(AN: IRL problems of an unemployed man. That's the only thing I can tell you, guys. I just tried a new format. Do tell if the spaces are fine like this or if it's better like before. This chapter is the start of a new arc. So, it'll be boring. Probably.)
The world did not shift when they left.
There was no tearing of space, no violent distortion. Only a quiet pull, like stepping through a door that no one else could see. One moment, Wanda Maximoff stood at a distance where she had buried Vision.
Then, the next second was standing beside Elias Mercer on the edge of an unfamiliar house.
This house was the same one that Steve, along with Natasha and Scott, visited to ask Tony about time travel.
Elias stretched lightly, as if the transition had been nothing more than a short walk. "Alright," he said, glancing toward the house. "Quick stop. Let me give my thanks and all that responsible adult stuff. Then we go home."
Wanda gave him a small look. "You don't sound very responsible."
"Can't be helped," he replied while smiling at her.
"Someone's moving in, so I have to be."
Before she could respond, the front door opened.
Tony Stark stepped out, already halfway into a sentence.
"If this is about last night, I already said—"
He stopped.
His eyes landed on Elias.
"…You're back?"
Elias smiled easily. "Yeah, had to get something I left." Elias held Wanda's hand.
Tony's gaze narrowed slightly, assessing, calculating. "That's fast. Though thinking about it, both of you seeing each other would explain why Wanda's security details last night were terrifying."
"Well, it happens. One moment I was just hitching a ride, the next moment I was attracted." Elias replied.
Before Tony could dig further, another presence joined him at the door.
Pepper Potts stepped out, her expression softer but no less observant, with a small hand peeking from behind her leg.
"Tony," she said quietly. "Maybe let them in first?"
A small voice followed.
"Are they friends?"
Tony exhaled through his nose. "…Undetermined. Though I very much hope they are."
Elias chuckled. "We're technically already friends since you, in my timeline, are my friend."
He stepped forward, extending a hand casually. "Tony. I just wanted to say thanks."
Tony didn't take it immediately.
"Thanks," he repeated. "For what?"
Elias tilted his head slightly toward Wanda. "For helping her. Containing everything. Not letting things go out."
That made Tony pause.
Then, slowly, he shook his hand.
"…Yeah," Tony muttered. "Well. Somebody had to."
Pepper stepped forward next, offering a polite smile. "It's nice to meet you."
"And you," Elias said, genuine.
His attention shifted downward.
The little girl had stepped out now, looking up at him with open curiosity.
"Hi," she said.
Elias crouched slightly, lowering himself to her level. "Hey."
"You're not scary," she decided.
Tony snorted quietly behind them. "Give it time."
Elias smiled faintly, but something in his gaze softened as he looked at her.
"What's your name little girl?" he asked.
"Morgan."
He nodded once, as if committing it to memory.
"…Nice to meet you, Morgan."
For a brief moment, Elias put his hand on Morgan's head and casually left a time spell.
In case she is met with a life-threatening situation, the spell would activate and stop time for her, and details will pour into her mind on how long the time stop will last, how many times she can use it(3 times), and how she can trigger it next time.
Then Elias stood.
"Anyway," he said lightly, brushing his hands together. "That's really it. Just wanted to say thanks properly."
Tony crossed his arms. "That it? No cryptic warnings? No 'bigger things coming' speech?"
Elias smirked. "Tempting. But I'll pass. With everything that happened, I am not sure how your world would go from here on out. Just do me a solid and help Peter Parker whenever. I think a lot of people would agree with me."
Pepper gave a small, relieved breath. "That's not a problem. I will keep reminding him to do that."
Wanda watched quietly as the exchange unfolded, something in her chest easing just a little more.
This—
This was the normal she was looking for.
She's full of hope; that's exactly what she'll have when she goes with Elias.
After a few more words, the moment naturally drew to an end.
Pepper placed a hand on Tony's arm. "We should let them go."
Tony glanced once more at Elias, then nodded.
"Yeah. Guess this is goodbye, then."
Elias shrugged lightly. "For now."
Pepper smiled. "Take care of each other."
Wanda nodded.
"…We will."
As they turned to leave—
Elias paused.
Just for a second.
He glanced back.
Morgan was still watching him.
