This is the beginning of "Doctor Strange." It will be more OC focused than usual with some bits in 3rd person for Strange's thoughts. I'm not sure how I feel about it just yet, but the next chapter is coming along better than this one—which was just being a pain for a bit. There will be no OCxStrange in this section (since she's with Tony) so no worries there, though I can't wait for Tony to find out about her and Strange ;)

Please, let me know what you think.

"Tell me again why you picked Nepal of all places to vacation? Last I checked, it's just a smog-filled trash heap at the base of Everest."

"First off, rude," Jess said to Tony over the phone, dodging a bicyclist easily as she wandered the crowded streets—voice raised so he could hear her over the cacophony of noise coming from the street vendors and motorists around her. "Second, I figured it's busy enough to keep me on my toes. With all the nonsense you guys got me into with the Avengers, I wanted someplace lively. Keeps me from getting bored."

"You sure you don't want me to drop by? Sweep you off to someplace nicer?"

"Tony, you said I could pick, and someone has to take care of the business."

"Pepper could do it."

"Pepper is getting ready for her first kid and doesn't need to worry about trying to run my business on top of what is somehow still considered yours."

"Hey! I still make executive decisions!"

"Like what? Which Swiss bank account the money goes into?" Jess teased with a chuckle. "Relax, Tony. The worst thing I have to deal with here is the occasional biting monkey."

"You've got your rabies vaccine?"

"And tetanus and all the other requires vaccinations in order to travel outside the country on top of some you demanded, yes." Jess rolled her eyes. "Like I'm going to get the flu in Nepal, honestly."

"And your suit?"

"Tucked away safely should I need it, which I won't because this is my first vacation in years, and I plan on enjoying it. Now, I'm going to hang up and maybe do some shopping. I'll bring you back a souvenir if you can hold off calling me for more than a few hours."

"A day?"

"If you can make it three, I'll bring back something more exciting for you, okay? Bye, Tony. I plan on getting a bit of backpacking done anyway, so my reception might be a bit terrible."

"Remind me to ensure a cell tower is put over there next time you decide to go to Nepal."

"It's called a flight of fancy for a reason, you know. I might never come back here. Who knows?" She shrugged, smiling politely at a vendor and waving them off when they offered her a freshly caught fish. "Bye, Tony."

"Love you."

Her expression softened. "Yeah, love you too, Iron Man." She hung up the phone, before looking up through the smog at the blurred shape of the Himalayan Mountains. "How about a hike to start?"

Water poured from the sky and I cursed, ducking under the nearest awning and shaking my hand through my hair with a scowl at the sky. So much for hiking. I wanted to see how far up I could walk in a sweatshirt and sweatpants. Test my internal heating a bit, but no. Should have aimed for a spring vacation and not during the rainy season in autumn. I sighed, checking my backpack to see if the water had managed to soak through to my laptop, but everything was dry. Well, aside from me, anyway.

I pulled out my phone and heaved a sigh at the sight of the black screen and dead battery. Guess I'm just going to have to wait it out. A rumble of thunder made me groan. And it sounds like it's going to be a while. Wish my heat could dry me off, but I've tried that before. Just makes me feel clammy and I've taken my suppressants today too. Last thing I need is to be caught in a crowd and glowing. I looked around idly, seeing shops nearby that were empty and suddenly realizing that the door I stood in front of had no shops near it.

Odd. Wonder who they paid off to actually have a few feet of space free of cheap merchandise and tourists. I pulled a hand through my damp hair with a grumble of complaint, leaning against the door for only a second before it swung open and I fell backward. I pushed myself up, ready to apologize for intruding, but no one was around. I frowned, but shook it off, assuming the door just hadn't been closed all the way. I'll just step back out and pretend I hadn't just stupidly fell into someone's home. Yet, when I got up, the door closed and clicked shut.

"What the…"

I went over and tugged on it, but it remained locked without an actual latch anywhere in sight. Seeing no other choice, I slowly turned around and went further in to search for whoever owned the building to apologize and leave.

"Hello?" I chimed quietly, peeking around a corner to see an empty area with a table along one side and a door across from me.

Great. No one home? I frowned, moving further in only to feel a chill run down my spine, making me pause. Someone or something was here. I turned quickly on instinct, dodging a bright orange, almost electrical pole that was being swung at me. Natasha's training kicked in and I did my best to dodge the oncoming attack while trying to get said attacker to stop so I could explain.

"W-Wait! Wait! Give me a second to explain!" I shouted, only for a second person to appear out of nowhere with whip made of similar material.

I cursed as I now had to dodge and defend against both weapons as I started to get more and more annoyed.

"Oh, for God's sake!" I snapped, allowing the whip to wrap around my arm and using my fire ability to protect against any damage it might cause as I grabbed it with my hand—glaring at the hooded figure holding it. "I have a really bad problem with whips, you know."

