Light.
Too bright. Too white.
It burned behind my eyelids before my brain could catch up.

I groaned softly, forcing my eyes open. The room came into focus- sterile walls, humming machines, and that faint antiseptic smell id never missed. It looked like the compounds med bay.

I sat up too fast, dizziness washing over me. My legs hit the floor before I could think- and immediately gave out.

"Woah, woah, woah" a familiar voice said, catching me by the arms.

I blinked at him, eyes wide.
"Steve?" I said

He smiled softly.
"Hey, Elizabeth. Long time no see" he said

I didn't even hesitate- I wrapped my arms around him, clutching him tight.
"Steve, it's been so long" I said

"Too long" he said, helping ease me back into the bed.

Then it hit me.
The dust, screaming, loss.

"Steve. Thanos- he- Peter and everyone else- they turn to dust and I couldn't- I couldn't save them" my voice broke, panic clawing its way back to the surface.

"I know." He said gently.
"We fought him too. We lost" he said

The words shattered something in me over again. Tears blurred my vision as I shook my head.

"How are you alive?" He asked after a moment.

"What? What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"Tony said you turned to dust as well" he said

"What? No- no, that's- It's a long story" I sighed, brushing a hand over my face. Before I could continue, the door opened.

"Nat?" I breathed out.

"Hey" she said with that small smile I'd missed, pulling me into a hug.

After they brought me food, Steve leaned forward, elbows on his knees.
"Start from the beginning" he said

I nodded, taking a breath.
"Okay. Um... the ship showed up while Peter and I were heading for a field trip. We got out and went to help Tony fight. We ended up getting beamed up. I found out I'm not actually from this world- the one I'm from is destroyed. My last names Pandora. It means 'all gifted' or something" I said, waving a hand.

"Anyway. The ship took us to a planet called Titan. We met some of the Guardians there. We had a plan to fight Thanos. It almost worked. I fought him - but he threw me aside and stabbed Tony. Because of that, strange gave him the time stone to save him"

I exhaled shakily.
"After Thanos left, people started turning to dust. I felt it- something inside me tugging, breaking. Wanda went first. Then Peter. And before I could even move, thanos came back and grabbed me and took me through a portal. I tried to yell for Tony, but it was too late. He brought me to this...garden. Told me to destroy the stones. I refused" I said

My voice trembled.
"I went months with almost nothing- barely any food, a sip of water here and there. My body was giving out, so I tried one last time to fight him. He tricked me. I ended up destroying the stones myself." I said

They both stared at me, silent.

"I tried to pick them up, but when I did... they glowed. Then I woke up here" I finished.

Nat blinked.
"Okay... that's a lot to take in" she said

"Tell me about it" I muttered.

Steve frowned.
"Elizabeth, how long were you with thanos?" He asked.

I hesitated.
"Two months? Maybe a little less." I said

He looked between nat and me.
"That's impossible" he said

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He don't answer right away.

"Someone please tell me what's going on" I said, voice low.

Nat sighed.
"Elizabeth...thanos snapped five years ago" she said

The world stopped.!

"What?" I whispered.
"No. No, that's not true- how? How could?" I looked between them, desperate.
"How am I here, then? It was only months for me" I said

Steve shook his head slowly.
"I don't know" he said

I pressed my fingers to my temples, thinking hard.
"Okay. He brought me to his garden. He told me to destroy the stones-"' then it hit me.

"The stones! When I grabbed them, they glowed. The time stone- it must have sent me forward!" I said

Nat nodded slowly.
"That's the most reasonable theory" she said

I groaned softly, rubbing my hands over my face.
"Oh my God..." i mumbled.

After a long pause, i looked up at them.
"Have you found a way to bring them back?" I asked.

Steves expression darkened.
"No. Nothing yet" he said

He stood, giving me a soft smile.
"Get some rest, Elizabeth" he said

As they left, the silence felt heavier than ever.

That night, I woke up screaming.

The nightmares had stopped when Peter was here. Now that he was gone, they came back stronger.

I sat there shaking, trying to breathe, when the door bursts open.

"Nat? What's wrong?" I asked, heart racing.

She didn't answer. Steve followed behind her- then Scott.

"Scott?" I said, blinking in disbelief.

"Elizabeth?! Man, it's been so long- how are you? You look... older" He said

I raised an eyebrow, almost laughing.

"Scott" Steve said, cutting him off.

"Right. Sorry. Staying on track" he muttered.

"On track of what?" I asked, already dreading the answer.

My body was still weak, but there was no universe where I was sitting this one out.

We drove to Tony's lake house- quiet, peaceful. He stood on the porch, a little girl in his arms.

Steve, nat, and Scott got out first. I followed, slower, my heart pounding.

Tony turned. His eyes met mine.

For a second, everything stopped.

I smiled through the tears already forming. Tony's expression softened- relief and grief all tangled together.

He handed his daughter to pepper, and as soon as she stepped inside.

I didn't wait.

I ran straight toward him, wrapping my arms around him.

"Living the life, I see" I whispered.

"You bet" he said quietly, and I felt him laugh against my shoulder.

We stepped back as Scott started explaining the plan, and Tony- of course- started pouring coffee.

When Scott proudly said 'time heist', I almost smiled. Almost.

They argued back and forth- science, risk, hope. All of it felt static on the air.

Then his little girl came running out, climbing into his arms.
"Mommy told me to come and save you" she said

"Good job, I'm saved" he smiled.

He stood, facing us, his daughter in his arms.
"I wish you were coming here to ask me something else. Anything else. I'm honestly happy to see you guys, oh look tables set for eight-" he started, walking inside.

"Tony." Steve called, Tony turned.
"Forget it. And I'm happy for you I really am. But this is a second chance." He said

"I got my second chance right here cap. I can't roll a dice on it" Tony said, glancing at me.

"If you don't talk shop, you can stay for lunch" he said, then walked inside.

We all started walking toward the car.

"He's scared" nat said.

"He's not wrong" Steve replied.

"Yeah but- what are we- what are we going to do, are we going to stop?" Scott asked.

"No, I want to do it right. We're going to need a really big brain" Steve said.

"Bigger than his?" Scott asked, confused.

They moved to the doors, and I stayed still.

"Hey" I called softly.
"I'm going to stay for a bit. Talk to him. Maybe I can get through." I said

Steve nodded.
"Go ahead" he said

"Call us if you need a ride" nat nodded.

"Great, now we just lost the smartest people we have" Scott said, throwing his hands up.

Which earned him matching looks from Steve and nat.

And I smile from me.

I watched them drive off, the quiet of the lake settling in.

"Here we go" I whispered.