honeymelonam

Sneaking back into your room after a night of underage drinking and a joint wasn't going to be easy, though you hadn't seen Johnny's ablaze body shoot through the sky yet, so you're sure your disappearance has gone unnoticed.

Creeping up the endless staircase in the Baxter building, you finally make it to the right floor, creeping over the carpet and tiles to get to your room.

Gently closing the bedroom door behind you, you waste no time and strip, getting in the shower and standing under the steaming hot water for at least twenty minutes.

You dressed in your nightie and put a record on, not noticing your headphones had been unplugged, the swing record blares beyond your room for a few seconds before you dive and scratch the needle off it.

Hurried steps sound closer and closer to your door, it was too late.

The door swings open in an instant, Reed's eyes search the room frantically, "What are you doing?"

The whites of your eyes were red and just slightly glazed over, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to!"

He doesn't respond, his eyes squinting as he observes yours.

He steps closer.

"You've been out." It wasn't a question.

"No-"

His hands cup your face, tilting to get a better look at you, he can smell the alcohol and the smoke that wafts from your pile of discarded clothes.

"I can not believe you would do such a thing." He freezes for a moment with disbelief, before taking your hand and pulling you down the hall to his room, Sue reading a book by the lamp light in bed.

"Tell Sue what you did." He commands, forcing you In front of him.

"I didn't do anything-!"

"Now."

Sue closes her book, her thumb saving her spot. "What happened?" Her question sounds hesitant.

"This is so not fair! Johnny was going out at my age!"

Sue quirks her brow, "What's going on?"

Reeds eyes burn into you, shaking his head he tells her himself, "She snuck out, and look at her eyes."

"Ugh, I hate you!" Storming off, you only make it three steps before Reed stretches and his hand shoots out, gripping your arm.

"Hey!" Sue snaps, thoroughly disappointed with your attitude and behaviour, she throws the blanket off and hops out of bed, approaching to scrutinise you.

"Geez can't a guy get any sleep around here, hell's going on?" Ben trudges into the room, Johnny just behind him, scratching his head and keeping his eyes mostly closed.

She ignores them, bending to meet your eyes, "Tell me what happened."

Johnny sniffs the air, his eyes open and scanning the room before they land on you, his face surprised, taking two steps towards you, "Hey my little firework, what have you been doin?"

Ben looks at you too, with a little understanding, "Oh God."

You were familiar with Reed's strength, but you still pulled and struggled against his grip, wanting to be with your uncles.

Sue gave Reed a look, and he reluctantly let you go, "I am very disappointed in you, young lady."

A beat of silence, and Ben speaks.

"Alright kiddo, let's get you to bed huh?"

Reed shakes his head, rubbing his temples, "H.E.R.B.I.E mustn't have locked down the building."

Johnny cringes, stepping forward, "Actually, I may have gone out for a fly and...forgotten to lock up."

Ben holds you close, watching as Reed slowly turns to face Johnny, looking far from pleased.

Sue gives up on her book and rests it on the bedside table, "Come here sweetie."

Her arm rests on your side as you unwillingly climb onto the bed, "Johnny, can you please go lock up, Reed, darling it's late, lets just get some sleep okay."

Johnny leaves the room, Ben lingers for a moment longer, approaching you to kiss you goodnight before leaving, "Goodnight kiddo."

Reed collapses on the end of the bed, head in his hands.

"Reed, honey please we're all tired, come here." Sue waits patiently for Reed to get into bed.

He stands up and peels back the blankets, "This can't keep happening."

"I know Reed", Sue keeps an arm around you, tucking you against her side as if to protect you. She leans over, tucking a finger under his chin to encourage him to look at her, "We'll handle it tomorrow, alright?"

"She needs to be grounded-"

"Tomorrow, Reed." Sue insists, kissing his sweaty forehead softly.

Her eyes linger on his, as if waiting for him to do something.

Reluctantly he looks to you, "We are going to talk about this tomorrow." Tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, he quickly kisses your forehead.

"Sweetheart I told you, I ain't sendin' you on patrol until you can prove to me you can handle it."

Between the dense floor of snow and your 'new' boots that are two sizes too big, It's almost impossible to keep up with Tommy.

"This is so stupid, I've killed infected before!" Coming to a halt at the top of the hill, you try to catch your breath, huffing. "What the fuck does hunting have to do with patrol?"

He turns to look at you, seemingly unimpressed with your attitude, "It has everything to do with patrol. What would happen if you got stuck out here huh? You're not gonna be chewin' on infected, huntin' ain't easy kiddo."

