TOMMY - TWO MONTHS LATER

I can't help but roll my eyes at yet another form I have to fill out. Between the five of us, we've gotten the business so organized that all I'm really needed for is a few meetings here and there to interpret. Zedd and I talked about it and we decided that we're going to split all the chores for the house and kids (except those Earth exclusive things that he really can't handle) which will leave me time for researching, experimenting and getting a job if I want to. Since I've been away from the planet and any paleontologist colleagues for so long, I'm going to have to work my way back into the field. In the meantime, though, I can substitute teach.

As I read through the new form, I sigh. What in the hell do I tell them about what I've been doing and where I've been for the last ten years? I mean, so much has happened and none of it really relevant to the question. Most recently, I've finally bonded with Jacob (which was a huge relief), Mara Jane seems to be enjoying school and Zedd seems to be content (which still stuns me).

I'm snapped out of my thoughts when the phone rings. "Hello?"

"Dr. Oliver?"

"Yes. Who's calling?"

"This is Mr. Dorian, principal at Rosary School. We have a bit of a problem with Mara Jane. Do you think you and your husband could come over?"

"Is she hurt?" In a moment, Zedd's in the doorway, no doubt in response to the fear I'm currently feeling.

"No, nothing like that" the man on the phone hastens to assure me. "Just a matter of an issue between Mara Jane and her teacher. Are you available?"

"Of course. We'll be there in half an hour." After all, we'll need to drop Jacob off with Hayley. Thank the powers she's home today.

Twenty five minutes later, I'm parking in front of the school. We weave our way through the halls full of children in uniforms. Mara Jane is sitting outside the principal's office, sniffling and red eyed. Immediately, Zedd kneels in front of her. "Papa's here, baby. What's wrong? What happened?"

Her face crumples and she throws herself into his arms, sobbing out some disjointed story into his shoulder that I can't make out. The principal comes out of his office. "Dr. Oliver, Mr. Oliver, would you come into my office please? Mara Jane will be fine for a few minutes."

In spite of it still being weird to hear Zedd being called 'Mr. Oliver', I push that aside and set my hand on Zedd's shoulder to restrain his automatic objection. "Mara Jane, you wait right here and Papa and I will be back in a few minutes."

I make sure to sit where I can see my daughter through the window in the door. Mr. Dorian speaks first. "Thank you for coming. This would actually be a minor matter, but according to the teacher, your daughter had quite the tantrum over the whole thing. He'll be joining us shortly."

I can't help but exchange a look with Zedd. Mara Jane doesn't have tantrums often, but when she does, they are doozies. Glancing at Mara Jane, I see her look up and then slide to the floor, mutinous look on her face just before she disappears from sight. A male, roughly my age, walks past her and enters the office with a perfunctory knock. Just before he closes the door, I catch a glimpse of my child kneeling on the floor with her head down. What the hell is going on here?

I stand quickly. "Excuse me. I'll be right back." I know that they are all puzzled, but something in the pit of my stomach says that something is wrong here. I step out of the room, closing the door behind me, hopefully before Zedd sees what she's doing as I know that won't go well. "Mara Jane, baby, what are you doing? No, wait. Why are you kneeling on the floor?"

"Because Mr. Elliot says we have to." At my shocked look, she continues. "He says that when he comes in the room by himself, that all the girls have to kneel. He says that we need to learn our place and it's never too early."

Oh man am I pissed off, but I know there has to be more. Feigning calmness, I ask, "What else does he say?"

"That we have to do what the boys tell us and that we're lucky we get to come to school at all. That a hundred years ago girls weren't allowed to go to school and it should have stayed that way."

"Yes well you know what else would have happened a hundred years ago?" At her negative headshake I continue seriously. "Your Papa would have fed your teacher to a pack of rabid weasels for him daring to think you should kneel to him."

Smiling slightly, eyes sparkling now, her next words really don't surprise me all that much. "Can he still do that?"

"Maybe later. We'll see how things go in this meeting. You wait right here. Papa and I will fix this. And get off the floor, sweetie. Never kneel to anyone, and especially not to some creature that thinks he's above you."

"But I'm supposed to listen to my teachers."

"That's true, to a degree. However, just like when you fought to protect me and Jacob, this is one of those times that not following the rules is the right thing to do, or what's more, this is one of those times that the rules Papa and I give you come before any others, and our rule is you do not kneel. You're not only a Lady, but also the daughter of Lord Zedd, by all rights he should be kneeling to you."

"He got mad when I said that."

Raising a brow at this, as well as her slightly guilty look, I know I'll probably regret asking but, "You told him he should kneel to you?"

"No, but I said if we were at home he would be the one kneeling to you and Papa." I'm sure that went over well. "I said you and Papa are Lords and everyone listens to you and that makes me a princess like in the books we read."

"Something like that."

"He said I was liar."

