"I'm going to wake them one at a time," Stephen cautioned, standing at the foot of Anthony's gurney first, his eyes locked on the boy, "but it may take only one to gain the upper hand, so be prepared."

"Be prepared to take down my own son?" Steve gasped, shaking his head vehemently. "I don't know if I can do that."

"Then you need to step aside."

"I don't know if I can do that, either."

Strange took a long breath, finally moving and looking to Tony for guidance, realizing in that exact moment that he was the wrong person to seek answers from, finding that he looked just as shaken and uncertain as the Captain was. He had already sent you away, under the guise of it being for your own good to not be exposed to the kids this way, but in all honesty, he knew that you would be the most susceptible to their influence. "Captain, perhaps it would be best if you waited with your wife? Tony, maybe you should join them?"

"Me?" Tony scoffed, trying to not sound offended and failing. "I'm good, doc. I'm staying. Steve too."

"When they wake up, it might not be them-"

"I'm aware. Just get on with it." Tony took a few steps to the other side of the room, making a clear point to pass Steve with a supportive hand on his arm, joining Bruce and taking a tablet from his friend. With a quick swipe of his fingers, the display came to life, alight with the vital signs and brain waves of each of his grandchildren dancing across it. "We're good to go on this end," he commanded plainly with a nod towards Anthony. "Cross your fingers, everyone."

Steve and Tony exchanged worried glances as Bruce lightened the sedative that had kept the boy asleep, each of them watching with held breath as his eyelids began to flutter and his hands started to twitch involuntarily. Anthony mumbled something in his half-awake state that no one caught, but it didn't matter; what they wanted to hear was what he would say when he was conscious, given the terrors that you had reported him saying even deep in his slumber.

"Anthony," Stephen began softly, "can you look at me, please?"

The boy stirred a bit more, the first person he looked to being Tony, then to Steve, before finally turning towards the voice drawing him out. "Doctor?" he asked meekly. "Why are you waking me up? Are they gone?"

"No, Anthony, they're not. In fact," Stephen began carefully, "we think that something is imminent, even more so than we thought previously. They're able to use your minds and bodies during your sedation, so there is no purpose in using it any longer. Do you recall anything from your interaction with your mother a few hours ago?"

"No? What did I say? Is she alright? Dad?" he asked urgently now, sitting up despite the wave of dizziness that struck with the motion; even through two closed doors and a hallway away, you could sense his anxiety building. "Where is she?"

"She's okay, Ant," Steve reassured. He walked up to his son and rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "she's just a little shaken up, that's all. Through you, someone told her that she had to help retrieve the time stone, or they would kill you."

"Dad, you have to lock us up. Somewhere that we can't use our powers to break out of," he argued almost immediately, without question. "You have to get us as far away from here as you can, and we have to be separated. That's the only way. Together, we're a weapon, you know that. You've seen it."

"I do," Steve agreed quietly, "and we've already considered that, Ant. But we've decided that keeping you here, close to the team and under the strongest security in the world, is the best place for you."

"Dad, no, that's not enough-"

