DISCLAIMER: F4 and all its characters belong to Marvel. This story is just for shits and giggles and all that jazz.

October 8, 2007

Invisible Red Thread: Taboo
By Ina-chan

"An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break." -Chinese Legend

When I was ten, I already came to the conclusion that there were only three inevitable "constants" in life.

1. Taxes.

2. Death.

3. Change.

If one was expected to become a responsible and useful member of society, taxes were a necessary good (or evil, depending on one's point of view). Many attempted to cheat Death, some managed to face Death and survive, a few even sought to challenge Death and laughed at its face, but no mortal has ever succeeded in escaping Death. And Change... well, the very word was already self-explanatory.

Of those three things, Change was probably the only thing that mere mortals could have a direct influence on. Thus, my mother used to tell me, "Reed, stand firm and don't let the river's currents sweep you away. But also know when to bend and go along the with strong winds before it breaks you." Unfortunately, she wasn't able to heed her own advice… but that's a different story altogether.

In all respects, today was just another one of those changes I had become accustomed to. After all, I had been in this academic journey for so long that my life practically revolved around it. Even if I wasn't blessed with my gifts, my father would have found a way to set me on the path to follow his footsteps, probably. Thanks to his 'nurturing', by the time I was fourteen, I was already taking courses at CIT. Shortly after, I furthered my education in Empire State, then zoomed through Colombia for my Masters, and now I'm in the midst of continuing on to Harvard for my PhDs.

It was the logical order of things. You go to school, you graduate, you move on.

Everything was arranged. All that was left was to say goodbye to the people who became my family the past two yeard... and Ben. We stayed in touch even after I left Empire State. Shortly after his graduation, Ben went on to join the Air Force. His application to the Air Force Academy was approved and he was starting in the next semester. He came to help me move to Cambridge before he embarked on his own journey to Colorado.

It was a new adventure. A step closer to achieving my dreams… so why did it feel like it was my mother's memorial all over again?

"Do you really have to go?" Johnny asked again in that whiny childish manner that only six-year-olds can get away with, yet for some strange reason, it was a skill that he managed to retain effectively at age ten.

"Afraid so," I replied, giving his hair a playful tussle. "I promise to write once in a while."

"Yeah, right, Mr. I'll-stop-working-on-negative-ironic-whachamathingies-only-because-I-need-to-pee," Johnny scoffed as he pushed my hands away in the same playful manner, his little childish demeanor quickly disappearing as his 'stop-treating-me-like-a-kid' personality surfaced. "Watch the hair! It took me almost an hour to make it do that."

"I figured," I laughed as I wiped my greasy hand on the back of his shirt.

"HEY!" He protested in mock anger. Then, without warning, he threw his arms around my waist and buried his face on my stomach, almost knocking the wind out of me. It was a bit awkward, since he never did that before… at least, not with me. There were a few times in the duration of my stay with their family, when Johnny burst through the door and latched himself to his sister in the same manner after a particularly bad day in school. In an equally ungainly approach, I reached out and patted his back the same way his sister did. When he didn't react negatively, I took that he didn't mind.

"If my rocket ship ever gets built, I promise to invite you and your sister to come and see it."

"Yeah, right." The sarcasm still evident in his voice through his muffled reply.

"I'm not kidding. I wouldn't leave my assistant behind after he helped me prove so many of my theories."

"You promise?"

I gently pulled him away so I can crouch down to his level to hold out my hand. "A gentleman's promise."

He eyed my extended hand wearily for a moment, as if deciding to believe me or not. Then, he wiped his eyes with his shirtsleeve as he reached out to shake my hand. "Does Sue really have to come?"

"I don't think she'll let you go if she doesn't come along," I replied diplomatically.

"Rats," Johnny scowled, his old demeanor returning.

"Jonathan, take these out to Mr.Grimm," Marygay Jewel Dinkins called out suddenly from behind us as she placed a thermos and a big Tupperware of sandwiches on the kitchen counter. "Then come back for the bottled water I put in the freezer."

Johnny made a face at his aunt's order, but obediently retrieved the items and made his way out the kitchen's screen door.

"Don't forget to come back," my landlady yelled over the loud bang of the door.

"You don't have to do that Mrs. Dinkins, Ben and I could have easily stopped over a convenience store on the way."

The older woman gave me a stern glare as she put her hands over her waist. "I may not be a genius, young man, but I was not born yesterday. Knowing you, your instincts relating to food choices and when you're supposed to eat are not exactly sharp without Susan or me to decide for you. And I'm not about to waste the two years of hard work I did in putting meat in that skinny body of yours. I don't care if your next discovery is going to revolutionize the world… If I get wind that you're collapsing all over the place again because you've skipped a couple of meals, you're going to hear from me! And don't think that I'm kidding. I have connections, you know."

