Lights → Doctor Strange

{hey}

The week of recovery seemed like an eternity. They had taken Riley off the coma inducing drugs days before, but she still hadn't woken. Her health was on a steady rise, which kept Strange from worrying too much. He basically lived at the hospital, either in the cafeteria or Riley's room. That's where he was now, reading a softly glowing book to Riley as she slept.

Christine stood in the doorway a moment, listening to his deep voice roll through the lines of words. She knocked softly on the door frame and Strange looked up. He closed the old book softly, the book's spine making a crackling sound as it closed.

Christine walked into the room and sat on the edge of Riley's bed. Strange's eyes were bloodshot as he watched her.

"You need to get some sleep," Christine said pleadingly, "and a shower, and some new clothes."

Strange frowned at her, sighing deeply, "You know I can't leave."

Christine wrinkled her nose, "I know you smell."

Strange gave a tired laugh, "You got me there. Fine. I'll go, but I'll be back in a couple hours."

With a roll of her eyes, Christine shooed him from the room. It didn't seem like Riley was going to be waking up anytime soon anyways.

<>

Strange ran a hand through his damp hair. It had been nice to take hot shower after the stress of the week. He opened his closet door and took out a dark blue tunic. It was almost exactly the same as the one he had given Riley her first night in the sanctum. Thinking about that made his chest ache.

He wandered down the stairs and into the kitchen. The fridge was empty, he realized in dismay. With everything that had happened in the last two weeks, he wasn't surprised. Strange made his way back upstairs, pausing in front of his door before passing by it and going to Riley's room.

The air was a touch musty. Strange looked over at the dresser and realized with a jolt that her phone was still there, charging and untouched. She must not have had it on her during the fight with Mordo. He reached over and picked it up, clicking it on. The phone's background was a silly picture she had made him take with her on some stuffy training day, months ago. Riley was leaning against Strange, grinning into the camera. Strange himself, he realized embarrassingly, was looking at Riley. A ghost of a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth, with a light blush spread across his cheeks.

He focused back on Riley. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail and her smile was downright contagious. Strange gently sat the phone back down on the dresser. He sat on the edge of her bed for a moment before giving in and curling up in it. It smelled like Riley; a mixture of pine trees and sea spray.

Strange took a deep breath, his eyes closing. And for the first time in a week, he fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

<>

Riley jerked awake, her hands flying to her face and pulling at the feeding tube going down her nose. Her heart monitor beeped fast and loudly, setting off an alarm that something was different with her readings. She finished jerking the tube out of her nose, just as Christine rounded the corner.

Riley swayed on the bed, reaching over and fumbling with the IV in her arm. Christine rushed forward and caught Riley's hand, moving it away from the IV.

"Hey," Christine said softly, "Leave that in."

Riley just looked up at her blearily, opening her mouth like she was going to say something. She paused a moment before closing her mouth. The words simply wouldn't come. Christine gently pressed on Riley's shoulder, making her lay back onto the bed.

"You've been in a coma for about a month and a half, Riley," she whispered, "It's going to take some time to recover."

The heart monitor picked up speed again as Riley's eyes frantically searched the empty room. Her brain scrambled for words but could come up with only one.

"S-Strange?" she whimpered.

Her voice was hoarse and cracked, having not been used for so long. Christine gently took her hand and squeezed it. "I'll go find him, I promise."

Riley looked around the room again. Her mind tripped over what she could last remember. Mordo, reaching out, snagging her Amulet, and her falling to her doom. She didn't remember landing, which was probably a good thing. After that... it was all dark. She remembered hearing Strange's voice a few times, but she couldn't even remember what he had said.

Riley looked over at the table beside her bed. The Amulet was laying there, on a new leather cord, waiting to be used. She reached over and put it back on. The familiar weight was comforting to her. Riley's eyes caught on the new watch on her wrist. She shifted and rubbed the smooth leather band.

It was a nice watch, with a face that was made to match her Amulet. The same four swoops stared at her from the watch and the Amulet. She gave a small smile. Only one person in the world could have gotten her something like that.

She leaned back in her bed, surprisingly tired for someone who had just slept for a month and a half.

<>

A pounding at the door woke Strange from his fitful slumber. He woke up, blearily looking at the clock. Suddenly wide awake, he stumbled downstairs and into the foyer. He opened the giant door, and a rush of cold air greeted him. Christine stood just outside in blue scrubs and a coat. She shifted from foot to foot.

"How'd you find me?" he asked.

"You filled out the paperwork yourself, Steven," she teased.

He hummed, "Oh. What's happened? How's Riley?"

Christine's face broke out in a grin. "She's awake!"

Strange smiled, a beautiful, face splitting smile. He reached in his pocket and took out the sling ring. "Let's go."

He opened a portal just outside her room. The two of them stepped into the hallway. Christine's eyes were wide, having never been through a portal before. Strange stood in front of Riley's door, unsure of what to do or say next. Christine took the cue and walked the other way, back to her duties as nurse. He needed to do this alone.

Slowly, he opened the door to her room. His heart stopped as he saw her, asleep on the bed. Like nothing had changed. He inched closer to her, his eyes catching on the Amulet that was now on her neck.

Strange reached forward and brushed a piece of hair away from her face. She took a deep breath, her eyes fluttering open. Her chocolate brown eyes met his and he smiled.

"Riley," he whispered.

She smiled back at him. Her brain sifted through all the things she wanted to ask him, or wanted to tell him. But she settled for something simpler.

Something like, "Hey."