Minnesota Snow

Snowstorms are one of the many things one is bound to come across in Minnesota. Most of the Natives past the age of 13 hate snow. I mean when you’re little you see snow and almost run out of the house in you’re pajamas because its snow but on that faithful year about the age of 13 you look out the window and sigh. Do you know what snow means? It means shoveling the driveway, extremely cold temperatures (most of the time in the negatives), and car crashes. A whole lot of car crashes. 41 years ago a 13-year-old boy woke up sighing at the sight of the first snowfall of the year. Of course the torture didn’t stop there. Not even close. You see this boy was Chris Murphy (later to be known as Dr. Chris Taylor) and this is the day Chris’s fairly normal life ceased to exist. It was Chris’s 13th birthday but it was also the day his parents died in a car crash and if that wasn’t enough his older brother deserted him.

Chris sighed as he got out of his rental car. It was snowing again just like 41 years ago on his 13th birthday. Chris comes to Minnesota every year on his birthday to visit his parent’s grave. As Chris walked over to grave he wondered how he would react this time. It seems like every time he comes he gets a different reaction. Chris used his cane to get rid of the little bit of snow on it. Chris stared at the gravestone.



Chris was confused. He usually had some sort of reaction by now. Chris sighed. He felt nothing absolutely nothing. It was like he didn’t care anymore. Chris started to limp back to the rental car.

Logan was at a graveyard, he wasn't sure how he quite found himself there but nonetheless, he tried to find a reason for being there. A fallen comrade? Nah, too cliche…there were things he had to do but he simply was distracted by pulling his coat around his waist a bit more to keep in his body heat, he had arrived in Minnesota a few short hours ago and was still suffering from jet lag. It was a well earned short two week vacation and he had just come to Minnesota for a couple of days before heading back to London. Glancing around, he saw a man wiping off a gravestone with his cane and began to meander down over there.

He wasn't stalking this guy, but usually being off-duty made things rather interesting for him, so watching him turn away and limp back to his car, he naturally followed.

"Hey, mate!" He called out. "Want to get a coffee or something, it's bloomin' freezing out here?" Logan let out a small chuckle, coming out as a puff of air. He was also noticing that he was shivering, sometimes, he hated the snow…or was that the  fact that he never really liked graveyards?

Nonetheless, he went with the explanation of snow to put his mind at rest whilst waiting for the man's answer.

Chris had agreed to go to a cafe with this man he's never met before. Of course since Chris grew up around here he knew of one nearby. Chris had absolutely no idea why he was going to a cafe with this stranger. It's not like he was afraid. He didn't care about "Stranger Danger". Stranger Danger just made it harder for him to have child patients. They never trusted him. Chris reached the cafe and went inside. He smelled the aroma of coffee. Chris hated coffee so he ordered Hot Chocolate. As he was waiting for the Hot Chocolate Chris looked around. He saw a woman looking over some files. She was close enough to read some of the newspapers. Chris stared at the one article from a long time ago. It was about his parents car crash. Chris grabbed his drink and walked over to her. He recognized the woman but he couldn't recall who she was. Chris also saw the article about his car crash from a few years ago. This woman must be a stalker. "Hey! Whats the deal, are you stalking my life or something?" Chris asked attempting to make it a calm response.

They walked towards the cafe, Logan sniffing as the cold set in. Entering the cafe, a lovely waft of coffee and infused teas rushed up his nostrils, the smell seemingly warming up his body. That or it was the placebo effect. He wasn't exactly sure what to expect but what he did expect was that it would be similar to anything in London, just the portions might be larger than he initially expected. but he was here to drink coffee…or tea, either one didn't bother him very much. So, he ordered a latte and glanced around. He spotted a woman at the same time the man did, at first, she looked familiar. But where from? He was racking his memory when the man had exclaimed something about 'stalking him' as Logan had zoned out for a tiny bit, he thought the man was directly accusing him of stalking. However, seeing that the man was now looking at the woman…he was in the clear.

"Hey, mate. She's just reading an article--" Logan noticed it was about the car crash, his brain was putting the pieces together rather slowly, which was annoying for him. The waitress re-appproched him and placed the latte in front of him.

He got up, standing just behind the man, people were looking and he didn't really want to make anything go down. Especially when a man was holding a hot beverage and so was he.