With a heave, I yanked it forward and grabbed the man by the hood, swinging him around and slamming him to the floor before blocking the pole being swung at me with my arm. Glaring once more, I allowed my arm to heat up, eyes glaring gold as I grabbed it and twisted, swinging my foot around and bashing it into the man's shoulder.

He released it and I tossed it aside, dropping my foot down onto the man on the ground who'd begun to try and get up.

"Move, and I'll melt a hole right through you," I threatened him, more annoyed by this whole thing than anything.

"There will be no need for that," a woman spoke as she entered.

I eyed the robe-like clothing and her shaved head for a moment before removing my foot and stepping away from the man on the ground. He got up hastily as I raised my hands in peaceful surrender, eyeing the woman as I tried to cool my body down. And I was using suppressants too. Damn. Might need to ask Tony about upping the dosage.

"Normally, I would apologize, but they did attack first," I grumbled, watching the woman as she eyed me with a small frown.

"After you snuck in," she pointed out.

"It was hardly sneaking. I leaned on your door and it fell open. Then, it was latched shut. So, I came to ask someone to let me out only to get jumped."

"How… curious," she mused, waving off the men's concern when she approached and I lowered my hands, eyeing her just the same as she eyed me. "That door doesn't open for anyone, much less lock them in."

"Good to know I can upset a door of all things."

She smiled pleasantly then, gesturing for the door further in. "Would you like some tea? We can offer you a bath as well and a change of clothes until yours dry. Wouldn't want you to get sick."

I raised a brow at her. "You'd invite a complete stranger into your home, offer them a bath and change of clothes after they just had a fight with your…" I gave the two men a look. "...guards?"

"They are not my guards. They're my students and to answer your question, yes. I would invite a stranger into my home." She smiled again, a sort of suspiciously nice and polite smile. "It's how I tend to earn students, though you are more than a pleasant surprise."

"Why's that?" I asked as she led the way and I followed, equally curious about her.

"I don't know who you are," she replied, confusing me further.

She gave off a strange sort of energy that reminded me of the Tesseract and the Mind Stone but more… open and friendly. It was weird to feel that from a human being.

"You say that like you usually know the strange people who walk in," I muttered, eyeing the courtyard we walked past as rain poured down onto a tree in the center that was half bare of its leaves.

"I typically do," she smiled.

Don't know why I'm surprised. Wanda was able to use people's minds. And I can technically see events of the future. Who's to say there isn't an enhanced who can read someone's memories? She paused in front of a room, gesturing to it.

"You can use this room for now. I'll have someone drop off some clothes for you to wear and bring you to where we will have tea."

"Sure, all right," I shrugged, stepping in and looking around.

Oh, Tony would be pissed if he heard I'm staying at some lady-monk's house. Least I have my suit if anything happens but… I feel oddly comfortable here.

"Might I inquire your name?" She asked, making me turn to her.

"Only if you tell me yours."

She cracked another smile. "I'm called the Ancient One."

I blinked slowly. "And I'm called Phoenix. We done playing games?"

She raised a brow and I rolled my eyes.

"Jess. Jess Norris," I muttered. "I'm not going to be all mysterious like you. It's tedious."

She chuckled. "Then, I will see you at tea."

She stepped out, leaving me be and I stripped myself of my wet clothes, running my hand through my damp hair as I stepped into the bathroom to bathe. What the hell am I doing? Comfortable gut feeling or not, I honestly shouldn't be hanging out with people who just tried to kill me. Yet, as I sank into the bath with a sigh, closing my eyes and listening to the rain patter against the roof, I knew I wasn't about to leave anytime soon.

"Damn this place for being so relaxing."

I wandered out of my room, following a woman dressed in similar robes as the dark grey ones I was now wearing as she led me to where the Ancient One was seated on the ground having tea. I sat across from her, accepting my own cup and feeling the tension roll off my shoulders as I drank. Again, they could have poisoned it but I'm so damn relaxed…

"Good tea," I murmured, peering open an eye as she chuckled.

"One of my students said the very same. I think you two would get along."

"I tend to unintentionally piss off those who people think I'd get along with," I hummed, lowering my tea and leaning back on one of my hands. "Nice place though. Big, open. You run a school then? Like a sort of… Shaolin monk tai chi class?"

"Something like that," she said, sipping her own tea. "The storm isn't supposed to pass for a few days at least. You're welcome to stay here."

"Thanks. Suppose there's no point in leaving just yet. I was going to try climbing Everest, but this quickly put a damper on that."

"Why are you in Nepal, Miss Norris?"

I groaned immediately. "Don't call me that. Jess is fine. I hate formality."

"Yet, you're actually quick apt at speaking formally."

"Ex-lawyer," I grumbled. "It's habit. And I own a business so I'm constantly at meetings. I came here to relax and get away from things for a bit."

"Alone?"

"My boyfriend is… clingy and tends to attract trouble."

"Why Nepal?"

I began to wonder why I was telling her everything, but it was hardly life-changing information. "I like being busy. Someplace like Hawaii or Fiji isn't to my taste."

