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"Mhh, what time period are those black and white movies you made me watch ? Those people seemed to have fun and knew how to do things without all the electronics." Clea asked ? She was talking about the glorious 20ties, and also the 60ties, when movies just showed how honest and flawed love could be, how women and men dressed with style , danced, had honor and faced adversary with quite the dignity.

She knew about more ancient civilizations through her escapades with Loki here and there over 2000 years ago, so she was not really interested in being called a witch or a god. Also, she was sure that her friends would be really jealous right now , but they could literally do their own temporal vacation if they wanted to.

Those memories were indeed precious, a representation of what they were together, how they could love. His smile widened at her words, she was right, so right. It was important to keep those memories just like they were and build something new far from this kind of expectation. "Earth it will be then." He agreed with a slow nod, thinking about the different places he could show her. "My only wish is to time-travel then, leave the Earth to another supreme, and focus on healing our marriage." He asked. "India and Nebraska are two places I would like to show you. But we could start with some countries in Europe, I barely know them." Strange shared with a faraway look.

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"Eddorynn ? ... I have not thought about that in so long. " She looked up a bit, memories slowly flooding in. "So much did happen there, but then we were younger...and I more naive." she stated. "But it was a trip I remember with fondness, if not for the part where you almost became King. " she smiled and looked back at him. "However, how about somewhere we have never been before, here or there... now or then. Somewhere we can make memories without it being already weighed by a past that can bring comparaison to mind. " she insisted. "Somewhere, we can learn to love each other properly again without the toxicity that cancered our marriage these past years." She stated. "So how about somewhere here on Earth ? I have not seen much of it despite it being sort of a Home. "

Despite all those months, Strange was yet unsure about his own knowledge of the god. His relationship with Loki couldn't be compared to the one Clea had with him. They were always the god of mischief in front of the supreme sorcerer of Earth before just Loki and Strange. "I suppose we will have to see when it will be time." He closed the subject. His eyes locked on the lake, Strange didn't expect this kind of proposition, he looked back at her, a bit surprised. When was the last time they shared that kind of vacation? Their honeymoon? "It would be great." He finally replied, despite their conversation, Strange was only realizing now how serious she was about fixing their wedding. It wasn't just nice words to hear. "Out of time would be best." He offered with a smile, not wishing to be disturbed by his duties. "Do you remember Eddorynn?" He suggested, nostalgia making him smile a bit.

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The current Doctor Strange series is so good!

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"I know a version of him he has not been for a millenia. You have nursed him back to health for months. You would know his mind set better than me. " She sighed. "He had refused to give me his magic as a fix .... if he retains his memories, he will not be happy with him, because I did what all who tried to bring him down did : erase him. " she added and nodded. It would be a problem for another day. She know could focus on her a bit and her husband. " Well, how about you support me in finding a location for a little vacation ? Just the two of us ? Somewhere we can make happier and new memories to start healing ?"

A faint amused smile crossed Strange's lips. "If someone can surprise us on the matter, it is indeed him. For the being upset part, I couldn't tell, you know him better than I do." Strange paused and seemed to struggle a bit to share his thoughts. "I do not wish to overstep anymore, but please remember I'm here. If you desire any support for... any of your projects..."

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Clea looked towards the lake. "What I took, what I needed, it was his whole essence, I am not sure, there is anything left of who he once was. But he is Loki, surviving is what he does. I just hope he won't mind too much if he remembers. "

It made sense, the sorcerer was already thinking about those possibilities, he couldn't help himself. "I see." He replied, still lost in his thoughts. "What about his memory?" He finally asked, unsure that finding back his attributes could be enough to restore this part of his identity.

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On the matter of Loki, Clea was not sure what to answer. "I do, but it will take time and a bit of luck. It all consists in finding a magical essence that would restore his being into godhood. So a couple of options are there."

A soft and sincere smile, that was all he had to reply, the important was already said. However the question made him look away, breathing in before replying. "Now... You said it, you need to bring back Loki..." He exhaled. "One problem at the time." The husband added, more slowly. "Do you have any lead on the subject?"

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[ welcome hug ] - Sigyn

"Oh it is so good to see you. How have you been, it's been so long."

