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MISADVENTURES IN PARADISE
viii. THE SERIES FINALE

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   ROMAN GROANED AS HE coughed, "Riley?"

   Riley didn't speak nor did she drop her fist, only scrambling off him and watching as he stood again. He pressed a hand to his temple, his head likely aching from the fighting or the mind-control. Or both.

   "I can't believe that idea of yours actually worked—" Roman started, but he was cut off by a fist colliding with his face again. "MOTHER OF STARS! OW!"

   Riley sighed in relief as she rubbed her throbbing fist. "Oh, thank God. It worked."

   "Why did you hit me!?"

   "I wasn't sure if you were trying to trick me!"

   "You didn't think to just ask!?"

   "I don't know! You don't seem like the kind of bad guy that would answer honestly!"

   Roman pinched the bridge of his nose. "That was the worst experience of my life. And I literally died once. I can say with full confidence that I'm not a fan of the whole mind-control bullshit."

   "But... isn't your entire power possessing souls?" Riley remarked.

   "That's different."

   "It literally couldn't be any more similar."

   Roman rolled his eyes. "And to think I was actually going to say I'm glad to see you."

   "Wait," Riley urged. "Say it."

   "No. You don't deserve it."

   "But I just saved your ass!"

   "I saved myself. I'm my own Prince Charming, thank you very much!" Roman sassed, only to pause. "I seriously gotta stop watching those stupid princess movies with Morgan. Anyway, catch me up. What's going on? When did you get here?"

   "S.W.O.R.D. called me in after you got sucked into Westview," Riley revealed. "It's been... a crazy few days. We figured out Wanda's responsible for this whole mess, but we don't know why. Hayward thinks it's because she wants to overthrow the government, but I'm pretty sure he just said that to set her up because he's been telling everyone she's a terrorist. He fabricated this recording of her at S.W.O.R.D. HQ and made it look like she broke in and stole Vision's body. Everyone thinks the Vision that's in here is his corpse."

   "But it isn't. Hayward's full of shit, by the way," Roman declared. "He said they were decommissioning your robot, but they're actually trying to rebuild and weaponize him. His soul's dark, kid. That's probably why he made all that stuff up about Wanda stealing Vision's body. He wanted the attention off of him and on someone else."

   "What? Seriously?" she asked. "Why didn't you say something sooner?"

   "I didn't have concrete proof. These humans don't trust me the way you do," Roman reminded her. "If I went in there pointing fingers, no one would've believed me. They would've thrown me off the case. But I know how close you are to these people, so I stuck around. I thought if they let me go into Westview, I could get through to whoever was responsible for this. When I realized it was Wanda, I read through her soul, but I didn't want to possess her. Didn't want her to think I was an enemy."

   "Did you figure out why she's doing all this?" Riley inquired. As she spoke, she removed her red jumpsuit, leaving her in a simple black tank top, leggings, and sneakers.

   "Sort of. It's all because of her brother's death. Vision's, too. And the fact that she had to kill Vision, and then watch Thanos kill him. That girl's got a lot of trauma. She never even got to mourn Vision during the Blip like everyone else. To her, Vision and Pietro's deaths happened almost at the same time," he said. "With no hope that Vision could be recreated without the Mind Stone and finding out that Pietro died when he was supposed to be recovering... Well, you can only imagine how she feels."

   "I never even thought about it like that..."

   "In all my years, I've never encountered a soul as distressed as hers," he confessed. "From what I can gather, she never stole Vision's body — not that she ever intended to. After Pietro died, she decided she wanted to hold a proper funeral for them. But Hayward told her there was no way they would let her bury a weapon like Vision underground. They made her say goodbye and leave."

   "Then... how is Vision here? And why is all of this happening in Westview, of all places?"

   "She and Vision had this dream to settle down in a quiet town and live a normal life together. They picked Westview." Roman's grimace became a frown. "The rest of it's kinda hard to wrap my head around. Wanda came to Westview, and... in her grief, she used her powers to create this... bubble around the town and create a version of Vision that only exists here."

