That afternoon, Elena walked into the sitting area with her nose buried in a book. Johnny saw her walk in, bumping into the coffee table before sitting down next to him, her eyes never leaving the pages. He looked at her with a smile before realizing he had a TV show on, the X-Games.

"Need me to turn it down?" he carefully spoke, trying to not scare her. She glanced up at the Tv and saw motocross on and shook her head.

"Nah, I've learned to read with loud noises," she smiled over to him before letting out a small yawn. Johnny couldn't help but smile at how cute she looked.

Cute? he thought to himself, Since when did I think girls were cute and not hot?

"How much sleep have you been getting?" he asked seeing the light looking dark circles under her eyes.

She shrugged before making her grey eyes look at him, "Not much, a few hours each night," she looked back at her book before muttering, "Everything just feels so damn hollow."

Johnny being his usual self patted the spot closer to him, "Well, I happen to be a heater…what do you say, Glow?" she gave him a suspicious look, "I promise not to try anything."

She glanced at the spot next to him and felt the nagging thought of the opportunity to sleep before placing her book on the coffee table and sitting next to him, his body heat fulling hitting her. She never felt cold, just hollow, like something was missing. She smiled sleepily before making herself more comfortable. Johnny offered her some popcorn and she took a few before exhaustion hit her like a tidal wave.

Johnny had his eyes firmly on the tv when he thought back to that morning, "About this morning…" his voice trailed off when he glanced over and saw Elena sound asleep. Her head just barely above his shoulder, "Well, Glow," he smirked seeing at how serene she looked, "That's new."

He chuckled before looking at the screen again, jealousy pulsed through him as he watch "Cowboy" Kenny do tricks in the air.

"I gotta get out of here," he muttered quickly standing up and moving to leave but stopped when he saw Elena asleep on the couch. He pulled the dark color blanket off the back of a chair before dropping it over him before making his great escape, right after he grabbed his uniform.

Elena suddenly gasped awake, her eyes darting around the living room. Taking a calming breath she felt a blanket on top of her. Johnny. A small smile pulled to her lips before her ears heard the announcer of the X-Games speak.

"Welcome a special guest. JOHNNY STORM! From the Fantastic Five!" her eyes widened as she looked at the screen seeing Johnny on a bike and performing a trick in the air.

"GUYS!" Elena screamed ringing her hands through her hair. The three came running in and stopped in front of the screen.

"That was FANTASTIC! But Johnny, that's old school. Show us something new," dread went through Elena as she heard the announcer practically taunt Johnny. Johnny's bike shot forward before going off a ramp. He did a flip off the bike, getting dangerously far from it. Elena's eyes widened as he flayed his arms before catching on fire and slightly flew in the air. He tumbled onto the ground making the room hang in a heavy silence.

He jumped up and ripped what was left of the motocross suit he was wearing to reveal his Fantastic Five suit, except, there was a logo on the front.

"He didn't," Sue said with her hands on her hips.

"Oh, yes, he did!" Ben said pacing next to the couch, "Flameboy never listens."

"What did he do to his uniform?" Sue was still using her motherly tone and Elena saw Reed glance down at his chest before covering it with his lab coat.

There was a reporter with Johnny now, "I gotta ask about this outfit," she said pointing the microphone towards him.

"It's like Armani meets astronaut," he said with a smile, loving the attention, practically basking in it.

"So what are your superhero names?" the reporter asked.

"They call me the Human Torch," he smirked, "Ladies call me Torch," the girl surrounding him cheered.

"What about the rest of the team?"

Then a picture of Susan appeared on the screen, "That's the Invisible Girl," he said completely proud of it.

"Girl?" Susan asked in distain.

"What about your leader, Reed Richards? I hear you call him Mr. Fantastic," she continued on.

"Could've been worse," Ben said glancing at his friend.

"Is it true what they say, that he can expand any part of his anatomy?" the girls around him giggled and whooped.

Johnny cocked his head to the side, "I've always found him a little limp."

