Avengers Stories //Oneshots//

After Endgame

"Hey Ms. Romanoff, mi-"

Natasha jumped forward and hugged Tony. Her arms were wrapped around him so tightly that he barely- no, couldn't, breathe. But he didn't care. He wrapped his own arms around her just as fiercely.

"Oh, Tony, why did you do that?" She whispered in his ear when they pulled away, hands on each other's shoulders.

"We were being over run...." he stated softly. Her eyes widened.

"Someome else could have- Carol or Bruce or-"

"It was the only way."

She hugged him again. Tony rested his chin on her shoulder and looked beyond them. The sky was bright blue, cloudless, and they were by a lazily moving river, surrounded by grass, flowers, and towering trees. He looked down into the water and found himself staring at the battle field. People stood, heads bowed, on the smoking ground that used to be the spot Avengers compound.

He looked away.

She had been watching.

Natasha sniffed and Tony knew she was probably crying. He didn't comment on it. He could feel his own hot tears trailing down his cheeks, falling down into the cotton fabric they both wore. He could feel no aches or pains, besides the one in his heart.

She then spoke, her voice hoarse, "The Red Skull was on Vomir."

"Are you serious?" He asked, suprised. The sad atmosphere broke, if just for a moment.

"Yup." She laughed and he laughed with her.

"I wonder if Cap'll be the one to return the stones. Now that, will be a show." Tony said, pulling away a bit to look at her face. It was tear streaked, but she was smiling.

"He say the names of your parents when he sees you."

"Oh, that's rich. Imagine it." Tony took one step back and cleared his throat. "Steve, son of Sar- how are you still alive?!?!?"

Natasha played along, puffing up her chest and putting her arms at her sides, and mimicked her best Steve impression. "Red Skull? Red sKULL!? HOW?"

They broke down into a fit of giggles, leaning on each other for support. That was until Tony looked in the water again, only to see his daughter with Happy, looking confused and sad. Happy looked near tears.

A small hand grabbed his and he looked over at Nat. He was crying again.

"They'll be okay." She said as her other arm came to wrap around his shoulders. He wrapped one of his own around hers as they stared into the water. "They know how much you love them."

He nods, swallowing down the lump in his throat.

"I love them 3000."

She glances at him, head tilted. He cracks a small smile.

"Inside joke. Morgan created it." She smiled.

"You're a great Dad, Tony. To not just Morgan, but Peter and Harley as well."

"I just hope I did enough." The genius whispered. Natasha squeezed his hand.

"You did. I know you did."

"Insinct?"

"Instinct."

It was quiet for a moment.

"They miss you, too." Tont said gently. She looked at him, almost unsurely. "Bruce- Hulk - Professor Hulk threw a bench in my lake for you. We all mourned. If I-we had known that would happen, we could've figured out another-"

"Tony," she cut him off, but not harshly. "Like you said, there was no other way."

"But-"

"It was my choice, Tony. It was my destiny."

Tony sighed. "Okay." He squeezed her hand once more.

They fell into comfortable silence, listening to birds chirping and watching colorful, glimmering fish swim along.

"Do you wanna go see your family? And our other friends? They're not far from here, waiting on us."

Tony felt overwhelming emotions at her words, all crashing down on him. His Mom, Dad, Yinsen, Jarvis, Ana, Peggy, Vision.....he would be able to see them again. He could reintroduce himself to Pietro. Make amends with his father.

He stood and held out a hand to one of his long-time friends. "What are we waiting for? Let's go."

She smiled and took his hand.

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               Whatever it takes.