I Need A Hero Vol. 4 {Peter Quill}

seventeen

Bruce and Xavier were still trying to convince the Ancient One to give them the Time Stone.

"Please, please!" Xavier begged.

"I'm sorry, I can't help you, Bruce and Xavier. If I give up the Time Stone to help your Reality, I'm dooming my own" the Ancient One explained.

"With all due respect, I'm not sure the science really supports that" Bruce tried to reason. The Ancient One created a projection of a long ray that simulated the flow of time. Simulations if the Stone were created around it.

"The Infinity Stones create what you experience as the flow of time. Remove one stone and that flow splits" She removes the Time Stone from the stream, which created black stream, indicating a divergence in the timeline. "Now, this may benefit your reality, but my new one...not so much. In this new branched Reality, without our chief weapon against the forces of darkness, our world will be overrun. Millions will suffer. So, tell me, Doctor, can your science prevent all that?"

"No, but we can erase it. Because once we are done with the stones, we can return each one to its own timeline at the moment it was taken" Bruce put the Time Stone back where it was, which caused the black stream to disappear. "So, chronologically, in that reality, it never left"

"But you are leaving out the most important part. In order to return the stones, you have to survive"

"We will" Xavier stated. Bruce nodded in agreement. "We promise"

"I can't risk this Reality on a promise. It is the duty of the Sorcerer Supreme to protect the Time Stone"

"Then, why the hell did Strange give it away?" countered Bruce.

A surprised look washed over the Ancient One's face. "What did you say?"

"Strange, he gave it away. He gave it to Thanos"

"Willingly?"

"Yes"

"Why?"

"I have no idea. Maybe he made a mistake"

"Or I did" The Ancient One returned Bruce's astral body back into his real body. She then opened the Eye of Aggamotto, which revealed the Time Stone. "Strange is meant to be the best of us"

"He must've done it for a reason then" Xavier wondered.

"I fear you might be right" The Ancient One handed the Time Stone over to Bruce. "I'm counting on you Bruce and Xavier. We all are"

~

While Steve was tasked with getting the sceptre/Mind Stone, Tony, Scott, and Kamomile were working on getting the Tesseract/Space Stone. The 2012 Avengers had just caught Loki. 

"Got to hustle, Cap. Things look like they're just about wrapped up here" Tony said.

"Got it. I'm approaching the elevator now" Steve replied.

"If it's all the same to you, I'll have that drink now" Loki spoke to the past Avengers.

"All right. Good one. No standing around. I'm closing the door for later" 2012 Tony said. He turned to the 2012 Steve. "By the way, feel free to clean up"

"Uh, Mister Rogers" present Tony said quietly. "I almost forgot that that suit did nothing for your ass"

"No one asked you to look, Tony" Steve's voice spoke through the earpiece.

"It's ridiculous"

"I think you look great, Cap" Scott complimented, down to small size and perched on Tony's shoulder. "As far as I'm concerned," Scott saluted patriotically. "That's America's ass"