Alright, took a while because I wasn't happy with it at first. So I had to rewrite a bit... I'm still not thrilled with it, but I figure I've made you all wait long enough. So here it is. :)

I hope you like it...

Oh! And thank you all who reviewed... it really eggs me on when I get such nice words in response... so thank you so much:)

13

Her hands shook as she held the paper, dialing with her free hand before holding the receiver up to her ear. She tried to breath to calm her racing nerves, but it was no use. She was in a blind panic, pacing her room impatiently as she waited for him to answer.

"Pick up the phone!" She shouted, counting the rings in her head. He had to answer… he was her only hope.

---

"Alright, you have five minutes." Reed announced. "If you're not back in the van by then, I'm leaving."

Johnny grinned as he hopped out, offering his sister a hand as she announced that she had to use the ladies room.

"Do you want me to grab you any snacks?" Johnny offered.

"You know it!" Sue grinned, rubbing her tummy. "The cravings have already started."

Johnny grinned and headed towards the variety store while Reed filled up the tank. Sue had just told him and Ben that she and Reed were expecting, and Johnny planned on doing everything in his power to make her feel comfortable. After all, she was his big sister. He grinned at the prospect of being an uncle, feeling a sudden vibrating sensation tingle his leg. As he set down a few packs of beef jerky and told the cashier to keep the change, he flipped his phone out of his pocket and glanced at the caller ID.

No name. He pressed his lips together with a frown, slipping the phone back in his pocket, gathering the beef jerky up and heading back to the van.

"Here y'go… the most nutritious thing the variety store had to offer." He winked at his sister as he handed her the packs of beef jerky. He pulled the phone out of his pocket and let out a sigh. It hadn't stopped ringing yet, he might as well answer it.

He flipped it open and sighed "Hello?"

"Johnny!"

He pulled the phone away from his ear a bit at the sound of the female's voice.

"I didn't know who else to call Johnny… I need your help… I know that you guys just left not that long ago and I totally understand if you-"

"Wait… wait… Lily?" He furrowed his brow. "Is that you?"

"Yes!" She let out a breath. "Johnny its Alex…"

"What's wrong?"

Sue furrowed her brow as she tried to listen to the voice on the other end of the phone. Johnny turned away and headed a few steps from the van. "Why don't you just call Derek? He is her fiancé."

Lily let out a few breaths. "She went to visit Derek after you left. Everything was totally fine… then she came back… all in a state and packed up her suitcase. Told me she had to go home. She told me not to tell the X-men that she was going, but I couldn't not tell anyone Johnny… I'm so scared… I know that something is-"

"Woah Lily… calm down." Johnny rubbed the back of his neck. "Did she look alright? Was she hurt?"

"No but-"

"Then I'm sure she's fine. Just fix yourself a drink and relax. And if you get caught, you didn't hear it from me."

"Johnny…" He could hear the tears in her voice. "I know she was trying to hide it… but I could see the look in her eyes Johnny… she was terrified."

Johnny pressed his lips together. "Alright Lil, calm down. We'll go after her."

"You will?!"

"Yes. Promise."

He headed back to the van and Sue gave him a questioning look. "Is everything alright?"

He snapped his phone shut and shook his head. "No."

---

Alex glanced at the speedometer, easing up a bit on the gas pedal. The last thing she needed was to get pulled over for speeding… not when she was genuinely in a hurry. She let out a breath and looked at the moon that was suspended in the velvety black sky. She wouldn't have much more time before Derek would realize that she'd bolted. He'd automatically assume she went home… which he'd be right. But hopefully she could get close enough before he realized that it would be too late for him to go after her. Once she got over the boarder, she should be home free.

She glanced at the speedometer again, realizing she'd let her foot press down once again.

Letting out another breath her foot eased off the gas pedal yet again, clutching the steering wheel as she approached a bridge. She felt uncomfortable driving over bridges since the car accident that claimed her mother's life and forced her father to live in his bed. As she drove over the bridge she slowly let out the breath she'd been holding when suddenly, her car stopped dead in the middle as if it hit an invisible wall. Her head smacked the steering wheel hard and she touched the tender spot on her forehead, silently cursing her piece of crap car. She went to turn the keys to start it up again when she realized it was still running. Slamming her foot against the gas pedal, listening to the tires squeal and the engine rev… but the car didn't move a budge.

