Tears of an Angel

Johnny barely registered T'Challa rushing towards their group, the cloaked man -Strange- and Shuri behind him.

"Bast." T'Challa whispered as Shuri knelt next to them.

"This is too much." Shuri said, shaking her head in disbelief or horror, Johnny wasn't sure, as she took in Payton's blackened skin and costume that was seemingly burned into her flesh. "We need to get her to our doctors. Brother." She looked up to T'Challa. "Call ahead."

Johnny couldn't stop looking down at her. Her arm was a deep black, the only colors on her were from the Stones. Her entire left side was burned, but not so severely as her arm. The burns even went up her neck to her face, enveloping the left side to her eye.

Why didn't I get there quicker?

One of the first blasts had landed right behind, causing him to drop her.

"Payton!" He had shouted as he relit himself. Before he even had the chance to shoot towards her, more blasts fell around them. The multiple shots had sent him crashing back to the ground. He landed with a sharp gasp.

"Johnny!" He heard Sue yell. Where was she?

He looked up over to see Venom on his knees, clutching his head as it rippled, showing parts of Flash under him. Venom and Flash mixed screams pierced the air. Cap was holding the broken shield over him, offering what little protection he could.

Johnny looked up in time to see another beam headed straight for him.

"Flame on!" Johnny shot out in time to avoid getting crushed. He made it feet before the shock of another beam knocked him down again. He rolled to a stop, under one of the orange circles from one of the sorcerers.

"Stay down!" She told him, not sparing him a glance.  

Johnny got to his knees, looking for any sign of his sister or Payton. Where were they? Would Sue's shield be strong enough to withstand a direct blast from one of these? Would Payton's Spidey Sense protect her? And what about Ben? Reed? Harley? Venom already wasn't doing well. Would he be ok? And would Flash survive what was wrong with him?
As his racing thoughts reached a crescendo, the blasts stopped.

Confused he looked to the sorceress, who looked a mixture between relieved and confused. He looked around to see everyone had similar expressions.  Only for Carol Danvers to burst from nowhere like an avenging angel.

The battle quickly resumed after that. Johnny took to the skies again, searching for Payton and Sue. Only to end up having to stop every few feet to fight another alien.

It took way too long to find her in front of Thanos himself. The gauntlet on her left arm, energy traveling up her arm. Barely suppressed pain painting her face.

"Payton!" Johnny cried out before he was blinded by a flash of light. As it died, Johnny noticed the entirety of Thanos army slowly turn into dust.

Through the dust he could see her fall back to the ground.

"No." Johnny whispered blasting over. Iron Man got to her seconds before him, kneeling over her.

"Johnny." He looked up to see Sue had caught up to him.

"I didn't get to her in time." Johnny looked down at Payton's unconscious form. "I should've been able to-"

"Mister Storm." The siblings looked up to see Doctor Strange walking up to them. "We can still help."

"Come." T'Challa said as a couple of his men brought over a stretcher. "We don't have much time."

Johnny swallowed, nodding as he stood with her in his arms. Although unconscious, Payton released an excruciating gasp, her head falling back slightly at the movement.

"It's ok." He whispered as he placed her down on the stretcher. "You're going to be ok."

He felt Sue's hand on his shoulder as they took her away through a portal. Tony and Pepper quickly running after them.

"Come on." Sue encouraged walking him through. "You need to be looked at too."

*******

Tony looked around frantically. She was just there. Where was Payton?

"What just happened?" Tony looked over to see Quill was touching his chest, looking equally as stunned.

"Stark." He turned to Doctor Strange walking towards him, a stunned look in his eyes. How was this possible? Tony just saw all of them turn into piles of dust. Everyone except Payton and the blue woman, both of whom were missing.

"Where is she?" Tony demanded.

"We've got to get to Earth." Strange said regaining his composure, walking past him and to the Guardians.

"Not until you to tell me where Payton is." Tony demanded following after the magician.

"Yeah." Quill agreed, Drax and Mantis next to him. "What the heck's going on?! What happened to Nebula?"

Strange sighed before turning to them. "Thanos succeeded in collecting all of the Stones, he Snapped, and we turned to dust. But that was five years ago."

Five years? If Strange was telling the truth he was dead for five years? He left Pepper, Rhodey, Happy for five years. And Payton alone on an alien planet. What if she wasn't able to get off since their ship was destroyed? What if she-

No! He stopped that thought. No, she had to have lived.

