"I cannot believe you!" Roxanne was still seething as she followed Megamind through the complex.

"Let me explain! My contact called the police after he called me. Ares heard sirens. Realized what was happening. He tried to force his way into the bathroom but had to flee when the police arrived. They remembered what he did last time, and now they're taking a shoot-first-ask-later approach with him. Probably he planned to return— I've had that gas station under twenty-four surveillance just in case— but in the meantime, there was a little girl left all alone. What else could I do?"

"So you brought her here?"

"I thought you wanted to ensure she was safe," Megamind protested as he led her toward the dining room.

"Yes. Safe with the proper authorities. Why didn't you let the police take care of it? She's already been kidnapped once this month. Isn't that enough?"

"Rescue. We rescued her."

"Semantics."

"This has nothing to do with cultural backgrounds, and I don't believe she's Jewish anyway."

"Don't believe she's— No, Megamind. Semantics. As in word choice."

"Well, we did rescue her! And technically I am an official 'proper authority.'"

Roxanne groaned again. "There are channels for this sort of thing—"

"I don't watch reality television."

"Are you being deliberately obtuse?"

"Obtuse? Take a look at me, Roxanne," he gestured to his narrow frame. "If anything I'm acute!"

"Geometry jokes? Really?"

"It was funny. Admit it."

"This really isn't the time!"

"Oh, there's always time for a good Geometry joke."

"Megamind!"

"Or a good Chemistry joke. You know, I wanted to make a Chemistry joke instead, but all the good ones Argon!" He looked at her expectantly for a moment. "You know," he urged. "Argon, as in the–"

"I got it, it's just not funny. Especially not now! We have an abducted child in our home!"

"Rescued." Megamind corrected again, then paused. "You said 'our!'" he spun to face her, green eyes sparkling, mouth split into a wide smile.

"That's what you're taking away from this conversation?"

"It's the part I like best!"

Sometimes it almost bothered her, the way he could always make her smile no matter how angry she was. One look at his face glowing with affectionate joy and she knew she had lost the battle.

Roxanne shook her head helplessly. "Megamind, I swear—"

"You shouldn't, you know. It's not very polite."

"Megamind!" her objection turned into a laugh as she aimed a gentle slap at his shoulder.

He ducked away, answering with a grin and a dramatic flourish. "Rail all you wish, Miss Ritchi! Nothing you say now could possibly ruin my good mood! Seriously," he added more calmly. "What's done is done. Come meet our guest, and we'll discuss our next course of action later."

She sighed.

"Sweetheart, think about it. Where else in the Metrocity could she be safer than here? I'm the Defender now, so I'm doing my best to defend her," a smile teased the edges of his mouth.

"Now you're starting with the puns?"

"Anything for you, my Darling." He turned the corner toward the dining room. "Besides, it's better than arguing."

What could she say to that? "Fine," she surrendered, catching up to take his hand. "But we really do need to talk about this. And we have to let someone know."

"We will."

Olivia was sitting at the dining room table, kicking her feet and munching a sandwich, a glass of grape juice near her elbow. She had light tan skin and soft, dark curls that spoke of mixed heritage. Roxanne was guessing that her mother had been part African American. As they entered the room, the girl looked up and smiled, crumbs on her face.

"Can I play with the robots?" she asked.

"Cyborgs," Megamind corrected with a surprisingly soft look. "Maybe after lunch."

"Can I go outside?"

"I'm sorry, Little One, but it isn't safe yet."

"When?"

"When the bad man isn't looking for you anymore."

"Mr. Ares said he's my dad, but I've already got a dad," she paused. "Jeanetta Kraft has two dads. And a rabbit." She said this as if the latter was by far the most impressive. "Want some sandwich?" she asked Roxanne. "It's got tomatoes. I like tomatoes."

"Me too," Roxanne smiled. "Thank you, but I'm not really hungry right now," she added as Olivia held the meal out toward her. "You go ahead and enjoy it."

"Do you know what's best about sandwiches?" the girl asked after another mouthful.

"Um, no, what?"

"You don't have to decide what to eat first."

"Oh— Okay…"

"Like, when you've got a dinner plate, you have to eat what you don't like first, and what you like a little bit second, and finish with what you like best. That way that's what taste stays in your mouth. Then grownups make you brush your teeth. It ruins everything." She rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Dental hygiene is paramount," Megamind informed her.

