Redshift

When they emerged from the tunnel of light, Natasha immediately felt the contents of her stomach turn upside down. She swayed in her seat, holding her stomach. “Ugh.”

In the seat beside her, Clint grimaced. “Yeah. That doesn’t get better.”

“Everyone alright back there?” Rocket called from the pilot’s seat. “All limbs are attached, no one’s head switched places with their butt or anything?”

What? Rhodey mouthed at the others.

“We’re fine,” Steve replied, ever the stoic soldier. He put a finger to the communicator in his ear. “How’s it looking outside?”

“We’re all good out here, Cap,” came Tony’s reply. “On your signal.”

The entire ship jolted, and Rocket scowled at out the cockpit’s front window. “Hey, watch it!”

Beyond the glass, a pair of massive blue eyes squinted at them. Then, Pietro’s accented voice drifted through the communicator. “Sorry. This is...very strange.”

“Tell me about it,” Nebula muttered.

“Rocket, Nebula. Take us in.”

A muted hum sounded throughout the ship as its engines ignited, and then the ship rocketed forward. The ship swerved in a wide arc, giving its passengers a clear view of the other half of their team.

Carol, Tony, Pietro, Thor, and Scott were groundside and normal-sized. As Natasha watched, Scott vanished, shrinking down into a near-imperceptible size. Tony’s armor shimmered and then blended in with his surroundings, rendering him nearly invisible. Pietro blurred and then vanished, disappearing into the foliage beyond. Thor and Carol crouched low and ducked behind a fallen log--they weren’t the most stealthy, but their strength necessitated that they stay outside the ship.

Ironically, they had the easier job. The hard task belonged to the Benatar.

“I’m scanning the area around us, but at this size it’s impossible to get a far-range reading,” Rocket reported. “Maybe a few feet in front of us at real-people size, but otherwise we’re flying blind. I hope this plan of yours works.”

The miniature Benatar propelled forward, zipping around branches and vines. At regular size, returning to the spot where the Stones had last been would have taken a few minutes. For the ship, it took nearly thirty. But time was a small price to pay for the increased stealth. They weren’t invisible, though with any luck they’d be mistaken for a bug if spotted. As they flew, Natasha found herself developing a grudging respect for Rocket’s skills as he navigated them through the jungle.

When the Benatar burst into the clearing, sunflight flooded the cockpit from above, and everyone shielded their eyes. Rocket brought the ship to a hard stop, then ignited the downward-facing thrusters to ascend the ship over the clearing.

It had been five years, but even without the charred, blackened ground, there was no mistaking the area. She had been trained to imprint even the slightest detail of an environment into her brain, and this wasn’t a place she would soon forget. In place of the crater, a simple wooden hut had been constructed offset from the clearing’s center. There were several gouged rows of earth scattered around it, evidently plots for gardening. A crude well had been dug in the center, and on the south side of the clearing was a wooden cross, from which hung an ornamental set of armor--it was scarred and exposed to the elements, as if it hadn’t seen use in a while. It took her a moment to realize that it was supposed to be some kind of scarecrow.

“Guess he was being literal when he called it the Garden,” Rhodey remarked.

“Where is he?” Nebula wondered quietly, ignoring the comment. She leaned forward in her seat, staring down at the habitat.

“Scan’s showing multiple footprints criss-crossing all over the place,” Rocket replied, tapping a screen in between his and Nebula’s chairs. “But thermal imaging says he’s inside. He’s not moving. Think he’s asleep?”

Natasha wasn’t about to believe they could be that lucky. “Rhodey, you’re up.”

He nodded. “Scott.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re sure it’s safe for me to leave the ship like this?”

“Absolutely. Just don’t take off your helmet. Or let it get damaged. And if you feel homicidal, let someone know.”

“Wonderful.” With an eyeroll, Rhodey unhooked himself from his seat and strode toward the back of the ship. “Alright. I’m ready.”

Natasha craned around in her seat to watch as the ship’s backdoor ramp opened, revealing the lush world below. Rhodey gave her a dry salute, then stepped backward off the ramp. His boots ignited, and he spiraled down toward the hut, a tiny red-and-white dot. To anyone else, he’d be nothing more than a gnat.

A few moments later, he said, “Got eyes on him. He’s just...sitting there.”

A holographic screen blinked into existence across the front of the cockpit--a live feed from Rhodey’s suit. In it, they could see Thanos himself. His back was turned, but there was no mistaking that hulking figure. He was indeed sitting, as Rhodey had said, directly in front of a little fireplace. His shoulders were slightly hunched, as if he were studying something in his lap.

