What If Tony Stark Was The Villain

Part 27 - The Return

"Are you sure you're ready to go back?" Hela asks Tony moments before he's leaving Asgard.

"I've been hiding here long enough. I'm definitely healed and ready for action again" he replies.

"Let me know if you need any backup" she tells him.

"You know it" he smiles

"I'll miss you I think" she says happily.

"I was once sentimental, it didn't end well" he smiles through his pain.

"You'll find your peace one day again" she tries to reassure him.

"Maybe" he shrugs.

"Have a good way back, Stark" she pats his shoulders and he gets in position.

He takes a deep breath and covers himself with his now repaired suit. He nods his head to give the signal that he's ready and soon he's back to Earth, following the exact same trip like when he entered Asgard those weeks ago.

First thing he does is to go back to his mansion. It looks like a mess inside and out. The fight that occurred there before he left for Asgard left its print behind. The government made sure to collect the bodies from outside but they could never access the inside of his home even if they tried their best. After all, JARVIS was still in defence mode on Earth and not letting anyone near the house if he sensed danger.

Tony kicked all the things that bothered him to the side and got comfortable in his own home. He immediately asked JARVIS to give him an update on what has happened during the time he wasn't on Earth and his reply wasn't a surprise. Everyone is after him. The police, the remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and heroes. But he couldn't care less about any of them, he can take them all out with that rage inside of him.

"J, let me know if anyone suspects I'm back" Tony says and goes to his bedroom to get dressed.

He opens the closet and makes a move to grab the clothes he wants to wear. But during his attempt, Pepper's clothes catch his eyes. Or ex clothes. He softly runs his fingers over the hanged clothes and moves his head onto them. He takes a deep breath, taking in her scent and closes his watery eyes before the tears get too much out of hand.

"I miss you, my love" he whispers and takes a step back to wipe the tears off his eyes.

He wears the clothes of his choice and picks up a car from his garage. He starts driving for a while, not sure about the destination. But after some time, he subconsciously takes the decision without knowing and ends up to the place that breaks him to pieces more than anything else.

Pepper's grave.

He fights back the tears for the first few moments. He sits down next to it and runs his hands over the hard cold material, imagining it's her shoulder that he's touching.

"Ugh, Pep" he sighs and exhales deeply, resting his back on her grave.

"Remember this shirt? You bought it for me before we even started dating. I was complaining so much about how the clothes the dressers picked up for me didn't match. So much that you stormed out of there and came back with just one bag in your hands. I didn't even have to see it to know that it would be perfect. You were always solving my problems, even when they were as tiny and not important as clothes. I really don't know what I'm doing without you" he brushes the shirt with his hands, trying to keep the connection between the two of them alive.

He looks up at the sky and lets all the memories go through his head. He can't stop imagining how things would've been if she was still here. He'd have his wife and child in his arms. Life would have been perfect.

"I did it. I finally killed him" he speaks.

"But it's not changing anything. It felt good for a while but in reality it's still all the same. I don't have you. I'm only doing things that help feed my pain and anger. You'd really hate me if you saw me right now" he shakes his head.

"I miss you more everyday. I really do. The fights, the women, the plans, they just exhaust me. I'm only trying to find ways to fool myself from reality. All I really want is to be with you. Only if we could switch places... you deserve to be alive, not me. You deserve all the happiness in the world and I failed to give it to you. I'm so sorry" his tears can't be stopped anymore.

He hides his hand in the palm of his hands and sobs into them all alone. That's how he feels ever since he lost her. Alone. Completely and utterly alone. He lifts his head and passes his hand through his hair, the tears still feeling hot on his cheeks.

"I'll come to you, jut hold on for me. I love you" he stands on his feet and only leans down to place a kiss on her grave.

He wipes the tears off his face once again and clears his throat, trying to come back to his senses. He goes back to his car and drives back home where JARVIS is still processing all the data. Tony looks like he's thinking of something, something that requires too much of his courage.

"JARVIS" he says after a while.

"Yes, sir" the A.I. replies.

"It's time to pay our old friend Bruce a visit. You know what to do" he continues with a serious tone.

"Of course, sir. I'll inform you when I find his location"

"Thank you" Tony replies and sits back on his chair, breathing heavily.