017. reservations

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN, reservations!

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"𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆. 𝐖𝐄, the people of earth, prepare for what could be our final moments. The hours ahead may feel long. But we must use them to support each other and we must hope. Dare to hope."

Lacie had pulled a plush chair from the living room out on the balcony, her knees tucked into her chest and her chin resting on them. She watched down at Times Square where the broadcast was aired, the hopeful words sending a chill down her spine.

"Use the time wisely to be with the ones you cherish."

Huh, ironic. Lacie sat in the exact place her and Johnny had been in the night before, moments before the simpler times expired.

Lacie's eyes trained on the people rushing into the shuttles, hands holding and their lives left behind as they headed towards the underpart. Her heart stuttered as she watched the loved ones pull each other close, their foreheads resting against each other and tears streaming down their faces, whispering promises to see each other on the other side.

Lacie's fingers delicately traced the edge of the chair and she pried her eyes away from the families below, her people watching wouldn't help her save the world.

"I leave you tonight with these words: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, this is the only thing that ever has."

The broadcast shut down and the city fell into a blackout, the only light being Galactus' ship slowly approaching in the horizon. He couldn't allow Lacie one damn minute to grieve her friendship, or life soon.

"What are you doing out here?" Lacie heard a soft voice echo from the balcony's doorway and turned to see Sue standing there with Franklin perched on her hip.

Lacie offered her a soft smile and pulled her knees away from her chest, sitting up straight, "I'm just taking it all in." She mumbled and looked back out at the city.

Sue walked towards her and bounced Franklin as he babbled in her hold, "This one's in for a little adventure tomorrow. Aren't you?" She coddled her son and tapped him on the nose.

Lacie stood up from her seat and grinned at Franklin's hands reaching out to fist her shirt, "I'm not letting him out of my sight tomorrow." Sue handed Franklin over to Lacie as she pressed a soft kiss against his forehead, heart warming as he giggled in response.

Sue let out a deep breath and sat herself down in Lacie's chair, letting her body relax for the first time since Franklin woke up, "Shouldn't you be with Johnny right now?" She asked and nodded towards where the broadcast previously was.

Lacie's movements halted and she cleared her throat, "We're not, uhh..." She sighed and stroked Franklin's cheek, avoiding eye contact with Sue, "We're not exactly talking right now."

Sue shuffled in her seat, shocked to say the least. She rubbed her hands up and down her thighs, "Oh, I'm sorry." Lacie shook her head as a silent reassurance that she was alright, when actually she was far from it.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Sue leaned forwards and placed her hand on Lacie's back. Her muscles tensed under her touch and she busied herself with fiddling with Franklin's shirt.

"It's nothing to worry about. We've got more important things happening." Lacie's voice was stoic, almost like it was rehearsed and so far from what she'd normally respond with.

Sue tutted, "You and Johnny care about each other so much--" "I'm not letting my personal feelings compromise this mission." Lacie cut her off, knowing that the words would show her the reality of their situationship, and that was the last thing she wanted to hear right now.

"Don't talk about yourself like this." Sue sighed, "You're allowed to feel things, Lacie. You don't have to do the whole tough superhero facade with us."

Sue's words resonated with Lacie and she felt her skin burn at the reminder of her and Johnny's conversation. She would have to rip the bandaid off eventually and tell people the reason why they weren't on speaking terms, so she bit the bullet and confessed now."Johnny suggested that I go with the civilians," Lacie nodded to the people walking below, "And I got defensive. I refused and things got ugly." Her voice was barely above a whisper and Sue stood up, her shoulder brushing Lacie's and her hand holding Franklin's little ones.

"Did you mean everything you said?" Sue asked, her voice soft and not forcing, informing Lacie that she could speak in her own time.

Lacie nodded, "I meant it when I said I was staying up here," She swallowed, her eyes twitching with unshed tears, "I didn't mean it when I basically said it was over between us."

Sue closed her eyes and looked at her feet, her heart lurching for both her brother and her friend, the two most stubborn people she knew. And yet, they were so perfect for each other.

"I doubt Johnny thinks it's over." Sue answered honestly, convinced that the Johnny she knew, the one who had written an entire list on how to become Lacie's boyfriend, wouldn't give up this easily.

