Not Without You: Book 1 (Canon-Divergence Stucky Fix-it-Fic)

Fourteen

"Guys!" Natasha panted as she burst into the room. Holding onto the wall as she caught her breath, she told the group, "You're not going to believe this!"

Hysterics ceasing, Steve righted himself and watched as she turned to run in the opposite direction, back the way she came. Stomach churning, Steve didn't waste any time as he followed. Easily catching up to her as he kept his eyes open. Expecting something catastrophic to have happened. Even though there was a grin tugging at her plump lips, Steve refused to think of anything positive happening.

"You need --" breath "-- to get --" breath "-- a life."

Steve rolled his eyes at that. Returning his attention forward, he crashed into the lab after Nat. That was when he found a woman with green skin sitting on a bench with a wool blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She was clearly shaken, and Steve looked around for Carol. Usually, if there was someone from another planet, it was because of her. And as far as Steve could remember, he hadn't come across anyone with such a vibrant complexion barring Nebula.

"It works," Nebula breathlessly announced.

"What works?" Steve asked, brows furrowing.

"The time machine," Scott answered, looking in awe between the two women.

Noticing that the blue woman was wearing the time suit, Steve's brows furrowed further. Perhaps a nap would've helped the cogs in his brain work quicker, but at the moment, he needed it spelled out for him. Spelled out in really easy words.

"This is Gamora," Bruce introduced, "Nebula's sister."

"Nice to meet you," Steve greeted, extending his hand to the woman.

"From 2018," Bruce finished, causing Steve to stop, mid-shake.

Steve redirected his gaze to the woman, in awe now. Looking her over, he was trying to find any deformities or injuries or something that could've happened in the travel. Heart pounding when he didn't find anything.

"How?" Steve asked, looking from Bruce to Scott to Nebula.

"We sent Nebula back to a place she knew, at an exact time that she remembered," Bruce said, gleeful of the situation.

Scott smiled, "It was so awesome! One moment, we're hoping Nebula will come back in one piece --"

"What?" Nebula asked.

"-- and then we're afraid she split in two," Scott continued.

"What?!" Nebula's voice rose.

"But it's alright! She wasn't split in two; she just had another person with her," Scott eased as though he was genuinely concerned about the trial possibly causing her to split.

Steve's throat felt tight with emotion as he fought back tears of joy. This was going to work! He was so happy that he could kiss someone! However, the only one that he'd want to kiss was gone. But as his eyes trailed back over to Gamora, he knew that he'd get him back. Hopefully soon.

"Did you really have doubts about me?" Tony arrogantly questioned as he stood beside Steve.

Steve glanced down at him, but couldn't fight the grin that tugged at his lips. Crossing his arms along his chest, Steve playfully rolled his eyes and teased, "I'd be an idiot to doubt you."

"Oh, here I was thinking that --"

"Tony, don't make me punch you," Steve gave him A Look that stopped him from ruining the moment.

"So," Cassie started, looking over the adults, "What do we do now?"

"We find the stones," Bruce answered.

"Then, we bring everyone back," Clint said, earning a nod of approval from Steve. As siblings did, they fought and reconciled faster than one could even utter a, "sorry."

"Because that's what heroes do," Thor finished with a loud belch that worked as an exclamation point.

Gamora's expression twisted in disgust at that and Steve sighed. Clapping a hand companionably on Thor's shoulder, he pulled the God of Thunder closer. Once the man was close under his arm, Steve took the beer out of his hand and downed it instead. Half-rejoicing when Thor's protests became encouragement.

Brows furrowing, Steve asked, "Wait, if you brought Nebula's sister back with her, how are we all still here?"

"Still here?" Tony questioned, clarifying, "As in why did nothing change?"

"Yes?" Steve's brows furrowed deeper while he pressed his lips together. Feeling like an idiot under Tony's gaze.

"That's -- uh," Bruce pushed his black frame glasses further up his nose, "That's not how time works. Changing the past doesn't change the future."

"I'm confused," Steve admitted while Scott gleefully pointed at him and said, "See?"

Clearly having already had this conversation with everyone else who had been there, Bruce rubbed at his temples, "If you travel to the past, that past becomes your future. And your former present becomes the past. Which can't now be changed by your new future."

"But what about Back to the Future?"

"Right?" Cassie's brows furrowed while Tony asked Steve, "You've seen Back to the Future?"

As it often did, Steve's mind wandered over to Bucky. Instead of saying he watched it because of his science-fiction loving beau, Steve answered, "It's about a man out of time."

Thankfully, Tony dropped it at that and didn't question him further. Which surprised Steve probably more than it should have. Nonetheless, Steve knew they didn't have time to talk about movies.

They needed a plan.

"Okay," Steve took in a deep breath, looking around at everyone standing in a loose circle, "So, the how works. Now we gotta figure out the when and the where. Almost all of us has had an encounter with at least one of the six Infinity Stones."

Cassie rose her hand, "I haven't."

"I don't even know what the hell you're all talking about," Scott said, glancing around at everyone.

"Regardless," Bruce cut in, "We only have enough Pym Particles for one round trip each, and these stones have been in a lot of different places throughout history."

"Our history," Tony reminded. Shoving his hands into his pockets, "So, not a lot of convenient spots to just drop in."

"Which means we have to pick our targets," Clint assumed.

"Correct," Nebula confirmed, looking over at her sister who seemed a bit shaken by it all. Considering what happened to him -- and everyone -- in 2018, he could only imagine what she must be going through.

And really, thank god for Natasha who suggested, "Might be better if we take this to somewhere more comfortable."

"That's a marvelous idea," Thor agreed, raising his hand, only remembering a moment later that he wasn't holding a beer and continuing, "We shall replenish our libations."

Steve closed his eyes and let out a quiet sigh. It was, as always, more directed at Tony who joked, "That's the spirit, Lebowski!" Not many others in the room understood the reference, but those who did uncomfortably shifted before ultimately deciding to leave for the common area of the facility. Choosing not to mock a man who was clearly struggling with his mental health and physical appearance. Which Steve was determined to help with. Even if that meant being a shoulder to lean on.