Spider-Man: Fear Itself

Chapter 3

Susan Storm entered the Baxter Building quietly, the familiar hum of the advanced technology and the glow of the city outside doing little to lift her spirits. She felt emotionally drained, her mind still reeling from the conversation she'd had with Peter. The moment she stepped into the living quarters, she saw Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm lounging around, both engaged in some half-hearted conversation about their latest adventures. Franklin and Valeria were nearby, working on a small science project—probably something Valeria had concocted to keep them entertained.

Johnny noticed her first. His playful expression faded as he took in her face, the tension in her shoulders. "Sue? You okay?"

Ben, ever observant despite his rough demeanor, turned to look at her, his gravelly voice laced with concern. "Somethin' happen? You look like ya got the weight of the world on ya."

Susan sighed, rubbing her temples. "I went to see Peter."

The room went still at the mention of Peter's name. Johnny straightened up, his brow furrowing. "You what? You saw him? How is he?"

Ben's usual carefree expression turned more serious. Even though Ben wasn't known for being emotionally sensitive, he wasn't blind. He, too, had noticed how distant Peter had become. "Yeah... we haven't seen him in a while. He's been, uh, kinda quiet lately."

At this, Franklin and Valeria perked up. Valeria was the first to speak, her voice excited. "Uncle Peter? When's he coming to see us? I've got some new inventions I wanted to show him."

Franklin nodded eagerly. "Yeah, we haven't seen him in forever. Did he say when he'd visit?"

Susan felt her heart clench at their words. She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again, trying to steady her voice. "Peter... Peter isn't coming anytime soon."

The kids' faces fell instantly. Franklin looked crushed, and Valeria frowned in confusion. "Why not?" Valeria asked. "He always comes when we call."

Johnny, still frowning, stepped closer to her. "Sue, what's going on? Why wouldn't he come by? I mean, we know he's been pulling back, but... what happened?"

Taking a deep breath, Susan sat down on the edge of the couch, facing them. "Peter feels like... we've only been treating him as a backup. Like he's just here to fill in for us when someone's missing, or when Reed's too busy."

The shock in the room was immediate. Johnny blinked, stunned, as though the words didn't quite register. "A backup? What... no, that's not—what are you talking about?"

Ben looked equally confused, glancing between Susan and Johnny. "Hold up—Petey thinks that? He's family! He ain't no substitute."

Susan shook her head, her voice heavy with regret. "He doesn't feel that way anymore, Johnny. He said he's tired of being the stand-in. For you, for Reed... for all of us."

Valeria looked bewildered. "But he's not a stand-in. He's our uncle! He is family!"

Franklin's face scrunched up, his young mind trying to make sense of the situation. "He's... he's always there for us. He's like... like our dad sometimes when Dad's busy. Why would he think we don't need him?"

The room was quiet, the weight of Peter's words hanging heavily in the air. Johnny stood there, a growing ache building in his chest. He had always thought of Peter as his best friend, his partner in crime, the one who always had his back. Sure, Peter had filled in for him before, especially when Johnny was off on some adventure or when the Fantastic Four was too tied up with something else—but he'd never thought Peter resented that.