“He’s definitely not asleep.” Rhodey’s voice was barely a whisper. “What do we do?”

“Stick with the plan,” Steve replied. “Wait until he’s about to destroy the Stones. We need to time this right.”

Natasha frowned. Something wasn’t right.

Nothing ever went according to plan. Ever. There was always an unknown variable, something overlooked or unforeseen. 

She unhooked herself from her seat and joined Rocket and Nebula at the front, eyeing the video feed suspiciously. “Rhodey, get out of there.”

“What?” 

She glanced over her shoulder, meeting Steve’s blue eyes unflinchingly.

He didn’t waste time doubting her. “You heard her, Rhoey. Pull back.”

Bruce’s brow furrowed as he eyed the pair. “What? What’s going on?”

I don’t know, she almost said, but held her tongue at the last moment. She did know—something was screaming at her that they’d missed something, and she’d learned long ago to trust her inherent feelings.

So instead, she let her instinct answer. “I don’t think Thanos is alone down there.”

“Uh, guys?”

All eyes turned back to the live feed. Rhodey had moved, flattening himself against the far wall of the hut. A split second later, the front door opened, and someone else stepped inside.

Something cold dropped out of Natasha’s stomach, sinking into the floor beneath her.

Thanos spoke first. It was a statement, simple and emotionless. “Daughter.”

In the doorway, Proxima Midnight knelt, bowing as she did so. “Father.”

“Impossible,” Nebula whispered. “You told me she died in Wakanda.”

“She did,” Natasha replied. “I...I saw it.”

“The Stones,” Bruce suggested, his face ashen. “He could have used them.”

“If there is anyone Thanos would have returned to life with the Stones, it would be Gamora,” Nebula refuted firmly. “But that is irrelevant—my father would not go against his own personal mission for any of his children. Not even her.”

“He doesn’t look like he used the Stones more than once, anyway,” Rocket added. “His face doesn’t look like grilled cheese.”

Inside the hut, Rhodey said nothing. He tilted his head slightly, allowing a better view of both aliens.

“Why have you returned?” Thanos asked.

Only then did Proxima stand up. She didn’t have her spear on her. “Your...your children worry for you, Father.”

“Why?” Natasha didn’t know Thanos well enough to identify particular facets of his personality, but he sounded distant. Distracted. Like he was barely aware of her presence, or was sleepwalking.

“Three weeks now, you’ve stayed here.” Proxima, on the other hand, was clearly nervous. Her posture was much more submissive than any she’d demonstrated on Earth. But that made sense. Thanos was her master. Still, there was a subtle difference between loyalty and fear. Right now Natasha wasn’t sure which she was seeing. “Recovering. Your work is complete. You said so yourself. You...you always said what would happen afterward. The Stones—”

Thanos’ back straightened. Slowly, he stood up and turned around. There was several feet of distance between him and his daughter, but nevertheless he towered over her, radiating dominance.

“What would you know of the Stones?” Thanos asked curiously. His tone was deceptively light.

Proxima hesitated, then seemed to swallow her fear and stand her ground. “I know what you have told me of them. That they are tools, but dangerous ones—”

With unexpected speed, Thanos surged forward and seized Proxima by the throat with his gauntleted hand, then slammed her against the wall next to the door. His grip tightened, and Proxima’s legs kicked out frantically as she was lifted off the ground. She clutched at the massive fingers cutting off her air, but to absolutely no effect. 

Beside them, through the open doorway, there was a flash of metal. Thanos released Proxima, reeling back to clutch as his arm. Just below his elbow was a deep gash, dripping fresh, dark, purplish blood.

Proxima scrambled away from him, toward her savior—Corvus Glaive.

“I saw him die,” Steve murmured. “What’s going on?”

His last question appeared to be directed toward Nebula. Stonyfaced, she replied, “I know just as much as you do.”

Proxima and Corvus were almost entirely out of view, nearly outside the hut, but Rhodey didn’t move to get a clearer picture of them, for which Natasha was glad. They could hear just fine as Proxima gasped for air, and between breaths she wheezed, “You...once spoke of temptation...how it can undo even the most focused individual.”

Thanos paused.

“We have served you faithfully, sire,” Corvus added, glancing at his companion. “We would not speak out of turn on a whim. Maw and Obsidian both agree with us.”

“And yet they are not here,” Thanos noted. But he didn’t move to strike.

