The massive wall-mounted screen in the Baxter Building's living room displayed crisp footage of the Aurora Invicta's final day at sea. Johnny Storm lounged on the sofa, feet propped on an expensive coffee table, while Bem Grimm occupied a reinforced armchair specifically designed to support his rocky bulk. Susan Storm-Richards stood behind them, arms crossed, watching the broadcast with undivided attention.
On screen, the camera panned across the luxury cruise ship's grand ballroom where hundreds of elite guests danced beneath crystal chandeliers. The shot zoomed in on Peter Parker and Emma Frost swaying together on the dance floor, their bodies pressed close, moving as one. Emma's platinum blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, catching the light like spun silver. Her white gown hugged her pregnant curves perfectly, the fabric shimmering with subtle diamond accents. Peter whispered something in her ear that made her laugh, her blue-painted lips curving into a smile meant only for him.
"Parker's come a long way from that scrawny photographer who used to bug us for exclusive shots," Ben remarked, his gravelly voice filling the room. "Now look at him—CEO of a trilliondollar company, marrying the Ice Queen herself." Johnny snorted, reaching for his beer. "Tell me about it. Remember when he used to wear those awful sweater vests to formal events? Now he's in custom Armani and dancing like he owns the place."
"He practically does own the place," Susan pointed out, her eyes never leaving the screen. "Parker-Frost Industries built the Aurora Invicta."
The reporter's voice-over cut through their conversation: "...and in just two weeks, the wedding that everyone's talking about will take place at the newly constructed Parker-Frost Plaza. Sources say the guest list includes heads of state, Avengers, X-Men, and even representatives from Krakoa. Security will be unprecedented, with—"
"Mom? Dad? We're home!"
Susan turned to see her children entering the living room. Fifteen-year-old Franklin, tall and lanky with his father's features and her blonde hair, dropped his backpack on the floor. Beside him stood seventeen-year-old Valeria, her genius intellect evident in her sharp blue eyes that missed nothing as they scanned the room.
"Hey, kids," Johnny called out, raising his beer in greeting. "Come watch Uncle Peter living his best life."
Valeria glanced at the screen, a small smile playing at her lips. "They look happy together."
"They do," Franklin agreed, moving closer to watch. "Uncle Peter deserves it after everything he's been through."
"Kid's right," Ben rumbled, his rocky features softening slightly. "After losin' his aunt, gettin' dumped by that redhead, and all the other crap he's dealt with... good to see him happy for once."
The camera panned to show Jean Grey and Ororo Munroe in elegant evening wear, both visibly pregnant, watching Peter and Emma from a nearby table. Their gazes lingered on Peter with unmistakable warmth and something more intimate than mere friendship.
"Whoa," Johnny whispered, sitting up straighter. "Is it just me, or are Storm and Jean giving Parker some serious bedroom eyes?"
"Johnny!" Susan admonished, though her own gaze narrowed slightly at the screen.
"What? I'm just saying... looks like Emma might have some competition," Johnny smirked, gesturing at the screen where both women's expressions were decidedly lustful. "Though I guess technically, they're already... you know."
"Already what?" Franklin asked, looking between his uncle and mother with curiosity.
Susan shot Johnny a warning glare. "Nothing important."
Ben cleared his throat awkwardly. "Eh, just grown-up stuff, kiddo."
Susan watched her children's expressions with interest as they continued observing the broadcast. "You two seem pleased about this match."
Valeria shrugged, her eyes still on the screen where Peter now dipped Emma dramatically, both of them laughing. "Emma's good for him. She doesn't let him wallow in guilt or self-pity. And their company's revolutionizing clean energy and medical technology."
"Plus, she's smokin' hot," Johnny added, earning an eye roll from Susan. "What? I'm just stating facts. Though I still can't believe she's letting him sleep with—"
"Johnny!" Susan cut him off sharply, glancing meaningfully at her children.
"Sleep with who?" Franklin asked, suddenly more interested.
"Nobody," Susan said firmly. "Your uncle needs to learn when to keep certain thoughts to himself."
The broadcast shifted to show Natasha Romanoff in a form-fitting black gown, speaking with a group of dignitaries while occasionally glancing toward Peter and Emma. The camera caught a moment when Peter's eyes met Natasha's across the room, a subtle look of recognition passing between them.
