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There were stars on the ceiling. A voice droned above the galaxy. Reed sat, thinking about work. "I could get Ben to tap into the Baxter's main power to generate enough voltage --" Reed thought out loud.
"Reed. Shh. Just be quiet. And look up." Sue pestered. He slowly looked up. The Stars seemed to calm him. "Remember our first date here...? God, I was so nervous."
"You were?" Reed asked.
"Of course I was. I'd read all your papers on bioethics. Some of them two times just so I'd have something to say to you." Sue giggled. Reed smiled softly, thinking back.
"You know, I bribed the projectionist ten bucks to keep it open late?"
"I gave him twenty." They laughed. Sue looked up at the stars. "I didn't want that night to end." Sue said quietly. Reed looked at her, he wrestled a decision.
"Sue, you were right. It wasn't complicated. I just wasn't ready to be...to become...You can be a little intimidating." Reed also said quietly. Sue already knew that. He started to trail off. Sue looked at him. "You always talked about how you liked the kind of man who could approach you...speak his mind. One who wasn't afraid to tell you what he wanted."
"I did. I did, Reed...but I wanted you to be that man." Someone shushed them. The slumped down further. Closer. "When I walked out, I waited ten minutes outside your door. Ten. Waiting for you to come find me." Sue continued.
"Why didn't you say something?"
"That would have kinda defeated the purpose. And Reed..." They were now closer and it became more emotional. "I'm saying it now."
Their eyes locked. No more secrets. Their faces were close. A kiss was coming. Closer, closer. Sue disappeared. "Come find me." Sue said quietly and playfully. Reed tentatively leaned into the kiss. "That's my nose, genius... these are my lips."
Reed's face was squeezed on both sides by Sue's invisible hands. She pulled him into a kiss. Lips touched. Soft, tender. Stars twinkled.
---- ----
Meanwhile Victor and Ben sat in a window booth. A waitress set a foothigh stack of pancakes in front of Ben, removed huge plates he just cleared. Victor was aware of the other customers in the diner staring at Ben. He burped which rattled the plate. "'Scuse me." He apologized.
"I know it can't be easy. Life hasn't changed that much for Reed, Sue, Rachel and Johnny. At least they can go out in public. But for you? People staring. Whispering behind your back..." Victor tried to manipulate his next victim.
"If you're trying to cheer me up you're doing a helluva job --" Ben retorted.
"I'm just saying, I know what it's like to lose something you love. To see it slip away, and know it's never coming back." Ben shoved a huge piece of pie in his mouth.
"Reed's gonna fix me up --"
"For your sake I hope you're right. I'm sorry if that sounds a little skeptical."
"Skeptical....?" Ben didn't trust him. But Victor kept on hitting pressure points.
"Look, he's a brilliant man, we should trust he's working as hard as he can. You're his best friend. So what possible reason could he have for taking his time? I mean, other than getting close to Sue?" A seed of doubt was planted. He couldn't help but find the truth in the words.
----- -----
Reed and Sue returned, laughing quietly, bodies close. Reed turned on the lights and they flinched when they saw Ben. He sat waiting, scowling. They stopped laughing immediately. "Yeah, I have that effect on people." The construction of the transformation chamber was complete. The technicians had left.
"Ben --"
"Oh, you remember my name do you? You happen to remember what you swore to do with every breath in your body?"
"We're working as hard as we can --"
"Yeah. I can tell. Victor was right." Ben motioned to Reed and Sue being together.
"Come on, this is nothing." Reed said. Sue looked a little hurt.
"Glad "nothing" could take you away from your work."
"Ben, I don't know if this thing'll change us back or make us worse. I need you to be patient for a little while longe--" Ben interrupted Reed and poked his finger into his chest, which indented around it like the Pillsbury Dough boy. Ben pushed Reed back hard.
"Look at me, Reed. Look at me!" He grabbed Reed's face, his fingers indented the skin. He threw Reed back. Reed slammed down to the ground.
"I am looking. That's why I can't make a mistake! I've got to get it right, and it's not right yet! We need to test this." Ben shook his head, and looked down on Reed.
"I spent my whole life protecting you, from the schoolyard to the stars. For what? So you could play Twister with your girlfriend while I'm the freak of the week?" Reed tried to stand but Ben knocked him back down. Reed slammed into a wall, and stayed down this time.
"Ben! Stop it! Or I'll stop it!" Sue cried. She started to raise her hands to throw force fields.
"Stay out of this Suzie!" Ben yelled. As Ben turned to her, Reed took this opportunity to wrap Ben up like a python. They struggled. Ben ran back into a wall to shake Reed. Their faces were close, heated. " Good thing you're flexible enough to watch your own back. 'Cause you're on your own now." Ben seemed to relax and let Reed go. Ben then walked out. Sue came to Reed's side. He was bleeding.
"I'm OK. Just go, go after him. Stop him." Sue headed out. Reed slowly stood. He looked at the transformation machine. It wasn't ready. But Reed stepped forward toward it.
A/n: Ik i should be writing about my oc and their love but I can't help but write about Reed
