Shattered Souls | 18+

9. The Infinity Stones

Toni Stark has never been good at staying under the radar.

Under the influence? Different story. Under appreciated? Always. Under a man? Only half the time.

But remaining undetected? Yeah. Definitely not a skill she's added to her repertoire.

Her Trademark Civilian Outfit consists of the following: sunglasses, an old-ass flannel, sweatpants that either belonged to Rhodey or Steve, and a John Deer hat. She looks, as Natasha put it ever-so-kindly, peasant-farmer chic. Toni can't tell if that's an insult or a compliment; with Nat, it's likely both.

Rhodes looks like he's sleeping. Logically, Toni knows he's in a medically induced coma, and he's not really sleeping, per se. But still. His eyes are closed. His face is softened with sleep. And Toni can't tear her eyes away from the rise and fall of his chest. It reminds her of college, when Rhodes would fall asleep with his head in her lap and a book over his eyes, and she would watch him breathe for hours. Today, though, she only has ten minutes.

Five, now.

Four, soon.

Toni brushes her thumb across Rhodey's cheekbone, and the faint bruise there that still hasn't healed.

"Sleep as long as you need, Rhodes. I'll be here. Always."

I love you, she doesn't say, because her and Rhodes have always said those three words without actually saying them.

Toni drags her eyes away from her friend. She peeks at her watch.

One minute.

"I'll visit again soon."

Toni turns, sunglasses sliding back into place, and heads to the roof of the hospital, where The Ginger, Doc Odd, and Man Bun are waiting.

. . .

"From the dawn of the universe, there was nothing. Then, boom! The Big Bang sent six elemental crystals, hurtling across the virgin universe. These Infinity Stones each control an essential aspect of existence."

Toni blinks, but doesn't say anything. Truthfully, she isn't sure what to say. What she really wants to do is laugh. And drink. Mostly drink.

Doctor Strange—whose name, Toni's come to learn, is actually Strange, first name Stephen—waves his hands in the air. As he does so, the illusions of each stone light up.

"Space. Reality. Power. Soul. Mind. And Time."

"Are you just listing all the things I don't have in this moment?"

Nat's eyes flash. "Toni. Please. This is serious." And when Nat's serious, Toni knows something's wrong. Very, very wrong. It takes a lot to shake the ex-assassin.

"Right. Sorry." She waves a hand at the doctor and his side-kick—she's already forgotten his name. Bong? Thong? "Tell me his name again."

"His name," said Doctor Strange, "is Thanos. He invades planets. He takes what he wants. And he wipes out half the population in the process."

"And he's coming here. To... kill us all? Or, rather, half of us?"

"That," says Nat, "And to finish what he started. To do that, he needs all six." She nods at the six gemstones still hovering in the air.

"Really would have preferred being on the Bachelorette," Toni mutters, mostly to herself. Then, she looks to Barnes, who's sitting on the stairs of the compound with his head in his hands. "Barnes? You good?"

He doesn't even look up. "Processing," is all he says.

Toni smirks a little to herself.

"Loki had one. Now, it's with Vision. And as for the time stone..." Doctor Strange does some sort of Tai Chi movement with his hands, and the eye pendant hanging from his neck opens. Toni squints, and inside it, she sees a green crystal. "It's safe with me."