Rough Path to Memory Square - Doctor Strange x Reader (Earth 838)

31. Edge of a Broken Heart

A couple of hours later, America opened a portal to Eath-616 and Stephen, a solemn look on his face, left, kissing your knuckles, perhaps one last time.

You returned to your chamber, feeling tired and worn out. Too much has happened in one day. By request of America, she was getting ready to sleep in your room. You agreed. The bed was too big for you anyway. Sliding under the covers, you turn to look at the girl, she does the same.

"So, what was he like?" she asks, getting in a comfortable position.

"Who?" you ask, a bit confused.

"Your Strange. Was he anything like our Stephen?"

Our Stephen.

You blink a couple of times before answering. "He uhh... He was maybe a little like him. More bold, perhaps. Reckless. He often dived head deep into things he wanted to understand or learn. But he always had a soft side. Just didn't show it to everyone."

"Soft side, like when he almost killed you one time after using Darkhold?" she asks, eyes changing a little. But you let it slide.

"I know he didn't want to choke me, he had a bad dream, alright? Plus, he apologized for that."

"Or when he choked you on purpose. After he learned about your little whereabouts with the demon? And how you canceled his healthy hands deal? That's what you call a soft side?"

You look at the girl confused. She's still the same America, smiling and a little sleepy. Were you imagining things? "What are you talking about? I never told him about his canceled deal."

"You didn't have to tell him anything. He was the Sorcerer Supreme." America's face and your whole room disappears, like it was sucked into outer space and you, suddenly weightless, drop onto the dirty ground.

Weirdly enough, you find yourself in the universe which is almost destroyed by the incursion. Subconsciously looking at your side, you don't see anyone, although you were pretty sure you were experiencing déjà vu, but the depressing atmosphere of the universe turns your attention from that.

"I've got to find Strange." you said to yourself, thinking for a moment longer and then going where supposedly New York Sanctum was.

Lost in your head, you stumble on one of the thousand big stones and bricks scattered on the ground and almost fall to the ground with no one there to catch you.

"Why am I even going here? What am I doing here? What is this place?" you keep murmuring over and over again, walking frustrated because your foot still hurt, until you finally see the Sanctum. Standing there all alone in this vast place, not surrounded by old buildings like it used to be.

The roof is disappearing in a smoke-like way, as if someone from above was trying to suck it in. Literally. You reach the building, not really expecting to find anyone there living, and standing apparently on what were supposed to be stairs to the main entrance - now it was just a weird pile of cement blocks. You fight your way up to the big door. However, you don't get a chance to knock - the door opens on itself, and you see what's left of the grand entrance - just stairs, stairs that once led to your lover's bed and embrace, now led to nowhere, or exactly where you were meant to be.

You walk up what looks like an endless staircase and get to the second floor, stealing a quick peek around, you see the familiar room only abandoned much, much more. As you come a full circle and turn back to your previous spot, a figure appears before you, almost giving you a heart attack.

"Hello, y/n." he says calmly.

"Motherfucker, you scared me." you gasp and put a hand on your chest, trying to calm your pounding heart.