The Sorcerer's Apprentice {Stephen Strange}

Nineteen

Heartless by Heart

"No, no, no. I don't need to sleep," Emerson tells the doctor. "In fact, I am wide awake."

"That's the problem," he sighs pushing her down the corridor to what was her temporary room at the New York sanctum. "We have a big day tomorrow and you need to get some sleep."

"We don't have anything tomorrow. I won't be talking to you for three business days as I am slightly irritated with you," she stumbles over her words still dragging out the 'have'. The sergeant's mouth set in a thin line while her eyes narrowed.

"Why are you irritated? I should be irritated. You drank my fine liquor and threatened to piss on my rug," Strange tells her as he pushes the door open revealing a clean and tidy room. He observes the area ensuring there is nothing remotely dangerous that Emerson could get her hands on.

"I wasn't actually going to pee on your precious rug. I'd feel bad for being mean, unlike you because you don't even notice when you're being an ass," the sergeant spews out, her body suddenly feeling heavy and her eyes begin to droop. Strange shakes his head, taken back by her off handed comment. Is he really that big of an ass?

"When was I an ass?" Strange questions, confused on what she's upset about. He didn't realize he was being harsh or mean. She lets out a sarcastic chuckle while he pushes her towards the bed.

"All the time," she slurs, not giving him the answer he wanted. He sizes the sergeant up in an attempt to read her facial expressions. "Today, yesterday, tomorrow, and every day."

"You've had way too much to drink," he shakes his head in disappointment. No amusement showed on his face as his eyebrows furrowed. "You can't even answer a simple question."

"I just answered you, silly," she giggles as a lopsided grin plays on her lips. He lets out a sigh as he locks the wheels on her chair and waits for her to move. She just peers up at his tall frame, oblivious to the fact that he would like to go to bed, and she speaks up. "I'm not tired."

"Well I am. I have had a very long, exhausting day and I would like to relax," he snaps, not putting up with her little games. "So either you can go to sleep on your own or-" he starts before seeing her cross her arms disobediently.

"I was having a good time with Wong before you ruined it," her brows snap together as she frowns.  Immediately taken back, Strange pinches the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"Clearly you're mad at me. Can't you just tell me what I did wrong?" He asks, really wanting to settle their issues.

"I could, yeah. But I won't because there is no use; you won't understand," Emerson tried explaining but the sorcerer has had enough. He throws his shaky hands in the air, his voice loud as he begins to speak.

"I won't understand if you don't tell me," he shouts in anger. "Dammit Emerson. I had a terrible day and this is not what I wanted to come back to. Please just tell-" he starts before she cuts him off, her drunk mind thinking about something else.

"Why should I have to go to bed just because you want to go to bed?"

"Why do I even bother?" He rhetorically asks to himself before continuing. "Fine, don't go to bed but I will be putting a containment spell on your room so you cannot leave until you're sober. I am not here to babysit you," he plainly says as he begins to walk away. Without much thought, Emerson uses the mystic arts to summon a glowing rope that she whips towards the doctor. It wraps around his wrist, holding him back. His eyebrows raise in surprise at her sudden knowledge, not realizing she knew such a spell. She tugs on the golden rope, pulling the sorcerer back towards her before he can leave.