Life can Change: What a Marvel Part 3 (46 ->56k) (Patreon)

Mark pushed the apartment door open and stepped inside with Jessica right behind him. The trip from Westchester County had only been a few hours, but the day itself had felt long in the way that came with new threats, and the growing sense that things were moving faster than he had previously expected. Still, he felt good about it. He had answers now, names, faces, a clearer picture of what he was dealing with, and most importantly a direction. If he moved carefully, he could start tracking each member of the Brotherhood one by one until he finally reached the top.

Jessica did not share that mood.

She walked straight past him without saying a word and headed toward the liquor cabinet, pulling it open and scanning the shelves like a woman on a mission.

Mark dropped his keys onto the counter and leaned back slightly as he watched her. "What's up with you?" he asked. "Is this because I had to carry you again?"

Jessica didn't even turn around. She just lifted her hand and gave him the middle finger while continuing to look for a bottle.

Mark snorted.

Jessica grabbed a bottle of whiskey and turned toward him with an annoyed look that had been building since they left the mansion. "Today was annoying," she said. "You getting mobbed by kids, the whole tour thing, that man-dog sniffing both of us like we were made of coke, that kid almost drowning, and me getting grabbed like I was breaking into Fort Knox. Yeah, real fun day."

"It wasn't that bad," Mark replied as he walked toward the kitchen and opened the fridge. He grabbed a soda and twisted the cap off before taking a sip.

Jessica leaned against the counter and shook her head. "Oh please, of course you'd enjoy it," she said. "You were loving every second of it."

She shifted into a girly voice and clasped her hands under her chin. "Invincible, can you sign my notebook? Invincible, can you take a selfie with me? Invincible, can you sign my forehead? Invincible, can you sign my shirt? Invincible, can you sign my tits?"

Mark laughed and shrugged. "What can I say? I've got fans."

Jessica narrowed her eyes at the smug smile spreading across his face and shoved him lightly in the shoulder.

Mark laughed harder.

Jessica rolled her eyes and took a drink straight from the bottle. "I'm getting drunk tonight," she announced. "And I'm doing it here."

Mark lifted his soda and took another sip before responding. "I've got work to do. I need to go through that info we got. Cross reference it. Start seeing if I can track these mutants—"

Jessica moved fast.

Before Mark could react, she reached into his pocket, pulled out the memory stick Charles had given him, and slipped it into her bra. Then she gave him a small smirk. "You can get this back when I pass out," she said.

Mark stared at her for a second, then sighed before laughing. "Fine," he said. "But we both know it'll take a shit ton for you to pass out."

Jessica lifted the bottle again. "Good thing you're rich."

Mark rolled his eyes before giving her a thoughtful expression. "Give me a minute." He walked past her and headed toward the window. Jessica watched him with mild curiosity as he slid it open and stepped onto the ledge without explanation. Before she could ask what he was doing, a rainbow-like energy flared around him and then he vanished.

Jessica blinked.

She walked toward the window slowly and leaned out, looking down, then up, then back into the apartment. "What the hell," she muttered. "Where the fuck did he go?"

Five minutes passed.

Jessica had just poured herself a drink when the same flash appeared in the room near the window. Mark stepped back inside carrying two wooden barrels, one balanced on each shoulder as if they weighed nothing.

Jessica froze mid sip.

She stared at him.

Then she lowered the glass slowly. "Okay," she said. "What the hell just happened?"

Mark set the barrels down near the kitchen counter with a solid thud and shrugged. "Oh. I can teleport, didn't you know that?"

Jessica blinked again.

She stared at him with a completely blank expression. "Oh," she repeated. "You can teleport. That's all I'm getting."

Mark opened one of the barrels and looked back at her. "It's complicated science stuff," he said. "I could explain it if you want, but you'd need to be stone cold sober for that conversation."

Jessica waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, that's not happening. What do you have in your hands?"

Mark grinned. "Asgardian mead."

Jessica's eyebrows rose.

"The real stuff," Mark added. "When I had it there, it knocked me flat on my back."

Jessica's grin spread slowly across her face as she set her glass down and walked toward the barrels. "Well," she said, "let's start this party."

Mark tapped the first barrel, and a rich amber liquid sloshing inside as he grabbed two mugs from the cabinet and filled them to the brim. The mead smelled like honey and jet engine fuel, a sweet, potent aroma that hit Jessica like a truck.

Jessica downed her first drink in one long pull, the mead burning a sweet trail down her throat and exploding into warmth that spread through her chest like wildfire. She slammed the empty mug on the counter hard enough to make it rattle and let out a whoop that echoed off the apartment walls. "This is the best stuff I have ever had!" she shouted, her voice cracking with pure delight as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Holy shit, Mark, it tastes like honey and pure fucking lightning."

Mark chuckled and took a slower sip from his own mug, the rich flavor hitting him just as hard, the buzz already starting to loosen the edges of the long day. "Told you, this stuff was made to get gods drunk," he said, grinning as he watched her eyes go wide with the rush.

Jessica did not wait. She grabbed the mug again, tilted the barrel, and refilled it to the brim, the amber liquid sloshing over the rim and dripping onto the counter. She took another quick gulp before setting the mug down and fixing Mark with a determined stare. "I have had enough of your weird life for one day," she declared, pointing at him with the mug still in her hand. "Mutant schools, sniffing man dogs, kids who can sink boats with their minds. We are both getting monumentally pissed tonight and forgetting all of it."

Mark chuckled again, raising his cup in a lazy toast. "I will drink to that," he said, clinking his mug against hers. The sound rang out sharp and bright in the quiet apartment. He took a long swallow, feeling the mead settle heavy and warm in his stomach. "Should we invite Luke and Trish over? Make it a proper night?"

Jessica waved him off while she kept drinking, the mug never leaving her lips for more than a second. "For a guy who owns a bar Luke is a serious buzzkill when it comes to drinking," she said between swallows. "He starts lecturing about responsible consumption and It kinda makes me want to punch him in the face. And Trish is out of town right now anyway, some photo shoot in LA or wherever celebrities go."

Mark chuckled once more and took another drink from his own mug, the warmth spreading faster now, loosening his shoulders and making the lights in the apartment seem a little brighter around the edges.

They moved to the couch after that, the two barrels parked between them like trophies. Mark flicked on the TV and found some old cop show rerun, the kind with dramatic music and detectives yelling at suspects. 

They made up a drinking game on the spot. Every time someone said "evidence," they drank. Every time a car chase started, they drank. Every time the captain slammed a file on the desk and yelled "you are off the case," they both took a double. It got them both tipsy pretty fast.

By the third chase scene Jessica was leaning heavy against Mark's side, her head on his shoulder as she pointed at the screen. "Look at that idiot," she slurred, giggling. "He is going to crash into the fruit stand. They always crash into the fruit stand." She took another drink and nearly spilled it down her shirt.

Mark laughed and downed his own, the room tilting just a little when he set the mug down. "You are right," he said, his words starting to blur at the edges. "Never own a fruit stand... your life will always suck."

The game devolved after that. They switched to beer pong on the coffee table using crumpled paper balls and empty mugs, both of them ridiculously good at it because of their powers. Jessica's aim was pinpoint even half drunk, her strength letting her flick the balls like bullets.

Jessica stood up suddenly, swaying but grinning. "This is too easy," she said, her voice thick with the mead. "Make it more interesting. Fly us to the roof."

Mark did not argue. He scooped her up in his arms, the world blurring for a second as he launched them straight up through the open window and onto the rooftop in one smooth motion. They set up a new game right there, dragging a metal bucket from the maintenance shed and flying it over to the roof of the building across the street, maybe a hundred metres away. They took turns throwing balls from their rooftop, trying to sink them into the distant bucket.

