A/N: Here's chapter six! I'm on a roll! Thanks for all the great comments! I'm so thankful! Italics are thoughts, I don't own the song in here, and it gets pretty dark towards the end and the next few chapters, just a warning!
Disclaimer: I don't own Fantastic Four.
The Torch Breaks Out
Kathy jerked up awake for the fifth night in a row. She looked around her room, and held her head in her hands. She got up, and padded out of her room and, opposed to what she did for the past five years whenever she had this same nightmare, she walked towards the living room, instead of Reed's room.
Johnny was lying down on the couch now watching a stand-up comedy routine. He looked over and saw Kathy and frowned. "Again? It's the fifth night in a row. You sure you don't want to talk about it Kathy?"
Kathy nodded and walked behind the couch towards the kitchen. "I'm going to grab something from the kitchen, I want something to eat. You want anything?"
Johnny nodded. "Yeah, I'm hungry too. Maybe some chips."
"Your so unhealthy." Kathy muttered walking to the kitchen.
"What? Chips are healthy…kind of."
Kathy jut rolled her eyes and disappeared into the kitchen. Johnny turned his attention back to the comedian that was making a joke about airport security, when he heard the sound of shattering glass coming from the kitchen. "Kathy? You okay?" He asked. When he didn't get a response he got up and ran into the kitchen. Kathy had one hand in the cabinet, where she was reaching for a cup, and glass shards were in her hair, from the cup that she had accidentally crushed. Tears ran down Kathy's face as she was frozen in her position.
"Kathy, did you get cut?" Johnny asked looking her over. There was a small amount of glass on the ground by Kathy's feet, while most of it was in her hair. He picked her up and placed her on the counter so she didn't cut her feet. "Kathy why are you crying?" He asked looking to her. She didn't answer but kept crying.
Johnny just grabbed a broom and swept up the glass on the floor, giving Kathy time to calm down, and then picked all the glass out of her hair and tossing it in the garbage. "I broke the cup…" Kathy muttered.
Johnny looked at her and smiled. "Yeah, it's okay Kathy, it was just a cup."
"I shattered it."
Johnny stood in front of where Kathy was on the counter, placing his hands on both sides of her. "Kathy, it's fine. We can get a new cup, and Reed won't know that-"
"No! You don't get it!" Kathy exclaimed. She sighed before continuing, her voice shaky and a fresh round of tears coming down her face. "I…I went to grab the cup, like I normally would you know? I d-didn't even mean to grip it so hard…I grabbed it how I normally would…"
Johnny looked confused for a second before his face shone in understanding. "Oh…your afraid. Your scared if you can shatter the cup, without trying, what else you can do without knowing it." Kathy nodded and Johnny smiled, hugging her.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"Come on, I'm showing you that you can control your strength. Just have to be gentle. Hug me back."
"But, I-"
"Just trust me will you?" Johnny shot back. Kathy closed her eyes and hugged back as gently as possible. "See? No broken bones or anything." Johnny laughed. Kathy opened her eyes and saw that he was right and smiled.
"Thanks Johnny." Kathy spoke. "Thanks for being here for me."
They both let go and Johnny shrugged. "No problem. I'm actually very sensitive." He spoke, slightly sarcastic. Kathy rolled her eyes and Johnny laughed. "Okay, so I'm pretty sure we're both hungry so how about some take-out?"
"It's 12 in the morning." Kathy pointed out.
"So?" Kathy smirked, and they ordered take out. They were very quiet when the delivery boy brought them the food, and they ate and laughed as they watched the comedy routine.
With Victor
Victor, was in his bathroom washing his hands, looking very desperate and hostile. A TV in the next room was on the news station where it talked about the sharp decline of Victors company. He reached over for a towel by, an outlet when electricity flowed out and into his hands. Startled, he jerked his hand back and the electricity stopped.
Intrigued he put his hand near the outlet again, as the electricity surged through his arm and body, he brought the electricity up to his face and closed his fist, shutting off the power in the bathroom. He smiled sadistically. "Interesting."
