Set after Dr Strange 2: The Multiverse of Madness (Spoilers!)
After using the Darkhold, Strange collapsed in a corridor at the sanctum and memories came flooding back of Peter Park.
"Strange. Are you alright?" Wong asked as he came in and saw Steven on the ground. "Strange?"
"Peter," Dr Strange whispered.
"What?"
"I need to visit someone."
"Who?"
"A friend," Dr Strange said before he started to get up and Wong helped him.
"Are you sure that you're alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll be back in a few hours."
"Where are you going?"
"To see a friend."
"You have friends?"
"A few, but Peter has none," Strange said to himself as he set off to Peter Parker's flat.
As he took off and flew over the city, tears came to his eyes as he thought about Peter, everything that had happened, and everything he had been through. None except for Strange knew who he was. He had lost his family, his girlfriend and everyone who ever knew him. He was all alone.
Peter frowned as he opened the door and saw Dr Strange.
"Hi. Can I um… can I help you?" He asked and Strange smiled as tears pricked at the edge of his eyes.
"Hello Peter," He said and a faint flicker of hope sparked within Peter, but he kept his cool.
"Aren't you Dr Strange? The magic guy who fought with the Avengers?" Peter asked and Dr Strange smiled more.
"I am. And I know that you fought alongside them too."
"What do you mean?" Peter asked as his heart beat faster.
"I remember Peter. I remember everything. The spell that went wrong, the green goblin, the other spidermen. The memory spell I cast to make everyone forget who you are," Strange said and Peter stood, speechless.
"...How?" He asked after a moment.
"I used a book of very dark magic, and it had its effect on me. One of the things it did, was let me remember you."
"So none else knows?"
"No."
"Ok…" Peter said before he looked at Strange. "Can I… can I hug you?"
"Yes," Strange said as a tear ran down his face. "Yes," He repeated and Peter hugged him. Strange held him close and he felt Peter breathing against his chest. Both their hearts were pounding now and they remained in each other's embrace.
"None's…" Peter said as he started to cry. "None's held me like this since May… May died."
"I know. I'm sorry Peter," Strange said and Peter got closer to Strange. "But you're safe now. I've got you."
"Thank you."
"If you ever need a home. The sanctum is always open."
"Thank you."
An hour later, Peter was sat topless on a chair and Dr Strange was tending to his wounds that he'd gotten from all of his spiderman exploits.
"I need to get you to hospital Peter."
"Hospital? Why?"
"You've got at least 2 broken ribs, and your breathing is strained. You also could have punctured a lung."
"But that should heal. You know, with my abilities."
"Your abilities only go so far Peter, and as your only legal guardian you don't have a no choice in the matter."
"Ok. But May said that I should avoid hospitals. They could pick up on something and take me somewhere to be tested on."
"You won't be taken away and tested on."
"How can you be sure?"
"Because I'll be with you. And if they do spot something that's off, we will be straight out of there."
"Ok."
"Good. I know just the doctor to take you to," Strange said before he turned round to start opening a portal. As the first of the orange sparks flew, he heard Peter crying behind him. He opened the portal, and turned back to Peter. "Peter? What's wrong?"
"I…"
"What is it?" Strange asked as he wiped one of Peter's tears away.
"None's looked after me like this since…" Peter said and Strange softened.
"Since May died" He asked and Peter nodded. "Come on kid. Let's get you sorted out," Strange said and Peter nodded. Strange helped him up and together they walked into the hospital.
"Are you alright sir?" A nurse asked as she saw Strange walking with a crying Peter in his arms.
"Yes. Where is Dr Palmer?"
"At the nurse's station."
"Thank you."
"Is Dr Palmer… a friend?"
"Yes. She'll help to look after you."
"Thank you."
"Dr Palmer. Christine!"
"Steven? Hey, are you ok?"
"I'm fine. This is Peter Parker. He has some long standing injuries that haven't been treated for a couple of months."
"Is he a relative?" Christine asked and Peter looked at Strange.
"Yes. He's my nephew."
"Ok. Peter, I'm Dr Palmer and I'm going to look after you ok."
"Yeah… thank you."
"Come in here and I can examine you," Christine said and she led him behind a curtain.
Six hours, surgery and a chest drain later, Peter woke up to see Dr Strange asleep beside him. He'd had surgery on his shoulder to repair a badly healed fracture as well as a chest drain inserted to fix a small haemothorax (blood in the lung). He also had a brace on his leg for three ligaments that he'd torn the night before.
