Henry watches the entire scene unfold from a distance, his eyes narrowing as he takes in the aftermath. The defeated, zombified Heller is now sealed away in another universe, an outcome far from what he expected. But Henry Tailsman is a man of his word, even when things take an unexpected turn.

"Well, that didn't go as planned," he mutters quietly, a hint of grudging respect in his tone. "But a deal's a deal."

With a resigned sigh, Henry reaches into his coat, pulling out a small, intricate device. His fingers move deftly over the controls as he transmits a signal, calling off the bounty on Variant Agent Jonesy. The device hums softly, confirming that the order has been sent. The contract is canceled, and the hunt is over.

Turning away from the scene, his expression unreadable, Henry knows when to cut his losses. This is one of those times. He gestures to his convoy, hidden in the shadows, and his voice carries a low, commanding finality as he speaks.

"Fall back. We're done here."

Without hesitation, the convoy begins to retreat. Vehicles rumble to life as they prepare to depart, and Henry continues walking, his figure gradually fading into the distance. His destination remains unknown, leaving the possibility of his return shrouded in mystery.

As Henry and his convoy vanish, those left behind remain unaware of the decision that's just been made in their favor.

Inside the ruins of Piltover Academy, rifts begin to open one by one, revealing Piltover officers from Earth-749 and UNSC Marines sent by Captain Keyes to assess the area. The officers and Marines fan out cautiously, exploring the remnants of this alternate Piltover. Some take up positions around the ruins, while others help the remaining civilians, offering much-needed support.

Through one of the rifts steps Caitlyn, followed closely by Jayce. Caitlyn's eyes scan the area immediately, her sharp gaze taking in every detail. Behind her, Jayce's expression mirrors her concern. Spotting Vi sitting with a medic, clutching her injured arm, Caitlyn's face flashes with worry. She quickly makes her way over, and Jayce follows closely behind.

Vi notices Caitlyn approaching and struggles to her feet, but before she can say anything, Caitlyn pulls her into a tight hug. Jayce catches up, his features softening at the sight.

"Vi, are you okay?" Caitlyn asks, her voice a mix of worry and relief.

"I'm fine, Cait," Vi reassures her, though there's a note of pain in her voice. "Just a scratch."

As they pull apart, Vi looks around at the ruined Piltover, disbelief settling over her features. The weight of what she's seeing finally hits her.

"The Foundation wasn't joking about the multiverse," Vi mutters softly, her voice tinged with realization. "This place is..."

Caitlyn, despite the gravity of the situation, manages a small smile. "I told you, Vi. Maybe you should've listened to me for once."

Vi chuckles, shaking her head with a grin. "Yeah, maybe I should have."

Jayce, still concerned, looks between them, his expression a mix of relief and frustration. "You should've told me, Vi," he says gently but firmly. "It would've been easier if we had more help."

Vi gives him a reassuring smile. "We pulled through, Jayce. We always do."

Jayce, though still concerned, returns her smile with a nod.

Nearby, Ezio, Variant Agent Jonesy, Bangalore, and Michael are speaking with Agent Jonesy and The Foundation. The mood is cautiously optimistic as they discuss the situation.

"We can't thank you enough for responding to the signal so quickly," Bangalore says gratefully. "It all happened so suddenly, but your support made all the difference."

"We're just glad we could help," The Foundation responds, his voice calm and steady. "The multiverse is unpredictable, but we're all in this together."

Agent Jonesy, his curiosity piqued, asks, "How long have you all been here, anyway?"

Bangalore is the first to answer, her tone reflective. "Myself and the others... we've been here for two years."

Ezio, standing nearby, adds with his distinct accent, "For me, it has only been a week."

Michael, still processing everything that's happened, nods quietly and says, "Five months, give or take."

Agent Jonesy frowns, puzzled by the discrepancies in their timelines, and his mind races with possibilities. "Time... it's been manipulated here," he says thoughtfully, realization dawning on his face. "Cortana must have had a hand in it."

The variant Agent Jonesy, who's been listening quietly, chimes in with his signature dry humor, smirking as he breaks the tension. "Time's a funny thing in the multiverse, isn't it? Always seems to do whatever it wants."

The group exchanges glances, the truth of their situation settling in. The multiverse has its own rules, and they're all just trying to navigate it the best they can.

The Foundation steps forward, speaking with calm authority. "Now that we've managed to get out of this universe, you have the option to join us. Become our allies in the fight against Cortana. We could use all the help we can get."

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Variant Agent Jonesy scratches his chin thoughtfully before responding with a slight grin. "I might stick around for a bit, see if there's more to explore in this universe."

Bangalore, sensing the toll their journey has taken on all of them, gently intervenes. "You don't need to do that, Jonesy. We could really use your help elsewhere."

Michael, picking up on the weight behind Variant Jonesy's words, adds, "You don't have to spend all your time here. We need you too."

Ezio, ever the voice of reason, speaks up with empathy. "You could be with your family now, Jonesy. This doesn't have to be your fight alone."

Variant Agent Jonesy's expression softens as he takes in their advice. He lets out a deep breath, his voice tinged with sadness and resolve. "I don't have a world to go back to," he says quietly. "Cortana took everything... even my family. But I'm not completely alone—Arbiter has decided to stay here too."

Agent Jonesy perks up, surprised. "There's another Arbiter here?"

"Yeah," the variant answers with a bittersweet smile. "And he's a good guy too. We're sticking together."

Bangalore, feeling the weight of his decision, places a comforting hand on his shoulder. "If you ever change your mind, you know where to find us."

