Title: supernova

Fandom: The Losers movieverse/Fantastic Four movieverse

Disclaimer: not my characters

Warnings: AU for Rise of the Silver Surfer; pre-movie for The Losers

Pairings: none stated

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 350

Point of view: third

The last thing Johnny remembers is flying into Galactus, trying to help the Surfer save the world. He wakes up in the Surfer's arms, gasping for breath, and feels fire swirling in him. He shoves it down, pulling away to vomit all over the dirt.

The Surfer, Norrin, tells him they're in another world. A world that never had a Fantastic Four. A world without Reed, without Ben, without Sue.

He doesn't reply. Every time he goes to speak, his throat closes up. He just lets Norrin pull him to his feet and lead him to the nearest town. He has no wounds beyond complete exhaustion, but his suit is tattered. Norrin supports most of his weight.

Norrin leaves him at the edge of town, collapsed on the ground. "Forgive me," Norrin murmurs, but he doesn't even look up when Norrin goes.

It's only a few moments before a passerby notices him and calls for help.

o0o

Johnny Storm is dead. Johnny Storm died in Galactus' gut, when he fell into another world and left behind his family.

When they ask for his name, he says nothing. When they ask what happened, he closes his eyes. He doesn't speak for almost a year.

o0o

Ethan Jensen is a retired college professor. He's the one who found the young guy collapsed at the edge of town. He stayed with the boy in the hospital and then took him home. He and Elsie are already taking care of their infant granddaughter, and it's not hard to take in another kid.

Since the kid never tells them his name, Elsie decides to call him Jake, after her father. He helps around the house, reads everything he gets his hands on, and does something to Ethan's computer that makes it run three times as fast.

Nine months after he moves in, he finally speaks. He thanks them for letting him stay, for treating him like a son. He promises to start paying his own way now.

Ethan and Elsie assure him he doesn't have to, but a week later, Jake Jensen joins the army.