Once upon a time, there was a boy genius named Y/N L/N.

His father, Nathaniel, nurtured his brilliance. Y/N earned five PHDs by the age of 16.

One of Y/N experiments went awry one day, and he and his friends gained powers and became the FANTASTIC FOUR.

Y/N also proposed to his Sue. They got married and had one son named Franklin.

The Fantastic Four became the most beloved team of Superheroes on the planet.

Y/N saved the world a hundred times over and created a legacy.

He brought together the greatest young geniuses in the universe and called them THE FUTURE FOUNDATION.

-

Y/N STOOD IN the doorway of Franklin's bedroom, watching as his son clutched his favorite stuffed toy-a well-loved plush version of H.E.R.B.I.E., the family's robotic assistant. Franklin was nestled under a blanket patterned with stars and spaceships, his wide, blue eyes reflecting the soft glow of the nightlight on his bedside table.

Y/N smiled as he approached the bed, his heart warming at the sight of his five-year-old son, innocent yet carrying a weight of grief far too heavy for someone his age. Franklin had been quieter than usual lately, though Y/N couldn't blame him. They were all still reeling from Johnny's death, but it was hardest on Franklin, who had adored his uncle with the boundless love only a child could offer.

"You all settled in, buddy?" Y/N asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He reached out and brushed a lock of Franklin's H/C hair out of his face.

Franklin nodded, though his expression was distant, like his mind was far away. He looked up at his father with a question hovering just behind his lips, one Y/N could see struggling to surface.

Y/N tilted his head slightly. "What's on your mind, Franklin?"

For a moment, Franklin didn't say anything, just hugging H.E.R.B.I.E. a little tighter. Then, in a voice small and hesitant, he asked, "Dad... are there other worlds? I mean, besides ours?"

Y/N blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the question. He'd always known Franklin had a big imagination, but this felt different-like there was something deeper at play here. He leaned in, giving his son his full attention.

"What makes you ask that?" Y/N asked gently, though he had a sense of where this was going.

Franklin hesitated, biting his lip. "It's just... well, sometimes I hear you and Mom talking about other places. Places you've been. The Negative Zone, and the Skrull Empire, and all those different dimensions Uncle Ben talks about." He paused, then looked up at Y/N with a hopeful expression. "Is there a world where Uncle Johnny's still alive?"

The question hit Y/N harder than he expected. His breath caught in his throat for a moment, the weight of it settling in his chest like a heavy stone. He stared at his son, seeing the mix of innocence and heartache in Franklin's eyes, a longing for something that no child should ever have to understand.

He felt a knot form in his stomach, knowing that Franklin had been wrestling with this grief in his own way, just as they all had. But this... this was different. It wasn't just sadness. It was a child's desperate hope for something beyond their reach.

Y/N took a slow breath and forced a gentle smile. "Come here," he said softly, pulling Franklin up so that the boy was sitting beside him, their shoulders touching. He wrapped an arm around his son, drawing him close.

"Franklin, the truth is, yes, there are other worlds out there. The universe is bigger than we can even imagine, and there are all kinds of possibilities. Some are a lot like ours, and some are completely different. There might even be worlds where things that have happened here... haven't happened there."

Franklin's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope. "So there could be a world where Uncle Johnny didn't... didn't die?"

Y/N's heart clenched at the raw emotion in his son's voice. He didn't want to lie to him, didn't want to give him false hope. But he also didn't want to crush the fragile spark of comfort that Franklin was holding onto. The concept of the multiverse was real-he'd explored enough of it to know that much-but it was also dangerous ground. Even if such a world existed, it wouldn't be theirs.

He looked down at Franklin, his voice quiet and thoughtful. "Maybe there is. Maybe there's a world out there where Johnny is still with us, cracking jokes and lighting up the sky like he used to. But, Franklin... that world isn't ours."

Franklin's face fell slightly, but Y/N could see he was listening, hanging onto every word.

