Y/N AND VISION ran out of the library and reunited with the children. Monica Rambaeu stood idly by after helping the kids deal with Director Hayward and the S.W.O.R.D agents, having acquired powers of her own.
"Dad!" Vivian hugged her father. The two super-powered adults embraced the kids, then something got their attention. They looked up at a rooftop where they saw Wanda grab Agatha and fly into the sky with her. Their battle continued.
"Take it!" Wanda breathed out, channeling energy and shooting it at Agatha. "I don't want it."
She kept blasting the evil witch, not caring that doing so was also transferring power into her. Y/N noticed this, and flew up to assist.
Before he can reach her, Wanda looked down and shot a beam. It formed a force field that kept Y/N from getting closer and pushed him back down to the street below.
"Wanda? What are you doing?" He shouted.
"Come on, Wanda!" Agatha exclaimed, getting her attention again.
The red-headed witch kept tossing orbs of energy at her, occasionally missing and hitting the Hex barrier around them. They both soared in the sky, with Agatha trying to avoid some attacks but willing to get hit in order to absorb her power.
Y/N descended back down and embraced his kids with Vision standing beside him. They all looked up and watched the battle ensue.
"Come on, Wanda! Escape your fate!" Agatha shouted again, "Release your burden!"
Wanda noticed her hands becoming more shriveled and darker, but she didn't care. She charged up another ball of psionic energy and hit Agatha with it.
The evil witch absorbed the power, "There's more. I want it all."
Wanda grunted as her face started becoming paler as well. She threw more orbs, expelling her remaining energy. Agatha opened up her arms and seemingly drained almost all of Wanda's power, cackling when doing so.
Wanda levitated in the sky, her head bowed down as she felt weakened and drained.
"Mom!" Tommy cried from the street below.
Agatha felt elation as she felt the power within her. She smirked as she looked on at the weakened Wanda.
"About our deal...once cast, a spell can never be changed. This world you made will always be broken. Just like...you."
Agatha threw her arms forward and prepared to attack, but no energy expelled from her fingertips. She tried again, and a look of confusion appeared on her face when it still didn't work.
Thunder rumbled within the crimson-colored skies and dark clouds. Wanda raised her head and looked back at Agatha, her skin regaining her normal hue. She raised a hand, and flicked her wrist to show the evil witch the glowing runes that she engraved on the walls of the Hex.
"Runes?" Agatha questioned.
"In a given space, only the witch who cast them can use her magic." Wanda repeated Agatha's words from earlier that day, "Thanks for the lesson."
Agatha looked on at Wanda, fear starting to show in her eyes. Now there was nothing she could do.
A red crown started forming on Wanda's head as she spoke to Agatha, "But I don't need you to tell me who I am."
"No. No. No. No!" Agatha shuddered.
Wanda's eyes glowed red as she extended her arms and began draining all of Agatha's power, also regaining her's and then some. Agatha wailed as it was being taken from her.
Crimson energy engulfed Wanda as she levitated in the sky and took in the power. Within the blanket of energy, Wanda conjured a dark red dress and sleeve gloves, her hair also extending to shoulder length. This completed the look for her new alias.
The Scarlet Witch.
Y/N looked up at the sky, in awe at the sheer power his lover was demonstrating.
"Oh, God." Agatha breathed out, "You don't know what you've done..."
Wanda's eyes still glowed scarlet as she used her powers to revert the skies back to their normal blue color. She descended back into town with Agatha, who dropped to the floor in a defeated state. She looked up, seeing the Scarlet Witch gracefully touch down in front of her.
"Good girl. So what now?" Agatha asked, "You just gonna lock me up somewhere?"
"No. Not somewhere." Wanda shot back, "Here."
"Here?"
"Mmm-hmm. I'll give the role you chose. The nosy neighbor."
Agatha took a moment to realize how cruel the punishment was. To be stuck in that persona for God knows how long? It'd be torture. "No. Please..."
"I'm sorry." Wanda replied, but in a carefree manner.
