9"Can anyone tell me…" Before B'Elanna could ask her question. She saw her assistant making her way towards her. B'Elanna wondered what was going on because her assistant knew to leave her alone when she is teaching a class. "What is going on, Ensign Esuth?"
"Your son's school has called, and you need to get down there," Ensign Esuth said. "They tried your husband first but got no answer."
B'Elanna sighed and they wouldn't because Tom was in London for the day. "Thank you," She said to Ensign Esuth. B'Elanna turned to the rest of the class. "Please read chapter ten and I will see you Thursday," B'Elanna grabbed her things, she saw no one leaving. "Class dismissed," She headed out of the classroom.
B'Elanna made it to Xavier's principal's office and saw Xavier sitting in one of the chairs and blanched when he saw his mom standing there. "Mom," He said in a weak voice. B'Elanna made her way over to the counter.
"Hi, I'm B'Elanna Torres and I'm," B'Elanna pointed with her thumb towards Xavier. "I'm his mother."
The woman behind the counter smiled. "I'll tell Mr. Jergens that you are here, Ms. Torres," The woman smiled.
"Ms. White," Xavier spoke. B'Elanna threw him a look. "It's doctor, not Ms."
Ms. White face went white. "I'm sorry, Dr. Torres," She left them and went into an office.
It didn't take long for Ms. White to return. "If you come this way, Dr. Torres and Xavier," B'Elanna let her son lead the way. Xavier looked over his shoulder at his mother and knew that she wasn't happy right now.
They entered an office and saw the principal sitting behind a desk. Mr. Jergens smiled at Ms. White. "Thank you, Ms. White," He turned away from Ms. White and turned to B'Elanna and Xavier. "Please take a seat, Mr. Paris and Dr. Torres," B'Elanna and Xavier took a seat. Mr. Jergens turned to Xavier. "Would you like to tell your mother why she is here?" Xavier looked at his mother before shaking his head. Mr. Jergens looked from Xavier to B'Elanna. "Your son got in a fight with another boy today."
"He called me a name," Xavier shouted before Mr. Jergens or B'Elanna could say anything.
"What did he call you?" Mr. Jergens asked.
Xavier looked between his principal and mother before saying anything. "He called me…" Xavier said a name that no one should say. "He said something about my parents, and I couldn't take it anymore."
"What did he say about your parents?" Mr. Jergens asked. B'Elanna liked that he was getting to the bottom of this.
"He said that Mom trapped dad into marrying her. That Dad liked it wild. I couldn't take anymore so I hit him." Xavier face grew red. "He has been talking about my family for a while."
"Did you tell anyone about it?" B'Elanna asked. She knew that she knew nothing about it. Tom would have told her if Xavier had told her about it.
"I tried to tell Mr. Dynn but he wouldn't listen because it was about Mark Bevan," Xavier sounded frustrated.
B'Elanna traded a look with Mr. Jergens. They both knew of a Bevan and that person was in Starfleet as a captain.
"Ah," Mr. Jergens said. "Well, he is in trouble too for the fight." Mr. Jergens turned to B'Elanna. "I don't want to do this, but Xavier is suspended for four school days."
B'Elanna nodded. She gave her son a look before standing. "Thank you, sir."
Mr. Jergens stood and smiled at B'Elanna. "I wish I could do more," He held out his hand for B'Elanna to take.
"I think you did all you could," B'Elanna shook his hand. B'Elanna looked down at her son. "We have a lot to talk about when we get home," B'Elanna took Xavier by the shoulder and turned him towards the door.
"Have a good day. Dr. Torres," Mr. Jergens said at their backs.
Xavier turned around. "She married."
"Xavier!" B'Elanna pushed her son through the door. B'Elanna threw Mr. Jergens a smile before taking her son out of school.
B'Elanna let them into their home and pushed Xavier towards the stairs. "Go upstairs, we will talk about this later while I have a moment to think about your punishment."
Xavier stomped upstairs. "It's not like I started it," Xavier shouted when he reached the top of the stairs.
B'Elanna was ready to yell at him when she heard his door slam shut. She took a breath and set her bag in her office. She went to the kitchen and got a drink of tea. She needed it to think about how she was going to punish Xavier. She didn't like that this boy started it, but Xavier finished it. Xavier probably had more strength than this boy. She thought that she might talk to the boy's parents, but the school was handling it. She took her tea and went to sit in the family room to think.
B'Elanna watched as Miral and Selena came home, they were surprised to see her there when she was usually gone when they got home. She watched as they got snacks and went upstairs to work on their homework. She sat there, thinking until it was time to think about dinner. B'Elanna got up and went to the kitchen. She replicated what she was going to need to make dinner.
"What smells so good?" Tom said as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her behind the ear.
"Dinner," B'Elanna worked on chopping the onion.
Tom let her go and leaned against the counter. He placed a hand on the one that was chopping the onion. B'Elanna looked up at him. "What is going on? You are never home this early."
"Our son got into another fight today and I had to go and get him. This is the fifth one this month." B'Elanna sighed.
"Was it with Mark Bevan?" Tom asked. B'Elanna nodded. Tom sighed. "All the fights have been with Mark Bevan and the school can only do so much."
"Do you think that we should talk with Mark's parents?" B'Elanna asked.
"I think it is good idea, I also think we need to talk to Xavier about how he is reacting to all this," B'Elanna nodded. "I think that it should be you. I think that you can understand it better than me."
