Updated: Monday 4/09/2023
Chapter 2: The Reason
"Nat what do you mean…?" Clint starts but stops when he sees sparks come Stephen's hands.
"Natasha are you ready?" Stephen asks her and everyone could see the compassion on the Sorcerers face.
Natasha straightens up and her mask seems to fall into place.
"As I'll even be Stephen to say goodbye", Natasha replies trying to put on a strong stance.
Everyone frowns what did she mean about goodbye?
Suddenly a portal comes open from Stephen making circular motions with his hands. And they could just see the inside of Stark Tower.
"Follow me", Natasha replies quietly.
She walks through the portal and they hesitant for a second before following her. And they were shocked by the level of despair and grief that was in the room. It was full of people of all ages. Some talking quietly. Some crying and some just staying out into nothing.
They could see they were on the very top floor of Stark Tower.
Everyone turns at their arrival and conversations seem to halt.
"Nat you succeeded", a voice that was familiar to Coulson and his team says.
They gasp seeing Melinda May walking over to the them and they saw something in her eyes that they thought they would never see.
Grief.
"I wasn't going to let him down", Natasha whispers, "Is he out there with James?"
"Yes", Melinda says quietly, "We were just deciding on who goes first"
"Natasha go to them. Everything in here will be sorted out", a man in a wheelchair says to her looking at her in sympathy, "You need to be there with him through the last hours and he needs you and James to stay by him to the end"
The group that came with Natasha didn't like the sound of that. But Natasha nods.
"Give me 10 minutes and…and send out the first", Natasha tells them.
Many nod and bow their heads to her as she walks past and to the doors that lead outside where she causally slips out. Melinda had slipped away seconds after she told Natasha. Making sure her team couldn't talk to her yet.
"What the hell is going on?" Clint exclaims.
"Nat didn't go into details with you?" a familiar voice asks.
The Rogues were shocked to see Bruce and Thor coming over to them. Both looking solemn.
"When did you guys get back?" Steve asks looking happy to see them.
"A few weeks ago", Bruce says with a sigh and wipes his glasses.
"And it wasn't as happy of homecoming as we would have liked", Thor murmurs surprisingly quiet.
"Why?" Steve asks.
"Look around you Steve, Clint, Coulson…what do you see?" Bruce asks them softly.
"Grief", Coulson states after looking around.
"Isn't that the Fantastic Four talking over there quietly?" Clint asks looking at Ben Grimm holding a small woman who was in tears.
"Yes", Bruce confirms.
"The Defenders are here too", Thor tells them.
"I see the X-Men as well", Leo Fitz states.
"You would be correct on ALL those accounts. There are people from all walks of life and they have come together despite some personal differences to say goodbye", Bruce tells them.
"Goodbye? All these people?" Steve asks nervously.
"Some of these people have horrible experiences with each other and yet they aren't fighting. They are here in peace to help someone they all admire leave us", Bruce tells them sadly.
Before someone could say something Lance Hunter spots his wife weaving in and out of the crowds.
"Bobbi?!" Lance calls out.
Coulson and the others look up seeing another member of their team here.
Bobbi saw them and whispered something in someone's ear before coming over to them. You could see the weariness on her face.
"I am glad you came", she says softly, "Even if you don't know what this is all about. This is going to be hard on everyone in this room"
Lance pulls her into his arms and she sighs in relief.
"Love what is going on?" Lance asks her.
"I am losing someone that is VERY important to me and it is effecting my Mother more then she wants to admit at this moment", Bobbi explains to them.
"Mother?" Jemma asks with a frown.
"You haven't got a Mothers name on file", Coulson adds.
"That is for a reason and I believe tonight MANY secrets are going to come out", Bobbi tells them with a sad smile, "The person we are here for tonight is my Uncle in all but blood"
They look at her in surprise again.
Who was this person?
But they realised they hadn't seen one person they expected to see by now.
"What is the reason we are here? And where is Bucky?" Steve asks them.
"Bucky is with his husband", Thor replies softly, "Where he should be in these last few hours of his life"
"Bucky is dying?!" Steve nearly shouts.
People turns to glare at him. But Bobbi, Thor and Bruce wave them away.
"Not Bucky", Bobbi snaps.
"Then…"
"The person is Tony!" Bruce tells them quickly.
All their eyes shoot to Bruce in astonishment. Tony couldn't be dying! There was just no way!
"Tony…Tony can't be dying!" Rhodey exclaims stuttering a little.
"He has only hours left at the most", Thor tells them gently.
"But there has to be something…", Pepper starts.
"There isn't anything more the Doctors and Specialists can do", Bruce tells her softly.
"What about Ext…", Pepper starts.
"Won't help with this Pepper he is too weak. Even when he found out himself he was dying it was too late to use it", a voice says.
They see Vision gliding over to them looking sombre.
"There is nothing more that can be done. All we can do now is provide comfort in his last hours", Vision tells them.
"He accepted his death a long time ago", Bobbi tells them quietly, "He said to him it will just be like greeting an old friend after a very long time"
They flinch at that.
No this wasn't possible. It couldn't be happening!
"Tony…is dying?" Steve rasps out in disbelief.
"Yes", Bruce tells him softly, "Maybe you should all sit down. You all look a little faint. Which is not surprising. We have had a while to come to terms on it and you won't have that luxury"
A couch and chairs to fit them appear and they see Stephen Strange looking at them solemnly and nods towards the couch.
They ALL sit down heavily.
"Natasha begged us to come to see Tony?" Rhodey chokes out.
"Yes", Bobbi replies.
"This is the real deal, right? And not like last time when we all expect him to die but then he surprises us with a cure for what is killing him?" Pepper asks desperately.
"No Pepper. There are no surprise cures this time. No last minute miracles/saves", another voice says, "No more hell Mary's"
They see Happy Hogan come over looking older then he had ever been and the grief and pain was etched into him.
"There are no second chances", Bruce tells them, "This is EVERYONE in this rooms chance to make amends or say goodbye or seek advice from Tony or tell Tony something they had always wanted too, everyone has one last chance. No do overs"
"How long does he have?" Steve chokes out.
Bruce, Thor, Bobbi, Vision and Happy look so very sad and they knew exactly how short the closing window was. If they were lucky and if Tony had anymore strength left in him...
"If he is lucky and has enough fight in him. He has to the sunrises"
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