She smiled again, raising her tea to her lips. "You would definitely get along."

I ignored the comment, though it made me curious about this student of hers.

"So, anything I should know about since I'm here for a few days?" I asked. "Rules, policies, mandatory meditation time?"

"No knowledge is restricted here. Feel free to roam and ask questions. I'll inform the masters that you are here. Any meditation, reading or participating in activities is up to you. Although, I would appreciate if you didn't… melt anything. Good wooden floors are difficult to replace."

I snorted. "That's fine. I'm taking suppressants anyway and tend not to use my ability."

She eyed me curiously. "You're afraid of it?"

I pursed my lips, setting down my tea and drumming my fingers on the cup. "I… am not confident I can control it."

"You seemed capable earlier."

"I already took suppressants today, and even then, I shouldn't have been able to heat up so much. My powers tend to flare up with emotions. The last thing I need is to flare up in a crowd or…"

"Ah, I see. You fear hurting your loved ones."

I remained silent, having discussed this before with my therapist and with Tony as well, who was determined to prove I'd never hurt him. And I hadn't… yet. But I didn't trust that I never would and that only added to my nightmares.

"Perhaps, once you've settled in, I may help you find a solution to controlling it," she said, drawing me out of my thoughts. "I have space where you may be able to practice without fear, but you will need supervision and I wish to learn more about you, Jess, before I go trusting that you are worthy of knowing that much about our magic."

"Is that what it is? Magic?" I asked.

"The 'Magic of the Mystic Arts' is what we call it, though it is not like the magic you find in movies or books. Feel free to look at some of our library books on it, though the books you'll be allowed to look at are limited."

"Sure. Can't have some random person learning all your secrets," I shrugged, getting up. "Do you have sparring practices?"

She chuckled. "Yes, and with how you handled my students earlier, I encourage you to join in."

I nodded. "Only if I get bored."

"I look forward to learning more about you."

I gave her a brief look. "Same, Ancient One."

Strange frowned, eyes roaming to the woman who was standing in the back of the class and following along with their sling ring warmups. He normally didn't bother trying to learn about the other students here, but she was different somehow. She wasn't given a sling ring, nor did any form of the mystic arts appear when she followed along. He had at least gotten sparks when he was struggling.

Yet, she looked very relaxed as she moved fluidly and didn't seem concerned with the lack of magic she produced. The masters too, treated her strangely. They would answer her questions, adjust her form when necessary, but never made any moves towards getting her to properly use magic. What made him the most curious though, was her relationship with the Ancient One.

Unlike the other students or even himself, she had no qualms about approaching her or speaking freely. He'd overheard her once commenting about how terrible the food selection was right to her face, but the Ancient One was as calm as ever and explained a few things before offering her use of the kitchen. In fact, the Ancient One seemed more curious and amused by the woman than anything. It made him curious about the woman who was so easily able to catch her interest.

He didn't see anything really special about her. Outwardly, anyway. Her short-cropped hair made her look more masculine than most women, but it worked for her and helped add to her strong appearance. She obviously worked out or did some form of martial arts or exercise because while lean and muscular it was not in a way that put him off. It bothered him though. What would cause a woman to train that intensely? What had she gone through to have the need to appear as strong as she could?

But it wasn't any of his business and he would have settled for not knowing much about her if it hadn't been for the Ancient One.

"Ah, perfect. Stephen could you show Jess to the library?"

Strange blinked in surprise, arms laden with books as he looked to Jess in shock. "What? Me? I'm actually a bit—" He looked back to the Ancient One, but she was gone. "...busy."

"...Ever get the feeling you've just been tricked?" Jess commented, giving him a sideways glance that made him scowl.

Oh, did he ever.

I almost felt bad for Stephen Strange having to escort me to the library. He obviously wasn't thrilled, but turned and allowed me to trail after him.

"You could just point me in the direction of the library and I'll go," I offered.

"No. She left you to me, so I may as well."

"You said you were busy," I challenged.

"I am."

"Then, just give me directions and if I get lost, I'll just ask someone else."

"No, because then she'll find out I didn't help you and I have enough trouble with her already."

I smirked, unable to help but want to tease him a bit. "Oh. So you're the class clown then?"

"I'm not—" He cut himself short when he saw my amusement and rolled his eyes. "The library is just up ahead. It won't be far so I'll just show you."

I chuckled, knowing I'd already managed to ruffle the feathers of the student the Ancient One had claimed I'd get along with. Not that I was purposely trying to cause trouble, but he was making it too easy.

"So, Strange, right?" I confirmed, getting a small frown for my attempt at small talk. "The Ancient One said you were a doctor."

"Neurosurgeon, actually," he corrected.

Ooh, he's like Tony. A bit arrogant… Well, more than a bit, really. I pointed at my chest. "Ex-lawyer, current business owner and… well, babysitter of a group of overpowered idiots."

