Everywhere you looked as you moved through the compound, he was there. In every design, in each piece of furniture, in every detail down to the silverware and cups in the kitchen, Tony was a part of those decisions. It was maddening and was likely driving you towards being a little mad; so much so that every now and again one of your remaining teammates would almost catch you talking to Tony to soothe your mind. They acted as if they understood, but it was a stretch for them. The only ones who came close were Nat, who shared the loss of Tony, and Steve in the shared loss of Bucky.

Thor had been ever-present since the return from Wakanda, and you were trying your best to be supportive of him after what he felt to be his own failure in stopping Thanos. He had taken on the loss of half of the universe onto his shoulders alone, no matter how many people tried to convince him otherwise. He hadn't even taken the time to mourn the loss of Loki, and you worried that if he didn't allow that in it would take him into a spiral of darkness that you had now found yourself lost within. Thor had asked if you took your own advice, but you were already too far gone, so what would be the point? He noticed this about you as well, so he was persistent in helping you find a way out when he couldn't do the same for himself.

"Would you care to take a walk?"

"Now? It's getting a little late. I was just about to head upstairs for the night."

"(Y/N)," he smiled coyly, "are you afraid of the dark? I promise to protect you."

"No, I'm not. I'm tired."

"I can carry you, if that would help?"

"I think you're missing the point of a shared walk, my friend, but if you're really that determined to go, I can spare some time for you. With a face like that, how could I say no?"

Thor smiled wider now, and you dared to think that you saw a remnant of the familiar sparkle in his eyes that you loved so much. He was always one to take mischief when it presented itself, and once again you felt sorrow for his loss of Loki. Despite his pain, he was doing his best to be here for you; you had both lost too many. "Yes, I am quite attractive and very difficult to resist."

You stood when he held out his hand eagerly, taking a firm grip of yours and shifting so your fingers laced together as he led you to the door. The path to outside took you through the kitchen and then the lounge, where you found a few of your teammates sitting together in silence, staring at their phones and hoping to find something hopeful within them as a last effort for something positive to end the day. When the two of you entered the room they took notice, with Steve standing and moving quickly to meet you before you could get away.

"(Y/N), hold on."

"Aww, Cap," you chuckled at the sight of him as he got closer, "you took off the beard? I was just starting to maybe be able to look at it."

"And that's why it's gone. That and we have actual shaving cream and razors here that don't risk tetanus."

"You can't catch it anyway."

"Still," he shrugged, stepping up next to you and leaning in to bring his face within your reach. "Here, feel it."

"Steve, we're not close like that."

"Shut it, just check it out," he persisted. "Did I do okay? I haven't shaved in forever and I feel like I missed something. It was getting a little out of hand-" he stopped, his expression immediately shifting to one of confusion, followed by intense focus and then to his protective Cap persona fully taking over. The building shuddered around you, some of the glass vases on nearby tables shifting their way across and towards a crash to the floor, and pictures on the walls shaking so much that you held your breath for the inevitable shatter of them falling.

"What's that?" You looked to each of your teammates, trying to step away from Thor but his grip on your hand only tightened. "It's coming from outside," you realized, pulling away. "We need to get out there." You took only one step forward when Nat had somehow fully crossed the room in a show of speed and blocked your path before you could get any further.

"Hopefully this is something good for a change," she whispered, desperately trying to hold eye contact, keeping you from looking out the large bay of windows. "Just stay here for another minute, okay? Please? Let me go first."

"Romanoff?"

"Just one minute...please."

"Sorry, can't do that," you pushed past her, glancing back to Thor for an assist in keeping her from following. If Nat had something to do with this and if she was so desperate to keep you inside, it could only be something to do with Tony. She was hoping for something good, but her uncertainty only fed into your anxiety and your doubts, and by the time you had reached the door you had convinced yourself that he was dead and you were about to be delivered his body. Your mind was your own worst enemy, something that your husband shared and understood, and when you pushed the door open your mind gave you that slap of finality when your first sight was not Tony, but a woman with blue skin and a thin frame that moved in an almost mechanical rhythm. It wasn't until she paused and turned to you that he finally came into view.

"Oh my God, Tony?!"

