By afg.
siggy.63@btinternet.com
 

June 2004
Summary - Our heroes go down to Texas to investigate Bigfoot.
Category - Casefile, M/S UST/MSR.
Spoilers - None.
Rating - R.
Disclaimer - Mulder and Scully are the property of Chris Carter
and 1013 Productions. No profit is being made.
Thanks - To Tali, for her invaluable help, and the precious
gift of commas. For Grace, who loved her bugs.
Feedback- Always appreciated at siggy.63@btinternet.com
 
 
 

Prologue

Washington DC,
FBI Headquarters,

August 9 1999

9:30am
 

Agent Fox Mulder, jerked in surprise as a manila folder was
slapped down onto the desk in front of him.

"Bigfoot, Mulder?" A severely pissed off looking Dana Scully
stood in front of his desk, with her arms folded. "Even you can't
possibly believe in Bigfoot."

"Why, Scully, do you mean to say that you don't?" Mulder said with a shocked look upon his
handsome face, as he opened the folder and began to peruse its
contents.

"Mulder, you know very well that I don't. There is not a shred of
credible scientific evidence to suggest that such a creature, or
creatures, exist. I don't know why we are even arguing about
this." Scully looked at her partner in exasperation.

"Well, I think Mr. Franklin here might be inclined to differ with
you," Mulder pointed to a photograph of a late middle aged man
with graying hair and one arm secured in a sling. "He says that
one of them attacked him while he was duck hunting around
Lake Cherokee in Rusk County, Texas. And he has the scars to
prove it," he concluded calmly.

"I've read the file, and pardon me, if I don't leap into your pool
of credulity." Scully snatched up the offending document and
pointed to a paragraph.

"Mr. Franklin states that, when he tripped over a tree root while
engaging in the day's hunting, he broke his glasses in the fall and
when he looked up, he saw a large creature coming towards him,
which swiped at him with its paw, injuring his arm. He let off a
round with his shotgun and the creature ran off. He also states
that he had been drinking from a hip flask full of bourbon
through out the morning, to ward of the discomfort from his
arthritis."

She shut the folder decisively and put it back on the desk.

"I'm sorry if I don't instantly come to the conclusion that his
attacker was a mythical creature, rather than the more likely
event that he was mauled by a much more mundane animal such
as a bear." Scully walked over to her area of the basement office
and sat down, crossing her legs.
 
"You know what, Scully? I might be inclined to agree with you,
were it not for the fact that there are no bears in Rusk County, in
fact, bears can only be found in the hills of West Texas, so that
pretty much rules out that theory. Apart from Deer there are no
large animals around Lake Cherokee, nothing much bigger than a
squirrel.
 

 Mulder looked towards Scully with a slightly smug expression;
suddenly a look of comprehension crossed Mulder's face and he
shot up out of his chair and came around to the front of his desk.

"I get it now."

"What, Mulder? What do you get?"
 

"It's Texas, isn't it?" He said, grinning at her. "You don't want
to go to Texas"

"Don't be ridiculous I ..."

"Admit it, Scully; you don't want to go to Texas.  I'm right,
aren't I?"

Scully was wishing that the bureau didn't hold such a dim view
on shooting your partner; she put her hand up to her forehead and
rubbed her temple, feeling a "Mulder Special" coming on.

"Okay, Mulder, you win, I don't want to go to Texas," Scully
said resignedly. "But can you blame me? I mean we've never
done well on a case there. It's like a geographical jinx, and yes, I
know that's completely irrational, but sometimes I can't help but
feel that way. Yet, saying all that, I still stick with my original
objection; Bigfoot, Mulder?"
 

Chapter One
 
American Eagle Flight 102,
Approaching Gregg County Airport,

August 11th 1999.

3:30pm.
 

Mulder watched as his partner's hands gripped the arm rests, her
knuckles turning white with the pressure. He placed one of his
hands over hers and squeezed it gently. It still amazed him that
after all the years they had flown together his normally
indomitable partner could not conquer her fear of flying. When
the plane's wheels made a squealing noise, as they touched down
on the tarmac, she finally relaxed her death-grip on the seats
upholstery.

After the familiar routine of sorting out the bags and picking up
the rental car, they finally managed to get on the highway.

"I still can't understand how you managed to get Skinner to sign
off on this one." Scully was fishing through her briefcase looking
for a map.

"Hey, you know me; I can charm the birds from the trees, if the
need arises." Mulder said. He was driving with one hand while
fiddling with the radio tuner, trying to get a station that wasn't
playing George Jones, ad nauseam.

"I didn't think that your all purpose 'puppy dog' look works on
Skinner." Scully turned to her companion and gave him a
piercing glare. "Come on, how did you manage it?"

"I might have embellished the truth a little, that's all." Mulder
was still messing with the radio, until finally, Scully reached
over, and turned it off.

"Exactly how much embellishing have you done, Mulder?"

"Well, I might have implied, that the Kilgore PD had requested
us to investigate a little environmental terrorism problem they
have," he said sheepishly. "Which is true, Chief Lowry did ask
that while we were down here, we speak to someone, who has
been making threats to the Rusk County Water Company."

"So, at no point in your meeting with our boss, did you make any
mention of a big, hairy, imaginary creature?"

"Well, of course not, Scully, he'd have laughed in my face."
Mulder turned his attention away from the road and shot his
partner a pained expression.

"And what do you think he'll do when he finds out the real
reason for our little trip?" Two little lines had appeared between
Scully's eyebrows, which indicated to Mulder, the depths of her
disapproval. He was beginning to wish he'd packed the Kevlar.

"Oh, come on Scully, this is a real opportunity to prove the
existence, of what many people have long held to be a relative of
Homo Sapiens. We can't let a chance like that slip away from
us."

Scully dropped her gaze to the map resting on her knees. Hearing
the enthusiasm in Mulder's voice, made her feel guilty for being
such a bitch about this case. She felt the frustration ebb from her
body, as she thought of her partner's ever- present zest for the
unknown. Mulder's passion for the 'Truth' had never really
deserted him, even in the darkest moments of their time together.
It was something that Scully relied on, when her own faith in her
government, her family or her God faltered. Sometimes it scared
her just how much she needed, not just his drive, but Mulder
himself.

"Scully? Hey, Scully, which way do we turn? "

Mulder's voice broke her out of her introspection.

"What did you say?
 
"We're coming up to a crossroad, which way do we go?"

Scully took a look at the map.

"Sorry, Mulder. You need to take a left."

Mulder looked at his partner, he knew she wasn't just
apologizing for her inattention to the navigation.
 
"No problem," smiling at her, he felt the tension that had been
between them ease, he was glad that she seemed to have gotten
over her annoyance with him. "Do you want to go straight to the
Kilgore PD, or do you want to find a place to get something to
eat first?"

"Let's check in with Chief Lowry, I'd like to see what this
environmental terrorism is all about, as well as getting his take
on Mr. Franklin's encounter with the unknown. I'll buy you
dinner after."

"What more could a guy wish for?" Mulder mused. "Terrorist
threats, duck hunters and dinner bought by a beautiful woman."

