Chapter Text
Three days later found Pepper, Ana, and Morgan, standing in the driveway as she and Tony headed for the Avengers facility.
She waved as they grew smaller and smaller the farther they went until Tony turned the bend and they disappeared entirely.
She sang along to the radio as they drove to the airport. A melancholy feeling tried to take place in her chest, the only thing keeping it at bay was the hope that she’d finally get to go home. Home.
A flight and a new car later, she and Tony drove up a driveway she’d never seen before. They barely stopped at a gate before the wrought iron swung open wide to allow the car through.
When the facility came into view, she couldn’t help but stare. The place was huge, the grounds itself dwarfing any other Stark property she’d been to.
“What is this place?” she asked, unable to stop herself from gaping.
Tony smiled and opened his mouth to answer, but as a figure came into view on the front entryway, it snapped shut as his jaw tightened.
For a moment the car didn’t slow, and for a strange moment, she thought Tony would keep on driving. But then it did slow, nearly stopping on a dime. After a moment he rolled the window down as Steve approached.
She fell quiet in the backseat, as the two spoke, and after they went to the trunk, Tony came around to her door to let her out.
Steve’s gaze went to her, confusion in his eyes as he looked back to Tony.
“Gonna need the whole group together for that explanation,” He supplied, offering her his hand as he led her into the facility.
It was even bigger on the inside she realized. This place was why the Tower had been empty. Where previously they’d all lived in the Tower together, they all lived here now. Her gaze went to Tony, well not all, she amended.
Alex gripped Tony’s hand tighter as they gathered on the elevator with Steve. Her gaze continued to rove until they came across the group situated in a meeting space. Natasha an- her eyes widened and she began to bounce beside Tony.
“What, what is it.”
She was getting ready to answer when a large green figure caught her attention. She took an involuntary step back.
Her heart doing its best impression of the salsa.
She’d never been this close to Hulk before, and Uncle Bruce had made her promise that if she saw his alter ego she’d get as far away from him as possible.
She was getting ready to do just that when he smiled, a large hand waving as he grinned. “Hey, Tony, it’s good to see you again!”
“Woah,” Tony huffed, pulling her into his arms. “Relax! You know Bruce right.”
“Uh, yes,” she offered, unable to look away.
“Well, this Hulk, is more Bruce than Hulk,” he said with a shrug before facing the group.
“Let me reintroduce you,” Tony offered, “This is my daughter, Alex, but she’s also not my daughter.”
They frowned down at her, as they tried to make sense of his words.
Rhodey shook his head. “See no. There’s no way you have a secret daughter that I don’t know about.”
“Of course not, Platypus,” Tony placated, “I didn’t know about her either.”
Steve shook his head. “Tony you said you found a way to”
“I’m getting there, Cap, just figured you all could use a quick lesson on why dabbling in things you don’t understand is actually dangerous.”
Steve quieted as he continued.
“You see, about two weeks ago she showed up in my woods. I know, both of us were as confused as you seem. Worse for us, because she’s not only from the past, but a different dimension.”
Bruce shook his head. “That’s impossible.”
“You’d think so,” he returned, “But nonetheless, she has a strong verdict, and a plucky group of people, who I warned, messing with the quantum realm.”
Scott shook his head. “Wait, we only just did that yesterday? If she’s been here for two weeks.”
Tony shrugged. “Quantum physics is tricky business, and I’m sure through one of your errant trials, Scott didn’t come back as quickly as you thought, took a few tries maybe.” He glanced around as they glanced away guiltily. “You brought her here, and spat her out weeks ago. You took a six-year-old from her family and she ended up in the woods.”
“Actually,” she broke in, her voice unsure, “I ended up at the tower.” She didn’t want Tony to be angry, she just wanted to go home.
Tony’s eyes widened. “So, you saw… Wait then how did you find me?”
She held up her wristwatch. “Jarvis was able to narrow it down.”
He looked a little pale at that, but she rubbed her hands against his bearded chin reassuringly. “Okay now tell them the rest!” she huffed.
Before he could, Steve took a step closer, his eyes going to her and then to Tony. He resettled his gaze on her. “I’m so sorry.”
She sent him a bright smile before turning her gaze to Tony.
“Ugh fine, we figured out a way to send her back, and pull off Lang’s Time heist.”
That had the whole team jumping to their feet.
“You’re serious?” Natasha asked.
Tony nodded, “So call in the rest of the team.”
Alex frowned. “The rest of the team?” Uncle Thor, she noticed was absent, but how many more were there?
The facility became a flurry of activity over the following days. She and Tony shared his assigned living area. Which, was slightly smaller than the penthouse at The Tower.
On the second day, an honest to God spaceship landed outside. She ran to the window watching as it touched down.
She watched transfixed, as a door dropped to the ground. and a blue woman stepped down the ramp, she blinked at the small figure that followed.
“Is that a raccoon?”
Behind her, Tony only laughed. “Welcome to the future, Kid.”
She sent him a glare over her shoulder. But continued to track their movement inside the building.
