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Meredith's Fan Fiction Homepage Meredith's Magnificent Seven Fan Fiction Homepage Meredith's Without A Trace Homepage Meredith's M7M Challenge Reponse Page
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Below you will find my response to the following challenge: Disclaimer: Yes, I know they don't really do any good, but I feel obliged to say it anyway. I don't own any of the characters involved in these stories. I'm just borrowing them for a short while. The first seven stories all relate to an undercover assignment the seven are on at an elementary school First Day Of School - Vin Things had moved swiftly on this, his first day of the undercover assignment. The research and training should have adequately prepared him. The desire to run flooded his system as they approached the room. He found himself led through a door, nearly tripping over one of the thigh-high creatures scampering about the room. “Children, I’d like you to meet your new teacher, Mr. Tanner,” his guide said. “Mr. Tanner, will be teaching your Kindergarten class for the next three weeks while your regular teacher is out.”
The door closed. Sounds like a prison door, he thought
as he began.
Though Buck had refused to admit it to the rest of the team, he was nervous. Give him a roomful of women and he’d be in heaven. Give him a roomful of 11 and 12 year olds and he felt completely at sea. Still, he had to do this. He would succeed. The words of advice came back to him, “Establish your dominance early or you’re doomed.”
The bell rang as he stepped into the room. He felt all
eyes fix on him. Taking a deep breath he push aside
his nervous habits and tried to look in control.
Ezra said nothing. His anger and humiliation at this had rendered him speechless. True a part of his mind let him know he was, in fact, in the most appropriate position to infiltrate the organization, but that offered small comfort at the moment.
Today, his first day at school, and he already had
dealt with the results of two sick children and a
toilet overflow, all before lunch. As he wandered the
basement of the school, once more familiarizing
himself with the layout, the idle thought wandered
through his mind, “I wonder what mother would say?”
He’d been dreading this assignment, had tried to keep himself uninvolved. Adam could have been in this class, he thought idly, watching the children carefully execute the work before them. Still, he thought he’d prepared himself, was certain he would be OK in the class. At least he had been certain until the boy walked in late. He could have been Adam. A small voice whispered he should have been Adam. How would he survive this?
Too late now, he thought bitterly. He’d get through
it. He had to.
JD slid another book onto the shelf. This morning, his first day at the school, he had been informed his job would consist of handling the AV equipment and shelving books. Initially he had been disappointed by his lack of interaction with the kids, but he soon found the benefits of his position overrode the drawbacks. Overlooked and generally ignored, he had access to most of the rooms here at the school. His own demeanor and youthful appearance put those around him at ease, allowing him to overhear conversations most others wouldn’t.
It would be an interesting assignment, he thought.
Nathan grumbled slightly as he looked for the antibiotic ointment. School nurse. So far he liked working with the kids. Of course, it was still early his first day. At least the kids were appreciative of his efforts. He’d already had to send two students home. Why parents thought their kids should come to school sick was beyond him. He had managed to track down Bobby Jenkins and make sure he took his allergy medicine.
Tending to the bite marks received at the mouth of the
aforementioned Bobby Jenkins, Nathan decided he might
actually enjoy this assignment – maybe.
Josiah sighed. He didn’t mind the work, not really. His co-workers were a little difficult to warm to, but he had every confidence he would worm his way into their good graces soon enough. Adjusting the hair net he’d been given this morning during his “orientation” he moved another tray of food over to the warming pans. He had been given many of the unsavory cafeteria jobs, due to this being his first day. He didn’t mind too much. Every job needed doing and a willing soul to do it.
Today, he got to be the willing soul.
First Day of School – JD “Dad! C’mon! It’s time! I get to go to school today! C’mon! Get up!” JD called, racing into Buck’s room. Unable to contain his excitement, he bounded up onto his Dad’s bed, landing solidly on the waking man’s stomach. The exuberant child scampered off his father’s bed and started pulling him with all his might. Giving one huge tug, JD watched as Buck slid off the bed and landed on the floor with a loud THUMP. “Oops,” came JD’s apology.
“JD,” came the sleep-muffled voice of Buck, as he
lifted his head and glanced at the clock. “It’s only
5am.”
Walking into the classroom, Buck accomplished his mission. JD made it safely to class. As he was leaving, the door behind him clicked shut with finality. That sound seemed to trigger something within Buck as well. He felt overwhelmed. Suddenly his little boy was in school. Buck remembered how quickly his own school years passed. He saw flashes of JD growing up: the first time he didn’t want Buck to walk him to class, the first dance, the first date, going away to college…
He wanted to go back into the class, take JD and stop
time. He wasn’t ready.
Stoically he stood before the school building, his eyes filled with determination and dread, his hand tightly clutching his father’s. He would do this. He would prove he could do this no matter how many nightmares he suffered. Chris was depending on him. His chest constricted causing him to struggle for each breath as they approached. Last time he’d been in school his mother had gotten sick. He didn’t want to lose Chris too.
Eventually the long walk to class ended. Fear screamed
in his eyes as he watched the door close behind Chris.
Chris felt his son’s hand quivering within his own. Taking a quick look at Vin, he wanted to pick the boy up and run home. It worried him that Vin hadn’t explained his fear of school. Settling Vin at his desk, Chris felt his heart nearly break at the gently whispered, “Don’t go”. Embracing the small boy, he confided, “You’ll be fine, cowboy. I’ll see you tonight.”
Turning to leave, he caught the intense fear in Vin’s
eyes. Closing the door behind him, Chris had never
felt like such a monster.
The three “Uncles” stood outside the building, waiting for the two fathers to join them, each consumed in his own thoughts. Nathan’s eyes sparkled as he thought of all the boys would accomplish. Josiah thought of the wonderful adventures they would have while their worlds expanded. Ezra felt it a bittersweet day. His “nephews” were growing up. True, pride in their accomplishments and the joy of seeing them grow existed, but the thought of them growing up and growing away terrified the Southerner.
“Here they come,” Nathan said. The three men watched
the forlorn looking fathers walk toward them.
Mary sighed at the sight of the five men. The first day of school had always been fraught with a mix of emotions, she wished for words of wisdom to comfort the distraught men. How could she tell the men it didn’t get easier? How could she tell them each year brought the same sense of wonder and loss? All she could offer the forlorn men before her was the offer of new worlds to explore with their boys, new adventures and the dubious pleasure of watching them become young men.
She sighed School was always hardest on the parents.
First Day Of School - Ezra Never before had his life flashed before his eyes. He had sat across from men who had guns pointed at him and calmly eaten his dinner. He had been forced to jump from burning boats, speeding cars and damaged planes. He calmly faced a boss each day who seemed desirous of killing him with a glare alone. But never, in all his years, had Ezra Standish known terror such as this. It might only be his first day in this school, but Driving School Instructor had just made the top of his list of jobs he would never do again.
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