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𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗨𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗘

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RETURNING TO KAMAR-TAJ, Stephen and Cassandra relentlessly worked together to restore every Sanctum Sanctorum and pieces of ancient relics and artifacts found scattered on the wooden floor. The sorceress mostly utilized her own arcane magical energy to fix the buildings and almost collapsed to the floor due to exhaustion. As if he swiftly noticed this, Stephen wrapped his arms around her waist and carried her in his arms, laying her down on thr couch. With a butterfly kiss on her forehead, he assured her that all she'll need to do is rest and he will fix everything else.

And he did. Cassandra could only watch in awe for in a few minutes, Stephen finished fixing the rest. The event earlier had really converted so much of her light magical energy to dark that she doubted she would have the strength to perform any spell the next day. After everything was said and done, the former neurosurgeon helped the light of his life get up from her seat and walk towards the narthex where he first found the Eye of Agamotto.

Stephen was about to place back when he hesitated. Cassandra was about to remind him why he should return the relic when his cloak suddenly detached itself from him, making the other sorcerer sigh. "Yeah, okay."

Cassandra couldn't stop herself from chuckling at his antics. She knew Stephen was curious to discover more about the relic's abilities, and it was another thing she admired and despised about him. His desire to understand and learn everything that there is. She knew his curiosity would lead him to places he shouldn't be in, making him irresponsible.

"Wise choice," Wong spoke as he waltzed inside the chamber. "You'll wear the Eye of Agamotto once you've mastered its powers. Until then, best not to walk the streets wearing an Infinity Stone."

"A what?"

"What he meant was, you might have a gift for the Mystic Arts, but you still have so much to learn." Cassandra told him, stepping forward towards them and stared at the rotating golden globe above them. Wong nodded at her, agreeing with what she said. "Word of the Ancient One's death will spread through the Multiverse..." she paused, swallowing, recalling that it wasn't just her teach that passed away, but also her father. Her heart ached at the thought. She already missed him so much, but she knew he will always be there for her, guiding her in her journey. He will be there in her times of trouble, where she will need guidance the most. "Earth has no Sorcerer Supreme to defend it. We must be ready."

"We'll be ready."

The sorceress smiled when she noticed his eyes were fixed on her. They were really going to go through it together, as he promised. She would teach him everything else he would need to know and be prepared for what comes next.

That was when they heard a loud cough coming from the other sorcerer in the room, and they both shook their heads as they saw Wong roll his eyes. "Come on, Stephen. You still have a lot to learn, and first is that, don't get distracted. Especially by... her." the master uttered as he exited the Narthex, proceeding to the New York Sanctum.

Cassandra released a chortle, and was about to follow the librarian when Stephen pulled her back to him. As a result, his lips spftly brushed against her forehead, and the woman's cheeks burned red.

"Dinner date on last Saturday of this month?" he hopefully inquired, giving her a soft smile that simply reached his eyes.

The woman released a laugh, and leant her forehead against his lips then stared at his eyes. That was one of his many features that she loved. The color of his eyes changed depending on the light shone on him.

"I'll take that as a yes," he nodded, pressing his lips. "Now, I believe we should go back to Wong. I can feel that we're already pissing him off. We can finish this conversation later... my love." he winked, making Cassandra's cheeks blush furiously red again.

His cloak reattached itself back to him and suddenly rubbed his cheek as if teasing him. "Stop it." he commanded and the cloak paused. Stephen shook his head and turned to his partner. "I don't understand. Why is your cloak more behaved than mine?"

The cloak suddenly slapped his face and the woman before him gave a loud laugh. "Because mine isn't sentient, you dork."

Her lover rolled his eyes and straightened his posture, lacing their fingers together. With a smile, she wrapped her hand around his waist, and rest her head against his shoulder, walking out of the Narthex.

IN THE COLD and frigid air, Cassandra, Olivia, and Stephen stood before two gravestones, the one on the right belonging to their teacher, and the other one on the left belonging to Harry. There was a cold air that breezed through, causing the sorceress to shiver and button up her overcoat. Golden hour tinted the fresh grass and fence posts a rosy orange, like a painting. If Cassandra hadn't been so sorrowful at the time, she would have admired its beauty.

The sun was setting when the two decided to visit Harry and their teacher. Kneeling down to the ground, Cassandra's mother traced the engraving on the stone as Stephen laid down the bouquet of orchids and chrysanthemums they brought with them.

