Trying is Half the Battle

McRaider

Summary: Johnny hasn't slept well since the Silver Surfer incident, so he's done everything he can to block out the world, but everything he's done has become self destructive and will come back to haunt him. A car accident is going to force Johnny to deal with everything, including his inability to keep a stable relationship, before it all finishes him off.

Author's Note: This story started out as kind of a "Family Man" meets Fantastic Four, as time went by I wanted more to write the story where it all began, rather than the future story. I will at some point write a prequel to this probably. But for now let's start here.

Medical Note: I'm not by any means a Physical Therapist; that said I've taken extensive Anatomy and Physiology lessons, I'm trained in first aid and CPR and I do have a decent chunk of medical knowledge that's come from working in and around hospitals for the past ten years. However there are certainly things I don't know (for instance the name of every single muscle in the legs and back…I know most but not all) for things such as this as well as medicines and such I referred to , which is a great house of medical information.

Chapter One

Johnny couldn't close his eyes, he stared at the ceiling in hopes that maybe by staring at it long enough it would erase the pain and fear he'd felt for the past several hours. His sister decided to get married tomorrow, a small affair…his sister.

All he saw when he closed his eyes were her cold dead body, lying in Reed's arms. "Don't touch her!" Reed had shouted, he'd recoiled. He couldn't touch his sister, but it was his sister. For all his life Sue had been his life line. Ever since their mother had passed away, and then their father, he'd always turned to Susie. Now he couldn't even touch her in fear of only hurting her further.

And the pain hadn't disappeared just because he'd hugged her. Johnny felt horrible, sick to his stomach at the thought of it all. He still didn't feel right as it was, drained completely after everything he'd been through. His bones ached. Johnny didn't dare tell the others, in fear that they'd want to study him further. He wanted to be alone. He was scared. Johnny Storm didn't admit fear though. He couldn't. Because it meant he was human and at twenty-four, the idea of being human was not something he wanted to come to terms with.

His mind was on other things other than the burning pain in his arms and legs; his mind was on the words everyone seemed to say lately. 'Reckless', 'fool hearty', 'childish'. It wasn't that he hadn't heard those words prior to this point, but seeing his sister killed put a different spin on it, because this was one mission that his foolishness and recklessness could've killed her. And while he hadn't been the cause he couldn't help but feel like it was his fault. He should've taken that spear. He should've been the one who had died. Not his sister.

The more he thought about it the more it hurt. He couldn't seem to accept it was okay, couldn't come to terms with it. He was cold for the first time since the accident on the space station, curling up in his bed he tried not to make any noise and rouse the beast of a man sleeping in the next bed. They were sharing hotel rooms, he didn't understand why they couldn't have sprung for him to have his own room, but despite his protests they all had a hotel room connected to a larger bathroom, kitchenette and living room area. He was stuck with Ben, while Reed and Sue slept in the room across the hall.

He clutched the blanket closer, pulling it tighter around him, surprised as he was suddenly unable to control himself and shivers rode through his body. He was aware that the sheets were growing damp…he was sweating. Fear coursed through his veins, but not for his sister…for him. He managed to stumble from the bed, glancing over at Ben, before exiting to the sitting room. He groaned as the temperature in the room seemed to drop. Reed had been too busy with Sue to even examine him. Frankly, Johnny hadn't wanted him to. He'd felt great, stronger than ever. It had been a rush to have so many abilities. But he'd found shortly after he was more exhausted than ever.

He reached out and flipped the shower on, he watched the steam rise from the shower head, dropping his blanket, and he stepped into the shower under the water and hissed as it burned his freezing skin. He felt his body grow warm again, it was a steady growth, creeping up from his toes past his knees to his waist, into his lungs and chest and finally reaching his head.

Johnny stepped out of the shower nearly twenty minutes later beat red and feeling significantly better. Deciding he was wide awake now, he stepped into the kitchen to look for something to eat. "Little late to be taking a shower isn't it?" A voice startled him from his thoughts.

Johnny looked at Reed with surprise, "Oh…" Johnny pointed back towards the bathroom, "I wasn't tired. What are you doing up?"

Reed chuckled softly as he pushed a cup of coffee towards the younger man, "I'm assuming the same thing as you. I couldn't sleep. Want to talk about it."

"Talk about what?" Johnny lied as he sipped the half empty mug of luke-warm coffee, thankful for the warmth as it crawled down his body.

Mr. Fantastic studied the younger man for a moment before taking a slow deep breath. "Sue is sleeping, no worse for the ware it seems, yet you're standing here and appear to be suffering a little as well. At some point this evening, between looking after Sue, and saving the world, I forgot that there was another important person in this whole situation."

Johnny looked up at his soon to be brother-in-law. "I'm fine," Johnny lied.

"Right, well if you need to talk-"

"Thanks, but I'm fine, really."

Reed nodded and stood up, he glanced back at the younger man, barely out of his teenage years. "Just don't push your sister away okay, she's worried about you-so am I honestly."

"Don't be," Johnny mumbled before he too stood up and made his way to the TV.

Shaking his head, Mr. Fantastic made his way back into the bedroom, his mind solely on Johnny now and how he'd lied about what was obviously bothering him.

Three Days Later
New York

The team had agreed to go out to Johnny's favorite bar for the night, Alicia sat with three of the Fantastic four, chatting about everything that had happened while in Asia, meanwhile Johnny was off chatting up a few young girls.

Sue watched her brother, he hadn't been the same since their return. She was worried about him, and while some probably believed she had no reason to be concerned, she couldn't get her mind off how tired he appeared lately.

His laugh echoed through the room, bursting forth like a gust of wind, hitting and winding its way through everything before it. Johnny Storm was a generally happy man, at twenty-four he had everything going for him, he was a super hero, he was healthy and most of all he was happy. Or at least he considered himself to be happy.

