psinex@yahoo.com Blood and Iron Chapter 12 DISCLAIMER: Everyone here is Marvel's, except for Buffy and Co., who're 20th Century Fox's, and Steve and Mckenna, who're mine. Please don't sue. NOTES: A nod of the head to Dyce, who did the first take on this - I think ... -------------------------------------------------------- Baxter Building: 9/26/2003: 08:00 hrs EST: -------------------------------------------------------- "Thanks," Frank told the cabbie, paying the man and getting his duffel bag out of the back seat. The boy looked up at his home and smiled, running his hand over the palmscanner at the front entrance. #It's good to be back,# he thought, nodding to the doorman in the foyer. Frank waved to the receptionist at the front entrance and called, "What's new today, Roberta ?" [Everything is functioning nominally, Franklin,] the robotic receptionist smiled. [Welcome home for the weekend.] "Thanks," Frank said. He activated the belt buckle solenoid in his belt and triggered the FF's private elevator, boarding with a hopeful expression. #Maybe Mom and Dad'll be around,# he thought. #And -# "FRANKIE !!!" Frank braced himself as a dark-haired blur tackled him around the legs, giggling, when the elevator doors opened. He fell over, laughing, and hugged the girl who had attacked him. "Hi, Mickster," he told his 9-year-old sister. McKenna Evelyn Richards helped her big brother up and shoved him in the direction of the living room, demanding, "You WILL have tea before you hit the pool, Mr. Fish." "I came to see you, rugrat," Frank smiled, tickling the girl and setting her off into spasms of giggles. The kids yelled when Strongjaw materialized, licking their faces and wrestling with them both. ~OFF, dog !~ Frank demanded. ~But master and mistress play !~ Strongjaw pleaded. ~DOWN !~ McKenna sent, her eyes glowing. Strongjaw sat, whining, but grinned when McKenna gave him a cookie. "You know he's not supposed to have too many of those," Frank reminded the girl. "THBBPTHTH," Mickey teased. Frank sat across from her in a beanbag chair and said, "So where's everyone ?" Mickey looked around nervously, then sent, ~Frankie, things're gettin' weird ... bad weird. Mom an' Dad're fightin' bad, an' Uncle Johnny's comin' home all smelly, an' Unca Ben's all sad.~ #Oh shit,# Frank thought, shielding his thoughts carefully. The kids' blood relationship allowed Mickey to pick up on Frank's thoughts far more easily than the New Mutants or X-teams might have thought possible. ~Any idea when they'll be back ?~ Frank sent. Mickey pointed to a couch in front of one of the bay windows and sent, ~Unca Ben's asleep over there.~ ~Thanks,~ Frank nodded. He stood and walked to where Ben snored, the remains of one of his mythic sandwiches on his stomach. "BEN," Frank said. The Thing leapt up, muttering, "Lemme at 'em - Frankie ? Whut happ'ned ?" "You had another pimento and pineapple special," Frank smirked, hugging his godfather. "Where's everybody ? Mickey was having tea alone." "Sorry," Ben smiled sheepishly, wiping his shirt off. "I wuz up all night wit' Alicia ..." Frank's face fell, and he whispered, "I'm sorry - I didn't know. Is she ... ?" "It's OK," Ben said gently. "She's stable. Th' cancer's spreadin', but yer dad's workin' on it." "I'll see her," Frank promised. "What about Mom and Dad fighting ?" Ben's face darkened, and he whispered, "NAMOR." #Oh SHIT,# Frank thought, going pale. Namor McKenzie had always been at the root of his parents' rare arguments, even when Frank's powers came up as a topic of dissent. The Lord of Atlantis still occasionally stopped by, but only in recent years had Reed been visibly upset by Namor's presence. "Reed caught fish-breath buyin' Mickey a birthday gift, an' he threw a fit," Ben said sotto voce. "They been fightin' all night - yer folks - an y'r mom was bawlin' 'til 1 a.m." "Oh Lord ..." Frank whispered. "It IS bad. Mom never cries ... is she ... ?" "Franklin !" Reed called, entering with a smile. He hugged Mickey and shook Frank's hand, asking, "How's Snow Valley ? School going well ?" "Everything's pretty good, Dad," Frank said, forcing a smile. "Grades're good, and I'm getting more control over my powers." "Excellent," Reed said. He sighed and said, "Your mother is still in bed. We ... had a disagreement." ~So Uncle Ben told me,~ Frank sent. Reed's eyebrows raised at the unusual use of telepathy between them, but Frank added, ~I'm trying to keep Mickey from hearing this. What the HELL is going on, Dad ? And don't tell me it's none of my business ! You're my family !