Headers in Part 1 Part 7 Mulder's Room Blue Shores Motel 7 PM Mulder threw the motel room key on the dresser. Scully took off her coat and draped it over a chair. "Did you ever hear such a creative string of expletives in your life?" Mulder asked. "Well, certainly not followed by the statement, 'now leave me the fuck alone so I can meditate." He smiled. "The woman has a process. Gotta respect that." "She wasn't even sure she could do this, Mulder. They usually come to her. She doesn't have to summon them." "Well, just think--maybe we'll get to be part of a seance tomorrow." "Yipee," she said in a voice completely devoid of enthusiasm. Mulder removed his shoes and laid back against the headboard, closing his eyes. He suddenly looked very tired and frustrated. "What's wrong, Mulder?" she asked, sitting by his feet. "I want to solve this." "Mulder--a lot of x-files are never solved. You know that better than anyone." "Knowing it doesn't make it any easier. And I'm not really talking about the brownie points we may or may not get from the Deputy Director. It's just that I don't want to leave Miranda in doubt over her life. Having to live with a vague warning of 'something' about to happen because we couldn't solve this." "But how do we solve this, Mulder? There is not all that much we can do if we are truly dealing with the non- physical realm." He smiled. "What?" she asked, knowing the answer already. "I don't know. I just love hearing you talk about these things. It's an incredible turn-on, in its own way. And I'm serious about that. It's like I've actually had an influence on you." "Gee, do you think?" "Oh, you know you would probably melt like a puddle of goo if I started espousing true scientific theory." "Perhaps. But right now, the only thing turning me on is the prospect of water. Hot water and lots of it." "Did they ever clean your tub?" "Yes. They did but I won't be sitting in it any time soon. Showers are safer." "Are you coming back?" he asked softly, seeming to walk a thin line between eagerness and nonchalance. "Do you want me to?" Nonchalance flew out the window. "Let's get this straight. I never want you to leave." "My clothes are in my room." "I can loan you some. If you get cold. And I can also promise that I will do everything in my power to keep you warm." "It's a deal. Mulder?" "Yes?" "We can conserve water now, if you're interested." "I've always been a closet environmentalist." He leaped off the bed and followed her into the bathroom. XXXXX Blue Shores Motel 9 PM Scully watched Mulder as he snuggled her breast in post- coital bliss. He opened his eyes a little wider and suddenly seemed fascinated by the nipple nearest his line of vision. "Are you cold, Scully?" She smiled, "Something like that." "That will never do," he said and latched on, massaging her nipple with his warm tongue. "Better?" he mumbled, his mouth still occupied. She lifted his hand from her waist and covered her other breast with it. Now, both were warm. "Much better." His soft massaging turned into slight nibbling, which quickly progressed to full-on suction. She put her hands in his hair and encouraged the movement of his mouth. She had a sudden flash of a few past lovers. This was always part of foreplay--never more than a means to an end. Mulder had not had anywhere near sufficient recovery time and yet, he seemed to want to do this for her. And a part of her knew that, at one time, she might consider it selfish to take so much pleasure. She could picture herself muttering a quick, "that's all right, go to sleep," and roll over and do the same. But this was Mulder. A couple of days ago, she wasn't even sure she would ever be this close to him again. She would take it all--completely, selfishly and thankfully. And she would stop counting the times they made love because she planned on enjoying each moment as a routine expression of their feelings; not a rare special occasion. She pushed a stray lock of his hair back in place and watched his beautiful lips pursed over her breast. She couldn't remember a prettier sight. XXXXX Hotel Andres Second Floor Lobby 9:30 PM Kevin, Miranda and Max all sat in the old lobby facing the balcony. Rupert had been there when they initially came out but he made a hasty retreat, scoffing at Miranda's half-hearted protestations. "So there is a possibility that Mulder and Scully could pack up and leave before solving this?" Kevin did not look happy. "Kevin, just how long are they supposed to stay? As far as their 'assignment' is concerned--they finished it. The initial 'threat'--the spirit--is gone. If we can't summon him and find out what he was trying to warn me of, really, how long are they supposed to wait?" "As long as it takes." "He might have been warning me of something five or ten years in the future. Who knows?" "Well, then, we should force his wife to tell us more." "How? She has her rights--even in prison. She doesn't have to tell us anything." He ran a hand through his hair. "I know. It's just so damned frustrating." "Yes, it is," Miranda wanted to lighten the mood and knew just what would do it. "Tell me, how is Russo taking in your 'tales of the paranormal?'" Miranda enjoyed watching the color flood into Kevin's cheeks. "Russo is an idiot." She leaned forward. "Tell me." "Russo thinks you're cute but 'freaky.' And I should run as far and as fast as my legs can take me." "Isn't that what Murphy thought?" Kevin's eyes softened at the mention of his former partner's name. George Murphy had been killed in a hit and run accident a couple of months before. The two men had an instant bond of friendship and Miranda knew that Kevin enjoyed the memory of the man he had known for all too short a time. "Murphy was joking. He liked you a lot. Russo doesn't know when to quit." "Ah, well, when whatever is out to get me, gets me, you'll get along better." "Don't even joke about that, Miranda." "I'm sorry. I know you take this all very seriously." "Well, I am the only one who saw this 'spirit.' I figure he came to me for a reason--that blood splattered on your windows was there for a reason. And none of the reasons I can think of are good ones." She took