Twenty-Six

                                    

                                          
The Cisco Kid by War
"You know, I once went to Colorado on a work trip. Had to teach a suture lesson but I'd say it was worth it. I was basically paid to go on vacation," he tells the sergeant in an attempt to make conversation. Without saying a word, she turns towards her small zippered pouch to ensure it contains her bathroom necessities. 
Emerson doesn't want to acknowledge him. She wants to shut him down, pretend she's not interested in what he has to say. She wants to be an asshole and avoid him like he was previously doing to her. Maybe that would make her feelings for him dissipate a lot faster. Emerson doesn't want to have feelings for the Sorcerer Supreme— not when he doesn't feel the same way. It's embarrassing and it makes her look foolish and naive. The doctor is always flirting and toying with her feelings— it's awfully inconsiderate.
"Have you always lived in Colorado?" Strange questions, trying to loosen Emerson up. After noticing her attempts to ignore him, a slight pain fills his chest. Is this what being avoided is like? 
"When I wasn't deployed, yes," Emerson says through gritted teeth as she double checks that she has everything packed. She doesn't want to make conversation with him in case she gets angry. The sergeant would hate to be frustrated during her reunion with her father.
"Right," is all he mumbles before Emerson lifts her hands to create a portal. Strange watches the way her dainty hands flow through the air, and how her fingers twitch. The Sorcerer Supreme has taken notice of the apprentice's advancements. She's well-versed in mystical plant life, she's nearly perfected her spell work, and she radiates confidence in what she does. That is the one thing that held the Doctor back from quickly mastering the mystic arts. He wasn't nearly as confident in it when he started, and that definitely set him back. Maybe he should reward Emerson more, or make it known he's impressed with her abilities. "You've gotten very proficient with your sorcery."
"Thank you," Emerson cracks a smile at his unexpected compliment. The bitterness she was feeling is lifted off her shoulders at his simple words. "I've been doing a lot of reading and even more research. Maybe someday I'll know more than you. That's the hope at least," she answers with a shit-eating grin on her face. She glances over to Stephen, seeing he changed his clothes into some dressier attire. Enough for her dad to be impressed but not enough for him to look high class. Perfect.
"I'm the Sorcerer Supreme, good luck with that," he teases her back. The smile on her face is hypnotizing, he can't look away. The sergeant really radiates happiness and it's obvious when she's been angered. 
"Please! You're getting old and soon everything you know will be outdated. Then I'll come to the rescue knowing all the information on the current mystical events," she pokes fun at him. He shakes his head at her old comment. He can't deny it... The evidence literally lines the sides of his head, replacing the black hairs he once had. 
They step through the portal, Strange in tow. Appearing beside Emerson's childhood home, she quickly closes the portal hoping nobody saw that. She told her father they were taking an early flight this morning so she didn't have to explain how they both got here so fast. Walking around her house and up to the front door, she rings the doorbell. 
Strange notices the navy green color of the small home and the hastas planted out front. He sees a couple of vehicles in the driveway, one of them must be Emerson's. The cement is broken up in many places as well. Looking up, the gutters are barely hanging on and are full of leaves from this past fall. The house is in desperate need of new gutters, maybe even new shingles. In addition, the grass is overgrown which shows nobody does the outdoor house chores. 
Footsteps trail up to the front door before it unlocks. It opens up to reveal an older woman.
"Emerson! Doctor! Come in, come in. Whew, it is a bit chilly out there," Amanda says while showing Stephen inside. "Emerson, you look well," she smiles towards the sergeant before giving her a small hug. Emerson really appreciates all Amanda has done for her father. She has been there when Emerson couldn't be.