“We thought the four of us together would...send the wrong message.” Unbelievably, there was an undercurrent in Corvus’ voice that was familiar to Natasha. We hoped you would trust us.

It made her think of Siberia, of crimson snow and broken childhoods.

“Gamora would agree with us.” Proxima spoke up. Thanos moved again, but seemed to control himself and mull over her words. “Three weeks now, you’ve kept us at a distance. We did as you asked. We left you to tend to your wounds and grieve for her.”

“But you are not well.” Corvus’ voice picked up where Proxima had left off seamlessly. “You spend your days and nights studying the Stones. What is there that distracts you?”

Silence fell, and Natasha almost began to wonder if their connection had frozen when Thanos finally spoke.

“Gamora lives.”

In the seat in front of Natasha, Nebula drew in a breath sharply.

“Sire?”

“She lives,” Thanos repeated. He held up the Infinity Gauntlet, and the orange stone in the knuckle of his pinkie finger glowed slightly. “In here. She...she speaks to me.”

Natasha glanced over at Steve, and found that the expression on his face mirrored her emotions. If it were anyone else, she would be tempted to take pity, after hearing the level of grief and regret in Thanos’ voice. It was impossible to forget or forgive what he’d done, but this was...almost too personal to be watching. It felt like an intrusion.

Still, it was easy for her to stifle those feelings. Gamora’s death was still his fault. Along with trillions of others. 

“She is gone, Father,” Proxima replied, with a gentleness Natasha wouldn’t have thought possible from her. “I understand you favored her, but...you must allow her memory to rest. For her own sake. Grant her the same dignity you would give any of your other children.”

Ironic that she would say that. Perhaps his children weren’t aware that they’d cheated death? Anything was possible.

“Return to the Sanctuary.”

“Sire?” Corvus asked.

“You are right, Corvus. And you, Proxima. I...I have let myself be controlled by the Stones for too long. Return to the ship, and come collect me when I summon you. And Corvus, leave your blade here. I have a need for it.”

If either of them were reluctant to leave their master, they didn’t show it. Corvus stepped fully back into frame, handing over his weapon. As he did, Thanos clasped his shoulder with his unarmored hand. It was a bizarrely parental gesture for a genocidal maniac.

“Thank you, son.”

He followed them out. Rhodey audibly relaxed as soon as he was alone, breathing shakily into his communicator.

“Okay, I’ve seen enough.”

“Guys,” Carol’s voice drifted into their ears. Natasha had almost forgotten about the other team. “There’s a ship entering the planet’s atmosphere, fast. It’s big. Really big.”

“Thanos’ flagship,” Nebula stated. She wasn’t the most expressive person, but what little inflection was usually in her voice was gone. It was as if she’d turned herself to stone. “The Sanctuary. He must have recovered it after using the gauntlet. Or his forces did.”

“Can it detect us?” Bruce asked, glancing up at the ceiling as if he could see through it to the sky above.

“If we stay close under the treeline, we should be able to hide among the planet’s native biosigns. Unless they start actively looking for something.”

As he spoke, a shadow fell over them. Natasha There were no windows on the ceiling, but Natasha didn’t need to look up to know what the source was. The Benatar’s thrusted died down, and they descended into the shade of a gnarled tree.

“It scooped up Proxima and Corvus,” Carol reported. “Now there’s just Thanos down here. He’s alone.”

“Rhodey, go. It’s now or never,” Steve ordered.

“Copy.” From the War Machine armor’s live feed, they watched as Rhodey took flight and flew outside. Thanos was indeed alone, standing in the center of the clearing. He was examining the Stones on his armored knuckles, his back to the hut.

“Base of the neck, right Tones?”

“Yup,” Tony replied, his voice calm and even. “Best reaction happens the closer it is to the brain. But even then, I got no idea how long it’ll hold him.”

“Uh, wait, what about the ship?” Scott sounded nervous. “What if it sees us?”

“I got that covered. I’m hitting it with as many viruses as I can—when one of them takes, I can cause a sensor malfunction. That’s your window. Rhodey, as soon as I tell you, activate the disruptor.”

Rhodey closed in on Thanos, landing on the collar of his shirt. He pulled out a tiny, handheld device that almost looked like a car key fob. “Ready.”

“Uh, guys?” Rocket suddenly interjected. “I think we’ve got a problem.”

Natasha’s gaze snapped over to him. “What? Where?”

In response, Rocket deactivated the view screen, giving them a full view out of the cockpit. A thick tree branch ran directly underneath the ship, and near where the limb connected to the trunk, crouched a small animal. It looked vaguely like a bird, except it was covered with blue scales instead of feathers, and two sets of wings. Natasha recognized it as the same type of animal she and Steve had seen on their first visit to the Garden. 

