Disclaimer: Doctor Strange film and characters and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV show and characters are owned by Marvel. I claim nothing besides my genius.

Disclaimer #2: This fanfiction contains SPOILERS for the Doctor Strange movie and for the 4th season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

~A BioStrange Story~

No Other

Chapter 1

"Beneath a lonesome moon, I hear,

this city croons to me, no other.

Releasing all too soon, I'm near;

To her my chest gives in, no other"

~Olafur Arnalds

"Well, that's just great," Fitz said annoyed as the group stared at the large wooden doors. He tried them again; nothing.

Coulson took a step forward, nudging Mac and Simmons out of the way and knocked on the door. Again, nothing.

"That usually works," Coulson quipped.

Fitz latched onto the door handles and pulled on them both to no avail. "Well, that's just fine isn't it? Now what?"

Mac glanced over his shoulder. "The axe is back in the car," he offered, "of course it's parked about two blocks away."

Coulson sighed, "Yep, welcome to New York." He turned to look at Jemma. "Ideas Simmons?"

"Only a stupid one."

"No such thing as stupid ideas, or is that questions?.. Anyhow, hit me. What are you thinking?"

"Have we tried calling Mr. Strange?"

"Do we have his number?" Mac asked.

Coulson pulled out his phone.

Fitz ran his hand through his hair. "Why are we bothering? The Darkhold is probably safer with S.H.I.E.L.D.-"

"You're not seriously suggesting that we leave that book with Mace for safekeeping are you Fitz?" Simmon's voice pitched slightly, incredulous.

Fitz met her eyes, "I… no. I guess you're right."

Coulson watched the two of them the way one might watch a tennis match, the ball bouncing from one court to the next as he put away his phone.

The immense oaken doors swung open suddenly of their own accord.

All eyes were on the former director of SHIELD questioningly.

"Daisy patched me through."

Simmons peered inside. The doors had swung open to reveal a large mansion, with lavish furnishings, oriental carpets, marble staircases, and without really realizing what she was doing she walked inside. Drawn by the peaceful, museum-like elegance of the place.

Fitz, Coulson and Mac came piling in after her.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Strange? It's Phil Coulson, we spoke on the phone?"

"Wow, someone is a big Downton Abbey fan," Fitz said as his eyes lingered on the furnishings.

Jemma felt a bit like she'd just stepped into a Harry Potter novel, and had entered Hogwarts. Perhaps a professor's office…

A tall, dark haired man, with a neatly trimmed goatee and a shock of white in his hair walked around the corner.

"Agent Coulson," he smiled and held out a hand for Coulson to shake.

Jemma could not take her eyes off of his somewhat ridiculous ensemble. He wore a long red cape for goodness sake… and some sort of blue Tibetan monk's clothing. On the other hand, it's not as if Captain America looked any less conspicuous in his tights.

"Mr. Strange," Coulson extended his human hand.

"It's Doctor."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Doctor Strange," he amended.

The doors swung shut behind Mac causing him to turn around somewhat alarmed.

"And, this is my team Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons and," he turned around, "Mac."

Doctor Strange glanced at Fitz and then Jemma, and he completely ignored Mac, his eyes lingered on Jemma's instead.

"Um… hello," she said half-heartedly. This was the guy who was supposed to be able to handle the Darkhold, the book that had turned people into ghosts and given Robbie's uncle Eli immense power. Who was he? How was he going to keep this item safe when they weren't even trusting her own agency to keep it safe?

"We were told that you could take this book off of our hands. It's called the Darkhold," Fitz said.

Coulson pulled the book from a satchel, still wrapped up in bandages so that he wouldn't accidentally touch it himself and be tempted to read it. He tried to offer this to Dr. Strange but Strange's eyes were locked on Jemma's.

"Doctor Strange?" Coulson said.

Fitz and Mac exchanged a bewildered look.

"You could take your eyes off of her," Fitz said crossing his arms.

"I could," Doctor Strange said, "but, it's hard not to be drawn to the most intelligent person in the room, besides myself."

"And so modest too," Jemma said.

Doctor Strange blushed slightly, recognizing his mistake and lowered his eyes to the floor with a sort of half-smile etched on his face. "Forgive me," he looked up at Jemma. "I am being remiss as a host; can I offer you something to drink?" He turned to the others. "Tea perhaps?"

"Or maybe something stronger," Mac said under his breath.

"Tea, sure, who doesn't like tea?"

Fitz's face had turned something akin to scarlet in color. Arms folded across his chest, Jemma couldn't blame him, Doctor Strange was a bit… off putting. "Tea is fine. Jemma?"

"Yes, fine." She was ready to dispense of these niceties and give him the stupid book.

"Please, join me in the parlor," Doctor Strange motioned for them to follow him. He led them down a hallway and off to the left into another room that was reminiscent of the Edwardian period.

