******************************************************************************
Please could you stop the noise I'm trying to get some rest

From all the unborn chicken voices in my head

******************************************************************************






Journey from Midnight --Part 6-- Recovery





3 Days later Georgetown University Hospital ICU




Scully had not slept in a good 3 days.  Mulder had not become conscious since they
carried him out of the alcove.  He had acquired an infection from his various
wounds and was exhausted by the ordeal.   A 26-hour ordeal with a mad woman. 
Scully sensed movement and turned to look at Mulder.  He groaned and shifted, his
eyes fluttered open, then they widened in horror, 
     " No, Not again I don't know.  Please stop!!"  Then a blood curdling scream
escaped his lips as Scully backed out the room, in search of his doctor, who
just happened to be heading towards her at full speed.
     " What happened?"  He looked frustrated and anxious.  
     " I don't know, he came to and started screaming."
     "What?!?"  The doctor said in disbelief, Mulder's screams almost drowning out
his words. Scully went back in with the doctor.  Mulder was thrashing and
screaming, what is he running from? Whom is he running from?  Scully thought as
she lightly ran her fingers across his face softly whispering his name.  Mulder
calmed instantly, recognition returned to his eyes.  He smiled then winced in pain. 
Scully put some blistex on his newly cracked lip,
     "There, are you okay.  You had a nightmare.  Do you want to tell me what it
was about?" 

Mulder nodded, it's just Scully, no one else, she's not here.  She's not in your head. 
You're not psycho.  Mulder started to tell Scully what he remembered, the box with
the nails he stood in, falling, being chained to the wall, the constant pain.
     " I can't remember, I can't remember everything. I can't . ."  Mulder cried softly
as he spoke, leaning his head into Scully's hand which was steadily stroking the soft
hair along his temple.  The nurses put in a new IV, bandaged up the spot where he
tore the other out of his arm during the nightmare, and restrained him in the bed,
while Mulder was distracted.  It would take awhile, but Mulder would get through
this Scully thought as the nurses left, he had to.  

3weeks later

The physical wounds had healed and Mulder walked into his house, correction their
house, as of 10:30 this morning.  All the time he was lying in that hospital bed, all
he could think about was getting the Justice of the Peace to marry them on the
Lawn in front of the memorial reflecting pool by their bench. She deserved to be
happy, he deserved to be content.  Scully had compromised with her name and was
now Dana Katherine Scully-Mulder, and Bill Jr. actually gave her away, willingly. 
As he walked through the door, hand in hand with his part . . . his wife, Mulder felt
complete.  The wedding party was already there, food on the deck, splashing
around in the pool. Then a dull pain started it creep along his back till it reached the
back of his head.  It sat there throbbing, stabbing.  Mulder doubled over in pain,
grabbing his head with his hands.  Scully sat him down and ran to get his pain
medicine.  
     "You don't deserve this, your worthless, she doesn't love you who could love a
loser like you, you can't even protect her." D.J.'s voice screamed in his head.
     " Aw AH, out of my head." Mulder groaned as Scully handed him his pills and
some water.
     " It's too soon for all this excitement, sit and rest a second then come out on the
deck ok." Scully said looking into his hazel eyes, her doctor face firmly in place.
     " I'll be fine in a minute." Mulder said as Scully got up, kissing his forehead and
gently ruffling her hair.  Boy, was that a lie Mulder thought.  I won't be fine till I
can get D.J. out of my mind, till I can break her control over me.

