Disclaimer: I don't own the Fantastic Four, movies or comics, or Chris Evans. I'd be rich if I did.

This is my first attempt at a Fantastic 4 fanfic. Don't know if this is good enough, no seriously I have no idea what I'm doing except that my brain's thinking this, so I'm writing it. I'd like to thank yaonne- san, ShadowWolfDagger, and leslie for reviewing, and everyone who reviews after the fact.

Warnings: this will have mentions of child abuse.

This is an AU, it's gonna have flashbacks, and there is a 12 year old gap between Sue and Johnny, at the start of the story. Takes place after Rise of the Silver Surfer.

Johnny

Chapter 5: Buddy

"Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven." Henry Ward Beecher

Previously on Johnny: "What happened to you, Johnny?"
Although he didn't say anything, Sue could tell that Johnny had heard what Reed had said due to the sudden tension in his body. Damn it, he'd just relaxed in her arms. She went back to rubbing his back and once he was calm again, asked, "What's wrong, Johnny?"

He face didn't move up from its spot in the crook of her neck and she heard a muffled answer, "nuthin." She could tell he was lying due to the slight crack in his voice at the end, she smiled, Johnny hadn't perfected the art of lying until he was thirteen.

"Hey," said Reed, "Johnny, we gotta get home, Buddy." Johnny got out of her lap and Reed pulled her up onto her feet, they, Ben, Reed, and Sue, headed out assuming Johnny was following them. Sue was shocked when Reed tapped her on her arm and asked, "Where's Johnny?" All three of them turned around simultaneously, feeling something pull in their hearts at seeing Johnny standing where they'd unknowingly left him, looking at them almost longingly.

Ben was the first to react, he started walking towards Johnny. When he reached him, he said, in a way he'd never when Johnny had been nineteen, "Hey buddy, we have to leave, remember? Why are you standing here?"

Johnny nodded and said matter-of-factly, "uh huh, and I'm standing hewr cuz I dunno where ta go."

Ben was confused, "What?"

"I haven't eva been to New 'Ork befow," replied Johnny with a miserable look on his face.

Reed finally realized the problem and feeling a pang in his heart said, "Johnny, you're gonna be staying with Me, Sue, and Ben at the Baxter Building. That's where we live, we're not gonna leave you here alone, I promise I won't leave you." Putting himself out there Reed held out his hand for Johnny to take, as if asking for him to trust him and asked, "You coming?"

Johnny stared at him, as if searching for something. Apparently he'd found whatever it was he was searching for because he said, "Uh huh," and slid his tiny, baby soft hand into Reed's longer more calloused one. Reed couldn't believe how fragile it felt, causing truckloads of feelings of protectiveness for this innocent, hurt little boy to rise up within him and Reed knew he'd been hooked for life, knew he'd die for the little boy now held his hand oh so trustingly.

Pulling himself out of his internal monologue as they started walking, Reed looked down and smiled at Johnny, attempting to make him feel more comfortable, and saw that he was trying to hold back a yawn. "You sleepy?"

Shaking his head, Johnny answered, "No," even as another yawn forced its way out. Reed held back his amused smile and watched Johnny. He was now rubbing his eyes with his free hand in an attempt to make the sleepiness go away. Just before they reached Ben and Sue, as Johnny's eyes stayed close a second longer than necessary and his steps faltered, Reed smiled and said, "I can see that." Then he grabbed him under his shoulders, pulled him up, and set him on his hip. He was pleased to find that Johnny didn't flinch. He felt ecstatic when instead of freaking out, like he'd expected, Johnny wrapped his arms loosely around his neck and tucked his face into the crook of his neck. Then a minute later, Reed felt the telltale little puffs of air against his neck and knew Johnny had entered dreamland.

Finally reaching Sue and Ben, Reed, still carrying his precious bundle, said, "Let's get the little guy home."

…TBC…

(If you want me to?)

Hewr is here cuz Johnny can't say his r's right.

Over 600 words! Yay. I'm sorry for the short chapter, but I have to get ready from Prom, everything, my school has a freshmen through senior prom, it's gonna be awesome, it's my first, I'm so stoked.

So whaddya think? Good, iffy, bad, better, could be better? Should I continue?

If you see mistakes, feel free to point them out. I hope I didn't offend anyone like ever and never do it in the future. I am grateful for your support. *scouts honor*(I was never a girl scout.)

Be honest if you think, I'm doing something wrong, and as before mentioned, I have no idea what I'm doing.

*wishes really, really hard*hope you enjoyed it, yours truly, Brownie.