Disclaimer- "You put your right foot in, you take your right foot out, you
put your right foot in and you shake it all about. You do the Hokey Pokey
and you turn yourself around. That's what it's all about."
Author's Note- Shower scene up ahead. Not totally detailed, but you can use your imagination if you'd like! ;-)
Chapter Thirteen- The Fantastic Four
"Gee, Crys, where'd you find this one?" Johnny Storm asked his girlfriend sarcastically as he and his brother-in-law settled the injured mutant onto the bed in the medical lab.
"Hush up, Johnny!" Crystal snapped, getting gauzes and other medical supplies ready. "Did you honestly think that I would leave him there bleeding to death?"
Johnny didn't answer, but he did stick his tongue out when she had her back turned, cutting the material of the mutant's suit.
Crystal ripped down the rest of the way, and then pulling the top part of the suit to the side, revealing a battered up and skinny torso. She could almost count the ribs, and she swore he was paler than a ghost. She ran her fingers along the wound again, her gloves now off, revealing a tight yellow sleeve that ended at her knuckles, with a hole for her thumb. His entire left side was sticky from the scarlet blood.
Johnny bit his lower lip slightly, feeling guilty and an itty-bit queasy. "I'll-I'll go with Ben and Sue. I can't watch this stuff."
He hurried out of the room to find the Thing and his sister, Invisible Woman.
Crystal immediately began to pat the side with a wet washcloth gently, afraid that if she rubbed at it, it would cause him pain.
"Do you think he needs stitches, Reed?" she asked Mr. Fantastic. The older man glanced over at the man lying on the table, and he carefully inspected the wound.
"Yes," he said, stretching his arm across the room to collect the supplies needed for stitching. In his hand was a syringe, and he carefully injected the injured man with it, numbing the area so they could work on it.
The man stirred and groaned. Both Crystal and Reed froze, but the man did not move again. Slowly, they went back to work; Crystal cleaning up the wound, and Reed stitching it closed.
"It's kind of burned there too. I wonder how he got this?" Reed said.
"I'm guessing it's from one of those sentinel things," Crystal said, "Nuisance. They're a danger to everyone; humans, mutants, or anything alike."
Reed nodded, finishing up on sewing the man back together. "I think you should clean his upper body too, it looks like he hasn't been washed properly in a long time. When he wakes up, we'll allow him a shower or a bath."
Nodding, Crystal went to fetch some liquid Dial soap, a small basin filled with lukewarm water, and a clean rag.
The man lying in the bed stirred again, and Crystal dabbed his forehead with the cloth. Reed then helped her remove the whole upper part of the suit, until only the waist and down was covered with clothes. They noticed how rough and itchy the material had been.
"He has some ugly bruises," Reed observed. Crystal nodded sadly, rubbing the rag over the man's chest. He stirred again.
"We'll have to find out about him when he wakes up. I'm guessing he's a mutant," Reed said.
"Yes, I think so too," agreed Crystal. "Oh...Sweet Agon! They *numbered* him!"
She lifted up the man's left arm and practically shoved it under Reed's nose for the older man to see.
PM1040141. To the side of it, was a dull red, almost flesh colored bar code.
Reed growled dangerously.
"Monsters!" Crystal screeched. "How can they do this? Do they *want* another Holocaust happening? I might not have been around when it happened, or even been on Earth more than five years, but this...this is revolting! The shame of these evil humans! If this happened in Attilan..."
The arm was jerked away from her grasp. Crystal gasped and gave a soft scream. The man was looking groggily around, and his eyes met Crystal's for a moment, and she became enamored with them. She couldn't look away, but his eyelids drooped closed and he was unconscious again.
"He may have been delusional just now, but he has the saddest eyes I've ever seen," Crystal spoke softly.
"He was just waking up, but I doped him up some more. He shouldn't have even opened his eyes yet," Reed said, tossing another syringe away.
Crystal grabbed a dry towel and began patting the man's chest dry, careful not to get too close to the stitches.
"I wonder how long he's been gone. What he looked like before they took him. Ugh, his hair's filthy. Maybe me and Sue could give him a makeover?" Crystal said, looking up to meet Reed Richards eyes.
Sue entered then, wanting to see if there was anything she could help with. Reed rolled his eyes and stalked out to take a hot shower.
"Sometimes I wonder why I married that man," Sue sighed, walking up to stand next to Crystal.
"I don't know, Sue," Crystal teased, "He's very good looking for his age."
Sue rolled her eyes and smiled. "So, anything I can do?"
"As a matter of fact, yes. Go get some shampoo and conditioner, we're going to wash his hair." Crystal said.
Sue raised an eyebrow but obliged. Moments later she came back with Herbal Essence shampoo and conditioner.
Crystal sighed as she squeezed water onto his hair from a washcloth. "Looks like my visit back home will be delayed. Again."
