Location: New York City
Date: December 25th, 1988
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Mark P.O.V.
He stood on the empty sidewalk, relaxed but attentive, focusing his Force perception on the lady before him.
His clear question in the rather quiet street had startled the invisible woman out of her thoughts. From what he felt, it was almost like despair had begun to surround her jumbled inner feelings.
He felt her turn to look behind herself, apparently checking if he was truly speaking to her. Mark could not help a small smile at that.
She had stopped several steps away and he could feel her watching him carefully. Then she slowly started moving to the side, her initial feelings of surprise being replaced with a curious caution.
As she did, Mark turned his head to continuously face her, while he tried his best to keep a friendly expression. Otherwise he remained still.
"You can see me?" came the lady's voice after a moment.
"I cannot see you. But I can... feel your presence." he said, choosing his words carefully.
"Feel my presence?"
"Your life force, your existence, your true self, it is hard to describe." he answered truthfully, without actually stating his abilities.
Her feelings of uncertain caution had not abated at that explanation, "What do you want?"
"I do not 'want' anything." He said, "I am a friend, and I would offer my help."
"I'm fine." came her quick reply.
"Oh? Fine huh? Excuse me if I do not take you at your word, but I can see through you, so to speak." he could practically see the eye roll at that, though it did help lighten her mood.
"And what makes you think I need your help?"
"Who knows? Maybe my superpower is knowing when a fair maiden is in need?" he said in humor with a bit of a smirk.
"Oh yes? So you're my knight in shining armor come to rescue the damsel in distress?" she said, with a little bite in her tone.
"No. I charge for my damsel rescuing services, and slaying dragons costs extra by the way." his response was unexpected and he felt some real amusement had started to break through her darkened mood. "But, I do offer free consultations for friends that need advice on slaying their own dragons themselves. What do you say?"
A moment passed as she seemed to process everything and he was a little surprised to feel a strong curiosity growing.
"And are we friends? We hardly know each other."
"Easily remedied." he replied with another little smirk.
He felt her cross her arms with a small feeling of passing irritation. Then making a decision she stepped forward and extended her invisible hand, "I'm Susan Storm, a pleasure to meet you Mr...?"
Mark smiled fully, with the cock of an eyebrow, 'Is that another test of my abilities?' he thought, as he smoothly grasped her hand, "Mark Smith, and the pleasure is mine Susan."
With their handshake, he could feel her wanting to ask something and waited silently. Susan was looking at him with some intensity, almost searchingly.
"You don't seem... Are you really comfortable talking to someone you can't see?" she finally asked, though he could feel more emotional weight behind her eventual question than he expected.
"I do see you, Susan. Being transparent cannot change that."
His response sent a jolt through her heart and he could swear she almost gasped, 'That reaction... is it truly that significant to her? Though, if she was already feeling invisible in her life given Reed's behavior, even before she received the powers...'
After a bit of inner turmoil, Susan's emotions mostly settled on a powerful, warm, and comfortable relief that seemed to clear the majority of the dark clouds over her thoughts.
"Thank you Mark. It's easy to be overlooked when you're the Invisible Girl."
"The Invisible Girl! Where?" he said, theatrically looking around before returning his attention to her. "You do not look like an Invisible Girl to me. Anyone with eyes could clearly see, you are the Invisible Woman."
Though she did not reply right away, he could feel her genuinely smile at that.
"Thank you again. It means a lot to me, to be seen as more. Th..." but before she could say anything else, Mark's stomach loudly made itself known.
"Hungry?" she asked after a moment, in a gentle and amused tone.
He shrugged, "I have not eaten anything in two days."
"What!?" she asked a bit alarmed, but he held up a hand to forestall further questions, "It sounds worse than it is. I was going to find a place to eat when we met here, how about joining me? Better than standing on the sidewalk in December."
"I... okay. Yes, that sounds nice."
He gestured back the way she had come, "Shall we then? There are apparently no restaurants behind me." he said as she joined him walking down the block. "In fact, I have somehow failed to pass even one in over an... hour... seriously?" and just like clockwork, an open restaurant was right there.
Meanwhile Susan was doing her best to hold in her laughter.
"Yeah haha, well, we're here." he said with pretend annoyance, but an easy smile.
'Was the Force guiding me around while avoiding places to eat? Why? Is the Force even supposed to work that way?' Mark genuinely did not know what to think.
But that could wait and he stepped forward to open the door for Susan. She was still invisible and seemed to be rather enjoying herself, so he decided to accommodate her.
He did not really have a plan and mostly wanted to keep her spirits up. She was the first Marvel character he had met outside of school and he honestly just wanted to talk to her. To see who the real person was outside of the comics. If he could actually help her too, with or without his Marvel knowledge, all the better.
Letting Susan slip in ahead of him they were quickly met by a waitress, "Just one tonight?"