"Mount? Like a mountain?"

"Paramount. It means 'very important.' If you don't brush your teeth, they'll all turn black and fall out, then you won't be able to eat anything but soup and jello."

She shuddered. "I don't like soup. Except tomato soup. It's good with grilled cheese. And I like potato soup and French onion soup. All the other soups are gross! I like jello! Jello's good!"

"But you can't eat sandwiches without teeth," he reminded her. "You can't eat cookies either."

"And you can't eat corn on the cob," Olivia nodded sagely. "You have to have teeth for that. Or egg rolls. You can't eat egg rolls. I like egg rolls. Oh! I forgot one! I like won ton soup, too!"

There was a pause while the girl munched her sandwich.

"I never saw a lab before," she announced between bites. "I've seen a lab, like a dog. A Labrador Retriever. But not mad scientist lab. Are you a mad scientist?" she asked Megamind.

"Ah… Maybe?"

"Don't you know for sure?"

"How would I tell?"

She gave him an exasperated look. "Do you have a Frankenstein?"

"A Franken– No, I don't."

"Then you're not a mad scientist," the girl said with finality. "You can't be a mad scientist without a Frankenstein."

"Good to know."

"I know lots of stuff. Did you know that bull sharks have fifty rows of teeth?"

"I did," Megamind sat beside her. "Did you know that sharks can't stay still?"

She looked at him wide-eyed. "Not ever?"

"Not ever. It's the way their gills breathe. They'll drown if they stay still, so they always have to keep swimming."

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming," she sang, then paused. "How do they sleep?"

"I'm not sure."

She thought about that for a moment. "I'm going to play shark!" she announced and started to jump up.

"Whoa, whoa," Megamind caught her before she could dash away, and gently set her back in the chair. "Finish your lunch first, then you can play shark."

Olivia sighed.

"Sharks need their food," Megamind insisted.

"Sharks don't eat tomato sandwiches."

"Well, they've never tried one, have they?"

She considered that carefully. "Can I take sandwiches to the beach? Are there sharks in the water?"

"No, I'm afraid not… That's one of the Great Lakes, like an inland sea, not the ocean, so no sharks."

"We should get some sharks."

"Well, I don't have sharks, but do I have alligators."

Olivia looked at him with new awe. Behind the girl, Roxanne desperately tried to signal her lover to stop talking.

Megamind ignored her. "If you eat all your lunch and finish your homework," he told Olivia, "I'll take you to see the alligators."

Roxanne slapped a palm over her face.

"How come I have to do homework when I'm not in school?" Olivia was asking.

"You are in shool; you're just learning at home."

"Mr. Ares didn't make me do homework."

"He also didn't have alligators," Megamind reasoned.

Olivia thought for a moment, and then nodded. "I'll do homework for alligators. I like school anyway. Except for art class. Even though I like drawing. Ms. Budny always wants us to do things her way. She stifles my creativity," Olivia sighed with an intensity of drama only a seven-year-old could muster. Looking at Roxanne, she added: "You have pretty eyes."

"Thank you. So do you."

"You have Tinkerbell hair, too. That's what my teacher, Ms. Birmingham, calls it, and her hair looks like yours."

It took Roxanne a moment to comprehend. "Oh. A pixie cut. Yes, that's right."

"Are you a pixie?"

"Well, no."

"So you don't have wings?"

"No, sorry."

"I have wings. They're not real though. I wish I had real wings. Then I could fly."

Megamind was getting that far-off, deep-thought look on his face again, One hand came up to stroke the patch of hair on his chin.

Roxanne cleared her throat to get his attention and shook her head slightly, trying to speak with her eyes. You are not building functional wings for a seven-year-old.

He shrugged.

Olivia finished her sandwich and drank her juice. "Did you know you're cool?" she asked both of them. "Mr. Minion is, too, except maybe a little cooler because he's a fish robot."

"Hey, come on!" laughed Megamind. "I built that robot body! Doesn't that make me cooler?"

The little girl thought for a moment. "Maybe. Did you build any lasers?"

"Yes, actually," he beamed. "I have a weapon with plasma laser capabilities!"

"A what?"