"Where's your father?" Susan asked, glancing around as if Reed might materialize from thin air, clearly trying to change the subject.
Franklin and Valeria exchanged a brief look before Valeria answered. "Where else? In the lab. He said something about quantum entanglement and multiversal constants before I stopped listening. He's been obsessed with those energy readings from Parker-Frost's new prototype."
"Of course he is," Susan sighed, checking her watch. "It's almost 8 PM. Has he eaten today?" Both children shrugged simultaneously.
"Well, I've got homework to finish," Franklin announced, retrieving his backpack. "AP Physics isn't going to study itself."
"And I need to work on my thesis," Valeria added, already heading toward her room. "MIT's review committee meets next week."
As they left, Susan called after them, "Don't stay up too late!"
Johnny drained his beer, standing with a stretch. "I've got a date with a Victoria's Secret model. Don't wait up, sis."
"Just try not to set anything on fire this time," Susan warned, only half-joking.
"No promises," Johnny grinned, flaming on. Before flying out the open window, he paused, looking back at Susan with uncharacteristic seriousness. "You know, Reed's been spending a lot of time in that lab lately. Even for him."
Susan's smile faltered slightly. "He's just fascinated by Peter's success. You know how he gets when there's a new scientific breakthrough."
"Yeah, but..." Johnny hesitated. "Have you noticed how he's been watching footage of ParkerFrost Industries' demonstrations? Almost like he's... I don't know, jealous or something?"
"Reed doesn't get jealous," Susan said automatically, though a flicker of doubt crossed her face.
"If you say so," Johnny shrugged, then flamed on fully and soared out the window, leaving a brief trail of fire in his wake.
Ben heaved himself to his feet, the floor creaking beneath his weight. "Alicia's waitin' for me. You gonna be okay here by yourself, Suzie?"
Susan smiled, patting his rocky arm. "I'll be fine, Ben. Go enjoy your evening."
"You sure? Reed's been workin' late a lot these days. Maybe I should stick around, keep ya company."
"I appreciate it, but I'm fine," Susan insisted. "Besides, I have a plan to drag my husband out of that lab tonight."
Ben's craggy mouth formed what might have been a knowing smile. "Well, in that case, I'll get outta your hair. Good luck, Suzie."
After Ben lumbered out, Susan stood alone in the suddenly quiet living room. On screen, Peter and Emma continued their dance, lost in each other's eyes as if no one else existed. The camera caught Emma whispering something in Peter's ear that made him blush visibly, her hand sliding possessively down his back. Susan watched them for a long moment, her expression unreadable.
The broadcast cut to a close-up of Emma's pregnant belly as the reporter commented on the upcoming birth of the Parker-Frost twins. Susan's hand unconsciously drifted to her own flat stomach, lingering there before she shook her head slightly and switched off the television.
A sudden, wicked impulse seized her. Susan strode purposefully to her bedroom and slid open the drawer that housed her collection of high-end lingerie—most pieces still pristine with tags attached, barely touched since purchase. Her fingers trailed over lace and silk until she selected a pale blue silk teddy with delicate lace trim that matched her eyes perfectly. The ensemble came complete with sheer garters and silk stockings that felt like liquid against her skin as she rolled them up her thighs.
After stripping naked, Susan carefully stepped into the teddy, adjusting it over her curves before securing the garters with practiced fingers. She covered herself with a matching silk robe, tying it loosely at her waist.
Standing before her full-length mirror, Susan examined her reflection with a critical eye. At thirty-eight, her body remained enviably toned and supple—the same figure that had once graced dozens of magazine covers, though these days it remained hidden beneath practical clothing and protective force fields. Her breasts still sat high and full against the silk, her waist narrow above gently flaring hips. She let the robe fall open deliberately, revealing the plungin neckline of the teddy that showcased the deep valley between her breasts and the creamy swells of flesh that threatened to spill from the delicate fabric with each breath.
"Time to remind my husband I exist," she murmured, applying a fresh coat of lipstick. As she did, her thoughts drifted unexpectedly to the broadcast—to Peter and Emma's obvious happiness, to the way Jean and Storm had looked at Peter, to Natasha's subtle glances.
