In Another Universe [Dr. Strange's Daughter]

Chapter 3: Dad?

--Flashback--

"Hey, dad?" Olivia called for Stephen's attention while driving.

"yes, kid?" he replied still looking at the road. Olivia took a second before responding.

"Nothing" she smiled

"C'mon, I know you wanna say something. What is it?" Strange tried to convince his daughter to say what she wants to say because it was written all over her face that she wanted to tell him something

" I just - ugh" she paused because of embarrassment. Stephen, on the other hand, just replied to her with a look that says to go on.

"I just wanna say that 'I love you'" she lowered her voice when she said I love you

Stephen chuckled at what Olivia said.

"Don't laugh!" she hits his arm

"I am not laughing! I just, I thought you were gonna say something shocking like 'Dad, I'm pregnant or something"

"God, no!" they both laughed

"I just thought that maybe I wasn't saying it enough to you, you know?" Olivia, now with a serious tone, clarified what she said earlier.

"Sweetie, you're making me cry-" Stephen jokingly wiped an invisible tear on the corner of his eye.

"Dad, I'm serious" Oli plainly says.

Stephen looked over Oli and she was indeed serious. Ever since Olivia entered her teen years, saying "I love you" to her father became an occasional thing to her. As far as Stephen can remember, the only times his daughter says it is during his birthday and whenever he buys her something. That's why when Oli said it a few seconds ago, he was shocked. He's not gonna admit it but it did touch him so he grabbed the opportunity and says,

"I love you more, sweetie" he then gives Olivia a reassuring smile.

phonecall

"is it work again?" Olivia asked, looking disappointed.

Stephen looks at his phone to see his assistant calling "I got to take this"

"Dad, you promised. No work tonight, it's date night-"

"I know but this might be important" Stephen gives her a look asking if he could take the call

"yeah sure" Olivia then proceeds to use her phone.

While Stephen is talking with his assistant about a patient's case, Olivia on the other hand feels off. She doesn't feel safe. She doesn't feel comfortable. And she doesn't feel good. As if there will something bad happen to her. She started moving her legs up and down and her fingers tapping the car handle.

Dr. Strange is still on his phone call when suddenly Olivia screamed...

"Dad, look out!!!!"

--Present--

"So let me get this clear. That girl over there looks exactly like your daughter? your DEAD daughter?" Wong asks confusedly emphasizing the word "dead".

Stephen nodded, still looking at the girl who's still unconscious

"How is this even possible?" Wong looks at Strange

"I - don't know" is all he could say. Wong sighed deeply as he tries to process all of this. Silence fills the hall as Strange watches, Wong, with both his hands on his head, walking back and forth.

"Are you sure your kid is not a twin?" he faced Strange.

"Wong, I was there. I'm pretty sure Olivia's not a twin" he explains causing Wong to be confused all over again.

"We should get a rest, It's almost midnight" Strange taps Wong's shoulder catching his attention.

"Aren't you going in?" he asked. Strange furrows his eyebrows. "to check on the kid" Wong clarifies.

"I'm sure she's fine" Stephen gives his friend a small smile and walks away. Showing emotions is not something Stephen is good at. Honestly, he thought of checking on the girl earlier but he was too scared. Scared that he might feel what he felt on the night of the accident all over again.

Stephen then decided to just distract himself. He tries to change into comfortable clothes to help him go to sleep. He lays down on his bed but his mind won't let him sleep. He stands up and decided to read his favorite book. Pages have been turned but his brain isn't absorbing any information. Many distractions later, he could still not get his mind off the girl. "I should go check on her," he thought.

Three minutes have passed, and he found himself in front of her door. His heart is pounding fast. His hands are getting sweaty. Strange took a deep breath and grabbed the cold door knob with his shaking hands. He slowly opens the door and revealed a still unconscious girl laying on the bed. He quietly closed the door and walks towards the bed. Strange slowly sits on the bed. Tears are starting to build up in his eyes but he wiped them off before they could even fall. He decides to fix her blanket and that's when he felt the girl's high temperature. He quickly uses his magic to summon a towel and a small basin filled with warm water. Stephen carefully dipped the cloth into the warm water, wrings it, and puts it gently onto her forehead.

Stephen won't admit it but as he was taking care of the girl, something inside him felt happy for the first time since Oli died. He even formed a smile on the corner of his lips unconsciously. As he was about to stand up, he got startled when a warm hand grabs his

"dad?" the girl says weakly causing Stephen's eyes to widen.