"A… ray gun," he simplified. He looked as if he might actually find using such an inaccurate and unscientific term slightly painful.

"For real? You made a space gun? Like in the movies?"

"I made a space gun. Because I'm a real-life alien."

"Cool! You are?"

"The blue skin didn't give it away?"

She shrugged. "I thought you drank too much blue Koolaide and changed colors. Like a flamingo."

He chuckled. "Ah, good hypothesis, but no."

The little girl seemed to consider deeply for a moment. "Okay. I changed my mind. You can be the coolest. Only don't tell Mr. Minion. Am I going to stay here?"

Roxanne opened her mouth to respond, but Megamind was quicker. "Yes, for the foreseeable future," he said.

Aware of the girl's eyes on them, Roxanne fought not to glare at her lover.

"What about Rosie Whiskers?"

Megamind stared at her, dumbfounded. "Rosie– Who?"

"That's my stuffed cat. She's pink and she's got a purple dress. Starshine the Unicorn and Brownie Bear have to come, too. They'll be sad if I'm gone too long."

"Ah," Megamind smiled. "Well, then, make me a list of everything you want from your bedroom, and I'll send brainbots to fetch it."

"Really?"

"Of course! You can come to the workroom this evening, and we'll do some online shopping, too. You can pick out your own bed and things."

"Can it be a princess bed?"

"Any sort of bed you want."

"And I'm going to hide here where Mr. Ares can't find me, like the princess in the tower?"

"Exactly. You can be the princess in the tower. I'll even buy you a princess dress."

"I love it here!" Olivia announced with feeling. "It's kind of like a secret clubhouse, and everybody's nice! We could be the Nice People Club, except that's a stupid name." She jumped up. "I'm going upstairs to finish my homework so I can see the alligators!" she called as she bounded from the room.

"I don't mean to brag," Megamind turned toward his lover with a grin. "But I'm the coolest."

"Yes, you are. I guess I'll have to put up with third place," she tried to tease, but anxiety weighed her humor down, and she sighed. "Did you really have to say she was staying here for the foreseeable future? She's going to be so disappointed when she has to leave, Megamind. We really shouldn't make promises we won't be able to keep."

"I have every intention of keeping it. She's safe here. And where else is she going to go?"

"They'll probably take her back to her step-father. You know, her legal guardian?"

Megamind's face went hard, brows lowering, green eyes blazing with a dangerous light. "No," he said stonily. "They most definitely will not."

The expression he wore deepened Roxanne's concern, and she dropped her arms. "Megamind? What is it?"

"Simmons came through with the information about Johnson. It transpires that there's a good reason Ares wanted to take his daughter away."

They were sitting in the workroom examining all the digital files Police Chief Simmons had sent.

"He's not just a drunk," Roxanne said, staring at the monitor. "He's an angry drunk"

"Very angry," Megamind agreed. "Roxanne, I'm going to show you the medical files from a couple of his wife's hospital visits, but I'm warning you: they're bad."

"I've interviewed people after some horrible injuries. I can handle it."

She did, but it wasn't easy. The first photograph showed a woman with warm brown skin and rich black hair. Her nose and almond eyes showed a Latino influence while her brow, long lashes, and plump lips spoke of the African heritage Roxanne had already seen in Olivia. Taken as a whole, the face in the image would have been uniquely beautiful if it hadn't been for the purple bruises and swollen features that marred it, and Roxanne found herself wondering what old pains or deep self-doubts had driven so attractive a woman to stay with someone like Johnson. The reporter shook her head to dismiss the thought. She needed to be clinical about this; it was the only way to deal with these sorts of terrible realities. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to study the other images cataloging dark, purple-black contusions on the woman's arms, side, and back. One of the arms, apparently, had had to be put in a cast. The poor woman had been beaten with a level of vicious brutality that Roxanne found hard to imagine. It made the reporter cringe in sympathy.

"This is one of the worst incidents," Megamind informed her, "but it's far from the only one. It's not even the only one that required a hospital visit."

"And you think Johnson started hitting Olivia?" she asked, eyes still on the screen.

