Endgame was bullshit. Quality angst though. Please enjoy this rewrite of the MCU with my character, Tala. I do not own Marvel or any of its franchises. This is mainly for self-indulgent enjoyment and therapy for my aching heart. Although, while typing I teared up a few times but the next chapters will heal our hearts, I promise. Enjoy sobbing for a little over 6 pages.
One: the end.
My legs were trembling. Chest heaving for breath, face covered in dirt and blood, muscles screaming in protest to just sit down already. Thanos' army crumbled to dust, leaving space for my confused face to meet the other confused faces. But then I remembered. Dust. Someone used the stones. But who? I knew Banner was too far away to have done it. Thor was somewhere to my right in the distance, I could see him.
"Mr. Stark! Hey… Mr. Stark?"
My breathing hitched, eyes forming tears as I listened. Peter was calling for him, that's not unusual but the tone of voice. His voice.
"We won," I heard him say as I struggled to move my legs.
There was crying and apologizing. Peter's voice was breaking. I could hear him clearer as I came closer, my limp wings fluttered trying to push me, to give me more momentum.
There. Tony was propped up against wreckage, Peter and Pepper and Rhodey and I didn't care who else surround him because his face had dark veins running up the right side and – oh my god his arm. His breathing was shallow, eyes glossy and bloodshot. My stumbling brought attention to me and I met Pepper's eyes, but her face only twisted with pain and sorrow.
"Tala." She choked out my name. She tried to speak more but just sagged on her knees and cried softly.
I dropped to my own knees beside her, nearly falling over at the effort. Tony was silent, I imagine he didn't have the energy to speak. Gently, I put a trembling hand on his face opposite of Pepper's. Her free hand reached out to grab mine tightly, searching for comfort.
"It's okay Tony. It's okay. We'll be okay?" she said to him. She didn't sound very convincing to me though, her hand held mine so tightly and her words were all strained.
"Hey, hey, look at me," her thumb stroked under his eye and then moved down to his chest. To the flickering arc reactor. "It's okay now… you can rest."
His glazed eyes flickered, and a ghost of a smile crossed his face. He gave a sigh and nuzzled his face in my hand with limited strength. His gaze shifted from her to me, and the fading warmth only had me biting my lip to not scream.
I nodded my head, shakily with a watery smile plastered to my face, "It's okay… heaven is nice."
The arc reactor flickered again, before fading and cutting off.
Pepper released my hand, the other one dropping from Tony's chest and cried heavily. Rhodey moved to comfort her and I felt Peter's body lean against mine as he too cried. The post-battle wreckage was horrible and when I looked around all I saw was a graveyard. A graveyard too big for just one person.
We had won, but at what cost? Tony and Natasha were always underestimated, always attacked for not being heroic due to their personalities and attitudes. But in the end, they were the most heroic people, laying down their lives – sacrificing themselves to let other people live. I sat there in denial for a while, staring at Tony's face and holding his limp hand in my own.
Our relationship – our camaraderie began when we met just before the Chitauri invasion. As a half-angel I'd been told that my energy, my aura, had a rather odd effect on certain types of people. Thinking back to my makeshift family I can see that clearly. Tony once confessed to me that when we met he immediately felt protected and at ease – trust. This trust, our bond, became a driving force in our relationship. We could communicate without saying much which drove Pepper crazy but then the redhead said she could claim denial if ever asked about our plans. Funny enough that same type of bond developed with Pepper too after some cultivation.
But seeing him like this… and seeing her like this was too much. They were supposed to be alive and together and taking care of Morgan after this whole mess. Although they were both adamant that I not be left out.
Vaguely I noticed that Pepper was holding me tightly now, as if she were afraid I would fade. And nearby were our comrades, those that fought and bled with us. With Pepper shaking next to me and Peter all but collapsed on my lap with Rhodey sitting with his back against mine I felt something stir within me.
Oh, how bitter love can be. I thought grimly.
Holy energy, I've been told, is like an unexplainable warmth. I've heard comparisons to it being like a blanket, or a sunny day, or sitting next to a fireplace, or even like being wrapped up in a warm tortilla (that last one is Morgan).
To me it felt like a full-body blush, a type of unexplainable inner warmth that showed on the outside.