"Hi, you two. We're here." talked her mother as Cassandra gripped Stephen's hand on her shoulder, finding strength in him. "We miss you. It's so strange not to see you two around in the temple, but everything's going well. Everything has been restored and the students are back. We'll resume teaching tomorrow."

"It's hard for us to accept you two are gone, but we know you're with us, helping us..." This time, it was Cassandra who spoke. "just like what you did when I was almost consumed by that darkness. We will always remember you, dad, Ancient One."

"I have already said everything before, but I will repeat again what I have said, sir. I will take good care of your wife and Cassie. I promise you that." Stephen added, holding onto Cassandra's hand. The brunette gave a small smile and rested her head on his shoulder.

It had been three weeks ever since Dormammu tried to conquer Earth, three weeks without the presence of her dad and mentor. It wasn't the same, they knew it will never be, but they had to accept it. The sorceress knew no matter what, they will always be there for her, guiding her in her journey. She knew that her grief will evolve. It will soften and conform to her figure, becoming a part of her. The kind of grief never goes away, but will grow accustomed to the weight as time passes.

A couple of minutes later, her mother left them, kissing Cassandra's cheek. "You two will be home before dinner, right?"

They nodded.

"Good, you should be. I'll be cooking some food for the two of you." Her mother doted over her daughter, brushing her hair back. "Take good care of my daughter, Stephen."

"Of course."

The sorcerer beside her held her hand as they ventured further in the graveyard, looking towards the horizon. Stephen told her that he wanted her to meet his family. She knew about his past for he told her about it one time after the interdimensional entity showed himself in the hallway and she collapsed. She didn't expect he would actually open himself up to her because he was quite reserved.

She discovered that he had a younger sister, who drowned after getting a cramp while swimming and because he couldn't save her, Stephen decided to become a doctor to save lives. But, his rapid success made him arrogant. After his mother died near the end of his residency, work for him became more and more impersonal. He started becoming egotistical and greedy, cold and callous that he generally began to pay more interest in patients who would pay a lot and taking cases that were challenging. He even refused to visit his father's deathbed because he was already crippled by grief over his mother's death. His materialistic nature and his huge ego was the reason why his relationship with Dr. Christine Palmer didn't work out.

That time, Cassandra only listened to him and comforted him, holding his hand as they watched the stars to let him know she was there for him.

The woman blinked a couple of few times as she recalled reaching this part of the graveyard. She knew this area, she had been here before.

Right after she almost destroyed the three Sanctums under Dormammu's influence, she fled to this graveyard where she knew no one would expect her to be in. She needed time to herself, to fully grasp her actions and its consequences. She was devastated to the point she just wanted to disappear from the face of the earth until she noticed a noticed a fresh bouquet of flowers rolling away from a slab beside her. Shaking her head, she picked them up and placed them properly on the stone, tying its ribbon with some rock to prevent it from rolling should the wind blow again.

The name etched on the black and gold slab belonged to a Donna, Cassandra discovered. She couldn't read the person's last name because the surface was covered with moss, making it difficult to read, but she did notice a letter S.

"Bless her soul," she said respectfully this time before rising to her feet. She wandered around the cemetery for a little more, feeling lost and alone. She saw the yellow post-it note sticking to her right foot at that point. She took it and read what was written in it, arching her brow.

I miss you. - S.S.

Cassandra wasn't sure why, but something about the note was intriguing and inspirational to her. Yes, it was only three words, but it was enough to make her reconsider her decision. She had a sneaking suspicion she was about to run into something. She had the impression that she was supposed to be looking forward to its arrival.

Back in the present, the woman observed her companion in shock as he showed her the familiar black and gold slab she saw before. She stood there unblinking, trying to process what she had just witnessed. The name Donna Strange was written on the stone, making the woman's heart race.

"Cassie? What is it? Are you okay?"

Wordlessly, she took her wallet out of her purse and searched for the post-it note. She kept it with her for many years, always finding strength whenever she stared at it. It served as a reminder of the moment she changed her decision. It was the reason why she continued her path of being a sorceress.

The blackness was unending. Thousands of pinpricks of chilly light were strewn across the deep blue canopy. Silver was splattered across the magnificent cloth. Every shadow on Stephen's face was visible, as was the liquid in his eyes as she held up the yellow note.

"This is yours, isn't it?" she breathed out. "Donna's your sister? This is your handwriting?"

The man in front of her moved steadily and grabbed the paper from her, reading it. His eyes widened for a brief time as he returned his gaze to her. "This is my handwriting. Where did you get this?"

