Disclaimer: Ok guys, we all know I don't own McDonalds. I don't even want to claim them for my own, McDonalds is not my choice of fast food.
Chapter 7
~**~**~**~
Brittany heard something in the room stir and wasn't to entirely surprised when she looked from under the covers and saw Scully sitting on the corner of the bed. She sighed and she too sat up on the bed, running her hands through her hair she sent a questioning glance in Scully's direction. "So, they told you that I was here. Well, I knew this wouldn't last long, I'm surprised that they kept the secret as long as they did."
"Your mother called, she was worried. We got a list of your best friends, and Lauren and Meagan were pretty high on that list. We went to you're school and talked with those on the list. They broke after a while, but they are concerned about you." She looked her over, "and I can see why. You look terrible."
"Yeah, we'll I don't feel so peachy either. I woke up pretty early in the morning, then walked here, how long have I been sleeping?"
"Well, it's just after 8 now. So, I'd say an hour and a half. Mulder is waiting in the car. We're going to take you home."
She shakes her head, "no, I can't go back. Not yet. Could you just take me with you? To your hotel, please."
"You know I cant do that Brittany, you're still a child, you have to remain at home unless there are signs of abuse, and your parents aren't abusing you."
"Doesn't emotional abuse count for something? Every time I'm around them I become emotionally drained, it's like they suck it right out of me. I just, I can't deal with that. If I go home I'll just sit in my room all day, every day, until she comes back. And probably even after then. I don't think I'll ever regain their trust, nor will they ever regain mine. And I really could care less, once I hit 18 im gone."
"You should at least give them the chance to make up for it."
"They have every opportunity to believe me, or at least accept what I remember, but I doubt that ship will ever set sail. They're set in what they believe happened, nothing, nobody, will change their minds." She looks down at the bed, "well, I guess we should get going. Wouldn't want my parents to worry, that would just be tragic."
"Brittany, what you have to realize is they've already lost one child. This is their defense mechanism. They're just doing what they think is right."
"Yeah, I know. That doesn't mean I have to agree or accept the facts. I choose to be ignorant."
Scully smiles, "well ignorant or not I don't want another reason for your mother to resent me. We should get you home so you can shower. Then you can tell us further about your dream. Sound good?"
"Not particularly, but I don't really have a say in the matter. Do I?"
"Nope."
"That's what I thought."
~**~**~**~
They dropped Brittany off with the promise that they would come back after she had enough time to have showered and talked with her parents about what had transpired. Mulder wasn't very sure if said talk would happen, in fact he was almost certain that it wouldn't, but there was always that chance, and he and Scully did not want to intrude on that chance.
So, they went to get something to eat. They ended up at McDonalds, or at least the drive-through of McDonalds, each getting a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit, and coffee. Then they went back to their hotel. After they ate Scully was silent, but Mulder could tell she wanted to say something. She had that look, the one that said she was seriously contemplating something.
"What is it Scully?"
She looked up at him dumbstruck, she shook the look away, "I was just thinking about something."
"Well, yes, I see that. But, what were you thinking about?"
"How are we supposed to find this girl Mulder? Just wait until she falls from the sky? I don't understand what good we are doing here."
Mulder shook his head, "I'm not sure myself either, even if they do send her back who's to say they'll send her back home? I mean…you didn't exactly turn up at Skyland Mountain."
Scully shuddered with the thought, "exactly. Then why are we still here?"
"Brittany."
"Right. Mulder, you've become attached to her."
"How so."
"She reminds you of yourself, when Sam was taken. You're trying to save her from what you became, and while that's all fine and dandy it's not your place to try and save her, she needs to go through this on her own accord. And you need to let her."
"She still needs somebody Scully."
"She has her parents and sister."
Mulder snorted, "and if Brittany reminds me of myself I sure as hell know who they remind me of. Every single closed minded person I've ever come across. You, when you had first been assigned to me. Face it Scully, they'll never believe her, they'll never forgive her for suggesting what she did. For the next three and a half years that house is going to be a prison cell for her, just like my house was. She doesn't have her parents. She has nobody."
