This fan fiction is a AU after the events of the first A Nightmare On Elm Street. I do not own Freddy or Nancy but a few side put characters into the story. It's been over five years since Freddy first haunted her.
Chapter Three
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He slurped down the ginger noodles with ease, enjoying the old but familiar taste of Chinese cuisine. In the end Nancy had let him order out but upon receiving it (which Nancy ordered him hide in the kitchen) she didn't want any of it. Though that didn't bother him to much, it only meant more for him. Nancy however was growing agitated hearing Freddy flip a page in the book, then slurp nosily down the greasy heart clogging food. He had his feet up on her table and was holding a strange black looking book that was scrapped up with yellow stained pages. The cover was etched with symbols from who knows what language (actually an old mix of Latin and Greek) and a sun in the center on each side.
" Do you have to be so loud when you eat?" Nancy snapped suddenly out of the blue and Freddy stopped some hanging out of his mouth. He gulped it down with out reducing the sound of it and smiled at her.
" Isn't it Chinese custom to slurp, means I'm being a good guest."
" No it means your being a smart ass, since when have we been living in China?" Nancy raised an eyebrow displaying a cross look before turning back around on her couch. Freddy snorted setting the take out box down and holding the old worn out book to one side.
" Gesh… What crawled up your ass and died?"
" Well if you don't happen to know, which you do know, another girl has just been killed by the murderer." Nancy breathed heavily crossing her arms and looking at the TV which was going on about some detergent that could get out any stain in ten minutes or less. 'People are getting killed… While I sit back and wait and watch hoping for the opportunity to catch him… How many more innocent girls are going to be tortured and fuel this mans fiery sick lust.'
Freddy scratched the back of his head feeling the burns that covered his skull. 'Women… Such a constant downer…' " You can't let that phase you out, you know." Freddy stated no real concern placed there.
" Do you even care?!" Nancy growled looking down at her hands and feeling the overwhelming sense of guilt swallow her again. " All you care about is finding the murderer! I bet you don't care that more girls die, just gives you more power in the end doesn't it?! Well I do! I don't care if it makes it longer for us, I'm not going to let some innocent people get killed." She was quivering now, and though she was a strong steady woman, she was still a human being. The never ending doubt clung to Nancy, ever since six years ago it followed her every where. The fear of being powerless, the fear of losing everything despite doing what she could. ' Mom… Tina… Glen… It's happened before… It can happen again…'
Freddy pulled his feet off the table and placed them firmly on the ground looking at the back of her head. To be honestly true, which was rare for him, very rare, Freddy didn't care about the girls. He didn't care about whether they lived or died. That wasn't what stirred his conscious into feeling annoying human emotions that he had tried to throw away. It was her. His mortal enemy, his nemesis, the one that had made a mockery of him. He wanted to kill her when he was free, but not like this. He wanted her at her full capacity; to face him like she knew she was going to win, then have him cut her down at her strongest moment. 'This isn't like you Nancy… Since we do you go and hide from your trouble… I want you to be like you were all those years ago…' He looked as if he was off in some distant world. Suddenly he realized she was looking at him, with confused angry eyes.
" Hey… Look- I know you want to get away from me, and I want to get away from you. But I'm not going to let people die just to do that… You're going to suffer and so am I but… I'm not just going to let this bastard get away with this. We will find him…" She looked at her hand again, how blood was now glued to them and would always be from the life she chose. Then her blue eyes lifted catching his, in a intense focused look. " And then you will kill him."
Freddy saw the fire in her eyes, the Nancy he knew… The one he wanted to fight on the day they were separated. 'That's it Nancy…' Freddy thought grinning on the inside. " Don't worry… I'll kill the piggy nice and slowly. You just better not screw it up before then." He went back to leaning in the chair book in hand and boots on the table. Nancy sighed wondering if he would ever grow up, and stop making fun or humiliating her.
" Leave me to do the dirty work…" ' Does he care at least a little bit? No probably not, with the scars he's left me… What will I do if the day ever comes though, when I no longer have control of him?' She didn't want to think about it, and besides that could be years from now (unfortunately).