"Look who's awake. How are you feeling Peter?"
"Sore."
"Ok. I'll increase your pain medication," Christine said before she adjusted his IV.
"What happened?"
"You've had surgery on your shoulder to fix an old fracture. I've also put a chest drain in to fix an injury to your lung, and you've torn three ligaments in your right leg."
"Did you say… surgery?"
"I did. Just relax. You're doing really well."
"Ok."
"Do you want me to call anyone for you? We don't have your parents on file."
"My parents are dead."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"It's ok."
"Who are you living with at the moment Peter?" Christine asked and Peter didn't reply. "Are you living with anyone?"
"No. I'm on my own."
"Ok. I see."
"You're going to have to tell social services, aren't you?"
"I'm afraid I do Peter. You're not old enough to live on your own. Do you have any relatives who could take you in?"
"Dr Strange offered."
"Steven? But he lives in a magical sanctum."
"I know."
"It won't be safe for you. I'm sorry, but for your own wellbeing I'm going to have to call them. I'll be back to check on you soon," Christine said before she turned to leave.
"Hold on… Christine," Dr Strange said and she turned to him.
"You can't take Peter in Steven. You know you can't."
"Peter's not a normal kid."
"What?"
"He's… spiderman," Strange said before he yawned.
"What?"
"He's got powers. He's more than capable of living by himself and, well… it's a bit of a long story."
"You've got my attention now Steven."
"Some time ago, I botched up a spell and all these villains came for Peter."
"Villains?"
"Yeah… with octopus arms… and electricity coming out of them," Peter added.
"Ok…"
"It all came to a head Christine and I cast another spell to make the world forget who Peter Parker is. I remembered yesterday because I messed around with the darkhold and…"
"Ok! That's enough complicated explanations for me, for one day."
"Don't call social services. Please Christine," Strange said and Christine looked over at Peter. "He won't be on any official registers for a start, as well as…"
"I won't call them. But promise me you'll look after him. If everything you said is true, then you, and me I suppose, are all that Peter has."
"Exactly," Strange said and Peter coughed. Blood gushed into his chest drain and both Christine and Strange's faces went white.
"Crap," Christine said before he rushed over to Peter and listened to his chest.
"Peter? Talk to me," Steven said as he went to Peter's other side and looked into his face. Peter looked dazed, and he'd gone pale.
"His breathing is reduced on this side. I need to locate the new puncture site and reset the chest drain."
"We need to get him to CT."
"Let's go," Christine said and together Steven and Christine rushed Peter down to get a scan.
"Steven. The classes have requested your presence… your friend is a child?" Wong asked as he stepped through a portal and saw Strange watching Peter from his hospital chair.
"Yes."
"Where are his parents?"
"Dead. It's a long story Wong."
"Ok. I shall tell the teachers that you're busy."
"Thank you," Steven said and Wong left. Moments after the portal closed, Peter started to wake up. "Peter. You're safe, just relax."
"May?"
"No. It's Steven," Strange said gently and Peter opened his eyes to look at him. "How are you feeling?"
"Banged up."
"Yeah. You've got two chest drains in, but your shoulder's starting to heal."
"Ok. Can I come back to the sanctum with you?"
"Of course you can. Just as soon as Dr Palmer discharges you. But that might not be for a few days."
"That's fine. Thank you, for staying with me."
"It's my pleasure Peter. It's been so good to see you again."
"And you Dr Strange," Peter said and Steven smiled.
"So. How do you want to pass the time?"
"Can you open small portals?"
"I can open up portals of all sizes Peter."
"What about one way portals? So we can see out, but people can't see in?"
"Like a one way mirror?"
"Yeah."
"Yes, I can do that."
"Can you find MJ and Ned? I want to see them."
"Sure," Strange said and he pulled his chair closer to Peter and started the spell.
MJ and Ned had both made it to MIT. They were still really close friends and they were doing amazing in their chosen subjects. MJ had a new boyfriend, but she seemed very happy and that made Peter happy. Ned was still a nerd, and on his second day in hospital, Peter saw that Ned was searching for his lego sith lord.
Glancing across at Strange to see that he was asleep, Peter leant down and got his sling ring. Having seen both Strange and Ned use it, he started to give it a go.
"Come on. Come on," Peter said as he moved his hands and soon, orange sparks started to appear. "Argh. Argh," He groaned as he felt the magic twisting at pulling at his motions.
