Infinity War
"So he's coming here?" Tony asks, his hands shaking slightly so he clenches his fist. Peter was sitting next to him, bouncing his knees and biting his lip, eyes flitting between everyone in the room. Natasha was sitting next to him, her hand on his knee.
"We think so. He has two stones, and there's two of them on earth." Bruce replied. Tony furrowed his eyebrows.
"Two?" he asked. Thor nodded his head with a side glance to Loki, who seemed to look a bit guilty.
"Yes. The mind stone, which is with the Vision. And then I am lead to believe the time stone is in the hands of a sorcerer I met on earth a short time ago." Thor said solemnly.
"Wait...sorcerer? You mean Strange?" Tony asked, and Thor furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, and he could feel Natasha's eyes on him.
"I believe so. You know him?" Thor asked. Tony nodded, glancing at Natasha with a shrug.
"I've been keeping up to date with all the people with abilities close by, in case something happened..." Tony trailed off and Natasha nodded in understanding.
"Yes, so one's with Vision and the other is with this Strange guy. So we need a plan." Bruce said urgently, which worried Tony. Bruce seemed very shaken up by what they had gone through in space.
"Okay, well first. I have some land in Norway. You mentioned that's where you found your dad. Do you have someone who could take your people there, and keep them safe?" Tony asked then, standing up and starting to pace. Thor smiled at him, while Loki looked at him in surprise.
"Yes, we can send them with Valkyrie, she'll watch over them. I'll go tell her now?" Thor said with a nod, standing up. Tony nodded.
"Yeah, JARVIS will give you the coordinates. Once they are safe, then we can go about thinking of a plan." Tony said, and Thor nodded gratefully. He and Loki left the room, leaving Bruce behind.
"Where is everyone?" Bruce asked, finally asking the question Tony was dreading.
"They...uh. It's complicated." Tony spit out, his breath catching in his throat. He could feel everyone's eyes on him, so he turned to see Bruce looking at him in utter confusion, while Peter and Natasha looked at him with concern. Natasha narrowed her eyes a bit, before turning to Bruce.
"Clint's with his family. Sam, Wanda, Vision, and Rhodey are at the compound." she answered calmly. Bruce stared at her for a moment, before looking between her and Tony.
"And Steve?" he asked. Natasha gave him a grim smile.
"He's on the run. We don't know where he is." she said, causing Bruce to splutter.
"On the run? Captain America? Is on the run?" he asked in shock, and Tony felt himself let out a bitter laugh.
"Not now, Tony. Yes. There was a legal disagreement, and Steve ended up on the wrong side. I can explain more later." Natasha said, placing her hand on his arm. He nodded, taking a deep breath. Bruce sent him a concerned look, but then nodded.
"We need to call him." Bruce said, and Tony froze. "No matter what happened between you guys, we are gonna need all the help we can get." And that really knocked the breath out of his lungs. He staggered back, and fell ungracefully onto the couch. He kept his eyes trained on the ground, trying to force air into his lungs.
"Okay, Bruce come with me. We can try and get a hold of Steve. Peter, baby, stay with your dad." he heard his wife's voice say. He heard them leave, and felt Peter sit down next to him. His son just sat there and rubbed his back silently, letting him get a hold of his breathing. When he finally did he looked up.
"You okay?" Peter asked him softly. He nodded.
"Yeah, I don't know why I reacted like that. Is your mom calling...Cap?" Tony bit out, and Peter winced, before nodding.
"Okay. Then we should probably go start thinking of a plan." he said, and Peter gave him a reluctant look but nodded.
---
"You going to be able to handle this?" Natasha asked, as they headed to the conference room in the compound where everyone was waiting. She turned her head to observe her husband as they walked. He seemed paler than usual, and his breathing was a little too fast for her liking.
"I gotta be. So I will be." Tony answered, determination in his voice. He looked at her as they reached the doors, and gave her a grim nod, before opening the door. They walked in the room, and it seemed like everyone was already discussing plans. She kept close to Tony as he navigated over to Rhodey.
"So we gotta assume they're coming back, right?" Rhodey asked, arms crossed. He sent them both a nod as they came to stand next to him.
"And they can clearly find us." Wanda replied, her focus on Vision. Natasha could see Tony suppress a flinch at the witch's presence.
