Chapter Text
You had met Dr. Stephen Strange when you were still in your medical school clinicals, on your rotation through neurosurgery. He was less than thrilled to have a med student following him around like a lost puppy but after Dr. Palmer had vouched for you, he seemed to cool off mildly. Before your rotation with Dr. Strange, you were assigned to work under Dr. Palmer for general trauma surgeries that came through the ED. She was kind, knowledgeable and helpful. She allowed you to really learn and feel more comfortable in the OR. She allowed you countless opportunities to be her second hand in surgeries and helped mold you into hopefully, a great trauma surgeon. But when it came to working under Dr. Strange, it was the complete opposite.
At first, he wouldn’t even allow you in the trauma suite, you had to observe from the observation room where you couldn’t ‘contaminate’ anything. His arrogance and his flat out smug demeanor made working with him next to impossible. He gave you zero opportunity to learn, be hands on, or even help, let alone observe. You had to watch his surgeries through a monitor. He told you to write down questions as to not interrupt him in his OR, even though he was just blasting music from the 70’s and 80’s. When you did bring him questions during your one-on-one weekly meetings, he would rarely answer them. Instead he would tell you that you should have learned this in medical school or that you should know this already. You no longer enjoyed being in the OR, or even going to the hospital. Never in your life have you been undermined like this.
There was only 6 weeks left on this rotation and you were counting down the days til it was over. You never in your life wanted something to be done this bad. Dr. Strange was worse now than he was in the beginning. His attitude was much more sour, his mood was always negative and you seemed to be taking the brunt of it. You just kept your head down, barely wanting to ask anything when it was time for your weekly one-on-one. You desperately tried to find a reason why you couldn’t make it but in the end, you decided to suck it up. Maybe if you just said you had no questions he would let you leave.
You took a deep breath as you approached his office door, which was ajar. You go to knock when you hear a woman's voice coming from inside, one you recognize as Dr. Palmer. You try not to eavesdrop but Strange had a thing about tardiness, it was never acceptable for me, but he could be late all he wanted.
“We can’t keep doing this, Stephen. I can’t keep doing this.” Dr. Palmer said.
“Christine, we can talk about this.” Strange said.
“No, we really can’t. This relationship is going nowhere and you know it. You are too caught up in your work, in waiting to be the best that you can’t step away from it. You can’t even put your ego aside to let someone else take the reins. You can’t control everything and everyone, Stephen! I’m done.” Dr. Palmer quickly started walking towards the door so you stood with your back on the wall across from his office door, pretending to be caught up in your notes from the previous week to notice her as she walked down the hallway, back towards the elevators. You peered up long enough to watch her looking at you while the elevator doors closed. You took a deep breath before walking over to his office door, knocking lightly before sticking your head in.
You saw Strange in his office chair, pinching the bridge of his nose as he looked out his window, over the city of New York. His head didn’t turn as you knocked, he must have not heard.
“Dr. Strange?” You said softly. The air in his office was thick with tension, anger and frustration but you try to push it out of your head as Strange slowly turns to see you standing in his doorway.
“I don’t mean to interrupt, but we have our meeting.” You say, keeping your voice soft. You watch Strange take a deep breath.
“Or I can come back another time if this time doesn’t work.” You suggest. Maybe he will take the bait and you can scurry away.
“No, now’s fine.” He said, gesturing to the seat across from his desk, which was littered in cases. So many came across his desk that he normally just let them scatter about. You nod, taking a seat across from him and putting your notes in your lap. You give him a slight smile as he looks you up and down.
“So what brain rattling questions do you have for me this week?” He asked. You could practically hear the eye roll in that sentence.
“None, Sir.” You simply state, still keeping your voice soft even though his attitude was already on your nerves.
“Yeah, I find that hard to believe.” He stated as he sat up and pointed to your notebook. “Let me see.” his voice was firm.
“Why? I said I have no questions for you.” You try to keep your voice soft but firm as he stood up and walked around to the front of his desk.
“Because for the past six weeks, you have done nothing but ask me question after question. So I find it hard to believe that you suddenly have none.” He stated as he swiped your notebook and began flipping through it.
“Hey! That doesn’t belong to you, asshole!” You say as he flips through, reading your notes. You tried to take the notebook back but he held it firm and walked back behind his desk.
“Wow, that’s the most I have ever heard you use your voice.” He said as he continued to flip through, his tone condescending. You take a deep breath, trying to compose yourself as he continues to flip through, occasionally looking up and raising an eyebrow at you.
“May I please have my notebook back?” You say, returning your voice back to its softer state.
“No.” He stated simply as he sat down, continuing to flip through it.
“Okay! What’s your fucking deal?” You snap. All the anger and frustration are about to flow out of you like a river. He simply looks up at you, then back at your notebook.