Unknown to him, Christine had come into the room and she saw the tiny portal he had created.
"Peter?"
"Argh. Come on. I need that lego piece. Come on…" Peter said to himself and Christine walked round so that she could see into the portal. Sure enough, she saw a lego sith lord sitting on a tabletop. She reached her hand in and picked it up before Peter closed the portal and fell back, panting.
"Sling… My sling ring…" Steven said as he woke up.
"No. I didn't get it," Peter said as he cried and Christine put her hand onto his shoulder. "No…"
"Why do you have my sling ring Peter?" Strange asked as he stood up and took it back.
"He opened a portal."
"What?"
"It's Ned… he needs that lego piece to finish his death star," Peter said as he opened his eyes and saw his friend through Strange's mirror.
"This piece?" Christine asked and Peter turned to see the sith lord in her open hand.
"Yes. Did it… did it work?" Peter asked and Christine smiled.
"It worked Peter. Here you go," She said and Peter took the lego piece.
"Will it go through to Ned if I put it through the mirror?"
"It might do. I've never tried."
"Oh man," Ned said through the mirror. "It's never going to be finished."
"Here goes nothing," Peter said before he threw the piece through the mirror and it hit Ned on the head.
"Ow. What? Huh?" Ned asked none as he saw the sith lord lying on the floor. He looked up at his ceiling seeing nothing, but Peter saw him. He smiled as Ned picked up the piece and finished his death star. "Awesome," He said and Peter smiled.
"It is awesome."
"It looks like you're ready to move on," Christine said as she rubbed her hand around Peter's back.
"I think I am."
"Shit. MJ," Ned said before he rushed out of the room. Strange waved his hand and the mirror disappeared.
"Am I ready to be discharged?" Peter asked after a moment.
"You are. I've got crutches for you to use until your leg fully heals, and other than that just take it easy."
"I will. Thanks Dr Palmer."
"It's my pleasure Peter," Christine said before she turned around and saw Strange kneeling down on one knee. "Steven? What are you doing?"
"Christine Palmer. I'm sorry that I didn't say this before, but I love you. I've always loved you and I always will. Please, make me that happiest man alive," Steven said as he produced a ring. "Will you marry me?"
"Yes," Christine said with a beaming smile. "Yes Steven. I'll marry you," She said and Steven put the ring on her finger and kissed her.
"Peter!" Wong shouted and Peter appeared from the library in the New york sanctum.
"Yeah?"
"I thought we talked about your early morning kebabs ending up all over my ancient floors," Wong said as he stood by a mess of donner kebab, salad and mayonnaise all over the entrance hall.
"I'm so sorry Wong, I tripped on my way back in and you know that last night was really tough, I'll get something to clean it up with now and…"
"No. I'll do it."
"Are you sure?"
"After what you did to the artefact floor, I am not trusting you with any cleaning equipment again."
"Oh yeah… sorry about that."
"It's alright. I think the pink adds to the atmosphere of the room."
"Strange…" Wong said as Strange appeared.
"Leave it Wong. It doesn't matter. How do I look?"
"Great."
"You're tie's a little off," Wong said as they came over and Wong straightened it for Steven. "There."
"Are you nervous?"
"Very."
"You can save the world and yet the scariest thing is marrying the woman you love."
"Exactly," Steven agreed before they heard a car horn outside.
"The taxi's here. Are you ready?"
"No. Let's go," Steven said and they went out to the car.
Peter soon returned to his flat and kept his head low to maintain the secret of spiderman's identity. He would talk to Dr Strange, Christine and Wong often, as well as visiting them under the guise of being Steven's nephew. It felt good to have a family again, especially one that knew everything that he had gone through.
His friends were happy, and even though their lives were miles apart. Peter thought of MJ everyday. When she came back during the college semesters, he would go and order coffee in the café that she worked in. Then, when he heard that her graduation was soon and that she wouldn't be returning to New York, he bought her a black dahlia necklace and gave it to her with a note when he paid for his final coffee.
This was my aunt's. She was kind, understanding and brave. You remind me of her, so I wanted to give you this. Be strong and look after the people you love. Goodbye MJ.
After reading the note, MJ picked up the necklace and looked at it. She frowned as a memory tried to appear.
"Peter?" She asked, before she looked out of the window and put the necklace around her neck. It rested against her chest for a moment before her mind snapped back into reality and she carried on as before, Strange's spell holding the bonds of reality together.