21 Chapter 21

A.N. As long as you people keep on commenting and reviewing, you can expect the chapters to keep on coming.

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The Fantastic Four were a group of scientific explorers lead by Dr. Reed Richards.

The brilliant aeronautical engineer Reed Richards inadvertently created the Fantastic Four after deciding to make an unauthorized test flight into space using an experimental rocket named the Marvel-1 of his own design. While the rocket might have made it possible to travel to other star systems, Reed's financiers were losing interest. Reed's girlfriend Susan Storm and her younger brother Johnny insisted on joining Reed on the flight. Reed's old friend Ben Grimm was convinced to pilot the rocket.

Once in space, the rocket was bombarded by a wave of cosmic radiations which were sent by the Overseer in order to protect Spyre from them. The craft crashed back down to Earth. Emerging from the ruins of the spaceship, they discovered the radiation had mutated their bodies and had given them remarkable new abilities. Reed gained the ability to stretch his body and limbs, Johnny was able to fly and become engulfed in flames he could control, and Sue was able to bend light around her body and become invisible. Ben gained incredible strength and durability, but his body was tragically transformed. He now had a muscular orange, rock-like hide.

All four decided to use their powers to better humanity, and founded the Fantastic Four. Individually they call themselves Mr. Fantastic, The Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and the Thing. They are not superheroes in the traditional sense, but rather explorers, facing whatever challenges that may arise as a family. The profits from Richards' patents and royalties fund the team's activities.

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Before being a hero, Susan was just a normal woman. She used to live uneventfully on Long Island until their mother, Mary Storm, died in an automobile accident. Their father, Franklin Storm, a doctor, failed to save her. Despondent, he began to drink and gambled away the family fortune, eventually winding up in a penitentiary for murder after accidentally killing his loan shark. The children went to live with their Aunt Marygay Jewel Dinkins, who ran a boardinghouse. When Susan was in her late teens, she fell in love with one of her aunt's boarders, Reed Richards, who was working on his third doctorate at Empire State University. Sue later followed Richards to California, where she half-heartedly tried to break into show business.

Her life was a roller coaster without any destination except ending up with Reed and he was the only constant point of her life.

Susan was a confident, brave, kind, and hard working woman with great communication skills. She was the one who held together the team when the boys had arguments. She was the one who handled the press.

Unlike the others she even had to face the reality of how useless her powers were most of the time in the early carrier. It was harsh on the mind and her team had even lashed out at her for this fact in a fit of anger.

Fortunately her powers grew and she became the strongest member of the team when talking about powers while Reed was the weakest but his intellect more than made up for it as he made contributions to the world that she wasn't even capable off.

Even with all the powers the hero life was harsh and they had almost died a few times. This was an issue but it came with the game so she didn't mind it too much but the fact that her love life was going nowhere was unacceptable.

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Waking up after a few hours, Susan didn't know what to feel. She felt disgusted at her own behaviour and confused. She had almost cheated with a man that she just met while forgetting the love of her life because he had ignored her for some important work.

Susan stared into the mirror and berated herself for her wild thoughts, 'I need to understand that Reed is doing this for the good of people not because he doesn't love me. I need to be understanding, what I did today was selfish.'

Susan tried to purge the memory of the morning, which felt like a dream and it was an experience that was incomparable to anything before.

'I want to see him again.' No matter how much she tried, Susan had been in contact with him and kissed him so it was harder to forget his touch, his feelings as they were so pure and overpowering

Susan felt that she was on the crossroad of life now, choose Reed as her partner and endure this atmosphere where she was starting to feel uncomfortable as Reed dived deep into research while forgetting that emotions were a thing.

Choose Naruto and experience nice outings, hear his voice filled with adoration, feel safe and at peace in his aura. Never have to guess whether there was love or did it fizzle out when he radiated it and wore it proudly.

'No, I was just being influenced by his feelings. Just because he loves me, doesn't mean that I have to reciprocate.' Susan slapped her cheeks and walked out the room towards the lab, she wanted to see Reed and assure her heart

But reality could not be ignored, Reed was a nice man and he loved Susan but he loved his research more than anything. If someone didn't inform him about food, he would starve to death and he actively wished that he could live without the bodily desires.

"Reed, I am sorry but could I have some of your time. It will be a good opportunity to get some fresh air." Susan called out to Reed but the man didn't even look at her so she had to repeat again

"Ah, what? Sorry, Susan but I am just at the last step so maybe next time. Also send in some food, I am feeling deadly hungry."

Susan felt betrayed and hurt at his words as she stomped out with tears of frustration.

"I should just leave then they will realize what a mess they are without me!" Susan muttered in anger as she walked down the building as she didn't want to be stopped inside the elevator

"Why cry because of what others think? Why consider yourself worthless when you are blessed with such an intellectual mind." As she was rushing downstairs, Susan collided with Naruto as he appeared in front of her and hugged her tightly as he whispered those words

Susan wanted to lash out but her body felt so relaxed and she couldn't help but want cry into his chest and open up her problems.

But that would be childish of her. It would be too easy and she would be betraying her love that easily. She had tried so hard to get here, it would be wrong to just give up because a nice man came into her life.

Letting go of him, she fixed her expression and looked up at him.

"Thank you for your words but I am alright now. This is something personal so please stay out of it and why are you here." Susan said in a calm tone but her feelings deep inside that were warring with each other couldn't be hidden from his eyes.

"You don't have to blame yourself for anything Susan. You have done a wonderful job with what you have and you have kept this team together. Once you leave, they will break down instantly. You have kept this life style going otherwise all of them would have been on the streets. Ben and Johnny don't earn anything while Reed wastes his funds like it is water on research and only comes out when he is free and there is an emergency.

Isn't it your role to balance the expenses for them and you have the courage to fight in dangerous battles. So Never downplay what you have done. You have the right to complain and think for alternatives as it is their fault here. You have already tried enough, how long will you suffer through this? Do you really believe he can change? Does he want to change?" Naruto extended his hand and touched her face but she stepped back and he could see the hesitation in her eyes.

His words were hitting too deep and she couldn't even deny it.

"Why are you doing this to me? What do you want?" Susan didn't like that she was being affected by him to look at the problems. It hurt.

"I just want you to be happy, nothing more. It doesn't mean you have to choose me." Naruto added the last line since he knew she was going to mention it.

"I will make this family happy so there is no need for you to interfere. If you are only here to mess around, please leave."

"It will get worse if you continue denying what your heart feels. I would advice meditating on these issues and find a solution. I will be there if you need someone to talk to. For now I am here to meet Reed so please tell him, I am here for the appointment." Naruto smiled gently as he tapped her cheek and walked ahead towards the waiting area with Hinata following behind him.

"Don't think too much of yourself, my beloved wouldn't go out of his way to always look at you if you haven't accepted him." Hinata whispered as she passed by, making her feel embarrassed as she had thought Naruto was here for her.

Susan calmed down because of Naruto's affects on her mind and didn't let those words affect her.

'Why are they here and why didn't Reed say anything about it? He must have forgotten about it again.' Susan thought as she remembered that Reed sometimes forgot about meetings as he got lost in his world.

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A.N Hope you enjoyed and comment