Avengers End Game Fix It
A/N: This is my first ever fanfiction. After recently re-watching all the Marvel movies, I wanted to write my own version for an alternative ending. Please feel free to leave a comment, I really want to improve my writing. Thank you for taking the time to read my fanfic.
"Now, remember– You have to return the stones to the exact moment you got them. Or you're gonna open up a bunch of nasty alternative realities."
Steve nodded to Bruce's warning,
"Don't worry, Bruce. Clip all the branches."
He agreed, meeting Bruce's gaze, aware they were both thinking of Natasha.
"You know, I tried. When I had the gauntlet, the stones, I really tried to bring her back."
Bruce said, looking at Steve,
"I miss her, man."
"Me too."
Steve agreed, nodding to Bruce before approaching Sam.
"You know, if you want, I can come with you."
Sam reminded, the offer having been made a few times during the lead up to the funeral. Steve smiled to his friend, shaking his head,
"You're a good man, Sam. This one's on me, though."
He said, slowly making his way over to Bucky, stopping in front of his recently returned best friend.
"Don't do anything stupid 'till I get back."
Steve said, smiling fondly at the older man. Bucky returned the smile, though it was more strained than Steve remembered,
"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you."
Steve smiled, the two sharing an embrace. For a moment, he couldn't help but regret all the things he had never had the chance to say.
"Gonna miss you, Buddy."
"It's gonna be okay, Buck."
Steve reassured, taking one last look at his friends before walking over to the Quantum portal and preparing his Quantum suit.
"How long is this gonna take?"
Sam asked, looking over to Bruce as they watched Steve prepare for his mission.
"For him? As long as he needs. For us? Five seconds."
Bruce confirmed, nodding to Steve as he made the final preparations on the screen.
Steve smiled to Bucky and Sam from behind the helmet of his suit, picking up Mjolnir and securing his hold of the briefcase.
"Ready, Cap? Alright. We'll meet you back here, okay?"
Bruce said, preparing the portal for Steve's jump through time. Steve nodded, standing straighter to prepare himself,
"You bet."
Bruce nodded,
"Going quantum. Three, two, one–"
Steve disappeared from their view as soon as Bruce finished his countdown.
"And returning in, five, four, three, two, one–"
Bruce counted down, monitoring the progress on screen, leaning closer as the readings started to fluctuate.
"Where is he? Get him the hell back!"
Sam demanded, the portal starting to illuminate but no sign of Steve.
Bucky could feel his chest constricting. He knew this would happen. He knew Steve wouldn't be able to resist the allure of returning to his real home; to be able to finally take Peggy on the date he'd promised so many years ago, to build a home with her, a life with her. A life Bucky wouldn't be a part of.
Bucky's heart caught in his throat as he heard Bruce muttering as the readings continued to flash on screen. Something was coming through, but it was more than Steve. Bucky flinched, his mind filling in the blanks. Steve couldn't be bringing Peggy with him. Bucky wouldn't be able to cope, watching the love of his life make a life with someone else, that would almost be worse than if Steve chose to remain in the 40s.
Bruce frowned at the screen, trying to make sense of the readings, 2? No. 3? No, there were definitely 5 people coming through the portal. He frowned as the screen as he rechecked the data, the platform lighting up again as 5 figures materialised in front of them.
Bucky felt like he couldn't look as the figures came into view, but equally he couldn't risk looking away, his eyes flicking from person to person, his focus only on one. His gaze dropped to Natasha, the spy was the only one of the group he recognised, feeling like his blood had frozen as it only confirmed his worst fears.
Steve watched as the portal of time seemed to move around him, flashing passed him with vague images from various points in the past. He had a job to do. He'd promised to return the stones to their rightful place to maintain the timeline. He frowned, thinking of everyone who had been lost. There had been so many people lost and Steve couldn't help but blame himself. He'd just been reunited with Bucky and had to leave him behind again. Never again, Steve thought to himself, he wouldn't leave Bucky behind anymore; this would be the last time.
Natasha waited before stepping from the platform, seeing the heartbreak and disappointment in Bucky's face, the ex-assassin unable to hide his reaction to Steve's absence. She stepped closer to him, resting a hand on his arm,
"James…"
She said, keeping her voice softer than normally, shaking her head,
"It's not what you're thinking - Steve, he's the reason we're here."
Bucky pulled away from Natasha, shaking his head,
"He's not coming back…"
He said quietly, stopping his voice from cracking. Natasha frowned,
"He is… he is coming back James, just not this way."
She explained, looking at him pointedly as though that should be enough.