Sue laughed, "Medusa will understand. You've got a patient now to look after."
Crystal pulled her sleeves up, removing her thumbs from their holes. Sue squirted some shampoo into her hand, and Crystal began to lather it in the man's hair.
"Such a unique color," Sue commented, tilting her head slightly to the side. "What is it? White? He looks too young to have white hair."
"Well, if he is a mutant, that could be part of his mutation," Crystal offered, now taking the rag and putting more water on the man's hair, rubbing the soap out of it. "We'll need to get dry sheets and pillows."
Sue nodded, and then grinned. "You know, if he hadn't looked like he just been through Hell, he'd be quite good looking."
Crystal blushed slightly and gave her a mock scowl. "Johnny's good looking."
"Crys, just because you're dating my brother doesn't mean you can't think that other men have the looks!" Sue explained, "In fact, I'd find Johnny boring after awhile if I were you."
Crystal smiled slightly, "Sue, you're terrible. Now condition."
Sue squirted a small amount of conditioner in her hand and began to massage it in the man's hair. After they were done with that and then rinsed it, they blow dried it.
"I feel like such a beautician," Sue muttered after awhile. The man had groaned a few times, but he never woke up again.
Crystal gasped, after pushing his hair back when it was dry, "Oh my God," she whispered, "His hair's so *soft*!"
"Ooh! Lemme feel!" Sue said, rushing over to run a hand through the complete stranger's hair. "You're right!"
"I wonder if it runs in his family? Nobody's hair could be that soft after washing it after how long without the genes," Crystal said, repeatedly touching the white hair. Both women giggled.
"Ahem," someone cleared his throat behind Crystal. Crystal turned around to look and Sue raised her head. Johnny stood there, with a scowl etched across his face.
"If you are quite finished feeling the guy's hair, come up for dinner." He gave them another glare for good measure and then stalked off.
They both giggled again and left, but not before running their hands through the man's hair one last time.
*~*~*~*~*
Two and a half days had passed since they had brought the injured man to the Fantastic Four base.
Reed walked into the infirmary to check on the mutant, only to find the man cutting his stitches off.
"No! It's too soon, sir! The wound will reopen!" He said frantically, stretching his arm out to grab the scissors, but it was too late, the man had already removed them all. Instead of an open and gaping wound that Reed has expected, there was now a faint purple scar along the man's side. Even his burn wounds healed much more than they should have been already.
"Wh-What?" he asked in confusion, walking over to the man, who was leaning over the table.
"Sir, you should rest. You've been seriously injured-"
"I'm fine," the man snapped in a raspy voice.
"I really think-"
"I said I'm *fine*," the man interrupted loudly, and it would have been intimidating had his voice not of been so hoarse.
Reed was not afraid, however. "Well, then sir, can you tell me your name?"
There was no answer.
The door opened and Susan Storm-Richards walked in. "So, how is he, Mr. Fantastic?"
"He's awake and just removed all of his stitches," Reed said, still trying to get information out of the man. Sue looked surprised. "Oh," was all that she said.
"Sir, can we please have your name?" Reed tried again. The man mumbled something, but he couldn't understand it.
"Sorry?"
"Pi-ay-tro Max-i-moff," the man said ridiculously slowly. "Do I have to slow down for you too?"
"Sorry Mr. Maximoff," Reed said, preparing himself to write down the name. "Could you spell it please?"
Pietro Maximoff gave a very, very, annoyed sigh and began to spell it, also inappropriately slow. "P...I...E...T...R...O spaaace M...A...X...I...M...O...F...F. Got it?"
Reed and Sue thought he was being rather rude.
"Okay, Mr. Maximoff, well we have some extra clothes for you, and you can take a shower if you want, or you can eat first. Either one." Sue told him. Pietro turned around and gave them a dark glare.
"I need a shower and clothes," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.
Sue gave him a cheery smile. "Follow me."
He followed her, forcing himself to slow down. They passed a kitchen on the way to their destination. A young woman sat at the kitchen table across from a young man with blonde hair. They were whispering sweet nothings to each other and smiling.
"Oh, hello!" The woman said, getting up and walking over to him. Pietro furrowed his brow at her and stopped. She stuck out her hand.
"I'm Crystalia Amaquelin," she said, smiling at him.
"Nice to meet you, Crystalia," he forced out. The man walked up and wrapped his arm around Crystalia's waist protectively.
"Johnny Storm, also known as the Human Torch," the man said, sticking his hand out for Pietro to shake. Pietro shook it, both trying to cut the circulation from each other's fingers.
"Pietro Maximoff, also known as Quicksilver," Pietro mocked the Human Torch. "Pleased to meet you *Johnny*."
"Why do they call you Quicksilver?" Johnny asked rather snootily. He felt threatened by the man.
"None of your business," Pietro replied, and then went to follow Sue again.