That night

It's our wedding night and I can't even . . . Mulder thought as Scully tucked him in. 
Her silk pajamas clinging to her like a second skin.  Mulder wanted to peel that
layer off and bury himself into . . . Why did I freak out like that?  I could have hurt
her.  All she did was try and climb into bed, our bed so she could get some sleep. 
Lord knows she needs it.
     " Don't worry, I'll be right next door, scream if you need me."  Mulder managed
a sad smirk.  He wanted her there with him not next door.  He wanted to feel her
next to him, fall asleep on her chest to the rhythms of her heart and her breaths. 
Maybe then the nightmares would go away, they always did when he was with her. 
Mulder fell into fitful sleep.  Then he started to fall, nails were eating into him as he
fell, her face swirled in his mind.  
     "Prove yourself, get me out.  I'm too much like you to be locked up.  Come to
me"  Mulder screamed from the pain, the fear.
     "Get out of my head, leave me alone, I'm not like you, your psychotic, I'm
not, I'm not . . . "  Scully winced at his pleading screams.  What did she do to him?
Why did she do it?  What had she wanted to accomplish by driving him out of his
mind?  Scully waited to see if he would stop on his own, but as his screams grew
more piercing and persistent, she got up and went to him.  Boy this is a
wedding night to remember.  She opened the door and observed the scene before
her. He had stopped screaming.  He was curled up in a fetal position, eyes frozen
wide, shaking, sucking his thumb while rocking back and forth.  His face was red
and sweaty from his thrashing and screaming.  She sighed, he was definitely going
to need some extensive therapy to get through this.  She felt so helpless as she went
to calm him.  She was a Forensic pathologist, this wasn't her speciality, this was
Mulder's and here he was in the fetal position, sucking his thumb. Would he be like
this now if I had gone back in instead of getting help?  Would we be enjoying our
wedding night?  His long arms wrapped around me, his tongue exploring . . . 
Mulder shifted his eyes towards her when she entered the room, and flinched when
she reached to touch him.  She wrapped her arms around him, and he breathed in
the essence of her fiery hair.  Suave Herbal Care, practical, its Scully, relax. 
Scully's here.  Mulder buried his head in her chest, he broke down in soft sobs, he
was tired of crying, tired of the nightmares, tired of being so weak.  He felt her kiss
his forehead and gently tug at his shirt.
     "Scully? Now?"  Mulder said in a teasing tone.  Scully chucked then quickly
stopped frowning,
     " Your soaking wet, come on off with these and into the tub, Sorry Jacuzzi." 
Mulder smiled, he didn't have the strength to think of some quip to enhance
the moment. Scully was always good at undressing him, if he didn't feel so awful, he
could really take advantage of this situation.  Scully, however, seemed to be taking
full advantage of it for him.  She moved the rag along his body, slowly tracing every
curve, caressing every pain, soothing it away with her touch, then she dared to go
lower.  A soft moan of pain and regret escaped Mulder's lips he grabbed her hands,
making her look deep into his eyes. Then he moved closer pulling her near as he
kissed her deep, longingly. Scully pulled away, resting her forehead against his.
     " Come on, get out of there."  She got a towel and quickly wrapped it around
him and went and sat on the bed.  How am I going to tell him he needs help, he may
not want to hear it? She wished this would just go away.  She looked up and he
stood there clad in a fresh pair of boxers and an undershirt.  He was so beautiful
and he didn't even know it, and he wouldn't believe me if I told him.  So much
abuse, unhappiness, he deserved this, this contentment, why won't people let him
have it?  Mulder padded across the room and stretched out across the bed
     " Ready to go back to sleep?" Scully asked turning to face him.
     " Only if you are."  Scully smiled.  She pulled back the covers, covering him up
and was about to walk away when he called after her.
     " Where are you going?"
     " Back to my room" Mulder looking completely innocent said
     " You're here, come to bed  Mrs. Scully-Mulder"  Scully smiled, hesitated, then
climbed into bed next to him and clicked off the lights.

Just as he predicated, no nightmares.  He turned and looked up at her, she finally
drifted off the sleep about an hour ago.  She spent most of the night watching over
him, such a doctor, always on call. Mulder shifted a little peeking over her shoulder
at the clock, 8:30 a.m..  He nestled back into her chest, it was Friday morning, no
work not until the end of next week sometime, this was there supposed
honeymoon. What a honeymoon, a deranged husband screaming like a banshee at
2:00 in the morning. Flipping out when you climb into bed.  She deserves better,
I'm trying, but I think I need some help.  Mulder scooted up in the bed and pulled
her to his chest, Scully shifted placing her head over his heart, and her hand lightly
on his chest.  I could stay like this forever, he thought. I am satisfied.  Now, if only
I could stay this way.