He raised a brow, but I wasn't about to give him much more than that. As it was, I'd told the Ancient One far too much. Discussing my abilities was always a hard subject, but she relaxed me enough to talk like we were old friends. I wasn't about to make the same mistake with Strange.

We'd arrived at the library and I glanced around curiously. No library I'd ever been in had their books chained up.

"They afraid the books are going to run away?" I quipped, moving past the desk in the front and running a finger over the titles.

"Why are you here, anyway?" Strange asked, getting a bit blunter now that he was understanding how I worked. "You're not studying the mystic arts. You're not even trying."

I hummed, pulling down a book on classical Sanskrit and flipping through the pages. "Curiosity mostly. I was caught out in the storm and the door locked me in. The Ancient One was willing to let me stay until it passed, offering me information in return for information about myself. Said I was interesting." I shrugged as he started looking at his own book he'd unchained.

"Interesting? She knew everything about me when I walked in."

"Not me," I mused, missing his surprised look. "Had no idea who I was or how I got in."

"Impossible," he murmured under his breath before I spotted something nearby and headed for it.

It was a necklace of some sort, but it had feeling to it. Like the Mind Stone and the Tesseract. It called me over, cooing at me almost and I picked it up curiously.

"What's this?" I asked Strange, who was quick to rush over and take it from me. "Oi!"

"This is the Eve of Agamotto, a mystic relic."

"Ooh, mysterious," I drawled with a roll of my eyes as he took it and slid it over his neck. "Uh, are you qualified to play with mystic relics?"

"Wong's not here," he shrugged, moving to his book and reading it. "'First, open the Eye of Agamotto.'"

I eyed him as he moved his hands, a shiver running through my spine as something in the air shifted and I felt the necklace grow excited. Pieces of the necklace shifted before it opened, revealing a green gem not unlike that of the Mind Stone, which put me immediately on edge. No wonder they felt similar. That's another Infinity Stone. Oh, this is not good. If I knew anything about the Infinity Stones, it was that tampering with their power was very much not good.

"Strange, I don't think you should be messing with that," I muttered, not entirely frantic both to keep him from knowing I knew what that gem was and because of the gem itself.

It didn't hate me like the Mind Stone, nor was it curious about me like the Tesseract. It felt… warm, accepting, inviting and excited almost. Like it knew what I was, as the Tesseract did, but it was thrilled to be anywhere near me. It wasn't threatening like the Mind Stone, and that is probably what unnerved me about it the most—just how willing I was to accept it and watch Strange as he twisted his hands, forming green rings up his arm.

"I just want to try a few things," Strange said, ignoring my concern, aiming his hand at the partially eaten apple from before.

I was stunned as with a rotation of his arm, the apple was finished to the core and then made whole again. He tested this a few times, just as intrigued as I was.

"Are you… manipulating time?" I questioned as he put the apple aside and moved his book forward, turning to where some pages were torn out before using his newfound abilities to return the pages to the book.

"Dormammu, the dark dimension," Strange read from the book as I came up beside him to read the pages for myself.

"Hold on, does this say using the power of the dark dimension could potentially offer eternal life?"

He blinked in surprise. "You're fluent in Sanskrit?"

"I've had business relations in Afghanistan," I explained quickly, eyes scanning the pages. "Knowing an older language with basis in their religion and current languages really helps in translating and dealing with politics." I tapped the page before us. "Strange, this doesn't sound good. If someone wanted to, they could—"

A crystal wall started to form in front of us before someone shouted from behind and it disappeared.

"Stop!" An Asian man glared as Master Mordo stepped forward angrily.

"Tampering with continuum probabilities is forbidden," he snarled. "Much less in front of someone not of the arts!"

"Rude," I grumbled.

"I-I was just doing exactly what it said in the book!" Strange argued with him, not seeing how what he'd just learned could be wrong.

"What did the book say about the dangers of performing that ritual?" Wong—I'm assuming—snapped angrily.

"I don't know. I hadn't gotten to that part yet," Strange grumbled, but I had.

"Temporal manipulations can cause branches in time," I replied, giving the two men a look as they stared at me in shock. "Paradoxes, unstable dimension openings, time loops. Like 'Back to the Future' gone wrong." I scratched at my jaw as they gave me odd looks. "I like sci-fi. So what?"

Mordo though was still angry. "You want to get stuck reliving the same moment over, and over, forever, or never having existed at all?"

"They really should put the warnings before that stuff," Strange complained.

"Always read the whole thing and the fine print," I lightly chided him, gesturing to myself when he raised a brow, reminding him. "Ex-lawyer."

"Your curiosity could have gotten you killed," Wong snapped. "You weren't manipulating the space-time continuum, you were wrecking it. We do not tamper with natural law. We defend it."

Mordo though paused. "How did you learn to do that? Where did you learn the litany of spells required to even understand it?"

Strange shrugged. "I've got a photographic memory. It's how I got my M.D. and Ph.D. at the same time."

