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Chapter Text

This was not the future he had directed the fight toward. It was similar enough that the same results would happen, but not the one he had settled on.

In that future, Stephen was supposed to turn to dust, to drift away peacefully on the air of Titan and wait in whatever in-between there was for the next five years for Tony and the remaining Avengers and superheroes to pull of their 'time heist'.

But that was not the future that had come about. One slip, one tiny butterfly crushed to ripple across everything, and... Here he was. He stood in the Garden, and he wanted to laugh at the similarities that rang across the universe. Norse mythology and Asgardians, the classic Bible and The Garden...

It could have been Eden. Lush and beautiful, with lovely weather, and no other beings aside from animals and insects. Surely a planet this size had other inhabitants, but casting out his mind had failed to bring any to Stephen's attention. If there were, if Thanos had not cleansed them away, they were likely very far away.

Stephen stood on the porch of the small house Thanos must have constructed before their arrival, and he watched the Mad Titan hang up his armor. The Cloak flitted around him, wanting to fight, but Stephen shook his head. He had made an oath, and he would keep it. He had never broken an oath... Save for twice in his life.

He hated the house, if he was being honest. And he did not think he was being snobby. It could have been better. It would need to be.

Because he had seen futures, and he knew what might occur here. And seeing as he was stuck here for the foreseeable future, he might as well see if they could come to a compromise on things.

The future Stephen had agreed to was to be here, with Thanos, in exchange for Tony's life. He had hoped it wouldn't come to that, but for the best future to come about, Tony Stark needed to be alive. And so Stephen had traded his life for Tony's, to be Thanos's consort, to keep him company in this Garden of his. The Mad Titan had welcomed his offer, because otherwise, he would have been spending his time in his sanctuary alone. All his children were either dead or had rejected him. Stephen was all that he had, the only person in the world who had offered to be with him.

Stephen knew loneliness well, as well as he knew pain. Old friends both, and those friends now hovered at his shoulders, like the metaphorical angel and devil, except both were merely silent company.

He watched Thanos hang his armor. He watched as he came and went, beginning to prepare the soil of the field he had he cleared. After a minute of watching, Stephen curled his lip and floated over.

"What are you doing?" Stephen asked, landing lightly beside Thanos.

"Preparing the field. Why, wizard? Do they not do this on your world?" Thanos asked, glancing at him.

He was grieving, and neither of them knew what to do with this arrangement, this oath between them. Stephen might have been Thanos's consort, but in their days here, it had gone unconsummated, and it was a rare touch that passed between them. Rare words, too. Which made their interactions, now without a battle to win between them, incredibly, well, strange.

"We do. But you are doing it all wrong." Stephen said, remembering his childhood.

He had out the farm behind him so long ago, but he had grown up on it and learned whether or not he had really wanted to. He knew his father had hoped one of his children might grow up and take over the farm, and how that dream had been crushed three times over. He knew what to do, though, and if he was going to live here, he was going to see that things were done right.

"And how do you know this, wizard?" Thanos asked, but he did not resist when Stephen began to take over.

"I grew up on a farm before I was a sorcerer." Stephen answered and part of him resented giving this little bit of his past to Thanos.

He had already given Thanos his future, he did not want to give him his past.

Thanos did not question him, merely watched as Stephen began to show him what he needed to do. You just couldn't shove the seeds in the ground and expect to get results. No, there ways to do it, and ways to do it well. Stephen knew how, and he began to teach Thanos, using a combination of magic and his own hands to get it done. After a bit, Thanos fell in beside him, and they began to work the field together. Stephen had to toss the Cloak off and remove his robes, and though it had been years, his body remembered this work as much as his brain did.

They spent the rest of the day working the field. A tractor would have been nice, or a pair of horses with a plow like Stephen's grandfather had preferred, but hands and tools worked just as well, and Stephen knew how to do that, too.

By the time the sun began to set over Thanos's Eden, even the Mad Titan was sweating, and Stephen stretched out the ache in his limbs and flexed his hands.

"We'll work more tomorrow." he said and turned away.

Thanos said nothing, and Stephen trekked to the nearby waterfall pool. It was a warm day, so the icy water was not unwelcome, and he stripped and began to clean himself. He still had injuries from Titan, cuts, scrapes, and bruises, and the water helped numb the pain. For some reason, he did not want to use magic to ease his pain. Maybe because these injuries were part of the few things he had to cling to from the life he had just left behind.

He washed his clothes as well after determining he was not getting an infection of some sort, and floated in the shallows until he determined the immersion in the cold water had been enough. The remaining heat on the stones had dried his clothes to a comfortable damp, but he had to use a spell to dry, as he had neglected to bring a towel.

He walked back to the house and found Thanos beginning dinner, made from the provisions he had thought to stock this place with. Which was good, because Stephen had come across the field he had prepared at an earlier date, and it was terrible. Things had grown, to be sure, the crop was nothing to what it could have been, and Stephen would check the soil and such tomorrow.

He felt a bit pissed at this. He would have to just help make it work, and teach Thanos what to do, because this Garden was not as good as it could have been. And if Stephen was going to be living here for possibly the next five years, he would make it better.

Thanos said nothing when he came in and Stephen didn't bother to help cook, merely got out dishes for dinner. Thanos had lanterns he was lighting, but Stephen cast orbs of magic into them, and the Titan glanced at him.

"Less of a fire hazard. You never said I couldn't use magic. Only that I may not use it against you." Stephen said, arching a brow.

No more words were said for the rest of the night. They ate dinner in silence and afterward Stephen closed his eyes and mentally flipped through books he had read, grateful for his photographic memory, because Thanos had brought no books to his sanctuary, and there was little to do.

Eventually, the lights were all extinguished and the cooking fire left to die, and Stephen lay in his own bed, staring at the wall, where the light of the stars shone through. He was grateful Thanos was allowing time before they consummated this. Grateful for the space, for the fact he could lay here alone, but he knew that would not always be the case. And part of him feared the future there.

The Cloak settled over him like a blanket and Stephen wrapped it around himself, grateful for the company. He fell asleep wondering if this was one of his endless possibilities the Ancient One had seen.

In the morning, Stephen woke first, and he stoked the fire up for breakfast and tea, and ignored Thanos as he woke. But he did turn and stop, seeing the partially cauterized wound in the broad chest.

"When were you going to tell me you had that?" Stephen demanded, staring.

He shouldn't have cared. This man had killed billions, even before he had had the Stones. But this time around, Stephen had let him. It was for the best. He shouldn't have cared, but the doctor in him kicked into gear, and Thanos glanced at him.

"I've been wounded many times in battle." he said, brushing off his shirt from the day before.

"Not like that, I wager. How deep is that? What caused it?" Stephen said, going to the supplies organized neatly in the corner.

Thanos was silent for a long moment before answering.

"The ax belonging to a certain God of Thunder." he said and that was all he said.

Stephen dug out the medical supplies and raised a hand, beckoning the Titan to follow him. It was too dim inside to see properly. He had Thanos sit on the front steps, the morning light bright, and began to inspect the wound. How he had not noticed it over the past few days was beyond him, but now that he had, he would do what he could.

He wasn't sure if Thanos had even cleaned it and though the supplies available were foreign, Stephen was able to figure out what was what, and what he was unsure of, Thanos told him.

His hands weren't the steadiest, but Stephen was able to clean the wound just fine, Thanos wincing. Not all the tissue had been burned and it was a shockingly deep wound; anything other than a Titan would have died. As it was, Stephen was appalled by it. Sweat, blood, clothing and armor scraps- He spent an hour just cleaning it and getting rid of what dead tissue he could.

"You're lucky you don't have a worse infection." Stephen griped, rinsing the wound yet again.

"My kind is much different than yours, wizard." Thanos said and Stephen rolled his eyes.

"Different species or not, even Tony Stark had the sense to treat his own wound as soon as he could. And if this weapon hurt you when nothing else could, that tells me how severe it was." Stephen snapped, wiping away the ooze of purple blood.

He used spells to heal what he could, but the wound had been left to heal on its own for several days, and that made spells difficult. He had to use an outrageous amount of bandages to cover the wound and they looked startling against Thanos's amethyst skin, Stephen forbidding him from putting his shirt back on.

"You want it, you clean it. Even with bandages, you aren't transferring what I just cleaned out back to the wound." he said severely and Thanos stared at him.

Stephen doubted that anyone had ever spoken to him like that, or if they had, it had been a very long time.

His eyes fell to Thanos's arm, where the Infinity Gauntlet still was, and his eyes roamed the Stones, feeling a pang of loss at the sight of the Time Stone. He still wore the empty pendant around his neck, but the loss of the Stone was a weight he could not explain.

"No ideas, wizard. You swore an oath." Thanos warned, seeing where his gaze was.

"It injured you. I want to treat that, too." Stephen said, eyes going to the burns.

Thanos glanced at his arm and Stephen wondered if it was fused to him. He had always hated working on burns before he had settled in neurosurgery, and removing debris in and fused to burns had been something he still did not like.

"If you can, go ahead. But you are full of tricks."

"I swore an oath." Stephen repeated.

"You could break it."

"I won't. I take my oaths very seriously." Stephen said and it took a minute, but Thanos finally extended his arm.

He helped Stephen remove the damaged gauntlet and the energy of the Stones seemed to sing over Stephen as they did so, especially the Time Stone, but he ignored them. It came free, revealing the extent of the burns, and skin peeled away, and they were bad. Not as bad as they could have been, but bad, and Stephen and Thanos set the gauntlet aside.

Another hour was spent tending that injury and finally Stephen was satisfied, letting Thanos's arm breathe. It wasn't pretty, but it would heal, at least, even if there would be severe scarring. On a human, at least. Stephen didn't know on a Titan.

He went in to get breakfast started, stomach growling at him, and as he walked back inside, Thanos spoke.

"Wizard?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

The words were soft and surprising, and Stephen lingered for a moment before heading back inside without a word.

They fell into a routine. Breakfast and tea, Stephen treating both their injuries, and then going to work on the farm.

Thanos had certainly tried before when he had established this place, but it was not a sustainable try, not enough. How he had planned to have himself and his six children live here was beyond Stephen, especially since he doubted any of them had been farmers. So he took charge and Thanos allowed him to, preparing the soil and teaching Thanos everything that had been handed down through the generations of Stranges who had been on that farm in Nebraska.

They didn't talk much. Stephen would not give Thanos his past, and Thanos... Despite his victory, there was an air of sadness around him, of grief, the sort that stole words and demanded you be in your own head.

Stephen didn't question it. He worked, pulling up memories he had not touched in a long time, and it was good to keep busy, to keep his mind of things, to stay away from that lingering thought that this might not be that other future he had seen, it might be one of the others where he had gone with Thanos. Where they lost, and never changed it.

He refused to linger on that and worked, and in his determination to get this done right and keep himself occupied, Stephen overdid.

After a few days, he woke up long before dawn in pain, his hands cramping and spasming, pain pulsing through them with each beat of his heart. He couldn't even move them, his body telling him this was a bad idea and impossible, and though the Cloak hugged him, there was nothing it could do.

Silent tears ran down his face from the pain and he cursed himself, swallowing hard, trying to push through it, but it was one of those days where that was impossible. Back home, he would down as much aspirin as he could and use an icepack or a hot water bottle, but here, that was not an option. Maybe there was some alien painkiller in the supplies, but he couldn't even drag himself over there, and he wouldn't be able to open it.

He didn't realize that Thanos was awake until a huge hand touched his shoulder.

"Wizard." he said, seeming confused as to way Stephen was not up.

Each day, Stephen had been up before Thanos, but not today.

"Go away." he gritted out, curling up tighter, his hands pressed to his chest.

"Are you ill?" Thanos asked after a long moment.

"No. Go away." Stephen hissed, breathing in sharply.

He was flipped onto his back and found himself staring up at Thanos, who was frowning over him.

"There is nothing you can do. Just leave me alone. I've been handling it for years." Stephen said and an enormous finger brushed over his cheek, wiping away tears.

"What is going on?" Thanos demanded in the tone of someone who expected to be answered.

If he could have, Stephen might have flipped him off. And in the end, it wasn't him who answered, but the Cloak. Coiling around his wrist, it gently raised his hand for Thanos's examination, and Stephen cried out softly when the Titan took his hand and splayed out his fingers to exam it.

When the pain wasn't binding his tongue, Stephen explained, Thanos mercifully releasing his hand. The Titan's expression was unreadable, and he moved away from Stephen. Stephen closed his eyes. He had chronic pain. Pain was an old friend. But it hadn't been this bad in a while, and he felt embarrassed and ashamed for this.

He knew he was going to have to suck it up and ask Thanos for his help. The Cloak couldn't do everything for him, and back on Earth, Wong had been kind enough to help him on days like this. He couldn't function properly with his hands like this. But, for now, he just lay there with his eyes closed, breathing through the pain. He was vaguely aware of Thanos moving around and assumed the Titan was preparing breakfast. He was, it turned out, but he was also doing something else.

"Can you sit up, wizard?" Thanos asked and Stephen childishly didn't want to, but he eased himself up.

He was startled when Thanos knelt down and helped him drink some tea, though it was certainly not entirely tea, because Stephen tasted something bitter in there that did not taste like anything they had drank before, and he recoiled.

"What is in that?" he demanded, eyeing Thanos.

"Medicine for the pain. Drink it." Thanos said and Stephen really had no choice but to obey.

He did have the future he had seen, if he wasn't in another, if this wasn't some fourteen million, six hundred-seventh future he hadn't peeked at because he had been short on time (the irony) and had only found those two in all of those where they won. He had the bargain he had made with Thanos.

He would give the Mad Titan the Time Stone, go with him and be his consort and give him all that came with it, in exchange for the life of Tony Stark. Stephen had seen the ways his future could go as Thanos's consort, and he had seen several possibilities, but death had never been one of them.

So he drank it all and Thanos told him that within the next half hour, the pain would be gone. He was half-right. It was lessened, but it wasn't gone, and Stephen still couldn't function properly. It seemed that Thanos's medicine worked differently on a human than it did a Titan, or even whatever his children had been. Still, even the lessening was a relief, stopped the tears from welling in Stephen's eyes, and he almost said thank you, but stopped. Did he really need to thank Thanos for treating him properly? Like a living being? Maybe he should have thanked him anyway, because he was grateful, but the moment came and went, so Stephen held his tongue.

He did say thank you later in the day, because rather than leaving him alone in the house to do something else and wallow in the pain, Thanos stayed and helped him. Stephen was grateful, and it felt so odd to thank someone who had wiped out billions, but if this was going to be a tolerable co-existence, Stephen knew he would have to set that aside. He might not fall in love with Thanos or even consider him a friend, but he could certainly make life a little more bearable for himself.

Helping someone who had such disabling pain wasn't pretty, and it was personal too, for both parties involved, but both of them remained largely unphased by it, and Stephen knew it changed something between them, though he couldn't say what. Caring for someone, anyone, like this did and there was no changing that. Stephen had pride, but he had long since stopped being embarrassed by it, if only by necessity because otherwise it made life hard to get on with.

In the morning, the pain was still there- Well, it was always there, though not like this, but Stephen could function. So instead he decided they would take things easy for the day, give himself the proper time to recover, and used magic as much as he could.

He felt as though he had been bared to Thanos in some way, almost like when he treated the Titan's injuries, and he supposed that made them even. Stephen could not guard every aspect of himself from Thanos; it could not and would not be possible. And sometimes, he would not be able to choose what the Titan learned and what he didn't. It was a hard pill to swallow, but he was going to have to. There was no reason give Thanos more than he had given most everyone at Kamar-Taj, in the end. Few people knew him well, and Thanos would not be one of them.

It took a lot of work and when the harvest was done in the first field Thanos had planted, Stephen already had plans to start over with it, but they soon finished with the field they were readying. Stephen was largely unfamiliar with the crops Thanos had planned, but he was assured they would be fine for him to eat, as Thanos had not met a humanoid species who could not consume them. He had likely found that out through his children, Stephen thought, but he kept that to himself.

The Black Order, Nebula, and especially Gamora were subjects Stephen knew better than to broach carelessly. There would be a time to address them, but not now, not so soon after almost all of them had died, and one by Thanos's hand. Luckily, Thanos did not seem to blame Stephen for Ebony Maw, and Stephen could not gauge how much the Titan had actually cared for his children aside from Gamora. Thanos had a heart- Almost every villain and bad guy Stephen had encountered or heard of had had a heart of some sort, but it was not something most of society could or would accept, and shouldn't have been.

When the field was finally ready and the seeds planted, Stephen used magic, as they had in Kamar-Taj, and spurred the seeds to grow. Not dramatically, but enough, and they would continue to grow faster than normal until they were established. This was a matter of practicality and Thanos glanced at Stephen.

"I believe I underestimated your powers, wizard." he commented, gazing at the new plants before them.

"Perhaps." Stephen said, as he really didn't know what went through Thanos's head.

He had gone toe to toe against Thanos, but he still did not know what Thanos might think of his powers. Stephen did not plan to reveal them anymore than he had to, or the things that had made them so strong. He knew battling Dormammu as he had, stuck in that loop, had played a heavy role in the strength he possessed now.

The days passed slowly after the field was done. There wasn't much to do here in this garden. No books, no things to fight, no threats to fend off... Stephen had never been this idle. The last time he could think of was when he had been in the hospital after his accident, when he had been forced to do little because of his hands.

He hated it.

He explored further and further from the farm, the Cloak serving as his company, but there really didn't appear to be anything but them and the native animals and insects. Nothing threatening, nothing particularly dangerous, at least that Stephen found. If he had been better at handling a pencil, he might have tried to draw them or catalogue them, but he wasn't even sure if Thanos had anything as simple as a pencil among the things he had brought.

What had the Mad Titan thought to do in his Garden? Even if his children had all made it here?

So sooner rather than later, Stephen brought up the subject of the house.

"We need to rebuild this place." he said one morning.

"What?" Thanos said, looking down at him.

"Frankly, this house sucks. There are holes in the roof, in the walls, hardly anything to let good sunlight in. It could be better. It should be better." Stephen said bluntly, the Cloak rippling on his shoulders, prepared to fly him out of danger that could arise.

"It is fine." Thanos said and stood firm on that subject...

Until two days later, when the Garden had the first major storm since they had come here. It poured and thunder shook the house, and, as Stephen had predicted, the rain came in through the holes in the thatch and blew in through the walls.

He sat on his bed with a mandala above his head like an umbrella and had to resist the urge to smirk at Thanos, whose expression was unreadable.

The next day, Thanos asked him how he might go about fixing up this house, and Stephen already had plans for that. It would require some more materials and a lot of magic, but he had a plan, at least, and he was confident, given a few days, he would be able to do it.

He made a sort of magical display for Thanos's inspection and the Titan examined it for a few long minutes before nodding.

Stephen did need some things to work with, and that meant more materials. He couldn't just pull things out of thin air from magic. Well, he could, but it was easier if there was a base to work with, especially for something like this. Thanos handled that; it seemed he had not intended for his entire twisted family to live in this house (hut; he had been being generous since they had gotten here), and had materials set aside for them to make their own. Those Stephen could work with, and he did.

It took a few days and a lot of magic, but soon the woven, thatched hut was a house, a place where both of them could be comfortable. Still raised off the ground, it now largely resembled the buildings of Kamar-Taj. No glass in the windows, but designed in that way with the eaves large enough to shelter the windows and the interior. Shutters Stephen had added for bad weather, though he doubted Thanos's Garden would ever have anything worse than the storm that had prompted Thanos to allow him to do this.

Tiled roof, sloping eaves, chimes hanging from the underside... Stephen had crafted an imitation of Kamar-Taj and as he looked at his completed work, he felt sick with longing. He had seen this future, accepted it, demanded it, and was living it, but that didn't mean he wasn't human. He knew some of the people of Kamar-Taj had died in the Snap, but he knew Wong was still alive, Hamir, others... He supposed it was good he had not become particularly close to more than a few people. Less people to miss. Christine was still alive, too, and he was grateful for that.

But looking at this pale imitation of Kamar-Taj, he was struck with an acute feeling of longing and homesickness, and he swallowed hard.

Thanos glanced at him.

"Did you model this off a place you know, wizard?" he asked, reading something in Stephen's expression.

"Home." Stephen said softly, and perhaps that wasn't quite the right word.

He had lived in the Sanctum and visited Kamar-Taj, but he had lived there, too. Both places were home, he supposed.

"And where is home?" Thanos asked.

Stephen laughed, but it sounded watery, displaying his emotions in a way he did not want to.

"I showed you mine, wizard."

"Kamar-Taj, Kathmandu, Nepal. Or 177A Bleecker Street, Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York, depending on what you think is a good answer." Stephen answered after a long moment.

What did it matter? Thanos knew about Bleecker Street, most likely, considering his children had arrived just around the corner.

"Those are long names." Thanos said after a minute.

"There are a lot of places on Earth. Specific names help us find them. This is Kamar-Taj. Or looks like it." Stephen said and climbed the steps to inspect the inside.

Yes, it was very much like Kamar-Taj. Bright and airy but protecting those inside from the outside, the floor smooth and sturdy rather than rough wood scattered with molding thatch. He didn't know how to properly take care of thatch, and he doubted Thanos did, so changing it to this was much better.

Still, it made his heart ache, and he went out to the waterfall pool for a bit afterward, to get away from Thanos's curious eyes and just wallow in his emotions.

He sat on a rock and took a deep breath, feeling the Cloak wrap around him comfortingly. He welcomed it and pulled it around himself, taking in the company and comfort, and took a deep breath. He didn't cry. No, this was a pain beyond crying, buried deep in his heart.

As he sat there, longing and missing, he also thought about what the future would hold in store for him.

He had seen it and he knew, provided this wasn't a future he hadn't looked at. Sooner or later, Thanos would take what he was promised. Due to loneliness, due to a need to fill a hole in him that killing Gamora and losing his other children had carved in him. Stephen was his consort, and had agreed to what came with that, after all.

Stephen would bear Thanos's children. Once he would have scoffed at the idea, at the impossibility of it, since he was biologically male, but he lived in a world where magic and aliens and the supernatural were very real. He was not sure of the particulars of one way it would happen, other than force. Whether Thanos had some ability of his own or his species' seed allowed pregnancy regardless of gender of the other species, or something else, he wasn't sure. But he did know there were two options.

Force... Or his own choice. He could convince Thanos to use the Reality Stone on him, to alter him in a way that was exactly as he wanted, in a way that made him comfortable, and generally made things easier on him. Stephen didn't want to think of what force might do. Ectopic pregnancy, most likely, and a severe one at that, since he didn't even have a fallopian tube for it to happen in. An abdominal ectopic pregnancy and no birth canal at that, most likely... He shuddered at the thought.

No, for his health and his sanity, the Reality Stone would be much better. For any children he bore, too.

But Stephen knew he had time. Not a lot of it, but enough, and he would be able to use it to convince Thanos to do as he wished rather than do it by force or use the Reality Stone to make something Stephen wouldn't be able to live with a reality.

He took a deep breath and nuzzled against the Cloak's collar, breathing in the familiar scents sunk into its fabric, of home, that still lingered. That ache grew in his chest, though, temporarily banished by the thoughts, but they were not completely banished so easily.

Stephen swallowed and took a deep breath, settling back on the rock, Cloak wrapped around him. He had chosen this. It had been the only way. And though it would be hard for so many reasons, especially when the returned to Earth, he had to have faith that it was worth it.

Right now, he wished the Ancient One was here. She had handled so many futures like he had. She had seen her own death. And while Stephen had avoided the one he had seen for himself and traded it for this, he wanted to talk to her. To ask her how she had handled all those futures. How she had seen so many terrible things and done the best she could, and yet there was always another.

He had been deemed worthy to wield the Time Stone, and yet he could not shake his own fear of failure, his worry that those two futures he had seen were now gone and he was on a path he hadn't seen because he had stopped looking.

Right now, words of comfort and assurance, even advice or her mere presence, her hand in his, would have been welcome.

But right now, it was just him and the Cloak... And his new consort, carving out a life in this Garden.

It would be worth it, in the end. He just had to keep the future from straying away from what he had chosen. He had done it already, and he would do it again.

But... As the Ancient One had said, it didn't get any easier.

Chapter Text

It had been about three months, give or take, since Thanos had Snapped, since Stephen had given him the Time Stone and allowed him to do what he had done, since Stephen had agreed to be his consort.

In that time, Thanos had not touched him, not in a sexual way. But Stephen felt his eyes and he knew the Titan would ask for what he had been promised, or demand it. He was prepared for it, whenever it happened, or at least as much as he could.

While he waited, Stephen focused on the farm and the house. Even with magic, things needed tending, and he needed to learn about the strange plants. It was doing well. Work was required, of course, but all their needs were tended to.

In this time, Stephen and Thanos had settled into a sort of peace with each other, a routine. They talked a little, they co-existed well. Neither of them were willing to share much with the other, but that was all right. Stephen gave as little as he could, and he was sure Thanos did the same. Stephen had still not brought up Thanos's children, sensing it was too sensitive of a subject still. Grief and pain were something Stephen could understand and respect, and if this was going to work, he had to be decent.

Some days, he had to admit, it was harder than he thought it would be. And he had been able to discern that really, it was only Gamora he should not bring up. Thanos had never cared for his other children, at least not deeply.

Still, he did not mention all of them to be safe, and wondered what fate may befall his own children. What would Thanos plan when he learned of them? Hopefully, he would be gone by the time they could do much of anything, but a bit of fear seized Stephen in a steely grip as he wondered.

He learned a bit about Thanos. That he had been a member of the Titan royal family, a prince, and had been born with physical deformities that had made him an outcast among his people. He learned more about the Titans in general. In return, Stephen told Thanos about the farm in Nebraska. That couldn't hurt anyone; his family was all dead, and the farm sold off a long time ago. He talked about the Masters of the Mystic Arts a little, about humans. Things Thanos could have learned from other sources, things he needed to know to understand Stephen, a human and a sorcerer, was different than any others he had met.

It wasn't much, but it formed... A peace between them, and that was enough.

Thanos's injuries healed and scarred, and no longer needed Stephen's tending. The Infinity Gauntlet (Stephen disapproved of this name; it wasn't a relic but something that held the Stones should be more... Mystically named) sat on top of a cabinet where extra bedding was kept, and some days Stephen stood near or sat and studied it.

He didn't presume to touch it, but he could feel the energies of the Stones, the same caliber as the Time Stone yet each so uniquely different. He sat there and meditated near them, finding peace and studying them as much as he could, nudging them with his own energy. The Time Stone recognized him, and Stephen welcomed the familiar sensations. He introduced himself to the other Stones, in particularly getting better acquainted with Reality. They were not exactly sentient, not like himself and not like the Cloak, but neither were they inanimate. As physical manifestations of the essence of the universe (something he was certain did not change across the Multiverse), they were alive in their own way, in a way beyond words.

Stephen treated them with respect, which he had learned after playing so carelessly with the Time Stone. He was certain Reality would carry out what he wanted when the time was right and make it tolerable.

One day, Thanos came in when Stephen was examining the glowing Stones and stopped.

"Contemplating tricks, wizard?" he asked, sounding disappointed.

"No. Merely thinking. I carried the Time Stone for a long time. It was important to the Masters of the Mystic Arts." Stephen answered, turning away.

Thanos studied him, expression impossible to decipher, but he turned away, and nothing that was any sort of punishment followed at any point.

But soon, though it took longer than Stephen would have thought, Thanos was ready to claim what he had been promised.

"I have given you time, wizard. Time to grieve, time to adjust. But you did make me a promise." he said one evening as Stephen sorted through the things he was prepping for dinner.

He had been expecting it, but something in Stephen still chilled at the words.

Thanos's hand, large yet surprisingly gentle for something so large and powerful, grazed his back and Stephen did not flinch; no sexual touches had passed between them, but Thanos had grazed his back or touched his cheek or something similar over the weeks.

There was a possessiveness to that hand, though, along with a reminder, a warning, and Stephen did not turn away.

Instead, he turned toward the Mad Titan and looked up at him.

"I have one request." he said plainly.

Thanos's eyes narrowed.

"No tricks, wizard. You swore an oath." he warned, shifting his hand to cup Stephen's head.

"No tricks." Stephen agreed. "I am male, like yourself. I know you want children. A new life, a new family. And I believe we both know it is a possibility."

Thanos said nothing, brows drawn slightly, clearly not sure where this could be going.

"I am not appropriately equipped to handle pregnancy or birth. For my sake and any children's, I want you to use the Reality Stone on me. Make it possible." Stephen said and Thanos's expression shifted.

"What did you have in mind?" he asked and Stephen was surprised that he was so immediately open to it.

He would have thought that perhaps Thanos would be against using the Stones 'carelessly', but perhaps ensuring the safety of his consort and future children was acceptable.

Stephen explained what he wanted, how human anatomy worked (not so different from a Titan's, it turned out), and how he wanted his altered to the precise detail. Thanos listened and made him repeat things, clearly wanting to understand better, and Stephen used magic to pull a memory from his head, to show off memories of textbook pages of a human male and a human female. Then he used a purely magical display to illustrate what he wanted to happen to himself.

Thanos nodded and consented, and for the first time since the Snap, he put the gauntlet on. Damaged but still usable, and he directed it at Stephen. The rich red hue of the Reality Stone blazed brighter, and Stephen learned very quickly he had made a small error.

He had stripped down to a robe that Thanos had fashioned for him from one of his shirts ruined during work on the farm, to make examining the results easier, but he really should have been sitting down. Because Vishanti, it hurt.

He had known it would- His body was growing new organs and rearranging itself to accommodate them, his hips widening for their future purpose, after all. He went down on his knees, clutching his abdomen, as the red energy washed over him, and the Cloak hovered anxiously nearby, forbidden sharply from getting in the path of the Stone just in case.

It was over quickly and when it was, Stephen released a gasping breath, chest heaving, the pain beginning to fade. His body felt... His body felt...

"Are you all right, wizard?" Thanos asked, lowering his fist.

"That remains to be seen." Stephen said, swallowing down the saliva that had threatened to pour out his mouth.

Sitting up slowly and adjusting his robe and his position, he began to explore the changes to his body, Thanos waiting silently for an answer.

It was... Finding and feeling the changes to his body made Stephen's head spin, but he was able to quickly determine that he did, in fact, what appeared to be a fully functioning vagina and, presumably, a birth canal. He was still had his other organs, just arranged slightly different to accommodate the change, and the doctor in him was already mapping it out in his head. He had thought of it before, of course, and shown Thanos, but thinking up something and it being reality was far different.

He wiped his hand on the robe and performed a scanning spell on himself to see his internal anatomy, and they were difficult to do on yourself, but Stephen managed. And yes, just as he had explained he wanted, he had full set of female reproductive organs. Only the organs needed to conceive a child. A clitoris wasn't necessary, and not something he was comfortable with, along with everything else not directly needed to birth and conceive.

"It's done." Stephen said, banishing the spell.

He got up, still feeling slightly wobbly, and he looked at Thanos. He knew he was not going to get time to adjust. There was really no need to, even if it would have been a courtesy.

Even though he still felt off-balance, he looked up at Thanos after he had replaced the gauntlet on top of the cabinet and gestured toward the sleeping quarters.

"Shall we?" he asked, and Thanos seemed mildly surprised.

Perhaps he had imagined Stephen might request time or be hesitant or even ask for a few minutes to collect himself. In the end, he did give Stephen a few minutes to be steady and get over the nauseous feeling in his stomach, but that might have just been for his own benefit.

Stephen cast off the robe when they were standing next to Thanos's bed, the Cloak agitated but obeying orders to stay out, and Thanos's eyes scanned him intently. Stephen could have said something, but he did not, immediately feeling nervous as Thanos tugged off his shirt. He was not quite sure how he might be able to receive his consort, truth be told. He could fit Stephen's entire head in his hand; no part of him was small. And Stephen was significantly smaller than Thanos in every aspect.

He should have thought of that before, but it was too late now, and when Thanos was naked as well, Stephen felt some relief in his chest. Thanos was much smaller than he had expected him to be, though certainly larger than most humans (or most likely all, it wasn't like Stephen was an expert), and part of him wondered if that had something to do with his physical malformation, or if all Titans had been like that.

He certainly knew better than to ask that and took a deep breath, steeling himself.

For what it was worth, Thanos was gentle with him. Not rough, not forcing, but definitely being somewhat careful because Stephen was so much smaller than he was. It was awkward at first and Stephen did not find much about a purple giant attractive, to be honest, but he could do this. He had had his share of awkward sexual experiences with both men and women before, and could figure this out. At least Thanos seemed just as awkward and somewhat as confused as he did. That certainly made Stephen feel better.

Part of him was concerned that they might not actually be able to do this, but sex was sex, and both of them understood enough to get it going. The worst part of it was when Thanos entered him. As new as they were, Stephen's new organs were functioning appropriately, so there was that, but it was so foreign, so strange, so wrong, that Stephen bit his lip to keep himself from crying out and forced himself not to try to pull away or shove Thanos off of himself. Unless he used magic, there was certainly no way to escape someone so large and strong pinning him down.

Something in his chest seized and he gripped the Titan's upper arms as tightly as he could, nails certainly digging in, but there was no way he was hurting Thanos or would. There was no way all of Thanos, despite his smaller-than-expected-size, was going to fit inside of Stephen, and it was uncomfortable. Then it was painful.

Pain and pleasure mixed together, and Stephen forced himself to take deep breaths, to grip Thanos as tightly as he could, as the Titan thrust into him over and over, pleasure quickly vanishing, only giving pain. Stephen's breath hitched, but he willed himself to take it. He had given his permission, after all, and it was better than the alternative... Maybe. In the long run, it certainly was, but here and now, he was questioning it.

"Stop."

Stephen's voice surprised them both, shattering the relative silence that had been around them, and Thanos paused, braced above Stephen.

"Fuck... It's going to hurt. We're not that compatible. It hurts. But you're hurting me too much. I can't... I don't know if I can..." Stephen got out and his hand dropped to drape over his own eyes.

He should have taken it. Should have kept his mouth shut. But, fuck, humans had this problem with each other sometimes, and it was going to hurt no matter what. But Stephen was now terrified of something internal tearing and that he wouldn't be able to fix it.

He really shouldn't have told Thanos what to do. He didn't expect him to listen or try. So what came next was a surprise.

"Tell me, then." he said and Stephen pulled his hand back.

He could not read Thanos's expression, but he swallowed and did as he said. It wasn't an entirely pleasurable experience. But as they started up again, Stephen gave what directions he could, and while it still hurt, it was not as bad, nor did it feel like his insides were going to be ripped in two with each thrust.

By the time it was over, though, he was drunk on pain and sex and shifting caused pain to spike through his pelvis and new organs, and he gritted his teeth. Thanos made to touch him, but Stephen had to fight not to cringe, and a large hand slid through his hair.

"You did well, wizard." he said, and Stephen didn't have the energy to spit at him.

He eased himself up and there was blood on the sheets, blood running down his thighs and mixing with Thanos's seed, and he was unsteady. Each step was hard, and his stomach seized with pain.

Thanos did not offer a hand or a question of concern, and Stephen did not bother to collect the discarded robe. He was afraid if he bent down he would go down or not be able to straighten, and he limped back to his own space. The Cloak wrapped around him and helped him, and Stephen knew it was angry.

"Don't do anything. Please. I agreed to this." Stephen whispered to it, burying his face against its collar.

The Cloak stroked him and Stephen soon made it to his own bed, gasping in pain. Blood and semen were surely getting on the Cloak and though it was always so particular about being clean, it kept itself around him, as if it could protect him or take the hurt away. Tears were brimming in Stephen's eyes by the time he was fully sitting down and he took deep breaths, knowing he should try to assess the damage and do what he could to treat it, but right now he hurt too much to do so. It hurt to sit and he felt full of Thanos's seed, oddly so, and he wondered how many times they would have to have sex for it to take root. He hoped not many times.

Thanos would be less likely to touch him then, he thought, not wanting to risk the safety of his second chance at a family. And if he had to take this constantly, no matter what spells he used and such, he would probably end up scarred and even damaged in the end; he could think of no other way to describe it right now. He did not like that thought, but Stephen knew what could come of such rough sex, even if it wasn't rape.

He curled on his side, the Cloak wrapped around him like a warm cocoon, and it brushed his tears away, Stephen closing his eyes.

You agreed to this. he reminded himself. It didn't help much, not now in the pain and strangeness of his own body.

He fell asleep sooner rather than later, but in the morning the pain was still there, and he was crusted with blood and semen, each movement of his legs sending a spike of pain through his pelvic area.

He put his head back and gritted his teeth, and the Cloak lifted him up with minimal movement, his feet meeting the floor unsteadily. With each spike of pain, Stephen was worried that he might have a fracture of some kind, because Thanos's thrusts had not been gentle, even after Stephen had guided him. Not entirely.

The Cloak left him only to retrieve the robe he had discarded the night before and Stephen wrapped it around himself, limping across the floor. He needed water. He had lost fluids and was still bleeding a little, which meant he needed to replace the fluids he had lost. Thanos was outside somewhere and Stephen was able to get water in peace, choking it down, wishing there was a tub of some sort that he could put warm water in. It took him longer than it should have to realize he could use magic to remedy that and he scrubbed a hand over his face. He drank another cup of water, took a deep breath.

He hoped Thanos did not expect him to become pregnant immediately, nor do too much today. The Cloak would carry him so he did not have to walk and cause himself pain, but other things might be difficult if he did that, and right now, Stephen just wanted to absorb everything, truth be told.

He hadn't had any time to get used to the changes in his body, nor really fully think of it. He was relieved to discover that Thanos had indeed followed his instructions to the letter, and he could urinate normally, but as he did his best to figure out how to staunch his bleeding with something that probably looked akin to a medieval menstrual pad awkward held to his body, he realized he had neglected to think of that. Would he menstruate now? He had eggs, a vaginal lining, a fully functioning set of female reproductive organs... His stomach churned at the thought, and he would handle it when and if it happened. Right now, it was too confusing, too startling, to focus on.

By the time he came back out with the awkward pad and underwear on beneath his crude robe, Thanos had returned and was beginning breakfast.

He glanced up at Stephen.

"How do you fare this morning?" the Titan asked casually, and Stephen really wanted to tell him to fuck off.

"I've been better." he said dryly.

Thanos eyed him.

"Are you injured from last night?"

"Yes. If you thought all that blood was from a hymen, then you are woefully uninformed." Stephen said, letting a trace of attitude creep into his voice.

"I assumed you knew what would happen. You are the one who saw the future. Who offered this." Thanos said and Stephen gritted his teeth.

"Knowing and experiencing are two different things. I am going to be in pain for a time." Stephen said, though he did not think pleading his injuries would earn him a reprieve.

"What do you require?"

"Why are you offering?" Stephen asked, eyeing him.

Each kindness Thanos had shown him felt strange. Stephen had certainly done nothing to earn it, certainly not like his beloved Gamora, and even then this was much different.

"You are my consort." Thanos replied, and that was all he would say. He looked at Stephen expectantly, clearly wanting an answer to his question.

"Painkillers. Hot water for a bath." Stephen eventually said and it was so crude that it was painful.

But really, there wasn't much to be done for vaginal injuries, even with magic, and the spells would be rather difficult to perform on himself. So basics first, and when the pain was tolerable, he would try the magic. He cursed himself for not taking more than the basics of healer courses in Kamar-Taj.

Thanos nodded and Stephen magicked himself a tub, the Titan bringing him plenty of water. Stephen heated it over the fire and mixed it with cool water until it was warm; he knew better than to submerge a bleeding part of his body in steaming hot water, even if these were injuries he was largely unfamiliar with. Thanos gave him privacy, at least, and Stephen gasped, holding back a whimper, as he eased himself into the water. He felt a little dizzy, but the feeling soon vanished, and he sucked in a deep breath. He was going to be bleeding for several days, he knew, if he could not heal the damage.

He wasn't sure if he would be able to. Doing those spells on himself with the angle and not knowing the exact injuries would be difficult, and he might be better off not trying.

For now, he focused on one thing at a time, and scrubbed the blood and semen from his body. Thanos had already given him the painkillers and that helped about as well as Stephen had expected, but at least now the pain was nothing more than a deep ache. He stayed in the water for a while, letting it soak things away, but when it really began to get cold, he got out with the Cloak's assistance and dried off. Thanos was absent again and Stephen limped back to his room, doing his best to take care of himself.

He was right and there was very little he could do for himself. He did what he was able to, but he was still hurting, still bleeding a bit, and he wished he knew more about treating these sorts of injuries with magic. But he was better off than he had been, at least, and that he could live with.

He went outside after a bit, still moving a bit gingerly, and stood watching Thanos tend the farm rather than doing anything himself. He had earned a break, he thought, and he didn't want to push himself too hard. He also still felt so strange in his own body and he didn't like that, but it had been his choice, and there was a comfort in that. Rather by his choice and design than Thanos's force.

He went inside after a time and stared at the gauntlet, at the Stones, and reached out tentatively, ghosting his fingers over them, not presuming to touch them for various reasons. He would be lying if he said he didn't miss the Time Stone around his neck, and even now he wore the empty amulet. But this was what had to happen.

For the next week or so, Thanos did not take him to his bed. He did touch him, a brush over his back, caressing his cheek, a display of possession that Stephen dealt with but did not like. But Stephen was permitted to heal when he explained to Thanos there was only so much he could do, and he refused to thank the Titan for that. It was decent behavior, and you shouldn't thank anyone for being decent to you.

Thanos inquired about how long it might take for Stephen to get pregnant, and how they would be able to tell when he was.

"Do you have a pregnancy test? Anything capable of detecting that?" Stephen asked and Thanos shook his head.

"Then at least a month after conception." Stephen replied, because morning sickness would be the only way to really tell without a test.

He did not point out that Thanos could probably use the Reality Stone after they had sex to ensure it, because he did not want that. If he had to bear the Mad Titan's children, he wanted them to be as natural as they could be. And really, there was no telling what would happen in the long run of fucking around with the most powerful things in the universe. You couldn't use them lightly.

So the days passed and Stephen slowly healed, and when he was well enough, they had sex again.

It wasn't as bad as last time, at least. Thanos kept in mind that Stephen was breakable, that he could be hurt very easily compared to the Titan, and he did see to Stephen's own pleasure. But it still hurt.

Stephen tried to go away in his head, to be honest, at some points, even though he was actively participating in this. He didn't go so far as to imagine someone else, largely because his past experiences didn't apply here, and that also felt... Inappropriate. Disrespectful, even.

So he stayed in the present, stayed out of his head, and bit back the pain that spiked through him each time Thanos thrust into him, not going as deep as he could have, but deep enough. Stephen knew his injuries, which couldn't have been fully healed, were torn open again and he felt sick to his stomach with the spikes of pain that spread out like a root system from his cervix. He vaguely remembered watching Donna try to ram a square peg into a round hole in one of those baby puzzle boxes as a kid and being amazed that she actually got it in there, and for some reason that felt like a fitting analogy for this. It fit, but it didn't fit well, and shouldn't have necessarily gone in there just because it could.

He grimaced to himself when he remembered the paint that had been scraped off that wooden peg when their dad had finally managed to get it out (hammer, cursing), and that felt uncomfortably close to Stephen's reality, too. Maybe he wasn't as out of his own head as he thought he was.

When it was over, when Thanos had finished and Stephen felt used, abused, and strangely filled, there was blood on the sheets again, mixing with both their semen, and he stared at it, trying to judge if it was more than last time. Probably; his injuries had been reopened and repeatedly abused. He limped back to his own bed with help from the Cloak, and repeated the same process as last time.

Cleaning himself up, healing as much as he could, painkillers, and delving into the alien anti-biotics available because he was sure as hell not getting an infection for his troubles.

Stephen reminded himself that he had chosen this, that it was (hopefully) a future he knew he might have to choose, and he would make it to the end. He wasn't sure how he might handle the end, to be honest, but he would make it. He was doing as the Ancient One had before him, picking the least evil of futures to ensure the best future.

That didn't mean he had to be happy about being hurt again and again, though. He had no idea how long conception might be, how fertile Thanos was, how much he was with his new organs, how compatible a human and a Titan might be biologically. Obviously, he knew it was possible. He had seen it. But the future didn't give him a precise timeline on that. Soon, he judged, from what he had seen, but he had admittedly not looked at every little detail, as there hadn't been time. He had skimmed each future as fast as he could to find the outcome he had needed, and the small details like that had been lost in the millions of other futures he had searched through.

As the days passed, as he pushed through the pain to work on the farm alongside Thanos, and they resumed the peace and companionship they had forged, he found himself lingering on what had brought him here. He had been going over it over and over in his head, trying to nail that precise moment when the future had changed so subtly that this was the future they had come to, rather than just the one where he handed over the Time Stone to Thanos to save Tony's life. He wasn't sure if he could precisely name it.

Had it been him? Thanos? Tony? Peter? Mantis? Drax? Had Quill slipped up more than he had? He thought and remembered, used that perfect memory of his to analyze it like a piece of data, but he honestly still wasn't sure. Those two futures had been so close together yet so vastly different. He wasn't sure what had brought them to that point, exactly, but he did remember when he realized that it had to be that future and not the one he had selected for them.

He was watching as Thanos stabbed Tony, as he caressed the other man's head and looked at him, watched as Tony gasped, grunted, and bled, and his heart seized as Thanos's hand began to tighten. No. No, this wasn't the future that was supposed to happen. Thanos was supposed to tell Tony he had his respect, that he would wipe out half of humanity, that he hoped they remembered him, and then aim the gauntlet at Tony.

He wasn't supposed to tighten his hold on Tony's head, holding him still as he prepared to deal the finishing blow with the stolen blade.

"Wait. Stop." Stephen called out, struggling to get the words out, heart pounding, body pounding, from being battered, having Peter thrown into him, and being thrown around and held by his throat.

He knew now it was going to take more than he had been hoping for to stop Thanos, and he knew what it had to be. The future he had been aiming for was gone, but they still had one last chance. One last chance to win. One last chance to survive.

Stephen shoved himself up into a sitting position, swallowing hard, feeling the blood oozing from scrapes and cuts, and he fixed his eyes on Thanos.

"Spare his life, and I will give you the Stone." he said, part of him still hoping that it would be enough.

It wouldn't be. It wasn't. Not in the future left to them.

"What is stopping me from using the Reality Stone to change your spell? The Power Stone to overpower you? The Soul Stone to manipulate you?" Thanos asked, his voice a deep rumble.

"Because I can give you something else you want. Your family is gone. Dead, or never to return to you. You want companionship. A family. I can give it to you. Spare his life, and I will hand you the Stone. I will go with you as your consort." Stephen said, shoving himself up to his feet.

"Don't." Tony choked out, blood oozing out his mouth.

Stephen ignored him, locking eyes with Thanos.

"I will be your consort. I will give you what you want. All of it. Just spare his life." he said, lifting his chin.

Thanos gave him an appraising look, looking him over up and down, and Stephen knew this was a risk, because there was the possibility he would be Snapped with the rest of them. That was what happened in the other future. But they were no longer in that future.

"No tricks." Thanos said, still gripping Tony's head, squeezing it to silence him.

Stephen shook his head. He was a master of deals, a master of bargains, and he had had to stop himself from repeating the almost exact same words he had said to Dormammu.

"Swear it." Thanos ordered, and Stephen did.

He knew his fate was sealed them, because the future was going as he had seen, and he was too proud a man to break an oath.

Thanos released Tony and Stephen produced the Stone, sending it over, feeling a pang of regret as he threw away the sacrifices of so many masters before him. But it was the only way.

The Stone clinked into the gauntlet and Thanos was filled with its power, and he was gone, everyone was in shock, and Stephen flew over to Tony, who was looking at him almost dully.

"Why would you do that?" Tony asked, voice gravelly and low with pain and shock.

"We're in the end game now." Stephen said, his voice much the same.

He healed Tony and everyone had shouted and questioned him about the deal, but he could not tell them the future. When everyone was turning to dust, Stephen locked eyes with Tony, regretful, apologetic, knowing he would be hated, knowing how much pain he would cause Tony Stark alone, but knowing the future was ensured.

Tony looked at him, confused, desperate, not understanding, and Stephen gave him the only words he could.

"Tony. It was the only way." he said and then he was gone, not turned to dust but yanked away by the Space Stone, taken to the Garden to wait for his consort.

It was the only way. He had to remind himself of that. The future that was coming would be worth all of this, in the end. All of it. He would not be trapped in this Garden forever. His life would be changed even further than it had been now, but all that mattered was the future. It didn't matter how they had gotten here, just that they were.

But it was a very lonely fight at the moment, and Stephen knew that as nice as the truce he had wrought with Thanos was, that without the Cloak he would be much worse off than he was.

He was grateful for its companionship, and he wrapped it around himself tightly, breathing in its scent, which somehow always managed to smell the same, of home and comfort, and he wondered if that was part of its magic.

He took a deep breath and went outside to join his consort, beginning to work alongside him, and Thanos nodded to him gratefully. They worked together in relative silence and the pain was manageable, an old friend, and Stephen pushed through as he got lost in the work.

He noticed Thanos glancing at him from time to time as they tended the plants and soil, harvesting what was ripe- alien plants didn't seem to obey Earth rules half the time, and of course the magic had had an effect on them- and Stephen felt words lingering on his tongue, words he wanted to say but held back for now.

Those words came a few days later, working in the fields again, Stephen landing lightly behind his consort, casting the Cloak off because of the warmth of the day.

"What do you think of me?" he asked, staring at Thanos's back.

The Titan paused and glanced over his shoulder, studying Stephen for a moment.

"In what context, wizard?" he asked.

"In any context. I am your consort, and yet I was your enemy. What am I to you? A toy? A means to an end? An enemy you're keeping an eye on? Something else?" Stephen asked and Thanos straightened.

"I am not sure you would necessarily like the answer to that." he said, walking over.

"You won't hurt my feelings, if that's what you're worried about." Stephen said patiently.

"I could ask you the same question, wizard, and I believe your answer would be no different than mine. Must we do this?" Thanos said, cupping his chin gently.

"We might as well settle it now." Stephen said and he had no idea why he was even asking.

If the future ended how he was sure it would, this held no weight. But just in case it didn't, he did want to know, and it was human nature to be curious. Though his curiosity had gotten him in trouble more than once.

"You are my consort. A companion. Do not expect me to love you, or cherish you. But you earned my respect on Titan, wizard, for more reasons than one. I am fine to keep the peace between us." Thanos said, tilting his chin up and raising a brow, clearly indicating that it was Stephen's turn.

"I will never love you either. But I will not leave you. You are my consort and a companion."

"Do you hate me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I do not think I need to answer that. But hate is something I have learned to live with and see past, and you will see no results from that aside from some brief temper every now and then." Stephen said, because oh, he did hate Thanos.

He hated him for thinking that his way was the only way to fix the universe. Hated him for making a decision for billions of living beings, and for genocide and mass murder. For taking the Stones, for hurting people Stephen cared about, for bringing about such a delicate, difficult, and dangerous future. But he could set his hate aside and live with the Mad Titan. He could forge a truce, as they already had, and abide by it, even if some days it raked at his skin.

Thanos nodded and released him, and then glanced back as he started to work again.

"I am not the kindest being. That is something I can acknowledge. But I never intend to harm you. It is not purposeful." he said and Stephen took a moment to register that.

For a moment, he wanted to laugh. If Thanos truly didn't want to hurt him by having sex with him, he wouldn't do it at all. Was Thanos an abuser? Because that sounded like something an abuser would say, didn't it? Thanos wanted children, and the only way to achieve that was penetration that harmed Stephen. Stephen supposed he could probably devise a method, however crude and an inelegant, magical or not magical, to conceive without the need for sex, but he didn't like the idea of experimenting like that, and his resources were limited in some areas. He knew Thanos would continue to have sex with him until children were conceived.

It was something Stephen had agreed to, and he was grateful that it was not forced and that he was an active participant, even if it was harmful to him. He had agreed to it, to this, knew it would happen, but part of him was now questioning the real issue of consent here. Was he truly consenting? It had been his suggestion for Thanos to take him as a consort, his suggestion that he give the Titan children, his direction that had altered his body. Or was his consent questionable, because of the circumstances under why he had made the arrangement? A good lawyer might be able to tell him, but it didn't really matter.

As far as Stephen was concerned, he was consenting, and there was no gray area. Another part of him taunted him, teasing that he might have just been protecting himself with a pretty lie. He told those thoughts to shut up.

He said nothing to Thanos and went back to work. In another life, he might have been happy like this, if the circumstances were vastly different. It was certainly peaceful here. But alone from his loved ones and not running around doing his duties as Master of the New York Sanctum and the potential new Sorcerer Supreme, he did feel a sense of longed and boredom. It was not this life he would be happy here in.

He shook his head and continued to work. The next time Thanos took him to bed went a bit differently than normal. Stephen still wasn't completely healed, though he was better healed than last time, and when Thanos made to climb on top of him, Stephen pushed a hand against his broad chest.

"No." he said, and Thanos's expression was unreadable.

"We're trying something else. Psychological and hormonal states also play a part in conception, at least in humans. It isn't going to happen after we have sex twice. But it might be better if I... Was more comfortable." Stephen said, his voice full of authority but his words chosen carefully.

Part of him feared Thanos would not like this. But the Titan sat back and gestured, giving Stephen permission to take charge, and, for lack of better words, Stephen felt back in his element.

Not that being in charge was completely important to him in a sexual situation, but right now the control came as a relief, a comfort, of sorts, and if there was a way to figure this out, to have enough penetration to guarantee the possibility of conception but not hurt Stephen so much, he was going to do it.

It took some figuring out. Stephen had been with his fair share of men and women before, and had had sex with Thanos twice, but he was new to having a vagina, and understanding the mechanics of things and actually having to figure of them for yourself... Well, it was awkward. In his defense, he was still new at it, and he was still hurt. Luckily both he and Thanos appeared to be patient, though Stephen did get a little snappy when Thanos tried to offer advice.

It wasn't like the Titan had any better knowledge in this than he did. But after some awkward experimenting, Stephen found a position that was not one hundred percent great but most certainly better, easing things on his body. He tensed, expecting what had happened the last two times as he held onto Thanos, the Titan's hands holding him close to his chest as Stephen sat in his lap. It wasn't the best, but it was better, and the pain was manageable, Stephen saying instructions when need be.

When it was over, Stephen was sore and bleeding a little, but not as much as last time, not nearly as much, and he took a deep breath. Still, he went through his usual routine of sleeping, cleaning himself, healing what he could, and taking medicine. He felt a sense of relief, though, that he had found a way for it to be tolerable, easier on him, and he knew it would never be entirely without pain, but at least this... This he could live with.

Chapter Text

The farm was flourishing. Stephen stood on the porch as the sun rose over the mountains, shining down into the valley where the Garden sat, and admired the fruits of his labor, far better than Thanos would have been able to achieve on his own.

He still felt irony in the fact that he had run fast and far from the farm only to end up here, back on a farm, and enjoying it like he hadn't by his teenaged years. Of course, there wasn't much else to enjoy.

It was early enough that Thanos was still asleep, but at Kamar-Taj, Stephen had learned to rise early, and even here, he still couldn't fully shake the habit. Today, he just wanted some time working by himself.

Five and a half months, if his calculations were right, if he had kept track of time on his watch correctly, or at least the time back on Earth. Well, a little over five and a half months, because there were some odd days in there, and despite his pride in his work, in the farm, Stephen felt a deep pang in his heart.

Loneliness again, and longing. Thanos kept him well enough company, with the truce they had reached that had been companionship, but it wasn't a friendship. It was... Stephen flipped through his vast vocabulary, through metaphors and the like, and he decided to describe it as something similar to an arranged marriage. At least what he had seen portrayed in books and on TV, and not the cheesy romances that ended in love.

Maybe they would learn to be partners in the coming months, but it really didn't matter, in the end. Not if the future he had seen was true.

Stephen flew with the Cloak off the steps and landed lightly before the fields, sweeping it off his shoulders as he began to walk through the fields. He brushed his hands across the dew-laden leaves and breathed in the scents of the soil, growing things, the fruits, the flowers. He could almost convince himself that it was Kamar-Taj if he closed his eyes, but it wasn't, and that pang grew.

He couldn't wallow in it. Honestly, he was afraid if he did, he might never come out of it, and that was not something he could afford. Not if...

Shaking his head, Stephen began to work. Water, weed, stir the soil, pluck dead leaves, everything that needed to be tended to. At some point, Thanos woke up, and discovered him in the field, working hard, sweating despite the coolness of the early morning.

"Why are you working so early?" he asked curiously, Stephen having heard him approach.

"I needed something to do. It needed to be done, anyway." Stephen replied, not looking up.

He went back to work and ignored the invitation for breakfast; he wasn't hungry. Thanos was clearly annoyed, but he had learned in this almost half year that Stephen was stubborn and headstrong, and refused to bend or break any more than he had to.

Stephen wiped sweat off his forehead and kept working, diving into the work like he had as a surgeon and sorcerer, trying to bury his emotions beneath distractions, and he pushed himself too hard. Again.

Well, not exactly again, because it had been months since it had been a direct result of his foolish actions, but his hands spasmed and while it wasn't as bad as the first time Thanos had seen it, it still hurt. Stephen stopped when his shaking, spasming hang ripped a leaf off a thick stalk and peeled off some of the skin on the stem, exposing the wet, juice-filled inside to the world.

"Fuck!" he swore, angry at himself for being stupid, angry at himself doing that.

He got up and resisted the urge to hurl his tool into the ground like a child, taking a few deep breaths. He stormed out of the field, not going back to the house, and the Cloak followed him, but knew better than to settle on him when he was as hot and flushed as he was. He went to the shallow waterfall pool he used to wash in sometimes and stripped off his clothes, sliding into the water. It felt like ice today against his flushed skin and he was sat on the rock he had discovered functioned as a handy seat, the water slow and cool.

