Spy to Sorceress One Shot

She Looks Up To You

It had been almost a month since Doctor Stephen Strange had taken young Ruby into the Sanctum to keep her safe from the Red Room Spies, who had been chasing her that day. She bumped into himself and Wong outside the Sanctum. Stephen promised to keep her safe until Ruby was able to get back on her feet, but the truth was he had grown fond of her, so after a few weeks, Stephen decided to take Ruby under his wing as his pupil and teach her the secret to mastering the Mystic Arts, placing her on the path to becoming a great sorceress and future Avenger. Stephen knew that Ruby possessed a rare talent and potential that could greatly benefit the world. He believed that by guiding her in the ways of the mystic arts, she could become a formidable ally in the fight against evil. With each passing day, Ruby's skills grew stronger, and Stephen couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in her progress. As their bond deepened, he saw in her the makings of a true hero, ready to take on any challenge that lay ahead.

One morning, Stephen decided to take Ruby for a walk around the city so she could familiarise herself with her new surroundings. This was one of the first times she had stepped outside the Sanctum since the day she arrived. Whenever Stephen asked if she wanted to join him, she refused, as she was too afraid the Black Widow girls would be outside waiting for her. Despite Ruby being silent most of the time, Stephen was proud of her. She was beginning to face her fear. As they walked through the bustling streets, Stephen noticed Ruby's grip on his arm gradually loosening. Her eyes darted around, taking in the sights and sounds of the city with a mix of curiosity and trepidation. It was clear that each step she took was a small victory in her journey towards overcoming her fear. 

"You can talk, you know... It's been almost a month; you realise I don't bite by now." Stephen spoke, breaking the silence, trying to crack a joke, and attempting to put a smile on Ruby's face. But nothing happened; it was obvious to him that she was still terrified of being caught by the leader of the Red Rooms. Krogan. The very guy she was running from "Hey. I know you're scared, Ruby, but if that guy was desperate to find you, don't you think he would've by now?" Stephen finally asked as he stopped the two of them from walking. Ruby glanced up at him, fear in her eyes with the sudden thought of what her teacher was saying. Ruby nodded faintly, glancing around every few minutes. Stephen shook his head a little. He had an idea. "Okay, kid, follow me. I want you to meet someone special. Just so you have someone else you can trust to protect you other than me and Wong."

Stephen led Ruby into a small café around the corner from the hospital. Inside, waiting for them was someone with deep red hair tied up in a bun. She wore what looked like a turquoise doctor's uniform.

"What is this place?" Ruby finally spoke up in an attempt to break out of her shell. "Until you're able to learn magic if anything happens and you can't get to me, I want you to come straight here. Alright?" Ruby nodded a little before she followed Stephen to the table where the doctor was sitting. The person looked up and gave him a surprised smile.

"Stephen, I thought you were too busy to meet up today."

"You could say something like that," Stephen replied, then glanced at Ruby behind him to say it was okay. "Ruby, this is Dr. Christine Palmer. She's who I was talking about—someone you can trust to protect you. And unlike Wong, she doesn't bite either." Stephen introduced Ruby to Dr. Christine Palmer, assuring her that she could trust her to keep her safe. He also playfully mentioned that, unlike Wong, Dr. Palmer wouldn't bite.

"So this is Ruby? You guys can sit down, you know. I'm not due back at the hospital for half an hour since I'm on break, so we have some time to catch up. So how did you end up meeting Stephen?" Dr. Palmer asked, curious to hear the story of how Ruby and Stephen crossed paths."

"How did I find her? Well, uh, you see... the kid found me and Wong whilst running from some girls she grew up with." Stephen began to explain, trying not to mention the Red Room as much as possible, at least in front of Ruby. He gave Christine a look to say, 'I'll explain more later. Christine must've understood as she gave a slight nod. Dr. Palmer leaned forward, intrigued by Stephen's cryptic explanation. "Running from some girls she grew up with? That sounds like quite an adventure. I can't wait to hear more about it."