The Rise of the Blue Phoenix

Chapter 10: An Unforgettable Encounter

   Hesitantly, Ashley  did what she was asked, and just  then, a chitauri bursted  into the room, to which Ashley only glanced at it and it caught fire. The doctors stared at the dead alien and then at each other. "Could you just wrap a bandage around it? I've got to help the rest!"

   A nurse then came in and asked for the woman, and then. It was at that moment Ashley learned her name: Christine Palmer. She ran out of the room and left Ashley alone with the male doctor. But what about the other doctor?

   "Sooo...what's your name?"  Ashley asked before wincing as he tightened the  bandage around her arm as she used her free hand to fight the  chitauri.

   "I don't think now is the time for introductions," the doctor replied as more chitauri bursted in the room. Ashley bit her lip, "Maybe later. You done?" With her hands both free she caught the chitauri and threw them away. She grabbed the doctor and ran out of the room, where ahead was one glass window. The other side of the corridor was blocked, fallen and chitauri were trying to reach them.

   "We have to jump!  Hold on."  Ashley said as she grabbed his hand and they both jumped out the window. The doctor screamed as they fell, but Ashley made it a lighter surface, just as she heard Tony's voice. "Ash, you okay there?"

   "Yes, just getting a civilian underground, why?"

   "I think Clint could use some assistance."

   Ashley's eyes widened before spinning around to see the doctor. "Listen, the police are over there, I need you to go with them underground, okay? I have to go now, but don't stop running, I'll cover for you, now run!"

   The girl created a force field and ran with the doctor, stopping to rid their path of chitauri and keeping citizens safe. Just as she reached the others with the police, the doctor turned to her. She smiled at him, "Thanks for the help doc. Hope we meet again one day. The Blue Phoenix gives you her gratitude." And she ran off, leaving him behind.

   "It's...Stephen Strange," Stephen muttered just as the girl left, leaving him confused before finding Christine.

   Ashley smiled at the memory.  She bit her lip, slightly angry at herself. Since Infinity War, she and Stephen had gotten closer. Much closer. He had remembered her when they first met during the War, and  he had asked about her powers. Turns out, when she was sixteen, she still remembered him. Explaining her powers to him made him more intrigued by her. When he was snapped in those five years, it felt near impossible to tell Christine Palmer, his 'girlfriend', that they lost, but she had to.    

   In those five years, Ashley realized she never really had a deep crush on anyone before Strange. Unlike the others, she felt a deep emotional bond between the two of them. She may have found others attractive, but Stephen was always different. It was then she realized she would get nervous by some of the smallest things he'd do, and when she saw his hands, she attempted to comfort him.

   If there was one thing Ashley hated, it was her feelings for Strange.

   She felt someone sit down beside her,  causing her to raise her hands before she calmed down, watching Bobby from earlier sit down beside her, a knee bent while the other was dangling. He sighed at the sunset. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

   "Huh? Oh, yeah. It's beautiful," said Ashley. She looked at him and furrowed her eyebrows, narrowing her eyes as she looked at her lap. "You knew my parents, right?"

   Bobby looked at her, "Yeah, I knew them, so did Marie. And Ororo. I was there when Jean was first killed."

   "How did she die?" Ashley asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Bobby sighed, "The Dark Phoenix happened. It made her lose her mind, and she turned almost anyone near her to dust. Only Logan, or Wolverine, was genuinely able to defeat her, as he could heal quickly. And she was stabbed by him. He saved us, but he lost Jean.

   "He loved her too, just like how Scott loved her. There was a whole love triangle between the two," Bobby chuckled. Ashley laughed with him, "Notice how both my moms had been kissed by more men than me. And I'm literally 22!"

   "No way, really?"

   "Yup!"

   Both laughed and he hugged her in a brotherly manner, and oddly enough, she felt warmth.  She felt the ability to relax, but she quickly pulled away. Bobby  stared at her, "You don't have to do this on your own, y'know? We're here to help."

   "I know," she said, "But I still can't risk it."

   She got up on her feet. "Thank you for the stories, Bobby, I deeply thank you for willing to share."

   Bobby stared at her, "Marie and I are willing to talk as much about them as you want. They helped shape who we are. All three of them."

   Ashley nodded her head, "Then they really did a good job. I wonder how they would raise me if they were around."

   Bobby froze, not saying another word. Ashley stared out into the sunset, smiling to herself. "I will get you back home, Bobby."

   "Oh yeah?" He smirked. Ashley met his gaze and smirked right back.

   "Yeah. I promise."