"We need all hands on deck. Where's Clint?" Bruce spoke up from across the room, still seemingly jumpy.
"After the whole Accords situation, he bowed out. It was too tough on his family. I'd rather him stay out of it, if it means keeping them safe." Natasha replied curtly, and luckily nobody argued.
"Okay, look… Thanos has the biggest army in the universe. And he is not gonna stop until he... he gets...Vision's Stone." Bruce said after a moment, panic in his voice. Thor nodded his agreement, and the tension in the room amplified. She could see Tony clenching his left wrist next to her.
"Well then, we have to protect it." she said simply, trying to diffuse the tension, both for the team's sake and Tony's. Vision stepped forward, a contemplative look on his face.
"No, we have to destroy it. I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head, about its nature. But also, its composition. I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source, something, very similar to its own signature, perhaps… its molecular integrity could fail." Vision said, looking at Wanda meaningfully.
"And you, with it. We're not having this conversation." Wanda snapped, walking away, turning her back to the group.
"Eliminating the stone is the only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it." Vision replied, and Natasha knew that was the most logical course of action. But she could tell by the pinched look on Steve's face that he would never stand for it. Not if it meant losing a life.
"That's too high a price." Wanda said, her voice breaking. She rose her eyebrow, and noticed the look in Wanda's eyes. She exchanged looks with Tony, who's face showed his realization. She watched as Vision took Wanda's face in his hands.
"Only you have the power to pay it." he said gently, and Wanda pulled away in distress. "Thanos threatens half the Universe. One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him." Vision continued anyway, despite his girlfriend's discomfort.
"But it should." Steve said lowly, looking up at them. "We don't trade lives, Vision." he said with finality, and Natasha had to keep from rolling her eyes. Vision shook his head in Steve's direction.
"Captain, 70 years ago, you laid down your life to save how many millions of people. Tell me, why is this any different?" Vision argued, and she tilted her head, curious of Steve's reaction. But Steve didn't get a chance to speak, because Bruce was already stepping forward.
"Because you might have a choice. Your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. Tony's A.I., Ultron, Tony, me, the Stone. All of them mixed together. All of them learning from one another." he said, and Tony straightened in his seat at the words, and she could tell his mind was moving a mile a minute.
"You're saying Vision isn't just the stone?" Wanda asked, a hint of hope in her voice.
"I'm saying that if we take out the stone, there's still a whole lot of Vision left. Perhaps the best parts." Bruce said, looking at Tony.
"Can we do that?" Natasha asked, turning her attention to her husband. He grabbed her hand and fiddled with it for a moment before looking up.
"Not here, I don't have the kind of tech for that. But I know a place that might." Tony said, looking up from her hand.
"Where would that be?" Wanda asked, and Tony let out a sigh.
"Wakanda." Tony said, and Steve looked up.
"That's where Bucky is. They helped get rid of his triggers. I'm sure they could help with this too." Steve said, voice bright. Tony's eyes hardened a bit, but he nodded.
"Yes, they can. So we need a plan. Some of us need to go to Wakanda. Stay with Vision, in case Thanos gets here before we can get the stone out. And then some of us...need to stay here. Find Strange, and convince him to let us help him protect the stone. Then maybe we could meet in Wakanda, and destroy them before he gets here." Tony said eyes trained on her hand in his.
"Okay. Who's going where?" Steve asked, looking to Tony, which surprised her. Tony seemed shocked too for a minute, before taking a deep breath.
"I'll stay here with Thor and Loki, we will go talk to the wizards and get their help, and hopefully get him to destroy that stone. The rest of you go to Wakanda." Tony said, and Natasha opened her mouth to protest, when he shook his head.
"Tasha. We need all hands on deck here. If he shows up, that's where he will go, so everyone needs to be there. If we can get the wizard to agree to destroy the stone, we will be right behind you. It's what makes sense." Tony said quietly. She studied his face for a moment, and his eyes were pleading, so she nodded.
"As long as you come right to Wakanda when you're done with Strange." she said, and he nodded. She looked around at the others who had already started making plans for departure.
"What about Peter?" she whispered to him. He turned to her, and she could sense the tension in his shoulders increase.