"Here, I'll go with you, show you around," Crystal said, running to catch up with them. "Johnny, don't you have some chores or something to do?"
"What-wait-what?" Johnny asked in confusion, but Crystal just threw him a look over her shoulder and walked quickly towards Johnny's room.
Sue was digging in Johnny's dresser drawers while Pietro stood off to the side, staring at nothing.
"You're a few inches taller than Johnny, but you're as thin as a stick. So I don't really think size would be a problem," Crystal said, joining Sue in the search for clothes.
"These jeans should be okay," Crystal said, pulling out a pair of light blue jeans. Sue pulled out a dark blue shirt and held it up, looking at him questionably.
"Do you need underwear too?" Sue asked, immediately digging in the top drawer.
Pietro thought for a moment while taking the clothes from them. He had been wearing the same underwear for four years, which was not a good feeling. To wear dirty underwear four years old or to wear the clean underwear of another man? Which one was more awkward?
"Uh, yeah," he said, feeling a faint blush at his cheeks. Sue smiled and pulled out two pairs.
"Boxers or briefs?" she asked holding them both up.
"Boxers," he said at once.
"I'll show you the washroom," Crystal piped up, rising to her feet.
"Okay," Pietro said quietly. He followed her.
"We can take you out to buy you some new clothes, and maybe a haircut," Crystal told him, stopping in front of a large pine door.
"Yeah," Pietro said, putting his hand on the doorknob.
"Okay, so there's shampoo and conditioner in there, and if you want to shave, the bottom right hand drawer under the sink has some disposable razors. I'll show you around later," and she walked off. Pietro watched her turn the corner, and then did he twist the knob and entered the bathroom.
It was immaculate. The walls were washed, the toilet seat down, the counter of the sink was huge, a fresh, clean towel hung on a rack, and a small linen closet was next to the shower. Pietro peered in it, grabbing a large fluffy white towel and a white washcloth.
Stripping off the grimy clothes he had worn for years, Pietro turned the water of the shower to near scalding, and then shakily stepped in.
A sigh escaped him as the hot water beat down on him like needles. Placing his hands on the wall in front of him, Pietro tilted his head back to let his face and neck have a taste of the wondrous water. Then he held his head down, letting the water run down his shoulders and back. He never felt so good.
After scrubbing his thin body with soap and washing his hair, Pietro shut the water off, pulled the shower curtain aside and grabbed the towel and wrapped it around his waist. Walking up to the sink and mirror, he rummaged in the drawer Crystal had told him where the razors were.
He looked at his reflection, and the reflection blinked back at him. The man was almost unrecognizable, with longer, shaggier hair that now clung to his forehead from the wetness. His cheeks were sunken in a bit, and his eyes were haunted. He looked down into the sink, wetting the razor and then taking the shaving cream that had been off to the side and spreading it on his light whiskers. Pietro hated facial hair, and wanted it gone as soon as possible. He began to run the razor along his face.
*~*~*~*~*
Pietro walked into the kitchen, where all five of them were sitting down and chatting to each other. Sue caught sight of him and smiled.
"Looking good, now all you need is a haircut," she said. Pietro automatically ran a hand through his hair. He noticed that both women were staring at the top of his head.
"What?" he snapped. Both women blushed slightly,
Crystal said quickly, "Nothing."
"We haven't been introduced," said a man and he walked up to Pietro and shook his hand. "Ben Grimm."
"Pietro Maximoff. What do they call you?"
Ben looked confused for a moment until he finally understood, "Thing."
"Thing."
"Yes, Thing," Ben said, "Uh, here, this is why."
He changed into an orange rock covered thing. Pietro took a step back.
"And what do they call you?" Pietro asked Reed.
"Mr. Fantastic."
"Why?" A personality clicked in the back of his head, and now all Pietro wanted to do was annoy the crap out of them.
Reed shrugged. "I...don't know, but I stretch." He demonstrated. Pietro turned to Sue, and she turned invisible.
"Invisible Woman," she said.
"Wouldn't have guessed," Pietro drawled dryly, turning to Johnny. "What can you do, Human Torch?"
Johnny turned into his flame form.
"Seen it," Pietro said boredly, and then lastly turned to Crystal.
"I just go by Crystal. I'm not really part of this team, more like a reserve. I used to be, when Sue went on maternity leave." Crystal said, pushing a lock of strawberry blonde hair out of her eyes.
"No powers?" Pietro asked monotone. Crystal furrowed her brow very slightly.
"Yes, I do. I control the elements: water, fire, air, and earth." She said.
"And why are you called Quicksilver?" Johnny asked. He didn't really like Pietro, he felt him as a threat to his relationship with Crystal for some reason.
"None of your business." Pietro said calmly. "You have scissors?"
Sue opened a drawer, took out a pair of scissors, and handed them to him.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to cut my hair," and then, faster a speeding bullet, Roadrunner, or Speedy Gonzales, Pietro ran out of the room and to the bathroom, where he promptly cut his hair into the way it used to be.
