➢𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗖 𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗦 ➢

『 Let go of the wheel, it's the borderline
Now I'm seeing red, not thinking straight
Blurring all the lines, intoxicate me 』
𑁋𝘊𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘢 𝘊𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰, 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘮𝘦

⟶𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 3: 𝑲𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒓-𝑻𝒂𝒋⟵

-𝙼𝙰𝚈 𝟺𝚃𝙷, 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟼-

𝙺𝙰𝚃𝙷𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙳𝚄, 𝙽𝙴𝙿𝙰𝙻

The indistinct chatter among the streets of Kathmandu, Nepal only seems to become more muffled in the mind of Caitlyn Elizabeth Strange.

Her uncle with their𑁋quite literally𑁋last dollar brought the two to the city where the location of Kamar-Taj was presumed to be. A place of true healing.

Stephen Strange's pace is strident, whether it be through the growing crowds of people, or across the streets where cars wait to cross𑁋all with his niece straggling behind. 

Caitlyn had gotten worse. 

Any amount of hiding her paleness was near to impossible if it weren't for her uncle's extreme motivation in finding the place that Jonathon Pangborn had returned from, but beyond that, the thirteen-year-old continues to cough. Her breathing had been picking up ever since they had left their overdue-in-payment apartment in New York City, and although she hadn't smoked a drag since then𑁋it had felt like something sick was infecting her lungs at all times.

The blonde exerts herself, using her neck and belly muscles in order to make up for the lack of work being done by her wheezing ribcage, and this is when her uncle had stopped for a brief moment𑁋pulling a resident of Kathmandu to the side and pointing to the flimsy papers held by his nerve-damaged hands, "Excuse me, excuse me. Uh, Kamar-Taj?"

"Do you know where Kamar-Taj is?"

Caitlyn shivers, a chilling feeling covering the entirety of her 5'3" form like the sprinkling of freezing water in a shower𑁋and she stuffs her hands into her pockets while looking around. Her fingertips were so icy they felt numb, and even so, the teen was also sweating. Sweating so profusely that a drop creasing her brow does not go unnoticed by Stephen when they are pointed in a certain direction, causing him to instinctively walk closer to her when she lags behind as the sun begins to rise.

Concern seeps into the uncle's pores, igniting more plain desperation as the two walk into the middle of another street𑁋the bearded man's abrupt spin in a multitude of directions makes his niece severely dizzy, causing her knees to wobble a bit.

She tries, tries hard to just keep on moving. To stay solid, but as soon as they reach the end of the street, Stephen lays his eyes on a sign labeled "Himalayan Healing! Find Peace! Find Yourself!" 

His brows furrow, mouth gaping open as he stands with his legs shoulder-width apart. Just when more hope𑁋something foreign to the Stranges𑁋feasibly begins to present itself, something else goes wrong ... and from behind the former neurosurgeon is his teenager's swaying form.

Her blue eyes faded as the morning sky drooped until eyelids cover them. Soon enough all the lack of oxygen being produced by her lungs and into her brain comes to a head, and the thirteen-year-old collapses.

"Caitlyn𑁋!"

She can hear her uncle gawk out, but it echoes about three more times within the girl's own ears before she can recollect that she has just fallen onto the streets of Nepal ... threatening to become unconscious.

Stephen immediately lowers down, eyes a brighter shade of blue searching her features for any alarming signs, and just now, is he able to see them in the true light.

He curses himself, her lips aren't their normal pink color, her expression is disoriented and dazed as he tries to place one of his shaking hands near her forehead, and once he does, an inaudible gasp escapes his lips.

She was burning up. Temperature no hotter than 102 at best, but still, all her other signs in earlier months suddenly scream at the former doctor in much distress𑁋causing him to be more frantic in his movements when it comes to getting his niece to a standing position.

"Shit." He grits to himself, ignoring the slight groans coming from Caitlyn as he pulls her body𑁋as efficiently as possible with trembling hands𑁋immensely closer to his larger one, keeping an arm wrapped around her as he now walks for the both of them.

As their pace quickens, and the girl continues to make noises of shivering, Stephen gets angry with himself all over again.

His niece has been sick, for months, and he didn't do anything.

Although she had been too guarded and distant to tell him, he should have known. Should have noticed the irregularity of her rattling coughs, made her stop smoking completely, and then tended with whatever medicine available, to her longing case of pneumonia.

Now they were here in Kathmandu, looking for Kamar-Taj, and if the uncle has meant anything in the last few days𑁋it's certainly been high on his list of priorities to get help for him and his niece. Heal himself so that he can be there for her.

 Right now as his hand absentmindedly drifts across the design of one of the architectures in Nepal, his other one remains tightly around the thirteen-year-old, her chest pain increasing each step further as Caitlyn with unusual weakness whimpers out, "I can't breathe, Stephen."

Pins go into the tall man's sides as he hears the sheer incapability in the young girl's voice, one that was always known for being strong, stubborn. 

But here she was, so incredibly ill and out of it that it was actually needed for someone to hold her upright, and that was just what the uncle was to do.

