Disclaimer: I don't own or pretend to own anything relating to Fantastic Four, the characters, or the actors. (Sigh) But I do own my plot and my own characters . . . so please respect my territory. :)


Chapter Three

Jo Marie

Chapter Quote: "You worry too much."


He'd seen the woman trying to hail a cab- saw her frustration each time they had passed her by. And he'd watched her for a moment or two, amusing himself and trying to ignore the whispers and stares he was receiving from people passing by. The life of a super hero was awesome, he even had an action figure now. But on the rare occasion that he started to feel cramped by the 'Big Apple', the loyal admirers got kind of... well... annoying.

That was one of the reasons he liked watching the girl. She was a slight of a thing... clearly didn't want to stand out from the crowd though she did so easily without, apparently, being conscious of it. She was different. Which was one of the reasons he decided in the end to stop his sport and help her out.

Besides... it was always the different girls who were the most fun. They were the ones who weren't afraid to try something new... who had an aura of confidence about them that made you admire or respect them... usually.

So he had grinned and hailed the taxi in hopes of getting her name and a possible new date. He hadn't expected to already know her.

"Jo? Jo Marie James?"

She smiled at him, greeting him softly. Never in a million years...

"Wha-" He shook his head in amazement. "What are you doing here?" He asked, never noticing how she seemed to draw back slightly from him.

"Ah- work." She answered quickly, pushing a stray lock of her auburn hair behind her ears. Camouflage and freckles... Jo hadn't changed much. "How are you?" She asked.

"Great! Just... wow. I can't believe it. Jo James." He laughed. "How long has it been?"


I wanted to tell him; eight years, seven months, and four days- but I didn't. "A while." I answered awkwardly. "Its been a while."

Traffic picked up, blowing us around a bit and I flinched as impatient drivers honked loudly.

"Jeez Jo... it's so good to see you." He said with a smile I would have once called sincere... but I didn't really know Johnny anymore... he could have meant anything else just then.

A loud honk made us both jump from the taxi waiting agitatedly on the curb. "Just a minute!" Johnny called, then turned his attention back to me. He gazed at me and I blushed as I realized it was my turn to say something.

"You too, Johnny." I said softly... he hadn't changed... didn't even seem to remember why we had lost contact in the first place.

"God... it is so good to see you- wanna go somewhere? Catch up? I'm sure Sue would love to see you... she's married now you know."

I smiled sadly. "I know." He knew what I meant... of course I knew. Aliens on Mars probably knew Susan Storm had married Reed Richards. He shifted awkwardly. I shook my head. "But I have to go... duty calls."

"How long have you been here?"

"Not long." I lied. "A day or so... just visiting the office and then heading back home."

I fingered the strap of my shoulder bag, suddenly self-conscious and uncomfortable under the intensity of his bright, blue gaze.

"So you're working here?"

"Yeah."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a writer...reporter- freelance."

"Really? What paper?"

"The Times." I glanced at the taxi and then back at him, desperate to escape before he asked about anything else. "Thanks for the taxi Johnny... I should probably go."

"I could drive you." He said, gesturing with a jab over his shoulder. "My car is parked just down the street."

I shook my head apologetically. "Wouldn't want to have wasted this nice man's time for nothing. I'm fine... but thanks anyway." I made a movement towards the taxi- and he caught my arm. I stiffened, looking into up into his face. His hand was warm... gentle. But I steeled myself... we were long over... there was no going back.

"Can I call you? I'd like to see you again." He said gently, smiling cockily still.

I gently tugged my arm free from his grasp, my heart beating fiercely against my chest. "Yeah sure -uh- I really have to go." I slid into the taxi before he could say anything else besides 'good-bye'... but he'd always been good at saying that anyway. I met his gaze, those burning blue eyes. "Bye." I said softly, shutting the door and gesturing for the driver to go.

I didn't wait for Johnny to say anything, I looked ahead and stared at the road as the drive pulled away. I thanked God Johnny hadn't realized he didn't have my number.