So time rolled by, they didn't talk from there on that evening. The TV was showing some reality show, and Freddy decided to stop reading, cause the book was making his brain near to combustion, plus he'd been out in the real world long enough. Content in his stomach and content with the amount of information he got out of the book for now he stood up. " Hey, it's late so how about you just go to sleep and let me be on my way-" Freddy noticed she was lying down on the sofa. He peered over the edge and sure enough the brown head was fast asleep already off into her dreams. He snorted at how desperately tired she looked, and wondered how long she'd been knocked out as he was reading.
He attentively reached out his hand to touch her then drew it back before he did. He hovered over her his hat's shadow covering his eyes as he gazed down at her. " You're an untouchable aren't you… Makes me want to break you even more." Nancy snoozed on unaware of him hovering over. " Well I guess one night out of my little world won't do much harm now will it?" He whispered to himself then stood back passing the light switch and turning the hallway light off. Nancy for the first time in weeks dreamt with out any boilers, any dark nightmare worlds, and definitely without a single dream stalker. The sweet sleep took her in and as she turned into the blanket that slightly covered her, she smiled.
" Mmmm…." Nancy was in good spirits this morning so far. She grinned softly stretching her locked up body then snuggling into the plush decorative pillow on her sofa. ' Man… I didn't see Freddy in my dreams at all, no loud alarm ringing in my ears, and sweet delicious sleep… Wait…' Nancy's eyes bugged open from pure shock she rolled off the couch and onto the floor, quickly sitting up. No alarm. " Oh come on!" Nancy cried her fingers shaking her crazy bed head hair. 'Oh crap! Oh crap! How late am I? How late did I sleep in? Did I miss the appointment?' She bounded down the hallway and darted into her bed room like a wild woman. She ripped open her drawers trying to find anything to wear, since she hadn't planned an outfit last night. " This is my luck! Why world? Why do you hate me so much?!"
" Ugh… Keep it down…" Nancy had hold of a bra in her hands when the scraggily voice echoed from her room. She instantly turned and saw Freddy in her bed half asleep and half not. He blinked the sleep from his eyes then smiled lazily. " I didn't know you were a B cup…"
" WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY BED?!" Nancy screamed stuffing the bra back into her dresser as Freddy simply turned over in the covers.
" What the hell does it look like, I'm trying to sleep if you don't mind…"
" Oh man I should have known not having you in my dreams was a bad sign! I told you to go back to your dream world when you were done… Great just great!"
" Awww… It does my nonexistent heart good to hear that you were missing me… Maybe I shouldn't leave your dreams, I told you, you were a wreck with out me." Freddy mocked and Nancy merely just pushed it down at the moment ,seeing as getting to the interview on time was way more important then arguing with him. The little, metal, screeching, device read to her in big flashing numbers 9:26. Her interview was at 10. She scrounged up an outfit out of her dresser and raced for the bathroom, glad that she didn't have to worry about the mirrors for the moment. Freddy simply tsked, laying upward, with his hands behind his head.
Nancy didn't have time to take a shower, which was really gross, but she promised to bath twice in a row to make up for it later. She got prepared as fast as possible that morning, and hoped her double effort would not leave her looking like some desperate nutcase who really needed the job. Nancy staggered out of the bathroom back into her room, digging through her closet to find her special pair of high heels. Freddy watched with fair amusement at her frantic pace, but also couldn't help but stare at her backside as she was bending over. The skirt clung well to her curves. Of course he had already noticed, even back when she first meet him after all these years; she was no longer a simple cute teenage girl, but a feisty beautiful woman. ' She sure did grow up from that teenage stage I have to say…' Freddy swallowed not noticing Nancy had turned with high heels in hand.
" All right here's the rules. First off no leaving the apartment okay? Second, no calling people or getting on my computer all right, it's blocked just to let you know. Third, don't scare anyone who might come to the apartment, like a UPS guy or some Jehovah's witness, I don't care. Got that?"
" Wee…' He sarcastically spun a finger in the air. " I'm going to have so much fun today. Want me to do your laundry and mop the floors while I'm at it?"