A picture of Elena came onto the screen, "What about her?" she asked pointing to Elena's picture. The guys in the area looked at her picture and whooped a bit, "Is her entire body made of glass?"

Johnny chuckled and shook his head, "No, no, not glass. Diamonds," the entire arena gasped collectively, "She's the Fire Gem," Johnny smirked, "She has a flame to her touch too, you know?" all the guys took interest in that.

"Seriously?" Elena growled.

A picture of Ben flashed up on the screen, "What is that? What do you call that thing?"

"That's it," Johnny smiled widely, "The Thing! You think this is bad. You should have seen him before!"

"Okay, now I'm going to go kill him," Ben turned to walk to the door.

The three followed at Elena's hands shook with rage, "Let me help."

The X-Games were loud and crowded with people. Elena and Sue were leading the two guys when Ben fell short when he spotted Johnny's cherry red sports car.

"There he is," Sue said pointing at Johnny. He walked out to the street with a girl on each arm. Elena felt her body run cold at this, "Johnny—"

"Look, can we talk about this later, guys?" he asked, tightening his arms around the two girls he held.

"No, we can't! What were you thinking?" Sue said walking beside him as he walked the rest of the way to the street.

"Where's my ride?" he asked letting go of the girls he was holding. A red ball of crushed metal was thrown across the street landing with a loud sound.

Johnny watched in horror as it rolled to a stop in front of them. The license plate flew through the air, hitting his head and grabbing his attention. He turned to look at Ben who was punching his palm with his fist, "You think this is funny, Pebbles?" Johnny asked as his anger rose.

Elena stepped forward, "Johnny! You gave us names?!" she yelled, "You don't think!" the tips of her hair lit on fire, "Now, you're the face of the Fantastic Five?!"

"A face that's about to be broken!" Ben yelled stomping closer to the four.

Reed moved so he was next to Sue and Elena, "This isn't permanent! We need to be careful until we're normal again!"

"What if I don't want to be normal?" Johnny looked at Ben, "I didn't turn into a monster!" pain went through Elena as rage radiated off Ben. Ben raised his arm, moving to punch Johnny when Elena's diamond covered hand shot out and grabbed Ben's fist, stopping it from colliding with his face.

"Be the better man, Ben," Elena whispered making Ben turn around and Elena trail after him, in full diamond form and keeping her eyes on Johnny.

"Johnny, say you're sorry," Sue said with edge on her voice. Instead of apologizing, he shot a fireball at Ben. Elena reacted by pushing her uncle out of the way. Johnny looked at her with orange eyes making her slightly step back, he shot another fireball, this time at Elena. Moving her arm up to shield her face it collided with her bare skin. Elena's diamond skin couldn't protect her from Johnny's flame, not when it was intentionally used to harm her. A scream ripped from her throat as she gripped her arm, the smell of burning flesh filling her nose.

Johnny's eyes widened in horror when he realized what he had done. His stomach sinking when he saw her face contorted in pain, pain he caused. She cradled her burnt arm, a whimper electing from her lips whenever she moved. Reed appeared at her side, gently taking her arm to see the damage. His face paled when he saw how bad it was.

Ben had turned when he heard his niece scream, his eyes narrowing when he saw her burnt arm, "That's it, Tinkerbell! You wanna fly? Then FLY!" Ben went to punch Johnny but Reed moved in front of him at the last second sending Johnny flying back against a Burger King billboard and setting parts of it on fire. He jumped down, ready to go at Ben.

"Wait a minute, guys," Sue said in an attempt to stop their fighting, "Ben, don't do this," Elena was struggling to stay on her feet as she looked at her arm. From her finger tips to her upper arm her skin was red, blotchy and bleeding.

"Let's see if we can get blood from a stone," Johnny said, his face cold.

"Let's see. Bring it, Burnout!" Ben moved closer and closer to Johnny.

"You two need a time-out!" Sue yelled stepping in between them with her arms spread out to break the two apart. Ben looked from Sue to his niece who was being supported by Reed before turning around and walking away.