Lacie shook her head immediately, "I fucked it all up, Sue." Her voice crackled and her breath shuddered as she spoke. Franklin reached up to poke at Lacie's cheeks, wondering why his aunt was starting to cry.

"You didn't fuck anything up, Lace. You're both very emotional right, and who isn't?" Sue nudged her, "You had different ideas on how to protect each other, that's it. He cares about you so deeply, Lacie."

Lacie glanced at Sue to see any signs of fault, if she was lying to make her pitiful heart feel better. But Sue's face expressed pure honesty.

Lacie wasn't sure how to respond. She had experienced the heartbreak of her life the day before and now she's relearning of Johnny's feelings for her, or did they ever truly go away?

Sue scooped Franklin out of Lacie's arms, "Just promise me that you'll talk to him after all this?" She waved her free hand around, gesturing to the city that stood still, "Neither of you were wrong, you're both just looking to blame the other."

Frostbite huffed out a laugh and pointed to her scrunched up face, "I'm that easy to read, huh?" Sue smiled and patted Lacie on the shoulder, "I just know you well and Johnny's... Johnny."

Lacie forced a smile and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Go get ready. We'll be heading down soon." Sue grabbed Lacie's upper arm and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, letting Franklin smile toothlessly at the woman and struggle in Sue's hold as he wanted to reach his aunt.

Sue walked back into the Baxter Building and Lacie could hear her shushing Franklin as his whines got louder, taking him into her bedroom with Reed so they could spend the last few hours with their son; the privacy is what they deserved.

Lacie inhaled the fresh air one more time before turning on her heel and entering the building, making a bee-line for her bedroom. She slammed the door shut behind her and saw her suit folded neatly on her bed, a sticky note attached to it saying, 'Ready when you are! - Ben :)'.

She smiled at the note and plucked it off the suit, sliding it into her drawer of little trinkets that had a special place in her heart.

The suit stared at her. The blinding blue and white scorned her eyes, the pure heroism mocking her repressed rationality and reality of the situation she was handed with. Lacie knew it was dangerous, because who the hell didn't?

But Lacie March was a part of the Fantastic Five. The group that the city looked up to for protection and Lacie tried her damned hardest to fulfil their requests, even if it meant putting her life on the line.

The tendency to put others before yourself was a sickening one; once you obtain it, it is difficult to stop. Hence why Lacie's life felt like a backup option when it came to her and what happens after she puts the suit on.

Lacie tugged the material on, the fit perfect as it always had been. But this time it felt suffocating, it felt like a weight of responsibility and unknown. Lacie convinced herself that the sleeves were cutting off her circulation to some extent, and the shoes were one size too big.

But maybe that was her way of trying to deflect, to admit that she wasn't ready for this and that Johnny was right.

Her hands ran through her hair and tied it onto a ponytail, flicking away the stray hairs that fell onto her forehead. She looked at herself in the mirror one more time before the exit called her name. Her skin was paler than usual and her lips were subtly tinted blue from the lack of heat her body was producing due to nerves.

Lacie sighed at herself and took a long swig of the water that sat on her desk, moisturising her dry throat and letting her body regulate itself.

"Okay, okay..." Lacie mumbled under her breath, psyching herself up as she rolled her shoulders and releasing the tension that built.

She exhaled slowly out of her nose and nodded at herself, "For Franklin." She reminded herself and placed the water back on the desk.

Lacie walked towards her door and turned back to face her room one more time, eyes glancing over at the unmade bed that willed her to return into it; which she will, soon. Lacie would make sure of that.

Lacie's grip on the doorknob tightened as she could just make out the indent Johnny's figure had left in her sheet a couple days before. Where the pillow dipped under the weight of his head, and where the bedding had curved into the shape of him lying on his back with his arm slung over Lacie's waist.

The woman cleared her throat and shook her head of the memories, the simpler times before they opened their mouths.

Lacie turned and closed the door slowly behind her, leaving her heart locked away, still tangled in the sheets that stood still in time. The times she wished she took for granted, the ones she wished she could still salvage after all of this was over.

Her footsteps were heavy under the marble flooring in the Baxter Building as she approached the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor, the doors shutting and leaving Lacie's sanity on the other side to tend for itself.