   Riley couldn't even try to hide her disappointment. "That explains why I didn't feel anything when I got near the Mind Stone in his head... But why didn't she create her own version of Pietro?"

   "I don't think she realized what she was doing. It's not like she could drag Pietro's corpse back here and bring him back to life. I'm not sure if Wanda knew how to do that at the time or if it's even possible. Technically, Vision's a machine. Pietro's a human. It was easier for her to create the version of Vision that lives in her memories because of it. There are rules to these things. I'm not sure how that applies to the twins though," he said. "She was so distraught that she subconsciously did all of this. She buried Pietro in the back of her mind and tried to enjoy this new fantasy life with Vision."

   "So that's why she didn't question it when that fake Pietro showed up. She just wanted to pretend everything was fine." Riley's heart sank into her chest. "And now she has S.W.O.R.D. and this creepy witch lady knocking on her front door."

   "Yeah, Agatha's nuts. I tried to possess her soul, but she mind-controlled me first. She's obsessed with Wanda's powers. I'm not entirely sure what she wants with Wanda, but it's not looking good," Roman noted. "I'm not the kinda guy that gets emotional easily, but... we have to help Wanda. We have to. I know what she did to Westview is screwed up, but she's not a bad person. She's just... in pain. She's been through a lot."

   Roman truly wanted to help Wanda, which wasn't common for him. He was always a lone wolf up until the day he met Riley, and even then, he didn't care much about anyone other than himself and her. Wanda's pain spoke to him, more than anyone would ever understand. Roman must've been the first person to ever truly understand Wanda, thanks to his powers.

   No one understood people the way Roman did. Maybe that was why he didn't like most people very much.

   "I believe you. We're gonna help her," Riley promised. "S.W.O.R.D. wants Wanda out of the picture so they can keep experimenting with Vision's corpse, and Agatha's... power-hungry, I think. She kept calling me the... the Child of the Sun. I didn't even know that was a real thing."

   "Wait, seriously?" Roman's eyebrows furrowed. "You didn't know that?"

   "Huh? You know what that is?"

   "Dude, I'm from Asteria. My true ruler is the Goddess of Stars. Obviously, I know what that is."

   "And you didn't think to tell me!?" she whined.

   "I thought you already knew!" Roman defended. "You've had these powers since you were two! You fought aliens! You fought Thanos! Can you blame me?"

   Riley sighed. "We'll discuss this later. Right now, I'm worried about Wanda. We need to find her and tell her everything we know."

   "I don't know if she'll want to listen," he admitted. "She's doing all this to ignore the real world, you know?"

   "We can't just stand here and wait for something to happen," Riley declared. "What if Agatha tries to hurt Wanda? Or Vision? What if Hayward tries to send a missile on the twins again? If anything happens to them—"

   "We'll help them," Roman assured her. "We make a good team, kid. Don't psych yourself out now."

   "You're right, you're right," she admitted. "Let's get out of here. We'll figure it out as we go."

   It wasn't difficult fleeing Agatha's chambers. The witch was nowhere to be seen, which was both relieving and worrying. Roman led the way until they stepped outside, where they were greeted by the screams of Billy and Tommy.

   "MOM! MOM, HELP US!"

   "LET US GO! MOM, HELP!"

   The twins stood in the middle of the street, purple leashes of magic wrapped around their throats. Agatha floated above them, now wearing dark blue robes and a brooch pinned to her chest. She gripped the leashes with a smirk. Wanda was there, too, dressed in a red zip-up jacket and jeans, hands glowing with red magic. It hadn't even been a full day since Riley was kidnapped.

   "I know what you are." Agatha tugged on the ropes, choking the twins. Every time she pulled on them, Wanda's magic grew brighter.

   "It's okay, baby. It's okay," Wanda frantically assured her sons.

   "You have no idea how dangerous you are," Agatha continued. "You're supposed to be a myth! A being capable of spontaneous creation! And here you are, using it to make breakfast for dinner."

   "Let go of my children."

   "Oh yes, your children. And Vision, and this whole little life you've made," patronized Agatha. "I've figured it out — what you are. This is Chaos Magic, Wanda. And that makes you the Scarlet Witch."

