Polar Opposites

Chapter 3

*Aspen P.O.V.*

    When I woke up I was in some sort of hospital room there was a pressure on my hand and I looked over to see a sleeping Johnny holding my hand. "Where am I," I said waking Johnny up. "You're back on Earth. We're in quarantine Victor's medical facility in the Alps," Johnny answered. 'I thought I lost you, and you look absolutely gorgeous right now,' he said flirtatiously and echoing. "Oh my. We just got back to being friends and you're already hitting on me," I said out loud. "Oh gosh. We can hear other's thoughts," he yelled. "Johnny quiet down," I said, "How long was I out?"

   "A few days," Johnny said. "How's everyone else," I asked. "They are fine, you were the last one to wake up," Johnny stated. I stood up from my bed to get back to life. "What day is it," I asked. "It's Monday," Johnny said. "I need to make a call," I said walking over to the phone. "Not that I'm totally against the look, but don't you think you should change out of your hospital gown first," Johnny said helping me stand up. I looked down to see that I was indeed still in a hospital gown. "Get out so I can change," I said shoving him out of my room. I changed into the provided Von Doom t-shirt and sweat pants. I made a call to my boss and told him that I wasn't going to be able to make it back to work by tomorrow. When I stepped out of my room I saw that Johnny was nowhere to be found. Typical Johnny.

    Eventually I ran into a nurse, "Excuse me," I said. "Yes dear," she said. "Can you tell me where I can find Ben Grimm," I asked. The nurse directed me to where Ben is at. "Hey guys," I said as I walked up behind Ben and Reed. "Hey Aspen. How are you feeling," Reed asked. "Crisp," I responded. Both Reed and Ben were confused by my response. I was confused as well. They when back to their conversation about having the right woman in their life. I zoned out until I heard Ben have an outburst. "I'm not talking about Debbie," Ben said motioning towards Sue down below. "What? Come on. She's got a good thing with Victor. He's smart, he's powerful, he's successful-" Reed rambled. "Maybe you should date him then," Ben interrupted. I chuckled a little. "She ended up with the right guy. Things worked out for the best," Reed said then walked away. "They are so oblivious," I said to Ben. Ben and I planned together to get Sue and Reed together. I had time before we would meet for lunch so I went back to my room for a few more tests. As I was walking to my room a passed by Johnny's room where he was flirting with the nurse. My anger began to boil over then I saw a plant in a vase of water moving more specifically, shake. Then the water began to fly up out of the vase and it shot towards the nurse.

   What was happening. Suddenly the water turned to ice. "Look out," I shouted to the nurse. As soon as the nurse turned around the ice lost momentum and fell to the ground and shattered. We all looked shocked and she continued to take Johnny's temperature and I walked away quickly. When I heard Johnny heading out I looked up and the same nurse that was with Johnny came and did my tests. She took my temperature and she said, "Oh wow. Your friend's temperature rose and yours is dropping."

    "What do you mean," I asked. "I mean your temperature is in the negatives but you don't feel cold," she said. "I feel fine," I said. "All your vitals are in excellent condition," she said. "Ok so am good to have dinner with my brother," I asked. "You have no vital complications so I guess you are good," she said.

    I walked with Ben to meet with Reed and Sue, "Hey Ben something happened earlier," I said. "What happened? Did Johnny do something to you," he asked concerned. "No but I did get mad and water came out of a vase, without falling over, and turned into ice," I explained. "That's weird," he said. Before we could talk any more about it, Reed and Sue both showed up. We hung out and chatted for a bit until Ben's stomach started rolling. Ben went to go lie down and there was an awkward silence. "I think I'd better go too.  I'm gonna go take bath to relax and destress," I said. When I got to my room my body began to ache so I ran a warm bath. As soon as my skin touched the water the aching pain went away. As I laid there I closed my eyes and imagined the water as little individual beads that were surrounding me, when I opened my eyes that's exactly what I saw and I screamed. "Aspen are you ok," Johnny yelled while banging on my bathroom door because I locked it. I climbed out of the tub my hair soaking wet and wrapped a towel around me. "No Johnny I'm not ok," I yelled and opened the door to find Johnny with no clothes on, with only a pink jacket covering himself. "Great modesty Johnny," I said. "You aren't looking very modest yourself, gorgeous," I looked down to see that the towels here are the short hotel towels. "Where are Reed and Susan," he asked me. "In the dining hall," I said, he grabbed my hand and dragged me to the dining hall.

    "Johnny what's going on? And what happened to your clothes," I asked. "I'll explain in a minute," he said as we reached the dining hall. "Guys you're never going to believe what just happened to us," Johnny said. As we walked through the halls to Ben's room I told my bath story. "That may have just been you imagination, Aspen," Reed patronized me. "Oh really," I said as I stopped walking. They turned around to see why I stopped. I concentrated, my only thoughts were picturing the water in my hair to be drawn out and gather in a ball in my hand and then turn to ice. "What do you have to say about that," I said pointing towards the ball of ice in the palm of my hand. "What about you Johnny," Sue said as we continued walking. He didn't hear her because he was too mesmerized by my ice ball. "Here take it," I said. As soon as it went from my hand to his it instantly melted and Johnny went to consistently snapping his fingers. "Woah guys," he said from behind us. We turned and he wobbled up to us with a flame over his thumb. He snapped and it went out, he snapped again and the flame returned, and then he put it out again. "Now picture that, but everywhere," he said gesturing to his body. When Reed finally admitted the truth of the matter Johnny laughed in his face.

    We reached Ben's room and his door was locked and something was happening to him inside. While Sue was trying to guess the code Reed did something unimaginable. He flattened his hand and arm to fit under the door and stretch, to manually unlock it. "That's gross," Johnny said. "But it worked, didn't it," I said. We ran into the room and Ben was gone and there was a gigantic hole in the wall. "Reed," I said nervously. "Hey guys those trees are moving and there is no wind," Johnny said from the hole. "That's gotta be Ben," I said running over. Don't worry Aspen. We'll find him," Reed said putting his arm around my shoulder assuringly.