruce. 

The Ancient One watched us in slight surprise with how hard we were fighting for this. She drew her hand across her body and with it, a shimmering golden line flew between us. She explained that the Infinity Stones create what we experience as the flow of time. She conjured a projection of the six Stones, then removed the Time Stone, and continued to explain that doing so would corrupt the flow of time, create a branch reality, and the world would be overrun with Mystic enemies. 

"Tell me," she continued, staring between Bruce and I. "Can your science prevent that?"

"No, but we can erase it," explained Bruce.

"We're going to return the Stones to the exact moment where we took them from, therefore erasing all branch realities," I said.

Bruce pulled the Time Stone projection back into his hands and secured it in place with the other Stones, erasing the dark line that stemmed from its removal. He shyly looked back at the Ancient One, explaining, "Chronologically, in that reality, it never left."

"Yes, but you're leaving out the most important part," said the Ancient One. "In order to return the Stones, you have to survive."

"I will. We will. I promise," begged Bruce.

She scoffed softly and turned away from us. "I can't risk this reality on a promise. It's the duty of the Sorcerer Supreme to protect the Time Stone."

"Then why did Strange give it away!" yelled Bruce, desperate.

The Ancient One turned swiftly. Her eyes fell upon mine, and I nodded, crossing my arms. 

"Willingly?" she whispered in disbelief.

"He used the Stone to look forward. One scenario, out of fourteen million. He made a desperate decision, he put his faith in who he saw would survive the fight. It was me. It was Bruce. Strange bet his life on us saving the universe," I told her softly. 

The Ancient One barely moved. She had been frozen when Bruce revealed what Strange had done. Her eyes were frozen on the ground, but we saw the gears in her head start to move with everything she knew. My words had sent her in the direction we needed. She trusted in Strange, as I did, and she knew she could no longer debate with us. Wistfully, she moved her hand and returned Bruce to his body. 

"Strange is meant to be the best of us," said the Ancient One quietly, to both of us. She opened the Eye of Agamotto and retrieved the Stone, handing it to Bruce. She placed her a hand each on our shoulders. "I'm counting on you both. We all are."

Bruce and I promised her it would be returned. I thanked her for what she had shown me, for reigniting the power within me, and she nodded kindly. She asked me to use my power for good. I agreed, shaking her hand politely, and then I met Bruce on the edge of the building to return to that alleyway. 

"I'm assuming you don't want a ride?" he tried to joke.

"Never again," I breathed, laughing. "Take the Stone back before we risk losing it. I'll meet you back at the Compound. I haven't heard anything from them, I'm gonna make sure they're okay."

I lit up my fists with green and gently pushed them down, lifting my body from the ground in a quick raise. I shrugged at Bruce, who watched nervously. I figured the best way to learn was the present, and I jumped off the balcony, slammed my hands at my side, and I went soaring through the air. As I flew, I landed on rooftops to relax my clenched body and remember I was safe on my feet. I ran across ledges of roofs, then leapt off the edges, using my energized hands to propel me forward. I was clumsy, unsure, but I couldn't stop the giggles that exited from my mouth. I had my power back. I was me again.