Born Of The Same Impulse

Summary: Barely five minutes into the past and Tony has already taken care of Ultron, thus prevented Sokovia, thus – hopefully – made sure that the Civil War would never happen. All things considered, he was doing pretty well!

Then he just had to look up his fellow superhero turned time traveller on the internet.

Star Surgeon Involved In Car Crash, Condition Unknown

Chapter 24

Stephen traced the spines of the heavy tomes piled up in the Sanctum's library. He'd made his way into the section of defensive spells and safety wards after a brief detour to elemental and nature magic. He'd come primarily for Loki, but Stephen could never resist seeking out new types of magic to study for both his own and Wanda's sake.

He counted himself lucky to have met someone able to match his own interest in learning – someone whose magic was so different from his own that every subject they chose to study was a new adventure to be braved from entirely different points of views.

"I cannot remember a student who's felt at home here quite as much as you do." The Ancient One strode through towering rows of bookcases, eyes twinkling with mirth Stephen couldn't decide was playful or teasing.

"I came for some research."

The Ancient One hummed. "Are you looking for something specific?"

Stephen dropped his gaze to the lowest row of books and scanned the titles. "More or less."

"And have you managed to find something in the four hours you've spent here?"

Stephen paused mid-motion. He squinted at the piles of books heaped up beside his desk. Those used to be... significantly smaller.

Another student opened the doorway and slipped into the library. Stephen was fairly certain that the last time it was open there'd still been some daylight.

"... I may have gotten carried away," he admitted, straightening his spine and turning away from the sirens' call that was dusty parchment and ancient knowledge.

The Ancient One pulled up a (miraculously book-free) chair and settled down. "There are times when I regret having lost the privilege of teaching you."

Stephen didn't know what to say to that. His old teacher had the tendency to drop staggering truths and heartfelt sentiments into casual conversation as though she didn't know the effect she was having on Stephen.

"You still are. You've helped me a great deal."

"Perhaps. Though not from the start. I would have loved to meet the person you used to be."

Stephen's lips twisted into a humorless smile. "You didn't miss out. He wasn't pleasant company."

"Which would have made it a privilege to see him change into the person you are now."

"You'll make me blush." Stephen quirked his lips to cover up the truth in his words. He paused. "It is better this way. In the other reality... We weren't close."

"Oh?" She tilted her head in polite interest.

"I wouldn't have considered us friends," Stephen admitted, "nor anything close to it."

He'd rather felt like a pawn in a game he didn't understand. Even with the Ancient One's dying words of being meant for something greater, he'd felt used. He'd felt maneuvered into a position he hadn't asked for, nor wanted.

"This," Stephen said with a vague hand gesture, "is a vast improvement."

"I will take your word for it."

Stephen pulled out a book from the shelf in front of him. He'd try making it today's last. Every time he felt close to having explored the library in its entirety, he stumbled across a new shelf, an unknown branch of magic, a technique he'd never seen before in his life. He loved coming here.

"How is Miss Maximoff?"

"Looking forward to her next lesson," Stephen said.

Wanda had taken to Kamar-Taj like a fish to the ocean. Though he'd like to think he'd played part in showing her the value of a brighter path, ultimately it had been the Sanctum that allowed her to thrive among other people sharing her gift. Just like Stephen had thrived.

"I should hope so." The twinkle in the Ancient One's eyes returned. "Our sessions have begun being ever so interesting."

Stephen side-eyed his old mentor. "Do I need to remind you that she's technically still a prisoner?"

"A prisoner you've personally begun teaching to draw portals."

"... She hasn't succeeded."

The Ancient One, Stephen thought, saw Wanda as a challenge. She'd taught hundreds of students in her time, but few – if any – who practiced magic so different from her own. Passionate as she was about her art, going through the same motions over centuries must have begun feeling stale.

"Miss Maximoff and her brother are not the only ones you've been housing," the Ancient One said.

"They aren't." Stephen paused. "What do you know?"

"Loki," she said, "brother of Thor. He's brought an infinity stone to Earth and failed to obtain another."

"Yes. The invasion." Stephen paused. There was something he'd wondered for a long time. "Back then, why didn't you intervene? You could have helped."

"It was not our time to show ourselves."

Stephen's brows dipped low. "When will the time come?"

The Ancient One gave him a thin smile. "I believe you know the answer to that."

The Sanctum had changed. Grim-faced sorcerers hustled about the halls and students spent all of their time studying and training. Preparing. Tension tightened their shoulders and pressed down in a constant weight.

