Most of the rest of the trip was uneventful. But then they got to Mew Mexico.
It was after sunset, which came noticeably earlier this far south compared to the Black Hills. They had decided to drive through the night, as the air conditioning wasn't always working, and the desert in late July was not the coolest of places. Somewhere around Truth or Consequences, Mulder's stomach began to growl. He felt Scully's eyes on him, but didn't look at her. Instead, he pulled into the parking lot of a roadhouse called 'End of the Earth'.
"Mulder, it's a bar."
"Bars have food."
"Yeah," she countered. "If you want to call piles of grease and fat food."
"I'm starving, and I'm betting this place has great hamburgers."
Scully shook her head in exasperation, but followed him in anyway. Dark, smoky, with loud country music, it was your typical, middle-of-the-desert watering hole. Mulder smiled, thinking that with his beard, he fit right in. But as they
moved to a table, is smile began to fade. The crowd, consisting mostly of men, was paying a little too much attention to Scully.
After ordering from a tall, leggy, large-chested red-head (Mulder couldn't help but laugh at Scully's very dark look), Scully commented, "I feel like I should be wearing a short, leather skirt and a tube top."
Mulder grinned at her. "Even with the hair, I just can't picture that." Then he stood. "I'll be back." He turned and headed for the men's room.
When he came back a short time later, he wasn't at all surprised to see someone hitting on Scully. Naturally, jealousy was his first emotion, but curiosity overrode it and he quietly walked over to the table to listen.
"Come on, darlin'," the man, a big, burly biker type, was saying. "Just one dance?"
"I told you, I'm with someone."
"Hey, you're not wearing a ring, so that means ya don't belong to nobody. Just one dance."
Scully turned ice blue eyes on him. "No." It was simple and to the point. Heaving a big sigh, the guy turned and walked off.
With a smirk, Mulder sat back down across from Scully. She glared at him, blaming him for their present situation, no doubt. He shrugged, but didn't say a word. As he had guessed, his hamburger, when it came, was great. Scully had settled for a bowl of chili, which, to Mulder's great amusement, made her eyes water. They were almost finished when he noticed a tall man with black hair and piercing blue eyes staring at them from across the room. Or, more specifically, staring at Scully. The glint in his eyes made Mulder nervous.
Soon, they stood to go. Mulder again wasn't surprised when the man accosted them before they could reach the door. He was beginning to think the bar hadn't been a good idea after all.
"Hey, pretty lady," the tall man said to Scully in a husky voice. "What the hell are you doing with someone like him when you could be with someone like me?"
Scully smiled sweetly. "How original," she told him. "Are you going to ask me what my sign is next?"
The man simply laughed. "You're new here. I know I've never seen you before."
"Hey, Jake!" another man called out. "How can you tell that when she's got all her clothes on?"
The room erupted in laughter. But a few people looked worried. The last thing they wanted was a fight.
"Come on, babe," Jake continued. "I could show you things you've only dreamed about." He grabbed Scully by the arm. With a quick twist, she easily slipped out of his grasp.
"Nothing you have could possibly interest me in the least." Her tone was frigid. Ice Queen, Mulder thought, content for now to let her handle the man. My Ice Queen.
Scully started walking out and Mulder followed, trying hard not to smile as he passed Jake. He didn't succeed.
"Yeah, you just keep smiling, Mister. I would be, too, if I was going home with a cunt like her." He turned his leer back to Scully. "I'll bet she tastes as sweet as pie."
Mulder's smile vanished. The use of that word, that one, obscene word, to describe Scully had him seeing red.
"Well?" Jake continued. "Is she?"
Scully must have known what he was going to do before he knew himself, because she tried to stop him. "Mulder, no!" But she was too late.
Mulder spun around, his right fist connecting with Jake's jaw with a 'SMACK' that echoed throughout the room. Jake fell back, stunned, but he didn't go down. His eyes met Mulder's and Mulder suddenly realized why Scully had tried to stop him. He was committed to this fight until the end, now.
With a roar, Jake rushed him, his shoulder ramming Mulder in the ribs, plowing him against the wall. He became conscious of the cheering crowd that circled around them, but with the breath knocked out of him, his eyes lost focus. His training, however, was strong. He kicked upward with his knee, shoving his opponent sideways as it connected. Jake found himself off balance, and struggled to remain on his feet. Jake's attention elsewhere was all Mulder needed to get his breath back. With a left this time, he punched Jake again. Jake recovered, and Mulder felt his own head jerk back as Jake's fist connected.
The man may have outweighed Mulder by a good 30 pounds, but Mulder's agility, his training, and most of all, his sobriety, was too much for Jake. Soon, Jake was on the ground, groaning, not able to continue.
Mulder stood straight, his ribs aching, blood dripping from where his lip had split. He suddenly realized how silent it had become. He looked for Scully and saw her still standing by the door. Her face wore a mixture of shock, horror, and something he wasn't ready to name. Her eyes met his, then drifted down his body. He looked down to see what she was looking at. During the fight, his jacket had gotten caught
behind his weapon. No wonder the room was so quiet; they were afraid he was going to pull his gun and shoot somebody. Mulder suddenly began to realize what a fool he had been. The fight, combined with the no-longer-concealed weapon, meant police would be arriving very soon. "Oh, Shit!" He groaned. Then, without another word, he sprinted for the door, grabbing Scully's arm on the way past. He didn't have
to drag her far, for once they got outside, she was running full tilt on her own. They ran to the pick-up, which was fortunately parked in a dark area of the lot, and drove off without any headlights. No one followed.
************************************************************
Sheriff's Department
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
Jake was fuming. First, he gets beaten up in front of all his fellows, for the first time in ages. Then, his opponent runs off, leaving him to deal with the police. Now, he sat in a chair, an ice pack held up to one eye, trying to explain the 'encounter' to a deputy without making himself look like the guilty party.
"Look, I'd never seen them before. He and the broad were obviously not from around here."
"What did he look like?" the Deputy asked patiently.
"Tall, 'bout six feet, not as tall as me. Skinny. Dark hair and beard." He paused. "When I saw the gun, I immediately thought 'cop'. I guess it was the way he wore it." It would explain why he beat me up so easily, too, he thought to himself.
"What about the woman? You said he was with a woman." Jake sat silent. "You know," the Deputy continued. "The one you guys were fighting over. What did she look like?"
