Jim's Folly

Well, I think I'm finished with the songfics for the time being…perhaps I'll bring Raven back in this chapter. Just for you, though, Angel. ^_^

I give up on any proper timeline…so if it makes no sense…timeically, sorry. :P

Chapter Nineteen

Three months later, Jim had started classes and was back into the swing of things.

Andrew was now in school because the Admiral had been persuaded into paying for Andrew's first year of kindergarten, and Raven was as happy as ever now that Jim was back in school. He wasn't in any of her classes, but he stopped by her office every other day to say hello.

This day was a special day: Jim's nineteenth birthday. When he poked his head through the door, Raven was busy at her desk. She was humming quietly to herself but her face showed sheer determination. She was writing furiously.

Jim had to knock on the door to get her attention.

"Hey, Instructor. Busy?" he asked. She looked up and smiled. "I can take a break for a few minutes. What's new, Jim?"

"I have a huge calculus test later today, but…I think I'll be okay. Beth and Amy are helping me study."
"Beth is okay to be around you now?" Raven asked, her eyebrows raised. Jim had reported to her that the other day, Beth had left the room once Jim showed up.

Amy explained that Beth wasn't always like this. Now and again, she would have a flashback and would leave.

Raven thought for a moment and then smiled. "Happy birthday, Jim."

He grinned. "Thanks, Instructor. I don't feel any older…in case you wanted to know." He paused. "Any presents for me?"

Raven laughed and was interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone. "Hello?"

Jim waited patiently in his usual spot: the chair across from her.

He watched her as she talked on the phone until he decided to look around. She had a few new pictures of herself and Andrew. One of them was of her and Andrew sitting outside the Academy's large, decorative water fountain. Jim smiled. He had taken that picture. There was another that Andrew had taken of Jim and Raven together by the large fountain.

He was glad she treasured it.

Raven finished her phone call and hung up. "Sorry about that," she said apologetically. He shrugged. "Not a problem."
They sat in silence for a few moments, though it was not awkward. They'd passed that stage.

"So…" Jim said, slipping his hands into the pocket of his uniform.

Raven looked up from her paperwork. "So what?"

"I have no idea. I'm just trying to make conversation."

She chuckled and went back to her paperwork.

Jim stood and saluted informally. "I should let you get back to work, Cap."

Raven smiled. She liked when he used 'Cap' when he addressed her, even though it wasn't her title. It was like his special nickname for her.

"See you later, Cadet Hawkins."
Jim closed the door quietly behind him.

--

The man was tall, thin and dark-looking. His eyes were dark, his hair was dark and curly. His face was long and narrow, his cheekbones high. He must have been in his early thirties. He wore a long-sleeved collared black shirt and black pants. All in all, the air about him was dark. His eyelashes were long and they framed his eyes behind the frameless glasses he wore.

His hands were in his pockets as he looked at the building before him. Smiling faintly, he nodded to himself. "Interstellar Space Academy. How would I have guessed…"

---

"You lost, mister?" The girl was friendly. The man nodded, frowning slightly. "I don't suppose you'd know where to find a…Captain Raven…Calls?"

"She's actually Instructor Raven Calls, but her office is down that wing," the girl pointed, "and you'll find her easily. Her name's on the door."
The man nodded, studying the girl. She had blonde hair and green eyes and she was short and pleasant in her cadet uniform. She looked mainly human, but just at her cheekbones spread a discoloration of skin, brownish spots lining her face. All in all, that was the only part of her that told him she wasn't fully human. Perhaps she was a halfling. He didn't know. Nor did he care…he was interested in finding the instructor.

"Thank you, Cadet…uh…"

"Amy," the cadet replied. "My name is Amy. Nice to meet you!" She saluted silently, giving the man a shy smile.

The man nodded. "Thank you again, Cadet Amy. You've been very helpful."
"Anytime, sir!"

The man nodded again and walked in the direction she had pointed.

