Work Text:
This story is irreverently dedicated to Cat’s PITA brother who insists on telling this tale to every person he meets, just to humiliate the Furball. So, we decided to put it in this little story so the whole world could read it if they wanted to and Furball wouldn’t have to listen to it again.
PG
Kids and Critters and Chaos, Oh My!
by Kadith and Cat
"Mom's gonna kill me!" Twelve-year-old Tristan Janeway was in trouble, and he knew it. He had been left in charge of his two siblings while his parents had gone on an away mission. He had assured his mother and father that he was more than capable of taking care of the demon and the brat and they had nothing to worry about. Kathryn had finally relented, allowing her son the responsibility. The first few hours hadn't been too bad, but the kids were notorious for fighting with each other. Eventually he had gotten tired of them and their bickering, so when Naomi Wildman stopped by to see if he wanted to go to the Holodeck, he jumped at the chance, telling his siblings to call if they needed him, but to otherwise stay out of trouble. He had really only been gone an hour, but that was beside the point. The chaos that greeted him blew his mind.
Chase, his ten-year-old brother was a horrid shade of purple, screaming at his sister at the top of his lungs. Chance, for all her six years, was having none of it. The little girl was standing on the couch, bouncing slightly, while she matched her brother shout for shout. There were crayon marks on the wall, toys scattered everywhere, and a huge puddle on the floor. Chance was holding a blue, turtle like creature in her hands, keeping it just out of Chase's reach.
"You better lemme play with him Chase or I'm gonna tell."
"You can't tell you baby, or then we won't have a pet. Mom will make me get rid of him. Then you'll never get to play with him."
"Hah, but you'll get in trouble for bringing him onboard in the first place, without asking."
About that time, Tristan actually took note of the turtle. "What is going on here, and what is that?"
Chance tossed the turtle at Chase, hopped down from the couch and raced over to Tristan. "Chase brought a turtle up from the planet. He's been hiding it in a box under his bed. He also spilt water all over the floor when he tried to give it a bath."
Tristan looked at his brother and the angry flush flooding his cheeks. Of all of them, Chase had the worst temper, and Chance was notorious for setting it off. Before he could react, Chance turned and stuck out her tongue at Chase. "Haha now Tristan knows, and so will Mommy. You couldn't share so now you can't keep him." She turned her back with a smirk and skipped toward the bedroom.
Chase reacted without thinking. One moment the turtle was held securely in his hand, and the next it was soaring through the air like a frisbee. He expected the creature to hit his sister and bounce off her back, but the animal had other ideas. All four legs and its head came out of its shell. It hit Chance's back face first and latched on for all it was worth. Tristan cursed as all hell broke loose.
Chance began to scream and race around the room like a chicken with her head cut off. Both boys took off after her, Tristan yelling for her to stop, and Chase telling her to give him back his turtle. Eventually the boys’ words turned into a mantra of "Mom's gonna kill me."
Chance continued to make a circuit of the room, racing in and out of bedrooms and around the furniture. The boys, in an effort to stop her were jumping over the sofa and beds, as well as dodging the tables and desk. At one point, Tristan hit the back of the sofa just right and tipped it over during a hurdling jump. Chase had decided to go over Kathryn's desk, and had slid across the top, knocking padds and her computer to the floor with a crash. all of the beds were ransacked, there were broken whatnots everywhere, and in general the room looked as though a tornado, or rather three, had swept through it. Finally, in a move of desperation, the two boys formed something of a plan. Chase continued to follow his sister, while Tristan waited for an opportunity. As Chance came around the couch, Tristan made his move, tackling the girl and sending them both crashing to the floor. He twisted, trying to protect his sister, and cracked his head open on the floor. Chase, unable to stop, tripped over them and went flying into the table. Lunch dishes hit the floor on impact, shattering everywhere.