He was glad it was shallow, or he knew he wouldn't have been able to go any deeper. He was better about water now than he had been as a child and teenager, but swimming in deeper water was something he couldn't push himself to do, didn't want to do, though looking at it one way that was stupid, because you could just as easily drown in a few inches of water as you could a few feet.

Fear wasn't rational, however, and Stephen laid back in the water, letting it flow over his skin as he stared at the cloud-dotted sky.

The chill of the water helped numb his hands and he stared at the sky, trying not to get lost in those thoughts and feeling. His body ached. His hands, his insides. There was an ache in his heart, too. And it hadn't even been half a year, but part of Stephen was tired. Just tired. He wanted to close his eyes and wake up in four and a half years and find that the future he had fought for had come about.

He also felt disgusted with himself, because he had survived decades against Dormammu, but this was what was threatening to break him. If he could survive that, if he could push through that, why couldn't he do this? He had bargained again, and now he was living the deal he had a made. He would survive and the world would be better for what he had done, even if it didn't seem like that now.

He had hit lows while facing Dormammu, admittedly, lows like this. Despair and depression, and the Cloak had pulled him through it. Stephen vaguely realized that the difference between this and Dormammu, aside from a time loop, was he had been actively fighting Dormammu, and in this situation, he had to bide his time.

That helped, a little, and he did not protest when the Cloak drifted over, gently brushing its hem over his cheek.

He stayed in the water until he was chilled to the bone, until his hands were numb and so were the rest of the aches save for the one in his heart. He sensed Thanos before he saw him, before the Cloak even reacted, and he didn't give a damn.

"Need something?" Stephen asked as he stood in the sun, letting it dry his body somewhat before he redressed.

The Cloak drifted in front of him, acting as a screen, but it wasn't like Stephen's modesty mattered any longer. Thanos had already seen everything he had to offer.

"You were gone for some time." Thanos said and Stephen wondered if he had worried he had run.

"I just needed to cool off. Time to myself." Stephen said, keeping his voice neutral.

Despite his best efforts, that loneliness and longing was creeping in again. He was in no mood to talk with his consort, and in no mood for how the night might go.

"I will walk with you." Thanos said, and Stephen rolled his eyes.

He redressed without waiting on the sun, his clothing sticking to his wet skin, and he began to walk with Thanos.

The Titan was watching him, he noted, rather intently, and Stephen glanced up at him.

"What?" he demanded sourly.

"You are behaving strangely today."

" 'Strangely', huh?" Stephen asked, because he had heard all the jokes before.

"More of how you were when we first arrived." Thanos clarified, not taking the bait or not noticing.

Stephen took a deep breath.

"I am just having a bad day." he said, which was not quite right, but he hoped Thanos would leave it at that.

"Is it your hands?" Thanos asked, glancing down at them.

Stephen thought briefly of what he knew of Nebula, how Thanos had systematically removed parts of her body with cybernetic pieces, and he wondered if Thanos was considering the possibility with him.

"They hurt, yes, but not like that." Stephen said, gritting his teeth. "I am allowed to have emotions and to feel them, as well as not to share them with you. Consorts we may be, but I did not pledge every thought in my head to you."

"You miss it, don't you? Your old life." Thanos said abruptly, looking down at him.

His strides could have easily left Stephen behind, but he walked slowly for Stephen's sake, only requiring him to lengthen his stride somewhat to keep pace with the Titan.

"Yes. You know that." Stephen said levelly.

Silence fell between them and Stephen wondered if he had offended Tanos somehow, if the Titan hated that he was thinking of his old life and missing it. Mostly, aside from home, Stephen missed the people. Wong. Hamir. Sara. Tina. All the students and masters he had taken for granted in knowing, in seeing almost every day. He also, for some reason he could not explain other than he had seen so many futures with them, missed people he had never truly met. And now some of them were gone, at least, gone for now, and he had to have hope of that the future would bring them back.

Tony Stark, Pepper Potts, Peter Parker, a good chunk of the Avengers... He felt a pang for them as well, for the ones he would have known in other futures, for the ones he felt as if he already knew even though he didn't. It was bizarre feeling, and something he planned to keep to himself, no matter what the future brought. It did not feel fair to the people he knew in this way but did not know him, which was stupid, but that was how it felt.

"I understand how you feel." Thanos said and Stephen eyed him.

Neither of them said anything, however. Neither of them continued the subject. Neither of them was willing to give. So they walked back to the farm in silence, and Stephen forced himself to eat even though he was not hungry. Thanos gave him the rest of the day to be lost in his emotions, and left him alone as well. Stephen did not even make the suggestion as he did half the time.

No, he merely curled in his bed with the Cloak, and cried silently into its folds.

As the days progressed, they worked on the farm, they kept each other company, and Stephen occasionally explored the surrounding area. The nights and sometimes days were punctured by sex every so often, though Thanos had accepted that Stephen needed to heal when he was hurt.

Stephen, however, began to feel... Off. His appetite vanished and he felt sick to his stomach, though he didn't throw up more than once or twice. He began to suspect, but it wasn't the first time something in the Garden would have made him sick; the only way to learn what he may and may not be able to consume or be stung or bitten by was experience, and it had happened before. So he gave it time and kept his mouth shut, but the feelings persisted, the symptoms, and there was no denying it, really. He knew now that it had worked, that after all the months of effort, he was finally pregnant.

There was a mixture of relief in terror in that, even if that had been the end goal here. He felt as though an ancient clock had begun to tick, knocking off dust and rust, and slowly ticked as the future began to move forward again. But despite being certain it had worked, Stephen kept it to himself. Just for now. Because he really did not know yet, had no idea how to tell how far along he was. It had to be early yet. A month, he was guessing. It was too early. There was the chance for loss, the chance he was mistaken. Despite possessing functioning female reproductive organs, Stephen had lacked a period, and that had concerned him for multiple reasons. It turned out there had been no need to worry about it after all.

What he did was mark the day he had first noticed symptoms against the days they had sex, and began the wait to see what happened.

He was sure there was a spell that could confirm it for him, but he didn't know it. There had been no need for him to know it and since he had not pursued being an actual healer, it was not something he had needed. Now he felt irritated for not learning it, but there wasn't anything he could do about it now. So, wait it was, and doing his best to hide it all from Thanos, just in case.

It was a good thing that his morning sickness wasn't always in the morning, and was not particularly bad. He forced himself to eat so Thanos would not question it and waited, the symptoms persisting, reaffirming the fact that he was indeed pregnant. And though this had been the goal, Stephen found himself reluctant to share the news with his consort.

Selfishly, he wanted to keep it to himself for just a bit longer, for it to be his and his alone. If the future came as he hoped, Thanos would have no claim on their children and he would not need to worry about anything like that, but it being his and his alone was something that Stephen liked. And the first trimester was always the trickiest. If there was going to be a loss, it would likely come in the first twelve weeks. If Thanos asked, Stephen could just say he was waiting just in case.

Somehow, he managed to get away with it, and managed to convince Thanos that he needed more time to rest this time, to let the injuries heal more than previous times, just to be safe. He spewed out his best doctor talk (all of it true) and Thanos grudgingly accepted it; a broken, scarred, or even dead consort would not get him what he wanted.

But Stephen couldn't get away with it for long. Around his estimated seventh or eighth week, roughly, he was bathing, and he noticed something. He was a healthy man, and that hadn't changed since his arrival in the Garden. If anything, he was more healthy than he had ever been, injuries from sex none withstanding.

But there was a visible bump on his abdomen, a noticeable curve and rounding, and Stephen cautiously explored it. His clothes hadn't been fitting as usual for the past two weeks or so, something he had attributed to bloating and such, but this was much more than bloating. No, he was showing already. Which meant... Which could mean a few fucking things, actually.

He was much further alone than he had thought, he was carrying multiples, or, Vishanti forbid, he hadn't seen the future quite like he had thought and a half Titan, half human child was enormous. This was not a detail he had seen, exactly. He hadn't looked thoroughly at each future, after all, and he knew and Thanos would have multiple children, could have multiple children is this was not the future he had seen... But he had not considered those multiple children being multiples. That was terrifying, to be honest. Stephen had been prepared for one baby, one child first, but more than one was something that made his chest tighten and he had to take several deep breaths.

On the other hand, it was also terrifying that there was the possibility that the baby could be too big for him- It happened with humans, after all, and always required a C-section. But if it wasn't multiples and he was showing already, that was not good. He knew from Thanos that the Titan gestation period aligned with humans. Forty weeks. If the child was enormous, Stephen could not imagine himself surviving until the end of it. He had not seen that possibility, but the Ancient One had told him he had endless possibilities, and he had looked at millions of futures, but he had not looked at them all.

So it was likely multiples. Twins, at least. Stephen rested his shaky hand on the small bump, still small enough that his own hands more or less covered it and thought about it. It overwhelmed him a little, stole his breath, but he took a deep breath. Because if it was two (he would not venture beyond twins right now), then he might not have to bear anymore if this was the proper future. There was a relief in that, as well.

The Cloak noticed what he was doing, had noticed him notice the bump, and it wrapped around, a warm comfort that Stephen needed right now. He took a deep breath and then another. It took him the rest of the day to generally calm down, and he knew he would have to tell Thanos soon.

He told him the next night, when he knew the Titan was going to ask if he was ready, and caught him in a conversation first, the conversation he had warned himself about having before.

They were not yet in Thanos's room, instead sitting in chairs as they often did after the evening meal, the gauntlet a presence humming with energies at Stephen's back, and he watched his consort. He had managed to use a magical scan on himself and confirm that yes, he was pregnant, and yes, it was twins. At least as far as the scan showed, but it was early yet, judging by the size of the fetuses curled together in his womb.

"I know how you treated your children. Ebony Maw, Cull Obsidian, Proxima Midnight, Corvus Glaive, Nebula... Gamora." Stephen said abruptly, and it certainly caught Thanos's attention.

The Titan's gaze narrowed, and Stephen knew he was walking dangerous grounds.

"What of it?"

"I want you to swear to me now that no child of our blood together will suffer what any of them suffered." Stephen said, keeping the words abuse and neglect and slavery off his tongue.

Thanos studied him.

"Why are you asking for this oath?"

"Because I don't want our children thrown off cliffs or having their body parts replaced or trained to be soldiers or believing they can never be good enough, or anything else you taught the Black Order and your daughters. I want them to live. I want you to cherish them. Cherish them how you never allowed yourself to even cherish Gamora. You will never show them cruelty or anything like that." Stephen said and he had hit a chink in Thanos's armor, so to speak. He pushed on, staring down his consort, unwavering. "This is your second chance, Thanos. You won't get any more do-overs. And regardless of the oaths I have made, if you mistreat our children, I will show you my full power."

"Very well. You have my oath." Thanos said, more quickly than Stephen had been expecting, and Stephen gave a sharp nod.

When Thanos inevitably asked him if he was well enough, Stephen was ready for it.

"No." he said and rose before Thanos could say anything.

Stephen swirled the Cloak off his shoulders and walked over to his consort, and he supposed he had a flair for the dramatic, didn't? He opened his robes and shirt, and took Thanos's enormous hand. Though he was loathe to do it, he rested it on the small bump, covering his entire stomach, and it took Thanos a moment to catch on.

Then he did, realizing it wasn't just weight Stephen had gained, and he looked up at him questioningly.

"Yes." Stephen confirmed, adding, "Twins."

The Titan actually smiled, smiled in a way that Stephen had not seen before. The smile you might expect from someone who wanted children to be told they were going to have them. It made him strangely human, strangely different, and he shifted his hands until he was holding Stephen gently by the hips, examining his middle.

"You have my thanks, sorcerer." he said, which was frankly on odd thing to tell the consort you had knocked up, but Stephen just nodded in response.

This was a set point in the future, he knew, without even touching the Time Stone. There was truly no going back now.

Chapter Text

Thanos was an attentive consort, Stephen had to admit, but he also respected the boundaries Stephen set, at least.

The Titan seemed determined to make sure Stephen wanted for nothing, in his own way, and inquired about the pregnancy. It was irritating, to be honest, but at least he wasn't fussing. Still, Stephen declared he did not want many changes beyond what they already had, though he knew some changes would be made. Thanos respected him enough to give that.

There was touching without permission, just cupping the growing swell of Stephen's middle, and as much as he preferred not to be touched, he allowed it, did not snap at Thanos to ask permission before he did so. He did not think Thanos would stop even if he asked, but at least there was usually some kind of warning.

The morning sickness got a bit worse and Stephen was discovering already there were certain foods he had to avoid, which was annoying. He suffered from nausea, bloating, loss of appetite, even a bit of lost weight, all things typical of pregnancy. He made notes as best as he could, using some sort of alien tablet Thanos found in the supplies, and he was grateful for that.

He was going to catalogue as much of this as he could, so he would know just in case things proved abnormal for a typical human pregnancy but turned out to be just fine for a hybrid one. At least on the tablet he could type, which made it easier on his hands.

Working on the farm was something he kept up with, because it was perfectly fine, even with twins, and Vishanti knew that sooner rather than later he would probably get too big to do much of this work comfortable. And the future was in motion now. The future was in motion, and he had to wait rather than guide, and he wanted to be prepared.

The Avengers, or rather what was left of them, would come. Once Thanos destroyed the Stones, they would come, and then in a few years the end goal would come. If they could do it. It would be different than the future he had originally wanted, but if Stephen bided his time and kept to the side, nudged and guided as the Ancient One had, it would still work out. He was still terrified this was the wrong future, though. He had seen multiple children with Thanos as a possibility, after all. More than two. But he had also seen the Avengers coming, and he just hoped this was that particular possibility of this future. That this was that future. If it was not, if he had not managed to guide them to that second possibility... Stephen did not allow himself to focus on that right now.

There would be much more hated directed at him than if he had merely turned to dust with the rest of them. The world would know some way or another that Stephen Strange had handed over the Time Stone and allowed Thanos to obtain them all. Those coming would resent him for standing by and allowing Thanos to destroy the Stones rather than stopping him. He would be hated for bearing the children of Thanos.

He would deal with it. There was a better future coming, and he clung to that. He also found himself drawing strength from the Ancient One and the knowledge that similar things had been done by her, things had been endured and moved past, even if it took a long time. His old teacher was being a greater source of strength than he had expected during this, but Stephen took what he could get.

Thanos might not have been too fussy, but that Cloak... Well, the Cloak was a whole other story.

It stayed even closer than usual to him, always a constant even if he had decided to forgo it for the time being, and it also very much liked to feel his growing belly. Even if there was nothing to feel, even if Stephen himself wouldn't feel movement until sixteen weeks at the earliest, and he let it. It was much kinder about it than Thanos, and the Cloak was his faithful companion. He knew even if no one else did, it would care deeply for his children. His children would have a protector and companion no matter what happened.

At ten weeks (or what he took to be ten weeks), Stephen made the frustrating discovery that his pants no longer fit. He couldn't close the button at the waist, and before they had been digging into him uncomfortably, but now even that wasn't possible. His shirt wasn't fitting too great either, but it was easier to fashion a shirt from Thanos's cast-offs or extras than it was pants. Stephen had no skill at sewing aside from stitches, even if he could handle a needle, and spells that might alter things were going to take a little time to figure out. The most irritating thing about this discovery was the fact that the pants had fit yesterday.

Sighing to himself, Stephen wrapped himself in his robe and began to work out the spells he needed to be properly clothed, though the paradise-like Garden so far had stayed mostly warm and pleasant, and he probably could have walked around naked without Thanos doing more than blinking an eye. He was not comfortable with that, however, nor did he want to merely call it quits and use Thanos's clothing as a dress or something. He would not be comfortable that way, so alteration spells it was.

Stephen spent most of his day figuring out things and practicing. He had mended his clothes on occasion with spells and changed his clothing with a wave of his hand, but this was different. Still, he might be able to use the same base for the spell. A lot of similar ones shared those. Thanos came and checked on him, wondering why Stephen was not working as he usually, did, and he frowned when he saw the magic.

"What are you doing?" he asked, curious.

They were beyond the point where Thanos suspected any spell he did might be breaking his vow.

"I need clothes." Stephen answered, carefully weaving the magic.

"You could have merely-"

"I need clothes that fit. Pants, mostly, at the moment." Stephen said and would have gestured at his middle if he had had a hand free. "Half human, half Titan twins means I am going to get pretty big, and quickly, too. I need to figure this out for the future, and I would appreciate not being interrupted. This is not the sort of thing that is easy."

Thanos said nothing else and left it to him. By the end of the day, Stephen had done what he had set out to accomplish, though he would need practice. His work was sloppy, but at least he had figured it out and didn't have to walk around naked, in his robe, or with his pants hanging open. He would get better. He was a quick learner once he got the basics down, and he promised himself to pay more attention to those little spells if- when- he got back to Kamar-Taj.

Thanos did not suggest sex tonight. No, they had accomplished what they had been doing that for, and he agreed with Stephen that it might not be the best. The injury and stress it put on Stephen, even though they had figured it out to be better than it had originally been, would not be good for him or their children.

The next morning, Stephen was back to work in the fields, and in the evening he was practicing his spells. He was determined to keep up this routine for as long as he could, and exercise and fresh air- not that the Garden has anything to offer aside from fresh air- would be good for all three of them.

Some days, though, he found his eyes straying to the gauntlet, to the Time Stone, and part of him itched to take the Stone and check that they were indeed in the future he believed them to be in. He could not and would not, however, no matter how much it burned in his mind, and he wished he had been able to speak to the Ancient One more about the Eye and the Stone. Sure, Wong had provided a lot of information, but no one else had ever wielded it or knew it as well as the Ancient One had. She would have had a lot of advice to give.

Stephen understood why she had not left it anywhere, why she had not told him, but he wished she had been able to. Written him a note, maybe, something, anything, that would have warned him how hard of a burden this was. But she had told him, hadn't she? On that balcony in the snow. He just hadn't realized the weight of it, the true weight of it, until that day on Titan.

One morning, Stephen woke up feeling sicker than he had yet. He barely managed to grab the pot he had been keeping beside his bed before he threw up, chest heaving, stomach clenching and roiling. He threw up again before he had the chance to catch his breath, and it wasn't long before anything left in his stomach was out of it. The Cloak rubbed his back and Stephen groaned quietly.

He was going to need to drink to replace all the fluids he had just lost, but the thought of sticking anything in his mouth made him want to gag, and when Thanos checked on him and proceeded to bring him breakfast, the sheer smell of it made Stephen bring up bile and spit.

"Get out." he spat, the Cloak flaring out protectively.

Thanos obeyed, offering no words, and Stephen was glad. Not that he was currently in any state to do it, but if Thanos had offered words of comfort or anything of the sort, Stephen would have been very tempted to claw his eyes out. It took almost four hours for him to feel better, and he was nauseous from not eating and starving at the same time, which was a combination he hated. Water first, though. As he went to get some, Thanos set a cup down on the table.

"Drink. It should help you feel better." he said, and Stephen peered in the mug, sniffing it cautiously.

"What is it?" he asked.

"An herb that grows on many worlds. Including here, it seems. It calms the stomach. You should be able to ingest it; I have seen many races consume it." Thanos replied and the thoughtfulness seemed rather odd.

The leaves floating in the cup were unfamiliar to Stephen, even from his exploration of the surrounding area, which meant Thanos had traveled rather far to get it for him. Maybe he was already trying to make good on his oath and since their children were currently in Stephen's womb, this was the only thing he could do. Or maybe he merely didn't like sharing a house with someone puking their guts out. Or maybe he hadn't made the trek at all. Maybe he had just used the Reality Stone to create it or the Space Stone to go fetch some. In the end, it didn't matter. Stephen muttered a thank-you and took a cautious sip of the steaming liquid.

It tasted fresh and almost grassy, but not so much he wanted to spit it out. The heat was welcome and the sip was small due to the heat and he was afraid he might bring it back up. When it stayed down, he drank some more, and eventually he had drank the whole cup and nothing had happened.

He nodded to Thanos and got something to eat, and Thanos showed him where he had placed the leftovers, telling him how to prepare it. Stephen filed it away and then went outside, drinking in the fresh air and the sunlight. He checked the fields, but by this point Thanos knew what to do, and he had done it well. Stephen walked and he rubbed his growing belly, thinking of the children inside of him.

He knew they would look different. He had seen them and given the fact their father was a giant purple Titan, it was a given. He turned the images over in his head. They would be... Well, they would be beautiful. By some small mercy, they would look a lot like him rather than Thanos. There would be a certain strength to some of their features Stephen's lacked and their skin would be tinted purple, a lovely shade of lavender. Black hair, gray eyes like his own. The color of their skin would be the biggest visible indicator of their father. Of course, he had only seen them as young children. Things might change when they were older; he had no idea if they would grow too tall or too big to pass as human, or if they would inherit strength and the invulnerability that came from their father.

There would be so many things he wouldn't know. The prospect of fatherhood honestly scared him, more so than it had before. Because now he wasn't waiting, it was coming, and this was not a life he had ever thought he would have. Not even when he had been a surgeon had he considered it. Well, once, in a love-drunk haze with Christine, it had actually felt like a maybe. Something he considered could be a possibility. That had been early on, when they had been convinced they had been right for each other, that they were meant to be more than friends, and Stephen had quickly discarded it after the haze had faded.

They had never talked about it and after his own childhood, his experiences with his parents, Donna and Victor... Hell, he hadn't wanted kids. He hadn't wanted to stick any kids with him either. But here he was, pregnant, sooner rather than later to bring two children into the world, a world that would hate them even without even knowing who their father was. They would be visibly not human, and the world had had a hard enough time accepting the Avengers, who had all been human except for Thor. Wanda Maximoff had been hated for her powers despite being human. Enhanced was a word that had been thrown around. Maybe he had never met her personally, but Stephen had kept up with the news. He had known about the accords and the fallout of that.

He took a deep breath and blew it out through his nose. Wong. Wong would help him. He had seen it, and even if he hadn't, he knew Wong would do it without him even asking. Wong did not judge. People came to Kamar-Taj for so many reasons. People were also born there. His children would have a place there. He just didn't want it to be the only place they had.

And what the hell did he know about being a father? The youngest people he had been in contact with in recent years had been teenagers at Kamar-Taj; sure, the masters had children, but it wasn't like anyone Stephen knew on a personal level had them (at least ones that weren't grown), and he wasn't asked to babysit or interact. He just occasionally heard them crying or saw them in their parents' arms or running around some courtyard. He didn't know what to do. It wasn't like there was a parenting book here in the Garden he could read either.

All he knew was that he did not want to be like his own parents, and he certainly did not want to be like Thanos. Well, he had been a great doctor... No, he had been a good one. As the Ancient One had said, his fear of failure had kept him from greatness. But he was a good sorcerer, at least, and he was learning to let go of that fear whenever it came. It would be the same, wouldn't it? It would be like learning medicine, learning magic. It would take practice and dedication, but he had excelled at both. He would learn.

Stephen blew out another breath and kept walking the fields, compulsively rubbing his belly even though there was nothing to feel. There would be no movement for many more weeks, and even after that he wouldn't be able to feel it outside his womb until later on.

But it made him feel better, for some reason. Reaffirmed that it was real, that the future was moving again. The future was what mattered, despite all the pain he had brought to himself and others. It would be worth it.

Right now, he had to take things one step at a time. There was no point in getting ahead of himself or getting completely lost in the days to come, especially since he did not have quite an exact timeline on when things would happen. The only truly gauge of time he had had as he had skimmed this future was the growing swell of his belly, and his thoughts on that had been off because he had not realized it was twins.

He walked, breathing in the fresh air, and eventually returned home, where Thanos already have the evening meal going. Stephen moved to help him because he was still going to pull his weight around here for as long as he was able and Thanos placed a hand over his belly, making something inside him recoil, but like every other time, it did not show on the outside.

"When they will they move?" Thanos asked curiously after a few long moments.

"Not for at least six more weeks. Ten, more likely." Stephen answered and gently pushed on the Titan's wrist. "I can't work when you do that. It is rather awkward."

Thanos lingered a moment longer, then pulled away, and Stephen went back to helping. There were limits to what he could do, of course, but he and Thanos had it figured out by now, and of course, over the years, Wong had helped Stephen figure a lot out and assisted him.

That made an ache in Stephen's chest appear and he ignored it. He knew the pregnancy was bound to turn him into an emotional mess at some point or another, but he refused for it to be now. For some reason, he didn't want Thanos to see that. Thanos had more questions on pregnancy, and despite the fact he had been an all-powerful warlord with the power of the universe in his hands, Stephen had come to learn quickly the Titan was lacking knowledge in many areas.

Of course, there was no reason for Thanos to know anything about pregnancy or childbirth beyond basics that had been given in whatever form of Titan sex-ed he had had, and of course those were Titans, not humans. Though Stephen was noticing many similarities between their two species in some areas, though there still remained vast differences.

Thanos asked about the scans Stephen performed on himself, gestation, if they would be able to tell the sex of the babies, and so forth, and Stephen wondered if he was genuinely interested or merely just trying to make an effort.

"I can only use human standards, because I am a human, but they are half human, half Titan. Things might be different. If you have any information you can share, I would greatly appreciate it." Stephen finally said, annoyed, as he stacked the bowls in the cabinet.

"I will have to think." Thanos replied, but at least the questions were over for the time being.

The Cloak gave Stephen a comforting squeeze and he ran his fingers along its hem, taking a deep breath. In the morning there was no sickness, but he wasn't trusting that; the deceptive name didn't mean anything. Still, he was up before Thanos and was able to take in the beauty of the morning over the Garden alone, taking in the dew sparkling on the flowers that would close as quickly as they had opened, the morning creatures and light.

Some days, he had to admit, it wasn't so bad here. There was a peace to it that reminded him greatly of Kamar-Taj. But it was also empty and lonely, no morning bells, no one going about morning duties and classes, and the peace could only last so long.

What had Thanos planned to do, if he and all his children had made it here? Live out life in this isolation and peace, without so much as a book to read? Stephen didn't ask, because in the end, it wasn't important. And with his memory, he could close his eyes and skim through pretty much any book he had read, but it wasn't the same as if he were reading himself. The Garden, this decision had taken a lot of little things too, not just his life and his power, but many little choices and actions Stephen had taken for granted until now.

Shaking his head, Stephen went out to get things for breakfast. It reminded him very much of life on the farm during his childhood, of sometimes just stepping out into their backyard garden (yes, even on a farm, they had had that) or even the fields on occasion to get something for a meal, and he found his mind wandering to that old farmhouse, to the people who had once sat around the table in it with him.

What would his parents think of him now? Donna? Victor? If they could see him, if they knew... Not just of his stupid accident, not just of him becoming a Master of the Mystic Arts, but of this? Of giving up the Time Stone and being the reason billions of people had turned to dust, erased neatly? Of giving himself to Thanos as his consort? Of modifying his body so that he, a man, could bear the children of the Mad Titan? Of him being pregnant now?

He didn't know, and he was too scared to want to. He had estranged himself from his parents during medical school, his relationship with Victor had been falling apart long before their dad had died, and Donna had never lived long enough to be more than a kid. He truly didn't know what they would think.

Shaking his head, Stephen picked what was ripe and got breakfast together before Thanos had even woken up, the sweet fruit he had chosen seeming too rich on his tongue this morning, but it didn't make him sick. No, his guessed his sense of taste was already changing, and he wanted to roll his eyes. He was barely into the pregnancy, all things considered, and it was already changing him in so many different ways. He didn't think he was going to enjoy the next few months too much.

That night, laying in his bed and staring up at the dark ceiling, ever so slightly illuminated from the light coming in from his window, Stephen ran his hand over the growing curve of his middle, and a shudder went through him. He couldn't help it. He had made this decision, told Thanos how to modify his body and asked him to do, had known this would happen by his will or the Titan's, but... Suddenly Stephen felt sharply uncomfortable in his own skin.

He had, for most of his life, been comfortable in his own body. After his accident it had been hard, had felt wrong, but that had been different. This was much, much different than that. He was a man, born male, identified as male, had been very happy in his own body and skin. But now... He had just gotten used to having a set of female reproductive organs. And now he was pregnant, his body changing even further, even more drastically, and it felt wrong.

He wasn't sure why it hit now or how to even truly describe it, but the growing swell of his middle felt alien and wrong all of the sudden, the weight and feel of it, because this was not how his body was meant to work. This was not even something had he had entertained as a possibility until he had seen that future. There were spells to do it, ones he didn't know and could be quite difficult and dangerous, and he didn't know them because he had never wanted them.

Now he wondered, after everything was said and done, if this would be able to be undone, or if it was permanent. This was far different from using a spell, this was the result of changing reality with one of the Stones. He doubted it would be able to be undone, and he would be like this for the rest of his life. Something squirmed in the pit of Stephen's stomach at this. He hadn't really thought of it that way, but... He closed his eyes tightly and his fingernails dug into the skin of his stomach, leaving deep crescent impressions.

Telling himself that it was for the future and the future was all that mattered didn't help. He felt a deep sensing of loathing and wondered for a moment if it would have been better to allow Thanos to use force to it, even if the details eluded him, but he quickly dismissed the thought. He knew it wouldn't have been better, it would have been worse, and at least right now, his body was properly equipped to handle what was happening and what would happen.

Still, part of him wanted to step out of his body and he wasn't even sure if he could go into the astral dimension right now, because no one had ever mentioned if it was safe for a pregnant individual. There had been no reason to. Still, Stephen felt close to breaking down in some way all of the sudden and he struck himself in chest, forcing his soul from his body.

For a moment, he was terrified that he was going to be pregnant even with his soul, or worse somehow have two little ones connected to him, but he did not. The relief that went through him made him close his eyes and swallow, and he drifted away from the room, leaving his altered body behind. He couldn't walk, not really, in the astral dimension, but he got close to it, and he took in the Garden by moonlight. He looked up at the sky, at the moons, and drifted through the farm and the surrounding areas, enjoying the feeling of being right in his own skin again. Technically, he wasn't in his skin, but that was beside the point.

He even checked himself and discovered that while his body had been altered, his soul was as it had always been, that for some reason the physical change of female reproductive organs had not carried over, just like injuries didn't. This was even more comforting.

The strange thing about astral projecting was that your body could rest while you did it, even if you spent the whole night drifting around outside your body, showing further separation between body, mind, and soul than Stephen ever could have imagined before arriving in Kamar-Taj.

He spent most of the night wandering on the astral plane, taking in the peace of it, enjoying it, finding some kind of solace. When he eventually returned to his body, Stephen felt calmer, more secure, and he knew he would likely feel this way again, but now, at least he knew how to handle it.

Chapter Text

The weeks dragged on slowly. Morning sickness subsided and Thanos was still attentive, making sure Stephen had the herb that calmed his stomach, preparing whatever meal Stephen had a taste for. He seemed determined to make sure Stephen wanted for nothing he could offer, and Stephen found himself growing annoyed.

He could do these things himself, at least for now. Though he had to admit, he was getting worried. Of course, carrying twins meant he would be bigger than with a single baby, but already he felt huge, and when he looked at the magical projections of the inside of his womb, he realized he was somewhat losing track of the twins' growth by the standards of humans,

They were half Titan, so of course they would be bigger, but Thanos had told him even Titans produced smaller babies when it came to multiples. The issue with that was Titan mothers were meant to carry Titan babies and Stephen... Was not.

He was sitting in the chair he had claimed as his own and was now studying the scan floating in front of him, hands clasped and pressed to his mouth, the Cloak wrapped around him.

He was roughly fourteen and a half weeks, or on either side of that number, and he had been measuring himself and the twins, keeping track, using the device Thanos had given him... Stephen had always had a healthy body weight, a healthy body in general. His weight gain was a bit on the low side at the moment for a twin pregnancy, but throwing up for weeks would do that to you, and he wasn't going to eat until he was sick. His body would tell him what he needed.

No, his issue was that the twins were not on track with human twins in size. They were on track with human singletons. He didn't know what the range was for a healthy full-blooded Titan, and Thanos was not a fountain of pregnancy and fetal knowledge. For human twins, they were on the definite large side. If they kept this up, they would be several pounds bigger than was expected for twins. Possibly in the range of eight pounds each at least, if he wasn't being too hopeful about them keeping human proportions.

He was concerned about the strain that would put on his body, along with how he could carry and birth them. Would they be able to stay in his womb for the allotted time? Or would they come early merely because they ran out of room? He was not opposed to a C-section, it was just a personal preference that he not be cut open to lift the babies from his womb.

Already he was big, roughly on track with the singleton pregnancy six weeks further along than he was. Normal for twins- being the size of singleton pregnancy four to even eight weeks more advanced than your twin one was not unusual, depending on your body type, your general size, size of the babies, thickness of the abdominal wall, tilt of the womb, and so on. Stephen was probably lucky that he cleared six feet and had a healthy body weight. Otherwise, this would be even more worrying than it already was.

It wasn't uncommon for people to be put on bed rest or even become bedridden when carrying multiples for various reasons, and some of them were merely because moving unnecessarily became too much of a strain. Stephen supposed he might be joining those ranks, though he was certain the Cloak would make moving easier for him.

It already did without much of a thought, lifting his feet off the ground when he was injured so he wouldn't have to limp, taking weight off him when he was struggling for whatever reason. This wouldn't be too much to ask.

He dropped his hands and ran the Cloak's hem through his fingers, the other going instinctively to his belly. He had seen pregnant women plenty of times and watched TV shows and movies, and he had always thought it strange how often they had at least one hand on their middle. Now, Stephen was learning it was almost instinctual, a natural place for his hands to go when he wasn't using them, especially if he was sitting.

It also offered a sort of comfort he could not explain, a reassurance that the babies were there and safe. He loved his children. He could not deny that. He loved his children and feeling them growing in him, even if they were not moving in a way he could feel yet, was reassuring. It probably had quite a bit to do with hormones, but he didn't care.

Stephen watched as they twitched on the scan, Baby A sucking already while Baby B twitched in a way that probably wouldn't feel good for him soon, and the Cloak fluttered.

Two daughters. He could read a sonogram as well as any doctor, and he could clearly see now that they were both girls, and likely identical. So, twins was a fluke, almost, an egg splitting rather than Thanos's sperm having much to do with it. This was all the doing of Stephen's body.

He was not feeling too happy about that right now, but when did he ever do anything without giving it his all? He smiled a bit wryly to himself at that, but even that humorous thought didn't last long.

It didn't change the fact that the babies might get too big to fit inside of him before the pregnancy was even over and that could lead to so many complications. Ruptures, tears... Stephen found himself going over it all in his head and he didn't want to linger on it, but he wanted to be prepared. Even if the future likely would not have him giving birth here, that he would likely be in Kamar-Taj or somewhere else where magic and medical care would be available to him. Unless the future was wrong. That always wriggled in his mind, no matter what he did.

Thanos came in while he was gazing at the scan and thinking, trying to mentally prepare himself for what could be in his future, and he paused when he saw what Stephen was doing.

"You look troubled, wizard." he said, looking away from the magic.

"I am troubled." Stephen said honestly, rubbing his belly.

"Is something wrong?"

"They're too big. Or they might be. Will likely be." Stephen said and nearly sighed when he saw Thanos's blank look.

Clearly, the Titan saw nothing wrong with the real size of their children being displayed in a magical hologram in the air. They could easily fit in one of his hand's, both of them, at the moment.

"Too big for me. Human twins are small. These two are on track with human singletons, and the average size of a single baby versus twin is somewhat dramatic for a reason. If they get too big to fit in my womb, I could suffer a rupture or a tear, and they would have to be delivered too early." Stephen explained, deciding to be blunt.

Thanos's expression was unreadable and Stephen saw his eyes flick to the gauntlet and the Stones softly glowing there. Clearly, he was wondering if he should use the Stone to change reality again. If this was the right future, then there would be no need. If it wasn't...

"We will give it a few more weeks before coming to that." Stephen said, following his gaze.

He did not point that if Thanos let him use the Time Stone, he would know, but he did not dare suggest that. He also almost completely certain this was the right future, but the fact it had so suddenly shifted to this from the one he had been fighting for had him rattled, even if he didn't want to admit it. He had to have faith. Again, he wondered what the Ancient One might have said to him, if she had gotten the chance. He shoved that thought away.

"Can you tell, wizard?" Thanos asked and Stephen tipped his head.

"Tell what?" he asked.

"What they are."

Stephen thought to lie, but if Thanos really studied to closely, he would be able to tell himself, so there was no point.

"Girls. Both of them." Stephen said and something changed in Thanos's expression.

Stephen did not know what it was; they did not know each other well enough for him to know everything, especially it was almost entirely hidden. But he wondered if, after Gamora, girls were something Thanos wanted. This made Stephen's hand tighten on his belly for a moment, thinking of what the Mad Titan might do to rid himself of children he did not want, or how he might resort to the Reality Stone to solve his problems.

But he knew he did not need to truly worry of that, it was just a thought, an instinct, something that was so naturally human. Thanos came over and reached down, cupping Stephen's middle.

"Daughters." he murmured, and there was pain, grief, and even longing in his voice.

The twins stirred but neither of them could feel it, and after a long minute or two, Thanos removed his hand.

"We will have to think of suitable names for them." Thanos decided and Stephen gave a nod.

Hopefully, though, Thanos would have no say in what they were named.

He banished the scan and heaved himself up, deciding to go out in the fields. He worked for a bit, having already snapped at Thanos for worrying over him about working, and he was a bit uncomfortable after doing that for a bit, but it also had taken his mind off things.

And that was how the weeks passed. Stephen asserting some dominance and establishing more boundaries and such (like he could still do things for himself), Thanos eventually agreeing. They worked the farm and spent their quiet evenings together, and the babies continued to grow. Healthy, on track, and making those worries nag in Stephen's head. But soon, he knew for certain this was the proper future, because one evening, as they sat together, Thanos looked at the gauntlet.

"Are you certain now you will not need the assistance of the Reality Stone?" he asked and Stephen practically felt his ears prick.

"I can not be certain yet." he said with honesty, but he knew what Thanos was thinking now.

"You will let me know as soon as you are." he said firmly, the first order he had actually given Stephen.

"Why?" Stephen asked, pressing, because he had to know, he had to be certain.

"Can you not tell me that even now you are not tempted to use the Time Stone, wizard? I know you must have used it many times before, you and your people." Thanos said, looking him over.

"It was part of the duties of the Masters of the Mystic Arts to protect the Time Stone and the future. The Sorcerer Supreme before me did what she was charged with and yes, we both used the Time Stone as we needed." Stephen replied and Thanos nodded to himself.

"I will admit that your masters likely used it more wisely than most, but that does not change things." he said and would not elaborate, but Stephen knew the.

Thanos was going to destroy the Stones. Perhaps it was the life of his offspring and not Stephen's that he valued, but only when he was sure would he destroy them. Stephen could have lied and set the future in motion faster, but he did not want to stray from the future he had seen. He was almost certain this was the right future now.

So he waited and the twins grew, his body changing steadily and drastically. By seventeen weeks, Stephen looked and felt like he was twenty-three weeks along with a singleton, if not more, and the swell of his belly was changing how he did things already. Kneeling down on the ground or bending to work in the fields was getting awkward and so was getting up. His body was feeling less like his own by the day.

The aches and pains of pregnancy were annoying, to say the least, and so was needing to relieve himself a little more frequently already. He was starting to gain weight at an acceptable rate now, however, everything beginning balance out, and he began counting down the days. Not until the twins were do but until Thanos destroyed the Stones.

Three more weeks. Three more weeks and his time in the Garden would come to an end. He would have to face those who came, but he would be going home. There was a fair amount coming his way upon returning, upon meeting those who came, but he was certain he would be able to handle it. He knew who was gone in Kamar-Taj, but right now, Stephen worried of what reality would really be like when he had to face it. It would be hard, he knew, but he lived with the knowledge that they would come back. In a few short years, those who had been turned to dust would be back, and it wouldn't be entirely all right, but a wrong would have been righted.

He prepared himself silently. He also prepared himself for the possibility that this future would go wrong, that a foolish misstep would launch them further from what he had aimed for, but if Thanos destroyed the Stones, he would have no weapon, and there was no way he could fight off everyone who came.

But if he did not destroy the Stones and Nebula gave up the Garden (if she actually knew the location), if they came before the Stones were gone... Stephen lay awake at night, cradling his belly protectively, thinking of that future he had seen, where the Stones were not destroyed and he built pyres for the fallen, because even Carol Danvers and Bruce Banner could succumb to the power of the united Stones. Where he continued to be Thanos's consort and birthed him a new family, a second chance.

Stephen prepared and did not let Thanos see, going for long walks when the work on the farm got a bit troublesome for him, and Thanos granted him his solace, as his consort put it. Stephen often went to the waterfall pool and sat on a rock, taking in the peace and relative aloneness, because between the Cloak and the twins, he was never alone.

Today, however, he was hot and aching, and he stripped off his clothes, sliding into the cold water. It felt wonderful on his heated skin, and he discovered he was more buoyant than he had been, but he didn't go very deep and managed to get that inconvenience under control. He let the water cool him down and gazed at the sky before closing his eyes.

Despite his anticipation, he was not looking forward to the arrival of the ragtag band of heroes. He did not want to have to justify himself or defend himself to them. He knew that Natasha Romanoff would understand. She had been trained to use her body against her targets, after all, and Stephen had more or less done the same. She might have been sterilized and never had to go through this, but there would be sympathy there, understanding, no harsh words or hate. Carol Danvers would not say much either way, but she would not hate him. Nebula was something beyond his understanding for the time being. Thor would be unpredictable. Steve Rogers, James Rhodes, and Bruce Banner, however, would be absolute. The talking racoon as well, though Stephen had not lingered on that, to be honest.

It would not be a fun trip back to Earth, in short, nor would what awaited him there be. But he would get through it and he would go home to Kamar-Taj, and he would defend himself as necessary. But really, did he need to defend himself? In less than five years they would know.

He took a deep breath and enjoyed the time and the day, letting his mind drift, and sometimes he admittedly felt like his sanity was slipping. His desire to speak to the Ancient One about what he had done and seen and everything else kept rearing up, and he was starting to imagine conversations with her, trying to figure out what she might have said to him.

He did not really need it, though. He knew she would have understood from her words on that balcony alone, and the feeling he was starting to be left with, like her ghost was lingering around him again as it had after she had first died, was a comfort.

He should probably talk to someone about that. He probably should have been talking to someone about a lot of things a while ago, come to think of it, especially after Dormammu and the Ancient One's death, but he wasn't sure if he would ever be able to find a psychiatrist, even in this day and age, who would believe everything. Kamar-Taj did their best, but Kamar-Taj was too close to home. Maybe the Avengers would have someone at their disposal... If they were willing to even offer him that.

He wouldn't linger on that now. One thing at a time. He wasn't even entirely sure Thanos would yet destroy the Stones, thereby bringing the Avengers to them. He drifted in the water for a while, the Cloak keeping guard, and as he drifted, he felt a strange sensation deep within him.

Fluttering, like a wing beating against him (which is slightly disturbing to feel internally, if you thought about it), and Stephen floundered in the water for a moment until he was sitting on the smooth stones, his hands cradling his belly.

It came again, more fluttering, more intense...

"Holy crap." he whispered, blinking.

It was movement, kicking, the quickening, and both twins, it seemed, as if one had spurred the other into the action as well, and Stephen was shocked. It was so odd, so weird, so wrong-

He laughed. Just a chuckle, but despite how it felt wrong, how it made his skin crawl in a way, it was also amazing. That was his babies moving, kicking, showing him that they were growing strong and on track, and it was simply something that blew him away. How many human males could say they had felt this?

He couldn't feel it against his hands yet, of course, but he kept his hands there all the same, and of course the Cloak had to swoop in and try to feel as well.

"You're not going to be feeling anything yet, buddy." Stephen said, but let it do what it wanted.

When the fluttering stopped, Stephen brushed the Cloak away and kept his hands there for a bit, but eventually, he got out of the water and dried himself with a spell, returning to the farm. He kept the movement to himself; there was no need for Thanos to know, especially when it wouldn't be possible for anyone to feel it by touching Stephen's middle for about another nine weeks.

He went back to the farm, part of him feeling light in a way he couldn't describe, and he might have said hormones, but he knew it was more than that.

There were more flutters, butterfly and bird wings, in the weeks to come, as Stephen's belly continued to swell and he slowed down, and he finally informed Thanos that no, he didn't think he would need the Reality Stone to prevent an emergency. With any luck, he would have the healers of Kamar-Taj to help with that.

It didn't take long for Thanos to destroy the Stones after that.

Stephen was waiting, watching, and though he knew it would happen, though he knew it was coming, it still caught him by surprise.

"Are you sure you will not need aid, wizard?" Thanos asked one evening, interrupting Stephen's meditation.

Stephen opened his eyes, scowling slightly at being interrupted, magical little flames surrounding him, crudely crafted incense burning near him.

"I am sure. I would not have lied. Not about something like that." Stephen said, shifting his position.

The Cloak could have levitated him, but Stephen didn't have the energy to keep his legs in the proper position while doing that now. It was awkward enough to be sitting on the floor twenty weeks pregnant with twins but feeling and looking thirty weeks pregnant, and he had just gotten comfortable, just gotten his head in the right space, but the interruption seemed to have gotten rid of all that.

Thanos nodded and let him be, Stephen glad for the Cloak's presence because when he had finished meditating, when his mind felt at peace and he knew he would be able to sleep, he needed the Cloak's help to get up off the floor.

He groaned and pressed his hands in the small of his aching back, trying to relieve some of the pressure, and wondered if there was meditation or some yoga position or something he hadn't learned in Kamar-Taj that might be able to help with this, because by far it was the thing that was bothering him the most aside from the morning sickness, which was gone now.

He banished his little mock-candles and left the incense, pausing in front of the gauntlet. The house was quiet, a gentle probe of Thanos's mind telling him the Titan was asleep, and Stephen looked at the Stones. He had gotten accustomed to the others during his time here, their presence and power now familiar background feelings like all the magic that guarded Kamar-Taj and that of the Time Stone itself, but it was the Time Stone that held his attention.

In the grand scope of things, he hadn't borne it for long. But he had used it and it had helped him save the world, had hung around his neck with its power looped around his arm in that loop for years, and it felt like an old friend. And Stephen was admittedly terrible at goodbyes. He knew it would still be there, all around, because it was the essence of the universe alongside its brethren, and one day in the far, far future it might even reform.

Not his lifetime, however. He wondered what the Ancient One would say, what the long line of Sorcerers Supreme all the way back to Agamotto himself would say. About him giving away the Stone that was their duty to guard, about him setting up fate for the Stone to be destroyed.

He thought they would understand. All of them Stone-keepers themselves, all guarding and shaping time to avoid the worst futures, and knowing sometimes there was no good future, just the lesser of many evils. Fourteen million, six hundred six futures Stephen had had to choose from, examine carefully, and cascading from into the other in one crushed butterfly moment. But both had the same outcome, hopefully, the best they could hope for, and he took a deep breath.

Maybe he was finally admitting to himself that he had made the right choice, even with this future, as it all came to an irreversible point that would help secure it. He did think they would understand, if they did not approve. The Ancient One, at least.

Stephen reached out and ghosted his fingers above the Time Stone, feeling its familiar energy, closing his eyes and taking it in. He rubbed the empty Eye around his neck compulsively, where the Stone no longer reside, and as he stood there, he surprised himself.

"Thank you." he murmured to it, to all the Stones.

He inclined his head to them as well respectfully, because he did respect the power they had and how they had helped his life, and then he went to bed.

The next morning, Stephen went to work in the fields despite the heaviness of his belly and his new physical limitations. The Cloak was on standby in case he couldn't get off the ground himself or something like that. He talked to the babies as he did, though they couldn't hear him quite yet, not properly, and educated them in farming. Who knew, maybe he would bring farming back to the Strange family by the time his daughters were old enough to make such decisions.

He shed his robes and worked in the warm sun, drinking plenty of water, the Cloak floating and assisting him as needed. Stephen had not seen Thanos for a time, but he did not think much of it, not until it happened.

He sensed it, moments before it happened, a stirring across the magical lines, so to speak, things only the Masters of the Mystic Arts were sensitive to, to his knowledge. He straightened and then the shockwave of power exploded out across the Garden, not from the House, but close, close enough that Stephen was knocked to the ground by the power.

He fell awkwardly, protecting his swollen belly, and then the Cloak was on him, and they were up. Stephen knew what had happened. He knew, but he went anyway, because he knew what awaited him.

Thanos, sprawled on the ground, the scent of charred flesh sickly in the air, the Titan's breathing ragged, his body smoking slightly from the injury. He was unconscious and his breathing shallow, Stephen landing beside him.

He could have left him, but Thanos would survive, and like when he had treated him when they had first arrived, Stephen found he could not walk away from someone who was injured.

Carefully, he began to survey the damage, to see if there was anything he could do. It turned his stomach to see the metal of the gauntlet fused to Thanos's flesh, Stephen knowing that even at a hospital there would have been little to be done for this level of fusion, though the damage itself didn't seem too bad.

Where he could get his fingers between pieces of hot, smoking metal, Thanos had a pulse, which meant he had not cauterized anything too deep. Still, there was no removing the gauntlet now.

The right side of his body was badly burned, from the top of his head to his foot, and the damage was severe. Stephen could not heal it. He knew Thanos was dying and he could have so easily ended it then, but he was not that kind of man. Instead, sent the Cloak to go get some water and it did, bringing it back quickly.

Stephen checked the temperature and then slowly, carefully, trickled some over the burns, just a little, to stop the smoking. Not exactly standard medical care, but he had so little to work with right now. He made do with what he had and the Cloak, grudgingly, took Thanos to his bed when Stephen had done some of what he could and decided the Titan could be moved.

It was around then, as Stephen used careful spells and a damp towel to try to tree the burned clothes from the burns, that Thanos came around and he groaned in pain.

"What... Are... You..." he rasped, eyes swimming with pain.

"I wasn't going to leave you there. I have a moral code." Stephen said simply, not looking up.

"...Stones?"

"Gone. And you almost with them." Stephen answered and Thanos drifted on the pain.

Stephen dosed him with the remaining painkillers and spent several hours treating his consort, doing what he could for the charred, blackened flesh, but these weren't ordinary burns. They had been caused by the combined power of the most powerful things in the universe and would without a doubt have killed a human who had done that. This and the damage from the Snap Thanos had already done had taken a deep toll on his body.

If he lived for more than a few more days, he would have left with chronic pain like Stephen and severe damage to his body even Stephen's spells couldn't fix. But he wouldn't have to deal with it.

When he was done, Stephen went and washed himself, feeling as he had when he had discovered his pregnancy, as when he had handed over the Time Stone. The future was moving forward again, carrying them toward the future he had fought for.

And this time, it felt like a reassurance. Still, despite knowing what was coming, after he was clean and he had eaten, Stephen returned to his consort's bedside, lighting a lamp and sitting a vigil through the night.

Chapter Text

Though he knew the Avengers, or what remained of them, would be coming, Stephen didn't know exactly how long after Thanos destroyed the Stones that would be. A few days, by his estimate, but it really could have been any day within a certain span of time.

He was asleep when Thanos woke in the soft pre-dawn light the next morning and he woke to the creak of the bed, lifting his head to find Thanos sitting up slowly, unsteadily.

"You shouldn't move. It almost killed you." Stephen reminded him, blinking the sleep from his eyes.

Vishanti, he was stiff and sore. Falling asleep sitting in a chair so pregnant did not feel good on his body. He stretched, trying to work out the stiffness before pushing himself to his feet.

Thanos said nothing, taking a few deep breaths, and Stephen got him some water. He helped him drink it and placed a hand on the Titan's uninjured shoulder.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, like he would a patient.

"Alive." Thanos said, voice a rasp.

Stephen gritted his teeth.

"I am used to pain, wizard. I know you drugged me. I will manage." Thanos said, but he did not try to rise, at least.

"You'll be scarred. Your arm and leg are permanently damaged, though I don't know how badly yet. I did what I could for it all and you'll live, at least." Stephen said and added, mostly for show, "That was a foolish thing to do."

"The universe needed to be corrected. Others would be tempted by the Stones, even you, even myself. They needed to be destroyed. The universe will be better this way." Thanos rumbled, his eyes a challenge to Stephen.

Stephen had no comment. He merely checked the injuries and used what spells and medicines were at his disposal, and Thanos let him, listening as Stephen further explained.

"Why did you do it?" Thanos asked as Stephen finished.

"Hmm?"

"Why did you tend to me? I know you do not love me, nor do you even like me. I know it has nothing to do with our children." Thanos said, his uninjured hand cupping Stephen's belly possessively.

The twins stirred at the touch, still unfelt by their father, and Stephen made himself stay still.

"I was a doctor. I made an oath and I intend to keep it. Not just to do no harm. I can not stand by and allow someone to suffer when they need medical assistance if I am capable of doing so. I believe I told you that when I treated you after we came here." Stephen said and Thanos dropped his hand.

By the end of the day, Thanos was steady enough to get up and move, albeit slowly. He limped heavily, almost dragging his leg at points, and Stephen suggested a cane, but Thanos was in no mood for that.

Part of him just seemed... Resigned. Like when they had first come here. Stephen did what he could and left him alone.

Thanos was as stubborn as he was, and as soon as he could move, he insisted on doing what he could. Stephen let him, even if he hated a patient defying him, because it really didn't matter in the end, did it?

Two days after Thanos destroyed the Stones was when the others arrived.

Stephen had gone for a walk, irritated with Thanos for insisting on going out to pick fruit for breakfast, and because the twins felt heavy and restless inside of him.

His pace was slow and he instinctively kept a hand beneath his belly, as if this would keep his children steady inside of him. Twenty weeks already and slowed significantly, and coming close to waddling, too. He wasn't sure how he was going to cope with hopefully eighteen more weeks of this. Inevitably, he had to sit down on a handy rock and catch his breath, lean his weight back to take the strain off his aching muscles, and he caught a flash of light in the sky.

Fast, bright, easily mistaken for one of the iridescent, colorful birds that called this world home. But Stephen knew better. He knew what it was, or rather, who it was, and he watched as the flash disappeared. He saw the ship come down. He knew what was happening.

And yet, even with the Cloak flying him, it took him longer than he wanted to reach the house. By the time he got there, it was almost over.

They were already here, pinning Thanos down, talking to him, demanding to know about the Stones. Somehow, no one noticed him land on the porch. Trained soldiers and assassins or just scrappy in their own way, yet too focused on what was in front of them to her the soft thud of his boots against the wood. Of course, Stephen arrived just in time to hear the most dramatic bit of the exchange.

"It always will be. I am... Inevitable." Thanos was saying, one arm down and on the floor, smug and so sure, so self-satisfied and gloating.

There was a long moment of silence, and Stephen did not interrupt it.

"We- We have to tear this place apart. He- He has to be lying." James Rhodes said, looking around with a sort of desperate air around him.

Of course, they were all desperate.

"My father is many things. A liar is not one of them." Nebula said, voice low and husky.

She approached Thanos slowly, movements stiff, and Thanos almost smiled.

"Ah. Thank you, daughter." he said, looking up at her. "Perhaps I treated you too harshly."

Before he could say anything else, as Nebula seemed stricken, Thor suddenly flew forward and swung down Stormbreaker, chopping of Thanos's head without hesitation, with such precision Stephen was impressed, even though he had seen this.

Purple blood sprayed over the home he had made and splattered Nebula's face, and everyone stared at the God of Thunder in shock.

"What did you do?" the racoon asked, sounding stunned.

Thor was breathing hard, gripping his ax, in what Stephen would describe as a type of medical grade emotional shock.

"I went for the head." he said, sounding stunned.

He turned away as everyone began to absorb the reality of what had happened, as Nebula knelt beside her father's head, and he saw Stephen standing outlined in the doorway.

"Wizard?" he said, still stunned, and they all turned.

Silhouetted against the doorway, they couldn't see him properly, and for the moment, Stephen did not move. He gave himself one last moment before what was to come.

"Doctor Stephen Strange?" Steve Rogers questioned when he did not respond.

"Yes." Stephen said, taking a deep breath, the twins sensing his emotions and beginning to fidget.

"We thought Thanos must have killed you, because-" Steve began, breaking off as Stephen stepped into the house and waved his hand to open the windows and let in the light properly.

The floor creaked, a good chunk of it destroyed thanks to Banner and his suit, and Stephen stopped, feeling their eyes on him, staring, struggling to figure out his appearance, then beginning to figure it out. It was the racoon, Rocket, who actually figured it out first, but that may have been because he was not overly familiar with human anatomy.

"Are you pregnant?" he asked, a hint of a growl in his voice.

"He can't be, humans don't... He's a man." Banner said, looking down at the racoon.

"But he's got magic." Rhodey said, looking Stephen over with an expression Stephen did not like.

"Yes, I am pregnant." he said, and it was almost amusing to watch the expressions on all their faces.

Almost, but he knew what was to come. Thor was the most oblivious.

"Is the father waiting for you on Earth, wizard? Does he know?" he asked, all sympathy and not understanding.

"I-"

"Humans aren't pregnant for ten and a half months." Rhodey interrupted, eyeing Stephen with suspicion.

"It's his, isn't it? A child of Thanos." Nebula asked and her voice was so devoid of emotion that Stephen couldn't tell what she thought.

"Yes." Stephen said, because he couldn't lie, wouldn't be able to hide it.

"Did you use magic? How did this happen? How is this possible?" Steve asked, straightforward, as Stephen had expected.

"Thanos used the Reality Stone." Stephen said, a protective hand on his belly.

"He used the Stones again before he destroyed them?" Natasha asked, her gaze the least judgmental, the least harsh.

"A Stone, once." Stephen corrected and took a deep breath.

What came next was what he expected. An interrogation, almost, demands to know how that had happened, why he hadn't fought Thanos, why he hadn't taken the Stones back, and so on. Why he had given the Time Stone away in the first place.

