Avengers: Endgame

With no time to process the severity of their situation, Evie found her legs moving before her brain could register what she was doing. Her eyes were glued to the gauntlet left in the wake of the explosion. Yet, as she reached out to grab it, she was side-tackled to the ground. While she wrestled with the Titan, Strange could be heard struggling to manage the rupture of the dam. 

The distraction proved to be a grave mistake. When Evie attempted to chance a look at the sorcerer, Thanos punched her square in the face. Rattling her brain as her limp body crumpled to the earth. It was lights out for the younger Stark. 

Her father had come up right after and attempted to do the same, only to get elbowed hard enough that he too was involuntarily out for the count. Evie watched with blurry vision as Thor took the stand next, wielding both Stormbreaker and Mjolnir. Steve immediately jumped in to assist him. The two of them got dangerously close to forcing the sharp edge of the battle axe against Thanos' jugular vein. However, Thanos' brute strength proved to outmatch that of a super soldier and an Asgardian, allowing him to fend them off just in time to save his neck.

Just as he scooped up the discarded Infinity Gauntlet, Danvers flew in. They exchanged powerful punches, going blow for blow until he managed to grab her arm and fling her away. This gave him just enough time to slip on the glove. As the stones sparked to life once more, he grunted while raising his right hand high above himself. Just as he prepared to snap his fingers, Carol rushed in again. This time, she wasn't holding back, threatening to break his hand if necessary. The Titan recognized the danger she posed. Just as she forced him to bend the knee and was ready to deliver the final blow, Thanos plucked the Power Stone from its perch. With no time to block the fist that was flying her way, Carol was hit hard. 

So hard in fact, that she breaks the sound barrier when the uppercut launches her into orbit. Evie is just barely reeling back into herself when she catches the contemptful look between Strange and Tony. She unconsciously takes a peek into the wizard’s mind when he holds up a finger, giving her father a silent signal. And what she found was enough to cause a nasty, horrible shutter to run down her spine like a jolt of lightning.

Thanos powered up the Infinity Stones once more, groaning as they flared. Their cosmic energy crackled brilliantly. But he’s completely unprepared to be stopped once more. This time it’s Tony who jumped up to take hold of the glove. And his daughter knows exactly what he’s planning. Despite the protest of her aching body, Evie struggled to her feet and ran toward her father. Thanos, with a powerful swipe, backhanded Tony to the ground, tossing him aside with ease. Evie was nearly halfway to them when Thanos sneered in self-satisfaction, declaring, “I am inevitable,” and snapped his fingers. 

Yet, he was met with absolutely nothing.

There was no explosive display of power. 

Not a single person disintegrating into oblivion again. 

Regardless, Evie continued to move forward, placing one foot in front of the other, her sole desire to reach her father.

Throughout the entirety of the battle, never once had she felt anything other than unwavering determination to see them achieve their shared objective. However, as Thanos realized that Tony had stolen the Infinity Stones and Evie nearly closed the distance between them, fear and adrenaline were the only things pushing her forward.

Tony mirrored the Titan’s earlier actions, raising his right hand to display the gems he held. As their radiant power snaked up his arm, he stared Thanos down and declared, “And I… am… Iron Man.” Just as Stark snapped his fingers, a single word bubbled up in Evie's throat. She screamed a gut-wrenching “NO!”

Her fingers barely grazed Tony's body when a brilliant flash of blinding white light encompassed everything.

…

Disoriented wasn’t a sufficient enough word to describe what both Starks were feeling. Evie slowly opened her eyes to see that both father and daughter were alone in a vast empty space. An amber glow and water surrounding them.

Tony was on his knees with Evie tightly latched to his body. Arms circling his neck. Pulling back, she took a good look at her old man.

“Dad?” 

“H-honey…” he glanced around. “Where are we?”

Evie had opened her mouth to reply when her brain was suddenly flooded with the strong presence of another being. The stranger held a very unique yet familiar aura. It felt older than time itself, but somehow Evie recognized it without not knowing it at all. As they got up, he spoke, trying to regain her attention.

“Evie baby, what’s going on? Where are we?”

She scanned the area, muttering, “I don’t know, Dad.” Then her sight landed on a woman in the far-off distance dressed in all black from head to toe. Slowly making her way towards them. 

