I don't own the X men or the Brotherhood.
The Power of Touch
Chapter 7 – Reservations
Marcy looked at the car seat carrier she used for toting Dana around. The baby was sleeping – Mystique's trick had worked breastfeed until she quit in frustration – and then give her a bottle. It had been four months since that night, and Marcy and Dana were keeping up just fine.
She had been a little cool to Pyro, simply because she was still angry he'd wanted to abandon them. She still hadn't said anything to Mortimer either – she didn't know what to say. She was just a kid – she didn't see how anyone with his years and experience could really be interested in her.
She'd called the school once – after the Dana was born, to let Logan know. She'd just left a message. She was sitting, waiting for someone to pick her up. She was on a scouting mission. Who would suspect a teenager with a baby of watching the facility while waiting for a bus?
They'd rented a house, and she Mystique – who was disguised as her 'mom' – and Victor as her 'dad' and Pyro as her 'brother' were living there, with Mortimer coming over as a friend regularly. The rest of the "army" was hiding out in various safe houses. She was taking the bus to and from school, using the bus stop nearest the Church's facility.
The religious arm of the Friends of Humanity had become much more militant, and violent. There had been attacks on mutants, not high powered ones, but regular every day low level mutants who were just trying to make a living. A family had been killed in the neighborhood where they'd rented the house just a month before – a bomb in the car when they left the mall. Magneto wanted to put this branch of the Church out of business, and it was her job to keep an eye on things while waiting for the bus.
The school they'd enrolled her in had a day care so she could take care of Dana through the day – and she was able to enroll as a senior thanks to all the tutoring from her family. Mortimer's help had been especially useful – since she hated English and writing in general.
She watched as one of the guards opened the gate for a limousine – the rear window rolled down – and she recognized the face of the man in the back. He was running for President – Graydon something. She would have to tell Myst when she got home. Her bus arrived and she picked up the car seat and diaper bag and climbed aboard. The driver smiled at her. This was the second leg of her trip to from school. She took this bus from near the house to this stop – and then a second bus from the stop to the school.
"How's the baby this afternoon." The driver asked. She was very friendly – and not obviously a mutant, but she was sympathetic to the Brotherhood. She was the other set of eyes on the facility.
"She's great – slept most of the day – which means she'll be hell on wheels tonight." Marcy grinned, taking her customary seat behind the driver.
"You strap her in good." The woman said. She'd installed a special seatbelt for the car seat on the bus. Marcy always got this seat – it was reserved.
The short ride home was quiet; there were very few people on the route at this time. Most of the kids lived closer to school. She was hoping to be able to actually graduate before they had to move on.
No one was home when she got there, Myst was at work, Victor's truck was gone, which meant he was off moping somewhere again. Pyro was off doing something for Erik, so she had the place to herself. She looked in the fridge to see if anyone put anything out for dinner. Nope – looked like pizza night. She called for delivery and pulled the cash from the household supply. Someone had better get paid soon – supplies were getting very low.
Dana woke up and started wiggling in her seat. Marcy un-strapped her and picked her up, putting her in the playpen in the living room while she went over the household accounts. Someone was really pulling from the general fund – and not leaving receipts. She'd bet it was Pyro.
She glanced over at Dana; she was pushing up on her arms and just grinning. Marcy smiled. She was doing so well – and was such a happy baby. She had no regrets about having her – none at all. Dana was cooing and drooling so Marcy went back to the accounts.
The front door opened and Mort walked in. He smiled at Marcy.
"Hey – where's Myst. I need ta talk ta her?"
"I think she's still at work."
"Where's Creed?"
"No clue.
"Pyro?"
"Running errands for Erik." She was trying to balance the account but kept coming up short.
"You're here by yourself?"
"Yeah."
"Shit."
"What?"
"Just that someone's supposed to be here when you get home." He muttered. He walked over to the play pen and picked Dana up, bouncing her on one hip like a pro.
"How was school?"
"Fine. What's going on?"
"Nothin' just concerned." He said looking down at the baby who kept trying to grab his nose.
"School's fine – I should graduate – if we can stay put long enough." She said. Even with what she'd overheard – she was still comfortable around him.
"I'll see what we can do." He said glancing over at her. "What are you working on?"
"Household account – I keep coming up short." She said.
He walked over and looked everything over. "Looks like Pyro's been pullin' extra without leavin any receipts."
"I figured that out, silly. I just am trying to figure out how much." She glanced up at him, holding Dana and smiled. She reached up to touch the baby's cheek and brushed his hand.
…know how beautiful she is. Damn – need ta get out of here, before I do something I shouldn't.
He pulled back quickly.
"Sorry." He said, walking over to the play pen and putting Dana gently down.
"Mort." She said as he hastily headed for the door.
"Marcy – I…" He opened the door and took off. He was in his car and out of the driveway before she could get to the front door. She watched him drive off, a heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She'd picked up what he was feeling – not just the thoughts, but he'd not given her time to let him know she felt the same.
