A/N: I know I said I wouldn't start posting until Thursday, but I got impatient. So, it's here today. As always, please review if you read. Honest opinions are accepted.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in the story. They are the respectful property of Paramount; I just write stories about them.


Miral Paris pushed through the crowded halls of Starfleet Academy. It was unusually crowded today since the new students arrived, and most were busy finding where their next class was and the best way to get there. She soon spotted a splash of blonde hair mixed within a hoard of second-year girls.

"Hey, Aiden!" she called.

Her brother's familiar face soon popped up from the crowd. Looking at him was almost like looking at a replica of her father in his Academy years, with the exception of his cranial ridges and their mother's warm, brown eyes that only he had inherited.

"Excuse me, ladies. And thank you very much for your help." Aiden gently edged his way between two of the girls, and made his way to his sister. Miral had to cover her hand with her mouth to hide her laughter due to the noticeable disappointment in the girls' faces from her brother's departure.

"You're not even here one day and you already have girls going ga-ga over you." Her blue eyes lit up as she tried not to smile.

He shrugged. "What can I say. It's a gift."

"Sure it is."

"Oh, you're just jealous because you can't have me."

"You're my brother."

"That's just a minor detail."

"Why did mom and dad have you again?"

"Uh, how about because they wanted me?"

"Whatever. Did you figure out your classes yet?"

"Not really. I think I have Warp Theory with Admiral Mullens for my first period, but I have no idea where the lab is." He looked down at his PADD in attempt to find the information he needed.

"Give me that," Miral said as she ripped the PADD from his hand. "Yep, you got ole' 'Fulley Mulley'."

"'Fulley Mulley'?"

"Don't ask. Just go down the hall, take the first left, and it's the last door on the right."

"Down the hall, first left, last door on the right. Got it." Aiden took the PADD back from his sister.

"Aren't you glad you have a third-year sister to aid you with these conundrums?"

"Definitely gives me a leg-up. By the way, who do you have?"

"First period I have flight training with dad, then it's off to the Engineering lab for Advanced Warp Mechanics with mom."

Since both children were attending the Academy that year, Tom and B'Elanna decided it was the perfect opportunity to take up the teaching job offers they got to be closer to them.

Aiden grimaced. "Sounds like fun."

"Yeah. From what Commander Icheb told me about his experience learning from mom when they were on Voyager, she's supposed to be brutal. Apparently she doesn't believe in playing favorites or giving people a break."

"Oh, joy. Now I have something to look forward to."

"At least you still have two years."

"Good point."

The two walked slowly down the hall together until they came to a point where they had to separate.

"Well, I'll probably see you at lunch," Miral said.

"Save me a seat?"

"When have I not?"

Aiden shrugged.

Miral playfully slapped him on the arm. "Get going, you. We wouldn't want you to be late on your first day."

"That probably wouldn't be the best idea."

"No."

He slugged her, then walked off. He took a few steps then began walking backwards. "Good luck in hell!" he called as he went.

"Thanks," she replied sarcastically.

Aiden laughed. Still facing his sister, he didn't notice that he was in a collision course with the wall.

"Aiden, watch wh-!" She was interrupted by the loud thud caused by his back connecting with the wall.

He looked around startled for a second, then regained his composure. "I'm okay." He continued to walk to his class.

"Dork!" Miral screamed after him. She wasn't quite sure, but she thought she saw his middle finger fly up at her. She shook her head and went to the holo-deck.

-

"Does anyone have any questions before we start the simulation?" Tom Paris asked his class. He had never imagined that he would be in front of an actual classroom full of students, and now that he was, he wondered how his father had put up with it for so long. So far, his experience in teaching was less then fulfilling. He spent the past thirty minutes explaining how to properly operate a star-ship to a bunch of what seemed like uninterested, ungrateful kids -Miral being the only exception.

I hand flew up in the back.

"Yes?" He pointed to the hand.