They had fun. A lot of fun. The throws got wilder as the mead kept flowing from the barrel, they even tried doing trickshots. Jessica whooped every time she made a shot, pumping her fist and nearly falling off the ledge. Mark laughed so hard his sides hurt, the alcohol making his flight a little wobbly when he flew over to retrieve missed balls. They talked about everything and nothing, the conversation loose and easy the way it only got when they were both this far gone. How the city looked prettier from up here, how Jessica hated the way her powers made her feel like a wrecking ball sometimes, how Mark still did not know what to do about all the women in his life.

The talk drifted to Mark's powers eventually, the mead making him more open than usual. He floated a few feet off the roof, arms spread like he was showing off. "Flying is the best part," he said, his words slurring just a touch. "It's kinda like peeing yourself... but on purpose."

Jessica watched him with glassy eyes, finishing another mug and wiping her mouth. She started to slur as she talked, leaning forward on the ledge. "I am pretty sure I can fly too," she said, nodding to herself like it made perfect sense. "I mean, I can jump really far and I am strong as hell. It is basically the same thing, right? Just... upward."

Mark did not believe her for a second. He laughed and gave her a smug smile,  the mead making him cocky. "Only I can fly," he declared, doing a lazy loop in the air that turned into a small flail when he overcorrected. He caught himself and grinned down at her. "You are stuck on the ground, Jones. Face it."

Jessica insisted the stubborn girl that she was. "Watch," she said, finishing her drink in one gulp and tossing the mug aside. She stumbled slightly as she walked to the edge of the roof, the city lights reflecting in her eyes. She climbed up onto the parapet, standing with her arms out for balance.

Mark laughed and cheered for her, pumping his fist from where he hovered a few feet away. "You got this, Jess! Show me how it is done! Fly like the wind!"

She gave him a wide smile and did a little bow that made her wobble dangerously close to the edge. Mark's heart skipped but she caught herself, straightened up, and prepared herself, knees bent like she was about to launch. She jumped up hard, arms flapping once, twice, trying to will herself into the air.

She just hit the ground again her boots slamming back onto the concrete with a thud. She tried different poses next, spreading her arms like a plane, then tucking them in like a superhero, then jumping with one leg kicked out. Nothing worked. Each attempt ended with her landing right back where she started.

Mark laughed harder, clutching his stomach as he floated closer. "Hahahahahaha wait wait! Let me get the camera!"

Jessica insisted she could, her voice rising with frustration and mead. "I can do it, damn it!" She took one last running jump, pushing off the edge with everything she had.

She fell off the building.

The ground rushed up fast below, concrete waiting twenty stories down. Mark shot after her still laughing, the alcohol making his flight path a little wobbly as he dove. He caught her just ten feet from the pavement, arms wrapping around her waist in a clumsy hug. "Got you!" he yelled, still chuckling.

His flying was drunk though, the mead throwing off his control. They veered sideways when they went straight up, smashing into the side of a nearby water tower with a loud m clang. Cold water exploded over them both, soaking their clothes instantly and drenching their hair.

They both laughed at that as Mark finally got them back on course and flew them back to his own rooftop. Water dripped from them in streams, leaving puddles on the concrete. Mark set Jessica down gently, still grinning as he shook water from his hair like a dog.

"I need to change," he said, still chuckling as he went inside as they both headed back into his apartment.

He headed into his room to get changed while Jessica stayed outside. 

When he came back out a minute later in dry sweats and a fresh shirt, Jessica was standing there in nothing but her black bra and panties, the wet clothes piled at her feet. Water still glistened on her skin.

Mark laughed and shook his head. "What are you doing?" he asked but not looking away.

Jessica shrugged, completely unashamed, and wrung water from her hair. "I don't have a change of clothes," she said. "And this is your fault for getting us wet in the first place."

Mark held his hands up in exaggerated apology, palms out and face mock serious. "I am so sorry," he said, dragging the words out like he was on stage. "How could I be so careless with my flying? Please forgive me, oh great and powerful Jessica Jones."

She rolled her eyes but smiled, the expression soft around the edges from the alcohol. They sat down again right there on the sofa, the second barrel between them, and kept drinking more.

 Jessica looked at Mark over the rim of her mug, taking a slow sip as her eyes lingered on his face. "You are an asshole," she said suddenly.

Mark snorted and took a drink from his own cup.  "Yeah, I know," he replied, wiping his mouth.

Jessica nodded like that settled something, then stood up on unsteady legs. She walked over to the small radio and cranked the music loud.

See me driving down the street

I'm bored of looking good

Mark winced and called over the music, "You should turn it down a bit. The neighbors are going to complain."

I got both hands off the wheel

The cops are coming

She did not say anything. She just looked at him her eyes half lidded and started dancing. Her hips swayed to the beat while her arms moved loosely, the wet bra and panties clinging to her curves as she spun slowly in the middle of the room.

I listen to the music with no fear

Mark tried to reach for the radio to turn it down, his steps slightly wobbly from the mead, but Jessica shoved him away before he could touch it. The push was playful at first but carried her enhanced strength behind it.

You can hear it too if you're sincere

"You are with a different woman every day," she said, her voice rising over the music as she kept dancing closer. "Such a womaniser asshole."

Mark wondered if she was joking anymore. The smile on his face faltered just a little as he watched her. "Jess..."

She stepped toward him again and pushed him harder, both hands on his chest this time. "Stop," he said, trying to catch her wrists gently.

Cause I'm a punk rocker, yes I am

Jessica looked at him for a moment, eyes locked on his, the music pounding around them. Then she shoved him so hard that he was lifted clean off his feet. He flew backward through the air, crashing straight through the wall of the main room into his bedroom where he hit the ground. 

Mark lay there for a second staring at the fresh hole in his bedroom wall with dust drifting down liksnow. The mead made the room spin, but he pushed himself up swaying hard enough that he had to grab the bed frame to stay upright. His shirt was torn at the shoulder and a chunk of plaster stuck in his hair. He shook his head trying to clear it then staggered back through the hole into the living room.

Mark rubbed his jaw where it had clipped the edge of the wall and blinked at Jessica. "What the hell are you doing?" he slurred out. 

Jessica did not answer right away. She had the entire barrel of Asgardian mead lifted over her head both hands gripping the rim as she tilted it back and chugged straight from the wood. Amber liquid poured down her throat and spilled over her chin dripping onto her chest and soaking the black bra until it clung to her skin. When the flow slowed she slammed the barrel down empty and wiped her mouth with the back of her forearm leaving a shiny trail across her cheek.

Then she kicked it.

The heavy wooden barrel sailed across the room like a cannonball. Mark was still swaying and half drunk so he only managed to duck halfway. It clipped his shoulder spun him around and smashed into the wall behind him.

Mark balanced himself against the wall before looking up at her. "Jess what the actual fuck" he said laughing a little because the whole thing felt ridiculous.

Jessica stepped forward her bare feet crunching over broken glass and plaster. Her eyes were glassy but there was a glare beneath them. "You need to be neutered" she snapped pointing one finger at him like a loaded gun. "That is what you need. Walk around with your dick out for every girl in the city Darcy, Colleen, Trisha, Shield bitch. You smile that stupid smile and they drop their pants and you just keep collecting them like trading cards. Womanising asshole. Someone should cut it off and solve the problem."

Mark blinked slow his brain slogging through the mead trying to catch up. "Where the hell is this coming from?" he asked genuinely confused his voice slurring at the edges. "We're friends Jess, you said so yourself."

Jessica laughed but there was no humor in it just a bitter edge. "Friends" she repeated like the word tasted bad. She shoved him again both palms slamming into his chest hard enough to lift him an inch off the floor. "Friends do not make me watch you fly off to New Mexico for a quick fuck with the intern then come back smelling like her. Friends do not leave me on the roof with cold pizza while you chase the next skirt. You are a walking hard on Mark and I am sick of it."

