Hello and welcome to the companion fic to “It Was Always Real” so if you didn’t read the warning, do not read this if you haven’t read “It Was Always Real” if you do… lets just say that you will be totally confused… Sorry it took so long, but its fina

Hello and welcome to the companion fic to “It Was Always Real” so if you didn’t read the warning, do not read this if you haven’t read “It Was Always Real” if you do… lets just say that you will be totally confused… Sorry it took so long, but its finally here! I do not own the F4, they and all their awesomeness, belong to Stan Lee!

Summary: Old enemies return to tear Johnny and Sue apart for good - can Johnny get to Sue before its too late? Or will the fairy tale come to a end?

Time Line: happens basically straight after the epilogue in “It Was Always Real”

My Knight In Shinning Armour.

Sue picked up the phone in anticipation, the wait was over as Johnny’s voice sounded on the other end, “You said you wouldn’t be long.”

“I know Sue, I’m sorry - but this thing in really out of control, I’ll be here awhile - I’m really sorry this keeps happening.”

“Maybe I should come down?” Sue asked, worried for her husband, “Hope could look after Franklin and Rachel…”

“No, honey we’ve discussed this. You’re the one that wanted a somewhat normal life remember?”

Sue sighed, knowing she would get nowhere on the subject, “okay, okay… just be careful.”

“I will be Sue - promise,” Shouts could be heard over the phone before Johnny continued, “Hey, I’ve got to go… I love you.”

“Love you too.”

Sue sighed and put down the phone, normal was not how she would describe her life…

Only moments after Sue put down her phone a crash echoed around the room and her front down was broken into a tiny splinters as it was smashed down…

With a yell of fright Sue sent a force field towards the intruders and rushed into the next room where Franklin and Rachel had been playing.

“What’s the matter Sue, can’t we just talk?”

Sue stared in shock and hatred at Victor, who was the only one in the room.

“What have you done?” Sue screamed, blue ripples erupting from her, “Where are my children? What have you done to my children!”

“I would control my temper if I were you Sue,” Victor sneered, walking towards Sue - the blue ripples hitting him having no affect, “We wouldn’t want anything… bad, to happen.”

“You, you monster! I can’t believe that you would… get your hands off me!” Sue screamed as Victor grabbed both of her shoulders and lifted her off the ground.

Sue tried to break from his grip as she spat, “When Johnny gets back you are so…’

Victor cut Sue off with a laugh,. “I know for a fact that dear Johnny wont be back for a while Susan.. Now lets go.”

“What is that suppose to mean?” Sue struggled with all her might as Victor carried her out of her own house, “put me down - you are seriously going to regret this Victor!”

She once again tried to blast Victor with a force field, but once again, it had no affect, “What… what have you done?”

x-x-x

“Sue,” Johnny drew out the world as he made his way into the house, “Sue? Hey, I’m sorry that I took so long… Sue? Are you home?”

Johnny stopped in his tracks as he came into sight of the living room, all the glass in the room was shattered, including the actual window.

Only one thing could have caused this, Sue’s force fields - and only one person could cause Sue to use her powers to such an extent.

“Son of a bitch,” Johnny yelled in frustration, getting out his cell, he dialled a number - waiting impatiently for the person to answer.

“Reed! Tell me you still have that tracking device.”

“Johnny? What in the world are you talking about?”

“You can track us using our powers right?” Johnny asked breathlessly, “Well, you once tracked my powers - can you do the same with Sue?’

“Yeah, yeah we could… Johnny just what is going on?”

“You just find her for me Reed.. And I’ll teach the bastard, I’ll…”

“Who? What, seriously Johnny?”

“Doom has my family Reed - and I’m not letting him get away with it… I’m not!” Johnny’s voice had a growl to it that told Reed he wasn’t kidding, and that, no matter how much Reed tried, he wasn’t going to be able to talk him out of anything…

“Okay, I’ll find her for you… just promise me you won’t do anything stupid?”

There was a small silence before Johnny answered, “you know I can’t do that Reed, I can’t promise something that I’m bound to end up breaking…”

x-x-x

“Mummy!”

