Chapter 97

They didn't have long to come up with a plan. And while Toni was growing frustrated with Quill and his team's inability to take the entire thing seriously, they'd managed to scrape together some notion of mutual agreement that Thanos must be destroyed at all costs.

A wormhole appeared, less than an hour after their arrival onto the foreign planet, and she knew that the time had come.

As the wormhole cleared away, a large purple alien stood.

And she knew immediately who it was.

"Oh, yeah, you're much more of a 'Thanos'," Strange remarked, and honestly part of her also wanted to use sarcasm to hide her fear.

Strange was sitting on the steps, waiting for the man in plain sight as the rest of them hid.

"I take it Maw is dead," Thanos said without much compassion, "This day extracts a heavy toll. Still, he accomplished his mission."

They had called themselves the Children of Thanos. And yet he had no remorse for the loss of his kin.

"You may regret that. He brought you face-to-face with the Master of the Mystic Arts," Strange said, and she glanced over at Peter to see how her son was doing.

He nodded over at her, to let her know that he was okay.

"And where do you think he brought you?" Thanos asked, as he gestured to the land around him.

A wasteland.

"Your home?" Strange questioned.

"It was. And it was beautiful," Thanos smiled. He curled his fist, as the land around them was filled with an illusion of what it once was. "Titan was like most planets. Too many mouths, and not enough to go around. And when we faced extinction, I offered a solution."

"Genocide," Strange said flatly.

"But at random, dispassionate, fair to rich and poor alike. They called me a madman. And what I predicted came to pass," Thanos said, as if he'd had the last laugh. The world around them returned to the present.

"Congratulations. You're a prophet," Strange sarcastically spat out.

"I'm a survivor," Thanos corrected.

"Who wants to murder trillions," Strange shook his head.

"With all six stones, I could simply snap my fingers, and they would all cease to exist. I call that... mercy," Thanos said.

She listened with bated breath, knowing that if he got his hands on the stones, it would be the end of life as they knew it.

"And then what?" Strange asked, standing.

"I finally rest," he admitted, "And watch the sun rise on a grateful universe. The hardest choices require the strongest wills."

Strange raised his hands, as he entered a fighting pose, "I think you'll find our will equal to yours."

"Ours?" Thanos questioned, and she took the cue to drop a chunk of wreckage where Thanos was standing, catching him off guard.

"Piece of cake, Quill," she said with a nonchalant shrug.

"Yeah, if your goal was to piss him off!" Quill retorted. He masked up, and flew near her, as the wreckage erupted in a purple blaze. Thanos used the Reality stone to turn the fragments into bats, as he sent them after her, and she fell through the ruins.

Man, she didn't have a phobia of bats or anything per say but being attacked by them was hardly fun.

She flew back in to see the fight in full swing, as the Avengers and Guardians fought side by side against Thanos.

"Boom!" Quill said, as Thanos was briefly knocked to his knees by an explosion the man sent his way.

"No matter what, do not let him close his fist," Strange said to the cloak in a whisper she heard over the comms.

"Magic!" Peter said as he jumped through a portal and punched Thanos in the head, before dropping into another portal. "More magic!" he yanked Thanos' head. "Magic with a kick!"

Clearly her son was enjoying fighting beside Strange.

"Magic with a-" Peter started, as Thanos grabbed him from the middle of the air and threw him to the ground. Hands on his neck.

"Insect!" Thanos roared, as he picked Peter up and threw him straight at Strange, sending them both tumbling, then he tore the Cloak that had been wrapped around his fist away.

She flew in to help, blasting explosions his way, as Thanos used the Power Stone absorb it all and blast her with a stream, throwing her far backwards.

She looked up in shock to see a ship crash straight in front of them, as a mechanical looking alien woman stepped out.

"Well, well," Thanos said, as he knew her well.

"You should have killed me," The blue woman said, angrily.

"Would've been a waste of parts!" Thanos said coldly.

And she bristled.

Never. Never would she treat one of her bots that way. Any of her children really. It was cruel and it was unforgivable.

"Where's Gamora?!" the woman roared, as Thanos punched her away.

Strange sent a stream of magic to pin the gauntlet and pry the gauntlet open.