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Clea crossed her legs and put her hands on her knee. "Time is not a concern for me, long roads defined my life since birth. This is really the first time I took a short cut." she admitted. She tilted her head towards him. There had been a time where she was unable to lie, it wasn't in her nature and it took her places where the consequences had been bitter. She learned to lie with Strange, for multiple reasons. "No more lies." she repeated, not sure if either of them were really a 100% honest with themselves or each other with that sentence. "what now? "

Those wishes definitively sounded like happy fairy tails. If this hypothetical future stole a small smile from the sorcerer, he stayed unsure about them. Could they really mend what they have done? Sometimes the damage was simply too big to be fixed, Strange knew it way too well. He sighed and returned next to her, sitting down, his attention on the lake. Mixed emotions filling his mind, even how nice her desire sounded about him, about them, he wasn't sure if he was sharing the same feeling. Forgiveness wasn't easy, even with a good heart, even despite the love he had for her. "It sounds like a long road." He finally shared and looked down before adding. "But not an impossible one." It was his way of agreeing on everything she just said, at least trying so they could both end up with no regrets. He looked back at her, taking the time to stare at the details. "No more lies."

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The smile flattered from her lips when he became serious again. She sat back down on her rock and crossed her legs. She looked at Strange with kinder eyes. "I want you to spend your last years, months , weeks, days, in piece and surrounded by love...and when you'll join the other side, to have no regrets, no sorrow and no burden." She tilted her head and went back to the lake. "I would wnat you to forgive me and me to forgive you ...eventually. " she sighed. "But wishes are never meant to come true without a cost. " She blinked and looked back at Strange. "So I just hope for the best possible outcome and will nurture your trust and your love ... and I will have to leave to save the dark dimension and name a regent so I don't have to be torn between here and there. "

Did it? Help? Strange wasn't sure. After all, he never felt good with words, because those weren't enough to share how he was feeling, but at least now they were speaking. Even if it sounds too easy to use the excuse of being a man with flaws this time, she wasn't wrong but it couldn't be enough to take all the blame. "Oh please, since when being just a man is a good excuse to act like a jackass with my wife?" He talked back with some attitude, his anger showing up. What he didn't expect was the shove. He ended up on his ass, cold and wet, a surprised look on his face. She seriously dared?! And Cloaky didn't react uh? Alright, it was a good kick to his anger and thoughts, but fucking. "Cold." He replied after a brief moment, standing up and looking more pissed than what he was before. "What do you wish Clea? For us this time." He asked while leaving the lake, his magic drying his clothes.

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Clea simply looked at Strange while he was talking and smiled. She knew what as going to come from his mouth and it had still be tamed. "Has it helped you to word it ? " she asked in return. She did not seem affected by it, not that she did not care, but she knew on what he was angry and it wasn't her actions, it was his. "Stephen, I know you sometimes forget it, but you are still but a man. A man with flaws and good intention , and a good heart. Those do not mix well together, and as I said, I do not hold any ressentment towards you for that" she stood also up. "But if you insist on punishement, fine...have it. " and she shoved him not with magic, but with her body into the lake. "How's the cold shower? " she asked.

"I'm not-" Strange stopped himself before saying a lie. His anger always was cold, almost denying it until he would say some words he would later regret. "I have no good solution." He finally said and stood up, reaching the edge of the lake, turning his back on her a moment before finally looking back at her, letting some of his nerves snap. "You want to hear it? Fine. You lied to me, stole from me, and killed for your own profit because we arrived at a point where it felt better for you to harm a friend than ask your husband for help. And it feels sooo greeat. Now what? I have no wish to fight you or even blame you for acting like you did because I know I also failed you, I failed us. Here we are, and yes I need a moment to come to terms with this mess. Does it help to hear it? Because it doesn't feel like it is."

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Clea felt the sting, "okay" she replied. She moved her hands to play with some flat rocks, it was easier to do with magic. "So are you going to stay passive aggressive or are you going to show your anger and we can fight it out? " she asked. She was making the effort to not just provoke it out of him , call that character growth.

"That..." The sorcerer still avoided her eyes and deeply sighed. "... explains the beaming." He slowly said, in other conditions, he would be so glad for her, so proud, knowing how important it was. But her achievement was made with other lives destroyed and Strange will need some time to get over this. "You finally reached it." He managed to add. "One day you will have to tell me more about it... show me. But for the moment please, keep your joy for someone else."

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"That's fine. " she replied. She looked at him and nodded. "I also have a true faltine form now..." she added, since well, she didn't have many people who could actually enjoy it with her. Magik and Nico had, Loki wasn't around. Wong neither , and Strange was her best friend , or well had been as well as her confident, but still she wanted to share that achievement now.

