Hi, this is just an idea I had after I saw Endgame, as the ending was entirely not ok. This one might not be much better, but I hope you enjoy it. Reviews very much appreciated.

Tony is relieved at first, when Bruce clicks his fingers and the first people start reappearing. Everything they've worked for, all the sacrifices they have made... Nat, especially. This is all they wanted, and he should be ecstatic. But he just can't shake that gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach, and that voice in his head that hisses incessantly, reinforcing all his worst fears.

"He won't come back. He died on Titan, disintegrated into dust, and even you, the great Tony Stark, with all your skill and your money, you can't bring him back. It's your fault."

He has been able to suppress the voice for almost five years, but now it has returned full force and it seems to have only grown stronger. It's venomous and pointed and far too realistic for Tony's liking. He's holding his breath, waiting and praying to hear the never ending stream of chatter that only comes from one person. The endless questions used to irritate him (or so he pretended) but he'll write a thesis on every single one if only... if only...

His heart is pounding and his hands are clenched and yet he's trying his damnedest not to think about it, because in all honesty he doesn't know what he'll do if the kid doesn't come back.

Then the missiles start falling.

In the chaos that follows, Tony doesn't have time to look for Peter. Dust fills the air in a suffocating haze, and the ground is so ravaged by explosions that it bears a startling similarity to Titan. If Tony wasn't motivated enough before, he is when he realises just how close earth is to sharing the same fate as that burnt up planet in the sky. Monsters are swarming everywhere, and at the moment it's all Tony can do to keep himself alive. He keeps moving, repulsors firing in an almost constant barrage of assault, and nightmarish creatures fall on every side.

"Mr Stark!"

Tony's heart clenches when he hears the sound. He's almost certain he's imagined it when a figure appears in his peripheral vision, out of breath and battered, but loud and alive and reassuringly solid. Peter is grinning and babbling, and for a moment all Tony can do is listen.

"Oh my gosh Mr Stark, I can't believe it's you! I was really scared when I woke up cause I thought I was still on Titan, but then I realised I was back on earth and I don't remember much except we were fighting the giant purple guy and then everyone started disappearing but I'm here now and I'm so glad I found you-"

He cuts off abruptly when Tony pulls him into a bone crushing hug. Tony knows there isn't time for this, not really, but the kid is here, and he's alive, and all Tony cares about right now is having him in his arms. Peter relaxes slightly and though Tony can tell he's surprised, he seems pleased.

"Oh- this... this is nice."

Tony wants to say something but he finds that his throat is constricted and his eyesight is a little fuzzy. Although it goes against everything he wants to do, he pushes Peter away and holds his shoulders firmly, staring at him with some urgency.

"Listen kid." He says in as firm a voice as he can muster. "I know you want to help, and I won't stop you, but you have to STAY SAFE, ok? The minute you get hurt, get to the sidelines, get to safety and don't- don't" his voice cracks here, and Peter stares at him with wide eyes.

"Don't do anything stupid" he finishes softly, cracking a weak smile.

"But Mr Stark..." the boy whines, eyes pleading, but he must see the desperation in Tony's eyes because all he does is nod, and once again Tony is reminded of how heart-wrenchingly young he is. "Goodbye, kid." He says briefly, and he hates to leave Peter in this horrifying arena of death and blood, but he tells himself it's for the best. Thanos must be stopped, at any cost, and just seeing the kid has increased Tony's determination a hundredfold. Tony flies off in search of the giant, and he's so focussed on his task that he fails to notice a small, insignificant figure swinging through the carnage below.

When he comes across Doctor Strange he feels almost nervous. Strange's hands are busy holding off the equivalent of a small army all by himself, but his eyes are steady as he stares at Tony.

"One" he mouths, holding up a single finger, and Tony's insides seem to solidify. He know what he has to do. He hoped there would be another way, he really did... but this feels inevitable, like all the recent events have culminated in the finale they always knew was coming. He sees pain in Strange's eyes, and sorrow, and forgive him for feeling that those might be justified. I mean, the good Doctor and himself might not have always seen eye to eye, but Tony always held a healthy respect for the wizard. No, Tony doesn't think it's particularly vain to think (or even hope) that Strange might feel a little sad over his passing, but what puzzles him, what he honestly didn't expect to see in the Doctors eyes is guilt. Real, awful guilt, as though the doctor has done something unforgivable, something Tony would definitely under no circumstances approve of. It unbalances Tony, and for a moment he wonders if perhaps he has misunderstood something. Should he have done something differently? But then Strange turns away, his attention focussed on the huge troll that springs from nowhere, and Tony is once again on the move. He must have imagined it. Or so he tells himself.