   "Leave them alone!" Riley shouted as she and Roman sprinted forward.

   Billy's hands were focused on the restraints around his neck as he choked, "V-Violet! James!"

   Wanda looked frustrated at the sight of the teenagers. "Violet, take James and get out of here—" She noticed the glow around Riley's body. "Riley?"

   "In the flesh." Riley glared heatedly at Agatha as she lowered herself to the ground, her hands clad with dark magic. "Uh, Wanda, this is Roman. Roman, this is Wanda."

   Agatha's lip curled irritably. "You... How did you...?"

   "Did you really think you keep me tied up?" Roman sneered. His body began to glow as he tried to possess the witch's soul. But something was wrong. It wasn't working.

   "Do I look stupid to you, dear?" Agatha taunted. "I cast a protection charm over my soul."

   That meant nothing to Wanda. "My powers work out here! Did you forget?" she called.

   Agatha's smirk returned. "No, dear. I'm counting on it." She loosened her grip on the ropes, allowing Billy and Tommy to run forward a bit, only to yank them back again. The twins fell to the ground with a shout.

   "NO!" Wanda cried, blasting Agatha. The witch fell onto the cement, freeing the twins. To her sons, Wanda ordered, "GO TO YOUR ROOM."

   "No way, we're staying with you," Tommy insisted while Billy pleaded, "Come on, Mom, we can help!"

   Agatha recovered faster than expected, rising once more. "Listen to your mother, boys!" she taunted.

   "NOW!" Wanda growled.

   The twins took one look at each other before Tommy grabbed Billy and ran off. Only, the strange part about it was that he moved at the speed of light. Just like Pietro...

   "Wait... Super speed?" Riley realized.

   "Didn't see that one coming," Roman admitted.

   Wanda blasted Agatha again, but instead of flying backward again, she caught the chaos magic in her hands. The magic shifted between the palms of her hands, darkness caressing it.

   "I take power from the undeserving," declared Agatha. "It's kinda my thing."

   Riley was about to comment, but a squelching sound caught her attention. All eyes fell on Wanda's hand as it began to wrinkle and decay. It was a dull, translucent color that made her wedding ring shine like a golden shard of sunlight. Did Agatha cause that?

   Agatha shot her magic at Wanda, but before it could hit her, Riley's forcefield rose. The dark purple energy darted off the shield again, crashing into one of the nearby houses.

   Agatha rolled her eyes. "This simply won't do."

   The ground started to quake, the cement ripping apart beneath them. Deep cracks dug into the street as it started to crumble. Riley started to ask what was happening, but she was interrupted by Roman grabbing her shoulders and pulling her aside.

   "MOVE!" Roman tugged her toward him as a shadow-like hand tried to grab her.

   The trio whipped around as the ground trembled. Shadows surrounded them, monsters forged by dark magic. They crawled out of the cracks in the street, long claws stabbing the cement to see the light of day. Or rather, the light of the sun's champion. The shadows stood tall, growing into an army as Agatha continued to summon them.

   "Oh, not this shit again," Riley mumbled, grimacing as she thought of Rob.

   While they were distracted, Agatha blasted Wanda again. The Sokovian went flying onto the ground away from the teenagers.

   "WANDA!" Riley called. She extended a hand, trying to reach for her. But Roman pulled her back again, saving her from a shadow monster as it tried to lunge at her.

   "You're clearly in over your little red head," cackled Agatha, stalking toward Wanda. "So, why don't you just surrender your magic to someone who knows what to do with it? And I'll let you keep this pathetic little corner of the world all to yourself! What do you say?"

   Riley tried to step toward Wanda again, but one of the monsters jumped in front of her. She raised a forcefield, pushing it away. Agatha had created these shadow monsters to distract them.

   Wanda wiggled her fingers to lift a car and throw it at Agatha, sending her flying into another house. Wanda turned to the teenagers. "I... Riley, I..."

   Roman seemed to understand. "Apologize later. We'll handle these guys."

   Wanda's gaze flickered to Riley, her eyes filled with panic and fear.