"I promise to take care of myself, Mrs. Dinkins."

Before I could react, I found myself again in another hug, her robust arms enveloping my shoulders, to the point that I almost couldn't breathe. "How many times do I need to tell you to call me Aunt Marygay. You're practically Family. "

"Thanks, Mrs. Di--- Aunt Marygay." I mumbled gratefully as I returned her hug with an affectionate squeeze.

"Alright then!" Aunt Marygay stated as she let go and dusted the invisible dirt on my sleeves. "Your friend is waiting outside. I don't want to waste anymore of your time. But... Susan's in the back yard."

Suzie… I didn't really understand why. But I have reason to believe that she was primarily the reason why I'm feeling this way. Of course I felt sad parting with friends and such in my old schools. Then again, Suzie was the first person to really make me feel awkward in my own skin.

When I first met her two years ago, she was a precocious twelve-year-old who had the maturity of a woman three times her age. Then again, if anyone went through what she and her brother had gone through, they'd be forced to grow up faster. And... it wasn't secret. Her schoolgirl crush on me, that was. In fact, it had been thoroughly exploited by brother. I wasn't exactly the most experienced person in the world when it came to things like these. I'm not saying that there weren't any girls who tried to get my attention… it was just… none of them were as persistent. Most girls seemed to lose interest in me the moment I opened my mouth anyway.

But Suzie…

I don't think she understands half of what I say most of the time, but she was the first girl who even really tried. The last two years with her, Johnny and Aunt Marygay was definitely an experience. My childhood was, to say the least, very atypical. I experienced for the first time what it was like to live in a typical average family.

Perhaps that was the main reason why moving on this time around was a lot more difficult. I never had to let go of anything before. I would be lying if I were to say that I won't miss the random conversations and companionship during dinner, the weekend nature walks in the park, playing cat's cradle and hide-and-seek, keeping your temper in check with Johnny's pranks and hearing Suzie chastising her brother to behave, the hot cocoa she brings to my room during my late night study sessions…

If only she were a few years older…

What am I thinking? For God's sake, she was a child! Jeez. I would be a sick pervert if I even dared to continue that thought. She was a good kid. The last thing I wanted was to see her get hurt. Most especially if it was because of me. Suzie and Johnny were like family to me. The little sister and brother I always wanted but never had. Though, I don't think I was doing a good job with trying not to hurt her… She still hasn't talked to me since last week.

"It'll probably be best if I didn't…" I stammered uncomfortably.

"Reed, even though she's pretending that she doesn't care, she'll appreciate it if you went and said goodbye to her." Aunt Marygay said gently. "And I know you wouldn't want to part ways like this."

With that, she patted my shoulder and gently led me out the kitchen's screen door. As I stood outside, I could hear Ben and Johnny talking… more like arguing over something at the front of the house. I really wanted to go towards them and just leave this part of my life behind me without any more complications.

But… Aunt Marygay was right. There was no way I could leave without doing this. So I turned towards the opposite direction and made my way to the back yard.

I found her sitting on the steps of the backyard fort that the three of us built together the first summer I was here. Originally we were going to recreate an O2 Sustainability tree house, with a few modifications of course. But a preconstruction incident involving Johnny and a minor explosion convinced us that much simpler projects built closer to the ground would be much safer.

She was wearing that pink knitted hooded blouse that she always hated. She said that it was too childish. I personally thought that it was a look that suited her well. She didn't notice me approaching, or at least acknowledge my presence if she did. Her concentration was focused on the red string weaved between her fingers.

"That game doesn't work well with just one player, huh?" I called out gracelessly, as I shoved my hands in my pockets.

She didn't reply. She simply continued to tangle the strands of yarn on her hands.

"I... uh... just wanted to..." I started uncertainly. "Uhm... Ben's waiting at the front, so I guess this is..."

She removed the tangled string from her fingers and continued to say nothing.

"Bye, Suzie."

She didn't look up. She didn't move. She didn't say anything.

Somehow, saying those words aloud and her reacting like that after hearing them... it hurt. But there really wasn't anything else to do but turn around and walk away.

"It's not fair."

She spoke so softly that it was almost a miracle I even heard it. I turned around once again to face her. She had curled herself into a ball, arms wrapped around her legs, and her face buried in her knees. I was twenty-one years old, and she was only fourteen. Even if our feelings were mutual, it was never going to work between us. But there was no way I could leave things like this either. That was why I walked towards her and sat beside her.

"Suzie..."

"You'll never see me as anything but an annoying little kid, huh," She whispered.

I idly picked up the thread she had discarded and started picking on the knots she created. "I know this sounds bad coming from me... but I'm not the last living man on Earth. As you grow older, you'll meet a million other guys out there who give up kingdoms, forsake the world, and throw themselves on your feet."

"But they're not you."

"Suzie..."