"He's going to stay out of it. If I have anything to say about it, he's going to stay safe." Tony whispered back, and she nodded.
"Good." she said with a nod. She waited a second, before standing up and joining the planning.
---
"Wow you're a seriously loyal piece of outerwear, aren't you?" he muttered, looking at the cape that followed him onto the spaceship. He hadn't really expected the whole alien invasion thing, and he knew Natasha was going to be worried sick when she figured out he was headed to outer space. He suddenly heard movement behind him, so he whirled around.
"Yeah, uh, speaking of loyalty..." Peter's voice trailed off, and Tony felt his heart constrict in his chest. He swallowed down the panic and stared at his son incredulously.
"What the-" he choked out, and Peter held his hands up cautiously as he moved forward.
"I know what you're gonna say." his son spoke, and that broke Tony out of his reverie. He shook his head frantically.
"You should not be here." he said firmly, hands shaking. Peter grimaced.
"I was gonna go home-" Peter started and Tony held up his shaking hand to stop him.
"I don't wanna hear it. Peter what were you thinking? What..." Tony choked out, voice starting to shake. Peter looked at him desperately.
"I just thought about you on the way, and I didn't want you to be alone. I wanted to help protect you." Peter pleaded.
"Peter. That's not how it works. I'm the Dad. I protect you. And I can't do that when you're stowing away on an ALIEN SPACESHIP, PETER!" Tony felt himself start shouting, and he could see Peter deflate a little with a shrug.
"We're supposed to protect each other." he whispered, and Tony felt himself deflate as well. He took a deep breath to quell the anxiety bubbling just under the surface. He couldn't afford to breakdown, not when they were on an alien spaceship headed who knows where.
"Come on. We got a situation." he says instead, leading Peter to show him the wizard. "See him down there? He's in trouble. What's your plan?" he asked, and Peter looked at him in shock, before nodding.
"Um. Okay, okay... uh..." he stuttered before nodding again. "Okay. Did you ever see this really old movie, Aliens?"
---
"Natasha. You're going to want to sit down." Bruce's voice was shaky over the phone, and Natasha felt her blood run cold.
"Why. Bruce. What happened?" Natasha asked, her voice clipped.
"A spaceship showed up in New York. And these...aliens, uh Thanos' children? I guess, they showed up to take the stone from Strange. And Tony tried to stop them, and they ended up getting a hold of Strange, and took off with him. Tony followed." Bruce said. Natasha felt her breath catch in her throat.
"Why? Why did he follow?" she asked, not really expecting an answer.
"Well, I think it was because a new hero, one I've never met, got beamed up. He followed after him, and they both went up with the ship." Bruce said, and she felt her heart drop.
"A new hero? Who Bruce?" she asked, her eyes closed. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, Steve's especially.
"I don't know. He was uh...wearing red and blue. He swung around on some kind of string or something. Tony seemed to know him." Bruce said, and Natasha let out a broken sob, the phone dropping from her hand. Steve rushed over and knelt beside her, a questioning look on his face. She took a deep breath and grabbed the phone back.
"Thank you, Bruce." she responded, her voice sounding far away, even to her, before hanging up.
"Nat?" Steve asked gently. She let out a shaky breath and looked up. Steve looked worried, and everybody else seemed nervous, seeing as she was who she was and usually never let people see her emotions. But she could feel the tears streaming down her face, and her breaths were hitching in her throat.
"Tony. Uh, he got taken up with the space ship that showed up in New York." Natasha choked out, and Steve nodded gently rubbing her back.
"Okay. Nat, he can take care of himself, I'm sure he'll be okay. He can make sure they don't get the Time Stone." Steve said, his voice comforting. She shook her head frantically.
"You don't understand. He was taken, but he wasn't the only one. He was following someone up there, someone other than Strange." she said hysterically. The tears coming faster. She stood up and started pacing, and cursing herself in Russian. She never let herself break, so why was she letting herself now? She shook her hands out, and let out a deep breath. She knew why. Because this time, it was Peter's life at stake. And she wasn't ready to face that.
"Who else would he have followed up, Nat?" Rhodey asked, his voice hard, and she knew he already had his answer. She nodded at him, and he threw the glass cup he was holding with a curse. She watched as it shattered on the opposite wall.