"You are so easy to please." Scully smiled.

"You have no idea."

Mulder swung the car left, and sped them towards Kilgore.

****************************************************
 
Chapter Two

Rusk County,
Kilgore Police Department,

5:00pm.

 
It was a hot afternoon in Kilgore and the air conditioning, in the
police department, had chosen that very afternoon, to breathe its
last. When Mulder and Scully walked through the doors, they
were confronted with a proliferation of sweaty men in uniform
and a few of Kilgore's less savory citizens, who were equally
moist.

"I hope you brought the Birch twigs, Scully, it's like a sauna in
here." Mulder took off his suit jacket and started on the buttons
on his cuffs.
 
Flashing their badges at the desk sergeant, they asked to see
Chief Lowry. Mulder had rung ahead, from the car, to let them
know of their impending arrival.

"He's right through there, Agents," the Sergeant pointed towards
a glass-fronted office, at the rear of the room. "You can just go
on in, The Chief's expecting you."

"Thank you, Sergeant." Scully said.

They made their way through the bullpen and after a gentle
knock on the office door, Mulder opened it and they went inside.

"Afternoon, Agents." Chief Lowry was a big heavyset man with
a deep voice and an avuncular manner.

"Good afternoon, Chief, I'm Agent Mulder and this is my
partner, Agent Scully."

"I'll be honest with you, Agent Mulder, I didn't realize that the
FBI had an interest in Bigfoot, what did he do, kidnap the Loch
Ness Monster?" The Chief grinned at his little joke.

"Chief Lowry, our division in the FBI is interested in any
phenomena, that can not be readily explained, and we would
certainly appreciate any information that you could give us
regarding Mr. Franklin and his claims." Scully informed him in
her most professional tone of voice. She got very tired of
constantly having to justify the X files.

"Well, the only phenomena here, is how the hell Jim Franklin
managed to drive home after his so called attack. He was so over
the limit, he could've knocked out an elephant with his breath."
Lowry picked up a file from his desk and handed it to Mulder.
"This is the statement from the doctor who examined him at the
hospital."
 
Mulder passed the file to Scully, who opened it and started to
read.

"Chief, there have been other sightings of Bigfoot around the
Cherokee Lake area, haven't there?"  Mulder asked.

"Yeah, maybe a couple." Lowry agreed.

"In fact, by my data, there have been nine recorded sightings
around the Monroe and Lake Cherokee area, since nineteen
eighty eight, ten, if you add Mr. Franklin's. That's quite a lot of
sightings for one small area, wouldn't you say, Chief?"

"I guess, but that doesn't mean that Bigfoot is out there, roaming
the woods. I mean a ton of people reckon they've seen a UFO,
but I ain't seen no aliens landing on the White House lawn"

"My partner might like to dispute that one with you, Chief."
Scully said cryptically.

Mulder looked at her and smiled.

"What does the medical report on Mr. Franklin say?" He asked.

"Well, the doctor states, that Mr. Franklin's injury was probably
caused by some sort of animal. Mr. Franklin had four shallow
scratches and deep tissue bruising, on his right shoulder,
consistent with a very heavy slap."

Scully demonstrated on Mulder by loosely curling her fingers
and slapping him lightly on the shoulder.

"So, the scratches where caused, by the creature's claws or nails,
but, the real damage was the bruising?" asked Mulder.

"Yes," confirmed Scully. "The slap was delivered with some
force."

"Does the report say anything else?" Mulder inquired.

"Only that the patient was delirious and highly agitated.  The
doctor attributed that, to the fact that Mr. Franklin's blood
alcohol level was three times the legal limit."

"Hardly a reliable witness," said Chief Lowry dismissively.
"He'll be saying that Elvis jumped him next."

"Yeah, but what gave him those scratches and that bruise?"
Mulder said. "I'll stick my neck out and say it wasn't the King."

"We'll go to Monroe in the morning and interview Mr. Franklin.
Maybe he'll remember things differently with hindsight," said
Scully.

"Yeah, you'd best catch him early, before he starts on the
booze," suggested Lowry. "As you are going to be in Monroe
tomorrow, could you go and speak to a Dorothy Maxwell?" The
Chief slid a piece of paper over the desk towards Mulder. "This
is a copy of just one of the letters she's written to the Water
Company."

"Is this the environmental terrorism problem you where talking
about?" asked Scully.

"Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say terrorism, Agent Scully, it's
more a case of a little over enthusiasm." The Chief looked a little
embarrassed. "It's just that Dorothy is real keen on her butterflies
and she's gone and got a little overheated with the Water
Company, who are in negotiations with the Lake Cherokee
Development Trust, about selling off some land around the
Lake."

"Sorry Chief, did you say butterflies?" Scully asked.

"Yeah, that's right. Apparently there are some rare species in that
area."

Scully turned her attention of Mulder, who had sunk down in his
chair in a futile bid to evade the patented 'Scully Death Glare.'

"Did you mention the butterflies to AD Skinner, Agent Mulder?"
Scully inquired sweetly.

"I think that part slipped my mind, Agent Scully." Mulder
quickly rose from his chair and took the letter from the table.
"Do you mind if we take the letter with us, Chief?"

"No problem, I'll take it that you'll let me know the outcome of
your meetings with Dorothy Maxwell and Jim Franklin?" Chief
Lowry stood up and extended his hand to the Agents.

"You can rest assured that we will keep you fully informed."
Scully shook the proffered hand and turned to leave the office.
Mulder followed after her and they retraced their route through
the bullpen and out onto the street.

"Go on, Scully, say it."

"Say what, Mulder? I'm not sure I know what to say, I'm too
busy thinking what to do with the rest of my life, when Skinner
fires us for wasting Bureau time and money," Scully said, raising
her voice over the noise of the traffic.
 
"This is a legitimate investigation, it's what the X files are for."
Mulder looked a little hurt.

"Mulder, this is a vague animal encounter by an inebriated man
and a letter of protest by a butterfly enthusiast. It's hardly Bigfoot
and the Unabomber."

"There has been a relatively high concentration of Bigfoot
sightings in this area, and drunk or not, Mr. Franklin certainly
had a run in with something in those woods. As for the letter, Ms
Maxwell does make some veiled threats, who knows what she
may be capable of." Mulder stooped down a little to make eye
contact. "Let's just see what these people have to say, when we
interview them in the morning, okay?"

"Okay, but you are going to explain this lot to Skinner when we
get back to DC," Scully sighed in resignation.

"You bet, Scully," said Mulder, patting her on the shoulder.
"Now, about that dinner, seeing as we're in Texas, how about
Mexican?" Mulder said, cheering up at the idea of food.

Scully couldn't help but smile.

"Okay, Mulder, Mexican it is."