" Actually I would like it if you washed my bedding and sheets after you are done… I don't need your dead flaking skin all over. Just read some more of that book, watch a movie or TV, just don't cause any trouble like you usually do." She grabbed a gray coat that matched well with her blouse and skirt and strut to the door. " I'll be taking my leave then."
" How long are you going to be gone though?" Freddy sat up, grabbing his hat and plopping it onto his burnt head. " Cause I sure as hell don't want to go through what happened last time…" He looked away from her, and she did him. It was a very awkward topic for both of them, so they preferred to drop it and forget it. Another stupid rule that they didn't understand.
" Look I'll be back home for lunch, hopefully I can take a quick nap get you back into the dream world and be on our merry way." She sighed crossing her arms glancing at the clock again. " Don't. Cause. Any. Trouble." She stated at him as he rolled his eyes. Satisfied, Nancy turned and was quickly out the house, the slam of the door echoing into silence. The dream demon grumbled flopping back on to the bed eyes staring up at the ceiling. Another boring day… Worse he was trapped in a house with nothing to do.
Or was he?
Damn it was starting to get cold. The September weather was a bit chilly that morning, a high of 55 and a low of 43, along with some strong north winds to add to it. The man sighed tightening his coat around his body and huffing as he kept walking down the side walk. His brown eyes glanced up at the tall corporation that he was a slave to day in and day out. However with the yucky looking day the building appeared even more sinister then it usually did. One arm was wrapped around a briefcase as the other held the coat together as he walked up the steps.
Nancy hurried out of her car, she barely made it to Starbucks to grab her morning coffee, and now had just reached the corporation building. With hurried observation she noted that it was a rather old building compared to the newer ones that were often displayed in the advertisements or internet. It was a state wide business, with about 15 main branch buildings in major parts of the country. All was owned by the Ackerman family however, and as luck would have it the building he operated all of it from was right near Springwood. The trading and transportation company had been around since 1900's suffering a short time during the great depression but making up for it with investors and a desperate need for imported goods to the country side. Flourished ever since, but now things were looking bad for the heritable owner. She shivered, from not only the bitter cold stinging at her heels, but the fear that this man she was meeting might possibly be a killer…
Her heels clacked as she darted up the steps, trying not to appear as if she was in a huge hurry. She didn't take much notice of the man rushing up the steps ahead of her. However he was digging through his pockets, searching for his ID card. His gloved hands managed to snag it but it slipped in his hurried pace. Quickly he turned, with his briefcase swinging, to grab the card.
And the leather case smacked hard right into the forehead of our dear Nancy Thompson.
Nancy didn't even see it coming as she was darting around the man. Stunned she stumbled back nearly falling down the cement steps but he caught her with his free hand keeping her steady. The coffee however was not so fortunate, it flew out of her hand and spilt all over the cold stone pavement.
" I'm so sorry ma'ma!" He stated in a nervous tone yanking her back up straight before she pulled him down with her. Nancy shook her head just trying to recollect what happened in those three previous seconds as the man let go of her arm. " Ah! Your coffee! Oh man I didn't mean to. I dropped my ID card and I didn't know some one was behind me and well…" He let go of her arm and Nancy sighed wincing at the pain in her forehead. She reached up a finger and pulled back to find a little blood on her fingers. The man saw this and his face went pale, and Nancy nearly grabbed his arm afraid he was going to fall back instead.
" It's fine! It's okay!" She quickly sputtered to keep this nervous looking man from becoming even more panicky. She noticed the ID card and bent down picking it up. He looked more natural in the picture then he did at the moment, his brown hair wind blown instead of neatly combed. She looked at the name next to the picture: Thomas Canning. " Here." She handed it to him and he took it giving a smile tinged with worry. " You work here I presume?"
" Oh, yes I do. Perhaps we should get you inside and take care of that cut. I believe there is a first aid kit in the lounge room. If we need to handle this legally in any way-"
" Don't worry, it was just a little accident, but a band aid would be nice." The two quickly went inside the building and Nancy groaned in her head wiping a little blood away from her forehead. 'Now I don't just look desperate, I probably look psycho as well!' They stopped by the front desk first and Thomas quickly checked himself in.
