Back.

Her fingers touched his face. It was cold, lifeless, without any sparkle. His chest was slowly rising and falling, not because of his own breathing, but because of the machine next to him. His closed eyes gave the impression that they would never open again, pitifully gone. She looked at him, analyzing him with a sad furrowed brow. The image of this boy lying on the gurney was so gone beyond pitiful that she understood even more deeply what the young witch Wanda had told her.

Wanda was watching Freya from outside through the large tempered glass window. She watched what Freya was doing and how she was looking at her brother. Next to her were Natasha, Steve, Stark, and Vision, who held her tightly in his arms, stroking her arms.

"Stay calm, my dear," Vision asked her, and Wanda looked at him.

"I can't," she said, and Vision gently kissed her forehead. He didn't like to feel her so restless.

The iron door creaked, and Freya opened it and entered the room. She positioned herself on the other side of the gurney, looking at her sister, who had her eyes fixed on Pietro.

"I'm not looking at you in the face, but I know and can feel that you don't agree," Freya spoke.

"And that's right," he affirmed. "Sister, please, it's just that..."

"I know what I'm doing, brother," she looked at him. "Don't be afraid, nothing will happen to me."

"I almost lost you last time," he reminded her. "And for..."

"I would bring you back and do it again if necessary," Frey sighed in denial. He didn't want his sister to do it again. He feared that something would happen to her like last time. Like that time when, while saving him, she fell into something so similar to a deep sleep that he thought she would never wake up. He felt his world collapsing because of it and didn't want to feel that way again. "He's her only family, Frey," she spoke, bringing him out of his thoughts. "She loves him, she needs him."

"Like I love and need you, sister," he said, circling the gurney and reaching her. "Please..."

"I'm going to be fine, okay? Just support me and help me make Wanda happy."

Frey looked at her with a furrowed brow and sighed in resignation. He nodded and stepped away.

Freya smiled sideways without showing her teeth. She looked at Pietro, took his right hand, her icy hand, and joined it with hers. She closed her eyes and whispered: "There is love on Earth as there is among the endlessness of the universe. This body, which, by act of sacrifice, saved other lives, deserves the opportunity to return to a vibrant, worthy, and beating heart. Listen to me, father of virtue, of life, of grace, of plenitude itself... Allow this soul of great humility to return to life. I implore you in the name of grace, give a thread of life through you and me."

After finishing her whispering, a bright golden light with several flashing colors filled the entire room. After several seconds, the light gradually faded until it was no longer there. Everyone outside was watching expectantly to see what would happen. Freya opened her eyes again and, without letting go of Pietro's hand, heard a deep breath, as if someone was swimming back to the surface of the sea and taking in the air they had lost. She sat up abruptly, with her eyes open, no longer dull but their vivid blue color. Her hair was no longer neutral but its characteristic silver color. Her skin was no longer gray but a lively color. She no longer felt cold, but warm.

"What, what?..." she stammered, bringing her free hand to her chest and feeling a brief pain until it disappeared. It was the same pain she had felt when she was hit by several bullets, but now it was gone. She was wearing a white garment similar to that of a hospital. She looked around, not knowing where she was. Her gaze stopped at a bright sun-colored figure. "What...?"

"Hello, Pietro, I'm Freya," she introduced herself. "It's good to have you back, little one."

"I'm not little, I'm twelve minutes..." he looked forward, towards the window. He recognized everyone, recognized the girl with the clear eyes who was crying uncontrollably, and couldn't help but smile. "Older than her," he said, forming a smile on his face and his eyes became cloudy, filled with tears. "Little sister," he whispered.

Vision let go of Wanda and opened the iron door, entering. She stood near the door, and after a few seconds of walking slowly, her chest rose and fell quickly, her heart beating strongly against her chest, and her crying increased. Freya let go of Pietro's hand, and she saw the lapis lazuli as something of a bright blue color that could be seen through his veins until it was no longer visible.

"Anyone with a big heart deserves an extra thread of life," Freya said to him, looking at him. "As a reward, I ask you this: never leave her again. She loves you, she needs you. And as her big brother, it's your duty to take care of her."

Pietro listened attentively like he had never done before. And there, he understood that this woman had brought him back to life, pulled him out of that parallel space where he was trapped, dazed, and alone. Where he began to feel that something bad was taking over him, but not anymore. Thanks to her, to Freya, he was back with his sister, his little sister, who, upon seeing him again, was crying.

"I'm twelve minutes older than you, crybaby," said Pietro, and without further ado, he approached his brother and hugged him in a way that he wanted to feel that this was real, and it was. He hugged his brother back, unable to hold back tears. "Little sister," he said, kissing Wanda's forehead. She placed her hands on Pietro's wrists, trembling. "Look how terrible you look." At the comment, Wanda couldn't help but laugh, like the others.

"I love you so much," she said, hugging him again. "So much, little brother." Pietro stood up, and Wanda rested her head on his chest, finally listening to her brother's heartbeat. She could finally hear it. There wasn't a night where she didn't rest her head on his chest, hoping to hear his heart someday, and now she could. "Don't ever leave me again," she said, looking up at him, her voice trembling.

"I won't," he said, kissing her temple. Wanda closed her eyes at the gesture.

"He will live beyond what he doesn't allow himself," Freya's voice was present. Wanda and Pietro looked at her. "Any good heart deserves to keep on living."

"Thank you so much, Freya," Pietro said, wiping his tears. "I can't thank you enough."

"There's no need to thank me, little one."

"I ain't small," Pietro retorted, and everyone chuckled briefly. From outside, they all watched with surprise at what Freya had done; it was impressive, unique. She had brought someone back to life whom they had all given up for dead. They couldn't be more grateful to her. "Thank you very much," he said again.

"There's no...," her words trailed off in the air, "need to thank me."

Her body began to sway, her vision started to blur, and she felt everything spinning.

It seemed as though Freya had shut down.