his hand. "You're a good guy, you know that, don't you?" "My momma didn't raise any hooligans." "Hooligans?" "Old fashioned term. There is rampant usage of them as part of my genetic makeup. Just a warning for you to store away for the future." "And why would I care about such a thing?" "I don't know." "Okay. Since we're revealing genetic flaws, I can do you one better. I can see the love of people's lives by concentrating on their faces." "Well, personally, I think your radar is off so I wouldn't go bragging on that one yet." She laughed and he brought their joined hands to his lips. The kiss he left on the back of her hand was rough and desperate. It was also the most romantic gesture she had ever been the recipient of. XXXXX Mulder's Room Blue Moon Motel January 19, 1999 4 PM Scully got off the phone. While she had been talking, Mulder came in from outside, taken off his jacket and shoes and preceded to give himself what looked like a foot massage. The boardwalk was very long and not easy on shoe leather or the bottoms of feet. "I had them add a sample of Doug Burk's DNA to the ones they are already testing. Actually, they are almost through testing those but if nothing shows up, they can test his." "Yeah, why not?" Mulder said, digging into the arch of his foot with his knuckles. "You're distracted," she told him. "Rita hasn't called yet." "Give her time, Mulder." "We're paying for her to take the whole day off to 'fucking' meditate--what more does she need?" "Maybe the spirit's not willing, "she said with a smile. "What did you find out about our mobster?" "Nothing much at all. He's suspected of all kinds of illegal activities but there is very little evidence to get anywhere near building a case against him." "So, we'd have no business questioning him?" "None at all." "And we won't." "Not at this time." His answer both surprised and relieved Scully. While they did have the Deputy Director's sanction, she knew it would be withdrawn quickly if they stepped out of line completely. Mulder continued. "We will wait to see if Dougie shows up. Right now, we're going on next to nothing. I wouldn't want to arouse Monte's suspicions when I don't know what I'm even aiming for." Someone banged on the door. "Let us in. It's fucking freezing out here." It was Rita's voice. Scully opened the door and Rita smirked at her presence in Mulder's room. Scully ignored her. "Let *us* in?" she asked. "Yeah, I got Dougie with me. The pain in the ass." XXXXX Mulder's Room 4:45 PM Rita was sitting on Mulder's bed, eating the potato chips she insisted he run out and buy her. Mulder sat backwards in a straight backed chair, patiently watching her while Scully sat in the threadbare easy chair, assessing the current state of her manicure. After finishing half a bag in silence, she drank half a can of Diet Coke before taking a breath and putting her snacks aside. "That's better. I was so fucking hungry, I couldn't think straight." "So, how did you get Dougie back?" "I just concentrated on everything he told me--tried to remember the energy I felt at that time and boom--I didn't have to remember because there he was. And I gotta say--he's a little pissed. Kind of like being yanked off a plane when you're halfway to Hawaii." "Did you tell him that we didn't get much out of his wife?" "He's not deaf, you know. He knows. You know, if Miranda ever did read this guy, I'm sure she would have found that the love of his life was Natasha. The stupid bitch. Okay, okay. I'm sorry," she told the air. "He's very defensive," she stage-whispered to Mulder and Scully. "Let's leave her out of it for a moment. He's showing me pictures--three of them. One of them is him. Man, he was a big one. Oh, another one is this brunette--I'm getting the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon again so it must be Natasha and there's this man posing near a slot machine." "Yes, we know the pictures." ""Okay, he's sending me an image of him waving his arms back and forth. I think," she grabbed her coke and the agents had to wait a moment before she polished off the rest of the can, stifled a small burp, and continued, "I think he's trying to say you showed the pictures to the wrong person. Oh, cool. I got a thumbs up! Good signal, Dougie. Very clear." "Who should we be showing it to?" Scully asked. Rita closed her eyes. "Wow. Everything turned blue." "Blue?" "Yeah, a navy blue." "Cops uniform? Boys in blue?" Scully suggested. "Bingo. Another thumbs up." "Okay. We need to show this to Kevin. He'll know someone in the pictures?" "Oh, I'm getting a shoulder shrug. Dougie, Dougie--what are we trying to say here?" She leaned back against the headboard and closed her eyes. She reached out blindly toward the nightstand and grabbed her potato chip bag. She stuck her hand in and thoughtfully munched on chips with her eyes closed. Mulder and Scully exchanged glances with Mulder smirking at the expression on Scully's face. If they had been alone, she would have been tempted to stick her tongue out at him. "Okay, I'm getting the cop that hangs out with Miranda. The cute one. Dougie is standing outside Miranda's shop and watching her talk with the cop. I see a lightbulb flash over them. Okay. Now, I see Miranda's shop and there's blood on the window. Yuck. Now, I see mud and that picture of the guy near the slot machine is sticking out of it." "What is that supposed to mean?" Mulder asked. "I have no idea," Rita said. "The guy is dirty?" Mulder asked. "He's giving me a mezza-mezza on that one, big guy," Rita said. "Clear as mud? Muddy connection?" Scully said. "Thumbs up! Damn, you're good at this, Agent Scully." "Great. So, he may or may not be involved in anything." "No ... I'm not getting that feeling. I'm getting a feeling of someone not necessarily knowing what the connection is." "And he can't tell us?" "No. I think it's beyond him at this point. I'm surprised he's been able to do as much as he has." "Anything else?" "Nah, he just pulled back. In like ... one second, all his energy is gone. He must have been a freaking dynamo in bed," Rita said and bit into a small stack of potato chips with a resounding crunch. End of Part 7