" Thomas, Thomas, that's no way to treat a woman." The front door secretary 'tsked' at him playfully, and he shot a weak smile back at her. 'Obviously not a kidder…' Nancy thought bleakly.
" I was kind of in a hurry, I'm a little late for a meeting with Mr. Ackerman and a woman who is applying for the position as his personal secretary." Nancy watched as both faces paled of color and filled with anxious vibes. Was everyone who worked here jittery and nervous?
" Whoever's applying for that position should probably just look some where else… In fact I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be working here Mr. Canning." The front desk woman responded glancing away to the computer as she spoke.
Nancy decided to pipe in. " Actually I'm here to see Mr. Ackerman about that job." Silence with edgy and uneasy stares, was placed directly upon her, and she could feel her body begin to sweat a little. " I'm Nancy, Nancy Thompson. I called about a week ago…" The woman after a few more moments of staring, looked at the clipboard to the side of her for appointments, ran her finger down the names, and soon nodded her head.
" All right you can go ahead… But…" The dark heavy set woman shot Nancy a look screaming 'get the hell out of here'. " I would go look some where else if I were you. I'm sure you've heard of the 'accusations' placed upon Mr. Ackerman recently. We're not allowed to be gossiping about it but for your sake I'm warning you, you look like a nice young woman."
" Thank you Miss, but I'm not sure if we can just go and label Mr. Ackerman just yet. There isn't enough proof on him yet." Nancy replied as Thomas glanced at his watch. " I need this job as well…"
"Well your decision is your decision." Canning intervened stepping along side Nancy. " Please if you don't mind can we get that cut cleaned up. We're almost late for the appointment." He was obviously a man with work on the brain all the time, and an internal clock that cringed at the thought of being late. " Have a good day Mrs. Johnson."
" You to, and same for you Miss. Thompson." The woman smiled and Nancy strolled along with Thomas into the lounge where he dug up the old first aid kit.
Though the cut stopped bleeding after a good cleaning it was still sore and red. Nancy sighed in her head, wondering if Freddy was pissed at the moment. 'He's probably going to be wondering why the hell I got cut, and what he missed out on. Serves him right for not going back into my dream world.' Thomas led them to the elevator, passing a police officer on the way, (a bad sign that they had to have police observing the office building). The elevator shot them up to the fourth floor where the management offices were located. The building still bore an older feeling in it's structure. It gleamed with new technology, computers, TV's, machinery, and yet felt as if stepping back thirty years or so with the old wood doors, furniture and atmosphere. Employees were chattering on phones, working at their desks and eyeing the two as they walked by.
" Well here it is." Thomas chirped as they stood before a rather large office, the one way glass not allowing a very good view in. The glass panel in the door read in large golden letters, ACKERMAN. Was it just Nancy or was it starting to get hot in there? Goosebumps began to form on her skin, and the fear that this meeting could go horribly wrong ran through her mind. If Freddy was here he could smooth talk her through it and whisper her the right things to say. No. Nancy snapped at herself, she could do it with out the bothersome dream demon, and prove she didn't need him or his help. He was the one who needed her.
Her fingers clenched lightly to ease herself into this, she wasn't in any danger, no need to worry about it yet. She had a goal, a goal that she must achieve and this goal was dependent on this interview.
A click of a shiny metal knob and the door was open. Thomas walked inside first, his right hand fidgeting with his tie before stepping to the side. " Ah Thomas I thought you'd never get here, I was wondering if maybe you had quit working her as well… Though you probably would have left a note of resignation wouldn't you?" Nancy had seen Ackerman's picture before, but he was one of those men whose true characteristic showed in person, not on ink and paper. He was tall, rather good looking, with a strong chin and light brown nicely cut brown hair. His face wore a thin rimmed set of glasses that he took off as he stood behind his desk. Though he was around the age of 47 his strength of youth still hung to him, and a dark mysterious air floated around him as well.
