Chapter Text
Contemplating in his office after performing a risky twelve-hour surgery, changed out of his well used scrubs, Stephen Strange glances at his computer monitor. Looking at the time he sighs, 4:00 a.m, December 11th, 2014, flickers in the bottom corner. He dully draws his eyes to the window in his office that was crowded with grey clouds. The slight sun hidden behind the rain that drizzled sluggishly throughout New York. Tomorrow was remembrance day of his sister, Donna. Twenty-one years since she drowned.
The bridge of his nose wrinkles as an ache forms in his heart, ignoring that, he pulls his phone out of his desk drawer and turns off Do Not Disturb mode.
No new messages or calls. Nothing new.
Going to his short list of contacts, he hovers over his Mothers phone number. He hasn’t spoken to his family in awhile, other than the short, snippity, happy birthdays to his brother Victor and the small gifts sent to his Mother. His Father always refused to talk to him. Tapping the phone screen before he could back out, The ringing was shrill compared to the suffocating quiet of his office.
“Stephen?”
“Hello Mother… it’s been awhile.”
“Yes, I believe it has. That means either something is wrong, or it's my birthday and I forgot.” she joked, but her words were clipped, not of malice but worry. Stephen’s brows furrow, does she not remember?
“Donna’s day.”
“...Oh, yes, tomorrow. What about it?” Her voice, faint, like she was recalling a vague detached memory.
“Well, I wanted to see if I could come, uhm…Visit. Since it’s been so long.”
The sun began to peek through the clouds, the rain now traded for a light breeze. leaving a sheen over the dense cityscape. Waiting nervously for an answer, Strange opens his email while listening to his Mother talk to someone away from the phone. The neurosurgeon double checks his mail, responding to some, deleting others.
He starts a rough draft to his boss to ask for two days off work, his mouse hovering over the subject box. Rare nervousness shakes him, even if his family decided not to see him, he hasn’t been to Nebraska in years; maybe it will do him good to take a small break. His Mothers voice breaks him out of his trance.
“Stephen, that's a wonderful idea. Victor just so happens to be visiting, when will you be heading down here?”
“I’ll have to consult with my boss and schedule, but hopefully soon.”
Her voice held a slight smile in it as she responded, “Well, I’ll see you soon honey.”
“Goodbye-”
Before he could finish his sentence he was met with a disconnect tone. Sighing as he types and sends the email to his boss. Hopefully he won’t regret this.
Closing the windows blinds and gathering the papers sprawled across his desk he begins vigorous paperwork.
Time ticks by, lost in concentration he barely hears the knocking on the door until it creaks open.
“Stephen?”
The strong smell of coffee hits him in the face.
Startled, his head snaps up, “Christine? What.”
Her brown eyes narrow as she smiles sharply, “Watch your tone Strange.”
The short woman pulls the string to the blinds, revealing the blinding sun. Shielding his eyes Stephen leans back in his chair, squinting.
“Sorry, sorry, what time is it?”
“What are you a vampire?” She quarks an eyebrow and glances at her watch,“It’s 8:43, and Mr. Brubeck sent me to tell you that he’s been trying to call you for the past ten minutes.”
Stephen’s eyes widened, how the hell did he miss his boss calling?
“Stephen, you know you were supposed to clock out, like, two hours ago?” Rising to his feet and grabbing his paperwork, he breezes out of his office with Christine Palmer trailing behind him.
“Yes. I'm aware.” he responds dryly.
Speeding through the crowded hospital halls he slightly listens to Christine animatedly talk about… something. Narrowly avoiding a patient being wheeled in a gurney, he slows down at the elevators. The doors being blocked by the one, and only, Nicodemus West. Loitering in front of the elevator on his phone.
Great.
Irritation spiking as he stops in front of him, Christine bumping into his back slightly.
“Nic.”
Phone almost slipping out of his hands, West flounders
“S-STRANGE! What do you need?”
Stephen pinches his nose, irritation spiking. “You are currently in an active hospital if you didn’t know. Move.”
West blinked owlishly, like it was a foreign concept to him. Having little patience Stephen hastily wedges past him, not waiting for a response. Their shoulders knocking together.
He hears Christine make a quick apology to West, as he enters the elevator; She rushes after him before the doors close.
“You know you could take a day off from being an ass, right?”
Stephen's lip twitches into an almost smile.
The elevator light flickers as they reach the administrative floor, stepping out Christine bumps into his side.