"I-I know, Caitlyn ..." He responds, not allowing his annoyance in lack of knowing where this 'Kamar-Taj' really was to get in the way of trying to console his niece, and he does his best to try and reassure, "Just hold on a little longer, okay? I promise we will get you there soon."

She can't really tell the difference in his demeanor towards her, for the growth in fatigue as dehydration takes over makes it almost impossible for Caitlyn to think about anything else other than the pain she was in. Being fixated on just one thing was a bad habit of the blonde's personality.

One that needed to be discarded, and in time, would be.

"Kamar-Taj? the uncle asks a man minutes later, only to be talking to himself as he mutters again lowly, "Kamar-Taj."

Heaving raspy breaths that leave his nieces shaking form cause Stephen to pick up his pace as he heads down a few amount of stairs, not even realizing that he and the child in his care are being watched𑁋by a man in a dark hooded cape.

They continue to wander a bit more until Caitlyn gives out again, her body roughly lowering down onto a cemented step in an alleyway, hulking intakes for air emerging from her blue lips. Her uncle quickly takes off the backpack full of all he had left, rummaging through it until he pulls out a dirtied water bottle.

Unscrewing the cap, he brings the beverage to the thirteen-year-old, urging, "Drink it."

Her arms are tightly wound around herself, not wanting to budge a bit in fear of losing any body heat, but the amount that had been radiating off her is far more than she'd ever imagined.

"Mm ... t-too c-cold." She replies stammering, hugging herself more while the uncle sighs for a moment, then taking it upon himself to bring the bottle up to her pale face, and holding it the best he can steadily so that she could take a sip.

Caitlyn picks her head up for a moment, registering in that her uncle was actually holding the water up to her in an effort to help𑁋to care for her ... and she has to admit it causes her to freeze for a moment.

The uncle motions once again and she quickly leans in a second later, thirstily taking a few sips of the bottle before getting the chills at the cool and somewhat stabbing taste𑁋Stephen putting the bottle away and putting a crisp hand to the curly blonde's forehead, sighing thankfully when her temperature doesn't show any signs of increasing since he had last checked.

He then on a whim𑁋as it had not happened in a good while𑁋successfully locks eyes with the child, who looks entirely exhausted. Caitlyn's pale blue gems stare into Stephen's colorful ones, and from there they can both see the amount of pain in the other. 

From all that was said, to all that was happening, the two were complexly in a way glad, to have one another alongside them right now.

And as confusing and difficult as it was to unravel𑁋their feelings, that is𑁋the time would thankfully come soon when it was applicable for them to talk about it.

But for now, the uncle has one job, taking care of his niece. 

Finding Kamar-Taj, if it is even out there, and then taking care of himself𑁋for his niece.

Another job makes its way over in a few moments when a strangled whine is let out from a stray dog in the same alleyway.

Stephen blinks away from the girl while turning towards the animal who limps, a paw held up.

"Hey," he speaks in a tone with gentleness, ushering, "Come here."

The skinny being lifts its gimp arm into the palm of Stephen Strange's hand, "Awe, look at you."

"I got a friend who goes through your type." The bearded man remains in a crouched position while searching for a piece of small wood to create some sort of cast for the dog.

Caitlyn watches with clouded eyes as her uncle breaks the stick and carefully uses it to steady the whimpering animal, swearing that from the corner of her eye she could see someone viewing the whole ordeal𑁋but instead decides to blame it on the extreme sickness that has since taken over her.

"There you go," Stephen says, moments later, the dog's left paw seemingly wrapped up in a piece of gauze as the support from the wood allows him to walk again𑁋and the animal gives the Doctor his other paw in an amount of gratitude.

The uncle can't help but let a smile come through, as he goes on to shake hands with the dog while claiming, "Oh, yeah, shaking my hand now."

"Wait till you get the bill," he comments in a low voice, before adding jokingly, "How is your insurance?"

A bit more of solace is brought onto the man as the current predicaments that seem recognizable in this unrecognizable place, begin to remind him of much more comfortable days, and in a lightened tone in an attempt to continue a peaceful moment𑁋Stephen vocalizes, "Well, this is vaguely familiar."

"Fixing you two up," he looks back to his niece, who, with depletion, wears a bit of a grin herself, "Almost like old times."

Caitlyn huffs a laugh before keeling over in amounts of another coughing fit. Stephen maneuvers back towards her, waveringly patting the lavender-jacket of the thirteen-year-old in a way to settle her𑁋and the blonde subconsciously leans into him as he hovers over her.

Moving both arms to either side of her as leverage, the uncle asks quietly but with firmness, "Do you think you can walk a little further?"

"I-uh," she struggles to properly breathe in, clarifying, "I can try."

 Mustering somewhat of enough strength with the help of Stephen, Caitlyn is brought up𑁋almost tripping however but being caught by the taller man and he draws her closer to him again.

The physical contact, if not for the niece's tiredness, would've been more awkward than bestowed but when the uncle pauses for a brief moment, feeling her damp head unfamiliarly tuck itself into his chest𑁋he suddenly becomes more attentive. 