Mark caught her wrists this time but his grip was loose the alcohol making his fingers clumsy. "You are drunk" he said trying to laugh it off. "We are both drunk. Let us just—"

She ripped her hands free and drove her shoulder into his gut like a linebacker. The impact sent them both crashing backward through the kitchen table wood splintering under them as plates and mugs exploded across the floor. Mark hit the ground on his back Jessica on top of him her knees pinning his hips. She grabbed a fistful of his shirt and yanked him up until their faces were inches apart. "Fight back you pussy" she growled her breath hot against his mouth, before she swung a wild punch at his jaw.

Mark caught her fist in his palm without thinking, the impact sending a shockwave through the floor that cracked the tiles. "Jess, stop," he said, but she was already twisting free and stood up before kicking at his knee with superhuman force. He zoomed up and blocked it, the clash of their legs sounding like two cars hitting, and the coffee table behind him exploded into kindling from the force.

She did not let up. "Fight back, or I'll tell Trisha you have HIV!" she shouted, grabbing a lamp and smashing it over his head. The ceramic shattered against his skull, but he barely felt it. "Or are you too scared to hit a girl? Big strong Invincible, scared of little old me?"

Mark's temper finally sparked under the alcohol. "Fine," he growled, drunk enough that the filter was gone. "You want a fight? Let's go." He shoved her hard, sending her flying backward through the air. She crashed into the kitchen island, the granite top cracking in half as she slid across it and landed on her feet in a shower of broken dishes.

Jessica laughed wildly and charged again. She tackled him around the waist, lifting him clean off the ground and slamming him through the couch. The frame splintered like matchsticks, cushions bursting open and filling the air with foam. Mark rolled with it, grabbing her by the hips and flipping her over his head so she smashed into the TV stand.

Jessica got up and immediately punched him square in the stomach, doubling him over and sending him skidding across the floor on his back, carving a trench through the hardwood, she then rushed him and tried to kick him. Mark caught her ankle on the next kick, yanked her down, and drove his fist into her side, lifting her off the ground and sending her crashing through the dining table.

"You hit like a girl," Mark taunted, wiping blood from his split lip with a grin.

Jessica snarled and grabbed the refrigerator, ripping it off the ground and swinging it like a baseball bat. It connected with Mark's chest with a deafening clang, launching him through the far wall into the hallway outside the apartment. Plaster and wiring rained down as he tumbled out, the doorframe shattering around him.

He flew back in through the fresh hole, tackling her around the middle. They rolled across the floor, smashing through the remaining furniture. Jessica raked her nails down his back hard enough to draw blood even through his shirt, then kneed him between the legs with enough force to crack concrete. Mark grunted but laughed through the pain, his durability turning the blow into a dull throb, and retaliated by pinning her arms and slamming her down so hard the floorboards buckled beneath them.

"Cheap shot," he slurred, grinning down at her as they wrestled.

"Pussy," she shot back, headbutting him in the face. Their foreheads cracked together like thunder, blood trickling from both their noses. She twisted free, grabbed a chunk of the broken couch frame, and cracked it across his back like a baseball bat. The wood exploded into splinters against his shoulders.

Mark spun and swept her legs before roundhouse kicking her, sending her crashing into the bookshelf. Books and shelves collapsed in an avalanche, burying her for half a second before she exploded out of it, tackling him again. They crashed through the remaining wall into the bathroom, the sink shattering under them as they grappled on the tile floor. Water sprayed from broken pipes, soaking them both once more.

Mark grabbed her and held her head in front of the sink making her gargle the water, she spun around and jumped on him slamming her fist into his head as she held him in a headlock, Mark stumbled back and thrashed around, slamming her into the wall. Jessica bit his shoulder hard enough to draw blood, then laughed when he roared and flipped her onto her back, pinning her wrists above her head with one hand while the other gripped her hip hard enough to leave bruises. She bucked up against him, their soaked bodies sliding together. 

"You are such a slut," she panted, eyes blazing as she strained against his grip, her breasts heaving against his chest.

"What is someone jealous they don't get any," Mark shot back, leaning down so their faces were inches apart. The trash talk kept coming between grunts and crashes.

"Shut up and hit me harder!" she snarled, kneeing him in the ribs and flipping them so she was on top. She punched him across the jaw, the blow snapping his head sideways and cracking the tile beneath his skull. Mark caught her next punch, twisted, and slammed her into the shower stall. Glass exploded around them as they rolled through the debris. 

The apartment was a ruin. 

Walls were caved in, furniture were reduced to splinters, pipes were leaking, and lights flickered from damaged wiring. However they kept going, throwing each other through doorways, smashing into counters, using broken furniture as improvised weapons. 

Jessica grabbed a metal pipe from the wreckage and swung it like a bat, cracking it across Mark's back. He laughed, spun, and lifted her overhead before pile-driving her through the coffee table.

Finally, after a particularly brutal exchange where Jessica had thrown him through the last standing interior wall and followed with a flying knee that sent them both crashing into the bedroom again, she pinned him. She straddled his waist, grabbed both his wrists, and slammed them over his head against the ruined mattress, her full weight and strength holding him down. 

Jessica's chest heaved as she glared down at him. "You drive me fucking crazy," she growled. 

Mark surged up using his strength to reverse them again slamming her back against the floor hard enough to crack the boards. "You are the one who started it..." he said his mouth inches from hers. Their eyes locked for one long second the anger and the drink and the tension of whatever this was between them boiled over.

Then Jessica yanked him down and they were kissing.

It was not soft. It was as aggressive if not more so than when she had been fighting him moments before. Jessica bit his lower lip hard enough to draw blood then soothed it with her tongue. Mark growled into her mouth one hand fisting in her hair the other gripping her hip so tight his fingers left bruises. They rolled again crashing into the kitchen counter the edge digging into Jessica's back as Mark lifted her onto it.

Jessica wrapped her legs around his waist pulling him in closer her nails digging into his shoulders as she rocked against him. "Fuck me like you mean it" she gasped against his mouth breaking the kiss just long enough to speak. Mark did not need telling twice. He shoved her legs wider and thrust into her in one rough motion burying himself to the hilt. Jessica cried out her head falling back as the counter cracked beneath her from the force.

The sex was brutal exactly like the fight. Mark pounded into her hard enough to make the entire kitchen island shift across the floor with every thrust. Jessica met him thrust for thrust, her hips snapping up, her inner walls clenching around him like a vice. She scratched down his back again deeper this time the pain mixing with pleasure in a way that made him groan loudly. He grabbed her breasts roughly squeezing and pinching her nipples until she arched and bit his neck hard enough to leave a mark.

They destroyed what was left of the apartment. Mark lifted her off the counter still buried inside her and slammed her against the fridge the door denting inward as he fucked her standing up. Jessica's heels dug into his ass spurring him deeper. The fridge rocked back and forth magnets and papers flying everywhere until it toppled over with a crash. They went down with it rolling across the floor Mark never missing a beat.

Jessica flipped them again riding him hard her hands braced on his chest as she slammed down onto him over and over. The floorboards splintered beneath them. Mark sat up grabbing her ass and guiding her movements faster rougher. She leaned down and bit his lip again.

"Harder" she demanded. Mark obliged flipping her onto her stomach and driving back into her from behind. He fisted her hair pulling her head back as he pounded deep the slap of skin on skin echoing over the sound of breaking furniture. Jessica pushed back against him meeting every thrust her cries turning into broken moans.

They crashed through the bedroom doorframe the wood shattering as Mark lifted her and fucked her against the wall. Jessica wrapped her arms around his neck legs locked around his waist as she came hard, her body shaking around him.

Mark did not stop. 

He carried her to the bed and threw her down on the mattress. He followed her down thrusting deep and fast the mattress splitting open springs poking through as they destroyed it. Mark pinned her hands above her head again this time with both of his as he drove into her with everything he had. Jessica's legs wrapped around him heels digging into his lower back urging him deeper.

