The news of Soren's return spread like wildfire, faster than satellites could track and louder than thunder rolling across continents.
It was as if the world had grown wings just to carry the message: The Savior has come home.
General Ross was the first to arrive at Everlife Medical Center, dispatched personally by the President.
Not long after, representatives from powerful nations, tech giants, shadow organizations, and ancient orders followed, each bearing formal gratitude for Soren's sacrifice in saving the planet.
But none of them brought patients. No one was sick. No one asked for help.
They only came to say thank you.
For days, the clinic was filled with stiff suits, symbolic plaques, medals, and flowery words.
It felt more like a diplomatic gala than a sanctuary of healing. Soren, once tolerant, quickly grew weary.
"…Enough." He muttered one morning, sliding the clinic's door shut behind him.
With a flick of his fingers, the wards sealed. The Everlife Medical Center vanished from public view once again.
He opened a portal without hesitation, its golden edges swirling into the cool mountain air of Nepal.
"I wonder how Jean is doing." He mused aloud as he stepped through.
As he approached the edge of Kamar-Taj, a familiar sensation prickled at the edge of his senses, a ripple in the space he had once anchored here.
And then, gracefully and without sound, a circular space-door shimmered open before him.
From it stepped the Ancient One, cloaked in saffron and serenity.
"Doctor Macaluso." She said warmly, eyes glinting with recognition.
"So it truly is you. I sensed your gate stirring, but I had to see it with my own eyes."
Soren smiled, bowing slightly. "It's been a while, Ancient One. You look... lighter."
She chuckled softly, her aura as calm as ever. "Thanks to you."
"You freed me to grow into what I should've been all along."
They walked together through the temple grounds, settling in a quiet courtyard where tea steamed gently between them, fragrant and calming.
Soren exhaled, relaxing for the first time in days.
"I came to find Jean."
"I wanted to see how she's doing… It's been a long time."
The Ancient One poured the tea slowly, her expression serene. "She's meditating right now. I've already sent someone to fetch her."
She looked up, smiling faintly. "She's gifted, tremendously so."
"But more than that, she's disciplined. Eager to learn. Not all who have power seek mastery, but Jean does. She's still not quite ready to leave, though."
"Her training isn't complete."
Soren nodded, though disappointment flickered in his eyes. "I understand. It's just…" He let the thought trail off.
"I missed her."
A sudden gust of wind rustled the courtyard leaves, and then a voice, breathless and brimming with emotion.
"Soren!"
He turned just in time to catch her.
Jean rushed into his arms, her crimson hair flowing behind her, her presence as vibrant as the sun itself. She buried herself in his embrace, clutching him tightly as if afraid he'd vanish again.
"I missed you…?" She whispered, trembling slightly.
Soren smiled, wrapping his arms around her protectively.
"I missed you too, Jean. How have you been?"
Jean's eyes were tinged with red as she looked at Soren, her voice trembling with barely contained emotion.
"You were gone so long… and not a single word." Her fingers tightened around his sleeve.
"I didn't know if you were alive, or if…"
She turned away slightly, blinking fast to keep tears from falling.
Soren was momentarily stunned. He had prepared himself for questions, perhaps even anger, but not this raw vulnerability.
He stepped closer, gently brushing her hair behind her ear.
"I'm sorry, Jean."
"I didn't mean to worry you. It was… dangerous out there. I couldn't risk any distractions."
Jean looked up at him, lips trembling. "I knew it was dangerous."
"Ancient One told me… told me I wasn't strong enough to confront Galactus. But you went."
"And all I could do was sit here, training… and hoping."
Soren pulled her into a warm embrace, holding her tightly. "I had to go."
"For the Earth. For you. But I'm here now and I won't disappear again without telling you."
The Ancient One, watching from a respectful distance, smiled knowingly and slipped away without a word, leaving the reunited pair to their moment.
Jean eventually calmed, resting against him as they sat beneath the open sky.
Soren began to recount his journey across the stars, his encounters with flame-titans, his battle with Ronan the Accuser, the impossible vastness of alien civilizations.
He spoke plainly, almost humbly, but Jean listened with wide eyes, heart pounding.
When he described a close brush with death in the void of space, Jean flinched, gripping his hand tightly.
"You faced that alone?"
He nodded.
Jean's eyes burned now, not with tears, but with resolve. "Soren… next time, I'm going with you. Don't even think about leaving me behind."
Soren chuckled softly, brushing her cheek. "You're not even done training."
"I don't care." She shot back.
"I'm stronger now. I am Phoenix. I won't let you bear that kind of burden alone ever again."
He looked into her eyes and saw no trace of hesitation, only fierce determination.
"…Alright." He said finally, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"No more secrets. Next time, we face it together."
Jean grinned, then tugged at his sleeve. "Good."
"Now… since you're back, take me somewhere. I haven't left Kamar-Taj in months."
Soren raised a brow. "The Ancient One said you're still in the middle of training."
"I'm not asking for a vacation, just a walk." Jean scoffed.
"You know, outside. I've lived at the base of the Himalayas this whole time and haven't even seen Everest properly!"
"You want to climb Everest? Now?"
She gave him a sly look. "Afraid you can't keep up?"
Soren let out a soft laugh. "I was hoping to find a cozy bed and spend time with you in a slightly... less frozen setting."
Jean elbowed him, blushing. "Later. Mountain first."
Mid-Ascent
Two figures climbed steadily against the roaring wind and flurries of snow, nearing the sharp ridges that pierced the clouds like teeth.
The bitter cold that could freeze bone was powerless against them.
Jean moved gracefully through the storm, Phoenix energy flaring around her in soft pulses of golden red, melting snow where her feet touched.
"Want to stop for a break?" Soren asked, glancing back with a teasing smile.
Jean shook her head, eyes bright. "Not a chance."
He admired her tenacity. She looked radiant wind-kissed, determined, alive.
With a small smile, Soren reached out and took her hand.
A shimmer of silken space magic enveloped them both, forming a protective barrier. The howling wind muted. The cold stopped biting.
"Better?"
Jean's expression softened as she squeezed his hand. "Much."
Together, they pressed onward…