Chapter 6
~**~**~**~
Mulder sat there, dumbstruck. "What do you mean you don't want to believe."
Scully said nothing, she just sat there looking up at the stars. "I don't want to believe that something else could be out there, something so cruel and emotionless. These things that abducties have said were done to them, they're just so horrible. It's bad enough we have people here who do things like that, but that's why we have law enforcement, to keep these people from doing these things. But, aliens, we have no control over them. They can go on with these horrible experiments, and not be stopped."
Mulder sighed, "that's what we're trying to do Scully, stop them."
"Is that what we're doing Mulder? Trying to stop them? And how will we do that? By proving that they exist? What good is that going to do? None. It won't do anything for anybody. Face it Mulder, we're useless."
Mulder looked at her, in a rage, "how can you say that we're useless. Look at all the things we've done over the years. All the lives we've saved."
"All the deaths we've caused!"
He looks away from her, silent.
"Mulder, what is our quest really? Is it to expose the syndicate? Because if it is we're not doing a very good job of it. What about proving aliens exist? All we've done is prove we're insane. What's our reason for being here? Why do we do what we do?"
"People like Alicia Adkins, Scully. We're here to save them. And people like Brittany, we're here to help them through their trials, to help them know the truth, even when it is to much to bear. And you don't think I curse myself everyday for all the lives that have been sacrificed for our cause? But, Scully, without those people who died for it, we wouldn't be here today. I know that's nothing in the way of compensation, but it sure as hell makes a difference."
It's Scully's turn to be quiet. "How did we get here Mulder?"
"We ran."
"That's not what I meant."
"I know. I just don't want to answer you're intended question."
"Well, somebody needs to."
"I know. But not now, right now we need to go back to the hotel. It's early, and cold, and I could use some coffee." He stands up. "You coming?"
"No. I'm going to stay here for awhile. Sort some things out."
"Ok, you do that. Be back by 8 though. I told Brittany that we'd come over."
She nods. "Ok Mulder, I'll see you in a bit."
Then he runs off, leaving her staring up at the night sky.
~**~**~**~
Brittany doesn't know how long she sat there, nor does she care. All she knows is that when she started to shiver she brushed it off, and now she wishes that she hadn't. But, despite her being freezing, she doesn't make a move to go inside. She can't move, it's not like the day Alicia was taken, then she couldn't move because of what that man had done to her, but this is different. She can't move because of the way she feels. So, she sits and stares at the stars. It's not long before she shifts her stare from the twinkling lights to the rising sun.
As she watches the sun rise birds start to chirp happily. "What's so fucking wonderful about today?" She inquires towards the birds. They just keep on signing their songs. She watches as the pink and orange sky starts to turn blue, and the cold air starts to turn warmer with the rising of the sun. And while she's still in her nightclothes, she still doesn't make an effort to go inside. She still sits.
She's a bit surprised when her sister comes outside and sits next to her. She doesn't say a word, just stares at the sky like Brittany is doing. They stay there in the silence for a long time, and Brittany just wishes she would hurry up and get on with whatever she's going to say, because she knows it will be anything but pleasant.
Brandy looks at her attentively. "You really screwed things up big this time Brittany."
Brittany laughed bitterly, so much so that Brandy was taken aback. "I screwed things up? How did I screw things up? Things were already screwed up. For Godssake Brandy, even if you don't believe that it was aliens, and you think it was kidnapping how can you be so indifferent? How can you be so goddamn cold. It's like you have no emotions, like you don't give a damn that Alicia is somewhere out there, alone and afraid. You don't give a damn about what she's going through. All you can see is how much I screwed things up. You selfish bitch." She doesn't wait for her sisters response, she gets up, but instead of walking inside the house she walks down the road. And she keeps walking too, where she's going she doesn't know. All that she knows is she can't stay there any longer.
~**~**~**~
Brittany walks for well over 20 minutes before she stops at a familiar house. Seeing as it's still pretty early she goes around the side and knocks on her friends window. Meagan opens her window confused. "Brittany? What's going on? Why are you here at," she looks behind her at a clock in the room, "6:24 in the morning?"
"I just couldn't stay there any longer Meg, I couldn't do it."
Meg looks at her sympathetically, she nods her head, "come in. It's freezing outside."