Susan shook her head, pushing those thoughts away. "Focus, Sue," she told herself firmly. "Tonight is about you and Reed."
..............
The laboratory occupied an entire floor of the Baxter Building, filled with equipment so advanced most of it didn't even have names yet. Holographic displays floated in mid-air, quantum containment fields hummed with barely restrained energy, and machines that could peer into alternate realities blinked with multicolored lights. The air smelled of ozone and possibility.
At the center of this technological wonderland stood Reed Richards, his elastic body stretched in impossible ways—right arm extended twenty feet to adjust a particle accelerator, neck elongated to peer through a microscope, left hand typing equations on three different keyboards simultaneously. His lab coat remained perfectly pressed despite his contortions, a testament to the specialized fabric he'd designed for his unique physiology.
Susan entered silently on bare feet, the cool floor sending a slight shiver up her legs. She paused in the doorway, watching her husband work for a moment. There was something beautiful about Reed when he was fully immersed in his science—a boyish enthusiasm that had first attracted her to him all those years ago. But lately, that same quality had become a wall between them.
She cleared her throat softly. "Reed?"
"Hmm?" He didn't look up, his attention fixed on the holographic display showing complex mathematical formulas that seemed to twist in on themselves like living things. His stretched fingers manipulated the equations, rearranging them with practiced precision.
"Reed, it's after eight. You've been in here all day." Susan took a step forward, the silk of her robe whispering against her skin.
"Just a minute, Sue," he mumbled, his stretched fingers now manipulating quantum particles in a containment field. The particles danced like fireflies in the blue glow of the field. "I'm at a critical juncture in understanding how the multiverse's membrane structures interact during incursion events."
Susan approached him, deliberately letting her robe fall open slightly to reveal the expensive lingerie beneath. The pale blue silk caught the light from Reed's equipment, making it shimmer against her skin. "I thought maybe we could have dinner together. Just the two of us."
"Sounds great," Reed replied automatically, clearly not processing her words as he stretched his neck another three feet to examine a readout on a ceiling-mounted display. "There's leftover pizza in the refrigerator."
Susan moved closer, deliberately placing herself between Reed and his workstation. Her heart beat a little faster—partly from nervousness, partly from the thrill of being so exposed. "I wasn't thinking about pizza, Reed."
For the first time, Reed actually looked at her, his eyes briefly registering the silk and lace before quickly drifting back to the equations floating above his workstation. "Hmm? Oh, yes, whatever you'd like to order is fine."
Frustration bubbled up inside her like water reaching its boiling point. With a decisive motion, Susan dropped her robe entirely, letting it pool around her feet on the laboratory floor. She stood before her husband in nothing but the revealing lingerie, the cool air of the lab hardening her nipples against the delicate fabric.
"Reed," she said firmly, her voice low and commanding—the same tone she used when directing the team in battle. "Look at me."
He glanced up again, this time registering her state of undress. His eyes widened slightly, and for a moment—just a moment—Susan saw desire flicker across his features. "Oh! That's... that's very nice, Sue." But almost immediately, his eyes returned to his work, the moment lost. "Maybe later? I'm just about to prove that the quantum foam at the edges of our universe has a predictable pattern that could allow for controlled travel between dimensions."
Susan stared at him in disbelief, a cold feeling settling in her stomach. The silk against her skin suddenly felt ridiculous rather than sensual. In a last, desperate attempt, she reached behind her back and unclasped the teddy, letting it fall forward to expose her breasts completely. The cool air of the lab kissed her bare skin, making her shiver slightly.
"Reed. Richards." Each word was sharp, deliberate, cutting through the ambient hum of the laboratory equipment. "Your wife is standing in front of you half-naked, and you're more interested in quantum foam?"
Reed finally gave her his full attention, his neck retracting to normal length as he turned to face her. His eyes traveled over her exposed body, and he had the decency to look slightly ashamed. "I'm sorry, Sue. You look beautiful, really. It's just that this research could revolutionize our understanding of the multiverse. Think of the implications!"
