Chapter 25

As Tony's breathing deepened, the soft rhythm signaling that he had finally drifted into sleep, Stephen let out a quiet sigh. He adjusted his position slightly, his warm fur brushing against the arc reactor's glow. Ensuring Tony was truly asleep, he allowed himself to relax.

It had been a long day—a long series of days, if he were honest with himself. He had spent far too much time hiding from his past and his future. But tonight, with Tony at rest, Stephen decided it was time to seek clarity for himself.

And he could feel someone close that could help him find it.

Closing his eyes, Stephen let his consciousness slip free from his body. The familiar golden shimmer of the astral realm enveloped him as he emerged, his form shifting back into his human self, wearing the black tunic and pants he preferred, the Cloak of Levitation trailing behind him in its true, flowing form.

He told it to watch Tony for a moment as he moved through the astral realm, its vast expanse stretching endlessly in every direction. But Stephen didn't need to search long. He felt her presence—warm, steady, and patient—like the faint glow of a lantern guiding him through the dark just outside the room, in the living room.

Turning toward the source, he saw her waiting for him, standing calmly as though she had been there all along. The Ancient One.

Her serene expression softened as she saw him approach, her hands clasped loosely in front of her. "Stephen," she greeted, her tone warm but gentle.

"Ancient One," Stephen replied, inclining his head slightly.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. They simply stood there, surrounded by the soft, shimmering light of the astral plane. There was a quiet comfort in her presence, a sense of familiarity that Stephen hadn't realized he had missed.

Finally, the Ancient One broke the silence, her voice as calm and measured as ever. "You seem troubled."

Stephen exhaled softly, his gaze lowering for a moment before meeting hers. "I've always been troubled, haven't I?"

The faintest hint of a smile tugged at her lips. "Perhaps. But your troubles have always led you to seek answers. That is not a weakness, Stephen. It is a strength."

Stephen chuckled softly, though there was little humor in it. "A strength that's left me with more questions than answers."

The Ancient One tilted her head slightly, her gaze steady. "Then let us address them."

Stephen crossed his arms, his posture tense. "It's Tony," he began quietly. "His arc reactor is keeping him alive, but it's also poisoning him. I have to do something, but I don't know what."

The Ancient One nodded slowly, waiting for him to continue.

"I have options," Stephen admitted. "I can turn to the sorcerers of this universe—to Kamar-Taj. Or I can return to the medical field, to the colleagues I once worked with." His jaw tightened. "But both paths lead to confrontation. To facing the people I've lost in my universe, the lives I left behind. And I'm not sure I'm ready for that."

The Ancient One regarded him thoughtfully, her expression softening. "You fear their expectations," she said gently.

Stephen's gaze flicked away, his hands clenching at his sides. "I fear being someone I'm not. If I step into the life of this universe's Stephen Strange, I'll be taking on his identity, his legacy. And if I return to the sorcerers, I'll be facing memories of people I once fought beside—people who are gone in my world."

"I think you already know the answer, Stephen." The Ancient One stepped closer, her voice calm but firm. "You have already dealt with one of your inner demons, after all."

Stephen frowned, turning back to her. "What do you mean?"

She smiled faintly, gesturing toward the direction of Tony's room, where the cloak was, as always, following his order faithfully. "The Cloak of Levitation. You feared it would not recognize you, that it would reject you for not being the same man it once knew. And yet, you sought it out. And it embraced you."

Stephen glanced over his shoulder as if he could see the cloak through the walls, his expression softening as he remembered the moment after he had broken it free of its display case to greet him.

"You are not stealing anyone's identity, Stephen," the Ancient One continued. "You are simply reclaiming what is yours—the trust of those who recognize your spirit, even across universes."

Stephen was quiet for a long moment, his gaze distant. Finally, he sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "And what of the medical field? My colleagues? They'll expect me to be him—the man who died in a car accident, the man who never had the chance to become Sorcerer Supreme."

The Ancient One's smile softened. "They will expect what they will. But you are under no obligation to meet those expectations. You are not the Stephen Strange of this world. You are simply… Stephen. And that is enough."

Stephen looked at her, his blue eyes flickering with uncertainty. "Even if I choose to confront these paths, as you suggest… I don't know where to start. The resources I had in my universe are gone, and while the sanctums here are familiar, they're not mine. The medical field is not as advanced as I remember from my universe. What if I do something I've read from the future, stealing the creation of someone else?"

The Ancient One nodded, her gaze steady. "Then allow me to assist you. Just this once."

With a wave of her hand, several books materialized in the air between them. They hovered gently, their worn covers glowing faintly in the ethereal light.

"These texts," she explained, "contain knowledge from the healing field of the mystical side. They will not give you all the answers, but they will guide you toward the right questions."

Stephen hesitated, his eyes lingering on the books. "I thought you wanted me to find my own way."

"I do," she said simply. "But even the most capable traveler needs a map to begin their journey."

Stephen reached out, his fingers brushing against the nearest book. He could feel the weight of the knowledge within it, the potential it held to guide him forward.