The Ancient One was doing her part in preparing them. Just like Tony and he were preparing the team.

"He's coming," Stephen said, and did not feel the need to elaborate.

"Yes. He is."

So much had changed since the day they'd returned, but would it be enough? Had they done all they could to prepare for the catastrophe they'd failed to prevent once? Stephen supposed that only time would tell.

The Ancient One took off her amulet. The question forming on Stephen's lips was too slow, and she said, "I would like you to take it."

Stephen looked at the infinity stone he was offered. A muscle in his face twitched. "No."

She paused. "No?"

"You've done this before. You mean to make me your successor."

"Is that not what you are meant to be?"

"Perhaps," Stephen said slowly, "but I am supposed to take over after your death."

Was this a part of the Ancient One's preparations for the upcoming battle? Did she not expect to live past it? What if she'd seen her death and accepted it just like she had in the other reality?

"Are you tired of it?" he asked, hoping to be wrong.

The Ancient One didn't look like somebody facing their untimely death. Then again, he'd watched her die before, and she hadn't lost her calm then, either.

"I was for a time," the Ancient One admitted. Her lips twitched. "But since then, the position has become quite more exciting."

Stephen thought back to her reaction upon Stephen's arrival in the past. How she'd seemed thrilled, rather than apprehensive.

Stephen's – and Tony's – very existence went against all of her predictions. Instead of begrudging them the uncertainty, she'd embraced the changes wholeheartedly.

"I'm in no hurry," Stephen said, pulling his eyes away from the amulet. "If you're willing, I'd appreciate staying free of the burden for a little while longer."

The Ancient One didn't seem surprised. She put the amulet back around her neck. "As you wish."

Stephen had almost given up the time stone once. It was a decision he wasn't prepared to make a second time.

The tower was full of people. Too many strangers. Too many variables. Tricky to keep track of, but not impossible.

Bucky could tell that there were supposed to be more. Not all the names he'd filed away from his conversations with Steve were accounted for, and there were too many belongings strewn around the living space. Steve must have asked the rest of them to keep their distance.

Bucky would have to bide his time and size up their threat levels later.

"Here's the communal area," Steve said, false cheer and badly hidden tension in his voice. "It's used by... everybody."

Bucky's eyes flickered up. He catalogued four exits and a dozen ways to kill the person nearest to him.

(Steve. The person nearest to him was Steve.)

(Three different options with the encyclopedia lying on the nearest bookshelf, five with the hairbrush somebody had left on a small table, half a dozen with his bare hands–)

(They hadn't taken away his arm. They should have. It was stupid to let him keep it.)

Steve leaped into introductions, anxious for everybody to get along. Bucky pretended to listen beyond the combat-relevant information – like trying to remember the Black Widow's name instead of the number of weapons he could spot on her person.

Bucky realized that Steve had stopped talking. Waiting for him to say something other than the clipped one-word answers he'd given since stepping foot into the tower.

"Alright," Steve said once he realized that Bucky had no intention of speaking. "Do you want me to... I mean, come on. I'll show you your room."

Bucky didn't get to see his room. A rainbow colored beam of light appeared behind the glass wall that showed an open-aired platform at the edge of the tower. Bucky's metal arm was clenched and his flesh arm holding a knife before he realized that no one on Steve's team had batted an eyelash.

None of them armed themselves when a man strode into the tower, his stormy expression matching the thunder in his steps. Bucky didn't understand. Every instinct of his told him that the newcomer was dangerous – he didn't need to see the warhammer dangling from his belt to know that.

(Thor, god of thunder. Lightning powers. Ability of flight. Threat level high. Weaknesses–)

"I assume it didn't go well?" Steve asked.

Thor sighed. His expression melted into something softer.

He didn't fool Bucky. Thor carried power like another person wore a comfortable piece of clothing.

"No. He refuses to see reason." Thor brushed past Bucky on his way to the nearest seat.

Bucky didn't flinch. He carefully stopped considering whether his metal arm was strong enough to strangle an Asgardian.

"He didn't believe you?" the Black Widow (Natasha. He was supposed to think of her as Natasha.) asked.

"He believes me," Thor said. "Just not that there is a cause to worry."

"No cause to worry?" The archer – Clint – let out a humorless laugh. "Are you sure he was listening?"

"My father insists that Thanos poses no threat. He tells me we have done exactly as Thanos wishes by believing the stories we were told."

"Didn't you tell him that you and your brother almost died?"

Thor's gaze clouded over. "He thought I was exaggerating."

Somber silence followed.

Bucky listened avidly to every word that was spoken. He understood maybe half of it. Every scrap of information he filed away made him feel better prepared.

