No Way Home

Peter Parker arrived in Bleecker Street, before a gigantic Mansion that was the Sanctum Sanctorum, one of the magical Sanctuaries that protected the Earth, under the supervision of the Masters of the Mystical Arts.

Before he could reach the entrance, Alex came by on a motorcycle. She went down and joined him.

"Peter, are you sure you want to do this? Call on Strange's magic? These are forces we don't know about, and even if Strange agrees to help you, things can to go off the rails."

"Alex. MJ and Ned don't deserve to be rejected from MIT because of me." Peter lamented. "It's unfair that their applications are rejected. Their lives are ruined because of Spider-Man."

"Not because of you. Because of Mysterio." the young woman rectified it with sympathy. "And I'm not sure that Strange has the solution. Kara told me he was very weird."

"I want to try and make things right for my friends." Peter said a tone where there was no discussion to be had. "I didn't save the universe so that MJ and Ned could have their lives ruined. It's my decision."

Alex nodded reluctantly and followed him to the entrance of the Sanctum.

As he was about to strike, the doors opened spontaneously for them. Peter and Alex crossed the threshold. To their great surprises, the vestibule was completely frozen. Everything was covered with snow, ice and frost, and the temperature was clearly below -10. On his left, Peter noticed two random people raking the snow in buckets with shovels.

"What happened here? An avalanche?" exclaimed Alex, clenching her arms to warm herself. "We're in New York, not the Himalayas! Not the Arctic! And there is no heating in a magical sanctuary?"

Peter came to the two people who were scraping the snow.

"Um... Hi."

They stopped and stared at him without saying a word. Not knowing what to do, Peter stammered:

"Hi! I'm..."

A golden portal opened suddenly. Wong, Strange's best friend and also Master of the Mystical Arts, emerged from it. He wore a large fur-lined coat with several suitcases in hand.

"...The most famous person in the world. I know." he finished Peter's sentence by laying his suitcases on the floor.

Then he saw Alex near Peter.

"And you are?"

"Alex Danvers. I work with Supergirl and J'onn J'onzz." introduced herself to the former director of the DEO.

Wong nodded and continued with indifference.

"Wong. You two, try not to slip. We don't have liability insurance."

"Is all this for a holiday party?" asked Peter pointing out the snow that had invaded the vestibule.

"Someone accidentally summoned snow in your Sanctum?" added Alex sarcastically as she tried to warm herself.

"No." replied Wong. "One of the rotunda gateways connects to Siberia. Blizzard blasted through."

A sudden rustle resounded at the top of the vestibule. Then Peter and Alex saw Doctor Stephen Strange coming down the snow-covered stairs floating through his levitation cape, holding a cup of coffee, wearing a sweatshirt and anorak.

He said in a sarcastic tone to his companion:

"Because someone forgot to cast a maintenance spell to keep the seals tight."

He lands on the ground of the vestibule slipping, but kept a natural air to the two new arrivals in the Sanctum.

Acting as if he had not felt insulted, Wong resumed in a neutral tone.

"That's right, he did, because he forgot I now have higher duties."

"Higher duties?" said Strange with a frown.

"The Sorcerer Supreme has high duties, yes." declared Wong in a categorical tone.

"Wait, I thought you were the Sorcerer Supreme?" said Peter in amazement as he stared at Strange.

"No. He got it on a technicality, 'cause I blipped for five years." replied the latter with embarrassment.

"Blipped?" wondered Alex intrigued. "Uh... you are aware that the Blip has never happens since the Crisis. The entire timeline has been changed following what happened with the Anti-Monitor."

Strange continued with embarrassment:

"Right, but Wong has kept his memories of before the Crisis. So, this is it!"

"Oh." said Peter. "Well, congratulations, Wong."

Not wanting to lose face, Doctor Strange replied:

"If I'd been here, then I'd..."

"...burned the place down." Wong said, before going to the other two who were shoveling. "You two, no one said, Stop shoveling!"

As soon as Wong had gone away, Strange turned to the two who arrived.

"So, Peter, Alex... To what do I owe the pleasure?"

He went to the fireplace. Alex waved to Peter to take the first step, and followed.

"Right. Umm... Woah. I'm really sorry to bother you, sir, but..." he stammered by failing to fall on the slippery floor.

"Please. We saved all the Multiverse together." Strange said as he approached the chimney.

