Quiet Mutual Divorce, Fake Messy Public Divorce

"Class," Ororo Munroe, better known as Storm, said: "I'd like you to welcome our latest students to the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters: Franklin and Valeria Richards."

The two children stood in front of the class. Their new classmates looked at them. Some of them were green, or pink. One appeared to be a gelatinous blob in which a nervous system floated. Another had bird-like wings.

It was going to be an adjustment for them all.

"Mommy, when are we coming home?" Valeria said through the video call. She and Franklin huddled in front of the communications terminal in Xavier's school.

Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman, felt her heart break a little. She knew this would be the hard part.

"I'm afraid you're going to be there all semester, sweetheart," Sue said. "Your father and I know this is hard on you, but our enemies are going to take advantage of this divorce. We need you somewhere you'll be safe. Don't worry, you'll make friends. And maybe by Christmas—"

"Are we going to live with you or dad?" Franklin broke in.

Sue sighed. He was the older one, the most emotional.

"We agreed on joint custody," Sue said. "You'll stay with me for a while, and then your father. We need to work around our schedules, but we'll all be a family for holidays. I promise."

The Invisible Woman did not make such promises lightly.

After the children signed off, Sue went to a different, more heavily encrypted terminal, and called her soon-to-be-ex husband.

Reed appeared after a moment. Unshaven, for days. Perhaps he was growing out a beard. He smiled, instinctively, though there was pain there. A part of him, she realized, had prepared for their divorce for long years. When she told him about Karla, he had nodded as if the last variable had been defined in an equation. She had been relieved when he was more concerned about how it affected the children and the team. Their marriage was effectively over, but they were still friends. They would always be friends.

"They're settling in," Sue said. "How's our little project going?"

"The media is having a field day," Reed said dryly. "Captain America's speech was perfect. Jen and Matt are making it look good, although we've already signed the papers for the division of assets, so the hearing will really just be a formality."

He paused, as if he wanted to say something else.

"I'm glad you found someone," he said finally. "I'm glad you're happy."

"Reed—" Sue said. "You should put yourself out there. When you're ready. I know this is all hard for the kids to understand, but neither of us has to be alone forever. You can find someone else."

Reed gave that sad smile again.

"When I'm ready," he said. "I promise."

As he clicked off, Karla came out of the shower. She was wet. Naked. Her hands found her lover's shoulders, and she began to massage, gently.

"Once the divorce goes through, Doom will strike," Karla said. Once, she was Moonstone. Now she was Meteorite. Different names. She wondered if that made her a different person. A better person. If playing the hero could make her one. It hadn't been enough, with the Thunderbolts, but she felt that maybe now, with Sue by her side...

"And when he does," Sue said, leaning back against her lover's stomach. "So will we."