Spider-Man: Fear Itself

Chapter 6

The Baxter Building's main meeting room was filled with an unusual tension. Susan sat at the head of the table, her hands folded in front of her, trying to steady her breath. Johnny was leaning back in his chair, arms crossed, looking as restless as ever. Ben stood by the door, his rocky brow furrowed as he watched the room, concerned. And, for once, Reed Richards—the ever-absent genius—was actually sitting with them, his tablet in hand, seemingly distracted by some calculations on the side.

The kids, Franklin and Valeria, sat at the far end of the table, quietly playing with a small model of one of Valeria's inventions. Susan glanced at them, her heart aching. She could already feel the weight of the conversation that was about to unfold.

She cleared her throat, catching Reed's attention. "Reed, we need to talk about something serious."

Reed barely looked up from his tablet. "Of course, Susan. Is this about the anomaly in the Negative Zone? I'm sure we can calibrate the—"

"No, Reed. This is about us. About the family." Her voice was steady but sharp, cutting through the scientific jargon that Reed always used as a shield.

Reed blinked, finally putting his tablet down. He looked around, as if seeing the room for the first time. "What's wrong?"

Susan took a deep breath. "You've been absent, Reed. More than ever. You're always in the lab, always working on some new project or dealing with some crisis. The kids barely see you. We barely see you."

Reed frowned, seemingly confused. "But I'm here now, aren't I? I've been keeping up with my work, and the kids are fine. They get plenty of attention from you, Johnny, Ben, and... Peter."

At the mention of Peter's name, the room seemed to tense even more. Susan's hands clenched, her knuckles turning white. "That's exactly the problem, Reed. You're not parenting them. You're just... assuming that because we're all here, it's enough."

Reed tilted his head, as though trying to solve an equation. "I don't understand. The kids are doing fine, aren't they? They have everything they need. You're with them all the time, and Peter has always been more than willing to help with Franklin and Valeria."

Susan's breath caught at his words. Peter has always been more than willing to help. The realization struck her like a lightning bolt, and she saw it clearly for the first time: Peter was the one taking care of the kids. Reed saw him as the solution to his absence, as if Peter was filling the role Reed had chosen to ignore.

"Reed," she said slowly, trying to keep her voice from shaking, "do you even realize what you're saying? You're saying that Peter's the one parenting our children. That he's the one who's there for them."

Reed raised an eyebrow. "Well, isn't that what we agreed to? Peter's always been good with the kids. He's a responsible figure in their lives."

Susan shook her head, the ache in her chest deepening. "No, Reed. You don't understand. He's not just a 'responsible figure.' Peter is the father figure to Franklin and Valeria. He's the one who helps them with their problems. He's the one who teaches them. He's the one who plays with them and listens to them."

She glanced at Franklin and Valeria, who were still sitting quietly, unaware of the storm brewing in the room. Susan's mind flashed back to memories of Peter with the kids. His easy smile as he helped Franklin build a model rocket. His patient, encouraging tone when Valeria asked him questions about her latest experiment. His arms wrapping around them in a hug whenever they needed comfort.

Peter was the one who dropped everything for them. He was the one who made them feel seen, heard, and loved.

Reed, on the other hand, sat in the lab, absorbed in his work. He rarely had time for them, and when he did, it was always brief, distracted, and impersonal.