Stephen felt more shocked than anything, as he skimmed through a multitude of futures, all of which showed him one thing. Tony Stark, risking his life in calculated recklessness, for the sake of people who'd betrayed him and left him for dead, for people who barely knew his proper name, for a child more than ten times stronger than the average baseline human.
He... Wasn't sure what to make of it. Perhaps, it was simply in his fate, to die saving someone. Just like the Ancient One's fate had always been to die holding Stephen's hand and imparting a last piece of wisdom to him.
But then, he found the one future where everything changed. Tony, grappling with Thanos against a harsh grey sky, the Iron Man armour lit up with the power of the Stones; the Stones which were embedded in his armour like arc reactors. It was breathtaking and terrifying and Stephen knew what he had to do.
He came back to consciousness with intelligent eyes softened in comfort. He knew what was going to happen. He didn't know the exact consequences, but he knew the result. The only solution, he tried to tell himself.
It didn't abate the guilt and shame that racked him as he watched the Guardians turn to dust. He was thankful when he felt himself begin to fade. He didn't think he could stand to see Tony hold his child in his dying moments, begging and crying to be saved.
"There was no other way," he said. He wasn't sure who he was trying to convince.
He should have known what he would see as soon as he opened his eyes in the Soul World.
The Ancient One looked sad in a way he had never seen her when she was alive, but there was also pride mingled in it.
"I didn't have any other choice," were the first words out of his mouth. A plea; for her to understand that he would have taken any other option, had there been any.
She simply nodded. "I know. The multiverse has a way of being both merciful and cruel simultaneously."
"Tony doesn't deserve this," he pressed. How odd, that barely an hour ago, he'd been exchanging barbs and insults with the man, frustrated that the arrogant billionaire couldn't understand his viewpoint. Now, though?
It was dangerous to hate Tony Stark, to make an enemy of him, but it was even more dangerous to love him, to give into the addiction of protecting him.
"Why him?" Stephen wondered. "Why is he able to control the Stones like that?"
The Ancient One shrugged elegantly. "Each of the Stones requires a user with the proper affinity for it. Mind requires sharp wits and intelligence, Space requires imagination and creativity, Time requires an understanding of its value, Reality requires practicality, Power requires strength, and Soul requires love, a sacrifice made from the heart." She took a deep breath, seeming to want to hide her sorrow. "Both Thanos and Stark have the affinity for all of the Stones. But Stark's will is stronger, his desire to protect infinitely more potent than Thanos' intent to destroy. The Stones will respond to him, will bend to his will to do his bidding."
"So it won't kill him?" He asked, not daring to hope.
"That, I don't know. Although, I do hope, after he is done, he will be remembered."
The words seem familiar, but he'd unable to quite process it. He had to have been stuck there for only five minutes, but when he returns to the mortal world, it's straight in the midst of a battle. One that they seem to be winning.
Rogers had reunited with a long-haired man who could only be Bucky Barnes. The Guardians had all materialised, hugging and grasping one another to confront the presence. And there was the kid, Peter, right beside him and looking at something with both awe and apprehension in his wide eyes.
Stephen followed his gaze, only to stiffen in shock at what he'd known was coming, but still was surprised by it.
Tony was looking around himself, at the rushed reunions taking place. He seemed unaware of the Infinity Stones nestled over his suit: Power over his stomach, Space and Time on his palms, Mind and Reality on the top of his shoulders and Soul resting over his chest.
He was literally glowing with magic. In those moments, he held the cosmos in his palms, the lure of chaos flowing in his veins and the call of creation at his fingertips.
"Mr Stark?" Peter was the first one to say something, his voice breaking with fear. He could sense what was coming, refused to accept it.
Tony finally looked at them, eyes raking over the teen with pride and love. "You've done good, kid," he praised. "Couldn't be prouder."
He might have said more, but an outraged roar echoed across the battlefield. "STARK!" Thanos had regained consciousness, had noticed the lack of Stones in the cracked gauntlet.
Tony started, then looked down at himself in contemplation. "I can end this," he whispered. "Can make it so it never happened." He raised his head to meet their stare resolutely. "Loki. Quill's girlfriend. Everyone who else died fighting that mad-man; they all deserve a second chance. I'm gonna give it to them."
"Tony, don't do this," Stephen tried. He knew there was no way to change his mind. After all, he himself had made the move that prompted this timeline into existence.
Tony ignored him. "I can bring everyone back, put the Stones back where they belong."
"Mr Stark, please," Peter begged. "I can't... I can't lose you, too, sir, dad, please!"
"I love you, kid," Tony said quietly, tears slipping from his eyes.
Stephen lunged to hold Peter in his place when Tony took off towards the Titan. The boy was screaming, tears of rage and pain streaking down his face, as they watched Iron Man grab Thanos by his upper arms and, impossibly, shooting up into the stratosphere with him.
The curses and threats grew dimmer and dimmer, and the whole world watched with bated breath as the two figures disappeared into the clouds. For a few seconds, no one seemed to breath. Then the sky flashed green and blue and red and Stephen remembered why his mentor's words had sounded familiar.
'I do hope, after he is done, he is remembered.'
'When I am done, half of humanity will no longer exist. I hope they remember you.'
May 27, 1974
"Mr Stark, it's a message from your butler, Jarvis."
"Tell him I'll call back later," Howard brushed off, not moving his eyes away from the photo of the Howling Commandos on his desk. The bottle in his hand was cold, and he welcomed the numbness.
"Sir, I'm afraid, he's insisting," the young intern pressed. "And..." he faltered, listening intently to the phone. "And Agent Peggy Carter is there as well, sir, they're adamant you come home."
"What's happened?" he demanded, angry. He'd been in a black mood for ages now, ever since he'd given up on the search for Steve.
"Sir, it's..." the man hesitated. "Sir, they're saying Mrs Stark's delivery was a failure. The child was stillborn. It had been a boy."
Basically, what happened was that Tony used the Stones to bring everyone back, destroy Thanos, and reverse time to bring back the people who'd died before the Snap. In order to do this right, to "Give everyone a second chance", he rewrote the timeline as far back as he could, which was his own birth. If the Ancient One couldn't see the future beyond her death, I'm going to assume you can't tamper with anything from before your birth either. So, the whole universe has been re-set to 1974.
Except, the amount of energy, both physical and meta-physical was too much for Tony. It didn't just kill his body, it erased his very essence from the multiverse. There is no trace left of him, magical, physical, or otherwise.
So, what'd'ya think?
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