An Imaginary Throne // Doctor Strange // Far From Home

Chapter Eleven // stephen

CASEY FREEZES at the sight of him.

A second later, she's on her feet. When Quentin doesn't respond, she grabs the fabric of his shirt, dragging him back with her toward the swinging side door. She doesn't want to see the man responsible for so much pain. The man who transformed her mother's legacy into one of death and destruction. The man willing to ruin his own daughter's life for a shot at revenge. Her free hand is wrapped around the door handle when Quentin stops abruptly, unintentionally jerking her back.

"Who is that?" He asks.

His fingers are interlaced with hers and he looks to Kaecilius with confusion, void of the wariness that Casey possesses. When her father's eyes cross them, he steps in front of her protectively, but she gently tugs him away. For whatever reason, her father appears dazed as he shuffles through the rubble and her better sense tells her they're better off running than staying to fight.

"You don't understand, we have to go now." Casey mumbles. He glances down at her, eyebrows knit together in objection but- upon seeing her expression -nods. Within seconds, they've left through the exit. Quentin slams the steel door shut behind them, locking the bolt while she searches for an escape. She eyes the room with wariness. Her attention only falters when loud thumps come from inside but before she can react, Quentin ushers her forward.

"C'mon."

He leads her down the hallway to a winding metal staircase that snakes upwards in tight circles. Casey pauses before the first step, her grip on the red banister white-knuckled as she looks to him with guilt. While she doesn't want to, she owes him an explanation.

"He's my father. Technically, your wife's."

"Adria's father died in-"

"Sokovia," She scoffs, "Yeah, sure he did. I just thought you should know, before we go any further."

Perking up at the sound of a distant bang and having recovered her breath, she rushes up the staircase. Quentin is hot on her heels.

"Adria. Adria!"

She looks back the second time he calls her name but her attention is first and foremost engaged with the sound of nearing footsteps. So it seems is his, because he runs while he speaks.

"What does he want?"

"I don't know," She mumbles, pausing when they reach a set of pad-locked double doors. She scans the empty floor for a weapon but her search comes back empty so, sighing in frustration, she raises her hands instead, sending a burst of crackling orange energy toward the padlock. It clatters to the ground and she pushes the door open, ignoring the look of awe on Quentin's face as she steps aside to let him in.

"I guess I'd better get used to that."

"I take it you don't have real powers in this universe either." She states, a slight edge to her voice. She may be working alongside him now, but that doesn't mean she's forgiven his actions on her Earth. Besides, she still has no idea whether he really is as clueless as he seems. The source had led her here for a reason- one she's still trying to work out.

He shakes his head and Casey sighs but before she can get a word out, they hear the thud of boots ascending the staircase. The room is barren of all but a wide window which Casey runs toward, only to realise they're five floors up. No way is she risking that jump. Behind her, Quentin is slumped against the entrance, holding the doors shut. Even if they hadn't left the padlock outside, Casey doubts a measly piece of metal could hold her father back. Why he hasn't used his magic yet, she has no idea and can only hope he doesn't suddenly decide to.

"The Serpent Crown." Quentin says, interrupting her thoughts, "You think that's what he's after?"

It hits her like a bullet. Casey swears, sweeps her hands through her hair and nods. Something pounds into the door but while the metal shudders, Quentin doesn't.