The Lure of the Fox
By Caroline O'Callaghan 

Rating: NC-17 

Classification:MSR. Mulder and Scully 
pursue a serial killer who calls himself 'The Fox'. 

Spoilers: Up to Small Potatoes - season 4

Disclaimer: Mulder and Scully don't belong to me - I hereby 
promise to return them when I've finished playing with them.

******

Dana Scully's apartment
Washington D.C.
June 26th, 1997

Bells. Ringing. Dana Scully turned over in her sleep and struck 
out at the offending noise. Her alarm clock crashed to the floor.
She carried on dozing.

But the bells kept ringing. She woke then and grabbed for the 
phone, putting it to her ear, she heard the caller speak before 
she could get her mouth into motion.

"Morning Scully."

"wha time s'it?"

"Five-thirty. New case Scully. We're booked on an eight a.m. 
flight  so I thought I'd wake you up, give you time to pack, 
have breakfast."

"How considerate of you." She sat up and turned the light on. 
"Where are we going?"

She groaned inwardly when he told her.

"I hate the forest Mulder."

He ignored her. "Pack your hiking boots Scully. You might need 
them."

"Oh God, no. We're heading for somewhere that civilisation 
hasn't reached yet, aern't we?"

"Think of yourself as the Christopher Columbus of the FBI."

"What's the case?"

"I'll tell you on the plane. Hit the shower Scully."

She was about to do as he said, and went to hang up the receiver 
when a thought occurred to her. "Mulder, its Saturday."

"Yeah, so.......you haven't got plans for the weekend have you?"

Scully sighed. "Well...I was going to redecorate."

"Exciting life you lead, Scully."

Suddenly, she was royally pissed off at him. It was okay for her 
to mock her lack of a social life, but when Mulder did it, it made 
her feel like a pathetic nerd. She remembered a conversation 
they'd had recently. 'If you could be someone else who would 
you be, Scully?'. 'Eleanor Roosevelt' she'd replied. 'That's 
boring' Mulder had decreed. To her it had felt like he'd said 
'you're boring Scully'.

Mulder continued. "You can break out the paint and brushes 
next weekend Scully. I need your help on this one."

Scully silently cursed herself. Mulder could manipulate her so 
easily, he knew exactly what strings to pull. And despite the fact 
that he'd gotten around her in the same way time and time again, 
she still couldn't resist the call of 'I need you Scully'. When he 
said it, she came running, it was her natural instinct now.

"Okay, I'll see you at the airport."


Airport
Washington D.C.
June 26th, 1997
7.50 a.m.

Mulder stopped pacing when he saw his partner approach him with 
her graceful, no-nonsense stride.

"Cutting it a little fine aern't we Scully?"

Mulder wanted to take the words back and bury them when she
shot him a glare that was all fire and ice at the same time. How did 
she do that?

"I couldn't find my boots, I was out of coffee and I had to take a 
cold shower."

"Why, were you dreaming about me?"

He got another glare for that, this one screamed 'can it Mulder, 
I'm not in the mood'.

"My water heater chose this morning to lay down and die."

He flinched at her choice of words. Scully turned to the 
check-in clerk to get her ticket and boarding pass. Lay down 
and die. That's what Scully would be doing shortly if he couldn't 
find a way to save her. His mind screamed at him 'can't 
let it happen', 'won't let it happen'.

She turned back to him, paperwork in hand. He nodded his head 
in the direction of their departure gate, and they began walking 
towards it.

The plane was only half-full and they had no problem sitting 
together. As soon as they'd taken off, Mulder caught the attention 
of the stewardess with a winning smile. She gave him a winning 
smile back, but it seemed to fade a little when she saw Scully 
beside him.

"Can we get a cup of coffee?"

Scully smiled to herself. Mulder had ordered the coffee for her. 
Sometimes, when she thought he'd paid no attention to what she'd 
said, he surprised her. He'd noted her comment about not having 
any coffee at home. Her inward smile turned to an inward frown 
however when she saw Mulder admiring the retreating 
stewardesses figure.

She should have been used to it by now. Mulder leered at women 
all the time. Nurses, waitresses, motel cleaners. It shouldn't bother 
her, but at times she felt like she was traversing America with a 
hormonal sixteen-year-old.

"What's the case Mulder?" He dug around in his  bag and handed 
her a manila folder. 

"Its been handled by local law enforcement up till now but when 
they found the third victim they realised they had a serial killer on 
their hands, and sent it over to the Bureau."

Scully opened the folder. Saw an image of a dead young girl lying 
amongst leaves and dirt, and quickly shut the folder again. She'd 
deal with the pictures later, after her coffee.

Mulder continued. "Three girls, all aged eight, taken from their 
homes in the middle of the night, raped and murdered. Their bodies 
turn up a few days after the initial kidnapping."

Scully sucked in a breath and held it. This was going to be rough, 
for her, but especially for Mulder.

"Is there an X File in this?"

"No." He looked at her. "But I requested we be assigned it anyway." 
Scully looked into his eyes, which were filled with sadness and 
nodded. She knew why he'd requested it, he didn't have to tell her.

"You haven't heard the best bit yet Scully. This guy leaves notes 
behind in the kids bedrooms. He's given himself a nickname."

Scully cocked her head to one side, curious.

"He calls himself the Fox."

Scully saw Mulder's jaw stiffen and stifled her own surprise. 
Mulder's first name, his hated first name. Someone was using 
Mulder's first name on their calling cards, when they kidnapped 
girls who were the same age as Mulder's sister was when she'd 
been taken. 

Scully cleared her throat. "Its probably a coincidence Mulder." 
The words seemed trite, but Mulder must have appreciated them 
because he put a hand over hers on the armrest and smiled softly 
at her.

"I hope it is."


Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 26th, 1997
1.35p.m.

"You sure you're reading that map right Scully."

His partner had practically disappeared under the enormous 
road map she had folded out in front of her.

"Mulder, reading the map is my job, don't interfere. Turn right. 
The Sheriff's station should be around a hundred yards up the 
road." She lowered the map and looked out of the window. 
"Or should I say, track."

Mulder glanced up at the huge redwoods and pine trees. 
"Pretty rugged huh?" It had been twenty minutes since they'd 
last seen a house or store.

Scully sighed. "Give me the city any day."

Mulder suddenly felt guilty for dragging her out into the wilds. 
Scully and nature didn't seem to agree with each other. Not that 
she couldn't cope with rough conditions, inclement weather and
ten mile hikes. She coped with it all in the same consummately 
professional way she did everything, but these kinds of trips 
always seemed to end badly for her. Quarantine seemed to be a 
frequent conclusion, and once there'd been a dead pet.

Mulder saw a small, wood-built building and pulled the car to a 
halt. "Is this it?"

Scully looked at the map again. "Unless I'm holding the map 
upside down."

He shot her a grin. "Wouldn't be the first time."

She gave him a 'you're not funny Mulder' look, and reached 
behind her to get her coat from the back seat. Mulder got out 
and walked around the car to open her door for her. She felt 
herself flush a little, and cursed her fair complexion. Mulder's 
little gestures sometimes had the strangest effect on her. He 
was the only man she'd ever met who could treat her like a lady
without making her feel like she was being patronised. 

Mulder stared at the building in amazement as they approached 
it. "Our basement is bigger than this."

"Our basement?"

Mulder looked down at her confused. "What?"

She shook her head at him. "Never mind." When she'd answered 
her phone to Mulder that morning she'd felt nothing but resentment 
for him. For waking her up, for presuming that she had nothing to do 
on a Saturday, and being right. But he had managed to soften her mood
considerably on the trip out. And his last comment had brought back
a resurgence of warmth for him. She'd always felt like a visitor to 
the basement, and had gone as far recently to tell him so, complaining 
of her lack of a desk. That Mulder now considered the basement 
'ours' instead of 'his' was pleasing to her.

Her new good mood didn't last long however. It disappeared when 
they entered the Sheriff's office, and the Sheriff introduced herself.
 
"Hi, I'm Emily Watson." Scully was too busy looking at Mulder's 
reaction to the tall, blonde, attractive, Sheriff to respond. 

Mulder's face bore a Christmas-come-early-grin, as he shook Emily
Watson's hand. "I'm Special Agent Fox Mulder, this is Scully."

Scully bristled. 'This is Scully'. What kind of an introduction was
that? Why did he get a full title and a first name? He'd made her 
sound like his dog. Why didn't he just pat her head and give her a 
bowl of water?

Sheriff Watson turned to Scully and shook her hand briefly, but her 
attention went straight back to Mulder.

"I've booked you into a motel. I hope you don't mind me planning 
for you, but there's only one within thirty miles of here, so its not 
like you would have had a choice."

Mulder was still grinning. "No, we appreciate it." 

Although he said 'we', Scully noticed he never looked at her, or
even gestured towards her. All his attention was focused on the 
skin-tight-kahki clad Sheriff, who was handing him a folder.

"I've drawn you some directions. Things are really spread out 
around here and it can be difficult finding your way about. I guessed 
you'd want to talk to the parents of the children, so I've included the 
addresses. I also thought Agent Scully might want to talk to our 
pathologist. He's about an hour's drive away."

Scully had to admit to being impressed. The Sheriff was obviously
efficient, thorough and helpful, and she'd looked into her and 
Mulder's backgrounds enough to know that Scully dealt with the 
medical details.

"I have that right don't I Agent Scully? You're a medical doctor?"

Scully nodded. "Yes and I would like to talk to Doctor Reynolds."
Scully had read the pathologists name in the case file she'd perused 
on the flight, and dropped it in on purpose, just to let the
Sheriff know she wasn't the only one who'd done her homework.

Mulder turned to her. "It would save time if we split up. Maybe 
you should go and do your thing, and I'll see the parents?"

Scully hesitated. "We only have the one car." She didn't say it, but 
she was also worried about Mulder interviewing grieving parents 
by himself on a case that was bound to affect him deeply.

Sheriff Watson interrupted. "I could drive Agent Mulder around."

Mulder seemed so delighted by the idea that she wanted to smack 
the smile off his face. 'Stop it Dana' she admonished herself. 'Don't 
be so territorial. Mulder doesn't belong to you'. 

Mulder accepted the offer smoothly. "Thank you Sheriff, that 
would be great, if you're not too busy." 

"This isn't exactly the crime capital of the world. I'm never that
busy. Oh, and call me Emily, in this neck of the words we only use 
first names."

Scully saw Mulder's uncomfortable look. She wanted to be there 
when Emily tried to use Mulder's first name. It would definitely be 
interesting.

He recovered quickly and rummaged through the folder he'd been 
given and shoved the directions to the pathologists at her. "There 
you go....Dana."

She gave him a half smile as she took the rough-drawn map, 
appreciating his in-joke.

She suddenly didn't have a reason to hang around and forced 
herself to leave, heading out the door. "I'll see you later Mulder."

"Keep that map up the right way."


Lone Pine Motel
Breakspeare Forest
June 26th, 1997
6.50 p.m.

Scully was overcome with weariness by the time she found their
hotel. She collected her key, found her room and collapsed onto 
the bed. 

She tiered more easily now. Her body was slowly letting her 
down, giving in to the cancer, even though her mind fought against 
it. She banished the maudlin thoughts when the phone beside the bed 
rang. She snatched up the receiver.

"Have I got a treat for you? The biggest burgers you've ever seen, 
Scully, pickles, melted cheese, dripping in grease, and big, fat, juicy 
fries."

Scully wrinkled her nose at the phone. "Sounds disgusting."

"We'll there's only one place to eat here, and that's what they serve. 
You'll have to have the side salad."

"Where are you?"

"The other side of the paper thin wall, I heard you come in. Okay 
to go to dinner in a few minutes?"

"Can't you bring me back take-out Mulder? All the travelling we've
done today has kind of knocked me out."

She heard him hesitate, and wondered what was going through his 
mind.

"I could if you feel that bad Scully, but I said we'd meet Sheriff 
Watson there."

"Okay, knock for me."

"You sure. If you're not feeling too good..."

She interrupted him, and cursed herself for making him worry about 
her. It was nice that he cared, but he must have enough on his mind 
already. "I'm okay Mulder."

"Alright I'll see you in five."


Christie's Diner
Lone Pine Motel
Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 26th, 1997
7.35  p.m.

"Mulder, have you no regard for your arteries?"

He shovelled a few fries in his mouth and spoke around them.
"Scully, my arteries and I am flattered by your concern. But my taste
buds are telling you to mind your own business. This is fine cuisine."

He pointed his fork at her sandwich and salad. "You ought to have
eaten more. Might be the last good meal you have for a while."

She narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

Sheriff Watson entered the diner and Mulder jumped out of his
chair to greet her. 

Scully sighed at the sight. 'Emily' was wearing a similar outfit to 
the one Scully herself had thrown on before Mulder had dragged 
her out to eat. Jeans and a sweater. On the long-legged Sheriff
it looked cute and sexy. 'So why does the same outfit make me
look like a harassed Mom just back from a school run?'

"Hello Agent Scully."

The Sheriff scooted in the same side of the booth that Mulder 
occupied.

Scully replied as sweetly as she could  "Dana's fine, Emily." She
kept telling herself to be nice to the other woman. After all it wasn't
her fault that she'd managed to attract Mulder's eye. 

She'd not only managed to attract Mulder's eye though. She seemed 
to have claimed his whole attention. "Would you like to order 
anything Emily?"

"No thanks Fox I already ate."

Scully nearly choked on the bite of sandwich she'd just taken, and 
Mulder looked over at her quickly, to make sure she was okay, but 
then his eyes were back on the Sheriff.

"I was just telling Scully about our trip."

"Trip?"

Mulder managed to tear his gaze away from Emily long enough to 
explain.

"I spoke to one of the parents today. The night his daughter was 
taken, he heard a noise. He rushed into his daughter's room, but 
she was already gone. He looked out of the window and saw a 
man running away. He says he looked like one of  the forest people."

Scully raised an eyebrow. "Forest people?"

Emily continued. "There's a number of people who live in the 
forest. Nobody knows exactly how many, but there's hermits, 
hillbillies. They don't come into town often and they seem to live 
off the land. They move a lot around up there to avoid the authorities, 
so they don't have to pay taxes. Every few months or so they
just move to a different part of the forest and build a new shelter."

"And we're going to question these people?"

The Sheriff nodded. "Although, I have to say that I've lived in this 
area all my life Dana, and nobody from the forest has ever caused 
any more trouble than stealing washing from lines. Jessica's father 
may just be wanting it to have been someone from up there, because 
of the in-built prejudice the townspeople have about them."

"Why are they prejudiced against them?"

"Who knows? Because they smell a little, because they don't buy 
anything from the stores, because they don't send their kids to 
school. Pick your reason. They get blamed for a lot, but I'm the 
Sheriff in this town, and I can tell you that they actually do very 
little wrong."

Scully nodded. "Maybe somebody new joined the community up 
there. I mean the murders are very recent. Maybe he's using the 
protection of the forest to hide, and blending in with the other 
more established inhabitants so he won't be suspected."

Mulder nodded. "That's what I was thinking Scully. That's why 
were going up there."

"Are we driving?"

Emily nodded. "Yes."

Scullly breathed a sigh of relief.

"But then we have to hike. The road only goes so far, and these 
people live deep in the forest."

Scully swallowed her groan.

"I've got us some tents and supplies. We'll leave tomorrow at 
six a.m."

Scully looked at Mulder who had the nerve to be excited about this.
He was looking at Sheriff Watson rapturously, obviously expecting 
her to lead him on a great adventure.

'Why does he never look at me like that?' she wondered. 'Because 
you've never led him anywhere, Dana, you spend all your time trying 
to hold him back.'

Mulder must have felt her staring at him, because he turned back to 
her. "Find out anything new from Doctor Reynolds, Scully?"

"Not much, only that the girls were all well cared for right up until 
they were raped and then killed, which is strange."

Emily looked at her questioningly. "Why is it strange?"

Mulder answered the question before Scully had a chance too. 
"Serial killers who wait before killing their victims usually do so 
because they enjoy torturing them. They're usually starved and beaten."

Sheriff Watson blanched a little and looked at both them. "Well 
you guys obviously have a lot more experience in this kind of thing 
than I do. I hope you catch him."

"Oh don't worry, we will." Scully looked quickly into Mulder's eyes 
and saw the fire and determination there. Although he was enjoying 
the Sheriff's company, his soul was obviously in some torture. More 
than his behaviour betrayed.

She was a little nervous about the next few days. If Mulder suddenly 
swan-dived off the edge during this case, she wasn't sure if she'd be 
up to her usual job of breaking his fall.

"Mulder, maybe this guy is on the run. My instinct, after reading 
the autopsy reports, tells me that he's not a first-time killer."

"Your 'instinct' Scully?"

Mulder was laughing at her, rather than with her, for the second time 
that day, and she almost told him to forget it, but it was a theory she 
told herself she couldn't ignore.

"Okay, my 'medical training' suggests to me that its not the first time 
he's killed. I think we ought to get the bureau to run a check on all 
escape convicts. This Forest sounds like the perfect place to hide if 
you've just broken out of jail."

"Or maybe he's just been released."

Scully frowned. "You think prisons release people like this Mulder? 
They either lock them up and throw away the key, or they gas them 
into hell."

"He might have progressed from paedophilia, to rape and murder 
Scully, maybe the years in jail just made his condition worse."

"You sound like your defending him, and I just told you this isn't 
his first murder."

Mulder glared at her incredulously. "Defending him? I was just 
laying out a possible profile, and you don't know for sure that he's 
killed before."

Scully felt her temper flaring, and tried to control it, but it wasn't 
easy, nobody could get under her skin quite the way Mulder could. 
"Why is it Mulder, that when I suggest a possible theory, you shoot 
it to pieces, but when you come up with something, I'm supposed 
to treat it like gospel, and follow you to the ends of the earth to 
prove it."

Mulder was mad as hell at her. She could almost see smoke coming 
out of the top of his head. 

He looked at her in an incredulous rage. "Don't act the victim here 
Scully. You've shot down every theory I've ever come up with, and 
you know it."

"I've only ever offered constructive criticism and scientific 
evaluation Mulder. I've never dismissed your theories out of hand 
the way you do mine."

"And what theories would these be Scully? In the four years I've 
known you, you've probably only come up with about three, and I'm 
being generous here."

Scully decided it was time to leave before she either slapped him, 
poured his iced tea over his head, or burst into tears of rage. She collected 
her coat with as much dignity as she could muster and stood to leave. 
Mulder went back to his meal and refused to look at her. She nodded to 
Emily. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Emily nodded back and Scully left the diner.

"Are you two always like that?"

Mulder sighed and stopped eating, turning to Emily. "No, well sometimes.
We've been working together a long time, and now and again we rub each 
other up the wrong way...well actually its more like, now and again I feel
the need to be a complete asshole, but Scully understands that. She'll
forgive me." He grinned. "Eventually."

"For a while there I was worried that you were going to draw your 
weapons."

"Actually she did shoot me once...but that's another story."

Emily laughed thinking he was joking. "Listen Fox, I've got to run and see
a friend quickly, but there's a bar on the other side of the motel. I could meet
you there in half-an-hour and we could grab a beer."

"Shouldn't I be getting an early night before you put me through my hiking 
paces tomorrow?"

"The beer will help you sleep. I always have one or two the night before 
a trip."

Mulder shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

Emily stood to leave. "Why don't you go see if your partner has forgiven 
you and ask her to come along?"

"Okay I will." He looked up at her. "But if you walk past our rooms and 
hear screaming, come rescue me. That will be Scully trying to strangle me."

Emily laughed again and left.

Mulder finished his meal and paid his bill. He walked out of the diner that 
adjoined the hotel and took a deep breath when he got to Scully's door. 
He knocked on it lightly.

"Who is it?"

"Han Solo, come to beg forgiveness from Princess Lea."

"I'm not in the mood Mulder."

"Women are always saying that to me. Open the door Scully."

He heard her move towards the door and breathed a sigh of relief. He 
thanked God for giving him Scully, whose compassionate nature 
included an incredible ability to forgive those who never seemed to do 
anything but hurt her.

She opened the door, gave him a look that told him he wasn't 
completely off the hook, and went back into the room where she'd set 
up her lap top. He followed  her in and peered over her shoulder at the 
flickering screen.

"You on-line with the Bureau?"

She didn't turn around, but she nodded. "I'm requesting a list of 
escaped prisoners, and especially for you Mulder, a list of all paedophiles 
and rapists on parole."

"Probably be a big list."

"We can narrow it down tomorrow. Its likely that he might come from 
around here originally, if he knows the forest well."

"Why don't you leave it downloading and come for a beer?"

She turned and looked at him, her face betraying her surprise. "A beer?" 
In all the years they'd been travelling around the country, he'd never 
suggested they go get a beer together. Sometimes when in Washington, 
they'd grab a bite together after work, but he'd never asked her to go to 
a bar with him while on a case, and she was both a little wary and 
pleased. Maybe it was his way of apologising for that crack about her 
theories. 

"Yeah, a beer Scully. It'll relax you, help you get a good nights sleep."

He was smiling gently at her, and she found herself smiling back. "Okay."
Their recent argument was melting away, along with the anger it had 
brought.

She put a self-conscious hand up to her sweater. "I should change, 
I look a mess."

Mulder looked her up and down his smile still in place. "You look 
fine Scully. Its just you and me." 

Scully was grinning at him like a schoolgirl now and she had no 
idea why.

"...And Sheriff Watson."

Her grin disappeared. "What?"

"It was her idea, she felt like a beer and asked us to join her."

Scully turned back to the computer screen. "I think you ought to go 
on your own Mulder, I don't think she'd appreciate me playing 
gooseberry."

"What are you talking about? She told me to ask you."

"She was just being polite."

"I don't think so Scully."

"Mulder just go and have a drink with her, leave me out of it. I've
no desire to be a third wheel."

"You make it sound like I'm going on a date with this woman. I'm 
just having a drink with her."

"That's what you do on dates Mulder. Or has it been so long you've
forgotten?"

"Actually Scully it has".

She fixed a passive expression on her face and turned back to him.
"Listen Mulder, you don't have to worry about me. I'm exhausted, 
I'm going to go to bed in a minute. Sheriff Watson seems to have 
taken a liking to you...and don't tell me you're not attracted to her?"

"She's Claudia Schiffer in a uniform, who wouldn't be attracted?"

"So go, have fun." 

"Scully, it would be unprofessional of me to get involved with this
woman while we're on a case, and why are you presuming that I 
would want to?"

"Your tongue has been hanging out of your mouth ever since you
met her."

"So, what? Are you giving me your permission to get laid?"

Scully swallowed hard. "I'm just saying that if you want
to socialise with her, that's fine".

Mulder looked intently at his partner and friend. He had no idea 
what she was trying to say to him. Her face was an expressionless 
mask. He was treading on eggshells with her and he wasn't sure 
whether the subject needed to be delved into, or left well alone.

He was bemused and baffled. He huffed a little and headed for
the door. Then stopped and turned back to her. "No hang on, I 
don't understand what this is about."

"No, you don't, but that's my problem."

Mulder threw his hands in the air. "What is it with you lately? You 
used to speak English, now its all cryptic crap."

"Stop yelling at me Mulder, and go away. I don't want to fight 
with you again."

"I wasn't yelling."

"Yes you were."

"I WAS NOT." His voice reverberated around the room, and 
Scully winced at his decibel level. There was a bang on the door 
and Mulder opened it to a short, fat, balding man in his underwear.

"Will you two please keep it down. I've been on the road all day 
and I'm trying to get to sleep."

Mulder tried to look apologetic. "Sorry, my fault."

The man looked at Scully, and then back at Mulder. "I don't know
why some people bother getting married if all they're gonna do is 
fight. And I'll tell you pal, if she was my wife.." he gestured at Scully 
with a stubby finger. "...I wouldn't waste time yelling at her". He 
winked at Mulder. "If you know what I mean."

"What are you a marriage counsellor?"

"No, I just..."

"Get lost then." Mulder slammed the door in his face and turned 
back to Scully who seemed to be hiding a rare smile behind a hand.

He smiled too and walked over to her. Placing a hand on her sleeve.
"D'you want a divorce Scully?"

When she replied her voice was softer than he'd heard it in ages. 
"Until death do us part Mulder."

He took her in his arms then, and hugged her tightly. "Good."

When he let go of her Scully stifled a moan. It was too soon.
She'd wanted to stay snuggled up against his chest a little longer.

"Listen Scully...earlier.....I didn't mean that, its just been a
strange day, and you're the easiest person for me to hit out at
....you know your work on the X Files has been invaluable to
me don't you?"

She nodded. Not trusting herself to speak, moved by his words.

He continued. "There's no one else I'd trust."

"I know Mulder, me too."

He touched a hand to her cheek, and then headed for the door.

"If you change your mind about the beer, we'll probably be there
for a while."

Scully watched him go and then put a hand to the cheek he'd 
touched, still feeling his warmth there. Ignoring the beeping of the 
computer she flopped down on the bed and starred up at the 
ceiling, trying to control and make sense of her racing emotions.

What the hell had that been about? Her happiness at Mulder's 
invitation, her disappointment when she'd realised it wasn't a drink 
invitation from Mulder at all, and their shared confusion when 
discussing Mulder's romantic intentions towards Emily Watson, 
if he had any, and then the humorous moment with the cranky 
next-door-neighbour, and finally Mulder's tenderness and caring 
words. She felt like she'd just been on a roller-coaster ride, but not 
a pleasant one.

Life was always so complicated with Mulder. God, she'd 
practically told him to go screw the long-legged, blonde Sheriff. 
Why the hell had she done that? 'Because you didn't want to seem 
territorial Scully. You wanted him to think you didn't care, but you 
do, don't you?'

"God, I need a drink." She thought about Mulder's last comment. 
He'd meant that sincerely. 'If you change your mind, we'll be there 
for a while.'

Scully made a quick decision, and headed for the bathroom to 
freshen up.


Lone Pine Tavern
Lone Pine Motel
Breaspeare Forest
Virginia
June 26th, 1997
8.15  p.m.

Mulder entered the bar and looked for Emily Watson. She was 
sitting in a booth and waved him over.

"Hi, no Dana? Don't tell me you had another fight?"

Mulder smiled and shrugged out of his coat. "I'm not sure if it
was a fight or not to be honest. We just had our strangest 
conversation ever, which for us, is saying something. But anyway, 
she's a little tired, so she didn't come along. She needs a good 
nights sleep."

"You've been working together four years now?"

Mulder nodded, caught the eye of the waitress and ordered a beer.

"You must know each other pretty well."

"Sometimes I think I know everything there is to know about Scully,
and then she'll do something that will completely shock me." His mind
was running over a few examples, Ed Jerse, her tete-a-tete on the couch
with Eddie van Blundht - the pretend Mulder.

The waitress brought his beer, smiled at both of them, and left.

"I was going to ask you something, but maybe its a little personal."

Mulder looked up at Emily in curiosity. "Shorts."

"What?"

"My underwear. Was that the personal question?"

Emily laughed and shook her head. "God, no. How does Dana put up 
with you?"

"Its a dirty job, but someone has to do it. Sorry I interrupted, what 
were you going to ask?"

"You don't mind?"

"I'll let you know when I hear the question."

"Well, back there in the diner, when you were arguing with her, I 
felt for a moment like I was intruding on a lovers tiff, and I was 
wondering..."

Mulder laughed and took a sip of his beer. "We're not lovers, 
never have been."

Emily nodded. "Sorry. I just...I was dying of curiosity. Can I ask 
why not, I mean, you're a great-looking guy..."

Mulder grinned. "Thank you Sheriff."

"...and Dana's very attractive."

"Its against Bureau regulations, and besides not every man-woman 
relationship has to end up in the bedroom, does it?"

"No. I guess not."

"We have a great friendship, I wouldn't want to jeopardise it."

Emily was examining his words closely and staring into his eyes. 
Mulder found himself a little hypnotised, but there was something 
strange about Emily's questions? At first when she'd asked about
his and Scully's relationship, he'd thought she was testing the waters
before coming onto him, but she wasn't giving him come hither looks
now. Her face was tight in concentration, like she was trying to figure
out a problem.

"Some people say that friends make the best lovers."

"Some people say Elvis is dead...Scully, well...she's just not my
type."

He saw Emily look up and Mulder's gaze followed hers.

"Dana, hi." Emily smiled and scooted over in the booth so Scully 
could sit down.

Scully was standing right over the table, looking down at Mulder. 
From the uncomfortable expression she was wearing, Mulder could 
tell that she'd heard his last remark. 'Shit, oh Christ'. 'Well done 
Mulder, you've just upset her for about the thousandth time today'.

Scully sat down. Her face was expressionless, as it often was, but 
he thought he could see a strange sadness in her eyes.

He jumped out his seat, mumbled "I'll get you a drink", and headed 
for the bar.

"Glad to see you changed your mind."

Scully tried to smile at Emily. "I couldn't sleep, too wired. I thought a
nightcap might help."

"Good idea."

'No it wasn't a good idea' thought Scully. 'It was definitely a bad idea. 
I should have stayed on my own in the room, and then I wouldn't 
have heard Mulder telling a near-enough stranger, that he thinks I'm 
an unattractive, short, ginger-haired, freckled-faced, sexless, bore'. 
Okay, he hadn't used those terms, but to her mind, he might as well 
have. 'You shouldn't care if your not his type Dana'. 'But I do'.

Emily touched her hand and she jumped. "You're miles away."

"I'm sorry. I was just thinking. Did you say something?"

Emily smiled at her. "Nothing important."

Mulder came back with her drink. When he took his seat opposite
their eyes met. It was a brief and painful glance.

Mulder turned to Emily. "So, I hope my tent has no holes, if it rains
like this tomorrow." He gestured with his hand to the window. 

Scully stared out of the window, where the rain had begun to fall 
heavily. She tuned out of Emily and Mulder's conversation, only 
speaking when spoken to, slowly sipping the beer, lost in her own 
thoughts.


Mulder's room
Lone Pine Motel
Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 27th, 1997
5.40  a.m.

Mulder stood under the shower. His back against the glass, the
water running over him, his eyes shut. His cupped hand sliding up 
and down his rigid penis in a well-practised fashion.

The sound of Scully's shower had woken him fifteen minutes ago, 
and while he'd lain in bed his mind had created an image of Scully, 
standing naked under steaming hot water and the image had turned 
into a fantasy. 

He imagined her body before him now. Small, round breasts, tiny 
waist, gently curved belly, the thatch of red hair above the joining 
of her legs. In his mind, his hand became her hand and she was jerking 
him off good now. He could almost hear her breathing, feel her eyes 
upon his body, looking at him with desire.

He imagined her kneeling slowly before him, preparing to take him 
into her mouth, and his body went rigid, then exploded.

A mocking voice spoke in his head. 'She's not your type huh, 
Mulder?'. His body recovered from its exertions, and he reached 
for the soap and washed himself down. 'If Scully knew what you'd 
just done with her in mind, she'd probably shoot you again, only 
this time she'd aim a little lower'.

He turned the shower off and stepped out to dry himself off.

Scully had been quiet at the bar the previous night after hearing his 
'not my type' remark. They'd all had another beer and then he and 
Scully had wandered back to their rooms together. At her door she'd 
said no more than goodnight and she'd tried to keep it airy and light, 
but Mulder could tell he'd offended her.

At the risk of opening his mouth and doing further damage, he'd just 
smiled and told her to sleep well. 


Scully's room
Lone Pine Motel
Breakspeare Forest,
Virginia
June 27th, 1997
5.59  a.m.

Scully finished packing for their 'trip' and shouldered her knapsack, 
before turning to the mirror to give herself one last inspection. 

She spoke to her reflection. "Thirty-three-year-old girl Scout, Scully. 
Not exactly a good look on you." Why did Mulder never take her 
anywhere she could dress up a little?

She'd been up since five a.m., going over the data she'd received from 
the Bureau. She'd also used the time to give herself a little pep talk. 
Last night, after overhearing Mulder's conversation with the Sheriff, 
she'd felt herself sinking into a depression. She'd crawled into bed 
and had stared up at the ceiling for a least two hours. 'Scully's not 
my type'. The words rolled around in her head. It was something
she'd known for a long time, but the confirmation from Mulder's 
mouth stabbed her to the core. She was his pal, his friend, his partner. 
He accepted her womanhood but it didn't affect him. She didn't affect 
him the way the Bambi Berenbaum's and Sheriff Watson's of the 
world did.

But he affected her in that way, he had for a long time, although 
she couldn't quite pinpoint the moment after she'd been assigned to 
him, that she'd stopped thinking of him as a complete fruit-loop and 
had started to think of him in a completely different way instead. She 
hadn't wanted it to happen. From the first she'd noted his good looks, 
his well-proportioned physique, but had buried the stirrings of 
attraction. She'd already had one inter-Bureau relationship that
had ended badly, and she didn't want to begin another one. But Mulder 
had often caused a flutter in her heart, the puckering of her nipples, and 
an ache at her apex. She'd often woke up drenched in sweat from an 
erotic dream about him.

This morning she'd sat quietly, watched the sun come up through 
the window and told herself that it didn't matter if Mulder had never 
had the same stirrings for her. Mulder would put himself on the line for 
her, move Heaven and Earth to help her, he'd probably even lay down his 
life for her. How many women could boast of a man who'd go to such 
lengths for them? She was fortunate, despite the tragedies that had struck 
her because of her involvement with him, to have Mulder in her life.

The end of her life was fast approaching She didn't want to waste 
any more time regretting what they hadn't shared, she wanted to revel in 
what they did have. A true and honest friendship that surpassed all their 
many differences, and a devotion that would last until she drew her last 
breath and was forced to leave him. 

She turned away from the mirror, picking up her medical kit and the list
of suspects she intended to give to Mulder, and left the room.


Outside the Lone Pine Motel
Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 27th, 1997
6.00 a.m.

Mulder was ready and leaning against a telegraph pole. He smiled 
at her. "Morning sunshine."

She offered him a half smile back as she approached him.

She saw his gaze drift down and rest on the lower half of her body. 
His grin widened. "Scully, I never knew you had legs!"

She self-consciously looked down at the mid-thigh khaki shorts 
she'd elected to wear, and the somewhat pale, short, sturdy legs, 
they revealed. "I thought I'd try to get a little sun on them." She 
looked up at the sky. "Seeing as its such a nice day."

Mulder nodded and was about to say something else when Sheriff 
Watson pulled up next to them in her truck.

"Morning people. Ready to hit the woods?" 

Scully sighed. "As I'll ever be."

Mulder threw her a sympathetic look. 

Sheriff Watson was grinning at them both in eagerness and 
excitement. "Throw your stuff in the back and lets get going."

They stored their knapsacks and Scully took the back seat, before 
Mulder had a chance to offer her the front. As Sheriff Watson pulled 
onto the road, Mulder reflected. A serial killer, a deep dense forest, 
nomadic people, and Scully in a pair of shorts...The next few days 
were likely to be very interesting indeed.

**********

End of Part I

********

The Lure of the Fox
Part II
by Caroline O'Callaghan

Mulder's gaze was focused on the road ahead of him, but he wasn't 
seeing it. His mind was occupied elsewhere. He was thinking about a 
serial killer who, for some reason, took little girls, and then looked 
after them carefully for three days before raping and killing them. Why 
did he do it? Why care for them so well, only to brutalise and discard 
them later?

He felt a tap on his shoulder and jumped. He looked round at Scully.

"Sorry Mulder, didn't mean to scare you."

"I was just thinking about our friend the 'Fox'."

>From the back seat of the truck Scully passed him a file. "Then you 
might want to take a look at this."

He took the file, noted the thickness of it, and looked back at Scully. 
"How about you summarise for me?"

"Well, I've been going through these suspect profiles, and this one 
sticks out. His name is Forrest....."

"...Gump?" He heard Emily Watson's laugh, but he was watching 
Scully's almost smile. Trying to make Scully smile was one of life's 
more enjoyable challenges for him. He'd nearly had her that time.

"Forrest Mendhlesson. 38-years-old, Caucasian. He was born in a 
small town seventy miles from here. In 1972 he was committed to a 
mental institution."

"For what?"

Scully took a breath and held it, wary of Mulder's reaction to what 
she was about to say. "He killed his eight-year-old sister."

She watched the pain flicker across his face briefly, and then noted 
how he stifled it.

He tapped the folder. "This is our guy Scully." He dived into the 
folder and began to read eagerly.

Sheriff Watson took her eyes off the road for a second to look 
round at Scully. "Dana, I thought you said this guy was in a mental 
institution?" 

"He escaped two years ago."

Mulder stopped reading and looked back at her again. "Two 
years? But the abductions only started recently."

Scully shrugged. "Exactly, so let's not get carried away Mulder, 
okay?" She leaned forward and laid a small hand on his forearm. 
He was wearing a short sleeved shirt, and he almost jumped at the 
bolt of electricity her touch sent through him. "Everybody's a 
suspect till we get some proof, okay?"

She leaned back and broke the contact, and he was relieved, because 
it enabled him to think clearly again. He dove back into the file and 
found a composite. He stared at their suspect. A nondescript looking, 
middle-aged man. Brown hair, medium build. He looked average 
enough at first glance, but Mulder thought he saw something evil in 
his eyes. 

"No, this is him Scully, this is him...and we're gonna nail the 
bastard."

Scully tried to keep her sigh of exasperation to herself.


Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 27th, 1997
10.15.a.m.

They'd been walking for two hours and Scully was finally ready to 
admit to herself that she was near exhaustion. She cursed her body, 
and the demon of a disease that was praying on it.

Her breath was coming in gasps and she felt a thin line of sweat 
trickling down between her breasts, but the two people walking in 
front of her didn't seem bothered by the hike, they looked like they 
were out for a leisurely stroll in the park.

The only thing that had kept her going in the past half hour, was the 
great view of Mulder's behind she had. While they walked uphill, 
his denim-clad tush was at her eye-level and it was working as a 
great incentive for her to keep putting one foot in front of the other. 

They were working their way up a narrow path, through some 
pretty spectacular dense forest, and in the back of her mind Scully 
knew she should be taking notice of her wonderful surroundings, 
but she preferred the wonderful site in front of her instead.

The only thing that marred it was that she could see that Mulder's 
gaze, just like hers, was fixed on a wonderful piece of ass, Sheriff Watson's.

Mulder broke the silence that had pervaded for a while. "Hey 
Emily, is that a clearing up ahead?"

Emily looked around. "Yep, why?"

"I thought we might stop for a bit. I need a drink and a rest."

Emily stopped, turned and looked at him. "Already Fox? We've 
hardly started."

"What can I say? I'm a city boy. The furthest I walk these days is 
from my office to the men's bathroom."

Scully didn't know whether to be relieved or annoyed at him. He 
hadn't asked to stop because he needed to. Mulder regularly ran 
several miles a day and she could tell he wasn't tired at all. He'd 
obviously heard her gasping and wheezing behind him and taken 
pity on her. Her mind was protesting against his coddling, but her 
body was incredibly grateful. She staggered into the clearing after 
her fellow walkers and half-collapsed, half-sat, on a fallen tree trunk. 
Mulder sat beside her and passed her a bottle of water. Sheriff 
Watson stood at the edge of the clearing, examining a huge map.

"Isn't this great Scully, fresh air, exercise? It's almost like a 
vacation."

She took a gulp of water. "I'll take two weeks lying static on a 
Hawaiian beach over this any day."

Mulder grinned at her. "What? With your skin Scully? You'd 
frazzle." He touched her pale knee and she was so shocked at the 
contact that she moved it quickly away. Her eyes met Mulder's 
and for a second she thought he looked a little annoyed at her, but 
then his smile returned.

"So how you doing Scully?" His voice had a forced lightness in it 
as he tried to keep the question casual.

"I'm okay Mulder, I wouldn't have come on this trip if I didn't 
think I could handle it."

He put up his hands palms outwards in a gesture of peace. "I'm 
just asking Scully." 

Scully could feel him watching her closely as she took another sip 
of water. She ignored his gaze, reminding herself that he was only 
concerned for her.

"Do you have an appointment with your Doctor on Wednesday?"

She nodded.

"We'd better hurry and catch this guy then, so you can get back to 
D.C."

"Mulder....." She cut off the acerbic reply she was going to give 
his last statement, and he looked at her in frustration.

"What? Why are we not allowed to talk about the fact that 
there's something wrong with you Scully?"

She shot him a warning look. "There's a lot of things we can't 
talk about Mulder."

His expression was a mixture of curiosity and helplessness. 
Sheriff Watson interrupted the conversation by striding over in 
their direction, before he had a chance to voice his annoyance.

"There's a good place to camp a few miles from here. Its close to 
where some of the settlers are. Once we're set up for the night 
you two can start questioning them."

Mulder jumped to his feet. "Let's get going then." He pulled his 
rucksack on and headed off in the direction Sheriff Watson had 
indicated.

Scully sighed and got to her feet more slowly, looking after 
Mulder who was now disappearing quickly into the forest. He 
was playing games with her. He'd tried to be nice, tried to take 
her illness into consideration, but she'd rebuffed him, denied her 
weakened state, so now he was going to drive her so hard that 
she'd have to force herself to admit it. 'Well done Scully', she 
chided herself, 'you just dug your own grave'.

"Well, he's in a hurry for someone who was complaining about 
the pace five minutes ago."

Scully winced as she pulled her rucksack back on. "Yeah."

"How are you doing Dana?"

Scully let out a small, wry smile. That was all anybody ever 
seemed to ask her lately. She was glad Sheriff Watson's question 
was innocent, and not emotionally charged like most queries into 
her health were these days.

"To be honest Emily, I'm a little beat already. I haven't done 
anything like this for a while."

Emily smiled at her and touched her arm. "Don't worry, I'll take 
it easy for you."

"Thanks." Scully took a deep breath. "What's say we go and 
see if we can catch Mulder the mad marcher then?"

Emily laughed and they headed off after Mulder.


Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 17th, 1997
12.30 p.m.

Emily Watson seemed to know the forest like the back of her own 
hand and she found their camping spot with ease. She then directed 
them in setting up the tents and other supplies.

Mulder hammered in the last tent pole and looked over at Scully 
who was standing on the edge of the clearing, checking out the 
spectacular view of the forest that the site afforded them.

She was nibbling on a sandwich and throwing out the bits of it she 
didn't like. He smiled when a piece of limp lettuce got thrown into 
the foliage. She looked better than she had earlier. Emily had slowed 
the hike down, despite his efforts to speed it up. He'd been trying to 
hurt Scully. He knew that and hated himself for it. He'd wanted to 
punish her. 'For what Mulder?'. 'For shutting me out, for not 
letting me get close, for not letting me care about her', 
'for pulling away from my touch'.

He sat down, found his own lunch and began to eat. His gaze 
returned to his partner, who in turn, was staring at the miles of 
forest beneath her. Her eyes were fixed on it, but he knew she 
was thinking of something else. The slight tilt of her head to the 
left gave her away. Her knew her body language and knew she 
was trying to solve a problem in her mind.

While crunching on an apple, he let his gaze drift over her. Her hair 
was tied up, but a few strands had escaped and were curling against 
her neck. Her white tank top was clinging to her breasts. Her tiny 
waist and round backside were accentuated by the cut of her shorts. 

Her legs were starting to go a little pink. His eyes rested on them. 
They were short and curvy, and strong. He wondered idly if she 
worked out. 'Yeah right Mulder, like she ever gets the time with the 
workload you heap upon her'. She was probably just born like that. 
Strong Irish legs.

He looked over at Emily Watson who was setting up a radio 
transmitter. 'Now there's a pair of legs'. But somehow, he 
preferred Scully's curves to Emily Watson's lean form. However, 
when the tall Sheriff stretched over to pick something up, he 
couldn't help but admire the view.

When he looked back over to Scully, he saw her baby blues 
glaring back at him. 'Busted again Mulder'. Why the hell had she 
chosen that moment to turn and look at him, only to catch him 
checking out the Sheriff? She had such exquisite timing. He got 
to his feet and strolled over to her. 

"Scully I've been thinking..."

"Save it Mulder, I think I can tell what's on your mind."

"I've been thinking about the case."

She nodded her head, both in apology for her comment, and to 
indicate she was listening. 

"I think maybe Forrest Mendhlesson is reliving the circumstances 
behind his sister's case. Did he care for her for a while before he 
killed her?"

"He was left alone to look after her while their parents went out."

She looked up at Mulder, a man who had also been left alone to 
take of his only sister on one fateful night. She could see the 
effort his apparent non-reaction took.

"He says that his sister begged him to take her for a walk in the 
woods. They went out, got lost and separated from each other, 
and he showed up three days later with blood on his shirt, 
claiming he had no memory of what had happened. They found 
his sister's body a day later, after a large-scale search of the area."

"Are they sure he did it?"

"As sure as they could be. The blood on his shirt was hers. He 
later suggested she might have been savaged by a bear, but the 
marks on her body suggested she was stabbed to death, after an 
attempt at strangulation. He was never actually convicted though. 
After experiencing fits he was diagnosed and committed as a 
schizophrenic."

Mulder looked out at the view. "So why does Forrest 
Mendhlesson call himself 'the Fox' Scully?"

She didn't reply. She knew it was a hypothetical question. He 
didn't expect her to know the answer.

"Mulder, even though it looks like this is our guy, lets try and 
think of everyone as a suspect until we know for sure."

Mulder looked at her in frustration. "Scully........"

She held up a hand. "I know you think I'm too cautious sometimes 
Mulder, but hear me out. Forrest Mendlhsson didn't rape his sister 
before killing her. 'The Fox' does rape his victims. And these 
woods aren't the same ones that Forrest and his sister wandered 
into that night. If he was reliving his sister's death in some way 
don't you think he'd take his victims back to the place where it all 
happened?"

Mulder shrugged. "Maybe this is close enough. Maybe any forest 
would do."

Scully nodded. "Maybe."

Mulder let out a sad little chuckle. "Hunting for Forrest in a forest."

Scully's eyes met his. "Fox chasing 'The Fox."

He looked down at his partner, and despite the pain the story of 
Forrest and his sister had dredged up, he smiled at her. It was 
only the second time he'd heard his first name fall from her lips. 
Her low tones made it sound soft and dangerous at the same time. 
Those who dared use it, usually spoke it quickly, their 
embarrassment at the strange name making it sound harsh.

"Fox?" Emily Watson was calling and Mulder turned to see her 
approaching them. He noted the concerned expression she wore.

"What's wrong?"

"After I set up the radio, I got a message from the Sheriff's station. 
We've had another child disappear. Molly Turner. Her parents 
woke up this morning to find her bed empty. There were signs that 
the window in her bedroom had been forced open."

Mulder studied Sheriff Watson's face. "You know this kid don't 
you?"

Enily nodded. "Her Mother, Maria, is a friend of mine. That's 
who I went to see last night when I left you in the diner. I went to 
warn her, to tell her about this case, and I told her keep a sharp 
eye on Molly. I guess she didn't take me seriously enough."

"Is she eight, like the other children?"

"Actually no, she's only six, but she's big for her age, I guess 
she could pass for eight."

Mulder looked out at the forest. "Then I think we can assume 
our guy has her. We'd better get going and question some of these 
people Scully. We're on a deadline now. He kills them within three 
days, remember?"

Sheriff Watson let out a slight moan as Mulder walked away to 
get his things together. "I should have told Maria to make sure 
Molly wasn't out of her sight for a moment."

Scully tossed the remains of her sandwich into the trees, and 
patted Emily's arm. "You did all you could. Don't blame yourself. 
Put all your energies into catching this guy."

"Do you think we'll get him in time?"

Scully nodded in Mulder's direction. "He's the best. Mulder is 
renowned throughout the Bureau. He's a bit like the Mounties, 'he 
always gets his man'. If anybody can help Molly now, its him." 
She put a hand on Emily's arm. "Let's go, we have a lot of work 
to do this afternoon."



Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 27th, 1997
6.15 p.m.

After questioning the first dweller they came across, they decided to 
split up. When they quizzed him en masse he began to get nervous 
and defensive. They also quickly established that the people up here 
lived far apart from one another, and they'd never manage to talk to 
them all if they stuck together.

Mulder took off in one direction and suggested Emily Watson go 
with Scully.

Scully gave him an 'I hope you're not suggesting I shouldn't go on 
my own because I can't handle it' look. Mulder shrugged in an 
'of course I'm not' way, and they separated. 

She and Emily Watson had spoken to eight forest people. Well 
actually they'd spoken to seven. The eighth had aimed his rifle 
at them as soon as he'd seen them and told them he was going to 
blow their heads off if they came any closer. Scully had taken a 
good look at him to make sure he looked nothing like Forrest 
Mendlhlsson before deciding not to force the issue. She didn't 
think she would be able to talk him into lowering his weapon
 and she didn't want to risk her own, or Sheriff Watson's life,
on someone who probably had nothing to do with their case.

They were walking back to their camp site now, and Scully 
was day-dreaming of a hot bubble bath, and wondering if 
Mulder was okay.

"What about that last guy, I mean, he was pretty ready to blow 
us away? If he's that defensive, maybe he has something to 
hide."

Scully shook her head. "In my job I've learned to distinguish 
between people who are crazy murderers, and people who 
are just crazy. He was one of the later."

Emily shrugged. "If you say so. I guess that means we've had 
a wasted afternoon."

"Mulder might have turned something up."

Emily sighed heavily. "I hope so."

Scully sympathised with her walking companion. She was actually 
warming to the Sheriff and was building a respect for her. Despite 
Emily's now personal connection with the case, she hadn't got 
hysterical and had continued to think on her feet. The only thing that 
annoyed Scully about her was that she insisted on calling Mulder 
'Fox'. Well, that and the fact that, even after a day trudging through 
miles of forest in humid conditions, she still looked like she'd 
stepped off a vogue fashion shoot, modelling this season's hiking 
casuals.

They walked into the clearing to find Mulder waiting for them. 
Scully was used to the little flip that her stomach always took 
when she saw him again after they'd been separated for a while. 
She recognised it, but took no notice of it.

Mulder stood and greeted them with a nod of his head. "Anything?"

Sheriff Watson answered for them. "No, except a brush with 
sudden death."

His gaze whipped across to Scully's face and their eyes met. 
She shrugged. "Just a crazy wanting some target practice. We 
made a tactical retreat."

Mulder nodded. "I showed the composite of Mendhlesson to a 
woman who said she'd seen a man travelling through with his 
daughter. She I.D.'d him."

 Scully suddenly noticed that Mulder had his weapon drawn. He 
saw her looking at it.

"I got back just before you did and I found this." He pulled a note 
from his shirt pocket and gave it to Scully to read.

She read it out loud. "Dear Fox, there's only one Fox. All the 
chickens are mine. Get off my hunting ground."

"He was right here this afternoon Scully."

Scully reached for her own gun. "He might still be around."

"We'll do a quick search. Thirty minutes exactly. Don't be any 
longer. I'll take North and work round to the East. You start 
West and go South."

Sheriff Watson was looking at them both with a face etched in fear. 
"What should I do?"

Mulder looked evenly at her, trying to calm her. "Stay here. 
Keep your gun ready. If you hear any shots, come running like 
the cavalry."

She nodded. Mulder and Scully looked once at each other for no 
more than a second. 'Don't do anything stupid' and 'take care of 
yourself' were exchanged in their glance without a word being 
spoken, and then they turned and ran in different directions. 


Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 27th, 1997
6.45 p.m.

Scully felt sick from the tension in her stomach as she made her 
way carefully through the trees. Trying to move as quietly as possible, 
her eyes constantly scanning her surroundings, hoping, and not hoping 
to spot her prey.

'My prey?' 'So why does it feel like I'm the one who's being hunted?' 
she asked herself. 

She heard a crunch of leaves to her right and gripped her sig saucer 
with both hands, whipping it around to where the sound had come 
from.

In the fading light she saw someone approaching. She clicked the 
safety off, and ignored the furious thudding of her heart as she yelled 
out. "Hold it right there..... FBI.... I'm armed."

"So am I."

She sighed in relief. 

"Mulder. Do you have any idea how close I came to shooting you?"

He came out of the shadows, a grim smile on his face.

"..and if you say 'it wouldn't be the first time' I will shoot you."

He held up his hands. "You really are armed and dangerous Scully. 
What are you doing in this part of the forest? I told you to head 
South."

She looked around her in confusion. "I did, at least I thought I did."

He shook his head. "You have the worst sense of direction. I'm 
taking you off map reading duty for good."

"Find anything?"

"Nope. I think he's long gone. We'd better get back to the camp. 
We told Sheriff Watson we'd be thirty minutes." He looked at his 
watch. "Its past that now."

She started walking, but then stopped and turned back when she 
realised he wasn't following her. He grinned and pointed over 
his shoulder. "Its this way Scully."

She went past him with a defiant toss of her head. "I knew that. 
I was just making sure you did."


Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 27th, 1997
8.35  p.m.

Mulder had wanted to pack up the tents and supplies and go right on 
hiking after their suspect as soon as they'd returned from their search. 
It had taken great effort on Sheriff Watson's part to get him to realise 
that it was almost impossible to give chase in the dark. She explained 
how they wouldn't be able to find their way without being able to see
any landmarks.

He had paced around like a caged animal for a while, before accepting 
that he had no choice but to wait till morning. Scully, for her part, 
while worried about the child that had been taken, was in need of the 
rest. She had elected to stay out of Mulder's way until he had worked 
out some of his frustration.

Sheriff Watson prepared a meal that was eaten in almost total silence, 
around a fire that she had also prepared. After he cleared his plate 
Mulder jumped up and wandered away, muttering something about 
wanting to go over the case file again.

Emily Watson looked at Scully. "Is he pissed at me for not going 
on?"

Scully shook her head. "Don't worry about it. He knows it would be 
pointless continuing in the dark. He just hates sitting still while on a 
case. He's always impatient." She wondered for a moment if she 
should warn the Sheriff about why Mulder was particularly impatient 
in this case, and then decided not to. His sister's abduction, or 
kidnapping, was a personal matter, and the decision to tell people 
about it was his.

"I don't think I could do your job, this is too much for me. How do 
you handle being on cases like this all the time?"

Scully shrugged. "I suppose that the personal gratification I get when
we make an arrest, or save somebody's life, makes up for all the 
trauma."

Sheriff Watson shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. 
"Dana, I don't want to have to go back to Molly's mother and tell 
her we found her body. I want to hand her little girl back to her 
alive, and in one piece."

Scully stood and rubbed a hand briefly along the Sheriff's 
shoulders to comfort her. "We'll do our best Emily." She sighed. 
"I'm just going to go...and...well...answer the call of nature."

Emily smiled up at her and nodded. She watched Scully go and sat 
in contemplation until Mulder stumbled back thirty minutes later. 

"Where's Scully?"

Emily broke out of her reverie and looked around her. "She went 
to...for a walk..but that was about a half-hour ago."

Mulder shot her a worried look and pulled a flashlight from the 
waistband of his jeans. "Which way?"

"I'm sure she's fine."

"Probably, but I want to check. Which direction did she go in?"

Emily nodded her head to the south and Mulder took off.

He walked for about five minutes before he heard a rustle of 
leaves and shone his light towards it.

"Will you get that light out of my eyes?"

He lowered the flash. "Emily said you'd been gone for a while, 
I wanted to check on you."

"I'm fine. Can't I even have a pee in peace?"

He shone the light back on her, half expecting to catch her with 
her shorts around her ankles, but she was fully clothed and sitting
calmly on a rock. "You've been gone for a while Scully, were you 
looking for a public convenience out here?"

He stood over her and she moved a little to one side on her perch, 
indicating that he was welcome to sit beside her.

He sat down and studied her face carefully, it had a strange 
composure to it. An eerie serenity. "Just sitting and thinking, Scully?"

She shook her head. "No, well, sort of." She sighed and fidgeted, 
looking a little embarrassed. "I was praying."

Mulder looked away. "Oh".

Their silences were usually companionable. The one that fell 
between them now was slightly uneasy. Mulder broke it. "Do you 
do that a lot Scully?"

She nodded and offered him a little smile, aware of how 
uncomfortable he was talking about religion. "Most nights."

"What do you pray for?" 

She didn't answer immediately and he suddenly regretted the 
question, thinking maybe it was too personal. "Sorry...."

"No its okay." She pulled her legs up onto the rock and hugged her 
knees to keep warm. "Tonight, I prayed for Molly Turner, and her 
parents."

Mulder nodded and she continued.

"And I prayed for my Mother, I asked God to give her strength to 
face.....whatever may come."

Mulder felt his stomach churn. Scully was praying for God to help
her Mother cope with her coming illness and death. His mind went 
into its now familiar chant. 'can't let it happen', 'won't let it happen'.

"And I prayed for you Mulder. I asked that you be helped on your 
search. That God keep you safe and well. That you'll find your 
answers, and your sister, if its God's will that you should do so."

Scully had been looking down at her own hands while she spoke. 
When she looked back up at him, she saw tears brimming in his eyes, 
and she was moved by his response to her words.

He reached for her hand in the dark. When he found it, he squeezed 
it briefly and then quickly let it go. "Thank you Scully. I don't 
deserve your prayers."

"Yes you do Mulder, and you're always in them."

"Sometimes, I wish I had faith like you do Scully."

"You have faith Mulder. You have faith in many things. In your 
sisters memory, in truth, and in justice." She nodded her head at the 
black night sky and her grave tone lightened. "And in the little grey people."

He chuckled, but it wasn't a happy sound. "Your faith seems to give 
you peace Scully. I can't find any peace. I just have fear."

Her heart twisted for him, she felt his anguish. "What are you afraid 
of Mulder?"

"That this quest we're on, this journey. That's it's all for nothing. 
That I'm constantly being deceived, that Samantha....that...she." He 
ran a hand through his already mussed hair. "That I've involved you, 
destroyed your life, your career, when all along there was never any 
hope of me finding what I was looking for."

"There's hope Mulder, that's what faith is." She nudged his side with 
her elbow forcing him to look directly at her. "I once told you that I 
wouldn't change a day of our partnership, and I meant that. Don't 
blame yourself for anything that has happened to me. You live with 
enough guilt and grief. I want the truth too, that's what drives me, 
gives me strength. Our quest has enriched my life, knowing you has 
enriched my life."

When he'd found Scully sitting on her own in the dark, he'd sat down 
with the thought of offering her some company and comfort, and 
instead she'd given those things to him. She was such a selfless soul. He 
always took from her, and he found it so difficult to give. He fought the 
urge to crush her to his chest and instead stood up, offering a hand to 
Scully, which she took. He hoisted her to her feet.

"Come on, lets get some sleep."

They began to trudge back through the trees together.

"So whose tent do you want to share tonight Scully? I know you 
planned to bunk down with Sheriff Watson, but there's plenty of 
room in mine."

He caught the arch of her eyebrow, even in the dense darkness of 
the forest. "Such a kind offer Mulder."

"Think about it Scully, the Sheriff might snore."

"Mulder, you snore."

He looked at her in amazement. "I do?"

She nodded. "Loudly." She quickened her pace and went ahead 
of him.

"Hey, hang on a second.  How do you know I snore?"

She threw him what he thought was an incredibly sensual look 
over her shoulder, and before he could recover from it enough to 
respond, they were back at the camp site. 


Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 28th, 1997
6.30  p.m.

Mulder kicked off his sleeping bag and reached for the jeans he had 
discarded the night before. He pulled them on and gathered up his 
gun and I.D., before crawling out of his tent. He was eager to get 
going on their chase. Today Fox was going to catch 'The Fox'. 

Although he was on the hunt for a serial killer, he felt a sense of 
calmness. His conversation with Scully the night before had given 
him that. She'd given him a share of the peace she was able to 
make for herself.

He smiled. They hadn't talked on such a personal level for a long 
while, and he hoped it marked a return to the closeness they had 
once shared, before pain and grief had caused them to put barriers 
between them. He didn't always understand his relationship with 
Scully. What it was meant to be, what it had been, and what it 
could be in the future, but he knew that when their friendship was 
in crisis, he was a lesser person. He functioned better when there 
was harmony in their connection.

The bright morning hit him full in the face and he winced up at 
the sun, before stumbling over to Sheriff Watson who was cooking 
over a small camping stove. She grinned at him and piled some of the 
food from the pan onto a plate, and held it out to him. He took it 
gratefully and sat down to eat.

