TOMMY - SIX MONTHS LATER

I drag myself in the house with a heavy sigh, body aching everywhere and sporting more than a few bruises. It's the beginning of December and there isn't a single Christmas decoration to be seen. I'm the one who usually organizes this sort of thing, but trying to track down and deal with our contacts who have gone to the other side so to speak has left me exhausted and just really not in the mood. As I make my way upstairs, I promise myself that I'll get it done this weekend - for the kids if nothing else. Thinking of all the other things that go with it is just making me feel more tired and stressed. Presents and wrapping and baking…

I shake this off for now. Get a shower first, Tommy, then get your thoughts organized for the next thing. Lost in my thoughts, I almost crash into Mara Jane as she comes out of her room. "Oops! Sorry, Daddy." She gets a good look at me and sighs. "I'll start dinner."

"Coffee, too, please" I call after her. She waves in acknowledgement as she hurries downstairs. I hear Jacob in his room, playing some video game or another. I tap on his door. "Jacob, I'm home."

"Hang on, guys." In a minute, the door is flung open, but my son has learned very quickly not to immediately throw himself at Zedd or me when we've returned from one of our trips lately. He gives me a quick once over as I hold my arms out for a hug. He smiles and snuggles into my embrace, thankfully not squeezing too tightly. He answers my unspoken question. "Papa called and he'll be home in about an hour. Aunt Pina and Uncle Dar said that they'll be here by the end of the week at the latest, but hopefully by Wednesday."

Fortunately, Zedd and I have been able to alternate our off planet trips so that someone can stay with the kids. Technically, his trip today was off planet, but only a couple hours away, so it didn't really count like my own three day jaunt. Still, my youngest child is having to grow up far faster than I'd like. I release my son. "I'm going to go grab a quick shower, buddy. I'll see you later." He nods and returns to his game as I pull the door shut for him.

Half an hour later, I feel much better and head down to the kitchen. At her request (well, begging anyway), Goldar and I have been teaching Mara Jane to cook. Like Dar, she seems to have quite a knack for it. Baking, however, is not really her forte. Quite frankly, I think cooking appeals to the Zedd in her so to speak, the freedom of not measuring, just throwing things together. Fortunately, she rarely turns out inedible food - unlike Zedd does more often than not.

I sink into a chair, intending to just sit for a few minutes before I grab a cup of coffee, but quickly find getting up again unnecessary as my eldest sets my favorite mug in front of me with a quick kiss on my temple. "Thank you, sweetheart, but you didn't have to do that."

I barely catch her eye roll as she returns to the stove. "Daddy, whether you like it or not, sometimes you need to let us take care of you."

"You're too young to have to take care of me yet."

She chuckles, sounding for all the world like Zedd. "Daddy, you're not ready for the old folks home yet. I can still do little things for you, silly."

"Feel like it sometimes" I admit. "I do appreciate it, honey."

She hesitates. "I know you do. With that in mind, I kind of wanted to talk to you about some things. It's not urgent, but I don't want to forget either."

"Now's as good a time as any. What is it?"

She stirs whatever she's making on the stove before turning her attention to the mixing bowl. "Well, you and Papa have been really busy with the business lately on top of trying to do all the same stuff around the house you did before."

"Right, and?"

"And I know that despite you saying it's only 'business' you and Papa coming back more and more beat up each time indicates that it's not."

"Sometimes we have to do more than just negotiate, darling."

Waving this away, she's apparently not having it. "Daddy, you know I love you, and you know I'll pretend all you want that something bad isn't coming and that these trips you and Papa, Uncle Dar, and Aunt Pina have been going on is just for business, but we both know that's all it'll be is pretending."

"Well for your brother's sake-"

"I'll keep pretending, though in fairness I highly doubt he's as clueless to things as you think either." Damn it. "For the moment though, that wasn't really what I wanted to talk about, just the reason behind it." And for that I'm grateful.

"Okay."

She starts and stops a few times before she finally comes out with what's on her mind. "Jacob and I are more than old enough to be helping more around the house. I mean, more than we are."

