Broken Things Can Be Mended

Chapter 24

Warning: Mentions of miscarriage.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Toni?" She heard her name as she tried opening her eyes. Blinking when the light made it impossible to do so. Before she even caught sight of the world, memories assaulted her. Memories of the battle, of Thanos snatching the stones from her, of Thanos snapping his fingers.

Peter, Harley. She gasped and heard something beep furiously.

"She is slipping!" She heard but couldn't focus. Peter and Harley, they were gone. Half of the world was gone; half of the universe was gone. Thanos had won and killed trillions for his stupid quest.

"Let me," she heard the voice she knew by heart, knew the voice that had guided her from darkness to light. But it failed this time, as darkness overtook her again.

************************

This time, she dreamt, dreamt of Stephen in her arms, dreamt of Peter and Harley snapping at each other before dissolving in fits of laughter.

She dreamed of a sweet little girl, smiling at her with such loving eyes, with so much adoration.

"Wake up, Mum, they need you."

And Toni didn't want to listen, didn't wish to return to the world that held nothing but despair.

"Wake up, Toni, please." Stephen said from her side, his eyes so full of love, as he dipped down to place a kiss on her lips.

"Please." Her kids told her, and Toni knew she had to wake up, if not for herself, then for her loved ones.

"Toni. Please, wake up. I can't do this without you." She could hear Stephen, but he was beside her, and he hadn't said anything. It wasn't him whose voice she was hearing.

"I can't do this anymore. I need you." He was crying, she realized, and tears appeared in her eyes as well.

Peter vanished, so did Harley, before the little girl vanished along with them. She turned to Stephen, her eyes desperate, but he was crying, he was hurt.

When Toni opened her eyes, she felt something heavy against her arm. She saw Stephen, his eyes staring into a distance, his hands on hers. His eyes were dry, as if he had no tears left, the tracks covering his cheeks, along with the redness of his eyes made it abundantly clear.

"Stephen?" she croaked, making him jump, before he snapped his head at her.

"Toni," he whispered, before his face twisted into an expression of devastation. "I am sorry, I am so, so sorry." He said, before a heart wrenching sob escaped him.

"I am sorry, Toni, I am sorry. I messed up, I messed up big time." He kept on saying, and Toni felt her stomach harden. Why was Stephen blaming himself? It wasn't just his fault. They had failed. All of them had.

"Stephen..."

"No, you don't know Toni. I am... I can't." His face held so much sorrow, and Toni wanted nothing more but to cradle him, to tell him it would be fine.

They will change this, change the outcome. They will find Thanos, before reversing the snap. They couldn't accept defeat now. She had seen it, in her dreams, Peter and Harley would be back, she knew it.

"Toni, you are awake." Bruce appeared, his eyes shining with relief. Before he turned to Stephen.

"She doesn't know yet." Stephen said, and Toni felt like she was missing something very significant. Something shifted in Bruce's eyes, as pity overtook his features.