She tried to listen for them but it wasn’t until Steve greeted them that she heard them again. she ran to the door, peering out to get a better look.
Their voices drifted up from below.
Footsteps sounded behind her, and she turned as Tony approached, a small grin on his lips. “Come on, I want you to meet someone.”
Someone turned out to be Nebula. She’d been expecting Aliens, but Nebula didn’t look anything like the ones that had destroyed New York. She looked like she’d been human once, aside from her blue skin and all the parts of her that had been replaced by metal.
“You have a daughter?” Nebula’s voice was deeper than she expected, curiosity glinting in her eyes as she looked Alex over.
Tony smiled, a rueful tinge dimming it slightly. “Four actually.”
Five, she mentally corrected, and three sons. But she hadn’t seen hide or tail of the Quads or any proof that they even existed here. Which was another reason she needed to return home. She didn’t want to live in a world without them.
Her eyes widened.
“It’s actually a long story,” he said, “we were just about to grab some lunch, if you’d like to join us?”
“I’d like that,” Nebula returned.
New people continued to arrive even as some of the others left. Natasha to pick up Clint who’d been on a mission.
Bruce and the talking raccoon who she now knew as Rocket left to get Thor. Who was apparently living on earth now, with what was left of the Asgardians.
She was tempted to pop back over to Ana and Morgan, at least now that she knew where they were staying, she could pop over if she wanted to. But, she figured, it’d just be harder to leave in the end.
The group now stood in a circle around the platform, eyeing each other nervously. They’d tested it already. Clint, who’d come in with Natasha, a far cry from the Man she’d known, had volunteered to go. He’d gone and within moments had returned with a dazed smile on his face. Muttering the two words all of them had been holding their breath as they waited to hear them. “It worked!”
Tony shot her a nervous grin as he kneeled in front of her. The others already stood waiting on the platform of the machine. The machine that they would use to travel in time. The Time Machine.
He smoothed a stray strand of her hair behind her ear as he spoke. “You nervous? You look nervous,”
She shot him a small grin. “Terrified.”
He harrumphed, “Don’t be, for you it’ll only seem like we’ve been gone a few seconds. So … don’t blink.” Almost reluctantly, he made his way up the platform, taking up a spot beside Uncle Rhodey.
In the end, they’d decided that there weren’t enough Pym particles to get her home, but once the others and specifically a man named Dr. Strange was back, Thor had assured them that the sorcerer would be able to get her home.
She took a seat on the floor, watching as they all held out their arms. And then they all vanished.
“Holy cow,” she breathed, “did you get that J?”
“Of course, Miss. Shall I start the Timer?”
“Yes, please,” She returned with a grin. Tony was sure they’d be back almost as soon as they’d left but there was no harm in having scientific proof.
They were nearing the thirty-second mark when Rhodey reappeared. Sans Nebula.
She bounced to her feet. Sending him an enthusiastic wave, that he returned with a chuckle. He frowned as he looked around him, only to startle as Scott Lang reappeared, the scepter from New York grasped in his hand.
“Did you get the power stone?” Scott asked, retracting his helmet.
Rhodey nodded, holding out a small, silver sphere. “Yeah, still waiting for Nebula, Where’s Tony and Steve?”
Scott let out a groan. “They went farther back in time, to get the Tesseract.”
“What?” her and Rhodey’s voice echoed in the empty room.
Scott winced at the shout. “We weren’t able to get the Space Stone, but Stark said he had a plan. So, he and Steve went to another Time to get it.”
“B-but, there wasn’t enough particles, they’ll be stuck where ever they go,” she shook her head. This plan was too complicated to many unknown factors and variables.
“Take a breath, Miss Alex,” Jarvis spoke, his voice calm as her watch vibrated against her wrist.
She let out a gasp, trying to breathe. A blurry figure was crouched in front of her, and the scent of Coco butter and Cologne wrapped around her. She threw herself into Uncle Rhodey’s arm. Not caring if he didn’t know her. she breathed him in.
“You’re alright, Alex. Tony’ll be back,” he murmured.
When he didn’t pull away, she couldn’t help but sink farther into him. “He said it would be easy.”
Another figure materialized on the platform, followed by two more. Nebula, Rocket, and Thor. Four more to go.
No sooner had she thought it, clutching Rhodey, then Steve and Tony appeared.
She let out a gasp of a breath. She wasn’t supposed to go on the platform, but. He turned to them with a grin, holding a metal suitcase up.
She was there, she hadn’t meant to bring Uncle Rhodey with her, but he’d been holding on to her. He stumbled slightly and then again when she pulled Tony into them for a group hug.
“Woah, hey. I couldn’t have been gone more than two minutes. Three minutes tops.”
She frowned, but before she could say anything Clint reappeared.
Before any of them could approach him, he dropped to his knees. Head bent as he braced himself on the floor. “It should’ve been me,” the words were quiet, but she heard them.
She looked around the group everyone was back, except for Natasha.