In A Parking Structure
Ned, was walking to his car at night, as the lights started to flicker. He looked around, obviously worried that someone would jump him or try to mug him. "Hello?" He called out. He then noticed Victor walking toward him slowly. "Victor? What's with these lights huh?" After he didn't get an answer he tried a different topic. "So about the IPO, no hard feelings right? Nothing personal." Again no answer. "You, know Victor, if it doesn't work out, you can always move back to Latviria." No response. Now Ned, became confident. "Maybe, that's where you belong, the old country."
Ned was about to turn around when Victor raised his hand and shot electricity through Ned, burning a hole through his stomach. He fell to the ground in a heap, unmoving and dead. "Nothing personal Ned, but I'm not going anywhere."
In The Baxter Building
Kathy was in her room writing in her notebook while listening to music. She looked over at the clock on the wall and noticed a letter that Johnny hadn't opened, hidden among the others. "Looks like he didn't get them all." She snickered as she got up and grabbed it, retreating back to her bed and flopping down.
The letter was sealed in it's envelope, the return address not written, not even a name for the sender was written. Kathy pouted as she opened the letter and started to read it. The happy smile she had on her face slowly slipped away as her lips parted in horror and shock. By the time she finished reading, she let it slip from her hands.
She grabbed for her book as she turned the pages full of song lyrics, stories, and drawings, frantically, looking for one thing in particular. She finally found it and folded to corner so it was easy to find again, before finding a clean sheet and ripping it out. She grabbed the pen she was using before, and started scribbling frantically. Finishing she folded it up and wrote down the names of Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny.
She kissed the paper before running to the closet and grabbing a small knapsack. She started putting t-shirts in it when she realized they wouldn't fit her. She grabbed her uniform, changed quickly, and put in her notebook and pen before going next door to Johnny's room. "Hey Johnny…can I come in?" She asked. When she got no answer she opened the door and saw that the boys favorite leather jacket, which was normally on the chair by the window, was gone along with his keys. "He broke out too it seems." Kathy raided Johnny's closet, pulling out jeans and t-shirts, and noticing his second favorite jacket she pulled it out and shrugged in on her shoulders.
She found a sheet of paper on the nightstand and scribbled another note quickly before slinging the bag on her back and walking out the room.
With Johnny
Johnny grabbed a Jiffy Pop bag of popcorn and grabbed a bottle of water, walking over to the living room where the TV was on, on the motocross restyle channel. As he walked in the popcorn started popping, underneath Johnny's hand and was done by the time he sat down on the couch.
He looked at the screen and shook his head. "I gotta get out of here." He muttered getting up. He walked by the closet where all the uniforms were kept and smiled evilly as he grabbed his. He started walking back to his room, when he noticed the door to Kathy's slightly open. He smiled when he saw the girl laying on her stomach scribbling down something in that notebook she always seemed to have around. Her ears were completely covered by headphones that DJ's used. She didn't seem to notice Johnny at the door.
He continued walking past and into his room, where he quickly changed out of his clothes, into his uniform and back again into his normal clothes. He grabbed his favorite leather jacket and his car keys and headed down toward the garage. He hopped in his red sports car, with the addition of his new custom made license plates, which said TORCH'D.
He pulled up to a traffic light close to the arena when a, wannabe motorcycle gang, guy pulled up next to him with a black mustang. "Hey let's go!" The guy shouted egging him on into a race to see whose car is fastest. Johnny ignored him. "Let's see what you got pretty boy!"
Calm down Johnny, not the first time you've ever heard that before. He told himself. "Where's your hot sister and the monster?" The guy called out again. Johnny bit his lip, a bit. Again, ALSO not the first time you've heard that before. "Oh, and how can I forget that gorgeous brunette! I'm telling you if your not tapping that I will!" Johnny's eyebrow shot up as he looked over at the guy. Okay, not one I heard before. I think that allows a bit of punishment and humiliation.
Johnny stuck his arm out the window and melted the rubber off the rims of the tires, so the metal rims, themselves melted to the ground. The traffic light turned green and Johnny sped forward while the other guy was left in the dust.
In the Arena
An announcer down by the areas where the riders rode, had a microphone in his hand as a TV camera panned in on his face. "Alright, alright. I'd like you all to welcome a very special guest, Mr. Johnny Storm, from the Fantastic Five!" He shouted.
