And the butterflies that burst from your fingertips

Seven: Hospital Horror

Tony had piled all of them into one of his Stark Jets, to get them there "before Mordo can stab a newborn". Stephen wasn't particularly happy about this, since there really wasn't room for all of them and he really didn't like having to sit right next to Carol; he was worried he'd say something to offend her and that she'd blast his head clean off.

He was immediately happier with the arrangement when Tony took the seat by his other side, since Happy had insisted that an actual pilot fly the plan, and not Stark. He knew he should admit his love to Tony now, while there was still time, but he didn't want to in front of all the other Avengers.

Instead, he just joined in the strategy planning that was occurring as they travelled. Carol glared at him anytime he spoke, but he tried to ignore it as best he could.

"We have to surround him," Sam said, jolting Stephen from his thoughts. "He can't attack us all at once."

"Actually, he can," Stephen put in, voice grim. "You saw the elemental whirlwind he made at the Compound the other day."

"But you can shut it down, right?" Tony said, casting a worried glance at the sorcerer. Stephen cast his gaze downward, at the plane's floor.

"I... I don't know. My magic has been... hindered."

"By Mordo?"

Stephen didn't like to lie, but he nodded. He didn't really want to have to explain the butterflies disease to them all right now, especially not when he wanted to get a chance to tell Tony how much he cared for him in private.

Beside him, Carol balled her hands into fists. "I'll kill the bastard myself if I have to."

Stephen blinked in surprise. This was the first time she'd ever shown any sign of caring at all about Stephen.

"There's another thing," Stephen said slowly, dreading what he was about to say. "Mordo uses vacuum spells to take a sorcerer's magic. Wong and I... we worry that he might be able to do the same to you guys. Drain Thor's control over lightning. Take Peter's Spidey-Senses... and maybe even suck away Carol's power."

Stephen heard Tony suck in a breath from beside him. "Let's hope you and Wong are wrong, huh?"

"Yeah," Stephen mumbled, gaze on the ground. "Let's hope."

The rest of the ride was spent in silence, and at some point Tony's hand found his for a few moments, just long enough to give it a reassuring squeeze and for Stephen to look up and see a smile on Tony's face to match. He appreciated the genius trying to make him feel better about going into this fight, but he knew that unless he told Tony how he felt, some of them might not come out of this alive.

The moment the plane touched down by the hospital, the other Avengers began to quickly get out, Stephen stepped in front of Tony, a silent way of telling him to wait. Tony gave him the briefest nod, getting the message, and he called out to Sam.

"You guys head on! We'll be out in a moment!"

Sam nodded, and began to lead the others towards the hospital, which Stephen could just see was getting torn apart by a similar whirlwind to the other day. As he met Tony's gaze, Stephen felt his throat go dry.

"I, uh..." Stephen swallowed, and tried again. "Mordo isn't why my magic isn't working properly."

"Oh?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "And you didn't mention this before because...?"

"It's a little... embarrassing, I guess," Stephen replied carefully. "See, it's this common disease... it's what's hindering my magic."

Tony looked like he was about to reply when an explosion from the direction of the hospital shook the plane violently. Tony and Stephen exchanged a look.

"Can it wait?" Tony asked him quickly.

Stephen nodded. "It can wait."

It really couldn't, but there wasn't the time. If they took any longer, children could die. Children could have already died while Stephen and Tony stood there talking. The two of them quickly left the plane, and began to sprint towards the half destroyed hospital.

Natasha and Peter had taken up herding the civilians away, as they had the last time, except Peter was swinging in to actively grab children and pull them away from the battle. Stephen set his jaw as he spotted Mordo; butterflies disease or not, he'd stop this mad sorcerer once and for all.

"Mordo!"

"Get back!" Tony hissed, trying to tug Stephen behind a piece of broken building, but it was too late. The sorcerer creating the whirlwind turned, his gaze locking on Stephen.

"Ah, Doctor Stephen Strange, we meet again."

"This time I'll defeat you," Stephen spat in his direction.

"Not even a nice greeting? After all, we do know each other. We're friends."

"A sorcerer who thinks only of himself is not my friend," Stephen hissed.

Mordo laughed. "Alright, take your best shot then!"

The whirlwind stopped completely and Mordo stood, arms open, completely defenceless. Stephen stared for a moment, stunned; why would Mordo leave himself defenceless like this?

Mordo frowned as a few moments passed. "Come on, Stephen. I thought you were a sorcerer."

Stephen glanced at Tony, who was still crouched behind the bit of debris with his eyes stretched wide. The genius gave Stephen the smallest nod, and then jerked his head in the direction of Mordo.

Stephen took a deep breath, then raised his hands, ready to cast a spell. Instead, several butterflies burst from his palms, and Mordo laughed.

"So a common love disease has stopped the greatest sorcerer of our nation. What a pity."

And before Stephen could even react Mordo was hurling a knife across the battleground, and then the knife had buried itself up to its hilt in Stephen's stomach. And there was blood, so much blood, pooling from the wound, and the world was going black, black, black.

Stephen could dimly hear Tony yelling his name, could hear the genius scrambling towards him, but the world was fading and he was gone, slipping into the inky darkness.