“We didn’t know,” he gritted out between clenched teeth. “A soul for a soul.”
“Where’s Nat, Clint?” Thor took a step forward.
“She’s… she’s gone.”
Her hold on Tony and Rhodey slackened, but Tony managed to keep his hold on her. “Gone?”
Thor shook his head. “Why do you all grieve? We can bring her back with the Stones.”
Clint shook his head. “It doesn’t work like that.”
Rhodey and Tony shared a look, before Rhodey’s gaze swung to her. “Hey, Alex, how about we get some ice cream. I’ve got a pint I’ve been hiding.” He coaxed, already carrying her away from the grieving heroes.
She nodded, anyway, “Only Rocky Rhode, though.”
He sent her a sad smile. “How’d you guess?
“You always say it’s good for the soul.”
“Darn right it is.”
Seated at the table beside him, she let out a sad sigh. She knew this Natasha wasn’t hers from home. But the loss still had her feeling sad. A few tears leaked into her bowl of ice cream.
“So, tell me about where you’re from.”
She pushed around the ice cream swirling a chunk of chocolate with her spoon before shrugging.
Before learning everything she had about this dimension, she would’ve said they were mostly the same.
But now?
“We’re still at the tower,” she began, not looking up from her ice cream. “I’m from the past so, none of this,” she waved her hand to encompass the scenario and the compound they were in, “has happened.”
Yet. her mind supplied unhelpfully.
Though the events, as she’d learned, differed by minute details; they’d still happened. This, Thanos, would happen. She’d lose her sisters, and half of her family. Would she lose The Quads as well?
More tears escaped as she thought about what was to come, when arms wrapped around her pulling her into a warm embrace.
“It’s going to be okay, Alex. I promise.”
She blinked up at Tony, through teary eyes. He couldn’t know that, after all this, how could he?
“We’re about to make it better,” He reminded her with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
Rhodey stood. “You mean it’s time?”
Tony nodded, eyeing her before glancing at Rhodey.
Rhodey sighed. “I can st-“
She shook her head. “It’s okay, I’ll stay here and eat my ice cream.” Her Papa only made that look when something was about to happen that he didn’t want them to be around for. Usually, because it was too dangerous.
Tony hesitated before pressing a kiss to her cheek, quickly followed by Rhodey ruffling her hair before the two made their way upstairs.
She sighed before scooping a bit of ice cream into her mouth, hoping the coldness of it would help stop the warm tears that threatened to fall once more.
She was almost finished when she heard a mechanical humming noise. The sound of the Time machine powering up?
The group had gone upstairs going by the sound of the direction Tony and Rhodey’s footsteps had gone. All of the team would be there, or so she’d thought.
She ran. Hoping beyond hope that it could be Natasha! Maybe they’d done it! maybe they’d fixed everything and Natasha was trying to get back to them!
She pushed herself to go faster, as hope swelled in her chest! They’d done it! They’d fixed everything.
She rounded the last bend with a smile, that slowly slipped into a frown.
Nebula stood behind the time machine's physical console, pushing buttons as the machine continued to whir to life.
Alex shielded her eyes as the lights began to flash on the portal’s pad.
“What’re you doing?” She called over the noise of it.
Nebula barely moved, but to raise her weapon, and point it directly at Alex.
Alex’s mind screamed at the wrongness of the scene before her. Nebula was Tony’s friend! Why would she-
She stamped her foot hard into the floor and thick tiles rose up to shield her as the blaster went off. It slammed into the tile splintering it with cracks. The blaster went off again and she vanished as the tile shattered to pieces.
Escaping to the other side of the room her eyes went to Nebula who had refocused her attention to the pad. She followed her gaze and took in a sharp inhale as a ship began to appear through the flashing lights of the machine.
Whose ship was that? Who was Nebula bringing back from the past? “J-Jarvis what’s happening?”
“Miss Alex, you must leave! Nebula is attempting to bring Thanos to our time,” Friday, instead of Jarvis warned, which was weird but the two A.I.’s had been bonding back at the house, she supposed.
Leave? She looked to the stairs, where no one came running, which meant, they couldn’t know what was happening!
Alex summoned her lightning, she had to do something, Thanos couldn’t come here! He’d ruin everything!
Lightning danced in her vision and across her fingertips as the ship continued to grow larger. If she could throw some interference into the portal maybe it would collapse on itself?
The Flare of lightning striking intensified as it channeled into her, the scent of ozone filling her nose.
The shape of the ship grew larger as it rose into the air. She released her hold on the lighting, sending the jolt directly into the portal in a steady stream, Striking the ship as she did.
The whole thing seemed to groan and vibrate at the interference, but still, the ship pushed through, pushing into the ceiling of the Compound and sending debris falling to the floor as it broke through.
She flinched as a large piece dropped to the floor beside her. Switching tactics, she aimed for the console. It struck it with a boom, as electricity met metal.
Nebula jumped back as it lit up with her lightning, sparking and… smoking.
They both took a step back as it began to make hissing sounds. And then they were thrown backward as it exploded.
