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ROBOTS SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF CLARA.

The only exception was Vision — and KAREN, Tony's AI.

But robots terrified her.

Mostly because she loved science fiction movies and the idea of artificial intelligence taking over the world was the premise of half of those.

So, when she woke up to a robot looking down at her, the logical response was to scream.

"Do not fear," the robot spoke. "You are safe. Please, take a breath so I may check your heartbeat."

"Oh, hell no," Clara backed up against the bed — was she in some sort of futuristic hospital? How long had she been out? Where was she? — and looked at the robot with wide eyes. "What are you? Where am I? What's going on?"

"Wonderful," a voice from the side said. "You're awake."

Clara's head snapped in that direction and a surprised squeal left her mouth. Ewan McGregor and Samuel L. Jackson were standing not a foot away from her bedside, observing her.

They wore Jedi robes, which made Clara's face twist in confusion. Were they filming? Was she having an intense maladaptive daydream? Had she lost her mind?

"Where's Peter?" Were the words out of her mouth. They were unsurprising, if perhaps not the most important. But she had to know.

Ewan McGregor and Samuel L. Jackson exchanged a look.

"Apologies, did you have someone with you?" Ewan asked.

"Peter," Clara said quickly. "What-what happened? Where are we? What about the war? Did we win?"

"The war is being fought," Samuel L. Jackson declared. "Where are you from?"

Clara blinked. "Uh...New York?" She asked in confusion.

It was nothing compared to the disbelieving frowns on their faces.

"I gotta get out of here," Clara muttered, her thoughts drifting to Peter. What if he was hurt? "I gotta find Peter."

"Who is this, Peter?" Ewan asked.

"My brother," she replied, moving to stand.

"And who are you?" Windu asked.

"Please, don't get up," Ewan took a few steps forward. "You need your rest. When you appeared here at the Temple, we all believed you to be dead."

"I'm Clara," she replied in confusion. "What Temple?"

She did another once-over of his clothes, then Samuel L. Jackson's, then the hospital she was in. Everything was holograms and robots and high-tech machinery.

"Where am I?" Clara asked faintly, heart racing.

"The Jedi Temple on Coruscant," Samuel L. Jackson explained, as though it wasn't the most delusional thing she'd ever heard. "Were you unaware?"

Clara looked between the two before bursting into laughter. "This is a joke," she giggled. "Right? Some sort of...did Peter put you up to this? You guys know Tony Stark and to prank me, right? Like, they hired you and did some elaborate prank? Okay, you got me."

Another look passed between them.

"This is no laughing matter," Samuel L. Jackson said. "You appeared in the halls of this Temple in a blue light. One of our Jedi tried to touch you and fell ill a moment later."

The smile on Clara's face fell. He looked so sincere. Serious, even. Then again, they were both actors.

"So, what?" Clara asked with raised eyebrows. "I'm supposed to believe I'm on Coruscant and you're Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu?"

Surprise flickered across Ewan's face for a moment. "You've heard of us?"

Clara snorted. "Great act, guys, nice job. I see why you're both actors. Seriously, though, this is getting annoying. Where's Peter?"

"Ma'am," Samuel L. Jackson walked closer to her. "There's no one called 'Peter' here. Do you know how you arrived in our Temple?"

"The Force," Clara replied dryly. "It totally was like 'ayeee man, go to a fictional world with fictional people.'" She rolled her eyes. "Come on, this isn't funny anymore. It's just annoying."

"What do you know of the Force?" Ewan asked curiously.

"It's a mystical thing that ties all things together," Clara recited. "It is the embodiment of hope and anger and love and destruction and there's a balance between the halves of light and dark that can be achieved with enough practice."

Surprise crossed their faces.

"That's correct," Ewan stated. "Where did you say you were from, again? New...York? Which planetary system?"

"Uh...the Milky Way?" Clara asked with a frown.

Ewan placed his hand to his chin, thoughtful. "I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that system."

Clara sighed in frustration, waving the robot's hands off and getting up, shakily standing. She was wearing the same clothes as before, her nanotech armor bracelet still on. Curious. If she were in a real hospital, they would have changed her.

"Ma'am, you can't leave," Samuel L. Jackson tried, but she ignored him, walking to the large doors.

Clara stopped in front of them, looking over the doors. There was no handle. She tried to push but the door didn't open.

