Chapter Five - The How

                                    

                                          
Earth
                          
It took a few days but Tony had managed to put his simulation into practice and he had created a fully functioning Time-Space GPS that would be wore upon the back of the hand, similar to a watch. It was small and compact but more importantly it worked - or at least theoretically. Whilst this was a major step in the road to getting everyone back, Tony knew it was a road he couldn't walk alone.
                          
With a quick goodbye to his wife and daughter, Tony and hopped into his sleek, black Audi car and began driving straight for the Avengers Compound. Tony rarely went into the city anymore, he stayed away from big crowds but as his car rolled through the streets, he noticed just how ordinary everything had returned to, ordinary yet eerie. In every step a person took, one could see the scars of a fight they didn't even participate in. Shadows lay all around despite the fact that there was little sun. The once chaotic streets of New York were barely filled.
                          
After he rolled through the city he continued through straight to the Compound. It was still as magnificent and brand spanking new as always. Tony hadn't seen the Compound in years, he could never return but as he drove down the long driveway that curved around the massive fields, Tony felt as if he had never left. The car engine revved as he closed in on the massive building ... and the person stood outside the front door.
                          
Tony pulled up in front of the person, stopping the car too far passed the person. With a sigh, Tony placed the car into reverse and backed up so that his door was right in front of the person he wanted to see. Steve was shocked to say the least especially when Tony lowered his window to show his face. The two men stared at one another. Steve was clearly uncertain as to why Tony was in the car before him.
                          
However, Tony studied his old friend from his spot in the car. He could tell the man was concerned and stressed about something and Tony could only surmise that was down to time travel. Steve would not have given up just because Tony had said no, that was as obvious as the nose on his face. Tony could only guess that Steve had gone to Bruce for help and it hadn't gone to plan - time travel was not exactly Bruce's forte.
                          
"Why the long face? Let me guess: He turned into a baby" Tony said smugly, still glad to know he was of some use to the team after all the years apart.
                          
"Among other things, yeah. What are you doing here?" Steve asked, a hope gleaming in his eye. There could only be a handful of reasons that would bring Tony back to the Compound. However, in true Stark fashion, Tony ignored the question and explained to Steve what the hell Steve had just witnessed inside the Compound.
                          
"That's the EPR paradox" Tony explained as he climbed out of the car. It didn't take a genius to know that Scott (Ant-Man) was the one to try and go through time. "Instead of pushing Lang through time, you might've wound up pushing time through Lang. It's tricky. Dangerous. Somebody could have cautioned you against it."
                          
"You did" Steve acknowledged as he buried his hands into his trouser pockets all the while Tony was arrogantly waiting for the reply that confirmed his brilliance.
                          
"Oh, did I?" he said with a smirk, "Well, thank God I'm here." Suddenly Tony lifted his right hand up that had the GPS fixture he had made around his palm - he had no reason to wear the device properly but he was going to show it off. "Regardless, I fixed it. A fully functioning Time-Space GPS." Steve stared at it dumbfoundedly. Before he scoffed at the sight. He should have known Tony would figure it out - he knew he would figure it out that's why they had come to him first. But the question still remained: what was Tony doing here? "I just want peace. Turns out, resentment is corrosive, and I hate it." Tony leant back against his car, his words saying what he would not - he forgave Steve for the incidents that had led to the Civil War between the Avengers, he forgave him for not informing him of Bucky's involvement in his parents' death.