Chapter 1 - Another Portal
Romanoff took Loki's scepter and pushed into into the force field.
"I can close it! Can anybody hear me? I can shut the portal down!" she yelled on coms. Selvig laid slumped down, weakened by the device.
"Do it!" commanded the Captain.
"No, wait!" said Tony.
"Stark, these things are still coming!" Steve said from the ground watching New York flood with more monster soldiers from the sky. The Chitauri ships filled the sky like a swarm of angry wasps, their metallic hulls glinting ominously against the black portal above. Skyscrapers crumbled as the Avengers fought to protect their home.
"I got a nuke coming in, it's gonna blow in less than a minute," said Stark using his AI interface to hyper focus on the gaping black canvas puncturing a hole in their sky, "And I know just where to put it," said Tony from his helmet. Soaring through the air, Tony put more energy into his thrusters and caught up to the missile. It accelerated, but Iron man grabbed it from behind, gripping it tightly. WIth a mighty effort, he wrenched the rockets off its course, steering it from behind. Tony accelerated quickly, flying straight up into the sky, towards the portal. His suit gleamed with an iridescent glow. The sun reflected its red and gold hues like dancing flames. His weary eyes, filled with determination, showed the weight of responsibility he bore. Steve watched him from below in fear, realizing he was sealing his fate.
"Stark, you know that's a one-way trip?" the Captain said sadly through the coms. Natasha looked up at the sky, as did Clint, and Thor.
"Save the rest for return, J." said Tony calmly, realizing his potential fate.
"Sir. Shall I call Miss Potts?" his AI companion said kindly.
"You might as well." he said sadly from inside his helmet, still holding onto the nuke.
Pepper, along with her crew, watched on T.V., in horror, the destruction in New York. On the table, her cell vibrates with Tony's picture on it, too distracted to answer.
Back in the bridge, every single agent held their breath as they too watched as Tony flew up into the portal.
Iron man climbed higher and higher over the city, gaining speed. Suddenly he flung himself through the portal. All communications died.
Every single agent cheered. Fury smiled as he tried to communicate with Tony, but got nothing. He could feel the pressure and lack of air. The suit began to freeze. Tony looked in horror at an armada of spaceships. The black sky filled with what must be ninety ships in a vague cluster. Most of them still hung in the air. Some moved swimmingly about. With the last of Tony's energy, he let go of the missile. It whistled off into the blackness as Iron man idly fell back down the portal's opening. The missile reached the main ship, and it exploded, causing the entire armada to burst into a supernova, creating a spectacular heavenly display.
Back on Earth, all of the Chitauri soldiers and leviathans keeled over, shake, and ceased to move. The Avengers look for their iron friend, not sure if he'll make it through. Still holding the scepter in her hand, Black Widow shifts around waiting.
"Come on, Stark …" she muttered to herself. Thor and Cap saw the supernova coming towards them. Thor nodded to Steve.
"Close it." Cap said to Natasha.
Without hesitating, Black Widow shoved the scepter further into the force field. A small red flash flickered in the cube before she pulled out the scepter. The Tesseract turned its power off. The portal closed quickly. A small figure hurled backwards into the collapsing portal. Tony had passed out, his body plummeted to the Earth. Captain American held his breath. Iron man passed through the portal right before it closed.
"Son of a gun!" he said in delight releasing his breath, but Tony kept falling. Steve's smile faded.
"He's not slowing down." Thor warned swinging his hammer in preparation, when suddenly the Tesseract turned back on. Natasha whipped her head around.
"What? What's happening?!" she asked Selvig, but he shook his head. Another portal opened just below Iron man and he fell through it. Steve felt as if someone had sucked all air from his lungs, all color drained from his face. Thor stopped swinging his hammer. Clint and the Hulk watched in horror as their companion disappeared. The portal closed again, and Tony was gone.