panic room × Avengers oneshots

the goodbye

Tony collapsed, leaning against the wall, breathing as deeply as he could. Hopelessness clouded up inside when he realized the injuries he had sustained weren't curable. He wasn't going to make it through this fight. Oh, Morgan... she would grow up without a daddy. Pepper would have to raise her alone until she moved on... Tony felt a pit open up in his soul, and he was sure if he wasn't in such pain, he would have tears in his eyes. He felt them there, now, prickling in the back of his eyelids.

He was so scared. What's going to happen to my family if I'm gone? Who's going to make the world a better place for my daughter?

Why do I have to go now?

"Mr. Stark?" Oh no, it's the kid... Tony thought, wondering why the universe was so cruel. Universe or whatever was out there- really out there. Poor Peter had to watch him die now. Tony knew just how painful that was, and he wished he had his voice so he could properly say goodbye to his protegé. He deserved at least that. "We won, Mr. Stark, you did it. We won." He kept repeating that, his voice cracking more by the second. Tony's heart tore in half as he watched the boy come to the horrible conclusion that his mentor wasn't going to get up, or talk to him again. How unfair to Peter, Tony thought.

Then Pepper was at his side, and Peter was gently pushed away. Tony wanted to smile. All this time, and he still loved Pepper with all his heart. So much for 'playboy'.

"Tony?" Tony looked at her, trying his hardest to pay attention to Pepper's words. He forced his eyes to stay open as long as they could to hear what she had to say to him. "We'll be okay. You can rest now." Rest... what a foreign concept. Tony couldn't remember a time where he wasn't worried about the fate of the world. He never rested if he could help it. He was always ready to take up the mantle of hero- still was. Now, though, his time was running out. Who would take care of everyone now? Who would make this world safe for Morgan, if he wasn't there?

No... the world had the Avengers to protect them. The world didn't need him anymore. He was free. There was nothing to be done anymore. Like Pepper said, he could rest now. And so Anthony Stark took his last breaths, watching Pepper struggle to hold in her tears. His stomach lurched. He never meant to make her cry, but somehow Pepper was always crying over him. In his very last moments, he tried to convey his love and appreciation for her. He looked past her to Peter, to Rhodey, to his other friends who were gathering around him, preparing to mourn.

Thank you all, for making my life worth living. For giving me a family when I was alone. You can do this without me.

Yes, the world was in capable hands. How could he ever doubt his friends? Pepper and Morgan would be well taken care of. Tony smiled one more time, his heartbeat slowing. He felt his breaths becoming shorter.

My time's almost up...

They all gathered around, everyone giving Pepper, Peter and Rhodey some space, but Tony could clearly see the tears shining in Cap's eyes. Now that he thought about it, it appeared a lot of people were crying.

How unfair. Tony thought, pitying them. It's my time to rest now, but they have to keep going... I got lucky, I suppose. Tony thought about it, then he felt his mouth twitch with the urge to smile. Everything would be alright now. He couldn't wait to find Natasha- wherever he was going. He wanted tell her that everything had turned out okay, and that she had done wonderfully. He could find his parents, now. And Yinsen. And everyone else he'd lost along the way. Then Pepper and Morgan would join him in their own time- his friends, too. The kid, Peter. Rhodey. Cap. Everyone else. He gave himself comfort in the idea that he'd see them all again.

And so, looking around one last time, Anthony Edward Stark remembered that moment, so he could take out and look at it, later. He looked around at the new players in the game, and knew they were the next generation of Avengers. The Original Six were gone, now, they were Legends. These people would take up their torch. Tony felt his heart swell with love for these people he was leaving behind. They were his legacy. And soon they would outshine all those that came before them. There would be trials ahead for them, of course, but together they would overcome them.

It ended up being just like Cap said so long ago. Together.

The shining hope in everyone's eyes was what Tony chose to focus on as he drew his last bout of air. Not the sadness or the tears, but the sense of unity among these beautiful people. Tony took his last breath, finally feeling his consciousness slipping.

Goodbye.