"Fourteen million, six hundred six futures, and only two where we won. One slipped away, and this was the remaining one. I cannot tell you the future. If I do, it won't happen." Stephen said stiffly.

"Tony mentioned that, but I don't think I believe that." Rhodey said coldly.

Stephen clenched his jaw.

He stepped forward, despite his wariness of what they might do.

"Do you honestly think I would have handed over the Stone my order has guarded for hundreds of years if it was not in the best interest of the future? Do you think I would have told Thanos to do this to me if it wasn't in the best interest of the future? Do you think I would have let him have sex with me until I was torn and bleeding every time after and filled with his children if it wasn't for the future? Do you think I would have agreed to any of this if it wasn't for the future?" he asked, voice low and deadly.

"I don't know, because I don't know you. Where have you wizards been while we saved the world?" Rhodey demanded, not blinking.

"Oh, we have saved the world more times than you know. There would not be an Earth for you to avenge." Stephen said coldly.

"Did you say 'children'?" Steve asked, eyes going down his belly.

"Twins. Twenty weeks." Stephen said, his hand still where it was.

His other was prepared to form a mandala shield if necessary; he couldn't and wouldn't actually hurt Rhodey.

"Two children of Thanos." Rhodey said, distaste clear in his voice.

"I've got a question for you, Doc." Steve said and Stephen gritted his teeth.

"It's been ten months since the Snap and Thanos only destroyed the Stones two days ago. Why didn't you take them? What was preventing you? Why not take them and undo what he did?" Steve continued.

"That was not a future that worked." Stephen said and he could see this was not a satisfactory answer.

"So no Stones. No way to undo this. And now we've got two children of Thanos to deal with on top of billions being dead." Rhodey said, voice bitter.

Stephen instinctively took a step back.

"Deal with?" he asked and even though he knew the future, that didn't stop things from happening, nor his own reactions.

"You can't have Thanos's children! Thanos, the Mad Titan who slaughtered billions." Rhodey exclaimed, waving his hands.

"I think he has to. Twenty weeks, there's really no going back unless it's medically necessary." Banner chimed in, but no one seemed to hear.

"Ever heard, 'my body, my choice', Mr. Rhodes?" Stephen growled and though he had seen glimpses, he truly hadn't been prepared for this.

"It doesn't sound like he had much of a choice, to me. Would Thanos have given him one?" Carol said from the background.

"I made an oath. I made an oath to set the future on the course it needed to take. Part of that oath was to give Thanos children, to be his consort. I do not break the oaths I make. It was either ask him to do this in a way I was comfortable with, or be forced, and I chose the one I preferred."

"My father wouldn't have allowed him out of that oath, and he would have forced him." Nebula offered, but she was eyeing his belly with as much distrust as the rest of them. Out of all them, he knew she would be the most conflicted.

Arguing broke out, about Stephen not taking the Stones despite his claims, demands to know the future, arguments about his body, his children, but Thor stepped in.

"SILENCE!" he shouted, slamming the butt of Stormbreaker down so hard on the floor it shook.

Several of them flinched, everyone staring at Thor in shock.

"I don't care if he told Thanos to do it; it's obvious he would have had no choice either way. We do not get to stand here and argue about another man's unborn children just because we don't approve of the father." Thor said, standing protectively beside Stephen.

"Stark told us what happened on Titan, and the wizard can indeed see the future. I... I can't say I approve, but if he says this was the only way and subjected himself to Thanos's whims and abuse for almost a year for that future, I believe him. No one would suffer that willingly. Stark told us he went toe to toe with Thanos in the battle and almost won. None of us were capable of that." the god continued, his eyes sweeping around them.

No one dared to speak, but Stephen saw the guilt flash through Steve's eyes, at least, and everyone suddenly seemed very awkward.

"From what Stark said, Thanos would not have been able to get the Stone even if this man had died, which means if he handed it over, it was for a reason. And why do you assume he could have taken the gauntlet or any of the Stones? Further more, we are not killing children merely because Thanos was their father. We have a child of Thanos with us right now. Shall we kill her?"

"But they're actually children of Thanos. We don't know what the Titans were like. What if they were all like Thanos and these kids grow up to be the same? People we'll have to fight and kill in the future?" Rhodey asked and Stephen very much wanted to break his oath.

As violent as it was, slicing the man's head off with a mandala would probably feel very good right now.

"We can't do something based on a what if." Natasha said and Rhodey turned to her.

"Neutralizing threats before they become anything like what we've faced before, especially Thanos, sounds like a reasonable strategy to me."

"If you try anything, James Rhodes, I will show you that Stormbreaker is not just for killing Thanos." Thor warned, pointing the ax's blade in Rhodey's direction.

"Not all of Thanos's children were like him. Gamora was different. We... We were products of how he raised us. I don't know about the Titans, but Thanos was cast out. The rest weren't like him." Nebula said and Stephen stepped forward.

"Hate me all you want, say whatever you want. If I could tell you the future, I would, but I am still determined for it to happen, so I will take it to my grave if I must. I would appreciate a ride back to Earth; I left my sling-ring on Titan. Then none of you ever have to see me again, and certainly not ever meet my children." he said coldly and turned, going down the steps of the house as fast as he could.

He strode away, realizing he was shaking, and he was a good distance away when he suddenly felt dizzy. He hadn't realized how riled up he had gotten and now it was affecting his blood pressure, the Cloak helping ease him down so he could catch his breath and wouldn't fall. The twins were kicking and squirming inside of him and he massaged his belly, humming and trying to settle them. He really didn't need them beating up his insides like this right now.

It was a few minutes before he was aware of someone behind him; he had strode off between the fields and out of sight.

"Mind some company?" Natasha asked and he shook his head.

She sat down beside him, looking a little concerned.

"Blood pressure. I got angrier than I thought." Stephen offered and she nodded.

"The others are still arguing. I think Danvers will stop Thor from roasting anyone too badly, and Steve, too." she said and Stephen nodded.

"I knew it would be like this. I just didn't... Seeing it and living it are far different things." he muttered, the Cloak wrapped around him protectively.

"I understand why you did what you did, you know. I was... From a young age, I was trained to use my body in any way necessary to get the job done. Seduction, sex, all of it. It's one of the reasons why... Why I'll never get pregnant. Complicated for a lot of reasons." Natasha said and there was a lingering, old pain in her voice.

"Thanos never would have agreed to take you as his consort, to do this, if he didn't want it. You used what you had and you got the job done. You've been waiting all this time, haven't you? For him to destroy the Stones and for us to come?" she continued.

"Yes. And before you ask, yes, I had freedom. My magic was not bound, nor did Thanos do anything to me or threaten me. I stuck by my oath. This-" Stephen said, cradling his belly. "-Was my best bargaining chip. Thanos wanted a second chance, especially with all his children save Nebula dead. He would have forced me if I hadn't devised the plan with the Reality Stone, and that would have been worse. With the Stone, I had a say and it was safer." he explained, closing his eyes.

"I can't say I blame you for that."

"Do you blame me for keeping my oath and not taking the Stones? For letting him destroy them?" Stephen asked bluntly, grunting as a foot connected with his ribs.

"Now that, I can't say I understand. We were hoping we could go back in time, use that Stone and stop Thanos. Undo what he did, somehow." Natasha admitted and Stephen opened his eyes.

"I can tell you using the Stone to reverse time and stop Thanos that way wouldn't have worked. The board was already set and there was no undoing it. This had been in motion for years. You would have had to go much, much further back than Titan or Wakanda, and then you couldn't. There are Absolute Points. Things that no matter what you do, the universe will not allow them to change, or paradox upon paradox will be created." he explained to her, because that much he could say.

"Absolute Points?" Natasha echoed.

"It's complicated, and I really don't feel like explaining right now. Some points only become absolute once the timeline has progressed further. I'm not entirely sure of all the Absolute Points, but the Stones being destroyed is one of them." Stephen said and shook his head.

"Is there a way to fix this?" Natasha asked and her voice was surprisingly calm.

"I can't tell you that. I can't tell you anything about the future. Please, do not ask me. Fourteen million, six hundred six futures, and this is the only one left. I can not and will not destroy it." Stephen said, his voice fierce.

He could tell she did not like not knowing everything, but she had worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. for years, even after it had become HYDRA, and hadn't always been given the full story. As much as she did not like this, she could understand it and accept it.

"We'll get you back home, Doc. Tony, well, he would have come, I think he wanted to, but... He's checked out. Doesn't want anything to do with this or us anymore. We told him Thanos used the Stones and we were going, and he'll be waiting when we get back. He is worried about you. Plus Wong. Wong, he's not a bad guy." Natasha finally said, deciding not to argue, not to question.

"How is Wong?" Stephen asked, though he would find out for himself very soon.

"I don't really know. Sad. Worried." Natasha said, shrugging, and Stephen nodded.

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes and Stephen realized how much he appreciated having the company of someone who was not Thanos or the Cloak, realized how much he had missed it.

There were footsteps, again, after a few minutes more, and a throat was awkwardly clear.

"Hey, Doctor Strange... I know you probably don't want to talk to any of us right now, but when we get back, I'd really like you to stay at the facility for a few hours, at least. I mean, you haven't even had basic midwife care out here, have you? And half Titans, with how big you are already... I think you could use some medical attention." Bruce said, sounding embarrassed.

Stephen twisted his head to look at him and the man wouldn't look at him, seeming ashamed, or maybe he just didn't want to look at him in general. He was surprised by he offer, by the kindness, and he could tell that Bruce was torn. He wanted to hate the babies. He didn't want them to exist, he thought they were potentially dangerous. But he had heard Thor, and he knew he was in the wrong, at least. It was something.

"I would appreciate that." Stephen said and the Cloak helped him to his feet.

They walked back to the house, and it was still very tense. Steve appeared to be firmly staked in the camp of indecision, with Bruce right beside him, and Thor, Natasha, and Carol were all firmly on his side. Rhodey most definitely was dying on his hill, at least for now, and Nebula and Rocket were standing between all three places, unsure of where to go.

It was clear, that in addition to a heated argument, the house had been gone through. Things were not how Stephen had left them and he almost sighed, but he did not. He grabbed the only things he wanted, the pad where he had been recording things about his pregnancy and the personal things that had come to the Garden with him, and then it was time to go. But before they did, there was something he had to do.

Once everyone was clear of the house, leaving Thanos's body on the floor, Stephen turned and cast a spell, setting it ablaze.

"Holy crap! Why did you do that?" Bruce exclaimed, looking alarmed.

"For my children." Stephen replied, because at least he wouldn't have to tell them they had left their father's mangled body to rot.

He didn't stop watch the flames, though. He turned and was admittedly grateful when Thor helped him walk to where they had set down the Milano, because he couldn't move very fast anymore, and sometimes he just didn't want the Cloak's help. It also felt like a reassurance that Rhodey wouldn't shoot him with the War Machine suit while his back was turned.

Given, that probably wouldn't the patriotic thing to do or whatever the hell were Rhodey's standards, but Stephen didn't think he was unjust for the thought crossing his mind.

Everyone got situated in the ship and Stephen was exasperated when Thor insisted on giving him his seat, Steve and Carol too, and the Cloak lifted him a few inches off the ground.

"I don't need a seat." he said, though he knew it would make everyone feel better.

Their group was now one person too many for the seats available, but there was no sense in arguing about it. It would be a short trip and Stephen would be fine.

"Don't throw up, Doc, or have any babies. I don't need that kind of mess." Rocket snapped at him, and Stephen bit back any number of comments he could have made.

The jump did make his entire body lurch, even floating in the air, from the force alone, but he didn't throw up or go into labor or anything. His body was too used to the strange things he had put it through since joining the Masters of the Mystic Arts.

The ship burst out of the sudden streaking and blurring of stars and came to a stop, drifting slightly, with a view of Earth in front of them. Stephen sucked in slightly and his boots thudded down on the metal floor as he caught the back of Thor's seat, peering through the windshield at his home planet. It sounded like a cliche, but it was beautiful. He had missed it.

"Might want to keep floating, Doc, we've got some more flying to do, and we need to get back in the atmosphere." Natasha warned him and Stephen nodded, then paused.

"I don't particularly like being called Doc." he said, perhaps a bit childishly, but for some reason the nickname raked across his skin.

No one said anything, but someone chuckled, and then their descent began. It was much different than the ship Stephen had previously been in, but of course it was different technology.

It was a relatively easy trip back down to Earth and a silent one too, night falling on the east coast by the time the ship touched down outside the Avengers' Compound.

People were coming to meet them as they made it down the ramp and Stephen recognized Tony, Pepper, and-

"Wong." he said, his heart stuttering in his chest.

"Wong!" he exclaimed, louder, and flew off the ramp, flying across the space between them.

There had honestly been a part of him that had thought he would never see his friend again or that he had been turned to dust, and he wanted to wrap Wong in a tight hug, even though they had never hugged before. It wasn't Wong's style, but Stephen had missed him so much and seeing that he was indeed alive and well that he didn't care.

He staggered into his friend and though his swollen belly made it difficult, he clung to him, hugging him as much as he could, and Wong's arms came around him, too.

"Wong." he said for a third time, like a broken record, and tears were forming in his eyes.

"Stephen." Wong said, arms tightening, and the Cloak swirled off, wrapping around Wong, too.

For a minute they stood there in silence, clinging to each other, as Tony and Pepper asked the others what had happened, about the Stones, and so forth.

"I'm so sorry." Stephen whispered, because he was, even if it had been necessary.

"Do not apologize, Stephen. I believe you when say it was the only way." Wong said and Stephen released him slowly.

His back protested as he straightened and he winced, Wong staring in shock at him.

"I'll explain." Stephen said, turning to Tony and Pepper.

Before much could be said, before much could be done other than the couple staring at him in shock, Natasha declared that Stephen should be checked out and given some space before he explained again, that everything would be clear then. Stephen felt a rush of gratitude and Tony hovered near him with Pepper, seeming at a loss for words.

He was a mix of angry, sad, confused, and horrified, Stephen knew, and he knew things could go several different ways with Tony. But it would have to wait, because Bruce had been right and he had been without medical care other than what he could manage himself these past twenty weeks, and he was eager to have some modern medicine at his disposal. He was not, however, comfortable with the idea of Bruce Banner handling this.

As they went to the hospital wing, Stephen made a request to Wong.

"Can you find Christine? It will throw her for one hell of a loop, but I need... I need her right now. Explain the basics to her." he said and Wong nodded.

"I will look after him." Thor promised when Wong hesitated for just a moment and Stephen almost snorted with laughter.

But he knew Thor needed this, in a way. Thor needed something to focus on, and someone he didn't feel like he was failing. He felt as though he had failed Loki and his people as well, because of what Thanos had done, and now here was Stephen, being attacked on all sides in front of him, who could, in his mind, use the protection of the God of Thunder. Stephen let him, because he did like Thor Odinson, and he did need this support.

Especially if Nebula, Rocket, Steve, and Banner decided that they should join Rhodey's camp after all.

Thor stood guard at the door, not allowing anyone but Banner in as Stephen sat on the bed, Cloak around his shoulders, and it only took about five minutes for Wong to get Christine. She gawked at the portal as she stepped through, but then she practically flew at Stephen, a mixture of emotions on her face, stopping quickly.

"Wong told me what happened, and I thought you were dead." she said to him plainly, swallowing hard.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Stephen said and Christine closed the remaining space between them.

She was trying very hard not to stare at his middle, though Wong had obviously told her that he was pregnant, as Stephen had requested.

He held out a shaking hand and she took it, Stephen yanking her to him the best he could. He hugged her tight. She hugged him back and her familiar touch and scent was soothing, helping to calm him, though he hadn't realized he needed calming until this moment.

The tears he had held back with Wong began to trickle down his face and Christine brushed them aside, shaking her head.

"You know, I might not be the best doctor for this." she said, gesturing at his middle.

"You're the only one I trust." Stephen said and Bruce looked away.

Christine nodded and Bruce was expelled from the room, the curtains closed for privacy's sake, though Bruce did fetch the equipment that wasn't in the room but was needed. Then it was just Stephen, Wong, Christine, and the Cloak, and he told them how and why he was pregnant.

They both looked horrified, and Christine squeezed his hand tightly, Stephen squeezing it back. Then the examination began.

Height, weight, blood pressure, and everything necessary were done and Christine also took blood, just to be safe, and when she began to prep the ultrasound, Wong stepped in with the spell. Much better than Stephen's, and Christine's mouth dropped open.

"Stephen, they're huge. Especially for twins." she gasped and Stephen sighed.

"I know. They're half Titan. Thanos, he was the size of the Hulk." he explained and saw her cringe.

He gave her his notes and she read them, and she and Wong together decided that the twins were all right, and then the more uncomfortable part of the exam began. Stephen was grateful that Christine had let him put it off for as long as she had, but the truth was, he needed his new organs examined.

It was awkward and foreign and he hated ever moment of it, but he was glad Christine was the one doing it.

"You have scarring, Stephen." she told him gently.

"I know." he murmured, because he had expected it.

He had known it since the first time that he would have vaginal scarring from his injuries. It wasn't surprise. And not too bothersome from a practical standpoint, because he never planned on using these organs again, save for giving birth to his children, if that was possible.

"It won't interfere with the birth, will it?" he asked as Christine investigated further.

"I don't think it should. My main concern is the size of the babies. If they keep growing at this rate, I'm not sure you can safely make it to thirty-six weeks, let alone any further, for your health. There's a reason multiples are smaller." Christine said and Stephen's breath shuddered in his chest.

"There are spells we can use to help, if necessary. The healers at Kamar-Taj are well trained, even if there has never been a case such as this." Wong said, his hand squeezing Stephen's reassuringly.

"But what it would be safe for Stephen?" Christine asked and Wong grimaced.

"I can not attest to that. As I said, there has never been a case such as this. But they are not permanent spells, so if any issues occur, they can be easily undone." he said and Stephen took a breath.

"We'll wait and see, and do what we can. If they're already small, I don't want them to be premature. They might be huge for human twins, but they are half Titan. They could be incredibly small for Titan offspring." he said, not mentioning that he had seen futures where he was with his children.

He doubted saying anything would change that, but it never hurt to be cautious. Christine finished his examination, but did follow through with his request for an ultrasound. The spell was better, but it lacked being able to hear the heartbeats, and Stephen wanted to hear them. Christine warmed the gel and spread it on his belly, pressing the wand to it, fiddling with the controls, and...

Two rapid little heartbeats filled the room, perfect from what Stephen recalled from medical school, and it sounded like a cliche, but the sound took his breath away. Those were his daughters, and they were most certainly alive and healthy. He took a breath, absorbing it, and Wong squeezed his hand again.

"No matter what happens, Stephen, they will have a place in Kamar-Taj. Never doubt that." Wong assured him and Stephen took a deep breath.

"Thank you." he whispered.

Afterward, he got cleaned up and redressed, and he looked at Christine.

"I can't thank you enough for coming." he said, because he was certainly not going to be able to repay her.

He still owed her for helping him when he had come to the hospital, and for the Ancient One. And now this. For putting up with everything he brought her way, for hardly batting an eye at any of it.

"I'm happy to do what I can. I'll be honest, I never expected this, but you are my friend, Stephen. If I can be here for you, I will be." Christine said and Stephen feared he was about to start crying again.

Why were his hormones only kicking in now, it seemed?

"You can stay. I want you to stay, and hear the explanation for everything. I'm not sure how many times I can bring myself to repeat it right now, to be honest." Stephen said, though he wasn't sure if the Avengers would allow her to stay.

He didn't see how they could force to go, however, and he knew Thor and Wong would be on his side, at least. Christine nodded and startled him by pressing a kiss to his forehead. He knew he and Christine were never meant to be anything more than friends after their relationship had failed, but he wasn't sure what he had done to earn her as a friend after everything between them. He was glad that she was still his friend, though.

"Are you ready?" Wong asked and Stephen nodded.

"As I'll ever be." he said and Christine helped him up off the bed.

Thor was still guarding the door when Wong opened it and looked at them questioningly, obviously pretending that he hadn't been able to hear at least some of it through the door, and he looked satisfied when Stephen assured him that he and twins were just fine. Then they all went to the meeting room, gathering around the table, Wong and Christine flanking Stephen, Thor sitting on Christine's other side, as if cocooning the two of them between the combined protection of the Sorcerer Supreme and the God of Thunder.

There was really only the need to explain it to Tony and Pepper; everyone else had gone.

But this time, Stephen got into detail about what had happened, saying what he could about what he had seen. He explained there had been two futures where they won and this one, with him becoming Thanos's consort and bearing his children, had been the second one, the one he hadn't preferred. But he had done it anyway, when the other had slipped away from them, and he was even honest about what had happened in the Garden.

Not that he got into too many details about that, but he repeated what they had done with the Reality Stone and why he had chosen that over the other, and so forth. It was hard, actually, not spilling the future at some points, and he noticed Tony watching him with a slightly slack expression at some points. He was gripping Pepper's hand tightly under the table and Stephen tried not to look at him, because Tony looked away from him each time he caught his eye.

He explained all that he could, all that he hadn't taken the time to say in the Garden, and it take a bit, with interruptions and questions still, and when he had finished, he realized Christine had taken his own hand at some point, holding onto him.

"You can ask all the questions you want and say all the hateful and angry things that you want, but I swear to you that this was the best future. Or, the next best one. The outcome is still the same. There are just some changes in the background." Stephen said into the silence that followed.

"Yeah, I want to know how this is winning." Rhodey said, leveling a hard look at Stephen.

"If I tell you, the future won't happen." Stephen said, fighting to keep his tone neutral.

All the shouting and arguing in the world wouldn't change anything. The twins squirmed and kicked, making him rest his hand on his belly, and he could see the hate in Rhodey's eyes as he followed Stephen's movement.

"So... So this isn't it? This isn't the future, just part of it? Not all of it has happened yet?" Tony asked, frowning.

"I can't tell you." Stephen repeated, closing his eyes, which really could have been seen as yes, but it was the only answer he could give.

"I still want to discuss Thanos's children here." Rhodey said and Stephen felt his jaw tighten.

"There is nothing to discuss, Colonel. They are mine and I am twenty weeks pregnant. Unless medically necessary, ending this pregnancy is not advisible, and I will not be merely so you can feel more comfortable about not having two potential villains to face in the future" he said, his every word dripping venom.

"Thanos was a threat we didn't see coming. Your children are children of Thanos, by blood. I know blood isn't everything, but we hardly know anything about these Titans. If we can nip a threat in the bud before it happens, I say we do it." Rhodey said, tapping a fingertip against the table for emphasis.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Rhodey, are you talking about murdering babies?" Tony said, turning to his friend.

"It's not murder, they're not born. And I know you aren't one of those pro-life nuts, Tony." Rhodey replied.

"It's murder if he doesn't want an abortion! Or if you rip them away after he gives birth and kill them!" Tony exclaimed, scowling at his friend.

"What about me, huh? The government thought Iron Man was a potential threat, and you fucking supported them on some of that, might I remind you. If everyone had known way back when about the potential threat me and the rest of the gang would pose and Sokovia and everything else, would you support going back in time and killing us before we were born to stop us all from fucking up?" Tony continued hotly.

"No. But these kids could turn out like Thanos, slaughtering billions just because they feel like it, and everything else he did. We have no way of knowing what's inherited from Titans and what's not."

"Colonel Rhodes, if you try to harm Stephen or his children, you will have to go through me, and I can assure you, your suit will not protect you." Wong said coldly from beside Stephen.

Rhodey looked startled by the threat.

"Hey, maybe if you magicians had done your job and protected the Time Stone, this wouldn't have happened. Then Thanos wouldn't have been able to get the Stone from Vision, and he wouldn't have been able to Snap." Rhodey snapped, voice bitter.

"No. I should have gone for the head. If I had struck Thanos well, he would not have been able to do it." Thor said, but Rhodey ignored him.

"If I hadn't given it to him, the best future will not happen." Stephen said, which no one seemed to hear.

He could tell this was about to escalate into arguing again, and it did. The questions of killing Hitler and the like as a baby was thrown around as well and chairs were shoved back by a few people, Stephen really realizing part of the reason Tony was on his side when Pepper stood up to put a hand on her husband's shoulder.

She was pregnant, about seven months, maybe eight, if Stephen was any judge, and he had forgotten briefly about this part of the future. No parent-to-be would condone what Rhodey was suggesting.

He felt grateful as they both raised their voices in support of him and it was hard to keep track of who was saying what as voices overlapped, though they all felt the air charge with electricity as Thor's temper grew. Wong got involved in the arguing as well, though he didn't shout, and Stephen tried to interrupt, but surprisingly, it was Christine who commanded everyone into silence again.

"SHUT UP!" she shouted, so loudly that Stephen jumped, startled, because usually Christine didn't shout.

Her voice rose above the din, and it took a moment, but everyone quieted, looking at her.

"You're superheroes. You fight to protect people and their freedoms, and I always thought that was amazing. But now I'm standing here and listening to you argue about whether or not someone has a right to carry their own pregnancy or have their own babies, and whether or not to murder those babies once they're born! You should all be ashamed of yourselves." she continued in that tone she used when another doctor thought they knew better than her and such.

Some of them had the grace to look awkward or ashamed, and Christine surveyed them all with an icy glare.

"We'll use the facility you so kindly granted us use of, and then Stephen is going home. This isn't your decision, it's his, and if he says he's having these babies, then he's having them." she continued and tugged his arm.

Stephen said nothing, just got up with an absurd amount of difficulty, and went back to the medical room with Christine. Thor came as well, but Wong stayed behind. Stephen honestly would have just gone back to Kamar-Taj, but this place had some of the best medical care available, even if it wasn't an official hospital, and he could use that right now, even if Kamar-Taj boasted skilled healers. He did want the monitoring that had been offered, but as soon as that was over, he would go home.

"Thank you for that. I'd already had that argument back in the Garden, and..." Stephen said, shaking his head.

"You could probably find a good lawyer and slap them with a bunch of legal stuff." Christine suggested, but Stephen shook his head.

He invited her to sit on the edge of the bed with him and she did, Stephen rubbing his belly.

"How... How have you been since the Snap?" he asked.

"It's been... It's been really hard, Stephen. Billions just gone, and the jobs and roles they had empty because of it. Nic's gone, for one." Christine said and Stephen could have made a comment about that, but he did not.

He listened to her and held her hand, and began to apologize, but she put a hand over his mouth to stop him. She wasn't interested in an apology, and the amount of trust she had in him, the fact she did believe him when he said he had chosen the best future it was coming, almost made him cry yet again.

They were finishing up, more or less, when there was a knock on the door, and it must have been someone all right if Thor had allowed them close enough to knock.

"Come in." Stephen said, expecting Wong or maybe Natasha.

But no, it was Tony and Pepper, and Tony was rubbing the back of his head, as if trying and failing to hide that he felt awkward.

"Hey, Dr. Palmer- It is Dr. Palmer, right? Can we have a few minutes with the wizard? We're on his side, promise, won't do or say anything that will end in Wong committing murder." Tony said, holding a hand over his heart.

Christine looked at Stephen and he nodded, so she got up and slipped out of the room, leaving Stephen alone with Tony and Pepper. There was a few long moments of silence.

"Would you like to sit down?" Stephen said, gesturing to the chairs by the bed.

Pepper accepted and Tony came to hover near her, protective of her and uncertain of Stephen. There was so much Stephen wanted to say, but he didn't, because he did not know them as well as he felt he did, because of what he had seen in those millions of futures.

"Doc-"

"Stephen. Please, call me Stephen." Stephen interrupted, because for once he didn't want to be called 'Doctor' or any variation of it.

"Stephen. I'll be frank, there are a lot of things I want to say to you, some- a lot- of them angry, because of what you let Thanos do, but after all these months and everything that's happened and now this-" Tony said, gesturing at Stephen's belly. "-I want to say thank you."

"Thank you?" Stephen echoed, surprise.

"Yeah. Because you saved my life on Titan, by giving Thanos the Stone and making that deal. Maybe I didn't want it, maybe I still don't really approve, but if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't have gotten to marry the love of my life or become a dad, and damn, it's really hard, still really hard, but I've been trying to look on the bright side." Tony said, but there was a guilt in his eyes.

"I want to thank you, too. For Tony's life." Pepper said, her posture mimicking Stephen's own, one hand protectively on her swollen stomach, the other rubbing compulsively.

"And I need to thank you too, even if those words are so small, because you bargained yourself away too, to Thanos. You... You let him change you, fuck you, and impregnate you as part of the deal you made with him, to save my life. I guess you're only keeping me around for the future, but I still... I want to say thank you, and I want to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to go through all this just to save my ass." Tony said, looking down, voice getting quiet.

"I don't want your apology, Stark." Stephen said, but his voice was not harsh.

"What?" Tony said, sounding startled.

"I made my choice. I made it, because at the end of the day it was my decision to make. I could have stood by and let the future go however it was going to, but I chose to direct us toward the ones where we could win. It was my choice to make, and I do not need or want an apology. I placed you in the position to almost die like that, knowing full well what it would lead to." Stephen explained and Tony rubbed his chin.

He didn't seem to know what to say.

"I still owe you my life, for whatever reason." he finally said and Stephen nodded.

"Is there anything we can do for you, Stephen? The others are still divided out there, but you have our support. Whatever you need, if we can provide it, we will." Pepper said and Stephen thought about it for a minute.

"Even with the hostility I'm facing, if possible, the use of this facility for the birth." he answered, because the equipment and everything else was top-knotch, and though Kamar-Taj had skilled healers, having them in addition to a good medical facility would be for the best.

He certainly couldn't give birth to half-Titan twins in a normal hospital if he needed one.

"That's easy enough." Tony said, giving a sharp nod.

"Would you like to say your angry things now?" Stephen asked, lifting a brow.

"Uh, no, not really. They kind of died after all this." Tony said, shaking his head.

And that was... That was it, really. There wasn't much for Tony and Pepper to say to Stephen, even though Stephen wanted to say a lot to them. He felt like he knew them, but he had to hold back, because he did not actually know them, he had seen the future and gotten to know them that way. He had to let things develop naturally, without his interference.

But Pepper did extend a kind gesture to him, giving him her number, offering to talk about pregnancy with him, probably because they were similar in age and she didn't seem to have many people to talk about pregnancy. And Stephen knew it was also a gesture mostly for him, because he certainly didn't have anyone himself.

He still appreciated it and maybe he would take it up, but he wasn't sure yet.

For now, he bid the couple before and swung his legs back up on the bed, taking as deep a breath as he could manage. The twins rested heavily on his organs, making a breath hard to get, and Wong and Christine soon returned. Christine couldn't stay too long- She had a shift in the morning and Wong had caught her getting off shift. She stayed as long as she could and Stephen loved her for that.

Wong stayed with him for the rest of the monitoring, which was done by Bruce under Thor's menacing eye, and Stephen wound up staying the night at the compound. He slept, despite not feeling entirely secure, but he needed it and Wong and Thor were there.

In the morning, nothing was wrong with him or the twins, so he felt secure in going. It had been just a precaution, anyway, just to be safe.

Stephen gathered what he had brought, and looked at Wong. He was leaving, no questions about it, and no one could force him to stay. The 'issue' of the twins still hadn't been resolved to anyone's satisfaction (or at least Rhodey's), but Stephen wasn't going to let them argue circles around him or his children.

Before they left, he was surprised when Nebula came. Stephen was not sure how to feel about her, to be honest, and he didn't banish Wong from the room. Nebula didn't ask him to leave.

They looked at each other and Nebula stared at his belly, the Cloak fluttering, ready to attack or defend if necessary.

"Yes?" Stephen said, knowing his stance was protective.

Then occurred to him that she might have something to say, because these children were her siblings, even of no blood was shared between them, but there was also the very real possibility of hate and even violence.

"I... I wanted to say I am sorry for what my father put you through. I am not taking blame for it, but I can express sympathy. I hope he treated you more kindly than he did me." Nebula said, quite formally.

Stephen blinked.

He was not expecting this, really, despite her being a daughter of Thanos, and the expression of sympathy was a surprise.

"He likely did. And I am sorry for what he did to you." Stephen said, because he did know what Thanos had done to Nebula.

Not that Thanos had told him, but seeing the future could also reveal quite a bit of the past. He knew in detail what had been done to her.

Nebula said nothing. Her gaze went to his belly again and Stephen could see that she was still uncertain.

"I can not tell you what your children will be like. Whether they will be like Thanos or not. I do want you warn you to be prepared for the possibility that what Thanos was is something his biological children will inherit. That even your influence might not be enough. None of us really know. But you shouldn't pretend that it won't happen." Nebula said and Stephen felt a chill go down his spine.

Perhaps she wasn't decided yet, but she was certainly prepared to kill his children if it was deemed necessary, he could see that. He could see the hatred mostly concealed on her face, or at least how much she could express it, and he knew this was very complicated for her. She had hated Thanos very much, even if part of her had cared for him, and he wondered if she might just decide to kill the twins regardless of what they might be in the future, because they were of Thanos's blood.

"I know." he said, and that was it.

No one else to talk to, no more delays.

Wong touched his elbow lightly and Stephen nodded; he was ready. Thor had told him he could come stay in New Asgard if he wished, if the Masters of the Mystic Arts rejected him, but Stephen didn't think that would happen. Stephen only thanked him for the offer and told him he could come visit if he wished, and that seemed to have appeased Thor somewhat. Still, he had been very firm in his new role as Stephen's bodyguard, and Stephen knew he might feel a little lost without a task like that, given how readily he had taken it. He would keep in mind to check up on Thor as necessary.

He took a deep breath and Steve and Natasha watched them go, along with Thor and Nebula, but Stephen didn't look back at them. No, he just followed Wong through the portal, returning home for the first time in almost a year.

Chapter Text

Settling back into Kamar-Taj, into the Sanctum, wasn't exactly easy. It was a relief to be home and unlike the Avengers, no one hated him for choosing the best future. No one hated that he was carrying the children of Thanos.

Well, if they did, they respected Stephen's position and didn't say it around him, but he knew Wong probably would have skinned them alive if they had. Wong was intensely loyal, and did like to issue threats to people's lives, after all.

But Kamar-Taj was strange. Stephen had known people would be gone, had known who would be gone, but knowing and experiencing were still vastly different. He kept half-expecting to see faces where they weren't, and roles had been shifted to accommodate their losses.

New people in old places, and Wong, as the new Sorcerer Supreme, had certainly picked well, but it still felt off, and Stephen knew he was going to have to take time to adjust.

At least the Sanctum felt the same. Wong had been balancing this on top of his new duties and Stephen was grateful for it, because he could slide back in and take over some old duties. Not all of them- Not even most of them. But he could still do things around the Sanctum itself, even if he wasn't running out and dealing with things, and that felt like he would be able to manage it.

But settling back into things and getting used to the new order came first, and the first few days back were the worst. The Sanctum was so different than the Garden that Stephen had trouble sleeping, and that was on top of the difficulties the twins already gave him.

It was getting hard to find a position that allowed him to be both comfortable and breath easily, and he didn't want to sleep sitting up, , but he was probably going to have to in the coming weeks.

After tossing and turning in his once-familiar bed and staring at the Sanctum ceiling, the twins kicking and rolling in his womb or crushing his organs, Stephen finally got up, finding the bed was soft enough to make that difficult, and he sighed. Maybe he should just ask Wong if there was some kind of spell that could let him remain comatose but otherwise fully functioning until the babies were born, because the coming weeks were not going to be fun.

He pulled on his old bathrobe and groaned, because it didn't fit. Nothing left here fit anymore, which meant a whole lot of spells were in his future. He doubted they sold menswear in maternity sizes, let alone a size that would work for someone pregnant with extra-large twins. So he used magic and resolved to handle it tomorrow, feeling glad that the uniforms of the Masters of the Mystic Arts were comfortable.

The Cloak followed him but Stephen did not accept its help, even if the stairs were a bit daunting when he couldn't see past his belly. He made it down to the kitchen in one piece and turned on the lights, beginning to make himself some tea. After he had the kettle on and the cup set up, he pressed his hands into the small of his back and began to pace around, trying to work out some kinks and urge the twins into a better position. The Cloak floated nearby and the Sanctum creaked at him, both concerned.

"I'm all right." Stephen promised, taking a deep breath.

He wondered if he would be able to get through a cup of tea without having to take off for the bathroom.

He was still pacing and had moved one hand to rub his belly when he turned and jerked to a stop, as Wong was standing in the kitchen doorway.

"Did I wake you?" Stephen asked, though he was sure he hadn't been particularly noisy.

"No, you did not." Wong promised and walked in, wearing his own robe and slippers.

"Are you all right?" he added.

"I can't sleep. It's so different here than in the Garden, and the twins are also making things difficult. I can't either sleep or breathe." Stephen replied humorlessly, rubbing at his belly some more.

Wong nodded, understanding, and moved to prepare a cup of tea for himself.

They had already talked, talked a good deal, but the silence between them felt thick and too heavy for Stephen.

"Did I do the right thing, Wong?" he asked weakly, his voice sounding like a small and fragile thing.

He knew he had, of course, had thought it, decided it, reassured himself, and he now knew for certain that he had.

"I won't lie to you and say that is future has been easy. But I trust you. You are following in the steps of the Ancient One, and all the Sorcerer Supremes and general sorcerers who bore the Eye of Agamotto before you, all the way back to Agamotto himself. Choosing the best future from what was available to you. I trust you, Stephen. I would like to think you trust yourself." Wong said, never breaking the flow of preparing his cup.

Stephen took a deep breath, appreciating the words greatly.

"Is there anything I can do for you? You need to rest." Wong added as he finished, turning around to face Stephen.

"I don't think so." Stephen said, said shaking his head.

Wong nodded and Stephen paced some more, rubbing too, finally encouraging the twins into a good position, he thought, because at least his back wasn't twinging so much, and his bladder didn't feel like it had been pressed flat.

Soon enough, the tea was ready and they were waiting for it to cool, Stephen settling down in one of the chairs. Wong sat across from him and Stephen took a deep breath.

"Whatever you need, Stephen, I am here. I will do whatever I can for you, all you have to do is ask. Even if it is just offer you some company." Wong said eventually, when the silence had grown too thick again.

Stephen swallowed, because damn his hormones, he felt as if he might be close to crying again. He was probably allowed, given everything he had gone through and what had happened, but he didn't want to. For some reason breaking down into a heaving wreck and having Wong try to comfort him felt immensely embarrassing.

"Thank you." he said and Wong nodded.

They had tea, enjoyed each other's company, and Stephen was able to get some semblance of sleep for a bit before being woken by a kick to his bladder- Already. They had just started moving, it seemed. These next few months definitely weren't going to be fun.

As the days began to pass, Stephen slowly began to venture out into Kamar-Taj, enduring the curious stares. It wasn't the fact it was the children of Thanos, he thought- It was the fact he was a man and pregnant, and probably because he looked ready to give birth rather soon despite being only halfway through. Wong came with him, and Stephen really saw the faces of who was missing, the reality of who he was missing sending an ache through his chest.

But no one had harsh words, angry gestures, or anything even mildly threatening toward him, not like some of the Avengers, and Stephen found comfort in it.

His children would certainly be safe here, away from the rest of the world, and there was no one (at least being obvious about it) who wanted to force him to have an abortion or murder his children after they were born, or watch and wait for them to make a mistake or seem slightly like their other father to kill them. Kamar-Taj was safe.

As he had been told, Kamar-Taj was a place that collected broken things. But also lost things, too. And all three of them were that.

He still feared this might be the only place his children would have in the world. The world was getting used to aliens and abnormals and so forth on some level, but that didn't mean his children would ever have a place for being half alien, or possibly being assumed to be a mutant.

The world was changing now, however, and maybe by the time the future Stephen had seen came about, it would be much better for his daughters.

For now, he stuck to Kamar-Taj and mostly the Sanctum at that, because Wong had banned him from any duties he might do, and Kamar-Taj was still too strange with the missing faces and the fact he did wonder what people might actually be thinking.

He refused to hide, however, even if he spent more time in the Sanctum, because he had nothing to be ashamed of. He had done what was necessary for the future and in less than five years, they would truly understand.

As he tried to get used to the changes and discovered despite the losses there were new people too, some of them come to Kamar-Taj because of the Snap, but though the world knew the truth, most of them didn't blame him, if they saw him. Some still had to learn from the teachings of Kamar-Taj, though, and Stephen didn't get close enough to be introduced to them, not yet. He could see the expression on their faces or in their eyes even from the distance, and he did not want to deal with that right now. He was still feeling wary of Colonel Rhodes, Bruce Banner, Steve Rogers, Nebula, and Rocket. He didn't need to add more people to that list.

It soon became clear, even as he began to settle back in and get used to things again, or rather get used to how things were now, that there currently was no place for him to fit in Kamar-Taj. He couldn't do his duties. He couldn't even teach a class. He found that out the hard way. A week after arriving back on Earth, in a fit of boredom and not knowing what to do with himself, he tried, showing up to assist Master Sumitra as he normally would, but she took one look at him and firmly told him no.

Stephen had argued and it wasn't like classes were dangerous, but accidents happened, and he was supposed to be adjusting and relaxing, not teaching classes. Wong got involved and Stephen knew he was experiencing some of those violent mood swings he had thought were sometimes exaggerated, because he yelled at the Sorcerer Supreme in front of Master Sumitra and the gathering students.

"I'm not broken!" he shouted at Wong, his fists clenched, feeling the twins squirming in response to his anger.

He felt hot with it, because he was just trying to have some semblance of normal, and he didn't want to sit around in the Sanctum as an incubator for the next few weeks, not until he had to. He was almost certain it was going to happen, that complete bed rest aside from getting up to use the bathroom and take a shower was going to be in his future, but it wasn't yet. He also didn't want to sit around and stew in his thoughts and fears, and there was only so much reading he could do.

He knew getting his blood pressure up while pregnant wouldn't be good, but he didn't care, because he felt like a ball of emotions had been sitting on his chest for these past few weeks that he hadn't acknowledged, or rather it was the ball of emotions that had been sitting there since the Avengers had first come.

The anger, the resentment, the fear, the worry, and everything else, and suddenly it just came bursting out when two people were standing there and calmly and gently telling him no, he couldn't even show some spells to student because it might be too dangerous for him or his children if an accident happened, and because he didn't need to be doing this right now, he needed to relax and adjust and all that. And if he heard that one more time, it might not just be a sharp shout coming from his mouth.

He heard gasps from the students when he shouted and even Master Sumitra seemed shocked, though Wong was the least shocked.

"Master Strange, watch your tongue!" Master Sumitra hissed at him, tugging the back of his robes warningly, probably trying to prompt him to bow, but that was something Stephen definitely couldn't do anymore.

Stephen said nothing else, just tugged away from her and stormed off as fast as he could before anything else could be said. As big as he already was, he definitely wasn't moving anywhere fast, and he still felt angry. He took a deep breath as he raised his hands to make a portal back to the Sanctum, because fuck walking back through the library and into the Sanctum that way, but even with making himself a shortcut, Wong caught up and made it through the portal before he could close it.

Stephen didn't want to apologize, still clinging to the anger inside of him, though he knew he shouldn't have said what he had.

"I know you are not broken, Stephen." Wong said calmly and Stephen stood in the foyer, cradling his belly and taking deep breaths after closing the portal.

"I know. But it was a class, Wong. I can teach, at least. Demonstrate how to move your hands and weave the magic. But Master Sumitra looked like I was insane for wanting to do it." Stephen said softly.

"You never were entirely thrilled to teach the newest students." Wong reminded him and Stephen snorted.

"I can do it, Wong. I was working on a farm one week ago, teaching spells isn't going to do anything to any of us." he said.

"I know, Stephen." Wong said and Stephen turned to him.

"Then why can't I do it? I've seen masters teaching when they've been pregnant before." he demanded.

"Because you just returned to Earth a week ago and went through some very long and traumatic experiences. I would make any sorcerer take time to recover before even teaching classes, pregnant or not. You need to get used to being home, too, even if it's been a week. Learn how to be here again. Adjustment takes time, and you are going to have that time, Stephen, whether you like it or not." Wong said and then looked away from him, seeming almost ashamed.

"And yes, it is in part because you are pregnant. Twins are usually high-risk and no doctor or healer has put you on bed rest yet, but most of your pregnancy is a mystery and there is no judge for what is healthy and what is not. Slowing down, at least for a short time, would not be harmful." he added and this made Stephen grit his teeth, because he had been worrying about this for so long that of course he knew that.

"I have been to doctors and arranged appointments with healers, and I have been pregnant for twenty-one weeks. I think I know what I can and can not handle." he growled.

Wong arched a brow at him and was no doubt thinking all the times Stephen had not sought help for what had happened in the Dark Dimension or even things regarding his accident on a mental front. Stephen said nothing.

"One more week." he said to Wong through his teeth.

"One more week, and then you let me do what I can for as long as I can, because Vishanti knows that I won't be able to do it for long. I won't got out on missions, I won't do combat training, but I can do pretty much everything else around the Sanctum and teach classes. I'll even get a fucking healer's note if that makes you feel better." he continued, glowering.

He had been doing a lot more on the farm than Thanos had, even with the help of magic, and he wished he could shove those memories in Wong's face so he could see that Stephen was, in fact, all right and fully capable of teaching some nervous students.

"All right." Wong agreed and Stephen felt some of his anger drain away.

"Tell the other masters, please." he said more politely.

Wong nodded and then glanced around the Sanctum.

"You could organize the relic records. I haven't gotten around to that. And no, your system is not acceptable; you are the only who knows how you organize it. Alphabetically would be preferred, but date of acquisition is also acceptable." he said after a moment and Stephen scowled

"I had them organized by where they are in the Sanctum." he said indignantly.

"And not everyone who comes into the Sanctum knows where things are or what is what. A system that works for everyone is in order. Thank the Vishanti I figured out how you had the library organized." Wong said and there was something like a shudder in his voice.

"It was perfectly fine!" Stephen protested; he had had the books organized exactly how he liked them.

The ones he used frequently in an easy-to-reach place, the ones that were boring or he didn't need elsewhere. He was going to go in and find the whole place arranged like a regular library, he just knew it, and he didn't miss Wong's small smirk at his protest.

"Are you questioning the orders of your Sorcerer Supreme?" he asked lightly.

Stephen wasn't sure if he would ever be able to fully view Wong as the Sorcerer Supreme. He was... Just Wong. Scary librarian, skilled master, and, more importantly, his best friend. The Ancient One had been Sorcerer Supreme and while Wong had the same imposing, cryptic air as she did, it was different, probably because he was Stephen's friend.

He knew Wong would allow him to push his limits and test boundaries and probably cross some others weren't allowed to, because of their friendship. But he wasn't sure he should push his luck right off the bat.

"Fine." Stephen grumbled, just to show he wasn't caving too easily.

Wong gently brushed his arm with his hand and Stephen appreciated the gesture, then went to the office that had been changed somewhat in his absence. He had decided to have a more thorough list and relics after his fight with Kaecilius, because yes, it had been the middle, and yes, he had never been in the New York Sanctum before, but he hadn't know what the Brazier of Bom'Goliath had been or why Kaecilius had feared it so much, or what the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak had been either. He might even install little plates stating what things were, after his experience, but that was something he hadn't gotten around.

A sort of personal codex of relics was, however. And it was organized, thank you, but he had to admit that Wong was right and most people who came around while he was gone probably wouldn't know where things were or how to find them in a hurry. Not that alphabetical order- which he was assuming was the correct order- would help with location any more than his did if you didn't know what things looked like, but he resolved to add pictures sometime. He wondered if someone had a camera he could borrow.

There were a lot of relics all over the Sanctum, so reorganizing took some time, especially since there were a few new ones that Stephen had to go ask Wong about. But he did it and tried not to complain, though sitting around while the twins squashed his bladder and bruised his insides wasn't great. Working in the fields had been better, letting him walk around and get exercise and encourage them to change position while he worked, but this work demanded sitting at the desk and it was uncomfortable. He had to sit further away than he would have liked, and his belly was forcing his legs apart in addition to that, which furthered the discomfort.

It also didn't help that his handwriting was terrible. Not many people could read most of it, at least not easily, and that slowed him down. He might have to ask Wong to translate it for him, but that thought pissed him off. Maybe it was time to dig out that old printer he had seen in the basement and try that, though his mind wandered to the cost of printer ink and how irritating it would be to through that process, especially with an older printer. If it was too old, it might not be compatible with his laptop, and he was not going to run out and buy a new printer just for this.

No, he took it slow and wrote as neatly and legible as he could, which was painful for several reasons, but it wasn't like he would have much else to do with his week and he might as well make it last. At least he didn't have to rewrite the whole thing, just add the new entries.

Still, two days of writing and reorganizing later, he had finished the work and was now bored out of his mind, having found himself mostly idle for the last two days. He felt he was going out of his mind, lazing around the Sanctum and feeling Thanos's children grow inside him, his mind plagued by those all-too-familiar worries as he sat idle.

So it was a relief when on that fourth day when the doorbell to the Sanctum rang and he was honestly surprised the Sanctum had a doorbell, as it usually just let whoever was at the door in if it deemed them fine, but having the warning was appreciated.

He heaved himself out of the chair and abandoned the book he was pretending to read, not caring if it was door-to-door salesman, because at least it was something to do.

It was not, in fact, a door-to-door salesman. It was the somewhat odd-looking combination of Thor and Natasha, Thor holding what looked like a covered container, Natasha a slim box.

"Sorcerer. May we come in?" Thor asked formally, adding as he lifted his cargo, "I brought you something the mothers of Asgard say is good for moth- For father and child."

"Nice save, Odinson." Stephen said a little dryly, but he was amused.

"I brought something Tony asked me to send over." Natasha offered, holding up the box.

"You didn't need to bring gifts to be invited in." Stephen said, gesturing for them to come in.

Given the nature of Thor's cargo, he brought them into the kitchen and Thor set the container on the counter, Stephen removing the lid. It looked like some kind of stew or soup and as still a little warm, to his surprise, and then he eyed Thor.

"I thought you were in New Asgard." he said, wondering how Thor had come to be on his doorstep.

"Your Sorcerer Supreme was kind enough to bring me. He has been checking in on my people since after the battle in Wakanda. The Masters of the Mystic Arts have been kind enough to lend us support and aid." Thor replied and Stephen blinked.

No one had mentioned that to him, not once.

He was aware that the Asgardians had settled on Earth, of course, but he had not realized the Masters of the Mystic Arts had a hand in it. He was glad, however, that they were. The Masters of the Mystic Arts were like that.

"Thank you for bringing this, but I am not hungry right now." Stephen said, putting the lid back on the container, but not before taking a sniff.

It did smell good, but he wasn't hungry, and even if he was, he didn't think the twins would let him eat very much right now. At least one of them felt like they were pressing on his stomach so even drinking some water felt like it could be a bad idea.

"You can reheat it later." Thor assured him.

Stephen left it on the counter to cool all the way before he put it in the fridge, and he offered to make tea, because he wasn't sure what else to do. He was not sure if he would call these two friends, but he didn't mind that they were here. Thor, of course, did not want tea, but Stephen wasn't going to give him a beer this time.

He had seen Thor's future and there was no changing a good chunk of it, but he didn't need to help it along to where it could be.

So Thor accepted the tea, a little reluctantly, and once Stephen had that going, he turned to Natasha.

"So what did Stark use you as a messenger for?" he asked, wondering what could possibly be in that box.

"I guess you'll have to open it and find out. I don't think it's dangerous, though with Tony, sometimes you never know." Natasha said with a shrug, holding it out.

Stephen accepted it and opened it, peering it and sliding out the object. It was a cellphone, a smart phone, specifically, and Stephen gritted his teeth. He had learned the hard way that touch screens were not friendly for his shaky hands; they were too easy to make mistakes with if his finger shook and pressed the edge of an area or something.

A note came with it and he unfolded it, reading the semi-messy writing, stating that the phone was for him, Tony's and Pepper's numbers were preloaded on it, he could add what he wanted, and Tony had designed the phone with his disability in mind. It was more a protype, but he should be able to use it, and he was to report any sort of problem he had with it to Tony so he could make it better.

He must have realized Stephen didn't have a phone to actually call Pepper on or had just wanted to do something tech related or maybe had wanted to try to pay Stephen back. Whatever it was, Stephen felt he had no choice but to accept it, and he did appreciate it.

"Ah, a celluar phone." Thor said knowledgably, which made Stephen chuckle a little.

"I suppose he figured out I don't own one." Stephen said, setting it on the table for now.

He would investigate it later.

"Wong told him." Natasha said and this made Stephen frown a little.

He wondered if Wong had become friends with Tony while he was gone, or the Avengers in general. He had seen no signs of great familiarity between them, aside from what he would have expected from after the meeting he had been aware of. But if Wong had made friends with some of them, at least, that was good. They would need the Avengers, or what was left of them, in the future, and while Tony wasn't the easiest person to be around, neither was Stephen. If anyone could tolerate him, it was Wong.

"Do you mind if I ask how things have been regarding...?" Stephen asked, looking between the pair, gesturing at his belly.

"Well, Rhodey still isn't happy about it, but I think Tony calmed him down, a little. He still doesn't accept it. Steve has come around. Captain America on the side of what's right and all that, and you can be certain that forcing someone to end a pregnacny or kill babies isn't what he signed up for." Natasha said and a bit of weight lifted off Stephen.

"The others?"

"Tony still knows Nebula the best. Rocket, I have to admit, can be a bit concerning. I think Nebula is feeling protective but afraid that they could turn out like Thanos. And Rocket, well, he just hates Thanos. Banner, he... I think he sees some of himself in it. You know he was terrified of Thanos." Natasha said and she looked awkward about this.

"I know."

"Thanos was about as indestructible as the Hulk is, and deadly. He went toe-to-toe with Banner and Banner wasn't enough. He killed so many so easily... I think Banner is worried about what your children will be like. What they could be like. Part of him is convinced they will be like that." Natasha told him honestly, an apologetic look in her eyes.

Stephen took a deep breath and nodded. Banner and the Hulk went hand in hand, and of course, worrying was allowed. But he hated that his daughters were being compared to Thanos when they weren't even twenty-two weeks gestated, that there would be people watching and waiting for them to put one toe out of line from the moment they were born.

"I think your blood, your influence, is going to be all that matters, Doc. You seem like a good guy. And these kids are going to be part you and have you, not Thanos, raising them. They could do a lot worse." Natasha said, studying him seriously.

"Thank you. I think that's one of the kindest things someone has said about this." Stephen said, realizing only now that he was holding his belly protectively.

"I will offer you the might of Asgard to protect them, if necessary. No one will harm them." Thor said firmly and Stephen dipped his head in acknowledgement.

It touched something in him deeply that so many people wanted to protect his children, even while some wanted to hurt. They would have the might of Kamar-Taj and the power of a god to protect them, though Stephen knew Thor might not always be able to keep his promise. But he accepted it knowing that and hoping that he would never have to ask Thor to uphold that promise.

They sat at the table when the tea was poured, and it was almost awkward; these weren't two people Stephen had ever expected to have a casual conversation with or have in his home.

But they were a welcoming presence, good company, and they caught up about what they had been doing over the past week and a half, though it really wasn't interesting or cheerful.

It was heartening to hear how the Asgardians were building a new place for themselves, however, and how Natasha and Steve were still trying to make the world better.

Because despite what had happened, it had been almost eleven months, and life could not hold still, even in the wake of such tragedy. For the next four years and some odd months, the world would get back on track, and people would heal and recover, and then... Then they would start over again. It was the best Stephen could manage, and even then it wasn't the future he wanted.

But five years, he thought, was a small price to pay to undo a wrong.

He talked with Thor and Natasha, got to know them a bit better, and gave some of himself in return. Stephen realized he was sorely lacking in friends, in people he trusted and could, more importantly, just sit and talk to. He really only had Wong and Christine, he supposed, and he couldn't lean on them all the time. It was time to get more people.

But it was hard when he knew in five years, despite everything, Thor most likely would have succumbed to his guilt and grief, even when he had pledged himself to Stephen's children, and Natasha would be dead.

They had been having a nice conversation up until that point, second cups of tea poured (and one inevitable bathroom trip for Stephen), and then those thoughts smacked Stephen like a blow to the face.

His breath caught in his throat and he stumbled over a detail about the farm in the Garden, because he was proud of the farm despite everything, and something most have shown on his face, because Natasha's brows drew closer with concern.

"Stephen, you okay?" she asked, looking him over.

"Yeah." Stephen said, clearing his throat. "Yes. One of them just kicked me hard."

It was a plausible lie, at least, and Stephen had always had a knack for lying, at least. He had lied a few times as a doctor, to give patients and family hope, so he usually lied for a good reason. He supposed lying to protect the future was a good reason, too.

Thor looked him over intently with his mismatched eyes and Stephen wondered if he had some lie-detecting Asgardian power or maybe because he had grown up with the God of Lies, but if he thought Stephen was lying, he didn't call him out on it.

He impulsively invited them to stay for dinner, but Thor had to get back to Norway and Natasha apparently had plans with Steve. She did offer to have Stephen over, but Stephen wasn't sure he was ready to face Captain America, even after Natasha told him that he was on his side now. He certainly wasn't ready to possibly bump into any other Avenger.

So they parted ways and Stephen saw them out, making Thor a portal back to Norway and waving to Natasha from the doorway as she climbed into her car and drove back to the Avengers Compound.

He went back in and washed the teacups, putting everything in order, and then he looked at Tony's gift. Another slip of paper in the box had instructions, but Tony had already set up the phone, so there wasn't much Stephen needed to do. He checked the time, decided it was all right, and took a breath.

He was going to accept the offer Pepper had extended to him. After all the futures he had seen, he felt like he knew her and Tony, but he didn't actually know them, and he wanted to. So, he picked up the phone and selected Pepper's number, deciding to change that.

Chapter Text

Wong had to give Stephen at least one task a day to keep him occupied during the rest of the promised week, otherwise Stephen would have definitely gone insane.

It was a hard week, much harder than he had thought it would, even harder than the first week back.

