Ok, I posted this last year, but took it down. When I read it again, I realized I like it after all. So here you go!
"Stark, you know that's a one way trip?"
Captain America, Mr. Perfect Hero, goodie-two-shoes, the guy his dad wouldn't shut up about. He would be the one to say that.
Tony vividly recalled what Steve had said to him earlier. Though he acted like he blew it off, a tiny part of him was still stinging from the all too true words. "I know guys worth ten of you. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you…Stop pretending to be a hero."
Maybe he was only pretending now. Steve was right. He was selfish. It really was all about him. The fact that he was a genius, billionaire, playboy, and a philanthropist meant nothing when it all boiled down. He felt empty inside.
But he was the only one who could do this. There wasn't time for anyone else to do it for him. There wasn't time to just cut the wire. But there was time for him to be a man and step up to the plate.
"Shall I try Ms. Potts, sir?"
"Sure, why not?" he gulped. He had no idea what he was going to say to her, how he was going to tell her what he was doing. He only hoped she would understand, and be proud of him. He stole a quick glance at her picture. She was a good woman. He didn't deserve her, and he knew it.
Pepper's phone rang and rang. She wasn't picking up.
The signal failed as he pushed on through the portal. At this point, he could only hope she knew how much he cared about her. Power was running out. Life support was running out. The events of his life played out in his mind. He had so much to answer for. He had done some rotten and unforgivable things, hurt a lot of innocent people. Now that he thought about it, he realized he had done more bad than good.
Everything went dark, and he started to fall. The last thing he saw was the Chitauri ships explode. So he had managed to pull off the crazy stunt, his last chance for redemption, after all.
It was getting cold. The air was almost gone.
Ironically, Tony Starks found himself praying. He hadn't prayed since he was a kid. He wasn't even sure he believed. God, he thought, if you're there, I really hope this is enough…He closed his eyes.