A/N: Okay, I've been assured that everyone is in character so I'll stop asking. But if anyone is ever OOC you have to tell me. Someone else asked me about romance, just read my author's note at the beginning of chapter 3. BTW I accidently told you all the wrong chapters for my big cliffie. It's between chapters 6 and 7. Oh and Fillmore's middle name is in this chapter, I made it up, so don't freak out and think you missed an episode or something. Anyway, enjoy.
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Act IV: "I'm Fine"
Friday Fillmore woke up to the rain softly landing on his window. 'Great,' he thought, without opening his eyes. 'The weather matches my mood.' They had searched until 11:30 the night before. They had made calls and posters. Fillmore had the most faith of all of them, he knew they'd find her that night, but they hadn't. He finally opened his eyes and looked at his clock. It was 7:15! He had to be at school by 7:30!
After ten minutes of frantically running around Fillmore had somehow managed to gather his unfinished homework, get dressed, brush his teeth, make his bed, and was on his way out the door when he heard a voice behind him.
"Cornelius Alexander Fillmore! Just where do you think you're going?"
"It's Friday, Mom. I'm going to school."
"What? Cornelius, you don't have to and should not go to school. You've been through a lot."
"Mom, I'm fine, but I'm going to be late. I must have forgotten to set my alarm."
"No Cornelius, I turned it off. I don't think you should go."
"Mom, if I don't go how will anyone find out about Ingrid? And besides, we'll find her soon. In the meantime, she'd want us to act normal. Trust me, I'd know."
Fillmore's mother tapped her fingers on the counter, thinking. She let out a long sigh. "Fine, but I'm driving you EVERYWHERE until the kidnapper's caught."
"Ok, but hurry, I'm gonna be late!"
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Safety Patrol HQ Morning Beat
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Fillmore stood outside HQ listening to the chattering voices. They all sounded so happy. He wondered how they would take it. "Oh well," he sighed, opening the door. HQ fell silent. 'Ok, did I miss something?' He thought as he walked to his desk, aware that all eyes were on him. 'I haven't seen them all this quiet in ages.' Fillmore tried to brush it of, still painfully aware that he was being stared at, a fact he had never-even in his delinquent days- been able to ignore. He shook his head, why not tell them now? It was obvious they had heard something of it. Obvious that they were waiting for Fillmore to either prove or disprove the rumors. After all, they all knew he was the one person sure to really know if something was up. He walked over to Vallejo and told him he had an announcement to make. Vallejo nodded.
"Alright everyone, conference room. Fillmore has something to say."
Once everyone was seated Fillmore stood in front of them. He drew in a deep breath, then began.
"Well some of you may have noticed that Ingrid isn't here. And some of you may have heard things. And, well, Those things are true." A murmer went through the crowd and Fillmore waited for it to stop before continuing. "Yesterday, when I left school at 3:20 Ingrid was in the darkroom. Her sister called me at 5:30. She said Ingrid hadn't come home and she wanted me to try and reach her on our walkies. All I got was static and Ingrid calling for help. We looked for her last night, but we didn't find her. So what you heard is true, Ingrid's been kidnapped. But we're gonna find her. We just wanted to let you know. Keep an eye out for her, and be careful."
Fillmore waited until everyone else left the room. Thinking that was that and now he would go about his usual business he left the conference room. But Vallejo stopped him right outside the door.
"Hey Fillmore, let's talk. In my office."
"Sure Vallejo." Then, when they were in his office he asked, "so what's up?"
" Fillmore, if you don't think your up to it, you don't have to work today. And then tomorrow we can start you on desk duty."
"Not you too Vallejo! You sound like my mother."
"I just wanna make sure you're ok. I mean, with what you have to deal with."
"What? Look, Ingrid's not gone forever. We're gonna find her."
"Well, I know we're gonna find her, Fillmore. I just didn't know how you were gonna feel."
"I'm fine Vallejo."
"Alright, but if you ever get uh not fine, then just tell me, and we'll deal with it."
"Ok Vallejo, I will." But really, Fillmore knew he would never tell Vallejo he couldn't handle it. He had always done everything he was assigned to and this wasn't going to stop him.