Drax slid in then, kicking Thanos to the ground, and bringing him to his knees.

Quill dropped an electric contraption, and she saw the energy bring down the unarmoured arm.

Her son webbed up Thanos' chest, and she flew in to try and pry the gauntlet off his hand.

"Is he under?" she asked Mantis. They needed her to keep him subdued to get the gauntlet off of him.

The alien began to cry, "Be quick. He is very strong," Mantis sobbed.

"Peter, help!" she said quickly, and her son came over to help get the gauntlet off of him. "She can't hold him for much longer. We need to go!"

"I thought you'd be harder to catch. For the record, this was my plan. Not so strong now, huh? Where is Gamora?" Quill asked him firmly.

"My…Gamora?" Thanos asked them, dazed.

"No, bullshit. Where is she?" Quill demanded.

Mantis sobbed. "He is in anguish."

"Good," Quill said resolutely.

"He mourns," Mantis continued.

"What does this monster have to mourn?!" Drax said angrily, but the blue alien looked like she understood.

"Gamora," she said simply.

"What?" Quill asked, pausing to look at her in surprise.

"He took her to Vormir. He came back with the Soul Stone," Nebula started, "But she didn't."

And just like that, she could see the situation slipping out of their control quickly. With the sudden realization that whomever this Gamora was to them was most likely dead, by Thanos' hands.

She knew she must have been important to Quill, what with the way he talked about her. And if he loved her anywhere near the same amount as she loved Steve, she could imagine his devastation to the news that his partner was most likely dead.

"Okay, Quill," she said softly, "I know what you must be feeling. But keep a cool head, okay? We need to get the gauntlet first. That's the most important thing. Please. Don't engage. Not until we get it off. Then I promise, no one will stand in your way. Just let us get it off first."

She could see her words go over his head, and she closed her eyes tightly, as she struggled to try and get the gauntlet off before it was too late.

"Tell me she's lying," Quill said, before screaming, "ASSHOLE! Tell me you didn't do it!"

"I had to," Thanos struggled out, and she knew it was the wrong answer.

She could see him tear up, "No, you didn't! No, you didn't!" He took out his pistol and began punching Thanos in the face, as Mantis let go, "NO, YOU DIDN'T!"

"Quill!" Drax yelled out, and she struggled, to try and pull Quill off of Thanos.

"Hey!" she screamed, "Stop! Stop! Quill, you gotta Stop!"

"It's coming off! It's coming! I got it!" Peter said, "It's got it!"

But the damage had been done. With Mantis no longer subduing Thanos because of Quill's punches, the Titan was no longer under, and woke up. He grabbed the gauntlet back from Peter, as he chucked her son aside. He ripped Mantis off of him, as Peter struggled to catch her. Thanos picked up Quill and threw him at Drax and the blue alien woman, knocking them backwards.

As only Strange remained, Thanos grabbed the magical rope holding him in place and tossed him off to the side, then blasting them with a ray of purple light.

She flew in, blasting him with her arm cannons, but was simply head butted to the ground. She grabbed a piece of debris as she flew back in to hit him with it, only for him to punch her away. He looked up at the sky, as he saw Titan's moon staring back at them.

And with a clench of his fist, the moon shattered, as the debris fell down to the battle ground.

She flew up, careful to dodge the falling fragments. Peter. Where was Peter?

She flew up desperately, trying to stop the largest fragment of the moon from crashing down and destroying them all.


"Update?" Steve asked over the comms, as he fought about ten of the alien invaders.

"Working on it," Shuri said.

"We nearly have all the connections recreated," Ava said, sounding stressed, "We just need a bit more time."

"We're doing our best," Harry responded over the comms, and he looked over to see the man block a shot from one of the aliens with a nearby alien who'd been charging at him.

The larger alien who'd been with the one they'd met with in the beginning seemed to be wreaking havoc with his hammer, and he saw T'Challa charge at the creature.

"Come and get some, space dogs!" the talking racoon said, as Bucky picked him up and spun around, as they both shot in opposite directions to take out all the aliens coming their way. "Come on, get some, get some! Come on, get some!"

The racoon seemed to notice Bucky's gun just then, "How much for the gun?"

"Not for sale," Bucky said, as he shot another round of aliens.