Brittany crawls through the window and collapses on Meagan's bed. Lauren--her twin sister--looks up from her bed confused. "Brittany? What's going on."
Meg just looks at her and shakes her head as if to say don't ask. Lauren gets the look and walks over to the bed Brittany's on. She sits next to her friend and puts an arm around her. Meg does the same. Brittany starts to quietly cry, the hot silent tears doing nothing but bothering her further.
"Please don't tell anybody that im here. They'll make me go back."
They both nod simultaneously, "we won't tell anybody." Lauren says.
"Thank you."
"But, we do have to get ready and go to school. Do you think you'll be fine staying here alone? My parents won't come in our room, we can lock it if you'd like."
"Yeah. Please."
Meg gets off the bed and locks the door. "There." She looks back at Brittany, "now, why don't you get some sleep? You look like hell."
"Thanks, that's a big step up from the shit I look like."
Lauren smiles halfheartedly. Then the two sisters get ready for school. At 10 minutes before 7 they leave and Brittany lies her head down on the pillows and falls instantly asleep.
~**~**~**~
6:32
Scully's cell phone rings and after the third ring she picks it up, "Scully."
"Where is my daughter?" An upset Stephanie says into the phone.
"Excuse me? Which one?"
"You know damn well which one. Where is Brittany."
"Im sorry Mrs. Adkins, I have no clue where she is. She's certainly not here."
Mrs. Adkins mumbles something into the phone and then hangs up. Scully hangs up her phone as well and looks around dumbfounded. Mulder knocks on her door and steps inside. "Who was that?"
"Mrs. Adkins. She said Brittany's missing."
Mulder sighs, "she probably went to a friends house. We should go to the school and see if anybody knows where she is."
"Yeah, I imagine she just got pissed at her parents and took off. Makes sense."
Mulder nodded, "well, I'll get dressed. Sullivan High school starts at 7:25, when can you be ready?"
"Well, I'll have to shower, but I can be ready by 7."
"Good." He went back into his hotel room and the sound of the shower could be heard. Scully herself got into the shower. It already promised to be a long day.
~**~**~**~
~**~**~**~
Mulder sat there, dumbstruck. "What do you mean you don't want to believe."
Scully said nothing, she just sat there looking up at the stars. "I don't want to believe that something else could be out there, something so cruel and emotionless. These things that abducties have said were done to them, they're just so horrible. It's bad enough we have people here who do things like that, but that's why we have law enforcement, to keep these people from doing these things. But, aliens, we have no control over them. They can go on with these horrible experiments, and not be stopped."
Mulder sighed, "that's what we're trying to do Scully, stop them."
"Is that what we're doing Mulder? Trying to stop them? And how will we do that? By proving that they exist? What good is that going to do? None. It won't do anything for anybody. Face it Mulder, we're useless."
Mulder looked at her, in a rage, "how can you say that we're useless. Look at all the things we've done over the years. All the lives we've saved."
"All the deaths we've caused!"
He looks away from her, silent.
"Mulder, what is our quest really? Is it to expose the syndicate? Because if it is we're not doing a very good job of it. What about proving aliens exist? All we've done is prove we're insane. What's our reason for being here? Why do we do what we do?"
"People like Alicia Adkins, Scully. We're here to save them. And people like Brittany, we're here to help them through their trials, to help them know the truth, even when it is to much to bear. And you don't think I curse myself everyday for all the lives that have been sacrificed for our cause? But, Scully, without those people who died for it, we wouldn't be here today. I know that's nothing in the way of compensation, but it sure as hell makes a difference."
It's Scully's turn to be quiet. "How did we get here Mulder?"
"We ran."
"That's not what I meant."
"I know. I just don't want to answer you're intended question."
"Well, somebody needs to."
"I know. But not now, right now we need to go back to the hotel. It's early, and cold, and I could use some coffee." He stands up. "You coming?"
"No. I'm going to stay here for awhile. Sort some things out."
"Ok, you do that. Be back by 8 though. I told Brittany that we'd come over."
She nods. "Ok Mulder, I'll see you in a bit."
Then he runs off, leaving her staring up at the night sky.
