Chapter Nine: The Baggage Claim

After a week of intense testing, and enough embarrassing situations regarding one Mr. Johnny Storm, the five living together came to two understandings. (1.) No one was allowed to leave the apartment. The incessant whining from Johnny followed this agreement; unfortunately for him he was outnumbered. The press had been swarming around looking for any shot they could of the five, and with the uncertainty lingering if they were even going to keep their powers, the five decided to lay low. (2.) With the extent of their powers cutting into their daily lives, Reed needed to find a material of clothing that could adapt to each of their individual abilities. When Reed lifted his eyes from the microscope, he had to look again, "Of course," Reed said as he lifted his head from the discovery, "self-regulating unstable molecules."

"So why am I in this suit again?" Helena asked Reed as she walked past Johnny checking himself out in the mirror. Johnny watched Helena as she walked right past him. He couldn't help but notice how unbelievable she looked in her suit, again. "Because you look hot!" Johnny replied as he strutted over to Helena, putting an arm around her. She looked at Johnny and rolled her eyes, "You know you're pretty much the reason we can't leave this place!" Helena spat at Johnny while shrugging his arm away, she was definitely irritated with him. No doubt that Johnny's nightly escapades made the Fantastic Five the center of the media's attention. Helena hated the idea of being on display in front of the camera, rather than behind it.

Johnny went back to staring into the mirror, "I can't help it if the press loves me! I'm Johnny Storm!" Helena's eyes peered at Johnny's ego, because at this point, his ego had completely taken over. 'That's it,' Helena thought, 'The gloves are coming off!' "Yeah, I know who you are Johnny, remember? I knew you were Johnny Storm, before any of those idiots did! And for the record each time the paparazzi just happened to know where we were, it's because YOU TIPPED THEM OFF!" At this point Helena was screaming at Johnny and his incompetence, while Sue was holding back a fuming Helena, Ben loved her gumption. "Give it to him Lena! Come on, below the belt!" Ben said under his breath. "And you want to know something else Johnny!" Helena continued, "The next time you tip off the paparazzi because you need documentation that you bought a cup of coffee, you might want to use a smarter name… HOT DUDE #1, REALLY!? Could you really be that stupid!?"

Ben couldn't take it anymore, and burst out into hysterics, especially when he saw the embarrassed reaction that Johnny had, and couldn't help himself but to say, "Awww, come on Tinker-bell, you're not even gonna try and fire back? That's so unlike you!" Even Sue couldn't help but smirk and choke out a laugh at that remark. "I wouldn't talk about temper tantrums if I were you Pebbles!" Johnny shot back and smiled at his comeback. Johnny knew that he could keep a battle of wits going with Ben, but with Helena, it was a whole different game, she would knock him out in the first round, and he knew it. The fact that he knew she could outsmart him irritated him to no end, but at the same time, it was such an incredible turn on. He knew that if he even tried to outsmart Helena he'd have to be in a very private place. So, to avoid an awkward situation, Johnny did what he always did when he got embarrassed, he painted on a smile and pretended it never happened. He also took back to starring at his reflection.

Helena turned around to face Reed, still fuming and screamed, "Now Reed, why the hell am I wearing this thing?" Reed swallowed the lump in his throat that had formed from Helena's little speech, when Helena realized that she didn't mean to scream at Reed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scream at you." Helena apologized. Reed smiled "It's OK Lena. These suits were exposed to the cloud like us so they can transform like us; becoming invisible, changing size on demand, transforming into water, or remaining impervious to flame."

"You guys look like an eighties rock band!" Ben giggled as he drank out of his signature metal cup, anything glass shattered under the weight of his touch. Sue, wanting to include Ben told him "You know this material stretches Ben, I'm sure I can get it to fit." "Ah forget it Susie, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that." Johnny then chimed in "I love these costumes, but I think their missing something though, some spice." Everyone rolled their eyes at Johnny's little outburst, "You can't use your powers in public Johnny," Sue told Johnny. Johnny rolled his eyes and replied before walking away "You guys are worse than NASA."

Ben snickered, "Maybe it's missing a utility belt," as Helena added, "Or a cape. Hey wait a second did Johnny just say something about NASA?" Helena asked reluctantly searching around at each person before settling on looking to Sue. "It's a long story," Sue replied. Ben snickered again, "That ends with him crashing a flight simulator into a wall." Helena breathed out quickly and said, "I'm sorry, did you just say that he crashed a flight simulator into a wall? How do you even manage that?" Helena asked Ben. Ben looked up knowing that he had revealed too much, but not caring. He had seen how chummy Helena and Johnny were getting throughout the week, and didn't really approve. So Ben proceeded spilling the beans about Johnny's short stint with NASA, "Why don't you ask the two Victoria's Secret wanna-be models he snuck in?" Sue snapped her head to Ben, "Ben!" Sue spat.

Helena got up and walked to her room, she couldn't take hearing any more about Johnny's tainted past. She walked into her bedroom and gave a sigh, looking to her book Pride and Prejudice. She picked it up and sat on the balcony, beginning to read it. After reading the same sentence three times she got out of her chair. Without hesitation, Helena went to her closet, changed into her warm-ups and put her hair in a bun. She combed through her CD's that she had brought with her from Paris, and smiled at the perfection of the one she'd chosen.

Reed upon seeing the trigger to her power, decided to build her a very small studio in the Baxter Building. This way she could learn to harness and control her power without having to leave. She got to the studio and after warming up, she popped in the CD, pressed play, and began to dance out her feelings.

Friendly Star – Judy Garland

There's a star for everyone
Brightly shining in the sky
It seems to be a part of our destiny

What Helena did not see was Johnny watching her again from the doorway. Ben approached Johnny and watched Helena with him.