"No, you're not. You're cruel." Agatha said.
Wanda got closer to her, and Agatha flinched, "You...you have no idea what you've unleashed. You're gonna need me."
"If I do, I know where to find you." Wanda commented.
"Wait. Wait, wait, wait!" Agatha exclaimed as Wanda touched the side of the witch's head and reverted her back into her Agnes persona.
"Hiya hon." Agnes cheerfully greeted, "Say, that's some kinda getup you're wearing. Did I leave the oven on, or is that just you, hot stuff?"
"You live here now. No one will ever bother you." Wanda told her.
"Okey dokey, artichokee." Agnes replied.
Wanda gave a smile, "I'll be seeing you, Agnes." She then walked away.
"Not if I see you first, hon." Agnes said with a chuckle.
As Wanda walked back toward her family, she smiled at the sight of her children.
"Mom!" They called out in unison. Billy, Tommy, and Vivian all hugged their mother.
"Are you okay?" Vivian asked.
"Of course I am, sweetheart." Wanda kissed the top of her head.
"So, it would appear that our dream home has been reduced to a fixer-upper." Vision remarked as he looked around the dilapidated town, "But I know things will be set right. Just not for us."
Y/N gave a solemn nod and looked at Wanda. She tried to hide her sadness as she replied, "No. Not for us."
Y/N feigned a smile as he looked at his family, "Should we head home?"
"Yeah." Wanda replied, then glanced at Monica who looked on at them. The witch gave a nod, appreciating how she helped deal with the military.
Monica gave a nod back as her arms were crossed. The family then walked off towards their neighborhood.
• • •
BACK AT HOME, the two parents, now in their civilian form, tucked the children in bed. Wanda sat beside Billy as Y/N knelt in between the beds of Tommy and Vivian.
"Snug as a bug." Wanda commented.
"Big day today." Y/N added as he rubbed the top of Vivian's head, "Your mother and I....are very proud of you."
Wanda smiled, "Very proud."
There was silence for a moment before Wanda continued, "You know, a family is forever. We could never truly leave each other, even if we tried. You know that right?"
Tommy nodded along with his two siblings. Y/N kissed the top of his head, then did the same with Vivian. Wanda switched places with Y/N, and gave a peck to her son and daughter. Y/N kissed Billy goodnight and started walking towards the door, "Good night, chaps."
"Good night, Dad."
"Night, Dad."
"Good night."
"Good night, Mom."
Wanda walked to the door as well. The two parents looked back at their children, seeing the Hex through the window getting closer to their neighborhood.
"Kids..." Wanda began, "Thanks for choosing me to be your mom."
They smiled at her, and the exchange also brought one to Y/N's face. Wanda closed the door, her own smile disappearing.
Outside of the room stood Vision, who was listening in on the conversation. The two parents noticed him and Wanda wanted to apologize to him then and there for everything that's happened.
"Vision—" She began.
"No need, Wanda." He interrupted, "I understand how grief can cause all of this."
"You were my best friend. You meant so much to me, that is why I brought you here too."
Vision nodded, "A carbon-based synthezoid like me shouldn't really be able to understand love. But my time here, I've been exposed to it." He sighed, "I can vaguely recall if the Vision before Westview experienced the same."
Wanda got close to Vision and placed her hands at his shoulders.
"You did. I loved you. We loved you." She said, "You were built at first to be a weapon, but you evolved into being you, you became more human. You became family."
Those words meant a lot to him. A tear formed and dropped down his cheek.
"What am I?" He abruptly asked, still not understanding how he was brought here without the body of the real Vision.
"You are the piece of the Mind Stone that lives in me. You are a body of wires and blood and bone that I created. You are a part of my sadness and my hope."
Vision nodded, talking in those words. He didn't come from nothing, but from love. In this Hex, he also got to endure it in the form of having a family. Experiencing that kind of love was all he could've asked for.
