It was the day when she became a Master and her first day into training and studying to be the next Sorcerer Supreme.

She stared longingly at the photo for as long as she needed her eyes focused on the proud smile that the Ancient One had until she could no longer hold back her tears.

Lenore leaned against the table and weeped.

She spent an hour in the room, clutching the photo close to her heart as she walked back to her room. When she arrived, she placed the photo on the bedside table, she mentally reminded herself to buy a frame for it.

Lenore then walked to the bathroom, drawing herself a warm bath.

"Ow." She hissed as she carefully peeled away her robe, wincing as the fabric caught on the edge of her bandages. She heaved out a relieved sigh as once she was able to take off her robe completely, only noticing now the bruises that littered her body. She cursed the Zealots under her breath.

She stepped under the warm water, washing off the sweat and the dried blood off of her body.

When she was done, she dressed herself in a white shirt and a pair of black shorts before she grabbed her first-aid kit  to clean her stitches. She was grateful even with what she went through, the stitches remained closed.

"Hey." A voice mumbled, coming from the doorway.

Lenore jumped, her hand flying to her heart. She instantly regretted it as the pain shot throughout her whole body. As the pain subsided, she snapped her head towards the doorway to see Stephen standing beside it.

"Oh, it's you." She quickly lowered her shirt as a light flush appeared across her cheeks. "What are you doing here?"

"I came here to check on you, I thought you were asleep." Stephen replied as he stepped into the room and closed the door.

"Well, here I am." She said with a coy smile.

Stephen's eyes flickered to where her hands are, making him chuckle as he strode over towards her bed.

"May I?" He asked as he tipped his head towards the cotton ball and the ointment in her hands.

Lenore pursed her lips and nodded slowly. She watched as he took the chair and situated it in front of her before she handed him the ointment and the cotton to him.

"I must warn you, my hands weren't as delicate as they once were." Stephen joked, eliciting a soft chuckle from her as she lifted her shirt. She bit her lip, refraining from letting out a pained noise as Stephen worked.

"All done." Stephen said after applying a new bandage to cover her stitches.

Lenore took both of his hands, her thumbs running over the scars that he gained from the various surgeries that were performed to bring them back to the way it once was.

"When you were inside the Dark Dimension, fighting Dormammu..." she peered up only to see that Stephen was already starting at her. "Was it everything my vision showed me? We're you mutilated, impaled...other vile ways to kill you?"

Stephen shrugged his shoulders. "I guess you could say that."

"How did you get out from that? My vision only showed you getting killed and coming back unaffected? What did you—"

"Because I have this." Stephen moved his hands down to the Eye of Agamotto, pressing a small button in order to reveal the Time Stone inside. "I made a time loop spell."

Lenore smiled as she reached for the Eye of Agamotto and tapped the same buttons to close it. "You're clever, Strange. But you worry me sometimes."

"You're worried about me?"

"Of course," she moved her hands down to his, holing them once again and giving them a gentle squeeze. "You're important to me."

Stephen smiled as he spun his hand to take hers in his. "You're important to me too."

Stephen brought his right hand up to her cheek, caressing it with his thumb as he stared into her eyes. Lenore sighed softly as she raised her hand to touch his, stroking it gently with her thumb as she closed her eyes in content.

"I'm glad you're back." she said, relief in her voice as she allowed Stephen to create her cheek. She opened her eyes when she heard him chuckling, she viewed up at him in confusion.

"Did you miss me?" Stephen questioned with a teasing smirk on his lips.

Lenore snorted, "What if I told you I did?"

Stephen's face inched closer, there was playful look in his eyes. His eyes flickered to her lips and he couldn't help but smirk.

"Can't get enough of me aren't you?"

Lenore rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

It was at that moment that Lenore realized that their faces were only a hairbreadth away from each other. She smiled but was conflicted about whether to do it or not. She wanted to, ever since they shared it for the first time.

"A-Are you sure?" she finally raised the question, causing Stephen to back away a little.

He saw the worry in her eyes and he knew instantly what she was thinking about. Stephen chuckled and Lenore was struck with confusion, soon, a light flush appeared across her cheeks, and looked away in shame.

"If you're worried about Christine," he paused, they never actually had addressed this so he didn't want to make assumptions, "If she really is who you're worried about. You don't have to, it's fine.."

"Really?" before asked, her face lighting up as a smile exchanged the frown on her face.

"She even told me not to mess it up," he admitted, chuckling softly. "Maybe threatened is the right word for it."

Lenore smiled wider, laughing.

The two held their gaze, smiling at each other as their faces inched closer. After glancing at Lenore's lips one last time, he leaned forward and captured her lips. He felt her smile against their kiss as her grip in his hands tightened.

As if their closeness wasn't enough, the cloak wrapped itself around Lenore and pulled her close to him. Lenore yelped, pulling away from Stephen as she realized that the cloak had pulled her onto his lap.

Lenore shot a warning glare at the cloak as it made a saluting gesture towards Stephen.

"I didn't tell it to do that," Stephen claimed, shaking his head. "I promise!"

"Naughty little thing aren't you?" Lenore said, directed towards the cloak. It removed itself from Stephen as if it was scared, and flew to the far corner of the room, facing its back towards the two of them.

Lenore shook her head sideways and brought her gaze back to Stephen, only to see that he was peering at her with a soft smile on his lips. She was struck with confusion and she shot him a questioning look, eliciting a soft chuckle from him.

"What?" she asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Nothing." he took a deep breath in as his hands crept up from her waist to her back. Lenore shivered at his touch but still kept her composure as he pulled her closer till their bodies were flush against him. Stephen pressed his face against her collarbone. Lenore beamed at him and pressed a kiss onto his head.

Stephen let out a shaky sigh, his mind playing events during his fight with Dormammu, the thought of not being able to return scared him.

"Is something troubling you?" she asked as she backed away from him, her hands moving upwards from his shoulders up to his face in which she tilted up to meet his gaze.

"Back there," he started, holding her gaze. "I was scared."

"You? Great Stephen Strange? Was scared?" she quipped as she grazed her thumb across his beard. Stephen rolled his eyes at her statement but she stopped at that, knowing Stephen was serious about it. "What made you scared?"

"I mean, who wouldn't," he stated matter-of-factly, "I now understand why the Ancient One had done it, she'd done what she could do protect other people, even if it would be...not acceptable to the eyes of others. She made sacrifices."

Lenore stared down at him, her eyebrows scrunched together in concern. "I used a spell. A time-loop to be exact. Just to trap that thing inside and never allow it to come out. Even if it would imprison me with him until the end of time, I still did it. Even if..."

Stephen gave out a sigh as he continued staring into her eyes, seeing the worry take over them. He brought one of his hands on her cheek, holding her delicately. She leaned against his touch.

"Even if what?" she asked softly.

Stephen exhaled through his nose, and soon after, he said; "Even if it means I won't ever see you again. As long as I know that you're safe."

Lenore froze at the confession, she wanted to smile but tears had already been running down her cheeks. She brought Stephen in for a hug, she embraced him tighter and Stephen had never felt relieved more than he is now.

"And now you're here." she told him, her lips pressed against the side of his head, tears still streaming down her face, some even dropped on his shoulder but he didn't mind. "That's all that matters right now."

Stephen nodded against her shoulder, his tears dampening her shirt as he cried. He held onto her tightly, as if she was going to disappear.

Lenore broke away from their hug, looking down to meet Stephen's gaze before she captured his lips with hers, kissing him softly.

When they've finally broken apart, their foreheads resting each other, Lenore saw the soft and content smile on Stephen's lips.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."