"Okay how much for the arm?" the racoon asked again, as Bucky walked away. "Oh, I'll get that arm."

Having Thor on their side, had really turned the tides of the battle.

He looked over to see the man beside him swinging his new axe around, to take out any creature which came within ten yards of them.

"New haircut?" Steve commented, with a pant, as he looked over at the man.

Thor grinned at him, "Notice you've copied my beard."

"What can I say, Toni likes it," Steve shrugged, remembering her showing him just how much she liked it.

"By the way," Thor said, "This is a friend of mine. Tree."

He gestured towards the sentient, walking tree, and Steve didn't really have the words.

"I am GROOT!" the tree seemed to greet him with a snarl.

"I am Steve Rogers," he greeted, unsure of what else to say.

The ground under them seemed to rumble, and he looked up to see a troopship moving underground, as it surface through the force field. It ripped up the ground around them, and he knew that whatever barrier they had protecting them wouldn't do much good now.

"Fall back!" T'Challa screamed out. "Fall back now!"

"Focus that fire on the left flank, Sam!" Rhodey said, as the two flew towards the new bound vessel.

"I'm doing it!" Sam responded, as they both shot at the moving wheel. However, it seemed impenetrable.

The moving wheel moved in the direction of Natasha and Okoye, and he heard Harry scream for them to get out of the way before they were torn to shreds.

But nothing happened, as Pietro ran in to scoop them out of the way, while Wanda raised the entire wheel off of the ground and brought it down on the alien heard coming their way.

Shit.

If Wanda was here, then who was with Vision?

"Why was she up there all this time?" Okoye asked, and Steve wanted to yell at her to get back to the lab. All of this would be for naught if the stone was not destroyed.

"I need eyes on Vision!" Steve said urgently.

"They're in the lab!" Ava grunted, "We're trying to hold them back."

"Don't touch them!" Vision said loudly, over the comms, and he looked up as he heard them crash out of the lab and onto the field.

With the Mind stone still firmly in his head.

Shit.

"Guys we got a Vision situation here," Sam said, with the same urgency that Steve felt.

"Somebody get to Vision!" he commanded, knowing he was too far away to be able to get to them in time.

"I got him!" Bruce said, as he made a beeline towards Steve's grandson.

"On my way!" Wanda said, before she was promptly knocked off her feet.

"He'll die alone. As will you," the female alien said, as Steve heard them.

"She's not alone!" Steve heard Natasha say.

"I got eyes on Vision," Bruce said. "Oh no, oh no you don't. This isn't going to be like New York, pal. Shit. Guys, I got the big one, but Vision needs Back up now!"

Steve wasn't sure they were supposed to hear the next part.

"Hulk. Hulk, I know you like making your entrance at the last second, well, this is it, man. This is the last, last second," Bruce pleaded, "Ahh! Hulk! Hulk! HULK, PLEASE!"

"NOOOO!" Hulk's roar over the comms startled him.

"Oh, screw you, you big green asshole, I'll do it myself," Bruce said frustratedly.

"Who has eyes on Vision?" Steve said trying to see where the android was to make his way over to him. When no one responded, he knew it was up to him.

"I thought you were formidable, machine. But you're dying, like any man," Steve heard the alien say as he made his way over to where they were fighting with a charge, in time to see his grandson stabbed. The tall purple alien pulled out the blade, as Vision collapsed.

He charged the alien then knocking them both off their feet.

"Get out of here!" he demanded to Vision, pleading that he'd be safe, away from the fight, "Go!"

He used his shield to dodge the attacks coming his way from the alien's spears, knocking one to the ground. Only for his punch to be caught and his body thrown over a log.

The alien climbed over him then, grabbing his neck and squeezing tightly.

He struggled against it, trying to fight the motion, as he saw a blade penetrate the alien's chest.

Vision had stabbed him with the fallen spear, as he threw the alien aside, before promptly collapsing.

Shit.

He wished Toni were here. He had no idea how to help Vision. No idea how to save their grandchild.

"I thought I told you to go," Steve said gently, as he helped the android back up.

"We don't trade lives," Vision shot his words back at him, "You're family, Steve. I wasn't going to leave you."

He felt a pang of sadness, wishing not for the first time that they all made it out of this alive.