She had thought they were beautiful creatures. Now, however, when the Benatar was no doubt the size and shape of a particularly tasty insect, it was significantly more terrifying.

“Shit!” Rocket threw the ship into a nosedive. The creature screeched, an echoing roar that made Natasha’s eardrums ache, and it spread all four of its wings to chase them.

“What? What’s happening?” Rhodey demanded.

“One of the locals!” Natasha shouted back, as Rocket yelled defiantly at the animal. The Benatar spiraled around the tree, attempting to lose its pursuer, but with no success. “I’ll get back to you!”

“Get on a gun and shoot it!” Rocket demanded.

“We’re too small, we’ll never hurt it,” Nebula shot back. She was significantly more composed than her copilot, though not any quieter. “Just try and lose it!”

“This was not part of the plan,” Clint muttered as he got up from his seat. He drew his bow as he stalked toward the back of the ship. He jumped down a set of stairs leading to the lower level, disappearing from view.

Natasha tapped a button on the armrest of her seat, and a smaller screen blinked into view, once again displaying a feed from the War Machine armor. Beside her, Steve did the same.

“Rhodey, right now you’ve got no extraction,” she said. “If Thanos snaps his fingers now, there’s no way you can get clear in time. Not at your size.”

“Pretty sure that’s not up to me,” Rhodey replied dryly. In the video’s peripheral, she could see Thanos lifting up his gauntleted hand. There was an edge of resignation in Rhodey’s voice that she did not like. “Tony, are you ready? Kill the ship’s sensors.”

There was a strangled noise in response. “Rhodey...”

“We are not debating this! If you have the shot, take it!”

For a moment there was silence on the communicator, and the only noise was Rocket’s frenzied yells as he continued dogfighting the bird. No one else said anything. Not even Steve would give the order. They’d lost too many people already.

“I’m in,” Tony whispered. “Do it.”

Through the screen, she watched Rhodey press the trigger on the device in his hand. At once, black veins bulged up from Thanos’ purple skin, and he went stock still, as the nerve disruptor paralyzed his entire body.

Rhodey didn’t dare move from his position, but he did turn his head to watch the second team spring into action. Carol and Thor emerged from the jungle, striking while Thanos’ head couldn’t turn to face them. Thor grabbed the sleeve of the gauntlet and dug his heels into the dirt, while Carol took a deep breath and plunged her hand directly at the Time Stone.

The second her fingers wrapped around it, arcs of green energy cascaded outward from the Stone, and Carol gritted her teeth, clearly biting back a scream. The pull of the other Stones was almost magnetic—they didn’t want to relinquish one of their own. For all the power of Captain Marvel, the Infinity Stones could give as good as they got.

The stone came loose ever so slightly, and an emerald shock wave exploded forth, sending Thor to his knees. But Carol held fast.

An ear-splitting shriek broke Natasha’s concentration. She looked up from the screen just in time to see a flash of blue scales, and Clint whoop victoriously in her ear.

“What did you do?”

“Shot it in the eye. That’ll teach it to mess with us!”

“Rocket, get us back there, now!” Steve ordered.

A burst of light pulled her attention back to the screen. Carol had managed to get her fingers under the Stone, and was slowly pulling it up from its socket. Even though it was no longer physically attached to the Infinity Gauntlet, the gravity well created by the power of the other Stones was preventing it from leaving their proximity.

At least it was until, with a growl, Carol pulled with all her might, and the Time Stone finally snapped free from the energy barrier. Thor released his hold on the gauntlet immediately backpedaled with Carol.

“Pi—”

Steve didn’t even get to finish the word before there was a blur around Thanos, and suddenly the empty socket on the gauntlet had been fitted with a brand new green rock. A brilliant flash of multicolored aura washed over Thanos’ body as the replacement Time Stone fitted snugly into its new home.

“YES!” Bruce shouted, earning a reproachful glare from Nebula. “Sorry.”

“Readings are holding,” Tony reported. “About as close to stable as we’re gonna get. Good work, everyone. Now get the hell out of there!”

No sooner had he said that did Rhodey’s device explode in his hands. The black veins disappeared under Thanos’ skin.

“Guys.” There was a tinge of fear in his voice now, something Natasha recognized from the airport in Germany--familiar and unpleasant territory. “The suit’s not responding.”

