Are You Happy?

Stephen and America fell through multiple realities, multiple dimensions and multiple universes, each a different kind and each as disorienting as the last. It felt like forever to Stephen, but it was only a matter of moments. 

Stephen and America came crashing onto the floor in a heap, gasping for breath. 

“You okay?”Stephen asked as soon as he gained his bearings. 

“You saved me.”

“I hope so.” Then Stephen remembered what he had done. He got to his feet unsteadily. “TONY! TONY? TONY WHERE ARE YOU?”

“He’s probably not here.”

Stephen turned to the child, but he couldn’t admonish her. He could clearly tell he wasn’t. He was just about to ask something when the overwhelming urge to puke took over him. He quickly ran to a chimney and threw it all up. 

“I was wondering why you didn’t do that.”

Stephen spat the last bits of it out and got himself settled. The cloak tried to wipe his mouth for him but Stephen batted it away. His heart was far too frantic at the moment. “America, where are Tony and Spider-man?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“I don’t know how to open a portal. They just happen when I’m scared.” 

Stephen’s heart was beating too rapidly. With everything he had seen while he was falling through universes, and it was not good things, he feared for what kind of situation he may have thrown Tony into. 

“Please America, you gotta figure it out, kid. Open a portal. Tony and Spider-man are in danger. Wong is alone back there with Wanda and I’m the only hope he has.” To be fair Wong could probably hold his own. It was Tony and Spider-man that was his priority at the moment. 

“I can’t control them.”

Stephen was slowly losing his patience. “YOU MUST BE ABLE TO CONTROL IT SOMEHOW! EVEN I COULD-” Stephen stopped abruptly when he saw the way America’s breath picked up and how she slowly backed away from Stephen.

Stephen needed to compose himself. He needed to do better. So he took a deep breath and set his hands down. “I’m sorry.” Stephen turned and faced the beautiful skyline, trying to grapple through ideas. 

“What about this universe’s version of you? Maybe she can control her powers?”

“This universe doesn’t have a me.” 

“What?”

“None of them do.”

“Well, how do you know that?” America was shooting down another one of his ideas right before his very eyes.

“Because I’ve looked.” The girl was forlorn. “And, cause I never dream.”

Stephen was shocked. He was in utter disbelief. He let out a sharp sigh, trying to convince himself that Tony and Spider-man were okay. They had to be. 

“It’s okay kid. Even if you did get me back there, I have no way of defeating Wanda.”

“What about the book of Vishanti?”

“What about it?”

“Other you thought it could help stop whatever was after me.”

“Well, other me is not here. And I don't know where to start, so unless there’s another…”

They both looked up at each other in surprise. America concluded. “We need to go find-”

“Other, other me.”

They made their way down. Not before Stephen tried making a portal to their universe. It was futile. He had managed to power the ring enough to be able to travel across the universe and through different dimensions. But not enough to travel through universes. 

Stephen marvelled at the state of New York. “Why’d we end up in New York, kid?”

“I must have been thinking about the last safe place I’d been in. That was Tony’s tower. So…”

Stephen looked around, noting the clear absence of any Stark Tower, or even Avengers Tower. There was a rather tall building with a four on it, but Stephen assumed it must be a new station. Most of the buildings had greenery growing all around them, and Stephen took in a deep breath, enjoying the burst of fresh air. 

He was just about to cross the street when America pulled him back from becoming a flat pancake in two seconds. “They go on red?” Stephen asked, pointing at the clearly red traffic light. 

“Dude, rule number one of Multiversal travel. You know nothing.”

Stephen nodded and waited till the sign became red. Once it did they walked and Stephen turned to ask America, “So, what’s rule number two?…” But the girl wasn’t beside him, and Stephen turned in full three sixties trying to find her, his heart beating out of his chest. 

“AMERICA?”

A hand on his shoulder had him sighing in relief. His face grew slack. “Rule number two, find food. Preferably pizza.” 

Stephen was exasperated. He reminded himself that this was precisely why he never had any kids, but with that thought came the image of Spider-man and Stephen furrowed his eyebrows. When his own thoughts confused him, he knew something suspicious was up.

He brushed his thoughts aside. “How’d you pay for that?”

“It was free. Food’s free in most universes. It’s weird that you guys have to pay.” America scrunched her nose, and then took a giant bite of her pizza pop. 

“Hey, hey, you didn’t pay for that.”

“Oh crap, maybe it’s not free.”

“Pizza Poppa always gets paid.” Stephen decided that then was a good time to step in.  

“Alright Pizza Poppa, ease off. She’s just a kid.”

The old man glanced at Stephen and his expression morphed into one of amusement. “Oh hey, great cosplay you got going on there. You even look like him.” The man came forward and started feeling up his cloak. “Where’d you get the cape from? Feels authentic.”

“It’s a cloak. And I strongly advise you to let go.” the Doctor said, snatching his friend away from the stranger’s hands.  

The old man sneered, “You took this whole suit from the Strange Museum didn’t ya?”

“The Strange Museum?”

 “You’re a taker. Why don’t you take some mustard?” That was about when Stephen had enough. He was glad to see his magic was still working, as he froze the man and proceeded to make him beat himself up. 

“C’mon it’s not permanent.”

“How long till it wears off?”

“About three weeks.” he smirked as America called out ‘Cool’ in a drawn-out syllable. 

“How many universes have you been to?”

“Uh, seventy-two? Seventy-three counting this one.”

“That- that’s a lot.” Stephen stepped onto a circular platform and it lit up. 

“Welcome to Memory Lane.” A voice said, reminiscent of arcade games. “Replay your significant memories now at a discounted price. We remember so that you never forget.” A blue scan ran through his body, and Stephen stared at the screen before him. 

Stephen, a slightly younger version of him, was walking into a restaurant, in casual clothing he normally would never entertain. This was obviously so he could go unnoticed, but that hope was quickly thrown out the window when Tony Stark revealed himself at the head table, waving spastically and calling his name out. 

“Dr Wizard. Oi Bones, I’m here, C’mon.”

Stephen groaned as he took his seat, and was immediately swarmed by a horde of fans wanting to take pictures. Tony smiled charmingly and Stephen merely sighed before staring straight ahead and tilting his shoulders for the pictures. 

“Oh c’mon doc, you’re a magic man, at least make a bunny.” Tony made a small peace sign that he wiggled to represent the movements of a bunny, and Stephen curled his eyebrow. With one small flick of his hand, orange sparks flew about and a realistic bunny appeared in the air, made of orange light. It hopped from one place to the other between their fans and the children and they laughed with wonder. 

They all posed for a picture until the waiting staff shooed them away and apologised. Once they were gone, Tony turned towards Stephen with a petulant pout. 

“Fucking show-off.”

“You’re the one who said conjure a bunny.”

“I didn’t say that asshole.”

“Po-tay-to. Po-tah-to. I give the people what they want.”

“Tony mumbled something under his breath. “Not all the people.”

“I’m sorry what?”

“Nothing!” Tony piped, and Stephen let the matter go as Tony grabbed the menu.”You’ve gotta try the mantis Shrimp here Strange. They serve it with this beautiful sauce that’s got like…spices in it and stuff.”

“Spices in it?”

“I don’t know shit about cooking okay. Cut me some slack.”

“Ah yes, billionaire Tony Stark always has his chefs no?”

Tony huffed out a laugh. “Well yeah. But also, I may be good with machines, but when it comes to calculations for food, I’m always lacking. I end up adding too much thinking ‘Ah can’t have too much of anything right? It’ll only enhance the flavour’ and then boom, a smoking pot of hot chilli that can power three nuclear missiles.” The pair of them cackled like boisterous school children, and Stephen was amazed at the progress that Tony and he had made so far. 

Stephen thought that surely after the events of the Blip, after Tony lost not only on Titan but also all his dear ones on Earth, including Pepper, Rhodey and Happy; Tony could never forgive Stephen. 

And in those two years that Tony worked tirelessly to figure out time travel, Steve Rogers was by his side, nurturing the friendship they had once lost, and reintegrating the trust that had been broken. 

They grew close. Became the dearest of friends, bonding over their loss and their shared will to return the world to its proper stature. Tony had gained a tidbit of happiness to make up for the gaping hole in his heart left by the absence of those he loved. But the bitter taste of betrayal no longer tormented him, and he saw allies in those he once considered mortal enemies. 

And then, Steve too was ripped away. Taken by their war, by the very one that Stephen had laid out bare for them. And Tony raged by the knowledge that Stephen knew this was going to happen. That another person Tony had grown close to was bound for death. The man was traumatised by the fact. He hated it, considering himself a bad charm for anybody who had the misfortune of coming by him. For months he locked himself away in a cabin in the woods. 

But curiously, he only let one person visit him from the fighters of the battle against Thanos, other than his previous loved ones. 

And that was Stephen. The doctor was allowed to visit and tend to the weary heart of Tony through sheer conversation and banter. Over months they took their talks and somewhat therapy to restaurants and cafes. On many occasions, Tony would joke about it being a date, but Stephen was quick to brush him aside. 

In truth, Stephen would have loved for these visits to be dates, but it was so ingrained in his brain that he did not deserve it, that he remained in denial. 

But at the moment, watching his memory play out before him, Stephen was finding it hard for him to figure out how he didn’t know that they were dates. The look in Tony’s eyes as Stephen rambled about the inner workings of a crawfish and the healing properties of Tilapia skin, Present Stephen gasped as he caught Stark’s gaze. 

The memory screen almost made it look like past Tony was looking directly at present Stephen. 

He bit his lip and seemed thoughtful before he pulled something out from his pocket and turned to past Stephen who was receiving their drinks from the waitress by floating it from the tray. 

Once she was gone and Stephen had taken a couple of sips of his drink, Tony cleared his throat. Stephen looked up with the straw still in his mouth at the older man. “Listen Doc, I actually got you something.”

“What?” Stephen asked surprised, and then rather suspiciously proceeded with his eyes narrowed, “Why?”

Tony chuckled. “Don’t get your cloak in a knot, Strange. Consider it a mark of goodwill. For…for saving my life, and the universe.”

Stephen immediately softened and took the revealed box tentatively. Upon opening it he gasped. “Is this- Holy Vishanti this is a Jaeger Polaris?”

“Titan Black Stainless Steel with-”

“Automatic winding. By the bark of Cerberus. Tony I-”

“It’s actually not all that Jaeger. I may have applied some Stark tech to it. Check this out.” Tony reached forward and pressed the knob on the side of the watch, his hands brushing against Stephen’s slightly. 

Present Stephen held back his mimicked shiver with past Stark. Stephen from the past was too transfixed on the watch to notice anything and Stephen wanted to throw a brick at him.  The watch immediately revealed writing on the back of the face like magic. 

Before reading, Stephen asked, “How?”