I'm a little confused. "Mara Jane, you already do more than your required chores. While I know that both of you are capable of more-"

Instantly, my miniature female Zedd turns on me. "Don't you dare say that it isn't necessary."

I can't help but smile. "Not what I was going to say, princess. I was going to say that there are some chores that I'm rather particular about how they get done, so I'm not ready to give them up yet."

"Okay. Like what?"

"Well, the laundry for one - parts of it anyway." As the last thing she needs to see is the blood stains I'm having to lately get out of Zedd's and my clothes after we return from our so called business trips. "Loading the dishwasher for another."

"The dishwasher?" Raising a brow at this, she's clearly not recalling why this is something I generally do.

"Mara Jane, I've been gone for three days, in that time, how many plates and glasses have been broken from your Papa doing the dishes in those three nights?"

Smiling and understanding now, she shakes her head. "He insists that if he can close the dishwasher it's all good."

"Right, which is why we end up spending more money replacing dishes every month than we do on the food that goes on them."

"Fine, however that still leaves a lot that you can give up that Jacob and I can do. How about a deal?"

Uh oh. I have to be careful here. This kid has my intellect, Zedd's cunning, Dar's silver tongue and Pina's wiles - not to mention Kira's common sense, having been raised by all of us. "That depends on the deal. What is it?"

"Give us the rest of the week to show you we can do it. I promise I won't put too much on Jacob and I'll keep up with my school work."

Which would be fine except Mara Jane is taking classes from Earth and Eltar - they both are so that when we move to Eltar in a few years the transition will be as smooth as possible. Which reminds me - I need to see to my own education for when we move too. I sigh to myself as I add one more thing to my to do list. "You have finals coming up."

"Not until after winter break" she objects. She turns back to dinner as she continues. "I can work on my review work during break since I'll have hours that I'd normally be in school that I'll be home instead."

"Or you can wait until break to pick up the extra chores so that you have time to learn them properly and how to fit them in your usual schedule for when you go back" I suggest.

Mara Jane thinks about this as she sprinkles flour on the counter and dumps a ball of dough on it. She starts kneading it as she offers, "Well, how about we meet halfway? The chores that don't get done everyday - instead of doing like you do and doing them all on the same day, what if I spread them out? Say, tomorrow I can do the dusting and on Wednesday I can vacuum, Thursday I can water the plants and so on. Jacob can empty the dishwasher every time it needs it and help with the general picking up."

We both jump when an amused voice cuts in. "And who is going to help me with the yard work?"

Mara Jane teases her father back. "Maybe we can get Jacob's animal friends to help."

Giggles from the other doorway announce the arrival of the last member of our little family. "I'm not Snow White or Cinderella, Sissy!"

"I should hope not as not only do I not want you behaving as pitifully as those halfwit females in those stories, I would hate to have to go on a murderous rampage and kill some idiotic Lord or Lady in training that thought they could have you after one night of courting and dared to try." Oh brother.

Rolling my eyes and not wanting to remind him that it's really Mara Jane he should be more focused on where scaring off admirers is concerned right now, I however go with the most basic argument I can think of at the moment. "He's nine, Zedd."

"Yeah and he's not courting until he's at least nine hundred."

"Nine hundred?" Raising a brow herself now, Mara Jane shakes her head. "By that point he'll be too old to walk down the aisle without a cane."

"Your point being?"

"What about Sissy?"

"What about her?" Looking to our daughter in confusion now, Zedd surprisingly doesn't seem all that concerned.

"What if someone wants to court her?" Jacob inquires innocently enough.

"Well I'd like to think she'll have enough power herself to kill them, but if not, I'll gladly help" Zedd assures him with a shrug even as our daughter mutters something about locking Zedd in his own dungeon before bringing any suitors home to meet him.

"No killing civilians, Zedd" I remind him casually.

Jacob climbs up on the chair next to me as Zedd hugs and kisses everyone, saving Mara Jane until last. "Right, right, only maim, I remember. Smells good, princess. What is it?"

"Chicken and dumplings and Jacob helped me make a salad earlier."

"I haven't had that in years" I comment.

