'Reed?', I called my husband, holding the piece of paper in my hand. 'Reed, are you here?'.

I began touring the laboratory of the Baxter Building, the place where Reed used to perform his experiments and tests. The laboratory was an immense place, full of all kinds of devices, gadgets and machines. Sometimes I couldn't help thinking about how lonely Reed must felt working alone in that place.

While searching for my husband, I heard strange sounds that seemed to be coming from a section of the lab just a few steps ahead of me, so I went down the hall until I found source of the sounds.

'Hi, sister'.

'Johnny?', I exclaimed. 'What are you doing in Reed's lab?'.

My brother laughed. 'Nothing. I was just ... you know ... taking a look. This place is amazing. I must admit Reed really surpassed himself this time'.

'Have you seen him?' I asked him.

'Excuse me?'.

'Have you seen Reed, Johnny?'

'I thought he was with you'. Johnny shrugged. 'Maybe he went out to take some air and have a little fun.' My brother immediately burst out laughing. 'Not even I could believe that one. Reed Richards having fun! That for sure was one of my best jokes'.

'Enough, Johnny', I said. My younger brother always used to take things lightly, like they were mere games, which made me feel stressed out several times a day.

'Oh, come on, Sue! You have to admit it was fun.'.

'No, Johnny, it was not fun. You know Reed has been trying to find a way to reverse Ben to his normal form since we got our powers. It's only natural he doesn't not like to leave the lab'. {Although I wish he'd do that}.

Suddenly, Johnny seemed to notice something. 'Hey, Sue, what's that paper in your hand?'

"It's an invitation from a TV station," I said. "They want an interview with the four of us."

'An interview?'. Johnny's eyes widened. 'Are you serious, Sue? Oh, this is great! '

'Don't get too excited, Johnny. Most likely we won't be going'.

'But we have to go, Sue!', His brother said. 'Think about it, this is our chance to become stars!'

'Enough, Johnny. I'd hoped to find Reed to tell him about this... although I personally wouldn't like to attend.' {And something tells me neither Reed and Ben}.

'Don't be a party pooper, Sue. Haven't you realized that what happened to us is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

'I'm not going to talk about this anymore, Johnny,' I said as I started walking out the door. 'If you see Reed, please tell him I want to talk to him.'

I left the lab a little annoyed with Johnny's attitude. He was my little brother, and I loved him with all my heart, but sometimes ... Well, sometimes Johnny could be the most annoying person on the face of the earth.

I walked down the hallway towards the elevator, still trying to calm myself. When the elevator door opened, I saw Ben getting out of it.

'Hi, Susie', Ben said to me.

'Hi, Ben,' I replied, trying to smile. 'I hadn't realized that you had left.'

'Yeah, well ... I didn't want to bother you or Reed.' Ben had become lonelier since the incident that had given all four of us our powers. I felt bad for him, but at the same time I knew it was best to give him a little space. Ben definitely needed it.

'Speaking of Reed, Ben, do you know where he is? I've been searching for him, but I just can't find him. '

'No, Susie,' Ben shook his head. 'I thought he was here. Did you look in the hangar? '

'The hangar? Why would Reed ...?' Suddenly I understood everything. In recent days, Reed had been talking about starting a new project. 'Thank you, Ben,' I said with a smile.

'No problem, Susie.'

I boarded the elevator and went to the thirty-seventh floor. Once there I walked down the hall and through the door that led to the hangar. To my relief, Reed was there, though he did not seem to notice my presence. Apparently he was working on a kind of vehicle, using his powers to stretch himself and grab some tools out of his reach. After a few moments of looking at him working, I decided it was time to letting know I was there presence felt.

'Reed,' I called, but my husband didn't seem to hear me. 'Reed!'

'Huh?' Reed turned, and when his eyes met mine, I saw see my husband smile. 'Susan'.

'I've been looking for you, Reed,' I told him.

'I'm sorry,' Reed said. 'I guess I lost track of time. What were you looking me for?

'I received an invitation from a TV station. Apparently they want to interview the four of us. I guess they want to ask us the same stupid questions about how we got our powers. '

'I see', Reed replied. 'What do you think?'.

'I'm not really in the mood to go. Franklin needs us.' Our son, who at that time was being cared for by Alicia Masters, a very dear friend of mine, had been born only a couple of months ago.

'You're right,' Reed said.

'Besides', I said 'all this is very ...'.

Baffling?'.

'Yes', I nodded. 'Everyone is now treating us like a bunch of celebrities. I'd just like to regain our old way of life. I miss being able to live in peace like you have no idea. I don't not even want to think about what kind of environment our son will be growing in. '

'I understand you, Susan. That's why I'm trying to decipher exactly what happened to us. '

'Reed, be honest with me ... do you really think you can return us all to normal?'

Reed seemed to consider what he was going to say for a moment. 'I'm not sure, Susan. The cosmic rays that hit us altered all our bodies at a molecular level. Maybe if I had more time ... '

'Well', I interrupted, 'maybe you'd have more time if you didn't get distracted by your little projects'.

'Oh,' Reed said, apparently realizing what I was implying. 'This ... this is just a hobby, Susan. Nothing else'.

I raised an eyebrow. 'Really?'.

'O-of course'.

After meeting Reed, I'd been quick to realize how seriously he took his "little projects." Reed could spend whole days focused on an object of study without interacting much with other people. That was really frustrating because, underneath his cold and calculating exterior, Reed really was the sweetest, most generous man I'd ever known.

'Sometimes I feel you love your projects more than us,' I told him.

Reed left what he was doing and went to me. 'That's ridiculous,' he said as he used his powers to wrap me in his arms. 'Franklin and you are the two most important things in my life.' Reed kissed me on the cheek.

I couldn't help but smile at the gesture. 'You are going to need more than a simple kiss to convince me, Mr. Fantastic.'

Reed smiled. 'Then I guess I'll need to think of something better…'.