---

The knock at her door was quiet, subtle, but Raven heard it. She called out, "Come in!"

The visitor stepped in and Raven didn't look up from her paperwork as she wrote furiously. "I'll be with you in a moment."

"That's fine," he said quietly, sitting down in Jim's usual spot. Raven frowned and paused in her writing. She recognized that voice.

Looking up, she paled immensely.

"Simon…"

He grinned, raising an eyebrow. "Ah, so you remember me." He paused and studied her. "Goodness, it's a wonder what seven years can do to someone. I recall you being just a little girl…now you're a woman. A beautiful one, at that."

Raven suppressed her trembling. "What do you want?"

The man, Simon, shrugged. "I hadn't heard from you. You ran away from me."
"Seven years ago! If you were interested, you would have found me a long time ago."

He shrugged, leaning across and getting closer to her. She frowned. "I'm not happy to see you," she said quietly.

He nodded. "I figured as much, seeing as I'm so much older and you think I ruined your life."
"You did."

"But you're happy now," he said. He glanced at her photos. He picked up one of Andrew's pictures and stroked Andrew's face. He smiled, looking up at her.

"So, this is my little boy?"

---

Jim was finished his test. He tried not to run to her office, but he couldn't help it. He wanted her to know how it had gone.

Stopping in front of her door and lifting his hand to knock, he heard a sound that was unsettling to him.

He could hear raised voices. He didn't recognize the other voice, but one was definitely Raven's.

Suddenly, the door opened and a tall, dark man stepped out, nearly stepping into Jim.

"Excuse me," the man muttered, stepping past Jim. Jim scowled as he watched the man go. The man paused and turned. Studying Jim, he narrowed his eyes. "I know you…"

Jim frowned. "What? Who are you?"

"I saw your picture on Raven's desk," he said, approaching Jim. Jim, who noticed that Raven was fighting tears, watched her shake her head violently in a "No!" manner.

Simon stopped in front of Jim and studied him, his hand on his chin in a thinking pose.

"Yes…you're the boy in the pictures."

"What?" Jim asked. Simon was a good foot taller than him, but it didn't intimidate him in the slightest.

"You, the boy with Raven in the pictures. You have a fling with my girl, there?"

"Excuse me, Sir, but…I have no idea who you are. What are you doing here and what do you want with her?"
"I wanted to see how she was doing. I haven't seen her in seven years. Not to mention I wanted to see my little boy."
Jim frowned, narrowing his eyes to counter Simon's eyes, which had softened.

Jim sighed. "Andrew?" he asked.

"So that's his name?" Simon said, nodding and crossing his arms. "Pity. She wouldn't even tell me his name."
Jim paused. Something wasn't being communicated. He didn't understand.

"Sir, if you please…"

Simon nodded. "So sorry, Cadet. My name is Simon. I'm from Capernaeuma, I'm sure you have heard of it during your studies. This young woman here, Instructor Raven Calls, has withheld the information of my little boy for his entire life. I've wanted to know about him. She took him away from me and came here."
"You didn't even know he was alive," Raven snarled. Jim frowned. "Something is still being withheld. I don't understand."
The two men stepped inside the office and Raven collapsed into her chair. She knew she couldn't hold the truth from Jim now that Simon was here.

Simon grinned. "Ah. You don't know. Are you close with her, Cadet?" His smile was suggesting things Jim didn't want to talk about with a stranger.

"That's unnecessary information," Jim muttered, his expression cross. He didn't bother sitting down, so Simon did.

Raven had her face buried in her hands.

Simon nodded. "Well, I don't suppose you know Andrew?"

"Yes, I know Andrew. This all seems to be about him. What's going on that I don't know?"

Simon smiled faintly. "Andrew's my son." Jim nodded. "I got that already," he said.

Simon held up a hand. "I'm not finished."
Jim blinked, waiting for Simon to continue.

"Raven is his mother."

---