They came together the orgasm ripping through both of them like a storm. Jessica cried out her body clamping down around him as she shuddered and soaked him. Mark groaned burying himself to the hilt as he spilled inside her pulse after pulse until they were both spent and trembling.

Mark rolled off her carefully pulling her against his chest as the last of the adrenaline faded. "You know if you liked me you could've said..." he muttered his voice hoarse.

Jessica laughed breathlessly her head on his shoulder. "I'm not good at expressing myself." she said closing her eyes.

Mark snorted. "Clearly..." he replied before closing his eyes for a moment. 

____________________________________

A month later...

In a secure lab within the Baxter building Reed Richards stood at a center console, one of his elongated arms adjusting dials while another stretched across the room to alter a conduit. Franklin monitored the primary readout screen. Sue sat at the auxiliary station as she contained stray electromagnetic pulses, and finally Darcy lounged against a workbench ten feet away, arms crossed, one hip cocked, scrolling through diagnostic logs on a tablet she barely understood.

"Field rotation stabilized at 87 percent," Reed announced. "Damping coefficient holding. MHD shear reduced by another 0.4 tesla."

Franklin nodded once. "Containment integrity at 94. We're past the feedback cascade threshold."

Darcy glanced up from the tablet. "Translation: we're not about to turn Manhattan into a giant electromagnet?"

"Precisely," Reed said without looking away from the GeoCore. The small cylindrical device vibrated in its reinforced cradle, blue arcs dancing along its surface. "One more incremental increase and we can attempt full crustal anchoring simulation."

Sue exhaled slowly, letting her force field dissipate. "We're actually doing it. After three blown capacitors and that near-meltdown last week."

Franklin allowed himself a small smile. "You'll find in our world you'll find that progress is done through thousands of small breakthroughs."

Darcy tapped the tablet screen. "Readouts confirm. Core temperature steady, flux variance under 0.02 percent. You nerds might actually save the planet."

Reed finally looked up, exhaustion and triumph warring on his face. "It's practically finished, everything left is just minor dotting of the I'd."

Darcy hummed at that. 

...

A few hours later Natasha Romanoff lay on the padded exam table with her shirt lifted to expose the gentle swell of her abdomen. To her left was Sue, who moved the ultrasound wand across her body. The screen beside them displayed a clear grayscale image; tiny limbs, a rapidly beating heart, the unmistakable profile of a growing fetus.

"Everything looks good," Sue said softly. "Heartbeat strong at 152 beats per minute. Growth curve perfect for sixteen weeks. Placenta position ideal. No anomalies."

Natasha stared at the screen, one hand resting unconsciously over the spot Sue had just scanned. Her expression was unreadable, but her eyes stayed locked on the tiny form.

Sue set the wand down and wiped the gel away with a warm towel. "I ran some additional panels last week, and I believe I have an explanation as to how you got pregnant." She hesitated, her cheeks tinting faintly pink. "Invincible's... semen... is extraordinarily virile. I mean off-the-charts virile. Motility, DNA repair enzymes, telomere preservation, in all metrics they are orders of magnitude above human baseline. I don't doubt it could impregnate virtually any mammalian species on the planet if given the chance."

Natasha's gaze finally left the monitor. "Still..." she asked quietly. "The Red Room were pretty thorough in removing my reproductive capabilities."

Sue sat on the stool beside the table, folding her hands in her lap. "His genetic material appears to be... adaptive. For lack of a better word, smart. It detected the surgical scarring and chemical ablation in your reproductive tract. The spermatozoa didn't just fertilize; they seem to have initiated targeted cellular regeneration. Repaired fallopian tissue, restored endometrial viability, even reversed some of the ovarian suppression. It essentially healed you long enough for implantation to occur."

Natasha blinked once. Twice. Her hand tightened over her stomach. "You're telling me his sperm fixed me," she said flatly.

"In simple terms, yes."

Natasha exhaled through her nose, a short humorless laugh escaping. "Of course it did."

Sue's scientific excitement bubbled up despite herself. "Think of the applications. Targeted gene repair without CRISPR side effects. Organ regeneration. Cancer suppression. If we could isolate the mechanism, understand how it recognizes and corrects genetic deformity we could—"

"Sue."

Natasha's voice cut through the tangent like a blade.

Sue stopped. "Sorry."

"Is the baby okay?" Natasha asked. "That's all I need to know right now."

Sue softened immediately. "Perfectly healthy. Strong, normal development, no distress markers. Everything is exactly where it should be."

Natasha nodded once, sharp and final. She sat up slowly, pulling her shirt back down. "Thank you."She slid off the table, feet touching the floor without sound.

"I'm going back to my room."

Sue watched her go. "Of course. Rest. I'll check in tomorrow."

The door hissed shut behind Natasha.

Sue remained seated for a long moment, staring at the closed panel. She sighed her shoulders dropping as she leaned back in her seat. She had been tempted. So tempted. To try and contact Mark or Invincible. Use Natasha's situation to force his contact details out of her. Tell him about the baby. He would come running; she knew that much about him.

But she hadn't.

Respect for Natasha's privacy had held her back. The woman had already lost everything once because she couldn't trust the people she thought were her friends. She wouldn't betray her trust like that, no matter how much she wanted it. 

Sue got up from the stool slowly, her legs feeling heavier than usual and smoothed her lab coat out of habit, even though it was already pristine, and walked into the corridor. She turned a corner and nearly bumped into her father, who was deep in conversation with Reed. The two men stood near a junction, Reed's gesturing at a holographic display hovering between them while Franklin nodded along, his face lit with genuine enthusiasm.

"...and with the MHD rotation calibrated to 92 percent efficiency, we're looking at seismic dispersal rates that could neutralize a magnitude 7 event within a fifty-mile radius," Reed said.

Franklin clapped him on the shoulder. "Incredible work, Reed. I knew you would be the key to solving this."

Reed smiled modestly. "It was aTeam effort, Doctor Storm."

Franklin noticed Sue approaching and his expression brightened even more, the lines around his eyes crinkling. "Sue! Perfect timing. Reed and I were just discussing today's breakthroughs. We're going to have a little celebration tonight, nothing extravagant, but with the progress we've made, it feels warranted. Maybe dinner at that Italian place downtown. You should join us."

Sue caught the subtle nudge in his tone, the way he glanced between her and Reed like a matchmaker at a wedding. It was not the first time he had tried to play cupid, always dropping hints about Reed's brilliance or how well they worked together. She forced a polite smile. "I'd think about it, Dad. But can we talk privately for a minute?"

Franklin raised an eyebrow but nodded without question. He turned back to Reed. "We'll pick this up later, son. Keep pushing those simulations, I want to see full anchoring by end of week."

Reed adjusted his glasses, oblivious or at least pretending to be. "Absolutely. Goodbye for now, Doctor Storm. Sue." He gave her a quick, warm nod before heading down the opposite corridor.

Now alone, Franklin crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, still riding the high of the lab's success. "Reed's something else, isn't he? Sharp as a tack. We really wouldn't have cracked the damping issue without him. Man's a genius. A true once in a generational mind."

Sue nodded, her mind already shifting gears. "He's invaluable, Dad. But that's not what I wanted to talk about. I want to shift my focus away from the GeoCore stabilizer."

Franklin frowned, his celebratory mood dimming. "Why? We're in the home stretch. Your contributions have also been key to the field containment."

Sue looked at him with something akin to shock, her voice rising just a fraction. "Have you forgotten? The accident. The cosmic radiation. We've made next to no progress on discovering what happened to our bodie or how to reverse it."

Franklin's expression softened, but there was a hint of reluctance in his eyes. "It's not a priority right now, Sue. We have bigger things—"

"Not a priority?" she interrupted, her tone louder than she intended. "Ben would disagree with that. I promised him we'd find a way to bring him back to normal. He's stuck like that because of us, Dad. We can't just push it aside."