Protective, as in a similar tone of encouragement, Stephen advises her, "If we need to stop again, just let me know and we will."

Her response isn't verbal, but from the small nod followed by another shiver, he knows she is going to try and keep it together until... he doesn't know how much longer.

So when the both of them are attached at the hip, they return to a walking pace, the alleyway suddenly becomes overshadowed with other individuals who surround the uncle and niece, and it only takes a few glances back and forth from Stephen before he is pushing Caitlyn behind him𑁋standing sideways as he tries, "Okay. Guys, I ... I don't have any money."

"My niece," he pleads solemnly in despair, "She is very ill, and ... and I'm trying to take care of her𑁋,"

One man eyes the young girl from behind the shaggy-dressed man in interest before she is moved out of his view by the brisk arm of her uncle, and that's when the hooded man makes note of it, "Your watch."

"No, please." Caitlyn's gaze travels down to the wrist that shields her, and strapped onto Stephen's right hand is the one watch he did not sell along with the other expenses𑁋the one given to him by Christine.

She doesn't know exactly how he feels about the woman now, or how she feels about them for that matter, but nonetheless, Caitlyn can tell𑁋he cares about her. 

As much as she did for him.

And her.

The blonde's heart constricts.

"This is all I have left." Stephen had said, only for the man to repeat himself, "Your watch."

A heavy sigh leaves the lips of the uncle, and he nods in agreement𑁋nonchalantly sliding Caitlyn out of the way as she intelligently grasps onto his thinking, "All right."

"Agh!" The former neurosurgeon cries out after landing a punch with one of his nerve-damaged hands, pain trickling up the veins before he is quickly hit back with more force𑁋and then again, and again.

His Troubled Youth who accompanied him shakes her head, yelling out fiercely, "Stop it!"

Caitlyn only feels helpless as they ignore her and continue to kick at her uncle who has since been taken to the floor, him not being able to tell the girl to run when a hooded figure emerges𑁋mythically, unbelievably, as his movements are fast.

He chokes and then pounds down on one of the men only to take out the others in a few seconds following, and both the uncle and niece are in bewilderment in adjusting to what the hell just went down.

Who was this man?

"Who are you?" She, with a raspy voice, calls out, the individual having finished disposing of the men and then fiddling with the watch belonging to Stephen Strange as he steps closer𑁋placing the important item back into the bearded man's possession.

Staring at the now broken pieces of the wristwear, the uncle exhales a shaky breath, before lifting his features when the dark-skinned man removes his cloak, confirming, "Both of you are looking for Kamar-Taj."

The two's gazes are matched in an amount of agape, and after a beat, they both nod𑁋Caitlyn's jaw manually shutting itself while she staggers in line next to a limping Stephen, both following Baron Mordo down a couple more streets and presumably in the right direction of this 'Kamar-Taj'.

✧✧✧

It's only down a few more streets, the uncle holding his tender hand that punched close to him and the niece bringing her shoulders up to her ears while still shivering that Karl Mordo stops in front of them.

He walks up the steps towards a set of doors that despite the name, look fairly normal.

"Really?" Stephen verbalizes Caitlyn's exact thought process, asking, "Are you sure you got the right place?"

The thirteen-year-old winces at the man's ever so slight mockery at the whole idea of it all, and with a more open-minded perspective𑁋she decides to stay quiet, and neutral. Mostly because she didn't really know what was to be expected of Kamar-Taj ... but evidently, she also knew that she wasn't going to make it on the streets any longer with her condition.

Her uncle doesn't pick up on it, however, and instead presses further, gesturing to another set of doors across with a breathy laugh, "That one looks a little more ... Kamar-y Taj-y."

The cloak-wearing individual gives a light chuckle in response, before his tone turns serious while somehow remaining soft, "I once stood in your place. And I, too, was ... disrespectful."

Caitlyn shudders, wanting to cringe even more as Stephen's features suddenly drop𑁋agreeing to Mordo's suggestion, "So might I offer you some advice?"

"Forget everything you think you know."

The blonde girl with her carefreeness at heart, allows the proposition to sink in way further than the shaggy man beside her𑁋for that was just who she is, it was more natural to be unprejudiced ... especially when Caitlyn thought this was their only hope. Only chance.

Stephen is confused, but shrugs the feeling off rather slowly when replying with an, "All right."

Pushing the door open and letting the uncle and niece in first, Mordo gives a quick look around, the ill teen watching his expression for a moment before he smiles back to her gently𑁋guiding the two inside the in a way, hidden building.

Caitlyn already feels a sort of contentment, and quite frankly, it was odd. It was like the atmosphere, 'aura' if you will, that was just as untroubled as she is deep down once was. A breath of fresh air, something that logically wouldn't do anything to help her aching lungs𑁋but somehow spiritually, lifts the pressure off of her chest just like that.

It was declared at this moment, that this troubled youth, the careless teenage girl𑁋had finally met a foe. 

