TOMMY - TWO WEEKS LATER

Things feel like they're almost back to normal. In the last two weeks, Mara Jane has been teaching Zedd what he's taught her about controlling the dark power. He's had a lot of memories return - which is both good and bad since many of them are returning as dreams and we're having to try and figure out which ones are real and which ones aren't.

I sigh heavily as I remember one dream he had that he was positive was real no matter how many times I told him it wasn't. I finally had to call Goldar, Scorpina, Rita, Zordon and all five original Rangers before he'd believe that he hadn't held me prisoner for over a month - never mind what he thought he did to me in that time. Fortunately, it was enough for them to confirm that he'd never had me captive that long and we didn't have to get into the rest of it. Things that would have hurt or frightened me as a teenager don't sound all that bad as the more mature and experienced adult that I now am. Couldn't do that kind of stuff with the kids in the house though…

I suppress a shiver at the images now running through my mind, pushing them away as my phone rings. I roll my eyes when I see the school's number. I answer. "Dr. Oliver."

"Dr. Oliver, we need you to come down to the school, please" Miss Evans says.

"Mara Jane or Jacob?"

"Both, actually. And you might want to bring your husband."

I curse softly. "Is it that bad?"

"Yes."

"We're on our way." Quickly, I summon Zedd and we head out the door. It's not long before we're at the school and headed for the principal's office. I almost stop short at the sight outside the office. Mara Jane and Jacob seated by the door, with Mara Jane glaring at ten kids of various ages with various injuries across the hall. This won't be good.

I take a closer look at my own children. Jacob is holding an ice pack to his eye and Mara Jane has a paper towel held to her lip. "What the hell happened?" Zedd asks, incredulous.

Not surprisingly, none of the children answer - every one of them except Mara Jane dropping their eyes to their laps. Sighing, I lead Zedd to the office, knock and walk in at the principal's wave. There's a lot of other parents in here. Before I can say one word, a father across the room stands up and points at us. "Go ahead! Tell them what their freaky kid did!"

"Mr. Olson, please sit back down." Taking a deep breath, Miss Evans turns to us. "Dr. Oliver, Mr. Oliver. We're still trying to sort out the chain of events, however one thing that has become clear is that Mara Jane has been fighting."

I glance back out the door at the line of children opposite my own. "So which one?"

"All of them."

I can't decide whether to be dismayed or proud of her. "She fought ten kids? At once? And some of them obviously seniors? And possibly athletes?" Suddenly some of the other parents in the room look more than a little uncomfortable.

"Did she win?" Zedd asks.

"Not now, mate." Although that is a good question. "What have you figured out so far?"

"We can't figure out how the whole thing started. Neither Mara Jane or Jacob will say anything about the fight - at all - and the other kids just point the finger at Mara Jane."

"Even with her temper, Mara Jane knows that she's not allowed to start a fight. She also knows that, with her smaller size, it's possible for someone to overpower her. So either someone provoked her beyond her ability to control herself or-"

Zedd finishes my thought. "Or something happened to her little brother and she was defending or protecting him."

Miss Evans nods. "Quite frankly, that was my thought as well. I've known both children for many years and I've never seen either one of them exhibit this kind of behavior."

"That kid is nothing but a bully!"

I stare, shocked, at the woman who spoke. "So you would have us believe that our daughter - the slightly built fourteen year old girl out there - she's bullying kids almost half again her size?"

She stares back defiantly. "Well I'll tell you that my Randy wouldn't hit a little girl!"

"Okay, so you're saying that either he allowed her to beat the crap out of him or that he innocently got caught in the crossfire, so to speak. Is that right?"

"Well- uh-"

"That's what I thought." I turn and step out of the office. "Jacob, come in here."

He glances at his sister, but her gaze doesn't leave the group across the hall. Hesitantly, he slides out of his chair and joins us in the office. I crouch down to his level. "Jacob, buddy, we really need to know what happened."

Looking past me at the group of adults his sudden look of intimidation or answer isn't surprising. "I don't want to say."