"It's all we have, Anthony," Tony joined in, "and it will be enough. It has to be, because if it's not, no matter how far away we can get you, we're all screwed anyway."

~~~

Wanda's hands were shaking violently, and her heart was about to explode from the stress her body was putting on it. Wave after wave of nausea struck her, confusing her and making her so uncomfortable that she didn't know if she should sit, stand, lie down, or what; her mind was a jumbled mess, and even with Scott doing his best to calm her, she felt chaotic. It was almost as if he weren't even there, one arm around her shoulder to hold her steady; she tried to pull strength from his connection, but she couldn't find her focus to do it.

"Wanda? This is good...right?" he asked softly, taking her hand to try to quell the tremors.

"Yes...good..."

"You don't sound very reassuring."

"Good...yes...it's good."

"Yeah, you said that." Scott sat up a little straighter, pushing himself up so that he could look around the room, over the rails that surrounded the space and into the hallways, hoping that he could catch a glimpse of Vision approaching. He had called for him an eternity ago, and even though it was only a matter of minutes in reality, Scott felt like he was destined to handle this on his own. "He'll be here any time now, okay?"

All he got in reply this time was a simple nod, a promise of no sense of security at all; Wanda's stare was locked on her hands, and the small stick within it that Scott had picked up for her on his way in from the city. It was everything that she had wanted for so long now, and with it upon her, she felt completely terrified and uncertain in the reality coming true. "Should we have waited? Like you had said?"

"It looks like it's a little late for that now."

"Right."

Scott wanted to say more, but he had no clue where to begin; he was in as much shock as she was, but he had to hold it together for her, at least until Vision could get there to take over. But what if he freaked out when he got the news? He was there all alone, and if they both started to panic then he would too, and it would make Wanda feel even worse, and that much adrenaline can't be good for a baby, right? "Okay, we just...we need to breathe, okay? Breathing is the way to go," he panted, barely able to take his own advice. "This is fine. Even if we weren't on the brink of universal destruction and the end of all we know...this is fine. Totally fine."

~~~

After Anthony was awake, Stephen moved on to Grant, who had no more of an answer to provide than what his brother had given only moments before. But before he woke Brooklyn, he paused, looking around the room with a hesitance; she had been the most dangerous to date, and the most aggressive in her mission. She had been enjoying a peaceful slumber to this point, and he considered leaving her that way for as long as she could tolerate. If he couldn't get answers from her, then why bring her into this any sooner than absolutely necessary?

"What's the hold up, doc?" Tony asked, stepping up to his side. "Is there something wrong? You sensing something?"

"I think that maybe it would be best to let her rest. Brooklyn has been the most volatile, and I think it could exacerbate the situation to wake her now."

"You think we'll poke the bear?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes," Strange agreed with a nod. "If we willingly open this portal, they could just as willingly jump through again. Is anyone standing in this room right now willing to take that chance?" He looked from face to face, first to Tony, then to Bruce, and finally to Steve, knowing that if nothing else, he would find support there. Much to his shock and confusion, he found anything but.

"Wake her up," Steve ordered, taking a step back towards the door. "We have to know what we're dealing with."

Tony appeared just as shocked as Strange, mimicking the look of pure surprise that the sorcerer was wearing. "Steve, come on. Think of what that could do to her. You know that if she hurts anyone, she'll blame herself when she finds out what they used her for."

"I know that, Tony. But I also know that we have someone who might be able to reach the Order through her, and keep her under control."

"Who?"

With the attention of everyone hanging on his words, Steve took the remaining steps to the door and rested his hand against the glass; he was hesitant to open it, to say the least, but he was out of options. He watched his three children suffer through this long enough, and if anyone had the power to get answers and maybe even the power to stop this, he was going to follow their lead to the ends of the universe if need be. He didn't care about past indiscretions or past arguments; he didn't care about anything other than his family's safety, and even though it was against his better judgement, he opened the door and stepped aside, ready to take orders as they came.

"Thor?" Tony smiled, taking a step towards his returned friend, only to stop short with a drop in his joyful expression. "Whoa, hold up just a damn minute. No. No way in hell am I okay with this. You said you were going to find answers, not bring back problems that we don't need. We have enough shit to deal with, alright?"

"I can assure you, I have no desire to find myself embroiled in trouble of this magnitude. I have come merely to offer my assistance, and guidance, nothing more," Loki said as calmly as he could, stepping out from behind Thor with his hands raised up to offer himself. "My brother has told me everything that has occurred thus far, and I find myself compelled to intervene. If there is suffering to be endured, it will not be of my doing."

"I've brought others as well," Thor added, "and they await you on the main lawn. They are quite unconventional, but they have experiences with Thanos' family and I believe them to be our best chance at surviving whatever destruction it is that he plans to bring." He turned to leave Loki with Stephen and Bruce to tend to the children, extending a hand out for Tony and Steve to join him in meeting the Guardians, but he paused with a slight smirk. 

"Oh, and don't ask to pet the furry raccoon beast. He bites."