-Still unbetaed so please let me know if there is any mistake
-Warning: Angst, brief scenes of violence and suggestive behaviors but nothing graphic, language, PTSDs.

"Er, Doc, what was the last thing you remember?"

Doc had given up trying to get up. He closed his eyes and tried to remember. "I remember a warehouse, somebody was going to be sacrificed in a satanic ritual, then some very intense pain." He winced as he said that as if he experienced the pain again. His breathing started to get heavy. "Then darkness. I can't remember much yet. I need Sophie, she can help me." The last part sounded like a plea as he started to shiver.

Peter retrieved the box containing the Cloak and put it on the bed next to Doc. "Doc, sorry, I can't retrieve your cloak. She is inside this box which is enchanted. I was hoping you can open it."

Doc opened his eyes, turned sideways, and looked at the box. He waved his hands on top of the box.

Peter noticed that his hands were trembling more than usual. He tried not to stare because he knew Doc could be super self-conscious about them, especially around this time. However, Peter constantly needed to talk to overcome his own nervousness. "What are you doing, Doc?"

"I'm scanning what energy is used to seal this box." He then drew some patterns in the air, and the patterns become purple and fell on top of the box. The lid of the box sprung open.

The cloak flew quickly out of the box and covered Doc's whole body from neck to toes. Doc's hands came out from under the cloak to caress it. His face seemed to be much calmer and his breathing was more even once the cloak touched him. He even closed his eyes to relish the cloak.

Peter's heart ached. That scene was sweet but also heartbreaking. Doc hardly showed any emotion in front of him but this was the most human thing he ever did. It seemed the cloak acted as a security blanket quite literally. He was not sure whether to stay.

He decided to leave the room to give them some privacy.

"Spidey, where are you going?"

Peter yelped and stuck to the wall. "Nowhere, Doc. I just thought you needed to have some privacy with Sophie." As soon as the said the word, he closed his mouth as he realized how it sounded. "Not that I accuse you of having an unusual relationship with your cloak."

Doc shrugged. "I've been called worse but it didn't faze me. Sorry to make you so worried." He tried to get up. This time Sophie acted like a crutch as it flew to his back and supported him. As he tried to put his legs on the floor, she quickly pulled him back and let his back rest on the headboard. Doc tried to get up but at his condition, Sophie was much stronger so he gave up.

Peter jumped back to the floor. He was thankful that Sophie dragged him back because Doc getting up at his condition would be terrible. "Doc, you need to rest. You've been drugged and brainwashed." He quickly covered his mouth with both hands.

"What? Is that the reason you're here and I'm in bed? Please tell me from the beginning."

Peter jumped and stuck to the ceiling. He was upside down as he talked. "I hope you don't mind me being upside down. Telling stories makes me nervous and this position calms me down."

"I don't mind. You just saw me petting my cloak so your upside down is nothing. So please tell me from the beginning."

"Well, it started from when I walked out from school and got your mental message. That's a very cool power by the way." Doc didn't comment on that so Peter continued to tell him what he had seen in the warehouse. Doc looked horrified at the condition he was in as Peter found him in the warehouse but he didn't interrupt. Peter then told about Mr Hogan's arrival and how they decided to bring him to his Sanctum rather than the Avengers Tower. He also told him that he had finished his homework. He believed it was not relevant but he just talked a lot when he got nervous.

"Thanks a lot for rescuing me and also not bringing me back to the Avengers Tower. You were right that I prefer to wake up in my own Sanctum. I'm sorry that I interrupt your free time with your friend and also your homework time."

"My friend understands. He is used to me being Spider-Man. I've finished my homework so you don't need to feel bad about it." He sighed. "I wish more people will stop worrying about my homework."

"Sorry."

"No, Doc, don't need to be sorry. I just speak in general."

"OK. So is Karen sure that I have not gone to further stages of brainwashing? Won't I endanger you or someone else?"

"Do you feel like attacking me now?"

"No."

"There is your answer. I thought you could do meditation to check."

"That's right. Sorry."

