Once Brooke had been fully caught up on the happenings with you and the new discovery of the powers that you had been given, she knew immediately that if anyone were to try to find the answer, and if there were anyone who would do the worst job at thinking rationally about it, then she had to find Tony as quickly as possible. There was enough history to tell her without much thought to it at all.

"Where's Grandpa?"

"He took Pepper out for breakfast a while ago, so they should be back any minute. Why?" Anthony asked with a shrug, but the look in her eyes easily took his attentions.

"Ant, can I talk to you alone for a sec?"

"Sure."

"Maybe a little privacy," she nodded towards the lab. Her brother followed her readily, looking around for anyone who might be following them, as if what they were about to discuss could be too secret to share. He knew that wouldn't end well for them if that were the case, but he wanted to hear what she had to say with her new knowledge of the situation. The triplets had always been remarkably close, but that had also meant that they were remarkable troublemakers when left to their own devices.

The two siblings reached the lab doors, with Anthony taking a fast step ahead of her to hold the door open to allow her in. The lights were already on, so he took a quick scan around him and found that they seemed to be alone. "Okay, what's up?"

"What do we know about the soul stone?"

"Um...just what Stephen has taught us...that it controls life and death, houses the soul world, scary as hell."

"Life and death..." she paused, searching her mind, "Ant, I heard Grandpa say that the other day when I visited him here. Maybe it's just coincidence but we know better than to assume. If he's up to something then we need to figure out what it is."

"I bet he's just making sure that Mom stays safe, Brooke." He was doing his best to reassure her, but in reality, the words were just as readily meant for him.

"Right. So, tell me, how often does he think clearly when Mom's in trouble? With Dad too? Ant, we need to know before he does anything crazy. You know as well as I do, if not more, that he'll put himself aside for them. We can't let that happen. They would never want him to."

"Should we take a look around?"

"I suppose," she sighed with a heavy sinking in her gut. "FRIDAY, do you have a location on-"

"I'm right here," Tony interrupted, stepping out from one of the side rooms. His attention was on something he was working diligently with as he walked towards them, nearly bumping into his table before finally looking up at the pair. "What's going on kids?"

Brooke took the step forward first, resolved to hold her ground. "Grandpa, please tell us that you're not doing anything dangerous to help Mom or Dad. Please."

"Right now? No, I'm not doing anything to help your mom or dad."

"No, that's not fair," Anthony joined in and pointed at Tony sharply, "semantics can't fool us."

"Hmm, that used to work all the time."

"We're adults now, Grandpa. Harder to trick."

It was a moment of pure appreciation before Tony spoke again, looking at two of his three grandchildren, feeling overwhelmingly thankful for them, marveling at just how smart they really were. They had so much of you in them that he knew that any old answer wouldn't work to dismiss them away, but he also wasn't about to get their genius revved up with ideas that they could get themselves into any trouble here, either. "Guys, don't worry about me, okay? I'm just feeling out a few hypotheses, that's all. Research stage, I promise."

"Alright, then can we help?"

"Actually, you can. Becca came home this morning, so I need to know if the bracelet that the x-pals made for her is working."

"How do we do that?" Brooke asked.

Tony put a hand up to hold the pair in place, turning to cross the room and locate a tool lying on one of the workstations that Bruce had claimed when they had first moved in years ago. The table was filled with half-completed inventions and parts from other work that suddenly and unexpectedly had ended up being extras. He rummaged around a little until he found exactly what he wanted, hurrying back with the device extended for his granddaughter to take. "Take this, stand her next to her dad and listen. This thing will go off if she's having any effect on his cellular structure."

"Okay, but what is it?"

"It's a think that goes, 'ding'. Made it myself."

"Hmm, looks simple enough," Anthony agreed, taking it from his sister to inspect it.

"Then when you're done with that, I want you to do the same test with your mom and dad. See if (Y/N) is having any affect on Steve in the same way."

"Alright?"

"And then with (Y/N) and Becca alone, then the pair with Bucky or Steve. I need to know all of the combos of reactions to get an overall idea of how they all interact." When neither of them replied and only gave back a skeptical look, he shook his head eagerly, trying to soothe their nerves. "Don't look at me like that, guys. It's just science, that's all. It's the first step to maybe finding an answer, and that's everyone's goal, right?"

~~~

You had won your argument with Steve, despite his urging that he didn't really see you as a threat to him, and that he wanted you to stay in your room with him for the night. You were just far too exhausted, both mentally and physically, to give in to him, so you held your ground. It was simpler to take the guest room for the night, at least, and you'd have to discuss future plans later when you could maybe drudge up some energy to do so.

Despite the desire to leave the compound altogether for the day, you had to stay behind just long enough to see the arrival of your friend, T'Challa. He had heard that Becca was coming home so his interest in the bracelet she wore was piqued, and he wanted to see you once he got word from Anthony that things were starting to fall apart just a little. You weren't sure if you could talk about it with him, because as much as you loved the guy, you felt talked-out about the topic and wanted to get away for a little bit of regrouping so that you could put together your long-term plans. Staying in the guest room to avoid your own husband was definitely not the best plan to continue with for any length of time.

You wanted to have your husband at your side to confide in and to share your fears with, but that wasn't an option at the moment. T'Challa stepped from the plane with a look that told you he was more than ready to take over that job until you were ready for Steve.

"Darling," he greeted, his hand out for yours as he approached from his jet. "How are you doing?"

"As well as can be expected, I suppose," you said. He hadn't stopped to take your hand, rather moving in for his usual hug that you were suddenly denying him. Rather than connect and allow his embrace, you took a long step back.

"(Y/N), what's wrong? Why are you avoiding my contact?"

"Because we aren't sure of what I am anymore. Steve has me on lockdown until he's satisfied that I'm not a threat," you turned away slightly to lower your voice, gritting through clenched teeth, "even though it's been ten goddamn years now."

"This feels excessive to me," your friend immediately argued. "I have no fear being near you, (Y/N). Please, allow me to be welcomed by one of my closest friends, and trust that I know very well who she is. She could never hurt me."

"Funny, that's exactly what Steve said too, but here we are. I'm sorry, T'Challa, this was a bad idea," you said sorrowfully, shaking your head and backing away even further. "I'm happy that you're here, I really am, but I can't take the risk. I have to go, I'm sorry...maybe we can talk later."

