Scully smiled and nudged him. �Ashley�s checking you out again.�
Krycek shrugged with a modest look on his face as he glanced down at Scully. �Well, you know, all the girlie�s say I�m pretty fly.�
�For a white guy.� She and Langly sang back.
Scully burst out laughing into the silence. She realized that both Cade and Mulder were staring at her. Regaining her composure, she looked over at Mulder. �You want to go next door and get Stout?�
Mulder shrugged. �Sure.�
�I wanna go.� Cade said.
�Come on, big guy.� Mulder held out a hand as Cade walked up to him and took it.
Scully watched the two of them walk out of the house before slowly venturing down to the bottom level of the house. She cast an eye over the silent rec room. How many parties had been held down here? How many good times had they had? How many good times that she wasn�t a part of?
Scully ignored that thought and instead walked over to the stereo. Music had always been wafting through the rooms and the silence made the place appear sadder than it already was. It just didn�t seem like home unless some sort of music was occupying the house with them. She turned it on and watched as the CD�s spun around in their random mode before stopping.
��They made up their mind, and they started packing�They left before the sun came up that day�
An exit to eternal summer slacking�But where were they going without ever knowing the way��
�The Way� by Fastball cranked out and Scully smiled. She and Krycek had joked about that song. They had listened to it on their cross-country trip to California, swearing it had been written about the very drive they were taking. Eternal summer slacking, yes indeed.
��They just drove off and left it all behind them, but where were they going without ever knowing the way��
Scully threw open the French doors and walked onto the deck. The same view from so many times before greeted her and she welcomed it. The blues skies, the salty air, the ocean breeze, the crashing surf�
��You can see their shadows wandering off somewhere�They wont make it home, but they really don�t care�They wander the highway, they�re happier there today�Today��
Scully smiled. She was definitely happier now that she was home.
She stayed out on the deck until the song ended. She knew she had to wander the rest of the house, but she was putting it off. The CD player rotated again and �Comfortably Numb� began to play.
��Hello�Is there anybody in there�Just nod if you can hear me�Is there anyone home��
Pink Floyd was Krycek�s favorite band. The Wall was his favorite album. She had heard every song on it about a thousand times.
��Relax�I need some information first�Just the basic facts�Can you show me where it hurts��
Krycek had told her that when he listened to Pink Floyd, it seemed like they were talking to him.
��There is no pain, you are receding�A distant ship, smoke on the horizon�You are only coming through in waves�Your lips move, but I can�t hear what you�re saying��
Scully sighed and walked up to the second floor, stopping in front of her bedroom. She slowly opened the door and stared inside. It was exactly as she�d left it. She stepped inside, feeling really weird knowing it had been over two years since she�d been here. It felt like she�d never left.
This song in particular reminded her of Alex. He said it was how he had felt growing up as a teenager.
��I can�t explain�You would not understand�This is not how I am�I have become comfortably numb��
Scully finally left the doorway and walked over to her closet. The hinges squeaked as she opened the door. Everything was still in there, just as she�d left it. She sighed again and made her way over to her dresser. All her family pictures were still there. The picture of her and Mulder at the FBI Christmas party years ago was still there. The picture of Krycek and Langly was still there. Scully smiled to herself, remembering when she had taken that picture. It was taken from behind, while she�d been standing on the deck. Krycek and Langly were sitting on the sand in wet suits, a surfboard on either side of them, staring out at the waves. Langly was pointing at something and Stout was stretched out behind them, basking in the sun.
��Okay�Just a little pin prick�There we go boy�But you may feel a little sick�Can you stand up�I do believe it�s working good��
She opened all of the windows and the doors leading out to her deck to let the room air out.
Cade�s room was completely different than the last time she�d seen it. Back when she and Alex were decorating it, the theme had been Winnie the Pooh. Now it was all redone in Star Wars. Scully noticed that the picture of when they were first remodeling it was still hanging on the wall.
When everyone had come over for a BBQ during Labor Day weekend, they had a decorating party. Her Mom was there, and the Lone Gunmen were there. Bill had shown up. A couple of neighbors that they�d become friendly with had offered to pitch in. They had wanted Cade to see them preparing his room for his arrival. They had taken lots of pictures, but this one was by far the funniest one in the bunch.