In other terms, finally found something to care about.

"The sanctuary of our teacher ..." Mordo explains while he walks next to Stephen, Caitlyn lingering behind and slowly taking the balled-up fists she has, out of the pockets of her lavender zippered hoodie𑁋blue eyes becoming more alert in a matter of amazement as the man continues, "The Ancient One."

"The Ancient One?"

The bearded man demands with a lightened amount of annoyance, "What's his real name?"

"Are you serious?" The curly blonde speaks up, the usual sass in her tone suddenly reappearing as if she had not been so sick as of late, and this causes both adults to turn around and look at her.

Mordo gives a similar look based on the young girl's question, and Stephen quickly corrects himself, "Right. Forget everything I think I know. Sorry."

Caitlyn treks behind her uncle as they both step down into the center of the room, immediately taking note of the surroundings that included old-looking windows and another bearded man dressed in a similar cape to Mordo, assumingly the "Ancient One."

"Thank you for ... Woah!" Stephen jolts in surprise when two individuals suddenly remove his larger jackets, the child not being included as she continues to show signs of sickness while biting down on her chattering teeth.

Cold sweat drips from the teenager's brow, not going unnoticed by the shaggy-haired man responsible for her and he makes an effort to move her closer to him when they are greeted by another person, a female, who holds out a cup of tea𑁋one for the uncle, and then for his niece. 

She takes it eagerly, not even bothered by the abrupt slurping escaping her lips in order to intake the warm liquid that eventually runs down her scratchy throat, and then, Stephen expresses his gratitude, "Uh, Thank you, Ancient One ... for ..." the two watch as the man they thought held the title of this name, makes his way up the stairs and out of the room, "Seeing us."

"You're very welcome."

Caitlyn stops slurping.

The Ancient One, a woman, finishes pouring the drink made for her and her uncle, and then she smiles with a sheer amount of politeness.

Yeah, the blonde was definitely beginning to take a liking to this place, for its people, females, were totally badass.

"The Ancient One." Mordo bows ever so lightly and begins to head out, the bald-headed woman respectfully calling out, "Thank you, Master Mordo, Master Hamir!"

Emerald green eyes then shift back over to Stephen and Caitlyn Strange, and with a knowledge of the comeuppance of events, she addresses, "Mister Strange, and your troubled young niece."

"Uh ... Doctor, actually." Stephen corrects with a little more firmness, causing the woman to reply with a prominent amount of kindness, "Well, no. Not anymore, surely."

Caitlyn's brows furrow, how did she know that? Her features only deepen further in puzzlement when the female turns to the younger one, gaze remaining generous, "And you're feeling a little bit under the weather, is that right? Must have been all the lighting to those cigarettes over the years."

Woah ... So she's a psychic ... or wizard, or something ... the girl of thirteen never would've thought she'd encounter one.

Intense.

"Isn't that why you're here?" She asks Stephen, his niece shifting uncomfortably at the measure of knowledge already seeping through the pores of this 'Ancient One'. 

Knowledge about them, may she remind you, and that is enough for Caitlyn to stiffen like a board, taking a sip of her own tea that seemingly aids in settling the discomfort within her throat𑁋and the woman goes on, "You've undergone many procedures. Seven, right?"

The cup slowly drifts down from the lips of Stephen Strange as he simply stares in shock at the information, but his niece by this point has accepted that things were going to get more abnormal than normal and quite honestly𑁋she didn't really care.

He instead compliments the beverage his scarred fingers hold, insisting, "Yeah. It's good tea."

"Yes." The Ancient One responds softly, and before then a few glances are made between Stephen, Caitlyn who shrugs, and Mordo, who simply keeps his eyes trained on the woman who now stands behind a table as she casually pours herself some of that "good" tea.

The uncle questions her, "Did you heal a man named Pangborn? A paralyzed man?"

"In a way." She replies cooly, the man pressing further, "You helped him to walk again?"

As if it were nothing𑁋Caitlyn finding this laughable𑁋the female nods her head at the statement prolonged by Stephen Strange, "Yes."

"How do you correct a complete C7-C8 spinal cord injury?"

The thirteen-year-old then rolls her eyes, a sigh being echoed within her cup of tea in the everlasting amount of common sense latched onto the words of her uncle. And it wasn't like she didn't possess that exact same sense of realism𑁋because she did𑁋it was that Caitlyn had an easier time letting go than Stephen. More of an acceptance, if you will, of a current situation. 

This one ... it was weird, hella weird ... But hey, what else did they have to lose in not taking a chance?

Pretty much sums it up right there.

"Oh, I didn't correct it." The Ancient One had claimed with confidence, "He couldn't walk; I convinced him that he could."

"You're not suggesting that it was psychosomatic?"

Stephen's practicality hangs on, resulting in the female deciding to play along𑁋stepping back over to the uncle and niece "When you reattach a severed nerve, is it you who heals it back together or the body?"

"It's the cells." The shaggy man says, the Ancient One adding on, "And the cells are only programmed to put themselves together in very specific ways."

