AN: A long time ago – nearly a decade, in fact, which was actually when this series still aired new episodes – I challenged myself to write a Fillmore fanfic. Sadly, the self-challenge flopped, and it was abandoned. However, recent inspiration has changed that. Just for the record, I don't own Disney's Fillmore – the series title has Disney attached to it for a very obvious reason. Anything you don't recognize is probably mine. This story's set in high school, just to keep things interesting, though the known patrol roster is still the same.

And now, Fillmore; today's story...

Ghosts of Past, Visions of Future

Act 1: Return of a Friend, Strength of a Team

"There's proper channels, and then there's getting the job done." – Vallejo, "Immune To All But Justice"

"Fillmore's in trouble? Show me." – Wayne Ligget, "South of Friendship, North of Honor"

They call Fillmore and Third the power team of X Middle School, and eventually X High as well – and given the amount of delinquents they've busted, there may be something to it. But the ones who knew the first power team that Ingrid Third was on are long gone. But the name of her former – and final, thanks mostly to Fillmore – partner-in-crime has stuck with her since she got to the city.

Carter Sisko; fighter, though he preferred a good book to fisticuffs. Genius – though not quite to Ingrid's caliber. And one of the only friends Ingrid had before meeting Fillmore; Sisko was the only person she'd truly trusted to any degree before X... and as Fillmore and Third sat at their desks filling out paperwork, they were both in for a surprise.

"Fillmore, Third!" Vallejo barked, "We've got a newbie on deck; transferred to X last week from up in Canada. He seems to know you, Ingrid."

"Who is it, Vallejo?" Fillmore asked; as the Junior Commissioner stepped aside with a smirk, both of X's best Safety Patrollers had to hold back shocked expressions. Fillmore because of the fact the new guy looked like his twin and Ingrid because, despite five years of changes, she knew that person. Dark skin identical to Fillmore's, though this teen's hands were a lot more rugged; a near-bald scalp, 'for the sake of efficiency', he'd kept saying; and beat-up, dark-tinted glasses hiding his dark eyes.

"Carter Sisko?" Ingrid's eyes were wide with shock – it was indeed her old friend and partner-in-crime.

"Ingrid Third," Carter grinned, "Good to see you again. It's been... what, six years?"

"I thought you moved to Calgary six years ago!"

"I did." Carter admitted, "To make a long, painful story short, the family came down here."

"And your friend here, Third, came with some of the best transfer records I've ever seen!" Vallejo grinned, "You know he was up for my spot there?"

"Wow," Fillmore replied, "To be up for Junior Commish... you've gotta have some serious cred, man."

"According to the principal and commish up north," Carter replied wryly, leaning against the wall nearest Ingrid's desk, "But I didn't see it - I turned down the offer. I love the beat too much."

"You were solo up there?" Fillmore had to admit, he was curious; Ingrid mentioned little about her past, never mind having a partner-in-crime.

"I only wish," Carter snarked wryly, "Had a partner for the two years I was there; Cassandra Murphy. Everyone called her Cass."

"I bet she's a tough girl." Ingrid replied.

"She was my best friend from day one; kind of reminded me of you, actually." Carter smiled faintly and lowered his voice to a murmur, "Tough, smart, cute... but it looks like someone else noticed that about you too."

"Who do you mean... wait, Fillmore?" Ingrid whispered, "He and I are friends and partners, you goof – that's all!"

"Okay, okay, as you wish." Carter smirked.

"If you two are done flirting," Vallejo smirked at Carter's sudden blush, Ingrid's expression of annoyance and Fillmore's agitation, "I've got an announcement. The reason I introduced Carter here wasn't just so one of our star patrollers could meet an old friend again."

"You're putting him on our team." Fillmore replied. It wasn't a question; Ingrid could tell that even with her best friend's voice changing slightly, getting deeper.

"You'd be correct." Vallejo shot back with a smile.

"Too new to go solo, too much like the best patrollers here to fit in on a team of my own," Carter's lips curved into a grin, "That and I requested teaming with you guys. Ergo..."