Franklin sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. "I know, sweetheart. And we will. I assure you, we'll get there. But right now, what we're doing with the GeoCore... it affects humanity on a global scale. Entire cities ravaged by earthquakes and tsunamis could be a thing of the past. Lives saved by the millions. Ben's condition... it's important, but it's one man."

Sue could not argue with the logic, the sheer scale of it, but it still made her mad. An anger simmered in her chest, but it was one she kept to herself. "We're pretty much done with the GeoCore," she said finally. "The core systems are stable. Let me start my research. At least allocate some time. Ben deserves that much."

Franklin studied her for a long moment, then nodded reluctantly. "Alright. You can pivot. But don't pull too many resources, not until the stabilizer's fully operational."

Sue's tension eased slightly. She stepped forward and kissed him on the cheek, "Thank you, Dad." She turned and left down the corridor. 

Halfway to the lounge, she ran into Darcy emerging from the restroom, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Darcy's face was a little pale, her usual snark subdued.

"Are you okay?" Sue asked, concern creasing her brow.

Darcy nodded and forced a smile, falling into step beside her. "Yeah, just a bad taco for lunch. Note to self: skip the food trucks near the lab."

Sue chuckled sympathetically. "I get that. That one near the park got me last month. Felt like death for hours."

As they walked down the corridor Sue glanced at Darcy. "You've been here a month now Darcy, and I have to say, you've done really good work. Above and beyond, honestly."

Darcy blinked, surprised but pleased. "Thanks, Sue. Coming from you, that means a lot."

Sue smiled warmly. "I'm sorry to spring this on you, but I'm coming off the GeoCore project. Shifting to something else. Which means we'll likely need you to step up and take over my position in the lab. Would you be okay with that?"

Darcy nodded without hesitation. "More than happy to help. Seriously, whatever you need."

Sue's smile widened and pulled out her data pad and tapped a few commands. "Great. I'm sending you the new access codes now. Security's really tight around the core lab, so you'll need these extra protocols, or the whole place goes into lockdown."

Darcy checked her own pad as the codes pinged through, nodding along with a smile as she scanned them. "Got it. Fort Knox level, huh? I'll treat 'em like state secrets."

They continued on to the lounge where Sue poured herself a coffee from the machine in the corner, and Darcy grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and twisted the cap off. Before they could settle in, both their pads buzzed simultaneously with a priority alert. Darcy frowned, pulling hers out. "What the hell is going on?"

Sue checked her screen, her expression darkening. "SHIELD." She hit the comm button and called her father. "Dad, we've got incoming SHIELD agents heading up the lifts."

Franklin's voice came back. "On my way. Meet me at the main atrium."

Sue and Darcy hurried out, joining the rush as alarms began to sound out through the building. Ben lumbered into the atrium from a side hall and with him was Johnny who zipped in on a trail of flame that extinguished as he landed. Franklin arrived last, out of breath and with a frown on his face.

Johnny cracked his knuckles, his flames flickering at his fingertips. "Shield? Those clowns? I'll cook 'em like popcorn. If they think they can put us in lockdown again they're finished."

Ben rumbled in agreement, pounding one massive fist into his palm with a crack like breaking boulders. "Yeah, let 'em try. I'll turn 'em into paste."

Sue stepped forward, hands raised. "Calm down, both of you. We don't know what this is about. Let's not escalate."

Franklin's face was flushed with indignation. "They think they can just charge into my building? Without a warrant or notice? This is private property, I'll have my lawyers on this."

Ding

The elevators dinged in unison, all four doors sliding open at once. A couple dozen SHIELD agents filed out in formation, full black tactical gear on and assault rifles.

Commander Brock Rumlow stepped forward at their head, his scarred face set in a hard line. He held up a digital tablet displaying an official order. "Doctor Storm. We have reason to believe you're harboring a fugitive. This grants us full access to search the premises."

Franklin moved to intercept. "You can't do this. This violates at least three federal statutes on private research facilities. I'm calling Judge Harlan. He'll shut this down."

Rumlow did not break stride. He shouldered past Franklin with a rough shove that sent the older man stumbling to the floor. "Save it for someone who cares."

That did it. Johnny's eyes blazed. "Flame on!" Fire erupted around him, his body igniting in a whoosh of heat that made the air shimmer.

Every SHIELD agent snapped their weapons up, red laser sights dancing over Johnny's flaming form.

"DONT YOU DARE TOUCH MY DAD!!!!" Johnny shouted, flames roaring higher. "I'll melt your faces off!"

Sue rushed to her father's side, helping him up. "Dad, are you okay?"

Franklin clutched his head, wincing. "My heads pounding... feel like I got hit by a truck."

Ben stepped up beside Johnny, his massive frame blocking Sue and her father. "You heard the kid. Back off, or we start the barbecue."

Sue stood reyinh to calm everyone down. "Everyone, stand down! This doesn't have to—"

"BACK DOWN NOW!" Brock shouted as he reached for his weapon. The rest of his agents did the same and the  arguing continued until the agents looked ready to shoot. 

Ding

Before a shot could ring out, the elevator dinged again.

Everyone froze their heads turning as one.

Everyone watched as the elevator passed each floor and then stopped at their floor. 

The doors opened. 

Much to everyone surprise Colleen stepped out, and when she saw the scene her face morphed into one of complete confusion. 

But she was not alone. 

Following her was none other than Mark who followed, in casual in jeans and a jacket, his expression shifting from relaxed to angry as he took in the scene.

"What's going on here?" Mark said, stepping forward. His eyes locked on Franklin on the ground, clutching his head, then swept to the agents. He recognized the insignia immediately. 

SHIELD.

The atrium went silent, the agents shifting uneasily, weapons still raised but now uncertain. They all knew who Mark Grayson was and what he could do to them. If he wanted everyone in that room dead then there would be nothing that could stop him from making it so. 

Mark walked straight toward Rumlow slowly letting his footsteps make loud intimating sounds against the floor, making all the agents jump with each one. No one even attempted to get in his way they all just watched him. 

Rumlow held his ground. "We have reason to believe the Baxter building are harboring a fugitive. We are breaching the building here on lawful orders." He thrust the tablet forward again. "See for yourself."

Mark took the device, glanced at the order, he scrunched it into a ball with one hand, the metal crumpling like foil, and tossed it over his shoulder. "I asked what you're doing here," he repeated, staring Rumlow dead in the eye.

Rumlow scowled, his face twisting in barely contained rage, "Not everyone's afraid of you, Grayson. You may push your weight around now but one day you'll get what's coming to you."

Mark grinned, but there was no humor in it. "When that day comes, it won't be SHIELD who does it."

Mark's hatred for SHIELD bordered on fanatical. After everything—Natasha's betrayal, the constant surveillance, the attempts to control him—it festered like an open wound. He could not forgive it, no matter how he tried. In moments like this he even lowered himself to bullying with his powers, channeling something dark, something he hadn't seen in anyone but one person.

His father.

He pushed Rumlow hard in the chest and the agent flew back, slamming into the ground with a grunt, skidding several feet. Rumlow reacted immediately, rolling to one knee and drawing his sidearm with shaky arms, the barrel pointed at Mark's chest.

"I guess you're not one of the people who isn't afraid of me," Mark replied with a mocking smile. He jolted forward suddenly, a feint to scare him.

Bang

The shot echoed through the atrium. Gasps rippled from the group. But the bullet did not hit Mark. To everyone's shock, it hovered suspended between his thumb and index finger, caught mid-air like a pesky fly.

Mark examined it for a second, then flicked it back casually. The bullet struck Rumlow's bulletproof vest dead center, the impact knocking the wind out of him in a whoosh. He collapsed, gasping for air as he tried to breath. 

That broke the standoff. A dozen SHIELD agents raised their rifles, safeties clicking off in unison.

Mark's expression darkened. He inhaled a large breath, then shouted making his voice louder with his enhanced vocal cords: "PUT YOUR WEAPONS DOWN!"

