Reed Was Thinking About Mary Jane Watson

Mister Fantastic looked like he wanted to shrink inside his suit. The Invisible Woman brought her hand to her mouth, tears suddenly in her eyes at this confession.

"I...sometimes, when we're together...I imagine Peter having sex with Mary Jane Watson. I...I sort of pictured her, at the moment. What she would say. And Peter's name slipped out," he said. The leader of the Fantastic Four squirmed uncomfortably, as if he had confessed to unnatural relations with a toaster.

"You...you mean you're not gay!?" Sue said.

"No!" Reed said emphatically. "Not that there's anything wrong with that!"

"Nothing at all," Dr. Stone said. "In fact, I think this is healthy."

Sue and Reed turned to look at the psychiatrist with disbelief.

"Many individuals fantasize about someone else while making love," Dr. Stone said. "It's perfectly normal. The brain, after all, is the largest erogenous zone."

Reed frowned. "The brain does not actually have sensory nerves like—"

"It's a metaphor," Dr. Stone said, cutting him off. "The erotic imagination is an important part of sexual wellness. Your sexual fantasies are a critical part of arousal. Obviously, that is a part of your sex life that you two need to work on."

There was an uncomfortable moment of silence. Sue and Reed glanced at each other. By unspoken consent, she took the lead.

"How?"

"I was thinking you too could start small. A date night. Set aside some time for making love. No distractions. And perhaps Sue could wear a red wig, or dye her hair."

The married couple blinked.

"You...want me to pretend to be Mary Jane Watson?" Sue said, to make sure she understood Dr. Stone.

"Yes. For your husband. Perhaps you two could even look at some pictures of her. Together. To get in the mood," Dr. Stone said. "I'd like you to at least attempt normal coitus with this bit of roleplay."

Reed sucked in air. His chest inflated cartoonishly, and then he let it out. "I...my physiological problems..."

"...may be psychological. All in your head, Doctor Richards," Dr. Stone said. "Think of this as an important experiment. We want to see if your wife still turns you on. Or, failing that, if the thought of having sex with Mary Jane Watson turns you on."

"But what if he...what if he can't get it up?" Sue Storm asked.

"What if he can?" Dr. Stone said. "Don't you think your marriage is worth a few sacrifices?"

Outwardly, Dr. Stone gave no indication of triumph as Reed and Sue numbly nodded to her idea. At this point, she didn't even need to use her powers. The pair of them were eating out of the palm of her hand. With any luck, their marriage was as good as over. They just didn't know it yet.