Author's Note: Here we are again. Enjoy!
Charlie waited for the other shoe to drop. He made it onto the school's team and Jimmy had not. There had to be something coming, but he had no idea what. He continued on hoping that Jimmy would just let it go.
The rumors about him flew around the school. There were whispers in the hallways. Everyone seemed to know about him and the other Charlie. More photocopies of the article about Jack's Charlie circulated throughout the school.
It was easy for him to ignore it until the stories about Cassie began. At first it was easy to be dismissed as petty stuff, but then it escalated and became unbearable for her. The day before he found her sitting alone in the spot where they usually met, crying. She tried to tell him that it didn't matter but Charlie knew Cassie well enough to know that it did. Those silly rumors had hurt her and he couldn't take it any longer.
After school, he cornered Jimmy on the far side of the field. Charlie pushed Jimmy up against the fence, "Stop this now. I know it's you. You can attack me all you want, but trying to get at me through Cassie ends now. You think you know about me, you don't." his voice was hard and cold. He's seen enough crap in his life that he wasn't going to let a punk like Jimmy taint Cassie's view of it.
Jimmy pushed him back, "Sure, whatever you say." the other boy sneered, "Gonna get your Daddy to clone you a brother so you can beat me up?"
Charlie loosened his hold and Jimmy collapsed on the ground, "You're pathetic. You're not even worth my time. I'm tired of this, stop now. Leave me and Cassie alone."
The two boys stared at each other waiting to see who would give in. It was Jimmy who turned away first and, disgusted at the other boy, Charlie walked away. He hoped this was the end, but he knew it wouldn't be.
Charlie came around the school to meet Cassie who'd stayed late to help with the yearbook. He had almost reached the spot where he was to meet her when he felt himself shoved hard from behind and had his feet taken out from underneath him. He hit the dirt and then someone kicked him hard in the stomach.
Although he tried to stifle the grunt of pain, it slipped out between his clenched teeth. Recovering, he grabbed the leg of his assailant. Using all of his strength, he flipped the person into the dirt as he caught a glimpse of who it was.
Getting to his feet Charlie thought about what he was doing and chose to did it anyway. He was done with doing this nicely. Jimmy Wilson had to learn and Charlie was the one to teach him. He waited for the other boy to get to his feet before he threw his first punch. Jimmy's head was thrown back and the boy rocked back on his heels.
Recovering Jimmy charged Charlie hitting him in the stomach. Letting out a grunt of pain Charlie twisted throwing both of them to the ground. He landed on top of Jimmy. All of his anger and frustration at the other boy flowed out as Charlie threw punch after punch.
Then suddenly it was over. Charlie was pulled off the unmoving Jimmy by the coach. Coach Nelson looked at the boy in the dirt and then at Charlie, who he restrained. He had been on his way to the field when he saw what happened.
"If I let you go are you going to go after him again?" Coach Nelson asked his voice was cautious.
Charlie shook his head, "No, I won't." His father, both of them had taught him when to fight and when to just surrender to the inevitable and see what happens.
The Coach knelt beside Jimmy who was out cold, "You sure know what to do. Go inside and get someone to help me take him inside to the nurse."
Nodding, he headed off back toward the school; he knew he was in big trouble, but he hoped that Jimmy was in a lot more. He got to the front doors where Cassie waited. He took the time to explain it to her and headed inside.
Charlie came out of the principal's office and saw Jack standing there still dressed in his BDUs. That meant that his dad had just come from the base. From the expression on his face, he wasn't very happy with something or someone.
He should have known that he couldn't be lucky enough to have Sam come and get him again. He studied Jack and was surprised when his dad squeezed his shoulder to show him that he wasn't mad at him.
"Cassie told me about what's been happening and I've come to talk to the principal. This has to stop right now. I want this over and this boy out of here. What he has done is just plain evil, and if you hadn't already beaten the crap out of him I would do it myself. I can understand wanting to deal with this yourself, but he took it too far. I know that you can handle his attacking you, but coming after Cassie, that is too much."
The coach stepped out of the principal's office and saw Jack standing there. He crossed over to the General and offered his hand. "Mr.- ah General O'Neill. I'm Mr Nelson Charlie baseball coach. I just want you to know that Charlie is a fine boy. This whole thing wasn't all his fault. We need him on the team, he's one of our best players. I hope that he'll be able to play on Friday, but I will stand by the principal's decision." The man shook Jack's hand again and the younger man left.
Jack and Charlie both sat down and waited. Charlie had spoken to the principal and given his side of the story after Jimmy had told his side of it in the nurse's office. Now it was time to wait.
Finally the door opened and the principal motioned for them to come inside. "General O'Neill," he offered his hand to Jack, "I regret that I had to meet you this way. I had no idea that this was happening in my school. Usually it gets back to me, but this seemed to have slipped through. It is no excuse for me or for Charlie. Jimmy has been expelled. With your testimony and the Coach's, there is no doubt that he is the instigator in this. The Coach thought he was trying to smash your knee and stop you from playing ball for the rest of the season, but that doesn't excuse you from your actions afterwards."
