This chapter has been in the works for a while now, hope you like it!

"Look can you just...talk to him?" Sue asked as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "I think that um...this is all getting to him," she finished with a sombre tone. Peter nodded, understanding what she meant, and turned towards the bedroom of Franklin Richards. He stepped through the door-frame, going from the organized and scientific aura of the Baxter Building to the festering whirlwind that was the room of the thirteen-year-old.

The walls where adorned with movie and band posters, and even a periodic table. A computer lay in one corner of the room, while a chest of drawers lay opposite to it. Clothes littered the floor, mixed in with the occasional toy. All of which belonged to the sandy-blonde haired boy sitting on the bed, with his head in his hands.

"Think fast," Peter said as he picked up a softball from the top of the drawer and tossed it. Franklin caught it with ease, before discarding it entirely. "I see you've developed a second carpet here," Peter continued as he made his way over to the boy. "I think your mother might wind up hating me for having this kind of influence."

"She doesn't hate you," Franklin replied stiffly.

"Well then who do you think she'll hate?" Peter asked as he sat down on the bed.

"Me," Franklin snapped as he pulled away.

"I don't think that's true," Peter said with a shrug. "Your mother would do anything for both you and Valeria. And you know that, buddy." He finished as he put his hand on the young man's shoulder.

"No she wouldn't," Franklin muttered as he pulled away again. "She's mad at me."

"Why?" Peter asked as he intertwined his fingers.

"Because I'm not my sister," the boy muttered as he kicked his feet out. "Because I'm not as smart as she is and-"

"Dude," Peter half-smirked. "I'm not as smart as she is. Ben's not as smart as she is. Your mother isn't as smart as she is," he continued as a smirk edged at the boy's mouth. "Let's not even mention your Uncle John."

"Then why's she always on my back?" he asked as he turned to face Peter for the first time. "Do your homework, do your chores, watch your sister, no you can't go out with your friends, no you can't have Facebook until you're thirteen. What's she afraid of?"

"Honestly?" Peter shrugged, "she's probably afraid of you not liking her. In fact, I know that's what scares her more than anything," he continued as he recalled some of his own, painful memories. "And she wants to make sure you grow up to be the best man you can be. Whether that be a Doctor, Police officer, Scientist or Hot Dog stand owner."

"Well then why-" Franklin began.

"-let you hang out with friends that she hasn't met?" Peter smirked, remembering having the same conversation with Uncle Ben when he was ten years old. "Do stuff like go to the movies without her? Or maybe stay out late at a friend's house?"

"Yeah," Franklin muttered.

"Well," Peter said as he scratched his forehead, "Firstly, your house is the base of the Future Foundation, a premier team of Superheroes. And with that comes a certain amount of danger to the building's inhabitants," he said a she put his hand on the boy's shoulder for a second time. "Second, she's your mother. There's this thing that automatically makes her worried about you. Even if we put you in a room lined with bubble-wrap, she'd worry."

"Well that doesn't explain why she likes to embarrass me in front of my friends," Franklin replied as he sat up a little bit straighter. "The other day she stopped me from being dared to-"

"If you're dared to do something," Peter offered up, "It's usually pretty stupid. Ask John, he's got lots of stories to tell you...most of them are inappropriate though...so maybe you shouldn't," he continued as he guessed at what was really bothering the boy, deep down. "but I digress, she embarrassed you in front of your friend, right?"

"Yes," Franklin replied.

"Can I ask you what her name was?" Peter asked with a slight smirk.

"I didn't say-" Franklin began to say, in a flustered tone.

"Well you kinda did," Peter replied honestly. "Being dared to do something is stupid. And we men only do stupid things for two reasons. The first reason is because we're stupid. The second is to impress a woman. So, is she cute?"

"Yeah..." Franklin replied timidly.

"Does she have a name?" Peter enquired, as he watched the boy's smile grow.

"Yeah," Franklin said.

"Care to tell me what it is?" Peter asked.

"R...Rachel..." He replied in a low tone.

"Have you asked her out?" Peter asked with a smile, as he saw the shifting light in the doorway. "Maybe for pizza or something?"

"No..." Franklin said as he cast his eyes down, "I don't know how to ask a girl out."

"Well here's a few things I learned," Peter offered up with a shrug. "First: If your Uncle John suggests it, don't do it. Second, be honest with her. Otherwise you'll wind up hating yourself. Third, let her choose the venue."

"What if I make a fool of myself?" Franklin asked.

"You will," Peter replied. "It's written into male DNA. We always make a fool of ourselves when we're around women we like. Now, you, young man, have the advantage of being the son of Reed Richards and Susan Storm. So any young lady would be lucky to have you ask her out and-" he was cut off by Franklin wrapping his arms around Peter's body.

"You're awesome," Franklin said as he broke the hug, "my mom picked right."

"Well let's hope so," Peter replied as he leaned forward. "Can you do something for me, buddy?" he whispered, "can you go get your sister and Uncles? And don't tell your mom?" Franklin nodded as he tore out of his room and down the hall, and seconds later, Susan Storm re-appeared in the door-frame, fully visible.

"Well?" she asked.

"Girl trouble," Peter smirked as he got to his feet. "The scourge of male-kind: asking a pretty lady out," he continued as Sue wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"You know," she whispered, as the remainder of the Fantastic Four appeared in the hallway behind Sue. "You looked like a professional for a second there. Almost like being a real Father."

"Well," Peter smirked, "I was kinda hoping you'd let me take the step-position."