He examined himself in the mirror, and looked at the wayward bangs. With a snip, he cut those off too. It wasn't him anymore. Now he looked more like his old self, just skinnier, and... different.
His eyes, they were no longer the bright cerulean blue. But a midnight blue that would always hold the horrors that he had endured. To everybody, someone would wonder what had happened to him that made his eyes hold that 'haunted' look. These were not familiar to him, and he hated them. And he doubted anything could change them.
They were like his father's. Haunted.
His father had witnessed worst things than he had. Why were his eyes like this? Was he just weaker? His father had a good reason. He had witnessed babies burning, felt the lashes of whips on his back, and lost every single on of his family in the crematories of Auschwitz. Why had Pietro, when he only had been injected with God-knows-what, looked so haunted and afraid now?
Had his father been right? All those years of trying to harden him as a child, had he just been right when his father told him he was weak, for what seemed like a millennia ago, although he was just seventeen?
Pietro watched in despair as a tear leaked out of his eye and rolled down his cheek, making a path to his chin and the tear hung there for a moment, until finally, it dropped and splattered into the sink. The sight made his eyes fill up with tears more, and little watery paths made their way down his cheeks, until they met their end with a splat in the sink.
A choked sob released from his throat, and Pietro could not stop it. Everything had changed, and he had missed out on so many things. Everything was so different.
Another sob tore from him, and Pietro buried his face in his hands, sliding down to his knees. His hands moved up the side of his face and into his soft hair, balling them into fists.
"Oh God..." he choked out, wet eyes looking up towards the ceiling. His body shook violently, and he could not control it. More sobs tore from his body, and he had no power to stop.
"Oh God I'm so weak," Pietro said to himself, his last word ended in a choked whisper as the tears would not allow him to talk normally. He did not notice Johnny Storm standing in the doorway.
"F-f-forgive me, Father," Pietro cried softly. He struggled to breath, but the sobs were taking all the air out of him. Pietro screwed his face up again, bending down to where his forehead rested on the rug in the bathroom.
"I'm s-sorry."
"I-I c-c-can't stand it, n-not knowing," he continued crying to himself, still not noticing he had a one-person audience.
Suddenly, he laughed bitterly; a laugh that held no mirth at all. "Look at me. Oh, Father, if you could only see me now. What a disappointment I am; your only son. Wanda would make a better son than I ever will."
Johnny could stand it no longer, and stepped into the bathroom, pretending he hadn't heard anything.
"If there's anything you want, or anybody you want to contact," he said, "Just ask me, and we'll look 'em up for you."
Pietro scrambled to his feet, using his super speed to wipe his face off. He glared at Johnny.
"How long were you standing there?" he asked viciously.
"Only a second ago," Johnny lied. Pietro stared at him intently, and then his face softened considerably.
"Yeah, thanks," he muttered.
"You want me to look for anybody?" Johnny asked.
Pietro paused for a moment, looking at himself in the mirror again. "Yeah," he said finally, "The Brotherhood Boarding House of Bayville."
Johnny's eyes widened. "You mean the Brotherhood that had been on the news years ago? For helping people on a train? But also have criminal records?"
"Does it matter?" Pietro hissed, whirling to face the Human Torch.
"No," Johnny said quickly, backing out of the washroom. "I'll look for them in a jiffy."
He left.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Wowie! I was writing this chapter all day! Soo sorry if I have everybody from FANTASTIC FOUR! out of character. I have NEVER read a single comic of them, so I don't know, and I haven't seen the cartoon in years. But anyhoo, hope you like it. I just had to make Pietro break down and bawl his pretty eyes out.
Crazyspaceystracey- Oho, trust me, Magneto's *boiling* inside. He just has to keep his cool because I fear he would have crumpled the entire mansion into a little ball of aluminum foil. He has an idea of what was going on in the camp thingy, but he doesn't know for sure, and when he finds out what they did to his son (his only son, might I add, makes it sound more dramatic) he'll most likely go ballistic. But aha! I changed the cannon because I didn't feel like sending our beloved Quickie to the moon. So the FANTASTIC FOUR! will have to do. On the plus side, Pietro-Johnny competition for Crystal's affections, which always makes things more exciting! ;-) Thanks for your review!
SPoOkZ13412- Thanks
DemonRogue13- BIG mistake number one on Crystal's part. She should have never of cheated on Pietro. I mean, it was Wanda's real estate agent for cripe's sake! And why would she go out with another guy, when all she had to say to Pietro was, "You. Me. Now." I would've! She's not going to cheat on him in here. I mean... *if* they get together she's not... Thanks for reviewing!
I Am The Anonymous Reviewer- Thanks
Wind Rider 2000- Thanks
Zephyr- Thanks
La cour de belles fleurs- Thanks
Won't post next chapter until I have at least 85 reviews, so if you're reading this, please review!
