When the Benatar floated through Earth's atmosphere at a steady pace Tony regained all hope he had once lost. 

The pain from the stab in his abdomen had faded, mostly replaced by the lack of thirst and food in his stomach. Oh, god, how much he wanted a cheeseburger. 

But more than that, he wanted Rhodey. 

He hadn't seen his fiancé in what felt like months, or the rest of the team. The team. 

Was it even a team anymore? How many people had died or fallen in battle or been killed by Thanos, like-like Peter... Then, Tony was brought back into his state of melancholy and misery, glaring at the floor as if it would make the ship move faster. 

"Stark." Nebula's robotic voice forced his head up. "Yea'?" he asked, or tried to. "We're about to arrive," Nebula said. 

Tony tried to get up but fell, and Nebula rushed over and helped him up. When they reached the terminal, a familiar voice spoke - or rather yelled - through the speakers. "Identify yourselves or we will blast you out of the mother f*cking sky!"

Despite the anger of the voice, Tony sighed in relief, and held what he assumed was a speaker. "Rhodey?" 

The other line went silent and Tony felt a hole carve into his chest (even though he already had one) as his panic spiked up. 

A thud was all Nebula needed to help Tony up and take him to the now open gangplank. The pain from his stab wound was now getting unbearable, but he didn't want to show how much he was hurting. He couldn't. 

His vision was darkening at the corners, but, ignoring it, Tony saw a familiar face walking towards the gangplank. Tears blurred his sight and he yanked out of Nebula's grip and landed in Rhodey's arms. 

"Oh, god, I thought I had lost you," Rhodey whispered, supporting Tony. "M-me too," Tony stammered, burying his head in Rhodey's shoulder. "I-I lost the kid." 

Rhodey pulled away. "P-Peter's gone?" Tony gave is fiancé a small nod. Instead of any putting down, Rhodey clamped his hand on Tony's shoulder. "We'll get him back." 

Behind Rhodey, Tony could see his other teammates. Natasha, Bruce, Thor, Steve, two women and one man he didn't recognize as well as a raccoon. He turned his head to Rhodey who was helping him down the ship. 

"Is this all that's left?" 

oOo

Staring out of the window at the rainy night, Tony rammed his head against the wall. 

All he got was the beginnings of a headache. 

Everything was...alright. Until Rhodey sat next to him. "Hey, babe," he whispered, reaching out to Tony but only getting a slap in return. 

Rhodey didn't appear hurt, he just seemed miserable. Everyone was nowadays. "You didn't fail," Rhodey murmured, eyes focused on Tony's so he couldn't look away. "We all did. So please stop f*cking blaming yourself or I'm gonna blame myself." Tony's eyes welled with tears and he felt Rhodey pull him in for a hug. 

Tony obliged, staring unseeingly at the blank, white wall behind Rhodey. "Everyone's worried about you, Tones. You haven't spoken in ages." 

Pulling away, Tony stormed off, until a rough hand which didn't belong to Rhodey's grabbed his shoulder. 

"Clint, no-" he heard Natasha exclaim.

Tony turned and saw Clint with his eyes blazing with anger. "What is wrong with you?" he screeched, throwing Tony into the wall. 

Steve ran towards Clint and held him back just as he was about to storm towards Tony. 

Rhodey hurried to Tony and helped him out. "Stay out of this, Clint," he warned. A gasp Tony had been trying so hard to stifle escaped his mouth and Rhodey shot him a questioning look. "Nothin'" he choked out. 

"It's obviously not 'nothing'," Rhodey snapped, the gentleness in his eyes fading to a hardness Tony hadn't seen for ages. 

Clint somehow yanked out of Steve's grip and lunged towards Tony who didn't have the energy to move. His fist collided with Tony's stomach and said man let out a groan. 

"You have nothing, absolutely nothing to sulk about," he spat, the venom in his tone making Tony cower. Suddenly, Clint slumped forward, with Bruce behind with a needle. "Just gave him a sedative," he shortly explained and pulled Tony's shirt up slightly, showing a large stab wound. 

"What happened?" everyone seemed to ask. "Tried to stab Thanos," Tony said. "He stabbed me back." 

Rhodey's expression of sympathy returned, much to Tony's chagrin. "We're taking you to the med-bay," he said. 

Tony shook his head weakly. "No." 

Rhodey gave his fiancé a small smirk. "Yes." 

oOo

Waking up with an unconscious Clint on the bed across from his was definitely not on Tony's bucket list. 

Yet, it still happened. 

"You awake, Tones?" Rhodey. Oh, thank god. "Yes," Tony croaked, heaving himself up, despite Rhodey's protests.

Leaning towards him, Rhodey kissed Tony on the forehead, and the two hugged for who knows long. "Everything's going to be alright, Tony," he whispered. 

And this time, Tony believed it.