"What the...?"

"Apologies," Ewan spoke up. "As this is the Jedi Temple, all doors must be used with the Force. Allow me," he walked towards her, standing a few taller than her, waving his hand.

Clara paled as the door opened. "How did you...?"

"The Force," Ewan explained.

It had to be good mechanics. Technology. A trick to the eye. None of this was real.

Clara scoffed, walking past him into the halls and her heart sank.

"No," she whispered, tears gathering in her eyes.

It was wrong.

Too detailed for even an elaborate prank. Tall, towering ceilings, marble floors, large columns and archways. People walked back and forth, all wearing Jedi robes. Some were...not human. Clara believed in aliens — of course she did, she just fought against Thanos, but she'd never been anywhere alien.

"This can't be real," she whispered, tears falling from her eyes. "This can't be—" her heart stopped when Hayden Christenson walked to the three, curiosity on his face. She hadn't even noticed Ewan and Samuel L. Jackson stand at her sides. "Hayden?" She asked in shock. "You're involved in this too?"

His eyebrows furrowed. "What?" He asked, looking to Ewan and Samuel L. Jackson. "I don't know a Hayden. I can help you find him."

But she knew he wasn't Hayden Christenson. Her mind was screaming that he was. Screaming that this was all a prank. That Peter was going to come around the corner, laughing and holding a video camera.

But something else in her knew this was real. This was happening.

Her eyes met Hayden's and her breath caught in her throat. Blue. So, so blue. But...she'd seen them before. The anguish, the trepidation, the comforting presence, she'd seen it all before.

The longing in her chest, the ache in her heart — that couldn't be manipulated. It couldn't be falsified by an actor. Hayden was always attractive to her, but it was Anakin that she loved.

The frog in her throat told her that he was real. He was in front of her. Her breathing picked up and she found it hard to catch, reaching a hand to her chest.

"Hey, hey," Anakin's face filled with worry. A hand touched her arm — Ewan's, she imagined — and then Anakin touched her other arm, a comforting smile on his face. "It's alright. We can find this guy for you. There's no need to panic. What's your name?"

She focused on his eyes. His voice. A voice she'd heard a million times. He was wearing the same armor, she reached her hand out and poked it, letting out a small laugh at the realism.

"You're real," she whispered. "Anakin?"

Confusion filled his face, and then realization. "Have you seen my face on holograms?"

A sad smile filled her face. In a sense, yes, she had. She'd watched his face on television for years; probably a hundred times.

But Anakin's eyes narrowed a fraction, his lips thinning as he observed her. "Have we met before?" He asked softly. "You seem familiar."

Clara shook her head. "That's not possible at all."

"Why's that?" He asked her.

"I'm not from here."

"Me either," he smiled softly. He was so kind. So helpful. "Where are you from?"

"Earth," she whispered. "It's not...in this galaxy."

Ewan's hand on her arm tightened and she'd forgotten he was even touching her. Tearing her eyes from Anakin's, she looked to Ewan, dizziness hitting her.

"This is real?" She asked in a whisper. "This is happening?"

"It seems the Force has brought you to us," Samuel — no, Mace Windu pointed out. "Do you know how you arrived here?"

But Clara hardly heard him. Her eyes found Anakin's again. The blue in them. The kindness there. The youth to his face. The freshness of his scar. He'd only just received it. This had to have been the beginning of the Clone Wars.

He hadn't fallen.

If this was real...she could help him.

What if she could save him?

It was a foolish notion, in a sense. Padme tried to save him but...Padme trusted Palpatine. Clara knew better. If Clara could ensure they follow his words — if she could stop them trusting the Sith, stop him from winning the war.

Hope filled her.

She could save Fives. Stop the Clones from dying. From hurting the Jedi.

Plo Koon could live. Anakin wouldn't fall. She could stop Ashoka from leaving the temple.

"I've got you," she whispered, tears filling her eyes again.

Confusion filled Anakin's face. "I'm sorry?"

"Nothing," she shook her head, sniffling.

Clara glanced around the halls, suddenly feeling very exposed. If Palpatine had already heard of her appearing, he may suspect her of anything. She couldn't draw attention to herself. She couldn't let him suspect her. She wouldn't make it through the night, let alone the war.

Turning, she straightened. "I need your help," she looked between Windu and Obi-Wan.

