-Non native speaker, not betaed so please kindly point out any mistakes.
-Warning: spoilers to Civil War and Black Panther, inaccurate medical procedures.

Steve knocked on the door frame to the doctor's bedroom. He saw the door lying on the floor. Thor's clumsiness must have struck again. No wonder Thor said his farewell quickly. The Asgardian mentioned something about attending to the Asgardians so the good doctor wouldn't worry about them and also something about Midgardian construction not being sturdy.

He was the last guest in the Sanctum. Tony had insisted to bring Peter Parker home. There was no need to beat around the bush. Everyone in the kitchen and even the doctor must have known by now that Spider-Man's name was Peter. Tony sometime called him Parker so Steve put two and two together.

He must have a conversation again with Tony about keeping others' secret identities secret. It was one thing to declare to the whole world that you were Iron Man and gave the enemies his address. It was another if it involved another superhero, especially a teenage one like Peter. Steve didn't know he was a teenager back when they were fighting in the airport but he knew now.

"Yes, come in." Stephen tried to get up to greet him but failed to do so.

"Stephen, don't. Just rest." He used his best Captain America's command voice.

He thought using his first name would make the request more personal hence it would be heeded. They had been on the first name basis with Stephen since their talk when the Avengers tried to prank the doctor by faking their illnesses up to the point that as soon as he saw an Avenger, Stephen would opened a portal and ran. Luckily he didn't do that to Steve so they could have a talk and put a stop to the pranks.

Steve was surprised to see the state the doctor was in. Usually he looked very confident and self-assured. The man in front of him was nothing of the sort. He looked nervous and kept looking at the door and windows as if expecting some attacks. He also kept rubbing at his shaking hands. Steve noticed the red marks at both wrists. The super soldier looked down surreptitiously at the doctor's uncovered feet and noticed the same red marks at the ankles. They must be caused by the cuffs.

Steve knew he shouldn't hate but looking at the man in front of him reminded him that he really hated bullies—they preyed on the weak. The sorcerer was far from weak but the trap they set for him definitely put him at a disadvantage. The world would definitely be better off without HYDRA, the big bully.

"Do you need some tea or coffee?" Stephen slapped his own forehead. "I forgot to offer Tony and Thor some beverages."

Before Steve could stop him, the sorcerer drew some light patterns in the air and a tray with a cup of coffee and a cup of tea materialized out of thin air into his hands. He was about to offer to Steve when suddenly his body toppled forward. Before his head hit the tray, the Cloak of Levitation (Steve had asked the proper term for the Cloak although for some reason the doctor called him Sophie) pushed the sorcerer back to bed.

With his super soldier reflex, Steve caught the tray before it hit the bed. To his surprise, the water from the cups hadn't spilled over. He didn't know that he could move that fast. He put the tray on to the table next to the bed. He positioned the doctor in a more comfortable lying position and went to check on his pulse.

The doctor's skin was very warm to the touch. His heartbeat was also very fast.

"Friday, do you know what's wrong with the doctor?"

"Too much exertion. Doctor Strange is still suffering from drug withdrawal and side effects. His blood sugar is also very low—he hasn't eaten anything for more than 48 hours. He forced himself to perform some magic when he was not up to it yet. I suggest you give him either a tablespoon of honey or a tablespoon of sugars or some saltine crackers when he wakes up."

Steve thought Tony was bad enough for not taking care of himself but at least he had Friday and Pepper to remind him to take care of himself. He was not sure about Stephen since he lived alone. It seemed his life only revolved around protecting this realm. At least Tony still had being an inventor and running the Stark Industries to fall back into. Stephen really didn't have any other distraction in his life. That was actually quite similar to Steve himself. After being revived in this modern world, he really didn't have anything to fall back into. His old life was gone so he could only be Captain America. That was quite a burden so he understood how Strange felt.

People expected Captain America to behave in certain ways. He didn't want to disappoint those people but at the end of the day he would do what he thought was right. Dr Strange was not well known among general population, at least not as well as the Avengers. He was not so sure why he felt the burden of the world was on his shoulders. It was most likely a self-imposed burden because he felt he needed to make up for his past transgression. He needed to ask Stephen about that when he woke up.

"I'll find them in the kitchen." Before Steve walked to the door, the Cloak of Levitation had zoomed past him and flew toward the kitchen.

"I believe the Cloak of Levitation knows where they are." Friday sounded amused.