I didn't have much energy left, however, so my body only dimly glowed gold. Peter's head shifted on my lap, no doubt noticing the glow on what silhouette he could see. Pepper noticed it on my shoulder and lifted her head cautiously. Rhodey was still in his suit but the sensors warned him of a temperature increase behind him and he moved to where he could see me.
Nearby, our friends shuffled anxiously, wanting to ask but still mourning in silence.
Pepper had no such qualms. "What are you doing?" she asked brokenly.
"I'm going to heal him." I say lowly.
Her eyes widened, and Peter sat up quickly, "Heal?!" he questioned quickly.
This got everyone else's attention.
"You can heal him? Even though he's…" Steve cut himself off, not wanting to admit it out loud yet.
I shifted, moving to sit next to… his body. It was painful and slow, I still ached from the bruises and scrapes and overworked muscles. I removed the gauntlet from his right hand and replaced it with my hand. My wings shifted weakly, the left moving behind him to cradle him gently and the right stretched out and resting on the ground.
"I can," I lied.
Pepper grasped my free hand, it glowing gold still and looked at me pleadingly. "But you've already used so much energy!" she protested.
I smiled tiredly at her and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, "I have enough for this."
Hoping that wasn't too ominous, I released her hand, I didn't want her to notice when my body temperature dropped.
She nodded with uncertainty, "You better not be lying to me, Tala."
I chuckled softly, "Of course not, Vee."
She sat back, wringing her hands as everyone converged on us before backing away again to give us space.
"Tala, please," she choke-sobbed.
With a shuttering and deep breath, I latched onto the inner warmth and pulled it forward. it pooled outside of me, showing as I was outlined in a dim, gold light. I directed it to my left hand, coaxing it into him and closed my eyes to direct repairs before I lost consciousness.
A moment of silence passed before there was a pained gasp from next to me. After that there were cheers from those surrounding us and I made it a point to not look in Strange's direction. A hand squeezed mine from the left and I tilted my head; golden eyes meeting brown ones.
Tony was alive again.
"Wha?" he stuttered through words, not being able to form a sentence. Pepper launched herself to hug us both, crying tears of joy and relief.
"Oh god, Tony!" she sobbed.
"Mr. Stark!" I heard Peter cry on my far left.
I quickly released Tony's hand as I felt the coldness creeping in.
There were others crying and dropping to their knees at the miracle. But Stephen Strange dropped on his butt to sit next to me, saying nothing as I leaned against him. My strength was leaving me quickly and there was a darkness creeping around the edge of my vision. I tried to stay quiet, so I could die listening to my family's happiness, but Strange didn't let that happen.
"You should say goodbye," his deep baritone cut across everyone else's voices.
As they all quieted down in confusion they noticed by slumped body.
"Oh god, Tala!" Pepper cried out.
"Tala?"
I was pulled away from Stephen and into someone else's arms gently. A hand stroked the side of my face and another pet my hair.
Opening my eyes – when had they closed? – to be greeted with the glowing arc reactor had to be one of the best moments of my life. He's alive.
Resting on Tony's chest I saw Pepper hovering behind him, cupping my face in her hand.
She frowned, "You're cold, Tala. We need to get you somewhere with blankets and –"
"It's no use," Stephen cut in.
"No use? What do you mean 'no use'?" Tony asked harshly.
I said nothing, simply glad to hear his voice again.
"She's dying."
There was an uproar. 'Dying!?' 'Tala…' 'No that can't be true!' 'Tala, no.'
"'S fine," I slurred out. Internally I frowned, I was losing motor functioning of my jaw.
"No, it's not fine! I shouldn't have let you! I shouldn't have listened!" Pepper wailed while grabbing at her hair.
I whimpered, "No' 'appy?"
She realized what her denial was doing, "No, no, sweetheart I'm happy. I'm so happy that you healed him but… babydoll. I'm –"
"Tala," Tony whispered brokenly.
Looking up I saw tears running down his face. His flushed and alive face.
"Why?" he continued, "why would you do that? I can't… I want you alive too. We want you alive."
We. I knew he was referring to Pepper, Morgan and himself. But he also meant the team – the family.