Tristan ignored the throbbing in his head as he attempted to pry the turtle loose form his sister's back. Blood was seeping through her gown, but no matter how much he tried to work the animal's jaw free, it wouldn't let go and Chance just cried harder. Tristan attempted to soothe his sister, but Chase in a moment of frustration only made matters worse. Now that the girl was still, he stomped over and grabbed the turtle. "He's mine!" He shouted, tugging the turtle with all his might. The creature came free, holding a piece of Chance's tunic and skin in its mouth.
Tristan stared in shock as his sister screamed in pain, then collapsed back onto the floor in sobs. Chase seemed to realize what he had done and was immediately contrite. "I'm sorry Sissy. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please stop crying. Don't tell Mommy, I'll share, I promise."
Tristan shook his head at his brother. "Put your pet away and go get the med kit." He lifted Chance and carried her into the bathroom. Gently he pulled off her tunic, and washed the bite on her back, knowing he was going to have to take her to sickbay as a precaution.
When he'd finished cleaning the wound and stopped the bleeding as best he could Tristan helped his sister into a clean shirt and took her hand. She was still crying as he led her into the outer room, they had to step over debris on their way to the door. They stopped only long enough for Tristan to give his brother instructions, "Start cleaning this mess up, I'm going to take Chance to sickbay."
"Sickbay! Are you an idiot, mom really will know then!" Chase looked panicked, he'd already begun to straighten up some of it, but there was no way he was going to be able to get it all done in time.
"Well if I don't take her to sickbay and it gets infected, or she catches something from that thing we'll be in even more trouble. We'll be back in a few minutes to help, so get started." He turned around again and led his sister out the door, and right into his mother. "Ah oh," was all he was able to say as he looked up into her curious face.
"Mommy," Chance sniffled and reached for her.
Kathryn lifted her and frowned, "What's going on?" She stepped into the cabin and her eyes widened, "What the hell happened in here?"
Chance started crying again and Tristan shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, "Well, it's not that bad." He tried to figure out how much to tell her when he saw his brother trying to sneak from the room. "Chase did it."
Chase froze, "No I didn't, she started it! You weren't even here!"
Chance for her part had her face buried in her mother's neck, "Brothy's turtle bit me."
"I was about to take her to sickbay," Tristan quickly amended. "And I was only gone for a little while."
Now she was really frowning, "Gone? Turtle? You still haven't told me what happened? Why is the sofa on its side?" She managed to step further into the room and caught sight of her desk, the surface was completely clean as everything was in a large pile on the floor. "Tell me, is there anything in here that you three didn't destroy today?" She lowered Chance to the floor and knelt in front of her, "What bit you baby? Where?" Actually, for the moment, she was more confused than angry, but the kids had yet to decide if that was good or bad.
"The turtle." She pointed to her back.
As Kathryn turned her around, she asked, "What turtle?"
"The one Chase got on Yercai, he brought it on the ship and managed to hide it, until today." Tristan sighed and plopped into a seat, might as well air it all.
Kathryn's gaze locked on her youngest son. "You brought an animal onboard without asking? Chase! You know how dangerous that can be."
"How dangerous what can be?" Chakotay took in the destroyed room and bit back a grin.
Before Kathryn could answer, Chance ran to her Daddy, demanding to be picked up. As Chakotay cuddled the girl in his arms, she whispered in his ear. "Brothy did it."
Chase scowled and stomped his feet. "I didn't do nothing. It's Chance's fault, and Tristan's. I was playing with my turtle while Tristan was gone, and Chance took him away from me."
Chakotay's brows drew together and his eyes narrowed. "What turtle?"
Chase scuffed his foot on the floor and glanced up at his father with hopeful blue eyes, begging him to understand. "The one I found on that last planet we stopped at."
