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An apple a day keeps the Doctor away
It was meant for him.
It should have been him. He wished it were him.
Stephen Strange was not always a nice man. He could acknowledge that fact easily and did so often. He had gotten a bit better with the introduction of magic and becoming a sorcerer. The true transformation happened after accepting America Chavez into his life.
The girl was stubborn, smart, and incredibly kind. The man did not set out to become a father figure to the young lady who had dropped into his life, but he took pride in that title. Strived to be the best person he could be for her. Lived to see the joy in her eyes and hear laughter echoing through the New York Sanctum.
That was no longer the case.
America had come across an apple sitting on the counter of the kitchen with the note. Assuming it was a snack, as Stephen had been gently nudging her towards healthier foods, she took a bite.
Stephen was the one who found her. Collapsed and unresponsive on the floor with the apple lying a few feet away where it had tumbled out of her hand. Stephen had absolutely lost it. Shouting her name as he attempted to get a pulse or hear her breathing.
Neither could be found.
When he regained any form of thought, he immediately portaled to Wong and demanded his immediate assistance.
It turned out that a survivor of the attack on Kamar-Taj by the Witch had held a grudge against the master of the New York Sanctum and wished to be rid of him. Unfortunately for him, America is the one who fell for the trap instead. The culprit was taken away in chains for Wong to deal with later while Stephen cradled his adopted daughter.
“Surely there is something we can do.” Stephen begged, looking up at his friend, but the Sorcerer Supreme grimaced.
“It is an ancient spell. We are fortunate that she is in a magically induced coma but that is it. This spell is the one fairy tales were based on but with no true happy ending. There is no ‘true love’s kiss’ to break it. It shall keep her in suspended animation until the magic of the spell runs out. If America was a sorcerer, it would have used the connection of her magic to last until the end of time. At that point, a mercy killing would be the humane thing to do.”
“I am not killing her or allowing anyone to do so.” Stephen snarled, pulling her closer in his arms. Wong merely raised his hands in a non-aggressive manner.
“I’m not saying we would. We don’t know if the spell will feed off of her powers or not so the best we can do is tuck her away in the Sanctum until the spell wears off.”
Stephen eyed Wong warily.
“Are you suggesting we treat her like Snow White? Seal her in a glass coffin and move on with our day?”
“I’m not saying that at all.” Wong placated. “You know I care for America as well. I must also consider that those who would do her harm or attempt to steal her powers still exist and she is entirely defenseless.”
Wong watched as Stephen looked down at America with a soft gaze. Gently pushing her hair out of her face. It was if she was simply asleep if not for the unnatural stillness. If not for the spells they had cast, Wong would have been assured that the young girl was dead.
“Assign New York a new master then. I shall take up guard over America. She is…” Stephen choked back a sob, “She means a lot to me and I won’t leave her alone. I won’t be powerless again to my loved ones who need me.”
Wong nodded silently before returning to Kamar-Taj. A new master was found within the week for the New York Sanctum. Stephen took over the undercroft of the Sanctum. Despite his annoyance, a glass box (he refused to call it a casket) was created and placed. America was sealed inside with Stephen magically vowing to protect his charge until she woke.
After the vow was made, Stephen bowed to Wong and sealed off the undercroft from the more mundane parts of the basement and placed wards that would disallow portals.
That was the last that Wong saw of Stephen Strange and America Chavez.
Days went by, then weeks, months, and years. Stephen never appeared requiring food or water but Wong suspected the long use of the time stone combined with the brief use of the darkhold had changed his friend enough to not have human needs anymore. He had suspected but never called Stephen out on it.
A decade after America became trapped by the spell, Wong was tempted to check to see if anything had changed but ultimately decided to let it be. They would have returned if anything had changed or he could be faced with the remains of his friend watching over his daughter.
Wong wasn’t strong enough to find out that answer.
The entire story had been gossip amongst the sorcerers but as the years passed and those who had been around for the era of Doctor Strange retired or passed on, he became more of a legend. Wielder of the Time Stone, Defeater of Thanos, The One to Defeat the Scarlet Witch, and Defender of Chavez.
He became a story and as Wong very slowly aged due to his title, he kept quiet about the truth of his friend. That he was merely a man who struggled with the choices he had made, especially in regards to the Infinity War as the conflict had been retroactively named in the 22nd century.
He would absolutely not stop the folklore surrounding the two people who were secretly guarded by the New York Sanctum. There had been six new masters of the sanctum since Stephen had taken up his post. Wong would whisper the truth to them of who was truly underfoot and the risk it carried.
It was 2356 when Wong finally passed on, and with it the true tale of Strange and Chavez. Their story had been turned into a book sometime in the 23rd century after many people had wondered what happened to the superhero who had disappeared out of nowhere. It was based off of the folklore that had been passed down from one generation of sorcerers to the next. No one truly knew where Chavez was kept and if Strange was actually still alive or if it was just an exaggeration and he had truly died all that time ago. People even debated about whether Chavez was a real person as there was no record of her ever existing in the first place. The discussions only grew when the book was turned into a movie in 2371.
Either way, the modern version of Snow White captivated the public and the story would always be remembered as a father’s love for his daughter.