.
****************************************************

Chapter Three

Ramada Inn,
Highway 259 North,
Kilgore,
 
9:45pm

Mulder pottered about his room, unpacking his suits and shirts,
while listening to the local news on the TV. Through the paper-
thin walls he could hear Scully doing much the same. He smiled,
as he thought of the many nights that he had spent listening to his
partner, as she went about her routine, only a few feet away from
him. She had no idea, how much he enjoyed her nearness, and
how, when he went back to his empty apartment, he would feel

her absence as a physical pain, an ache in his chest that only
dissipated when he returned to her orbit. He heard the shower
start up in Scully's bathroom and tried not to think distinctly
unprofessional thoughts about her. This was becoming more and
more difficult as the years progressed and he wondered how long
he was going to be able to hide the fact that he was in love with
his partner.

Mulder imagined removing his clothes and slipping into her
room, opening the bathroom door, seeing the outline of her body
through the opaque glass of the shower stall. He saw himself
sliding open the shower door and slipping in behind her,
wrapping his arms around her slick body...

"Mulder?"

"Jesus, Scully, you scared the shit out of me." Mulder said, as he
was dragged from his very pleasant reverie.

"Sorry, I did knock but you mustn't have heard me. Can I borrow
your toothpaste?  Mine's run out." Scully asked, as she stepped
through the connecting door into his room.

Mulder rummaged through his suitcase and produced a new tube.

"You can keep this one, it was 'two for one' at the store this
week." He handed her the toothpaste feeling a tingle of
electricity when her fingers brushed against his.

"Thanks." Scully went back through the door and shut it gently
behind her.

"Mulder, you really are one sorry son of a bitch," he muttered to
himself, as he picked up his towel and went into the bathroom.

After he had blasted his hormones into submission with a cold
shower, he slipped on his flannel boxers and lying back on his
bed, he opened his laptop and logged on to the Net. He heard a
soft tap on the door to Scully's room.

"Mulder, are you decent?" Scully opened the door a little.

"Yeah, but I can be indecent if you want me to."

"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind," Scully replied as she walked
through the door, her wet hair was slicked back behind her ears;
she was wearing a pair of sky blue silk pajamas, "I'm just going
to get a soda from the machine down the hall, do you want one?"

"No thanks, I'm fine." Mulder smiled. "Hey, Scully, did you
know, that it's illegal here in Texas to put graffiti on someone
else's cow?"

"No, I didn't but thanks for the warning. I'll just have to show
restraint with the next cow I see." Scully grinned back at him.

"No problem, I wouldn't want you to get into any trouble while
we're down here."

"No chance of that with you as my partner. 'Night Mulder."

"'Night, Scully."

The connecting door closed and Mulder resigned himself to
another restless night.
 
 

Chapter Four

Monroe,
Rusk County,
Texas,

August 12th 1999

9:30am
 

The phrase 'one horse town,' could have been created to describe
Monroe. It was a small community on the edge of the Piny
Woods and the Franklin residence was situated on the dusty main
street that ran through the town. Mulder and Scully looked as
though they'd arrived from another world, in their dark suits and
salon hairstyles, as they pulled up outside the gate of the house
and emerged from the air-conditioned car.

"Christ, Mulder, it's hot here." Scully could already feel sweat
starting to bead on her forehead.

"It's not too bad," Mulder said, as he shut the car door and
pocketed the keys. "It'll get hotter by the afternoon."

"Oh good, that'll give me something to look forward to." Scully
said as she followed him through the little gate, with its chipped
and peeling white paint and up the short path to Mr. Franklin's
front door which was equally dilapidated. Mulder, rapped
sharply on its dirty surface.

The door was opened, by a sharp faced middle-aged woman,
who looked disapprovingly at the two Agents.

"Yeah, what do you want? If you're Mormons, you can just get
lost, we're decent Baptist folk 'round here, we don't want none
of your mumbo jumbo. " She said in an unfriendly tone.

"Good morning. Mrs. Franklin? I'm Special Agent Mulder and
this is Agent Scully, we're with the FBI. We've come to speak to
your husband about the incident in the woods he reported."

Mulder took out his badge so that she could see it and Scully
followed suit.

"It's Miss Franklin, if you don't mind, I'm Jim's sister."

"My apologies, Miss Franklin, may we talk to your brother?"
Mulder tried, turning on the charm.

"I suppose so, wait there." Miss Franklin turned abruptly and left
them standing on the doorstep.

"You can see why the poor guy drinks," Mulder whispered to his
partner.

"Hmm, she's not exactly the friendly type," Scully said, looking
fed up.

After a minute, Miss Franklin returned.

"You can go 'round the back," she said, pointing to a path
leading, presumably, to the rear of the house. "He's in the shed."
She managed, to imbue the word 'shed' with a tone, that
suggested it was someplace she found to be particularly
repugnant.

"Thank you." Mulder said, and he and Scully made their way
around the house and into a scruffy, back yard. At the rear of the
yard stood a rickety shed, with grimy windows and the sound of
a Glen Miller tune emanating, through the unlatched door.

"Mr. Franklin?" Scully called. The smell of pipe tobacco smoke
and whiskey that met her as she opened the door, was almost
overpowering in the oppressive heat. "Mr. Franklin?" Scully said
again, almost shouting to be heard over the vigorous rendition of
'Little Brown Jug'.  She peered through the fog of tobacco
smoke into the shed's interior. She could see Jim Franklin sitting
at a wooden bench making fishing flies; he was carefully
wrapping yellow thread around a tiny arrangement of brightly
colored feathers. As he worked, hunched over his task, he
hummed along to the music, which, Scully could see, was
coming from an old gramophone, situated in one corner of the
shed. Scully entered the shed and tapped Franklin lightly on the
shoulder.

"Good Lord, woman," Jim Franklin's head whipped round in
surprise, his pipe dropped from his lips.  "Don't go sneakin' up on
a man like that." He stood up and turned to face the intruders.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Franklin," said Scully still having to shout to be
heard over what was now 'Pasadena Six Five Thousand'. "I'm
Agent Scully and this is Agent Mulder, we're here about the
attack you suffered near Lake Cherokee. Chief Lowry called you
about us?"

"Oh yeah, FBI right?" Franklin shouted, battling against the
noise.

"Yes, that's right. Sir, could you turn off the music, please?"
Scully shouted back.

"Oh sure, sorry," he bent to pick up his pipe, then moved to the
gramophone and gently lifted the needle from the vinyl, he
slipped the record carefully into its sleeve. "These are the
original recordings on Shellac," he said proudly. "They don't
make 'em like this anymore." Franklin put the record in a rack
that had rows of old 78's. "Sorry I had it on so loud, but it drowns
out Maude when she's naggin' and Lord, can that woman nag."

Scully looked at Mulder who was failing to suppress a smile.

"Would Maude be your sister, Mr. Franklin?," asked Mulder.

"Yeah, that's her, she never married and when my Sheila died,
that was my wife," he explained, "she just took it upon herself to
come and take care of me. Well, she sure did that. I can't even
have a smoke in my own house, and she don't like the drinkin'
either." Mr. Franklin said gloomily, as he relit his pipe and
started to puff steadily on its long stem.

Mulder looked upon the man with sympathy. The poor guy
certainly was hag ridden, hiding out here in his tatty shed.