“You act like I am the most annoying creature on the planet. You treat me like dirt. You walk all over me. You don’t let me in your OR, and you don’t even answer any of the questions I ask so why the fuck does it even matter if I don’t ask you any questions? All you do is walk around this place like you are better than everyone else, like you are too good to help me learn anything! And I don’t know what’s going on with you and Dr. Palmer but that is no reason to take your relationship issues, or lack thereof, out on me. So you know what? Fuck you and give me back my notebook and I will be out of your hair soon!” You snap. He glanced you up and down before returning to your notebook with a smug grin on his face.
“Took you long enough.” He said as he closed the notebook and put it on his desk.
“What?” You practically shout.
“You can’t be a surgeon and act all soft all the time.” He stated as he leaned against his desk.
“I repeat, what?!” You state as he gestures to a chair in front of him. At some point in your rage, you stood up without noticing.
“When you’re in the OR, you can’t be docile. You can’t be soft. You have to be assertive, firm, and confident in your abilities. We can’t have any of that innocent crap.” He stated, his eyes locked on you. You sit there a moment, absorbing what he was trying to tell you when it clicked.
“So you mean to tell me, that this entire time you have been acting like a world class prick to get me to snap?” You ask.
“Finally, a good question. Yes, and it took you long enough.” He smirked again as anger started to build once more.
“You arrogant son of a-” You were cut off by Strange’s phone buzzing. He pulled his phone out, smirked once more before standing up and walking towards his office door, grabbing his white coat. You watched as this man was about to just leave you in the middle of this conversation when he looked back at you.
“Are you just going to sit there or are you going to scrub in? We don’t have all day. Neither does the guy downstairs with a bullet about to migrate into his cerebellum.” Strange said as he watched the wheels in your head turn before you shot up from your chair with an ear to ear smile, immediately throwing your arms around his neck tightly before even realizing what you were doing.
You pressed your body firm into his, feeling every ridge and valley of what must be some sculpted muscles flush against your body. The cologne he was wearing was subtle, but flooded your senses immediately. The scent could only be described as rich, dark and sophisticated, something that a man with money would wear. It was a moment before you realized what was happening, that he slid an arm around your waist and that he had inhaled your scent. That your body was starting to react to him, his smell, his touch. Your heart started to beat faster in your chest as you started to feel heat ignite in your core. You immediately moved back and looked at him before lightly smiling.
“I’ll go scrub in then.” You state as you go back and grab your belongings, squeezing by him as you make your way quickly to the elevators. When you get in, you turn back to see Dr. Strange watching you, his hand in his pockets as the doors shut.
In the weeks following, so much had changed. You were in the OR constantly, by Strange’s side. You were even with him during consults, which he never allowed before. He was even answering your questions, no matter how stupid they might have been. In those last six weeks, Strange pushed you hard, but you had grown and learned so much more than you thought. He started to be kinder to you, even thoughtful. He would bring you coffee after a 24 hour shift in the ED, telling you how much that time in his career had killed him. He even stayed late one night, buying you dinner while he went over potential cases with you, teaching you how he picks the cases he was going to take. Everything was going great, except for those budding feelings you kept trying to push down.
It was the last week of your rotation with him, and you would be lying to say you were happy that this rotation was done. You went through the last few days by Strange’s side, faking your excitement for the next rotation. The only thing that kept you from all out sadness was that you were still going to be in the same hospital, and maybe your paths would cross again. You were also secretly kicking yourself for being all worked up and upset over a school girl crush.
On your last day, you were finishing up some charting when you looked up to see Strange leaning over the nurses station. You smirked up at him and went back to looking at your computer screen.
“So, that’s it.” Strange said.
“Seems like it.”You smiled as she kept typing.
“No longer my number two.” He said.
“Not anymore, as of….” she hit save on the file before looking back up to him “now.”
“Good, let’s get some dinner, now that you’re Cardiovascular’s problem.”
“I didn’t realize I was such a problem, Doctor.” You smirked as you gathered up your stuff and began walking back towards the doctors lounge. Strange was immediately by your side as you walked.
“Such a problem. I’m speaking at a conference tomorrow night. I think you should come. Grab some dinner beforehand, it will be a learning experience.” He said as he held the door to the Doctor’s lounge open for you.
“I would, if I didn’t have a dreadful 24 hr ED shift once again.” You sigh as you open your locker and pull out your backpack.
“So if you didn’t have that shift?” He asked, leaning against the row of lockers.
“Then I’d love to, as long as I’m not a problem.” You joked as you pack your bag.
“Well, its a good thing you no longer have that shift. I’ll pick you up at 6.” Strange said as you put your jacket on. You just stare at him as he winks at you and walks out the door.
He never picked you up for dinner that night.