"Doc, you need to stop apologizing. I think the drug has been messing with your brain and emotions."

"Sor… OK, I'll meditate for a short while, at most fifteen minutes. You know where I put the juices and salad. I know it's not what teenagers eat but healthy food is better in the long run."

Peter jumped down and went to sit on his chair. "Don't worry about it. I've eaten. I could just browse using my laptop."

Despite what he said, Peter was worried about Doc. So he only half-heartedly browsed the internet while he still kept an eye at Doc while he meditated. Sophie seemed to have the same idea with her rigid pose.

Around ten minutes later, Doc opened his eyes. "I have looked at my inner self. Luckily I don't seem to get affected by the brainwashing yet. Unless the brainwashing makes me think so. I need to ask other sorcerers to check for me. I'll ask Wong. "

"Doc, Wong has come before and checked. He said you would be OK."

Doc breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. But I still feel unstable. I may have more emotional outbursts. Sorry."

"Wong said you will still suffer some side effects but he has taken most of the worst ones."

"I really need to thank him properly and annoy him less. I've remembered what happened to me during my meditation. Are you still interested? It shows I still made mistakes that I shouldn't make. It's sort of a cautionary tale."

Peter brought his chair next to Doc's bed. "I'm all ears. Don't judge yourself too harshly."

Stephen had been feeling a weird evil force in Queens for the last few hours. He thought it merited his investigation. He sent his astral form to check.

He arrived in a warehouse and discovered that a guy was tied up inside a Pentagram. There were ten people surrounding the Pentagram chanting. If his calculation was correct, they planned to sacrifice the victim exactly at noon. It had something to do with the Summer Solstice. He still had around two hours.

His astral form returned to the Sanctum. He tried to find a spell to knock those worshippers out without harming them permanently. He still held the "do no harm" oath. It didn't take too long to find the spells as he had organized the books in his library.

Fifteen minutes later, he opened a portal to the warehouse. The spell worked like a charm. He released the bindings of the victim.

"Don't be afraid. You're safe now."

"But you are not." As he said that, the guy produced a Taser from his sleeve and attacked him.

It was so sudden so he didn't have the time to dodge. He fell to the floor and started to convulse. Suddenly people came out of all sides of the warehouse. They held his arms and legs and bound them. Somebody even held his head to keep it still. Somebody injected something to his neck.

Somebody was still holding his head when the fake victim that he rescued came to straddle him and started to caress his face and his lips "At first I didn't see why the boss was so obsessed with you but I can see it now. You look majestic and you have a lot of powers. If he owns you, it will increase his standing in the organization."

He never felt this helpless before. Not even after his accident. He would feel much more afraid if he was not in so much pain.

After more excruciating seconds, his pain finally receded but he started to feel the effect of the drug. He couldn't even keep his eyes open. He didn't have the energy to astral project. There was only one thing to do. He incanted a short simple spell to send a message to Spider-Man and hoped for the best. The reason he chose Spider-Man was because he felt his presence when he arrived in Queens.

The guy straddling him must have seen what he did. He sighed and choked him. "You really shouldn't have done whatever you did." As he gasped for air, the guy released his choke and put a piece of cloth into his mouth to gag him. "Now you don't need to worry about anything. Sleep tight. You'll wake up a new man."

He was saved from further horror as everything went dark.

Peter was horrified to hear Doc's story. He sensed Doc edited his story because there was some gap between getting tasered and sending a message to him. Something else must have happened that Doc didn't want to share. It was not his place to probe. He also had a question about the time. He would ask later when the time was more appropriate.

He went to hug Doc despite knowing Doc didn't do feeling. "I'm sorry that you have to go through that. That guy is such a dick. You were trying to rescue him."

Doc covered his face with hands that shook more violently. "No, it's my fault to fall for such a basic trap. I'm sure the Avengers or other superheroes would have smelt the trap as soon as they step into the warehouse. I didn't even check the perimeter of the warehouse properly. I just barged in like I know what I was doing. I'm such a fraud."