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A/N: So, what do you think, this chapter's a little dry. But remember, not only do your reviews persuade me to keep writing, but they also give my tiny bit of self-confidence a big boost. :)
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Act IV: "I'm Fine"
Friday Fillmore woke up to the rain softly landing on his window. 'Great,' he thought, without opening his eyes. 'The weather matches my mood.' They had searched until 11:30 the night before. They had made calls and posters. Fillmore had the most faith of all of them, he knew they'd find her that night, but they hadn't. He finally opened his eyes and looked at his clock. It was 7:15! He had to be at school by 7:30!
After ten minutes of frantically running around Fillmore had somehow managed to gather his unfinished homework, get dressed, brush his teeth, make his bed, and was on his way out the door when he heard a voice behind him.
"Cornelius Alexander Fillmore! Just where do you think you're going?"
"It's Friday, Mom. I'm going to school."
"What? Cornelius, you don't have to and should not go to school. You've been through a lot."
"Mom, I'm fine, but I'm going to be late. I must have forgotten to set my alarm."
"No Cornelius, I turned it off. I don't think you should go."
"Mom, if I don't go how will anyone find out about Ingrid? And besides, we'll find her soon. In the meantime, she'd want us to act normal. Trust me, I'd know."
Fillmore's mother tapped her fingers on the counter, thinking. She let out a long sigh. "Fine, but I'm driving you EVERYWHERE until the kidnapper's caught."
"Ok, but hurry, I'm gonna be late!"
***********************************************************************************************************************
Safety Patrol HQ Morning Beat
***********************************************************************************************************************
Fillmore stood outside HQ listening to the chattering voices. They all sounded so happy. He wondered how they would take it. "Oh well," he sighed, opening the door. HQ fell silent. 'Ok, did I miss something?' He thought as he walked to his desk, aware that all eyes were on him. 'I haven't seen them all this quiet in ages.' Fillmore tried to brush it of, still painfully aware that he was being stared at, a fact he had never-even in his delinquent days- been able to ignore. He shook his head, why not tell them now? It was obvious they had heard something of it. Obvious that they were waiting for Fillmore to either prove or disprove the rumors. After all, they all knew he was the one person sure to really know if something was up. He walked over to Vallejo and told him he had an announcement to make. Vallejo nodded.
"Alright everyone, conference room. Fillmore has something to say."
Once everyone was seated Fillmore stood in front of them. He drew in a deep breath, then began.
"Well some of you may have noticed that Ingrid isn't here. And some of you may have heard things. And, well, Those things are true." A murmer went through the crowd and Fillmore waited for it to stop before continuing. "Yesterday, when I left school at 3:20 Ingrid was in the darkroom. Her sister called me at 5:30. She said Ingrid hadn't come home and she wanted me to try and reach her on our walkies. All I got was static and Ingrid calling for help. We looked for her last night, but we didn't find her. So what you heard is true, Ingrid's been kidnapped. But we're gonna find her. We just wanted to let you know. Keep an eye out for her, and be careful."
Fillmore waited until everyone else left the room. Thinking that was that and now he would go about his usual business he left the conference room. But Vallejo stopped him right outside the door.
"Hey Fillmore, let's talk. In my office."
"Sure Vallejo." Then, when they were in his office he asked, "so what's up?"
" Fillmore, if you don't think your up to it, you don't have to work today. And then tomorrow we can start you on desk duty."
"Not you too Vallejo! You sound like my mother."
"I just wanna make sure you're ok. I mean, with what you have to deal with."
"What? Look, Ingrid's not gone forever. We're gonna find her."
"Well, I know we're gonna find her, Fillmore. I just didn't know how you were gonna feel."
"I'm fine Vallejo."
"Alright, but if you ever get uh not fine, then just tell me, and we'll deal with it."
"Ok Vallejo, I will." But really, Fillmore knew he would never tell Vallejo he couldn't handle it. He had always done everything he was assigned to and this wasn't going to stop him.
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A/N: So, what do you think, this chapter's a little dry. But remember, not only do your reviews persuade me to keep writing, but they also give my tiny bit of self-confidence a big boost. :)