"Thank you," he said quietly, his voice sincere.

"Also, I think you can update yourself about the medical field with the use of the Internet and Stark's AI." The Ancient One smiled, stepping back slightly. "You have always been capable, Stephen. Do not let your doubts bind you. You are stronger than you know."

Stephen nodded, his grip on the book tightening slightly. "I'll try to remember that."

She tilted her head; her gaze softening. "Good. Now, return to your charge. He'll need you when the dawn comes."

As the Ancient One's presence went away, Stephen found himself back in the astral realm's stillness, the books hovering gently in the air before him.

With a quiet breath, he went to Tony's room; the books following behind him. He then began to read, still in the astral plane, as he watched over Tony. And for the first time in weeks, Stephen felt a spark of clarity. He didn't have all the answers—not yet. But he had a starting point.

And that was enough.

.

May 5th - 2009

.

The sunlight crept into Tony's bedroom, soft and warm as it poured through the glass windows. For the first time in what felt like weeks, Tony stirred awake, feeling something close to rested. The faint hum of the arc reactor in his chest greeted him as he shifted on the bed, blinking blearily at the ceiling.

Something warm and heavy was draped over his neck and shoulder. Frowning, Tony tilted his head to see a familiar black-furred cat curled against him, sleeping soundly.

Stephen.

Tony huffed a quiet laugh, his rough voice from sleep barely above a mutter. "Lazy sorcerers. Must be nice to nap all day while the rest of us actually get things done."

Before he could move to wake Stephen, a faint shimmer of golden light caught his attention near the edge of the bed.

Tony blinked as, out of seemingly nowhere, Stephen's astral form appeared beside him, floating in that cross-legged pose, his arms crossed and a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

"Lazy, you say?" Stephen's voice was calm but laced with amusement.

Tony yelped, jolting upright as his heart raced. "What the—! Don't do that! You can't just… appear like that!"

Stephen's astral form raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by Tony's outburst. "Would you prefer a warning next time? A polite knock on your consciousness, perhaps?"

Tony scowled around a yawn, running a hand through his hair as he tried to calm his breathing. "You're lucky I didn't throw something at you."

Stephen gestured to the bed with a faint smirk. "You're lucky you didn't wake up my physical body. It's a bit rude to disturb a cat's sleep, don't you think?"

Tony rolled his eyes but couldn't help the small grin that crept onto his face. "Yeah, yeah. So what have you been doing, oh mighty sorcerer? Meditating? Stargazing? What's the excuse this time?"

Stephen's smirk softened as he glanced to his side, where a book hovered in midair, its pages faintly glowing with golden runes and intricate symbols. "Reading."

Tony blinked, leaning forward to get a better look at the book. "Wait a second. Is that… is that a magic book floating? How is it floating?"

Stephen's astral form tilted his head slightly, his tone dry. "Magic, Anthony. Try to keep up."

Tony shot him a look. "Right. Should've guessed. But seriously, where'd you find that thing?"

Stephen's expression grew more thoughtful as he glanced at the hovering book. "My mentor left it for me. She… lent me a few texts that may prove useful."

Tony raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "Useful for what? What are you researching now?"

Stephen's gaze returned to Tony, his expression serious. "Advanced mystical healing arts. If we're going to fix the issue with your arc reactor, I need every resource I can find."

Tony frowned, glancing down at his chest where the faint glow of the arc reactor shone through his shirt. "You're really taking this seriously, huh?"

"I don't take life-threatening conditions lightly," Stephen replied, his tone calm but firm. "You may have grown accustomed to it, but that doesn't mean I have."

Tony let out a quiet sigh, leaning back against the headboard. "I appreciate the effort, Doc. But, you know, if it comes down to it, we could always try good old-fashioned science. I'm pretty good at that."

Stephen inclined his head slightly. "Science has its place. But magic may provide solutions where science falls short. It would be unwise to dismiss either approach."

Tony smirked faintly, his gaze flicking back to the floating book. "You know, for a guy who calls himself a sorcerer, you're surprisingly practical."

Stephen's astral form smiled faintly, his tone dry. "I prefer the term 'efficient.'"

Tony chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Alright, Steph. Keep doing your thing. Just, you know, maybe give me a heads-up next time you decide to materialize out of thin air. My heart can only take so much."

Stephen raised an eyebrow, his smirk sharpening. "I'll consider it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more reading to do."

With that, his astral form vanished in a shimmer of golden light, leaving Tony sitting alone on the bed.

He glanced down at the sleeping cat curled against his side, shaking his head with a small grin. "You really are full of surprises, aren't you?"

Stephen's cat form twitched slightly in his sleep, his tail flicking lazily as if in response.

Tony sighed, letting himself relax against the headboard and, as the morning light filled the room, Tony found himself feeling something he hadn't felt in a long time: hope.

It was strange, trusting someone else with his life. But if anyone could find a way to fix what was broken, it was Stephen Strange.

And maybe, just maybe, Tony Stark wasn't so alone in the fight after all.. "Alright, Doc. Let's see what your magic can do."