Elias made a silent gesture by raising his index finger to his lips towards her.
Morgan smiled and waved goodbye.
.
.
.
The transition back to Elias' timeline was just as seamless.
But this time—
Wanda felt it.
The moment they crossed into Elias' timeline, something stirred deep within her. Not pain, not discomfort—but awareness. Like something inside her had shifted into alignment with a world that wasn't originally hers.
Wanda exhaled slowly, grounding herself. "…I can feel her," she looks at Elias, "I can feel the other me, and I know she can feel me too."
"That's good, you can meet her tomorrow," he replied simply.
Before she could ask more, he gestured ahead.
"Come on. Let's get you settled."
Elias brought her home.
He showed her everything inside his humble house. From the living room to the kitchen and bathroom. A guest room he doesn't use, but could be cleaned out and prepared for her.
And of course, one of his first rewards. The secret underground with a hidden entrance inside a closet.
"I think there was a movie with this kind of setup," Wanda commented while Elias opened the secret door inside.
"Unfortunately, unlike Narnia's famous entrance, this one leads to a base full of weapons I don't even know how to use," he said.
Wanda laughed. "On the bright side, you have a secret lair."
Elias grinned and led her inside. The two of them were, of course, not interested in the things inside the lair. They were both more interested in each other. So, for a few minutes or maybe hours. They just had a normal conversation about their time apart, both eager to know what happened to the other.
.
.
.
When they returned upstairs, Elias gestured toward the room.
"You can sleep in my room tonight," he said. "I'll take the couch."
She frowned slightly. "You don't have to—"
"I insist," he cut in casually, no idea of what that sentence might have ended with.
"Also, you'll need new clothes. And probably a closet of your own to sort them out properly. We'll take care of the guest room tomorrow after buying everything you need."
"…we can...." he rumbled on and on.
Looking at him, Wanda allowed a small smile, decided not to say more, and agreed. "Alright."
.
.
That night, after dinner and a bath, they finally settled in. Elias on the couch while Wanda slept on his bed.
When Wanda closed her eyes—
She didn't dream. It did not exactly feel like a dream at all.
Memories flooded in, memories about her, but not her specifically.
It was a different life about another Wanda.
A different path where she and her brother were rescued by Stark himself.
Across the distance of timelines, two minds met.
Wanda opened her eyes—
And found herself standing across from… a younger version of herself.
"…Where is this? Was that you in the memories?" the younger Wanda asked. She clearly also experienced her own memories just like she did hers.
The older Wanda exhaled softly. "I don't know where this is, but yes, I was probably the one in the memories you received. Just like you were the one in the memories that came to my head."
"Y- you had a robot for a lover?"
Older Wanda nodded.
"P-Pietro died?"
Older Wanda nodded again.
"And now you're falling for Elias?"
This time, older Wanda answered. "Yes."
"I already like him," the older Wanda admitted.
The younger Wanda raised a brow immediately. "You fell for a robot once, why not with the Dark Jedi himself?"
"…Dark Jedi?"
"Oh, you don't know? That's his name as one of the Avengers."
"He's an Avenger?"
"By the way, Pietro is still alive," the younger one said. "Would you like to meet him?"
"I'd love to, I really missed him."
That didn't surprise her younger self.
"Will you help me protect him in this timeline? I really don't want to lose my only family," the younger Wanda added.
"I will, I promise. Don't worry, I won't let you lose what I did."
The conversation prolonged into much more mundane topics as both of them enjoyed each other's presence.
.
.
.
"We should talk more," Younger Wanda said.
The older Wanda nodded.
"Tomorrow," Older Wanda said.
"At the bakery."
"I'll see you there, my future self." Younger Wanda agreed.
Then their connection faded, and both found themselves back in their respective rooms. The younger one at Stark Tower and the Older one at Elias' room.
Wanda forced herself to sleep because they planned to shop tomorrow for some clothes for her to wear. Then they would go to his shop so she could meet his employees.
.
.
.
The next day
Elias Bakery Shop
The bell above the door chimed softly as they entered the bakery.
Warm light. The scent of fresh bread. The quiet hum of a place that existed far removed from war, loss, and chaos.
Five people looked up.
