The Enchantress' Tale (Doctor Strange x Fem!reader)

Chapter 22: Worth the Wait

As the quinjet passed over New York you watched the bustling city below, innocent people filled the streets, just minding their everyday business, not noticing the jet full of their protectors passing over them in the sky.

The rest of the team seemed to not be intrigued, them having done this too many times to count on their hands. Peter played on his handheld video game, Wanda was asleep in the corner with a smile on her face, and Bucky still piloting, humming to the music he had playing.

Everything seemed so small, you'd never been up in the sky when it wasn't for Hydra. Even then everything was limited since they didn't want you to escape and only used their planes for missions that were too far away to drive you to.

The base was a few hours away, even by plane, you tried to tell the others about portals but it seemed like the quinjet still ended up being the best option. The jet offered weapons and other features that could be crucial for a mission if it went wrong.

You decided to learn how to properly use the Stark phone you were given, Peter teaching you the basic features but still being unsure as technology was still somewhat new to you, but if Steve could do it, so could you.

Opening the camera app you took some pictures of the team, wanting to remember the first mission for the good guys and not Hydra.

You texted Stephen a picture of Peter getting excited over his video game, knowing the soft spot he held for the spiderling even if he didn't admit it to anyone.

You smiled when he texted back, thinking he would be training or visiting the Kamar Taj or going back to reading books. Even though the text was simple, 'that's our boy' it was still sickenly sweet.

'How's reading?'

'Got lost in thought. Thinking of you. <3'

You let out a quiet laugh, who would have known the mean sorcerer would turn out to be a large flirt, 'Go back to work. '

'<3 going rn. Good luck xo'

"Men," you whispered to yourself, brushing your hair out of your face as your head was filled with happy thoughts of the sorcerer.

Looking up towards the wide window of the quinjet, it looked like the four of you had exited the New York area, still over a city it seemed much quieter than the bustling place you had quickly grown used too. No cars in traffic jams, few pedestrians, and more green.

You could feel the energy of the area, the nature much more lively than the mostly concrete city at home. It almost empowered you, you really would have to start traveling to more nature filled places more.

Being connected to nature it gave a new sense, one you hadn't felt in so long since years ago on a Hydra mission.

The waves crashed heavily on the seashore.

The gulls flew above, the only sign of life in the barren ocean.

The base stood in the water, the tall pillars leading up to it, covered in barnacles, the black building stood out against the smooth ocean waters. Cutting into them like a knife, causing a toughness that was not natural.

You had to get this over with, otherwise they would put you back under, they would try to control you. They had done it before and it was a pain you never wanted again.

The mission seemed simple, get in the base, kill the men inside of they resisted, insert the flash drive, download the data, leave. You wouldn't look at the men, you could only hope they would flee and not fight, you didn't wish to hurt more innocent people.

Taking one last glance at the seashore you dived in, propelling through the water until you reached the first pillar, letting the waves form higher than ever, carrying you up to a panel on the bottom of the base, used for those coming in by boat. You climbed in.

The room you entered was silent, only the sound of the waves from the still open panel resonating in it. A door stood on the opposite side, drying off with a quick gust of wind, you walked over.

Taking in a deep breath, you pushed it open, still met with emptiness except instead of a room it was now a hallway. Walking to the end you passed various signs, stopping in front of the one that read 'Base of Operations'.

You prayed no one was inside, it seemed it was not answered as you entered to be met with a countless amount of scientists.

"Damn it," you whispered, deciding to give the men a chance and praying they would take it, "Leave now."

"You can't be here!" One shouted, pulling a red lever. Others picking up guns stored in the corner of the room.

"Why didn't you listen?" You sighed, slamming the door shut behind you. The men attacked one by one, obviously not trained, they were pretty mean, at the time it seemed like they were the enemy and deserved what you were doing to them.

Leaning down you let ice cover the floor, each man slipping as he tried to defend the data, ignoring the shouts of discontent you walked, unaffected as it was your own creation, and inserted the drive.

Unaware that one man had gotten hold of his weapon, and blissfully unaware of the others smiling before you felt a sharp pain in your shoulder, recognizing immediately that it was a bullet wound.

"You shouldn't have done that," turning around to look at the men, sending out a wave, a wave of pure ice, each man frozen in the aftermath.

You didn't feel regret at the moment, in fact you felt nothing, unbothered that the men were frozen as they tried to attack you. Looking back now you could see the wrongness of it all, what a beast Hydra had made you trying to escape pain.

Not wanting to relive how the rest of the mission went you opened your eyes, tears brimming at the edge wishing you could turn back time to stop it all. To just tell yourself that it wouldn't matter if you killed those innocent men or not, that as soon as you got back you would be put under their control, unable to fight back.

Cowering in the corner of the quinjet you could only remind yourself of what you were trying to become, someone worth being alive, worth all those past mistakes.

Worth the wait.

AN: Unresolved trauma, yay! Also Lowkey hate how overpowered I made the reader <3