A/N: Hello and welcome to the Endgame. Please be aware that this fic from now on takes place in 2023. There will be things that pop up that have not been explained.. These are not plot holes. They will be covered in other fanfictions depicting things like Crisis on Infinte Earths (Major spoiler coming up by the way) And the adventures of Iron Thunder, which will primarily focus on this 5 year gap. Also please keep in mind there is still 3 years at the point of writing of Arrowverse to still be seen, so if it feels like I am not mentioning certain characters, its because I don't want continuity errors. For instance, it would be kind of weird if Flash zoomed on by if he somehow lost his powers that had yet to be explored. Anyways, continue to read and enjoy!

"Star City coming into view hun." EDI said in my ear as I flew through the sky. I smiled "Hi honey, I'm home." I muttered. It had been a long time since I had been in Star City.. Not as long as my first return back in 2012 to join the hood. No Hood to join this time. Oliver Queen was dead, killed in Crisis 3 years ago. This time, I was helping the SCPD take down a gun running gang which had risen up in the past few months. Just before our Avengers meeting the Captain had called me in, to help avoid a full out gun fight. I may have left Blue Arrow behind, but I was not about to leave Star City behind. For Oliver... I would not fail this city.

I dove towards the city and said "EDI patch me into SCPD's coms." She then said "Done." I then said "Iron Thunder is on the scene, whats the situation." one of the cops said "David Shuter, Nice to be working with you again. You probably don't remember me, I was part of the trainee class that Oliver, you and Team Arrow were a part of when you were deputized." I shook my head slightly "I never was, I'm an Avenger. I only helped out from time to time." He then said "Still, pleasure is still mine. We have 3 block radius around the warehouse. Awaiting orders." I then said "Not sure if you mean mine. But stay back, I have got this. Just like old times." I then found the building and slowed my decent, hovering outside. I scanned the building, there were 20 guys, all on the ground floor, none walking on the scaffolding above. Perfect. I flew in through an open window and landed, my boots disappearing so I landed softly and silently. I did a quick recon, everyone had guns, and crates full of them stored elsewhere in the storage warehouse, guarded by 2 men with bigger guns. I smirked. Easy. I then jumped down, my boots re-activating to keep from breaking my feet "Well, Hello there." They all turned and started firing on me.

I let that go on for a while before they finally stopped, having run out of bullets in their clips, They scrambled to reload and I said "Wait, wait! You know my suit is bullet proof.. Even if it wasn't, you know you couldn't beat me. In fact some of the people in this room look familiar. Did I not take you down wearing the blue hood? So lets make this simple. You put down the guns, and come outside to meet the nice boys and girls in blue. Or you could attempt to run, but they have this place surrounded." They pointed their guns at me again "Die Blue Arrow." I sighed "I just mentioned the bullet proof suit... did I also mention it can do this." Arms sprouted from my back, two above my shoulder, two horizantal to my back, and two pointed downwards.. A giant magnet. I then ignited my boosters and hovered above the ground ,twisting around, all the guns flew from their hands and attached to my back. I then stayed hovering and said "Single file, out the front, or I start actually fighting back.. And it won't be with a bow and arrows so I really don't like your chances." luckily my reputation as both the Blue Arrow and Iron Thunder preceeded me and they did as begged. I followed them out.

I landed by the tarp the police had laid out for me and willed the magnet to de-activate, the guns fell to the tarp. "Just like old times Lightning, Never thought we would be back here." I turned to Quintin Lance walking up to me. It had been 3 years since Crisis, since Oliver sacrifice himself to reboot the universe. There were many things that he had not been able to change.. The snap for instance.. But he had brought back Quintin from the dead.. And it was still weird to see him. "Definitely not me Detective" I shook his hand and my helmet retracted. "I have to admit, it's a little weird without Oliver here.. We never really just called on Blue Lightning, It was the Green Arrow too." I nodded "Oliver died so we all could live.. I was there when it happened.. He said dying was the easy bit... Living on was the challenge. So lets start something new, When in trouble, Captain Lance calls Iron Thunder. For Oliver." He nodded "I missed this you know. It was a honor following in Oliver's footsteps being the Mayor for so long, but I was born to be a cop. Not that there is any real need since this is the first crime in Star City in 3 years.. Another hat tip to Oliver of course." I smiled "He succeeded in his mission... to save his City" Quintin shook his head "No.. He finished your mission, one you both worked for 8 years to accomplish. Star City did not just have one star hero.. We had two. This is your City too David, and you will always have family here.. It was Team Arrow after all.. That means both the Arrows.. Green and Blue." My smile grew more "I do have the Mark of 4 tattoo on my arm to remind me of that every day. But I will keep all of that in mind Quintin. I have to be going though, I'm missing an Avengers meeting, and Natasha will not be happy if I miss it all." He smirked "Well I wouldn't want to get in-between you and her. Listen, I've known you for 11 years. It is nice to see you truly happy with her Now go." I nodded and took off, flying for Avengers facility.