"Mr. Franklin," Mulder said, attempting to get back on track.
"This attack, could you tell us about it?"

"Sure, although some of it is a bit hazy, 'cause I'd had a little bit
to drink, you know?" He looked a little embarrassed. "Well, I'd
spent a long while just sittin' and waitin' for a bit of action from
the ducks. Anyhow, I thought I'd take a walk to stretch my legs,
I took a fall over a tree root and my glasses flew off and as I was
looking for them, something real big leapt out from the bushes at
me and just kind of bowled me over. I was pretty damn scared I
can tell you and when it seemed to turn back to have another go
at me. I let off a round with my shotgun and it ran off real quick.
I made it back to my truck, my shoulder was hurtin' pretty bad
and when I got home Maude made me go to the hospital to get it
checked out."

"Could you describe the creature that attacked you?" asked
Mulder.

"You know, I can't see too well without my glasses, but the thing
was big and hairy. I remember it made a god awful sort of
growly, barking noise and it was real strong."

"How tall do you think it was?" Mulder had sat down on the
bench, but he leaned forward, enthralled by the mystery.

"Well, I was kind of crouched on the ground so it's real hard to
tell, but it looked damned big when it was charging at me."

"In your opinion, Mr. Franklin, what was it that attacked you?"
Scully asked, looking not nearly as enamored of the story as her
partner.

"Well Miss, it couldn't have been anything else except old
Bigfoot," said Franklin firmly. "I mean I've been huntin' and
fishin' around these woods and lakes all my life, and I can tell
you there ain't no big animals out there, so it had to have been
Bigfoot what hit me, I know Chief Lowry thinks I'm a drunken
old fool, but I know what I saw."

"Have you been back to the Lake since, to look for it?" Scully
asked.

"Nope, I'll be honest with you, Miss, I've been scared to go
back."

"Would you be able to draw us a map of the area, Mr. Franklin,
so that we could have a look around?" Mulder inquired with
boyish enthusiasm evident in his voice.

"Sure I could, but if you're goin' to be trampin' about the woods
you'd better wear something more suitable than those nice city
clothes." Franklin said eyeing their suits.

"Don't worry, Mr. Franklin, we're like the Boy Scouts, we're
always prepared." Mulder said and smiled at Scully who was not
looking too keen at the prospect of slogging through the woods.

After a hunt for a pen and some paper, Mr. Franklin managed to
produce a reasonable map of the area, in which he'd had his
encounter. He handed it to Mulder, who looked at it briefly then
carefully folded it and put it in his jacket pocket.

"Thank you, Mr. Franklin," said Mulder, shaking the man's hand.
"I'll leave you my card, if you think of anything else that might
be relevant, you can call the cell phone number at any time."

"No problem, I sure hope you find that thing out there, I miss
gettin' away from Maude." Franklin said plaintively.

"We'll see what we can do." Mulder smiled sympathetically at
the man, "Oh, by the way, you wouldn't happen to know where a
Dorothy Maxwell's house is, would you?"

"Oh, yes, everybody knows Dorothy," Franklin said, and he
pointed to a hill rising above a small copse of trees on the far end
of the town. "You see that hill? Well, Dorothy lives on the other
side. But she don't like strangers too much, so don't expect much
of a welcome."

"We're used to that, thanks for your help Mr. Franklin. Don't
bother showing us to the gate we'll find our own way out."
Mulder placed his hand at the small of Scully's back and ushered
her out of the pungent shed and into the comparatively fresh air.

"Well, Scully, what did you think of his story." Mulder said as
they went back through the gate and got to their car.

"I don't know. His vision was impaired and he was drunk, for all
we know, he was trampled by a deer."

"Scully, you saw the medical report, those weren't hoof prints on
his shoulder." Mulder argued.

"But that doesn't mean he was mugged by Bigfoot," Scully said
in exasperation.

"No, it doesn't, but it's worth taking a look around, don't you
think?" Mulder said calmly.

"All right, but after we've had a word with Ms. Maxwell I want
to go back to the Motel. I'm hot and sweaty and I smell like two
ounces of rough shag. I just want a shower and to change into
something more appropriate for one of your 'nice trips to the
woods'. Okay?"

"Okay, that's a plan. Let's get Ms Maxwell over with. It
shouldn't take too long."

"Fine," said Scully getting into the car.

"Scully?"

"What?"

"Say 'rough shag' again, will you?"

****************************************************
Chapter Five

Monroe,
Rusk County,
Texas

10:45am

After a convoluted journey, around the outskirts of the town,
Mulder finally found the narrow lane that led to Dorothy
Maxwell's home. The brightly painted 'Private' and "Keep Out'
signs were prominently placed all the way along the rutted track.
Mulder pulled the car up by a large wrought iron gate that was
secured, with a thick chain and a heavy padlock. Beyond the gate
was a short drive of about fifty yards, at the end of which was an
imposing, almost gothic looking mansion. Its dark stone seemed
to absorb the sunlight, giving the house a cold, leaden patina.

"Ms. Maxwell certainly values her privacy." Scully said as she
got out of the car and surveyed the surrounding woods, which
proliferated all around the property.

"Yeah," Mulder agreed giving the gate a good shake. "You want
to climb over first?"

"Not particularly, this place gives me the creeps."

"Well, if you're going to get all scientific on me, Scully." Mulder
climbed up and over the gate and landed on the other side with a
grin.

"Mulder, shouldn't we try calling to attract her attention first,
before we start trespassing." Scully said trying to curb Mulder's
enthusiasm.

"No point doing that, she wouldn't be able to hear us from the
house." Mulder started to walk up the drive. He heard a distant
honking sound. "What's that?" He turned inquiringly to Scully,
who had one foot on the gate, preparing to climb.

"Mulder?"

"What?" He said, puzzled at the perturbed look on Scully's face.

"You might want to consider coming back on this side of the
gate." She said cautiously, looking beyond him towards the
house.

The honking sound was closer and getting louder by the second.
Mulder turned and to his surprise saw a small group of about
seven geese approaching him at a rapid waddle. The lead goose
had its wings spread wide and its long neck thrust forward. The
six geese bringing up the rear were honking madly.

"You're not scared of a few geese, are you, Scully?" Mulder said
grinning smugly at her.

"I'm not kidding Mulder," said Scully, looking a little peeved.
"You really should get over here."

Mulder ignored her, and started up the drive towards the geese,
making a shooing motion with his arms. This seemed to really
annoy them and with increased honking and flapping they
reached their target.

"Whoa there birdies. Ouch!...Shit!...Ow!...Fuck!...Scully!"
Mulder turned and started to run back towards the gate, all the
while the geese, who were by now, positively incandescent with
rage, flapped madly around his legs and pecked at his lower body
with their strong beaks.  Mulder leapt halfway up the gate, a
particularly vigorous peck to his rear end gave him some helpful
impetus. He scrambled back over, landing on the other side,
panting and sweating and rubbing his much abused posterior and
thighs.

"Having a bit of trouble there, are you?" Scully said dryly.

"Jesus Christ! What the hell was that all about?" Mulder looked
stunned.