Everyone had painted and assembled furniture and basically just made a big huge mess of each other after getting in a paint fight like a bunch of kids. The picture had been taken while everyone was smashed against the far wall as Krycek ran back to beat the timer on the automatic picture-taker. He had practically fallen into the group and knocked everyone down. She had paint all over her face and had pressed her left cheek against Krycek�s face as he had grabbed her arm to keep from falling. They were all laughing hysterically. That�s the reason they chose that picture to commemorate Cade�s first room. They were all so happy. Mulder hadn�t been there that time, again. But by then, she�d almost been used to it.
Scully walked out of Cade�s room to see Krycek�s door open across from it. She stared at the doorway, remembering the last time she had stood there, listening to Krycek and Mulder argue over what was best for her.
'Mulder, you live all the way across the country.� She heard Krycek say. �You haven't called, you haven't been out to visit until now. It's been six months. Six months, Mulder. You don't think she hasn't questioned your relationship?'
'I did what I thought was right.' Mulder said softly.
'And I'm doing the same.' Krycek replied.
Scully had moved closer to the door and looked inside to see Krycek throwing things into a suitcase as Mulder watched. 'I thought Scully was the only person you've ever really cared about? I thought you wouldn't lose her because of me.'
Krycek didn't look at him. 'Things have changed.'
'Things have changed since last night?' Mulder asked. 'What happened out there?'
'That's between me and Dana.'
'I don't know, Krycek, but it sounds like it's got a lot to do with me.'
Krycek suddenly looked up at him. 'I just want her to be happy.'
Mulder sighed. 'It seems like she's happy here with you.'
'I am.' She interrupted and they both turned to see her standing in the doorway.
Scully remembered how angry she had been that they�d been deciding how she felt, deciding her future. She�d been confused at the feeling�s she�d had of Krycek leaving, even if he meant well for her relationship with Mulder. She remembered asking him to stay out of it, that she could handle her own life just fine. She remembered telling him that she didn�t want him to go.
She remembered the pain that cut through her body. Remembered that Krycek had been at her side in half a second. Barely remembered going to the hospital.
She suddenly realized that everything had ended on the beach, not when she had gone to the hospital and been taken. The instant that Krycek�s mind had wandered and she had stumbled across his jumbled thoughts, everything changed. Because of this, he made up his mind to leave. He didn�t want to interfere with her and Mulder�s relationship. That�s when everything had gone to hell. That�s when everything became muddy. After the argument they�d had, nothing would be the same again.
The song was still playing and she slowly roused herself back to the present. There�d been enough of reflecting on what could have been done differently. It was all she had done for two years.
��When I was a child, I caught a fleeting glimpse out of the corner of my eye�I turned to look but it was gone�I cannot put my finger on it now�The child is grown�The dream is gone�I have become comfortably numb��
The front door slammed upstairs and Scully sensed Stout running down the stairs. She turned and knelt as the dog bombarded her, knocking her back onto her butt. She laughed and hugged Stout as he lavished her with doggie kisses, all her earlier disenchantment fading away.
***
After putting Cade to bed, Mulder and Scully went out to sit on the deck and have a glass of Merlot. They didn�t know at the time that they were starting a tradition that they would continue to observe for years to come. They stared out at the ocean and breathed in the salty air as �The End� by The Doors began to play.
�Mulder.� Scully said softly. �I need to say something to you.�
The tone of her voice was far too serious, even for Scully. He didn�t look at her. �Sure, Scully.�
She sighed and curled her feet up under her as she turned towards him. �It�s been bothering me for a long time and I feel really bad.�
Mulder took a sip of wine to take a moment to steady his nerves. �Bad about what?�
�When you came back after you�d been �missing�. When you disappeared and went to work with Diana.� She quit talking and the silence stretched out.
��This is the end�Beautiful friend�This is the end�My only friend�The end��
�Yes?� He urged her to continue.
�Mulder, look at me.�
The seriousness of her expression caused his breath to catch in his throat.
�I acted horribly.� She said. �And I�m sorry.�
�What are you talking about, Scully?� Mulder asked when he could push the words out.
�I was so wrong for the way I acted.� Her eyes were imploring, silently begging for understanding. �I didn�t stop to think how it all must have seemed to you. I doubted you. I questioned your loyalty to me and to the X-Files. I was so selfish.�
�It�s okay, Scully.� He said, putting a hand over hers. �I was horrible too.�
�No, Mulder.� She shook her head. �You came home to find me pregnant with Alex�s child. And all I did was defend myself. All I did was berate you for not trusting me. I complained that you wouldn�t give Alex a chance.�
�We both screwed up.� He said. �You thought I had been working against you and I didn�t give you much of a chance to explain anything. I had been told that you and Krycek had been working together from the beginning. They were playing us against each other and we almost fell for it.�
�I�m sorry.� She said again.