Thanos is not hard to find. After all, massive purple dickheads tend to draw attention to themselves, and more so when involved in a fight between a god and a superhuman. Captain America and Thor appear to be tag teaming Thanos in an intense and brutal match, and although Tony is relieved to see two of the strongest Avengers already there, his heart sinks when he sees the state they're in. Steve is white as a sheet, his shield quite literally in pieces, and his fate seems sealed when Thanos chucks Thor to the side as if he weighs no more crushed drinks can. This is extremely worrying considering Thor probably weighs closer to a good few kegs than a can. Still, who would Captain America be if he didn't stick it out until the very end, and Steve raises the remnants of his shield in a hopelessly defiant gesture as Thanos prepares to strike the final blow. Tony seizes the moment, swooping in and blasting the great purple fist out of the way, and though admittedly his relationship with Steve has improved in recent years, Tony would be lying if he didn't say he relished the chance to save Captain America's ass just one last time. The man in red white and blue catches his eye and nods, exhausted, but still manages to crawl his way over to where the god of thunder lies prone. Tony diverts his attention from the two, putting all his effort into attacking the mad Titan. Every punch he throws, every blast, is a release from years of suffering. Finally, finally, Tony has a chance to make things right, to do something good. He's lived through enough pain to last a thousand lifetimes and he's past caring what happens to him, as long as the kid is ok when all is said and done. He doesn't have to worry about his biological kid, not yet at least, because as long as the dreaded snap is averted he knows she will be looked after. He wants to protect he, needs to protect her with everything he has and puts that need into every. Single. Blow that he lands on the giant. But although he's doing it for his baby girl, at the back of his mind he's still worrying about the boy on the battlefield. He knows Peter is brave, but his bravery makes him foolish, and Tony can't stand to think of him out there again so soon.

He doesn't have the time to look around, so focussed is he on defeating Thanos. Steve, however, is another matter.

Steve has been trying to revive Thor, but for now it's a lost cause. He sits back and takes a deep breath. He should get up and help, but he thinks if he tries his legs may well give out from beneath him. He will help. In a minute. For now, he surveys the surroundings, scanning for immediate danger. Tony is still engaged in combat, but that isn't what draws his attention. Steve can see a shape crouching at the side, tensed and ready to leap. It's shape is vaguely insect-like and Steve staggers to his feet, ready to fight the monster though he doesn't really believe he can. It is only when a rare shaft of sunlight catches the creature that Steve sees the familiar red hue, and the unmistakeable Spiderman emblem. He relaxes, thankful that Tony has backup waiting in the wings, before he takes another look, and realises the so-called Spider 'Man' cannot possibly be more than 15 years old. His heart sinks as he remembers Berlin, and... he dropped a bridge on a kid? Tony brought a kid to the battlefield. He thinks if he wasn't so tired he would be more angry, but he just can't bring himself to muster any rage against Tony, not when the real enemy is so close to winning.

"Urrrgh"

The sudden groan grabs Steve's attention, and he turns away from the young spider to tend to the wounded god. Later on, when he sees the aftermath of the fight, and realises what he let happen, Steve will finally crack. He hasn't seen this since the war. And some things should never be seen.

Tony stares at the infinity gauntlet. He grasps it, knuckles white, hands bleeding already and bleeding further as the dig into the sharp bolts, but it doesn't matter at all. Because he finally has it. He can finally fix everything. He can give them all their lives back, give his daughter a life... and his son. And Tony would die a million deaths without hesitation to make that happen. So his heart is not heavy as he prepares to slip on the gauntlet. On the contrary, his heart is filled with an unconditional love for the people around him, hell, for everyone on earth. This is what he is meant to do, he can feel it so strongly, with a conviction unlike anything he has felt before. He takes a breath and steels himself, and just as his fingers slip past the edge, a blur of red, black and gold zips past him, and his hands are empty.