As he spoke, his gaze drifted back to the holographic display where a simulation was running, showing what appeared to be two universes colliding. Susan followed his gaze and noticed something familiar on another screen—footage of Peter Parker presenting Parker-Frost Industries' latest breakthrough in quantum technology. The timestamp showed Reed had been watching it on repeat.
Susan closed her eyes briefly, counting to ten in her head, trying to push down the hurt and rejection threatening to overwhelm her. When she opened them again, Reed had already turned back to his work, stretching his arm to reach a device on a distant shelf.
"Is this what this is about?" she asked quietly, nodding toward the footage of Peter. "You're obsessing over Parker-Frost's research?"
"Obsessing? No, no," Reed responded without looking at her. "Just... analyzing their approach. It's quite fascinating, actually. Parker's made some intuitive leaps that are... unexpected from someone without formal training in quantum mechanics."
Susan pulled the teddy back up to cover herself, suddenly feeling vulnerable in a way that had nothing to do with her state of undress. "When was the last time you called me fascinating, Reed?"
The question hung in the air, unanswered. Reed's fingers continued to dance across keyboards and through holographic interfaces, his body stretching in multiple directions at once— everywhere except toward his wife.
Without another word, she retrieved her robe from the floor, wraps it tightly around herself, and left the laboratory. The door whispered shut behind her, sealing Reed in with his equations and machines.
He didn't notice her departure.
In the hallway, Susan leaned against the wall, clutching the silk robe tightly around her body. Her eyes burned with unshed tears as she stared at the ceiling, trying to compose herself.
"Mom? Are you okay?"
Susan turned to see Valeria standing a few feet away, concern etched on her young face. Susan forced a smile. "I'm fine, sweetie. Just... tired."
Valeria's eyes, too intelligent by far, flicked to the laboratory door and back to her mother. "He's been watching Uncle Peter's presentations for days now. I think he's jealous."
Susan sighed. "Your father doesn't get jealous, Val."
"Everyone gets jealous," Valeria replied with the simple wisdom of youth. "Even geniuses."
As Susan walked back to her bedroom, she couldn't help but think of the broadcast she'd watched earlier—of Peter and Emma dancing, lost in each other's eyes. Of Storm and Jean watching Peter with undisguised desire. Of a man who had once been awkward and insecure, now standing confidently at the center of a new empire, surrounded by powerful women who clearly adored him.
And for the first time in years, Susan Storm-Richards wondered if she had made the right choice all those years ago.
She sat on the edge of their king-sized bed, the discarded blue lingerie now a crumpled puddle of silk on the floor. She'd changed into comfortable cotton pajamas, her knees drawn up to her chest as she stared at the framed wedding photo on the nightstand. The glass reflected the soft glow of the bedside lamp, illuminating younger versions of herself and Reed—both beaming, both hopeful, both in love. Or so she'd thought.
"Why do I even bother?" she whispered to the empty room, a single tear sliding down her cheek. She wiped it away with the back of her hand, annoyed at her own vulnerability.
The image of Peter and Emma dancing together on the Aurora Invicta flashed unbidden in her mind—the way he looked at Emma, like she was the center of his universe. The intensity in his eyes, the protective way his hand rested on her pregnant belly, the complete absorption in each other that made the rest of the world fade away. When was the last time Reed had looked at her that way? Had he ever? Even on their wedding day, she'd caught him glancing at his watch during the vows, his mind already drifting to some experiment waiting in the lab.
Susan's fingers traced the edge of the photo frame, lingering over Reed's face. "You're right here," she murmured, "but you've never been more absent."
A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.
"Mom? Can we come in?" Valeria's voice called from the hallway.
Susan quickly wiped away the lingering moisture from her eyes and straightened her posture. "Of course, sweetie."
The door opened, and Valeria entered with Franklin close behind. They took one look at their mother's face and exchanged a knowing glance that made Susan's heart ache. Children shouldn't know that look—the silent communication of shared concern.
"Dad?" Franklin asked simply, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
Susan attempted a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Just busy with his work. You know how he gets."
Valeria sat beside her mother on the bed, the mattress dipping slightly beneath her weight. Franklin remained standing, leaning against the dresser with forced casualness. There was something in their expressions—a seriousness, a weight—that made Susan straighten up, maternal instinct overriding personal distress.