�It was a long time ago.� He brushed hair behind her shoulder. �Let�s just leave it in the past and move on. We should discuss what we want to do about Krycek. He is out there somewhere.�
�I�d rather not talk about this just yet.� Scully mumbled almost too softly for him to make out the words. �There�s nothing we can do right now because we�d be risking Cade.�
�Okay.� Mulder replied softly. �We can talk about it later. When you�re ready.�
Scully was silent, remembering. Her eyes seemed distant, far away. �I wonder how different things would be if I hadn�t let Alex into my house that night.�
Mulder traced circles on top of her hand. �What night?�
�The night after you disappeared. Skinner took me home from the hospital and we�d ordered some Thai food. We talked about that night at the Japanese Bar.� Scully smiled. �And Alex showed up out of nowhere. I remember how scared I was that he was there. How evil and horrible and cold he had seemed. It took awhile for me to trust him. I really tried to keep hating him.�
Mulder grinned. �He makes it pretty hard.�
She returned his smile. �I know. That�s why I was so confused. I didn�t understand how you still saw him in such a horrible way. I was selfish and insensitive. I�m sorry. I didn�t stop to think that the same Krycek you knew didn�t exist for me anymore. I don�t think I�m making any sense.�
�No, you are.� Mulder said softly.
�You must have thought I�d lost my mind.�
Mulder laughed, nodding. �I did. But I mostly blamed it on Krycek. I thought he was manipulating you. Playing games with your mind.� He paused, then looked down at their hands. �But that�s not quite all I thought.�
Scully sensed that he wanted to ask her a question, but was uncomfortable. �Go on, Mulder.�
�I thought you were in love with him.� He said, looking her in the eye.
Scully smiled. �I was in love with you.�
Mulder stared back for a moment. He had no idea how to respond.
She laughed at the look on his face and turned back to the ocean. She had just dropped a nuclear bomb on him and she was enjoying it. What was it about this place that made her so carefree?
Mulder looked out at the waves as well. He was still struggling to reiterate with something�To elaborate�To explain�Why was his life always so complicated?
Scully had been happy for the past few hours and the conversation they were about to have would be heavy and she wanted to wait. Besides, she could sense that Mulder was struggling with a reply. No need to ruin the evening, regardless of how amusing she found his discomfort. �Tell me what you�ve been doing for the past two years, Mulder. Where�d you go in the FBI?�
�I stayed on the X-Files.� He sputtered out, silently thanking her for saving him just now.
�Oh, so you got a new partner?� She took a sip of wine.
�Yes.� Mulder tried to breathe, tried to relax. �I didn�t like him too much at first. But at least he isn�t a hard ass like my last partner.�
�Whatever.� Scully pushed him in his chair and he rewarded her with a small laugh, looking at her.
She smiled back. �Well?�
�Well, what?�
�You going to tell me who your new partner is?�
***
Steven Koskie made his way through the halls of FBI Headquarters, wondering why he was being summoned to AD Skinner's office. For the last six months, he'd been serving warrants on jump-out squads. He must have really pissed people off to get that dead-end assignment.
Koskie opened the door to Skinner�s small reception area, smiling at Kimberly, the AD's receptionist.
She clicked the button on the intercom, waiting for Skinner�s response.
�Sir, Agent Koskie has arrived.�
Koskie watched her stare at the intercom, as if it were speaking to her.
She smiled up at him. �He�ll be with you in a moment.�
Koskie stood up, pacing the room. Kimberly watched him, an annoyed look lingering on her face.
�I�m sorry.� He grinned.
She gave him an insincere grin before returning to her work.
Koskie glanced at his watch every few seconds; playing with his hands, and letting his eyes roam the room.
Kimberly huffed. �Agent Koskie, I believe it is six-thirty-seven, the same time it was when you checked your watch about five seconds ago.�
Koskie smiled, embarrassed and beyond bored.
�My appointment was at six-thirty, wasn�t it?�
Kimberly checked her appointment book, her finger running down the page. �Seven.�
�Damn.� Koskie muttered.
