The New Sue Storm Is Scared

It only took a few moments for Susan Storm's doppelganger to stir. Her blue eyes fluttered, stared without comprehension. Then, recognition. Panic.

She blinked out. Instantly invisible. Sue Storm blinked, but her ears heard the scuff of feet. If her other self had all of her powers, and was scared—she was incredibly dangerous. Could kill them all within seconds.

"Everyone get back!" Sue announced, and threw her arms wide. Invisible barriers pushed back Reed as it closed off a corner of the roof. The Invisible Woman wasn't sure her other self was in there, but if she was...

"It's okay," Sue had her hands raised. "We're not going to hurt you. Nobody's going to try and find you."

She spoke into the empty air. The words that she herself would like to hear.

No one except the Invisible Woman herself would know what courage it took to stand there, out in the open. A single invisible dagger through the heart. An invisible bubble in her brain. There were so many ways for her to kill. Not that she ever would. What she bet on was that her other self was enough like her that she wouldn't do that.

Moments ticked by. Sue's heart hammered in her chest. Reed cautiously walked up behind her.

"Sue, darling, I think—"

A form shimmered, not a few feet in front of them. Those blue eyes, dark bags underneath there. Worry and fear writ large on her face.

"Reed? Reed is that—"

Tears dripped down the other Sue's face. As her doppelganger began to sob, Sue Storm felt her own heart break.

"No. You're dead. You're all dead. You're all—" Her body convulsed and she wobbled, near physical collapse. She looked as if she hadn't eaten or slept in days. "—maybe I'm dead too."

Sue Storm dropped her **** field and stepped forward. Her arms cradled her other self. Felt the chill of that body, so familiar and strange at the same time.

"It's okay," Sue said. "You're not dead. You're safe. Nobody's going to hurt you. You can cry it out."

Her other self pressed her face against Sue's shoulder. Behind his wife, Reed Richards frowned, not sure what to make of the sight of his wife comforting another woman who looked exactly like her. Sue let her hand pet the long golden hair, so much like her own. Until the sobs wore themselves out. Until her other self gently broke away from the hug.

"I'm...I'm better now, thank you, it was just...this is all such a shock..." she said, and sniffed.

"Come downstairs. We'll get something to eat," Sue said. "And maybe you can tell us about it."