Tough - Tup

Something different

By the time Taz and Up had watched the karate kid for the third time, Taz had fallen asleep next to him. He looked down at the little Hispanic girl that lay peacefully. He wondered what her life was like before she joined the academy. He also wondered why she had tears forming in her eyes when she thought about her mother. He wanted to know more about Taz but for now, he just had to put her too bed. Up carefully lifted her up which wasn't difficult cause she was skin and bone and tiny. He carried her through to her room, being cautious of anyone who might be lurking in the hallways at night. The key. Damn. Pockets maybe? Up reached into Taz's pocket and pulled out a sharp metal object he guessed must have been a key. Nope, that's a pocket knife - only Taz would carry a knife on her. He felt the other one and thankfully, found a key. He quickly and quiety opened the door and lay her down on the bed.

"G'night Taz, sweet dreams." Just as Up was leaving Taz's room, Mr. Miller strides through the corridor and jumped when he saw Up.

"Walker? What are you doing?" Oh crap...tell him the truth, just not in detail.

"Well sir, Taz was a little upset at lunch and-"

"Who might Taz be?" Oh yeah, only some people knew her by Taz the rest by umm...Tia? Tia ari-something zery-something...?

"I mean, Tia...the first year student? Mexican, um long surname. I call her Taz cause' its easier to remeber sir."

"Oh yes I recall her from the ceremony yesterday. Now what was it you were doing with her?" He sounded really suspicious, Up never particularly liked his headmaster.

"Well she was a little upset at lunch so I took her to my room to watch some films then put her back in her own room when she fell asleep sir." Miller gave Up a funny look then nodded and walked off. 'Son of a bitch' Up thought. He wondered back into his room and got ready for bed. Up was really looking forward to seeing Taz in his combat class, they would be much better for her too fight but no doubt she would still manage to floor them within seconds. Still, maybe these people would actually put up a fight. Just as Up was getting settled in bed, he heard a frantic knock on his door. Who was it at this time of night? Surely everyone should be in bed by now, teachers were patrolling the corridors every half hour! He rushed over to the door and opened it to find a pale, shocked looking Taz with red bloodshot eyes.

"Taz! Is everything okay? What happened?" Why was Taz standing outside his door shaking at 10.50pm?

"She keeps coming back." Taz spoke quickly, her thick Mexican accent smothering her words.

"Taz, come in and tell me what happened." Taz still looked stunned, as if she was under some sort of trance which terrified her. She sat tensely on the sofa and looked at Up who was kneeling on the ground in front of her in desperate attempt to calm her.

"Now, tell what has happened from the beggining so I know where your at." He said gently whilst taking her hands into his own. Taz took a deep breath to regain control of her breathing and felt a tear slip down her cheek.

"I've never told dis to anyone before. Please don't tell any body?" Taz was by herself in mexico for 4 years and the only point of human contact she had were her 4 amigos and they were all loads older than her and just fought most of the time so Taz was entirely sure what to look for in a trustworthy person but Up's intentions seemed honest, he just wanted to be nice. So maybe it would be okay to tell him.

"I swear to dead God I won't tell a soul." Taz nodded and started.

"Ever since I can remember, mi madre had issues. She had serious anxiety and depression disorders which crippled her. I had 2 twin brothers who were younger dan me and dey meant so much to me pero mi padre dice que-"

"Woah slow down, I don't speak Spanish remember? I know your upset but slow your thoughts down okay?" Taz was so lost in her past that she lost her English skills.

"Of course, sorry. My father said dat it was not good for dem to grow up around my mother and he took dem away, I didn't want to leave her so I stayed and never saw dem again. Broke my heart but I just could not leave my mother in de state she was in. She got worse and worse every day. She was too mentally ill dat she could not go outside on her own so I always went out to get her medicines. Dey were the only thing that kept her from going completely crazy. Anyway, one week about 4 years ago, I got very sick and fainted whenever I tried to get up so I was bed bound. I knew dat she was dangerously low on medicines and wouldn't take dem unless I made her but I was too weak to get up. Within the next few days, she..she k-killed h-h-herself." Up sat processing the story. Taz had been left with the responsibility of caring for her mother and then she lost her when Taz was only 11. He looked Up to see Taz furiously fighting back tears.

"Taz. Its okay too cry in front of me." He got up and sat on the couch and put his arms around her as she buried herself in Up's shirt. Once she had steadied her breathing and tears, Up spoke again.

"So what's made you so upset about it tonight?" Taz made no eye contact with him at all. She felt so stupid, she was weak. It was her weakness that killed her mother. That was the main reason she joined the academy. Starship rangers were not weak. But she just could not get rid of one thing, one silly thing.

"I get nightmares." Up's heart melted for Taz. She really must have been seriously affected by everything that had happened which is understandable, I mean who wouldn't be?

"Okay Taz, how about you stay with me tonight then if you have a nightmare, just know that I'm right here." She smiled and a look of relief washed over her face as it regained its color. But her smile soon faded into a look of anger and frustration.

"I'm so weak, Up. How am I going to make it through de academy if i can't even sleep in my own room?" Up was so quick with his response, he had just been thinking about this.

"No Taz. You are tough. You just told me the worst thing that could possibly happen. You lost your Dad, your brothers. Then you were burdened with the responsibility of looking after your mother when it should have been the other way round. You were really sick, Taz - So sick that you probably should have been too see a doctor as that sounded pretty serious but you pulled through that. And then you lost your mother yet you are like a warrior queen Taz. People part like the red sea when they see you coming and you've only been here for a day. You are tough Taz. Don't ever forget it." Taz listened to everything Up said in awe. She had never really laid out her life and looked at it and nobody had ever had so much faith in her before. It was unfamiliar but not unwelcoming. She liked it. She liked Up too but unlike how she had ever liked any of her other friends. He was special to her. She didn't feel like she had to be strong and barried around him. She could just be herself. Hell, she even cried in front of him!

"Muchas gracias Up. You don't know how much I appreciate dis and you." Up smiled and the little Mexican who was currently leaning against his chest. He was beggining to get an idea of who Taz really was. He really liked her.