The lab fell silent for a moment.
"Things are getting more interesting," Tony finally said after a long pause.
Henry nodded in agreement. "Internal faction wars and ancient alien monsters… I've gotta say, HYDRA has a lot more depth than I gave them credit for."
"Yeah, and a hell of a lot more trouble," Tony muttered, rubbing his aching temples.
"I thought our little European tour was just going to be a fun demolition trip. But now… looks like we've stirred up a hornet's nest."
"Isn't that better?" Henry grinned. "I was starting to get bored anyway. This'll be a good way to stretch my muscles."
Tony gave him a helpless look, shaking his head. "You're such a battle junkie," he muttered before turning his focus back to the holographic screen.
"All right, let's put the Hive matter aside for now. First thing—clean out every HYDRA base we got from Strucker's memories. As for Pierce and S.H.I.E.L.D.… "
A sly smile tugged at the corner of Tony's lips.
"I think it's time we send Fury a very special gift."
While the two of them were busy planning how to stir up the world from the lab…
Inside the medical wing, the air was still heavy.
Tony's words had hit Wanda and Pietro like a bomb, shaking everything they believed in.
"Was what he said true?"
Pietro broke the silence first, his voice hoarse and uncertain. His eyes were clouded with confusion.
Wanda didn't answer. She sat quietly on the bed, hugging her knees, her head buried in her arms.
Her mind was still replaying the memories she saw through Henry's perspective—
Those images and emotions were so vivid she couldn't deny them.
She had seen the Stark brothers' pain and struggle, the responsibility and compassion hidden beneath their playful facades. Compared to them, the hatred she and Pietro had held for ten long years suddenly felt so childish, so hollow.
"Wanda?" Pietro called softly, his heart aching as he watched her lonely silhouette.
He got out of bed, walked over, and gently held her hand.
"Don't think too much about it," he said quietly.
"Whether what he said is true or not, no matter who our real enemies are, I'll always stand by you. I'll always protect you."
Wanda's shoulders trembled slightly.
She slowly lifted her head, tears glimmering in her eyes.
"But… Pietro…" Her voice cracked. "What if… we've been hating the wrong people all along?"
The question pierced Pietro's heart like a blade.
If that were true—then what did their suffering mean?
What did the last ten years of hatred and revenge amount to?
A joke?
As the twins fell into confusion, the door opened again.
But this time, it wasn't Tony or Henry.
It was a woman with long blonde hair, wearing a sleek business suit and a gentle smile—Pepper Potts.
"Hello," she greeted warmly, nodding to them. Her eyes lingered briefly on the collars around their necks before looking away.
"I'm Pepper Potts, Tony's assistant."
She placed a tray on the bedside table—two meals that looked and smelled delicious.
"I've heard about your situation." Pepper pulled up a chair and sat down, her tone soft and calm.
"Tony can be a bit sharp-tongued, but he's not a bad person. He asked me to check in and see if you needed anything."
Wanda and Pietro watched her cautiously, silent.
Pepper didn't mind. She continued, "I know you must be confused and hurting right now. That's okay. You have time—time to think, time to see the world more clearly."
She paused, then looked at them with rare seriousness.
"Stark Industries did make mistakes. Tony's never denied that. But I want you to know—
a person's worth isn't defined by their past, but by who they are now and the future they choose."
"Tony chose to become Iron Man—to protect the world and atone for what he's done."
"And you two," she said, meeting Wanda's eyes,
"should choose your own future too—not one controlled by hatred or anyone else."
She stood up, smiling gently.
"Eat first. If you need anything, just press the call button by your bed. Oh, right—"
Pepper reached into her pocket, pulling out a tablet and setting it on the table.
"There are some movies and games in here. You can use it if you get bored."
With that, she turned and left the room without another word.
Once again, only Wanda and Pietro remained.
Pietro stared at the steaming food and the tablet, his expression a mix of confusion and disbelief.
"She's… not what I imagined," he murmured.
Wanda said nothing. She reached out, picking up the warm cup of milk from the tray.
The gentle heat seeped into her palms, spreading slowly into her chest—melting the coldness that had built up for ten long years.
Maybe… it was time to look again at the people they once swore to hate.
The next few days were unlike anything the twins had experienced before.
No interrogations.
No experiments.
No torture or humiliation.
It felt more like they were under luxurious house arrest in a seaside resort.
Meals arrived on time every day, each dish delicious. The entertainment system in the room had more content than they'd ever seen in their lives.
If not for the collars on their necks—and the endless ocean outside reminding them this wasn't freedom—it could almost feel peaceful.
Tony Stark and Henry Stark never appeared again.
After giving them that impossible choice, the two brothers vanished completely from their lives.
That feeling of being ignored was more unsettling than any interrogation.
"What are they even planning?"
Pietro lay on the soft bed, absentmindedly poking at the holographic ceiling display that was playing a new Hollywood blockbuster—but he couldn't focus on a single frame.
"How should I know?"
Wanda sat cross-legged on the carpet, holding the tablet—not watching movies or playing games, but scrolling through one Stark Industries news report after another.
***
If you're enjoying the story, please drop some Power Stones, they really help with new chapter releases! A short review would be appreciated. Thanks for reading lovely readers.
***
If you're interested and wish to support me, you can read advanced chapters:
p-atreon.com/Redestro666