"I could do with this kind of treatment at home." 

"No lady in your life Fox?"

He smiled. "Yeah, I have a lady in my life. She covers my ass, 
patches up my wounds and occasionally does my paperwork, but 
she draws the line at fixing my breakfast."

Emily Watson grinned. "She's still asleep. Should I wake her?"

Mulder looked at his watch. "Give her a while longer. Scully's 
not really a morning person."

"Should I save her some breakfast?"

"She's not really a bacon and eggs person either. She prefers a 
few bits of dried fruit, mashed together with oats and milk."

"Muselli?"

Mulder gave a mock shiver and cringed. "No, please, don't say 
the 'M' word."

"You two are pretty different aren't you? In your eating habits, 
your attitudes...even your appearance. You're kind of like each 
other's opposite."

"I guess, but perhaps that's why it works. If we were similar 
we'd have probably bored each other senseless years ago."

"So, does Dana have....you know...someone in her life? Apart 
from you?"

"I have no idea."

Mulder looked at the Sheriff curiously. She was shifting her food 
around her plate, deep in contemplation of something. Her questions 
at the bar, and now these enquiries, were definitely leading somewhere, 
he just wasn't sure what it was the Sheriff wanted to know. But he had 
his suspicions.

He took a few more bites of his food, before renewing the conversation 
with a different topic."So which way should we head?"

Emily snapped out of her reverie and reached for a map beside her 
and passed it to him. "Last night I marked out the locations where the
girls bodies were found, and the places from which they were taken. Its not 
a strong, conclusive direction, but it does seem as if they were all taken
through where we are now, and onwards, maybe up to Ferrier's point."

"Where's that?"

Emily leaned across and pointed it out on the map. "Here. It's a flat 
part of the forest at the top of a seven mile climb. Its popular with 
hikers because it has a great view, and its flatness means its a good 
place to camp. There's also some settlers up there."

Mulder examined the map and the small red crosses Emily had 
placed on it. "None of the bodies were found up that high."

Emily shrugged. "No, but he may have killed them up there and then 
brought them back down a little, so that they wouldn't be found near 
where he's settled. I spoke to Dana about this last night, before we 
went to sleep, and she said she concurred with our coroner that the 
bodies were moved after death. That the girls weren't killed where 
they were found." 

Mulder nodded. "Wasn't the first child taken while on a camping trip 
with her parents?"

"Yes, and they were camping on the point. An investigation was done 
at the time. They spoke to settlers around there, but turned up nothing." 
She shrugged. "I don't know, maybe I'm jumping to conclusions." She 
looked around her. "This Forest is so big and dense. He could be 
anywhere. Maybe we should do a more general search of the area?"

"No, that will take too long. I've got a feeling you're right about this 
place. I want you to take us there, by the shortest route possible."

"That involves some pretty steep climbs."

Mulder thought about Scully for a moment, and then dismissed his 
worries about her health. They could stop regularly, and he could help 
her if need be. He'd watch her closely to make sure she wasn't 
pushing herself too hard.

"So we'll do the climbing. Whatever it takes to get Molly safely back 
to her parents, we'll do it."

Scully climbed out of her tent, and rubbed a hand over her eyes. She 
couldn't seem to get them to open fully, and her limbs were stiff from 
sleeping without the aid of a soft mattress. She put her hands over her 
head to stretch her back and let out a groan.

Mulder heard it, turned briefly to look at his partner, and then shook 
his head at Sheriff Watson. "What did I tell you? Definitely NOT 
a morning person."


Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 28th, 1997
10.35 p.m.

They'd been walking steadily for two hours, in near silence, when 
Mulder saw Emily come to a stop in front of him. He caught up with 
her and was about to ask her why they'd come to a halt when he saw 
that her gaze was directed up a sheer rock face, to their right.

He heard Scully come up behind him and stop, but his eyes remained 
focused upon the spot that Emily was studying. "When you said 'steep 
climbs' Sheriff, I thought you meant we'd have to attack some pretty 
mean hills. Not thirty-foot slabs of rock."

"Sorry Fox, but going around this instead of straight up it would mean 
an extra three hours."

He looked around at Scully. Who sensed his gaze and immediately 
wiped the trepidation of her face. He'd always been aware of how 
diminutive his partner was, but she suddenly looked even smaller 
standing under the cliff she was expected to climb.

"Ready for this Scully?"

"I guess so."

Sheriff Watson was pulling climbing equipment from her backpack. 
"I'll go first and secure a rope. I've done this climb a million times. 
Dana, you should go next."

Mulder looked at the Sheriff. "Why am I last?"

Scully reached up and tapped his temple with a finger. "So that if I fall, 
I'll have something soft to land on."

Mulder and Scully sat back and watched as Sheriff Watson climbed up 
the rock face with apparent ease. Her movements fluid and confident.

Mulder leaned down to whisper in Scully's ear. "Spiderman's sister?"

She ignored him, and he smiled.

Sheriff Watson reached the top and hauled herself over the edge. 
Scully jumped a little when she heard the Sheriff let out a frightened 
yell.

Mulder was instantly alert, and went to the rope to climb. "What's 
wrong?"

Scully was right behind Mulder and stopped him from beginning to 
climb with a hand on his shoulder. "Emily, what's wrong? Is 
everything okay up there?"

The Sheriff leaned over the edge to look down at them. "No, not 
really. I found something." She extended her arm out and showed 
them a pink piece of clothing. "I found this. Its a sweater. It has 
Molly's name sewn into it."

Mulder and Scully exchanged glances of concern. Mulder called 
up to Emily. "Anything else?"

"No. Nothing and no-one."

"Okay. I'm sending Scully up straight away. We're on his trail 
now, and we don't want to lose any more time."

He turned to Scully, who had taken the rope from him, and had 
a foot raised against the rock to begin climbing. Their eyes met.

"You okay to do this, Scully?"

She looked annoyed at him for a second but it didn't last long. "I'm 
not the one you should be worried about now Mulder. We have to 
find that child."

He nodded, and made a cradle with his hands. She stepped into it 
and he gave her a boost to get her started on the climb. She took a 
few uncertain steps up, and for a few moments, her ass was right in 
front of his face. He smiled grimly. If they hadn't been there on such 
deathly business he might have enjoyed the sight more.

He resisted the urge to give her a further boost up, by putting his 
hand on her backside and giving it a shove. He thought he might feel 
an 'accidental' climbing boot on his head if he tried it.

He watched Scully's slow but steady progress on the climb, and 
only realised he'd been holding his breath when he saw her reach 
the top safely. Emily hauled her over the edge.

He yelled up. "Okay Scully?"

She leaned over to look down at him. "Piece of cake Mulder."

Despite her bravado statement, she looked pretty pleased and relieved 
that it was over. She pulled back from the edge and disappeared from 
his view.

He gripped the rope and was about to start climbing, when he heard a 
mass of noise suddenly erupt above him. There was a series of 
non-distinguishable shouts, and then he distinctly heard Scully ordering 
someone to 'get down'. When he heard a scream and a shot being 
fired he had to restrain his rising panic.

"SCULLY." His voice echoed around the canyon. "SCULLY, 
ANSWER ME."

His mind was spinning and he fought off the rise of bile that entered 
his throat and threatened to spill from his mouth. 'No, not Scully, 
please let it not be Scully, not Scully'.

He screamed her name so loud it brought a pain to his chest. 
"SCULLY FOR CHRIST SAKES, ANSWER ME." 


end of Part II

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

The Lure of the Fox
Part III
By Caroline O'Callaghan 


"ANSWER ME. WHAT'S GOING ON UP THERE. SCULLY?" 
Mulder knew he was screaming now, desparation in his voice as he 
imagined Scully lying on the ground, bleeding from a gunshot wound.

He grabbed hold of the rope again and was about to start climbing,
when he saw Emily Watson peering over the edge of the cliff at him.

"Fox."

"Where's Scully? Is she okay?"

Emily looked a little dazed and confused. "She took off after him?"

"Who?" He did start to climb then, concern pushing him hastily 
upwards.

"The guy who shot at us. She told me to get down, and she fell 
herself, but then she jumped up and ran after him."

He cursed violently. What the hell was Scully thinking of? Taking 
off like that without any backup. He knew he'd done exactly the same 
thing himself on a few occasions but he was still going to tear her 
apart for being hot-headed. When he caught up with her.

He reached the top of the cliff ledge and clambered over it.

Emily Watson was holding her head in her hands. He bent down and 
touched her shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I just knocked my head when I dived for cover. I'll be fine 
in a minute."

"Which way did they go?"

Emily pointed and Mulder was about to make tracks in that direction 
when he saw Scully appear from out of the trees.

He was too impatient to wait for her to get to him. He strode up to 
her. He tried to make his admonishment a hiss rather than a shout, to 
keep it from the ears of Sheriff Watson. "What the hell were you 
playing at?"

"I was trying to catch our suspect. He lost me. He obviously knows 
these woods well."

"You know better than to take off on your own Scully."

Anger flared up in her. "So do you Mulder, but it doesn't stop you 
from doing exactly that whenever the hell you feel like it."

"Yeah, well. You should have at least let me know you were okay 
before you went off playing Rambo. I was at the bottom of this cliff 
imaginging you dead, Scully."

"I'm sorry." His tone grated on her nerves. He spoke to her like she 
was an errant schoolgirl, but she couldn't defend herself for some 
reason. Perhaps because she knew how painful it was when your 
partner threw themselves into the line of fire and danger, and all you 
could do was sit back and wait, and pray that they would be fine. 
She'd worried over Mulder to point of being violently ill on more 
than one occasion. 

"Yeah, well. You'd better check on Sheriff Watson. She took a 
bang to the head and I think she was out for a couple of minutes."

Scully gave him a stern look and walked over to the Sheriff, 
kneeling and taking Emily's face in her hands to look into her eyes.

"Emily, d'you know who I am?"

"Dana Scully." The Sheriff was returning Scully's gaze and, for a 
moment Mulder felt embarassed, and had to turn away.

"The date, the year?"

"June 28th, 1997."

Scully looked up at Mulder. "She'll be fine, but her pupils are a 
little dilated, she took a nasty bang. We'd better stop for a while."

Mulder threw his hands up in the air. "We can't afford to stop 
Scully, he was just here, a few minutes ago. If we move quickly...."

Scully cut him off. "Emily needs to stop for a while Mulder, and 
we can't go on without her. She knows this place, we don't. He 
lost me within minutes in those trees."

"He's getting away Scully."

"He's got away. He's gone, and I don't think there'd be any point 
in us charging after him anyway. I know I did just now, but I reacted 
without thinking. What we need to do now is sit back and consider 
how we're going to approach him. There's a little girl's life at stake. 
What if we we're forced to shoot him in self-defence? He obviously 
has that child hidden somewhere, and we need to keep him alive, at 
least long enough for him to tell us where she is."

Mulder huffed a little and walked away from her. Scully watched him
go. He was kicking at the ground like a pre-schooler. She knew he'd 
listened to her and accepted that her reasoning made sense, but she 
could also see the desparation in him. The need he had to stop another 
small girl being taken from her family forever.

She riffled around in her rucksack for her first-aid kit. She found 
a couple of asprin and shook them into the palm that Emily 
wordlessly held out.

"You're going to have a killer headache pretty soon."

Emily smiled. "I think its already started." She found a bottle of 
water and drank from it to swallow the pills. She then got shakily 
to her feet. "There's a small stream a couple of hundred yards away,
I'm going to go splash some water on my face and take a little stroll, 
make sure my legs still work."

"Okay. Don't go too far though. You never know, our friendly 
neighbourhood snipper might still be hanging around."

Scully got to her feet and watched Emily wander off. She then went 
over to Mulder, who stood with his back to her, looking into the 
trees they'd have to make their way through to find Mendhlesson. She 
saw the muscles in his back tense at her approach, and she tried not to 
admire the way his shoulder blades moved, but couldn't help it. There 
was a sense of restrained power in them that caught her eye.

"Mulder. We'll get him. Twenty minutes rest and we'll be back on 
his trail."

He didn't look round at her. "Are you sure it was him?"

"I didn't really get that good a look, but I think so."

"Then he's playing with us Scully. That note yesterday, taking a 
pot-shot at you today. You and Emily were sitting ducks on that 
cliff ledge. He could have killed you if he'd wanted to."

"Maybe he's just a really bad shot."

"No. He's toying with us, or to be more precise, me. He's 
enjoying the chase."

"I don't know Mulder. His note yesterday sounded more like he 
wanted to warn us off, than engage us in a game. Shooting at us 
today might be a sign of panic."

"I think he knows about me, and Samatha. He knows my name"

"Maybe he has a transmitter and he heard Emily in contact with the 
Sheriff's Station. Perhaps that's how he found out were up here, and
what your name is."

"You still think its all a bizzare co-incidence Scully? His sister, 
mine? Him choosing 'The Fox' as a nickname?"

She sighed. "You know me Mulder, I try not to think anything 
until I know all the details, until I have proof."

He turned to look at her and gave her a small smile, putting on his 
best Dragnet voice. "Just the facts Ma'am."

She nodded and turned to go back to her rucksack in search of 
some water.

"Scully."

She heard concern in his voice and halted immediately, afraid he
might have spotted Mendhlesson about to open fire on them again.

"Scully, you're bleeding."

"Huh?" She turned to look at him and saw him approaching her. 
She instinctively put a hand to her upper lip.

Mulder took her by the shoulders and spun her around. "No, 
your back." She tried not to jump at the feel of his hand running 
along her spinal column, inspecting the blood stain that had 
appeared on her thin, cotton, sleeveless shirt.

"Looks like a bad gash. Doesn't it hurt?" 

"No. Well now you mention it, it stings a little. I think I caught 
it on a branch while I was giving chase."

"Take your shirt off."

He walked over to her rucksack to find her first-aid kit.

"What?"

He looked over at her and tried to hide his smile at the 
incredulous look she was giving him.

"We need to clean that up. Out here it could easily become 
infected.Take your shirt off Scully." Mulder took a moment 
to marvel at the fact that he was actually saying those words to 
her, no matter that they were said in a perfectly innocent context. 
He dug around in her kit and pulled out some cotton wool and 
ethanol. As he approached her, he saw the uncomfortable and 
embarassed look in her eyes. She hadn't made a move to undo a 
single button yet.

"You know, its okay Mulder. Its fine. I'll take a look it at myself 
later."

"As talented as you are Scully, even you can't reach your own 
back."

Her tongue darted out of her mouth, and ran along her upper lip. 
Mulder's breath caught at the sight. That little habit of hers always 
affected him. He leaned in close to her. She stared back at him for a 
second before looking away, a flush creeping up from her neck.

Mulder felt a wash of sympathy for her. She just wasn't one of those 
women who bared their skin easily. Scully was delightfully old-
fashioned at times.

"What's the matter, not wearing anything underneath?"

She looked down at her chest, and the redness of her skin deepend 
as she realised Mulder's gaze was directed at the same spot.

She tried to sound outraged. "Of course I am."

He looked back up at her and grinned. "Its no big deal Scully. 
Turn around, lower your shirt. I'll do it as quickly as possible, 
I won't take a single peek. Scout's honour."

"You were never a Boy Scout, Mulder."

He sighed and was about to suggest that she let Sheriff Watson do 
it, and then decided that maybe that wasn't such a great idea.

"Scully, give me a break here. If it was me, you'd be pulling the 
old 'I'm the Doctor' routine on me. You know this needs doing."

She sighed and turned around. He watched as her hands went up
to start undoing the buttons of her shirt. She threw an unreadable look 
at him over her shoulder. He busied himself with the cotton wool, 
dabbing ethanol on it. Trying not to think about the flesh that was 
about to be revealed to him. When he looked up at her now bared 
back he gasped.

He suddenly realised why she hadn't wanted to take her shirt off. It 
wasn't because she was shy at all.

"Scully...." Words failed him as his eyes took in the slew of bruises
that covered her back. The gash she'd gotten in the trees was nothing 
compared to the ugly yellow, blue and red marks that coloured her 
skin.

"Its the treatment."

He nodded even though he knew she wasn't looking at him to see it.

"Does it hurt Scully?"

She looked over her shoulder at him again. He sounded so hurt, so 
traumatised by the sight, that she wanted to reassure him. "No, it
doesn't hurt. Well sometimes, while they're administering it, but
it doesn't hurt now."

His arms came around her so suddenly that her next breath came 
out of her lungs in a hiss. He pulled her back against him and buried 
his face in her hair. One hand was resting on her bare stomach and 
the other on her upper arm.

She felt a pleasurable heat swim through her body and she relished
the contact, the feel of his hand against the sensitive flesh of her 
stomach, until she realised where they were and how she must look, 
standing half-naked in a forest. Her underwear paraded for any 
passing hiker to see.

"Mulder..."

"Mmm."

He didn't show any signs of letting her go. She considered not 
voicing a protest and just enjoying the moment, the musky smell of 
him, the feel of his chest against her back, but then she thought 
about Emily Watson, who'd be returning from her stroll any moment.
"Mulder. I'm fine. Its okay. Just clean the cut up."

He snapped to suddenly and let her go, almost with a push. "Sorry. I...
just..." He cleaned the cut quickly. Dabbing at it lightly. Trying to take
no notice of either the bruises, or the simple, white lace bra she wore. 
For some reason the words of a Big Bopper song went around in his 
mind. 'You know what I like'.

She gave a small breathy sound at the sting of the disinfectant.

"No pain, no gain, Scully."

She looked around at him, and he smiled, only realising after the 
words had left his mouth that he probably meant it in regards to her 
cancer treatment as well as the clean-up job he was doing on her gash. 
He saw that Scully had also caught the double meaning behind the 
statement.

"Yeah, Mulder. That's what they say."

"I think its stopped bleeding

"Thanks." She pulled her shirt back up, but didn't refasten the buttons. 
She turned and took the cotton wool and small bottle of ethanol from 
him.Giving him a soft, grateful, look she went to put the things away. 
He turned his back when he saw her pull another shirt from amongst 
her small bundle of clothing and realised she was about to change.

When he turned back she was fastening up a light-blue, short-sleeved 
shirt. Emily Watson came walking slowly back, and Scully hastened 
her buttoning up, flushing a little. 

"Not interrupting anything am I?"

Scully gave Emily an embarassed smile. "Believe me, this is not what 
it looks like. I had a cut on my back. I had to change shirts."

She held up the bloodied white cloth for Emily to see. The sight made 
Mulder want to smile. She looked like a courtroom lawyer presenting
evidence to the jury.

Emily ran a hand through her blonde hair. "None of my business." 
She brushed past Scully and picked up her backpack. "Let's get going 
shall we?"

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I think the pills are starting to kick in already."

Emily walked off, leaving Mulder and Scully struggling to gather their
things and follow. Scully looked at the bloodied shirt and sighed as she
tossed it into her pack. "My clothes really take a battering on these 
trips with you Mulder. Another perfectly good shirt ruined."

Mulder was ready and started to walk. He leaned down as he passed 
her to follow Emily, and spoke low, so that only she would hear. 
"Never mind Scully, I prefer the one you have on now. It matches 
your eyes."

She watched his retreating back, unable to move for a moment, 
reeling from his compliment. 'Yes, that's what it was Scully, definitely. 
Mulder just paid you a compliment'. "First time for everything" she 
muttered to herself as she half-walked, half-ran, to catch up with him. 


Ferrier's Point
Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 28th, 6.30 p.m.

After reaching Ferrier's Point mid-afternoon, Mulder and Scully 
left Emily to set up camp, while they began to question campers 
and settler's. 

Although they were there on gruesome business, Scully noted how 
good it felt to be walking alongside Mulder, discussing the
case, and their thoughts on the settlers they came across. Their 
arms brushing from time to time as they made their way along 
forest tracks.

They went their separate ways in investigations far too often for 
her liking. Apart, they were weaker, less effective, together they
seemed invincible. They were making their way back to
the camp site now. Scully was flipping through her notebook,
hoping to garner something from their afternoon's work.

Campers seemed to have discovered that the FBI were on the trail
of a murderer in the area and had started to flee the area in numbers.
Around them were hikers packing up their supplies and their 
children and preparing to make the descent down into town.

"I can't believe nobody's seen this guy Mulder, we must have 
talked to twenty people who are up here, day and night, and they've 
not seen even a glimpse of him."

"Or, they have, and they just don't want to tell the Fibbies about it. 
Its a pretty close knit community, Scully, they're obviously wary of 
outsiders. If they've accepted him up here, maybe they're willing to 
defend him, cover his tracks."

"You're saying they're willing to cover up for a murderer?"

"They might not know he's a murderer."

"Or they do and they don't care as long as he isn't murdering them. 
You realise Mulder that probably about three-quarters of those settlers 
have criminal records. You saw the way some of them looked at our 
badges, they looked almost ready to surrender themselves, before they 
realised that we were just there to question them."

Mulder gave her a wry smile. "So what do you want to do G-woman?
Round 'em all up? It would boost our arrest records."

"Might close hundreds of cases in States all across the country Mulder.
But I don't think the tax payer would thank us. Think what it would 
cost to lock all these people up. Why bother, when they're in a prison 
of they're own making." She gestured at the forest.

"Not such a bad prison Scully. Fresh air, freedom to move about."

She shrugged. "They're still trapped here, as non-identities, 
non-citizens. They can never go back into society for fear of their 
crimes catching up with them. They've given themselves a life 
sentence."

Mulder studied Scully's thoughtful face as they walked. For 
someone who constantly saw the horrific after-affects of crimes of all 
shapes and sizes, she was incredibly compassionate. She still had a 
belief in human nature.He wondered if he still did. He believed in her, 
but few other people.

She continued. "Anyway, we have an ongoing crime to solve. Let's 
let the sleeping ones lie."

"Another wasted afternoon Scully, we're running out of time."

"We still have another day Mulder. Three days, remember?"

"I just feel so useless. We're the FBI and all we're actually doing is
the equivalent of door-to-door enquiries. A rookie cop could take
my place on this case."

Scully stopped and put a hand on his arm. She was breathing a little
heavily. "Slow down Mulder."

He pulled up and looked at her reddened face. "Sorry." He usually
altered his pace naturally to fit in with her shorter strides. He knew
he'd been walking too fast because he was frustrated at their lack
of progression the case.

She puffed a little. "So do what your good at Mulder?"

He leaned against a tree, Scully didn't seem in any hurry to move on
yet. "What?"

"You're saying you're doing what a rookie cop could do, but you can
do more that that. You're a criminal profiler. Use your skills and get
inside this man's head. Tell me why he's doing what he does, and 
where he would go to do it."

"Scully, if I knew that, we wouldn't be wandering around aimlessly,
looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack."

She started to walk again and he followed. "You can do better than 
that Mulder. I know you, I've seen you pull theories out of thin air."

He was warmed by her faith in him, and was afraid of letting her 
down. "I don't know Scully, this guy, it's almost like I don't want to
know what he does, or why he does it. I'm afraid of what I might 
find out."

She looked up at him. "Afraid?"

"I can't explain it. I just....I just want to get this child back to her 
parents."

Scully nodded, and they walked on a little further in silence, before
Muler spoke again.

"To be honest Scully, I haven't been very focussed on this case. My
mind has been on....on other issues." 

She glanced briefly at him, before looking back at the trail in front
of them. "What other issues?"

"I've been wondering if there's something wrong with me."

She stopped and looked up at him, suddenly concerned, and was 
about to ask him if he felt ill, when the quiet of the forest was
shattered by a piercing scream.

Their eyes met, and they both drew their weapons.

"That sound like a child's scream to you Scully?" He whispered
low.

They heard the scream again, louder this time. Scully nodded at
him and they took off in the direction it had come from.

They ran for a couple of minutes before they heard it again, they
were closer to it now, and Scully wanted to call out to Mulder,
to tell him to slow down, not to go charging in, but she didn't
have the breath for it. Her lungs were too busy gasping for air
as she tried to keep up with him.

The screams were continuous now, and Scully sensed they were
close to the cause of them. In front of her she saw Mulder burst 
through a mass of branches into a clearing and stop. Feet apart, 
gun obviously aimed at someone's head.

She slowed her stride and walked more carefully into the clearing,
her gun held steadily out in front of her. She was surprised at the
sight that greeted her, and looked up at Mulder, whose shoulders
had slumped, his gun hanging limply by his side. He ran his hand
through his hair and gave her a wry smile.

There were three persons in the clearing, a man, a woman and a
tiny girl, of no more than three, who was still screaming. 

The man held his hands up, palms towards them in surrender. 
"Please, don't shoot."

Mulder nodded at him. "Its okay, we're sorry sir, we're with the
FBI." Scully put her weapon back in its holster and reached for
her badge when she saw Mulder do the same. "We're investigating
a crime in the area, when we heard the screaming, we thought
maybe someone was in trouble. We didn't mean to alarm you."

The man examined both their badges and nodded, lowering his
arms. Still looking a little shocked, he gestured to his daughter.
"We heard there's some kind of killer on the loose, and we're
packing to go home. Casey here doesn't want to go, she was
throwing a little fit."

The little girl had stopped her fretting and now rested 
peacefully in her Mother's arms. She stared at Mulder and 
Scully in curiosity. Scully caught her looking and smiled at her. 
Her heart was warmed by the shy, toothy grin she got in return.

"We'll get out of your way."

The man nodded. "Thanks."

They began to wander away when they heard the man call 
out to them. "I hope you catch the guy."

Mulder answered with a grim smile. "So do we."

They found the trail that would lead them back to where they'd
left Emily setting up camp.

Scully looked up at her partner. "Cute kid."

"Cute? I suppose so. Got a great pair of lungs on her."

"Do you like children Mulder?"

"Sure, particularly with some fava beans and a nice chianti."

Scully chuckled and the rare sound startled him a little.

"Seriously."

"I suppose so Scully. I don't really know any children well 
enough to decide whether or not I like them."

"Do you want children?"

He looked down at her and made a quick study of her face,
but it was giving nothing away.

"You say that like they're something I can go and pick up
at the store. Why d'you ask Scully?"

She shrugged, her voice was light and musical, but there
was a tinge of sadness in it. "Its just that sometimes I think
how my life might have been different, if I hadn't chosen
this path, and I was wondering if you have those kind of
thoughts too." She swiped at a strand of copper hair that
had fallen out of the band she'd used to tie her back, and
continued. "I mean if you hadn't lost your sister, if you hadn't
gotten involved in the X Files. Do you think you'd be a family
man?"

"You mean two-point-five kids and a station wagon? I don't
know. Sometimes I dream about that kind of life, but I think
I'm dreaming about something I wouldn't want if I had it.
This is me Scully, this is what I was meant to do."

She nodded. He wanted to say something to her. Ask her how
she felt about not being able to bear children, but it seemed
too intimate, too personal, too painful.

"It must be comforting though Mulder, to be a parent and to 
know that you're leaving a part of yourself to the world. That
there's someone who will always remember that you once
existed, because they carry your genes, your blood."

"Scully." They were near their camping site now and he put a
hand on her shoulder to stop her. "You're not going to die."

She shrugged his hand off. "Everybody dies Mulder, sooner
or later. I was talking in general terms, not about myself."

She went ahead of him, saw their camping ground, and Emily,
and froze.

She felt and heard Mulder come up behind her and stop, taking 
in the scene.

Emily was being held by a dishevelled looking man, his arm 
around her neck, and her own gun pointed at her temple. His 
clothes were worn and shabby, dirt was ingrained into his 
features and there was madness in his eyes. He yelled at Mulder 
and Scully.

"You two make one move on me, and I'll blow her head off I 
swear."

Scully spoke in a soothing tone. "We're not going to do anything.
Just let the Sheriff go."

"I will. I don't want to hurt her, but I want to talk to you."

Mulder took a step towards the man and Emily, and stood in
front of Scully. The man clicked the safety off the gun, and
Scully took a deep breath.

Mulder held his hands up by his head to show they were empty.
"I'm not trying anything. What's your name?"

"You don't need to know that."

"Okay. What did you want to talk to us about?"

"I got information for you, but I want something in return."

"What?"

"Food and a little money."

Scully admired Mulder's negotiating skills. Seconds ago, Emily's
captor had been a bundle of nervous panic, ready to pull on the
trigger his finger was still gripping, but now he was almost calm, 
and willing to enter into a conversation with Mulder. She 
decided to keep quiet and let her partner handle this particular 
situation. 

"We can give you that, what did you want to tell us?"

"I know who you're looking for. The child killer. I saw him 
dragging another little one up these hills two nights ago."

Mulder nodded. "Where is he now?"

"I don't know exactly."

"Then your information isn't much good to us, is it? If you
want some food, you'd better think about what else you've
seen."

The man licked his lips. "I know who he is. He tried to trade
some things with me. He had a child's necklace, and some hair
pins, and a pair of sneakers once. I told him I had no use for 
stuff like that, and I asked him where he got it from. He told me
they were his sister's. That she lives up here with him."

Registering the remark, Mulder looked around at Scully briefly,
to see if she had too.

"But you don't know where he lives?"

"Its near. You're close. He's always around here. He traded
some things for digging stuff once. Got them from a friend of 
mine. You know, shovels and so."

The man released his hold on Emily a little, and she seemed to
sigh a little in relief. 

"That's all I know."

Mulder nodded. "Okay this is what were going to do. You 
release Sheriff Watson, and start heading South. When you 
get two hundreds yards away, you put her gun down. I'll
come in ten minutes, take the gun and replace it with food
and money. You can collect it when I'm gone."

The man looked a Mulder warily for a while. "You won't
try anything on me once I give up the gun will you?"

"No, you have my word. As much as I dislike like people 
who attack law enforcement officers and hold them hostage,
I won't try and arrest you. Think of it as a return favour for
your information."

The man seemed to grin a little as he released Sheriff Watson
with a gentleness that surprised Scully, and then he took off into 
the trees.

She went straight over to Emily who had collapsed to her 
knees and put a hand on her bowed head. "Emily, are you
okay? Are you hurt?" Scully dropped to her knees beside
her.

Emily shook her head and threw her arms around Scully. 
Mulder began looking through their supplies, for some 
food he could give to their informant.

Scully was having a little difficulty breathing. Emily had
crushed her to her chest, and her arms held her there with
a vice-like grip. Scully ran a hand up and down the Sheriff's
back to soothe her.

"Its okay Emily. He's gone."

"I just feel so stupid. I should have been paying more attention.
He came up behind me, while I was setting things up."

"Don't worry, you're alive, and unhurt, that's all that matters."

Scully saw Mulder walk off into the words. She tried to pull 
away from Emily a little, but the other woman didn't seem to 
want to let go.

"Its okay Emily, really. You wouldn't believe how many times 
I've been caught out like that."

"You have no idea, how pleased I was to see you come back."

"Oh, I think I do."

Emily finally released her, and Scully pulled back and looked up
at the sky. "We're losing the light. How about we get ready to
settle down for the night?"

Emily nodded and got up, smiling softly at Scully. "Sorry, if I...
I just lost it a little there."

Scully smiled back. "No problem."


Ferrier's Point
Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 28th, 1997
8.30 p.m.

Mulder accepted the fact that their investigation had to stop 
with nightfall much easier than he had the previous night. He
tried to relax over the meal they ate.

When he'd arrived back from the drop point, he'd handed
Sheriff Watson's gun back to her with a sympathetic smile
and a pat on the arm.

Scully had asked him how much money he'd given away. He'd
told her and she'd clucked her tongue at him, telling him
he was far too generous, and that probably meant that she'd
be buying their lunches for a while when they made it back to
D.C. Mulder had smiled and gone off to collect materials for
a camp fire.

They sat around the fire now. Mulder watched Scully who was 
sitting opposite him. She was staring deep into the fire, lost in 
thought, she hadn't spoken in a while. Sheriff Watson was equally 
quiet. 

His mind drifted back to that morning, when he'd pulled Scully
against him. He'd reacted to a mixture of things. His relief that
the shot Mendhlesson had fired had missed her, the bruises
that covered her back, her bravery in dealing with a fatal disease.

He remembered how soft the skin on her stomach had felt against
his hand, how good she had smelled, how right it felt to hold her
in his arms. He couldn't control his wanting her anymore, he'd
been controlling it for too long, and now that he might be losing
her slowly, he was filled with a desparation for her, a need to
posses her, totally. To be inside her, to fill her and be surrounded
by her. He let out a mild curse at the direction his thoughts were 
taking and Scully looked up at him.

He shook his head to let her know nothing was wrong and she
got to her feet. 

"Its a little chilly, I'm going to get a sweater."

Mulder nodded and watched her go, her backside swinging as
she walked. He cursed softly again.

"You okay Fox?"

He looked over at Emily. "Yeah. Just a little....frustrated." He 
shifted his position on the ground.

"Its hard isn't it?"

Mulder tried to hide his grin. "Mmm, pretty hard."

"Knowing we're so close, yet not being able to look for
for him because its too dark."

He forced his mind back to the case. "Yeah. At least we have
something more to go on tomorrow."

"You think he's underground?"

"It would explain the digging materials, and how he's able to
disappear for periods of time, and hide his victims."

The Sheriff nodded. "We'll do a search tomorrow, look for
disturbed earth. There's some caves around here too, we should
check those out." She paused. "Fox, do you think Molly's
okay still, he wouldn't have done anything already would he?"

"No, he's taking care of her. He will until tomorrow, that's how 
long he took care of his sister. If he's playing out his memories
of that time, she'll be safe till then."

He looked at the Sheriff's pained face and searched his mind for
a subject that would relieve her fears for a while.

Meanwhile, inside the tent, Scully had to tip everything out of her 
backpack until she found the sweater she'd packed. She pulled it 
out and slipped it over her head, looking at the rolled-up cuffs. Why 
the hell had she packed this? Mulder's sweater. She wore it all the 
time at home, it was comfortable. She'd had it for years now and
couldn't quite remember how she'd gained possession of it. 
She'd kept meaning to give it back, but had forgotten to return it
for so long, that it had become hers.

'Ah hell Scully, you're gonna look like a lovesick undergrad 
mooning about in his clothing'. She almost whipped it back off,
and then remembered how cold she'd been without it. 'Since
when does Mulder pay any attention to clothes, he won't even
remember it was his'. She left it on and crawled out of the tent.

She tipped her head to one side when she heard Mulder and
Emily's laughter. Her stomach sank a little. He never laughed
like that around her. He smirked, made the odd sarcastic remark,
waggled his eyebrows, but he never really laughed, and neither
did she. They seemed to be surrounded by gloominess when 
they were together. Even when Mulder was at his funniest she
could barely manage more than a chuckle. 

Hearing chatter and some more laughter, she considered 
disappeaing back into the tent and leaving them to it. Mulder
was obviously getting along well with the Sheriff, why spoil
it for him? 'He'll need someone when you're gone'. She banished
the thought when it surfaced. 'You're not going to die', 'Mulder
promised you, you're not going to die'.

Suddenly feeling alone and scared she made her way back to the
fire, and Mulder and Emily. They both looked up when she 
arrived.

"I was just telling Emily about that guy who ate the live crickets,
remember Scully? You did that slight-of-hand, had me fooled
for a second. I really thought you'd eaten it."

Scully smiled at the memory. It seemed like a thousand years 
ago now. A million miles away.
. 
"Yeah. I remember."

The moment she sat down, Mulder and Emily's mood seemed
to change, the laughter ceased. Scully wondered if she had 
that effect on people now. If her seriousness depressed others.
She looked over at Mulder, a soft smile still played on his
lips. Their eyes met. He winked at her.

She shut her eyes for a moment and opened them again, looking
back over at him. 'Did I imagine that?'. He was looking into
the fire now. 'He winked at me?'.

Emily clapped her hands together, breaking the silence. "Who's
for a little dessert?"

Mulder looked over at her in surprise. "What? Don't tell me 
you brought ice-cream up here?"

"Better than that. It's a liquid dessert."

"An alcoholic, liquid dessert?"

"Now you're getting the idea. I have a half-litre of brandy."

Mulder imagined the smooth liquid running down his throat, 
warming his stomach. "I'd love some." He wasn't much of
a drinker. But tonight, sitting around a camp fire, his favourite
person with him, it seemed like a wonderful idea.

Emily went off in search of her bottle, and Mulder looked 
over at Scully.

"Nice sweater Scully. I used to have one like that."

She looked down at the navy woollen garment and then back
up at her partner, flushing a little.

"Really?"

He nodded. "Lost it a few years back."

"That's too bad."

"Yeah. I think I was at your apartment when I lost it."

She gave him a sheepish look and he smiled his forgiveness.
"Keep it. In return for all the Christmas presents I never 
bought you, and the birthdays I missed."

"Thanks Mulder. It wouldn't fit you now anyway. I think it
shrunk it when I washed it last."

"Ah, finally, I've discovered something you're bad at."

She glanced at him, eyebrow raised.

"Laundry. I knew there had to be something, you seem to 
excel at everything else Scully."

She smiled and then suddenly remembered a conversation
they'd had earlier. One that had been interupted.

"Mulder are you okay?"

He looked over at her, confused. "I'm fine, why?"

"Earlier, when we were talking, before we heard that child
screaming, you said you were worried there was something
wrong with you."

"Oh that, I didn't mean physically Scully. I was just rambling,
don't worry about it."

"Mulder. Tell me. There was obviously something bothering
you if you said that."

He looked over carefully at her. He hadn't had the brandy yet,
but he felt a little drunk. Too much fresh air maybe. Now 
wasn't really the right time, but she had asked. He took a deep
breath.

"I was thinking that maybe there was something wrong with me,
because I'm up here in these wonderful surroundings, with this
woman that I think is wonderful, intelligent and beautiful, and I'm 
not doing anything about it."

He glanced at her fearfully, wary of her reaction. She was 
obviously taken aback, her face was a mixture of surprise and
panic. Her eyes looked a little moist. His hopes faded, and then
rose.

She shrugged and offered a thin smile. 

His hopes died again. 'Shit. You just blew it Mulder, four years
of partnership. Down the drain, why the hell d'you open your
mouth, things were near perfect the way they were'.

Scully licked her lips. "Mulder, you could do something about it."

His eyes bored into hers, his hopes were rising again. "I could?"

She nodded. "Yeah I mean, I...don't worry about me, I wouldn't
want to get in the way. I could just, you know...go for a walk, or
...something."

He started to laugh.

Scully glared over at him, he was laughing at her again. Annoyance 
registered in her voice when she spoke.

"What's so funny?"

Mulder tried to control it, but couldn't, he laughed harder. 
Incredulous at Scully's mistake. He'd gotten up the courage, after 
four years, to tell her how he felt, and she thought he was talking 
about someone else. It was so tragic, it struck him as funny.

Emily came back bearing a bottle and three mugs. She looked at 
Mulder who was laughing so hard he was close to tears, and then 
turned to Scully.

"What's the matter with him?"

"I have no idea. I'm going to bed." She got up and Mulder rose 
and held out an arm to stop her leaving, but she brushed past it. 

He managed to control his laughter long enough to call out to her, 
as she disappeared into the night. "Scully, come back here."

He realised she wasn't coming back, and suddenly it wasn't funny. 
He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before sitting back 
down. He took the mug of brandy that Emily offered him.

"So how d'you upset her this time?"

"I'm not sure, but I promise you, I was trying to be nice."

"You two confuse me, I can't make you out."

"We confuse each other." Mulder downed the brandy, and shivered
at the unaccustomed taste. 

"I know you care about her, but you seem to give her a really hard 
time you know?"

"I swear Emily, I was just telling her how wonderful, intelligent 
and pretty she is." He held out his mug to be refilled and looked
at his drinking companion carefully. "She's all those things, don't
you think?"

Emily nodded as she poured him another drink. "Yes, I do."

"I don't normally go for red heads, but there's something about
Scully that makes it look wonderful on her, and then she has
those cute little freckles across her nose that come out in the sun,
and her eyes are amazing. They change colour with her moods
you know?"

The Sheriff was staring at him now. "Yeah, I'd noticed that."

"And her lips...she has a mouth that was made for kissing. When
you look at it, don't you just want to lean in and feel those lips
against yours?"

"Yes, I....I mean, no...I" Emily flustered. Realising what he'd 
made her admit, she put a hand over her eyes, and groaned.

"Fox, am I that obvious?"

He chuckled and reached over to put a comforting hand on her 
knee. "Don't worry, I think you have great taste."

She looked at him seriously as she sipped her drink. "My feelings
aern't going to get reciprocated are they?"

Mulder shrugged. "As far as I know, there's only ever been men in 
Scully's life, but I don't know everything about her. Even Scully 
and I, as close as we are, have secrets from one another. But to 
be honest Emily, I think the odds are pretty long."

"D'you think Dana knows, that I...this is so embarassing."

"Don't be embarassed. You can't help the way you feel, and I don't
think Scully has a clue. She's one of those people who seems to be
completely oblivious to the fact that they're incredibly attractive."

Emily nodded. "I think that's what I like about her."

"Sounds to me like someone has a mighty big crush." He stood
and Emily looked up at him.

"Sounds to me like I'm not the only one."

He smiled and ruffled her hair. "Thanks for the drink, I'll see
you in the morning."

He left her sitting by the fire and strolled over to his tent. He
looked over at the other tent and saw a light shinning inside it.

He went over, pulled up the zip, and crawled half-way in, resting
on his elbows, his feet sticking out the opening. He looked at
Scully, who was lying on her side, reading a case file. She was
in her sleeping bag, still wearing his sweater. He wondered briefly 
if she still had her shorts on. She acknowledged his presence with
a raise of her eyebrow.

"Still friends Scully?"

Her expression softened and she looked warmly at him. "We'll
always be friends Mulder."

"Get a good nights sleep. It's all or nothing tomorrow."

She nodded. "Yeah."

He began crawling backwards out of the tent when a thought
struck him and he stopped.

"Want to keep me company in my little house across the way,
instead of sleeping here?"

"Didn't we have this conversation last night Mulder?"

"I have chocolate in my tent Scully."

"Thanks Mulder, but for some reason I think I'll be safer here."

Mulder smirked. "I wouldn't count on it."

He was gone before she had a chance to ask him what he meant.

*************
End of Part III

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

The Lure of the Fox
Part IV
By Caroline O'Callaghan

Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 29th, 1997
1.53 a.m.

Mulder was tired, but unable to sleep. He had learned to survive on
very little rest over the years, so that now, even when a good nights 
sleep was available to him, when he could rest for as long as he 
wanted, he found it difficult to do so.

He lay awake listening to the sounds of the forest, thinking about the
killer they were attempting to hunt down. He thought about what 
Scully had said. She'd encouraged him to get inside Mendhlesson's 
head, but he was reluctant to do so. For once, he didn't feel the need 
to dissect the perpetrator's motives or intentions, as he did on almost 
all of their cases, but he felt he might have to, if they were to save 
Molly's life.

Perhaps the reason he didn't want to get inside Mendhlesson's
head was because his own mind was too full of Scully at the moment. 
He didn't want to mix his thoughts of a schizophrenic, child abuser 
and murderer up with those about someone as good, and as pure as 
Scully.

His mind was replaying their converstion beside the fire. He could 
remember it all, word for word, every little movement on her 
exquisite face. What the hell had he almost said to her? What was he 
hoping would happen after he'd told her how he felt? 

Scully's misinterpretation of things filled him with both relief and 
regret. 'Its fate Mulder. It isn't supposed to happen. If it was, 
Scully would have understood.'

He'd taken many risks in his life, but intensifying his relationship with
Scully would have been the biggest risk of all. He wanted her, he
couldn't stop wanting her, but with Scully it wouldn't just be about 
sex. It would be about transforming their relationship into something
beyond friendship, and in that process, the friendship they now had; 
the most wonderful, truest, honest friendship he had ever known, 
might be destroyed.

Convincing himself that it was better to keep the friendship, than to 
try for more and lose everything in the process, he turned over in his 
sleeping bag, and tried to banish thoughts of Scully from his mind. It
wasn't easy.

But when the knife came through the canvas of his tent, slitting a hole
about a foot in length, Scully was suddenly the last thing on his mind.
At first, he was too shocked to react to the flash of blade. He heard a
maniacal laugh and a fast retreating step before he managed to propel
himself into action. By the time he had clambered out of his sleeping 
bag, grabbed his gun, fought with the zipper on the entrance flap, and 
made it out of the tent, there was no-one to be seen. Nothing but 
blackness all around. He considered giving chase, but really had no 
idea of what direction to take.

He looked down at his t-shirt and underwear. 'wouldn't get far like 
that anyway G-Man'. He was about to duck back inside the tent, 
when he saw a note pinned to the side of it. He sighed and ripped it 
off, squinting to read it in the all encompassing darkness.

He read it to himself. "I didn't kill her". He sighed and folded the note.
What did that mean and who was he talking about? Molly, or one of 
his other victims? Perhaps his sister?

A loud burst of thunder erupted overhead, and he felt the ground 
rumble under his bare feet. Lightning lit up the sky, and when he felt 
the first few drops of rain he looked at the slashed roof of his tent in 
dismay. "Great, simply wonderful."

He walked over to the other tent and yelled at the top of his voice. 
"SCULLY." He heard some rustling around and a kind of 'hummph'
sound that he was sure eminated from his partner, but it was Sheriff
Watson who opened the flap and poked her head out. 

"Something wrong Mulder?"

"Our chief suspect decided I needed a little ventilation in my 
sleeping quarters."

Emily rubbed a hand over her face. "What?"

"He slashed a hole in my tent, and now its raining dogs, cats 
and mice."

"Oh, I guess you need to come in here then?"

"Yeah, right after I do my Gene Kelly impression."

She smiled. "Go get all your stuff, you don't want it to get wet."

He gave her a little salute and ran back to his tent.

When Emily pulled back inside, Scully yawned at her and rubbed
her eyes. "What time is it?"

"The middle of the night. We have a new bedfellow."

"Yeah I heard. A knife through his tent?"

"Mmm. Of course he might have done it himself. Maybe he just
wants to sleep with you?" Emily slipped back inside her sleeping
bag.

"I'm not his type remember?"

Emily looked across at her and smiled softly. "Dana, you're 
anybody's type."

"Thank you, that's a nice thing to say, but.."

Emily interrupted. "Dana, I..."

Mulder came bustling into the tent before Emily had a chance to
finish the sentence. He grinned at them, his sleeping bag under 
one arm and knapsack brimming with his belongings in the other.

"Hi girls, sorry to interrupt the slumber party."

"What happened Mulder? Are you okay?" Scully's face was full
of concern.

"Well I got to admit that it shook me up a little, but I'm fine. I just
wished I'd managed to react a little faster, I might have caught him."

Emily yawned as she shifted her sleeping bag to the side so that
Mulder could lay down between them. "Don't worry about it Fox,
its pitch black out there. Even if you had reacted faster, you probably
wouldn't have caught him. He would have lost you in minutes. Its
hard enough to find your way around this forest in the daylight."

Scully watched as Mulder laid out his sleeping bag. She took in 
the elegant movements of his lower torso, clad only in his boxer 
shorts. She'd seen it before of course, the muscled thighs, the hairless 
patches of skin on his shins, his oversized feet. As her gaze drifted 
upwards to his groin she gave herself a mental slap in the face, and
lay down, pulling her own sleeping bag up, so that only her hair 
poked out from the top of it.

She heard him lay down beside her, perhaps five inches away. He
smelled very manly. Normally Mulder wore an aftershave that she'd
never particularly liked, it had a sickly sweetness that didn't suit him, 
but she supposed that he'd abandoned it on this trip, and now he just 
smelled of the trees and fresh air, and soap and sweat all combined
together. She inhaled and felt a tingle between her thighs. She exhaled
slowly and wished the feeling away.

Mulder was wiggling around, trying to get comfortable. "Well this is
cosy isn't it?"

Emily let out a yelp. "Its a two-man tent Fox, and watch where you're 
kicking."

"Sorry." He pulled his legs away from Emily's side, but he supposed 
he must have nudged Scully in the process, because she pulled her 
sleeping bag back down at little and looked at him.

"Sorry. I'm used to a little more room than this when I sleep."

"What on your couch?"

He smiled. Scully just closed her eyes and turned over to face the 
side of the tent. Mulder whispered to her. "You'd better keep your 
hands to yourself Scully. You lay one finger on me and I'm 
reporting you to Skinner for harassment."

The mental image his words provoked; the thought of laying her 
hands on him, turned the tingles she was experiencing into an ache, 
and she had to stifle a groan. "Go to sleep Mulder."

She lay for twenty minutes, her eyes shut, listening to the sound of 
the rain hitting the tent, and the occasional rumble of thunder. When 
she heard Mulder begin to snore, she let out the groan she'd been 
holding in.


Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 29th, 1997
6.15 a.m.

Scully awoke and rolled over onto to her back before opening her
eyes. She threw a look over to the spot where Mulder had been
sleeping, only to see that he was gone. Emily's sleeping bag was 
empty too. When she listened she heard the distant sounds of 
light conversation and breakfast being eaten. She was pleased to
note that the rain had stopped.

Wrinkling her nose at the thought of greasy bacon and eggs, she
eyed Mulder's knapsack in the corner of the tent. Hadn't he said 
something about having chocolate the night before?

Feeling hungry, she made a dive for it.

By the time she made it out the tent, clothed and her appetite 
replenished, Mulder was nowhere in sight, and Emily was
packing their supplies away.

She greeted Scully. "Morning."

"Hi. Where's Mulder?"

"He took the plates down to the stream to wash them."

Scully nodded. "I might go down there too. Splash my face."

Emily smiled and Scully walked through the trees, following the
sound of running water, down into the small clearing where the
stream of water fanned out into a pool, almost large enough to 
be called a lake. She stopped just short of the bank and looked 
at Mulder. 

The plates were washed and lay on a rock, next to Mulder's 
boots, glistening in the morning sunshine. He was standing in 
the pool, legs spread slightly, staring down into the water. He
must have sensed her presence because he suddenly looked
over at her.

"Scully, come here, I want to show you something."

She was sceptical, but she bent down to remove her boots
anyway, keen to know what he'd been looking at so intently.

"What is it Mulder?"

He waved her towards him with a hand. He looked so serious
that she almost ran into the water, after throwing her boots
aside. Her heart thudding with the possibility that he'd found
something which would signal another development in the case.

She waded through the water, until she reached his side. She 
noted how he was merely knee deep, while she was submerged
to mid-thigh.

"Look Scully."

He pointed downwards, and her gaze followed the direction he 
indicated, but all she could see below the surface was Mulder's
feet, which looked even bigger underwater.

As she looked back at up at him to ask what he was talking about,
his hand came out and shoved her shoulder, not hard, but enough 
to send her falling back into the water. Her back broke the surface 
with a splash and she caught a gulp of water in her mouth, which
was hanging open in surprise. 

It was deep enough to submerge her fully. Her backside hit the bed 
of the stream before she reacted, kicking her feet till they found the 
solid base. 

She stood and raised herself out of the water, spluttering for air
and pushing her sodden hair out of eyes. She looked at Mulder
who seemed to be consumed with mirth, laughing so hard he was
near tears.

"Very funny Mulder."

He tried to stop laughing enough to speak. "I'm sorry Scully, I
just couldn't resist."

"My brother did that to me once Mulder, I think he was twelve 
at the time."

She turned in the water and started to wade slowly back to dry 
land. Her progress hampered by her saturated shorts and shirt.

Mulder watched her retreating back. He could see the anger 
emanating from her and suddenly regretted dunking her. It had
been a stupid prank, but he'd just wanted to do something that
was just plain silly for a change, they both normally treated life 
so seriously.

He quickly waded after her and caught her by the sodden tail
of her shirt.

She whirled around. Fury in her eyes. "Let me go."

"Scully, I was just having a little fun."

"At my expense. I'm drenched Mulder."

"I'm sorry I just thought, well you know, all work and no play
makes Scully a dull girl."

The word 'dull' triggered something in her mind, and her temper
exploded. She put both hands on his chest and pushed as hard as 
she could. He fell backwards as she'd intended, but he hadn't let
go of her shirt and she fell with him, letting out a yelp, as they hit
the water with a gigantic splash, in a tangle of arms and legs.

The water was shallower here and Mulder just had to sit up to
resubmerge himself and take a breath of air. Scully was kneeling
between his legs, the outside of her thighs touching the inside of his, 
her hands on his chest. Their eyes met and they laughed hard, their
bodies shaking with it. 

Mulder watched his partner. She had a wonderful laugh that he'd
only heard a few times before. It was open and free, and girlish.
Her eyes were an impossible blue, her grin wide.

He stopped laughing quite suddenly then, and so did she. Her face
turned serious and her gaze fell to the hands on his chest. She 
withdrew them, but looked back up at him. 

He wanted to kiss her. 

She looked like she wanted to be kissed. 

Her eyes were shinning with something that he swore was desire.

Then he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye, and 
jumped to his feet, sending Scully sprawling back into the water 
again. She recovered in moments though, and found her footing to 
stand in the water beside him, following his gaze.

"Mulder?"

"I saw him. He was watching us."

Scully felt herself shiver at the thought of her private moment with
Mulder being observed by a voyeur.

Mulder was pointing. "He went West. We should search there first."

Scully nodded. "Okay, lets get Emily and our things and go."

They strode out of the stream, trying to shake the water out of their
clothes.

They pulled their respective boots on without a word, and Scully
followed Mulder back to their campsite.

Playtime was over. It was back to business now.


Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 19th, 1997
10.15  a.m.

They'd been searching for nearly three hours now. Every cave, 
every piece of disturbed earth that they came across. Scully felt 
weary and dirty, and it was only mid-morning. She almost wished 
for another dunking.

Emily had looked at them both strangely when they'd returned 
to their campsite; their clothes and hair drenched. Mulder
had just mumbled something about 'an accident' and they'd packed
up and started to trawl the area to the West, searching for some
sign of Molly or her captor.

Scully could tell by the grim set of Mulder's jaw that he was 
getting frustrated. 

"This is impossible." He kicked a rock on the trail they were 
following. "We don't stand a chance."

Scully had been walking behind him. She quickened her steps and
caught him by the sleeve. "Mulder, don't talk like that."
She was conscious of Emily's increasing concern for Molly and
didn't want her to hear Mulder sounding so defeatist.

Emily, who was walking a few steps behind them called out.
"Hey, you know, we have a search team looking around the lower
forest, maybe I should radio them and ask them to help us look
up here."

Mulder turned round and shook his head at her. "No, if he sees a
large party he may panic."

Emily sighed loudly. "But he's already panicking isn't he? He 
knows we're here."

Scully looked at Mulder, to let him know she saw the validity of
Emily's argument.

"I have a feeling we'd do better on our own. That Molly stands a 
better chance if its just us." He looked at Scully for support, she 
shrugged.

He looked hurt. "Scully..."

"Mulder, we're running out of time."

He kicked another rock. "Fine, put the request in. Tell them where
we are and get them up here."

He glanced at his partner. "You stay here with Emily and wait till
the cavalry arrives, I'm gonna go on."

Her eyes blazed in fury. "Mulder, you're not ditching me."

"I'll be quicker on my own." He shifted his knapsack on his back,
preparing to start walking again.

"You set any pace you want Mulder, I'll bet I can match it."

"I'm not taking you with me Scully."

Her heart was pounding with fury, because she knew it was a 
pointless argument, Mulder would go, and even if she tried to 
follow him, he'd do his best to lose her. "Damn you Mulder, I'm 
your partner."

"Scully. Your nose is bleeding." He was moving before he'd 
finished speaking, with only a quick glance back. He moved steadily 
onwards and away from her.

Scully reached into her pocket and dug out a tissue. She wiped it
across her upper lip and looked at the bloodied tissue in dismay.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at Emily. 

"You okay Dana?"

"Yeah, I just...must be the altitude." She smiled and looked in the
direction Mulder had gone. He was far ahead now. She glimpsed his
shirt in the distance as he wove his way quickly through the trees.
She put the tissue back to her nose and tried to wipe it clean. "Go 
ahead and radio the search party."


Breakspeare Forest
Viginia
June 29th, 1997
10.50.  a.m.

Emily had put in her request and was told they would have help in 
a couple of hours. She'd made coffee for her and Scully, and they 
sipped it now, while they rested on a felled tree and waited for the 
search party.

"Dana, I didn't mean to cause that argument between you and 
Fox."

Scully smiled at her. "You didn't, I did. He's mad at me for 
agreeing with you that we needed more help."

"So he expects you to go along with everything he says and 
does?"

"He doesn't expect me too, but he wants me too."

"And if you don't he takes off without you? He's not exactly 
easy going is he?"

Scully chuckled. "No, he certainly isn't." 

Emily cleared her throat. "Fox was telling me that you don't 
have anybody in your life."

"Um, no." She stared down into her coffee, wondering what
Mulder had told Emily about her.

"Why is that?"

She looked over at the Sheriff, who seemed to be sitting closer 
than she was before. "I guess I...I don't really have the time to 
look for anybody...what with my work." 

Scully scoffed at her answer. 'Even if you had the time who'd have 
you anyway?'. It wasn't like there were hundreds of available men 
on the lookout for a short, red-haired, gun toting, body-slicing, 
workaholic, cancer victim, whose best friend believed the planet 
would eventually be taken over by little green, no make that grey, men.
She put the reflection aside and tried to concentrate on what Emily
was saying. 

"I know what you mean Dana. I haven't seen anyone in ages, but 
you know, sometimes you don't have to look for anybody. 
Sometimes the right person just comes into your life and they're 
right under your nose."

Scully cocked her head to one side. "I suppose."

Emily smiled.


Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 29th, 1997
10.50  a.m.

Mulder looked with excitement at the small, concealed 
entranceway, he'd literally stumbled across. A branch 
concealing it had tripped him up.

He cleared away the forest debris and shone his torch down 
into the hole he'd found on the side of a hill. It looked like a 
tunnel. He looked at the entranceway and down at himself and 
realised there was no way he was going to be able to squeeze 
through it.

A child could easily climb in, and Forrest Mendlesson wasn't
a big man, he could probably make it, and Scully.  He smiled 
and turned back to go the way he'd come. 'Oh she's gonna love 
you Mulder'. He could imagine himself asking her. 'Scully, I'm 
sorry I took offence at you siding with Emily, and sorry I ditched 
you, but could you possibly come and crawl through a hole
for me, because you're really short and tiny.' He'd be lucky if
she didn't reach for her gun.


Breakspeare Forrest
Virginia
June 29th, 1997
11.10  a.m.

Scully was feeling a little uncomfortable in Emily's presence,
although she wasn't quite sure why. They'd been chatting happily
enough, but she sensed that there was something the other
woman wanted to tell her, but that she couldn't quite get up the
courage to voice it.

"Dana, remember yesterday, when that man was holding my gun
to my head?"

Scully nodded.

"And Fox got him to release me, I was so relieved. I just wanted 
to hug someone, and well, I hope you didn't mind me holding on 
to you like that?"

Scully shrugged. "No, I didn't mind at all."

Emily smiled. "You didn't?"

"No. It was fine."

"Really?"

"Yes really, you shouldn't worry about it. We all need a hug 
sometimes."

"Yes we do." Emily reached over and put one of her hands over
Scully's, which were laying in her lap.

Scully looked down at the hand that covered hers. A little
embarassed by the gesture, unsused to much physical contact, she 
used her other hand to awkwardly pat Emily's, hoping to reassure 
her enough so that she would pull it away.

Except she didn't, and her next move shocked Scully so much, that
she wasn't able to react to it. Emily's other hand came up to caress 
her cheek, and she moved her head towards her.

It happened before Scully recovered from her surprise enough to 
back away, and Emily's lips touched hers. Her mind was reeling
'this isn't happening, this isn't happening'. The kiss wasn't fleeting,
Emily's hand had crept around to the back of Scully's neck and held
her in place, making it difficult to break. 'Oh my God. What the hell
is happening? Stop this now Dana.' Her mind screamed at her, but
her body seemed to have been stunned into immobility.

Emily eventually broke away and smiled at her. Scully stared back,
her mouth hanging open, unsure of what to do or say. Suddenly, she
was aware of somebody else's presence and she turned to see
Mulder standing over them, looking down at her incredulously.

