Disclaimer: I Don't Own The Fantastic Four.
Sue stared at Ben's slouching, depressed form on the sofa. His head hanging low, his eyes staring blankly at the cold, hard floor beneath him, sitting motionlessly in front of the plasma screen t.v.
Having walked into the living room only seconds prior to going over data with Reed in the lab, Sue was baffled to be met with a terribly despondent Ben Grimm.
"Ben, are you okay?" She asked, concern etching her face as she took a few cautious steps towards him.
Ben refused to meet her eyes, instead opting to stare blankly at the t.v. screen in front of him.
"Shouldn't you be helping Reed in the lab, or something?" He asked offhandedly, in a poor attempt at changing the subect.
Sue suppressed a scoff, putting both hands on her hips.
"That's not an answer." She said firmly. "And, I was, I just wanted to check up on you."
Ben immediately whipped his head around, finally locking eyes with the impatient blonde.
"'Check up on me'?" He echoed irritably. "What do you expect me to say? That my life is a total mess? That I can't step outside without being called a monster, or a freak? "
"You're not a freak!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air dramatically, shocking both Ben and herself at the volume of her voice.
Ben stared back at her in utter shock. He had never known Susan to raise her voice over a matter so simple. Unless it had concerned her and Reed's previous dating life.
Recovering quickly, she awkwardly cleared her throat, and continued talking (though much softer this time).
"You're still you, you're still Ben."
She went ahead and took a seat beside him on the sofa, despite the lack of room his protruding figure had left for her.
"Look, Susie, I'm just not sure how much more of this I can take..." He admitted quietly, putting his head in his hands.
"It's not just you," She assured, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "we're all having trouble adjusting to our..." she hesitated for a second at giving their new-found abilities a name, before finally settling on the word "powers".
"We're all in this together, Ben."
"Together?" He questioned, shoving her hand off his shoulder, and causing her to leap off the sofa in alarm.
Although shocked, Sue inwardly scolded herself for doing so, knowing fairly well he would never hurt her.
Sue once again met his gaze, only to be shot a hurt, apologetic look.
"Susie, look at me. You got no idea what I'd-" He hesitated for a second, inwardly debating whether or not he should disclose such tender information with another person. Though he figured that Sue would be the best person, if any, to confide in out of everyone in the group.
"What you'd what?" She asked gently, cupping his rough rock-like face in her soft hands.
Ben closed his eyes, exhaled slowly, and held one of her hands with his own, indulgding in the comfort of her soft touch.
"What I'd give to be invisible..."
A hard lump quickly formed in Sue's throat.
A few seconds of building tears, and she immediately became transparent, not wanting him to see her cry.
"You have no idea," She paused, kissing his forehead with her tender lips. "what I'd give to be seen..."
Ben's eyes slowly opened, and she steadily pulled her face away from his.
With impeccable timing, Reed suddenly waltzed into the living room, a huge smile plastered on his face, and a clipboard in hand.
Though his happy expression quickly shifted to one of puzzlement when he discovered that Susan was nowhere in sight.
"Hey, Ben. Have you seen Sue?" Reed asked worriedly.
Ben shifted from his place on the sofa, and craned his neck around to meet Reed.
"I'm sure she's hiding around here somewhere, Reed." He said assuringly, slowly turning his head back around to face the invisible Susan Storm in front of him and grinning deviously. "She's just waiting to be found."