"Talk to blockhead! He started it!" Johnny yelled while throwing his arms into the air in anger.

"I don't care!" Sue yelled back, "Dammit, Johnny," she turned to run after Ben, "Ben wait!"

Reed carefully moved Elena behind him before Johnny turned to him, "What?"

"You need to control yourself and think before you act," Reed said practically scolding him.

"Yeah, but that's your problem — you always think but you never act," he pointed a finger at Reed.

"Johnny," Reed sighed, "You already seriously injured someone. Without control you could kill someone!" Johnny's eyes narrowed on the scientist..

"What if we got these powers for a reason? What if it's like some higher calling?" Johnny asked holding his arms out.

"A higher calling? Like getting girls and money?" Reed asked, slightly disgusted.

"Is there any higher?" Reed's gaze moved to Elena, "You know what, Reed? This is who we are. Accept it," Johnny turned to move away but then turned back to Reed, "Or better yet…Enjoy it."

He was about to turn around when Elena finally spoke up, "How can we?" she asked, her burnt arm cradled in the other as she walked towards Reed.

Johnny's mind was suddenly hit with Reed's words. You already seriously injured someone. "Glow," he started but she shook her head.

"You didn't even blink," she whispered. Johnny took a step towards her and she did something that no one would ever think she would do. Diamonds crept up to cover her skin, "Don't come near me."

Her words and actions hit Johnny like a bullet, "Elena," he pleaded taking another step forward which made her slightly stumble back, her entire body covered in diamonds.

"You're just like them," she whispered making Reed and Johnny look at her with wide eyes, "I trusted you," Johnny's face fell when her grey eyes looked at him with no sparkle.

"Elena please," he reached out for her hand.

"Don't touch me!" he heard the diamonds tightening around her, "You're just like them," her voice shook with an oncoming sob, "I hate you," his blue eyes widened, "I hate you!"

Johnny stood there in defeat as Reed took a crying Elena in his arms and pulled her away to get her fixing up, each step made her wince, but she never looked back to the blonde who felt like a monster.

Elena sat in the lab, hissing each time Reed's hand approached her burn. Tears were escaping her eyes the entire time, but not from the burn. Her skin was still in diamond form, except where the burn was. She felt vulnerable and scared.

Reed glanced up at her while bandaging her arms. Her once sparkling eyes were filling with tears that hit her diamond cheeks, the last time he ever saw her like this was when Billy Montgomery broke up with her when she was seventeen. He was a dancer at her old company and when she finally got free from the government after the dare, he broke up with her.

"I'm going to give you a sedative," Reed said while he finished wrapping her arm. She glanced up at him, "Put you're suit on. The compression will be good for your burn."

"I don't know if I can sleep," she whispered.

Reed sighed and helped her stand up, "He didn't mean it," Elena looked at him blankly.

"I guess."

"Elena," Reed started as he gave her her suit, "Have you seen the way Johnny looks at you?" she sent him a raised eyebrow before moving behind a piece of equipment to change.

"You mean how he wants to fuck me into the next century? How could I miss it?" she rolled her eyes before wincing while zipping up her suit. She walked back over into Reed's view.

"No, well he looked at you like that before the storm," Reed confessed, "But afterwards? In the facility? It was different. Softer," Elena rolled her eyes again as she let him check on her arm in the suit, "He loves you,"

Elena's body froze, "Is Reed Richards playing matchmaker?" she stiffly teased before she went over to the table by the machine Reed was making to cure them, threw her spare clothes on top of it before laying down, using her clothes as a pillow. Reed walked over to her and gave her the sedating shot making Elena sadly glancing over at him, "Johnny doesn't love anyone except himself," her entire form become diamond as she let her eyes drift close.

Victor Von Doom watched from one of the many screens he had that showed him the Richards residence. He smirked as he saw Elena's sleeping form in the lab, but in completely diamond form.

Stronger than diamonds! the now dead doctor's voice filled Victor's mind.