"Oh, nice," I complimented. "I've got edictic memory. Doesn't last forever but got me through law school and an engineering degree."

He hummed in appreciation before Mordo cut in, not thrilled about our lack of concern for what had just occurred.

"What you just did takes more than a good memory. You were born for the mystic arts."

Strange wasn't convinced, lifting a quivering hand. "And yet, my hands still shake."

"For now, yes."

"Not forever?" He pressed adventure I began to understand what he was doing here.

A neurosurgeon with ruined hands is useless. He came here to change that somehow. They… promised him he could and he's not getting the results. I don't know who I should feel more worried for. Him or them…

"When do you start telling me what we are?" Strange snapped, having lost his patience and Wong gave me a glance before leading us both back to the stand that had held the necklace.

"While heroes like the Avengers protect the world from physical dangers—"

I coughed, having not expected to hear about the Avengers here of all places.

"—we sorcerers safeguard it against more mystical threats. The Ancient One is the latest in a long line of Sorcerers Supreme, going back thousands of years to the father of the mystic arts, the mighty Agamotto. The same sorcerer who created the eye you so recklessly borrowed. Agamotto built 3 Sanctums in places of power, where great cities now stand," Wong explained, pointing out three doors around us. "That door leads to the Hong Kong Sanctum, that door to the New York Sanctum. That one, to the London Sanctum. Together, the Sanctums generate a protective shield around our world."

I glanced at the hologram-like image of the world he was showing us. Wonder if they could have helped with that mess in New York. Loki used a type of magic, but I wonder if they're different or can't be used against each other… I had an itch to learn more about the mystic arts, but it was quickly pushed to the back of my mind as the two masters continued.

"The sanctums protect the world, and we sorcerers protect the Sanctums."

"From what?" Strange questioned.

"Other-dimensional beings that threaten our universe."

"Like Earth doesn't have enough trouble," I muttered under my breath as Strange frowned.

"Like Dormammu?"

"Where did you learn that name?" Mordo questioned with a hint of unease.

"I just read it in The Book of Cagliostro. Why?"

"Dormammu dwells in the Dark Dimension, beyond time," Wong explained. "He is the cosmic conquerer, the destroyer of worlds. A being of infinite power and endless hunger, on a quest to invade every universe and bring all worlds into his Dark Dimension. And he hungers for Earth most of all."

"The pages that Kaecilius stole."

Okay, bit lost now. Don't know who Kaecilius is, but if he broke the rules, stole pages about a dark dimension and isn't anyone at this school, then he must be bad news. Rogue student?

"A ritual to contact Dormammu and draw power from the Dark Dimension."

"Uh, okay. Okay. I… time-out. I… I came here to heal my hands, not to fight in some mystical war," Strange argued before a bell chimed in the room, drawing our gazes to the ceiling.

"London."

We turned to the door to the London Sanctum as it opened and a man tried to run through only to get stabbed in the back by a cloudy looking spear from the group behind him.

"Kaecilius!" Mordo shouted in shock before I felt something in me stir at the sight of the magic Kaecilius held over his head and I threw myself at Strange, who was closest to the door.

"No!"

"Look out!"

An explosion went off, knocking us both off our feet and through a door. It took a second to pick ourselves up, shaking off rubble as we tried to figure out what had just happened.

"You okay?" I asked him, getting up and looking around at the large staircase in the room before us.

"What was that?" Strange questioned. "Where are we? What about Wong and Mordo?"

"You know, for a doctor, you sure don't use your head much, so you?" I complained, moving to the door ahead and opening it for him to look out and see for himself. "That Kaecilius guy blasted us through the door to one of the other sanctums. Judging by the lack of Chinese, and the fact that he was attacking the London Sanctum, we were knocked into—"

"New York," he murmured, spinning around and rushing back in to look around.

"There's just one problem," I said, following him up the stairs and through a collection of artifacts of a sort. "He just killed the guy in the London Sanctum and launched an attack where we were. He's attempting to take out the sanctums. This one might have already fallen with how quiet it is. Strange, this really isn't good."

"Well, what are we supposed to do?" He questioned, obviously tense.

"I… I don't know. My best chance at fighting is back in Nepal and neither of us are really experts at what we are capable of. Hell, I just learned about this magic stuff a few days ago! I don't know how well I can hold up against it."

Strange frowned, making to undoubtedly ask what I meant, but we both went dead silent at some noise coming from the entrance. We cautiously moved behind a pillar to look down and find Kaecilius and his group facing a single master before the stairs. He's not going to stand a chance against three. Would trying to help now change anything or just get us both hurt? I grit my teeth, resisting a groan of frustration.

I wasn't prepared for any of this. I was supposed to be on vacation, for God's sake! My suit was back in Nepal and while I could summon it here, it wouldn't make it in time. Fights tend to not last more than a few minutes and I'd really rather not use it if it wasn't absolutely necessary. I was pretty sure Tony would get a notice if I did, and the last thing I needed was him rushing down here too.