~~~

With your own husband unsure of your potential threat, you were ready to leave for another day out when you stopped yourself to realize that you probably shouldn't be out in public. You wouldn't want to be the cause of any lame Avenger missions or have Nick Fury up your ass for trying to buy groceries. What you knew for certain was that spending another minute locked up in your home that had become a prison was untenable, leaving you only one choice.

You stood on the lawn of the grounds, looking around for anyone who might be eavesdropping under the guise of it being for your own good, before taking your phone from your pocket and dialing the one person who you couldn't hurt.

"What's new, pussycat?"

"Hey, Wade," you answered, "you busy?"

"Hold on," he grunted, the sound of a struggle coming through the receiver, "one more neck to snap, then I'm all yours, babe."

"I can call back-"

"No, one sec."

You hummed under your breath with an air of contentment at the familiarity of it, finding it oddly soothing to know that this tiny corner of your life hadn't changed, even if it was the sounds of murder making you relieved of it. Wade had been a constant; through Tony, Steve, the kids, everything. Your breath shook as you sighed at the thought of it all, suddenly afraid that he might be just further down on the list of losses; you just hadn't gotten there yet. Once he found out about this, what would he think? He hadn't reacted well to the glove and stones the last time he was anywhere near them, and he likely hadn't forgotten.

"Alright, sugar lips, hit me."

"Um...well, I was wondering what you were up to, but I think I just figured it out. You're busy, it's okay, really."

"Honey, the guy is pretty dead," he chuckled, "my day just opened up. What's going on? You don't sound right..." he stopped, and his own tone shifted in kind. "Something happened."

"No-"

"Don't lie to me."

"Dammit," you scoffed, "I really hate that about you. I've barely said anything."

"You love me. But you're shit at lying. You used to be at least respectable about it. Has Cap been filling up the vault with truth serum or something? Is that why you haven't gotten knocked up in so long?"

"Gross, Wade."

"We've met before, right?" He laughed openly, but the humor didn't hold for long. "So, let's have it. Whose ass do I have to kick for making my girl resort to calling me for help? You've gotta be pretty desperate."

You bit your lip as you considered what you might say; you could play it off as nothing and convince him somehow that you really did just want to see him, but as the man said, you currently sucked at lying. "Steve's afraid of me."

"Makes two of us. What took him so long?"

"Thanks, asshat. I've been hiding something for a while, but I didn't think it was that big of a deal. He disagrees and quarantined me."

"Quarantined? What, like you have girl cooties or something?"

"Not exactly," you groaned, rubbing your eyes in frustration and fear that losing him was soon to happen, "just a little soul stone glow. Thanos' love slap left a residual power behind and he's afraid that I might be dangerous. Even though I've had zero problems in ten years."

The line went quiet for a few seconds, the silence leaving you to pull the phone from your ear to be sure that you hadn't been disconnected. "Wade? You still there?"

"Ten years, (Y/N)? Ten fucking years, and you didn't think to say anything? Not even to me?"

"Well, I'm sorry!"

"Sorry doesn't cut it!"

"What would you have me do, Wade? If I said anything back then, we wouldn't have Becca now. I couldn't do that to Sam and Buck."

"But you were totally okay with giving them a mutant metal bender, right? Her dad has a goddamn metal arm, (Y/N)! You had no idea what could've happened to her, did you? That was really fucking irresponsible."

"Thanks, Wade," you snapped, "I appreciate the honesty. You know what, I'm just gonna go," you stopped, abruptly hanging up on him. It wasn't a great decision, but you had no idea what else to say and you didn't want to fight with him. Apparently, you weren't going to be given the choice as your phone rang with his name flashing across the screen. It looked as if the letters were judging you with each flash as you delayed answering.

"Don't hang up on me. I may be rude, but that's just a dick move, (Y/N). Listen, now don't hate me for this...but I think Steve might be right. Ugh...eww..." he stammered, "I think I just threw up in my mouth a little. I'm choking on righteousness."

"Normally I would laugh, but my sense of humor is pretty much shit right now. I'm already losing everyone else, Wade. That list may as well include you."

"Hey, no one has said anything about losing me, alright? You didn't lose me, (Y/N). You never will."

"Don't worry, I know," you sighed heavily, "believe me, I've tried."