It dawns on her then who it is they’re about to come face to face with. And it doesn’t take much for Evie to make a wild guess on who the woman is here for. Tony is bewildered when he sees her take on the form of Void, placing herself defensively between him and the woman in dark robes getting closer.

“Evie, who is that? What’s happening?!”

Unable to acknowledge her father’s desperate plea for an answer, she tries to fire a warning shot but gets stumped when she shoots blanks. Evie looks down at her hands, unable to conjure her black magic to flow. So, she resorts to what she vowed never to do. Beg for mercy in the face of an enemy. She can make out the distorted features of Death’s half-human, half-skull face getting sharper with each measured step, and breaks down. As sobs rip through her, Evie cries, still shielding her father from her view. 

“Wait please, please just hold on a minute, you can’t have him!” 

Confused, Tony tries to make sense of her hysterical response to the stranger now just a few steps from them. 

Although she’s no longer approaching, it doesn't stop Evie from continuing her desperate cries.

“Please, I’m begging you, you can’t take him from me! I-I need him, my mom and sister need him! Please, please, please… Please don’t take my dad away from me…” 

It's with her last words that Tony puts the puzzle together as to who the woman is. But before he can say or do anything, Death herself speaks. 

“My dear, it worked, and it’s been done. You’ve already made a bargain—an exchange of lives. I suggest you use this time wisely, as it’s very rare for anyone to be granted this much such favor.” Evie scrunched her face as she tried to make sense of Death’s words.

Yet, somehow, Tony caught on to their deeper meaning. As if he’s had some sort of divine enlightenment. 

Taking her hand, he gently urges his daughter to look at him by caressing her cheek. Wiping away her tears with the pad of his thumb.

“Honey, it’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay.”

She frantically shook her head, “No! You can’t say that! Dad, I’m not ready… I still need you!” He softly shushed her. “No, sweetheart, I promise you're going to be just fine.” Another sob wrecks through her as she looks deeply into his eyes. “Daddy, I'm scared… I think we made a mistake. I-I can’t do this without you! None of this is worth it if you’re not here with me—with us!” He hugs her tightly, tucking her under his chin as he inhales deeply. “Baby, you don’t mean that. This is the best decision if it means you and your sister get to live a long and full life alongside your mother. Raising your own family.” As muffled cries continue to escape her, Evie is forced to swallow her protests.

Something deep within her told Evie that this is it.

That the story of Anthony Edward Stark was written somewhere among the stars, and fate had decided long before she even came into existence that this would be how her father was to depart from life. 

Reluctantly, she agrees, giving her dad a sad, broken smile. “Okay, Daddy, but know that I’ll take care of them... They're in my hands now, and I’ll watch over them just like you did for me.” He kisses her forehead sweetly, shedding tears of his own as he says, “Of course you will, baby. There’s no one else better for the job.” He pulls back to fully appreciate his little girl. Evie presses her palms to her eyes and sucks in some air. Death is now beside them, quietly observing from the sidelines. “I have been so proud to call myself your dad. You and Morgan have been my greatest creations, always will be. And I wouldn't have changed a single thing about my life… I love you, Evie.”

As a fresh torrent of tears fell down her face, Evie gasped out, “I love you too, Daddy!” 

Death then placed a firm grounding hand on Tony’s shoulder, and just as fast as they had entered the unknown realm, they left.

…

Although all hell was still loose on the battlefield, Evie blinked the initial blindness away to see her dad locked in with Thanos, who held a muted horror on his face.

All around them, a quiet rumble signaled how one by one, each member of his army dissipated into a soft burst of ash. Their teammates all looked up to marvel at their victory, watching how the enemy evaporated to dust. 

Without speaking a single word, Thanos tottered over to a rock and took a seat.

Evie looked over to her father, trying to get his eyes to focus. As the two Starks stumbled over to the upturned roots of a tree, Tony collapsed. Evie fell to her knees at his side just as the Titan succumbed to his downfall, accepting his defeat. Without any memory of what they had just lived through, Evie began to panic when she felt the life begin to drain from his body. As an anguished cry left her lips, Rhodes landed at their side, taking in Tony’s dire state. Evie moved to try and take away his pain by putting a hand at the base of his head, but it wasn’t working. Causing her anguish to spike even further. With hardly any energy left, he took her hand. Weakly muttering, “I’m not in pain, honey… I’m at peace.”