"What is it?" she asked, looking from one to the other. "Did something happen at school?"
Valeria took a deep breath, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt—a nervous habit nshe'd had since childhood. "Mom, we need to tell you something. Something important about the future."
Franklin nodded solemnly. "By next year, Dad will be gone from our lives."
Susan's breath caught in her throat, her mind immediately conjuring worst-case scenarios. Her hand flew to her chest as if to physically contain her suddenly racing heart. "What? Is he—does he get hurt? Is there an accident in the lab Does Doom—"
"No, no," Valeria quickly interrupted, placing a reassuring hand on her mother's arm. "Nothing like that. He just... leaves."
"Leaves?" Susan repeated, confusion evident in her voice. The word seemed to hang in the air between them, impossible and yet somehow inevitable. "What do you mean, leaves?"
Franklin stepped forward, his young face bearing a gravity that no teenager should possess. "In a few months, Dad will be contacted by a group called the Council of Reeds."
"The Council of what?" Susan asked, the unfamiliar term momentarily distracting her from the implication of her son's words.
"The Council of Reeds," Valeria explained, her voice taking on a clinical tone reminiscent of her father. "It's an organization of Reed Richards from across the multiverse. They believe they're the only ones smart enough to 'fix' reality."
"And they'll invite Dad to join them," Franklin continued, his eyes never leaving his mother's face. "He'll accept. He won't even say goodbye. He'll just... go."
Susan shook her head in disbelief, her blonde hair swaying with the vehemence of her denial. "No. Reed wouldn't do that. He wouldn't abandon his family. Not after everything we've been through together."
Valeria's expression softened with sympathy, making her look older than her years. "Mom, he already has. Not physically, but mentally? Emotionally? When was the last time he was really present with any of us?"
The question struck Susan like a physical blow. When was the last time? She searched her memory, rifling through recent family dinners where Reed had been physically present but mentally elsewhere, birthdays where he'd shown up late with hastily wrapped gifts, conversations cut short by "eureka" moments that sent him rushing back to the lab.
"That's just how your father is," Susan defended weakly, the words sounding hollow even to her own ears. "He gets caught up in his work, but he loves us."
"I know he does, in his way," Franklin agreed, his tone gentler now. "But let me show you something."
He extended his hand, palm up. Above it, a small glowing orb of energy appeared, pulsing with an ethereal blue light. It expanded until it filled the space between them, casting strange shadows on their faces. Inside the orb, images began to form—countless versions of Reed Richards, all engaged in similar scenes of departure.
In one, Reed kissed a sleeping Susan goodbye before stepping through a portal. In another, he left a note on a kitchen counter, his wedding ring placed neatly beside it. In most, he simply vanished without explanation, leaving behind laboratories filled with half-finished experiments and families filled with unanswered questions.
"My powers let me see across the multiverse," Franklin explained, his young face solemn beyond his years. "In approximately ninety percent of all realities, Reed Richards chooses science over family and love."
Susan stared at the kaleidoscope of abandonment, each version of herself left behind, each version of her children growing up with a father-shaped void in their lives. The images blurred together, a mosaic of loss and disappointment that transcended universes.
"To him, we're just items on a checklist," Valeria added, her voice tinged with resignation rather than bitterness. "Things a man of his intellect and status should have—a beautiful wife, gifted children, a legacy. But when something he considers more important comes along..."
"He leaves," Susan finished, her voice barely above a whisper. The truth of it settled over her like a shroud.
Franklin closed his hand, and the glowing orb collapsed in on itself, winking out of existence. The sudden absence of its light made the bedroom seem darker, colder.
"How long have you two known this?" Susan asked after a moment, looking between her children.
"I've been seeing glimpses for months," Franklin admitted. "But it became clear last week when I had that fever. My powers sometimes spike when I'm sick."
"And I've been running probability calculations," Valeria added. "The statistical likelihood of Dad staying is... low."
His fingers danced through the air as the orb appeared and expanded again, this time dividing into three distinct spheres. Each contained what looked like identical versions of the Richards family, though Susan noticed subtle differences—in one, her hair was slightly longer; in another, Reed wore glasses he didn't need in their world.