She really didn't know when she'd started thinking about him that way, but she cared about him a great deal, far more than she had Ted – or anyone else in her life. More than she cared about Myst or Victor – maybe not more – but different. Mortimer was special, and now she was afraid he would pull even further away.
She sat on the couch, and watched Dana play, she was chewing on one of her toys – she was already getting her first tooth. She loved to watch Mort hold her, care for her. He loved Dana like she was his own, Marcy had picked that up from him a time or two, that he wished Dana were his daughter. The sad part was – so did Marcy.
She never had any time with him – never alone, today was the first time in months one of the others hadn't been home. It was like he'd asked them to chaperone him or something. When would he realize he didn't need one – she wouldn't mind a bit?
Mystique came in a few mintutes later.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah – pizza's on the way." She said softly.
"What's wrong, sweetie pie?" Myst said, dropping onto the couch and shifting into her natural form.
"Mort came by – but took off. Why does he do that?"
"He's a guy." Myst said.
"That doesn't help." Marcy said.
"I know."
The pizza delivery guy interrupted them, and Pyro and Victor got home a few minutes later so she really didn't have time to talk to Mystique again until later.
"Saw the Geeks today." Victor said.
"Really – what are they up to?" Pyro asked.
"Keepin' an eye on things here – too." He said. "I think Rogue saw Treasure at the stop."
"That reminds me I saw that guy – the one from TV, Graydon something or other go into the facility right before I got on the bus."
That got both Myst and Victor's attention.
"You are certain it was him." Myst asked.
"DAMN!" Victor snarled.
"Yes. We've been having to watch the campaign commercials for class." She said. "Creed, Graydon Creed's his name. Any relation?" She asked Victor teasingly. He just growled, and snatched another piece of pizza.
"Well that clinches it – the Church and the FoH are working together. Especially if Graydon's involved." Mystique said. "I'll get this information to Erik and see what he wants to do."
Marcy went to her room with Dana after diner. She really didn't want to deal with Pyro about the accounts tonight, and the whole situation with Mort was bothering her.
Myst knocked on the door later that evening.
"You alright?"
"Yeah – just, does Mort know I know how he feels?" She asked.
"I haven't told him, so unless you have, I don't think so. Why?"
"He's just been acting weird, I know he loves Dana and wants to be around her, but he avoids us, unless someone is with us. I picked up something from him today, and I'm afraid it spooked him."
"Mort is fine. He just thinks he's too old for you, and frankly we all agree with him."
"I don't."
"TREASURE!"
"Well I don't. He's not that old, and frankly I miss him when he's not around."
"He just doesn't want to hurt you – or the baby, so he's trying to stay away."
"He's an idiot." Marcy grumbled.
"He's an adult – and you are only sixteen.
"Seventeen."
"Is the word TEEN in there." Myst snapped.
"Yes."
"Then he's too old. He's asked us to make sure he isn't alone with you – he just doesn't trust himself very far, and we all agree with him. You would be better off with someone closer to your own age.
"Like dipshit out there. Pyro is a worse idiot than Toad." Marcy grumbled.
"Fine – Pyro's an idiot. None of us disagree with you – not even Pyro. But there are other guys in the Brotherhood closer to your own age. TOAD is the one that is pushing this, HE thinks he's too old for you, don't hurt him."
"But this IS hurting him. I could feel the pain he's in when I touched him, and it's hurting ME. I miss him. I miss spending time with him, I miss ARGUING with him. I miss him." She didn't even try to stop the tears. Mystique just slipped an arm around her and let her cry on her shoulder.
"It's for the best this way." The blue woman whispered. "If I agree with it or not – there are a whole lot of things going on that I don't agree with right now."
"Like what?"
"Victor's seeing Storm – again. Pyro is – well I'm not entirely sure what he's doing but it has something to do with Rogue, and now this new guy, LeBeau is making things more complicated. Erik is acting strangely – keeping secrets, and you know what's going on with Mort."
"Wow – and I thought high school was rough." Marcy said with a laugh.
"Well – the only GOOD news – is Xavier got a slap in the face when his little miss perfect, Kitty Pryde wound up pregnant by Bobby Drake. So he has to eat crow where you are concerned."
"OH my GOD! You have to be kidding!"
"Nope – pillow talk between Ms. Monroe and Mr. Creed – which made its way back to me."
Marcy laughed. That pompous ass – didn't want his school's reputation tarnished by an unwed teen mother – and now he has to explain how one got pregnant while ATTENDING the school. That was certainly a black eye for Charles Xavier. She wondered if Kitty was getting the 'woman power' speech from Storm, or if Logan was as sympathetic to her as he'd been to Marcy. It didn't matter, she had her own family now – her own place to belong. Now if she could only work things out with Mortimer.