THANOS'S FORCES STARTED to vanish the same way half of humanity did five years ago. One by one they dusted away...ultimately leaving the Titan alone. He took a seat on a boulder, processing the fact that he had lost. The Avengers defeated him.
Iron Man did.
He let out one final breath before finally dusting away himself.
Tony hobbled toward a destroyed pillar, sliding against it until he ultimately sat down. He was in so much pain...as the energy of the stones practically fused his suit into the skin of his arm. The right side of his face was also affected by burns.
Rhodey landed in front of him, retracting the faceplate of his upgraded Iron Patriot suit. He walked up to his best friend and placed a hand on the back of his head. It was starting to hit him...the fact that he didn't have long.
Peter swung into the area. He immediately started jogging toward his mentor.
"Mr. Stark?" He called out.
Rhodey moved aside so that the teenager could have a moment with Tony. Peter knelt in front of him.
"Mr. Stark. Can you hear me?" He asked. "It's Peter."
Tony was barely able to move his head but still looked in the direction of the young man. He still couldn't say anything.
"Hey. We won, Mr. Stark." Peter said, but he was starting to realize that he was dying. "We won, Mr. Stark. We won! You did it, sir, you did it."
He started to cry, placing his hands on his chest as he sobbed. Pepper walked up to the teenager and started to help him up.
"I'm sorry." Peter sobbed. "Tony..."
Pepper crouched in front of Tony and put her hand on his arc reactor. Peter and Rhodey stood idly by and watched in sadness...along with many other heroes who stumbled upon the scene.
"Hey." She breathed out.
Tony moved his head a bit to get a better look at her and was able to muster a couple of words, albeit weakly. "Hey, Pep."
"Friday." Pepper spoke, and the AI in her suit knew what she was asking for.
"Life functions critical."
Tony started wandering his eyes around but Pepper made sure to get his attention.
"Tony. Look at me."
He did, letting out a weak groan as he turned his head.
"We're gonna be okay." She said, trying to keep her composure. "You can rest now."
Tony's wheezing stopped as he rested his head against the pillar. He had been holding the hand Pepper had on his chest and grasped it...until the grip was getting weaker. His arc reactor flickered until it ultimately shut off, his hand also letting go of Pepper's and falling to his side.
Tony Stark was dead.
Pepper leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, tears starting to stream down her face as she cried into his shoulder.
Steve and Thor looked on in despair. Y/N stood with Natasha, Maggie, and Nikolai by his side as they watched. His daughter began to sob as well and he held her close as she buried her face into his torso. Natasha crouched down and continue hugging her son.
Everybody was affected as they witnessed the death of the man who saved the planet...and possibly the universe. Clint got on a knee and lowered his head in respect.
T'Challa looked back and saw the act, then followed suit. Carol did as well. Peter Quill did so moments after and was followed by Nebula and Valkyrie.
Y/N lowered his head and got on a knee too, followed by Natasha and the rest of his family.
Scott knelt.
Thor knelt.
Steve knelt.
Shuri knelt.
Okoye knelt.
Drax and Mantis followed suit and showed their respect to the Avenger.
Doctor Strange stood for a bit, looking on at the hero who sacrificed his life to save everyone. He knew this would've happened...it had to happen. But it still hurt that he couldn't do anything else. He finally got on one knee too and lowered his head.
Almost every hero in the vicinity demonstrated their respect to the armored Avenger. Because of him, they were able to stave off the end of the world.
• • •
CLINT BARTON MADE it back home. The quinjet dropped him off and upon exiting he saw his kids running out of the house. He dropped his bags and immediately hugged both Lila and Cooper.
Laura had Nathaniel by her side and watched, the woman smiling at the sight.
Peter Parker returned to school weeks later. The hallways were filled with students looking forward to reuniting with their friends who went through the same vanishing they did. He stood in the middle of the crowd, looking for the person he was eager to see once again.
He looked to his right and finally spotted him. Peter smiled as Ned Leeds walked up to him, a look of awe on his face. They did their signature handshake which led to an embrace. Ned was on the verge of tears, and Peter pat his back as he tried to keep his emotions in check as well.
"Everybody wants a happy ending, right? But it doesn't always roll that way. Maybe this time. I'm hoping if you play this back, it's in celebration..."
Fireworks were seen in the night sky above. Scott was on the steps of their porch, with Hope sitting beside him and his daughter, Cassie, sitting on the step below. He ran his hands through her hair as he smiled at Hope. They continued looking up at the sky.
