This is just a little one-shot about the Storm siblings long before they had anything to do with the Fantastic Four. It's based losely upon their biographies at the Marvel Universe section of Marvel's website. The whole Johnny-not-talking thing is just something I threw in there.

It's my first FF fic, so please read and review!

Sue groaned as her aunt Marygay called her name softly, waking her up from sleep. "What are you doing here?" she asked sleepily. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Johnny was sitting next to her aunt, looking just as tired as Sue felt.

"Sweetheart, we need to talk to you two in the living room," Marygay said as Sue noticed how sad she looked.

"We?" Sue asked, climbing out of bed.

"Your father and I."

"What about Mommy?" Johnny asked curiously.

Marygay said nothing, just led the two children to the living room, where their father was crying on the couch. "Daddy?" Sue asked worriedly as she sat next to him.

Franklin looked up at his daughter. "Susan..."

"What's the matter, Daddy?" Johnny asked. "Where's Mommy?"

Franklin bit his lip and looked at the ground. Marygay picked Johnny up onto her lap as she sat down beside Sue and Franklin. "Kids, last night there was... an accident."

Johnny didn't seem to care. "When's she coming home?"

Franklin looked up sadly. "Johnny, she's..."

Sue looked between her father and her aunt. "Where's Mommy?"

Marygay held Johnny tighter with one arm and grabbed Sue's hand with her free one. "Your mother and father were in a car accident last night and..." She squeezed Sue's hand. "Your mother... she passed away..."

"No," Sue whispered with tears in her eyes. "Mom's not... she can't be..."

"Susie..."

"NO!" She fell into her father's arms and began to sob.

Marygay looked down at Johnny to see his face looking completely blank. "Sweetie, are you alright?" she asked as she ran her fingers through his hair.

Johnny just glanced at her before getting off of her lap and walking out of the room.

"Frank..."

"Just let him go for a bit," Franklin whispered as he held Sue to him and kissed the top of her head. "He just needs some time."

Marygay sighed and tried to hold back her own tears.

Franklin woke up to Sue shaking his arm with all her might, a rude awakening which really didn't help sooth the hangover he was suffering after the night before. Three months ago he'd been Franklin Storm, world's greatest neurosurgeon who worked hard for long hours. Now he was Franklin Storm, gambling drunk who slept in late on Sunday mornings... well every morning really, but since this day in particular was Sunday-

"Dad, wake up!" Sue cried.

Franklin yawned and opened his eyes. "What is it Susan? I'm trying to get some sleep."

"Johnny's not here!" Sue said in a panic. "He's gone, Dad. We have to look for him."

"Again?" Franklin sat up, not really feeling the need to rush. "Did you call Mike at the shop? Johnny's probably just there watching him work on the cars again." It had happened many times in the past few months since Mary's death. Johnny would just get up and leave without a word to either Sue or his father, though it wasn't like he'd said a word to anyone since his mother's death anyway. His family had gone crazy looking for him the first few times, but they'd eventually realized that the only place he ever disappeared to was Mike's shop, having become fascinated by watching the mechanic work. Franklin couldn't quite understand why Johnny would be so drawn to cars despite the fact that Mary had been killed in a car accident. Perhaps it was because of the accident. Or maybe it was just that Mike had taken a liking to Johnny, giving him attention that Franklin had been unable to give for months.

"I called already," Sue said. "Dad, he isn't there. We need to find him before something happens to him!"

Franklin rubbed his eyes. "I'm sure your brother is fine."

"He's eight years old! What if he ran away? He could get hit by a car crossing the street or fall at the playground. What if someone tries to take him and he doesn't yell for help, Dad? You know he won't..."

Her father frowned as he realized that she was right about that scenario. If Johnny was in trouble, he either couldn't or wouldn't try to yell for help. Franklin looked at her stern face, suddenly being reminded of his dead wife by a 12-year-old. Sue had what was a very motherly attitude toward her little brother, and she was very protective of him. "Ok," he said, standing up. He wouldn't need to get dressed, having fallen asleep in his clothes from the previous day. "Let's go look for him. Go get dressed and brush your teeth."

