{Chapter: 35 - He Didn't Break Her, But He Left Cracks}
While Aiden was comfortably resting in his room, completely unburdened of the tense atmosphere brewing just outside, a critical discussion was taking place on the bridge of the Helicarrier. The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from the various screens and monitors, casting a soft glow over the gathered individuals. The air was thick with anticipation and concern, as those present understood the gravity of the situation.
This was not just any meeting; it was one where the fates of many heroes—both known and unknown—hung in the balance. The Helicarrier was the one place where SHIELD's top brass, Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Spiderman, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Nick Fury, Maria Hill, Phil Coulson, Mister Fantastic(Reed Richard), The Thing ( Ben Grimm). Three Avengers, The Fantastic Four, SHIELD were all gathered in a single room, in the middle of the night not to discuss some world-ending catastrophe or an alien invasion, but rather, the man currently sleeping soundly in his room, Aiden Graves.
At the center of the discussion was Nick Fury, who stood at the front of the table, his single eye scanning the room, weighing each of the individuals before him. With a deep breath, he addressed the assembly.
"Now that things have unfolded the way they have, with Aiden having clear evidence that he acted in self-defense, what do you all think?" Fury's voice carried a certain weight, a command that demanded attention from everyone present. His gaze moved across the table, lingering on the various faces: the seasoned Avengers, the formidable members of the Fantastic Four, and his trusted agents, all of whom were involved in this unexpected crisis.
It was clear that tensions were high, and no one was entirely comfortable with what had transpired. Despite their usual calm and collected demeanor, there was a palpable sense of uncertainty in the air.
Susan Storm, the Invisible Woman, was one of the first to speak, her voice barely above a whisper. It was soft, but laden with a mix of guilt, frustration, and something deeper—something she wasn't quite ready to confront. "It's my fault," she murmured, the confession slipping from her lips like a burden she had been carrying for too long. "I… I misunderstood him. I thought one of the Puppet Master's minions was tracking me, so I assumed Aiden was involved."
Her words stumbled to a halt, and she sighed deeply, the weight of her regret dragging her down. She rubbed her temples in a futile attempt to push away the pounding headache that still throbbed in her skull from the alcohol she'd drowned herself in the night before. The haze of the previous night's actions felt all too real now, her decision-making clouded by too much drink and too much pain.
"But if it weren't for me…" she continued, her voice trembling slightly, "Johnny wouldn't have rushed in so recklessly. He wouldn't have gotten hurt." She closed her eyes, willing herself to block out the memory of his fiery temper and the mess it had all spiraled into.
Her gaze dropped to her hands, fidgeting in her lap. Her thoughts swirled in a storm of chaos as she tried to piece together everything that had happened. She could barely remember how much she had spilled to Aiden during their fight—The vulnerable confessions she had made were raw and unfiltered in the heat of the moment, heartbroken and further influenced by alcohol.
The words she had unleashed were like daggers to her own heart now. I hate Reed for ignoring me. For always seeing me as just a girl, not as a person. Just like Doom. The realization made her stomach twist with shame.
Her breath hitched, and she fought back tears, feeling the sting of self-loathing. She had told him more than she ever meant to, to anyone. Had she really admitted how much pain she'd been carrying? How lonely she felt in her own relationship, how much she yearned to be seen and understood, instead of being brushed aside as the girl who only knows how to be invisible in Reed's eyes?
"God," she whispered to herself, her voice shaky with self-recrimination. "What did I do?"
Susan's mind was a jumbled mess of emotions—guilt, regret, anger at herself, and an overwhelming wave of fear. How would he see me now? Her chest tightened at the thought. Would Aiden think she was just some broken woman, too weak to stand on her own? Would he pity her? Or worse, would he think of her like a child, someone who just knew how to complain but never truly took control of her life?
A deep shame flooded her, along with the fear that she had shown Aiden the darkest parts of herself—the parts she had tried so hard to hide. What if he thinks I'm pathetic? she thought, biting her lip to keep from crying. What if he sees me as just another desperate, whiny woman clinging to anyone who will listen?
