Fantastic Four (Movieverse) – The Solution

Summary:

Sequel to Lost Time. Dr. Claus of CryoIndustries is proving a nuisance for Reed, but he has no idea of her true intentions. She'll stop at nothing to locate and test the source of the ice-crystal, even if that source is a person...

Disclaimer:

I own my imagination. What I do with it is my business :P

Author's Notes:

I am slightly more confident with my OC now (thanks ebuchala!) All I have to do is look out for reviews that scream "Kill her!" and "It's the Monster from the Mary Sue Lagoon!" and then I know exactly where this story is gonna go *evil cackle*

Anyway, thanks very much to ebuchala and Sparkiebunny for reviewing!

Enjoy the next chappie!

Chapter Two -:- Earlybird

The Baxter Building

Reed stared at the formula in front of him as if it would magically solve itself. He re-read his untidy scrawls dotted all over his papers, trying to figure out what he was missing, and failing. With a heavy sigh he picked up the vial of red liquid, frustrated that he couldn't complete it.

A year ago, when Johnny had been kidnapped by Doom and taken to Latveria, he had been given a dose of this very same liquid. It was a power suppressor made from the same cosmic radiation that had made them in the first place. Doom had left behind this vial before taking off from boredom at the lack of fight Reed and Ben had put up. Ever since, Reed had been studying it, aiming to turn it into a permanent cure. Reed knew that the Fantastic Four were beginning to tire from the hero lifestyle that none of them had asked for. This was going to be their retirement present, an apology for mutating them in the first place.

But it was late now, or early, depending on which way you looked at it. Sue had imposed a 2am curfew on him to stop him from working all night, and it was now 2.30am. She was gonna be pissed when he eventually showed up. Reed put down the vial and rubbed his tired face, mentally preparing himself for the barrage of abuse he was about to receive.

He stood and left, switching off the lights with a stretched arm before locking the lab door behind him. He wandered through the dark halls of the Baxter Building, moonlight streaming through the windows. There was always an eerie silence at this time of the morning, as if even sound had chosen to go to bed. That was probably the only reason that he heard the muffled sobs coming from the medical room.

Reed hesitated outside the door, knowing he was probably the worst person to offer comfort, then eventually manned-up and knocked. He heard a kerfuffle come from within as he assumed Kayla was tidying herself up, before the door opened a crack and she looked out with puffy eyes. "Reed?"

"Err...hi..." Reed replied awkwardly. "I heard you, and thought you might...need someone to talk to?" he finished lamely, the question coming out by accident. Kayla blinked, but didn't reply. "Never mind...I'll just err...I'll go."

"Wait, no," Kayla opened the door all the way. "I actually need to talk to you. If you've got a moment."

Reed nodded then stepped into the medical room, taken aback by the sheer whiteness of everything. He had never actually been in there since Kayla had taken it over and claimed it as her own. He perched himself on the edge of the examination table, not sure what to do with himself. Kayla sat herself at her desk and swivelled the chair round to face him. "Love what you've done with the place."

"I want you to run some tests on me."

Reed froze for a moment, surprised by the suddenness of the request. Recently his interest in her ability had increased to the point where he was wondering if she would be open to tests, but he had never expected her to be the one to request them. When he didn't immediately reply, Kayla explained hurriedly, embarrassment evident on her face.

"I know you're busy, what with saving the world and all, but I need to know what this is. I never really focused on it before; I tried to pretend it didn't exist. As long as I could keep it controlled and hidden, I didn't want to know what it was. But recently, there are moments where I wonder if I'm in control at all. Doom, for instance, I didn't mean to do that. I just wanted to help Johnny and all of a sudden it kicked in...and tonight..."

All of a sudden she took off her jacket, surprising Reed even more, his male brain working faster than his intelligence. He then realised she was showing him her arm, or more specifically, the rose-coloured ice that had formed on it. "How did that happened?"

"Johnny took me out earlier to some club in town. And, typically, the place got robbed. One of the guys had a gun and well, I got shot," she explained, making Reed raise his eyebrows in astonishment.

"Then this happened?" he asked, leaning down to take a closer look. Kayla nodded. "Amazing, a spontaneous reaction, immediately sealing the wound..."

"But that's not everything," she interrupted, "Now I can't make it go away. I've been trying and trying, but it won't go. I even tried melting it off, but nothing happened!" She gestured at her desk at a small blow torch, making Reed wonder where she got it from. As she continued, he could hear the fear in her voice. "I'm not in control at all. I've had this ability for two years and I have no idea what it even is. I'm scared of it."

Reed nodded, remembering the fear he had encountered when he first discovered his ability. He glanced at the clock on her desk, 2.50am. He smiled reassuringly. "I'm already in the doghouse with Sue, so I can't do anything now, but in the morning come to my lab and we'll run some tests."

Kayla nodded, smiling slightly though her eyes were still full of unshed tears. "Thank you."

There was no way he ever going to sleep, but when Ben had declared he was going to bed, Johnny had begrudgingly agreed that he should too. He had trudged off to his own room and thrown himself onto his bed, finally alone with his own thoughts. It wasn't a safe place to be.

As he stared at the ceiling his mind wandered over the events of the last few years. He remembered the accident on the space-station that had led to their current lifestyle. He had been the only one that was certain their powers were a good thing, but he had had no idea what being a hero would lead to. When the Silver Surfer had zapped him and he started switching powers he was beaten down by his own screw-up nature. And then when Sue had been killed, and he couldn't even touch her...

Once the day had been saved he had pretended that he was fine, but sometimes he had nightmares about it, the moment his sister, his life, had died, and he couldn't do anything. Ever since they had gained their powers it had been struggle after struggle and everyday was a new fight. It was exhausting. Then there were the enemies. Doom.

