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From: dks115@psu.edu (Diana K. Shaffer)
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Subject: nightowls
Date: 3 Dec 1994 12:09:03 GMT
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     I have no idea if this is going to go anywhere, so be fore warned.
 Any way this is unrelated to my current story.  Its just that its 5am,
I can't sleep and well, I might as well do something.

     Fox Mulder stared at his digital clock, waiting for the numbers to
change.  He'd been doing that for the last 10 minutes.  'Its come to
this.' he thought.  'I'm being entertained by my clock.  This is sad
Mulder.  Very sad.'  He'd gone through all or his usual tricks and
nothing had worked.  He'd watched t.v., he'd played quiet music, he
perused the internet for awhile,  he'd even tried warm milk.  Nothing. 
"Why can't I sleep!"  he yelled at his ceiling.  "Screw it!"  Mulder
hoped out of his bed and started throwing some clothes.  'Its too late
to go to sleep now anyway.  I'd just end up sleeping until noon and
then Skinner would have my head'  Mulder grabbed his coat and headed
out into the night.
     "Ah, God its cold!"  This was turning out to be a weird December. 
Yesterday it was in the 50's but tonight Mulder thought he actually saw
some snow flurries in the air.  Sighing he continued walking up the
street.  'If Scully knew I did this she'd have my head'.  He knew
walking the streets of D.C. wasn't the safest thing to be doing at this
hour.  It was just that when he had insomnia as bad as this, his
apartment seemed like another dimension.  Sometimes it felt like it was
the apartment itself that kept him from sleeping.  It turned into this
silent tomb that just sucked up everything.  every sound, every breath,
every thought....Shut up Mulder, this isn't helping.  Caffeine, I need
Caffeine!  He turned the corner and saw the lights of the all night
diner he escaped to when his nights got as bad as this one.  He moved
toward it like a drowning man.  As he opened the door he was engulfed
by warmth, the smell of coffee and..... Christmas music.  Mulder
scowled.  He was not ready for this holiday yet.
     "I know, I know.  You think its to early.  Well tough."  
Jeannie,the  waitress behind the counter gestured at a young girl
sitting by herself at the end of the counter.  "Why don't ya join
Ebenezzer down there G-Man and let me have my Christmas spirit."
     Mulder held up his hands in surrender and sat a few stools away
from the other customer.  He glanced over curious who else would be up
at this ungodly hour.  He was surprised to note that she didn't look
any older than 17.  Mulder fought a private war with himself.  He knew
she probably wouldn't let him help her, but his conscience wouldn't let
it go.  It wasn't safe for a kid to be wandering the streets at this
hour.  Maybe he could talk her into letting hin walk her home.  If she
had one.  "Hey."  Mulder said  "what's a nice girl like you doing in a
place like this."  Sometimes the corniest lines worked best.  He was
right he could see her smile even fron the side view.  She turned to
look at him.  She had circles under her eyes and she looked tired, but
not troubled.  "Getting a transfusion."  She grinned lifting her coffee
mug.  "How about you?"
     "Same thing."
     "Here ya go my little Vampires."  Jeannie said setting a fresh cup
of coffee in front of both of them.  Jeannie was a round woman in her
50's, who took to mothering her customers, in her own gruff way.  "What
can I get you to eat?"
  "Nothing, thanks."  Mulder and the girl said at the same time.
     "Bullshit.  The two of you look like crap and if you aren't going
to sleep you might as well eat!"  She looked at them expectantly.
     "Uh, you got any soup?"  The girl asked
     "Tomato or Clam chowder?"  the waitress asked.
     "Tomato."
     "The chowders got more to it."  Jeannie said.
     "I'm allergic to clams."
     Jeannie nodded and turned to Mulder.  
     "Uh, grilled cheese?" he said
     "Thats fine."  and with that she walked into the kitchen.
     "She's worse that my mom.  In fact I don't think my mom has ever
made me food at 5 in the morning."
     "Speaking of your Mom, does she know your here?"  Mulder was too
tired to be subtle.
     "Not my exact locatation, no."  The girl grinned at him like she
had a secret.  "How old do you think I am?"
     "You look about 17."  Mulder said.
     The girl fished in her pocket and pulled out a card.  She passed
it to him down the counter.  Mulder picked it up and flipped it over. '
Diana Shaffer Penn State University' it said.  "Ah, you're in college. 
You don't look it.  oh, sorry I mean.." 
     "Don't worry about it.  I get it all the time.  It doesn't really
bother me.  There are worse things than looking younger than your age."
     Mulder nodded  "What are you doing in Washington?"
     "My friends and I are on winter break.  Kind of blowing off steam
from finals."
     "Where are your friends?"
     "Sleeping, back at the hotel."
     "Why aren't you?"
     "Wish I knew."  She said
     "Have trouble sleeping often?"  Mulder asked.  He didn't know why
he having this conversation.  Especially now that he knew she was old
enough to fend for herself.  But what the hell, what else did he have
to do."
     "All my life, off and on.  My mother says I haven't slept through
the night since I was born.  How about you.  What are you doing up?"
     "He doesn't sleep either."  Jeannie said putting a bowl of soup
and a grileed cheese in front of both of them.  "You've both got
worries on your minds if you ask me."
     Diana shook her head.  "I've been doing this since I was a kid,
what could possibly have been worrying me for over 20 years?"
     "Have you ever been abducted by aliens?"  Jeannie asked
     Diana choked on her soup.  "I don't think so."
     "Sorry Mulder."  the waitress said and went back to her cleaning.
     "What was that about?"
     "Don't ask."  Mulder said
     "Diana! There you are!"
     Both Mulder and Diana turned to see two young woman standing in
the doorway.  They did not look happy.
     "Agent Mulder this is Kaela Parkhouse and Kathy Glynn.  The two
friends I was telling you about.  They are probably now going to kill
me now for wandering out in the middle of the night.  The two girls
nodded confirmation.
     "Your not the only one in trouble."  Agent Scully walked up behind
the Kathy and Kaela.
     "Scully!"  What are you doing here?"  Mulder asked surprised.
     "And how did you two know where to find me?"  Diana asked of her
friends.  The three standing on the doorway all motioned over to the
waitress.
     "Jeannie?"  Mulder and Diana asked.
     "  So I called them so sue me. It is not safe for either one of
you to be wandering the streets at night.  Besides like I said its
worries that keep you two up.  And there is no better cure for a case
of the worries than a friend."  Mulder and Diana looked at each other
and sighed.  "Busted."  Diana said.
     "We've been turned into the sleep police."
     As Mulder and Diana walked out the door with their friends Jeanie
called out to them.  "Hey ladies!   See if you can't sing these two
little vampires some lullabyes tonight."  
     Diana rolled her eyes and Mulder gave her a silent Ha Ha as they
walked out the door.
     "See you tomarrow night."  She whispered to them both.  Then she
resumed cleaning the counter.   

      
        

    
    