Johnny, decked out in riding gear, put on his goggles and rode off to the first ramp. He was up in the air, where he balanced on the handlebars, pointing his legs up together toward the ceiling. Everyone began cheering, loudly as he landed. "Whoa! Look at that lift! But Johnny, that's old school! Show us something new."
Johnny, starring at the ramp and raising an eyebrow smirked, letting a bit of heat soak through. "Something new? You got it." He rode up to the ramp and propelled off. He let go of his bike and did flips in the air. He started panicking when he noticed his bike falling away from him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Come on Johnny! Come on Johnny!" He shouted to himself, turning on fire. He started going up in the sky.
The announcer grabbed his head in awe. "Is he flying?"
"No, no, no!" Johnny shouted as he lost control and the flames dissipated. He fell towards the ground, landed on one of the dirt hills and rolled down until he was lying on his back looking up at the ceiling. "Dangerous." He muttered remembering what Reed said about not knowing what they're powers could do. Paramedics rushed over to Johnny who was already taking his helmet off. "I'm okay. I'm good." He muttered standing up, his jersey partially burned off.
"He's okay! He's all right!" The announcer shouted. Everyone cheered and Johnny looked around soaking it in. "Johnny Storm ladies and gentlemen! I've got to hand it to you Johnny, you were on fire!" Johnny smiled pulling off the rest of his burned suit, revealing his uniform underneath, now with a silver circle on his chest with a black 4 engraved in it.
At the Baxter Building
"He didn't." Sue spoke crossing her arms as she stared at the TV.
"Oh yes he did. Flame boy never listens." Ben growled.
"What did he do to his uniform?" Sue wondered. Reed, who was wearing a white lab coat over his uniform, covered up the silver four that was peeking out, not wanting Sue to realize it was him who altered the uniforms.
Johnny was talking to a newscaster with two girls from the motocross exhibition. "Johnny, I've got to say, love the outfit." The newscaster spoke.
"Yeah, it's kinda of Armani meets astronaut."
"So, Johnny what are your super hero names?"
Johnny smiled. "They call me the Human Torch…ladies call me Torch." A picture of Sue appeared on a the screen. "That's the Invisible Girl."
"Girl?" Sue asked raising an eyebrow.
"What about your leader Reed Richards? I hear you call him Mr. Fantastic."
Johnny had come up with a witty remark but Ben ignored him and shrugged. "It could be worse."
"Is it true he can stretch any part of his anatomy?"
Johnny smiled at the prospect of being able to make fun of Reed, and at the sheer awkwardness of the question. "Well, I've always found him to be a little limp."
Reed looked shocked at the TV screen. A picture came up on the screen of Kathy. Johnny's face visible softened and brightened. The newscaster noticed this and smiled. "And her name? And do I sense a bit of romance?"
Johnny looked at the newscaster for a second, trying to process what she had said. He had always implied that he wanted to date Kathy, heck, he's even said it. But he never completely thought about it. To him, she was little Kathy. That cute sweet girl who you can always turn to, that was his best friend, and that he swore to always be there to protect. Sure he loved her, but did he love her? He hadn't thought of it much. Realizing that the newscaster was waiting for an answer he spoke up.
"Aw, little Kathy! That's Super Girl in every essence of the word. But as for romance? Not that I know of. She's my best friend."
The newscaster, obviously not as happy as she would have been if she had a juicy bit of gossip on film smiled none the less and pointed to a picture of Ben. "What's that? What do you call that thing?"
Johnny smiled ready to make fun of Ben, in an annoying sibling kind of way. "That's just it. The Thing. If you think this is bad you should have seen him before."
Ben glared at the TV. "That's it. Now I'm gonna go kill him." He spoke and stalked out of the room, followed closely by Reed and Sue.
At a Recording Studio
Kathy walked in and was immediately greeted by the secretary, obviously recognizing who she was. "Katherine Richards! What an honor it is to have you with us! Is there anything at all I could do for you?"
Kathy nodded and looked around nervously, and guilty. "Yeah, there is actually. Do you have a recording booth open?"
The secretary nodded and then tossed her a quizzical look. "Of course we can have one open for you in under half an hour. But, my dear, I didn't know you sang."
Kathy nodded and smiled. "I dabble is a few things actually."
The secretary nodded and got up from her desk. "I'll arrange a private booth for you immediately." Kathy bit her lip.