   "I trust you," Riley promised. "Go."

   Wanda didn't say another word. She took off after Agatha, leaving the two teenagers to battle the darkness together.

   The shadow monsters gathered together, snarling as their glowing eyes fixated on them. The sun and the star stood side-by-side, scowls hardening their faces.

   "You go left, I go right?" Roman tried to joke.

   Riley shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

   Without an ounce of hesitation, Valor and Roman sprinted into the shadows.

   Beams of ultraviolet rays shot from her hands, tearing through the monsters. She swiftly ducked and dodged every time the monsters slashed at her face. Her hands glowed with a strong light, burning up each creature as soon as she touched them. Next to her was Roman, who fought with only his fists and his wits. He moved almost too gracefully, a shooting star amongst a sea of darkness.

   Defeating the monsters wasn't an issue. They disintegrated with each attack. The issue was the monsters kept coming. They were endless clones. Shadows live wherever the light touches, and as long as Riley and Roman stood tall, the monsters would never stop coming.

   "When is this gonna end!?" Riley called. As she did, she grabbed one of the monsters by its neck, crushing it instantly. The shadows were no match for her light.

   "I dunno, why don't you ask them?"

   "How do you still have it in you to sass me after I kicked your ass?!" Riley shot back, to which he scoffed. Over their heads, two robots soared through the clouds, fighting each other. One was red, the other was white. "What the hell is that!?"

   "Looks like Vision and... I guess... Vision? That's gotta be the corpse S.W.O.R.D. was trying to rebuild!" he reckoned. "You think S.W.O.R.D.'s in here?"

   "Not sure! How much longer until you can possess their souls?"

   "That's the problem!" Roman exclaimed while tearing the monsters apart with his bare hands. "They don't have souls! They're just Agatha's weak puppets!"

   "Hold on, what!?" She shoved past their enemies and ran to Roman, raising a dome around them. "What do you mean they don't have souls? What are we wasting our energy on this for!?"

   "Agatha's trying to keep us distracted while she tries to steal Wanda's magic!"

   "Okay, new plan, let's just run!"

   "Seriously? That's your plan?"

   "Hey, it worked for you when you fled Asteria!" she pointed out, only to cringe at the look he gave her. "Sorry, too far?"

   "You apologized for that, but not for punching me?" he demanded.

   Riley rolled her eyes. "Look, these guys are just gonna keep coming. If they're only after us, I doubt they'll hurt anyone else. Do you have any other ideas?" she asked. Roman shrugged. "Alright, hold on tight."

   She dropped her forcefield, just to create another one beneath their feet. Roman suddenly grabbed onto Riley to steady himself as she lifted them into the air.

   Together, they glided through the skies. The wind whistled in their ears, no louder than the monsters growling beneath them. Just as they predicted, the shadow creatures followed them through the streets of Westview. The faster they went, the harder it was for the creatures to keep up with them. This bought the heroes some time while they sought out Wanda and Agatha.

   Above them, however, the walls surrounding Westview glimmered a bright shade of red. It flickered and glitched, similar to all the times Riley witnessed it open and close from the outside. The walls stretched themselves thin, opening up and closing again as the Avengers landed in the town square.

   Billy, Tommy, and Vision were all on the ground, panting. Tears streamed down Wanda's cheeks as she trembled. The Maximoffs bolted to each other, embracing each other tightly, only for Agatha, from her place in the sky, to blast the family with her magic. The dark purple energy was stronger than before, slicing the air with the pressure of a tidal wave.

   "NO!" Wanda hoarsely yelled. She outstretched her arms, creating a shield of energy around her family.

   Impulsively, Riley started to jump forward, but Roman pulled her back. He knew that by leaping into the crossfire, Riley would only get hurt. He was only being careful. He knew what Agatha wanted and what she was capable of. Roman wrapped his arms around Riley, shielding her with his body in case Agatha wanted to attack them next. In his eyes, he was expendable. Riley wasn't.

   Wanda winced, her shield finally wavering as Agatha forcefully absorbed her magic, like a sponge. It was like she was absorbing Wanda's life force with it. Her hands were completely gray now.