Thomas nervously laughed to the joke Ackerman directed at him though with a glance from Nancy, the thought of resignation had crossed his mind. " Mr. Ackerman this is Miss. Thompson, Nancy Thompson. Sorry about being slightly late, I accidentally… bumped into her before reaching the office."
" He means bump literally." Nancy kid pointing to her forehead. Mr. Ackerman squinted a moment eyeing the souvenir then turning over to Mr. Canning.
" What did you do, just turn and punch her in the face? Honestly Thomas I thought you were better then that…" Ackerman laughed, but it was tinted bitter and tired anger, and Nancy could barely see that venom in his language. She began to already wonder about the man, he just seemed to walk with… a sense of his own self-righteousness.
Nancy was afraid Thomas would commit suicide right before her eyes in his shame. " Well it was all accidental he dropped his ID card and I was walking up right behind him-"
" I'm sure it was an accident. Please sit, I'd like to get started." He directed a hand to a chair and Nancy sat down straitening her dress shirt nicely. " Thomas could you please keep watch of the phone calls coming into the office today… There are a large majority of well… unnecessary callers."
" I understand sir. You've got another applicant after this one at eleven just to remind you. Also your lawyers will be here at one twenty instead of one, they had a slight delay with the court office about your case." Thomas informed turning toward the door. He nodded with a small smile to Nancy and with a click of the door handle Nancy and Mr. Ackerman were left alone in the room. It hit Nancy like a punch to the stomach as she glanced back at the man leaning on the desk across from her. He smiled, like any normal person and she grinned back forcefully. She was staring down just a normal business man… Or a serial killer.
" That was Thomas as I presume you already acquainted yourselves."
" Yes, he's a very nice man, it appears so… Though he's the nervous type I presume."
" Well he works here as head office manager for this company building. I operate from here, since my home town's not to far away, he has to deal with a fair share of business. He's been that way as long as I can remember. I try to kid with him but I'm afraid I'll give him a heart attack one day." He twisted around on his chair and grabbed a folder off the table behind him and tossed it to his desk. " We're here to talk about you though. Your application and resume are here, you sent them in beforehand. You have all the credentials required, but I notice you also work as… a psychiatrist. Down at Westin Hills am I correct?"
" Yes sir. My shifts aren't to long, some days I get fewer hours, depends on how many kids we have in the adolescent wing of the institution, I only work with teenagers and children. It's a good job but I'm looking forward to getting something more then my apartment and this job would be very helpful."
Ackerman looked over the pages flipping and taking notes. Nancy nervously sat there until an idea hit her. 'What if the fact I'm a psychiatrist gives him ideas. He'll be extra cautious, he may think I'm studying him or something… No, I'm probably just getting ahead of myself, I'm thinking like a criminal!' He glanced up at her with a sharp look and she sat a little straighter trying not to display any fear.
" You know about the case I'm in don't you?"
" Huh?" Nancy replied then shook her head. " Yes I do, I mean, it's all over the news and TV so it's hard not to avoid it…" She knew a officer or two were probably patrolling upstairs keeping watch of the floor level.
" You think I did it?" He was leaning over the table more locked on her like a bird of prey on a tiny field mouse. " Do you think I murdered those women? Cause I'll say it straight to you, I did not. Kill those women, I had nothing to do with it. "
" Well sir… I don't know to much about it, I know about the cheating affairs… but you can't blame a man till proven guilty. So I'm not persecuting you or here to investigate you, I'm here cause I need this job. " 'Oh crap! I'm screwed he's going to see right through me and there's no way me and Freddy-
" I understand." He stated sitting back and closing the folder with a soft pat. " I like that you're open with me, most of the other applicants, which I will admit have been few, haven't been so honest. I can see it in your character," He smiled, folding his fingers together with his elbows on t he desk. " This is not place to talk about it now… I hope you don't mind if I go over a few more things with you? Protocol, time schedule, things like that to see if this will work out for you."