"Wait!" The lady turned around. "If it's not too much trouble…I don't want a private booth. Can you alert a TV station? I want this to be broadcasted live."
At The Arena
"There he is." Sue pointed out. Reed and Sue ran over to him when Ben noticed the TORCH'D license plate on Johnny's red sports car. He smirked and made a beeline for the car.
"Johnny." Sue spoke sternly as she and Reed flanked the boy on both sides.
"Can we talk about this later guys?" Johnny asked trying to brush them off as he walked down the stretch of paparazzi out of the arena and towards the street.
"No we cannot talk about this later Johnny. What were you thinking?" Sue exclaimed.
"We're my ride?" Johnny asked trying to ignore her. A red ball of the bent metal of a car flew down in front of the three super heroes. Johnny gaped at the sight. "Is that my-" He got cut off by his license plate hitting him in the head and saw Ben. "You think this is funny pebbles?"
"Johnny!" Sue exclaimed.
"What?" He asked clearly irritated.
"You have us names? You don't think! So now you're the face of the Fantastic Five?"
"The face that's about to be broken!" Ben shouted coming up to Johnny. Sue was standing near Johnny and Reed near Ben, holding him back.
"This isn't permanent Johnny! We have to lay low until we're normal again." Reed explained.
"What if I don't want to be normal again? I didn't turn into a monster!" Johnny shouted pointing to Ben. Ben reeled his fist back ready to punch Ben before he realized what he was doing. He turned around and started walking away.
Sue glared at Johnny. "Johnny, say your sorry." A ball of fire flew at the back of Ben's head.
Ben turned around shocked. "Did you just-" He was cut off by another fireball to the face. "That's it Tinker Bell! You want to fly?" Ben shouted as he charged toward Johnny, Reed got in between Ben as he swung at Johnny. "Then fly!" Ben punched Reed accidentally, but Reed's stomach stretched so it hit Johnny and sent him flying back onto a Burger King billboard, where there were little patches of fire from where he landed.
Reed looked at his stomach slightly shocked and stepped out of the way as Johnny looked up and glared daggers at Ben who looked ready for another round.
At the Recording Studio
Kathy was sitting with her bag at her feet, shifting every few seconds. The secretary walked over to her and smiled. "Hello there dear, your booth will be ready in about ten minutes, but I thought that you should see something."
"What is it?" She asked as she followed the kind lady towards the lounge where there was a TV. She turned it on and it showed a scene where the other four were. "Johnny, say your sorry." Sue spoke. Kathy sighed. "I'll be back in a few minutes. I have to go help them out."
The blonde bubbly lady nodded in understanding. "No problem. Take all the time you need."
At the Arena
"Wait a minute guys." Sue spoke as Johnny jumped off the billboard and walked towards Ben. "Ben, don't do this."
"Let's see if we can get blood from a stone." Johnny threatened.
"Bring it burnout." Ben replied.
"You two need a timeout!" Sue shouted bringing up her arms to push them apart, using a force field for Ben. Johnny seemed to be ready to walk right through her right when Kathy landed next to Johnny, her feet imprinted in the street slightly.
"What's going on?" Kathy asked her hands on her hips. She looked over as she saw Ben walk away.
"Talk to block head, he started it!" Johnny yelled off to where Ben was.
"I don't care! Damn it Johnny!" Sue exclaimed before she ran off to calm Ben down. "Ben, wait!"
"I'm waiting for an explanation." Kathy asked now standing in front of the fire boy.
"Ben was being a jerk and-"
"And, I saw you throw the fireball at his face Johnny. What's with you? You never fight with Ben. Well, sure there is always the verbal abuse but never fists." Kathy asked looking sad and worried. Johnny sighed and shrugged. Kathy hung her head and looked up at the sky. "Johnny, at least try not to mess with Ben as much as you do. How am I supposed to leave you guys here when your ready to kill each other?"
Reed, who was watching the two, noticed something in the wording she used and walked up to them both. "What do you mean leave you guys here?"
Kathy swallowed nervously and shook her head. "Bad wording choice. Anyways, I've got to head back to the building. I'm not feeling too good. Don't kill each other…please." She asked as she hugged both men in front of her. She then turned to Reed. "Reed, make sure everyone is at the building in under ten minutes. There's something I want to say to everyone and you all have to be there. Early." She spoke quickly before walking away.