"Guard geese," said Scully trying not to laugh. "My Aunt Olive
had some back on her farm in Ireland. I remember being pretty
scared of them as a child, when we used visited. They're very
effective, aren't they?"

"Yeah, I was in danger of loosing some very important parts of
my anatomy back there."

"Don't worry Mulder, they are strictly vegetarians." She said
reassuringly.

"What's going on out here?" A woman's voice brought their
attention back towards the house.

"Ms. Maxwell?" Scully inquired, as she saw a diminutive woman
approaching them down the drive. Scully thought she looked
about eighty five, with white hair that was pulled back in a tight
bun. She was dressed in a pair of khaki slacks and a white blouse
and despite her age, she moved with ease and her posture was
ram rod straight.

"Yes, I am Dorothy Maxwell, and who, may I ask, are you?"

"I'm Agent Scully and this is my partner Agent Mulder, we're
with the FBI." Scully said, showing her badge.

"Oh, I see," said Ms Maxwell reaching the gate. "That damned
fool, Lowry, sent you to scare me, did he? Well, you can just go
back and tell him that his little bullying tactic didn't work and
I'll thank you not to get my birds all riled up in future." With a
stern look she turned on her heel and started back up the drive,
she made a clicking noise with her tongue and the geese, which
had calmed somewhat, waddled after her honking gently.

Scully sighed and looked at Mulder with an arched eyebrow and
a 'what do we do now' expression, on her face.

"Ms. Maxwell, what are the species of butterfly you are trying to
protect?" Mulder called to the retreating figure of Ms. Maxwell.
"It wouldn't be Atlides Halesus, would it?"

Ms. Maxwell stopped and turn back to look at the agents.  "Why
yes, young man, the Great Purple Hairstreak is one of the species
that are threatened, along with Callophrys Irus and Euptoieta
Claudia." She said with a hint of challenge in her voice.

"Yes, the Frosted Elfin and the Variegated Fritillary are lovely,"
said Mulder giving her his most charming of smiles. "Why don't
you let us in, Ms. Maxwell, we might be able to help."

She looked at the two agents for a moment.  "Oh, very well,
seeing as how you seem to know what you're talking about." She
made her way back to the gate and fished a key out of her pocket.

"Err, Ms. Maxwell could you put the geese away, please?"
Mulder said, eyeing the birds warily.

"Good grief man, you're not afraid of a few geese, are you?" She
said with a laugh.

"Ma'am, I may never sit down again." Mulder said, looking
chagrined.

"All right, you take the key, while I put the birds in the pen, and
make sure you lock the gate behind you, I'll meet you up at the
house."

"Thank you, Ms. Maxwell" Mulder took the key from her
through he bars of the gate and she started back up the drive with
the geese in pursuit."

"I didn't know you were into butterflies, Mulder" Scully looked
at him, surprised at his evident knowledge of the subject.

"I don't really know much at all, just the names. My father was
an enthusiast and when I was a child he would let me look at the
pictures in his reference books, I guess some of it stuck with
me." Mulder said, reaching to undo the padlocked gate.

"Well, it certainly worked a charm with Ms. Maxwell," said
Scully as she followed him through the gate and watched him
lock it behind them. "It's a pity that your father wasn't a bird
enthusiast."

"Yeah, laugh it up, Scully, get it all out of your system. My ass
feels like one giant bruise and all you can do is gloat." Mulder
said indignantly.

"I'm sorry, Mulder," she said contritely "I'll drop it."

"If you're really sorry, maybe you could rub it better later."
Mulder said with a hopeful leer.

"I'm not that sorry."

"Pity"

They made their way towards the house.
 
 
 
 
 

Chapter Six

The Maxwell Residence,
Monroe,
Rusk County,
Texas

11:05am

The door opened just as they got to the front entrance. Ms.
Maxwell ushered them in to a large hallway replete with a
beautiful mosaic floor, depicting a woodland scene, including
some butterflies, in its intricate design. They walked through the
hallway and into a drawing room. The sunlight pouring through
the large windows showed off the sumptuous fabrics of the
furniture and the brightly colored tapestries hanging on the wall,
all of which represented nature in its myriad forms. It seemed as
though the interior of the house was the antithesis of the exterior.

"You have a beautiful home, Ms. Maxwell." Scully said as she
looked around.

"Thank you.  My father loved this house, so I try and keep it in
good repair. Which I must admit, gets more difficult as the years
go by." Ms. Maxwell replied, a little sadly.

"A place like this must take a lot of maintaining, do you have
help?" Mulder asked pragmatically.

"No, you may have noticed that I like my own company, so I do
almost all the maintenance myself. Although, I do get a local
contractor to look at the roof once a year. Look, as lovely as this
small talk is why don't we get down to the reason for your
intrusion on my property?" Ms. Maxwell replied, her impatience
evident.

"All right, Ms. Maxwell. As you correctly surmised, Chief
Lowry did ask us to have a word with you, regarding the letters
you sent to the water company. You have made several
comments about certain dangers that might befall the company
and the Lake Cherokee Trust employees, should they decide
upon developing this area for tourism," said Scully, who was
getting a little impatient herself. "You do realize that these letters
could be construed as making threats to the lives of the people
working for this organization, for which, if the companies
involved wished to pursue it, could result in criminal charges?"
Scully looked steadily at the older woman.

"Don't threaten me, young lady.   I have dealt with much bigger
fish than you in my time" Ms. Maxwell bristled.

"Ma'am, I am not threatening you, I'm merely pointing out the
possible outcome should you wish to continue with your current
course of action. Think about it, Ms. Maxwell, how much help
can you be to your butterflies, if you are behind bars?"

Ms. Maxwell stood in stubborn silence and glared at Scully.

"Ms. Maxwell, what are these 'dangers', you refer to in your
letters." Mulder asked placing himself between the two women.

"Oh, for Pete's sake, I'm not going to go on a killing spree, if
that's what you're worried about. There's plenty of danger
around that area with the swamp and what have you, that's all I
mean. It's just that it is imperative, that the area be left alone,"
she said emphatically.
 
"It's a pretty small area that's going to be developed. Surely, it
can't affect the butterflies that much; it's a big wood after all."
Mulder said reasonably.

"You have no idea what you're talking about. This is a micro
environment, which can be devastated by the smallest of
changes."  Ms. Maxwell replied testily.

"May I use your bathroom?", asked Scully politely, breaking the
tension between Mulder and the fiery old lady.

"If you must. There's one down the hall, if you go through the
kitchen, it's to the left of the back entrance."  Ms. Maxwell
pointed to the rear of the house.

"Thank you," Scully set off down the hall.

Mulder watched her as she disappeared around a corner. The
bathroom request was a standard ruse to have a look around
without the interviewee being present, it was surprising, what
you could sometimes find out about a person, when you weren't
being chaperoned.  He turned his attention back to Ms. Maxwell.
 
"Could we sit down, Ms. Maxwell, and you can explain to me all
about this micro environment." He sat down in one of the
armchairs and prepared himself to be educated.

