Disclaimers: Hmmmmm… what do I write here? Oh yeah, I don't own the F4 characters, just Maria.

A/n mild language is used in this chapter – just a warning.

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Chapter 9

Sue was lying with Johnny on his bed stroking his hair gently. He had been crying for the last five hours. "She's gonna be ok," she soothed.

Johnny remained silent, Sue had said that so many times, it wasn't having an impact on him anymore, not that it did to begin with.

'It could have been Johnny', she thought for about the fiftieth time, and quickly shook the thought from her mind. How could she think that? She knew it was just instinct, but that didn't excuse her thoughts.

Suddenly heavy footsteps could be heard coming quickly down the hall. There was no doubt about it, it was Ben Grimm.

The door flew open, "Come here you son of a bitch!" he shouted angrily.

Johnny got up off the bed quickly and edged away. "Ben…" he began weakly, drying his eyes, but still the tears came.

"This is all your fault!" the older man stepped closer to the younger one.

Sue put up a force field between them, "Calm down Ben," she pleaded.

"Stay out of this Suzie, this is between me and match stick here!" If looks could kill, Johnny would be dead, but much to Ben's anger, and disappointment, they couldn't. "This is all your fault," he said through clenched teeth, "My little girl nearly died because of you – you left her behind."

Reed appeared around the door and stretched an arm, taking hold of Ben's, trying to steer him away.

"Let go!" Ben shook his arm, and Reed complied. "It's your fault too," he glared at the elasticated man, who looked at Sue. "You should have sent Sue in, she could've contained the gas cloud." He then glared at Sue, "You should've argued with him, made him let you go instead," but Sue couldn't look at him. She knew he was right, so did Reed, Sue could've contained the cloud, and no one would've gotten hurt. "Maria asked you Reed," he glanced back at his friend, he then looked at the floor, he was silent for a long while. " It's mt fault," he said finally. I should've gone, the gas wouldn't have touched me, my insides are stone," he paused. "Now my baby's in a coma."

Reed attempted to touch Ben again, this time he let him do it. "Come Ben," he said, "It's your face she'll want to see when she wakes up."

Ben nodded, and looked at Johnny, he'd sunk to his knees and was crying into his hands. Ben swallowed and looked at Sue, who nodded, accepting his silent apology.

As he and Reed left, she took down the forced, and returned to her brother. Sitting beside him on the floor, comforting him once more.

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End of chapter

A/n sorry for fooling the reviewers who were fooled into think Maria was dead at the beginning of the last chappy. But, yay! I'm so happy it worked:):):):)