Scully sighed, "Mulder. We're going to have to leave sometime."
"Not today."
~**~**~**~
It was close to ten before they finally arrived. Brittany had long since locked herself in her room. Well, not locked, per se, her room had no lock on it. But, she had very adamantly pushed her dresser in front of it. Even though the door swung out into the hallway instead of into her room there was still no way for anybody to enter. Not without climbing over the dresser. And she doubted her family would waste their time. She was right.
The soft knock told her that it was Scully behind the door. Weather Mulder was with her she didn't know, but she pushed the dresser aside and back into its normal resting place and opened the door for Scully to come in. Mulder was with her and they both came into the room. Mulder sat down on the computer chair, and Scully sat with Brittany on her bed. Neither spoke for awhile, until Mulder finally said something.
"We have to leave in two days."
"What? Why?"
Scully looked down at the bed, "there's really nothing more we can do Brittany. If your sister has been abducted all you can do is hope that they send her back. We don't know where she is, or if she's even alive. We had to push for even two days." She looks back up at Brittany, "I'm sorry."
Brittany looked at Mulder, then at Scully, then back at Mulder. "So…basically I might never see my sister again."
"Basically…yes, that is a possibility."
She gapped for a minute, "and there's absolutely nothing that can be done."
"Nothing that either of us can think of, or are capable of."
She looked at the wall, her face turned away from both the agents, "I understand. If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone."
They both nodded, although she couldn't see them do so. "If you want us to come by again--"
"I'll call if I need you."
"Right." Mulder said, "I'm really sorry Brittany, I wish there was something that I could do."
She looked at him, pain apparent on her face, "I know. I just…I'd rather be alone."
They both nodded once more and left. When she heard their car start up she let the floodgates open and the tears she had been holding back finally fell freely. Her sister was out there somewhere, alone, hurt, afraid, taken by something she didn't even believe in.
And there was not a damn thing that she could do about it.
~**~**~**~
a/n: I hope nobody is too terribly bored by this story. In truth, I have no idea how I'm doing. So I would really appreciate reviews!
Chapter 7
~**~**~**~
Brittany heard something in the room stir and wasn't to entirely surprised when she looked from under the covers and saw Scully sitting on the corner of the bed. She sighed and she too sat up on the bed, running her hands through her hair she sent a questioning glance in Scully's direction. "So, they told you that I was here. Well, I knew this wouldn't last long, I'm surprised that they kept the secret as long as they did."
"Your mother called, she was worried. We got a list of your best friends, and Lauren and Meagan were pretty high on that list. We went to you're school and talked with those on the list. They broke after a while, but they are concerned about you." She looked her over, "and I can see why. You look terrible."
"Yeah, we'll I don't feel so peachy either. I woke up pretty early in the morning, then walked here, how long have I been sleeping?"
"Well, it's just after 8 now. So, I'd say an hour and a half. Mulder is waiting in the car. We're going to take you home."
She shakes her head, "no, I can't go back. Not yet. Could you just take me with you? To your hotel, please."
"You know I cant do that Brittany, you're still a child, you have to remain at home unless there are signs of abuse, and your parents aren't abusing you."
"Doesn't emotional abuse count for something? Every time I'm around them I become emotionally drained, it's like they suck it right out of me. I just, I can't deal with that. If I go home I'll just sit in my room all day, every day, until she comes back. And probably even after then. I don't think I'll ever regain their trust, nor will they ever regain mine. And I really could care less, once I hit 18 im gone."
"You should at least give them the chance to make up for it."
"They have every opportunity to believe me, or at least accept what I remember, but I doubt that ship will ever set sail. They're set in what they believe happened, nothing, nobody, will change their minds." She looks down at the bed, "well, I guess we should get going. Wouldn't want my parents to worry, that would just be tragic."
"Brittany, what you have to realize is they've already lost one child. This is their defense mechanism. They're just doing what they think is right."
"Yeah, I know. That doesn't mean I have to agree or accept the facts. I choose to be ignorant."