Kathryn sighed and sat down in the only other standing seat. "Chase there is a reason why animals aren't allowed onboard. If you had wanted a pet, you should have asked your father and me. Any creature brought onboard has to be checked for diseases and any other problems that might be caused." Her voice stumbled to a halt as she remembered that her youngest child had been bit. Her gaze was drawn to her daughter's back, and the growing patch of blood on her shirt. "Oh hell..." Kathryn stood and pulled her daughter from Chakotay's embrace. At his puzzled look, she turned the child, indicating the blood. "She was bitten Chakotay, I need to get her to sickbay." Turning briefly to her sons, Captain's glare in place, she got their attention. "I'm going to sickbay, this place had better be picked up by the time I get back. We will finish this discussion later." She paused as she reached the door. "Chase, you had better bring me the turtle, Doc may need him."
The boy moved quickly to do as she said, handing his pet over with tears in his eyes.
Kathryn left with the offending little amphibian and left Chakotay behind to deal with his sons. When she got down to sickbay, she had to wait two hours while the doctor did extensive tests on both the turtle and Chance, all the while he was lecturing her on proper protocol pertaining to animals being brought on board. She wondered briefly why she hadn't brought Chase with her and made him listen to the same lecture.
Chance managed to sit patiently through the ordeal, eyeing the turtle curiously as they were both poked and prodded. Finally, she looked up at her mother, "Am I gonna die?"
She smiled and stroked the little girl's cheek, "No Angel, you're not going to die."
The Doctor snorted, "You're lucky, it checks out fine, I see no reason for it not to remain aboard." He ran a regenerator over Chance's back and scanned her for the last time, "She'll be fine, and will probably grow to have more respect for her brother's things."
Kathryn's eyes narrowed, "Thank you ever so much Doctor. Can we go now?"
"Of course, the sooner my sickbay is uncluttered the better."
She lifted Chance and turned to leave, "I'm leaving the turtle here for now, until I decide what to do with it."
The EMH frowned, "I'm a doctor, not a zookeeper!"
"Well, you are now, live with it." She breezed out of sickbay before another word could be said. When she reached her quarters, she was relieved to find that half of it was back to normal, apparently Chakotay was helping the boys clean up the mess. From the look on their faces when she entered, they were still waiting for their lecture. "Tristan, Chase," she walked over to the sofa and sat down with Chance cradled in her lap. "Are you ready to tell me exactly what happened while we were gone?"
The boys trudged over and sat in the chairs opposite the sofa, Chakotay continued cleaning up their mess, listening intently. When his eldest son had finished relaying the tale he walked over and sat on the sofa next to Kathryn, apparently the three of them couldn't be left alone, even for one afternoon.
Kathryn shook her head, "Tristan, you know better than to leave your brother and sister alone. And you didn't have permission to go to the holodeck, we trusted you to take care of them, and while you were right to clean your sister's back and started to take her to sickbay, it's going to be a while before we can trust you again. Do you understand?"
His head was bowed, "Yes ma'am."
She sighed and leaned forward, "All right, besides cleaning up this mess, you're on restriction for the month. No holodeck privileges, save those for school purpose, and no leaving our quarters for the next two weeks unless it's to go to school or to the mess hall--or any other 'required' reason that your father and I are aware of."
He nodded solemnly, "Yes ma'am."
Chakotay gave her a look of approval before settling his gaze on Chase, "And as for you young man, you know better than to bring a strange animal on board without our approval, or knowledge. Or at least you should, we've discussed this before, you're lucky it checked out clean, there could have been no way of knowing what kind of diseases it carried. Your sister could have gotten very ill, or worse." A shudder ran through him at the thought, but he pushed it aside, "Because you disregarded standing regulations regarding alien lifeforms, you're restricted to Voyager until further notice. No more accompanying away missions, and we'll think about family shore leave. Because you were fighting with your sister you're restricted to quarters for the next month, no holodeck, no tennis, and no more flying lessons with Tom. And you're going to help your brother finish cleaning up this mess."
Chase nodded, as the more defiant of the group he pointed at his sister, "What about her?"