The falling moon fragments continued to fall to the planet, as she struggled to get everyone to safety.

"I got you!" she heard Peter say over the comms, and she saw him web up mantis. "I got you! I got you!"

He secured Drax and Quill.

"I'm sorry, I can't remember anybody's names," Peter said, sounding overwhelmed.

"You can do this, Peter," she told her son. "Just get them to safety, okay? That's the priority. Strange and I have Thanos."

He was a kid. A kid who wasn't meant to fight battles like this.

She wished he'd been at home. Safe. With Morgan. Instead he was on this planet and she had no idea if or how they'd get off it.

She looked down to see Strange battling against Thanos. It was a battle like she couldn't describe. A battle of magic.

And she'd thought she'd seen it all.

Strange shot a beam of read power, which Thanos quickly blocked, and sent his own blast of the Power stone back at him. The doctor blocked the blast with what appeared to be glass? Mirrors? Honestly, she wasn't sure anymore.

Thanos punched the mirror, and the shards were absorbed quickly by his gauntlet.

This was him with four stones. What happened if he got all six?

A glowing rock hurled towards Strange, as the man blocked it quickly, sending back what appeared to be butterflies. That were aqua blue.

Strange began to float then, as many arms emerged from his body, and each set soon belonged to their own version of Strange. Hundreds of copies of the Doctor floated in the air, casting magical cords of their own, wrapping around Thanos' torso.

But with a simple clench of his fist, the Soul and Power stone removed all the false Stranges, and the Reality and Space stone pulled him closer to the Titan.

Thanos grasped Strange by the neck, and she saw him struggle as she flew towards them.

"You're full of tricks, Wizard," Thanos snarled. He reached for the Eye of Agamotto.

"No!" Strange yelled.

"Yet you never once used your greatest weapon," Thanos said knowingly, as he crushed the fake necklace around his neck.

He tossed Strange to the side, and she could see the man was out cold.

He moved towards Strange, and she thrust a device at Thanos to stop him from snapping his fingers any longer, as she landed in front of him.

"You throw another moon at me or my son, and I'm going to lose it," she said in a simple voice.

"Stark," Thanos greeted her by name.

"Stark-Rogers," she said, glaring at him, "You know me?"

"I do," Thanos said simply, "You are not the only one cursed with knowledge."

"My only curse is you," she said, vehemently, as rockets emerged from her suit and launched themselves at the Titan.

"Come on!" Thanos demanded, as the rockets exploded on the target, clouding Thanos in smoke.

She dived through the smoke, using her thrusters to kick him backwards. Her fists turned to giant rocket driven battering rams as she pushed him away from her into a wall behind the Titan.

He was quick to shake it off, as he reached forward to tear off her helmet, to her surprise, before the nanobots moved to cover her face.

The second it took though was enough for Thanos to punch her backward and gave him the time he needed to rip the block she'd placed earlier on the gauntlet.

He used the Power stone then to send a stream of lambent energy towards her, and she struggled to form a shield, as the sheer force of the energy pushed her backwards.

She slid out from behind her shield, using the energy coming her way to push against it as she whipped back towards Thanos using the power of the thrusters. She kicked him with her left foot

As the right boot turned into. A clamp to pin the gauntlet.

She used her glove then to slam into Thanos'

Thanos punched her again, sending her flying, as the Titan began to beat her with his fists.

"Some may have issues harming women," Thanos admitted to her, as his fist collided with her torso, leaving her gasping. "It never matters the race. They see you as the weaker sex. However I see the truth. That you are not to be underestimated. That you are capable of enormous damage just the same as men."

Great. So he was a feminist who was beating the shit out of her just the same.

She could see the nanites covering her body struggle to cover over all the damage her suit was taking. There were only so many left covering her body, and she knew it was only a matter of time before there was nothing left to save her.

She fell down again against a blast from the Power stone, as she struggled to get back up to one knee and hit Thanos with a thruster, as he easily blocked it away.

She thought about Aunt Peggy who would tell her to never let someone keep her down. To keep fighting.

She wouldn't die here.

She wouldn't leave Peter. She wouldn't leave Morgan. And she wouldn't leave Steve. She needed to keep fighting. Needed to get home to them. She needed to get out of this alive.