"And that's when you got mad." At her nod I gently take hold of her hand and tap the cuff that's clipped around her wrist. "Next time something like this happens, I want you to take a deep breath like I taught you, ask to be excused, or walk away, and call me okay? You know all you have to do is call me and I will come help." Getting another nod of agreement I stand to go deal with the adults now before I hesitate thinking over what I'd just told Mara Jane and, going with my gut I shoot off a quick text to Jason before returning to the office. "Now, what is going on here?"

Mr. Elliot says, "What's going on is a clear lack of respect for authority."

"Really now? I find that rather surprising considering Mara Jane is under normal circumstances highly respectful towards her elders."

"And when she's not, it's usually for a very good reason" Zedd adds, sizing the man up unhappily.

"There's hardly any good reason for her to behave in the manner she did today, nor can her constant disruption of my class be tolerated for much longer."

"Disruption? What sort of disruption?"

"Quite frankly, Dr. Oliver, your daughter has been instructing her peers to disregard the rules of my classroom as well as telling her classmates outlandish lies. When I told her that playtime and imagination time was over, she insisted that she was telling the truth. I told her that one of the rules of the classroom is 'no lying' and she got belligerent and said that she was a princess and wouldn't bow to anyone. This was followed by a screaming fit and her throwing things. That kind of behavior can't be tolerated in a classroom."

I set my hand on Zedd's wrist to keep him from speaking. "A former teacher myself, I do understand the need for order" I agree. "However, I'd like to know what supposed lies she was telling the other kids, the matter of her being a princess aside."

The man rolls his eyes. "She said that this isn't her real home, that her real home is a castle on another planet. She also informed me that were we at her real home I would be expected to bow to you and your husband given that you are both Lords and again she is a princess."

"That's because I am a Lord, Thomas one by his marriage to me, and while princess isn't the exact word I would use on official documentation, her standing as my first born does grant her the title of a Lady of high standing. In short, I would not only expect you to bow to me, my husband, and her upon entering my home, but demand it."

Lightly, I squeeze my husband's wrist again, signaling him to wait as I watch the teacher closely. "Speaking of bowing to another actually. She just told me that you've told the children that the girls are to do what the boys tell them, kneel when you come in the room and that they need to learn their place."

I feel the surge of rage from Zedd which intensifies at the teacher's response. "As I said, she's telling lies. I don't know if there's a problem at home or what, but I thought we should get this under control as soon as possible."

My phone goes off - a text message. I glance at it quickly. Keep him there. I'm on my way.

Glad now that I trusted my gut feelings, I return my attention to the man. "And what if I were to tell you that she's not telling lies?"

Mr. Elliot rolls his eyes. "All right, exaggerating then or using her imagination, your family lineage aside. Either way, her response was way out of line."

Zedd's answer is surprisingly calm. "Well, I know that I'd be fairly upset if I knew I was telling the truth and someone called me a liar - especially someone who was trying to dominate and humiliate me. Particularly when they have no right to do so."

"So what you're saying is that you support her delusions?"

"Of course not" I say. "But where did you get the idea that she's automatically lying? As Zedd has just told you she does come from a high standing family, and given her age calling her a Lady isn't very fitting or as easily understood by her as simply letting her view herself as 'princess'. As for the rest, given the fact you've yet to see her actual home I really don't see where you can claim she's not being truthful."

He looks at me incredulously. "She said that her real home is on another planet. Not another town, not another state or country. Another planet. Of course she's lying."

"No, actually, she's not. And since I know that her statement about her home is true, I also know that her information about your classroom behavior and rules are true as well."

Mr. Dorian is looking at him speculatively when Mr. Elliot turns to him. "Do you hear this? Don't you think it's time to call Child Protective Services?"

Zedd snarls, apparently having had enough much like Mara Jane had earlier, "How dare you call my daughter a liar! She's absolutely telling the truth! We actually have homes on two other planets!"

"Oh really? And where would those be? Mercury and Pluto?" he mocks.

Before Zedd can reach out and snap the man's neck, I cut in, "Pluto's no longer classified as a planet."

Both my mate and the instructor turning away from each other to look back at me, their looks of surprise and confusion would make me laugh under different circumstances. "What?"

Looking at Mr. Elliot calmly, I repeat myself as if I was talking to one of my own former students. "Pluto is no longer classified as a planet. As an educator I would think you would be aware of that."

Suddenly snickering and sinking back into his chair, Zedd pinches the bridge of his nose clearly trying not to laugh as he says something softly in Eltarian, before commenting a bit louder in English, "I swear love, between my temper and your wit, our children are going to end up with more enemies then I had when at my worst."

"Worst case scenario they can't talk their way out of trouble and have to use their tempers and your reputation to their advantage." Returning my focus to my target now that Zedd seems to have been calmed slightly, I continue. "And as for where our other homes are located I can assure you you've never heard of the planet names as they're not even in this galaxy."