I landed on the door step and walked in, my suit re-tracking into the housing unit on my chest. I made it to the meeting room with only one person left on holograms.. Rhodes. Nat asked Rhodes "Will you find out where he is going next.. Please.." Rhodes said "Okay." I then spoke up "When you do, give us the tip.. Don't go in alone." Rhodes could not see me, but he said "Got it Thunder." He then shut off his hologram. Tasha looked like she was about to cry "Hey hun, Don't worry.. We will find him.. We will bring him back.. Show him the light. Together." She got up and walked over and fell into my arms crying silently. I hugged her tightly. "Do you think.. You can help him.. Like you did Oliver.." She murmured into my chest. I sighed and bit my lip before saying "Oliver had many dark moments.. Some of them he snapped. Right before Wakanda.. Oliver took his darkest turn yet, don-ing his old suit and going on a murder spree.. I was only able to bring him back by reminding him of how far we had come together.. And Felicity helped too. With your help.. I hope we can do the same for Barton.." We then stayed in silence for a few moments before Steve said behind me "I'd offer to make you some dinner, but I think its better if your husband does that." We turned to face him, Tasha leaning into me with my arm around her. I said "And the best man finally comes home, to do some laundry I assume?" He smiled "And to see a couple friends. You know I saw a few whales coming over the bridge." Tasha smirked "In the hudson?" Steve nodded "Fewer ships, cleaner waters." Tasha then said "You know.. If you are trying to get us to look on the bright side.. I'm about to hit you in the head with a Jam sandwich.. It would be peanut butter too but.." I then sighed and said "Thanks for not killing me with my personal kryptonite.. But joking aside, this is our reality now Tash.. A lot of bad has happened... I don't even want to think about it... but there is some good things that have happened too I'd like to think... maybe that was the way things always were.. Or maybe its thanks to Oliver..but I know of one good thing that happened all on its own." She gave me a small smile "The only good thing, I love you, my darling husband." I smirked slightly "And look who is buttering up to me, my sweet wife." Steve chuckled "You guys are so cute it makes me sick." we then took a seat. Steve then said "You know, I keep telling people to move on, keep living.. Some do... but we don't." Tasha then replied "If we move on, who does this?" Steve then said "Maybe it doesn't need to be done. We have a Justice League now... maybe its time for the Avengers to retire." I shook my head "I retired once. People I loved died. Never again, besides.. How will the Justice League operate without the Avengers to advise and support them?" Natasha then said "You know.. I used to have nothing.. Then I got this.. This job, this family. This man.. And I was better because of it, and even though they're gone. I'm still trying to be better." a tear fell down her cheek. I bit my own lip and looked down, thinking of Percy.. Zeus.. Eargon..Jason..Annabeth.. T'challa...Laurel..My mother.. Oliver... all had died.. Most had been because I had not done my job properly. I did what I did now to BE better. I revealed myself to the world and took on being Iron Thunder full time to honor their memories.. Steve then broke the silence by said "I think we need to get a life." I shrugged and said softly "This will be my life, until I die on the Wakandan plains.. In a meaningless battle." I could feel both their eyes on me, boring into my soul. I had tried to stay positive all these years.. But every so often something would happen to remind me of the past.. Of my failure.. And the pointlessness of my life.

A alert popped up on the holographic computer. Natasha swiped it to recording of someone saying "hi is..uh..anyone home. It's Scott Lang, we met a few years ago at the airport in germany? I was the guy that got really big, I had a mask on. You wouldn't recognize me." Steve then said "Is this an old message?" I then said "It's got to be.. Scott was snapped away 5 years ago.." Tasha then said "It's the front gate."

We then let him in. He began by pacing and muttering to himself. I then muttered "Well this is great... he's crazy." Cap then said "Scott.. Are you okay?" Scott then said "yup.. Have any of you ever studied quantum physics?" Tasha then replied "Only to make conversation." I then added "Yeah... we're not really the brain of the Avengers... mostly the brawn." Scott then looked at me "Who are you?" I then said "Uh...Iron Thunder.. We met in the airport, 7 years ago.. I'm kind of a celebrity now..?" He then shrugged and said "Alright, 5 years ago, right before...Thanos... I was in a place called the quantum realm. The Quantum Realm is like its own Microscopic Universe. To get in there , you have to be incredibly small. Hope. She's my, umm, She was my.. She was supposed to pull me out.. And then Thanos happened, and I got.. Stuck in there.." I then said lowly "Sounds like a bad porno movie." Cap then twisted around "I finally got the reference." Tasha groaned "Steve.. We told you to keep your innocence." Scott then said "Uh.. Hello?" I waved at him "Sorry.. Kind of an inside joke, continue, five years stuck in this quantum realm, must have been long." Scott then replied "That's just it. It wasn't. For me, it was 5 hours. The rules aren't like up here.. Everything is unpredictable.. Is that anyone's sandwhich? I'm starving." Steve then said "Scott, what are you talking about?" Scott then said with his mouth full "So what I am saying is, Time works differently in the quantum realm. The only problem is right now we don't have a way to navigate it. Is this just Jam? Who doesn't put Peanut butter on a Jam sandwhich? Anyways, what if we did have a way. If we could somehow control the chaos and we could navigate it? What if there was a way we could enter the quantum realm at a certain point in time but then exit the quantum realm at another point in time? Like... like before Thanos." Steve then said "You are talking about a time machine?" He shook his head "No.. Not like a time machine.. Like a..a..yeah okay like a time machine.. I know it's crazy.. But I can't stop thinking about it. There's got to be.. Some way.." I then interjected "There is.. The Waverider. I already rulled out Time travel to solve the issue. The Flash did it once.. Stopped his mothers murder, created Flash point.. Different timeline.. He began to fade out of existence. We can't go back to Wakanda 2018. First of all the Legends are already there helping us fight him, and apparently when there are multiple of them in the same place it causes issues for them.. Somehow me and Future Iron Thunder were able to do it for brief amounts of time. But I'm already a time traveler which could have effected that. Second if we prevent the snap.. We would never have traveled back in time to stop Thanos, creating a paradox.. Which is much much worse than the snap. We can't use time travel to solve our problem." Scott then shook his head "There has got to be something.. Who do we talk to about this.. Who isn't one of these Legends.." We settled on one person. Tony. I was still certain it couldn't be done.. But with how urgent Scott was being.. And how much we wanted it to be a viable idea.. We decided to take the risk.. Though I doubted Tony would help us screw with time... He still was a better option than the Legends who would just tell us no.