All Things Change

Merc felt really alone. Johnny hadn't returned yet and she was feeling bad for what she said even if she knew it was true. Sue had taken Reed out because she had gotten worried about the way he was acting. So now Merc was alone in the biggest apartment she had ever seen and all she could do was sit in the lab and stare at the machine, wondering what was going to happen.

The door to the stairwell opened and Ben walked in. Merc tore her eyes from the machine and looked at him.

"Merc? Are you ok?" Ben asked. She wasn't even aware of the fact that she was crying until then. "What did Johnny do?"

"It's not what he did." Merc said. "It's what I did."

"Where is everyone?" Ben asked.

"I don't know." Merc said, brushing tears off her face. Ben sat in front of her on the steps leading into the machine. "I think I might have, friendship wise, broken up with Johnny." Ben stared at her. "It was the only thing I could think of ok."

"What happened?" Ben asked.

"After you left, Reed said some things to him and then I told him that he had to be more sensitive." Merc said, rubbing her eyes. "I told him that he basically wasn't even acting like a friend anymore. Then I just left." She stood up then sat next to Ben, putting her head on his shoulder. He reached over and patted hers lightly. "I really don't wanna lose him, Uncle Ben." Ben looked at her, realization dawning on his face.

"Mercy, do you…" He started but stopped as the elevator doors open and Reed and Sue came in, laughing quietly. Merc lifted her head as they were spotted and silence filled the room. "Yeah, I have that effect on people."

"Ben…" Reed said.

"Oh, you remember my name do you?" Ben asked. Merc sat up straight as Ben stood up. "You also remember what you swore to do with every breath in your body?"

"We're working as hard as we can…" Reed said.

"Yeah. I can tell." Ben said, motioning to Reed and Sue together. Victor was right.

"Uncle Ben?" Merc said, uncertainly as she stood up and joined them all.

"Ben, I don't know if this thing will change us back or make us worse." Reed said. "I need you to be patient for a little while longer…"

"Look at me, Reed." Ben said. "Look at me!" Merc wiped fresh tears off her face. Sue stood next to her and put her arm over the younger girl's shoulders. Both of them were basically forgetting.

"I am looking!" Reed said. "That's why I can't make any mistakes! I've got to get it right and it's not right yet! We need to test this."

"I spent my whole life protecting you, and for what?" Ben asked. "So you could play Twister with your girlfriend while I'm the freak of the week?"

"Uncle Ben, stop!" Merc said.

"Stay out of this, Mercy." Ben said. Reed jumped on Ben's back and started wrapping around him. Merc and Sue watched as Reed kept wrapping himself around Ben until the he was immobile.

"Good thing you're flexible enough to watch your own back." Ben said. "Because I ain't doing it anymore." Reed released Ben and Merc watched her Uncle stomp off. Merc went after him. She ran as fast as she could down the stairs but then thought of something and jumped over the banister, hoping to be right. She fell, keeping her eyes on her body as she did and managed to slow herself down enough so that when she got to the bottom she didn't break anything, just fell over.

"It's clobberin' time!" Merc was out just in time to see Ben shove Johnny into the wall and smash something next to his head.

"Ah man! That was the prototype!" Johnny whined. Ben stalked off, going right past Merc and either not seeing her or ignoring her.

"Johnny." Merc said, walking over to him.

"What…oh." Johnny said. They stared at each other until Sue showed up.

"Johnny, did you see Ben?" She asked.

"Yeah, Sunshine left a few minutes ago." Johnny said. "Look, Sue, I'm done with this freak show. I gotta get back to the real world."

"You're calling that 'real'?" Sue asked, motioning out the door.

"At least it beats living in a lab like somebody's science project." Johnny said. He started leaving. Merc looked at the ground at the remains of the action figure.

"Johnny, slow down." Sue said. "Think. You know mom didn't raise us to…"

"Look around, sis!" Johnny said, turning around and walking backwards. "She's not here. So stop talking to me like I'm a little boy."

"Maybe if you stopped acting like one, I would." Sue said. "You think those people out there care about you? You're just a fad to them, Johnny."

"Let's try something new: You live your life." Johnny said. "And I'll live mine." He stopped for a second. "Oh and just for the record: they love me!" He turned and left.

"Sue." Merc said, suddenly. Sue looked at her. "Go back to Reed. I'll take care of Johnny."

"You sure?" Sue asked.

"Yeah." Merc said. Sue watched her as the younger girl left.

"Do you…" She started but Merc was already out the door. "Love Johnny?" With the shake of her head, Sue headed back to the elevator.

"Johnny!" Merc shouted, ignoring the headache from the people and the flashing of the cameras. "Goddamnit! Where did he go?" She flinched as she heard no less the fifty voices all going off in her head.

God, Mercy. You idiot. Johnny thought. Merc looked up as he grabbed her arm and led her away from the crowd. They walked for a while in silence. "So what were you thinking coming out here like that? I saw what crowds do to you."

"Look, Johnny I'm sorry for what I said…" Merc said.

"No you're not." Johnny said. He let go of her arm and started walking again.

"Johnny!" Merc said, going after him. "Look I know you…you won't…"

"I thought you didn't know me anymore." Johnny said, coldly. Merc stopped and narrowed her eyes. Johnny suddenly seemed to walk into a wall. He tried a few more times before turning around. "What did you do that for?"

"Will you just listen to me?" Merc asked.

"I listened enough, Mercedes." Johnny said. Merc closed her eyes. Johnny didn't move as he watched her.

If I start crying over you one more time today… Merc thought, opening her eyes and looking directly into Johnny's.

You'll what? Wait a minute. You've already? Johnny thought.

Yeah. Do you know I spent about three hours alone in that god forsaken lab crying over everything that happened today? Merc thought.