No. That's my choice then. I can't let Tony get involved. I don't even want to be involved, but I'm not about to abandon Strange. He has no idea how to handle this sort of situation, and I do. As much as he'll hate it, I've got to keep him safe before all else.

"Stop!"

I jolted out of my thoughts, resisting a curse. The master had been stabbed and Strange had jumped out in a last vain attempt to save the man, therefore exposing us as well. So much for a quiet getaway, I mentally grumbled, flexing my hand and allowing some of the heat to roll through me in preparation.

While I hadn't been in Nepal for long, the Ancient One verbally banned me from using my suppressants and had started giving me tips for potentially controlling my heat better. Meaning, that I was well prepared for just about the worst possible scenario in this mess Strange was about to get us dragged into. Just have to avoid getting stabbed in the heart… manageable but definitely not favorable.

"How long have you been at Kamar-Taj, Mister…?" Kaecilius hummed from the bottom of the stairs and—much like Tony—Strange sighed.

"Doctor."

"Mister Doctor?"

"It's Strange," he corrected, getting misunderstood once more.

"Maybe. Who am I to judge?"

Now is really not the time to deal with introductions. I grimaced through, as Kaecilius finished off the master and Strange began to conjure up a string of magic. Kaecilius stunned me for a moment as he effortlessly ran up the side of the wall towards us, kicking Strange in the chest as I tried to deal with the man's two underlings without giving away my abilities just yet. Underlings aren't worth it. I need to save it for a surprise attack or defense with the boss.

"Duck!" Strange shouted and I did so as he threw a bust at one of the men I was fighting only to have to use his magic whip to knock away a cloudy spear Kaecilius threw towards him.

We need to get out of here. We're outnumbered and Kaecilius may outmatch us as well. "Strange! We can't stay!"

He took off running with me right behind him, but again, their mystic arts surprised me by manipulating the space we were in and leaving us running in place.

"Oh, this is definitely not a fair fight," I complained as we stopped and Strange attempted to arm himself with magic once more, but one hand flickered out. "Remind me again which one of us is going to be more useful in this situation?"

He groaned. "Your sarcasm is not helpful!"

Kaecilius jumped up onto the ceiling—reminding me of a far better wall climber in Queens—and two of his underlings rushed at us along the walls.

"We can't keep fighting three on one," I grunted out, side having been kicked as Strange was slammed against a wall and thrown down the hall.

I groaned, landing a solid kick to one of them and moving for Strange only for the hallway to twist. His head was bashed through a window and I hastily grabbed the nearest lamp attached to the wall, determined to have some stability as Kaecilius spun it around. Ugh, I'm going to get motion sick.

"Strange! Grab hold of something!" I shouted as our enemy tipped the hall upward.

Strange saw a chance then and I grinned when he let go of his hold and slammed into one of the underlings—sending them crashing through a glass door into a desert. Perfect! Get them in there and change the location and we'll be able to drop their numbers! The hall was righted and Strange reached to turn the knob needed to trap one minion while I hastily grabbed the leg of the other who'd tried to attack him.

It took a bit of doing, but I was able to twist his leg, ducking under him and get enough momentum to chuck him into the jungle door and lock him out as well. Now, one left and he won't be easy! I quickly ducked in front of the incoming Kaecilius, blocking his swinging arms with mine.

"Run, Strange!" I hollered, ducking under the cloudy blades and rushing after him.

Kaecilius got between us though, making me jump back away from a blade as he went after Strange. Said man used his magic as best he could before grabbing a glowing goblet.

"Hah!"

Kaecilius paused for a moment. "You don't know how to use that, do you?"

"Uh…" Strange threw it at him and continued to use his magic until Kaecilius kicked him into a display case.

I jumped into his path then, having no magic weapon or defense, but managing to hold my own with what training Natasha had drilled into me and what I was able to pick up off the ground. Needless to say, the wooden table leg wasn't much help and I cringed when the clouded blade managed to snap it in half and leave a nice deep gash in my left forearm. Then, of course, he used that momentary distraction to kick me through another display case holding some floating red cape.

Strange was knocked over to me as well and Kaecilius went to slice into him, only for the cape to grab his arm the same time I made to get between the blade and Strange. We both blinked at the cape before Kaecilius slammed an elbow into my nose to knock me back, grabbing Strange and trying again only to be thwarted by the cape a second time.

Strange was thrown across the ground and I rushed for him as Kaecilius made to stab him. We both grabbed his arm, preventing him from doing so, but he kicked Strange over a railing.

"Strange!" I shouted, barely catching a flash of red rushing after him before white-hot pain seared through my right arm.

I stumbled back, reaching for my arm only to find it gone from the elbow down. My eyes went wide as blood dripped into the wooden floors, mind stuttering for a moment as Strange floated up from below.

"Jess!" He bellowed in shock, making another magic whip and using it to grab Kaecilius' blade.