The principal sighed, "I have to suspend you, Charlie. This is your second fight in less than a month. I know you tried to walk away both times, but you still fought in the end."
Jack nodded, "We understand. I'll take him to collect his books and he'll return to school next Thursday. I'll have Cassie Fraser collect his homework, if that's alright?"
"Sounds fine. That is all." he held out his hand, "Goodbye. And Charlie, I hope that I don't see you in my office again."
Jack took the other man's hand and shook it, "I hope you won't either. Goodbye."
"Sam?" Jack called as he and Charlie entered the house.
"In here," came the reply. "What are you doing home so early?"
Jack and Charlie followed her voice and found her curled up on the couch listening to Morgan read her the Wizard of Oz. As they entered the room, Sam took the book from the little girl, "My turn."
Sam looked up at Jack who looked over at Charlie. No words were exchanged, but Sam understood that Charlie was in trouble again. She nodded to Jack and then turned her attention back to reading to Morgan.
The little girl giggled as Sam read. Sam changed her voice to reflect who was speaking. Jack sat down and enjoyed the show. Charlie, on the other hand, was glad for the reprieve, no matter how short.
When she finished the chapter, Sam closed the book and handed it to Morgan. "Put it by your bed and I will read some more tonight. Dad and I need to talk to Charlie, so why don't you go play in your room for a while. I will call you when dinner is ready."
Morgan smiled and hugged Sam, "Okay," and she skipped off and out of the room.
As soon as the girl had disappeared, Sam turned to Jack and asked, "What happened now?"
Jack looked at Charlie and motioned for him to explain, "I got suspended for fighting with Jimmy again. He was spreading rumors about me and Cassie. Me, I can handle, but the things he was saying about Cassie were horrible and I couldn't let them go. I told him to stop and walked away. Then he attacked me. I had just had enough; I lost my temper and I beat him badly until the coach stopped me. I know it wasn't smart, but I did it. I will take any punishment that you require."
Sam and Jack exchanged looks, "We will talk about it and let you know later tonight. Now get started on your homework."
Charlie nodded and headed to his room.
After a long talk, Sam and Jack decided that missing the game this week, due to his suspension, and having to come home right after school and practice for the next two weeks was enough.
Charlie accepted his punishment without any argument. When Cassie stopped by later that evening to pick up Charlie's homework, she asked if she was allowed to see him.
Sam smiled and told Cassie that she would find Charlie in his room.
Cassie knocked on the door and called his name as she pushed the closed door half open, "Charlie?"
He jumped at the sound of her voice and tucked something under his pillow, "Cassie, what are you doing here? I thought I was grounded?"
"You are. I just asked Sam to let me talk to you for a moment." she stopped to gather her thoughts before continuing, "I know why you did what you did. It was stupid, but thank you." she sat beside him on the bed.
Charlie swung his feet off the bed and sat up next to her. He looked down at his hands, "Do you ever wish that you could go back? To Hanka and have everything the way it was before Nirrti destroyed your life?"
Studying his profile Cassie wondered how to answer that question, "Yes and no. I liked my life there. I had my family and I was loved, but, if I stayed on Hanka, there is so much I would never have learned and experienced. I definitely wouldn't be as strong as I am now." she shrugged, "It's a hard question to answer mostly because I know it is all gone. I can't go back, there is nothing left for me there." she saw something in Charlie's face.
Reaching out, she grabbed his hand, "You want to go back, don't you?" her voice was full of pain.
"Yes, no, I don't know. It seems like here, all I do is causing problems and hurt people. If I had never come, Jimmy wouldn't have started those rumors about you." he looked at her to show that he regretted the hurt he had caused her even though it was involuntary.
Cassie shook her head, "How can you say that. Look at Sam and Jack. They were barely talking to each other before you came. Without you, they would still be that way. You made them admit how they feel about each other; nothing, not even the threat of dying, has even done that." she looked away, "And me. Charlie, I have never had a friend like you. Someone I can talk to about my life before. Who actually understands what it was like to loose everything. I have always had to shut that part of me away, but I don't have to with you. Please don't leave me."
Charlie looked over at Cassie, "I was just thinking out loud. I'm not going anywhere." he smiled at her and squeezed her hand.
Her smile was watery, but she wrapped her arms around him hiding her tears, "Good."
Charlie held her tight and for a moment he was home.
Charlie's suspension ended and now that Jimmy was at another school, things seemed to settle down. Cassie and Charlie spent more and more time together enjoying each other's company. His team made it to the playoffs and was on track to win state this year. When the children had been there almost three months, it was Sam's turn for her quarterly physical and it produced some interesting results.
He he. More soon. Let me know your thoughts. ~Kelleth~