B'Elanna knew where Tom was coming from. He knew her story and it was probably the right thing to do. "Okay," B'Elanna sighed.
"Do you want me to help you finish dinner?" Tom asked.
"Yes, please." B'Elanna nodded.
After dinner, Tom took the girls for a walk around the lake. B'Elanna asked Xavier to meet her outside on that patio. B'Elanna looked at Xavier and didn't see her little boy anymore. She could see the man that he was going to be. When did this happen? B'Elanna asked herself. Soon he will leave and maybe start a family of his own.
B'Elanna took a seat on the patio chair next to the seat that Xavier was sitting on. Xavier looked at his mother. "What did you want to talk about?" Xavier asked.
B'Elanna sighed before speaking to her son. "You can't keep getting into fights with Mark. You are stronger than most boys your age."
"I know and try not to, but there is something that he doesn't like about me," Xavier looked away from his mother. "I never got into a fight with anyone until him. I tried to ignore him but that just made him angry. It was like he was waiting to see my reaction. He wanted me to lose control. When it was just about me, I didn't care, but then he started on my family. The first fight was about Selena. He saw me drop her off at school and started on me for having a sister. So, I punched him and almost broke his nose."
"What about the other times?" B'Elanna asked.
"The next time he saw Miral pick me up along with Selena and the next day he started into me about both Miral and Selena. You remember when I had that bat'leth tournament," B'Elanna nodded. He did good in that tournament. "And I practiced every day," B'Elanna nodded again. "He saw me practicing in the park one day and the next day after school he started on for being Klingon. My friends tried to stop me, but I jumped him. And now he started to talk about you and Dad and wondered what it was like at home for me. I'm sorry, Mom, I'll try to do better."
B'Elanna wanted to throw her arms around him, but they still needed to talk. "Who are you?" She asked him.
"Xavier Thomas Paris," Xavier looked at his mother to see where she was going with it.
"What does it mean to be Xavier Paris?"
"I don't know," Xavier said in a quiet voice.
"I see a boy who loves his family, an artist, a bat'leth warrior, good student, and so many things. I think that he is jealous of you because you have a good home life." B'Elanna reached out a hand a ran it down Xavier's hair.
"Maybe because the fights didn't start until he moved here. Everyone likes me at school," Xavier smiled for the first time that evening. "He thought that everyone would want to be with him because of who his father is, and no one did. At school, most of students has one parent or both in Starfleet so they don't care who your parents are."
"See he was used to people wanting to be with him because of his father who was," B'Elanna said.
"I think he was in space on his father's ship before coming here," Xavier said. B'Elanna could see that. Mark was the captain's son, so everyone bent over backwards for him.
"Mark had to pick on someone, and you became that person. I'm going to guess that you finish most of those fights," Xavier gave a small smile. "I know it is hard to control your anger, but you have to try."
"I know, Mom and I've tried," Xavier said. "He just kept on me and even pushed me in the back. He loves when I crack." B'Elanna sighed. She didn't know what else to say. "Did you ever get into fights at school?"
"Plenty," B'Elanna wasn't going to lie to her son.
"What made you stop getting into fights?" Xavier asked.
"I found different outlets for my anger, but I still got in fights later in life. I found someone who believed in me, and I knew that I didn't want to disappoint them. I grew as a person and lost the chip on my shoulder."
"Who was that person? Dad?" Xavier asked. B'Elanna shook her head. "Chakotay?" B'Elanna shook her head again. "Who then?"
"Janeway," B'Elanna said.
"Aunt Kathy," Xavier eyes widened as B'Elanna nodded. "How?"
"One I had to prove to her that I was right for my job, and I had to gain her trust. Once I did, we found common ground in science. She gave me many changes. I knew any day that she could take my position away from me. Through all that I got better, and I could punch just about anyone in the nose," Xavier let out a laugh. "I had to find other way to discipline anyone working under me."
Xavier nodded. "Mom," He looked away for a moment. B'Elanna looked at her son and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I hate that I disappointed you and I'll try to do better."
"Xavier, you are growing up and there are going to be people that don't like you because of what you look like or for who you are."
"I know. I've seen the way that people look at me and my sisters when we are with Dad," Xavier mumbled.
"I need you to remember who you are in here," B'Elanna pointed towards his heart.
"Yes, Mom,"
"Your father and I love you. We only want what is best for you," B'Elanna sighed. "I hate to do this, but we are still going to have to punish you."
"I know," Xavier placed his hands in his lap.
"You are grounded for two weeks," B'Elanna and Tom had talked about it as they made dinner. Xavier bit his lip and nodded. "Come here," B'Elanna held out her arms for him.
Xavier hugged his mother and took in her scent. He always knew that her hugs were magical to him. "Thank you," Xavier pulled away from his mom.
"Go to your room," B'Elanna said. Xavier nodded and left her alone outside. B'Elanna knew that she should get up and go inside to do some work, but instead she closed her eyes.
She heard the voices of her daughters and husband as they made their way to her. The girls were laughing about something that Tom had said. B'Elanna smiled as the girls said hi and went in the house. B'Elanna knew that Tom was standing in front of her.
"How did it go?" He asked.
B'Elanna opened one eye. "Good and we are raising a good son and one day he is going to be a good man."
Tom leaned down and kissed her. "I know. Here," Tom held out a hand for her to take. B'Elanna shook her head.
"I'm going to stay outside for a little bit longer," Tom nodded and went in the house.
B'Elanna sat outside and thanked the stars for second chances.