But what terrified her most was the thought of Aiden distancing himself, seeing her as weak or childish, and then walking away, leaving her in the same lonely place she had been for so long. She could almost hear the words in her mind: "I didn't ask for this. I didn't want to know this much about you."
Her body went cold at the thought, and she wrapped her arms tightly around herself, trying to hold together the fragile pieces of her heart that were threatening to crumble. She wasn't sure how much more of herself she could give away without losing what little self-respect she had left.
What if the man she had just let into her inner world was, in that moment, heartbroken, frustrated, and full of alcohol—couldn't see past her flaws? Couldn't accept the imperfections she had just bared for him? The very things she had buried so deeply, never wanting anyone to see, had now spilled out like a flood, and there was no taking it back.
Her heart ached, heavy with the realization that she might have just destroyed any chance of something she didn't know what, with Aiden, all because of a few careless words and a reckless rush of emotions she had never meant to share.
Johnny, still in the midst of his own inner turmoil, remained silent. His posture was slumped, his head down, staring at his hands as if searching for something he had lost. The loss of his powers weighed heavily on him, and the defeat he felt was compounded by the realization that he had acted without thinking—once again putting himself and others in danger. He was in denial, trying to grasp onto whatever semblance of self-worth he had left, but it was clear that he was struggling.
Nick Fury's expression hardened slightly as he turned his gaze to Johnny. "Johnny?" he asked, his tone flat, but expectant. There was no anger in his voice, only a quiet urgency for the young man to speak his mind.
Johnny didn't respond, his silence speaking volumes. Fury's frustration was palpable, but he had long learned to deal with the complexities of the human psyche. He simply nodded and turned his attention back to the rest of the room.
"I want to speak with Mr. Aiden," Susan declared, her voice calm yet underlined with a quiet, unyielding determination. She wasn't going to break anymore. She had done enough of that. No more waiting. No more hoping. The weight of her own vulnerability was starting to feel like a chain she refused to wear any longer.
Her gaze swept around the room, meeting the eyes of her teammates one by one. Each look she received seemed to carry a silent judgment, but she didn't flinch. Instead, her resolve solidified. The animosity that had festered between them, the misunderstandings, the harsh words—they didn't matter anymore. Not to her.
Something in her had shifted. Despite everything that had happened, despite the doubt and the distance between them, Susan couldn't ignore the gnawing sensation deep in her chest. What had he felt that had made him go down this path?
Her throat tightened as she pushed the thoughts aside, focusing instead on the one thing she could control: the need for answers. She needed to understand. She needed to know if there was even the smallest chance for reconciliation between them, or if everything they had shared was now beyond repair.
The uncertainty made her heart ache, but she wouldn't run from it anymore. She wouldn't let fear dictate her actions like it did before. This time, she would face it head-on.
Reed Richards, Mister Fantastic, immediately shot up from his seat, his brow furrowing in disbelief and frustration. "What… why would you even want to see him after what he did to Johnny?" His voice was sharp, his tone betraying his concern for his team member. He couldn't understand why Susan, of all people, would want to meet with someone who had hurt Johnny so gravely. His scientist's mind struggled to comprehend the emotions swirling around him, and the thought of Aiden—who he viewed as a potential threat—meeting with Susan only fueled his anxiety.
Nick Fury, ever the mediator, shot Reed a look, his expression hardening. "Alright," he said, his voice carrying authority. "Agent Romanoff, escort Miss Susan Storm to Mr. Graves' accommodations."
Natasha Romanoff, standing near the back of the room, nodded curtly and motioned for Susan to follow her. As they moved toward the exit, Reed's frustration was evident. He turned back to the table, muttering under his breath, "This isn't over."
As Natasha led Susan away, Reed turned to Nick Fury with a heavy sigh. "Director Fury, this isn't just about who's right or wrong. Aiden's abilities—his power—are far too dangerous. They pose a serious threat to everyone, even to the heroes he's been working alongside."
