Chapter 2

Grounded

"Johnny, what were you thinking?" Sue said again.

Johnny sat on the couch, back at their headquarters on top of the Baxter Building. Once the driver was taken to the proper authorities, the Fantastic Four went straight back to their home in New York. The 'let's-chew-out-Johnny' session was officially held off until they arrived at the Baxter Building, but Johnny knew it had technically started long before then. A big clue to that was the fact that he wasn't allowed to ride with the rest of the team in the Fantasticar, and instead had to fly home himself.

Johnny looked up at his sister, wondering how he should answer, if he should answer. He looked over at where Ben and Reed stood at the other end of the room, but they both avoided eye contact. It was clear that they planned on leaving this issue up to Sue to resolve, seeing that she was Johnny's sister.

That didn't make Johnny feel any better.

"Johnny, answer me." Sue demanded, giving him 'the look.'

Johnny sighed. "What can I say?" he asked, "I didn't agree with the plan, and acted accordingly."

"Yeah, and it's because of that there's now a man in serious condition in a hospital who could have never ended up there had you stuck with the plan." Sue pointed out.

"Hey, it would've worked had you and Reed not gone back to the Fantasticar." Johnny retorted.

"Johnny, I've told you, it's not called a Fantasticar." Reed interrupted. "That's just a lame name the press dubbed it. It's really called a FHC."

Johnny gave Reed a blank look. "What does that stand for anyway?" he asked.

"Flight and Hover Craft." Reed answered automatically.

"Only you could come up with a name so dorky, Reed." Johnny stated, "When you name something and call it by it's abbreviated name, the abbreviated name is supposed to spell something else altogether. FHC, that doesn't spell anything, just..." he paused, trying to figure out how to say what he wanted to say. "Ffffeeehhhiiikkk?" he sounded out, trying to figure out what the letters would spell.

"That's entirely beside the point." Sue said, changing the subject. "May I remind you Johnny, that Reed and I wouldn't have needed to go back to the Fantasticar, or whatever it's called, had you just stuck with the plan!"

"I still say my plan could've worked." Johnny mumbled.

"And yet, look where it got us?" Sue said angrily, holding her arms out.

"So I made a mistake for once in my life!" Johnny shouted, standing. "That doesn't mean you all have to get on my case!"

"It does when your so-called mistake nearly killed more than one person!" Sue shouted back. "In case you weren't aware, when that truck fell, it would've fallen on me and Reed, had I not intervened!"

"So what are you going to do about it?" Johnny asked, stepping closer to his sister, trying to make himself look bolder and bigger.

It didn't phase Sue though. "It's clear to me that you need to learn how to work in a team." Sue said, suddenly calm again. "And since every other way to teach you that has failed, I'm left with only one other resort." She turned and started to walk out of the room. "You're grounded."

"Grounded?" Johnny repeated, dumbfounded. "You mean like little-kid grounded? You can't do that, I'm not a kid anymore!"

"Then act like one!" Sue called back as she rounded the corner.

For once, Johnny was at a loss for words. "But...but..but..." he stuttered. "Y-you can't! What does this mean anyway?"

From the other room, Sue shouted an explanation. "No TV, no games, no dates, no leaving the Baxter Building, and, most importantly, no bursting into flames!"

"What!?" Johnny exclaimed. "But those are all of my favorite things!" Seeing Reed and Ben start to leave the room, Johnny rounded on them for sympathy. "Reed," he pleaded, "You can't let her do this! She's your wife, talk to her!"

"Sorry, Johnny," Reed said, patting Johnny on the shoulder. "I have no say in this. Besides, I think Sue's right, you need to figure out how to work with the rest of the team, and if this is the way to do it, so be it."

He walked off, so Johnny turned to Ben, "Ben, please, I know we've had out differences, but can you help a poor guy out?"

"Sorry, Flameboy, you're on your own." Ben said, waving Johnny aside as he walked off too.

Johnny stood dumbfounded for several more minutes, then flopped down into the couch once again, admitted defeat.

"Great." he said. "This just isn't my day."