"NO!" Tony screams, horrified. This was it, this was their one and only chance! He looks up, prepared to see Thanos with the gauntlet, but what he sees is worse.

"no." Tony whispers, his blood like ice in his veins.

Peter Parker is crouched on the other side of the clearing, his small frame is bruised and his suit looks like so much scrap metal, but all Tony sees are his eyes, wide and innocent and so guilty as he stares at Tony.

"I'm sorry Mr Stark." The words are scared, but bold, and Tony feels his world collapsing.

"I'm sorry Mr Stark, but I I have super strength, and you're human, and... and I heard you have a kid now, so..." the kid is obviously terrified, he's rambling and almost hyperventilating, and Tony thinks he can talk him down. He hopes he can talk him down.

"No, kid, this isn't your responsibility." He stumbles forward, and Peter freezes. "Please, kid. Just- just give me the gauntlet." A sob rises in his throat and the words are choked. "I just got you back. Please Peter. Please." He takes another shaky step forward, and he's close now, so close, so he reaches out his hand tentatively, but Peter jerks back, eyes like saucers, and before Tony can do anything the boy has slipped on the gauntlet. Tony feels his mouth open in an awful scream, but he doesn't hear it over the boys anguished cries. The first sparks leap, and in seconds electricity is coursing up Peters arm, consuming the entire right hand side of his body in shards of lightning, and Tony reaches for him but he can't get close enough and he's so so close and Peter is dying right in front of him and all Tony wants to do is make it stop, make it all ok again. He doesn't think anything will ever be ok again.

Peter locks eyes with Tony, and Tony can feel the tears streaming down his cheeks but he can't look away. "Bye Mr Stark" comes the faint whisper, and the boy screams as he raises his fist, and as his body shakes and threatens to collapse with the strain, and as the flames leap over his torso, the boy snaps his fingers.

All around them the monsters begin to disintegrate, blowing away as ash on the breeze, but it might as well be Tony's whole world disintegrating. He falls to his knees and crawls towards the boy, cupping the pale face in his hands as glassy eyes stare back at him. Tony howls, a sound so full of grief and rage and sorrow that immediately every avenger knows something has gone terribly, terribly wrong. He clutches the body, mumbling and whispering sweet nothings to a boy who lies completely unresponsive. The avengers have begun to assemble around the scene in a mute circle. Pepper gasps when she sees what has happened, and although grief wells up inside her, she goes straight to Tony.

"Oh Tony, baby I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry baby come here. Look at me baby please. You're safe now Tony, we're safe." The words come out empty. She reaches out a hand to him, tries to pull him close but he shakes her off, holding Peter to his chest and rocking with silent, horrible sobs. He looks old, and Pepper's heart breaks over and over again for the man she loves and his boy. There is, however, a terrible voice deep within her that says "Thank you for not taking him away. Thank you. Thank you thank you thank you."

The remaining avengers watch in silence, sadness in the eyes of each and every one as they watch the broken man weep, holding a body that looks far too small for the suit it wears. Steve's memories of the war, and all the shattered children force him to close his eyes against the pain. Clint stares at the boy and imagines his own children, and can think of nothing more than getting back to them. Bruce clenches his fist in rage for the kid that pestered him endlessly with questions he should have been far too young to ask. He always was too smart for his own good.

The one exception is Doctor Strange. If Tony was able to tear his eyes away from the boy just for a second, he would see sadness in Strange's eyes. Of course he would, for how could the Doctor not feel pain at such a sight. But the overriding emotion that simmers just behind the stern facade of the Doctor is guilt. Such guilt that Tony would know instantly what it meant, and then Strange would die. Because the guilt that the doctor feels comes from the knowledge that they have saved the world at the expense of a child, and that Strange has allowed it to happen.

Because in the end, it was the only way.

So there it is! I know this ending is just as bad as the real Endgame, but remember Peter was exposed to radiation just like Bruce, and if it's possible for Bruce to survive then so can Peter... this is just a one shot for now but I could turn it into a real story if anyone wants? Also, for any Iron Man fans that are feeling sad about the ending of Endgame, I strongly suggest you go onto YouTube and check out the Christmas song 'River'. (The version from Ally Mcbeal, not the original). Seems like a weird suggestion but just give it a listen and you might get an interesting surprise... listen carefully to the voice. However, listening to it made me even sadder about Endgame so, be warned.