Like it? Hate it? Either way, review!
Author's Note- Shower scene up ahead. Not totally detailed, but you can use your imagination if you'd like! ;-)
Chapter Thirteen- The Fantastic Four
"Gee, Crys, where'd you find this one?" Johnny Storm asked his girlfriend sarcastically as he and his brother-in-law settled the injured mutant onto the bed in the medical lab.
"Hush up, Johnny!" Crystal snapped, getting gauzes and other medical supplies ready. "Did you honestly think that I would leave him there bleeding to death?"
Johnny didn't answer, but he did stick his tongue out when she had her back turned, cutting the material of the mutant's suit.
Crystal ripped down the rest of the way, and then pulling the top part of the suit to the side, revealing a battered up and skinny torso. She could almost count the ribs, and she swore he was paler than a ghost. She ran her fingers along the wound again, her gloves now off, revealing a tight yellow sleeve that ended at her knuckles, with a hole for her thumb. His entire left side was sticky from the scarlet blood.
Johnny bit his lower lip slightly, feeling guilty and an itty-bit queasy. "I'll-I'll go with Ben and Sue. I can't watch this stuff."
He hurried out of the room to find the Thing and his sister, Invisible Woman.
Crystal immediately began to pat the side with a wet washcloth gently, afraid that if she rubbed at it, it would cause him pain.
"Do you think he needs stitches, Reed?" she asked Mr. Fantastic. The older man glanced over at the man lying on the table, and he carefully inspected the wound.
"Yes," he said, stretching his arm across the room to collect the supplies needed for stitching. In his hand was a syringe, and he carefully injected the injured man with it, numbing the area so they could work on it.
The man stirred and groaned. Both Crystal and Reed froze, but the man did not move again. Slowly, they went back to work; Crystal cleaning up the wound, and Reed stitching it closed.
"It's kind of burned there too. I wonder how he got this?" Reed said.
"I'm guessing it's from one of those sentinel things," Crystal said, "Nuisance. They're a danger to everyone; humans, mutants, or anything alike."
Reed nodded, finishing up on sewing the man back together. "I think you should clean his upper body too, it looks like he hasn't been washed properly in a long time. When he wakes up, we'll allow him a shower or a bath."
Nodding, Crystal went to fetch some liquid Dial soap, a small basin filled with lukewarm water, and a clean rag.
The man lying in the bed stirred again, and Crystal dabbed his forehead with the cloth. Reed then helped her remove the whole upper part of the suit, until only the waist and down was covered with clothes. They noticed how rough and itchy the material had been.
"He has some ugly bruises," Reed observed. Crystal nodded sadly, rubbing the rag over the man's chest. He stirred again.
"We'll have to find out about him when he wakes up. I'm guessing he's a mutant," Reed said.
"Yes, I think so too," agreed Crystal. "Oh...Sweet Agon! They *numbered* him!"
She lifted up the man's left arm and practically shoved it under Reed's nose for the older man to see.
PM1040141. To the side of it, was a dull red, almost flesh colored bar code.
Reed growled dangerously.
"Monsters!" Crystal screeched. "How can they do this? Do they *want* another Holocaust happening? I might not have been around when it happened, or even been on Earth more than five years, but this...this is revolting! The shame of these evil humans! If this happened in Attilan..."
The arm was jerked away from her grasp. Crystal gasped and gave a soft scream. The man was looking groggily around, and his eyes met Crystal's for a moment, and she became enamored with them. She couldn't look away, but his eyelids drooped closed and he was unconscious again.
"He may have been delusional just now, but he has the saddest eyes I've ever seen," Crystal spoke softly.
"He was just waking up, but I doped him up some more. He shouldn't have even opened his eyes yet," Reed said, tossing another syringe away.
Crystal grabbed a dry towel and began patting the man's chest dry, careful not to get too close to the stitches.
"I wonder how long he's been gone. What he looked like before they took him. Ugh, his hair's filthy. Maybe me and Sue could give him a makeover?" Crystal said, looking up to meet Reed Richards eyes.
Sue entered then, wanting to see if there was anything she could help with. Reed rolled his eyes and stalked out to take a hot shower.
"Sometimes I wonder why I married that man," Sue sighed, walking up to stand next to Crystal.
"I don't know, Sue," Crystal teased, "He's very good looking for his age."
Sue rolled her eyes and smiled. "So, anything I can do?"
"As a matter of fact, yes. Go get some shampoo and conditioner, we're going to wash his hair." Crystal said.
Sue raised an eyebrow but obliged. Moments later she came back with Herbal Essence shampoo and conditioner.
Crystal sighed as she squeezed water onto his hair from a washcloth. "Looks like my visit back home will be delayed. Again."
Sue laughed, "Medusa will understand. You've got a patient now to look after."