"It's been with me for seventeen years. I kept it with me after I fled here. I was so angry at myself because I was dabbled in the dark arts, but then I found that and it just gave me..." She paused for a moment, realizing that fate had been working evee since then. "Hope."

Stephen shook his head, his lips curling into a smile as he pointed his gaze to the horizon. "Fate, you sly fox."

She chuckled, her eyes glistening with tears of happiness. Stephen became her closest friend, someone whom she quickly missed whenever he would go. Her moods would rise on his return. His little quirks soon became her favourite thing, easy to discern his mind-set in his absence. His azure eyes pierced her everytime and everything that was colored blue reminded her of him. His laughter was her haunting tinnitus that kept her up all night.

She realized that every heartbreak she felt, every disappointment was a yellow brick road for her. Cassandra was already on her way home to him. She wasn't lost, just passing through it all. Their fate had already been written by the stars, but fated or not, it still won't change anything. She loved him beyond comprehension, beyond doubt.

With tears coursing down her cheeks, she embraced him. She couldn't explain her feelings at the moment. Stephen had already showed up in her life ever since before. The sorceress shakily breathed out, "You saved my life. You and Donna saved my life. Thank you."

"Cassie..."

"I wanted to die that day, but this... this made me change my mind. I couldn't understand how it was able to do so, but I do now." She sniffed, smiling. "It wanted to lead me to you."

Stephen listened intently, only holding her close to him. He lifted the stray hair strand away from her face. "Sweetheart..."

"I love you."

He paused, blinking as if stunned.

"I love you, Stephen. I really do."

For a few seconds, the guy she adored did nothing except stare at her. Before he finally enunciated, his cerulean eyes were fixed on her and her alone, as if she was the only person in the universe. "May I kiss you?"

"God, do you really have to ask?"

"Consent, sweetheart. Consent is important."

He kissed her as soon as her hands linked with his. He was taken aback at first by her eagerness, but he regained his calm and reminded himself of what was going on: he was kissing her, she was kissing him, and the world around them was inconsequential. Cassandra felt as if she was opening up her soul, tasting, feeling, and seeing every color of the rainbow in their own sensual way, almost as if she were catching a smile in a bottle. Its gentleness, sweetness, as though breathing in the individual like a cool breath of oxygen to warm the spirit.

It was a murmuring, chilly winter air; it was falling asleep to the faint sounds of the cemetery; it was a red, raging fire, yet a calm, trickling rain all at once.

And she was falling fast, craving for his scent and the sensation of being so close to him, unsure where she ended and he began. Cassandra had never been happier in her life than she was now. She would rather walk into hell and embrace her darkness again than lose this: he and his entrancing eyes, his captivating smile against her lips, his laugh when he did something stupid, his hair when she looked at him, his raspy voice in the mornings, and his hands, his lovely hands, conforming and loosening to her fingers in perfect rhythm.

However, her lungs needed to breathe, and she was forced to detach from him as the feeling of gravity was ripped from his core. Their bodies were the same temperature, and their smiles were identical. Stephen whispered quietly, "I love you so much," and she smiled back, a thousand words hidden behind her diamond eyes.

She was immersed in ideas about life and opportunity, what she could do vs what she would do, and what she should absolutely not do.

Cassandra knew she finally found her home.

However, their story was far from over. It was only the beginning, and life had many surprises in store for them, both good and bad.

They slowly broke away and inclining his head to the stone in front of them, he said, "Mom, dad, Donna, meet Cassie, my..." he paused, glancing back at her. "saving grace."

"HERE THEY ARE," Cassandra heard Wong proclaim as she slowly moved up from the stairs. A loud thud reverberated across from where she was, making the woman glance up for a moment. She returned her gaze to the video that explained about the board game Stephen suggested they play for tonight's game night. "The Ancient One's private collection."

"Are you sure about this?" Another voice piped in, it was Stephen. "Where's Cassie?"

"Oh, she's downstairs preparing for game night."

Her boyfriend chuckled. "Game night's really a big deal to her, isn't it?"

"That woman trains a lot." vocalized Wong. "I bet she is going to win again tonight."

He hummed. "Not if I join the game."

Cassandra already actually loved the board game. It was all about confronting cosmic horrors in a seriously tough fight to save the world. It was so similar to their duty as Masters of the Mystic Arts. It even had an Ancient One which really piqued her interest. The brunette finally reached the small room where Wong and her lover was in and stood at the entrance, gaze still fixed on the video she was watching.

