"Not at all. I just got here a few seconds before you actually," Jack lied through his teeth
Jack tossed his keys to one of the valets before taking Sue's hand in his and escorting her inside the building. Unlike the others that had been waiting in line for 30 minutes without even getting a chance to be let into the club, Jack and Sue walked right through the security without anyone stopping them.
Sue's eyes began to sparkle when she saw the dancefloor and design of the club before her but before she could rush out to the floor, she felt Jack tug at her hand.
Sue looked at him and noticed that he was pulling her to the side. Curious, she decided to go along with him and see where he was taking her. Jack brought Sue to his private elevator which brought them to the second floor where all the VIP sections were.
There were sections on the second floor, all divided by glass that anyone could see through. The part of the rooms that faced the lower opening where the occupants could look down at the club was a railing instead of a glass wall like the others.
Jack brought Sue to his private section which was the largest of them all. While each of the other sections only took up a third of their direction, Jack's took up the entire eastern part of the second floor.
When Jack brought Sue inside, the duo sat on the center seat that was closest to the railing. Both of them could see all the dancers and partiers below them while they sat in comfort and listened to the music blaring.
When they sat, Jack pressed a button on the table in front of them. Within seconds, a beautiful woman in a black crop top and miniskirt appeared next to them.
"Hello, sir, ma'am. How can I help you both today?"
Jack looked at Sue and decided to let her order first.
"Um... it's been a while since I've been out and have never been here before. What are your specials?" Sue asked feeling a bit embarrassed.
But true of someone who worked at one of the best nightclubs in the city, the waitress was a professional and didn't seem to judge Sue on her lack of knowledge.
"We have quite a few specials. Our 'White Queen' is a pretty good cocktail that is popular amongst women and those that want a strong drink without being able to taste the alcohol at all.
We also have the 'Babysitter's Club' which is several shots, each with different flavors meant to serve a single person. This one is very low in alcohol content and is closer to juice.
Our last special is 'Death's Kiss'. Using a special technique, our bartenders mix two very different drinks of different colors. At the bottom is a beautiful red drink that tastes very sweet and is very strong but on top of it is a clear, strong, and very bitter drink that is hard to get through. It is our most popular since people feel like they earn the kiss after experiencing death."
Sue looked over at Jack and smirked at him when she heard the names of the first two drinks. It was obvious who had inspired both of those specials.
"They each sound amazing. I'll take one order of each of those then," Sue said feeling bold
"I'll take two Kisses to start me off."
The waitress nodded and left without another word, leaving the pair alone once again.
"So... what's gotten you in the mood to come out tonight?" Jack asked Sue. He had been holding back since she text him but he couldn't wait any longer to ask.
Sue opened her mouth to say something before closing it and shaking her head.
"I'll tell you later. I want a friend to vent to later. First, I need a friend to drink and dance with."
Jack hummed in agreement. He wouldn't press her if she didn't want to say it at the moment. So instead of dwelling on the topic, Jack decided to talk about what he had been up to lately and his current relationships.
Even if she didn't want to say it, Jack knew it had something to do with Reed. So he felt like telling her about his own situation so she did not feel as burdened about talking about her love life later.
Soon, the waitress came back with a tray of drinks in each of her hands. In her right hand were the Kisses and the White Queen while her right hand held the shots. The waitress sat down both trays on the table in front of the pair before leaving.
Jack divided the drinks on their proper trays while Sue looked at the Babysitter's Club. There were 6 shots in total and each one of them resembled the 6 kids that Jack had to babysit. She could even tell the difference between Valeria and Franklin due to the color schemes and sizes.
"Cute," Sue said aloud before she began taking the shots from smallest to largest. Each one of them tasted delicious and Sue couldn't even tell that there was alcohol in them. If not for her feeling a slight change in her mind after she drank them all, she would have thought that they were really juice.
After she drank the shots, Sue grabbed the White Queen. It was a pure white drink with something that sparkled atop it. And to finish off the presentation, it was served in a goblet.
Sue admired the drink for a few moments before she drank it all in a few gulps. Jack was worried that the woman would have drowned in her drink if she didn't finish it fast enough.