   Riley squeezed Roman's hand, silently thanking him before running toward the Maximoffs.

   Tears rimmed Billy's eyes, but he refused to let them fall. "Mom, are you okay?" he asked. Wanda didn't speak, only nodding. But Riley knew that look on her face. She knew it all too well.

   Tommy was catching his breath when he noticed Riley and Roman approaching them. "Violet? James?" he greeted, puzzled.

   "My name's Riley. This is Roman," she corrected. "It's a long story."

   "Riley?" Vision repeated. Though his memories had been returned to him, they didn't feel like his own.

   "Vis." Riley offered her old friend a small smile, and though he didn't quite recognize the smile itself, he recognized the feeling it invoked. Safe, friendly.

   "How sweet!" Agatha called as she flew overhead.

   To the left, the white robot that resembled Vision floated toward them. Roman was right. That had to be the corpse Hayward had been experimenting on. The corpse Riley once considered a friend. Its expression was blank. It was clear this White Vision wasn't friendly. Its eyes were fixated on Vision.

   "Um... Dad...?" Tommy trailed off.

   In front of the group, tires squealed. Massive S.W.O.R.D. vans drove toward them. Soldiers shuffled out of them, cocking their guns and launchers readily. Inside one of the vans was Hayward. They must've driven in when Wanda opened up the Hex again.

   "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me," Riley whined. "Are we missing anything else?"

   As if on cue, the growls of the shadow monsters came from behind them. Riley and Roman pressed their backs together as the creatures approached them, snarling and waving their large claws in the air.

   "You had to ask?" Roman groaned with gritted teeth.

   The Maximoff family took a fighting stance, the boys taking after their mother's position. Wanda's red magic hovered in her palms while Billy's hands glowed blue. It was faint, but it was there. While Tommy inherited Pietro's speed, Billy gained Wanda's magic. The Maximoffs, Riley, and Roman were surrounded. They had no choice. They had to fight, and they had to win.

   "Listen, boys, your mother and I never really prepared you for this," Vision said to his sons.

   "But you were born for it," Wanda declared.

   Vision glanced back at the teenagers. "I don't suppose you mind babysitting one more time?"

   "Are you kidding?" Riley replied. "I could do this in my sleep."

   Before they all separated, Riley turned to Wanda. Her hand glowed with light as she grabbed Wanda's hand. Her scarlet magic melded with the light seamlessly, just as it always did. Agatha's words ran through her mind. Because your powers are so flexible, they work as an incredible enhancement when combined with the powers or magic of another.

   Neither girl uttered a word. They didn't need to.

   Vision flew after White Vision while Wanda took after Agatha, leaving the boys to handle the military. Riley and Roman focused on the shadow creatures. There was something so captivating, so mesmerizing about watching the two fight together. The sun and the star fed off of each other. They watched each other's backs, shoving away and blasting at anything that drew too close to the other. Against the greatest darkness, they shined the brightest.

   "I have an idea!" Roman shouted over the fighting. "But I need you to cover me!"

   "What are you gonna do?" Riley called.

   "I... don't know how to explain it. But it's gonna hurt!" he reported.

   "NO!" Riley immediately yelled. "The last time you said that—"

   "I know what I said! You gotta trust me, kid. Otherwise, we'll be here forever!" he insisted. "Give me your hand!"

   Hesitant, Riley held her hand out toward him, energy sparking at her fingertips. It extended from her, naturally finding Roman and enveloping him. His entire body glowed with her light. It protected him, nourished him, strengthened him.

   With a loud shout, Roman outstretched his arms and unleashed a dark burst of energy. It wasn't entirely dark. It reminded her of those pictures you see when you look up what outer space looks like online. There were specks of light that connected like constellations. Dark blues blended with a myriad of colors, cosmos swirling amongst asteroids. It was beautiful. The energy shot from his chest like a cloud and swallowed the monsters, conquering them into nothingness. When the cloud retreated inside Roman again, the monsters were gone, and they didn't return.