Rhodey said nothing as he came up their left, cradling Tony's face while Evie was desperately trying to think of a way to save his life, unable to accept what was happening. Stepping aside, he allowed Peter to approach and gingerly take Tony’s free hand. 

“Mr. Stark?” With a trembling voice, he tried to get his attention. “Hey! Mr. Stark, can you hear me? It’s Peter…” Parker’s breathing was uneven as he kneeled before Tony, hoping his words were getting across. “Hey, we won, Mr. Stark.” He shuttered, taking in a shaky breath. “We won, Mr. Stark. We won! You did it sir, you did it.”

Evie’s cheeks were streaked with tears as they cut through the grim on her face. Closing her eyes, she laid her head on her father’s shoulder. Praying to any higher power to come and save him. But it would be Spider-man’s next words that would break her, cementing the reality of what was happening.

“I’m sorry… Tony, I’m sorry…”

Pepper came up behind them softly. Gently she eased Peter towards Rhodey. Evie looked up to her mother with pleading eyes. Heartsick, Pepper said, “Hey.” Putting her hand over his reactor. His once far-off gaze wholly focuses on the woman who held his heart. A soft and whispered, “Hey, Pep,” is heard emanating from Tony. Although they knew, Pepper voiced what Evie hadn’t gathered the courage to ask. 

“Friday?” 

The AI solemnly responded, “Life functions critical.” 

Pepper Potts stared into her husband's eyes… and she knew. “Tony,” she gave him a smile as Evie once more closed her eyes, her head falling back to face the sky. Simply feeling how the world around her came apart at the seams. “Tony, look at me.” Pepper urged gently, “We’re gonna be okay. You can rest now.” Slowly his eyes shifted over to his daughter, where she swallowed thickly saying, “It’s okay Daddy, I’ll be here... You can rest now.” 

Tony’s shallow breathing slowly crept to a halt. Pepper then looked down to see how the light of the reactor faded to darkness. Her own tears fell freely from her eyes as she leaned in to place a final kiss on the man she had loved endlessly, weeping softly into his chest. 

All around them, everything and everyone went silent as they gathered close.

Evie felt the heavy weight of what had happened shatter the last remains of her composure. An agonized scream tore through her throat, and a devastating tidal wave of black and blue power ruptured through her body. The last thing her mind would register would be a flash of scarlet energy before falling into an endless void.

She woke up with a start. Evie sat upright and blinked away the bleariness trying to focus on her surroundings.

Somehow she found herself in her room of her New York brownstone. At first she thinks she may have just lived through the worst nightmare to ever happen, when suddenly her door opens. 

The hallway light gave way to Wong standing at the threshold.

As Evie fights the sobs trying to bubble up her chest, her whole body is shaking, her eyes rimmed red with water threatening to spill over at any given moment. His rueful eyes were enough to tell her that everything was, in fact, not a horrible dream. But instead, her new reality. Right as he’s about to speak, Evie leaps from her bed.

“Don’t.” She warns, in a low seething tone. “This can’t be happening! I-it just can't!”

Once more, he tries to get close enough to calm her down, but Evie unexpectedly breaks into a full sprint. Dashing down her stairs, across her home, and out the front door with Wong hot on her heels, calling her name as she ran into the night. 

Her mind is so clouded with heartache and grief that she doesn’t realize at what point Wong got left behind. As her bare feet hit the asphalt beneath, she pushed her wary body to the only place she could think would have the solution to her affliction. Her mind is so overwhelmed with emotions that she fails to notice how her body has undergone a drastic change.

Carrying something precious she once thought had been lost to a cruel fate.

As she arrived at her destination, Evie used her magic to throw the doors wide open, never once slowing in pace. She charged up the stairs of the Sanctum Sanctorum with tears streaming down her face as she frantically searched for the library. Alerted by the commotion, Strange appears from an open study just as Wong steps out from a glowing portal. The two exchanged worried glances as Evie rummaged through the books, one by one. Tossing them aside as she searched for a specific title.

In an effort to avoid startling her, Stephen walked over and softly asked, “Genevieve, is there something I can help you look for? I can help if you tell me what it is…”

Not breaking away from the task at hand, Evie cried out, “I’ve seen it here. It’s somewhere in one of the books!” 

