An Unusual Pair

Disclaimer: I don't own A Nightmare on Elm Street but I do own my own characters and the plot line.

Summary: In an attempt to stop Freddy Krueger the government has launched a new department in Springwood's police force; a department that specializes in catching Freddy.

*Author's Note*

I didn't watch every movie that ever came out since it was before my time. However I am a big Freddy Krueger fan and I've watched the remake and Freddy vs. Jason a gazillion times already. So please forgive me if there are any diehard fans of A Nightmare on Elm Street here and I get something wrong.

Chapter 1

Springwood was a rumored town; its infamous legend has spread wide and far within the states. The legend of Freddy Krueger, a child molester set ablaze by an angry mob of parents demanding he face his crimes. They had taken matter into their own hands and were satisfied with a burnt and crispy corpse of a child molester. However Krueger wasn't done. He had only started. By ending his life, the parents had released Krueger from the burdens of a living body. With no restrictions bounding him to the laws of physics Krueger was free to continue about his crimes. However that wasn't what intrigued Ava. What intrigued her was the method he chose; killing them in their dreams. And there was his fixation on teenagers too. Ava always found it confusing. From what she heard, he was a child molester, but teenagers were no longer children, they were growing into adults. He should have no interest in them at all. So why them?

That was the question Ava brought from New York to Springwood. Ava had always intended to visit Springwood to check out the legend. So the moment she received a call from the new department of Springwood's police requesting her help, she jumped at the chance without thinking. She had almost forgotten how to breathe when the bus brought her past the border of Springwood and stopped at the bus station. Ava quickly gathered her luggage from the compartment below the bus and headed into the station.

"Ms. Derricks!" A voice called for her immediately. Ava turned to right. Standing on top of a chair was a grown brown-haired man in full police uniform waving her picture around frantically. She arched an eyebrow and walked over slowly. The policeman jumped off the chair as she stopped a foot in front of him.

"I'm so glad you're here. I've been here an hour." He whined.

"I said I was going to arrive at eleven." Ava stated.

"Yes but I didn't want to miss you in case you arrived early." He smiled.

"…"

"Anyway, it's so glad to have you join us. I can already smell the success you'll bring to our department." The man grabbed her two suitcases without asking for her opinion on him assisting her. Ava remained silent as he led her towards the exit.

"I'm Melvin, by the way."

"Ava," she replied without thinking.

"I know," he smiled again. "I bet you're wondering what cop's name is Melvin, huh?"

"No." Ava admitted it was a weird name but she wasn't interested. What she was interested in was Freddy Krueger.

"I've been meaning to ask," she started to say as he loaded her luggage into the trunk of black suspicious looking car. She examined it as she waited for him. "How did you find me? How do you choose your recruits?"

"That, I'm not sure. The higher ups choose the recruits. We just follow orders." Melvin opened the passenger door for her. She slid in silently. She watched him run around the front of the car and slide into the driver's side.

"How many recruits are there?"

"Too many to count," Melvin responded immediately.

"…"

"I mean, it's not like its overcrowded or anything. It's just… too many of them die too fast so we're constantly recruiting people." Melvin kept his eyes on the road. Ava folded her legs and pushed her long straight white hair behind her shoulders.

"Who's the longest survivor?"

"That would be Priscilla." Melvin said with pride.

"Priscilla?"

"Yeah, Priscilla Collins has been with the department ever since we've started out. It took a while for her to agree to it but eventually she agreed. We all keep thinking she's going to go the next time she goes under but it hasn't happened yet." Melvin sighed. Ava watched him. Her eyes narrowed as the aura surrounding him shifted from stable to wavering. It pulsated strongly.

"You're worried about her… you like her… you only joined the department so you can keep her safe…" Ava whispered. Melvin shot her a fast glance before focusing his eyes on the road.

"Damn, you psychics are good." He laughed. "Yeah I like Priscilla. She's been my favorite girl ever since we were young. Even though I'm a whole nine years older I can't help but like her."