In Wakanda, T'Challa stood on the balcony. With his sister, Shuri, to his left and his mother, Ramonda, on his right, they looked upon the skyline of their kingdom.
"I hope families are reunited. I hope we get it back. And something like a normal version of the planet has been restored. If there ever was such a thing. God, what a world. Universe, now..."
Clint hugged Nathaniel and then walked up to Laura. She placed her hands on both sides of his face and smiled. She wanted to cry, but Clint kissed her before she can.
Walking out of the jet, Natasha and Y/N smiled at the Barton family. Lila, Cooper, and Nathaniel ran up to the two and embraced the couple as well. Behind them came out Maggie and Nikolai, and the three children wondered who they were. Y/N smiled as he was prepared to introduce them.
"If you told me 10 years ago that we weren't alone...let alone to this extent, I mean, I wouldn't have been surprised...but come on, who knew? The epic forces of darkness and light that have come into play. And for better or worse...that's the reality Morgan's gonna have to find a way to grow up in..."
They sat in the living room of Tony's lakeside home as the Iron Man helmet continued playing the recording. The hologram of Tony Stark sat on the chair as he kept speaking.
Pepper, Happy, and Morgan sat on the couch. Rhodey sat in a seat nearby. Steve and Thor were standing behind the couch. Y/N, Natasha, and their children were beside the two men.
"So I thought I'd probably better record a little greeting in the case of an untimely death. On my part. Not that death at any time isn't untimely. This time travel thing that we're going to try and pull off tomorrow...it's got me scratching my head about the survivability of it all. That's the thing. Then again, that's the hero gig, right? Part of the journey is the end."
Tony's hologram got up from his seat and started easing himself closer to the helmet. "What am I even tripping for? Everything is gonna work out exactly the way it's supposed to."
He looked at the helmet then glanced back up as if he knew Morgan was sitting in front of him. She looked back at the hologram of her father, a saddened expression still on her face. Tony smiled.
"I love you 3,000."
He then ended the message.
Everybody attended Tony Stark's funeral. The Guardians...the Wakandans...close friends and family...they were there as Pepper placed her soulmate's first-ever arc reactor, now enshrined, on the lake and let it float away.
Afterward, Wanda stood by the edge of the water as she looked upon the lake. She was told about her brother's sacrifice to acquire the Soul Stone, and although it took some time, she was able to cope with it...at least that's what she made herself believe.
Then she started to think about it more...
Vision was gone, killed right in front of her.
Pietro was gone, dead before she could even breathe after being revived.
What more can the world take from her? Was she destined to be in this much pain? Grief? Not being able to see Vision's body yet...Pietro's being lost somewhere in time and space. It made her sad...angry...rage—
The sound of footsteps snapped her out of her thoughts. She kept looking out as Y/N walked up beside her, hands in his pockets as he also gazed upon the water.
"I..." He began. "I wish there was a way to let him know...to let him know that we won."
Wanda took a breath in then exhaled, trying to separate herself from the feelings she had moments ago. She feigned a smile.
"He knows." She then thought of Vision. "They both do."
Y/N turned to the redhead and sighed. "He did what he did...because he loved you, Wanda. He loved all of us. He believed that there was going to be something after, he knew we were going to succeed."
She nodded and finally looked at Y/N. Her eyes were starting to water and her lips quivered.
"Please tell me..." Wanda said. "Tell me that he didn't die with guilt...or grief in his heart."
She knew that her death caused Pietro so much pain. Y/N would agree, remembering the months after the Snap and how sad he was. But the years following that were a different story.
"He was happy. We came together as a family...and he became our brother. Maggie and Nikolai loved him and he cared for them like they were his own. I can't thank him enough for that." Y/N replied. "He found love as well...something I was happy to see."
Y/N thought of Yelena. They tried to get in contact with her since the battle but she hadn't responded. He didn't want to think of it...but maybe a part of her already knew, and she was distancing herself for a bit. Y/N wanted to let her know that they were there for her.
"That's all I needed to hear." Wanda said in reply to his statement. "Thank you for being there for him, Y/N."
The super-soldier nodded and hugged the witch. They held the embrace as he spoke again.
"We'll always be here for you, Wanda. Remember that, okay?"
She nodded and the two kept embracing as they stood beside the lake.
• • •
THE DOOR OPENED and the two were greeted by May Parker. Y/N smiled at the lady as Maggie stood beside him on the other side of the door.
"Y/N. It's great to see you again." She greeted before looking at the teenager. "And Maggie, you're getting so big."
"I get that a lot." She replied with a chuckle.
