X-Men Fan Fiction ❯ "Candy" ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

Logan walked into the small diner. He looked around the room, there weren't that many people present. He walked over to a booth and started to remove his jacket; once he had it off he laid it over the back of the seat and then took off his hat and set it on the farther side of the seat.

Logan looked at his hat with a growl, a brand new hat destroyed by the rain. Seattle was famous for receiving the most rain, practically around the world. He didn't know how true that was until a few days ago when he and Storm had arrived in clareton, Seattle.

 

Storm walked in she scanned the place quickly and then caught sight of Logan. As she made her way over to him she too started to remove her knee length jacket and then rubbed her arms gently.

 

“Cold darlin?” Logan asked, as he pulled some napkins out of the container that was on the edge of the table.

 

“It's a little chilly.” She said as she sat down.

 

Almost the moment she sat down an older woman came to their table to try and take their order.

 

“What can I get for you kids?” she asked. It was more than obvious that Logan was older than her but Storm did appear to be younger than the woman standing before them.

 

“Coffee, black, and some steak and eggs.” Logan said as he gave the woman a stone face and handed her the menu that had been provided him when he had first sat down.

 

“I'll have the same, please. Though a little cream with my coffee.” Storm said gently as she as well handed her menu to the waitress.

 

As soon as the waitress was out of ear-shot Logan spoke up,

 

“You wanna tell me again, why we're here in this back-water dine in?” he asked in an aggravated voice.

 

“Because oh patient one, If I am correct this is the place that we're suppose to pick up the children.” Storm said with a gentle smile.

 

“So these rug-rats, how old did ja say they ran?” Logan asked slumping back.

 

Storm grinned and then said, “Well the eldest is a ten year old little girl, by the name of Candice Elise and then she has two younger brothers, Collin Banks and Cameron Stephen, I'm not to sure of their ages.” She finished.

 

The waitress returned to the table with their coffee's and told them it would be a few minutes for the breakfast plates.

 

Storm looked over the counter at a man who was watching her suspiciously. He kept glancing at her nervously and then jerking his head down when he would make eye contact with her.

 

“What's the problem Ro?'' Logan asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

 

“I feel as though, that man is watching us.” She said picking up her cup of coffee and taking a sip.

 

“Let it go darlin, if he wants trouble he'll come askin, and I'll deliver.” He said twitching his eyebrows.

 

“Logan, you have to behave, we don't want to cause a scene.” She said calmly, taking another sip of her coffee.

 

“Tha…” Logan was cut off by the sound of doors opening and what sounded like a very angry woman.

 

“Get in there, Get In!!” the woman demanded, as she violently pushed a boy in and was pulling in another young boy that looked identical to the one that had just been practically thrown into the building and then in the other hand she held a small girl by the upper arm, she looked older but not by much. She had a small frame, extremely skinny and had long blonde hair that fell to her waist.

 

The boys had a similar build but had a little bit more weight on them then the older looking girl. The boy's both had blonde ragged hair that had obviously not been cut for a long time.

 

 

The commotion that the woman was making was grabbing the attention of all the customers in the diner including Storm and Logan's who had both now turned around to see what was going on.

 

“Sit down, and don't you move or so help me…” she stated to the boys and pushed a boy into the nearest seat. Then she tossed the girl into the other side of the booth.

 

“Max!!, max!! get out here and take these things off my hands.” The woman screamed as she was leaning over the counter.

 

She looked pretty dis-shelved. All of a sudden the man that had been watching Storm ran up to the woman at the counter and tried to calm her down, “Julie, please keep it down you cant just come in here screaming.” He almost pleaded.

 

“I will not keep it down, your lucky I aint turning things over up in here. I don't wanna deal with these little monsters no more, there yer cousin's kids. It's now officially yer problem”.

 

About this time Logan stood up and was watching the scene, as was everyone else.

 

One of the small boys stood up, just to be yelled at almost automatically, “Sit yer ass down. Did I tell you, you could move?” the woman screamed at.

 

“He has to go to the bathroom!” The older girl said as she gave the woman a run for her money with stern faces.

 

“I don't give a damn, he can go when I say he can.” The woman all but growled.

 

“Julia please..” the cook tried again.

 

She turned and looked at him and said “Shut up”.

 

“He has to go now” the pretty blonde girl spoke up again.

 

The woman snapped her head around to look at the girl and then walked towards her and faster than lightning, she had slapped the girl across the face.

 

The blonde girl held her cheek, and there was an angry “Hey!” from the boy who had stood up earlier.

 

The woman went to go and smack him as well and just as she was about to let her hand fall, Logan took a hold of her wrist.

 

“Why don't you just back up there, You've made it known that the kids aint leavin with ya so I suggest you leave, before your removed?” Logan stated more than asked.

 

The woman looked like she wanted to argue but took the wiser road and decided not to push her luck with this big guy.

 

“Whatever, their not my problem anymore. Maxx, Ill talk to you later” she said with a glare and after shooting Logan a look she left through the door from which she had came.

Logan watched the woman leave and then he looked down to the booth that held the three children. Both of the boys with the same face looked up to him, but the girl had her head in her hands and was covering her face.

 

“You kids hungry?” he asked raising an eyebrow.

 

The two boys looked at their sister but saw that when she wasn't looking at either of them they looked at each other and then the boy in the blue shirt shook his head.

 

“Then go get cleaned up, and take care of your business.” He said looking at the other boy who had needed to go to the bathroom.

 

The boys both got up and walked to the bathroom.

 

“Don't be to long.” Logan said as he saw the boys walking slowly and turning back to look at him one with a confused face.

 

After the boys were out of sight Logan looked down to the girl who was still covering her face.

