Chapter 4
There was hesitation before Stephen shook his head and said, “absolutely not. No.”
The twinkle in her eye didn’t dissipate. “I can give you three perfectly logical reasons why it’s a good idea. You like logic right?”
Stephen gave her a pointed look before standing with his half finished pancake. America took it as an invitation to continue.
“First, it would be a great way to practice controlling the portal. Two,” she used her fingers to count along, “we can’t jack up the timeline because the other-other you is,” she made a noise and gestured slicing her neck with her hand. Stephen did not look amused. “Three, maybe the lady who studies the multiverse for a living knows about the TVA. And.. added bonus, it’s Christiiiiine.” She said her name in a sing song way.
He set the plate on the counter and tried to find a way to convince her otherwise. “It’s dangerous hanging out in other universes, you know that.”
America batted her eyelashes at him, a small smile on her lips. She continued to bore into him, every second wearing him down.
“I have conditions.”
She beamed a grin like she had already won, scampering to her feet with her empty plate. “I’d be surprised if you didn’t.”
Stephen rolled his eyes. He felt the hidden one roll on his forehead. “You stay with me the entire time. And we jump at the slightest sign of trouble.”
“Dealio! I’ll go get dressed.” She opened a portal and disappeared before Stephen could add anything else.
She was sporting the jean jacket, sleeveless t-shirt, and a pair of maroon pants coupled with her sneakers. She adjusted her pin and clapped her hands together, ready to save the world if that’s what the day brought.
“Okie dokie, I’m ready when you are. Wait— is that what you’re wearing?”
He gave her a sinister look, he was in the exact same outfit he wore every time. “We can spend the day meditating, if you’d rather.”
“Sorry,” she mumbled, readjusting her jacket. She was too fidgety to get into meditation, despite every adult sorcerer in existence coming up to her and claiming it'll help. “You’re probably a lil nervous about seeing Christine.”
“I’m not a ‘lil’ nervous,” he bit back mockingly. “And this,” he gestured towards the countertop that had pools of egg white and drips of batter everywhere, “needs to be clean before we leave.”
“Yes, mom.” She was pushing it this morning, but only because she felt she had that extra cushion of ‘I’ll make it up to you’ that she could hold dauntingly over him. He scrunched his nose but didn't engage. Instead, with a flick of his cloak, Strange stalked towards his office, questioning who thought it was a good idea to take in a mouthy teenager.
He hadn't made it to his desk before the seeing eye splintered in pain. He clenched his forehead and leaned into the back of the sofa. It didn't like being hidden.
Stephen begrudgingly let it blink a few times before disguising it again, huffing away the pain of the headache.
Wong wasn't terribly concerned when he showed him, and hadn't hesitated to make an eye sore joke. He did tell him to be cautious. They knew the Darkhold had left pieces behind. Like parasites clinging to a host.
America knew nothing of it.
He didnt need her feeling guilty over his decision to use it, or anxious over the what-ifs. So he conceal-dont-feeled it, and that had been working out for him this far.
But the headaches.
Those were relatively new.
And gradually increasing in intensity and duration. He tried not to diagnose himself but was monitoring for further signs of anything that might require intervention.
Because wouldn't it just be the right amount of irony for a neurosurgeon to develop a tumor?
“Stephen?” a voice piped from the doorway. “You... Okay?” America was half peaking from the doorway.
He as still somewhat hunched. He stood up and straightened out. “Your pancakes gave me stomach cramps.”
She gapped. “Youre kidding! What do you need? A tums?” He could tell she bought it with her slightly condescending, joking tone. “No chocolate chips next time, old man?”
Stephen scoffed but was stumbling to come up with a comeback. All he could manage was a slightly gravled, “shush you. Let's go before I change my mind.”
“Well wait, are you really hurting? I mean, we could go tomorrow.” She chewed the bottom of her lip and shrugged as she spoke.
“I'm fine kid, let's go.”
A crease formed between her eyebrows as she raised her hand. Before, they'd be hesitant to open a portal anywhere indoors, as it was likely any furniture would be sucked in along with it.
Now her training helped keep the blue sparks controlled, bits of gold flickered as a star shape took form between the eye window and the sofa. “Vola!” America beamed, after seeing the slightly familiar shuffle of ultron-bots marching down a shiny hallway.
“Stay close,” Strange murmured before America started forward. This was one of his lesser ideas, though he couldn't discount that this Christine, other Christine, may have the information they needed.
“I have really been craving this world’s pizza balls,” America whispered beside him. They were slinking through the hall. It looked as though the main lobby was partially closed for reconstruction, remnants of the past lingering like an aftertaste.
Strange rolled his wrist and through the portal they could see Christine’s back. She was concentrating on the clipboard in her hands, scribbling something down before turning.
She was standing in a different room this time, a white lab with encased tubes of glowing particles lining the table. A tiny monitor was connected by wires to each cylindrical casing. She hadn't yet noticed them until turning around. Yelping in surprise, Christine dropped her the board with a clatter.
“No. No, you two should not be here.” Her tone was reprimanding but she couldn't quiet get her expression to match. She looked relieved almost.
“It was the kid’s idea,” Stephen deadpanned, momentarily lost in the gleam in Christine’s eyes--Jesus, how sappy was he? He knew he missed her, but being in the same room again made his chest ache.
America flashed a smile and said charmingly, “we're here to kidnap you.”
Christine narrowed her eyes once before reaching down to pick up her clipboard. “I have work to do.”
“It'll be quick,” America promised, warming up her puppy dog eyes. Christine looked uneasily between the two of them, surely they'd get into more trouble without her there.
She let out a sigh and set her clipboard down by the glowing pink particles, nodding along and kicking herself for befriending yet another Strange.
America and Strange gave almost identical smiles of success before America turned on her heel and began forming a portal.
“Thats new,” Christine commented as swirls of gold left an opening in her lab. She could see the gentle waves of manicured grass with the piles of off white petals blanketing beneath the naked trees.
Stephen felt a swell of pride at the comment, but couldn't resist tsking, “she has a great teacher.”
Christine rolled her eyes before following America through the portal.