The command boomed like thunder, a sonic wave that rattled windows and made their ears ring. Nearly all the agents dropped their guns instantly, some clutching their heads and falling to their knees. A few staggered back into the elevators.

Mark strode forward, grabbed Rumlow by the collar, and hurled him toward the elevators. Rumlow crashed into the wall with a crack of plaster, slumping in a heap.

"Get out of the building now," Mark said. "Or you'll be leaving the express way."

The agents scrambled, dragging Rumlow into the nearest elevator. As the doors slid shut, Rumlow managed a final scowl his eyes burning with hate as he looked at Mark.

The moment the doors closed, Mark's tension eased. He turned back to the group, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry about that. Didn't mean to crash the party."

Everyone was shocked into silence. 

Johnny was uncharacteristically silent. 

Ben didn't say anything either he just looked around. 

Sues eyes were simply locked on Mark. 

Darcy just raised her eyebrows as she looked at everyone else es reaction. 

No one said anything until Colleen broke the silence. "What the hell is happening here?" she asked. "We walk in and it looks like a standoff at the OK Corral."

That opened the floodgates.

"Mark? What are you—" Darcy started.

"You look familiar," Johnny cut in.

"Yeah, like that guy from the—" Ben added.

"Who is this?" Franklin demanded.

"Colleen how do you know him?" Sue asked.

Mark held up both hands, trying to quiet them. "Whoa, whoa, one at a time. Please."

Darcy pushed forward first. "What are you doing here?"

Mark blinked, equally surprised. "Me? What are you doing here?"

"This is the lab I work at," she replied, gesturing around. "You know, the one I told you about? High-tech, super science, all that jazz."

He did remember, but to be fair to him, she had been sucking him off at the time so to say he was listening would not have been accurate. "Oh yeah right..." he said a little sheepishly. 

Johnny and Ben exchanged a glance, then leaned in closer. "Hold up," Johnny said. "You look really familiar. Who are you, man?"

"Yeah," Ben rumbled. "I know that face from somewhere."

Mark rubbed the back of his neck and laughed nervously, a nervous grin spreading across his face. "Uh, yeah, about that..."

"Invincible," Sue blurted out unintentionally, her hand flying to her mouth a second too late.

Johnny, Ben, and Franklin froze, their expressions shifting from confusion to dawning realization. 

Johnny's eyes widened. "Wait... the superhero? The guy who pulled us out of the Marriott?"

Ben snapped his fingers, the sound like cracking rocks. "That's it! The blue suit, the flying guy, the hero. You saved our asses!"

Franklin straightened fully now, piecing it together with a nod. "The Marriott... the one who got us clear before the worst happened. I remember."

Mark sighed, not really having a choice anymore. "Yeah, it's me. Guilty as charged."

Sue stepped closer, still in shock. "Why are you here? And why with Colleen?"

Colleen jumped in smoothly. "Mark and I are good friends. We've known each other for a while now."

Mark nodded. "When I first arrived in this city, she actually stopped me from being mugged. Tough as nails, this one."

Colleen laughed at that, crossing her arms as she remembered. "Yeah, you looked like a lost puppy. Couldn't let those punks ruin your day."

Sue shook her head, still not understanding. "But... why here? Now?"

"Colleen invited me," Mark replied. "We were hanging out this afternoon and she mentioned she had to head here to see a friend and extended the invite on the way. Figured I'd tag along, see the place." He paused, glancing around. "I can go if there's a problem. Don't want to impose."

Sue shook her head quickly. "No, no, stay."

Ben chuckled, his voice booming. "Kid, if you can get rid of SHIELD like that, you're welcome to move in. Hell, take my room."

Johnny chuckled and agreed, slapping Ben on the back. "What he said. That was badass."

Franklin dusted himself off fully, regaining his composure. "Absolutely. Stay. We're actually going to celebrate today, we have a project that is basically finished. We can do it all together. The more the merrier."

Mark smiled gratefully. "Thanks. Appreciate it."

...

Franklin ushered them into the lounge while he showed Mark around, pointing out the incredible amount of high tech they had in the building; integrated holo-displays, the automated climate controls, and the hidden panels for emergency gear. "State-of-the-art," Franklin said proudly. "We spared no expense."

Mark appreciated the high tech, his eyes lighting up as he examined a console. "This is incredible, Tony would love it here. It's all very impressive, I mean the quantum processors alone! How did you stabilize the qubit decay? Cryogenic shielding with adaptive fields?"

Franklin paused, surprised at the keen mind on display. "Exactly. You're sharper than you let on, son."

The conversation into science continued until Johnny completely interrupted, grabbing Mark by the shoulders enthusiastically. "Okay, enough nerd talk. Where can I get a superhero suit like yours? That thing's bulletproof, right? Fireproof? Spill the beans!"

Franklin sighed and shook his head. "Johnny, don't be rude."

Mark waved it off with a laugh. "It's okay. I made my own suit, actually. Started with a base polymer, a high-density polyethylene mixed with carbon nanotubes . Then I infused it with a custom aramid weave, baked at 500 degrees under pressure to cross-link the fibers. Added a shear-thickening fluid layer for impact resistance, it turns solid on hit but is flexible otherwise."

Franklin leaned in, very interested. "Ingenious. The fluid integration, did you use colloidal silica suspension?"

"Yep," Mark confirmed. "With a graphene additive for conductivity."

Sue appreciated it too, chiming in. "You could improve the thermal regulation with aerogel inserts. It's extremely lightweight and traps heat without bulk."

Mark hummed thoughtfully. "That's a good idea. Hadn't considered aerogel, but have you considered—"

Darcy, Johnny, and Colleen coughed in unison, muttering "Nerd" under their breath.

Mark laughed and shook his head. "Alright, alright."

Johnny grabbed the phone with a grin. "Let's call some pizzas and get this party started."

With a single phone call and  the delivery of a dozen or so large pizzas the party kicked off in earnest. Johnny turned the music on and even brought out his supply of alcohol which usually would've earned his father's reprimand, but in this case he accepted it and even partook. The sound of the party starting had allowed Mark to meet Reed properly as the scientist wandered in from the lab, wondering what the sounds were. "Reed Richards," he introduced himself, shaking Mark's hand.

They grabbed drinks and dove into conversation with Sue joining seamlessly, mostly talking about science but quickly changing the topic to the subject of Cosmic Radiation and what actually happened to all of them. 

"Cosmic rays altered our DNA at the quantum level, but the question is how do we reverse it. Targeted retrovirus to rewrite the sequences?" Reed speculated. 

Mark nodded. "Could work. Or harmonic resonance to destabilize the bonds and then vibrate them at the right frequency to snap them back."

Sue leaned in. "We've tried something similar. Issue is the energy bleed-off. Too much and it cascades."

Johnny, meanwhile, tried flirting with Darcy and Colleen across the room, leaning against the bar with his best smolder. "So, ladies, ever dated a guy who can literally light up your life?"

Darcy rolled her eyes. "Pass. I prefer my men so... skinny."

Colleen smirked. "I think the word you're looking for is twinky."

Darcy's eyes widened and nodded her head. "You're right, yeah sorry I'm not into twinks."

Johnny persisted, undeterred. "Come on! I'm not a twink!"

Colleen deciding she wasn't done annoying John yet glanced at Mark, a mischievous glint in her eye. She sauntered over, sliding an arm around Mark's waist and pressing close. "Hey, handsome. Miss me?"

Darcy laughed and joined in, draping herself on Mark's other side. "Yeah, roomie. You free later?"

Mark chuckled, playing along. "Ladies come on not here," he said tapping both their hands. 

Johnnys jaw almost hit the floor at the sight. "I need to be a superhero..." he said to himself. 

"What you need to do is start bulking at the gym," Ben commented as he had almost half a pizza at once. 

Johnny growled before downing his drink. 