“Concealment tech. The same that I use on our drones and my suits.” Stephen nodded and looked down. 

“Time will tell.” Stephen frowned. “Time will tell what?”

“I guess you’ll just have to wait to find out.”

“You know I hate the waiting game Stark.”

“Believe me, so do I. But this one’s worth it.”  Tony winked, but his face immediately fell when Stephen held out the watch to Tony, thinking it was being rejected. Instead, Stephen placed the watch in his hand and extended his wrist, and Tony’s smile reformed as he gently took the doctor’s hand and clasped the watch around it. When he was done, he didn’t let go, his hand still held on to the notch of the watch as he stared at Stephen. 

“Thank you, Tony. This means a lot. I’ll cherish it.”

“I know you will,” Tony said, with a slight air of smugness, but the joy of a satisfied man. 

The image before them suddenly turned From Stephen and Tony smiling at each other as Tony put the watch on him, to numerous flashing images of realities Stephen had witnessed while he was using the Time Stone. 

The problem was that it was most of Stephen’s traumatic memories. 

The ones he was trying to forget. 

Stephen was spiralling. 

And all he could do was watch helplessly. 

“Stephen!” Tony screamed as Thanos aimed a spear made of stone at him. Tony stood in between and got stabbed through, his fearful face the last thing the man saw before he was burned by the Power Stone.

“Stephen!” Tony screamed as the sorcerer battled Thanos with his magic, only to have one of his children stab him in the spine. With the last dredges of his consciousness, Stephen saw Tony be slaughtered by their manpower as he cried, too broken to keep fighting. 

One single finger was all Tony saw, as Stephen sacrificed the man he had grown to love to the snap that would save the world. His charred and mutilated corpse haunted him. But even worse was the fact that he had no place beside him, as Pepper, his wife, cried over his body, and then came for Stephen. Beating him, as he deserved, he told himself. 

A single tear as Tony whispered in Stephen’s ear, “Time…will…tell you…how…much…” And Stephen cried as Tony’s old self passed away from the festering wound on his side. 

And then it all stopped. Stephen hit the floor hard, but he barely felt it, as he was tackled to the ground. The endless stream of gory images in his head finally came to a stop along with the memory screen. America Chavez awkwardly got off the Doctor and gave him a once over. The sorcerer gave her a strained smile, but it did little to assure the girl. 

“Stephen…”

Stephen trembled as he tried to pick himself off the floor, but he couldn’t manage without America’s help. Once he was standing he glanced at the machine with contempt. It had revealed some weaknesses of his in front of the child, and he did not appreciate that. 

But it also made him realise something. Something he was in extreme denial over. By showing him his memories with Tony, all Stephen could think about was how much he loved this man. How much Tony really meant to him right from the start. 

It was Tony. All along. It had always been Tony. Stephen never had this fluttering feeling with Christine. And he would have regretted it, but she was happy, and he…he was only denying himself that happiness. Out of sheer stubbornness. 

Stephen held his wrist where the watch rested. His trembling fingers stroked the face. In all the realities Stephen had seen with Tony beside him, the watch had never made an appearance. It was only in this reality that Tony survived that Stephen was able to have this. And he couldn’t help but be grateful. 

Stephen didn’t know what he’d do in a world without Tony. And yet, as he looked around he found himself wondering how he was going to last in this one. In an alternate universe where Tony could potentially not exist. 

Stephen’s attention was grabbed by America as he gasped softly. He turned to the screen to find a small child that looked a lot like her, playing with the flowers. 

“Where is this?”

“Home.” Two women appeared hand in hand, and America’s eyes watered. “My mothers. Mi amada Madres. ”

Little America gave her mother a flower and received a kiss on the cheek on the forehead. She giggled and continued to look at the flowers. Present America’s face fell as little America picked up a flower and smiled as she presented it to her mothers. 

An unseemly bee came to rest on her hand, and the child shrieked with fright. Her eyes glowed, and her mothers screamed as a portal opened behind them. They reached out to their daughter but were sucked in before they could hold her. Little America too held on to a branch but was overtaken by the power of the portal, being pulled into some unknown universe before it closed. 

America looked torn, but she shook her head and stuttered, “Ye-Yeah you know what? This is just a waste of time.”

“Hey, kid.” Stephen increased his pace to keep up with her and planned his next words carefully. “That was the first time you opened a portal, right?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter. You lost your parents.”

America turned, a look of self-hatred streaking her face. “I didn’t lose them. I killed them.”

Stephen promptly corrected her, “No. No, you did not. Don’t even think that for a second.”

“Okay. I opened a portal with the powers that I can’t control and sent them to a probably deadly universe with no way to escape.” She vehemently defended.

“Look if your moms are anything like their daughter,” Stephen halted and turned to have America’s full attention. “They survived. I’m sure you’ll meet them again someday.”

America’s shoulders fell with relief and she gave him a half-smile. “Not bad.”

Stephen returned it. “Thanks.”

They continued to walk. America followed closely behind him. “That man in your memory bank thing…that was Tony Stark,” she said as a statement. Yet Stephen clarified. 

“Yes, it was Tony. How do you know him?”

“From other you.”

“Right they were together,” Stephen said, with a slight cough. “How did- how did that happen?”

“Well other Stephen didn’t tell me much, but Tony did. You guys didn’t talk a lot at the start. You hated each other’s guts.” Stephen smirked. Guess that was universal. “But then surprisingly it turns out, you made the first move.” Stephen raised his eyebrows at that. 

“Then you got married.” Stephen nodded. “Are you gonna ask your Tony out?”

Stephen coughed into his hand this time, holding back the saliva he had choked on. “What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s pretty obvious you like him.”

“What do you mean it’s obvious?”

“It’s crazy obvious dude. You’re in it bad. Why don’t you ask him?”

“It’s,” Stephen sighed, “It’s complicated.”

“More complicated than being chased through the multiverse by a witch?” America countered. 

Stephen smirked. “Yes actually. It is.” They continued for a bit until they came to a stop by the gaudiest, largest statue Stephen had seen in this place. Right in front of the New York Sanctum. 

A statue of him. 

Stephen squinted his eyes against the rays of light and walked closer to read the plaque. He first noted the lack of a beard on this statue, and then looked. 

‘Doctor Stephen Strange gave his life defeating Thanos. We express eternal gratitude to Earth’s mightiest hero’

America read alongside him, “Gave his life defeating Thanos?”

 “Yeah see. Not all bad.” Stephen answered. 

“If other you’s dead, Who’s the master of the Sanctum?” Just then the doors of the Sanctum swung open and standing in the doorway was the one person Stephen thought, or rather hoped, he’d never have to see again. 

Mordo. 

“Aw shit.” Stephen glared, preparing himself for a fight, flinging his coat to cover the child. 

“You know him?”

“Yeah, Mordo. He’s actually the first guy who let me into Kamar-Taj.”

“Oh great!” America thrilled. 

“...And then he stabbed me in the back and dedicated his life to trying to kill me.”

“Oh,” came America’s less enthused voice. “Great.”

Mordo made his way to them slowly, as he spoke, “I always suspected this day would come.”

“You did?” Stephen challenged. 

“Yes,” Mordo went on in that annoying calm way of his. “Just as you always suspected this day would come.” Mordo came to stand incredibly close to Stephen and the doctor had to hold himself from drawing his face back. Mordo had the makings of a maniacal smile on his face, and Stephen eyed the statue of his other self in wonder.

Mordo smiled. And then he laughed lightly. “My brother.”

Stephen smiled, not believing his stars. Mordo hugged him as he laughed with joy, and Stephen didn’t know what to do with his hands. “Alright,” he quirked his head. He hugged Mordo's back and patted him good-naturedly. 

Mordo suddenly pulled away and spoke deeply, “Come. And tell me everything about your universe.” The man in green walked back to the Sanctum. 

Stephen stood stiffly, his mouth drawn into a placating thin smile. He nodded slightly and turned to America before looking back. There was something peculiar about this entire situation. But Stephen decided to go against his better instincts just this once. “Go on red.”

Once they were in, Stephen noted the way the Sanctum was different. For one, this sanctum was darker and glowed with more of a green aura. And two was the distinct lack of a certain Wong. Stephen felt his absence in the Sanctum like a stab to his heart. 

“Is Wong at Kamar-Taj?”

Mordo turned to Stephen forlornly. “I’m sorry my friend, but Wong did not make it in the battle against Thanos.”

Stephen’s heart did shatter then. The thought of losing his dearest friend was shocking. There had been a time when Stephen barely knew the man, and yet seeing him stabbed through the gut in the decimation of the Hong Kong sanctum was too much for him to bear. He revived him, and he was prepared to pay the reparations for it if it meant having his friend by his side. 

But to lose him to Thanos. Stephen was sure he fought bravely, and he bowed his head with sorrow.  Then he caught himself. He needed to remind himself that this was not his universe, and these were not his loved ones. This was not his Mordo. His Mordo was out there to kill him. And his Wong desperately needed his help against the Scarlet Witch. With more resolve, Stephen sat down on one of the armchairs. He noted that it was the very same one that he had been on when talking to Thor all those years ago. 

A student came and served them tea. When he saw Stephen his eyes widened and flitted to the tea quickly before eyeing him with alarm. 

Stephen’s instincts were screaming at him, but he knew he needed to maintain a facade if he wanted to get any information out of Mordo. From what he had gathered this universe’s Stephen was dead, and Mordo was the Master of the New York Sanctum. Making him a powerful sorcerer. He was the only one who had the potential to help them. And considering his words from earlier, it seemed that he knew they were coming all along. Like he was prepared for it. That meant he knew about Multiversal travel, and that meant there must be more information about it in a tome or ancient scripture. Stephen just needed to get his hands on it. 

“How did you defeat Thanos in your Universe?”

 “We were dusted for two years, and when we returned there was a grave battle. Captain America sacrificed his life using the infinity stones to wipe out Thanos’ army. That’s how our universe was saved.”

“What was your part in the great war?” Stephen shrugged. 

“I was the guardian of the Time Stone. I used it to go through the possible futures and see the potential ones we won. And then I carefully orchestrated the fight.” Mordo’s face fell for a second and Stephen geared up. He had just revealed that he had used the Time Stone in a way that was against the natural law. It was precisely the same thing that got his universe’s Mordo against him. Stephen was testing to see if this Mordo would be the same. 

Perhaps it was a little rash, but as Mordo’s careful eyes eased up again, he let out a sigh of relief into his cup of tea.

“You are quite a powerful defender then.”

“More like an Avenger.”

“What’s that?” 

Stephen opened his mouth, but then shut it and shook his head. “Nevermind. We are currently trying to evade the Scarlet Witch.”  

Mordo nodded sagely and Stephen tried to decipher whether he knew that name. “But I gather it was not you that figured Multiversal travel is it?”

