I would be lying if I said that the very large pile of reviews, follows, and what not, clogging up my inbox didn't give me the drive to update faster, so I'm truthfully saying that it absolutely played a big role in this newly published chapter. Thank you all for your incredible commitment to this story, and also, to a very proud and grateful author:D Lastly, this chapter is set with the last one, but they are both behind in time of chapter 2. Without further ado, enjoy!

Chapter 10: The Eye of the Needle

~S~

Strange closed his eyes.

It was always clear to him that his physical form held no permanence, but of all the ways to die, it would have never occurred to him that torturous brain surgery would be the way he would go.

His heart was beating extremely fast now. At least, he thinks, the brain doesn't feel pain. The worst part will be the incisions.

Stephen could feel a scalpel moving towards his head.

This was it.

The cloak was incapacitated beyond any hope, and the ancient one had obviously been a hallucination, considering no help had come in two days. He was really going to die this time and he was terrified.

And just when his relationship with Christina was starting to heat up again. Shame.

Time stood still.

A firm voice spoke.

"After all this time. You're still looking through that narrow keyhole."

Strange jumped at the sudden voice, turning his head as far as it would go in search of the source.

His teacher's words were not long forgotten, but Strange was starting to think he'd hallucinated her exact soft, yet firm voice, when he turned out to be completely alone.

"No, you're not hallucinating," The voice replied.

The doctor scrunched his forehead, slightly worried that his hallucinations were gaining more intelligence as he did. "Prove it. No hallucination is physical, so touch me and I'll believe you."

"Very well."

Strange felt a hand grasp his arm.

"Is this alright?"

"Yeah," Strange replied. He then thought of her first words to him and decided to address her statement. "What did you mean when you said I'm still looking through a narrow keyhole?"

The voice began. "Your actions have shown where you place your abilities."

Stephen spoke in an irritated manner. "What do you mean my actions? I haven't been able to do much of anything with this voodoo shackle on my wrist! It's made me completely powerless."

"The shackle on your wrist is carved with powerful ruins, but your power is much greater."

Stephen frowned at this. "Much greater?… Then how come I couldn't break free of its so called, lesser power?"

"For the same reason others before you have not. You doubted in your abilities."

The voice paused for a few moments as if sensing Strange was going to need more to go on. "Your power relies on your mind."

"Wait, so if I believed I could have knocked out the guard, I would have? That's very shaky mechanics."

The voice of the Ancient one sounded as if she was smiling. "Not as shaky as you might think. Power must have... a safety switch, if you will. Haven't you ever had fights with Wong and thought about getting back at him in some way?"

Stephen wondered where she was going with this, but answered truthfully. "..Sometimes."

"It was your lack of full will and belief to follow through that prevented you from using your abilities in such a manner. And in this circumstance, it was your lack of will that prevented you from breaking free of your confines."

"So in order for my abilities to work, I need to have both true will and belief. That's not gonna get old anytime soon," Strange finished, sarcastically.

"Be that as it may, it is necessary," the voice replied.

Stephen took a breath and craned his head to the shackles latching his legs, arms, and head. "How come I can't see you?"

"There is no need. Now go, Mr. Strange. Free yourself and the cloak and escape from this place."

Rather than immediately doing what was asked of him, Strange needed a moment of introspection. What if his alien pals had decided to trick him and impersonate the ancient one. Did they have the technology or even the knowledge of her voice? Deciding to continue on that note later, Strange decided now was likely his last time to escape. He spoke with fear in his voice, but there was also strength in it as well. "Alright, here goes."

Stephen focused on believing in his power, which was not an easy thing even with his mind. And of course, the scalpel hovering over his head did make him a tad nervous. But despite the distraction, power was once again coursing through every vein, like an electrified river. A few minutes later, he was rewarded with the sound of clanging metal and muffled sounds of leather smacking the floor.

Time resumed its normal speed.