She jumped off the bench like her ass was on fire. Emily must have
been equally surprised, because she jumped up too.

Mulder found his voice before they did. "Excuse me for 
interrupting."

Scully could feel her skin heating in a blush. "No, Mulder, I..." She 
looked round at Emily, and then back at Mulder, not sure who she 
was more uncomfortable looking at.

"I need your help with something Scully. Can you come with me?"

She looked up at him pleadingly, willing him not to misunderstand
what he had witnessed. "Yes, of course, I'll get my stuff." 

"Sheriff Watson should stay here and wait for the search party."

As she pulled on her knapsack, she noted how Mulder almost spat
out Emily's name.

He glanced at Scully briefly to make sure she was ready and took 
off into the trees, sure she would follow behind him.

She looked at Emily, her mind still reeling, not sure what to say. 
Emily's gaze met hers briefly before drifting to the floor.

Scully decided that the conversation they obviously had to have 
could wait till later, and she raced after Mulder's retreating back.

She was panting by the time she caught up with him. "Mulder, 
could you slow down a little?"

"You said it yourself Scully, we're running out of time."

"Mulder, what you saw back there...."

"None of my business." He deliberately changed the subject. 
"I found what I think might be an entrance to a tunnel. I can't get
through it. I thought you might be able to."

She nodded. "Okay, but I want to explain..." She was too 
bothered by other matters to worry about the fact that he only 
needed her help because she was small.

"Save it Scully, I really don't need to know. Mendhlesson
wasn't a big guy, was he?"

"No, he was a little under average height and weight."

"Good, I think I might have found his hiding place then."

"That's great."

"Yeah."

"But Mulder, please let me tell you about Emily."

"Scully, later okay? Now's not the time."

She sighed, and they went on in silence for a while. Before she 
was ready to try and explain again, Mulder came to a stop in 
front of the entrance he'd found.

"Can you get through there Scully?"

She looked down. "I guess so." She shrugged out of her 
knapsack and dug through it until she found a flashligght. She switched
it on and shone it into the hole.

"Crawl in and let me know what you see, but don't go too far."

She nodded and got down on her hands and knees. She put her
arms in first and levered herself through the gap on her belly.
It was a tight squeeze, even for her. She used her elbows to propel
herself forward into the darkness. Once she was completely inside,
the entrance opened up a little. She was able to manoeuvre around
enough to shine her light in front of her.

"Talk to me Scully, what do you see?"

"A tunnel Mulder. God,  it seems to go on for miles. It slopes 
slightly downwards"

Does it look like its been used lately?

She shone her light around and saw some wooden support beams 
holding the walls of earth up, which seemed to suggest 
maintenance. "Yeah maybe. Do you want me to go further?"

Se heard Mulder sigh, unsure of what to do. "Just a little Scully.
Don't go out of earshot."

"Okay." The further she went, the more it opened up, and she was 
able to raise herself onto her hands on knees. She saw a bend up ahead
and as she went around it, a small slip of daylight lit up the darkness.

She yelled at the top of her voice, aware that it would be difficult for
Mulder to hear her now. "Mulder?"

"Yeah Scully, I hear you."

"There's another entrance. Go thirty metres, about twenty-five 
degrees to your left."

There was silence for a while, and Scully lay still. She was about to
call out to him again, when the earth above her started to shake.
Mulder came crashing into the tunnel just in front of her, with a large 
amount of mud and forest debris. He coughed a little and sat up, 
looking at her with an expression that showed he was just as surprised 
as she was.

"Just thought I'd drop in and say hi."

"You found it then."

"It found me. The earth's a little unstable up there." He groped around
for his flashlight and switched it on, shinning it ahead of him. "Looks a
bit like a disused mine shaft."

"If it is, it must be an old one. It didn't show up on any of the maps."

"If everybody's forgotten its here, it would be a wonderful place to 
hide." 

Scully nodded. "So Mulder, shall we go on?"

He gave her a serious look and nodded. He turned so that he was on 
his hands and knees and they set off down the tunnel.

They crawled for about ten minutes in silence, afraid who else might
also be crawling around to overhear them, not wanting their
presence known.

Scully's mouth dropped open in horror when Mulder took his second 
tumble of their excursion and fell through some weak earth, 
disappearing into the unknown horrors that lay below.

She heard him hit whatever lay beneath them with a thump, and 
grimaced. She carefully edged her way forward and peered down
the new hole that his falling body had made.

"Mulder are you okay? Is anything hurt?"

"Only my pride. I think I'm a little too heavy for this place Scully.
I gotta cut out the doughnuts.

She flashed her light around. He seemed to have fallen into a room
created by support beams. He was getting up and dusting himself
off. She was wondering how she was going to get him out of there
when she saw him to go one of the wooden walls and listen
carefully.

He looked up at her. "Scully, you have to get down here. I think I 
hear Molly. She's calling out for help."


**********

End of Part IV


**********

Part V


Scully's eyes widened in surprise. "You're sure Mulder?"

"I can hear her Scully, this room must have an exit, get down
here."

She shone her light down the hole, looking at the fifteen-
foot drop. "How?"

"Jump. I'll catch you."

She looked at him doubtfully. "Wouldn't it be better if I went
back for help?"

"You ditching me partner?"

The look she shot him was as cold as ice, and he almost
regretted throwing her earlier words back at her.

"Come on Scully, help might take too long."

She nodded, not really wanting to go back and face Emily
Watson yet anyway.

She tucked her flashlight into the waistband of her shorts,
dangled her legs over the side, glanced briefly at
Mulder to make sure he was ready to catch her, and then
she threw herself off the edge. 

Her falling body hit Mulder's, and knocked him backwards,
but he stayed on his feet and broke her fall by catching her
around the waist. She looked up at him with a sense of
relief.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Good catch."

He was somewhat reluctant to remove his hands from her,
and she didn't seem to want to move away yet either. Their
eyes met in the darkness. "I'd never let you fall Scully. 
You know that?"

She nodded.

Mulder swallowed. There were times when Scully looked
at him with the most trusting eyes, like the way a small girl
might look at her father. It always made his mouth go dry.

She licked her upper lip and he suddenly remembered seeing
her in Emily Watson's arms. He let go of her abruptly and 
turned away, walking over to the wall through which he'd
heard a child's cry for help. 

Scully took out her light again and switched it on. She 
followed him to the wall and bent close to it to listen. 
She jumped a little when she heard the scream.

She saw panic flit over Mulder's face, and decided to spur 
him into action before he let his highly tuned emotions get
the better of him.

"Come on Mulder. Let's look for a way through."

He nodded and began to walk around the room, feeling his 
way along the walls. Scully walked the other way, and 
eventually they met on the other side of the room, neither
had found an exit.

Mulder looked at her in disappointment. "The floor?"

She nodded, understanding what he meant immediately.
They took opposite ends of the room and got down on
their hands on knees to search the floor for a way through.

"Damn it." Mulder thumped the ground in frustration. "If we
can't find anything, you may have to go back and ask your
girlfriend to bring the cavalry."

Scully's head shot up and she looked at him in amazement.
"My what?"

He refused to meet her gaze and continued to examine the 
floor. "Its okay, Scully. I mean, it shocked me a little, 
because I really had no idea that you...but its alright,
I have no problem with it." He did look at her then, to
give her a brief, wry smile. "Whatever flips your goat."

She stared back at him, her mouth hanging open. It 
took her a while to form some words. "Mulder, you 
don't honestly think...."

"Found it." He thumped the floor again, this time in
delight and began to clear off dust and dirt from the
trapdoor he'd discovered.

Scully got to her feet and was by his side in an instant.
She held her breath as he pulled the heavy door open.
He shone his light down the entrance. "There's a ladder."

He swung a leg over the edge and onto the first rung, 
preparing to descend. Scully put a hand on his arm to
get his attention.

"Mulder. I.....Emily kissed me and I....."

Mulder waived a hand in the air to cut her off. "I really
don't want to hear the gory details. Are you coming?"

"Of course I am, but..."

He spoke dissmissively. "I don't want to discuss it Scully, 
okay?"

Her voice went harsh. "Sure." She huffed a little.  "Fine."
She watched him descend and prepared to follow him 
into the darkness.

On his way down the ladder, Mulder winced at the tone
of voice she'd just used with him. He hadn't meant to be
rude to her, but he really couldn't stand the thought of
having to listen to Scully tell him about her passion for
Emily.

When he'd prised the confession out of the Sheriff the
night before he'd found the situation amusing. He'd
laughed at the thought of Scully realising that a 
woman had the hots for her. He'd imagined her delicate,
but strong, little face screwing up in embarrassment, and
the blush of her fair Irish skin.

The last thing he'd expected Scully to do upon discovering
Emily's attraction to her was to respond in kind by 
sticking her tongue down her throat. Okay, maybe
there hadn't been tongues, but close enough.

He reached the end of the ladder and stepped off it
into another tunnel, one that was big enough to walk
through, rather than crawl. He looked up to watch Scully's
descent. Her rear was swinging from side-to-side.

He felt stupid. Why had he never noticed that Scully
was.... 'what was she?' He was supposed to be observant, 
a profiler, and he'd never had the slightest suspicion. Four 
years walking by her side, travelling with her, eating meals 
and drinking coffee with her and he'd never even had an 
inkling. 

He forced his thoughts from where they shouldn't be right
now. He had to focus on Molly. On saving a young child's
life so that she'd ride her bike again, go to the school dance, 
get her first kiss - whether it be from a boy or a girl. He
cursed himself, his mind was back on Scully again.

She jumped off of the last rung of the ladder and looked 
at him expectantly. He shone the flashlight at her, not in her
eyes so as to blind her, but enough so that he could see
her face clearly. Dirt streaked her cheeks and forehead. She 
was angry with him, her mouth was set in a pout and her 
eyes blazed blue fire. She was beautiful.

She reached out and pushed the light away. "Which way
Mulder?"

The tunnel ran east and west. He flashed the light down one 
way, seeing nothing but blackness, and then the other way, 
where darkness also greeted him. It was difficult to know 
which path would lead them to where Molly was. Her
screams had come from a northerly direction. He glanced at
Scully, hoping for some help with the decision.

"Don't look at me. I have no sense of direction, remember?"

He shot her a sarcastic smile and nodded his head west. She 
took the hint and went ahead of him.

He followed and they walked into the dark, their flashlight
beams dancing along the walls of the tunnel. 

Scully trudged forward, looking down at her boots, which
were covered in mud, she imagined that the rest of her
was equally dirty. She was seething at Mulder; 'pissed-off'
didn't even cover it. How dare he jump to the wrong
conclusion about her and Emily, and then not even allow 
her the chance to explain what had happened.

But below the anger was pain. She'd thought he knew her 
so well, but he had no idea, no inkling of the depth of her
feelings for him. He was completely unaware that he didn't just 
have her friendship, but her heart as well. He didn't understand 
that for her there could never be anyone else, man or woman. Her 
misery was compounded by the memory of kneeling between his 
legs in the water that morning. Her hands on his chest, aware of 
the warm skin beneath his wet t-shirt. She had held her breath,
convinced that Mulder had been about to kiss her. Perhaps she 
had she just imagined the hungry look in his eyes.

Damn her imagination, and damn him. She didn't care what he
thought anymore. It suddenly didn't matter to her whether he
thought she preferred men, women or little grey aliens.

She looked up in surprise when she realised it was becoming
brighter in the tunnel the further she walked. They were
nearing some kind of light. She looked back at Mulder who
nodded at her to tell her he had noticed it too. He put a 
finger to his lips and she understood that he wanted them
to be quiet until they knew what was ahead. She reached 
behind her and under the loose cotton shirt to check her gun 
was in place. She released the clip on the holster. Just in case.

As they rounded a bend she saw that the light was coming
from beneath a solid-looking metal door. Mulder stepped 
ahead of her, reaching it first and trying to push it open.
It wouldn't budge and he kicked it in frustration before
noticing the padlock that was in place. He took the heavy
lock in his hand and examined it.

"We could probably shoot it off Mulder."

He nodded. "I'll let you do the honours Scully."

Her anger subsided at him a little. At least he trusted her
capabilities. She was a better shot than him and he
was happy to acknowledge the fact. She drew her
weapon and aimed carefully at the lock. It fell open with
her first shot.

Mulder looked impressed and gave her a quiet little
round of applause. She made a mock bow and tried
not to smile at him. They became serious again however,
when they heard childish sobs coming from behind  the 
door.

It fell open easily this time and they both rushed in, guns
drawn. The room they had entered was surprisingly bright, 
and it took both of them a while to adjust their eyes from the 
dark of the tunnel.

Scully scanned the area until she found what she was looking
for. In a corner, on a small cot, Molly Turner sat with her 
face in her hands. Her small body shaking with fear.

Scully cleared her throat and spoke soothingly as she 
approached the cot.

"Molly its okay. We're here to help. To take you home."

"Don't hurt me."

"I'm not going to hurt you honey." She reached the cot and 
sank to her knees in front of it. "Everything's fine now. 
We're going to take you back to your mommy, okay?"

Molly took her hands from her face and looked at her,
with large, innocent brown eyes. "Are you the police?"

Scully smiled. "Yes, we're the police." There was little
point explaining the difference to a terrified six-year-old.

She wasn't prepared for it when Molly suddenly lunged
forward and threw both little arms around her neck. It
almost knocked her off balance, before she adjusted to
the weight and hugged the child in return, running a hand
up and down her back to soothe her.

Mulder had held back, afraid that his presence might 
frighten Molly further, but now that Scully had gained
her trust he stepped forward, catching his partner's eye.

Scully nodded to indicate that she thought Molly was fine,
scared but unhurt. Although she thought she'd better ask 
anyway, just to make sure.  

"Molly, who brought you here?"

Molly pulled away and looked up at Scully, brushing a 
chubby hand across her eyes to dry them. "A man."

"Do you know where he is now?"

"No. He left me on my own, I was scared."

"I know honey. Did he hurt you at all?"

"No, he was nice to me, but I miss my mommy. I want to
go home."

Scully got to her feet and lifted Molly into her arms again.
She turned to Mulder who was exploring the room.

It was lit by several gas lamps. There were work surfaces 
all around the walls, storage closets and in the centre of 
the room was an examination table, complete with restraining
straps. Mulder tugged one of them and looked over at Scully
to see what she made of it.

"It looks like a disused lab."

Mulder agreed. "Forrest Mendhlesson couldn't have put all
this together Scully."

Scully was about to suggest that it was some kind of medical
room left over from the days when the area was mined, but
the explanation made no sense, there was no reason why
miners would be treated underground, and the equipment, 
and the materials used to build the place, were far too modern.

Mulder looked at Scully, her arms were full of six-year-old,

and it brought a sudden lump to his throat. "You sure she's
okay?"

"Yeah. We just need to get her out of here."

Mulder nodded, then spotted a knife on one of the surfaces.
It lay next to a length of rope and a gag. He shuddered when 
he realised that they were meant for the tiny girl who 
was clinging to his partner. He picked the rope up and showed 
it to Scully. "Looks like we were just in time."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that."

The voice came from behind them and they both jumped, 
before turning to see who had spoken.

Forrest Mendhlesson stood in the doorway, his eyes wild, 
gun held out in front of him, shaking slightly. "What the hell
are you doing here? I told you to stay away. Its not good for
you to be here."

Mulder considered raising his gun and trying to force 
Mendhlesson to back down. He glanced at Scully, her eyes
told him that she thought it would be better to try and
talk him out of it.

He spoke calmly. "Forrest, put the gun down."

Mendhlesson looked at Scully and Molly. "You put her
down. She's mine, I went and got her, she belongs to me."

Molly looked round at him and saw the gun, before letting
out a soft cry and burying her face in Scully's neck again.

Mulder took a couple of steps forward and Forrest's 
attention was back on him.

"Stay away from me." He clicked the catch of the safety.

Mulder held up his hands. "Forrest, Agent Scully and I are
going to take Molly back to her parents. Its for the best.
She needs to go home. Put the gun down. You have no
chance of getting away, its two against one here."

Mendhlesson creased his brow in concentration. His
face glistened with sweat and his whole body seemed to be
shaking. "My sister never got to go home."

Mulder nodded. "I know."

"They killed her."

"Yes. I know Forrest. They brought her here to test her 
didn't they, but it went wrong."

Scully looked at Mulder in surprise and realised he
had solved the case. One look at the room and Mulder 
had put all the pieces together. Her partner knew exactly
what had happened to Forrest and his sister that night
over twenty-five-years ago.

Mendhlesson. "I knew you'd understand, because it 
happened to you too didn't it?"

Mulder licked his lips. "I don't know what happened to 
my sister Forrest but I think I know what happened to yours. 
You were out walking, it was late, you weren't supposed to 
be out on your own."

"She wanted to go, I wanted to stay and watch t.v." Scully
watched as the man's face crumpled. "I don't know how
they took us, but there were lights, and then I woke up."

Mulder stepped closer to him. "And you were here in this
room. They did some tests on you. What tests did they do?"

Mendhlesson seemed to lower the gun a little, his defences
down. "I don't know. It didn't hurt me, but Lisa was 
lying across from me and she was crying. They hurt her
bad."

"So bad she died?"

"They dumped us out in the woods, and everybody blamed
me, said it was my fault, but it wasn't. I just took her for a
walk."

"I know."

"I spent years locked away for nothing. For killing my sister,
but I never did. It wasn't me."

"I believe you Forrest. I've believed you since I saw your 
note, but the other children Forest, you killed them didn't 
you?"

The face which had been in deep pain, suddenly became
angry and Scully felt Molly jump in terror in her arms when
Mendhlesson shouted.

"I had to. These little girls, they pretend its not their fault,
but it is. Its their fault. Twenty-five-years I've been locked
up. No more little girls."

Scully saw his finger squeeze the trigger and threw herself
backwards onto the ground. Molly landed on top of her as
the shot rang out, and a bullet came flying over their heads.

Mendhlesson turned and ran through the door. Mulder 
rushed over to Scully.

"You okay?"

She nodded and looked down at Molly to check she was
also unscathed. "Go Mulder, go after him."

Mulder fled the room. Scully got to her feet and pulled 
Molly up too. She bent down to look into the child's eyes,
surprised that she wasn't crying. Her little mouth was
hanging open, and Scully thought she recognised shock.

She rubbed her hands up and down the girl's arms. "Molly 
I know how scared you are, but you're okay, you're not
hurt."

Scully jumped when she heard a shot being fired and 
looked towards the door and then back at Molly.
"I want you to stay here, don't move an inch."

The little girl nodded, and Scully took off into the tunnel, 
she ran for a couple of minutes before she saw Mulder standing 
over Mendhlesson's body. Relief washed over when she saw her
partner was okay.  She knelt beside the body to check for a
pulse.

Mulder's voice was flat as he spoke. "He's dead?"

Scully nodded and looked up at Mulder confused by the
shocked expression on his face. "You shot him?" She
noticed the bullet wound between the eyes of Forrest
Mendhlesson's lifeless body.

"No I didn't." 

"Well then who.....?" Her voice trailed off as she 
became aware of another presence in the tunnel. She 
turned and lurking in the shadows she saw a human form.
Then she heard a click, a small flame appeared, followed
by a puff of smoke.

The man stepped forward as Scully got back on her feet.
"You..."

He cut her off. "Just tying up a few loose-ends Miss 
Scully. Nice to see you looking so well." He smirked
and Mulder lunged towards him. Scully caught his arm,
and with a shake of her head, asked him to hold back,
and he did.

She felt a cool, calm rage descend over her. "Actually, I'm
not well at all. I'm very sick."

He still smirked. "I hope you're not implying that has 
anything to do with me. I've always looked out for your
health Dana. If it hadn't been for me, you'd have died a 
long time ago."

Mulder lunged again and this time Scully made no attempt
to stop him, but before he could reach the man, guards in army
fatigues appeared out of the darkness and dragged him 
backwards.

Scully glanced at the five or six guards and put her hands
in the air. The gun that she'd drawn whilst running to find 
Mulder was snatched away and she was grasped
at the elbow by a young soldier with an expressionless face.
She was turned, as was Mulder, and forced to walk back the
way they had come.

Mulder glanced over his shoulder at the man he had come to 
know as 'cancer man'.

"What went on here? Children were brought here, what 
happened to them, what tests did you do?"

The man puffed on his cigarette. "Nothing particularly
harmful Mr Mulder. All the children were returned safely
to their parents once we were finished with them."

"Except for Lisa Mendhlesson."

"An unfortunately accident. A foolish doctor. We were
very sorry, but it was the only life we took."

Scully threw off the soliders grip and whirled to face 
their enemy. "You've taken hundreds of lives. You just
took another."

The man shrugged. "He was a killer Miss Scully."

"A killer that you created. If you hadn't have murdered
his sister...."

He interrupted. "Please, murder is such an ugly word."

Scully was seized again and marched back towards the
disused laboratory.

When they entered Molly ran towards them only to be
caught by another guard, who picked her up. She began 
to scream.

Scully tried to wrangle her way free again, to go to her,
but she was held tight. "Put her down. What are you 
going to do to her?"

Cancer man answered. "Nothing, we'll make sure she's
returned to her home." He nodded to the guard who took
Molly from the room. 

Mulder and Scully were released and the rest of the guards
filed out.

Mulder stood with his hands clenched in fists at his side. 
"Are you leaving us here?"

"We'll alert someone, they'll find you eventually."

Cancer man finished his cigarette and threw it to the floor.
Then he left the room and the door swung shut. Mulder 
walked up to it and kicked it in rage. He heard another padlock 
being fastened to the door. "What happened to my sister? You
know, you son-of-a bitch, tell me, I have a right to know."

Scully walked over to the cot in the corner and sank down it,
suddenly feeling weary. They'd been beaten again.

Mulder was still raging. "You're going to pay. For everything
you've done. For Samantha, for Agent Scully, for the hundreds
of innocent people whose lives you ruined."

There was silence. Cancer man and his protectors had gone.
Mulder gave the door a final kick, and then turned his back
on it and slid to floor, his face in his hands.


Underground Laboratory 
Breakspeare Forest
June 29th, 
1.32  p.m.

Mulder paced up and down, his anger had still not dissipated 
from his system. He looked over at his partner who sat 
on the cot, her back against the wall. She was staring calmly
into vacant space.

"What are you thinking Scully?"

"I'm thinking that I wish I still had my gun."

"Why?"

"Because if you don't stop walking up and down soon
I'm going to want to kill you."

He stopped and leant against the operating table. "Sorry. 
I just...." His hands became fists at his side. "The next time I see 
that black-lunged bastard. I'm going to shoot first and ask 
questions later. I'm going to put a bullet through his skull, just 
like he did to Mendhlesson."

"No you won't Mulder, because he has the answers you 
need, and because you can't kill the devil."

Mulder shot her a sad smile. "You think he's the devil
Scully?"

"Oh yes, but better the devil you know Mulder."

He walked over to sit beside her. They'd already searched 
the place thoroughly for an exit, or some kind of clue as to
what had happened here in years past, but had found 
nothing. All they could do now was sit and wait for help
to arrive to free them.

Mulder sighed. "I know he did some awful, shameful,
unforgivable things Scully, but...."

"But you can't help sympathising in some way with Forrest
Mendhlesson?"

He nodded. "They screwed him over Scully. Just like they
do everyone."

Her voice was soft and gentle. "That's why we have to 
keep fighting Mulder."

He hung his head. "How do you think he knew about me?"

"I don't know. He could have read about your sister's
abduction, its been documented. He had a lot of time on 
his hands in the institution."

"But he knew I was hunting him. He wanted me to be
the one to stop him, that's why he called himself 'the
Fox', because he knew the case would get my attention."

"Mulder, I don't know the answers, and now that he's
dead, we'll probably never know. Let it go."

 "I can't. I need to know, because...."

"Because, you think it could have been you. That you
could have ended up like that, taking revenge for
your sister in that way."

He gave her that sad smile again. "I swear you're
psychic Scully."

"No I just know you too well. You analyse everything
to death Mulder, and you see faults in yourself that
aren't really there. You would never have ended up like
Mendhlesson because you didn't blame your sister for what
happened to her, you blamed yourself, and you still do. Even 
though you were never accountable.

"I feel sometimes Scully, that I'm going to go crazy with
wanting. I need so badly to have the answers."

She reached over and laid a hand on his hair, smoothing it
down. "Then its a good job I'm around to keep you sane."

Their eyes met, affection flowed between them. The room
was too warm suddenly. Mulder coughed a little and pulled 
his head slightly away so that her hand fell away from him. 

Scully brought her hand back into her lap and laced her 
fingers together. It was only possible to get so close to
Mulder before he pulled away, physically or emotionally.

"How are you Scully?"

She sighed. "I'm fine."

"Your nosebleed earlier...."

"It was over before it started Mulder."

Silence fell between them. Scully pondered briefly what she
would do if she needed to urinate before help came. Ask
Mulder to turn his back?

Mulder thought about Emily. She'd known which direction
they'd headed in, she probably had the search party nearby
now, and they'd probably find the huge hole he'd made when
he fell in the first tunnel. It wasn't going to be that long a
wait. Still, what if he needed to take a piss?

His partner got up to stretch her legs. She wandered over
to one of the counter tops and leant against it.

He watched her as she began to stare into space again. Her
breasts heaved slightly with each breath and he became
fascinated with their rise and fall beneath the thin, cotton,
sleeveless shirt she wore.

It seemed acceptable to watch her now. Before he had 
always been filled with guilt for admiring her as a sexual 
being, but now that he knew he had about as much chance
of experiencing her as a sexual being as the dead man out
in the tunnel, he felt happy with his voyuerism. Now that
he knew Scully was...was what? Not interested in men?

There had been men in Scully's life before though hadn't 
there? He remembered her telling him about Jack Willis,
the academy instructor, that she'd dated. So she was 
bi-sexual? He couldn't imagine Scully sitting on the fence
about anything. Not being able to make a decision about
what she preferred. She would choose to land one way or
the other, surely? Although he was opened minded sexually
and accepted that there were some people who could
equally enjoy both men and women, he just couldn't see
Scully as one of them.

So she was gay? Perhaps Jack Willis had been an attempt
at going straight, an experiment. He looked up at her again.
She was still deep in thought, her head cocked slightly in
her usual way. 

Perhaps that was why they had never stepped over the line
into a relationship. All the time he'd thought it was he
who had resisted the urge to take things further than platonic
friendship. Perhaps it had been Scully all along who had held
back.

Did she see women? He had assumed she didn't have a
social life. Maybe she had just hidden it from him, afraid of
his reaction to her sexuality.

He buried his head in hands when another thought came to
him. What about Ed Jerse, and Eddie van Blundht who
had taken on his guise? Scully had certainly gone on a date
with the former, and had been about to kiss the later. His
mind was screaming.

Did he imagine the tension between them? Did he mistake
the look that was sometimes in Scully's eyes? The one
that seemed to tell him she wanted something more than
he'd previously been unwillingly, or unable to give. He had
to know.

He had to know the truth.

He stood and walked over to her. She looked up at him, her
face a mixture of surprise and curiosity. 

"Scully, you're filthy." He wiped some dirt from her cheek.

She flinched a little at his words. They were almost as 
crushing as 'Scully, you smell bad' had been on another
occasion.

Then he bent down and all thought flew from her mind.
He caught her lips with his. A spark of electricity ran from
her brain to her toes. The kiss wasn't the most elegant she
had ever received, probably due to the huge difference in
height between them, but his lips were soft and gentle and
she felt herself leaning into him, her mouth reaching up to 
stay joined with his, as his lips ran over hers. When she felt
his tongue's attempt to snake a path into her mouth, she
snapped, breaking the kiss, and shoving him roughly away.

She was breathing heavily and so was he. They stared at
each other trying to grasp the situation, until Mulder
finally broke the eye contact. His gaze dropped to the
floor and he stepped backwards. 

His voice was a mixture of sadness and bitterness.
"Well, I guess..... now I know."

************
end of  part V

******
  
The Lure of the Fox
Part VI 
By Caroline O'Callaghan <caroline.o@virgin.net>


The ability to speak had left Scully momentarily. She gazed 
at him, her mouth hanging open and her mind and body still 
reeling from his kiss.

Mulder gave a soft laugh, but there was no joy in it. He 
cursed the fact that they were imprisoned because he
wanted nothing more than to be able to run away from her.
"I'm sorry Scully. Just forget it. That was.....that was 
way out of line."

"You're damn right it was." 

Her right hand seemed to gain a will of its own and it 
reached out before she could pull it back. The slap that
hit his cheek also stung her palm.

He put a hand to his face, rubbing it briefly. Then he 
stepped away and crossed to the other side of the room.

"Mulder, I...."

"No, Scully don't apologise."

"I wasn't going to."

He looked up at her again. Her face was flushed, and at 
first he couldn't tell whether it was from embarrassment 
or anger. When she spoke again, he knew it was anger.

"What were you trying to do, convert me?"

"No, I.."

"So, you were feeling sorry for me then? Poor Scully's ill, 
let's see if she'd like a sympathy fuck before she dies, is
that it?"

He was taken aback by her crude language. "No, Scully." 

"Well there has to be some reason Mulder."

He approached her again, stepping across the room till
he was leaning over her, invading her personal space. He
could almost feel the heat of her anger.

"Maybe I just wanted to kiss you."

She looked up at him incredulously. She would have 
backed away from him, but she was already against the
counter top. "After four years?"

Mulder's heart was like a jackhammer in his chest. "Yes,
but you obviously find the whole idea repulsive. So why
don't we just pretend it didn't happen?"

Scully was still fuming, but she considered his words.
That would be the easiest solution. To file it away under
'an aberration' or 'a mistake' and for the both of them to
continue as they had done before. However, she couldn't
tear her gaze from his lips.

"I couldn't forget it Mulder."

"But its not what you want."

He turned away from her again, walked over to the cot and
sat down heavily on it. The word 'rejection' kept running 
through his mind. He felt stranded, alone. The one person
he ached for, seemed not to ache for him.

Scully looked at him. His head was bowed, his hands 
clasped loosely together. She was shaking with the possibility 
that he felt for her in the same way that she felt for him. 

Her mind conjured up an image of them making love 
amongst twisted white sheets, lit only by candlelight, her 
back arched, her heels digging into the mattress, her legs 
wide apart and raised, and Mulder between them, his 
backside moving steadily up and down. 

It was all so vivid, she imagined she could hear the groans 
of effort from Mulder, the moans of pleasure from her, the 
soft thumps of their bodies rising and falling against the bed.

She swallowed hard. She wanted it. She wanted him.

It was the only thing they had never shared. Partnership, 
friendship, pain, grief, thoughts, feelings, emotions. They had
been to hell and back together, but never to heaven and back.
She wanted to take a part of him inside of her. She 
swallowed again and licked her upper lip. He hadn't moved.

She considered what she would surrender to passion. She 
had given her life over to Mulder and his quest for the truth.0
She'd given up all hope for a normal life, a career, the respect
of her colleagues. Happiness, joy and laughter seemed to have
been lost to her too, but she knew that whatever she had
given to Mulder, she had given willingly, without much
reservation, and with no real regret. 

He dominated her life, filled it, completed it. A part of her
feared that if she were to love him, to make love to him, she
would be giving herself over completely, that he might 
swallow her whole, till she was just an attachment of Fox 
Mulder, and Dana Scully didn't exist. 

She scoffed silently at her efforts to try and fool herself. 
She had been lost in him, consumed by him, since she
had first known him. There was no turning back now, no way 
of separating herself. She had tried. She had rebelled and 
kicked against him, and all she had for her trouble was a tattoo 
on her back and the memory of being touched by Ed Jerse, 
and wanting it to be Mulder.

She was his, and as she crossed the room and knelt before 
him, she hoped and prayed to God, that he was hers.
  
She was unused to speaking from her heart, and had always
been afraid of sharing her feelings. It was a throwback to a
childhood when she had hero-worshipped her Father and 
wanted so much to be like him. She had deliberately
developed his cool detachment, his strength of mind, his
control over his emotions. It had led to her being labelled
repressed and cold by almost every man in her life; except
Mulder.

She touched his knee and he looked up. The agony in his
face robbed her of her breath for a moment.

"I don't know why I did that, Scully, can we just put it 
behind us?"

She shook her head and reached up and took his face
between her hands. "You are the stupidest man alive."

He gave her a sad smile. "Why thank you Agent Scully."

"What have you been thinking about me these past few
hours Mulder?"

"I've been thinking that I don't really know you at all."

"No you don't, but...." She chuckled and he looked at
her with mild surprise. "Emily Watson kissed me 
Mulder, are you listening?" She didn't wait for an answer.
"She kissed me. She jumped me like you just did a few
minutes ago, I didn't have any choice in the matter. If
you'd have shown up a couple of seconds later you 
would have heard me telling the Sheriff that although I'm
very flattered, I'm not that way inclined."

Mulder expelled a breath. "Oh."

"Yes, oh. Did you really think.....?"

"What was I supposed to think Scully?"

She nodded. "I guess it must have looked a little strange."

"Strange is an understatement."

She took a deep breath. It was now or never, soon the
moment would pass. She had to say something before
they were discovered, before they walked out of this
room and made a silent pact with themselves never to
mention again what had passed.

They were such cowards in some ways. They were so
fearful of each other, of losing each other and of finding
each other.

Her voice was a little shaky when she spoke. "We're
you jealous ?" Her hands had dropped to her sides, and 
her gaze fell into her own lap.

She caught his nervousness in his words. "I never thought 
I'd be jealous of another woman, but yes, I was."

She was filled with hope, and a tentative hand moved 
back to his knee. He covered it with one of his and 
squeezed it softly. 

"So what now?"

Mulder made a decision. He wanted her, he wanted 
everything she was prepared to give, but he realised that it 
was not his for the taking. "Nothing Scully, nothing at all. 
You were right to stop what happened before it went too 
far."

Her head shot up and she stared at him, stunned by his 
words. "Mulder? You just said....."

He cut her off and stood up. "I'm a bad bet." She watched
as he crossed the room. She turned, still on her knees to
see him walk away from her.

Her voice was a choked whisper. "So am I?"

He ignored her words, let out a little cough, and then became 
businesslike. "You know when we get sprung from here, we 
should check around those tunnels a little, we might find 
some evidence of....of, I don't know.... something."

Scully's heart had shattered. It lay in minuscule fragments
somewhere in the pit of her stomach. She felt nauseous, 
and tears threatened, but she knew she would not cry in
front of him. She turned her face away for a second, 
composed it, and then got to her feet.

Her control slipped back into place as she answered him.
"I think they've wiped out all trace of everything that
happened here. We won't find a thing."

They heard shouts and turned towards the door. Mulder
gave an answer to the calls of their names, and minutes
later they were freed, and were heading back up the 
tunnels and into the fresh air of the forest.


Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 29th, 1997
3.45  p.m.

Scully had been offered food by the search party, but didn't
feel like eating. Her stomach still churned from the events
of the day. She sat on the ground amongst backpacks and
supplies whilst she watched them prepare Forrest 
Mendhlesson's body for the trip back down to town. She 
wouldn't do the autopsy herself, there was little point. She 
knew why he had been killed, what with, and by whom, 
there was nothing new to be revealed.

A short while ago, word had come via the radio that Molly 
Turner had shown up on her parents doorstep. Shaken and 
scared, but in perfect health.

Mulder, who had barely looked at her since their rescue, had
disappeared back into the labyrinth of tunnels that lay
below the hilltop an hour ago. He'd curtly asked her if she'd
wanted to join him, but she'd shaken her head. It was too
painful to be near him at the moment.

She jumped when a hand touched her shoulder, and looked 
up, not sure whether to be relived or disturbed by the sight 
of Emily Watson.

"Didn't mean to scare you, looks like you're in deep 
thought."

Scully nodded. She hoped her face wasn't flushing already.
"Emily, about earlier..."

Emily sat down and looked at Scully in earnest. "Yes."

"I think you're very attractive...."

Emily leaned forward and Scully became conscious of 
the men and women bustling around them. 

"Dana, I'm glad you think so...."

"No hang on, I haven't finished....."

"You're very beautiful." She looked into Emily's eyes 
and tried to hold back a gasp of shock at what she saw.
She knew the look of somebody in love. She'd seen it
on herself in the mirror when she thought about Mulder.

"Emily, I'm sorry, but I....."

Emily nodded. "You're in love with Fox?"

She corrected Emily without thinking. "Mulder." 
She shrugged. "I...I don't know. That's a hard thing
to admit to, what we have is difficult to put into words,
but there is something between us."

Emily starred off into the distance. "I understand. I just
want you to know that I feel a lot for you Dana. I might
have only known you for a couple of days, but I've come
to realise that you're a wonderful person."

"So are you." Scully leaned over and took Emily in her 
arms, hugging her briefly before pulling away. "Emily, I 
feel like I might have led you on a little. I didn't mean to, 
but I had no idea that you felt like that about me."

Emily reached out and patted her knee. "You were just
being friendly, I took it the wrong way. I knew that
there was something up with you and Fox, but I tried
to ignore it because I wanted....well, I think you can 
guess what I wanted."

Scully knew she was blushing now as Emily grinned at
her. She smiled back and her gaze dropped to her boots.

"You're as straight as a board aren't you?"

Scully chuckled. "I'm afraid so."

Emily sighed and got to her feet. "You don't know 
what you're missing."


Dana Scully's room
Lone Pine Motel
Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 29th, 1997
7.25  p.m.

Scully stood under the shower and let the water hit her
full in the face. It washed the tears away.

She and Mulder had barely exchanged a word on the
trip back down into town. He had come up from the
tunnels with nothing to show for his search, except a 
face that showed his fury at the lack of evidence. 

Scully had recognised his mood and had purposely
avoided much contact with him. 

When the tears subsided and she finally felt like she had 
truly washed away the grime of the last couple of days, 
she stepped out of the shower, and towelled herself down. 
Once the steam had cleared from the full-length mirror, 
she caught sight of herself naked and made a critical 
examination.

It wasn't often that she looked at her own body. Her 
catholic upbringing tended to make it feel like she was 
committing a sin. She put a hand on her flat stomach. 
She had always been shy of exposing too much flesh. 
She'd avoided trips to the beach as a teenager, and even 
her first lover had never seen her completely naked, at 
least not with the lights on.

Now she wondered why she had been so fearful and self-
conscious. She'd seen hundreds of naked bodies in the
course of her work, and in comparison, hers was pretty
decent. Nothing had started to slip downwards yet. Her
backside was well-rounded, but in a good way. Lately 
she had lost a lot of weight and she possessed not an ounce
of excess fat anywhere. Her treatments had robbed her
of her appetite. The bruises it gave her were fortunately
confined to her back. She smiled when she saw that her 
knees had got a little sunburned. 

The smile faded, however, when she realised that,
unless it was for medical reasons, nobody was ever 
going to see her naked again. No-one would ever  
look upon her normally hidden flesh with the eyes of a 
lover.  There wouldn't be any more passionate gazes
directed towards her breasts; no hands, unless they were
her own, would slide between her legs to fulfil a desirous
need.

Mulder was the only lover she'd take now, but he had 
made the decision not to take her. When she passed on 
into another realm, the experience of lovemaking would 
be a distant memory; an almost forgotten feeling.

Her mind chanted. 'You're not going to die. Mulder
promised. You're not going to die'. Then her thoughts
rebelled. 'But you might'.

She gulped back a sob. She had finished crying and 
wouldn't allow any more tears. She marched out of the
bathroom, vigorously towel-drying her hair on the way.
She found her pyjamas, slipped them on, turned out the
light, threw back the covers on the bed and climbed
into it. She knew it was early, that she hadn't eaten,
but her mind and body had taken just about all they
could bear today. She needed sleep.

Fox Mulder's room
Lone Pine Tavern
Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 29th, 1997
8.45  p.m.

Mulder cursed at the knock on his door. He hated 
himself for silently wishing that it was not Scully.
"Who is it?"

"Emily Watson."

He got up from the chair he had occupied for the
past hour and answered the door. Emily gave him
a enquiring look. "I'm sorry, we're you asleep?"

"No."

"Why are all the lights out then?"

"Because I never turned them on." He flicked the
switch by the door and the room was illuminated.
He walked back towards the chair and flung himself
into it. Emily entered and shut the door behind her.

"I've just been over to the Turner's."

Mulder nodded. "Molly okay?"

"Yeah, she seems physically fine. Of course she may
have a few mental scars. She kept asking where the
nice lady with the fire-coloured hair was."

Mulder smiled sadly at Emily. "Everybody adores 
Scully."

Emily nodded and sighed, holding out a folder to him,
which he took from her and opened.

"Its the case files you asked me to get. All children
reported missing, between the ages of six and ten,
within the last thirty years. There's eighteen names.
I'm surprised no-one ever noticed a pattern before,
children being taken and returned like that."

"Maybe they did and we're told to keep quiet." Emily
raised an eyebrow in a way that reminded him of his
partner. "Thanks for getting this so fast."

"No problem. I sensed it was pretty important to you."

"It is." He speed read a file while Emily sat down on 
the bed. "All the children were given medical exams
when they were returned?"

"Most of them, a couple of the parents refused, saying
their children had already been through enough."

Mulder nodded while he tried to make sense of the
medical reports. He gave up and shut the file,
holding it out to Emily. "Maybe you ought to give
this to Scully, she's the expert. She's also pretty 
good at pulling out details from police reports."

Emily didn't take the file. "I'd rather you gave it to
her."

He gave her a questioning look and she shrugged.
"I'm still a little burned if you must know."

"I'm sorry. I guess you had a talk with her?"

"Yeah. She was great about it, but it....it still hurts."
She paused, looking down her feet. Her voice was
nearly a whisper. "I was so very nearly in love."

Mulder thought he saw tears in the Sheriff's eyes,
and he spared some space in his own heartache for
her.

Emily got up and walked towards the door. She 
looked back at Mulder once before she left and
rolled her eyes. "All the good women are either
taken or straight."

Mulder tried to smile and then she was gone. He
looked at the closed door, considering whether to
go next door and give Scully the file. It was still
early, she'd be awake.

Before Emily's arrival he had been staring into the
darkness, as he so often did, contemplating the day's
events. Considering what he had forsaken.

He'd denied himself Scully. Why? For at least a 
dozen different reasons, but mostly because she
terrified him. Fire, aliens, mutants, hired assassins from
shadow governments; they all scarred him, and it was
good for a man to have a healthy sense of fear. It
kept him alive. However, nothing had ever scared 
him as shitless as Scully had today; kneeling in front 
of him, caressing his cheek and asking him to take 
yet another wild jump into the unknown.

It wasn't entirely unmarked territory. They'd taken a
peek at it before, with every touch, every flirtatious 
comment. 

His mind tortured him with the image of Scully pushing
him away; shock and revulsion on her face. Yet moments
afterwards she had looked and spoken to him with such
affection. What inspired it? Pity perhaps. Scully took on
strays, it was her speciality. Dogs; and particularly men 
with emotional baggage and the capacity to hurt her. Jack
Willis, Ed Jerse; he didn't wish to add his name to the
list. He wouldn't let Scully make him hers just because 
she felt some sort of obligation to help him.

He cursed under his breath. If only he hadn't kissed her.
That act had left him with not only a dented pride, but a 
severely dented partnership as well. He got to his feet. 
He'd take the file to Scully. Try and carry on as they had 
always done. Repair the cracks by pretending they didn't 
exist.

It had started to rain and he shivered under his sweater
as he went from his room to the door of hers. He
knocked quickly before he had the chance to change his
mind. He got nothing but silence in return.

He knocked louder, and heard some shuffling of sheets.
"Scully its me, I have something I need to show you."

"I'm asleep Mulder."

"D'you always talk in your sleep?"

"Go away. I'll talk to you in the morning."

"You okay Scully? its only just gone nine."

"I'm tired Mulder. I'm just very tired."

He was about to return to his room when the door
swung open and she stood in front of him, blinking
and rubbing her eyes, her hair sticking out in all
directions and her navy silk pyjamas rumpled.

He felt himself harden a little. 

"What do you want Mulder?"

He almost said 'you'. It nearly left his mouth before
he bit it back. His gaze swept over her again. Nobody
had the right to look so messy and sleep ridden, and
so appealing at the same time.

She looked up at him a little testily. "Mulder?"

He shook himself out of his reverie. "I have some files
I want to show you, but if you're beat we can go over
them in the morning."

She sighed. She almost shut the door on him. "Well
you woke me up now."

"Sorry."

She went inside the room and sat down on a chair.
"Come in Mulder. You're getting wet."

He brushed some of the moisture off his hair and stepped
inside, shutting the door behind him. He sat on the edge
of the bed and tried not to look at her as he spoke.

"Eighteen children were taken and returned a few days 
later to their parents homes, all within the last thirty years. 
These are the police reports and results from the medical 
exams."

He handed her a file, which she took while brushing a
strand of hair back from her face. He hardened a little
more. His body seemed to be so attuned to her. Every 
movement she made, no matter how innocent, provoked 
a reaction.

She put the file on the table next to her, opened it and
began to read.

Mulder got to his feet and started to pace. It was so
difficult to sit still, or stay silent. "I think we should
try and track down some of these kids. A few of them
might be local, we could start in the morning."

Scully was still reading, she didn't look up at him. "You
want to interview them about something that may have
happened to them almost thirty years ago? They were
children at the time Mulder, they're not going to remember 
a great deal."

"The last case was only twelve years ago, Scully."

"Even so, I think they're are more pressing things for
us to be getting on with." She shut the folder and leaned 
back in her chair.

He stopped pacing. "Don't you want to find out what
happened to Lisa Mendhlesson and all those other
children?"

"Even if we did Mulder what would be the point?"

He gazed at her, his mouth hanging open.

She continued undeterred. "None of these children
we're harmed by whatever was done to them. All are
happy, healthy and still alive aren't they?"

"Yes but....."

"We saved a child's life today, we probably prevented
further death's. Lisa Mendhlesson died almost twenty-
six-years ago. The case is closed."

"Those other children were still victims Scully. They
deserve to know what happened."

"Maybe they do, but what are you going to find out?
That Cancer man is responsible, that tests were
performed on them? We already know that. We won't
get any justice for them Mulder, only more questions."

"If we don't even try Scully, we're giving up, we're
letting him win."

"I just feel that there are other cases which would be 
more worthwhile. Our time would be better spent
elsewhere."

He threw his hands in the air. "More worthwhile? 
Why don't you just say what you mean Scully? You 
want something more solvable. Wouldn't want 
to let that case resolution rate drop would we?"

"It has nothing to do with that. I just don't want to
spend time chasing something that isn't there."

"But that's what we do. That's our job."

"You won't find anything Mulder. They cleaned up
after themselves."

"You don't know that."

"Its a waste of our time. I'm going back to D.C. in the
morning. There are other cases waiting."

"I decide what cases we pursue."

She got up from her chair and glared at him. "Are you
pulling rank on me?" Her voice was cold and hard, 
incredibly controlled.

He glared back at her, hoping the thudding in his heart 
couldn't be heard in the silence that ensued. Eventually
he found the courage to speak. "No." He moved towards 
the door. "You do what you want. I'm staying here and 
pursuing this case."

"There is no case."

He turned at the door. "What the hell is wrong with
you? You used to be on my side."

He opened it and strode out into the rain-soaked night.
Fuelled by fury, Scully followed him. He had walked 
straight past his room and was heading across the 
parking lot.

"Mulder." She knew she was yelling at him, but she was 
unable to control her rage. "Mulder, don't you dare accuse 
me like that and walk away. I've always been on your side."

He stopped and turned in the middle of the deserted
car park. "You could have fooled me Scully."

He watched her approach. The rain came down heavily
and she was wearing only pyjamas, her feet were bare.
He wondered whether she was aware of the fact that
she was standing out in the open, drenched to the bone,
clad only in her sleepwear. As she came closer, he saw 
the pure anger in her eyes and realised that she was aware 
of nothing but her fury.

"You bastard." He thought for a moment she was going
to slap him again, but her hands went instead to her hips
as she stood in front of him. "I've supported you when they
wanted to label you crazy and shut you down. I defended
your reputation at the expense of my own. I've lied for
you, risked everything for you. I've sat by your bedside
when you were dying and willed you back to life, you son
of a bitch."

"Scully...don't."

"Don't what? Don't tell you the truth? That's what you're
always wanting isn't it, the truth?" She brushed her rain
soaked hair back from her eyes. 

For some reason his gaze drifted down to her breasts. Her
pyjama top was drenched and he could see the outline of 
her hardened nipples. "Its too much."


She must have become aware of the rain then, and of her 
undress because she looked down at herself and then back up 
at him, whilst wrapping her arms around her upper body. 
"What's too much?"

He leaned over her. "You."

Their eyes met. His were filled with an unmistakable passion,
and she trembled. She was both hot and cold.

"You're too much Scully. How am I supposed to not want 
you?"

She didn't answer because his mouth covered hers. He pulled
her against him somewhat roughly, but his kiss was surprisingly
gentle. His lips moved over hers with a grace that made her
hungry for more. Her hands gripped his waist, and she stood
on the tips of her toes, pressing her mouth more firmly against 
his.

He was filled with a sudden panic, a terror of being rejected,
a fear that her full, lush, mouth would be pulled away from him, 
but then he felt her lips part and her small tongue push its way 
forward. He accepted it and returned the favour with vigour.

Scully let out a little whimper and his erection grew painful
at the sound. He ground it into her almost bare stomach,
and her whimper became a moan.

A hand that been buried in her sodden hair slipped down her
back and gripped her behind, holding her steady against him.
Their kisses became more desperate, wetter, hungrier. 

He wanted to lay her down where they stood and push 
into her, but there was still some doubt in his mind.
He pulled away gently and looked down into her eyes, 
which shone brilliantly up at him. 

"Scully. You pushed me away before."

"I was afraid I was being kissed for the wrong reasons."

"Maybe you were then, but not now."

"I know. Mulder, let's not talk ourselves out of this
again. I want this. I need this."

"Me?" 

He looked amazed and she smiled softly. "Yes you."

"For the right reasons?"

She nodded and reached up to place another light
kiss on his mouth, still stunned that she was allowed to
do so. "For all the right reasons."

"I still think I'm a lousy bet."

"I like a challenge."

He grinned as a loud burst of thunder intruded on
them, breaking the spell they seemed to be under.
"Its raining Scully."

She laughed. "I know."

"We're gonna catch pneumonia. Come on." He grabbed
her hand and ran back towards the motel, pulling her 
after him.

They reached her door, which had banged shut in the 
storm. He looked down at her expectantly and she
shrugged.

"I didn't stop to pick the key up."

He suddenly remembered that they had been fighting,
and what they had been fighting about. The things he
had said to her. 

Scully saw the look of regret that came over his face
and squeezed the hand that still held hers. "We'll talk
about it tomorrow."

He nodded and dug in his jeans for his key. Relieved to
find it, he held it up in the air for her to inspect before 
they moved to his door.

Once inside his room, Scully suddenly felt nervous, a 
little shy. She knew why she was here, and it wasn't 
because she was locked out of her room. It was because 
she wanted to make love to him, and he to her. It all seemed 
so simple now. She stood just inside the door, watching the 
wet patch her dripping form was making on the carpet.
Mulder dropped the key on the table, went to his
suitcase and pulled out a crisp, white shirt.

"You might want to dry off a little."

He walked over and handed it to her. She took it with a 
small smile, aware that he was as apprehensive as she
was, unsure whether to pounce on her and resume the 
passion that had overtaken them outside, or hold back 
and give her time and some dry clothing. She walked into 
the bathroom in search of a towel.

She laid the shirt over the edge of the bath and began
undoing the buttons on her rain drenched pyjama
top. She shrugged it off and, uncharacteristically, 
dropped it and allowed it to lay where it fell. While she
pulled on the dry shirt, she became aware that she was
being watched and her heart beat furiously under
her breast as she turned and saw Mulder leaning 
against the door. He had removed his shoes, socks, 
and sweater. Her gaze fell to the broad expanse of his 
chest. 

His hair fell forward and his eyes were dark and hungry.
His handsome features were serious in contemplation while
he looked at her. She swallowed, as her mind registered 
the fact that he wanted her. An enormous joy came over 
her and she began to ache with anticipation

"Need any help Scully?" His voice seemed deeper than
usual and the ache grew stronger.

He picked up a towel and moved towards her. She
turned her face up for a kiss and he obliged, kissing
her lightly as he put the towel to her hair and rubbed
it dry a little.

She laid her hands against his chest, and when his mouth
left hers she dropped her head and placed a light kiss
near his adams apple.

He pulled away slightly, aware of how bad his need was
becoming, and wanting to take things slowly. He needed
her to be sure.

"Better clean those little feet." He nudged her gently
back against the bath tub and she sat down on the edge.
Her eyes followed him as he found a cloth and some
soap, and then she took a deep breath and studied her
feet, which were covered in mud from their dash through
the rain.

Mulder knelt down in front of her and proceeded to
wash them carefully. First one foot and then the other,
making sure he scrubbed between each toe. When he 
finished he towelled them dry and then took her right foot 
in his hand, raised it to his mouth, and kissed her big toe.

She smiled at him. Pleased at her reaction, he kissed the
inside of her ankle. She caught her bottom lip between
her teeth and made a slight hissing noise. He released her 
foot and ran a hand up her calf. The shirt she wore hung 
open and his gaze became focused on the hint of breast 
he could see between its folds.

She noticed his look and took his free hand, placing it under
the shirt and on her right breast, wanting his touch as well as
his gaze. He made a deep throaty groan as he massaged the 
soft flesh and taut nipple. Scully claimed his mouth and their 
tongues met in a fury. He stood, taking her with him, so that 
neither his mouth or hand left her for a moment.

She pushed down the sodden pyjamas bottoms she still wore. 
They pooled around her ankles and she kicked them away. 
She grasped his wet denim covered backside, wanting him 
to remove his jeans, but feeling far too languid, and 
aroused to the point of dizziness, to do anything about it.

His lips trailed down her throat. His hand left her breast
and moved downwards, across her stomach, brushing briefly
past the hairs at her centre and down onto her thigh. 
He smiled when he realised she had removed the clothing
he'd intended to take from her. Her thigh was still wet and
he bent to pick up the towel that lay discarded on the floor.
He kissed her again as he dried the tops of her legs, her
backside and her stomach.

"Don't want you catching a chill."

"Oh, don't worry you're doing a great job of warming me 
up."

He threw the towel aside and his fingers slipped between
her thighs and up till he found her. She gasped into his
shoulder and gave it a small bite.

"Still a little wet Scully."

She would have laughed, but all she could manage was a
moan of pleasure as his fingers played with her.

She was filled with the need to touch him as he was 
touching her, and her hands moved to the button on the
front of his jeans.

He pulled his hand away from her centre and caught hers 
with it. She looked up startled.

"You know you can stop this anytime you want don't
you?"

"Why would I want to stop?"

He kissed her forehead. "There's a million reasons why 
we shouldn't do this Scully."

She nodded. "And there's a million reasons why we 
should."

She shook his hands away from hers and undid the 
button and zip on his jeans. When she slipped a hand
inside, to grasp him through his boxers, he sucked in
a breath.

She squeezed a little and watched his face screw
up in pleasure. She withdrew her hand. "I don't do 
anything without considering the consequences Mulder.
I've thought about it, and I want this."

He kissed her again, hard, almost brutally. He took 
hold of her shirt, intending to push it off her shoulders,
but she stopped him. 

"No. I want to leave it on."

Their eyes met and he saw a flash of pain in hers. He
understood instantly. "Scully, I've already seen your
back, it doesn't bother me."

"It bothers me."

He nodded. "Okay."

He put a hand under each of her arms and lifted her 
off the floor. She yelped a little and slid her arms 
around his neck, and her legs around his waist to 
stop from falling. He held her against his stomach
as he walked out of the bathroom and over to the
bed where he laid her down.

He stood over her, admiring the sight she presented.
The shirt had fallen open and he watched as her breasts 
moved with each breath she took. His gaze slid down
to her legs, which were drawn up, but spread slightly.
He became momentarily fascinated with the thatch of
curls that lay between them.

She spoke softly. "You know Mulder, sometimes I can
read your mind?"

He gave her a questioning look as he prised himself out
of his damp jeans.

"Right now, you're thinking. 'Wow Scully's a real red
head after all."

He grinned as he shed his boxer shorts and bent over her
on the bed to kiss her. "You must be psychic."

"No, you're just predictable." 

"Really?" His hand moved quickly, and two fingers were
buried inside her in an instant. She gasped in surprise and
her hips bucked a little.

He lay down beside her, and while his hand worked
between her legs, his mouth moved to her breasts. She
pushed one hand through his hair, while the other
searched for him. She brushed him with her fingertips
before he pulled his hips backwards.

"No Scully, not yet, I don't want to embarrass myself."

She suddenly couldn't speak, she could only feel. When
his thumb found the bundle of nerves above her opening,
her hips began to thrust involuntarily.

Mulder sucked a nipple into her mouth, and when he bit
at it he felt her clench around his fingers and smiled to
himself. He left her breast to move his mouth next to
her ear and he whispered. "Close Scully?"

She nodded. 

"That's good. Its what you want, its what we both want.
Let it happen."

Her last coherent thought was concerned with trying to
decide whether she was coming so quickly because his 
movements were so skilled, or whether it was because 
she was aware that it was Mulder stroking her.

He watched somewhat in awe as she crashed over the
edge with a low moan and a shout of his name. He
kissed her forehead and removed his hand.

She sighed as she floated back into the present. He
insinuated himself between her legs, and their eyes
met as he prepared to enter her. He held back however.

"Mulder?" It was perhaps of a whine of frustration.

He kissed her again. "No protection."

She reached down and took a hold of him. "Doesn't
matter. I'm clean, I think you are. And I'm not
going to get pregnant am I?"

She wished she hadn't spoken when she saw the look
of anguish that crossed his face. "Its okay Mulder.
Please. I want you."

Her words filled him with desire again and he pushed
into her. It had been so long that she had forgotten what
it felt like, so she jumped a little at the shock of the contact,
and he slipped out of her. She giggled and Mulder couldn't
help but smile at the sound.

"You want to try that again?"

She kissed him quickly. "Mmm. Yes please."

He entered her in a long deep thrust that almost sent him 
over the edge immediately. She was warm and tight and he 
decided he might just stay there forever. She wrapped her 
legs around his waist and tilted her pelvis urging him to start 
moving. He obliged, gently at first, rocking back and forth, 
in and out. She matched his movements and let out a low 
groan. He revelled in being inside her, and in the feel of 
breasts crushed against his chest; the way her legs held him 
to her. It was all so glorious. It was Scully. His partner, in
everything.

"Oh Scully."

He kissed her as he began to thrust a little faster. Then she
put a hand on his behind.

"Stop."

Although he heard her he couldn't slow his body down. 
"What?"

"I said stop Mulder. Stop."

His eyes, which had been closed, flew open and met hers.
His heart filled with panic and his body stilled. "What's
wrong?"


****

End of part VI

****

The Lure of the Fox
Part VII
By Caroline O'Callaghan <caroline.o@virgin.net>


She lay with a hand draped over her closed eyes, her
mouth set in a tight line.

"Scully?" He didn't want to pull out of her, but 
considered doing so.

His breathing was heavy, and each word was a struggle.
His body wanted him to move again. Anger filled him for
a moment. Why stop now? "Its a little late to change your
mind Scully."

The bitterness in his voice shook her to the core and
snapped her out of the emotionally induced state she was 
in. She pulled her hand away from her face and found his 
hand with it. She thread their fingers together, and her 
eyelids fluttered open so that she could meet his gaze.

He saw tears in her eyes and regretted his harshness.
"Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head and smiled at him, blinking the tears
away. "No, you would never hurt me. I just...I'm sorry,
it was all so...I've just wondered about this...imagined it
and...you were almost there, but I want it to last so that 
I can remember it, every part of it, the way you feel."

His erection had started to subside, but he grew hard
again inside her at her words. He gave a little thrust. 
However, she shook her head, making him still again.

"Turn over."

His eyes widened.

"Flip us over Mulder."

He blinked, then grinned and did as she asked, turning
them both over so she straddled him.

"Scully I imagined this too, and I always knew you'd 
take charge."

