Stars

By Serena Kenobi

Summary: Sue and the Silver Surfer share a tender moment. AU, post ROTSS.

Paring: Implied Sue/Norrin. (I love Reed/Sue as much as anyone; I just thought it'd be interesting to do a 'what if'? They had such great chemistry in the movie - I wanted to do a oneshot of them. This is AU, so don't get all mad that Sue and Reed aren't together. I plan to write a full-length story about Silver Surfer reuniting with his love, Shalla-Bal, from Zenn-La later, if anyone's interested. Let me know if you are!)

Disclaimer: Me no own Fantastic Four or Silver Surfer. You no sue me.

The milk was sour.

Susan Storm, a.k.a. Invisible Woman, made a face and poured the rest of the bottled milk into the sink. She watched the foul tasting liquid go down the drain, ironically, just as her engagement and marriage had. She and Reed just weren't meant to be. Maybe it was because he was too occupied with his machines and sciences. Maybe it was because she demanded too much of him, too much of his time. In any case, after the return of Doom and the near destruction of earth, Susan felt strangely empty. She didn't know why.

Susan stared out into New York City, the lights flashing and helicopters roaming the night sky. The dark sky was crystal clear, filled with stars. At least, she thought so. She couldn't see the stars because of light pollution. When was the last time she had seen them? She couldn't remember.

I can't go on like this, she thought, frustrated. I just can't. She sighed through her nose and turned away from the window. Looking down, she glanced at her now de-ringed finger on her hand. She was free. She and Reed and mutually decided that since they couldn't lead normal lives, and as both of them hardly saw each other except when saving the world, their marriage just wouldn't work. That, and Reed had told her that she was drifting away. Not just from him, but from the rest of the team.

I'm not drifting, Sue thought stubbornly. I'm just a little confused right now.

But why? Why was she confused?

Sue stared at the stainless steel refrigorator, and in a second, she knew. She was confused because of him. Him, the silver alien from a distant planet who had saved their lives. And had protected her.

"Maybe he thinks you're cute," Johnny had said back in the Siberian facility.

Sue shook her head. He has someone else, she thought, and was surprised to find that her stomach did a flip-flop, an unpleasant feeling. Sue put a hand on her stomach and frowned. She wasn't… jealous, was she? No. She couldn't be. She wouldn't be! She was a human, and he was… well, she didn't know exactly what he was. He looked human, or humanoid, at least. He had a human physique and features, excepting the silver that covered him. The very air around him projected mystery, sorrow, and great pain. He had obviously not wanted to destroy worlds for the being called Galactus, but he had told her that he had had no choice. But after she had… died – Sue shivered at the thought – Reed had told her what he had said. And then, he was gone. Just like that. One moment there, the next, gone.

Sue, without realizing it, pressed a hand to her chest in the very same spot the rod had gone through. She remembered the event vividly. She had crashed in a street in China; realized that Norrin was missing; and then she had leaped in front of him as he stood there, resigned to his demise, and taken the hurled rod for him. A white, blinding pain, and then she felt as if she were choking.

Sue rubbed the spot and frowned. She had been in Reed's arms – he had been crying over her. Ironically, although he had been sobbing because he felt their closeness departing with her, she felt almost the exact opposite. She had felt herself drift away – not just dying, but mentally and emotionally as well. That had been the point when she realized that it was not in Reed's arms in where she longed to be held. She realized that it was only a close fondness that she felt for Reed, a deep, warm friendship.

Sue moved into the living room area of the apartment in the Baxter Building and flipped on the TV.

"The Fantastic Four have saved New York City again, but hearts continue to feel sorrow that Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman have broken their engagement," the female reporter was saying. "Sources say that the two mutually decided to break off the engagement and are now 'just good friends.' The reasons for their separation remain a mystery, but some say that the couple realized that it wouldn't be a compatible match, and Susan Storm was continually annoyed at Mr. Richard's spending too much time in the lab. But this is merely speculation, and the now separated Fantastic Four couple has not given us any other information. Back to you, Kate."

Susan stared at the TV and flicked it off, feeling more depressed and irritated than she had been before. After taking a quick glance at the window, she rose to her feet, went to the elevator, and went up to the roof to get some air. She made her way across the flat-paneled rooftop and sat down with her legs hanging over the side of the building; and it reminded her of when she had been a little girl, her legs dangling over the side of the fence back at home.

But this was no fence, and she was no little girl anymore.

A sudden low clearing of a throat brought her out of her childhood memories, but she didn't turn around. "Ben, I'd rather be alone right now," she said, not unkindly.

There was a silent pause, and then a deep, familiar voice that did not belong to any member of her team said uncomfortably, "I am not Ben."

Susan whirled around and swung her legs quickly back over to the roof, and she hopped to her feet, her eyes widening. "Norrin!" She exclaimed. "What are you… how did you…" She took a step towards him as he hovered about a meter above the ground.

"Galactus did not destroy me," he said, his voice the same low baritone she had remembered. "But because I disobeyed him, he has trapped me on this planet."

Susan frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He has trapped me with a field specifically designed to trap me and my board here. I can never again leave this planet." He looked down.

Susan's face fell. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Norrin." She took another step closer.

He looked up, his silver eyes shining. "Why are you not with your friends?"

Susan paused before saying, "I don't feel like talking to anyone right now."