"You need to though. Don't worry about them, just talk to me, okay? You're not in trouble and I have a pretty good feeling neither is your sister, but Papa and I still need to know what went on. You need to tell us."

"Daddy, I don't want to get anybody into trouble. They just don't understand."

"What don't they understand, little man?"

"About the animals. About how they're my friends."

I hear another mutter of 'freak' quickly followed by the low warning growl from Zedd. However, I keep my attention on my son. "I know that a lot of people here don't understand, but Papa and I do. So does your Grandpa Sam and Uncle David, right? They understand and they're very proud of you for being so special."

"I know, but they're not here and the other kids don't understand and I didn't mean to get anyone in trouble or make Sissy have to fight, but what happened wasn't her fault."

"Okay, so what happened?"

Heaving a sigh of defeat, he at least seems to relent and decides to explain the situation before I have to resort to calling Mara Jane in. "I was playing with a squirrel after lunch and some of the kids from my class came over and scared him away. They started calling me names and pushing me around. Mara Jane saw what was happening and came over to stop it. One of them said that she was just a girl and couldn't stop him. He hit me and then she pushed him away from me. He told her she had better not touch him again or he'd get his big brother. She said that if he ever bothered me again he'd better have his big brother there to try and protect him."

He takes a breath. "One of the other kids told her that she'd better mind her own business if she knew what was good for her because his big brother would teach her a lesson if she didn't. Mara Jane said that I was her business since I was her little brother and she wasn't afraid of anybody's brother - no matter how big he was. He told one of the other kids to go get his brother and he ran away and came back with Mickey's brother and a bunch of his friends while the others were arguing. Mara Jane stepped in front of me when she saw them and said that they needed to go away and leave us alone or she'd do whatever she had to do to protect me. I didn't want to fight, Daddy, but one of the big boys pushed Sissy and - she fought back."

"So let me get this straight. Our son was getting bullied by his peers, his sister stepped in to protect him, and then your children - all of which are males I might add - decided to, instead of reprimanding their younger siblings for their completely unacceptable behavior, attack a fourteen year old girl who is half their size" Zedd states, glare now matching that of Mara Jane's out in the hall.

One of the fathers stands up. "Excuse me." He weaves his way through the adults and past the three of us and opens the door. "Daniel. Gerald. Come in here. Now." One small boy and one big one join us at their father's demand. He turns to the younger boy first. "Daniel, did you or did you not gang up on that boy with four others?"

The boy fidgets for a minute before he admits lowly, "I was part of the group, Dad, but I didn't start it."

The man turns to his elder son. "And how did you get involved?"

"One of the boys came running up to Randy and said that Mickey needed him because some bigger girl was threatening to beat him and his friends up. Me and some of the other guys followed to see what was going on. The girl was arguing with the other kids, but when she saw us, she basically told all of us to leave her and her brother alone or she'd protect him however she had to. John told her to go home and play with her dolls and leave protection detail to the guys and then he shoved her and she just - exploded."

"And?"

"And it turned into one big brawl - for all of five minutes before a bunch of teachers came and broke it up."

"So again you and your little male friends attacked a female child" Zedd questions the boy in clear displeasure. "Let's just forget the fact she is my child for a moment, and from the looks of it beat the hell out of you and said friends, where exactly in your head is it okay to attack a female of any kind?"

Looking highly displeased himself, but grudgingly seeming to know that smarting off to Zedd or anyone right now is not a smart choice, the older boy gives a nod. "I apologize, sir. It just - got out of hand."

Miss Evans speaks up. "Boys, I want all three of you to go back out in the hall while I talk to your parents." Once the boys are gone, she sighs and says, "Now I have a problem. By the rules and code of conduct, every one of those children - with the exception of Jacob - should be suspended."

All the parents start to protest loudly and she holds her hands up for quiet. "As defined in the handbook that you all receive at the beginning of each school year, any fighting is cause for suspension - regardless of the reason" she says, looking at Zedd and stopping him before he can speak. "The little ones it won't affect as much - except for the mark on their permanent record but Mara Jane and the older boys-"

"Crap." I've caught on faster than anyone else. "It'll screw with finals." She nods unhappily and now I can hear the mutters of discontent around the room. "Isn't there some way around it?"

