Chapter Ten

"Something inside is telling me that
I've got your secret.
Are you still listening?"

The next day proceeds as Walt has come to label a typical day in the Pinkman-White household. Jesse and Brock go to class, while Walt compiles his CV and removes Elliot Schwartz from his list of References, as well as Principal Carmen, and replaces them with some other people he knew in graduate school but hasn't talked to in years.

After the Pinkmans return home, Jesse drops Brock off next door at Donya's, not stating a reason but perhaps betraying a lack of willingness to leave Walt alone with Brock. It's all as well for Walt, who still can't shake a sense that the boy will walk up to him, point his finger and announce that he knows him, in multiple senses of the word.

Jesse drives to the Haywood School, dressed in a suit and tie, and makes his way inside the building, before approaching Room 214, where the conference is being held.

"Mr. Pinkman?" a friendly voice inquires, and a middle-aged woman with short, dusty blonde hair approaches.

"Yeah, that's me," Jesse replies, extending his hand. "And you're Miss … Sharons?"

"Yes. It's… a pleasure to get to meet Brock's father," she tells him and shakes his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you, too," Jesse responds awkwardly, and he gets the feeling of being a little kid playing dress-up in his suit.

"Now, Brock is a great child, but I had some… concerns."

"Concerns?" Jesse inquires, and Miss Sharons looks at him, extending her arms to gesture emphatically.

"When he puts his mind to it, he's a good student, but he seems to daydream a great deal. He also doesn't make friends easily with the other children. He keeps to himself."

"Okay," Jesse acknowledges.

"And I'm also a little concerned about the situation at home."

"Oh?" Jesse asks.

"Brock's mentioned that his mother doesn't… live with you."

"Yes?" Jesse prompts, sticking his hands into the pockets of his dress pants.

"And that can be a hard situation for a child to be in."

"Yeah."

"And especially at Brock's age, he really needs a mother figure in his life."

Jesse cocks his head to the side.

"I'm sorry, but what are you getting at? He has a mother. Andrea is in New Mexico, taking care of family that cannot leave and who can't travel. She loves Brock and Brock loves her, and besides, I don't know that our family situation is necessarily any of your business… with all due respect, ma'am." Jesse clenches his nails into his palms and struggles to keep his voice calm, despite the irritation smoldering within him.

"Oh, if I'm out of line… I apologize," Miss Sharons counters quickly, "I just feel like Brock might benefit from talking to someone. A counselor at school, maybe, or… out of school."

"Brock's fine," Jesse retorts.

"Well, yes, you may see it that way, but he doesn't quite fit in… Maybe if he was around more children who shared his… cultural background," she begins.

"Brock lives in one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world," Jesse replies, loosening his grip on his palms and taking his hands out, locking eyes with the teacher. "Brock speaks fluent English and Spanish and has friends living on his block from five different countries. Maybe Brock doesn't 'fit in' because most of the people who send their kids here are stuck-up…" he pauses and controls his language, "jerks. My parents raised me to believe that it's what you accomplish that matters, not whether you have a nice car or a big yacht. If Brock wants to keep to himself, let him – he's fine." He sticks his hands back in his pockets. "We're done here?" Before the teacher can reply, Jesse turns and walks out the door.

"What'd she say?" Brock asks when Jesse picks him up later in the day.

"She said you're a great kid, Brock," Jesse replies, leaning down to kiss him on the forehead. "I'm really proud of you."

After Brock is asleep, however, he lets out his annoyance to Walt.

"She's sticking her nose into me and Andrea! It's none of her damn business! Hell, I actually said something positive about my parents. What the hell?"

"Your parents aren't all bad, Jesse. They seemed perfectly nice when I met them at your Parent-Teacher conferences."

"You're reminding me about how weird this is. Stop, please."

"Okay, okay," Walt tells him.

"Ugh, well, whatever," Jesse says finally, "Six months and then next year he'll have a different teacher, right?" He swallows as he realizes that Mr. White may not be around to see six months.

"Can I take you up on what I mentioned before?" Jesse inquires when the two are lying in bed later that night.

"What do you mean?" Walt asks, turning around. He tries to connect Jesse's words, but the haze of sleep has begun to overtake him, so he's left with only a vague notion of what the younger man is referring to.

"You know," Jesse begins cheekily, blushing against the darkness. "Being on top and all. Throes of passion, all that." Mr. White shoots Jesse a look which betrays his reluctance.

"I kinda need it," Jesse tries to explain. "I mean… I don't want you to do anything you don't wanna do, but…"

"I… well, sure, I guess," Walt replies, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I just haven't ever… have you? I mean… what you're suggesting."

"Yeah, I've…" Jesse begins, "I mean… not with a guy, just uh, uh huh, yeah…" He breaks into a bashful grin.

"Well, if you know what you're doing…" Walt begins, and Jesse shoves him playfully.

"I promise I'll be careful. No way I want to explain to your doctor that I broke you or something."

"Oh God," Walt exclaims. "I wouldn't even go in." Jesse bursts out laughing as Walt rolls back over, facing away.

"It won't be an issue, I promise!" He curls into Walt's back and slowly leans in, placing a gentle kiss on Walt's neck. The older man turns to face Jesse, giving a reluctant smile – he can't shake the thought, however, that Jesse knows, knows everything and that giving him the upper hand will end very badly for him. Then again, Jesse has never failed him yet, the only one who hasn't, so he acquiesces.

"How do you want me?" he inquires, a gruff tone only barely hiding the dueling emotions of trepidation and want.

"Lie on your side, in case you start coughing," Jesse replies after a moment. "I'll be right back."