"When I stayed at Megan's last weekend, her mother made it. That reminds me, Papa, can I have some money to give them for feeding me while I was there? I get the feeling that they're having a hard time since her parents got a divorce."

I jump in before Zedd can respond. "Be careful, Mara Jane. Some people on this planet would be offended by such an offering if you aren't careful."

Zedd pauses for a minute. "Perhaps you should have Daddy handle this as he has a point, humans are... odd, when it comes to money. Besides, what makes you think that they're having a hard time?"

She shrugs. "Just little things. Megan and her brother need new shoes, their mom said something about this being a cheap filling meal, things like that."

I exchange a look with my husband before I nod briefly. "I'll see what I can do, honey." Especially since she spends the night over there at least once a month. One more thing on my to do list. I gesture to my bruised face. "It'll have to wait a day or two though." I turn to Zedd. "How'd your meeting go?"

"Productive" he grins. "I swear, Thomas, we could have dealt with all these meetings in half the time if they were as straightforward and smart as this one."

"Oh really? Who was it?"

"Marcan." Oh right - the old man who bet on me instead of against me when Essa and I battled. His information has been helpful to us on more than one occasion since then. The man practically has his own spy network - which, thankfully, he's more than willing to ally with Zedd. "He also gave me new border information - among other interesting bits."

Well, you definitely have my attention now. "And?"

Glancing at our intently-listening-but-trying-to-look-like-they-aren't children, Zedd shakes his head. "I'll give you the details later, but for now I'll say that things seem to be moving slower than we expected."

I exhale in relief. "For once, slower is good news" I agree. "Mara Jane, does Papa have time to grab a shower before dinner is ready?"

"Yes, Daddy."

I nod at Zedd and he dispenses kisses all around once more before he leaves the room. If I'm understanding Zedd correctly, then there will probably be time for Mara Jane to graduate high school before we have to leave the planet to avoid the coming war. Before I get too lost in my thoughts and plans, Mara Jane speaks again. "Also, Daddy, there was one other thing I wanted to talk to you about."

Refocusing on my eldest child, I nod. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"I'm having a teeny tiny problem with one of my classes." Uh oh.

"Which one and what's the problem?"

"Drivers education." My eyebrows go up at this. With her advanced reflexes and senses, I would think that it would be an extremely easy class for her. "One problem I'm having is that you and Papa both have stick shift cars and the ones we use for class are automatics."

I still find it slightly amusing that, after his troubles with my Jeep all those years ago, Zedd would have chosen to get a stick shift rather than an automatic when he bought his car. Still - "So what's the problem with that? If anything, their cars should be easier."

She sighs. "It would be if I wasn't constantly looking for the clutch and trying to shift."

"Okay, well that just means that you need more practice. I'll see about borrowing Aunt Hayley or Uncle Jason's car or somebody's and take you out some more." Abruptly I remember something else she said. "One problem? What else?"

She keeps her gaze locked on what she's doing as she answers. "Well, according to my teacher, I may have a small problem with, um, road rage."

And now I don't know whether to laugh or give Zedd hell, as I have no doubt she picked that up from him more than me. "And what form is this road rage taking?"

"I'm not using my powers, if that helps."

"Mara Jane-"

"I'm trying really hard not to get angry, Daddy, I promise."

"Mara Jane."

"But some of these people don't seem to understand or remember basic rules of the road."

"Mara Jane Elizabeth Anise - stop stalling and tell me" I command.

"Well - you know how you've said that swearing sounds remarkably similar in any language? Apparently my teacher thinks so too - even if she doesn't speak any off Earth languages."

And now I'm having to bite my lip really hard to keep from laughing. When I finally have a grip on myself, I ask, "So you were swearing at the other drivers. Is that all?"

Her voice is pleading as she says, "Yes, but that's the downside. The upside is that my better reflexes and senses kept us out of a really bad accident."

"Is that who you were swearing at?"

"No, that's the one I wanted to get out of the car and beat to a pulp." Oh no. "But the teacher made us stay in the car while he went and dealt with the situation."

"What happened exactly?" Zedd demands from the doorway.