He wasn't sure why it was harder. Maybe because he had settled in more and was starting to get back into the swing of things, so to speak, because people were used to him being back in Kamar-Taj for two weeks now and he was used to being back, but suddenly it felt harder to be around everyone. Because now he knew for certain who was missing, because now he knew who was where, and he was starting to expect the new face.

He joined Master Hamir to teach the same class he had struggled with so much when he had been new here, the students arranged in groups of four and practicing spells and movements, creating shapes in the air, and letting out in-sync shouts as they did them.

Stephen demonstrated and then walked the lines, one hand cradling his belly, observing and correcting. These were newer students this time, curious and cautious of him, and some of them were here because of what he had done, because his decision had led to grief and pain that they hoped to heal here.

He felt their eyes on him and while it wasn't like he had held a meeting and proclaimed that his children were the children of Thanos, anyone could do basic math, even when magic and reality had been involved to make him pregnant, and they knew.

Everyone knew where he had been, everyone knew what had happened in the most basic sense, and he couldn't help but wonder if there was judgement or curiosity or whatever else going on behind their eyes.

He was usually so confident, so arrogant still, but this felt like a blow to everything he had built up over the years, because he couldn't help but feel uncertain and worried, and wondering.

But he got through the class and no one was disrespectful to him, and it felt good. Even if it had been one of his least favorite jobs, it felt good to do magic again like this, to be part of life in Kamar-Taj, and he took on every class he could.

Sometimes he did take a break in the middle of it, watching from a handy nearby bench, merely because of the strain the weight of the twins already was placing on him, making his back twinge or compressing his organs exactly right for discomfort or difficulty breathing. They were still small for how big they would be, even if they were the size of singletons, and yet doing so much to him. It was a little hard to believe sometimes.

When he had time, he called Pepper Potts. They talked on the phone and made arrangements to get together after a few, and Stephen felt almost desperate for the company, for someone he could talk to (even if it was just about the aches and pains of his body), and to actually get to know the person he had gotten to know through visions of the future.

At the end of the week, Wong summoned him to share evening tea with him, and Stephen arrived, breathing in the wonderful scents that greeted him, glancing around curiously at Wong's spacious new quarters.

"The other masters told me you were quite the enthusiastic teacher this week." Wong said after gesturing for Stephen to sit.

Stephen eased himself done and made a very undignified grunt as he did, because everything was getting complicated, even at twenty-two weeks. Wong didn't even look at him, though.

"It feels... It feels good to be back. Part of me was afraid this wasn't the future I had hoped for. That I would be in the Garden for a long time, alone save for Thanos. Serving as his broodmare." Stephen admitted, settling his hands on his belly.

Wong's brows grew together a little as he looked over at Stephen.

"For how long? How many times?" he asked softly.

"I don't really know. As for how many... At least six, I think. He must have wanted to replace what he had." Stephen answered with a shudder, and he wondered if the babies currently curled in his womb were any he had seen in that future.

It was hard to tell, to be honest, and one future could totally erase the possibility of one person and produce another. It was complicated, and in a lot of them, Stephen hadn't paused to study the fine details. There had been no time for the little things, no matter how curious he had been.

"I am glad that future is not this one." Wong said, his voice rough with emotion that Stephen recognized.

Wong didn't even like thinking about that future and Stephen knew from those words how much his friend cared for him, and he took as deep a breath as he could manage.

"I am, too." he said, rubbing his belly in that compulsive way he had developed.

They talked a bit about the classes and so forth as Wong made the tea and Stephen was pleased that he had done an acceptable job, grimacing as the babies began to kick him again. He noticed Wong watching with half-hidden curiosity, and Stephen arched an eyebrow at him.

"...Could I feel?" Wong asked after a long moment.

"No." Stephen said, adding hastily at the look on Wong's face, "You could if you wanted, but you actually won't be able to feel anything for four more weeks at the least. I can only feel them right now because they're inside of me. Touching is just... Instinctive. I think it calms them down."

Wong nodded and sat down across from him, and Stephen enjoyed this. Again, it was something Stephen realized he had missed thoroughly in The Garden. Sharing tea and quite evenings with Thanos could not compare to sitting here with Wong in Kamar-Taj, sharing tea as they used to, in companionship that didn't always require words.

As their talk of classes and what Stephen could and would be doing died away, Stephen worked up the courage to ask Wong a question.

"I have a healer's appointment tomorrow. I would appreciate some company." he said and Wong look surprised.

"Are you asking me to come with you, Stephen?" he asked, as he had to be sure.

"If you have the time. It's at eleven tomorrow." Stephen said nonchalantly, as if it were nothing.

But in truth, he really did want Wong's company. He needed to meet with the healers and devise a birth plan, or at least as much of one as he could, and the sooner he did that the better. He had put off the healer appointments until now, until he felt a little more settled, because he had wanted to be sure of how he and his children would be received in Kamar-Taj before he did. He didn't want to put his health and that of his children in the hands of someone who might disapprove of them, or if that had wound up being the general opinion. He remembered the look on Christine's face when she had done the sonogram and everything else, and how he had tracked the twins' growth.

He knew he was fooling himself into thinking that eight pounds would be as big as they might be. Size was an issue, but he had begun to do research (and scare himself), and large pairs of twins safely carried and delivered did exist, some of them even bigger than singletons. He was doing that research slowly, trying to absorb what his future might be like, and also wishing he had selfishly taken the time to look at his own future in more detail than the skimming and glimpses he had done. But the immediate answers to how big human twins could get, the biggest on record, did make him feel incredibly scared.

It was news he expected to receive, if not tomorrow then later when the healers realized that basing things off human growth rate wasn't a reliable scale (even if he had been forced to use that as well), but receiving it with someone he trusted accompanying him somehow made it seem like it would be better.

He might have been worrying over nothing, but the babies would be developed enough to start getting a rough estimate during this appointment, and he was still dreading it.

"I will go with you." Wong said and Stephen let out a small breath of relief.

He gave Wong a grateful smile and they shared tea and eventually dinner, Stephen returning to the Sanctum to sleep. In the morning, he went about the routine he was settling into until just before eleven, when he made his way to the healing halls of Kamar-Taj and was joined by Wong.

Stephen had yet to settle on a healer he felt comfortable with, though there was only a select few he could truly choose from. Only the ones most experienced with pregnancy, childbirth, and their complications, given the nature of his own pregnancy, and he was allowed to cycle through the limited pool until he found someone he felt comfortable with. There would be assistants, of course, and he also wanted to ask Christine if it would be possible for her to be on the team he would have to have because he trusted her like no one else, but one thing at a time.

"Master Strange? I'm Master Bodhi." the man who was waiting for him greeted, offering a small bow.

His black hair was ribboned elegantly in silver and pulled back in a short tail, his robes a deep green that complemented his warm skin tone. He was older than Stephen, the lines of his face immediately giving away that he smiled a lot, and he was friendly. Stephen had never really given a damn if he seemed friendly when he had been a doctor or if his own doctors were friendly, but in this moment and in this situation, he appreciated that this man seemed friendly and calm.

He held out his hand and Stephen shook it somewhat awkwardly, as handshakes were sometimes hard if his hands were aching. They did ache a little, but he managed, and Wong came into the room with him. Master Bodhi had Stephen strip down to his shirt and set his belt aside, the Cloak floating off to the side next to Wong, and Stephen knew what to expect.

Height, weight, blood pressure, questions, and everything else, and also an intense physical exam. Stephen gave Master Bodhi all his notes and Christine's, answering every question, and he saw the man's expression soften with sympathy when he read the part about the scarring and Stephen's worries. He assured him that Christine's assessment had been correct and it shouldn't interfere with the birth, that he had healed himself well, and gave Stephen's hand a squeeze.

He did give him a pelvic and measured his hips, and felt Stephen's belly thoroughly, asking him about pain, locating the babies, and such as that. He also measured and though Stephen had told him everything and he knew how big Thanos was, he did look mildly alarmed at the numbers.

Then he used the ultrasound spell, much better than Stephen or Wong, and Stephen stared at his babies. Curled up together at almost awkward angles, one already a bit bigger than the other, and he scraped the medical school knowledge from his brain, judging their size and development, layering it with what he knew of Thanos.

"As far as I can judge, they are both perfectly healthy. And I am sure you know that it is only a very rough estimate, but I would not be surprised if they grew to be at least nine pounds, if not more, by the time they are ready to be born." Master Bodhi said delicately and Stephen closed his eyes.

"Mary Ann Haskin, world record holder, twins born in 1924, in Arkansas, United States. Weighing fourteen pounds and thirteen pounds, two ounces, respectively, for a culminative weight of twenty-seven pounds, twelve ounces. Mother lived another fifty years, all three healthy and happy after birth." Stephen spouted out, the information branded in his mind, even if it wasn't music.

Both Wong and Bodhi stared at him for a moment, and Stephen could see the horror in Wong's eyes, even if it stayed off his face.

"I fully expect them to reach that size, Master Bodhi. I have no information on how big the average Titan child is at birth, but I suspect they may still be on the small side." Stephen said, staring at the spell, and Master Bodhi nodded.

"All right. I will keep that in mind, and I will go over the spells with you that you may need to be able to carry them as far as you can. If worse comes to worse, you may have to do them yourself, and I don't want you to be unprepared. I would also like the information on these twins as well, if you can provide it." he said, still calm, staring at the twins.

Stephen nodded and watched as his daughters twitched and squirmed, taking a deep breath. If a woman had done it in 1924 without magic, he was certain he could do it. Medicine had come much further since then, and he would have the best medical facility and technology at his disposal, most likely, as well as well-trained masters. He was determined to get the twins as far as he could, no matter how big they got or what spells he might have to put himself through, and he knew they would be discussing C-sections soon. Stephen did not want one, if he could avoid it.

He did not want the downtime of surgery when he would have two newborns and be learning how to be a father and possibly have to defend them from some pissed off Avengers as well. It also had health benefits for them all, which he wanted, too. But if his hips and the size of the babies didn't comply with each other, a C-section would be the only way.

And even if his hips did make it possible (he had made Thanos alter his pelvis too, he had made sure of that), there would still be the risk of tearing and other things with larger babies that made him cringe.

Master Bodhi began to go over the spells with Stephen, showing him the movements and such so he could practice. But while he talked about everything, Wong silently held his hand, and neither of them said anything, but Stephen appreciated that Wong had known what he needed without him asking. A firm hand in his own had somehow made it easier, and he did not know why. Stephen left the appointment with everything he had known was coming confirmed, and a liking for Master Bodhi.

"Are you all right?" Wong asked and Stephen nodded.

"Yeah. I knew it was going to come to that, actually. I did my research. But... I did appreciate not having my fears confirmed alone. Thank you." Stephen said and Wong nodded.

"Whatever you need, Stephen, just ask. If I can grant it to you, I will." he said and they parted ways, Stephen off to teach another class.

He was fairly certain some masters had been moved around so he could teach so many classes so frequently in such a short span of time, but he knew many masters did not like teaching frequently, so he was probably doing someone a favor by taking the job. Once upon a time, he had enjoyed it whenever someone had taken over for him so he could do something else. Now he was glad that someone else was letting it happen so he could still do something while he could.

Stephen really settled into his new routine of teaching classes daily, of getting used to life in Kamar-Taj again, talking to Pepper on the phone sometimes, and having tea and sometimes dinner with Wong. When he didn't teach, he got the Sanctum order, performing the spells that needed to be renewed and organizing and cleaning. He knew he would have to get a nursery ready sooner rather than later, especially if he wound up confined to bed for a good chunk of the pregnancy. He knew he wouldn't want someone else doing that for him, at least entirely. But not yet. No, he had only been back on Earth for less than a month. There was still time

And then, suddenly, somehow, it was the day he was supposed to get together with Pepper in person and he had rearranged for it, so he wouldn't show up ridiculously tired or anything else. In a fit of uncertainty, Stephen cast a glamour on himself and went out into New York, buying a seriously overpriced bouquet of flowers from the nearest florist. He had asked for something appropriate for a good impression on someone he was trying to get to know as a friend, not romantically, and that was what the kid at the counter had produced, so he bought it.

At the appointed time, Stephen opened a portal to the Stark Eco Compound and stepped through, snow crunching lightly under his boots, his breath fogging the air. It was almost spring, but winter still clung to this place upstate, and he crossed the yard, climbing the stairs and going to the front door.

He knocked and waited, clutching his flowers, and Pepper opened it after a minute.

"You're right on time, Stephen. Come in." she invited, gesturing for him to come in.

"These are for you." Stephen said once he was inside, offering the vibrant bundle of flowers.

He could be charming and smooth, but he suddenly felt awkward, not knowing what to do with someone he knew but didn't truly know.

"Thank you." Pepper said, smiling at him, and he supposed he had done all right.

"Can I take your, uh, cape?" Pepper added watching at the Cloak rippled over him.

"Cloak. And no, thank you. If you don't mind, it can just float... Around." Stephen said, correcting her automatically, and he winced.

But the Cloak was a cloak, not a cape, and for some reason the distinction was important to him, like how he was a sorcerer, not a wizard.

"That's fine." Pepper said and Stephen glanced around the house.

He partially knew what to expect, but it was still very different from what he had seen in little glimpses in visions.

It was clear that it hadn't been lived in too long, still having that feeling of a new home, but there were already collections of personal objects on tables, like photographs and other things, a blanket tossed over the couch, books scattered around. It was a house becoming a home, and Stephen liked it already.

"You have a lovely home." he complimented as he swirled the Cloak off his shoulders.

"Thank you." Pepper said, watching as the Cloak floated in the air.

"No Tony?" Stephen said, though he had just cast out his mind automatically to sense who was around.

"No Tony. He was getting a little crazy about the nursery, so I sent him out to get groceries. Told him I had a craving but wasn't too specific, so it should keep him busy for a while. He took Happy with him, too." Pepper said, smiling a little, and Stephen smiled back.

"I'm going to put these in water; you can sit down if you like." Pepper added and Stephen nodded.

He had been about to follow her, but that occurred to him that was a little weird, so he went and sat politely on one end of the couch.

Pepper returned three minutes later, and she must have already had things prepared, because she set down a tray on the table with some food.

"You didn't have to do that." Stephen said, though it was the polite thing to do.

"It was already here; all I did was put it on a plate. Would you like water, lemonade, tea?" Pepper said and Stephen accepted the offer for lemonade.

Once that was sorted out, Pepper sat on the opposite end of the couch, and there was a long, thick silence for a moment.

"I understand if you can't say anything about it, but you saw Tony and I in the future, didn't you? More than you've let on. More than whatever reason you saved him for." Pepper said bluntly, seriously, and Stephen was surprised.

But he knew Pepper Potts was a smart woman; she wouldn't have been CEO of Stark Industries if she wasn't. He had seen how smart she was and had admired it, even been... He wasn't going to finish those thoughts.

"Have I been so obvious?" Stephen asked with a wince.

"Just the way you have behaved around Tony and me. Like you're holding yourself back. And this look in your eye. You said you saw fourteen million, six hundred-six futures. There must have been a lot to see other than just winning if this isn't the end." Pepper said and Stephen sighed.

"Yes, I did. I saw a lot more. And I feel... I feel like I know you and Tony, among others, yet I don't. I did not want to make anyone uncomfortable. It seems unfair that I know so much about you two and you know hardly anything of me." he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, I'm getting to know you now, aren't I?" Pepper said simply and Stephen could tell that she had thought this through probably since he had left the Avengers' Compound.

Which was she why so calm about it now, not offended or weirded out by his words.

"Yes."

"And you can truly get to know me." Pepper said, and that was... It.

Stephen was grateful and things felt easier after that, because Pepper knew why he might act a little, well, strange, or say something odd, and perhaps he didn't have to make so much of an effort not to accidentally slip up about something he shouldn't know.

They caught up more than they had on the phone and Pepper fussed over him a little, worried like everyone else over his condition. Not undo worry, and Stephen rubbed his swollen belly. He looked almost on track with Pepper, who would be giving birth in just a few weeks, while he was barely halfway through.

But it was nice to talk and complain to someone who knew roughly what he was going through, and maybe it was some cliche that belonged on TV or in movies, two pregnant individuals bonding over their pregnancies, but right now it was the most they had and common. And Stephen truly didn't have anyone else to talk to.

Pepper looked horrified when he mentioned how big the twins might get.

"How... Holy crap." she said, her gaze dropping to his belly.

"I can spout out the recorded sizes of the largest twins, born both vaginally and by C-section, if you really want, but you probably be happier without the information." Stephen said, though he really wouldn't.

"No, I think I'm good." Pepper said, her hand on her own belly, as if trying to remember how big her daughter had looked on the last ultrasound.

"Will your body be able to handle it? Any of this?" Pepper asked worriedly and her concern was touching.

"It's been done before. But there are risks involved, even with Thanos changing my body. Pre-term labor, tears, ruptures... I'll probably be on bed rest soon, for the rest of the pregnancy." Stephen admitted, stopping himself from mentioning more details.

So close to giving birth herself, Pepper didn't need those things in her head if they weren't actual concerns for her.

"No wonder you asked about the compound's medical facility." Pepper murmured and Stephen nodded.

"I would prefer not to talk about it right now." he said, feeling as though this was putting a damper on what was supposed to be a friendly get-together.

"If you need to talk about it, you can. God knows Tony and I have talked to each other about our own fears and concerns. I know you don't have a lot of people." Pepper offered kindly.

"No, I don't. And not anyone who has ever been pregnant." Stephen admitted and took a deep breath.

He had seen the future, knew that he would likely survive it, if this truly was that future he had chosen when the first had gone. But there was still the fear there, proving that he was human, in the back of his mind with everything, and while he might be all right to fight in the battle to finally defeat Thanos and reverse what was done, he really didn't know what harm and recovery were in his future. He tried not to focus solely on that.

Pepper reached across the space between them and gently touched his wrist, rather than his hand, the touch comforting in a way Stephen wasn't expecting.

"Well, you have one now." she said and Stephen smiled at her weakly.

They talked for a bit and Stephen backed off the subject of his fears for now, because it just seemed like too much for the first time they were really sitting down and trying to get to know each other. He should probably see a psychiatrist, but... Even with the equivalent at Kamar-Taj, he wasn't sure if he could do that. It was branded in his mind forever, after all, and he had never really done that before. Maybe it was time, if not for his sake for his daughters', but he set that to the side at the moment.

He enjoyed this time with Pepper and somehow, they got to talking about college, comparing notes on the schools they had done to and some antics. Stephen laughed at one story Pepper told him and as he laughed, he realized it had been months since he had laughed out of pure amusement, laughed just because he was enjoying himself. It felt good and he laughed too hard, too long, because of that, because as he realized it he suddenly couldn't stop, and Pepper looked concerned. Not because he was laughing, he realized a moment later, but because he had started crying at some point, and not the kind of crying you did when you laughed too hard.

"Are you all right?" she asked when he choked down the laughter.

He nodded and swallowed, hastily drying his face on a napkin. He felt embarrassed and the reminder, again, that his hormones were just all screwed up at the moment didn't make him feel better about it.

"It's just... I can't remember the last time I just... Laughed." Stephen murmured and Pepper's expression softened.

The moment was broken just then with the front door opening and Tony's voice making a loud announcement.

"Pep, I'm not sure what you wanted, so I got you a few things to try out, and if it's not right, I swear I'll just clean out the entire-" he began, walking in with two loaded shopping bags, and he stopped when he saw Stephen.

"Oh, hey. I forgot today was the day." he said, half lifting an arm in greeting.

"I'll join you in the kitchen in a minute, Tony." Pepper promised as Happy Hogan came in as well and Stephen wondered just what sort of pointless mission Pepper had sent her husband on.

Tony nodded and took Happy with him, Pepper giving Stephen an apologetic smile.

He waved her off and listened to the murmur of voices from the kitchen, which wasn't too far away, composing himself and taking a sip of lemonade. The babies squirmed inside of him and he sighed slightly.

"I would be very appreciative if you two stopped turning me into a crying mess so often. It is rather embarrassing." he muttered to them.

Of course, there was no sort of response other than a movement that made him regret that large sip of lemonade. He was rather convinced now that evolution had not taken the position of vital organs into account when it came to pregnancy and he felt a grudging respect for anyone who willingly chose to go through this because yes, his pregnancy was highly unusual, but it was more or less the same.

He tried not to eavesdrop on the conversation happening not so far away from him, but it was hard not to overhear, and he could hear Pepper teasing Tony about the amount of things he had bought, especially when what he had originally chosen had apparently been the right thing. Their laughter and easy talk, wrapping Happy up in it as well, was something Stephen admired and even envied, and it was something he loved about them when he had seen the future.

Soon enough, Pepper and Tony were saying goodbye to Happy, who offered a silent raised hand to Stephen in greeting, and then the couple was rejoining Stephen.

"Don't mind me, I'm just going to get my book, some lemonade, and mind my business in another room." Tony said as he picked up the pitcher, pouring an alarming amount into the glass he had brought.

"You can stay." Stephen said and Tony paused, almost overfilling his glass.

"You sure? I don't want to interrupt." he said, gesturing with that too-full glass.

Somehow, he managed not to spill it, but he probably wouldn't be so lucky a second time around.

"I'm sure. I would like to get to know you better, Stark. Aside from arguing in a spaceship and that talk we had not long ago." Stephen said with a slight smirk, and he could tell from the look on Tony's face that he had had the same thoughts as Pepper about Stephen and the future.

Tony shrugged and plopped down in the armchair near the couch, Stephen glad that he didn't do that between him and Pepper. He did slosh a little lemonade on his jeans but didn't seem to notice, tapping the fingers of his free hand against the arm of the chair for a moment.

"So, what are we talking about?" he asked, perhaps a bit hesitantly, probably thinking they had dived deep into the pregnancy talk.

Stephen almost shook his head.

"College, I think it was." Stephen said all the same and Tony's eyes lit up.

"I am curious where a sorcerer-doctor gets an education. Does Kamar-Taj had some kind of exchange student program?" he asked curiously and Stephen realized just little about how joining the Masters of the Mystic Arts Tony knew.

Everyone knew the story of Iron Man- Stephen had watched the press conferences on TV- and it occurred to him now that if things had been different, Tony might have actually wound up in Kamar-Taj. Maybe. Honestly, the thought of what Tony Stark could do with magic worried Stephen a little, given everything he had done, and he was convinced he had a little bit more self-control than the man sitting near him.

No, his tech and lasers and whatnot definitely suited him far better than any magic he might have been able to pick up from Kamar-Taj did. Though Stephen did wonder what sort of thing Tony might have tried with magic, and if he might have tried to incorporate the magic into his tech.

"No, I went to Columbia, Tony. I was a neurosurgeon before I was a sorcerer. And I bet you looked me up." Stephen said and Tony scratched the back of his head.

"All right, maybe just a little." he admitted.

Stephen nodded and wasn't surprised; it wasn't exactly hard to find information on him. He had been a top neurosurgeon, and his accident had made headlines, and he didn't blame Tony for becoming curious about him.

If their positions had been reversed and the world hadn't known so much about Iron Man and Tony Stark, Stephen probably would have done the same thing. He had done his best to find out about Kaecilius, after all, though no one had been exactly forthcoming with that. Though that situation had been a little different.

"I'm guessing when you dropped off the face of the Earth is when you went to Kamar-Taj." Tony said and Stephen nodded.

He was pulled into their conversation a bit effortlessly and Stephen felt good, sitting here and able to talk to these people he felt like he knew, truly getting to know them, and it did take his mind off things in certain ways. In others, everything was still front and center, mainly because he had the constant reminder currently stirring inside of him and crushing his organs.

But it was good to sit here, drinking too much lemonade and talking to Tony and Pepper, outside a setting where he did feel like he had to set an example, like when he was teaching classes. He had the same freedom he had when talking to Wong or Christine, and, hopefully, two more people he could lean on, two more people he could count in the limited pool of his friends.

He stayed later than he meant to despite the weird time, and Pepper even showed him the nursery when he admitted he had no idea where to begin beyond anything he might be able to look up on the internet. He recognized the room, had caught a glimpse of it in the future, but there was a crib instead of a bed, no toys scattered everywhere.

"Tony will help you set up whatever you need." Pepper said as Stephen memorized what was in here.

"I will?" Tony said and there was a grunt before Stephen could turn, meaning Pepper had probably elbowed him.

"I mean, yeah, I will." Tony said quickly and Stephen glanced back at him.

"Thank you. I haven't quite worked out the spells for screwdrivers yet." he said, knowing that a crib, at least, would require those, and he really had never had need to figure out how the spell might work.

His hands certainly weren't steady enough for it, at least not without frustration.

Tony's eyes flicked down to his hands for a moment and Stephen had long since gotten past the time when he had had the urge to hide his hands if someone looked at his scars. He could tell that Tony just hadn't thought about his capabilities and hadn't intentionally looked; there were things your body did before your mind could tell you it was rude or something.

"Anything you need, Stephen, just ask." Tony said, the unmentioned owing in his voice.

Stephen dipped his chin and looked around the room for another minute, having it all committed to memory now. Shortly after that, he decided it was time to go. He had been here longer than he had thought he would be, and he needed to get things back on track if he was going to keep teaching classes.

Tony shook his hand, and Stephen wasn't sure what to do with Pepper for a moment; but they shook hands, too. Goodbyes were said and plans to call and maybe get together again soon mentioned, and then Tony walked Stephen out.

"You really didn't have to do that. I am making a portal." Stephen said, amused.

"I kind of wanted a closer look at the portal." Tony admitted.

"You can not use science to figure out magic, Tony. They can go hand in hand at times, but they are separate things." Stephen said with a shake of his head.

"Yeah, Wong explained it, but I still don't get it." Tony said and Stephen lifted his hands.

He made a portal and didn't step through immediately, instead letting Tony inspect it curiously. For now, the man's superhero days were over, for now, because of his loss and trauma, so he would not try to make his own portals for the remnants of the Avengers to use. No, he was curious and an engineer and wanted to understand how things worked. So Stephen let him inspect it and watched as Tony touched the edge of the spinning ring of magic, hissing a little as the heat burned him a little.

Tony took about three minutes to inspect it and stepped through, as if it would be different from that side, but finally he let Stephen go. They said goodbye, again, and Stephen stepped through, closing the portal quickly, and he rested his hands on his middle.

"Well, I think that well." he murmured to the twins; he was starting to get into the habit of talking to them.

They could hear him now, after all. He should talk to them, even if he felt a little ridiculous to do so. They would know his voice, the tone of it and his accent and everything else about it, before they knew anything else. His voice, his scent, would be their one sure thing in the world when they were first born, the first thing they knew. That was... Well, that felt monumental to Stephen in a way he couldn't describe.

His thoughts were interrupted, however, by his phone ringing and he fetched it from where he had left it on the mantle, frowning when he saw it was Tony calling.

"I just left." he said when he answered.

"You forgot your Cloak." Tony said, laughter in his voice, and Stephen reached, feeling his shoulder, but no, no Cloak.

"Why would it not..." he sighed, because he had been standing out there for three minutes with Tony.

Sighing again, he hung up the call, raising his hands and creating another portal to get his wayward relic.

Chapter Text

His next visit was with Steve Rogers. Not something he was expecting, and not something he was sure he wanted to do, either. Especially since Steve asked him to come to the Avengers Compound before he went to do something, trying to fit it into Stephen's schedule so neither of them would have to rearrange.

Which meant early in the morning for Stephen, in the evening for Steve, and Stephen also got the impression that Steve asked him to come to him instead of asking to come to Stephen so he wouldn't impose on his personal space.

Stephen wasn't sure why he agreed, but he did, and Wong offered to go with him.

"Steve Rogers is an honorable man, but he still might not be on your side, Stephen. He is hard to read in this situation" he said as Stephen got his breakfast ready.

"I believe I can handle the wonder soldier, Wong." Stephen said, glancing at his friend.

Wong looked doubtful, but Stephen was not bringing a bodyguard to this. Though he was going to the Avengers Compound, and there was always the chance a certain colonel might be there.

In the end, Wong respected his decision, and Stephen went to the compound alone. For all their security, the Avengers couldn't do anything about him opening a portal to bypass the gates, and Stephen didn't feel like waiting to be verified and walking down that long drive or waiting for Steve to come get him.

No security went off when he opened a portal to the building where Steve had wanted to meet- the one with the living quarters-and was able to get in easily. The captain must have been anticipating this because he was coming to great Stephen already, Stephen checking to see who was in the vicinity.

"Nat is here, but Rhodey isn't. I made sure of that. He has no access unless it's an emergency for the next hour. He's local at the moment, nothing to handle. Nebula and Rocket took the ship, and Carol left the day after you did." Steve told him, clearly seeing the look on his face.

"Thank you." Stephen said, though he wasn't sure if he necessarily needed to be cautious of Nebula. Still, it was probably for the best that she and Rocket were not here.

Steve took him to the common area, a large open space that was kitchen and living room rolled into one, and very sleek and modern.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty? I can get you something." Steve offered and Stephen couldn't tell if he was being polite or if he was fussing.

"I would rather just sit and get to the point." Stephen said bluntly and Stephen nodded.

They sat in the living area, settling in opposite seats, a coffee table a small barrier between them, and Stephen cupped his belly protectively, his mind already running through spells, just in case.

"Look, I think I owe you an apology for how I acted when we first found you." Steve said and Stephen arched an eyebrow.

"Has your opinion changed? Or are you merely apologizing for your behavior?" Stephen asked, as he wanted to get that out of the way as soon as possible.

"Both. My opinion has changed. Thanos, he was a tough enemy to beat. He did a lot of damage, caused a lot of harm. We all saw the Black Order. Nebula is all right and, from what I've gathered, so was Gamora, but they only had Thanos's influence, not his blood. And Rhodey is right when he points out we don't know what is passed on to Titans and what's not." Steve answered plainly.

Stephen eyed him.

"The truth is, we don't know what these kids are going to turn out to be like. And no, I don't approve of you handing the Stone over to Thanos, even if you say that it was for the best future. But I do believe in people's rights, and we have no right to take away your free will. We have no right to say whether you should carry your own children to term or if they're worthy of living right after they're born just because of who their father is." Steve continued, in the tone of voice that Stephen thought of as his Captain America voice, rather than the voice of Steve Rogers.

"I don't think we should judge them based on their parents. And if anyone tries to hurt them, if Rhodey doesn't shape up and tries something or Rocket or Nebula too, I will fight them, Stephen. They deserve a chance, just like anyone else." he finished firmly, though Stephen didn't miss the use of parents.

Stephen thought to say thank you, because he wasn't sure what else to say, but stopped himself. He should have to thank someone for being decent. For deciding that his children had basic rights to live. And he would not. Instead, he just dipped his head in acknowledge, and Steve didn't seem to expect anything else.

"Why did you tell the world that I gave the Time Stone to Thanos and that was why he was able to Snap?" Stephen asked, though he was fairly sure he knew why.

"Doctor, billions were gone, and those billions left behind had to pick up the pieces. They deserved to know why their loved ones were gone, why they and strangers turned to ash in front of them and just drifted away. They deserved to know what happened, even if it doesn't put you in a good light." Steve said without hesitation.

"It could put me in danger." Stephen countered.

Steve frowned.

"The Avengers have been hated because of Sokovia, because of the power they wield, because of what they have done. I handed the Time Stone to Thanos. I am the only one who gave him a Stone willingly, and the Time Stone allowed him to claim the Mind Stone. My actions enabled Thanos to complete his goal. Can you think of how some people must feel toward me?" Stephen continued and as he spoke, he realized how risky going out to the florist had been.

He made a note to not venture out into New York again until after his daughters were born, just to be on the safe side.

"I will admit, that didn't exactly cross my mind." Steve said and tapped his fist against his knee.

"Look, Doctor, we all make mistakes. I still think the world had the right to know what happened. If anyone tries to hurt you, I'll sort them out if I have to. Knowledge and revenge are two separate things."

"I don't need your protection, Captain America. And I did pick the best future out of the millions I saw. If I could have looked for more and found alternatives to the two I picked, I would have." Stephen said and found his hands resting on his belly tightly.

He would not give up his daughters, he would not abort them or give them away or cast them aside, but yes, if there was a future where he did not have to be the consort of Thanos other than the one that had slipped away, he would have preferred it. He hoped, if they ever learned that, they would forgive him for that.

"Obviously, you have been in contact with the Masters of the Mystic Arts these past months. Wong must have told you that all the Sorcerers Supreme wielded the Time Stone and controlled the future as necessary. He must have told you about Dormammu and how the world nearly ended without the knowledge of the Avengers." Stephen said and Steve nodded.

"I find it a little hard to believe. Why operate in the shadows for thousands of years? Your order could have done good out in the open." he said and Stephen could see he was thinking of how it had been impossible for the Avengers to hide.

Even if Captain America had largely faded to some people after the war, there had been no hiding him, either.

"The world was not ready for us." Stephen said simply, because while he didn't know the specific answer, that felt like a good one.

The Ancient One had been careful with them, and what they dealt with. The world had not been ready until the Avengers and the villains and aliens and so forth they fought to know there was even more to that, more than had been happening before any of that, that had been happening since the dawn of civilization.

Steve seemed to accept this and they sat there in silence for a moment; it seemed this talk that had required Stephen to come here hadn't been too long. And, Vishanti help him, Steve decided to try to make small talk.

"Are they healthy?" he asked, gesturing at Stephen's belly.

"Yes, they are. The biggest concern is prematurity."

"Just let Nat and I know what you need, and we'll make sure the medical wing is equipped with it. Tony and Pepper told us what you wanted. Or we'll do our best, at least, because I probably won't know what half of it is." Steve said, Stephen nodding.

He nearly snorted when they both checked their watches almost at the same time, but it wasn't like Stephen had anything to do until a little later, until the first class he was supposed to check.

"Do you have somewhere you need to be?" Stephen asked as Steve lowered his wrist.

"I need to leave in about ten more minutes, but I wanted to have some extra time just in case. In all honesty, I wasn't sure how this would go." Steve replied.

"Your support groups." Stephen said as the realization dawned on him and Steve gave him a funny look.

"I saw the future, remember?" Stephen said, lifting an eyebrow again.

"Are you sure you can't tell us what it is? What will happen? How this isn't the end?" Steve asked and Stephen could see that desperation in his eyes, and suspicion.

He couldn't blame Steve for wanting to know, even beyond natural human curiosity, after all he had gone through with S.H.I.E.L.D and HYDRA and the like, with information being concealed and orders twisted and hidden, but the future was much, much different.

"I am sure. If I could tell you, I would, trust me. But we both know you would not be even wondering if you didn't know how many futures I had seen, or if I had seen them at all." Stephen said, which was a valid point.

One scrap of information unknown, and so much wouldn't have happened. No one would be asking him of the future, questioning his decisions. They would still blame him for handing over the Time Stone, but they not wonder how out of millions of futures this was the one that was the best. Aside from that other one.

"All right, you have me there. I know Tony must be important in it, but I find it kind of hard to believe."

"Why? Because of your past with him?" Stephen asked curiously.

"No, because he wants nothing to do with all this any longer. I can't say I blame him, in the end." Steve answered and sighed heavily.

Part of Stephen did wish he could tell everyone, or just a handful of people, that the future was coming. That all those lost were not lost forever, and yes, the world would be fucked up again, but the wrong Thanos had done would be undone. That this had been the best way, the only way, to not give up hope. To not move on as he knew so many people would, only to have their lives wrecked again as the wrongs of the past were made right in the future. And as much as it pained him to cause that, that truly had been the best option.

As he thought it, his heart ached for the Ancient One again. To ask her advice, to share what he had done, to perhaps find comfort in the companionship of someone who knew exactly what he was going through by picking the best future out of all the possibilities presented to him. He knew she would have offered words he needed to hear and after all he had gone through, yes, he felt that he did need her words to help ease the sting of wounds that kept reopening bit by bit, even if they were of his own making. Even if they were for the best.

He had no chance to slide into his sadness or even pull himself away from it, because Natasha walked in just then, disrupting things and distracting him.

"Don't mind me, I just need something to drink." she said, and Stephen knew a liar when he saw one.

She had come to make sure they weren't going at each other's throats or that Steve wasn't doing something she didn't approve of, and while it was as unnecessary as Wong coming with him, Stephen did appreciate it.

He could tell that Steve was suspicious of Natasha to, but neither of them called her out, even when she stood there sipping her water for a minute, watching them not-so-subtly, eyes locked on Steve.

Then she began to make a sandwich and Stephen guessed she had decided to supervise them.

"This was the only way. That is all I can tell you and if you have any respect for me, you will stop asking. I told you all that the first time we sat down and talked." Stephen said, trying to keep attitude out of his voice.

Steve nodded and did not press, and the awkward silence ruled again. Apparently, Steve did have some kind of respect for Stephen, and Stephen wondered if the other man was thinking of hard calls the Avengers had made, and any hard calls that had been made when he had been a soldier. He knew in an instant, however, Steve would not have done what he did. Even to save Tony. What was one life to billions, after all?

Steve Rogers, or rather Captain America, would have fought Thanos to the bitter end and never handed over the Stone. He would have tried a thousand different things before that, even if, in the end, it cost Tony his life. Some might have called him a better man than Stephen for that. But Stephen had seen the future laid out before them and made the call he had to. Hopefully, Captain Rogers could understand that sometimes, the hard call had to be made, even if it wasn't the best one.

Stephen pulled himself from his spiraling thoughts and tried to say a nice word to Steve. Tried to be civil.

"You are making a difference with what you do, Captain Rogers. If that helps." he offered, and Steve took a breath.

"I try." he said.

They didn't talk much longer. There was nothing to say, nothing owed, nothing wanted. They had come to a truce, and that was the best they could. Steve left first, grabbing his jacket and keys, and then Stephen found himself alone with Natasha.

"Peanut butter sandwich?" she asked when he glanced over at her, holding up the uneaten half.

"I had breakfast not long ago." Stephen said, shaking his head.

He pushed himself up and the Cloak knew better than to help him right now, because while he might need its help after sitting on certain things or after a certain point, Stephen was determined to do what he could while he could, and standing up from a damn chair was one of those things.

"Was he civil, at least?" Natasha asked him, taking a bite of the sandwich.

"More than I expected. He apologized for his behavior and attitude toward the twins." Stephen said, cupping his belly.

"I knew he would come around. Just after everything we went through, and the shock of it all... Well, not everyone has been thinking straight. Not even Captain America." Natasha said once she had swallowed.

"Well, you would know better than I would." Stephen said, coming to stand on the opposite side of the counter from her.

He liked Natasha much better than Steve, and there was something that made her easy to talk to. Maybe that moment when she had sat and talked with him in the Garden had made it that way, the understanding that was automatically between them because of what they had gone through. Not close to the same, but close enough.

"Says the guy who can see the future." Nastasha said, teasing slightly.

"I don't know the details. All I know is this is what needed to happen. If I knew all the details, I wouldn't be so worried about this." Stephen said, gesturing at his belly.

"If you ever need to talk, you have my number. Or you should. I won't pretend to know what you're going through, but sometimes it can be good to talk to someone. God knows we never did that enough around here before... Well, everything. After it, too." Natasha said, shaking her head.

Stephen had no comment, but he did agree that the Avengers all could likely have benefitted from merely talking to each other, or to a professional. He didn't say that now, however, and just nodded.

"You want to stay? I'm not doing much, and the company is always good. Rhodey went out anyway." Natasha said and Stephen couldn't tell if she was lonely or just trying to be nice.

"I likely shouldn't. I have classes to teach later today." Stephen said, because as much as he liked Natasha, he didn't feel like lingering any longer today.

He also didn't want to chance Rhodey coming back and while he didn't think it would come to a fight, it didn't feel worth it.

Natasha understood and they said goodbye to each other, Stephen opening another portal and returning to Kamar-Taj. He was surprised to find Wong still waiting for him, pretending to be busy in the Sanctum, and Stephen shook his head.

"You're back. How did it go?" Wong said nonchalantly, but Stephen knew him well enough to know he was tense, and his 'casual' gaze was assessing Stephen for injury.

"It was all right. The good captain believes the twins have the right to be carried, live, and have the benefit of the doubt." Stephen said, which sounded harsher than intended, but it was the truth.

"Did anyone else come around?"

"I was assured that Colonel Rhodes was told to stay away and then no longer in the building, and the others are out avenging the galaxy." Stephen replied and Wong nodded, as if he had expected as much.

"You better not have done much around here while I was gone; you know I don't have much to do anymore." Stephen warned, eyeing the cloth in Wong's hand.

"There is still the rest of the Sanctum for you to tend to, don't worry." Wong assured him, tossing his cloth down.

Stephen nodded and as Wong moved by him, likely headed back to Kamar-Taj, he squeezed Stephen's shoulder, a silent reassurance before he went on his way.

"Are you having trouble breathing?" Master Bodhi asked as Stephen lay back on the bed, noticing the almost exaggerated movement of his chest.

"They are just pressing down quite a bit. Not unexpected." Stephen replied, because the weight of the twins pressing down on his internal organs was natural.

In a normal pregnancy, though, he wouldn't expect this for a few more weeks. But he was twenty-four weeks along now, and the twins were beginning to grow a little faster, a little bigger than before, especially since he was quickly hurtling toward the third trimester, and they were going to be huge. So crushing the air out of him when he laid back for an exam wasn't unexpected for him and shouldn't have been for Master Bodhi, it was just inconvenient.

His body would get used to it and adjust accordingly. Today, Stephen was alone at his appointment save for the Cloak.

Wong had been busy and there was really no one else he wanted here, save for Christine, who was either doing a very late shift or sleeping. She had agreed to stop by the Sanctum for breakfast (or, in his case, an early dinner) later, so he had that to look forward to, but he hadn't been able to schedule things with Master Bodhi that late.

Right now, Master Bodhi was nodding and had already weighed Stephen, taken his blood pressure, and all those things before this, and it all looked good. Huge half human, half Titan babies or not, Stephen was having an almost textbook pregnancy, and part of him was concerned about that, to be honest. It made him feel almost suspicious. Which was foolish, he knew, but with everything that had happened in his life, he honestly expected something to be up.

Maybe him being a little underweight, having some kind of vitamin deficiency, blood pressure that was a hair too high or a little too low, something of that nature. If that was going to happen, it wasn't now, and Master Bodhi checked his abdomen, his hands gentle but firm as he applied pressure, checking that everything felt proper before using the spell.

He asked Stephen about the things he had before, any pains, headaches, worries, his diet, how much water he was drinking, everything a competent healer or doctor would ask, and Stephen answered each honestly.

"I think right now the worst thing is the back pain." he confessed as Master Bodhi pressed into his flank.

"Not surprising. They are on course to potentially be as big as you mentioned. That is going to put a lot of strain on your body."

"I know it. I'm almost waddling already." Stephen said, a little too dignified to admit that he probably already was.

He did look to be into his third trimester, however, and he kept performing the spell to look at his daughters himself anyway. He knew how big they were.

"A natural part of any pregnancy, I can assure you. In some things, the human body is not designed for convenience." Master Bodhi said, smiling at him.

Stephen had to smile back. He liked Master Bodhi already, and while he had only met with one other healer aside from him, he was fairly certain he was going to stick with this man. He was skilled and had seen many different things in his time, and he had a good bedside manner as well. He didn't mind Stephen's knowledge or countering him with some things, or Stephen comparing what he had learned to what Master Bodhi knew. Stephen was starting to trust him, and that was another important thing. He would not have someone he didn't trust helping to bring his daughters in the world; he couldn't.

"How are you sleeping?"

"As well as can be expected. More frequent trips to the bathroom already, some restlessness." Stephen said, but he did withhold a little information.

In truth, he had begun to have nightmares. Nightmares involving his daughters, where he saw them in the hands of those who wished to hurt them, in danger or dead, or just some nightmarish thing took them away. Sometimes he was weak and bleeding, other times he was being held back.

But he couldn't find the words to express them. Strange dreams were a symptom of pregnancy, after all, and if you were someone like him who already suffered from nightmares, it could twist them or make them worse. It seemed like all of that was happening to him, but there was no drug or anything that could stop that.

It was just his brain playing with his fears, and he could handle it.

Master Bodhi nodded and Stephen grunted as he got what he thought might be an elbow to the ribs.

"I am concerned about internal bruising and bruised ribs." he added as Master Bodhi began to cast a spell.

"I have seen it in patients with smaller babies. Again, another possibility, and one I won't be able to do much about. We can't use magic for everything." Master Bodhi said, a familiar mantra among the Masters of the Mystic Arts.

Stephen did get a little leeway with his spell use, given the fact he had a disability, but no, magic couldn't be used for everything, even if everyone cheated now and then.

Then the spell took shape, still much better than his own, and Stephen took in the sight of his daughters for the second time today.

They looked almost awkwardly positioned against each other, like they had been vying for position or space before settling, and Stephen impulsive touched his belly.

They were big, he thought, his heart lurching just a little, and Master Bodhi made observations that they looked healthy, their unusual size, and so forth, and then place a hand on top of Stephen's.

"You will be just fine, Master Strange. I will do everything in my power to get all three of you through this. You do not need to look so worried." he promised and Stephen felt something in him settle a little.

He knew he had been right to choose Master Bodhi, though part of suspected at least one of the healers- who were all capable and he had nothing against- would be chosen as an assistant. But Master Bodhi also knew his plans of asking Christine to assist with the birth, because she was a damn good doctor and there was no one else he trusted as much, no one else he wanted to explain this to. He had agreed to it, and agreed to meet with Christine if she said yes.

Stephen knew she would, though. She was like that. She had tried so hard to help him when he spiraled after his accident and he had been so terrible to her, and they were words he still regretted to this day, even though he had apologized to her. He almost felt like he would be manipulating her by asking, or taking certain advantage. But... There was no one else he trusted more than Christine, and he was sure she would understand.

"I can't help but worry. I don't think I'm an optimist, not really. And I did go to medical school." Stephen said, pulling himself from his thoughts.

"Even you know things can turn out well. Do not get lost in your own head." Master Bodhi said firmly.

They talked a little more when the exam had concluded and Stephen left feeling reassured, because at least for now, everything was all right.

He went back to the Sanctum and instinctively slid his hand beneath his belly, because Vishanti, he felt huge, and he really did look about ten weeks further along than he really was. Twins and large ones at that would do that, and he could definitely feel his body protesting the way his muscles were being strained almost constantly. Bed rest was not always helpful, could cause more stress than good in the long run, especially if the babies (and Stephen) stayed healthy, but he realized he might just be put on bed rest because of how big he would get. That in itself could put some strain on his body.

But for now, he was still capable, and he went about his duties at the Sanctum, which was probably cleaner and more well organized than it had ever been. He was, admittedly, putting off organizing and cleaning the dungeon-like space of the basement, because it did creep him out a little. Like any house, especially old ones, the Sanctum did creak and groan, and sometimes, even when he knew the wards were strong and he was alone in the Sanctum, it scared the hell out of him.

He would have to do it sooner or later, or ask Wong. For now, he finished with his organization of the relics and was just about to get started on the gardening project on the roof when the doorbell rang, a still unfamiliar with sound.

Stephen flew down the floors rather than bothering with the walk, landing lightly on the floor of the foyer, and the Sanctum let him open the doors. He knew this was for the benefit of Christine, who was standing on the other side of the door. She had never been inside the Sanctum before and it seemed that the Sanctum was deciding to take things easy for her, which Stephen appreciated.

"Hi, Christine." he said when he had opened the door, smiling at the sight of her.

"Hey, Stephen." Christine said, stepping in when he moved aside.

She gawked at the Sanctum and Stephen smiled, remembering how it had surprised him despite what had been going on when he had first ended up here.

"This place is just... Wow." Christine said and he chuckled.

"I'm sure the Sanctum will appreciate that." he said as the Sanctum did creak a little and Christine looked around, but he had told her about the Sanctum before.

She wasn't too surprised, though she was fascinated when he gave her a brief tour. She was equally fascinated by the relics and Stephen did share with her what some of them were and so forth, but it wasn't long before they went down to the kitchen. Stephen could cook, but his hands did make it difficult, so Christine handled most of it. Of course, reaching the counter was a little more difficult these days from his swollen middle alone, so the help was appreciated. Breakfast for dinner, in his case, but he didn't care. It was healthy and had calories, which he needed right now.

They didn't bother with the dining room, instead settling down at the kitchen table together, and it was then they really began to talk. The novelty of Christine being here had worn off for both of them now, and Stephen knew he could not put off asking her. She would have to arrange so much if she did agree to assist with the delivery of his daughters.

But he did let her finish most of her meal first, and tried to eat as much as he could himself. Unfortunately, the twin labeled as B seemed to be throwing her weight around against his organs, which did make eating a bit of a challenge at the moment.

"Christine, I want to ask a favor of you. And I want you to know that you don't have to say yes." Stephen said when she had set her silverware down.

"Oh?" Christine asked, eyeing him curiously.

"I would... I want you to be one of my doctors when the twins are born. I want you to help deliver them." Stephen said, deciding to just get it over with.

There was no better way to say it, he thought, even if it was blunt.

For what it was worth, Christine didn't look surprised. Her eyes didn't even widen; no, she had that expression on her face she usually had when someone said something she already knew.

"I knew you were going to ask." she said calmly.

"You did?"

"I know you, Stephen, and you are predictable, sorcerer or not. And given the circumstances and what I saw at the superhero meeting, I knew it was only a matter of time. You want people you can trust completely. You don't want someone..." Christine said, trailing off, and Stephen couldn't tell if she just didn't want to say it or was worried he might not want to hear it.

"I don't want someone I might even think could hurt my daughters." Stephen finished for her softly.

"I know it's not your area, and you'd have to work with a team you're unfamiliar with, but if you can- if you will- I would be deeply grateful. I know I wouldn't be able to repay you and that I already owe you for saving my life before, but you are one of the very few people I trust completely, Christine." Stephn said, trying not to guilt her, trying not to prompt her to say yes.

He wanted her to say yes, but he didn't want her to because she felt like she had to or anything else like that.

"Of course I'll do it, Stephen. You're my friend and having people you can trust is the most important thing for you in this situation. I'll do it for you. You don't owe me anything." Christine said, offering him a reassuring smile.

"I knew you would say yes. But that is not why I am asking you." Stephen said, wanting to make that clear.

He had not treated Christine well when they had been together, had treated her better when they had merely been friends, and though they had managed to recover and maintain their friendship, Stephen would not blame her if she did not want to do him any more favors.

"I know." Christine said, giving him another smile, and Stephen smiled back.

Despite her saying he did not owe her anything, Stephen knew he did. For saving his life at least twice, for putting up with him when everyone would have- and had- called it quits, for being there so many times when he had needed her, for standing up for him to the remnants of the Avengers, and for this.

Christine Palmer was the best person he knew, and he knew he would never stop owing her, even if they both lived until the end of time. And he was okay with that.

Chapter Text

Sharing tea or an evening meal together, whether in Wong's quarters or the Sanctum, had firmly become part of their new routine, and Stephen enjoyed it.

He had used to share tea with Wong before, after all (and before everything, sometimes Mordo or even the Ancient One), and he liked it. He was about twenty-seven weeks now, or close enough that it didn't matter, and Stephen wanted to groan as he eased himself down awkwardly into the chair across from Wong.

He did, actually, and shifted to get comfortably situated, his belly driving his legs firmly apart, the twins threatening to be restless. They had been quiet for most of the day, after all, so Stephen supposed it was only fair.

"Fuck off." he said when he noticed Wong's expression at his undignified groan.

"Is that any way to speak to your Sorcerer Supreme?" Wong asked him.

"Fuck you." Stephen said, glowering, but no, that was not any way to speak to the Sorcerer Supreme.

He never would have spoken to the Ancient One like that, even when he had confronted her about the Dark Dimension. Wong was different, though, and he ignored that second bit of rudeness without so much as batting an eye.

"We can sit somewhere else if that would be more comfortable for you." he said mildly.

"Nowhere is going to be comfortable. Even if it is, I'll need you or the Cloak to stand up again." Stephen said and yes, he appreciated the Cloak's help, but that didn't make it any less embarrassing.

"There is no shame in asking for help." Wong reminded him.

"I am fine, Wong. I don't need you acting like a mother hen over me. Please." Stephen said, shaking his head.

He flashed Wong a warning look when it did take some effort to reach the teatray sitting in the center of the table, since his belly provided an effective barrier between him and anything in front of him.

Stephen had known it would, but knowing and experiencing, as he often learned, were two very different things, and back in the Garden had hadn't been so big yet. Now, however, he felt unreasonably huge, and looked around thirty-seven weeks along with a singleton. Probably more, if he was being honest with himself, since the twins were so large, but that was the only scale he really had at the moment. There was a shocking lack of documenting that pregnancy record he had found online.

Wong said nothing and just shifted the tray closer, which Stephen was grateful for, because his shaking hands meant he didn't really want to bring something across the table like that when he was already having some difficulty.

Not that a broken teacup or a mess was a big deal, but Stephen hated when that happened. It felt embarrassing and sometimes like a reminder of what he couldn't do all over again, even if everyone broke things and spilled things.

He added sugar to his tea- Wong had switched from the usual kind they drank so there was no caffeine in it, even if a little wasn't bad, but then again, there was no telling what might and might not be bad for half-Titan children. Stephen didn't want to risk it, even if it annoyed him, so he let Wong make the change and just put some sugar in it to hide the slightly bitter taste.

He had been worried about the change in his diet from the Garden to Earth, but no consequences had come from it, other than a little nausea that was either his body adjusting to the abrupt complete change or the result of the pregnancy.

He stirred the sugar in and waited for the tea cool, he and Wong beginning to talk. Over the past few weeks they had recounted the months they had been apart, not in full detail, and while Stephen spared Wong the details and such, sometimes talking about his time in the Garden did make him feel better. Wong was not professional help, but he was more than happy to lend his ear and listen.

Wong was a proud man in his own ways, though not quite so much as Stephen, and despite this, he had begun to ask Stephen for some advice on situations he had to handle as Sorcerer Supreme. Stephen was not entirely sure why, but he appreciated his friend's trust in him and wanting his advice, even if there were plenty of other masters Wong could have spoken to, including his own father.

As they talked, the twins became active, moving around inside Stephen restlessly, and if he was lucky, they wouldn't start an all-out brawl for room. That was especially inconvenient when he had just eaten or drank, or in the process of doing so. He put a hand on his side where the most movement was and rubbed to try to settle the baby, pausing as another kick came. He was feeling it, that was for certain, but he wasn't sure...

Wong made a noise as Stephen undid the last belt he had on (for the convenience of his sling-ring, mostly) and opened up his robe, pulling up his shirt. He didn't care for Wong's sense of modesty- they had seen each other naked once, for Vishanti's sake- and watched his belly intently, admittedly shocked when he saw his own skin ripple. He had seen it on plenty of people in the hospital, but seeing it on himself was almost disturbing, admittedly. Especially when he knew there were things that were not babies that could set into a person's body and cause movement like that. He pushed that aside, however.

"Wong, come over here." he said.

"Is something wrong?" Wong asked.

"No, why would- Just come here." Stephen said, impatient.

Wong got up and came over to him, Stephen taking his hand and placing it on his belly. Before Wong could say anything, the baby kicked again, a solid thump on Stephen's insides, and Wong's eyes widened.

"That was baby A, I think." Stephen said, unable to keep the grin off his face at Wong's expression.

"How do you know it's that one?" Wong asked, finding his voice.

"I can read a sonogram, Wong, and a spell is no different. They'll change position before they're born, while they still have room to, but they'll largely stay in the same place. I also know them." Stephen said, unable to explain that last part, but he did.

Even moving around in his womb, there was a difference between the babies he had come to learn. B was smaller, but kicked harder and seemed to already be throwing her weight around against her bigger, and likely to be older, sister.

A was quieter, but she was usually the first to move when they both started doing it. At this thought, B didn't disappoint, kicking almost opposite her sister, or at least Stephen imagined it to be kicking. She could be punching for all he knew, after all, and he took Wong's other hand so he could feel her, too.

Wong smiled this time and Stephen had to smile too, Wong's hands feeling chilly against his skin. A result of the pregnancy; he seemed to run much hotter now.

After another minute, Wong removed his hands, and Stephen did his clothing back up.

"Thank you." Wong said and Stephen nodded.

"Does it feel strange?" Wong asked when he had sat back down and Stephen rolled his eyes.

"Do you all do that on purpose or does it just pop out?" he asked, exasperated.

"It is a common enough word in the English language, Stephen." Wong pointed out, looking ready to roll his eyes too, except Stephen had never seen Wong roll his eyes.

"To answer your question, not anymore. They've been moving for a bit now, and it's something I have gotten used to. At first it was incredibly strange. Even wrong. I had to astral project a lot, early on." Stephen confessed, and he hadn't told anyone that.

But he had checked and it wasn't dangerous for the babies, because their souls were not connected even if their bodies were, and there was still a debate about whether the unborn had souls or merely souls that were forming like their minds and their bodies. That was something Stephen did not want to delve into, but it meant he could astral project even while he was in labor, if he really wanted or needed to, and he knew in the coming weeks it would be an escape he would seek out again, for many different possible reasons.

"I'm sorry, Stephen. I know you will say you chose this, but I am still sorry that you had to. I can't imagine what it must feel like for you, what it must be like." Wong said, sympathy pulsing in his voice.

Stephen just nodded, but he knew Wong's words were not empty. He was not quite sure many people immediately around him quite understood the... Dysmorphia, he supposed was the right word, he was experiencing with his own body.

He was a man, identified as male, was perfectly happy with that, but now he had working female reproductive organs, had had sex using them more times than he cared to count, and was currently pregnant, would give birth sooner rather than later. And though he had gotten used to it all, didn't mind feeling his daughters moving inside of him and even welcomed it, there were days and nights where his own skin, his own body, felt wrong.

He hadn't exactly talked about it other than answering the generic questions of 'that must feel odd' and anything in the family of that, and knowing Wong understood it, at least to the best of his ability, did make him feel better.

