CONTEXT: Doctor Doom captured Johnny Storm and conducted terrible experiments on him, enhancing his flames while also destroying his control of them. Doom also removed his vocal chords and Johnny has to use an external device to speak.
AN: I somewhat recommend reading this on AO3 due to some text formatting I can't do on this site but hey, I'm mostly just happy you're here at all.

In the Baxter Building Lab, Reed continued his research into Johnny's condition. He was getting closer to a full understanding of why exactly Johnny's flames were out of control: The microchip in his brain. Well, the microchip and countless unethical experiments of both biological and psychological natures.

If he could just get Johnny to talk about what happened, he could develop a personalized treatment plan and reverse engineer some–

"Reed!"

"Oh, uh, Susan! Ben!" Reed swiveled his head one-eighty degrees to see Susan Storm glaring at him, arms crossed. Ben stood behind her. "When did you two get here?"

"Five minutes ago." Susan replied curtly.

"We just wanted to check how things are goin', but I'm startin' to think ya need an intervention." Ben looked Reed up and down. "You're lookin' kinda saggy."

Reed turned the rest of his body to face his friends. "Rest can wait, my highest priority is stabilizing Johnny before he hurts himself or others."

"And how is that going?" Susan looked ready to strangle him.

"As fast as–"

Reed's sentence was interrupted by the lab door opening. In stomped Johnny, wearing his leather jacket and pants, hair hanging down over his scowling face.

He pressed the electrolarynx to his neck. "DID YOU SERIOUSLY TELL H.E.R.B.I.E. TO KEEP ME INSIDE?"

Reed gave him a sympathetic look. "Your condition isn't stable. You need to stay in the Baxter Building in case of an emergency."

"And it's not safe out there! What if Doom decides to target you again?" Susan butted in, her anger from before dissipating in a heartbeat.

The buzzing, text-to-speech monotone of the electrolarynx didn't match Johnny's frustration. "I'M AN ADULT. I CAN LOOK AFTER MYSELF."

"Not with your power out of control." Reed countered.

"Plus, you were kidnapped even with full control!" Susan added.

"There's not just Doctor Doom to consider, either. You could encounter a different criminal out there."

"What if it's someone we've never fought before? You wouldn't know how to fight back!"

As Reed and Susan went back and forth over every single hypothetical threat, Johnny tried to speak again, but the electrolarynx was too quiet to get their attention and he struggled to enunciate properly.

Ben, who had been quietly watching from the sidelines, noticed Johnny's clenched jaw and quivering shoulders. "Uh, guys? I think ya might wanna–"

But he was too late. Johnny threw the electrolarynx which bounced and rolled to the other side of the room. Then, he ran out the door.

The sudden display of rage caught Reed and Susan off-guard. Susan reacted first, yelling, "Wait, Johnny!"

Before she could run after her little brother, Ben stuck his hand in her path. "Hold on, Susie. Lemme talk to him."

Susan's jaw went slack. "What?!"

"I'm not sure that's a good idea…" Reed said, doubtful.

"Look, I'm gonna be honest with ya: You're smotherin' the kid. First, he's a prisoner in Doom's underwater carnival of evil, now he's a prisoner in the Baxter Building."

Ben's words distressed Susan. "But-but it's for his own safety!"

"And I'm sure he knows," Ben replied in a level voice, "but bein' cooped up in here–not able to talk, not able to use his powers–it's crushin' him."

Susan bit her lip, glancing down at the electrolarynx on the floor.

Ben laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, which covered her entire bicep. "Lemme try. If things go south, I'll come grab ya first thing."

Ben found Johnny curled up on the roof, arms crossed over his knees, staring at the late afternoon cityscape. The occasional pulse of blue light from the forcefield around them gave the view a little extra shimmer. To Johnny, it was a cruel reminder of everything he lost.

"Hey flame brain, ya dropped somethin'."

Ben took a seat next to Johnny and held out the electrolarynx. Johnny gave it a quick glare before turning his head away.

Ben withdrew the device. "Ya know they're just worried about ya."