With a finger gesture, he made a fire appear in the fireplace and finished his sentence:

"I think we're beyond calling me sir.

"Okay, uh... Stephen." said Peter wondering what to say.

"That feels weird, but I'll allow it." she granted Strange with embarrassment.

"We'll stay at Doctor Strange." replied Alex who had just joined them.

The young man from Queens groped his words by revealing the presence of his coming:

"When... When Mysterio revealed my identity... my entire life got screwed up, and... I was wondering, I mean, I don't even know if this would actually work, but I was wondering if... maybe you could go back in time and make it so that he never did?"

Strange looked at Peter with an empathic and wise look.

"Peter... we tampered with the stability of space-time to resurrect countless lives and recreate a new Universe. You wanna do it again now just because yours got messy?"

"This isn't... it's not about me." Peter said. "I mean, this is really hurting a lot of people. My... my Aunt May, Happy... My best friend, my girlfriend, their futures are ruined just because they know me, and... they've done nothing wrong. And more Lex Luthor is after me to make me do things for him… Whatever... and I don't want to be in debt with that psycho. I don't want my friends to have to work in fast food all their lives. They deserve better than that."

The Master of Mystical Arts bowed his head sadly, staring at Peter with empathy.

"I am so sorry, but... even if I wanted to... I don't have the Time Stone anymore. Even since the last Crisis."

Peter seemed helpless, but did everything to hide it. He remained neutral.

"I warned you it wouldn't be so simple." Alex says gently to him not wanting to burden him further.

"That's right." he replied (After a brief pause, he spoke again) "I'm really sorry if I... wasted your time."

"N-No, you didn't..." said Strange in a sympathetic tone.

"Just forget about it." replied Peter as he left.

Then Wong had just joined them by picking up suitcases.

"Oh, he will." he said casually. "He's really good at forgetting things."

"Wong!" exclaimed suddenly Strange in amazement. "You've actually generated a good idea."

At his words, Peter, Alex and Wong stared at him with confusion.

"What?" asked Alex. "You have a solution to help Peter?"

"Yes." assured the Master of Mystical Arts. "The Runes of Kof-Kol."

"The runes of Kof-Kol?" asked Peter confused.

Seeing the bewildered looks of the two arrivals, Strange jovially clarified:

"Oh, it's just a standard spell of forgetting. Won't turn back time, but at least people will forget that you were ever Spider-Man."

"Seriously?" exclaimed Peter and Alex in unison with a same voice of surprise.

"No. Not seriously." replied Wong in a low voice not sharing at all the optimism of Strange. "That spell travels the dark borders between known and unknown reality. It's too dangerous. Such a spell could trigger a cosmic collapse that may disrupt our universe!"

Alex had listened to him and seemed anxious, wondering if it was worth it, even if she wanted to help solve Peter's disastrous situation.

"Uh… I think we should discuss it before..." she suggested.

"God, we've used it for a lot less." says Strange shrugging. "Do you remember the full moon party in Kamar-Taj?"

"No." said Wong frowning.

"Exactly." replied the enigmatic Doctor Strange.

"Are you sure, Strange?" asked Alex not very convinced of this spell seeming to be powerful.

"I am." Strange assured her with optimism. "It's going to work, and we already used it. Wong, hasn't Peter been through enough?"

Wong stared at his ally, not approving of his idea. Then he made a portal appear leading to Kamar-Taj.

"Just leave me out of this." he said as he crossed the magic opening.

"Fine?" said Strange.

"Fine." Wong concludes by closing the portal.

The technical Sorcerer Supreme's portal closed. The practical Sorcerer Supreme smiled and invited Peter and Alex to follow him down a staircase leading them to a kind of basement. He placed himself before a mysterious bowl backed by a plinth.

"So, what is this place?" asked Peter looking around.

"The Sanctum's built at the intersection of cosmic energy currents." explained Strange focused on his spell by making appear a thread of golden light. "We were the first to seek them out. Some of these walls are thousands of years old. And they shot an episode of Equalizer here in the 80's."

"Really?" said Alex, stunned. "I'll have to tell Kara."

"Well, I, umm... really appreciate you doing this for me, sir." Peter says to her with gratitude.

"Don't mention it. And don't call me sir." replied Strange still focused on his fate.

"Right. Sorry."

"So, all this will be settled by a spell." commented Alex a little nervous.