"We were at a light and it turned green. I double checked like Daddy taught me and saw another driver coming up the other way and he wasn't slowing down. I started to go, but I realized that he wasn't going to stop so I did. He barely missed us and hit the car next to us broadside."

And now Zedd's on the verge of freaking out. "If the class is that dangerous, maybe we should pull her out, Thomas."

Mara Jane and I speak together. "No. That class is required for graduation." I give her a look and continue alone. "Mate, even for student drivers, accidents are a rarity - especially of any real severity. There's a reason that the teachers have brake pedals on their side of the car."

"And yet she says that she's the reason that they weren't hit. Otherwise, if I'm understanding correctly, she would have been hit like I was." Fear surges in him.

"Zedd, that was an unusual situation. The woman that hit you was crazy." Well, close enough anyway. "How long have we lived on this planet and that's the only accident we've ever been in?"

"Well, yes, but Thomas-"

"Take a breath and calm down, kalleimat" I advise him. "She's here, she's fine."

Once he's taken a couple of breaths, he responds, "I still don't like it."

"I know, but I'm not going to keep her from getting the classes and credits she needs to graduate. Especially if we're going to move off planet at any point."

"Back to the castle?" Mara Jane asks eagerly.

"Maybe. Or we might move to Eltar. We haven't decided quite yet. Either way, we aren't giving up our home here." I return my attention to Zedd. "I'll call her teacher later and see what she has to say about the almost accident."

Before he can answer me, my phone goes off, the number unfamiliar. Frowning, I answer it. "Hello?"

"Dr. Oliver?"

"Yes?"

"This is Katie Hammond, Mara Jane's drivers education teacher. Do you have time to talk?"

"Yes. Actually, I was going to call you in a while anyway."

"Ah. I'm guessing that Mara Jane told you about what happened then."

"She did, but I'd like to hear your take on it."

"Before that, though, I'd like to say that, while I appreciate her using a foreign language, I would appreciate it more if she wouldn't swear at all during the driving portion of our class."

"Agreed. She did tell me about that and we're certainly going to address that as well."

I hear her breathe a sigh of relief. "No offense, but this is already going better than I hoped. Now, as I'm sure you've seen, Mara Jane is fine - as are the other students that were in the car as well as myself. She was a split second faster than I was on the brakes, but only because I was allowing her to assess the situation for herself. Quite frankly, it's not a chance I would have taken with many other students, but she's shown that she can judge a situation faster and more accurately than her peers."

"That's good."

"Yes, it is. She does have a small issue with the automatic cars we're using, but I think that with time and experience, she'll be able to adapt more quickly when changing vehicles. As far as today's incident goes, please tell her not to worry. The school's auto shop is fixing the car and she won't be punished or you required to pay for anything."

"Wait, what do you mean?"

There's a pause. "I thought you said that she told you what happened."

"We were just talking about it."

"Another driver ran a red light, missed us entirely due to her quick decision and reflexes, but struck another car. That car spun and hit our car. It's minor body damage and a flat tire. She was concerned that, because she didn't react sooner that she'd still be found at fault for the damage to the school car and you'd be required to pay for it. I promise you, Dr. Oliver, the damage is extremely minor. Except for the flat tire, it's entirely cosmetic. The other car hit my door and it still functions just fine. As I said, entirely cosmetic."

"So pretty much, everybody was just shaken up."

"In our car, yes. The car that was hit was much worse, though. Mara Jane wanted to get out of the car and - in her words - 'deal with' the driver that caused the whole mess. I finally had to order her to stay put while I handled things."

I sigh. "Somehow I'm not really all that surprised. She does have her father's temper."

"At any rate, she did finally mind me and by the time we returned to the school, she was worried that she'd be in trouble for damaging school property and that you'd have to pay for it. Please reassure her that neither one is the case."

"I will. Thank you for calling." I hang up the phone and look at Mara Jane. "Your teacher said to tell you, apparently again, that you aren't in trouble and we don't have to pay for the damage to the car." Quickly, I fill Zedd in before he loses his mind. "Essentially, she saved them all."