"Love is a strong emotion… it cannot be contained by boundaries and morals of humankind." Ava spoke without thinking. He shot her a confused glance.

"I guess you could say that." He muttered, unsure what to say.

The rest of the ride was silent. Ava turned in her seat to stare out at the passing view. Springwood was mostly a residential town with the occasional couple blocks of stores and government buildings like post offices. It was quiet without much incident and population was well controlled. It wasn't deserted like some towns. There was the occasional person every couple steps behind or blocks away. The scenery gave Ava a sense of weird. As a born and bred New Yorker she's never seen this kind of quiet before. There was always something going on in New York City, even the dead of night wasn't dead. There was no such term in New York City; dead of night. She wondered if the term exists here.

"We're here." Melvin announced as he drove onto the sidewalk and into a wide parking lot tucked away secretly behind a building. He parked closest to the door. Ava peered up at the building through the front glass. There was a gloomy and eerie glow to it.

Befitting, a creepy building for catching a creepy dude… She muttered, allowing her teenage years to show for a moment. She rarely thought herself as a teenager. It didn't seem to fit. She was so much more than that. And she wasn't afraid to show it; no coy games of no-I'm-not-that-smart-or-wise. She was who she was. Ava left Melvin to grab her bags as she walked towards the door. She didn't know why they used the back entrance but she liked it. It was low key, just the way she liked it. Melvin urged her to open the door. And she did. The inside was nothing like the outside.

The inside was brightly lit with fluorescent lights. It gave off a shade of blue to the walls. It was clean and lively. Many scientists walked by her. They glanced, said hello, introduced themselves, and moved on. So far she hadn't seen any teenagers. Melvin led her towards the elevators and pressed for the tenth floor.

"All our recruits are given a room in this building. They're all on the tenth floor. Before bed you have to make sure you take Hypnocil. It will prevent Krueger from entering your dreams." Ava looked at him weird. "Our recruits' dreams are all monitored; we can't risk any dreaming that isn't. Our goal is to save lives, not kill more." Melvin explained.

"However you said many have died."

"Those are trial and errors on our part. We, as observers and controllers, have failed numerous times in controlling the dreams. Sometimes it's hard trying to wake the dreamer." Melvin bowed his head. Then he looked at her.

"You're not rethinking your decision are you? Because if you are…"

"No, I'm not. Even though I'm a New Yorker, Freddy Krueger has been somewhat of an obsession for me. A chance like this I wouldn't give it up." Ava stepped out of the elevator as the doors opened. It was here that she saw many teenagers wandering around, as if it was just a college dorm. They all stopped what they were doing and turned to look at her as Melvin and her passed them.

"Even if you die?" Melvin asked her.

"Death isn't the end, Melvin. It's far from it." Ava asked then she turned to him. "Which room is my room?" She asked.

"Room fourteen, you're sharing with Priscilla." Melvin smiled brightly at Priscilla's name rolling off his tongue.

"I heard my name," a female voice spoke before a brown curly haired head peeked out from room fourteen. Ava assumed that was Priscilla. Her smiling brown eyes focused onto Melvin then traveled to Ava. She blinked then emerged fully from the room.

"Hi, I'm Priscilla Collins." She took several steps in Ava's direction and offered a hand. Ava stared at it then took it gently.

"Ava Derricks; nice to meet you," Ava introduced herself.

"Priscilla, could you help Ms. Derricks settle in for me? I need to run, my shift starts soon." Melvin asked. Priscilla turned to him and released Ava's hand.

"Sure, Melv'," she agreed instantly. Melvin placed Ava's bags down.

"You'll get a formal introduction with the leaders of this department downstairs later when you go in for your first session. It was nice meeting you Ms. Derricks." He informed her.

"You too, Melvin," Ava nodded. He nodded back and headed back to the elevators. Priscilla picked one of her suitcases immediately.