Mondays... they gotta be the worst days of my life.


The Times... it wasn't the paper of my career or the job of my dreams- but it was something. I worked two jobs, the other was down at a stable doing stalls and giving lessons. It was supposed to be temporary- I had my cottage back home in the country where I split the rent with my best friend, Amy. She had the place to herself until I got back and I realized I owed her a call.

And then of course there was my family, my parents and my older sister. But Cathy, my sister, lived out in California with her husband and two children. I hadn't seen her since last Easter.

But it would only be a few more months tops... that was what I kept telling myself. But I had been here for a little over a month already and so far... things weren't looking so hot. After my encounter with Johnny, I dropped off my article and headed back to my apartment., I paid for the taxi and then retreated inside the building. I was tired... it had been a very long day.

I sat on the edge of my bed, set my shoulder bag on the floor and rubbed my knee. That was the main reason I had come to the city in the first place. My job at the Times was mostly just to keep money in the bank, money sorely needed to pay my various medical bills. That's what I was doing here, I was looking for a doctor. And so far... it wasn't going so well.

A month... a whole month in this God damn city and I was no closer to my goal then when I had first left home. And now I'd seen Johnny and Johnny had seen me which was something I had been trying to avoid sine the first day I had seen him.

I need some hot chocolate.


Jo Marie... he had seen Jo Marie. He had to repeat it a few times to make sure he was saying it right. Jo Marie... just like he remembered. And it was then, as he watched her taxi disappear into traffic he realized that he didn't have her number.

He swore angrily, drawing stares from a few curious onlookers when he noticed that his fingers were starting to flame. He doused the flickering fire, shaking his hand and clutching them into fists. Damn it! You'd think I'd learn how to control that by now... it's been over a year since I woke up in that hospital after the accident.

He swatted angrily at the burnt fringes of his leather jacket. It was one of my favorites... And now it smelt strongly of burnt shit. He was attracting a crowd, saw a pretty girl on the corner of the street smile and wave to him.

It irritated him further that he was still shell-shocked by seeing his ex-girlfriend from who knew how long ago that he couldn't even enjoy the attention he was getting. He shoved his still smoking sleeve into his pocket and waved at the crowd around him with his other. He plastered on a smile, hoping no one would be stupid enough to approach him right now for an autograph. He turned sharply on them and started walking back to the Baxter Building.

I need some air... and I need Reed to make me some non-flammable clothes.


Sue was home when he got there, it was almost noon. She was playing on Reed's computers, piles of letters were strewn about the keyboard. He didn't have the energy to fight her right now, so he bypassed her altogether and moved to retreat into the kitchen.

"You're home early." She called, never turning her face from the screen as her fingers flew across the keyboard.

He grimaced. "Where's Reed?" He asked instead, changing the topic.

"Science Convention... something about Plasma Rays." She said distractedly. She paused and turned to look back at him with a smirk. "Something sure to bore you so I won't lavish in details."

"Does it kill people?"

She frowned. "Possibly."

"Then it's interesting." She stared at him for a moment, jaw working before he raised his hands up in defense and said. "Hey... joking here!"

Sue half-smiled and shook her head. She looked tired... and she'd dropped the conversation without a fight AND she wasn't smirking. Apparently she didn't want to fight either. He stopped, watching her before grudgingly walking over to where she sat and pulling up a chair. "Can't say you look so hot right now." He said, crossing his arms over the back of the chair. He watched as her lips twitched into another half-smile and she rubbed her forehead.

"I don't feel so 'hot' right now." She replied. Sighing, she glanced back at him. "We got more today."

Johnny frowned, "More what?"

Her sharp eyes locked onto his burnt sleeve. "You'd think you'd get better at that by now." He glanced down at his sleeve non-chalantly and shrugged.

"Doesn't matter... more what?" He asked again, steering her back onto topic.

She shook her head, blinking as she remembered. "We received some more... letters... today."

Johnny cocked his head curiously. "From who?"