Bucky couldn't help but frown. Steve was coming back but not through time travel? No. No he couldn't be. He wouldn't.
Bruce frowned as he stepped closer to the platform,
"Natalia… what did he do?"
He asked, looking at the redhead before looking up at the people left on the platform.
Steve checked his notebook; he'd returned five of the six stones to their right places in the timeline, only the soul stone remaining. He had a few stops he knew he needed to make first. He pressed on the time travel GPS, closing his eyes as he found himself thrown back, feeling ill as he found himself back on the streets of Sokovia. He had felt such guilt about the loss Wanda experienced during this battle, both her home and her twin. After all Wanda had done for him, for Bucky, Steve knew he had to do what he could for her. He kept low, moving swiftly through the streets. He could remember where he had fought as the Avengers had defended the population against Ultron's attacks. He sped up, trying to recall the events leading up to Pietro's death. They had been rescuing the last few survivors onboard the hover craft to take them to safety. Clint had heard the cries of a mother who had lost her child and had gone to save him. Steve pushed himself to run faster, the streets becoming quieter as the evacuation took place. He saw Clint picking up the child, he could see the gunfire from Ultron's ship coming nearer praying that it would work, he threw his shield, seeing the silver trail as Pietro shielded Clint and the child safely behind a car. As the dust cleared, Steve looked on, seeing Pietro standing still, the speedster reaching a shaky hand to the bullet wound on his shoulder. Steve moved quickly, as soon as Clint moved to take the child to the hover craft to reunite him with his mother, he grabbed onto Pietro, forcing a GPS onto his wrist, recovered his shield and pressed the GPS, the two vanishing before anyone could see them again.
Pietro stood on the platform behind Natasha, supporting the weight of a smaller, apparently injured male, looking at the unfamiliar faces as he stepped down, bringing the smaller figure with him,
"Where is Wanda?"
He asked, looking around for any trace of his younger twin.
Sam's eyes had locked onto the smaller male currently being held by Pietro, his mouth dropping open in shock.
When Steve and Pietro rematerialised they had to wait for their vision to adjust to the brightness of their new surroundings. Pietro scrambled away from Steve, clutching his injured shoulder,
"Where am I? What the hell was that?"
He demanded, not understanding how they'd gotten away from the crumbling floating remains of Sokovia. His heart clenching as his mind drifted to his sister.
"You're safe and so is Wanda, you'll see her soon but we have a few stops on the way and I could use your help Pietro,"
Steve explained, smiling reassuringly despite his own uncertainty that his plan would work. Maybe Bucky had been right all along, he'd really taken all the stupid with him this time but he knew he had to try. Pietro seemed to accept this, trusting Steve as he had acted on the twins' best interests this far and seemed to care about his sister's safety,
"Alright… I'll help as long as you promise to take me to Wanda."
Steve looked up at the shining golden city surrounding them, frowning as he noticed the level of damage it had endured, the sounds of a battle sounding from the shimmering bridge ahead. They donned some cloaks as disguises before approaching the bridge, seeing the massive crowd of Asgardians rushing to get onto the space ships to escape. Steve held onto Pietro so he wouldn't lose him in the crowd as they boarded the ship, the super soldier hearing Loki herding everyone on board to safety. The duo kept to themselves, standing among Thor's people, waiting for an opportunity to approach Loki. Steve took this chance to wrap Pietro's shoulder, knowing they'd have to wait until they made it back before they could fully treat it.
Steve smiled to himself, watching with pride as Thor took the throne at the front of the ship and declared his intentions to find his people a new home. He stayed with Pietro, watching the familiar shape of Thanos' ship appear in front of the Asgardian vessel. This was his chance. He quietly approached Loki, the God of Mischief's eyes narrowing in distrust as he spotted the super soldier. Steve rushed to clamp a hand over Loki's mouth; beckoning for him to follow in the hope the trickster wouldn't blow their cover. Loki followed, willing to see where this was going; trusting Steve wouldn't be stupid enough to have sought him out to attack him in Thor's presence.
Steve looked up at Loki, explaining to the best of his ability what he knew of the upcoming events from Thor's explanations to him, knowing if he couldn't convince Loki that he was trying to help, that there wouldn't be another way to change his fate. Loki listened, sceptical of the story, especially when Steve explained the effect his supposed death had had on Thor. Giving up and getting out of shape? It sounded so improbable. Yet Steve's eyes gave away no sign of a lie. Loki scrutinised the soldier and his strange companion, his mouth tightening into a straight line. No, Captain America wasn't lying to the God of Lies. Loki let out a calm breath and nodded as though accepting his fate, his sharp gaze flicking between them,
"You expect me to believe you're really here to save me Captain? After everything I've done?"
