The Life of Hadley Maximoff

The Time Travel Plan

We drive in one of the compound's supped-up Audis. Steve drives, Nat gets shotgun, and Scott and I sit in the back. We drive for about an hour or so, and we arrive at Tony's house. We pull up and see Tony carrying his daughter Morgan who's 5. We get out of the car, and Tony turns to face us, and Nat nods. Then Tony takes Morgan inside and comes back outside, and we stand on the porch to talk. Scott explains his plan, and then he says, "No. We know what it sounds like." "Tony, after everything you've seen, is anything really impossible?" asks Steve. "Quantum fluctuation messes with the Planck scale which then triggers the Deutsch Proposition. Can we agree on that?" says Tony pouring a smoothie into five glasses. He hands them out, and we all say, "Thank you." "In layman's terms, it means you're not coming home," says Tony. "I did," says Scott. "No. You accidentally survived. It's a billion-to-one cosmic fluke. And now you wanna pull a... What do you call it?" says Tony. "A time heist?" says Scott. "Yeah, a time heist. Of course. Why didn't we think of this before? Oh, because it's laughable. Because it's a pipe dream," says Tony. "The stones are in the past. We could go back, we could get them," says Steve. "We could snap our own fingers. We can bring everybody back," says Nat. "Or screw it up worse than he already has, right?" says Tony. "I don't believe we would," says Steve. "Gotta say it. Sometimes I miss that giddy optimism. However, high hopes won't help if there's no logical, tangible way for me to safely execute said time heist. I believe the most likely outcome will be our collective demise," says Tony. "Not if we strictly follow the rules of time travel. All right? It means no talking to our past selves, no betting on sporting events." says Scott. "I'm gonna stop you right there, Scott. Are you seriously telling me that your plan to save the universe is based on Back to the Future? Is it?" says Tony. "No," says Scott. "Good. You had me worried there. 'Cause, that would be horseshit. That's not how quantum physics works," says Tony. "Tony. We have to take a stand," says Nat. "We did stand, and yet here we are," says Tony. "I know you got a lot on the line. You got a wife, a daughter. But I lost someone very important to me. A lotta people did. And now, now we have a chance to bring her back to bring everyone one back, and you're telling me that you won't even..." says Scott. "That's right, Scott. I won't even. I can't," says Tony. "Please, Tony. I know you want to get Peter back, and I want to get Wanda back," I say. Then the door to his house opens and closes, and Morgan walks out and says, "Mommy told me to come and save you." Tony lifts her onto his lap and says, "Good job. I'm saved. I wish you were coming here to ask me something else. Anything else. I'm honestly happy to see you guys. I just... Oh, look, the table's set for seven," says Tony. "Tony. I get it. And I'm happy for you. I really am. But this a second chance," says Steve. "I got my second chance right here, Cap. Can't roll the dice on it. If you don't talk shop, you stay for lunch," says Tony.

We walk off the porch and to the car. "Well, he's scared," says Nat. "He's not wrong," says Steve. "Yeah, but, I mean, what are we gonna do? We need him. What, are we gonna stop?" asks Scott. "No. I wanna do it right. We're gonna need a really big brain," says Steve, and I know exactly who he's talking about. "Bigger than his?" asks Scott. Then we get in the car, and Nat texts Bruce and tells him to meet us at a diner. Nat undoes her braid, letting her hair down, and we arrive at the diner.

We walk inside, and we sit at a table. And Scott gets in the booth, and I sit next to him, and Steve sits across from Scott, and Nat sits across from me. We have an extra chair at the end of the table for Bruce. Shortly after we sit down, Bruce arrives. But he looks like the Hulk, except he is actually wearing clothes and glasses, and he can speak full and logical sentences. He orders for us, and the food comes, and he says, "Come on, I feel like I'm the only one eating here. Try some of that. Have some eggs," "I'm so confused," says Scott. "These are confusing times," says Bruce. "Right, no, no, That's not what I meant," says Scott. "Nah, I get it. I'm kidding! I know, it's crazy. I'm wearing shirts now," says Bruce. "Yeah. What? How? Why?" asks Scott. "Five years ago, we got our asses beat. Except it was worse for me 'cause I lost twice. First Hulk lost, then Banner lost, and then, we all lost." says Bruce. "No one blames you, Bruce," says Nat. "I did. For years I've been treating the Hulk like he's some kind of disease, something to get rid of. But then, I started looking at him as the cure. Eighteen months in the gamma lab. I put the brains and the brawn together, and now, look at me. Best of both worlds." says Bruce. Then three kids walk up to us, and the girl says, "Excuse me, Mr. Hulk?" "Yes," says Bruce. "Can we get a photo?" she asks. "100%, little person. Come one, step on up. Do you mind?" says Bruce. "Not at all!" I say, taking the picture with the girl's phone. "Say green," says Bruce. "Green." the kids and Bruce say. "Did you get that?" Bruce asks me. "Yes! I got a few!" I say, smiling at his fans, and I hand the girl her phone. "You're Hadley Maximoff, right?" the girl asks me. "Yes! I am!" I say. "Your powers are really cool!" she says. "Thank you!" I say, and I make a little telekinesis ball in my hands, and the fans look at me awestruck, and I smile and put away my powers. "Did you want to grab one with me? I'm Ant-Man," says Scott. The kids exchange looks, and Scott says, "They're Hulk and Hadley fans. They don't know Ant-Man. Nobody does." "No, he wants you to take a picture with him," says Bruce. "Yeah, look, he's even saying no, he doesn't. I get it. I don't want it, either. I don't want a picture with them," says Scott. "Scott!" I say. "He's gonna feel bad. They're happy to do it. They said they'll do it." says Bruce. "Yeah. We'll do it." says the older boy. "I don't want to do it," says Scott. "Sorry about Scott!" I say to the kids. "Thank you, Mr. Hulk, and thank you, Hadley." the kids say. "Anytime! It was a pleasure!" I say. "Yes, thank you very much! Hulk out!" says Bruce, then he dabs, and the kids go back to their table. "Bruce," says Steve. Bruce calls after them and says, "Listen to your mom. She knows better." "Bruce! About what you were saying," says Steve. "RIght. The whole time travel do-over? Eh, guys, it's outside my area of expertise." says Bruce. "Well, you pulled this off. I remember a time when that seemed pretty impossible, too," says Nat. Bruce considers for a moment before saying, "Okay. I'll try."