𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

𝟏𝟕

𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐫𝐞, trying to ignore his heart rate rapidly increasing. Behind him, he doesn't notice a girl walking up to him with red swirls coming out of her hands.

As he stares at the scepter for a second, the enhanced takes his hesitation to her advantage. she lifted her hands so they were by Tonys head. Her eyes turned red as she entered Tonys mind. She quickly slipped away leaving the Stark glaring into space.

The Stark shook his head slightly before jumping and turning around now aware of his new surroundings. The billionaire scramble away from the leviathan flying towards him. He breathed in as he followed where the leviathan was going, his eyes darting around the dark atmosphere.

He sees the Avengers all gathered around something or someone. He saw Steve's blue suit all ripped and tattered covered in blood. He saw Clint looking at the floor holding his broken bow. Beside him was Thor who was bowing his head weeping slightly.

Tony turned his attention to the Hulk who let out a whine, furrowing his eyebrows confused as to why everyone was crying. His gaze moves on to Natasha who was sitting on a rock. She had her head in her hands. Tony moved forwards slightly wanting to know why everyone was crying. Finally he came close enough to see a body laying on the floor. He stumbled back, breath getting caught in his throat.

Tony clutched his shirt in hopes of calming down his heart rate. He stared wide-eyed at the body next to Natashas feet.

"Thomas." He whimpered tears pricking his eyes as he looked down on the lifeless body of his friend. Tony kneeled down searching every part of Thomas to try and find a pulse. "No.. No.. NO!"

"Where were you?" Natasha asked from beside him. Tony didn't turn his attention away from the Sergeant. "I-"

"You could have saved him." Steve whispered as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"Hey, the lullaby worked better than ever." Natasha said as she sat beside Bruce who was listening to some music to calm him down.

"Just wasn't expecting the Code Green." He replied.

"If you hadn't been there, there would've been double the casualties. My best friend would've been a treasured memory."

"You know, sometimes exactly what I want to hear isn't exactly what I want to hear."

"How long before you trust me?"

"It's not you I don't trust."

"Thor, report on the Hulk?" Natasha said as she looked at the God.

"The gates of Hel are filled with the screams of his victims." Natasha glared at Thor and Banner groaned in despair but Thomas quietly laughed to himself. "Uh, but, not the screams of the dead, of course. No no, uh...wounded screams, mainly whimpering, a great deal of complaining and tales of sprained deltoids and, and uh... and gout."

"Hey Banner, Dr. Cho's on her way in from Seoul, is it okay if she sets up in your lab?" Tony said from the cockpit of the Quinjet.

"Uh, yeah, she knows her way around." Bruce replied.

"Thanks." Tony then said to JARVIS. "Tell her to prep everything, Barton's gonna need the full treatment."

"Very good sir." The AI said.

"JARVIS, take the wheel."

"Yes, sir. Approach vector is locked."

Tony walked over to Steve, Thor and Thomas who were looking at the sceptre. "It feels good, yeah? I mean, you've been after this thing since S.H.I.E.L.D collapsed. Not that I haven't enjoyed our little raiding parties, but..."