"Let's go inside," Karl said gently. "No need to stand at the door."
He led Wanda and May into the living room.
Moments later, Pietro came downstairs after Peter called him. When he learned Karl was the one who had pulled them from the ruins, he bowed repeatedly.
"Thank you… for saving us. Thank you."
Karl waved it off and motioned for them to sit.
"Sokovia is still in chaos," he said carefully. "When I found you… I also found two—"
He stopped himself.
Wanda and Pietro understood anyway.
Their parents were gone.
Wanda lowered her head. Tears began to fall silently.
Pietro's eyes reddened, but he clenched his jaw and held himself together.
May shot Karl a reproachful look before pulling Wanda into her arms.
"It's alright, sweetheart," she whispered. "You're safe now. You're not alone anymore."
Karl leaned back slightly. They would have learned the truth sooner or later. Better now, while they were somewhere safe.
After a moment of silence, he spoke again.
"You can stay here as long as you need," he said casually. "If you decide to return to Sokovia someday, I'll help arrange it."
He paused.
"…Or, if you want stability, I can adopt you. Peter could use companions his own age."
His tone remained relaxed, as if the decision meant little to him.
But May knew him well enough to see through it.
Karl had not crossed continents and war zones out of casual goodwill.
He had chosen to save them.
And now he was offering them a future.
Pietro spoke before Wanda could.
"We would like that."
Wanda turned toward him in surprise.
Pietro continued quickly:
"We can help with chores. We don't need much. We just… want to stay together."
His voice was steady, but his hands trembled slightly.
Before answering, Pietro had spoken with Peter upstairs. Through innocent conversation, he learned:
Karl had saved May and Peter before.
Karl protected those around him.
Karl was wealthy but generous.
Karl treated Peter like family.
Pietro understood survival.
War zones taught hard lessons.
In Sokovia and across Eastern Europe, children disappeared every day — trafficked, exploited, or worse.
This house was safe.
This man had saved them.
And Pietro would do anything to ensure Wanda never returned to fear and hunger.
Karl watched him carefully, recognizing both intelligence and desperation.
"No need to worry about food," Karl said with a faint smile.
Pietro exhaled, relief visible in his posture.
"Thank you… for accepting us."
Wanda stepped forward and bowed.
"Thank you."
Her voice trembled — not from fear this time, but from relief.
Karl stood.
"It's late. We'll finish arrangements tomorrow. I'll take you shopping as well."
He led May upstairs.
Upstairs
May sat on the bed, studying him.
"What is it?" Karl asked.
"You planned this from the beginning, didn't you?" she said softly. "You went to Sokovia knowing you would bring them home."
Karl met her eyes.
"Yes."
He did not lie.
"They're not ordinary children. Wanda carries immense power — power she doesn't understand yet. Their parents are gone. Without guidance… they would be exploited."
May listened quietly.
This matched what she had sensed — the strange energy surrounding Wanda, the protective intensity in Karl's decision.
Then her expression shifted.
"And why," she asked, narrowing her eyes slightly, "do you still call me Aunt May?"
Karl grinned.
"I like it. It has… character."
She smacked his shoulder.
"You're impossible."
He pulled her into his arms.
She tried to protest—
"There are children in the next room—"
—but her resistance quickly dissolved into quiet laughter and a whispered warning as she covered her mouth to keep from making noise.
The Next Day
Karl completed the legal guardianship arrangements through expedited channels, leveraging his financial resources and forged documentation pathways created through Speed's network access. In the Marvel universe, wartime refugee adoption processes often bypass standard procedures, particularly when embassies and records are destroyed.
By afternoon, Wanda and Pietro were legally under Karl's guardianship.
He then drove them into the city.
They purchased clothing, school supplies, and necessities.
While Wanda carefully chose modest items, Pietro returned triumphantly with a game console.
Wanda glared.
"We shouldn't spend his money like this!"
Pietro shrugged.
"He said it was fine."
Karl chuckled and said nothing.
The cost meant nothing to him.
Security and stability meant everything to them.
Back home, Karl handed a gift box to May.
"This is for you. Try it on."
"Is today special?" she asked.
"Every day with you is special," he replied quietly.
Her cheeks warmed.
She went upstairs.
Five minutes later, she returned wearing a deep violet dress that complemented her figure perfectly — elegant, graceful, and timeless.
She stood framed in the doorway like a portrait.
Karl crossed the room and wrapped an arm around her waist.
"You're beautiful, Aunt May."
Her eyes softened.
She kissed him gently.
Downstairs, Wanda watched in silence.
For the first time since the bombing, she saw something unfamiliar:
a home filled with warmth…
and the fragile beginnings of peace.