A lanky-looking boy came out of his hiding place. "How do you fly the ship again?" This caused laughter to emit from what looked like the boy's friends.

Tom let out an exasperated sigh. This is going to be a long day.

-

Aiden searched the over-populated cafeteria for an empty chair. Spotting him, Miral flagged him over to sit with her at the table. Tray in hand, he reached the table and sat down.

"Well, hello," he said to the red-headed girl next to him. "I don't think we've met."

"Marcie, this is my brother, Aiden. Aiden, this is my roommate, Marcie."

"Hi," Marcie said, blushing. Her freckled cheeks turned red. She leaned over to whisper into Miral's ear. "You didn't tell me your brother was so cute."

Aiden smirked. He was pretty certain Marcie wasn't aware that even though she was whispering, he could hear her just fine.

"But I did tell you he was younger then me, right?"

"Yes," Marcie replied disappointedly.

The two siblings had always been protective of each other. Miral -being the oldest- had always made sure that Aiden stayed out of trouble to the best of her abilities. And since he was the brother, he made sure that she wasn't hurt -especially by a guy.

"How did your classes with mom and dad go?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Dad's was okay. I think he was having a harder time with it then we were. He probably had to explain the controls about five times. But mom is…"

"Horrible?" Marcie suggested.

"For lack of a better term. We were putting warp reactors back together, and she kept yelling at us to go faster. She made some lame ass excuse about it 'putting us in a stressful environment without risking our lives'."

"She made two of the students cry. But she doesn't know that."

"Hell, I don't think she would have cared even if she did know. She's one of those teachers that believes that if you can't handle the pressure of the course, then you have no business taking it."

"Sounds like mom." Aiden said as he took a bite out of a meatball.

"What sounds like mom?" B'Elanna asked as she approached the table.

Surprised, Aiden choked on the food.

"Oh, nothing," Miral replied as innocently as possible. She flashed her mom a we-weren't-just-talking-about-you-behind-your-back smile.

B'Elanna looked at her daughter skeptically. "Are you sure? Because that's the same smile your father gets when he's doing something he shouldn't be."

"Relax, mom. You know we love you and would never say anything mean about you," Aiden said.

"Sure. Have you seen your father by any chance?"

"He's probably around here somewhere."

"I better go find him. I'll see you two later."

"Bye, mom," Aiden and Miral replied in unison as their mother retreated.

They both looked around to make sure that none of their other relatives were going to make a surprise visit, and to see that B'Elanna was out of hearing range.

"Did you guys hear about the new shuttle Starfleet is building?" Marcie asked in a low-voice. She hunched over the table for added privacy.

Miral and Aiden shook their heads.

"Apparently they're ripping off some of the design from the Delta Flyer, but it's supposed to have about ten times the weapons capability, and faster impulse speed. They also added a stealth mode that is virtually undetectable by today's technology."

"Wow," Aiden breathed.

"Also, I overheard Admiral Paris saying that they were thinking of letting a third-year fly the first test run."

"Seriously?" Miral asked.

"That's what I heard."

"Now I'm jealous, Aiden said. "They never let first-years do anything, do they?"

"Considering they usually only allow fourth-years to do this type of stuff, we're lucky they're even considering us third-years. Do you know how they are deciding who gets the honor, Marcie?"

"Probably by test scores. You know, to make sure that the student can actually handle it."

"Isn't this kind of risky for them in the legal department? You know, since the student could -I don't know- die?" he questioned.

"I don't know. Most of the student body is legal; and Admiral Paris did say that the student is going to be for-warned of the risks involved and allowed to opt out if they want. I think he had said something about a release-form."

"When are they making their final decision?"

"End of this semester. Now, you guys can't tell anyone I told you this. It's supposed to be hush-hush, and I can not afford to be reprimanded. My dad would kill me."

"Your secret's safe with us," Miral replied. She took a bite out of her sandwich. If someone is going to take that test flight, she thought, it's going to be me.