And if you die, I feel like that's on me.

I just wanted to be like you.

She had to be alive.

"But now Thanos is back and they need our help back on Earth."

"Hey!" Tony called out as Strange got his hands in position. "You said one in fourteen million. Is this it?"

An odd look glinted in his eyes. "If I tell you, it won't happen."

Why was it whenever magic was involved, everything became super vague?

"Right." Tony dismissed. He just needed to get to Payton. "Let's go then."

Once they arrived on Earth, he came face to face with Thanos army, Tony was tempted to grab Pepper and Payton, and fly them somewhere far. Far and safe. But of course, both of them would be too stubborn to willingly leave.

But seeing Payton so small in the blonde boy's arms... He should've dragged her off the battlefield. He didn't care if she would hate him forever, he should've taken her away when he had the chance.

Tony followed the stretcher through the portal and into the Wakandan hospital until two male nurses dressed in white stood in between him and the pair of doors Payton had just gone through.

"You need to stay here." One said.

"I need to be with her." Tony insisted.

"The Princess will get you when they are done."

"She needs me." Tony practically begged. "I need to be there."

"Tony-" He ignored Pepper's soft and reasonable voice at his shoulder.

"So let me through or-"

"Stark." They turned to see T'Challa walk over. "Let them work. Payton is in the only place capable to help her. You can help her by staying out of my doctors way."

"But-"

"Or I'll have the Dora Milaje lock you in a room."

Tony had to admit, he was still tempted to push him out of the way and follow Payton.

"Tony." Pepper said softly grabbing his arm. "Come on."

He let himself be pulled over to a set of chairs. He recognized several of the others were also there. Including an orange rocked man sitting next to Hulk with Bruce's face wearing a shirt. Wait, what?

"Tones?" He looked up as Rhodey walked over to him. By his eyes, by his lips there were more wrinkles. "Tony, you alright man?"

"Five years."

"What?"

"It's been five years?" He wiped a hand down his face. Even though Payton confirmed it, it still felt surreal, as if he had only blinked.

"Yep." Tony looked over to see a suit similar to his slowly peel off to reveal an boy in his mid twenties with curly light brown hair walking towards here. He smiled guiltily. "I told you: We're connected."

"Harley." Tony stood to greet him. "Look at you. You're so-What are you doing here? Did you make the suit yourself?"

Harley smiled shyly. "Yeah, I worked in your lab for a few months to make this one. After that making Pepper's was super easy."

It was only at this moment that Tony realized he, Pepper and Rhodey had all disassembled their suits at some point.

"Payton and I met in college." Harley continued unprompted. "After we graduated, I started working more with Natasha and the Avengers. Nebula, Rocket and Okoye didn't mind giving me some of their tech so I could mess with. And Pepper let me use some of your notes. And-"

"Wow." Tony looked over jaw dropping at the giant black creature stared at him with a wide toothy smile. "This is-" As the creature walked towards him, the goo started to sink into him revealing a boy around Harley's age with tan skin and black hair. "Your Tony Stark. I mean it's nice to finally meet you, sir."

"Hi," Tony said after a moment. "I'm sorry what was that."

"Oh I have a parasite." The boy said nonchalantly. "It's just Payton's told me so much about you. But I've always admired your work. Your work on the arc reactor is so-"

"What did you say your name was?"

"Flash." The boy said shyly, shrinking in on himself slightly, suddenly unsure of himself. "Flash Thompson."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "The same Flash Thompson that would mess with Payton?"

Flash looked away. "Yeah, I was kinda a jerk back then. But Payton and I've become good friends since then."

"Don't scare him, Tones." Rhodey said putting a hand on his shoulder.

Tony sighed turning away from Flash, spotting the blonde boy that had carried Payton in. The boy had his head bowed as a similar looking blonde woman was rubbing his back, whispering to him reassuringly.

"Who is that?" Tony asked softly.

"Johnny and Sue Storm." Flash answered. "They're part of the Fantastic Four."

Fantastic Four? He wasn't the only one to think that sounded a little cheesy right? Tony was walking towards them before he even realized it, only for another man in blue with a '4' over the heart, and peppered hair stepping between them.

"Mr. Stark," He spoke.

"Hi." Tony said shortly. "I'm sorry who are you?"