"Shut up Mulder, you talk too much." She leaned over
and kissed him as she rose herself up and down on
him. He gasped. Words were forgotten then. The 
talking was done and passion took over.

He felt wonderful inside her. His length and width 
stretched her and she could feel every ridge, every part 
of him as she created a rhythm. She was aware of 
Mulder watching her as she made love to him, and the 
appreciative look on his face caused a tightening in her 
thighs, and an increase in pace, which Mulder met by 
pushing up into her.

His hands slipped inside her shirt, up to her breasts
and he cradled them. But her hand caught one of his
and moved it downwards. He knew what she wanted
and obliged, seeking her out at the joining of their
bodies and stroking the bundle of nerves so that she
muttered his name in pleasure.

With her hands braced on his shoulders, her movements
became frantic. His strokes were skilful and she knew
nothing but the wish for another release.

His voice was a choked, playful whisper. "Greedy 
Scully."

Their eyes met and he thought he saw fear in hers for
a moment, but as she tightened deliciously around him,
he realised it was just the onslaught of orgasm. Scully
was losing her much valued control, and to a certain
degree, that terrified her. 

As their bodies slapped together at a now dangerous
pace, he moved the hand that had been at her breast
around to her back, to caress her, to give her comfort,
to let her know it was okay, and she came, with a small,
slight scream. She collapsed against his chest, unable to
continue moving.

Mulder became desperate then and turned them over
so that she was underneath him again. He began to 
thrust into her ferociously, caught in a frenzy of need
triggered by the feel of her orgasm.

Scully recovered enough of her senses to watch him.
His brow was covered in sweat, and his face contorted
as he became lost within his own body, while he
pummelled into hers.

She drew her legs up and spread them a little wider to
give him better access, and he grunted in appreciation.
He moved faster and harder. Looking at him, feeling
him, and the friction he created,  Scully knew she 
would have come then, if she had not before.

He tensed, exploded and collapsed against her. Her 
body gave a final involuntary thrust when he softened 
and she felt his seed fill her. 

She welcomed his hot breath against her ear as she 
stroked his perspiration covered back. Moments later,
recovered slightly, he raised his head to meet her eyes
and opened his mouth to speak.

She shook her head as she pushed his hair back from
his face. "Don't say anything, please."

"Scully..."

She put a hand over his mouth before he could finish.
"Some things can't be described with words Mulder."

He nodded and rolled off, and out of her, and onto his 
back. She felt bereft for a moment, but was 
comforted when he put an arm around her and tugged
her to his side. She laid with her head on his chest and a
hand on his thigh, which she caressed lightly, playing with
the fine hairs, still amazed that she was free to touch
him, and pleased with the way his skin felt beneath
her fingertips.

Mulder kissed her slightly damp hair and lay back, 
staring at the ceiling, but not seeing it. His body was 
still trembling a little and he gloried in the feel of it

She shivered, and he reached down for the sheets and
blankets, which had been kicked and pushed away in all 
directions. He covered them up and she planted a small
kiss on his chest by way of thank you. 

He knew she'd asked him not to speak, but he was 
bursting with the need to tell her how much this
physical act had meant to him; how it had shaken him
to his very core. How intense it had been, and how
wonderful it was to touch her and be touched by her
in return.

The small hand stilled on his thigh and he sighed a 
little. "Scully?"

"Ummm."

He smiled into the darkness. "Scully, I'm the one 
whose supposed to fall asleep afterwards."

"Ummm."

Knowing she was tired, that she had been exhausted
since their return from the forest, he decided to let her
sleep on. There would be plenty of time to talk in the
morning.


Fox Mulder's room
Lone Pine Motel
Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 30th, 1997
8.46  a.m.

He'd been watching her for an hour now. He sat,
fully clothed on the other side of the room, beside
a table that was scattered with papers.

She slept soundly, with deep even breaths, and she
had hardly moved since he'd slipped from her arms 
upon waking. She'd mumbled incoherently,
let him go, and drifted back to sleep.

He had to watch her, to keep her in sight, to remind
himself that he hadn't dreamt it, or fantasised it. He 
and Scully had really had sex. He chastised himself.
Shouldn't he be thinking of it as 'making love'? The 
term sounded trite. He had always had a problem with
it. To him sex had always been sex, nothing more. He
mocked those who thought of it as more then just
the fulfilling of a physical need. Though, last night 
had certainly been more than that. It had been the
expression of everything he felt for her. At one point
he had been sure that he was pushing into her very
soul, and that she had welcomed him so far in that
he would never find a way out.

He laughed inwardly at the thought. Far too poetical
for him. 

He stood so that he could get a better view
of her. She lay on her side with her sunset coloured 
hair resting against the white pillow. Her fine
features looked impossibly delicate in repose. Her 
mouth fascinated him most though; slightly parted, it 
looked like it was in search of a kiss. His gaze drifted 
lower to her covered form. He couldn't see her body 
now but his mind had captured an image of it from the
night before. If he shut his eyes, he could see her astride 
him, moving ably up and down, her head thrown back 
to reveal the graceful flow of her neck, her small, 
round breasts taunting him by peeking out every now
and then from the folds of the shirt, the auburn curls
that had mingled with his darker ones, the strong thighs.
He frowned a little. He also remembered how tiny her
waist was, how he could see the outline of her ribs
through her luminescent skin. She was too thin.

He supposed that business suits and loose shirts had
hidden it from him before, or perhaps he just had been
too absorbed in his work to notice, but Scully had lost
an incredible amount of weight during the last few 
months.

He picked up his key and walked quietly from the 
room, shutting the door behind him carefully so as not 
to wake her.


Fox Mulder's room
Lone Pine Motel
Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 30th, 1997
9.15  a.m.

Scully stirred when she heard an engine revving 
outside the window. She shook herself out of her
dream state and slowly opened her eyes. She 
stretched an arm above her head and saw the sleeve
of the shirt she wore. The yawn she was embarking 
on was cut off. She sat up sharply as remembrances 
of the night before began to infiltrate her mind.

She looked at the space beside her on the bed, and
then around the room.

"Mulder?" She felt nauseous when she received no
reply. She ran a hand through her hair and climbed 
out of bed. She somewhat staggered to the bathroom 
on wobbly legs, that were clearly so shocked
by the physical exertions of the night before, that
they had forgotten how to operate properly. 

In the bathroom she resisted the urge to throw 
up and looked at herself in the mirror. The first
thing she noticed was her hair. Describing it as
'wild' would be the understatement of all time.
She tried to flatten it a little, but it seemed to have
gained a life of its own. Her eyes widened, however,
when she examined her face. There was a definite 
sated look in her eyes that she hadn't seen for years, 
and her skin was positively glowing.

She closed the toilet seat, sat down on it, gave her 
hair another pat down, and tried to gather her 
thoughts. Mulder was gone. She had no thoughts
other than that one. She took a deep breath. Okay,
so he didn't want to wake up with her, so that 
meant..what? What did that mean? That he was
embarrassed, that he regretted what had happened?

You weren't supposed to sleep with your partner,
and this was probably the reason why. 

She spotted her pyjama bottoms on the bathroom
floor where they had been discarded and picked them
up. She grimaced as she pulled them on. Her body
ached all over, and she could almost still feel him inside 
her. She shuddered and fastened some of the buttons 
on his shirt. 

Running through her mind was a comment that she 
had heard Mulder make just three days before. 
'Scully...well, she's not my type.' 

But he had wanted her hadn't he? Or had he just
wanted someone? She was grateful that she hadn't
made any gushy remarks afterwards, and that she 
hadn't allowed him to give her false platitudes either.

She closed her eyes and took another deep breath.
It had been so long since she'd had one of those bad
'morning after' scenes that she couldn't remember
the etiquette. Wasn't it usually a half-hearted phone
number swap? An 'I'll call you' that you both knew
was a downright lie? Well, she already had Mulder's 
number, on speed dial, and they called each other 
constantly.

Was there an etiquette for a 'I just slept with my
best friend and wish I hadn't' moment? She stood
in front of the mirror again and tried to straighten
herself up, aiming to put some control and dignity
into her face.

It had been good though, hadn't it? Had she imagined
how intense and deep it had been, how wonderful
it had felt? She remembered thinking, before they had
drifted off to sleep, that they had finally connected.
That they had finally found a little of what they had 
been searching for, and that they had found it in each 
other.
 
She spoke aloud to her reflection. "Maybe you were
just delirious, Scully. That doozy of an orgasm he
gave you must have warped your mind." She grimaced.
"Of course it did, you're talking to yourself."

She heard the door open in the other room and her 
heart began to hammer in her chest. 

"Scully?"

His voice made her tremble, but she walked out of 
the bathroom with what she hoped was a degree of 
composure.

She looked at him standing just inside the door in his
jeans and sweater and swallowed.

She nodded. "Hi."

He nodded. "Hi."

They were standing either side of the bed. Scully 
looked down at it and the phrase 'scene of the crime' 
flashed through her mind.

He cleared his throat. "I brought you some coffee 
and..." he waved the bag jauntily in the air. "....a 
bagel."

She cleared her throat. "Oh, thanks."

He walked over to the table and put his purchases 
down. He looked a little uncomfortable, but not as
much as she felt. She wondered if she was blushing.

He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a 
key. "I got this too. Its the spare for your room."

Her stomach lurched, this wasn't going well. He 
wanted her out, now. Breakfast, and then no excuses 
to go back to your room Scully.

It took an effort to walk over to stand next to him
while she snatched up the coffee. She refused to 
look at him, although she thought she could feel his
gaze on her.

She blew on the hot, black liquid. "What time is it? 
I don't have my watch."

"Just gone nine-thirty."

She looked up in surprise at him. "I have a flight at
eleven."

Mulder shifted from one foot to another. Scully had 
greeted him with that polite smile and tone she used 
for those in authority, and mass murderers that she 
wanted to lull into a false sense of security, before she
tore them apart with vicious questioning. Now he
wasn't quite sure what to say, or do.

Should he follow her lead and act like nothing 
had happened? 
 
"So you're going back to D.C....right?"

She nodded but kept her eyes focused on the floor.
"I have a doctors appointment at four-fifteen."

 "So you go back for that and I'll stay and finish the
police reports."

"Mmm." It was all she could manage momentarily,
then she managed to regain her voice and put on
a neutral tone. "You wanted to look for the other 
children too?"

"Maybe."

Mulder could feel the tension in the room, it was
oppressive and he felt perspiration on the back of
his neck. He took a deep breath. He wished for
something witty to say. Comedy was his usual way
of covering awkward moments, but his brain had 
frozen solid.

"If you want to get copies of those old files, I'll
take a look at them on the flight and write a report.
I could fax it to you when I get back to the
Bureau."

"Thanks, yeah."

"Well, I'd better hit the shower." She took the key
from the table, and began to walk away.

Mulder watched her go. His shirt was huge on her, 
almost down to her knees and the cuffs were rolled 
back at least three times. The sight was adorable. He
wanted to reach out, and yet her face screamed 
'don't come near me'. She had an invisible ten foot 
wall around her.

She opened the door and he just had to say 
something before she left. "Scully..."

She turned.

"Wait..."

She gripped the door handle. "What?"

"I...I...the reports are in your room."

The breath that she'd been holding expelled. "You'd 
better come and get them then."

She went quickly from his room to the door of hers,
which she opened quickly and stepped inside, leaving
the door open for him to follow.

He appeared moments later, looked at her, with
a frown creasing his brow, and scooped up the
reports from the table.

"Anything else you need Mulder?"

He glanced quickly at her, an unreadable expression
crossing his face, and then he shook his head. "No."

She wanted him away from her so she could think,
so she could compose herself, consider how they'd
repair this particular damage to their relationship.

"I'd better start getting ready then." She moved 
to stand by the bathroom door.

He didn't move and she saw him struggling with
his thoughts, she didn't know whether to be
pleased or fearful.

"Scully...is that it? Do we just go back to the 
way things were?"

"You tell me Mulder." She knew it was cowardly
to throw the question back at him, but she couldn't
help herself. Fear of rejection, and also fear of 
acceptance were strong.

"I thought...I thought it was more than just..."
He waived his hands in the air.

"A one night stand?"

He nodded.

"So did I."

He breathed out heavily. "Okay, so...."

"So maybe we should talk some more, when we
have more time?"

He grinned suddenly at her and walked towards
the door, tripping a little over her suitcase on the
way. She tried to suppress a smile at his clumsiness
and the goofy grin he was wearing.

"Call me then?"

She nodded, a strange excitement filling her. "Yep.
Oh Mulder, the files?"

"I'll leave the copies at reception." He almost flew
out of the door and slammed it behind him with a
burst of energy.


Sheriff's Station
Breakspeare Forest
Virginia
June 30th, 1997
11.10  a.m.

Mulder scribbled his signature on what seemed like
the thousandth form and threw down the pen to take
a break from the endless reports that were required
to close a case like the one they'd just solved. He 
looked at his watch. She'd be in the air by now. Her
hands just relaxing on the armrests, where they would
have been gripped during take-off. She wasn't the 
world's greatest flier, but that hadn't stopped her from 
choosing a profession that required she get on and off
planes with the frequency that other people usually got 
in and out of their cars. Scully would never let her fears
get in her way.

Like he did at times. 

He had a lot of fears at that moment. Well actually, 
he had a lot of individual apprehensions that could 
be realised in one large fear. Scully.

"Hey, don't dawdle, you have to spend too long 
using my desk and I'm gonna start charging you
rent."

He spun around in his chair to see Emily Watson
enter. Dressed back in her Sheriff's uniform and
swinging a set of keys around her finger. She 
grinned at him and he was pleased to note she 
was in better spirits than she had been the night 
before.

"Your deputy let me in, I needed to use the copier
and do some paperwork. I'm surprised to see
you back at work already Sheriff? Thought you'd 
take a couple of days off."

She shrugged. "Well I was going to and then this
report came in that I just had to investigate."

He looked at her curiously. 

"Apparently, there was a man and a woman,
hardly dressed, committing almost indecent acts, 
in the middle of the motel parking lot last night."

Mulder bit back a smile. "That's a crime?"

"Only if the town Sheriff is incredibly jealous."

"You're kidding right? Nobody reported us
did they?"

Emily laughed. "No. I saw you on my way home. So, 
erm, you two..." Emily made a little gesture with her 
hand as she leaned against the desk.

"None of your business Sheriff."

"Come on Fox. Spill the beans. I don't want
details, I just want to know."

He ignored her and shuffled some papers.

She nodded. "Okay, I'll take that as a yes.
"So where is Dana?"

"She had to go back to Washington, she had
an appointment."

Emily moved over to the coffee pot and 
switched it on.

"Emily."

She turned.

"You ever want something so bad, but know
that you probably shouldn't take it; that it would
be wrong to take it?"

"I can't say I have. I usually go for things I want. I'm 
what's politely termed 'headstrong'. I don't tend to stop 
and think about the consequences. I'm a full-steam-ahead 
kind of person. Which is why I embarrassed myself up
in the forest."

He put his hand behind his head and mused. "Consequences."

She pulled a spare chair over to the other side
of the desk and sat down on it facing him.
"What's on your mind?"

"Just the reasons why I haven't been involved with anybody 
for years; why I shouldn't be involved with anybody."

"What reasons?"

He shook his head. "My work doesn't really
lend itself to relationships."

"But Dana, she's in the same line of work, she
understands, surely?"

"Emily, I'm the kind of person who destroys everything he 
touches. Scully has already suffered so much because of 
me, and I have things I have to do...I have to. All my life
there's only been one thing that's been important to me, 
and I can't lose sight of that. I've never wanted 
any...distractions."

Emily reached over and put a hand on top of one 
of his. "I'm sure that Dana is more than just a 
distraction. I'm not really sure what you're 
talking about...maybe you should be saying all 
this to her."

He let out a sad chuckle. "Yeah, if I could. You know we're 
like strangers sometimes. This morning..." He trailed off 
without finishing.

Emily sighed. " I guess it must be weird sleeping with 
someone you've known for so long as just a friend."

"You have no idea."

"What does she want?"

He shrugged.

Emily offered him a sympathetic smile and
got up to pour a cup of coffee.


25,000 feet
30 Minutes outside D.C.
June 30th, 1997
12.15  p.m.

Scully finished reviewing the case files and hit the 
save key on her lap top. She switched the computer 
off and leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes.

She smiled to herself when she remembered
collecting the reports from the motel reception
earlier. The owner had handed her the paperwork,
and something else that "Mr Mulder asked me to
give you". She'd taken the paper bag, confused
at first, till she realised it was the bagel that he'd
bought for her that morning; that she'd never eaten.

Her doctor's appointment wasn't for another four
hours, but when she'd made her flight reservations
the day before she had wanted to get on the earliest
possible flight away from Mulder. Now, she was
grateful that she'd separated them, but for different
reasons.

She needed to achieve some clarity, and she could
only do that away from his intense gaze and
perturbing voice. 

Their conversation that morning, the limited words
they'd shared had perhaps been more of a turning
point in their relationship than sleeping together 
had been. What had they actually agreed? That
they both wanted last night to be more than a one-
time event, that they should talk about where they
would go from here. It wasn't much, but it was 
hopeful.

It was amazing how possible impending death gave 
everything an urgency; how it also filled her with 
a sense of fearlessness and gave her a different 
perspective. She had no doubt that if all this had 
happened before her diagnosis, she would have been 
in an agony of indecision and afraid of what getting
involved with Mulder would mean. She would
have worried endlessly that it would destroy their 
partnership, that the Bureau would try to separate them, 
that she and Mulder were such complete opposites that 
they'd kill each other within a week.

She found herself smiling again. Some of those
scenarios still bothered her, but they were merely 
niggling afterthoughts. The only thing that
remained important was that she wanted Mulder.
Not just sexually, but in other ways too. She
wanted someone to hold her, she wanted
someone to wake up next to, to watch television
with, to argue with, and even to laugh with.  

She had always been so independent, but what
she was just beginning to realise was that, with
independence, came a certain degree of loneliness. 
She was lonely. There was no denying it. She 
wanted someone to spend the rest of her life with, 
now that her life could be measured in quantifiable 
terms, and that person was Mulder. It had always 
been Mulder.

She wasn't going to throw hypothetical problems
in the way of their being together. She considered
that Mulder might; that he could still have his doubts and 
decide against pursuing what they had started. 

She would see him in a few days, then they would 
decide. Then she would know.


Waiting Room
Oncology Department
Holy Cross Memorial Hospital
Washington D.C.
June 30th, 1997
4.25  p.m.

Dana Scully yawned and shifted in her chair.
Her stomach was turning a little and she put
a hand over it to quell the butterflies. She was
accustomed to hospitals and this was now her
eighth dose of treatment, but she was always
filled with apprehension at the thought of
more injections of drugs that made her nauseous
and bruised her back, and the radiation therapy
that made her so exhausted. She had offered
herself as a 'test subject' for an experimental
method of treatment, but she wasn't used
to being a patient yet.

She was a victim. A victim of cancer, and that
role didn't sit easily with her. On her first
visit she had wanted to run screaming from the
room. She had looked around her at the other
patients and wanted to separate herself from
them, to convince herself that she wasn't
like them. That Dana Scully was strong and
couldn't fall prey to disease. 

Across from her sat a youngish couple, who 
whispered reassurances to one another. Their 
hands were linked, and Scully felt an 
overwhelming sense of jealousy. She bit her lip
and looked away, but found she couldn't tear
her gaze away for long. When she looked back
again, the man's eyes met hers and he smiled.
She thought she saw pity in his look and it was
something she couldn't abide, but she smiled
back anyway.

"Is this seat taken?"

She jumped a little at the voice and looked 
slowly up.

"Mulder."

He smiled and shrugged. "Sorry to intrude but
I heard this was a good place to pick up women."

"I think you might be confused with the bar 
across the street."

He filled the empty chair next to her. "No I already 
checked there. They uh...they didn't have any 
red-haired, blue-eyed, FBI agents."

She laced together her hands which were shaking a 
little in her lap as she looked at him. "What are you 
doing here? I thought..."

He interrupted and leaned in close to her. "I was 
doing some thinking, and I...I thought you'd be in 
with the doctor by now."

"They're running behind. I sent a report for you
to the Breakspeare Sheriff's Station. I looked
at the files. There's evidence that tissue samples
were taken from the children, seems like they
were gathering genetic material. Blood and urine
samples were probably taken too, and I think
they may have been injected with experimental
drugs and substances to see how they would
react. I think maybe Lisa Mendhlesson had a
fatal allergic reaction to whatever she was given.
However, it was obviously something that 
didn't show up in her autopsy."

"So you think there's something worth 
investigating after all?"

"Perhaps. What I think you should do Mulder,
is to get in touch with the police department
up in the Vinyard. Find out if there were any
reports of missing children around that time,
and around the time of your sisters abduction."

He rubbed his forehead. "I've already checked 
those avenues Scully."

"No, you looked for cases in which the children
disappeared altogether. I'm talking about cases
where the children disappeared for a short while,
only to be returned."

He smiled slowly at her. "Okay I'll...we'll do 
that."

"So you didn't say, why are you here?"

He reached out his index finger and skimmed it lightly 
across the expensive material that covered her knee. It 
was a quick, not- quite-there, gesture that made her shiver. 

"I've been doing some thinking Scully. I know we said 
we'd talk later, about what happened, but I...I didn't want 
us to leave it so long that we'd talk ourselves out of 
anything."

She moistened her upper lip. "You think this
would work?"

"As long as you know what you're getting
yourself into."

"A relationship with a paranoid, workaholic,
obsessive, slob."

He pretended to look hurt. "I resent the slob part."

She looked down at her feet, tried to control
her breathing a little, and looked back up at
him.

"Mulder, I know you, every bit of you, and I
accept it all."

"The truth, finding Samantha, its always come
first for me."

She nodded.

"Its been my priority."

"I wouldn't want to change that."

He shook his head. "But you have. I'm not sure
what I'm trying to tell you here."

"That you want this, that I'm important, but
that there are always things that may get in the
way?"

He looked a little amazed. "Yes, and that I can't
guarantee that somewhere along the way I won't
hurt you, or that you won't be hurt because of
me and what I do."

"Mulder, its always been that way."

"Yes I suppose it has."

She blinked and looked around the room before
meeting his gaze again. 

"It is me you want isn't it Mulder? You're not just here 
because its convenient, or because you feel that you owe 
me something, because you feel some sense of guilt?"

"No Scully. Its you."

"Well then...thank you for coming."

He grinned and leaned in even closer. "No Scully,
thank you for coming."

She was confused for a moment and then his
meaning dawned, and she slapped his shoulder
lightly.

Mulder watched as an embarrassed smile 
developed on her face.

A nurse came and stood over them. "Miss Scully."

Scully didn't react to the voice. She kept looking
at Mulder, happiness shining from her eyes.

Mulder touched her face. "Scully."

"What?" She noticed the nurse's presence and
flustered a little.

The nurse smiled kindly. "They're ready for you
now."

"Oh right, okay." She got up from her chair and 
looked down at him. "It takes an hour-and-a-
half Mulder..."

He cut her off. "I got plenty to read." He held up
an issue of the Lone Gunmen. "I'll be right here."

She smiled at him again and he felt the energy from
it flow right through his body, all the way down to 
his toes.

Scully gave him one last look and turned to follow
the nurse. Her fears had dispelled somewhat, she
had a sudden feeling that everything was going
to be okay.

When she settled onto the examination table, her
doctor asked her how she was feeling.

"I'm fine" was her reply.


The End

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

Armistice 
by Caroline O'Callaghan <caroline.o@virgin.net>

Rating: NC-17

Category: MSR/adventure/mythology

Summary: Mulder discovers clues to the circumstances
behind his sister's disappearance, whilst Scully
battles fatal illness.

Disclaimer: Oh, do I have to? Okay - nobody belongs
to me - nuff said!

Spoilers: Up to Small Potatoes (in this universe
Gethesmane has not yet happened).

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a continuation of an
earlier story 'The Lure of the Fox' in which Mulder
and Scully became lovers.

*********
Armistice
Part I

Fox Mulder's office
Washington D.C.
July 1st, 1997
1.05a.m.

Mulder crushed the piece of paper, on which he'd been
scribbling random notes, into a ball, and threw it in the
direction of the bin. It missed by a few good inches and
he sighed.

His mind was full, but not of the reports he'd received
a couple of hours ago from the police department at
Martha's Vineyard.

He was still struggling to focus; his thoughts on the
woman he had left at her apartment five hours ago.
He looked across the room at the space she normally
occupied.

Her desk. He smiled, but it was bittersweet. It wasn't
really her desk, it was just the spare desk that had
been there long before she had. After the Ed Jerse fiasco
he had made an obvious effort to treat it like it was hers.
He no longer used it as extra storage space for himself,
and Scully had tidied it up and filled it with her things.

He got out of his chair and wandered across to it. It
was tidy. The blotter clean, the computer screen
without dust, the pens and pencils stored in a tub.
He sat down in her chair and studied a framed photograph
that sat in prime position. Scully wasn't really one for
clogging up the workplace with personal items, but
she'd made room for this picture. She and her mother,
theirs arms around each other smiled at the camera.
Maggie's face was split into a broad grin, whilst Scully's
was a little more restrained and self-conscious.

He reached out with his forefinger and touched the
image of her face and then laughed at himself. "What
are you doing Mulder?"

The ring of his telephone made him jump a little and
he crossed the room to answer it. "Mulder."

"Mulder why don't you go home and get some sleep."

He sat down in his own chair with a smile. Her voice
was full of drowsiness and he was eager for it to work 
its magic on him. He pressed the receiver close to his ear.

"I think you need to take some of your own advice
Doc, why are you still up? You looked like you were
in bad need of some zzz's when I left you."

He heard her yawn, and imagined her in her pyjamas,
an arm stretching lazily over her head. He wanted to
see it, to be with her.

"I've had a few hours. I just woke up and somehow
knew you'd still be at the office. Go home Mulder."

"I got reports from the Vineyard Scully, I think we
should take a trip up there."

She paused, and it was enough for him to sense her
reluctance.

"Something wrong?"

She paused again. "No...I."

"I could go on my own, if there's a problem."

"No Mulder. We'll go together. We're partners."

He nodded, and then wondered why. It wasn't as if
she could see him to acknowledge it.

"How are you feeling Scully?" He noticed his voice
slip into a softer tone as he spoke.

She sighed. "I'm fine. I was a little tired that's all."

"Are you in bed?"

"Yes."

He hesitated. He wanted to ask to come over, but it
was all still new, still fragile. He was swimming in
uncharted waters.

After her treatment Scully had joined him in the
waiting room of Holy Cross Hospital looking woozy
and exhausted. He hadn't said much, just helped her
on with her coat, taken her car keys from her and driven
her home. She'd fallen asleep during the drive and he'd
had to wake her when they reached her apartment block.
She'd leaned against him as he'd helped her up the path,
opened her door and ushered her inside. She'd
gone straight into the bathroom and begun to run
a bath. He'd stood nervously at her bathroom door
and asked whether he should go or stay. She'd
given him a soft, small smile and he'd nodded his
understanding as he prepared to go.

He'd wanted to force the issue, to find some reason
for staying, but had felt too uncomfortable to do so.
He was on 'Scully territory'. He'd felt like an invader
in her sanctuary-like apartment with its soft pastels,
comfortable furniture and feminine touches, and so
he'd accepted her decision.

'I should have kissed her', he reprimanded himself.
He should have cemented the words he had spoken
earlier with actions. He had taken the terrifying plunge
and decided he wanted to be with her in every way
possible, and he had been filled with blessed relief
when he'd discovered she wanted the same, and then
he had stood like a tenth grader at her bathroom door;
shuffling his feet and mumbling his goodbye. He'd
practically run out of her apartment.

"You still with me Mulder?"

"Huh? Yeah. Sorry, I was just thinking. Would you
like me to come over?"

"Mulder. There's no need."

"No, but..."

"I'll be asleep as soon as I hang up anyway."

He knew that, but he still wanted to crawl into bed
beside her. He knew what she'd be wearing. She'd want
to feel comforted tonight, after her treatment, so she'd
have slipped into those blue, jersey pyjamas, that looked
so soft to the touch.  He wanted to snuggle up behind
her sleeping form and press his nose between her
shoulder blades, drape his arm around her waist, breathe
in her soapy scent. But she didn't want him there.

He prayed to God she wasn't having second thoughts
about changing the nature of their relationship; a small
voice told him that it might not be such a bad thing if
she were, but he swept it aside. He reminded himself
that she had called him; that she had wanted to talk to
him, and that even after cancer therapy that must have made
her feel weak and sickly, she had been worried about
him.

"I'll pick you up in the morning."

He heard her sigh. "That's not necessary Mulder."

"I think it is Scully, I have your car."

"Oh, right. Of course."

"Eight a.m?"

"Fine. Should I pack for the Vineyard?"

"Why not? Your finest debutante clothing Scully."

"Taking me to the country club?"

"They won't let me in there Scully. Not since I tried
to look up Jackie O's dress, when I was eight."

"You're kidding me Mulder?"

He chuckled. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Mmm."

Her voice was soft and low and he didn't want
the conversation to end. "Sleep well."

"You too. Go home now."

"I will."

He replaced the receiver, a second after she did,
both of them recognising that it was time to hang
up, even though they hadn't exchanged a formal
goodbye.

He looked hard at the phone for a moment and then
got to his feet and collected his coat from the stand.
The phone rang again and he snatched it up quickly.

"Okay Scully, I'm leaving. I swear."

"Agent Mulder?"

He froze slightly at the sound of the voice.

"Yes."

"I have something you might want to hear."

Marita's tone was cold and hard.

"Yeah well I'm afraid I'm a little busy at the moment.
I don't have time to fly to New York to lap up the
little snippets you've deigned to throw me."

"You sound bitter Agent Mulder. Don't you want to
know what I have to tell you? I assure you it concerns
a matter that seems to be close to your heart."

He spoke through gritted teeth. "Maybe I've decided
to seek my own answers, instead of relying on others,
from whom information seems to come only when I
dutifully perform for it."

"I'm on your side. I will help whenever I can, but you
have to understand that everything comes at a price."

"I'm not sure that I'm willing to pay anymore."

"If that's your decision, very well, but I warn you, you
may never hear from me again. All contact would cease."

He considered for a while. He couldn't trust her. He
didn't have faith in Marita Covarrubias, the way he
had in Deep Throat and X, his previous 'informants',
but he couldn't ignore what she had to say either. His
need to know outweighed the growing dislike he felt
for her.

"I can't come to New York right now."

"I'm in D.C. The Watergate Hotel."

Mulder almost laughed at the irony. The leaker of
information staying at a hotel named after the
biggest leak of all time. "I'll be there in forty minutes."

He replaced the receiver again, none too gently,
snatched up the files that lay on his desk and left his
office.


Room 1121
Watergate Hotel
Washington D.C.
July 1st, 1997
2.02 a.m.

She opened the door dressed in a white robe, a scotch
on the rocks in one hand. She said nothing, and stepped
back from the door to let him enter.

Shutting the door behind him, she went to a table on
the far side of the room and sat down in a chair next to
it, crossing her legs to reveal a shapely thigh. Mulder
couldn't help but look.

"Won't you sit down?"

"I wasn't planning on staying very long."

"Can I get you a drink?"

"No thanks. Like I said, I'm not stopping."

"Somewhere you have to be?"

"Anywhere but here."

"I get the feeling you don't like me very much."

He began to pace slowly. Trying not to look at her. She
was attractive, no doubt about that. Tall, slim, high
cheekbones, blue eyes, but it was all false, all coiffured
and pampered. Too perfect.

"What I don't like is being jerked around."

She nodded and took a sip of her drink. "I know.
I've never tried to do that. I've tried to give you what
you required."

"So why am I thrown a few crumbs at a time. Why
don't you just tell me all you know now?"

She stood and crossed over to him. Standing so close
that he could smell her perfume. "Because I probably
know even less than you do. I'm just a messenger."

"For who?"

She bowed her head and stepped away. "I don't know."

Mulder gave a sad laugh. "So what is it this time?"

"You're looking into cases in the Martha's Vineyard
area, concerning children who were taken and then
returned to their parents."

"How do you know that?"

"They've been waiting for you to ask the police
department for those records for years Agent Mulder.
It was an obvious area for investigation, they're
amazed you never looked before. They have friends
everywhere. They were alerted, and then they sent me
to you."

"Who is 'they'?" His voice betrayed his exasperation.

She looked up at him defiantly. "I've already told
you. I don't know."

"So what do they want you to tell me?"

She walked back to the table and picked up a folder
that lay on it. She held it out to him and he took it warily.

"What is this?"

"Virginia wasn't the only laboratory. There were others,
some are still in operation. That's an address."

He opened the folder glancing at the page of type
that lay inside it.

"The Vineyard."

"Its tightly secured, almost impossible to penetrate."

"And I suppose 'they' expect me to achieve the
impossible, do their work for them?"

"You might have much to gain if you do."

He nodded, and turned to leave. "Well, its been
delightful as always."

He reached the door when she caught him by the arm.
Her eyes gazed into his and a hand came to rest on his
chest.

"Mulder, I always thought it was delightful. Has
something changed?"

"Yes. Me. I've changed." He removed her hand and left.


Watergate Hotel car park
Washington D.C.
July 1st, 1997
2.35  a.m.

Mulder got back in the car, but didn't start the engine,
instead he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and
dialled a number. His call was answered with a gruff
hello.

"Good evening Sir."

"Mulder. It isn't evening, its morning, and you'd
better have a damn fine reason for waking me up
at this hour."

"I want to request permission to follow a lead in a
case, up to Martha's Vineyard."

He heard Skinner sigh. "What kind of case? You
haven't been assigned anything?"

"No sir, I have a lead into possible illegal experiments
being conducted on civilians, at a Government
laboratory."

"I have to say Mulder, that I'm surprised you're
bothering to inform me. Its not like you to follow
procedure."

Mulder ignored the sarcasm in Skinner's voice.
"I want to take Agent Scully with me."

"I see, and you didn't want her to be reprimanded
for not filing a 302?"

"Yes sir."

"Mulder, I'm sometimes not inclined to let you follow 
your instincts. At times you've acted rashly and put lives 
at stake."

"I've made mistakes in the past I know, but.."

"I'd prefer it if you presented this case to me
tomorrow in my office."

"I don't want to waste any time sir. This lead, it
might shed some light on what happened to
Agent Scully while she missing."

He could almost hear the battle that he knew was
raging in Skinner. He was placing the man in a
difficult position, but he knew that bringing
Scully into the equation would help to persuade
Skinner to grant permission. He had long thought
that their boss had an admiration and respect for
Scully that influenced him when making decisions
on the X Files. He wasn't sure what Skinner's
feelings for her we're; whether he viewed her simply
as a good agent, a friend, as the daughter he'd
never had, or even as a possible lover. The last
possibility made him recoil a little, but it wasn't
so far fetched. Hell, he'd fallen for Scully's many
charms, so there was no reason why Skinner
shouldn't have.

Mulder was pretty positive that Skinner would do
almost anything for Scully; just as he would himself.

"Okay Mulder. I'll make sure its officially recorded
that you requested permission, and that permission
was granted. Just try not to make me regret my
decision."

His superior hung up before Mulder could thank him.

He put the phone back in his pocket and was about
to turn the key in the ignition when a sign caught his eye.

'Parking is reserved for staff and
guests of the Watergate Hotel'.

He smiled. He'd been here before. When Scully and he
had been separated, when the X Files had been closed,
they'd met here. He had been filled with despair and she
had given him new hope, with supportive words and a
kind hand that had brushed gently and quickly through
his hair.

He suddenly became angry at himself for sitting
immobile, staring into space like a lovesick jerk, 
while there was work to be done.


He started the engine and pulled out of the car park with
a squeal of tires.


Dana Scully's apartment
Washington D.C.
July 1st, 1997
2.10  a.m.

After talking to Mulder, Scully had replaced the receiver
and fallen quickly asleep again, but now she was awake
once more. Unsure of what had disturbed her, she stared up
at the ceiling, listening carefully, but there was nothing,
not a sound.

She sighed and yawned. It was a cool night and she
pulled the covers up right under her chin. She almost
regretted not asking Mulder to stay with her. His body
would have been warm wrapped around hers. He had
offered his presence, but something within her had
rebelled at the idea.

Two nights lying by his side would have been too much,
after four years of sleeping alone, with only a deeply
buried, secret desire for him, to keep her company. She
was still having trouble accepting that last night had
actually happened. She needed time for it to become
a reality; time away from him to begin believing in it.

She also hadn't felt up to entertaining anyone. She'd
just needed to wash and sleep. Talking, or any other
activity, had been beyond her.

And if she was honest with herself, she would have to
admit that she was still a little afraid of what changes
the altering of their relationship would bring. She was
worried that Mulder might begin to look at her differently,
and was concerned that it might damage them, rather than
bring them closer together.

With a lazy smile, she remembered the night before.
Surely nothing that good could be wrong, it had to
be right. Her body tingled a little when she relived, in
her mind, the feeling of his skin against hers.

She groaned quietly, knowing that sleep wouldn't
come easily again; now that her mind was beginning
to traverse all kinds of highways.

She threw back the covers and quickly reached for
the robe that she'd discarded. Shrugging it on, she
padded out into the kitchen, without bothering to
turn on the lights. She knew where everything was,
and there was enough light shed from the moon,
through her window, in order for her to make some
hot milk.

She opened the refrigerator door and as she reached
down for the milk carton, the hairs on the back of her
neck stood up. She took a deep breath. Suddenly, she
knew what had awakened her. Someone was in her
apartment. She felt it, and whoever it was, was staring
at her back.

She forced herself to speak, hoping that it was who she
thought it was. "Mulder?"

She turned slowly, the milk carton in hand. "Mulder,
trying to scare me is not funny."

"I think its hysterical."

She flinched at the voice, knowing that she knew it from
somewhere, but that it wasn't Mulder's.

Her heart pounded as the living room lights came on. When
she looked up towards the direction of the light switch by
the front door, and saw the intruder's face, she let go of the
milk carton in shock. It hit the floor and the creamy liquid
splattered everywhere. She gazed dumbly down it, and
then up again.

Her voice was no more than a stunned whisper. "Krycek?"

"Nice to see you again Agent Scully." He waved a
small automatic weapon at her by way of greeting.

Scully was desperately running through her options.
Where was her gun? She'd been so tired when she'd
got in that she just dropped it where she'd been
standing. It must be in the bathroom.

Krycek smirked at her. "I have your sig in my pocket.
But don't worry, you won't be needing it, I'm just here
for a nice, friendly chat. Come out here and take a seat."

He waved his gun and pointed towards the living room.
Trying to remain calm, she walked out of the kitchen
and into the living room and sank into her armchair.
When Krycek took a seat on her couch she noticed
the artificial limb he wore and her eyes shot up to look
into his.

His gun was still pointed at her and he gave a little nod
of his head. "Thank you for your sympathy. You're a
very kind person Scully, you know that. I spied on your
partner, I assisted in your abduction, I was there when
your sister was shot, and here I am breaking into your
apartment, and yet you still manage to look at me with
compassion."

She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off.

"Don't try and deny it, I saw it in your eyes. It must be
wonderful to be such a good person Scully. No wonder
you sleep so easy at night." He sighed. "I don't sleep
very well, too much on my conscience."

She was shocked to realise that he was speaking sincerely.

"I didn't think you had a conscience Krycek. What do
you want?"

His gaze dropped to her bathrobe and for a moment she
was filled with fear. He must have noticed a change in
the tension in the room because he looked back up into
her face.

"Don't worry Dana, I'm not here to ravish you." He
smiled in a way that made Scully want to smack his
mouth back into place. "I'll leave that to Mulder."

She licked her upper lip, unsure of how to answer. He
spoke instead.

"I've been following you for a couple of days. That was
a pretty hot scene outside the motel."

Scully felt herself blushing and the knowledge made her
more angry. "Just tell me what you want and get the hell
out of here."

"I want to apologise."

She raised her eyebrow at him in disbelief, an expression
she had used on Mulder a thousand times in response to
his more 'way-out' theories. "For which of the particular
crimes that you've committed are you saying sorry for?"

"All of them. Well, all of them that affected you. You
were innocent Scully. When I heard what...what they'd
done to you... I was just following orders, I had no
choice."

Scully swallowed hard and fingered the tie on her robe
nervously. "You played a part in my abduction?"

"I stopped Mulder from getting to you in time."

"I see, and you knew what they were going to do to me?"

"I had an idea, but they never really explain anything
properly. I know that what they did to you, the
procedures, gave you cancer, like it did with the other
women they took."

Scully remained silent and looked down at her fidgeting
hands.

Krycek spoke in a saddened tone, as if he already knew
the answer to the question he was asking. "Are all the
other women dead?"

Scully looked up, memories of Penny Northern penetrated
her mind and she willed herself not to cry in front
of this man, who had once seemed so evil, but now
seemed so contrite. "Yes."

Krycek nodded. "The treatment you're receiving Scully,
it won't do any good."

Her heart missed a beat. "How do you know?"

"They gave it to you. They're the only one's with the
cure."

Scully looked around her apartment walls, trying to
gather her thoughts, and then back at her captor.

"Why this change of heart, Krycek?"

He got to his feet. "As a man gets older, as things
happen to him." He touched his prosthetic hand
with his real hand and Scully shivered slightly. "He
begins to reassess his life."

He moved towards the door and Scully felt a sense of
relief wash over her. He stopped and turned.

"You understand the significance of you being the last
one, don't you Scully?"

"You mean that I'm the only evidence left?"

"Yes, and they always like to get rid of the evidence.
Remember also that you've managed to survive far
longer than any of their other victims. That may be
interesting to them. Watch your back."

He moved the gun into his false hand and opened the
door with his other hand. "Oh, and tell my old friend
Mulder that he's close. Closer perhaps than he's ever
been."

With that, he left, closing the door quietly behind him.
Scully looked down at the place he'd occupied on her
couch and noticed he had placed her sig on the cushion.
She grabbed it quickly and ran to the door, flinging it
open, she ran into the corridor. All this took her no more
than 30 seconds, but he had already disappeared. Breathing
heavily she went back inside her apartment, slammed
the door shut and leant against it. Her legs gave way
and she sank to the floor, where she sat for a long
time, hugging her knees and gripping the handle of
her sig sauer.


Office of the Lone Gunmen
Washington D.C.
July 1st, 1997
4.35 a.m.

Mulder yawned and leaned back in his chair. He looked
over at Langly and Frohike who were bent over a
computer screen, which they were viewing with intense
expressions.

"You guys better be looking up the laboratory. If I find
out you've been checking out the Playboy web site for
the past two hours, while I've been cooling my heels,
there's gonna be trouble."

Langly looked around at Mulder, a smirk crossing his
deceptively boyish face. "Unlike you Mulder, we don't
have to get our kicks from exploitative, 12-inch-high,
bit-mapped images."

Frohike shot him a defensive glare. "Yeah, you should
try real women for a change Mulder. You never know
you might like it."

Mulder smirked back. He had tried a real woman. A
very, very real woman.

"That's rich Frohike, from someone who's spent the last
four years mooning over my partner and is still scared
to do anything about it." Assessing what he'd just said
he decided to change the subject. After all, he was
accusing Frohike of doing exactly what he was guilty of.
Well, what he had been guilty of, until last night.
 
"So did you find anything?"

Frohike and Langly made some space for him between
them at the terminal and Mulder joined them, looking
down at the screen.

"We hacked in. There's a few records, lists."

"Can you print them out for me?"

Frohike clicked on the items and sent them to print.

Langly looked up at Mulder. "Dr Scanlon's name is
mentioned."

Mulder looked at Langly, his surprise showing in his
expression. "The Doctor at the hospital in Allentown?
The one who murdered the other abduction victims?"

Langly. "Yep, the same one. He would have done the
same thing to Scully."

All three men swallowed silently.

"While pretending to cure her." Frohike spoke with
hatred in his voice, and Mulder patted his shoulder.

Clearing his throat, Mulder tried to focus his mind.
"Anything else of interest in here?"

Langly shrugged. "Hard to tell. A lot of its in code, and
some of it is password protected."

"Is the code Navajo?"

Both men shook their heads at his question. "No.
Its something we've never seen before."

"Print it anyway." He shrugged. "You never know.
What about the password stuff? Can't you get past it?"

Langly gave Mulder a grave look. "It would take quite a
while. We might have to run several programs, and if we
stay in here for too long we might get noticed. We need to
hit and run here Mulder."

"Okay, print what we can and shut it down."

Frohike tapped away furiously and Mulder gathered the
sheets of paper from the printer.

He picked up his coat and prepared to leave.

Frohike looked up at him as he exited the laboratory
files. "Give my regards to Scully. Tell her she's still my
pin-up girl."

Mulder rolled his eyes, and then looked at Frohike's
computer in amazement as the screen saver came up
with an image of Scully on it. He shook his head at the
little man.

"I don't know how you got that picture. But if she ever
comes here you'd better ditch it fast. I can personally
attest to her proficiency with a firearm."

He heard Langly laugh as he left their office.

Back in his car, he switched on the interior light and
scanned the printed pages. He was looking for a name
that was dear to him and he quickly found it on a list
labelled 'acquisitions'. He sucked in a breath as he
read the entry.

August 1994
Scully, Dana Katherine

Under each month heading were approximately five
or six names. Wondering if the 'acquisitions' were
still continuing, he turned to last page. What he saw
there made his heart stop and his lungs crash.

        July 1997
        Scully, Dana Katherine.

Managing to breathe again, despite being struck
with fear, he jabbed the key into the ignition, started
the engine and began what was to be the fastest
drive of his life, towards Scully's apartment.

End of part I

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

Armistice II
by Caroline O'Callaghan <caroline.o@virgin.net>


Dana Scully's apartment
Washington D.C.
July 1st, 1997
5.05 a.m.

After Krycek's departure, Scully had sat silent and
still for a long time, trying to calm her turbulent
thoughts and shaking body. She didn't know what
scared her most. The thought of the consortium
eradicating her as they did other 'evidence', or dying 
slowly from a cancer for which there was no cure. 
She had put such faith in the experimental treatment 
she'd been having. She'd had no choice, it had been 
her only option; but she had looked upon it positively, 
hoping that it would produce a miracle cure, where 
she knew conventional treatments would fail.

She had fought the temptation to call Mulder; wanting 
to get past the worst of the mental pain first. She needed 
to have her control back by the time she saw him again. 
She didn't want him to see her with her defences down.

She was afraid that he would consider her too disturbed,
or too weak to work, to travel with him, to watch his 
back. Her mind had been screaming 'I'm gonna die',
'I'm dying', 'I don't want to die', but she had spent long
minutes breathing deeply and quelling her fears, and then
she had got up, got dressed, packed, thrown up, tidied
her apartment, made coffee, and now she sat quietly on
her couch just waiting for Mulder. He'd be three hours
yet, but she'd just sit and wait.

The knock on her door made her jump in surprise, but
she reacted quickly, whipping her gun from the holster
at the small of her back and pointing it at the door.

"Scully, its me."

Her brow creased in confusion. Mulder sounded frantic,
and he was early, far too early. Her heart was beating
furiously as she remembered that she had once been
fooled into opening the door to Mulder before, when
it hadn't really been Mulder at all, but an enemy with
the ability to take on his shape.

"Scully, are you in there please? Open up."

He was banging on the door so hard it was rattling on
its hinges.

She licked her upper lip and spoke hesitantly. "Mulder?"

She heard him exhale in what she thought was relief.
"Thank God. Are you alright, are you okay? Let me in
Scully."

She went to the door and looked through the peephole.
It looked like Mulder, wearing the same clothes he'd
had on last night, but she couldn't be sure. 

Keeping her gun pointed at the door, she undid the 
locks quickly and stepped back.

When Mulder entered her apartment he was greeted
with a small automatic weapon pointed at his head,
and Scully looking like she was just waiting for the
right moment for him to blow him into his next
lifetime. 

He put his hands up, palms out, in a defensive gesture.
"What's going on here Scully?"

"Don't move". 

She clicked the safety off and Mulder began seriously 
fearing for his life. But then, instantly, he understood.

"Its okay, its me. Trust me."

Their breathing was the only sound in the apartment,
while he watched her trying to make her decision.

"Jesus, Scully, if you keep pointing guns at me all the 
time I might start to think you don't like me."

That did it. Her face crumpled and her firing arm 
dropped. She threw herself at him and he enveloped her 
in his arms.

He noted the trembling of her body as he rubbed her 
back to soothe her. The front door was still open and
he used his foot to kick it closed, relieved that their
exchange hadn't woken any enquiring neighbours up.

"Why did you think it wasn't me Scully, what's 
happened?"

She shook her head against his chest, indicating that
she couldn't tell him now, and he understood. He ran
a hand over her hair. "You're a frightening woman
when you want to be, you know that? I nearly peed
my pants for the first time since I was four."

He felt her smile but couldn't see it, her head was still
leaning against his right shoulder blade. He took a moment
to enjoy the feel of her in his arms. Her little body crushed
against his, her thighs rubbing his lower thighs, her breasts
distinguishable where they touched him, even through her
heavy suit jacket. He felt the beginnings of arousal and
decided to shift a little. His shirt was growing moist, and
he became aware that she was crying, silently. For the first 
time he noted that she was dressed, and that her packed 
bag was sitting by the door. Why was she ready so early?

She loosened her grip on him and turned away, bringing 
her hands up to her eyes to dry them.

"Do you want coffee Mulder? I know I could use some."

She walked into the kitchen briskly, holstering her gun 
on the way. He sensed, as he wandered in after her and 
took a seat at her kitchen table, that she had regained 
control of herself again. He wished she hadn't. He 
wanted her to be able to lose some of the tension that
was packed into her small frame and was visible on her
face.

"Scully, are you gonna tell me what's happened?"

She shot him a brief, tight-lipped smile as she set a
mug in front of him and poured his coffee. "Why don't 
you tell me why you were trying to break down my 
door at five o'clock in the morning?"

She poured herself a mug full and sat opposite him. He
winced at the briskness of her movements and the way
she avoided eye contact with him. She was like a tightly-
coiled spring just waiting to unravel. Her tears at the 
door had exercised some of what was bothering her, but
he sensed there was still much more she had to let go of.

He sighed and pulled the computer print-outs that
Frohike had given him from his inside pocket.

"Since we spoke on the phone I've gathered some 
more information."

He shoved the lists across the table and she took them
and started to read.

"What are these?"

"I had the guys at the Lone Gunmen hack into the files
of a top secret Government laboratory up in the 
Vineyard. This is what they retrieved. Some of it is in
code, but there are lists with names of civilians on."

Scully nodded, flicking through the sheets of paper.

"Your name is in there Scully."

She didn't even flinch, and for a moment, he thought
she hadn't heard him.

"Where?"

"The list labelled 'acquisitions'. You're listed under
the date of your abduction, and...also...under this
month."

Again, she didn't flinch, didn't react at all, and for 
some reason it scared the hell out of him. 

"That's why I raced over here Scully. I was afraid
that..." He didn't finish the sentence.

Scully downed almost half a cup of coffee in one
swallow and got up from the table, snatching 
her mug, and his, before he'd even had a chance to
take a single sip. She threw the black liquid down
the sink and rinsed the mugs, when she turned
back to him he was looking at her, his mouth 
hanging open in surprise, and his eyes wide. The
expression almost made her laugh.

"You're afraid that I'm going to be taken again?"

He nodded mutely.

"Well, maybe." She leaned over to switch the coffee 
pot off and walked out of the kitchen, grabbing 
her coat from the back of couch where it had rested. 
"Let's go then, I don't want to wait around here like 
a sitting duck."


Route 27
Washington D.C.
July 1st, 1997
6.02 p.m.

Mulder slammed the wheel of the car in frustration,
but saw little point in honking the horn as he glared
at the bumper-to-bumper traffic in front of him.

"Where is everybody going? Its six o'clock in the
morning?"

Scully didn't answer and when Mulder looked around
at her, she was gazing out of the window, seemingly
lost in some kind of trance.

He ran a hand through his hair. They were making 
their way, slowly, to the airport, after they'd stopped
quickly at his apartment to grab him a few changes
of clothes. Scully had barely spoken five words in the 
last hour. In his apartment, she had stared long and hard 
at his fish tank, which hadn't contained any fish for as 
long as he could remember. Then she'd walked over to
the window, gazed out of there for at least five minutes, 
before resting her eyes on his photograph of Samantha. 
He had the feeling that she hadn't actually been looking 
at any of the things that she'd gazed at.

He did honk the horn then and Scully jumped a little
in surprise. 

"Earth to Scully."

"I was listening Mulder. If you want an answer, these 
people are likely to be all going the same place we're
going, the airport."

"Sometimes I think it might be quicker to drive. By
the time you buy tickets, wait for the plane, get on
the plane, get off the plane, hire a car..."

"All of which takes around three hours, max. Driving
would take around six hours, maybe more."

He snapped suddenly at her cool tone, signalled, and
pulled off the freeway and into the parking lot of a 
small roadside diner.

Scully glanced at him in surprise. "What are you doing?"

He swung the car into a parking place, put the brake
on and switched off the engine. "We're not getting far
anyway, and I'm hungry, I want breakfast." He gave her
a final glance before snapping his seat belt off and getting
out of the car. "And you need breakfast."

He was already at the diner door before she caught up
with him. He strode to a booth and sat down in it with
a thud. She sat opposite him carefully, trying to gauge 
his mood. He looked pissed, he sounded pissed. He slid
a menu across the table at her.

She glanced at it briefly, but her stomach lurched and 
when the waitress approached them, she asked for 
coffee. Mulder glared at her as ordered. "Bacon and 
eggs, toast, orange juice."

The waitress grinned at him. "Will that be all?"

"Yeah, but I want it all twice."

Scully watched the waitress leave, before pinning 
Mulder with a 'what the hell was that about?' look.

"You need to eat Scully, when was the last time you 
ate?"

Her mouth hung open. "What exactly are you trying to
say Mulder?"

Silences between them were often friendly, companionable, 
the one that developed now was the complete opposite of 
that; it was downright unpleasant. 

Eventually Mulder shrugged and looked away, unable
to take the intense, crystal blue glare of her eyes.
"Nothing, forget I said it."

She was going to let it ride when he spoke again.

"You're as thin as a rake Scully. You need to eat
to keep your strength up. You have cancer."

Her face displayed the gamut of emotions that went
through her as his words sank in. Hurt, confusion, 
anger, sadness. He saw them all.

She placed her palms on the table and used them to
lever herself up. She spoke in low, warning tones.
"Thank you Mulder. I'm well aware that I have 
cancer, its something I live with twenty-four-hours
a day. I don't need reminding."

With that, she left the booth and he watched her
graceful strides as she walked towards the ladies
room. He admired the way she held her head up.
He felt about two feet tall.

He slammed a hand against his forehead, just as the
waitress appeared with their order. She gave him a
quizzical look and he smiled politely at her to let her 
know she wasn't dealing with a lunatic.

When Scully came back, he was still trying to decide  
what to say to her. She took her seat, without looking 
at him and turned her nose up at the greasy food in front 
of her. 

Then, to his surprise, she stabbed at a piece of bacon
and shovelled it into her mouth. He watched her
face in fascination as she chewed it. When she'd
swallowed, she looked at him levelly. "Happy now?"

"I don't..." He looked around the diner to avoid her
eyes, because he thought if he looked into their
depths he might actually cry, such was the pain. "I
don't know how to handle it Scully."

She understood, because she always understood. She
dropped her fork and reached across the table to 
take his hand. "Its okay Mulder, neither do I."

Feeling more in control of himself he looked at her again. 
She gave him an unexpected, full-blown smile. He couldn't 
remember if he'd ever seen her grin properly like that; 
enough to show him a row of perfect, small white teeth. 
Her eyes were shinning and it shook him to the core.

She squeezed his hand. "We'll just make the rules up
as we go along. You're good at that." She let go
and took up the fork again, popping another piece of
bacon in her mouth to chew.

"You want something else Scully? Its not really you're
kind of meal."

"Its fine. To be honest Mulder I can't really taste it
anyway. Its the treatment, the drugs, they've 
dulled my taste buds, and I don't have much of an
appetite either." She sighed. "Which is probably why
I've been losing weight."

When he looked at her he tried to keep the pity out
of his eyes. Scully didn't accept anyone's pity.
"Do you forget to eat sometimes?"

She reddened a little. "I suppose I do."

"Okay if I nag you about it when you do?"

She took a sip of orange juice and looked at him
over the glass. "Sure. As long I can nag you about
your awful choice in neckwear, your partner ditching 
tendencies and the fact that you don't get enough 
sleep." Her head cocked to one side as she examined
his face. "Did you sleep at all last night?"

"Did you?"

She set the glass down. "For a while. I had a visitor."

Mulder looked at her curiously. 

She tried to say the words calmly, knowing that Mulder
was likely to explode when he heard them. "Alex
Krycek came to see me."

Mulder's jaw clenched and she quickly interjected when
his mouth opened to speak.

"He didn't harm me, or threaten me in any way. He came
to talk."

Mulder's voice, when he found it, was an angry whisper.
"Why the hell didn't you tell me? Call me."

She swallowed. "There was no need."

"No need..." He sighed and his tone became a little
softer. "What did he want?"

"To warn me."

"About what?"

"The same thing you warned me about. That whoever
took me the first time, might be back for seconds. Or,
worse, that they may try to eliminate me."

Mulder now understood why she hadn't been surprised
by his news that morning. 

Her gaze drifted away. "They could just pick me off any 
time, Mulder, I could just be walking down the street and..."

He reached under the table and grasped her knee,
bringing her eyes back to his. "No Scully, they don't
want to kill you, at least not yet. Those files from the
lab prove they have other plans."

She gave a sad little laugh. "Is that supposed to make
me feel better Mulder?"

He stroked knee he held. "I hope you realise I'm not
letting you out of my sight for a second."

She reached under the table and put her hand on top
of his. "There might have been a time when I would
have objected to a statement like that Mulder, but at
the moment, it sounds like a pretty good plan."

"What else did Krycek say?"

"Nothing." Her gaze floated towards her unfinished
breakfast

"You're a terrible liar Scully."

He was a little stunned when he saw tears form in her
eyes. Scully didn't cry easily, and now she was on the
brink of it for the second time in the space of as many
hours.

"Tell me Scully." He stroked her knee again, and she
squeezed his hand.

"He said the treatment I've been receiving won't help
me at all." She blinked back the tears from her eyes.
"Mulder, all that pain, the bruising, the sickness from 
the drugs. It was all for nothing."

She looked like she wanted to hit something and her
grip on his hand made him wince a little in pain.

"I don't know what to say Scully. Except I believe...
I've always believed, that together, we'll find a way
to beat this."

She withdrew her hand and moved her knee so his
hand fell away. "But its not you that's dying Mulder."

He nodded, a thousand answers formed in his mind,
'but if you die Scully, I'll die too' was among them.
Instead, he said nothing.

A minute's silence ensued before she turned to him 
again, looking deep into his hazel eyes.

"I'm sorry Mulder."

"It's okay. You can take it out on me any time you 
want."

She gave him a brief, barely there, smile, before 
becoming business-like again. "So what do we do 
when we get up to the Vineyard?"

He shrugged. "Play it carefully. Talk to a few parents, 
and abductees. Try and gain access to the laboratory by 
flashing our i.d.'s. Of course, we'll get turned away. So
we might have to explore other avenues." 

"By other avenues, you wouldn't mean breaking into
Government property would you?"

"Who me? As if I'd do such a thing."

He took a few spoonfuls of breakfast. "We'll play it nice
and easy at first Scully. Pretend we've lost interest for
a few days, do a little sight-seeing, play tourist, before
we make any kind of move."

"Speaking of making a move. We should get going."

He nodded and swallowed most of his orange juice in
one gulp. Scully caught the waitresses eye and
asked for the check. They drank their coffee without
words and wandered out into the parking lot. Scully
was walking in front of him when Mulder caught her by
her coat collar and spun her around.

She opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but her
words were taken away by his kiss. She pressed her lips 
against his eagerly, and he returned the passion, slightly 
disturbed by the effect, even this simple kiss, was having 
on his body. His hands went through her hair, and he felt 
her arms go around his waist, sneaking under his suit 
jacket and overcoat, as his tongue delved into her mouth. 
She made a small sound, that could have been born either 
from contentment, or arousal. He pulled away and planted 
a kiss on her forehead. She leaned against him and he held 
her head against his chest.

"What took you so long Mulder, I've been waiting 
for that."

He smiled down at her. "The truth Scully, is that I'm
a little scared."

"Of me?"

"Of us."

She looked up at him and planted a kiss on his chin. "Me too, 
I know its terrifying Mulder, but I want this. I'm sure of that. 
I thought we'd decided it was what we both wanted."

"I just don't understand."

"What?"

"Why you want me. You know that I could easily
make things worse between us, rather than better. I'm 
terrible at relationships Scully."

She inched away from him and grabbed him by the 
lapels of his coat to bring his face down to hers.
"We've been in a relationship for four years
Mulder, and we've done okay so far, we we're
together long before we..." She felt herself blush
a little, "Before the other night." She gave him a 
quick kiss on the lips, before turning and walking to
the car. "Come on, we have work to do."

His mood brighter, Mulder walked ahead to open
her car door for her. Before she got in she looked at 
him, and then at their surroundings. "Parking lot 
Mulder. Why do you always kiss me in parking lots?"

"You think I might have a fixation?"

"I think its a definite possibility."

"It would be interesting though Scully. Think about it,
we could traverse the country, stopping to neck
at every parking lot we see."

She shook her head at him and sank into the seat.


Scanlon Bed and Breakfast
West Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 1st, 1997
2.47 p.m.

Scully watched Mulder run into the bed and breakfast
as she leaned against the hood of the car taking in
the scenery.  It was beautiful, lush and green, and the
sun was high in the sky. She closed her eyes and turned 
her face towards it.

Her mind was reeling a little. So much had happened,
in the last twenty-four hours, some good, some bad,
and she was still processing it all. She felt some
despair, some hope; much happiness, much sadness.

On the flight to Boston, Mulder had insisted she tell him
all about Krycek's visit. Word for word. He had 
threatened to shoot Krycek on sight, the next time he
met him, just for scaring her. They'd discussed whether
what he had told her was the truth, but had come up
with no plausible explanation for why he would want to
lie to her.

Then they'd both fallen asleep. Her head on his shoulder, a 
hand resting lightly on his thigh. On descent they'd woken 
together, smiling softly at each other, sharing a gaze that 
was so intense and so laden with promise of things to 
come, that Scully had had to look away, embarrassed at 
the direction her thoughts were taking.

And on the drive down to the Vineyard, and the trip over
to the island on the ferry, she'd had to force herself to
stop touching him. She wasn't a 'touchy' person, but
every couple of minutes she had felt the need to reach
out and brush his coat sleeve, straighten his hair, or
remove imaginary fluff from his trousers. She'd done
a pretty good job of restraining herself, but there had 
been a few times when her hand had moved seemingly
of its own accord, and when it did, its reward was 
always a smile from Mulder, which would send shivers
down her spine.

There lay the hope, the happiness. The sadness lie in
the fact that she was now aware; there was no more
denying it, that she may not have long to revel in the
joy of being by Mulder's side as more than just his
partner and friend, but as his lover. 

He came bounding back from the bed and breakfast,
a definite spring in his step that she hadn't seen in years.

He dangled a key to indicate that he'd managed to
book them in. She nodded and leaned into the car
to pop the trunk open. Mulder lifted their bags and
she locked the doors. The two of them moving as
a team, doing what needed to be done, without any
confusion as to what should be done and who was
going to do it.

She surveyed the building as they approached it.
"Pretty nice Mulder. Not your usual taste."

He just shrugged and she knew then that he had 
chosen it because he thought she might like it, and
the knowledge filled her with warmth for him.

"If it would make you feel more at home Scully, I 
could find somewhere with friendly roaches and 
peeling wallpaper."

She shook her head.

It was only three stories high and Mulder led her to
the second floor and down a corridor. He stopped
in front of room number six and dropped the bags,
fishing in his pocket for the key. He opened the door
as she held out a hand for her key.

He looked down at her outstretched hand and Scully
believed she actually saw him blush. Realising her
mistake, she pulled her hand away.

"I...uh, only got the one room...."

She interrupted a little too quickly. "Its fine."

"It was presumptuous, I...."

"Its okay."

"I can get another room..."

"Mulder, shut up." She brushed past him and into the
room, with a slight smile that she hid from him.

He followed her in and put the bags on the four-poster
bed. He had seen Scully eye the bed and then move
quickly to the window.

"Its lovely Mulder." She gave him a quick glance
before walking to the bathroom.

It was a beautiful room. Lush furnishings and ornate
fittings, a real fireplace and a spectacular view. He
had often driven past, or walked past, the bed and
breakfast in his youth, and had always wondered
what it would be like inside. Now he knew.

He had wanted to please Scully so much; take her
somewhere nice. Although doing so had made him
feel a little foolish. He felt like he was back in high 
school and trying to impress a girl on whom he had a 
crush.

He watched Scully walk back into the room, drinking
in the way she moved, her every expression. Yes, he
had a crush, an enormous crush.

He cleared his throat, still a little embarrassed at
assuming that she would want to share a bed with
him. "It'll be easier for me to keep an eye on you if
we're in the same room, and there's safety in numbers."

She gave him an unreadable look. There was still so
much about her didn't know. She was often a 
complete mystery to him.

He knew he was babbling a little, but he couldn't keep
quiet. "...though I won't be offended, if you want
to get another room. If it makes you uncomfortable..."

He faltered in the sentence as Scully sat down on the
edge of the bed and gave it a little bounce. "On the
contrary Mulder, it feels very comfortable."

She glanced slyly up at him, and he realised that she
was playing with him. Teasing him the way he 
sometimes teased her.

He smiled. "Come on Agent Scully, lets go see a few
witnesses. "


Jacobs Residence
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 1st, 1997
4.28  p.m.

Megan Jacobs cradled her four month old son in her 
arms, and looked at the two very-formal, very stern
looking FBI agents who were sitting across from her.

The tall, dark-haired man was asking most of the
questions, whilst his companion; a pretty, petite,
auburn-haired woman, sat mostly in silence, gazing
around the room now and again, but her eyes falling
mostly on the infant in his mother's arms.

Megan interrupted the man's questions with one of her
own. "I just don't understand what this is about. I
don't remember much about what happened to me."

The man nodded. "I appreciate that Mrs Jacobs, but we
need you to remember anything you can. Its very
important."

"Why? All this happened ...years ago"

Mulder cleared his throat a little and leaned forward.
"We have reason to believe that you may have been
subjected to..."

Scully interjected before Mulder had a chance to 
mention Government cover-ups, alien connections, or
clones, knowing that it would be most people's 
inclination to freak out and clam up at the suggestion
that they were part of a grand conspiracy against the
American public.

"Mrs Jacobs. The FBI has noticed that around the 
time you were taken, several other children disappeared
too. All we're returned to their parents unharmed. We're 
just looking into the case as a formality. We just need to
establish that nothing untoward happened to you so that
we can stamp the cases closed."

She felt Mulder giving her a 'cut the bullshit' glare, but
ignored it and pressed on. "All we need you to do is to
tell us anything you remember at all from the time you
we're abducted."

Megan thought carefully. "I don't remember being taken
as such, just waking up in a bright room."

Scully leaned forward. "Can you describe it all?"

"There were lights that made it hot. I'd been dressed in
a hospital gown, but I was aware that I wasn't in 
hospital, although there were men there, dressed as
doctors."

"Can you describe any of the men?"

She shook her head. "Not properly, they all wore masks, 
but I think one of them might have been Japanese."

Mulder watched Scully carefully and admired the
way she hid any kind of reaction to Megan's last
statement. He wondered how close Megan's 
experiences were to Scully's partial memories of
being taken, but he was still somewhat agitated at
his partner for taking over an interview that he'd
been conducting. He knew why she had, but that
just made it seem worse. Why did she feel like she
had to protect people from him?

Megan continued. "I remember them giving me an
injection, and me screaming. As a child, I hated 
needles." She sighed. "And I'm afraid that's it. 
Oh, apart from the fact that I was aware there were 
other children there too, one of them comforted me. 
I knew the name, but it escapes me now."

Scully got to her feet and nodded. "Thank you."

Mulder stood also and walked past Scully and through 
the door, without bidding their witness goodbye. Scully 
could tell he was pissed at her for taking over the 
questioning, and prepared herself for any disagreement 
that might follow.

Megan seemed not to notice Mulder's rudeness. She 
smiled and got to her feet, gazing fondly at her son,
who had drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Scully looked down at the infant and then back at the 
mother. "He's beautiful, how old is he?"

"Four months." Megan looked into the FBI agent's
eyes as she answered and swore she saw a hint of 
jealousy in them.

Scully went towards the door. "Sorry to have taken up 
your time Mrs Jacobs."

"No problem."

Scully stopped, and turned, gripping the door handle.
"I hope you don't mind me asking, but did you have
any trouble conceiving?"

Confused, Megan shook her head before she had time
to wonder at the strangeness of the question. "No, none."

Scully nodded again and walked into the hall. Mulder
had left the door open, and she bid Megan goodbye
as she walked through it and out to the car. When she 
settled herself in the passenger seat beside Mulder, she 
tried to ignore his clenched jaw. He glared at her, but 
she shot him a cool 'we'll discuss it later' look.

He started the engine and was about to pull away,
when he noticed Mrs Jacobs coming out of the house, 
waving to them to stop. He rolled down the window
and she approached the car, leaning down to speak
to them.

"I remembered the name. The one who comforted me.
It was Samantha."


end of part II

***********

Armistice III
by Caroline O'Callaghan <caroline.o@virgin.net>



Mulder stared at Megan Jacobs like she had slapped him.
The woman looked confused and Scully leaned over to
appease the situation.

"Thank you Mrs Jacobs, you've been a big help."

Megan nodded, gave them both another wary look, and
turned and walked back into her house.

Scully glanced at Mulder, who was now gazing at the 
windshield, seemingly a million miles away. She
gently touched his arm to bring him back and he
turned to her, a face full of wonder.

"She was here all the time Scully, right here in the
Vineyard. I looked everywhere, and she was right here."

"Mulder you don't know that. It might be a coincidence,
maybe she's talking about another Samantha."

Mulder gave her a look that she read as 'c'mon Scully,
cut the crap'.

She wanted to pull his head to her chest to comfort 
him, but she settled for stroking his arm lightly. "I can
guess where were going now, but take it easy Mulder,
don't let them know what you know."

"Give me a little credit Scully."

She pulled her hand away, aware that his harshness
and restrained anger, were not meant for her, even if
they were directed at her at the moment.

"Okay, let's go."


J.E.M. Laboratory
West Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
5.20  p.m.

Mulder pulled the car to a stop, and looked quickly at his 
partner, who was gazing at the building with a troubled 
expression . He was eager to try and gain access to the 
laboratory, but took a moment to see if everything was 
alright with Scully. "Something wrong?"

She cleared her throat and shook her head. "Deja Vu."

"You've been here before?"

"No, I don't think so, it just felt like I'd seen or
done this before."

The tension that had been present at the start of the
journey had eased slightly with each mile, as he
came to regret being harsh with her outside the
Jacobs residence. Now, more than ever, he needed
Scully by his side.

He leaned over and peered into her eyes. "Scully, is that 
you? My real partner would never admit the possibility 
that her cognitive mind had conjured up a false memory 
so strong that it had felt like a real occurrence."

His face was just in front of hers, she could see
every pore; the whiskers of his five o'clock shadow;
his full bottom lip. It was too much to resist and she 
leaned in and kissed him, quickly, but not chastely.
He looked at her, his expression betraying
surprise and pleasure.

"There's a logical reason for Deja Vu Mulder."

He smiled. "That's better."

"Although I've never been to this place before, I've
probably been somewhere very similar, under similar
circumstances, but the memory is so dormant..."

He cut her off by giving her a kiss in return. When he
pulled away she licked her lips, capturing the lingering
taste of him. Caffine and sunflower seeds. She reached
out a hand to pull him to her again, but he pulled back
to his side of the car.

She tried to ignore the small pang of rejection that entered 
her heart and slipped to her stomach. She understood 
Mulder's retreat, they were here for work, not play. And 
work came first, Samantha came first; Mulder had warned 
her of that. Even so, a part of her wished that he didn't find 
it so easy to resist her.

He reached over and pushed a strand of errant
hair behind her ear. She gave him a look that she knew
was full of longing and he smiled.

"Oh Scully." He sighed. "You'd better stop looking
at me like that. We're probably on Candid Camera."

He gestured up towards the security camera on the
perimeter fence of the building.

She sighed. "Great, they're really going take me 
seriously, now they've seen us......" She gestured with 
her hand, unable to find the right word.

He made a similar gesture with his hand and got out
of the car. Scully followed him and they walked
towards the gate of the laboratory together.

"We're not being very discreet Mulder."

He gave her a side look, but he was becoming more
focused on the task at hand now.

She continued. "The parking lot this morning, sharing
the same room...now here in..." She looked around
and realised they were in another parking lot. Mulder
must have been listening more closely than she had
thought and the realisation dawned on him at the same 
time. 

He grinned. "Must be the smell of gasoline or 
something."

She shook her head at him. "You have any other 
fetishes I should know about."

"Only my one for women who carry firearms and
handcuffs."

"Seriously though Mulder, don't you think we ought 
to be a little careful?"

"We'll talk about it later Scully."

She started to speak again, but he put a finger to his lips.
She obeyed his request when she saw the security guard
appear at the gate. He gave them a questioning look up
and down.

"Can I help you?"

"We'd like to see Mr Nolan, I understand he's the director
of this facility."

"Do you have an appointment?"

Mulder exchanged glances with Scully and they 
simultaneously pulled out their FBI badges for inspection.
"We're here on an investigation, we don't need an
appointment."

The Guard nodded politely, but he seemed to be hiding a
sneer. "This is a high-level security, Government facility.
Even the president would need an appointment."

Scully noted how the two men we're squaring up to each
other now. Mulder stood with his hands on hips, jacket
pulled back, to reveal his firearm.

"I'd ask Mr Nolan if he would like to see Agent Scully
and I personally if I were you. I doubt that decisions
about visitors to this facility are yours to make."

The Guard sucked in a breath, making his chest look
even wider than it was. "And if I were you Agent
Mulder, I'd leave and not come back till you have an
appointment." He looked down at Scully with a leer.
"I'm sure you'll find something else to do."

Mulder glanced at Scully to gauge her reaction. She
met the Guard's look with a cool gaze and a sweet tone.
"I'm sure we all have other things to do. So why don't
you please ask Mr Nolan if he'll see us. If he says no, 
we'll go away. Fair enough?"

The request was put so nicely, in such a non-threatening
manner, that the Guard seemed to not know how to
react. He bustled a little, nodded, and walked over to
a security hut at the gate and picked up an internal 
telephone line.

Mulder looked at his partner in surprise.

"Manners cost nothing Mulder."

"I'll have to remember that. Maybe that's where I've
been going wrong all these years."

Five minutes later they were met at the gate by Nolan's
assistant and driven into the laboratory. Mulder and
Scully scanned every inch of the property on the way
in, looking for any piece of evidence that would help
them in their quest. 

They were shown to Nolan's office. He stood to greet 
them. He was a odd-looking man with bulging eyes, a 
broken nose and a head that seemed too big for his 
body. When he stood to greet them, Mulder noted
that Scully, in her heels, was a good few inches taller
than the director.

His thoughts wandered at the observation, and for some 
reason, conjured up an image of Scully in nothing but her 
heels, which he filed away in his mind for later, under 'I' 
for 'Inappropriate at this time'.

Nolan spoke in a ridiculously squeaky, high pitched tone.
"Now, what possible reason could the FBI have for 
coming to this facility?"

He looked at Mulder for an explanation, but it was Scully
who spoke. "We're investigating a case. Its come to our
attention that several children on the Vineyard, over a 
certain time span in the late 1960's and 70's, were 
taken and later returned to their parents. During the time 
they were missing, they all have memories of being held 
in a laboratory and experimented upon.

Nolan laughed, reminding Mulder of a leprechaun. He
was really starting to hate the man. 

"You don't think the J.E.M. facility had any thing to do 
with these cases surely? Look around you Ms Scully,
its patently obvious that this building is only a few years
old."

Mulder interrupted. "What was here before it was built?"

The man shrugged. "I have no idea. Why don't you check
the local library? This meeting is starting to sound like
a waste of my time."

"What kind of work are you carrying out here?"

"That's classified."

"Can you tell us what Government department finances
your work?"

"No, I'm afraid I can't."

Scully leaned forward. "Then I suppose a tour of the
laboratory is out of the question?"

Nolan looked at Scully as if she were stupid, and 
Mulder saw his partner bristle with restrained
anger, but she said nothing.

He admired her control, he was losing patience fast.
He was on the verge of standing up and shouting.
'Where's my sister you son-of-a-bitch?' followed by
'What the fuck are you covering up you little toad?'

"Sir, you are hampering our investigation."

Nolan got to his feet to indicate he was about to
show them the door. "I would have thought the
FBI had better things to do than disrupt important
Government work because a few hysterical people
imagine they were experimented on by aliens."

Mulder exchanged a look with Scully, before glancing 
back at Nolan. "I never mentioned aliens Sir."

"Well that's what you two do, isn't it? Chase aliens?"

Scully stood and shot a fierce look at Nolan. The
man almost recoiled from it. "No, that's not what we
do. But you've obviously heard of us, can I ask how?"

The man chuckled, but Mulder noticed that he'd 
suddenly become nervous and his mouth twitched
as he spoke. "You're the laughing stock of Washington,
that's how I know you."

Mulder stood, knowing their time was up. "Spend a lot 
of time in Washington do you Mr Nolan?"

"I have enough contacts there to make sure that your
ass is grass if you try to come here again and make
accusations about me or this laboratory."

Scully shot him another withering look before moving
to the door. "Accusations. I don't remember making
any accusations, do you Mulder?"

He shook his head. "No Scully I don't."

Nolan reached over his desk to press an intercom button.
Mulder waved a hand in the air. "Don't bother calling
security, we're on our way out."

He joined Scully at the door and opened it, but before
they exited he shot one last question at Nolan. "Your
contacts in Washington Mr Nolan. Any of them smoke?"

The director looked at him in open-mouthed astonishment.
Mulder nodded as he and Scully left the room.

They didn't speak until they were sitting back in the car
and Scully was pulling on her seatbelt while Mulder
started the engine. 

"So Mulder, what happened to playing it cool and not
letting them know too much?"

He shrugged. It could have been a criticism, but he knew
Scully didn't mean it as one, she just wanted to know
what was going on his mind. "Change of plan."

"Oh, you mean you actually have a plan?"

To her surprise he reached over and squeezed her hand.
"We'll talk back at the room."

They didn't speak as he drove them along the quiet lanes
of the Island. Each was comfortable with the silence,
lost in their own thoughts.


Scanlon Bed and Breakfast
West Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 1st, 1997
7.05 p.m.

Back in their room, Scully yawned, sat wearily on the
bed and waited for Mulder to gather his thoughts. He
was pacing and she watched him move.

"Did you see his face when I mentioned Cancer Man?
Nolan definitely knows him."

Scully nodded. "He was defensive from the first moment
we were in there, he's obviously hiding something."

"What do you think goes on at that laboratory Scully?"

She shrugged. "I honestly don't know Mulder, and I
wouldn't like to surmise anything. Although its unlikely
that building was the same laboratory the children were
taken to. Like Nolan said, its only been there a few years."

Mulder ran a hand through his hair and sat on the edge 
of the bed, a few inches away from her. "What if the
original laboratory was underground, like the one in
Virginia? What if this building has been built on top of
the original? There may still be evidence underneath.
Maybe there are tunnels leading to it, like there was in
Breakspeare."

Scully sat up a little and gave him a questioning look.
"Mulder, what are you suggesting?"

"That there's another way in. Just because we can't
get in the front door...."

She gave him another stern look. "You want to go
searching the surrounding undergrowth for tunnels
that may not even be there?"

He shrugged. "Yes."

"Tonight?"

He nodded. 

She sighed. "I don't think its a good idea. We've
alerted them now Mulder. They know were here
and they'll be expecting us to make a move. I think
your original plan was better. We should lay low 
for a few days, play tourist..."

He cut her off and got to his feet. "What if there's no
time for that?"

Scully knew why he wanted to speed things up. Samantha. 
His driving force. Tomorrow wasn't good enough where 
his sister was concerned. She knew, when he had booked 
this room, that he had done so with the intention of 
making love to her in it, and she had looked forward to 
the coming of the evening with a thrill. Now she was to be 
denied that. Instead she had to go trawling through trees 
and bushes in search of secret passages, like some heroine 
out of a children's adventure book. She almost laughed at 
herself when she realised she was jealous. Jealous of her 
lover's sister, who may or may not be alive, and who hadn't 
been in his life since he was twelve. As much as she wanted 
Mulder to find Samantha, or what had happened to her, 
sometimes she couldn't help but hate the search for her that 
controlled Mulder, and sometimes influenced his actions to 
the point where he seemed to be acting in madness.

She got to her feet and began rooting through her 
luggage. Mulder came to stand over her. "Scully,
can I count on your help?"

She found her sleepwear and stood up to face him.
"Of course you can, always Mulder."

He looked as if he might kiss her but she stepped 
backwards.

"I'm going to change, and grab a couple of hours
sleep. Everything that's happened, and the travelling
...well I'm tired. Wake me up later and we'll go."

He nodded and she went into the bathroom to change. He 
noted that she locked the door. He wondered if it was 
habit, shyness, or whether she was withdrawing from him.

He shook the anxiety from his mind and forced himself
to concentrate on the job in hand. He sought out the
lists from the laboratory and sat down in a chair to 
peruse them again, in case anything had been missed.

When Scully came out of the bathroom, Mulder felt
his mouth go dry, his heart constrict and another part
of his anatomy harden. She wore a deep blue, silk,
nightgown that fell to just above her knees. She shot
him a quick, unreadable look as she walked towards
the bed. He watched the way the silk played around her
body, showing her curves and dips to such an effect
that he couldn't take his eyes off her. He noted the
elegance in her neck and shoulders, revealed by the
thin spaghetti straps and the delightful way the material
hugged her breasts. He shifted in the chair and wondered
whether she had worn the wonderful piece of clothing
to drive him crazy on purpose. 'Take that Fox Mulder,
this is what you're missing'.

She laid down, pulling the covers up and shutting her
eyes.


Scanlon Bed and Breakfast
West Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 1st, 1997
9.05 p.m.

Scully awoke to an unfamiliar sound 0and a strange 
feeling.

A snoring Mulder, draped over her. A leg between
her legs, his face buried in her neck and hair, and a hand
lightly resting on her left breast. She lay still, a quiet
smile on her lips, enjoying the moment, despite a
thick fuzziness that seemed to be occupying her brain.

He snored louder and she nudged his leg with one of
her own, hoping to disturb him just enough to quell
the sound. He shifted and she felt his arousal brush her
thigh through the material of the sweat pants he had 
changed into. Her body tingled with the knowledge
that he wanted her, and sparks of desire flew through 
her when he tightened his hold on her breast. She
resisted a moan of pleasure, but gloried in the
thought that she had the ability to turn him on.

His head lifted up and his eyes opened. His hair was 
poking out in all directions and his eyes were dark as they 
met hers. She felt herself melt a little. He smiled sleepily 
at her and then must have realised where his hand was 
because he pulled it away sharply. "Sorry...I"

She kissed him. "There's nothing to apologise for 
Mulder. Decided to join me for a nap huh?"

"Well you looked so cosy in here, I couldn't resist."
He touched the strap of her nightgown and she sucked
in a breath. "This is nice."

"My mother bought it for me, I think she was hoping
it might encourage me to find someone I could wear
it for." She wondered whether Mulder thought she had
worn it for him. The truth was that, with him dragging
her off at the last minute all the time, she hadn't had
much time to do laundry lately and it had been the only 
clean nightwear she'd had to pack.

He shifted his legs a little, so she wasn't able to feel
his erection anymore. He probably thought she hadn't noticed
in the first place. She remembered suddenly an 
important conversation they had postponed.
"Mulder, what happens if the Bureau finds out?"

He shrugged. "Scully I'm paying for this hotel, not the 
Bureau. It won't go through expenses, they won't know 
we played roomies."

"But should we be, you know....displaying our...
feelings for one another out in the open? I mean..."

He cut her off with a kiss. "I don't care who knows,
I'm not going to hide it."

"But it could give them a justified reason to separate
us as partners, maybe even dissolve the X Files."

"Scully, I hate to break this to you, but most people in
 the Bureau already think we're sleeping together."

Her eyebrow arched up and he did something he had
wanted to do for the longest time. He kissed it.

"They do?"

"They think we've been at it like bunnies for years. I'm
sure even Skinner suspects we're involved."

"Suspecting and knowing are two different things Mulder.
As much as Skinner purports to be on our side, if he had
actual evidence that we're sleeping together, he might
have no choice but to take action."

"Scully, I'm not going to try and take you on the reception
desk of the Hoover Building or anything." The words
conjured up an image which he struggled to put aside. 
"We won't be obvious, but I'm not going to hide in the
shadows either."

He kissed her, deeply, loving the softness of her lips. She
sighed, opened her mouth to him and his tongue sank
inside, glorying in her taste. 

Scully kissed him back with fervour as they lay on their
sides. She thought she knew why Mulder felt so reckless
about their relationship. Because he knew they didn't have
much time left anyway; he knew that they would
be separated soon, either by her death, or this case, which
felt like it would solve many of the answers they had
been seeking for so long. The whereabouts of Samantha,
the nature of the 'tests' that she and other women had been 
subjected too. Much was likely to be revealed, and who 
knew where it would leave the two of them when it was.

They kissed for a long time. Tasting, nibbling, sucking, and
inevitably hands came into play as Scully sneaked hers 
under his t-shirt to feel his chest and his moved lower, past
her waist and onto her backside where they stroked and then
pulled her towards him so that her stomach was against
his arousal. 

She managed to disentangle their mouths long enough to
work his t-shirt over his head and then she dipped her head 
to his chest, running a tongue over his nipple. He ran a 
hand through her hair and ground his hips towards her. 

Her right hand moved devilishly downwards and took a
tight hold of him. When he gulped for air she kissed his
adams apple and released him just long enough to sneak
the hand inside the sweatpants. She smiled against his
chest when no underwear barred her way. She wasn't
wearing any either. She ran her hand along his length in 
slow, tight strokes and pulled her head back to look at his 
face, just to assure herself that she was giving pleasure, not 
pain, because she couldn't tell either way from the groans 
she was eliciting from him.

His face was screwed up, but he was definitely enjoying
her touch. His hips began to thrust into her hand.

Her name was a choke. "Scully." The hand that had
been in her hair moved down between their bodies
and sneaked between her thighs.

Her own voice was deep and hoarse with desire "Yes 
Mulder."

She didn't know whether he'd been asking permission,
but she'd given it anyway and shifted her position so
her legs fell open. When his fingers found her she groaned
loudly and struggled to keep up the rhythm she had found
in stroking him. 

They kissed deeply as their lower bodies moved desperately.
Each thrusting into the other's hand as fingers played,
danced, stroked, gripped. 

Scully smiled against his lips, reminded of early sexual
experiences when she hadn't dared have actual intercourse,
but had wanted the physical contact. The memory of the
back seat of a car, a nervous hand inside her underwear
fumbling with her, while she struggled with a stubborn
zipper.

But then suddenly, Mulder touched her just there, right
where she longed to have him touch her, and two fingers
slipped inside her, and all other thoughts were lost. There
was nobody else but Mulder. Nothing else but the feel of
him, the taste of him, the smell of him.

She increased her pace on him and he groaned. "Scully."

The fuzziness in her head began turning into an ache,
and she knew that she was unlikely to get total satisfaction
from his lovemaking, even though he was doing everything
right and giving much pleasure.

She let go of him and pushed away the hand that had 
been stroking her. His eyes sought hers to ask what she
wanted. She made it clear by kissing him and pushing
his sweatpants down by the waistband. He kicked them
off, and grabbed the edge of her nightgown, but she 
shook her head.

"I want to see you. I don't care about..."

She cut him off with another kiss. She hated the ugly, 
treatment-induced bruises that covered her back, didn't
want them to be revealed and hoped he wouldn't force
the issue. He didn't. He kissed her forehead, snaked  
his hips between her thighs and pushed up into her with
a loud moan.

Scully caught her bottom lip between her teeth. God, he
filled her so well, so completely. A perfect fit. He 
wasn't too large, and he certainly wasn't too small. Just
right. He rocked them slowly at first, gazing down at
her with intensity, then quickened the pace to fit his
growing need. Scully's fingers pressed into his behind,
pulling him back in when he withdrew. Her hips rushing
to meet every thrust.

Mentally Mulder knew he ought to slow things down.
Scully hadn't come and didn't look as if she were just about
to either, but his body betrayed him, quickening the pace
despite his concerns. It was too glorious, being inside her,
being enveloped by her. Watching the wonderful expressions
that lit up her face as he began to pound in and out of her, 
increasingly faster.

His blood was rushing, his heart beating frantically. "Scully
..." She understood him, even though he couldn't find the
words.

"Its okay Mulder. Come for me."

He went wild then and she stopped trying to match his
pace because it became impossible. The ache in her head
was now a searing pain and she cursed it, for if it hadn't
been there she would be enjoying the friction to the utmost,
and reaching high points of pleasure in Mulder's arms.
With a smile she thought about how his frantic pace was
going leave a lasting impression on her body. She probably
wouldn't be able to walk straight for the next few days.

He exploded inside her with a yell and his body collapsed
heavily on top of her. She held him to her and stroked
back his sweat-soaked hair. He gasped into her ear. "Scully."

"Yes I'm here."

He gripped her tightly and her heart swelled.

He raised his face to look into her eyes. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. Although you're a little heavy."

He grinned and left her. Rolling over so that he lay next
to her on his back. "Sorry."

She regretted saying anything, wanting him back inside
her, now that he was gone. 

He stroked her hair and watched her closely. "I'm sorry,
you didn't..."

She put a finger to his lips and he kissed it. 

Her voice was soft. "Don't worry about it."

"But I do. Its kind of a blow to my sexual ego Scully."

She shook her head at him. "Nothing to do with you Mulder. 
Don't go getting performance anxiety on me will you?"

"I want to pleasure you every time."

She kissed him. "Its a lovely thought, but I've never been 
one of those women that it happens easily for. It usually 
takes a lot for me to...well...you know."

She lay on her side and boosted herself up on her
elbow to look down at him. "In fact the other night,
with you. That's the first time that its ever happened
twice for me, in one night."

He looked a little proud of himself and she hid her
smile from him behind her long fringe of hair. "Don't
expect that that's going to happen every night."

"Ahh, but Scully..." He looked over at the clock.
"This particular night is still very young, and I think we 
have a little time to see just what can be accomplished
when we set our minds to it."

He pushed her onto her back and laid over her again.

"Already Mulder. That's fast re-loading."

He smiled down at her. "'Fraid not Scully, but there's
more than one way to make love to a woman."

He kissed her neck first and then began working his 
way down, nuzzling her breasts through the silk
material of her gown. When he reached her stomach,
he pushed it up and kissed the flesh around her
belly button.

Scully lay back, enjoying the sensations. The pounding
in her head was subsiding slightly and her body came
alive at the thought of what he was going to do to her.
His mouth was nearly there; just a couple of inches
lower.

Mulder looked up, eager to see what kind of expressions
were crossing her exquisite face. He froze. "Scully."

Hearing the concern in his face she sat up. "What?"

"You have a nosebleed, Scully."

"Oh." Her hand flew to her upper lip and she pushed him 
roughly off her, got out of bed and rushed to the bathroom.

She shut the door firmly. Mulder got up and found his
sweatpants, pulling them on as he went to the door
and knocked lightly on it. "Scully. Is there anything I
can do?"

"No. Its okay. Well, there's some tablets in my medical
kit, in a green bottle, could you get them for me?"

"Sure." When he found the bottle he frowned at the 
label, recognising the medical term for what were 
essentially pain-killers. 

He opened the bathroom door and walked in, ignoring
the fact that she had shut him out. She looked at him
accusingly, then her expression softened when he held
out the pills, which she took from him.

"Pain-killers Scully?"

She was dabbing at her nose with a flannel. The blood
had almost stopped. "I have a headache, that's all."

"Must be a pretty bad one if you don't think Asprin
will cure it."

"Could you get me a glass of water Mulder."

He did as asked and watched as she swallowed the
pills down. She handed the glass back to him.

"I guess we should getting ready to go."

He laughed in amazement and shook his head at her.
"The only place you're going is the emergency room
Scully. That's two nosebleeds in three days, and now
you have this headache."

She raised her voice. "Its just a headache. You're not
ditching me, I'm going with you."

The glared at one another for a long time. Silence echoed 
around the small bathroom. Mulder gave in first.

"I'm just concerned Dana, I think you need to get
yourself checked out."

Hearing her first name fired her temper. She hated the
way Mulder used it when he thought she was feeling
vulnerable. He used it as a weapon, to get to her; to
try and persuade her. "No, what I need is to go with 
you and find out why this is happening to me. 
I need to fight back, take some action. Sitting in a 
waiting room or hospital bed is not an option, I don't 
have time for it." She sighed heavily and leaned against 
the sink. "This case might give you some answers, but it 
could also give me some."

When she had finished she lifted her chin in defiance,
and he had half formed an argument in his mind when
he noticed that her eyes were secretly pleading with 
him. He was helpless against their appeal. "Okay. I 
can't make you do anything. Its your choice. Let's get 
ready."


Woods outside the J.E.M. Laboratory
West Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 1st
10.58  p.m.

Mulder cursed when he stubbed his toe on a felled
tree trunk. His partner shot him a sympathetic
glance, which was tinged with a look that screamed
'that's what you get for walking around woods in 
the middle of the night'.

"Why are you so sure there's going to be another
way in?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. Let's just say I have a 
big hunch."

"I thought we already took care of your big hunch."

He laughed, then looked at her in shock.

"What Mulder? You think I've worked with you all
these years and not learned a little about the art of 
innuendo?"

"Well its nice to know I've taught you something."

They'd worked their way to the top of a hill that looked
down over the laboratory. Mulder pulled out his
binoculars.

Scully looked up at him expectantly. "Something going
on down there?"

"Yeah. It looks like they're moving house."

"What?" She grabbed the binoculars herself and looked
through them to see men at the back entrance of the
laboratory loading large boxes into removal trucks. She
noted the name on the side of the trucks before looking
back up at Mulder.

"You don't suppose our visit freaked them so much, 
that they've been forced to move premises do you?"

"Nolan was pretty uptight about us being there, but I
can't see us as that much of a threat. This is a pretty big
operation. Moving it would take a lot of planning, maybe 
they've been arranging this for a while and our arrival was
a coincidence. Perhaps that's why Nolan was so edgy, he
was afraid we'd see this, all his secrets in transit." He 
looked down at her, eyes full of excitement. "We have
to get in there before everything disappears Scully. Its
a good thing we came tonight instead of waiting."

"The question is how. Look at the security they have.
There must be fifty guards down there, and dogs and
cameras."

Mulder reclaimed his binoculars from her and raised
them to look down at the laboratory grounds. He was
quiet for a long time and she jumped when he 
eventually spoke. "I can't believe we didn't see it
before."

"What?"

"Rail tracks. There are rail tracks. They go from one
outbuilding to another, and then..." He pocketed
the binoculars and grinned down at her. "Then they
disappear."

She looked up at him doubtfully. "Railtracks?"

He nodded eagerly. "A tradesman's entrance."

"But you said they disappeared."

"Disappear from view Scully."

"You mean you think they're underground?"

"A tunnel. Which would make sense, I mean
we're on an island. If the track is connected to the
mainland, it would have to go under the water."

He headed quickly off in a direction east of the
laboratory. She struggled to catch up with his
movement and his thoughts. "Mulder. I don't
understand."

He turned and stopped. "Don't you see Scully?
They have their own railroad. I've travelled on
it before, and so have you."

She suddenly remembered being shown a train car 
fitted out like an operating theatre in Perky, West 
Virginia, and knowing that she had been in it before. 
She also recalled Mulder jumping onto a moving train, 
convinced that it was transporting an alien life form.

"My God, Mulder..."

"All the time Scully, when I was looking up at the
sky, I should have been checking out the choo-choos.
I'll bet there was a track in Virginia and one on
Skyland Mountain where Duane Barry took you.
They were just very well hidden. Better hidden than
this one probably is."

He rushed into the trees again. She paused briefly
before she followed.

They found it within thirty minutes. The track surfaced
for about half a mile before it disappeared into tunnels,
one heading into the laboratory grounds and the other
heading away, in the direction of the mainland. Mulder
paused at the edge of the tunnel and looked down at
his partner. They both wore black jackets, sweaters, jeans 
and boots. She provided the only colour around. Her hair 
looked like fire in the night sky, her eyes were flashing an
extraordinary blue, and her lips were cherry red. He took
a moment just to study her; to commit this particular image
of her to memory - utterly gorgeous whilst scurrying
around train tracks in the middle of night, looking like a pint-
sized member of the S.A.S.

Scully shone her flashlight down the tunnel and then gazed
up at him with a sense of foreboding. "Mulder this tunnel
has been built just wide enough for a train."

He looked at her blankly and she sighed at his lack of
practicality.

"What I'm saying is, that if we go down here, and a train
comes. We're hamburger."

"You have such a nice way of putting things Scully."

"I suppose you still want to risk it?"

"What are the chances of them sending a train down
here now? I mean, you saw them, they're packing up.
They're not expecting any more deliveries." He put a hand
on her arm. "Scully, I just feel that we're so close..."

"Okay, okay." She gave him a shove towards the tunnel.
"Lead on MacDuff."

He walked eagerly into the damp, dark, brick tunnel. Scully
followed more warily, consoling herself with the thought
that at least if she were to get mowed down by a train, she
was with Mulder, and he was wearing that black leather
jacket and jeans outfit that did wonderful things for him. 
She'd die, but at least her last view would be of Mulder,
and he was looking damn fine.


End of part III

**********

Armistice IV
by Caroline O'Callaghan <caroline.o@virgin.net>


They didn't speak as they walked, Scully following
carefully behind Mulder. She knew they were walking
into dangerous territory. Even putting aside the fact
that they could be mowed down by a train at any moment,
there was still the possibility that they would be caught
and killed to ensure their silence. 

Scully cursed every sound they made in the dark, dank
tunnel; their footsteps, and even the breaths they took. 
They walked for around half a mile before they saw the 
the end of the tunnel. As they approached it, Mulder
looked around at her in an 'are you ready for this'
kind of way. She nodded, and they put their backs
against the tunnel wall as they edged into an outbuilding
with a makeshift train platform. Hearing no voices or
activity, Mulder shone his light around and whispered
to his partner. "Looks like were alone."

She whispered back. "They've must have finished 
packing here. Do we go on?"

Mulder licked his dry lips. "Yes?"

"Mulder..." She let the sentence trail off, knowing
he didn't want to hear her warnings; her telling him that
they should be careful. He was searching for the truth
now and nothing or no-one was going to stop him.

They followed the track through the empty building, until 
they reached the grounds of the laboratory. The track 
went on, but there was no tunnel, if they wanted to go 
further they would have to walk across in plain sight.

Scully could hear voices in the distance and peeked out
of the building to see groups of men, about a hundred
yards away, still loading the trucks. She shot a look at 
Mulder.

He was looking down the train tracks to the building
across the way. If they were going to make it there,
they'd have to dodge the security and removal men.

She tossed her head in the direction of the men and
Mulder shrugged his shoulders. "We'll run for it."

She sighed and switched off her flashlight, tucking it into
the waistband of her jeans whilst removing her gun.
She clicked the safety off, deciding that if she was
caught, she at least wanted some form of defence.

"On three?"

She found Mulder's eyes in the moonlight. Her heart
was beating with excitement and the adrenaline was
flowing. Mulder must have recognised it, because he
suddenly grinned at her. She frowned at him.

"Did I ever tell you I think you're amazing Scully?"

She grinned back. "Let's do it Mulder."

She thought for a moment he was going to throw a
suggestive comment at her in reply but he merely
nodded, and then they ran.

The fear of getting caught must have increased her
normal sprint capabilities because she beat Mulder
across the yard. Although, she was panting furiously
when she reached the other side and flung herself
against the wall; whilst Mulder was barely out of
breath and joined her a moment later.

The tracks disappeared behind huge double doors.
Mulder looked everywhere for a way to open
them, before sighing heavily and shrugging at 
Scully. "They must open from the inside."

After glancing nervously at the laboratory 
personnel who were carrying on their tasks, oblivious 
to the intruders, she looked back at Mulder. "Then let's 
find another way in, I'm not going back empty handed 
after risking life and limb getting this far."

They walked slowly around the main laboratory
building, keeping close to the wall and in the 
shadows. 

Nevertheless, three minutes later they were caught.
A tall, broad figure stepped out of a doorway and
pointed a large automatic weapon at them. "Hold it."

They both stilled instantly. 

Their captor looked them up and down and then, to
their surprise, lowered his weapon. He spoke roughly
to Mulder. "What are you doing out here, why aern't
you helping with the loading?"

Mulder didn't dare look at Scully, afraid any movement
might give them away. He realised that the man was 
dressed in roughly the same attire he was. Black jeans,
black t-shirt, black leather jacket. It was obviously
some kind of uniform, and his clothes looked so similar
in the dark that he had been mistaken for a member of
the security team. But what the hell was the man going
to think when he saw Scully? She definitely wasn't big
enough to be mistaken for anybody's paid gorilla.

The guard's eyes shifted towards her, narrowed and then
turned on Mulder. "Why is she out here? She should be
ready for transportation by now."

Mulder thought quickly, his brain running on over-time,
he just prayed that Scully hadn't shown too much of a
reaction to the question. Mulder cleared his throat.
"She was restless. I was asked to take her for a walk. I'm
taking her back in again now."

The guard looked at Mulder, as if he might interrogate him
further, but then calmly stepped aside and opened the
door for them.

Mulder took Scully by the elbow, as if she were his 
prisoner and practically hauled her through the door. 
Once it was shut behind them and the guard out of sight, 
Scully breathed again for what felt like the first time in 
five minutes.

Mulder looked around the brightly-lit corridor, which was 
empty with the exception of a few boxes and themselves.
He loosened his grip on Scully's elbow and tried not to be
too affected by the small face that was looking up at him
with a mixture of confusion, terror and relief. "I say we
look around and then get out of here before he realises
that we're not who he thought we were."

He began to move off down the corridor, but Scully 
stopped him with a hand on his forearm. "Mulder, he knew
me."

"They may have test subjects held here Scully, he 
probably just thought you were one of them."

"No Mulder. He looked right at me. And he knew me."

He cupped her face with both his hands and looked
down at her pleadingly. "I know Scully. It was strange,
I admit, but we don't have time to think about it
now. We have to get in and out of here quickly."

Regaining her composure a little, she nodded and
jerked her face away. Mulder went ahead and after
passing by several locked doors he was beginning to
lose hope of finding anything significant. The
corridor came to a stop eventually and another one
crossed it, leading left and right. He hesitated, looking
to make sure no-one was around and then chose to
go left. Behind him, he heard Scully stop and
he turned to see if there was a problem.

"Its the other way Mulder."

He looked at her incredulously. "What?"

"Trust me, its the other way."

She jogged off and he had no choice but to follow her,
and wonder at how on earth she knew where she was
going.

After a few hundred metres she stopped again, her
attention focused on a set of double doors to her
right. She looked at the doorknob desperately, as if
she were almost afraid to see what lay beyond. Mulder
reached out and turned it for her. To his surprise, it
opened and together they walked into what seemed to
be an operating theatre. It was in darkness, and most of 
its fixtures and fittings had been removed.

Mulder shone his light around at Scully, only to see
her blinking furiously, holding back tears that threatened
her composure. He walked across and laid a hand on her
arm.

"Scully, do you remember this place?"

She nodded, her voice cracking as she spoke, fighting to
form her words. "It wasn't de ja vu this morning Mulder.
It was my memory coming back."

"Your memories from your abduction?"

"Yes. This is where..." She faltered, but then found the
strength to go on. "This is where they put the microchip
in my neck. Right here. There was an operating table. I
was awake when they did it. I couldn't move, it was like 
I was paralysed, they must have given me some kind of 
drug, but I could see everything. Once they'd inserted
it, they tested it, to see if it was working. There were
rows of computer monitors, all along this wall." She
walked over and started at the now featureless wall.

Mulder came up behind her. "Scully. Before, you said
that everything had happened in the train car, and now
you're telling me things happened here..."

She whirled around to face him. "I was experimented
on in the train car, while I was brought here...on the
way here. I think they were testing me to make sure I
was healthy. Some of the tests were very ordinary, like
a medical exam, and others...." She closed her eyes.

"You don't have to remember everything now. You can
tell me the rest later, but is there anything we should see,
before we leave?"

"Oh Mulder, there's so much more."

She walked to the back of the room and found a door 
controlled by an electronic key pad.

Mulder looked at the security device and then at Scully.
"I don't suppose you remember the number do you?"

"No, but you might."

He looked at her quizzically, before smiling; remembering
another keypad, when he had been locked inside a train car 
that was just about to explode, and Scully reading out the 
code over the phone, one that she had discovered by watching a 
video of the consortium's activities; his alien autopsy video. 
If the number was the same, it was going to be well worth 
the $29.95 he had paid for it. He shut his eyes, forcing his 
near-eidetic memory to recall the code. 

Scully watched him anxiously. 

"One, zero, one, three, three, one."

"You sure Mulder?"

He shrugged. She tapped the number in and they were 
both a little shocked when the automatic door slid open.
The stepped through cautiously. Looking around for any
signs of security guards. They walked into a long, dark
corridor and Mulder saw Scully shiver. The place wasn't
cold; he knew why she was shivering, because her mind
was suddenly being assaulted with bleak, cruel memories.

He let her go ahead of him. This was her journey, not his.

"It seems so deserted." She flicked on her flashlight.

"Yeah, well, we're watching a evacuation operation.
Most people are probably gone."

"Its strange. Its different, but the same. This was all
lit up. There were so many bright lights...." Her voice 
trailed off when they heard faint conversation from
afar and saw a light in the distance. Light coming from
a window. They approached it cautiously, putting their
backs against the wall and looking through it with side
glances.

They were looking down into a huge convention room,
which must have been in the heart of the building. 
A meeting was taking place. The soundproofed window
blocked any chance of them knowing what was being
said, but it looked to Mulder like some kind of 
de-briefing. Around fifty people stood listening to a
man in a neatly-pressed grey suit.

"I know that man Mulder. He was the one who warned
me when I thought you were dead. The one who told
me that I might be killed."

He nodded. "He looks like he's in charge here." She saw
Mulder's jaw stiffen as he focused on one of the faces in 
the room.

She followed his gaze. "Krycek. I thought he wasn't
working for them anymore?"

"Well, you know Krycek, he sells his soul to the highest
bidder."

"When I saw him last night, I thought maybe he regretted
the past."

"He can never be trusted Scully, and neither can she..."

Again, she followed his gaze. It was resting on a tall, 
ice-cool blonde. "Mulder, is that...?"

"Marita, my informant." 

She listened to the inflection in his voice and studied
his face. There was suddenly something she wanted to
ask him about Marita, but she'd save it for later.

She looked around the room again. Her jaw dropped
when she saw yet another face she recognised. "I don't
believe it."

"What Scully?"

"Oh God. Please tell me its not him. Please don't tell
me he's gone to the other side."

Mulder was looking around the room frantically. 
"Scully, who? Where?

"Skinner."

Mulder's eyes fell on their boss at the same time his
partner said the name. He turned back to Scully.
"There may be an explanation for him being here...
it doesn't necessarily mean that he's turned on us."

"An explanation..." She looked at him with such
disappointed eyes. He knew that Scully had always had
respect for Skinner, and considered him an ally. It was
painful to watch her faith in him withering away.

They were disturbed by the sound of boots coming
along the corridor and looked at each other in
desperation. Mulder became aware that whoever it 
was, was approaching from the same direction they 
had. Their escape route through the laboratory was 
blocked. Scully took off in a light jog, hoping that their
feet wouldn't make too much noise, and that Mulder
would follow her. 

She wasn't sure if it was instinct or memory that 
told her where to go, but she found what she had
been subconsciously looking for. A metal gate to
their right, which swung open noiselessly. She
practically hauled Mulder in after her, and they both
pressed their backs tight against the wall as they
watched the security guard walk past the gate and
on down the corridor. When he was out of sight
they both sighed. 

"We're having some pretty close calls tonight
Scully." He looked around him. "Where are we?"

"Holding cells." Anybody but him would have thought
she was speaking dispassionately, but he knew her
so well that he heard the ever-so-slight tremor in her
voice. "Where they kept us."

That was all Mulder needed to know. He walked 
along to find that she was right. There were eight-by-
ten cells. Badly lit and unheated. In them were cots with 
thin mattresses, tiny skinks and a single shelf. He didn't 
dare look at Scully right now, for he was afraid of showing 
his anger at the men who had kept her, locked up like a 
criminal, for three months. He could picture her 
when she had first arrived. Curled up in a corner, holding 
her knees to her chest. Terrified of what they had done to
her, what they might do to her in the future.

He couldn't even begin to imagine what was going 
through her mind. He suspected she was recalling it in 
vivid detail. He shuddered.

"Come on Mulder, let's get out of here. The guard
is gone, we can try and go back the way we came."

He nodded, still not able to meet her eyes, and was
about to move away with her when he heard a noise
from the end cell. He walked to it quickly to see a
figure huddled up on the cot. He could tell it was 
a woman, but her hair hid her face.

"Scully get over here. There's somebody here."

She crossed to his side immediately, and they both
jumped when the object of their gaze sat up and hissed
at them. 

"Get away from me, no more, I can't take anymore."

Mulder tried to speak soothingly. "Its okay, we're not
here to hurt you."

She eyed them both suspiciously, and pushed her hair
back from her face. "Who are you?"

"We'll try and get you out of here. Okay?" He began 
looking around the area for a key. 

Scully put a hand on his arm to stop him. "What are
you doing Mulder?"

"We have to take her with us. We have to save her."

"Mulder, you can't touch...."

He put his hand on the bars of the cell, at the same time as 
heard Scully telling him not to. It was too late. He made 
contact with the cold metal and all hell seemed to break 
loose. Bells started ringing and a yellow light started 
flashing on and off above their heads.

Scully had her hands over her ears and seemed to be in
some kind of pain. He wasn't sure if it was physical,
mental or emotional, but her face was screwed up tightly
in a way that he had never seen before. He grabbed her
hand, giving the trapped woman a last regretful look,
knowing that it was too late to try and save her. He had
to get Scully out of here, and fast, before those bells 
alerted the security forces.

She wouldn't move at first. She seemed to be struck 
dumb and immobile in a kind of terror trance. He
considered throwing her over his shoulder, but as light
as she was, he knew that would slow him down too
much. He did the only thing he could think to do. He
raised his other hand and slapped her face. Hard. She
came too and shot him a furious look, realising that
he had struck her, but then she seemed to know why,
and when he pulled on her hand again, she followed
him, and they both raced out of the holding cells, and
back out into the corridor. Praying that they had enough
time to make it out before someone came to check on
the raised alarm. As they made it to the laboratory door
they heard someone behind them.

"Hey you two...stop."

But they didn't, they kept running. Through the lab, down
the corridor, through the main door and out into the night
air. All the while hoping that their pursuer, who seemed
to be gaining on them, didn't just draw his weapon and
decide to gun them down.

They sped across the yard and into the outbuilding, 
back the way they had come, following the train tracks
again. Down into the tunnel. A shot ran out and they
both ducked a little, and then glanced at each other to
make sure they were both still standing and unhurt. They
pressed on. Another shot rang out. It was fortunate that
the shooter was firing into the blackness, otherwise he
probably would have hit them. As it was, he was just firing
at the noise of their boots on the tracks, and he thankfully
missed again. Mulder knew they were almost there. He
could almost see the end of the tunnel. Once they were
out in the open, they could probably find something to
duck behind and return fire if they had to. Until then, 
they'd just have to keep running. And he did, until he
saw and heard the train.

He stopped, and so did Scully. They both stood, mouths
agape as they watched the train bear down on them. The
warning Scully had given him earlier, raged through his
mind. 'What I'm saying is, that if we go down here, and 
a train comes. We're hamburger.'

They were mere moments from becoming hamburger.
Even if the train saw them it wouldn't be able to stop in
time. It was way too fast for them to outrun it by heading 
back the other way, and Scully was right. Even if they
held themselves against the wall and breathed in, there
was not enough width in the tunnel for the train to pass
them. 

He looked at her in desperation. "I'm sorry Scully."

"For what Mulder?" She threw herself to the ground,
in between the tracks, grabbing him by the collar of his
jacket so her fell with her. She was just in time. As he
fell, he realised what she was doing and ducked his head,
and the train began to pass over them. 

The noise was deafening, but they still heard the scream
of the guard, and a thump as the train hit his body.

Mulder looked for Scully's eyes, even as the tonnes of 
lethal machinery rattled over them, they were shinning 
brightly. He realised that he loved her. It wasn't a sudden,
shocking epiphany, more of a quiet acceptance of
something he hadn't allowed himself to admit before.
He wondered if he should say it out loud and realised
that she probably wouldn't be able to hear him, and even
if he did, it perhaps wasn't the right moment to tell her;
while cheating death, under a moving train.

It seemed like the train would never pass over them
completely. It seemed to go on forever. When it did,
and rumbled on its way down the tunnel, they both
got shakily to their feet. He grabbed her hand and
they ran out of the tunnel and into the forest. He stopped
behind a tree, and gathered her to him, hugging her
fiercely. His chin resting on her head. 

"What would I do without you Scully?"

"You'd be somebody's Big Mac Mulder."

He grinned. "I think we're safe. They probably think
we're dead."

She pushed a little at his chest, to part them slightly,
so she could look up at him. "There's something
I have to tell you Mulder. Back there, in that cell.
That was Samantha."

He looked at her incredulously, and swallowed hard.
"What? That woman?"

She nodded and he noted that tears were brimming
in her eyes. "I'm sorry Mulder. I'm sorry we had to 
leave her behind."

"You're sure about this Scully?"

"I remember her. I remember everything."

Another question formed in his mind, but he never asked
it, because she collapsed in arms. Her eyes shut, her legs
gave way and she slumped against him. Feeling panic
rise in his chest, he lowered her to the ground and began
trying to rouse her by touching her face and speaking
softly to her.

"Scully, come on, wake up." 

He shook her shoulder gently and realised with a lurch 
in his stomach that she hadn't just fainted. She was
unconscious.

***********


St Mary's Hospital
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 2nd, 1997
2.20  a.m.

Mulder rubbed his eyes as he slumped against the wall of 
the cold, clinical, hospital corridor. He'd been waiting for 
two hours now, ever since he'd strode into ER with a still 
unconscious Dana Scully in his arms.

He'd briefed the doctors about her tumour, and was 
then relegated to the corridor, while they went about
assessing her immediate condition. 

He was trying to convince himself that this was just 
exhaustion, that it wasn't related to her cancer, but it
was increasingly difficult for him to do so. 

He hated the fact that a large part of him wanted to forget 
that Scully was somewhere in this hospital undergoing 
tests, and race back to the laboratory to see if he could get 
inside again to see his sister. Samantha. That was what his 
life was about wasn't it? So what was he doing sitting 
around here, while she languished in a cell, under the 
control of heinous men and women. Scully. His life was 
about her also, wasn't it? He was aware that somewhere
along the line she had become as an important part of his
existence as Samantha was. Yet it was so hard to have to 
chose between them.

Perhaps once he had news of Scully's condition, his
attention would be back on Samantha, yet he felt so torn.
Around his head floated questions. Skinner, Marita, 
Krycek; were they all in on the 'project'? And, why had
the security guard recognised Scully?

It was the waiting that was destroying him. If he could act
on something, he wouldn't have to think. He saw a tired
and harassed doctor approach him and he stood a little
straighter.

"Mr Mulder?"

"Yes."

"My name is Doctor Warren. I'm an oncologist. I've 
been examining Miss Scully. Are you family?"

"No, I'm her partner."

He saw the man nod, and realised that the Doctor thought 
he meant 'partner', as in 'life-partner' rather than 'work-
partner', but he felt no need to correct him.

"We're running a few tests and we've requested her 
medical records to be sent down from Washington."

"How is she? Do you know why she collapsed?"

"She's still unconscious, and I really don't want to try
and guess at why she's had this collapse until I get the
results of the tests back. Are you her next of kin?"

The words frightened the hell out of Mulder. "No, her
Mother is."

The Doctor looked at him sympathetically. "Then I 
suggest you contact her. Or we can if you wish?"

"No, I'll call her."

"Okay, I'll inform you if I have any more news."

"Thank you."

Mulder watched the Doctor walk away, before he
turned and wandered over to the payphone. 

Margaret Scully answered on the third ring. Mulder felt
like puking.

"Hello Mrs Scully. Its Fox Mulder, sorry to disturb you."

"No, that's okay, I was up, I couldn't sleep." Her tone
changed and Mulder could almost hear her mind stepping
up a gear. "Oh my God. What's wrong Fox. Where's
Dana?"

"She's in the hospital I'm afraid. We're on the Vineyard
...Martha's Vineyard, on a case...and she just kind of...
well, she's had a few nosebleeds, and a headache, and 
she's unconscious now." He tried to stop himself babbling,
but couldn't. "It might just be a set-back I don't know,
but they asked me to call you...the Doctor asked me to
call you."

"Is it the cancer, the tumour?"

"I think so."

He heard Maggie give an anguished sigh. "I'm coming
up there Fox."

"Okay. Do you want me to make any travel arrangements
for you?"

"No, my son Charlie is here. He'll probably fly up with me."

"Okay. I'll see you when you get here then."

"Fox. Just look after her...take care of her till I get there
will you?"

"Of course. Goodbye."


St Mary's Hospital
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 2nd, 1997
8.15 a.m.

Mulder awoke with a start when he heard her call his name.
He was instantly alert and leaned forward in the chair
beside her bed to look into her eyes. "Hey sleepyhead."

She looked pale and frightened. He ran a hand over her
hair to soothe her.

"Where am I?"

"In hospital."

Her lips twitched in an almost smile. "I guessed that."

"Still in the Vineyard. St Mary's Hospital. I called your
Mother, she's on her way. And I spoke to the Doctor
who's treating you, he seems okay."

"What happened?"

"You passed out. They've run some tests. Doctor Warren 
said he'd tell me the results as soon as he had them."

She made a move to sit up, but he stilled her with a firm
hand on her arm. "Just lay still, you have an IV in." 

She twisted a little instead, to get herself more 
comfortable. "Am I allowed to drink?"

"Sure what can I get you? Scotch on the rocks?"

She chuckled weakly. "Glass of water."

He looked at the pitcher of water that sat on the bedside
table and realised it had been sitting there all night, 
probably gathering all sorts of germs. He decided he'd
get some fresh water for her.

He picked up the pitcher. "I'll be back in a second okay?"
She nodded, and he leaned in to place a kiss on her lips.

He broke it off quickly when he heard the door behind 
him open. He turned to see Maggie Scully in the doorway,
with an unreadable expression on her face. "Mrs Scully,
hi. She just woke up."

Maggie brushed past him to go to her daughter. She leaned
down and stroked her cheek. "How are you feeling honey?"

"A little strange. Not sick. Just weird."

Mulder moved to the doorway with the pitcher of water,
only to find it blocked by a huge pair of shoulders, attached
to a face and body that screamed 'Scully' at him. The man
nodded at him in greeting and gave him a wary look. Mulder
nodded back. 

"You must be Mulder?"

"Yes. Charles?"

He nodded again, and for a moment Mulder was fascinated 
by the man's small roman nose, his bright blue eyes, 
and deep red hair. He looked more like Scully's twin than
just a brother.