"Of course," Obi-Wan nodded. "What do you need?"

What did she need? She couldn't talk to Yoda — he wasn't in the headspace to fully appreciate the idea of a Sith Lord in their ranks. He would believe her, but he may tell the Council. She couldn't tell Anakin his future, the episode with the Family showed that. Anakin would spiral.

Obi-Wan may listen to her, but she wasn't sure if he would truly believe her. If he would even help her.

A new sense of determination filled her.

First thing: find out what happened to bring her here.

Space Stone.

According to Thor and Nebula, the Space Stone could send a person anywhere in space and time. But all she'd done was touch it — and she had armor on when she touched the Gauntlet. She was only trying to stall Thanos, so Tony could remove it entirely. She'd hardly touched the stone.

But that had to have been what sent her.

Why would it send her here? To another galaxy entirely?

A fictional one, to boot.

A bout of hope flittered across her heart. If it sent her here, perhaps she'd been given powers, too.

"Do you sense the Force in me?" She asked curiously, looking between the three of them. "At all?"

Windu was the first to speak. "Yes," he informed her. "But it is not like other beings we've encountered. Have you wielded the Force before?"

"You're not a Jedi," Obi-Wan added. "And it is surprising that a Jedi had not sensed you previously. Your Force signature..." He trailed off, an uncertain look on his face.

"What?" She asked, looking between the men.

"It's like mine," Anakin said quietly. "It feels familiar because it feels like mine."

Clara's eyes snapped to his again. "I'm assuming that's not normal?"

"Everyone has their own unique signature," Windu clarified. "Even those who are not Force-sensitive. Yours is not Skywalker's, but the similarities are strong. The more he stands in your presence, the more it feels as though you are one."

"What does that mean?" Clara asked. "Wait, wait," she blinked, looking around. "We shouldn't have this conversation here."

"Why not?" Obi-Wan asked. "You are safe here; in the halls of the Temple."

She really wasn't.

Especially if Palpatine heard this.

"I'm not safe here," she whispered, her eyes finding Anakin's again. He had to believe her. She couldn't tell him everything, but he had to believe her.

"Masters," Anakin glanced around. "Let's go back inside," he gently grabbed her arm, as Obi-Wan dropped it, guiding her into the halls of healing. "Sit down, tell us everything."

Clara nodded, walking back to the bed, disorientation coursing through her. None of this felt real. She missed Peter and her aunt May, but this...if this was really her life now, she wouldn't waste it.

"The droid leaves," she glanced to the medical droid. "I need this to be told to no one outside of this room."

Obi-Wan and Windu exchanged a look, but dismissed the droid. The four were alone now.

"Perhaps this would be best in front of the Council," Obi-Wan suggested.

Clara hesitated. "Not all of them," she told them. "You can tell Yoda and...Plo Koon. That's fine."

Anakin raised his eyebrows. "Are you insinuating something?"

"No," Clara met his suspicious gaze. "But I can't have the wrong people finding out." She bit her lip. "Anakin, you can't tell Palpatine."

"The Chancellor?" His eyebrows furrowed. "Ma'am, that's—"

"—He won't," Obi-Wan cut him off, sending Anakin a pointed look. "Go ahead, Clara, tell us how you arrived here."

"I don't know exactly," she confessed. "But...I have an idea. I'm from another galaxy, far, far, away. The Force...isn't real there."

Windu crossed his arms. "And we're supposed to believe you?"

"I literally appeared in your hallway in a flash of light and you're going to not believe me?"

Clara noticed the small smirk Anakin fought back just before he wiped it from his face.

"I'm from another universe," she informed them. "I think. I mean...this is all...not real where I'm from. It's...movies. Like, um...holofilms or whatever you guys call them."

"You've come from another universe?" Obi-Wan asked, eyebrows raised. "Fascinating. how exactly have you managed that?"

"I don't know," she confessed. "There was a war, that's why I asked about it, we were fighting this...alien guy, a...Titan," she recalled. "From another planet. He was invading Earth. But we were defending Earth. We're Avengers. I'm an Avenger."

She said the words with pride, but their blank faces made her pout in disappointment.

"Is that a job title or a species?" Anakin questioned.

"Man," she sighed. "It's cool. Earth's Mightiest Heroes. I use armor because I don't have powers. My brother has powers like a spider. You guys would be so impressed."