“Oh Franklin, Rachel!” Sue twisted out of her captors hands and ran to her two children, who were huddled together in the corner of a small room.

Sue smothered them both in a hug, “I was so worried, I didn’t know what had happened, oh, oh I thought I had lost you…”

“I’m sorry Mummy,” Franklin told her, “I tried to protect Rachy, but I couldn’t, I wasn’t strong enough… I’m sorry…”

“You don’t need to apologise,” Sue kissed the top of her son’s head, “you were so brave, so, so brave.’

“I’m not brave Mummy,” Franklin sniffed back tears, “the lady… the lady frightens me…”

“Lady? Honey what are you talking about?”

“She keeps coming in to stare at us,” Franklin told Sue, his voice shaking, “her eyes scare me - Rachy always cries when she see’s her…”

“I’ve always had that affect on children.’

She’s blood went cold as she turned slowly to face someone she never thought she would ever see again, “you?”

“I told you Storm, I told you I’d be back.”

Sue stared at shock at the person in front of her, “What do you want Artemis?”

Artemis Spencer grinned, “what have I always wanted?”

x-x-x

“Johnny, this is complete madness,” Reed followed Johnny around the lab as Johnny grabbed numerous things off the shelves, “You have no idea what Victors like - he may have become so much stronger, let me and Ben come with you!”

“No,” Johnny replied, “I need to do this alone, beside, Ben’s still on his honeymoon with Alicia - and you need to stay behind to explain everything to Hope for me… Have you found Sue yet?”

“Still looking,” Reed replied, repeating what he had been telling Johnny over the past two hours, he added, “its going to take some time Johnny, it’s a delicate process… and besides, Sue has to be actually using her powers for it to work.’

“I know, I’m sorry Reed, I just, I can’t believe I let this happen.” Johnny slumped down on a stool in the lab, “I can’t believe after all these years he decides to come back now… why now?”

Reed shrugged, “I don’t… I really thought we’d never see him again,” he sighed. “And don’t say that this is your fault, none of this is your fault.”

“Damn well feels like it,” Johnny muttered, getting up to start pacing around the lab, “I mean, I should have been there right?”

Reed shock his head, “You didn’t know.. You couldn’t have known.”

Johnny stopped pacing, “you know what, I bet Victor was behind the forest fire… I bet he planned this all along.”

There was a small silence as they stared ay each other, the shock setting in.

“Johnny, its going to be…”

“No its not Reed!” Johnny cut Reed’s reassurance off, “it’s not going to be alright, because that son of a bitch has my family and I’m just… sitting her… I’m - just - sitting…”

“We can’t do anything until…”

A sharp beep echoed around the lab, another beep indicated that Sue was using her powers… and the numerous beeps following that was the computer pinpointing her location…

x-x-x

Sue created a force field between Artemis and her children, “Why are doing this? I thought you would have learnt from the last time?”

“I did learn,” Artemis laughed, “I learned that to get what I wanted, I needed more help… more power.”

“Victor though, seriously,” Sue sighed and watched Artemis as she walked around the room, “Johnny will come for us - I know it.”

“Well of course he will,” Artemis gave Sue a sly smile, “I’m counting on it.”

“Mummy,” Franklin interrupted the conversation, “Mummy what’s going on, what are you talking about?”

“It’s okay honey, everything’s going to be okay.”

“Because daddy’s coming right?”

“Yeah,” Sue’s eyes brimmed with tears as he took her eyes off Artemis and looked down at her frightened children, “daddy’s coming.”

Artemis laughed as they two children wrapped themselves around Sue, “there’s nothing you can do this time Storm - he’s mine…”

And with that, Artemis left the room, laughing as she did so.

