this side of paradise

gushing red, again

Earth-616:

Meanwhile – At Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters

Day Nine

x

I love you in every universe.

To Stephen, it was wild to think that he said those words to another version of Christine Palmer, a mere matter of months ago.

All he could think of was the red-head right in front of him.

As quickly as it started, Wanda pulled away. "I don't think we should shoot to kill. I think there's still hope for Steve and Natasha."

Alright. I guess we'll bypass the kiss, for now.

"What makes you say that?" he asked.

"Well, think about it." She motioned back and forth between the two of them. "Think of what you just told me. You and I, on my universe and on yours—we were like ships in the night. The timing was all wrong. And with Steve and Natasha, I can't help but think... are they really that evil, deep down? Or maybe we're missing something."

Stephen took her hands in his. Before he was a master of the mystic arts, he was a physician—pragmatism was his default setting. He wasn't sentimental, and he didn't look to see the best in people. If anything, he was too cynical for his own good, constantly expecting the worst in other people until proven otherwise.

He couldn't tell if he thought Wanda was completely delusional, or if hearing her defend Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff made him fall that much harder for her.

"The Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff I knew were nothing like them," he said slowly.

"Yeah, neither were mine."

"But we can't underestimate them."

She shook her head. "You're right, we can't. They're ruthless."

She turned her head, and looked to the other X-Men, the Avengers who had gathered, and Loki. She thought of the array of abilities they had on their side, from all walks of life, from a multitude of different universes.

Wait.

How many different universes?

"What?" Stephen asked.

She didn't realize she'd said that last sentence out loud. "Not counting Steve and Natasha... how many different universes, are there? I mean, just represented in this building, right now."

Stephen's stomach dropped as she realized the implication of what she was saying.

Him and her were from different universes—Stephen's was designated 616, Wanda's was 61311. Loki was originally from 616, but his disappearance with the tesseract technically created a branched timeline. Peter Maximoff was from his own universe, separate from everyone else's, as were Wade and Logan. And America Chavez was able to jump from universe to universe, but her original universe was unlike anyone else's.

And plus Steve and Natasha, that would make seven. Seven alternate universes, all under the same roof.

They both knew what the worst case scenario was, from their conversations with Loki, and with Hope Van Dyne for that matter.

"We've got to talk to Loki," Stephen managed, before running downstairs. Wanda wordlessly ran behind him, not missing a single beat.

But by the time he got down to the base of the stairs, they ran right into Loki— he was staring, stunned, as his tempad blared a loud, screeching alarm.