Stephen nodded slightly. “No, it was her.”

“And who are you child?” Mordo gestured to America. The girl looked at Stephen nervously, and Stephen gave her a curt nod. 

“I’m America Chavez.”

“And you are quite formidable too it seems. A Multiversal traveller.” Mordo seemed overly fascinated. “How did you come by this universe?” Stephen squinted his eyes, catching onto Mordo’s ploy. He was asking America, the young one in the room, the hard-hitting questions, fully expecting her nerves to play in his favour and give him the truth. 

“I don’t know. I can’t control my powers…yet.” She added as she caught Stephen’s eye. Mordo’s face gave away nothing. He simply smiled once more and pointed at Stephen. 

“Well thank the stars you brought Doctor Strange to safety.” Mordo’s tone could have been taken two ways. Given his actions, it would seem like simple praise, but given Stephen’s past with him, it seemed more like glorified mockery.

“Well just because we jumped ship, doesn’t mean we’re safe. Our Wanda has the ability to conjure demons and monsters to attack America in other universes.”

Mordo immediately sat forward. “So she has the DarkHold.”

Stephen mimicked his stance. “You know of the DarkHold?”

“Yes, we have a DarkHold in this universe too. I guard it here in this Sanctum” he eyed Stephen incredulously. “We would never risk a weapon that dangerous falling into the wrong hands.” 

Stephen muttered, “Damn right.”

“If your DarkHold is anything like ours, I’m afraid she can do far worse than just summon monsters.” Stephen sipped his tea and furrowed his brows at Mordo. 

America’s expression was a lot like his. “What do you mean?” her tone held the tinge of fear she always got when she was faced by the witch. 

With a sombre tone, Mordo spoke, “There is a spell, contained within those pages,” Mordo looked up at the lights that dimmed and the candles that flickered with his words. Stephen watched carefully as well, taking in all the details. What he failed to notice was Mordo’s eyes, which were now on him. “Corrosive to the soul.” His voice fell.

“A desecration of reality itself.” At those words, Stephen looked back at Mordo. Those were the very same words that his universe’s Mordo said before leaving. “Dreamwalking.”

 All the candles went out.  “A dream walking sorcerer projects their own consciousness from their universe into another. Possessing the body of an alternate self. They may puppeteer this unholy doppelganger and pursue their enemies from afar.” Mordo’s voice was barely above a deadly whisper, and it only urged the dread creeping up Stephen’s spine as the true nature of how much danger they were in, how much danger this universe was in, set in. 

“The possession is not a permanent connection between the two realities. But in the fleeting time they dreamwalk,  they can do irrevocable damage to the universe they invade. So it may not be a demon you face. It may be the Scarlet Witch.”

Stephen had stopped breathing. It was entirely possible that in her search for America in the universes, Wanda might come across the one that Tony and Spider-man fell into. The potential damage she could cause, the havoc and pain to Stephen’s loved ones, to his very soul, terrified him. Oddly enough, he found his cruel self praying for her to find them on the first go.

“But,” America asked, “Why didn’t she do that in the beginning?”

Stephen’s eyes were still blown wide as he revealed, “because that was her being reasonable.”

Stephen gathered himself and strengthened his voice before turning to Mordo. “What do you know of the book of Vishanti?”

“The DarkHold’s antithesis?” Mordo smiled. And just as quickly, the smile fell. “It can give a sorcerer whatever power they need to vanquish their enemies.” 

Stephen was assured in his plan, so he quickly stood up as he said, “ I need your help wit- ugh-the-pssh.” Stephens’s words died on his tongue as the room spun. Stephen knew what anaemia was supposed to look like and he was fairly certain he didn’t have it. And as the room swirled, he came to the abrupt realisation, especially with the way Mordo stood with him and had a grim sneer, that he was drugged.

“I’m sorry Stephen,” Mordo’s booming voice came. “But I hope you of all people realise that it’s not Wanda Maximoff that threatens our reality. It’s the two of you.” His deepened voice finished.

Stephen tried to summon his magic to cleanse his system as America asked something. She quickly passed out, but Stephen fought it to the best of his abilities. “You son of a bitch.”

Stephen knew he shouldn't have trusted the man. He staggered backwards and dropped the cup of tea. He fell and saw the Sand of Vishanti before him. An idea was in the recesses of his mind, if only he could grasp it. 

“I’m only acting, as you would.”

“She’s coming.” That was all Stephen could say before darkness consumed him. 

“Hey!”

“HEYY!”

What was that incessant thudding sound? Stephen got up groggily off the hard floor, wondering where he was first, and trying to gain back the facilities of his mind. Everything was too bright, too blue, too much. Stephen groaned and got to his feet unsteadily. He turned to find America is the source of the banging sound. Once he stood up, she turned to him and threw her hands up in frustration. “This universe sucks.” They were in large glass boxes, like some science experiments. 

Stephen walked in a circle and he immediately noticed one thing. A missing weight.

“Cloak?”

 Stephen panicked and formed his hands into the position that could locate it for him. He noticed the glowing green cuffs on him, and yet. He strained to call for his magic, trying to feel the connection between him and that blooming, reassuring warmth that was always inside him. His potential, his connection to the dimensions, his magic. 

He found nothing. Not like there was a stopper to it, or a lock, but rather a complete erasure of it. Rendering him helpless, and with it came an exacerbated fear. 

He flung his hands and gave up on the endeavour. He looked around and then found two people, a man and a woman standing outside the glass, both with their backs turned to him. He knocked on the glass to grab their attention. “Hey, Hey! Where the hell are we?”

 When he received no answer, he continued to reason. “Look I don’t know who you are or what you think you’re trying to do here, but these situations don’t usually work out well for the nameless scientist so just-” His words stopped abruptly and his mocking smile dropped as both turned to reveal Stephen's horror.

Christine. In all her radiant beauty, with fiery red hair as opposed to her dulled one in his universe and a youthful glow to her. Looking at him like he was a bore. She never looked at him like that. She always found him interesting, even when he was being a dick. 

And worst of all. 

Tony. Tony Stark. His Tony, looking so much like his, it was uncanny. Save for one glaring difference that accompanied his Black Sabbath t-shirt under a lab coat. 

Tony was sneering at him. With a look so full of hatred, it smacked the wind out of Stephen’s lungs with bafflement. 

“Tony? Christine?”

 Tony rolled his eyes and walked away to look at some calculations behind a monitor. Christine caught his eye as if she had lost a bet, and then sighed before looking back at Stephen. She shrugged and bobbed her head, completely unimpressed. “Hello, Stephen.”

America let out a soft curse, “ Ay Dios. ” That prompted Christine to look at her, with her hands clasped together professionally. 

“Miss Chavez.”

Stephen swallowed past the lump in his throat, his eyes completely fixated on the man behind Christine. Tony was…well he looked healthy. He notably didn’t have a metal arm. He had less grey hair to him, but even behind a computer screen, the signature sadness that plagued his eyes and drooped his eyelids to cover their youthful shimmer was there. 

And Stephen wanted to beg to know what happened. His heart aching for his own Tony. 

“And to answer your question, the two of you, along with your sentient cloak, are in a highly secure research facility. You are to undergo surveillance and testing.”

“Um, uh-” Stephen forced his eyes off of Tony. “Testing?”

“Well yes,” Christine said as she looked at some statistics that another researcher brought in. “You are visitors from another universe. Your magnetic signatures could be radioactive.” Stephen nodded. That was reasonable. “You may be carrying diseases we just don’t have treatments for.” Christine circled her hands in the air. “Hence these amazing polycarbonate fishbowls.”

Stephen held his cuffed hands out. “I assume I have you to thank for these?”

“No. That would be Mr Stark’s engineering skills at play there.” Christine gestured at Tony who still wouldn’t adamantly look up from his screen. When no one spoke, he merely created a ‘carry on’ sign with his hand. Christine nonchalantly continued. “He developed those using the Sands of Vishanti. One of the 838 Stephen’s magical relics.”

Stephen huffed, “838 Stephen? What is that? Some kind of cyborg me?”

Christine still looked like Stephen was the dullest creature she had ever met in her life, but now the added annoyance similar to that of a scholar answering a dumb student’s question came into the mix. “Our universe is 838 and we’ve designated yours 616.”

“Wow, y’all sure must know a lot about the Multiverse if you’ve got someone going around naming realities.”

“Yes.” A new voice piped up. Tony stepped away from the machine he was working on and came to stand beside Christine. He folded his arms and glared at Stephen. “Me.”

Christine continued,“I’m a senior developer at Mr Stark’s development facilitation, and Mr Stark and I specialise in Multiversal research and mechanics respectively.”

Christine walked around to another screen and Stephen reluctantly followed her movements as Tony stood still. “So,  how did you end up working here in this facility of all places?”

“Well, I volunteered. At your funeral.” Stephen nodded and he caught the reflection of Tony on his box looking down at those words. Stephen turned to him this time. 

“What about you?” he addressed other Tony, okay Stark. Stephen was going to call him Stark. Stark returned his eyes from the spot he was glaring at on the floor, to glare once more at Stephen. 

“You will not speak to him. You have no right.” Stephen turned to Christine. Her tone was protective almost. Like the way she got when she was defending his callous actions in the hospital. Stephen furrowed his brows. 

“Why not?”

Christine opened her mouth like she was going to answer, but instead shut it after looking to the side. “Nevermind that.” She instead turned to a screen in her hands. “Your injuries are similar but not identical.” Stephen saw that she had a scan of his hands. She flicked the screen to display it on the glass in a larger form and Stephen saw the distinction. 

He smiled thinly and then shook his head. He gave Tony one glance before he asked Christine. “What were we to each other in this universe?” He heard Tony let out an incredulous short spurt of laughter and side-eyed him. 

Christine clenched her jaw and looked at Stephen, her eyes were devoid of any remorse or caring emotion. “We never quite figured that out. And we would never get to because we both went our separate ways. I got married…”

“To Charlie?” Stephen scorned. 

Christine tilted her head and bit the inside of her cheek. “To Pepper Potts actually.” Stephen gasped with the information. “What? Never saw that coming in your universe did you?”

“I- I mean. Congratulations. Good for you.” he bowed his head in shame, and then with a soft voice asked. “What-what happened to me?”

“Is that really what matters right now?”

Stephen stood up straighter, mentally berating himself for his oversight. “Christine look, you’ve gotta let us out of here. Everyone’s in real danger. Look, I know you don't- don't know me-”

“And I don’t want to” Christine cut him off briskly. “Whatever I was to you in your universe,” She swept her hands before her, “Does not matter.”

Stephen cocked his head. “Why not?”

Christine sighed like it was the most obvious answer in the world. She placed her hands on her lap as she walked toward him and said, “Because you’re dangerous Stephen.”

