Disclaimer: I do not own the FF.

Author's note: sorry it took so long. I've had a lot going on.

Chapter 4

The dinner went fairly well. After she put all the food on the table, his mom sat down. She gave everybody a piece of lasagna. There was an awkward silence which Jack broke.

"So Mrs. S, where have you been all the years?" he asked casually. Johnny looked at him in disbelief. Then he smacked Jack. "What? You know you want to know."

"It's ok. He's right. You deserve to know, Johnny. What did your father tell you?"

"He told us that you crashed your car off the bridge to get to the house and that you drowned."

"I guess that version works."

"That wasn't the truth was it?" Johnny asked. "There was another reason."

"Yes there was." Mary said. "You see, you and your sister didn't know it but your father was um…a very angry man. He would take his frustrations out on me. He hit me. I was afraid that he would hurt you or your sister. So we separated. I ended up sleeping with my co-worker, Greg, and getting pregnant with Jamie. I know I had to leave your father. So we came up with this plan."

"But why didn't you just divorce him?"

"Your father was a very powerful man, Johnny. He would've made it impossible for me to prove my case. We were going to take you kids with but that part of the plan backfired."

"It makes sense. You faked your death to get away from dad. But why did you leave us there?"

"Greg was supposed to go back to get you but by the time he did. Your father refused to leave either of you and then he finally went to prison but I figured you were all growing up and didn't need me."

"I'll always need you." Johnny said. Greg decided to change the subject.

"So Johnny, what kind of things do you like to do?"

"I like fast cars, extreme sports, and um…girls." Johnny said.

"Cool." Charlie said. Johnny's cell phone rang.

"Excuse me for a sec." He answered it. "Hello?"

"Johnny, where are you?" His sister's panicked voice said.

"I'm in LA, remember?"

"Oh right."

"Sue, you wouldn't forget that. What's wrong?"

"We just got a disturbing call from Doom." Sue said. "He said he was taking over the Baxter Building and that you were dead. I had to make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine, Suzie. Doom's just messing with you."

"Right, in any case, please be careful."

"I will. You too." He hung up. Jack looked at him.

"Everything ok?"

"Yea. You know, just another day at the Baxter building. Doom called said he was taking over and that I was dead. Freaked sue out enough for her to call and make sure, you know, I was still alive and all."

"Oh." His new found family stared at him. The lights flickered. Johnny and Jack looked at each other. Johnny ran outside. The others followed him.

There stood the masked man of metal. He was laughing. Johnny looked at him, a look of anger spreading across his usually calm face.

"What the hell is that?" His mom asked.

"Wait here." Johnny told them. "Flame on!" He shouted. He encircled Doom into a ring of fire hoping that would work again. He underestimated Doom's new power. Doom grabbed Johnny by the throat, extinguishing his flame almost immediately. Johnny clutched onto Doom's cold, metal hands and looked into his cold eyes.

"You can thank your sister for this. I'm going to get rid of the Fantastic Four once and for all starting with you." He laughed. "You see Jonathan. I kill you. Your sister will be in the process of morning your death while I kill her which will kill Reed and eventually that idiot, Ben. So any last words?"