Thanos walked up to her, and backhanded the helmet off her head, exposing her face, as her hair flew out from it. She hadn't been wearing a hair tie that morning, not really intending to go up into space when she and Ava had gone on a walk to the park with Morgan what felt like a lifetime ago. Nanites had formed around her hair originally to help tie it up, but now she needed all the nanites she could get.

She crossed her arms then, to try and block a blow from the gauntlet, and in a desperate attempt, she turned the glove she had into a short sword, to attack Thanos.

He grabbed it easily, as he broke it off, and thrust it swiftly into her left side, leaving her gasping.

She struggled to breathe, and in that moment she knew the truth.

For all she wished she'd make it home, she'd known this truth from the moment she'd gotten onto that ship. She wasn't going to. She'd given it all to stop Thanos but it wasn't enough. And now she was going to die here on this planet.

Thanos walked them backwards, as she cried out in pain with the sword still deeply in her body, until he sat her down on a rock. He patted her head, condescendingly.

"You have my respect, Stark-Rogers," the titan said as he gave her a smile, which to her felt like he was mocking her, "When I'm done, half of humanity will still be alive. I hope they remember you."

She cried out in pain, as she saw Thanos raise the gauntlet to close his fist, and she closed her eyes, bracing herself for her death.

She wished in that moment that her family would be okay. That Steve would move on from her death. That he would be happy and live a life without any pain. He deserved happiness and love.

And she hoped Peter would never know the loss of another parent after her. That he'd have Steve and the two of them would take care of each other.

She knew Morgan was too young to have any strong memories of her. But she hoped that her daughter would always know that she was loved. That Toni loved her so much and wanted nothing more than to be by her side.

"Stop!" Strange screamed out then, as she opened her eyes to look over at the awakened Sorcerer Supreme. Just in time to see her die.

Ginsburg, she hoped Peter wouldn't see her die. She didn't want her son to have to see her dead body either, but to see her death would be much worse.

"Spare her life," Strange pleaded, "And I'll give you the stone."

"No!" she screamed out, with whatever strength she had left. Her life wasn't worth the stone. Her life couldn't be worth the stone.

"No tricks," Thanos warned him, and Strange shook his head, as Strange picked up the stone from the space in which he'd been hiding it with trembling hands as he handed it over to Thanos.

Thanos placed the Stone into his gauntlet, wincing only briefly from energy pulse it gave off.

"One to go," Thanos said, and she knew they'd failed. He'd be coming for her grandson now. For Steve.

She hoped they'd be able to stop him.

There was a quick onset of shots towards the gauntlet then, and she saw Quill fly towards them, to launch himself into Thanos. But the Titan had gotten what he wanted, and saw no point of staying. Instead, he opened a portal akin to the one he'd arrived in and stepped backwards through it, as Quill landed on the ground where he once stood.

"Where is he?" Quill let out a scream.

She knew it was too late. They'd lost.

She used whatever power her suit had left to try and stick up her stab wound, hoping she'd have enough life in her left to make sure Peter could get home.

"Did we just lose?" Quill asked, as understanding dawned upon him. And instead of fury that filled his voice. It was fear.

"Why did you do that?" she asked Strange with so much pain in her voice. Her life was not worth that of everyone in the galaxy.

"I did what I had to do," Strange told her without revealing any cards, "We're in the Endgame now."


The battle continued on around him, and all he could think of was when it would end.

He could see Thor flying through the air, using his new weapon to bring down the ships around him, sending them fleeing away.

"He is here," Vision said over the comms, and Steve knew immediately who he meant.

They'd run out of time.

And the stone was still deeply embedded in his grandson's forehead. There would be no more separating the Stone from Vision. All that was left was protecting the android at all costs.

"Everyone, on my position," Steve said, as the wind picked up around him. "We have incoming."

He was joined then by Nat, Sam, Harry, Okoye, and T'Challa, and he prayed it would be enough.

"What the hell?" Natasha asked, as the winds continued to move around them.

"I have eyes!" Bruce said, as he stood in front of them, "Cap, that's him!" he identified the man who he'd faced earlier on the Asgardian ship.

This was Thanos. Destroyer of worlds. Bringer of death and destruction.