Stephen squatted down to be at level with Christine. “Someone from our universe wants that girl. She’s going to rip this place apart atom by atom until she gets what she wants.” Stephen hardened his voice. “So I don’t care if you’re from the Avengers or SHIELD-”

“We’re neither.” Mordo’s voice broke through the steady agitation forming in the room. He was surrounded by a bunch of robots that looked like the Ultron bots from years ago. Stephen stood up and eyed Stark, who refused to meet his. 

“Well what then? HYDRA?”

“The Illuminati,” Mordo enunciated. “Will see you soon Stephen Strange. I suggest you get your case in order.”

“The Illuma-what-i”

Mordo shook his head and called Christine. He whispered something to her. Christine gave Stephen one last cold look, before she walked out with Mordo, leaving Stephen with the one person he both desired and dreaded being with. 

With a deep breath, he turned to Stark, only to find him leaning against a stand, facing Stephen already with his arms and legs crossed. 

Stephen didn’t say anything. He took in the man’s icy gaze and tried to find a smidge of care or warmth in them. The one that he was familiar with recently. The one that kept him assured and safe. 

But he found nothing. 

Stephen broke the silence first.

“Are you Iron Man in this universe?”

“Is that what I am called in yours?” There was a hint of curiosity in Stark’s voice, and Stephen latched onto it, hoping to pry it open to reveal something better. 

“Yes. You’re called Earth’s mightiest hero. Earth’s first modern superhero. Iron Man.” For a second Stark looked like he was going to ask more, and then his face broke out into another grumpy expression. 

Stephen sighed loudly and turned to America instead. He placed his hand on the glass. "How you doing, kid?" 

"I'm okay. I just hope they don't turn me into a living science experiment." She said, a little fear and disbelief mingling in her tone. Stephen looked to Tony, wondering if this universe's version of him was potentially evil. 

Stephen decided to probe a little. "Why isn't there an Avengers tower here?" 

"What's the Avengers?" Stark asked. 

Stephen closed his eyes with frustration. "How about we play a game?" Stephen hoped he could appeal to Stark's playful side. But instead the man  immediately stormed forward and banged his hand on the transparent cage. 

"Look Strange. I don't know what we are to each other in your universe, but if you think for a second that I'm going to play your silly games and dilly dally to your whims, you're dead fucking wrong." Stark seethed, his nostrils flaring and his eyes so distant and cold. 

Stephen was taken aback. He stood flabbergasted. Stark seemed to realise what his sudden outburst looked like. He cleared his throat and backed up, going back to the monitors while Stephen fell to the ground with a thump. 

"I just-" Stephen didn't know where to proceed from here. Stark's hostility towards him could very well be deserved. For all Stephen knew, maybe in this universe Tony and Stephen didn't get along. Garnering an enmity that parred the Multiverse. "You've gotta understand. We're helpless right now. And she's just a child. Wanda's coming for her, we're stranded in a universe we know nothing of…it's terrifying." Stephen decided to let his vulnerability seep through, knowing that no matter what universe they were in, Tony would always be a good man. He had to believe that. 

Stark glared at the monitor, tapping away furiously until he calmed down. With a deep breath, he looked at Stephen and then let out an exasperated sigh. He rolled up a chair and sat in front of Stephen's box. 

"Alright Strange. I'll bite. Tit for tat. Question for an answer. I'll start. How did you defeat Thanos?" 

Stephen nodded, slightly put off by the number of times this question was being asked. " Captain America sacrificed his life by snapping away Thanos and his army with the infinity gauntlet." 

"Captain America? Who the fuck is Captain America?" Stark wondered out loud. 

"Uh uh. My turn." On his part, Stark gracefully conceded, motioning for Stephen to go ahead. Stephen narrowed his eyes and took in Stark. He decided to go for the zinger. "What were we to each other in this universe?" 

Stark's posture immediately changed where he was lounging on the chair to a closed-off rigid pose. " Ask me another question." 

"But this is what I want-" Stephen took in the pained expression on Stark's face. He was reminded of the fact that this universe's Stephen Strange was dead. Looks like he hit a sore spot. "Alright," he let go.  "Again. Are you Iron Man in this universe?" 

Stark's expression, if it was possible, dropped even more. " No." He answered. "Not anymore." 

"What happened?" 

Stark didn't answer. Instead, he looked up and sized Stephen Strange up. "Tell me Strange, are you still a self-obsessed know-it-all jerk in your universe?" 

Stephen could have taken offence to it, but he decided to play it safe. "I have my days." 

“You mean like all of them?”

"HEY!" America bellowed, stealing both men's attention. "This Stephen's different from the other Stephens. He's better. So you've gotta stop man. And just let us out." 

Stark was bemused as he looked at the child. Stephen felt dread crawl up his spine at the possibility that this Tony Stark could very well not be a friendly. When Stark stood up to walk to the girl's cell, Stephen banged his wrists on the pane despite how much it hurt. "No, Stark. Tony, please. Don't do anything to her, she's just a kid." 

But Tony only walked up to her cell and leaned close to where her face was. And in a tone that held so much seasoned venom, he said, "He always seems different. Better. Like he's changed. It's all just to get something out of you. What do you think he's keeping you around for? If he finds the Book of Vishanti and defeats Wanda it'll make him the single most powerful sorcerer in the universe. Do you think he'll let some kid who can't control her powers keep them?" 

America looked frantically between Stark and Stephen, but Tony merely tilted his head to the side with his hands in his pockets. " I know the kind of promises he makes. And they're all always full of shit." 

"Alright Tony Stark," Stephen spat out." Tell me this, who defeated Dormammu in your universe?" 

“Why Strange? Want to gloat? Can't stand not getting the glory?" 

“No one in my universe knows I did except the sorcerers of Kamar- Taj.”

“And that obviously expedited your path to Sorcerer Supreme. All because the Ancient One says so. It was just handed to you, Strange.” Stephen's mouth fell open. 

Tony from his universe had only pried the information about the Ancient One out of his drunk body one evening. Stephen always hid how much influence his mentor actually had upon his life. And the only people who knew…were people he cares about. Stephen didn't want to jump to conclusions, but if this universe's Strange was anything like him…then that meant Stark's dislike for him was personal.

Stark was spitting venom, trying to hit spots  that hadn’t seen the light of day with how carefully they were hidden.  Stephen decided to test his theory. 

“I believe it’s my turn to ask a question.” Stark looked at him,  some form of realisation passing before him. “Who’s Donna to me?”

That got him. Stark’s face immediately caught like a deer in headlights. He was found. Stark was only doing all of this to provoke him. To gain some form of understanding as to what Tony from his universe was to him.  Stephen smiled with his newfound understanding and gestured to the seat before him. Stark reluctantly came and sat back down. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands. 

“What is Tony Stark like in your universe?”

“Who’s self-obsessed now?”

“Hardy har har. Answer the question, Strange.” Stark merely prompted. 

“You were a hero through and through Tony.  You stopped manufacturing weapons and became Iron Man. You saved the world time and time again, and you almost gave your life defeating Thanos. Our universe is very grateful to have you.”

“I didn’t ask who Iron Man was. I asked who Tony Stark was.”

Stephen got it then. Stark wanted to assess what Stephen’s opinion of him was based on his answer. “You- you were a good man Tony. The world beat you down and shattered you time and time again. Obadiah betrayed you, Natasha Romanoff, Steve Rogers, the Avengers…me.” Tony scoffed at that. “But you were loved, Tony. You always were. And over the years, you were able to nurture that kind, selfless, generous and strong man that we always knew you were.” Tony didn’t look up to meet Stephen’s eyes, but his hands rubbed against each other repeatedly. 

“How did we meet each other, Strange?”

“No, you gotta answer that one.”

“Fine, fine. In this universe, we met at a neurological gala. You were the pompous jerk I knew you would be, and I was the arrogant billionaire.” They both laughed a bit, and Stark finally looked up. Stephen immediately furrowed his brows and began to implore. 

“Tony. Please, give me some context. Tell me what happened in this universe. How did this one’s version of me die?”

Once again, just when it seemed like they were making progress, Stark shut off. He stood up hastily and crossed the room like he was going to leave, but Stephen shouted just as he was about to cross the threshold, “Tony Stark!” Stark stopped, his hand, Stephen noted, shaking as he held the frame. “Please Tony.” 

Stark breathed through his nose loudly. Without turning back he spoke, “Do you know how hard it is for me to see you Strange?”

“No. Look Tony, I’m sorry for whatever this universe’s Stephen did to you, but I promise, I would never hurt you.”

Stark scoffed and then he laughed. Softly at first and then hysterically. Head thrown back and mouth wide open as he clutched his stomach. When he turned back around, it was his eyes that caught Stephen by surprise. Gone was the detached icy glare. Now it was full of heat and a deep, dire painful wound. “You said that here too. You promised me you’d never hurt me. It was in your fucking vows. And then- and then you just-” Stephen’s mind was reeling with the information Stark was revealing. But even more important were the tears gathering in Stark’s eyes. 

“What did I- what did he do?” Stephen’s voice quivered. Never again did he want to see such a look on the face of the man he loved. 

Stark was just about to answer, his will wavering, and just then the doors slid open. Mordo walked in with a small entourage of robots. “Stephen Strange, the Illuminati will see you now.”

Stephen’s cuffs attached together as Christine pushed past the robots and stood in the room. She took one look at Tony’s frazzled state and gave Stephen a withering glare before wrapping her arms around the older man. Tony shook his head as Stephen’s fish bowl opened. He wiped the forming tears in his eyes and composed himself. 

“I will accompany you in your escort of Stephen Strange, Mordo.”

“Stark.’ Mordo spoke harshly, “Need I remind you, your position in the Illuminati was rescinded.” 

Stark smiled crookedly, “Look Mordo, he’s the most skilled sorcerer in the universe. If anyone is going to be able to keep him at bay incase of an escape, it’s me. I built the cuffs. I know how they work. And need I remind you Karl Mordo, I am still the owner of this facility and primary benefactor of the Illuminati.” Stark came and stood incredibly close to Mordo’s ear and clapped him on the shoulder. “I’d be careful with my words if I were you. Wouldn’t want the position of Sorcerer Supreme to suddenly be vacated.” Stark’s voice was a dangerous whisper, and it was then that Stephen noticed the silver band hidden underneath his hair. It moved like it was made of flowing matter, and Stephen eyed it curiously. 