Crystal pulled her sleeves up, removing her thumbs from their holes. Sue squirted some shampoo into her hand, and Crystal began to lather it in the man's hair.
"Such a unique color," Sue commented, tilting her head slightly to the side. "What is it? White? He looks too young to have white hair."
"Well, if he is a mutant, that could be part of his mutation," Crystal offered, now taking the rag and putting more water on the man's hair, rubbing the soap out of it. "We'll need to get dry sheets and pillows."
Sue nodded, and then grinned. "You know, if he hadn't looked like he just been through Hell, he'd be quite good looking."
Crystal blushed slightly and gave her a mock scowl. "Johnny's good looking."
"Crys, just because you're dating my brother doesn't mean you can't think that other men have the looks!" Sue explained, "In fact, I'd find Johnny boring after awhile if I were you."
Crystal smiled slightly, "Sue, you're terrible. Now condition."
Sue squirted a small amount of conditioner in her hand and began to massage it in the man's hair. After they were done with that and then rinsed it, they blow dried it.
"I feel like such a beautician," Sue muttered after awhile. The man had groaned a few times, but he never woke up again.
Crystal gasped, after pushing his hair back when it was dry, "Oh my God," she whispered, "His hair's so *soft*!"
"Ooh! Lemme feel!" Sue said, rushing over to run a hand through the complete stranger's hair. "You're right!"
"I wonder if it runs in his family? Nobody's hair could be that soft after washing it after how long without the genes," Crystal said, repeatedly touching the white hair. Both women giggled.
"Ahem," someone cleared his throat behind Crystal. Crystal turned around to look and Sue raised her head. Johnny stood there, with a scowl etched across his face.
"If you are quite finished feeling the guy's hair, come up for dinner." He gave them another glare for good measure and then stalked off.
They both giggled again and left, but not before running their hands through the man's hair one last time.
*~*~*~*~*
Two and a half days had passed since they had brought the injured man to the Fantastic Four base.
Reed walked into the infirmary to check on the mutant, only to find the man cutting his stitches off.
"No! It's too soon, sir! The wound will reopen!" He said frantically, stretching his arm out to grab the scissors, but it was too late, the man had already removed them all. Instead of an open and gaping wound that Reed has expected, there was now a faint purple scar along the man's side. Even his burn wounds healed much more than they should have been already.
"Wh-What?" he asked in confusion, walking over to the man, who was leaning over the table.
"Sir, you should rest. You've been seriously injured-"
"I'm fine," the man snapped in a raspy voice.
"I really think-"
"I said I'm *fine*," the man interrupted loudly, and it would have been intimidating had his voice not of been so hoarse.
Reed was not afraid, however. "Well, then sir, can you tell me your name?"
There was no answer.
The door opened and Susan Storm-Richards walked in. "So, how is he, Mr. Fantastic?"
"He's awake and just removed all of his stitches," Reed said, still trying to get information out of the man. Sue looked surprised. "Oh," was all that she said.
"Sir, can we please have your name?" Reed tried again. The man mumbled something, but he couldn't understand it.
"Sorry?"
"Pi-ay-tro Max-i-moff," the man said ridiculously slowly. "Do I have to slow down for you too?"
"Sorry Mr. Maximoff," Reed said, preparing himself to write down the name. "Could you spell it please?"
Pietro Maximoff gave a very, very, annoyed sigh and began to spell it, also inappropriately slow. "P...I...E...T...R...O spaaace M...A...X...I...M...O...F...F. Got it?"
Reed and Sue thought he was being rather rude.
"Okay, Mr. Maximoff, well we have some extra clothes for you, and you can take a shower if you want, or you can eat first. Either one." Sue told him. Pietro turned around and gave them a dark glare.
"I need a shower and clothes," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.
Sue gave him a cheery smile. "Follow me."
He followed her, forcing himself to slow down. They passed a kitchen on the way to their destination. A young woman sat at the kitchen table across from a young man with blonde hair. They were whispering sweet nothings to each other and smiling.
"Oh, hello!" The woman said, getting up and walking over to him. Pietro furrowed his brow at her and stopped. She stuck out her hand.
"I'm Crystalia Amaquelin," she said, smiling at him.
"Nice to meet you, Crystalia," he forced out. The man walked up and wrapped his arm around Crystalia's waist protectively.
"Johnny Storm, also known as the Human Torch," the man said, sticking his hand out for Pietro to shake. Pietro shook it, both trying to cut the circulation from each other's fingers.
"Pietro Maximoff, also known as Quicksilver," Pietro mocked the Human Torch. "Pleased to meet you *Johnny*."
"Why do they call you Quicksilver?" Johnny asked rather snootily. He felt threatened by the man.
"None of your business," Pietro replied, and then went to follow Sue again.
"Here, I'll go with you, show you around," Crystal said, running to catch up with them. "Johnny, don't you have some chores or something to do?"
