Everything, for a brief moment, went dark.

And then… Wanda opened her eyes.

Her feet were set upon a gravel pathway - gone were the houses of the neighborhood she thought she saw, and now all that seemed to surround her were fields, forests, and a mountain landscape in the background of the scenery… and a single house stood along the pathway.

Truthfully, it looked so gorgeous. She would kill to live here one day… it looked so pretty.

She looked down at her clothes - thankfully, she wasn't out in broad daylight in her purple sleep shirt anymore. That surely wouldn't be good for PR. She wore a top with black and red flowers spotted across it, and a soft jacket with a silver article of jewelry on her wrist. She also had on black jeans and yellow flat shoes…

You know, where exactly was she?

And then, she remembered where she had been before this - this was the product of her mental link with Peter…

Or was it? Was this all just an illusion that she created out of despair?

Wanda took a deep breath, and walked up to the house that was smack dab in front of her. Really only one way to find out, right?

The house was really pretty - it was quite big too! White and cream aesthetic with some browns splattered at the bottom bricklayer, and it seemed to be two stories tall. There was practically an infinite backyard if all of that greenland was to be considered as "a backyard"

As she went to knock on the door, though, it opened steadily… huh. Well, that was a sign for sure.

Good or bad, though?

Wanda then found herself walking through a laundry room-esque area, before seemingly coming to the living room area, adjoined to the dining room in an absolutely massive combo room of sorts. There was even a little elevated area with a piano, and…

Wait, was that her Marley floor?!

She walked over and knelt down to look closer, and her initials were carved into the corner of the portable dance floor… yep. It was hers.

Was Peter keeping a reminder of her in his memory? That was… that was so sweet of him!

"Meww?"

Wanda nearly jumped out of her soul at the sudden noise, but as she looked up, she saw a brown and orange cat sitting on top of the piano - how in the heck had she missed that little guy?

"O-Oh… h-hello there," she whispered, smiling softly as she stepped forward. The cat purred as she scratched behind its ear, and she used her other hand to look at the nametag…

Anthony 'Anto' Parker, the nametag read... what a cute name! Presumably named after none other than Tony himself.

"You're a very good little boy, aren't you?" Wanda smiled, as the cat found itself wandering onto her shoulder. She giggled fondly, and smiled when the cat leapt onto the floor to curl up next to her feet. As sad as it made her, she felt curiosity poking at her, so she continued to explore the house…

The same couch.

It hit her so fast, she nearly gasped in shock - it was the same couch she had been sitting on in some of her visions. It was… it was almost overwhelming. Peter had been trying to communicate with her.

Instinctively, she sat down on the couch… it was so comfy.

It was like she had been here, many times before this… it just felt like home to her.

"Hey Anto! You hungry, bud?"

Wanda's head perked up instantly at the sound of a voice so… so familiar. So precious. A voice she had lacked in her life for a week and nearly two days... Far, far too long.

She looked up, and there he was.

Peter Benjamin Parker.

He was awake, he was happy, he was alive. Peter laid down a bowl of food for the cat next to a bowl of water, and smiled, but then he looked up…

His smile only grew.

"There you are, Wanda! You got my clues!" Peter said excitedly.

"O-Oh my gosh…" Wanda whispered, standing up. "P-Peter… I-Is it-"

"Well, it's my conscience," Peter said, looking around with that same goofy smile, before his eyes returned to her. "But yes, Wanda. This is really me, and you are really here."

Wanda gasped faintly, and stood up as quickly as she could - and didn't get lightheaded? Wow, thanks new reality - and raced over to Peter, engulfing him in her arms as tightly as she possibly could. Wanda let out a deep sigh of relief she didn't even know she was holding in…

Peter was okay.

"Y-You're okay…" she whispered.

"Yes, Wanda, I'm okay," Peter smiled, hugging back just as tightly.

"H-Have you… have you been here this whole time?" she asked after hugging him for a solid minute at least.

"Well, no - admittedly, the first few days were pretty dang dark," Peter said, sighing. "But then… you held my hand for the first time after I got hooked up to all those machines by Dr. Banner and Dr. Cho. I felt that, Wanda. That… you don't know how much that simple touch gave me. Hope, peace, comfort, literally just about any good thing I could think of."

Wanda smiled warmly… the fact she could bring so much peace to Peter made her heart so warm.

"I just started to think about how I couldn't wait to get home… but I also started to think about what exactly that meant, in every sense of the word."

The two of them slowly walked across the house layout of the living room and kitchen, Wanda listening intently as Peter told his story of his conscience trip.

"I was once at my childhood home - but it was so empty… I hardly remember it. Wasn't much to make of it. Then I went to May's apartment," smiled Peter, thinking about his aunt fondly. "Oh, that one was cluttered as heck… then, I went to my room at the tower. I enjoyed it so much, being back there for a bit, even if no one else was there to share it…"

"...So what's this one?" asked Wanda gently.

Peter smiled, sitting on the couch, and motioning for Wanda to join him. She plopped down next to him, curling her legs and feet up onto the couch.

"It's where I'd like to live one day…" Peter smiled softly. "I have changed it a few times, but generally, I'd like to live somewhere where there's a ton of grass - nowhere to swing for miles, and I'm okay with that. It means I've been able to hang up the mask, or pass it onto someone else."

Wanda fully understood… The superhero gig was nice, but not a forever job by any means. She too desired the simple life so much. Peter was completely in his right mind to want this, especially something as beautiful...

"Plus, it's not like you'll see Spider-Man owning a tractor anytime soon."