Elias stepped in first. "Alright, everyone—pause whatever it is you're currently working on and gather around."
A woman near the counter folded her arms immediately, unimpressed.
Mara Velasquez didn't need to raise her voice to command attention.
"Where have you been?"
"Field trip," Elias replied.
Her sharp eyes shifted to Wanda, already assessing her from head to toe.
Beside her, Lina Cho practically lit up. "Wait—!"
Rhea Martinez straightened slightly, curiosity flickering across her calm expression.
From the ovens, Caleb Reyes glanced over, while Noah Whitaker leaned just a bit too far, already intrigued.
Elias gestured casually.
"This is Wanda."
As soon as he finished his sentence, the implication of what it meant crashed in sudden realization.
"…Wanda?" Lina repeated. "But boss, we already know Wanda."
Elias nodded. "Yes, but not this Wanda, she came from the future."
That broke whatever restraint they had.
"Future—?!" Noah started.
"Wait, what? How?" Lina added quickly.
"That's not- hey, now that I'm looking at her, she does look a bit more mature than before." Caleb, unable to accept it, focused his gaze and was surprised. But of course, he picked his words carefully.
Mara raised a hand. "Everyone, stop talking at once."
She turned to Wanda and gestured.
"Why don't you sit down so we can arrange some bread for you. Then you tell some stories about yourself from the beginning."
Wanda agreed as Elias led her to one of the tables.
She finally started her story. She spoke about how she lost her parents early. About the war where she lived. About how she volunteered to be experimented upon just so she could secure her revenge against Stark. Her experience being an Avenger. How she fell in love and how she lost that love. And how she was finally able to meet Elias."
By the time she finished—
Lina was crying openly.
Rhea looked like she might join her.
Even Mara's expression had softened.
"That's…" Lina wiped her face. "That's a lot."
"You went through all that?" Rhea asked quietly.
Wanda shook her head slightly. "Thor got it worse than me. So, don't worry."
Mara nodded once. "Still."
"If you need anything," she said firmly, "you can tell us."
The others quickly agreed and encouraged her.
Wanda smiled at everyone's concern and attention. Due to her powers, she can easily feel that these people truly meant what they said.
"…Thank you." She finally said.
.
.
The bakery had settled into its usual rhythm.
Morning rush had passed, leaving behind the comforting hum of routine—the soft clatter of trays, the low murmur of conversation, the steady warmth of ovens doing what they did best. Sunlight spilled through the windows, catching on flour dust in the air like drifting gold.
At one of the tables, Elias Mercer leaned casually, arms propped against his cheek, watching as Wanda Maximoff adjusted the sleeve of one of her newly bought outfits.
"…So," he said, tilting his head slightly, "you've officially survived your first shopping trip across timelines. That's a milestone."
Wanda glanced at him, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "You say that like it was a battle."
"I've seen worse outcomes," Elias replied. "Personally, at least." 'In my past life,' he added inside his mind.
She let out a quiet breath—something close to a laugh.
Then her gaze drifted toward the entrance.
"I'm waiting," she said.
Elias followed her line of sight. "For?"
"Myself."
That earned a pause.
"…Alright," he said slowly. "You're going to have to elaborate just a little."
Wanda folded her arms lightly, her expression thoughtful. "Last night… when I slept, I connected with her. The Wanda from this timeline."
Elias straightened slightly, interest replacing his usual ease. "You connected?"
"It wasn't really just a dream," she clarified. "We shared memories, talked, and agreed to meet here."
Elias studied her for a second longer than usual.
"…Huh."
A small breath left him, somewhere between impressed and intrigued. "That's- uh, good, I guess? I'm not really an expert with the whole future and past self meeting each other and what would happen."
Wanda gave a small nod. "She should be here soon."
Elias pushed himself off the counter. "Well, I'm not about to miss this."
—
The bell above the door chimed.
Every head in the bakery turned.
Three figures stepped inside.
Wanda Maximoff (younger) stood at the front, her posture cautious but steady. Beside her was Pietro Maximoff, already scanning the room with restless energy.
Behind them, Happy Hogan lingered near the door, arms crossed, expression skeptical.
"Alright," Happy muttered, "remind me again why we're meeting… her future self?"