"Short, blonde, a bit prissy. Nice bod, but nothing spectacular." Jake paused again. "Come to think of it, she coulda been a cop, too."
The Deputy made notes, then looked at Jake again. "Do you have any idea what their names were?"
"No, man! I told you! I've never seen them before!" Jake met the Deputy's glare with one of his own. Then, he remembered something. "Wait a minute. She called him something, just before he hit me the first time." He thought back. "I think
it was 'Mudler' or 'Moulder'. No, no! It was 'Mulder'."
The Deputy wrote down the name, then stood. "Hey, Luke," he called across the room. "Run a check through the computer on a 'Mulder', will you?"
************************************************************
In the middle of the desert in New Mexico, about 3 miles from the Arizona state line, is a small, run-down motel called The Last Resort. After driving north for about 45 minutes, then south again, hoping to keep any pursuers from learning their real route, Mulder and Scully settled there for the night. However, things were not very settled at the moment.
Scully was angry. Very angry. As angry as Mulder had ever seen her. And not just at Mulder, but at herself as well. When she recalled yelling out 'Mulder' just before the fight, she had berated herself as hard as she had Mulder. Now, she paced the small room, arms folded, her eyes blazing. Mulder was surprised her hair hadn't turned red again due to her fury. He sat through it all, sitting on the end of the bed, watching her with a washcloth wrapped around ice held up to his jaw. Trying hard not to think how sexy she looked angry.
"I can't believe you did that!" She said for the umpteenth time. "What were you thinking?!"
"I wasn't thinking, that's the problem!" Mulder moaned. "I'm sorry. I was angry. When I heard him say that word, I got pissed!"
Scully stopped her pacing and glared at him. "They'll report this, you know. It will be known that we look different now. It will be known what part of the country we're in. It's not much, but at the same time, it's too much! Damn it, Mulder!
How could you?!" Her voice had risen steadily through her short tirade. And again, despite the situation, Mulder felt a nudge from below his belt.
"What else can I say?" he asked her. "Look, maybe there's a chance they didn't call the cops. I'm sure I wasn't the only person in that bar carrying a concealed weapon. Or, maybe no one heard you shout my name. Maybe they'll let it slide by."
Scully said nothing, but her expression said, 'Yeah, right!'
"Well, we'll just keep going, straight to this Dr. Wood, and keep a low profile."
Scully shook he head. "Isn't that what we've been doing?" She sighed, and Mulder saw the anger drain from her. "I guess the honeymoon's over."
Mulder's eyebrows rose. "Honeymoon?" He stood and walked toward her. "Darlin', I still have yet to do things to you you ain't never done before."
Scully smiled faintly at Mulder's parody of Jake. She looked up at him. "I hate to admit it, but..."
"But what?"
"Watching you fight like that. For my 'honor', if you will. It was..."
Mulder smiled. "Yes?" He thought he knew what she was trying to say, but wanted to hear her say it.
Scully sighed. "It kind of turned me on." She tried her hardest to look regretful, but it didn't work.
He wrapped his arms around her. "Just be gentle. My ribs hurt."
"Oh, poor baby," Scully said sarcastically. Then she stepped out of his arms and started to pull his shirt up over his head. Mulder lifted his arms to assist, wincing. Then he shivered as her soft hands began running gently along his ribs, which were already showing signs of bruising. She bent and kissed the worst of the bruises.
"I think you'll be fine," she whispered. She slowly started to unbuckle his belt. He backed towards the bed behind him, Scully following.
"Scully," he said, his voice rough.
"Hmm?"
"As my reward for being your 'knight', can you do something for me tonight?"
With a small smile on her face, she asked, "Like what?"
"Call me 'Fox'."
She laughed outright. Nearly every time they made love, she ended up calling him 'Fox'. Gently, she grabbed his lower lip between hers, running her tongue along the small cut there. Mulder groaned, the sound a mixture of pain and pleasure. "Only if you do your job right," she threatened him.
"Oh, I'll be sure to," he replied in a husky whisper. With a quick move that made Scully gasp, he grabbed her by the waist, spun her around, and literally threw her on the bed. Scully gave a delighted laugh, thrilling Mulder; oh, how he loved to hear her laugh! With speed that would have impressed a NASCAR pit crew, they undressed. Mulder joined her on the bed.
She wrapped her arms around him, lifting her face to meet his lips, but he didn't kiss her. Instead, he lowered his head, grasping her nipple in his mouth and sucking hard. Scully arched her back, letting out a hissing breath. With a smile, Mulder began working his way down her body. He felt her tense, but continued his journey, making sure the bristles from his thin beard rubbed against every inch of her he passed. She was breathing hard, but lying still, when he reached her center. Though their love-making has always been passionate and a little wild, they had yet to go this far. He looked up at her questioningly. She was watching him, her eyes dark. She gave him a slight nod. Meeting her eyes one last time, he lowered his head, kissing her wet core, using lips, tongue and teeth to drive her mad. She
wriggled and bucked beneath him. He grasped her hips, trying to hold her still, but her taste, combined with her panting cries, were driving him just as wild.
"Mulder!" Scully screamed. "Now!" She was tugging on his hair, her whole body arching violently off the bed. He stopped his ministrations, causing her to groan in both relief and despair. He slid his body up hers, taking her lips this time, feeling her tongue thrust into his mouth at the same moment he thrust into her wet, swollen channel. She screamed again, but it wasn't 'Mulder' she said. With a smile, he began to pound into her until his own release made him scream and her smile.
************************************************************
The blue Taurus rental sped down the highway. Cat was at the wheel; she rarely got to drive when she was with Mulder. Monroe was studying a map in the passenger seat. They were headed to New Mexico, where their first, and so far only, lead was. They had gone to Spokane first, but no one there knew anything...or they just weren't talking. But now it had been confirmed that Mulder had been spotted in a bar fight in New Mexico.
"What the hell are they doing in New Mexico?" she asked aloud. It was a rhetorical question, but Monroe answered anyway.
"You know, Roswell. Crashed alien spaceships. That sort of thing." Monroe never looked up from the map.
Cat glanced at him. "I thought you didn't know anything about that kind of stuff."
"Hey, everyone in America knows about Roswell, whether they believe it or not." He looked out the window. "Maybe they’re not 'in' New Mexico. Maybe they were just passing through."
"On the way to where?"
