| “I’ll get the luggage.” Mulder offered. He walked out the front door and the girls listened as he opened the trunk of the car. “Come on, we’ll show you where to go.” Piper said. She bounded up the stairs and the rest followed. Instead of going into her own room, Piper went farther down the hall and showed Scully her room. It was about the same size as Piper’s but it was set up differently. Shelves lined the back wall with books, magazines, and stuffed animals. Each shelf seemed to have a theme. One was just of gargoyles while others held ceramics of wolves and dogs. “This is Suzanne’s room.” Piper announced. Scully smiled and walked over to the bookshelf. She began reading the titles of the books and by her expression she liked what she saw. “Your sister has some very good taste when it comes to reading materials.” Scully said. “And it appears she has good taste when it comes to clothes since she usually steals mine.” Piper said laughing. “Nice room.” Mulder said walking in behind the girls. He went into the small room and put Scully’s suitcase on the ground. Scully nodded a thank you and turned to follow Piper and the rest out of the room. Piper went across the hall and opened a door just a little before slamming it shut. She smiled and continued down the hall. She passed her own room and then went down a few stairs and then up another few. She walked into her parent’s bedroom and showed it to Mulder. “This is my mom and dad’s room. I would have had you stayed in Lynn’s room except she cleans about once a century.” Piper explained. Mulder walked into the room and sat down on the bed. “Yea, that sounds like someone I know.” Scully said obviously meaning Mulder. Their office was covered in files and pictures that one day Scully just wanted to sit down and clean but Mulder’s disorganization was just one, among many, faults of his. “Since we have school tomorrow we won’t be staying up too late.” Hannah said hoping what she said would be true. She knew that if she didn’t get enough sleep the next day would be the worst in her life. She was surprised her parents had agreed to let her sleep over Piper’s house. They were usually more than overprotective but Hannah was grateful for one night away from her brother. The girls turned back down the hall and they went into Piper’s room. Scully continued and went into Suzanne’s room. Scully listened as both Piper and Mulder shut their doors and then she shut her own. She knew it was going to be an interesting case especially since Piper was so persistent to help. Scully couldn’t help but think, though, that Piper might actually have something to do with the murders but she then dismissed it as a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. * * * * 10:43 PM “Are you guys still awake?” Erin asked. She looked up at Piper’s ceiling from her sleeping bag on the floor. Bright glow in the dark stars and letters shined down on her. Erin had adjusted her eyes to the dark so she sat up and looked over at Pipers who was on the bed. “I am now.” Hannah mumbled. Erin glanced over at her and watched her roll onto her back. She was also on the floor. “You know what I was thinking?” Erin asked not really expecting a logical answer. “What’s that?” Piper asked. She wasn’t and hadn’t been asleep. Her sleeping patterns were quite different from that of her friends. If she knew no one was home at her house, she stayed awake for as long as her body would allow. Even though Mulder and Scully were at a yelling distance, Piper couldn’t help but feel unsafe. Even when people were home she wouldn’t go to sleep until midnight or even after. “Mulder and Scully would make the cutest couple.” Erin said. “You know, I was thinking the same thing.” Piper said. “I think you two should be quiet.” Hannah responded. Her voice was muffled since her head was face down in her pillow. “No, mean really. They may be like total opposites but they flirt like every two seconds.” Erin explained. Piper began laughing to herself realizing how true Erin was. “I just had the best idea!” She exclaimed suddenly. “Hopefully it’s to go to bed.” Hannah said. She picked up her head and stuck her tongue out at Piper before crawling underneath a yellow sheet that was draped lightly on top of her. “No, we should get Mulder and Scully to play manhunt with us. You know the funniest things always happen when we play that. People are always flirting and things. This would be the perfect chance for them to realize they like each other.” “Sounds great, but one problem…how would we get them to play?” Piper asked. She wasn’t tired anymore. The conversation appealed to her. In her heart, she knew Mulder and Scully belonged together. “Actually, there’s two problems. I will not play manhunt anymore. Not after what happened to Nick.” Hannah said. It was her neighborhood so she decided what went when it came to manhunt. “That’s true, it’s going to be hard to find people who will play manhunt now.” Erin said. “Yes, but what if we told Mulder and Scully that playing will help them catch the killer. If it’s a repeat killing than most likely he’ll come back to the scene of the crime. Maybe he’ll try to pray on one of us.” Piper said. “Oh great, now Miss. Scaredy cat is trying to be brave after reading those millions of FBI books.” Hannah said. “No, I’m serious. It would definitely work. We’ll get Mulder to be on one team and Scully to be on the other. This is more than just trying to get them together this is us helping them solve the case." Piper screamed. She sat straight up in bed and turned on a touch lamp that was next to the bed. “What are you doing?” Erin asked blocking her eyes to the light. “Writing down our plan before we forget it.” Piper explained. She picked up a pencil from the floor and she unstuck a white piece of paper from her tack board. She began scribbling down words. “Great, now she’s list girl.” Hannah said. “I’m going to bed.” Piper continued to write late into the night. She not only wrote about their plans for manhunt but she also started a story. The story of the murder of Nick Rosalini. She was making an outline of what it would be about. Everything that really happened so far needed to be written down before it faded from her memory or before something faded it. Chapter 4 February 15 6:05 AM Alexander Residence Piper opened her eyes and looked over at her alarm clock. It would go off in another five minutes but she figured she should just turn it on now. She pressed a small, black button and a song filled the air. Piper recognized it immediately as the new song by the Backstreet Boys. She turned it up a little, hoping it would wake up Erin and Hannah. “What time is it?” Erin asked. She sounded tired and hardly awake. “About six.” Piper responded. “Wake up Hannah. If we’re going to catch the bus, we have to leave in like a half hour.” Erin rolled over and rubbed her eyes. She outstretched her hand and hit Hannah on the shoulder. Hannah grunted and sat up. “What’s going on?” She mumbled. Her eyes stayed half-way closed. “Time to get up for school.” She said. “If someone would have turned off her light before three o’clock in the morning, I might not be so grumpy right now.” “Girls, come on it’s time to get up!” Someone yelled. Piper quickly recognized it as Scully’s though she was so tired she didn’t even remember why Scully would be at her house. “Hey, do you smell that?” Erin asked. “Smell what?” Hannah mumbled rolling over. She covered her head with her sheet, pretending to fall back asleep. “Pancakes.” Piper finished. “Is Scully making pancakes?” Erin wondered. Piper quickly scrambled out of bed not willing to miss the phenomenal event of Scully cooking. Erin quickly stood up, tripping over a pair of shoes. They both ran downstairs and stopped short when they saw Scully standing at the stove and Mulder sitting at the kitchen table reading a newspaper with a cup of coffee in his hands. They were both fully dressed. Scully was wearing her usual suit jacket, which today was shiny black with a white shirt underneath. Mulder had his usual suit on but he had not yet put on his tie or his jacket. “You guys look like you live here, or something.” Katie said. “Where’s Hannah? I made you guys breakfast.” Scully said. “Are you sure you guys are okay?” Ashley questioned. “Of course, what time does school start for you guys?” Mulder asked putting down his newspaper. “7:45.” Hannah responded walking down the stairs. All three of the girls were still in their pajamas. Hannah looked the most tired out of the girls but somehow Scully knew Piper was the one who had caused the staying up all night. “We’ll take you guys in.” Scully offered. Piper looked back at Hannah and Erin with a weird look. Mulder and Scully seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood. Piper wondered if she should tell them about their manhunt plans now or if she should wait. Piper took a seat at the table and Hannah and Erin did the same. Scully walked over holding a plate full with pancakes. She put it on the table and the girls dug in. |