Peter was even more horrified with what Doc said. Physical rescuing was his forte but psychological trauma was definitely not. He quickly texted Mr Stark asking for reinforcement. Doc was too preoccupied with his "mistakes" to notice it. At least Sophie was wrapping Doc tightly to comfort him. As soon as the message was sent, Mr. Stark quickly replied with "on my way". He breathed a sigh of relief.

"We don't know that. I'm sure even Mr Stark or Captain America make some mistakes too. Hey, I make at least five mistakes on a good day. And I've been Spider-Man much longer than you being a Sorcerer."

"Well, you are a teenager so it's OK to make mistakes. I'm an adult. I should have known better."

"No, I'm sorry to disagree with you but I know for sure that adults make mistakes too. Your intention was good. You really shouldn't beat yourself up about this."

"I'm sure other superheroes don't make this silly mistake. I even need you to rescue me. I don't think Cap did that."

"As I have said before, it's a trap so it's not your fault. You also think too highly of other superheroes. I can assure you, they make mistakes too. Stop comparing yourself to Cap. You're a cool guy. You treat me like your equal without babysitting me. Well, you often treat me like a younger brother which is kinda nice. Mr Stark treats me like the precious genius kid and plans for my future. Cap treats me like a precious kid superhero. You treat me like a brother which is what I need. I mean I love Ned and all but sometime I need a friend who understands the life of superheroing."

"Perhaps I should care more about your future, your education, and your superhero career."

"No, one Tony Stark or one Steve Rogers is enough. Like I said, I need you to be you. You will make a great brother."

"I can assure you that you might be better off not having me as a brother but thanks for considering it."

"Are you not cool with us being brothers? Then we can just totally be friends which is totally cool for me. If you think of yourself as my father figure, I already have enough father figures in Mr Stark and The Avengers."

Doc laughed despite himself. "Me as a father figure? Christine and Wong will never hear the end of it. I'm the last thing everyone wants to be a father. I'm not a good man like Cap or a billionaire philanthropist who can give a lot of things to you."

"That's not true. I'm sure you will be a great father. But not to me. It's not you, it's me." Peter realized how silly it sounded as soon as it came out of his mouth.

"Are you breaking up with me?" Peter was glad that at least Doc could still joke. "Now that you mention it, I am not sure Stark is a father material either but since he takes care of you so far perhaps he is." Doc shrugged. "Who am I to judge? I indeed always treat you like a younger brother so I was cool with that. It's just that I am a horrible brother. I was a horrible brother."

Peter felt helpless. He wanted to make Doc better by telling how he felt about him but apparently it was another emotional landmine for Doc. He didn't know what to say.

"I had a brother and a sister. But I failed them miserably." Now Doc put his head on his lap, his hands covered the back of his head.

Peter was apprehensive with the use of past tense. "Knowing you, I'm sure it's not your fault."

Doc raised his head and barked out a bitter laugh. "But they were indeed my faults."

Doc then told him that he had a younger sister called Donna who was two years younger than him. Donna had him wrapped in her little fingers. Doc wanted to become a doctor to save people when Donna got sick and he wanted to make her feel better. Then his younger brother, Victor, was born. Victor was eight years younger than him so they were not close.

When he was 19, he returned for a holiday from his pre-med school. Donna and her friends asked him to come along for a swim. He couldn't say no so he came along. He was too preoccupied with enjoying himself so he didn't realize that Donna was missing. They went to search inside the water everywhere but they couldn't find her. They found her body the next day.

His parents said it was not his fault but Stephen still blamed himself anyway. His desire to become a doctor to help people had died along with Donna. Now he wanted to become a doctor just for the fame and glory.

His mother died a few years later after Donna as she was too broken hearted.

A few years later, Victor asked him to return to his father's deathbed. At this time, he was already a famous neuro-surgeon— the youngest in history. Stephen had been too broken hearted with Donna and his mother's deaths so he couldn't witness the death of another family member so he ignored Victor's call.

