On Luke's side, the call had already ended. Fury and Steve had disconnected, leaving only Tony and Luke.
"Well then, Tony, I'll be leaving. By the way, when's your wedding?"
Tony leaned back in his chair. "I haven't decided on a date yet." He glanced at the reports still floating around the workshop. "I'll figure that out after this mess is over."
Luke nodded. The Skrull situation was still causing problems around the world, and Tony wasn't the type to ignore something once he became involved.
"Well, good luck." Luke paused. "You'll definitely have a good daughter and a good family."
Tony immediately looked at him. "Daughter?"
The moment the word left his mouth, Luke realized what he had just done. Neither of them spoke for several seconds.
Luke sighed. "It seems I wasn't supposed to say that."
"So I am having a daughter?"
"Sorry. Let me make you forget that." He raised a hand slightly.
Tony shook his head. "No." He looked away for a moment. "I think I'd rather keep that one."
Luke lowered his hand. "That works too."
The workshop went quiet. Tony sat there thinking about it. A daughter. The idea felt strangely real now.
Eventually he looked back at Luke. "So tell me something."
"What?"
Tony hesitated briefly. "In the future... what am I like?"
Luke understood immediately.
"You become a good father. You care about your family. You spend time with them. You try your best to protect them."
"And despite everything, you become a good husband too."
Tony looked down for a moment. Those words seemed to affect him more than he expected. "That's good to hear."
"At least that's what I can tell you."
Tony looked at him carefully. "There are things you're not saying."
"Of course." Luke didn't deny it. "Knowing too much about the future isn't always a good thing."
Tony understood that. Some things were better experienced than explained.
Eventually he exhaled slowly. "Pepper is going to be happy."
Luke smiled slightly. "Yeah."
Tony looked around the workshop before returning his attention to Luke. "Well, good luck with your wedding."
"Good luck with yours."
Tony was about to respond when a strange cracking sound echoed through the workshop. Both men looked upward instinctively.
A star-shaped portal had appeared on the ceiling. Before either of them could say anything, a female scream came through the opening.
The next second, a body fell out and crashed onto the floor. The portal immediately closed behind her.
Silence filled the workshop.
Tony looked at the girl on the floor, then at Luke. His expression asked a simple question. Is this one yours?
Luke immediately shook his head. "I have absolutely nothing to do with this."
That answer somehow made Tony feel slightly worse.
The girl groaned and pushed herself upright, standing unsteadily while rubbing her head.
Her eyes moved around the workshop — the advanced technology, the holographic displays, the Iron Man armors — and then finally landed on Tony and Luke watching her.
She froze. "Ummm..." She awkwardly raised a hand. "Sorry for the intrusion."
Tony folded his arms, studying her. She looked young. Definitely not an assassin. At least not the usual kind.
Luke, however, was paying attention to something else. The remnants of dimensional energy surrounding her were unusual.
The star-shaped portal hadn't been technology or standard magic. It was an innate ability.
"Hmmmm." Luke narrowed his eyes. "Stop right there."
The girl's entire body stiffened. She slowly looked back toward him. His calm tone was somehow significantly more intimidating than if he had shouted. "W-what?"
Luke examined her more carefully. The dimensional energy surrounding her was connected to countless universes — not one or two, but countless — as if reality itself recognized her as something unique.
America Chavez swallowed nervously. Something told her this was not a person she could casually run away from. Which was saying a lot, considering she had spent years running through different universes.
Tony looked between them. "Luke."
"Yeah?"
"Should I be concerned?"
Luke thought about it. "Not immediately."
Neither Tony nor America found that particularly reassuring.
Luke took a step forward, his gaze fixed on her. "Let's start with something simple. Who are you?"
"My name is America Chavez."
Luke nodded slowly. The girl who could naturally travel between universes. Which raised a much bigger question.
"Interesting."
America immediately had a bad feeling. Luke's expression hadn't changed, which somehow made him even harder to read.
"What universe are you supposed to be in?"
America opened her mouth. Then paused. Because honestly? She wasn't entirely sure anymore.
"Wait, how do you know there are other universes?" America asked, sounding genuinely surprised. Whenever she mentioned other universes in most worlds, people either thought she was crazy or had no idea what she was talking about.
Tony pointed at himself and then at Luke. "Well, we sort of travel to other universes, and this guy here actually goes to other universes all the time."
America blinked. That was not the answer she expected.
Luke looked at Tony. "Well, Tony, would you like to become my personal assistant?"
Tony immediately waved him off. "Piss off."
While they were talking, America slowly started moving toward the exit. One step. Then another.
Luke noticed immediately. "Stop right there."
America flinched and froze, then turned back toward him. "I have to leave."
"Why?"
"A dangerous witch is chasing me."
Tony looked up from his screens. "A what now?"
*****
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