"Come on," she walked into the room. Ava followed.

"My bed's on the right so the left one's yours." Priscilla parked her suitcase next to the empty bed. It was already made for her with pink cotton sheets.

"You can put on your own sheets if you want to. It's not regulations. It's just that we're girls so they always go for pink." Priscilla rolled her eyes as she fell back against her own bed. It was made in sheets with circle designs in many different colors. Even her pillow cases held the same designs.

"It's ok; I'm not one to fuss about bed sheets." Ava felt along the edge of the mattress before settling her bag onto it.

"The closet at the foot of your bed is yours too." Priscilla pointed to the open empty closet. Ava looked at it then lifted her suitcases onto the bed and began unpacking.

"So what's with the white hair?" Priscilla asked a moment later.

"I was born with it."

"You're an albino… Aren't you supposed to be jittery and stuff?" Priscilla's voice was suspicious.

"Not all albinos are jittery and afraid of sunlight. It's a genetic mutation but most of us are able to adapt." Ava stuffed her suitcases far into the corner of the closet before closing the door.

"Wow, you unpack fast."

"I didn't bring much." Ava sat down on the bed and took off her sneakers.

"No photos, books, games, anything to do on your spare time?" Priscilla asked.

"I'm not a material person."

"Not even photos of your family? Aren't you going to miss them?"

"I don't have family. They died in a car accident two years ago."

"All the more reason to carry a photo," Priscilla answered back with a careless tone.

"I don't need to. The best photo I've got is in here," Ava pointed to her head. "The brain's capacity to memorize events within our life is the most extraordinary camera you can hope for. And like I said, I'm not a material person." Ava fell back against the bed and curled up onto her side. She yawned.

"Don't fall asleep, save it for the experiment." Priscilla said. Taking her advice into consideration, Ava sat up and leaned against the wall.

"When does it start?" Ava asked.

"We don't all go under together. Every day two different girls go under. They do it by rooms so we don't get mixed up on whose turn it is. You came at the right time. Today is our turn. Every Friday is our day." Priscilla asked. Ava studied her. From what she heard, Krueger's victims mostly went psychotic. They were unable to tell the different between reality and dream. They were unable to function within society. Yet Priscilla is able to smile and interact with her without questioning her reality. And she's been here since the beginning.

"Is something wrong?" Priscilla asked.

"From what I've heard, Krueger's victims have all gone psychotic…" Ava didn't finish. From the pulsating waves of Priscilla's aura she could tell Priscilla knew what she was talking about.

"I don't know why, but Krueger hasn't killed me yet. He tortures me," she lifted her shirt over her head to show the many scratch marks healing on her skin. Ava stared at the flesh. It had been marked constantly. "But he doesn't kill me. So I told myself, I'll keep laughing and be myself until the day he decides to kill me." Priscilla smiled.

"That's a good philosophy to live by." Ava responded. The clock on Priscilla's bedside drawer chose that moment to ring. Its shrilling voice penetrated Ava's eardrums painfully causing her to wince. Priscilla slapped her hand down onto the silver nub atop its head. She stood from her bed and stretched.

"It's time," she said. "It's time we go downstairs for our session." Ava stood as well. She didn't bother with her shoes. It wasn't like they were going outside anyway. Instead she took off her socks, wiggled her toes, and then followed Priscilla out the door. The other girls had all gathered at their doors, waiting for them. When the two emerged there were at least a dozen replicas of a sympathetic face and many wishes for them to come back safely. Priscilla answered their wishes with an "I will" cheerfully. Ava just walked past them and nodded. She wasn't making any promises. She knew the danger she was walking into and knew the weight of a failed promise.

Priscilla led her down to the fifth floor. It was built like a laboratory for a controlled experiment. In the center of the floor was a cleared glass room. Inside was two beds, one on the left and one on the right; nothing else. A door stood facing the beds. Surrounding this small room was many scientists with computers and machines Ava couldn't begin to describe. It was the first time she's seen anything like this. Melvin appeared before them.