Prepared for what, he didn't yet know.

"If it comes down to it," Steve said slowly, "if... when we have no choice but to fight. Do you think he'll help?"

Thor hesitated. "I believe so. My father is stubborn, but he is not foolish."

"I suppose it's the best we can ask for." Steve sighed. He turned his head and seemed to remember that Bucky was still standing next to him.

Good. He hadn't taken his eyes off Bucky when he'd first found him. The constant attention made Bucky's skin crawl.

"Sorry about that." Steve dragged one hand over his face, then forced tired features into a smile. "Come on. I was gonna show you your room."

Bucky followed along without protest.

A storm was coming. Bucky assumed his presence at the tower meant he would be right in the middle of it.

(He hoped so.)

(Steve wanted to drown out the war in Bucky's heart. He didn't understand that without it, there wouldn't be much left.)

Natasha entered the room with a deadpan joke on her lips and Clint's laughter in her wake. The sound settled Tony's nerves more than any word of forgiveness could have.

Things were getting better. The tension surrounding the team – surrounding Tony – was fading with every moment they spent acting like friends instead of estranged colleagues.

They'd left the worst of it behind them, and Tony finally found himself able to look forward instead of back.

"Your pet sorcerer has not graced me with his presence in days," Loki said over the interface that allowed him to partake in the conversation. "Do tell me, are his hands still intact?"

"Who's close enough to hit the mute button?" Clint's voice was only half-joking.

Thor was happy that his brother got to participate. Everybody else was willing to compromise as long as he didn't leave his room.

"And here I thought you wanted my help," Loki drawled. "Do make up your minds."

"You pretend like you're oh-so-important," Clint said, "when last time I checked, we've got your infinitely more likable brother sitting right here. Remind me again why we need you?"

Loki stifled a put-on yawn. "Which of the people currently present in the tower has met Thanos personally?"

"Which is supposed to make us trust you more, why, exactly?"

"Wrap it up, will you?" Steve sighed the sigh of someone who'd broken up countless similar squabbles over the past week.

"Spoilsport," Clint muttered at the same time that Loki said, "A shame."

Tony was concerned to realize that they both seemed to have started enjoying their bickering.

Whenever he'd imagined their life after putting all of this behind them, Loki most definitely hadn't played a role. Tony supposed that as long as he was helping instead of making himself a nuisance, they would just have to roll with it.

Thor certainly was high-spirited that the number of Loki's assassination attempts had thus far remained zero.

"I've spoken to the head of our guard," Thor said. "She and most of our army have promised their support. My father is a stubborn man, but he will not force them to choose between him and me."

From what little Tony knew about Thor's father, it sounded absolutely like something he would do. "You're sure about that?"

Thor hesitated. "The people trust me," he said eventually, and while it didn't answer Tony's question, it answered a question.

Loathe as he was to spark conflict within their family, Tony was relieved to know that their Asgardian support would not depend on Thor's father seeing reason.

"Congratulations," said Loki, sounding impressed. "You've successfully schemed to overthrow your father."

"I am not overthrowing anyone." Thor pressed his lips into a thin line. "I am merely gathering allies willing to fight."

"Which you are doing against dear Father's wishes." Loki grinned. "Well done."

"I've had a talk with the Ancient One," Stephen interrupted before Loki could succeed in prompting yet another bout of petty bickering.

Loki had been doing nothing else since coming to live at the tower and was perfecting the activity into an artform.

"She and my order are running surveillance. They'll likely be the first to warn us if something tries breaching the atmosphere."

"They didn't warn us the first time," Natasha pointed out.

"Believe me," Stephen said, "I know."

It was a sore subject. Tony wondered how different the New York invasion could have gone, had Stephen's order decided to offer their help. Mystical nature or not, people had died on that day. Their decision that the threat had been below them left a bad taste in Tony's mouth – he could imagine how much worse it was for Stephen.

"This time is different," Stephen continued, pinching his lips. "Trust me. I made sure of it."

Nobody tried to argue. Nobody even gave him a skeptical look.

The conversation moved on, and they sized up the resources and allies they had on their side. There were the sorcerers, who Tony trusted not personally, but as an extension of his trust in Stephen. The Asgardians, in a similar fashion, were perhaps not the most reliable source of support. But as long as Thor was convinced that his people would help them, Tony would believe it.

Their team was together and larger than ever, sporting new members, old enemies and questionable allies in their ranks. The twins roamed the tower freely. Barnes was settling in tentatively. Sam, Rhodey and Vision were official members of the team, and Thor didn't intend to leave the planet until the final conflict was won.