"Charlie."

Mulder gulped at the sound of Scully's voice. So soft, so
gentle, so delighted. 

Charles brushed past him and moved to his sister's side.
"Yeah. Good to see you again D, just wish it was under
better circumstances."

"Me too Charlie."

"What did the Doctor say?"

"He hasn't been yet."

He kissed his sister's forehead. "Well, I'd better go make
a fuss so we find something out then. I'll be back in a 
while."

Charles left and Mulder made a little coughing noise and
went about his mission to get fresh water.

Maggie Scully sat on the edge of Dana's bed. "So, what
happened to 'we're just good friends' and 'its not like that
with Mulder and I?"

Scully smiled. "I guess you could say things have changed."

"I see."

"Mom. You sound like you don't approve."

"No, I... If he makes you happy..."

"I thought you liked Mulder."

"I do, its just that...Oh, I stopped by your apartment to
get you fresh clothes. Do you know how much laundry you
have to do? I couldn't find any clean pyjamas, so I bought
some on the way."

"Thank you."

"It was nice that Charlie was home, so that he could come
with me."

"Yeah. Mom..." 

"Dana, it doesn't matter what I think. We'll talk about it 
another time."

Scully laid back and resigned herself to the fact that she
wasn't going to get her Mother to open up any more than
she already had.


St Mary's Hospital
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 2nd, 1997
8.45 a.m.


Mulder was refilling Scully's water jug when his cell 
phone rang in his pocket. A passing nurse gave him an
accusing look as he answered it.

"Mulder."

"I have news. I need to meet you."

Mulder bristled at the sound of Marita's voice. "That's
not possible at the moment. My partner is sick."

"I know. I also know that the two of you broke into
the laboratory last night. You were caught on the security
cameras."

"Hope they got my best side."

"Mulder. Do you know that your sister is being held by
them?"

He hesitated before answering, not wanting to give 
anything away. "I know that you were with them
willingly."

"I understand if you don't trust me. But I have information
for you. Meet me in your room at the Bed and Breakfast
in thirty minutes."

"I am so sick of this. If you're jerking me around again..."

"I've never jerked you around, at least not intentionally.
If you want Samantha back, meet me."

She hung up. Mulder stared at his cell phone and barely
resisted the urge to throw it at the wall. He finished
filling the jug and strode back to Scully's room.

Her Mother was fussing over her when he burst through
the door. They both turned to look at him. He slammed
the water down.

"I'm sorry. I have to go..somewhere...I'm sorry."

Scully opened her mouth to demand an explanation
from him, but he was gone before she had a chance to
voice one word.

End of part IV

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

Armistice V
by Caroline O'Callaghan <caroline.o@virgin.net>


St Mary's Hospital
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 2nd, 1997
9.15  a.m.

Scully lay down on the flat hospital pillows, trying to
resist scratching at the itchy patch on her right arm where
the I.V. had been inserted.

Her mind worked feverishly against the thick, pain-
killer, induced fog that surrounded it. 'What's happened
Mulder, where have you gone? Gone to find Samanatha?'
She almost wished she hadn't told him she remembered
his sister, but that would be unfair. Yet, she knew how
rashly he could act sometimes when he thought he was 
close to finding her. She prayed he hadn't returned to the
laboratory. That would be downright foolish after their
narrow escape last night.

Memories of her time trapped there were still assaulting 
her now. She remembered being strapped down to an
operating table, a needle injected into her, and her ankles 
being raised into stirrups, ready for a Japanese-looking
doctor to perform some kind of gynaecological 
procedure on her. She twisted a little in the bed and her
Mother was instantly at her side.

"Okay sweetie?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

Her brother came back to the room with a Doctor in tow.
"Dana, this is Doctor Warren. He's been up all night 
running some tests on you."

She and the Doctor exchanged an appraising look and she
nodded her hello at him.

"Nice to see you awake Doctor Scully."

"Dana's fine. Or just Scully. I don't use my title very 
often."

"Really. What's your speciality?"

She really didn't feel in the mood for small talk. "I cut
up dead people."

"Uh, huh."

Her Mother spoke to admonish her. "Dana."

Doctor Warren smiled at her Mother. "Its okay. Doctor's
make the worst patients."

"She's not usually this bad. I think she's in a grouchy 
mood."

"Maybe its because people keep talking about me like
I'm not here."

Her Mother glared at her, and she tried to look a little
apologetic. "So Doc, going to hit me with the bad news?"

He looked at her carefully, ran a hand through his floppy
blond hair and sat on the corner of her bed. "I haven't
received your medical records from Washington yet, but
our MRI shows your tumour pushing into your brain. You
must have been having symptoms for a while?"

She heard her Mother gulp back what might have been an
hysterical sob. Her own voice shook a little as she spoke. 
"Increased nasal bleeding, headaches, nausea, dizziness."

The Doctor nodded and she suddenly regretted being so
tough on him, he looked truly sorry for her and so...young.
She felt so old.

Charlie came up beside the bed and took her hand while
bending down to kiss her forehead.

The Doctor was speaking again. "I'm afraid the blood-work
doesn't look good. The cancerous cells seem to be 
multiplying at an accelerated rate."

Dana blinked, willing herself not to evaporate into self-pity
and give in to tears. 'Mulder. I need you Mulder, where are
you?'

Charlie's voice was surprisingly calm, and Dana remembered
that he was no stranger to death. He had seen many die, her
little brother. "Is there anything you can do, radiation or
chemo?"

Doctor Warren shook his head. "I'm afraid its too late. 
We'd be putting Dana through a lot of pain and sickness 
for nothing."

Scully found her voice again. "So...how long...?"

Her Mother let out a frightened squeal and jumped from
her chair and ran out into the corridor.

"We can't be sure until we have your records. Till we
can see just how much the growth has accelerated by. We 
should know later this morning."

Dana nodded, thanked him, and he left the room.

Charlie took his place on the edge of the bed. "So D."

"Yeah. So."

He gave her a weak smile and sighed. "So tell me what's 
going on with this Mulder character."

Scully found herself smiling back at him, and she couldn't
think why. She had no reason to be happy, other than
someone she loved wanted to listen to her talk about
Mulder.

"Later Charlie. You'd better go and check on Mom first."

"No, she needs some time to compose herself. We'll just 
wait till she comes back. In the meantime tell me about
Mulder the magnificent."

"What makes you think he's magnificent?"

"Well I think he must be quite a guy if he manages to make
old poker-face smile at the mere mention of his name."

"Don't call me that."

"What, poker-face? I always call you that."

"No, I meant don't call me old."

Charlie chuckled and leaned on an elbow. "So, come on,
I'm listening."


Scanlon Bed and Breakfast
West Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 2nd, 1997
9.25  a.m.

True to her word, Marita Covarrubias was in his room, 
perched on the end of the bed that he and Scully had made
love in the night before. He didn't bother asking her how 
she'd known where he was staying, or how she'd gotten 
inside the room. He really didn't want to know. There 
were more important things to discuss.

He shut the door behind him and leaned against it.
"This had better be good."

She gave him a cool glance. "I sometimes wonder about 
your priorities. You told me nothing matters to you except 
the truth and your sister, and yet you're so reluctant to be 
dragged away from Agent Scully's bedside." She lifted up 
the night-gown that Scully had discarded on the bed. 
"Although I'm beginning to see why."

He walked forward and snatched the silk from her
grasp. "She has cancer."

"Yes, but you're sister doesn't. You'd do better to
concentrate on her."

"Don't tell me what to do? I'm not the one who 
changes sides every five minutes."

"I've never changed sides. I know who my enemy is."

"Well I wish I could be sure who mine is."

Mulder moved back across the room and locked
the door from the inside, then he dragged a chair in front
of it and sat down facing Marita, who watched him 
carefully.

"We're not leaving Marita. Not until I know everything."

She licked her lips. "I'll tell you about Samantha. What I
learned last night. I can't tell you everything about the 
project and my part in it. Not yet, not until I know you can 
be trusted."

Mulder nodded. "Okay."

"Your Father was the appointed administrator of a project
begun almost thirty years ago. A cloning project. The
technology was still in its infancy, so it was top secret,
even the President had no knowledge of it. They took
children from their homes and extracted the necessary
genetic material. It didn't harm the children. Almost all
we're reunited with their parents."

"Samantha was one of those?"

"No. Not at first anyway, but things began to go wrong 
with the experiments. They didn't achieve the results they
wanted, and as you've already discovered, a child died at
the lab in Virginia."

"Lisa Mendhlesson."

"Yes. Back then, some of the men actually had a little 
human compassion, and when things started to not work
out, they threatened to withdraw the funding. Your Father
panicked, his reputation was on the line. To try and convince 
his superiors that it was a safe project, he decided to put
one of his own children through the test. Originally, he 
intended to use you, but for some reason I'm not sure of,
he used Samantha instead."

Mulder stared at her dumbfounded, unable to believe that
he was finally hearing the truth he had been seeking for so
long. "And?"

"And nothing. She underwent the tests and was returned to
your home. Your Father told your Mother that he was 
taking the child away for a few days and he returned with
your sister safe and well."

"I don't understand....Samantha disappeared..."

"I haven't finished."

"Okay. Please, go on. I have to know."

"It was then that your Father discovered that there were
sinister reasons for the experiments; that he wasn't working
for the good of mankind. As he became trusted by the men
you label the 'consortium', he gained access to their secrets.
He didn't like what he heard and saw. He threatened to expose
them and they did something that ensured his silence."

"They took Samantha."

Marita nodded.

Mulder let out a self-depreciating laugh. "All this time, I
believed she was taken by some extraterrestrial force."

"Its understandable. You thought you saw bright lights 
and her floating in the air. What you probably saw was
headlights and torches, and someone lifting her up and
out of the room. You were probably paralysed by fear,
and blamed an uncontrollable force because you didn't
want to believe that you had let somebody just walk away
with her. Your false memories are most likely guilt based."

"So, they've held her captive all these years. To keep my 
Father quiet?"

"They decided he couldn't be trusted. He was demoted until 
he was little more than a paper pusher and Samantha's life 
was threatened every time they thought he might step out 
of line. Strangely enough, it was Samantha's genes that 
provided the breakthrough. She was their first success. A
series of clones was made using her DNA."

Mulder recalled the silent little girls that Jeremiah Smith 
had shown him in Canada. "I've seen them."

"They weren't a complete success. No emotions, both deaf
and dumb, and once they reached the same age of the 
children from whom the DNA was extracted, they stopped
growing. They were useless to the consortium, who found
no use for them except as workers. In the hive they are 
merely drones."

"Bees? There were bees there."

"I can't tell you about the hive, not yet. Please don't ask. I
don't know all the details, and I could compromise
myself. But I will tell you that for a long time Samantha 
lived a safe and happy life. She was kept from your family,
but placed with members of the consortium who reared her
well. She attended school and college, and gained a job as a
librarian at the University of Maryland."

Mulder gulped for air. Maryland! So close. She'd been so
close. All this time, a couple of hours drive away. Maryland?
Wasn't that where Scully had gone to school?  

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "But they have 
her again. I saw her. Last night she was in the laboratory."

Marita nodded. "She was taken again for a later phase of 
the cloning project."

"The same phase that Agent Scully and the Mufon 
members were taken for?"

"I believe so."

"And now she's there again. Why? More experiments?"

"No. This time she's there in case they need to deal with 
you. You're getting very close to the truth Mulder, and
she's a powerful bargaining tool."

Marita stood up to leave. Mulder withdrew his gun and
pointed it at her head. 

She stilled. "I've told you all I can for now."

He clicked the safety off. "And what if I stick this gun
in your mouth and demand to know everything?"

"Blow my brains out if you wish. But then you'll never
know anything."

"You'd be prepared to die?"

"Yes. I wouldn't be involved if I wasn't."

He lowered the gun, knowing he was defeated and got out 
of the chair and pushed it away. He unlocked the door.

Marita brushed past him, reached for the doorknob, then
paused. "You'll have to make the kind of decisions I 
made Mulder, and soon. I had to sacrifice everything."

He put a hand on her shoulder. "I have one last question.
You said Samantha doesn't have the cancer that Scully
has, why not?"

"She was a control subject, not strictly part of the tests,
she was used as a comparison."

"Is there a cure for the cancer?"

"That's two questions Fox."

He gripped the shoulder he held and she winced.

"Answer me."

She moved her arm quickly, throwing his hand away from
her. "I'm sorry, I don't know the answer. But I will say that
if she dies, she won't be the only one who has laid her life
down. She will have died an honorary death. The work 
you've done will be appreciated. There's a chance for you to do
even more. If you want that, contact me."

She pulled a card from her suit pocket and pressed it into
his hand. She reached up and placed a kiss on his cheek
before he had time to pull away. She left, and the door
closed with an ominous click.


Parking lot
St Mary's Hospital
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 2nd, 1997
11.35  a.m.

As he left his car and headed for the hospital entrance,
Mulder heard Skinner call his name and almost turned
round, gun drawn, to shoot the bastard.

Instead, he stopped wearily and looked at his A.D. Who
strode towards him like the ex-marine he was, full of
determination.

"Mulder, how is Agent Scully?"

"I'm just about to find out. I suggest you stay away from
her."

He shot the man a glare and began walking again. Skinner
stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Something wrong
Mulder?"

"I don't like the company you're keeping lately."

Skinner sighed. "You saw me last night when you were
in the laboratory."

"Its funny, everybody seems to know where we were 
last night. I don't know why Scully and I bothered to
sneak in. Why didn't we just knock on the door?
Cancer Man might have invited us in for coffee."

"Mulder I had to be there. I'm under orders. They have me
by the balls. I want to see Scully well again,
and for that I have to go along with whatever they want."

"What do you know?"

Skinner shook his head. "Not a lot. Nothing that would help
you. I'm just a lackey."

"In all honesty Sir, I'm beginning to think you sold yourself
out for nothing. There is no cure."

"But what if there is?"

Mulder shrugged and began walking again, leaving Skinner
behind. He had expected him to follow, to check on Scully, 
but the A.D. stood in the parking lot and watched him go.

He reached Scully's room and was surprised to find her on
her own.

"Scully."

Her face turned towards him, and as he regarded her, a chill 
went through him. Her face was expressionless, fixed in 
porcelain beauty, but her eyes were dark, full of sadness
and anger.

He approached the bed carefully and sat on the edge.

"You decided to come back then?"

"There was something I had to do."

"Well I guess your day wouldn't be complete unless you
managed to ditch me at least once."

He took her hand and squeezed it, but she didn't respond.
"I could hardly take you with me when you're not well."

"I'm dying Mulder."

He looked at her carefully. "There's a lot of life in you
yet Scully."

"There's about two weeks actually."

He looked at her in horror and prayed he had misheard
her. "What?"

"That's what the Doctor says. Better start planning my
eulogy." Tears swam in her eyes.

"No."

"Yes. Why weren't you here when he told me Mulder?
I needed you here."

He pulled her to him and cradled her against his chest
as he heard her begin to sob. "I'm sorry Scully. If I'd 
have known, I'd have been here."

"But you weren't."

"I know, I'm sorry. But I won't leave again. I'll be near
from now on."

The pain he felt as he held her was far worse than any
physical pain he had ever known. His body began to shake
and his chest contracted. "I was looking for the truth Scully.
Remember when I told you it would save you. I still think
it can, and I'm so close."

She squirmed against him and pushed at his chest, wanting
him to release her. He felt her anger rising. "Let me go 
Mulder."

"No, never again."

She began hitting him in any place she could reach. "Fuck 
the truth. It doesn't matter to me. Its useless. Fuck it."

"Scully stop it."

She flailed around faster, fists connecting as hard
as possible with him. 

"Scully, stop it. You don't know what you're doing."

"Don't tell me what to do Mulder. I gave my life to you.
Everything. I gave you everything I had. So selfless for so
long because I thought it would be worth it in the end."

She sobbed and continued her tirade. "You used me. You
used me to help you. I'm only important when you have
nothing else to do. All the humiliation I've been through. 
People laughing at me, people laughing at you, and me 
having to defend you. And Melissa....Oh God Melissa...
and you, you couldn't even come to her fucking funeral."

He winced, but let her continue.

"And what was it all for? Tell me. All for nothing. So I 
could lay in a hospital bed dying, while you go running
off in search of something that isn't there. Something
that you can never find." 

He took her face between his hands and held it fast, so 
she had no choice but to look him. He despaired at 
what he saw. Her face streaked with tear stains. Her
eyes full of pain, her mouth shaking with sobs.

"Scully..."

"You can't save me now Mulder. Its too late."

"Don't believe for a second that I don't realise how
much you've given me Scully."

Her sobs began to subside a little and as she looked
into his eyes and saw the truth in what he said, she let 
out a small wail. "I'm sorry."

"No, don't be sorry. You're angry...I understand."

He couldn't find any more words to console her
with. There were so many words in his head. So many
apologies, and reassurances, words of love and of pain,
but he couldn't speak them, so instead he kissed her.

They kissed for a long time. Not in passion, but chastely.
Small pecks of comfort. He kissed her tears until they
stopped, and her nose and her forehead, exactly on top
of where he thought her tumour might lay.

Eventually she calmed in his arms and he drew her out
of the bed and slid her onto his lap, where he cradled
her like a baby.

"So where did you go?"

"Later."

"No. I want to know now."

He sighed. "To see Marita. The woman from the UN. 
Although I'm pretty sure that's just her day job."

Scully stiffened a little in his arms but he ignored it and
carried on.

"She told me some things I needed to know. About 
Samantha, about my Father's role in the consortium's
project. I'll discuss it properly with you later,
I can't talk about it now. Maybe when I've processed
it myself. But you were right Scully. I should have 
listened to you more. There were no little green men 
involved in my sister's disappearance."

"That doesn't mean you should discount any of the
evidence of extraterrestrial life that you think you've 
seen."

He smiled warmly down at her. "Thank you."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "For what?"

"For trying to give me back my beliefs. For encouraging
me to trust in something you don't subscribe to  
yourself."

"I would believe Mulder. I just need...."

He cut her off. "I know. You need proof."

"And you have to keep trying to get it for me Mulder.
Even after I'm gone."

"There's still some hope that you're not going anywhere.
There are people other than me searching for a way to 
save you. Time may be short, but nothing is impossible.
I haven't yet given up on Marita. She knows more than
she tells me. I just have to find a way of getting her to talk."

"Marita..." Her voice trailed off.

Mulder looked down at her questioningly. "What about her?"

"How long have you been sleeping with her Mulder?"

His throat went dry as she looked at him with a face that
begged him to be honest with her. "How did you know?"

She looked down at her hands. "I didn't, you just told me."

"Its was just a couple of times. I was lonely..."

"Don't give me any crap."

"I'm not. I...it meant nothing. It was just sex. Some
gratification."

"You haven't since you and I though...Mulder, you
haven't, have you?"

"No. I wouldn't betray you Scully. I swear."

"I believe you."

She shifted from his lap and lay back down on the bed.
She spoke softly, in a detached voice. "Can you leave 
me alone for a little while please?"

He nodded, recognising that she had decided she wanted
to be by herself, and that he had little hope of changing her
mind. "I'll be back soon."

She watched him go, a thousand different emotions
running through her as she fingered the material of the
pillowcase.

She felt betrayed. She felt angry. She felt nauseous. She
shouldn't care. It shouldn't matter that he had 'relieved'
himself in the arms of another woman, and she was sure
that had been it all it was; just light refreshment, an act
of desperation. He hadn't loved her. 

'Does he love me?' she thought.

Even if he did, Mulder would probably never say those 
words to her. They wouldn't slip easily from his tongue 
like the wisecracks and cynicism did. He wasn't that type 
of man.

Marita. The name ran through her head. 'Marita'. 
'Marita'. 'Marita'. Tall, blonde, glamorous. She had run a 
profile on her when Mulder had asked her to get an address.
She remembered the uneasy feelings she'd experienced
when the woman's computer generated imaged filled the
screen.

'Jesus Dana. You're dying. The last thing you should be
worried about is whether or not Mulder enjoyed screwing
Marita Covarrubias'. She couldn't help it though. She
suddenly saw an image of Ed Jerse in her mind. Of her
asking him to join her in the bedroom. She shook her head 
to clear it.

The door opened and Scully turned, hoping it wasn't
Mulder. She wasn't prepared to speak to him yet. Her
eyes widened when she saw who her visitor was.

"Hello Sir."

"Hello Agent Scully."


Cafeteria of St Joseph's Hospital 
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 2nd, 1997
12.35  p.m.

Mulder asked around at the nurses station and had
been told that Dana Scully's relatives had gone for
something to eat.

When he approached their table, Maggie and Charles
both looked up at him and then back at their untouched
plates of food. Mulder sat down in the empty chair, aware
that all three of them probably wore the same expressions
of grief and despair.

"Mrs Scully. I'm so sorry."

Maggie Scully glanced at him and he saw a flicker of anger
pass over her face. He'd never seen her look so fierce,
normally she was so placid.

"Did you talk to the Doctor?"

"No I went to talk to Scu....Dana. What has the Doctor said?"

Charles spoke; his voice commanding, straightforward.
"He's seen her twice. The second time he told her she probably
has about two weeks left. There's been a rapid growth in the
tumour. She's going to start deteriorating fast now. She may
lose some mobility, possibly her sight, before the end."

Mulder swallowed hard. "Mrs Scully. I hope you know that
I'd have done anything I possibly could to have prevented this."

Maggie's expression softened and she covered his hand with 
her own. "I'm sorry. Ever since you called last night. I had a 
feeling it was going to be awful news, and I wanted someone
to..." 

Her voice trailed off so Mulder finished the sentence for her.
"Someone to blame?"

"Yes. I suppose so, and you were the easiest person. I kept
thinking that if she hadn't gotten so attached to you all this
wouldn't have happened to her."

"You're right. Its my fault."

"No Fox. I realised that you would never intentionally hurt
her or put her in danger, and you certainly didn't give her
cancer. You care for her deeply, I know that."

He nodded. "Yes I do."

She smiled softly and he suddenly had an idea of what Scully
would be like in twenty-or-so-years time, if she lived that
long. 

"Listen, why don't you finish my food. I can't eat and I'm
sure you haven't had anything for ages."

"I don't think I could Mrs Scully."

"Force it down Fox. You need to stay strong. Charlie will
get you some coffee and then we'll go back upstairs and
see Dana again."

He nodded. "Okay."


St Joseph's Hospital
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 2nd, 1997
12.52  p.m.

After wolfing down the food Mulder, Maggie and Charles
rode up in the elevator together on their way back to 
Scully's room.

Mulder stood next to Charles and decided that he was
starting to like the guy. He was a lot like Scully. Calm,
resolute, strong minded, non-judgemental. He spoke 
only when necessary and was comfortable in silence.

The elevator stopped on the fourth floor and they all got
out. Doctor Warren was standing at the nurse's station,
saw them and approached; a grave look on his face.

Maggie Scully saw the expression and spoke with an
edge of fear in her voice. "Doctor. Is there something
wrong?"

"Yes. I'm afraid that when I went to add a few things
to Dana's chart...well...she was gone."

Mulder saw Maggie turn white and Charlie put a hand
on his Mother's arm, obviously worried that she
might faint.

"But you said she had two weeks. It can't have happened
that quickly."

The Doctor shook his head. "No. I'm sorry Mrs Scully. 
I didn't mean she'd died. I mean that she's disappeared."


End of part 5

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

Armistice VI
by Caroline O'Callaghan

St Joseph's Hospital
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 2nd, 1997
12.54 p.m.

Mulder stood rooted to the ground. Struck dumb. Charles
Scully asked the questions he should have been asking.

"Did she leave of her own will? Was there any signs of a 
struggle? Surely somebody must have seen something?"

The Doctor shrugged and Mrs Scully sat down on a plastic
chair in the corridor, with a 'whatever next?' expression on 
her face.

Charles strode purposefully towards Scully's room and
Mulder managed to get his brain to make his feet work
as he followed him.

He swallowed hard at the sight of the empty bed that
greeted him. His mind screamed at him. 'God not again. 
No, not again'. At least this time there was no 
answerphone message to haunt him. No nail scratches 
on a glass table. Even so, it was frighteningly familiar.

Charles turned to him. "Okay Fox. Before we go into
full alert here, I'm going to check the hospital grounds
and get security to check each floor. Knowing Dana, its
possible she just decided she wanted to be on her own for
a while and went for a walk."

Mulder nodded but he was sure that they wouldn't find
Scully wandering aimlessly about. She was gone. They
had come for her, again.

Charles dashed from the room, nearly knocking over
Maggie on his way out. Scully's mother came to him and
put a hand on his arm. "They took her again, didn't they
Fox?"

"Yes."

"I knew it. I had the dream again last night. Just like the 
first time."


Train car
Martha's Vinyard
July 2nd. 1997
1.25  p.m.


Scully came out of a forced sleep to the sound of voices.

"How much did you give her?"

"Not much. five Mils. She should wake up anytime soon. I
didn't want to give too much. I don't know anything
about medicine."

"Its okay. You did good."

Scully thought she recognised one of the voices, but she
couldn't place it in her drugged state. She didn't know
what she'd been given. Something that would knock her
out temporarily, no doubt. She couldn't get her eyes to
open.

"What do you want her for? Why was I ordered to bring
her here?"

"You ask too many questions."

"I have a right to ask questions. I've risked everything.
My job...."

"...You are nothing. You are a worker. A drone. You 
have no right to ask questions of us. You sold yourself
willingly to us, and now must do as you are told without
hesitation."

"Is she going to be cured?"

"What makes you think we can cure her? Or that we want
to."

"Then why put her through this? Why not leave her to 
die in peace, with her family?"

"You are so sentimental. She is interesting to us at this 
time. We can compare her, study her, and see if we have 
made a good job."

To Scully, the words were jumbled and confusing. They 
made no sense. Strangely, she felt no panic; which might 
have been because of the chemicals floating around her
system, or it might have been that the whole scenario
was familiar.

She could tell by the noise and motion that she was on a 
train car again, and once again tests were being performed. 
She felt something gripping her right arm and knew her 
blood pressure was being taken. She concentrated
extra hard on willing her eyes open and her effort paid 
off as she stared up at the bright light above her head, and 
then gasped in pain as it scorched her sleepy eyes. 

"She's awake."

She turned her head towards the voice and gasped again.
It was Skinner. Suddenly she remembered him coming to
see her in the hospital. She had been wary of him, 
remembering that she had seen him with other members
of the consortium the night before, but she had allowed
him to approach her bed, and then she had blacked out.
He'd injected her with something.

She heard a muffled female scream to her right and turned 
her head in its direction. On an examination table across
from her lay Samantha. 

She felt a needle press into the skin on her upper right arm
and before she passed out once again, she called out 
"Mulder"; even though she knew he wouldn't hear her
cry for help.


St Joseph's Hospital
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 2nd, 1997
1.48.  p.m. 

Sitting on the hospital bed, Mulder lifted the pillow to
his face and inhaled. Her scent was there; fresh, clean,
flowery, mingled with the antiseptic hospital smell he 
so despised.

A full search of the hospital had been conducted. Not
a sight of her. Gone without a trace.

Police and FBI had been called in, but he expected them
to discover little, or do much to help find her. Charles
had taken his Mother to a nearby motel because the
poor woman was near to collapse. 

Mulder was left alone with his guilt, remorse and not
a clue as to how to begin to look for his partner and
lover. He threw the pillow down and began to sort
through her belongings in the night-stand beside the bed;
all the while trying not to remember how she had taken him
into the comfort of her arms the night before, and
how her body had yielded to him; closed around him;
causing feelings so sweet they had been almost
painful.

The drawer was full of essentials that her mother had
brought down for her. Toothbrush, hairbrush, shampoo.
He wanted to examine each article in turn. To smell
them, touch them, as she had touched them, but he 
knew it would be torturing himself. His riffling 
eventually happened upon several scraps of paper, filled 
with notes in Scully's elegant, distinctive handwriting.

He sat down to read them carefully, wondering if he
held another journal, which would contain similar
thoughts to the one he had discovered at her bedside in
the hospital in Allentown. He almost hoped it was. Scully 
gave so little of herself away in person that any clue to 
what was really going on behind her composed facade 
and professional manner was welcome. Although another
part of him wasn't sure he could bear to read her
innermost thoughts. Especially when she had recently
discovered his liaison with Marita, and had been angry
with him for leaving her in hospital while he went to
meet his informant. He doubted that Scully would be
as generous about him in these words as she had
been in her previous writings. 

He smoothed the pages out, bracing himself for what
he was about to read, and digested her scribblings. After
he had taken them into his mind, he sat in serious
contemplation for several minutes before quickly
getting to his feet and walking quickly from the room
and out into the corridor. Police and suited FBI agents
looked at him striding towards the elevator, but the
determination in his step prevented any of them from
stopping him to ask him where he was going.

He was unlocking his car door in the parking lot when
a hand was placed on his shoulder. He whirled around,
ready to defend himself against attack and sighed when he 
saw Charles Scully.

"Going somewhere Fox?"

"Its Mulder."

"Whatever. What's going on?"

"I have an idea where Scully may be. I'm going to look
for her."

"Where?"

"Virginia."

"Whereabouts in Virginia?"

Mulder shrugged. He didn't know.

Charles Scully walked around the car to the passenger
side. "I'm coming with you."

"No. Its best I go alone. You don't know what you
could be getting involved with. Its dangerous."

"I'm a Navy Seal. There's not much I don't know about
dangerous situations. I've lived half my adult life in
war zones."

Mulder was a little surprised. He'd heard that Scully's 
older brother was in the Navy, but he hadn't known that
the younger one was as well. "I work better alone."

Charles gave him a wry grin. "Yeah? Is that why you
depend so much on Dana? I think you need some
back-up. She's my sister and I'm going with you."

"What about your Mother?"

"I'll call her from the road. Let's go."

Mulder sighed, knowing he was beaten for the moment.
He got in the car and unlocked the passenger door for
Charles, reminding himself that he could always 'forget'
his travelling companion at a rest stop along the way
if he needed to.

As they pulled out of the parking lot and onto the 
highway, Charles threw Mulder a look. "So why
Virginia, what's there?"

Mulder shook his head. "I don't know. Yet."

He took the notes Scully had made from his pocket
and gave them to her brother.

"What's this?"

"Scully must have been doing some thinking this
morning. During our investigations into her abduction
two years ago, and my sister's abduction many years
ago, we've discovered all sorts of information. I've 
always concentrated on what we discovered, but
this morning Scully was thinking about where we 
discovered it."

He looked over at Charles to make sure he was 
following and then continued. "Your sister discovered
a computer chip in her skin. She traced the chip
back to a facility in Perky, West Virginia."

Mulder was somewhat surprised that Charles didn't
look dumbfounded that his sister had had a tiny piece 
of micro technology surgically imbedded in her. 

"Fox. Dana told me a lot about your work. I
found a lot of it fantastic, but I know my sister well
enough to know that she doesn't exaggerate or
confabulate."

"I didn't think you were that close."

"Not in miles. I was often away. But we wrote long
letters to each other." Charles chuckled softly. "I
think it was therapy for both us. To tell each other
about the stresses of our work."

Mulder nodded. "Anyway. Other things happened in
Virginia. In Quinnimont, I saw what I suspected to
be an alien life form being loaded onto a train car.
We found deserted mines with secret tunnels housing
thousands, maybe millions of files. And when your
sister was abducted, she was taken from Skyland
Mountain, which is in Warrenton, West Virginia."

"So what do you plan to do, revisit these places and
see if she's being held at any of them?"

"Whenever we returned to the scenes, all evidence
had disappeared, but the state itself seems to house a 
lot of our enemies activities. Maybe its their 
headquarters. Its my only lead at the moment."

Charles stretched in his seat, preparing himself for
the long journey ahead. He looked at Dana's notes
again. "What's this address at the bottom of the list?"

Mulder looked around at him briefly before turning
back to the road. "I don't know. Its the only location
I don't recognise. That's our first port of call."


Laboratory
Warrenton
West Virginia
July 2nd, 1997
8.45  p.m.

When she woke this time, she didn't feel so calm or
light-headed. She was cold, and the searing pain in her
head was enough to bring tears to her eyes. The
painkillers she'd been given at the hospital had clearly
worn off. She felt something wet on her upper lip and
brought her hand up to wipe away the blood. She 
stared at it on her fingers for a while before pulling
the thin, scratchy blanket she'd been left, more tightly
around her. She sat up slowly to take in her surroundings.

She was in a holding cell, but not like the one in the 
Vineyard. This was dark and it smelled badly of urine.
The furniture consisted only of the cot she sat on. There
was a tiny sink against the wall. 

She got shakily to her feet and walked over to the bars
on the front of the cell that encased her. Around two
hundred yards away, behind another metal gate, stood a
guard with his back to her. She considered calling out
to him and asking for food and water. She was both
hungry and thirsty, but she decided against it. She
wanted nothing from these men.

Another row of bars lay between her cell and the one
next door. It was empty and she thought of Samantha.
What had happened to Mulder's beloved sister? Was
she still alive? Was that cell for her? Oh God Mulder.
She could only imagine the state he was in.

She was already exhausted just from her five yard walk,
and every bone in her body ached. She remembered that 
she was dying. She shuffled back to her cot and lay down
again. Closing her eyes, she brought forth an image of
Mulder to comfort her back to sleep. In her mind, he
was on top of her, inside her. Pulling in and out steadily,
his eyes dark with desire, and sweat on his bow. She
could imagine his weight above her. His thickness 
imbedded in her.

Life was cruel. For her and Mulder to have found each
other, to have joined together intimately and found such 
pleasure in one another's arms, only to be pulled apart
again, that was too cruel.


1100 Parthea Street
Mountain Falls
Virginia
July 2nd, 1997
9.18  p.m.

Mulder looked at Scully's handwriting, at the house 
across the street, and then at Charles. "I thought it 
would be a lab, a warehouse, or something."

Charles shrugged and got out of the car. Mulder got
out too and they both headed towards the modest
suburban house. "It must mean something Fox, Dana
wouldn't have written it down for nothing."

"Its Mulder. Not Fox."

"Fine. Whatever."

"Let me do the talking."

"I wouldn't dream of interfering. This is your show.
I'm only here because Dana's my sister."

They'd reached the porch and Mulder rung the bell,
wary of what he would find. He didn't expect the
elderly, white-haired, frail woman who eventually
answered the door.

She eyed them both carefully and Mulder drew his 
I.D. from his jacket. "Sorry to bother you this time
of night Mamm, but we're with the F.B.I."

Her eyes brightened and she stepped back to wave 
them in. "Oh. You're here about Samantha."

Mulder's felt his heart stop and restart. His breath rushed 
out of his body and he gasped to bring it back in again. 

Charles spoke when he couldn't. "Yes. We are."
He followed the woman into her house and Mulder
went in after them, closing the door behind him.

Mulder found his voice as they all sat down in
comfortable chairs in a tidy, old-fashined little sitting 
room. "Sorry Mamm. We know little about the case. 
Our boss forgot to brief us. He just sent us down 
here without any information. I wonder if you
could fill us in."

The old lady composed herself and sat demurely
in the chair with her hands clasped as she began to
speak. "My Samantha has been missing from her
apartment in Maryland for a week now. I reported
it as soon as I realised she wasn't there, but the 
Police didn't take me very seriously. They said she
might have just taken a week off to go somewhere
with a boyfriend, or something. But I know Samantha,
she calls me every night without fail. Has done since
she first went to college at eighteen, and she hasn't
got a boyfriend. She tells me everything, you see. If
she'd met somebody I would have known. So that's
why I called the F.B.I. But I must say, I didn't expect
a response. The young man I spoke to was quite 
dismissive, and yet here you are."

Mulder nodded. "I'm sorry, I don't know your name.
We were just given your address."

She looked at him slightly suspiciously, but then she
seemed to accept his explanation. "Elaina Hicks."

"I see and your daughter is Samantha Hicks?"

Elaina nodded. "Yes. Its not the first time she's been
missing you know. Its happened before. That's why
I'm so worried."

"What happened the other times?"

"Two, maybe even three years ago now, she went 
missing for thirteen weeks. Then she just showed up one 
day. We asked her where she'd been, but she couldn't 
remember. It was so distressing. For her and us."

"I'm sure it was Mrs Hicks. Tell me is your husband
around?"

"He passed away eight years ago. Its just Samantha and
I now."

Mulder swallowed hard and tried to form a line of
questioning that would tell him what he wanted to 
know. "Your daughter is a librarian at the University
of Maryland, is that right?"

Elaina Hicks nodded and Mulder stared at her for a long
time before he continued. "Was your daughter adopted
Mrs Hicks?"

"Why yes? How did you know that?"

Mulder lied. "Its on our records at the Bureau."

"Oh I see. Of course, it wasn't a usual adoption. My
husband worked for the Government. He was involved
in a project and one of his co-workers died in a car crash
with his wife. The little girl was orphaned and Jeremiah
brought her home to me to look after her. You see we
married late in life and I was past the age of childbearing.
She was around nine when we took her in. Poor little
thing, she couldn't remember her parents at all, so she
became very attached to us very quickly, and I tell you,
even though I didn't give birth to that child, I love her
like I did."

Mulder was on the edge of his seat, his eyes silently
begging her for more details. About Samantha Hicks,
formerly Samantha Mulder. He had found his sister, he
was certain of that. "I'm sure you do. Do you have a
picture of Samantha?"

Mrs Hicks got up to cross the room, but had trouble
steadying herself. Charles was on his feet in a flash
and held out his hand to help her. She smiled up at him,
obviously charmed. "I knew you'd want a picture so
I sorted a few out." Mulder smiled sadly as he watched 
Charles escort Elaina across the room. He was so like 
Scully, so willing to help; courteous, polite. Mrs Hicks
gathered her pictures up and crossed the room again
to give them to Mulder.

Mulder took the pictures and gazed down at his sister.
Her face wasn't a surprise to him. After all, he had 
already seen her in person the night before. It was
somewhat comforting that she was smiling in all the
photographs, somewhat shyly, but she looked happy,
healthy.

Charles had settled Elaina back in her chair and now
held out a hand for the photographs. Mulder passed
them to him, reluctant to let them go, but not wanting
to make a fuss.

Charles gazed down at the image of the pretty young 
woman. She had warm hazel eyes, long dark hair. 
Something about her reluctant, careful smile moved him. 
He glanced up at Mrs Hicks. "She looks like a lovely
young woman."

Mrs Hicks nodded, and her eyes grew moist. "She is."

Mulder cleared his throat. "You said she doesn't have a
boyfriend, but has there ever been anyone in her life?"

Elaina chuckled. "No. We gave her as happy a childhood
as we could, but I think she's always felt a bit alienated and
disorientated in the big wide world. She's quiet and 
withdrawn, almost painfully shy I'm afraid. The only place 
she really feels comfortable is with me at home. She comes 
here a lot at weekends. There were a few friends in high 
school and college, but I think she's been very lonely these 
last few years."

"Why do you think she's so shy?"

"I'm not sure. Perhaps she felt she wasn't like other
people, because she had no memories of her parents. She
couldn't recall anything of the time before she was brought
to our house. She would say sometimes that she faintly 
remembered a brother, but Jeremiah said there was no
other siblings. Maybe it was wishful thinking, you know,
like some kids have imaginary friends?"

Mulder smiled but he really wanted to yell at the top of
his voice that he was real, not a false childhood memory.
"Didn't she ever try and trace her family?"

"There was no family. Except the mother and father. We
took her to see the graves, but it didn't seem to settle
her unease." 

"What was the name, of her parents?"

"Malden."

Mulder felt sick to his stomach. So close to her real name.
He could imagine Samantha seeing what were likely false
names carved on headstones, and knowing by gut instinct
that what she was seeing wasn't real, but knowing no
different, and having to accept it.

Mrs Hicks brow furrowed. "Why is this all important 
anyway?"

Charles interrupted. "We just like to know as much as 
possible about the people we're looking for. Sometimes
even the smallest detail about their lives can help. But, I
think we've taken up enough of your time. We'll borrow
one of these pictures if that's okay and if we can have
your telephone number we'll call you as soon as we have 
any news."

The old lady recited her number and Charles wrote it
carefully on an old envelope he pulled from his jacket
pocket. He put the picture of Samantha in the envelope
and headed for the door. 

Still in a daze, amazed by what he had learned, Mulder
got to his feet. Mrs Hicks stopped them from leaving
by calling out. "Oh, I didn't get your names."

"I'm sorry its Mulder. Agent Mulder, and this is Agent
Scully." He gestured at Charles, thinking how strange
it was to be calling her brother by her title.

"Scully? I know that name. Now how do I know that
name? I haven't met you before have I?"


Charles, standing in the doorway, shook his head.

Mulder's instinct took over. "Dana Scully. Do you
know a Dana Scully?"

Elaina grinned at him. "Yes that's it. Dana. Of course."

Charles came back further into the room and pulled
out a wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. He
sorted through it until he found what he was looking
for and gave his picture of Dana to Mrs Hicks. "This
Dana? Is this who you know? She's my sister."

She smiled at the picture and nodded. "Really? Goodness
me, what a coincidence. Dana was a friend of
Samantha's when she was in college. She was so nice
to her. Sammy found it so hard to make friends at
Maryland, but Dana took her under her wing and 
introduced her to some of the people she knew. She came
to stay with us once one weekend and Samantha was so
pleased that she had a friend to invite home. We all had
such a nice time the together."

Charles took back his picture and looked at Mulder 
whose face was drained of colour, and then he turned 
back to Elaina. "Did they lose touch?"

"Yes. After college. At first they would write to each
other, but Samantha moved apartments a few times, so 
perhaps Dana's letters would get lost, and she thought
Samantha wasn't replying, so she stopped writing. And
then Dana moved and Samantha didn't have an address
for her. It was a shame because they got on so well. I'd
never known anyone get as close to Samantha as Dana 
did."

"Well  we'd better get going."

Charles moved to the door and was grateful that Mulder
followed him, because for a moment he was worried the
man might collapse on the spot. Mrs Hicks bid them both
a warm goodbye and told him to say hello to Dana for her.
He assured her that he would "the next time I see her."
And he and Mulder walked across to the car they had
rented. 

Mulder watched as Mrs Hicks went inside and shut the
door, and then he leaned heavily against the car.

"Are you okay Fox?"

"Mulder."

"Sure, whatever. How you holding up? I gotta tell you
man, you don't look too good."

"I'm just....I don't know."

"I take it Samantha Hicks is really Samantha Mulder?"

Mulder nodded. 

"Listen. I need to hear this whole story. You have to
tell me everything, but first I think we should get a 
motel and crash out for a couple of hours."

"We have to find them."

"No offense pal, but at the moment I don't think you
could find a tree in the woods. Get in the car and we'll
find somewhere to stay."


Room 9
Motel 6
Mountain Falls
Virginia
July 2nd, 1997
10.52 p.m.

Mulder lay on one of the beds. His whole body was 
shaking and he couldn't get it to stop. In his hand was the 
card that Marita had given him earlier that day. 

Charles sat on the edge of the other bed, towel-drying his
hair after the shower he'd just had. Mulder was glad he
hadn't dumped Scully's brother, because quite frankly
he was a nervous wreck at the moment and it felt good
to be around somebody; especially somebody who 
reminded him so much of his partner. Charles got to his 
feet and pulled his jeans on over his shorts and then tugged 
his sweater over his head. When he was dressed, he sat down 
again and faced Mulder.

"Okay, I think I deserve to be filled in a little. Why don't
you start at the beginning?"

Mulder licked his lips and sat up. "My father worked for
a secret Government project that conducted illegal 
experiments on children. He rebelled and threatened to 
expose the project to the public. To ensure his silence my
sister was taken. She must have been stripped of her
memory, and placed with the Hicks. They raised her,
sent her off to college, where she obviously met your sister.
But Scully knew her as Samantha Hicks, she didn't
realise when she came to work with me that her old
friend Samantha, was my Samantha. She'd lost touch with
her by then, and there was no reason for her to even think
it."

Charles nodded. "But..."

Mulder interrupted "When Scully was abducted, by the 
agency who were still conducting illegal experiments,
She found Samantha Hicks again, who was also there
to be experimented on. It was there that she must have
realised that she was in fact my Samantha. Samantha
Mulder. Only when Scully was released, she had no
memory of the time she was held captive."

Mulder got to his feet and began to pace. "Then last
night we broke into a lab on the Vineyard, where she saw
Samantha again. Scully's lost memories came back to her.
This morning in the hospital, she must recalled going to the
Hicks' house; visiting with them, and she remembered
their address and wrote it down."

"So all that stuff Mrs Hicks told us about the car crash and 
the graves was made up the project people?"

Mulder nodded. "I think Mrs Hicks believes it. But her
husband was obviously part of the experiments in some
way."

Charles let out a soft laugh. "What are the odds on that?
That you get partnered with someone who knows the
sister that you've been searching for all that time?"

Mulder laughed as well, despite himself. "If this were
a movie you wouldn't believe it."

"I'm not sure I do believe it. I mean, wiped memories,
its not possible to wipe someone's memory."

Mulder laughed harder. "God you really are a Scully
aren't you?"

Charles wasn't quite sure what Mulder meant by that
remark, but didn't bother to ask for clarification, 
instead he got to his feet. "I'm going to get us something
to eat. We need to refuel. I'll be back in a while."

Mulder lay back down on his bed.

Charles stopped at the door. "And don't even think about
taking off without me. I'm trained to track people down,
you wouldn't get half a mile before I found you."

Mulder nodded and Charles left. He stared at the ceiling
for a while before looking back at Marita's card. 

He grabbed the motel phone from the night-stand and 
dialled the number quickly. She answered with a terse 
hello.

"Its Mulder."

"Agent Mulder. I hope you're not calling to make any
foolish demands for information."

"No. I'm ready to make the choices. The decisions you
spoke of this morning, I'm willing to face them."

"Is this because they have Agent Scully?"

"Yes."

"You're ready to sacrifice everything?"

"Yes."

"Maybe even your life?"

"If that's what it takes."

"Okay I'll meet you in the morning. Where are you?"

"Motel 6, Mountain Falls, Virginia."

"Virginia. That's a coincidence. I'm quite close by."

"That doesn't surprise me. This state seems to be the
centre of activity lately."

Marita hung up on him without a goodbye

The trill of his cell phone made him jump. He grabbed it
out of his suit jacket on the end of the bed and answered
it. 

"Mulder. Its Skinner."

"Well hi there Walt. What can I do for you?"

"I know you don't trust me too much at the moment."

"You took Scully didn't you? You bastard. You did their
dirty work for them."

"Yes I did. But now I may have a way of getting her back.
Your sister too. Where are you? We have to meet."

Mulder sighed. He had little choice. Any slim hope was
worth chasing. He gave Skinner the address of the motel.

"Okay, sit tight Mulder. I'll be there in the morning."

Mulder switched the phone off and threw it across the
room. 

He had two visitors to look forward to in the morning.
Marita and Skinner. He wondered who would show up
first. Perhaps they'd arrive at the same time. That would
be interesting.

Charles arrived back with the food twenty minutes later
and threw a greasy bag at Mulder.

Mulder caught it and pulled a hamburger out. Surprised at
how hungry he was. "I take it back Charles. You aren't
that much like your sister after all. She'd never willingly
buy this crap for me."

Charles chuckled. "So Fox."

"Mulder."

"Fine. Whatever. Forgive me if its none of my business,
but the last letter Dana wrote me, she was still talking
about you like you two were just friends. When did
it change?"

"Our last case."

Charles nodded. "You're a lucky guy, you know that. My
sister is very special."

"I know that."

They ate in silence for a few moments, till Mulder became
curious about his companion. "So Charles, you have 
anybody? Girlfriend, wife?"

"No. Being in the service, its hard to meet people. Especially
the Seals. I hardly get any leave. I have to keep a lot of my
work secret. Most of the time we're not allowed to tell people
where we are. Its hard to find a woman who'd put up with 
that."

"I wonder why Scully puts up with me."

Charles laughed and Mulder looked at him. "What's so 
funny?"

"I'm sorry. Its just when you say Scully, I keep thinking 
you're talking about me. Don't you ever call her by her
first name?"

Mulder smiled. "Hardly ever. Its a habit now. She's
Scully to me."

Charles finished his burger and pulled his sweater off 
again. "I'm going to get some shut eye. I suggest you do 
the same."

Mulder nodded.

When Charles pulled off his jeans he fished his wallet from 
the pocket and pulled out his photograph of Dana. He 
handed it to Mulder. "You keep this."

"Thanks. You know its funny. All these years I've known
her and I don't have a picture."

Charles shrugged and got into the other bed. "Well you
do now. But put it away and go to sleep. This barracks
is shutting down for the night."


Laboratory
Warrenton
West Virginia
July 2nd, 1997
11.05 p.m.

Scully awoke again, cursing out loud at the pain in her
head. She opened her eyes carefully and looked around
her, noticing that she was still in the small cell.

Her eyes widened further in surprise when she saw the
man who was standing on the other side of the bars
in front of her. She looked over at the cell next to hers.
It was still empty. No Samantha. She turned her gaze
back to Cancer Man. Her breathing quickened when
she realised he was blurring now and again as she
stared at him. Another symptom of the tumour. Her
sight was beginning to fail.

"Good evening Agent Scully. How are we feeling?"

"Well I don't know about you, but I feel like shit."

He chuckled and she sat up on the cot. "Why am I
here? Why didn't they just leave me to die?"

He blew some smoke through the bars. "You have no
idea how important you've been to us do you? You've
made such a contribution that we've grown really
rather fond of you. We like having you around."

"I wish I could say the feeling was mutual."

A security guard came through the larger gate down the
corridor and hurried to Cancer Man's side.

"Sir. We've had a security breach. The chip's gone."

Cancer Man's expression hardened, and his voice 
betrayed his fury as he confronted the guard. "What
are you talking about. The chip? It can't possibly be
gone. It was under maximum protection."

"We think its been taken by someone on the inside.
We're not sure who yet. They managed to temporarily
disable the power supply in that part of the building,
so we have no video recording and the lasers were off."

Cancer Man threw his cigarette down in disgust, and 
glared at Scully. "I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up 
in the hands of Agent Mulder. What do you think Dana?"

She refused to show any emotion at the mention of his
name, and kept a firm silence.

He turned to the guard. "Why don't you go and get me
merchandise number nine-two-five. I think we may have
found a use for it."

The guard nodded and hurried off.

Cancer Man paced until the guard returned with a small,
petite woman in tow. Scully's sight blurred at her first
glance, but when her vision cleared, she gasped.

"Come here Dana."

Scully got shakily to her feet. Willing to do as her enemy
bid her for once. She needed a better look to believe it.

Cancer Man laughed. "What do you think? Did we do a
good job?"

Scully stared at the woman, who stared blankly back at 
her. She closed her eyes, hoping it would go away, but
when she opened them she was faced with the same
thing she had seen before. Herself. She was staring at
herself. An exact replica of Dana Katherine Scully.


end of part 6

*******


Armistice VII
by Caroline O'Callaghan

Room 9
Motel 6
Mountain Falls
West Virginia
July 3rd, 1997
6.02 a.m.

Charles awoke, rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and
took a moment to remember where he was. He lifted
his wrist out from under the covers and checked his
watch. Two minutes after reveille. His internal body
clock woke him at around the same time every morning,
even when he wasn't on duty.

He looked across at the other bed only to find it empty, 
but he was pleased to note that it looked like it had been 
slept in. At least Mulder had gotten some shut eye.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, he climbed into his
clothes, ran a hand through his hated, short, red hair,
and stepped outside into the bright morning sunlight.

Mulder sat on the edge of the walkway between rooms.
Charles noted that the man was staring at the picture of
Dana he had given him the night before.

He sat next to him; not speaking, waiting to sense his
mood.

Mulder coughed a little. "You know what I promised her?
Just two days ago I said I wouldn't leave her alone for
a second. I knew she might be taken again and I promised
to protect her."

Charles squinted into the sun. "Don't beat yourself up 
Mulder. Nobody can be with somebody twenty-four-seven.
Even if you had been with her, there might not have been 
anything you could have done; and besides, she's usually
pretty good at protecting herself."

Mulder let out a sad half-chuckle. "Yeah, nobody knows
that better than me, but this time Charles, she was truly
terrified, she took comfort from me being with her, and I
let her down."

"Let's concentrate on getting her back."

"What if its too late? She's dying. She could be...already
..."

Charles' voice and glare betrayed his calm anger at the words 
"Don't even think about that. The Doc said we have two 
weeks. Fourteen days to get her back. I don't care if I'm
only getting her back for her to leave us again. I have to see
her. I have to say goodbye properly."

Mulder nodded. "I understand. Ignore me, I just..." He 
sighed.

Charles shifted uncomfortably. "Do you really think that 
we're wasting our time? You don't honestly think she's
already dead, do you?"

There was a long silence before Mulder answered. "No. I 
think I'd feel it...be certain of it, if she was..." He stood up
to end the conversation, not wanting to have to explain
the connection between him and Scully, or how he'd know,
just know, if she had left his life forever. He knew that he'd
feel her absence from the world.

He and Charles both looked up suddenly when a car 
pulled into the parking lot and came to a stop.
They watched as Skinner got out, nodded to Mulder
and approached.

Mulder addressed him with the word "Sir", but it was 
dripping with sarcasm.

Skinner nodded at Charles. "Who's this?"

"I'm Charles Scully. Who are you?"

"Walter Skinner."

Charles recognised the name from Dana's letters. The 
mysterious assistant director. He'd got the impression
that Dana had trusted him, but Fox was looking as if he
wanted to kill the man.

Skinner pointed to the room. "Shall we go inside 
gentlemen?"

They filed into the room, Charles sitting on the edge of the
bed, Mulder slumping in a chair and Skinner standing
stiffly by the bathroom door.

"Don't make me endure your presence any longer than
is necessary Skinner. Say your piece."

Skinner stuck his hands in his pockets and glared at Mulder.
"You misjudge me. Everything I've done, I've done with
Scully's best interests at heart."

Charles was confused. "What did he do?"

Mulder smirked at the assistant director. "He took Scully
from the hospital and handed her over to them."

Mulder saw Charles jump from the bed and reacted 
quickly, putting a hand on his chest to stop him from
going for Skinner's throat.

"Calm down Charles. He says he has something that may
help us, we have to hear him out."

"Says who?"

"Believe me, I want to kill him as much as you do, but
they'll be time for that later, if necessary. We have to
concentrate on getting her back."

Charles took a couple of deep breaths and nodded. 
Sitting back down on the bed. Mulder turned to Skinner.

Looking a little relieved that Charles had been restrained,
Skinner reached into his pocket and pulled out a small
vial. He walked to the table by the door and placed
it there.

"What's that?"

"That's what I almost got myself killed for last night when
I stole it from their headquarters. It was under the highest
security."

Mulder walked over and picked up the vial. Inside it was 
a tiny black dot. It looked a lot like the complex computer
chip that had been removed from Scully's neck.

"It contains vital information about the project. It lays out
their master plan in full. If you let them know you have it
they'd willingly trade Scully and your sister to gain 
repossession."

Charles got to his feet again in excitement. "Well that's it.
That's what we do. We make a deal, right Fox?"

Mulder held the vial tightly in his grip and sank back into
the chair, deep in thought.

Charles looked at him quizzically. "Fox?"

He held up the vial. "This is the truth."

Skinner nodded. "Yes Mulder. Its your Holy Grail. You
have it, but surely its worth sacrificing for Scully and
Samantha?"

"Couldn't we retrieve the information from it first?"

"It wouldn't be that easy Mulder. We'd have to find 
someone with the right technical expertise. Its very 
advanced, it might take weeks, or even months, for
them to decode. Its not like downloading a computer
disk."

Charles threw up his hands in frustration. "What's the
matter with you? I thought you loved the woman. If that's
true, you'd be willing to give up everything for her."

Skinner made an intake of breath and Charles realised
he had just exposed something. This man obviously
didn't know about the nature of his sister's and Fox's 
relationship.

He glanced furtively at Mulder to apologise, but Mulder
didn't looked bothered.

Charles sighed. "Fox, answer me. You're surely not going
to risk Dana's and Samantha's lives when you have the
chance to save them?"

Mulder jumped out of deep thought. "No. No, of course
not. I was just wishing..."

"Well thank God. You had me worried for a minute there."

Mulder stood up. "We'll get in touch with them. Let them
know we have this." He held up the vial. "..and arrange a
trade." He looked at Skinner. "Do you think they'd throw
in a cure while we're at it?"

Skinner shrugged. "I was led to believe there was a cure,
but I'm beginning to think that was just a false promise
made in order to buy me."

Charlie ducked, and Mulder and Skinner both reached for
their guns when the door suddenly flew open and two
figures in combat fatigues entered, brandishing automatic
weapons.

"Put the guns down guys. We have double the firepower
here."

Mulder blinked several times when he realised that one of
the rifle holders was Marita. The other was a tall, broad-
chested man with a huge scar down the side of one cheek.

"Drop it Mulder." She nodded at Skinner. "You too."

Another combat-gear-wearing, rifleman entered and after
a resigned look at one another. Mulder and Skinner
threw their guns onto the floor.

Marita looked at Charles for a moment before dismissing
him as harmless, and then turned her attention back to 
Mulder.

"I'm here for the chip."

Mulder had transferred the vial from one hand to the other
when he had reached for his gun and it was still gripped
in his slightly sweaty palm. He wished he'd had time to
stash it somewhere. "What chip?"

Marita smirked.  "Don't waste time. It went missing last
night. The level of security is such that it could have only
been taken by someone on the inside." She motioned
towards Skinner. "And look who's here? Hand it over."

Mulder stepped forward and she aimed the weapon directly
at his chest. "You spoke about me having to make choices. 
What happened to my choices? I thought you were offering 
me a chance to get Samantha back."

"But now you have the chip. That changes things. If we
have that, we don't need you. We'll have won the fight."

"What fight? The fight against the project? What are you
guys, some kind of resistance?"

Marita blinked and for a moment Mulder thought she was
about to tell all, but she held out her hand instead and
shot him a cool glare.

"I don't have time for this Mulder. Either hand it over or
I'll shoot you and your friends dead."

"You'd do that? After all we've been through?" He cocked
his head to one side and tried to appeal to her through his
eyes. "I have a better idea. Why don't you recruit us into
your little band of merry men and we'll all work together."

She licked her lips. "We're fighting for different things. 
You're only concerned for two people. I'm trying to save
millions. Your sentimentality would interfere with the
struggle for the greater good. Unfortunately, my superior
is right, you can't be trusted, your feelings would
betray us."

"Don't you have feelings Marita?"

She shook her head. "No I gave them up when I decided
to dedicate myself to the fight. If I take the chip from
you, Agent Scully will die. Possibly your sister will as well, 
but don't you see that they would be small losses compared
with what this world could lose? Now hand it over before I
get bored with this little chat."

He sighed and opened his palm. She took it from him, but
then all hell seemed to break loose.

Squeals of tyres could be heard outside, car doors banged
and shouts were heard. Marita moved to the door, only to
duck quickly back inside when she was fired at. Bullet
upon bullet rained upon them as semi-automatic weapons
were aimed at the room. Shooting out the window and 
ripping the hardboard front of the room full of holes. 
Mulder, Charles and Skinner were all on the floor.

Mulder eyed his gun a few feet away, but he would have to
move closer to the firing line to get it. Marita and her
two gunmen were firing back now, and the noise was
deafening.

"Fox."

He looked around at Charles who had called his name. 

He whispered. "Bathroom Mulder. There's a back way out." 

Mulder shook his head. "They probably have it covered."

"Its worth a try. Better than lying here waiting for them to
kill us."

Mulder nodded and looked around at Skinner who had also
heard Charles. Skinner indicated with a jerk of his head
that he was willing to run for it and all three men got
quickly to their feet and ran to the bathroom. The window
was open and Mulder saw Charles hurtle himself through
it, just as he heard a strangled cry behind him. He turned to
see Skinner slump to the ground, blood pouring from his 
chest. He wanted to stop, to check on the man, to try and 
help him back up and through the window, but he knew if he
delayed any longer he would be shot too. He scrambled out
of the window and landed hard on his backside. Charles
grabbed him under the arm and looked up at the window.