Every night I eagerly,
Watch them all go twinkling by
But I can't seem to find the one the heavens
Assigned to me...

"I remember the first time I saw her dance, it was something like this. Don't tell her I told you, she still thinks the first time I saw her dance is when she intentionally performed for me. Anyway, you want to look away, you know that it's supposed to be just for her, but you can't tear yourself away." Ben said as he placed a hand on Johnny's shoulder. Ben gave one last smile to Helena then gave his spot to Johnny as he made his way to his room.

Friendly star, where could you be hiding
Smile for me from out of the lonely night
Friendly star, my fate needs deciding
How I need the glow of your guiding light

Ben walked away, knowing he was in the wrong for spilling so much about Johnny's past to Helena. He just wanted to protect Helena from Johnny's stupidity when it came to women. Helena had been like his little sister and he couldn't help but to feel protective of her.

I know that you are near, for I am strangely dreamy
And so if you can see me from afar
Won't you kindly, light my way

Johnny listened intently to the lyrics of the song and was shocked at how much they resonated with him. Watching Helena dance with a soft grace and vulnerability only reminded him of how much he truly cared for her. She was everything he wasn't, his polar opposite.

Lead me to my lover, Just point him out, And whisper,
"there you are, there you are"
Then my love, you will be
Standing here, close to me

Johnny smiled remembering how he couldn't tear himself away from watching her in the Von Doom gym. Her emotional strength surprised him and scared him at the same time.

In your eyes, I will see my friendly star.

Johnny smiled and walked away. The last line of the song lingered in his brain as he made his way into his room.

Helena took a breath, finishing her dance. She had danced out her feelings and what surprised her most was how hopeful they were. Helena tried to think of a reason she shouldn't see Johnny, but as she thought of all the baggage Johnny came with, her eyes softened. Who was she to think like that, she had plenty of baggage herself, and Johnny had accepted that, even welcomed it. Her thoughts immediately went to the harsh words she shouted at Johnny earlier, and she felt ashamed of herself. Yes, Johnny had been acting like an egomaniac, especially with his powers, but at least he wasn't pulling away. She knew right then that those harsh words were her technique for pulling away. If she made the problem all about Johnny, then no one would notice how scared she was.

Helena headed for Johnny's room with two cups of cocoa, knocked on his door and entered his room. "Johnny?" she looked around the room and saw a light on in the walk-in closet. Assuming Johnny to be in the closet, she began, "Johnny, I just wanted to…" Johnny entered his room from the front door behind Helena, and she jumped at the sound of Johnny's voice. "Just wanted to what? Scream at me some more?" Johnny walked right past Helena. "No, I wanted to apologize for earlier. What I said was mean, and not true, you're very smart. I just get so frustrated with you when I see you not using the brains that I know you have." Helena explained as she handed the cocoa to Johnny. Johnny nodded as he looked down into the warm chocolate beverage. "You have to understand that this whole experience isn't as easy for everyone as it seems to be for you. Ben might put on a tough front, but he just lost his wife, he lost everything. Think of how tough it would be to have the woman that you loved more than anything walk out on you because of something so superficial. Reed and Sue are struggling with their powers too, and I…" Helena tried to explain.

"And what about you?" Johnny asked. "What about me?" Helena replied. Johnny continued walking towards her, "I haven't seen you take one picture since this happened. When I saw you during the mission taking pictures, there was so much joy in your eyes, now the only time I ever see that same joy is when you dance. So who are you Helena, a dancer or a photographer?" Helena bit her bottom lip; she knew she had been caught.

The truth was after being in front of the press on the bridge with the cameras flashing in her face, she couldn't even look at her camera again. She knew she was a different breed of photographer, one who took pictures for the art and not the profit. But when she was exposed to the barrage of lights flashing in her face, not even Annie Leibowitz could bring her back. "Can't I be both?" Helena asked sheepishly, Johnny walked up to Helena and touched her arm, "Of course you can, but are you?" Helena had to look away, she couldn't stand that Johnny knew her so well. It was then she looked to Johnny's nightstand and saw a book there, nothing out of the ordinary for sure, but the actual book itself was a total surprise, Pride and Prejudice.

Johnny followed Helena's line of sight to the book on his nightstand, and he smiled, picking up the book. "It's your fault you know. This is a great book, so far." Johnny replied placing the book back on the nightstand. "It only gets better, you know," Helena said as she smirked. She walked up to Johnny, lightly blowing on her hot cocoa before taking a small sip. "So what part are you at?" Helena asked as she sat on Johnny's bed. Johnny opens up the book to where he's marked it and scans the page, before he smiles and answers, "Right after Lizzie refuses Mr. Collins." Helena smiles looking fondly into the air, "I love that part, it cracks me up every time." Helena looked to Johnny as she continued, "Collins is so creepy; he deserved every word." Helena winks at Johnny, who smirks back.

Helena got up as she was saying "I better get back to the studio, Reed wants me to…" Johnny cut her off by taking her arm, turning her around and kissing her passionately. Helena kissed him back, and as before, the kiss became intense very quickly. Helena wrapped her arm around Johnny as he lifted her up so that only her toes were touching the ground. She smiled into his kiss, as she remembered their previous romantic encounter. Johnny relished in Helena's cool apricot lips.

He smiled back and both opened their eyes as they rested their foreheads on each other. "We really need to stop meeting like this," Helena joked as she laughed a little. Johnny laughed as well, remembering the tune of her laughter. Helena looked over Johnny, and giggled a little when she realized something, "You're soaked," Helena said as she ran her fingers through Johnny's hair. Johnny just smiled and kissed her softly, "You're hot," Johnny stated with his eyes closed. Helena smirked knowing what she had to say next, but not missing a beat, "Why thank you, so are you, and I'm not afraid to cry," both laughing at their little deja'vu moment.