Hey all! Once again sooo sorry about the wait. I got sidetracked and didn't manage to find my way out of Eclipse (New Stephenie Meyer book, if you don't read them, you should!) for a while. But I'm back now; I really am trying to be more consistant. Rayne told me this is his favorite chapter so far, mostly for the last line I think, so I hope y'all like it too. Anyways, here's the chapter. Read, Review, Enjoy!


When they entered the cafe a young, round-faced waitress smiled at them from behind the counter and said, "Pick a seat anywhere, I'll be right with you."

The café was empty but for an elderly couple and a single dad with two girls in flowered dresses liked they'd just come from some sort of party. Logan and Warren selected a small round table in the back corner next to the large window that took up most of the left wall.

A few minutes later the waitress appeared and, smiling a bit too cheerily in that way that waitresses have, handed them menus and asked if they knew what they'd like to drink.

Logan ordered a coke, and Warren imitated him. She paused a moment, giving Warren an odd look which made him blush self-consciously, before smiling again (She did that a lot), and promising to be right back to take their orders. They both then turned to perusing their menus in silence.

It was a rather awkward silence. Warren had no idea what to do or say. So he simply stared blankly at his menu, hiding his face shyly.

At length Logan cleared his throat. "The chili looks good," he said, in an attempted at conversation.

Warren nodded in agreement, forgetting that he was hiding behind his menu and therefore Logan couldn't see it.

The waitress returned again with their cokes before either of them had time to say anything else. "Are you ready to order?" she asked brightly, her pen already poised over her notepad.

Logan glanced at Warren, who'd reluctantly put down his menu, mourning the loss of his shield. "I'd like the American Classic Burger," Logan said, smiling at the waitress.

"Fries alright?" she asked.

"Yeah."

She then turned her slightly disconcerting smile on Warren, who seemed to shrink inside of himself. "And what would you like sweetie?" she asked, her voice slightly demeaning. As her gaze lingered for a moment over his bruised face, too thin frame, and ill-fitting clothes her smile faded just a touch, but she quickly shook herself and renewed the supposed-to-be comforting look.

"The same," Warren mumbled, not meeting her eyes and feeling extremely self-conscious.

"I'll have that right up," she said, giving them another smile and disappearing into the kitchen again.

Logan watched Warren fiddling intently with his napkin for several minutes, a slight grin spreading across the older mutant's face. "Do you intend to make a habit of that?"

Warren glanced up quickly, with a rather deer-in-headlights look. "Do what?" he asked.

"Mimic everything thing I do," Logan replied.

Warren blushed furiously. "I-I'm sorry," he stuttered.

"It's alright," Logan told him, chuckling slightly and leaning forward a bit, "But it is okay to have your own opinion you know."

Warren began to carefully study his hands, which were now clasped in his lap. "I-I know," he stammered, blushing even more. It really was amazing just how much that boy could blush. "I'm just not used to-to being asked… and stuff," he finished lamely.

Logan was taken aback. He was just beginning to realize what kind of life Warren must have had so far, between his father, and then Scott. He watched the younger mutant fiddle anxiously for several minutes, and a faint, worried line appeared between his eyebrows. Just how messed up was this kid?

"So..." Logan said after several long, awkwardly silent minutes, "You sleep alright?"

Warren nodded. The silence continued. Warren was fiddling with his napkin again, his eyes carefully downcast. At length he opened his mouth to speak. It seemed he had been spending some time working up the courage to ask his question, and even so it took him a few tries to get the words out right. "Y-you-you, um, you said that we'd be-be on the road... a while," he stammered, still not looking at Logan.

"Yeah, well, its not exactly like we made a plan before we left," Logan said, "Figured we'd travel around for a while, see the sights or something, you know." Should he tell Warren? No, he didn't want to alarm the boy, better to just play it cool.

Warren glanced up at Logan for the briefest moment. "Scott's following us, isn't he?" he said quietly.

Damn, that boy was perceptive! "No," Logan lied quickly.

Warren sighed. "I knew it couldn't be that easy," he muttered, leaning back in his chair and staring out of the window, blinking rapidly.

"I'm not gonna let him ever get near you again, you know that right?" Logan said seriously, leaning forward towards the younger mutant, "I'm not gonna let him hurt you anymore."

Warren just nodded, his eyes still over bright, though his profuse blinking managed to stop the tears from falling. "H-he isn't here, is he? Not anywhere nearby?"

"Of course not," Logan soothed quickly, "I made sure we gave him the slip long before we stopped last night."

"But he'll track us down," Warren said, it wasn't a question.

"Most likely, if he's really as determined as you say," Logan had to agree, "That's why we're gonna keep moving around for a while. Eventually he'll have to give up."

"He won't," Warren whispered, "He'll never give up, not until you're dead, not until I'm his again."

"You never were his, and you never will be, Warren," Logan said sternly.

At that moment the waitress reappeared with their food, stopping Warren from replying. She smiled that unceasing smile at them, though she seemed a little nervous as she glanced from Warren to Logan, then set their food down quickly and retreated back behind the counter.

Warren kept his eyes on the table and meekly began to dig into his food.

Logan was still watching him, his eyes dark with concern. "Warren?" he said quietly. Warren didn't stop meticulously picking at his food. "Warren!" Logan said more sternly, putting out a hand to stop Warren's constant nervous movement.

Warren looked up at him and Logan was suddenly powerfully struck with the wide-eyed alarm that was always present in the younger mutant's sapphire orbs, the constant fear, worry, and pain.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you, kid," Logan said again, emphasizing every sound with earnestness as he forced Warren to meet his eyes, "I'm taking care of you now. You don't have to be afraid. All you have to do is trust me."

Warren blinked at him, swallowing hard. His hand was trembling slightly under Logan's grasp, and the vibrations didn't pass Logan's observation. Logan could almost read the younger mutant's thoughts in his face. He wanted to trust Logan, he wanted to more than anything, but he was afraid to, afraid of getting hurt again, afraid of getting Logan hurt. Warren was afraid to be happy.

Finally Warren looked away, nodding. "Thank you," he whispered quietly, and this time he was unable to stop a tear or two from slipping out of the corners of his eyes.

Logan smiled and sat back in satisfaction. "So, Warren, what's your favorite color?" he asked as he began to dig heartily into his food, unable to stop grinning.