One day after his father's funeral, Viktor stormed into Stephen's apartment in the middle of the night asking why he didn't go to visit their father. Stephen said there was no use as he was dying anyway. Viktor was angry and stormed off. Stephen tried to stop him because it was midnight and the road was too slippery. Viktor ignored him and as he walked out, a car hit him and he died a few hours later.

Doc was crying as he finished his story. "You see, it's all my fault."

Peter felt like crying now too. In fact, he had shed some tears as soon as he heard about Donna's death and how Doc blamed himself. That explained parts of Doc's nightmares earlier. He knew a thing or two about blaming himself about someone's death. He didn't know Doc's story and now he wished he never knew. He must be strong for Doc. "I'm sorry about your losses. I've lost someone very close to me before and it felt like the end of my world. You have to go through even much more. I don't see any of it your fault though. Well, you should have gone to your father's deathbed but you didn't cause his death."

"I caused Victor's death. No matter how people sugar coated it, if he didn't storm off angrily, he wouldn't get hit by that car. I only have myself to blame for that."

"You didn't know that he was going to have an accident." Doc just kept on sobbing. Peter could relate as he still felt horrible about Uncle Ben's death so he just held Doc cry on his shoulders. The cloak sensed Peters' distress so she hugged them both.

A few minutes later, Doc managed to compose himself and release the hug. "I'm so sorry, I don't know what had gotten into me." Peter wanted to say the drugs but held his tongue. "I'm sorry for my outbursts." He wiped his tears with his sleeves. "I treat you like how I should have treated Victor. I've made so many mistakes and tried to learn from them. But don't worry, I don't think of you as Victor's replacement. You're cool in your own right. I'm proud of being your older brother although I will make a horrible brother."

"Let me be the judge for that. I've always wanted an older brother and you're the best brother I could ask for. A magician one. Now trying to act like a good brother, I need to ask you something. You went to the warehouse around 10.15 am. They must have ambushed you around 10 or 15 minutes later. Why did I only get your message at 3.15 after I finish my school?"

"I didn't want to disturb your school time."

"I beg your pardon."

"School is important. I know because I went to a lot of them. I don't want to cause any trouble for your education just because I was incompetent enough to get captured. I also didn't send any magical presence after I knocked those worshippers out so I think you would be perfectly safe to come to the warehouse as long as you took some precaution."

Peter stared at Doc. "So you timed your message after my school finished and you worry about my safety?!"

"Yes. I'd rather faced all those people rather than the wrath of your parents for you abandoning your school or causing you harm."

Peter felt a pang of guilt because he never shared his ID or even private life to Doc. Doc thought he lived with his parents. But that still didn't justify Doc's stupidity. It was his turn to laugh bitterly. "You really had no idea about my Spider-Man schedule. I often do it during my school hours. I'm in fact famous for being late so often. They don't know the reason but yes, I might be the smartest student but my attendance record is not great."

"You really shouldn't skip school. It might affect your scholarship."

Peter pointed at Doc. "This is not about me skipping schools but about your idiocy. Wong told me to tell you that you're an idiot for not taking care of yourself. I imagined it would be hard to tell that in your face. But I can safely tell you now that you're an idiot. There was more than six-hours between your capture and my rescue. You could've died during that time."

"If they wanted me dead, they could have done so as soon as they ambushed me."

"That was not my point." Doc looked suitable chastised. Peter actually felt horrible after everything he went through today and also what he just told him about his family. But sometime tough love was needed. "They could have tortured you, maimed you, or did a lot of horrible things that are worse than death. In fact, they tried to brainwash you. Are you saying it's not bad?"

Doc wisely remained quiet.

"If they managed to brainwash you, you would lose your identity and you might start doing horrible things for them. Not to mention, I'll lose my brother. Tony and the Avengers, and I'm sure, Wong, will lose a good friend. Is that what you want?"

Doc started to pull at his hair. "I don't think I'm a good friend. But I'm sorry that I caused you some distress. I didn't mean to."