Monroe shrugged. "You know Mulder pretty well. What do you think?"
"The guy the county sheriff described had a beard. That's not the Mulder I know." She thought for a bit. "Why are they hiding? What do they have? Information, or something more concrete?"
Monroe sighed, shaking his head.
"Well, you know Agent Scully pretty well. What would it take to get her to up and leave her job like this?"
"The deputy said the woman with Mulder was blonde. That's not the Scully I know." His tone was dry.
Cat sent him a glare. "Monroe, please. Help me out here?"
He looked at her with a smirk on his face, his blue eyes flashing. "Sorry." He shrugged again. "It's got to be something she's dealt with before. Something extremely important. And dangerous."
They sat quietly in the vehicle for a moment. "Wait a minute," Cat said. "Something," she repeated, emphasizing the 'thing'. "What if it's the vaccine?"
Monroe furrowed his brow. "Vaccine for what?"
"The alien virus. Mulder told me about it after he found me reading Scully's file one day." She paused as Monroe started laughing. "Come on! I'm sure you heard about what's happened to her in the past. How she was infected with a virus and
nearly died."
"Yeah, but alien?"
"Whatever. What if they have the vaccine for it? Where would they go?"
Monroe quieted, thinking. "Scully's a doctor. She would want to find another doctor to help her. A friend most likely."
"One the Conspiracy doesn't know about," Cat murmured.
"Conspiracy?"
"Never mind. I'll explain it to you later."
*****
St. John's Medical Center
Tucson, Arizona
It was shortly after noon when Mulder and Scully walked into St. John's Medical Center. Scully hated it, but she was once again looking over her shoulder, and she felt Mulder's nervousness as well. It looked like the honeymoon was indeed over. Silently, Scully lead Mulder to the 5th floor, where Dr. Chloe Wood's office was located.
She swung around the corner and smiled when she saw her old friend standing in the hallway talking to a couple of people. Her smile faded when she recognized them. She stopped and began to back up, hoping to slip back around the corner before they noticed her. But Mulder, having been walking several feet behind her, slammed into her back. "Scully, what..?" The three faces at the end of the hall
turned towards them.
Scully felt Mulder's body turn to stone behind her, and his voice, when he spoke, was ice tinged with fear. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Cat, her dark eyes wide, took a step towards them. "Mulder! We're here to help! Skinner sent us."
"How did you find us?" Scully demanded.
Cat glanced at Justin. "It was luck, really. We knew you were in the southwest somewhere after the bar brawl." She seemed to take note of Mulder's slightly blackened eye and swollen lip. "We learned that Dr. Wood had taught at the
Academy at the same time as Agent Scully."
"It wasn't a brawl," Mulder commented. His voice sounded tired, as if he had given up. "Why did you think we would come to Dr. Wood?"
"O'Neil thought you guys might have a vaccine," Justin answered. "Dr. Wood was the logical choice."
Scully felt a chill work its way up her back. Cat's intuition was very similar to Mulder's, it seemed. He was always making spectacular leaps in logic that proved correct in the end. She looked at Cat. "Why did you think we have the vaccine?"
Cat shrugged. "It was a guess."
Scully turned to look at Mulder, her eyebrows raised. He was wearing a small smile, as if proud of his protègè He had every right to be, Scully thought. Cat was almost a feminine, mirror image of Mulder.
Scully looked at Dr. Wood. "Hi, Chloe."
"Dana." Chloe Wood nodded to her.
"Chloe," Scully continued. "We need your help."
Glancing at the younger agents, Chloe smirked. "So I gathered." She motioned toward her office. "Shall we?"
************************************************************
St. John's Medical Center
Doctor Chloe Wood's Office
By reviewing the antibodies in Scully's blood, which she had acquired when Mulder injected her with the original vaccine a few years ago in Antarctica, Dr. Wood was able to confirm that the content of the vial was indeed the vaccine. She also confirmed that it would be easy to replicate. The five of them 'camped out' in Chloe's office the rest of that day and into the night. While Scully helped Chloe with the replication procedures, Mulder and the others planned the next step.
From what Chloe could determine, the vaccine had been produced from the killed virus itself, the way many vaccines were made. Nonetheless, this made Mulder and Scully nervous; they didn't like the idea of being around the virus, dead or otherwise.
It was well past four the next morning when Scully determined they had enough made up. "Now what?" Mulder said to no one in particular, but his attention was on Scully.
"Are we still going to go with my suggestion?" she asked back.
"What suggestion?" Monroe asked.
"I thought Mulder told you," Scully asked.
"He told us we might have to split up, in pairs or something, taking the vaccine and hiding it," Cat responded.
Scully shook her head. "Yes and no. We need to split up, yes, but I think it's best if we all split up, all of us. The more vaccine we hide away for future use, the better."
She looked at each one in turn. "It's also better insurance in case one of us gets caught." She looked at Chloe. "I don't expect you to help us anymore. You've done more than enough already."
"Are you kidding?" Chloe asked. "I'm not going to stop now. I know people in Mexico who can hide this stuff."
Scully nodded. "We can all hide it, tell a few trustworthy souls about it, so that more than one person knows where and what to look for when the time comes. Sort of like the Navajo's way of passing down stories, huh, Mulder?"
Mulder nodded, but he knew his nervousness showed. "I'm not sure it's a good idea to split up completely."
"Between the five of us, I think we can ensure that this stuff stays safe," Scully argued.
But Mulder obviously wasn't convinced. "Scully, can I have word with you?"
Scully followed Mulder over to the far side of the lab. "What's wrong? You suddenly don't like my idea?"
"No. I think it's our best option if we want to have a life after this is over. I just don't like being separated."
"Mulder, just because we're sleeping together now does not mean I can't take care of myself as I have always been able to do. This is a very good reason why we shouldn't have let this relationship change!" She was whispering, but her voice sounded sharp anyway.
Mulder grimaced. "I know very well you can take care of yourself. That is one of the reasons I love you so much. Your strength, your confidence. But I have a bad feeling about this!" He sighed. "Contramundum, remember?"
"Mulder, we stand a better chance of succeeding if we separate. And when we succeed, we can be together."
"You promise?" His heart started beating harder. The idea of spending the rest of his life loving this woman thrilled him. But the fear remained. "Why do I feel like you're leaving for good, again?"
She moved in close, looking him in the eye. "Not for good. Never for good."