 

“Hey, what's yer name kid?” Logan asked. There was no response. Logan sighed and then walked around to the back of the booth, reached down and lifted the girl from under her arms and then set her on the ground.

 

He took her wrists gently and then pulled her hands away from her face. Her cheeks were tear-stained and her right cheek was a bright pink, her eyes were red rimmed and her nose slightly runny.

 

“What's yer name ?” Logan tried again as gently as he could.

 

“Candy” she said looking at him not lowering her hands any lower than her chin. Logan swept the girls long blonde hair behind her ear to look at her cheek.

 

“You hungry, Candy?” Logan asked

 

“I don't have any money.” She said lowly and a little worriedly.

 

Logan hmph'd and then looked over when he saw the twin boys coming out of the bathroom.

 

“Come over here” Logan said as he pointed to the table that Storm was sitting at.

 

Logan looked at the guy who had been talking to the lady that had just brought in the kids. “Problem buddy?”

 

The man that was known only by `Max' shook his head no. Then Logan proceeded to the table.

 

Logan pointed for the boys to sit in the booth where he had been sitting and then practically steered the girl to sit next to Ororoe.

 

“Kids. This is Ms. Ororoe Munroe, she's a friend of mine.” Logan said feeling a little awkward that he had to explain this to children.

 

Logan then leaned over in the opposite direction to get a few menus. He set the menus down on the table and then pulled a chair up to sit on the outside of the table.

 

Storm was watching the girl, she could not believe what had happened. She was about ready to strike the woman with a lightning bolt once she saw her hand connect with the childs face.

 

“Child, are you alright?” Storm asked her

 

“Yes” she replied not looking at her.

 

Logan leaned back and looked over his shoulder, “Hey buddy, can I get three hot plates over here?” he asked.

 

The man behind the counter nodded his head and then went to the back.

 

Logan sat back and then looked at the two boys, “Alright boys, so you two wanna throw out yer names or we gonna have to guess?”

 

“I'm Cameron” the boy in the blue shirt said.

 

“And my names Collin.” The boy in the green shirt replied.

 

Logan looked at the girl and then at Storm. “This here's Candy.” He said with a raised brow.

 

Storm gave him a realization look, these were the kids the professor sent them for and then said, “Short for Candice I would guess?” Storm asked looking at the girl.

 

“Yeah” she again said lowly.

 

“So, who was the old bat that just brought yall in?” Logan asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

 

“That's my aunt Julia, well she's not really our aunt, kind of our step-aunt.” Collin replied.

 

“Weve been stayin with her for a while. Since uncle Artie left.” Cameron added.

 

Candice looked over at her brothers and then said, “Be quiet”.

 

“Well he asked.” Cameron stated smartly with a scowl.

 

At that moment the woman that had served Logan and Storm earlier, walked up to the table with two trays in her hands, she bent and set one tray on the table of the booth that was behind them and then started setting the plates down in front of the children.

 

The moment the plate was set before Cameron, he dove in, and then the same behavior was distributed from Collie. Storm looked at them atrociously.

 

“Boys please use your manners.” She said looking at them a little sternly.

 

The boys looked at one another , who was this woman to tell them how to eat, or in fact to tell them to do anything.

 

“Aint no one gonna take it away from ya.” Logan said as he started in on his breakfast.

 

The boys both looked at Logan and then began to eat again.

 

Storm picked up her fork and took a bite of her eggs, she looked to the young girl who was sitting next to her, “Aren't you hungry child?” Storm asked.

 

“My stomach hurts.” She said as she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her stomach.

 

“She's sick” Collin spoke up.

 

“Shut up, Collin!” the girl said angrily

 

“Hey, calm down.” Logan said a little sharply

 

“Well you are!” Collin said back.

 

“Alright knock it off!” Logan said loudly, it must have scared the boys cause they jumped and looked at him. Logan looked back at the girl and then said, “What's he talking about?”

 

She just looked at him and scowled. She didn't know this man she didn't have to do anything he said.

 

“Maxx says she's sick cause she's mall-nutorished.” He spoke as he put a bite of eggs in his mouth.

 

“Thanks bud, and the word is mal-nourished, but let's let her answer.” Logan said with a semi smile and then turned his gaze to the girl.

 

“When was the last time you ate darlin?” he asked.

 

“Yesterday.” She said short and a little annoyed.

 

“Nuh-uh” both the boys said practically in unison.

 

Logan saw the look she shot the boys.

 

“Julie, didn't let you eat yesterday. It was the day before.” Cameron said.

 

“Cant you keep quiet.” Candice snapped as she looked at her brother.

 

Cameron stuck his tongue out at her and then resumed eating.

 

“Is that true Candice?” Storm asked turning more to look at her.

 

Candice just looked at her, and then at her food.

 

“It's cause she was bad. One time Julie wouldn't let her eat for four days, cause she answered the door when Julie told her not to.” Collin added with a smirk on his face. As though he was trying to make her feel bad he was sharing her faults.

 

“That's enough, eat your food.” Logan said catching on to what was happening hear.

 

“Child, if this is true than your stomach is cramping because it has gone to long without digesting something. Try to eat a little. You will feel better” Storm said as she scraped some eggs to the side of her plate, in a gesture for the girl to eat just that small portion.

 

Candice felt the stranger's eyes on her, she felt terrible, she was hungry, hurting, tired and annoyed.

 

The cook who had been at the counter and the one who had been sneaking looks at Storm and Logan walked over to the table with a towel in his hands. He stood by Logan trying to think of something he could say.

 

Logan noticed him right away and said, “There something I can do for you bub?”

 

“C..can I talk to you, in private?” he asked a little worriedly.