"I believe she does. Do you think a cold compress may help with the fever?"

"I believe so. I think Doctor Strange has instant cold packs for his patients in the supply cupboard at the opposite room so you don't need to make it the old fashioned way."

Steve was glad that the sorcerer was still acting as a medical consultant for super powered people or patients who needed mystical and/or medical helps so he had supplies. "I'm an old fashioned guy but I guess an instant cold pack will give instant relief for Doctor Strange."

He found the cold pack at the third row of the cupboard at the room mentioned by Friday. He squeezed the pack to activate it.

He returned to the bedroom and saw the Cloak had also returned with honey, sugar, and crackers. The Cloak draped herself protectively around the doctor. When Steve approached with the cold pacl, the Cloak tensed up and rose.

"I'm going to put this pack on his forehead to cool his fever. We both want him to be well, don't we?" Steve felt silly talking to a cloak but again he had been fighting aliens and robots that tried to take over the world.

The Cloak seemed to relax and returned to drape herself over Stephen.

Steve put the cold compress then went to the kitchen to heat up the dumpling soup, Kung Pao chicken, Lo Mein using the microwave—one of the 20th century inventions that Steve was glad of.

Around ten minutes later after the cold compress, the doctor started to stir and opened his eyes.

"How are you doing?"

The sorcerer rubbed his eyes and still looked disoriented. "I'm fine."

"How are you really doing?" Cap give him a patented you-should-have- known-better-than-to-lie-to-me look which often perfected. "You don't need to give answer expected of you. Just how you really feel."

"I feel really crappy. Did I just blackout? That's really embarrassing."

"Not at all. You're only human. We, including myself, often forget about that. You often help the Avengers when we are in a pickle so we only think of you as a sorcerer. Speaking of being human, you need to eat this. One of them or all of them. Doesn't matter. What were you thinking for not eating since yesterday? You're a neurosurgeon. You should have known better than skipping meals. " Steve gave him the Captain-America-was-so disappointed-in-you look that he knew worked most of the time and passed the tray with honey, crackers, and sugars. "Which one do you want?"

The doctor pointed at the honey and the tea he conjured earlier. He didn't dare to look at Steve in the eyes. Steve poured the honey into the tea. He was about to give the cup to the doctor when he noticed the doctor's hands were shaking so badly. "Let me hold it for you."

"I can do it myself. I'm not a cripple." The doctor raised his head and looked at him defiantly.

"I don't think you are a cripple either. As I said, we are only humans and we sometime need people's help. Even Thor still need some help and he is an almost immortal Asgardian. It's not a weakness to require assistance sometime. That's what friends are for."

"Friends?"

"I thought we have established that the last time I went to visit you. Now sit back and don't argue."

Stephen rose from his sleeping position and rested his back against the headboard.

The super soldier poured the tea little by little into his mouth until he finished the whole cup. He noticed that the doctor's hands shook a little bit less but they were still in pretty bad shape. "You also need to eat the crackers. It will help to stabilize the blood sugar. Captain's Order."

"I'm a doctor. I know how to take care of myself."

"But you didn't. Now eat." He gave Stephen the look again so the doctor relented. Either the look worked or the doctor was too weak to argue.

The Cloak took one cracker and passed it to the sorcerer's mouth. Stephen looked at the super soldier with reddened cheeks.

Steve smiled. "Hey, you either need my help or your Cloak. It's up to you but I think your Cloak has been restless and needs something to do."

Stephen closed his eyes and blew some breaths before opening his eyes. He looked at the Cloak. "Fine, only this time. You're embarrassing me."

The Cloak's collars bopped up and down as if nodding before passing picking another cracker and waiting anxiously until Stephen finished the one in his mouth. That was going on for around three minutes until all the crackers were gone. Stephen's hands were more stable now.

"You also need to eat something more substantial. Spider-Man has brought something for you for dinner. He said those are your and his favorites." He showed the tray of food he just heated.

"I don't want to eat."

"Do you want to black out again? Do you want to disappoint Spider-Man? Do you want to disappoint Tony who has bought this for you?" Steve fixed him with I-would-be-disappointed-if-you-don't-do-this that worked so well with his team mates.

The doctor relented. "Fine, but you need to eat them with me. I can't finish them all."

"I had my dinner," Steve lied.

"Really? When? I thought you were busy with HYDRA thing. Besides, you're a super soldier with super metabolism so you need to eat more than others. I'm sure you're hungry. It's a doctor's order." Stephen winked at him when he said it so he must have felt much better than before. "I also can't finish all these food by myself. I don't have you or Pe- Spider-Man's metabolism."