Scully had turned the corner into the kitchen. In the distance, she
could hear the voices of Mulder and Ms. Maxwell. She took a
quick look around the kitchen, which was light and airy with
bright yellow walls and yellow and white striped curtains,
fluttering in the slight breeze, coming through the open window.
Several large jars of homemade chutney were lined up on one
shelf. Scully wondered why one person should need quite so
much; perhaps, she sold it to the townsfolk. Scully carried on
through the kitchen and into the small hallway where the back
entrance to the house was situated. The door was wide open and
Scully walked out into what appeared to be a stable yard. It was
cobbled, and had several stalls, skirting it; she couldn't see any
horses in them. Lying on the cobbles, was a large ball, it was
brightly colored, such as a small child might have played with.
Along side it, was an inner tube from a large tire, possibly a
tractor.

A sudden raucous squeal broke the silence and startled Scully,
who was surprised to see a small group of pigs, emerge from
around the corner of the house and scamper into the yard. It
appeared to be a family group with the boar taking the lead and
the sow and her piglets following.

Scully retreated back inside before she could be spotted, and
went into the small bathroom and flushed the toilet for effect.
She made her way back to the drawing room, as she approached
she heard the sound of laughter coming from Ms. Maxwell.
Scully realized that Mulder must have worked his magic on the
old lady. It was a skill that Scully envied, his ability to put people
at ease often helped enormously on cases. It wasn't a talent that
she possessed. Scully stepped through into the drawing room to
see Mulder and Ms. Maxwell sitting in the two armchairs,
chatting as though they'd known each other for years.

"...then we realized that we were only about five feet from the
shore." Mulder was saying. He looked up as he saw her enter the
room.

"Did you have a good look around, my dear?" Ms. Maxwell
asked, with a wry smile on her face.

Scully had the good grace not to deny it and she smiled back at
the woman, her face turning a little pink.

"Hey, Scully?" Mulder said, getting up from his chair. "It turns
out that Dorothy here and my father corresponded briefly about
thirty years ago.

"Really, what about?" Scully said surprised.

"Butterflies," said Dorothy. "Bill Mulder was quite the expert on
Lycaenidae, a group of butterflies that particularly fascinates me,
I'd been doing some research for an article I was writing for The
National Geographic, and I wanted to check some data, I knew of
Bill Mulder's reputation so I wrote to him. He was most helpful;
he seemed like a good man, I was sorry to hear of his death."
Dorothy looked at Mulder with a kind smile on her face.

"Thank you," Mulder said quietly. It meant a great deal to him,
to hear someone say something good about his father.

"Look, would you like to stay for some tea?" Dorothy asked.

"We'd love to, Ms. Maxwell. However, we are here on a case
and we really do need to get back to it."

"Oh, call me Dorothy, everybody does. It must be a local case, or
Chief Lowry wouldn't have been involved," she mused "Lord,
don't tell me you're looking into that old drunk Franklin and his
Bigfoot sighting?" Dorothy laughed.

"Yes, we are. How did you guess?" asked Scully.

"There's not a whole lot goes on around here, it wasn't too hard
to figure it out, although for the life off me I can't understand
why the FBI should take an interest in the ramblings of that old
fool."

"Me neither," Scully muttered under her breath.

"My father was the famous naturalist, George Maxwell,"
Dorothy said proudly. "He traveled all over the world obtaining
specimens for zoos and observing animals in their natural
habitat. Primates, especially the great apes were his main love,
and he was firmly of the opinion that a creature such as Bigfoot
or Sasquatch could never have remained undetected in this
country so therefore it couldn't exist." She concluded.

Scully gave Mulder a 'well there you have it' expression, which
he studiously ignored.

"Well, we're here now, so we may as well do some
investigating." Mulder said.

"Well, it's your time to waste, I suppose, but you be careful
around that lake," Dorothy warned.

"Now, Dorothy," Mulder said with a frown. "You wouldn't be
threatening us, would you?"

"Don't you get fresh with me, young man, it really can be a bit
tricky around there and I don't want you disturbing my
butterflies."

"We wouldn't think of it." Mulder said with a smile. "I've had a
thought about your butterflies, though. As I recall this whole area
was once part of the Caddo tribal lands, now unfortunately the
Caddo are pretty much dispersed and don't have a big voice, but
the Wichita and affiliated tribes do, they are local and pretty
vociferous on environmental issues. If you could get them on
your team, it would add a whole lot of clout to your campaign.
However, you must stop threatening the Water Company, that
will get you nowhere except into a jail cell, so no more Dorothy,
okay?"

"You know, Mr. Mulder, you are a very handsome and clever
young man. If only I were 30 years younger."

"Dorothy?" Mulder looked thoroughly abashed.

"No more threats then," Dorothy said. "I give you my word."

"Then that's good enough for me," said Mulder still looking a
little flushed around the ears.

"I'll see you both to the gate." Dorothy took the lead as they left
the house and retraced their steps down the drive.

Scully suddenly turned to Dorothy. "Oh, by the way, I meant to
ask, do you have any grandchildren?"

"No, I never met a man that I liked more than my animals. Why
do you ask?" Dorothy looked a little puzzled.

"It's nothing really," Scully said dismissively. "It's just that I
noticed some toys in your yard, a ball and an inner tube ring. I
wondered if they were for your grandchildren to play with."

For a moment an odd look crossed Dorothy's lined face, Scully
thought that she almost looked frightened.

"No, no children, I'm afraid. Perhaps you saw my pigs? The toys
are for them. Very intelligent animals; pigs. Much smarter than
dogs." Dorothy said regaining her composure.

"Thank you for your time, Dorothy," said Mulder as she opened
the padlock on the gate. "I hope that your campaign is
successful."

"Mr. Mulder, you have given me new hope that it will." Dorothy
shook both their hands warmly. She watched as they got into
their car and started back down the bumpy track.

"What did you think, Scully?" asked Mulder as he negotiated the
car over the pot-holes.

"She seemed lonely to me, and I think she was hiding
something."

"Did you see anything when you went on your little walkabout?"

"There were no sticks of dynamite, or blocks of Semtex Lying
around, if that's what you mean. Although, she did have a lot of
homemade chutney."

"Oh well, that's it then we'll tell Chief Lowry to go right ahead
and arrest her for the manufacturing of suspicious preserves."

Scully smiled at him. "I think we can tell the Chief that Ms.
Maxwell won't be a problem from now on though, don't you?"

"Yeah, I think so." Mulder said as they finally reached the
highway. "Let's go back to the Motel, change clothes and then
we can get on with checking out Lake Cherokee."

"Oh good," Scully said without enthusiasm, "I can't wait."
 

*************************************************
 
Chapter Seven

Lake Cherokee,
Rusk County,
Texas.

5:00pm

"Mulder, we've been slogging through this swamp for two hours
now, and I'm in danger of passing out from blood loss, thanks to
these damn mosquitoes. Is there any chance that we could move
away from the Lakeshore and try a bit of dry land?" Scully asked
as her Rockport covered foot sank ankle deep in yet another
patch of bog. The waterlogged earth reluctantly relinquished its
prize, with a gloopy burp. Scully had grown to hate the sucking,
squelching noises that accompanied her, as she tried to keep up
with Mulder's long legs.

