Steve's Diary

May 20, 2018

"World governments are... in pieces," Nat added. "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 50% of all living creatures."

Tony sat there thinking. "Where is he now? Where?" he demanded.

"We don't know," I answered. "He just opened a portal and walked through."

He sighed. "What's wrong with him?" he pointed at Thor, who was sitting in solitude.

"Oh, he's pissed," Rocket started. "Thinks he failed... which, of course, he did, but, y'know, there's a lot of that goin' around, ain't there?"

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

"Maybe I am," he joked.

"We've been hunting Thanos for three weeks now," I continued. "Deep space scans and satellites and we got nothing... Tony, you fought him-"

"Who told you that?" he countered. "I didn't fight him. He wiped my face with a planet while the Bleecker Street Magician gave away the store. That's what happened, there was no fight 'cause he's not beatable."

"Did he give you any clues, any coordinates, anything?" I wondered.

"Uh.." he sputtered, putting his hand to his head. "I saw this coming a few years back. I had a vision- I didn't wanna believe it. Thought I was dreaming."

"Tony, I'm gonna need you to focus," I told him, standing.

"And I needed you," he came back. "As in, past tense. That trumps what you need. It's too late, buddy. Sorry." He sniffled. "You know what I need? I need a shave," he stood. "And I remember telling all youse-" he pulled out his IV.

"Tony- Tony!" Rhodey yelled at him.

"Alive and otherwise," he went on. "That 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."

"Well, that didn't work out, did it?" I returned.

"I said we'd lose," he came at me. "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 'Pre-vengers.'"

"Okay," Rhodes took hold of him.

"Right?" Tony asked again.

"You made your point," Rhodes told him. "Just sit down, okay?"

"Okay. No, no, here's my point. You know what? She's great, by the way," he pointed at Carol.

"Tony, you're sick," Rhodes came back. "Sit down."

"We need you. You're new blood," he fought his way out of Rhodey's grip. "A bunch of tired old mules. I got nothing for you, Cap," he pointed in my face and got up close to me. "I got no coordinates, no clues, no strategies, no options. Zero. Zip. Nada. No trust, liar." He looked at me for a moment before pulling the Arc Reactor from his chest. "Here, take this," he placed it in my hand. "You find him, you put that on, you hide."

He fell to his knees. "Tony!" I went to his aid.

"I'm fine," he announced. "Let me..." he passed out on the floor.

We laid him down on the bed and waited to be sure he was okay.

"Bruce gave him a sedative," Rhodes informed us. "He's probably gonna be out for the rest of the day."