His voice was grim. "Minion examined her last night. She's got bruises on her back and upper arms. They're fading, turning green, and there are no newer ones. It takes two weeks for bruises to heal, and she was with Ares eight days. That tells me she was hurt before the kidnap. Then there's this," he tapped keys and brought up a new report. "Over a year ago, her teacher reported that she came into shool with bruising on her face. Johnson told the principal that she'd had a bicycle accident. Three months later, the same thing happened, and that time he claimed she'd fallen out of a tree. After that, it looks like he wised up, and started only hitting her places her clothes would cover." He clenched his fists, jaw tight, eyebrows lowered in an angry scowl. "That's what enrages me the most. If he had enough control to choose where to hit her, he had enough control to choose not to hit her at all. But he did." He shook his head. "It seems he started using his step-daughter as a punching bag once his wife was no longer around to serve that purpose. Why do women stay with men like that?"

"I think some don't think they have a choice, while some get emotionally confused," Roxanne answered. "You know, an abusive man isn't always abusive… I once did a special report on domestic violence awareness. A lot of times it's a cycle, and sometimes the man can seem really sweet and likable for days or even weeks before something triggers him. And people like Johnson are usually good at manipulating and shifting the blame to their victims. So too often the woman gets it into her head that it's her own fault, that she caused it because she wasn't good enough. Or the man. Because men get abused too. Either way, abusive people are naturally drawn to partners with low self-esteem, the sort who already tend to internalize and self-criticize. Add to that the fact that most abusers are controlling, cutting their partners off from friends and family until they feel as if they have nowhere to turn, and you get a sort of perfect storm."

Megamind's entire body was tense, his jaw working as he ground his teeth. "And children raised in that environment will grow up to be the next generation of victims. I should hunt Johnson down and see how he likes being beaten bruised and bloody!"

Roxanne hugged him from behind, and he placed one hand on her arm. "Darling, is that what a hero would do?"

"That is what any decent man should do!" he growled.

"But aren't you required to use appropriate channels for handling this sort of thing?"

He sneered. "Ah, like the shool system? Yes, they did such an excellent job."

"I know, I know… I can't understand why they didn't do something," she admitted. "There are steps they're supposed to take."

Megamind blew out a long breath, letting out some of his tension. "Johnson is a lawyer; people automatically respect that. If he had been a construction worker or a janitor, they probably would have made different assumptions and been more proactive. That sort of thing shouldn't matter, but we both know it does."

"So you're saying he basically just got away with it because of his job and his tax bracket. And the only reason it ever got brought to light is... Jesus," Roxanne could feel her own anger rising now. "A murderer literally had to snatch the poor kid before anyone thought to take closer a look because people like Johnson know how to play the system! You know what? Screw it. If you want to beat up Johnson, I won't stop you."

"That's my girl."

"Okay, I understand why we can't give her back to her step-father," Roxanne said. "But we still have to contact Family Services about this."

"I will, but not yet. I want to make a few other calls first. As the Defender of Metrocity, I have the right to take endangered citizens into my protective custody. That's how I got your stay here registered as witness protection. If I call Family Services or the police right now, they'll be legally obligated to return Olivia to her so-called guardian."

Roxanne nodded her agreement. "And what then? After we catch Ares, I mean?"

"I don't know," he admitted, rubbing a thumb in slow circles over her wrist. "We'll figure it out."

"You don't have any ideas?"

"My idea is that it's going to depend on whether Olivia has any other family I feel is trustworthy, and whether she wants to go with them or stay here."

Roxanne leaned down to kiss his cheek. "You are a truly wonderful man."

He turned his head to grin at her. "I know."

"But what if she says she does want to stay here? I mean… How do we… Explain to her?"

"Explain what?"

"Megamind, she's not a lost puppy, you can't just—"

He kept his eyes focused ahead of him, but she could hear the blush in his voice. "I know she's not, Sweetheart… Being a father, that's going to be a huge and completely terrifying responsibility. But Minion's here too— He took care of me, you know— and then, if you stay…"

She leaned around to look at him. "Megamind, you do have a plan. You're planning for a family."

His blush deepened. "Well, you know… I've always wanted a child..."

"But we've never even discussed this sort of thing, Megamind." Roxanne fought to keep her voice calm. "You can't just decide for me that I'm going to be a mom, or ask me to choose between parenthood and leaving you. It isn't fair."

