Chapter 40: Wanda's point of view

Wanda Maximoff stirred from her coma with a groggy confusion, her head heavy as if emerging from a deep, prolonged sleep. Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing the sterile, unfamiliar surroundings of her cell. The walls were smooth and metallic, unlike anything she'd seen before, and shimmering energy fields ran across one side like bars of light, pulsating faintly. This was no ordinary prison. Her mind raced as she tried to piece together where she was, how she'd gotten here, and why the architecture seemed so alien.

Where am I? she thought, pushing herself up on the small cot. The last thing she remembered clearly was... Pietro. The shockwave. And then nothing—only darkness and strange dreams that had haunted her sleep.

Her eyes drifted outside the cell, focusing on a group of figures standing a few feet away, deep in conversation. Her vision was still blurry, but she recognized some of them almost instantly. Six familiar faces. X-Men. But how? She blinked hard, her mind struggling to reconcile the sight with her fractured memory. There are no X-Men in this universe. She had left her world behind. She remembered it so clearly now. Wanda had crossed into this reality, the reality where mutants didn't exist, where she was supposed to have started fresh.

Wait, why are they here?

She squinted harder, trying to see past the confusion. Storm. Logan. Beast. Kitty Pryde. Colossus. Even Illyana was there. The X-Men from her own world. It didn't make sense.

Her heart started pounding in her chest as the realization struck her like a hammer. This isn't the universe I thought it was. Something was wrong. Something had changed, but what?

And then she saw him. A figure standing beside the X-Men, slightly taller than the rest, wearing a calm but commanding expression. Max.

Wanda's breath hitched. The other part of her—the part that had been dormant, waiting to be reunited with this man—recognized him instantly. Max. The man she had dreamt about for months. Her heart raced faster now, and the memories from her dreams came flooding back with dizzying clarity. They had been so vivid, so detailed, so... real.

Wanda remembered the dreams she'd had while trapped in that other universe, dreams where she and Max were together. Happy. She remembered flashes of intimacy—laughing together, holding hands, even a moment when he had placed a ring on her finger, a beautiful ring that shimmered in the light. The dream had given her hope, purpose, a reason to cross universes. She had to find Max.

Her eyes darted to her left hand, looking for that ring. It wasn't there. Of course not. That had been just a dream. But now I've found him... or he's found me. Wanda could feel her pulse quicken, happiness and relief swelling in her chest.

Max... she thought, her lips curling into a small, joyous smile. It's real. All the time spent hoping and searching had paid off. Max was here, and even though she wasn't sure how, it didn't matter. What mattered was that he was within reach now.

Before Max had a chance to speak, Wanda called out, her voice shaky but filled with excitement. "Hello, Max."

Max froze at the sound of his name, eyes widening. He took a hesitant step closer to her cell, his face showing clear confusion. "How do you know me?" he asked, his voice laced with unease. "We've never met. Where are you from?"

Wanda's smile widened. She felt a swell of emotions rise inside her. He doesn't remember. "I came here for you," she said, a hint of mischief in her tone. "I crossed from another universe to find you."

Max's face paled slightly, his hands instinctively rising in defense, as if warding off some unseen threat. "Another universe?" he repeated, alarm flashing in his eyes. His gaze shifted nervously between Wanda and the X-Men, unsure of what to do.

Wanda tilted her head slightly, still smiling. She could feel his panic, but she didn't blame him. It wasn't every day someone crossed universes to meet you, after all.

"Can I come out?" Wanda asked sweetly, her voice soft, but her words filled with intent.

Max frowned, clearly skeptical, as his mind raced for a solution. He reached into the air and summoned a small scroll with a flick of his wrist, teleporting it into Wanda's cell. It was a magical contract, glowing with a faint light. "You can come out once you sign this," Max said. His voice was firm, but his wariness was evident. "The contract says you won't harm anyone aboard this ship for the next five days, unless you're attacked first."

Wanda eyed the floating contract for a moment, her smile softening into something more genuine. She could feel the magic embedded in it—a magic that felt remarkably similar to her own. So, Max has powers too. This was more than she had hoped for. He was more than just an ordinary man. Wanda's heart leapt. He was special, like her.

Without hesitation, she signed the contract, her magic flaring briefly as her name appeared in elegant script on the glowing parchment. "Done," she said, the words carrying an almost playful lilt.

Max, still cautious, waved his hand and the energy fields barring her cell flickered off. The moment they were gone, Wanda wasted no time. She surged forward, her heart pounding in her chest, her eyes locked onto Max's. In a flash, she crossed the distance between them, throwing herself into his arms with a surprising force.

Max stiffened, his instincts telling him to brace for an attack. But there was no malice in Wanda's movements, no aggression. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. The intensity of the hug was unexpected, and for a second, Max was too stunned to react.

Then, to his complete bewilderment, Wanda pulled herself up on her toes and pressed her lips to his in a fervent kiss.

Max's mind went blank. What was happening? He had never met this woman before, and yet here she was, kissing him like she had known him for years. His thoughts scrambled, trying to make sense of the situation, but the sensation of Wanda's lips against his was... distracting.

Eighty seconds passed, though it felt like much longer. Finally, Wanda pulled away, gasping for air but still smiling at him with unrestrained joy. Her eyes sparkled with happiness, and the warmth of her presence seemed to envelop him.

Max, still utterly confused, blinked down at her. "What... what was that for?"

Wanda's smile didn't waver. She reached up, brushing her fingers gently across his cheek. "I've waited a long time to meet you, Max," she said softly. "I'm finally where I belong."

Max's heart skipped a beat.

Around them, the X-Men stared in stunned silence, clearly unsure how to react to the unexpected display of affection. Logan grunted, crossing his arms with an incredulous look, while Kitty nudged Storm, her eyebrows raised in confusion. Beast merely adjusted his glasses, unsure of what to make of the scene unfolding before them.

But for Wanda, none of that mattered. She had found Max, and now, more than ever, she was determined to stay by his side.