CHAPTER 4: Breaking The News
Johnny and Sue (A/N: wow…just had a major brainfreeze…couldn't remember that for a minute…) made their way back to the hospital room, Johnny rubbing his sore neck. Reed and Ben glanced up, and rose to their feet when they saw the looks in the siblings' eyes.
"What is it?" Reed questioned softly, concern in his eyes when he noticed the red rings around Johnny's neck.
"We have trouble. Big…big trouble," Sue sighed, plopping down heavily into a chair and dropping her face into her hands. Reed knelt in front of her, and Ben gave Johnny a confused look.
"Our old buddy Vic? He's not quite as dead as we believed him to be." Johnny groaned softly, and sat down in the chair he had been in before everything had changed…again. Glancing at Bryce's peaceful face, he could see that there was no change. He looked up at Ben, a very…no pun intended…grim look on his face. "He's back…in the flesh."
"What!" Ben growled loudly, tensing when he heard a soft groan from the bed. Without hesitation, the rocky man turned and stood at her bedside. Johnny sat up, and subconsciously grabbed her hand, rubbing it and hoping for a reaction of any kind. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding when she squeezed back weakly.
"Bryce? Can you open your eyes for us?" Sue requested softly, brushing some sweat-matted hair out of her eyes. Slowly, Bryce's emerald-green eyes peeked out from underneath her lashes, earning a warm smile from Sue. "How do you feel?"
"Tired," she rasped. She winced against the dryness of her throat. Johnny noticed this, and grabbed a glass of water from the side table, and handed it to Sue to give to Bryce.
His sister glanced at him as he leaned back, his eyes never leaving the girl on the bed. Sue noticed the look of guilt in his eyes, and couldn't hold back a sigh. She turned, and tipped the cup carefully to her lips, but pulled it back quickly when Bryce started to cough from the strange sensation.
"How…how long have…I been out?" she questioned airily once the coughs had subsided. Sue placed the cup down, and brushed some more hair out of the girl's eyes, smiling down at her.
"Since yesterday. You came out of it pretty quickly. But for now, you should get some more rest, okay? We'll talk once you're feeling better." Bryce nodded, and slowly drifted back to sleep. Johnny could tell how exhausted she was, and a fresh wave of guilt washed over him.
-
It was a few days before Bryce could go home. Reed had been itching to go tests to find what her power was, but Sue insisted that she get some more rest, and Ben reminded him that they needed to tell her what had happened first. The four of them agreed to give her another couple of days, and then they would tell her together.
The day that they'd agreed to tell Bryce found Reed up early in the lab to keep himself occupied, Sue pacing nervously in the kitchen, Johnny sitting at the table behind her, slowly heating the glass in his hands so it would melt a little bit, and then twisting it ever so slightly to make a strange shape. Sitting back and staring at it didn't help any; it only made his tenseness worse. Ben was sitting at the television, tapping his large foot and making the signal on the screen flicker and the ground shake. It was a miracle to him that Bryce hadn't woken up by now.
As if reading his thoughts, the beautiful Brunette strode into the room, looking bright and cheery for the first time since the accident. When Johnny saw her, he couldn't help but stare. She just looked so beautiful to him…so carefree and happy. He didn't quite understand how she could be so happy with knowing what had happened to her, but he knew that would probably change once she found out that her life would be turned upside down.
"Why is everyone so edgy today? The energy in this room is dragging down my good mood!" she whined playfully, ruffling Johnny's hair. "Nice cup, by the way." The blonde ducked away from her hand and chuckled despite himself.
"Uh…Bryce, there's…something we need to tell you," Sue murmured. Bryce turned to look at her, and the smile faded away quickly. Johnny felt his heart twist, like the glass he held, and he wanted nothing more than to erase the last few seconds and watch her smile forever…so long as she didn't have to hear what they had to tell her.
"That doesn't sound too good," Bryce breathed, suddenly feeling like she was back in the hospital, lightheaded and tired.
"I'll go get Stretch," Ben muttered, standing up and heading for the Lab. Within a few moments, he and Reed had entered the room. Johnny noticed Sue fiddling nervously with her wedding ring, and stood next to her in hopes to calm her down. Reed stood on her other side, and Ben came to a stop next to Johnny.
And suddenly, Bryce felt like a cornered dog. Whatever this news was, it wasn't good, and she found herself wishing that she was back in the hospital, unconscious…anywhere else but where she was standing right then.
"What's going on?" Bryce questioned nervously, backing up until she was in the doorway and her hand was on the jamb. Johnny stepped forward, but she turned her head ever so slightly, warning him not to come closer. He sighed, and remained where he was.
"Bryce…when you were exposed to the storm…well…uh…" Sue began, glancing over at Reed for help. He took her hand comfortingly, and turned to look at the terrified girl before him. He could see that in her heart, she knew what she was going to hear.
"Your DNA was altered…just like ours."
"No. No, you're lying. Please tell me you're lying!" Bryce begged, tears filling her eyes. She figured some part of her had known it would happen the instant she saw the cloud coming towards her…but the rest of her had clung desperately to that chance that it hadn't. She glanced between the Four in front of her, and suddenly ran from the room crying. Johnny and Ben both moved to follow her, but Sue grabbed their arms.
"Let her go…she just needs some time."
-
Bryce fell onto her new bed, sobbing hard. She'd always dreamed of this happening to her…becoming one of the Fantastic Four. But who knew what would happen to her? Would she end up like Ben? Or worse? She knew that she could never go back to the life she'd had before…there was no possible way. Eventually, she'd have to accept the fact that everything had changed for her. Everything.
"What's wrong, is the Fabulous Four not treating their employee right?" an icy voice questioned behind her. She turned, and just barely managed to turn her scream into a gasp. Victor Von Doom…a.k.a. Doctor Doom was in her room, reaching for her in a mock display of comfort.
"Stay away from me!" Bryce cried, jumping up and backing away from him. Doom kept approaching her.
"Oh, but I promise I won't make you cry like these miscreants have. I can make you very…happy," he whispered, running a hand up her trembling arm. Bryce tried to draw away, not only terrified of the man before her, but also not used to being so scared. She had always been strong…independent. It just reminded her of how evil this man was.
"Stay the hell away from her, Vic," a low, dangerous voice growled. Bryce looked up, and let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. Johnny was standing in her doorway, his eyes orange with barely contained flames of fury. Ben stood behind him, looking ready to throw Johnny aside and attack their former partner. Reed and Sue were not far behind them. Bryce took a step towards the Four, and gasped when Doom grabbed her and jerked her back against him. His hand snaked around her throat, but he didn't tighten his grip. Johnny took a step forward in fear and fury; and stopped when Doom sent a quick shock through her body, making her groan softly.
"Now see," the man hissed into her ear, "I could have given you so much power. But if you choose to go with them, well, that makes you my enemy. As well as the easiest target."
Bryce's eyes widened, until he shoved her away from him, and she stumbled into Johnny's arms. Quickly, she stood again, and stared in anger at Doom, until he raised his hands. Ben gasped behind her, and she felt herself being dragged away, and thrown into the rocky body. By the time she had regained her equilibrium, she heard Sue scream and Johnny gasp in pain.
She looked up and her eyes widened in shock. Johnny was gripping his chest and staggering backwards. He had taken the hit for her…"Oh, God," she breathed, pulling herself from Ben's grip. The instant her arms were free, he collapsed into her arms. "Johnny, please be okay," she whispered so only he could hear. He glanced up at her, his features taut with pain.