As he turns to continue walking, he spots a grazing rabbit in the distance. He pulls you down with him behind a nearby tree.

"Okay, okay this is it, you see it over there?"

Following his eyeline you spot a rabbit chewing on a tuft of grass that peaks through the snowfall, occasionally poking it's head up to listen.

Tommy gently takes off his pack and guides the bow off your shoulder, "Okay baby, this is all you."

Reluctantly, you fit an arrow onto the bow, holding it out straight and pulling back the string with your opposite arm.

"Whoa whoa hold it." He whispers, his breath warming your ear as he guides your arms, adjusting your posture to improve your aim.

"Okay, now you remember what we talked about? Release on the exhale, lift up just a little to account for the distance, a headshot is ideal but It's not the end of the world if you don't get it, this is the one, I feel it."

Pulling back the string a little further, you consider why you missed the last two rabbits earlier that morning. The first time, the arrow landed just a few feet before it, the second time, you over shot it by a mile.

Keeping the distance in mind, you raise your bow a little higher and exhale steadily, releasing the arrow.

It pierced through the rabbit's side in an instant, pinning it into the ground, it's leg spasming for two seconds before it's body fell limp.

"Ha Ha!" Tommy squeezes your shoulder, "I told you this was the one!"

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"Now, you're gonna pop those joints out," Blood pools around Tommy's cuticles as he snaps the rabbits joints, tearing them off completely with a small, grimy blade.

Strands of fur cling to your sticky hands as you stare at the pink corpse on the table.

He turns to you, waiting for you to replicate with your own hideless rabbit, "Baby, come on, you need to do this."

Biting your inner cheek, you reluctantly snap each joint, severing it with your own blade.

He continues demonstrating how to break down and gut it, and it leaves you feeling sick and sour.

After separating the cuts of meat, Tommy allows you to finally wash your hands, watching you desperately scrub the grime and blood out from under your nails into a nearby barrel of water.

Wiping his hands with a rag, he saunters over to you, squatting down to your level. "You did good today, I'm proud of you."

"Will you let me go on patrol now?"

The sparkle in his eyes mirrors yours, "I'll think about it, I promise...but if I do I need to make sure you can fight first, yeah?"

It smelt rather earthy, his office. The refurbished table was clean of any dust, but the particles still danced in the air.

You had expected Maria to be in attendance, but perhaps she was busy dealing with everyone else in town.

The door slowly pushes open, and you look over your shoulder.

He didn't say anything, which was surprising. You had expected a, 'You gotta be shittin' me' or something, but he only looked at you, his eyes so full of hurt and disappointment, yours, on the contrary, were empty.

He gently closed the door behind him, setting his hunting rifle against the desk, as well as his pack.

The chair creeks slightly as he sits with a stifled huff, his legs spread over each side of the corner of the seat.

"You know I really hoped I wouldn't see you here again..." He struggles to look at you, but eventually manages. "Stealing a horse and sneaking out-?"

"It's not that big of a de-"

"Ah, no," He cuts you off, voice firm. "It is a big deal actually, what were you thinkin'?"

Not bothered to answer him, you both sit in an uncomfortable silence for a few beats.

Looking into the distance he leans back into the chair, running his hands through his hair, thinking.

Finally, you speak up, "I want to go on patrol."

With disbelief, he lets out a breathy chuckle, "I can't believe this. How many times-"

"It's not fair! Ellie gets to go on patrol and she's the same age as me!"

He shakes his head, exhausted with fighting you, "Ellie has Joel's blessing, you do not have mine, that's the difference."

"Fuck you", you mutter mindlessly.

He looks at you, not a hint of anger on his face, instead watching you with sympathy. "Look, I know things have been difficult for you...and I know we're still...sorting out how this works." He gestures between you both. "But I am your...your guardian now and I don't think you're ready for patrol."

"Then teach me! I'm sick of shovelling shit and mixing compost!"

"Shovelling shit and mixing compost won't get you killed, but going outside those walls could, don't you understand that?" His eyes search yours, almost pleadingly.

"I don't care!"

His brows knit, saddened by your words. "Well I'm sorry you feel that way sweetheart, but I care."

You struggle to stifle your laugh.

"You may think I don't, and you can laugh about it, and maybe you think I only took you in because no-one else wanted to but the truth is, I wanted to take you in, because I care about you, and...and I love you like you're my own. And maybe you're not used to that and that's okay, but every time you sneak out, or you don't do your job, or you don't come to town meetings or dinners or dances...I will be here, to pull your head out of your ass and set you straight, and maybe you'll hate me for it, hell maybe you already do, but that's okay, because it won't change a thing."