"I'm going to miss you, both." Vision stated as he looked at her and Y/N. Wanda embraced the synthezoid, then came Y/N. The man hugged Vision as he pat his back.
"Even though we aren't blood related..." Y/N began as he spoke into his shoulder, "You are my brother, Vision."
"Always."
They parted, and Vision faced the door. "For my final moments...I'd like to be with ones who brought me the most happiness." Vision said mentioning the kids, "Maybe tell them a bed-time story like I always do."
Wanda nodded. She'd appreciate if the kids had somebody like Vision to be there once the Hex ceased to exist. Vision smiled, then entered the children's room.
• • •
IN THE LIVING ROOM, Wanda looked at the family portrait containing Y/N, her, Vision, and the kids. They never actually took the photo, it was one Wanda created herself. She put it down, then turned off the lamp that lit up the room.
Another light switched on, and Wanda looked back to see Y/N by the other lamp. He smiled, "Oh, I, uh, I read somewhere that it's bad luck to say goodbye in the dark."
"No, you didn't." She replied with a smirk.
"Yeah, perhaps not." Y/N chuckled, "I just wanted to see you clearly."
"And?"
"And there you are."
They both heard an electrical buzzing outside. Walking over to the window, they saw the Hex barrier closing in. It would reach them in a matter of minutes.
Wanda started to speak, "After you vanished...I went to your apartment. I found the property deed amongst your things..."
Y/N held Wanda's hands, facing her again.
"I wanted to see it. The place you, me, and Vision planned living at. I stopped by the S.W.O.R.D facility along the way, trying to find a way to get Vision's body for a burial. They told me no. Even though it angered me...hurt me...there was nothing I could do." She explained, "Then I made it to Westview. I saw the property, and immediately thought of what could've been. I felt sad...angry...I felt like everything I had was taken from me. It felt like I had nothing."
Y/N listened in as Wanda began to cry. It hurt to hear her explain how grief-stricken she was after he died in the battle against Thanos.
"I made this place out of grief. The power I have yet to understand was able to create this reality of mine. It brought Vision back...it brought you back. It brought me what I've always wanted with you: children. And now...I'm going to lose it all again."
Y/N wiped away her tears with his thumb and spoke.
"Everything I've felt in this place....I wouldn't trade it for anything." He said, then began recalling his life as a S.H.I.E.L.D Agent and Avenger, "All of my life before was used to fight...to serve others, but here...I got to experience something I never thought I would: having a family."
Wanda gave a light smile as she sniffled. Y/N smiled in return. Amidst their gaze, he heard the electrical buzzing of the Hex getting closer.
"And I thank you for that, Wanda Maximoff. I love you." Y/N added.
His lips met with hers and the two kissed, closing their eyes as the Hex began engulfing their home. Wanda wanted to feel him before he could disappear, and Y/N wanted her lips to be the last thing he felt too.
The home began to glitch as it was immersed in a red hue. Everything around them dissipated as j k h a h b g d u v f f f n f s bb m g d I m m k n u g d u
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• • 2023 • •
WANDA'S LIPS PARTED from his as she opened her eyes. Her gaze met Y/N's, and a look of shock enveloped her face.
He was still there.
In the clothes she wore when first arriving to Westview, she darted her eyes around and noticed the dirt and foundation she stood on that used to be her house. Y/N also studied his environment, patting his hands along his torso wondering how he was still there.
The Hex was gone. But Y/N still stood.
"Wanda?" Y/N asked, also in awe at his survival.
She crept close and ran her fingers along his face. A part of her thought this was still an illusion, a part of the Hex that remained. But the more she looked into his eyes, the more real it felt.
"Y/N...?" She breathed out, which was all she could muster. "Is this really you?"
Y/N grabbed the hand that caressed his cheek and kissed it, "I'm here, Wanda. I'm here."
She let out a delighted laugh and kissed him passionately.
Her fantasy was gone. Vision was gone. Her children were gone. She seemed to have lost everything, but that wasn't entirely true...
She still had Y/N.