Reed, now alone with Johnny, took his turn at criticizing the boys actions. Johnny noticed his gaze, and his sour mood returned with the exit of Kathy. "What."
"Johnny, you've got to be smarter. Think before you act."
"Yeah, well that's your problem Reed, you always think, you never act. What if we got these powers for a reason? What if it's like some higher calling?"
"A higher calling like getting girls and making money?" Reed asked sarcastically.
Johnny shrugged. "Is there any higher?" He responded with the same amount of sarcasm that Reed used. "This is who we are Reed, deal with it. Or better yet, enjoy it." Johnny spoke as he started walking away. "I'm heading back to the Baxter. I want to see what Kathy has to say." Reed sighed and followed Johnny, while taking his phone out and sending a message to Sue.
With Ben and Sue
"Wait! Ben, slow down!" Sue called out catching up to Ben walking down the street in a group of people. "He didn't mean it. You know Johnny, he's always been a hot head."
"It ain't him. It's THEM!" He roared at the crowd of people behind them, watching as they flinched backwards in fright.
"Ben, we just have to give Reed a little more time. You know how he works, over analyzing every little step before he even makes one."
Ben snorted. "It's easy for you to be patient."
"No it's not!" She exclaimed, her voice rising a bit. Ben turned to look at her shocked. "I thought I was done waiting for Reed but I-" she paused and reworded her sentence. "We're all in this together Ben."
Ben looked at her and shook his head. "Suzie, look at me. You have no idea what I'd…what I'd give to be invisible."
Sue looked at him sympathetically when her phone rang. She opened and saw the message Reed had sent. She grabbed Ben's arm and steered him towards the Baxter building. "Come on Ben. Kathy has something important to tell us."
Ten Minutes Later
Everyone was seated in the living room of Reed and Kathy's house. Johnny still looked steamed and Ben seemed to be in a worse mood. Sue, was seated on the couch, watching the two carefully, making sure they didn't spontaneously kill each other. "I'm going to go grab my phone." Johnny grumbled as he walked out of the room and towards his own.
Reed walked in and looked around. "Where's Kathy and Johnny?"
"Johnny's in his room grabbing his phone, and I haven't seen Kathy." Sue shrugged.
Reed nodded. "She's probably in her room. I'll go get her."
Before Reed could take a step, Johnny rushed out of his room looking alarmed. "Where's Kathy?" He exclaimed.
Reed looked confused. "I thought she was in her room. Where's the fire?"
Johnny walked over to Reed and Sue on the couch, and looked at Ben. "Ben, I know you hate me right now, but you don't hate Kathy, you need to see this." Ben, got up and around the couch, wondering what Kathy had to do with the piece of paper in his hands. "Read it." The four looked at the note and Johnny's hands and Reed read it out loud.
"Johnny, sorry about having to borrow your clothes, but I needed to borrow some more. I'll bring them back in perfect condition…well…usable condition. Thanks for being there for me when I needed you and sorry. Love, Kathy."
Everyone shared a glance and Reed looked shocked. "Remember what Kathy said?" Johnny reminded Reed.
In a flash Reed was up and ran into Kathy's room. He came back holding the note that Kathy wrote and looked horrified.
He read it out loud.
"Really sorry you guys. I love you all. Turn on the TV and you'll see what's going on. And, Reed, I'm pretty sure your going to be the one to find this note, your going to miss something on the floor of my room. But watch the TV first, then go back and get it and it will all make sense, and I do know how you like things to make sense. Love, Kathy."
Sue grabbed the remote and turned on the TV to a new station. "That's right, and I hear we have breaking news going on inside a recording studio right here in New York City, or field reporter Amy Johnson is on scene. Amy."
The screen switched to that of a middle aged woman with red hair and green eyes standing in a brown spacious recording booth. "Thank you Chuck. I'm here in one of Spin City Records, recording booths here live. Behind me, in the booth, getting ready to perform a song and say a few words is none other than Katherine Richards, of the Fantastic Five!" The camera panned around to show Kathy standing in the booth wearing Johnny's baggy dark blue jeans, white and red t-shirt and second favorite leather jacket. There was DJ headphones on her ears and she looked stressful. "Now, let's hear what this young girl has to say!" She pressed a button allowing Kathy to hear her. "Alright Miss Richards, your on!"
