"Marlena, can you please put the potatoes down?"

"No, but thank you for asking."

Miranda rolled her eyes at Marlena, who only scooped up another spoonful of mashed potatoes. She shoved the spoon in her mouth, her eyes never leaving the annoyed expression on her mom's face. Dinner had concluded about two and a half hours ago, but Marlena was, of course, a lot hungrier than everyone else was. She'd been eating bowl after bowl of mashed potatoes since dinner ended, and she wasn't sure she wanted to stop. No matter how old Marlena got, she would never deny just how fantastic her mom's food was. She'd been missing it for years and was thankful she didn't have to anymore.

"Don't forget she's eating for two now," Greyson reminded her.

"Could also be three," Sam chimed in from his place on the floor beside Mason. "Twins seem to be popular among the Claire family."

"He's not wrong," Miranda chuckled.

Marlena groaned and took another bite of her potatoes. "I don't know if I want another set of twins; the heartburn is ridiculous and four kids is a lot. Three just evens everything out."

"And how does that make any sense?" Levi asked her. He was sitting with Miranda and Greyson on the sofa, while Marlena sat with Steve on the loveseat. The air had become much cozier since the house wasn't so packed anymore. Clint and his family had left not too long after gift giving, though Levi stayed to spend as much time with Marlena and the rest of her family as he could. Carol had stopped by as well to drop off gifts for the kids—who were now playing in the den with Sarah's boys—but left not too long afterwards for the Rambeau household. Peter remained, as did Dr. Strange, both for two completely different reasons.

"Three kids, three parents," she answered Levi. "I don't really wanna be outnumbered."

"Yeah, we wouldn't want to double that trouble, would we?" A familiar voice sounded, though it was not aloud. Marlena had heard it inside her head, and she wasn't sure if it was by pure accident or done purposely. Regardless, she didn't like what she'd heard.

"At least we don't have to worry about breeding super people, babe." Greyson nudged Miranda's arm and took a sip of the drink in his hand. He, along with several other men, had opted for a glass of whiskey to wash down their Christmas dinner. Bucky and Steve couldn't get drunk, but the others were well on the path to discovering what a mistake they'd made.

"Yeah, because we're nothing but trouble," Marlena muttered, her eyes on no one but Doctor Strange. She got up from the loveseat, grabbed her bowl, and headed over to the kitchen, where Strange was standing by the door. There were a few curious eyes on the two, but Marlena paid them no mind. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked him, walking into the kitchen before he could give her an answer.

"Marlena," Doctor Strange's firm voice could be heard as the kitchen door swung shut behind him.

Marlena placed her bowl in the sink and turned around to look at the doctor, her hazel eyes narrowed. "I know my mom invited you here, but I don't understand why. You two worked together twice, while you and I have worked together once. I hardly know you, so why don't you tell me why you're really here, Doctor Strange?"

Doctor Strange let out a sigh and scratched the back of his head, unsure of the words he wanted to come out of his mouth.

"I heard what you said in the living room," Marlena continued after receiving silence from him. "And I know you wanted me to hear it. So why?"

"It's my job to protect this reality, Marlena, and since you all've created separate branches gallivanting through time, my job's become a bit...complicated," Strange explained to Marlena.

"And what does any of that have to do with me?" Marlena asked, her tone shifting as she spoke her next words. "Or the children you seem to think are so troubled?"

"It has to do with me protecting this reality from you, Wanda, and Charlie—three of the only people on the planet that pose a potential threat to it," he answered. "You've already cracked open the door to the multiverse. I don't think you're prepared to deal with the madness that would ensue as a result of opening any more."

Marlena frowned as her mind reeled over his words. He seemed to be implying the three of them were somehow a threat to their current reality, and Marlena couldn't begin to understand why. Sure, the three of them held a power very few could understand, but Marlena knew they wouldn't purposely harm anyone. "I really hope you're not trying to threaten me simply because of the powers I possess. You don't need to protect the planet from me, Doctor Strange."

"But what about Wanda and Charlie?"

"What about them?" Marlena asked, her patience with the doctor growing unbearably thin. She imagined her first Christmas back with her family would be filled with happiness and joy, but there always seemed to be something or someone destined to ruin it all. This was not the type of conversation she wanted to be having, and she was more than ready for it to be done.

"The grief is too much for them," Strange answered. "Wanda was forced to murder the love of her life, and Charlie is dealing with the emotional repercussions of killing not just one, but six civilians at the age of nine. Can you really stand there and tell me that won't prove to be a problem for either of them?"