A small elevator trip had never felt so long in Lacie's entire life, it was mocking really. It felt like a cruel joke that the universe played on her; as if she didn't have enough on her plate, being targeted for death, you know?

The elevator doors opened and revealed the Fantastic Five on the other side, Franklin being rocked in Sue's arms and the carrier in Reeds. Ben was picking at the rocks in between his fingers and Johnny...

Johnny couldn't stand still. He was rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet and his fingers were wearing into his suit, the probability of him burning it to shreds immediately was pretty high.

His head snapped up at the familiar ping of the elevator and watched Lacie's figure emerge. Johnny was sure his heart stopped right then and there.

Lacie was a symbol of beauty in his eyes, she could wear the most atrocious thing ever and he was still fawning, saying that it was meant for her. Every single thing about her was perfect for him; the way she held herself, the way she made him stutter every damn day just because she walked into the room, and the way she was single handedly the most unselfish person in the world.

Johnny would contradict his emotions and say he didn't deserve her, but no one does; no one that perfect should settle for anything less. But in Lacie's eyes, Johnny was the one thing that brightened the dull life of living in expectations.

Lacie March was Johnny Storm's life, and he was adamant that he'd never lose it.

Franklin babbled in Sue's hold and Lacie took slow steps towards him, avoiding prolonged eye contact with everyone else minus the polite smile. Her hands engulfed Franklin's small ones and she scrunched up her nose which elicited a loud laugh from the boy, protecting him from the reality of what was about to happen.

"Let's go." Sue swallowed her nerves and encouraged the Fantastic Five outside and en route to Times Square.

The chill air nipped at their faces as they wandered to the centre, silence falling between the group as no one wanted to be the first to remind everyone of their fate and the complete unknown of the former.

Reed and Sue took the lead and kneeled down in the middle of the triangle. Reed placed the carrier down and Sue held their child, their hands delicately placing Franklin into safety.

A sigh escaped Reed's mouth as Franklin's limb began to flail, jutting his wrist out for Sue to do the honours and shut the carrier on Franklin. Sue looked at her husband and pressed the watch, the carrier hissing as the glasses covered their son's clueless face.

The pair rose holding hands and nodded for Lacie to join them. She took slow steps and approached the pair, feeling Reed and Sue's concerned eyes wandering her face.

"Do you want to go over the plan one more time?" Reed cleared his throat, wanting to do anything in his power to make Lacie feel safe and comfortable before the world was on the brink of ending.

Lacie offered them a soft smile and shook her head, "That's alright. I've got this covered." She winked half-heartedly and breathed out a laugh, Reed and Sue reciprocating it but it didn't meet their eyes.

They nodded understandingly and brushed past Lacie who now had her back to the group, crouching down to press the tips of her fingers against the glass as Franklin's little hands bashed against its restraints.

Everyone's watch beeped and a blaring alert sign screamed at them, "Positions." Reed muttered and the group dispersed.

"Lacie!" Frostbite heard from behind her and she turned her head to see Johnny rooted to the spot.

Lacie furrowed her brows as he should have been long gone by now, turned into a body of flames and flying high and into hiding.

"Can we talk? After, you know..." Johnny's voice cracked as his fingers twitched as his sides.

Lacie nodded and a smile curled at the corners of her lips, "We'll talk, Johnny."

A genuine smile spread across Johnny's face as his cheeks burned more than his body could muster up when he was actually on fire, "See you in a minute." He winked and Lacie could hear him shout, 'Flame on!' as his figure disappeared into the sky.

Lacie turned back to a babbling Franklin, "In a minute..." She whispered to herself and that was the exact moment that Lacie decided: Every damn version of her was surviving in this situation, there was no way she was gonna give up and die to the hands of Galactus.

She had reserved a conversation with Johnny afterwards, and she would make sure she wouldn't stand him up.

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authors note!

first of all... TAYLOR AND TRAVIS ENGAGED SHUT UP

sorry i've had no one to speak about this with

anyway we need a ship name for johnny and lacie i don't know why it's taken me this long

THIS BOOKS ENDING SOON WHAT IF I BAWLED

this chapter was kind of a filler before the whole galactus eating the world shenanigans so it's all happening next chapter, let's brace ourselves...

and i'll love u and leave u all with wondering if u got that last reference... maybe it's best if we ignore that one...