Reality can often be disappointing. These were the words echoing in Peter's ears when he stood surrounded by friends.
Sadness was a word the Avengers now understood. Natasha and Tony's sacrifice for peace was indeed the heaviest extracted price.
Tony always said, "Part of the journey is the end". As if he knew somehow that he'd have to leave one day. As if he knew he was gonna die. In a span of an hour, Bruce lost everything he ever cherished. The person he loved and the person he called his best friend.
He remembered watching everybody standing still and the Chittauri fading away into dust. A part of him knew it was the snap but no part of him ever wanted Tony behind it. He ran towards Steve, exhausted he stood. His shield crumbling and his eyes wet. The happiness that he felt knowing that they had won was now crumbling and shedding away just like the Vibranium shield he held. Tony didn't say a word. It seemed as if he wanted to spend each ounce of life left in him to extract just another second for his eyes.
Bruce was baffled. He lost control over to Hulk for a second, the rage and sadness overwhelming Bruce's senses...Bruce took back control , he moved forward. Tony was sitting and Pepper covered him like a blanket. He seemed to be smiling.
He displayed an emotion Bruce was prominently unfamiliar with. And then he was gone. His eyes wide open and the light in his chest dimming out and suddenly fading.
The reactor was supposed to power his heart for 10 lifetimes. It was his and his choice alone. Bruce stepped away, burning agony suddenly needled in his eyes He uttered a strangled little shout and his hands fly up to his face.
It was after quarter past 8, the armies returned and only by 10 the world knew about the attack they faced. Families were reunited, not only on earth but on each planet realm and every corner of the universe was alive once again.
It was no resting time for the Avengers. Clint's family were guests at what seemed to be the Avengers base. Sam was busy attending to the injured.
It was around 7:35 when Cap and Bucky Stormed in.
"U gotta understand Steve. THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY."
"There's always a way around Buck. There always is. This wasn't supposed to happen. The world needs him."
"He wanted this Steve, no Stark ever refused to a deal they didn't like."
"Don't make this so light buck. U haven't known him long enough to understand the kind of man he was."
Steve then maneuvered his enormous body into the common area. The common room was filled with the likes of the Sorcerers accompanied by Hank Pym and Lang.
Scott was trying to explain to Hank the mechanism Tony used to build the Time Machine out of his Quantum Field Generator.
"So he removed the Graphite couplers? That's stupid. How did he manage the rapid neutron capture after u went subatomic, genius?"
"I guess u should know that, we did pull off Time Travel after-all and here are the stones.", "Anyways now when u mention, Tony said something about freezing the chromodynamics to retain stability."
"That's Impossible until..." said Hank and was interrupted by Bruce.
"…he made a superconductor out of Vibranium", completed Bruce.
"Brilliant Indeed." replied Pym.
Steve was in the premises by this time and ran to Strange, who was examining the gauntlet with Wong.
"Tell me u can bring him back, Strange."
"No can do, Steve." "As easy it sounds to u, He was injured by the stones. Even Thanos couldn't heal himself the last time he snapped 5 years ago."
"Please look into it Strange. Do it for me."
"Steve, we already did. Wong has tried wielding the Time Stone but we can't do it without the eye. As for the Entire Gauntlet, you saw for yourself what it did to Bruce."
"Then take out the other stones and let alone the Time stone be on it."
"That's now how it works. To use any one of the stones, the person should either be able to control it mentally, or use the Mind stone itself. Both of which circumstances are no options here. Who knows what would happen if something was to go wrong? What if we reversed time and what Tony did is undone. I don't encourage Endangering the world.", "I don't agree to your Proposal!"
"He has a 5 y/o Daughter, waiting for him!" exclaimed Steve.
"And so do many more in the Universe." Strange commented.
Steve knew he lost the argument. He wanted to continue the conversation but to his disgust he now felt like mourning Tony.
Bruce was watching him. He didn't feel like adding anything. He knew, the Avengers were more toast than Tony thought they were.
Bucky extended an arm. The real arm to be precise, but that didn't seem to make a difference.
Steve walked out without a word. Bucky turned to Strange to apologize who was equally unhappy. Every man in the room was now looking at the door Steve just walked through. The Big Three, the trio that made bad guys pee their pants was no more. Even though the Sorcerers had their share in saving the planet, Avengers were still no joke.
"You should go talk to him Bruce", suggested Strange.
"I think he's gonna be fine." Bruce sighed…
Bruce had his mind stuck onto something.
He couldn't understand the possible reason why he wasn't able to revive Natasha.
The answer he demanded was the power that could counter the snap of the Infinity stones. The very stones, these sorcerers claimed to be the strongest to have ever existed. He ordered the stones and something refused his request. He wanted to learn the scope of the power that replied denial.
He wanted to know everything.