Chapter Text
"And.. I am... Iron Man."
He felt the power travel in his veins, felt the pain it caused and snapped his fingers. He knew his was going to die, he knew this was his end. He closed his eyes as he felt his body burn and thought of all the people, he was doing this for. His Morgan, Peter, Pepper and his sister. All the avengers and all the people who've lost their loved ones. He couldn't help wishing to get his sister back but there wasn't any way. She'd lost her life years ago; she wasn't coming back but at least he'd be meeting her soon now. And soon, he didn't see anything or anyone, just felt someone holding him. Rhodey.
His sight adjusts to Peter as the boy kneels beside him, he feels Rhodey leave his side. "Mr. Stark," says the teenager, "Tony... it's okay, it's okay. Mr. Stark, we won. You did it sir." He has tears in his eyes and Tony felt scared of death for once in his life. He knew Peter would be fine by himself, he would also have his Aunt.
He looked towards Pepper, who walks forward and kneels. "Pep?" He breathed out.
"Hey, Friday, what've we got?" She asked in a soft voice.
'Life functions critical.' replied the AI and Pepper looks into Tony's eyes with hurt. She knew this was where it ends.
"Tony, look at me," she said and he did. He wanted to tell her how sorry he was but could form the words, "we'll be okay," she whispered to him softly. "You can rest now." She gave him a small smile through tears. Tony felt a small relief, I love you he wanted to say, he wanted to tell her how he never meant for any of this to happen. He gave her a last smile and the blonde felt her heart shatter into a million pieces. She shuts his eyes and opens them to meet Tony's fixed and glassy ones.
Tony Stark was gone. And Pepper Potts felt her heart break for the first time in forever.
Hannah felt the extreme pain run through her body. The pain, however, only lasted a few seconds before she collapsed down on the ground. She breathed deeply, looking up towards her father to see no one. Where'd he go?
"Dad?" She called out, looking around, "Tony where's da-" He wasn't there either. She crooked her eyes in confusion. She realised there wasn't anything drips attached to her anymore. No needles around her and the lab looked a lot different. Almost destroyed.
She stood up, turning around on her spot. The machines that her father was using weren't around anymore. And most importantly, the shiny blue cube, the tesseract, was missing.
She walked towards the door, pushing it open. The door was closed and no matter how much of force she used, it wouldn't budge. "Tony?" She called out but didn't get an answer.
She kept banging her first on the door, "Anyone? Can you hear me?" She shouted loudly.
"Hello?" Came a voice from outside, sending a relief in her body, "who's there?" The voice was familiar but she couldn't place it.
"It's me! Anna! You might not know me but I'm your boss' daughter, Anna Stark!" She replied, stepping back from the door. Within a moment the door knob turned and the door opened.
"Anna?" The man standing in front of her asked, "oh my, it's you." He breathed out. He looked like he'd seen a ghost.
Anna stared at him for sometime before she recognised who he was, "Rhodes?" She asked and the man nodded. She wrapped her hands around him, engulfing him in a hug, "you're, you're old," she commented once she parted away. "You look old."
Rhodey let out a small laugh, "that's because I am," he replied but before he could say anything further she interrupted.
"Tony?" She asked, "Where's Tony?"
His expressions saddened at the mention of his best friend, "he's.. he's dead."
In that exact moment, Anna felt the earth slip beneath her. It couldn't be possible, her Tony couldn't be dead.
No," she let out a sob, "he can't be. He was, he was here just a minute ago."
"It's been thirty-three years, Anna," the Colonel said to her and she didn't know what to feel anymore. She was here just a moment ago, with her father experimenting and her brother witnessing it. She was here with both of them just a minute ago. How could thirty-three years have been passed?
"Rhodey? Who's there with you?" Came a female voice from behind and Anna saw a tall woman with blonde hair. She was wearing an Armour, just like Rhodey was, but hers was a lot different. Anna noticed the dust on their faces and the injuries, it was like they'd been in a war.
Rhodey stepped away, turning around and walked towards the woman and Anna followed him. She didn't know what else to do. Once they reached near the woman, she noticed she wasn't alone. There was a group of people, sitting around the destroyed place.
She moved her gaze from each one to another, not recognising anyone, untill she did. Captain America. Rhodey said it had been thirty-three years, so how could Captain America be here? Who were all these people? Why were they all injured? The questions kept arising in her mind untill she looked right beside Captain America.
Tears emerged in her eyes as she saw her brother, lying dead on the ground. He looked old, which he probably was, "Tony?" She whispered, rushing towards him, "Tony! Wake up! It's me! Anna!" She kneeled down next to him and shook his body but got no reply. She felt a hand on her shoulder, "Rhodes, he's, Tony's," she sobbed, placing her head on his chest and let the tears fall.
She could feel the questioning glances she got from some of the people around them but she didn't acknowledge them. None of them were important. None of these people were. She didn't even know who they were. All that mattered was her Tony and he was dead. Her brother was dead.
Tony Stary was gone. And Anna Stark felt her heart break once again.