"You still didn't get it. That was not my point. My point is you don't value your own life. It's as if you don't think your life matters to others. Well, you do. At least to me, and also Wong. I'm sure Mr Stark and the Avengers too as they were so worried."

"Well, you don't have to. I have done a lot of horrible things."

"It was in the past. I don't think you do any horrible things after you become a magician. Besides, you don't get to control other people's feelings toward you. You might be a horrible person, which I assure you are not, but I could still care about you anyway."

"You shouldn't. I'm not like Captain America. I've read his history. A bit of fan of him myself. He has fought bullies even before he got his powers. What did I do? I ignored patients who couldn't afford me. What kind of people does that?"

Peter felt like pulling his own hair but he wouldn't. Making Doc seeing sense was like talking to a brick wall. For a genius, he could be really stupid. "It was in the past. Cap is a great guy but he is not innocent as you think he is. Those silly PSAs also made me review my hero worship of him. But that was beside the point, the point is you are a good person and people care about you."

He really didn't know what else to say. Luckily the doorbell rang and Peter got a text from Tony that he was at the door.

"I don't expect any company. My companies usually just open a portal to my Sanctum." Doc said it with a straight face too as if that's the most common thing to do.

"That's my guest. I'll be right back." Peter somersaulted so he could reach the door faster. As he opened the door, he yelped as it was not only Mr Stark at the door but also Captain America and Thor.

Tony stepped in as he pushed through the door. "How are we going to do this? Am I going first then I become the Ghost of Christmas Past, Cap coming in second and he is the Ghost of Christmas Present although I should actually swap with Cap. He is so ancient. Then Shakespeare here comes in as the Ghost of Christmas Future. Or perhaps we could with the Bad Avenger, Good Avengers routine? Or because there are three of us, perhaps we could go with the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. I'm definitely not the Ugly one so I could go with Bad. Doesn't matter, I think it's best that I go in first. Somehow the sight of me tends to annoy him so either one of you then can be the Good or the Ugly one to placate him."

Cap said, "I guess it's not a bad idea. We all have our methods but let's see how it goes with Tony first."

Tony asked Peter how the Doc was doing. Peter said that physically Doc was OK but psychologically he was not. He blamed himself for a lot of things and some of them were outside his control.

The inventor nodded. "That's an adult complex."

"I also blame myself for a lot of things."

Tony shrugged. "Perhaps that's the hero complex then."

They didn't expect the bizarre situation as they walked in. There was a portal open in the middle of the room. Peter saw it was to the warehouse he went in earlier. Doc was trying to step into the portal and the Cloak tried to drag him back.

"Let me go. I need to face my fears so I can move forward. I can't live my life watching my back and worrying that someone will come to brainwash me and revert me back to the horrible person I was."

Peter did the only thing he could without thinking. He webbed Doc's arms and legs and helped Sophie in dragging him back to his bed.

As soon as he fell on the bed, Doc started to scream.

Notes:

-It's canon that Strange often blames himself for things that are beyond his control. Silver Surfer and Luke Cage have told him off about that. It's also canon that he often doesn't value his own life and is willing to sacrifice it.
-I hope the change of POV in the middle works. Stephen didn't tell the whole story in the warehouse to Peter as he himself was still too horrified with some of the events and didn't want to traumatize Peter.
-I've watched Ragnarok and it was cool to see Doc's powers have grown and how he used those powers. As how he acted in this chapter and later chapters was different from Ragnarok, it was because he was still under the influence of the drugs and he still suffered some PTSDs.
-Doc's story about his family is indeed from the comic. I apologize if I get some facts wrong.
-Time for shameless self-promotion again. Doc has interacted with Tony in The Paladin and also You Don't Need to be a Loner (To Save the World). He has interacted with Cap in Doctor Doctor and with Thor in Worthy and Loki vs The Cloak of Levitation. The next three chapters will refer to some events mentioned there but you don't have to read them to understand. The part with Thor will have spoilers from Ragnarok.

-Despite some angst here, I will really try to get to more fun and fluff in the next chapters. I am trying to find a realistic balance as I don't want to create too much agony.