Noon Friday 

Scully turned over, his pillow was still warm, still held his essence, cashews
and cinnamon sticks, she took a deep breath of it then wondered.  Where is he?  Is
he all right?
     "Mulder?" She said drowsily.  It felt good to sleep.  How long had it been since
she slept? It felt like years.  As she got up she was greeted by a medley of smells
wafting in from the kitchen, she cleaned up and wandered into the kitchen.  Mulder
looked up at her, Scully stopped in her tracks stunned at his appearance.  He had on
a nice charcoal suit, a new tie.
     "What's going on?"
     "Well, it's our honeymoon, I wanted to look nice for you."  Scully smirked still
confused.
     " I made reservations at the Poconos for the week and I thought before the
plane ride we'd eat and go wedding ring shopping since we didn't get a chance
yesterday."
     " Well I 'm going to change, then I'll . ."
     " No, No eat now while it's still hot."  Mulder said pulling a chair out for her,
then sitting opposite her.   As she scarfed down the waffles, Eggos never tasted this
good before, she cleared her mind and processed everything he had just said
Poconos, Poconos!!!
     " The Poconos!"  Are you . . .  Do you . . .  will you be all right with that?"  Ah
she was remembering last night, Mulder looked at her blushing slightly
     " Yeah I'll be all right."
Mulder closed his eyes and tried to imagine what their kids would look like, then they
popped back open, She can't have kids!  All her eggs were harvested she's . . . Then he
thought for a moment. We can adopt, safer anyway, Scully won't break my hand while
holding it during the delivery, and I won't pass any defective Mulder genes on either.   
Scully finished and went to there bedroom and put on a light blue casual suit.  The
boots?  The Platform heels she wore when they were running through the cornfield, the
same pair she was wearing in the hall way when . . .  She smiled twirling the emerald
and diamond engagement ring.  Soon you'll have company, she thought as she put on
her jacket.

4 p.m. at the airport

As she handed her ticket to the flight attendant, she felt Mulder's hand brush along her
back.   It felt so good when he touched her.  She couldn't wait to get to the resort she
already had the week planned, then maybe . . . no I don't want a repeat of last night.  As
she settled in for the hour flight, she felt Mulder clasp her hand, and  squeeze it little
too hard.  Scully whipped around to see his face contorted in pain.
     " Mulder, are you okay?"
     " Yeah, just a bad head ache, got some Tylenol?"
     " Of course, here"  She handed him some, he gulped them down. She knew it wasn't
a headache, but she wasn't going to allow  D.J. to interrupt her honeymoon.

Poconos

As they entered the room, Scully was breathless.  Perfect.  The suite was unbelievable.
The bed had mirrors surrounding the head, a fireplace, a huge balcony, heart shaped
swimming pool, yes in the room, and a huge wine glass?  Mulder watching her
amazement whispered in her ear,
     " It's the tub."
     " You're Kidding?"  Scully answered breathless. " A whole week here, I'll never
want to leave."  Mulder flipped on the bed as Scully's cellphone rang.
     " Scully"
     "Hi dear it's mom, just wanted to see how everything is going.  I didn't catch you at
home so I tried your cellphone.  He didn't need to go to the hospital, did he?"
     " No mom, were in the Poconos.  I know, I know it took me by surprise too. 
You should see this place.  Don't worry Mulder let me stop and get lots of film.
Hmm, no he had a headache on the plane, but that was probably pressure change. 
Yeah, no mom, I'll call you when we get back in town, bye."  Mulder brushed his hand
along her shoulders, bent down kissing her neck lightly, and said,
     " Come on, lets go down to the Dining room.  They have a Gourmet Chef who
prepares whatever you want."  Scully smiled and grabbed her jacket, he'll have to drag
me back to D.C.




2:30 a.m. 




Mulder's head started to throb.  Not now please not now Mulder thought, then it struck
him like a Mack Truck.  It felt like 350,000 volts of electricity were being shot through
his body,
     "Freak, worthless, weak, Hopeless"
Mulder squirmed, grabbing his head in pain, he struggled to his feet.  Don't wake up
Scully, he kept thinking as he ran to the bathroom.  He rinsed his face with cold water,
Control, I need control.  He looked in the mirror, his face was sweaty and red, his eyes
blood shot and yellow, his hair was literally standing on end.  One thing invaded
Mulder's thoughts, I need help.

******************************************************************************
Either way you turn, I'll be there

Open up your skull, I'll be there

Climbing up the walls

******************************************************************************






Journey from Midnight--Part 7 Midnight Revealed

Rated PG-13 , mild R for possibly disturbing images.  Fitter happier is a song by Radio
head and used in the following section without permission, sorry. 








2 weeks later







Another nightmare filled night, hopefully this Doctor can get to the bottom of this. 
At least Scully will be there, he needed her there, he was actually scared of what he
might find.  Scared of the truth.  He pulled the new black work boots Scully had gotten
him in the Poconos.  He had convinced her to stay the week after the initial explosion
on the first night, and they had shopped, biked, hiked, even went skiing.  The Great
Sexless Honeymoon.  It actually was quite nice, he really enjoyed it.  They needed
time to reconnect, get their bearings and objectives straight, talk about the future,
things they wanted, needed.  He put his black leather jacket over his Black turtleneck. 
The man in black he thought as he looked at himself in the mirror, definitely fit his
mood.  Scully came in and admired her husband, her black pants, acquired during her
Pocono shopping trip, clung to her tight muscles, her American Eagle lug sole loafers
easing the apprehension she felt throughout her body.  What would they find out?  You
have to be strong, he needs you to be strong, she thought as she crossed the room
touching his shoulder.
     " Come on we have to go or we'll be later" Mulder accepted the hand she offered,
squeezing it affectionately as they drifted towards the unknown.