"These are the closest parallel Earths to ours," Franklin explained, pointing to each glowing sphere in turn. "Earth-616, the prime universe; Earth-818403, where the Fantastic Four formed differently; and this one—" he indicated the center sphere, "—is our world, Earth-616-S69."
Susan studied the images with growing unease. In every other sphere, the same scene had played out with eerie similarity: Reed Richards standing before a massive portal, a bag packed at his feet, looking back one last time at a family photo before stepping through into a swirling cosmic void. But not these three. At least not theirs. Not yet.
"In all these other worlds, Dad leaves when the Council calls," Valeria said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's not a question of if, only when. Only on Earth-616 and Earth-818403 does he stay." She paused, glancing at her brother. "There may be others where he also stays, but they're too few to count statistically significant."
Susan stared at the images, a strange numbness spreading through her chest. The scene repeated across the orbs like a movie stuck on loop—Reed leaving, Reed leaving, Reed leaving. Each version slightly different, yet the outcome always the same.
"If you know all this..." Susan began, her voice catching. She cleared her throat and tried again. "What happens after he leaves? To us? To me?" A sudden, absurd thought crossed her mind, making her eyes narrow. "Because if your future selves say I marry Victor von Doom, I swear..."
The siblings exchanged another look, something unspoken passing between them. Franklin actually snorted, while Valeria's lips twitched with barely suppressed amusement.
"God, no," Franklin said, shaking his head emphatically. "Even the multiverse has standards, Mom."
"We find happiness," Valeria added more seriously. "All of us. Real, genuine happiness—not the half-life we're living now where we orbit around Dad's work like moons around a planet that barely notices us."
Susan's fingers twisted in the fabric of her pajamas. "But who..." she began, then stopped, almost afraid to ask. "Who helps you two? Who's there for you when you graduate, when you need guidance with your powers, when you—" Her voice broke slightly. "When you need a father figure?"
"Uncle Peter," they said in unison, without hesitation.
Susan blinked in surprise, the answer so unexpected she wasn't sure she'd heard correctly. "Peter? As in Peter Parker? But he's marrying Emma in two weeks. He'll have his own family to worry about—twins on the way, and..."
Valeria smiled softly, sitting back down beside her mother. "Future me told me everything. Peter was there for us when we needed to rebuild our family. He attended every graduation, every science fair. He helped me get into MIT three years early and coached Franklin through his first heartbreak."
"He found a cure for Uncle Ben's condition," Franklin added, excitement creeping into his voice. "Letting him transform back to human at will. He was there when we both got married, stood with you and Uncle Johnny and Ben when future Val had her first baby."
"And..." Valeria added with a mischievous grin, "he gives us seven more siblings."
"Seven?" Susan exclaimed, her eyes widening to the point of discomfort. "I have seven more children? With Peter?" Her hand instinctively went to her flat stomach, her mind struggling to process the information. "There is no way I am giving birth to seven more children!"
Valeria laughed, a genuine sound that brightened the room. "That's exactly what Uncle Peter said too! But according to future me, you were the one who insisted each time." She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Last time I spoke with my future self, you were pregnant with baby number eight."
Susan felt her cheeks flush hot, the heat spreading down her neck and across her chest. "That's... that's impossible. Peter and Emma will be married. They'll have their own children. "It doesn't make sense."
"The future is complicated," Franklin said cryptically, waving his hand through the orbs, which shifted to show new images—a massive, gleaming city that seemed to float among the stars, populated by people with both mutant abilities and spider-like powers moving in harmony. "But what I've seen is clear. Uncle Peter brings peace to the galaxy, and his children—including those he has with you—extend that peace throughout the universe and beyond, into the multiverse itself."
The images shifted again, showing an older Susan standing beside Peter on what appeared to be a massive starship bridge. Her future self looked radiant, dressed in an elegant white and blue uniform with a spider emblem tastefully incorporated into the design. Her hair was longer, with subtle silver streaks that somehow enhanced rather than diminished her beauty. One hand rested on Peter's shoulder, the other cradled a visible pregnancy.
"You go down in history as one of the founders of the greatest peaceful empire the multiverse has ever known," Valeria added, a hint of pride in her voice. "The Eternal Spider Empire."