"I just have a bad feeling about this."
"You sound like a character from 'Star Wars'." Scully joked, then paused. "Someday is almost here, Mulder. It's almost here."
************************************************************
The five of them separated after a quick breakfast around six in the morning. Chloe was taking a quick trip south of the border, to a doctor friend in Mexico. Monroe and Cat headed north, planning to split up in Nevada the next day. Mulder and Scully retraced their steps east. Well, not exactly the same route, Mulder thought wryly. They managed to avoid going near a little road house just outside Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.
At dusk, they stopped at a motel somewhere in Texas. The plan was for Scully to take a flight out of Dallas the next day, destination unknown to all but her. Mulder was not anxious for the separation.
Late that night, he lay awake, staring at the ceiling, his arms wrapped tightly around a sleeping Scully. He and Scully had been through so much, what was one more trial? When this was over, when all the samples were well hidden, maybe they
could get their lives back. Not the same lives, of course. He knew without a doubt that this little escapade would cost him his job. Finally. But he didn't regret it. He was content to let Cat take over the X Files. Imagine that! But then what was he to do?
He turned his face into Scully's hair, breathing deeply. If he searched deep down in his heart, he knew what he wanted to do. Marry the woman sleeping beside him and start producing red-headed, green-eyed babies. But that was most likely impossible. Even if Scully would settle down and marry him, she couldn't have children. Not by conventional means, anyway. His thoughts drifted back to the ova he had secreted away with the help of the Lone Gunmen. There was always that option.
He closed his eyes and pictured it: He and Scully, always together, never apart, no matter what the situation. He could see her, smiling, her belly round with his child. He felt his heart literally ache. God, how he wanted to make her happy!
She was starting to wake next to him, her hand sliding along him, fingers playing with his chest hair. Mulder's mind, still on his fantasy vision, asked before he could stop himself, "Do you know what I wish?"
She lifted her head, giving him a sleepy look. "What?"
He took a deep breath. "Nothing. Never mind."
Scully gave the hair she was fingering a sharp tug.
"Ouch!"
"What?" she repeated. "Don't get me all curious and then back off!"
Mulder sighed. "I wish we had made a baby tonight."
Scully stilled, her eyes wide. Then she smiled. A sad smile. "Really?"
"Yeah, really."
She lowered her head and gently kissed him. "I do, too."
"What if.." he paused. "What if I told you that you could have children."
She tilted her head in curiosity, but remained quiet.
"Scully, I've kept something from you. I know I shouldn't have, but.."
"My ova?" Scully interrupted in a soft voice.
Mulder felt shock sweep through him. "You know?"
She nodded. "Frohike told me."
For a moment, Mulder felt anger replace his shock. Scully noticed. "Don't get mad at him. I knew he was hiding something important from me and I forced it out of him. You know very well that he can't lie to me."
Mulder felt his face heat. "And you're not mad?"
"Oh, I was a bit ticked for a while, yes. But not anymore. And who knows; Maybe I'll have need for them in the future." She lay her head back on his shoulder.
"Scully?"
"Hmm?"
"If you do decide you have a need for them..." He stopped.
"Don't worry, Mulder. You'll be the first to know." He felt her smile. "You'll have to be if you're going to be the donor."
Mulder smiled, feeling incredibly relieved.
"Scully?"
With a soft laugh, she replied, "Hmm?"
"Be careful. I want you to have those babies in the future."
"A future we're helping to protect with this vaccine," she reminded him.
"Just promise me you'll be careful." His voice had become hard.
"I promise," she sighed. Then she moved up on his chest so she could face him. "You're really worried, aren't you?"
He brought his hand up, brushing hair from her face. Then he cupped her cheek. "Yes." His voice was soft, but deadly serious.
He could tell by her expression that she recognized his very real fear. She nodded, then brought her lips down on his. He knew she was trying to distract him, and he decided to let her. In the back of his mind, he began to pray, yes pray, that this would not be the last time he made love to her.
************************************************************
Somewhere in Virginia
"Well, have you found them, yet?" CGB Spender was angry. He had learned, only a week ago, about the vaccine Dr. Hendrickson had produced, and by the time he was able to do something about it, Mulder had the vaccine. Mulder. He felt a twinge of pride at the thought of the young agent, but anxiety as well. He had hoped that Mulder's obsession had been forgotten in Scully's absence. Evidently, it hadn't.
Alex Krycek stood before Spender, his eyes never leaving the old man's. "I thought I had them in Tucson. They met up with a Dr. Wood there. But by the time I arrived, they were gone. I think O'Neil and an agent called Monroe are with them as well."
"Shit!" Spender cursed softly, then started coughing. "Where did they go?" he asked when he had his breath back.
Krycek sighed, for the first time showing his frustration. "As far as I can tell, all five of them split up."
"What?" Spender leaned back in his chair. "If they all have samples of the vaccine..." He shook his head. This was not good. 'They' would not be happy to hear about this. "We'll never find it all." He looked at Krycek.
"Do you want me and the others to keep looking?"
Spender sighed again. "No." He glanced at the gray-haired man standing towards the back of the room, who had stood silently through the entire exchange. "No, but I do want you to find one of them." He turned back to Krycek. "I want you to find Agent Scully and bring her to me." He glanced at the quiet one again. "To us."
************************************************************
Scully had been mad at herself plenty of times in her life, but she couldn't recall being this pissed at herself before. She had made it far too easy for them. Why had she believed that just because she wasn't carrying the vaccine anymore, she was safe?
She had made it as far as the National Airport, and had decided to call Mulder and tell him she was okay. Standing at the pay phones, she had called his apartment, getting his answering machine. She had told him she would meet him and the others as planned that night at Headquarters. With a quick 'I miss you', she hung up and turned away from the phones.
And she had literally run smack into Alex Krycek. "Hello, Dana. You are a hard lady to find, did you know that?"
She'd been unarmed; she'd had to leave her weapon with Mulder in Texas in order to board the plane. Of course, she didn't know what she would have done with a gun in a crowded airport anyway. Now, here she sat, in the back of a dark sedan, Krycek holding a gun on her. She didn't bother asking him where they were going; he wouldn't tell her anyway.
They finally arrived at an old farmhouse in what Scully believed must be the Virginia countryside. She followed Krycek into the building and came face to face with him.
"C.G.B. Spender." she commented. "What a surprise. I can't say that I've missed you."