�Have somewhere else you need to be?�
�Yes, I had an appointment at seven; to get a manicure and pedicure, my skin is just so dry and unruly and I am such the morning person. Then I figured I would get into work unusually early to make sure all those little warrants were ready to go.�
Kimberly rolled her eyes at him.
�Do you always get up at this hour?� Koskie asked, resting on the edge of her desk. �I mean, you were here before me, so you must get up at��
�Agent Koskie, I have work to do.�
Koskie sat for a good two minutes, staring at nothing, thinking of nothing, when he heard himself singing out loud.
�Cause I've got friends in low places, where the whiskey drowns and the beer chases my blues away, and I'll be okay��
�Agent Koskie�� Kimberly stared at him, as if she were looking straight through him.
Koskie knew that she had work to do, but being the charmer that he was, he knew she would soon have him in Skinner�s office. He grinned. �Don�t like Garth, huh? Yeah, he might be a little twangy at times, but��
Kimberly clicked the intercom, while Koskie serenaded her. �Sir, are you ready for Agent Koskie? Sir, yes, sir. No, sir, that is Agent Koskie you hear singing.�
Kimberly clicked the intercom button and didn�t look at him. �He is ready for you.�
Koskie stood, a smile playing on his face and walked past Kimberly�s desk, and opened the door to Skinner�s office.
�Sir.�
�Agent Koskie, please have a seat.�
Koskie sat in the left, black leather chair in front of Skinner�s desk.
�Sir, if I may ask, what did I do wrong? Did I not dot my I�s or cross my T�s, or is it the unusual boredom I have been displaying during work hours?�
�Agent Koskie, we will be joined by Dale Cooper today.�
�Dale Cooper?�
'Agent Koskie, nice to meet you.'
The voice came from behind and Koskie turned to see a tall, slender man extending a hand towards him. Dale Cooper was pale, with big round eyes and slick, jet-black hair.
'I'm Dale Cooper.'
'Yes, I know.' Koskie said, shaking his head. 'You worked that famous case back in Washington state all those years ago. What city was that again?'
'Twin Peaks.' Cooper replied. 'Best cherry pie I've ever had.'
Koskie smiled and nodded, turning back to Skinner.
�So, what is the nature of our meeting today?� Koskie asked.
�Agent Koskie, you were shot in Agent Scully�s apartment, by an unknown subject, correct?� Skinner asked Koskie.
�Shot?� Koskie questioned.
�Shot.� Cooper repeated, making himself visible out of the corner of Koskie�s eye.
�I don�t recall being shot, but a lot of things happened that night. Who said I was shot?�
�Agent Koskie,� Skinner sighed, �this is how I operate: I ask a question, and you answer as simply and directly as you possibly can.�
Koskie began to speak. �With all due respect, Sir-�
�I�ve heard all my due respect, Agent Koskie.� Skinner interrupted him before he could dig himself another hole. �What I�m interested in now is what happened the night you were assigned to protect Special Agent Dana Scully.�
Koskie was mollified. �I don�t remember much of what happened that night.�
�It�s okay, Agent Koskie.� Cooper said soothingly. �Just tell us what you do remember.�
�I was in my car.� Koskie thought back to a night he had buried in his memory. �And someone that looked like Agent Mulder forced me into the apartment building. He wanted me to get Agent Scully to let me in.�
�Agent Mulder forced you to do this?� Skinner asked.
Koskie shook his head. �No, Sir. Someone who looked like him. I had been hit over the head when Agent Scully opened the door. I didn�t know what had happened until I came to.�
�And when you woke up�?� Skinner urged him to continue while Cooper looked on.
�Agents Mulder and Scully were there. As well as Alex Krycek.� Koskie was lost in the memory, he hadn�t thought of that night in a long time. �Krycek told me that all the blood on my shirt was from him. He�d been shot and was trying to help me and gotten his blood all over me.� Koskie shuddered, reliving that awful moment that he�d woken up, unsure of where he�d been. �Agent Mulder had relieved me, told me to go home. He�d told me that he was going to call you and let you know what had happened.�
�Agent Koskie,� Skinner began, �do you have any idea what happened to this man who was imitating Agent Mulder?�
�No.� He shook his head. �I woke up, I was startled to see Agent Mulder. But Krycek had told me that it wasn�t the same guy. I don�t know what it was, what exactly happened, but Agent Mulder told me to go home. He is a senior agent, so I did. Sir, may I ask what this is all about? Why is Agent Cooper here?�
�I�m not exactly an Agent anymore, Mr. Koskie.� Cooper said.
