An Open Doorway | Stephen Strange x Oc (UNDER REVISION)

Four: All Encompassing

Author's Note: Hey everyone! So, I know I said before this would only be a four or five part story, but it's turning out to be longer than I thought. Whoopsie doopsie lol. Just wanted to let you all know and thanks so much for reading, commenting, and voting!

Thanks!

-Mundie

In the beats of silence that follow, Hayden approaches Stephen. "So, I guess this makes us even, right?" When he doesn't respond, she reaches out and touches his shoulder. Even though he's just an Astral Projection, Hayden can feel the tension beneath her fingers. "Stephen?"
He turns around, shaking her hand from his shoulder. "Even? After that stunt you pulled?" he says, voice harsh as he scowls down at her, tight lipped. "Do you have some sort of pathological need to put yourself at risk?"

Hayden takes a step back, gaping at Strange, hands clenched at her sides. "What is your problem-"

He takes a half step closer. "You're dying-"

"So, what, Stephen?" Hayden straightens up, looking him directly in the eye. "That's what people do." She jabs a finger at the operating table, breathing heavily. "I'm sorry I'd rather be on that table instead of you, since me saving your ass is obviously a huge nuisance for you!"

Stephen face is beginning to turn red. "Oh, please. If anything, I've been nothing but a nuisance to you right? So, why would you do that?"

Hayden's voice rises to a shout. "Because I can't lose you too!"

She turns away from him, fighting down the sudden spike of emotion and the tears stinging the back of her eyes. The night she mutated rises with a vengeance in her mind and she clenches her fists hard enough to cause pain. That forces the memory away, along with the tears.

There's another long moment of silence, then Stephen places a hesitant hand on her shoulder. "Hayden, I'm-"

"What, sorry?" She lets out a small bitter laugh.

His hand tightens on her shoulder and when he speaks, his voice is soft, all traces of his earlier anger, gone. "Did it ever occur to you that I actually care about you?"

Hayden feels his words like an electrical shock that leaves behind hope and warm feelings instead of pain and tingling.

But a long piercing sound from the heart monitor hooked to Hayden's physical body cuts through the room and sends a jolt of a completely different kind through her Astral form. She had totally forgotten about Christine and the urgency of her physical predicament

Stephen shoves her toward the table roughly. "Get back in your body, now!"

Hayden doesn't need to be told twice. She darts over to the operating table and closes her eyes, blackness once again overtaking her.

-

Hayden jerks back into reality with a gasp. She looks around wildly, the bright lights blinding her for a moment.

A warm and familiar tremulous hand takes hers. "Hayden, everything's alright. You're back."

The gesture and Stephen's voice grounds her, calming her rapidly beating heart. She relaxes back on the table, blinking the glare out of her eyes. The first thing she sees is Stephen leaning over her, his brow creased and lips turned down in a frown. Next, she sees Dr. Palmer setting a defibrillator aside.

Hayden looks back at Stephen, the memories of her Astral experience returning to her. "My heart stopped." Stephen's hand tightens around hers and she returns the pressure. She realizes how terrible it would have been if the last thing she ever said to Stephen was out of anger. "I'm sorry."