And like my other stories, I always publish two chapters on publication day.

Since I have all the chapters already done because of the pandemic and self-quarantine, I will be publishing these chapters weekly.

Chapter Two: All Alone

Today was no different than the previous days. Wanda woke up earlier than the rest of her family. She put on another one of her dresses with pantyhose and did her hair and makeup to perfection. Once prepped, she went downstairs and started making breakfast and lunches for Vision and their boys. After they woke up and got ready, they ate, grabbed their lunches, and kissed her goodbye before.

Now, she's alone in the house. She has a lot of time before everyone else comes home. It means she can do the housework as slow as she wants and in whatever manner. It's her world, her house, her say. She's even wearing yellow rubber gloves that go up to her elbow because she likes them.

A knock on the door causes Wanda to look up from her cleaning. She puts down her feather duster and takes off her gloves as she walks over to the living room window. Opening the drapes just a bit, she peeks outside and sees a blue-collared man at the front door. When she looks at the street, she sees a milkman's truck at the curb of the road just at the edge of her driveway.

Wanda drops the curtain a bit hesitant. Usually, milkmen don't knock. They put the milk bottles in the cubby at the side of the house and continue on with their day. With that in mind, she heads over to the front door. She peeks through the hole and scoffs before opening the door.

"Oh, it's you," Wanda greets.

She should've known it would be Dr. Strange in the uniform. Wanda has to give him credit for having a vehicle and chilled milk bottles to complete the charade.

"Wanda, listen to me," Stephen starts.

"Have a nice day," she responds, taking the milk and closing the door.

Before it shuts completely, Stephen stops it with his foot. Wanda doesn't bother to deal with him so she heads into the kitchen to put the milk in the fridge. Stephen enters the house. He closes the door behind him, wipes his shoes on the mat, and removes his hat as he heads over to her. He stops at the kitchen island where Wanda sets down a pitcher of lemon water from the fridge.

"Would you like a drink?" Wanda asks with a bright smile in the shape of a lemon wedge.

"I'm fine," Stephen responds gruffly.

Wanda nods, pouring them both glasses. "You know, your plan to get me to stop this won't work."

"I figured."

"So why are you here?"

"To give my condolences."

Wanda pauses, putting down the pitcher. She looks at Stephen and sees a genuine pity mixed with sympathy in his eyes. It contrasts the firmness she saw the first time when he was selling her vacuums. Wanda's a little weary to continue this conversation since she isn't sure where it'll go.

"I'm sorry for everything you've lost," Stephen says.

"Why?" Wanda questions before meeting his eyes. "Did you kill my loves and blow up my country from its core as it fell from the sky?" Wanda looks away when he says nothing. "Didn't think so." She slides him the glass with water droplets along the outside. "But thank you."

Sorry is one of the worst words because it hardly means what she wants it to. She knows that Doctor Strange means well but she can't help but think that he has an ulterior motive behind his words. He did try to get her to stop this reality and there's no way he came back to tell her he's sorry. Wanda knows better than that. She's been through too much to follow in blind ignorance.

"Okay, so I get why you made this world," Stephen says. "Just let me understand it."

"Would you let me keep it?"

"I can't promise that."

She knew it. "You wouldn't even if you could."

"Just tell me."

Wanda takes a breath before walking into their living room. Her heels click against the hardwood floor as Stephen's steps shuffle behind her. She leads him through her living room, showing family photos of her life in this reality that are framed on bookshelves and side-tables. There are more on the television stand and an array hanging on the wall along the staircase.

Chronologically, they start with her wedding. There are pictures of her and Vision facing each other at the altar, celebrating their union outside the church, their first dance, and eating the cake. Then, she got pregnant with twins. It was hard for them to conceive but it happened by some miracle. The twins grew up and now they're at the present day.

In summary, Wanda and Vision fell in love, got married, and had kids. It's the world that should've happened in the five years instead of warfare and death.

"So what's the first thing that happened?" Stephen asks.

"I had a complete mental breakdown after accepting what happened with Thanos," Wanda responds, keeping her eyes on a family portrait taken in the backyard. "So maybe I didn't accept it but that's beside the point. I woke up one morning with the life that's here. I have flashes of memories with a wedding, pregnancy, and the twins growing up. But I never went through it. I felt like I did. They're nothing more than dreams."

Stephen nods. "I get it. Fast-forward and get to the good parts."

"Exactly."

"So if this is the world you created to live a happily ever after with Vision, why do you spend your days alone?"

Wanda's mouth goes dry as she looks away from the picture. She can't come up with an answer to the unforeseen flaw in her plan. She didn't mean to fall in love with Vision. That wasn't the plan she told herself. She couldn't do it, especially with the cascading events in the background that controlled their loves. But their love slowly became worth the risk because she didn't know that love could be that way. Then everything was taken from her again and again. The phrase if you love something, let it go was something she never believed in. If she loved something, she would do whatever it takes to keep it forever. It wasn't the deaths that got it, it was the memories of them alive that haunted her.

"You need to leave," Wanda mutters. She can feel her throat shaking.

"If that's what you want."

Wanda watches him go, putting on his hat before he steps out the door. She takes a breath to compose herself before walking over to put her gloves back on. Wanda straightens her dress and plastering her usual smile to get back in the housewife's mood.

Just a few more hours until her boys get home.

The next few attempts to get Wanda to change reality will be hilarious. Vision will also be in the story more in the upcoming chapters.