�Mr. Cooper is here in an unofficial capacity.� Skinner said.
Koskie gave another small shake of his head. �I�m afraid I don�t understand, Sir.�
�You don�t need to understand, Agent Koskie.�
�With all due respect, Sir-�
�Agent Koskie, haven�t we been over this?� Skinner�s eyes were irritated and amused at the same time. �I ask the questions and you provide the answers.�
Koskie paused for a moment. �With all due respect, Sir-�
Skinner was barely able to contain a small smile �What is it, Agent?�
Koskie smiled, his charm oozing out. �I still don�t know what all this about.�
Skinner paused, staring down at Agent Koskie with his arms crossed for a few moments.
�I�ve been summoned to the Assistant Director�s office.� Koskie said, putting up his hands. �Dale Cooper is here in an �unofficial capacity� and we�re talking about what happened at the apartment of Dana Scully�s, who is otherwise known as �Mrs. Spooky�, apartment. The partner of Agent Mulder, the leader of the �Little Green Men Patrol�. This happened months ago. Why should anyone care about it now? What am I supposed to think, Sir?�
Skinner hesitated, thinking, and then continued. �Agent Koskie, between you, me and the fence post-�
�Excuse me, Assistant Director Skinner.� Cooper interrupted. �I find that highly derogatory. I do not like being referred to as a �fence post�. The size of my waistline should not be an issue here-�
�Ease down, Chip.� Skinner waved a hand at Cooper, smiling. �Agent Koskie, we need to take your official statement on what happened that night. I also notice that you are due for a reassignment.�
�Oh joy, Sir.� Koskie smiled. He had noticed that Skinner and Cooper appeared to have a past history and filed that away in his mind for future reference. �Am I being forced to show off my marksmanship skills for the tourists visiting FBI Headquarters?�
�No, Agent Koskie.� Skinner said. �You�re being reassigned to the X-Files.�
Koskie was silent for a moment. �The X-Files?�
�Yes, Agent.� Skinner replied.
�But Agent�s Mulder and Scully-�
�Since you�ve had your head up your ass for the past six months, Agent Koskie,� Skinner said harshly, �Maybe you haven�t noticed that Agent Scully hasn�t been around.�
�I know she had taken a leave of absence, Sir. But surely she�d want to come back if she knew the X-Files were up and running again.� Koskie said, trying to reason his way out of the assignment.
�Agent Scully�s dead, Koskie.� Skinner replied bluntly, walking around his desk and sitting down in his chair. �I doubt she�ll be returning to work on any case.�
Koskie stared back at the Assistant Director, shock clear on his face. He cleared his throat. �I�m sorry, Sir. I had no idea.�
There was silence for a moment and Skinner sighed and leaned forward in his chair. �Agent Mulder is insistent on staying on with the X-Files, so a partner needs to be assigned.�
�Sir.� Koskie tried to speak reasonably. �I must strenuously state that I have no interest in being involved in anyway with the X-Files.�
�Well, Agent Koskie.� Skinner smiled with no hint of humor. �I have no interest in being bald, but sometimes you just have to smile and take the shit you�re being served.�
***
Agent Koskie made his way down to the halls of the building, now standing in a full elevator. He took notice of the people in the elevator, all secluded and living in their own little space. Everyone had their eyes straight ahead; arms down and clasped in front of them. He watched as each one got off at their respective floors, leaving him the last one in the elevator, along with the janitor. Koskie looked at his nametag, tracing the grooves with his eyes. Kevin.
�The basement?� Kevin asked, astonished at the fact anyone else was going down there.
�Yep.� Koskie said, rocking back and forth on his heels.
�Why?�
�I was assigned there.�
�Assigned? What happened to the other two agents?�
�Mulder is still there. I am taking Agent Scully�s place.�
�The cute little red head? I liked her.�
Koskie smirked as the janitor began mumbling things about Scully, and quickly walked off of the elevator in front of Kevin. He listened to the clicking of his heels on the cold, hard floor as he neared Mulder�s office. Koskie yawned, sure of the fact that Mulder would not be in his office this early.
Koskie placed his hand on the cool, metallic, silver knob and opened the door of Mulder�s office.