"You're with us," Ingrid grinned, "Good to have you back."

"You and Fillmore will share a desk until we can get yours in, Sisko; if any assignments come up, you're with him and Ingrid. Welcome aboard." Vallejo grinned, handing Carter the orange sash and gold-plated badge before leaving for his office. Fillmore shared a look with the other African-American teen as the badge was pocketed and the sash worn; in X High, there were no funny induction ceremonies.

"We'll talk later, man." Fillmore muttered.

"Of course," Carter replied, "But know this; I'm here as a friend and teammate to Ingrid, and to you if you'll let me. I'm not gonna butt into whatever dynamic you two have."

"Thanks."

"No sweat." Carter grinned, moving into a series of stretches.

"Still doing martial arts?" Ingrid asked absently, returning to her paperwork.

"You know it." Carter grinned, "Gotta keep in shape somehow."

"It's not like chasing down perps doesn't do that enough." Fillmore snarked, "If you did that all through middle school and your place was as good as X..."

"Trust me," Carter grunted as he finished stretching his arms, "Cass and I got a great workout these last four years."

"What happened to cause you to reform?" Ingrid asked, "I mean, for me it was Fillmore, for him it was his old partner Wayne... who did it for you?"

"It's a long story," Carter sighed, "Suffice it to say that I owe my Patroller status to a lot of people... people I'll never be able to repay."

"Things went bad?" Fillmore asked.

"Yeah... real bad," Carter grimaced, "When I got to Calgary, I was a punk – practically your counterpart up there. The ones who stopped me and put me on this path, they weren't on the Patrol, so they couldn't protect themselves from my old 'pals'... not entirely. They got on the wrong side of some of them after steering me towards the right side; most of the allies involved forgave me for that incident... at least the good ones. But two friends, good friends, never did. Dunno why. Cass helped me break out of the resulting funk I was in."

"And she didn't come down here with you?" Ingrid raised an eyebrow.

"She moved too... just not with me. She's still patrolling, though; having a blast down in Cali." Carter grinned wryly, "Enough of my sob story, though – what's prodigy Ingrid Third been up to the last five years, and how'd she cross paths with X's sole delinquent-turned Patroller?"

"How'd you know about that?" Fillmore asked before Ingrid could give a summary of the prior five years.

"I read a lot, too – even with martial arts you have to if you want to learn new skills." Carter replied, "Files, books, fiction, non-fiction..."

"Dawg," Fillmore smiled wryly, "You're like the best qualities of Ingrid and I rolled into one."

"The best, huh? I only wish, man!" Carter smirked, "I'm not as smart as Ingrid – definitely don't have her photographic memory, and I know I could never be as strong as you – though I bet if we had an eating contest involving pizza or Sloppy Joes, we'd probably tie."

"Maybe." Fillmore smiled wryly, returning to his paperwork.

"So what's happened to my closest ally these last five years?" Carter's smirk died down, "I missed ya, Ingrid. Even without all the trouble we got into, I'd like to think we were friends."

"We were, Carter, and we still are." Ingrid replied, "But you know why I had to leave."

"I know – same reason I left. But I'm still curious."

Suddenly, the talkie on Fillmore's belt went off. As the ex-delinquent reached for it, he missed his two friends – one close, one new – sharing a look. We'll talk later.

"Fillmore, this is Anza; Tehama and I've got a situation in the cafetorium, requesting backup." The calm voice of the dark-haired teen made Fillmore smile; regardless of any surprises he and Ingrid would encounter, their friends would never change.

"We're on it, Anza – see ya in five; Fillmore out."

"It's case time, huh?" Carter smirked.

"It's on." Fillmore's expression mirrored his newest friend's as they exited the Safety Patrol office; Ingrid smiled and rolled her eyes at the dramatics of her two dearest friends.

"Let's go, you two - Tehama and Anza are waiting for us."

AN: First delve into Fillmore on FFN – hope y'all like it. Review!