Fights like a Girl

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Spoilers: None.

Disclaimers: This story is based on characters that are Copyright Spelling-Goldberg Productions. This story is meant for enjoyment purposes, and I retain only the rights to the plot, not the characters.

Rating: G

Summary: Sabrina gets into trouble at school and her dad has to come and get her.

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Colonel Blaylock walked into the Guidance Counselor's office. "Mrs. Wilson?"

"Col. Blaylock," she greeted warmly, indicating that he be seated. "I'm glad you could make it. Sabrina's been getting into a lot of fights lately."

"I know," he admitted. "Her mother passed away a few weeks ago."

"I understand, and that's why we've tried to be patient until now," she stated. "However, the situation's getting worse instead of better. We can't appear to show favoritism either. Today was the worst one yet. She broke Billy Gerber's nose."

"Who's he?" He asked, not recognizing the name. "He's not in her class."

"No, he's 12 years old. I think you passed him in the hall."

His eyebrows shot up to the top of his head. The boy he saw had to be at least four inches and 30 pounds heavier than his daughter. "How on earth did she manage that?"

"We're not sure," Mrs. Wilson answered, sighing. "When the guard came over he saw her standing over him."

"Are you sure she did it?"

"Oh, yes. She admitted it."

He cringed.

"She's a very bright student, which is why we really haven't taken much action until now, but if this continues we'll have to suspend her," Mrs. Wilson said reluctantly. "This just can't continue."

"I guess I'd better talk to her," he agreed, seeing her point. "Where is she?"

"In the nurses office having her hand bandaged. Did you need me to show you the way?"

"No, thanks," he demurred, smiling faintly. "I should know how to get there by now."

"Col. Blaylock? I'm really very sorry about your loss and everything else. Please let me know if there's anything we can do." She got to her feet and shook his hand.

"Thanks," he said, returning her handshake. He went outside and passed Billy Gerber sitting on the bench in the hallway. He gave him a surreptitious once over, wondering how the hell his daughter was able to aim high enough to break the kid's nose. He walked into the nurse's office.

Eight year old Sabrina Blaylock was sitting on a chair clad in a t-shirt and jeans, baseball cap on her head. She was staring at her sneakers.

Col. Blaylock walked in front of her and studied her silently for a few seconds, noting the bandage on her right hand. "I just had a long talk with your guidance counselor," he stated, sitting on the chair next to her.

She fidgeted uncomfortably, biting her lip.

"Well? Do you have anything to say to defend yourself?" He prompted.

"He started it!" She exclaimed indignantly, glaring up at him.

He sat on the chair beside her and sighed wearily. "What happened?"

"We were at lunch. I told Billy Gerber that I wanted to be a race car driver. He said that girls couldn't do that because they weren't brave enough. They could only be nurses or mothers," she spat out, rolling her eyes. "He thinks he's such a big deal because he's 12."

"And that's when you hit him," he concluded.

"No, sir," she corrected righteously, shaking her head. "I told him that I could do what I wanted and he should shut up."

"Good girl!" He said in surprise. "I'm proud of you."

"Yeah, then he started showing off in front of his friends. He said he was a soldier and tried to salute," she continued, imitating the poor excuse for the salute.

Col. Blaylock winced involuntarily.

"I know!" Sabrina agreed. "Cousin John can salute better than that and he's in kindergarten." She paused for a minute. "Anyway, he said that I had to be the nurse and take care of him."

"And ... " He asked in dread.

"So I punched him," she concluded matter-of-factly. "You should have seen the look on his face, dad!" She stared at her sneakers again. "I didn't mean to break his nose, though. Honest, I didn't."

"How'd you manage to do that anyway?"

"That was easy. I punched him in the stomach. When he bent over I gave him a right hook and hit him right between the eyes! That's when he fell down."

"You can't keep getting into fights all the time," he chided, trying not to smile . Inwardly he was impressed.

"Sure I can."

"No, you can't," he corrected firmly. "I won't always be around to help you out, you know."

Her eyes got huge and her lower lip trembled. "You're not going to go away to be with momma, are you?" She whispered.

"I hope not for a long time," he said reassuringly, ruffling her hair. "But it's not up to me. We all have to go when God calls us home."

She nodded unhappily.

"Bri, people can try and tell you that there are some things you can do and some things you can't, but that doesn't mean that you can't try," he explained patiently. "The more they tell you that you can't do something just means that you have to work harder to prove that they're wrong."

She stared at him through narrowed eyes, trying to understand.

"Fight using this," he said, pointing to her brain, "not these," he pointed to her hands. Sometimes he forgot that she was only eight years old.

She nodded. "Are you still mad at me?" She asked tentatively.

"No, but I still have to ground you."

Her face fell.

"And you have to apologize to Billy Gerber."

"That's not fair! He started it."

"I don't care who started it. You had no right to break his nose."

"Still ... "

"No. If you don't apologize we're not going to Cooperstown next month."

"But ... !"

He glared at her. "I mean it."

"Okay," she agreed unhappily, kicking the ground. "I'm sorry I broke his nose, but I'm not sorry I hit him."

"Good. You just have to tell that to him. Just leave out that last part, all right?"

"Yes, sir," she muttered.

"And after that we can stop for ice cream on the way home," he offered, kissing her on the forehead. "Deal?"

"Deal!" She jumped to her feet and took him by the hand, leading him outside.

"You're sure in a hurry to see Billy Gerber," he teased, following her obediently.

"Dad!" She grimaced. Suddenly she giggled. "You know what the best part was? He cried! Just because he got beat up by a girl."