Sue immediately ran off to her room. Franklin went to the kitchen and grabbed the phone, dialing the police.

"Hello, what's your emergency?" a voice asked through the receiver.

"I need to report a missing child."

Hours went by while the two Storms and the police searched the city for the mute 8-year-old. Mike had assured them that he would keep an eye out for Johnny, promising to stay at the garage late if need be. The children's aunt Marygay was also helping by staying at the Storm's home with Sue in case Johnny decided to return there. Around 3 that afternoon, Franklin returned home, the police having told him it would be best for him to wait at home with his family while they continued the search.

Marygay and Sue looked up from the movie they'd put on to keep Sue's mind off her worry. "Any news?"

"Dad did they find Johnny?"

"They said it would be best if we just wait while they continue the search," Franklin said.

Sue looked at him desperately. "What if he gets hurt Dad?"

"He'll be ok," Franklin assured her.

Marygay looked at Sue. "Sweetie, why don't you watch the movie while I talk to your father in the other room?"

"Ok..." Sue watched the two off them disappear into the kitchen.

Franklin ran a hand over his face. "Oh god, what am I going to do?" he said softly. "Johnny's just a little boy. He's been out there all day, probably scared out of his mind by now. And it's the middle of winter. If we don't find him-"

"They'll find him Frank," Marygay said. "Just don't give up hope."

"Marygay, I can't thank you enough for being here-"

"You don't need to."

"I do," Franklin said. "You've been great to those kids for the past few months, and you were here as soon as we needed you today."

"You know how much I love those kids," Marygay said. "I'd do anything for them. And that's why I need to talk to you right now."

"What about?"

Marygay sighed. "I want them to come live with me."

"What?!" Franklin asked indredulously.

"I've been letting this slide for too long Frank, because I know that it's been hard on you since Mary died. But those kids are suffering just as much as you, if not even more. As little as you are here for them, they might as well have lost their father as well as their mother."

"What do you mean?" Franklin asked.

"Sue told me that you're rarely ever home with them," Marygay said. "And I know you're not working anymore. She also said that you're drinking every day, Frank."

"I'm going through a rough time," Franklin said. "You're first reaction is to take my children away from me?!"

"These kids need a more stable environment! It's not a permanent thing, Frank. I just want you to take time to get better. Johnny and Sue need their father, but not like this. Just look at them. Sue thinks she needs to take over her mother's role to take care of Johnny and you. And Johnny won't speak no matter how many psychiatrists he's seen, and he runs off on his own."

"They're all I have left..."

"It's temporary until you get better," Marygay assured him. "The three of you need this."

Franklin paced the floor a bit before looking at her dejectedly. "Ok..."

Marygay put her hand on his arm reassuringly. "You've made the right choice. We'll tell them both about it once Johnny's been found. Until then, I'm going to go back and sit with Sue."

Franklin nodded. Once his sister-in-law had walked off he made his way to his son's bedroom, flicking on the light as he stood in the doorway. It was a mess, as always, Johnny's toy cars and action figured littering the floor. He slowly walked in and sat on the unmade bed, picking up the teddy bear Johnny's mother had made for him when he'd been a baby. Johnny hadn't started to sleep with it again until after Mary had died.

Franklin wiped his eyes as tears filled them. He missed his wife so much, and now... What if he never saw his little boy again?

He set down the teddy bear when he noticed the corner of a newspaper clipping sticking out from under the comforter. He grabbed the article and saw it was the one reporting the accident and Mary's death. "Johnny..."

Franklin immediately stood up, knowing where he might find his son. He grabbed Johnny's scarf, gloves, and coat, as well as an extra blanket, and rushed out to find him.

Johnny was exactly where Franklin had expected. The car accident had been near a park that was just far enough for him to not have thought to look. The little boy was sitting on a still swing, wearing just jeans and a sweater, as he stared down at his feet. The hands holding onto the chains of the swing looked just about frozen in that position.