Mordo swallowed thickly and then nodded. Stark smirked and motioned for the bots to grab Stephen, before he walked ahead of them with his hands in his pockets. Stephen would be lying if he said that Stark’s small display of power didn’t turn him on. He mentally berated himself. This wasn’t his Tony. He needed to remember that. This was a tortured man, and it seemed like his dead doppelganger was the reason behind it. If Stephen could punch himself, he would. The bot tugged on him harshly, and Stephen was hit with his reality like a freight train. He agitatedly turned to Christine, who was standing beside America’s cage. America looked horror stricken. Stephen smiled at her reassuredly, and then gave Christine a look. “Don’t let anyone hurt the kid.” Stephen couldn’t tell if Christine gave him the slightest nod before he was pulled along.”It’s gonna be okay.” He assured America, taking in her panicked static breathing. He saw Stark standing out front, observing him with his hands in the pocket of his lab coat. He seemed to be playing with something in his pocket, and Stephen wondered what it was. 

Four Ultron bots escorted Stephen. Mordo cut away to make a dramatic entrance from somewhere else, leaving only Stark leading him from the front. Stephen decided to give his attempts at conversation one more go, relying heavily on the spark of emotion he had ignited  in the man earlier. 

“These are Ultron bots right?” Stephen probed. “What happened with it?” Stark gave him one glance, and then sucked his teeth in. 

“Not much. I created Ultron out of Loki’s sceptre after he was killed in the Battle of New York.”

“Wait Loki was killed?”

“Yes. By Thor. Anyways, it was successful. Thus the legion that now protects the world. But after I found out that it was all influenced by Wanda’s manipulation of my mind, though it was successful, I panicked. I needed to create something more powerful incase Ultron ever went rogue.’ Stark paused. He seemed to have an internal battle before he huffed and continued, “With your help, we were able to identify the Mind Stone in the sceptre and I was able to integrate JARVIS’ programming into a being we named Vision. It was- He was the first thing we created together.”

“Wow. And, where is Vision right now?”

“Dead.” Tony’s broken look was one Stephen had seen before. On fathers that had lost their child. It was one that was holding on to the frayed edges of a rope hanging off a cliff. Barely keeping it together. In their universe Tony had shared over one of their lunch…dates- just how much the loss of Vision weighed on his soul. 

“He was so young Stephen. He was all I had left of my past, of the man who actually raised me. Integrating JARVIS into Vision’s body. I was excited to have him in a physical form. But then Vision became a completely different personality, and yet, I loved him. I was so proud, and I couldn't stand the thought of anything happening to him. And yet- he went for Wanda. Fell in love” Tony gave a short burst of laughter, “Fell in love Stephen! He fell in love. And just like that, the next thing I knew, he was gone. I didn’t even get to say goodbye. I couldn’t even collect his body when I was in the hospital, and then I come back to find it missing?”

That was around the time Wanda was being suspected of stealing Vision’s body for her family show in Westview. Tony knew what was going on due to Stephen’s updates. He was beyond frustrated that he couldn't do anything. That he was well out of his depth. Stephen kept reassuring him that Wanda would do the right thing. Tony had asked him if he had seen it in the futures, but Stephen was running on blind faith. It was all he could do to keep Tony from losing it. 

But now, he wished he hadn’t trusted her. He wished he had intervened and stopped her before she grew too powerful with the DarkHold in her possession. If only…

“838 to Strange. Hello Magic Mike.” Stephen was snapped out of his memories by Stark. Stephen looked at him, and then noticed how they were standing before large metal doors. Stark was standing in front of him, and he looked…he looked worried. 

Stephen smiled a little, “Haven’t heard you call me Magic Mike in so long. You seemed to have forgotten it in your vast catalogue of nicknames for me.” Stark looked at him, eyes blown wide, and Stephen kept his smile steady, needing to see the face of the man he loved before whatever was going to happen to him in there. He wasn’t particularly afraid, but he wasn’t too eager to jump in either. 

“Listen Strange.” Stark started. He cleared his throat and wrung his neck, seeming tortured by his words. “Whatever happens in there, just know, nothing is as it seems okay? The whole point of the Illuminati is to incite confusion and mystery. The truth is known to few, and I doubt they’ll tell it to you. They’ll tell you whatever will bait you into being the bad guy and-” Tony sighed frustrated, “ I know, that despite what Stephen from this universe did, you’re not.” As if it was an afterthought Stark mumbled. “Neither was he.” he seemed so forlorn but Stephen could barely reach out to comfort him before the doors swung open and Stark corrected his stance back to that of an indifferent scientist. Stephen was pushed inside and he looked at the bots indignantly. 

 Thus he came face to face with the Illuminati. 

Stark stood to the side, eyes on the ground as a bunch of people clad in typical superhero garb sat on high chairs on an elevated platform. 

“Stephen Strange,” Came Mordo’s voice from where he was pacing behind the chairs. “You are now called before the Illuminati.”  He came to stand in the centre and faced Stephen. “I Baron Karl Mordo, the Sorcerer Supreme-”

“You are?” Stephen asked incredulously, although he had already figured out as much. he ‘d rather go out annoying the man than not. He barely heard Stark smirk from his place, just as he dodged a shield aimed at him that bounced off the wall and returned to its owner. 

Stephen breathless gazed at…Peggy Carter?

She struck a pose, as he studied him. Her suit was similar to that of Steve Rogers in his universe, but her markings were that of the British flag. As was her shield. 

“Captain Carter, first defender of Earth.” Mordo announced. He then gestured towards the man beside the Captain. “Blackagar Boltagon, Keeper of the Terrigen Mists and Inhuman King.” 

Stephen didn’t even bother taking in his ridiculous get up, going for the throat right from the start. If Tony had influenced him in any way, it was by sharpening his tongue and his insulting wit. He’d carry that piece of him with himself everywhere. “Blackagar Boltagar?” Stephen smiled good-naturedly. “Hidaguy Hidader,’ he waved.  Stark hid his face behind his hand, seemingly frustrated, but Stephen heard the almost inaudible snigger that came from him. It was only encouraging him. 

Blackbolt was not amused if his deep, displeased frown was anything to go by. But then again, if Stephen walked around with a fork on his head, he’d be pretty unamused too. 

Mordo went to the other side of the stature. “Captain Marvel, defender of the Cosmos.” A woman sat in what Stephen clearly knew was not his universe’s Captain Marvel costume. The lady dematerialised her mask, to reveal a black woman with calculating eyes. 

Beside her, just as Mordo spoke, a glowing blue square scanned a man into place. “And the smartest man alive. Reed Richards, of the Fantastic Four.”  Stephen looked at the man clad in a blue rubber suit, and then back at Stark who didn’t look as enthused as before. 

“Hmm, got your facts wrong there Baron. Pretty sure the smartest man alive is Tony Stark. In any universe.”

“Ah, maybe in your primitive universe.” Stephen ground his teeth at that. “Well, allow me to properly introduce the man. Doctor Tony Stark.Known by his fanatics as ‘the Superior Iron Man’, but who is rather a former, disgraced member of the Illuminati.” 

Stephen shook his shackles, righteously enraged at Mordo’s blatant disrespect of the Stark. 

Reed Richards placed his hand on Mordo’s forearm, urging him to sit down. He looked like a calm man. Stephen wasn’t one to believe looks anymore though. “Hello Stephen.”

“Didn’t you guys chart in the sixties?” Stephen provoked, only to get a nod of approval and a smirk from the man in blue.Stephen gandered him and this universe’s Stephen must have been in the kahoots. 

Captain Marvel’s voice came rushing in at his words, “I’m sorry, is this a joke to you?”

 “Well there’s a guy there with a fork on his head so, yeah a little bit.” Stephen admitted. The Doctor had faced Dormammu with sheer stubbornness and gall. This pack of wannabe mighty heroes wasn’t going to intimidate him. 

Plus, considering the way Mordo grew pale when Stark spoke to him earlier, he was pretty sure this universe’s Tony Stark didn’t gain the title Superior Iron Man for nothing. He had to be assured in the fact that, if anything happened, Stark would protect him. 

The man dubbed Blackbolt hit his fist on the palm of his other hand and then pointed at him before putting his index finger to his lips. Captain Carter spoke for him, “Be grateful Blackbolt doesn’t engage in conversation.”

“Why? Does he have bad breath?” Stephen had to hold back his grin from the sheer outrage on the superhero’s face. 

“This Strange is even more arrogant than ours.” Captain Carter smirked, and Captain Marvel hummed. 

“Just more alive.” 

Immediately Captain Marvel’s gaze turned predatory. “For now.” Stephen felt Stark tense beside him, and Stephen held back his worry. 

It would be a testament to how heroic these people were if they were so nonchalant about execution. Even earlier, this universe’s Tony Stark seemed bloodthirsty as he threatened Mordo with all his charm. They all gave off auras that held no remorse. If this universe’s Thor was so ready to kill his loving brother Loki, Stephen could only imagine how much worse savage mankind was. 

Reed Richards spoke as the only voice of reason in the room. “Stephen your arrival here, confuses and destabilises reality. The larger the footprint you leave behind, the greater the risk of an incursion.”

“Incursion?” 

“An incursion occurs when the boundaries between two universe’s erodes. And they collide. Destroying one, or both. Entirely.” The severity of the man’s voice, the revealment of yet another worry Stephen had to carry led Stephen to swallow past the lump in his throat. His mouth was dry and his mind immediately drew to his Tony and Spider-man. Had they already faced an incursion? Was he too late?

“Your alternate self created the Illuminati to make difficult decisions no one else could. Today we’re here to determine what to do with you and the child.”

“So,” Captain Marvel continued, “Before we vote, if you got anything serious to say, now’s the time.”

Stephen had had enough of being the entertainment. He put his game face on and stepped forward, squaring his shoulders. He pretended not to hear Stark’s interested hum. “Yeah I do. If it’s incursions you’re worried about, do you seriously think that I’m a bigger threat than the Scarlet Witch?”

“Oh,” Captain Marvel smugly replied. “We can handle your little witch if she decides to dreamwalk.”

“No. No you cannot. Not unless you-”

“Not unless nothing.” Captain Marvel cut him off fiercely. She leaned forward and hooked her chin on her hand, smiling down at him with her eyes narrowed. “Tell me Stephen Strange, how can the Scarlet Witch dreamwalk into this universe?”

“She’ll possess the body of her doppelganger.” Stephen replied, not seeing where this was going. But something was about to come to light. “I need the Book of Vishanti to stop her.”

Captain Marvel sat back and smiled at Captain Carter, almost like they were amused by the shenanigans of a monkey in the zoo. Captain Marvel resumed where Marvel left off, “That means she has a doppelganger here.” Stephen nodded. Captain Carter tilted her head. “Why don’t we let our former defender explain. Doctor Stark?”

Stephen turned to Stark, who looked stricken. He gave Captain Carter one glance, and then looked back at Stephen. He took a deep breath, and began pacing in front of the council like a university lecturer. 

“After Ultron, Wanda Maximoff was deemed dangerous. She went on the run with her brother, but with the help of Kamar-Taj’s ability to track magical signatures, we were able to catch her. They resisted.” Tony looked down, regret painting his features. “She lost her brother in that fight.”