Wong sat back down and they talked, Stephen's thoughts drifting to something Master Bodhi had mentioned to him the other day.

He would have Christine there along with Master Bodhi and some other healers and possibly doctors, but Master Bodhi had asked him if who he wanted there as moral support. Stephen had been so focused on the medical aspects of the birth that he had not thought of having anyone there just to hold his hand and give him moral support. Did he want that? Everyone he had seen in the hospital, as few times that had been, had always had at least a husband or a partner with them, if not a parent or a friend if they lacked one of the former.

Who would he have with him? He was sure the Cloak would be somewhere in the room, whether he wanted it to be there or not. But anyone else... Well, Christine was his first thought, but she would be there for the babies, and that was what he wanted, even if Master Bodhi would be serving as the primary. She might hold his hand every now and then, especially during the hours of labor, but during the birth itself, up to two hours of shoving the twins out... He might need someone else.

Wong. Wong would be his choice, other than Christine, but Stephen had no idea if Wong would even want to be in the room during childbirth, let alone hold his hand if he asked. Of course, the worst thing Wong could say was no, and Stephen had got through plenty of tough situations without moral support or someone holding his hand. If Wong said no, he could handle it.

He waited to ask until they were almost done with their tea, because if Wong said no he didn't want to spoil the evening, and they had no plans of sharing dinner together. If Wong said no, Stephen could leave and quietly lick his wounds in peace, without Wong knowing that it hurt.

And despite his thought of having gotten through situations without anyone there to hold his hand, Stephen knew it would hurt if his friend turned him down. He was human, after all.

"Wong, may I ask you a question? I would call it a favor, but I do not believe it is something I would ever be able to pay back." he said, keeping his voice carefully level.

"Mm?" Wong asked.

"Will... Could you be there when the twins are born? Not to do any spells, I- Well, I do understand if you don't want to be there, because childbirth isn't a pleasant thing to witness and the room will be crowded, and of course, you have your duties-" Stephen said, not sure why the rambling suddenly spilled out of his mouth, but it did.

"Stephen." Wong said, shutting him up quickly.

Stephen quieted.

"Are you asking me to be there for you when you give birth? As moral support?" Wong asked, staring him down with that steady gaze of his.

"Yes." Stephen said, feeling almost embarrassed, like when he had asked Wong to come to his appointment with him.

Wong blinked and seemed to mull it over for a moment, something squirming in the pit of Stephen's stomach in such a way he wanted to gag. He was nervous and a little afraid, he realized, and it was not a feeling he liked.

"I would be honored." Wong said and Stephen's breath left his lungs in a wave of relief.

"I can't promise that I will be able to be there the whole time, or at all. If a situation comes up that I am needed for, you know that I will not pass it off to others. But if possible, I will be there for you." Wong added, looking a little guilty, maybe, and Stephen nodded.

He could understand that. He wouldn't expect anything less from Wong and he knew if their positions were reversed, he would have to say the same thing. The duties of the Sorcerer Supreme came first, duties to friends after. Unpleasant, but necessary, sometimes, especially with the times they lived in now.

He wanted to thank Wong, but the words seemed to little to encompass what he wanted to say, how he felt about it, and though he knew more languages than he had when he had first come to Kamar-Taj, he could not think of any in those languages either to express it. He hoped Wong understood when he did say thank-you, that the words were too little for what he wanted to say, and before they parted ways for the night, Stephen bowed.

Not very much and not easily, due to how big he was, and as it was, he shoved the babies into his own organs rather uncomfortably, the Cloak rippling and pulling at him slightly, seeming worried that he would fall. He did not and Wong looked surprised, but he smiled as Stephen straightened and walked away.

Bitterness and resentment left a nasty feeling in Stephen's stomach, a taste in the back of his mouth he couldn't ignore, and he hated both, hated himself for feeling that way, especially when he was pretty sure there was jealousy mixed in there somewhere, too.

But emotions were one of the few things you couldn't control, and he was experiencing this now.

Watching as Wong taught the class he had been teaching up until three days ago, when his friend had swooped in with his Sorcerer Supreme authority and forbade Stephen from teaching a good chunk of the classes he had been given to teach. It still grated on Stephen greatly.

He was nearing thirty weeks along now and no, he couldn't move like he used to and maybe he had to sit down more than he liked because of the sheer weight of the twins and the strain it put on his body, not to mention the size of his abdomen, but that didn't mean he was useless.

Master Bodhi had told him to slow it down, because he did want to avoid bed rest at all costs, knowing the stress it could put on Stephen himself and in turn the twins, because Stephen had explained how he got when he was left with nothing to do. He wasn't the type to sit still and Master Bodhi was doing his best to accommodate that, but in the end, it came down to the twins and what was best for them.

Stephen knew that. He wanted the best for them. He loved them already, despite how they had come to be. But he thought he might get more than eight weeks of classes out of it. He had finally felt settled, like he really belonged in Kamar-Taj again, and then Wong had just yanked it away from him, ripped a rug from beneath his feet and left him staggering for balance again.

These past six weeks since he had talked to Christine and Wong had gone well, he had to admit. He had taught classes, was starting to get to know the new people in Kamar-Taj, getting used to the new routine, and the new people in his life (namely Tony, Pepper, Natasha, and Thor), and generally was settling into being on Earth again, too. He had been spending time with those four and though it had only been a few weeks, Stephen, who new them through the future, already considered them friends. He hadn't stepped foot outside the Sanctum or Kamar-Taj save for portals to the Stark-Potts house and the Avengers Compound, still wary of what the public would think, especially since it had recently been one year since the Snap.

Stephen had seen the news coverage of memorial services, vigils, and the things being built to honor those who had been lost, and even in Kamar-Taj there had been their own version. He did miss some of those in Kamar-Taj who were gone because of him, but he hadn't gone. He knew his absence would have been noticed and likely even thought to be disrespectful, but when he had arrived for it, he had felt almost like he was going to faint.

What right did he have? What right did he have to grieve with everyone else who had lost people because of his decision? Why did he get to lump his grief in with theirs, when he had been the cause of it?

He had fled as fast as he could and hidden in the Sanctum, realizing vaguely he might have been on the verge of a panic attack or something similar. And despite the time difference between Nepal and New York, he had picked up the phone and called Pepper, because he had known Christine would be busy. He wasn't sure what had driven him to it and he didn't really remember what he had said, if he had said anything at all. What he did remember was breathing shakily into the phone and crying quietly to himself, Pepper murmuring soothing words to him.

She had lost friends and been hurting too (and it had been the middle of the night for her), but she had taken the time to comfort him. It had also been the anniversary, for him, of agreeing to be the consort of the Mad Titan, and though it had been his decision and had been necessary, that had had a weight to it, too.

He really should have talked to a psychiatrist, but that felt like something he just couldn't do it, even when Kamar-Taj had them- or the equivalent- available. He couldn't talk about what exactly had happened in the house in the Garden, in Thanos's bedroom. Not in detail. He would have to, one day, especially since he could see it perfectly in his mind. He had to live the results, not just his daughters but the changes and damage done to his body.

In all honesty, Stephen wasn't sure if he would ever be able to be with someone sexually again. That was a thought for another day, though, because even if a few times over the past few weeks he had felt a bit horny every now and then, the thought had also made him want to vomit.

Right now, he watched Wong and tried to swallow down his feelings, resting his hands on his heavy middle, repeating to himself that this was for the best, it was necessary, and he shouldn't be feeling the way he was feeling because it was the best thing to do. It didn't help much, unfortunately.

He wanted to clench his hands into fists, the anger pulsing through him, and he forced himself to take deep breaths. He knew his emotions were amped up because of the pregnancy and that might have been one reason he felt so angry, but that didn't help either.

Stephen just watched, soon having to sit down on the bench nearby because the sheer weight of the twins was making his legs feel shaky, and he was a little too proud to ask the Cloak to support him right now, having snapped when it had tried to do so before.

He had nothing to do now, nothing to do, no one to see, so he watched and examined Wong as he taught, filing away the differences between them and how he might use it to improve his own teaching. But did it even matter now? He had almost no classes left and soon it would be all of them, and then he would be taking care of two newborns. He wouldn't have time to teach.

The twins kicking him with unnecessary viciousness made him close his eyes and have to work himself to his feet a minute or so after that, because of course they had hit his bladder. That was what was pissing him off the most about this, he thought, not the aches and pains, not the nausea and changing appetite, not the weight gain and changing shape of his body, but having to pee a ridiculous amount of times each day and having to wake up in the middle of the night to do it, too.

Hell, maybe Wong had just pulled him out of classes because of how many times he had been disrupting them and had to hand them over to his assistant because of that. He relieved himself and then leaned against a pillar on the one side of the courtyard, taking weight off himself and rubbing his belly.

He murmured to the babies, trying to settle them, and some body part- elbow- caused a bump beneath his hand, which felt slightly painful as his skin and flesh stretched against it, making him feel suddenly, faintly sick.

It was like his skin wasn't fitting right and Stephen had the sudden sensation that his skin might just rip from the force, from the strain, that his body felt wrong all over again. He closed his eyes again, but he already knew that tonight, he would be astral projecting while his body rested, spending as much time out of it as he could.

He missed the end of class despite the bell and was only pulled from trying to force the sensation away, trying to get a grip on himself, when Wong spoke.

"Stephen? Are you all right?" he asked and Stephen opened his eyes.

Wong was standing in front of him, concerned students walking by, no doubt already dismissed by him, and Wong looked concerned.

"They're being rowdy." Stephen murmured, not sure what else to say.

It wasn't like he was just going to stand here and pour out how wrong everything suddenly felt again, and looking at Wong, he suddenly felt angry all over again.

Wong closed the distance between them and looked at Stephen questioningly, Stephen giving a small nod of permission. Wong rested his hands on Stephen's middle and gently rubbed where B was kicking hard, helping to soothe her, get her tuck her limbs back in.

That suddenly angered Stephen, too. He knew it was foolish, but he had been doing it for a few minutes now and not gotten the desired result, and within a minute Wong achieved it.

It was a bad day, a bad mood, and Stephen just needed to go back to the Sanctum and take the day off, let himself wallow and rest, but he hadn't and Wong knew him well enough to know that something was going on.

"What's wrong, Stephen? You look angry." Wong said, as if he could read Stephen's mind.

"I am angry." Stephen said, the words slipping out even when he had meant to lie.

"Why?" Wong asked him, still rubbing gently.

Walk away. Stephen told himself firmly. Unfortunately, he wasn't always good at listening to himself.

"Because of you. I was finally getting settled again, was getting used to teaching, was enjoying it, and I met all your requirements for it, too. Then you just yank it away and- What the fuck am I supposed to do with myself now, Wong?" he said, the anger coming loose.

He heard a gasp from the students that had been just exiting and he swung his head toward them, almost baring his teeth, and they hurried away.

"I can't do my normal duties, I'm afraid to even go into the city because even a year later, people are still hurting and they know all of this was my choice, my decision, my fault. I've already done everything there is to do in the Sanctum. I can't just sit around and do nothing, be useless. I've already had enough of that for a lifetime." Stephen continued, voice harsh.

He thought of his time in the hospital after his accident, the wildness of trying to find a way to fix his hands, the depression- probably depression- he had sunk into because he couldn't be a surgeon anymore, he wouldn't be able to do anything anymore.

The thought of sitting idle in the Sanctum while there were things to be done, to protect the world, to help rebuild, and in Kamar-Taj, made his skin practically itch. The thought of just waiting around, growing babies, and praying that he made it far enough into the pregnancy that they would be healthy when they were born sent his brain skittering around until it got stuck in a loop, a loop of worries and fears and frustrations that made it hard to sleep sometimes, that made him feel overwhelmed and had, a few days lately, made it nearly impossible to haul himself out of bed. Or even return to his body when he was astral projecting.

"Stephen, you know I would not do it needlessly. But you need to slow down, for your own good. I was watching you, you know. I saw how many times you had to sit down. This is already putting a strain on your body, and I don't want you to harm yourself needlessly. And it is for your sake, Stephen, not the twins. I am not prioritizing them over you." Wong said patiently despite his outburst.

"You need to slow down, or your own body is going to stop you, and we both know it will. I've spoken with Master Bodhi, just as you have. I will keep you at the classes I can for as long as I can, but soon I won't be able to keep you at them either, for your own health."

"I was working a farm every day for hours until the day the Avengers showed up. It didn't hurt me or them." Stephen growled.

"You were only twenty weeks then, and now-"

"I know how far along I am now, thank you." Stephen interrupted.

He knew most people wouldn't have spoken to the Sorcerer Supreme this way. Most people probably would have been punished. If he was at his full duties right now, he might have been. But what could Wong take away from him now? What could Wong make him do as punishment? The usual cleaning and cooking was out of the question, and Stephen had been yanked from cooking almost immediately the first time he had received that punishment because his hands made it difficult and even dangerous.

Stephen really should have walked away, called it a day, let his emotions drain out of him, but the sudden outlet felt good, and he wanted to say it out loud.

He didn't care in this moment if he sounded bitchy or whiny or whatever, it felt good to get it off his chest.

"That isn't what I meant, Stephen." Wong said and his hands gently cupped the huge swell of Stephen's middle.

"I just do not want you to suffer, and I know it would hurt something in you greatly if something happened to either one of your daughters. You know slowing down is what you need to do, you are just too proud to admit it."

"And then what? I just sit around as an incubator and wait for something to happen or to go into labor?" Stephen said, which was nasty and uncalled for.

Wong gave him a look.

"No. There will still be things for you to do, Stephen, just not as frequently or as much as you would like. You are not useless or anything of the sort, either. Everyone needs help and time for various reasons, including you." he said, his voice still level, and Stephen pulled away from him.

He felt like a child, with his anger and complaints and not knowing how exactly to describe his emotions at the moment, and he really should just go back to the Sanctum. He never should have started this with Wong, as good as it felt, and by the time he cooled off, he would be feeling guilty over the anger and lashing out at his friends.

Instead of saying anything else, he just turned and walked away, opening a portal to the Sanctum, closing it behind himself before Wong could follow or say another word. He knew Wong was right, he knew Master Bodhi was right, and he was just being stubborn in ways. But that didn't make it any easier.

And finally, after all this time, after a year of things building and happening and telling himself it was all for the future, all for the next four years to happen and the point where they could fix things, after a year of suffering a future he had not wanted, he just wanted to scream.

He didn't. He didn't scream, didn't open his mouth other to utter a greeting to the Sanctum. Mostly because he was afraid if he screamed, he wouldn't be able to stop.

Stephen went and sat on the grand staircase, because he honestly needed to sit down. The Cloak squeezed his shoulders gently and Stephen cradled his belly, where the twins were still moving around, though not as much as before.

He closed his eyes. He didn't want to admit it, but some nights, he went back to the Garden more often than not. Thanos had not abused him, had given him his freedoms, but there was still a nightmare taint to that place.

The darkened bedroom, Thanos's bulk on top of him, pinning him down, rutting into him, the pain, the blood, during and after-

He shut his eyes, realizing his breathing had gotten heavier, quicker, and he didn't need to drive himself into something right now.

Teaching had been a distraction from those things, those thoughts, those memories. He really did need to talk to someone, he knew he did, but somehow it was just too much on top of everything else.

And he needed to slow down, for his own sake and twins'. Just to be safe, just to be careful, so he wouldn't have to use those spells Master Bodhi had taught him just in case. He had the terror nestled in his chest that he would have to use them, and he didn't want to. But he knew it was possible, and he couldn't pretend that it wasn't.

He shouldn't have let his anger and the fear wrapped beneath it get to him, he shouldn't have taken it out on Wong like that. Wong was just doing what he thought he was best, and even after a year, he was still adjusting to being the Sorcerer Supreme, and he was trying to look out for Stephen on top of that because he cared.

Still, Stephen had never been one to sit idle, never liked being on the sidelines and feeling useless because of it when he could still do things. Hell, his mom had told him she had helped out on the farm up until practically the last minute each time she had been pregnant, and all three times nothing had gone wrong.

Of course, her pregnancy experiences had been much different that Stephen's, and he pressed his palm to the top of his abdomen, rubbing almost compulsively. He wasn't even thirty weeks and he looked like he should be giving birth right this minute, and there was no way of truly knowing if his daughters were be born healthy, because they weren't entirely human.

He hated that his thoughts kept spiraling back to this, kept bringing to the front of his mind, because he felt like a broken record, but what else was he supposed to think about? Especially with nothing to distract him now?

One of the twins kicked hard again and Stephen gritted his teeth, his skin feeling wrong yet again, and he took a deep breath. His emotions would only rile them up more, making the problem worse, and he did his best to take deep breaths and try to calm down.

Another reason he wanted to keep teaching classes, because they distracted him from that, too. But it was for the best. It was for the best and he wanted the best for his children, even if it wasn't best for himself. Or really, technically was, it just wasn't the best for his brain.

This was why he should have found a psychiatrist, but it felt too late now, and even with superheroes and Masters of the Mystic Arts being known, it wasn't like he would easily be able to find one that could help him. Kamar-Taj was really his only option, and despite how many masters there were, it also felt terribly small. Like a place he didn't want to take those problems, because it felt like it would be all over the place, somehow.

Shaking his head, Stephen heaved himself to his feet (all right, the Cloak helped a little), and went to dig up his mp3 player and headphones from where he last remembered putting them. That sent him on a quest that took a little too long for someone with as good a memory as his, but it did distract him from his thoughts, how his body felt, and let his anger settle a bit. He chose a song, put the headphones, and in the end, decided to take a bath.

It would held relieve some of the aches and pains, and hopefully help clear his mind. He kept listening to music and if Wong came looking for him, he didn't hear it and the Sanctum didn't let him know about it. The bath did help, easing his strain muscles and taking the weight off his body for a bit, and eventually he got out, deciding he did owe Wong an apology. He had already thrown a fit about not being allowed to teach classes weeks ago, he hadn't needed to do it again, and he knew Wong was only doing what was best. His anger and attitude had been uncalled for.

So once he was done in the bath and the hour was reasonable (he picked up a book and read for a long time), Stephen decided he was going to make Wong dinner. He was supposed to come over to tonight anyway, but cooking was a daunting task on a good day for Stephen. His hands made things difficult, even if there was the occasional magical solution, and now he had difficulty even reaching the counter, thanks to his enormous middle.

He tried his best though and it wasn't without its frustration, between his hands and his belly, and he did get mad and yell profanities at one point when he sliced his finger, splattering blood over everything. It was something he easily fix with a spell, but having to throw out all the food and start over pissed him off so much that the Cloak tugged him over to a chair, sat him down, and made him sit there with his finger wrapped in a paper towel until he remembered himself enough to do the spell.

The Cloak helped him after that and Stephen allowed it, also annoyed because he had to sit down several times merely because of the sheer weight of the twins. Well, it wasn't just them, it was the placenta, the amniotic fluid, and the weight he had gained to sustain all three of them, and though Stephen had always prided himself in being fit, there was no way it wasn't going to take a toll on him.

But he got it done, eventually, and was just finishing up when Wong arrived. He had been about to send the Cloak with a note, afraid that Wong wouldn't show up after all, and Wong looked surprised when he entered the kitchen.

"Hello." Stephen said, glancing up from the stove.

"You don't cook." Wong said instead of returning to the greeting.

"I do. I just don't usually." Stephen corrected, Wong knowing why.

"Sit down, it should be ready in a minute." Stephen added and Wong obeyed.

"Do you want-"

"Please do not ask that question, I just got over being angry." Stephen interrupted, though 'just' was a lie.

It had drained away a couple hours ago.

Wong fell silent and let Stephen and the Cloak finish up, Stephen setting down the plates.

It wasn't even really that hard of a meal, in the end. Rice, vegetables, tofu in place of meat because he knew that was Wong's preference, even if the other man did eat meat and fish, too.

"I want to say I'm sorry for earlier. I was out of line, and I shouldn't have gotten angry at you like that." Stephen said as he eased himself down.

"Apology accepted." Wong said immediately, and Stephen shook his head.

"I was just angry, and frustrated. I can't just sit around, Wong. The hospital after my accident was torture, but back then I also didn't feel up to doing much anyway. This is..." he said, trying to find the words to explain himself.

"I'm not used to be idle. I'm not used to standing by and let other people do things. I don't like it, either. I thought I would have more time when you finally let me teach classes. I think I explained myself, more or less, earlier, but it still is no excuse for my behavior. I'm not going to use my mood swings as an excuse either. I understand the call you made and why, and I shouldn't have reacted how I did." he continued, staring Wong down.

"I understand, Stephen. I also know you. You don't want to be alone with time to linger on your thoughts, do you?" he added.

Stephen nodded, looking down at his plate now.

Wong really did know him well.

"No, I don't. There is so much that could go wrong, Wong. So much that is on my mind about the twins especially. What if they are born too small for what they are? What if they seem healthy but this entire time they haven't been? I saw futures where they were fine, where they looked fine, but looks can be deceiving. I didn't linger in the details." he admitted quietly.

"They will be fine, Stephen." Wong assured him and Stephen eyed him.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because they will have you, and everyone who cares for you. You will not be alone, and they will not be alone." Wong said confidentally, a common reassurance these days, but sometimes you needed to be reassured.

"I will do my best not to leave you alone with your thoughts when I can, but we both know there is only so much that can be done. I can not force you, but I really think you should try to talk to someone about all this, Stephen. If not for you, for your children." Wong continued, knowing just the right manipulation for Stephen.

"I'll try." Stephen said, all he could promise.

But now, things felt settled between him and Wong, back to normal, and Stephen could not promise that he would not get bored or frustrated in the coming weeks, but he could do his best not to lash out at Wong like that again.

"Eat before it gets cold." he added.

"Stephen, you really didn't need to do this. I know how hard it can be for you. An apology was all that was necessary." Wong said, but he picked up his chopsticks and took a bite.

Then he stopped and Stephen blinked, because he knew that couldn't be good. Wong got up and got a paper towel, spitting into it before throwing it away.

"Damn it. Is it that bad?" Stephen asked, glancing warily at his plate.

"Stephen, have you ever cooked tofu before?"

"No, but I've seen you do it."

"What kind did you use?"

"Uh... Silken?" Stephen said, honestly not having looked at the package.

He hadn't even gotten it from Kamar-Taj; he had ordered it from a store that did deliveries nearby.

"You are supposed to use extra firm varieties. What you cooked is mush that disintegrates when you put it in your mouth, and has no flavor." Wong told him, shaking his head slightly.

"Oh. Is it really that bad, though?"

"Yes." Wong said and Stephen sighed.

"I can't even make you an apology dinner properly." he groaned, a new wave of frustration coming over him, but he pushed it down quickly.

"It's the thought that counts." Wong offered and this made Stephen laugh rather than get further irritated.

"But we are not eating that. Toss it, and I'll order in."

"Do you have any money?" Stephen asked, remembering that last light conversation they had had all those months ago.

Wong's mouth twitched and Stephen shook his head, but he supposed it wouldn't be much of an apology dinner if he made Wong pay for it anyway.

Chapter Text

A few days after he had snapped at Wong, Stephen was staring at the empty room relatively close to his bedroom, feeling a little dismayed.

He had a few things set up in the room that would be the nursery, namely things that could be used as storage and repurposed later that had already been in the Sanctum, but that was it. It turned out, he didn't need to buy cribs; he had been provided with some by his fellow sorcerers, leftover from the last babies born in Kamar-Taj. A gift Stephen had tried to turn down, but in the end, he couldn't.

The problem was, they had been disassembled and the masters who had dropped them off hadn't had the time to put them together, and Stephen had waved off the apologies.

Now, however, he was nearing thirty-one weeks, and he was definitely feeling the urge to nest, and the sight of the unassembled nursery was picking at his brain. Unfortunately, Wong wasn't available, and Stephen had few people to turn to. Tony had said he would help, but that had gotten lost in things, and now Pepper was getting so close to her due date that Stephen didn't want to bother him with it.

The need to fix this mess was prickling at the back of his mind so much that Stephen eased himself down on the floor that evening and began to sort out the pieces and screws, though his shaking fingers caused him to spill the screws across the floor once.

The Cloak hovered, worried, and Stephen knew so many parts of his body were going to hurt from this, but he could sort it out and try to find a spell, at least. He felt like he was on a clock, and though everything would be done to get him as far as possible, he wanted to have everything ready, just in case.

He got the pieces laid out for both cribs and tried not to think about how, in the beginning, his plan was for a cradle in his room, but he might have to amend that to two, given how big the twins were going to be. It would only be for a little bit, but he wasn't sure if they would be able to comfortably share a crib. He would have to find things roughly the size they would be and visualize it. Maybe talk to Master Bodhi.

The Cloak had to get him off the floor when he was done and Stephen groaned, pressing his hands into the small of his back as so many different parts of his body protested.

"Vishanti, that was a bad idea." he muttered, groaning again.

He stretched gingerly and the twins rolled around inside him, adding to the discomfort as they pressed his already stretched skin.

Wong did not come over for tea or dinner that night and Stephen had dinner alone; he didn't have the energy to go to Kamar-Taj and have dinner with his fellow sorcerers.

He went to bed a little earlier than he typically did, knowing he would be woken up plenty of times by the twins, but he hadn't been asleep too long when the Sanctum's doorbell rang.

Startled awake, Stephen found the clock on the wall and saw that it was around two-something in the afternoon New York time, which meant it was close to midnight in Kamar-Taj.

The doorbell rang again and he hauled himself out of bed, pulling on his robe and making his way downstairs.

He opened the door and was surprised to find Tony standing on the steps, holding a toolbox in one hand, and they stared at each other for a long moment.

"Hi. Sorry I haven't come to help you with the nursery; things have gotten a bit busy with the company, since both me and Pepper are taking time off and getting ready... Anyway, I'm here now. Were you sleeping?" Tony said, looking him over.

"Tony, it is about midnight for me. I have been living, for the most part, according to the time in Kamar-Taj." Stephen said, rubbing his eyes with one hand.

"Well, shit." Tony said, grimacing slightly.

"Come in. I'm up now anyway." Stephen said, stepping aside, and Tony accepted the invitation.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Stephen asked, pressing a hand to the small of his back.

He still regretted sitting on the floor like that.

"Nope. Just show me what you want me to do." Tony said and Stephen took him up to the nursery.

Tony seemed surprised that the pieces were sorted and Stephen apologized for the lack of instructions, but Tony didn't care.

"Makes it more fun. And there's only so many ways you can put these things together." Tony said, setting his tools aside and beginning to get to work.

"Would you like-"

"Ah-ah, you sit in that chair and watch, Stephen. You don't need to sit on the floor and help with this. I'm doing this for you, especially since I forgot to do it." Tony said, pointing at the chair in the corner.

A rocking chair Stephen had turned up in the basement, and he was very surprised he hadn't turned up every single thing he needed in the Sanctum somewhere, though he supposed many Sanctum masters didn't have their children here. Maybe they didn't have children at all; he hadn't thought to ask.

"How do you know I didn't sort them with magic?" Stephen asked as he eased himself down.

His muscles complained and he made a mental note to add a cushion of some sort, settling down onto the hard wood.

"Did you?"

"...No."

This made Tony chuckle and they fell into easy conversation as Tony worked, having gotten to know each other well these past few weeks. Tony and Pepper were easy to talk to and Stephen was glad that he was getting to know them, not just by what he had seen in the future. They were good people, even if Tony was annoying from time to time, but he was also very much like Stephen himself.

Tony figured out the first crib quickly enough and didn't even use FRIDAY to assist, at least that Stephen was aware, but he did leave to use the bathroom once, so Tony might have done it then.

The conversation shifted, however, and Stephen wasn't prepared for it.

"You never say much about it when you come to visit, but how are you holding up? That's a question we never asked a lot- we as in the Avengers, I mean- but I really think we should have. So I'm trying... I mean, after what you went through with Thanos..." Tony said, beginning to stumble.

"I made my choice, Tony. We've already discussed that. I chose it for the future. And... I am handling it as well as can be expected."

" 'Choice', my ass. You saw only two futures where we won out of millions, and one of them was this one, where you gave your body to Thanos to use as a toy. I'm sorry, Stephen, but that isn't a choice." Tony said, his tone suddenly sharper.

"No one forced me to make that decision."

"Would you have not done it? Just said goodbye to Thanos and maybe died or whatever the hell else you saw, even if it meant we lost, just so he wouldn't use you?"

"It was how the future had to go." Stephen said firmly.

"See? See, that, that doesn't sound like a choice to me. I never asked to be a superhero. Playboy, billionaire, philanthropist, all that, I had that, I didn't need to be more. But I made that suit and I knew I didn't have a choice after that. I could've walked away, but the world needed Iron Man, so I became Iron Man. And it wasn't a choice. What choice is there, when it's you or the world?" Tony said, lowering his screwdriver, staring Stephen down.

"I-" Stephen said, but it was like his brain had suddenly jolted.

He knew as soon as he had seen that future that if it came to it, he would do it, no choice, no questions asked, because it was one of two futures where they won, where Thanos was taken down. And in a way, it hadn't been a choice. He had given himself to Thanos because he had seen it in the future, because it didn't happen unless he did that. Was that a choice? He had chosen the future...

Stephen's head was suddenly spinning and his own words, his own insistence, that he had chosen it, that he had chosen it each time Thanos had thrust into him and torn him and injured him-

"Whoa, what's happening?" Tony said, concern in his voice, and the Cloak was wrapped around Stephen now, squeezing him like it did when he was upset or hurt.

Stephen knew on some level he had been in denial. That it wasn't so simple. But he had walled it off and decided that it was that simple and it had been his choice and there had been no choice, not really, because how could he have picked preserving himself over the fate of the universe? It wasn't a black and white situation and he had chosen it, but had he really? What had happened to him wasn't okay. It wasn't okay.

What choice was it to change your body and give yourself to an evil like Thanos when the fates of billions upon billions, immediately and in the future, hung in the balance of doing it?

Could he call it rape? He wouldn't call it that. But his consent... Was it really consent when he had picked that future, when there was no other way?

Stephen's hands were resting on his swollen belly and his skin suddenly crawled as the twins kicked, babies he was only pregnant with because it had been the only way, the only way for them to win when the first future had been lost, and Tony leapt up from the floor.

"Doc, I kind of need you to talk to me right now because you're scaring me. What's going on? Is it the babies? Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck, please don't tell me you're in labor because I have no idea what to do or who to get. Talk to me, Stephen, come on." he said, coming over to Stephen, grabbing his wrist and taking his pulse.

"Oh, shit. FRIDAY, is this a panic attack?" Tony said next, peering at Stephen, and Stephen tried to understand what was happening to him.

Stephen couldn't hear FRIDAY himself, but he was pretty sure that it was either a panic attack or an anxiety attack, if he was remembering things right. He knew how to handle it, to take deep breaths, to ground himself, but suddenly he couldn't.

He suddenly just wanted out of his body, to stop feeling the twins rolling around in response to his emotions, to stop feeling the changes, to stop thinking of how he had been injured and scarred, and he struck himself harder than was strictly necessary in the chest as he threw himself into the astral dimension.

He should have mentioned that to Tony before he did it, though, because his body went limp and Tony panicked.

But he was suddenly free, his sense of self, even if it was just his soul, feeling right, and he could breathe, though he still needed to calm down. First, though, he needed to stop Tony from getting Wong or calling for an ambulance or something He hastily opened a window so Tony could see him.

"Tony." he said and Tony looked up, yelping.

"What the hell-?!"

"I exited my body. I'm all right. I need a minute." Stephen said, fighting to get the words out, but for some reason focusing on making sure Tony was all right steadied him for a moment.

Tony gaped and Stephen pulled back, and it took a few minutes, but he managed to calm himself down. Enough that he could open a window to talk to Tony, who was pacing around in front of his chair, and explain.

"I just... I couldn't be in my body right now." he finished weakly, feeling a little pathetic.

He was carefully not looking at himself and though he had been assured it was perfectly safe for the twins, he did worry about how it was for them when his soul left his body.

"Was it what I said?" Tony asked, and both of them, for some reason, were carefully not looking at his body.

Stephen hesitated, but then he nodded.

"I think on some level I was protecting myself for the truth. It's... It's easier to handle if I think that it was my choice. That I chose everything, that I wasn't forced. That I decided it for myself. I did." he admitted, his voice faltering.

"You didn't. You're a good person, Stephen, so it was never a choice. And even if you said yes, it's still not okay." Tony said and rubbed the back of his head.

"Look at me, talking to you like a therapist or something." he muttered, chuckling a little.

"I can tell you right now, I might not know what you've faced as a wizard, but from what you went through with Thanos alone... Let me tell you, all the world-saving stuff and crap like that messes you up. Denying yourself help only hurts you and the people around you. Have you talked to anyone?"

"No. Not yet. It just feels..." Stephen said, voice faltering.

"Hard?" Tony suggested.

"Like Kamar-Taj is too small." Stephen corrected, though hard was probably a good word too.

"You have psychiatrists there?" Tony said, sounding surprised.

"We might have magic, but we aren't barbarians, Tony. Not many are actually born in Kamar-Taj, all things considered, and not everyone stays. But everyone who is there comes from all different backgrounds, and sometimes they apply their experience for the needs of those who call Kamar-Taj home." Stephen said, giving him a look.

"Talk to someone. If not for you, for the kids." Tony said, voice firm.

"Mr. Stark, are you trying to use my unborn children to manipulate me?" Stephen asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Is it working?" Tony replied.

"I..."

"Look, we went through incredibly different things, but after what happened on Titan... After the Snap... I talked to someone this time. Not at first and it wasn't easy, isn't easy, but when Pep told me that she- we- were going to have a baby, I realized I had to get my shit together for them. I want to. I need to. And I might not know you as well as Wong does, but I think you feel the same way." Tony said and his voice was a little soft, a little vulnerable, as he said it.

It sharply reminded Stephen that in addition to losing, in addition to being wounded, in addition to everything else that had happened on Titan and because of the Snap, that Tony had lost Peter, who was probably the closest thing to a son that Tony had ever had. Someone he had loved dearly, who had died and turned to dust in his arms.

He knew how it had destroyed Tony, he had seen it and grieved briefly in those futures he had seen, because he had seen how it would effect the man in front of him, and Peter Parker hadn't been a bad kid. Stephen thought again of all the pain and grief he had caused by handing the Time Stone to Thanos, and he felt a fresh wave of guilt.

"I know. And I do." he said softly.

"I didn't mean to freak you out." Tony added and Stephen shook his head.

"It was going to happen. And it's probably better that it happened now, before they get here." he said, glancing at his body, at the twins.

"Is there anything I can do right now?" Tony asked awkwardly, and it was clear he didn't want to have a heart to heart with Stephen about this.

In all honesty, neither did Stephen. And Tony Stark was not the person to talk to about it. If he was going for a non-professional, Wong or Natasha would probably be best, but he really did need to suck it up and seek out the proper person in Kamar-Taj, before the twins got here.

He wouldn't be magically cured, but he could work past the denial. He could work on healing. He could try to be as okay as he could be for his daughters.

He shook his head, but Tony got up and brought him something to drink, and as Tony looked at him, Stephen had the sense that Tony wished he was some kind of machine or something. Something he could fix merely by reaching into his toolbox and finding the right tool. Right now, Stephen kind of wished for that, too. Life would be so much simpler like that.

He returned to his body, even if his body felt like an ill-fitting suit, and accepted the glass of juice Tony brought him. He had a feeling Tony had done that on purpose, to get his blood sugar up, and he thanked him, Tony shrugging. They spent a few minutes in silence, Tony working on the second crib and Stephen sipping his drink, and then Tony tentatively started a conversation again.

It was almost like they were ignoring what had happened, but Tony certainly wasn't the person to talk to about it, and Stephen wasn't ready right this second. He would have to find the right person to talk and work out something that worked for him, and work from there.

Stephen was tired, but he couldn't sleep now, not yet, and Tony did a lot for him. More than he expected, more than he asked. He had merely thought that Tony would put together the cribs and be done with it, but he moved some furniture that needed to be rearranged in both the nursery and other rooms too (the Cloak assisted) and even put away a few the things Stephen had started collecting for the twins. Stephen felt frustrated for not helping, for not being able to help with a lot of it or Tony waving him off, but he was also extremely grateful for it. He knew he wouldn't have been able to do most of it himself, between his hands and how big he currently was.

So the frustration died quickly without leaving any bitterness in the back of his throat, and Tony looked as pleased as a cat with a mouse when he had finished, admiring his hard work.

"All it needs are some babies, and you're not adding those for a while, all right? We're getting the compound ready, but it's not prepped yet, so no babies." he said, glancing at Stephen.

"If I were to go into labor now, there are spells that should stop it." Stephen said, though he knew Tony meant it light-heartedly.

He should have played along, but he was still afraid that they might come early; they were certainly running out of room... Or were they? It was entirely possible Thanos had used the Reality Stone to not only modify Stephen's body to his specifications, but thrown in some manipulation to make it a reality that Stephen could carry his offspring. Stephen shut that thought down quickly; he didn't need to get lost in that right now.

"Good." Tony said, though his gaze lingered on Stephen's middle for just a moment, as if he thought it was entirely possible that Stephen might go into labor this very second.

"So, is there anything else I can do while I'm here?" the other man asked a moment later, pulling his gaze away.

"Go home." Stephen said and Tony blinked.

"It's not-"

"Tony, you've been here for several hours now. I imagine Pepper would appreciate you being home for dinner, and it is early in the morning for me now." Stephen broke in, regretful of that fact.

He had pulled plenty of late nights before, but not when he had been pregnant and already exhausted.

"Are you sure? If you still aren't good, I can wait until Wong gets here-" Tony began and Stephen shook his head.

"I will be fine, Tony. Now go." he said firmly.

"All right. If you're sure." Tony said, Stephen nodding.

Tony collected his things, and Stephen saw him to the door, the two of them exchanging goodbyes, Stephen thanking him again.

"No babies." Tony told him firmly before the Sanctum closed the doors behind him, which made Stephen chuckle.

He trudged back up to his bedroom and settled down, the exhaustion pulling at his body, which still felt wrong, those thoughts and realization of before tugging at him again, like a threat of some kind.

He should have seen someone as soon as he had gotten back, or at least within those first two weeks back. He had been in denial for so long, and everything that had happened... He was definitely fucked up, to put it crudely. He would get help, though. He needed to get help. But, that was something for the morning.

For now, Stephen went to sleep and astral projected while his body slept, the best remedy he had for it all, and in the morning, it made things just a little easier. He was able to get up, have breakfast, and go ask Master Bodhi for his help on the matter. He wanted the best for his daughters, even if he hadn't asked for them, and this one way he had to do it. And for himself, too.

Chapter Text

Stephen began, slowly, seeing a psychiatrist. Master Yuki Tanaka was her name, and she was a no-nonsense woman, which Stephen appreciated.

She was not as friendly or gentle as Master Bodhi, but that was what Stephen needed with this. He talked to her a little, and she was up-front about talking about what he needed to address. There was a comfort to that straight-forwardness, now that he wasn't panicking about it, but it was still hard for Stephen, in ways, to accept that it really hadn't been a choice, that what he had gone through was wrong because of that.

Master Yuki had to come to the Sanctum, however. Master Bodhi had put him on bed rest, and Stephen couldn't complain. He was huge and moving was getting awkward and taxing, but not so much that he couldn't go downstairs and sit with Master Yuki while they had their sessions. The bed rest wasn't quite complete, not yet, but he was sure it would be soon; Master Bodhi was easing him into it so he wouldn't go completely crazy.

One thing that prompted it, Stephen knew, was the labor scare. Thor and Natasha had come over for their usual visits and Thor had declared he wanted to watch a show Stephen had mentioned to him (The X-Files, which would prove to be a mistake), so that was what they done. Stephen, however, had not been able to get comfortable, due to a cramping sensation in his back and belly, as well as pressure, and he had been wary of it, but it had also been so common lately that he had told himself to calm down and wait.

It eased when had he stood up and leaned his forearms on the back of the couch, shifting position and trying to ease the twins into a better one, and Thor had questioned him about being on his feet. Stephen had whacked the back of his head and so had the Cloak, effectively shutting the God of Thunder up.

The cramp had eased, but five minutes later, it had come back, and Stephen had begun timing them, worry fluttering in the pit of his stomach.

"Stephen? Are you all right?" Natasha had asked as he clutched his belly, and he had nodded.

The cramp had come back, and Stephen had told himself to calm down, because it could have been a Braxton-Hicks contraction, and the only way to tell was time.

For twenty minutes, he had kept timing them, and then Natasha had asked him again if he was all right, interrupting Thor, who was questioning the relationship between Mulder and Scully.

"I might be in labor." Stephen had admitted, and before he could add that he might wrong, the power in the Sanctum had gone out.

"Thor Odinson, that was not helpful." he had said sourly, but at least there had been daylight.

He had known it had been Thor, not some random power outage, and the God of Thunder had been on the verge of panicking, apparently under the impression that Stephen had been about to give birth then and there.

That had led to an explanation about Braxton-Hicks contractions and Stephen having worded things wrong, and in the end, it had turned out to be Braxton-Hicks contractions. Nothing to worry about, though fairly alarming for the forty minutes they had happened, and Thor had not appreciated the need to wait. But that was really the only way to tell, and even though it had turned out to be false contractions, Stephen had gone to Master Bodhi.

False contractions could mean nothing, had nothing to do with actual labor, but they could be related to stress and being on your feet too much, so Master Bodhi had made the decision for bed rest.

And honestly, right now, Stephen didn't feel inclined to be on his feet too much, wondered why he had gotten so upset about Wong pulling him from most classes. The weight of his own body, of the twins and his changed center of gravity, was really starting to feel problematic for him. Wearing him out, making him need to sit down more frequently, and it did bother him, but at least Master Bodhi was only starting him out on it. Letting him ease into his new reality, and he was grateful for that.

It was for the best too, because the call he received at about ten at night for him (Nepal time) would, eventually, require him to be on his feet. It was Pepper and he answered it, surprised, as she usually tried to call him earlier.

"Hello, Pepper." he said as he answered, the Cloak having brought him the phone.

He was sprawled on the couch in what probably looked like a fairly awkward position, reading, and this position was the only one he had been able to find where it kept the twins from crushing his lungs.

"Hi, Stephen. You said you know about childbirth, right? Even though that wasn't your field?" Pepper asked and there was an edge to her voice that immediately made Stephen alert.

"Is something wrong?" he asked immediately, setting his book aside.

"I'm pretty sure I'm in labor." Pepper admitted and Stephen relaxed a little.

"How long have you been having pains?"

"I really started noticing some discomfort when I got up this morning. There was some last night. Oh, God, Stephen, I thought they were the false kind. I was so sure they were the false kind. I sent Tony off to do something because I certain they were." Pepper said, groaning in what seemed to be both pain and frustration.

"It happens to more people than you know. Has your water broken?" Stephen said, though that didn't necessarily mean much sometimes.

"No."

"Well, then you have some time. Though it has been at least twelve hours, hasn't it?" Stephen said, because it was nearly noon in New York right now.

"Probably. I just... I need someone to talk to while I wait. Tony should be back soon, but I just couldn't take being alone any longer. He's probably still in a meeting and turned his phone off. I told him to so he wouldn't be constantly checking it." Pepper said and Stephen checked his belt for his sling-ring, though it was there.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come? I can come take a look at how things are going, and get you to the hospital-" Stephen began, his instincts as a doctor kicking in, his hand reaching to slide his ring on his hand.

"No. No, don't trouble yourself. I know you're on bed rest. The pain isn't so bad right now. I just need someone to talk to." Pepper said quickly and Stephen thought for a moment.

He did want to go and see if she did need to go to the hospital, because odds where Tony was the city and it was a bit of drive to and from, but if her labor was the typical kind for a first birth, she likely wouldn't be shoving the baby for at least another six hours. His own mother had told him had taken thirty-three hours to be born, and his siblings had come a little quicker, but that had been because they had been the second and third children born to his mother.

Right now, he would respect her wishes. But if he became concerned, he was seconds away and could take charge of the situation.

So he stayed on the phone with Pepper and gave her advice on what to do, encouraging her to drink water and not suck on ice chips, because that was pretty much just crap the hospital told you so they wouldn't get a lawsuit if you needed surgery and asphyxiated on your own vomit.

Pepper was not at risk for that- she and Stephen had talked about such things- so she could drink the goddamn water or a sports drink, and eat a little if she felt capable. She needed to stay hydrated and needed energy, after all.

He had her time the contractions and was slightly annoyed when she did not share the timing with him, but she had been timing them already, and stated that she did not need his fussing, because she knew he was 'already in doctor mode'.

That annoyed him further, but she sounded all right on the phone, and Stephen knew she was also worried about him with the bed rest and everything else.

"Tell me you have called your doctor, at least." he said when he gave up on that.

"Yes, I did, and they told me that I couldn't come in until the contractions were a certain degree anyway." Pepper assured him and Stephen rolled his eyes at that.

He knew it was so people weren't sucking up hospital resources for hours when they weren't in active labor, but sometimes it could be quite the trip to the hospital, the birth could progress more quickly than anticipated, or something could go wrong in the blink of an eye.

Nothing would go wrong for Pepper, though, he knew that. He had seen that. She had a role to play in the future. The baby would be all right, too.

So he held himself back and chatted with Pepper, suggesting she fill the bathtub with some warm water so she could relax while she waited. She had shared with him that she had a high pain tolerance, which seemed to have really developed after she had been dosed with Extremis, and Stephen remembered the news articles on that.

This side effect did interest him, but he did not press her on it, and part of the time they didn't even talk. They just left their respective phones on and could hear the other, and Stephen read some of his book to Pepper. Occasionally, he could hear her hiss or groan in pain and he would check up on her, Pepper assuring him that she was fine.

Despite his worry for her and the fact Tony might not get there in time to actually get her to the hospital as planned, Stephen did find the time was enjoyable. Even if they weren't spending time together face to face, it was nice to have some company in some form, especially when Wong couldn't give it to him today.

He did experience a little bit of an anxious feeling when Pepper told him she had to plug her phone in for a bit, just in case Tony called because the battery was getting low, but he knew it wouldn't take the phone that long to charge.

He hung up to conserve his own battery, even though the phone was mostly charged, and set his book aside, heaving himself to his feet. Stephen felt almost off-balance as he did, the Cloak steadying him, and he slid a hand beneath his heavy belly, as it helped take some of the weight off his straining muscles, even if it was just a little. He went to pee and though he was supposed to be resting, he found himself pacing a little.

Stephen knew he shouldn't have been doing that, Master Bodhi having very firmly explained to him the reasons for the bed rest and such, but he was allowed to be up for a little bit. And if he wasted that time pacing, so be it, and the twins were in an uncomfortable position, which pacing and moving around would help with.

They were beginning to get restless, though whether or not that was because of his own restlessness, Stephen wasn't sure. He hissed when some offending limb hit his ribs, causing a flare of pain. The twins were giving him internal bruising, meaning their natural kicks and punches were more painful than normal, and the Cloak noticed.

It wrapped around him gently and there was nothing it could do for internal bruising, unfortunately, nothing anyone could do, aside from a mild pain-relieving spell. But the gesture was appreciated and Stephen paced for only a short time, his body not used to bearing his own weight anymore, especially with his changing center of gravity. He was forced to ease himself down and he turned on the TV when he couldn't focus on his book anymore, glancing at his phone every now and then, waiting for Pepper to call him back.

Of course, if Tony arrived home while the phone was charging, he wouldn't blame her for not calling him back. She would have much different priorities right then, and if he got worried enough, he could always open up a portal and check, respecting Pepper's wishes be damned.

The phone charged more quickly than he had anticipated, and Pepper called him back about a little over an hour after hanging up, and Stephen checked up her.

"Stephen, I think you're worrying more than Tony at this point." Pepper said, laughter in her voice, and Stephen felt a rush of embarrassment at this.

"No Tony yet?" he asked, but he did care about Pepper, and he was worried about her being there alone.

Even knowing the future did not remove his worries, as he had learned the hard way several times.

"Not yet. But, he's on the way. I managed to get ahold of him and he and Happy are on the way. I'm fine. It hurts a little more, is a little closer, but I'm fine." Pepper assured him, still refusing to give him numbers.

"Why won't you tell me? I can have you at the best hospital in a minute." Stephen argued.

"Because you are on bed rest and because I am fine. I've read all the books, Stephen, and you told me a good deal, too. I already called my doctor, like I told you. Everything is fine." Pepper said in a logical tone that annoyed him.

"I am not broken." Stephen said, words he hated saying at this point.

"I know, Stephen, but Nat told me about what happened too, and I am worried about you, too. You need to take it easy, and coming over and fussing over me is going to stress us both out. I'll already have my hands full when Tony gets here, and Happy, too. I'm pretty sure neither of them are going to be calm about this. Tony already freaked out when I had some false contractions before, and sounded like he was going to have a heart attack when he finally answered." Pepper said and this made Stephen's mouth twitch.

He could imagine the usually cool, proud Iron Man having an absolute meltdown at his wife being in labor, a battle he had never faced before and couldn't help her fight. It was amusing, to be honest, because Stephen had seen many different helpless fathers doing everything from throwing up to fainting to rushing around trying to do everything for their laboring partners, even if he had never gotten that close in hospital.

He stayed on the phone with Pepper, even as she switched between lines, and counted, tried to listen to see if he could pick up any signs of her having a contraction so he could time them, but honestly, with the general pain and discomfort of labor, any sound he heard that wasn't directly into the phone was hard to interpret. He was really wondering if there was bad traffic or something, because Tony seemed to be taking quite a bit to get home, even if it was a several hour drive to and from the city, and he was definitely, definitely going to make a portal and take her to the hospital once Tony got there. He didn't tell Pepper that, but his mind was made up, and he wasn't going to let her argue with him.

At one point, he could definitely tell she was in quite a bit of pain, hearing her groan even though the phone seemed to be away from her, and concern burned in him.

"Pepper-"

"No, no, I'm fine. Tony will be here soon, I promise. I've doing research- good research- and I know I'll be fine. I should have time. I'll call you when we're on the way." Pepper cut in, though her voice did sound a bit ragged now, like she couldn't hide it from him anymore.

"I've been switching between you and Tony, but I want to talk with Tony for now. Thank you for staying on the phone with me. I will call when we're on the way to the hospital, I promise." she added after switching off him and back.

"If you don't call me in a decent amount of time, I'm coming and making you a portal to the hospital if you're still there, Tony or no Tony. I'll leave it open so he can run through if you want. Pepper, at this rate, you're going to have that baby in the car." Stephen said, voice severe.

Pepper didn't deny it this time and Stephen felt almost smug, but pushed that feeling down. He could understand not wanting to face this alone, for thinking you had more time, for being scared. He could only imagine how it would feel when it was his turn.

"Stephen, I'm going to hang up on you now. Thank you for talking to me." Pepper said, her tone much more polite than he thought was necessary.

"Of course, I know you would do the same for me." Stephen said and Pepper hung up.

Stephen waited, checking his watch compulsively, and waited. He resisted the urge to pace and forced himself to only get up to pee instead of giving in, wishing Pepper had given him a better idea of when Tony would be there. Of course, in the rush to get out the door if Tony had arrived, he wouldn't blame her for not answering. Eventually, he tried calling and there was no answer, which had him getting up as fast as he could with the Cloak's assistance and opened a portal directly into the Stark-Potts house, honestly walking in on chaos.

Tony was supporting Pepper with both his arms and she was clinging to him, groaning through an intense contraction, and Happy was hovering uselessly, asking questions, Tony babbling soothing words.

"Honey, you said Stephen would come get us, right? Let's get-"

"I'm right here." Stephen said, flying over, the Cloak lifting him just a few inches off the ground.

"Oh! Oh, thank God. Look, I don't know what's going on, but I don't think Pep is going to make- OW!" Tony said, breaking off as his wife crushed his hand.

"All right, Pepper, I know this is going to be awkward, but I'm going to check your progress quickly. My hands are clean, I promise." Stephen said, his instincts kicking immediately.

Pepper nodded, groaning again, and Stephen reached up her skirt, delicately removing her underwear. She had changed them since her water had broken, though they were certainly quite damp, and he gently spread her legs, Tony taking her weight. Then he reached up and-

"Stephen, can you open one of those things to the hospital, please?" Tony asked urgently.

"It's too late for that. I just touched her head." Stephen said and Tony went white, Pepper gasping.

"Pepper, you're going to have her here, all right? Nothing to worry about. I've delivered babies before. As soon as she is here, I'll get you to the hospital. You can kneel or lie down, if you want to, or stay like that. Tony has you." Stephen said, keeping his voice light and calm.

"I have you, honey. I won't let you fall." Tony promised, pressing a kiss to Pepper's temple.

"I- Like this." Pepper said and cried out.

"Oh, God. I want to push."

"Push. I'm here to catch her. Happy, I want you to get clean towels." Stephen said calmly and the man sped off.

"That's it, Pepper. Push with the contractions. Breathe. You'll both be fine." he coached and Pepper cried out, Tony supporting her, Stephen feeling the baby slither forward.

He coached Pepper through it and it was quick. Head, shoulders, and finally the body with a rush of remaining amniotic fluid, and then the screams of a newborn infant pierced the air as Stephen caught her, keeping a grip on her despite the slickness of the substances covering the tiny, wriggling body. He knew how to hold onto a newborn.

Both Pepper and Tony were staring in shock and Happy pounded back into the room with the towels, Stephen holding the squalling infant in his shaking hands.

"Good job, Pepper. A beautiful baby girl!" Stephen said as the baby squirmed and cried.

"Oh..." Pepper said, reaching out, and Stephen settled the baby carefully in her arms.

"Oh, wow. Oh." Tony breathed as Pepper held the baby to her chest, still linked by the umbilical cord.

Both parents seemed shocked and awed and Stephen looked, a little stunned himself. It had been a very long time since he had delivered a baby and never quite like this, not so quickly or in such chaos, but there was the warmth of pride and satisfaction in him as he glanced at the family, taking one of the towels from Happy and packing it between Pepper's legs and to cover the cord.

"Okay, I'm going to make a portal to the hospital now. Just hold her. You got her?" Stephen said once he had part of the towel pinned beneath Pepper's hand.

"I got her. I got her." Pepper panted, leaning on Tony for support.

"Mr. Hogan, come hold this, please." Stephen said, nodding to the end of the towel he was holding.

Turning pink, Happy obeyed, muttering an apology to Pepper, and the Cloak helped Stephen up, Stephen getting the name of the hospital from Tony. Not Metro-General, but he knew it, so he could go there, and he opened a portal to the maternity ward. Tony could certainly work out any complications that would arise later, if there were any. Then he went back to Pepper and took the towel for Happy, wrapping his free arm around Pepper to held support her, Pepper clutching the baby, Tony taking most of her weight.

It was a little awkward and most people weren't walking a minute from giving birth, especially with the umbilical cord still attached, but Pepper handled it like a champion, Tony lifting her up through the portal so her feet cleared the bottom edge. Happy followed them, holding a bag (and the towels) and people were staring at them. They certainly made the odd group, but luckily, these doctors weren't phased by much.

Pepper was whisked off to a room and somehow Stephen went along too, his worry getting the better of him, and the fact he had delivered the baby seemed to have a part in that as well. He did get looks because any doctor worth their salt in a maternity ward would know he was pregnant, but no one questioned him.

Soon, the cord was cut, the placenta delivered, and mother and baby both deemed to be in perfect health. The story was already circulating and several doctors praised Stephen for delivering the baby like that, but he brushed them off.

Tony hugged him, very, very awkwardly, and thanked him profusely. The hug startled Stephen and it seemed to startle Tony too, but they got through it, at least.

Pepper thanked him too, but Stephen waved it off.

"There is no need to thank me. I just did what I know how to do, and I practically did nothing." he said dismissively.

He was invited to stay, he was going to stay, but-

Tony took the baby- Morgan- from Pepper just then, holding his daughter for the first time, and as he smiled down at her, his expression filled with love and awe, something in Stephen broke.

Standing there, watching Tony holding his daughter, it broke him because Stephen knew in four years, Tony would be dead. He would kiss Morgan goodbye one morning, expecting to come back to her even if he knew he might not, promising to come back, and he never would. He would come home in a coffin and she wouldn't understand; the last thing she would see of him would be a holographic message. All because of this future Stephen had chosen, two futures with the same ending, the sacrifice of Tony Stark.

Tony would never imagine he would only get four years with his daughter, with his family. In four years, he would be dead. In four years, he would never come home.

"Stephen? Hey, you okay?" Happy, who was standing next to him, asked, touching his elbow.

"I'm fine." Stephen said, swallowing hard.

"Are you sure? You're really pale all of the sudden." Happy asked, and now Tony and Pepper were looking at him too.

"Hey, can we get a doctor in here?" Happy shouted before Stephen could say anything else.

Stephen hastily pulled away.

"I'm fine. I just need to get back to the Sanctum. I'm fine, I promise." Stephen said, his voice tight.

He couldn't... He couldn't be here anymore. He couldn't look at Tony, Pepper, and little Morgan, the family that would soon be destroyed through his decisions, through his choice for the best future. His chest and throat felt tight and he hurriedly made a portal, flying through it and closing it before anyone could say anything or stop him.

The Cloak took him up to his room and Stephen sat heavily on the bed, the twins squirming around, his heart feeling heavy, the twins pressing into him just as heavily.

Guilt crawled into his throat and he wanted to scream, he wanted to- He wanted to release all the feelings inside of him. Why did the future that was the best have to end with the death of a good man dying? Why did it have to end like this?

Stephen began to cry. Huge, wrenching sobs tore themselves from his chest and he crawled onto his bed, curling on his side and crying.

He shouldn't be crying. He had made this decision because it was the best for the future, like everything else, and getting worked up wouldn't be good for him or the twins. But there was no stopping it and he grieved, he sank into the sadness and guilt and the pain, and cried.