"I don't know. Quite frankly, I'm going to have to talk to the superintendent. Unfortunately, as soon as I do that - well, he can't not know what he knows and he'll have to follow through on it."

"What's the problem now?" Looking to me and still not completely caught back up memory wise on the kids' school, Zedd seems lost to the slightly bigger problem now than our daughter just being housebound for a few days.

"If they're suspended they won't be allowed to take final exams as they'll be given very likely during the time of their suspension" I explain seriously, only getting a shrug and continued look of confusion from my mate. "If they don't take finals, chances are some of the kids won't graduate as it's a large portion of their grade, and Mara Jane's own grades will take a dive for the end of this year."

"Would she still pass?"

"Well, yes, very likely, but definitely not with the marks she's earned all year."

Looking thoughtful for a moment his next question is thankfully given in Eltarian. "So I'm still trying to recall how things work on this planet, but is this something we could fix with credits? Like when I used to get in trouble at school and set things on fire or flooded the dormitory?"

"Unfortunately, no."

"Hmm, threats of destruction?"

"Nope."

Sighing and glancing back out the door toward our children for a long moment he suddenly takes me and the others by slight surprise as he gives a barely restrained laugh and shakes his head. I'm momentarily lost for what's so funny before he finally lets us in on the joke so to speak. "So basically I destroyed one of Zordon's homes, flooded a dormitory, blew up a science lab, all in one semester I might add if my memory is correct on this, and was still offered a reprieve, however our squirrel talking son gets beat up by his classmates and our kids get suspended for it?"

Barely covering my own mouth in time, I shake my head and attempt to fix him with a serious look. "I told you this isn't Eltar, Zedd. Your title doesn't have the pull here that it does back home."

Gesturing to the kids in the hall, he unfortunately can't contain his disbelief and amusement it seems. "He was playing with a squirrel, got beat up, his sister tried to protect him, thankfully she didn't let a bunch of males beat her up, and seriously title or not are you kidding me right now?"

"I see where you're coming from, mate, and I'm not disagreeing with you on your reasoning, well most of it anyways, but Miss Evans does have a point in that the rules are laid out very clearly. Trust me, I've been through the handbook, several times actually."

"So she should have just let them beat up her brother or better yet her? And what's more, what if she wasn't our child? You know the only reason she doesn't have far more injuries right now is because she is who she is. What if she was just some normal little girl?" Looking at the other parents his displeasure shows once more. "Would you have been so fast to jump when we came in if your sons had beat the living hell out of a little girl who couldn't defend herself and ended up with a good few broken bones given the size of half those boys?"

Most having the good grace to look away in embarrassment, I'm somewhat pleased as at least one of the mothers however stands up. "Well, it's clear to me - if no one else - that this was started by the young boys. I would never have thought that Mason would have behaved like that. Miss Evans, whatever the decision is, I'll accept it. I'll keep him home tomorrow to give you time to reach a decision. Dr. Oliver, Mr. Oliver - I apologize for Mason's behavior and I hope that neither of your children are badly hurt. Rest assured that there will be repercussions at home in addition to whatever the school decides."

She sweeps out of the room, summons her child and leaves quickly. Many of the other parents follow suit. It's really all I can do not to laugh as one mother - only four or four and a half feet tall - takes her six foot son by the ear to lead him out. Somehow, I'm not all that surprised to see that two other parents remain though - Randy's mother and the father that spoke first and referred to one of our children as 'freaky' - Mr. Olson, I think.

"Hm, two hold outs huh. Something you'd like say that you didn't get a chance to before? Maybe an apology?" Zedd questions calmly, knowing as well as I do that these two will be a problem, however it's a problem I don't doubt we can handle

Temper flaring at Zedd's baiting as I know my mate was hoping it would, Mr. Olson is the first to stand and snap. "Apology? If anyone should apologize it's those brats of yours! Your freaks don't belong in this school with normal kids" he snarls. "Now you're going to ruin my kid's future!"