Dr. Johnson seemed to be understanding of his concerns, as she put Mulder in the
hypnotic state.
     " Fox, find a place, a safe place in your mind, where you can go when the pain
gets too bad, have you found it?"
     "Yes"
     "Good, now where going to go back to the incident when you were falling, What
do you see, feel, hear?
Mulder's face contorts in pain as he starts
     " A flat robotic voice surrounds me."
     " What is it saying, what are you doing?"
     "I'm falling, stabbing pain , the voice is saying


     
     Fitter happier more productive
     Comfortable not drinking too much
     Getting on better with your associate employee, contemporaries




I stop falling and I am strapped in a Chair.  I don't know how I got in it. The voice
continues 


     At ease, sleeping well no bad dreams no paranoia
     keep in contact with old friends( enjoy a drink now and then)
     will frequently check credit at moral bank



Pictures of things being killed, people being killed, skinned, stabbed, gutted, shot, more
pain courses through me.  Scully, Help me please!  Where are you?  I'm sorry I
disappointed you, I need you 


     Favors for favors
     fond but not in love
     no longer afraid of the dark or midday shadows
     nothing so ridiculously teenage and desperate
     nothing so childish



'What do you want from me?'


She wants me to show my true nature, be like her, unleash my demons, 

     concerned but powerless
     pragmatism not idealism
     will not cry in public
     no longer empty and frantic
     The ability to laugh at weakness

I hear a piercing scream surrounding me, then I realize it's coming from me.  I receive a
blow to the head and its dark."

     " Where are you now Fox"


" I wake up, and I'm cold and wet, stinging pain encompassing my body.  I hear her
murmuring to herself
'You're harder than I imagined, I don't remember having to do this much for the others. 
Don't need you to get infected.'
My voice, a hoarse whisper, chokes out 'Where am I?'
' Phase two' then more stinging pain.  I don't understand, I don't know where it's
coming from, I can hardly see, my eyes fell swollen.  

'Alcohol, so you don't get infected. You see this, this is what you've reduced me to.'
 She holds a whip with jagged balls and pieces of glass on the end.  What's she going to
do with that? I try to escape, to run.  I'm frozen to the spot, handcuffed, oh God. 
She raises the whip."  Mulder's body jerks with the strokes,
     " Pain, Scully, help me. Where are you?  I spit out the pooling blood in my mouth
and force out a hoarse 
'I need you Scully'
'She won't be back for you, you've let her down too many times, you monster, loser,
useless, no one loves you, your family hates you,' She screamed at me as she struck
my flesh.  I could feel it, hear it tearing into my soul, ribboning my flesh. I scream,
surprised I still can, my throat's so rough, dry, hurts to scream, hurts so much.  I hear
Scully's voice dreamy and far away ' Mulder, Are you sure it wasn't a girly scream?' 
'Scully!'
'She can't help you, I'm the only one that can save you, save you from yourself.'  I'm
tired so tired, in so much pain, I stop screaming.  She's so Beautiful, she's covered in
blood, my blood, so much pain, misery.  What happened to her?  What's her story?  Is
she alone, neglected, like I was? She needs someone to understand, see her, so
beautiful, so much pain, hurt so bad.  I understand the words, so cutting, useless, waste
of time, waste of life, hate you, Psychotic, Spooky.  She comes an kisses me and
smooths my hair. 'Good boy, I may keep you.' A calmness sweeps over me as I realize
our sameness, then something startles her.  Pain courses through my body, I cry out
hoarse, choked, unbearable pain.
'Mulder, Mulder where are you?'  
'Scully' a hoarse whisper catches in my throat.  I say it louder, fast foot falls follow
it, she's coming.  D.J. turns and grabs something shiny and gold.  Oh God, no not
Scully please, Scully please, don't find me.  I see her face frantic, shocked, relieved,
scared.  She'll be killed, I'm not worth it.  I hear a gun shot Scully NO!!, then it goes
black.'

