Lights → Doctor Strange

{for once, some good news}

Strange sat on the ledge of the mystic window. Outside it snowed on the dirty streets of New York, far below. Strange took in the skyline, counting and recounting the skyscrapers he could see. It had been three weeks, and still no sign of Mordo. 

Christmas was tomorrow. Strange tried not to think about that. 

He held his hand out and watched as the snowflakes gathered in his palm. He turned from the window and opened a portal, straight into Riley's hospital room. He couldn't be there all the time, all though he wanted too, he still had to help with the search for Mordo. Strange stepped out of the portal, and sat back down in the chair by her bed. 

"It's snowing, Riley," he said. 

She had a feeding tube down her nose, the sight of which made Strange's stomach turn. Strange reached over and brushed a strand of dark hair back from her face. 

"You should see it," Strange sighed, "the streets look clean for once."

Of course, there was no answer. Strange stood and paced, stopping at the end of the bed and reading the new information on the clipboard. His jaw clenched. Her tumor was growing, faster than ever. 

"Hey," Strange whispered, his hand finding hers, "Christmas is tomorrow. I got you a gift, but don't worry about getting me anything. Just... Just get better, okay?"

Riley just laid there, dead to the world. 

<>

"Any news?" Strange asked, sitting at the head of the table. The other masters of the  sanctums shook their heads. Strange stood and paced around the long table. Each of the masters cowered as he walked by, not because he was cruel, but because he was desperate.

Strange ran a shaking hand through his hair, "Don't you think it's unusual that we've been searching for Mordo for weeks with no leads?"

The other sorcerer's shifted in their seats, "He hasn't attacked again, we haven't any evidence to his whereabouts."

They flinched as Strange slammed his hands on the table, "I don't want excuses! Find him, I don't care how!"

The sorcerers nodded frantically as Strange stalked out of the room, and back to his own sanctum. "I don't think he's completely sane at of the moment," the stuffy master of the London sanctum sniffed. 

The leader of the Hong Kong sanctum glared at him, "He's perfectly sane. Perhaps I should send some of my people to your quadrant to search for the fugitive."

"You wouldn't dare," the London master threatened. 

The master of the Hong Kong sanctum only smirked, "Try me."

<>

Strange stood in the hallway of the hospital. A sickly looking plastic tree was sitting on the nurses station. Christmas. He had never really cared about holidays, but for some reason this was really making him upset. Strange walked into Riley's room and sat down on the squeaky plastic chair. 

"Merry Christmas," he whispered. 

He pulled a box out of his pocket, opening it to reveal a watch with a black leather band. The face of the watch matched her Amulet, with the same dark golden swoops as the Seal of Vishanti. Strange reached over and put the watch on her wrist. He looked up as he heard the door open. Christine stood in the open doorway. 

"I'm on my rounds," she explained. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," Strange replied. 

Christine walked in the room and punched a few buttons on the equipment in the room. "Any luck finding the guy who did this?" she asked. 

Strange shook his head, "Not yet."

Christine reached over and took Riley's arm, checking that the IV was still in place. Her eyes caught on the watch. 

"May I?" she asked, gesturing down at it.

Strange just shrugged, he wouldn't meet her eyes. Christine gently slipped the watch off of Riley's wrist, bringing it up to look at it. She took in the front of it, with the mystic symbol she didn't know the significance of. Christine flipped the watch over, her heart skipping a beat as she read the inscription engraved on the back. 

I didn't believe in magic until I saw you. -S.S.

Christine squeezed her eyes shut a moment before gently clasping the watch back on Riley's wrist. Strange still wouldn't look at her. He stared at Riley's face, like he could make her wake up by the sheer force of his willpower. Christine backed out of the room, heading down the hallway towards her other patients and a box of tissues. 

<>

"We have a sighting?" Strange asked, pacing up and down the room, "Where? When? Who saw him?"

A young sorcerer stood in front of the restless man nervously. "I saw him, Supreme," she squeaked.

Strange stopped and looked at her closely, "Where?"

"I was training, in the Mirror Realm in New York," she answered, wringing her hands. 

A sigh escaped Strange, "He could be miles away by now."

"I-I'm sorry, Supreme," the girl apologized. 

Strange stopped his pacing, taking in the teenage girl's ragged appearance. It was obvious she was at her nerves end just from talking to him. 

"It's alright," he said gently, "You did the right thing."

She gave him a nervous smile before slipping back into the crowds of sorcerer's standing on the edges of the room. 

"I want everyone focused on the Mirror Realm in New York," Strange said, "If you see him, use a portal to contact me. No one faces him but me, you understand?"

All the sorcerer's nodded, simultaneously slipping on their sling rings. 

"Let's get to work," Strange commanded, slipping on his own sling ring. 

<>

Six days had passed, with no more signs of Mordo. Strange had barely slept, becoming obsessed with searching the Mirror Realm around New York. He left the Mirror Realm reluctantly, coming back to the real world for a bite to eat and a few hours of sleep. 

He walked the halls of the hospital, going to the cafeteria to get himself something to eat. He stood in line for whatever slop they were serving, just like old times. "Happy New Year, Doctor Strange," the cafeteria lady smiled at him. 

"Is it really?" he sighed, his eyes finally focusing in on what he was doing. 

The lady stood there for a second before smiling, "Have a nice night."

Strange walked back up to Riley's room. Suddenly, he wasn't very hungry. He sat the tray of food down and clicked the grainy television on. 

"The countdown to the new year begins in moments!" the blonde newscaster chattered happily. 

The camera panned across Times Square, finally focusing on the ball that was about to drop. Strange watched as they counted down from ten. 

"Three, two, one!" the newscaster cheered. 

The happy couples in Times Square leaned in and kissed each other. Strange looked over at Riley, "Happy New Year," he whispered. He stood and leaned over her, kissing her forehead. 

A portal opened at the foot of her bed, and Strange straightened. A bedraggled sorcerer stumbled out, "We've found him, Supreme. Come quickly."

Strange smiled. His veins hummed with the magic he itched to unleash on Mordo. "For once, some good news."

A/N

I saw Rouge One yesterday and it destroyed me