"Now that the Gem is asleep, we can see what really happens to diamonds and this metal," he smirked before calling his assistance Leonard.

"Yes, sir?"

"When you pick up out asset, I need you to bring back a gem for me."

"Which one?" Leonard asked curiously as he saw a shock collar made up of the same metal as Victor's hands in his boss's fingers.

"The Fire Gem."

"Hah, Victor! It worked!" a voice exclaimed happily. A shaky figure walked out of the transformation chamber, feeling and looking like the man he once had been, "Vic?" Ben called out once more. He looked around Reed's empty lab and raised a brow as he pulled his pants up a bit and tightened the strings around the waist. Pulling his coat on to cover his bare upper body, Ben looked around before seeing several diamond lab equipment, a bad feeling raised in his gut when he thought of only one person who could do that, but only when she was scared.

"Everyone thought I was safe behind those shields," Ben quickly turned around and his jaw fell with a completely stunned look on his face. He took a step back as Victor revealed himself from the shadows, the scar on his face showing metal underneath his skin, along with many other scars and burns on his body he has just received. Ben tried not to stare as steam rose from Victor's body.

"The machine worked for me, it can work for you!" Ben said hopefully as the man before him smirked and shook his head.

"Oh, I know it worked. It worked out perfectly," he said as the feeling in Ben's gut imploded. His expression fell as he stared at Victor, piecing everything together.

"You planned this."

"I've always wanted power," Victor said as if it were an obvious statement, "Now I have the unlimited supply."

"And no 'Thing' to stand in your way."

"Or Gem," Victor's smirk widened as he nodded his head, feeling as if he were king of the world. If he completely his plans, he would have the world in the palm of his hands, "Take a look, Ben," Victor said, "This is what a man looks like when he embraces his destiny," not having a chance to really react, Ben's eyes widened as he felt Victor back hand him with so much strength that it wasn't possibly normal. HIs body collided into a bunch of shelves as he grunted in pain, hitting the ground. Victor laughed slightly as he shook his head before getting a message from Leonard that Elena was secure.

"Three more to go."

"Vic?" said man looked up and smiled evilly at Reed.

"Right on cue!"

"Ben?" waiting for a reply, but received nothing. Reed glanced around the lab and saw no white haired girl, "Elena?" the new presence turned his attention towards Victor, examining his now mutated body. A worried look fell upon his face as he held tightly to the railing for the second, "What did you do?"

"Exactly what I said I would do," Victor smirked, "I build a stronger, better being, and outsmarted the great Reed Richards."

Elena screamed in pain as another jolt of electricity went through her body. She struggled in the chair she was held in. Furiously glancing around she saw a familiar initial of a man she despised. V.

"Think, Elena," she whispered to herself before letting out another scream, "Think!"

Susan Storm sprinted into Reed's destroyed lab. Her eyes widened as she found Ben laying on the ground, unconscious. She raised a brow as she grabbed Ben and noticed his body had been rock hard to the touch. She grinned as she held him in her arms and took a look at her friend. Ben's body had been changed back to it's normal state. His skin was soft and he was the same pale color he had before the space trip. The happiness in Sue's heart began to grow as she glanced around, looking for the man she had thought was responsible for the miracle.

"Sue!" the woman looked up with a wide smile on her face as she saw her brother come running into the room.

"Johnny! The machine worked!" she exclaimed as Johnny shot her a confused look before running into the lab and his eyes widening as he saw his sister try to pick up the unconscious Ben. Johnny rushed to Ben's other side to help as the man groaned as he winced, his body responding to the pain more easily than it would have if he had been 'The Thing.'

"You alright, Ben?" Johnny asked as the two moved the now half-conscious man to the step of the machine, "What happened, big guy? I leave you for five minutes…"

"Th-The machine," he mumbled as he tried to get his breathing right, "Vic used it on himself, he was effected by the cloud like us," Ben explained as the color from their faces drained.

"Where's Reed?" Sue asked as Been shook his head.

