Author's note: Came up with a fun idea. Hope you enjoy it. This takes place between the stories The Day His Life Changed Forever and The Deneva Conflict. It is a short story so if you don't understand all of it check out the other stories listed on my bio. It will be six short chapters with each one centering on Kate, a specific crew member of the Enterprise, and each of the kids at school. This also occurs concurrently with the hazing story. You don't have to read them at the same time but they occur during the same time period. Leave your thoughts!

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CH 1 SCHOOL PROJECTS

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STARDATE 2259.229 MESS HALL

McCoy watches Kate eat her breakfast quietly. He tries not to stare at her, but she looks so sad and withdrawn he becomes concerned. Kate has been through so much in the past ten days. Everyone is doing his or her best to help Kate acclimate to her new life, but McCoy knows it is not enough. Kate's mood swings from bright and bubbly to sullen and withdrawn are sharper than ever. They have been since the Jedi shuttle was blown up, destroying her only way back to those she loved. McCoy makes a notation on his PADD to talk to Jim again. Kate is going to crash. Kate has suffered a loss equivalent to death but acts as if nothing is wrong. Kate forces a peppy, happy persona the minute the kids or senior staff appear, but McCoy only sees the thin icy crust covered in cracks just below the surface containing her rage and sorrow. She still takes most of her anger out on Jim which is expected. Everyone needs a safety valve. McCoy has to salute his best friend. Jim is weathering the storm for both he and Kate admirably. Jim allows Kate to vent understanding she means only a 10th of what she says but is quick to correct her when Kate's anger takes her over the line in the sand.

For some reason, Jim does not notice Kate appears to be teetering on the edge this morning. Kate plays with her food, consuming only enough not to draw attention.

"Kate you had better hurry up," Jim stands with his tray. "I have to get going. Don't be late for class."

Kate nods a response staring back at her food. "He's right Kate. We need to go," Joanna stands up with her tray.

"Darlin' go ahead," McCoy tells his daughter. "I need to talk to Kate here for a minute." Joanna shrugs it off leaving the table. Kate braces for whatever pep-talk McCoy thinks she needs this morning. "So why do you look like you are going to cry or kill someone," McCoy cuts to the chase. He drinks his coffee waiting for a response.

"I am right as a rebel," Kate smiles back happily.

"That would be right as rain here and you are not. I am a doctor. I can spot a liar a mile away. What is eating ya kid besides that you are not going home, not seeing your family, and are in an alien galaxy," Bones sums up everything wrong in her life?

Kate's smile falters briefly before being forced back to her face. "And illiterate. You forgot to add that," Kate winks deflecting her true emotions. Bones levels his steady on Kate. As a doctor, Bones knows silence drives most people to the breaking points. Just like her father, Kate breaks dumping her pent up frustrations squarely in his lap. "Bones I was one of the smartest kids in my class back home, but here I am the equivalent to a kindergartener," Kate exhales loudly. She throws the napkin she was crushing in her hand on the tray.

"This is the first time in a long time you feel inferior," Bones thinks. "So," Bones forces Kate to come up the conclusion he already has in his mind. Kate like Jim needs to reach the answer for themselves. They need it to be their idea to see it to the end.

"So….so," Kate shakes her head in disgust. "I am as smart as or smarter than anyone in school, but I can't prove it." Bones sits sipping his coffee listening to her rant.

No one doubts Kate's intelligence. Although she has an ego the size of Texas, Kate doesn't really want to be singled out for anything especially her intelligence. Flying under everyone's radar with her intellect and street smarts have kept her alive. There is no reason that now she would suddenly want to draw more attention to herself. Kate is locking up tight and burying deep as she puts it, but this time what she has buried is fighting to come to the surface. "That sucks," Bones commiserates just enough to make Kate keep talking.

Kate looks in Bones' soft brown eyes. He is not trying to help her. He is not trying to solve her problem. He is just a member of the crew like her that is already disgusted with the day at 0815 hours. Kate takes a chance by leaning in and spilling her problem. "We are supposed to pick partners for these damn fucking projects and who is going to want the illiterate kid." Kate's revelation stuns Bones, but he holds his disinterested expression. Joanna has complained nightly about the upcoming mid-terms just as Kate is doing now.

"You are worried about fitting in. This is the first normal kid emotion you have displays. See darlin' it is only been ten days and you do want to belong with us even if you are too stubborn to admit it," Bones thinks. "So what are you going to do about it," Bones takes another drink of his coffee. "Sit back and be the last pick for the Engineering project. Make everyone see you can't do anything and will be a drain on them."

"Drain! Let me tell you something McCoy I can build anything. I was building my own Astromech droid back home. I can fix a hyperdrive blindfolded with a flimsy clip," Kate stands up pissed off. "Any who is teamed up with me for an engineering project is going to get an A. They would be damn lucky to have me as a partner."

"Yeah but it will take you weeks to learn our ship systems," McCoy shrugs like he doesn't believe her.