They had arrived at the Lakeshore, at three o'clock after enjoying
a shower and a change into jeans, T- shirts and hiking boots.
They'd grabbed a bite to eat at the diner across from the Motel
and had driven the few miles to a rough track that stopped about
a mile from the Lake. Since then they'd trudged around the
shore, with Mulder, intermittently, checking the map that Jim
Franklin had drawn.

"Okay Scully, we haven't found anything to corroborate Mr.
Franklin's story yet. There maybe some evidence further into the
woods." Mulder replied as he led the way into the shade of the
trees and firmer ground.

"We haven't found anything, because there is nothing to find,"
said Scully catching up with him. "The only Bigfoot around here
is at the bottom of Jim Franklin's whiskey bottle. We are wasting
our time here, Mulder."

"You know? Sometimes your lack of enthusiasm for some of our
cases really surprises me. You should be really into this, Scully;
it's something that ought to really stretch that scientific brain of
yours." Mulder said, as he carried on striding through the heavy
undergrowth.

"The only thing being stretched around here is my patience."
Scully scowled at his back as he disappeared behind a dense
clump of bushes.

The woods were alive with the buzz of insects and the incessant
prattle of birds. The sunlight was splashed about the leaves and
branches and speckling the loamy earth, as though Jackson
Pollock had been running through the woods, having a
particularly creative moment. Scully took a moment to appreciate
the beauty of the scene. She slipped off her small rucksack,
brought out a bottle of water and took a long drink. The air felt
dense and sticky and she was covered in perspiration, her
normally controlled hair was lank and starting to curl at the ends.
Mulder, on the other hand, she'd noted, looked fresh and very
handsome in his dark blue T- shirt and faded jeans, his light gold
skin radiating a healthy glow in the afternoon sun. Sometimes,
Scully really hated being a redhead, not only that, a short, pale,
freckly, redhead. Just occasionally, she'd like to hold a
conversation with Mulder where she wasn't looking up all the
time or else conversing with his sternum. Mulder seemed to
favor tall women, although why she was worried about what
Mulder liked, when he was dragging her around the back of
beyond, escaped her.  At least she got to enjoy the delightful
view of his denim-covered ass, as she'd trailed behind him.

Scully, mentally slapped herself for objectifying her partner, she
hated it when men did that to her, but, he really was a fine
looking man and what was more, he was smart. Yes, he was
impulsive and obsessive, and a little egocentric at times, but he
was also kind, courageous and he loved her. She wasn't a stupid
woman, no one could have missed the way he sometimes looked
at her, he tried to hide it behind innuendo and often, juvenile
humor, but she knew.

"Hey, Scully? Get over here and look at this." Mulder called.

Scully put her water bottle back in her pack and shrugged it back
on her shoulders, just as she was about to step forward in
Mulder's direction, she heard a loud rustling noise coming from
a deep thicket of bushes and young trees just behind her. Scully
walked over to investigate. It was hard to see clearly, the
vegetation was so dense and the dappling light seemed to distort
the view. As she peered into the bushes she noticed a strange
smell. It was quite strong with a musky almost sickly sweet
aroma. She was about to step back, thinking she may have come
across a skunk. When suddenly, something grabbed the shoulder
straps of her pack and lifting her as though she weighed nothing,
it flung her up and away giving Scully an altogether surprising,
aerial view of the woods.

Mulder wandered back into the clearing, just in time to witness
his partner's aerobatics, he watched horrified, as she sailed
through the air and landed on a rough patch of ground with a
loud "Oomph", as all the air was knocked out of her body.

"Jesus, Scully!" He ran towards her prone form.

There was a mighty rustling coming from the thick clump of
bushes and Mulder saw a large figure pelting through the trees
and off into the dense wood. He turned his attention back to
Scully, whose features had taken on a grey hue as she
desperately tried to drag air back into her body.

"It's okay Scully, just try to relax, try and breathe with me, all
right?" Mulder knelt down on the ground behind her and lifted
her upper body, so that the slope of his thighs supported her. He
reached his hand down to her waist and under her white T- shirt,
where he proceeded to knead the heel of his hand in a steady
rhythm against her solar plexus.

"That's it, just breathe nice and steady, just like that." He could
see her color returning as her diaphragm relaxed out of spasm
and her breaths became less panicked.

He noticed a thin trickle of blood coming from a cut on her lower
lip; she must have bitten it accidentally when she hit the ground.
With his free hand, he reached into his back pocket and pulled
out a tissue, he gently cleaned her chin and then handed the
tissue to Scully.

"Hold this on your lip, it's bleeding. Are you hurt anywhere
else?" He asked looking over her body. He couldn't see any
obvious injuries.

"No, just winded." Scully gasped.
 
"What happened?" Mulder said, still gently massaging her
midriff.

"I don't know, one minute I was looking at a bush, the next I was
airborne."

"Yeah, I noticed, I'd give you a six for your aerial maneuver, but
you could do with a bit more practice on your landing."

"No kidding?" Scully lifted her gaze to Mulder's face, and she
gave him a gentle smile.

"Did you see what threw you?" Mulder asked

"No, but I did notice a strong smell, did you see it?"

"I saw something big haring off into the trees but I couldn't see it
clearly."

"You're not going to tell me that I had an up close and personal
moment with Bigfoot, are you?" Scully said.

"You might have, Scully, It must be something pretty strong to
be able to throw you so far."

"Are you saying that I'm heavy, Mulder?" Scully said with an
arch of an eyebrow.

"Heaven forbid, you're as light as a feather," said Mulder back
pedaling furiously. "However, I couldn't throw your sylphlike
figure anywhere near that far."

"I'm okay now, Mulder. You can let me up." Scully said as she
attempted to sit up.

Mulder realized that he still had his hand under her T-shirt. He'd
been enjoying the close contact. Before he could move it, he felt
Scully's small hand, land on top of his. She gave his fingers a
gentle squeeze, then let go. He removed his hand and she knelt
up facing him.

"Thank you," Scully said

"You're welcome," Mulder lifted his hand and gently rubbed
away a smudge of dirt on her cheek.

Scully felt the warmth of his hand on her skin, she became aware
that there wasn't such a height difference kneeling down and she
could look at him without craning her neck. His jaw was dusted
with stubble and his eyes had taken on the glow of the early
evening sunshine.

"Mulder?"

"What is it, Scully? Are you sure you're feeling okay?" Mulder
looked at her a concerned expression on his face.

"I'm having an epiphany," she said looking him straight in the
eye.

Mulder looked confused "What is that like a regular kind of
epiphany or is it some weird medical condition?" Mulder was
starting to look a little panicked.

"Just the regular sort." Scully put both of her palms on his face
and kneeling straight up, she kissed him.

