Chapter 32:A Journey To The Past

Chapter 32: A Journey to the Past

Alex jolted awake, his breath slightly uneven. His dreams had been different this time—vivid, almost tangible. Memories of his past life, the world he had left behind, surfaced for the first time in what felt like forever. He saw his old home, the streets he used to walk, and the life he once had.

Sitting up in bed, he ran a hand through his hair, lost in thought. He had never given much thought to returning, assuming there was no point. But now, for some reason, an indescribable urge pushed him toward it.

A soft rustling beside him caught his attention. Wanda stirred, blinking sleepily at him. Even in the dim moonlight, her beauty was mesmerizing.

"Alex… What's wrong?" she murmured, her voice laced with concern.

He hesitated, not wanting to wake her over something so uncertain. But looking into her deep, crimson eyes, he sighed and decided to be honest.

"I… had a dream about my old world," he admitted. "I think I should go back and see it, just once."

Wanda's expression sharpened instantly. The drowsiness in her eyes faded, replaced by an unreadable emotion.

"Are you leaving me behind?" she asked, her voice soft but carrying an underlying weight.

Alex blinked, startled by the intensity of her gaze. He immediately reached out, brushing his fingers along her cheek. "Of course not. I would never leave you."

Wanda narrowed her eyes slightly, as if assessing his words. Then, she leaned forward, resting her forehead against his. "Then I'm coming with you."

He chuckled, amused at her determination. "You sure? It's not as exciting as our world. No superheroes, no magic—"

"I don't care," she cut him off. "Wherever you go, I go."

Alex knew there was no arguing with her. "Alright," he sighed, smiling. "We'll go together."

---

A Portal to the Past

The next morning, Wanda busied herself with preparations. She made sure they had proper identification, disguised their appearances slightly, and packed anything they might need. Meanwhile, Alex focused on stabilizing the portal. Since he had mastered his abilities in weeks, not years, something like this was almost effortless.

Finally, standing before the shimmering portal, he took Wanda's hand. "Ready?"

She squeezed his fingers. "Always."

Stepping through, they emerged on the other side, greeted by a familiar yet strange sight. The air smelled different, lacking the chaos and supernatural presence of the Marvel Universe. The streets were ordinary—cars honking, people walking, street vendors selling their goods.

It was peaceful.

Alex took a deep breath, his chest tightening with nostalgia. He had thought he wouldn't feel anything upon returning, but a strange sense of longing hit him.

"This is… your world?" Wanda asked, glancing around curiously.

He nodded. "Yeah. Nothing like the world we came from, huh?"

"It's… normal," she observed.

"Exactly," he replied with a slight smirk. "No superheroes, no cosmic threats. Just people living their lives."

They strolled through the streets, blending in as much as possible. But soon, Alex noticed people glancing in their direction. It started with whispers, then turned into murmurs, and before long, multiple people took out their phones and began snapping pictures.

Wanda frowned. "Why are they taking pictures of me?"

Alex sighed. He had expected this. Gently pulling her into a quieter alley, he turned to her. "I should've mentioned this earlier… but you're famous here."

Wanda blinked in confusion. "What?"

He smirked at her reaction. "This world has something called 'Marvel.' It's a massive franchise of movies and comics. And in this world… you're a fictional character."

She stared at him for a few seconds, processing his words. "Wait. What?"

Alex chuckled. "Yeah. You're not real here. There's an actress who plays you in movies, which is why people think you're her."

Wanda's mouth opened slightly, then closed. She seemed completely baffled by the revelation.

After a moment, she narrowed her eyes and asked, "Hold on… If I'm just a fictional character here, then weren't you also in 'Marvel'?"

Alex shook his head. "Nope. I wasn't part of the original story. I'm an anomaly."

Wanda tilted her head, still processing the information. Then, a curious look crossed her face.

"Alex," she said slowly.

"Yeah?"

Her crimson eyes locked onto his. "Did you have a girlfriend in this world?"

Alex blinked, then let out a dry laugh. "No."

Wanda raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Are you sure?"

He sighed, stepping closer and placing his hands on her shoulders. "Wanda, listen to me. You are the only woman I have ever loved. You are the only one I have ever touched. There was never anyone else before you, and there never will be."

For a second, she just stared at him. Then, her lips curled into a warm smile, and her arms wrapped around his waist. "Good answer."

Alex chuckled, kissing the top of her head.

However, their lighthearted moment was interrupted when they passed by an electronic store with multiple TVs in the display window.

Wanda suddenly froze.

On the screens, a scene from one of the Marvel movies played—a heart-wrenching moment from Avengers: Infinity War.

It was the scene where Vision and Wanda stood together, and Vision told her, "It's alright. You could never hurt me."

Wanda's breath hitched. Seeing her on-screen counterpart, hearing those words, it stirred something deep within her.

Alex saw her expression darken. He gently placed a hand on her back. "Wanda?"

She shook her head slightly, looking away. "…So that was me?"

"No," Alex corrected firmly. "That was her. Not you."

She looked up at him, searching his eyes. "But she was me. She loved Vision."

Alex exhaled sharply, turning her to face him fully. "Listen to me, Wanda. That was their story, not yours. That Wanda was Vision's. You are mine."

Wanda's eyes softened. The sadness that had momentarily clouded them melted away. "Mine," she whispered, almost testing the word.

Alex leaned in, pressing his forehead against hers. "Only mine."

A soft smile formed on her lips. "And you're mine."

This time, Alex didn't just press his forehead against hers—he tilted her chin up and captured her lips in a deep, lingering kiss. Wanda melted into it, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He kissed her gently at first, then with more intensity, pouring every emotion into it.

When they finally pulled away, Wanda's lips were slightly swollen, and a deep blush dusted her cheeks. She let out a breathy laugh.

After a moment, "So… where's this actress who plays me?"

Alex chuckled, shaking his head. "You really want to meet her?"

"Of course," she said. "If she's my variant in this world, I have to see her."

Alex sighed but couldn't hide his amusement. "Alright. Let's go find Elizabeth Olsen after visiting my home""