"I wish you two the best of luck," he said and shook Ava's hand. He grabbed Priscilla into a tight heart wrenching hug. She returned it with equal strength.

"I will," Priscilla responded. Then another man dressed in uniform approached Ava. Behind him trailed a scientist with sandy blond hair that flowed past his ears.

"Welcome to our facilities, Ms. Derricks." The uniformed man greeted. "I am the captain of this department. My name is Hershel and I prefer to be called Hershel and I won't give you my last name even if you ask because I like to be called Hershel." He laughed a good belly laugh. Ava wondered if he enjoyed this department's work in some sick twisted way. He seemed too cheery for someone who's watched teenagers have their lives stolen from them into their sleep. The scientist behind him moved forward.

"Good morning, Ms. Derricks. I'm the head scientist here. My name's Frederick Hanson."

"Good morning, Dr. Hanson."

"Fred's fine."

"…" There was a comment she could have made here about his name but she held her tongue. It was intriguing only because it involved Krueger. And she felt her humor and interest wouldn't be shared in this situation. Instead she focused on what they told her to do. They were relieved when they heard she was exhausted from her trip. They explained they normally shoot tranquilizers or gave the girls sleeping pills to get them to go to sleep. They had her and Priscilla enter the glass room and into bed. Wires were attached to their heads and heart before the comforter was pulled up to the chins.

"Good luck," Fred whispered to Ava as he headed out the door and locked it. Ava looked over to Priscilla. She already had her eyes closed. Her chest was rising evenly. Priscilla's aura glowed steadily, never wavering, and never sloshing. It grew faint the deeper she slept. Silence enveloped Ava as she turned towards the ceiling and closed her eyes.

-BREAK-

The first thing she was aware of was the singing. Its volume outgrew anything else she might have heard. Ava kept her eyes closed as she listened to the song.

One, two

Freddy's coming for you

Three, four

Better lock the door

Five, six

Grab a crucifix

Seven, eight

Better stay up late

Nine, ten

Never sleep again

The song repeated itself. She reached her arms out and planted her feet firmly onto the ground. She knew where she was. She knew she was dreaming. She knew Krueger was here with her. Slowly and carefully she opened her eyes. Before her was a preschool. She stood on the back steps leading to the playground. Children ran past her, in a fixed time, laughing and smiling. Four girls stood in the center jumping rope and singing the song. Two girls jumped while the other two turned the rope. They paid her no attention. The sun shined brightly but she felt nothing, not even a thread of heat. She looked up then turned around. The school doors were wide open. Without thinking Ava ascended the stairs and walked into the school; her bare feet feeling the chill of the school floor. She gravitated to the walls. Ava leaned her forehead against its cool material and flattened her palms beside her head. She closed her eyes and waited.

Waves of loneliness, anger, and revenge crashed into her almost instantly. She furrowed her eyebrows. Wanting to know more Ava flattened her body against the wall.

Tell me more, she begged. Another wave of anger assaulted her before subsiding and then there was nothing. She pulled back. Of course it wasn't going to be that easy. If it was then she wouldn't be here. Ava pulled away from the wall. She turned to observe the hallway. It was silent and empty of souls. Though a dream world, it was eerily still. Krueger hadn't shown up yet. And she hasn't seen Priscilla. In fact she hasn't seen anything besides the timeless children playing outside. Ava followed the hall deeper into the school. The lights in the classrooms are all on but no one in them. She began to suspect the nature of her dream when she turned at several hallways and couldn't find Priscilla or Krueger. It was then that her head spun and she felt her soul wavering and heading in two different directions. It snapped back into place causing her to lose her footing and fall to the floor on her butt. The scene before her changed instantly.