"You seriously expect us to believe that we controlled your child's behavior?" I ask incredulously. Wow - someone's reaching, isn't he.

"It doesn't matter. You alien freaks are going to scream and cry and whine until you get what you want - a free ride. Your brats are probably here on scholarships because you're too poor to afford a good school like this."

"Not that it's any of your business" Zedd says coolly. "But I have a rather successful business and the children's tuitions are paid up front in full at the beginning of the year and that's just from what I've made myself. I won't even go into the fact that by title I'm a lord and were we on my world you wouldn't have a tongue left in your mouth after daring to try and slander my children."

The man curses and storms out of the room, making sure to slam his shoulder against Zedd's on his way by. Zedd, of course, turns to go after him but stops when I set my hand on his arm. "Not now, kalleimat" I murmur. "He's not worth it."

Randy's mother stands. "Well, Randy has an absolutely clean record and I'll not see it sullied by this little incident."

Something about how she says that sparks a memory of something I'd heard while subbing. "Is his record really clean if you've paid to keep it that way?"

Zedd frowns in confusion even as the woman reddens in anger. "I thought you said that this wasn't something that can be fixed by credits."

"Things don't work here the way they do on Eltar, mate, and it's not supposed to work like this." My next statement is directed more at her than Zedd. "Here, good parents don't buy their kids' way out of trouble and have no other repercussions. They teach them that there are consequences to their actions. If they don't learn these things while they are young, then when these kids grow up, they're never going to be able to function in society when they don't get their way. It's just as bad as not teaching them right from wrong."

Gaze still locked with the woman, I can however feel Zedd's sudden upset and hurt through the bond, but why? Before I can even think about addressing it, she snarls at me, "How dare you!"

"Truth hurt, Ms. Donovan?" I shoot back. At her shocked look, I smirk. "Oh, yes. I know who you are now and what you've done. And I'll tell you right now, from everything I've heard, if Randy turns out to be a decent, hardworking man it won't be because of anything you've done as a parent. Word travels fast - and it reaches the other schools too. All the teachers in every district around know you by reputation. Quite frankly, I'm rather surprised that you could find teachers even willing to teach Randy."

Miss Evans speaks up with a frown. "What do you mean, Dr. Oliver?"

"Oh, you didn't know? Ms. Donovan here makes sure that dear little Randy never fails a class - either by bribing the teachers or making them bow down by threats of suing them. Since she's rich beyond most people's understanding, she could ruin a teacher financially for the rest of their lives with a suit like that - either because she would somehow win the suit or the victim would have to spend everything they have and ever will have defending themselves. She takes care of any trouble the same way - either threatening the district or donating a huge sum of money for them to look the other way."

I return my attention to Ms. Donovan, who has paled with her machinations revealed so openly and by someone she never would have suspected of being in the know. "Yes, we have every intention of fighting a suspension since Mara Jane was defending herself and her younger brother. If she had actually started the fight - and believe me she's wanted to many a time - then we'd accept her suspension without a word against the district because she'd have broken the rules. Our daughter will know how, not just the world, but the entire universe functions. There is right and there is wrong and she will have the good grace to know which is which. And, yes, she will know that there are people out there like you that think that the rules don't apply to them. That have an inflated sense of self importance. And let me tell you something else, lady. You will be wasting your time if you decide to try and sue us because - one, we can leave this planet any time we damn well please and two, my husband can run you into the ground if you try."

Zedd's getting more and more upset, but he's holding it together for now. Once we're home, I'm going to have to find out what I've said that's bothering him. "Come on, Zedd. Let's get the kids and go home. Miss Evans, you know our position. Please let us know what the decision is."

We leave the office, gather up the kids and their belongings and go home. It's a silent ride. Once there, I look over both children carefully to make sure that none of their injuries are worse than they first appear. After I've reassured myself that I don't need to call Pina or Dana, I send them to their rooms for the time being.

I listen for their doors to close before I start pulling things out to make dinner. As I do, I say, "What's wrong, Zedd?"

