Thanks for texting, Stephanie
Stephen stared at the door for a while before he got up and walked out. He somehow didn’t want to leave. He was scared of leaving and then never coming back. Somehow Stephen had this weird fear. This irrational thought of just disappearing from Tony’s mind again. But eventually he reached his car and slowly drove off. Strange’s head was full of questions. Full of possibilities. He didn’t even understand at first that he’d reached his destination. The doctor sighed and got out, opened the door and walked into his flat. This weird place that he loved and dreaded at the same time.
“Hey, Stephen.”
“Oh my-“
He almost fell over when he saw a figure standing in the doorway to his bedroom.
“What are you doing here?”
“Reminding you of your destiny.”
“Oh no. Fuck no. Get out of my- How did you even get in? Oh, you know what? Don’t even answer. I don’t want your necklace, I don’t want your magic, I don’t want your power. I don’t want any of that shit. Please just leave and take that thing with you.”
The ancient one put her head to the side onto her shoulder innocently.
“I don’t think I can do that. You are chosen, Stephen. Chosen to be the Sorcerer Supreme. And I unfortunately can’t take this off your shoulders. The prophecy has chosen you ages ago.”
“No. Just no. I told you, I don’t care about your weird- whatever it is. Cult. It’ll always be a cult to me.”
“Think about it. Just think. The Eye of Agomatto isn’t mine. It belongs to you. And I will not take away what isn’t mine. But I am not forcing you to do anything.”
She put her hand onto the doctor’s shoulder and he felt a weird warmth fill his body. She smiled.
“I will always be there. Always. Whatever happens, from now on I’ll be there. To catch you when you fall. To lead the way when you ask me to. You know where to find me.”
She handed him a really gorgeous looking sling ring.
“Whenever you’re ready, Stephen."
He nodded and quietly said “Thank you. I- Yeah. I know. I’ll think about it.”
The woman smiled and created a portal.
“Goodbye, Stephen”, she said as she stepped through and disappeared as quickly as she got there.
Strange shook his head and looked at the piece of metal she had given him. And then he thought about Donna. And where he came from. And what the sorceress had let him see and experience. And he thought about just the mere possibility of him playing a bigger part in the picture. Strange turned the piece of metal in his hand.
“I made it myself.”
“Did you?”
“Yes! Mommy gave me something called clay.”
“I know what clay is, Donna”, the boy smiled at her.
“See? You can put it on a thread and wear it as a necklace. And when you’re at university, you can always carry a piece of me around.”
The teen looked at the small craft and smiled widely. He looked at the little number engraved.
“3000. You actually learned how to write it.”
“Yeah, mom showed me. It’s a big number.”
“Yeah, a huge number.”
“It’s bigger than the distance between the moon and the earth.”
“Yeah? That’s really big, Donna. Thank you. I’ll always keep it.”
She smiled at him with her huge shining eyes and bit her lip in excitement.
“When you meet a girl that you like a lot, will I still be your angel?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I promise. How could you possibly think differently.”
“I don’t know. I just don’t want you to forget me. Promise me that you’ll never forget me.”
“Donna, I promise you with all my heart that I will never forget you. You little nuisance.”
“Hey!”
“What? It is what it is.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, babygirl.”
He was so lost in his thoughts that the phone scared him so much that he almost let the ring fall to the ground.
“Christ-“
Stephen cleared his throat and picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Doctor Strange?”
“Yeah? Who is this?”
“I’m Virginia Potts but you can call me Pepper”, a young voice said politely.
“I am Mister Stark’s assistant but I just call him pain in the butt. You’ll probably meet me a lot more often.”
“Oh, yes. Of course. Pleasure talking to you.”
“I hope I’m not disturbing. It’s hard to know when a doctor is busy and when not.”
Stephen chuckled.
“Yeah, we are horrible when it comes to that. How can I help you?”
“Tony informed me about a shift in relations and he would gladly see you later. If that is manageable. He is currently meeting up with some of his colleagues.”
“And with colleagues you mean-“
“The Avengers.”
“Right. Of course.”
“I know. I really wasn’t a fan either. But if you need anything, you can always call me or come over. The AI already is programmed to let you into the mansion whenever you want.”
“This man doesn’t have much of a trust issue problem, does he?”
