A New Beginning - Endgame Fixit

Death?

SNAP.

Whiteness flooded the landscape. Tony felt an unbelievable amount of pure energy surging through him. As the shock faded, he knew his chances of survival were dwindling by the second- he could still feel the power of the stones eating away at his life.

He blinked against the dizzying haze and watched his enemies turn to dust. The earth was safe now, and everyone they'd killed had been avenged. He finally felt the burden he'd carried since New York lifted from his shoulders.

Too weak to stand, he collapsed against some of the rubble, fighting to stay conscious as his vision glazed over. Someone was whispering something to him, but his focus was slipping. Faces surrounded him. The voices faded in and out, and what little he caught sounded a long way away.

"H-Hey, Mr. Stark...we won."

Peter. The kid he'd never thought he could bring back. Tony struggled to listen.

"you...sir...did it...I'm sorry..."

Tony knew exactly how the kid felt- he'd felt the same way five years ago when Peter turned to dust. It was like someone had ripped his heart out of his chest and crushed it while he helplessly watched. Tony wanted to hug him again, tell him it would be okay, but his body wouldn't listen and Pepper was already pulling the sobbing teenager to his feet.

She knelt down in front of him and he just barely felt her holding his hands. He tried so hard to speak, but all that came out was a barely audible whisper.

"Hey, Pep."

There were so many things he wanted to tell her, but he didn't even know if she'd heard him. All he could do was try and focus on her tear-filled eyes as his life slipped away.

He knew what she said was important, but his mind simply couldn't comprehend it. Words held no meaning, and his eyes slid out of focus.

The last thing he felt was her kiss on the side of his face before everything faded to black.