When he finishes speaking, the sound of your rapidly bouncing leg becomes noticeable.

"Can i go now?" You croak, trying your best to ignore the lump in your throat.

"Go and apologise to the stable hands and Maria...yes you can go."

The harmonic singing that sounds from your record player is quickly stifled by the deafening hum of the hair dryer.

It had taken some time to style your hair, lacking adaptability after you had freshly washed it just an hour ago.

After five minutes you turn off the hair dryer and remove the final hair roller, the music becoming audible once again.

Carefully lining your lips in the vanity mirror, the phone rings by your bed, it was them.

You met them just two weeks ago when you attended a Future Foundation Conference with Sue. She had left to speak with Lynne, and they introduced themselves. You talked for some time, transitioning from the policies and programs for the neighbourhood that had been discussed at the conference, to casual humorous chat. Before leaving they asked if they may call you sometime to keep in touch, or maybe go for dinner, if you'd like.

Their proposal had taken you by surprise, but you agreed to give them your number and set a date.

Picking up the phone you feel flutters in your stomach.

"Hello?"

"Hi..."

"..Hey...sorry for calling, I was just wondering if we're still on for tonight?"

Muscles melting with relief, you sit on your bed, smoothing out the ends of your dress, "Yes, yes definitely."

A soft crack crackles through the line as they speak, you notice some stubble on the underside of your knee that you had missed in the shower, and your brows furrow, before opening your mouth to reply.

The door opens and Johnny stands in the doorway, the living room phone to his ear, the telephone cord stretched straight, and your words get caught in your throat.

It's impossible to focus on what your date is saying when Johnny and the threat of others finding out is before you.

Slamming your phone back on the receiver you rush to stop him and explain.

"Who is this?" He asks, slamming the door shut, trapping you inside your room.

"Johnny wait!" You plead with him, pounding on the door before rushing back to the telephone and picking it up from the receiver, begging your date to hang up the phone so Johnny can't get any more information.

The line falls dead and the footsteps from outside your door retreat down the hall.

"Johnny!" Chasing his shadow through the halls, you stagger into the open living room, heels digging into the carpet to stop yourself from falling.

Sue's eyes flicker to you, her fingers remain intwined in Reed's curls.

There's a glint in Reed's eyes, and he tilts his head, "What's wrong sweetheart?"

Johnny rests against the kitchen counter, hiding his smirk by chewing on a handful of cereal, Ben passing an assortment of jarred spices to H.E.R.B.I.E. , "You okay bug?"

You can't hide the bitter glare when you see Johnny.

"Yeah I'm fine, sorry-"

"You're wearing makeup." Sue doesn't display any clear emotion, though her eyes are unusually alarmed.

Ben chimes in, speaking kindly of you, "Your hair looks really nice, trying something new?"

Johnny's smirk is harder to hide now.

Reed's expression is clear, feeling obviously curious and uneasy, "Are you going somewhere?"

The room is silent apart from H.E.R.B.I.E.'s whirs of concentration as they prep dinner.

Sue's hand leaves Reed's hair as she stands from the lounge and approaches you, an eerie ease about her.

"Will you tell me what you're doing or shall I ask chuckles over there?" She gestures to Johnny and his poor attempt at concealing his smirk.

"What's wrong with them playing dress up?" Ben asks, believing you're innocent.

Johnny sets down the box of cereal and his smirk softens a little as he approaches you two, "It's nothing, she was just experimenting with some...looks for the next, uh, conference, ya know."

Reed pushes himself up from the lounge, and the nearby telephone rings.

"I'll get it!" Johnny calls, rushing to the phone to rescue you, but Reed's hand surpasses him instantly and picks up the phone, the cord slowly uncurling as it stretches back to Reed's ear.

He doesn't speak, only listens as the persons voice vibrates through the phone, calling for you, asking if everything's okay, if you're still able to get the bus to the diner or if they should pick you up.

The glint in Reed's eyes vanish as he fixes you with a hardy glare, slowly stretching his arm to hang up the phone.

He finds it hard to speak when he's upset with you, his heart always aching with fear, anger and disappointment. "Wash off that makeup, and go put your pyjamas back on."

Johnny wets his bottom lip with his tongue, thinking, every thought riddled with guilt, "Reed-"

"No, It's not happening," He turns back to you, "I gave you the privilege of having a phone so you can talk to friends and coworkers, I respect that, I know it's important for you to have friends ad I want that for you, but this... you betrayed my trust, you didn't tell us anything, were you seriously going to sneak out tonight, was that your plan?"