"Forget it. He's down. Took one in the chest."

Charles nodded, and as Mulder got to his feet he looked
around him, amazed to find that there were no gunmen
waiting for them on this side of the building.

The two men took off across the street and ran into an
alley, where they clambered over a fence, through someone's
yard and down another street before they burst into an
empty MacDonald's. The counter staff didn't even look
up as they headed for the bathroom where they
went into the same stall and locked the door. They leaned
against opposite sides of the small space and panted hard,
trying to get their breath back.

"Think we made it?"

Mulder nodded. "Probably still shooting the crap out of 
each other. It'll be a while before they realise we're gone."

"So who was that woman?"

Mulder shot him a wry grin. "G.I. Jane."

Charles let out a weary chuckle. "And who were the one's
trying to kill her?"

"The consortium's trained monkeys. They've probably
realised that she's not one of them."

"So she's a double agent?"

Mulder nodded. "Well, she was. Seems like her little game's
been rumbled though."

"So what now?"

"Well we can't make the trade anymore. Looks like we're
back to square one."

"Why can't we trade?"

Mulder was surprised that Charles hadn't realised that 
they'd lost their bargaining tool. He'd seemed like a
pretty smart guy so far. "We lost the chip."

Charles pulled something from the pcoket of his leather
jacket and held it up for Mulder's inspection. "What
chip? This chip?"

Mulder's face split into a grin. "How the hell...?"

"G.I. Jane dropped it when she was getting shot at."

"You know Charles, I'm beginning to like you almost
as much as I like your sister."

"Well as long as you don't try and kiss me."

"Right, and on that subject let's get out of here before
people start talking about us sharing a cubicle in the
men's room."

Laboratory
Warrenton
West Virginia
July 2nd, 1997
7.58  a.m.

Scully awoke coughing because of the blood running 
down her throat. She sat up quickly to make it travel
down her nose instead, and wiped it on the short
sleeve of her hospital gown.

A female voice spoke her name and she looked in the 
direction it had come from. She felt anguish when she
realised that everything around her was becoming a
blur. She had to concentrate to get her limbs working,
as she got up and edged slowly towards the bars
that separated her cell from the one next door. At
least her voice and hearing were still working fine.

"Samantha?"

"Yes. Oh God Dana. I thought you weren't going to
wake up. You look awful."

Scully smiled wryly. "Thanks." She could she Samantha's
pretty features now that she was close enough. She also
saw her hand gripping the bars and closed one of hers 
around it. Samantha squeezed her fingers in return.

"Dana what are we doing here? I couldn't believe it when 
I saw that you were here too. What's going on?"

Scully sighed and realised that Samantha had been in such a 
state at the laboratory on the Vineyard that she hadn't
recognised her when she and Mulder had broken in to it
two nights ago, but perhaps she would remember their earlier 
abduction. "I'm not sure. Do you remember last time? We 
were held together like this before. With a woman named 
Penny Northern?"

Samantha shook her head, terror in her eyes.

"Two years ago Samantha, you went missing for a period
of time." 

Samantha nodded. "I woke up at my apartment one day 
and when I called Mom she burst into tears, saying
I'd been missing for thirteen weeks, but I don't remember
where I'd been, or anything. Are you saying I was here?"

"Not here exactly, but somewhere else like here."

"I don't understand. What do they want?"

Scully thought about trying to answer honestly. 'Well,
they want to see if they can clone us. They want
to steal our ovaries for a genetic engineering project.
They want to implant chips in our necks that 
can read and document our every thought. They
want to give us cancer, erase our memories and send us
home to die'. She settled upon "I don't know. Some kind
of test."

Samantha let out a small wail and Dana gripped her hand
tighter.  "Listen Samantha. You trusted me back in 
college didn't you?"

"Of course I did. You were such a good friend to me
Dana."

"Then you have to trust me as your friend now, when I
tell you that you must not give up hope. Your bro....
Someone is out there looking for us. Someone that I
trust, and he'll go to any lengths to find us." 

Samantha nodded but she still looked terrified.

Scully suddenly felt faint. "I have to sit down."

"Okay but don't go to sleep again soon will you? Keep
talking to me Dana."

Scully walked back over to the cot and lay down. "Sure,
what do you want to talk about?"

"Tell me a story from college. Remind me of some of
the things we did."

Scully smiled and began talking, still slightly bemused
that she had known Mulder's sister for so long and yet
had been searching for her as if she were a stranger.

All those times when Mulder had pined for her, she
could have so easily have given her to him, yet she'd had
no idea that Samantha Hicks was really Samantha
Mulder.


Laboratory
Warrenton
West Virginia
July 3rd, 1997
2.25  p.m.

"Scully." Somebody shoved her and she came awake.
She didn't remember falling asleep. She must have
nodded off while talking to Samantha. She opened
her eyes to see who was manhandling her. He was
close by, but it still took her a while to focus on him
and she cursed her eyesight.

"Krycek."

He was kneeling in front of her, a tray of food in his
hands. "Lunch is up. You better eat. You look like
you're not holding up too well."

She sat up and pulled the short gown down to cover 
more of her thighs. She tried to glimpse into the
other cell, but no amount of squinting helped. She
asked Krycek instead. "Samantha?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "She's gone. More tests I 
think."

He put the tray down next to her and she gave it a
distasteful glance. "I hope you're not the chef."

He gave her a grin. "No just the delivery boy. I don't
have a lot of use around here now. They give me all
the grunt work. Everybody else is in a major panic 
at the moment."

"Because of the missing computer chip?"

Krycek looked a little surprised that she knew about
the security breach, but then nodded. "They think
Mulder has it."

"Knowing Mulder, I wouldn't be surprised if it had
fallen into his hands somehow."

"You're probably right. But that's good news for 
you. He'll probably use it to gain your freedom."

Scully shook her head. "Not if he's fooled into releasing
it first. This may sound crazy Krycek, but they have
some kind of copy of me here."

"It doesn't sound crazy at all. I know. I've seen it."

Of course Krycek had seen it. Everybody here had probably
seen it. Back in Martha's Vineyard a guard had mistaken her
for her own clone. The thought almost made her laugh. "I'm 
worried that this clone...or whatever the hell it is, may 
persuade Mulder to hand the chip over to her, and then he'll 
never see Samantha again."

"Or you."

"He probably won't ever see me again anyway. I'm
dying. I don't know how much longer I'm going to
last."

"I'm sorry about that Scully. I really am. I meant what I
said the other night in your apartment."

She took hold of his remaining human hand and squeezed 
it. "If you are really sorry you'll go to Mulder for me. 
You'll warn him."

He shook his head.

"Please Krycek."

"No. I don't even know where he is. He's probably in
hiding somewhere."

"You could find him. I know how resourceful you are."

"Even if I did. He'd probably shoot me on sight."

"I could tell you how to approach him so he'd trust you.
I'll tell you what to say."

He shook his head again. "I'm sorry Scully. I can't."
He backed out of the cell, locking it behind him. He
was gone a few minutes when Scully received her
second visitor. A doctor in scrubs. A doctor that she
recognised. "Hello Dana."

She sighed heavily. "Dr Scanlon."

He was followed into her cell by another two men, also
dressed in scrubs and wheeling a gurney between them.
She looked at it in panic and realised that they had come
to take her for more testing. Her heartbeat began to
accelerate and she shook her head fiercely. "No."

"Come on Dana. Be a good girl."

"No. You bastard." She backed herself up into the corner 
of the cot, against the wall, but his assistants advanced on
her. "Get away from me."

Doctor Scanlon looked at her in dismay. "It'll be a lot 
easier for you if you come without any fuss. We don't
want you to get hurt."

She screamed and kicked out when one of the men took
hold of her right ankle. Her foot caught him in the chin
and he recoiled for a second, but came back for her.
This time grabbing both ankles while the other man 
grabbed her wrists. She fought all the way, kicking and
screaming with all her might, but eventually they 
wrestled her onto the gurney and placed her hands and
legs in straps while Dr Scanlon administered some kind
sedative into her upper arm.

As they wheeled her out of the cell and down the corridor, 
she could already feel herself losing consciousness. 


Stay n' Save Motel
Front Royal
West Virginia
July 3rd
6.42  p.m.

Mulder peered through the motel window as he heard
a van pull up outside. It was black, undecorated and
had out-of-town plates. He tensed for a moment and
reached for his gun before reminding himself that it was 
no longer on his hip and that he had left on the floor
during their hasty exit from the last motel.

He was relieved and even allowed himself a slight grin
when he saw his three friends climb out of the vehicle.
Byers, Langly and Frohike, looked carefully around them
before knocking on his door. He opened it for them and
they all piled into the room, Frohike hugging him briefly 
on the way.

"Thanks for coming guys."

Langly took a seat on the edge of one of the beds. 
"Sounds like its gonna be too good for us to miss out on."

Frohike checked the bathroom before coming back into
the main part of the room. "So where's the Scully brother?"

He went to dump the car he stole.

Frohike's sweaty brow creased. "A Scully stealing a car?
I always thought they were such moralists."

"Yeah, well, they're also very resourceful when they
need to be. You should have seen how quick he hotwired
it. So is everything set up?"

Byers nodded and paced as he spoke. "We've set up a 
roving e-mail address and sent the message to the 
address we found on the found on the files we hacked
into on the laboratory in Martha's Vineyard."

Langly interrupted. "Cool message Mulder, listen.
'Anyone want a chip for their dip."

Mulder laughed despite himself. "That's cute. What next?"

Byers coughed and continued. "We've already shut
down the original reply address, which we obviously
opened under a false name."

Mulder nodded. "Of course."

"And asked them to post their reply in code on a 
governmental conspiracy theorists newsgroup that we
use. We gave them a time limit of ten o'clock tonight."

"I guess we just have to wait and see if they've been
checking their e-mail." 

"Oh they will, its probably how they expect me to get
in touch."

Charles Scully entered the room and shot Mulder a nod of 
greeting before carefully examining each of the men in turn.

Mulder made the introductions.

Frohike shook Charles hand. "Fine sister you have."

"Erm...thank you...I think."

He looked at Mulder who just shrugged. 

"So what's going on?"

"We've initiated contact and given them a time and location
when we'd be willing to exchange. We've demanded 
both Dana and Samantha to be returned safely." Byers
turned back to his colleagues. "Come on guys let's get the 
stuff from the van."

All three gunman trailed out. Charles watched as they
got into the vehicle and began rummaging around.

Mulder saw him watching his friends. "Something
wrong Charles?"

"No..I just..are you sure these guys are reliable..I mean
they look like.."

"It doesn't matter what they look like. They're the
best, and they'd do anything to help your sister,
remember that."

Charles nodded.


Operating theatre
Laboratory
Warrenton
West Virginia
July 2nd, 1997
7.19  p.m.


Scully felt like somebody had been hitting her over the 
head with a hammer. She couldn't move a muscle, not 
even the ones that controlled her eyelids. So she lay still. 

The operating table she lay on was uncomfortable, but she
made no noise to protest against it; instead she fought the
pain in her head. Voices drifted within her earshot and
she listened, recognising Doctor Scanlon's and Cancer
Man's.

"Have you finished the procedure we asked you to 
perform?"

"Yes. I'm not sure it will work. She's very sick."

"It has to work. Desperate measures may be called for."

"So the chip hasn't been recovered yet?"

"No we're arranging a meeting now. We expect it to
be back in safe hands by tomorrow."

"I heard that Walter Skinner took it."

"He's a foolish man. He knew to take it was certain
death and yet he did so anyway, and for what? For this
woman? She was just an employee to him. It makes no
sense. He could have had a bright future if he'd stayed
on our side, and so could you Scanlon."

"That's not what I hear. I hear they're increasing their 
presence. That we have no control anymore, that the
experiments haven't worked and that we won't be
ready when the date comes."

"Then you heard wrong. Excuse me doctor, I have a lot
of business to attend to." Scully heard the door bang
behind Cancer Man as he left the room.


Stay n' Save
Front Royal
West Virginia
July 3rd, 1997
8.36  p.m.

Mulder lay prone on one of the beds, to outward 
appearances calm, but on the inside he was in turmoil.
He glanced around the room. Charles Scully had found
a deck of cards and was playing patience. Langly and
Byers had hooked up their computer and were scanning 
the newsgroup every five minutes. Frohike was watching
CNN with the sound turned down.

Mulder's plan was simple. Give back the chip. Get Scully.
Hold her to him till it was time to lay her to rest. 

He felt tears stinging the backs of his eyes. Byers
must have noticed his misty gaze for he looked over
sympathetically. 

"Thinking what its going to be like to get Samantha 
back huh?"

Mulder looked at him blankly and just nodded, but the
question filled him with tremendous guilt. Samantha.
He hadn't been thinking about her hardly at all. His mind
was obsessed by the idea of finding Scully so he could
spend one more night lying next to her. He
wondered if, and when, she had become paramount in
his mind, even above Samantha. It wasn't right, he had
been looking for Samantha for so long. That was what
he had devoted his life to. Hadn't he just warned Scully
a few days ago that that his sister came first with him?

He wanted to smack his head against the wall and curse
himself. 

He supposed it was love. He'd admitted to himself that
he loved her when she'd saved him from getting crushed 
by the train.

And the sex had been so powerful, so intense. He'd felt
so glorious inside her; as her soft, hot, wet inner flesh had
gripped around him. Sex was powerful, love was powerful,
but together they made a dangerous combination. It was
enough to make a man forget that he had a purpose, a
mission to fulfil; a sister to find.

"Hey Mulder look at this."

Frohike turned the sound up on the t.v. and a reporter was
speaking from outside a local hospital.

Mulder listened to the facts of the news story. Assistant Director 
of the FBI, Walter Skinner, found with a bullet hole to the
chest in a nearby motel. Paramedics and police were called
to the scene after a gun battle broke out. Police suspect
terrorism. Assistant Director Skinner in critical condition.
Two dead men also found at the scene. Their identities
unknown.

Charles let out a whistle. "He's alive."

Mulder found himself smiling. "Take more than a measly
bullet to get the better of Skinner. He's as tough as old
boots."

"That's not what you said this morning Mulder. You 
thought he was dead for sure."

"Yeah well, I temporarily forgot that it would take a
direct hit with a nuke to see him off."

Frohike switched the t.v. off. "Don't forget they said
critical. He's not out of the woods."

"He'll make it. Notice they only said two men dead
Charles?"

Charles nodded. "G.I. Jane must have got away."

Langly jumped up from in front of the computer screen 
with a half-terrified, half-excited look on his face. "We
got it. They've agreed to the exchange."


Laboratory
Warrenton
West Virginia
July 2nd, 1997
8.51  p.m.

As she was wheeled back to her cell on the gurney, Scully
began to detect the return of movement in her limbs.

The gurney stopped and two strong pairs of male hands lifted 
her onto the cot. She still couldn't open her eyes, but felt it 
was more because of a pressure placed on them, rather than
the lack of muscle movement. She raised a hand to her
head, but Doctor Scanlon spoke to her in a soft warning.

"No Dana. There's a bandage over your eyes. We've
been messing around with them all afternoon. They need
to be protected from the light for at least a week. You
musn't touch the bandage."

She managed to get her voice in gear. "You almost sound
like you care."

"Please understand, I do what I do because I believe in 
the cause. Its my life."

"You killed all those MUFON members."

"Yes. I was ordered to."

"Would the cancer have killed them anyway?"

"Yes. In time. I never wanted to hurt anybody, but I
believe its necessary to make sacrifices sometimes.
They were a threat to the secrecy of the project. I'll
leave you now, there's a guard here if you need 
anything."

"Scanlon. What was done to me? What procedures?"

"I can't say, but I'm sorry. So terribly sorry. Excuse me."

She listened as he and the orderlies shuffled out the room.
Scanlon called to the guard to lock the door, and the
guard replied with a smart. "Yes sir."

When the key turned in the lock she called out to him.
"Krycek. Is that you?"

"Yeah Scully."

"I thought so. You're on guard duty now?"

"Yes." 

"Is Samantha next door?"

"Yes. She's asleep." She heard him unlock the door he
had just locked and sensed his presence as he came to
kneel by the side of her cot.

He whispered to her. "They're making the exchange
tonight. That's why they have me guarding you. All their
normal security guys are out going over the location."

"Exchange?"

"Mulder does have the chip. He's using it to free you and
Samantha."

Scully was quiet for a while and Krycek was about to 
leave before she spoke quietly to him. "I can't let him
do it."

"Are you crazy. Don't you want to get out of here?"

"Yes, but this chip has information on it right?"

"I'll say. Just about every piece of information there is."

"Its his truth. Its what he's been looking for. I can't let
him give it up."

"This isn't just about you Scully. Samantha needs to get 
out of here too."

"I know. That's why I'm asking you to get us out."

"What?"

"Please Krycek. We could get out of here. You're the
guard, you're the one whose supposed to raise any
alarms that we're missing, but you wouldn't be here
to do it. It could be hours before anybody realises
were gone."

"Its too risky. And you're not well enough to travel."

"I'm well enough to get back to Mulder, and if 
Samantha and I get back to him, he won't need to
surrender the chip. He could expose them Krycek.
Didn't you say once that was what they feared most?
Come on, let's beat the bastards for once. Show them
they can't play around with people's lives anymore. 
You owe them no loyalty, they tried to kill you once,
and another time they left you for dead."

Krycek let out a laugh of amazement. "You know I'm
actually considering this. You could probably sell ice
to the eskimos Scully."

She smiled. "You know Krycek when you came to
my apartment that night you were looking for
redemption. Well here's your chance to earn it. Do
something truly good for a change. Be on the right 
side."

"Okay. Shit, yes, I'll do it. Give me twenty minutes to
get a truck. Wake Samantha up while I'm gone.

end  of part VII

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

Armistice VIII
by Caroline O'Callaghan


Laboratory
Warrenton
West Virginia
July 3rd, 1997
11.00 p.m.

Cancer man stood in the control centre of the project,
surrounded by banks of computers and technical
operatives.

He watched the Well-manicured Man approach, and
spoke with sarcasm. "Nice of you to join us."

"I was on a golfing holiday."

"Meanwhile, all hell was breaking lose here."

"Is it my fault you and my colleagues are incapable of
handling even the most simplest of situations?"

Cancer Man blew out a puff of smoke. 

"You shouldn't be smoking in here. Don't you know
how delicate this equipment is?"

He blew another puff of smoke, smirked and said
nothing.

"Why don't you tell me what's been happening?"

"Walter Skinner stole the chip. He's given it to Fox
Mulder who is using it to secure his sister's and Dana
Scully's freedom."

"And what if he hands over a false chip in exchange?"

"We'll still have Dana Scully to bargain with."

"I thought she was part of the deal?"

"We'll hand over the clone in her place. By the time
he's realised he hasn't got the real Scully, we'll know
whether the chip is real. And, if necessary, we'll
re-negotiate."

"I heard that Marita Covarrubias isn't on our side
after all, that she's one of them."

Cancer Man nodded. "Some of her compatriots
were killed this morning when we tried to recover
our property. She managed to escape."

"Well, we know it takes a lot to kill them."

A security man rushed breathlessly into the room.
"Sir, we went to collect the prisoner from her cell
like you asked, but she was gone."

Cancer Man glared at his subordinate. "What?"

"The cell was empty Sir, both of them were."

"I don't believe this. Who was guarding them? Bring
him to me."

"It was Alex Krycek Sir, and I'm afraid...well, it 
looks like he's gone too. Our man on the gate waved
him through in a truck about 90 minutes ago."

The Well-manicured Man studied his fingers, before
glancing back at Cancer Man. "Another desertion?
Krycek, Skinner, Marita...these were all people who
were supposed to be under your control. I'm 
beginning to believe you're not entirely proficient in
such matters."

A young man who was seated at a computer monitor
turned to them. "Sirs, I think you better check this out.
We're getting readings from all over the skies. Hundreds
of them."

The Well Manicured Man moved to behind the man's
chair and read the information on the screen. "This
is bad news. We're not even remotely ready for them.
How long before they arrive?"

"One hour, maybe two."


Route 231
Etlan
West Virginia
July 3rd, 1997
11.02 p.m.

Krycek negotiated the small road carefully in the black
of evening; his headlights on half-beam so as not to throw
off too much light.

He had been surprised at how easy it had been to sneak
Dana and Samantha out of the lab. He had walked calmly
through the building gripping Scully by the elbow and
keeping his gun trained on Samantha, to make it seem
as if he were just transferring the prisoners elsewhere.
He had snuck them out of a side door and told them to
lay flat on the back of the truck he had appropriated, and
then lain a blanket over them.

He'd grinned at the guard on the gate, telling him he was
off to buy pizza and then they were on their way. 

He glanced over at Scully who was now sitting beside
him in the truck. Samantha was squeezed up against the
window, and hadn't spoken a word to him since their
escape. He got the impression she was extremely timid.
It was hard to tell if Scully was awake or not, with the
bandage covering her eyes. She leant against the head
rest so comfortably that he thought she might have
nodded off and so he jumped a little when she spoke.

"Where are we now?"

"Nearly at the mountains. I don't know where else to
go. Listen Scully, I've been thinking about your little
plan, and I'm not so sure its going to work."

"I know what you're thinking. That our escape might
not necessarily stop Mulder giving back the chip. That
they may just hand clones over to him in exchange."

Samantha stared out of the windscreen in horror.
"Clones? What are you talking about?"

Scully licked her lips. Not being able to use her eyes
to communicate with people was frustrating to say
the least. She tried to calm her friend with words
instead. "They have the technology to make walking,
talking replicas of us. I know they have one of me.
I think they've had some of you in the past. Krycek?"

"The first clones that didn't grow beyond eight years
old were all killed when they destroyed that part
of the hive. The second batch turned against their
creators, they tried to rebel and were extinguished in
an explosion."

"That explosion nearly killed Mulder too."

"Whose Mulder?"

The question made Scully swallow hard. "He's my 
partner, in the Bureau."

Krycek continued. "I haven't seen any more clones of
Samantha, at least not in that lab."

Scully coughed. "Well then, at least we've bought
some time. Mulder won't release the chip without
Samantha, and maybe we can get to him before they
churn out another replica of her." 

"Why would your partner be so concerned about me?"

Scully sympathetically listened to the concern in 
Samantha's voice. "Because he's...because he's the
kind of person who's concerned about everybody."

Scully coughed again and Krycek looked at her with
a frown. "You doing okay?"

"I'm fine."

"I'm not sure that you're fit enough to traipse around
looking for Mulder. I think I ought to hide you 
somewhere and go get him myself."

"I thought you were concerned about him shooting
you on sight?"

"So I'll take Samantha with me. Then he'll have to at
least hear me out. She's in a lot better shape than you
are Scully. Come on, let me get you somewhere safe?"

Scully considered her weak limbs, her non-existent
eyesight and the pounding ache in her head. She also
felt incredibly warm, even though she still only wore a
hospital gown and it was a cool night. Perhaps she was
running a fever. Krycek was right. He'd be quicker if
it was just him and Samantha. "Okay, where were you
thinking of taking me?"

"I guess hospital, or the FBI are out of the question?"

"Yes. We don't know who we can trust, or where they're
watching. Are we anywhere near Breakspeare?"

"Its a few miles down the road, why?"

"I know someone there who might be able to help.
Take me to the Sheriff's station in Breakspeare."


Blue Ridge Nightclub
Front Royal
West Virginia
July 4th 1997
1.10  p.m.

Mulder looked at his watch for the second time in
thirty seconds and sighed. He looked over at Frohike
who was torn between watching the exits for any,
sign that the deal was going down, and watching the
gyrating hips of the tall blonde in front of him who
seemed to be celebrating July 4th with great gusto.

The nightclub was packed and the music so loud it
made his head hurt. 

Staging the exchange here had been the Gunmen's 
idea and Mulder had agreed that he thought it a 
pretty good one. Their enemies wouldn't be able to make 
any rash moves here. They wouldn't be able to open fire
on a crowd of people celebrating Independence
Day. Things were more likely to go smoothly, and the 
crowds meant that they had a better chance of slipping
away safely once it was over. He wanted it to be over.
He wanted to kiss Scully's full, lush mouth and sit
down with Samantha and tell her how wonderful it
was to know she was alive and well.

But it wasn't over, and they were late. Ten minutes
late, in fact, and his body was beginning to sweat as
much as the young nubile ones who had been
dancing to the pounding beat for hours on end. A
brunette in a tight red tank top stared at him with a 
measure of interest and a seductive smile while she
swayed to the music. He shot her a menacing glare
and she returned to her dancing after shooting him
a 'you weren't worth it anyway' look. He saw a 
flash of red hair and his heart rate quickened but
it was simply another clubber. He wondered briefly if
Scully ever went to nightclubs and the thought made
him smile. He really couldn't see her in this sort of
place, but with Scully, anything was possible. He
really didn't know her half as well as he pretended
too, and he'd always suspected their was a deeply-
hidden, but very strong, wild side to her.

Charles came up beside him, interrupting his musings.
"Eleven minutes late. Something's wrong."

Mulder tried to shrug it off with humour. "Maybe they 
got stopped by the doormen. Too menacing looking,
or something."

"No, you said these guys were like a secret military.
Take it from me Fox. Military people are never late."

"Mulder. Its Mulder."

"Yeah sure."

They both looked up in interest as Byers came into
the club. He'd been stationed in the van outside. He
was tugging at his tie anxiously.

Mulder approached him. "What's up?"

"They've posted another message. The deal's off.

They say they don't require the chip anymore."

Mulder raised his voice. "That's such bullshit. They
were willing to kill for it earlier today."

Charles ran a hand through his hair. "Do you think
they're bluffing?"

"I don't know."

Mulder strode away angrily. Charles called out to
him. "Fox. What happens now?"

He stopped, turned and glared at Scully's brother.
"I have no fucking idea. Leave me alone. I don't
have all the answers."

He ran up the stairs of the club and stormed out
the door. 

Frohike walked over to Charles and Byers, looking
up at them expectantly. "What's happened?"

"Nothing. Nothing is going to happen either. No
deal."

"Damn. That's bad. I guess we'll have to go with plan
B then."

Charles looked confused. "What's plan B?"

Frohike shrugged. "We'll know when we invent
it."

Byers smoothed down the lapels of his suit. "I
suggest we go find Mulder. We're fish out of water 
here."

Frohike stroked his stubble. "Speak for yourself.
I was doing okay with blondie over there."

Charles slapped his back. "Hate to tell you this
pal but I think she was looking at you in shock
rather than lust."

Frohike made a disgruntled sound as they 
made their way out of the club.

Charles was surprised to see Mulder sitting in
the van with Langly. He had assumed that he had
taken off on his own in anger, but was pleased
that he had realised he could use help from his
friends.

Once everybody was inside. Langly pulled out
of the side street and began the short drive
back to the hotel. All of them were too 
pre-occupied with wondering why the deal had
been called off to notice the very similar, unmarked
black van that followed them at a discreet 
distance.


Sheriff's Station
Breakespeare
West Virginia
July 4th, 1997
00.15  a.m.

Sheriff Emily Watson yawned at the small television 
she had set up on the counter to relieve her boredom.
Nothing exciting was on but she didn't switch it off
because she welcomed the noise it gave to the dark
office.

Normally the Sheriff's Station wasn't open through
the night, but after the kidnapping of Molly Turner
the residents had organised a public meeting and
suggested that they'd feel safer if the local law
enforcement was available twenty-four-hours a 
day. Emily had tried to reason with them. Assuring
them that Molly's kidnapper had been found and that
the Sheriff's office didn't need to remain open, and 
that she'd still be on call even when it wasn't, but
it hadn't appeased them and so she'd agreed that she
and her deputy would work shifts. She was hoping
that in a couple of weeks the hysteria would die
down and things would go back to normal, because
she'd really had it with the night shift.

Although it wasn't as if she had anything better to
do. She admitted that she had no social life, and had
neither the time nor the inclination to go looking for
one at the moment.

A comedy show began and one of the characters
was a petite red-haired girl. She smiled. She was
pretty, but not like Dana. Dana Scully had been
beautiful; with her classic features and noble air. 
She sighed. She really had to get over her fixation.
The woman was straight, and in love with that 
lanky partner of hers, who probably didn't 
deserve her. She sighed again. That wasn't fair.
He was a nice guy. A little screwed up perhaps,
but a good guy, nonetheless.

She became alert when a truck pulled up sharply
outside. She switched the t.v. off and put a hand
on her holster as she moved to the door.

The man who got out of the drivers side walked
quickly towards her and she tensed. He was wild
looking, dark and dangerous. As she opened the
office door to greet him warily she noticed his
false limb.

"Can I help?"

"Are you Sheriff Watson?"

"Yeah. Something wrong?"

"I was hoping you might be able to help me. Well
actually I was hoping you might be able to help
the person I have with me. She needs protecting."

Emily tried to look around him at the truck but
it was too dark to see much.


"Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter what my name is, but I have
Dana Scully with me."

Emily almost gasped. "Is she in some kind of
trouble?"

"She needs somewhere to hide. She needs to be
taken care of. She's not well. She's gotten worse
on the drive. She's so hot and I can't rouse her.
I think she's in a bad fever."

He walked back to the truck and Emily followed
eagerly. He opened the door for her and she
climbed in next to Scully. A woman sitting on
the other side of the truck nodded at her.

"Hi."

"Hi. Who are you?"

"Sam. Samantha Hicks."

Emily took a deep breath and examined Dana more
closely. Her fever was high and sweat gleaned from her
body; her lips moved noiselessly. Emily looked around 
at the man who was standing on the street looking up 
and down. "What's this bandage for over her eyes?"

"Some kind of operation. It can't be taken off for a 
week. Please don't ask more questions, there isn't
time. Will you help her?"

Emily nodded. "Of course. We'll take her to my place.
Its just at the back of the office. Drive the truck around
to the door and I'll lock up here."


Emily Watson's house
Breakspeare
July 4th, 1997
1.30 a.m.

Emily dipped the cloth back in the bowl of cool water
she had placed by the bedside, rung it out, and wiped 
Dana's face again before she settled the cloth on her
forehead.

She looked up at Samanatha and Krycek who hovered
at the end of the bed.

Krycek motioned towards Scully. "How's she doing?"

Emily got to her feet. "Still feverish, but she seems to
be sleeping now."

Samantha looked as if she were about to cry. "Do
you think she's going to be okay?"

"I'm no doctor, and since you guys won't let me call
one, there's not a lot I can tell you."

Krycek moved towards the door. "You can't tell anyone
she's here. Keep her hidden till either Mulder or I come
back for her. Come on Samantha, you have to come 
with me."

Samantha looked a little stricken, but did as she was 
bade.

Emily sighed. "I don't suppose I'm going to get any
clue as to what's going on here."

Krycek looked at her with a plea in his eye. "The more
you know, the more you're in danger."

"Listen. For all I know, you two are responsible for Dana
being like this. If I was doing my job properly I'd arrest
you right now."

"Her life is under threat, but not by us. If anyone knows
where she is...just protect her...please."

Krycek disappeared through the door, dragging
Samantha along after him. Emily heard the door bang
and slumped back into the chair she had just vacated.

"Mulder."

When she heard Scully's voice, her head whipped round
to look down at her unexpected house guest. She took
her hand and squeezed it gently. "Mulder's not here
Dana. Its Emily Watson, remember me? I'm just taking
care of you, you're not well."

Dana was quiet for a while, as if she were trying to piece
together the information and remember recent events.
She nodded slightly and licked her lips. "Thirsty."

Emily smiled. "Well that's a good sign. I'll just be a 
second." She hurried downstairs and quickly filled a 
glass of water and rushed back to the bedroom where
she lifted Dana's head from the pillow to help her take
a sip.

Scully settled back into the pillows with a slight moan.
"Has Krycek gone?"

"Yes. He took Samantha with him. Is that okay?"

Scully nodded. "They've gone to find Mulder. Thank
you Emily."

"For what?"

"For taking care of me."

Emily found herself blushing a little and was relieved
that Dana couldn't see it. "Hey. The pleasures all mine.
I never thought I'd get to see you in my bed."

Scully's mouth lifted into a half-smile. 

"You're wearing my p.j.'s too, but don't worry I let
Samantha change and wash you down. I didn't trust
myself not to take advantage. What's happened to you
Dana?"

"Its a long and highly unbelievable story. But...you
should know that I'm dying...I have cancer."

Emily was quiet for a moment whilst she digested the
painful information.

"Emily. I know I don't have long...but I...I need to 
see Mulder again. Please...I need...things I haven't
told him...doesn't matter...Marita...Sam, I know
Samantha. Hicks."

Emily recognised that Dana was still a little delirious
from the fever and gently stroked her hand. "Okay
calm down. You're gonna see Mulder again. That
guy's gone to get him for you. He'll bring him
back here. Its all going to be alright."

Scully nodded, quietened down and in a few minutes,
much to Emily's relief, she was asleep again.

Room 2
Stay n' Save
Front Royal
West Virginia
2.15  a.m.

Mulder paced the room, a picture of barely restrained
anger. Charles sat quietly on the bed, studying the vial 
that contained that chip

The Gunmen were in the room next door. Desperately 
searching their databases and calling in all their favours 
and resources to try and find any information that might 
help. 

Mulder pulled the card that Marita had given him earlier
from his pocket. Charles looked up. "What's that?"

"My last lead. G.I. Jane's phone number."

"You honestly don't think she's going to be of any help
do you?"

"You got any better ideas?"

"Maybe we could go see Skinner in the hospital."

"Too dangerous. He's probably being watched."

Charles sighed. "I guess you'd better call the number
then."

Mulder moved to the phone, but stopped short when
he heard a knock on the door.

He and Charles exchanged a look and Mulder pulled
out the gun that Langly had gotten for him as he
moved to answer it.

His heart pounded and he couldn't believe his eyes
when he opened the door, only for Scully to fall
into his arms. He held her tightly against him and
thanked whatever, or whoever, had brought her to
him. He dragged her limp body into the room and 
kicked the door shut.

"Christ Scully. I thought I was never going to see
you again." He blinked back tears as he held her 
away from him, so he could look down carefully 
into her eyes. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Just a little out of breath. I've
been running ever since I escaped."

"How did you get here?"

"It doesn't matter. I'll tell you later. I'm exhausted.
I need to lie down."

"Where's Samantha?"

"Still with them I'm afraid. I can help you find her 
though."

Charles got up from the bed and crossed the room.
"Hey D." 

His heart stopped for a moment as his sister looked at 
him blankly for a while before recognition came to
her and she smiled at him. "Hi Charles." She broke
away from Mulder for a moment to kiss her brother's
cheek and hug him briefly.

She looked back up at her partner. "Where's the chip?"

"How do you know about that?"

"There was uproar in that place when they found out
it was missing and that you had it. I escaped so that
you wouldn't have to hand it over to them."

He gently took her hand. "Scully there's still Samantha.
I have to see if I can buy her freedom. I may still have
to surrender it."

She looked confused for a moment. "Of course. Yes."

"I want to tell the Gunmen you're back. I won't be a 
second. They're just next door."

She didn't release his hand. "No. Don't. I don't want 
you to leave me yet. Charles, why don't you go?"

Her brother nodded, keen to spread the good news.
He headed for the door and as he was about to leave
Dana called out to him. "Charles. Could you stay in
there for a while? Fox and I could use a little time
alone."

Mulder was a little surprised at the use of his first
name, but quite frankly, he'd allow her to call him
anything she damn well wanted to, as long as he could
have her near him.

Charles smiled his agreement. "Sure. I understand.
Young love and all that. Give us a yell if you need
us." 

When her brother had left, Mulder wrapped a hand
around Scully's neck and pulled her mouth to his.
He was surprised that she was unyielding at first,
her lips remained hard under his, but with his
perseverance she softened and moulded her body 
to him, opening her mouth at the insistence of
his tongue.

Mulder wondered briefly why she tasted a little
different, and for that matter, smelled a little
different. He supposed it was being in that place,
where they'd done God knows what to her. His
fingers wound their way through her hair as he
backed her against the bed and lowered her onto
the soft mattress. He groaned her name as he
kissed her neck and pushed his groin into hers.

"Fox." 

He didn't understand Scully's sudden propensity
for wanting to call him by his first name, but he decided
he quite liked the way it sounded on her soft alto. In
fact, it only increased his desire. He was already rock 
hard, with a primal need to sheath himself inside her.

After their last sexual encounter, he had sworn to 
himself that he wouldn't take her again without 
ensuring her pleasure first, but at the moment all
thoughts beyond the need to enter her were banished.

He undid the button on her suit jacket and slipped
his hand inside to cover her breast through the silk and 
lace of her blouse and bra.

"Fox I..."

He cut her off with a kiss, unable to stand any more
uttering of his name. It was driving him crazy.
His hand left her breast as he continued to kiss her.
He rolled slightly off her to undo the button and zipper
of his jeans and sighed in relief. Wanting her to touch
him, he grasped her hand and brought it onto his
hardness. She squeezed him lightly through his boxers.
"Oh God Scully."

He searched for the catch on her suit trousers, but
was stopped when she released him and put a hand on
his chest to push him away. "Fox. Take it easy, there's
no rush."

His eyes met hers a little guiltily. "I'm sorry. I just need
to connect with you."

She smiled softly at him and he wondered at the colour
of her eyes. He'd never seen them turn exactly that
shade before.

"Its nice to know you want me so much, but there's
plenty of time."

"No there isn't. I have to start looking for Samantha
again soon."

He kissed her again, hoping to persuade her. She
accepted the kiss but pushed at his chest again.
"Why don't you take a nice shower first?"

He looked at her quizzically. "A shower?"

"Yes. You smell strange. Like smoke."

He sniffed his arm and shrugged. "Its that damn club. 
It really bothers you?"

She turned her nose up and nodded. "Yeah. Please.
Take a shower for me."

Willing to do anything that would make her happy,
he rose from the bed and nodded. "Okay. I'll be
ten minutes."

"I'll be waiting."

He went into the bathroom, a little bemused by her
behaviour, and began stripping off. He winced as
he pulled his boxers down over his erection and
as he stepped into the shower cubicle and switched
the water on, he couldn't resist giving himself a 
few soothing strokes. His need was bad. Scully could
make him desperate with just a few kisses.

He reached for the soap and began to wash himself
free of the smoke. As he lathered up, his mind began
asking himself questions.

How had Scully known where to find him? 

Why was she wearing a suit?

She'd been wearing a hospital gown when she'd gone
missing. Had she escaped and gone back to 
Washington before coming back here? He supposed
it was possible.

As he pondered, he heard the door of the cubicle
open. He turned to see Scully standing there with
a syringe in her hand.

"What?" 

Before the word had even left his mouth she had 
plunged the needle into his right thigh. He grappled for 
the offending item, and succeeded in knocking her
backwards, but it was too late, his vision was already
blurring and the strength had left his muscles. He plunged
to the floor of the shower, naked and helpless. The
world went black.


Room 3
Stay n' Save
Front Royal
West Virginia
2.52  a.m.

Langly was speaking on the phone, Byers was
still hunched over his computer monitor, and Frohike
and Charles were playing cards when they heard the
second thump from the room next door.

Langly covered the receiver and tittered. Frohike
raised an eyebrow and Byers turned round from the
screen with a stiff smile on his face.

Finishing his phone call, Langly got up. "Well at least
someone's having fun tonight, but do they have to
make so much noise about it?"

Byers coughed. "I would have thought more modern
motels like these would have better sound proofing."

Frohike sighed. "That Mulder's a lucky dog."

Charles spoke sternly. "Cut it out guys. That's my 
sister. I'm trying not to pay any attention, or even
think about what may be happening next door."

Langly picked up the phone again and began to dial.
"Sorry." 

"So how do you think she found us?"

Charles laid down his beaten poker hand and looked
at the little man across the table. "What?"

"How did she know how to find Mulder? We 
haven't told anybody where we are."

Charles thought about it for a moment, but couldn't
find any answer. Another thump was heard, followed
by the sound of a banging door and a couple of seconds
later they heard a car speed away. All four men got
to their feet almost simultaneously and ran from the
room.

Mulder's door was wide open and they approached
with caution. 

Charles stepped over the threshold and carefully into
the room. It had been ransacked. The mattress hung
halfway off the bed, the drawers all hung open,
the bedside lamp had been smashed and a picture
ripped.

He looked around at the Gunmen in disbelief. "What's
happened here?"

Langly's mouth hung open. "Someone's been 
searching, probably for the chip. Do you still have it
Charles?"

He nodded and pulled it from his pocket. He 
walked to the bathroom, just to ensure it was empty.
"They're both gone."

Langly took off his glasses and cleaned them on
his Megadeath t-shit. "You don't suppose Scully's
...well...gone to the other side, do you?"

Charles pierced him with a glare. "My sister would
never betray her country, or treat people like those
bastards do. Somebody must have taken them both.
Maybe they followed her here."

They all jumped in surprise when a cell phone 
began to ring. It was Mulder's. It lay discarded on
the floor. Charles bent and picked it up, pushing
the button to answer it. "Hello."

The voice on the other end of the line was male. 
"Is this Fox Mulder's phone?"

"Yes."

"Put him on."

"He's not here at the moment. Who are you?"

"Where is he?"

Charles became more forceful. "Who are you?"

"My name is Alex Krycek. I have his sister, and I 
know where Dana Scully is. She gave me this number.
I need to speak to Mulder."

"Okay...Krycek...let's meet."

End of part III

********

Armistice IX
by Caroline O'Callaghan
caroline.o@virgin.net

Laboratory
Warrenton
West Virginia
July 4th, 1997
6.04 a.m.

The smoke woke him. The stale, musty smell of 
Morley's. Opening his eyes, he found himself in a 
small, dank cell. Rubbing a hand through his hair, he sat 
up and looked around, knowing who he would see.

Cancer Man nodded at him. "Agent Mulder. How are
you feeling?"

His enemy seemed downcast, strangely melancholy.
His usual smirk missing. Mulder got up, taking with
him the blanket that covered his otherwise naked frame,
and walked to the front of the cell where he spoke to 
Cancer Man through the bars. "A little under-dressed."

"Sorry my associate didn't feel there was time to stop
for clothes."

"Your associate. You mean that thing? That poor 
imitation of Scully?  Is it even human?"

"I'd explain what it is Fox, but science was never your
strong point."

"I suppose it was looking for the chip. You must have
been pretty pissed when you realised I didn't have it,
especially after all the trouble you went to."

Cancer Man looked down at his feet and let out an
ironic chuckle. "The events of the last few hours have
made the chip seem rather insignificant."

"Where's Scully? Where's my sister?"

"I haven't got the faintest idea."

Cancer Man opened the cell door and walked away.
Mulder realised he was meant to follow and walked
quickly to catch up. His feet freezing on the cold
floor. 

They walked out of the cells and into a corridor, which
was thriving with activity. Men with heavy weaponry
rushed back and forth. People in lab coats were packing
boxes and stacking them in rows. Mulder's brow
furrowed. "What's happening?"

Cancer Man gave him a resigned look. "They're coming,
but we're not ready for them."

"Who?"

"Them Fox." Cancer Man pointed a long, yellow finger
up at the ceiling. "Them. The project has failed."


Dee's 24-hour Diner
Front Royal
West Virginia
July 4th, 1997
6.17 a.m.

Langly, Byers and Krycek sat around a table poking at
their food with forks. Silence prevailed. The talking;
the explanations had already taken place.

Charles and Samantha sat at another table across the
restaurant.

"I always knew that I had a brother, I mean I didn't
know, but I felt it, somewhere inside me was a sense
that there was someone..."

Charles looked up at the pretty woman opposite him,
when she failed to finish the sentence. She spoke softly, 
her head ducked in shyness. 

"He's been looking for you since you were taken. Dana 
told me that finding you is the only thing that matters 
to him."

"I just hope we get to meet."

Charles smiled softly and covered her hand with one
of his. "You will. From Dana's letters I gather he's
something of a survivor. He may come back battered
and bruised, but he'll come back."

Samantha smiled back, although she covered her mouth
self-consciously. "I just keep thinking how strange it
was that Dana and I knew each other. If we'd have
stayed in touch after college, I probably would have found 
out about Fox sooner."

"You don't remember anything about your childhood?"

"No, not really. Not memories. Feelings perhaps. When
you told me my real name was Mulder and that I had
a brother, it seemed right, not strange. Like it was what
I'd been expecting to discover all along."

Charles nodded and took a sip of his coffee. He was
enjoying Samantha's company, despite the strange
circumstances of their meeting in the early hours of
that morning, and his concerns for Dana.

As if she had read his mind, Samantha broached that
subject. "Are you going to go and see Dana now?
You must be worried about her."

"Yes I am worried, but she's in safe hands, and I feel
that I ought to do something to help Fox."

"Can we exchange that chip thing for him?"

"Fox's friends over there sent a message to say that
we'd be willing to, but so far we haven't heard anything.
There was a number that Mulder had, a contact of
his that might help. I was thinking of calling her. Other 
than that, I don't really have any idea what to do."

Across the room Langly, Byers and Krycek were 
indulging in an animated conversation.

"Krycek man, you know where their headquarters are,
I say we try and get in there and rescue him."

Krycek shook his head. "You have no idea of the
security there."

Byers cocked his head to one side. "Well you managed
to sneak Scully and Samantha out okay."

Alex had to concede. "Yeah, but only because they
thought I was on their side."

"Whose side are you on?"

He glared at Byers. "Mine." His face softened as he
considered further. "And Scully's. I got her involved
in this, it was me who... I kept Mulder from getting 
to her in time." He looked around and ducked his
head. "I was there when her sister was shot."

Byers considered for a moment, still not sure
whether or not to trust Alex Krycek. Mulder had
told him of the awful, heinous crimes that the man
had committed as a pawn of the consortium. On the
other hand, however, he had brought Samantha to
them, who claimed that Krycek had helped Scully and
herself break out of the laboratory. If he could 
possibly assist them in finding Mulder, it was worth 
the risk his help carried with it.

Langly interrupted his thoughts . "How about we try 
and disable their computers or something? Hack in 
and bring 'em all down?"

"That's been tried before. By a group with technology
far superior to yours, and it didn't work."

Frohike came running into the diner on stubby little
legs, his face betraying his excitement. "Guys I've
just been on to all the local UFO networks. You wouldn't
believe their figures for last night. Sightings all over
the place. The skies were alive."

Byers shrugged. "We were out last night. We didn't
see anything."

Frohike wasn't deterred. "Most of it was about forty
miles away."

The placid tones of Langly calmed him slightly. "That's 
cool dude, but we have a more pressing matter were 
trying to deal with here."

They all looked round as Charles got up from his table
and crossed to the payphone, where he pulled a card 
from the back pocket of his jeans and began to dial.


Laboratory
Warrenton
West Virginia
July 4th, 1997
6.24 a.m.

Mulder couldn't help but be completely fascinated by the
sights that surrounded him in the control room of the
laboratory. The banks of computers were manned by 
young men who all looked incredibly alike, with only subtle
differences to tell them apart. They were beginning to 
sweat profusely as the tension in the air increased.

If he was reading the monitors right, they seemed to 
suggest that some kind of invasion had taken place.
Video-captures of strange craft kept flashing up on VDU's,
bleeps and alarms sounded, struggling to be heard over
the shouted numbers.

"One-hundred-and-forty-two now sir."

The Well Manicured Man nodded and hung his head. 

"What should we do Sir? The last unit of men we sent
out have all been killed."

He shrugged. "There is nothing to do but sit and wait.
They'll come to us. I'll be in the conference room.
When they ask you to take them to your leader, you'll
know where to find me."

With his weak joke, he left the room, not even sparing
a glance at Mulder, who stood shivering in his blanket,
despite the heat.

Cancer Man sat calmly in a chair. Mulder moved to
occupy the one next to him. Blocking out the noise
and activity and focusing on the man who had been
his chief demon for so long.

"You know in really bad crime movies, as he's about
to die, the bad guy gives in and reveals to the good
cop what exactly happened."

Cancer Man actually smiled at him. "You've been
looking for the truth for so long. All I can offer is an
explanation."

Mulder nodded.

"We started out with good intentions in Roswell. 
When we discovered they had the capability to infiltrate
our world, we began to formulate a strategy for
protecting ourselves. There were some good men 
involved. Clever men, who meant only to save 
mankind from a very real threat to its existence."

Mulder thought of his father and the man he had only
known as Deep Throat, as he listened to Cancer Man
speak.

"We studied them and tried to learn from them. We
watched the skies, and as they landed we captured and
experimented on them. We found that they had become
so advanced because they had a harsh system of
elimination. The accepted only the strongest, fittest and
brightest in their world, anybody lesser was terminated
without sympathy."

"Like the Nazi's?"

"Yes, I suppose. They would have had a lot of respect
for Hitler. What the men in our group determined was
that in order to survive any attacks on this planet we
needed to weed out those who were not up to the
challenge of making it better and stronger. Keeping
only the good genes. We tagged everybody, through
small pox vaccinations."

"How did you decide who to keep and who to reject?"

"Medical records, I.Q. tests, other methods."

"How did you plan to rid the world of those who didn't
make the grade?"

"Bees. Specially bred bees."

Mulder nodded. "The bees know who to attack?"

Cancer Man laughed. "No. But those who had a 
special serum injected into them with their small
pox jabs wouldn't have fatal reactions to the stings.
Others would."

"Why the experiments on the Mufon members? Why
the clones?"

"Every hive needs workers. Our plan would have left
us with too many chiefs and no indian's. Imagine all
those wonderful brains that would be left, none of 
whom would want to do the grunt work. So we'd
create controllable clones. Much more manageable
than people. Or so we thought. We did too good a 
job Mr Mulder, they began to think for themselves."

"Kurt Crawford?"

"Among others."

"And he was created from the ova you stole from 
those women?"

Cancer Man nodded. "Any more questions Fox?"

"The cancer?"

"Created simply to destroy the women that were no
longer any good to us, and whose stories about
abduction and being taken away by little green men
were becoming annoying."

"Is there a cure?"

Cancer Man shrugged. "We were working on one.
Scanlon performed a procedure on Agent Scully
yesterday. Its never been done before, and quite 
frankly, I think the man is not entirely competent. So
please don't expect any miracles. She and your
sister escaped from this facility last night, aided by
Alex Krycek. She may be dead by now. She didn't
seem too good the last time I saw her."

Mulder looked away from the man, trying to hide his
emotions from him. He wasn't sure whether to
be hopeful that Scanlon might have hit upon a
cure, or be filled with fury at the knowledge that they
had once again been experimenting on Scully. How
dare they play with her like she were some kind of
toy, and not the glorious, wonderful human being
that she was. He swallowed hard as Cancer Man's
words reverberated around his mind. 'She may be
dead by now'.

Suddenly all the computer's were silent and all screens
blacked out. The nervous young men all looked at
one another and Cancer Man got to his feet.
"Well, somebody has disabled our systems. It looks
like they're here. Fox, why don't you come and witness
the truth?"


Residence of Emily Watson
Breakespeare
West Virginia
July 4th, 1997
6.48  a.m.

Emily watched in frustration as Dana Scully tossed,
turned and kicked in her sleep, moaning unintelligibly.
She was obviously in the grip of high fever and other
than keeping her cool by wiping her face and neck with 
a cool flannel, Emily didn't know how else to help her.

Her instinct was to call for an ambulance, but the
people who had brought her here had been so insistent
that she shouldn't, that she'd resisted the urge. She 
would only do so if her patient's condition became 
critical.

She stifled a yawn and looked up at the clock. Up all
night, and who knew how much longer she would
have to keep vigil?


Outside the Laboratory
Warrenton
West Virginia
July 4th, 1997
7.10 a.m.

Charles rubbed his sweaty palms against his black
jeans and looked over at Alex Krycek, who sat with
a controlled expression on his face.

Also in the van with him were the three Lone Gunmen. 
He had sent Samantha to his mother with instructions
not to tell anybody Dana's whereabouts until he had
told her it was safe to do so. 

Marita had never answered the phone. They had only
one option left. Direct confrontation. 

"You're crazy. These guys aren't playing at soldiers
you know, they're deadly serious."

Charles nodded at Alex. "So am I. When
all attempts at getting in the windows and the back 
doors fail, your only option is to go right up and
knock on the front door."

All five men took deep breaths, got to their feet,
checking the weaponry they had gathered. An
assault riffle, a Smith n Wesson, a semi-automatic
machine gun, a sig and a 9mm Baretta. Not bad at
such short notice.

Charles was the voice of authority, and in Mulder's
absence, had become something of a leader. "No 
time like the present. Let's go."

"Wait, wait."

Charles' let go of the door handle at Frohike's
warning. "What? Something wrong?"

"I'm not sure, come and look at this."

Langly had set up a surveillance camera on top of
the van, that was throwing pictures of the front
of the laboratory, onto his monitor.

Charles went to stand over his shoulder. "Who are
those people?"

The pictures showed a relative army of a few hundred
bodies, which was descending in perfect marching
formation on the laboratory building. 

Frohike shrugged and Byers looked steadily at Charles.
"Maybe we ought to wait and see how this unfolds?"

Charles nodded and returned to watching the screen.
His blue eyes widened as he saw the laboratory guards
simply throw back the gates and allow the mass presence
easy entry. Once inside, twenty or thirty of the party sought
and gained entrance to the building, whilst the others
hung back to patrol the grounds. The laboratory security
forces threw their weapons down and allowed themselves
to be gathered into a group.


Conference Room
Laboratory
Warrenton
West Virginia
July 4th, 1997
7.22  a.m.

Mulder was filled with the same kind of awe he had 
experienced as a child when he had watched Apollo 11
land on the Moon.

He knew he was watching history being made. He was
witness to an astonishing moment. 

Cancer Man and the Well-manicured Man stood with
other members of the consortium in a row; their backs
to the wall behind a large oak table, as the huge double
doors of the conference room were thrown open and
an invading force from another world marched in.

Although, it was hard to distinguish them as being from
a planet other than earth, because they looked as human
as he was. 

Marita led their approach to the table and Mulder was
completely aware, and not in the least surprised to realise
who, or what, she was.

Her army stopped behind her and she went on. Eventually
meeting the Well-manicured Man, who nodded in 
greeting.

She spoke in a voice that was quiet, but which at the same
time, reverberated around the room for everybody to hear.

"You are a weak and foolish people. Your attempts to
achieve superiority are pathetic."

The Well-manicured Man looked at his shoes. "You cannot 
blame us for trying to defend ourselves."

"And how did you chose to do that? By destroying your
fellow men, by keeping secrets from them?

"Isn't that how your race have survived?"

Marita merely smirked. "No. We have survived by
discovering other's secrets, not by having our own. We
know your plans, your project."

"You know nothing. Unless you have the chip."

"Forget the chip. We have no use for it. We could simply
annihilate your planet if we wished. But it is not our wish.
We're tired of playing games with you. We have come to
ask for peace."

"We will always see you as a threat. It is human nature to
fear those who are in some way different."

Marita nodded. "We will end our visits, our experiments,
if you agree to end yours. What would you call it? A treaty
for peace; an armistice?"

"How long would this last?"

"As long as the conditions were obeyed, forever. We have
gotten all the information from your planet, and your
race, that we require, we have no wish to return here."

"But we have not learned all that we desire to know about
you."

"Which is exactly the way we want it."

"You will remove all your spies?"

Marita noted the sarcasm in her opponents voice.
"Every last one. They are being recalled and will leave
with us."

"What if we do not wish an armistice?"

"Then we can only assume that you wish for war. And
you are aware that you are not yet strong enough to
contend with us."

Cancer Man and the Well-manicured Man exchanged
glances, as did other members of the consortium.
"You leave us no choice but to agree."

Marita nodded in satisfaction. "Then we will leave 
soon."

Cancer Man's voice rose in the air, along with the
smoke he exhaled. "After you kill the people in this
laboratory?"

Marita tensed.

"That's what you intend to do isn't it? We're so close
to copying your technology, but we haven't shared the
results of our hard work with anybody outside this 
building. Destroy us and you'll put the human race back to 
almost the same point it was at when you first began to
take an interest in us." He glanced at Mulder before
continuing. "Maybe our mistake was to keep secrets,
if we hadn't, then it wouldn't be so easy so destroy all
our work. Once we are dead, the evidence and information
is dead. The people of the world will have no reason
to believe that your presence was anymore than shadows,
lights and overactive imaginations."

Marita strode back to her silent army. "Yes, you will die.
But your deaths will bring peace for millions of people. A
continuation of the race, isn't that what you were always
working for anyway?"

Cancer Man threw his cigarette aside. "Kill us all then.
I'm willing to make the sacrifice. But let Fox Mulder
go."

Marita glanced around the room and her eyes settled on Mulder.
She hadn't noticed his presence before. Her expression
softened.

Cancer Man's voice was pleading. "He really is harmless,
you know. He's been searching for what he calls the
truth for four years and never discovered anything that
he could use to inform the people of the world what was
happening in secrecy, behind their backs. Everybody who
knows him thinks he's mentally ill. If he related the events
of this meeting to anybody, they'd probably institutionalise
him."

Mulder merely looked dumbfounded. Knowing that Cancer
Man was trying to save him by insulting him. If he came
to his own defence he was as good as dead. 

Marita's expression hardened again and he knew he would
be killed. She nodded at her troops and stepped out of their
line of fire. The members of the consortium were picked
off, one-by-one.

The weapons used to kill them made no sound and seemed
to emit no bullet, but the men fell anyway. When their
attention focused on Cancer Man, the last in the line,
he turned to Mulder and smiled enigmatically.

Mulder watched him slump to the floor with a mixture 
of feelings. There was some elation at the fact that the man 
who had caused he, Scully and Samantha such pain was no 
longer, and some despair at the thought that perhaps now he
would never know the answer to the question that had
plagued him for some time now. Had the man been his
Father? He had no more time to ponder, for now the
task force had their concentration trained on him. He
took a deep breath and prepared to meet whatever
lay beyond this life. He said his goodbyes. An image
of Scully raising a challenging eyebrow at him on their
first meeting flashed into his mind. He closed his eyes
so that he could better concentrate on it.

A crashing sound made him open them again and he 
looked over to see Langly, Byers, Frohike, Krycek
and Charles Scully being accompanied into the room
by several more of Marita's troops. Mulder grimaced
in pain. Now they were dead too.

Marita spoke to one of the troops in a language he had
little hope of understanding. They conversed for several
minutes, and then she turned and ordered her firing
squad to lower their weapons, which had been aimed at
Mulder's chest. Then she crossed to Charles Scully.

"You have the chip?"

He nodded. "Yes. I can give it to you. If you let 
Mulder go."

Marita smiled. "You really don't have a lot of 
bargaining power you know? I could just kill you and
take it from you."

"I'm armed."

Mulder used his eyes to try and beg Charles not to 
argue with Marita, but the man was refusing to look at
him, as if he knew that Mulder was trying to deter him
and he didn't want to be dissuaded.

Marita smiled again. "A few little guns really aren't 
going to stop us. The chip is evidence that we feel it
would be best to destroy. Give it to me and I may let
you and your friends go, but Mulder must die. He has
seen much here today."

Charles straightened his shoulders and pushed out his
chest. "The chip has been placed with someone who
is under strict orders to release it to people who can
make it public unless Mulder is returned safe and sound."

Marita considered for a few moments before holding
a hand out to one of her troops, who relinquished
his weapon to her. She carried it over to where Mulder
stood and aimed it at him. 

"Tell me its location, or he dies this instant. You all die
this instant"

Charles swallowed hard. His bluff hadn't worked. Marita
knew that he had it in his possession. He pulled the vial
from his pocket, placed it on the floor and kicked it in
Marita's direction. She watched it roll towards her and 
picked it up when it stopped at her feet. Then she turned
her attention back to Mulder. A finger on the trigger.

"No."

The cry came from Alex Krycek. Who pushed his way
past Charles, drew his handgun and blasted a shot at
Marita. She fell to the floor, and seconds later so did
Krycek, as he was picked off by her firing squad. 

Mulder's gaze was torn between the body of Alex Krycek,
and that of Marita, who lay in a pile of green liquid.
Her men were now crowding around her. Looking at
her in distress, and speaking to one another in their own
language.