Variant Agent Jonesy gives her a small smile, nodding as he responds softly. "Thanks, Bangalore."

The moment is filled with quiet understanding as the group acknowledges the difficult choices they all have to make in the multiverse. The bonds they've formed, even against overwhelming odds, aren't easily broken.

Later,

Nora walks alone down a quiet hallway, feeling a sense of relief now that they can escape this universe. As the weight of everything that has happened begins to lift, she sees someone she never expected—Nate, standing at the far end of the hallway, staring at her in disbelief.

"Nora!" Nate calls out, his voice trembling with shock and joy.

Nora turns, her eyes widening as she sees him. "Nate..." she whispers, her voice barely audible.

Without hesitation, they break into a run, closing the distance between them in an instant. They embrace tightly, holding onto each other as if afraid to let go. Their lips meet in a passionate kiss, a reunion they never thought possible, especially after losing their spouses in their own universes.

After a few moments, Nora pulls back slightly, looking up at Nate with tear-filled eyes. "How... how is this possible?" she asks, her voice filled with wonder and confusion.

Nate's eyes are full of love and tenderness as he explains. "I'm from another universe, Nora. Jonesy came to my Earth... persuaded me to fight with him against this threat. And then... I found you."

Nora hesitates, her voice trembling as she asks the question she fears the most. "Is... is your Nora...?"

Nate nods sadly, cutting her off gently. "Yes, she's gone. But... our son, Shaun... he's alive. As a synth."

Nora's eyes widen in shock. "Shaun... alive? As a synth?"

Nate nods softly. "He became the leader of the Institute..."

"What?" Nora says, barely able to process it.

Taking a deep breath, Nate explains, "It's a long story, Nora. After he was taken, he grew up in their hands. He... he built something I never thought possible. But it's complicated."

Nora looks away, struggling to find the right words. "I don't... I don't know what to say."

Nate reaches out, gently taking her hand. "I know... it's a lot to take in."

Nora's face crumpled as she became emotional, her voice trembling as she spoke.

"I... I lost you... I lost our son..." she said tearfully, grief cracking her voice. "Both of you were killed... by Kellogg. In my universe... and I couldn't do anything to prevent it..."

Nate's heart broke at her words. The two shared a moment of profound pain, the weight of their loss and grief connecting them deeply. Gently, Nate pulled her into a hug as Nora began to sob, her emotions overwhelming her.

"I don't even know if I deserve your love," Nora whispered through her tears, uncertainty in her voice. "I'm not the original... not your Nora."

"Listen to me, Nora," Nate replied softly, his voice full of love. "Even if you're from another universe, my love for you is limitless. It doesn't matter where or when—I'll always love you, wherever you are, even across universes."

Nora's eyes filled with more tears as his words sank in. She threw her arms around him again, hugging him tightly. Together, they let their tears flow, finding comfort and solace in each other's arms, knowing that, despite everything, they had found their way back to each other.

In the armory,

Variant Master Chief methodically checked his weapon, his movements precise and practiced. After a moment, he placed it down on the table, his thoughts seemingly elsewhere. The silence in the room was broken by the sound of heavy footsteps—a familiar yet somehow different cadence echoed off the walls. Variant Master Chief stopped what he was doing, his senses sharpening as he recognized the presence behind him.

He turned slightly, narrowing his eyes as the figure stepped into view, revealing the unmistakable silhouette of Master Chief.

"Are you...?" Variant Master Chief asked cautiously, curiosity in his voice.

"Yes. From another universe," the original Master Chief responded simply, his tone calm and authoritative.

The two Spartans studied each other for a moment, each noting the subtle differences and similarities. Though they stood in the same room, their armor set them apart—Variant Master Chief's armor was the sleek, advanced design from the Halo 5: Guardians universe, while the original Master Chief's armor bore the battle-worn, iconic look from Halo: Infinite.

Despite the familiarity, Variant Master Chief remained on guard, his voice steady as he asked the next question.

"What do you want?" he asked firmly, a hint of wariness creeping into his tone.

Master Chief stepped forward, his presence commanding but not threatening. He didn't waste time with pleasantries, getting straight to the point as he reached out and activated a hologram from his wrist. The light flickered for a moment before solidifying into the form of Cortana.

"Hello, Chief," Cortana's familiar voice greeted them, warm yet filled with a gravity that matched the situation.

Variant Master Chief's eyes widened slightly in surprise, his voice betraying the mix of emotions he felt seeing her again.

"Cortana...?" he whispered softly, disbelief in his tone.

The room fell into a tense silence, thick with unspoken questions as the two Master Chiefs stood together, with Cortana's presence bridging the gap between their worlds.

Cortana's holographic form flickered slightly, her expression soft as she spoke to Variant Master Chief.

"It's good to see you, even if you're another version," she said warmly, a touch of familiarity in her voice.

Variant Master Chief, still processing the situation, took a moment to study her. Despite everything, the sight of Cortana brought a wave of nostalgia.

"You look the same..." Variant Master Chief said gently, a hint of emotion in his voice.

Cortana smiled, her eyes reflecting the shared history, even if it wasn't exactly theirs.

"And you look different," she replied lightly, with a knowing smile.

There was a brief pause as Cortana's expression turned more serious, her tone filled with understanding.

"Is your Cortana... gone? What happened?" she asked gently, concern in her voice.

Variant Master Chief hesitated, the weight of everything he'd been through evident in his voice.

"It's complicated," he said quietly, his voice filled with pain.

Cortana's expression softened further, her tone comforting.

"It's okay," she reassured him gently. "You can tell me what happened."