The Book Keeper
by TimeAndLife21
Chapter 10
It has been a week and a half since the incident and Anaiah still hasn't woken up. At this point, Stephen has decided that she went into a coma and He kept visiting her during meal times. At these meal times however he would see the Ancient One in Anaiah's healing chamber and feeding her different kinds of broth for nutrition and something simple to keep her fed.
Stephen was reminded of the CNAs back at the hospital who would do personal cares for those who are recovering from Surgery and the like. Of course, he never did such cares, (mainly because he was a dick and thought himself higher than being a butt-wiper then now that he thought about it) but it was interesting how the Ancient One was much like a mother and leader to many of the apprentices and students here.
Today he didn't see the Ancient one, but he had brought some of his own food with him, some sort of spicy curry with vegetables, pad thai noodles with chicken was his preference. He would take his place by the side of the bed and ate his food in silence. Not really paying attention to his surroundings. He focused on the woman who was still in bed. He really didn't know what kind of 'magical' injures there are and how he could treat them. He could sew up a wound no problem, take a bullet out of a brain with extreme precision, graft new skin elsewhere, he could do it...but he couldn't now...not with his hands the way they were.
He felt helpless. And He felt like a lowlife when he thought back to his last interaction with Anaiah. He knew she shouldn't have made a dig as her unknown past, yet he did it anyways. Christine always did say that his arrogance and his pride would be his downfall. Look where it had taken him.
He was so deep in his thoughts that he barely noticed a movement on the bed.
He looked up and saw Anaiah's eyes flickering open. He felt his heart stutter and his breath leaving him as she woke up finally. Her facial expression was blank before it twisted a bit in pain and she let out a sharp gasp before she lifted a hand to her injured area. She had gritted her teeth and let out a sharp exhale before muttering something in a language that he distinctly recalled 'Norse', before she sat herself up gingerly.
He was so shocked that she was awake that he didn't realized that the bowl of his food fell to the floor. That made her turn to where the sound came from. Her pained face turned to surprise as she noticed that he was here.
"Strange?" She rasped, her voice weak from waking up from a week and a half coma.
He straightened himself out and tried to look like he was when he was back in the hospital, but he failed a bit.
"You're awake." He blurted.
'Nice going Strange. Be an idiot." He thought harshly to himself.
This made her lips twitch into a smile before she chuckled.
"Well, if I'm seeing you, I'm still alive. Did you perform surgery on me?" She poked at him.
This made him look up at her with shock. She was joking with him?
"I...well...I just…" He stuttered.
He didn't stutter! He never stuttered! What has this damn Book Keeper done to him.
"It's fine Strange. I won't be performing magic for the time being, but I'll be fine." She said as she took off her covered and swung her legs over the edge of the bed.
At that moment, Stephen realized that she was wearing a slip of a nightgown. Again, he was a doctor. He has seen bodies of both young and old. But for the sake of modesty, he turned away and looked at the wall.
"Damn, it's been awhile since I had an injury like this." She spoke tiredly.
"A while?" He asked not looking at her.
He could hear her pained breaths and shuffling around the room. He heard the closet door open and he heard an 'aha!' before he heard the ruffling of clothes.
"That last time I had a more severe injury was...5 years ago? 6 maybe? But this hurts like a burn though…" She mumbled something about getting a burn salve from the Ancient One.
"They were worried...The Ancient One, Mordo, Wong…" He listed off.
"You?" She countered.
"I wasn't worried. I had complete confidence that you would wake up." He lied.
He heard a snicker and footsteps coming towards him.
"Liar." She chuckled.
He sighed. He just couldn't win with this woman. He might as well get it over with.
"Look...I'm not good with apologizing. I'm...I'm sorry that i brought up a sore subject with you." He said painfully. He really wasn't good at apologizing.
"You were right that I'm egotistical and arrogant...though I'm trying...not to be anymore… and for bringing up your past…" He started to ramble.
He didn't even notice that Anaiah was in front of him and she reached out with her hands and placed them under his jaw and turned his head towards her. She was fully dressed in her green and silver robes and her hair was somehow managed to be brushed out despite being in bed for a week and a half. He was looking up at her and she was still holding his face in her hands. Her face was soft and tender and her warm chocolate eyes had forgiveness in them. He was stunned by the emotions that flitted across her face.
"You are still learning Stephen Strange. Yes, for years you have been stubborn, living rich, wanting only recognition from popular magazines for your work, and yet, here you are trying to be a better person. It's hard work, but you are improving." She smiled softly. "I forgive you."
He was literally stunned. He honestly didn't think that she would accept his apology so easily. But she did. And She could see that he was trying. Old habits die hard but he was trying. He didn't even noticed that his eyes felt wet or that a tear fell from one of them.
She came closer to his face and placed her forehead to his. He felt comforted instantly.
"Just remember to keep trying. You are still learning, and you are doing just fine. You just have to...be more sincere with your attitude. Don't change who you really are Stephen. Stubbornness is a good thing, Pride is what keeps you going, and your physical limits may seem constricting but your attributes will aide you in many ways. You will emerge a better man eventually." She spoke to him before letting his face go.
He blinked a couple of time before he realized that she was straightening out her robes.
"That fact that you came to apologize to me shows humility." She smiled at him again. "Just remember that just because you seem to know everything, doesn't mean that you know the stories behind it. I will see you later, Doctor." She spoke before sweeping herself out of the room.
He was still sitting in the chair by the unmade bed. He was expecting Anaiah to be cold to him. Not even accepting his apology, he expected her to yell at him, claiming that she knows nothing about her past and how she lives her life, how he shouldn't be sticking his nose into it, but instead she gave him forgiveness and peace of mind. He couldn't even remember the last time he was given advice, sincere praise, and pep talk to do better.
He stood up and tuned to the door where Anaiah left. The Book Keeper was ever mysterious. She was like a puzzle that he couldn't figure out. She was a jewel of the deep that he would have to dive and figure out who she was. With his heart hammering against his chest, he made a resolve to get to know her more.
What he never realized that Anaiah made the same resolve. Perhaps things may just be easier between the two of them.
TAL21: Things are going to heat up between our Doctor and Book Keeper. Stephen will eventually see what the Masters of the mystic arts does when they reach a certain level, but they are not monks or savages. XD Oh no, Anaiah and The Ancient One will be testing him in the real World and not Kathmandu. Just because he will eventually become Sorcerer Supreme doesn't mean he can't have fun. XD Which means that they will be traveling. And even going to a club or two. XD Now, I know that this is a shorter chapter, but I wanted to get this one up before I go to work ( or even post it while I'm at work. LOL) and no shout outs this time. I'll be combining the previous chapters reviews with this chapter reviews for shout outs in the next chapter. I hope to see you guys make DETAILED REVIEWS! I like hearing from you guys and I love to interact with you. Please tell me what you like or don't like about this story and tell me what you would love to see in it. Because I like improving my story to the best of my ability. :) I'll see you guys in the next chapter.
Question Time!: What would you like to see in future chapters? Know for a fact that I'll be adding a bit more humor into the story from here on out until we get to the meat of the story. XD
Keep on reading and writing!