Spender smirked. "Ah, but I have missed you, Dana." He walked toward her and touched her hair. The blonde color was slowly fading after every wash she gave her hair: thank goodness for temporary hair color. "I never pictured you as a blonde before."
She jerked away from his touch. "Exactly."
Spender turned and walked to a chair, sitting facing Scully. "Your friend, Dr. Wood, is already back at work acting like she never left. O'Neil and this Monroe are also finished with their 'duties' and are back in D.C." He tilted his head. "Quite a plan you and Mulder devised. I had hoped that more than a year of separation would have weakened your bond, but apparently I was wrong.
"You may have won this round with your vaccine, but you and Mulder have become too much of a problem with the people in charge now. They want both of you dead, no excuses. They're tired of you always getting in the way. I can do nothing to
change their mind. Your friends are safe, for now, but you and Mulder are not. They WILL kill you both."
Scully let out a humorless laugh. "Aren't you a part of the 'they' you're talking about?"
Spender shook his head. "No, Dana. Not in this. We want you and Mulder to live."
She glanced at Krycek, who stood without speaking by the door. "We?"
"Yes," said a voice from behind her. "We."
Scully spun around, her eyes widening. The man standing before her was supposed to be dead.
Mulder had told her that he had died in a car bombing, just after he had given Mulder the original vaccine that had saved her life in Antarctica.
"I heard you were dead," she whispered.
"Yes," the Well-Manicured Man said. "It isn't as difficult as it seems to make the world believe you are dead." He stepped closer, and Scully was surprised to find she wasn't as fearful of this man as she was Spender. His grey eyes were flashing with amusement. "We want to help you, Agent Scully."
"How?"
He smiled. "We want to help you and Mulder 'die'."
*****
FBI Headquarters
6:51 P.M.
Mulder was pacing the hallway outside the OPR conference room. Cat and Skinner were sitting on the bench trying to ignore his irritating movements. Monroe stood leaning against the wall, watching Mulder with an amused expression, his head moving back and forth as if he was watching a tennis match. They were waiting for Scully.
Mulder stopped and looked at his watch...again. Then he glared at Skinner. "Her message said she'd be here." Skinner said nothing in response. "She would have called me if she was going to be late."
"How?" Cat asked quietly. "You don't have your cell phone with you."
"She would have found a way!" he yelled. Both Skinner's and O'Neil's eyes widened in surprise; Mulder rarely yelled. He sighed, rubbing his hands over his freshly shaved face. Then he looked down the hall toward the entrance of the building.
No one.
"Something's wrong," he said. His voice was so soft, the others almost didn't hear him.
"Mulder..." Skinner started.
He was interrupted when the conference room door opened.
"Mr. Skinner?" One of the OPR assistants stood in the doorway. She looked very nervous, as if about to give bad news.
"Sir, we just received a call from the Metro Police." She looked at Mulder, her expression pained. "Sir, the car Agent Scully rented at the airport, it..."
"Go on, Leslie," Skinner encouraged.
"It was bombed, sir. They just got the fire under control. They've confirmed that there is a body inside."
"Agent Scully?" Skinner's voice was suddenly rough as sand paper.
"They're not sure. It's badly burned. They'll have to run a dental check and possibly a DNA check as well. But they believe that it is her, yes."
For a long time, silence reigned. The pin that dropped to the floor could indeed be heard by all. No one could look at each other. No one could look at Mulder.
Then, with a sound that reflected incredible agony, Mulder turned and started down the hall. They all watched him now. Skinner didn't stop him, even though he hadn't yet met with the OPR. He knew where Mulder was going; to the site of the
bombing. He was going to prove that Scully wasn't dead. Skinner was afraid that he wouldn't succeed. He stood and followed from a distance; Mulder would need someone to watch out for him tonight.
************************************************************
Bethesda Naval Hospital
20 hours later
Five silent people sat in the tiny waiting room in the basement of Bethesda. They were waiting for confirmation; the DNA test to prove that Agent Scully had indeed been in her car during the bombing was almost complete. This time, the man pacing the floor was Scully's brother Bill. Her mother, Maggie, sat quietly, her expression calm, despite the horror of the situation. Cat sat next to Mulder, ordered by AD Skinner to keep an eye on him.
Mulder, his face devoid of expression, sat staring at the floor. He had ignored everyone, even Maggie, since the moment he had arrived. His jaw was sore from clenching his teeth, and he knew his eyes were red from lack of sleep. But they were dry; no tears. Not yet.
Finally, a laboratory technician stepped through the door. He looked exceedingly nervous. "Mrs. Scully?"
Maggie stood and walked up to him. All eyes followed her. All but Mulder's. "Yes?"
"Mrs. Scully," the tech continued. "I'm sorry. The DNA was a positive match. The body in the car was indeed your daughter's."
Maggie hugged herself, dropping her eyes to the floor. "Oh, God," she whispered. Bill came up behind her to grasp her shoulders, helping her stay upright. Skinner, who had entered the room following the tech, let his glance fall on Cat, who looked to be near tears, and Mulder, who hadn't moved a muscle.
The tech muttered more condolences, then left. Skinner, who was trying hard to hold back tears of his own, went up to Maggie. "Mrs. Scully. I am so sorry. I don't have the words..."
Tears slid slowly down Maggie's face. Bill glared at Skinner, then turned to Mulder. "She was fine in Spokane! Happy! And safe. Then you had to get her involved in your war!"
Mulder didn't look up.
"You bastard!" Bill continued. "She's dead because of you!"
"William!" Maggie scolded, her voice strong.
Bill turned startled eyes toward his mother. Even Mulder had finally looked up, as if her shout had awakened him from sleep.
Maggie took a deep breath. "Bill, please. Dana was her own person. She lived by her own rules and her life was not dictated by anybody but herself. Fox is not to blame."
"Are you sure about that?" Mulder's voice was rusty with disuse. They all looked at him. "I didn't need to ask for her help. I didn't have to get her involved."
"And she didn't have to help you," Maggie argued.
"But what if she couldn't refuse?! You know how she was, loyal to the end." He couldn't believe he was talking about her in the past tense. He stood.
"Yes, but it was her loyalty to give!" Maggie's voice rose, then she shook her head in frustration. She walked up to Mulder and placed her hands on his face, forcing him to look at her. "Fox! Dana loved you, but she would not do anything life threatening that she didn't believe in, even if you asked. I don't know what you both were involved with, but I do have a feeling she died fighting the good fight."