Alex forced her body to flow into water, as she flew through the falling debris and furniture in the room.
She changed back before she hit the floor, not wanting to flow through it. She groaned as she sat up, her eyes immediately going to the hole in the compound's roof; and the large ship that now hovered in the air.
As she watched, the ship seemed to shift before her eyes, smaller ships flying out of it and filling the sky, and quicker than her eyes could see, what could only be missiles shot from the ship.
The pipe closest to her exploded with water as she called for it, wrapping it around herself just as everything exploded. She screamed as everything continued to explode; shaking and collapsing around her.
Something large slammed down onto her and she screamed again as her body phased through it. She pulled the rest of her body through it, moving to stand only to stumble as the floor crumbled beneath her feet. Her wristwatch vibrated but she couldn’t hear what Jarvis was trying to tell her as white noise filled her ears.
When the world settled. She hesitated a moment to feel the vibrations around her something was still moving. Her wristwatch she realized. Jarvis was still trying to talk to her.
Sound began to echo around her until finally, she could hear Jarvis, calling for her.
“I’m here J,” she coughed.
“Miss Alex it is prudent that you get back to the Cabin.”
She rubbed the dust from her eyes, as she looked around, she was just about to do as Jarvis had ordered when the sound of groaning reached her ears. She stumbled toward a cluster of rocks, attempting to clear them. the person beneath them coughed, and she took a step back and focused on them. slowly they began to shift, then rise and she dropped them behind her. Clint rolled to his stomach, with a low groan.
“Thanks, kid,” he managed, before his eye dropped to the ground searching until they alit on a red gauntlet half-buried in the rubble.
Alex gasped, hefting the rocks again and watching in horror as only the gauntlet was revealed. “Papa?” she called.
Clint shook his head, pushing to his feet and moving to pick it up. “That’s not a part of the suit, we used it to…” his voice trailed off as movement shuffled around them.
She shifted closer to him as he drew his bow and arrow. Adjusting her eyes to the darkness around her she found they were in a long hall, filled with mechanics and pipes, and … eyes? The eyes blinked and as her vision became clearer she noticed the large gorilla-like creatures the eyes were set into.
Clint knocked an arrow the tip alighting and before she could warn him against it, he loosed it down the dark corridor.
The creatures illuminated in time for them to see them lunge.
Clint grabbed her arm, hoisting her under his arm and the gauntlet in the other, and broke into a sprint in the opposite direction of the creatures. It was an awkward and terrifying position in that it gave her a front-row seat to the monsters chasing them, but she didn’t complain. Instead, as one, in particular, drew determinedly closer, she threw a bolt of lightning at the creature, it struck him, throwing it backward, only for another to take its place. She threw more bolts until almost all her energy waned. Clint must’ve noticed her task.
“Aim at the pipe!” he ordered.
Her eyes went to the pipes, and she could just detect the smell of gas coming from them. her eyes widened and she grimaced. Her eyes alit on a hole in the ceiling.
“Hold on!” she called throwing the rest of the lightning at the pipe, and almost immediately the gas line blew. As the explosion surged through the hole.
Clint stumbled, dropping her as he did as they both rolled from the momentum. She slowed herself with a groan, only to pause at the sound of footsteps. She blinked hazily at the sight of Nebula standing over clint a hand outstretched for the gauntlet.
Clint was already handing it over by the time she shouted out a warning. Nebula took aim for her, and she vanished out of the line of fire. She paused in her next move to find a woman, beautiful despite being green. Her gaze and gun locked on Nebula. Beside her stood another Nebula
Alex had a moment of confusion, before she understood. The Nebula that had brought the ship here had been from the past.
She’d teleported closer to Clint, and with Nebula’s back to them, they slowly backed away.
“Put the weapon Down,” The green woman ordered.
Nebula shook her head. “I can’t, I have to do this.”
The Nebula beside the green woman took a step closure. “No, you don’t. it doesn’t have to be like this.”
She shook her head again. “It’s too late for me.”
“What the shit,” he hissed
Clint turned to her dropping to a knee. “You’ve gotta get out of here kid.”
Alex shook her head, “But what about you? Are you coming?”
Clint’s smile was strained as he spoke, “They need me here,”
She nodded, sparing him one last glance before imagining the pristine oak floors of the cabin.
Her knees hit the hardwood of the living room floor, as fatigue one out. She hadn’t used that much of her powers… ever.
Something, a book maybe, thunked to the floor, and Pepper let out a gasp as she shot to her feet, hastily moving to her side.
“Alex! Are you okay?” the woman searched her face, eyeing all the cuts and dirt with wide-eyed panic. “What happened?”
Alex opened her mouth to answer, but at the concern practically seeping off of Pepper, all she managed was a hiccuping sob. She allowed the words to tumble from her mouth each syllable accompanied by wet gasps.
Somehow Pepper managed to catch it all. She pulled her into a long hug waiting until Alex’s crying subsided to press a kiss to her forehead. Slowly she pushed to her feet, calling for Ana and Morgan as she did.