Strange crossed his hands as he looked at Peter.

"You ready?"

"I'm ready." said Peter.

"Nice knowing you, Spider-Man.." said Strange crossing his hands diagonally.

Peter looked at the Doctor, puzzled. Strange unfolds his hand and begins to draw strange mystical circles in the air by taking a portion of runic energy from a mandala shield in his left hand.

"Hey, what do you mean, Nice knowing you, Spider-Man?" Alex was astonished. "What are you doing?"

Strange continued his spell:

"The entire world is about to forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Including me."

Peter and Alex stared at him as if he were mad.

"What? Everyone?" cried the hero of Queens.

"Will everyone forget him?!" added Alex, stunned and in a panic. "Am I going to forget him too? You're not going to put a spell on my mind to make me forget about Peter! What about Kara? J'onn? Nia? Kelly? Barry? Batwoman? Sara? Thor? The X-Men? The Legends? All these people will forget him too?"

"Can't some people still know?" asked Peter wanting to beg the Sorcerer not to be forgotten by everyone.

"That's not how the spell works and it's very difficult and dangerous to change it mid-casting." warned Strange in a firm voice.

"So my girlfriend is just gonna forget about everything we've been through?" realized Peter stunned. "I mean, is she even gonna be my girlfriend?"

Rune circles begin to shake. Strange noticed him, but retained composure.

"That depends. Was she your girlfriend just because you're Spider-Man, or..." he asked, angry, freezing his mystical circles.

"I mean, I don't know." said Peter shrugging. "I really hope not."

"Alright. Fine." replied the Sorcerer, taking up the spell. "Everyone in the world is gonna forget you're Spider-Man, except Alex Danvers and your girlfriend."

Strange made his mandala shield disappear, swung his hand, bringing the circle down, and created another one over it.

"Strange, can you stop what you're doing?" asked Alex, slowly approaching the Wizard. "Stop it!"

"Spells don't work like switches!" he explained with fury.

"Oh, my God. Ned. Ned!" said Peter, in a daze.

The runes began to tremble again. Stephen called up a random symbol from the top circle and threw it into the bowl.

"What is a Ned?" he asked exasperated.

"He's my best friend, so it's really important to me that Ned knows..." the young man explained.

"Peter, stop talking, and Strange, stop this spell right now!" Alex continued nervous.

The Supreme Sorcerer nodded almost imperceptibly, and made another runic circle appear at the top.

"Okay. Ned will remember you and now let's not change the parameters of the spell anymore while I'm casting it." Strange continued as he continued the spell.

"Can you just stop the spell?" suggested Alex who was upset in turn. "Strange, shut it down!"

"Oh, my Aunt May should really know." said Peter distressed.

"Peter, that's enough! Strange, stop it!" yelled Alex.

But neither the young man nor the Master of Mystical Arts paid attention to her.

"My Aunt May and Happy..." continued Peter embarrassed.

"Happy? No. I am annoyed." the Sorcerer furiously.

"No, it's a nickname. Harold Happy Hogan." clarified the hero of Queens. "He used to work for Tony Stark and he's dating my aunt..."

Everything he said afterwards was stifled by the runes, which trembled uncontrollably, at the same time as Strange, who was seized with magical spasms.

"Could you... you just stop talking?!" he grunted trembling.

"STRANGE, STOP IT RIGHT NOW!" Alex yelled.

The runes eventually broke and spread throughout the room. The walls of the basement broke, making a gigantic blue glow appear. The objects in the Sanctum's living room began to wobble, while Peter, Alex and Strange flipped through the air around the runics that were shaking uncontrollably.

"Basically, everyone... who knew that I was Spider-Man before... SHOULD STILL KNOW! AND GREEN ARROW!" said Peter, flipping in the air with fright.

"FOR GOD'S SAKE, PETER, SHUT UP!" Alex yelled in the air, feeling lifted by an invisible force. "ENOUGH!"

The circles that were spinning in the room obliterated everything, leaving only Alex, Peter and Strange to spin around in the middle. Now, all that surrounded them was a blue-violet void. Stephen made a great effort to bring the circles closer together. As they begin to move closer, the coin also begins to come back.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?" Alex continued, floating in the air.

With a scream to the blood, the Doctor finally assembled the spell and closed it. He was now locked in an orange pentagonal cube.