"I think by now we all know that his name is Peter and just drop all pretences."

"Agree. You still need to help me finish the food though."

"Fine. But you need to eat more and rest. I can always get more food later."

Steve took some plates and cutlery from the kitchen and divided the food between them. The doctor wanted to protest that it was too much for him but Steve fixed him the Cap-would-be-disappointed look.

They ate in companionable silence for a while. The Cloak tried to help Stephen to hold the plates or cutlery but he wouldn't let her. He told her that he could still feed himself.

Steve took the dirty dinnerware to the kitchen and insisted on cleaning them the traditional way despite the sorcerer's insistence that he could use magic to clean them. Like he said, he was an old fashioned kind of guy. The doctor was still not strong enough to do any magic.

When he returned to the room, Stephen said, "You don't need to babysit me. I'm sure Captain America has better things to do than the accompanying an invalid like me."

"You're not invalid."

"I feel like it."

"What happened today was not your fault. You might question why you and not anybody else is a target. I have given it a thought. I think because you're an easy target and HYDRA wants the easiest way out. No, I don't mean you're weak— not that you can't be a hero if you're weak, you're a hero because of what you do to help others even if the odds are against you. In fact HYDRA targeted you because you are so powerful but you're also still quite new and naïve in this super hero business. It is easier to set a trap for you. Besides, you're quite a loner so they have better chance. Capturing one of the Avengers is more risky because the rest of the teammates will come to the rescue. Consider yourself lucky that you managed to send a message to Peter to rescue you. If you didn't, we couldn't imagine the horrors that awaited you. HYDRA is famous for their brainwash and torture." Steve couldn't continue at this point as this had hit too close to home.

The doctor shuddered. "I heard about what happened to your best friend, Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes. I'm sorry about it."

"Thank you. Bucky is much better now. Shuri has managed to remove his brainwashing. That girl is super talented and nice."

"Another talented teenager? I feel so old and useless. At least Peter will be happy to meet another smart teenager."

"I'm older than you."

"You are Captain America. You literally can't age because of your super soldier serum. You're the symbol of hope and humanity. You can do no wrong. I would still operate only on rich people if it were not because of my accident."

Steve sighed. Why did he always get all the fanboys while Thor got all the fangirls? Coulson, the tech guy when he was on the run with Natasha, Ant Man, and apparently Dr. Stephen Strange. Not that he wanted all the fangirls. It was tiring to be put on a pedestal when he was just a guy from Brooklyn.

"I stole cars before. "

"You what?"

"Yes, in Germany and also when I was on the run with the whole SHIELD was HYDRA thing."

"Those crimes were justifiable. You were saving the world. You even saved me from the Project Insight. And you saved me the second time today. I guess a thank you is in order"

"You're most welcome. You often help the Avengers in official and unofficial capacity. It's time for us to return the favor. That's what friends do."

"Stop it right there. It's the second time you mentioned about friends. I'm not worthy to be your friend. You were not listening before. I would remain selfish if it were not because of my accidents whereas you've always been a good guy even before you had your powers."

"Stephen, what is important is now. We have been through this before. It doesn't matter who you were in the past. What is important is who you are now. You have died and suffered countless times fighting Dormammu. You have done a lot protecting this realm since you took on the Master of New York Sanctum mantle. I think what you've done so far could already pay for your past mistakes. As I said before, we are only humans. We are allowed to make mistakes."

"Captain America doesn't make mistakes. I mean not the small thing like choosing the right pizza toppings. You always choose the right thing for the things that matter."

"Not always. I made at least one mistake that I still regretted it until now. I didn't tell Tony that Bucky killed his parents."

"What?!"

"I thought the fact might hurt Tony and knowing it wouldn't help to bring his parents back. I also wanted to protect Bucky. I should've told Tony and let him decide what to do. I can always guide and mediate them. That will save a lot of pains among our team members and also save my friendship with Tony. We are in better terms now but I'm not sure we can return to the friendship and trust we had before."

"I'm sure you and Tony can work it out. You're both good guys who try do what's best based on what you know."

"I hope sp. So are you."

"As I said, if it were not because of my accidents. I would still be selfish."

"Stephen, you're not selfish now. Besides, you chose to be a doctor when you were young. I'm sure money was not the motivation. You just became jaded and cynical because of your circumstances. Stop regretting your past. Also stop punishing yourself."