Why were you alone? Johnny thought.

Oh gee…I don't know. Merc thought, sarcastically. Maybe because you never came back. Maybe because Ben didn't either. Maybe because Sue took Reed out for a break.

"But why though?" Johnny asked, vocally. "Why would you be crying?"

"I don't know." Merc said. "You and I have been friends for so long…" A few tears ran down her cheeks, again. Johnny stepped closer to her. "And…to have all that stuff happen. And now this…I'm just not feeling all that sure about where we stand anymore."

"You're treating this like a break up." Johnny said, smiling slightly.

"Well it sorta is…friendship wise anyways." Merc said. Johnny reached out and brushed the tears off her cheek.

God…even now she's beautiful. You'd think with the red eyes she would probably just be cute but no... He thought. Merc looked at him. Johnny's hand remained on her cheek.

"I really…really don't want to lose you, Johnny." Merc said.

Why do I wanna kiss her so badly? What is…wait a second…Merc can you hear this? Johnny thought. Merc smiled slightly and nodded.

"Yep." She said.

"Oh…well then." Johnny said, smiling. He started leaning down as if to kiss her but stopped as a wave of light spread through the sky. He leaned back and looked at Merc before both of them looked up. It didn't take them long to realize that it was coming from the Baxter Building.

"Ben." Merc said, quietly. Johnny looked at her again before she took off running. He was right behind her. "Oh…by the way. You're not the only one that can fly."

"Oh so you believe me then?" Johnny asked.

"Sure." Merc said.

"Wait a minute…you can fly?" Johnny asked.

"I think I can just hover slightly…I jumped down the stairs from like the twelfth floor and only wound up falling over once I hit the ground." Merc said. Johnny laughed slightly. They ran past the crowd outside the building, ignored the broken glass, and ran into the elevator. Merc tapped her foot impatiently.

"You know you could always do something." Johnny said.

"Like what? Oh…" Merc said. She looked at the floor of the elevator and slowly lifted her hands. Johnny looked at the numbers as they lit up faster. He looked at Merc who was starting to have trouble balancing.

"You can…" Johnny started but before he finished Merc collapsed. He grabbed her and lifted her up.

"Whoa…not doing that anymore." Merc said.

"You did good though." Johnny said. The doors opened and he ran out. "Sue!"

"Johnny!" Sue shouted. "The machine worked. Oh god is she ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Merc said. Johnny put her on her feet and she sat down quickly.

"Help me with Ben." Sue said. Johnny nodded and ran over next to her.

"Jesus, Ben." He said. "I go away and look what happens. You got a lot of explaining to do." He helped Sue move Ben over to Merc.

"The machine works." Ben said. "Vic's gone Mister Hyde on us…"

"Really?" Johnny asked. "With a name like Von Doom? Never saw that one coming."

"Cut the sarcasm." Merc said.

"Where's Reed?" Sue asked.

"Victor must've taken him." Ben said.

"Look." Johnny said, pointing at a hole in the window. Merc stood up and followed him and Sue over to it and out onto the balcony. Johnny looked over the edge of the balcony.

"Missile…big, fiery missile." Merc said.

"Heat seeking." Johnny said, backing towards them.

"It's locked on you." Merc said. Johnny looked at her. "Oh no…no, no, no. Johnny don't."

"Don't worry, Mercy." Johnny said.

"But…" Merc said. Johnny grabbed her head and kissed her quickly.

"Wish me luck." He said.

"Don't even think about it." Sue said.

"Never do." Johnny said. He ran then dived over the edge of the balcony.

"JOHNNY!" Both girls yelled. They ran to the edge and watched as the missile turned sharply and followed Johnny down.

"FLAME ON!" They heard. Next second Johnny was completely on fire and flying away from them.

"Come on." Sue said. She and Merc went back inside to Ben.

"We need to help Reed…" Ben said.

"You need to stay here." Sue said. "You can't help now."

"Sue…" Merc said.

"Mercy, stay here too." Sue said. "Victor's probably trying to knock us all off. He makes Ben normal, he sends a heat seeking missile after Johnny…"

"Be careful." Merc said.

"You too." Sue said. She left. Merc looked at Ben.

"What have I done?" Ben muttered.

"You got what you wanted." Merc said. "Uncle Ben. What are we gonna do?" Ben looked at her. Merc looked at him.

"I gotta go through the machine again." Ben said.

"What? It could kill you." Merc said.

"I don't think so." Ben said. "Come on." Merc followed him down the hall to the closet where the uniforms were. He threw Merc's at her and grabbed the pants that Sue had altered for him. "Get changed, quick. Meet me back down at the machine."

"But…" Merc said.

"Just do it!" Ben said. Merc nodded and went into the first available room. She got out of her own clothes and put the uniform on yet again. She ran back to the machine where Ben was already standing, holding the pants up at the waist. "Just push that button there once I'm inside."

"Are you sure about this?" Merc asked.

"Never been more sure, sweetheart." Ben said. Merc threw her arms around him. "Hope you got used to doing that to a big rock."

"I love you no matter what, Uncle Ben." Merc said. Ben walked into the machine and Merc pushed the button. She closed and covered her eyes as the light was blinding. Once the light died down she opened her eyes to see Ben, all orange and rocky once more.

"Any words of encouragement?" Ben asked.

"Kick some Von Doom ass." Merc said, smiling. Ben smiled back. She started to follow him as he left.

"No, you stay here." Ben said.

"But…" Merc said.

"Look Mercy…there are tons of people out there, most of them constantly thinking." Ben said. "There's not a whole lot you can do if you get a migraine." Merc watched him leave before running to the window and staring out at the water of the river. There was a big fire.

"Found you." Merc said, running to the stairs and going down. There was no way she getting dressed in this outfit just to miss out on all the fun.