Logan: Say it.

Natsumi: I don't wanna.

Logan: Say it or no more of your ma's cake.

Natsumi: ... I'm sorry...

Logan: For...?

Natsumi: ... Being lazy... and not writing... resulting in no updates.

Logan: And...?

Natsumi: I promise to work harder.

Logan: Do what ya gotta do.

Natsumi: I wish I wish I owned the X-Men but I DON'T. Kanaan&Claire=Mine. Chapter 8 iz a here.

8

A bare closet is a pitiful thing. Kanaan realized that when she decided to explore her room and opened the closet door.

All those empty hangers, practically begging her to fill their ranks with clothing. She looked down at her borrowed attire. She needed to go clothes shopping.

She dreaded going any where near a mall. Kanaan was the kind of person who just didn't do well in crowds. And it was hard enough to find just plain white clothing anymore. Shopping for something to wear was Kanaan's own personal hell.

"The bane of my existence." she grumbled aloud. She realized she was going to have to have someone go with her. One, she didn't have a car. Two, she was a stranger in a strange world. She didn't know where the mall or shopping center was here, or if they even had one.

Who could she go with? Ororo seemed a likely candidate, but she didn't know when the woman was free, and she was fairly confident that she was a teacher. Rogue? She didn't know if Rogue drove, and if her not shaking Kanaan's hand was any indication, she knew that Rogue was probably like her in the crowd department. Kitty she knew had to be too young to drive, but maybe she could come along, as she seemed like the kind of girl who actually liked shopping. Maybe Jean… she seemed old enough, and kind enough, Jean was definitely her best hope.

Kanaan closed her closet door and left her room. She stood in the hallway for a moment.

"Let's see, Rogue said she was to my… left! That's it!" Kanaan turned to the door to her left and knocked. She became downcast when there was no answer.

"Great, now I have to go people hunting before I can even go clothes hunting." she held her hands up like she was checking for rain, and cast her eyes upwards. "God, for once can you have pity on me and make my life a little simple? Just a little?"

Receiving no answer, she huffed and muttered, "A fat lot of help you've been."

"Talkin' to yerself is the first sign yer crazy."

She jumped at the voice, and looked to see Logan down at the end of the hall, leaning against the corner where the hallways intersected. He wore nothing but boxer shorts and a towel around his neck.

'I knew it God you do hate me…' she thought.

Instead she said, "I heard something off the t.v. once, where someone said "If we talk to god it's called prayer but if god talks to us it's call schizophrenia"."

"Yeah, Fox Mulder, X-Files." Logan replied.

"Oh the irony." Kanaan muttered, and made her way down to where he was. "I don't suppose you know where Jean is, do you?"

Logan raised an eyebrow, as well as a hand, which held another cold beer. "What you need her for?"

"Well, I'd like to buy clothes that are appropriate for a chef to wear, not a hooker."

"Do ya even have any money?" Logan asked.

Realizing that, no, she didn't, her whole body slumped forward in a comical defeated stance.

"Guess that'd be a no."

"Ah, Kanaan, there you are."

Both Kanaan and Logan turned to see the Professor come up the hall towards them. "How's Hank?"

"He's fine." Kanaan answered.

"Has Rogue shown you your room?"

"Yes, it's marvelous. You're very generous, Professor Xavier, I am very grateful to you."

Charles waved her off. "It was no problem at all. Ah, yes, I almost forgot. Here." He pulled a white envelope out of the inside pocket of his jacket and handed it to her.

Kanaan looked at it curiously. "What's this?"

"Your month's benefits for taking on the job on such short notice. I figured it would be appropriate to give it to you now."

Kanaan gave him a sidelong glance. "Are you psychic?"

He smiled. "No, I'm a telepath."

"Is that how you knew I needed money for clothes?"

Another mysterious smile. "I didn't know you needed money, for clothes or otherwise."

Both she and Logan gave him an odd look. He continued by saying, "Einstein once said "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous"."

Logan and Kanaan looked at each other, before Kanaan glared at the ceiling and said "You were listening, ya weirdo."

Logan muttered, "Goin from prayer to schizo." and shook his head.

Kanaan then turned her attention from God to the envelope in her hand. She opened it, and looked at the check. The expression on her face was comical. Her jaw went slack and she gave the check the 'Evil Eye' expression. She looked at Charles.

"Um… Professor, I think you used one too many zeros… or two, I'm just saying."

"No, I think that's correct. Our job benefits are very… beneficial." Charles said with an indulging smile.

While Kanaan continued to ogle the paper in her hand Charles continued his way down the hall saying "Have a nice day you two." Kanaan and Logan watched him go.

"Logan, tell me the truth, am I being babied?" she questioned him.

"Yeah, more-n-likely." he took another swing of his beer. "After a while though it'll wear off."

"Good." she half-laughed. "I'm uh, not used to being babied."

"Good." he muttered, finishing the beer. "'Cause I don't plan on babying ya."

"Wouldn't expect anything less." Kanaan rolled her eyes. "Now… where's Jean?"

"Probably in the game room with Scott."

"Which is… where?"

"Go down this hall." he pointed to his right. "Swing a right, two doors down."

"Thanks." she went to leave, when he called after her.

"Hey kid?"

She paused, and looked back over her shoulder at him "Yeah?"

He crushed his can. "You look like yer old man. I feel for ya."

She gave a half-smile. "So mother told me. Logan?"

"Yeah?"

"I saw a wolverine I saw once on a nature show."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah…" she got a nostalgic look. "It was falling head over heels down a snowy mountain, limbs flailing everywhere. I wanted to cuddle it. Logan?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't want to cuddle you. You're not as cute."

He shook his head, grinning. "Yer okay kid."

"Thanks." she walked away, trying to think of what it must have been like for Claire to raise something that reminded you of the worst moment of your life.

'I'm sorry momma.'

Natsumi: Issue bringer upper!

Logan: Aww hell.

Natsumi: First! I know Logan and Kanaan's relationship is rather... odd...

Logan: Ya got that right.

Natsumi: BUT! It will kind of define itself later. Second!

Logan: There's more than one?

Natsumi: Yeah, second is, I know, Kanaan keeps having a pity party over her origins.

Logan: She can't let the past go.

Natsumi: With good reason. Her origins define who she is, her very nature, she dwells on them mostly to remind herself of who she is, albeit unconsciously. And the pain runs deeper than what you think. I can't go into much detail yet but it will be revealed later.

Hank: It's a secret that is well worth the wait to hear about.

Natsumi: Hank! You weren't even in this chapter!

Hank: I am aware, which is why I've decided to drop in so that my fans will not be so disappointed.

Natsumi: Hank's fans, since you are no longer disappointed, R&R so that Hank won't be disappointed!

Hank: Indeed!