Strange Connection (Stephen Strange x OC)

Chapter 26

It was quite the guest list for their wedding. Pepper stood as Ariana's matron of honor, with Wong standing by Stephen's side as his best man. A few other Masters from Kamar-Taj were present, as well as a vast array of what was left of the superheros.

As far as Ariana was concerned, the most special of attendees was the one who would be walking her down the aisle and performing the ceremony.

"Steve. I was worried you wouldn't come."

"Oh, I wouldn't have missed this for the world. I've still got a little life left in me, and I wouldn't miss this moment for anything, Ariana. Tony may have taken dibs on pseudo-adopting you as his sister, but as far as I'm concerned, you're sister to all of us." Ariana blushed and hugged the elderly man again before he grinned. "Besides, if I hadn't come, I'm fairly certain Tony would have found a way to haunt me from his grave and I'd never hear the end of it."

Ariana smiled now. "I think it's time. You ready?"

"I believe that's my line. Are you ready?"

"I am. I'm so happy, Steve."

"I'm glad. We all deserve happiness, you and the Doctor especially."

"And you, Steve. You got the happiness you deserved too—didn't you?"

Steve smiled, thinking back over the last thirty or so years of his new found life. "Yes, yes I did."

"Good. Now—let's get this party started."

And then, in what was a not-so-traditional move, as Ariana moved to the spot where she'd make her entrance from, hidden behind a wall of relics, she waved her hand and "Got to Get You Into My Life" by Earth, Wind, and Fire started playing. Pepper chuckled and shook her head. "Tony would have loved this."

Ariana grinned. "Yeah, I think so, too." She took a deep breath, looped her arm around Steve's and as the lyrics started, so did her walk around the corner and down the aisle that led her to Stephen Strange. His grin was enough to make her heart leap. She'd kept her music selections a secret, knowing the man was a music snob and wanting to both surprise and impress him. She giggled as he started bobbing his head back and forth as he watched her slowly come towards him. Everyone, in fact, was moving in some way shape or form.

**—**—**

The wedding was everything Ariana had hoped it would be. All her closest friends were there to celebrate. But despite the joy and happiness surrounding her, as they transitioned from ceremony to reception, she grew pensive. It took Stephen a few minutes of walking through the crowded halls of the New York Sanctum before he found her at the Rotunda of Gateways, staring out over the desert.

As he approached the sound of the music and party faded. "Ariana, what's wrong?" he asked quietly as he approached.

He came to stand just behind her and placed his hands gently on her arms. She took a shaky breath and leaned into him. "I miss him, Stephen. I wonder if I'll ever be able to go to a party without thinking of him."

Stephen gave a sad smile. "He did enjoy a good party, didn't he?"

"He would have enjoyed this one. Everyone else certainly is. Everyone but you, that is. I'm sorry he can't be here, Ariana."

She only nodded in acknowledgment of what he said, and remained quiet a few moments longer before speaking again. "He'd hate for me to be sad at my own wedding."

"Indeed. I'm not thrilled with the idea myself. This is supposed to be a happy day for you—for us."

She turned to face him and his arms went around her waist, holding her close as she rested her hands on his chest. She smiled up at him. "I am happy. So very happy. Please know that." After looking into his eyes a few moments, her mind went back to a time that seemed like so long ago. "When I look back on that day when I first knocked on the door of this place, I'd never have imagined this could be my life now."

"You've been through so much, grown so much. You're the strongest person I know, you know that?"

She chuckled. "Don't let Thor or Hulk hear you say that." He grinned in response and she continued. "You've done quite a bit of growing too, Doctor."

"Oh yes. Several years ago I'd have laughed if you'd told me I'd be getting married. Now—I can't imagine living without you."

"Then, how about we go do some living? First—dancing. Then—honeymoon on the beach."

He waggled his eyebrows. "How 'bout we skip the dancing and go straight to the honeymoon?"

She shook her head. "Quill and his gang of misfits would never forgive us if skipped out on the dancing. Besides, I do believe Morgan mentioned wanting to dance with her Uncle Stephen. And I know you can't say no to her."

"Indeed," he said with a pretend-solemn nod. "I think it's her superpower."

He broke his solemnity with a grin that she reflected and he leaned down to kiss her. After a few moments they broke away and she sighed. "I love you, Stephen."

"And I love you, Ariana. Now, as Tony would have said, let's go 'par-tay'."

She smiled and looped her arm around his, allowing him to escort her back to the reception where their friends awaited their first dance. As they approached the pseudo 'dance floor' that had been setup, Stephen nodded to Wong, who was now playing DJ. Arianna grinned when the song filled the air.

It feels good to be the one that you want...when all I want is you...

As Stephen pulled her into his arms to dance, she giggled. She'd let him surprise her with his pick for their first dance. "You picked my favorite Jack Johnson song."

"It's the one you were listening to that night at Kamar-Taj when you were working."

"You mean when you thought I was going to fall off the ladder, so you came to my rescue?"

He rolled his eyes. "You were going to fall. And I did catch you." He grew reminiscent himself. "I knew then I was in trouble."

"You tried to blame your protectiveness on making sure you didn't allow one of Tony's 'best IT personnel' to get injured."

He smiled and let out a contented sigh. "You remember that evening pretty clearly."

"Of course I do," she said as she lifted her hand to run it along his temple and into the gray streak along his right ear. "You told me your first name that night. It felt significant."

"It was."

"Stephen—what do you think the future holds for us?"

"I don't know—but what I do know is, we'll find out together."