The look of pain on his face made her feel like a monster. "So you... don't want children?" Something in her face made him look quickly away. "It's alright. I understand." Watching him in profile, she could see his adam's apple move as he swallowed hard. "I'm not trying to take your choices from you. I'm only asking you not to take mine. We can work this out. If this isn't something you want, she can be my daughter; Minion and I can raise her, and you can be simply my girlfriend, not... anything you don't want to be."

"It doesn't work that way."

"She needs me. She needs someone who won't hurt her, use her, or walk away when things get tough. But I won't force you to be a mother if that isn't—"

"Look," she sighed. "I never said I didn't want children. I do. Someday. It's just that this is... It's so..." Scary. Unexpected. Utterly petrifying.

"This is sudden. I know. And between you and I, I'm afraid too. But while maybe the timing isn't ideal, adoption was always going to be an option. Roxanne," he finally looked at her, taking her hand in his. "I've run some DNA tests and built simulations using the data. I don't think… Our genomes are extremely similar, but not quite similar enough. While it isn't entirely impossible, it's highly unlikely that I can give you children in the… natural way. Certainly not without scientific intervention… Probably it would require a biochemical approach. And if you ever decide you're ready, I'm certainly happy to look into that," he added quickly. "If that's what you want, I'll find a way. But this... Maybe this really is destiny. She's a sweet girl, and we could be great parents. I know we could."

Suburbia, that nasty little voice in Roxanne's head kept whispering. Minivans and mini-mansions. Monotony and mom-jeans.

Roxanne, however, was looking at Megamind's face, his expression a mingle of vulnerable hope and cautious yearning. She thought about the way he'd been raised, the closest thing he had to family a talking fish and gaggle of hardened criminals. Could she really blame him for wanting to protect another defenseless child, or for wanting what fate had denied him all his life? Then there was Olivia to think about, a little girl with big brown eyes and an infectious grin, who'd clearly kept her vivaciousness, kind heart, and unstoppable curiosity despite what she'd endured. Didn't she deserve better than Johnson's drunken abuse or the uncertain mercy of foster care? And what of the way Megamind looked at his new charge, like he was already wrapped around her little finger? For that matter, Roxanne had barely met the girl but already felt a rising need to cherish and nurture. Her head kept telling her that suddenly taking on the roles of live-in partner and surrogate mother was stupid, rash, idiotic… but at that moment, it was her heart she listened to.

Shut up, she told the voice. Just shut up.

She still couldn't say she was a huge fan of this idea, but maybe... Maybe she could try? After all, nothing was set in stone. Not yet. There remained a possibility of finding a loving aunt or doting grandparents who would take over Olivia's care. If that didn't happen, there would be time to give this a trial run, to grow used to the idea. As for her concerns about suburban deathtraps and career suicide, logically they were absurd. Lots of mothers worked. Megamind certainly wasn't going to abandon the Evil Lair any time soon, and they had a ready-made babysitter in the form of Minion. Yes, this would be an entirely unexpected turn in life's road, admittedly frightening in its newness, but that didn't mean it had to be bad. And, she thought, glancing at her lover, Megamind— wonderful, loving, brilliant Megamind— would be by her side the whole way. It wasn't as if she had to sign the papers right now. She could take this one step at a time.

"Hey," she touched his cheek and gently turned his eyes back to her own. "We'll see what happens, okay?" she smiled at him, and he smiled back, his face lighting up as if she had just offered him the world.

"Then let me make some phone calls," he leaned back in his chair and pulled her down for a lingering kiss. Digging his cellphone out of his pocket— she'd never been able to figure out how he hid it so well in those tight pants— he dialed a number from memory.

"Hello, Mayor Pollock? I need a favor…"

The alligators, it turned out, now had a large enclosure built in the basement, complete with a glass observation wall, a swampy pool, and sunlamps wired into a timing system.

"There's a bank of windows high up in the wall I can open to give them natural sunlight, too," Megamind was explaining. He held Olivia's hand in one of his and pointed with the other. "That's Allie, and that's Spike over there…"

Standing behind him, Roxanne smiled with amused affection. Of course he had named the stupid alligators.

"Can I pet them?" Olivia was asking.

"I wouldn't recommend it. They're... Ah... Bitey. But you can watch when we feed them," he added quickly, seeing the disappointment on the girl's face.

"Can we feed them apple pies?"