“Radiation from the Stones,” Bruce realized, dawning horror in his voice. “At that size, the gamma particles can’t be shielded against.”

“We’re coming to get you, Rhodey,” Natasha reported, as the Benatar banked hard and pulled a one-eighty, rocketing back toward the clearing. “Hang on!”

She unstrapped herself from her seat, unable to sit and watch any longer. Steve shouted after her as she left, but his words fell on deaf ears. 

They didn’t come this far to fall short now. Everyone walked home from this. Everyone.

Whatever it takes.

Clint was still in the hangar when she arrived. The bay doors had already shut after he’d taken his shot, but Natasha slapped the override button and they began to open again.

“What are you doing?” he asked, giving her a puzzled look.

“Cable arrow, now!” she ordered, pointing at the far wall. He obeyed without question, and she snatched the other end of the lead from his quiver, then clipped it to her belt. “Get ready to shut those doors.”

“Natasha, wait!” he shouted. “NATASHA!”

Too late—she’d already dove out of the hangar. Her suit’s helmet would give her a steady air supply even at this velocity, but she still had the breath knocked out of her when the cable went taut and jolted her harshly.

At this size, she was so small it was impossible to get a good view of what was going on beyond the mass that was Thanos’ back. But she could see Rhodey, standing out brightly against the beige material. 

The force of the flight as Rocket banked across Thanos’ back made her swing wildly, and she didn’t catch Rhodey so much as she did slam into him. Which hurt. He wasn’t soft.

Still, she managed to hook her arms under his, and as the Benatar soared off, both Avengers were whisked away from Thanos. As the cable began to reel up, Clint’s outstretched hand appeared—

Natasha’s ears popped, and that was the only warning she had before a wave of force knocked into her, and she instantly blacked out.

“—tasha! Natasha!”

Consciousness rushed back to her in a heartbeat, and her eyes flew open. Arms caught her as she lurched up into a sitting position, and she only struggled for a moment until she realized they belonged to Rhodey.

The Benatar’s hangar had been completely wrecked. Black scorch marks roped up the walls at the hangar’s entrance—the door of which was missing—and smoke drifted through the air, while the lights on the ceiling flickered and sparked. 

“What? What happened?” 

She couldn’t tell his expression behind the War Machine helmet, but heard the grimace in his voice. “Best guess? Thanos snapped his fingers.”

“Where’s Clint?” The floor underneath her was still and silent—the ship wasn’t moving. Her ribs protested as she pulled herself to her feet, leaning on Rhodey for support, but otherwise she seemed to be in one piece. The miracle of that wasn’t lost on her. “Your suit’s working again?”

“Yeah. No more Stones, no more interference, I guess. I made Clint go back to Steve and the others. They’re assessing the damage.” Silence fell for a few moments before he said, in a quieter voice, “You saved my life.”

She brushed off the gratitude in his voice with a smirk. “You’d rather I didn’t?”

He chuckled.

There was a hiss as one of the interior doors opened. Clint was the first one inside, relief sinking into his posture immediately as he saw her up and talking. Steve, Nebula, Bruce, and Rocket followed after him.

“I’d tell you not to do anything like that again, but that would imply you’d actually listen to me,” he grumbled, wrapping her in a hug. 

“What’s the situation?” Rhodey asked, addressing the others.

“Ship’s fried. There’s no way she’s getting off the ground, not in this condition,” Rocket replied. He kicked aside a piece of metal, his ears back. “I’m open to suggestions.”

“Scott?” Steve spoke into his communicator. “Come in, Scott.”

“Cap! Thank God. When your signal cut out... Where are you?”

“We don’t know. But we’re still small, and the Benatar’s grounded. We’re stuck.”

“I’m looking for you now.”

“Rhodey, I’m patching you in to my helmet,” Tony reported. “See if you can use the surroundings to find where you are.”

Rhodey opened his hand, and from the repulsor in his palm a holographic screen blinked into existence. Tony was several yards above the ground, perhaps on a tree branch, looking down on Thanos’ farm.

Except the farm was gone. In its place the ground was blackened and charred—the same sight the Avengers would see when they arrived on this planet in two days. By then, Thanos would be gone.

The being in question knelt in the middle of the devastated land, clutching at his left arm. It was shriveled and emaciated, as if rapidly atrophied, and he had serious burns running across the left side of his torso and face.

“How long until he leaves?” Scott asked. He must be watching the feed as well.

“He was gone by the time we got here two days later. He could leave now, in an hour, tomorrow...” Bruce shrugged. “The waiting game’s not over yet.”