“No. Tony is someone who does things and then thinks about it. That’s why he has me.”
“How desperate were you to take this job?”
“In the beginning very. But I grew to like him a lot. Eventually love him. But I was mistaken about what love it actually was. Tony is like my best friend. And I wouldn’t trade him for anyone. But in regards of a shared love life, I saved myself a world of pain. So- Enjoy that.”
“You’re not giving me much hope there.”
“I am meant to be honest. He is- special.”
“But special is good, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. Yes, it is. You’ll have fun. Anyways, it was a pleasure and I’ll let him know that you’ll be waiting for him?”
“Yes. Of course. Sure. Thank you. Have a good day, Pepper. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye, doctor.”
Stephen hung up. He looked at his phone and saw a couple of messages. One was from Christine, wishing him a good morning. He smiled and texted her back. But then there was a text from an unknown contact. Strange opened it.
It read Hey, Stephanie. I hope you’re okay with me giving your number to Pepper. I’ll return back home later. Take care and don’t you dare say no to my invite, Tony.
As if he could resist that. Even if Tony was still a bit of a mystery to him, he enjoyed this. His company. The feeling he got being around the man. The doctor put the phone away again and opened his drawer where he had put the Eye of Agomatto. He put the sling ring there as well and searched for the little clay necklace from Donna. He’d kept it all this time but he wasn’t sure where it was. Eventually it was discovered to be in a box with a few pictures and little mementos from his childhood and youth. The doctor had to smile and emptied the box, sitting down on the floor with it. He looked through the pictures and immediately got teary eyes.
A little picture of his mother when she was younger. One where she was pregnant with him. His dad with a horrible beard. A horrific, terrible, obnoxious slug over his upper lip. Yeah, that was his dad. Trying all the new styles whether they were good or bad. A picture they’d taken around Christmas with a toddler Stephen in front of a little humble Christmas tree. Then a bit of a time jump with a picture of his first day at school and right after one of Donna and him cuddling in bed. When his sister was smaller, she had curls everywhere. When she brushed them, they just looked like her head was electrocuted.
“Oh no.”
Stephen giggled looking at the next picture. He went from quite normal young boy to a poor teen with acne, braces and humongous glasses on his nose. The type of glasses that would weigh more than some bricks did. And the hair color.
“There’s your redhead.”
He took the picture to the side.
“Thank God for the glow up.”
A few more pictures of just his little sister inventing selfies unintentionally and then Stephen’s middleschool prom. He remembered this so vividly because he hated that day with all his heart. People. celebrating people. And a bunch of horny teenagers slow-dancing. But the picture they’d taken at home was just beautiful. With Donna waving at the camera like the Queen and Stephen standing next to her in his a bit too big suit. It was the trend back then. He didn’t judge himself for that. What he did judge himself for was the middle part in his hair. God.
Then a picture he stared at for a bit longer. He had to put it away with a headshake. Stephen loved Halloween. It had just become a big deal in his neighborhood a few years prior and He offered to take Donna trick or treating because she was way too young to go alone. All that was fine. But what broke his heart was that Donna forced him into a costume as well because otherwise the ghosts would know he’s just a human and haunt him if they got him. So she gave him a magic wand and a blue cape with stars, making him a magician. So magician Stephen went out with angel Donna to protect her. And she looked even more innocent in her white tutu and the feathery wings. And here they were again. Angel Donna and sorcerer Stephen. Except now she was the one keeping him safe when he was alone in the dark streets at night. Wandering around.
With teary eyes he put the pictures back into the box and put on his little necklace from Donna. It had cracks all over and was crumbling a bit by now but that didn’t matter. It was symbolic. And weirdly enough he instantly felt his Donna with him again.
“I’m here”, Stephen heard in his head.
“I’m here, hold on. I sent you someone. To take care of you.”
“I know”, he mumbled to himself.
“Thank you”, the doctor mumbled to himself.
“Trust him. You can trust him I’m here.”
The man opened his eyes again, not even realizing they had been closed in the first place. He looked around for any evidence of his sister but of course, once again, he was alone. Completely. Without anyone.
So the doctor took his phone again and typed Hey, Optimus. Thank you, yeah. Pepper has already called. Please be careful with whatever superhero stuff you’re up to. I miss you honestly. Thanks for texting, Stephanie.