Irrational

Chapter 32 - Back to Business

You manage to stand up, albeit still a little wombly, but after a few steps you managed to compose yourself.

You walk out into the hall, and you see strange walking towards you, whipping his cloak around him so it lands perfectly on him. Sending you weak at the knees at how smooth and confident he was.

“You know, you’re going to have to stop being so goddamn hot all the time if I’m going to be focused?” You say as you cross your arms walking to meet him halfway.

“And what would be the fun in that?” Strange replies, tilting his head and smirking before leaning down to your ear and whispering “I like making you squirm, because now I know it means it’s got you wet.. just for me”

You push him away slightly, flushed in the cheeks you try to remain stoic. “Easy there, Doctor, we have lots to attend to” you strut away down the hall to the main room, turning your head over your shoulder “Shall we?”

He strides to you, placing his hand on the small of your back. “We shall”

You both enter the main grand room and sit opposite one another in large leather armchairs, you cross your legs and rest both of your arms on the arms of the chair, raising an eyebrow at Strange.

“Well, oh wise one. What’s first?” you say teasing him.

“Oh, I have plenty of ideas what to do with you, when you sit looking at me like that. So confident, it’s a sight to behold” Strange begins, licking his lips after a shake of his head he stands and gets his composure back.

“We need to make sure you are completely over the trauma of New York. You might have conquered it to get here, but to avoid any future episodes like outside the compound, we need to take you to the heart of it all.” Strange explains assertively but carefully.

“Stark’s old tower” you whisper out, followed by a gulp.

Your heart quickly racing and your throat becoming dry. You start to lose focus until you see orange sparks, snapping you back to reality.

“Wait, like now?” you tremble out.

“No time like the present Y/N. This is serious, for you, for the Avengers and for m-the world” Strange explains, you catch onto the near slip up but are too focused on the portal leading to the front of Grand Central Station, with the Stark Tower looming behind it.

You exhale a breath and close your eyes to compose yourself, before stepping towards the portal. No sooner had you stepped through Strange followed and closed as if foreseeing you would turn around to head back through it.

“You didn’t use that   thing on the situation did you, to see me doing that?” You question, with annoyance and fear in your voice, pointing to the Eye of Agamotto.

He laughs “No Y/N, I just understand you more than you care to admit” he stands proudly.

“Now, look at it” He nods his head towards the tower.

Your eyes were fixed on him, you couldn’t bare the thought of looking at the very building the worm hole that haunted your memories was generated from. You shake your head, tears pricking your eyes.

“Alright, plan B” You furrowed your brows, but then noticed he started levitating. He knew you alright, he knew you were focusing your attention on him and you would naturally follow him because of how focused you were on not looking at that tower.

He levitated straight up, but then starting gliding to the right, right in the view of the tower.

You did follow him, without thinking.

It was an impulse, you had no one else there as a comfort. Then he went in front of the tower and your focus changed.

You looked at the tall blue, silver and glass building, streaming up.

The tears in your eyes finally falling as you slowly looked further and further up the tower, till you reached the spire. Then it was the sky.

Flashes of the worm hole tormenting your mind, tricking you into thinking they were there.

Tyres screeching, bin lids crashing, people shouting and the general hustle and bustle of midday New York city making your body jump but your eyes couldn’t leave that spot above the spire.

You were rooted to that spot and without realising your eyes were dancing again.

You hadn’t noticed the high winds you were causing, tearing through the very streets next to you, the fire hydrants you were setting off and the gravel, trees, dirt you had sent coursing through the streets around Grand Central Station.

The screaming wasn’t imagined, you had caused a terrifying spectacle in the middle of New York, and you hadn’t noticed. Your own hair was flying across your face, your eyes and still your focus was on that sky.

Your fear and guilt tricking you thinking they had come back.

Your heart was racing, your throat was so dry you couldn’t swallow and you were in a complete state of shock.

“Y/N, it’s okay. Just remember to breathe” a soothing, deep voice said behind you.

You let go of the breathe you were holding, you blink a few times and you focus yourself to reality “they’re gone, we won. They’re gone, we won” you utter to yourself under your breathe and you manage to snap yourself away from looking at the spire, but then you see the devastation you created.

Buildings destroyed because of the winds, flooded buildings, debris all over the streets and people screaming out in pain and anguish for lost loved ones, destroyed property and homes and it was all your fault.

You did this.

You fall to your knees, guilt overwhelming you once more.

Your fear and selfishness of not wanting to be alone again left people with no one in return, left with nothing and you begin to sob again.

“Nooooooo” you scream out. But then the screams of people stop, you look around, they had disappeared.

The streets were like brand new, there was no debris, it was perfect. You wipe your eyes, looking around to confirm you are seeing this, that it is real.

Strange’s hand appears in front of you, you take it and he helps you to your feet. You continue to look around in confusion, you look up at Strange who was giving you a soft smile. You furrow your brows at him.

“I don-I don’t understand” you stammer out in confusion, shaking your head slightly.

“Ever present but undetected” Strange states.

You gasp, going wide eyed “We’re in the mirror dimension?” you question.

Strange simply nods back