"Shall I leave?" He moved to go.

"Oh, no!" Susan reached out an arm, and he halted. "I just didn't feel like talking to them. They really don't understand." She rubbed her de-ringed finger nervously. "Reed and I… Reed and I broke up." It felt good to get it off her chest.

Norrin looked at her for a moment. "Broke… up? I am not familiar with this term." He glided forward and hovered about an inch from the ground. Although he was nearly touching the ground, he still towered over Susan, and she couldn't help but feel very small compared to him.

"Oh, it means we aren't… we aren't engaged anymore." Sue rubbed her arms and shivered slightly from the wind that had suddenly swept up.

Norrin frowned and slowly said, "May I ask why?"

"Sure." She smiled, a little sadly. "We both decided that it wouldn't work out. He's always so busy with his work – and I'm, well… we just weren't a good match. But we're still good friends," she added as an afterthought.

Norrin nodded slowly, and Sue asked hesitantly, "Before you were trapped here… did you see your home?"

"Yes," he said, voice lower than before. Sue reached out and touched his arm, gazing at him sympathetically, and he looked at her.

"C'mon," she said, feeling suddenly bold, "let's sit." She then hopped up onto the cement railing, her legs once again dangling over the edge precariously. Norrin raised his silver eyebrows – well, eyebrow line, anyway, and hovered up, seating himself beside her. His board left his feet and leaned itself against the wall.

"What's it like?" Sue asked. "Your home planet."

"It's… hard to describe," Norrin said. "It is a peaceful planet. Carnivores and herbivores dwell together in the same habitats; warlike species come to us for wisdom and knowledge and leave no longer seeking battles; people who have fought for generations come for guidance and leave as friends."

"It sounds beautiful," she said softly. He nodded and was silent. "Did you… did you see the one you loved?" After he looked at her, she blushed. "I'm sorry; that was a personal question."

"We cannot be together," he said eventually. "She is now the ruler of Zenn-La, and therefore, I cannot be with her."

"Zenn-La?"

"The name of my home."

"I'm sorry, Norrin," Susan said, and on impulse, reached out and took his hand, as she had done before when they had been in Siberia.

Norrin looked at their joined hands and gently squeezed it. "Thank you, Susan Storm. You have shown me many wisdoms I did not learn on Zenn-La. I am forever in your debt."

"No," Susan protested, "You were the one who saved my life in China."

"As did you mine."

"Call us even, then?" Susan flashed him a smile.

Norrin slowly returned the smile. "Indeed."

Sue held his gaze for a moment and then looked away, embarrassed. She cleared her throat to break the now becoming uncomfortable silence and rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand. "So… what are you going to do? Now that you're here to stay, I mean."

Norrin turned his gaze outwards to New York City and said, "I do not know. I am not familiar with earth's customs or way of life. And I do not look much like you."

"Neither does Ben, but he's doing fine," Susan reminded him. "Don't worry – I'm sure we can find you a spot here, with us, on the team, if you want."

Norrin looked back to her. "You would do that for me?"

"Of course! We could always change our name to the Fantastic Five," she grinned.

Norrin smiled. "I am honored to help serve earth. You have been very welcoming."

"Aside from the soldiers trying to blow you up and Sherman torturing you, yeah, we're a real friendly people," Susan remarked sarcastically. To her shock, Norrin actually grinned.

"Indeed."

"So," Sue said after a moment, "do you want to go inside and see the others?"

"No, not yet. I would rather stay out here with you."

His blatant honestly made her blush again, and she mentally chastised herself for acting like some love-struck teenager. "Okay then."

Norrin then said, "Did you love Reed Richards?"

She blinked. "I did, and still do, in a way. But I think I only loved him. I wasn't in love. There's a difference."

He nodded. "Would you… ever wish to be with someone else?" He asked shyly.

She looked at him sideways. "If the right guy came along, yeah. He'd have to really sweep me off my feet, though."

Norrin was silent and made no reply, and he looked to be deep in thought.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter. I'm sure that somewhere out there, there's a guy who – Norrin, what are you doing?" She screamed as he suddenly snatched her in his steel grip and raced off with her on his board, carrying her bridal-style high above the Baxter Building.

He stared at her with his silver eyes. "You said that you wished for someone to sweep you off your feet," he said, completely serious. "I am merely fulfilling that wish." Although his hold on her was strong, it was also gentle.

Susan gazed up at him. "What are you saying?" She asked breathlessly.

He said, somewhat hesitantly, "Susan Storm, would you like to… go out with me?"

"You mean… on a date?"

He nodded slowly, uncertain. "Yes, I believe that is the correct term."

"Um…" Susan's mind was reeling. "But – but, I thought that you were still in love with the woman back on your home planet."

"I was, and I most likely will love her for the rest of my days. But it is time to 'move on' as you people here put it, and it is time to accept that I will never see her again. She will marry another noble of Zenn-La and live the rest of her days in peace. I must find someone here. That someone is you."

"Me?" Susan squeaked.

"You," he said, sounding a trifle amused. "That is, if you wish to accompany me."

She nodded wordlessly.

"Good. Where shall we go?"

Susan looked up at the sky, and smiled. "The sky," she said softly. "Take me to the sky, Norrin Radd. I want to see the stars."

Hope you like!

- Serena Kenobi