Pull | Infinity War

A L T E R N A T E E N D I N G

A/N: Just to be clear, this doesn't actually happen. Chapter 31 was the last event in the story, 'Pull | Infinity War' This will also be a bit shorter than normal, only because of the ending. This was simply meant to jerk more tears and upset you all. My bad XD XD Enjoy

Everything was going just fine and dandy: Tony had directed everyone to the rubble of their previous ship, scattered in large chunks. They were told to find engine parts, and if they did, contact Tony via commlink (He'd connected them all, somehow without Wi-Fi, Iris was fairly certain the planet didn't have Wi-Fi.) 

Perhaps the only downside to the whole ordeal was that Stephen didn't so much as breathe in her direction. Tony even tried to pair them together, but Stephen went off with Tony instead, switching places with Peter. Iris tried to make eye contact with him several times, but to be honest, she was still a bit pissed after the argument. 

That went on for less than an hour, but everyone was called back together, in a circle, gathered to discuss ways of finding perhaps, a more intact ship. 

And that's when Mantis spoke up. 

She paused, head cocked to the side, the tips of her antenna's glowed. Her face turned into an expression of panic. "Something...is happening." 

And then her body began to disintegrate. 

Iris' mouth dropped and Mantis crumbled away to ash, Drax and Quill standing by her side, looking equally stunned. She felt her hand begin to shake. What had just happened? 

Drax suddenly looked up, just as panicked looking as Mantis had been. "Quill?" Then Drax too began to crumble away. Quill looked downright horrified, stumbling a bit. 

Tony reached his hand out, "Steady Quill." 

He looked up from where Drax and Mantis' ashes blew away in the wind, sorrowful and pained like he was missing something, or someone. "Aw, man." 

Quill disintegrated too, leaving Iris, Tony, Peter, Stephen, and Nebula still standing, all looking shocked. Iris watched the ashes of his body float to the ground, jaw trembling. 

And then Iris looked down, an odd, empty, numb feeling spreading through her arm. Horror quickly replaced the confusion when she found her entire left arm fading to dust. 

Oh God, oh God oh God oh God. 

No, no please no. 

Iris lifted her head to Stephen, now standing. He looked toward her, fear, and something like regret flickered in his eyes. "S-Stephen?" She stuttered, stumbling forward. 

He rushed to her, and they met halfway. Iris wrapped her arm around him, grasping onto the cloak on his back, somehow hoping to ground herself. The numb sensation spread to her leg and Iris didn't dare look down. 

Iris sputtered out a cry and berried her head into Stephen's chest. A hand reached up to her head and caressed her hair. "Shhh, hey, it's going to be okay." 

Iris let out a shuddering breath, clinging tighter to Stephen. She could feel him fading away too. At least we'll do it together, she thought to herself. Iris lifted her head to Stephen's face, doing her best to smile at him. 

He managed to grin sadly before she did, and reached down to kiss her, one last time. His beard brushed against her chin, and she reached her other hand to tangle in the curls she missed so much. 

Iris smiled into the kiss, feeling the numbness spread to her chest and other leg. She pressed into him one last time, begging to the stars that she'd be able to see him in the afterlife if there even was something like that. 

No, no she had to believe there would be, because anything else scared her too much, and she needed to see Stephen again. 

Iris sent a prayer to the sky, to whatever deity happened to be out there, kissing Stephen with anything she had left. 

And then Iris faded completely, Stephen going with her.  

F  I  N 

F  O  R     N  O  W . . .