"STEVE!" Tony screams, rushing over to him as the man's body hits the ground with a heart-stopping crunch. "NO!"

He trips over the debris of what used to be a street as he runs, but his eyes never leave Steve's still form.

As he reaches Steve's side he falls to his knees. "Please…" Tony whispers as he rolls Steve over. "Oh god"

There was so much blood. Too much.

There would be no easy way to stop the bleeding. Not without causing more damage or worse. Panic burns its way up Tony's throat. This was bad, really bad.

Steve's uniform was bloodstained and torn, his chest pierced by the thousands of little crystal shards the alien had thrown his way. His uniform was torn, ravelling his cheat that looked more like mincemeat than Steve.

He could almost imagine this was some sick joke. That Steve had slipped some absolutely brutalised piece of meat into his uniform and would, any second now, remove it and yell 'got you'. He looked like he took a few rounds too many with a cheese grater. Steve's chest looked barely human.

Nausea wells up within him, making his insides slosh and clench sickeningly.

"Iron Man, where are you?" Clint calls over the comms. "The aliens are taking over east-side. We need you. Now isn't the time to go wandering off, we need all the flyers we got"

"Ste-… Cap's down." Tony says, his voice trembling. "It's bad. We need an immediate emergency evac."

"Shit."

"Hopefully Captain Marvel got our signal and will be here soon"

"Yeah… I bet crossing the galaxy will take no time at all." Clint sighs. "Evac on route. ETA 2 minutes"

Tony jumps as Steve's hand closes around his wrist. "Steve!"

"Tony…" Steve's voice is quiet and weak. Tony leans in to hear what the man was trying to say. A stream of apologies fall from Steve's bloodied lips.

"Shhh. Conserve your strength, Steve."

Steve shakes his head sluggishly. "This is it. Tony… I'm sorry"

Tony's heart goes cold. "Don't…"

"I-… I should have said earlier…" Steve lets out a broken, bitter laugh. "I guess I'm always running out of t-time"

"You are not out of time, Steve. You're going to make it through this."

"I don't-" Steve erupts into a fit of coughs. Blood spills out his mouth, running down his chin "I d-don't think I can. This is it for me."

"No."

"Tony, I-… Before I die…"

"You're not going to die."

"I jus' wanted you t' know that I-"

"Don't say goodbye. Don't you dare say goodbye, Steve!" Tony pleads. "Stay with me."

"I love you"

Tony is sure the world has stopped spinning.

"No, no, no, no, no… Steve. Oh god."

This wasn't happening. It had to be a really bad dream. There was no way this nightmare could be real.

"I'm s'rry, Tony." Steve chokes.

"Don't be, you're going to live. You're going to make it through this, okay? I Promise. Just hang in there"

Steve shakes his head weakly. "No. Tony. I-"

"If you live… we'll go on a date, okay?" Tony whispers. "Just… please-… please live, Steve. I love you too."

Where was that ambulance?

Steve smiles up at him, and god, Tony could drown in all the love in those blue eyes. The man tries to raise his hand to Tony's face but he only makes it halfway before it drops limp by his side. Steve's face twists in pain. Tony grabs hold of Steve's shoulders as he folds in on himself.

Tony avoids looking at his hands. Knowing the armour was slick with Steve's blood. The very thought makes his stomach churn violently and his heart clench painfully in his chest.

"Steve?" Tony cries. "It's going to be okay. Help is coming. Just hang on. Please."

"Re-member. Promise me you'll-… r'member… I l've you" Steve's eyes fall shut. His breath shudders. Slows. Then after one final choking breath, stops.

"NO. NO! STEVE!" Tony screams. "STEVE!"

"I've lost Captain Rogers' vitals," JARVIS says.

He feels lightheaded. His ears are ringing sharply.

Tony positions himself over Steve's chest and starts compressions, counting the beats out loud to himself.

"Captain Rogers has lost too much blood. Chest compressions are likely going to prove ineffective. In the event that you do revive him, he still will be hypovolemic. I'm sorry, Sir" JARVIS informs him.

Tony curls himself over Steve. His body shaking with his sobs.

He hears the distant sound of sirens approaching, but Tony fears they may be too late.

TBC