Franklin looked up at his mother to see the tears in her eyes, “Mummy, Mummy what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

“It’s nothing honey, Mummy’s just worried about you two,” Sue wiped her eyes, “I don’t know what I would do if a lost you…”

“But Daddy’s coming to save us - isn’t he?” Franklin looked frightened to see Sue’s crying - why would she be if everything would be alright? “You said that Daddy’s coming to rescue us - so everything is going to be fine…”

“You’re right honey, Mummy’s just being silly.” Sue wiped her eyes, looking down proudly at her son, he was so brave, and was such a good brother to his sister, “Mummy’s just so worried that something might happen…”

“Something will happen Susan, not might.” Victors callous laugh echoed around the small room where Sue and the children were, “after all, you didn’t think I would just let your dear husband in without a fight… its like you don’t know me at all…”

Sue growled at Victor, her eyes flashing with anger as she watched Victor come closer to her and the children, “Don’t you dare move another inch!”

“Do you really think your in any situations to make demands?” Victor laughed coolly, lightning crackling at his side, “Believe me dear Susan, I would just stop talking if I were you…”

Sue growled again, but didn’t say anything, her eyes never left Victor though, and she was ready to do anything possible to keep him away from Franklin and Rachel…

The door to the room opened once more and Artemis re-entered, a triumphant look on her face, “Everything is ready for Johnny’s arrival,” she gave Sue a sly smile, “after all - he has to earn the right to see you again…”

Artemis clicked her fingers and suddenly five large men appeared, all carrying automatic machine guns, which were all pointed straight at Sue, “please escort are guests to there cell…”

Sue couldn’t do anything to stop the men from fear of them pulling the trigger, so she let them heave her to her feet (although she did blast one with a force field as they went to drag her children across the floor), “You are so going to regret this…”

Artemis laughed lightly, “Oh I highly doubt that Storm - get her out of my sight.”

x-x-x

Johnny found himself staring up a huge apartment building, its glass building shinning in the moonlight. Even from the outside it looked very ominous, Johnny knew that he was an absolute idiot for going in alone, but at the moment his heart was controlling his head - and all he cared about was getting Sue back, even if it did mean walking into a trap.

Taking in the building Johnny took a deep breath before flaming on and flying up to the building, trying to see better into the dark glass, muttering something to himself he powered up and sent a jet of flame towards the glass, melting it immediately and flying through the hole he had created. The room was completely dark.

Johnny put on a burst of power, lighting the room up with his powers, he saw that the room was some sort of lounge, or maybe a waiting room of some kind. It did however have one thing out of place - Victor was standing in the middle of the room.

“Johnny, fancy seeing you here…” Victor had an idiotic grin on his face, one which Johnny just wanted to wipe off, “Why look so sad?”

Johnny growled at Victor, is looks could kill, Victor would have been dead the moment Johnny laid eyes on him, but fortunately for Victor (unfortunately for Johnny) looks could not kill, so he was safe for now - that is, till Johnny got his hands on him.

“You’ve gone too far this time Doom,” Johnny’s voice was cold and icy, “I swear you are going to regret this.”

“Funny, that’s just what dear Susan said before she left…” Victor was staring to walk towards the door, Johnny followed his movements, his eyes never leaving Victor, “You have two hours Storm - or you can say goodbye to the fairytale.”

Johnny’s eyes widened slightly, he lunged at Victor as the door opened, to late though, the door closed on Johnny and he was left alone in the room, the door had locked fast, and even a burst of Johnny’s powers could not open it.

“What the hell are you up to Doom!” Johnny yelled to the empty room, at his shout a door on the opposite side of the room flung open revealing an upward winding staircase. Johnny stared at the staircase for awhile, weighing up his options as he did so.

Knowing Victor it led to something that he wasn’t going to like, but Johnny knew that he would be true to his word, and if Sue really had two hours he wasn’t going to waste it standing around arguing with himself…

x-x-x

Sue sighed and slumped back down in the cell, her disappointment showing in her movements, she had tried as hard as she could to get herself out of the cell she had been put in, but the bars had refused to break with the force of her powers. She needed to get out, Franklin and Rachel were no longer with her and she was worried sick that something was going to (or something already had) happened to them. And here she was, stuck in a cell, no help whatsoever… and then there was Johnny, who she knew would do anything to get her out… She was just worried that Victor knew that as well, and when it came to Johnny, anything meant anything.

Sue was just about to blast the cell doors again, ready to throw all her strength into it when a noise from the other end of the corridor caught her attention, yells of shock and pain reached her ears, a bright light filled the corridor then it went dark again and the corridor fell into silence. The small pitter-patter of feet could be heard, it was coming towards he cell.