Caitlyn's chillness slips through, remarking, "Sounds practical."

"Precisely." A smile of fondness𑁋to the guarded niece𑁋is thrown her way by the bald-headed woman, causing Caitlyn's shoulders to bunch up right away as she somehow sinks further into the jacket she currently wears𑁋and the female assents, "What if I told the both of you, that your own body could be convinced to put itself back together in all sorts of different ways?"

Caitlyn's face falls, thoughts creating themselves inside her head like a slideshow, and the images represent her past. Her body, her mind in all its intricacies, could be repaired... Well, let's say altered, changed, for the better. Maybe even work to tear open the fictitious burdensome stuff covering her heart𑁋her previously good-natured, but now hardened heart.

A bit of emotion dares to cross the path of Caitlyn Elizabeth, and she shuts it down𑁋pretending to cough and then accidentally ending up sniffling ... It was tough.

Admitting, remembering ... As honest and upfront as the teenager was with everything, nothing was more difficult to swallow than the vigorous change in persona and overall, life, obviously, within the many years since April 13th, 2010.

"You're talking about cellular regeneration?" Stephen asks while his niece tries to distract herself, looking around the room until she lays eyes on a figure peeking out from behind one of the windows.

Her hair is long, shiny, and black. 

Eyes are a bronze brown, really unique and stunning to look at𑁋,

She disappears as quickly as she had accidentally appeared ... and leaves Caitlyn to ponder why a breath of fresh air has just overcome her lungs once again, and her shoulders suddenly relax.

"... That's bleeding-edge medical tech. Is that why you're working here?" Her uncle's fascinated voice snaps her gaze away from the window, and he asks, "I mean ... just how experimental is your treatment?" 

The Ancient One smiles once again, "Quite." 

"So, you've figured out a way to reprogram cells, to self-heal?"

"No, Mister Strange." She steps closer, looking into the eyes of both Stephen and Caitlyn Strange as the man's niece stands behind him, eyelids threatening to droop in overtiredness but the thirteen-year-old keeps them trained on the female𑁋who maintains, "I know how to reorient the spirit, to better heal the body."

Impactful ... Yes, the words bestowed upon the two Strange's each take a moment to properly sink in, Stephen of course doing it in a much more forceful way than the curly blonde beside him, who at this point, just wants to fall over and take an extremely long nap.

He repeats her, "The spirit ... to heal the body."

"That's right." The woman nods, taking a sip out of her own cup of tea before wandering back over to the table𑁋leaving the uncle's expression to flicker into one of disbelief.

Stephen's gaze travels over to Caitlyn, and upon the bags under her eyes holding her glance down like pounds of weights, the man tries to be optimistic𑁋stammering, "All right ... How do we do that?"

"Where do we start?"

A diagram of the human body from a book is put on display for the uncle and niece, and the teen treks closer while the adult responsible for her simply makes a face.

The Ancient One remains light, "Don't like that map?"

"Oh, no. It's ... It's very good." Stephen raises his brows and arms, voice becoming laced with irritation, "It's just ... you know, I've seen it before."

Caitlyn winces, "In gift shops."

The tightness of her uncle's jaw leads the blonde to hold back an over dramatic𑁋teenager-like𑁋sigh at the man's blatant bluntness in prolonging his know-it-all personality ... like everything he always thinks or says, is right.

 In some cases, being a doctor and all, Caitlyn knew that was true ... but this wasn't some cases.

They were at their last stop and had left everything, everyone, behind. Any points of acting like their old selves the intellectual child knew would do little to no good in these circumstances, so it was best to just relax. Be nonjudgmental.

But yet again, this was her uncle she was talking about ... Dr. Stephen Strange ... the arrogant asshole.

"And, what about this one?" Another map is shown, this time of some sort of, "Acupuncture, great." 

Stephen's tone is still dry.

Despite all the growing impatience coming from the quick-tempered male, Caitlyn has to say, she's impressed with the character of the Ancient One. She was uniquely both very generous, but at the same time could seem merciless if the opportunity came ... and with Stephen Strange𑁋a close-minded and sometimes rude individual, that opportunity may be coming sooner or later.

"What about, that one?" the woman shows both Caitlyn and Stephen, only for the shaggy-haired man to let go of any advice once given to him, "You're showing us an MRI scan?"

He walks away from the two, the teenager grazing her upper and bottom layer teeth in a way of annoyance at her uncle's antics𑁋especially when he mutters coldly, "I cannot believe this."

To be honest, Caitlyn can't really either... but somehow the girl was much more capable of sustaining a calmer mindset and persona, allowing her to remain amenable to collecting any sort of information.

"Each of those maps was drawn up by someone who could see in part, but not the whole𑁋," Stephen's shaking hands bring themselves to his forehead, and that's when his troubled niece easily picks up that he was beginning to freak out.

So her blonde brows suddenly sharpen, placing the cup of tea that is now empty onto a nearby table before scampering over to the back of her uncle, only for his expression of true incredulity meeting her apprehensive one𑁋and frustration builds up inside him.

