Chapter Text
Dr. Strange
My body strains against the magic, hands shaking, sweat gliding down my forehead. Purple fractures slash across the sky of New York, like open wounds.
Peter swings up to the top of the Statue of Liberty, face a mess of cuts and bruises.
“What's happening?”
His voice rings in my head, but I'm too focused on holding the sky together.
“They're starting to come through and I can't stop them.” My voice trembles from the effort.
“There's gotta be something we can do! Can't you just cast the spell again? But the original way– before I screwed it all up–”
His pleading voice tugs something in me. I snap.
“We're too late for that! They're here!” My words coming out harsher than I meant, the frustration spilling out before I can stop it , “They're here because of you!”
The bitterness lingers in my mouth like ash. I regret it, but I can't dwell. The universe it literally ripping apart. I glance around–cracks widen, glowing brighter, more unstable.
“What if everyone forgot who I was?”
My attention immediately snaps to Peter. “What?”
His eyes burn with emotions–guilt, sadness, anger, fear–but most noticeably… determination.
“They're coming here because of me right? Because I'm Peter Parker?” His chest heaving with emotion. “So cast a new spell. This time make everyone forget who Peter Parker is– make everyone forget…me.”
“No.” The word comes out fast. The idea makes me feel sick.
His voice turns quieter, eyes never leaving mine. “But it would work right?”
Reluctantly, I nod. “Yeah it would work. But you gotta understand that would mean that everyone who knows and loves you…we…we'd have no memory of you. It would be as though you never existed…”
He blinks up at me, eyes glassy.
“I know,” He takes a shuddering breath, and gulps, “Do it.”
I nod slightly, head jerky with reluctance, knowing this was the only way.
“Man, better go and say your goodbyes. You don't have long…”
With one last determined look, he prepares to jump before saying, “Thank you sir.”
Before I could let him leave, before I make myself and everyone else forget Peter, my voice calls out, “Call me Stephen”
I smirk seeing his reaction, although it may have come out more of a grimace as the cracks start getting harder to control.
His eyes widen slightly, his voice a whisper, “Thank you Stephen..”
I chuckled, a hollow sound really, “Yeah…still feels weird…”
He flashes a quick smile, and for a second it felt like I could see the childish person he was supposed to be, before his face fixes back into that too grown gaze.
“I'll see you around.”
He jumps off, swinging down to say his goodbyes.
“So long kid..”
My hands made the motions of the new spell, and an orange ring floated above me, symbols danced around me and slowly the violet cracks started to stitch itself together and the travelers from the other universe started to fade away in a golden light. Some left in confidence, knowing that there are others like them, some left changed, while others left feeling regret and grief.
Suddenly I felt this strange sensation, like being sucked into a whirlpool in the pit of my stomach. The next thing I knew darkness shrouded my vision and I knew no more.
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Peter Parker
My heart pounds in my chest, ears ringing and eyes stinging. It feels like I can't stop and if I do I'll break, but I can't do that right now. I have to say goodbye. I can't leave them without saying anything.
‘Not like I did with Aunt May.’
I stop by first to let the other Peter's know that they're going home, and to thank them. Of course I ramble, but… they knew– they knew what I was trying to say, well because they're me! Just different– and how cool is that! That there are different me’s out there and different villains, I mean they fought an alien goo! And– and a man wearing a rhino suit! And It's all so cool and weird and–
‘Focus. You're stalling.’
I find MJ and Ned in a clearing. The second I land I embrace them both and ask about their well-being.
I notice blood on MJ, my voice takes on a concerned edge as I hold her face gently, hands trembling. “Oh my god you're bleeding!”
She grabs my hands, a “I'm fine and I'm okay.” Leaves her lips.
I nod shakily, almost a little terrified to let her go. Like she'll disappear if I do.
“Uhm. We should go right?” She smiles at me full of relief, like its over.
It's far from over.
As if realizing the reason I was looking for them in the first place, my heart skips a beat as I reveal to them the truth.
“You're gonna forget who I am.” It spills out, ugly and bitter.
Ned shakes his head in disbelief. “What?” MJ cuts in, smile gone. “‘Forget who you are?’ What are you talking about?”
There's no time to explain, no way to make it make sense. I just shake my head and try to reassure them.
“It's okay. I'm gonna come and find you and I'll explain everything.” I promise, “I'll make you remember me… and it'll be like none of this ever happened, okay?”
MJ's voice shakes. “Okay, but what if that doesn't work? W-what if that doesn't work? W-what if we can't remember you?” She glances at Ned–who looks just as heartbroken.“I-I don't wanna do that. I dont wanna– I don't wanna do that–”
“I know MJ, I know–”
“There's not something we can do? We can't come up with like a plan or something.” she pleads. “There's always something we can do.” She takes a deep breath.
I shake my head, “There's nothing we can do…”
I look at her, brows furrowed and tears forming.
‘I didn't– I never wanted this for you MJ– for both of you guys..’
“It'll be okay..”
Ned finally speaks, voice shaky. “You promise?..”
My attention snaps to him, swallowing a lump in my throat. “Yeah I promise.”
We did our handshake, and pulls me into another embrace. I whisper wetly on his shoulder. “I'll come find you okay?” I sniffled.
Shakily Ned replied,“I know you will.”
We separate.
“You better.”
My head snaps back to MJ, she sniffs, “If you don't I'm just gonna figure it out. I've done it before–I can do it again.”
I look at her, memorizing every bit of her, like I'll be the one to forget her.
“I promise I'll fix this…”
‘I really hate magic.’
“I really hate magic.”
I huff a watery laugh, “Yeah me too..”
She cups my face gently, “I love you..”
I smile sadly at her. “I love–” she cuts in, “Just wait– wait and tell me when you see me again…” she sucks in a breath.
We hear the lightning strikes as the sky rumbles from the spell, realizing the escaping time, our lips crashed into a passionate kiss.
It’s not fast. It’s not desperate. It’s slow. Deep. Full of everything we can’t say, and everything we don’t have time to.
When we pull apart, our foreheads touch. Breaths mingling. Just holding on. Just… existing in this one last second together.
Then, I let go.
Slowly I pulled away, the last thing I felt was her fingertips. Before a sensation overtook me, like being flushed down the toilet, the next thing I knew, black spots dotted my vision and I knew no more.
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Somewhere else…
The air whips around as time moves on…somewhere else.
Dr. Strange groans, body aching. He tries to lift his limbs but finds himself barely lifting a finger. His vision blurs in and out of focus, he's laying in a surprisingly clean alley.
He lifts his head and notices, a little late, that a weight is on top of him.
He groans as annoying recognition fills him.
“Peter–” he coughs, lungs burning. “Peter, you have to wake up.”
Peter doesn't so much as twitch.
Concern bubbles up inside him, finally lifting his hand a bit to shake Peter awake.
“Kid. You gotta wake up.” Strange groans, and shifts himself until he's side by side from Peter instead of under. He lays his body out fully, looking up into the night sky. He took a deep shuddering breath, turning his head in Peter's direction.
“Oh kid..I think I messed up.” . . .
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