Sue tensed slightly, waiting for the worst, she was in for quite a shock when she realised who was standing in front of her cell, “Franklin, Rachel? Honey, how did you…?” Sue stared in absolute awe at her two children, they had somehow done what she could not, they had escaped…

“Mummy!” Franklin hushed whisper sounded happy, “We finally found you! We escaped because Rachy melted through the bars!”

Sue had a sudden mental image of her daughter using her powers to melt through the bars and grinned, Victor and Artemis’s plan had been thwarted by a one year old - she could not wait to see their faces.

“Mummy, stand back so that Rachy can get you out, then we can go find Daddy, I heard he was here somewhere,” Franklin took his younger sister in her arms and held her up to the bars.

Rachel saw her mother, and giggled gleefully, she then squealed in what seemed like anger when she realised that she could not get to Sue, then, in one moments, Rachel leant out to touch the bars and they burst into flame, melting to a liquidly mess in seconds.

“Oh my babies, my strong brave babies!” Sue smothered both her children in hugs as tears stung her eyes, “I am so proud of you both…” Sue picked up Rachel in her arms and gave her a kiss on the cheek, “Daddy will be proud too.” Sue ruffled her sons hair and grinned at him, “You’ve done so well Franklin - but you let Mummy take it from here.”

x-x-x

Johnny made his way through corridor after corridor, up and down stair case after stair case had jumped down many holes and climbed even more walls. This would have been easier if it wasn’t for the numerous amount of bobby traps that were set up along the way. Johnny had lost count of the times he had almost been skewered by some sort of arrow, chopped to pieces by scythes or just plain gravely injured by the traps that Victor had set up. Not to mention the numerous robots that showed up every now and then, and Victor himself, who took great joy in turning up just as Johnny was trying to get his breath back.

Johnny, In fact, was in that exact predicament at this precise moment. He had just finished running up what felt like hundreds of stairs, only to fall down a large hole (he thankfully remembered his powers before he hit the ground). And although he did not hit the ground, he still hurt like hell all over, but he had a feeling he was getting close, because here he was standing in front of a large metal door, the only thing in his way, Victor.

“Get out of the way Doom,” Johnny growled, flaming on in the process, the temperature in the room skyrocketed, Johnny’s anger and frustration fuelling the heat of his powers, “Just let me through…”

“I’m sorry I can’t do that,” Victor sneered and Johnny, lightning crackling beside him as he began to walk towards Johnny, “After all, if I let you through this door - you win, and I can’t have that…”

Johnny narrowed his eyes at Victor, “I swear Doom, if you don’t let me through I’ll…” Johnny decided that actions actually did speak louder than words and blasted Victor with a large jet of flame. The attack caught Victor off guard and he stumbled, falling to the ground…

Wasting no time, Johnny sent another blast of fire in Victors direction, this time, he concentrated the flame to the large metal doors, to his great delight, they heated up and glowed, before slowly beginning to melt under the heat.

“Oh no you don’t!” Victor yelled at Johnny, sending a blast of lightning towards Johnny as he attempted to fly past Victor and through the hole. The lightning hit Johnny square in the chest, causing him to crash to the side of the door and collapsed to the ground.

x-x-x

Sue was making her way through the corridors with her two children when she heard the yells down the corridor, with a nod to Franklin she ran around the corridor, Rachel in her arms and Franklin at her heels. The sight that greeted them when she rounded the last corner was almost to shocking to believe…

A large metal door which would normally be blocking the way had been melted into a big gooey mess, and just through the door stood Victor, his hands outstretched in a way that showed them that he was about to zap someone. The someone he was about to zap was getting numbly to their feet, using the wall as support, and that someone was none other than Johnny himself.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you…” Sue’s voice echoed around the corridor, shocking Victor so much that he forgot all about zapping Johnny and instead turned and threw a lightning bolt towards Sue.

She easily deflected it with a force filed.