“Whatever the boss called you for, it must be important. He rarely asks for you, pretty sure he’s scared of you.” She jokes.
“I have no idea why he would be scared of me.”
“Maybe because you publicly called him out and kind of shamed him for mixing the names of medical practices in a conference. Oh, and that you cursed out multiple staff members before. Surprised he hasn’t fired you, really.”
Stephen huffs, “Don’t you have better things to do right now?”
“Always! But tell me what happens later. I wanna know all the gossip, See ya!”
He watches her leave with a smirk on his face, She walks with a spring in her step like a rabbit who drank five shots of espresso.
Pushing open the heavy wooden door to the office, his Boss, Mr. Brubeck was hunched over rapidly typing away on his computer like a mad man. To not startle the man, Strange knocks softly on the door frame. “You called for me?”
The bald man snapped his head up so quickly that it made Stephen cringe. Brubeck has always been an… Intense person.
“Ah, yes Strange! I received your email asking for some time off and I was shocked! Other than the rare sick days, you’ve never taken time off.”
To hide the sudden anxiousness swirling in chest, he crosses his arms and leans against the frame.
“Yes, I wanted to take a few days off to visit some family.” The words coming out a little duller than he wanted them too.
His boss drummed his stubby fingers on his large oak desk, humming.
“Look Strange, while it was short notice, I’ll give you the time off. In fact I’ll do one better, you can take two weeks off, with the addition of the mandatory Christmas break days you have listed.”
Stephen's eyes widened as he stood up straight, “Sir, I’m afraid that is too much time off! I have surgeries scheduled!”
his paperwork rustling in his hands from his sharp movements.
“Good thing I cleared your schedule, look Stephen-” The informality caused Stephen to inwardly cringe. “-You need to take time off. If you don’t, I will make it fully mandatory, because you’d work yourself into an early grave if you’re not stopped.”
Strange opened his mouth to object, but Brubeck raised a hand, signalling for silence.
“In eight years, you have never asked for time off. Perhaps if I put it this way; The more you work without a break, the more risk there is for messing up an operation.”
Stranges face twists in frustration, work is all he wants to do. He feels alive when he has a scalpel in his hand; but he wouldn’t forgive himself if he botched a patient for the first time because of his stubbornness.
“Fine.”
Accepting his defeat Stephen drops off his paperwork at the desk. Brubeck smiles, relieved, “See you in January Stephen, I hope you actually take the time off to relax.”
—
Walking down the Metro-Generals sterile corridors he glances at the clock above one of the doorways, 9:20. He was supposed to be home around three hours ago. Just as he was making it to the exit, he was stopped by Christine's bright voice as she jogs over.
“Stephen! I’ve heard that you’re taking the rest of December off, what's going on?”
Her usually neat brown hair was now spilling out the sides of her bun, her green scrubs slightly ruffled and speckled with blood.
“What has happened since I saw you? It’s been less than an hour.”
Christine groaned, “Patient had an accident in the left wing. Don’t skip the question Stephen.”
He sticks his hands in his pockets and huffs, how she even knew was unbeknownst to him. Gossip spreads like wildfire here.
“I wanted some time off to visit family, but Brubeck just decided for me that I'll take the whole month off.”
Palmer’s eyes widened at the mention of his family, he’s never talked about them in the 6 years she has been around him.
“Well remember to keep me updated, maybe the hospital will be calmer while you’re gone.” She says lightly.
Absently he nods, though he knows he won’t be calling her, “Bye Christine.”
—-
After waiting in traffic for what felt like forever, he finally makes it to his apartment. Collapsing onto the sleek-grey U-shaped sofa. Ignoring the slight ache in his back from standing and sitting for so many hours; he leans his head on the sofa, and peers through the large wall-sized window. The clear sky of noon and the bustling borough of Manhattan below.
Having called his Mother to confirm his arrival tomorrow, and managing to snag a plane ticket to Nebraska, first-class of course. He felt wrong, knowing how much empty time he’ll have on his hands.
Combining a hand through his slightly whiting, black hair, the silence of his apartment became overbearing; making him realize that he hasn’t slept in almost a day. The thought of seeing that small farm he grew up on made his heart stutter, he was 38 goddam it, he shouldn’t be anxious like a teenager.
Frustration blossoming made him restless, he rustles through his closet to pack. Even though it’s the middle of the day, his plane leaves early the next morning and he might as well get it done now.
It’s not like he had a normal sleep schedule anyways.