Generation Next (X-Men fanfic)

Twenty Six

Ziva sighed. Three weeks had passed since she and A'Cadia stole the antidote from Lenny. In that time the school had lost a few more students. Her eyes went to the mirror to make certain A'Cadia was still following behind her car. And they'd gained one student. He was riding with A'Cadia.

Angela's voice came from the back of the car, "Ziiiiva ... why aren't we going to Wal-Mart instead?"

"Because I don't like Wal-Mart, now shut up." She went back to her musings, she was almost certain A'Cadia had a thing for the new guy. She was going to enjoy teasing her about it too, especially after the hard time she'd been giving her about Craig.

Stone was a big muscular wall. Solid and unmovable. Stone's parents thought it would be a good idea for him to attend the school and learn how to control his power. A'Cadia couldn't push him around and she guessed that was the attraction for the other girl. It helped that Stone didn't seem at all afraid of A'Cadia and her claws. Those claws of hers could cut through almost anything and while she hadn't attempted to shred Stone, Ziva couldn't help but wonder if she could cut the guy. His skin was as tough as his name implied. The guy was tall, built, with classic aristocratic good looks, and skin the color of champagne topaz and the light brown of café a lait. He and A'Cadia make a striking pair.

She shot a glance at Craig where he sat beside her. He'd attempted to put Stone down with no luck. She was damn glad both were on their side. The big guy could lock Craig out whenever he wanted to. That was dangerous if he decided to go dark side on them.

"We're here! Park, Ziva, park!" Mellissa cried happily from the back seat.

She sighed, pulled into a spot outside the Super Target, and waited while A'Cadia pulled in and parked beside her. She smiled as she watched Stone pull his big body out of A'Cadia's Spyder. The car wasn't made for a big guy like him. Six and a half feet of packed muscle in the little sports car made her grin. He looked around the parking lot. Ran a hand through his longish brown hair and grinned over the top of the car at A'Cadia before he shut the door and turned to look at them where they still sat in the car.

"Let's go, everyone. You little munchkins had better behave, you hear me?" Ziva told them.

"Yeah, yeah, we got it! Can we go now?" Mellissa said as she threw her body against the door and shoved it open. The three little curtain climbers swarmed out of the car and raced for the store entrance.

"Hey, I told you to behave and that means remaining with us! Hey! Are you even listening to me?" she screamed at them, not one of them responded. She growled low and stalked after them.

It took several minutes and both Craig and Stone to corral the three little brats and force them to remain near the group. They kept attempting to run rampant around the store. Ziva wanted to sink into the ugly industrial tiles when people sent them disapproving looks and then proceed to walk around them, giving them a wide berth as if they were contagious.

Angela scampered up to her. "Ziva, you have to get me these shoes!" Angela held up one of the pink, sparkly shoes, the box held awkwardly under her other arm.

Ziva grabbed the box and read it. "Spin to light up and have fun in the SKECHERS Bella Ballerina: Auditions - Twirl N Swirl shoe." She looked at the shoes skeptically. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, seriously! Look, they have this little spiny thing on the bottom of the toe part, you stand on it, and it helps you spin around! Isn't it soooooo cool? I neeeed them! Pweaaaaaaaasssse!"

"Fine, put them in the cart." She looked at the tag. "Holy crap, they're fifty bucks!"

"You're not supposed to say crap around us. Storm will get mad," Angela, reminded her.