“Now that’s not very nice,” Johnny was fully on his feet, and before Victor had even realised, Johnny’s foot swung round in an arc in the air and crashed into Victor with so much force it sent him crashing into the wall, the small burst of fire that accompanied the kick may have had something to do with it to…

“Daddy!” The two children had noticed their father and had managed to get out of Sue’s grasp, Johnny suddenly found himself being smothered by his children, “you found us!”

“Or did we find you?” Sue grinned, walking up towards Johnny she embraced him a tight hug, “thank you for coming… you’re not hurt are you?”

Johnny shock his head, “nah I’m good… what about you guys?” After convincing each other that no one was hurt the question of what they should do next came up, “We need to get out of here - Victor will be up anytime and we can’t take him on alone.”

Sue nodded, “but let me find someone first…” Sue had a glint in her eyes, “I want to say goodbye to someone…”

Johnny looked utterly confused, “Sue what in the world are you talking about?”

Sue didn’t answer, she just led the way back down the opposite corridor, it was time for her to get even, she was definitely going to enjoy this…

x-x-x

Artemis was sitting at a large wooden desk when the doors of her “office” where thrown open, looking up form her work to yell at whoever had distributed her she froze. Artemis dropped the pen she was holding and her face paled at the sight in front of her.

Sue marched into the room, followed by a very angry looking Johnny who was holding his daughter in his arms, his son clutching at his leg as he tried to hide from Artemis.

“So…” Sue drew out the word as she walked right up to the desk and put her hands on top of it, “Think your clever don’t you… set up this place for booby traps - kidnap us… wait for Johnny to come and then what… hope he won’t be pissed?”

At this Johnny snorted loudly, thinking the whole thing was absolutely absurd, “We don’t have to waste anytime on her Sue - lets just get out of here, Reed will be beside himself in worry.”

Sue nodded, her eyes never left Artemis’s, “Hear that, you’re nothing to us - and you never will be…” She looked thoughtful for a moment, “Johnny, could I at least do one thing…”

Johnny had one of those winning smiles on his face, “What ever makes you happy honey, I’ll wait outside.”

At this Artemis tensed slightly, “You can’t do anything to me Storm - its not in your nature….”

“You’re right, its not.” Then, without warning or so much as a word, Sue slapped Artemis right across the face, “That,” Sue whispered coldly, “Is for coming near my family - and woe you if I ever see you again.”

With that Sue left the room., slamming the doors shut as she did so. Artemis stayed seated at her desk, holding her cheek in complete and utter shock… how in the world had that just happened?

x-x-x

Sue, Johnny and the children had somehow made it back to the room where Johnny had first started, they decided that Johnny would fly them down individually to the ground (as he was getting quiet good at flying, actually it was more like levitating, without flaming on). Sue insisted that the two children go first, Johnny however argued that she go down first due to not wanting to leave the two children alone in the street in the middle of the night. Sue finally saw the reason to this and was just putting her arms around Johnny when a crash from the other side of the room caught their attention.

It was Victor.

“Franklin,” Johnny addressed him son as he put Sue back on the ground, “Stay here and protect your sister.”

Franklin nodded, taking his baby sister by the arm he sat down right under the window, a small, barely visible force field surrounding them both.

“Who told you that you could leave?’ Victor sneered, his eyes sweeping from Johnny to Sue, “I was only just starting with you two…”

“Oh I’m sorry, that fact that you were unconscious made it a bit hard to see that,” Johnny glared at Victor, “You know Doom, I’m really getting sick of you going after my family…” Johnny suddenly flamed on - it was so sudden that even Sue was not expecting it, she stepped back so as to not be burnt by the flames, “What do you say - you and me right now - one last time.”

“Johnny!” Sue cried as she realised what Johnny was proposing, “You said yourself we couldn’t beat him with the two of us and now you’re… I am not letting you do this by yourself.”

“And I’m not letting you get hurt,” There was a sudden growl in Johnny’s voice, he then completely ignored Sue’s warning and turned back to face Victor, his eyes blazed with hatred, “what do you say?”

Victor was grinning, “Bring it on flame boy!”