While she was gulping down her drinks, Jack was still sipping his first Death's Kiss. He had just made it to the sweet part when Sue finished her Queen. The latter shot him a look as she picked up her last drink so he could only finish his drink quickly before picking up his second one.
"To a night with good friends," Jack cheered
"To a night with those that appreciate us," Sue made her own cheer
Jack raised his brow but did not say anything about it. The duo clinked their glasses together before they slowly sipped their drinks.
Sue was taken aback at first. This drink tasted very bitter and she was not sure why it was so popular. But she continued to press forward. Sue pressed through the discomfort with her eyes closed but before she knew it, she tasted something sweet in her mouth.
Sue opened her eyes in surprise as the liquid began to flow from her mouth to the back of her throat and into her stomach. The bitter taste was completely erased and all that was left was the slight hint of cherry.
"Wow," Sue commented as she felt the world around her seem to brighten up. Not just the sights but the musical also began to sound better and Sue felt warmth all throughout her body.
"Hmm. That is why this is one of the specials here. Only 2 bartenders can make it and we only sell 100 every night. 1 per customer," Jack 'modestly' complimented his own place
"Yeah, yeah. Quit bragging," Sue joked as she swatted his arm before suddenly going quiet.
Jack didn't say anything. He sipped his drink and looked down at the crowd while Susan composed her thoughts.
"As you know, Reed disappeared almost a month and a half ago conducting one of his experiments. The ones that constantly draw his attention even more than I do. The one where he left his entire family behind because he just could not hold back his curiosity.
I've had to hold the family together without him for all this time. I had to make sure Ben didn't blame himself for not being there to help Reed. I had to make sure Johnny didn't do anything reckless to try and bring him back by messing with the stuff in his lab. To make sure the kids don't think their father just up and left or died. And to make sure that the Fantastic 4 were still a pillar of hope for people.
I've always had to hold the team and family together but his sudden disappearance made it so much harder. I did all that for a month and a half. And what do I get when he gets back.
Not a 'thank you', 'it has been hard on you', 'I am sorry for leaving you all behind for so long'. The first thing he said when he got back, the first words he said to his wife after he disappeared.
'Why didn't you make sure that Johnny didn't knock over this stack of books?' That is what he said to me after being gone an entire month and a half.
And that is when it all hit me. My opinion has never been valued by him. My strength and abilities cause him to be jealous when I outshine or do just as good a job as him. He does whatever he wants and expects me to do only what he wants. He hides things from me.
And I should have known it all along. Our powers represent our mindsets. Jonny is a hothead. Ben is the rock we can lean on. Reed has always stretched himself thin. And me. I've always felt invisible around all of them.
And I'm tired of it all. All of my other friends are his friends. All of them would tell me that he is sorry and will regret it. That I know how good he can be. How I need to think it through one more time.
But I didn't want one of 'our' friends whispering in my ears. I wanted one of my friends. That's why I wanted you. So what should I do, Jack?"
Jack looked at Sue and could see the tears that were ready to spill. He could also hear the pain in her voice and feel the heartbreak coming off of her. Jack knew that she had come to her decision.
"He doesn't deserve you, Sue. He doesn't deserve the kids if he is able to leave them, not because he has to but because he wants to. He doesn't deserve to be a part of the team that he isn't there for 90% of the time. But then again, you do have terrible taste in men," Jack joked at the end
Sue laughed and punched him.
"My taste is not that bad!" Sue complained
"Really?" Jack raised an eyebrow. "You have Reed, the insecure, Namor, the insincere, and T'challa, the in...potent. Cause I can't think of anything else that guy could be if he was skinny dipping with you while you and Ree were on a break but he didn't make a move. And let's not forget about Doom."
Sue didn't disagree with any of that. She truly did have terrible taste in guys. This was why she questioned herself about the man that she was currently interested in.
"Whatever. Let's go dance!"
Susan created several invisible steps over the side of the railing before pulling Jack along with her down to the dancefloor. For the next few hours, Sue and Jack spent the time dancing with one another and ordering drink after drink.