     "Ok, I'm bringing you out.  Fox, go to the safe place, now."
When Mulder comes out of the trance, he looks around dazed, where's Scully?
     "Scully?" His voice catches as he follows soft sobs. Scully's head is buried in his
hair, her hands clinched in his, tears drenching his hair.  Dr. Johnson left them for a
moment, let them collect themselves, let her collect herself.  She hadn't anticipated that. 
He is going to require extensive therapy sessions, that kind of abuse, mental, emotional,
physical compounded by already low self esteem and self imaging problems,
abandonment and betrayal issues.  Agent Mulder alone is going to be a full time job,
then my other cases, his wife though she may not admit it, will need counseling too. 
She removed her glasses squeezing the bridge of her nose trying to relieve some of the
tension that had built up there.  Well you said you wanted a challenge.  Yeah, but I
didn't expect this.


******************************************************************************
Exit light

Enter night

Take my hand

Were off to never never land

******************************************************************************



Journey from Midnight  Part 8 Darkness Falls
2 months later.






Mulder goes to Dr. Johnson every day for 2 hrs a day.  It seemed to help.  The
nightmares were less frequent, he seemed more comfortable with me touching him,
being near him. He no longer flinched when I reach my hand to his face.  He's so
attentive like he is trying to make up for what happened.  She watched him from the
deck as he frolicked in the pool with Kaja, there baby, a 12week old German
Shepherd puppy they got at the pound.  Dr. Johnson said it may help ease some of
the pain of his ordeal and help him work through his guilt.  She closed her book and
took her long shirt off exposing the two-piece bathing suit Mulder had bought for
her, purple sports bra top, boy cut bottom.  It hid her body flaws and complemented
her figure.  She ran full sped at the pool and jumped in screaming "Cannonball" the
huge wave drenching Mulder and Kaja.    
     " Scully, are you trying to drown the poor baby."  Mulder said as he fished a
furiously dog paddling Kaja out of the pool.  Scully swam over grabbing Mulder by the
waist, kissing him hard, her hands moved along his body, feeling the wet Speedo
clinging to him.  Unlike her, he had forgotten all about modesty when it came to his
bathing suit.  Red, yellow, purple, black, all Speedos and all brief cut, not hiding
anything.  They traced his lines perfectly, showing the smooth delineation around his
abs the light brown fuzz surrounding them plastered down by the wet, hair spiking in
response to the moisture beading and shiny.  He tanned so well, never burned, unlike
her.  It was a strangely warm winter in D.C., and they had settled into the
neighborhood well.  Though some feel that Mulder is a little weird, he has a group of
guys who come over and play basketball with him a couple of days a week. 
She never thought they could live a normal, suburban life.  Then last night, last night, to
be in his arms, feel him in her, loving her with every . . . She never imagined it would be
like that, evoke the emotions it had.  Mulder pushed her away, smiled then dunked her,
laughing.  Boy, she was great last night, he could still taste her, feel her beneath him,
delirious from pleasure as he . . .  A creeping pain drifted up his back. Can't be, it had
been weeks since . . .  why now?  Mulder flinched, wincing in pain as he drug himself
out of the pool.  Scully looked at Mulder confused.  Mulder writhed in pain, gripped his
head, he voice scolded him,
     "Trying to get me out of your head?  I said you'll never break away from me. Never. 
I saw you last night think you're normal now don't you?  The American dream, you'll
never be normal cause you're just like me. Unleash your dark side"
     "Stop I'm not."  Scully touched his face lightly his eyes snapped open a fierce look
crossed his face and he gripped her wrists tightly.  Scully let out a yelp and the fog in
Mulder's brain cleared.  He fell into her arms slightly dazed and full of apologies.  She
brushed his wet hair fluffing it dry with her fingers.  She lifted his face to look at him.
     " You okay?"  She asked warily Mulder smiled and answered.
     " Now I am" Scully quickly glanced at her watch, almost 1:00 p.m. he needs to get
ready, to go to therapy.  She wondered what D.J. had said this time. It had been a while
since she came into his head, invaded his thoughts.  Dr. Johnson didn't believe in
psychokinesis, and believed the extreme nature of the torture had rived Mulder's psyche
into two separate entities, one which was Mulder and the other which was the D.J.
character, who held all the negative things against him.  But Scully was beginning to
believe in the psychokinetic theory.  She reluctantly release Mulder kissing his nose and
said
     " We need to get ready and go."  Mulder frowned then grinned devilishly as he
pushed her back into the pool.  He dived in after her, chasing her around the pool till
he caught her in his embrace, chaining her mouth with his long and hard.  He broke
free, got out of the pool, calling Kaja and headed into the house.  Scully lightly bit her
lip to hold back a howl as she watched Mulder stride off in his red Speedos, then she
got out of the pool and followed.