Alex watched on still slightly dazed, she’d never seen anything like this. No wonder the Avengers had lost. Would they lose again?
“I’ve gotta go help your dad.”
Alex blinked at Pepper’s words, unsure if she’d heard her correctly.
Pepper looked each of them in the eye as she spoke “You three stay here, Friday call Happy and tell him I need him to watch the kids.”
In the distance Alex could hear the sound of repulsors gearing up and when Pepper took her first step out of the door, a metallic blue boot wrapped around her foot before extending up her calf.
Alex stumbled to her feet, hastily rubbing away her tears as Pepper Potts, Her Mom, was encased in an Iron Man armor.
She wiped her eyes one more time, disbelief washing through her at the beautiful blue suit. Blue, not red like Tony’s, but still offset with gold. Inwardly, she sighed dreamily. Outwardly, Pepper’s words finally caught up to her.
“Wait!” she blinked, rushing forward on steadier legs. “You’re going? B-but..”
Pepper now fully encased in the armor allowed the hud to retract as she crouched in front of her. “I’m going- No I have to help him.” Pepper’s eyes went distant for a moment before they seemed to refocus on them beside her.
Alex turned to find both Ana and Morgan watching Pepper with wide eyes.
Pepper kissed each of them before dropping her arms to her sides.
Before the repulsors could kick on, Alex called out to her. “I can take you; it’ll be quicker.” She knew the compound now and could easily transport Pepper there, but the thought of seeing all that destruction again all the chaos…
Pepper shook her head opening her mouth to explain, but then a glowing ember sparked to life ahead of them.
The four watched as Pepper stepped out in front of them, the HUD descending around her head, as she prepared for a fight.
The ember continued to spark, flashing into a circle reminiscent of the sparklers Papa use to buy for the fourth of July.
In the circle was a scenery she didn’t recognize along with a man she also didn’t recognize.
He eyed Pepper before nodding. “Oh, good you’re ready, let’s go then!”
At some point, Pepper had raised her arms, the blue gauntlets ready to fire in an instant. She didn’t lower them but she did retract the HUD.
Alex marked the error, but didn’t speak on it as she dredged up the last of her energy pulling water from the lake as she thought of the best way to hit the man without hurting Pepper.
“What?” Pepper asked, disbelief coloring her tone.
“To fight,” the man began, glancing at Alex questioningly before refocusing his gaze on Pepper. “You’re ready to fight. I thought Alex explained everything; saved me a bunch of time.”
Pepper dropped her arms with a sigh. “You must be Doctor Strange.”
Alex startled at the name; this was the man that was supposed to send her home?
As if reading her thoughts, Doctor Strange sent her a wink before motioning Pepper closer to the portal. She glanced back at them and they waved dazedly as she stepped through.
When it closed behind her, Morgan was the first to break out of her stupor. She shot forward with a gasp. “Wait! Wait!” she turned to them with watering eyes. “Where’s she going? Where’s Dad? Who’s Doctor Strange?”
Alex blinked at the onslaught of questions, only to find both Morgan and Ana watching her expectantly.
Great. How was she supposed to explain all of this? “How about we go back inside.”
Seated together on the couch Alex explained everything that happened, her sisters listening raptly as she spoke.
“I am so confused,” Ana said with a huff, before finally realizing the condition Alex was in. “And you need a bath.”
Morgan nodded solemnly. “And a bandaid… maybe three.”
Alex yawned, all she really wanted was to take a nap. And for Pepper and Tony to come home. She should be home. She realized. How had everything gone so wrong?
After a warm bubble bath and a few well-placed band-aids by Ana, the three of them sat on the couch wrapped in a large blanket together as cartoons played on the TV. None of them were really sure what they should be doing.
She was sort of used to this waiting game; for Papa and the rest of the team to get back from a mission. But never with Mama and never with the stakes so high.
A knock sounded at the door and almost mechanically they all turned at the noise.
Too soon. It was too soon for Pepper or Tony to be back. And neither of them would knock.
“I’m not supposed to answer the door,” Morgan blurted.
Alex frowned at her words. “Oh. Me either.”
With a shrug, Ana pushed from the couch and after peering through the peephole, she opened the door.
Morgan was on her feet in seconds racing and then leaping into Happy’s arms, before the door was even fully open.
“Hey, squirt!” Happy caught the girl easily, stepping into the room further as he pulled her into a hug. “What’s going on, why did Friday say kids? You got a sibling I don’t know about?”
Morgan’s smile was slightly reserved but her eyes seemed to dance with excitement. “Yes!” She stated matter of factly. She pointed to Alex first and then to Ana who waved awkwardly from the door.
Alex too wanted to run to the man, to bask in an infamous Happy hug.
Happy only frowned as his eyes bounced between her and Ana a small pucker forming between his brow. “Oh. Wait what?”
Morgan giggled, slipping down from his hold, but latching on to his hand to drag him over to the couch. “Maybe you should sit down.”