It had been a week since she declared her love to the neurosurgeon, and things had been going great for the two of them. Wong and Olivia were overjoyed by the news, and Cassandra knew her father and teacher, wherever they were, were as well. Also, Stephen was named the next Sorcerer Supreme three days ago, and her role as his Guardian has officially begun.

"I think I might have pulled something, doctor."

"Well, I'll prescribe you a 100 mg of quit your whining."

And then she caught glimpse of Stephen swiftly spinning around to see if the librarian laughed.

He didn't.

Cassandra chortled, shaking her head.

"One day, you're gonna laugh."

The two then talked about the stone and a song that Cassandra was unaware of because she was preoccupied. She was too engrossed in what she was watching. "Right, Cass?"

The sorceress lifted her head, surprised she was dragged into the conversation. "What? I'm sorry. I was busy watching some youtube videos about that Eldritch Horror board game Stephen suggested this morning."

Stephen rolled his eyes. "You know, Wong, I didn't know that."

At this, Wong let out a victorious laugh before shutting his doors close. "That was oddly satisfying."

"Did you just make Wong laugh again?" gasped Cassandra, finally pocketing her phone to give her full attention to her boyfriend. "I'm impressed."

He chortled as she noticed his eyes darted down to her shirt. She smirked, twirling around to show it off. It was the shirt that she accidentally snatched when she was scrambling away from his apartment. She purposefully put it on to tease him. "You like it, darling?"

Stephen, narrowing his eyes, sauntered over to her, and whispered to her ear. "I would love it even more if it was on my bedroom floor... scattered along with my clothes."

Her cheeks burned and she only gripped his forearm. "After game night."

As he walked forward, Stephen Strange winked, coming to a halt near the Sanctum's window. The event planner could only watch from afar when he lifted his trembling hands and peered at them, she could almost tell what was on his mind. He could truly heal his hands by siphoning magical energy into him, exactly like Jonathan Pangborn, but he persuaded that power had a purpose.

In fact, the idea of Stephen abandoning this life and returning to his former one occasionally crossed her thoughts, and it terrified her a little since she didn't know whether she could follow him there. She adored Stephen with all of her heart and soul, but she had to prioritize the rest of the world. If it means sacrificing her happiness for the sake of humanity's safety, she will.

Dragging herself to him, she watched him pull out her shattered wristwatch. The vintage wristwatch she left in his room after spending one night with him. Cassandra actually believed that watch brought him to her somehow. Stephen flipped the watch and traced the words etched on the metal.

Your time is limited, so make every second count.

"I'm going to have to have it fixed tomorrow and give it back to you."

"Keep it." enunciated Cassandra, closing his fist with her hand. "I want you to have it."

"Really?"

"It's my father's gift to me, but I want you to have it." the brunette gently took the watch and wrapped it around his wrist as he stretched his scarrred fingers forward.

"You know," he voiced out, still looking down. "One of my biggest regrets in life was not getting your full name and number that night, but now, that I have this chance, I will never let you go again."

She sat quietly and listened to him. The sorceress was ecstatic to have been a part in his growth. In his grief and loss, he lost everything he had and drove everyone away from him. He had squandered a lot of time when he could have put his hands to better use, but now he could. In his damaged hands, the time he previously squandered has now become a priceless diamond.

"Dr. Stephen Strange, an old-fashioned romantic. Who knew?" teased Cassandra, grinning.

"Shh." He shushed her, cupping her face in his hands. "No one can know."

Heart fluttering, she placed her hand above his and softly leant against his forehead. "We're going to get through it all, Cassie."

She hummed. "Together?"

"Together."

Smiling, she pecked his lips and entwined their hands together. She loved it whenever she can lock hands with him. Cassandra felt safe, comforted, and most of all, loved. "Now, come on, we have to train today. There are some spells I want to teach you."

He groaned softly in his throat and began kissing her down the length of her neck, sucking an area behind her ear he knew was her favorite. "Can't we just do it tomorrow?"

The sorceress resisted the urge to moam and put her hands on her hips, ready to scold him. "Oh, so you think you can seduce your way out of this training session, Stephen."

He smirked. "Oh, I don't think I can. I know."

"Well, it won't work." She cleared her throat, trying to look she got herself handled even though internally, she was already screaming. "You've only got two options. Either you come with me peacefully and train or I will drag your ass to training area, you choose."

With a sigh, he relented. "Fine."

"I love you."

"And I love you more."

Stephen Strange had finally realized what his new life as the Sorcerer Supreme was all about. And he planned to spend the time he now had protecting Earth and be with her. They will be until they die, the Guardian and the Sorcerer Supreme.