   Roman's body reverted to normal again, but he could hardly breathe. Riley was quick to grab onto him, holding him up as she demanded, "What the hell was that!? What did you do!?"

   He choked out, "I... I took out my soul."

   "You WHAT—?"

   "I took out my soul," Roman repeated, this time grinning madly. "It's called astral projection. Since those things don't have souls, I had to match their level and remove mine to kill them. I can't believe that worked."

   "You took out your soul!?" Riley shouted. "You're insane!"

   "Hey, it worked, didn't it?" he remarked. "Agatha taught me some tricks when she was mind-controlling me. I guess she was planning on turning me into some guard dog. Turns out, my powers aren't as limited as I thought they were—"

   Riley suddenly grabbed him and hugged him tightly, eyes brimming with tears. She didn't know how to tell him how relieved she was that he didn't die this time. The words just weren't coming out. So, she pressed her face into his chest and hugged him. He was stiff for a moment before slowly hugging her back.

   The sky began to bleed scarlet. Thunderclouds loomed overhead as flares of crimson and deep purple magic fired across the heavens like strikes of lightning.

   Riley and Roman found the twins where they had left them. The town square was destroyed, and it seemed like the military had been dealt with, though it couldn't have been done without the help of a woman standing beside them. It was Captain Monica Rambeau.

   "Riley?" Monica greeted, shocked. "Are you alright?"

   Riley eyed the faint glow of energy shrouding her figure. "Are you? What the hell happened to you?"

   "I came in after you. I thought I could help Wanda after she... well, you know," Monica confessed. Riley could tell Monica could see the ultraviolet energy around her because of how her eyes kept darting around the teenager's figure. "That energy... Has that always been there—?"

   "We can figure that out later," Riley dismissed as Vision went flying upward, seeking to help his wife. But Wanda just pushed him away with a shield of magic. She didn't want his help.

   Roman gawked at the skies. "So, are we winning?" he asked.

   "MOM!" Tommy cried.

   "Is Mom gonna die?" Billy worriedly asked. "She's gonna die, isn't she?"

   Riley crouched before the boys, taking their hands. "Hey, hey, listen to me. Your mom is one of the strongest people I've ever met. If there's anyone who can handle this, it's her."

   "How do you know that?" Billy panicked. "How can we trust you?"

   She tried not to show the disappointment she felt when he asked that. Instead, she firmly said, "That's the point. You don't. That's up to you. You have your mother's magic running through you. I can feel it. Read my mind and find out for yourself."

   Billy's breathing was unsteady. His magic was weak and his emotions were too high. So, Riley coached him, "Listen to me, Billy. Focus on my thoughts. You're stronger than you know."

   Billy nodded, his bright eyes locked on Riley's. Neither of them moved as he tried to read her mind.

   Tommy glanced between them a few times before asking his brother, "Well?" Billy didn't speak, only silently nodding. That was good enough for Tommy. "Woah... So, wait, when you said you were playing Double Agent... You were being serious?"

   "And you're actually like the girl from the Incredibles!?" Billy matched.

   Riley found it in her to smile again. "Yeah, you could say that. I'm sorry, I know all of this is confusing. My real name is Riley Stark. Some people call me Valor. Outside of Westview, Roman and I are agents. We're friends with your parents."

   "Our parents are secret agents!?" Tommy repeated.

   "Well, it's not much of a secret anymore. I think superheroes might be the better term," Roman admitted. The twins' eyes widened even more.

   As he spoke, Vision landed once more. He flocked to his sons worriedly. The fighting in the sky refused to let up. The ground shook violently, causing the buildings to crumble. The winds were strong, sending debris into the air. Riley raised a forcefield to protect them whenever the debris came too close, to which Billy and Tommy watched in awe. Their babysitter was way cooler than they realized.

   Suddenly, the walls of Westview began to glow again. Strange incantations were carved into the Hex — runes. The purple in the skies was no longer to be found, only red. It was so bright that they all had to look away as Wanda gathered her magic and blasted Agatha once and for all. And when the crimson magic faded, all that stood was Wanda.

   No, she was no longer just Wanda Maximoff.

