Chapter Text
"How can you let them do this, Professor?"
Angry, Tony's eyes darted back and forth between the members of the same team he once considered his family. He felt like a wild animal, backed into a corner, their betrayal weighing heavy on his heart.
"He has triggered an incursion that annihilated a whole other universe. We can't just let him…"
"Shut it, no one's talking to you, Richards!"
"Tony, please calm down," Captain Carter tried to pacify him by reaching out for his arm, but he beat her hand away.
"No, Peggy, I will not let you kill him!" Tony Stark was dead set on fighting for the life of the man he loved.
Meanwhile, Stephen just knelt there in the rubble of a dead world, silently awaiting his punishment. He had long since accepted his fate.
Tony just wanted to scream at him, shake him, to get a reaction out of him, to tell him to fight or plead for his life. But he couldn't. He had to find a diplomatic way to change their mind because Tony knew they would beat him tenfold in a physical battle.
"I want to talk to the Professor! Alone!" Tony knew his only option was to get him on their side.
"No!" Captain Rambeau vetoed, but the professor shook his head.
"Let him plead his case. We are not in a hurry." Although his voice was calm, Xavier's eyes showed how upset he himself was about the whole situation.
Tony nodded towards their spaceship. "Let's go somewhere to talk in private."
With a nod, Xavier accepted and followed Tony up the ramp into the mess of the spaceship.
"I can not let them do that, Chuck!" Tony screamed once they were out of earshot.
Xavier obviously didn't appreciate the nickname, but he remained silent.
"He did what he did because he was desperate!"
"That does not excuse what he did, Tony."
"What happened to, 'Just 'cause someone stumbles and loses their way, doesn't mean they're lost forever'? Where is Stephen's second chance? I have done horrible things too! I enslaved a whole damn city with a nanotech virus, yet the Illuminati took me back in after Stephen saved me!" That was true. In fact, he hadn't even been himself again long enough to revert his armor back to its old color scheme and design. It was still the chrome sparkling monstrosity 'Superior Iron Man' had built.
"That was different! You were corrupted by an otherworldly entity!"
"And how do you know he isn't? It all started when he got this damn book! It ruined everything." Tony stepped to the window of the spaceship and peered at the waiting people outside.
"Tony... There is nothing I can do…" The voice of the professor was soft and full of compassion.
"That is not true, Charles. You could use your powers—make them forget us… make the world forget us."
"I cannot make them forget him, Tony. Too much has happened. He has done too much harm. We cannot explain that away."
"But you could make them forget me?"
The professor nodded slowly.
"Can you alter their memories? Make them believe they killed him, without really killing him?" He gestured to the other Illuminati outside.
"Tony…"
"Can you do that, Charles?" Tony repeated.
"Yes, I could do that, but–"
"Then do it! I promise you we're gonna leave and we'll come nowhere near the earth ever again!" Tony knelt by Xavier's wheelchair and took the older man's hand. "Please, Charles! I'm not above begging for his life."
"Tony, please…"
"I beg you, Charles. He is all I have left."
The professor closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I have one condition." He said after what felt like an eternity.
"Whatever you want!" Tears of relief ran down Tony's cheeks.
"You leave the Darkhold behind for safekeeping in the Sanctum Sanctorum."
"That is acceptable."
"Nobody will remember you and nobody will recognize you. Be aware of that."
Tony nodded.
"...and if anything happened to me, this would be irreversible."
"As long as he remembers me, it will be enough. For everything else, we will make a new life for ourselves out there."
Xavier didn't answer. He just looked at him for what must have been two minutes straight, possibly to assess Tony's thoughts. Then he nodded slowly. "Let us do it. Follow my lead and play along."
"Of course! Thank you, Charles."
"Now, get up and let's go back to the others. They have waited long enough."
Wordlessly, Tony followed the professor.
"Can we now please finish this?" Captain Marvel called with her arms crossed in front of her chest, and her foot tapping.
"You just can't wait to kill your teammate, right Rambeau?" Tony asked, his tone bitter.
"Stop it, Tony! None of us takes joy in the situation, but it needs to be done. We agreed," Captain Carter said.
Suddenly, Tony saw a picture of himself before his inner eye: he threw himself desperately at Stephen as if to protect the sorcerer. Blinking, he looked up and caught a glimpse of the professor lowering his hand, away from his temple where two fingers had just rested. Tony realized the image had been a command from Xavier, so he did as he was told, activated his armor as he threw himself protectively between the Illuminati and Stephen.
