SPECTRA

On a Very Special Episode

"Please, Tommy, don't you want to sleep? Mommy wants to sleep," Wanda sighed as she paced the living room with a restless Tommy in her arms, her half-permed hair tied up in a messy scrunchie. "If you go to sleep, I promise, you'll be my favorite twin!"

Vision descended the stairs, gently bouncing a wailing Billy in his arms. "Now, darling, you know we love them both equally."

Wanda shot him a look. "Don't tell him that!" She shifted Tommy in her arms. "Where's Alex?"

"Up in her bedroom, darling. She's the only one who was willing to go down for her nap," Vision explained, a bit of envy in his tone.

Wanda let out a breath of relief. "Good. Any luck with Billy?"

Vision shook his head. "I tried reading to him, but for some reason, Charles Darwin's The Descent of Man only made him cry louder." He stepped closer to Wanda, the weariness clear in his expression. "Oh, care to dance, darling?" he asked, his lips twitching into a hopeful smile.

Wanda chuckled, and they began swaying in sync, each bobbing with a baby in their arms. "It's almost like we're on a date," she teased.

"Mm. Keep it down, lads," Vision replied in a mock whisper, "I was about to get my leg over."

Wanda laughed softly. "Vis?"

"Yes, darling?"

"Could you grab their binkies?"

"Oh, of course. Binkies all 'round, I think," he said with a grin, giving Billy one last bounce before heading toward the kitchen.

Wanda eyed the twins in their cribs, desperation etched on her face. As she gently laid Tommy down, her attention was pulled by the soft patter of footsteps behind her.

"Mama?" a small voice called.

Wanda turned to see Alex standing on the bottom step, rubbing her eyes. She sighed, exhaustion setting in. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"Scary," Alex mumbled, her tiny body trembling as she clutched the banister.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Wanda asked, her brow furrowing in concern as she knelt down and opened her arms.

Alex shook her head, but her lower lip quivered. Without a second thought, she rushed into Wanda's embrace.

"Aw, poor baby," Wanda cooed, wrapping her arms around Alex. "It's okay. Mama's here." She held her daughter close, brushing a hand through Alex's hair, trying to soothe her.

Vision reentered the room, a pair of pacifiers dangling from either side of his head like earplugs. "That is not where those go!" Wanda chuckled, shaking her head at the sight.

"The noise cancellation is not their primary function?" Vision asked innocently as he removed them and wiped them off.

After placing the binkies in the twins' mouths, Vision stepped back. "Ooh! Look, I think it's worki—"

Before he could finish, both babies spat out their pacifiers in perfect unison, one hitting Vision squarely in the chest.

"Vis?" Wanda's voice was filled with exasperation.

"Mm?"

"What are we doing wrong?" Wanda groaned, sinking down into the couch with Alex still cradled in her arms.

"Don't worry, dear! We'll figure it out. Perhaps we all just need more time to get to know one another," Vision said, his optimism unwavering.

"Maybe," Wanda agreed with a sigh. "Or maybe we just need some help. Three kids is a lot." As if on cue, the doorbell rang.