"Wait, you have a tractor here?" Wanda asked, trying not to giggle at the sudden shift of tone in the conversation.

"No - but I can add one!" Peter said, giggling himself, so Wanda laughed right along with him. "I can change this place as much as I like… it is my conscience after all. I probably won't have exactly this in real life whenever I do end up hanging the mask up, but I'd like to think something similar is in store."

Wanda smiled… but then, her brow furrowed.

"So, what's my Marley floor doing here?" asked Wanda gently. "And also, I could swear you don't own all those books on that shelf over there."

Peter… well, he blushed at that question. He also smiled, chuckling as he looked down at his hoodie jacket pocket. "That's… that's a little embarrassing…"

Wanda quirked her head in question.

"Why don't we go outside?" Peter suggested. "The scenery really is lovely right at this time of day."

"Okay," Wanda agreed, getting up off of the couch and following Peter outside.

When she stepped outside, despite having only been midday when she entered the house, it was now dusk in the evening - the sky was one of the most beautiful ones she had ever seen.

"Oh my gosh, you have a porch swing?" Wanda said in excitement - little things like this got to her, what could she say? "You've thought of everything!"

"You know it!" chuckled Peter. He patted the seat next to him on the swing, and Wanda eagerly sat down. They forgot all about why they came out here for a brief moment, just taking in the moment…

"Hey… Where's your tractor?" Wanda giggled.

"Oh, I drove it around earlier," Peter giggled back. "That's actually why I came in late - I should've been there to welcome you inside. Sorry about that."

"Don't apologize," smiled Wanda. "Your cat gave me quite the welcome himself, anyway."

"Hehehe, he does that, doesn't he?" Peter smiled, looking down at the metaphysical cat, which had gone through the metaphysical door. Ahh, subconsciousness…

As Wanda and Peter took in the setting sun, she finally looked up at him once more, having remembered why exactly they came out here in the first place. "Peter?"

"Hmm?"

"...Why was my dance floor in the living room? And why did you have some books I know I own, but you don't?"

Peter sighed, looking down… and smiling, even chuckling softly. Even in his subconscious, his nerves were still shot like crazy. Stupid feelings, transcending literally every plane of existence...

"Wanda… I never told you this before, and I probably should've before getting shot by that energy cannon…" Peter muttered, looking down, "but… if I could share the house of my dreams with literally anyone in this world… it would be you."

Wanda's lips parted in surprise, and her cheeks heated up with the warmth of… love.

Love.

Nothing but love.

It was at this moment, the two youngest Avengers realized they hadn't just been pining for each other in secret… they had been…

They were in love.

Wanda and Peter slowly moved towards each other, and Wanda's cheek was cupped by Peter's hand… as their lips touched, then met. The kiss was soft, and frankly not as good as it could've been, but it was each other's first kiss, so they got a pass. Peter and Wanda both could be heard letting out a breath as they felt completely glued to one another's lips, unable to part for fear this was all just a dream…

Sadly, even though they were in a realm of pure imagination, lungs still required oxygen. They separated, but remained close, touching their noses to each other's cheeks…

"W-Wow…" Wanda said shakily, breathing deeply. "T-That was…"

"Even if it wasn't in the real world," Peter commented, "that felt real."

Wanda giggled, her eyes closed as their faces remained pressed to one another's cheeks.

She flipped her legs up onto the swing, letting her face nuzzle itself into Peter's neck...

All Wanda wanted was to live in this moment forever. Literally nothing was wrong here - her mental state was clear, she was with the love of her life, and Peter Parker was awake. She couldn't ask for a more perfect reality.

But… it was all too perfect.

Suddenly, however, Wanda noticed - the walls surrounding the house were disappearing. Everything was surrounding them in bright, blinding white… Peter noticed this too, but he wasn't looking around in shock like Wanda was.

He was smiling.

"P-Peter? What's going on?" Wanda asked, grasping onto his hands.

"Ah-Ah, yep, ah, there goes Anto," Peter observed with a giggle as the cat disappeared. "See ya buddy!"

"Peter, seriously, what is going on?" Wanda asked, now growing somewhat scared of the very fabric of this reality seemingly falling apart before her very eyes.

Peter, however, just continued to smile at her.

"I've been waiting a long time to get out of here. I'm so excited to get to talk to you again."

Before Wanda could say another word, Peter leaned over and pecked her cheek softly.

And then, a flash of light blinded her vision completely, before everything went dark once more.

-0-

10:47 AM

Morning light now flooded the room where Peter rested.

The curtains hadn't been closed last night, and Peter and Wanda were both covered with a ray of light that would nearly blind a person if their mother pulled back the curtain to reveal those rays on a school day.

Wanda's eyes stirred gently, her tender form raising itself from her reclined position in the office chair… still holding Peter's hand. She smiled at the touch, running her thumb over his softly…

And then, she remembered.

She remembered everything.

The house, the gravel pathway, Anto, the couch… oh gosh, the KISS!

What would Peter think of her now?

...Well, she got her answer sooner than expected.

Because as she began to dread all these thoughts, something happened. Peter's thumb moved. It moved back over her hand gently, and her eyes widened in complete shock. His whole hand was holding her own hand back…

And then, his mouth moved subtly.

And after that… his eyelids slowly parted, revealing the brown orbs that Wanda had yearned to see in the real world once more for so long now.

"Wh… What did I miss?"

Ahhhh Peter's awake now! But you all have to wait until next chapter to see them resolve that kiss! ;)

Hahaha I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter! Again, reviews are dearly beloved! See you all next chapter for the finale!