"What-wait-what?" Johnny asked in confusion, but Crystal just threw him a look over her shoulder and walked quickly towards Johnny's room.
Sue was digging in Johnny's dresser drawers while Pietro stood off to the side, staring at nothing.
"You're a few inches taller than Johnny, but you're as thin as a stick. So I don't really think size would be a problem," Crystal said, joining Sue in the search for clothes.
"These jeans should be okay," Crystal said, pulling out a pair of light blue jeans. Sue pulled out a dark blue shirt and held it up, looking at him questionably.
"Do you need underwear too?" Sue asked, immediately digging in the top drawer.
Pietro thought for a moment while taking the clothes from them. He had been wearing the same underwear for four years, which was not a good feeling. To wear dirty underwear four years old or to wear the clean underwear of another man? Which one was more awkward?
"Uh, yeah," he said, feeling a faint blush at his cheeks. Sue smiled and pulled out two pairs.
"Boxers or briefs?" she asked holding them both up.
"Boxers," he said at once.
"I'll show you the washroom," Crystal piped up, rising to her feet.
"Okay," Pietro said quietly. He followed her.
"We can take you out to buy you some new clothes, and maybe a haircut," Crystal told him, stopping in front of a large pine door.
"Yeah," Pietro said, putting his hand on the doorknob.
"Okay, so there's shampoo and conditioner in there, and if you want to shave, the bottom right hand drawer under the sink has some disposable razors. I'll show you around later," and she walked off. Pietro watched her turn the corner, and then did he twist the knob and entered the bathroom.
It was immaculate. The walls were washed, the toilet seat down, the counter of the sink was huge, a fresh, clean towel hung on a rack, and a small linen closet was next to the shower. Pietro peered in it, grabbing a large fluffy white towel and a white washcloth.
Stripping off the grimy clothes he had worn for years, Pietro turned the water of the shower to near scalding, and then shakily stepped in.
A sigh escaped him as the hot water beat down on him like needles. Placing his hands on the wall in front of him, Pietro tilted his head back to let his face and neck have a taste of the wondrous water. Then he held his head down, letting the water run down his shoulders and back. He never felt so good.
After scrubbing his thin body with soap and washing his hair, Pietro shut the water off, pulled the shower curtain aside and grabbed the towel and wrapped it around his waist. Walking up to the sink and mirror, he rummaged in the drawer Crystal had told him where the razors were.
He looked at his reflection, and the reflection blinked back at him. The man was almost unrecognizable, with longer, shaggier hair that now clung to his forehead from the wetness. His cheeks were sunken in a bit, and his eyes were haunted. He looked down into the sink, wetting the razor and then taking the shaving cream that had been off to the side and spreading it on his light whiskers. Pietro hated facial hair, and wanted it gone as soon as possible. He began to run the razor along his face.
*~*~*~*~*
Pietro walked into the kitchen, where all five of them were sitting down and chatting to each other. Sue caught sight of him and smiled.
"Looking good, now all you need is a haircut," she said. Pietro automatically ran a hand through his hair. He noticed that both women were staring at the top of his head.
"What?" he snapped. Both women blushed slightly,
Crystal said quickly, "Nothing."
"We haven't been introduced," said a man and he walked up to Pietro and shook his hand. "Ben Grimm."
"Pietro Maximoff. What do they call you?"
Ben looked confused for a moment until he finally understood, "Thing."
"Thing."
"Yes, Thing," Ben said, "Uh, here, this is why."
He changed into an orange rock covered thing. Pietro took a step back.
"And what do they call you?" Pietro asked Reed.
"Mr. Fantastic."
"Why?" A personality clicked in the back of his head, and now all Pietro wanted to do was annoy the crap out of them.
Reed shrugged. "I...don't know, but I stretch." He demonstrated. Pietro turned to Sue, and she turned invisible.
"Invisible Woman," she said.
"Wouldn't have guessed," Pietro drawled dryly, turning to Johnny. "What can you do, Human Torch?"
Johnny turned into his flame form.
"Seen it," Pietro said boredly, and then lastly turned to Crystal.
"I just go by Crystal. I'm not really part of this team, more like a reserve. I used to be, when Sue went on maternity leave." Crystal said, pushing a lock of strawberry blonde hair out of her eyes.
"No powers?" Pietro asked monotone. Crystal furrowed her brow very slightly.
"Yes, I do. I control the elements: water, fire, air, and earth." She said.
"And why are you called Quicksilver?" Johnny asked. He didn't really like Pietro, he felt him as a threat to his relationship with Crystal for some reason.
"None of your business." Pietro said calmly. "You have scissors?"
Sue opened a drawer, took out a pair of scissors, and handed them to him.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to cut my hair," and then, faster a speeding bullet, Roadrunner, or Speedy Gonzales, Pietro ran out of the room and to the bathroom, where he promptly cut his hair into the way it used to be.
