Wow! Thanks for the reviews! :D Here is what you have all been waiting for…….The next chapter!!
Don't own Fillmore.
Act 4: Helping Hands
Ingrid awoke to a white ceiling, at first she couldn't remember what had happened but then everything came rushing back. She sat up quickly regretting it when lights began to flash before her eyes. She let her head fall onto the pillow, investigating the room around her she realized she was in the nurse's office, and then she noticed a figure sleeping soundly beside her. She squinted in the dim light and discovered that it was Fillmore.
She watched his chest rise and fall with every breath he took, but then seem to pause as his eye's opened, he looked right at her with a worried expression. "Ingrid!" he exclaimed.
"That's my name last I checked" she said with light humor. She looked at the ceiling and recalled what had happened; the figure had pushed her into one of the ditches. The pain in her head told her that she had suffered a small injury, but after the sensation of falling she couldn't recall anything else. She turned to look at Fillmore and the argument that had happened floated through her photographic memory, she looked upset again and was about to speak when Fillmore interrupted her thoughts.
"I'm so sorry Ingrid, about this morning, and about not being there when I said I would be…I promise you that I'll find out who did this to you, who ever it is they are going to pay." Anger had laced the last bit and caused Ingrid to smile.
"Fillmore, I'm the one who should be sorry, I've let my emotions get the better of me…I guess you were right I don't accept help when I should, selfish though?" She said looking away, though she wanted to make up his words still stung.
"You're not selfish, I am. When Wayne came back I pushed you aside, I let the return of an old friend ruin the great friendship I have now. Ingrid, I don't want to lose you. When I thought I had, it felt as though nothing mattered anymore…Then when I was out on patrol and I heard you scream…" He looked down for a moment. Ingrid watched him as he struggled with his emotions; she smiled slightly and thought of everything they had faced together, how close they had gotten. When she thought she had lost him, her world had fallen apart too, she smiled then think of how good it was that they were making up. Fillmore was watching her and frowned for a moment "Are you laughing at me?"
"Hmm maybe…Fillmore, do you think that the safety patrol might still want me?" She asked sheepishly, Fillmore smiled and pulled out her sash from its hiding place in his bag.
"Vallejo blamed me for you quitting, so he told me to convince you to come back."
"So the only reason you're here then is because you were under threat of losing your job?!" She said in mock anger while lightly throwing a cotton ball which had come from the jar beside her. He ducked and played along.
"No Ingrid I swear! I'm innocent of all charges!" He said smiling and returning fire. They both laughed; when Fillmore suddenly stopped and watched her, Ingrid felt his eyes on her but she couldn't stop laughing, she felt so happy. "I've just realized that I've never heard you laugh."
"What are you talking about I've laughed before"
"True…but not like you just did, you seemed really happy" he was smiling a sort of stupid grin, but then caught up with himself and looked at the floor trying to hide a blush that was creeping up on his dark cheeks. Ingrid smiled slightly sitting up slowly.
"Okay we're starting to enter into that sentimental side, you know how I feel about that" she said with a mock frown. Then she stopped and thought for a moment, "Hey Fillmore, you said you heard me scream? What happened exactly?"
"I was on patrol as I mentioned before when I walked near the orchard I noticed someone knocking over the environmental club's apples. By the time I reached the area the figure was gone, so I walked around a bit trying to see if the perp was nearby. That was when I heard voices coming from the basketball court in progress, I walked towards it and that's when I saw the figure talking to you. I began to run forward but the perp pushed you…You screamed, I had thought…I called out to the figure but they leaped onto one of the bigger pipes and ran off. When I got to where you had fallen I jumped in and carried you out calling for back up. And now you're here." He looked down and both sat in an awkward moment of silence. Ingrid slowly got up and walked towards Fillmore and did something that surprised even her, she hugged him. She felt him freeze but then relax and place his arms around her.
"Thank you Fillmore…thank you."
The next day Ingrid walked into the safety patrol headquarters, everyone was happy that she was back; Vallejo even got her a cup of cocoa. She walked to her desk and noticed Wayne sitting quietly at his desk, she stopped in front of his chair and looked down at him, "Wayne…thanks for trying to talk me out of quitting, though I am curious as to something you said…"
"What was that?" he asked smiling mischievously.
"You said "I just meant to push you two in the right direction" what exactly did you mean?" she said placing her hands on her hips and mustering the best caught-you-red-handed look.
"I swear officer, I meant nothing by it!" He said pretending to be a perp that had just been caught.
"Hmm we'll see" she said before sitting down at her own desk. She looked towards the door and it opened revealing Fillmore, he smiled at her and went to the hot chocolate machine to pour himself a cup. She smiled but stopped when she noticed that she was being watched by Wayne looking over to him he began to smile like he had before, as though things were going according to plan. She glared at him for a moment and then smiled, she felt good.
Vallejo called her into his office; she got up and walked in. "What is it Vallejo?" She asked sitting down in front of his desk.
"It's good to have you back Third." He said looking at her, but she knew that wasn't all. "Earlier this morning Leggett came to me, he said that he didn't want to be paired up with Fillmore, because it was placing a strain on your teamwork." He turned his back on her "You know…if something like me partnering you up with someone else was bothering you, you should have come to me about it." Ingrid nodded even though Vallejo wouldn't have been able to see it.
"Yes sir, I'm sorry that I didn't."
"That's all Ingrid." With that she got up and left. She thought about the feeling of loneliness that had settled on her the past Monday and Tuesday and realized that she had been foolish to think it. She looked at her watch and noticed the bell was going to ring; she went out to her locker and froze. It had been completely painted red; she called out to Fillmore who came to her side quickly. They both just stared at the red paint for a moment and then began to analyze it, "It just happened, the paint is still wet" she said pulling a finger through it. The called out to Tehama who then began to do her work.
"I'll get back to you on this paint" she said collecting a sample and walking back into H.Q.
Ingrid looked at Fillmore "I think I know who is after me" she said "But I'm not sure yet, we need more evidence" she continued opening her locker carefully. Some of the paint and seeped into her locker and coloured some of her text books red as well, she frowned and began to wipe them down.
"Who do you think is after you?" asked Fillmore glancing at her.
"Malika."
Well there is chapter Four!!!!!! I will update again tomorrow night when I get back from work! More reviews are good, they make me happy and excited about writing some more, I almost wrote the next chapter earlier because I was so happy :D