Pietro smirked. "Isn't it obvious? Maybe I'll learn who my future girlfriend will be."
Wanda just smiled at them while his eyes were already searching for her future self.
Not even a moment later, the two Wandas finally saw each other.
And everything else seemed to fall away.
They stepped forward at the same time. Slowly and carefully.
Like approaching a reflection that might move on its own.
Elias watched closely, his usual calm sharpening into alert focus in case something happened.
The two stopped just a step apart.
Then, the older Wanda extended her hand. The younger one hesitated only briefly before taking it.
The moment their hands touched—
Something shifted.
A sharp pulse of blue light flickered between them, and their hands became stuck to each other, no, their stuck hands were slowly merging!
The air itself seemed to bend as glowing strands of energy—thin, luminous threads—spiraled outward from their joined hands, weaving through the space around them.
"Ah!" Both screamed at the same time.
"Uh…" Pietro started, eyes widening. "That's not normal, right?"
"No," Elias said immediately. His expression hardened.
He raised both hands. The air tightened.
Invisible pressure held in the space between the two Wandas—his telekinesis forcing itself between them like a wedge.
For a moment, it worked.
The pull slowed. The light flickered. The merging halted, just barely.
Elias clenched his jaw, pushing harder.
"Everyone—grab them. Now!"
"Hey—hey!" Happy stepped forward. "Break it up!"
Mara, Caleb, and Noah rushed from behind the counter. Pietro was already there, grabbing his sister's arm, while Happy reached for the other Wanda.
"Pull!" Elias ordered.
They did. But it was like trying to separate magnets that refused to let go.
The blue light flared brighter, expanding outward in a pulsing sphere. The floor beneath them trembled slightly, glassware rattling from the vibration.
"It's pulling them together!" Lina shouted.
"No kidding!" Noah grunted, struggling to hold on.
The younger Wanda cried out as the force increased, her feet sliding forward despite the resistance.
The light intensified. Their hands didn't just hold; they fused in place as if space itself refused to let them separate.
Both Wandas gasped, their bodies jolting slightly as the pull began.
They were being drawn together even more.
"Hold them!" Elias shouted; even his telekinesis was already strained. He knew that if his telekinesis didn't work, what could the others possibly do? But he still held to a tiny bit of hope it would work.
"I am holding!" Pietro snapped. "She's dragging me with her!"
Somehow, what was happening reminds Elias of what happened to Sherman in the Mr. Peabody and Sherman movie he watched. Does he also need to travel a few seconds to the future to create a gravitational field equal and opposite the rip in the space-time continuum? Then sling right back in time?
Elias let go of the distractions; he simply focused on the current situation. He brought Wanda here; her safety is his responsibility.
The strain was visible now. The blue light began to crackle, distorting, resisting Elias' interference. His arm trembled slightly.
"…This," he muttered. "Why is this happening!"
The force surged violently. The telekinetic barrier shattered like glass.
"Elias!" Wanda screamed as she looked at him. Her chaos magic offered no resistance at all as it too got sucked. He saw her worried expression.
"If this is the last time I'll see you," Wanda said, clearly sad at what's happening and not sure if she'll ever be able to tell Elias her feelings. "Thank you for being there for me, I... love... you."
The two Wandas were pulled forward towards each other.
The moment their bodies collided, everything went white.
A single burst of blue light exploded outward, forcing everyone back a step. The air snapped, twisted, then collapsed inward.
The light faded where two figures had once stood earlier.
And there, standing in the center, was the younger Wanda. There was no trace of the other one whom Elias brought to this timeline.
She was unconscious for a few moments, then her eyes suddenly flickered faintly with traces of blue before settling.
Pietro blinked.
"…Wanda?"
All he got as a response was, "What's going on? My head hurts."
Elias lowered his hand slowly, his expression unreadable as he studied her. He actually tried to stop time earlier, but was somehow unable to stop the phenomenon. His only conclusion was that it involved space-time itself. The others' time stopped, but the two Wandas merging was excluded.
Wanda stopped holding her head; the pain was over.
"…Well," he said quietly, more to himself than anyone else.
"Are you okay, Wanda?"
The bakery stood frozen. No one moved. No one spoke.
End of Chapter 71