The super soldier let out a soft laugh as well. Seeing May finally smile...genuinely in fact...made him happy. Every time he would visit during the last five years she seemed to always act as if she were okay, feigning smiles here and there. But this time he knew she was really happy.
"Please, come in." May told them.
Maggie and Y/N entered the apartment. Entering the living room, Peter Parker suddenly came out of the hallway.
"May? Who was at the door?" He asked before seeing their guests. He smiled and fixed his semi-messy hair. "Oh! Hey."
"Hello, Peter." Y/N greeted. "Sorry to come unannounced."
"Not a problem. Maybe I could've worn something aside from this Star Wars shirt but..." He then noticed Maggie beside him, remembering her from the battle weeks ago. "Hey, you're that girl."
"It sure is." She replied with a smile.
"You were pretty good back there."
"Not so bad yourself, Spider-Man."
Y/N smiled and chose to properly introduce her. "This is Maggie. My daughter."
Petter arched a brow and looked at the man. He could've sworn that Y/N didn't have a kid before he was blipped. He wondered if they adopted, or maybe the redhead was a long-lost daughter of his he found.
"I know that look." May remarked as she stared at Peter. "You're overthinking, honey."
Maggie chuckled as she noticed the teenager's expression as well. She didn't mind explaining what she was exactly.
"Long story short, I'm a clone of him and Black Widow. A few years ago some people tried to make me for evil...but instead, we prevailed. Now I'm here."
Peter crossed his arms and nodded. "Woah. So you could fight like them and everything?"
"Pretty much."
"That's pretty cool." He replied. "We might need to come up with some hero name for you."
Y/N placed a hand on Maggie's shoulder and looked at Peter. "That's coming from the guy who calls himself Spider-Man. I'd prefer we take our time with picking a name."
"It's way better than Freedom Fighter, man." Peter shot back with a smirk.
"Ooooh." Maggie expressed as she looked at her father. Y/N let out a chuckle.
"Touché."
May looked at her guests and spoke. "Would you two like to take home some food I made? It's lasagna. And trust me, it's good. If Peter likes it then everybody does."
"Yeah, it was good this time." Peter chimed in. "Thanks, May."
The moments Y/N was currently sharing with May and Peter brought a smile to his face. Maggie being there to see it too made him happy. He looked back at May and replied.
"Sure. We'd love to take some."
• • •
IT WAS TIME to take the Infinity Stones back to where they came from. Banner, Steve, Y/N, Sam, and Bucky stood in the forest beside the ruins of the Avengers Compound. Rogers wore his Captain America attire while everybody else had on their civilian clothing.
"Remember, you have to return the stones to the exact moment you got 'em or you're gonna open up a bunch of nasty alternative realities." Banner explained to Steve.
"Don't worry, Bruce." Steve said and closed the case containing the stones. "Clip all the branches."
Y/N stood beside his father and looked at him. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you? You don't have to do this alone."
"I'll be fine. Don't worry about it." He replied.
"You going to be okay?" The young man asked again.
Steve nodded and gave a smile. "Of course, son."
He started to walk over to the quantum portal that was built. Y/N watched as his father treaded away and Banner looked at the young soldier.
"You know, I tried." Banner told Y/N. "When I had the gauntlet, the stones, I really tried to bring him back."
He knew he was talking about Pietro. Y/N lowered his head and nodded.
"I'm sorry, Y/N." Banner added. "We're all going to miss him."
"And he'll always be in our hearts." He replied.
Sam caught up with Rogers as he made his way toward the machine and walked with him.
"I know you're probably a little hesitant about your kid going with you, with him having a family and all, but I could come with you if you want."
Steve stopped and turned to him. "You're a good man, Sam. This one's on me, though."
The Captain walked up to Bucky, who was in front of the machine waiting for him. Steve smiled at his best friend.
"Don't do anything stupid till I get back." Steve joked.
Bucky chuckled at the callback to their exchange decades ago before he was deployed.
"How can I?" He replied. "You're taking all the stupid with you."
The two embraced for a moment before pulling away.
"Gonna miss you, buddy." Bucky added.
"It's gonna be okay, Buck."
Steve stepped onto the platform and activated his time travel suit. He held the briefcase and then picked up Mjölnir that was on the floor. Banner started to turn on the machine.
"How long is this gonna take?" Sam asked.
"For him, as long as he needs. For us, five seconds." Banner answered, then called out to Steve. "You ready, Cap?"
Steve turned back and nodded, then looked at Y/N who was standing beside Sam. The young man was smiling, which made the older super-soldier smile as well. He'd see him again soon...but not in a way he'd expect. Father and son exchanged nods before Banner spoke again.