"Vic must've taken him," Ben mumbled as he glanced around. His expression fell even more as he stared at the window. The two followed his gaze and their faces dropped.

"And Elena?" Johnny asked, "Where's Elena?"

Ben shook his head before looking at the diamond microscope and then saw a few shattered piece of diamonds on the floor, "He must've taken her too."

Johnny's heart sank when he saw the shattered area where Elena's clothes were. Sue stood up and walked towards the balcony doors making Johnny quickly followed. The two looked up at the broken window before Sue bit her lip as she glanced down at the shards of glass.

"Hey guys —" Johnny called out when he heard a strange noise fill the air. Their pupils dilated as they stared at the missile heading straight towards Reed's apartment. Sue looked to Johnny who looked down at himself.

"We've got to get of here," Sue warned as Johnny quickly walked up to the railing of the balcony. He looked down, trying to ignore the intense beat of his heart. He watched as the cars drove by on the street, the distance rather alarming for him. Deciding to go with his instincts, Johnny took a few steps back, rubbing his hands together.

"I have an idea."

Susan's eyes widened, "Johnny!" she snapped as a very stern, motherly gleam appeared in Sue's eyes. "Don't even think about it."

"Never do," without a second thought, Johnny leaped over the balcony, arms wide open. Sue gasped as she quickly ran to the railing, watching her brother fall.

"Johnny!" she called out before seeing the missile dip down to chase after him.

"Come on!" Johnny mumbled to himself as he glanced back at the missile. He ignored the pressure from the fall and the fact that his eyes were beginning to tear up a bit, and stared down at the inclosing street. Waiting for the right moment, he concentrated blocking everything around him out, "FLAME ON!" the feeling was amazing, it felt so natural. His clothes burned away in an instant, leaving him with his space suit turned Fantastic Five uniform. He could feel the breeze, it was barely noticeable, and as he flew past the cars and buildings, feeling free, "Now," turning his attention to the missile behind him, Johnny put his game face on, "Let's do this."

Sue decided what she needed to do and moved to go get her suit. Ben was waiting in the doorway, he winced, trying to gather as much strength as he could, "We need to help Elena and Reed."

"It's too dangerous for you now," Sue warned as she gave Ben's shoulders a slight squeeze before running past him to get her suit.

Ben watched her with a defeated look on his face, "What did I do?" he mumbled to himself softly. His thoughts suddenly began to work themselves as a crazy, but good, yet still insane idea popped into his head. Glancing over at the transformation chamber, he smirked.

The man engulfed in flames glanced over his shoulder and shook his as head as he watched the missile follow after him. Quickly avoiding a large skyscraper, Johnny flew higher, not the clouds, and within seconds, he shot a fire ball into the sky and turned his flames off, returning to the natural state of his body. He began to fall back down towards the city and watched as the missile followed his fireball. He inwardly sigh, a wave of relief running through him, but as he realized he raised a brow, something pushing past the clouds towards him. He watched as the missile continued to chase after him and quickly downed himself in his flames again.

"New plan," he thought to himself as he tried to think of another one. Making his way towards the coast of New York City, Johnny gritted his teeth as he shook his head, "C'mon! Think Johnny! Think!" he shouted to himself as he glanced around the water. He smirked as he found a garbage barge sitting peacefully in the water. Glancing one last time at the heat seeking missile, Johnny aimed a line of fire at the boat, the garbage catching on fire easily. Going through the flames, the missile fire, colliding with the boat and causing a large explosion. Johnny's eyes widened as the force of the explosion threw him into the water, "Whoa!" his flames were doused and he was spinning through the water uncontrollably.

Elena saw an explosion and let out a heart breaking scream, knowing exactly who that missile was tracking. Then she got angry, her diamond skin rubbing against the metal furiously as her body began to heat up.

AN: Well shit….Things are picking up! FYI Elena isn't in that conference room where Reed is, she's in the Genetics Lab were Sue worked, which I'm placing a few floors down.

Leave a review and no FLAMES! We get enough of that from Johnny.

Xoxo - Scar