~ ~Ask your mother,~ Reed thought with sheer RAGE. Frank left his father's mind, gasping and sweating, and watched as Reed stormed out. "Good Lord, he - Reed Richards does NOT 'get mad,' Uncle Ben !" Frank blurted, looking at the Thing. "What's going on around here !?" "I toldja it was bad weird," Mickey sighed. Frank hugged her and said, "I'll find out what's wrong, kiddo. You stay here with Uncle Ben." "Frankie ... be careful," Ben warned, watching Frank head for the bedroom suites. "Ya know how y'r ma gets when she's angry." #I know,# Frank thought, a grim set to his jaw. He rang his mother's doorbell and called, "Mom ? It's Frank - can we talk ?" The door opened, and Frank gaped to see who answered. "Neptune's trident," a sheet-clad Namor cursed. The door slid shut, and Frank staggered back against the wall behind him. #THAT DID NOT JUST HAPPEN<# he thought, nausea rising in his gullet. The door slid open, revealing a fearful Sue in a robe. "Franklin - ? Oh, honey - I'm sorry, we were going to tell you -" the Invisible Woman blurted. "TELL ME WHAT !?" Frank screamed. "YOU'VE SUDDENLY GONE FROM SPAGHETTI TO FISH STICKS !?" His mother's face twisted in rage, and Frank immediately regretted his words. "Mom - I'm REALLY sorry - that was a low blow," he stammered. Sue took a deep breath, and the color softened in her cheeks. "No ... it was fair," she said, caressing Frank's cheek with one hand. "You've got every right to be angry and hurt." Her voice dropped, and she added, "This is obviously what it looks like. And it involves Mickey ..." Frank shook his head, the pieces clicking into place in his mind. "SHE'S NAMOR'S ... ?" he gasped. "'McKenna' - McKenzie," Sue nodded, tears welling in her eyes. "Baby, I'm sorry - I was desperate, we'd just gotten back from hell in the Negative Zone - " "Lord - Mother, you - sweet JESUS, Mom, this is just too MUCH !" Frank yelled. "Look - I've - I need some air - Dad knows ?" "Yes," Sue whispered, hanging her head. "The FF is coming apart." "I'm here..." Namor said, squeezing Sue's shoulder from behind her. Frank glared at him and said, "Excuse me, please." He stormed out, tightening his mindshield and looking at Mickey with a shattering heart. The girl hugged him and asked, wide-eyed, "It's bad ... ?" "Kidlet ... it's not good, at least," Frank sighed, hugging his sister. They held onto each other, and finally Mickey let go, looking into Frank's blue eyes with her own. "Ya gotta go think, right ?" she asked. Frank nodded and said, "Thanks, Mick. I'll see ya later ?" "Sure," the girl smiled sadly. She skipped over to where Strongjaw begged to play, not noticing Frank wipe his eyes and head for his room. #My God. The FF's OVER, not just coming apart !# he thought, falling onto his bed. #Damn ... what's next ?# "YA FREAKIN' MATCHSTICK ! WHUT TH' HELL Y'R DOIN' IN FRONT OF Y'R NIECE !?" Frank leapt up and stuck his head into the hall, gaping as the Human Torch flew past with an irate Thing following. What made Frank shudder was the unconscious, bloodied Northstar on the floor of the living room. Mickey looked at the jeans-and-flannel-clad Alpha Flight member with a frightened gaze, and called, "Frank ... ?" "I dunno, kiddo - wait, he's comin' around," Frank said. He helped Jean-Paul Beaubier to a chair, and said, "Mr. Beaubier ... ?" "Sacre mere - Franklin Richards ? Oh, oui - you do live here," Northstar smiled weakly. "My apologies. Your godfather decked me." "Why ?" Frank asked. He looked up as John Storm landed beside him, and gaped again. The Torch wore leather pants, a black vest, and had a pierced nose with a chain going to his left ear. "Uhm ... OOHHH boy," John blushed. "Jean-Paul, you OK ?" "Oui, mon chere," Northstar said, standing and leaning on John. Frank's jaw dropped, and he looked from one man to another in shock. "OH MY GOD," Frank groaned. "Uncle Johnny ... ?" The Torch turned bright red and said, "Frank ... you know how I never seemed to find that RIGHT woman ... ?" "He's flaming," Jean-Paul giggled. "Get it ?" Frank's face fell, and he choked for a few seconds. Finally, he stood, put an arm on Mickey's shoulder, and said, "Come on, Mick. We're going to the park." "Frank ! Come ON !" Johnny pleaded. ~I don't have any problems with your orientation, Uncle John, but you COULD be a little more subtle around Mickey !~ Frank sent angrily. ~We'll be back later ...