The basement was back to its original state. Everything seemed normal again. Peter, Alex and Strange were back on the ground.

Peter looked around, puzzled. Relieved that it was all over, Alex turned to the young man with fury.

"When I tell you to shut up, just do it!" (Then she turned to Strange.) "What just happened?"

"Did it work?" said Peter, confused.

But Strange was furious.

"No. You changed my spell six times."

"Five times." rectified Peter, clumsy.

"You changed my spell! You don't do that! I told you, and that is why!" declared the sorcerer by designating the orange pentagonal cube. "That spell was completely out of control. If I hadn't shut it down, something catastrophic could've happened."

Furious too, Alex stared at the Master of Mystical Arts coldly.

"Excuse me, but you could have told us that you were going to brainwash everyone, including me before you cast your damn spell! Peter must have known what he was getting himself into with these runes of Kof-Kol... You were the one who proposed this! Not us! You who have led us into this madness of sorcery! You are the one who is at fault! Peter came to you for help! He never asked you to put the universe in danger for him! You did! I understand why you're not the Supreme Sorcerer! If I had known, I would have listened to Wong!"

Embarrassed, Peter bowed his head in guilt. Strange breathed furiously, then finally calmed down and spoke to the young man with kindness.

"You know, after everything we've been through together, somehow I always forget... You're just a kid. Look, Peter, the problem, it's not Mysterio. Neither Lex Luthor. It's you. Trying to live two different lives. And the longer you do that, the more dangerous it becomes, believe me."

The tone of his voice was no longer anger. He spoke in a low, serene voice and in some way more human than usual.

"I'm so sorry about you and your friends not getting into college, but if they rejected you, and... you tried to convince them to reconsider, there is nothing else you can do. But that doesn't mean you and your friends will end up doing fast food jobs for the rest of your life. I'm sure you deserve better than that."

"When you say convince them, you mean like, I could've called them?" asked Peter with confusion. "I can do that?"

The Doctor stared at him with confusion in turn.

"You haven't called?"

"Well, I mean, I got their letter, and I assumed that..."

Strange approached Peter, having regained his previous rage.

"I'm sorry, but are you telling me, that you didn't even think to plead your case with them first, before you asked me to brainwash the entire world?"

"I hadn't thought to ask him." said Alex astonished. "I thought he already had."

Still embarrassed, Peter tried to explain himself.

"I mean, when you put it like that, then..."

But he didn't have time to finish his sentence, that Strange dismissed them outside. In a few moments, Peter and Alex were outside the doors of the Sanctum Sanctorum which closed abruptly.

"Well, that didn't go so well." Alex said with a frown. "Kara told me he was weird. I was far from knowing how much."

Peter, meanwhile, took out his phone and dialed. He waited impatiently. Finally, someone answered.

"Flash, where's the MIT mixer?"

"Flash Thompson?" asked Alex perplexed. "The one who claims to be your friend?"

Ignoring the young woman, Peter discussed with Flash.

"Because I need to come and talk to someone. I'm trying to get Ned and MJ a second chance at getting in."

But Flash wasn't willing to help him. Peter tried to convince him by offering a ride with his webs. But his comrade wanted something else.

"Tell him he'll get an autograph from Supergirl." suggested Alex.

With a resigned sigh, Peter replied:

"Okay, I'll tell everyone that you're my best friend. Now, Flash, please help me."

Then Flash gave him the MIT's assistant vice chancellor. She was on her way to the airport to catch a plane for Boston.

Immediately, Peter saluted Alex and went into his nanotech suit to catch up with the taxi that was driving the assistant vice chancellor at the airport.

Once the young man left, Alex went to his bike to return to National City when his phone rang. She took it out and saw J'onn's name displayed on the screen. She answered.

"J'onn, You'll never believe what happened to me and Peter."

"It'll have to wait. Alex, I'm calling to let you know that the Tower's satellites have picked up several energy signatures in New York and around Manhattan. The computer didn't have to determine what it was. I asked Brainy to help us locate them and find out the nature of these apparitions."

"They appeared suddenly, like that?" said Alex frowning.

"At the same time, out of nowhere." resumed the Martian. "I've never seen this before. And I have a trace of an energy signature only about nine miles from your position."

"I'm gonna go, and I call you back." said Alex.

She got on her motorcycle, got on it and left Bleecker Street.