3 p.m.

They got into the car silent.  Nothing.  She doesn't know why or how just that if she
doesn't stop Mulder will snap, lose all control, have a psychotic episode, and seriously 
injury someone.  As they pulled up into the drive way, Mulder groaned. Scully whipped
around, instantly in Doctor mode,
     "What??  Are you okay?"  Mulder nodded then explained
     " Yeah, It's just I see Marty Smith coming over here, and he's the last person I want
to talk to right now."
     " What you don't want to know how wonderful his kids are, how great his wife
is, how much money he makes, how much responsibility at work . . ."
     " Exactly"   Scully laughed as she exited the car.  Mulder tried to hurry in the house
after her but Marty ran up to him and engaged him in an endless conversation about the
great Marty Smith.  Scully looked out of the window at her captive husband, then
looked at Kaja who looked back and wagged her tail,
     " Come on lets go get Daddy."  She opened the door, and grabbed the dog's leash
and her ball.  Kaja jumped up, smacking Mulder with her big paws.  Mulder looked at
Scully relieved.
     " Hey Marty," then to Mulder" I'm going to take Kaja to the park coming?"  She
asked innocently.  Mulder looked at her then at Marty and said.
     " Sure sweetie, " then to Marty " Nice talking with you man, you coming by
later to shot some hoops?"
     " Sure" Marty said     " Okay then talk with you later" then he caught up with
Scully grabbing her hand and said
     " Thank you" He said as they walked to the park.








Scully sat on the park bench and watched Mulder throw the ball to Kaja when
     "Hey Dana"
Scully groaned.  Not Barbara Smith, she's worst than her husband.  She saw Mulder
stifle a laugh as he waved to her.
     " Is Fox feeling better?"
     "What?"
     " Marty said he saw Fox at the  hospital the other day, is he all right?"
     " Oh, OH yeah just a checkup"
     "Marty said he had a pretty bad ordeal a couple of months ago with a case?"
This is the last thing Scully wanted to discuss with her, but then she felt the need to talk
about it for some odd reason,
     "Well a couple of months ago we were working on a case . . ."
     " Oh you two work together?"
     "Uh, yeah, We're partners."
     " Oh, I never knew that.  I knew you two worked for the government but not
together, you get to be with him every day, well that so nice" Scully flashed a fake
amused smile then continued,
     " I was taken hostage and the person helping Mulder find me turned out to be
the person who took me in the first place.  He took Mulder in my place, beat him to a
pulp till I came with some back up, and took the person into custody."
     " Oh My"
     " He had a severe infection from the wounds and required some stitches," That was
a lie, it was more like a couple hundred, Sculy thought.  "He was bruised and battered
pretty bad but besides that he's okay."  Now that was an even bigger lie.
     " Wow, you're lucky to have him live.  I know your happy you got to him as
quickly as you did."
     " Yeah" Scully said smiling as she watched Mulder.  His muscles visible through
his white T-shirt, straining and moving as he threw the ball.  
     " It was after that, that you got married right, I know you haven't been married
long."
     "Yeah, 2 months."