Despite his anger and yes disappointment, she succeeded to steal him a fine smile that didn't last. "To be honest I don't know how to see you for the moment." He confessed, it would be easier to simply be mad at her for what she did, and even if Strange hated her actions, he wasn't able to ignore the care he had for her, all those good moments. Maybe it was a good thing, maybe it wasn't, again it will depend on the moral compass of each one. "Wise advice." He agreed and could feel that she was trying to follow it. "Thank you for telling me."

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"Dumb" she admitted. "For thinking you would even consider those thoughts." She swallowed. "Maybe now you do see me like a disappointement, but that's okay. " she added. She smiled sadly. "To embrace and forgive , that she was incapable of loving me as a mother but would not see me perish ... reminded me that I was not alone and there were specific persons who did love me ..."

"And how are you feeling now?" He first asked, still not looking at her. He didn't agree about the moral compass that a soul could offer or not, but it was a tricky subject and Strange had no desire to debate it at this moment. So he stayed silent and listened to the rest, part of him cursed her for reminding him of his love for her, it couldn't be that easy. Hopefully, the mention of her mother surprised him enough to focus on this and not that much on the actual problem. "What did she say?"

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"You did not betray me. You have not done anything in order to hurt me or sell me out. I just felt I wasn't good enough for you anymore, that we were not partners and that you did not want me by your side anymore. It made me feel like a burden ...and that is what I ressented you for. " she explained. "I don't think a soul dictates morals, I do have one and I am more soulless than you'll ever be. " she remarked. "Ironically it's our wedding night that pulled me out of the faltine waters... thinking about what I would lose...thinking about your love for me. But then again my mother also appeared and actually gave me good advice..."

At least she wanted to bring him back, she wasn't totally selfish. For the rest, Strange wished he could say he cared about it, but at this instant, he didn't. He knew some of his own feelings were already missing, it was probably how he didn't snap yet. "I see." He only replied, not offering his help, he understood the message and wasn't kind enough to do the first move on this, if she wanted something from him, she will have to ask this time. "You should have waited a month or two, maybe I would have been enough soulless to accept your apology. Is that how you felt? When I betrayed you with my secrets?"

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"Bring back Loki and face his wrath" she replied. "Find a way to mend your soul ....and eventually go back home, free my people from Dormammu ...take my revenge on him. " she did not hide her ambitions. Wanting to remain truthful even if she had a feeling that this was pushing him away. She understood the anger, welcomed it even, as long as he did not hide behind an iron gate of self control. "But first and foremost, bring back Loki." she repeated.

Two lives for a dagger... It wasn't even part of her ritual or a spell, it was to buy a stupid dagger from a human. Strange clenched his jaw and looked down, slowly feeling something raise in his chest. He could now fill the gaps of all those recent events, oh joy. Realizing that his wife preferred to play with the lives of three people instead to ask for help left Strange speechless for a moment. He closed his eyes and slowly breathed out, cold anger finally taking possession of him. "And now what? What are your next ambitions Clea?" He slowly asked, raising up his chin to this peaceful landscape, getting nothing from it anymore.

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"I used Steve Rogers declining health, when his death came it ankered someone else. A life for a life. As for the other one, well I needed Loki's essence as he exist in many universes..." she trailed off. " to bring a Zemo here ...to get this dagger from Osborn." she had it in her hand. "Those are the only ones I sacrified for my cause."

Could they really mend anything? Especially after what she just told him? At least now Strange could understand the feeling of being truly betrayed. "Who was involved?" He asked, at the point, it felt stupid to speak with riddles, even if he got some ideas of who the casualties were here, he needed to be sure, to hear it from her. The rest didn't really matter, it was done, and knowing how would be more a curiosity question than anything else. For now, Strange didn't care.

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Why was she telling him that ? To avoid anyone else doing it ? Avoid him knowing on the spot. "Because,an explanation is the least I can offer. Give you all the cards so you don't find out through bits and pieces. " She licked her lips. "And in the end you were honest with me too, I ...had time to think...and maybe honesty could be the foundation of mending our relationship ..." she offered.

If Strange frowned at how it started, he hated how it followed. He didn't move nor looked at her, focused on this lake, now understanding why she decided to meet here. It was a lot to deal with, letting the sorcerer silent for a moment. He glanced at his own hands for a quick instant, wondering if everything he just heard was really his reality. And for a second he hoped that everything would simply fade around him, that she will silently disappear. But the pain in his chest and the cold stinging his cheeks seemed to confirm this cruel reality. "Why are you telling me now?" He finally asked, not sharing much of his feelings, no anger or sadness but a cold calm.