Avengers: Endgame broke me. It really did. So I needed to fix it because Morgan deserves to grow up with her daddy. Tony deserves his rest, at home, with his family.

The worst feeling of seeing Strange's finger come up to signify this was their only chance to win, was knowing that what he was about to do would ensure his death. Tony was the only one close enough. There were unshed tears in his eyes as he went towards Thanos, knowing he would never see his daughter grow up, never get to take her to her first day of school, never be the father he wanted to be with her. He'd miss her first day of school, miss her first award ceremonies… Miss her meeting Peter for the first time. He knew what he was about to do would save everyone else in the entire universe… but not himself.

He was already commanding the nanites to form a make-shift Infinity Gauntlet. It was exposing his fingers. And as he tackled Thanos, wrestling for the Infinity Gauntlet, trying to make the Titan believe he was trying to get the Gauntlet itself, he was already commanding the nanites to retrieve the stones.

Thanos was wearing a Gauntlet that was Tony's own technology. It responded to him when in contact with other nanites.

He was flung away by Thanos, crashing to the ground, curling up as intense pain spread up his arm as the Infinity Stones settled within the Gauntlet of his suit. He could feel them. It was a struggle not to scream. He could feel the power of the Stones burning his arm, spreading out over the right side of his body…

"I am inevitable." He heard Thanos snap his fingers and nothing happened.

He was in agony, so much pain. It was difficult to push himself into a sitting position to face Thanos as the Titan turned to look at him in shock.

Holding up his right hand, Tony turned his hand around, revealing the six Infinity Stones sliding into place on his Gauntlet, merging with his suit. Breathing was difficult. He had to be strong.

"And I…." His body was failing him. "Am. Iron Man."

He snapped his fingers and everything went white.

Dr. Strange had always known Tony Stark was the essential piece to Thanos' ultimate defeat. He'd spared Tony's life for a reason.

But only so he could die at the right time.

Ever since seeing what Tony would have to do to end the threat of Thanos for good, Strange had tried to think of ways to save the man, to avoid the painful death that awaited him. To ensure he lived to see his daughter grow up.

He'd hated the man when he first met him. Hated that he owed his life to him. Stark was a nuisance, a rather brash, rude person who thought he knew best. And yet, in the one path of success he had seen, the one outcome in which they won, Stark died.

Stark knowingly sacrificed his life.

Giving up his own happiness and his own future to save the entire universe.

Committing the most selfless act.

An act he would never have thought possible of Stark.

As he watched Stark lunge for the Titan once more, despite the distance being too far, Strange could just make out the tiny movements as the nanites in Stark's suit reacted with the nanite technology Stark had used to build the Gauntlet. They were taking the Infinity Stones from the Gauntlet, transferring them into Stark's suit.

The Titan did not notice. He threw Stark aside with a vicious push, sending the man sprawling.

Strange's heart almost stopped, straining to prevent the water from crashing down around them. Thanos raised his fingers but nothing happened. Strange didn't want to look away. He had to see this. His choices had led them to this point. A brave man was about to die.

Stark kneeled on the ground, the Infinity Stones amalgamating with his suit and his right arm turned to reveal all six stones shining brightly. Power coursed up Stark's arm. Strange saw the man take struggling breaths, saw him click his fingers before a flash of white light covered his vision.

He had seen the burning of Stark's arm, had witnessed the damage trace up his neck and begin to spread across his chest but the white light had obscured his vision.

When the light cleared, the water Strange had been trying to hold back was being supported by the other sorcerers and Wong was there, next to him.

"Go."

Strange took off. There might be a small hope to save Stark's life. He wasn't dead yet. In the future he had seen where Stark died, Strange had been predisposed in trying to stop the water from flooding the crater where the Avengers Facility had once sat. He had been unable to help him and there was still a chance now that Wong and the others had taken over…

Cloak flapping behind him he ran towards where Stark sat. Not many people had noticed Stark's injuries. They were all too busy looking around at the dust that had once been Thanos and his army. Stark had done to Thanos what he had done to the rest of the universe.

He saw Stark's friends and wife arrive, skidding to a halt just to the side of them, as Pepper was crouching down to be with her husband in his final moments.

Stark's friend and the spider-kid glanced at him, their faces rimmed with tears. The kid was trembling.

They didn't know Stark still had a chance. "I can save him."

"You can rest now." Pepper's voice was soft.

Tony's heartbeat was slowing. His eyes barely showed any recognition to the people around him, glazing over. The stones usage had torn his body apart. Pepper could see the damage wrought through the suit, on Tony's face and his right arm. The Stones themselves still rested on top of Tony's hand but his suit was not shaped into a Gauntlet anymore, so they were no longer activated. They were silent, sitting amongst the ruins of Tony's ruined arm.

Tony's head flopped to the side, his eyes losing focus.

Tears welled in Pepper's eyes. She had been holding it together for Tony's sake, giving him the peace he needed to know that dying wasn't something she blamed him for. She had known when she'd told him he had her blessing to go on this Time Heist that Tony may not come back to her. But to see him now, having won, only to have to pay such a high cost…

She couldn't stop the sobs wracking her body.

A hand rested on her shoulder. She wanted to shake it off. She didn't want to be disturbed. Whoever wanted to take this from her…

But they knelt down beside her, trying to draw her away from her husband's body.

"I can save him."

Those four words gave Pepper hope.

To be continued...

Please let me know what you think!

This is my attempt at trying to fix Tony's death. At this point, at the end of this chapter, he is about to die. Can Strange save him? If he does succeed, Tony has a long road ahead of him.

More soon.

the-writer1988