"All right, we'll meet you back here, okay?"
"You bet." Steve said before activating his helmet.
"Going quantum." Bruce called out as he turned the knobs. "Three...two...one."
Rogers was immediately shrunk and transported into the quantum realm. Banner continued to press buttons and flip switches.
"And returning in five...four...three...two...one."
Sam, Y/N, and Banner expected to see Captain America back on the platform...but he didn't. Banner looked on in confusion as he peered at the screen on his console.
"Where is he?" Y/N asked.
"I don't know. He blew right by his time stamp." Banner replied. "He should be here."
"Well, get him back." Sam said
"I'm trying."
"Get him the hell back."
"Hey, I said I'm trying."
Suddenly, Bucky called out to them. "Guys."
They looked in his direction and saw Bucky staring out onto the lake nearby. Y/N and Sam walked up to him and saw what he was looking at...an old man sitting on a bench by a tree.
The trio trod closer to the man and stopped a good distance away. Y/N wondered who this man was, but the more he thought about it...the more he was beginning to realize who it could be. Bucky glanced at his nephew and softly smiled.
"Go ahead."
Y/N looked at him, then back at the sitting old man. He started walking up to him, leaving Sam and Bucky behind. The metal-armed man turned to the Air Force veteran.
"Let's give them some space." He said, in which Sam smiled and gave a nod before walking off with him.
Y/N stopped beside the bench and looked at the man. Just by his facial features alone, and even his posture when sitting, it indicated that it was Steve.
"Dad?"
"Hi, son." Steve greeted and turned to him.
He didn't know what to ask him. Y/N started to question what happened during his quest to return the stones and why he was an old man now.
"Wha...what happened?" He asked. "Did something go wrong?"
"Well, after I put the stones back, I thought..." Steve let out a sigh. "I thought about what I had left behind. When I fell into the water...I lost the chance to be with your mom...to raise you with her. So...I tried some of that life Tony was telling me to get."
Y/N nodded as he took in his father's words. He knew exactly what he did after completing his mission. He gave his father a soft smile.
"And how was it?" Y/N asked.
"It was beautiful."
The fact that his father was able to live the life he wanted...the life he deserved...made the young super soldier happy. Steve was able to go back in time and be a husband to Peggy and a father to that timeline's Y/N. It was something he wished he had experienced himself, but Y/N was glad Rogers was able to.
"I'm very happy to hear that, dad. Truly." He replied.
"Thank you."
"I just hope you took me to as many Dodgers games as I wanted." Y/N said with a chuckle.
Steve laughed as well. "Trust me, I did."
Y/N put his hands into his pockets and looked out onto the lake in front of them.
"Only thing that sucks is the fact that we now have to live in a world without Captain America." He said.
"Oh." Steve picked up the circular leather bag and placed it between them. "That reminds me."
He opened it up and inside was Steve's shield. It looked exactly like the one he's always had aside from a few new notches on the star itself. After it had been destroyed by Thanos, Y/N never thought he'd see it again.
"Wow. That's neat." Y/N remarked with a smile.
Steve looked up at his son. "Try it on."
Y/N's smile disappeared and his expression changed from one of glee to awe. He looked to his right, seeing Sam and Bucky standing and looking at them. Bucky gave a nod.
The young super soldier picked up the shield, putting his left arm through the straps and holding it up by his chest.
"How does it feel?" Steve asked.
"I..." Y/N had a hard time mustering words. "I don't know. I don't know if I can. This belongs to you."
"No, it doesn't." Steve replied and gave a reassuring smile. "Bucky and I talked about it for a while. And we both know the kind of man you are. I do firsthand."
Y/N took a breath in and looked up at the clouds, then gazed back down at the shield he was holding. Finally, he smiled again and turned to his father.
"Thank you." He said. "I'll do my best."
"I know you will, son." Steve replied and grasped his hand. "That's why it's yours."
The old man slowly got up and hugged Y/N, with the young man embracing tighter all while making sure not to harm the elder. Sam and Bucky watched as father and son had their moment, before walking up to them to catch up with the man out of time themselves.
Steve and Peggy danced in the living room of their home as "It's Been a Long, Long Time" by Harry James played through their record player. Peggy had her face nestled against his chest as Steve rested his own against the top of her head.
They continued moving to the music. Steve looked down at his wife. She looked up as well, smiling before their lips connected.
They savored the moment and Steve pulled away to look into Peggy's eyes again.
"Have I told you that you're the love of my life?" He asked.
"Almost every day." Peggy replied. "I'm starting to run out of compliments to tell you, darling."