No longer was she in the preschool. She was outside, in front of a house with fog passing by under her feet. The house's door was opened as well and on it read 1428. She took that as a come in sign and entered. She wasn't afraid. She was eager to meet this Freddy Krueger. He was so unlike the others she met. He was different, special in his own way.

"So you think I'm special?" A creepy comical voice laughed from behind. Ava spun around, only to come face to face with four straight edge razors. She couldn't even see the owner of those razors. However she knew it was Krueger. He backed her up against the stairs' railing. The razors traveled down to her throat, giving her a view of Krueger for the first time. He was as the legend described; burnt face with a smile. Atop his head was a fedora and around his torso was the infamous Christmas sweater. He looked better than she imagined. And she imagined some zombie like guy with flesh falling off his skin and every time he took a step something would fall off. Krueger snickered.

"Is that what you think of me?" He questioned.

"Thoughts are of free will. I'd appreciate it if you'd stop reading mine." Ava responded. Her first conversation with Krueger; it was surreal. Krueger pulled back and rubbed his chin with his razors.

"You're different." He concluded.

"How?" Ava countered. She already knew the answer.

"You're not like the others. You haven't screamed yet or attempted to throw me off. You're standing here, allowing me to access your most vulnerable spots. I can kill you right here, right now." His razors ghosted over her chest and rested against her stomach.

"You could, but you wouldn't." Ava was confident. She's familiarized herself with his legend for years. She will stake her life on it. Krueger pressed harder against her stomach, the railing behind her bit at her back painfully. But she clamped her teeth down hard against her bottom lip, cutting off the grunt.

"You're so sure?" He asked.

"Positive, you won't gain any satisfaction until you see me scrambling down the hall and around corners trying to get away from you. That's when you go for the final kill. It's all about the satisfaction you feel when you've exacted your revenge in the best way possible." Her words shocked him. He withdrew the razors and took a step back.

"Run," he ordered.

"No," Ava countered.

"I'll kill you now then." Krueger raised his clawed hand.

"Go ahead, death is not the end, it's far from it." Ava closed her eyes and waited for him to make his move. She knew her fate the moment she was recruited. She knew what she was doing when she accepted it. And the moment she accepted it she accepted her fate.

Nothing happened. Everything remained silent. There was no pain. There was no blood. The sickening sound of razors cutting flesh never came. Ava opened her eyes. Krueger had vanished. She stood alone in the house, plastering herself to the railing. Ava stepped away from the railing looking left and right for Krueger. She felt a mild disappointment that he had left so early. Even if he was about to kill her, she had spent time with Krueger. One of her dreams is coming true. A small smile crept up her face. Then there was a creak behind her. She turned just in time to see the railing dislodge and fall. Her eyes widen. On instinct she tumbled to the ground and did a perfect roll across the floor, away from the railing. It crashed to the ground noisily.

He's trying to force me to run for it. He wants a game of cat and mouse.

"You got that right," his sickly maniacal laugh answered back. "Run, Ava, run," he chanted, followed by his infamous laugh. Ava arched her eyebrow.

Does he really think I'll run just because he says so?

"Of course not, my dear," he answered back. Ava stood from her crouch and stretched out her legs trying to rid the stiffness.

"You don't seem like the type to fear your own death. So we'll play a game." He snickered. "I have Priscilla hidden somewhere in the house. You find her and I won't kill her. You have five minutes."

Ava stared up at the ceiling. She didn't know where he was so she chose a random spot. "What makes you think I'll care for her?"

"You're human just like her. You've bonded with her." Krueger snickered. "You're not cold-hearted. Or else you wouldn't join that stupid police force."

