"Hey Amanda! Wait up!" Trip sped up to catch the turbo-lift before the doors swished shut. Amanda Cole was the only one on it, "Hey."

"Hello Commander," She replied curtly.

"Well, aren't we formal this morning," He thought to himself before asking, "How are ya?"

"I'm doing fine. You?"

They lapsed into silence. Trip wondered if he should wait for T'Pol to be there before bringing up Charlie's problems with Darcie. She was better at confrontation then he was any day. Besides, he thought, if I don't wait, I could end up in the dog house.

That thought made him smile, and he chuckled quietly. Amanda looked over at him curiously,

"What's so funny?"

"Just thinking about something Charlie said this morning. Told me I'd have'ta sleep on the couch if I didn't come home sooner than I have been. Said if I didn't listen to T'Pol, I'd end up in the dog house," Trip's face changed when he talked about his children, she noticed. It softened, and he sounded very happy.

"Where would she get something like that?" Amanda asked.

"She heard Cap'n and Malcolm talking. The girl could hear a pin drop three decks below her. Just like her mother," Trip chuckled again.

"How is your wife?"

He noticed she said 'your wife' with a certain distain," She's great," He smiled widely, and then he thought that showing how much he loved T'Pol would probably annoy Amanda. But T'Pol was his wife, and if Amanda couldn't accept that, he would tell her where to go.

But, Amanda merely nodded, and as soon as the turbo lift stopped, she stepped out as quickly as possible.

--

"Are your parents coming to class today?" Charlie asked Kakio as they waited for class to start.

"I think so. Mommy is anyway. Dad said he might have to recali," Kakio sighed," Recalibra--. Ah, fix something."

"Oh. Mama's coming. And Daddy's going to try. If the engines let him," Charlie grinned.

Tommy Mayweather hurried over and flopped down in the seat beside the girls.

"Hiya Tommy, " They said in unison.

"Hi," Tommy smiled widely," Guess what!"

"What?" Kakio asked.



"Mom got me a new dictionary!" Tommy announced proudly. He had a fascination with looking things up. He was like seven-year old, walking resource book.

" Cool," Charlie replied," What have you looked for?"

"Just flipped through."

"Oh."

Just then Darcie Cole walked into the classroom. Charlie's face blanched.

"What's the matter Char?" Tommy asked.

"Darcie's here. She keeps saying stuff about Mama, and picking on me," Charlie tried to shrink into her seat.

"I've got an idea," Tommy grinned devilishly," Her mom and Dad weren't married when she was born, right?"

"Right," Kakio nodded. Charlie didn't say anything," So?"

"So," Tommy scrolled through his new dictionary," Here it is!"

"What?" Charlie looked over at him. She had sunk down low in her chair.

"Next time she starts picking on you, call her illegitimate," Tommy said smugly.

"Illegitimate," Charlie repeated slowly," What's it mean?"

"Born to unmarried parents," Tommy explained.

"Ohhhh," Charlie's eyes narrowed, and she watched Darcie walk around at the other side of the room.

--

"What are you kiddies doing?" A loud voice came from behind the group of three friends. They looked behind them to see Darcie Cole there.

"What do you want Cole?" Tommy asked.

"Just thought I'd check out what was going on with the home wrecker's kid," Darcie sneered.

"Mama's not a home wrecker!" Charlie cried, her bottom lip quivering.

"Oh, little baby, she's going to cry."

"Am not!" Charlie replied indignantly.

"Charlie's not a baby!" Kakio threw in.

"Sure she is," Darcie pulled the end of Charlie's braid," She cries just like one."



--

Across the room, Lorian stood with Terrance Reed. He looked over to see what Charlie was up to. His eyes narrowed, and he scowled.

Terrance noticed the change in his face and asked," What's wrong?"

"That Darcie kid is picking on Charlie again," Lorian pointed to where his baby sister sat, with Darcie Cole standing beside her, tugging on her braids," Come on."

Terrance frowned too," Kakio's there too."

--

"STOP!" Charlie ordered," Leave us alone!"

"What are you going to do?" Darcie taunted," Go crying to mommy?"

"Leave her alone!" Lorian and Terrance stepped up beside their sisters," What have they ever done to you?"

"Oh look, it's got pointy ears," Darcie laughed, pointing at Lorian's ears," But I guess the baby's got them too."

"There is nothing wrong with his ears!" Terrance retorted hotly," Go away Cole, nobody likes you 'cause you're a twit."

"Big talk Terry," Darcie's eyes narrowed," What are you going to do?"

"That's not all you are Cole," Charlie had had enough, and finally emotion took over," You're illegitimate!"

Darcie's eyes filled with tears, and she couldn't come up with a snappy comeback for that one. She turned and ran off.

Charlie looked up at Lorian sadly," I didn't mean to make her cry."

"That's okay Char," Lorian put an arm around her," We know you didn't."