"'M sorry'," I say and then scrunch my face up. It was getting harder to form words, to speak. To think.
The body against mine shook as he held me closer. Ah. FRIDAY told him that my heart was slowing.
"Babydoll, please… please don't do this to us. Don't, please don't."
I frowned, "Stop," I say.
"No cryin', kay?"
That only made then cry harder. I huffed a sigh, closing my eyes and resting my head on the chest in front of me. The one with the heart beating.
"Heaven."
Tony tried blinking more tears away, his face was twisted in sadness, "What?" he asked.
"He'vn," I try to say. "Goin'."
"Miss Tala?" Peter began, "Can you… can you watch over us? From there?"
I hummed and nodded my head a fraction.
"Okay," the kid said with a smile in his voice, "I'll pray to you every night then, okay? I won't let you miss out on anything."
Another body hugged me from where I was resting against Tony. There was a brush of hair against my neck and I heard Pepper whisper quietly, "I love you, Tala."
I only hummed again.
There was a beat of silence and then, "I love you, babydoll. Get some sleep now, okay?"
I only shifted my head and fell into the darkness.
The Aftermath
At the Stark residence a crowd stood along the shore of the lake. A flower wreath made of gladioli, lilies, orchids, and apple blossoms was held in Morgan Stark's small grasp. Dressed in a black dress and Mary Janes with white socks, the three-year-old knew this was a moment of sorrow. Her parents told her that her mama Tala went back to heaven. From her understanding, now that there were more people in the world she had to go back and help watch over all of them.
When she asked when her mama Tala was coming back her dad only ruffled her hair and her mom smiled softly.
"Is this thing even on? I swear, sometimes Tony and technology just gives me a massive headache. Magic is much simpler, right, Dumpling?"
A transparent image of Tala Suoh stood on the pier. Her curly honey brown hair was tamed into a bushy ponytail and her golden eyes gleamed mischievously. She was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt under a gray and white checkered overall dress. Coming up to her mid-thigh was a pair of black socks and she had on a pair of pink bunny slippers. The hologram gave a toothy smile, exposing pearly whites against smooth brown skin.
"Well… I hope this is working. Anyway, if y'all are watching this then I died."
There was a pause, the image dropping the smile and frowning instead.
"I hope you don't have to watch this… but if you are then I'm not sorry. Whatever or whoever I died for was more than likely worth it. Especially if it was one of you guys, because I love you all so much. I would hate if one of you met your end and there was nothing I could do. You know, I'd do everything and anything in my power to protect all of you.
"Tony made a breakthrough with the time travel project. This message is just a contingency, but I feel it, deep down, that we won't all survive this. That I won't survive this. I know that there's only one way – one possibility to end Thanos and if I can contribute in some way, even if it is my life then I will do it. My life… I've lived for quite some time – nearly 200 years. I was lonely for a lot of that time. But then I found you all. You guys are my family and I know that my death will impact you but please, live for me.
Here the hologram chuckled.
"If you have another chance you better dam well take it! Oh! Dumpling, don't say that word, okay? Only grown ups can say that word! Oh, my Dumpling. I'm sorry to have to leave you so soon but I promise I will watch over you. You are not mine by blood, but you are by spirit. I love you so much and I'm so glad to have been a part of your life. And, to Anthony and Virginia – I can get away with calling you that because I'm dead, just saying – I love you both so much as well. Thank you for teaching me what being with you two feels like. Thank you for allowing me.
The hologram sat on a holographic chair that appeared.
"If this works out then we're good. No need to avenge me, I promise. Just live for me okay? Y'know my father, a long time ago would always tell me: ame futte chi katamaru. After it rains, the Earth hardens. I love you… I will always love you. Three-thousand."
The hologram cut off with not a dry eye in sight. Pepper and Tony walked with Morgan to the end of the pier where they helped her set it on the water. A single white candle standing in the middle was lit and Morgan let the wreath go. It drifted along the lake, a winged statue illuminated.
They all watched it go until it was out of sight before turning to walk into the house. Just before Tony closed the door he looked down at Morgan who was frowning with tears in her eyes. Giving a sigh, the Iron Man lifted his daughter and addressed the room.
"Did I tell you guys about that one time Tala and I were chased by angry pigs?"