For

Narrator's POV

"He took her to Vormir." Nebula said. "He came back with the Soul Stone...but she didn't." She said.

Anger, loss, heartbreak. That was all running through Quill's mind.

Tony's helmet disabled. "Okay Quill, you gotta cool it right now. You understand?" Tony spoke. Quill turned to Thanos. Tony knew what was coming. "Don't, don't. Don't engage. We almost got this off!"

"Tell me she's lying." Peter said. Nebula looked away. "Asshole, tell me you didn't do it!" Quill yelled in anger.

"I had to." Thanos hissed.

"No, you didn't." Quill was heartbroken. His whole world was caving in within him. "No, you didn't." He shook his head. He picked up one of his blasters and punched Thanos with it, yelling. "No, you didn't!"

"Quill!" Tony shouted. Quill only kept punching Thanos, making Mantis lose her balance. "Hey, stop! Hey, stop, stop!" Tony said, enabling his helmet back on and pulling Quill back. "Hey, stop! Stop!" Tony struggled against Quill as he yelled and tried to get back to Thanos. Everyone was struggling now since Quill had thrown everything off.

"It's coming, it's coming. I got it, I got it!" Peter said, as the gauntlet started slipping off Thano's hand.

Thanos regained all consciousness. He grasped the gauntlet firmly, pushing Peter to the ground. He threw his head back, hitting Mantis and reached for her, throwing her into the air.

"Oh god." Peter got up and launched himself toward her. He caught her and used his metal appendages to secure their fall.

Thanos kicked everyone away, grunting. They all got back up and rushed toward him. He used the Power Stone to send a power surge toward them, knocking them senseless. He pulled Stephen's ropes and threw him. Tony blasted him, but was thrown Stephen at him; knocking him into a pile of rubble.

Tony quickly got up and lunged toward Thanos, hitting him with a blade. He was thrown by Thanos into the ground. Thanos looked up and used the Power Stone to get ahold of a moon and pulled it toward Tony. Tony looked up and saw what was headed his way. He took off flying, avoiding parts of the moons that crashed against the planet.

He almost got away, but was crushed by a large piece of rock.

The impact from the rocks hitting the planet, send the guardians, who were still conscious, flying into the atmosphere.

Peter swung around, avoiding falling flaming rocks as they fell toward Titan. He still had Mantis with him, swinging her around catching her. He webbed her onto a structure, and webbed the other guardians. "I got you! I got you!" He said. "I'm sorry I can't remember everybody's names." He was out of breath.

///0///0

Stephen faced Thanos now. He launched red glowing ropes toward Thanos, who dodged them and blasted an attack with the Power Stone. Stephen defected it with a mirror shield and sent it back toward Thanos. Thanos broke through it and absorbed it with the Space Stone, hurling it back toward Stephen. Stephen quickly formed a spell, using it to protect himself. It broke Thanos's attack and turned it into butterflies, how peaceful. Thanos grunted as the butterflies flew his direction.

Stephen levitated, his many arms appeared behind him. Each pair took form into him and spread around Thanos. They all used ropes to restrain him, but Thanos once again used the Power Stone to vanish them one by one. It send the real Stephen back a little. Thanos pulled Stephen toward him with the gauntlet. He gripped him by the throat. "You're full of tricks, Wizard." Stephen grunted. Thanos took the Eye of Agamotto in his hand and pulled it off Stephen's neck. "Yet you never once used your greatest weapon." He crushed the amulet, it was a decoy. Stephen strained. "A fake." Thanos said.

He threw Stephen, making him the ground hard. Stephen had hit his head against the concrete, knocking him unconscious.

Thanos walked toward Stephen, ready to use the gauntlet on him; but was prevented from closing his fist by a gadget Tony threw at his palm. Tony landed in front of Thanos.

"You throw another moon at me, and I'm gonna lose it." Tony said .

"Stark." Thanos said.

"You know me?" Tony asked.

"I do." Thanos answered. "You're not the only one cursed with knowledge."

