Who's There?
The dining room of the Sanctum Sanctorum was filled with warmth and laughter as Marinette, Adrien, Peter, MJ, Ned, Clea, and Strange shared a rare moment of calm over dinner. The meal had been a collective effort, with Marinette proudly showing off her baking skills, much to everyone’s delight. The evening was a small reprieve from the chaos they’d been facing.
Strange’s fork froze midway to his mouth when a faint metallic clank echoed from the rooftop above. His brow furrowed as he tilted his head, attuning his senses to the disturbance.
“What is it?” Clea asked, setting her glass down, her gaze sharp.
“Something... or someone is on the roof,” Strange murmured, rising from his seat.
Marinette, always ready to spring into action, followed suit. “I’ll come with you,” she said, her voice steady. She darted into the hallway and transformed into Ladybug, her red-and-black sorcerer’s robes settling into place as she reappeared at Strange’s side.
Clea moved to follow, but Strange held up a hand. “Stay with the others. If it’s trouble, I don’t want them unprotected.”
Ladybug nodded at Strange as the two ascended to the rooftop, tension building with every step. When they reached the top, Strange pushed open the door leading to the roof. The cool night air swept past them as they stepped out, both scanning the area for the source of the noise.
Then they saw him.
A figure in red and gold armor stood near the edge of the roof, the moonlight glinting off the polished metal. The iconic suit was unmistakable. As they watched in stunned silence, the helmet retracted, revealing a face neither of them ever thought they’d see again.
“Tony Stark,” Strange breathed, stumbling back a step as disbelief washed over him.
Ladybug’s eyes widened. “Isn’t he—?”
“Dead,” Strange finished, his voice barely a whisper.
Tony Stark ran a hand through his hair, looking as alive as ever. His eyes landed on Strange, and a small, familiar smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
“Nice to see you too, Wiz,” Stark said, his voice carrying the same dry humor it always had.
Strange was frozen, his mind racing to make sense of the impossible. “This… this can’t be. I watched you—”
“Yeah, about that,” Stark interrupted, stepping closer. “I’m still piecing it together myself, but apparently, death doesn’t stick when reality decides to bend.”
Ladybug took a cautious step forward. “What do you mean? How are you here?”
Tony looked at her, his expression softening slightly at the sight of her outfit. “And you must be some sort of bug themed hero.” He turned back to Strange. “Anyway, Short version? Something big shifted. I felt it. I’ve been... out of sync, I guess. Then, suddenly, here I am.”
Strange’s mind reeled as he tried to comprehend the implications. “The miraculous wish,” he muttered.
“What?” Tony asked.
Strange shook his head. “The miraculous wish—it’s an ancient power capable of rewriting reality. It had done more damage than anticipated.”
Tony raised an eyebrow. “You’re saying your magic bug powers pulled me back from the grave?”
Ladybug looked between the two men, her heart pounding. “I didn’t even know it would reverse death.. I-”
Tony’s smirk returned, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Apparently, it did. But here’s the kicker—I don’t think I’m the only one who came back.”
Strange’s stomach dropped. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying,” Tony said, his tone grave, “that if I’m here, there’s a good chance others are, too. And not all of them are going to be on our side.”
The weight of his words hung in the air as Strange and Ladybug exchanged a grim look. The miraculous wish had also opened the door to something far more unpredictable.
Strange straightened, his expression hardening. “We need to get downstairs and figure this out. Now.”
Tony nodded, his playful demeanor giving way to the sharp focus of the man who had once saved the universe. “Lead the way, Doc. Looks like I’ve got some catching up to do.”
As they descended back into the Sanctum, Ladybug’s mind buzzed with questions. What did Tony’s return mean for them? And who—or what—else might have been brought back along with him?