Maggie lowered her hands from Mulder's face, stepped back a bit, then grasped both of his hands gently. "You will be with Dana again. I know it." Giving him a small smile, she squeezed his hands.
"Someday."
With that, she turned and lead Bill out of the room.
Mulder stood stunned. That word. Was it just coincidence? Or had Maggie been trying to tell him something? Without another word, he left the room, intent on getting home. Cat and Skinner looked at each other, then followed.
"Maybe we should take his gun?" Cat asked. She knew Mulder had been thought suicidal in the past.
Skinner looked at her. "Let's just keep our eyes on him."
Mulder heard them, but he ignored them and kept on walking. He knew very well that if he wanted to use his gun on himself, they would not be able to stop him.
************************************************************
Mulder's Apartment
The Next Day
Mulder lay sprawled on his couch, staring at nothing, trying to keep his mind blank. It was pretty much all he had done in the last 20 hours. It had been easy to slip into his apartment, locking out the world (and Cat and Skinner). He refused to answer the door, though someone knocked every hour or so. He did not answer the phone. He barely even heard the callers as they left messages. He did remember getting the official notice that he had been 'sacked'. No surprise there. He had also paid attention when Maggie Scully had called, but lost interest when he realized she was calling to tell him of the funeral arrangements. Frohike had called once, asking if he was all right and to please talk to him or he was going to come over and kick Mulder's ass.
He still had his weapon. It sat on the coffee table next to him. He had almost used it more than one time since he had left the hospital, but something held him back. He knew it was Mrs. Scully's use of the word 'someday'. It had to be coincidence. He contemplated calling her and asking her outright what she had meant by the word, but he didn't want to upset her if it was nothing. So, he lay there listening to
caller after caller asking if he was all right.
Was he all right? All right? No! He was not all right! Half of him was dead and the other about to die! Mulder felt rage building, overriding the grief. It wasn't fair! For the first time in so long, his future had actually been bright once again. But now that light was gone. He should never had found the X Files! They were to blame!
He closed his eyes, not even hearing the phone ring one more time. No. As much as he regretted this quest of his, which had begun so long ago, he knew that he never would have met Scully had it not been for the X Files. She would probably be married, have kids, alive. But he allowed himself this moment of selfishness, glad that he had known her. Glad that she had made his life better, if only for a short while.
But had that happiness really been worth it? he asked himself. After all, the pain of her loss was unbearable.
Still, that flame of hope that Maggie had kindled burned.
With a groan, he sat up, amazed at how stiff a person could become by laying in the same position for hours on end. He got up, gabbed his keys, his jacket, and his gun, and headed out the door. He had to talk to Maggie. Even if it meant going through Bill.
************************************************************
Mulder left his apartment building, shaking his head sadly when he noticed the agent assigned to watch him asleep in his car. Skinner had obviously been distracted, sending agents like that! He started walking for his own car, which was parked down the street. As he got nearer, he noticed what appeared to be a person sitting in it. He quickened his pace. Suddenly, the car, and its occupant, disappeared in a ball of white and orange flame as the car exploded. Mulder felt the incredible heat on his face as he was thrown backwards on the sidewalk. The blazing car lit up the night, drawing people outside from the surrounding buildings.
Mulder stood on shaky legs, and was suddenly grabbed by the arm and dragged into the ally he was standing next to. He turned startled eyes toward Alex Krycek. The man simply smiled at him. Then he led Mulder further into the dark, man-made canyon.
Mulder felt his shock from the bombing increase when he saw who awaited him. Two men, a grey-haired, dignified dandy, and a cigarette-smoking bastard. 'They meant to kill me,' was his first thought. 'No. If that was their plan, they would have succeeded.'
Mulder's second thought was of Scully. What if this is what happened to her? "Where is she?" he demanded.
WMM smiled. "It's nice to see you again as well, Mr. Mulder."
"Where's Scully?"
"What makes you think we have Agent Scully?" CSM asked.
"Isn't this what you did to her? Blow up her car with someone else inside, then let the world believe it was her?"
He looked at WMM. "Isn't that what you did for yourself?"
WMM kept smiling. "Mr. Mulder, I am impressed by your imagination. It has always had a tendency to reflect fact."
She's alive! The man hadn't outrightly said it, but Mulder believed it nonetheless. "Who was in that car?"
"No one you need concern yourself with, I'm sure," WMM continued. "But, if you want, it could be you. We can easily arrange it."
Mulder stared at the man. He was being offered the chance to start over; to become someone entirely new. These men could do it. They could manipulate dental records and even DNA samples so that the man in the car could become him. "Why?"
"Our 'former' colleagues want you gone. We decided to oblige them," CSM answered.
WMM reached out to hand Mulder a folder. Slowly, Mulder took it from him, remembering that this was the man who had given him the original vaccine years ago. The man who had supposedly sacrificed himself to save both Scully and Mulder. He opened the folder. Inside was a New York Driver's License, a passport, a plane ticket and other information. The pictures on the license and passport were his. The name was not. "Who's Ian Zweifel?"
CSM smiled behind his curtain of smoke. "You."
"Fox Mulder is dead," WMM said. "Ian Zweifel has a full life ahead of him." He nodded toward the folder. "Take that passport and use that plane ticket. It will take you to a place where you can relax and think. Where you go from there is completely up to you."
"It's kind of like the Witness Protection Program, Fox. You get to start over."
Mulder didn't know how to feel. Did he really want to start over? Did he really want Fox Mulder to die? It wasn't like he had anything, or anyone, to live for anymore. But...
"Why should I trust you, after all you've done to me in the past?"
"Fox," CSM said, and Mulder winced at the sound of his name on this man's tongue. "You will die if you stay here. What have you got to lose?"
"We can contact one person you trust, but only one, and tell him or her that you are still alive. Who that person is will be your choice. But future contact with that person must be severely limited."
"Skinner," Mulder said without hesitation. The only other people he cared enough about to tell the truth to were the Gunmen, and Skinner would handle it better than them.
"So, you'll do it?" CSM asked.
Mulder looked at Krycek. "What about him?"
"He knows nothing. Do you, Mr. Krycek?" WMM asked.