Jemma's eyes focused on a large white marble fireplace, over it a gold gilt mirror, and two white vases full of peacock feathers. A deep crimson oriental rug on the floor, an oak coffee table and several white settees faced each other. Was this his taste? She wondered as she lingered on the dusty peacock feathers, or did he inherit this building?

"No. I was not the interior decorator here," he stated as he followed her eyes over the many dustables.

Coulson, Mac and Fitz sat down but Doctor Strange did not. After a moment or two Jemma realized he was waiting for her to take a seat before he sat down.

"Now then…" He looked down at the coffee table that she could've sworn was empty a minute prior, now there were several teacups and one shot glass. "Your refreshments."

The cups seemed to fill themselves from underneath. The shot glass filled with a clear liquid.

"Whisky, Mac?" Doctor Strange offered.

Mac's mouth hung slightly open. "How are you doing that?"

"Well," Fitz leaned over, "there must be a device underneath the table. Very clever little parlor trick."

Doctor Strange chuckled, "literally." He glanced over at Jemma with a lopsided smile on his face.

She pretended not to notice.

Coulson groaned. "That was pretty bad."

"Yeah, I get that a lot." Doctor Strange straightened. "So, what can I do for you?"

Coulson set the Darkhold on the coffee table and met Doctor Strange's eyes. "The Darkhold."

"Oh, right."

"We're hoping you can take that off of our hands. Someone said you might be able to…"

Doctor Strange appraised Agent Coulson, and then reached for the tome. "Nick Fury?"

"That's right. Do you know him?"

"In a manner of speaking. I'm aware of him, we've never actually met." He flicked the bandages from the cover to look at the writing, and then reached for it-

Coulson stopped him. "I wouldn't. It's taken control of everyone who has come into contact with it."

Doctor Strange smiled indulgently at him. "But Nick Fury said I was 'okay'."

"Ah… right… We just spent a long time hunting down that book and undoing all the damage it's done, I really don't want to have to do that again in the near future."

Mac polished off his whisky. "Maybe you could open it up after we leave?"

"Uh huh," Doctor Strange smiled, and looked over at Jemma who was still trying to figure out the 'parlor trick' he'd done with the tea. "What do you think Jemma?"

"It's Doctor," she sniffed.

"What?"

"Doctor Jemma Simmons."

"Oh," he blushed again. "Doctor of what?"

"Bio-chemistry."

He bit his lower lip as he nodded, looking as though he was genuinely feeling stupid for using a title when she wasn't using hers, in the meantime he flipped open the Darkhold.

The four of them all sat up in their seats as if they expected some foul beast to jump out.

He ran his hand over the first page, and smiled up at them kindly, then one page flipped by itself as he studied it, and then another.

"Man, I need something stronger…" Mac muttered.

Doctor Strange waved his hand without bothering to look up and Mac's glass refilled itself.

"What the?-" He let go of it.

But the glass didn't hit the floor, it hung there, and slowly floated back up toward Mac.

"What is happening?"

"Who are you?" Coulson asked.

"Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts. Didn't Fury tell you that last bit?"

"No, Fury managed to leave that part out."

"Well," he shut the book and met Agent Coulson's gaze. "Would you have come if he had? Or would you have left this in the hands of S.H.I.E.L.D. or perhaps the Ghost Rider?"

"Hmm, at the moment I'm thinking, hard call."

Doctor Strange stood, Darkhold pulled to his chest. "Well, it will be safe."

"Here?" Coulson motioned about himself.

"No. It was stolen from a… special library, and I intend to see it returned to its place there."

"Special?" Jemma asked.

He was delighted to focus on her face again. "A library of arcane knowledge… in Katmandu."

A question formed on her lips.

"Nepal."

"Yes, I am aware of the location of Katmandu. Thank you Doctor."

He closed his mouth sheepishly.

"What I was going to suggest was that the Darkhold needed to be put in a vault somewhere, not a library."

His posture relaxed a little. "It is in a very private collection. I can show you if you'd like?"

Thoughts of a very long plane ride crushed up against Doctor Strange with no one else to talk to sprung immediately to her mind. "Uh, no, no I don't think so."

"Are you certain?" He slipped a ring onto his left hand, "it will only take a minute."

"No, I couldn't possibly-" Before she could finish her sentence she saw him waving his hand in the air, and golden sparks opening what looked to be a portal. And within that portal, looked to be another place.

The group crowded around.

"Oh, no. Now I know I've had too much to drink," Mac said. "This is enough for me, I'm out."

"W, what've you done there?" Fitz couldn't hide his amazement. "That looks like an old temple, but it, it can't be."

Doctor Strange looked directly into Jemma's eyes and smiled. "It's an ancient library."
"A projection?" Fitz continued to try to grasp what he was seeing.

"No." Doctor Strange stepped into the portal. "Excuse me I need to put this back." And he walked further away from them.

