Reed Richards Should Appear Accepting of Sue's Relationship

"Susan," Dr. Stone said. "You've been getting a lot of massages lately, haven't you?"

"Yes," Sue Storm said, resisting the urge to look at her husband.

"And always the same masseuse?" Dr. Stone said.

"Yes. Her name is Nairobi," Sue said.

"And you told your husband you were getting these massages, yes?" Dr. Stone prompted.

"Yes," Sue said.

The psychiatrist, satisfied, turned her attention to Mister Fantastic.

"Dr. Richards," Dr. Stone said. "How do you feel about Susan Storm's relationship?"

The hero froze. That immense brain turned over the question. When he did answer, it was carefully, each word deliberate.

"I wasn't unhappy when Sue started getting a massage regularly," he said. "I trust her implicitly, and it seemed to do her good. She seemed less stressed, happier, more relaxed. It wasn't as if we couldn't afford the expense, either."

"And you realize that massages are sometimes...intimate?" Dr. Stone put emphasis on that last word. Her glasses flashed slightly as they caught the light.

"Yes. That...didn't upset me," he admitted.

Dr. Stone raised an eyebrow. Sue was surprised to see the look of intense concentration on her face.

"Oh? How did it make you feel, to think another woman might touch your wife like that?" she pressed.

Reed frowned. His hands twisted in his lap, knotting and unknotting.

"I thought it was...kind of hot," he admitted. Mr. Fantastic shot a guilt look at the Invisible Woman, who met his gaze with astonishment.

"It is hot, isn't it Susan?" Dr. Stone turned her attention now to Sue, who shivered a little. Her mouth moved faster than her mind.

"Well, yes. It's been...intense. Erotic," the last word blurted out.

"So you both agree," Dr. Stone spoke, her voice tight. Sue and Reed both noticed how intensely straight Dr. Stone sat, the blonde psychiatrist's spine rigid, extremely focused on them both. "But let's talk about that word. Erotic. Susan has been feeling sexually unsatisified lately. What about you, Dr. Richards?"

Reed blinked slowly. Taken aback at this turn.

"I, um, I have...well, I guess I've been...busy," his shoulders hunched. "In truth, I haven't been...I mean, I've never had a strong sex drive, and I thought since we were done having children, that..."

"But you never asked Susan about her needs, did you?" Dr. Stone said, and a drop of blood oozed at her nostril. Automatically, she brought a handkerchief up to hide the nosebleed.

"No, I didn't," Reed said.

"You do now," Dr. Stone said. "The question is, what are the two of you going to do about it?"

Sue Storm and Reed Richards looked at each other. Really looked at each other. Dr. Stone had been doing most of the talking, yet the words she spoke seemed to echo their own thoughts. They saw the bars of the cage they had made for themselves. How neither was happy, as much as they thought they had been.

"I may have a solution," Dr. Stone said. "Some couples, when they realize that they aren't meeting each other's needs, agree to...loosen the strict bonds of monogamy. They stay together. Stay married. Stay faithful in their hearts. But for physical needs...physical pleasures...they allow their partners to look outside their marriage bed. With agreed-upon rules, limitations, full knowledge."

The two heroes took a breath.

"You're talking about an open marriage," Sue said.

"Yes. As an experiment. If you both agree," Dr. Stone replied.

Reed seemed to relax a little. "An experiment. What would the parameters be?"

"Hypothesis: That the two of you will experience greater sexual satisfaction from other people. You will be open and honest about your sexual partners with your spouse, and observe safe sex with any partners outside the marriage. Term: Let's say six months. We can continue to meet here on a monthly basis, to assess how you both feel about it. Doesn't that sound reasonable?" Dr. Stone put an emphasis on the last word, staring intently at Reed.

To Sue's surprise, her husband said. "Reasonable."

Then Dr. Stone turned her gaze on Sue. Immediately, the Invisible Woman shivered, the light from the window reflected on her glasses was almost blinding.

"If Reed is okay with it...then yes, I guess...I guess we could try it," Sue said at last.

Dr. Stone visibly relaxed. She sank back into the chair, and lowered her bloody handkerchief.

"Good. I'm glad we could come to such a mutual resolution. Sorry if that was a bit intense, but I really do think we've made a breakthrough here today. We'll meet here again for a joint session in one month."