"We live in this world," Y/N continued, gently rubbing his son's back. "And I know it's hard. I miss him too, more than I can say. Your mom, Uncle Ben-we all do. But even if there's another world where he's alive, it wouldn't be the same. He wouldn't be our Johnny. And no matter how much we want things to be different, we can't leave behind the people we love here... the people who need us now."

Franklin looked down at his hands, his fingers twisting around the edge of his blanket. "But what if I could go there, Dad? What if I could find a way to see him again?"

Y/N swallowed hard, his mind flashing back to his own childhood, to the desperate dreams he'd had of his father returning. He knew exactly what that kind of longing felt like-the ache of wanting someone back so badly that you'd do anything, imagine anything, to make it happen.

But he also knew that running from the pain wouldn't change anything.

He took Franklin's hand in his own, squeezing it gently. "I understand, Franklin. I really do. But chasing after other worlds won't bring us peace. We have to honor Uncle Johnny by remembering him, by living the lives he would have wanted us to live. Right here, in this world. The one where we're together."

Franklin looked up at his father, his eyes filled with tears that he blinked away stubbornly. "But it hurts, Dad. It hurts so much."

Y/N pulled him into a tight embrace, holding him close as Franklin's small body shook with quiet sobs. "I know, buddy," he whispered, his voice breaking slightly. "It hurts me too. But we're going to get through this, okay? All of us. We're a family, and we're going to keep going. For Uncle Johnny, and for each other."

For a long moment, they stayed like that, wrapped in the quiet darkness of Franklin's room. Y/N could feel his son's tears dampen his shirt, could hear the soft, broken breaths as Franklin let out the grief he'd been holding in. And Y/N held him, just as his father had once held him all those years ago, when everything felt like it was falling apart.

Eventually, Franklin pulled back, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "Will it always hurt like this?" he asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Y/N looked down at his son, his heart aching at the question. He thought of the years of loss he'd experienced, of the wounds that had never fully healed. But he also thought of the love that had carried him through, of Sue and Ben and now Franklin, the family that kept him grounded in this world.

"It won't always hurt this much," Y/N said gently. "But it's okay to feel sad sometimes. It means you loved him. And that's a good thing. We just have to hold onto the good memories, and let them help us when the hurt feels too big."

Franklin nodded slowly, his small hand still gripping his father's. Y/N smiled at him, brushing his hair back again. "Now, how about you get some sleep, champ? Tomorrow's a new day, and I'm sure we'll have some new adventures waiting for us."

Franklin managed a small, tired smile, the kind that tugged at Y/N's heartstrings. "Okay, Dad," he murmured, settling back down under his blanket.

Y/N tucked the edges of the blanket snugly around him, making sure his son was comfortable before leaning down to press a soft kiss to his forehead. "Goodnight, Franklin. I love you, buddy."

"I love you too, Dad," Franklin mumbled sleepily, his eyes already fluttering shut. "Goodnight."

Y/N stood up, lingering for a moment by the bedside. As he watched Franklin drift off into sleep, he couldn't help but think about the multiverse his son had mentioned. He knew better than most how vast the universe was, how many possibilities existed beyond the reach of their reality.

As he turned to leave, closing the door behind him softly, he whispered to himself, "We'll be okay... eventually."

-

The dim glow of the living room lights drew Y/N in, a warm, inviting beacon in the quiet house. As he entered, he found Sue waiting for him on the couch, curled up with a soft blanket draped over her shoulders.

She looked up as he came in, a gentle smile lighting her face. "Hey, you," she greeted softly, patting the space beside her. "How's Franklin?"

Y/N exhaled as he sank down beside her, running a hand through his hair. "He... he's struggling, Sue. More than we realized, I think." He glanced around the room, noticing the little touches of family life they'd built together-a framed picture of all four of them on their last trip to the beach, Franklin's superhero drawings pinned to the wall. Each piece felt more fragile tonight, like a memory he was afraid might shatter.

