"Dad," Miral called out for her father. She didn't see him in the living room, the family room, or the kitchen. She had tried to call him a couple of times, but he didn't answer. Miral sighed and knew where her father was. She went downstairs to her father's office. He was sitting at his desk mumbling to himself. She could see that he had grown a beard in the last three weeks since she saw him. She could tell that her dad needed a shower. She saw coffee cups around the room and her dad's favorite snack food. "Dad," She said again. Tom still didn't look up. "Dad," Miral yelled.
Tom glanced up and blinked his eyes to focus on his daughter. "Hi, Miral. What are you doing here?"
Miral raised one eyebrow at her father. "Checking on you since you don't answer when I call you," Miral stepped in the room. "I can see it is a good thing that I did." Tom threw his daughter a look. "Dad when the last time was you slept," She could see the dark circles around his eyes. "Or had something real or even showered?"
Tom smiled and scratched his beard. "Do you like it?"
"No," Miral started to clean up the dishes laying around. "And it better be gone by the time Mom gets home," Tom rolled his eyes at his daughter. "Come on, let's go upstairs and shower while I make you some real food," Miral tugged on her father's arm to get him to stand.
"I have to finish," Tom reached for his PADD.
"No, you will do better with sleep. You can start tomorrow," Miral pulled her father out of the office.
Miral dragged her father upstairs through the kitchen to the stairs. She led him upstairs to his room. "You can shower without me," Miral pushed her father in the bathroom. Tom threw her a look before closing the door on her face.
Miral laughed as she went back downstairs. She could hear the shower going and she hoped that her dad was shaving his beard. She cleaned up some of the dishes before she got started on dinner for the two of them.
Tom came down refresh and could smell what his daughter was making. He moaned as he found a seat at the counter. "Smells good," Miral turned to her father and smiled. He looked better; he didn't shave his beard, but it looked cleaned. She could still see the dark circles around his eyes but after they ate, she was putting her father to bed.
"Thank you," She placed a plate in front of her dad. She came around the counter and took a seat next to him. They didn't say much as they ate.
"Thank you," Tom said after he cleaned his plate.
"No problem," Miral got up and took their plates away. "You can't live without mom."
Tom laughed. "True. Don't tell her that."
Miral laughed. "Just make sure you go before she does," Miral ordered ice cream from the replicator. "Come on, let's see if you can get through a movie before you start falling asleep," Miral headed for the family room.
"I can make it through a movie," Tom followed his daughter.
They sat on the couch and watched an old movie that Tom always loved. Tom realized that he needed this. He knew that he could get lost in his work and it was a good thing that he had the children around because he always had to do something for them. He thought about what he would do when all the kids were out of the house. Tom glanced at his daughter to see her laughing. Tom heart broke a little because she was already at Starfleet, and he knew that one day he would give her away to the man she loved.
Tom sighed. Xavier was talking about what he had plan for his future. Selena wasn't his little girl anymore. He knew that she would be gone before he knew it. He was going to have way not to get lost in job. Tom knew that he still had B'Elanna, but she could get lost in her job too. They were going to have to keep each other sane when all the kids are gone.
"Dad," Tom looked at his daughter and saw that the movie was over. "Do you think you can make it to bed, or do I need to walk you up?"
Tom laughed. "I can make it. Thank you for coming," Tom stood when Miral did.
"It was no problem. I miss spending time with you," Miral reached out and touched his beard. "I don't know what Mom is going to say about that."
"We'll just wait and see," Tom followed Miral to the door. "Goodbye."
Goodnight, Dad," Miral hugged Tom and kissed him on the cheek. "Take better care of yourself. I don't need an angry mom later," Tom laughed and watched Miral leave. He knew that she would make it home just fine.
Tom closed the door, made his way upstairs, crawled into bed and fell into a deep sleep.
"I hate this," Selena moaned. Xavier glanced up from his stench pad. Selena was looking at a PADD. "I hate being stuck in here."
"Whose fault is that?" Xavier asked. Selena rolled her eyes at him. "Maybe you shouldn't have snuck out to meet a boy."
"You would have done the same if it was a girl," Selena leaned back.
"True, but I would never have yelled at Mom the way you did," Xavier gathered his pencils. He didn't want to hear Selena complaining when it was her fault that she was grounded. "I'm going out," He stood and headed for the door.
"Can I come?" Selena jumped up.
"No," Xavier said a little harsher than he needed too. Selena face fell and Xavier didn't care. He left their quarters.
He started to walk the ship to find a quiet place to draw. He found a place that no one used, there was a big window that looked out to stars. He smiled as he settled on the floor to draw. It always calmed him, drawing. He was thinking about doing something with it. He knew that he could go to Starfleet, or he could become an artist. His parents weren't pushing him in either direction.
It was one thing he liked about his parents; they weren't pushing anything on their children. If Xavier wanted to live in the middle of nowhere and live off the land he could. They both knew about pressure and didn't want that on their children. It was one of the reasons he could never yell at Mom the way that Selena yelled at her.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" Xavier looked up to see his mom, smiling down at him.
"I needed to get away from Selena," He watched as his mom sat down next to him. "Sorry."
"There is nothing to be sorry about. She is annoying me too," B'Elanna looked over his shoulder. "That is good."
"How can she talk to you like that? I could never see myself doing that," Xavier said. It has been on his mind for a while.
"She is seeing how much she can get away with things," B'Elanna looked out to stars. "You and Miral did the same thing."
"Maybe, but I don't think that we made you cry like that," Xavier mumbled.
"No, I think that it had more to do with Selena not being my little girl anymore. When you and Miral were growing up, in the back of my head I always had Selena still be little and not growing even those I watched her grow up," B'Elanna wrapped an arm around Xavier.