~ -------------------------------------------------------- Central Park: 09:12 hrs EST: -------------------------------------------------------- "... so, that's the long and short of it," Frank sighed, pitching bread to ducks in front of a pond. Mickey sat a few feet away on the grass, playing with Strongjaw and the youngest of Frank's conversational partners. "Jesus," Jack Power grunted. The 17-year-old star pitcher for Stuyvesant HS shook his head and said, "You got enough there to sell a best-seller, Frank. Ever think about it ?" "JACK," 19-year-old Julie frowned. "Seriously, Frank, you're in a heck of a mess," 21-year-old Alex said, sitting beside Frank and bouncing his year-old daughter, Francine, on his knee. "You guys aren't helping," Frank sighed, letting Frankie reach for his outstretched hand. The baby giggled, and cooed when Alex's wife took the girl into her arms. "No, but at least we're not hiding," Allison McCourt-Power smirked. "Frank, you can't run from your problems. Believe me, I know - I was in SUCH denial over Alex's powers at first." "But you adapted," Alex winked. Allison kissed the top of his head and said, "You have a way of working things out. I'm sure Frank'll find a way out of this." "Well, we can try to help," 14-year-old Katie called, walking over with Mickey. The younger girl sat beside Frank and said, "What's wrong ?" "Kiddo ... where do I start ?" Frank sighed. "Hello, children," a voice boomed from above. Frank looked up, glowering when Namor dropped to one knee before Mickey and smiling gently. "Hello, McKenna," Namor said. "Your mother asked me to bring you home - both you and Franklin." He looked at the boy with the closest expression to a question that Frank had ever seen on Namor's face. "I guess we should head back," Frank nodded, whistling for Strongjaw. The dog lumbered over, and Frank nodded for him to teleport himself, Frank, Mickey and Namor to the Baxter Building. Frank looked nervously around the living room at the FF. Reed and Sue stood at opposite ends of the room, sorrow evident on their faces, while the Torch and Northstar sat on a couch. Ben stood in the center, looking very old. "Honey ... your daddy and I're ... we're going to spend some time apart," Sue told Mickey softly. The girl's lip quivered, and she said, "B-but what 'bout me ... ? An' Frank ?" "You can come stay with Mr. Namor and I," Sue said. "You can see Daddy on the weekends." "Oh ... OK ... Daddy ?" Mickey said, looking at Reed. He hugged her, but Frank noticed a look of pain on Namor's face. #He really loves her ...# the boy realized. He looked at Johnny and Jean-Paul, and the Torch coughed. "I'm ... Jean-Paul and I are going on ... vacation," John said finally. "We'll call ..." "Have fun in 'Frisco," Ben growled. John stood, dragging a nervous Jean-Paul behind him, and stormed out, little flames dancing about him. "Frank ? Y'll come see us ?" Mickey asked, running to hug Frank. The teen hugged his little sister and whispered, "You just yell, and I'll be there." "OK," Mickey said. She let go of Frank, and waved to Reed as she, Sue and Namor vanished in a teleportal with Strongjaw. "Reed ... I gotta go t' ESU," Ben said. "Alicia -" "Go, Ben. And give her my best wishes," Reed said in a stricken voice. The Thing nodded, giving Frank's shoulder a squeeze as he left. "Go easy on 'm," Ben asked. Frank nodded, watching as his godfather entered the elevator and descended to the ground floor. Finally, Frank looked at Reed, and said, "Dad ..." "You care for the Summers girl - Rachel ?" Reed said bluntly. His eyes locked with Frank's, and Reed stretched a hand to Frank's shoulder. "GO TO HER, FRANKLIN," Reed insisted, tears rolling down his face. "For the love of God, don't lock yourself away from the ones you love. You see what it costs ..." "I still love you," Frank said, hugging his father. Reed's arms hung limply at his side for a moment, until he hugged his son and whispered, "Thank you." Finally, they separated, and Reed looked at Frank with a proud smile. "Thank heaven you have common sense in addition to intellect," Reed said. "The Fantastic Four may have fallen, but there's hope. I don't mean to pressure you -" "Someday, Dad," Frank nodded, "there'll be another FF." "Someday," Reed agreed, looking out at Manhattan. "But for now ..." Frank turned, wiping his own eyes, and crashed on his bed. He closed his door and began to cry, holding his sides and shuddering. #Why, Lord ... ?# -------------------------------------------------------- NEXT: A little more Southern-fried, as the Guthries get together ! (Oh Lord ...) -------------------------------------------------------- end _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com