Disclaimer: I don't own NoES or any of the characters involved…
Summary: An AU. What if Loretta never snooped in her husband's special work, then how would family life for the Krueger's have been? Who would Katherine grow up to be like? Loretta or Freddy?

The Kruegers

Chapter One

The sun shone brightly down upon the backyard of 1428 Elm Street. Birds chirped in the trees, the air was also filled with the laughter of a child. Little Katherine Krueger. Freddy Krueger good-naturedly chased his little five-year-old daughter around the immaculate garden. Her pink dress flowed around her small legs as she ran passed the rose beds that her mother had worked long hours on keeping in perfect condition. She giggled as her father gently touched her shoulder as they played 'tag'.

"Tag. Now you're it" he chirped and smiled down at his little princess. She turned to him, giggling. Freddy chuckled and motioned her to him, "Remember what you have to do now. You go to Daddy"

She nodded with enthusiasm and trotted over, arm stretched out to touch him. But he moved out of the way, smiling mischievously at her. She laughed again, and spun around to face him.

Her mother smiled at them both as they continued to play in the garden. This was her opportunity to get to that room, the room where she was forbidden to go by him. She strode across the garden, determined to get into that room as she walked down the steps into the basement. There it was the steel door that held something that he didn't want her to see. It was probably nothing out of the ordinary, maybe some sports magazines that he collected or other items for his amusement. Both her hands shook as she edged towards it.

It was now or never.

Her cold hand grasped the handle, and as she was about to tug it open the timer of the oven rang shrilly from the kitchen to her annoyance. "Damn it" Sighing in aggravation she marched up the stairs to the kitchen, to tend to the food.

Back in the garden, Katherine was still attempting with all her might to catch her father who quickly moved out of her reach every time she got near to touch him. She chuckled cheerfully and whirled around to see him crouching down before her, arms spread out. "Come to daddy"

She grinned and charged into his opened arms, giggling as he lifted her easily off the ground. She suddenly got the flutter of the butterflies as he swung her around, "Daddy, I'm getting dizzy!" she chirped.

Fred grinned and placed her back on the ground. He knelt beside her, brushing a strand of her brown hair from her face as he studied her. His little princess, he would never hurt her. The other children were dispensable they meant nothing to him. But for Katherine, his child, she meant the world to him. He wouldn't let anything happen to her. And if anyone had hurt her they would pay dearly for it, he would make sure of it.

"Daddy, can we play hide and seek? Please" Katherine cheeped, her big brown eyes pleading with him. Her father began to reply when a merry voice called through the opened window of the kitchen. "Dinner is ready"

Katherine sighed, annoyed at the interruption of her playtime. "Later baby. You go and help your mother set the table," her father instructed. She nodded and pecked her father lightly on the cheek and skipped through the back door into the kitchen.

Fred stood and made his way into the basement. He froze at the door to his secret room. It was slightly ajar. Had she gone snooping in there? No, she wouldn't she knew that she wasn't allowed anywhere near this room. She had said that she wouldn't go near that room.

He glanced over his shoulder at the basement stairs, making sure that no one was coming down to check where he was. Smiling he entered his room and took pride in what he saw before him. Newspaper articles were pinned on every wall, while small pictures of children where attached to some of the articles of all his victims that had fallen by his bladed instruments of death, his gloves of torture and pain. They were more than victims to him; they were now like his children he had claimed by taking their innocent lives.

Fred smiled as he passed a beam that suspended several gloves above his head. Upon the workbench at the back were several jars, filled with some internal organs of his latest victim David Butler a small lad of seven, so easy to lure with the promises of candy but only getting four blades driven deep into the soft tender flesh of his abdomen. He looked at his work and gave a dark little chuckle, before venturing out of the room and locking it securely behind him.

Cutlery clinked together as Katherine slowly set the table, placing the knives and forks out beside the pale cream plates. The smell of hot chicken, sweet corn and potatoes filled the air as Fred entered the kitchen. Katherine smiled up at him as he walked pass her. He smiled back, and gave her hair a small ruffle with his right hand.

Loretta turned to Katherine, her eyes narrowed as she ordered. "Katherine, wash your hands"

The little figure of Katherine slid off the chair and trotted over to the sink where she gloomily looked up, sighing as she looked at her mother and father. "I'm too small, can't get up"

Freddy chuckled, while Loretta rolled her eyes in disbelief. Katherine grinned as her father reached down and took her in his arms, setting her on the counter. She giggled as he began to sprinkle her with the water from the cold tap with the tips of his fingers. Loretta coughed, glaring at them both especially Katherine whose grin immediately faded from her face.

After dinner, Loretta quickly tidied away the dirty dishes. Fred sat silently at the kitchen table, engrossed in the evening newspaper about the body of David Butler being found at the edge of town, his abdomen ripped apart. He really wanted to laugh out loud at this piece of news, but remained quiet.

Loretta wiped her hands on her apron and walked over to read the headline of the paper. She shuddered, "God. Another one. It's horrible. Simply horrible" Fred mutely nodded and set the paper down, rising from his seat.

"I keep thinking that Katherine is going to be next. I really do" Loretta exclaimed. She glimpsed into the living where Katherine happily played away with her dolls.

She looked back to Fred who shook his head, his ice blue eyes locking onto hers. "Believe me Loretta, he won't get near Kat. I won't let anything happen to her" he bent down and kissed his wife on the cheek, "Or you"

She smiled, slightly more at ease. But still worried nevertheless.

"I've got to go here"

Her eyes widened, "What? Where?"

"I've got work to do" he replied flatly.

"Huh? You never said you were working this evening?" Loretta cried, disheartened.

He turned to her, eyes narrowed. "Do I have to tell you everything?" he hissed.

"N-no. It is just that I'd like to know when you're working. I thought all of us could spend some time together, as a family," she muttered, glancing over to Katherine.

"We do Loretta. I'll be back later"

She sighed and watched at he walked over to Katherine. "Daddy is going out for a while"

She turned around to him as he crouched at her side, "Aw. Bring me something back daddy!"

Fred grinned and immediately gave in to her demands. "What do you want Kat?"

She bit her bottom lip, thinking. What did she want? Well, she did eat her dinner up, so she believed that she deserved a treat. "Chocolate" she said at last, grinning.

Fred nodded, "OK. But what do you say first?"

"Please" she chirped, giggling.

He gave a warm smile and kissed her gently on the cheek, "See you later baby"

Katherine waved her father goodbye and turned her attention back to her toys.

The sun still shone in the evening sky as Fred drove along the road in his red Chevy heading towards the park. It was still occupied with parents as they sat on the benches watching their children playing happily on the swings, slides and on the other playground attractions. The Springwood Slasher pulled his vehicle into a lay bay, and watched attentively at the children playing throughout the park. His eyes flickered from each child until it finally found what they were looking for.

Hannah Parker. A sweet angelic little six-year-old girl with jet black curls that hung loosely around her face.

He smiled darkly as he pulled out a note pad from his back pocket that had details of her routine. It was basically the same every Friday. Her parents would bring her to the park between six and seven. It was perfect for him to take the opportunity to capture her, lure her into a trap. She would make a lovely addition to his collection. And soon, very soon she would become another victim fallen at the murderous blades of the Springwood Slasher.