Sue gave him a weary look She picked up a pile of crisp, white envelopes and handed them to him. All were unopened except for one. All addressed to the 'Fantastic Four' and all lacking a return address. Recognition clicked instantly in his mind and he picked up the letters and glanced at his sister.

"Threats?" He asked, rising and pacing as he read the note sticking slightly out of the opened letter.

"The first one is... I haven't opened the others yet."

Johnny's azure gaze jumped over the page, a flicker of annoyance passed over his teenage-heart-throb features. Sometimes Sue had to remind herself that Johnny was as much a part of the team as she was and not one of those star-struck teens wandering the streets of New York. Unfortunately, and far too frequently for her taste, Johnny had gotten into the habit of making it far too difficult for her to discern between the two.

And now there was all this disappearing business... for a few years while she was with Von Doom she had lost contact with her younger brother altogether. And then there was all the trouble with NASA... and eventually he'd weaseled his way back into her life and onto the space station that had ended up changing their lives in a way that either of them had never imagined.

But Johnny had never liked being attached to anything, especially after their mother had died. And he certainly had never enjoyed obeying orders. Not now, not ever. The novelties of being a super hero had worn off... or begun to anyway... and Sue knew he hated being obligated to them all.

And now they had these threats to deal with. Threats demanding a meeting and a special request... or else to face the consequences. Johnny thought it was all a load of crap. But Johnny never did take anything seriously. It was always either his way... or else find a way to palliate the situation. Sue knew Johnny had a twisted sense of loyalty buried deep inside of hin... and he usually came through when they needed him... but not always.

She was worried that, someday, he wouldn't be there when they would need him most. She turned her attention back to him, watched at he shuffled through the letters. He was angry again, she could see the fire burning in his eyes. He crumbled the letters up in his hand, setting them aflame before she could say anything.

"Johnny!" She shrieked, jumping up as the burning bundle fell to the floor. He glanced down at it, clearly surprised and his eyes widening as the it began to burn the floor. Sue smothered it quickly and he glanced at her sheepishly as she sat down again and willed the head-ache away that had started to form in her forehead.

"Sorry." He mumbled. "It's just been happening lately."

She looked up at him, looking tired and haggard again. She smiled ruefully. "Try to quench the fire, Johnny. I'm sure Reed wouldn't feel inclined to make you those flame resistant clothes if you sent his life's work up in flames."

He grinned, feeling cocky as he noted that Sue really didn't want to lecture him. She breathed deeply, looking unsure as she stood again and fingered the remnants of his jacket sleeve. "Can you just... stick around for a while? Just until we get this thing straightened out?"

Johnny glanced irritably at the burnt sleeve and pulled off the jacket. He smiled and tossed it onto couch. "You worry too much." He said to her and she smiled in relief at his form of saying 'yes'.

She chuckled, shoved his shoulder slightly. "Because you don't worry enough." She replied.

"I'll stay." He said simply. "But we really do need to get Reed on the whole clothes situation."

She cocked her head, studying the sleeve once again. "Maybe you just need to get on the whole 'self-control' situation."

His grin widened. "Now why would I want to do that?" He said over his shoulder as he started heading up to his room.

"Try not to set the bed on fire." She called back as she sat again at the computer.

Johnny shook his head, shrugging his sister's comments off. Married women. He fought the urge to shudder. Can't live with them... can't live without them.


A/N: And now we have a more happy Johnny and a short reunion. :) I have to say that I was wowed by all the reviews I got... thank you all so much for your support! I really wasn't expecting to get any and now I'm always so excited when I post these chapters. :)

More about Jo is on the way... including why her physical issues require locating a doctor in the city over one locally. :) But that's in later chapters and I don't want to spoil my secrets. :) Next update should come mid to late next week, so look out for it! Again, reviews are always appreciated as they give me the incentive to update! And thanks, of course, to all of you who did review. :) And thanks a million to my beta, Kiann:)

Also, a shoutout to xfalloutgirlx for spying that little F4 error. Thanks a ton:)

Till next we meet...

TO BE CONTINUED...