Warnings- A bit of abuse from the main character's mother, though it's short and is only shown in this chapter currently.

Chapter One: Disappearance

Everyone always says that life is an open road, stretching out in front of you with endless possibilities. For years, I would have said the same. And I had believed them for years; though my road seemed like it was filled with potholes and sudden curves. I had ignored every one, leaping over each block like it was nothing. But now when I look ahead, I could only see a looming brick wall closing me in from every angle. And there was nothing I could do but watch it get closer and closer, until the day it finally caught up with me.

But today was not that day. Today, I was sitting in a hard plastic chair listening to my Biology teacher drone on and on about DNA replication. I had given up on taking notes minutes ago, and instead I doodled in the margins of my notebook. I narrowed my eyes, leaning in closer to my paper as I tried to get the shading just right on a small sketch.

"Maddy!"

The piercing voice of my Biology teacher cut through the cloud of indifference around me. I jerked my head up, clutching my pencil tightly in my hand.

"Yes, Mrs. Alvarez?" I asked. Mrs. Alvarez sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and giving me a stern glare.

"I asked you a question," Mrs. Alvarez said shortly. "What is the first step of DNA replication?"

I sat frozen in my chair, my mouth going dry. Every student in the classroom turned to stare at me as my mouth opened and closed without any sound coming out. I stammered, "I- I'm not sure."

Mrs. Alvarez's lips pressed into a tight line. "Pay attention in class Madeleine." She turned back around to the white board to add something to the already intricate drawing of a cell.

My heart dropped at the disappointment in her eyes. I looked down at my half-finished notes. The few bullet points I had quickly written out were covered in random drawings. I had once loved science, but now I could barely find any speck of motivation in me to learn. I used to love science; I loved to read about how Tony Stark built his suits, or how exactly Thor was able to travel almost instantaneously from one realm to another. But now, I could barely find the motivation to even attend the class, let alone learn.

"You really messed that one up, loser."

One of the boys behind me had leaned forward to hiss over my shoulder, a nasty grin on his face. It was Jason; the leader of the clan of douchebags in the sophomore class.

I tightened my fist around my pencil, feeling the wooden edges bite into the palm of my hand. It took all that I had not to swing around and punch him in his sneering face. I forced down the string of insults that threatened to burst out of me. Aggravating him would only make my life worse.

Thankfully, he didn't bother me the rest of class. The bell rang shrilly, signaling the end of the last period of the day. Everyone leaped out of their seats and ran out of the classroom in a horde. I hung back, clutching my books to my chest like they were the only thing keeping me grounded. As I stepped out into the bustling hall of Jefferson High School, they acted like a barrier between me and the rest of the students. As long as I had something between me and them, they wouldn't bother me.

My locker was at the end of sophomore hall, tucked into the corner of the gray stone walls of the school. I turned the lock mechanically, swinging the door open just wide enough for me to pull out my backpack and stuff some books into it. I shut the door loudly, the lock clinking against the cold, gray metal. I slung my backpack over my shoulder and began to thread my way through the halls. The loud sound of locker doors slamming and kids eagerly talking to each other overwhelmed my senses. They jostled my shoulders and pushed me around. I hated the halls.

I burst out of the main doors of the school and out onto the snowy streets of the small Montana town I lived in. I breathed in the sharp winter air, closing my eyes for a moment. My mind cleared for a moment, my heartbeat slowing after the rush of school. But unfortunately, I couldn't stand here in the snow forever.

I began to walk slowly down the street, my shoes crunching through the soft layer of snow that blanketed the whole town. Christmas was only a couple weeks away, but I couldn't summon up any excitement or bring myself to care. In my house, Christmas was like any other day. I only had my mom; my dad having died years ago. But my mom was rarely home; she was working half the time and gambling and drinking the other.

"Hey! Creep!"

I recognized the cruel laughs of Jacob and his friends behind me. I curled into my coat, hoping vainly that if I kept walking they would leave me alone.

"Slow down! We just wanna talk to you." Jacob's voice rose above the others. I knew he wouldn't just want to talk.

"Leave me alone!" I shouted, glancing behind me quickly. The boys were only a few yards back, striding down the sidewalk like they owned it.

