Polar Opposites

Chapter 5

*Aspen P.O.V.*

We were back at the Baxter Building and once we were inside I punched Johnny in the gut. "Oww! What was that for," he asked. "That was for back on the bridge, for calling my brother a mascot on live tv," I said angrily. Then the shame crossed his face. When we got on the elevator we were over the weight capacity so Ben took the stairs. "How come Ben can't turn it on and off like we can," Johnny asked. "That's what we're here to find out," Reed answered. I zoned out for a bit thinking until Sue asked Johnny, "you really don't want to walk around on fire for the rest of your life?"

"Is that a trick question," Johnny asked. "Grow up," Sue said and Reed looked at him disappointed. They continued to bicker until I got tired of it. "Guys! Will you both stop arguing. You are both grown adults. Johnny you have to stop nitpicking at Sue. And Sue let Johnny make mistakes if he ruins his life and looses everyone he cares about that's his own fault," I said frustrated. "I'll always have you though," Johnny said. "No Johnny you won't. Not if you keep acting like a teen stuck in an adult body," I said. "What's that supposed to mean," he asked. "It means that you need to grow up," I said as we reached our floor and I walked out of the elevator to my room. Reed later came to my room with Sue. "I hope you ladies don't mind sharing a room," Reed said. "No. I don't mind," I said. Once Reed left the room Sue went to take a shower and borrow my bath robe for afterwards.

When she was transferring her clothes from her bag to her half of the dresser, Victor came over. "Can I speak with Susan alone please," he asked. "Yeah, I have to make a call anyway," I said. I walked out of the room with my laptop to skype with Grace. I called and she answered. "Hey Grace," I said. "Aspen Lela Grimm. You better have a good explanation for not coming back when you said you were," she said. "Momma is that Aunt Aspen," Frankie asked. "Yes dear. But you should really be getting ready for school," Grace said. "Pamela, Tommy, Willow, get down her. Momma's got Aunt Aspen on skype," Frankie yelled. They all gathered and were asking me a bunch of questions. "Why do I hear a bunch of children's voices. I thought we left them outside," Johnny said rudely. "Johnny that's my children you hear," I said. "What! you have children and didn't tell me! Where are they," He said in shock. "Johnny relax. They're my Godchildren and I'm on skype with them," I said. He quickly ran over and looked. "Grace you remember Johnny Storm," I said as he pulled up a chair next to me. "Yes I do. Hi Johnny," Grace said, "I thought you two were not on speaking terms?"

"Well he apologized for his behavior all those years ago and we made up," I said. "S o why haven't you come home," she asked. "Yeah Aunt Aspen why haven't you come home," Pamela asked. "Well something odd happened to our DNA while we were in space. And I'm afraid I won't be able to come back home after today," I said. " What do you mean odd? And what happened today," she asked . "Johnny if you would," I said. He snapped and there was a flame, he snapped again putting it out and snapped again bringing it back. "Woah," the kids said. "So what happened to you," she asked. I made a ball of water as wide as two fingertips and showed them before putting out Johnny's thumb flame with it. "Woah," the kids said again. "Turn the news on to Fox news and you'll see why I can't come back," I said. She sat there watching the news and I guess they showed a clip of me because she turned back to me. "Did you really use the ocean to put out fires Aspen? What else can you do," she asked. "Well I can freeze water into ice or boil it at will. I'm working on straight ice from my hands. It's a work in progress," I said. "So since you won't be coming home, what's going to happen to all of your stuff," she asked. "Kids why don't you go on to school," I said. "Awww. Do we have to," they whined. "Tell you what. You all go to school and then you can call me when you get home later," I bargained. "Yay," they said then left to go to school. "What's going to happen to your stuff," Grace asked again. "I was hoping that you could ship me my clothes and my babies," I said. She was making a list, typical efficient Grace. "Ok. Clothes, Babies. What else," she asked. "Sell my furniture and ship me all of my bed sheet sets. Also ship me my book and puzzle collection, and my book shelf," I said. "Ok. So that's: Clothes, Babies, Bed Sheet Sets, Books, Puzzles, and Book shelf. Anything else," she said. I thought for a moment, "My movies and my Important documents," I said. "That it," she asked. "Yep," I answered, "Thanks again, Grace," I said before we disconnected.

"Where do you plan on putting that stuff," Johnny asked. "There's more spare rooms. I will put my books and puzzles at on my bookshelf in one of the extra spares untilI find somewhere else to keep them," I responded as we stood up. Just then the lights began to flicker as Von Doom was having a one sided yelling match with Reed. It ceased once Von Doom caught sight of Ben coming from the stairwell and quit yelling. I'm not sure what everybody else was thinking but I felt like Victor wasn't completely protected from the storm. He is in denial about the storm's effects on his body.