Happy did sit down, and even as Morgan explained, he seemed likely to slip from the couch and onto the floor. “Wait, What? That’s impossible. You,” He pointed to Alex with a shaky finger. “You’re Tony’s kid from a different dimension, and you,” he switched his pointing to Ana, who was covering her mouth to hide her giggles. “You’re Tony’s kid from this dimension? And you’re triplets, there’re three of you?”
Alex and Ana nodded, but before either of them could speak. Ana let out a loud gasp before vanishing.
Happy continued to point at the spot she disappeared from, his usually reddish cheeks turning Pale. “Where’d she go?”
Alex and Morgan watched the spot too. Alex attempted to call out to Ana, but found she couldn’t as if a void now yawned between them. she raised a hand to her chest. Remembering. “Oh.” She murmured softly.
“I forgot to tell you,” she said facing Morgan. “It worked. They undid the snap.”
Happy was on his feet in seconds and Morgan? Morgan launched into her. “They did? They did it!” she was giggling excitedly.
She smiled at the girl, even as a pang of loneliness shot through her. and then something else shot through her. not quite pain but almost as if a sense of wrongness washed through her.
She let out a small groan and Morgan eased off of her.
“Alex? What’s wrong?”
She shook her head. “I-I… I have to go,” she breathed, before either of them could protest she vanished. Nearly stumbling as she set foot on the even ground.
Her eyes roved over the previously immaculate lawn of the compound. Despair rang through her as she took in the wreck of what was left of the place. It was in shambles. The building itself nearly non-existent aside from the west wing with its crumbling foundation.
In the distance, closer to the compound than where she’d set foot, she could see the group gathered around something. All looking worse for wear, but fixated on that something.
She teleported closer, just at the edge of the closest group. She didn’t want to accidentally teleport into someone. She pushed through the tall figures, some of them glancing down in surprise as she passed, until she could finally hear what sounded like whispered goodbyes, and her Dad's quiet breaths.
When she spotted an open space closer to him, she teleported to it, nearly directly beside him. The ones closest to him stumbled back in surprise, aside from Pepper who remained a steady presence at Papa’s side.
He sent her a tired smile as her eyes took him in. There were scorch marks covering half of his face, and his neck too, she realized. The burn seemed to continue beneath the suit.
She tried to breathe, tried to speak but all she managed was a quiet, “No.”
He let out another breath that seemed harder than the last one.
She shook her head. “This can’t be happening. You’re okay?” she asked, looking to Pepper for reassurance.
Pepper bit her lip, glancing skyward as she shook her head.
Nonono. She returned her gaze to Papa, to his blood-stained face and- oh god, what had happened? He had to be okay, she needed him, and Morgan and Ana. She’d promised Ana that everything would be okay.
“It’s going to be okay,” Somebody said from somewhere, Rhodey maybe.
But she was already cupping her hands together. She would fix this, she would save him, she decided. But she’d never had to do this alone, not without her sisters.
Had it ever been this bad? Bucky had been alive and mostly well she assumed but, grandma Peggy? Grandma Peggy had been dying and they’d save her.
She’d save him. She had promised Ana that she’d have a dad, have a family. And Morgan needed him.
She poured her power into her cupped hands, dredging up the parts of her that she usually left to Ana and Chryssy to control. Someone placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to herd her away but she held her ground closing her eyes as she willed the elements to flow through her once again.
“Jarvis” she breathed as something solidified in her hands, “override Friday’s control of the suit.”
She couldn’t direct Friday, but Jarvis?
For once Jarvis didn’t question her, as if he already knew what she was doing.
Her breathing became a bit labored and her knees felt a bit weak but in her hand was a warm little sphere and she knew if she looked into it she’d see the colors swirling around. See the essence of her, Ana, and Chryssy.
She held it out with shaky arms toward the suit, and the arm reached out for it. Tony seemed to wince and she inwardly winced with him, but his gaze was locked on her as his hand, encased in the suit, closed around the orb.
“Thank you, for everything,” She told him. “Break it, Jarvis!”
Tony watched, eyes tired and slightly unfocused as his hand clenched around the orb squeezing it until it shattered.
She dropped to her knees no longer able to hold herself up. And for a horrifyingly dreadful moment, nothing happened.
Tony’s gaze grew blanker by the moment and she could feel the despair starting to choke her.
Energy bloomed around him in a warm summer wind, accompanied by a spray of cool water, and the scent of the earth. All of it cocooned around him. Warping and forming around him until even she couldn’t see Papa beneath it.
As suddenly as it came it vanished. Leaving the spot where Tony had been empty.
Alex stared at the spot, unable to move even as relief swept through her. She shut her eyes, wanting nothing more than to collapse in a heap on the ground and cry.
Someone grabbed her arm, and she flinched. It had been an attempt to teleport but she was so tired, all she managed was the flinch.
“What did you just do? Where is he?”
She didn’t recognize the person, the boy in front of her, but his eyes were wide with Panic.