Then she asked the question, the rude, insensitive, nosy question Scully hated and
dreaded with a vengeance. 
     " So with all the things that have happened, that could happen, when are you two
going to have kids?"  Scully looked to Mulder for him to step in and rescue her as she
did him, but he hadn't sensed the distress call, as he frolicked carefree with Kaja.
Scully smiled weakly trying to hide the hurt and pain brought on by the question.
     " Oh not right now, maybe in a year or two."
That seemed to satisfy her, Vulture, Scully thought.  Then Barbara diverged into her
favorite subject, her kids and Scully threw in some Oh reallys, mmm, and an occasional
Wow, while she watched Mulder play with her "child".  Maybe we should get another
one so Kaja isn't an only child Scully thought, then she noticed that Barbara had
stopped talking, Oh no did she ask a question?
     " I'm sorry"
     " I noticed you don't call your husband by his first name.  Does Mulder have some
special significance?"  Scully turned to her at first confused, then she thought, they
wouldn't know their last names, they never really gave them out.  There probably only
known to there new neighbors as Fox and Dana.  I need to remind Mulder to put our
last name on the Mailbox.  But how in the world can I explain the name thing to her,
Queen of the housewives?
     " No, Mulder is his last name.  When we started working together, he let me know
right away he didn't want to be called. Fox.  I've called him Mulder ever since.  It's
become second nature. I guess as a courtesy, he started calling me by my last name, and
it stuck." 
Simple but definitely not the whole story, but good enough to satisfy her curiosity. 
Then Mulder screamed her name.
     "Scully, watch this, do it again."  He threw the ball to Kaja, who did a little back
flip and caught it in mid air.  Scully smiled clapping her hands, while Mulder gathered
the puppy up in his arms kissing and ruffling its fur saying,
     "That's my girl, yeah Daddy's big girl."
Barbara smiled at them, definitely strange, but a nice strange, and an extremely cute
couple.
     "Dana, why don't you and Fox come over for Dinner tonight about six, you've
been here two months and we still didn't even know your last name."
     " Uh . ." Scully really didn't want to spend more time than she needed with the
Smiths, especially with Mulder's behavior as erratic as it was.  Mulder jogged towards
her Kaja trailing behind.
     " Mulder want to go to the Smith's for Dinner tonight?"  A terrified look crossed his
face then he remembered his game.
     " Oh we can't I have my basketball game tonight and don't you have racquetball
practice?"  Good save Sculy thought.
     " I completely forgot.  Maybe another night Barb."  Scully said rising and reaching
for Mulder's outstretched hand.
     " Oh sure, maybe another night."  That frees up the evening for a good game of
bridge with the girls, armed with fresh gossip about our new neighbors, Barbara
thought as Mulder and Scully walked away.  

Mulder started to laugh as soon as they were out of hearing range of Barbara
     "That was for leaving me to Marty Smith for an hour."  Scully smirked and looked
back at Kaja, when Mulder dropped to his knees, howling in shock.
     "Mulder?!?"  Scully shocked bent down to look .  Come on Mulder, pull it
together before we draw a crowd, Scully thought, then she looked around.  Too late as
she saw Barbara and few other people running toward them.
She looked back at Mulder, touching his shoulder, an enraged look crossed his face
and he growled
     "Get you hands off me! " Scully stunned, stepped back. Whoa, he's possessed,
she thought as she pulled herself together and said,
     " Mulder, your bleeding."  Mulder, her Mulder, not the one that growled at her a
second ago, looked up at her, wincing in pain, then he looked at the growing blood
spot on his shirt.  I'm covered in blood he thought, the image of a blood soaked DJ
whipping him invaded his mind.  As the crowd formed a circle around them, Scully
pulled up his shirt to see the damage.
     " Scully? Not here" Mulder teased.  Scully gave him a quick smirk and said
     " Dang, your scars have broken open, impossible!!"  Seemingly oblivious to the
crowd, Scully pulled off Mulder's shirt much to his dismay, revealing the mass of scars
and healed over puncture marks on his torso.  The crowd audibly gasped at the sight,
causing Mulder to feel self-conscious and fidget.  Hurry up, Scully.
     " It only seems to be the ones in the front.  Come on, I need to stitch you back up."
Scully said throwing his shirt at him gently.  Mulder quickly put it on and followed her
nodding and smiling at the crowd, flushed and throughly embarrassed.  When he caught
up with her he found her giggling to herself,
     " That wasn't funny. Now they think I'm Frankenstein or something."
     "That was for Barbara Smith.  Now were even."






