From: miranda119@juno.com Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 05:16:29 GMT Subject: 1974 by Miranda Source: direct Title: 1974 Author: Miranda Rating: G Category: S Summary: An unhappy twelve year old Fox has a conversation with a nine year old girl in a military base janitor's room. Disclaimer: Chris Carter is the only one who has the right to say whether this happened or not. Langley Air Force Base, Virginia Saturday, January 26, 1974 The halls echoed with their arguing. Endless, hushed arguing that seemed to the twelve year old to never end. He was so tired of it. No one could argue that much. Most of the time they acted like he wasn't there. His own parents and they acted like he didn't even exist. He followed behind them down the long corridors of the sterile looking military base hall, wondering if they would even notice were he to slip away somewhere. Probably not. They were too busy hating each other. The places where his father spent most of his time were fascinating to young Fox Mulder. They seemed to house mystery and secrets that his overused imagination delighted in. The fun he could have roaming these halls on his own, investigating the dark complexities of the monolithic passageways that seemed to continue forever. He glanced ahead once more to his parents, who were walking at a fast pace, hunched together in their secretive pose, faces red with irritation. He stopped walking. They continued. Down the endless hallway they went, their voices growing softer and softer until they were out of sight. They hadn't even checked to make sure he was still with them. He sighed, then shrugged. Who cared? If his own mother and father didn't care if he went off by himself in an immense air force base, why should he? He set off in the opposite direction to find the planes. Maybe, if he were lucky, one would be left open and he could pretend he was a fighter pilot out to save the world. After about five minutes of walking, he realized that he was hopelessly lost. Every hallway he observed appeared the exact same as the last. He mumbled to himself as he walked, wondering what he should do now. He'd probably get shot by a guard. Oh, well. At least he wouldn't have to hear the arguing anymore. It had been better before Samantha was gone. They had still argued all the time, but at least they were somewhat aware of their children. Two long months had gone by since she had disappeared. He'd give anything to have her back again. He hadn't realized until she was gone that she was his best friend. The sudden figure of a little girl in front of him a ways brought his mind back to the long grew hallway. She saw him and fled, running through a door and slamming it behind her. A strange thought crossed his mind. What if it were Samantha? What if one of Dad's creepy friends had brought her here? He started running. In a few seconds he reached the doorway he had seen the girl enter. It was a janitor's closet. He stepped inside and shut the door. "Samantha?" He whispered hopefully. There was only silence. "I know you came in here. You might as well come on out." He reasoned with the girl. Finally a freckled face peeked out from behind a water heater. "Are you going to shoot me?" She asked curiously. "You're not Samantha." He sighed in disappointment. She shook her head. "You're not Bill either." She informed him. "Who's Bill?" He asked. "My older brother." She came out from behind the vent. He noticed how short and skinny she was. Like Samantha. "We were playing hide and seek." "Where're your parents?" He turned a mop bucket over and sat down on it. "My Dad's in a meeting. We came with him to see the planes. He's going to show us after he's done." She sat down across from him on a small stool. "So your Dad just let's you wander all over the place?" He gave her a doubtful look. She shook her head sheepishly. "No. We snuck out of the waiting room. There was nothing to do in there. Where're your parents?" She countered. "They were too busy fighting to notice that I stopped walking behind them. I figured I'd go find the planes for myself. Do you know where they are?" She nodded unenthusiastically. "Yeah. I've seem them plenty of times. Bill's the one that likes planes. I just like coming with Daddy." They were quiet for a minute. "You've got the reddest hair I've ever seen." He smirked at her. She stuck out her tongue, a rebellious flush christening her face. "Well you've got the biggest nose I ever saw." She replied disdainfully. After a moment she looked back at him. "I'm sorry. That was really mean." "How old are you?" "I'm going to be ten in a month." She remarked proudly. "How old are you?" "Twelve." He said condescendingly. She made a face. "What's so special about being twelve? My brother's twelve, and he's a jerk." She shrugged indifferently. They sat in silence for a few moments. "So who's Samantha?" The red head asked inquisitively. Fox looked up. "Huh?" "Who's Samantha? That's what you called me when you came in." She reminded him. He remembered. "Oh. She's my little sister." He explained shortly, looking down at the floor. Her sensitive nature picked up on the sadness immediately. "Where is she? Did she come here with you today?" She pried further. He shook his head. "She got kidnapped. About two months ago." "Kidnapped by who?" The little girl was breathless with shock. "Don't you think if we knew who she wouldn't still be kidnapped?" He snapped at her. She looked away and didn't answer. He sighed. "Sorry, Red. It just hurts a little bit to talk about it." "How old was she?" "Nine." He replied simply. She gasped. "That's how old I am!" She reminded him. He nodded. "You don't think I'll get kidnapped too, do you?" She asked him sincerely. He shook his head. "Nah. You'll be all right." He assured her. "Well, I better go find Bill." The girl stood to leave. "It was nice to meet you." "Maybe we'll see each other around again sometime. We can do an investigation of this place." He smiled at her in response. He was rewarded with a big grin. "That would be lots of fun." She agreed. As she went to the door, she came to stand next to him for a moment. "I hope you find your sister." She spoke softly. He looked up at her. "I will." With that, she left him. He watched her open the door and walk down the hallway. He did not as a general rule care much about younger girls, but there was something special about her. He realized he didn't even know her name. He sighed, and got up to go find his parents. They had barely missed him when he spotted them in a corridor. His mother gave him a short reprimand for getting lost. He apologized. "So what were you doing all by yourself?" His father asked, distracted by papers he held in his hand. "I met a girl. I think I might marry her someday." The words came out of his mouth before he could stop them. But it didn't matter much. They nodded and continued their conversation. He didn't know if he'd ever really get married. His parents had muddied his picture of marriage too much. But if he ever did, he wanted it to be the kind little red headed girl who had said that she hoped he'd find his sister. He hoped he'd find her again as well. Someday. The end. miranda119@juno.com