With a sigh of defeat she pushed the car door open and slid out, taking a look at her rear tires to find out what the obstruction was. Her vision began to blur slightly and she touched her forehead, noticing the warm blood trickling from the wound. She'd hit her head harder than she thought. She looked back at her car and furrowed her brow, rubbing her temple as she silently wondered what the hell she hit that made her stop so abruptly.

A cold chill ran up her spine as the realization set in that she hadn't hit anything at all. Through the corner of her eye, she could see a dark figure approaching, stopping in the light of her headlights. Her heart rate increased as their eyes met.

She hadn't even heard him come up.

She cleared her throat and took a step backwards, away from the driver's side door. He took a step towards her, the light from her headlights illuminating his eerie yellow eyes. She stared at him, feeling herself relax as he stared back. His eyes seemingly drawing her in… lulling her from her formerly tense state. The corner of the mystery man's mouth twitched and he raised his hand. She blinked at him blankly as he twitched his hand. Her car began to inch towards her, the rubber tires squealing against the pavement. In an instant, he flicked his hand causing the car to screech towards her. She gasped and jumped up onto the roof of her car, grabbing on and holding on for dear life as the car squealed towards the side of the bridge at full force.

She could see the bright glow of headlights in the distance and a small glimmer of hope sparked up in her soul, only to be crushed as the realization of her situation set in. By the time the car got here, she'd most likely be gone.

Alex cried out in pain when the car slammed into the concrete wall, nearly sending her over the edge into the icy water below. The mysterious man smirked, twisting his wrist slowly, prompting the car to roll over onto its' side, making her scurry along with it to try

to stay on top. In one swift movement, he tossed his hand in the air, sending the car over the edge. Alex braced herself on the side of the car, pushing off at the last second as it began to tumble and plummet downward. She could see the underside of the bridge. It was right there. She stretched her arms out to the point that it felt like they were going to tear off. Almost there. Her hand grazed the metal brace, but she wasn't close enough to grasp it.

Alex let out a scream as she fell, crashing into the frigid water. The impact knocked the majority of the wind out of her, and almost knocked her out cold, but she struggled to hold onto her consciousness. She had to survive. She couldn't let Derek get away with this. Alex was disoriented, but began to frantically swim for the surface. She pushed through the water as her chest slowly began to tighten. All she wanted to do was gasp for air; it took everything in her to refrain from doing so. She pushed harder, kicking for the surface.

Her movements started to slow as she fought the urge to breathe. She had to be close to the surface…

The last thing she saw was a bright orange blur in what she assumed was the sky before she closed her eyes one last time.

Engulfed in blackness. Her last attempt to surface was failing.

Something slammed into the water above her, pushing her even further down. She felt her body begin to loosen, her limbs unwilling to work, using ever bit of strength she had left in her to resist the urge to breathe, when suddenly, she felt something on her shoulder.

A hand, linking onto her arm and pulling her. The person pressed their mouth against hers and breathed a puff of oxygen into her lungs before pushing her upwards.

She broke the surface and gasped a deep breath of air, her lungs stinging from the pain of being underwater for what felt like an hour. She tried to keep herself afloat, but her limbs still weren't totally cooperating yet.

"Hold onto me." Johnny wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her above water before swimming to where Reed was waiting, his arms extended from the bridge, to hoist her up.

When she reached the top, he helped her over the side of the bridge, letting her lean on him as she struggled for control of her body.

"Take it easy now… we're here." Reed eased her to a sitting position. That's when she noticed Sue desperately holding back the mysterious man with her force field, containing anything he tried to telekinetically toss her way. Ben was battling a sleek young woman with a contraption in the place of her one hand that looked like a giant drill.

A growl from behind them caused Reed to spin around. Sabertooth roared again before lunging at the two, prompting Mr. Fantastic to extend his torso, blocking the feral mutant from Alex. Sabertooth hit the pavement, and Reed wrapped himself around the furry man, acting as a hog tie. Alex stumbled to her feet, using the concrete wall as an aide, watching Johnny shoot out of the water like a bottle rocket. He bolted through the night sky above everyone's heads before landing next to his sister.

She looked exhausted, trying to keep the dark man's powers at bay.

"Get Alex out of here. I can take him."

Sue nodded and let the force field drop causing the mysterious man to grin ominously. She spun around and quickly headed over to the soaking wet young woman, helping her to her feet.