“Seen what, exactly?” 

Exasperated by the questioning and lack of finding her intended target, Evie stops all movement and screams, “A SPELL! I-I've seen references to a book that holds a spell that could bring him back!”

Strange, full of sympathy and sorrow says, “Evie, that’s not possible. No spell can bring your father back from death.” 

Evie’s lower lip wobbled, and before they knew it, she started wailing hysterically. “You put that shit in his head, the two of you knew what would happen and you let him go through with it anyways!” She accused, glaring at Strange through her wet lashes.

He looked at Wong with worry written all over his face. 

They knew Evie was a smart individual, so it wasn’t a total shock that she had managed to stumble across literature that could’ve referenced the Darkhold and its forbidden knowledge.

With his lack of response, her anger flared and took over. Evie lashed out, ready to throw the building at the sorcerer if need be. Wong was fast in creating a containment bubble around Stark, Strange, and himself. With her eyes glossed over in darkness, she began to hurl books, scrolls, and whatever else had been encased with them within the orb. 

“You owe me this Strange, bring him back! Bring him back!” She demanded. 

With apologetic eyes, Strange manages to dodge everything she’s throwing and catches her hands, freezing her use of power. Firmly yet, empathetically, he said, “No, Genevieve. We can’t do that. I can’t, and neither can you.” She shakes her head feverishly, pounding on his chest as she repeats, “Bring him back, bring him back!” Strange doesn’t do anything to stop her assault as he speaks.

“It would be wrong, Genevieve. Messing with necromancy is strictly forbidden. Nothing good ever comes from meddling with dark magic. But you know that already.” 

Her knees buckle, and she crumbles to the floor, a heartbreaking cry tearing through her. “Stephen, I need him! I need my dad, I can’t do this without him. I need him—Morgan needs him.” Strange follows and holds her close. Allowing Evie to get her anger and sorrow out on him. Her fists hit his chest and arms while a cascade of tears fell down her face.

Then, after what felt like forever, she’s resting with her head on his shoulders, sniffling miserably.

Evie was finally calm enough that both men felt they could break the news to her without causing any further distress. With delicate motions, Strange maneuvers Evie to look at him.

“Genevieve, you do realize that you’re not alone, don’t you?” 

Sniveling still, she looks up at him, taken aback by the words that came from his mouth. “W-what?” 

“Did you not sense him yet?”

As they speak, Wong helps Strange in getting her off the floor and into a chair.

“Him? Him who!?”

She flickers between the two of them expectantly. Both of them, once more, exchanged glances before Wong, very gently, took her hand and kneeled at her side, saying, “Your son.” 

Evie’s mind was running a million miles a second and simultaneously crashing. She was trying and failing to process what Wong had just said when her eyes slowly made their way down to her swollen belly. Baffled, she placed a hand on there, speechless, with her mouth slightly agape.

Strange cleared his throat. “Genevieve, I know things seem impossibly confusing, and you must have so many questions. But just know that I’m here for anything. We both are. We’re here to help you in any way we can.”

Her initial shock gave way to her fury once more. She unclenched her jaw and beamed coldly at Strange, growling, spewing hatred with every syllable she spoke next. 

“Help? You mean the same way you ‘helped’ my dad?” She leaned in, nose to nose with the man. “You can take your help along with everything else you're offering and shove it up your ass, Stephen Strange. You set my father up to die … I will never trust anything you ever have to say again, you hear me? The next time I see you, I'll kill you with my bare hands if I catch you alone.”

Wong opened his mouth to speak up for his friend and defend him, but Strange raised a hand, stopping him. If Evie needed to hate him to move past her grief, then so be it. He would carry that burden, along with his existing guilt, willingly. While Evie was preoccupied calling him every fowl name in existence, Strange vowed to look after the surviving Stark, ensuring she and her children remained out of harm's way. Even if she was never aware of it—and certainly never expected to receive any sort of gratitude or appreciation from her.

When Evie had finally resigned herself to scowling at Strange, Wong took it as an opportunity to once more take her home and look after her till her mother was able to come and collect her.

She did so without any protest, merely following Wong like a ghost through his sparkling portal as he guided her to rest in her bed. Fetching her a warm cup of tea to help settle her rattled nerves and ease her racing mind.