Johnny had lain awake many a night, fearing that the next day would be the day that the metal man came and took his revenge. He had never felt this helpless or afraid when he had been normal. The sheer volume of emotional, and physical, turmoil that he had been put through was pushing him beyond endurance. He was tired. On the few occasions that he managed to sleep, he often wished that he didn't wake up.

His thoughts had taken him down a very depressing road, and he tried to think of something good to dig him out of the despair. He thought of Kayla, and how happy he was when it was just the two of them. Then he remembered the night before and immediately felt miserable again.

"Oh for God's sake," he hissed at himself. He was even annoying himself at this point. Surely he hadn't been this bad a pessimist before? Didn't he used to be the cocky, cheerful daredevil that didn't have a care in the world? He closed his eyes, trying to remember what that had felt like. When he couldn't, he sighed heavily. "I want to be normal."

He glanced at the clock by his bed. 5.30am. Everyone else would still be asleep. He considered staying where he was, but the thought of reliving painful memories for a few more hours dissuaded him. He sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed. "Screw this."

Half an hour later he was showered and dressed and sat at the dining table with a bowl of fruit loops. It had been too quiet, and his thoughts had begun to drag him down again, so he had decided to drown them out with his iPod. The music was loud enough to be heard by anyone in the vicinity despite the earphones. This was all part of his routine now. Once he had finished his cereal he went for his usual walk.

Dawn was really the only time he could walk around the streets of New York without being recognised or photographed. There seemed to be this agreement between the earlybirds of the city that it was simply too early to be fussing over anything. Everything was quiet and peaceful, just waiting for it all to be shattered by the morning rush hour. By the time he returned the first of many horn-blasts to come sounded from the filling streets.

He pushed through the doors, oblivious to the world around him, the music still pumping in his ears. He was beginning to feel better, convinced that the last of the dark feelings he had could be hidden behind a grin. As usual he returned just in time to catch the postman. He pulled the earphones out as he approached. "Hey Stan."

"Mr. Storm!" Stan greeted just as brightly as always. He was an elderly man, well past retirement age, with white hair and square glasses. He pulled out a wad of letters. "Your timing is as impeccable as always. I had just finished with the fan-mail sack. Here's the important stuff."

"Thanks Stan," Johnny took the letters and started flicking through the stack as Stan started wittering on about his grandkids; something about technology and how in his day he'd been happy with a wooden yo-yo. Johnny nodded at appropriate moments, half listening as he worked through the post. He had a couple of letters, but he skimmed over them. He paused at a letter for Kayla, placing it at the top. It was a normal enough letter, except for the postmark: Stoneybrook Psychiatric Institute. "Huh."

"Anyway, I should be going," Stan came to a finish. "These letter's ain't gonna deliver themselves now, are they?"

Johnny took the question as rhetorical and waved as Stan left the building. His eyes strayed back to the letter in his hand, his curiosity caught on the postmark. It was moments like these when he was reminded of how little he knew about Kayla. Maybe this was his chance to learn something.

"I am here to see Dr. Richards!"

Johnny looked up in surprise at the woman who had squawked so loudly. The woman was bird-like in appearance as well as voice, her frame small and fragile, her dark hair a ruffled mess and her nose hooked slightly, like a beak. Her eyes were magnified by large round glasses. Johnny couldn't peg her age as she looked both old and young at the same time. She wore a lab coat and carried a black cooler box; her knuckles white from the tightness of her grip. Jimmy the doorman looked scared as he tried to explain that she couldn't go in. Johnny decided to help him out.

"Can I help you?"

"Are you Dr. Richards?"

"Er...no..." Johnny replied, pretty sure that that answer was obvious.

"Then no. You can't help. I need to see Dr. Richards!" her voice raised again, making Johnny doubt her mental stability. She forgot about him in an instant, turning back on Jimmy, tapping the side of the black cooler. "I have to discuss a very urgent matter with him, this instant!"

Jimmy looked to Johnny for help. It was his decision. He studied the woman again, trying to verify her story. She looked sciencey enough, with the lab coat, glasses and cooler. Surely an imposter would have gone for a less obvious disguise? "Erm...Reed will probably be in his lab...?"

Dr. Claus took that as an invitation and immediately stormed over to the elevator, jabbing the button slightly harder than was necessary. She wasn't aware of the utter bewilderment she had left the two men in, her mind entirely focused on the task ahead. She was going to force Reed Richards to reveal the secret behind the ice-crystal, and if he refused...well, she'd be spending a lot more time in the Baxter Building.

Eventually the elevator door opened and she stepped in, selecting the button that helpfully had the Fantastic Four logo embellished, despite not being the 4th floor. She watched impatiently as the numbers rose at a ridiculously slow pace. She couldn't stop fidgeting from the nervous energy that was building inside of her. She was about to know. She was going to find out. Finally.

She marched across the reception area before the holographic receptionist had a chance to form. Roberta glanced around the room, looking for whatever had alerted her motion sensor. When she saw no one, she flickered out of existence. Claus was already heading in the direction she hoped the lab was in. It was pure chance that led her straight to the door.

She barged in without knocking, then froze.

Sitting at a desk were two people. The one on the right she recognised as Reed Richards. The one on the left was a woman with jet black hair and pale skin, her eyes wide with shock. In her hands she held a mug entirely encased in ice.

"Oh."

And that's chapter two! Hope you enjoyed.

And I am forewarning you now, I have no idea how this story is gonna end, but if my muse gets her way, it's not gonna be happy. We'll see how it goes!

See you next Chapter!