"All I'm saying…is I wish he'd settle down," Sue offered quietly as the remaining four friends sat at the table, watching the only single member of the Fantastic Four, playboy his way through the crowd. "He'd be a fantastic father," she whispered.

Ben looked over at Sue, he had his doubts about Johnny being anything beyond childish for the rest of his life, but he'd never tell Sue that. God forbid you tell the big sister her baby brother was a loser. He gave a gentle squeeze to Alicia as they continued their conversation. "Honey, he'll calm down when he wants to, he's only twenty-four." Reed offered, though he also believed Johnny would never be anything beyond a playboy.

"He does tend to cause a scene no matter where he is," Alicia replied gently.

"See! You're blind and even you notice," Sue whispered, smirking, she smiled as Alicia also chuckled at the comment. "Most guys are at least attempting to have a serious relationship."

"I disagree," stated Reed.

"Speak of the devil," Ben offered as he watched Johnny all but saunter over. He had a broad grin on his face and a woman under each arm. "Okay ladies, I'm going to be going home with these ladies tonight. Don't wait up," He grinned.

Sue shook her head as Ben and Reed rolled their eyes. "We never do anymore," Reed offered smiling.

Johnny grinned, and with a wink to his sister, he turned the two ladies around and headed out of the bar. Sue sighed, throwing up her hands, "See that's what I mean. Does he even know their names? Where is he going?"

"He's not twelve anymore Sue, and you're not his mother."

Sue's face grew sad, "Yeah, mom actually could talk to him."

o0o

Speed was Johnny's favorite thing, as he pressed the gas harder, he felt power course through his veins, excitement. It was a good night, and he'd had a great time with the girls, on his way home he almost didn't want his night to end. Johnny grinned as he flipped his radio on, not paying attention, he blew threw the green light and looked up just in time to see the grill of a Ford pickup truck, crashing it's red light, coming speeding toward him.

Johnny let out a yell of fear as he gripped the steering wheel and attempted to turn his car out of the way, he wasn't sure what happened next, perhaps it was the rain that had been falling lately, he watched in slow motion as the truck slammed into the passenger's side of the car, he looked to his other side in horror as he was thrown across the road and rolled. He cried out in pain as he felt something in his leg snap and pain sear through his back, another moment later he watched as a tree came closer and closer, his head made a sickening crack against the window and a moment later he slipped into oblivion.

"…I need some help over here!" He groaned as he slowly slid his eyes open, just enough to get a brief glimpse, he whimpered as pain tore through his back and lower legs. He blinked a few times, leaning his head back and groaning as he touched his hand to the back of his head and felt hot liquid. Blood.

"Sir, every thing's going to be fine," a voice said through his window, he swiveled his head around to look at the officer now standing at his window. "Can you hear me son?" He officer asked.

He continued to take it all in, the night was lit by blue and red lights, sirens were off in the distance. He groaned as he felt another wave of pain rapidly overtook him and Johnny felt his world slip sideways back into the darkness.

o0o

It was three in the morning: that was Reed's first thought as he leaned over to grab the ringing phone from its cradle. His next thought was who the hell calls at three in the morning. "Hello?" He managed to get out most of the word and sound half intelligent.

"I'm calling for Susan Richards?"

Reed looked at the figure in the bed, before rapidly debating if he should really wake her. "What's this in reference to?" He asked, deciding that if it wasn't important, it was best not to wake her.

"My name is Dr. Kevin Nelson, I work at St. Ann's General Hospital. There's been an accident involving her young brother Jonathan Storm."

Reed felt his stomach roll, he hadn't assumed that Johnny would be coming back tonight, but suddenly his thoughts flew to the young irrational man. "Is everything okay?" He asked almost hesitantly, unsure if he wanted the answer. A million questions and concerns flew into Reed's mind. All unanswered as the Doctor asked again for Susan Richards.

"Sue," Reed shook his wife and handed her the phone, "There's a doctor on the phone named Kevin Nelson…Sue there's been an accident."

Sue went from appearing half away to being fully awake and highly concerned.

"I'm going to go get Ben and Alicia." Reed said gently. "Whatever happened, let them know we'll be there immediately."

Sue watched her husband step out of the bedroom, she took a deep breath and spoke, "This is Susan."

"Hi Susan, my name is Dr Kevin Nelson, I apologize for the lateness of this phone call. There was an accident an hour ago involving your brother Jonathan Storm."

"Is…is he okay?" She asked, trying to keep the edge out of her voice.

There was a deep breath from the other side before the doctor spoke, "I think it would be best if you and your family came in to see him. We're facing surgery and currently you're the only next of kin on your brother's file."

She felt the familiar sting of tears in her eyes, "Is…is my brother going to live?" She questioned.

"It's far too soon to tell Mrs. Richards. I apologize but I'm not one to sugar coat things. Your brother is in very serious condition. I encourage you all to arrive as quickly as possible"

She heard a click on the other end as she let the phone drop to the bed, she looked at it and felt her whole body shaking. She recalled another time when she'd been told of a car accident. She prayed that this time wouldn't be exactly like the last time.

"Sue?" Reed stepped back into the bedroom; Sue vaguely heard Ben and Alicia getting ready in the living room. "Is Johnny…" Reed hesitated to ask the question that was on his mind, though he assume Sue would be completely devastated if Johnny had been killed.

"He's in serious condition at St. Ann's," She whimpered looking up at her husband.

Reed came around to the edge of the bed and pulled her into his arms for a few moments, letting her get her fear out. "He's going to be okay, he's Johnny," Reed murmured as he pressed his lips to her forehead.

Nodding, Sue gave a moment to compose herself before she looked at Reed, "We need to go, the doctor didn't seem sure of anything."

TBC