Sue tilted her head, her gaze searching his face. "What do you mean?"

"He asked me about... other worlds. He wanted to know if there was a place out there where Johnny's still alive." Y/N paused, trying to steady his voice, but he felt the familiar weight of grief creeping back in. "He just... he's been holding onto this hope that he can somehow see Johnny again. Like... like the way he was before."

Sue reached for Y/N's hand, her fingers intertwining with his. "Poor Franklin," she murmured, her voice filled with compassion. "I knew he was taking it hard, but I didn't realize it was this deep."

Y/N nodded, looking down at their joined hands. "I told him it's okay to be sad. That it's normal to miss people we've lost. But... I don't know, Sue. He's so young, and he's already grappling with all of this. Part of me wants to protect him from it all, but... I know I can't."

Sue leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "He has to come to terms with it in his own way, Y/N," she said quietly. "We can be there for him, help him through it... but Franklin needs to learn that some things are out of our control. That not everything lasts."

Y/N took a deep breath, the weight of her words settling on him. "I know," he said, though his heart ached to fully accept it. "I just hate seeing him go through this so soon."

Sue squeezed his hand, her touch grounding him. "I do too. But he's a strong kid, Y/N. Stronger than we sometimes give him credit for. And he has us. He has our love, our support... but he also needs his own space to process this, to find his own understanding."

Y/N gave a small nod, absorbing her words as he looked into her eyes. He could see that same resilience in her gaze, a quiet strength that had carried them through so much. Sue had always been the anchor that kept their family together, and in this moment, he felt grateful for her steady presence.

After a moment of silence, he shifted closer, draping an arm around her shoulders as they settled back into the warmth of the couch. They sat there together, the comforting familiarity of her warmth seeping into him, soothing the ache in his chest.

"I know you're right," he murmured, resting his cheek against her hair. "It's just... hard to accept that he's dealing with loss already. He's only five, Sue. I want him to hold onto that innocence a little longer, even if it's selfish of me."

Sue let out a soft sigh, her fingers tracing soothing circles on the back of his hand. "It's not selfish," she whispered. "It's love. And he knows that. He knows we're here for him, even when he's hurting. And as much as I wish we could shield him from everything, I also know this is part of life. For all of us."

They sat in comfortable silence, the weight of the day beginning to melt away as they held each other close. Y/N took a deep breath, letting the warmth and the peace of the moment settle over him. In this quiet space, with his wife by his side, he felt a small measure of comfort.

Sue looked up at him, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "Ben and Alicia are out tonight," she said, her voice holding a hint of playfulness. "I think they're having one of those rare date nights. So it's just us here... alone."

Y/N managed a small smile, the heaviness in his heart easing ever so slightly. "You mean, we actually have the house to ourselves?"

She chuckled softly. "I know. A rare phenomenon in this household. Almost feels... strange, doesn't it?"

"Strange, but nice," he admitted, shifting slightly to look at her. "It's been a while since we had a quiet moment like this."

They sat in silence again, just breathing together, feeling the familiar presence of each other that had sustained them through loss and hardship. Y/N closed his eyes, the weariness beginning to fade, replaced by a sense of calm.

After a while, he whispered, "Thank you, Sue. For being here. For always being the strong one."

She leaned her head against his, her voice soft but steady. "We're strong together, Y/N. You and me, just like it's always been. And we'll get through this. We always do."

Y/N held her close, letting her words sink into him as they sat, wrapped in the quiet comfort of each other's presence.

Soon, a gut feeling hit Y/N like an alarm and he abruptly got up, startling Sue who looked up in confusion.

"Don't go back in the lab again." She tried to reason.

The head of the family paused and sighed, looking down. "I got some things I need to deal with on my own, Susan."

.

(A/N: Anddd we're back! What does everybody think? Special thank you to @UltramanWhoLaughs for the edit of the four.)