So, Sometimes at work, I have nothing to do…so I take my laptop with me and come up with ideas! This popped in my mind tonight and since I am trying to write other things then from Mike's POV, here you go. It will be mostly about him, but will involve Tom and some OC's.
Star Pupil
Chapter 1-Tom
After the James sunk, Tom went through some intense therapy, and then devoted himself to being an instructor at the Academy and a father. He and Sasha also got married, and she was currently in her second trimester of a very unplanned for pregnancy that they were both thrilled about. They bought a house and Sam and Ashley had come back to live with them. Things were good.
One of Tom's favorite thing was to help welcome new student's at the Academy. Something about their optimism and youth just helped him keep focus. As he watched the new students walk into his class for his 'Intro to Naval Operations,' he sent Mike a text message asking if he would be a guest speaker during that semester. He looked over the roster, until one name caught his eye. 'Katelyn Slattery.' The name was obviously familiar and Tom looked around at the students who had arrived. If it was the same Katelyn Slattery as Mike's daughter, she wasn't there yet. Five minutes later, a young woman with blonde hair that didn't quite stay in the regulation bun walked in and sit down in the front row. She looked stressed and upon a glance, Tom knew who she was.
"Midshipman Slattery, please come to my desk." Tom said. She stood up and followed him to his small desk that he used between classes.
"Yes, sir?" Katelyn asked.
"Are you by chance related to Admiral Mike Slattery?" Tom asked. He knew the answer, but he wanted Katelyn to have a chance to explain.
"Yes, sir. He's my father, but we lost touch with him during the Red Flu and because my mom lost our IDs somewhere along the way, no one really believes us." Katelyn explained.
"How did you get into the Academy?" Tom asked.
"My high school diploma was enough, but they are wanting a copy of my birth certificate. Mom is trying to get one." Katelyn explained.
"I see. So, your mom is alright. What about your sister?" Tom asked.
"Hannah is alright too. They moved here to Annapolis to be with me while I'm at Academy. Mom found a job as a secretary that didn't require an ID." Katelyn said.
"Once class is finished, we will talk more. Now, go back to your seat. While you are in my class, you are just another midshipman." Tom told her and Katelyn complied. The bell rang and Tom began his class, talking about reports, the syllabus and expectations, but the entire time; Tom was thinking about the reunion between Mike and his family. Years before, Tom had promised he would look for the Slattery family. He had broken the promise, but now he might actually be able to honor it.
Katelyn had another class after his, so he waited around campus. They had spoken and Tom was going to give her a ride to her mother's apartment. While he waited, he alerted the dean of students of Katelyn's identity and that he was going to be working to reunite her with her father. Thankfully, there was no opposition to this and Tom picked Katelyn up after he class and drove her back to her mother's apartment. He could tell Katelyn was nervous about something and finally just asked.
"Your dad will be thrilled. Don't be nervous." Tom said.
"Easier said than done. Mom was pregnant, you know." Katelyn said and Tom looked at her in shock.
"No, I didn't and I can guess your dad didn't either. What happened?" Tom asked.
"We were able to hide out until she had them. I delivered them. Twins. Aaron and Abby." Katelyn said. Tom was stunned.
"You didn't say anything before?" Tom asked.
"It wouldn't have changed anything. You had a class to teach and I had two to attend. Mom, Hannah and the twins are fine. They wouldn't have wanted me to skip classes." Katelyn said in a manner that reminded Tom so much of Mike. She was his daughter, through and through.
"I see. Well, let's go see your mom." Tom said. He put the address that Katelyn had written for him in his GPS and began the drive. Within a few minutes, they were outside a rough looking apartment building and Tom followed Katelyn up the stairs. She knocked once and then opened the door.
"Mom? Where are you?" Katelyn asked loudly. Finally, Christine poked her out from behind a door. Her eyes become like saucers when she saw Tom.
"Tom?" Christine said. She walked into the front room with two small children following her. Tom grabbed her as soon as she was close enough and gave her a big hug.
"Who's that?" The little boy, Aaron asked Katelyn.
"A friend of our dad's. Everything will be alright now." Katelyn assured him, making Tom wonder if things had not been okay up to that point. Given the way that Christine was shaking in his arms, he suspected not.