Sue felt a little jealous watching Mark with the two worn, ir caused a twist in her chest she did not expect. But she said nothing, sipping her wine and forcing a smile, before they continued their conversation. 

A few hours later the party rolled on with ben and Johnny commandeering the karaoke machine, belting out a duet of "We Will Rock You".

Sue and Mark ended up talking on a couch, as the conversation turned from less science related topics to something more personal. "I've been wanting to get in touch with you for a while. Never got the chance to really thank you for the Marriott, for saving us."

Mark smiled softly. "It's what I do."

Sue smiled back Mark had saved her entire family and two people she considered her friends now. She owed him much more than just a thank you, but she honestly didn't know what else she could do. It didn't help that inwardly she felt guilty. Natasha was in the building, pregnant with his child, and he did not know. The secret weighed like lead, her mind grappling with whether to tell him. It was not her place, was it the right thing? The moral thing?

She finally decided to say something, opening her mouth just as Mark glanced around. "Have you seen Darcy?"

Sue looked too, shaking her head. "No. She must've gone to the bathroom or something, listen I—"

Mark frowned. "She's been gone a while now. I'm gonna go look for her. Be right back."

Sue nodded, but felt a little sad as he went, the moment where she could finally be honest with him slipped away. 

Mark left the lounge, weaving through corridors, calling Darcy's name. The building was massive so he considered using his super speed to search it but it seemed he didn't need to; as he was walking down the corridor she grabbed his hand from a side room doorway and pulled him inside, slamming the door shut and started kissing him immediately, pressing him against the wall.

He kissed her back, surprised but responding, his hands on her waist. "What are you doing?" he murmured against her lips.

"What, I can't kiss my roommate?" she replied, grinning wickedly.

"Lucky we're only step roommates," Mark joked around. 

Darcy giggled and pressed closer. "I want to fuck. Right now."

Mark tried to pull back gently. "We have to go back to the party—"

"It'll be quick," she insisted, kissing him roughly again, hands tugging at his shirt.

He gave in, the alcohol and her insistence winning out. But as they kissed, he felt something strange... a disconnect, like her rhythm was off, he didn't know how to describe it but it still made him pull back. "Darcy, wait—"

She pulled him back and kissed him again, wrapping her legs around his waist, grinding against him.

Mark talked into her mouth. "Wait, something's—"

She kept on kissing him her legs locking tighter, with her hands in his hair.

Mark felt that something was wrong, a prickle at the back of his neck. He freed himself with a gentle push. "What the hell are you doing?"

Darcy looked at him her expression shifting from playful to something else, something colder. It was the first time he'd ever seen her making an expression like that. 

Mark had the bad feeling again and looked behind him. A beautiful blonde woman stood there watching them without saying a single word. "Who are you?" Mark asked, his whole body tensing as he clenched his fists.

She did not answer.

"I'm really sorry, Mark. I enjoyed our time together. But I can't afford to let myself be entranced by a traitor."

Mark turned around in confusion only to see Darcy's skin ripple like water, shifting and reforming into someone familiar. The visage was unmistakeable as he'd only seen the picture that morning in his workshop.

Mystique.

Marks mouth hung open as he looked at what he thought was Darcy. He was completely shell-shocked, standing frozen as the pieces slammed together. He did not even react when she pushed off his body with both feet, using the momentum to roll backward over the table she had been sat on, landing gracefully on the other side.

Mark snapped out of it eventually and grabbed the table and threw it to the side, smashing it against the wall in a splintering crash. "Where's Darcy?" he shouted, demanding to know as he launched at her, hands outstretched.

However, a portal opened in front of him and he went straight through it, tumbling into a strange place. Mark could only describe what he saw as looking like hell, it was dark and rocky and full of lava and smoke. Mark landed hard on jagged rock, heat waves distorting his vision. He scrambled up, angry, shouting for them to reveal themselves. "Show yourselves! What the hell is this?"

A small portal opened, only the size of a fist, hovering in the air. Mystique's voice echoed through. "This is the Limbo dimension Mark, a realm completely separated from your own, full of demons. We brought you here because you're too powerful to fight directly. I'm sorry but this was the only way."

Mark was angrier than he had ever been in his entire life his fists clenched so hard his knuckles whitened. "I'll get out of here," he snarled. "I will escape."

Time works differently Mark. You'll likely live out your entire life in the next hour for us, you won't escape," Mystique added. 

"Mystique!" Mark growled as he looked at her venomously. 

Mystique's tone softened slightly. "I'm sorry again. But rest assured, your legacy will at least continue with my child."

That shocked Mark. He stood there, mouth agape, as the portal finally closed with a snap and he was left there alone. After a moment he tried to teleport to Midgard but he couldn't, he then tried Asgard, but nothing as well. In fact none of the realms responded to his power.  Mark theorized quickly that the dimensional gap between this place and normal space must make it too energy intensive to teleport. He needed more energy than he had stored. 

SCREECH!!!

Before he could think further he heard a loud screech and immediately was tackled by a large creature. 

_____________________________________

Back in the main lounge the party continued, Ben and Johnny had claimed the massive flat-screen TV in the corner, the Wii console hooked up and the Wii sports bowling onscreen. The rocky giant and the smaller twink stood side by side, controllers gripped like weapons, the rest of the group watching with amused grins.

Johnny's Mii character stepped up first, windmilling the arm in exaggerated motion before releasing. The virtual ball hooked perfectly, scattering pins in a thunderous strike. "Boom! Eat that, rockhead!" he crowed, pumping his fist and doing a little victory dance. "That's three in a row. You gonna cry about it?"

Ben growled, his massive stone fingers struggling with the tiny controller. He swung anyway, the onscreen ball veering wildly into the gutter. "Damn thing's rigged," he rumbled, tossing the controller onto the couch with enough force to make the cushions bounce. "You cheat with those little twink wrists. Real bowling don't got no fancy graphics helping you."

Johnny laughed louder. "Sore loser! Big tough Thing can't handle a video game. Next time I'll let you use a real bowling ball, see how you like it when i win then."

Ben crossed his arms, the motion sounding like grinding boulders. "Keep talking, matchstick. I'll bowl your head in a minute."

The group chuckled, but Johnny was already dragging Reed over by the sleeve. "Your turn, stretch. Tennis. Let's see if those rubber arms can keep up."

Reed sighed but took the controller. The game loaded, and the match began. Reed served with perfect form. When Johnny returned it, Reed's arm stretched across the virtual court in real time. Johnny smashed back, but Reed elongated again, returning it from an impossible angle. Point after point, Reed dominated, his powers translating directly into the game. 

"Ha! Take that!" Reed called, a rare competitive spark in his voice as he won the set. Johnny threw his controller down in mock outrage while the room erupted in laughter.

Across the room on a comfortable couch, Colleen and Sue sat together with their legs tucked under them, wine glasses in hand. The noise of the games faded to background hum as Sue leaned in, curiosity winning out. "So... you and Mark. How did that start? You two seem close."

Colleen took a slow sip, smiling faintly at the memory. "I saw him about to get robbed in an alleyway one night. Bunch of punks with knives thinking the new guy in town was easy pickings. I stepped in, kicked their asses, and offered him a place to stay after. It was kind of hard not to. Mark gives off the look of a kicked puppy when he's sad. I couldn't leave him on the street."

Sue giggled. "Kicked puppy? I can picture it."

Colleen nodded with a grin. "He stayed at mine for a while. Eventually we were... intimate, I mean it was hard not to be, especially with how small my apartment was. But with how our lives were it wasn't really serious. Honestly we haven't really done it for a while. Mark actually broke it off when he got with Natasha. He was pretty serious about her. It's a shame what happened with that."

Sue hummed softly, swirling her wine. "Yeah... it is."

Colleen smirked, her eyes narrowing playfully. "You're a little enamoured with the resident hero, aren't you? I've seen the way you look at him."

Sue blushed instantly, cheeks flushing pink. "What? No. I mean he saved us. That's all. Just... gratitude."