Steve nodded slowly, maintaining a steady gaze,
"If I can save you I will, but you'll have to trust me Loki."
Thor struggled against the metal binding him in place, his heart stopping as he saw Loki's mischievous little smile, the trickster summoning one of his knives and launching his attack moments after swearing his loyalty to Thanos. His throat being crushed in the titan's strong grip as his older brother screamed in anguish.
Loki watched on as the clone he'd created died in Thanos' grasp before being dropped carelessly to the ground in front of Thor. He nodded as he allowed Steve to take him away from this place. Steve kept a secure grip on both Loki and Pietro as they faded from existence again.
The trio appeared on the final battlefield, among the debris of the New Avengers facility, taking cover so they wouldn't be seen. Steve watched the events unfold as Thor, Tony and his past self fought against Thanos. He saw Tony being used as a shield by Thanos against Thor's attack, being thrown backwards into the rubble and into unconsciousness. Loki watched on, listening to Steve's plan, knowing if he didn't help that he may not be able to escape with his life anyway if Thanos reinstated the snap,
"You're sure this will work?"
"As sure as we can be…"
Steve said, placing a hand on Loki's arm, watching the remainder of the fight play out as the victims of the snap were led onto the battlefield. Steve gently explained the remainder of the fight as the trio watched on from their hiding spot. Pietro nodded, watching as Steve explained where the nano gauntlet would be on the field. At Steve's signal, Pietro took off across the battlefield, his super speed keeping him out of sight as he located the gauntlet with the infinity stones attached, escaping with it mere seconds before Tony had found it.
"You're up Loki,"
Steve said as Pietro returned to them clutching the gauntlet tightly. Loki took a breath as he looked over the battle raging before them, putting on the gauntlet and snapping before he could talk himself out of it. The effect was immediate, the god letting out a scream of pain as the power of the stones burned through him, though his immortal body withstood the radiation as Thanos and his army faded out of existence and the stones in the gauntlet faded to dust. Steve looked around to make sure nothing unexpected had happened before pulling the burnt gauntlet from Loki's arm, supporting the weight of the God, placing a bracelet around Loki's uninjured wrist,
"As promised…"
Steve said quietly, watching Loki activate the bracelet and disappear from view. He looked again to Pietro, the two quickly approaching the battlefield and managing to locate Tony, knowing it could mess up the timeline if they didn't bring him to the present. Tony narrowed his eyes to the two, recognising the suit Steve was wearing as the one used for the time heist. Steve shushed Tony, grabbing him and Pietro and disappearing before anyone else could see them.
Loki stumbled from the platform, his gaze flitting over the shocked gazes of the original avengers, not only at his reappearance but at the injuries he'd injured. The right hand side of his body had sustained substantial burns, only able to stand due to his status as a God. He sneered as he looked at the Avengers, who were waiting for them to return.
Tony turns on the duo with a scowl,
"Rogers what the hell is this?"
He hissed at him as the three appeared on the grassy fields of Wakanda. Steve winced,
"We don't have time right now Tony, we have too much to do to put everything right."
He explained as he guided Pietro and Tony with him. Tony followed behind not fully understanding what needed to be changed, they'd won the fight and Thanos was gone, surely now the stones just needed to be returned. The three made their way into the tree line, standing out of view as they watched Vision fight with support from Steve and Bruce to defend the mind stone from Thanos. They stayed close. Pietro fighting against Steve's secure hold as he watched Wanda's agony at destroying the man she loved in order to protect him.
"Not yet Pietro, you need to bring him to us but not yet…"
Steve reassured quietly, watching as Wanda succeeded in destroying the mind stone only for Thanos to rewind time to bring Vision back.
Steve nodded at Pietro who took off across the clearing, lifting Vision and bringing him out of the clearing so they could return him to the future. Steve secured a time travel GPS to Vision's wrist, sending him to the future without the opportunity for any argument or explanation.
Vision looked around his surroundings stepping off of the platform and approaching the remaining avengers,
"Where is Thanos? The mind stone must be protected from him at all costs."
Bruce looked at the synthezoid, who had rematerialised among
"Thanos? He's gone, we defeated him,"
He said, moving forwards,
"Did Steve send you all here?"
He asked as he moved to embrace Natasha, who nodded slowly at the question.