She tried to take a nervous step back, looking for a familiar face in the group but all she could see was Pepper and Rhodey, and they were still staring at the spot where Tony had been.
She licked her dry lips, meeting the boy's stare. “I-I saved him.” At least she hoped she had.
“What? How? Who are you?”
Finally, Pepper broke out of her stupor, drawing closer to them. “It’s okay, Peter,” she rasped.
Alex reached for her, and Pepper lifted her into her arms. She didn’t care that the armor was hard against her, or that this wasn’t really her Mom. She went boneless in Pepper’s hold and the woman shifted to get a more comfortable hold on her.
“What- what was that, Alex?” she asked
Alex’s gaze went back to the spot where Tony had been. “He was dying right?” she asked, feeling unsure with the way they were all staring at her. “I... I heard his heart slowing and I thought…” she frowned up at Pepper.
Pepper nodded tears tracking down her cheeks. “He was, sweetie,” she affirmed, the words coming out broken.
Alex nodded. She’d never seen someone on the verge of death, but that had been it. Tony had been dying and hopefully, she’d saved him.
The crowd began to murmur some even stepping closer. Pepper turned away sensing her growing unease. She drew Alex’s attention from the crowd. “What happened sweetheart? How did you save him?”
Alex sent Momma’s darkening face a brilliant smile. “I put him in a tree,” she said. And then everything went dark.
Pepper wished she could get out of the suit, to hold Alex better, but carefully she shifted the unconscious girl to her shoulder. Turning wide and confused eyes to Rhodey.
Rhodey was looking at her incredulously. “Did she say a tree?”
Pepper shook her head. “She was really tired, I-I don’t know what she could’ve meant by that. A tree?” Part of her wanted to wake Alex up, for her to clarify her meaning.
Doctor Strange stepped forward from the group of heroes and she clutched Alex tighter.. “I told Stark,” he said gruffly, “that there was one in a million chance that we’d win this, that we’d survive Thanos.”
He pointed to Alex, who had curled her body firmly around Pepper uncaring of the armor between them. “She was it.” he huffed.
Pepper kissed Alex’s forehead. “And?”
Strange shook his head in disbelief.. “She did it.”
Rhodey stepped up beside her. “What? By putting him in a tree?”
The man nodded, motioning to Bucky who stood firmly beside Steve. “In her dimension, she and her sisters have saved two others by placing them in a cocoon of their power. Sergeant Barnes,” he stated before pausing and turning back to Pepper, “and their grandmother.”
Pepper began to cry in earnest, clutching Alex to her chest.
Alex coming here was a one in a million chance. So many things could’ve happened, could’ve gone wrong; but she’d made it and she’d done it.
“Tony will be fine.” Doctor Strange continued, “I believe you’ll find a new tree somewhere near your home Mrs. Stark.”
She managed a nod as Rhodey pulled her into a hug, careful of the girl sleeping in her arms.
********
Alex came to with a groan. She tried to turn over but found she’d been tucked into the sheets too tightly. She wiggled until she could free her arms.
“Alex! You’re up!” Accompanying the words, was the bouncing of the bed and then small arms wrapped around her in a tight hug.
Reflexively she returned the hug, realizing belatedly that it was Morgan and not-
Morgan sat back, with a happy grin. “MOM! Alex. Is. Awake!”
Alex winced at the noise, but giggled before pulling Morgan back into a hug.
Pepper stepped into the doorway a soft smile on her face as she took a seat on the edge of the bed beside them. “Hello,”
Alex sank into the pillows. “Hi.”
“How’re you feeling. Sweetheart?”
Alex shrugged, “I’m okay.” she looked around with a frown. “Where’s Ana? She didn’t come back?”
Pepper shook her head, and Alex let out a long sigh.
“I guess I should’ve found out where she lives too.”
“She hasn’t tried to talk to you?”
Alex shook her head. “I guess now that the me in this dimension is back, our connection is broken.” She glanced up sharply. “The tree! Did you find the tree?”
Pepper stood from the bed, hoisting Morgan out and then holding her arms out to Alex, who happily allowed herself to be pulled from the bed.
“I thought we’d have trouble finding it, you know being in the woods and all, but your father has never been subtle.”
Alex frowned at that, but Pepper only led them downstairs. Happy and Rhodey were seated on the couch they both looked over as they came down the stairs offering her a small wave as Pepper guided her to the door.
As soon as the door opened, she paused mouth agape as she beheld the mammoth of a tree in front of the porch.
She ran for the tree, wrapping her arms around a small portion of its massive base. Warmth flooded through her as it pulsed with life. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
The tree seemed to hum in response and she quieted her thought as she listened to it.
She pulled back with a grin. “Take care of him okay? and don’t let him out until he’s all better.”
The branches of the tree swayed at her words, she hugged it a moment longer before turning to Pepper. Who gazed up at the tree in wonder.
“So, he’s really in there? In the tree?”
Alex nodded, enthusiastically. “He can hear you too! We used to read to James while he was in there, and Grandma Peggy told us she heard us when we talked to her while she was in her tree.
