Chapter Text
Tony woke up with a start, gasping like a fish out of water, the sudden movement jerking his stab wound. His laboured breathing eventually settled down enough for his vision to come back and he took a look around him. Before he had the chance to fully come back to his senses, a voice startled him.
« You fainted. » Nebula said simply as she approached him. She paused, looking like she had a lot to say and, at the same time, did not know what to say. Finally, the cyborg breathed out without uttering a word as the weight of the recent events came crashing down on both their shoulders. He looked down at his hand which was still covered in Peter’s ashes. Good god. His felt his face tense up in a sob, yet he was unable to cry. He brought his hand to his chest and clutched it protectively. For a moment, they both stilled in a silent mourn before Nebula spoke. « We’re almost there. From what I gathered your team, The Avengers, were in a sector of your planet called Wakanda. » Tony simply nodded, his head too full and heavy to formulate any coherent phrases. He tried to get up from the bench he had been lying on, but without the adrenaline, his legs failed him and gave out under his body weight. Before he could hit the floor Nebula caught him. « You should stay down. » Tony eyed her and pointed towards the pilot’s chair. « Bring me? » Tony whispered Nebula simply nodded and complied.
Tony’s breath hitched as he was flopped down in front of the dash. Had the situation been different, he would certainly have raved over the technology of Star-lord’s ship. Today, it barely registered in his brain. His eyes were focused on the approaching planet he called home, looking awfully frail in the vast expense of the galaxy. For all he knew, he could be the only one left. Pepper, Rhodes, Happy, Bruce, Fury, his old team could have all evaporated like Peter did. Cap also could be gone. The thought jerked his worn out heart violently. Out of reflex, he clutched his empty left pocket where he stored that goddamn excuse of a phone for two years. Steve could be dead. Everyone could be dead just like Peter. This time, the thought hit home hard, twisting his stomach in a violent vice, making him gag. As he clamped a hand over his mouth, Nebula turned towards him, concern clear in her face, but simply said « We’re entering the earth’s gravitational field, Ironman. »
Home, sweet home.
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Natasha came running to Steve, shaking him out of his painful trance abruptly. « Cap. Steve. We’ve got incoming. A non-identified ship just landed in Wakanda. » Steve looked at her, his gears turning slower than they ever have since the day he took the serum. « Steve, are you with me? Come on, get it together. » With that, he snapped back into Captain America mode like a released rubber band and nodded firmly before following the spy.
The ship looked alien, if that wasn’t stating the obvious. The Wakandan guards, at least the ones who were still alive, were already forming a perimeter around it. Steve arrived beside Thor and Rocket who were standing the closest to the ship. « What’s going on? »
« This is my crew’s ship. They’re stupid but it’s unlike them to come unannounced. » said the raccoon. As if on cue, the ship’s doors opened and Steve and Thor stalked forward, shield and hammer in hand. A few moments passed before two shapes materialized themselves. Steve’s breath caught in his chest. There was Tony, supported by an alien looking woman.
Tony. Tony is alive.
Steve heard himself yell « TONY! » and before he could register his own mouvements, he was already running at full speed. Tony barely had time to look up before being knocked away from Nebula into a fierce hug. « Tony. Oh, Tony, I thought you were dead. » Steve said his voice breaking as he kept on mumbling and crushing the smaller body against his, making Tony’s wound scream in agony.
And then Tony finally registered.
Steve is alive. Warm, solid and alive.
Before he could hold himself back, Tony latched onto the broad shoulders like a life jacket and wailed. He has never cried in front of the team. But the feeling of massive loss, of fear, of failure came crashing down on Tony like a tsunami, breaking his last barriers. Steve responded by gripping him harder, making his wound protest again. But Tony didn’t care. He just squeezed harder and nuzzled his face into Steve’s neck, inhaling the familiar musky scent and sobbing without saying a word.
« Where’s my crew? » Rocket said sharply, snapping the moment. Steve loosened his grip just enough to be able to turn his head. Tony stayed quiet and the alien avoided the raccoon’s gaze. Rocket closed the distance between him and the alien and repeated. « Where. Is. My. Crew. » When he was met with silence again, he yelled. « Nebula, goddammit, where is my crew?! » The said Nebula squeezed her eyes shut before talking, her tone almost too soft to be heard.
« They are gone. » Tony flinched in Steve's arms and hugged him harder while Rocket just stood there. His mouth opened and closed, making little noises, but no words seemed to be coming out of him. « I’m sorry. » Nebula finally said, her head dropping as her lips were pressed into a tight line. Thor kneeled next to Rocket and brought him to his chest, petting his head. « I’m sorry, rabbit. » And then a heavy silence settled and no one dared to move for a little while. It took a second for Steve to register that Tony was still. Too still.
« Tony? » When the smaller man didn’t respond, he pulled back a bit, realizing that Tony had gone completely limp in his arms. « Oh god, Tony? Wake up. Tony. » Things shuffled around him and Nebula hurried to his side. « He’s severely wounded and has lost a lot of blood. We have to get him help as soon as possible. » And, for the first time since the arrival of the ship, Steve noticed the blood soaking through Tony’s clothes and cursed. « We need to get him to the medics. » He said as he picked up the genius as gently as he could. « Don’t you dare leave me, Tony. Not you too. »