He looks at Caitlyn, "I spent my last dollar, bringing you and I here on a one-way ticket ..."

"And she's talking to me ..." Stephen spins around to face the Ancient One, shaking his head as he perceives, "About healing through belief?"

The woman speaks firmly, "You're a man looking at the world through a keyhole, and you've spent your whole life trying to widen that keyhole ... to see more, to know more."

Caitlyn's lips quirk when witnessing the bald-headed females𑁋not far from the truth𑁋dissection, "And now, upon hearing that it can be widened, in ways you can't imagine ... you reject the possibility."

Damn, the thirteen-year-old interjects inwardly ... She seriously just read her uncle like a crappn' book.

"No, I reject it because I do not believe in fairytales." Stephen of course jumps in, voice rising as he steps closer to the Ancient One, "Ones about chakras or the power of belief."

Caitlyn tilts her head sideways, cutting in finally, "Why not? Earth has people like the Avengers ... and kid's with abstract energy sources spilling outta them,"

"I don't care!" the man snaps suddenly, silencing his troubled niece who tightly crosses her arms over her chest, and he projects his wrath, "There is no such thing as spirit!"

Mordo from behind the group closes his eyes, and the thirteen-year-old watches as her uncle becomes angrier with every passing second, "We are made of matter and nothing more."

"You're just another tiny, momentary speck within an indifferent universe."

"You think too little of yourself." The Ancient One comments, only to be entertained with more of a grudge coming from one Stephen Strange.

The male is fuming, "Oh you think you see through me, well you don't!"

"But I ..." Stephen points towards the woman's chest, "see through you𑁋!"

The Ancient One draws from the former neurosurgeon's arm, and suddenly, a magnitude of force is pushed into his body𑁋so strong that it knocks his soul out in the process.

Caitlyn's jaw drops. Her features wear a mixture of both utter bewilderment and horror.

Time moves slowly back in the room, however, and upon seeing the unhurried figure of Master Mordo move in order to catch the soulless body of Stephen Strange𑁋the alternate form notices his niece become dizzy after looking at his hands that glow ... Could she see him?

Stephen returns to his body, immediately inhaling and exhaling rapidly while the blonde child backs further away𑁋breathing out in dismay, "Oh, my god."

"Where in the holy hell have you taken us, Stephen?!" She panics, causing the dark-skinned man who had previously saved their lives to give her a look of reassurance. 

Well, whatever an uplifting smirk and maybe even a wink counts for.

This is just insane.

"What did you just do to me!?" the uncle questions abruptly, the Ancient One answering him with a similar amount of calmness as before, "I pushed your astral form out of your physical form."

Caitlyn stutters, "A-Astral ... what now?"

"What's in that tea?" Stephen asks next, his thirteen year old's gaze darting towards the set and then placing a hand over her stomach𑁋having her own worries of possibly being roofied by the cloak-dressing, astral pushing individuals at Kamar-Taj.

Boy is that something she'd never thought would've left her mouth.

"Psilocybin? LSD?" He begins to name products.

The man's listings of these enhancements result in a sickly looking face to be made by his niece, and the teen suddenly becomes defensive𑁋when naively putting two and two together𑁋and blurts out rapidly, "I swear if you've given us some sort of drug𑁋!"

"It's just tea, Miss Strange." The woman says relaxingly, making brief eye contact with the thirteen-year-old in order to put her at ease, and then adds further, "With a little honey."

Caitlyn breathes heavily, more sweat dripping from off her forehead as she uses the back of her hand to wipe it off𑁋the action seeming strenuous as she begins to remember that because of idiotically smoking ... She has pneumonia. 

Stephen watches her sway, and this causes him to demand to know more, "What just happened?"

"For a moment," the female starts, "You entered the astral dimension."

"The what?" Stephen gawks back, and the Ancient One tells him, "A place where the soul exists apart from the body."

The woman moves to be facing the man when he turns around in disoriant, the male asking, "Why are you doing this to me?"

"To show you just how much you don't know."

Stephen's brows furrow.

Caitlyn looks up, and the next thing she knows𑁋her unknown in consummate mind picks up on the doings of the Ancient One, and as it does, only one word comes to mind when describing the sensations brought onto her uncle ... Trippy.

Really freakin' trippy.

"Open your eye."

Her uncle screams... Screams for his life when astrologically he is flown out of Kamar-Taj and all the way up to space.

"This isn't real! This isn't real, this isn't𑁋!" Stephen shouts, and from what Caitlyn can by fair means or soul-see ... It can't be.

But low and behold, any type of denial by now will be shut down she presumes, so instead the girl watches𑁋the echoing voices of the Ancient One and Mordo beside her, bringing the teenager back to reality for a brief moment as the male shows concern, "His heart rate is getting dangerously high."

The distorted yelping continues as her uncle is thrown back into a chair, hair, and beard all messily tangled by some sort of current as the woman leans down, "He looks all right to me."

All Caitlyn needed to do was to blink, before the flashing images of immense color and places returned. 