The Cloak tried to comfort him, wrapping around him, wiping at his tears, but Stephen smacked it away, trying to snap at it, but he wasn't sure how effective it was. Still, the Cloak left, and Stephen curled around his belly, the twins kicking and punching for all they were worth, and he tried to calm them. But calming them while he was far from calm himself just didn't work.

He wasn't sure how long he laid there, sobbing his heart out, blinded by his tears, but a hand gently touched his shoulder after some amount of time.

"Stephen? Are you all right?" Wong's voice asked, concern in it.

"No." Stephen whispered.

"Is it the twins?" Wong asked next.

"No. I can't tell you." Stephen choked out, and that was all Wong needed.

He knew it was something of the future, something Stephen could not share with anyone, and did not ask, nor would he.

Instead, he slid onto the bed behind Stephen and wrapped his arms around him, startling Stephen, but in this moment, it was exactly what he needed, so he let Wong hold him, crying until he was all wrung out.

Chapter Text

Thirty-four and a half weeks pregnant, and Stephen was a wreck.

Master Bodhi has eased him onto full bed rest, aside from using the bathroom and showering, and that in itself was stressful for Stephen, even if it was necessary.

But after the birth of Morgan Happy Stephanie Stark (a name Stephen had not gotten the chance to talk the parents out of; he didn't need a kid named in tribute to him, whether he had delivered her or not) three weeks ago, he had... He was not in a good place.

Master Yuki tried to help him with it, but he couldn't tell her, couldn't explain why seeing Tony with Morgan had broken something in him, and that had also dredged up things about Natasha again, too.

Stephen had isolated himself since he had left the Stark family at the hospital, for the most part, because he feared he might actually tell someone, and he couldn't. He couldn't risk it, couldn't do it, and the guilt was weighing heavily on him, guilt and grief. He was grieving people who weren't dead yet.

He had only had contact with Wong, Christine, Master Bodhi, and Master Yuki since then. He had texted Natasha, asking for some personal time and to tell the same to Thor. He hadn't really replied to Tony calling and texting him, but Tony was also busy with a newborn, which meant his attention didn't go too much to Stephen. He worked things out with his birth team; the compound was now properly equipped for a birth, even a complicated one, and his team was ready. It was all waiting now.

Stephen felt trapped. Trapped in his body, trapped in the Sanctum, even if talking to Master Yuki about it not being a choice, acknowledging that he had had no real choice, was helping things.

He felt like he was spiraling again, spiraling more than he had before, and he wasn't sure if he could come back from it. He had to, he would, for the sake of the twins, but his stress levels were starting to concern Master Bodhi, who rightly feared he might send himself into early labor.

The twins were huge and Stephen huge as well (he was not exaggerating), but he wasn't ready, and he feared they weren't either. He was still worried they might be too small for being half Titan, but tried to remind himself of his visions where he had six offspring in the Garden, where the only medical care available would have been himself. They would be fine... If he could get his shit together and keep that way.

But it was isolating, suddenly, more isolating than ever, to know the future and to know that he had sentenced two people he had grown to truly care about to death, and he was having trouble facing them, of looking at them without his heart tearing itself in two.

Part of him wanted to spend as much time he could with them, because it was limited, but the other part of him felt that was unfair, and just couldn't face them.

He had sentenced them- and others- to death, and that made it hard to face them. He felt like an executioner, almost, and that made no sense, he wasn't truly, because he might guide them but in the end he wouldn't force them, but...

He was living in isolation and boredom, cut off from everyone else save for four people, really. Wong, Christine, Master Bodhi, Master Yuki. The Cloak was a constant, as were the twins, and Master Yuki tried to talk him, pointing out it could be his pregnancy hormones making everything worse, but it didn't help. He couldn't tell anyone.

He might have been able to tell the Cloak or the Sanctum itself, but he wasn't sure. It wasn't like either could talk back, and he couldn't risk anyone overhearing.

Stephen was laying on his bed, dealing with false contractions again, the pain and cramping of that making it hard to get comfortable, hard to even relax, especially when he couldn't walk around anymore to relieve the pain and help it ease off. His hands were also acting up again, maybe due to the stress of that. They were filled with pain, making everything that much harder, when he heard the Sanctum creak and groan, but not at him. He had taken a potion for the pain, but it only took the edge off, since he couldn't take much while pregnant, especially with half-human offspring, and then pain was bad.

He could have sent a message to Wong, asking him for his help as usual, but he was managing today, it wasn't as bad as it could have been, and the Cloak was helping. The problem with sending the Cloak off with a message was the fact he had to write it, and he most certainly couldn't do that right now.

So, Stephen lay curled on his side, swimming in pain, praying the twins did not press on his bladder again any time soon, and he heard the Sanctum creak in greeting to someone, and he heaved himself awkwardly into a sitting position.

All the air was pressed from his lungs and he groaned softly, but just because the Sanctum had greeted someone didn't mean they were here to see him. Masters came in and out all the time to borrow books or look at relics (though, unless it was an emergency, they asked about borrowing relics as well), but that was not what it was.

He heard footsteps in the hall and then someone knocked on his door.

"Stephen? It's Natasha. Are you all right?" Natasha's voice called through the door, and he stiffened.

"I'm sorry to come over like this, but the Sanctum let me in and you haven't been answering my calls. Tony says he hasn't heard from you either, and Thor, too. I wanted to make sure you were all right." Natasha continued, the Sanctum having obviously given up his location to her.

"I'm... All right, thank you, Natasha." Stephen said, nearly cursing because his voice was shaking with pain.

"I have Steve with me, full disclosure." Natasha added and Stephen sighed softly.

He swung his legs off the bed and braced his hands against the mattress, but this made pain flare through his damaged nerves and muscles and groaned softly, or perhaps not as softly as he thought.

"Stephen? Can I come in?" Natasha said, knocking again, and there was concern in her voice.

Stephen wanted to say no, but he was almost completely certain the Sanctum would let her in whether he said that or not.

"All right." he said, trying one more to push himself to his feet without the Cloak's assistance, but between his belly and his hands, he couldn't.

"Fuck me." he growled, gritting his teeth at a painful spasm.

"Come in. It's not locked." he said in a louder voice, easing himself back with a quiet moan of pain.

The door opened and Natasha, her hair in a braid, came in, looking him over.

"Geez, Stephen." she said, then bit her lip, probably realizing that wasn't polite.

"I know. I- Ah." Stephen said, hissing out a breath as his hands spasmed, not having appreciated his attempt to support his considerable weight on them.

"Are you all right?" Natasha asked, brows drawing together with concern.

"My hands, and some Braxton-Hicks again. Today is just not a good day." Stephen explained, even as another contraction gripped his abdomen.

"Wow. I can see why you didn't answer the phone today, but... Why haven't you over these past few weeks?" Natasha said, coming to stand beside the bed.

She hovered, seeming awkward about hovering over him, and Stephen nodded for her to sit.

"I... It's not something I can talk to you about, Natasha. Not with anyone, before you ask." Stephen said, taking a deep breath.

"The future?" Natasha said softly and Stephen nodded.

"You don't have anyone you can talk to about it? Not even a little?" Natasha asked and Stephen shook his head.

"No. The previous Sorcerer Supreme, she handled the Time Stone and guided many futures. I could likely talk to her, but... She died." he said and his voice cracked with grief.

"I'm sorry." Natasha said softly.

Stephen shook his head again.

"I just... I can't say much. But I can say that I know I haven't been coping well." he said, taking a deep breath.

"I would say cutting everyone off isn't a good way to cope. I understand it, but it's not good for you, Stephen. Not now." Natasha said and Stephen could have rolled his eyes and argued, but he did not.

She was right and he knew it, and Wong, Christine, Master Bodhi, and Master Yuki had all expressed their concern.

Everyone was expressing their concern, really, and they had good reason to, but it was annoying. Stephen tried to keep in mind that it wasn't just about him, that these people cared about him and were allowed to feel how they felt, which did take the edge off his annoyance.

"I know. I just..." he sighed, reaching to run a hand over his face, but this caused it to cramp painfully.

He hissed again, cradling his hand to his chest, embarrassed that tears were burning in his eyes.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Natasha asked, her expression soft.

"No." Stephen gritted out.

Vishanti, he wanted to cry. Between the false contractions and his hands, it was a lot of pain, and he didn't have much of a filter left anymore.

"Any potion? Medicine?" Natasha pressed and Stephen shook his head.

"There are a lot of things you can't take while pregnant. And even if they are safe, I don't know if they would be for half-Titans." he explained and Natasha gently took his hand.

He whimpered as she pressed her fingers into it, spasms contorting his fingers into hooks, but Natasha rubbed gently, and it wasn't so bad after a moment.

"I'm sorry, I should have asked. Does it...?" she said, seeming to have realized what she did.

"It helps a little." Stephen said, his chest heaving slightly as the pain ebbed.

Natasha nodded and rubbed a little more and Stephen was grateful. He couldn't talk to her about why he was cutting himself off from so many people and even right now it was painful to sit here, because he looked at her and he could see was her broken body splayed on the ground at the base of the cliff in sacrifice, but he could also see her as she was, a friend he wasn't sure he deserved but was helping him all the same.

He was being ridiculous, but it hurt and he felt guilty, and shutting himself away was so much easier.

But he was grateful for her help, for her company, for the silent support, like when Wong had held him as he grieved for the Stark family, and it was all he could have. It wasn't enough, but it was just enough, and they did talk.

"I'm not going to force you to interact with people, not that I can. But I do want to tell you, as your friend, that you shouldn't just shut yourself away like this. We care for you, Stephen, and I think I know you well enough now that sitting still and being alone isn't the best thing you can be doing. I can only fix one of those things, but me and everyone else, we can fix it, if you let us." Natasha said, releasing his hand when he lightly tugged it.

"Thank you." Stephen murmured.

"Some days are going to be bad. I don't think... There are always going to be bad days." he added softly.

"But you don't have to turn them into bad weeks. You don't have to be alone. Trust me, I've been alone. I've done what you're doing. And in this whole mess, the Snap and everything else, I nearly did it again. Steve wouldn't let me, though. And I'm not going to let you." Natasha said, sighing. "It's not all it's cracked up to be, in the end. Because in the end, you're, well, alone."

Stephen nodded, understanding what she meant. He sat there and enjoyed her company, timing the false contractions, but inevitably, he had to get up to pee. The Cloak helped him and took a lot his weight for him, because standing was a trial now. His body just wasn't meant for this. His legs shook slightly as the Cloak helped him and then he banished it; he would need its help but he just wasn't comfortable using the toilet in front of it.

Peeing didn't help relieve the cramps and as awkward as it was because of the size of his abdomen and his hurting hands, Stephen cautiously explored himself when he was leaning on the counter next to the sink, because now a feeling of dread had nested in his chest, and...

"No, no, no." he whispered, wanting to curse himself for his stupidity.

He was dilated. He was in labor. The contractions weren't false, as he had assumed, and he knew the mistake was easy, even if you were a doctor, and his brain had been sending off so many pain signals that it just really hadn't registered.

It was too early. It wasn't odd for twins to be born at this time, but they didn't know with his daughters what was safe for them and what wasn't, because they could look good for a human pregnancy but be woefully small for a Titan one, and Stephen was determined to make it forty weeks.

Just to be safe, so they stood their best chance, and he called for the Cloak, stumbling for the door, nearly being struck by the door as Natasha opened it and the Cloak funneled in.

"Stephen, what's wr-"

"I'm in labor." Stephen said and his voice wasn't as calm as he wanted it to be.

He put his cramping hand on his belly instinctively as the twins kicked and Vishanti, they weren't even in position for this. His body had caved to stress, and none of them were ready.

"All right. All right, you said you had spells for that. Take a deep breath." Natasha said, but her eyes were wide.

Stephen took a deep breath and leaned his back against the doorframe, raising his hands, starting to cast, but his fingers refused to cooperate. He tried, sparks spurting in the air, and he casted a bit, but then he couldn't, his fingers spasming, pain spiking through him, and he got backlash from the broken spell that knocked him to the floor. Not really that bad, but his balance was a thing of the past, and he gasped, tailbone throbbing.

"I can't." he said and his voice cracked.

"Okay. All right. You have a healer, don't you? Someone who knows these spells?"

Stephen nodded. "Master Bodhi. He works in the hospital in Kamar-Taj."

"I'll go get him. I'll be right back, I promise." Natasha said, but the Cloak had already shot off.

Stephen tried to make her a portal, but he couldn't even manage that, and when she made to leave, he had the impulse to beg her not to leave him. But he needed help, and he couldn't get it himself, and neither could the Cloak, not really. He gave her instructions, because Master Bodhi might be busy, and he knew he didn't have to repeat himself.

"STEVE!" Natasha yelled as she ran from the room, and Stephen had forgotten until this moment that she had said she had brought Steve with her.

He still didn't know why and he didn't truly like the man, but he felt a rush of gratitude as the former soldier appeared, wearing street clothes, no shield, looking ready to pummel something.

"Nat said you're in labor." he said, a slightly wild look in his eyes, and Stephen nodded.

"What can I do?" Steve asked, crossing over to him.

"I... Help me up." Stephen said, because there was no way he could get up on his own.

Vishanti, he hadn't gained that much weight, all things considered, but the sheer size of his belly and the fact the majority of that weight was centered on his front just made things too awkward. It just made it impossible to get his balance and to get his legs to work properly.

Steve nodded and got down on his knees beside Stephen, looping an arm over his shoulders, his other going around Stephen's back.

"Can you hold onto me?" Steve asked and Stephen clutched weakly at him, but his hands, his goddamn hands, just wouldn't let him.

"All right, Doctor, just hang on." Steve said and lifted Stephen effortlessly.

He was a super soldier, after all, and had certainly handled things much heavier than Stephen. Stephen wobbled on his feet and Steve steadied him, his weight straining on his body.

"The bed?" Steve checked.

"Yes." Stephen confirmed.

He felt very useless right now, even if he was walking too (well, sort of waddling and shuffling), and Steve eased him onto the bed.

"What else can I do?" Steve asked once Stephen was on the bed, releasing him slowly, as if he were afraid Stephen might break.

"Stay." Stephen said, because there was nothing else to do.

Medical help was on the way, he wasn't going to dilate all the way suddenly, and he doubted his water was going to break. If it did... If it did, he was screwed. Master Bodhi hadn't taught him a spell for that, and then, since it was paired with labor, within forty-eight hours, he would likely have the twins.

Steve stayed and the fact he wasn't alone was reassuring, Stephen doing his best to figure out the timing of the contractions, searching his memory. Steve wrote it down for him, probably just to give himself something to do, and Stephen ran all the worries through his head, preparing himself.

The twins would be premature either way. If his water broke and was managaged to be stopped, there were still risks he and his babies would have to contend with. Risk of placental abruption, infection, decreased amniotic fluid, earlier delivery, merely later than this...

He swallowed hard.

"Talk to me, Stephen." Steve said, seeing the look on his face.

"The contractions are about seven minutes apart now. Last about minute. I'm several centimeters dilated, but I, ah, couldn't get my fingers in there for a proper guess. Less than half." Stephen told him and Steve paused for a long moment.

"...Should I measure for you?" he asked, turning crimson at his own words.

"No. No, Master Bodhi is on his way." Stephen said, too focused on what was going to really register than Captain America had just, to put it crudely, offered to stick his fingers inside of him.

"My waters haven't broken. That's good. If they break, I'll likely have to deliver them. I am not bleeding or losing fluids. I have dilation, but it is not much, not outside what Master Bodhi said the spells could help." Stephen continued and proceeded to recite everything he knew to Steve.

It helped him think, helped him ready himself, and he could see that Steve was frustrated there was no way to keep his water from breaking. Really, they weren't there for long.

Stephen timed the contractions and tried to settle the twins, but his hands couldn't take the rubbing that he knew would help, and the pain from them wasn't helping things, either. Steve helped him with that and Stephen didn't like the man touching him like that, but it helped the twins, and that was what mattered to him right now.

Then Master Bodhi arrived via a portal with Natasha and the Cloak in tow, and he rushed in, shooing Steve away, and Stephen knew the Cloak wanted to rush to him, but it stayed out of the way. Master Bodhi used magic to strip Stephen of his clothes and check him, nodding to himself, and he performed the spells that Stephen had been unable to.

Still, it was a tense half hour after Master Bodhi arrived, just to make sure the spells had worked and were holding, and when he was certain the labor had stopped, the twins were fine, and so was Stephen, he sat on the edge of the bed next to Stephen. He had draped the blankets up to Stephen's groin now and Stephen was admittedly having trouble breathing, the twins pressing down too heavily on him. Each breath felt like stones were pinning his chest down, making it hard to take a deep breath.

Master Bodhi helped him sit up, shoving pillows behind his back and rearranging the blankets for a sham at modesty, considering he had just seen Stephen completely naked.

"I'm sorry." Stephen said, the words popping out of his mouth.

He wasn't sure if he was talking to Master Bodhi or the twins, to be honest, and he hissed in pain at his hands again.

"What are you apologizing for?" Master Bodhi asked, looking confused.

"This was my fault." Stephen said hoarsely, and he didn't realize how terrified he had been until this moment.

His brain had kicked him into the place he went to during medical emergencies and threats he had to handle as a Master of the Mystic Arts, but now that everything had calmed, he was really feeling it now.

"No, it was not, Stephen." Master Bodhi said, his voice firm.

"I've been too stressed, I... I let myself slip. And then my hands..." Stephen said, his throat tightening, but there were no tears, at least.

"Master Yuki has talked to me, and I know you are feeling very alone right now. That whatever you are going through is about the future you saw, and it is not something you can share with others. But that does not mean this is your fault." Master Bodhi said, resting a gentle hand on Stephen's belly.

"Stress-"

"Is a factor, yes, but have you really looked at yourself lately, my boy? I wager it is likely the twins are pushing your body to the limit and combined with the pain of your hands and what that induced, something just gave way." Master Bodhi said, arching an eyebrow at him.

Stephen did look at himself, despite the fact he knew. His abdomen was hugely swollen, the skin so taut his veins were almost obscenely visible, and the stretch marks were definite signs of just how much his skin had been forced to stretch to accommodate his growing womb. He couldn't even see past his belly, hadn't been since the Garden, but it honestly looked like he was as big as a full moon.

His fundal height was over fifty centimeters already, and he wasn't even going to guess what he measured around his belly rather than from pubic bone to the top of his uterus, didn't want to think about it, even.

Master Bodhi cast the scanning spell again and guided Stephen's head to look at it.

"They are healthy, and you are healthy. I am impressed, truth be told. No rips, no tears, no threat of any sort of complications save for the possibility of a C-section. But look at them, Stephen. Already almost ten pounds each. Your body likely just couldn't cope any longer." he said gently as the twins squirmed.

"I want to make it to forty weeks." Stephen whispered, a tear escaping and sliding down his face.

"Just in case. Just in case... Just in case they aren't all right for Titans. I want them to have their best chance." he continued, though it was a lot to ask.

Normal twins were often born early, after all, and that thought pinged around his head yet again. He might have been asking for too much, but that was what he wanted. He wanted them to have the best chance, especially when he didn't know if they were truly okay.

"I know. And with the spells, you will, unless it is too dangerous for you or the twins. The spells are more or less locking the twins in place, putting blockers on signals from your body. I will get you as far as I can, Stephen. You know that. I listen to my patients. It is a lot to ask, but so long as your body can handle it, it will happen." Master Bodhi said and gently rubbed Stephen's belly where Baby B was beginning to kick again.

His hand felt wonderfully cool against Stephen's heated skin, his touch respectful and practiced.

Stephen didn't mind it and Baby A joined her sister, and he let Master Bodhi rub because he still couldn't do it well himself, it helped the twins (or he imagined it did), and it honestly felt a bit soothing to him, too.

He nodded to Master Bodhi and they talked some more, though Stephen already knew the outline of the spells and everything else, and they would- should- hold until they were removed. He double-checked that Stephen knew what warning signs to look out for that meant the spells would have to be removed and the twins delivered, and also emphasized that he shouldn't be alone in the Sanctum. And no, the Cloak and the Sanctum itself did not count as companions.

"Preferably some who can use magic and open a portal." Master Bodhi said, and Stephen's first instinct was to ask Wong.

But no, he couldn't. He couldn't ask Wong to hang out in the Sanctum all day, not anymore. Wong was the Sorcerer Supreme now and had duties to attend to. He supposed he really should have made more friends among his fellow Masters of the Mystic Arts because while he knew plenty of them, they weren't friends. Preferably, he wanted someone he truly knew and trusted, but his social circle was tiny, and most of the people them didn't have magic.

He supposed he could find someone to constantly be in the Sanctum to attend to things, who would be willing to get Master Bodhi in the event of an emergency. There were often apprentices and students around doing menial work, though he had banished them because of their stares and fussing before bed rest had become complete.

"I'll speak to Wong." he told Master Bodhi, who nodded.

Master Bodhi helped him get his pants and underwear back on and into the bathroom as well, because the twins were relentless, and then Natasha and Steve were allowed in.

"Master Bodhi says you're fine. Or at least as much as you can be." Natasha said and Stephen nodded.

"I am. Thank you for coming over today. The Cloak would have gotten help, but if it had taken much longer, I don't know what would have happened." Stephen said, because unlike the Cloak, Natasha had the advantage of speaking.

Judging by how fast Master Bodhi had arrived, Stephen was willing to bet that she had spoken to the master running the library these days, and a portal had been made to find Master Bodhi all the more quickly.

Natasha and Steve nodded, and Stephen did tell them the details. Natasha decided she was going to stay until Wong could come, despite the odd time, and Steve had to stay because he and Natasha had driven together.

"Why are you here?" Stephen asked quizzically.

"I brought him in case something like this happened, actually." Natasha answered for Steve.

Stephen began to laugh at this and because Master Bodhi had accidentally left the spell up, they all got to see how much that jostled the twins inside of him.

Steve looked stunned.

"No wonder that happened." he said and Stephen shook his head.

"Laughing, sneezing, and such really doesn't do much. It isn't like the amniotic sac is going to burst like a water ballon because of that. They are a little sturdier than that." he said, but he had to admit that even though they were certainly running out of room in there, it did look like the sac could burst from such sharp movement.

In the end, he was kept company by the two Avengers and since Wong had set things up to keep Stephen entertained, they ended watching a movie together, which was really the only thing Stephen could do right now. He really wanted to curl up in pain because of his hands, but sitting up made breathing easier, and it would have been rude to make his guests wait downstairs until Wong returned to the Sanctum.

The proud part of him, even though they had both just seen him vulnerable, also didn't want to curl up and succumb to his pain in front of the two of them. He stuck it out, tried to master his pain, which admittedly was a little easier to manage now that he wasn't having contractions. He supposed his body had just had a sensorary overload.

Wong arrived much sooner than anticipated, even if it was incredibly late for Natasha and Steve, and the look in his friend's eyes was almost wild.

"Stephen!" he exclaimed moments after a portal had formed in the bedroom, rushing through it.

Stephen glimpsed Kamar-Taj behind him, though he knew Wong had not been there.

"Master Bodhi told me what happened. Are you all right?" Wong said, not seeming to notice the two Avengers.

He rounded the bed to Stephen's side and looked him over, looking almost like he wanted to pick him and turn him this way and that to ensure that he was in one piece, like Stephen had seen him do with a cat once.

Natasha scooted off the other side of the bed and slipped out of the room, Steve on her heels, and they shut the door behind him.

"We're fine, Wong." Stephen promised, shifting, reaching out toward his friend for a moment, but he wouldn't be able to grasp his hand right now.

"I am sorry I wasn't here. If I had known that you were having a bad day with your hands-"

"You're the Sorcerer Supreme, Wong. You can't just drop everything to play nursemaid for me." Stephen interrupted.

For a moment, he feared it was the wrong thing to say, but Wong shook his head.

"You are my friend, Stephen. I care about you, and I want to be here for when you need me. If Natasha and Steve had not come when they had... We both know it could have been much worse than what happened. The Cloak might not have been able to get Master Bodhi here in time." he said and looked at Stephen questioningly.

Stephen nodded and Wong rested a hand on the crest of his belly, protective not only of Stephen but the twins as well. He might not know them yet, might not exactly love them, but Stephen loved them and that was all Wong needed.

"You can't be here. Not always." Stephen reminded Wong, because he knew Wong felt a duty to him and the Masters of the Mystic Arts in general.

"You can't be here in the Sanctum alone." Wong said firmly.

"I am not moving into the hospital here in Kamar-Taj; that will just take a bed away from someone who needs it. Nor am I moving into Compound, even if I will be giving birth there. Natasha and Steve might be there, but so will Rhody, Rocket, Bruce, and Nebula." Stephen said, though he truly didn't believe Wong would suggest the latter.

"Then I will make sure a student is here. The Sanctum is looking a little dusty anyway." Wong said, as using that as an excuse.

"The Sanctum already gets cleaned once a week by a student since I can't do it anymore. There does not need to be cleaned every day." Stephen said, rolling his eyes.

"It does when the student does a poor job of it." Wong said and then shook his head.

"Stephen, you need someone here, whether you like it or not, whether it is me or a student or a master running the place. I was taking care of the Sanctum in your absence and while you were before, you can not carry on that duty, and I will not place you back on it for a time after the twins are born." he added and Stephen sighed.

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this." he admitted, wishing he had seen this future more clearly, but there hadn't been time.

That was one of his biggest regrets about the entire situation, about looking at so many futures. That there hadn't been enough time to find more, and not enough time to thoroughly examine the ones he had seen.

The irony, even after more than a year, was still a bitter taste in his mouth.

"I know. But you will get through it, and I will be here as much as I can." Wong said firmly.

"Thank you." Stephen said and rested his shaky, cramping hands on top of Wong's.

The babies were kicking and there was pain in that action, as they were hitting something that was definitely bruised, but at the moment, there was something comforting about the kicking even if hurt. Probably becaue he knew the twins were staying where they belonged for the time being.

Wong nodded and Stephen was worried Wong had stopped doing something important to come rushing to his bedside, but Wong assured him he had not.

"The other masters can handle things for now and if it is a true emergency, they will come get me. I can stay for now." Wong assured him.

"Thank you." Stephen said softly, and Wong nodded.

Natasha and Steve came back when he and Wong were done and despite the time, they decided to stay a little longer. Stephen didn't mind their company, truth be told, and while Steve took a chair, Wong and Natasha piled on the bed beside Stephen. Wong had fussed over Stephen just a little, making sure he had a variety of things to drink, as well as straws so he wouldn't spill, and worrying that he was hungry. Stephen was glad for his company, but he was going to have to beat Wong off with a stick (or the Cloak) if he kept this up. Luckily, he settled down, letting Stephen lean on him, wedged between him and Natasha.

"What are we watching?" Wong asked as Natasha found the remote.

"Parasite." Stephen answered, because why not watch a horror movie after a stressful event?

"Wonderful." Wong said, eyes lighting up, and Stephen, despite his pain and the stress, chuckled.

That felt like it helped break something in his chest and he looked at Natasha, and thought of Tony.

He had chosen the futures that were for the best, and he knew he wouldn't be forcing them, that they would make the choices they did because it was who they were, that they were choices that were never really a choice for them.

He still guilty, and he knew himself well enough to know that he would always feel guilty, and that even though he knew what was coming, he would grieve deeply for them.

But, while he still had it, he could spend time with these two people, rather than shove them away because of a future he didn't know.

Chapter Text

Two weeks after the early labor, things were going... Better.

Stephen had stopped isolating himself, for one, and though it did hurt to look at the pictures Tony proudly sent him of himself and Morgan or to look Natasha in the eyes, he did his best.

Being lonely and bored certainly helped with that, along with doing his best to remind himself that he wouldn't force them to do what they would do, and that he should enjoy the time he had with them.

Time he wouldn't have gotten in the other future, which might have been why it hurt so much, he supposed. He hadn't prepared himself fully for it, even after Thanos had taken him to the Garden, because until the Thanos had destroyed the Stones and the Avengers had come, he hadn't been entirely sure it was the proper future.

Wong had sent students to take care of the Sanctum and babysit Stephen, but the most common person to do these duties when Wong was busy was Master Hamir. Stephen found his silent presence soothing and they weren't often in the same room, but when Master Hamir did come into his personal space, it was nice.

Stephen also remembered now that Hamir was Wong's father, though the knowledge was always just sort of floating in his brain. Not that it was terribly important, but it made him more grateful that Hamir hadn't been Snapped. He couldn't imagine robbing Wong of his family.

His health and that of the twins was still good, the spells holding, but that didn't change the fact Stephen felt as huge as whale. He had a nightmare of his skin ripping, unable to contain his growing womb, and that had terrified him more than he really though was reasonable.

He hadn't admitted that nightmare to anyone, because he knew it wasn't possible, but it had still unsettled him for longer than he was proud of it.

Today, though, Stephen had a pile of baby name books Happy had delivered from Tony and Pepper, and it hadn't hit him until that moment that his daughters would actually need names. He was getting close to the point where he really should have some in mind.

Stephen had no idea what to call them. He hadn't named many animals on the farm, because they were destined for the dinner table in the end, and naming something made it harder to let it go. He had never really considered naming a child, let alone to of them. How had his parents done it? Three children. Stephen, Victor, Donna. Nice names, respectable names. But how had the chosen? How had they started? Had they just gone with names they like, or had they gone with a theme, or...?

He had no idea what he wanted to name his daughters. He knew people liked to use themes for twins, but he didn't like many of the examples the books gave him. He had a few options after flipping through the books for a few hours over the past two days, but his brain felt like mush from reading so many names and turning them over and over in his head.

And it was two names he had to come with, in addition to two middle names if he wanted.

His small list so far included Seraphina, Diana, Eirene, Imogen, Thalia, Rose, Eglantine, Willow, Clio, and Isabelle. He did like the pairing of Seraphina and Isabelle, and they had good nicknames, but he wasn't sure if they were right. They were all options that sounded nice, but he wasn't sure.

He began to pair off the names to see how they went together, Seraphina and Isabelle, Diana and Eirene, Thalia and Clio, Eglantine and Rose- No, that pairing was silly, there was a plant called the eglantine rose. He had only considered the name because it had been his great-grandmother's name and he had always thought it sounded elegant, but...

Sighing, he tossed the book to the side, and though he did have a love for mythology names, he tossed out all four of those on his list as he thought of how close Thanos's name was to Thanatos. He also threw out any celestial-themed names and colors with them, as they were too close to the names of Thanos's children, even if Nebula said Thanos had not named any of them himself.

So that left him with Seraphina, Isabelle, Eglantine, Rose, and Willow. Willow and Rose, maybe. Or perhaps Ivy? Nice, simple names... And he hadn't even thought how they might go with the last name Strange.

He thought Seraphina Strange had a good ring to it. Rose Strange had odd implications, considering 'rose' wasn't just a flower... He could imagine children turning it into a joke; his school years had been filled with jokes and puns and nicknames at his expense.

He flipped through the book and considered Christina. Christine was a good friend, after all, and she would be delivering his daughters, or at least helping with that. Maybe a middle name, either being Christine or Christina.

He added Aurora to his list, tossed it out once he remembered it was the name of a goddess.

Added Evangline.

Seraphina and Evangline... Hmm...

Removed Rose, kept Ivy.

Considered throwing out Eglantine all together.

Added Virginia before remembering that was Pepper's legal name, tentatively added Helen/Helena/Helene. Couldn't go wrong with a classic, could you?

He considered his other great-grandmother, Eunice, but that made him cringe, so he tossed that out, along with Eglantine.

He lingered over the name Victoria for two seconds when he turned the page and snapped the book closed, tossing it to the other side of the bed, where it slid across the blanket and thumped to the floor. Helpfully, the Cloak picked it up and replaced it neatly on his stack.

He checked the time, decided it wasn't too late for New York, and called Pepper.

She answered surprisingly quick.

"Hi, Stephen. Do you need something?" she said, sounding tired, but she wasn't annoyed, at least.

"I was just wondering how you named Morgan." Stephen said a little sheepishly, rubbing his belly as Baby B began to kick.

Maybe he should just pick names that started with A and B and be done with it. It still meant he had to find names, but that would narrow it down.

"Oh, well, that is kind of an odd story. The day you came and got Tony, he was telling me that he had a dream where we had a kid and named him after my uncle that Tony liked best. Then, after everything that happened, and Morgan was born, it just seemed... Right. As for her middle names, we both love Happy and you delivered her, so honoring you both seemed the right way to go." Pepper answered and that made it seem so simple.

"Did you have a list?" Stephen asked hopefully.

"We did, a few options with both liked, but it wasn't very long. Are you having trouble?" Pepper said, Stephen hearing Morgan cry in the background.

"Yes. Until you sent the books over, I never really thought about naming them before." Stephen said, feeling a harsh kick beneath his hand.

"You have time, Stephen. And you might come with a whole list of names you like, take one look at your daughters, and decide that none of them work at all." Pepper told him, which Stephen knew was true.

But there was so much weight in a choosing a name for someone, even if they could legally change it later. He would be defining his daughters in a profound way at least until they were eighteen. Choosing a name was no small thing, nothing to trifle with, and at the moment, he would rather be facing an interdimensional demon than try to figure this out.

He needed a break. He had a small list, even if he really wasn't sure of them in the end.

"Do you have any other advice?" he asked Pepper.

"Keep an open mind." she said and Stephen nearly sighed.

"How is Morgan doing?" he asked, changing the subject.

"She's really good. Wonderful... Perfect. We're still learning, and I think Tony is wishing that you could fix a baby like one of his suits. He's had FRIDAY read entire parenting books to him while he's been with Morgan." Pepper said, a smile in her voice.

"I think Morgan was just what Tony needed." she added softly and for a moment her pain was an almost tangible thing.

There was a moment of silence and they talked a little more after that, Pepper sending him a picture of Tony with Morgan held to his chest, his head bent over hers, and Stephen smiled at it.

He and Pepper didn't talk too much longer, given the time, and then Stephen had the Cloak set the name books where he didn't have to look at them or could easily reach them.

He turned on the TV and he was honestly getting a little sick of watching movies, reading books, or browsing the internet, but there was really nothing else to do other than to sleep.

Or, there wasn't until the Sanctum let him know it had let in a visitor and a voice boomed through the halls.

"Wizard! The Sanctum let me in!" Thor announced and the Cloak went out to greet him, though Thor knew very well where Stephen was.

He appeared in the doorway, dressed in Earth clothes, and his beard and hair were a bit longer now, or at least that Stephen recalled from his last visit.

"Hello, Thor." he greeted, gesturing toward the chair near the bed.

Hanging out in bed with Wong, Natasha, or Christine in it with him was one thing, having Thor in bed with him was another thing entirely.

"Hello. I thought you could use some company today, so Wong brought me." Thor said, and he had come bearing gifts.

Stephen wanted to protest and he did, but Thor insisted, and Stephen discovered two coins in the tiny box, covered in Asgardian runes, and he frowned.

"They are for the twins, when they are born. For good fortune and to ward off ill luck." Thor told him and Stephen's lips parted slightly.

"You can weave them into necklaces or a bracelet when they are older." Thor added and Stephen lightly brushed his fingers over the coins.

"I... I don't know what to say, Thor." he said, deeply touched by the gesture.

"Say you will accept them. I told you I will defend your children, and I will give them my blessings besides. I figured, they could use everything they can get." Thor said with a firm nod.

"Thank you." Stephen said, tracing his fingers over the language that resembled Old Norse but was slightly different.

"Do not thank me." Thor said, as if he didn't realize how grand of a gesture this was.

Then he spotted the baby name books.

"Ah! Have you selected names? Because we can place their names on the coins to tie the luck to them." he exclaimed, bringing one down.

"I... I have some in mind, but nothing definite." Stephen replied, the name Victoria pinging through his head again.

Part of him very much wanted to name the twins after his siblings. It felt almost like a way to mark the twins as his, as Stranges, but it also felt a little painful. But, he had loved his siblings very much, and naming his daughters after them felt... It did feel right, in a way. But it also felt like he might be forcing expectations or something on them, if he named them after his siblings, which really made no sense.

And, unfortunately, there really wasn't any good alternative to Donna, the only options being Dawn, Belladonna, Donnatella, and Madonna. He admittedly did like Belladonna out of the four options, but that would certainly bring ridicule if he sent them to school in New York. He likely wouldn't, however. They would look so obviously not entirely human his chest constricted at the thought of putting them in a school environment outside Kamar-Taj.

Maybe middle names.

"I can help you find names worthy of goddesses and warriors. But you must remember, don't name them until nine nights after their birth." Thor said, tone severe on that last part.

"Why?"

"For luck, for one thing. It is considered ill luck to name a child before then. My father did it with me and Loki both. Sat us upon his knee nine nights after our births- or in Loki's case, after his finding- and declared us his sons, named us as he sat in his high seat. Surely you know that." Thor said, frowning deeply.

"I think Vikings might have done something like that, but that is not how things are typically done on Earth." Stephen said, though he was fascinated.

"Really. Hmm."

"What other traditions do the Asgardians have?" Stephen asked curiously.

"We name our children for ancestors and gods rather often. To wish them the strength, intelligence, kindness, and so forth that their ancestors or deceased friends possessed, and so they would be watched over." Thor explained, but his levity was lessening a little.

Clearly, talking about his brother was still hard, even after more than a year, and Stephen felt that now was the time for him to try to give Thor some advice. He had lost both his siblings, after all, right in front of him, and both times he had been unable to do a damn thing.

When Donna had slipped beneath the ice and he had pulled her out, so cold and blue, and Victor had been struck by that car, too much damage for Stephen to help with nothing at his disposal than his hands and his desperation.

"Thor, I think we need to have a talk." he said solemnly, and Thor looked almost wary.

"Why? About what, wizard?" he asked, curious but worried.

"About Loki. About your grief." Stephen said and there was only so much he could do, so much he could say, but he could at least prevent Thor from drinking himself into an early grave.

Thor's expression changed.

"Stephen-"

"I know there is not much I can do. I can tell you know, you will never stop feeling guilty. You will always feel guilty, and some days will be better than others. Some days, it will be so consuming, the grief and the guilt, that you won't know how you'll even get up, let alone do anything else." Stephen said, speaking from his own experience.

Thor frowned.

"You sound as though you speak from experience." he said.

"I am. I had a brother and a sister. Both younger than I was. They... Their names were Victor and Donna." Stephen said, his voice thickening.

"What happened to them?" Thor asked softly, respectfully.

"Donna... Donna drowned when we were kids. We were ice skating, and the ice... I couldn't save her." Stephen said and he choked up unexpectedly, tears pricking his eyes.

"And Victor... We were adults and we were arguing, because Dad had just died and I hadn't gone to the funeral, and... He wasn't looking where he was going. He walked out into the street, and the driver couldn't stop in time."

The tears fell now, and Stephen hastily wiped at them, swallowing hard, trying to stem the grief that was always there, waiting for him to remember it, waiting for him to feel it again.

"I am so sorry for your losses." Thor said, sympathy in his voice and on his face.

Stephen nodded, not really sure what to say, what to say, because he had heard those words many times throughout his life and there never seemed to be anything to say in response to them. Maybe you weren't supposed to say anything at all, but he didn't know and at this point, didn't really care. Even if the words were heartfelt.

"What I'm saying is... I know everyone grieves differently. For me, I used the deaths of my siblings to drive me. Donna was why I became a doctor, and Victor pushed me to work harder, to be the best I could be. I tried to forget my guilt, but..." Stephen said, taking a deep breath, scrubbing his fingertips into his eyes to try to stem the tears threatening to spill over.

"And I know for some people, that guilt and that grief is all-consuming, something they can't bear to feel, a constant pain there is no relief from. I know it feels that way for you." he added and Thor looked down at his hands.

"I... I should have protected him. Loki... It's not just Loki, it's my people as well, but..." he said, deep voice growing soft.

"But it's Loki the most." Stephen finished and Thor nodded.

"I lost him so many times before, there were so many times I didn't or couldn't protect him, some times I didn't even want to in some way, if I'm being honest... But this time... How can I be what my people need if I could not even save my own brother when he need me most?" he said and he wasn't crying, though Stephen couldn't tell if this was because he didn't want to cry in front of him or if he simply couldn't.

He had no words for Thor, no words that would help. He knew that. He also couldn't alter things too much, but he knew Thor needed this, and maybe he did, too.

"Drinking all day isn't healthy. Take it from a doctor. Not for your body, and certainly not your mind." Stephen said firmly.

Thor said nothing, rubbing the back of his head, and Stephen had expected him to have a comeback about being an Asgardian and being vastly different than a human. He knew Thor would survive these next few years, but he also knew that the God of Thunder could go of the deep end- He had seen it in several futures.

"It... It makes things easier." Thor muttered, signaling that someone had talked to him about this before.

"You offered my daughters your protection, and I would like for them to know you. But if you become fully dependant on alcohol, Thor, neither thing is happening. I don't want my children around that, especially when they are so young." Stephen said, voice firm.

And it felt odd to say, to be honest, almost like he was someone talking to a partner or ex-partner or family member, but he was firm with this. If Thor got as bad as he could be, that wasn't something he wanted his daughters exposed to, whether Thor had offered to protect them or not.

Thor nodded, taking a deep breath.

"I will do my best. I will try." he said, saying it in that way people did when they hoped saying it out loud would make it true.

"But... I'll feel this way forever?" he added in a surprisingly small voice.

"It won't shrink. It won't ever fully go away. But your life will grow around it." Stephen told him gently and Thor nodded.

It seemed odd, consoling and advising an almost literal god so much older than he was, but Stephen was doing it, and the Cloak decided it was a good time to give Thor a hug.

This drew a laugh and Stephen managed to compose himself, and so did Thor.

"You were thinking of names? I can help you find names fit for Asgardian warriors." Thor said when they had both gotten the tears and sadness under control.

"I really-" Stephen began, but Thor was not deterred.

He proceeded to give Stephen an entire lesson on Asgardian/Norse names, the similarities still startling to Stephen, even if the running theories were that these myths and the ancient religion had been inspired by the Asgardians themselves.

Stephen couldn't find it in him (or a way to even cut in) to stop Thor, and soon his brain was stuffed full of names like Sigrid, Freyja, Astrid, Torunn, Signe, and more, names he most certainly wouldn't use, though the unexpected education was probably the most interesting thing to happen all day.

"What makes you think my daughters will be warriors?" Stephen asked curiously when Thor finally paused.

"Well, of course they will be! You're their father, and you will be raising them in Kamar-Taj." Thor said and Stephen nearly snorted when he said Kamar-Taj just a little oddly.

"I won't force them to be anything they don't want to be." Stephen said firmly, though he was firmly aware that Kamar-Taj might be the only place for his daughters, the only place they could have a good future.

Thor nodded.

"If they are even a little like yourself, Stephen, they will be fine women one day. No matter what paths they choose." he said confidentially and Stephen took a deep breath.

Though he had been sensitive to who touched him, he reached out and took Thor's large hand, resting it on his belly, and the twins didn't disappoint. They kicked hard and Stephen took Thor's other hand, letting him feel them both. Thor looked equally fascinated and horrified.

"I can not imagine how you bear this. It is wondrous to feel, but being male, not originally capable of this..." he said, shuddering.

"You get used to it. And I think knowing what was coming helped." Stephen told him.

"Remember what I said, Thor. If you are serious in your offer of protecting them, you have to take care of yourself. You can't let your grief consume you." Stephen said, letting Thor keep his hands there as the twins kicked some more.

Thor nodded, taking another deep breath, smiling slightly as there was a powerful kick beneath his hand, Stephen holding in a wince, because at this point, every kick and punch or push of the head hit a place that was sore and possibly bruised.

"I will do my best." he promised again and Stephen nodded.

He knew it could alter the future, just a little, but not enough to truly change the end game. He had seen it, and this future, this was a future he could alter just enough without any fear that he would lose all this was for.

The next time he discussed names was a few days later with Christine. He was still trying to stick to Kamar-Taj's time, so it was mid-morning for him, late in the night for her, and she was laying on the bed beside him, holding a hand of cards.

Something Christine had turned on droned on the TV, Stephen not really paying any attention to it, more determined to win the game of poker they were playing. The 'chips' were candy Christine had brought along with the cards and Stephen was an okay poker player, or so he had believed.

"I swear you weren't this good in med school." he grumpled as she swept his candy over to her side of the tray.

"Unlike you, I play a bit more regularly. What I think is more embarrassing is that both of us are losing to the magic Cloak." Christine said, glancing at the Cloak, which was, in fact, winning between the three of them.

"The Cloak is hundreds of years old and has been exposed to many different masters. It has more knowledge than either of us could hope to have." Stephen said, which made the Cloak preen.

"You can't even eat candy." he reminded it, but it didn't seem to care about that in the slightest.

"We should play strip poker next." Christine said and the Cloak wagged its collar in annoyance.

"One, the Cloak can't strip, and two, I only have two items of clothing on, Dr. Palmer. That is extremely unfair odds." Stephen said; since he had been placed on bed rest, he had only been wearing pajama pants and underwear, maybe his robe.

It was getting excessive and annoying, having to tailor his shirts with magic practically every other day as the twins entered their final sprint in growth, even if they would (hopefully) being remaining in his womb for another three weeks. Come to think of it, the waistband of said pants and underwear weren't entirely comfortable either, but he was not going to find something like a nightgown with enough material for a tent or just go around naked.

"You can count the blankets." Christine offered, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Uh-uh, you got me once in medical school, you aren't getting me now." Stephen said with a shake of his head.

She pouted at him and they kept playing for a little bit, Stephen biting his lip as he thought of something he wanted to ask her. He had still been thinking about names, after all, since he was rapidly running out of time to come up with options, even if he might not use any of them at all.

He had thrown out all of Thor's warrior-worthy suggestions, though he still had his very small list. He did know he was going to use Victoria and Donna somehow; he couldn't find it in himself to cross them off the list. But he also had another idea, too. Unfortunately, that might need consent.

"Christine." Stephen said when all the candy had gone to Cloak and it refused to hand it over for another game.

"Mm?"

"I was thinking of naming one of the twins after you. I will only do so with your permission, however." Stephen said and Christine froze for a moment.

"I- Really? Why?" she said, staring at him in surprise.

It was quite the thing to surprise Christine Palmer, and Stephen secretly relished it for a moment.

"Because you are one of my best friends, and for a long time you were one of the only people I had. You stuck by me when you really shouldn't have, and when I was terrible to you. You've saved my life, and you'll be helping the twins into the world. I think that earns you namesake rights. It would be Christina, though. Christina Donna Strange." Stephen said, the name flowing over his tongue.

"You really want to name one of your daughters after me?" Christine asked, sounding touched.

"I do. But only if you consent. Anyway, you did name your policy after me." Stephen said, smirking slightly.

"Yeah, my dating rules, not my firstborn." Christine said with a shake of her head.

"Possibly secondborn, with the positions they've got themselves in. Baby B, I think, will be Christina." Stephen corrected and Christine punched his shoulder.

"Smart-ass." she said, but she was smiling.

"Always." Stephen said, smiling back.

"If you really want to, Stephen, then go ahead. You can name your daughters whatever you want. And if you want to name one of them after me, I would be honored." Christine said, reaching over and squeezing his hand.

Stephen nodded and he thought he would, if he didn't take a look at his daughters and decided they needed completely different names. He already knew what they would look like, a bit of who they would b, but he didn't know them yet. And strangely, their names were not things he knew. Not in this future, and not in the future he had seen where he could bear Thanos six children.

"Why Baby B?" Christine asked curiously.

"I don't know, really. I just... When I was picking out names, it just seemed... Right." Stephen said with a shrug, unable to explain it.

"And Baby A?" Christine asked curiously.

"I only have her first name. Victoria." Stephen said and Christine's expression softened.

"Are you sure you're okay with that? Christina Donna and Victoria?" she asked him.

Stephen nodded.

"It... I was trying to avoid it, to be honest. But the names kept coming back and I couldn't not consider them. They are mine, Christine. They are Stranges. Giving them the names of the people I love... It feels right. It gives them another connection that doesn't belong to Thanos. And they'll need that." he said, his free hand going to his belly in a protective gesture.

They would look like him more than Thanos, in the end, but the color of their skin and other traits they might inherit would be a constant reminder that they were not fully human and had a connection to the Titan, and Stephen felt that it was his duty to give them all that he could that did not belong to Thanos.

Christine squeezed his hand again and they sat there in silence, Stephen weaving his fingers through Christine's.

"No ideas on the middle name for Victoria?" Christine asked after a long moment.

"Not yet. Maybe if I knew what the Ancient One's name had been, or if she even had one... If one were a boy, maybe Wong..." Stephen admitted, because like Christine, Wong was one of his best friends.

He had been there for Stephen as much as Christine had, and he had already made it clear that he was going to keep helping Stephen through this, even after the twins were born. If he was going to honor Christine because of those things, he certainly could Wong, if his friend agreed.

"Victoria Wong Strange... Why not?" Christine said.

"Wong is a male name." Stephen pointed out.

"So? It's a middle name, for one, and Victoria Wong sounds like some fancy fashion brand or something anyway. If she really hates it, she can change it on her eighteenth birthday." Christine said and Stephen had had the same thoughts about names already.

"Victoria Wong." he murmured, and he did like the sound of it.

He would have to speak to Wong, of course (like he wished Tony and Pepper had talked to him before naming their poor child Morgan Happy Stephanie), but he thought maybe it was a possibility, despite being a man's name.

The moment was broken by the twins thumping his bladder and the spike of pain made him grunt, the brief fear that he was going to wet himself flashing through his mind. He hadn't done it yet, but he felt it was only a matter of time. Even with the Cloak's help, getting up could take a minute.

Before he could even as it, it was wrapping around him and helping him up, and he saw Christine instinctively move forward, used to the drill of helping a patient, but Stephen shook his head.

These days, ever since the early labor, it was hard to get the Cloak to give him an sort of privacy, and though the Sanctum was aware of everything that happened within her walls, the Cloak was different. It did leave, after Stephen nearly peed himself waiting for it to, and he sighed because he knew it was less than an inch away from the door on the other side.

He peed, used magic to get his boxers and pants back up, and managed to get himself over to the sink to wash his hands, his legs shaking, his body definitely feeling its changes and the weight of everything.

He wasn't quite sure of right now, but roughly speaking, by the end of this, he would be carrying about thirty-three pounds of babies, amniotic fluid, and placenta. All carried in the front of his abdomen as well, meaning that weight wasn't even evenly disrupted to make it easier to bear, and as he thought of that, he clutched his hugely distended belly. It didn't seem like his body should be able to bear that, but it was and could continue to do so, and part of him thought of the recovery, how it might take his body to get back to normal, or as normal as it could be.

And that... Well, it wasn't going to be like a normal pregnancy. Depending on what his skin itself did, he might even need surgery to feel more like himself and be comfortable in his own body. The alternative was walking around with loose skin probably making it look like he was still pregnant for possibly the rest of his life, and he knew he would not be comfortable with that.

He also wasn't taking into account the weight he had gained just so his body could sustain him and the twins. The average for a twin pregnancy was between thirty and fifty-three pounds, for a healthy body weight, and he had been a healthy body weight. A portion of it was probably retained fluid, but it was a lot. Closer to a hundred pounds than not, and there was something about that felt daunting when combined with the weight he had already calculated.

Maybe it was a little bit of his usual vanity, but it was also just the fact his body was being put through all that, and he knew all the wear and tear these things could do. Of course, if he hadn't gained the weight he needed, he and the babies would all be in trouble. It was better to gain too much than too little for the sake of the babies, and he was still afraid they would be too small for what they were.

"Stephen? You all right in there?" Christine called, disrupting his thoughts as she knocked on the door.

He started.

"Yes, I am. You can let the Cloak in." he said and the door opened, the Cloak flying over to him.

It didn't fly him completely, because of his stubbornness, but it took the majority of his body weight. This was Stephen's attempt to still feel capable of doing something himself, and also to make sure his leg muscles didn't atrophy during bed rest. He had been doing the exercises Master Bodhi had taught him, but a little bit of movement, even if the Cloak took his weight, made him feel a little better.

Christine and the Cloaked helped him get situated on the bed again, and Stephen groaned as the weight was taken off his legs and other parts of his body had to take it.

"All good?" Christine asked as he draped a blanket across his shoulders.

"It's a lot of strain on my body, Christine. I can barely stand for more than a minute anymore because of the weight, or at least it feels that way. Vishanti, I feel like a beached whale." Stephen said, settling his hands on his lower belly.

"I can't imagine how this feels." Christine said, rather than reassuring him that he was not, in fact, as big as a whale.

She probably knew he wouldn't believe her.

"You know, one thing I never hear anyone talking about involving pregnancy, even in medical school, is how hard pregnancy makes certain things." Stephen grumbled, gesturing at the huge swell of his middle.

That made using the bathroom... Interesting would be the word he went with. And as someone with a disability that could affect him in ways that already made simple tasks and basic self-care hard, when he had suddenly realized that hadn't been appreciated.

Christine's expression turned to sympathy and they both watched as ripples spread across his belly, a fist- he was sure it was a fist, from the position the twins had been in earlier- protruding like some alien being, something uncomfortable squirming in Stephen at the moment as he remembered the last movie he had watched with Natasha and Wong.

"Remind me to forbid any movies that involve aliens or monsters or parasites being inside of people and coming out violently." he said, because while he knew the twins would not come out that way, it was suddenly just in his head.

"Oh, Stephen, why did you say that? It's going to stay in my head now..." Christine groaned, shuddering.

"Where do you think they got inspired by that?" Stephen asked, placing a hand over the bulge.

As usual, gently rubbing did the trick, making Baby B tuck herself back up neatly.

"Just the fact that it's horrifying?" Christine suggested and looked at him questioningly.

He nodded and her hand joined his, soothing the twins as they got restless again, and honestly, Stephen would have expected a slight decrease in movement by now. They were running out of room, after all, but then again, they were not fully human, and he couldn't expect them to act like a typical human baby.

Christine's hand was gentle, and she kept it where it was even after the twins had settled down, rubbing idly, and Stephe quirked an eyebrow at her.

"You're tense. You and I both know massages are beneficial during pregnancy. That might be why you're so uncomfortable right now." Christine pointed out and he snorted.

"I think right there is going to stay tense until it stops being stretched to the limit. Mostly, my abdomen just itches." he told her, though there were aches and pains from everything being stretched.

And the internal bruising, of course, but he didn't add that.

Somehow, he let Christine talk him into it and he sat on the edge of the bed while she expertly worked out the knots in his shoulders, and he had to admit, already things felt better. He let out a content sigh that he knew had Christine smirking, even though he couldn't see her face.

"Has anyone done this for you so far?" she asked as she worked.

"No. Master Bodhi, a little, but not like this. Warm baths aren't really cutting it either." Stephen replied, though those did help a little.

"You don't have-"

"I don't have to, but you're my friend, you're in pain, and if I can help you be a little comfortable right now, I'll do it. God knows you could benefit from being comfortable for a little bit." Christine interrupted, gently flicking his shoulder for a moment.

"Thank you." Stephen said, letting her work.

She was very skilled at this, and as she did, she began to tell him about a man named Charlie. Not the first time Stephen had heard the name come up in their conversations, and she had mentioned Charlie when they had been catching up, but when he had asked before, Christine had been almost protective about the man. Stephen had no idea why, but as she talked, he understood a little better now.

She obviously liked Charlie, a lot, and whether it would turn into something or not (or already had), he didn't know, but he was happy for her. Charlie sounded like a good man and Christine deserved someone who was good, who could respect and love her in the ways Stephen hadn't been able to. He was probably getting ahead of himself, but he didn't care. He wanted Christine to be happy.

He groaned again as she reached his lower back and worked a large knot, the release of it seeming to help things throughout his entire body.

"Dr. Palmer, you might have to change careers." he said, relaxing beneath her touch.

Christine laughed and Stephen did too, placing a hand on his belly as he imagined how the babies were getting jostled, and when Christine had finished, he felt better. The conversation was nice, the company was nice, and knowing she was happy, that was nice too.

He squeezed her hand and Christine squeezed it back, only for the moment to be broken by the Cloak hopefully holding up the deck of cards, having dug up some new candy from somewhere. He also noticed that it had somehow managed to attach clothes pins to itself (where had it found those?) and a few magnets that were holding onto each other through it, and he realized that it had 'dressed' so they could play the game Christine wanted.

Stephen rolled his eyes at it, then explained it to Christine, who had a look of confusion on her face. She burst out laughing.

"Fine. Fine. But give me my robe; I'm not make this too easy for you." Stephen said and the Cloak obliged, placing it in front of him.

Needless to say, Stephen lost in the end, but at least time, he wasn't beaten by a centuries-old magic cloak. That was something, at least.

Chapter Text

Nightmares. Of course it was nightmares.

He had probably been having it easy for a little bit, with his mind being calm enough for normal dreams as of late, or maybe it was merely because the twins kept disrupting his sleep so there wasn't any time for the nightmares to form.

Tonight, though, that wasn't the case, and instead of the typical nightmares about Dormammu and the Dark Dimension, it was Thanos.

Of being on Titan, of watching him stab Tony, but this time, offering the Time Stone and himself didn't work. Thanos accepted, but Tony died anyway. Then it all reversed and it worked, and Stephen went to the Garden...

And it was worse. So much worse than what had actually happened. He was left torn and bleeding, his belly swelling with Thanos's children, so different than reality, painful and terrifying and wrong, and it happened again. Again and again and again. Bleeding and in so much pain, his belly swelling, Thanos watching him, that future he had narrowly escaped.

