What If Tony Stark Was The Villain

Part 30 - Goodbye

"F*ck" Tony curses as a glass of scotch slips from his hand and breaks on the floor.

"Maybe you should take a rest, sir" JARVIS speaks.

"You know I can't do that" Tony shakes his head.

"I'm only saying that you should think this through, sir"

"JARVIS, please" he says sternly, letting JARVIS know that this conversation is over.

He then stands up and loses his steps and balance as he walks over to his collection of alcohol bottles. He rests his hand on a wall for support and when he's focused again, he takes a bottle in his hands and carefully returns to his previous seat. This time, he doesn't even bother to get a glass for himself, he simply drinks straight from the bottle.

"JARVIS, show me again" he says with hesitation but seriousness.

"Does this really help you, sir?" even through his robotic voice, the sadness is easily noticed.

"Show me!" he says louder.

"As you wish" JARVIS answers.

Immediately a screen starts playing a video in front of him. Not just any video, but a video of his life with Pepper. Moments of the years that they weren't even together. How stupid could he be. That's all he can think of. He wasted so much time not being with the woman he truly loved.

"Jesus" he sobs as he sees the two of them kiss, remembering all their happy times.

The more he watches those images, the more he cries. The alcohol doesn't even help with his pain but he can't stop consuming it. The burning feeling on his throat at least is something different from his aching heart.

"I love you" he hears Pepper's voice and grabs his chest.

Her eyes smile along with her lips as her face fills with love and happiness. Tony's face on the other hand is completely different. He can't even see clearly anymore with all those tears in his eyes and down his cheeks. He stretches his hand and grabs one of the many framed pictures of the two of them.

"My love" he whispers while running his fingers over her face.

The next video that plays on the screen is the one that wrecks him completely. If Pepper's face, her laughter or her smile weren't enough to destroy him before, the scenes from their wedding would definitely do the job. He watches her with her wedding dress, walking down the aisle and approaching him. Each frame only brings a stabbing feeling all over Tony's body, especially his heart.

"Maybe I should stop the video. You don't look very well, sir" JARVIS speaks through the speakers.

"No, no!" Tony jumps from his seat.

Now that he's on his feet, he's even closer to the screen. Maybe a little too close, and his heart is feeling it. He stretches his arm and with his wet hand from his tears, he touches Pepper's face once again. The sound and image of her laughter makes him lose control of his knees and fall down on them.

"Why do I mess everything up?" he cries uncontrollably.

His head falls forward and rests between his palms. Soon, that sobbing is followed by a shortness of breath and he's sure that he's experiencing once again a panic attack. He tries to breathe but it's impossible. His chest is about to burst, his eyes are wide open and his clothes are dripping in his tears.

"Tony...Tony, listen to me. Listen to my voice" Pepper's voice echoes in the house.

"Wh-What?" Tony asks in shock.

"You're okay, you can fight this" he hears her voice again.

When he relaxes a little and is able to breathe better, he looks up at the screen and sees one of their many memories. Pepper helping him get through one of his older panic attacks. He sees her gently wrapping her arms around his shaking body, talking to him nicely in his ear and steadily helping him reduce his heartbeat.

"I thought you could need that" JARVIS says.

"I did, I really did. Thank you, buddy" Tony almost smiles, feeling the kindness of his A.I.

Tony then rests his back against a couch as he helplessly sits on the floor. He's covered in tears and sweat. His chest moves up and down slowly with his breathing and he throws his head back, staring at the ceiling. He knows what he wants to do and he knows it will be difficult.

"JARVIS, you know what to do" Tony speaks after a lot of minutes of silence.

"I have to tell you once again to reconsider your decision. I truly don't agree with this idea of yours" JARVIS replies.

"I've taken my decision" Tony answers.

"Okay, sir" JARVIS agrees.

Rhodes was at home again, once again alone. He couldn't shake the events out of his head. And Tony's visit didn't help at all. The feelings are so mixed. Yes, he's his best friend but he's also a completely different person now. Although, that doesn't take away the fact that he loves him and he wishes that tragedy never happened to him.

He's caught by surprise when his phone buzzes. And his heart almost stops immediately.

He quickly runs out of his house and grabs his car keys, rushing to get inside and start the engine. He's never felt so anxious, so worried, so panicked. And he's definitely never driven so recklessly before. He risked his well-being by travelling so fast and dangerously. The way from his house to Tony's has never been shorter.

He left his car running and the keys inside it when he arrived. He only wanted one thing and that's what he did. He ran as fast as he could inside Tony's house and fell on his knees next to his body.

He wrapped his arms around Tony and pulled his body close to his own. The arc reactor's light has vanished, Tony's lying breathless on the floor and Rhodes is crying a river over him.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up" he's trying his best to bring Tony back to life.

He's shaking him, trying to bring his heart to beat again, he's trying everything he can think of. But the fact doesn't change. Tony's gone. And he's lying in between Rhodey's arms. After all, he at least gets to have his friend close to him.

"Was it true? What did he do?" Happy rushes inside the mansion too.

Rhodey called him on his way over, but he didn't have to. Happy got the same notification he did. Tony's goodbye letter to both of them. His apology, his love confession and his thank you to both of them.

"He went under a severe heart attack. He was very aware of what was going to happen" JARVIS answers.

"D*mn you, Tony" Happy cries his eyes out.

The last moments of his life, Tony didn't forget to say goodbye to his buddy, JARVIS. He knew that he was leaving all his creations and suits behind and he made sure to destroy every suit and every design that he had in his drafts. He couldn't risk the Iron Man designs falling in the wrong hands.

"I'll miss you, buddy" Tony said with tears in his eyes.

"I'll miss you more, sir. May I say what a pleasure it has been" JARVIS spoke, some distress hiding behind his tone.

The framed picture of Tony and Pepper is also lying next to Tony's body, showing that it was by his side until the very last second. A note is attached to it, those few words that Tony repeated many times lately.

"I couldn't live without her"

~The End~

A/N
This is the end of this book. I really loved this one and enjoyed every little idea and inspiration that came along. Thank you all for reading this and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

Stay tuned for more. A new story is on the way❤️