Stephen used the distraction to kick the surgeon closest to his head, in the face, and slammed another unconscious against the other table, readying his light whip just in case others wanted to join in.

A moment of recoil gave Strange just enough time to smash the restraints that held the cloak and without hesitation, the cloak immediately attached itself to Stephen's shoulders, smacking another alien to the floor with its train before she could harm Stephen.

But unfortunately, the cloak didn't see the one hiding under the table.

"That was close," Strange muttered. "I think we should…"

Strange screamed in pain as a large blade sliced through the skin of his right calf.

Clutching the deep gash in his leg, he kicks the alien responsible square in the mouth, right into the legs of another operating table, causing a loud clatter as the instruments came crashing down with it.

There are just two more aliens left, and to the doctor's amazement, the cloak suddenly flies off his shoulders and tackles both aliens at once.

While the cloak was busy, Strange beheld the destruction, silently. These wicked creatures were responsible for so much damage; to his kind, and likely countless others who made the unfortunate travel. As such, while standing over their bodies, strange began to feel very confused.

These wicked creatures were responsible for so much damage; to his kind, and likely countless others who made the unfortunate travel. As such, while standing over their bodies, Strange began to feel very confused.

Why hadn't these people been wiped from existence?

Surely, at the very least, they deserve that punishment. The ancient one was aware of their treachery. Why hadn't she destroyed them with one thought?

Stephen felt the soft caress of velvet squeezing him harder than usual- though the pressure wasn't uncomfortable. It was almost as if the cloak was using as much of its magical strength to hold onto the man without hurting him.

The action caused a spark of emotion, but Strange suppressed it and gently lifted the hem covering half of his body and squeezed it, reciprocating the kind action the only way he knew how.

As Stranged unconsciously backed up against the table, a loud metallic clatter makes him jump.

Catching up with his breath, however, Strange investigates. And upon turning around, something unexpected, graces hm. Low and behold, a metal tray was lying on the floor off-kilter from its normal upright position. His heel must have been stepped on the rim of the same metal tray.

"It's alright, I just stepped on something," he whispered.

One good thing comes out of the disturbance, though. In the midst of feeling sheepish, the action serves as a reminder of something.

More of their kind would be coming soon to investigate the racket. Also, his throbbing leg needed to be cleaned before an infection started forming.

Conclusion: They needed to get the hell out of there.

Stephen struggled against the pain as his shaky hand relieved the sling ring from a concealed outer pocket of his robe, and then as fast as possible, he opened a portal to the Sanctum. The portal itself, was very weak and failed the second Stephen and the cloak entered it, but they entered, none the less.

The cloak was vigilant as they traveled between worlds, watching the quick flashes of rainbow hues streak past them as worlds known and unknown passed underneath.

Something familiar soon comes into view; Its shades of violets and regal browns and greens are a comforting reminder to the cloak that they were almost home.

Sure enough, warm air and the smell of freshly baked Christmas cookies sweetly assaults the Cloak's senses and it becomes overjoyed when the interior of the sanctum comes into view.

But something wasn't right.

Stephen's body was now shaking, and felt as cold as ice, even through his clothes.

As if things couldn't get any worse; Stephen loses all balance as well as consciousness, and falls.

But the cloak is there to catch him before he hits the ground.

It's been about 3 months since I really wrote anything, so I hope this chapter wasn't too shabby of a read and still captured what most of you expected. As for you double-hurt fans, don't think I've forgotten you. Remember, Stephen has been injured by an alien creature. Who knows what that entails... Well, I do, since I'm the writer, but don't think it's something small ;)

Anyway, every one of you have been incredibly patient and I would like to thank you very very very much for that. I also want to deeply thank those of you that got me through the death of my pets. It was a hard time for me and I'm extremely lucky to have you all, and I though I am very much behind on replying to reviews, I will be reaching every one as soon as I can. *Sprinkles heart emojis on everybody* Ptss... these ones are candy.

P.S. Update in about a month, at the latest.