mysticaldoctor | Spoiler Friendly Open Post

New Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Trailer | Sci-Fi Jubilee

"Christine." He folded his hands in front of him so they didn't shake as hard. "How are you, and this ... universe?" So he wouldn't have to worry, about the fact that they really didn't have much protection.

He smiled and looked relieved that she was in front of him. "I didn't thank you properly for ... watching my body. So. Thank you, very much." He was glad to see her, more than anything, but he didn't want to touch her too much, not if that wasn't something she wanted.

"Oh you know, it's ok. All the Illuminati are dead, so sort of a mixed blessing really." She had never liked them after what they had done to her Stephen. She understood the reasoning, but it seemed harsh.

"No, it's nothing. I wasn't about to let you get eaten by demon spirits or whatever they were." There's a certain tension between them, like they both might want to hug the other but just aren't sure about it.

"It's really good to see you again."

He felt odd, because that meant Mordo too - but - the universe being guarded by Christine would probably fare much better.

"It's ... good to see you too." I missed you, he can't say. The other you. She looks like she felt similar but - as he said, he gets scared. Touching is so intimate and close and bring up so many sensations. "They were the souls of the damned, those that were ... consumed and tempted by the Darkhold's power. So. What's this ... new device you've invented to enable us to see each other but not make each other ill?"

"Demon ghosts, close enough." She feels a little calmer, starting to relax in his presence, it was familar after all.

"They're in my lab. All life has a frequency, naturally, and each universes life has a slightly different one. So the bracelet I made adjusts for the difference." Christine can go into her research with such ease and passion.

"So you found a way to tap into ... a musical sort of consciousness." He smiled, not making fun, just connecting the fact that frequency was musical in a sense - connected to sound waves.
"That's brilliant." Stephen was making an effort to not - be thinking that he was as alone - that he had to fix it, and that wouldn't have been something he would have thought of.

She's so passionate about her work, that's something he admires.

"A bit, yes." She gives a little smile at the compliment. "It should offer a good bit of protection so we can have these visits."

Of course it would never be entirely safe, but she could hone her invention, make it better.

"How is your world?"

He moved closer. "Good... I - I think I'd like that."
He thought about telling her a lot of things. "America joined Kamer-Taj, apparently garnering some skill before she tries to find her parents."

He knew his world was a bit different than she might be used to.

"Good, she seems like a nice kid."

Christine is the one to reach out first, to touch his face, just like she had when they said good-bye.

"And how are you?"

"She's brilliant. Just needs to learn to slow down and trust herself a bit."
He sighed when she touched him.

"I'm - trying to not be the only one holding the knife." He'd taken some of that advice to heart, and frankly he hoped that at some point - in some universe Christine and he would figure out what they were to each other.

"I remember you saying something similar to me when I was a resident." To trust herself.

The touch went over well enough that she thinks it is safe to drape her arms around his shoulders.

"I'm proud of you."

"I'm sure I said it with much more arrogance." He leaned into the touch, not wanting to seem desperate, but he liked the closeness, even though it was hard to let people that close without fearing loss entirely.

He wasn't sure how to respond to the rest of it, so he leaned closer and kissed her head.
He just liked being with her, frankly - even though they should probably decide if they wanted to visit his universe or if she wanted to show him around.

"Oh, very arrogantly. But it did help."

As much as she wants to just stay like this, it's not a good idea.

"We need to get the bracelets on before we break the multiverse." She steps away from him. "Want to portal to the lab?"

"We can't walk and have hallway conversations like we used to?" It's so easy for him to forget this is not his Christine, that they have some technological advancements that his universe does not.

He doesn't forget completely - but it was easier to ignore it. Plus, he planned on using the portals back through the void, and that might take quite a good deal of magic.

Christine nods. "I guess we can. I have missed our long hallway talks."

They usually involved Stephen talking about something he was researching, or speaking at.

"Shall we, Dr. Strange?" She turns to walk back under the river.

"We shall," he walked beside her, hands clasped in front of him.

"So... um. One thing you should know. In my universe, we cross on green and stop on red. That might be an adjustment."

"That doesn't make any sense, why would you reverse it?" Red is just when you cross, always has been.

She is interested in the differences though.

"What else is different? I imagine a lot of things."

He chuckled, amused. "Not as much greenery in my New York. Might not be as beautiful as you'd like. There are some beautiful places though. Kathmandu. Orkney Islands. Upstate New York. Some remote Midwest places."

"You haven't maximized the cities oxygen production?" Seems like an oversight for his universe to not have more greenery.

"What is your Christine like? Is she still a surgeon?"

"People aren't keen on breathing or preventing inevitable heat death." He wondered if he ought to figure that a little bit.

He wasn't Sorceror Supreme after all.

"Christine is still a surgeon. Newlywed. Probably on her honeymoon."

"Seems reckless, but humans here are pretty keen to find stupid ways to die as well."

Just not from a lack of fresh air.

"Oh. To someone else." That much is obvious. "Are you okay?"

"I love her dearly and I want her to be happy. It's best not to wallow in regret. I was dust for five years and she moved on, rightfully so. I just regret not making her the priority she deserves to be."

He also had to be the one in control, which didn't make for very good relationships.

She feels for him, she had lost her Stephen before they could really figure things out.

"I'm sure she loved you too. But you're not the easiest man to be with; in any universe it seems."

He shook his head. "No, I'm... probably more excellent at dysfunction and miscommunication. I'm sorry your Stephen didn't have the ability to tell you that he cared."

"I knew, but thanks." She nods, "this feels like the weirdest second chance in some ways."

She gets the chance to be around him again.

"You're the same and different at the same time."

"Yes well I'm trying to face my fears. Second chances aren't always a thing, it seems. Other you also told me there were other ways to save lives. When I thought it was all lost and pointless."

Strange guessed they couldn't touch until they were canceling out each other's frequencies.