Natasha's head, sweat beads standing on her forehead, sank deeper into her pillow. Tossing, and turning, she stared in wide-eyed fascination. Tumultuous scenes swirled around her, writhing, and quieting. Thanos' motley army of death and destruction grinding to a halt before her, rendering her stunned. His wretched squadrons left dust in their wake. One by one, his lousy warriors vanished into thin air, ashes trailing on the wind. His defeat, complete with his aerated removal.

Iron Man had brought him and his hordes down so that others would go on living.

The wind changed suddenly. Motivated by the shocking sight of the conqueror, dropping like a stone against the hulk of a destroyed machine of war, Nat rose from the dust. She bolted to the fallen hero, beside herself; she had never seen Iron Man looking so horrific. "No!" she exhaled, close beside him. "Tony, no!" He couldn't die—he had to make it out of this! What would they do—everybody, family and friends—without him? She latched onto his battered body, holding him tightly to herself. "Please, please, please, Tony—don't do this!" Her chest tightened; her heart cramped, pain exploding within her. His darkening eyes, hastening into becoming lifeless, stared back at her. His pale face, half-charred and bloodied, called to her, as if to say, 'I'm still Iron Man, and what I feel for you, Pepper, Morgan, Rhodey, Happy, Cap, Bruce, the kid, and our team will never die…'

"F.R.I.D.A.Y!" Nat choked out through sobs. This can't be happening…

A subdued, wan feminine voice emanated from his beloved suit, though scarred and mangled from battle as it was, his superb creation still held together. Would he be buried in it? "Life functions critical."

She cursed the inevitable, coming all too soon for this beautiful titan of a man. Leaning her hand against his cheek, she bestowed her bravest, yet painful smile as her tears fell like rain. "I'll always love you, Tony—always…" Her quivering lips lingered on that beat-up cheek; her tears mingled with his blood.

He studied her intently as the corners of his mouth hitched upward, ever so gently. His eyes glazed, his breathing thready, his spark of life faltering.

Her body convulsed, the weight of this loss unbearable. "Stay with me, sweetheart—never leave me!"

The arc reactor dimmed to fade, Nat did nothing to squelch her scream of grief, and woke herself up from this cataclysmic dream. The worst nightmare she'd ever had in her life, including those she'd suffered while in her enslavement to the Red Room. Shivering in her gigantic king-size bed, Nat curled up tightly into a ball. Her trembling grew violent, stilling only when Tony, who'd come running, spooned himself with her, holding her with an iron grip.

"Shh, shh, shh, it's going to be all right. I've got you. I've got you." He buried his face into the nape of her neck, cooing her name like a mantra. "Just a bad dream, Tash. You know how silly, scary dreams can be. They never make any sense."

"I, I…I'm n-not so sure th-that's a-all it w-was…" She couldn't tell him what she'd dreamt. Thanos' defeat meant death for Tony. The very thought of opening up about it numbed her. His body grounded her, and Natasha felt his hand nest in her hair. She believed that telling what a nightmare was about would make it come true. The horror she had dreamed about him must never come true. She stifled her sobs, feeling Tony hug her tighter, his embrace akin to a death grip.

"You're going to fall back to sleep, and I'm staying right here with you. I gotta say...I never realized your bed's so much bigger than mine."

Disguising her sniffling, she replied in a low voice, "Technically, this is your bed too. I didn't buy it. It came with your accommodations. A home I never had before what you've given me."

He anchored his lips upon the shell of her left ear, and funneled into it, "Everything that's mine is yours, Tash. Permanent set-up." He peppered her ear with kisses.

She buried her face deeper into the pillow, implanting her deepest sob into it. She didn't trust her voice's stability. Staying silent, Natasha clung to Tony's whispered assurances. Silly, or not, I won't let what I dreamed happen to you, Tony. I'll die, trying to keep you alive-my solemn promise to you, my love...