"It's not fair." She repeated in a louder voice as she lifted her head to look at me. The grief on her delicate tearstreaked face was so heartbreaking. "Why wasn't I born the same age as you?"

I didn't know what to say or what to do. The only thing I could do was to reach out and brush my thumb to wipe the tears streaming down her cheek. She burst into uncontrollable sobs and launched herself into my arms as she buried her face on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, and I was surprised at how her body curved naturally fit in my embrace. As I held her, I also realized for the first time that the Suzie I held wasn't the same little Suzie I met two years ago.

The thin, bony, knobby-kneed little girl I remembered was somehow replaced by this soft and warm creature whose hair smelled remarkably like vanilla and strawberries without me noticing. I never had a penchant for vanilla and strawberries before, and never thought that the scent could be potentially intoxicating. But the feel of her and the smell of her…

I was twenty-one and she was fourteen.

I silently repeated that fact over and over again inside my head. But it didn't seem to matter now that I knew the real reason of why this time around I was finding it so difficult to let go.

It scared the bejeezus out of me.

"Suzie," I whispered hoarsely as I gently pushed her away, fighting the uncontrollable desire to keep holding her with all I had. "You know… there's this old Chinese saying." I continued as I completely unraveled the string I still held in my hand. I took her left hand and tied the end of the filament on her ring finger. "It says that, when two people are destined to meet, they are connected together by an invisible red string that transcends time, place and circumstance."

Her sobs calmed to soft hiccups as she stared at the red yarn tied onto her finger, before looking up at me with a hint of suspicion. "You're not making that up, are you?"

"Well, it's an old saying that survived all this time. So I suppose a lot of people saw some truth in it," I replied with a nervous chuckle. I didn't particularly believe in it myself. But I suppose it was better to leave her with a tiny bit of hope until she finds the right guy who will help her get over her silly little school girl crush. "He's out there, and someday, I'm sure the invisible red string that binds you will bring you together."

She sniffled and her lower lip quivered that slowly turned upwards to form a small smile. A short distance away, Ben's car let out an impatient honk. The smile instantly faded at the sound. She bowed her head to once again hide her face underneath her golden tresses.

"I have to go." I said apologetically. "I'll keep in touch. And I'm sure Johnny will hold me to that promise I made him… so if you think about it, this really isn't a goodbye. It's really a see you later."

She silently turned the knot I tied around her finger for a few moments before her voice softly let out an almost inaudible. "See you later."

I should have known better than do what I did next. I suppose it was seeing her like that, and knowing the actual likelihood of meeting again was close to nil was probably the culprit to why I did what I did. I held her shoulders and bent down to plant a brotherly peck on her forehead. But for some strange twist of fate, she decided to lift her face to look up at me at the exact moment, with my lips landing awkwardly on the side of her nose.

There was a brief note of shock…

…followed by a moment of utter horror…

…and fleeting screaming thoughts of 'stop it you pervert, she's only fourteen!'

Yet despite all those things running through my head, I closed my eyes and instinctively held her closer so I could properly claim her lips. It was soft and warm and tasted remarkably like waxy root beer as her own lips seemed to innately respond to my own.

Then as sudden as it began, it was over, in that brief shocking horrible fleeting eternity.

I opened my eyes to find her blue orbs slowly opening to gaze at me with newfound wonder. I automatically started to stammer an apology, only stop at the realization that there really wasn't anything that I wanted to apologize for. So instead, I gave her a nervous smile. She smiled back, lowering her eyes and suddenly feeling shy. I stood up and helped her on her feet as we made our way to the front of the house hand-in-hand in comfortable silence.

If anybody suspected anything, they gave no indication. Aunt Marygay bode her final instructions and best wishes. Johnny rattled on about not forgetting my promise. Ben barking orders to hurry up. Though Suzie still remained silent, that heartbreaking expression of grief was replaced by that pensive look she always puts on when she was in the middle of making an important decision.

As Ben started the car and slowly rolled off the driveway, a flash of pink caught the corner of my eye as the car started to accelerate.

"REED!"

I turned towards the voice to see Suzie running alongside the car from the sidewalk. The saw the spark of the old Suzie I knew as that familiar fire of determination burned once again in her clear blue eyes. I scanned the path in front of her in alarm before turning back to her. "Suzie! What are you doing? You could get hurt!"

"REED! GIVE ME TEN YEARS TO CATCH UP!" She yelled again, obviously ignoring my warning. The car accelerated speed beyond her ability to keep up, so I popped my head out the window to hear the rest of her words. She stopped running and cupped her hands around her mouth as she yelled in the top of her lungs.

"I'LL STAY A VIRGIN FOR YOU UNTIL THEN!"

… … … !!!

Ben drove in silence. I burrowed in my seat, quietly wishing that it would open up and swallow me whole while eyeing the pink figure reflected in Ben's side mirror until it disappeared from view. "Shut up Ben."