"I'm Dr. Reed Richards." He introduced himself. "That's my friend Ben." He gestured to the orange rock monster who waved kindly. "My girl friend Sue and her brother Johnny. We occasionally work with Payton and the other Avengers."

Why did the name Reed Richards sound so familiar?

"Nice to meet y'all." Tony said with forced kindness, looking towards Johnny. "Who are you to Payton?"

Johnny finally looked up to Tony with red eyes, tear streaks could be seen on his dirtied face. "Is she going to live?"

I don't know. "She's tough. If anyone can, she'll pull through."

"Dr. Banner." They turned to see a Wakandan nurse had stepped out. "Dr. Richards, we need your inputs."

Wordlessly the two doctors followed through.

"She has to." Tony quietly added.

"Tony." He looked over to Steve, now mask less, looking towards him. His face was covered with dirt and blood, save the parts that the mask would've covered. Somehow Steve managed to make himself look small. "I- it's good to see you again."

"It's good to be back." Tony said straightening, wishing for his shades. "How long has it been? I mean for me it feels like it's only been two years? But for you it must've been what? Seven?"

"I'm sorry." Steve said. "About everything. I never should've- I mean I should've told you as soon as I knew, but-"

"Rogers." Tony cut off with a sigh. "I think we can both agree some mistakes were made. I'm never going to be unable to see the video." Distantly, Tony was aware of Barnes standing towards the back, shifting nervously. "But I won't worry about that anymore. Payton needs me."

"She's a great kid." Steve offered kindly.

"The best any of us could ever hope to be." Eager to get away from this talk, he turned to Natasha. "Miss me Agent Romanoff?" He looked at her appearance. "I like what you did with your hair. It's very, I want to say Strawberry cheesecake- esque. Is that a compliment?"

Natasha smiled. "It's good to see you too, Stark. But I wish you had properly introduced me to Payton sooner."

"You met Spider Girl before the airport thing."

"But Payton's so much more fun."

"You two know each other then?" His newest spider was friends with his oldest?

"We train together every week and she's helped me out with the team since I've taken over the team."

"You're in charge? Quite the promotion." He looked around the room. "Where's Barton?"

Natasha's eyes watered slightly. "He saved Payton."

"No." Tony took a step back. "I- How- The kids?"

"His family was dusted too." Natasha said softly. "I haven't told them yet."

"If you want I-"

"You would be horrible delivering this kinds of news." Rhodey interrupted.

"Oh agreed." Tony said, trying not to throw up at the thought of delivering such news. "I was going to offer paying funeral fees. Whatever the fledglings and the Mrs. wants. Statues, lights, five course buffet. I can make a couple of calls and make his birthday a national holiday."

Natasha laughed. It sounded forced, stale and hollow. "He would've hated that, But thank you. I'll talk to Laura." She raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm kinda surprised you're not freaking out. I would've betted you'd be more freaked out."

"She'll make it through." Tony said, mostly to himself. "Payton's tough."

Natasha looked towards Rhodey. "Pepper hasn't told him?"

"She's on call right now." Rhodey smiled.

"Told me what?" Tony asked confused, glancing between two of his oldest friends. "And who's Pepper talking to? Is it May?" Shit! "May! We have to tell her!" He searched for his phone? Did he bring it to space with him? "I need to call Happy and tell him he needs to get to May and bring her-"

"Tony." Rhodey interrupted gently, shaking his head. "No he doesn't."

"What are you talking about? May is Payton's aunt. Even if Payton is an adult now, May needs to-"

"Tony." Rhodey said again. "May's gone."

"No." Tony protested, shaking his head. "No. She was just dusted like me. Like half of the people in this room. I need to call Happy, tell him to find her and-"

"Tony." Rhodey said sternly, grabbing Tony by the arm. "She wasn't dusted. It was a car crash."

No. Not her too. Tony couldn't help but flinch slightly. He had only seen her a week ago. They, Payton and Pepper were having dinner together. She was just here.

"Tony." He looked over to Doctor Strange, who Tony distantly realized, had not gone in with the other doctors help Payton. He was staring at him, an odd look in his eyes.

A surge of anger filled Tony. "You." Tony moved to grab Strange by the collar, maybe the neck he hadn't decided yet. Only for Johnny to beat him to it, slamming Strange into a wall.