Kathy sucked in a deep breath as the camera set on her. She waved to the camera. "Hey there everyone. There is actually a reason why I'm doing this, and I want to give an explanation first, to some people who are probably confused. Ben, Sue, Johnny, Reed…I hope your watching. Well…they're probably going to play this a few times anyways, either talking about how I sounded, what I'm wearing, or…why I'm doing this in the first place." She paused and sighed. "I'm leaving…I don't know when I'll be back…but I'll try and get back as soon as I can. Some…demons from my past came back to haunt me…and I'm going to make sure that my past stays in the past. The reason why I couldn't tell you this in person…is because I knew you would never let me go. You all are my friends, my family, and my heart. So with everything that's going on…I didn't think it would be fair to burden you with this." She paused as a few tears slipped down her cheek. "This song that I'm about to sing, isn't written about you guys. You guys are perfect…well we all have our little quirks but I wouldn't change anything about you guys. This song was written about someone who meant the world to me. I'm wrote this so he knows exactly what he did to me, and that he can't control me anymore. Guys, I'm sorry. Please, understand, and listen."
Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny all sat in shock as they listen to what Kathy was saying. "She's leaving." Ben spoke trying to understand what was happening.
"Why?" Sue asked.
Reed and Johnny sat back, unmoving and frozen, completely floored by what Kathy was saying. Kathy grabbed the microphone and closed her eyes starting to sing.
Listen to the song here in my heart
A melody I start but can't complete
Listen to the sound from deep within
Its only beginning to find release
Ohh the time has come for my dreams to be heard
They will not be pushed aside and turned
Into your own, all 'cause you won't listen
[chorus]
ListenI am alone at a crossroads
I'm not at home in my own home
And I've tried and triedTo say whats on my mind
You should have known
Now I'm done believing you
You don't know what I'm feeling
I'm more than what
You've made of me
I followed the voice, you gave to me
But now I've gotta find my own
You should have listened
There was someone here inside
Someone I thought had died
So long agoOh I'm screaming out
And my dreams will be heard
They will not be pushed Aside or turned
Into your own
All 'cause you won't listen
[chorus]
ListenI am alone at a crossroads
I'm not at home in my own home
And I've tried and tried
To say whats on my mind
You should have known
Now I'm done believing you
You don't know what I'm feeling
I'm more than what
You've made of meI followed the voice, you gave to me
But now I've gotta find my own
You should have listened
I don't know where I belong
But I'll be moving on
If you don't, if you won't
Listen to the song here in my heart
A melody I start, but I will complete
Now I am done believing you
You don't know not what I am feeling
I'm more than what you've made of meI
followed the voice you think you gave to me
But now I got to find my own - my own
Kathy finished her song and exhaled. There were tears streaming down her face as she raised her hands to her lips and blew a kiss to the screen. "I love you guys so much…but I've got to go. I hope you understand. And I hope all you watching at home, enjoyed this. Goodbye." She spoke and pulled the headphones off, stepped out of the booth and out of the room.
The camera panned back to the newscaster who had a tissue wiping a stray tear down her face. "And that was just a emotional, talented, tear jerking performance by Katherine Richards. I'm sure it's hard to find anyone who didn't listen to your beautiful voice. Back to you Chuck."
Sue turned off the TV as Reed went to Kathy's room to find what he missed on her floor.
"Why…why would she possibly have to go? What was so terrible that happened to her? What demons?" Johnny asked at all at once looking around the room.
Ben and Sue shared a look, a knowing guilt look. "You two know what happened."
Reed came back out with the letter Kathy had dropped on the floor. "We all do Johnny, except you."
Johnny got to his feet angered and annoyed. "What is it that I didn't know? What happened to her that was so awful?"
Reed, shifted as his jaw set and his hands clenched into fists. "Johnny, five years ago Kathy…she was…"
Johnny looked around, ready to explode in anger again, when he noticed the sad, disgusted, and horrified looks on everyone else in the room. "She was…what?"
Reed sighed and decided to come out with it, instead of beating around the bush. "Johnny…Kathy was almost raped by our father."