"I don't punish myself."

"Well, you don't eat or rest regularly. You put your duties above your own needs most of the time. It is already at an unhealthy level. I think you're punishing yourself."

"I just want to make up for my past mistakes."

"What you have done so far is enough for humanity, well, at least for the Avengers and me. But if you were to die or injured or captured, you wouldn't be able to help people anymore. You won't have chance to do more goods, will you?"

"If you put it that way, yes."

"It's the same for all of us. We want to do more but we should also take care of ourselves and don't worry our friends. I heard Dr Christine Palmer and Wong are so worried about you. So are Peter, Tony, me and the rest of the Avengers. You don't want that, do you?"

"No. You really have ways with words. That's why you're Cap." He slapped his own forehead again. "Ouch, I forgot to contact Wong after what Peter told me."

"Don't worry about it. You need to rest now. They'll understand. I can contact them for you."

"Thanks. Do you really think I've done enough? I mean at least for now. Do you really consider me as good?"

"Yes and yes. I might have stolen some cars, punched some Nazis, or do some illegal stunts but I won't lie to a friend—well from now on. I've learned from my mistake with Tony."

"Thanks. It means a lot coming from you. Do you really think that HYDRA targeted me because I was new and naïve and nothing personal?"

"Yes, new and naïve and also very powerful. All the combinations that make you a suitable target. That doesn't mean you're weak. Even the Avengers can still fall into traps even now so don't feel bad. As I said, we're only humans. Well, except for Vision and Thor."

Stephen smiled. "I guess we are a weird bunch."

"Yes, I won't have it other ways. You need to rest. I'm sure Peter will visit you tomorrow after school. You don't want to stay sick as it will only worry him."

"He is a good kid."

"He is. We're lucky to have him. Now sleep, I'll be on guard duty."

Stephen looked horrified. "No, no, I can take care of myself. I don't need any guards. As you said I'm not weak."

"You're not. But you just went through a lot and still suffered from the effects." Steve didn't mention about him keeping looking at the exits and still rubbing his wrists. He believed those gestures would go away once the doctor was back to his normal self. "You're still a target. Although we have captured the HYDRA cell, we can't be 100% sure. We need some time to be sure. Don't worry. You don't inconvenience me. I don't actually need much sleep because of the super soldier serum. I also need to do some reading and drawing anyway. I actually can do more here because your place is quiet compared to the Avengers Towers."

"Well, it's quiet as long as you don't open some cupboards and doors that literally are portals to other dimensions."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Good night, Stephen."

"Good night, Cap, I mean Steve." He closed his eyes. The Cloak draped herself around the doctor as a blanket.

Steve waited until the doctor's breaths were even to make sure he was really sleeping. He opened his bag and took out some papers and pencils for drawing. Perhaps he could draw the doctor and the Cloak of Levitation. He hoped the doctor didn't mind. If he did, he could always tear the pictures.

Notes:

-Steve and Stephen have talked before in the second chapter of Doctor Doctor.
-Some information about low blood sugar is here: healthline dot com/health/hypoglycemia#symptoms. The info about making cold compress is here healthline dot com/health/make-cold-compress
-There are similar qualities between Steve Rogers and Stephen Strange. i-sudoku dot tumblr dot com/post/169718217943/reasons-why-theyre-my-favorites-even-if-there-is
They are also both selfless (well, it's at the end of the movie for Strange but after that he has become a selfless person). Mr Scott Derrickson, the director of Doctor Strange, said that Stephen admires Cap hence I made him a fanboy here. unknownnobody32 pointed out that in MCU, Thor got all the fangirls and Steve the fanboys which is true. One of the challenges in this chapter is to write both Stephen and Steve in the same chapter and not to mix them up so I need to use some other words to replace the names.
-There was one deleted scene for Ragnarok between Thor, Dr Strange, and Loki which I wish they included because it showed Strange actually cared about helping Thor rather than being aloof like in the movie. The link can be found here: doctorstrangeaskblog dot tumblr dot com/post/171053747687/thor-ragnarok-deleted-bathroom-scene
The comic sometime also copy the lines from the movies (rather than the other way around) as seen here about the second rate sorcerer: i-sudoku dot tumblr dot com/post/169994414398/thor-ragnarok-vs-doctor-strange-384-gif-is-from
-Next chapter will be back to Peter again before moving on to another