"Why are you so sure that it will be?" Marlena remarked. "I went through the grief of losing my entire family five years ago, and I lost my abilities because of it."

"You never lost your abilities, Marlena," Strange informed her. "You were aware of the devastating effects of your powers and made sure they were unreachable while you were processing that grief."

"And just because I did doesn't mean they won't." Marlena crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes on Strange. "Both of them are a lot stronger than you think."

"Maybe," Strange replied. "But I wouldn't be so sure."

Marlena let out a sigh, now more than done with the conversation. She wouldn't entertain it anymore. "Look, I appreciate you coming, but I don't need you here to point out the 'flaws' in my family. Especially not today—it's Christmas."

"I'm just doing my job, Marlena."

"And while you're doing that, I'll make sure to do mine," Marlena remarked. "I don't need you to do it for me."

Marlena turned to walk out of the kitchen, but was stopped by the sight of Steve, who'd just walked in to check on the duo.

"Everything okay in here?" he asked, glancing back and forth between the two.

"Yeah, everything's fine," she answered, turning her attention back to Doctor Strange. "I think it'd be best if you left."

"You know I'll be back, Marlena."

"And I'm counting on it," Marlena said before heading out of the kitchen. She walked over to the loveseat to sit down in her previous spot, while Steve and Doctor Strange made their way out of the kitchen. Strange quickly bid his goodbyes and took off, leaving the Claire family, and the remainder of their guests, alone for the night.

"What was all that about?" Miranda asked Marlena after shutting the door behind Doctor Strange.

"Nothing important," Marlena answered quickly. She didn't want to talk about the conversation she'd just had. What she wanted to do was spend the rest of the night laughing and smiling with the family and friends she hadn't had the opportunity to be with in years. "So, what'd I miss?"

"We were waiting on you," Wanda told her, a smirk pulling at the corner of her lips as she looked over to Miranda. "Your mom has yet another surprise for you."

Marlena looked at her mom. "What kind of surprise?"

Miranda let out a nervous breath and grabbed Greyson's hand, pulling him off the couch and over to her. "First of all, I just want to thank all of you for being apart of whatever helped bring me back. Because of you—because of the Avengers—I got my second chance at the life I wanted when it was taken from me the first time."

"You know we're all glad to have you back, 'Randa," Bucky said, a soft smile on his face as he looked at her.

"And I am so glad to be back," Miranda responded. "I'm glad I get to watch my daughter grow into this beautiful, strong woman. I'm glad I get to watch my son grow into this courageous and brave young man, and I get to do that while also watching their little brother or sister grow alongside them."

The room was silent for a few moments as the meaning behind Miranda's words became clearer. Marlena's eyes grew wide, and she felt a strange sense of deja vu washing over her. Many Christmases ago, Miranda had announced her pregnancy in much the same way she'd just done. Marlena couldn't help but think back on that night—the night she'd spent with the Avengers and her family. It seemed so far away, and it was, but Marlena remembered the night perfectly, and she remembered the happiness she felt being surrounded by those she loved so deeply. A few of those people had since been lost, and while the thought saddened her, she wouldn't let that ruin the happiness she now felt with her mother's words or the ones she loved sitting around her.

"I'm so happy for you, Mom," Marlena spoke, her tone filled with the utmost sincerity. "I really, truly am."

"You guys are so old, though," Mason remarked, earning a laugh from those in the room. "Don't get me wrong, I'm super happy for both of you, but you're old."

"Thank you, Mason," Miranda said with a roll of her eyes.

"Don't listen to him," Peter said. "He's just jealous he won't be having kids."

"I don't want them," Mason said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'm perfectly fine being the cool uncle. Kids are...crazy."

"Mom!" Charlie then ran into the room, her blue eyes filled with frustration. "Jay hid my iPad!"

"Exhibit A," Mason said with a chuckle.

"I didn't hide her iPad!" Jay exclaimed, following behind Charlie into the living room.

"Yes you did!"

Without thinking, Charlie shoved Jay into the Christmas tree behind him, effectively knocking the massive decoration over. Marlena and Wanda, who were both more than aware the tree would hit the floor, threw their glowing hands out to prevent the tree from hitting the floor. Marlena looked to Bucky, her eyes pleading for help.

"Wanna deal with the two of them?" she asked Bucky as she and Wanda started working on replacing the tree. Bucky got up without a word and disappeared with the twins back into the den, while Wanda and Marlena finished placing stray ornaments that'd fallen.