   She was the Scarlet Witch.

   Blue claimed the skies again, and Agatha fell onto the ground, weak and unable to use her magic. The Scarlet Witch landed gracefully, her magic pure and tamed again. Her magic changed her clothes — a fitted costume and dark red tiara sitting atop her head. The Scarlet Witch won.

   Wanda decided that she would trap Agatha here, in Westview. She would live out her days in the role she chose — the nosy neighbor. Agatha tried to fight back, tried to plead to change Wanda's mind, but it was hopeless. Agatha had caused enough damage. Wanda waved her hand, and Agatha Harkness was Agnes once again.

   Billy and Tommy ran to their mother, leaving Vision to follow. As Wanda greeted her family, kissing them lovingly, Riley and Roman leaned on each other, drained from all the fighting.

   "You okay?" Roman asked.

   Riley was about to answer, but that was when she noticed all of the S.W.O.R.D. agents in the distance. She groaned. "I need a nap."

   Wanda, Vision, and the twins joined the two, gratitude shining on their faces.

   "I know this wasn't your fight, but... thank you," Wanda said.

   "Your fight is ours, Wanda," Riley assured. "That's how this village works. We're in this together."

   Vision cleared his throat. "Boys?"

   Billy and Tommy sprinted toward Riley and tackled her in a hug.

   "Thanks for helping our mom," Tommy beamed. He looked up at Roman, saluting him, too.

   "And for being our babysitter," Billy chimed in. "You're the coolest, most awesome babysitter we've ever had."

   Riley just laughed. "Well, considering my only competition was that witch, I guess you're right. Come here, munchkins."

   The boys groaned at the old nickname, but the three shared a hug once more, not knowing it would be their last.

   "So, it would appear that our dream home has been reduced to a fixer-upper," Vision noted, looking around the destruction of Westview. He nodded to Wanda. "I know you'll set everything right. Just not for us."

   "No," Wanda whispered. "Not for us."

   "It's time," announced Vision, his voice soft. "Should we head home?"

   Wanda nodded, taking her boys in her arms and guiding them home. Vision did not leave without looking back at Riley one last time.

   "Family is forever, but I am glad I could see you like this one last time," Vision confessed before leaving. He smiled at her. It was true what people said — that although the Vision was his own being, he had parts of Bruce, Tony, and Riley in him. His smile, for example, was all Riley's. "Thank you."

   Riley didn't realize that this was their goodbye until the Maximoff family was gone. She supposed it made sense. They couldn't live without Wanda's magic. They couldn't exist without the spell cast upon Westview.

   This was it.

   Roman seemed to feel the sudden despair that saturated Riley, for he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gently hugged her.

   The walls of Westview thinned and lowered. The bright colors of the small town dimmed, the touch of the Scarlet Witch disappearing as though she had never been there, and the Maximoff family was down to one member once again.

   Dressed in her normal clothes again, Wanda walked through the streets of Westview. A hood was pulled over her head, but it did nothing to conceal the sorrow on her face. The town was sullen and gray without her magic, but that meant nothing to the people, who stood on the sidewalk, sneering at the witch.

   Monica was the first to speak once Wanda approached them again.

   "They'll never know what you sacrificed for them."

   "It wouldn't change how they see me," Wanda mumbled. Her eyes were glassy. "And you... You don't hate me?"

   Monica shrugged. "Given the chance and given your power, I'd bring my mom back. I know I would."

   "I'm sorry. To all of you, I'm sorry... For all the pain I caused," Wanda whispered gently. She turned to Riley. "I never wanted to control you. I just... wanted to free you from the burdens of your life. I know we haven't seen eye-to-eye these days, but... I hope there's still a part of you that trusts me."

   Riley held her breath. "Are... Are you leaving? Again? We can help you—"

   "This is something I have to do alone," Wanda gently said. "I don't understand this power, but I will. I don't know when we'll see each other again or if we ever will. But until then... I can at least offer you closure."

   "Wait," Riley said, but she was already stepping away.

   "Goodbye, Riley."

   And then, the Scarlet Witch was gone.