No reply. Johnny just curled further into himself.

"Reed'd live in that lab if he had spare room for his bed. Suzie's got herself so worked up, she can't sit still unless you're safe in a forcefield. Neither of 'em know what it feels like to want to go outside but you can't."

Those words hung in the air for a few moments, backed by the soft sound of wind. Slowly, Johnny turned his head back. He held his hand out and Ben passed him the electrolarynx.

"...I HATE THE WAY THIS SOUNDS."

Ben chuckled, "You and me both."

Johnny allowed himself a small smile. It faded as he fiddled with the electrolarynx.

"SOMETIMES. I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S REAL… EVERYTHING AT DOOM'S BASE. FELT LIKE A BAD DREAM. BUT IT FELT REAL TOO.

"THIS FEELS… REALER. THE WAY REED TALKS. SUE'S TEMPER. YOUR JOKES. BUT…" Johnny shook ever so slightly, his eyes more like those of a scared kid. "WHAT IF I WAKE UP. AND IT ISN'T REAL?"

"Johnny…"

"I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN. I JUST… I NEED TO FLY. FEEL THE AIR. THEN I'LL KNOW THIS IS REAL. IT HAS TO BE."

His eyes misted up and he furiously rubbed the tears away with his jacket sleeve. He mouthed out some angry words Ben couldn't read.

Ben laid a hand on Johnny's back. "How's about I talk to Reed and Susan, get something worked out for ya? I can't guarantee it'll be the same as zippin' around New York but at least we'll get those feet off the ground."

While rubbing the snot from his nose, Johnny nodded once, though the dejected look on his face remained.

Ben pulled his hand away and the two fell into an awkward silence.

After heaving out a sigh, Ben spoke, "I don't know any delicate way to ask this but… Why won't ya tell Reed what happened? If he had more info, he might be able to undo whatever Doom did. At least, that's what he keeps sayin'..."

That scared look from before reappeared in Johnny's eyes. He opened his mouth a couple times but decided against speaking.

"I won't make ya talk if ya don't wanna. Reed'll figure something out, he always does."

Johnny took a deep breath. Then, he pressed the electrolarynx to his throat.

"I'M NOT SURE. HOW MUCH OF THAT HAPPENED. MY MEMORIES MIGHT BE WRONG. I DUNNO. AND…" His eyes widened, haunted by things Ben couldn't even begin to imagine. "I JUST WANNA FORGET."

Ben watched the kid bury his face in his arms. He'd never seen Johnny look so small. As hard as he tried, he couldn't think of something to say. What could he say? He had no clue what the kid had been through.

Luckily for Ben, Johnny didn't wait too long. He lifted his head and mouthed 'Sorry.'

"You don't got nothin' to be sorry for, Johnny." Ben reassured him, "If anyone's got anythin' to be sorry for, it's Doom, and lemme tell ya, me, Stretch, and Susie'll make sure he's real sorry." To emphasize his point, Ben pounded a fist into his palm and cracked his knuckles.

Johnny laughed–or rather, opened his mouth like he was laughing. The sight raised Ben's spirits, reminding him that hope wasn't so uncertain. He ruffled Johnny's hair, to which Johnny silently protested.

"We'll make this right. I promise."

Ben stood, followed by Johnny. They shared a look, a confident smile and nod. After years of bickering and exchanging blows, there were some things they could tell about one another that didn't take words.

Ben jabbed his thumb towards the roof exit. "Let's go talk some sense into Stretch and Susie. And while we're at it, fix your hair," He gave Johnny's hair another tousle, "The emo teen look just ain't you."

Johnny tried to swat Ben's hand away, but he may as well have been slapping a boulder. When Ben finally let go, Johnny ran his fingers through his hair to spike it up. It wasn't quite the same as his usual 'do–it needed styling to be sure– but it was a step in the right direction.

And one day, they'd all get there. As a family.

AN: This is something I wrote a while back with a grander fic idea in mind. Will that ever happen? Not anytime soon, if at all. Not to say it'll never happen, but it's best not to get your hopes up. (Feel free to steal the idea though.)