Silence followed her words.

"How does the war end?" Anakin asked, a frown on his face. "You mentioned this...our lives were fictitious to you. How does it end?"

"I can't tell you that," she shook her head. "I won't."

"If you can help us win the war," he started, anger flashing across his face. "We can stop clones from dying. We can stop the Separatists before—"

"—Believe me, you don't want it to be won the way it was," she cut him off harshly.

"You still haven't told us how you arrived here," Obi-Wan pointed out, and Clara squirmed a bit under Anakin's glare.

She didn't like him looking at her like that. She wanted to make him smile, not angry.

"A stone," she informed them. "There are six stones where I'm from. The building blocks of the universe. Mind, Reality, Time, Space, Power, and Soul. I touched the Space Stone. It...has the ability to transport people to another place in the universe. For some reason...I think it brought me here."

Obi-Wan pondered her words, fingers grasping his chin, Windu's face was blank, taking in her information, and Anakin stared at her. Something in his gaze unnerved her. She couldn't tell if he liked her or wanted to kill her.

"Why here?" Anakin questioned. "If this is fictional where you're from, then why would it bring you here?"

"Because of you," Clara answered honestly.

Surprise flashed across his face. "What do you mean?"

"I'm going to save you," she said seriously, looking to the Jedi Masters. "All of you. I was sent here for a purpose. And I have it."

"And why should we trust you?" Windu frowned.

"I can tell you all secrets about yourselves," Clara responded. "But not in front of each other."

"Jedi don't have secrets," Windu countered with a raised eyebrow. Obi-Wan and Anakin exchanged a small look.

"Then you just have to trust me," Clara gave him a defiant look. "My name is Clara Marie Parker. I'm twenty-one years old. I was born in Queens, New York on March 14, 1999, and I'm a Pisces. That's New York in the United States of America, North America, Planet Earth, solar system: The Milky Way. My parents are Richard and Mary Parker, they died when I was eight in a plane crash. My brother, Peter, is Spider-Man. He can shoot webs and use super strength. He's a genius, I'm not. I live with my Aunt May and I have since my parents died. My favorite food is chocolate chip pancakes and my favorite color is blue. I'm an ENFP. And I'm not lying."

After her rant, she noticed all three men looking at her hands. A frown found her face, and she looked down, gasping at her body.

She was reminded of Wanda for a moment. Blue dusted strings seemed to circle her fingers and move from her palms.

"What the...?"

Lifting her hands to her face, Clara observed as the blue...magic moved between her fingers. "What is this?" She breathed out.

"You've never done this before?" Anakin asked, concern lacing his voice.

"Never," she confirmed.

Shaking her hands, she gasped as a blue light shot from her palm, straight into the floor. Panic flooded Clara, her face heating as she tried to shake away the magic dust. With each shake, another shot downwards, upwards, into the bed. Obi-Wan and Windu jumped back in surprise, but Anakin took a step closer.

Kneeling in front of her, he looked up at her face, gently using his gloved hand to cover her left palm.

"Breathe," he told her softly. "It's alright, hey," he looked into her eyes.

Blue.

Like her magic.

Like the stone.

Panic filled her again and he placed his ungloved hand on her right palm.

"It's okay," he whispered. "We'll figure it out, okay?"

"I'm scared," she whispered tearfully. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

"I know," he nodded. "It's okay. Just breathe. We'll figure it out together."

His fingers traced her wrists softly, his eyes pleading, face open with unabashed compassion. Clara nodded, trust sinking into her as the magic in her hands dissipated.

"There you go," he encouraged her. "Good job."

The magic left her hands entirely and Clara inhaled shakily.

"I didn't know I could do that," she confessed. "I swear."

"I know," Anakin comforted her with a gentle smile. "And we'll help you through it." He looked to Windu and Obi-Wan. "Right, Masters?"

"That's right," Obi-Wan knelt down next to Anakin. "We'll help you, Clara Parker."

Windu was the last to speak, but when he did, a flood of tears left Clara's eyes, relief threatening to consume her.

"I'll speak with Master Yoda," he bowed his head to the three. "You two keep an eye on her."

In a matter of hours, her entire life was different.

But perhaps, just maybe, if she was lucky...

Blue.

Anakin's eyes were so blue.

She could make his life different, too.

—

promise the story gets better wehweklfjd smh