It's Always Been You

hundred forty-nine

Once the blinding white light subsided, the heroes all looked around as the enemy quickly turned to dust. Strange let Tony go from his magic hold, the two men watching Y/N collapse onto the ground.

"Y/N!!" Tony cried, rushing over to his wife. As he lifted her up to cradle her in his arms, he noticed the Stones were still seared into her arm and blood was trickling out of her nose and ears. "Honey, come on."

Steve was the next to notice the scene. "No!" He exclaimed as he ran over, causing others to see as well. "Y/N!" He fell to his knees beside the couple. Tears ran down both mens faces, creating pathways through the dirt and grime covering them.

"She's not breathing...."

"What?" Bucky gasped, suddenly appearing near them.

"She's not breathing..." Tony rocked back and forth, Y/N held close. "Don't do this... please... I can't- You can't-" He sobbed into the base of her limp neck as he clung to her and begged.

Clint was the first to get down on one knee in respect, the other heroes slowly following. Some bowed their heads, others shed tears, but they all felt an immense amount of pain and sorrow. Their hearts cracked a little more each time they heard a sob, whimper, or sniffle from one of the three men that loved Y/N the most.

With a hand on Steve's shoulder, Bucky collapsed next to his friend. "No..." he cried. "Doll..."

~~~

"Mom!" The boy's voice was worried. It sounded like it was underwater. "Mom! Wake up!" She groaned as someone began shaking her, still not opening her eyes. "Come on, mom! You did it! Wake up!"

"W-what...?" She rasped. She slowly blinked, trying to get her eyes used to the light and the orange tint around her. When her eyes finally focused on the boy leaned over her, she gasped. "AJ?"

"Hey, mom," he smiled.

"Where..." Y/N pushed herself up, with AJ's help. She studied her surroundings. She was at the cabin, laying on the grass. But it wasn't the cabin. "How did I-"

"You used the Stones. You did it, mom."

"I did it," she breathed out.

"Now you have a choice," the Ancient One's voice said. AJ and Y/N turned their heads to see Phil, Natasha, and the Ancient One standing there.

"Phil, Natasha?"

"Hey, Y/N," she greeted. "You did good."

"You did," the Ancient One agreed. "And now the Stones have given you a choice."

AJ helped Y/N to her feet. "What kind of choice?" She asked.

"Whether to stay here or go back... there are consequences, good and bad for either choice."

"I can't make that call," she shook her head. "I have family-children on either side of that equation. Why are they giving me a choice?"

"Because your journey is not over with the Stones, but they want it to be up to you."

"What do you mean?"

"If you choose to go back, you will be granted certain abilities. That you will not need the Stones to use. You will not be as powerful as you are when you channel all the Stones, but you will still be very powerful."

"And if I stay?"

"Your daughter would lose her mother and your husband, his wife. The whole team would be affected. But, there are many significant events that would still play out. They will just be harder-longer, without your help."