"So it would seem. Is there an open booth available?" he asked, his opening comment getting him an odd look.
"Yes. Right this way."
He could feel Susan following along with amusement, and at the booth he passed the first seat, letting Susan slip into it behind him while he sat down across from her.
The waitress only gave him one menu, but after a few minutes and Susan's input, he ordered a dish for each of them.
"So, I am curious why you thought I would be uncomfortable just because you are invisible." Mark had other questions but slowly working up to why she was so upset on Christmas seemed prudent.
"Well..." she sighed, "Ever since I got my powers, especially early on when I did not have full control, I started noticing it made other people uncomfortable, even Reed's first reaction was like that. Conversations became awkward when I was invisible. So now I just avoid those situations in the first place."
"I see." he did not really like that answer, "Are you okay with that? Or do you feel that you need to hide a part of yourself?"
Susan hesitated for a moment before answering, "I don't know if 'hide' is the right word," she admitted quietly. "It's more that… people get tense when they can't see you. They stop knowing where to look, or how to act. Even when they try not to."
She gave a small shrug, "So it just felt easier to make everyone comfortable first. And I don't need or want to be invisible most of the time anyway."
He considered that, "Being considerate of others is a good thing. However, your powers are a part of who you are now." Mark softened his expression, "There is a difference between choosing not to use your powers… and feeling like you are not allowed to."
He felt her go very still with a feeling of vulnerability, and she replied, "I never really thought about it like that."
"Well..." he said, changing the topic, "I was going to ask where you were heading when we met. I haven't taken you from other business have I?"
"No, I just needed to get away for awhile."
"I see. Given that it is Christmas I'm surprised, but I wont pry if you rather not talk about it."
"It's fine." she said, though it was absolutely not fine, "Reed got caught up in work is all."
"On Christmas? He must be very... dedicated."
She sighed again, "This is the first Christmas since we all got our powers and I was hoping for it to be special, but things fell through with Reed and Johnny."
Mark did not need to be Force sensitive to feel the disappointment radiating from her now.
"I for one expected my day to be the same as all the others." he said.
That brought her attention off her sorrows as he continued, "But instead, I met someone very interesting and she has made my day very special indeed."
She was caught off guard by that, and he felt her look away as a faint warmth rose into her cheeks. He was a little surprised to feel it was from more than just embarrassment.
Her smile softened into something more genuine than before, "You are very smooth, you know that?" she said, and her words carried a light teasing edge, but there was less weight in her shoulders now.
"Enough about me, Mr. Tall, Dark, and Mysterious. What's your story?"
Mark smiled faintly at that, "'Tall, dark, and mysterious' sounds much more glamorous than the truth." he said, as he leaned back slightly, relaxed despite himself.
"My story has really only just begun. I... lets just say I got a second chance a few months ago when I came to New York. Though I have to start over from nothing, I'd say the future is looking bright, and I do not want to let this opportunity go to waste... hmm."
'Have I actually been letting this opportunity go to waste?' Mark thought. Yes he had been training and trying to be smart about his actions. However, he had been living the same way in this world as he had in his old life before he died.
'Is that what I want? My old life was waisted. I did not take enough risks, always planning for the future, but failed to truly live.'
"Mark?"
The question brought him out of his thoughts, as he focused back on the conversation. "Sorry. I got caught up in thoughts about my old life. Before I came here, well... I was a different person, and I want to change. I want to have more fun, help out other people along the way, and go on some adventures. That's really why I chose to come here I think."
He felt a smile from her as she said, "I think most people who come to New York are hoping to become someone else. But wanting to help people and have adventures at the same time? That sounds dangerously close to optimism." sounding somehow genuine and teasing all at once.
"What can I say, I dream big."
After that they talked about various subjects.
When she asked him if he had any stories so far, he told her about the Halloween creature and also shared that things like vampires are real.
Susan shared several of her adventure with the Fantastic Four.
About her attraction to Namor, and how the possible relationship effectively ended after he abducted her in an attempt to persuade her to be his queen.
About the Skrulls and how her father, Franklin had sacrificed his life to save herself and her brother.
About when Spider-Man once showed up looking for a job. That got them on the subject of money.
The Fantastic Four was basically operating a non-profit that was funded by grants, government contracts and the like. And while the expenses were covered, her personal money came as a stipend.
She had never really realized until he pointed it out, but her entire life was inside the Baxter building. If she ever wanted to or had to leave, then she would have no money, no family, and no place to go. When she saw the truth it had sent a cold shock through her.
It was then, after several hours had passed when they realized the late hour.
"It's late and I need to get back home. I enjoyed our talk Mark. Thank you for a lovely evening."
"Thank you Sue, you are what made the day special."
She reached out and place a hand on his arm, "I... goodnight." she said, and headed back toward the Baxter building. He smiled at her reaction and was glad to feel her leave in a much better mood than when they met.