"Johnny!" Sue yelled, the rest of the room quiet as they watched the alteration. Half of them rose, tense, presumably, in case a fight broke out.

"She told me about you." Johnny said, letting go of him with one hand and producing a fire ball with his free hand. "One in fourteen million. You knew this was going to happen. You son of a bitch! You knew!"

"I didn't-"

"Then you were making up knowing what would happen? What did you think that'd make you sound cooler?"

"If you let me-"

"Why didn't you stop her?!" Johnny demanded, smoke rising from the hand still holding onto Strange. "She is dying because-"

"It wasn't supposed to be her!" Strange proclaimed in a panicked voice, finally breaking his calm demeanor. "It wasn't supposed to be her." He said much more calm this time.

It was as if sound had been sucked out of the room for a moment. As if everyone was afraid that even a breath would shatter the silence.  

Finally, Johnny let go of Strange, stepping back in shock as his other hand unlit. "What do you mean it wasn't supposed to be her?"

Strange sighed tiredly. "She wasn't supposed to survive Thanos Snap. She was supposed to turn to dust too." He looked to Tony. "It was supposed to be you."

Tony stepped back, Rhodey balancing him by grabbing onto his shoulder.

"You were the one who was supposed to find out the tech." Strange continued shyly. "Natasha was the one who was supposed to die on Vormir." Distantly Tony saw, Natasha flinch so harshly he almost worried she had been shocked. "And it was you, Tony, who was supposed to Snap against Thanos army. You would've died almost instantly." He looked back to Johnny. "It wasn't supposed to be Payton."

Suddenly, Pepper's fist was sending Strange to the ground.

"Pepper!" Tony exclaimed in shock.

"Alright." Strange said from where he was sprawled on the floor, hand cradling his jaw. "I deserved that."

"You deserve a lot more than that you piece of shit." Pepper hissed cradling her hand. "You were going to let Tony die?!"

"Shit." A small voice chirped.

Confused, Tony turned to see Wong had opened another portal that Happy, holding a small girl with long brown hair and a pink backpack, had walked through. It was the little girl that spoke, holding tightly onto an Iron Man doll.

"You don't say that." Pepper said, her voice suddenly gentle as she turned to the little girl.

"Mommy!" The little girl happily squealed, squirming out of Happy's grip and rushing to Pepper who had knelt to the floor to capture the little girl.

Pepper had a daughter. Pepper had a daughter without him. How old was she? How long did it take for her to move on?

"My Morgan." Pepper said letting the girl go. "Were you good for Uncle Happy?"

"Yeah. We had cheeseburgers!"

"Boss." Tony looked over to Happy, who was looking at him like gold.

"Miss me?"

Happy hugged Tony. "It's good to see you again."

"You too." Tony relented returning the hug. "So," Tony said as they separated. "Pepper has a- I mean- She's-"

"Tony." He turned to Pepper who was still kneeling next to the little girl. "Come here. This is Morgan Hope Stark, your daughter. Morgan," She turned to the little girl. "This is your Daddy."

Tony had seen many incredible and unbelievable things. Aliens. Super soldiers. Magicians. Literal superheroes. But this, this topped everything. Morgan was small, smaller than he ever remembered being, her eyes were wide doe eyes the same green as Pepper, but her nose was his mother's. The two stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.

Morgan's face suddenly broke into a huge smile. "Daddy!"

He barely had time to kneel down and open his arms before she barreled into him.

"Daddy!" She excitedly proclaimed again. "You're finally home! Payton said you'd be!"

Tony tried not to sob into the little girl's ear, as he gently cupped the back of her head. He couldn't gain and lose a daughter in the same day. Please God, don't let him lose either of them.

After a moment, Morgan pushed back and looked at his face. She tilted her head, looking slightly confused. "Why are you crying, Daddy?"

"Tears of joy." He half explained. "I- I've waited so long to meet you. And I'm so sorry it took me so long to come home. But I promise I'll be home from now on."

"It's alright." Morgan happily chirped before showing him her doll. "You were always with us. And Payton said you were on a super duper, top secret mission to save the world. Did you save the world?"

"No." Tony shook his head. "Payton did. She's the real hero."

"Where is she?"

Tony swallowed. Luckily Pepper came next to them. "Payton got hurt, so Bruce and Reed are helping her."

"Does she need my Frozen band aids?" Morgan asked, concern filling her eyes. "Those always make me feel better."

