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Tony stepped out of the spaceship, determined to move on his own accord. He needed to see Hermione. He needed to know…
He should have stayed retired. But when Cap had come to him, begging him to come and help them in the fight against Thanos, saying they needed every person they could find, Hermione had encouraged him to help. She had even said if she wasn’t pregnant, she would help herself.
Tony was hesitant at first, not wanting to leave his wife in her delicate condition. They had been trying so hard for so long for the miracle currently growing inside of her, he didn't know if he wanted to leave her unprotected with Thanos and his ilk invading the Earth.
She reassured him she would be fine. She would go to the kids’ school and use their secrecy and protection, she would be completely safe.
So, he left. He ended up with space with Spiderman and Doctor Strange, and then things just went to Hell. and he watched as the first time in his experience as a superhero they lost. They actually lost, and Thanos snapped away half the population of the world. And he was stranded.
Until he wasn’t.
Now, he was back on Earth, and weak, but he needed to see Hermione, hold her and the kids. Be reassured they were fine.
As he looked out across the crowd of people, mostly Avengers, in the room to greet him, he couldn’t find her.
He could feel his legs trying to give out from beneath him, but he kept powering on, ignoring everyone around him, looking for Hermione.
He finally saw the familiar face of his brother in law. Harry’s bespectacled gaze looked at him, and he didn’t need to know anything else. It told him everything he needed to know.
He felt the air leave his lungs, and he was about to collapse to the ground when he heard it.
“Dad!”
He looked back at Harry, and next to him were his kids. Their faces tear streaked.
He opened his arms, and they came running into them, wrapping their small arms around his thin body. Even though he was weak, he clutched his children to him with all the strength he could muster.
“She just turned into dust right in front of us,” Rose cried into his chest.
“We thought you had turned to dust, too,” Hugo sobbed. “We thought we were going to be orphans.”
“No,” Tony managed to croak out, his throat constricting. “No, I’m here. I will never leave you.”
Tony could feel his strength leaving him, but he didn’t want to let go of his kids. He felt strong arms wrap around his upper body to help hold him steady. He looked behind to see Cap holding on to him.
“I’ve got you,” he said.
“What am I going to do, Cap?” Tony asked.
“We’re going to mourn, Tony. And then we’re going to do everything we can to fix this. And until then, you won’t be alone. You have your family here. Your whole family.”
And not for the first time, he was thankful he left on good terms with everyone. He was now a single dad who needed to split his time between taking care of his kids and getting his wife back.
He was going to need all the help he could get.