Now, there is a glint in your eyes, and Reed swears that everyday he sees a little more of him in you. He bites his inner cheek, taking a breath, "Wash it off, now, and I'm disconnecting your phone until you learn that you have to tell me about these kinds of things."

...

Sue stayed up later than usual, reading a book in the living room.

Though you rest on the opposite side of their bed, you can still feel Reed's warmth.

You try your best not to sniffle, not wanting to interact with him until all this blows over, but he knows you're upset, he is too.

Broad back resting against the headboard, he speaks to you, not expecting you to reply.

"I'm sorry, I am. I want you to be happy, of course I do. What I don't want is for you to be used, to have your heart broken or God forbid be hurt by someone who is undeserving of you. No-one deserves you."

You're shocked as you hear him sniffle, and you slowly peak over your shoulder, before rolling over.

"It's a bad world out there, and if something happened to you..." He stops himself from even thinking about the possibility, "I want you to talk to me, I know I'm not the best at it, but you've got Sue, Johnny, Ben, you can even speak to H.E.R.B.I.E." He smiles, the glint back in his eyes. "Just please, please don't keep secrets, okay?"

You were still upset about what he had done earlier, but you found yourself more emotional over his words, and his fear of losing you.

Crawling over to his side of the bed, you rest your head on his warm tummy.

Smiling with relief, he combs through your hair with his fingers, before laying down properly and cradling your head to his chest.

It had only been three weeks since you had stepped off of the overnight bus and onto the wet streets of the big city. Though you knew life on your own would be difficult, you hadn't considered, nor would you ever consider going back to your family.

The wallet you carried was light, most of your savings spent on the various bus tickets it took to get to the city, to start a new life.

You spent the entire next day walking door to door, handing out resumes while your overpacked suitcase sat dormant in your new apartment on Yancy Street, waiting to be unpacked and organised.

Two days later you received a call from a cafe looking for a part-time waitress just two streets over from your apartment. Though as it would turn out, you wouldn't work there long.

A little over two weeks had past, and though customer service was never your favourite, you were just glad you could make rent.

"S'cuse me Miss!" A fair, lanky man waved for your attention in a nearby booth. "I've been waiting twenty minutes for some eggs and bacon, what's takin' so long?"

"Yes sir i know, let me go check on that for you." Throwing a fresh tea towel over your shoulder you carried a stack of greasy plates into the kitchen, pushing open the door with your back.

"Jason, what's going on?" With a clamorous clatter, the pile of plates were added to the already crowded sink. "I've got customers waiting."

You swerved past the stainless steel bench and behind the line, Jason took two pans off of the stove and set them onto the bench, looking stressed.

"What's going on?"

"I don't fucken know man, fucken gas isn't working."

You approached closer, seeing a pan of almost raw bacon sitting in it's own fat, no loner sizzling.

Taking a knee on the mucky tile, your eyes searched the oven, trying to fix the problem, before you caught sight of a small crack in the ground, peaking out from under the oven.

Another crack branching off it, and then another, "Jason, come look at th-"

The ground beneath you crumbled into dust instantly and with horrifying ease, your body collapsing with it.

You still don't remember losing consciousness, but you remember waking. Trapped under the rubble, almost no oxygen to inhale, only dust, glazed in your own sticky, sour blood. You have never felt as frightened, and as lonely as you did in the hours you lied paralyzed, deep in the earth's crust.

You had accepted your fate, just hoping death would take you by his cold hands sooner rather than later, but he never did. Instead, you were ever so gently lifted by the warm, delicate hands of Dr. Reed Richards, though you couldn't feel it, your body numb with pain and shock.

Ben heaved great masses of brick and concrete out from the sink-hole, Johnny stood close by incase anything were to ignite with the gas that escaped from the tens of broken pipes. Sue walked the streets, settling the dust out of the air to allow for better visibility to search for survivors.

On Mole Man's mission to take over a newly built building in the city, his men had tunneled beneath the cafe, digging too high up, the ground beneath the street losing any and all support causing the collapse and destruction of over nine local businesses and dozens of homes.

You were lucky, only having to spend a week in hospital before being sent home on pain medication. You had a minor fraction of the ankle, as well as many cuts, grazes and bruises that would take weeks, and maybe even months to heal, but you would live.

