Steve stepped out first, taking a slow breath as he looked at the cabin. "Let me do the talking," he said, glancing at Natasha and Bruce, who nodded silently.
They approached the porch, the wooden steps creaking slightly under their weight. Just as Steve was about to knock, the front door opened.
Tony Stark stood there, looking very much like a man who had left the world behind. He wore a plain hoodie and jeans, a bit of stubble on his face, and a wary expression in his eyes.
"Wow," he said dryly, arms folded. "Three familiar faces at my door without a call or text. You guys must really want something."
"Tony," Steve began, his tone calm, "we wouldn't be here if it wasn't important."
Tony let out a short, humorless chuckle. "It's always important with you guys. Is this about fixing the world again?"
"Actually… yes," Bruce replied. "We might've found a way to undo the Snap."
"We know you've moved on, and we respect that," Natasha added. "But we think it's possible to bring everyone back."
Tony's expression darkened. "If you know I've moved on, then just leave." He looked past them, toward the lake where his daughter was playing with Pepper. "I have a new life now. I can't risk it all."
"At least hear us out," Steve said calmly. "Then you can decide whether it's worth risking or not."
Tony shook his head. "Cap, nothing is worth risking my family again."
Natasha spoke softly, stepping closer. "Just listen, Tony. You're the only one who can help us make this work."
Bruce nodded. "She's right."
Tony let out a long sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Alright, alright… You've got ten minutes. Come in and make it good."
The team followed him inside.
Scott, who had stayed quiet until now, entered last. As everyone took a seat, Steve turned to him. "Go ahead, explain it to him."
Scott nodded, stepping forward. "Okay, so… I know this is going to sound crazy, but just hear me out—because I think the Quantum Realm might let us travel through time."
Scott stood awkwardly in front of the fireplace, trying to gather his thoughts. "Alright, look—I know this is going to sound completely nuts, but... I was stuck in the Quantum Realm. For me, it was five hours. But when I got out, five years had passed out here."
Tony raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Time moves differently in the Quantum Realm. I've heard that before."
"Right, exactly!" Scott said, eyes lighting up. "So I was thinking… what if we could use that difference to our advantage? What if the Quantum Realm isn't just a way to skip time—it's a way to navigate it?"
Tony crossed his arms. "You're pitching a time machine."
Scott shrugged. "I mean… yeah. Kinda."
Tony snorted, walking to the kitchen counter and pouring himself some water. "And what's the grand plan? We hop around through time, grab the Infinity Stones before Thanos does, and… what, snap our fingers and hope it all works out?"
"That's the idea," Bruce said carefully.
Tony turned to them, the weight of everything visible in his eyes. "You realize how many things can go catastrophically wrong with this? Paradoxes, dead timelines, alternate realities, one wrong move and poof—half the universe stays gone, or worse."
Steve stepped forward. "We know the risks. But we also know what's at stake."
Tony looked out the window again, his daughter laughing in the distance. "Yeah... you're not the only ones with something at stake anymore."
There was a long silence.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I really am. But I can't."
Scott's shoulders dropped. "So… that's it?"
Tony nodded slowly. "That's it. I'm sorry."
Bruce, Natasha, and Steve exchanged glances. Finally, Steve gave a small nod. "Thank you for your time, Tony."
As they turned to leave, Scott hesitated for a moment, then followed.
Outside, as the door closed behind them, Bruce muttered, "Well… that went as expected."
Natasha sighed. "He's scared. He has something to lose now."
Steve nodded. "Let's head back. Maybe Max has some ideas."
They headed toward the car in silence, the hope they carried into the visit now dimmed but not extinguished.
Back at the Avengers compound, the sun had dipped lower behind the horizon, casting the ruined skyline in a golden-orange glow. Max was reclining in one of the lounge chairs near the window, sipping what looked like a protein shake and idly flipping through channels on the monitor.
He looked up as the team entered.
"Let me guess," Max said dryly. "He smiled, nodded, and slammed the door in your face."
"Close enough," Natasha muttered as she threw her jacket on a nearby chair.
Bruce sat down with a heavy sigh. "He's not on board. He's afraid to risk what he has now."
Max nodded slowly. "Makes sense. He's a father now—has something he truly cares about. Losing that would destroy him."
Steve folded his arms, his jaw tight. "We can't do this without him."
"True. Still, Bruce can surely build something until Tony comes to us," Max said, as Steve looked at him.
"You sound sure—as if he will come."
"I've seen what loss does in a Snap like this. To some extent, humans tend to cling to hope, no matter how dim it might be," Max replied as the others looked at him thoughtfully.
"Till then, Bruce can work on a prototype," Max added as he leaned back in his chair.
***Few Days later.
Bruce was already in the lab section of the base, sleeves rolled up, fingers flying over the touchscreen as lines of code scrolled rapidly. Holographic blueprints hovered in the air—complex models of the Quantum Tunnel, spinning slowly as Bruce adjusted calculations.
Max stood nearby, arms crossed as he observed silently.
"This thing's no joke," Bruce muttered. "It's not just about moving through time, it's about navigating it safely—without getting lost in it forever."
Scott chimed in from the side, "Hey, don't forget I actually survived that place. Just... don't forget snacks. You'd be surprised how hungry you get in a time vortex."
***
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It's 22 chaps ahead