Stephen shook his head. Wanda from his universe had faced immeasurable pain. It was what had led her to take such drastic steps. She was merely reaching out for the last remaining fragment of her happiness. It was all she had, and Stephen felt guilty for having to refuse her of it. 

“She was devastated, but we offered her a deal. Become a defender of Earth and live freely. She took it, trained, and became just that. A powerful witch. A hero. But,” Stark looked up at Stephen, his forehead creased with worry lines. “She fell in love. With Vision. And they went off, got married, and were so sure of their happy ending. That was until Thanos. He came and got the Time Stone off of Wong.” Stephen let out the softest of whimpers at the reminder of his friend’s death in this universe. “ Wanda was forced to kill her lover. And then she watched the man she loved be brought back to life by Thanos, only to be brutally slaughtered again.”

Stephen nodded slowly. “Pretty much how it played out in our universe as well.”

Stark bit his lip. “Yeah this is where it splits. Once we defeated Thanos, Wanda stole Vision’s body. With it, she receded into the mountains and was lost for months. You-” Stark swallowed his mistake, “838’s Doctor Strange was no more. But he had left behind a spell. One that Mordo employed. We tracked her, found out she was living her fantasy family dream, and put an end to it.”

“How? She’s incredibly powerful. There’s no way you could have subdued her.”

“ Our Doctor Strange left behind a spell that could do just that. Strip her of her powers.”

“And where is she now?”

 This time Reed Richards replied. “Safe. And happy. In the mountains.” Stephen cocked his head, suspecting a punchline. What he said next did baffle him. “Being a great mother to her children.”

Stephen shook his head. “That’s- that’s not possible. Her children aren’t real.”

“Yes they are. Stephen, she’s a being capable of spontaneous creation. Blessed by the sentience of the Mind Stone. Those children are powerful mutants and they have incredible potential. Once we stripped her of her powers they did not disappear. They remained, just as all the previous things she had created did.” Reed provided. 

“What happened to Vision then? Is he alive?”

“No. She can create life, she cannot bring back the dead. That is a line only one person has crossed before.”

“Who?” Stephen wondered who was this powerful one. 

“You, Stephen.” Reed answered. 

Stephen was taken aback. “Me? I didn’t- when did I?”

Reed’s eyes crossed to the side and Stephen followed them to land on Tony Stark, standing uncharacteristically timid beside him. 

“You- you died?”

Tony sighed. “I sacrificed myself, fighting Thanos. But you” Stark shook his head, “You couldn’t take it. So after defeating Thanos, you performed a ritual, and resurrected me.”

“Wait what? Why would I? I thought you said that Stephen Strange died fighting Thanos? Defending Earth.” Stephen couldn’t believe a word that was being said. His mind was reeling with the conflicting truths, but above all was the fact that there was a way to bring Tony back from the dead. So if ever he lost him-

“That look on your face, Strange,” Marvel said. “That’s the one.” Stephen looked up, confused. Captain Marvel snorted. “You’re thoughts are far away from saving America, or the universe. You’re thinking about the fact that there’s a ritual to bring back the dead. About how you can save Tony Stark.”

Stephen…Stephen didn’t know what to say. He looked back and forth from Stark to the council. Mordo looked disgusted. “A desecration of reality. You never cared for natural law. It was what made you a perverse sorcerer.” he spat. 

Reed called for order. And once everyone was settled, Reed folded his hands and looked at Stephen. “Look, we appreciate your concern Stephen, but it’s not the Scarlet Witch that we fear.

From our experience, the greatest danger to the Multiverse, it turns out, is Doctor Strange.”

“Your Doctor Strange?” Stephen was struggling with the lack of context. He didn’t care for all these semantics. He just wanted to get back home. To wherever Tony and Spider-man were. He…he missed them. 

“We should tell him the truth.” A deep, sagely, gravelly voice boomed.  They all turned to the source to find an old, sharply dressed man with a bald head hovering in on a yellow wheelchair. 

Mordo announced his presence, “Our final member. Professor Charles Xavier.”

Stephen cut right to the chase. He needed answers, and he needed them now. “What truth?”

“That’s not how our Strange died.” Xavier spoke solemnly. “Our Strange did not die defeating Thanos.” Stephen decided to leave out how he’d already got that. He let the old man continue. “We were at war. While the rest of us banded together to try to stop Thanos, Stephen, as always, chose to go it alone.” 

Stephen couldn’t argue with him. He himself remembered going for Dormammu alone without informing his fellow sorcerer compatriots. He went and saw the futures without informing Tony. He performed the rituals for Spider-man. He took up talking to Wanda on his own. 

Mordo continued where Xavier left off. “He turned to the DarkHold. Began dreamwalking. In hopes that our salvation might lie in the multiverse.”

Captain Marvel added, “And guess what? It didn’t. But he kept doing it anyway.”

“One night you called us all together, confessed that you had been dream walking. And in your words, ‘things had gotten outta hand.’ You never told us the details of what had happened, only that you had inadvertently triggered an incursion. You, our friend,” Reed emphasised each word, speaking to Stephen like he was the very perpetrator of the crime. “Had caused the annihilation of an entire universe.”

“Everyone in that reality died. Everyone.”

“Stephen renounced theDarkHold’s evil and helped us find the Book of Vishanti. A weapon we did use together, to defeat Thanos. But, the power of the DarkHold promised you much more. And after the dust settled, and you saw the happy lives of the people, your heart mourned. And so you fell into its clutches again. And this time,” Xavier didn’t finish. He placed his hands on his head, and closed his eyes. 

Suddenly Stephen was transported into a vision. It felt real and yet Stephen knew it was merely a retelling. Before him, surrounded by candles was a hunched figure hidden behind a blue cloak. There were a thousand whispers flitting about, as dark spirits of the deceased floated around the figure. 

Stephen could only guess that this was their universe’s Doctor Strange. Stephen walked closer, and looked past his shoulder. He gasped loudly. Lying in the middle of a ritualistic chakra, was Tony. 

His lifeless, dead, cold body. He looked peaceful, but Strange on the other hand. Stephen gave him one look, only to find a deranged madman, muttering the chants of the ritual, as he performed the hand movements. Strange didn’t have his eyes closed. They were wide open and bloodshot. His fingertips were blackened, and he looked depraved.  Floating beside him was the DarkHold, its pages dripping black ink like blood. But Strange’s eyes did not leave Tony’s frame. Floating beside him was the DarkHold, its pages dripping black ink like blood. 

Tony. His Tony. Stephen had seen the life be drained out of this man’s body a million times over, and yet he couldn’t stand the sight of such a lively man, being so still. 

Suddenly, just as the candles began to shine brighter, the door of the Sanctum burst open. Mordo surged forward shouting out Strange’s name.  The Illuminati barged in,and Charles Xavier held back Mordo from lassoing Strange with a magical whip. 

Strange didn’t even flinch. His eyes didn’t shift from Tony. And then, all the candles went out, and Tony’s frame burst up from the floor, arched and glowing with blue light. Spirits hissed and shrieked and harsh wind circled the room sending ancient scriptures flying and furniture rolling. 

The light grew too bright from them. Stephen turned to find Strange, still looking, with a maniacal smile. 

When he opened his eyes back up again, there were muffled cries coming from the centre of the circle. Stephen stepped forward tentatively, to find Strange clutching to Tony’s body, rocking back and forth, crying his name out ,over and and over again. 

“Tony, Tony. Please sweetheart. Come back to me. Come back to me. Please Tony.” His voice was devastated, and Stephen felt his throat close up. And just when the the wind settled and it seemed like all had failed…Tony’s hand lifted and clutched Strange’s cloak. 

Strange pulled back slightly and gasped. Tony blinked his eyes groggily. “Stephen?” 

“Tony? TONY! Oh my darling, you’re back, you’re back.”

Strange held Tony tightly right there on the floor, still rocking back and forth and sobbing. “I lost you, I thought I had lost you forever. I’ve got you Tony, I’ve got you. I’m so sorry.”

“Stephen, what do you mean?” Tony pulled back, looking befuddled almost to a fault. Tony placed his hand on Strange’s cheek and wiped his tears with his thumb. Stephen felt his heart ache as he saw the look they shared. Strange no longer looked crazy. He just seems like a man with severe dark circles and pale skin. 

He melted into Tony’s touch and then came forward to kiss the shorter man. But Tony abruptly pulled back. Strange paused with his lips pursed. “Tony?”

“Stephen. Stephen,” Tony held his abdomen. The very place he had been stabbed in when Stephen sacrificed the time stone to save him. Freezing cold realization dawned on Tony’s face. “Stephen, what did you do?” 

Strange didn’t move. He shook his head vehemently from side to side. “I had to Tony. I had to. I couldn’t lose you. You promised, you promised we’d have our happy ending.”

“Stephen, I was dead. Oh what did you do?” Tony seemed frantic, as the light streaming from the open sanctum doors cast shadows of a few figures. “No. No, no ,no, no. Stephen baby. Why would you do this?”

“I had to. I had to.” Strange still sobbed, clutching to Tony’s shirt, adamant in his belief. 

“Fuck. No, no. We have to go.” Tony scrambled to stand up as the figures drew closer. 

“I’ll- I’ll protect us.” Strange got to his feet, but immediately fell down. His magic and body was exhausted after performing one of the most unholy rituals in existence. Compared to this, what Wanda wanted to do, to simply be with her children by dreamwalking, seemed like a charm. 

The rest of the Illuminati stepped in, and formed a circle around the couple. Tony held Strange closer, protecting him even though he was still weak. His suit formed around his body weakly, silver and blue. But it looked like it was controlled by his brainwaves, and they were weak too. The suit kept disintegrating at certain spots. 

“Stephen Strange,” Mordo spoke. “You are actively being sentenced to death, for performing one of nature’s most dire perversions.” Strange didn’t say anything. His head was still hung low as he panted. 

And then Mordo turned to face Tony, “And Tony Stark, you are to be put to death without trial for being a product of a perversion of nature.” 

That got Strange going. He growled, and his magic burst forth, forming a shield around him and Tony. “You will not touch him.” But even as he spoke his magic flickered. Still, he dragged himself to a standing position and stood in front of Tony, just as the other man tried to do the same. 

“Stay the fuck away from him.”

This time it was Charles Xavier that spoke. “Stephen, your abuse of the DarkHold has the potential of causing irreparable damage to our universe. You have been consumed by the evil of the rituals.”

“No. No, you don’t understand. I don’t want it. Take it. I’ve got Tony back, that’s all I need. Just take it and leave us alone.” Strange implored.  Tony stood up and stood beside Strange, holding his hand. 

Reed Richards stepped forward, “Stephen. You’ve already destroyed a whole other universe. And now you have incurred ours. The world will seek balance for the life you’ve stolen.”