He opens his mouth to speak again, but is stopped by Mr. Dorian. "First of all, Chris, you were asked about this kind of thing in your interview - belief in life on other planets. I believe that you said that it was possible."

"Of course I said it! I wanted the job, but everybody knows that's not possible."

Zedd's mildly amused now and not just because of me anymore. "How incredibly egotistical - to believe that you are the only sentient life force in the entirety of the universe. And you claim my daughter has a sense of arrogance."

A thought occurs to me suddenly as his disbelief in Mara Jane's story, as well as his response to the principle's inquiry suddenly begin to make sense. "You're not from California are you?"

"Not that it's any of your concern, but no, I actually moved her just this past year."

"Where are you from?"

"Connecticut. So what?"

"Okay so did you never see the news about the attacks that happen on this coast? Rita Repulsa, the Machine Empire, Ivan Ooze, Divatox? Hell, Mesogog?"

He scoffs. "Everyone knows that the whole thing was a government conspiracy."

I glare at him. "I lived there when the attacks happened. I know that it's all true and, quite frankly, the government was completely useless when it came time to fight off the menaces as they arose. Without the Power Rangers-"

"Oh yes, the government heroes. Of course." That snide little statement has me wanting to knock his teeth down his throat. "Which by the way, since you did inquire about what your child had been making up, she also not only claims that her aunt is a Power Ranger, but that several of her guardians are ones as well."

"Technically the one she's calling her aunt isn't related to her by blood, however we do consider her family. As for her guardians, I'm half tempted to have a handful of the annoying red wearing ones come down here and put you in your place right now" Zedd says seriously, unaware that I've already arranged for at least one red to do just that.

Head in hand and looking truly exasperated, especially considering he is getting no aid from the principle as there was a reason that question was asked in his interview, the man finally pulls himself together before directing his attention back at me apparently deciding to just ignore Zedd as much as he can at the moment, "Tell me this then, smart guy. Why did all the attacks take place in California? Why not Washington D.C. where the government actually is?"

I shrug. "You'd have to ask Rita Repulsa since she attacked first and the others just seemed to follow suit." I look at Zedd, now honestly a tad curious myself. "Why did they all do that, by the way?"

He shrugs. "Everybody loves Hollywood, Thomas." Seriously? "Later."

"Count on it."

Before I can go on with my rant, Mr. Dorian speaks again. "Second of all, this isn't the first complaint we've had about your treatment of the girls here. However, you also made them out to be liars. I'm starting to wonder if seven year old girls are more honest and trustworthy than you are."

"I don't have to stand for this! The Teacher's Union-"

"Will never back you if you are teaching these kids the kind of behavior that Mara Jane has described" I cut in. "So you might want to rethink that threat."

I hear a happy little cry outside the office and I know that Jason's arrived. I'm surprised to see, however, that he has not come alone. Brady's with him and I can't help but feel a little relieved. A quick hug for Mara Jane and a short knock on the door and they come in. Jason greets us casually. "Hey guys."

"Hey Jason. Find something out?"

He ignores my question for the moment, instead turning his attention to Chris Elliot. "Christopher Elliot?" The man nods. "You're under arrest."

Standing quickly, the look on his face is one of clear disbelief. "Arrest? For wha-"

"Casey White, Janet Brents, Kim Dashen -"

Jason doesn't get to continue as the man suddenly tries to make a run for it. He gets out the door, but Zedd calls out as soon as the door opens, "Mara Jane! Stop him like I taught you!"

In a second, she's out of her chair and has thrown her entire weight behind her punch, her bony knuckles planting firmly in his groin. I can't help but cringe inside (and I'm not the only one) as he drops to the ground, gasping for air. "Jeez, Zedd, really?"

He shrugs. "Sometimes the dirty tricks are most effective."

"Until she tries that on someone it doesn't work on."

"After what occurred with Essa sending a male to kidnap her, as well as what happened when you were attacked while carrying Jacob, I felt this was the better solution then her attempting to attack and getting hurt in the process or…"

"Or?" I press, noticing his frown when he hesitates.

"Or she becomes riled up enough to show us just how much she actually takes after me."

Having to concede to that point as the last thing we need is for her to actually prove if she has power or not while in a public setting, I relent slightly while I shake my head. "We'll talk about it later."

Quickly, Jason and Brady get him cuffed and as Brady reads his rights to him, Jason turns his attention to us. "He's wanted in six states for questioning about missing children and he's actually been tied directly to a missing child in a seventh." He looks at the principal who is sitting pale and quiet behind his desk. "We're going to need to talk to all the children and parents in his class."

"I'll get that information for you immediately" Mr. Dorian nods, leaving the room.

Jason directs his next statement to us. "Take her home. I'll come by and talk to you later or tomorrow."

"Today, Jason" Zedd requests. "Otherwise neither Thomas nor I will rest well worrying."

He nods. "When you pick up Jacob, would you tell Hayley for me that it's going to be a late one then?"

We nod, gather up our daughter and head home.