I am soooo sorry it's taken me this long to update, and that this chapter is short. I've had a serious case of writers block plus schools been really hard lately...lots of coursework and such. Anyway enjoy...
"What's going on?" Reed called. He sat up and looked around the silent room, but it was too dark to see anything but vague shapes. He stretched his arm out to find the light switch, when he found it he slipped the switch. He blinked a few times in an attempt to get used to the light. Once he had he, he looked around the familiar room. He blinked again, but this time he blinked in shock and empathetic pain. In the bed to his right was the prone, pale form of his fiancée. Reed couldn't get over the drained look of Sue's body. In the seat next to the bed was Johnny, asleep.
"Johnny?" Reed said softly. When Johnny didn't reply, Reed stretched his hand out and tapped him on the shoulder. Johnny jumped and his eyes snapped open. He looked at Reed with a mix of relief, sadness and annoyance.
"Jeez, Reed!" Johnny snapped.
"Sorry." The older man said quickly.
"How do you feel?"
"Sore, but alive. Is Sue ok?" Reed asked as his eyes found her body again.
"She's been this way since the attack. Just like you, but now you've recovered, I guess."
"How did we escape the attack?" Mr Fantastic questioned. He noticed how Johnny's face closed and watched him walk to the door.
"Ben!" Johnny shouted. Within a few minutes Ben rushed into the infirmary. Or moved as quickly as a huge rock can.
"Reed, thank God you're awake," He said, relieved to see his long time friend awake.
"Good to see you too," Reed replied. He glanced at Johnny then back at Ben. "How did we escape?" He asked again.
"What's the last thing you remember?" Ben asked calmly.
"Amara firing an attack at us. I knew it would use too much of Sue's power resources for us to be saved."
"Right, well after that she did the same to me. But I came around after a few minutes, probably 'cos I'm a big rock." Ben smiled weakly. "Johnny told me what happened afterwards though." He paused. "Chris was about to kill Johnny, but at the last second Amara stopped him and told him to leave them alone."
"For a second it was like she was herself again." Johnny commented quietly. He hated having to relive the event over and over again, but it gave him some comfort and hope that she had saved him.
"There must be some good still in her," Reed summed up.
"There has to be, the collar should have stopped working two days ago." Johnny said.
"What? Are you sure?" Ben asked.
"Yes, the plans I found, they said the collar only lasts a few days at the most."
"Doom must've found another way of controlling her." Reed replied.
"Unless…" Ben started.
"No, don't ever think that again. She would never…" Johnny interrupted.
"Maybe the Amara we know wouldn't. But this Amara might have a taste for Dooms way of living. Plus if she's so friendly with Chris…"
"No, there must be a spell or something on her." Johnny stammered. "She wouldn't do this, she wouldn't abandon me." They all turned to face Sue as a groan escaped her lips. Sues eyelids flickered open.
"Thank God." Johnny whispered.
"What happened?" She asked weakly. "I feel like crap."
"Ben will explain it all, Susie. Johnny and I need to go into the lab." Johnny nodded and squeezed his sister's hand before walking out. Reed followed, but first he kissed his fiancées forehead.
"Good," Doom said quietly. "This is going exactly how I planned. The Fantastic Four are so predictable." He chuckled evilly.
"So it appears," Chris added darkly. "What is the latest plan, sir?"
"You need not worry," Doom replied. "It is already in motion. Just make sure Kira meets the Fantastic Four again."
"Yes sir." Chris replied. He bowed to his master and walked out to find Kira.