"You two are getting a lot better using your powers," Levi remarked.

"Yeah, you haven't seen anything yet," Marlena told him.

"And what haven't I seen, Marlena?" Levi asked.

"I'd show you if it didn't mean risking the integrity of our reality," she replied, a forced smile on her face. She still couldn't get Doctor Strange's words out of her head.

"Wait, what?" Levi exclaimed with wide eyes as the realization of her words began to set in. "Are you trying to tell me you can control reality too?"

"Yes." The red hue in the room disappeared, leaving only a bright blue as Marlena worked on plucking the tree topper from the floor. It was a beautiful, inanimate angel, until suddenly it wasn't. The sight of the now-live miniature angel flying around under Marlena's control shocked a few of those present, and she laughed quietly to herself. Of course, she would heed the words spoken to her not too long ago, but she knew exactly what she was doing. There was no way for her to risk the safety of their reality by temporarily bringing an inanimate object to life. Or at least that was what she believed.

"Marlena, c'mon, that's vintage!" Miranda chastised her daughter as she watched what used to be her tree topper flying over to Levi. "Please put it back."

"Whatever you say, Mom." With a simple flick of her wrist, the angel was flying back to the top of the tree. It stood still as Marlena released her hold on it, and she withdrew her hands, settling back into the couch beside Steve.

"That was pretty wicked," Sam complimented Marlena.

"A bit more impressive than those wings of yours," Sarah chimed in with a laugh.

"Yeah, maybe she can conjure you up a girlfriend," Mason added, a quiet laugh escaping him.

"No one's conjuring anything," Miranda said. "At least not in my house."

Before anyone could respond, there was a knock on the door. Marlena got up to answer it, pulling it open to reveal two faces she hadn't been expecting to see at all. It was getting so late. She was sure they wouldn't have made it.

"Dad," Marlena said, her eyes brightening as she looked at him. She looked to Alena, the smallest smile pulling at the corner of her lips. "Alena...come in, come in."

Marlena stood aside and held the door open for the two of them, allow them to come into the home.

"Sorry we're so late," James announced to the group, his eyes falling upon Miranda. "I underestimated the traffic."

"And his directional knowledge," Alena breathed out, rolling her eyes.

"Regardless it's great to finally be here," James said, gazing around at his surroundings. He couldn't help the smile on his face. The house had definitely changed since he'd last been around, but it was still the same in so many ways. He couldn't even begin to express how much he'd missed his home, though he knew and accepted it was in fact no longer his. "The place looks great, 'Randa. Thank you for the invite."

"Of course, James," Miranda said with a bright smile on her face.

"Uh, is there something you'd like to tell me?" Levi spoke up, his bewildered eyes flashing between Marlena and the identical woman standing next to her. The only thing different about the two were their accents, their outfits, and Alena's lack of glasses. It was strange to see her, as Levi had never known about Alena, or that is was even possible for her to exist.

"Right," Marlena muttered and scratched the back of her head. "This is Alena—she's my sister."

"Twin sister to be exact," Alena added, stepping further inside the house and looking around. "It's a beautiful home you have here—very festive."

"Yeah?" Mason looked at Alena, his face falling immediately. He definitely hadn't been expecting to spend his favorite time of year with his least favorite person. "We don't need to worry about you making a mess of it, do we?"

"It's always a joy to see you, Mason," Alena responded, a sarcastic smile on her face. While she didn't necessarily dislike Mason, his dislike for her made things incredibly difficult between the two of them. She understood his feelings, of course, and knew there wasn't much she could do to change them. She just hoped the festive holiday energy could aid her in breaking the ice. The only thing she wanted was to spend time with her family.

"Anyway..." Marlena clapped her hands, placing a bright smile on her face as she looked at her surrounding loved ones. "Presents, anyone?"

Marlena made her way back over to Steve and sat down, wasting no time at all in preparing the gifts she'd chosen for those she loved most. She was ready to make the best of the rest of her night, despite how strange it'd become. But as she'd come to realize, 'strange' was merely the reality of the life she'd come to live.

Author's Note: Sorry this chapter isn't very fulfilling, but you guys deserved something. This is not the last chapter, though, so don't worry. I also intend to provide more Sarah content in the next chapter, which may just be the last official chapter. I do have intentions for bonus chapters and was wondering how you guys would feel about Marlena experiencing a mini journey inside Wanda's Hex and finding out more about the origins of her powers and the purpose of them as told by Agatha Harkness?