"For someone who can read the matters of the heart you sure are oblivious to mine." Ava sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"You are oblivious to your own, not me. I know you very well. Better hurry, Priscilla doesn't have much time. She's getting old and I don't seem to be holding much interest for her anymore." He laughed. Then his voice disappeared. His presence withdrew, leaving her cold and empty. Ava stood for a while, staring at the opened door that led out into the fog then turned to look up the stairs. She had a feeling that if she chose the door she'll wake up but Priscilla will die. If she took the path of the stairs then she would have chosen to save Priscilla. Priscilla was alive not dead, which was a major confliction in her book. She didn't like the living. She resented them for one. They were horrible entities. She likes them dead. However, Priscilla wasn't a bad person. Sure she only met her a couple minutes ago, or was it hours? Dream time went faster. Their short time as acquaintances and roommates didn't change her opinion on Priscilla though. Ava always trusted her first instincts and her first instincts told her Priscilla wasn't a bad living creature. Ava saw it in her aura. It was pure and loving. Sure there was a dark hint of a secret but what person doesn't have secrets? Ava, herself, is full of them.

Ava bit her lip as she casted the door one more glance. Any other being and she would have walked out the door by now. She didn't have to think. But Priscilla was one of a kind. And she had vowed to keep those one of a kind safe. Ava sighed then took a deep breath before spinning on her heels and dashed up the stairs.

"Priscilla! Where are you?" She shouted. Her voice carried over into an echo. As if responding to her call, Priscilla came running out of the last room in panic. Her hair was in disarray and her shirt torn at the stomach. Relief and recognition flashed past her crying eyes as she crashed into Ava's arms. Her nails dug deep into her flesh.

"Run! Hurry!" She sobbed desperately. Ava spared her a worried glance then towards the door she came out of. A gruesome looking young lady with blonde hair decorated in brain matter and blood zombie-walked her way out. Her arms hug at her sides and in her right hand she held a kitchen knife. Ava was able to see several fabrics of Priscilla's white tank top were wedged into its chipped edge. Her eyes were dead and her skin peeled with burnt edges. Ava pushed Priscilla behind her, shielding her as she waited for the slow walking corpse to approach. Priscilla tugged at her arm excessively.

"Come on! Ava! Let's go!" She cried. Ava spun around and dealt Priscilla a hard cold slap to her left cheek. Priscilla stood stunned.

"Get a hold of yourself, Priscilla! This is your dream! You decide what happens! Not him!" She lectured.

"That's where you're mistaken, Ava." His creepy voice chuckled. "I am in control here. You're in my world now."

"You are nothing but an entity within our minds. You need us to survive, without our fear you are nothing!" Ava shouted but kept her eyes focused on Priscilla. The girl had cried her eyes red and it began to swell. Priscilla kept her eyes at the corpse that was slowing approaching them.

"Priscilla, repeat after me. He needs our fear to survive, without it he's nothing." Ava urged. Priscilla looked at her uncertain.

"But—"

"Do it!"

"He needs our fear to survive, without it he's nothing."

"Again!"

"He needs our fear to survive, without it he's nothing."

"Louder!"

"He needs our fear to survive, without it he's nothing!"

"Believe in it!"

"He needs our fear to survive, without it he's NOTHING!" Priscilla kept going even without Ava's directions. She screwed her eyes shut and clutched tightly to Ava's arm as she repeated the phrase over and over again. Ava turned back to the corpse that has already walked more than halfway towards them. It raised the arm that wielded the knife. Ava spread her legs and squared her feet to the floor. She closed her eyes.

He needs our fear to survive, without it he's nothing.

A/N: And that's all the time we have for chapter 1. This is a little different from what I'm used to writing. I normally focus on the original characters and never creating my own but this series' characters aren't constant besides Freddy so I made my own. And I've had this idea swimming since I saw the remake and Freddy vs. Jason again a couple nights ago. I hope everyone liked it. The dreams aren't as cool or awesome as the series' dreams so I don't expect anyone to like it. I don't know how long this will span out but I hope it's more than a couple chapters.

Please do review and tell me what you liked and didn't like about my story. Any suggestions on making it better with help too but as a pre-warning I don't take every suggestion, I choose the ones I'm comfortable with and work with it.

See you all next time! :D