“ I haven’t stolen a life. They took him from me. They did,” Strange sobbed, holding Tony in a death grip. “I just brought him back. It’s okay. He’s gonna be okay. The kid will be okay. We’ll all be okay.”

“No Stephen. The kid’s dead.”

Both Stephen and Tony cried out. Tony fell to the ground, folding his hands over his mouth. “No. NO!” He cried, tears streaming down his face in a rush as he screamed and cried. Strange looked distraught. He didn’t believe a word they were saying. Stephen wondered who the kid was. 

“You’re- you’re lying. Where’s my son? What have you done to our son?” Strange screamed, summoned shields against the other heroes. 

Captain Marvel blasted Strange with a small energy blast and the man staggered back, looking worse for wear, but furious. Tony looked ragged and broken on the floor, almost like he already regretted being back in the land of the living. 

Charles Xavier hovered closer to where Strange was barely hanging on. “You killed him, Strange.”

“What?” Stephen gasped, knowing full well no one in this vision could hear him. He watched Strange’s eyes grow watery and more bloodshot as they drew wide. When he didn’t reply Tony looked up suspiciously. 

“Stephen, what’s he talking about? What happened?”

“I-I just- I didn’t think-”

“WHAT DID YOU DO STRANGE?” Tony screamed, grabbing the man by the shoulders and shaking him. But he was already crying, knowing the worst had happened. Knowing who did it, his heart stomped and burned on the floor where he was resurrected. 

Strange looked remorseful for a second. And then, he shook his head. He held Tony again, and shook his head frantically. “No, no. Tony, it’s okay. It doesn’t matter. You’re back, so it’s okay.”

Tony pulled back from Strange like he had been burned, looking at the man with horror. “How dare you? You- you killed my son. YOU KILLED OUR SON!”

Tony staggered back and Strange tried to reach out for him, only to fall back down. His nose began to bleed and with trembling fingers he swiped it away. “Tony, Tony. I only did what was right for us. For our happy ending.”

“You’re a fucking monster. You promised me, YOU PROMISED ME. I was happy dead Stephen. Because I knew you’d be taking care of our- my precious baby. I knew he was safe with you. You promised you’d keep him safe. AND YOU KILLED HIM!” Strange looked like he was going to argue, but then Charles Xavier put his hands to his head and closed his eyes, doing too Strange what he must have done to Stephen. Strange dropped like dead weight onto his knees, tears streaming down his face. 

“I- I- I did it. It was me I killed Pe- I killed him. Oh, oh noo,” Stephen put his head to the floor and cried. “Nooooo.” he mourned, sounding like a wounded dog as Captain Carter held Tony back. The older man looked two seconds away from forgetting it all to walk back to Stephen. 

Tony looked shattered. He swallowed like he was swallowing glass, his face constricting. “You- you promised you would never hurt me, Strange. But you just killed my son. You might as well have stabbed me in the heart. You've killed me. And I don’t know the man you are anymore. You’ve killed the man I loved.” Tony looked away, crying into his hands in loud broken sobs, muttering a name as Carter pushed him back. 

Strange was sitting on his hind legs, face a blank sheet. He looked like nothing. Like his very soul had left his body. He opened his mouth to speak a few times, and couldn’t get anything out. Finally, after giving Tony one last glance, he looked down and whispered. “Blackagar. You must do it.” 

Blackbolt stepped to the front of the crowd, and faced Strange. He did a few signs, and Strange shook his head. “I do deserve it. The DarkHold, it has caused enough damage. It has- it has already stripped me of my soul. So do it. On Titan. Say I died fighting Thanos. The underworld gets its missing soul and the universe regains its balance.”

Blackbolt was about to sign something else, when Tony pushed past him harshly. “No. No Stephen, wait baby no. I take it back. Please don’t.”

Reed Richards elongated and pulled wrapped his arms around Tony, effectively binding him. He was about to pull back when Tony screamed, “NO! NO PLEASE.”

Strange raised his hand quickly, and placed it tenderly on Tony’s cheek. They shared a long look, tears streaming down both their faces, and then they touched foreheads, and kissed softly. 

Reed Richards pulled Tony back, and Strange slipped off his blue cloak. He handed it to Reed, but not before snuggling it. 

Mordo opened a portal to Titan, where the body of Thanos still remained. Strange watched Tony struggle against his binds in Richard’s hands, trying desperately to form his suit despite his dilapidated state. With one final, kind smile, one that looked the most happy in all these moments of pain, the portal closed between them. 

The Illuminati formed an arc around Stephen who was still kneeling. No tears dripped. He simply stared at the floor in shock, and accepted his fate. Blackbolt stood in the centre of the arc. 

“Just- take care of Tony. Don’t let him be a defender anymore. Let him rest, and let him live. Please. Consider it- a dying man’s wish.”

“Consider it done. I shall miss you, my friend.” Charles Xavier spoke with brevity. 

Strange nodded curtly. “I’m ready.”

Blsckbolt stepped forward and barely whispered, “I’m sorry.” The words crescendoed into a mighty, cosmic roar that evaporated Strange’s particles away as the others watched.

As Stephen watched, and was brought back to reality. 

Stephen fell to the ground, his heart hammering. Tear drops plopped onto the floor, and Stephen hadn’t even realised he was crying. He shakily stood up and wiped them off. He daren’t look at Stark. Not after- not after what had happened. 

How could the man bear to look at him? 

He stole a quick peek, only to find Stark with his mouth covered behind his fingers and eyes shut, with his head bowed. 

Stephen felt like shit. 

He looked back up at the council, at Blackbolt, who at least had the right mind to look sorry. 

“What happened to the son?”

Stark whimpered beside him, but he still needed to know.  Charles swallowed his lips and broke them into a thin line. Captain Marvel spoke,  “He tried to stop you from performing the ritual in your home residence. You thought you had blasted him with a light bit of energy, turns out you underestimated the strength of your powers under the DarkHold. You poisoned him. His soul was consumed by the spirits of the underworld.”

Stephen couldn’t wrap his head around it. It was too gruesome, too painful. This universe was gnawing away at his heart. “What about the statue?” he asked, perplexed. “You built a statue?”

Captain Carter replied, “The world needs heroes. We made a difficult choice because we knew what our Strange was capable of…What perhaps every Doctor Strange is capable of.”

Alarm bells began to blare and Reed Richards looked up, “The building has been breached.”

“No shit genius.” Stephen quipped. 

“Status report on Ultron sentries.” Captain Carter called.  Holographic screens appeared before them, displaying a woman they could only assume was Wanda, clad in a simple white sweater and mom jeans. But her face and clothes were blackened by what they could only hope was oil. 

“She’s headed for the child.” Captain Marvel said. 

“Watch him. We’ll vote on our return.”

They shuffled into positions and prepared for battle, leaving behind  Mordo, Charles Xavier and Tony Stark. 

Mordo and Xavier converged, leaving Stephen and Stark to talk. 

“Tony, I’m- I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t.” Stark hissed.  He composed himself with a few deep breaths through his nose. “You didn’t do anything. It’s- just don’t.”

“Tony. Please, you have to listen to me,” They heard explosions, like energy blasts coming from outside. Mordo and Xavier conjured up more screens displaying the fight. Captain Carter and Captain Marvel were fighting Wanda side by side. Nearby on the floor was the festering remains of Blackbolt with his brain melted and ribbons of blue which Stephen could only assume was Reed Richards. 

“I've gotta get out there.” Stark said, and Stephen surged forward to hold his hand. Stark pulled away like he had touched burning coal. It was all Stephen could do to not cry right then and there. 

Charles Xavier came forward instead. “No Tony. You mustn’t.”  Mordo paced the upper level and stood away from them. Charles Xavier stared at the both of them, and suddenly they heard his voice in their heads. “You must leave. The defenders will not make it through this. The only known hope our universe has is you stopping Wanda. I shall leave to try and bring her back from beyond. I trust you know your way around Mordo.” Charles smirked at Tony, and then looked at Stephen alone. “Stephen Strange, just know, even though what I showed you is the truth, everything is not as it seems.”

They shared a moment more of prolonged eye contact and then stopped. Charles looked back, just in time to see Wanda fling Captain Carter’s shield right back at her, slicing her clean in half. 

He spoke out loud, enough for Mordo to hear. “Stephen, should you manage to escape this chamber, you must guide America Chavez.”

“The hell are you saying?” Mordo yelled. 

“Get the girl and get to the Book of Vishanti.”

“Wait, you have the Book here?”

“Yes. You both built a way point. Tony Stark will guide you.”

“CHARLES!” Mordo seethed. “We cannot trust him.”

Charles smiled lowly, with eyes glimmering with wisdom. “I believe we can. Just because someone stumbles and loses their way, doesn’t mean they are lost forever. We will see just what kind of Doctor Strange you really are.”

Charles left the room in his wheelchair despite the protests arising from Mordo. Stephen and Stark simply stood below and took in the man’s frustration with a smile. 

As soon as the older man was gone, Mordo eyed Stark, and before Stephen could get a word out, the misguided sorcerer shot an energy blast at the heros, flinging them aside. 

Stephen groaned as he got up, looking frantically for Stark. But he didn’t need to worry. Stark was no longer the tired, weak man he was in the vision right after his resurrection. Stephen watched as Stark’s eyes glowed blue and the psionic silver suit formed around him.

Mordo visibly hesitated, before charging at Stark. Iron Man simply blasted Mordo away with his thruster, breaking through his shields with ease. Mordo fell to the floor with a heavy groan, and Stark came to stand on his chest. 

“Oh Baron. I may have agreed to leave the Illuminati in my grief, but it seems you have forgotten just how powerful I am.” Stark fired up his repulsor. “That’s a shame.”

“TONY NO!” Stephen shouted, causing Stark to look back, his repulsors dimming. “Don’t kill him.”

Mordo cowered under Iron Man, his eyes still blue and a grim look of pure hatred, one that he had been carrying in his heart ever since Strange was sentenced to death, lacing his features. “Tony, we have to go. They’re not coming and he’s not worth it. This universe still needs some defenders.”

Stark breathed harshly, almost like he was battling a different mind under the suit.  Then he turned back to the man under him, and with a slight growl, he knocked the man clean out. 

He bent down and whispered in Mordo's unconscious ear, “I’ll come back to finish the job you sick son of a bitch.”

He kicked Mordo, and rose off the ground, floating towards Stephen in all his glory. Stephen swallowed, and as the skeleton of the suit seeped off his body and he landed, Stephen had to once again remind himself this was not his Tony.

Stark came and undid his shackles with one touch, and Stephen flexed his aching wrists. They heard another crash over the alarm bells and with one shared look, ran outside. 

They ran down the corridors together, side by side, and came skidding to a halt when they saw Christine and America standing frozen in fear in the middle of the corridor. 

