Strange's Heartache

Chapter 30

"I'm s-so s-s-sorry!" You sobbed against his chest. It was as if fate, the very thing you swore that didn't exist, had slapped you in the face with the revelation that it did in fact exist and was the very thing that was guiding your life. "What ever for, sweet one?" He asked softly as he gently rubbed your back and allowed you to cry against him. You took a hitching breath and mumbled something that caused him to slip a finger under your chin and tilt your head up gently and say, "I didn't quite catch that, sweetheart. Can you repeat it?"

You blush at the affectionate touch but look up and say, "Because this is all my fault." Stephen froze and you immediately look back down as the guilt bubbles up again. "I'm sorry, who's fault do you think it is?" He growls as he kneels in front of you so that you have no choice but to look at him. "It's all my f-fault." You whisper as your bottom lip quivers and a few more stray tears stream down your face. "No!" He growls as he stands up and very quickly picks you up and swings you around to wear you're now on his back with your legs around his waist. "Let me show you something, darling." He says as he quickly opens a portal and steps through it.

The other Avengers immediately scramble to figure out where the two of you have gone and if you're safe. As the pair of you land on solid ground you look around and gasp loudly. You were in the ruined kitchen of the Bleeker Street Sanctuary just moment after you'd been betrayed. "Just watch." Stephen says quietly as he quickly uses his magic to conceal the both of you. Hours go by and suddenly a portal opens from the direction that Stephen and Tina had disappeared and out steps a heartbroken Stephen.

"No!" He chokes as he begins to dig through the rubble desperately. "No PLEASE! PLEASE!" He cries as tears begin to well up in his eyes. "Omega please come back!" He whimpers as he gives up and hangs his head as the tears begin to fall. "I'm so sorry, princess." He whispers right before another portal opens and a very pissed Tina storms through and grabs him by the throat. "Since you're so hellbent on trying to betray me, I guess I'll have to make it impossible for you! Face it, Stephen. (Y/N) will never want to be near you again after this!" She hisses as Stephen chokes. In his weakened state, he could do nothing to fight her off as she drug him back through the portal.

Stephen opens another portal to the right of you both and steps through and suddenly, you're in the same dank cell that Tina had kept you when she'd tortured you. Except it was Stephen who was now tied to the chair. "Tell me. That's all you have to do to make the pain stop!" Tina growls as she flicks her hands sending more thin glass slivers into Stephen. You have to bite down on Stephen's shoulder to keep from making any noises as horror courses through you and Stephen turns his head and presses a small kiss to your temple as the pair of you watch on hidden in the dark corridor.

"I...will never...betray (Y/N)...like that!" The past version of Stephen groans as blood drips from what looks like every inch of his skin. "Then I'll continue until you change your mind!" She says in a deathly quiet voice before she quickly opens both hands wide and suddenly glass shards shoot out of Stephen's skin causing him to scream in agony. On his back in the corridor, you were soaking the Cloak of Levitation with your tears as it gently wrapped around you as if to hug you. "Think you can watch more?" Stephen asks softly as he pulls you around to cling to his front.

"Is it more like this?" You sob as you wrap your arms around his neck. "In some parts yes. But...well. You'll just have to watch." He answers as he kisses you on top of the head. The more he soothes you the calmer you become until finally you lay your head against his chest and mumble, "As long as you warn me when there's about to be a bad part." He chuckles softly which causes you to smile. "Of course, darling. Let's go." He says softly as he let's go of you just long enough to open another portal and walk the two of you through it.

This time, the scene was immediately gory. Blood was splatted all over every surface but you couldn't see Stephen. "Kaecilius!" Tina sobs and you turn and watch her put her bloody hands up to her face as the older man looks down at her with his eyes filled with...rage? Disgust? Contempt? "How could you be this fucking stupid, Tina? You know the council will come for you and there is nothing that I can do to stop them!" He spits at her. "Kaecilius please! You and Stephen-" She began but was cut off as he raised a finger and she began to choke and grasp at her throat. "Do. Not. EVER! Suggest that again. He stole what should be rightfully mine. The Eye, the Cloak, both should be mine. And because you resorted to black magic and all your co-conspirators died in the process is not a good enough reason to help you!" He growls.