" That's fine." Nancy smiled back and imagined herself wiping the sweat off her forehead. Things were going good here, perhaps it would be a good day. Now things were going to get interesting and hopefully this would prove to her annoying side kick that she didn't need him to do this. She smiled on the inside as the two continued to talk inside the office out of any other peoples hearing... Mr. Canning waited nervously at his side desk near the office, a grim expression on his face. A list of phone numbers written on yellow notebook paper, rested near his elbows, filled with the numbers of harassing callers…
The phone rang and he quickly grabbed it clearing his throat a moment. " Hello? Trade-Pass Corporation management office, this is Mr. Canning… Oh… Hello! Yes… He is right now, he's got one other applicant for the day. I'll be sure to let him know about it… Yes…Yes… Okay you take care to Mrs. Ackerman… Good bye." He held the dead line phone, and twirled his finger's in the cord, his mind obviously elsewhere.
Things were going good. Nancy smiled, one of those smiles you couldn't hide if you even tried. Though her back and shoulders were starting to sting, it didn't matter to her at all. Her little car purred down the road, passing cute neighborhoods and heading toward her apartment building. Ah yes, this news would be sure to make up for being a little late, and the cut on her fore head. The apartments came into sight and she pulled into her parking spot, the black car purring one last time before dying down. Heels clacked down the sidewalk as she entered climbing the stairs up to her apartment room. The door opened and Nancy's lovely beaming face entered with a satisfied grin.
A not so lovely face was staring back up at her from a chair, a band aid on it's own forehead sticking out. " Welcome home! How was your day?" Nancy was going to answer but Freddy cut her off, " Great, that's just great! Mine was fantastic, had a good old time. Now should I ask what the hell this was about?" Freddy pointed to his fore head and Nancy rolled her eyes poking hers.
" It was a little accident no big deal." She puffed but was still smiling with her hands on her hips.
" I don't like it when I'm sitting minding my own business, bored out of my mind I might mention, and then suddenly I'm bleeding from the forehead. Feeling like I just got punched in the face." He sarcastically spewed leaning back in the chair, angry glower on his face.
" Look I bumped into some one going into the building… Well okay, actually it was a suit case to the head but it was a complete accident. He was Mr. Ackerman's building manager, Mr. Canning." She stated smiling still as Freddy stopped glaring and sat forward hands on his knees.
" You're happy, too happy… I don't like it, better fix it." Freddy grinned evilly at her as she walked pass him into the kitchen.
She grabbed a glass and opened the fridge pulling out a carton of orange pineapple juice. " Well I'm not sure if I want to tell you… Your sarcasm has offended me." She smirked back at him taking a swig out of the glass. He stood up from the chair, and walked towards the counter, holding his chin with his right hand, avoiding the razors. He looked at her with a counter smirk, and hers fell a little.
" You got the job."
" You catch on fast."
" I thought there were other applicants."
" Yeah there were, well only two. The first one came but he said he was mediocre. The second one who was after me called in saying they couldn't make it, and were looking for another job. He shook his head and simply told me to look forward to the job, I was hired. He really needs some one bad, you should have seen the file work building up behind his desk… No one really wants anything to do with him under the accusation of 'murderer.'" She took another sip and Freddy was still giving her that look.
" You're really going through with this."
" Anything to get rid of you," She retorted but she was unaware of the thoughts rolling inside the dream demons head. " What did you do today? Nothing… bad I hope?" She frowned at him setting the glass down with out looking away.
" Oh I did nothing all day… It was really boring. Boring… Boring… Boring…" His tone of voice sounded fake and he looked at one of his razor claws, glinting in the artificial light. Nancy felt a little anxious about the whole situation she was getting herself into. Mark would be pissed to find out she had taken the job… She poured out the rest of the juice into the sink, an acidic taste ringing on her tongue.
Sorry folks about the late chapter. My computer was gone about a month getting fixed and it took me a while to get back into writing fan fiction. This chapter wasn't as exciting either but it had to be done to get important information into the story. Nancy was hired, awfully quickly, and Freddy's got something up his sleeve… You'll have to wait till next chapter to find out. ;D
Reviews are welcomed with a plate of imaginary cookies in return.