"My only curse is you." Tony replied. A dozen little rockets popped out of his back and rushed over to Thanos.

"Come on." Thanos groaned.

The rockets hit him, catching him in a cloud of dust. Tony kicked him with a large rocket that formed at his feet, pushing him back. Thanos blasted him with the gauntlet. Tony put a shield and resisted, turned away and flew toward Thanos. He pinned his hand with the gauntlet down, punching him with another large rocket that formed on his hand. Thanos groaned and reached for his cheek.

A small scratch took place on his cheek. "All that for a drop of blood." He said, looking up at Tony. He was angry.

He threw Tony off of his hand, making him land hard on the ground. Thanos went over to him and punched him continuously, tearing his suit apart. He blasted him with the gauntlet, sending Tony back a little. Tony kneeled and blasted Thanos back, but Thanos reflected his attack with the gauntlet. He walked toward Tony.

Tony's armor was readjusting itself, pushing all it energy toward the blasters at his hands, trying to push Thanos back. Thanos took a hold of one of Tony's hands and pulled it up. Tony took his free hand and formed a blade, driving it forward to Thanos.

The purple being caught the blade in his hand, broke it off Tony's armor and drove it right through the man's abdomen.

Tony gasped, weakening already. Thanos was driving him back with the blade in his abdomen. Tony looked up at Thanos, groaning. He panted, groaning more as Thanos pushed him back more; forcing him to sit down. He groaned.

Thanos placed a hand on Tony's head. "You have my respect, Stark. When I'm done, half of humanity will still be alive." Thanos pulled away from Tony. Tony groaned, gasping for air. "I hope they remember you." Thanos said, staring at Tony who was struggling to breathe. He raised the gauntlet, pointing t at Tony, the Stones on it began to glow.

"Stop." Suddenly Stephen's voice filled their ears. Thanos turned to see Stephen sitting up against a rock, panting. "Spare his life..." He spoke. Tony looked up at him. "...and I will give you the stone." He finished.

Thanos looked at him. "No tricks." Stephen shook his head. Thanos pointed the gauntlet at Stephen.

"Don't." Tony spoke.

Stephen raised his hand, the green stone appeared out of the illusion of a star into the doctor's hand. Thanos reached his hand out. Tony looked at Stephen and sighed, putting his head down.

Stephen stared at the stone in his trembling hand. He opened his hand, sending the stone toward Thanos. He watched it reached the purple being's hand. Thanos stared at the stone in amazement. He couldn't believe he was this close. Tony looked at him disgust. Thanos placed the stone into gauntlet, and enjoyed the feeling of the power running through him. "One to go." He said.

His moment was interrupted by Quill who blasted him and rushed toward him with his blasters. He didn't care, he had what he came for. He formed a portal and disappeared into it.

Quill didn't make it and hit the ground. He grunted, sat up and coughed. "Where is he?" He said, standing up and pointing his blaster.

Tony used what was left of his suit's life supplies to seal up his wound. He was still panting, gasping for air. He looked at Quill.

"Did we just lose?" Quill asked.

Tony looked back at Stephen. "Why would you do that?" He asked.

Stephen looked at him, directly in his eyes. "We're in the endgame now." Stephen said.

Tony tossed his head back. "I can't believe you just..." He sighed. He was at a loss for words. He was tired, scared and bleeding out now. He couldn't talk anymore.

Stephen stood up, slowly limping toward Tony. "I couldn't watch you die." He said.

"Our mission was to keep humanity safe." Tony said, still panting. He remained sitting. Stephen stood in front of him now, looking at his wound.

"My mission is to protect you and the kids." Stephen said.

Tony slapped Stephen's hands away from his wound. Stephen looked up at him. "Don't. Just don't."

"Tony." Stephen said, looking down at his husband. "I couldn't watch the most important thing to me in the world die right in front of me." He said.

Tony sighed, falling forward on Stephen. He was too tired to say anything. He just placed his head on Stephen's abdomen and closed his eyes. Stephen held him close, sighing.