To his surprise, they did not choose to immediately kill
all the other men in the room. Instead, two of them lifted
her decaying body and they all walked quickly through
the doors, fussing over their downed leader.

Mulder, and the Gunmen watched in fascination. 
Charles put two fingers to Alex Krycek's neck. "He's
dead."

Langly shook himself out of his stupor. "Mulder. What,
who...what, were they?" He pointed upwards. 

Mulder nodded without looking at him. "Yes."

Frohike stared at Mulder in amazement. "But, they 
looked so normal, so like us."

Mulder licked his lips. "I think they can be, or look like,
whatever they want."

Charles passed a hand over Krycek's eyes to close the
lids in respect, and moved to Mulder's side. "Why do
you think they didn't kill us?"

"She was their leader. They couldn't, not without her
permission. They're a very ordered people. It was okay 
to shoot Krycek, because he had harmed one of them
directly. They've taken her to see if they can heal her."

Charles realised that Mulder was shaking. "You okay
Fox? I think we ought to get you to a hospital."

Mulder turned suddenly to look at him, really noticing 
him for the first time, as if he had been talking
to him before from a dream. "Scully, Samantha?"

"Samantha's safe and well. Krycek looked
after them. He took Dana to stay with someone called
Emily Watson. He told me we could find her at the
Sheriff's station in Breakespeare, but he said she wasn't
doing too good when he left her. Do you think its safe
to go to her now Fox?"

Mulder nodded. "Its all over."

Frohike walked towards the door and then stopped and
turned. His hand on the heavy wood. "You sure?"

"Yes, they've gone." Mulder looked around at the
felled members of the consortium, before moving 
towards the door himself. "Its finally all over."


St Mary's Hospital
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 4th, 1997
6.45  p.m.

Fox Mulder walked briskly up the hospital corridor,
his bare feet slapping on the sterile floor. His clothes
consisted of a Beavis and Buthhead t-shirt and 
jogging pants that came to an end half way up his 
calves, both were borrowed from the Lone Gunmen.

Maggie Scully stood when she saw him approach,
wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Mrs Scully...where...?"

Emily Watson, who had been sitting beside Scully's
mother interrupted. "I was supposed to be taking care 
of her but she got so sick Fox, that I had to get her 
to a hospital. I'm sorry if..."

He shook his head. "No, its okay. It doesn't matter
if people know where she is now. Its safe."

Charles Scully came running up the corridor behind
him and embraced his mother.

Emily continued. "I took her to my local hospital,
but they don't have an oncology department there.
I told them who she was and they called the FBI in 
Washington who suggested she be transferred back
here, where they had her records and she'd been
treated. They transferred her this afternoon and 
they're examining her now."

Mrs Scully looked up at her son. "Where have you
been Charlie?"

He smoothed her hair and held her close. "Trying
to make things better, for Dana. We would have
been here earlier today, but it took us ages to find 
out where she was. We went to Breakespeare first."

Mulder shook off the hand that Emily Watson had
placed on his forearm, and turned to Mrs Scully.
"Where's Samantha?"

Her voice was heavy with emotion. "Back at the
motel. She's fine but exhausted. She called her mother
who's on her way here."

"Our Mother?"

"No Fox. Not your Mother. Mrs Hicks."

She saw Mulder close his eyes in pain and spoke to
him soothingly. "She's very close to her Fox. As she
will be to you in time, I'm sure."

He shook his head. "Its just that I realised I'm going
to have to tell my mother, I'll have to let her know."

His face was set in concentration for a moment 
and then his gaze swept down the corridor, before
his feet set off in the same direction. Charles caught
him by the shoulder.

"Where you going?"

"I have to see Scully."

Emily Watson ran to stand in front of him, to block
his path. "The doctor said he'd come and let us know
when we can see her. He said to wait here."

Mulder tried to step around her, but she put a hand on
his chest and Charles grabbed his shoulder again.

"You don't understand I have to see her, just for a 
second...I have to..." His eyes filled with tears, and
his mouth quivered as he began to sob. Maggie Scully
brushed both Emily and Charles aside and opened
her arms to Mulder. His head fell against her shoulder,
and his arms encircled her waist, as his body shook with 
the effort of crying. 


St Mary's Hospital
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 4th, 1997
8.19 p.m.

He watched her chest rise and fall with each breath she
took. He examined her pale, pretty features for even the 
smallest sign that she might wake. He tended to 
concentrate on her lips, because her eyes were still
obscured by bandages. Her lips remained silent. He had
kissed those soft lips when he had seen her; he had leant
down over the bed, muttered a soft hello and told her 
how wonderful it was to see her again.

He sat by her bedside now with her mother. The 
doctors had pronounced Scully unresponsive, but not
comatose. The high fever had broken and now she
slept on, despite their attempts to rouse her. They 
could think of nothing else but to connect an I.V. to
her hand and wait twenty-four hours to see if she
recovered consciousness. 

So they waited. Mulder took a deep, shuddery breath.
Still slightly embarrassed that he had broken down in
the corridor.

"You know Fox. It might have been better if you gone
back to the hotel with Charles, you could have seen
your sister."

"I know she's safe and well. I just wish I knew the
same about Scu..." He corrected himself. "Dana."

"The doctor said he'd have more results from their
tests soon. That should tell us more."

"What if it tells us something we don't want to hear?"

She ran a hand along his back in comfort. "Whatever
it is, we'll cope."

"I couldn't cope with.... If he told us she was dying.
I...don't think I could stand it...deal with it. She can't
leave me alone."

"You wouldn't be alone."

He nodded. "Yes I would. I'd have people around me,
but I'd still be alone. And that's unbearable."

"You'd manage Fox. We think we can't cope with
those we love dying; that we'll shatter into a million pieces
and never recover, but something inside of us allows
us to go on. Trust me, I know. Its hard, perhaps the
hardest thing ever, but you find the strength from 
somewhere and you...survive."

He nodded.

She took his hand. "But we're not going to think about
that now are we? We're going to think positive
thoughts. Dana's alive, let's not start burying her yet."

The door opened and he swivelled around to see his
sister enter the room, followed by Charles Scully.

His eyes met Samantha's and they merely drank each
other in before she averted her gaze in shyness. He
knew no such reticence and moved towards her quickly,
engulfing her in his arms and pulling her towards his 
chest. He could think of only one word to say.
"Samantha."

She chuckled, half-delighted, half-embarrassed.
"Hello Fox."


end of part IX

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


Armistice X
by Caroline O'Callaghan


St Mary's Hospital
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 4th, 1997
11.53  p.m.

Mulder sat with his sister's hand enclosed in his, as
they kept vigil beside the still unresponsive Scully.

"She's such a good person. She doesn't deserve to
have all this happen to her."

Mulder nodded, encouraging his sister to keep talking.

"When I first went to college I was so shy."

Mulder smiled. "Seems to me like you still are."

Samantha laughed. "Maybe, but nowhere near as bad
as I was back then. I found it so difficult to make friends, 
that I could have gone through my entire course without 
ever socialising. But Dana was in my German class, and 
she just decided I needed befriending. When I tried to 
retreat, she'd pull me back into her circle."

"We're you close?"

"As close as I've ever been to anybody."

"It seems so ironic. Scully helped me try and find 
you for such a long time, and yet, she had found 
you so long ago."

"I hope that now we've found each other again, 
she'll get better, and we can be friends once more." 
She squeezed his hand. "I want that for you and I
as well Fox. I wish I remembered more from our
time together as brother and sister..."

"Sam, it doesn't matter. Just knowing that you're
alive and well is enough for me.  We've got plenty
of time to work on the sibling thing."

Mulder stood up abruptly when the doctor entered.
"Is there any news?"

The doctor ran a tired hand through his hair. "Yes.
Some startling news actually. The rather large
tumour that was occupying Ms Scully's brain a few
days ago has..." He shrugged, clearly dumbfounded.
"Disappeared."

Mulder felt a smile twitch at the corner of his mouth
as he looked around at his sleeping partner. 
"Completely?"

"I can't explain it. I thought perhaps it was an anomaly,
but all the scans from every angle show no sign
of the cancer. We double-checked our equipment, but
its working fine. We also ran blood tests, and there is
not one single cancerous cell in the sample."

"She's cured. She doesn't have cancer?"

"None that we can we find, but what I'm trying to say
here is..."

Mulder nodded and cut him off. "That its impossible;
that it can't be so. That nobody gets rid of cancer 
overnight?"

"Yes. Not unless a tumour is removed. But there are no
signs that she's undergone any surgical procedures."

Mulder motioned towards the bandages over Scully's
eyes. "What about these? Why are they there?"

"The Sheriff who admitted her was given strict instructions
that they were not to be removed for a week."

Samantha stood up beside Mulder. "That's right. She 
told me that the doctor in that place said that to her."

Doctor Warren looked sharply at Samantha. "A doctor
treated her?"

Samantha shrugged. "If you want to call it that. I'm not
sure what he did."

The Doctor looked at her in confusion and seemed as
if he wanted to question her further, but he must have
changed his mind, as he turned back to Mulder. "The
bandages are coated in a substance. We drained a little
of it to test it. We have no idea what it is. We've
concluded that it might be better to leave it for a week,
before we attempt to remove them."

Mulder pinned the young man with a glare. "What if its 
hurting her? Destroying her eyesight?"

Samantha interrupted once more. "Her eyesight was
failing, when we were in the place. Maybe this is a cure
for that."

Doctor Warren gave her an incredulous look. "Are you
telling me that some strange doctor cured her
cancer and has attempted to restore her eyesight?"

Samantha shrugged.

"Well, whoever this genius is, I'd like to meet him. 
He seems to have developed treatments that the 
medical fraternity are currently predicting are 
ten years into the future, if not more. The type of 
cancer that Ms Scully had was not treatable...."

Mulder held up a hand. "Listen to me Doctor Warren.
The men who took Agent Scully from this hospital
and subjected her to treatment are now dead. 
Investigations into their deaths are being conducted,
and any information the FBI or police uncover will be 
considered classified, unless its within the public 
interest to make that information known. We're
talking about a top secret operation here, do you
understand what I'm telling you?"

The Doctor nodded slowly. "That you'd prefer it if
I didn't make the details of Agent Scully's tests
and case history public knowledge."

"Yes. That's exactly what I'm telling you. I can't
stop you of course, but there are others who may
decide to impede you if you try and turn Agent
Scully's cure into a subject for discussion of
medical phenomenon."

"Well there's not much to discuss with my peers,
seeing as I have no idea, or no evidence as to what
was done to her. I want to know what happened, 
but I guess I'll have to chalk it up to a miracle."

Mulder smiled at the doctor. "Yeah, that's good.
Call it a miracle. Scully believes in miracles;
in divine intervention. So why is she like this?
Why isn't she waking up?"

"I think that it may be a stage of recovery, but a
dangerous one."

Mulder cocked his head to one side in question.

"After the fever, she lapsed into a sleep akin to coma. 
I think it's a designed part of the treatment, to allow
her body to rest, until she's strong enough again."

"Why is it dangerous?"

"When I say it's akin to coma, I mean that it might
be as hard a state to break out of as coma, or that
it might become coma. Her heartbeat and pulse
suggest that she's in a very deep sleep; her vitals are low
enough for it to be coma, and that is a medical status
that we have little knowledge of. We'll just have to
wait and see if she wakes up or not."

"There's nothing you can do?"

"No." He glanced at Samantha. "I don't know what was 
done to her, and I have no idea how to treat her. I can
only assure that she is properly looked after and 
monitored."

Mulder nodded. "Okay, thank you."

He watched the young doctor leave and shrugged at
Samantha. "He might have asked us if we wanted
the good news or the bad news first."

Samantha laid a hand on his arm. "She'll come out
of it. She has a lot to come back to."

He looked at her questioningly. 

"You love her. She'll fight her way back to be with
you." She laughed. "That sounds stupid I know."

He shook his head. "No. It doesn't. Listen Sam. I'm so glad 
that you're here, but I'd like to...I haven't had a chance to 
be alone with her yet. Do you think....?"

She nodded. "Charles is still outside. I'll get him to 
take me back to the motel. I'll come back in the
morning and see how she's doing. But if anything..
happens in the night..."

"I'll call."

Samantha left the room and Mulder perched carefully
on the bed, beside Scully's right arm, careful not to disturb
the medical equipment she was hooked up to. 

Charles entered, nodded at him and went to his sister.
Bending over, he kissed her cheek. "Goodnight D, 
see if you can wake up bright and early tomorrow for
us huh? You've had enough sleep, you wouldn't
want people to start thinking you were a lazy bones
would you?" He stroked her hair and Mulder smiled
at the sight. Charles was such a good man. A loving
brother, a man who possessed the same attributes 
that he found so wonderful in Scully; integrity,
honesty, loyalty.

He stuck his hand out to Charles who shook it firmly.
"Look after her Mulder. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tell you what Charles. I'll look after your sister if
you look after mine."

Charles grinned. "Deal. See you later Fox."

"Mulder."

"Yeah. Whatever."

Mulder smiled after him as he left. He looked down 
at Scully's prone form. "Hey Scully. I think your
brother has the hots for my sister, think I should
kick his ass?"

No response. He took her hand gently in his. "We've
been here before Scully. You've been like this before, 
and you came back to me. Remember that? You beat the
odds and fought your way back so that we could 
continue together. You have to do that again Scully.
You have to fight back, but this time, not because we
have more work to do, but because we have the chance
to start living again."


He used his other hand to stroke her cheek. "You know
what day it is today? Independence Day. Its my 
independence day. I'm free, you're free. Free from the
search for the truth, from the quest. I can be whole
again now Scully, but I won't be if you're not there.What 
I saw and experienced today won't count for shit unless 
you come back to me. I have to tell you all about it."

He groaned in tiredness and let go of her while he
got up and sank into one of the chairs beside the
bed. "There are things I once wanted, but didn't
dare allow myself to dream of. I could have those
things Scully, but I need you...I need you to show
me how to have them, and keep them."

He leaned in close to her ear and whispered. "You're
my life. It's all gone, if you're gone."

He looked up at her face again, hoping for some kind
of movement. He chided himself. It was niaive to think
she'd wake up if only he poured his heart out to
her. He let out a sad chuckle.

"Tell me I'm nuts Scully. Say, 'Mulder you're crazy'."

Then, he heard her speak. "Mulder what... you babbling 
about?"

He thought he'd imagined it at first. The soft, tired
rasp of her voice. He studied her mouth and his body
jolted as if an electric current had gone through him
when he saw her tongue dart out of her mouth to
whet her lips. 
 
"Scully?"

"Never shut up...always talking. Yap, yap."

He laughed out loud. "Scully. Jesus Scully." He was
on his feet in a flash, his hands grasping the emergency
call button beside her bed. He pressed it firmly and
stroked her hair back from her face, noticing the soft
smile on her lips. He started to worry however, when
her forehead creased into a frown.

"Can't see...I can't see." She twisted on the bed, trying
to bring her hands up to her eyes.

"Calm down Scully. You're going to be fine."

"Everything's dark Mulder. I can't see. Help me."

He held her arms down, scared she might damage
herself, or dislodge the I.V. needle during her panic.
"You're going to be okay. You have some medical
dressing on your eyes."

She didn't respond to his explanation and started to try 
and wriggle free from his grasp. He held her more firmly. 
"Listen to me Scully. It's important that you listen." She 
seemed to hear him and stopped thrashing. "You're in 
hospital, something was done to your eyes, and they're 
covered up. It's okay though. I'm here."

She let out a little sob, a noise that he didn't think
he'd ever heard from her, and knew it was born
from fear. He hated to see Scully so scared, she was
normally so fearless. He stroked her hair again as
the duty nurse arrived.

He spoke calmly to the woman, not wanting to 
raise his voice in front of Scully. "Get hold of
Doctor Warren, tell him Ms Scully has woken up."

The woman nodded and left the room at a run.

He kissed Scully's forehead. "I'm here Scully,
and I'm so glad you came back to me."


Rideway Motel
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 5th, 1997
11.42  a.m.

Charles Scully smiled at Samantha as he saw her 
emerge from her room. She gave a small wave of
greeting and walked over to his car, where he'd just
pulled up. He got out and leaned against the door.

"Hi."

"Hi. You just been to see Dana?"

"Yes."

"Good news isn't it, about her waking up?"

"Yeah, I can't tell you how relieved I am. The doctors say 
she's going to be fine. Well, they're still not sure about her 
eyesight, but at least there's nothing life threatening."

"Is Fox still there?"

Charles rolled his eyes. "You couldn't drag him away.
How's your Mom?"

"Fine. A little confused about everything. I've explained
as best I can, but finding out that my birth mother is
still alive is a big shock to her."

"Obviously. Are you going to see Mrs Mulder?"

"Yes. Fox promised to take me to her as soon as we
know that Dana is okay again. She doesn't know
anything that's happened yet. I'm a little nervous about
meeting her to be honest."

Charles nodded. "Of course you are. That's only natural.
Samantha. I don't know if...I realise that things are
strange for you now, and probably will be for some time
to come, but I was hoping...I have a new job within the
Navy. I'm going to be a paper pusher over at the Pentagon.
I'll be in Washington from now on...and well, I was just
wondering if... I understand if you don't want to...but,
I'd like it if we could get together sometime, for dinner,
or something." He swallowed hard and watched as she 
bent her head to study her shoes.

"Oh."

Charles rubbed a hand over his mouth. "It's okay. Forget
about it."

She looked up at him. "No, no that sounds nice. I just was
a little surprised, that's all."

"I didn't mean to sound pushy or anything."

"No. You weren't being. I'd like that...I mean I'd like to
have dinner with you."

Charles expression brightened and he smiled at her. 
"Really, that's great. Well, I'll guess I'll call you or 
something, when we get back there." He reached into
his pocket. "Oh, I have a card." He handed it to her.
"If you need to call me, or anything."

She took it from him. "Thank you. I was just going to
get a cup of coffee, in the diner across the street,
do you want to come with me?"

He grinned at her. "Sure."


St Mary's Hospital
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 5th, 1997
2.23 p.m.

Mulder gathered another spoonful of pasta. "Okay, two
more and we're done."

Scully opened her mouth obediently, surprised to find
that she was actually enjoying having Mulder feed her.
She scooped the food from the fork and chewed it
thoughtfully.

"Has Emily gone home?"

"She left last night. I called her to let her know you 
were doing fine." He wiped a dollop of sauce off of
her chin with a napkin.

"I think I might call her too."

"What for? Don't tell me I'm so bad in bed that you've
decided to switch to the other side?"

She directed a smile at him. Unfortunately, it bypassed
him and flew over his left shoulder. He didn't care.

"Haven't we had this conversation about your bedroom
technique before Mulder? I seem to remember that I
specifically asked you not to go all 'performance
anxiety' on me."

"Open. Last one." He spooned the food in, and wiped 
her face with the napkin again. "Geez, you're a messy
eater." Her face formed into a little frown and he
regretted the comment. He tried to lighten things again. 
"Even when you can see."

She gulped the food down. "Mulder, what if...when
they take these things off. What if I'm blind?"

He kissed her lips briefly. "Then, we'll cope. It'll
take some readjustment, but we'll deal with it.
You're the strongest person I know. You'll learn
to live with it, and I'll help you in every way I can.
But I believe Scully, that you're going to be fine."

"When I was in that place, my eyesight was going
rapidly. The tumour must have been pressing on my 
optical nerves. Its impossible to repair damage like 
that."

"They managed to remove the tumour, what's a 
little optical repair? Stay positive until we know 
for sure, okay?"

"Mulder, the eternal pessimist telling me to be
optimistic?"

He put the bowl and fork down on the bedside
table, and laid his head down next to hers on the 
pillow. "First time for everything."

She shifted a little to accommodate him so that
he could lay alongside her. She used her hands
to find his lips, feeling her way along his cheeks,
jaw and nose. When she found them, she replaced
her fingers with her lips. "I thought I was never
going to be able to touch you again."

"Ditto."

"Is it really all over?"

"Yes Scully. It's finished. Do you believe that what 
I've told you actually happened?"

"I believe that you believe it."

"I'm just sorry that you weren't there with me, when
I found the truth."

"So what now?"

"I guess they'll be some kind of investigation by the
Bureau. I should imagine they'll file all those deaths
away somewhere secure. Or perhaps, label them as some
kind of cult mass suicide."

"No, I mean with us. You and me."

"Oh. First you get well. Then, we have fantastic sex
again. Then, we make the rest up as we go along."

Scully turned away, it wasn't quite the answer she'd
been hoping for.


St Mary's Hospital
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 10th, 1997
8.45  p.m.
5 DAYS LATER

Charles opened the door to his sister's hospital room.
He was surprised by her non-reaction to his presence.
Her hearing seemed to have been compensating for her 
lack of sight lately, and she could normally tell if she had
a visitor the moment they excited the elevator and started
to walk along the corridor. 

Perhaps she was asleep. He moved closer and smiled when
he saw why she hadn't heard him. He tried to remove the
small headphones from her ears gently, but she still jumped 
in surprise.

"Sorry D, didn't mean to scare you."

She smiled in the general direction of his voice. "S'okay."

He waved the headphones around. "So what's with this?"

"What?"

He felt ashamed when he realised that she couldn't see 
what his question referred to. "The personal stereo?"

She felt for the small tape player and switched it off.
"Oh. Mulder's idea. He got me some talking books."

"Where is he anyway? I thought he'd taken up 
permanent residence here?"

"I sent him to get a few things for me. To be honest
he's driving me nuts. He's been pacing up and down
all day. I think he's more concerned about tomorrow
than I am."

He touched her hand. "We're all concerned."

"I know. I'm just sick of the waiting. I want to get
this stuff off my eyes and know one way or the other."

"Only a few more hours. One more night."

She nodded. "So...uh...how's Samantha?"

"She's great, and you're nosy."

"I can't help it. I'm curious, and I have very little to 
occupy my mind at the moment. So, how's it progressing?"

"Slowly."

"Give it time Charlie, she's just needs to get used 
to you; to the idea of dating. I don't think she's had
many guys in her life. I only remember her having
one date, the whole time we were at college together."

"That's what I like about her so much, you know.
She's not brash, or defensive. She's so trusting
and sweet. It's like she lives in a different world
to the rest of us. We're so jaded and cynical..."

"Speak for yourself."

He chuckled. "I have to go. I just popped in to see
how you are. I'll be back tomorrow." He bent down
and kissed her forehead. 

"Okay. Night Charlie."

He went to the door and stopped. "Dana, are you
scared?"

"Witless."

"Whatever happens. We'll be here for you; Mulder,
and your family."

She nodded. "I know."


St Mary's Hospital
East Tisbury
Martha's Vineyard
July 11th, 1997
9.28  a.m.

Mulder and her mother were the only other people in
the room, apart from a nurse and Doctor Warren.
Charles and Samantha were outside in the corridor.
Mulder was gripping her hand tightly. She tried to
concentrate on what the doctor was saying.

"Okay Dana. I'm going to take these bandages off
slowly. Don't panic if things are a little dark, we've
pulled the blinds and left the lights off, so it's not
too bright for you at first."

"What if everything's black, can I panic then?"

She felt and heard him snip at the tape that held the
eye coverings in place. "Sure."

There was silence in the room as he carefully
removed the layers of bandage. Mulder swallowed
hard as the doctor pulled off the last of them and
Scully's long lashes and eyes were exposed to him
once again. The dark room seemed brighter as her
eyelids fluttered open and the brilliant blue of her
eyes could be seen. She made a little sound of pain
and her right hand flew up to her face to cover
them once again. He saw Doctor Warren smile and
realised that it was a good sign.

"Sorry Dana. I guess it's still too bright in here."

Mulder leaned forward. "Scully?"

She removed her hand, and turned to look at him,
blinking rapidly. 

He held up his thumb and first finger. "How many
fingers Scully?"

"Sixty four." She smiled at the confused expression
on his face to let him know she was kidding. "That's 
a really disgusting shirt you're wearing Mulder."

He laughed out loud in sheer joy and leaned forward
to kiss her. Her mother interrupted before their lips
could meet, by hauling her daughter into her arms.
Mulder backed off and let Maggie hug her. There'd
be time for him to show his affection and relief later.


Flight AM604
Skies above Washington D.C.
July 25th, 1997
4.12  p.m.

TWO WEEKS LATER


"Dana, I wish you'd stop fidgeting."

Scully looked around at her mother in surprise.
"Sorry, I didn't realise I was."

"I don't know what's making you so jittery, but can you 
calm down? You're making me nervous and I'm not 
even sure what it is I'm getting worked up about."

She huffed a little and settled back in her seat,
trying to sit still. She felt like a child again, receiving
reprimands from her mother. Unable to help
herself, she shifted again. 

Maggie let out an audible sigh. "What is bothering
you?"

"Nothing."

"Come on, out with it. You might as well tell me 
everything, rather than sitting there, making this
journey a misery for me, by shuffling constantly."

She glared at her mother. "You know I'm perfectly
capable of getting on a plane on my own. I didn't
need you to come with me." She sighed, remembering
all the running around her Mother had done for her
while she'd laid recovering in the hospital on the
Vineyard. Doctor Warren had kept her there and
run every possible test he could think of, before he'd
eventually decided to give her a clean bill of health
and discharge her. "Sorry, I don't mean that. Thank 
you, for the way you've looked after me the past 
couple of weeks."

Maggie patted her arm. "You're welcome. Now what's 
wrong? Tell me, before I have to drag it out of you."

"I'm not sure what it is."

"Do you feel okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I just...I have no idea why, but, I'm
a little anxious about...well, Mulder."

"About seeing him again?"

Scully nodded.

"Why on earth would you be worried about that?"

"I'm concerned that he...what if he's changed his 
mind? What if we're getting into something he can't
handle, and doesn't want?"

Maggie looked at her incredulously. "You think he
doesn't want you?"

"No. Not exactly, but...Mom, Mulder and I were 
just partners until a few weeks ago. He knew
I was dying and maybe he thought it would make
me happy if...we were more intimate. What if he
just got involved because he..." She trailed off
and glanced out of the window.

"You think he started sleeping with you because
he felt sorry for you, because he thought he was
granting you a dying wish?"

"Something like that."

"That's ridiculous. He genuinely cares for you Dana, and 
if you can't see that I don't know what to say to you."

"I'm not saying he doesn't care about me. I'm saying
that maybe things went further with us, because of
certain circumstances, than he intended they should
go. I mean, he was happy to be just my friend and
partner. He never gave any real indication that he
wanted more. And now, well, maybe he doesn't know
how to tell me that he's made a mistake."

"Dana, Mulder's more direct than that. If he wanted
out, you'd know by now."

"Its just, the past few weeks, since the day I got my 
sight back, he seems to have been pulling away from
me."

"He had things to do. He had to take Samantha to
meet Mrs Mulder, and then he had to go back
to Washington to face that committee."

"There was last weekend? He could have come up
to visit me then."

"Samantha moved to D.C. He wanted to help her
find an apartment. Dana, he's called you every day."

Scully nodded. "Only to ask me how I am, and to 
talk about work."

Maggie waved a hand in the air. "This is ridiculous,
I'm not going to talk about it anymore. The man
loves you."

Scully swallowed. "Really, then why has he never
told me that?"

Maggie arched an eyebrow at her. "Have you ever 
told him?"


end of part X

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

Armistice XI
by Caroline O'Callaghan


Dana Scully's apartment
Washington D.C.
July 25th, 1997
6.26  p.m.

Mulder adjusted the cutlery on Scully's kitchen table
for the twentieth time and looked around him, just in 
case he'd left anything out of place. The whole 
apartment looked spotless, but he was well
aware that Scully was somewhat house-proud. What
looked fine to him, could look messy to her.

He knew he was nervous about her homecoming. He'd
tried to keep his anxiousness at bay by keeping busy,
but when Maggie had called from the airport to tell him
they'd landed safely and were on their way back, he'd
gone into panic mode. He'd taken a shower, despite
having only had one that morning. He'd checked
on the dinner twenty times and had vacumed the
carpets until he'd started to grow concerned that he 
was making them threadbare..

He had hated having to leave her in hospital on the
Vinyard, but he'd had so many other things to do.
The reunion between his mother and Samantha had
been somewhat strained, with his mother refusing
to accept that her daughter had returned so suddenly.
Then, the FBI had announced an inquiry into the
shooting of Assistant Director Skinner and he'd been
called back to testify, and then Samantha had arrived
in D.C. wanting to rent an apartment close by his
so that they could get to know each other better.
Although, he had his suspicions that there was
another man that Samantha also wanted to be 
close to. He had done what was expected of him, but
at the same time, he had yearned to be with Scully.
He'd wanted to help nurse her back to health, see
her get stronger every day, and drive her crazy by
hovering over her every minute.

He heard a car pull up on the street outside and went
to the window. He saw Scully climb out of a cab, and
smoothed his shirt down before going to the door.
He waited in the hall until he saw Scully climb the
last of the stairs and turn the corner. She smiled
at him and he knew he was grinning like an idiot
back at her. Maggie was behind her daughter,
carrying the few belongings that she had brought
from the Vineyard in her carry-on bag.

"Hi."

"Hi. This is a surprise, I didn't expect you to be here."

Mulder winked at Maggie. "Well, your Mom and 
I agreed that you should have someone to welcome
you home. But I'm not the only surprise."

"Oh no."

"Nope. Close your eyes."

She did as instructed, but he put his hand over them
as well, anxious for an excuse to touch her; to assure
himself that she was safe, well, and back with him.

He guided her in through the open apartment door,
concerned for a moment that she wouldn't appreciate
pretending to be blind, so soon after the loss of that
sense had almost been permanent for her. She didn't
seem to mind though.

He pulled his hand away when he'd led her into the
middle of the living room. "Okay, you can open
them now."

"I'm not sure I want to. What does a Mulder surprise
entail?" She opened them anyway, and looked around
the apartment expecting to see someone or something
she didn't recognise. When everything seemed in place
and there was no-one to be seen, she turned to him, 
hoping for a clue. 

"So what do you think?"

Not sure what to do, she wandered over to the dining
area. "You cooked. That's wonderful Mulder, thank
you. The table looks great."

He waved an arm in the air. "Well, Samantha cooked,
I just slipped it in the oven. I meant what do you think
of this place Scully?"

She looked around again, hoping to spot something
she'd missed on her first inspection. "Well, it looks
a lot cleaner than I left it."

He sighed.

"Sorry Mulder. You're going to have to help me out
here."

He looked a little embarrassed. "I decorated for you.
You know, before we got tangled up in that case in
Brakespeare with the little girls, you were going to 
decorate? Seeing as I dragged you away before you
got the chance, I figured I'd do it for you."

"Oh." Her hand flew up to her face to stifle a smile.

Mulder looked around at Maggie, who was standing
at the door watching them, but she merely shrugged. 
"What's so funny Scully?"

"Mulder, when I said I was going to decorate, I meant
that I was going to have something different. Not
just re-paint it."

"Ah heck, I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. I just decided I like it fine like this
anyway." He shook his head and she knew that he
felt like he'd failed. 

"I should have asked you. I just assumed..."

She went over to him and laid a hand on his arm,
looking up into his face. He gazed down at her,
warmed by the enticing dark blue of her expressive
eyes and fascinated, as always, by her soft, full mouth

"Mulder. It was a really nice thought. Thank you."

He nodded.

Maggie put Dana's bag on the couch. "Well, I'd 
better be going. The cab's ticking away."

Scully went over and hugged her mother. "I'll
see you later?"

Nodding, Maggie patted her back. "I'll come
over tomorrow and see how you're doing. See
you later Fox."

"Bye Mrs Scully." 

"Don't keep her up till late, she has to rest."

Scully rolled her eyes as she saw her mother out.
Maggie kissed her and left. Leaning against the
closed door, Scully looked up with a mixture of
anticipation and awkwardness at Mulder.

"Did your mother just tell me to get you into 
bed?"

She smiled and shook her head. "I'm not sure."

Mulder recognised the tension in the room, and he
wasn't sure how to break it. He could either drag
her into his arms and kiss her, or try to his best to
make her comfortable.

Before he could make up his mind, she shrugged
off her jacket. "So when's dinner?"

"30 minutes."

"I have time to take a bath then?"

"Sure."

She nodded and he watched her make her way past
him towards the bathroom, trying not to focus on
the way her hips swayed in her jeans, or the snug
fit of her t-shirt around her breasts.

"Hey Scully, don't forget to slip into something more
comfortable." 

She didn't respond and he began to sense that 
something was wrong. She was troubled for some
reason. He just hoped that it wasn't because of him,
or anything he had done.


Dana Scully's apartment
Washington D.C.
July 25th, 1997
6.50  p.m.

She watched him from the entrance to her kitchen, as he
ladled the rich sauce over the dinner. Taking in the
long lean legs, the neat backside and the skinny waist
that spread out to a broad chest. She sighed to herself,
knowing that she had things to say to him, and that she
hadn't yet worked out how to say them. Afraid, in all the
scenarios that she had configured in her mind, that he
would react badly. 

If she blurted out simply that she loved him, would
he turn and run, afraid of her feelings and of the intimacy?
If she asked him where their future lie would he be
frightened that she wanted a commitment he couldn't
give? If she asked him how he felt for her, would he ruin
her promised happiness, by telling her that he was 'fond'
of her, or that she was his 'friend'? 

She sighed heavily, and the sound must of surprised him
because he jumped and turned. She smirked and crossed
to him. "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you."

He turned and smiled down at her. "Quick bath."

She nodded, wanting to wrap her arms around him, but
feeling strangely reluctant to do so. He bent forward and
kissed her forehead. 

"How you feeling?"

She chuckled and bent her head. "If I had a dollar for 
every time I've been asked that question recently I'd
need never go back to the FBI again."

"Sorry. I just want to know how you are."

"I know, but I'm okay. I really am. Still a little tired at
times, and I sometimes find it hard to believe that I'm 
cancer-free, but I'm getting there."

He put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer
to him. "Yeah." He bent his head to kiss her and she
accepted it, despite the doubts that still clouded her
mind. The first kiss was chaste, the second more
passionate and the third didn't seem to end for a long,
long time. She revelled in it, the taste of him, and the
feel of him as she ran her hands up the front of his
chest and gloried in the heat that was emanating from
the skin underneath his shirt. He pulled her even closer, 
his hands on her ass and she felt his erection through his 
jeans. To hell with her fears about the future, she suddenly
wanted nothing more than to enjoy the present. She
broke the feverish kisses and looked up into his eyes.

"Will it keep?"

He looked at her in arousal and confusion. "Huh?"

"Dinner?"

He nodded. "We can heat it up later."

She kissed him quickly and took hold of his hand,
to lead him into the bedroom. He held back.

"Scully, you just got out of the hospital."

"Mulder didn't I just get through telling you I was
fine?"

Mulder followed her into her bedroom. It was dark,
apart from the light that filtered in from the living 
room. She surprised him by kicking down the 
sweatpants that she'd been wearing and then lifting
her t-shirt over her head, and standing in front of him
in nothing but her underwear. He couldn't move for
a long while whilst he drank in the sight of her. All
the dips and curves that made her so female and so
desirable. His desire eventually drove him onwards
and he stepped closer to touch her. She backed away
and climbed onto the bed.

"Why don't you take off a few clothes Mulder?"

He smiled at her, realising that she had bared her
upper torso to him for the first time. That she no
longer was frightened of him seeing her back, and that
the bruises she had worn must have faded. His
jeans became painfully restrictive and so he undid
the zipper and button and pulled them down, noticing
that Scully was sitting cross-legged Indian style
on the bed watching him. He grinned at her as he
pulled his socks off and threw them aside. "Enjoying
the view Agent Scully?"

"Oh yeah."

He pulled his t-shirt off.  "You've seen me naked 
before."

"Seeing someone naked and seeing them strip for
you are two entirely different things."

He followed her gaze down to the tight jersey boxers 
he wore. He considered them an annoying barrier.
He didn't want anything next to his skin but her. He
tucked his thumbs in the waistband and drew them
quickly off, throwing them at her. They landed on
her face and she threw herself back on the bed,
laughing. 

He delighted in the sound and climbed onto the
bed, covering his body with hers. She drew up a
hand to toss his shorts aside and then brought his
mouth down on hers by tugging the back of his neck. 

His erection was pressing against the supple flesh
of her thigh and he couldn't help but grind his hips
into her. But he remembered the promise he had made
to himself. Last time they had made love, she hadn't
climaxed and he'd sworn that the next time he took her
in his arms he'd make her whimper, moan and cry
out for a release, that he'd give to her selflessly,
ignoring his own needs, until hers had been met. He
shuffled his hips so that he was no longer against
her, and began to plant kisses down her throat. Her
hands sought their way along his back. He
drew away and caught her wrists. 

Surprised, she stared into his eyes for an explanation.

"Just let me, Scully. I want to...this time is about
you."

She shook her head. "No. It's about us."

"Please. There's things I want, I need to do to you,
for you."

He didn't wait for her acquiescence, but placed his
mouth on her right breast. Flicking his tongue across
her nipple, through the material of her bra. 

Scully suddenly regretted having left her underwear
on, she wanted to be rid of it. Now. She squirmed
under his ministrations and was glad when he left
her momentarily to undo the front clasp on the bra
and spread it aside so he could suck her nipple into
his mouth. She gasped in pure delight and sucked
in another breath when one of his hands came up to
capture her other breast.

She didn't know how many times she had dreamt or
fantasised about Mulder touching her in this way,
but she knew that the reality was far better than any
dream had ever been. Then, his mouth travelled
further down. Licking and kissing his way south
over her ribcage and onto her stomach. He circled
his tongue around her belly button and she smiled up
at the ceiling before her eyes drifted shut. "Oh Lord."

Mulder replied in an incredibly bad English accent.
"Yes m'lady."

She chuckled. "I wasn't talking to you."

He continued to plant light kisses on her stomach
as his hands moved down to stroke her strong
thighs. "So, if you start shouting 'God' later, that
won't be directed at me either?"

His thumbs were drawing circles on her inner
thighs, getting closer and closer to her apex.
She sucked in a breath.

"Keep doing what you're doing and I might rise
you to the position of my own personal deity."

"You're already my deity Scully, and you don't have
to do a thing, just let me worship you."

"Mmmm."

He left her suddenly and her eyes flew open.

"Turn over."

"Mulder please."

"Turn over." She did so reluctantly, cursing that
he had stopped doing what had been giving her so
much pleasure, but also in sweet anticipation of
what else he might have in mind. 

He kissed her between her shoulder blades and
then ran his tongue down the length of her spine.
His hand ran over the lace that covered her ass
and then he stopped. She froze too, instinctively
knowing what had halted him. He was studying
her tattoo. She held her breath, coming down
from the high he had placed her on, and sinking
in fear. He voice was wary, high-pitched. "Mulder?"

"I never saw it properly before. Just photographs."

She remembered that the two times that they had
made love, she had kept her back covered,
because of the ugly bruises that had adorned it.
She almost wished she had done the same now.

"Mulder. It wasn't about him. He's not why I had it 
done. It was about me, and about you in a way. He 
was just there at the time." She glanced over her 
shoulder at him. 

"It's okay Scully. I was hardly a monk either."

"I didn't sleep with him."

His eyes flew up to hers and she hoped he recognised
the truth in them. 

"No?"

"No, but..." She looked down at the pillow again. "I
wanted to. He stopped it. I'm not sure whether
it was because he recognised he was acting violently
and was afraid he'd hurt me, or perhaps he saw that
I would have been using him. That I didn't care for
him. That he would have been a substitute for
someone else."

He laid his body on top of hers. His penis pressing
into her behind and his mouth alongside her ear.
"A substitute for me?"

"No, for Mel Gibson." She turned her head and rolled
her eyes at him. "Of course for you Mulder."

"That's all Marita was as well."

"So what was it like making love to an alien Mulder?"

He caught the playful tone in her voice and was
relieved to find that she didn't think any less of him
for falling into his informant's arms. He amended
her slightly. "I think you mean, what was it like having 
sex with an alien? Well, it was, like....Having sex with 
an alien." 

He left her again and stripped her off her last
remaining item of clothing and then came to lay on
top of her again. Pressing himself against her so that 
his erection lay in the groove of her backside. For a 
moment he forgot his original intentions and  
considered just raising her up onto her knees and 
pushing into her from behind. Somehow, he managed 
to reign-in his desire and settled for a quick thrust of 
his hips against her ass.

She made a small muffled moan into the pillow. 

"I like your tattoo Scully."

She was aroused to the point of dizziness and
wondered how long she could keep up her half of 
their bizzare conversation. "You do...ah." She moaned 
again as he pushed himself against her soft flesh once
more. 

He nodded and nuzzled her neck. "Am I too heavy?"

"Nope you feel...just fine."

"Good. Yeah, I like your tattoo. In fact I think you 
should get another one."

"Hmm?"

"Yeah. I think you should have 'property of Fox
Mulder' stamped on your wonderful rear end."

"I think you have a thing about my ass Mulder."

He wiggled his arm underneath her to grab her
by the waist and he turned onto his side, taking
her with him so she lay flush long his chest.
"I do, yes. It's one of my favourite parts of your
body."

"Got any other favourite bits?" Her hair had fallen
across her face during his manoeuvre, but she couldn't
make her arms function enough to brush it back. He
did it for her and kissed her cheek.

"Yeah, I got a fondness for this part." His hand slipped
boldly down her front and slid over the curls at her apex 
and then onto her wet centre. She gulped in a huge lung
full off air and all efforts at talking were abandoned
as he began to stroke her with two strong fingers.
Her hips were torn between pushing forward into
his hand or backwards against his hard flesh. They
did both, rocking back and forth between the pleasures.

Mulder heard her begin to moan and slipped his hand
further down between her thighs, asking her to open
her legs, which she did willingly. He slid two fingers
into her hot wetness and felt her contract around him
as he pulled them in and out of her slowly. All the
while, rubbing the ball of his palm against her most
sensitive spot. She was breathing heavily and 
whimpering. He smiled at the knowledge that he
had the power to make the indestructible Dana
Scully helpless with pleasure. She grew hotter
and tighter around his fingers. Her hips thrust
furiously and he struggled to concentrate, recognising
that he might well come himself, if the soft skin of
her rear continued to rub against him so deliciously.

Scully was stuck on a knife edge of pleasure. 
Writhing against his fingers, hand and erection,
begging her own body for release. It wouldn't
come. She couldn't come. She knew she was trying
too hard, wanting it so much that it refused her.
She cried out Mulder's name in frustration, not
knowing whether or not her body could withstand
the onslaught much longer without a climax to
turn the sweet pain into bliss. He stroked his
fingers harder and she felt herself gradually 
beginning to slip into the better state of being she
craved, and then he left her. His fingers pulled
away and he was on his knees. Her eyes fluttered
open in time to see him grasp her by the shoulders
and lay her on her back. "You...bastard. I was.."

The words were lost when he spread her legs and
his mouth descended on her. "I...take that...back.
Oh my God." His lips kissed her and then they parted,
to take the small bundle of nerves where her
pleasure was concentrated, into his mouth. He sucked
hard and her hips left the bed as she began to pant.
"Mulder....yes." His tongue stroked down to her
entrance and worked its way inside, slipping in and
out, whilst he brought his hand up to play 
on the part of her that his mouth had abandoned.
It was hard to maintain a rhythm while she writhed
and thrust against his face, but he managed it by
using every single ounce of concentration and 
mental strength he possessed. She came at last, while
crying out to 'Jesus', 'God', 'Mulder' and anybody
else who would listen. He grinned as he felt the
contraction against his tongue but he didn't stop
his ministrations. Instead, while she was revelling
in orgasm, he swapped positions and pushed his
fingers up into her and began seriously indulging her
clitoris with his tongue. 

"Mulder." She grabbed a fist full of his hair, but he
ignored the pain, knowing that she was telling him
that he could stop, but he didn't want to. 

Scully wanted to drag him off her, but she couldn't get
him to halt what he was doing. She had come, but
he seemed to want to take her there again. She 
wasn't sure if she could handle it twice. The first
had been so intense, a second could be too sweet
to bare. But her lips were rocking again anyway,
giving in to him; moving of their own accord. She
thrashed her head to the side, hoping to clear her mind.
The room was spinning wildly. Mulder's mouth
seemed to be everywhere, all over her body, but
she knew that, in reality, it remained in one place,
licking and sucking. Her body was experiencing
things she was sure it never had before. Had she
ever once felt like she was going to explode and
shatter all at the same time? If she had, she didn't
remember it. Mulder was taking her somewhere
she hadn't been before. She was soaring towards
it. She heard a sob float up into the air and realised
faintly that it come from her own throat, and then she
was there. Right there, but not anywhere. She
recognised it, welcomed it and bathed in the light.
For a moment, Mulder was there, but then he
wasn't and it was all about her. She felt herself
slipping away from it, so she cried out, and it
brought her back. It was a wonderful place and
the next time she began to leave it, she went willingly, 
but not without regret and an intense feeling of peace.

Mulder's mouth was on her again, but this time
on her face. He was kissing her face, her cheek,
her nose, her mouth. Her eyes fluttered open. He
looked a little frightened and the part of her mind
that had begun to function again wondered why.

"Mulder?"

"Why are you crying Scully? Are you okay?"

She put a hand up to her face, noticing how heavy
her limbs were, and felt her wet cheeks. "I just,
I'm..." She was going to say 'fine', but it didn't, in
any way, describe what she was feeling. "I think I
passed out."

He chuckled and kissed her lips. "You didn't pass
out. I know you didn't, I was paying close attention.
If you had, I would've been really worried."

He lay on his side and pulled her to his chest, she
noticed he was no longer hard, and looked up into
his face. "Mulder?"

"I lost it about the same time you did."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I had a great time."

She pushed her face into his chest, enjoying the
feel of the soft downy hair against her nose and cheeks.
"I always thought it was a myth."

He lay with one arm around her and the other draped
across his forehead. "What?"

"Multiple orgasms."

He looked down at her until she felt the weight of his stare 
and looked up at him. He was speechless. "You. I..."

She grinned. "Well, I'm not entirely sure, not having
had the pleasure before, but that's what it felt like."

He looked intensely pleased with himself. "Good huh?"

She kissed his left nipple. "Like you wouldn't believe."

"Well that's okay then. Because I hope you realise
that I wore myself out and that I probably won't be
able to summon up the strength to go anywhere near
you for at least a month. So that'll have to last you."

"I'm hungy Mulder."

"Jesus Christ Scully...."

She laughed. "Don't panic. I meant that I want something
to eat. The other kind of hunger has been entirely sated."


Dana Scully's apartment
Washington D.C.
July 26th, 1997
2.05 a.m.

Scully stood by the window in her living room, staring out
at the darkness. Clad only in the t-shirt Mulder had 
discarded earlier, she wrapped her arms around herself
to ward off the night chill, and leant her forehead against
the window pane.

She shouldn't have done it. Given in to the baser desire
to have Mulder inside her. She had wanted him so much,
she knew, because she had feared it might be the last
time. However, it had been wrong to go to bed with him,
without first having untroubled her mind and spoken to
him.

She jumped in surprise when she felt a pair of arms 
slip around her and pull her backwards. "Why don't
you tell me what's wrong Scully?"

She shook her head, leaning back against him, despite
herself. They'd had such a wonderful evening that she
had been reluctant to ruin it with serious talk. They'd
eaten dinner and gone straight back to bed to make love. 
Despite his earlier protests that he hadn't the strength.
The image of his hair falling into his dark eyes, as he
moved within her desperately, was still strong in her
mind. The feeling of him filling her completely, when
he had buried himself inside her, was too glorious to
forget in a hurry. "Nothing Mulder. Everything's
fine. We'll talk tomorrow. Let's go back to bed."

He turned her around and stared deep into her eyes.
"No. Something's worrying you tonight, so we'll
talk tonight. Come on." He took her hand and led
her to the couch as if she were a small child. She
sat a few inches apart from him, but he shifted to close
the gap, and kissed the top of the head. "Spit it out,
Scully. Don't forget that I've found new ways of 
torturing you until you scream."

"That kind of torture I can live with."

"Tell me what's on your mind."

She sighed. "I don't think I can put it into words. I
can only tell you what I'm afraid of."

He put an arm around her shoulders and held her
close. "I didn't think Dana Scully was afraid of
anything."

She let out a small laugh. "Just of you, and of myself."

"Explain."

She sighed. "When we first got involved like this
Mulder, I was dying. I didn't know how long I had
left, and neither did you."

He nodded. 

"What I'm saying is that I think when we got more
...intimate, we weren't thinking as we'd normally be
thinking."

"So it took possible death to bring us together. What's
wrong with that? As long as it was meant to happen,
who cares how it happened?"

"Mulder. I want you to be honest with me. Don't be
afraid of hurting my feelings."

"I'd never willingly lie to you Scully."

"Okay, then tell me. Would you have taken me to bed
that night if I hadn't had cancer?"

He tilted his head in curiosity at her. "What are you
saying?"

"That maybe you've taken our relationship further
than you would have had, out of sympathy for me."

He laughed out loud. "I can't believe you're saying this
after tonight."

She stood up, not wanting the distraction of his body
heat. "This isn't about sex, its about us. It's more
serious than that. I can't help remembering that you
told Emily Watson I wasn't your type."

"But Scully, that's what I tell everybody about you."

Her brow wrinkled in confusion.

He stumbled on, eager to assure her. "It's my way of
explaining us to other people, or at least, it used to be.
I would say that because I didn't want people to think
that you stayed with me because we were sleeping 
together. I wanted them to realise that our partnership
was more than that. That you were with the X Files
out of respect for the work. I didn't like people thinking
you were some kind of lovesick moron who'd do anything
for spooky Mulder because you were sharing his
bed. It was insulting to you, to your integrity and good
reputation. So when anybody asked me whether we were
involved, I would say you weren't my type. It seemed
to satisfy people."

Scully ran a hand through her hair. "But Mulder, when I
look at the other women who've been in your life, I'm
not in any way similar to them."

He grabbed one of her arms and pulled her onto his lap.
"No. You could never be. You're unique Scully. You're
not like anybody else."

Her forehead was still creased with worry and he knew
he wasn't saying whatever it was that would ease her
concerns, but he didn't know what she expected of him.

"Mulder. I'm better now. I'm not dying. The project
has ended, we're not in the kind of danger we were in
before."

He nodded.

"That means, that I have a future, and so do you. What
I need to know is whether you think our future is
together." She took a deep breath. "Because if I go into
this with you, I'm going in hard. No half measures.
You're either with me all the way or nothing at all."

"Scully..."

She put a hand up to stop him. "A few weeks ago when
we talked about us, you told me that I came second to
the search for Samantha. That I'd have to know where
your priorities lie, and I understood that. I respected it
completely. But Samantha is back with you now. That
changes things. Do you remember Mulder, the 
conversation we had when you dragged me out on that
stupid lake to search for Big Blue?"

He nodded, a little bemused.

"You spoke about how you had always wanted a peg
leg, because then people wouldn't expect so much of
you. Well, what you don't realise Mulder is that I've 
granted you allowances because of Samantha. She was
your peg leg, and I've allowed you treat me badly
in the past because of her. But you don't have that
disability now."

"So, what are you saying? That I'd better shape up
or ship out?"

"Something like that. I can't afford to fall for you
if I know that you're going to remain the same Fox
Mulder that I knew in the past. I'm not expecting
you to change overnight, but I want...need more
from you."

"I can only promise to try my best. My feelings for
you are real though Scully, don't doubt them. I
wouldn't degrade you by taking you to bed if they
were any lesser than I proclaimed them to be, 
whether you were dying or not."

Her eyes met his at last, and his body sagged in
relief at the knowledge that he was finally getting
through to her. He kissed her forehead and held her
tight against his chest. "I'm going in hard as well
Scully. No half measures here either." He considered
making some kind of sexual innuendo about just how
hard he was going into their relationship, but decided 
against it. "I have all the same fears that you do,
believe me, but I don't want to let them get in the
way of what we might have. Trust me, please. Trust
me on this like you've trusted me in the past and I'll
try not to let you down."

She buried her face in his neck, knowing that she was
close to tears. "Let's get some sleep Mulder. We've
got a big meeting tomorrow."

He surprised her by standing up with her still in his
arms and carrying her towards the bedroom. 

She arched her eyebrow at him on the way. "Last time
I checked I was still in possession of two working
legs."

"Yeah I checked your legs recently as well Scully.
They seem to work might fine. But humour me here,
I like doing things for you."

She kissed his chin as he set her down on the mattress
and looked up at him with a glint in her eye. "I like
the things you do for me Mulder."

"When did you get such a dirty mind Scully?" He laid 
down on the bed beside her. 

"It's been in the gutter ever since I met you."

He pulled the covers over them and she snuggled up
against his chest. He fell asleep almost instantaneously,
a rare event for him, but then the kind of peace and
contentment he felt was rare for him too.


Outside Walter Skinner's office
FBI Headquarters
Washington D.C.
July 26th, 1997
9.36 a.m.

Mulder couldn't take his eyes off her, as she sat primly
next to him, reading the morning paper with a look
that suggested that butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.
He knew better. He knew just where that mouth had
been that very mourning, when she'd knelt in front of
him in the shower and fulfilled one of his more prominent
fantasies. He wanted to touch her, and resisting the
urge was killing him.

His concentration should have been elsewhere. He knew
he was going to be facing Skinner any moment to 
argue for the continuation of the X Files. He noticed that
Scully hadn't turned the page of the paper in over ten 
minutes and wondered if she was having as hard a time
keeping her mind on the job as he was. He was relieved
when Skinner's secretary eventually looked over at them
and requested they. "Go on in." Even so, he still found 
himself admiring Scully's shapely form, barely hidden by
her crisp business suit, as she walked in front of him. 

Skinner nodded at them both, but he spoke to Scully.
"How are you feeling?"

"Probably better than you are Sir. I hear that it was a 
close call."

He sat down with a grimace, and Mulder and Scully
took chairs opposite him. "It didn't hit anywhere major,
thank goodness. I must have a guardian angel when
it comes to getting shot because of the X Files." He
looked steadily at them both. "I won't beat around the
bush. You both know why you're here, and let me tell
you that I came back to work several weeks before
I should have done to argue for the future of your department."

Mulder leaned forward. "And?"

"I presented them with the evidence of your case solve
rates and fortunately, I'm not the only one in authority
in the Bureau who believes that your work is valuable
and worthy, and that the two of you make a wonderful
team."

Scully leaned forward as well. "The X Files are still
open?"

Skinner nodded. "Yes, but I had to...it wouldn't have
been professional of me to argue your case without
presenting the full facts. One of the facts is that the
two of you have a relationship that goes beyond 
partnership. Am I right in thinking you're involved?"

Scully looked around at Mulder, fearing his response.
Would he lie to keep his beloved X Files open?

Mulder coughed. "Yes Sir. I know that it's against
Bureau policy to have people who are...involved
working together. I want to say now that I don't
want the X Files without Scully. We work too well
together. I couldn't have anybody else work those
cases with me. If you're saying that I can have them
back, but not our partnership, well then I don't want
them back. They wouldn't seem the same to me. If
that's the case, transfer me elsewhere and give the
department to someone else to run."

Skinner looked a little shocked.

Scully was speechless and openly stared at Mulder,
not caring what Skinner might think. A smile played 
around the corners of her mouth. She considered
getting out of her chair, throwing her arms around
him and kissing him senseless.

Skinner eventually managed to form a response.
"Agent Mulder. I've managed to convince others
that you and Agent Scully are professional enough
to keep your working lives and your personal lives
apart. There's no question of the two of you being
forced apart. I think you'd give me far much more
trouble than you already do if you didn't have 
someone of her strength to keep you on a vaguely
straight path."

Mulder grinned. "Yes Sir, you're probably right 
about that. So we can go back to work then?"

"From next Monday. I want Scully to take some 
more time off."

She snapped out of her Mulder-induced stupor to
giver her boss a defiant look.

He held up his hand. "Just a week Scully, that's
all I'm asking. You're recovering from cancer,
give yourself some time. Meanwhile Agent Mulder
I want you to report to the VCS temporarily, where
they need someone to put together a profile on
a particularly nasty sicko, who seems to get a kick
out of planting bombs in shelter's for the homeless."

Mulder nodded, happy with the situation. He silently
agreed that Scully needed further time off, and was
glad that he hadn't been the one who'd had to ask
her to take it. He glanced at her and was relieved
to see that she looked resigned about it.

He stood and shook Skinner's hand. "Thank you Sir."

"You're welcome Mulder."

Scully managed to haul herself out of the chair, still
feeling a little shell shocked. She shook Skinner's
hand also and he smiled softly at her.

It wasn't till they were in the elevator that she
managed to say something to Mulder. "I can't believe
you did that."

"What?"

"You would have given it all up, if you couldn't
be with me, and have people know that you're
with me."

"I told you quite a while ago Scully that I wasn't 
going to hide us from the world. And I meant what 
I said last night. I know I'm not perfect, but I'd
rather shape up, than ship out."

She smiled at him. "I want to kiss you."

He looked at her in surprise. "Stop it. You're
making me blush."

The elevator reached the garage and for the first
time she realised he was taking her to her car.

She stepped out and walked towards it. Feeling
light-headed and happy. Mulder may not have
professed his undying love, or promised to be with
her forever, but what he had done meant so much
more. "Mulder, I really want to kiss you."

He waggled his finger at her and she wanted to
suck on it. "Now, now Agent Scully. You heard
what the boss man said. He thinks we're capable
of separating our private and professional lives. We
have to prove him right or they might drum us out of
the Bureau altogether."

"It's a parking lot Mulder. Don't you remember
how you get in parking lots?"

He grinned. "It's still Bureau territory."

"Then let's get out of here."

"No you have to get out of here. I have to go see the
big cheese in the VCS."

She pouted and rummaged in her coat pockets for
her keys. Finding them, she unlocked the door. She threw 
her briefcase over to the passenger side and got in behind 
the wheel, but before she could close the door, Mulder
knelt beside her and put a hand on her knee. 

"I want to ask you something."

She nodded. 

"I was thinking maybe I could move into your place?"
He almost laughed at the shock that registered on
her face. It took a lot to catch Scully off-guard.
"Samantha is looking for an apartment. She could 
have mine, if I moved in with you, and well, at
the moment I don't think I want to spend a night
away from you. What do you think? Say no, if it's
too soon for you."

"Too soon? After nearly five years with you Mulder,
I don't think anything could be considered 'too
soon'. I'll go to your place and pack your stuff."

He looked around the garage to make sure they were
alone and kissed her. His heart lifting at the contact.
He broke it with slight regret, but in the knowledge
that he would be seeing her in a few hours.

She smiled at him and he couldn't remember ever
seeing such a sweet expression on her face before.
He got to his feet and closed the door. Patting the
hood of the car. "Drive safe Scully."

He turned and walked towards the elevator to go
back to work, but glanced around to find her still
sitting in the car staring after him. "Oh, Scully, at
my apartment, if you find any of those videos that
aren't mine..."

She nodded. "I'll dispose of them as I see fit Mulder.
I can assure you that you won't have any further
need of them."

He grinned as he watched her pull away and drive
out of the garage. One thought was running through his
mind like a mantra. 'Jesus Mulder, don't screw this
up'.


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

End

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

Armistice - Epilogue

Out in the woods in Warrenton, Virginia, a man with a 
Russian accent looked through the remains of the 
laboratory, while ordering his men to scour the empty 
building. They looked for anything that might be of use to 
their own project. 

The Americans had failed, they had been discovered and
exposed. He considered that it was their lack of
discipline and foolish sentimentality that had been their
downfall. They had refused to kill their opponents. 
If they had taken care of the rogue FBI agents years ago
and had not had to spend so much time trying to
deter them, they might have had better success.

Still, their inability only meant that his mission was made
easier. He had no illusions that the world was safe from
the outside invaders. He would aspire to make an army
that could defend his country, even if the rest of the
earth's populace died because they failed to take
precautions against the coming of dark forces.


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


Okay, that's it - I'm pooped. Phew! I thought it would never
end.
I know you're all dying to let me know what you thought,
so don't be shy and drop me a line at:  
caroline.o@virgin.net