As soon as Franklin saw him, he got out of the police car that he'd been driven there in and ran to his son. "Johnny!" he shouted, but his son didn't make an effort to look up at the sound of his own name. The second his hands touched Johnny, he breathed out a sigh of relief and knelt in front of him. "Oh thank god."

Johnny lifted his eyes to look at his father when a hand touched his shoulder, and Franklin saw the tears welled up in his eyes. "Johnny, are you alright? You had us all worried sick! Never do this to us again. It wasn't a good idea to come all the way here by yourself, especially without any coat or-"

Johnny looked off to the side as he coughed into his hand.

Franklin frowned and touched his sons cheek. "You're hot, kiddo." He immediately began to wrap the scarf around Johnny's neck and put the coat on him. "Come on, we need to get you inside."

When he went to grab Johnny, the blond boy just held onto the swing's chains tighter. "Johnny? You're getting sick. You can't stay out here."

Johnny shook his head.

"Johnny, come on, please come with me..."

"No."

Franklin blinked. Had Johnny actually just spoken to him? It had been soft, very unlike his voice before, but someone had definitely said it. "Johnny?"

Johnny looked back up at his father. This time, tears were streaming down his feverishly pink cheeks. "I want Mommy," he whispered before he started coughing.

Franklin felt his own eyes tear up. "Jesus..." Three months and the first thing Johnny says to anyone is a plea for his mother? Fantastic. "Johnny, I know you miss her-"

Johnny threw his arms around his father and began to cry into his shoulder. Franklin picked him up into his arms and turned back towards the car, his pace quickening as another coughing fit shook his son's body. As soon as they got to the car Franklin grabbed the blanket he'd left there and wrapped his son in it. "Head to the hospital."

Marygay held Sue's hand as they walked into the hospital emergency room. Spotting the reception desk she rushed over. "Excuse me? A little while ago some police officers brought in man and a sick little boy? Johnathan Lowell Spencer Storm. He's eight years old. Blond hair, blue eyes. A bit short for his age."

The receptionist looked at some papers. "Ah, Johnathon Storm." She looked up at Marygay. "Are you family?

"I'm his aunt, and this is his sister. How is he?"

"I'll page his doctor to come speak to you," the receptionist said with a warm smile. "Just take a seat."

Marygay nodded and led Sue to the waiting room. Just minutes later a doctor came asking for the family of Johnathan Storm. "That would be us," Marygay said as they stood.

"Is my brother ok?" Sue asked.

The doctor smiled. "Your little brother should be just fine. I'm Dr. Berrisford. Johnny just seems to have a pretty nasty upper respiratory infection. We're doing some tests and keeping him over night, but he'll be back home tomorrow."

"Can we see him?" Sue asked.

"Of course. Just follow me." He led them down the hall to a room in the pediatric ward, where Franklin sat at Johnny's bedside.

Sue let go of her aunt's hand and ran in to hug her little brother, careful of the IV in this hand. "Johnny! Are you alright? I was so worried!" She pulled away and took a seat on the edge of his bed, next to his free hand.

Marygay walked in and ruffled his hair. "You gave us a scare going missing like that. You could've gotten hurt really badly out there hotshot. You should never run off like that."

"Oh, trust me," Franklin said, rubbing his thumb along the side of Johnny's hand. "He already got an earful."

Johnny had the good judgment to look ashamed of his actions, but he ignored his father and aunt speaking to him. When the two of them walked out into the hall to speak in private, he looked at his sister miserably.

"Are you ok Johnny?" Sue asked worriedly, grabbing his hand.

"I miss Mommy," he whispered.

Sue quickly got over the shock of hearing him speak and lay down next to him in the bed so that she could protectively wrap her arm around him and hold him to her like therir mother used to do when one of them was sad.

"I want Mommy back," he said, now crying again as he buried his face in his big sister's shirt.

"Me too..."