~**~**~**~
Brittany doesn't know how long she sat there, nor does she care. All she knows is that when she started to shiver she brushed it off, and now she wishes that she hadn't. But, despite her being freezing, she doesn't make a move to go inside. She can't move, it's not like the day Alicia was taken, then she couldn't move because of what that man had done to her, but this is different. She can't move because of the way she feels. So, she sits and stares at the stars. It's not long before she shifts her stare from the twinkling lights to the rising sun.
As she watches the sun rise birds start to chirp happily. "What's so fucking wonderful about today?" She inquires towards the birds. They just keep on signing their songs. She watches as the pink and orange sky starts to turn blue, and the cold air starts to turn warmer with the rising of the sun. And while she's still in her nightclothes, she still doesn't make an effort to go inside. She still sits.
She's a bit surprised when her sister comes outside and sits next to her. She doesn't say a word, just stares at the sky like Brittany is doing. They stay there in the silence for a long time, and Brittany just wishes she would hurry up and get on with whatever she's going to say, because she knows it will be anything but pleasant.
Brandy looks at her attentively. "You really screwed things up big this time Brittany."
Brittany laughed bitterly, so much so that Brandy was taken aback. "I screwed things up? How did I screw things up? Things were already screwed up. For Godssake Brandy, even if you don't believe that it was aliens, and you think it was kidnapping how can you be so indifferent? How can you be so goddamn cold. It's like you have no emotions, like you don't give a damn that Alicia is somewhere out there, alone and afraid. You don't give a damn about what she's going through. All you can see is how much I screwed things up. You selfish bitch." She doesn't wait for her sisters response, she gets up, but instead of walking inside the house she walks down the road. And she keeps walking too, where she's going she doesn't know. All that she knows is she can't stay there any longer.
~**~**~**~
Brittany walks for well over 20 minutes before she stops at a familiar house. Seeing as it's still pretty early she goes around the side and knocks on her friends window. Meagan opens her window confused. "Brittany? What's going on? Why are you here at," she looks behind her at a clock in the room, "6:24 in the morning?"
"I just couldn't stay there any longer Meg, I couldn't do it."
Meg looks at her sympathetically, she nods her head, "come in. It's freezing outside."
Brittany crawls through the window and collapses on Meagan's bed. Lauren--her twin sister--looks up from her bed confused. "Brittany? What's going on."
Meg just looks at her and shakes her head as if to say don't ask. Lauren gets the look and walks over to the bed Brittany's on. She sits next to her friend and puts an arm around her. Meg does the same. Brittany starts to quietly cry, the hot silent tears doing nothing but bothering her further.
"Please don't tell anybody that im here. They'll make me go back."
They both nod simultaneously, "we won't tell anybody." Lauren says.
"Thank you."
"But, we do have to get ready and go to school. Do you think you'll be fine staying here alone? My parents won't come in our room, we can lock it if you'd like."
"Yeah. Please."
Meg gets off the bed and locks the door. "There." She looks back at Brittany, "now, why don't you get some sleep? You look like hell."
"Thanks, that's a big step up from the shit I look like."
Lauren smiles halfheartedly. Then the two sisters get ready for school. At 10 minutes before 7 they leave and Brittany lies her head down on the pillows and falls instantly asleep.
~**~**~**~
6:32
Scully's cell phone rings and after the third ring she picks it up, "Scully."
"Where is my daughter?" An upset Stephanie says into the phone.
"Excuse me? Which one?"
"You know damn well which one. Where is Brittany."
"Im sorry Mrs. Adkins, I have no clue where she is. She's certainly not here."
Mrs. Adkins mumbles something into the phone and then hangs up. Scully hangs up her phone as well and looks around dumbfounded. Mulder knocks on her door and steps inside. "Who was that?"
"Mrs. Adkins. She said Brittany's missing."
Mulder sighs, "she probably went to a friends house. We should go to the school and see if anybody knows where she is."
"Yeah, I imagine she just got pissed at her parents and took off. Makes sense."
Mulder nodded, "well, I'll get dressed. Sullivan High school starts at 7:25, when can you be ready?"
"Well, I'll have to shower, but I can be ready by 7."
"Good." He went back into his hotel room and the sound of the shower could be heard. Scully herself got into the shower. It already promised to be a long day.
~**~**~**~