Colleen leaned closer. "Uh-huh. Gratitude that makes you stare when he walks into a room. Admit it, Sue. Tall, strong, hamdsome, flies around saving people? Classic crush material."

Sue opened her mouth to deny it again, but the lights suddenly flickered once, twice, then died completely. The TV went black mid-serve, the Wii powering down with a sad beep. The entire lounge plunged into darkness, the only illumination the faint city glow through the windows.

Johnny shouted in pure annoyance from the gaming corner. "Come on! I was just about to beat Reed!"

Franklin stood up, a frown forming on his face. "That shouldn't happen. We have multiple redundant protections. Reed, Sue we need to go check on the project right now." They both nodded, already moving toward the door when a voice spoke from the shadows.

"Yes, that sounds like a splendid idea."

The lounge doors slid open with a hiss. Magneto stepped through. Mystique stood at his right, and Magik at his left. He had a cold smile on his face as the air seemed to grow heavier with his presence.

Johnny and Ben reacted instantly. "Who the hell are you?" Johnny demanded, flames already licking at his fingertips.

Franklin's face drained of color. "Get back from him now!" he shouted with taw panic in his voice as recognition hit. 

Johnny didn't wait. "Flame on!" Fire engulfed him in a roaring blaze as he launched forward, a plume of superheated flames roaring toward the intruders.

Magneto seemed amused, barely lifting a hand. "Illyana."

Magik flicked her wrist. Two glowing portals tore open in the air. From the first stepped Pyro, grinning as he absorbed Johnny's flames before they could even hit the group, the fire feeding into his own body until Johnny's attack sputtered out and he extinguished. From the second emerged Juggernaut and Blob, the massive pair cracking their knuckles as they advanced.

Magneto's voice remained calm as he looked across the room. "The building is under our control. If you wish to remain unharmed, you will do as I say."

"Fuck that," Johnny snarled, reigniting and charging again alongside Ben, who thundered forward like a living avalanche.

Franklin tried to intervene. "Johnny, Ben wait—!"

Johnny sent another massive plume of flames, but Pyro absorbed every lick of it, growing stronger, then countered with a blast that forced Johnny to his knees. Meanwhile Ben barreled straight at Blob, the two massive men colliding with a boom that shook the floor, but try as he might Ben couldn't move Blob. 

Juggernaut then joined the fray, grabbing Ben from behind and slamming him into the wall hard enough to crater the reinforced concrete. Both men were seconds from being overwhelmed when Sue thrust her hands forward.

"Enough!" A shimmering force field snapped into existence between them, stopping Juggernaut' and Pyro from finishing them. "Leave them alone!"

Magneto found that amusing, a thin smile curving his lips. "Leave them," he told his men and they obeyed instantly.

He advanced slowly, metal in the room beginning to tremble with every step he took. "I am here for the GeoCore Stabilizer. You and your little apprentice over there will help me retrieve it and properly disconnect it. Refuse, and I will kill everyone in this room."

Franklin hesitated, face pale. Magneto raised one hand. A dozen metal knives from the nearby kitchen island shot forward like bullets, impacting Sue's hastily raised force field with sharp pings. The barrier held, but the pressure made her flinch. As he looked toward his daughter Franklin's will started to erode, his eyes darting between his children and the threat.

Sue trembled as sweat beaded on her forehead. "Dad, no!"

Johnny echoed her. "Don't!"

Magneto's smile widened. "You have two children. That means you have two chances to say yes."

Franklin broke, shoulders slumping in defeat. "I'll do it."

"Good," Magneto said, lowering his hand. The knives clattered harmlessly to the floor.

Sue breathed heavily, the force field dissolving as she lowered her arms. "Where are Mark and Darcy? What did you do to them?!"

Magneto turned to Mystique with a small grin on his face. "Where is Darcy Lewis? Do you recall?"

Mystique smiled, skin rippling as she shifted into Darcy. "I haven't the slightest clue."

"As for Mark," Magneto continued smoothly, "he is somewhere he cannot get in my way."

...

Corpses...

Thousands upon thousands of demon corpses littered the ground piled in smoking heaps that stretched to the horizon. 

Flying high above it all was Mark. He had a thick unkempt beard and wore clothing that was barely anymore than rags. A hard look was etched into his face as he looked down at the field of dead bodies that he himself was responsible for. Below him stood Belasco, the demon lord of Limbo, he had his staff raised and his face was twisted in rage. "You insignificant worm! I will kill you, then I will kill everyone on Earth once that blonde bitch returns. I have found a way out of this place, your world will burn!"

"I think you don't understand."

"Earth will never be yours to conquer."

He shot forward in a blur, grabbing Belasco's face with one hand. The demon lord screamed as Mark accelerated, dragging him across the ground at impossible speed. The ground below tore apart in a straight line of destruction, rock exploding into dust, lava fountains erupting in geysers. 

Mark flew faster and faster flying fast enough that the very air was set on fire. 

He annihilated everything. 

Demons, fortresses, the endless wasteland itself, all of it was destroyed by Mark as he destroyed everything in his path. There was no redemption for the creatures in this place. The only fate they could meet was death and Mark would give it to them before he allowed them to arrive on earth. 

Eventually he slowed down and dropped the crippled and broken form of Belasco who did the only thing he could and coward before the Viltrumite. 

"Tell me where the Promethium is..." Mark said in a growl that almost rumbled the rocks underneath him. 

...

The lounge doors sealed shut behind Magneto as he led the way deeper into the Baxter Building, Mystique and Magik flanking him while Reed and Franklin walked ahead with their wrists bound by thin metal bands that Magneto controlled with a casual flick of his fingers. 

It didn't take long before they reached the secure lab housing the GeoCore Stabilizer. Franklin's hands trembled as he approached the first biometric panel. "The codes are layered," he said quietly. "I need to input multiple sequences."

"Input them," Magneto ordered, "All of them."

Franklin began typing, but Mystique stepped closer, her yellow eyes narrowing. "He's trying to trigger a lockdown sequence," she said flatly. "The third digit is a decoy. Change it and the system seals the core permanently."

Magneto shook his head, almost disappointed. "That was a shame, Doctor Storm. A very poor choice."

He gestured and Franklin's left knee implant twisted violently inside his leg. Bone snapped with a wet crack and Franklin screamed, collapsing to the floor, clutching the ruined joint as agony ripped through him.

Reed lunged forward. "Stop! He didn't mean to—"

Magik drew her sword in a blur, the blade's edge stopping inches from Reed's throat. "Back off," she warned. "Or I cut you from ball to brain."

Magneto crouched beside Franklin, who was still gasping in pain. "I made myself clear. You have two children. That means you have two chances to say yes." He raised one finger toward the ceiling, the metal fixtures in the room trembling. "Illyana, go kill his daughter."

"No!" Franklin shouted. "No, please! I'm sorry! I'll do it! I'll do everything you ask!"

Magneto held up a single finger. "One last chance."

Franklin nodded frantically, tears cutting tracks through the dust on his face. Reed helped him to the next panel, supporting his weight as the older man input the remaining codes with shaking fingers. The final lock disengaged with a heavy clunk. The reinforced cradle opened, revealing the GeoCore Stabilizer.

Magneto walked forward and lifted the device with both hands. It hummed to life in his grip, the field inside responding to his magnetic aura like a living thing. He turned it over once, admiring the craftsmanship, then gestured to Magik. She opened a small portal and withdrew a second, darker device—compact, covered in intricate runes and metallic filaments.

"This will allow you to connect with it," she said, handing it over.

Reed's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why would ne do such a thing? Franklin, do you know?"

Franklin, still leaning heavily on Reed, winced through the pain. "Magneto controls magnetism. If he links his power directly to the GeoCore... it would amplify his abilities to a degree I shudder to think about."

Reed's eyes widened at the implications, the color draining from his face.