Chris warily sat down. He still couldn't remember who this woman was. Well, she was an FBI agent maybe she would listen about his serial killer brother. Chris took a sip of his hot chocolate. "I grew up here." Chris said and looked at the files. "To be honest these two pertain to me directly." He said and grabbed the article about his parents and the one about him. "The one from 41 years ago is about my parents and the one from a few years ago is about me." Chris said and set the articles aside. He really doesn't like talking about his past but if it was a way to keep him safe from his brother he'd do it. "It might be hard to believe but my older brother killed my parents and is trying to kill me." Chris said and sighed. "His name is Alec Murphy." Chris said and pulled out his iPhone to get a picture of him. Once he found it he turned the phone around and set it on the table. The picture was from the hospital after his car crash. Alec was standing next to Chris's bed and was smirking as usual. This was before Chris realized Alec caused the car crash. Chris hated this picture but he's never had the heart to delete it. It was one of his only good memories with his brother. Even though Chris later learned  that Alec caused the crash. Chris stared at the picture. Alec always had that stupid smirk on his face. "Thats him." Chris said and took another sip of the hot chocolate.

Logan took a seat when the man did, the woman had given him a smile, showing that he was recognized, but where on planet earth had he seen that face before? FBI…then his mind reverted back to the current conversation in which the man was talking about some serial killer for…a brother? That probably didn't end so well…his question was answered when he had given all the necessary details to find the guy. He peered at the photo careful, his brows knitting together.

He looked up at the woman, smiled, reaching out to have a handshake. "Logan Fletcher, i work for the police department, I was sure that we've seen each other around…And your name is?" He turned to the man, with the picture of his deranged brother.

"Actually, how come this guy, your brother had not been arrested and taken into jail for mental instability?" He asked, his brain finally getting into gear.

((So sorry! I was really busy))

Logan raised his eyebrows. It was those kind of stories that you should have gotten used to hearing but then again, he did not hear them that often, thus the surprise. Then again, acts like this didn't swing by his desk all too much. He looked to Emma and back to Chris. "He didn't finish off the job?" That may have sounded a bit rude but that wouldn't be what he was aiming for, usually killers would have finished the job off and not simply dropped them off at an orphanage.

"Don't take it the wrong way, I was simply curious, for a killer that your brother is…never mind…I believe it's the FBI's job around here." He smiled at Emma, it was a small grim smile. A few other questions popped into his head.

He noticed Chris's nervous reactions. "He's still looking for you?" Logan was in his element. What would happen now? The thing was there was still a killer out there, and these were his sort of division. Logan needed to keep an open mind about this.

Chris saw the figure disappear. "It... It was nothing." Chris stuttered. He was trying to come up with a plan to get away at a moments notice. Chris looked down at his leg and sighed. So much for escape plans. He attempted to regain his composure. He didn't like feeling and looking weak. "Yes, he is still after me." He said and absentmindedly glanced out the window. "He knows I come to Minnesota every year around my birthday." Chris explained and sat back down. "He always seems to know were I am." Chris said. The cafe's door opened causing Chris to almost jump out of his chair. He was relived when he realized it wasn't Alec. Chris's cell phone vibrated so he looked at the text message.

To: Dr. Chris Taylor
From: Dr. John Jackson

Hey Chris your brother told me that you are back in Minnesota again. We should meet up sometime before you leave.

Chris quickly sent a reply asking if John knew where his brother was. He wouldn't be surprised if Alec was here but Chris hopes he isn't.

Logan watched this man carefully, he was definitely jumpy. "He's there, isn't he?" He was sure that with a man, Chris's brother after him, he should be put under protective custody. "You have two officials with you, one FBI and me. He wouldn't try anything." I hope... It was up to Emma to make the final decision. When he watched Chris text on his phone, his own phone rang.

He quickly excused himself and moved to the door, going through it.

"Logan, we need you back in London pretty quickly, what's the quickest flight you can catch?"

Logan sighed. "What's the scene?"

"Triple homicide and you're been called onto the task force to hunt down the alien killer. Just get back here quickly and I'll fill you on things."

With that, the conversation ended and he went back into the cafe sighing. He passed by both Chris and Emma and went to the counter to ask for a coffee for the drive back to the airport. With the coffee in his hand, he headed back to the two and gave them a small, grim smile.

"Sorry guys, I have to depart from here, triple homicide calls. Here's my number if anything arises about Alec." He patted Chris gently on the shoulder and nodded at Emma before heading out back to the carpark across the graveyard and got in, buckled up and was en route to London.