Kaecilius was stronger though, pulling him over only for the cape to once again save Strange from being impaled by pulling him out of the way in the nick of time. Strange went to grab a nearby set of axes, but the cape prevented him from doing so as Kaecilius stalked over.

Thing was, he'd managed to thoroughly piss me off and I hadn't taken my suppressants in a few days. So, when he tried to swing at Strange, it was his turn to be surprised when his blade lodged into my regrown right arm that burned like smoldering coals.

"How did you…"

My eyes glowed brightly as I smirked. "You're not the only ones with special abilities." My smile dropped into a snark. "And cutting off my arm really pissed me off."

I swung a fist into the side of his face, jerking the blade from his hand and easily breaking it once I'd pulled it out of my arm and snapped my nose back into place after he'd broken it with his elbow. I breathed out a hot breath of steam and then rushed at him, giving him a run for his money now that he wasn't sure what damage he could do to stop me.

His blade didn't hurt anymore with the adrenaline and quick healing my body was capable of now that I'd let loose. Any cuts he made healed almost instantly with a bit of steam, whereas he was being forced to go on the defensive to avoid being burnt by my flying fists and kicks. I was beginning to get a bit pumped up at finally having him retreating, but Strange threw something at him when I knocked him close, bringing the fight to a close.

Kaecilius was soon wrapped in metal, unable to move anything but his mouth behind a gag as I clicked my tongue.

"And I was finally able to go all out," I grumbled as Strange gave me a look.

"How are you able to—"

"Later," I stopped him, knowing better than to give anything away in front of an enemy.

"You'll die here," Kaecilius said when Strange removed his gag.

"Oh, stop it."

He muttered something else I missed as Strange complained once more.

"I said stop it!"

"You cannot stop this, Mr. Doctor.

"Why… Look, I don't even know what 'this' is."

"And I know less than he does," I muttered, flexing my burning red hand as I tried to focus on cooling off now that the fight was over. "I've only known about the mystic arts a few days."

"It's the end and the beginning. The many becoming the few, becoming the One."

Strange and I gave each other annoyed looks before he waved the metal gag. "Look, if you're not going to start making sense, I'm just going to have to put this thing back on."

"Tell me, Mr. Doctor."

"All right, look. My name is Dr. Stephen Strange," Strange corrected as I snorted.

"You are a doctor?"

"Yes."

"A scientist. You understand the laws of nature. All things age. All things die. In the end, our sun burns out, our universe grows cold and perishes. But the Dark Dimension… it's a place beyond time."

"That's it. I'm putting this thing back on," Strange said, making for him as he scrambled to convince Strange of something I personally found laughable.

"This world doesn't have to die, Doctor. This world can take its rightful place among so many others, as part of the One. The great and beautiful One. And we can all live forever."

"Really? What do you have to gain out of this New Age dimensional utopia?"

"The same as you. The same as everyone. Life. Eternal life. People think in terms of good and evil, but really, time is the true enemy of us all. Time kills everything."

"What about the people you killed?"

"Tiny, momentary specks within an indifferent universe."

I scoffed, finally cooled off and eyes returning to their bright blue. "That's what makes humans human. People die and it's because of that, that we're able to grow, able to enjoy life. Living forever would be dull. You'd do all there is to do and then what? Immortality is overrated."

"No. You don't see, but he does." Kaecilius looked to Strange. "You see what we're doing? The world is not what it ought to be. Humanity longs for the eternal, for a world beyond time, because time is what enslaves us. Time is an insult. Death is an insult. Doctor…We don't seek to rule this world. We seek to save it, to hand it over to Dormammu, who is the intent of all evolution, the Why of all existence."

"The Sorcerer Supreme defends existence," Strange argued as I sighed, knowing there'd be no convincing Kaecilius his ideals were wrong.

With Strange though, there's a chance. Just not here. Any argument I give, Kaecilius will ignore or throw dirt on it. I'm better off waiting for them to finish this mess before trying to convince him.

"What was it that brought you to Kamar-Taj, Doctor? Was it enlightenment? Power? You came to be healed, as did we all. Kamar-Taj is a place that collects broken things. We all come with the promise of being healed, but instead, the Ancient One gives us parlor tricks. The real magic she keeps for herself. Have you ever wondered how she managed to live this long?"

"I… I saw the rituals in the book of Cagliostro."

"So, you know. The ritual gives me the power to overthrow the Ancient One and tear her Sanctums down, to let the Dark Dimension in. Because what the Ancient One hoards, Dormammu gives freely: life, everlasting. He is not the destroyer of worlds, Doctor, he is the savior of worlds."

"No. I mean, come on. Look at your face. Dormammu made you a murderer. Just how good can his kingdom be?" Strange paused when Kaecilius started to chuckle, making me frown.

It was never good when the enemy was laughing.

"You think that's funny?"

"No. No, Doctor. What's funny is that you've lost your sling ring."