Thanos staggered upright, and Natasha noticed that he was leaning on Corvus’ weapon for support. 

“What is he doing?” Pietro asked.

The question was answered a split second later as Thanos turned the blade on himself, thrusting it into his arm just between his elbow and where the gauntlet ended. He gritted his teeth, and began sawing.

It was ugly, imprecise work. An axe or a saw would have been better—a glaive, even an incredibly durable one such as Corvus’, was not meant to hack through bone and sinew.

Rocket let out a groan. “I’m gonna be sick.”

“Christ.” Clint’s eyes were glued to the screen. “This guy is...something else.”

Natasha didn’t respond. Thanos should have been in agony, but he remained quiet while he worked. A minute later, the gauntlet—and his arm—dropped to the ground with a sickening, wet thud.

A moment later, the shadow of the Sanctuary brightened as a pillar of light projected down into the clearing. From it, Corvus and Proxima emerged. 

Thanos handed back the glaive wordlessly. Both of his children stared at the stump where his arm had been, but said nothing.

“I need to record a message,” Thanos said. His voice was surprisingly steady. “For those who will come here after us.”

Proxima reached into a pouch on her belt and pulled out a small, black cube.

Natasha recognized it instantly. “I don’t think we’ll be waiting long.”

“Return to the Sanctuary. Prepare for departure,” Thanos ordered. “I will join you when I’ve finished.”

They didn’t have to be told twice, scurrying back to the pillar of light and vanishing into the ship’s depths. Thanos tapped the cube with one finger, and it flashed twice, then scanned him from head to toe.

“I knew you would find your way here, sooner or later,” Thanos began. “No doubt you’re wondering what I’ve done. You, Avengers—however many of you are left—should look to the other survivors and be grateful. The Stones served their purpose—the only thing they could provide now was temptation. Their power may be infinite, but their existence is not. The Stones are gone, reduced to atoms.” He paused, then continued. “My work is done. It always will be. Look for me if you wish. If you seek revenge. But it won’t matter. It won’t change anything.”

Then he stooped, pressing the cube into the hand of the gauntlet and closing its fingers around it.

He didn’t look back as he stepped into the light, and was transported into the Sanctuary. Immediately after vanishing, the ship began to ascend into the atmosphere, and light returned to the surrounding jungle. Tony looked up, following the ship’s progression until it began rapidly shrinking, disappearing into the sky above, and the space beyond.

“Talk about deja vu,” Rhodey muttered. No one laughed.

“Al...alright, we’re not done yet,” Tony said. “Scott?”

“I’ve got them.”

There was a clatter as Ant-Man himself jogged through the Benatar’s open door. He froze for half a second, then reached into his pocket and pulled out several blue discs. “Who’s first?”

Immediately after enlarging back to her regular size, Natasha toggled off her helmet. She shook her braid loose, reveling in the freedom, as the other Avengers returned to normal around her.

Judging by where the gauntlet lay, they had actually only been about twenty feet away from Thanos when he snapped his fingers, which meant it was a miracle that they had escaped the explosion alive at all.

Pietro zipped his way over to them first, closely followed by Tony, Thor, and Carol, the latter of whom still held the Time Stone in her hands.

“Are you ready?” Steve asked.

“This thing doesn’t exactly come with an instruction manual,” Carol pointed out. “But, if it’s anything like the Tesseract...”

She closed her fingers around the Time Stone, as everyone else in the group took a few steps back. Carol pointed her fist at the Infinity Gauntlet, and a green mandala appeared around her wrist. She frowned, evidently trying to figure out how to work the artifact, and turned her hand clockwise. When that did nothing, she tried the other direction.

It took a few moments, but Natasha noticed that the light around them began to change colors. Different shockwaves of red, green, orange, yellow, blue, and purple all imploded on each other, as if rewound in a VCR. They coalesced into the gauntlet, in each of the knuckles. There was a slight tug in her center of gravity, as if the universe were reorienting itself to the reversal of their destruction.

In just a handful of seconds, the Infinity Stones were restored. The gauntlet had regained some of its luster, not quite as damaged.

“Leave the glove,” Tony said. “And put it back where we found it. We just need the Stones.”

They were all there. Power, Mind, Space, Reality, Soul…

As Tony and Rocket crouched next to the gauntlet, Natasha’s eyes wandered over to the Time Stone in Carol’s hand. 

It didn’t feel real. It felt like a dream.

Could it really have been as easy as this? Could their greatest failure really have been so simply undone?

The smile on Carol’s face told her that yes, it could.