"Nothing."

I almost drop the box in my hand at the clear lie. Softly and gently, I say something that I use very rarely. "Don't lie to me, Zeddic."

"It's just suddenly very clear to me why I joined the side of evil." The bitterness and pain is thick as he continues. "And you must not think much of my parents. Nor me for that matter."

Confused, I set down everything I'm holding, turn and give my mate my full attention. "Mate, what in the hell are you talking about?"

His next words clear up a lot of my confusion. "Well, since my parents 'bought' my way out of trouble several times and there were rarely consequences, it's really no surprise that I joined the side of evil since there was no way for me to become a 'decent, hardworking man'." Shit.

I shake my head. "Zedd, that's different."

Hard, hurt and angry, he practically spits the next at me. "Oh really? And how exactly is it different, Thomas? What you told that woman, how she bails her son out when he causes trouble, it's near identical to what my father used to do."

"One, this isn't Eltar - as I mentioned. Things are done differently there. Two, you're nobility - again a difference." I cross over, sit next to him and set my hands on his. "Zedd, mate, before you lost your memory, you've learned that there are a lot of ways that human and Eltarian societies differ. How some treat their mates and children, their fellow man, how they discipline their children, how they handle insults and dishonors. It doesn't make either way wrong, exactly, but as a much younger species, we're still learning our way. Kalleimat, humans have been around for thousands of years, but even you yourself are older than most of our written records. I have no doubt that humans are going to have to grow up - and fast - with all the aliens coming and SPD being built, but comparatively, we're still, well, infants."

I take a breath. "We're not advanced enough for your methods to work yet. As a planet, there isn't one set of expectations for behavior. Each race, country, religion - they all have their own ideas of what's right." I come up with a fairly reasonable analogy. "On Eltar, when Serena married Marcus, she was still held the higher title as she was from a titled bloodline, right?" He nods and I go on. "Here there are some societies that would place Marcus above her simply because he's male, no matter that she's bloodline titled and he isn't."

"But-"

"We've been raising the children to be prepared no matter where we choose to live. If, in a few years, we decide to move to Eltar or back to the palace, they'll be able to handle it. They know right from wrong and what we expect of them. And you, my dearest love, are a decent, hardworking man. You took your own path to get there, but if you hadn't traveled it, you and I might have never found each other. In spite of everything we've been through, I wouldn't have it any other way."

Softly he asks, "What do you think you'd be doing right now if we hadn't found each other?"

Thinking back, I can only see one or two possibilities, each of them making me feel more than a little sick. I pull away from him, standing abruptly. "I- I need to start dinner."

"Thomas?"

I can't look at him. "I'd either be dead or a pet, Zedd, because that's where I was headed before you saved me."

I shove back the memories that are trying to surface. I've not retold him what happened to me in rehab nor what we learned from the rehab files for a number of reasons - not the least of which is that I really don't want to go over it again. My hands are shaking as I return to preparing the meal. "This is about that place again isn't it?"

"I don't want to talk it, Zedd. I- I can't, especially not right now."

Standing and moving behind me, I can hear the concern in his voice as he sees me struggling to keep it together. "Thomas, love, don't worry about dinner tonight. Go sit down and relax for a bit, we'll order pizza or something."

"No. I don't want the kids to think they're being rewarded for what happened."

"We won't let them think that. Although I'm rather surprised that Mara Jane hasn't said a single word on the matter since we arrived at the school - not even when we got home."

I'd noticed our daughter's silence as well, but not really sure how to address it. "She might just be trying to control her temper. I don't know."

I flinch when he sets his hand on my back - bad memories still too close to the surface and trying to break free. He sets his free hand on my hands, stilling them. "Love, stop" he says firmly. "You're going to get hurt if you try and do this as badly as you're shaking."

"Zedd, I-"

"Thomas, please. In spite of the fact that no one seems willing or able to tell me what happened to you that I apparently saved you from, it's obvious that it still affects you very deeply. Here's what I suggest. We'll order dinner. After dinner, we'll get the kids through their nightly routine and back in their rooms. By that time, we should know what the verdict from the school is so that we can plan for tomorrow. Once they're in bed, I think that we need to talk."