Johnny grabbed the man's neck and slammed him against the concrete wall.

"You picked the wrong chick to drown."

The man's smirk grew, his eyes flicking over to the left.

Before he could react, a slab of concrete flew at him from behind, slamming into his back. Johnny let go of the man, sinking to the ground slightly.

"You, my friend, picked the wrong chick to defend." He said smoothly in a British accent. "We're here on orders. We won't give up until our mission is accomplished."

Johnny burst into flames, his anger bubbling up uncontrollably. He reached out and grabbed the man's neck tossing him backwards onto the concrete.

"Sue!" Reed shouted. "Get out of here!"

Johnny looked over at Sue and Alex, distracted for a split second.

"Johnny look out!" Sue shouted, but it was too late. Another chunk of concrete flew at him from the side, knocking his legs out from underneath him. He hit the ground, his flame instantly snuffed out. Alex pushed away from Sue, her limbs still weak from the lack of oxygen.

"Alex, no. We have to get out of here-"

Alex ignored her, managing to make her legs work. The mysterious man sauntered towards the fallen Human Torch, leaning over his body.

Johnny opened his eyes with a groan and the mysterious man smirked.

"Game over mate."

Instantly, Alex tackled him to the ground, pinning him down and slamming his head against the pavement.

With her hand on his neck, her eyes burned with fury. "Game over indeed."

His eyes grew wide before slowly shrinking, closing lazily. He let out one last breath before going limp.

Alex blinked at his lifeless body, staring at his ashen face. She hadn't even absorbed any of his energy. Just drained him. Drained him to the point of… of…

"Alex!" Sue's shout brought her back to reality. Alex looked up, watching the blonde woman, helping her brother to his feet, his arm draped around her neck.

"Alex!" She repeated. "Run!"

Alex silently prayed her limbs were working as she climbed up onto the cement wall, using her agility to scurry around the debris, taking the path of least resistance to safety. Her legs began to shake. She slowed to a stop, gripping onto one of the bridges support beams, leaning against it to catch her breath.

"Come on…" She urged herself, but her legs just wouldn't work. She looked down at her feet, realizing the cement wall she was on was now glowing a soft magenta. She managed to jump off, back onto the road in time, but the wall exploded behind her, the force of it sending her flying to the other side of the road. She lay on her stomach, struggling to push herself up onto her hands and knees. A cough emerged from her throat and she spit out a pool of blood. With as much strength as she could muster, she tried to push herself to a standing position but she just didn't have the power. She began to inch away on her hands and knees before giving up, collapsing onto the pavement again. She was just too weak.

This was it.

She could see her attacker's feet, making their way towards her, the glow of whatever weapon he had in his hand casting an eerie shadow on the ground before him. Each step he took towards her was like a nail in her coffin. She closed her eyes and waited.

This was the end.

There was nothing she could do. There was no one around to help. Not with everyone tied up with their own problem. They'd gotten her this far… and she couldn't even save herself. A tear emerged from her closed eye and slid down her cheek.

She couldn't even save herself.

She could feel him come to a stop a foot away from her. Hovering over top of her.

He didn't move for a moment, making her wait even more agonizing.

She felt him lean down and she squeezed her eyes shut harder, waiting for the end to come.

He slowly rolled her over, onto her back, dropping whatever he had in his hand on the ground. Her eyes weakly opened as the man placed something under her head gently.

He turned back to the others and shouted for them to withdraw.

Withdraw? Had she heard him right?

She blinked at him, trying to understand what was going on when the sound of an explosion rocked the bridge.

The man hovered over top of her, shielding her from the debris before standing up and repeating his earlier command.

---

Within seconds, the attackers retreated, leaving the Fantastic Four baffled.

Sue reappeared with Johnny still leaning against her for support. "What happened?"

"We were losin'." Ben frowned, touching the spot where the girl had tried to drill through his arm.

"They didn't come for us." Reed breathed.

---

He looked back at her. "Time t' go." He winked, "You'll be fine."

Alex stared at him before a smile spread across her weak features. "Hey…"

"Shhh..." He whispered. "Relax chère."

Her eyes closed again, and she could feel him stand up and zip away, leaving before the others could reach her. She tried to hang onto consciousness, but she was just so tired…

The last sounds she could hear was Johnny's voice getting closer, calling out her name before she drifted off.

I didn't have time to read over it before I posted it... so hopefully it all makes sense. :)