Chakotay frowned, "We'll worry about your sister, you should worry about yourself and how you're going to help your brother get this cabin cleaned up before bedtime."
He frowned and sighed, "Yes sir."
The two boys stood and went back to cleaning, leaving their parents on the sofa with Chance. When they were out of hearing range Kathryn looked at Chakotay, the look in her eyes conveyed what he needed to know, she couldn't stand to punish the little girl after the scare she'd had. She felt being bitten by the turtle was punishment enough, but they couldn't let it appear to the boys as though she'd been let off easy.
As if sensing her parents’ indecisiveness Chance snuggled close to her mother, "I love you Mommy," she gave them her cutest look and hoped for the best.
Chakotay pulled his daughter off her mother's lap and stood her in front of him. "Chance, I am very disappointed in you. You know better than to antagonize your brothers. I think that perhaps you need to think about your actions and what happened because of them. You are going to help your brothers clean up, and then you are going straight to your room. For the next week, you too are grounded. You are old enough now to accept some responsibilities for your actions. You are restricted to our quarters for one week."
Tears filled the little girl's eyes, and her lower lip stuck out in a pout. "But Daddy, I didn't make the turtle bite me, Chase did."
"That is not why you are in trouble. You knew about the turtle and didn't tell us. Also, you started a fight with your brother. Yes, you got bit, but you're still getting off lightly. Now, go help clean up." His eyes scanned the room, noting the crayons marks on the wall. "Actually, you can start by scrubbing your crayons off the wall. That's your job tonight." Ignoring her pout, Chakotay pushed her toward the wall, then went into the bathroom and got her a rag and some soap. After handing them to her, he allowed his eyes to roam affectionately over his children. Smiling, he took Kathryn by the hand. Leaning close, he kissed her lightly. "We can't deny them, can we?"
She couldn't stop the giggle that escaped. "I don't know about you, Chakotay, but they are definitely mine. My sister used to love to harass me, and my temper almost always got the better of me. I was always trying to ditch her too."
Chakotay grinned. "I see a bit of myself in them too. Spirits know my father didn't call me a contrary for nothing. Let's just hope they make it to adulthood without killing each other."
Kathryn nodded, her thoughts introspective. "You know, it took a tragedy for Phoebe and me to grow closer. I hope that their path is simpler."
Chakotay squeezed her hand in comfort, and then joined his children in their cleaning. After watching her family for a moment, Kathryn too pitched in, marveling at the richness of her life, even in times of trial.
Later that night, as Kathryn checked on her children, she noticed that Tristan was still awake. She sat on the edge of the bed and touched his arm.
"Mommy?"
"Yes?'
The boy broke eye contact for a moment, before glancing up at her again. "I'm sorry I let you down."
Kathryn reached over and stroked his cheek. "Ah Tris... You made a mistake, but you accepted responsibility for it. While I'm disappointed that your sister got hurt under your care, I'm proud of you for taking control of the situation and trying to fix it. You also showed a lot of courage by facing us and telling us the truth. Next time, I think you'll take the responsibility much more seriously."
"Next time?" Tristan gave her a hopeful look. "You mean you'll trust me to look after them again?"
"Yes... It might be a while, and you'll have to show me you're ready and responsible, but I know you will. Just remember, you are family Tristan. It is all of your responsibility to look after one another."
Tristan sat up and wrapped his arms around his mother giving her a big hug. "I love you, Mom."
As he laid back down, Kathryn pushed the hair back from his face. "I love you too, Baby." Smiling, she stood, and moved over to the other bed, gently tucking the covers around Chase. She leaned down and kissed his head, before slipping from the room.
After one last check, this time on her sleeping daughter, Kathryn headed in the living room. She smiled up at her husband, kissing him lightly on the cheek. "Is it ready?"
At his nod, she glanced over his shoulder. A replicated terrarium sat in the corner of the room. A new home for the family turtle, whom the children eventually named Frisbee.
~Fin