And he was here.

"Eyes up!" Steve commanded, "Stay sharp."

Bruce flew into Thanos, launching an attack, but Thanos used the Space Stone at him, as Bruce was rendered immaterial, only turning solid again once he was deeply embedded in the cliff behind him.

He charged then as well, as purple energy encapsulated him and sent him flying before he could land a punch.

T'Challa's attack got him grabbed by the throat and punched to the ground.

And Falcon's wings turned to rubber when he attacked.

How were they supposed to win in a fight where the laws of physics that his wife adored no longer seized to exist?

"It's time," Vision had said over the comms, and Steve struggled to stand back up so he could argue.

"No," Wanda said.

"He cannot be stopped in this fight," Vision said, "Captain, I wish for you and Toni to know that I have the utmost respect for you. Our family has given me so much love and support. But I cannot continue to exist while it endangers all life on this universe."

It was JARVIS who spoke next, voice thicker with more emotion than he'd ever heard Toni's AI son use, "No matter how logical your choice seems, I find myself unable to accept it. You are of my code. My years of growth and learning. You are the closest thing I have to a child."

"It must be done," Vision's voice said, and Steve could hear the underlying tremble, "Wanda, you have the power to destroy the stone. Please. You must do it. Wanda, please. We. Are. Out of time."

"I can't," Wanda's voice broke.

"Yes, you can. You can. If he gets the stone, half the universe dies," Vision said.

He closed their channel, knowing they needed a few private moments, and asked JARVIS to open it back up when they were done. To allow Vision to go in peace.

He hated it. But he understood it. Was it not why he'd dove his own plane into the ocean? To save the lives of those he loved?

Rhodey was tossed out the sky, Erik's suit was broken away from his body, Bucky had began firing at Thanos, and he watched his brother be punched away.

As long as he had that gauntlet, he was too powerful.

Groot's roots were easily broken as the tree struggled to contain him.

He slid under one of Thanos' blows, as he managed to land a punch onto Thanos as he grasped for the gauntlet.

"I'm almost impressed," Thanos spoke to him. "Rogers, was it?"

"Stark-Rogers," Steve spat out, and he could see recognition in the man's eyes.

"I see the entire family is involved in your fight against me," Thanos smirked, "Though your wife did give me far more of a fight. But I'll take care of you just as I took care of her."

"What did you do to Toni?" Steve screamed, fear and panic filling him at once, at the unknown state of his wife.

"I'll make your death far more painful," Thanos promised him, as a fist collided with his face and he dropped to the ground.

The world began to ring, and he could struggle to get back up. He needed to get back up. He had to get back up.

Thoughts of his wife and son filled his head, and he pushed himself back up to his knees.

"Sir, Wanda is attempting to contain Thanos and destroy the stone," JARVIS spoke in his ear for encouragement. "You must assist them. Sir."

"I'm on my way, JARVIS," he winced, as struggled to stand.

It was done before he managed to get to his feet.

Vision was gone.

He felt his heart break and couldn't even imagine how Wanda must have been feeling. If he'd been in her shoes. If it had been Toni. He wasn't even sure he could process the thought.

"I understand, my child," Steve could hear Thanos say, "Better than anyone."

"You could never," Wanda said with a snarl.

Thanos reached down to stroke her hair, "Today, I lost more than you can know. But now is no time to mourn. Now is no time at all."

He clenched the gauntlet then, as green light emerged. Yellow filled the area around them, and he watched in horror as Thanos remade Vision where he once had stood. Alive and whole. As if nothing had happened.

"NO!" Wanda screamed out in realization. She lunged for Vision, as she was thrown away.

Thanos picked up Vision by the throat, lifting him to eye level, as he dug the mind stone out of Vision's body. The Android went limp, and colourless and Steve knew that he'd died for a second time that day.

He managed to get to his feet as Vision was tossed aside and the stone placed in the final spot on his gauntlet.

Lightning promptly struck him, as he was dug into the ground, several meters deep. He felt a sense of hope as Thor arrived then, eyes glowing with power, raising his axe, and throwing it at Thanos. Thanos shot a stream of energy at it, but there was a rainbow shock instead, as the axe made it through the gauntlet's attack and embedded itself into Thanos' chest.

