Easy not to lose what you never had
Stark looked at Stephen a bit taken off guard. He wasn’t used to someone talking to him like this. People would get intimidated or scared or they’d fall for his charm. But this guy just kept pushing it.
“You wouldn’t jump. You’re too curious. And you want your award.”
Stephen lost his smile.
“Would I not?”
“No. Why would you? You’d lose your wonderful life. All the people you love. Your family and friends.”
“And that is where you are wrong.”
Stark frowned.
“You wouldn’t lose them? Enlighten me.”
“Easy not to lose what you never had. Excuse me now.”
The doctor put his half empty glass onto the counter of the bar and walked past Tony who looked after him but quickly was pulled into another conversation.
Christine came over as soon as she spotted her date.
“Hey. How’d it go?”
“You, my friend, are on thin ice.”
She chuckled.
“Come on. Let’s sit down.”
Stephen followed the woman to their table and politely declined any food.
“He keeps looking at you.”
Christine remarked between sips of her red wine.
“He searches for you. In the crowd. What did you talk about. Stephen? Stephen, what happened? Stephen?”
“Stephen, what happened? Look at me! Stephen!”
A paramedic kneeled next to him. The young man looked around. He was laying on the cold floor with a blanket around his shivering frame. Stephen instantly panicked and tried to get away from the man but the doctor held him and eventually started caressing his back. He felt strong arms embracing him, telling him that everything was going to be okay now. But would it be?
“D-D-Donna. Donna.” He kept repeating.
“Who is Donna, Stephen?”
“M-My My little sister. Please, Donna.”
The panic would not let him breathe properly. Distantly he heard the paramedic give the information that a girl was missing. And that they needed help.
“Stephen. Hey. Boy, look at me. How many were there? How many?”
The boy held his shaky hand up.
“Five?”
He nodded.
“Okay. Listen, we’ll find her. We’ll find your sister. But you need to go to hospital.”
All the young man could do was stare ahead in fear. He kept holding the blanket as close to his body as humanly possible. The driver of the ambulance came into the dirty room.
“How is he?”
“In shock. His sister is still missing. But he needs to go to hospital. We need to make sure to get some DNA.”
The driver nodded, took Stephen’s ID from his colleague and started talking to the hospital.
“Male, 17 years old, has some bruising and marks of strangulation around his neck, rape victim. We need a room and the necessary doctors.”
The paramedic next to Stephen felt him flinch. “Hey, it’ll be okay now. It’ll be fine. You’re safe.”
He held out a picture he found in Stephen's purse.
"Is that her?"
Stephen nodded.
“Donna.”
He felt himself black out slowly and painfully so as he lost track of whatever was happening.
“Doctor Strange please back to your unit.”
Christine said as she took his hand.
“You zoned out. You okay?”
“It’s been a lot of work lately, Chris.”
“Yeah, well, if you’d actually take your days off a bit more seriously it’d be okay.”
“He’s still looking, I can’t believe it. I can’t be that interesting.”
She smirked.
“Why is it bothering you? Countless people constantly stare at you. You never even acknowledge it.”
Stephen looked at her with a face that said What the hell do you think you’re implying?! And she with a quiet laugh added
“You want his approval. Because he’s the guy who could possibly outsmart you.”
“I beg your fucking pardon?”
“Oh, stop. You know exactly that he’s not dumb. And that he is this superhero. And that he is successful. You could be frien-“
“No. You don’t say the f-word around me. Don’t even think about it.”
“You need friends. Even you.”
Before Stephen could answer with anything else, the lights dimmed slightly and the show started. Finally. The reason why he was here. He’d get his award, say thanks and leave. Tony stepped onto the stage.
“Welcome, friends and people I had to invite because of my agents.”
The crowd laughed and Stephen just turned his eyes.
“As you all know, I very well know what it means to help people. Save their lives. Actually care. It isn’t always easy to be a fucking god but well, I think I’m not bad at it.”
The guests clapped and cheered. Christine looked at Stephen and saw his distaste for this man.
“Relax. You knew this was going to happen.”
“Doesn’t mean I have to approve it.”
“Furthermore, I have come to the conclusion that I had good help with all this work. And a few very honorable men and women are within you tonight. I’m glad we get to honor them here. I am wishing you all a good evening and lots of fun.”
He stepped off the- well –stage and sat down onto his seat. He quickly turned and made eye contact with Stephen before looking at the woman next to him again with a smile.