“Kid! Hey, you alright? You okay?” Stephen ran towards them, only to have  a body thump against him. America hugged him tightly, and Stephen stood surprised, a warmth seeping into his bones with the joy of having his child close to him. “You’re alright.”

His cloak flew behind her and latched onto his shoulders. He looked behind America to see Stark and Christine checking on each other. “Leave the building Christine. Get to Pepper, and stay safe. Take the south exit.”

Christine glanced at Stephen briefly, gave him an encouraging nod, and then hugged Stark fiercely. She took a sharp left and headed out, yelling, “Take care you guys.”

Stark came to join them. “Xavier said you-”

“Built a waypoint to the Book of Vishanti. Yeah we did. But the key to it is only with one person.” Before Stark could continue,they heard the sound of a metallic door being ripped off its hinges. 

All three of them looked up in fright. “Wanda’s coming. We have to go.” Stephen patted America’s back repeatedly urging her to run in between Stark and him. 

They ran down a rickety, steel staircase, Wanda’s red magical glow teasing her approach with each second. They came to some sort of working basement, and Stark ran to short circuit some mechanisms, causing the gate behind them to slide shut. Despite its thickness, Stephen didn’t feel safe. Wanda could tear it apart like a sheet of paper. Stephen remembered what she had done to Thanos’ weapon. The very same that had the strength to destroy Captain America’s shield. He looked around frantically. “Where’s that tunnel go?”

“Under the river.” Stark heard even more crashes, and instinctively his suit formed around his body. They ran and had barely made it to the tunnel entrance when they heard the grating sound of the gate being ripped apart. Wanda appeared like a bloody demon come to collect, her clothes dripping with blood and oil, her face streaked in the same and her eyes glowing a menacing red. 

“Go, go, go, go, GO!” Stephen shouted. 

Wanda split the table in the centre, not bothering with going around and limped forward. They kept running, Stark closing gates one after the other, missing her by just a smidge. They kept speeding up and Stark flew off the ground. He turned in the air and blasted Wanda with a repulso, before shutting a gate, effectively holding her behind them. 

Or so they thought. 

They stopped to check for any signs of her making it past the gate with bated breath. Stephen flexed his hands preparing to cast a spell and Tony fired up his repulsors. The cloak pulled America behind it, and they waited. 

Water dripping down the structure of the tunnel along with their harsh, controlled breathing was all the sound that came. Stephen’s ears rang as he concentrated on the sound of Stark’s steady breaths. 

“Where’d she go?” America whispered. 

A dark figure with two glowing red dots of fire appeared before them invoking America’s scream of terror. Wanda walked out of the shadows, looking like a shell of the person she was. 

“I warned you.”

“Other Wanda, if you’re in there,” Stephen warned, “Hold your breath.” He quickly performed the hand movements, swirling his formed mandalas in the air and slamming his hands on the floor to cause a break in the fissures of the tunnel. Water streamed down in loud, heavy bursts as Another gate closed on Wanda. They didn’t spare a moment as they ran. 

“Did you kill her?” America inquired. 

“No. Just bought us some time.” There was no killing this Wanda. They could only hope and pray to escape till they got to the Book of Vishanti. 

They halted in front of a bolted door with a hatch attached to it. In the middle was a small indented circle. 

“This is the waypoint to the Book. Only Stephen’s ever been able to open it.”

Stephen made the hand movement required to open the Eye of Agamotto, on the first try. The wheel began to move, but then abruptly stopped and rewinded. Stephen let out a frustrated groan. “An enchantment that is specific to me, something only I would know.” He closed his eyes and tried to wrack his mind for the answer. “C’mon, c’mon.”

Stark stepped forward and gave the door a peruse. “Strange?” Stephen was still in deep thought. “Stephen!” The doctor looked back, to find Stark looking at him with his eyebrows furrowed. “Did-” he shook his head and took a deep  breath. “Did your Tony ever give you a watch?”

Stephen’s eyes widened. He put his hand up and pulled back his sleeves to reveal the watch. Its face had been cracked in the battle, but it was still functional. “Yeah.” 

Stephen struggled to pull the watch off, and Stark immediately came forward. He tenderly held onto Stephen’s wrist and unclasped the watch. Their hands grazing each other’s. Stark cleared his throat, and handed Stephen the watch. Now that Stephen had the knowledge of what had happened to this universe’s Doctor Strange, his heart yearned to comfort this Tony and to remedy his pain. 

“Thank you.”

“Nothing to it Merlin. Just give it a go.”

Stephen placed the watch in the grove and the door and the hatch immediately began turning. The door opened to reveal a glowing bright world, and Stephen narrowed his eyes and before them was a swirling mosaic floor, in a flower pattern, and at its centre was the Book of Vishanti, glowing atop a mounted stand. 

Without much ado, they jumped and landed on the surface. Stephen did a quick check, and then turned to the Book of Vishanti. He approached it reverently, wondering if it had additional guarding systems in place. 

“This is the gap junction. The space between universes.” Stark said. He guided America, ensuring she was standing before him.  

Stephen walked up the stairs, so close to the goal, to all the answers. “Alright book, gimme what I need.” He reached out and pulled the book off the glowing perch, bracing himself in case anything else happened. 

He walked back slowly, and then America screamed. Her face glowed red and her hair pulled back as Wanda drew the girl towards her with her cruel magic. Her seer was dripping with contempt, and Stark immediately suited up to fire at her, but Stephen held him back. 

“No Tony. She hates you. She’ll kill you.” Stephen informed.

Stark turned to him, his nostrils flaring. “Then I’ll finally be where I want to.” Stephen’s heart broke just a bit more at that, but they had other matters to attend to. Stephen didn’t take his eyes off Wanda. He handed the book to Stark, and stood before him. 

He cast a spell at her, that she met with her own force of magic. She pushed back with just one hand and Stephen had to use both to maintain his hold. Straining against the weight of her magic. 

Just then a body swung from above them and shot something that attached to Wanda’s neck. It pulled back and flung her off the structure into the glowing abyss below, releasing America from her hold. A figure clad in black landed with a thump in front of them, their back facing them. 

Stark gasped behind him, and slapped the book onto Stephen’s chest before pushing past him harshly. He shook as he walked forward, suddenly looking like a very weary old broken-hearted man. But a man with newfound hope in his outstretched arms. 

The figure turned only to reveal Spider-Man in a different black suit. Stark’s voice choked as he cried, “Peter?”

“Spider-Man?” Stephen spoke incredulously. The young superhero’s mask fell away to reveal a young man with floppy brown hair and a sad smile. His eyes were large and sparkled with fresh tears. He didn’t spare Stephen a glance running to Stark and hugging him. 

“Dad! Oh my god Dad I missed you.”

“Peter? Peter my boy, you’re alive. You’re alive! Haha, my son, you’re alive.” Stark cried openly and loudly as he held Peter close to his person, stroking the back of his head and hugging him. Stephen let them have their moment, fully believing Wanda was lost to the void gap below. 

Stark pulled back and held Peter by his shoulders, assessing him with a smile so wide, unlike anything Stephen had seen him express in their time together. “Look at you,” he exclaimed. “Look at how much you’ve grown.”

Peter laughed a little, holding his father’s hand and kissing it, before smiling at him. Stark looked at him a second longer, and then his face morphed into one of utter sorrow. “Your father…” 

Peter’s face fell as well, and he bowed his head. “I’m sorry. I know something must have happened when he didn’t come back to get me.”

“How are you here? Why are you here?”

“Papa knew the Book of Vishanti needed guarding against other forces. He felt like something was coming. He didn’t know what to do, but I volunteered to be a sentinel.” Stark hugged Peter some more, holding him close, his sobs died down to smaller intakes of air. “How did he-what happened? He said he was going to bring you back.”

“The Illuminati came for him. They said he had killed you, and my heart broke. As did his, so he gave up and sacrificed himself, believing he should. I didn’t-I should have stopped them.”

“Hey, hey, no no. Dad, it’s okay. He knew it was going to happen one way or another. I’m just glad I got to see him, and now I have you back still. Remember, he always said, we’d  always be together in the Soul Plane. He’s there. He’s waiting for us. Don’t cry Dad.”Stark clutched his stomach with one hand, utterly devastated by the truth of the events that had occurred. 

“They said he killed you. I should have known he would never- I- I’m so sorry.” Peter fiercely hugged Stark back. Spider-Man was taller than Stephen remembered, and he towered over Stark considerably. He was almost Stephen’s height. Over Stark’s shoulder Peter caught sight of Stephen and his eyes grew like saucers. 

“Who…”

His question was cut off as Wanda resurfaced, angrier than before. She floated off the ground and bound Stark, Peter and Stephen with her magic, growling with frustration. He grabbed America again and instilled intense fear in her, triggering her power. 

As soon as the portal opened, without a second thought Wanda flung the three men inside as Stephen shouted for America. 

The portal closed on Wanda’s eyes, finally returning to blue as she manipulated America’s mind. 

In a dark grey desolate universe out there, Tony Stark and Spider-Man woke up with groans that echoed. Tony’s consciousness returned slowly and he thought about a time when the same thing happened to him as the Hulk roared him awake. 

The headache back then didn’t hurt as bad as now. 

He groggily sat up to find Spider-Man hunched over, dry heaving. Tony reached forward to comfort him, not even realising what he was doing, before the young hero flinched and stepped away, pulling his mask over his face again. 

“Damn kid, it’s gonna smell in there. Do you have some sort of air filtration system or something?”

Spider-Man was silent for a bit, but he sighed and said, “Don’t worry about it Mr Stark. I can handle it.”

Tony’s winced as a stab of pain went through his head, something pulling at the recesses of his mind. He stood up and immediately lurched forward, puking his guts out. This time Spider-Man didn’t hesitate to come forward and rub his back as he let it all out. 

“Damn.” 

Tony stood up, and used his metallic arm to spray his mouth with a freshener. Spider-Man hummed, “That’s pretty handy dandy.”

“Never know when I’ll find a frog.” he looked around, hands on his waist as he assessed his surroundings. Some time back in the day, such a new and bizarre situation would have caused him to panic beyond belief. Now, he was just exasperated. “Where do you reckon we are? Denver?”

“Pretty sure we’re in an alternate universe.” 

“Right. Kid’s got Multiverse powers.” Tony immediately willed the suit to form around his body and assessed the atmosphere. “Breathable air, everything seems normal, the weather just makes it look like the apocalypse.”

“Uh Mr Stark?” Tony turned to Spider-Man’s warning voice, only to find him pointing up in the east. 

Tony followed his hand to find a large swirling mass of clouds and mass in the sky. “Holy Land of Oz.”

“Yeah, I don’t think even Denver’s this bad. What do you think we should do?”

Tony pondered for a bit, and then let the mask of his suit form over him. “Well, the eye of the storm’s usually the calmest. Let’s head there.”