Bionic Woman: Only Make Believe
When an imaginative student tells Chrystal Austin about a plot involving his father and military weapons, then disappears, only her parents and Rick and A.J. Simon believe her as she risks her job and life to find out the truth.
(The characters from Six Million Dollar Man/Bionic Woman and Simon and Simon belong to Universal Studios. No money has been made off of them and all original characters are owned by me, you can't have them!)
Author's Note: For any of you who are not familiar with my other fanfics, this story is a crossover with Simon & Simon as carried forth in my "Second Chances" series. Basically, my "what if?" is that Rick and A.J. Simon didn't break up the partnership, A.J. didn't marry Liz or Janet, and Rick found and married a long-lost teenage sweetheart. What follows is the next 30 plus years of their lives. The crossover with SMDM/BW is because of what Rick's wife, Laurie Scott Simon did in the 18 years they were separated; work for the OSI. Having suffered a near-fatal head injury during an investigation, Dr. Rudy Wells saved her life by replacing a fractured section of her skull with the same material used on both Steve and Jaime. It resulted in her having a "mind link" with first Steve then Jaime. Through the years the link has weakened, but it still exists. Thus the closeness and "family" references between the Simons and Steve and Jaime Austin, and their daughter, Chrystal. I hope you enjoy this..enough A/N-here's the story!
"All right, next class we'll discuss the coming of the horseless carriage and how it affected Arizona's history." Chrystal Austin said, passing out the last of the homework assignments. She smiled at how several of her freshman students brightened when she mentioned the early cars.
"Those cars were so lame….you had to crank them to start them up." The sarcastic tone of one of the kids in the rear of the classroom took the smile off her face, and she looked over to see Ben Hope, a sour-faced boy holding forth. He had two girls and another student laughing, then another voice caught her attention.
"Those Model T's weren't lame, they were sure better then horses at catching bad guys. I heard the early sheriffs used them a lot."
"Don't listen to him, he makes up stories all the time." Hope sneered, and quickly Chrystal intervened, walking to the back of the room.
"Ben, I hope I didn't hear what you just said."
The tall boy turned, then had the good grace to flush under her stern gaze. One of the girls tossed her head and giggled, as her friend Cathy spoke up.
"Miss Austin, maybe you have trouble hearing?" she said sweetly, then her face fell as Chyrstal replied calmly, "No, just as I'm sure you and Sheri won't have trouble making your way to the principal's office; seeing as you weren't the one I was speaking to?"
"Uh, Miss Austin, it's just that Stone here makes up stuff…" Ben Hope said desperately, seeing he was about to lose some of his admirers.
"I do not, Miss Austin, tell him what Sheriff Gene Adams used to use ." Tommy interrupted.
"It's true, Ben. Sheriff Adams and his deputy Kasey used a Model T at their ranch, and caught a couple of horse thieves in one." The young teacher explained, trying not to feel pleasure in the way the younger Hope looked embarrassed.
Going to the front of the classroom, she continued."We've taken this discussion as far as we can go….I want to see any more questions answered with the resources you've got in the library. Class is dismissed, and I'll see Cathy and Sheri in the Principal's office in ten minutes." Crystal added, then stepped back and let the now chastened foursome leave. As soon as they were gone, she looked at the embarrassed young student.
"That was good, Tommy. You know how to control your temper, but next time just ignore them and let me handle it, okay?"
"Okay, Miss Austin". The boy agreed, then picked up his books and left the room.
As soon as he left, Chrystal sighed. She hated the way some of the more popular students acted. Tommy did tend to exaggerate the facts sometimes, but there was no excuse for the bullying of Ben Hope and some of the others.
As she left the classroom to go to the principal's office, she watched a tall man stride toward the boy, then call his name. "Tommy!"
"Chyrstal, are you coming? Mr. Thompson wants to know what those two girls did?" The school secretary called from down the hall, and Chrystal started, belatedly realizing she had started to walk past the school offices.
"Thanks, Jill." She smiled at the woman as she retraced her steps and disappeared into the administrative department.
30 minutes later a weary young teacher left the building, wondering why she had bothered to discipline the bullying students. Chrystal had been hard put to stand up to the act of "who me?" the girls had tried. Only the fact that both Cathy and Sheri contradicted each other gave her the back up she needed.
"I think a 300 word essay on respect due tomorrow will be punishment enough, don't you, Miss Austin?" Mr. Thompson, the new principal suggested, and reluctantly Chrystal had agreed, ignoring the faint "tomorrow?" from one of the girls.
As she came towards her car, Chrystal smiled, seeing her mother leaning against the driver's side door. It had been hard refusing her parents help when things got tough, until the past year. A violent incident involving the former principal of the school and his ex-wife had caused her to re-think trying to "assert" her independence, now she welcomed her extended family's help. Especially her mother's.
"Mom, how did you know I would still be here!" she exclaimed, embracing the former teacher.
"I tried the house, and since you weren't there…." Jaime Austin lovingly brushed the hair from her daughter's face, then winced at the tired look in her eyes.
"Chrissy, have you been getting enough rest, you look tired. I know you work hard at all you do, but you need to pace yourself."
"Yes, Mom…it's just with Christmas vacation coming….I've got to finish all the first quarter work." Chrystal explained, touched by her mother's words. "I'm going to rest all weekend though..I don't want to be sick for when Auntie Laurie's cousins visit."
"That's my girl. Now why don't I follow you home, your dad should be back soon from Silver Rock and we can barbeque. I've got a new recipe for cutlets from Robin." Jaime started, only to see Tommy Stone and his father approaching them.
"Uh, Mom. Give me a minute…Major Stone, Tommy." Chrystal said, noting the insignia on the officer's uniform.
"I need to speak with you, Miss Austin….oh, I'm sorry." The man evidently recognized Jaime, and his frosty manner noticeably thawed. The young boy looked up at his tone, surprised.
"It's all right, Major. You need to speak with my daughter?" Jaime gave him a warm smile and shook his hand.
"Yes, Mrs. Austin. I just want to say, Tommy and I appreciate your daughter speaking up for him today. It wasn't necessary, but I thank you just the same." At his words Jaime saw her daughter straighten up stiffly and knew she wasn't pleased.
"You're welcome, Major. But they were necessary. Tommy stood up for my lesson in class today and was being bullied. As that is not tolerated in my classroom, I handled it in the best way possible."
At that Tommy gave a faint smile, then his face resumed an almost closed off expression as his father cleared his throat.
"That's all well and good, Miss Austin, but I want my son to fight his own battles, so to speak." Major Stone continued, then blanched at Chrystal's firm voice.
"He did and will continue to do so, Major. But when a student is outnumbered, that is not right. Tommy handled himself just fine, sir. But just as you would have reacted as a parent had it happened with you there, I acted in protection of my pupil."
"Well, thank you, ma'am. I do appreciate it." It was evident the man felt ashamed of his behavior, as he nodded to Jaime, then made his goodbyes as Tommy shook hands with both Chrystal and Jaime.
"Was that why you were still here, honey?" Jaime asked as the Stones walked away.
"Yes, Mom. Why don't we get home and I'll spill all the details." Chrystal compromised, then laughed at her mother's expression.
"What????"
"I love that, honey, spill….you make me laugh. I'll follow you." Jaime chuckled.