"I didn't say nothing," Ben replied defensively. Though the strained tone of his voice betrayed that he was barely succeeding in holding in his mirth.

"But you are thinking it," I muttered in annoyance.

With that, Ben fell into a healthy round of jovial laughter. "Who'd known that hiding in mild mannered Reed Richards, egghead extraordinaire, is a cradle-robbing wolf?"

"That's not funny, Ben." I shot back irritably, in a warning tone. "She's fourteen and headstrong, but she's a great kid. I don't want to hear jokes like even if you're making fun of me."

Ben raised his eyebrow in surprise as he met my glare with an amused sidelong glance before turning his attention back on the road with a knowing grin on his face. "I see…"

"What?" I mumbled in annoyance, not really liking that smile on his face.

"Nothin'," Ben shrugged nonchalantly. "I was just thinkin' that there ain't nobody alive who stays fourteen forever."

"Well, ancient civilizations have documented an awareness of the presence of beings who seem to possess characteristics that seem to suggest that they are not physically affected by the---"

"Reed… for someone who's supposed to be smart, you ain't very, are you?"

FIN

Author's squawk:

Hey all! I'm a newbie in this fandom so please forgive my preposterousness in writing such an ambitious fic despite my lack of knowledge of FF's long history. . I was introduced to the F4 via the movies, and was further drawn in by the recent "French Anime" TV series, which eventually led to my current F4 addiction. I love the domestic stuff that happens in this series, so that's the stuff I'll probably focus a lot more.

"Invisible Red Thread" mostly as a collection of random slice of life vignettes involving Sue and/or Reed. Since getting hooked on Diana Wynne Jones, older man/younger woman pairings had a special place in my heart. .

Speaking of which… I found a lot of time line inconsistencies in the F4 lore(which is natural after FF's lore had been handled by so many storytellers the past 40+ years). This being a fanfic, I suppose it's forgivable to ignore era references (i.e. Reed and Ben being world war 2 vets, etc.).

I'm following the essence of the Earth-616 time line in the Marvel multiverse, i.e. Reed first met Sue when he was a student renting a room at Sue's aunt's boarding house, and Sue going to California to become an actress... as opposed to the recent incarnations of the F4 lore.

One big timeline inconsitencies was Sue and Reed's age gap. I think the consensus was between 10-12 years in the fandom. But the current official Marvel compendium states that Sue was 12 when she first met Reed, and Reed got his many PhDs before he was barely out of his teens. I did find one reference stating he graduated from Harvard at 22. And it was also noted that Reed attended Columbia U before going to Harvard. Despite his genius, I'm sure he couldn't have stayed 22 while the rest of the world around him aged. So I'm putting a respectable 6-year age difference between Sue and Reed in this fic. Thereby making Reed around 18 years old when they first met. Give him two years in an accelerated program to earn a degree or two in Columbia before heading off to Harvard to spend another two years to earn his double PhDs in Harvard.

I also took poetic license re: Ben briefly meeting Sue and Johnny when they were children for story purposes. There is not record of this in the comic book. According to F4 canon, their first meeting was during the Pocket Rocket storyline. Ben was even reluctant to pilot the starship at first because of the shielding issues. It was because of his infatuation with Suzie that made him change his mind.

Ah! Better stop before the note turns out as long as the fic. Please leave comments and criticisms. I have no beta reader for this series, so please feel free to let me know if you stumble upon any errors. So any wonderful, kind-hearted betas out there willing to look through this, please contact me! .

Note Update (Oct. 16, 2007):

I finally got a hold of the Civil War epilogue and discovered another F4 inconsistency thanks to yet another writer change. Now, it established that Reed and Sue are actually 7 years apart in age. Not too bad for my part, missed it by one year, eh? . And that they actually first met when Sue was 13 and Reed was 20 (and Aunt Marygay is actually Aunt Jewel) when Sue stayed over at her Aunt Jewel's home for the summer.

Anywayz, I'm going with the official Marvel compendium with Sue only being 12 when she first met Reed. So at least in this fic series, Reed and Sue first met when she was 12 and he was 19. Also, until the Marvel compendium changes it, Aunt Marygay Dinkins keeps her name in the fic as is. But I have adjusted the age difference. The book did say that Reed was in an accelerated graduate program when he was attending Columbia… so why can't he be in the same boat in Harvard? . Ah, well… I'll just take the cowards' way out and leave his age for his Harvard graduation vague…

Oct. 18, 2007 update:

The official Marvel compendium actually modified Sue's aunt's name to "Marygay Jewel". Funny how Uncle Ted still hasn't made it to Reed's list of relations in the compendium... when poor Uncle Ted played such a big (scapegoat) role with Reed's motivations re: his participation in Civil War...

Ja!
Ina-chan