However since the collapse of not only the cafe but half the street of mostly business's, you were out of a job, and would be for some until your ankle would heal. However you persevered, searching the paper for job advertisements on your way home from the hospital.

So desperate in your search for a way to earn money, you failed to see the hurried woman that strode towards you, a box of files in her arms.

Colliding, you choked on a shriek as you stumbled, your weight falling onto your injured ankle, ignoring the searing pain to ensure she was okay. "Oh my goodness I am so sorry!"

"Oh no no please, are you alright?"

You picked up the files and packed them back into the box in her arms, "My goodness, you were caught up in the collapse?" Her eyes wandered over the scabs and bruises that littered your arms.

Laughing awkwardly, you fixed your satchel behind you, "Yeah, uh I was working at Earle's cafe, ended up fifty feet underground."

She nodded, her eyes were full of understanding and sincerity, she held out her hand, "I'm Lynne."

You shook it.

"I work for the Future Foundation, we've just rolled out a scheme that helps victims find temporary employment, housing, whatever they may need while the street is restored. Is there anything you need?"

You hadn't realised how tense your body was with stress until she asked you that question, and you felt your shoulders drop a little, your muscles relaxed.

She enrolled you into the scheme herself and wracked her brain to find an open position for you to fill, but between managing the scheme and assisting the Fantastic Four with press and their daily needs, she found herself drained and unable to put her best in her work.

But that was just it.

It would take months of work to restore the street alone, not including the businesses and homes that were destroyed with it.

She spoke to Sue before offering you the temporary position, assisting the Fantastic Four with any small tasks. Not only had you gotten a job, but you had been provided with a room in the Baxter Building, allowing you to save money on rent.

It was perfect.

When you first moved in, you left your room bare, not wanting to intrude on their home.

It didn't take long before Sue would buy things for your room.

She bought a desk for you, changed the light to be warmer and dimmer when she noticed you didn't like using it because of it's overwhelming brightness, a large bookshelf to store any books or decorations you might have had. You didn't have any of course, as you had packed light when moving to the city, but Johnny had begun buying you collectables to fill the space with.

Ben immediately and enthusiastically organised a box of snacks for you in the pantry and made a list of things you like that H.E.R.B.I.E can learn to make.

When you had first settled in, your wardrobe was practically empty, housing only four outfits that you wore on rotation. That quickly changed when Sue and Reed took you shopping, Reed being surprisingly particular about your clothes, wanting you to have sizeable pockets for your notebooks and anything else you may need to keep with you.

Lynne knew they were giving and hospitable people, but even she was surprised at their growing involvement with your personal life

You had been careful and discreet, waiting late into the night before tiptoeing out of your room to search for H.E.R.B.I.E. . You had expected to find them in the kitchen, washing up dishes from Johnny's endless late night snacks.

Instead, the familiar echoes of whirring and beeps slipped through the crack in the lab doors.

Your fingers were tightly hooked around the straps of your polished blue heels, keeping them dangled behind your back as you peaked through the crack in the doors.

Reed's golden flecked tie was loosened around his neck as he leant back against his desk, staring in deep thought at the egg waiting patiently on the bridge. H.E.R.B.I.E. approaching him with a fire extinguisher before he attempts his experiment.

Barefoot on the tiles, you quicky but lightly stepped away from the doors and towards the stairs.

Finally, you were here. The music was electric, possessive, bewitching your feet as you tapped, shuffled and twisted across the dance floor.

The stinging layer of tobacco smoke that arose had long since blocked out all the ceiling lights, the rainbow reflections of the disco ball just barely peeking through.

You tap your cigarette over one of the many green ash trays at the bar, waiting patiently for the bar tender to pour you a glass of beer. You would have preferred a glass of white wine, but it was an extra two dollars too many.

Searching around the crowded club from your cushioned plaid seat at the bar, you can barely make out the figures that seem to swim through the darkness in an evermoving current. Bringing the half smoked cigarette back to your lips, an almost dying light catches your eye from the corner of the room. The haze wafts past, allowing you to see a little clearer the flame of a tea light candle, dancing along the fingers of a shadow, reflecting itself off the glass of a familiar looking wrist watch.

The shadow's fingers pinch the flame, snuffing it out, and the realization hits you.

You don't know where the figure went until the screen of the wrist watch flashes abruptly by their side, giving away their sudden position at the other end of the bar.

You drop your cigarette into the tray, not worrying to stub it out as you stagger off the stool and into the crowd. Brief flickers of light from the billboards in the street try to light your way, but there's too many people blocking your exit.