"I told you," Thor said in anger, "You'd die for that. You killed my brother. You killed Heimdall. And you will die."

Thanos laughed weakly instead, "You should have," he started weakly. "You should have gone for the head."

And with that, he snapped his fingers, changing life as they knew it forever.

"No!" Thor screamed out, as white light overtook his vision. "What did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

Thanos teleported away, without as much as answering his question.

He managed to make his way over to Thor, limping as he walked, "Where'd he go? Thor, where did he go?"

"Steve?" Bucky asked, as he struggled over to them, as he dropped his gun. Steve looked over at his best friend in shock, as Bucky turned to ashes where he stood, and evaporated away. He let out a scared noise, as he struggled to grasp the ashes, willing his brother back.

He looked around in horror, as he tried to make his way back to his friends.

Groot was the next to turn to ashes, looking up at the raccoon with fear in his eyes.

"No... no. No. No. No! Groot, no...," The racoon pleaded.

He saw Wanda and Sam go next, as he madly looked around.

What was this? What was happening.

"Sam?" Rhodey asked over the comms, "Sam, what happened? Where'd you go?"

"Steve," Ava's voice came over the comms, "Harry. Something is happening to me. I don't feel well. Please, help me."

"Ava?" Harry said, "Ava stay where you are, I'm co-"

Steve turned around and where Harry once stood, only ashes remained.

They'd lost.

They'd lost and now his family was gone.


Peter limped over to where Toni was.

"Mom!" Peter said, in shock as he saw her destroyed armour. "What happened? Are you hurt? Please tell me you're alright."

She stood, as she wrapped her arms tightly around him, "I'm so glad you're okay," she said, "Peter, I love you so very much, okay? I want you to know that. I love you, and I'm proud of you, no matter what."

"Mom, you're scaring me," Peter said, and she held him close to her. "You're going to be okay. You hear me? We're going to get home, and you're going to be okay. Nothing is going to happen to you. We just need to get back home. To Dad and to Morgan."

"Something's happening," Mantis said, and Toni pulled away as she saw fear in the other woman's eyes.

Did Thanos get his hands on the other stone? She prayed that her husband was able to hold him off. That Vision was okay.

Mantis looked at them all, in terror, as she turned to ash.

"What happened?" Peter asked in horror, as around them, Drax turned to ashes as well, leaving nothing but dust where they once stood.

Quill looked at her with panic.

"Steady, Quill," she said, as if it were enough to keep him solid. She could feel the panic rise in her, at the unknown of what was happening.

"Oh, man," Quill said with great disappointment as he turned to ashes around them.

Strange looked at her calmly, as if he'd known this was to come. As if he expected this, "Toni," he told her gently, "There was no other way. You must understand that. I'm sorry."

He faded then, and she looked over at her son in terror, realizing only three of them remained.

"Mom?" Peter asked her, voice filled with panic and fear, and she felt her heart clench. No. this couldn't be happening. No. Please. "I don't feel so good. I don't know what's happening..."

"Peter, no, please," she pleaded, as he stumbled into her arms. "You're alright. Okay? You're alright."

"I love you, Mom. Thank you for everything you and Dad gave me. I love you," Peter said, crying, "Please, Mom. I don't want to go. Please. I don't wanna go. I'm sorry."

She sobbed as her son in her arms turned to dust, and she scrambled to try and contain it all. As if it would bring him back. As if there was anything she could do to save him. To stop him from leaving.

"He did it," Nebula said, as she remained by his side.

She cried harder, feeling the loss of her child. She wanted to beg, to plead for him to come back. For him to be unharmed.

He couldn't be gone. He just couldn't. Peter was the best of them. He was supposed to be better than any of them.

He wasn't supposed to be gone.

Not like this.

This couldn't be happening. She closed her eyes and did something she hadn't done in years.

She prayed.

She closed her eyes, and she prayed for this to be a mistake. For it to not be happening.

For Peter to be okay.

For Vision to be okay.

And instead, she was just alone.


A/N: My heart is broken. I don't think I've ever cried as much writing a chapter before. Thank you all for your continued support, and I appreciate every word you have left in response to this story. And as always. I'll see you next week.