Tony wasn't going to contact the kid. He'd been the one to drag him into conflict once, and he wouldn't do it again.

"You've mentioned the stones," Bruce spoke up for the first time that evening, "but you haven't told us much more than that."

"You know most of it," Tony said. "We've got the mind and the power stone at the tower. Stephen's sorceress gal is guarding time. Now that you mentioned it," he turned to Thor, "what did you do with the Tesseract after New York?"

"It is stored in our treasure vault."

"Alright, so that's technically four we've got eyes on."

Bruce hummed, brows furrowed in thought. "The Tesseract is one of them?"

"It is," Stephen confirmed.

Only Vision seemed unmoved by the news. He likely didn't realize someone was paying attention, and forgot to emote whatever he was thinking.

"That leaves two," Steve said. "Could Thanos have gotten his hands on them already?"

"We won't know until he's here." Tony turned to the screen that showed Loki. "Unless you've got something to share?"

Loki shrugged. "The only one he had in his possession during my time in his services was the mind stone. My task was to use it to bring him the Tesseract."

"Which you failed," Clint added. "Well done."

"The question is, how can we use the ones we have?" Stephen shifted his weight. "They paint a target on our backs, and other than the time stone we have no way of utilizing their powers."

They had no fancy glove that would let them use the stones. Even if they did, Tony didn't feel like tempting fate by doing so.

"When Thanos comes," Vision piped up, "it will be for the stones. Correct?"

"He doesn't care about Earth," Tony confirmed. "Not any more than he's interested in all the other planets he's decimating. He wants the stones, that's his only reason for coming here."

"If that's so," Bruce said slowly, "could we use them as bait? Make sure the fight happens where we want it to, and not, say, the middle of New York City?"

Tony hummed, considering the possibility. "Maybe."

But where would they lure them? Nowhere on Earth was ideal – there was no guarantee that Thanos would allow his rampage to be contained.

They didn't even know if he was going to bring his army. He'd sent only a few of his henchmen the first time he'd targeted Earth.

"We could try luring him to Titan," Stephen suggested.

Tony missed a beat. "Wait," he said, "you're telling me your portals reach all the way into space?"

Stephen twitched his shoulders. "Distance doesn't matter. I was there before, that's what does."

"Come again?" said Clint.

"He's suggesting he teleport us to Thanos' home planet and bring the stones with us."

"You're kidding."

"It's barren and as far away from Earth as can be," Stephen pointed out.

"... His home planet. In space."

"Yes," Stephen said. "His history with the place means he is more likely to face us there than on Earth, once he learns we are there."

"Let's... file that away for later." Steve rubbed his temples. "How would Thanos know where we are? Does he have a way of tracking the stones?"

Tony hesitated. "He might."

"He should," Stephen said. "One of his subordinates tracked me down when he sent them to Earth."

"You're not sure though."

Tony shared a glance with Stephen. "No. I guess not."

"Which means that we risk leaving the Earth undefended by going to Titan, and can't be sure Thanos will know to go there."

"The planet will not be undefended," Stephen denied. "My order will be here."

Still, Steve had a point. There were many things they couldn't control – when exactly Thanos decided to pay them a visit. How many of his people he would bring. They couldn't afford to gamble on this.

"We have a way of contacting him," Clint piped up. He jerked his head toward the surveillance screen. "At least he does."

Loki went stiff. "Pardon me?"

"Back then, you used the scepter to keep in contact with Thanos."

"With one of his underlings," Loki bit out. "And you've destroyed the scepter."

"We took out the mind stone," Tony corrected. "That's easy enough to reverse."

"Besides," Clint said, copying Loki's tone mockingly, "didn't you just remind us of how useful you are?"

Loki glared daggers at Clint. Tony couldn't be the only one who took pleasure from the sight.

"We have the bait and a way to make sure Thanos knows where to find it," Natasha said. "What about the time stone? You told us your teacher was in charge of it, not you."

"One of them will remain on Earth;" Stephen admitted. "The others come with us to Titan. The Ancient One and the order are highly capable of keeping the planet safe in our absence. If we're lucky, we'll manage to split his troops and pick them off on two fronts."

Or Thanos would be able to do the exact same.

"Let's go over this again," Tony said, preparing for a long, drawn-out discussion he knew wouldn't be the last by far.

A/N: Two chapters left.

I've got my practical midterms soon! Wish me luck!

Beta'd by the wonderful To Mockingbird, PyrothTenka and Igornerd.