Doctor Strangelove

Chapter Seventeen

Stephen ducked and dodged to avoid the punches and kicks coming his way. He sent a few blows of his own, but his opponent narrowly avoiding them. Stephen received a blow to the face. He glared at his opponent. 

"Oh, you're going to get it," he said.  He lashed out with a powerful blast of magic. His opponent hadn't been prepared for it and fell down, gasping for breath. Stephen stood over them. 

"Ow!" Rachael said. "That hurt!"

"I don't think that someone would be gentle during a real fight," Stephen said, holding out his hand to help Rachael up. "You're getting better, there's no doubt about that." 

"Thank you," Rachael said. 

"You just need to anticipate my movements a little more," Stephen said. "But your movements are very graceful. When Wong started teaching me martial arts, I kept falling on my back."

"Like when we tried to practice We Got Annie that one time when I was fourteen?" Rachael raised her eyebrows.

"Yes, just like that," Stephen sighed. "How do you do it?"

"Steve, I've taken the best dance and gymnastic classes since I was four, been in sixteen musicals not counting my school ones, and been on Dancing With the Stars," Rachael said. "I don't mean to be vain, but I'm hardly ever going to make a fault because if I do, it will cost me." 

"And I'm still falling on my back like I did when I was eighteen," Stephen sighed.

"If it makes you feel any better, I do still trip sometimes," Rachael said. "And you're better at magic than me." 

"But you are getting better at magic," Stephen said. "How? It took me awhile to do the movements as elegantly as you."

"I think of it as interpretive dance," Rachael said. "That's basically what it is, anyway." 

"Well, I think we can be done for today," Stephen said. 

"Good, I'm exhausted," Rachael said. "No one should be practicing till eight at night."

"Go get changed and wait in our room for me," Stephen said. "I'll be there in a minute. I just have some things to take care of." 

"Okay," Rachael said. She gave Stephen a quick kiss on the lips before walking out the library. They had been doing all of their training there since they hadn't been able to find anything else. 

Once Rachael was gone, Stephen did some stretches to loosen up his muscles. After he was done with those, he got himself a glass of water and went up to look out of the skylight. Everything was peaceful. All was quiet. Stephen sighed. He missed the Ancient One. Even with Rachael here, he felt so alone. Even though Wong was loyal to him, Stephen could see every time Wong looked at him that he doubted him. Mordo was probably only here to finish what the Ancient One had started. Rachael believed in him, but she didn't understand. Sure, she knew magic now, but she didn't understand what it meant to have this power. She thought it was all fun and games. 

I miss you, Ancient One, Stephen thought. Help me. Please, help me somehow. 

After looking out the window a little longer, Stephen walked back to the master bedroom of the house. He and Rachael had been sharing, which Stephen liked. He thought the way Rachael would constantly snuggle up to him was adorable. Stephen walked into the bedroom to find Rachael looking over her shoulder and trying to touch a spot on her back.

"Need help?" Stephen asked. Rachael turned around and nodded.

"There's a spot on my back that's really hurting," she said. "Can you give me a massage?"