Strange's Heartache

Chapter 7

Stephen was pacing and deep in thought when he felt the first wave hit and immediately staggers to a halt and growls softly at the cramps in his lower abdomen. "Oh fuck." He whispers once he's gotten through the worst of it and sits down in the nearest chair. He's deep in his breathing techniques when Sol Rama appears and says, "How long has it been since you've taken your last dosage?" Stephen jumps straight up out of his chair as his eyes blaze yellow and a feral growl rips from his chest until he sees who just spoke and he sinks back into the chair shaking. 

"It's been at least a month that I can remember. And even before then I was forgetting to take my doses." Stephen whimpers as he lowers his head and tries to breathe slowly. Sol Rama walks over and sits beside him and says, "This is being worsened by the fact that your mate has been taken and we still haven't found her, isn't it?" Stephen raises his head just a bit and stares at his dear friend with rage-filled yellow eyes but says nothing. "That's what I thought," Sol says with a nod. He was just about to get up and leave when a thought struck him so suddenly that he gasped causing Stephen to jump again. "You know you're getting really good at making me jump and I'm not sure I like that," Stephen says as he sits back in the chair with a hand on his chest. 

"I'm sorry, my friend, but I've just had a thought. And I know this is going to sound awful but do you think that if we got something with her scent and aura you'd be able to track her?" Sol says softly. Stephen looks at him as though he's lost his mind for a moment then says, "If it's been worn recently by her then yes I think I would be able to." Sol smiles and makes a portal upstairs and hurries through it. It's quiet for all of a minute and a half before he's back with a scarf and a hair tie. Both are positively glowing with your energy and Stephen takes them gently out of Sol Rama's hands and clears his mind of all chaos before concentrating on your energy. 

"No. This isn't right. There shouldn't be anything there. But there is. Why are there so many people there? Wait a minute. I'm getting a reading on several people that I think I know." Stephen mutters as he tilts his head. Suddenly his eyes flash open and he snarls with livid red eyes, "Minoru has her in the old workman tunnels in the industrial park not far from here. But we need to be prepared because our old friend Kaecilius is there as well." Sol Rama gasps then rushes back through the portal to tell them that not only had you been found but that his friends needed to prepare for an all-out war.

It takes everyone close to a week to prepare spells and potions and traps in order to make sure that everything is completely set. Loki oversees the making of potions, Sam and Bucky both oversee the making of traps and Steve and Wanda both make sure that everything is as fool-proof as they can possibly be before Steven is given the ok to go ahead and infiltrate the place where Minoru and Kaecilius have you.