"Uh… I'm not sure they'd like those… They usually get raw chicken…"

She gave him a look as if he were the biggest dullard in the world. "Everybody likes apple pie," she informed him. "Besides, they've never tried it, have they?"

Megamind looked a little shocked at having his words turned against him.

"I suppose not?" he said. "But, you know, alligator are carnivorous."

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Is that the one that means 'meat eater?'"

"Yes. Well, carnivore means 'meat-eater,' carnivorous is an adjective meaning, ah, 'one that eats meat.' They both come from the Latin words for 'animal flesh,' carnis, and 'consume,' vorare."

Olivia didn't seem to be listening. "Can I draw them?" she asked.

"I don't know. Can you? Do you have that ability?"

She looked at him blankly.

"Did you, perhaps, mean: 'may I draw the alligators?'" he prompted.

"May I draw the alligators?"

"Of course!"

"Why are their tails so big?"

"It helps them to swim. And jump."

"Alligators jump?"

"Yes. I'll show you some time."

"Are alligators dinosaurs?"

"No, but the chicken is the closest living relative of Tyrannosaurus rex. So it could be argued that they eat dinosaurs."

"Really?"

"Really."

Olivia's face broke into a wide grin, and she began marching stiff-legged around the room, arms pulled halfway into her shirt sleeves, shouting: "Rawr! Rawr! Bok-bok-bok-bok-bok!" She chased a brainbot in a circle. "RAWR! Fear the Tyrannosaurus Chicken!"

Despite herself, Roxanne discovered she was laughing, and she felt Megamind slip an arm around her waist.

Megamind's holowatch started beeping, and he sighed. He tensed into action when he read the message, however.

"I have to go!" He said quickly, pecking Roxanne's cheek and hurrying toward the stairs. "Duty calls. Apartment fire on Brzezinski Street. People trapped inside. Olivia?" he added over his shoulder.

She stopped playing. "Yes, Mr. Megamind?"

"Minion and I have to go to work. Stay with Miss Roxanne!"

He was gone before Roxanne could protest, but she could hear him shouting orders to Minion and the brainbots into his watch as his voice faded through the floorboards. She pushed down a spark of burning ire at his leaving her holding the proverbial bag like this. It wasn't his fault. He had to go. People would die if he didn't hurry. And someone had to stay behind with their new charge. She fought to ignore the sneering little suspicion that she was already falling into the role of the forgettable housewife, left behind to tend the young while the men were off doing important things. She refused to believe that that was what this was. No, Megamind would never relegate her to a life he knew she didn't want. The simple fact was that he and Minion had worked together for years, while she was still essentially learning the ropes, and this was a situation where every second counted. Besides, once Ares was caught, she planned to go back to her day job, so it wasn't as if she even wanted to be a full-time sidekick. That was Minion's role— a role, she suddenly realized, that he had graciously stepped aside from more than once during the past weeks so that she could play a more active part in the Ares case. And in every aspect of Megamind's new life.

She really needed to tell the fish thank you when she saw him next.

With those thoughts cooling her riled emotions, she gathered her will and made the conscious choice not to be angry.

Olivia, thankfully, provided a distraction, turning round eyes on Roxanne. "Is he a fireman?"

"No," Roxanne blessed the tingle of warm pride the swelled through her. It was so much better than irritation. "He's a hero."

"Like a superhero?"

"Not just like one, he is one."

"Cool! What powers does he have?"

"He's got something better than superpowers. He's the smartest man on earth. Probably in the galaxy."

"But he can't fly or shoot fire out of his hands or anything?" It bothered Roxanne more than it should have to hear the disappointment in the girl's voice.

"Well, that's just it. He's so smart that he can make things to do any of that. Any superpower you can think of, he can build something that does it. So being a super-genius is kind of like having all the powers at once." They were silent for a moment. Roxanne fought the sour churn of rising panic as her mind scrambled to remember what she had liked doing at Olivia's age. There weren't exactly a plethora of toys around the Lair, and she mentally sifted through items she had seen around: tools, gadgets, books… A deck of cards. "Do you want to play Go Fish?"

"What's that?"

"It's a card game. You mean you've never played?"

"No..."

"It's fun. You'll like it. Come upstairs and I'll teach you." She could do this. She really could. "I'll even make some hot chocolate."