I have no doubt in my mind what he wants to talk about. Maybe, just maybe I can manage the way I did the first time. If I can keep my emotions in check, maybe I can get through it without completely falling apart or losing it like I did when I read the file. Still, no matter how I go about it, the story isn't a short one. "If the kids can go to school tomorrow, I'd much rather deal with it then while they're out of the house. They are both way too young to hear any of it and if I lose it I don't want them here for that."

"And if they can't?"

"Then we'll deal with it tonight after they're asleep, I guess." Because powers knows I won't be sleeping tonight either way.

My phone rings. "Dr. Oliver."

"It's Miss Evans. I wanted to let you know that - as far as Mara Jane and Jacob are concerned - neither of them will be receiving suspensions and can come to school tomorrow."

I exhale in relief. Not only are my kids not going to be penalized - not that they should be - but I can put off talking until tomorrow. "Thank you, Miss Evans. They'll be there in the morning."

Looking at me expectantly, Zedd gestures to my cell as I end the call. "Well?"

"They can go tomorrow, neither will be held accountable for what occurred."

"So Mara Jane's grades won't suffer then?"

"Thankfully, no." I move to the bottom of the stairs and call up to my children. "Mara Jane, Jacob, get your school clothes out for tomorrow!"

Jacob whoops in glee as I return to the kitchen. Zedd already has his phone in hand and is ordering pizza from our favorite place. I shake my head. Sometimes he's just as bad as the children.

"Daddy." Immediately, I turn to Mara Jane. "How can I go to school? I was in a fight and that's an automatic three day suspension."

"Because you were defending yourself and your brother and that's not what the rules intended, honey. That rule was never intended to allow a group of children to beat up on one child and not allow that child to fight back and defend themselves."

"But that's not what the rule says."

"Because they don't want people to see it as an excuse or permission to fight. There are kids out there who will get someone wound up until that second child attacks, thus putting the actual aggressor in the position of defending themselves from a physical attack. That would mean that the first child - who actually started it - would be able to claim self defense and the second child would be victimized again when they're punished for starting the actual physical fight that they were provoked into."

She thinks about this for a long minute. Finally she says slowly, "So is that why I'm not being punished? Because I was just defending Jacob and me?"

"Yes, but if I ever find out that you provoke a fight like I just explained, I guarantee that you'll be in more trouble with me than you'll know what to do with."

She nods. "Because that would still be starting a fight and I'm not allowed to do that - no matter how much I might want to."

"Exactly."

Studying me closely for a moment, she frowns slightly. "Are you upset with me for fighting?"

"No. I'm not happy about it, but I understand why you did it and I'm proud of you for standing up for your brother, along with not using your power to decimate your opponents."

"It was tempting" she admits before continuing to look at me oddly for a moment. "So you're not mad, though?"

"No, why?"

"You - don't seem okay." Damn it. Forgetting that her hearing and senses are almost on par with mine and Zedd's I do my best to slow my breathing and heart rate to a less stressed pace.

"I'm fine, just tired."

"You don't look tired, you look -" Suddenly pausing, something seems to click in her head and she abruptly switches to Eltarian. "If you're tired you can go lay down and I can help with dinner. I promise I won't let Papa destroy the kitchen like last time." Recalling how Zedd and Mara Jane had tried to make dinner the night Jason of all people had said something to set off a flashback, and how he and my darling daughter had somehow exploded the meatloaf they were attempting to cook, I shake my head sternly.

"Tempting, but no. Besides, Papa's already ordering a pizza I think."

"Do you want me to set the table then?"

"I'll get it, you go start your homework."

Looking doubtful she relents somewhat, "Okay, if you change your mind though-"

Smiling, as again she could pass for Zedd with not only her looks but also stubborn streak, I give her a nudge toward the other room. "Go. Homework. Now."

Nodding she turns and heads out of the room and I turn back to my mate. He snaps his phone shut. "So we'll talk tomorrow."