Seeing all the locations of the stones made this reality much more real. The Reality Stone in Asgard in the year 2013. The Soul and Power Stones in space in 2014. The Space, Mind, and Time Stones all in New York in the year 2012.

"This is really happening," I whispered to myself.

"All right," said Steve. "We have a plan. Six Stones, three teams. One shot."

"Way to understate it, Cap," teased Todd.

"See, this is why you're staying behind," Nat retorted. "Let the experts handle this."

"Whoa, hey," I spoke up, "what does that make me?"

"If we had more Particles, you'd come too, Kia. Besides, someone needs to babysit the man child over there."

"I thought that was Tony?"

"Hey!" protested Tony.

"Like Steve said, it's all ready," I said. "There's no time like the present."

Everyone minus Todd and myself had to go switch into their Quantum Suits. The two of us made an early entrance to the large mechanism that would allow the teams to zoom through the Quantum Realm to their respective times and places. I kept away from the board, Bruce was going to program it to their destinations.

When the whole team finally walked out, all in similar colors (red and white), the reality set in even further. Steve pulled away from the ensemble to join me.

"Last chance to switch out," he told me.

"I know where I'm supposed to be. Right here, waiting for you and the rest to come back with those stones," I insisted. "We'll make sure to be here the second you return."

"I'll hold you to that."

I looked past to the rest on the platform ahead. "Time for one of your rousing speeches, Captain." I gave him a mock salute.

Todd followed behind as Steve and I went to the others. I kept off the platform, as did Todd. Everyone else, gathered in their Quantum Suits, were huddled in a circle. Bruce had parted from the group to be near the board.

"Five years ago, we lost. All of us. We lost friends...we lost family...we lost a part of ourselves. Today, we have a chance to take it all back. You know your teams, you know your missions. Get the stones, get them back. One round trip each. No mistakes. No do-overs. Most of us are going somewhere we know. But that doesn't mean we should know what to expect. Be careful. Look out for each other.

"This is the fight of our lives. And we're gonna win." Steve cast a look at Tony. "Whatever it takes. Good luck."

"He's pretty good at that," said Rocket.

"Right?" said Scott, almost a little too excitedly.

"All right," Tony called to order. "You heard the man. Stroke those keys, jolly green."

"Tractors engaged," called Bruce.

One piece, with the stones, I reminded Steve. You come back to me, Steve Rogers. Come back to Gracie.

No worries, ma'am. I will.

I snorted. I've always hated hearing "ma'am", makes me sound older than I am.

Bruce passed Todd and me to get with everyone else. Their helmets all came over their heads, and in unison, the teams shrunk. They were officially on the clock.

I gripped my shield necklace charm. It had been a long time since I had grabbed it like this. Not sure if my ability will transcend space and time. I doubt I'm that good.

"Well, it's just the two of us now," said Todd.

"Indeed it is. They've got...what, an hour, right? I say we make lunch and bring it back here."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

Since Todd had camped out in the facility for five years, he redirected me to the kitchen. He and I kept close eye on the time, to be sure we were there the second the group returned. Once we made our necessary nourishments—sandwiches, bags of chips, and drinks—we made our trek back to the room.

"You know I've got to ask," I said nonchalantly.

"Ask what?"

"You and Nat. You've been kinda helping her man the ship here for half a decade, you know, before all this. I can't help but wonder if the dynamic has changed for you guys."

"If it did?"

"You're a special kind of person. Natasha is a very guarded individual. She'd had a thing with Bruce, but...nobody really ever understood it. It just seemed...I don't know."

"Whatever you're trying to get at, you're not explaining it very well."

"I'm just saying that if you and Nat are a thing...if things end badly, don't ask me to choose sides. You can keep your secrets if you wish, I just want to make sure you two are happy, that's all."

"Good to know I've got your blessing."

"So you are a thing!"

"What?" Todd looked at me, bewildered. "I didn't say it out loud."

"You're more likely to crack than Natasha. She's a spy, Todd. She'd know how to worm her way out of my questions."

"And how do you know that she hasn't taught me any of those methods?"

"If she had, you'd at least be able to lie yourself out of a paper bag." I snorted.

Todd looked down, abashed.

"Hey, I'm not knocking you for what you share. If you want to keep it quiet, I'll keep it so." I adjusted the food in my hands and offered a pinkie.

"Pinkie swears, really?"

"I think it's the most honest way to make someone keep a secret."

"Most honest, most childish..."

"Do you want me to stay mum on it or not?" I asked rather impatiently.

Thankfully we hadn't spent an hour taking a hike to and from the kitchen. We hung near the board, munching on our food. This place felt so empty. How Nat and Todd managed to not feel a tad bit lonely for five years...

Maybe that's what brought them together. It was just the two of them. If anyone else came to stay, it was never for long.

"This is the biggest thing you guys have ever faced," Todd said out of the blue. His sandwich was long gone, now he was inhaling his bag of chips.

"Perhaps." I looked at the platform, where I expected everyone to return soon. "And I thought the biggest thing was stopping Thanos." And look where that got us.

"Well, hey, he can't stop us from fixing this. Thor beheaded him five years ago. There's no way he's coming back from that."

I paused. "I found my mother, Todd."

"You did?"

"When Bruce, Rocket, and I went to New Asgard. They went to find Thor, I found my mother. My father...he died to protect her. He allowed her to live in Norway with the others."

"I'm sorry, Kiara. How are you managing?"

"Given our current mission, I haven't had time to really mourn him." I shrugged. "Father and I weren't very close. He was very protective of me. But it didn't mean that I didn't love him."

"Did you tell her about Gracie?"

"I did. I tried to persuade her to come with us back here, but...she's been through a lot. She just wants to be, for now, on her own terms. But she did leave the door open—when this is complete, we can figure something out."

"It'd be nice to finally get to meet her."

"I'm sure. Just, don't overwhelm her when you do meet her."

"Why? I'm a joy to be around!"

"I'm not questioning that. Your energy might be a lot for her to take in. She's taken all this time to get used to New Asgard, and even now she's still having a hard time."

"I'll tone it down, I can rein it in. Besides, who knows? She may come to like me so much that she'll consider me a son."

I wrinkled my nose. "Tone down the expectations there, Todd. Before any of that can happen, we need to finish this first."

Todd pouted. "Fine. But hey, when you make the trip back to find her, I call dibs on going with you."

"You think I should take you, over Steve and Grace?"

"No—you take me along with them."

"Er...I don't think that's smart. She knows about Steve and Grace, she'd be shocked enough to see them in person. You might make her catatonic."

"Oh, now you're just being mean." A chip came my way, to which I deflected nicely.