At the House






     " Ah jeez, no anesthesia, Doc?"  Mulder whined while Scully stitched him up.
     " Oh stop whining, I'm almost done, there" Scully said clipping the string.  Mulder
exhaled, slightly pale, fell back on the bed, breathing erratically.
     "Oh it wasn't that bad."  Then she said, " you know if you had pulled them while
you were playing with the dog . ."
     "Kaja, not the dog" Mulder corrected
     "Playing with Kaja, then there would have been pull marks, but there straight
like someone cut open you scars with a knife or something" the image made Mulder
shudder
     "Cut open?"
     "I know, sounds strange but it's . ."
     " You don't think I did it, do you?"
     " Of course not Mulder, but you wouldn't believe me when I tell you who."
     "Try me.  Who?"
     "D.J."  Mulder blinked then started laughing, and abruptly stopped when Scully
didn't join in.
     " Oh my god, your serious"
     " Very" 
Mulder smirked " Do you also believe in the existence of extraterrestrials?  I'm really
rubbing off on you."  He kissed her neck as he slid of the bed towards the kitchen.
     " Do I have to cancel my game tonight?'
     " Yes"
     "Doh!!"  Mulder said picking up a knife to slice an orange.  Then a shockwave
went through his body, and he fell to the floor.  Fight her, Fight her, he repeated
mentally to himself as he felt D.J. invade his mind.  Mulder fell into a trance like state,
and traveled deep into his mind to face off with D.J.  Mind against mind, they fought, it
reminded Mulder of sitting at the table with Robert Modell.  Then the image of himself
putting the gun to his head and pulling the trigger flashed in his mind.  Don't get
distracted, need your full concentration, Mulder's face was beet red and dripping with
sweat when Scully came into the kitchen to see what had happened. Mulder? Mulder
what's wrong?  Mulder? filled Mulder's ears, Scully's low soft voice distracting him only
momentarily as he processed what he must look like to her, on the floor sweating, in a
trance.  That moment was all D.J. needed, as she took over his mind, fully linking her
psyche with his.  Mulder's eyes snapped open, he was watching everything he did, like
he was watching himself from across the room but could do nothing to stop it. To stop
what happened next.
     " Are you okay Mulder?"  Scully asked concerned she reached to touch his
sweat soaked cheek.  Mulder grabbed her wrist quickly, tightly, too tight, Mulder knew
he was hurting her but he couldn't stop.  He picked her up off the ground and threw her
across the room, she landed heavily but unevenly on the kitchen table, causing the table
to fall over on top of her. She looked at him stunned and frightened.
     " Back Off Scully!!" He said as he stormed off to the bedroom.  He grabbed his
gun quickly checking to see if it was loaded and tucked it in the back of his pants.  He
came back and grabbed his car keys, Scully wrestled with the heavy oak table
     "Mulder,  Where are you going?"
     " To get her out" and with that he ran out the door. Scully was dazed and bruised
from the rash act of violence, but high off the adrenaline rush of fear, as she pushed the
table off her small frame.  She garnered her weapon and her cellphone, grabbed her
keys and got in her car to follow him.  She caught up to Mulder, but gave him a safe
distance.  He looked so fierce, unnatural, strangely confident, but confused.  Like he
didn't want to do these things, but had no choice.  Mulder pulled up to the gate of the
prison, and flashed his badge as he passed the guard.   He walked down the hall, some
how instinctively knowing where she was.   He stopped in front of her cell.
     " Well it's about time you came."  D.J. said as Mulder motioned for the guard to
open the cell.  Confused the guard opened the cell but when he realized Mulder was
releasing her went for his gun.  Mulder turned quickly and shot the man twice, pulled
D.J. out of her cell and ran to his car.  The guard outside tried to stop them as Mulder
sped off, but was backed over by Mulder's car as they made there get away.  Scully
followed, trying to figure out how she was going to explain this away.  D.J. ruffled
Mulder's hair lightly and whispered in his ear.
     "Good Boy" and some instructions.  Mulder nodded and pulled over on the
shoulder.  Scully pulled over watching, and dialing for backup.  Mulder got out and
D.J. moved to the driver's seat.  Mulder waved, and cocked his gun, raising it to his
head.  Oh my god, she's going to make him kill himself, she exited the car, cocking her
gun as she ran up to him, D.J.  Seeing her smiled and stood back up, pulling Mulder's
face to hers, kissing him deep and hard.  He responded to the kiss in a way he never
had with Scully.  For Scully every thing went red, a bulls eye formed on D.J.'s chest and
an angry growl emitted from Scully as she pulled the trigger.  D.J. flew back from the
force of the bullet, she slammed against the door and flipped over the hood onto the
ground.  Scully followed standing over D.J.
     " Bad move."  Scully growled as she emptied her gun into her.  She turned to
Mulder in time to see him pull the trigger of his gun.  Scully slammed into the hood of
the car and stared at Mulder.  He shot me, she thought as she fell unconscious. 
The sirens from the approaching Police cars were the first thing Mulder heard as he
regained control over his body. He looked at Scully spread across the car hood,
D.J. sprawled on the ground in a pool of blood.  Scully??  Oh my god no, he reached
for her only to see his gun in his hand, the barrel still smoking from the fresh shot.  Oh
god, I shot her, I shot Scully, I shot my partner, my wife.  He looked at the wound,
chest wound, not good.   He felt faint, he couldn't live with the knowledge, the guilt of
what he had just done. As the police pulled up and jumped out of their cars, he raised
his gun to his head and pulled the trigger.