Jacob ignored my shout, jogging up to me. He reached out, grabbing hold of my coat and throwing me against the wall of an old store. I could feel the bite of the cold seeping through my coat and freezing my back.

"How does it feel being the biggest loser in the whole school?"Jacob sneered. One of his friends, Isaac, laughed.

"Just fine, thanks for asking," I said in a flat tone.

Jacob leaned in. "Then I must not be making your life hard enough."

"Get off me," I growled, feeling more anger than I had felt in a long time boil in me.

"No," Jacob said plainly. I balled my hands into fists, clenching my jaw. I didn't care anymore. I swung out, catching him right on the side of his face. My fingers cracked painfully. Jacob reeled back, dropping me into the dirty snow.

"You're going to regret that!" Isaac yelled, lunging forward. I flung out a hand to push him back, but he easily knocked it away. The other two boys gathered around me. I fought to push them off, my breath rasping in my throat as I struggled for air.

The anger that had been building up since 7th period finally reached its peak. I squeezed my eyes shut, exploding upward with more force than I than I had thought possible.

"I said get off me!" I yelled. I barely registered the flash of bright blue light appearing around me, pushing the boys a few feet back. Isaac stumbled and fell right on his butt. I stood panting, not sure what just happened.

"God," Jacob breathed. "What was that? You're even more than a freak than I thought you were!" Maybe more fear than hatred or loathing.

Ignoring him, I took advantage of his group's shocked state and ran down the street, my feet slipping on the ice that the sidewalk was covered in. I somehow managed to make it the three blocks to my home without falling. I walked up the cracked path to the front door, the outside screen hanging off of half broken hinges. I swung it open, closing the front door behind me tightly. I leaned back against it for a moment, catching my breath. I had to have imagined what had happened just a bit earlier. I was tired, or it was a trick of the light. Maybe something to do with the snow.

But then what had pushed them all back?

I shook my head, deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth, before adjusting the strap on my shoulder. I entered the kitchen, the old linoleum floor creaking under my feet. There were some empty alcohol bottles lined up on the counter, but the keys were gone from the bowl by the fridge. My mother was, thankfully, not home.

I went back to my room. My mother rarely ventured back down the hallway, always preferring to stay passed out on the couch or stay in her own room by the kitchen. It was if as she believed that if she never saw me or went to my room, I didn't exist.

If only that were true.

I dropped my backpack next to my bed, closing my door behind me with a click. My room was relatively bare save for a couple old books on a splintery desk and the green sheets on my bed. I was lucky to have an old flip phone that could only send the odd text. If the signal wasn't exactly right, it wouldn't work.

I faintly heard the front door slam, signaling the arrival of my mother. I was surprised; she got home early today.

I curled up on my bed, hoping that she wouldn't come into my room. I could hear her bustling around the kitchen, slamming cabinet doors and clinking bottles together. Then it was silent.

I still didn't move, as if I were frozen to the bed. My stomach growled, but I couldn't muster up the energy to go scrape together some dinner. I instead drew out my English book, Les Misérables. For once, I didn't mind the assigned book. I was already ahead of where we were assigned to read.

When the clock beside my bed read 8:00, I finally untangled myself from my blankets and steeled myself to venture out into the kitchen. My body was stiff from not moving for so long. I opened the cabinets, pulling out a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter. The jar was almost empty, so I had to scrape away enough from the edges to make my sandwich. Dropping the knife in the sink, I turned around and took a bite of my sandwich. I immediately swallowed when my mother appeared in the doorway, dark circles under her eyes and her gray streaked hair a mess.

"Hello, Maddy," she said, strolling into the kitchen. Her voice rasped when she spoke. It made my throat run dry just hearing it.

I didn't answer, just took another bite of my sandwich and began to leave the kitchen.

"Wait."

I tensed up, turning around slowly. "Yes?"

My mother hesitated for a moment before asking, "How was school?"

I frowned. She usually avoided talking to me at all costs, except to worm any extra cash I rarely had off me.

"Fine." I tried to keep my words short and to the point.