Phil Coulson, ever the calm voice of reason, spoke up in defense of Aiden. "First of all, the abilities of each of you present in this room are a potential threat, too. If any one of you loses control, it could cause catastrophic damage to the world. But that's the risk we take. Second, while Aiden's abilities are dangerous, they can also be a great asset. If he uses them for good, they could be exactly what we need to handle threats we can't even comprehend yet." His eyes scanned the room, resting briefly on Steve Rogers before continuing. "So far, Aiden has helped us on high-risk missions. He's not just some rogue agent. He's been useful to SHIELD and our cause, and that's why he's currently a SHIELD consultant."
Reed crossed his arms over his chest, his expression hardening. "And what happens when he loses control? What happens if he decides to go rogue and uses his powers against us?" His voice was full of uncertainty and concern for the future.
Nick Fury's voice cut through the tension in the room like a knife. "Then we deal with it. We can't afford to live in fear of what might happen. This world faces threats from all sides—aliens, gods, and even our own people. Every single person counts, and that's why the Avengers, The Fantastic Four exist." Fury's gaze lingered on Steve for a moment, the weight of his words settling over the room.
Steve Rogers, the ever-watchful Captain America, nodded slowly, his blue eyes unwavering. "You want him to join the Avengers?" he asked, his voice quiet but firm.
Nick Fury's lips twitched slightly, but his expression remained unchanged. "His personality isn't suited for the Avengers. He's too unpredictable, too dangerous. For now, no. But we'll continue to observe him. As long as he's on our side and does the right thing, his abilities can be a great asset. But don't get it twisted—if he crosses the line, we'll be ready."
The room fell silent for a moment, each individual lost in their thoughts. They all understood the stakes. Aiden's powers could either help humanity or its downfall, depending on how they were used. And with a new threat looming on the horizon, the balance of power in the world had never been more fragile.
---
Meanwhile, in his room, Aiden lay asleep, oblivious to the discussions unfolding about him. The mission he had just completed seemed like a distant memory now, replaced by a newfound sense of uncertainty. The weight of what he had done, and what lay ahead, pressed down on him, even in his sleep.
---
Outside the room, Natasha walked silently beside Susan, guiding her toward Aiden's quarters. But with every step, the tension in the air thickened like a storm gathering on the horizon. Susan's heart beat like a war drum in her chest, not from fear of him—but from the fear of herself, of what her words might trigger, of what her presence might mean to him now.
Was she walking toward understanding, or straight into rejection? Would Aiden see her pain for what it was—or only the damage it had caused? Would he turn away from her completely… or had she unknowingly left a fracture in whatever they had as deep as the one she carried?
These questions circled her mind like vultures, relentless and cruel. The uncertainty clawed at her insides. And though her feet carried her forward, her thoughts begged for a sign—some sign—that it wasn't already too late.
And so they continued down the dim corridor, every footstep echoing with the weight of the unspoken. Not just a meeting, but a reckoning. Not just answers, but possibly a farewell.
Not just hope… but the terrifying possibility that hope might no longer be enough.
*****
Author's Note:
I know this might feel a bit sudden for some readers, but this chapter marks an important turning point in Susan's character arc. For those familiar with the Fantastic Four comics, this emotional unraveling shouldn't come as a surprise. Susan Storm has always carried far more beneath the surface—strength, vulnerability, and years of frustration hidden behind her composed exterior.
This isn't just about Aiden. It's about years of being emotionally sidelined—by Reed Richards and even Victor Von Doom. And to be fair, it's not that they're villains in her story—it's their genius that often blinds them to the emotional weight others carry. Their minds live in the realm of science and logic, while Susan, ever the heart of the team, is left to navigate the emotional wreckage in silence.
Don't worry—we'll slowly trace back the steps that led Susan to this moment. Her feelings, her regrets, and the truths she never got to speak... they all matter. And by the end of this, I promise, so will her healing.