Shoving through a small group of people, you keep your head down until a door swings open close by as someone leaves, the blinking yellowed bathroom light seemingly luring you to safety.

The click of your heals bounce off the grimy tiled walls, you lock yourself in a cubicle, squatting on the closed porcelain lid of a toilet you're sure hasn't been cleaned in over a month.

You refuse to hold onto the walls for stability, deciding to just hug your legs and hope you don't lose your balance.

A few quiet moments pass, the deafening music unexpectedly being well muffled by the thick walls of the restroom.

The false sense of security, the thought that maybe you got away is squashed as soon as the door slowly squeaks open, followed by one, two, three steps, the figures shadow now painted against the other side of the cubicle door, leaking onto the tiles below.

"Sparky?"

The world blurs momentarily as fresh tears blanket across your eyes.

"Sparky, I know you're in there." His tone isn't sinister, it never is. He always spoke to you as if you were a frightened stray, trying to gain your trust.

In a desperate attempt to cool things down, you try to tell a lie, "Sue said-"

"No she didn't, and if she finds out you're putting words in her mouth she won't be very happy now will she?" His black leather boots are visible from the gap beneath the door, unmoving.

"Open the door, it's time to go home."

Eyes transfixed on the lock, you want so badly to just unlock the door and face him, knowing very well he will just find another way in, but your body doesn't move, It can't.

"I'm not going to ask you again Sweetheart."

A few moments pass, before the metal lock grows radiant. With an unearthly ease, the previously solid lock, drips thickly onto the floor. The reddening glow of intense heat won't die for hours to come.

With the door creaking open, your gaze stays on the pool of hot metal.

He doesn't step past the threshold of the door, not wanting to heighten your anxiety further. He's controlling, but rarely is he invasive.

"If we don't leave soon Reed might be woken up by another one of his brilliant ideas, and I don't think you want him to find out that you're not in bed, right?" He tries to catch your eyeline, his eyes riddled with pity.

Reluctantly, you let Johnny take you back home, your bare feet softly landing on the balcony tiles, your blue heels back in your grip.

His body extinguishes in an instant as he lands behind you, the warmth can still be felt in his hand as he places it on your back, escorting you inside.

Rushing quietly across the living room rug, you pray the stench of tobacco doesn't waft off you and linger in the air.

"Where were you?" Sue materialises out of thin air, her body resting against the plush orange sofa with a deceiving comfort.

Your body freezes, not with the cosmic energy that flows through her, but with the paralyzing fear that flows through you.

Her eyes stay trained on yours as she asks Johnny, "Where was she?"

He wishes you just stayed in your room.

"She was at Earle's Lounge, she wasn't their long and she wasn't in any danger," He speaks quickly, trying to soften the blow.

Her chest rises and falls three times before she gestures for you to come over, "Come here honey."

Approaching with obvious hesitance, you put your shoes down on the tile, then sit next to her.

With a sudden feeling of fatigue, your body naturally rests in her arms. She cradles your head, cheek resting on her breast as she tries her hardest to ignore the stink of cigarette.

"I'm sorry."

She smiles with sympathy, one hand holding the back of your head, the other rubbing your back, "I know, I'm going to run you a bath, there's just something we have to do first."

You pull your head away, but before you can ask anything, Reed comes into view, his lips pursed with irritation and upset, a newly built wrist watch in his hand.

"Reed feels it necessary that you have one of these." Sue said casually, as if you had a choice to wear it.

He kneels down before you, never making eye contact.

You hold your wrists to your chest, "Please, I'm sorry, I won't do it again, I promise."

A heavy silence fills the air, heavy on everyone's shoulders. No one wants this, Reed doesn't get satisfaction from doing things like this, but he doesn't know what else to do. "Give me your hand."

Biting your lower lip, you try to keep them from trembling, tears once again pooling in your eyes, but this time they spill.

Sue kisses your temple as she gently holds your hand out to Reed, and you don't fight it, maybe you can't fight it.

Reed fastens the watch around your wrist, and you're surprised to see it has a regular clasp.

He finally looks at you, not letting go of your hand, "I will know if you try to take this off, do you understand?"

The thought of disappointing anyone made you upset, but you hated disappointing Reed and Sue the most, "I'm so sorry."

He doesn't say anything as he stands up, leaving you in Sue's arms.

Johnny steps forward, taking his hands out of his pockets to cup your cheeks. "I'm sorry duck", he kisses your forehead, petting your head briefly before he heads to his room.

Sue draws you a bath and before long you find yourself tucked in their comically oversized bed, trapped between the two.