"Peter." she said with defeat, and she could see the devastation flash across everyone else's faces too.
"Son of a bitch." she heard Steve curse.
---
"You have my respect, Stark. When I'm done, half of humanity will still be alive. I hope they remember you." Thanos was standing in front of him, brandishing the gauntlet. And Tony wanted to fight, but the pain in his side was growing by the minute, and he could taste the blood in his mouth. He didn't want to die, but if he had to, at least it was keeping Peter safe, keeping his world safe.
"Stop!" he hears Stephen yell, and he curses softly. "Spare his life... and I will give you the stone." he continues, and Tony struggles to turn his head to the man.
"No tricks." Thanos demands, and he turns just in time to see Stephen shake his head in agreement. Tony shakes his head.
"Don't!" he chokes out, looking at the other man. Stephen ignores him, and lifts his shaking hands, conjuring the Time Stone. Tony felt panic bubble up in his throat, and he tried so hard to get up, but he couldn't. He watches as Thanos takes to stone and puts it in the gauntlet.
"One to go." he says with a creepy smile, before disappearing. Tony let out a groan.
"Where is he?!" Peter Quill yells as he shows up, guns raised. Tony just shakes his head, taking out the blade embedded in his side, using his nano-tech to stitch up the wound.
"Did we just lose?" the man asks when no one answers, voice worried. Tony looks over to Strange, feeling betrayed.
"Why would you do that?" he asks, his voice breaking. Stephen just looks at him with a look that seems to say a million things, none of which Tony can interpret.
"We're in the Endgame now." he says, voice grave.
"Dad!" he hears a shout, and soon Peter is at his side, helping him stand up.
"Are you okay?" Peter asks him, voice quiet.
"I will be." Tony promises, trying to sound reassuring. Peter just nods shakily, helping to support Tony as they stood there.
"What are we supposed to do now?" Quill asks, and Tony turns to Strange with his eyebrows raised, when the bug girl speaks up suddenly.
"Something's... happening." she whispers, and soon she's gone. Tony blanches, eyes widening at the sudden disappearance.
"Quill?" the blue man asks, and they all turn to watch him turn to ash as well, the remains floating away in the air. Quill turns to them, panic in his eyes. And Tony can tell he was going to be next.
"Steady, Quill." Tony chokes out, taking a small step forward, away from his son.
"Oh, man." the man says, before he too is gone.
"Tony, there was no other way." Strange says, and Tony turns just in time to see his body get swept away as well. He feels his panic rising, not knowing what to do, when he hears his name being called. And his heart breaks.
"Dad." his son chokes out, and he whips around to see the pained look on his sons face. He shakes his head frantically, pulling his son into his arms. "I don't feel so good..." he continues, and Tony feels his heart constrict in his chest, and a sob makes it's way out of his mouth. He knew there were tears falling down his face, but he tried his best to look calm, even though he knew he was failing.
"You're okay, baby. You'll be okay, I promise. It's okay, baby." Tony said, grabbing his sons shoulders, his voice hitching. Peter stumbles in his arms as his legs give out under him, and they are soon both on the ground, his sons head cradled in his hand.
"I don't know what's -- I don't know what's happening. I don't-" Peter chokes, and Tony shushes him, brushing his hair out of his eyes like he always did. Peter kept rambling, his voice shaking, tears running down his face. "I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go, Dad, please. Please, I don't wanna go. I don't wanna go..." Peter says, and Tony can see the ashes starting to fly away from his sons form. He chokes back a sob, and brushes a kiss onto his son's forehead.
"I love you, bug. I--I love you so much, baby." he whispers, as Peter's eyes widen and more ash flies from him.
"I'm sorry." he hears his son, his baby, whisper, before he's gone. Tony falls forward, sobs wracking his body.
"He did it." the blue girl speaks from behind him, and Tony screams out his next sob, feeling like his world just fell apart.
---
Natasha watches as dust flies up into the air at an alarming rate. She runs over to see Steve kneeling next to a pile of what looked like ashes.
"What is this? What the hell is happening?" Rhodey demands from beside her, and she falls to her knees.
"Oh, God." Steve chokes out, and she knows. He won. It was over. And they lost.
---
BLACK WIDOW WILL RETURN