And her uncle has been tortured once again.

"You think you know how the world works?"

The Ancient One's voice duplicates.

"You think that this material universe, is all there is?"

She continues, "What is real? What mysteries lie beyond the reach of your senses?"

"At the root of existence, mind and matter meet."

"Thoughts shape reality. This universe is only one of an infinite number."

The Ancient One insists, "Worlds without end. Some benevolent and lifegiving; Others filled with malice and hunger."

Caitlyn finds herself feeling nauseous ... the multitude of lights wasn't doing the job as much as the thought of other universes that could be created out there. Ones that were altered, could do harm.

"Dark places, where powers older than time lie... ravenous... and waiting."

The woman then echoes within the mind of not one𑁋unintentionally, but both Strange's as Caitlyn's unexplainable connection and acceptance of the ways of the Mystic Arts suddenly make her wanna keel over, "Who are you in this vast multiverse, Mister Strange? Your Troubled niece?"

Things are peaceful, then come all at once.

And then before one can know it, other than the Masters of the Mystic Arts, everything returns to normal.

The former Doctor, Stephen Strange, lays sprawled on the ground, easily thunderbolt-ed by the tumultuous events that had just been bestowed upon him.

The current troubled youth, Caitlyn Elizabeth, struggles to hold herself upright with the wobbling of her knees𑁋and the look of concern from Master Mordo at the two is overseen by the interest etched onto the bald-headed female's face.

She holds the same smile.

"Have you seen that before in a gift shop?"

Stephen pants, slowly picking his trembling hands off the floor of the sanctuary before holding them out to the Ancient One, and from a lower level𑁋asks𑁋commands𑁋 "Teach me."

"... No." She answers, and the two are thrown out.

Caitlyn goes back to her usual shivering while lowering her unhealthy body onto one of the steps of Kamar-Taj, closing her pale blue eyes in a sign of both defeat and pure exhaustion. 

Although things become foggy, the girl can drowsily make out the sounds of her uncle falling then begging.

Begging for them to open the door, even adding a sharp kick followed by a desperate "Please." All in an attempt to try and salvage any type of lasting hope for himself, and his young niece, who at a second glance𑁋looks to be in danger of losing consciousness as each moment passes.

A deep hole forms itself in the pit of Stephen's stomach, and from there he eventually sinks down to be next to the curly blonde child𑁋suffering on the inside and outside of his soul as he listens to Caitlyn continue to tremble.

One hour passes, then two, then three.

The thirteen-year-old has a hard time comprehending this part because she was so out of it, the needing for sleep intensifying every minute ... but where?

Her uncle had said it himself, they had spent their last dollar trying to get here. A one-way ticket. And now that they were here, given a visual journey through a mental perspective𑁋an overwhelming one at that ... the older selves of Caitlyn and Stephen Strange found their way back into the limelight, ruining an opportunity to start over.

Well, only really ruining it if the Ancient One refuses to give them a chance, and even within her element of mere kindness and mercy𑁋the woman had turned the two away, in fear.

"You think I was wrong to cast them out?"

Master Mordo steps forward, "Five hours later, they're still on your doorstep," then correcting himself, "Partly, due to the young girl's sickness ... but there is a strength to him."

"Stubbornness, arrogance, ambition ... I've seen it all before." The Ancient One lists, surely being recollected with those traits that were seen in another student.

And Mordo catches on, "He reminds you of Kaecilius?"

"I cannot lead another gifted student to power, only to lose him to the darkness." She claims.

The dark-skinned man opposed her beliefs with a solemn statement, "You didn't lose me."

He continues to speak, and from behind the two is a similar-looking black-haired teenage girl, "I wanted the powers to defeat my enemies. You gave me the power to defeat my demons."

"And to live within the natural law."

The Ancient One says firmly with wisdom, "We never lose our demons, Mordo."

"We can only learn to live above them."

They go on to speak of this Kaecilius ... How the man had taken the talents brought out of him by the Ancient One to instead slip away from the good intentions involved. It was a risky side effect of the place known as Kamar-Taj, becoming a Master of the Mystic Arts, but one of them, just one of them𑁋isn't a master. Instead, a teen. 

A teen of the Mystic Arts. One who was well-known for spying and emerging herself into situations that she at first glance has no part in ... All because of her kind-hearted soul of course.

Mordo speaks a second longer before the fourteen year old's presence is outed by the bald-headed female, "Perhaps Kamar-Taj could use a man like Strange."

"Enjoying our conversation, Miss Nightingale?"

Light brown eyes peek out from behind a column, and with an expression of much sheepishness, the girl bows, "My apologies, teacher."

"If you continue to eavesdrop, Bexley ..." Mordo chimes in, a very small hint of irritation laced in his tone, "I'm afraid we'll have to meet with your parents to discuss this matter."

The black-haired female looks timidly frightened, but relaxes evidently when the Ancient One civilly offers a laugh of bright amusement𑁋reassuring the girl as well as having a keen sense of why she was here in the first place, "Have you come to find more about Miss Strange?"