He examined himself in the mirror, and looked at the wayward bangs. With a snip, he cut those off too. It wasn't him anymore. Now he looked more like his old self, just skinnier, and... different.
His eyes, they were no longer the bright cerulean blue. But a midnight blue that would always hold the horrors that he had endured. To everybody, someone would wonder what had happened to him that made his eyes hold that 'haunted' look. These were not familiar to him, and he hated them. And he doubted anything could change them.
They were like his father's. Haunted.
His father had witnessed worst things than he had. Why were his eyes like this? Was he just weaker? His father had a good reason. He had witnessed babies burning, felt the lashes of whips on his back, and lost every single on of his family in the crematories of Auschwitz. Why had Pietro, when he only had been injected with God-knows-what, looked so haunted and afraid now?
Had his father been right? All those years of trying to harden him as a child, had he just been right when his father told him he was weak, for what seemed like a millennia ago, although he was just seventeen?
Pietro watched in despair as a tear leaked out of his eye and rolled down his cheek, making a path to his chin and the tear hung there for a moment, until finally, it dropped and splattered into the sink. The sight made his eyes fill up with tears more, and little watery paths made their way down his cheeks, until they met their end with a splat in the sink.
A choked sob released from his throat, and Pietro could not stop it. Everything had changed, and he had missed out on so many things. Everything was so different.
Another sob tore from him, and Pietro buried his face in his hands, sliding down to his knees. His hands moved up the side of his face and into his soft hair, balling them into fists.
"Oh God..." he choked out, wet eyes looking up towards the ceiling. His body shook violently, and he could not control it. More sobs tore from his body, and he had no power to stop.
"Oh God I'm so weak," Pietro said to himself, his last word ended in a choked whisper as the tears would not allow him to talk normally. He did not notice Johnny Storm standing in the doorway.
"F-f-forgive me, Father," Pietro cried softly. He struggled to breath, but the sobs were taking all the air out of him. Pietro screwed his face up again, bending down to where his forehead rested on the rug in the bathroom.
"I'm s-sorry."
"I-I c-c-can't stand it, n-not knowing," he continued crying to himself, still not noticing he had a one-person audience.
Suddenly, he laughed bitterly; a laugh that held no mirth at all. "Look at me. Oh, Father, if you could only see me now. What a disappointment I am; your only son. Wanda would make a better son than I ever will."
Johnny could stand it no longer, and stepped into the bathroom, pretending he hadn't heard anything.
"If there's anything you want, or anybody you want to contact," he said, "Just ask me, and we'll look 'em up for you."
Pietro scrambled to his feet, using his super speed to wipe his face off. He glared at Johnny.
"How long were you standing there?" he asked viciously.
"Only a second ago," Johnny lied. Pietro stared at him intently, and then his face softened considerably.
"Yeah, thanks," he muttered.
"You want me to look for anybody?" Johnny asked.
Pietro paused for a moment, looking at himself in the mirror again. "Yeah," he said finally, "The Brotherhood Boarding House of Bayville."
Johnny's eyes widened. "You mean the Brotherhood that had been on the news years ago? For helping people on a train? But also have criminal records?"
"Does it matter?" Pietro hissed, whirling to face the Human Torch.
"No," Johnny said quickly, backing out of the washroom. "I'll look for them in a jiffy."
He left.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Wowie! I was writing this chapter all day! Soo sorry if I have everybody from FANTASTIC FOUR! out of character. I have NEVER read a single comic of them, so I don't know, and I haven't seen the cartoon in years. But anyhoo, hope you like it. I just had to make Pietro break down and bawl his pretty eyes out.
Crazyspaceystracey- Oho, trust me, Magneto's *boiling* inside. He just has to keep his cool because I fear he would have crumpled the entire mansion into a little ball of aluminum foil. He has an idea of what was going on in the camp thingy, but he doesn't know for sure, and when he finds out what they did to his son (his only son, might I add, makes it sound more dramatic) he'll most likely go ballistic. But aha! I changed the cannon because I didn't feel like sending our beloved Quickie to the moon. So the FANTASTIC FOUR! will have to do. On the plus side, Pietro-Johnny competition for Crystal's affections, which always makes things more exciting! ;-) Thanks for your review!
SPoOkZ13412- Thanks
DemonRogue13- BIG mistake number one on Crystal's part. She should have never of cheated on Pietro. I mean, it was Wanda's real estate agent for cripe's sake! And why would she go out with another guy, when all she had to say to Pietro was, "You. Me. Now." I would've! She's not going to cheat on him in here. I mean... *if* they get together she's not... Thanks for reviewing!
I Am The Anonymous Reviewer- Thanks
Wind Rider 2000- Thanks
Zephyr- Thanks
La cour de belles fleurs- Thanks
Won't post next chapter until I have at least 85 reviews, so if you're reading this, please review!
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