Endgame (Steve, Bucky, Thor) Book 6

1.

With that, Tony turns the helmet off. He rubs his thumb over the left eye, and then leans down, to what would be his last sleep.

Nebula walks over to him, and carries him to Drax's seat, and lies him there. She walks away dejected.

Up close on Tony's face, which for the first time shows age and weakness. There is a light on his face, which grows brighter and brighter until he's forced to open his eyes.

The camera pans around to the light source, which is slowly revealed to be Carol Danvers.

....

A bathroom in the Avengers compound.

Steve runs a hand on his beard, staring into his reflection. Steve picks up the razor and starts to wash away his beard. Rogers washes his blade with a sigh and dries his face.

Steve tosses the towel aside.

Having just shaved off his beard. Steve looks into a side mirror. The mirror suddenly starts shaking, slowly at first, and then severely.

"What's going on." Steve ask

....

On the yard in the Avengers Compound.

We see Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Bruce Banner, and James Rhodes walking out looking at something, the Benatar carried by Carol Danvers as she lands the spacecraft.

The landing gears deploy as they touch down. The entry hatch opens, and Tony and Nebula walk out, Tony being supported by Nebula. Steve runs to Tony to help him stand up. Tony grips Steve's arm as he joins him

"Couldn't stop him." Tony says "Neither could I." Steve says

"I lost my kid." Tony says

"Tony, we lost." Steve says

"Is, uh...?" Tony says, Tony struggles to ask about Pepper. "Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" Pepper says, She and Tony embrace.

"It's okay." Tony says

....

In the Avengers Compound.

The heroes are sitting in the living room area. Tony is sitting at a table, getting blood for healing. Loki was in a room, far from the talk, he doesn't want to hear, his sisters death playing underneath his eyelids.

"It's been 23 days since Thanos came to Earth." Rhodey says

"World governments are in pieces. The parts that are still working are trying to take a census. And it looks like he did... he did exactly what he said he was gonna do. Thanos wiped out fifty percent, of all living creatures." Natasha says

"Where is he now? Where?" Tony asked "We don't know. He just opened a portal and walked through." Steve says

A sullen-looking Thor is sitting on a bench, seemingly deep in thought. "What's wrong with him?" Tony ask

"Oh, he's pissed. He thinks he failed. Which of course he did, but you know there's a lot of that's going around, ain't there?" Rocket says

"He lost his wife." Rhodey practically growls at his insensitivity. Tony and Steve look down in pain.

Tony swallows down the snarl and he speaks.

"Honestly, until this exact second, I thought you were a Build-A-Bear." Tony says

"Maybe I am." Rocket says

"We've been hunting Thanos for three weeks now. Deep Space scans, and satellites, and we got nothing. Tony, you fought him." Steve says

"Who told you that? [Surprised] I didn't fight him. No, he wiped my face with a planet while the Bleecker Street Magician gave away the stone. That's what happened. There was no fight." Tony says

"Okay." Steve says

"He's unbeatable." Tony says

"Did he give you any clues, any coordinates, anything?" Steve says "Pfft! I saw this coming a few years back. I had a vision. I didn't want to believe it. Thought I was dreaming." Tony says

"Tony, I'm gonna need you to focus." Steve says

"And I needed you, Dany needed you. As in past tense. That trumps what you need. It's too late buddy. Sorry. You know what I need?" Tony ask

Tony stands, pushing things off the table with a clatter. Everyone winces at the noise. "I need to shave. And I believe I remember telling all youse." Tony says

Tony goes for Steve. Rhodey quickly comes in front of him, trying to stop him.

"Tony, Tony, Tony!" Rhodey exclaims

"Alive and otherwise what we needed was a suit of armor around the world! Remember that? Whether it impacted our precious freedoms or not- that's what we needed!" Tony says

"Well, that didn't work out, did it?" Steve says

"I said, we'd lose. You said, We'll do that together too. And guess what, cap? We lost. And you weren't there. But that's what we do, right? Our best work after the fact? We're the Avengers, we're the Avengers. Not the Prevengers." Tony says

"Okay." Rhodey says "Right?" Tony says "You made your point. Just sit down." Rhodey says
"Okay..." Tony says "Okay?" Rhodey says "Nah, nah. Here's my point. You know what?" Tony says

"Tony, you're sick." Rhodey says

"She's great, by the way." Tony says, referring to Carol

"Sit down. Sit." Rhodey says "We need you. You're new blood. Bunch of tired old mules! I got nothing for you, cap! I got no coordinates, no clues, no strategies, no options. Zero. Zip. Nada. No trust. Liar." Tony says

Steve looks affected by Tony's words. The old friends just gaze at each other. After a moment, Tony rips his Arc Reactor from his chest and shoves it into Steve's hand.

"Here, take this. You find him, and you put that on. You hide." Tony says

Tony falls to the ground. Steve is by his side and everyone is starting to gather. "Tony!" Steve exclaims "I'm fine. I..." Tony says

Tony falls into a heap, unconscious.

Tony is now on a bed, with Pepper at his side.