Our eyes widened at the same time and we turned just as a clouded spear flew forward at Strange. I cursed, grabbing him and pulling him out of the way, trying to will my heat to return just as the blade pierced through my right shoulder. I cursed, sagging slightly against Strange before I was grabbed and thrown down the stairs.

Strange was soon tumbling after me, in far worse shape with a wound in his chest. I pushed myself up, leaning against the wall for only a moment, knowing we needed to leave now more than ever. I grabbed Strange, heaving him up as blood splattered on the ground and my vision blurred for a moment from the pain.

Don't think about it. You can't think about it or you won't make it. You have to get Strange safe. You can heal. You just need a moment of concentration. He needs help. The underling who'd come through the portal was coming down after us and I cursed when I looked back to find him with a new blade. I can't risk fighting and wasting more time, but what choice do I have?

I grit my teeth, ready to try and make it quick, but I ended up not having to as the red cloak around Strange flew forward and grabbed the man, bashing him into various objects and giving us a chance. I reached down and grabbed the sling ring that fell off the enemy's hand, holding it out to Strange.

"S-Strange. You have to make a portal. I don't know how to use the mystic arts. W-We need somewhere where you can get help."

He put the sling ring on, leaning his weight on me and making me grimace at the pain it sent through me as he opened up a wobbly portal. We stumbled through and I winced.

"Close it. S-So they can't follow."

He managed to do so, but I could tell he was fading fast as we stepped out of the hospital storage room.

"Uh, sir? Can I help you?" A doctor asked and Strange cut me off before I could answer.

"Doctor Palmer, where is she?"

"Sir, we need to get you—"

"Where is she!" He snapped, making me have to steady the both of us when he dropped more weight onto my injured shoulder.

"Nurses station," the woman gave in and Strange turned us around and I walked us there.

"Christine!" He called out and another woman rushed over in shock as we both faltered.

"Stephen? Oh, my God. What—"

"We need to get me on an operation table now. Just you. Now! I don't have any time!" Strange shouted and she gave me a look before getting us into the nearest room where I deposited Strange onto the metal table.

"What happened?"

"Stabbed," I grunted out, making for the supply cabinet to grab supplies for both our wounds.

"Cardiac tamponade," Strange grumbled, being more specific about his injury.

"What are you wearing? And who is she?" Christine asked and I groaned.

"Really not the time. He is dying."

"The chest cavity is clear," she said after pulling open his robes and tapping on his chest.

"The blood… is in the pericardial sac," Strange slurred, eyes slipping shut.

"No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Stephen! Stephen!" Christine shouted, quickly hooking him up to a heart monitor and prepping a syringe.

"C-Can I help?" I asked, trying to work up my heat to try and heal, but it was refusing to cooperate.

I had only just been able to heat up enough to stop the bleeding.

Christine clenched her jaw shut but shook her head. "I have to drain the blood from the pericardial sac or it will cause him to go into cardiac arrest. There's nothing you can do."

I nodded, sagging a bit and using the counter to sink to the floor as my vision shifted slightly.

"Are you all right?" She asked, glancing over her shoulder as she began to position the needle over Strange's chest.

"Better than him," I muttered. "Blood loss mostly. It may have nicked my scapula, but I'll be fine."

I blinked hard, shaking my head and bringing a quivering hand up to it, missing Christine's look.

"You're going into shock. There's a bag of saline on that drip stand. Can you find your vein?"

I nodded, getting up and blinking hard against the spots in my vision as I went over to prep the saline drip and get myself on it. I nearly missed my artery though, when Christine screamed. Strange hovered over his own body and I thought I may have been hallucinating, but Christine's own panic assured me I wasn't.

"Please be careful with the needle," Strange warned her.

"Stephen? W-W-What am I seeing?"

"My astral body."

"Handy," I murmured, getting the IV in and leaning against the counter. "Mind you, he's still dying."

"Right, right," she breathed out, moving back into place. "Yeah, all right. Okay."

Strange helped her out before glancing at me. "Are you all right, Jess? You're pale."

I nodded, lightly waving him off. "Fine. I'm fine. I've stopped the bleeding a-and I don't think it hit anything major. Just shock."

"I've never seen a wound like this," Christine muttered. "What were you two stabbed with?"

"I don't know," Strange replied. "Jess?"

I went to shrug but winced. "S-Sorry. My best bet is some sliver of another dimension? I don't… know how true that is. Astral sword? My head's sort of fuzzy."

"You should sit," Strange said and I hummed, sinking down into a rolling chair nearby as Christine finished up and Strange sank back into his body with a groan.

"Are you okay?" Christine asked and he nodded.

"Yeah, yeah." He looked at me. "Good thing we closed the portal, eh?"

I shot him a tired look. "Yeah, you owe me for this, you know. If my boyfriend finds out, we're going to have a lot more trouble on our hands."

"Boyfriend?"

I groaned. "Add it to the list of things I need to explain when the situation's a little less dire. I'm going to take a nap, so you two have fun and wake me up when we're ready."

God this whole thing definitely ruined my vacation.