The relief you saw in his gaunt face broke your heart, and the pain emanated from him with each step that he took closer to you. The woman was holding up nearly his full weight, which had changed drastically, making him seem so small and unassuming that you would never have recognized him otherwise. Had he not been so dehydrated and malnourished, tears would have filled his eyes at the sight of you, at the relief of knowing that he was home, and that you had survived what he couldn't save so many from.

Steve rushed forward and took him from the woman, stopping only a few feet from you when he felt Tony grow weaker with each step. He held him there until you were able to meet them and hold him for yourself, proving to your heart and mind that he was truly there. "Hey, honey," he greeted you, his voice hoarse and shaking, "sorry I'm late."

"It's okay," you cried with relief, "you're always late."

"(Y/N)," he tried, but his energy was waning fast and he stopped to catch his breath.

"It's okay, let's just get you inside-"

"No, (Y/N)...I...I lost Pete," he whispered, barely making a sound. "I'm so sorry. I tried...I did, I...I tried but...I lost him."

"I know, Tony," you answered. "I know, but it wasn't your fault, okay? Please, let's get you inside so Bruce can help you get your strength back. Please?"

"Mmm hmm," he mumbled, his body finally giving way under the stress and release of his fears now that he was on Earth and home ground was beneath his feet again. It was so much to take in, and now that he was safe with you again, his mind and body felt it was the time to succumb to exhaustion and to allow Steve to carry him to the help he desperately needed to survive.

---

"I'm going with you," you snapped at Steve sternly. "There's no way in hell that I'm not going to be there when you kill that bastard."

"(Y/N), you should stay here with Tony, he just got home."

"Cap, he's knocked out pretty hard. He won't even know that I'm gone." You continued to grab your gear despite his insistence that you stay behind as the rest of the team would leave to find Thanos and get the gauntlet back. It was a long shot, but with the help of Carol, they felt more secure than they had during their last battle with the Mad Titan. "Besides, he's clearly not in his right mind given how the last few hours have gone, so it's best that I'm not here to interrupt his rest. I'm going with you whether you like it or not, Steve."

Steve sighed, his hands on his hips in usual Captain America fashion as he watched you, giving up the fight before it had really started. He knew better than to argue, and this was personal for you beyond even what it was for him. You had lost Bucky just as he had; you had lost as many of your friends...your family as he had. What he hadn't experienced was what could have been if Tony hadn't come back; the loss of a husband and a soulmate at the same time. Yes, the loss of Bucky shattered him, but you were experiencing a loss twice over until only a few hours ago. How could he possibly deny you this when he wouldn't have allowed anyone to stop him either?

"Fine, but we stay together. You're with me."

"Deal. You won't be able to get rid of me even if you try."

~~~

"Stay be me," Thor whispered to you from his seat directly behind you. "I have a plan."

"I'm supposed to stay with Steve," you whispered back, trying to be subtle. Steve shifted in his seat next to you, glancing your way to leave you sitting still and apprehensive to say more.

"I can handle Steve," Thor continued. "Stay by me."

"No promises."

"Promise me."

You finally turned in your seat to face him, positioning so that you blocked Steve's view and hopefully his ability to hear you. "You're impossible."

"You will like this plan, I guarantee you," Thor replied, smiling though without a hint of emotion behind it. He was lost in his own mind, whatever plan he had formulated taking his full attention. "Stay by me."

When you had finally landed and the team overtook the small home that Thanos had made, you stayed by Thor just as he had directed, even when Steve tried to grab your hand to stop you. When Stormbreaker's heavy blade swung down and sliced through Thanos like nothing, leaving his head to roll across the uneven wooden floor and land at Nebula's feet, your hands felt the ease of the cut filling the handle as you held it. Thor had kept you close for this, to feel the satisfaction that could heal you, as he hoped it would do for him, your hands held firmly beneath his own as he connected; a joint effort to reclaim some kind of victory.

Somewhere deep in your chest, in a place that had been silent since you lost Bucky, a feeling began to churn and grow, as if the universe allowed him to know what you had done, and his pride in you filled your soul. When it was over, and the blank eyes of Thanos stared back at you, you realized that Thor was right; you did like this plan.