Mom played with the edge of her ratty sweatshirt for a moment more, then she sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I know this isn't the best life."

I narrowed my eyes, wondering what her motive for sucking up to me was now. "You're right. It's not the best life," I responded, my voice taking gaining a harder edge to it the longer I talked.

"But I've been trying to do the best I can, especially since your father died-"

"Then maybe you should try harder," I spat.

Mom fell back a step, as if I had physically pushed her. I knew I should've felt bad for my words, but all I felt was rage.

"Maybe you shouldn't be such an ungrateful brat," Mom shot back, her regretful tone turning to that of rage. "I work my ass off for you."

"Oh? And what about the hours you spend gambling and drinking? I wouldn't exactly call that working," I said.

Mom's eyes narrowed. "You did not just say that. T-that isn't true! That's not what I'm doing."

"Really?" My voice had grown dangerously smooth. I stepped forward, setting my sandwich down on the counter. "Then why are the trash bags filled with empty bottles of alcohol? Where do all of those wads of cash disappear off to? "

Suddenly, Mom reached out and struck me across the face. I reeled back, my hand rising to cup my cheek. My eyes began to sting, my heart beating loudly in my ears. I had dealt with years of neglect and vocal abuse from her, but never once has she ever felt the need to hit me.

"Get out," she growled. When I didn't move, still reeling from the shock of the slap, she stepped forward and brought her face right in front of mine.

"I said get out!" she screamed. I recoiled, moving quickly now.

"Fine!" I ran off down the hall, grabbing my backpack from my room and stuffing what little possessions I had: an old ragged copy of Hamlet that my dad had owned, my wallet with some small bills, and a couple changes of clothes. I stormed through the house, throwing the front door open wide.

"Don't ever come back!" My mother yelled.

I spun around. "Don't worry! I won't."

I slammed the door shut, bounding down the front steps and onto the sidewalk. I stood for a moment in the cold, my mind scrambling to process what had happened. My breath rose in a cloud before me as I sucked as much oxygen as I could in. I stared down the empty street before me. I had nowhere to go. Could I even go to school homeless?

I didn't glance back at the house as I began to walk briskly down the street. I had no destination in mind. All I wanted to do was get as far away as I could.

I began to run as tears rose in my eyes, one rolling down my cheek. It froze quickly in the cold winter air, my cheeks growing numb from a persistent breeze. It had stopped snowing.

I was gasping for breath now. I couldn't think straight, my chest heaving. I barely registered that I was having a panic attack. I stepped off the sidewalk into the street, not noticing that a car was barreling down the road right toward me. As the headlights grew closer, illuminating my frightened face, I closed my eyes and braced myself. But the impact never came. Instead I was falling forward, wind rushing in my ears. I landed on something hard, my hands grazing against what felt like splintered wood. I couldn't move for a second, my body trembling. The air was strangely warm. The sound of the screeching car was gone, and instead I could hear the voices of multitudes of people blending together. I opened my eyes slowly.

I screamed, my hands clapping across my mouth when I did. I was no longer on a snowy street in Montana. Instead, I was on the side of a road swarming with people. The sun was just rising in the distance, lighting up a whole city before me. I scrambled back, pressing myself against the old wooden door behind me. I kept my hands across my mouth, unsure what to do. I felt bile begin to rise in my throat, my stomach heaving. How had I gotten here? What was happening? My head swam like I was going to pass out.

The door behind me suddenly swung open. I lifted my head slowly to see a tall man standing in the doorway. He was middle aged and dressed in dark blue robes. He had a dark goatee and two identical stripes of gray in his hair.

"Oh, hello," he said. I blinked, my mouth hanging open for a moment before I could form a semi-coherent sentence.

"You're not Montana," I said, confused.

The man had just enough time to say, "What?" before the world around me started spinning and I promptly blacked out.

Thanks for reading the first chapter of this story! This is mainly going to be a rather fluffy story with Doctor Strange learning how to handle an apprentice- though there will still be a main plot. I've seen a lot of romantic stories with Strange, but I've always wanted to write a sort of family fic. The second chapter should be up rather soon. I hope you enjoyed! Likes, follows, and reviews are greatly appreciated!