"Maybe later." Pepper said with a smile.

Morgan smiled happily at her parents, before turning to Natasha. "Auntie Nat, look what I drew!"

The five year old ran over to Natasha, who easily caught her and let her ramble. Pepper and Tony rose to their feet. Pepper wincing, holding her hand again.

"You alright there, Miss Potts?"

"Worth it." Pepper said as Tony lightly took her hand, turning it slightly.

"It looks sprained."

"It probably is, sprained." Pepper took her hand back. "I'll worry about it later."

"How old is she?" Tony said looking to see the blue cyborg woman in the red outfit was also sitting with Natasha and Morgan, her twin hovering awkwardly nearby.

"She's five." Pepper explained.

"So the other day at the park?"

"I didn't know then, but yes I was."

Tony smiled mischievously. "You want to work on giving her a little sibling?"

Pepper chuckled lightly. "Maybe later."

Suddenly the doors to the operating theater open, all life was seemingly sucked out of the room save Morgan who was drawing again, seemingly oblivious to the sudden mood shift. T'Challa and his sister walked out, his sister seeming exhausted as he wrapped a protective arm around her.

"How is she?" Johnny rushed forward, Sue a few steps behind him.

"She's alive." Shuri assured with a tired smile. "And it seems she'll stay that way."

Tony released a breath he didn't realize he was holding before turning to Pepper. The two enveloped each other in a hug. She was going to be alright. She was going to live.

"However," Tony tensed as the princess spoke, the couple separating to face Shuri again. "I had to amputate her left arm. I'm sorry. There was nothing I can do, it was already beyond saving."

"There's more." T'Challa began, taking over for his sister. "The left side of her face also has major scaring, her entire left side does. We also suspect some blindness in her left eye, but we won't be able to confirm that until she wakes up."

"Oh." Johnny whispered slightly. "Is she awake? Can I see her?"

"She's still unconscious." It was T'Challa who spoke this time. "We're not sure how long she'll be out. But we don't want to risk her immune system anymore than it is.."

"Please." Johnny said. "Just let me see her."

"Our doctors recommended only family at this moment."

"We're all family." Pepper said gesturing to the room, stepping next to Johnny.

What looked like respect shone in T'Challa's eyes. "Only four of you at a time, then. And you must follow any orders the doctors give you."

Johnny smiled broadly before moving past the royal siblings and down the hall.

Shuri sighed, escaping her brother's hold, before following him. "You don't even know where you're going Colonizer."

"Come on." Tony said holding Pepper's good hand lightly before following the princess in. He stopped next to T'Challa holding out a hand. "Thank you."

He took his grip. "She and your family are always welcomed in Wakanda."

Tony nodded before following the princess to Payton's room. Although Reed and Bruce standing outside of it was also a dead giveaway.

"Tony." Bruce greeted tiredly.

"How is she?"

"Stable."

"Her healing factor is incredible." Reed commented, staring into the room. "A blast like that should've killed her. Would've killed almost any one else. And yet here she is."

"She's stronger than any of us." Pepper said, pride shinning in her eyes.

"Y'all should go in." Bruce offered.

Tony didn't even realize he was moving until he saw Johnny was already occupying the seat right of Payton's bed, Shuri already walking out. Distantly he was aware of her talking to the trio outside the room but all he could focus on was her.

She seemed so small in the bed. She was covered with a white blanket up to her waist. Her chest was wrapped in white bandages. More white bandages covered the left side of her face. A blue bit was in her mouth, breathing for her. Her right arm had at least half a dozen needle and IV's in it.

Tony swallowed before looking towards the left side of her. There was an empty spot where the missing appendage used to rest. Based off the size of the stump, it was amputated just below her shoulder. Oh kid.

He took a seat on her right side next to Johnny. Johnny's hand hovered above Payton's before he laid one on her finger tips. As if he was afraid to hold her. Which Tony got. He was afraid of breaking her anymore too.

"You heard them." Tony said after a moment. "She's going to be alright."

"Not entirely." Johnny said staring at her face. "I should've been there for her."

"You really think you would've been able to stop her?"

"I should've at least tried."

"She wouldn't want us blaming ourselves."

"Then why do I feel like it's my fault?"

Tony put a hand on his shoulder, unsure what to say.

The two silently watched their favorite arachnid, lay on the bed.