Pepper nodded, “good to know.” And then she pulled her into another hug. Alex grinned as she returned it.
“I’m going to miss you!”
Alex pulled back with a frown opening her mouth to ask… she didn’t know what. When someone cleared their throat behind them.
Pepper seemed to hold her tighter, before slowly she turned.
Doctor Strange nodded in greeting. “How about we get you home?”
Alex’s eyes widened, her gaze going to Pepper, and then to Morgan who was situated on Rhodey’s hip, with Happy standing beside them.
“Can I say goodbye?”
Doctor strange nodded. “Take as long as you need.”
She slid from Pepper’s arms before racing up towards the deck. Morgan wiggled from Rhodey’s grasp running to meet her hug.
They collided in a huff, and Alex spun the slightly smaller girl in a circle before setting her down.
Alex pulled back, her blurry eyes taking in the tears already trailing down Morgan’s cheeks. She wiped them away as more and more fell. “I’m gonna miss you!”
Morgan shook her head. “Then don’t go, stay! Stay here, with me!”
Alex sniffled. “I’ll be here, with Chryssy and Ana; Mor.”
Morgan shook her head again. “Ana left, she-“
“She’ll be back, with Chryssy and Me, I promise.”
“But you won’t be you,”
She giggled. “I’ll be me, just a different me is all.”
“What if you don’t like me?”
Alex sent her a small grin. “There’s no universe, Mor, no dimension where I don’t love you.”
Morgan threw herself back into the embrace. She let out a sudden gasp. “Wait! Does that mean there’s gonna be a me in your dimension?”
Alex brightened at that. “I sure hope so!”
Morgan nodded seemingly mollified by the thought. “Okay.”
Alex raised a brow, “Okay?”
She nodded again. “Okay.”
Hugging her and then Pepper one more time, she turned to Doctor Strange to find him studying the tree.
He turned. “All set?”
Alex glanced back one more time. “All set.”
“I just need a strand of your hair.”
Alex shrugged, and ran a hand through her pigtail, and managed to drag two long strands away with the movement. She offered it to him, watching transfixed as he slid the strand between his index finger and thumb.
Embers sparked along it before he moved it in his hands in quick succession. When he finished, a portal similar to the one Pepper had used, hovered before her.
She glanced up at Doctor Strange nervously, and he nodded reassuringly.
“Go on, he’s waiting for you.”
She stepped closer peering into the portal to find Tony in the lab, pacing as he talked on the phone.
Her heartbeat thrummed in her chest. “Papa?!”
Tony turned so sharply he nearly bumped into Dumm-e who’d been following in his wake. He let out a strangled breath.
“Alex?”
The words seemed to echo behind her, and she turned to find Ana standing in the doorway of the cabin looking as if she’d just run a mile. She sent the girl a smile and a goodbye wave before leaping through the portal.
Tony dropped the phone as he caught her. pulling her so tightly into his chest she was sure she’d suffocate. She squeezed him just as tight. Wrapping her arms and legs around him as she cried.
Tony was crying too, looking harried and frazzled, but so happy as he pulled back and pressed kisses all over her face.
“Boy am I glad to see you! You are in so much trouble missy!”
“Oh Papa! I missed you so much.” She sobbed.
“What happened?”
Before she could answer, someone screamed her name. Six someones.
They ran for her, and Tony crouched already bracing her and himself as they tackled into them. arms and faces pressed into hers as they all attempted to squeeze in closer. Crying. They were all crying. A great big sobbing mass as they clutched each other.
“You are in so much trouble!” Ana managed to say through her tears.
“So much trouble, Missy!” Chryssy added.
Poseidon let out a laugh. “I knew you’d come back!”
“Where were you?!” Athena murmured.
Hades shook his head. “Were you abducted by Aliens?”
“Aliens?” Zeus huffed. “I thought we agreed she was kidnapped!”
They all looked to her expectantly, and she looked behind them as a single spark flashed before vanishing in the air.
“It’s kind of a long story..” she offered.
Hades frowned. “How long could it be? You’ve been gone a day!”
Alex blinked. “A day? as in one day?”
They all nodded, and she shook her head. “I was there for two weeks!”
Tony looked pale as he spoke. “Alex, where were you? Are you hurt?”
“How about we eat lunch and then she can tell us?” Pepper spoke from the door to the lab, Happy, Babulya and Rhodey standing beside her.
Her siblings released her, and she ran for them. Happy and Rhodey took turns holding her before passing her to Oksana and then finally Pepper.
Alex sank into the embrace, tucking her face into Pepper’s neck as she breathed her mother in.
“Oh, my sweet girl!”
They trudged down the hall and onto the elevator, at some point Pepper passed her back to Tony, who gratefully situated her on his hip.
When the elevators opened at the penthouse level, Alex’s breath caught to find the rest of her family seated in the living room. They turned from their position huddled around the coffee table at their entrance.
She cried more as she was passed into more hugs, until finally, they all sat around the table with lunch.
“So, Malyshka, where have you been?”