There was more pain and blood and the cries of babies and yet everything was wrong and twisted and he couldn't find the source of the cries, clutching his empty belly as pain ripped through him, blood and fluids soaking the insides of his thighs, and he realized he was no longer being watched by Thanos. No, instead his daughters were being whisked away from him by Rhodey, Banner, Nebula, and Rocket, along with shadowy figures he couldn't make out, and Stephen screamed, reaching for them, pleading, trying spells, but it didn't work and Rhodey closed the War Machine helmet, raising one of the palms and-

Stephen was awake and struggling up, his heavy body making that hard, and he somehow almost made it up before he even realized what he was doing. The Cloak was there immediately and caught him, holding him in place, and Stephen wrapped his arm around his belly, feeling the twins kicking him. His hand lashed out and felt the sheets, finding nothing damp on them but sweat.

Chest heaving, Stephen returned his hand to his belly and swallowed hard, holding his babies, reassuring himself it had just been a nightmare, his mind feasting on his fears and twisting them.

Rhodey was banned from the building outside an emergency when the time came. Nebula and Rocket might not even be on the planet. And Banner, well... He had disappeared weeks ago, actually, and no one knew where.

His daughters would be safe. Thor had already promised to act as guard for Stephen's peace of mind, and had also said something about some tradition that Stephen hadn't entirely understood and was slightly afraid to ask for the details of.

Wong would be there, Christine would be there, Master Bodhi would be there, and so would the assistant healers Master Bodhi had introduced Stephen to. It would be all right. They would all be safe, and Stephen knew from the future that no one would kill his daughters. But it was still a fear he had and that was natural- Master Bodhi and Pepper too had been reassuring him that his fears were natural.

That it meant he was going to be a good father.

Thirty-eight weeks pregnant, and Stephen didn't feel ready. The spells were holding and hopefully in fourteen days, he would be a father. But he wasn't ready to be a father. He didn't know how to be one. All he knew was he didn't want to be like his own, and he didn't want to be like Thanos. He had been reading parenting books and websites, and yet it wasn't something you could study like medicine or sorcery.

He wrapped his arms around his belly more tightly, still trying to shake off the nightmare, and that was when his bedroom door opened. He scrambled for the sheets idiotically with one hand while the other raised in preparation for a spell; he had been sleeping naked just so he couldn't have to deal with underwear and/or pants in the middle of the night and some for modesty pounced into his mind alongside the mandala he summoned.

"I'm sorry, I should have knocked. Are you all right, Master Strange?" Sara asked, concern in her eyes, and for a moment Stephen just couldn't understand why he was seeing her.

Then he realized Wong had probably left for the day and asked Sara to come tend to the Sanctum (and Stephen) because there was something he had to handle, especially since he was trying to get many things done so he could pass his duties off to other people while Stephen was in labor.

"Yes. Yes, Master Wolfe, I'm all right." Stephen said, feeling foolish.

He dropped the spell but kept the sheets.

"Nightmare?" Sara asked, not rudely, not nosily, just in concern and sympathy.

Stephen nodded and swallowed, taking as deep a breath as he could. Vishanti, he didn't feel ready mentally to be a father, but his body would be pushed to its absolutely limits during these last two weeks.

"If you would like to talk about it, I am willing to listen. Sometimes, we all just need someone to listen. Someone who doesn't necessarily have the job of doing so." Sara said, entering the room.

She went to the opposite nightstand and poured a glass of water, bringing it over to him, and Stephen accepted it with a thank-you.

"I... Thank you for the offer, Master Wolfe, but it isn't something I really want to talk about with you. Not sure if I want to talk about it with anyone, to be honest." Stephen said, not sure if he could even bear to describe some of it to Master Yuki.

"You can call me Sara, if you like. 'Master Wolfe' is so formal, especially when it is just us here." Sara told him after she had nodded in understanding.

"You can call me Stephen." Stephen said, because she did have a point.

Maintaining the proper formalities between each other when it was just the two of them in the Sanctum, in an informal and private setting, was just ridiculous. Even in public settings, Stephen didn't bother with the formality with Wong, even though he was now Sorcerer Supreme, but Wong was different. He would, for example, never dream of calling Master Hamir just 'Hamir' to his face. It seemed... Wrong.

Sara nodded.

"Do you need anything? I can help you up, if you need it." she added and Stephen shook his head.

"No, thank you."

"Breakfast should be ready in a couple of minutes." Sara added and Stephen murmured a thank-you again.

He really didn't like whoever Wong sent here waiting on him hand and foot, but since he was forbidden from even making a portal down to the kitchen, making his own meals was out of the question.

When Sara had left and closed the door, Stephen laid back and the twins crushed the air out of him, but he didn't care, still cradling his belly as he stared at the ceiling. That fear felt fresh and slick in him, sickening in a way he couldn't ignore, and he couldn't get the image of Rhodey executing his newborn daughters with that damn War Machine suit out of his head. He had the impulse to call Tony and ask for reassurance on that; he had known Rhodey for years, surely he could tell if Rhodey would actually try to do that or not...

But then again, Tony and Rhodey had been at odds over the while situation to begin with. Tony would probably tell him that he had no idea.

Stephen hadn't seen anything particularly concerning when it came to James Rhodes, but he hadn't looked at every detail, after all. He swore if he saw Rhodey anywhere nearby short of an emergency, he was going to use all the spells he deemed necessary on him. Just to be safe.

He had seen both his daughters in the future, but that didn't mean there wasn't something in there that harmed one of them in some way, or scared them. He didn't think... Rhodey would be there at the end, after all, but...

He did his best to calm those fears for now and took a breath, letting the Cloak help him up and to the bathroom. By the time Sara returned, he had donned his bathrobe because he knew some people could uncomfortable if someone was hanging around half-naked, even if he was a man, even if it was his own home. He was slightly reluctant to use the robe, however, because he was definitely going to have to use magic on it again, as there was almost not enough fabric to cover his middle.

"You can stay." Stephen invited Sara after she had placed the tray on the bed and she paused.

It would be a bit awkward, if he was being honest, but he wanted some company aside from the Cloak after that nightmare. Company was a good way to chase those sorts of things away.

Sara seemed surprised by the invitation, but she accepted it, and Stephen did like her. Considering she was not a student or a novice and had been in Kamar-Taj longer than him, they had worked together plenty of times and she had helped him with things a time or two, and he had seen her with Wong plenty of times.

He had also noted how the two looked at each other, and part him felt he should make more of an effort to get to know someone his best friend cared about so deeply.

"Thank you for being here today. I know it can feel a little stifling for someone of your rank." Stephen said after thanking her for breakfast.

"I don't mind it, Stephen. I enjoy the Sanctum, and your company is nice as well. I know if I were in a similar position, I would certainly enjoy your companionship." Sara said lightly, taking a bite of her food.

"I'm not sure many people would call me 'nice'." Stephen said with a small laugh.

"If they are a student or a novice, no. But you aren't such a menace to the other masters." Sara said and Stephen made a noise of mock offense.

" 'Menace'?" he questioned.

"Wong might have used that word once." Sara said and Stephen let out a bark of laughter.

"Only Wong." he muttered and Sara smiled with him.

It was nice, having breakfast with Sara and talking with her, and though he felt no attraction toward her, he could understand Wong's. Yes, she was good-looking, but it went beyond that with Sara Wolfe; she was a good person, a good master, someone well-matched for Wong. Wong would suit her, too.

He knew nothing might come from it, but he liked Sara and since she meant something to Wong, and something could come from it, he did want to know her. Returning from the Garden had also made him realize how few friends he truly had and while he had made four and a half more (he was counting Happy as the half), he could probably use some others. Especially at Kamar-Taj.

They talked a little and of course the subject did briefly involve the twins, but that was Stephen's doing, not Sara's. He tried so hard not to talk about them or his pregnancy, but it was the center of his life right now for so many reasons, and talking did help. He had an appointment with Master Yuki later, as well as a scheduled video call/meeting with Tony (possibly Pepper), Natasha, Master Bodhi, Christine, and Master Bodhi's assistants for the impending birth.

So he didn't talk about it too much, but just a little, and Sara was happy to listen. He also learned more about her and they shared little bits of their backgrounds with each other; it seemed she had worked a secretary somewhere before coming to Kamar-Taj. She did not tell him why, nor did he ask. Asking why someone had come to Kamar-Taj was too personal, even if Mordo had bluntly told Stephen why Kaecilius had come to Kamar-Taj and everyone knew his reason.

They found common ground on a book and went from there, and Stephen was delighted to find that Sara shared a similar taste in fictional books and some movies and TV shows. He restrained himself when she mentioned a medical show she was fond of, as it was incredibly inaccurate and insulting to an actual professional, but he had already ranted about that to Wong ages ago when his friend had decided to put it on. No need to do it again, especially when he was trying to make a friend.

It was a nice conversation and a nice meal (Sara was a much better cook than Stephen was), and nice company, too. Stephen regretted not spending more time with Sara before, but he could get to know her now, in time he did not expect to have.

Eventually, though, he wanted a bath and she wanted to clean up and do whatever she had been doing in the Sanctum, so they parted ways for now.

The Cloak was kind enough to start the water in the tub for him and put out a towel, and it helped him in when it was ready, too. There wasn't much he could do unassisted these days, and he was counting them down even if he was terrified.

Taking a bath was awkward now but a shower was out of the question, and Master Bodhi had encouraged it to help relieve the aches and pains, and to give his body as much of a break as it could get.

The water was not quite as hot as Stephen had once preferred, but that was fine, and the Cloak had taken it upon itself to toss in a bath bomb or something, a pleasant scent wafting from the water.

As he soaked for the time being, staring up the ceiling, Stephen's thoughts again wandered to his impending fatherhood. The terror and fears were still there, and they were multiplied by tenfold.

He looked at his shaky, unsteady hands, and worry and doubt squirmed in him as he did. He had learned to adapt and gotten better, but... But how could he handle babies with such an unsteady touch? Babies were parent proof and his daughters might have inherited the toughness of Thanos, but what if he dropped them? Jerked them? Couldn't hold them right, couldn't feed them well? Couldn't get a diaper on them properly? He had been practicing with dolls Master Bodhi had given him, even if they were much smaller than his daughters would be, but it still didn't feel like enough. Dolls and books couldn't make up for his disability, couldn't tell him what might happen.

They also couldn't make you a good father.

He could follow all the examples in parenting books and what his parents had done with him and his siblings, but it still didn't mean he would be a good father. All he could say was that he wouldn't be like Thanos. He would never be like Thanos. But his parents... They had done their best, certainly, but Stephen wanted to be better. Of course, he led a much different life than his parents had when he and his siblings had been born, and they were different people as well.

Still, he wanted to be different than them in some ways, and be better, and yet that fear of failure was gnawing at him in a way that he had never known it to. It was so different than failing Donna and Victor, or fearing failing his patients, or medical school, or becoming a sorcerer. Or even failing the Ancient One. He couldn't explain it, exactly, but it was, and he swallowed hard.

What if he couldn't do this? What if he fucked up his daughters? What if he couldn't do right by them? What if he couldn't be the father they deserved? What if he wasn't like Thanos but he was still bad? Who taught you this stuff? Who guided you? How did you learn?

Stephen put his head back and squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing his belly, part of him wanting to keep his daughters in there, where the world couldn't hurt them, where he couldn't hurt them.

He was determined to do his best, but so many times in the past he had failed, and this was one thing he could not afford to fail. How would he know if he was doing it right?

Stephen stewed in these thoughts and anxiety for a long while, trying to work through them, trying to tell himself they were just natural fears, but it didn't really work. It didn't work like that.

He finally scrubbed himself when he remembered why he was in the tub and that he had things to do, and washed his hair. The Cloak helped when he was done and he was honestly reluctant to leave the water; it had taken a lot of strain off his body.

He slid a hand beneath his belly and felt the sheer weight of it, of the twins, and felt their limited kicks and squirms now that they were running out of room. His skin felt extremely tight beneath his palm, stretched to the limits, and two weeks seemed like so much time yet not enough. He wasn't ready.

He had the humorless thought that he would have plenty to talk to Master Yuki about today, aside from the nightmare (which he really should talk to her about) and the usual things.

And he did talk to her about it, and about the nightmare.

She was a good listener, a good psychiatrists, and she said what he needed to hear, not what he wanted. Though he still didn't find it entirely helpful that she joined everyone else with assuring him that his fears were natural and just fears, nothing more, even if he knew it was true.

But talking to her was good and helped, and he was glad he had finally just done it, that Tony had helped give him that final push.

They kept their usual hour and Stephen wasn't sure how much better he felt, exactly, at least about being a father. But the edge was taken off the nightmare and he knew it was helping bit by bit, and that was what he needed. If he had a chance of being a good father to his daughters, he did need to take care of his mental health.

After Master Yuki left, he spent most of his time reading or watching TV, not having the courage to practice with one of the dolls again, not when he was swimming in doubts about himself. Sara came in and out to keep him company or ask him questions about the Sanctum, and eventually, it was a reasonable time in both Nepal and New York for their video call.

It was just after seven in the morning in New York, sometime in the four o'clock hour in Nepal, and Stephen positioned his laptop carefully. He remembered Mordo telling him they weren't savages when giving him the Wi-Fi password, but it was still odd to see Master Bodhi and his assistants on a video call that condensed to show him Christine, Tony, and Natasha as well.

Tony had Morgan against his shoulder and the look of a man who had not slept in a while and Christine was clearly on a later shift or just about to head out because she was in her apartment rather than the hospital. Natasha was sitting at her desk in Compound.

General greetings went around, and then the discussion began. Tony and Natasha were included because of the involvement of Compound and they went over the equipment and such that had been brought in so the hospital wing was prepped for a birth, especially of two potentially undersized babies. That was what got Stephen the most. That even though they were huge, they would still be smaller than was healthy for them because of their Titan blood.

So there were incubators included in this, some basic equipment, drugs, and so forth, and they went over the checklist of things before moving on to the birth plan.

The early labor did provide them with a sort of better window of things, because while labor might not happen immediately upon the spells being removed, it would happen very soon afterward, which definitely allowed Christine to take some vacation days. In fact, she already had them lined up and everything worked out, and while it wouldn't be much of a vacation, Stephen was very grateful.

They discussed getting Stephen to the Compound, who would be there, what would happen in the event of an emergency, and so forth, all things good doctors, midwives, and healers went over. Stephen was touched, reassured, and a bit uncomfortable all at the same time that Natasha and Thor would essentially be hanging around to play the part of bouncers, but it might also be necessary. Steve would be on duty too if he had to be, and Stephen had honestly never expected this level of support and protection, let alone from the remains of the Avengers.

As they talked through everything and Wong joined in a little late because he had had to do something, a thought occurred to Stephen that he had somehow neglected to mention to at least Master Bodhi over all these weeks. Something he very much needed to mention.

He managed to get a word in, and when he announced, it well...

"They are going to be born purple." he said and that made everyone stop.

He could see them thinking about it, picturing Thanos, obviously trying to figure out how genes might match up, and Tony was the first one to speak.

"Your kids are going to come out a color that at any other time would be heart-stopping and you only mention it now?" he exclaimed and Morgan squalled at the loudness of his voice.

"I didn't think. I've been trying so hard to keep the future to myself..." Stephen said, pinching the bridge of his nose as Tony shushed his daughter.

"How purple?" Master Bodhi asked and that resulted in Stephen doing an internet search of shades of purple.

He finally found a delicate purple from a paint swatch that was as close as he could get it and shared his screen, showing it everyone, and Master Bodhi nodded.

"We can work with that. We will use that as a baseline." he said, looking at the light lavender color

That was the best they could do, and it reminded Stephen that he was not alone in this unknown territory, that he had people that would be going through it with him. A bit of a comfort, but it still lingered in his mind that they were all as clueless as the next person.

He might have seen his daughters older, but that didn't mean it wouldn't be a hard road to get there, or that they wouldn't even potentially have life-long medical issues or conditions or something.

He had talked about this with Master Bodhi and Christine and even Master Yuki, but he hadn't had the courage to get any genetic testing. There was no telling if it would be normal, especially since Thanos had had a genetic abnormality of his own that they had no idea whether or not would be passed onto biological children.

He rubbed his belly and nearly knocked the laptop off it (really, at this point, his body was capable of serving as a convenient shelf), catching it before it fell.

The birth plan was gone over and honestly, that was probably too much information for Tony and Natasha, but neither seemed to mind. Natasha would be in the building and have some idea of what was going on, at least, and Tony might not have been paying attention. He was giving Morgan a bottle at the moment and cooing over her, not looking at the screen at all. He might have just forgotten to hang up.

Stephen made sure to outline what he wanted; within reason, his doctors would be following what he wanted. Medications, positions, cutting the cords, and so forth. It was looking to be a natural childbirth with maybe some local anesthesia, because they really didn't know what may or may not effect the babies. Stephen knew some of the drugs typically used could make babies sleepy and effect their breathing, so they were used earlier in labor, and even the potions Master Bodhi offered seemed like they could be a risk, because they just didn't know.

Pain-relieving spells were added to the lidocaine as a possibility and Tony was staring at Stephen in shock.

"Holy shit, Stephen. You plan on giving birth to two fourteen-pound babies without painkillers..." he said and shuddered.

"Pain's an old friend." Stephen said, smiling faintly.

If he could survive years in the time loop dying over and over again, he was sure he could get through this. Part of him wished he had looked closer at the birth in the future, but there had been no time for something so selfish.

"You used the wizard voice." Tony muttered, shaking his head, and Stephen scowled.

Now was not the time to get petty, however, so he kept his mouth shut, though he did not have a 'wizard voice'.

No matter what Christine and now Tony said.

"He can have a local one and some spells. Take the worst of the pain away." Master Bodhi corrected Tony.

"Tony, Pepper gave birth to Morgan with no painkillers and unassisted labor besides, and almost an unassisted birth." Stephen pointed out.

"Morgan was seven pounds, and there was one of her." Tony countered and Christine quickly shut down that avenue of conversation.

They got it all done and Stephen did consent to people coming and checking on him, whether by knocking on the door or the room or calling (in the case of Tony and Pepper), and soon enough, despite the length of this meeting, everything was said and done. Everyone said goodbye to each other and Master Bodhi reminded Stephen that they had an appointment tomorrow morning, though it wasn't like Stephen could miss it. The appointment being kept completely depended on Master Bodhi at this point.

Once all the goodbyes were said, Stephen sighed and closed the laptop, setting it to the side. Two weeks, and he would be a father. He wasn't ready. It seemed like only yesterday he had been in the Garden, waiting to see if it was truly the right future, and now... Well, as he had just thought. His daughters would be born and he would be a father, and he wasn't ready.

He did his best not to spiral into his worry as he had in the bath and eventually sent the Cloak to get Sara, who had a look of concern on her face.

"Is something wrong? Do I need to fetch Master Bodhi?" she asked immediately and Stephen wanted to groan aloud.

Not that he could blame anyone for worrying, but still. If something was wrong, he wouldn't have leisurely sent the Cloak.

"No, nothing is wrong. I imagine you must be done with whatever you have been doing in the Sanctum, and I was wondering if you would like to watch something together." Stephen said, because reading had failed him.

The thoughts were still lingering in his head and he couldn't focus, rereading the sentences over and over and over on the same page.

Sara smiled at the invitation and pulled up a chair next to the bed, and Stephen let her pick. She picked one of the shows they had talked about earlier and it wasn't the same as having Wong or Christine or even Natasha here, but Stephen still enjoyed her company.

Eventually, Sara got up to make dinner and Stephen again felt guilty for not being able to help; that was three meals today she had made him and he couldn't repay her.

He was never going to be able to repay everyone for all the help they had given him since he had come back to Earth and though they said he did not need to, Stephen knew he would owe them for the rest of his life. He might find a way, somehow, to repay a little of the debt he was accumulating, but he would never be able to pay it in full.

He had dinner with Sara and they watched a bit more TV, and then she left for the night, Wong arriving. His friend had started spending the nights in the Sanctum when he could rather than his quarters and Stephen was grateful for it, Wong knocking on his door.

"Hey." Stephen greeted, noting that Wong was holding a tea tray.

"Hello. Sara tells me that everything was quite uneventful today." Wong said briskly, bringing the tea over.

He set it on the nightstand and skipped the formality of the chair once everything was poured, settling in the bed beside Stephen.

"Well, I'm not a 'menace' to the other masters, at least." Stephen said and Wong's cheeks flamed.

"You usually aren't fond of the students, Stephen." he said.

"I know. I was just teasing." Stephen said, ignoring his teacup.

He needed to drink a ridiculous amount of fluids, but at the moment, he felt if he drank a single sip of the tea, let alone an entire cup, he would burst or, at the very least, vomit.

"You hardly ate dinner." Wong said as he checked out what was on TV.

"I can't. Vishanti, Wong, I feel like a female kiwi." Stephen said, rolling his eyes.

He glared when Wong burst out laughing.

"It is not funny. Female kiwis are unable to eat for two to three days before they lay their eggs, which-"

"Stephen, I do not need a lesson on the kiwi. It is merely never a sentence I expected to hear coming out of your mouth. And you are not a kiwi. I know the twins are leaving little space for the rest of your organs and eating is hard because of that, but you can not fast for the next two weeks. Master Bodhi and I have discussed it; I asked after your last appointment. Small meals and beverages, but frequent. Drink what you can." Wong interrupted and Stephen did groan aloud this time.

"Wong, I know all this. I do. I just don't particularly feel like vomiting on myself." he said, even as Wong used a spell to bring the teacup to his hands.

Stephen took a few sips, but then he felt bile rising in his throat and quickly set the cup aside.

Wong looked at him but didn't cause a fuss, and that was how the rest of Stephen's evening went, more or less. Spending time with Wong and slowly drinking two cups of tea, along with eating a bit more food. He wasn't thrilled about it, but the twins needed it, so he toughed it out, even if he felt uncomfortably full and nauseous for the remainder of the time he was up.

He made sure to drink a little each time he had to get up overnight, and he wasn't sure why suddenly everything seemed so much worse. Maybe because these last three weeks of pregnancy especially were when the twins did there very best to bulk up and grow as much as they could, so he was truly feeling everything. Maybe some part of his body had finally just given up. He wasn't sure, but he did know that it would be over sooner rather than later, and he would do his best to handle it.

The next morning, Wong stayed with him for his appointment with Master Bodhi, who arrived at the Sanctum via portal, toting a medical bag of things that were largely for just-in-case.

Blood pressure was taken, a urine sample handed over, and the other things. Stephen internally cringed at his weight, though it was natural, healthy, but he had never weighed so much in his life. It was just for a moment, though, because he didn't care, so long as he and the twins were healthy, and that was part of what was keeping them healthy.

His blood pressure looked good and so did his weight, though Master Bodhi told him it would hurt no one if he gained more weight. But with two weeks left, it wouldn't be much, and Stephen discussed the issues he had had with eating and drinking lately, but there was nothing more to say on that subject.

Master Bodhi was also satisfied that he had been doing the exercise he had prescribed and Stephen would still have to get used to really using his legs again, but he had kept up enough that it wouldn't be as bad as it could be. He was happy to hear that, because he knew he would have to be on his feet a lot to care for his daughters.

"Has anything else been bothering you?" Master Bodhi asked as he did a pelvic exam.

"I'm still having quite a few aches and pains. Round ligament pains, backache, feeling hot, decreased appetite, stretch marks, the usual sleeping issues, itching on my bump, mood swings, a nosebleed, and some Braxton-Hicks, as you told me to expect even with the spells. And my chest is sore. I noticed some discharge this morning." Stephen recounted, which prompted Wong to mumbled something he didn't catch.

"All to be expected." Master Bodhi said with a nod.

Stephen considered himself lucky for not experiencing any indigestion, heartburn, constipation, swollen hands and feet, or any of those other things right now, and the occasional bloating seemed to have finally passed. Everything else though, aside from the mood swings, was a testament to the strain on is body in ways.

Not much to be done about any of it, really, aside from what he had already been doing.

"Even without being able to nurse your babies, the discharge is normal. It's the hormones in your body. We've already determined that you won't have milk." Master Bodhi continued, adding, "Everything looks good here. The spells are holding. I'll remove them the day before your fortieth week, and we'll work from there. Don't expect labor to begin the moment I remove them, even though you were in labor before."

"I know. It may take a day or two, yes?" Stephen said, sucking in a breath.

It would only get worse in a moment, when Master Bodhi finished and measured his fundal height. That was actually not medically necessary at this point, but he was extremely curious and so was Stephen, who really wanted a complete medical record even if some things had been tossed out the window with this pregnancy.

"Yes. And if it takes longer than that, I will want to induce you. It would be better not to allow the twins to grow any bigger than their forty-week size seems it will be. Otherwise, you will need a cesarean." Master Bodhi replied, knowing how much Stephen wanted to avoid that.

Stephen nodded and the pelvic was finished, Master Bodhi removing his gloves and washing his hands, and then he broke out his tape measure. Stephen laid mostly flat for this and the breath was crushed out of him, and he had to admit, it would be a relief to be able to sleep on his back if he wanted, or not propped up as he had been doing some nights. Wong had given him one of those pregnancy pillow things and it had been helping a lot with the weight of the twins and the pain in his hips, but at this point, everything was just slowly starting not to work.

A sign that even if he was not mentally ready in some ways, his body was almost done with this.

Master Bodhi measured while Stephen concentrated on just breathing, feeling Baby A kick at his ribs quite rudely, because they were most certainly bruised and hadn't had much time to really heal.

"Over fifty-five centimeters." Master Bodhi announced and Wong let out an audible gasp.

"Exact number?" Stephen asked, shifting his position when the tape measure was pulled away.

"Fifty-seven." Master Bodhi replied, which was pretty much on track with him at this point.

Fundal height really didn't matter here, not with twins and certainly not with half Titan twins, but at this point, he was measuring about twenty weeks ahead of where he was... Though no one had ever been fifty-seven weeks pregnant.

Stephen glanced at Wong and had to laugh, despite how much that jostled the twins and crushed his organs, because he had never seen his friend look that stunned or pale before.

"Wong, you can see how big I am." he chuckled.

"Putting into numbers just makes it seem..." Wong said, gesturing as he lost the words.

Stephen nodded his agreement; putting numbers on things did tend to make them seem bigger sometimes.

Master Bodhi smiled, putting his tape measure away, and cast the spell to show them the twins.

Stephen felt himself smiling at the sight of them, curled up together, in the proper positions now despite being two weeks out, and Baby A was sucking her thumb while B decided to kick his lungs. That was strange, seeing it and feeling it at the same time, because there was almost a disconnect between what he was seeing and what he was feeling, and he grunted as the breath was kicked out of him.

Master Bodhi was satisfied with how they looked, their development what he could expect (from a full human pregnancy) and after going over a few more things, he left, and the Cloak helped Stephen up so he could put his pants back on.

Wong came over, holding his elbow, even though Stephen was using a spell because bending down was a thing of the past, and he nodded to his friend gratefully.

"Thank you." Stephen said, not just for the physical support but for Wong being with him through most of his appointments with Master Bodhi.

"Of course." Wong said and Stephen got his breath knocked out of him again.

The pain the accompanied was normal now, but he knew it was going to take a lot of time for his bones and organs to stop being bruised, even if he was used to the pain. Healing spells would be effective once the twins were out; there was really no use in using them on a daily basis. His body could withstand it; Master Bodhi checked every time.

Wong helped Stephen to the bathroom before helping him get settled into bed, and Stephen was grateful for that, too.

"Can you stay?" he asked hopefully.

"Not until later." Wong said and Stephen nodded in understanding.

"All right. Just... If you have to do anything, be careful, okay?" Stephen said, though he knew Wong would be all right.

By all right, he meant alive for the next four years. That didn't mean he might not get hurt, though, and just because he had seen the future didn't mean he couldn't- didn't- care.

"I will. You, too." Wong said, offering him a smile, and then he left.

Chapter Text

Nesting was incredibly inconvenient when you were on bed rest and thirty-nine weeks and two days pregnant.

Stephen had the urge to go into the nursery and fret and fuss over it, to make sure that everything was perfect, to check all the things he had stockpiled or had been stockpiled for him, but he couldn't. There was no cheating by flying with the Cloak involved; Master Bodhi had told him not to risk it, just to be on the safe side.

But it was an itch under his skin and making him restless, and he had practiced all the swaddling and diaper changing and everything else with the dolls with both his hands and magic over these past few days that he was feeling sick of the sight of them again.

The Cloak was running its hem soothingly over Stephen's arm, trying to settle him, but he was again feeling sick of books, sick of watching TV, sick of everything he had been doing for the past few weeks. He needed to get up, he needed to move, and he needed to make sure the Sanctum was clean and safe, the nursery ready, because in less than a week, the twins would be born.

And he didn't have his shit together either. Things had gotten better since he had started having sessions with Master Yuki, but he wasn't all right, just better, and it didn't feel like enough.

Thanos, the Dark Dimension, Dormammu, and everything else, it was still there in his mind and still visiting him in the night, and he wished he hadn't been in denial for so long. But even if he hadn't been, he would have had only had a limited time before the twins were born to get the proper help, and it wouldn't have been much different.

Stephen was getting antsy about everything, and he was seriously considering defying Master Bodhi's orders, because the spells were holding and it would only be a few days, and he needed to do something. Anything that was pricking at his mind and making his skin itch, because he needed to make sure everything was ready, and the Cloak seemed to sense this in him.

It held him tight, holding him gently but firmly in place, and Stephen sighed heavily, his hands automatically going to his belly.

"I know." he murmured, but he felt like his sanity was starting to slip with all these things pricking at his mind.

The twins were quiet at the moment- maybe they simply didn't have the space to do more than twitch anymore- but he rubbed anyway, trying to soothe himself, and also trying to absorb the feeling while it lasted. Everything would be so different once the twins arrived, and he felt that it would be so odd to have them outside his body when they had been inside it for forty weeks.

His mind reeled a bit. Forty weeks. So rare for twins, especially twins their size, when normally his body would have given out simply because there would not have been enough room for them, but he had been made able to carry them by the Reality Stone, after all. His body altered to make it possible for him to bear Thanos's offspring, after all.

And yet forty weeks didn't seem like enough time, nor did twenty weeks back on Earth, despite knowing the future, despite it being the one he had fought for.

His mind was reeling from that and all his fears and worries and the previous things picking at his brain, and it felt quite crowded in there right now.

Luckily, Sara arrived to say good morning to him before long (he had woken up early for a reason he still wasn't sure of), and she came bearing news.

"Master Bodhi asked that I pass a message along to you." Sara said after they had exchanged greetings.

"Oh? Why?" Stephen asked with a frown.

"He was coming here himself, but he had to go attend another birth, actually. He wished for me to tell you that you are free to get up and move around, for a limited period of time. It is cutting it a bit late, but he wants you to get used to moving again so you can do whatever is comfortable during labor." Sara explained and Stephen didn't know why he was surprised to hear that someone else in Kamar-Taj was pregnant, but he was.

Mostly because he actually hadn't known it, though it wasn't like he would have sought the master out and started a small support group with them.

But he was thrilled that he could be up for longer than really the time it took him to walk to the bathroom, use the toilet, wash his hands, and go back to bed. Sara laid it out for him and it wasn't a lot of time to prepare his body for it, but it was better than nothing, and he understood Master Bodhi's caution. The Cloak rippled unhappily, but it stopped keeping him pinned to the bed, at least, after he promised that he wasn't going to toss it off.

After breakfast, after Sara had gone to do whatever the hell else was left to do in the Sanctum at this point, he gave it a go. He didn't bother with shoes but did slid on his robe and belt it, and the Cloak settled on his shoulders. He could never quite shake the silly feeling of having the Cloak attached to his bathrobe, but he ignored it now, and went into the nursery.

He really hadn't been in here since Master Bodhi had put him on full bed rest, but Wong and Sara had been keeping it clean. Still, despite this, he used spells to clean further and gave into the nesting impulse with abandon, checking everything that he had as well.

He would have to sit down for a bit, his body not used to this for extended periods of time anymore, and he didn't want to overdo it or push it, but that was fine. He could have asked Sara to do it, but he wound up cleaning a chunk of the Sanctum to satisfy that need in him and to have an excuse to walk around, the Cloak seeming a little anxious each time he had to wrap an arm around his belly or lean on the wall just to take some of the weight off himself.

But it didn't yank him off his feet or take much of his weight either, and for that he was grateful. Thanks to the exercises he had been doing, he was unsteady and definitely not use to this anymore, but he could do it, and he knew when he was in labor, there would undoubtedly be someone there to hold his arm and offer support if he needed it.

Still, it was a wonderful feeling to be up and moving again aside from bed to bathroom and back again, and when the doorbell rang, he did go to answer it.

He actually hadn't been doing this for long, because the spells made everything go quickly, but already the itch had been scratched in his brain, and his mood was much improved when he answered the door (the Cloak flew him down the stairs; he wasn't brave enough to try that just yet).

Natasha was standing on the other side with Happy Hogan, and both looked stunned to see him when he opened the door.

"Should you be up?" Happy asked immediately, looking like he was ready to reach out and catch Stephen if the answer was no.

"My healer gave me permission." Stephen assured them both, tough part of him feared he might have to present Happy with a doctor's note.

He honestly had no idea why the man was even here; they were acquaintances, thanks to all of Stephen's visits to the Stark-Potts house, but it wasn't like they were friends. He had the feeling that Tony was behind this, as neither he nor Pepper were likely to come by for a visit with a newborn.

He waved them in and they went into the living room, where Stephen sat down in an armchair, and not just to make the pair feel better. Natasha had come by for one of her typical visits, and Happy was here on behalf of his friends. Apparently, they had wanted to make sure Stephen wasn't lonely, and he almost laughed at them giving Happy this job.

"You really didn't have to come by." he told the man, who was looking around at the Sanctum in fascination.

He had never been here before, after all, and Stephen felt satisfied that he was clearly suitably impressed, even if he really had nothing to do with the interior of the Sanctum for the most part.

"Well, Tony and Pepper were worried about you and they have the kid right now, so I offered. They have enough on their minds right now." Happy said, turning his gaze politely back to Stephen.

Stephen didn't mention that they talked on the phone, guessing they had wanted someone to see with their own eyes and report back, and he knew Tony was still not really talking to the rest of the Avengers.

He invited Happy to stay with Natasha and he gave them the news from Master Bodhi, and it really seemed to hit both of them that things were just days away from happening.

Natasha assured him that the Compound was ready and all that, but she did warn him that it was possible Nebula and with her, Rocket, might there at some point, given how their latest mission looked. But it was still very clear that barring an emergency, Rhodey was not to be on the premises, and Stephen did appreciate that.

They talked that over for a minute and then dismissed it, and it became the usual sort of hang-out with Natasha, with Happy included. He introduced them to Sara when she came down and Stephen did not abuse his new freedom of getting up and moving, though he came close to it.

Stephen kept turning Nebula over in his head, truth be told. He had not sought her out since the day he had come back to Earth, and she had treated him similarly. Maybe he had some unbiased worry about where she stood with his daughters, her technical sisters, but he preferred knowing where everyone firmly stood with that so he would know who to worry about and who not to.

He shoved the thoughts from his mind; he had seen the future and knew Nebula would be on their side, and from that, he guessed she at least made peace with the fact that his daughters existed. Whether she would be wary of them growing up was another thing entirely.

He chatted with Happy a little, getting to know him a bit better; he knew Happy Hogan was here in his life to stay, whether he had expected it or not. Tony and Pepper were his friends, and his daughters would most likely grow up playing with Morgan, one of the few children Stephen could easily expose them to.

Natasha put on some cheesy rom-com and Stephen wouldn't have pegged her the type to watch that sort of thing, but he had the feeling she was messing with him a little, as if sensing he needed the distraction. It half-worked and though his worries of Nebula quelled, he did find himself extending his nesting needs to the living room, which made no sense, really, but he would have been cleaning the entire Sanctum from top to bottom if he could have gotten away with it, in all honesty. He wanted this place to be safe and clean for his daughters, even if they (probably) wouldn't be able to get into anything dangerous or dirty.

But the Sanctum was truly a hazard for small children, and he knew Sara, Hamir, and everyone else Wong sent had been humoring him when he requested relics be rearranged and so forth. Maybe he had lost of a bit of his sanity.

Happy began to ask him about bed rest during a lull in the movie, when it was paused and Natasha had gotten up to use the bathroom.

"I read all those books and things Tony and Pepper had, and a lot of them say that bed rest to the extreme you were on isn't proven to be medically helpful and is actually more stressful than any benefits. If there isn't actual medical science, then why were you on it?" Happy asked curiously and Stephen sighed.

"Well, it wasn't an easy decision for Master Bodhi or easy for me to accept, though I knew it would likely happen. In my case, I have no underlying medical conditions that would keep me in bed, such as an injury or a heart problem, but the sheer size of the twins and the general wariness of my body being altered were mostly what caused Master Bodhi to do it. And the strain the twins are placing on my body." he began, his hands finding his belly again.

"They, along with the placenta and amniotic fluid, amount to be about thirty-three pounds combined. That is a lot of pressure to place on my cervix and birth canal." he continued, Happy blushing a little.

"Would they have just fallen out or...?" he asked and Stephen wasn't sure whether to laugh or roll his eyes.

But coming from Happy, he knew the question was genuine, so he used a spell to summon a mostly orb-shaped paperweight that was certainly hefty, catching it in his hands.

"Put your thumbs and index fingers together to form a circle." he instructed and Happy, looking a little confused, obeyed.

Stephen waited until his fingers were firmly pressed together to place the paperweight on top, finding it was a good fit, and he could tell the weight was almost too much for Happy's pressed-together fingers.

"Imagine that, constantly shoving on something a bit delicate." he said and Happy's eyes turned round.

"Holy crap, Stephen." he said, adding, "Thirty-three pounds?"

"Approximately." Stephen said as Happy's gaze settled back on the enormous swell of his middle.

"You know, I wasn't really sure I believed Pepper when she said it felt like something was going to give way with Morgan. Now I feel bad for not being sure." Happy said and Stephen removed the paperweight before it had the chance to fall.

"Well, Pepper's pregnancy was a little different, but the pressure can be a very real thing. And as I said, the strain on my body was a leading factor. Sometimes it feels like I might tip over." Stephen said, which made Happy snort just a little.

Stephen didn't mind.

"It was all just a precaution for things, and because I was adamant about reaching forty weeks, which can be difficult with twins to begin with. We just don't know enough about Titans, let alone half-Titans, to know if delivering earlier would have been safe for them." he finished explaining and Happy nodded.

He looked like he wanted to say something, maybe sympathetic or reassuring, but in the end he closed his mouth and for that, Stephen was grateful. Natasha soon came back and sat beside him again, glancing between the two of them for a moment, as if checking that they had been playing nicely.

She said nothing else and they resumed the movie, talking a little, because it was the kind of movie you didn't get that invested in and could still get the gist of even if you talked a bit. Stephen did enjoy the company, as it helped to keep his mind off the nesting instincts still wriggling in his mind, and company was something he craved right now.

Sara came in and sat with them for a little bit, as there really wasn't much for her to do in the Sanctum right now, and Stephen was thinking about the odd mixture their group was when he shifted, and that proved to be a mistake.

A sharp pain shot through his vagina and cervix and though he was used to pain, it was so sudden and sharp that he sprang to his feet with a cry of pain, moving faster than he had without the Cloak in weeks.

"Stephen-!" Natasha exclaimed as Happy leapt to his feet.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What's going on? Is it the babies?" he asked, catching Stephen by the elbow as he clutched at his crotch.

"I- It's lightning crotch, I'm fine." Stephen got out quickly, waving off Sara.

"What?" Happy said, sounding blank.

"One or both of them put pressure on nerve bundles, causing pain in my vagina. I'm all right. It's common in the third trimester, especially at the end, when they are running out of room." Stephen explained, huffing out a breath of relief as the pain faded.

Everyone stared at him for a long moment as he straightened, drawing in as deep of breaths as he could, and he knew that was not going to be the last time this happened before his due date. He didn't say that, though, as there was no need to. It was over quickly, even if he had yelled and scared everyone. Everyone finally broke the silence that had fallen.

"No offense, Stephen, and I'm not trying to sound insensitive, but I'm really glad that can't happen to me." Happy said, staring at him with a mixture of horror and sympathy.

Stephen laughed.

Chapter Text

Master Bodhi removed the spells the day before Stephen's due date, but it wasn't until almost two days later that Stephen actually went into labor.

He woke up when it was pitch-black out in New York, and at first he could not figure out what had woken him. Though his bladder didn't feel particularly full, he did get up and pee, but that wasn't it.

Had it been a noise in the Sanctum? He asked, but the Sanctum was quiet, and would have let him know if something was up. The Cloak was hanging on its hook, undisturbed.

Stephen decided it had just been him, because sleeping could become difficult in the third trimester, and one of the twins had probably just knocked the air out of him. He felt restless, though, and didn't go back to sleep, instead pulling on his robe (though he didn't bother to tie it) and wandering around the halls.

It was day in Kamar-Taj right now, sometime in the afternoon most likely, and the Sanctum was quiet; Stephen had not intentionally switched himself to New York time, but after a few restless nights and being annoyed with the sunlight coming in through the windows when he had to get up to pee or stretch his legs or get something to eat, he had sorted of drifted over to it in the past few days.

Well, that, and the bout of pregnancy-induced insomnia he had suffered that had kept him awake for more than twenty-four hours straight.

Stephen checked the nursery (again) and wandered around, relishing his new-found freedom, and he wasn't quite sure of how long it had been since he had woken up, but then something happened. He felt a pain in his belly and he paused, because it was not unlike a Braxton-Hicks contraction, but it seemed to be located slightly differently, and he counted under his breath until the pain subsided.

With a wave of his hand, he summoned his watch and put it around his wrist, beginning to time, and roughly the same amount of time later, a pain came again.

But it was nothing to get excited about. You couldn't establish if you were in labor after two (or possibly three) contractions. It was highly like that he was in labor, but he was not going to freak out or go running to Master Bodhi just yet.

He wanted to be sure it wasn't actually just the false kind, and there was really nothing to do in the earliest hours of labor. Though he might have already been in labor for a bit and had just slept through the most mild parts of it, or not even noticed it because of all the pain and aches he had.

He timed it, making through mental notes, and alternated between walking and sitting, and after about three hours, he had had about four contractions per hour, holding steady in their timing and gradually getting just a little stronger. So yes, he was in labor, and though it was around five in the morning in New York, it was evening in Kamar-Taj.

Well, no part in putting it off now, and though he probably should have let the medical professionals know first, Stephen found some shoes and put on a T-shirt he had to use a spell on, going not to get Master Bodhi, calling Christine, or calling Natasha but instead going straight to the library.

Walking would be good anyway, and despite the time, Wong was still in the library. Of course, he had been staying in the Sanctum most nights these past few days, just in case, and Stephen had been fairly confident that he would be here.

Sorting books, as always, even though he was the Sorcerer Supreme, and though there was a new librarian now, Stephen knew Wong found his old duties incredibly soothing. That if he had a hard day, helping out always helped him unwind. He understood it, even if he didn't see the exact appeal himself.

"Wong." he said, drawing his friend's attention to him.

Wong looked startled to see him.

"Stephen-"

"I'm in labor." Stephen interrupted, a hand supporting his belly, the Cloak on his shoulders, probably not going to let him a moment alone now.

Wong actually dropped the books he was holding on the table pretty hard and rounded it, his eyes a bit wide.

"For how long? Are you all right? Should I fetch Master Bodhi?" he asked immediately and Stephen filed this information away for later.

Zealots, the Dark Dimension trying to swallow the Earth, all the demons and creatures and such the Masters of the Mystic faced, and it was the prospect of Stephen being in labor that made him lose his calm.

"I am fine, Wong. For just over three hours, if it was the first contraction that woke me. And yes, fetching Master Bodhi or one of his assistants would probably be for the best, even though it is early yet. At least let them know." Stephen said, doing his best to hide his amusement.

Wong nodded and squeezed Stephen's shoulder, encouraging him to go back to the Sanctum for now, and Stephen did. It would take less than three minutes for Wong to fetch someone, and it wasn't like it was ridiculously early in Kamar-Taj either. It was only about three in the afternoon, after all.

Stephen was correct about it not taking too long for Wong to fetch Master Bodhi, and it was Master Bodhi, carrying a medical bag that certainly looked heavier than his previous visits. Stephen didn't question it; he knew Master Bodhi would be bringing things to the Compound, potions and things he deemed might be necessary even with the equipment Tony had made sure was there.

They exchanged greetings and Stephen was used to the routine by now, answering all the questions and all that, and his contractions weren't quite perfectly consistent, but it was early labor. He wouldn't be considered to be in 'active' labor until he was at six centimeters.

There was really nothing too exciting going on right now; just his cervix softening and dilating, or beginning to, and Master Bodhi nodded to himself after checking that and checking the twins as well.

"Well, despite how high-risk this pregnancy and birth could be, hardly anything has happened at the moment. For the time being, until you feel ready, I feel that it is all right for you to stay here. Sleep, eat and drink what you can if you feel up to it. Relax. Take a shower or a bath if you like. I will remain in the Sanctum; I am all yours now, Stephen. If something changes, merely shout for me or send the Cloak." Master Bodhi said decisively, and part of Stephen was relieved by this.

This matter had been addressed in the birth plan, but it had been one of those things that were wait and see, and he was glad he could spend these first slow hours (he thought it was very unlikely for it to take days, or maybe it had already been days for all he had realized) in privacy in a place he knew and felt better in.

He had asked to use the Compound, but that did not mean he would be entirely comfortable there. He had merely wanted what was best for his daughters. He did not argue Master Bodhi staying and Wong said he would stay too, though Stephen supposed he really should try to get some sleep while he could. Some people could sleep during labor, even without painkillers, but he did not think he was going to be one of those people. He thanked and he did leave a message for both Christine and Natasha, but he didn't persistently call them. It was only about five in the morning in New York, though he knew Christine had taken several vacation days so that she would be able to be here without any problems.

He left messages and did his best to go back to sleep, and it wasn't too hard despite his restless feeling. As a surgeon, Stephen had learned to sleep when he could, because emergencies and the need for surgery, even if he had usually picked his own cases, hadn't always followed what was convenient.

He woke up two hours later to the pressing need to pee and his phone ringing, and Wong coming to answer said phone. Instinctively, Stephen crafted a mandala at the sight of someone in his shadowy bedroom, the glow of it illuminating Wong, whose hand was stretched out toward the ringing phone.

"It is just me, Stephen." Wong said and Stephen let the mandala collapse.

"Sorry." he said and grunted as the pressure on his bladder increased.

"Could you answer that, please?" he asked; the last thing he wanted to do was wet himself.

Wong nodded and the Cloak helped Stephen up, and when he came back, Wong offered him the phone.

Stephen took it.

"Hello?" he said, not bothering to glance at the number.

"Hi, Stephen. How are you?" Christine's voice said and Stephen chuckled.

"In labor." Stephen said and could just imagine the look on Christine's face.

"Stephen Vincent Strange." she said in a tone he had only heard a handful of times.

He smirked, but he gave her the technical details, as she would have wanted, though it had been two hours since his last check.

And then...

"How are you emotionally? Mentally?" Christine asked, because she always cared about those things, too.

"All right, so far. Though that might be because it isn't much just yet." Stephen replied, taking a deep breath.

"I'll be there soon. When we're done, Wong is going to open a portal for me." Christine told him.

"Christi-"

"Nope. You're my patient, Stephen, and I'm with you through all this, even if you aren't that far yet. You and I both know birth can be unpredictable, and things might progress faster than anticipated." Christine interrupted, but he really should have expected that.

"All right." he sighed, though he knew the unspoken words.

That there might be a complication that no one anticipated, and she would be needed.

They spoke for a brief amount of time, then they hung up, and Stephen's next call was from Natasha.

"I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing, but the room is clean, at least, and ready for the doctors to take over. It's only me and Steve here for the day, no Nebula, Rocket, or Rhodey. Thor will be here when you're ready." she informed him.

"Thank you, Natasha." Stephen said gratefully.

"Don't mention it, Stephen. If there's anything else I can do, let me know." Natasha said nonchalantly.

"If I think of something, I will." Stephen promised, and that conversation was even shorter.

By the time it was over, however, Christine had arrived, and when Wong returned with her, she set aside her own bag and went to Stephen.

They hugged. It surprised him a bit, because they had never really been the hugging type, but he accepted it, even if it was just about the most difficult thing he had done. His belly really got in the way and by the time they parted, Christine was giggling in her attempt to suppress her laughter, and even Stephen had to chuckle.

"Well, it won't be awkward soon enough." Christine said, composing herself.

That was true and Christine, rather than Master Bodhi, checked him next, and Stephen winced as she measured him. Wong was there, though, and let him grip his hand through it, because measuring wasn't comfortable, and Stephen still wasn't really used to things like this, even after all this time. Sometimes, it still stuck in his mind as wrong.

He hadn't progressed too much; the twins were taking their own sweet time, it seemed, though it truly hadn't been that long. Stephen was fine with slow and steady, so long as it was safe for all of them. Pain was an old friend and honestly, compared to some of what Dormammu had done to him, childbirth would probably be mild.

He stayed on his back for a minute when Christine had finished, Wong going out to update Master Bodhi, and her clean hand gripped his knee.

"You good, Stephen?" she asked him, just as a contraction hit.

He took a deep breath and breathed out slowly, though he didn't do one of those hissing breaths he saw on TV that were supposedly so good for birth. The sounds of those always annoyed him, and Master Bodhi had assured him there was really no need to make ridiculous noises with his breaths or in the back of his throat, so long as it was comfortable for him.

"I'm good. That one was just a little more painful." Stephen answered when it had passed, marking the time in his head.

His deep breath hadn't been that deep, all things considered, and Christine pulled her gloves off, helping him sit up.

"You know that's not what I meant."

"And you know that if you ask that question too many times, I will get pissed at you." Stephen countered and took a deeper breath as the twins shifted, taking some weight off his lungs.

"I worry about you, Stephen. Especially since this situation is... Unusual." Christine said and that was one way to put it.

"I'm not sure what I did to deserve your worry." Stephen murmured, remembering how nasty he had been to her after his accident.

They had come so far since then, but of course it hadn't been an instant fix. He had come to see her after everything with Dormammu, as the years in the loop had made him realize just how much she meant to him. He had not deserved for her to take him back, but she had, and he counted himself lucky for that every day.

"I care about you. That's all you did to 'deserve' it." Christine replied and he grunted as one of the twins kicked him.

He had hoped labor might be a reprieve, especially since there was hardly any room left in his womb, but he still got a sharp kick to the ribs and he should have known better.

"I am the same as the last time you asked." he told Christine, massaging the spot.

She helped him up and Stephen slid a hand beneath his belly; he wasn't exactly sure how he hadn't noticed it before, but it appeared while he had been sleeping, the twins had dropped. His belly hung lower and heavier than ever, and his balance was certainly off more than it had before.

"Vishanti." he said, catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror on the other side of his bedroom.

He had never exactly understood or appreciated the term ready to pop, but, well... His brain taunted him with all those stupid sci-fi and horror movies he had watched to try to alleviate his boredom, and he quickly wadded that thought up and shoved it in a box in the back of his mind.

"What?" Christine asked and Stephen lifted a brow.

He gestured at his belly, still supporting it with one hand, because it really did feel like he was going to somehow give birth any moment now if he so much as moved wrong.

"I'd already noticed that they'd dropped. Had they not before?" Christine asked curiously.

"Not when I woke up the first time." Stephen replied and huffed.

The days of walking Master Bodhi had allowed him had paid off, but he was definitely going to have to rest more than he wanted, especially with the twins having dropped and making everything more awkward than before.

"Have you eaten?" Christine asked him, once he had his balance and was secure enough not to need her support.

He shook his head.

"Then let's go downstairs, and I'll make you something. Something you can stomach. You need to eat while you can, especially now, in case you need a C-section." Christine said and she was a little blunt about that last bit, but they both knew it was possible.

At this point, it was just because of the sheer size of the twins, though Master Bodhi was confident that if they were in the right positions, Stephen should have no issues with them fitting through his pelvis. It was just a precaution and one they had to keep in mind, but there was really no way Stephen was going to last through a long labor with these two huge babies without keeping his energy up. Eating while he could was one of those ways.

"You're my doctor, you don't have to cook for me." Stephen protested, because everyone waiting on him hand and foot had really gotten on his nerves.

"Stephen, I love you, and I know you want to be helpful, but you are in labor, so that's your only job right now. And no offense, you're going to be hard pressed to make yourself anything more than a piece of toast or getting a piece of fruit." Christine said, gesturing at his front.

He couldn't argue because that was true, and he followed her, keeping his hands on the railing, the Cloak trailing along behind him, because he had not allowed it to fix itself to his robe right now. He was pretty sure he would never hear the end of it from anyone (and even the Cloak itself) if his water broke on a relic.

The stairs were a challenge, but it helped stretched his muscles and moving around would help the twins to get into their ideal positions, though it was always possible that once Baby A was out, Baby B would take full advantage of the no longer cramped space and enjoy her first moment of alone time by stretching out.

That was another thing that might factor into a C-section, if Baby B did that and she couldn't be encouraged to move. Stephen did his best to box that away too, because he did not need to focus on the what ifs like that right now.

He wasn't even in active labor yet. Master Bodhi had agreed to give him until about four or five centimeters, if he could, until they went to the Compound, as the healer preferred that Stephen stay in a more familiar, relaxing environment for as long as possible. He didn't want to cause him any undo stress, especially since stress could stall labor and prolong it.

Stephen wasn't arguing, even if, in ways, Natasha and Steve would be waiting. They weren't part of it and wouldn't be there, and they very likely didn't need use of that room or the equipment either. It really wasn't inconveniencing them in any way.

Christine made him scrambled eggs and Stephen wasn't really sure if he could fit anything in his stomach, but he gave his best. Scrambled eggs were usually easy on the stomach and full of protein, but he had only eaten a few forkfuls when his stomach turned and he dropped his fork, shoving the plate away.

"Stephen?" Christine asked, looking worried.

Stephen gagged. He didn't mean to, but suddenly the smell and the taste was turning his stomach and he hadn't thought it would, but-

He shoved his chair up and staggered up, managing to get to the sink, at least, before he threw up.

"What happened?" Wong's voice asked, something almost like accusation in his voice.

Stephen wretched again and Christine explained to Wong, who came over and rubbed Stephen's back until his heaving stopped, though the smell of the vomit was almost enough for him to start again.

"I don't know why that happened." he said hoarsely, accepting the handful of paper towels Wong offered him.

"Nausea and vomiting is a symptom of labor." Christine reminded him gently, Wong helping him away from the sink.

Wong used a spell and cleaned up, and Christine got rid of the remaining scrambled eggs.

They waited a little bit before trying anything else; instead, Wong gave him a ginger ale and made some tea. When he felt better, Stephen tried some yogurt, and that went better, since he didn't throw it up. He couldn't eat too much of it, his stomach feeling like it was smaller than ever, but it was enough for now, and after that he resumed his pacing.

Master Bodhi and Christine kept an eye on him and talked to him, and Wong kept him company, though he did have to go handle some things in Kamar-Taj at one point. It was fine, though, because it was a slow labor right now, and Stephen remembered what his mother had told him, about how long he had taken, and he knew labor could take longer than that, especially when it was a first birth. He took a breath and cradled his belly.

His body certainly couldn't keep it up and the twins needed to be born, but he had the ridiculous thought that he just wanted the twins to stay there, within the confines of his body, because in there he could protect them better, or at least it felt like it. Unborn, they weren't exposed to a world where some people hated them just because of who their other father was, a world where people be waiting and watching to see what was inherited by blood, ready to go to war if they stepped over a line that had been drawn since the moment other people had come to know of their existence.

The world was going to be so unfair to them for so many reasons, and supposed heroes would be against them, too. He had known that for so long, but Stephen had effectively run out of time here, because there was no way they couldn't be born now, and they would have to be out in the world and grow up in it. It wasn't fair, it wasn't right, but that was just how the world was, and he could do his best for them, but he wouldn't always be able to protect them. There would be things nothing he did would protect them from, and he hated that thought to his very core.

The Cloak patted his face, clearly noticing the way he was cradling his belly and the way he was standing, and he didn't tell it to stop. It was just trying to make him feel better, and he appreciated it.

It didn't stop the worry and the fear, however, and he kept his hands where they were.

Wong came to check him and found him like that, with the Cloak having pinned itself to his robe, gently stroking his face as he rubbed his belly, trying to get a grip on himself.

"Stephen? Are you all right?" Wong asked, almost cautiously, as if he were afraid of disturbing him.

"I will be." Stephen murmured and Wong came to stand next to him.

"I just wanted to let you know I was back." his friend said and Stephen reached over.

The twins were quiet, but he still took Wong's hand and pinned it beneath his own, though he wasn't sure why. It calmed him, though, and Wong wrapped his other arm around Stephen, taking a little weight off him.

Stephen's hand tightened on Wong's when the next contraction came and he breathed through it, Wong rubbing gently, feeling how the muscles tightened until the contraction had passed.

"Thank you. That helped, actually." Stephen said and Wong nodded.

They walked together and it was nice to have Wong take some of his weight, even if he was being stubborn about the Cloak doing it right now. They paced and talked, and Stephen wanted to voice his fears, but he had before and he couldn't bring the words to his tongue right now. It almost felt as if he spoke them now, they had a better chance of becoming real, and that felt ridiculous and was certainly not true, but he was human, after all. Not all of him was logical.

Wong didn't push him to talk, though he clearly knew something was on Stephen's mind, and Christine and Master Bodhi essentially took turns on checking him, keeping a neat list of his progress. It was a small blessing to be in the Sanctum right now and Stephen appreciated his friends being so tolerate of him, of accommodating him, and just being here, but of course his doctors were going to stick with him as long as he needed them, and Wong was too. Loyal and true.

Still, Stephen wouldn't blame them for leaving or wanting to leave. His labor was long and boring. He couldn't help the boredom and he was honestly a little surprised, but with a slow and steady labor, boredom was to be expected. It was very unconventional, at least from an American viewpoint, but Master Bodhi and Christine both helped keep him calm and entertained, making sure things were as stress-free as they could. All five of them (Cloak included) played some poker because Stephen didn't want to sit or pace around and watch TV, and Master Bodhi turned out to be better than even the Cloak.