"Where did he go?" Mac leaned in to get a better look.

"I can't be seeing this," Fitz rubbed his eyes and put a hand tentatively into the portal.

Coulson leaned in toward her, and whispered, "Impressed yet?"

"What?"

He smiled at her kindly. "Because I'm pretty certain that he's trying to impress you."

She blanched. "Him?!" Ew.

"So you're not impressed?"

"Well, yes this is rather impressive. Honestly…" she stared at the portal before her. "I don't know what to make of it."

"But you don't like him?"

"Of that I'm sure."

"Really?" He chuckled.

"Sir, I can tell when I immediately dislike someone I've just met." She watched as Doctor Strange came back into view, the sound of his footfalls making a distinct sound against the ancient stone floor. He had to be in a different place, it just didn't make any sense. Maybe he'd laced their drinks with some sort of drug? "Egotistical… jerk…"

"Maybe. But, he clearly doesn't feel the same way about you."

Simmons met Coulson's eyes with a look of horror.

"There we go," he smiled as he stepped back through the portal into the parlor. "All safe and sound, back in its place."

"Impressive," Coulson said glancing over at Jemma, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Well, yes, very impressive," she said thinking about punching Coulson in the arm. "Very impressive indeed."

Doctor Strange smiled at her, and blushed a little touching his own face with one shaking hand, and then stifling it with his other one. "So, if no one wants to join me in Katmandu I'm just going to close it up?"

Jemma's eyes followed his hands, curious.

"You were just in Katmandu?" Mac clarified. "Just now? You traveled through that…"

"Portal."

"That, portal, to another country?"

"That's how it's done yes," Doctor Strange said absently as he closed the portal. "I can send you back to your base that way if you'd like me to take you?"

"No, I don't think Director Mace would let that go unaddressed. Also, we left the car parked around the block."

"Well, maybe just one of you then? Jemma… I mean, Dr. Simmons?"

Her eyes refocused on the most annoying man in the room.

"Would you like me to take you back to your base?"

"Uh… I'm quite certain Director Mace would definitely notice if I came back by portal. And I have to take a lie detector test once a week so, no, probably not a good idea."

"Oh… I see."

She recognized the sound of a man who had just had his hopes dashed, and watching him clasp and unclasp his hands which were, as she now noticed, perpetually shaking, she felt a little bad. What was going on with him?

"This is too Harry Potter shit for me," Mac said as he started toward the door.

Fitz brushed past Doctor Strange, but then stopped. "But… how did you do that?"

He shrugged. "Years of study and practice."

"You studied this… witchcraft?"

Doctor Strange acknowledged this with a small smile.

Fitz was still shaking his head as if trying to understand it while walking toward the exit.

"Thank you," Coulson extended his hand, which Doctor Strange shook. "We're in your debt, if you ever need anything don't hesitate to call."

"Anything? I will. And thank you for returning the Darkhold, I promise we will keep it safe."

"Good." He turned and walked toward the door, "Simmons you coming?"

Jemma thought she was going to sneak past Doctor Strange while his attention was focused on Agent Coulson, but no, Coulson had decided to point out she was leaving. "Yes," she called to him, her voice pitching.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Dr. Simmons," Doctor Strange extended one trembling hand, which she took just to be polite.

"Jemma. It's just Jemma."

This seemed to be music to his ears, he visibly relaxed. "Stephen. You can call me… Stephen."

"Oh, all right." Well that was a little more like it. This whole Doctor Strange formality was a mouthful, and set him up as if he was above everyone else. "Stephen."

He grinned.

"It was nice to meet you."

"If you need anything… your team, that is, I'm happy to help."

"Don't get many visitors here?" she ventured.

He released a little laugh that sounded as if she'd hit the nail on the head. "Uh… yes, no… The multiverse keeps me busy, but I'm always happy to talk to others who share a passion for knowledge."

"Oh well, Fitz seems very interested in some of the fascinating things you've shown us today. I think he'd love to come back."

"Oh…" he feigned delight. "Oh, yes, that would… that would be fine."

She smirked.

"Jemma!" Fitz was suddenly at the door again, "are you coming?"

It was then that she realized they were still holding hands. And his hand was very warm, and slender. Definitely an artist's hand-

She let go of his hand. "Yes, I'm coming!"

He was staring down expectantly at her, hands balled into fists at his sides.

"Well, goodbye then."

"Goodbye Jemma."

Discography~

The Doctor Strange Soundtrack by Michael Giacchino

"Roslyn" by Bon Iver & St. Vincent

"So Close" by Olafur Arnald (featuring Arnor Dan)

"A Hundred Reasons" by Olafur Arnald (featuring Arnor Dan)

"No Other" by Olafur Arnald (featuring Arnor Dan)

"Treat You Better" by Shawn Mendes

"Mercy" by Shawn Mendes

"Wild Horses" by The Sundays