Scully smiles, "well ignorant or not I don't want another reason for your mother to resent me. We should get you home so you can shower. Then you can tell us further about your dream. Sound good?"
"Not particularly, but I don't really have a say in the matter. Do I?"
"Nope."
"That's what I thought."
~**~**~**~
They dropped Brittany off with the promise that they would come back after she had enough time to have showered and talked with her parents about what had transpired. Mulder wasn't very sure if said talk would happen, in fact he was almost certain that it wouldn't, but there was always that chance, and he and Scully did not want to intrude on that chance.
So, they went to get something to eat. They ended up at McDonalds, or at least the drive-through of McDonalds, each getting a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit, and coffee. Then they went back to their hotel. After they ate Scully was silent, but Mulder could tell she wanted to say something. She had that look, the one that said she was seriously contemplating something.
"What is it Scully?"
She looked up at him dumbstruck, she shook the look away, "I was just thinking about something."
"Well, yes, I see that. But, what were you thinking about?"
"How are we supposed to find this girl Mulder? Just wait until she falls from the sky? I don't understand what good we are doing here."
Mulder shook his head, "I'm not sure myself either, even if they do send her back who's to say they'll send her back home? I mean…you didn't exactly turn up at Skyland Mountain."
Scully shuddered with the thought, "exactly. Then why are we still here?"
"Brittany."
"Right. Mulder, you've become attached to her."
"How so."
"She reminds you of yourself, when Sam was taken. You're trying to save her from what you became, and while that's all fine and dandy it's not your place to try and save her, she needs to go through this on her own accord. And you need to let her."
"She still needs somebody Scully."
"She has her parents and sister."
Mulder snorted, "and if Brittany reminds me of myself I sure as hell know who they remind me of. Every single closed minded person I've ever come across. You, when you had first been assigned to me. Face it Scully, they'll never believe her, they'll never forgive her for suggesting what she did. For the next three and a half years that house is going to be a prison cell for her, just like my house was. She doesn't have her parents. She has nobody."
Scully sighed, "Mulder. We're going to have to leave sometime."
"Not today."
~**~**~**~
It was close to ten before they finally arrived. Brittany had long since locked herself in her room. Well, not locked, per se, her room had no lock on it. But, she had very adamantly pushed her dresser in front of it. Even though the door swung out into the hallway instead of into her room there was still no way for anybody to enter. Not without climbing over the dresser. And she doubted her family would waste their time. She was right.
The soft knock told her that it was Scully behind the door. Weather Mulder was with her she didn't know, but she pushed the dresser aside and back into its normal resting place and opened the door for Scully to come in. Mulder was with her and they both came into the room. Mulder sat down on the computer chair, and Scully sat with Brittany on her bed. Neither spoke for awhile, until Mulder finally said something.
"We have to leave in two days."
"What? Why?"
Scully looked down at the bed, "there's really nothing more we can do Brittany. If your sister has been abducted all you can do is hope that they send her back. We don't know where she is, or if she's even alive. We had to push for even two days." She looks back up at Brittany, "I'm sorry."
Brittany looked at Mulder, then at Scully, then back at Mulder. "So…basically I might never see my sister again."
"Basically…yes, that is a possibility."
She gapped for a minute, "and there's absolutely nothing that can be done."
"Nothing that either of us can think of, or are capable of."
She looked at the wall, her face turned away from both the agents, "I understand. If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone."
They both nodded, although she couldn't see them do so. "If you want us to come by again--"
"I'll call if I need you."
"Right." Mulder said, "I'm really sorry Brittany, I wish there was something that I could do."
She looked at him, pain apparent on her face, "I know. I just…I'd rather be alone."
They both nodded once more and left. When she heard their car start up she let the floodgates open and the tears she had been holding back finally fell freely. Her sister was out there somewhere, alone, hurt, afraid, taken by something she didn't even believe in.
And there was not a damn thing that she could do about it.
~**~**~**~
a/n: I hope nobody is too terribly bored by this story. In truth, I have no idea how I'm doing. So I would really appreciate reviews!