Rogue (Under Rewriting)

Chapter Forty

Upstate New York, 2018, 23 days later

Alex sat quietly at the dinning room table, watching the glass of water that remained untouched. Her thoughts were flooded with memories of Bailey and things she could have done to save her. Natasha sat in the chair beside, not speaking, just holding her hand.

Alex watched intently as the water started to tremble. She sunk down so that she was eye level with the glass as it shook more intensely. Alex glanced over at Natasha, then at Steve who had just walked into the room. They shared one look before making their way out the door and took the backyard of the compound.

The three, plus Rhodey, Bruce, and Pepper, watched as a giant spaceship was carried down by a mysterious figure. The ships landing gear deployed as it finally landed. The hatch opens as Tony and a blue robot walk out, Tony being supported by the robot. Steve runs to Tony to help him stand up causing Tony to grip Steve's arm as he joins him.

"Couldn't stop him." Tony muttered as they walked.

"Neither could I." Steve explained as Alex moved to Tony's other side to help support the man.

"I lost the kid." Tony whispered as they paused. Alex breathing hitched and she took a couple steps away from the two men.

"Tony, we lost." Steve looks at Tony, hurt by the mention of their lost companions.

"Is, uh...?"Tony struggled to ask.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" Pepper exclaimed as she and Tony embraced in a hug.

"It's okay." Tony soothed to the crying woman.

"You okay?" Natasha whispered to Alex.

"I will be." She replied with a sniffle as she took Natasha's hand and followed the rest back inside.

Once back inside the compound they made their way to a living room area and sat Tony down at a table. Tony sat at the table, exhaustion covered his features as blood was pumped into his system. Holographic images of names and faces of those lost in the battle floated in the air.

"It's been 23 days since Thanos came to Earth." Rhodey started.

"World governments are in pieces. The parts that are still working are trying to take a census. And it looks like he did... he did exactly what he said he was gonna do. Thanos wiped out fifty percent, of all living creatures." Natasha continued as faces flicked past. Alex clenched her fist as a picture of Bailey popped up.

"Where is he now? Where?" Tony questioned.

"We don't know. He just opened a portal and walked through." Steve explained.

"What's wrong with him?" Tony asked as he noticed a sullen-looking Thor who was sitting on a bench, deep in thought.

"Oh, he's pissed. He thinks he failed. Which of course he did, but you know there's a lot of that's going around, ain't there?" Rocket stated.

"Honestly, until this exact second, I thought you were a Build-A-Bear." Tony said as he point at the raccoon.

"Maybe I am."

"We've been hunting Thanos for three weeks now. Deep Space scans, and satellites, and we got nothing. Tony, you fought him." Alex explained.

"Who told you that?" Tony asked surprised. "I didn't fight him. No, he wiped my face with a planet while the Bleecker Street Magician gave away the stone. That's what happened. There was no fight."

"Okay." Steve said as if he was trying to apologize.

"He's unbeatable." Tony continued. 

"Did he give you any clues, any coordinates, anything?" Steve questioned.

"Pfft! I saw this coming a few years back. I had a vision. I didn't wanna believe it. Thought I was dreaming." Tong said blowing off Steve's question.

"Tony, I'm gonna need you to focus." Steve states as he tried to regain Tony's focus.

"And I needed you. As in past tense. That trumps what you need. It's too late buddy. Sorry. You know what I need?" Tony started before he abruptly stood, pushing things off the table with a clatter. Everyone winced at the noise. "I need to shave. And I believe I remember telling all youse-"

"Tony, Tony, Tony!" Rhodey called our trying to stop the man as he pulled the IV out of his arm.

"Alive and otherwise what we needed was a suit of armor around the world! Remember that? Whether it impacted our precious freedoms or not- that's what we needed!" Tony continued not paying attention to Rhodey.

"Well, that didn't work out, did it?" Steve challenged.

"I said, "we'd lose". You said, "We'll do that together too." And guess what, Cap? We lost. And you weren't there. But that's what we do, right? Our best work after the fact? We're the Avengers, we're the Avengers. Not the Prevengers." Tony tried to lunge for Steve but Rhodey held him back.

"Okay." Alex said as she walked over to help Rhodey.

"Right?" Tony questioned as he looked at Alex.

"You made your point. Just sit down." Rhodey said as they forced Tony back into a chair.

"Okay..." Tony trailed off as if he had finally calmed down. 

"Okay?"

"Nah, nah. Here's my point. You know what?" Tony started up again.

"Tony, you're sick." Rhodey tried to explain.

"She's great, by the way." Tony informed, pointing at Carol, who had brought him back down to earth.

"Sit down. Sit." Rhodey continued.

"We need you. You're new blood. Bunch of tired old mules!" Tony manages to escape Alex and Rhodey's hold, moving to walk right up to Steve's face. Tony's voice hushed down to a venomous whisper. "I got nothing for you, Cap! I got no coordinates, no clues, no strategies, no options. Zero. Zip. Nada. No trust. Liar."

Steve looked hurt by Tony's words as they just stare at each other. After a moment, Tony rips his Arc Reactor from his chest and shoves it into Steve's hand.

"Here, take this. You find him, and you put that on. You hide." Tony told Steve before falling to the ground. Steve follows him as everyone started to walk closer.

"Tony!" Steve exclaimed.

"I'm fine. I..." He started but never finished as he feel to the floor, unconscious.