Susan watched, transfixed, as the images showed her future children—some with blonde hair like hers, others with Peter's brown—using combinations of cosmic powers and spider abilities to heal broken worlds, close dimensional rifts, and bring warring species together.
"Our half-siblings become cosmic diplomats," Franklin explained. "Guardians of reality itself. They inherit the best of both of you—your cosmic awareness and his connection to the Web of Life and Destiny."
"And Emma?" Susan asked, surprised to find herself genuinely concerned. "What happens to her?"
Valeria's eyes softened with understanding. "Emma remains by Peter's side, Mom. She becomes the foundation of everything they build together." She gestured to Franklin, who expanded the orb to show new images.
"Uncle Peter doesn't just have one wife in the future," Franklin explained, his voice matter-offact. "He has many."
Susan's eyes widened, her mouth falling open. "Many? As in...?"
Franklin laughed, the sound surprisingly carefree given the serious conversation. "You saw how Jean and Storm were looking at Uncle Peter on TV earlier. That wasn't just hormones. They become two of his empresses."
"Empresses?" Susan repeated, the word feeling foreign on her tongue.
Valeria nodded enthusiastically. "The Spider Empire doesn't follow traditional Earth marriage customs. It evolves into something more... cosmic."
Franklin waved his hand, and the orb shifted to show a breathtaking scene: a massive crystalline palace suspended among the stars. On a circular balcony stood Peter Parker—older, distinguished with silver at his temples, but still recognizably Peter. Around him stood a group of women, each radiating power and beauty.
Emma Frost, her platinum hair now styled in an elegant updo, wore a white and diamond crown. Jean Grey stood beside her in emerald and gold, the Phoenix aura subtly flickering around her. Storm's white hair cascaded down her back as she commanded small lightning displays for the amusement of children gathered at her feet. Susan recognized Natasha Romanoff, Felicia Hardy, and—most shockingly—herself, all standing as equals, all wearing variations of royal attire that incorporated both spider motifs and their individual powers.
"They call it the Spider Council," Valeria explained, her voice filled with reverence. "Each of you governs a different aspect of the empire. Emma Parker handles diplomacy and intelligence. Jean oversees education and psionic development. Storm manages environmental harmony across thousands of worlds."
"And... me?" Susan asked, her voice barely audible.
Franklin smiled. "You become the Guardian of Realities—using your powers to maintain the borders between universes, preventing incursions and collapse."
The images shifted again, showing each woman surrounded by children of varying ages—some clearly adults themselves with children of their own. All bore some resemblance to Peter, combined with traits from their mothers.
"Emma remains his first and most important wife," Valeria continued. "The Ice Queen becomes the High Empress, but Peter's heart expands to love you all equally. Some of you even rule over entire universes in his name until your children come of age to take over."
Susan stared at the images, watching as her future self cradled a newborn while simultaneously using her invisible force fields to repair what appeared to be a tear in reality itself. The Susan in the vision looked content, powerful, and completely at peace—a stark contrast to the woman currently sitting on the edge of her bed in cotton pajamas, eyes red from crying over a husband who barely noticed her existence.
"The children you have with Peter become cosmic architects," Franklin added. "They inherit your power over fundamental forces and his connection to the Web of Life and Destiny. Together, they rebuild broken realities."
"This is..." Susan struggled to find the right word. "Overwhelming."
The images continued to shift, showing moments from this possible future—celebrations, coronations, battles against cosmic threats, quiet family moments. In each scene, Peter was surrounded by his wives and children, a family that spanned galaxies yet remained intimately connected.
"How do you know all this is real?" Susan asked, her scientific mind still searching for logical explanations. "Franklin, your powers are incredible, but seeing the future is notoriously unreliable. And Val, even your calculations have margins of error. Even if your future selves…."
Valeria reached into her pocket and pulled out what looked like a small crystal. It pulsed with an inner light that seemed to shift between all the colors of the spectrum.
"This was given to me by my future self," she explained, placing it in Susan's palm. "It's a temporal anchor—a physical object from that timeline, designed to help solidify the probability of that future occurring."