"You know I am damn tired of you people telling me what I can and can't do on this ship. You all can kiss my ass," Kate yells storming out of the Mess Hall.

"That was highly inappropriate for Katherine to address you in that manner, Dr. McCoy," Spock approaches McCoy's table. "The Captain will be notified at my earliest convenience of her behavior."

"No," McCoy sets his cup down with a clink. "As a doctor it is my job to fix what is wrong with crew physically and sometimes mentally. Some people need a kind word others need a swift kick in the ass. Kate needs the latter." Spock stares confused at McCoy.

"I will defer my assessment of the situation to you then. Good day doctor," Spock inclines his head in farewell before walking away.

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CLASSROOM

Uhura enters the classroom taking a seat at the instructor's desk. "Okay guys it is semester exam time and we will be focusing on your five core subjects next week," Uhura begins as Kate bursts through the door taking an empty seat in the back row next to John. "Nice of you to join us Miss Kirk," Uhura's tone is sharp. "Since we are all here we can assign partners. For the Engineering project, Mr. Scott will be paired up with,"

"Me," Kate stands up in the back row. Cameron and the rest of the kids turn sharply to the back row. Cameron turns his gaze to Joanna. The guys had planned to pair up with the girls now that the class had equal numbers.

Joanna gives him a small smile before raising her hand. "I would love to work with Erika," Joanna smiles at her friend.

"Oh my god that will be so cool," Erika squeals high fiving Joanna. With a group of five, the teachers either assigned all five to a group or the assignments were single person projects. It is not that the boys didn't listen to Jo and Erika, it was just they never wanted to give the project a girl spin. Cameron looks at Ronin who then looks at John.

Again, Kate has thrown the calm, predictable routine of the Enterprise into a melee. John shrugs off Ronin's WTF look. "Change is good," he mouths to his brother.

"Change is good my ass," Ronin thinks spinning back around in his seat. Ronin promptly sends John a message on his PADD reading, "No it is not. You want to work with Kate. I want to work with Erika. How are these combinations good for anyone?"

Ronin is right. These combinations don't work out in anyone favor. "Of course I do dipshit. She is better looking than you and more fun," John replies. "So what are we going to do for a project?"

"So what the hell are we doing for a project Mr. Brains," Ronin sends as he receives the same message immediately from his brother. Ronin flashes John a quick smile as Uhura explains what the math project will entail.

"So," John whispers to Kate, "Why Cam?" John is not jealous of Kate's choice but wonders why she did not pick him when they had so much fun in geology class a week ago.

"He is the best in engineering," Kate responds looking at John like he is stupid.

John is relieved by her answer. "Okay so what am I best at Trouble," John replies knowing for sure Kate will choose him for the next project. He has been helping Kate with math assignments since she arrived.

"I don't...I will take Ronin for math," Kate blurts out jotting some notes down in the margins of her PADD. Ronin for math. John can't believe what he is hearing. John waves a hand at Ronin hoping she doesn't catch the WTF look Ronin is giving her. "Bad choice," Kate asks biting her lip.

"Well he is way smarter than he acts but," John is cut off mid-sentence as Kate requests Joanna for a Biology partner and Erika for a Chemistry partner. John tries to hide his disappointment by complimenting her for picking Erika and Jo. "Aw honey you didn't like the last project we did in chemistry," John teases her.

"We almost set fire to the Enterprise," Kate giggles. "I would have thought you had enough of me after that project. "

"Oh hell no. I will go to my deathbed remembering that day," John jokes hearing Uhura talk about the last project. Come hell or high water, John will pair up with Kate for a project. When he hears Uhura announce physics John acts. "That's us," John announces holding Kate's hand up high. Ronin and Cam are just about as fast claiming Erika and Joanna as their partner. Kate lets out a small laugh watching the taciturn boys jump to be partnered up. John loves her hear her real laugh. Not the fake giggle. Not the controlled chuckle, but the deep laugh that escapes her belly that she can't control.

"Kate…you appear to have some reservations for the first time about your partner," Uhura teases from the front of the room. "I can assure you John knows a thing or two about physics."

"I'm sure he does, but I am worried we won't get a lot accomplished," Kate admits. "See I talk a lot and he just listens."

"Then I would suggest you get a gag, Mr. O'Neill because this is worth 50% of your grade," Uhura laughs softly. Of all the kids, John is the one most of the kids want as a partner. He is methodical with his schoolwork, but Kate here acts like she is scraping the bottom of the barrel. Uhura makes a note to find out their physic project topic and the grade.

"You should have picked better John," Kate teases leaning back in her seat. "Physics in not my strong suit."

"Oh I think I picked right," John corrects her. "We had a BLAST last time," he makes eruption noise causing Kate to laugh loudly.

PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN READING MORE STUFF LIKE THIS. DOESNT NEED TO BE LENGTHY JUST YES OR NO