Whatever It Takes

Chapter 82 - Tony, We Lost

*Two Days Later*

Danvers had turned out to be a real help in terms of helping the search for Tony. After three days of staring at that damn monitor you decide to take a shower; sleep still evading you. Your feet barely carry you further than the small couch tucked in the corner of the room. As much as you try to fight it, you can't stop your eyes from closing. Just as they do the whole building begins to shake; instantly you're wide away again.

You catch Steve coming barrelling out of the bathroom and both of you head outside. Pepper is the only one who beats you, everyone else comes behind. It's hard to distinguish the exact shape of the ship, but it's definitely larger than the Quinjet. Your eyes are instantly drawn to Danvers - her strength as well as the wave of energy surging through her.

As soon as she steps back, the door of the ship opens and you make out two lonesome figures, one almost being carried by the other. Even in his somewhat decimated state you can just make out Tony and away your feet carry you, Steve just ahead of you. The blue woman, Nebula from you can remember of Rocket's description, takes a step back and Tony falls completely into yours and Steve's arms.

"Couldn't stop him," he huffs out, his voice barely a husk of the man you knew. "I lost the kid," His eyes nearly fill with tears as he meets Steve's.

"Tony, we lost." You manage to fight back the tears when his eyes meet yours, a look of betrayal still forming before quickly softening; almost as though he's glad to see you. You try to move him on, desperate to have Bruce check him over when you notice how thin he's gotten. But you're stopped when Pepper throws her arms around him. As you and Steve take a step back you finally allow a little leak of emotion fill you, and for the first time in days you feel a little warmth in your heart at the scene.

The pain would never disappear as you imagined holding Bucky like that one last time. Steve grabs your hand and leads you back to the compound, somehow knowing what was going through your head.

*****

Once Bruce has checked over Tony, he wheels him where you're all convened; the sight of him still shocks you but you try to hold it in. As he stares at the monitor before him, watching the faces of everyone who's disappeared you watch the realisation of how bad it is flowing over him. You can't help but feel yourself drawn to those faces; some you know, most you don't; some still take you by surprise, like Sharon Carter and others you remember from your time at SHIELD. "Where is he now?" Tony asks, looking at you.

Steve has to answer when your voice sticks. An image of Sam has just appeared before you, making you freeze. Your whole body starts to shake as the photo of Bucky suddenly catches your eye too; fighting back the few tears seems pointless. Almost everyone in this room had heard your breakdown days before, and most knew the reason why.

A loud clatter brings you back to the now. While you were staring at Bucky, Tony had let out a tirade of anger. He was now standing and trying to push past Rhodey to get to Steve. On pure instinct you try to help Rhodey calm Tony down. "I got nothing for you Cap! No coordinates, no clues, no strategies, no options. Zero. Zip. Nada. No trust." He turns and looks dead in your eyes before whispering. "Liar."

It's like a blade into your heart. You knew Tony would still be angry, he had every right to be, but still it hurts. After everything that had just happened, you'd hoped he'd be a bit more understanding.

After a tense, silent moment, Tony rips his arc reactor from his chest, and shoves it into your hand. "Here, you take this. You find him, and you put that on. You hide." His voice completely crumbles before his body follows and he hits the ground.

*****

While Bruce and Rhodey help Tony into a bed, thankfully sedated and well watched over, you can't help but stare at the space where he collapsed. First Barton and now Tony; two of the strongest men you knew had been completely broken by Thanos. Without the determination of the others to do something spurring you on, you weren't sure if you wouldn't have followed their footsteps.