Rough Path to Memory Square - Doctor Strange x Reader (Earth 838)

14. Pressure

"While I'm under, I need you to protect my body, in case they attack me for trespassing." Strange says as he opens the book and swipes his fingers from the top page to the bottom, weird pictures lightning up in red.

"Who's 'they'?" you ask, taking a step closer to him.

"The Souls of the Damned." Strange answers, skimming over the pages and beginning to do the spell.

"My Stephen used to dreamwalk into his own body, just in a different universe. So doesn't a version of you need to live in that universe? So that you can dreamwalk into them?" you ask, a panic slightly rising. Strange goes up a bit, feet not reaching the dirty floors, eyes tightly closed, until he opens one and looks at you,

" Who said they have to be living?"

"You're... What? You have a dead body of another Strange? What the shit" you ask, but he doesn't answer.

A moment passes in complete silence until Stephen's eyes suddenly open, and he takes a deep breath. The action makes you shiver, he successfully dreamwalked into a corpse. This day alone is crazier than all your life combined.

Suddenly you see how his hand starts getting lower, but it's not natural, so forced, as if someone else was doing it. He begins to shake, random body parts getting pulled at various angles, and then it hits you - the souls of the damned. You hear a small annoying voice, echoing in the room, Strange still being pulled from side to side. You know that touching him right now could endanger his life, so you think of other ways to help him.

Suddenly he falls with a loud thud, seizing on the ground, you don't hesitate and run to him, taking his hand, pulling it, but he's laying still. You touch his chest, quickly patting, and then his face, but then take away your hand. He's hot like fire, literally burning.

"Oh, shit, shit." you mutter, looking around for a solution, until all black demon-like creature comes out from Stephen's body, almost ramming into you. Letting out a scream, you push it away, before a dozen more leave his body, swarming around like an angry hive of wasps. They drag and push his body on the floor, trying to bring him with them.

You notice a vase begin to shine in the cupboard, and then it hits you. Brazier of Bom'Galiath. How did you not think of it before. You punch the window of the cupboard with your elbow and grab the Brazier, running to the candles and taking one as well, quickly lighting up the inside of the Brazier and shooting a flash of light towards the demon. It lights up and burns in a blink of an eye. You wait for nothing and continue, until you and Stephen are the only ones left in the room. Dropping everything, you run to him, grabbing his hand again, you don't care about any spell-performing rules anymore. He's frozen in one spot, straining and shaking like a leaf, you understand that the demons are still attacking him on the other side.

"Stephen, Stephen, listen to me, don't give in, they're just fucking spirits. You're strong, c'mon, I know you are. Use them. Make them listen to your commands. Use the souls, Strange! I'm here to save you." you plead, eyes getting blurry by your tears. You can't lose now when the victory is just a hand's reach away from you.

He pulls away from the floor, the body's still in an awkward position, but you can feel that his hand that you've been holding, got much colder than it was a moment ago. He did it. You let go of his hand. For the spell, he needs them both.

You have no idea what's going on the other side, in his universe, so you anxiously walk around the place, not leaving the circle of candles, afraid that a danger may land upon Strange again.

He suddenly speaks, something that you don't understand, "This time, it's gonna take more than killing me to kill me." Frowning, you look at the man for a moment, but then shake your head and start pacing again. Your stomach doesn't hurt. Or maybe it's just adrenaline making you feel invincible.

"Hold her!" he suddenly shouts, you flinch again. Another long minute passes in silence until he speaks up again, "Yeah. This is the only way. It's me, in other me's body."

"The only way?" you mutter to yourself, confused about the whole thing. Who is he talking to and what is happening?

"No, America. I've come here to tell you to trust yourself, trust your power. That's how we stop her." he says again.

You look up, eyes lighting up - America is alive? Fuck, this whole thing when you can't do anything but listen to crumbs of information out of context is driving you insane.

" Yes, you can. You have been all along. Every time you opened a portal, you sent us exactly where we needed to go." he says. You stop walking and look at him, remembering your first encounter with the intruders. Who really grew on you during one day.

"Even that led you to this moment. You are gonna kick that witch's ass." Stephen speaks up again, and you understand that he's encouraging America, her moment has finally come.
"Get out of here." he mutters and Stephen returns to his own body, back to you, falling hard on the floor.

"What-what happened, is she okay? America?" you ask, falling on your knees before the man and taking his hands in yours again.

"Yea-yes, she's okay, she's on her way here to get us." he says, breathing heavily. You hug his neck tightly, he hugs you back just as tight.

"Thank you, Stephen, for saving her." you sniff slightly but then remember the other thing, "and Wanda? Wanda?" you pull away, feeling a sizzling sound somewhere near your knees. The Darkhold begins to burn bright red light, the pages quickly evaporating into thin air.

"She destroyed the Darkhold in every universe. I don't think she's alive." he answers.

"Oh." you say, feeling somewhat sad. You sit on the floor, as the adrenaline is leaving your body, you suddenly feel so weak.

"Hey, you're okay? Hold on a bit, America's coming here. Then we're gonna go to my universe, and I'm gonna take a look at you, alright?" he softly taps your stomach, not touching the wound. Eyes now scanning your whole body for any visible injuries.

"I think I'm gonna need stitches. But-" you say upon noticing the look on his face, "I'm not going to the hospital."

"No, don't be stupid," he begins, only to be interrupted again.

"I'm not staying for long, Stephen. Maybe day, mostly two. Me being in your universe is a huge threat. I-...this version of me doesn't exist there. I'm sure you're familiar with the time interval of keeping patients in hospitals, Doctor."

"So, you're gonna stay the day?" he asks, getting a bit awkward.

"This is your question?" you laugh, but the action makes you wince. "Yes, I'm staying. You have to show me a couple of things there."

"Of course." he smiles weakly, tired from the battle as well.

Soon, you both hear a high-pitch sound and see a star-shaped portal open.