Krycek looked Mulder straight in the eye. "I envy you, Mulder. You can leave all this behind. I won't ruin things for you."
Mulder had one more question on the tip of his tongue, but he was afraid to ask it. He looked at the name of the place he was supposed to be going to. Maybe that was his answer. Then he looked up at the three men before him, three men he had spent years hating. He nodded. "I'll do it."
Mulder glanced behind him, back to where his car was still burning with a stranger the world would know as Fox Mulder inside. Firemen and police were trying to keep the spectators away. When he turned back, Krycek and WMM were walking away. CSM stood looking at him.
"Good luck...Ian." He turned and began to follow the others.
"Why are you doing this?" Mulder called after him.
CSM turned and smiled. "I've grown much too fond of you and Dana over the years." His gaze turned inward. "Maybe I do have a heart after all." With one last puff on his cigarette, he turned and walked away.
************************************************************
Pine Lawn Cemetery
Two Days Later
It was an impressive gathering. Hundreds of people, some truly in mourning, most just curious, were attending the funeral. The Director of the FBI was there. As was the Vice-president of the United States. Two agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation had fallen to what many considered horrible terrorist attacks. Today the world was here to say farewell.
Sitting in the front of the crowd, listening intently to Father McCue, sat the Scully family. Though Maggie knew Mulder wasn't Catholic, she had decided to have him included in the service with her daughter. Skinner, who had been left in charge of Mulder's 'estate', had agreed. He sat next to her, sliding glances her way from time to time, wondering if she knew the truth; that this memorial service was all a
fake.
He slowly looked around. He was sure no one else suspected it. Bill Scully and his wife and son, Charles Scully and his family, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends. Even Moira Anderson was there, having flown in from Spokane the day before. Scully was well represented.
But Mulder had not been forgotten. Several agents from the VCS and Behavior Sciences had come, as had the Gunmen. Byers stood with his arm around Cat O'Neil, both of their faces drawn and tired. Langly, in a conservative suit (the first time Skinner had ever seen him dressed up) and Frohike both looked as if they were suffering from hangovers.
Skinner faced forward again, but still wasn't paying any attention to the priest's words. He looked down at the two headstones laying side by side. If they were really dead, this is how they should be buried, he thought. Together. Even in death. It was appropriate.
Soon, the service was over and the crowd began to dissipate. He saw Monroe, who had been standing further back in the crowd, come forward. "Sir," he said when he reached Skinner. "I'm so sorry. I feel like there's something I could have done to prevent this."
Skinner shook his head. "You and O'Neil did what you could. Nothing could have prevented this. Just feel fortunate you and Cat weren't targeted as well." He sighed, looking back at the headstones. "Maybe this is for the best."
Maggie Scully heard this statement, and before she turned to leave she gave Skinner a small, secret smile of agreement.
************************************************************
FBI Headquarters
Later That Day
O'Neil sat at Mulder's desk, her desk now, feet up, trying to calm her frazzled nerves. She had officially been named in charge of the X Files today. Her name would now grace the door; Mulder's had already been taken down. She was happy
for her promotion, of course, but she wished desperately that it hadn't come about the way it had. Why did Mulder have to die? She felt the tears come again and quickly brushed them away. She never cried.
A knock on the office door startled her. She pulled her feet off the desk and looked up in surprise as Justin Monroe walked in.
"What are you doing here?"
He grimaced. "It's official. I've been assigned permanently to the X Files."
O'Neil smiled slightly. "You don't have to be so thrilled about it."
He shrugged. "Well, you know, Scully wasn't very happy when she was first assigned here, either. She told me. But she ended up liking it well enough."
"Yeah," O'Neil argued, "but she was being partnered with Mulder, a brilliant, challenging agent whom she already respected."
"I think you're a brilliant, challenging agent, and of course I respect you." Monroe sat down across from her. "Just remember, I get my name on the door, too."
O'Neil laughed softly. "We've got big shoes to fill, don't we?"
"Yes, we do," Monroe agreed. "But don't think we can replace Mulder and Scully; I don't think anyone could. I think we should just be ourselves: Monroe and O'Neil."
"You mean O'Neil and Monroe, don't you?"
Monroe sent her a glare without any real power behind it.
"So, where do we go from here?" O'Neil asked, her mood much lighter than it had been all day.
"Well, first things first, O'Neil. I need to ask you a question."
She leaned forward, all business. "Shoot."
"Is this Byers guy available, by chance?"
O'Neil's eyes darkened. "Touch him, and you're a dead man, Monroe."
He just laughed.
*****
That Same Day
Starbuck Island, Northwest of Tahiti
Mulder stood next to his rented jeep and looked up at the building in front of him. It was a lovely, two-story mansion, built by a French trader in 1918, with a wrap-around verandah on the second floor. The tropical sun beat down on the white structure, making it almost too bright to look at. It was called the Barnet Hotel.
He was still in a state of shock from the happenings of the last several days. After leaving the vicinity of the burning car, he had looked at the rest of the information in the folder. It seemed that Ian Zweifel was a wealthy man. A New York bank held more money in his name than Mulder knew what to do with. He was set for life, it seemed. Mr. Zweifel had also reserved a room in this hotel indefinitely.
Mulder walked up to the building, feeling over-dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and jeans; it was a tropical paradise after all. He carried a shoulder bag that held his few personal belongings. Just a handful of momentos from his past life as Fox Mulder. Another important object was tucked safely in his front jeans pocket. He had rescued it from his safe deposit box just before leaving Washington.
Mulder checked in and was led upstairs by a young bellboy, a native of the island, he assumed, looking at the kids Polynesian features. His room had French doors with a fantastic view of the ocean. The doors opened onto the verandah, which he guessed was shared by all the guests. He tipped the boy, sighed, then sat on the edge of the big, four-poster bed. He was tired. He had been on the move constantly since leaving D.C. He had flown to L.A., with a stop in Denver, then changed planes to fly to Hawaii. From there, he had flown to Tahiti, and then he had hopped on a puddle-jumper here. Starbuck Island.
So, where was Starbuck?
He had half expected to see her at any moment. Every corner he turned, he expected to run into her. Every door he opened, he prayed she was on the other side. He wondered if he was being too optimistic. Neither CSM nor WMM had confirmed that she was alive; maybe she really was dead. Or maybe she just wasn't here. Maybe she had been hidden away somewhere else.