The crystal felt warm in Susan's hand, almost alive. As she held it, brief flashes of sensation washed over her—the feeling of Peter's lips against hers, the weight of a newborn in her arms, the rush of power as she manipulated the fabric of reality itself, the sound of children's laughter echoing through crystal halls.
"Oh," she breathed, the single syllable containing multitudes of emotion.
"I know it's a lot to take in," Franklin said gently, sitting beside her on the bed. "But we wanted you to know that Dad leaving... it's not the end. It's actually the beginning of something greater."
Susan placed the crystal carefully on her nightstand, watching as it continued to pulse gently, like a heartbeat. "Why are you telling me this now?"
"Because we love you," Franklin said simply. "And we hate seeing you hurt."
"And because some futures need a little nudge to happen the way they should," Valeria added with a knowing smile that made her look far older than her seventeen years. "The timeline is at a critical junction point. Certain decisions made in the next few months will determine which path reality takes."
Susan raised an eyebrow. "Are you suggesting I should... what? Seduce Peter before his wedding? Break up his relationship with Emma?" She shook her head firmly. "I would never do that."
"No, no," Valeria quickly corrected. "Nothing like that. The future we showed you happens regardless of what you do now. Peter and Emma marry. They have their twins. The other children are born. But how smoothly the transition occurs, how much pain everyone experiences along the way—that can be influenced."
"Think of it as preparing the ground," Franklin suggested. "Making sure the seeds of that future can grow without unnecessary trauma." The siblings stood in unison, each giving their mother a tight hug before heading to the door.
"Just something to think about," Valeria said over her shoulder as they left. "Oh, and Mom? That lingerie you were wearing earlier? Blue is definitely your color, but red might be worth considering too." She winked before closing the door behind her, susan blushing.
She remained on the bed, staring at the wall long after her children had gone. Her mind raced with possibilities, with futures that seemed both impossible and inevitable. The image of herself standing beside Peter, pregnant and powerful, ruling over a peaceful cosmic empire, kept returning to her thoughts.
Slowly, a determination formed within her. Not to interfere with Peter's happiness—she would never do that—but to prepare herself for whatever came next. To open herself to possibilities beyond the limitations of her current life.
She reached for her phone, opening a browser window. After a moment's hesitation, she typed: "luxury lingerie NYC red and blue."
As search results populated her screen, a small smile played at her lips. If what her children said was true—if her future lay not with Reed but with Peter—perhaps it was time to prepare. Not to interfere with his upcoming marriage, but to be ready when destiny came calling.
"Red and blue," she murmured, scrolling through options. Her fingers traced the outline of the screen as she examined each piece with growing excitement. "Something a spider would appreciate seeing on me…and something he'd enjoy slowly tearing off me, inch by delicious inch."
Her fingers hovered over a particularly daring set in crimson silk with cobalt blue lace accents. The bodice was cut in a way that would accentuate her curves while leaving little to the imagination, pushing her breasts up and together in a way that made her pulse quicken just imagining it. The matching garter belt and thigh-high stockings completed the ensemble, designed to draw the eye up her long legs to the treasure between them.
"Too obvious?" she wondered aloud, before decisively adding it to her cart with a throaty laugh. "No. If I'm going to be an empress someday, I should start thinking like one. Queens don't hide their intentions."
As she continued browsing, Susan felt a delicious heat building between her thighs, her nipples hardening against the fabric of her shirt as she found herself drawn to another set—this one in midnight blue with silver web-like patterns that would shimmer against her naked skin. It was elegant yet undeniably seductive, the crotchless panties leaving her most intimate parts accessible while still framed beautifully. She added that to her cart as well, imagining Peter's eyes darkening with lust at the sight of her wearing it, his cock hardening instantly.
"Why stop there?" she whispered, a newfound confidence flowing through her as she selected several more pieces. This wasn't just about lingerie; it was about reclaiming her sense of self, her sexuality, her power. For too long, she'd been the invisible woman in more ways than one.
As she completed her purchase, Susan glanced at her wedding photo one last time. The glass reflected her image back at her—not just the woman she was now, but overlaid with glimpses of who she might become. For the first time in years, she felt something she'd almost forgotten—anticipation for what tomorrow might bring.