"Well, I ..." Bexley begins, not failing to demonstrate her interest in the only other teenager who had since entered the building in a long while𑁋also picking up on her preciseness, "I just would like to know if this one is going to ... stick around?"

The woman goes back to her current job of working with the center structure that has a metal eye atop it, replying sparingly with little to no emotion, "Only time can tell."

Stephen's relentless banging on the doors of the building is the only thing preventing Caitlyn Elizabeth Strange from completely passing out. The fifth hour had rolled around effortlessly, and at this point, the girl had lost hope.

She hugs the remaining items brought along with her from New York, close, and her arms wrap around herself in an effort to keep warm in a city where the temperature was beginning to drop𑁋night beginning to fall.

The street lights illuminate her weary features, but they don't shine as well on her uncle who stands above her, eventually maneuvering back to steps alongside her while pleading once again sorrowfully, "Please don't shut us out."

"We've got nowhere else to go."

 A beeping button suddenly overcomes the ears of the Strange's, and abruptly, the door the shaggy-haired man leans against suddenly opens𑁋him falling into the building while indifferently remaining on the ground.

Tiredly, he emits, "Thank you."

"Bathe." Mordo points to a small bathroom from within the particular living space, then motions to two beds both on opposite sides, "Rest."

Stephen and Caitlyn make their way into the room with cavernous features ... for this place, seeming very intricate and cozy𑁋was much different than the extensive apartment in New York City. It was more private, warm, and that intrigued Caitlyn.

 From always staying in her room most of the time, in a confined space, she wasn't complaining about the lack of space one bit𑁋for it actually made her feel more comfortable. Safe. Maybe even, at home.

Taking a match, the man gestures to the other part of the room while stating, "Meditate. If you can."

"The Ancient One will send for the both of you." Mordo lights a candle, pulling a card out of his cloak and handing it to Stephen𑁋the man's eyes lighting up in confusion.

He stops Mordo from leaving, "Uh, what's this? My mantra?"

Karl Mordo turns around, giving an𑁋are you serious𑁋type of look, and if Caitlyn was more aware of her surroundings ... she would've laughed.

"The WiFi password." Mordo says, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, going on to elaborate briefly, "We're not savages."

Stephen relays a scoff in response, and his niece works quickly to get the large backpack she has on her back off𑁋mostly because it was making her feel even more ill𑁋and the thirteen-year-old immediately plops herself down on one of the two beds, immediately working to get warm.

Without even thinking, the uncle efficiently removes his own essentials before taking a few of the blankets on his own bed and draping them over Caitlyn's shaking form. She makes noises of teeth chattering before her blonde head hits the pillow, the level of solace easily getting close to knocking her outright as Stephen pulls the covers up to her chin.

When she's all settled, he lingers for a small moment, thankful that he and his niece were finally declared to be in a better place than before𑁋situation wise, specifically, but due to he's guessing the overshadowing amount of fatigue ... the last words uttered by Caitlyn Strange tug at his heart a bit.

Her pale blue eyes uncontrollably shut, sighing dozily, "Thanks, Uncle Stephen."

He turns to look back at her, letting out an audible sigh of his own at the realistic title of her relation to him, but also something that he hadn't been called in years.

More hope𑁋although both at the time claim they don't believe in such𑁋makes its way into the damaged heart of Stephen Strange, and he blinks his blue eyes a few times to draw himself away from Caitlyn's sleeping form, looking out the designed window of their new 'home'.

Pulling one of two items out of his pocket, the first is a watch. Turning the piece of wristwear he once had many of, the engraving in the most important one still marks itself.

Time will tell how much I love you.

-Christine

Stephen holds onto it, placing the gift onto the window sill, and then, he delicately takes out the second item placed carefully in his pocket.

The paper mache art project, made for him by his niece.

Merry Christmas, Uncle Stephen!

-Sincerely, Caitlyn Elizabeth-

An expertly designed owl is put next to the watch given to the uncle by one of his coworkers and longtime friends.

One of the first responders to the accident that killed his brother and sister-in-law many years ago. Who was practically family.

Stephen knew that a lot had happened and that none of it could be redone𑁋technically speaking𑁋so for now, as the silence overlapping the room occupying the last two Strange's graces the ears of the adult-figure still awake ... right then and there, he decides ... that the memories created from here on out, bonds, could maybe, just maybe with allowance make up for time surely failed, and lost.

Maybe ... but definitely.

✧✧✧

Okay, first of all hello......For those of you reading this the day it comes out, I'm really sorry that it's a day late :( :O

Basically for some reason I had a crap ton of writers block while writing this chapter because I wanted to show Stephen going through the multiverse and everything but through Caitlyn's perspective as well.....Without giving anything away of course....

So yeah idk how I did I hope it wasn't too bad but anyways hope you enjoyed this chapter and I think I'm starting to get a better idea of how I want this story to go so that is good news I promise.

Stay safe & healthy and thanks for stopping by,

~Alessandra :) (@dreamkept)