"I won't let you have him! Not without a fight!"
"Tony, please be reasonable!" Careful, Peggy helped him back to his feet and tore him away from Stephen.
Tony struggled, but just enough to be convincing, without using enough force to actually break free.
Peggy pulled him back into their ranks to keep him out of the way. He could feel strong arms reaching around him, unbudging and inescapable.
"Calm down, it will soon be over," Rambeau said.
"I shall miss you, my friend," Xavier said to Stephen, who blinked away his tears, swallowed and answered, "I'm ready."
"Nooo! Tony wailed, struggling against Rambeau's grip, suddenly doubting that Xavier would really keep his end of the bargain.
Black Bolt moved into position and milliseconds before he could open his mouth, the Illuminati froze as if time had stopped. It took Tony a moment to realize that the dusty wind still blew through the old Titanian ruins. With a desperate outcry, Tony retracted his armor, wiggled out of Rambeau's petrified arms and ran to Stephen, where he threw himself onto his knees to hug his baffled sorcerer with all the strength he could muster.
"Tony? What happened?" Not comprehending what was going on, Stephen looked around until Xavier approached them. Realization flashed over his face. "What have you done, Charles?"
The professor gave him a sad smile. "I have been convinced that we all deserve a second chance."
"You can't–" Stephen starts, but Xavier holds up his hand.
"There are certain conditions, of course."
"Of course." Stephen lowered his eyes. "What are they?"
"You can't return to earth," the professor said.
Stephen nodded.
"The world will forget Tony Stark," Xavier continued.
"No! Why?" In a panic, Stephen's eyes darted between Xavier and Tony.
"It's okay," Tony said, trying to calm him down. "If they think you're dead, they won't come after you, and if they don't remember me, they won't search for me."
"Everyone you love will forget you ever existed!"
"No, the one who really counts will remember me."
"Tony… What about Stark Industries? You would lose everything you own!"
Now Tony chuckled. "As if my fortune had any worth out there." After a short headshake, he continued, "No, I'll gladly give all my billions to be with you. Also, I am Tony Stark. I can always make them back. You know, I'll just invent something."
"The third condition." Xavier cleared his throat, and the two of them looked up. "You won't like that one."
A weary expression flashed over Stephen's face before he asked, "What is it?"
"Hand over the Darkhold. It must return to earth with me."
"You don't know what you are asking from me, Charles."
"I cannot let you keep it, because you cannot be allowed to keep dreamwalking in other universes. You know that."
Black fingertips caressed the awful book one last time, then Stephen got up and stepped in front of the professor. Slowly, he raised the hand that held the book. It was obvious how much he struggled to hand over the book. It reminded Tony of the one scene in Lord of the Rings where Bilbo gave up the One Ring to Gandalf.
But then, in the exact moment the book had left Stephen's hand, he looked like a colossal weight had been lifted off him.
Tony, too, got up to take his place beside Stephen. Carefully, he grabbed his hand and caressed the back of it with his thumb, finally able to breathe freely again.
Stephen turned his head towards him and gave him a shaky smile. "Thank you, Charles!"
"You've got this second chance. Don't waste it!"
These words catapulted Tony's mind back to Yinsen in the cave in Afghanistan. Don't waste your life. He hoped he had fulfilled his mentor's dying wish, hoped he would be proud. With a deep sigh, Tony reached into the pocket of his hoodie and pulled out a spare sling ring. "The universe is ours," he said as he gave it to Stephen.
"Where do you want to go?"
"Far away from earth. Somewhere we can heal." Feeling worn out, Tony laid his head on Stephen's shoulder.
Together, they turned back to Xavier.
"Goodbye, old friend," Stephen said. "We will miss you."
Xavier took his hand and said, "You have the potential to be the very best of us. Don't forget that."
Ducking his head, Stephen replied, "I won't. Promised."
Xavier watched them walk away.
"Just one question: why the theatrics?" Tony asked suddenly as Stephen already opened the portal.
"Because it had to be convincing," Xavier answered.
"But they won't remember I ever existed…"
"Yes, but they will also not remember having any doubts or suspicions at any point in this drama. A peaceful mind doesn't ask questions." He gave them a sad smile. "Now go! I wish you the very best, my friends."
Tony nodded, then he followed Stephen through the portal into a new life.