Storm ≛ Tony Stark ≛

97.

Tony smiled and Sue's eyes lowered into a blink, before her irises moved to stare behind him. Her chest rose one last time before the sparkle in her eyes diminished. Blood trickled down the corner of her lips, the pool in her mouth overflowing. The veins that stained her face were the last cracks of colour on her skin before Susan Storm faded from the battlefield.

Tony's watched as his worst fear came to light and Johnny's hands shook as he held up his sister's head. Sobs left the Storm's mouth and Wanda, who gave up healing Sue's wound, fell back onto her hands with the painfully familiar hole in her chest. Clint lowered his head and Pepper let out a sniffle, the thought of Booker and Morgan without their mother ruining her. Bruce had to step away to resist throwing something, the man overcome with grief at seeing his long-time friend lifeless. Thor and Steve had come to from their moment of unconsciousness and let out shaky breaths, Thor shedding godly tears without shame.

Susan Storm had made an impact on everyone. She was known as the level-headed other half to Tony and was always kind. She protected others before she protected herself, her forcefields saving the Avengers' lives more than once. The woman always laughed and wasn't afraid to joke, her tendency to appear out of nowhere and scare her teammates a common occurrence. 

Wanda always viewed her as a role model, and Johnny found it difficult to fight without knowing if she was safe. Pepper admired her resilience to Tony's backchat and Steve wondered how she could be so powerful, yet so modest. Thor wasn't the friendliest to Sue at first, but he had warmed to her and saw her as an unsuspecting human who had strength beyond his comprehension. Bruce always thought she was intelligent and when Tony needed some grounding, he knew who to get into the lab to prevent any nationwide disasters. Clint saw Sue's influence on Lila, his daughter growing to be a respectable young woman, just like the Storm was. The Avengers had lost their greatest armour and they would never find a stronger shield.

While Carol was thrown aside by Thanos, a whizz of silver shot across the battlefield. The silver surfer powered its fist from its board and collided it with Thanos' face. He stumbled, the gauntlet securely over his hand but still unused. As the surfer circled around, Thanos regained his posture and seethed.

'You will go against me? I was your ruler! You'll do this for some... human?!' Thanos growled and the surfer stopped in the air, the cluster of people around Susan Storm sat in its peripheral. Her colourless eyes and parted lips that leaked blood arose a force inside the surfer. Her face was too similar to the one who waited on its return. The way Tony hunched over Susan's body with his forehead against her chest made the surfer think of what he lost and what he could lose.

'We all have a choice,' the surfer's voice boomed. 'She made me realise this.'

'Then you will die as she did,' Thanos took the Power Stone from the gauntlet and shot its red beam up at the surfer. The surfer swung to the left, its legs powering the board and dived towards its old master.

The Power Stone's crimson stream was whipped around carelessly by Thanos. He grew irritated as the surfer dodged and turned its board skilfully, the singeing beam never once touching its perfect, reflective skin. The surfer knew it wouldn't be able to take on Thanos, but it would be able to create a long enough distraction.

Tony raised his head from Sue's chest, his glassy eyes trained on Thanos. He watched as the purple alien threw around the Stone's power to try and knock the surfer out of the sky. The sword that Thanos used to kill Susan sat with one edge embedded into the floor, its tip stained with her blood. Tony could see the gauntlet on Thanos' wrist and felt his aching chest rise. It swelled with strength and the decision in his head was made. He turned to Stephen Strange, who held up one finger, to signify that the near impossible odds were somehow in Tony's favour. Sue always said that he was brash and impulsive with his actions, but this time, he knew that what he had to do would end in his demise. If it was the old Tony, it would be out of the question to make such a sacrifice. But with Sue lying under him, cold and grey, Tony had to do what was right.