"I'm sorry that we are growing up," Xavier leaned into his mom.
"I'm not. I get to see the adults that you are growing into. I get to see how well I raised you," B'Elanna smiled.
"Dad didn't help," Xavier joked.
"Nope, he did his part."
"Mom!" Xavier was shocked.
"What I remember when I was your age and what was going through my head," B'Elanna laughed at her son. Xavier just shook his head. "Come on, let's get some food," Xavier stood and helped his mom up.
"Do you think that we should feed Selena, too?" Xavier asked his mom as they started to walk down the hall.
"I guess so," B'Elanna sighed.
Xavier smiled. This was a first time that he had a conversation with mom like this. She talked to him like an adult. He knew that he could get use to this. He hoped that this would make their relationship grow.
When they got back to their quarters, it looked like Selena went to bed. They just went to the mess hall for dinner.
B'Elanna walked in her quarters to see Xavier sitting on the couch. "Well, I'm done," B'Elanna was glad that this conference was done. She was ready to get home and back to her normal life. Xavier looked up from his PADD. "What should we do tonight?" B'Elanna asked. Xavier was thinking a holodeck program as he watched his mom go to Selena's room. "Selena," B'Elanna called out. "Selena," she called again and nothing. B'Elanna came out of Selena's room. "Where is your sister?" She stopped in front of Xavier.
"I don't know," Xavier had a look of surprise on his face. "She said that she was going to her room to study," Xavier waved his hand towards Selena's door.
B'Elanna took a breath. She could tell that Xavier was telling the truth. She knew when he was lying. If Xavier didn't see her leave, how did she leave? B'Elanna went back to Selena's room and saw that Xavier followed her.
She saw the bed where Selena had stuffed blankets and pillows to make it look like she was sleeping. B'Elanna started to look around the room to see if her daughter could get out. It was Xavier who found out how his sister was getting out and in the room.
"Mom," He pointed to the vent above her desk. He stepped on the desk and pulled out the vent. Xavier saw that his sister could fit through the vent.
"Come on down," B'Elanna said. She waited until he was down before heading out of the room. Xavier followed her and saw her sitting by desk. Xavier felt that he was seeing the part of Chief Engineer that his mom was. Xavier looked over her shoulder to see that she had the plans of the ship on the computer. "There," She was pointing to where the vent from Selena's room. "Come on," B'Elanna led the way out of their quarters. Xavier followed his mom.
They made their way to the spot where Selena came out of her room. They didn't see her. Xavier couldn't wait to see his mom yell at Selena. "Computer, where is Selena Paris?"
"She is in Holodeck Two," The computer's voice said.
B'Elanna nodded and made her way to Holodeck Two. Xavier couldn't hide the smile on his face as he followed his mom. B'Elanna didn't care what her daughter was doing as she entered the holodeck. She saw her daughter kissing Jason Draco. B'Elanna didn't think that Jason had anything to do with Selena sneaking out.
"Selena Paris," B'Elanna said in a voice that would scare anyone.
Jason broke the kiss and turned to see B'Elanna standing there with her hands on her hips, ignoring him and looking at her daughter. Jason watched as Selena turned to face her mother. "Yes, Mother," Jason was worried about Selena's health from the way she spoke to her mom.
"You will get up and follow me back to our quarters where you were supposed to be grounded." B'Elanna said in a too calm voice. Jason traded a look with Xavier and by Xavier's face, Jason thought that he had never heard this voice from his mother. "You disobeyed me by sneaking out again, young lady. I have a feeling that this isn't your first time that you done this," Jason saw a smile grace Selena's face. He wondered if she was trying to get killed by her mother. "You better be glad that this is the last night because I would be sending you home right this moment."
"So, how long am I grounded for when we get home?" Selena asked like it was any other question.
B'Elanna narrowed her eyes at her daughter. "As long as I say," B'Elanna reached down and grabbed Selena's arm. She pulled her up. "Say goodbye to Jason because this is the last time you are going to see him."
Jason shallowed the lump in his throat. "Dr. Torres, I had nothing to do with this."
"I know," B'Elanna pulled Selena towards the door. Jason traded a look with Xavier before he left with his mother and sister.
Xavier was glad to be going home. His mother and sister didn't say anything to each other for the rest of the night. B'Elanna made Selena sleep in her room that night so she wouldn't try to sneak out again. The only words they said to each other were about packing and leaving. He had to sit between his mother and sister in the transporter back to Earth.
Xavier saw his dad and sister, Miral standing there with smiles on their faces. Xavier watched his mother get off first. He got out next and watched as Selena got out of the transporter.
"Selena, where are you going?" B'Elanna asked her daughter. Tom and Miral traded a look. Either one knew what was going on.
"To my room until you tell me I can come out," Selena walked pass Tom. "Hi, Dad. Glad to be home," Selena went in the house.
Tom gave his wife a look, waiting for an explanation. "Did I miss something?"
"Your daughter is grounded until I say so because she snuck out after I grounded her for sneaking the first time I caught her," B'Elanna made her way towards him. Tom saw his other two children trade a look.
"Wow," Tom didn't know what to say. He leaned down to kiss her. "I thought that Xavier would cause some trouble."
Xavier made his way to his dad and slapped him on the back. "Thanks, Dad," He said before entering the house.
"No problem, son," Tom yelled after him before turning back to his wife. He leaned down and kissed her. "I would ask you if you had fun, but I'm going to say that is a no."
"Yeah," B'Elanna patted Tom on the chest. "Next time you get to take the children with you," Tom only smiled. B'Elanna started to walk in the house, stopped at the door, and turned to Tom. "Tom, get rid of that beard," B'Elanna walked in the house.
"I told you," Miral said as she passed her dad to go in the house.