Steve chuckled and kissed her again. Suddenly, they could hear footsteps scurrying down the hall and it wasn't long until they reached the living room.
"Ma! Ma! I can't find my cowboy hat." The five-year-old Y/N announced. He was wearing his usual cowboy get-up, a gift of his thanks to uncle Howard Stark.
"Maybe you left it at James's place, sweetheart." Peggy replied as he turned to her son. "Like the last time he found your book under his sofa."
"Bucky's coming later today, so we'll ask him." Steve said then walked up to his son and carried him. "What were you playing?"
"I'm a sheriff taking down bad guys! Can you wear a bandana and be one?"
"How about you and me become the cowboys and mom is the bandit?" He glanced and Peggy before looking back at Y/N. "We should make some distance so that she doesn't hear our plans to take her down!"
Steve gleefully ran down the hallway while carrying his laughing son, leaving Peggy in the living room shaking her head. She let out a soft laugh.
"Those boys..."
• • •
Y/N AND HIS FAMILY were able to get a home by The Waterfront in Jersey City, New Jersey. Even if the compound were to be rebuilt down the line, the young man thought their new abode would be the place they could settle in for a while.
They had been living there for a couple of weeks now. Some boxes were still unpacked, mostly Y/N's to Natasha's annoyance, and some appliances still needed to be delivered. Y/N sat at the island in the kitchen while on the phone, trying to figure out why their deliveries were taking long.
"Yeah...yeah. Okay. I understand." He spoke into the phone. Natasha walked into the kitchen and saw him.
He continued. "I was just wondering why. But yeah, I completely understand."
Natasha snuck behind her husband and ran her hands along his shoulders. It startled him for a second but he relaxed upon the realization that it was her. He kept talking to the phone, but Natasha started to plant kisses down his neck.
"Uh...yeah. It's fine." He continued despite his arousal at the situation. "Just let me know if there are any more hiccups. Okay. Thank you."
He finally hung up, to Natasha's delight. Y/N turned to her and chuckled.
"You're something else, you know that?" He remarked then planted a kiss on her lips.
"I like seeing you all flustered. It's cute." She replied. "So what is the breaking news on our laundry machine?"
"Well, it's still on the way. There's a bunch of delays and stuff, not only for us but for other people. You know...half of all humans back and all."
Natasha nodded. "Understandable."
Suddenly, the doorbell rang and got the couple's attention. Y/N went over and opened the door, a surprised look on his face upon seeing who it was.
Nick Fury.
He wasn't in his usual getup that included a trench coat, vest, and black clothing. But instead, he wore seemingly normal attire...which was a jacket and a beanie. He wore sunglasses instead of his eyepatch.
"Nick." Y/N greeted with a smile. He hadn't seen him since their brief reunion at Tony's funeral. Natasha walked up beside her husband and saw Fury as well.
"Mister and Missus Carter." He replied with a smile. "I hope I didn't show up at a bad time."
"You didn't." Natasha said. "Come in."
Fury walked through the corridor and into the living room. There he saw Nikolai on the carpet playing with his toys while Maggie sat on the sofa reading. This was the first time he's seeing them since he had to leave abruptly during the funeral and didn't get to properly meet them there.
"Maggie. Nikolai." Natasha called her children. "There is someone I'd like you two to meet."
Fury glanced at Natasha and smirked. "Nikolai, huh?"
"Don't inflate your ego." She replied with an eye roll. "It was a decent name, too."
He chuckled and went over to the children. He knelt to be at the boy's level as he spoke to him but also looked up to engage with Maggie. Y/N and Natasha watched them begin to talk and smiled.
"Didn't know Nick had a soft spot for kids." Y/N remarked with his arms crossed.
"Oh, he's a softie for sure, behind that cold exterior and pirate look." Natasha replied.
Y/N chuckled and put an arm around his wife, planting a kiss on the side of her head as well. The moment mirrored how happy and content they were five years ago after accepting the new life they were going to live. Except now it was different...everybody they lost had returned.
Because of Pietro...the lives that were lost had been restored.
Because of Tony...the world was saved.
They will forever be remembered, both in their hearts and many others.
Y/N caressed the side of Natasha's arm and held her close. They had to continue, not only as the heroes they were...but as partners and parents. They knew each thing had its own obstacles to tackle.
Natasha looked at her children as they continued talking to Nick Fury. She titled her head towards her husband.
"We should get in there before he starts recruiting them." She joked.
Y/N nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right."
The two shared a laugh before walking toward the trio and joining them in their conversation.
END OF: ENDGAME