Steve wakes to see Tony, holding his shield.
Tony Stark: You lose this again, I'm keeping it.
y/n helps Steve up.
Steve Rogers: What happened?
Tony Stark: When you mess with time it tends to mess back.
Woozy, Steve follows Tony and y/n through the ruins of the lab.
Steve Rogers: Where are the others?
y/n: I read life signs, maybe 800 feet down, but it's hard to tell.
They reach the edge of the crater where Thor looks down at none other than Thanos. Sitting on a rock. Waiting.
Tony Stark: What's he been doing?
Thor: Absolutely nothing.
The four of them stare a long moment. Then, as if sensing them, Thanos turns his head and looks their way.
Steve Rogers: Where are the stones?
Tony Stark: Somewhere under all of this. All I know is he doesn't have 'em.
Steve Rogers: So we keep it that way.
That lands. This is their chance.
Thor: You know it's a trap.
Tony deploys his armour.
y/n: Yeah.
Tony Stark: We don't much care.
Thor: Good... just as long as we're all in agreement.
Thor holds out his hand, Mjolnir flies into it. He holds out his other hand- Stormbreaker follows suit. CRACK! Lightning strikes as his armour appears upon him.
Thor: Let's kill him properly this time.
Steve tightens his shield, leading them into the crater. Thanos sits on his rock, contemplative.
Thanos: You could not live with your own failure. And where did that bring you? Right back to me.
Tony approaches, wary. As if sneaking up on a rabid dog. Steve and Thor fan out on either side. y/n uses his new rocket boots to fly behind Thanos.
Thanos: I thought by eliminating half of life, the other half would thrive. But you've shown me that's impossible. Life clings to the past with bloody fingernails. As long as there are those who remember what was, there will be those unable to accept what can be. They will resist.
Tony Stark: Yep. We're all kinds of stubborn.
Thanos: I'm thankful. Because now I know what I must do.
Thanos reaches for his helmet.
y/n: Apologise and run home with your tail between your legs?
Thanos: I will shred this universe down to it's last atom. And then, with the stones you've collected for me, create a new one, teeming with life that knows not what it has lost, but only what it has been given. A grateful universe.
y/n: Oh...
Steve Rogers: Born out of blood.
Thanos studies Steve as if seeing him for the first time.
Thanos: They'll never know it.
Thanos draws a blade off his back, towering over them.
Thanos: Because you won't be alive to tell them.