Steve felt the others' gazes on him as they looked for an explanation for their new location. Steve pointed upwards into the night sky where they could make out the familiar shape of the Falcon along with another winged figure, who Steve could only hope was the Riley that Sam had told him about. Steve tried to remember the exact details Sam had given him for how Riley's death had occurred, quietly explaining it to both Pietro and Tony. Tony listened to Steve's plan, frowning as he watched the figures fly overhead,
"You're travelling through time preventing deaths…? Do you know what this could do to the timeline you idiot?"
He hissed at Steve. Steve sighed and shook his head,
"It's not going to, you said yourself, you can't change the past, I'm only taking people from the moment of their actual death, not beforehand,"
He explained, looking meaningfully at Tony. The pieces finally falling into place for Iron Man.
"So let's get this straight. Sam's friend up there is going to be shot out of the sky? And we need to stop it without being seen so we can send him to the present? This could destroy everything Steve."
"I think it's a bit late for that Tony, we need to try…"
Steve reasoned, the serum having enhanced his hearing so he could hear the oncoming RPG. Tony sighed and nodded,
"Fine, we'll try, but we need it to look realistic, he still needs to fall from the sky."
He said, reactivating his Iron Man suit, flying upwards but trying to remain hidden from view, shooting the RPG out of the sky as it approached Riley before shooting one of the Exo-7 Falcon Wings Riley was wearing, causing him to lose control and start falling. Steve looked to Pietro, rushing through the dry sand to catch Riley, the pilot having lost consciousness in the fall. Steve put a time travel GPS on Riley sending him forward to the future with Pietro, hoping Sam would be there for his friend's arrival.
Riley appeared on the platform beside the others, still unconscious from his fall but being held up by Pietro. Sam's eyes widened rushing forwards as he recognised the familiar military uniform and the ruined set of Falcon wings,
"Riley!"
He shouted, pulling the other pilot into his arms, checking his neck for a pulse and sobbing as he clutched the other male tightly,
"He saved you, Steve actually saved you!"
Bucky watched as Sam embraced his friend, not fully comprehending everything that was going on. Steve wasn't here but so many that had been lost were back.
Steve smiled to Tony, holding up the briefcase,
"Just a couple more stops and we can go home as well,"
He reassured. The two disappeared from the Afghanistan desert and reappeared in war time New York. Tony looked around, taking in his new surroundings,
"This… this is where you're from?"
Steve nodded in confirmation, having landed in an alleyway nearby his and Bucky's Brooklyn apartment,
"I need you to do me a couple of favours Tony…"
Tony looked at Steve and nodded slowly, knowing now that Steve wouldn't be swayed away from his plan. Steve took a letter from his pocket,
"I need you to deliver this for me; I can't be seen in this time…"
He said, having pre-written a letter to Peggy, also having Tony put in place support for Peggy, the Barnes family and the remainder of the Howling Commandos, making sure it would be anonymous so it couldn't be traced back to them.
Tony returned to Steve a while later,
"It's done, ready to go?"
Steve nodded, taking one last look at his old home, having realised while he was waiting that he would never have been able to stay. The most important piece of his past wasn't here, but instead was waiting for him to return to the future.
Tony and Steve appeared moments later on Vormir. Steve walked beside Tony as the two approached the Red Skull. Steve held tightly to the briefcase, his whole body tense as they followed the former head of Hydra up the mountainside to the cliff. Steve turned to the Red Skull, opening the briefcase,
"We want to give up the soul stone in exchange for the one who was sacrificed here."
The Red Skull contemplated the offer, nodding in ascent and accepting the stone as Gamora rematerialised beside the duo. Steve took off his time travel GPS, not having any spares left, securing it to Gamora's wrist,
"Press it and it will take you to safety,"
He reassured, the green skinned woman observing them uncertainly for a moment before nodding and disappearing from view. Tony frowned,
"What about Natasha? We can't leave here without her Steve!"
"I'm not going to leave without her,"
Steve insisted, looking at the Red Skull,
"Will you accept another trade?"
"That depends, what do you have to offer me Captain?"
Steve hesitated, looking at Tony,
"You have to make sure she gets home safely, promise me Tony."
Tony frowned,
"No, this isn't going to happen, I'm not going to let you die Steve."
Steve smiled at his friend,
"That's not your choice to make; I don't know how this is going to go, so I need you to promise me something."
"We're not going to trade your life for Natasha's, either we all leave or none of us will!"
Steve paused as he thought it over, shaking his head,
"We have to get her back!"
Natasha looked over at Bucky, stepping out of Bruce's arms, approaching the ex-assassin again,
"He saved every single one of us James. He couldn't leave anyone behind."
