{Chapter: 39 - Helping Ben Grimm And World Travel}
"Thank you," Ben said. "From the bottom of my goddamn heart—thank you."
"I'm happy to help, big guy," Aiden said gently, giving his hard shoulder a pat. Even in his half-transformed state, Ben still loomed over him—Aiden barely hit six feet, and the guy was built like a wrecking ball. "If anyone's earned a second shot, it's you."
The others remained silent, letting the moment breathe. Johnny, bruised and bandaged, offered a faint smile through the pain. Reed stood stiff, as if the foundation beneath his feet had shifted—his eyes fixed on Ben, but his face unreadable. No joy, no relief… just the quiet tension of a man who'd been beaten to the answer by someone else. Even Nick Fury, leaning against the far wall with arms crossed, chose not to interrupt. It was the same with Natasha, Colson and Stave who could smile happy for Ben.
"I recommend you start practicing every day," Aiden continued once Ben pulled back. "Meditation, control exercises. Treat it like any power—you need to understand the rhythm of your energy now. When your cosmic signature stabilizes again, the rock form will come back on its own—but this time, you'll be ready. You'll be able to shift in and out of it. If you ever need help with that, come find me. I'll be around."
Ben nodded, wiping his face with his sleeve. "You got it. Damn straight, I will."
"Also…" Aiden smirked slightly, lowering his voice. "Now that you're back to looking like a heartthrob construction worker from Brooklyn, maybe it's time to reconnect with that old flame of yours. Smash some enemies, sure—but maybe smash a few dates too, huh?"
Ben barked out a laugh, a sound that echoed through the room like thunder. "You're alright, kid. You're alright."
They clasped hands, the gesture firm and respectful—an unspoken pact between friends.
As Aiden turned away, Susan gave him a look—part awe, part gratitude, part something deeper.
And for the first time in months, Ben Grimm stood among the Fantastic Four not as a monster… but as a man.
And not a single person in the room would ever forget the moment they witnessed that miracle.
"Even though you helped Ben, and I'm grateful for that," Reed Richards said, his tone laced with lingering bitterness, "don't think for a second that I've forgotten what happened to Johnny."
Aiden leaned casually against the wall, arms folded, with a half-smirk playing on his lips. "Yeah, yeah... save the lecture for someone who cares, Mr. SmartAss. I don't need your approval. I do what I want, not what you tell me."
Reed's eyes narrowed, but he chose not to engage further. Words weren't going to change Aiden's attitude—so it was pointless to talk to a man like him. Instead, he turned to Nick Fury, straightening his coat.
"Director Fury, we'll be leaving now. I want to run some tests on Johnny and Ben. Their physiology may have changed—especially Johnny's, after what happened."
Reed didn't even bother to acknowledge Aiden again. He simply gestured for his team to follow. The Fantastic Four stood to leave. As they moved toward the exit, Susan paused, casting one final glance toward Aiden. A small, knowing smile touched her lips. It was a gesture of interest... or perhaps curiosity. Aiden raised his chin slightly and gave a lazy nod in return, his smirk widening just a touch.
For Aiden, today was nothing short of a jackpot.
Not only had he successfully subdued Johnny Storm and gained the power of Ben Grimm's brute strength and durability, but he had also unlocked new levels of power within himself—flame generation, thermal manipulation, super strength, and raw durability that could shrug off bullets like raindrops. Until now, his healing abilities were his greatest asset—able to patch up bullet wounds in seconds. But now? He could stand in front of a firing squad and walk away without a scratch.
And to top it all off... he had Susan Storm's number saved in his contacts. A soft kiss on the lips, just enough to stir the storm inside her heart. He'd planted the seed—doubt, desire, the sweet ache of possibility. Now, all he needed was time. A little warmth, a little water… and that seed would bloom into something beautiful—Love.
Not bad at all.
---
Back on the Helicarrier's command deck, Agent Phil Coulson approached Nick Fury. The lights above cast a muted glow on the room, with various agents working diligently at their stations. The tension from earlier had largely subsided, but a thread of unease still lingered.
"Since everything's been wrapped up for now," Phil said, "should I return to 'The Bus' with Aiden?"
Fury didn't answer right away. He stared at the massive digital display at the front of the room, deep in thought. When he finally turned, his face was as unreadable as ever.
"Coulson," he said, his voice firm, "I'm entrusting all decisions related to Aiden to you. You're to keep a close eye on him—closer than before. We can't afford to underestimate him, not now."
Phil nodded solemnly. "Understood."
As Coulson turned to leave, Nick Fury remained rooted to his spot. Maria Hill stood quietly beside him, awaiting orders like a shadow at his side.
After a long moment of silence, Fury spoke again.
"Agent Hill, increase Aiden's threat level in our database. Flag him as a Class S Red anomaly—volatile, dangerous, and unpredictable. I want our science division working on countermeasures for his powers. Immediately."
"Yes, Director," Maria replied without hesitation, turning to relay the orders.
Fury didn't speak again. His single eye remained fixed on the display as if trying to see the shape of the future through lines of data.
---
Meanwhile, Coulson finally reached Aiden, who was standing near the hangar deck's exit, gazing out into the open sky. Before Phil could say anything, Aiden spoke first.
"I want a few days off," he said, without turning around. "Just three days. Somewhere quiet. I've absorbed Human Torch and The Thing's powers, but they're unstable. If I don't learn how to control them, I might hurt someone next time we go out on a mission."
Coulson considered the request. He had dealt with many enhanced individuals before—some more reckless than others—but there was something different about Aiden. Dangerous, yes... but also strangely grounded, like he knew exactly where the edge was, and how far he was willing to push it.
"Well... alright," Phil said after a pause. "But I expect you back as soon as those three days are up. And if anything happens, if anything at all feels wrong—you call me immediately. Understood?"
"I get it," Aiden said, this time turning to face him. His tone was respectful, lacking the usual sarcasm. There were few people in this world Aiden respected. Phil Coulson happened to be one of them.
"Alright," Coulson said, stepping back. "I'll talk to Director Fury. Go do what you need to."
Without another word, Aiden lifted his right foot, igniting a trail of fire down both legs. Flames danced and wrapped around his body—not consuming him, but lifting him. With a burst of heated propulsion, he soared into the sky like a comet.
---
Somewhere on the outskirts of the city, Aiden touched down near an abandoned industrial zone. Cracked concrete stretched for blocks, with rusting scaffolds and broken machinery littering the area. It was perfect—isolated, empty, quiet.
He pulled out his phone and called Daisy.
She answered on the second ring. "Aiden?"
He smiled faintly. "Hey, it's me. Just wanted to let you know—I'll be gone for a few days. Something happened. Something... big. I'll explain everything later, but for now, I need to lay low and master some new powers."
He heard the concern in her voice even through the static. "Are you alright?"
"I'm better than alright. But I'm unstable right now. It's risky."
They spoke for several minutes more—half serious, half teasing—until Aiden finally said goodnight. The last thing he heard was Daisy's voice telling him to be careful, and that she'd be waiting for him.
Aiden slipped the phone back into his pocket, exhaled deeply, and looked up at the sky. Storm clouds were gathering on the horizon, both metaphorical and real.
Originally, he had planned to return to the base and spend some well-earned downtime with Daisy. Relax. Recharge. Maybe even pretend to be a normal guy for once.
However, after absorbing the powers of Human Torch and a portion of The Thing's abilities, he received a notification regarding the system upgrade.