With a yawn, he began to undress. He would have to buy new clothes...again. He smiled, remembering shopping with Scully in Custer. After taking off his boots and socks, he stood and walked over to the French doors, unbuttoning his shirt. The ocean view was too much to resist, so he stepped outside, walking to the railing and bracing his hands on it. He closed his eyes, rolling his head around to ease his tired neck, breathing in the warm, salty breeze coming off the Pacific.
When he opened his eyes, he saw her.
She was standing on the beach below, not far from where the waves touched the white sand. She was wearing a white sundress that left her arms bare, the skirt swirling around her bare legs and feet in the wind. Her hair was red once again, the blonde having finally washed out, but it was shorter than when he had last seen her. Had that only been six days ago? It seemed like forever.
He walked to the far end of the verandah, where a staircase led down to the sand. Once he reached the beach, he walked quickly in her direction. Before he had even had a chance to say anything, she turned to face him, smiling, as if she had known he was there before seeing him. He stopped sharply in front of her, letting himself drown in her blue eyes.
"Hi." Her voice was soft. The wind, coming from her back now, blew strands of hair against her cheek. Slowly, as if he was afraid a sudden move would make her disappear, Mulder reached out to tuck the hair behind her ear.
"Hi."
"Welcome to Starbuck Island," she continued, her eyes glinting with amusement. "I'm Sara. Sara Wegner." She held out her hand.
Mulder smiled and took her hand in his. "Ian Zweifel."
She smiled. "Ian? I like it. It's a strong, Gaelic name."
Mulder laughed, but his smile soon faded. "Your mother knows, doesn't she?"
Scully's smile also disappeared as 'real life' was brought to her attention. She drew back her hand. "Not where I am, but that I'm alive, yes. They told me I could let one person know. My first choice was you, but they knew you would be watched closely after my 'death', and your reaction had to be real." She looked down. "I am so sorry for doing that to you."
Mulder shook his head. "It was rough for a while, but your mother said something to me that gave me hope." When Scully gave him that familiar questioning look, he continued. "She said we'd be together again...someday."
She smiled again. "Looks like 'someday' is finally here." She glanced up and down the beach. "Here in paradise." She looked at him again. "You know, I dreamed of this place. When you went missing. God, was that only two weeks ago? It seems like forever since we were in the Black Hills."
"I know," Mulder agreed. "You dreamed? A premonition?"
"Maybe."
"I didn't think Agent Scully believed in premonitions."
Scully watched him for a while. "No, she didn't. But Sara is willing to believe."
"Sara." Mulder tested the name out. He shook his head. "How am I gonna do this? You're Scully. You'll always be Scully."
"Your calm, rational Scully, as I recall."
He nodded. "Yeah."
"We'll make do, Mul-...Ian" They laughed. Then Mulder asked, serious, "What do we do now, Scully?"
"That's easy," she replied. "We have the whole future ahead of us, Mulder. So, let's start living it!"
"Okay." That was just the opening he needed. He reached into his front jeans pocket. "Let's start with this. I need to ask you a question." He pulled out a tiny object. "I got this a couple of years ago, just before you left for Spokane. I bought it in New York, but it's an original."
He held the object up for Scully to see. It was a ring. A diamond solitaire bordered by tiny, gold grape leaves dusted in shades of pink and green. "Black Hills Gold," Scully whispered.
"Dana." Scully looked up at him, her eyes flooding with tears. "Scully. Will you marry me?"
Scully bit her lip, then asked, "As Scully or as Sara?"
"Both. Either. I don't care, as long as it's you."
She nodded, blinking rapidly to keep her tears from falling.
He reached for her left hand and slid the ring on her finger, breathing a sigh of relief when it fit perfectly. "Scully, I love you."
She smiled, unable to keep the tears from falling. "I love you, too, Mulder." She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought her lips to his.
He took them like a starving man, drinking greedily from her mouth, tongue delving deep. She moaned into his kiss and rocked her hips against his. His jeans were already uncomfortably tight. He pulled away slightly. "As much as I'd like to make love to you on the beach, it is a bit public."
Her answering laughter was incredibly erotic. She moved her hips against his once more. "We better take this inside, then. We can always come back here after dark."
Mulder took a sharp breath. "Oh, yeah!"
Grabbing her hand, he pulled her toward the verandah stairs at a run. Laughing, she followed without hesitation. They tripped up the stairs, ran across the porch, and slipped into the still open doors to Mulder's room. After quickly locking them, he turned and grabbed her up in his arms. They never made it to the bed. They didn't even bother to undress completely. Mulder simply dropped his jeans and lifted Scully's skirt up, removing her underwear with deft fingers. He lifted her and pressed her against the wall. There was no foreplay. There was no need. Both were more than ready for each other.
With her legs wrapped tightly around his waist and her hands gripping his shoulders, fingernails digging into him, Mulder was able concentrate on their pleasure. He shoved her against the wall, over and over, knowing he was probably going too fast, being too rough, but her responses refused to let him slow down. He contemplated using his hand to help her along, knowing he was going to explode any second now, but then he felt her internal muscles tightening and knew she was with him.
It was quite possibly the quickest coupling Mulder had ever experienced, yet completely satisfying at the same time. When Scully gasped out "Fox!", Mulder felt his own explosion come with a force that stunned him. His knees gave out, and he sank down to the floor, Scully's legs still firmly clasped around him, her head on his shoulder. Soon, their breathing returned to normal. Scully lifted her head and smiled at him. "I love reunions."
************************************************************
Later, finally unclothed and in bed, Mulder watched Scully as she admired her ring. "It's perfect, Mulder."
He was silent for a while. "When I held that vaccine in my hand for the first time, I thought to myself, 'Here is the future'." He looked at her. "I'm glad the vaccine's safe, and I'm glad we have the upper hand in this 'war', but I was wrong when I thought that."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm holding the future in my arms right now," he whispered. He felt slightly embarrassed to find tears in his eyes. Scully had seen him cry before, but not from happiness.
Scully smiled though her own tears of happiness. "It's not going to be easy, this future. Even if we're not directly involved anymore, we still are a part of the X Files. I think we always will be."
"I agree," he nodded. "But, as we have proved plenty of times in the past, we can do anything as long as we stay together."
She nodded back. "Anything. I love you, Fox Mulder."
"I love you, Dana Scully."
Let the future begin.
THE END
How do you define normal?
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