She mused, watching as the green skinned woman only stopped to enquire where she could find the rest of the Guardians before making a swift exit.
"He wanted us to tell you-"
"No, I don't want to hear it, not unless it's from him!"
Bucky snapped, cutting Natasha off. He couldn't take this; everyone else was going to be reunited with their lost loved ones at the cost of the most important person to him.
Natasha shook her head,
"Then I guess you'll have to go and find him then, won't you? He didn't have any other way back James. Think about it and then you'll know where to find him."
Bucky froze at her words, his mind racing before he locked gazes with her,
"Wakanda?"
He confirmed, looking to Natasha who only smiled at him and slightly inclined her head,
"I guess you'll have to find out when you get there soldier,"
She teased, bowing her head to him before moving back to join the rest of the mini-reunion.
Bucky was able to arrange for a quinjet to fly to Wakanda, contacting T'Challa on route to warn him of his impending arrival. He landed on the wide grassy plains, being met by Wakandan guards who led him towards the palace. He struggled to keep his breathing even as they walked through the palace, being met warmly by T'Challa.
"We have been expecting you Sergeant Barnes,"
He said, walking beside the ex-assassin, leading him along familiar corridors to the Cryostatis chamber Bucky had used following his first arrival there.
Bucky's jaw dropped seeing not one, but two people in the chamber, rushing over and pressing against the glass.
"It- it is him? It's Steve?"
He confirmed desperately, his mind not fully understanding how Steve could fit inside the chamber with someone else when it was designed at most for one large person.
T'Challa signalled to the scientists, allowing the ice inside the tank to slowly melt away, the two figures slowly beginning to move once again.
Bucky watched with bated breath as the glass of the tank slowly lowered down. Steve it was his Steve; but no. It was his Stevie, almost exactly as he remembered him looking before he'd left to go and fight in the war.
Steve pushed Tony away from him, the two falling out of the Cryostatis chamber to opposite sides. Bucky moved without thinking, catching Steve's small body, supporting him against him completely, not wanting to move or let go in case this turned out to be a dream or hallucination.
"Bucky?"
Steve's voice sounded from beneath him, more of his Brooklyn accent than Bucky had heard in years coming out. Bucky nodded, holding the small shaking figure closer to him,
"Where have you been punk?"
He asked; his voice raspy with emotion at being reunited with his Steve. Steve turned and looked up at Bucky, rubbing the back of his neck,
"I wanted to help them… I needed to fix my mistakes…"
Steve said quietly, avoiding meeting Bucky's gaze, worried he might be angry with him.
Bucky held onto Steve, gently tilting the smaller male's head up,
"What happened to you Stevie?"
He asked quietly, trying his best to warm Steve up and stop him from trembling.
"Nat… There needed to be a sacrifice…"
Steve said quietly, looking up at Bucky hesitantly.
"And capsicle decided to swan dive off the cliff without a second thought and we had to save mini-Cap there from drowning!"
Tony cut in, glad for the way things turned out but angry at Steve for taking the risk. Steve clutched onto Bucky's shirt, averting his gaze again,
"It worked though and Nat's back. She made it back, right?"
He asked desperately. Bucky nodded, rubbing Steve's back to calm him down,
"She's back, I didn't recognise the others but they made it back Stevie."
Steve let out a shaky sigh and nodded, glad that his plan had worked out. Bucky held the smaller male closer,
"I thought you weren't coming back punk, I thought you decided to stay there"
The "with her" wasn't mentioned but was heavily implied. Steve shook his head resolutely. He couldn't deny that before going back the thought had crossed his mind, but he belonged here. He had his new friends, his found family. Here he had Bucky. When Steve thought about it, that's all he'd wanted, since he'd met his best friend during a fight in an alleyway as kids. He'd meant it. When he had nothing, he had Bucky.
"I couldn't stay there, not without you jerk,"
Steve said quietly, resting his head against Bucky's shoulder, finally finding peace being reunited with Bucky,
"No more leaving Buck, I'm with you 'til the end of the line. I can't leave my best guy again."
Bucky froze, glad that the others had left to give them some privacy. He leaned down,
"You don't know how long I've wanted to hear you say that doll…"
He whispered, leaning down to claim the soft pink lips he'd always been too afraid to. Steve gasped against Bucky's lips, his slender arms moving around the ex-assassin's neck, pulling him closer.
"I love you buck,"
Steve admitted quietly, staying close to the bigger male. Bucky felt his whole chest warming for the first time in so many decades,
"I love you too doll."
A/N: Thank you so much for reading!