And Johnny did bring it on - he brought it on with so much force and speed that Sue couldn’t really believe her eyes, she knew Johnny’s powers had been growing over the years (as was hers and the others) but she never knew to what extent. Victor was completely out matched, and Sue had a inkling thought that Johnny had only said that they should go was because he was worried about her. He was so over protective sometimes it was frustrating…

Sue (and the kids) watched in awe as Johnny kicked, punched and blasted his way through Victors attacks, it was easy to see that although with every attack Victor seemed to be getting more and more tired Johnny was nowhere near it.

In fact, Sue was sure that Johnny had him, that is, until the large explosion rocked the room, throwing everyone off the feet, it surprised Victor as much as it did everyone else, he got to his feet and glared, “turning to little tricks are we?”

Johnny glared right back, “Like I need…”

He never got to finish his sentence, because another explosion rocked the room, and this time, the whole ceiling caved in, bringing the two stories that were on top of them with it.

“Johnny!” Sue screamed, watching in shock as he was buried with Victor in the rubble, she didn’t get a chance to even think about putting a force field around him - she had instantly put one around her children first….

“Mummy?” Franklin’s eyes were focused on his mother, “Mummy isn’t Daddy back up - why isn’t he coming back?”

Sue’s answer was drowned at by another explosion, this one louder than the first two, the rubble that was burying Johnny and Victor flew into the air - and standing in the middle of the chaos was Victor, Johnny was no where to be found, Sue’s blood suddenly froze…

“Well, well, what do we have here…” Victor sneered, “And no Johnny to save you - what a shame…”

The lightning bolt that Victor threw at Sue was stopped in its track by a large metal beam that had been thrown across the room, “I thought I told you to stay away from my family?”

Johnny was on the other side of the room - how he had managed to get there Sue would have no idea but relief flooded her as she realised that he didn’t look hurt, it was like he had managed to avoid the collapse of the roof…

“Now if I were you Victor,” Johnny was slowly walking towards the very stunned Victor, a murderous look shone in his eyes, “I would turn my attention onto my own troubles…”

Victor scoffed, lightning crackling by his side, “And they would be Storm?”

“The floor your standing on.”

At Johnny’s words the ground underneath Victor collapsed, taking him with it. Actually, the whole room was crumbling into nothing, Sue backed away with her children to the window…

Johnny acted fast, flaming on he flew the length of the room and dropped down beside him family, “Sue, hang on to me - kids, hang on to your mother…”

“Johnny - you can’t possible carry us all down at once,” Sue had to yell to be heard of the explosions that were know happening within minutes of each other…

“We have no other choice, the whole building coming down - he don’t have time!” Johnny yelled in frustration as Sue opened her mouth to protest, “Sue, please…”

Sue nodded, she told Franklin to hold on tightly to her as she put her arms tightly around Johnny, Johnny had Rachel in her arms, the walked to the edge of the window as a group, Sue couldn’t believe they were doing this, “Johnny I…”

Sue’s words were cut from here as the ground they were standing on suddenly collapsed, now they had no choice. Sue closed her eyes as she suddenly felt herself falling…

Next thing she knew Sue was on the ground - her feet safely touching the pavement of the street, they had made it… Opening her eyes Sue saw that Franklin was standing unharmed beside her and Johnny was placing a giggling Rachel on the ground.

Johnny… sweat soaked his forehead and chest, blood was slowly dripping from his nose and the breaths that was able to take were sharp and heavy…

“Oh Johnny!” Without a second thought Sue flung her arms around him, kissing him softly on the neck, “I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t here… you saved you’re family…”

“Just doing my job,” Johnny managed to gasp between heavy breath, “I’m fine Sue - a little rest I’ll be good as new.” He coughed, but still tried to reassure Sue that he would be okay, “I just pushed myself a little to much.. I’m fine…”

“You’re so stubborn…” Sue shook her head, smiling as she did so, “Absolutely amazing, but stubborn…” She kissed him again, this time softly on the lips, “You’re my knight in shinning armour… and I‘m never letting you go.”

-end-

That, was a rather long one shot… Hope it wasn’t to long for any of you, hope you liked this companion fic. Thanks for being so patient for me. Please leave a review with any question or comments! God Bless, Kylie xx