Day 06

Ben is standing in one of the many observation rooms of the Baxter Building, this one over looking the Hudson river, when his phone rings. He's ready to send it to voice mail when he realizes that it's Debz and picks up. "Hey babe."

"Hey," she replies and just from that one word Ben can hear she's been crying. This isn't good.

"How you doin'?" he asks in his best Joey impersonation even though his heart has fallen into his stomach.

"Oh Ben..." she says before her voice breaks. She clears her throat and continues, "Well enough I suppose. Ben I hate doing this over the phone but..."

"It's okay I understand," he says in a whisper.

"No Ben you don't," she snaps. "The school here wants to offer me a job. For the next year. It's a wonderful opportunity. I haven't quite decided yet..."

"Hey if it's a good deal go for it."

"Won't you miss me?"

Ben shakes his head though she can't see. "Of course I will babe but I ain't gonna stand in yer way. 'Sides people have long distance relationships all the time right? An' what's half way round the world ta a guy like me?"

She laughs then though it sounds a bit forced. "I'll be honest Ben, I think I want to try an ordinary life again for a bit. The school here can give me that, no metal detector, no gangs...well not like New York, no super heroes..." Her voice trails off.

"No me," Ben finishes for her. He knows he should feel something but he doesn't know what, anger maybe but he can't really blame her. "So this is it?"

"I don't know. Maybe we can see where we are in a year? When the job here is done?"

"Sure babe, inna year." The words are hard to say but he isn't going to force her to stay.

Silence fills the line for a few minutes until Debz asks, "Ben why were you calling me at 1:15 every day this week?"

"I was tryin' ta get in the habit of callin' everyday so's you'd know if somethin' big came up by my not callin'. Silly I guess."

"No, no it wasn't but why 1:15?"

"Cause that's the time I first saw you, when Reed and I came into yer classroom."

"Oh Ben," she says no bothering to hide her tears. "I love you."

"I love you too babe. I'll see you in a year?"

"Plan on it."

"'Kay. I've gotta go now, Reed needs me fer some experiment," Ben says to get off the line before he breaks down. "Can I call ya later?"

"Sure."

The line disconnects and Ben calmly pulls the phone from the side of his head. He stares at it and resists the urge to crush it. He doesn't notice it's trembling until Susan's hand picks up the phone.

"I'm so sorry Ben. I didn't mean to intrude." He doesn't fight her as she takes him in her arms and holds him. Finally the tears come.

Day 07

Alone in Central Park, Ben walks along one of the many paths when he spots the tree that he helped rescue when it was uprooted early in the year. He walks over to it and rubs his hand along it affectionately.

He looks out over the city and remembers all the times he saved the city and the world.

He also remembers all the times he hid himself in that ridiculous trench coat. All the times he was chased and ran cause he didn't want to hurt anyone. He clears his throat as he feels tears coming again. That'd be the last thing he'd need, bawlin' like a baby in Central Park.

He hears a little girl's voice cry out, "Oh my god! Dad!" Fearing the worst he turns, ready to fight, only to see a father and daughter opening their Happy Meals. "I got Ben Grimm!!!" the girl squeals with glee as she pulls out a hideously orange plastic version of himself.

"Me too," her father says and as Ben watches they have a mock battle with the two toys as they eat their hamburgers.

Ben can't help but smile and calls out, "Hey you guys got a pen I can borrow?"

"I may be alone but I'm still the ideal of millions," he thinks at the look of complete awe and astonishment that overtake the little girl and her father.