"Colonel, what just happened?" Marks seemed to have the innocent curiosity of a child in that moment as she walked over to Stryker.

"Logan has decided to leave. Your power hasn't recovered has it?" Stryker asked in a kind voice the men had never heard him use before.

"I can try to transport everyone back to the plane but you remember what happened last time I depleted my powers that drastically."

Stryker nodded, "do it, I'm sure Zero can look after you, he's done it before."

Marks looked at Zero who nodded causing Marks to nod in return, "alright, everyone gather round again."

Everyone gathered around again and this time Zero stood closest to where Marks originally stood before the light appeared again and they appeared at the plane. Zero quickly caught Marks as she fell but this time the other men stood astonished as her body seemed to shrink to the size of an average 8 year old. Zero picked her up and carried her to the plane, Stryker following after him. The others just stood there in shock.

"Did you guys see that?" Bradley asked.

"Yea, the hot chick just became at minor, damn, that means she's totally off limits." Wade said.

"I think she was off limits anyway, did you see the soft spot both the Colonel and Zero had for her?" Victor questioned.

"Yea, weird" Dukes put his two cents in.

They were silent for a moment before they all got on the plane as well to see Zero sitting with the little girl in his lap, her head resting against his shoulder.

"So what's the deal with you and that girl Zero? Earlier you were acting like you didn't know her" Wade asked as he sat himself across from the gunman.

Zero looked up but it was Stryker who answered, "Lilianah Ann Marks is my daughter, she has been training since her powers developed when she was 8, which is why whenever her power is greatly depleted she reverts back to the body of an 8 year old. Zero is the agent I assigned to care for her and teach her to shoot. She is known as a shifter, she can transport herself and groups of people across great distances, along with excellent fighting skills, and the ability to manipulate lightning to a certain extent."

"So let me get this straight, you have a daughter?" Wade asked.

Stryker sighed, "Yes, Lilianah kept her mother's last name."

There was a small groan and the young girl woke, rubbing her eyes and yawning she looked up at Zero, "hello Zero, what happened?"

"You fell asleep honey" Stryker answered and Lili looked over at him.

"Daddy!" she scrambled over to him and tossed her arms around his neck.

"Hello sweetie, how have you been?"

"I hate it when you leave me with those agents! They're mean to me!" she buried her head in his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her.

"What do you mean? What do they do to you?" Stryker asked concerned, Zero and the rest of the team listening in as well.

"They say mean things about my marks and about how I can do stuff that they can't. And one of them…" she went silent and looked down, tears filling her eyes.

"What did they do Lilianah?" it was Zero who asked this time.

"One of them hit me after I got back from a mission one night and called me a freak" this time she really did start crying. Zero's hand tightened on one of his guns and he looked at Stryker who nodded before comforting his little girl.

A few hours later they arrived back at base and Stryker handed Zero the sleeping girl, "take her with you, I want her under constant watch until she changes back then I want her to come see me. I want the name of that man who hit her, once you get it you know what to do."

Zero nodded and carried Lili to his room and placed her gently on the bed. Wade stood in the doorway, "you know it's kind of weird to see you care for something or someone like this, you're always so stone cold."

"Lilianah is a special case; I was assigned her trainer and caretaker when her powers developed. She is a hard girl to not like after you spend some time with her."

Wade nodded then left the room after glancing at Lili one last time. Zero noticed his gaze and felt a sense of protectiveness over his charge wash over him before he slipped off his guns, boots, and shirt and lay down beside the sleeping child. Lili opened her eyes for a moment and, after seeing it was him, wrapped her arms around his neck and curled into his chest, quickly falling back asleep.


hey guys, yet another X-Men story, tell me what ya think and send over any ideas if you have any. if i use your idea i'll be sure to give you credit for it. thanks! ^_^
~NightStalker