Chapter 5
Earth 838 had an equivalent to Central Park, but their’s was far superior in just about every aspect. Live music floated through the square. Kids ran through the trees, plumes of fallen petals in their wake.
Various smells wafted through the air and America was clearly on the straightest path to what she really came here for.
Those goddamn pizza balls.
Christine and Stephen walked a few feet behind her, silently enjoying each others company, despite the overall weirdness in the situation.
“So, what’ve the two of you been up to?”
“Oh you know, saved the world a couple times, got some Thai food, the usual.” They passed a small group playing various stringed instruments. A violin carried on as they trailed in America’s footsteps.
Christine glanced between the two of them. “She’s been training to be more like you?”
“God no,” Stephen laughed. “At least I hope not.” There was a moment of silence between the two of them, Christine flashing him a knowing look before Stephen added, “better than me. She's training to be better.”
She pursed her lips and waited for the group of people with ‘I heart NY’ shirts to pass as they gawked at Stephen, murmuring about cosplay and how cool the city is. “How are you doing with everything?”
There it was. His opening. He could ask the burning questions about her Stephen and what the Darkhold did to him or about their newfound quest to find the TVA.
He went with the latter.
“I'm good. We've gotten into more of a routine, which has helped.” His attention flicked forward to assure that the bob of curls was still in eye sight. America was beelining towards a cart.
“Why am I sensing a but?”
Stephen quipped his brow, ignoring the second string of people who not-so-discretely were snapping pictures. “Do you know anything about the TVA?”
A crease formed between her eyebrows when they pinched together. “The Time Variance Authority? We’ve encountered them once. Why do you ask?”
Stephen felt a knot in his stomach. “America said people claiming to be the TVA had followed her through a few multiverses.”
Her lips thinned before she glanced over at America worriedly. “They aren’t people you want to mess with. Our Stephen was nearly taken by them.”
A swarm of worry buzzed inside his chest. He swallowed against the lump in his throat. “Do you know where I can find them?”
“We haven’t been able to locate where they operate. We expected them to show up after our Stephen caused the incursion but they didn’t.” Christine and Strange had momentarily stopped as a group shuffled in front of them. “They’re supposedly meant to protect the timeline.”
“A timeline which America frequently messes with,” Stephen murmured, the dull ache returning to his temples.
Up ahead, America had sauntered to the vendor on the edge of Central Park, just as the hunched over man stood and set out a folded sign which read:
Sold Out of Pizza Balls!
Her shoulder dropped. “This is my villain origin story,” she grumbled. The vendor tried to convince her to buy nachos or a hot dog but she slumped away from him, turning to find Stephen again.
Only they weren’t right behind her. A spike of panic shot up her spine and twisted her stomach.
They must’ve gotten distracted by something, she assured herself. Her palms started to sweat and she gave them a quick wipe before starting to walk towards the crowd.
Don’t panic. Don’t panic. Don’t panic.
She could feel her heart increasing in quick punches against her clenching chest. Her throat was tightening.
America turned in a circle, feeling encased in a wall of people, completely surrounded. Trying to breathe through the creeping anxiety, America broke through the sea of bodies and stalked over to a fountain.
He could find her here, she told herself. America sat on the edge and peered back at the large group of people. Surely, a man in robes and a cape would stand out more.
Don’t panic. Don’t panic.
America peered at the fountain. A statue of Captain Marvel spewed water from her open palms. The water had a faint glow of orange as large, scaly coy fish swam along the edges of the statues base. America controlled her breathing while watching the tail fins glide, just barely grazing the surface.
“America!” A voice called out against the backdrop of music and murmurs. She perked her head and stood as the two made eye contact. Stephen strode down the small decline of grass. “What was my condition?” His tone was abrasive and America immediately felt her cheeks redden as she glanced between Strange and Christine.
Christine still looked worried.
Relief turned quickly back into panic. Don’t panic. “I-I…” she was stammering, holding her arm across her body. America was not often under Stephen’s hardened stare and didn’t know what to do except squirm uncomfortably.
His voice lowered into something painfully sharp, “I told you to stay close.”
Tears were gripping her lashes. She wiped her cheeks and felt buried under embarrassment. “I turned and you guys were gone.”
She couldn’t hold eye contact anymore and stared at her shoes instead. They were scoffed and speckled with stains, far more interesting than the surgical dissection that Stephen was doing to her with his gaze. “Time to go,” he snapped. A moment later he had opened a portal back to Christine’s lab and ushered the two of them through.
There was a coldness now that wasn’t there before. Christine gingerly grabbed her clipboard again and offered a sympathetic look to America.
“Thanks for the walk, Christine,” Stephen said earnestly. The awkwardness on the situation wasn’t lost on anyone. He turned and barely missed America’s sullen face before she started towards the door.
Once they were back in the hall, America sniffled and closed her eyes, concentrating.
There was a blue flicker.
Then nothing. Silence, if not for the mechanical shuffle of feet in the distance. America huffed in disagreement.
“Let’s go kid,” Strange coaxed. The bite in his voice had yet to wear off.
She felt anger boiling in her stomach. Her jaw clenched. Again, she held up her hand, wetness accumulating beneath her eyes.
A small star shape emerged, stuttering to fully open. She held it for a moment, struggling before the blue dissolved into nothing.
Stephen sighed beside her. Annoyance bleeding into the left over rage and worry. America ground her teeth together.
“You’re the only one that can get us home,” he reminded. She wasnt focused enough. “America--”
“I’m trying! Okay! Get off my back about it.” She snapped, noticing the upside down T form between his two eyebrows. “You’re stressing me out, okay?”
“I'm stressing you out?” He bellowed sarcastically in the empty hall, putting his hands on his hips. “Open the damn portal, America.”
She scrunched her nose and grimaced, drawing all her energy from the pit of her stomach, feeling it climb up her chest and erupt through her finger tips.
The blue intermingled with the gold in a massive star. The floors and walls reflected back a glow of light.
The two silently stalked towards it, recognizing the layout of their Sanctum. America distanced herself as soon as her foot touched the hard flooring. The star closed behind Stephen.
He let out a chest full of air before saying, “clearly, you need more training.”
Her fists were balled at her sides. Why was he angry with her? He had to know she didn't deliberately loose them. Frustration made her body tense. “Maybe I should just stay at Kamar-Taj tonight.”
Strange’s chest coiled tightly. Say no. Just apologize for overreacting. He didn't want her to leave. He could hardly breathe when he realized he couldn't see her anymore in the park. His brain had worked against him and conspired about a thousand different scenarios that could've happened to her. Instead of saying anything that might've benefited the situation, Stephen hissed, “that sounds fine with me.”
America felt her inside twist and knot. That wasn't supposed to be what he said.
Maybe he hadn't wanted her here at all.
“Good!” She threw back, feeling like her skin was peeling off her body.
“Great!” Stephen matched, subsequently deflating as soon as America scrunched her nose and stomped towards the door. He could hear her rustling in her bedroom for a few minutes before silence.
It took him awhile of skulking and trying to distract himself with books before he checked her bedroom. Sure enough, she had haphazardly strewn her blanket on the bed and left a few pieces of clothing out, though America was gone.
Leaving Strange alone again in the Sanctum.