After Infinity War

Part 41

TONY

'FRIDAY, go mute.' I say as it warns me of my increasing heart rate. My head is a mess, all I can think about is Steve. I had him back for less than a week, and he's gone. I fly faster.
The doors haven't opened yet and I come to a stop in front of Okoye who was leading the army of Wakanda. I start to walk towards the ship and notice Peter swinging along the trees beside me.
'Mr.Stark what's the plan?' He asks.
'No plan, kid. Just got to do it.' I say as the doors start to open.
I see Carol a little to my left fighting multiple people off at once. The way she fights reminds me of Thor, a dark green light surrounding her, able to almost control the elements around her.
'The gate's broken.' She shouts as she sees me, 'The other half of the world is back, we need to act now.'
I stop as hundreds more of the enemy pour out, followed by Thanos.
He flexes his left hand, the glove still holding all the infinity stones. He doesn't say anything, just looks at me.
'It seems,' he says, at last, 'I shouldn't have let you live the last time.'
'You killed my friend.' I say, standing closest to him, Okoye, Peter and several Wakandan people behind me, 'and you took away half the world. You're damn right you should have killed me because I'm not going to let you live.'
'You never seemed to understand why I did what I did. I don't want...destruction. I don't want this loss you feel. I've felt it too. I did this for the world, to save it. No one seems to understand it.' Thanos says, holding his army back from fighting.
'It was not your place to decide how to save this world.' Okoye says, stepping beside me.
'It wasn't anyone's place, which is why it had to happen.' Thanos says, 'but it seems I was too kind. I cannot leave any who pose a threat. So, Ironman,' He says in a taunting way, 'there's no one to bargain you out this time.'
I start to run towards him as he releases his army on us. All his ranks come to the south, leaving all the others with no one to fight. This has become the final battle.
While some remain protecting their sides, many come round to help us with the main battle. Thor, Natasha, Bruce and Clint all turn up quite quickly, fighting alongside me, as well as Rhodey who had joined the fight a while back without me knowing.
I keep my eye on Thanos and put all my efforts on him. He barely puts up a fight against me, just toys around. But I quickly get into the swing of it and find his weaknesses.
'I told you once I admire you, Tony.' He says, blocking one of my shots with his glove, 'It remains true. You are the only one who understood total destruction and whilst we had different ideas on how to stop it, we both realise it has to be stopped.'
'Our total destructions are different things.' I say, rolling out of the way as he goes for a punch. 'You lost the only thing you love for this incomplete world.' I manage to hit him in the chest and he falls to the ground, 'Was it worth it?' I ask.
He stands quicker than I expected and he's emotional. He's not fighting with logic but with anger. I know this is my chance.
I aim for his head but realise that this all comes down to the stones. Peter swings round behind Thanos and throws a web to his glove just as I change direction and shoot at it.
The power and positioning of the glove along with Peter's pull and Thanos's distraction made it so that the glove comes off of his hand. But his momentum doesn't stop and at only a metre away he had obtained a knife and throws himself at me.
The glove hits the floor just as the knife goes into the centre of my chest, where I first had the contraption to stop the shrapnel getting to my heart. The blue glow dips and the metal cracks and I fall to my knees.
'Mr.Stark!' Peter shouts. He throws a load of webs at Thanos who is briefly obtained, 'no, no.' He says, hovering just above me.
'Hey, kid. Kid. It's alright.' I say, pulling him down beside me.
'Help!' Peter shouts, his eyes filling with tears, he calls out again and his voice cracks. A woman dressed in Wakandan attire rushes over, attempts to press down on the wound.
'Hey Pete.' I say, trying to divert his attention, 'it's okay. It's okay.'
'It's not. You're not dying. You don't die.' He says. And I realise how the kid sees me now. He's made me into a hero. A role model even. It hurts to watch him, crying all those tears for me.
His hand clutches my wrist, holding tight. Peter supports my back as I lose control, dropping to the floor.
'This is okay.' I say. But he shakes his head, doesn't listen.
'But your kid, what about your son?' He says, tears falling down his cheek. I hesitate. For a moment, consider, as though I have a choice in whether or not I die. And a world goes by in my head, we're I survive, watch him grow up. But I know that I have no chance. That this is it. However many times I've evaded death, this is it.
'He'll be alright.' I say with confidence, 'He'll be okay. He's got Pepper. And he's got a big family to look after him.' The effects start taking place. Carol moves over to take charge of fighting Thanos and I see her handle him well.
'But I just got back.' He says, 'What do I...how do...' he's sobbing and clutching me like he did when we were up in space. Except this time the positions are reversed. And I find that, despite everything, I am okay. I know I would have traded my life for Peter's any second of the year he was gone. I am okay with this.
'I trust you Pete. I know you'll do good.' I let out a groan and I know I'm running out of time, 'You tell Pepper I love her okay? You tell her I love her. And you make sure Peter knows I love him too. And you're going to be good too okay? You're going to go back to your Aunt May and do great things.'
'I don't want you to go.' He says, clutching onto my arms.
'Tony?!' I hear a shout from far off, maybe Natasha.
'I love you kid, okay? You're a good one.' I manage, the pain in my stomach subsiding, a dull ache taking over my body.
'I love you too.' Peter says, nodding and crying, clutching onto me. The Wakandan woman has stepped back now, unable to do anything. 'Thank you so much, Mr.Stark. Thank you so much.'
I lock eyes with him for a second, try to raise my left hand, wipe his eyes, but I don't have time. I lose control, lose focus and stare at the sky above me. I hear another shout and two more figures appear beside me. One starts to shake me but I do not respond.
I don't really process what is happening, but I find myself thinking back to eleven years ago, when I was captive and was made to make the Ironman suit. I think of Ho Yinson, the man who helped get me out of the cave, but only for a moment. My mind falls to Pepper and my son. I wish I could see my son grow up, I wish I could grow old with Pepper. But I made this world mine to protect.
My hand goes slack in Peter's clutch and my eyes don't shut but everything fades to white. And while there is a lot I regret, I find that I am ready.