I don't own any of it! (Except Doria- ain't she cute?)

Chapter 4: On the town

The stacks, and stacks of papers lay on Hoyte's desk- signed, initialed, and check marked. Taking the pen from Mort, the lawyer looked at him with a smile. "Congratulations. You're a daddy."

I'll never get used to it. Me. A daddy? Its absurd. And how on earth will I explain this to Magneto? "Hey! Maggie! I jus' took custody of my five year ol' daughter- hope it's okay!" Oy...

He stuck his head into the secretary's office. "Doria?" The girl looked up. "How'd you like to come live with me, then?"

The small yellow eyes looked up at him with joy and surprise. "You... want me?" Mort nodded. "Sandra said you'd never want me." She looked down. "Sandra said you hated us."

His heart fell into his stomach. Pity for the poor girl, and amazement at her maturity filled his eyes. He squatted down to her height. "C'mere, love." She eyed him suspiciously, a hint of fear in her eyes. She held the hand marks on her arms. "I'm no' gonna 'urt you. Nobody's gonna 'urt you ever again. Ever." After a second, a small tear ran down her nose. Just one. Just one little tear of relief was all she allowed herself. She stepped into her father's arms, and he held the fragile soul tightly, and kissed her on the head. "Never, never, never. Never will I 'ate you." He looked over her head to Nancy, the secretary. "Do you have her things?"

Nancy sounded like she was going to cry at a sad movie. "No," she choked out with a sob, "She didn't have any things. Nothing!" She turned to the door, crying. "Excuse me."

Mort pulled Doria back a step. "Looks like we 'ave some shopping to do."

A little hand clutched at two of his fingers. It was a strange feeling, but it was nice. His hood was once more tightly in place, and they were scouting out the local shops for little girl clothes. She looked up at him. "Daddy? Why are you green?"

Mort smiled. "Because I'm a mutant," he said matter-of-factly.

"Oh. I'm sorry," she returned sympathetically, "It's okay. I'm a mutant too."

"No, love. Bein' a mutant's somethin' to be proud of! It means you 'ave special gifts. Don' you dare let anyone convince you otherwise."

"Sandra said it means nobody likes you 'cause you're a freak."

"Well, then, Sandra was wrong abou' a lo' of things, wasn't she?" While Doria pondered at this, he noticed a little store of children's clothing. "Let's try in here."

She picked up the pace, and led him into the little shop excitedly. Mort hated to admit it, but he was completely clueless. He had no idea where to begin. "Erm... Well Doria, wha's your favourite colour?" She looked at him like he had three heads. "You know, the color you like best." She looked around the store for the answer, and then looked at him for a second.

"Green!" she said brightly.

He was about to protest that she had just said that because it was the first color in front of her, and that she'd have to wear those clothes all the time, but, noting the streaks in her hair, he figured he could make it work. "Awright. Lets get started then, shall we?"

This was the first time Mort had ever pushed a shopping cart, and in all honesty it mad him feel ridiculous. Trained assassins don't push shopping carts. They just don't. They went around picking out overalls, shirts, dresses, shorts, leggings, pajamas, hats, and anything else that took her eye. Magneto would be footing the bill, and she deserved it. Not one single thing of her own... makes me sick!

"Tha' should jus' abou' do it," he said, guiding the cart to the dressing rooms. He reached into the cart, and handed her some shirts. "Take these in and try them on, now."

"But I can't! You need to come with me!" She tugged at his arm.

"But love, I can't go in there! Tha's the women's room!"

"First time shopping?" asked a voice behind him, startling him.

"Ah, ya."

"She's little. Its okay to bring her in the men's with you."

"Thanks." He piled the stuff back into the cart and led the little one to the next door. One outfit after the next, she modeled everything to him. It took an hour, but neither he, nor anyone else had the heart to ask her to stop. She just looked so happy.

Slurp. Slurp. Sluuuurp. "Aww, gimme tha'!" said the new daddy, reaching over and grabbing Doria's slushy. He stood up, walked to the counter, and put seventy-five cents down. "I'm gettin' a refill," he informed the cashier.

"There y'are." He placed the full drink in front of his daughter. It still sounds weird. My daughter. Not as weird as before- she's so damn cute. On the way to the fast food joint, she had thanked him non-stop for the clothes. She was really polite, too. "Thank you very much for buying me all of this! It was very kind of you! Thank you so much!" Now, though, she had been quiet for quite a bit. She seemed lost in thought. Suddenly a look of satisfaction came over her small features, and she looked up.

"Sandra wasn't a very good person, was she?"

So this is her new resolution. "No, love. No, she wasn't."

"She said a lot of stuff about you that wasn't true. You aren't mean, disgusting, and you don't hate me."

"And she 'urt you. Tha's the worst thing she did, love. She never should 'ave 'urt you."

She stared off into space. "I dunno. She never should have lied about you, either."

Mort just looked at her. How'd she get so mature?

She looked back at him again, and said confidently, "I'm done now."

"Let's go home then."