The old man smirked at them as he won again and Stephen got up to pace, drinking some sports drink Christine had thoughtfully brought. He checked his watch; he had been in labor for about nine hours going on ten, and he was getting closer to the point where Master Bodhi would want him to go to the Compound, but not quite. As everyone took the chance to stretch their legs and get refreshments, Stephen hauled himself back to his room, checking the bag he had packed.

Clothes for himself, an awkward assortment of clothes for the twins, hats, and baby blankets that Hamir had made for him. They were the finest blankets Stephen had ever touched and he hadn't even known of their existence until a few days ago, when Hamir had brought them to the Sanctum. More than large enough for the twins even as they grew, they were made of spelled fabric that wouldn't stain and was durable, and they were a sort of ombre of blue and green for one, gray and blue for the other, Stephen having discovered little runes stitched into the corners. There were also secure little pockets on one corner each, for the coins Thor had given him, sealed safely with a whispered spell so the twins couldn't get the small objects and choke.

They were perfect, better than the blankets Stephen had weakly picked for himself, and even better than the ones Tony and Pepper had gifted him. He had been assured, however, that he would need lots of blankets with growing, messy babies, and none of the gifts would go to waste. They were also all different weights, perfect for different weather.

He fussed over the bag, but it was ready, and he was really only doing it to settle himself. The Cloak wrapped itself around his body when a contraction caught him as he was bent over and he breathed through it, fisting the Cloak, grateful that it was being a little more clingy than he wanted it to be. He left the bag where it was and went back downstairs for the next round of poker, determined to figure out how exactly Master Bodhi kept winning like that.

No one accused him of cheating and Stephen didn't think he was, but he felt a small sense of satisfaction when Wong finally managed to beat him, though Stephen kept coming out on the bottom.

The hours dragged on and were filled with attempts at distraction, pacing, breathing, contractions, drinking what he could, eating a little while he still wasn't in active labor to make sure he would have the energy to give birth, and being checked tag-team style between Master Bodhi and Christine.

The pain increased and Stephen bore it, his water still not having broken, and while that could speed things up, he would prefer, unless absolutely necessary, for it to break on its own rather than one of his doctors do it for him.

It was about thirteen hours since the first contraction, give or take, when Stephen got another check from Master Bodhi, Christine holding his hand this time as he grimaced, the check not comfortable. He remembered Tony saying something about the poor engineering designs of the human body when he had been sitting around, chipping in on his and Pepper's talk about pregnancy and childbirth and just how uncomfortable things could be. At the moment, Stephen had to agree more than ever.

"Almost at five centimeters. I think it is time to go to the Compound now, before things pick up." Master Bodhi said as he withdrew his fingers, which made Stephen wince.

"Only halfway there." he huffed, sitting up.

His lungs inflated more decently and his belly drove his legs apart, so it wasn't really that much more comfortable, though he could breathe.

"Okay." he said, drawing a slow breath in as a contraction hit.

Christine let him cling to her again and she timed it, finding the paper she and Master Bodhi had been using to keep track of things on and making a notation.

"Are you sure you're ready?" she asked him, rubbing his back.

"I think that ship sailed about thirteen hours ago." Stephen muttered and Christine whacked his shoulder gently.

"You'd hit someone who is labor?" Stephen said with mock offense.

"I just did, it wasn't that hard, and you're being a baby. You were being smart-ass, it was deserved." Christine said and located some shoes, since he had been walking around barefoot this entire time.

She helped him get them on and Stephen felt the old embarrassment rise up, from when he had been in the hospital after his accident and Christine had helped him do so many things, the same embarrassment that rose up on the days when his hands acted up.

But it was help he needed, even if by some miracle his hands weren't acting up, and he accepted it, Wong arriving shortly after. Though a portal would be obvious and quick, Stephen thought it was more polite to give Natasha another heads-up, so he did.

She did appreciate it and they were there a minute later, outside the room that had been set aside for the birth, and Stephen was leaning on Wong, who had also grabbed his bag.
Natasha was waiting outside the room, and she looked Stephen over in quick assessment, as if she had been anticipating needing to help out.

"Thank you." Stephen said, smelling the disinfectant in the air and seeing that there were clean sheets and blankets on the bed, along with others stacked to the side.

"You don't need to thank me, Stephen. You are aware that Thor is insisting on being here, right? He wants to stand guard, and I haven't been able to put him off that, but he'll need a portal, so-"

"Yes, I know. He offered and it felt... Better." Stephen said, hoping he hadn't offended her with his obvious mistrust of people she considered friends.

Natasha nodded and assured him that it was only Steve here at the moment and that Bruce hadn't been here in months, more or less since arriving back from the Garden, and Stephen could see the pain in her eyes as she said this. There was nothing he could do about it, though, and after exchanging some greetings with Wong, Christine, and Master Bodhi (who would be fetching his assistants when it looked like they would be closer to being needed, not wanting to overwhelm Stephen), they moved into the room.

Natasha and Steve had done a good job cleaning and Stephen sat on the edge of the bed for a minute, clutching his belly, as Master Bodhi and Christine set to work on getting everything else ready. Cots, equipment arranged just so, drugs that hopefully wouldn't be needed... Stephen rode out the next contraction and Wong fetched Thor, who arrived through the portal bearing a small keg of beer. It was about two gallons, if Stephen recalled keg sizes, and he eyed Thor, going to the door and leaning on it.

"Thor." he said sternly, knowing Thor hadn't forgotten their talk.

"Oh, no! No, it's not what you think, wizard. It's to celebrate when they are born. They will have a proper welcome into this world." Thor said quickly, setting the keg down with a thunk.

"Most people do cigars." Stephen said with a snort.

"What is a cigar?" Thor asked blankly.

"It's like a big cigarette." Natasha offered from behind Thor and his brow furrowed.

"Beer is better." he said with such decisiveness that Stephen nearly laughed.

"Thor, what does an Asgardian welcome into the world look like?" he asked warily, containing that laughter.

"We wait outside for the support of the laboring moth- parent, and drink to them and their child or children. No matter how long it takes, short of an emergency, we stay. Though getting drunk is strictly prohibited." Thor explained, resting Stormbreaker against the wall near the door.

The fact that he brought it was both comforting and alarming, but Stephen did not protest.

"As long as it is not in excess." he said firmly and Thor nodded, giving a solemn oath that it would not be.

Stephen would find out later, in the late parts of labor, that it would basically like taking a shot for each contraction, but that would be later, and it would only be a sip, and far from his mind when the time came.

Christine was eyeing Thor when she came up beside Stephen, the Thunder God setting the keg on a nearby table and now going to fetch cups and glasses that seemed excessive, considering he would be the only one not in the room, aside from Natasha and Steve, who probably wouldn't be waiting around.

"Wong and I can eject him. God or not, you know I can." she offered and Stephen shook his head.

"No. He is just trying, for himself and for me. He needs something like this, too." he said, an arm wrapped securely around his belly.

Christine wrapped her arm around him and kissed his cheek, and Stephen appreciated the gesture.

"I asked Natasha to get some sports drinks up here; I'll water them down if you want, but it'll be better than water or ice chips. Your risk is low enough Master Bodhi and I agreed that you don't need to stop actually drinking. You'll need a lot more than ice chips for this." Christine told him and Stephen nodded.

Whether his risk was low or not, they all knew this was going to take considerable effort for him, and he was going to need every edge they could allow him within reason. Replenishing his electrolytes and making sure he stayed hydrated would be part of that.

"Come look at the bathroom. You can take a shower or soak in the bath if you want; this place is pretty damn fancy. I think a bath would be easier on your body, but the choice is yours, and I will help hold you up if you need it." Christine continued, tugging his arm.

She was trying to distract him and she also knew he wanted to be prepared for everything, and having a working idea of his environment and options would do all that.

He peeked in the bathroom and Tony had really spared no expense with this place; the bathroom was big for a hospital room bathroom, and had a separate shower and bathtub, equipped with bars and such that an injured person could certainly use. He nodded, satisfied, admittedly not having paid much attention to the bathroom at his first stay here, and he allowed Christine to start filling the tub with warm water. A bath did sound nice, and it would take the strain off his body, which he certainly needed right now.

Wong switched with Christine for support, Master Bodhi arranging things in the background, and Stephen spotted Steve through the glass walls, as the blinds were not shut, but he appeared to be talking with Thor as opposed to anything else.

Steve was standing in the classic male holding-the-belt-buckle pose, looking like he was talking to Thor about a mission, and Thor was gesturing slightly as he spoke, toward the room and Stormbreaker, and then toward Stephen when he spotted him through the window.

"I can get some students, and we can take all this equipment to Kamar-Taj and even the Sanctum." Wong said as he helped Stephen walk.

"The Sanctum isn't sterile in the event of a quick emergency. And I'll feel like I'm on display in Kamar-Taj. Someone will try to sneak a peek or ask if they come in to observe." Stephen said, thinking of Metro-General all the medical students and such who would observe things.

People needed to learn, but he did not want to be a teaching moment. Let Master Bodhi and his assistants take notes and share them, but he wasn't going to be a teaching moment.

Wong made a noise and after Steve finished talking with Thor, he approached and knocked on the open door.

"Yes?" Stephen said, pausing in his walking.

He stood as straight as he could, still supporting his arm, aware that despite the peace between him and Steve, Wong was tense at his side, ready just in case.

"I just wanted to check on you. I won't come and bother you, though I might keep Thor company every now and then. It just felt like I should." Steve said, ever the gentleman in ways despite everything.

"I'm all right. I'm not even in active labor yet." Stephen assured him and Steve's brow furrowed.

Clearly, he had no idea that there was such a thing as different stages of labor, and Stephen wasn't going to explain it now.

And that was... It.

Steve went on his way after checking there was nothing he could do, Natasha brought the sports drinks Christine had requested, and his labor progressed. Natasha sat outside with Thor for a bit and Stephen got a call from Tony and Pepper, checking up on him, and he talked to them for a short time. When the tub was filled and the water a good temperature, Wong helped him undress and into the tub, Stephen letting out a sigh of relief as the warm water instantly took some of the weight and strain off his body.

At this point, he was past the point of caring about modesty, and Wong had even agreed to support him with any birthing position he felt inclined to try, and Stephen was grateful for that.

The Cloak hovered nearby, ever loyal, just in case, and Wong sat on the toilet lid, the door just cracked, and Stephen knew it couldn't have been easy for Christine and Master Bodhi right now. But he didn't three people and the Cloak hovering over him, and normally a doctor might have multiple patients to worry about or busy themselves with, but not those two. They might get bored and antsy, but they would wait and be professionals.

Stephen braced his arms on the side of the tub, taking deep breaths, and Wong watched him, ready to assist or talk as needed.

"By this time tomorrow, you'll likely have your babies." Wong said softly after a few moments.

"It's... The thought is so strange." Stephen said and Wong snorted with suppressed laughter.

"Unlike some people, I don't do it on purpose." Stephen said sourly, shaking his head.

"Strange, weird, surreal, odd... All those and more fit what I feel right now." he continued and took a deep breath.

"You were a good doctor, Stephen. You're a great master. And you'll be an even better father." Wong told him and Stephen tipped his head back.

"We'll see. Right now, I don't want to hear those reassurances, Wong. I might have seen the future, but..."

"I understand." Wong said, silencing himself.

After a few minutes, a somewhat more intense contraction gripped Stephen and his hands bunched into fists, pulling at the muscles, and Wong rose, his hand lightly touching Stephen's belly, looking at him for permission, and Stephen gave a little nod.

The warm water and Wong's gentle yet firm pressure helped with the pain and it still was not the worst pain Stephen had ever felt, but it was a very particular pain. So different than everything Dormammu had made him experience, and he was grateful for Wong trying to ease it for him.

Wong knelt on the mat beside the tub and kept a hand where it was when the contraction had passed, and Stephen did not mind. In all honesty, after all that time in the Garden with Thanos and what he had endured there, his body craved every gentle and kind touch he could get even after all this time, especially now, when he was vulnerable in ways he had never experienced.

"Thank you. That helps." Stephen murmured when the contraction had eased off, letting out a long breath.

"Of course." Wong said, giving him a small smile.

Stephen stayed in the tub for a while, but eventually he needed to get out and stretch his legs, and Wong and the Cloak both helped him.

Stephen lurched when he was back on his feet, the heaviness of his belly unbalancing him for a moment, and the Cloak caught him, Stephen wrapping his arms around his belly.

"Are you all right?" Wong asked, hand on his back.

"Just lost my balance. And it really felt like they were about to come out." Stephen answered, dropping one arm.

"Should I call Christine in here?" Wong asked immediately and Stephen burst out laughing.

"They aren't actually going to come out right now, Wong, I'm not dilated enough." he said, leaning on his friend as he laughed.

As it was, he went and got checked by Master Bodhi, and he was almost at six centimeters now, almost over the edge from early labor into active.

He walked some more, drank some sports drink that Christine had watered down, and talked with those hanging around.

He answered the phone when Pepper called and told her that she was in labor, and they talked a bit about that, because she was still the only person Stephen had who could relate to this.

She also said she owed him, since she he had stayed on the phone with her, and he was grateful.

And he could certainly tell when he reached six centimeters; the contractions were definitely closer together, and now they were getting more intense. He could endure it, but it was like a shock to his system, and when he reached to pick up the phone again, he almost dropped it his hands were shaking so badly.

His whole body was shaking, actually, and the phone clattered to the bedside table, Stephen not realizing when he had started shaking, but he didn't like it. It was natural, it was normal, but it also freaked him out a little, and he swallowed hard.

"Stephen?" Pepper's voice said from the phone, the same time Christine said his name.

"I-I can't stop shaking all of the sudden." Stephen said, bunching his hands into fists, releasing them when that caused pain to flare.

"It's the adrenaline and the stress. It's okay." Christine said, rubbing his back.

"I know. I know. But I can't stop." Stephen said, sounding pathetic, but he was worried that it would aggravate his hands.

"It will pass. But your body has gone through a lot these past few hours. Just take some deep breaths. Do you want to walk? That might help shake off the energy." Christine asked, her voice soothing, reassuring, calm.

She had always had a better bedside manner than he had.

"I don't want it to aggravate my hands. Oh, Vishanti, if it does..." Stephen said, looking at his hands, at the scars.

"We'll manage it. You'll hold your babies as soon as they're here, Stephen, I promise." Christine said, kissing the top of his head.

She got the phone and told Pepper what was going on, and hung up, informing Stephen that Pepper said he could call back when he could. He nodded, swallowing hard, and his legs were shaking so much that he was afraid he wasn't going to be able to walk.

He had been putting a lot of strain on them these past few days, after all, and especially after his labor had started.

Wong came up on the other side of him, both he and Christine holding his arms, the Cloak hovering worriedly, and they walked. Thor ducked in and looked worried when he saw this, but Master Bodhi reassured the Thunder God, and Thor watched carefully.

Contractions halted them every few minutes and they walked out of the room, which was spacious enough, but Stephen needed a little more room at the moment. Natasha came to check on things and offer dinner, Stephen grateful for that, because he wouldn't be able to stomach anything but the others definitely needed some food.

The walking did help with the shaking and Master Bodhi put Stephen in the shower too, making him stand under the almost hot water, helping his temperature balance out, and then he was encouraged to sleep if he could.

He wasn't sure if he could sleep. Patients who got drugs could usually sleep, but he wasn't sure if he would be able to sleep even if the pain wasn't too bad, not now. He would try, when he was feeling calmer, but Master Bodhi had had Wong make him some tea to help with that by the time he had had enough of the shower.

Stephen drank, still a little shaky, but he needed the fluids and the scent was nice. His contractions were more intense and definitely set now, being five minutes apart and lasting about a minute each, and he didn't think sleep would come.

What he ended up doing was curling on the bed for a little bit, the Cloak insisting on draping over him like a blanket, and he dozed briefly between each contraction, which wasn't exactly good sleep, but he discovered that he definitely wasn't sleeping through the contractions.

Being still and closing his eyes for a little bit would have to do, and once he assured everyone he would be fine for a few minutes, he managed to convince them all to go eat while dinner was hot. Christine dimmed the lights and told him to shout, and he did enjoy the privacy, even if he was uncomfortable. Aside from the pain, having to shove pillows awkwardly beneath his belly and between his legs to have a semblance of being comfortable while laying on his side wasn't great, but it was all he was going to get.

The familiar feel and scent of the Cloak helped calm him, and he marked the contractions on the piece of paper beside the bed for Christine and Master Bodhi, taking a deep breath.

He rubbed his belly, the twins quiet for the most part, out of room and waiting to be born, and it was such an odd concept, that they were in there, as developed as they were going to be, and soon enough they would be here. They would be out in the world, in his arms, and it had never seemed like that big of a deal to him before, but now that he was pregnant himself, now that it was his own babies, it sent his brain for a loop.

Stephen hummed softly as he rubbed, not quite asleep now but not quite awake either, and he took some deep breaths. The Cloak let him clutch it through the contractions and when Christine poked her head in, not doubt having already finished her food so she could would be free for him, she called his name softly.

"I'm awake." Stephen said, grunting as he sat up, gasping as another contraction came.

Christine came over quickly and held his hands through it, letting him squeeze as much he needed to, and he let out a breath once it had passed.

"Can I turn the lights up?" Christine asked and he nodded.

She eased them up gradually and he glanced out the dark window; he had forgotten what exactly the time was, if he was being honest, but it was night now and had been for a little bit.

He wouldn't bother Pepper and Tony right now, or at least too much.

"Do you need anything? Do you want to walk?" Christine asked and Stephen patted the bed beside him.

She came and sat and he leaned on her shoulder, letting out a slow breath.

"You're handling this pretty well. Champion patient." Christine told him and Stephen chuckled.

"Like I've said, pain is an old friend." he said, a hand still on his belly.

He was still afraid and it had waned for now, but he knew it would come back, probably at the most inconvenient time, but he still couldn't voice that fear yet.

Christine shook her head and squeezed his hand. It was a peaceful moment, a good moment, with one of his best friends, and as everyone came trickling back, the phone rang, interrupting it.

Stephen rolled his eyes but answered it; it was Pepper's number, but it was Tony on the phone.

"You have your own phone, and I also have your number." Stephen pointed out after the initial greeting.

"Pepper's was closest. How you holding up?" Tony said without missing a beat.

"I'm fine, Tony, I promise." Stephen said, remaining on the edge of the bed for the moment.

"Look, I don't know how close you are or anything now, but Pepper and I, we'll be there for you if you want. I know you really only have Wong, since Dr. Palmer is there for the babies, too." Tony said and Stephen could picture him scratching the back of his head.

"Tony, you have Morgan-"

"Yeah, and she can survive without us for a little bit, especially if Wong makes us a portal. Anyway, I just know Happy wants some quality time with his favorite niece. And I'm not talking the whole time, but when you're close. In case Wong has to go and you need someone else there so you can have a hand to hold. You were there for us, Stephen, we want to be there for you." Tony interrupted, his voice sincere.

"I- Thank you." Stephen said, because Tony had a point.

Wong might be called away, and then he would have Christine, Master Bodhi, and the assistants, but they would be there for the twins and his health.

Thor and Natasha (and possibly Steve) would be here, but... They were not the same as Tony and Pepper.

"Just let us know." Tony said and Stephen found himself nodding, then making a noise of confirmation.

"Want me to put Pep on?" Tony asked next.

"Tony, I like you, too. You can stay on the phone, if you like." Stephen said, so Tony did.

The phone did get set down and Stephen did walk some more, hanging onto Wong, but he went back to talking to Tony and Pepper for a little back, while they had the time. It was something he needed, and now he really did understand the need for support during this time. He might have been no stranger to pain and he might have been a doctor and could probably do this alone if he absolutely had to, but he couldn't imagine doing it alone.

It was nice to have people there, people he could count on, not just for his daughters but for himself, and Stephen appreciated that. He might have been alone when this had started, when his daughters had come to be, but now... He doubted any of them were going to be alone again, and he was okay with that.

Chapter Text

Pain was an old friend. He had spent decades in that time loop, dying and dying over again... And honestly, labor was making him think maybe it could compare to that.

That didn't make sense, he knew it didn't make sense, but that was where Stephen was right now. Probably because he hadn't been able to sleep in more than twenty-four hours. Probably because the pain was getting stronger and was a constant, rather than a mixed variety he could do something about like he had been able to when he had fought Dormammu.

"Stephen, are you sure you don't want to-" Christine began, but whatever look was on his face silenced her almost immediately.

"I... I am fine here. I said that before." Stephen said, taking a breath.

He knew his position was currently awkward-looking. He was clinging to the doorframe of the room in the Compound, digging his nails into it much too hard (he kept them short and he had already torn one despite that), but Vishanti, his muscles felt like they had locked and he couldn't move. He was at almost eight centimeters and at more than twenty-four hours of labor. He wasn't sure of the exact time; he had taken his watch off and couldn't see the clock either, because that would have required releasing the doorway.

"You need to drink something, at least. Please? You can't be dehydrated." Christine said, her hand grazing his back.

Stephen hissed out a breath; even through his clothes, touch was now just too much.

Thor was watching him passively, though his brow was knit with concern, and he had been standing like that since Stephen had snapped at him. He hadn't consented to the spells yet and had decided against the lidocaine injections because he had never really liked lidocaine even at the dentist, but natural childbirth sucked.

"Sorry." Christine said and Stephen shook his head.

"No, no. I shouldn't have... Oh, Vishanti." he groaned as the next contraction came.

Less than five minutes apart and lasting for over a minute, and yet he still had two centimeters to clear. His legs felt shaky and he knew he had pushed himself too far, but he knew why Master Bodhi had stopped him from walking before. He didn't blame him, the healer had just been doing his best to make sure Stephen got to where he wanted to be.

He clutched the doorway and Christine rubbed his back after getting a nod of permission, and he groaned and breathed his way through it.

"I-I... I need to sit down." Stephen said, because he did not want to just fall to his ass on the floor.

Wong was gone for the moment; a student had been sent to fetch him and Stephen hadn't caught the message because it had been babbled so fast, but Wong had definitely been needed. He wouldn't have left otherwise. And Christine was good, she was supporting him and she was one of his best friends, but he was also very afraid he might accidentally snap her hand because she did not feel as sturdy as Wong.

He knew it was a bit stupid, but he had also seen fathers walking around Metro-General with snapped fingers in splints.

"Okay. Okay. The bed? The floor? Where do you want to sit? Are you feeling dizzy?" Christine said, looking concerned.

"I- FUCK!" Stephen said as his hands seized.

He had pushed himself too far there, clenching his fists and gripping things too hard. And it had been a little bit since his hands had acted up, so those two things and the general stress of his current situation were just too much.

He released the doorway and his knees buckled, Christine's arms going around him, but before they could both topple, Thor had sprang into action, and his large hands had caught Stephen, preventing him from falling to the floor.

"I have you, wizard." he said firmly, wrapping his arms around him.

"The bed. Sorry, Stephen, but if you get down on the floor I'm really afraid you're not getting back up, and there isn't any padding." Christine said before Stephen could say anything.

Thor picked him up and placed him on the bed, and Stephen tipped his head back, his shaking, spasming hands laying limply on the sheets beside him.

Thor's palm brushed his forehead, his mismatched eyes sweeping over Stephen with a look of concern as Master Bodhi appeared on his other side.

"Stephen-"

"It's my hands. Oh, Vishanti... The one day I can't afford it..." Stephen said, gritting his teeth, tears of pain beginning to slide down his face.

"Oh, Stephen." Christine said, capturing his hand in her own.

She began to carefully rub at the bases of his fingers, but it didn't work this time, and he cried out in pain.

Master Bodhi, on the other hand, was working a spell, and it took effect as Christine murmured apologies. It dulled the pain a bit, but it was still bad, and he still couldn't use his hands. He could choke down any aspirin either, not right now. He gasped, breathing in, breathing out, and instinctively curled his shaking hands toward his chest.

"It will be all right, wizard." Thor said, stroking his hair awkwardly, and Stephen had the sudden impression that Thor was mimicking things he had learned from his mother.

"Please stop, Thor." Stephen requested, voice tight despite the spell.

Thor pulled back and Stephen was grateful, but Christine and Master Bodhi hovered over him, Master Bodhi checking the twins with a spell, Christine delicately trying to rub his hands again.

"I should have expected it. I wasn't thinking." Stephen gritted out, struggling to get into another position, but his hands couldn't support his weight right now.

"Stephen, it's all right." Christine soothed and he wanted to snarl at her.

It wasn't all right, at this point he might not be secure enough to hold his daughters when they were born, to hold them and feed them and everything he wanted to do.

He knew Christine was just trying to calm him down and relieve his stress, but this whole thing was stressful, even he was calm. Labor was extraordinarily stressful, even if it was all going well, and there was really no way around that unless they knocked him out and gave him a C-section. And that would have its own stress, too.

He really didn't want to cry about it, but the tears kept coming, and they weren't entirely from the pain, though it still hurt badly even with the spell.

It was just the fact that it had happened and might not be able to hold his daughters or care for them when they were here, and the fact he hadn't really slept in so long. He had broken a few times like this with Dormammu, but he had never stopped fighting, and he wasn't going to stop fighting now.

But he needed a moment and it was hard and it hurt, and right now he felt even more helpless than he had when he had gone into labor early, even if he was surrounded by more people.

What ended up happening was Christine climbed into the bed and cuddled with him, allowing him to cradle his shaking hands to his chest, because despite the spell it still hurt and he couldn't truly use them, and her warmth and scent were familiar.

She hugged him and rubbed the swell of his middle, doing her best to try to ease things for him, to take what she could off him, and Master Bodhi showed him a spell of the twins, assuring him he still had time. Thor, looking lost on what to do, brought him a small cup with a drink from the keg he had brought. By the scent of it, it was beer.

"Thor, you can not give him that." Christine scolded as the scent made Stephen physically recoil.

"I thought it might help calm his nerves." Thor said, and it really wasn't that much.

Probably three mouthfuls, but still.

"No." Stephen said, and Master Bodhi shooed Thor away.

He went with apologies and Stephen let Christine hold him, trying to calm down, trying not be stressed, but how did you go about relieving your stress when you were currently in the process of the stressful event like this? There was nothing he could do to relieve it, and nothing else he could focus on when the contractions kept coming consistently, and were getting a little bit stronger slowly.

Natasha soon appeared with a teacup and Stephen cringed internally, Christine helping him drink it. Obviously, Master Bodhi had asked for it and it was extremely herbal in its flavor, Stephen being told it was chamomile, jasmine, and valerian root, all for calming effects. It wouldn't effect the babies or him, really, there was just the right amounts of everything to try to take the edge off.

It was warm, not hot, and Stephen did slosh it even with Christine's help, but he got most of it down. Christine tried to distract him, putting on music and quizzing him as they had used to do during surgery, and Master Bodhi also gave him a hot water bottle.

It all helped, but he was going to have to ride it out, and it was hard. He rested for a while, but then he needed to be up, he needed to be moving, and turned down the offer for having his water broken. That could move things faster but definitely cause more pain and stress, and he didn't need that right now.

Christine held his elbow and Natasha came in and took a turn, because everyone was trading off and getting rest while they could, at Stephen's request. Steve came to check on things again and Stephen had the distinct impression that the man was antsy about the whole situation, because it was going on in his home and he couldn't help.

He did not even talk to Stephen, however; he just talked to Thor again and went on his way. Tony and Pepper called and the hours pushed on, the pain of his hands pushed on, and the contractions wore on, too. But Stephen was all right, his daughters were all right, even if it was slow and painful, and honestly still embarrassing after all this time.

Master Bodhi helped him in the bathroom because Stephen could not and would not ask Christine again, even if she was used to it, but Master Bodhi was also stronger than she was, which was needed right now. The Cloak helped too, and Stephen did feel embarrassed suddenly, even if Wong did this for him on the bad days, even if Thanos had done it for him before. Maybe because it was Christine and Master Bodhi, and they had already been doing so much for him. He didn't need them to do more for him and yet here they were, doing it all the same.

It all went on and Stephen got lost in the haze of pain and walking and resting and breathing, of timing things, and he had lost track of everything until a portal opened and Wong came through.

Wong looked horrified to find him more or less hanging between Christine and Master Bodhi again, and Stephen knew he looked like hell.

"Stephen." Wong said, coming over to him immediately.

"Hey." Stephen huffed out, Master Bodhi smoothly switching places with him.

"Are you all right?" Wong asked, gripping Stephen's elbow and supporting him that way, his other hand finding Stephen's lower belly and supporting the twins, taking a bit of weight off.

He did it automatically and it helped, and Stephen was grateful for it.

"My hands..." Stephen said, groaning as a contraction gripped him, locking his muscles in place.

Wong's face twisted with sympathy as Christine rapidly explained and he took the majority of Stephen's weight, keeping his hand where it was.

"I'm sorry I had to leave, but I can stay now." Wong said once the contraction had passed.

"What happened?" Stephen asked, sucking in a breath, getting that air no one dared to remind him to get after he had snapped about it a little while ago.

He probably should apologize for that, now that he thought about it, but he didn't have the breath nor the energy right now, and he was probably going to do some things he would have to apologize for again anyway.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with." Wong said smoothly and Stephen actually felt his lips pull back a little in a snarl.

"Wong, if my hands weren't like this right now, I would strangle you." he seethed, glowering at him.

"Just tell him, Wong. It might distract him." Christine said and Stephen might have smirked at any other time.

He listened as Wong detailed it and it had certainly been cause for the Sorcerer Supreme to handle, some kind of demon Stephen had not heard of before stumbling over into their dimension, though he was familiar with the class of demons. He found himself checking Wong for injuries instinctively despite his own pain, worried because that would have been difficult even for the Sorcerer Supreme, even with other masters, but Wong didn't appear injured.

Maybe he had been healed or he had been lucky, but he had definitely changed clothes, which made Stephen suspicious.

"Did you- Crap." Stephen began, another contraction gripping him.

He tried to clutch Wong's hand, but even with everything, that wasn't entirely doable right now, and there was something about having a hand to hold that made things feel better. His only other choice right now would be to bite something, and he certainly wasn't biting Wong or Christine.

He rode out the contraction in Wong's arms as Christine marked it down and then he stayed like, supported by his friend, clinging to him weakly, panting, drenched in sweat, his belly digging into Wong's middle.

"I've got you, Stephen. Do you need to sit down again? You've obviously been up for a bit." Wong said, his gravelly voice soothing as Stephen came down from the high of the pain.

"I... I don't know at this point." Stephen admitted, but he was content to more or less stay like this for the moment.

Wong was definitely more suited for his height and size than Christine, no matter how strong she was, and Wong nodded.

"Stephen, can you loop your arms around Wong's neck?" Master Bodhi asked him just then.

"Wh- Oh." Stephen began, but he knew what Master Bodhi was suggesting.

"Do whatever you need." Wong told him, Stephen shifting his arms.

He hung off Wong's neck and Wong held him up, and they were in the position that was used most often for slow dancing, which was what this was called, or swaying. It helped relieve pressure and weight during labor, and also helped open the cervix and pelvis. He had talked to Wong about it, so Wong knew without him even needing to say it, and they began to gently sway.

It did feel good, the Cloak wrapping around him for another layer of comfort, and Stephen slumped against Wong, taking the break and support, closing his eyes even as his hands held weakly at the back of Wong's robes.

Wong's hands kneaded the small of his back and that helped too, and if not for his hands and the next contraction, Stephen probably could have dozed off like this. He was so tired right now, and it was an exhaustion of mind and body both, though he wasn't quite emotionally worn out yet. His breath hitched, muffled by Wong's robes, as the next contraction came, and he groaned, but he bore it, his muscles bunching around his daughters and turning to iron, easing them into position, easing his body closer to where it needed to be.

Still, despite that 'easing', the next few hours were hard. His hands, for one, and the pain, coupled with his exhaustion. They weaned him down from long drinks to sips interspersed with ice cubes, just to be safe, and Stephen threw up when he drank the watered-down sports drink Christine had kept giving him. He couldn't stomach that anymore, even watered down, and they gave up on that, switching to weakened tea instead.

He paced, he swayed, he tried different positions, Wong helping him with some of them. Christine and Master Bodhi did their jobs, and Master Bodhi's assistants soon arrived. He talked to Tony and Pepper and tried the bath again, and determined that some positions for birth he would just not be able to do again. The bath helped with his hands, too, and soon Tony and Pepper arrived, though Stephen remained at about eight centimeters stubbornly. Nothing to worry about, but certainly annoying and tiresome.

Pepper hugged him and Stephen didn't mind, he and Tony exchanging a nod.

"You really didn't have to come." Stephen said as Pepper took his arm without hesitation.

"Of course we did." Pepper told him firmly.

"Anyway, as much as I love her, having our first-ever break from Morgan is actually a little nice." Tony chipped in and Pepper rolled her eyes.

Stephen laughed weakly, and it was good to have a little more support than just Wong, as the few times in the room or helping him was as far as Thor went, and the same with Natasha.

Things got tense, however, when Stephen was walking outside the room again, and Rhodey showed up. Stephen went rigid as soon as he saw the man, unable to form a mandala at the moment because his hands were still cramping, and Wong's posture beside him stiffened.

"Whoa, hey, Rhodey, you're not supposed to be here." Tony, who had Stephen's other arm, said, releasing Stephen and stepping in front of him protectively.

"I know, I know, I just need some medical attention. Nat's already on the way." Rhodey said quickly, but he was looking at Stephen strangely.

Thor came and placed himself in front of Stephen too, and Stephen wasn't sure how things would have gone if his body hadn't decided to do something just then.

He heard an odd popping sound and something deep in his belly gave way, liquid splattering on the floor, then hot fluid began to trickle down the inside of his thigh.

"What the hell-" Tony began.

"My water broke." Stephen said flatly and Wong looked down.

"Oh, Vishanti, Wong, I'm so sorry, I think it-" Stephen began, but Wong shook his head.

"It didn't do that already?" Tony asked, twisting his head, eyes finding the floor.

"No. No, sometimes it doesn't, even as progressed as I am." Stephen replied, hating the feeling that he was leaking all over the place.

Tony began to laugh and Stephen had to laugh too, because of the timing, even if he was wary of Rhodey, but the man was injured and both Natasha and Steve arrived to help with that.

Wong helped him back to the room, Tony going after Rhodey, Thor ever the guard, and Thor glanced at the trail of amniotic fluid down the hall.

"Should I find something to clean that up with?" he asked uncertainly.

"I- Uh, yes. No one needs to step in that." Stephen said as Wong told Christine and Master Bodhi what was happening.

He ended up in the bathroom after that, letting the amniotic fluid trickle into the toilet for the sake of convenience, and one of Master Bodhi's assistants cleaned up the floor rather than Thor. Wong had some amniotic fluid on him because of his proximity, but he didn't care, and Tony knocked on the bathroom door before long.

"Hey, Stephen, mind if I come in?" he called and it was a little crowded since Christine and Wong were in here too, but Stephen allowed it.

Tony just stuck his head in the door.

"Rhodey is going to be out of here when Nat is done with him, I swear. If he doesn't budge, I'll escort him out myself with Thor. He just needed some help and this is, you know, the best place for War Machine to come. I gave him a talking to." he said and Stephen blinked.

"You really didn't-"

"Yeah, I really did. I don't like the way he looked at you, and Rhodey has been against this from the start. I love him like my big brother, but it needs to be clear that on things like this, even after all this time, if he takes action, there is no coming back from it and I'm blasting his ass to hell if he tries it. Morgan can grow up with Uncle Rhodey just fine." Tony cut in, and Stephen was admittedly still a little startled by this.

The fact that Tony displayed such loyalty and protectiveness over his daughters despite the fact Rhodey had been his friend for so long and was so important to him just felt odd, and Stephen really didn't know what he had done to have that loyalty earned, but he was grateful for it. Grateful that despite everything, his daughters had people who would look out for them, protect them and fight for them.

"Thank you." Stephen said, even though those words didn't seem to cover it,

Tony nodded and pulled his head out, and Stephen didn't realize he was having some anxiety about Rhodey being so close by until Natasha came to tell them that he had been treated and sent on his way. At this point, the amniotic fluid had stopped trickling out and he was walking again, feeling relief break in his chest when Natasha told him this.

He nodded and took a turn with Pepper and Master Bodhi, and it was good. He was grateful that Tony and Pepper came, even if he felt as though he was pulling them away from Morgan, especially when they stayed for longer than the hour Tony had said.

Stephen's hands didn't stop aching entirely, but it was tolerable, at least, and he could at least grip hands or clothing better, and the contractions got closer and closer together, more painful.

No more baths, no more drinking, just pain and walking when he could manage it, riding the wave of pain and breathing when he could, enduring the scans and pelvic checks and measuring, being carefully shuffled between the people who were here for him because someone might be better suited for it or needed a break.

He was grateful for it, more than he could say, and he understood why many people only wanted one or two people aside from the medical team present when they gave birth, but this little network his friends and create around him was something Stephen needed. Different people, different abilities, different things they could provide for him.

He didn't feel like he deserved it, to be honest, not by a long shot. Even if he had done it for the future, to have those around him be so kind and caring toward him and his daughters as well, it was... He should have gotten used to it now, but this was really the thick of it, the end game of this, and sometimes Stephen did have to admit, it was hard to accept that people could be so kind and supportive of you when you truly, deeply needed them. Especially when you felt guilty over something that had caused so much pain and grief.

He was run ragged, truth be told, by the time Master Bodhi measured him again, and he was standing now, burying his face in Wong's shoulder, breathing through the contractions.

"It's time, Stephen. Whenever you're ready, you can start pushing, so long as you let Christine and I know when you feel the urge. With the contractions, of course." Master Bodhi told him and Stephen let out a choked laugh.

"Thirty-two hours." he said and Wong smoothed his hair off his forehead.

"They're as stubborn as you are." he said and Stephen snorted.

"Really, Wong? N-" he said, breaking off to moan through a contraction.

"I, uh, Pep and I will be right outside, Stephen, okay? This isn't really a spectator thing." Tony said and Stephen had to wait for the contraction to pass.

"You can stay. When... Baby A, she'll need someone to hold her if everything is all right while I'm pushing her sister out. I would like one of you, or both of you, to do it. I want them to have kangaroo care, just in case." Stephen said, because while he did trust Master Bodhi's assistants, he trusted Tony and Pepper more.

Felt more comfortable with one of them doing it when he wasn't able, since Christine and Master Bodhi would be occupied, and Wong would be supporting him.

"Really? Are you sure?" Pepper asked and Stephen nodded.

"Yes. I trust you two." he said, and he could see they were both touched.

"Is it time, wizard?" Thor exclaimed, poking his head in the door.

"Yes." Christine said for Stephen and Thor's eyes widened.

"This is wonderful! Your pain is almost over!" he declared and Stephen rolled his eyes.

"It could still take me around three hours to push them both out." he said, which made the God of Thunder pale.

But Thor was still ecstatic, and the door was closed and the curtains drawn over the glass walls for privacy, and the Cloak stroked Stephen's face gently as they tried some last-minute birthing positions.

"Stop that." he muttered half-heartedly as Thor called for Steve and Natasha.

What the hell Thor was doing, Stephen didn't know or care, and he was soon feeling the need to push, but he fought it for as long as he could, not because he wasn't ready (which he wasn't) but because no position felt comfortable.

He could not crouch because his shaking legs could not bear his own weight, his belly made kneeling difficult, laying on his back crushed his lungs, all fours might have been useful if not, again, for the weight of his belly, and he couldn't hold his leg up for a side-lay position, which didn't work anyway despite Wong's offer to hold his leg up. Master Bodhi suggested an assistant grab a birthing stool from Kamar-Taj, but Christine had a unique suggestion that Stephen wound up feeling comfortable with.

He was sitting up on the bed, but Wong was behind him, bracing his back and holding his hands, letting Stephen brace his feet against his, his legs spread open, Wong anchoring him. At this point, Stephen was fully naked, the robe he had been wearing on and off soaked with sweat, amniotic fluid, and probably sports drink and vomit, but he didn't care and neither did anyone else. Tony and Pepper hung back, though they remained in the room, and the assistants manned their positions, Christine kissing Stephen's forehead before she took hers.

"You got this." she said as Tony peeked through the blinds.

"Oh, Thor has a little party going out there." he commented, but that was the least of Stephen's concerns.

He smiled weakly at Christine and Wong murmured encouragement, and then he felt the urge to push. And now that he gave into it, now that he didn't fight his body, there was no stopping this.

Master Bodhi reminded him to breathe and Stephen would have snapped at him, if pushing hadn't become the sole focus of his world. He didn't give it his all; slow and steady was the way to go, his muscles bunching around the large, heavy blockage inside of him, and when the contraction ended, he stopped pushing, easing his grip on Wong's hands, taking a deep breath.

"I know it takes time, but that really felt like it did absolutely nothing." Stephen panted, swallowing.

"You did just fine. Keep going like that, Stephen." Master Bodhi said, squeezing his knee.

He nodded and took a deep breath, absorbing the brief reprieve, and then the next contraction came. He groaned this time, letting the pain out, and on the other side of the door, he heard Thor give a loud cheer.

"What... The... Fuck?" he said when he could speak again.

Everyone was looking at the door now and Tony held up a hand, slipping out to go see what it was.

He came back a minute later, holding a glass of beer, and Pepper eyed him.

"Apparently it's some Asgardian/Viking thing. Celebrating with the parent in labor, giving them encouragement and chasing off evil spirits or bad luck or something. It's almost like a drinking game, actually, yelling and taking a sip of beer each time they hear you make a noise. He's got Nat and Steve in on it." Tony said, holding up the beer as an example.

"Tony, you are not drinking that in here." Pepper told him sternly.

"Thor just gave it to me, didn't know what to do with it. Stephen can have it when he's done. If it's not flat, anyway." Tony said, setting it on a side table.

Stephen wasn't sure he wanted beer when 'he was done', but he didn't protest it, and Wong spoke in his ear softly.

"I can go tell Thor to knock it off if you want." he said and Stephen shook his head.

"No. No, let him. I don't... Mind. He needs it, too, and so do Natasha and Steve. It gives them something to do." he said, part of him wanting to laugh.

It was very... Considerate of Thor to bring Stephen and his daughters into his traditions, and Stephen wouldn't stop him; he appreciated the gestures and honestly didn't mind that much. It wasn't like an actual hospital would have been quiet on the other side of the door anyway.

He groaned as another contraction came and Thor responded in kind, Wong letting him clutch his hands as tightly as he wanted, the Cloak stroking his cheek, and Stephen needed that, too. He had so much more of this ahead of him, he was definitely going to need all the support and encouragement anyone was willing to give him, and he knew it.

It took a long time. Longer than Stephen had thought it would. He was naked, but he still had his watch on, and he looked at it every now and then, and he leaned back against Wong, chest heaving, soaked in sweat and exhausted. It had been over an hour of pushing now and he was exhausted, and yet Baby A still hadn't made her debut.

Master Bodhi and Christine were keeping him informed of everything, of course, but he was exhausted and some things just seemed to go out the window when you were the one giving birth, as opposed to be the doctor observing or handling the situation. Stephen knew they would have said something to him if something was wrong, but he couldn't stop his question from coming.

"I am going to be able to push her out, aren't I?" he panted, relaxing his grip on Wong's hands.

"You will. Baby A is the bigger of the two. Slow and steady, Stephen. You are doing wonderfully. Slow means less risk of tearing. She is large enough that I am happy things are taking this long." Master Bodhi assured him, his voice comforting.

"Do you want to try a new position? Something where gravity might help? It could be awkward, but there are other things we can try, if Wong is willing." Christine asked and Stephen knew exactly what she was thinking of, but he shook his head.

He would need all his energy for this, even if gravity could be a great help, and he wasn't sure if he could get up right now. So they left it and he pushed, breathed, pushed, getting lost in it, Wong muttering encouragement to him, letting him grip as tightly as he wanted.

"Well done, Stephen. She's close to crowning now. Christine is going to apply counterpressure while I help her along." Master Bodhi said, his voice light and calm.

"I'm going to be using a warm cloth, and you'll feel it against your cervix, like we talked about." Christine chipped in, and Stephen nodded.

They had talked about this; it was to help prevent tearing, or at least make any tearing that happened not as bad. In an extreme circumstance, they might have to cut him and without any medication, the thought made Stephen sick, but it would also be better than any tearing. It would heal better and faster, and be easier to manage.

Christine shifted positions and Stephen felt her press the cloth against him, which would have felt pretty intimate if not for the circumstances. Christine applied counterpressure, he pushed, and he could feel her moving now, really feel her, and that made him draw some strength from somewhere.

"She's crowning, Stephen. Do want to feel her?" Master Bodhi said and Stephen nodded.

He extracted his hand from Wong and it was a little difficult to reach around his swollen belly and Christine, but Master Bodhi helped him, and his fingertips grazed soft, wet hair.

"She has hair." he said, and laughed.

He had carried her for forty weeks and seen glimpses of her in the future, but she was actually almost here, and he was touching her. There was something beyond compare to that feeling and he didn't know what it was, but it made his throat tighten even as he laughed.

"Three pushes, I think, and she'll be here. Head, shoulders, body. You can do it, Stephen." Master Bodhi said and Stephen nodded.

He could do this. He braced against Wong and pushed with the contractions, feeling his daughter slide forward, and he listened to Master Bodhi and Christine, pushing again and again, until suddenly the weight/blockage was gone.

He gasped, chest heaving, and craned his head to look as Christine removed her hand and Master Bodhi set to work, Stephen waiting. He couldn't see because of the angle and his own body, but no one was panicking, and Christine and Master Bodhi were doing their jobs. Contrary to TV, babies didn't cry instantly, but not crying after a certain point was not good, and an assistant had a goddamn paint chip in their hand, Stephen saw, though he had been the one to say the color was their baseline.

Fear gripped him for just a moment, and then-

A sharp, indignant cry split the air and the fear melted away, Stephen's hands relaxing on Wong's, and he reached out imploringly.

Before he could even ask, Master Bodhi was putting her in his arms, the umbilical cord still linking them, and Stephen gazed down at his daughter. She was most certainly big, and yet she seemed so small and delicate despite being fourteen or so pounds, her face swollen and scrunched, her skin covered in amniotic fluid, some blood, and vernix, but beneath all that it was the lavender shade he had seen. A cap of dark hair covered her head and she flailed her limbs, her cries calming as she snuffled at him, catching his scent.

She peered up at him through swollen eyes, likely not able to really see him, but Stephen didn't care.

"Hello there." he said, his voice coming out a little choked, but it calmed her a little more.

"Hello." Stephen repeated, honestly dumbstruck,

She was here, in his arms, and though he had never found babies, let alone newborns, attractive, she was beautiful. She flailed her arms and cried a bit more, and Stephen held her gently, afraid he might hurt her.

His hands were still shaking and still hurt, after all, but she fit well in his arms, much better and easier than if she was half this size.

"She is beautiful, Stephen." Wong murmured, a smile in his voice.

Stephen nodded his agreement and Master Bodhi checked things, announcing that he would have some time before Baby B, so the cord would remain uncut, and Stephen could hold her until then. At the moment, everything seemed to check out, so there was no need to rush things; she was in no obvious signs of distress or danger.

"Well done, Stephen." Christine said, smiling, and Stephen nodded.

He held his daughter close and watched her, completely enthralled, and she calmed, snuggling against his chest, absorbing his scent and the warmth of his body. This was good for them both.

"Victoria. This is Victoria Wong Strange." Stephen said confidently, having known that, despite the fact he had been a little unsure, she was most certainly Victoria.

"That's a wonderful name." Master Bodhi said with a smile, and Victoria settled fully.

Soon, the cord was cut and Stephen had to hand her over, Christine following, and Wong rubbed his arm.

"You're doing well. She's beautiful." he said and Stephen nodded.

Right now, though, he wanted her back, a sudden possessiveness washing over him as he watched his daughter be fully examined.

But he wanted to know that she was entirely healthy, and he waited as she was checked, and then given a clean bill of health. Something untangled in his chest at this and he reached immediately when Christine brought her over, her weight settling back in his arms.

Master Bodhi checked things, which involved a spell and a physical examination, and determined that Christina wasn't coming to join them any time soon.

Stephen was able to relax a bit, even if the contractions were still coming and still hurt, and Wong was able to get up, stretch his legs, and get a drink. Thor, Natasha, and Steve were updated and Tony took a picture before Stephen could protest, though he was grateful for it later. Christine gave him a little to drink and wiped the sweat off his face with a cool cloth, and that was appreciated, too.

Now he had time to relax and get his head around that Victoria was here, that he was a father, that this was real, and while he wouldn't get the exact same time with Christina, he appreciated the time to get adjusted. He was even able to feed her, in addition to cuddling her and cooing over her, and Tony and Pepper stayed despite everything, calling Happy and checking up on Morgan.

Victoria clutched Stephen's finger while she nursed from the bottle and Christine was perched on the bed beside Stephen, helping keep his hand steady, because there was still pain and cramping there, and gripping Wong like his life depended on it hadn't helped things.

But he was able to feed her, even if he had to have help, and that meant so much to him. When she finished, she yawned hugely and Stephen smiled, murmuring to her as Christine took the bottle away.

Eventually, though, the contractions got to the point where he had to hand her over to Pepper and Pepper accepted, looking a little startled, but she was clearly happy. She sat in a chair close at hand, unbuttoning her blouse for skin-to-skin contact when Stephen asked if she would mind, and he knew Victoria was in good hands.

Wong took up position behind him again and Stephen's brief break was over, but that was all right. It was all most over and Christina would be here soon, and he would have both his daughters.

Now rather than fear there was anticipation, and Stephen watched the spells that were monitoring him and Christina, but they both looked good, despite the fact she was just hanging out in there. Enjoying the first time in her life having room to herself, he supposed, and at least she hadn't stretched or turned due to her new freedom.

Twins liked to do that, but instead she seemed content to more or less hang out in his womb, until things got a move on. Despite the rest and then her sudden eagerness, it still took Christina fifty-nine minutes to join her sister. Stephen wasn't pushing for nearly as long and Christina was smaller than Victoria, but it was still quite the effort.

He leaned back against Wong, exhausted, taking deep breaths, his chest heaving, and Wong brushed a thumb over his knuckles.

"You can do this, Stephen. You already did." he said and Stephen let out a sound that might have been a laugh.

"Not helpful." he muttered, because honestly, being reminded that he had just done it did not feel like encouragement.

But Christina gave him an easier time than Victoria had, and when she was crowning, Master Bodhi took his hand again.

She had more hair than her sister, by the feel of it, and Stephen touched her for as long as he could, but then his hand was back in Wong's. He was really at the end of his strength now, and the next few pushes- head, shoulders, body, Master Bodhi coached- seemed impossible.

But he did them, hearing Thor on the other side of the door again as he cried out, and then he felt her move, sliding out of him little by little, until he was suddenly weirdly light and empty. The sensation almost made him dizzy and he fell back against Wong's chest, taking deep breaths, trying to see, but everyone was silent, and Master Bodhi and Christine were talking rapidly between each other, and Master Bodhi was working quickly.

Babies didn't cry at first, but...

"What's wrong?" Stephen said, struggling into a better sitting position, trying to see.

"Stephen, it's all right. She needs a minute." Christien said quickly, but her eyes never left the baby.

"Tell me what's wrong!" Stephen cried, trying to see, catching a glimpse, but Master Bodhi was mostly in the way.

No one said anything, too focused on the baby, and Wong gripped his hands tightly. The noise on the other of the door fell silent and Tony pressed his clasped hands to his mouth, Victoria fussing at his loud cry.

Obviously, Christina was breathing, but Master Bodhi was rubbing her back vigorously, and tears began to prick Stephen's eyes. She had been fine a moment ago, the spells hadn't detected anything, this wasn't the future he had seen, he had seen both his daughters, healthy if not happy-

"Give her to me!" he demanded, ripping his shaking hands away from Wong, reaching out.

"St-"

"Give her to me now!" Stephen shouted, and Christine scooped up the twin, pressing her into his arms.

She was the wrong shade of purple and her chest fluttered, but not enough, and Stephen found himself moving on instinct.

"Come on, Christina. Come on!" he whispered, rubbing her as vigorously as he could.

"Wake up. Come on. Come on, I know you can do it. Come on, Christina." he continued, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

Was this not the future he had seen? That last of two? Had there been yet another he had missed, a future where one of his baby girls died?

She was just a little smaller than her sister, but she was so tiny and fragile in his arms in this moment, so small and limp, and he couldn't tell if she was breathing anymore.

"Wake up! Please, Christina. Please." Stephen cried, the tears beginning to spill over.

"St-"

"NO!" Stephen snarled at Master Bodhi, hearing Tony giving FRIDAY some order, and he rubbed Christina vigorously.

Her back, her chest, her foot, flicking it, wiping at her nose and mouth, holding her to his heart when that elicited nothing, talking all the while.

"Wake up, Christina, wake up. Wake up! Come on, baby girl, come on. Please."

Against his heart so she could hear the familiar sound, so she could smell him, because he was all she knew, and he knew he should hand her to Master Bodhi and Christine, that she could die if she hadn't already, but he couldn't let her go, not yet-

A cry split the air and he froze, looking down, and he found her eyes opening, indignant cries leaving her mouth, not quite as loud as Victoria's, but her color was improving and she was breathing steadily, glowering at him, it seemed.

His tears splashed onto her and he held her close, sobbing now, Wong rubbing his back, and Christina fussed and cried, his own crying not helping that.

"Oh, thank God." Tony said, dropping into a crouch.

Stephen clung to his daughter for a moment, then let Christine take her, and she and the healers rushed around, soon determining that Christina was all right. It had merely been the shock of the birth, of being out of the womb and in the world for the first time, that had done that, and all the while Stephen cried against Wong, too scared and relieved and happy to do anything else.

"I have never wanted to scream a baby before. She scared the life out of me." he whispered, and Wong laughed.

"I know that can happen. I know it, but-"

"But knowing it and experiencing it are vastly different, Stephen. It is all right to be emotional." Wong soothed, rubbing his arm.

Stephen nodded and it took him until Christina was finished with to calm down and then he took her back, spending some one-on-one time with her as he had Victoria. The placenta came thirteen minutes after Christina did, the easiest part of the whole ordeal, and both Tony and Wong gagged, as Tony had come over to take Christina if need be.

Neither of them threw up, though, and the Cloak flitted between the twins and Stephen, checking on them all. Stephen, eventually, gave Christina to Tony to do some skin to skin with, as Christine appeared with his robe, which Natasha had apparently taken and thrown in the wash.

First, though, came his examination, and he had no tearing despite the size of the twins, and his scars had reopened, either. In all, he looked good, and he supposed Reality had made it so that his body could handle Thanos's offspring, which he was grateful for. Wong and Christine helped him to the bathroom and he was shaky and exhausted, but the quick shower they convinced him to take to get the sweat and amniotic fluid off felt wonderful.

By the time they emerged, the bed had fresh sheets on it, the placenta had been disposed of, and while the room still stank of birth, blood, and sweat, it was different now. The Cloak hugged him and Master Bodhi got him situated back in bed, Christine disappearing.

Stephen was exhausted, but he didn't want to go to sleep just yet. He wanted to hold his daughters and feed Christina, and everyone humored him, though Master Bodhi did say he wanted Stephen and the twins to stay here until Stephen was well-rested, even if it would just be a trip through a portal. He also wanted to monitor the twins, just case.

Stephen nodded and he had a sip of the beer Thor sent in even though he didn't particularly like it, but Christine soon came back with what looked like one of those protein shake bottles, filled the brim with pinkish liquid.

"What is that?" he asked, frowning.

"It's something the labor and delivery nurses do at Metro-General; when you asked me to be on the team, I hung out with them and asked questions. Master Bodhi also suggested it." Christine said, placing it on the table beside him.

"Ginger ale, orange juice, cranberry juice, apple juice. You just shoved thirty-three pounds of babies and placenta out of your body and you lost a lot of fluid on top of it, despite the efforts to keep you hydrated. You need it. The sugar will also pick you up. You need care too, even though I know you are focused on the twins right now." she continued and Stephen would have probably teared up with how wrecked he felt if he hadn't just cried himself out.

She had put a lid on the container and a wide, sturdy straw that could bend also stuck out of it.

"Oh, no. What's with that look?" Christine said, her brows drawing together with concern.

"I really don't know what I did to deserve you in my life." Stephen said and Christine smiled.

She said nothing, just squeezed his shoulder.

"Drink your mocktail." she said.

Stephen snorted at the name, but he did drink it. The cup was sturdy enough that he could hold it with his shaking hands and the straw was what he needed, and he managed it without Wong or anyone else, who was taking a well-deserved break and checking in at Kamar-Taj.

He spoke with Master Bodhi, checking things, and then, once he had drunk a good portion of the drink and Master Bodhi checked him again (along with his hands), he was able to take his daughters back. They had been weighed, measured, and everything else, the vernix still coating their skin because it was good for them, and though they were twice the size of an average newborn, they still seemed so small and fragile.

They were draped loosely in blankets now and Stephen held them in his arms, looking down at them, talking to them softly. He loved them. He had known that months ago, but looking at them, holding them, he was shocked by how much he did.

Love for a baby, even if it was planned and wanted, didn't come instantly. That was natural, nothing to worry about. But he did love them, more than he had ever loved anything else, and Stephen was almost sure what to do with all that he was feeling.

Victoria Wong Strange and Christina Donna Strange.

His daughters. His daughters, not Thanos's, never his, not even if they shared his blood.

They had come from his body, his pain, and they were his, their names marking them as Stranges too, rather than any legacy of the Mad Titan.

He pressed a kiss to each their foreheads, holding them as close as he could, despite his pain, despite his exhaustion, watching them quietly, realizing for the first time in a long time, he felt a sense of genuine peace.