Mulder was so surprised by this turn of events that his mouth fell
open, allowing her tongue to gain entry. He felt her lightly lick
the roof of his mouth. He could taste the slight tang of blood
from the cut on her lip. The effect this had on him was so
visceral that he gripped her shoulders to gently push her away

They knelt there looking at each other, her hands on his face and
his, still gripping her shoulders.

"What the hell was that?" Mulder was breathing heavily his chest
rising and falling rapidly.

"Well, I know I've not participated in one for some time, but I'd
say, that it was a kiss." Scully replied a teasing smile on her lips.

Mulder let go of her shoulders and started to run his fingers over
her scalp.

"What exactly are you doing?" Scully said as she pulled her head
away.

"Stay still, Scully, I'm checking for lumps. I think you hit you're
head in the fall." Mulder reached towards her to continue his
examination.

Scully grasped his hands and forced them down to his sides.

"Mulder, I'm fine. I've just come to a realization, that's all."

"What sort of realization?" Mulder said still looking confused.

"I'm tired, Mulder, aren't you? Aren't you tired of dancing the
two-step around this thing?  I love you Mulder, I won't pretend,
that I'm any good at declaring my feelings, I'm not, but I do love
you."

"I don't know what to say." Mulder looked like he'd gone into
shock.

"Could you at least let me know whether you reciprocate these
feelings?"

"Yes" Mulder said, nodding his head.

"Yes?"

"Yes, I completely and absolutely reciprocate those feelings."

"That's good," Scully said, relieved. "Then why are you still
looking like a stunned Haddock?"

Mulder shut his mouth and he gently placed his hands back on
her shoulders. "You'll never have a normal life with me, Scully.
Is that what you really want?" He said, looking at her with an
expression that was a strange mixture of elation and deep
sadness.

"Mulder, normal went out of the window the first time I stepped
into the basement. I wouldn't know normal if it jumped up and
bit me on the ass. Maybe it sometimes might seem like it's
something I'd want, but how could I go off and marry some guy
knowing what I now know? Assuming, that any guy would want
a barren woman with a piece of technology in her body, which
could call her away for an impromptu barbeque at anytime. I
can't just disappear into the sunset and play happy families
anymore, Mulder; I can't conveniently forget the depth of the
corruption and deceit that we are all wading in. I can barely hold
a conversation with my family these days, because as soon as
they ask how my job is going, I don't know what to tell them.  If
I told them the truth they wouldn't believe me. I feel as though
I'm living on another planet from them, we have no frame of
reference anymore. And before you start wallowing in guilt
about all this, Mulder, I want you to understand that I don't hold
you responsible for any of it. I could have left you and the X
Files at any time, but I stayed. I stayed because this partnership is
the best thing that has ever happened to me, and it means more to
me than anything, even my family, even normal. Mulder,
together we are hell on wheels, and I always want to be with you,
no matter what happens with our jobs or our families or even the
whole damned planet for that matter." Scully's shoulders
drooped a little as she ran out of steam.

"Scully, are you going to rattle on like this all the time, now that
we're an item?" Mulder said smiling at her

"No, I'm pretty sure that I'll revert to my usual taciturn self in a
moment."

"Thank God for that," Mulder suddenly swept her up in a bear
hug so tight that Scully feared for her ribs. "I love you," he said
fiercely.

"I know." Scully hugged him back with equal vigor.

"Can we get up off our knees now? I think I've set." Mulder said
with a grimace.

They helped each other up and brushed the leaves and dirt of
their jeans. They straightened up and looked at each other, both
feeling a little awkward.

"Oh to hell with it," Mulder said and he pulled her flush with his
body and kissed her. Loving the way her mouth opened to him,
the way her little tongue slipped around his. Her body seemed to
weld itself to him and he could feel her heart beating against his
ribs. After a minute or two they parted for air. "Why are we
tramping around this damned wood, again?" Mulder said still
holding her close.

"We're on a case, Mulder, we are looking for Bigfoot, if you
recall?" Scully said looking decidedly flushed.

"Oh yes, it's all coming back to me now." He let her go and
stepped back. "I'll say it, if you like, Scully?"

"Say what?"

"You are about to suggest that we keep all activities that entail
the exchanging of bodily fluids to our downtime periods, am I
right?" Mulder said with a grin.

"Well, I might not have put it quite like that, but yes, I think it
might be wise, don't you? I mean we don't want to give the-
powers-that-be any reason to shut us down." Scully said
earnestly.

"Hmm, I guess you're right." Mulder said reluctantly. "We'd
better get back to business then.  Now, before you rudely
interrupted me with your flying squirrel impression, I was
examining something that might be relevant to this case, would
you care to take a look?"

"Don't you want to follow whatever it was that threw me?"
Scully asked.

"Yeah, but it won't take a minute to have a look at this first, come
on." Mulder ushered her forward and they made their way
through the trees.

"This is it," he pointed to a pile of leaves and vegetation that
looked as though they'd been arranged there for a purpose. "Now
I know you watch the Discovery channel, Scully, so what does
that look like to you?"

"Are you trying to tell me that this is Bigfoot's boudoir?"

"Give the lovely lady a prize. That is it exactly, it's a day nest
though, something that it would loosely construct for an
afternoon nap." Mulder said, with growing excitement.

"A vagrant, or a hunter could, just as well have made this, it
doesn't prove anything."
 
"So what threw you then, Scully? The tramps around here must
be on steroids."

"Look, all I'm trying to say is that we shouldn't leap to
conclusions, over a pile of leaves that could have been put there
by anybody."

"You never give an inch, do you?"

"Not without solid physical proof." Scully looked at him intently.
"Mulder, don't expect me to change the way I work, just because
I've declared my feelings."

"God, no, Scully, I don't want you to change. I like you stubborn
and unyielding." Mulder said with a grin. "I meant it more as a
comment on your consistency."

"Stubborn and unyielding? Gee, Mulder, you really know how to
sweet talk a girl."

"Baby, you 'aint seen nothing yet," he said with a salacious leer.

"Mulder, if you call me 'baby' again, you won't be seeing
anything at all."

"How about stumpy?"

"I'm armed"

"Oh, okay."

"Come on Mulder, are we going to see if we can find any
evidence of the thing that attacked me? Because I, for one, am
not happy about something or someone like that roaming the
woods and I'd like to do it in daylight, if you don't mind?" Scully
said, beginning to look a little impatient.

"Good point," Mulder nodded. "Lead on then, Agent Scully,"
 
 

Chapter Eight

The woods around Lake Cherokee,
Rusk County,
Texas.

8:15pm
 

After pushing for more that an hour and a half, through the
tangled undergrowth they had found neither hide nor hair of the
mysterious attacker. They were both covered in sweat and bits of
the local plant life that had stuck to their skin and clothes.

"Scully, the light's starting to go. We're going to have to come
back tomorrow to continue the search." Mulder said, as wiped
the sweat of his face with the hem of his shirt.

"Can't we let Chief Lowry and his officer's deal with it now,
Mulder?" Scully said, looking tired. "Especially now that we've
established that there is something in these woods attacking
people."

"No way, Scully. I want to get to the bottom of this, don't you?
And anyway, they wouldn't know what to look for."

"Well, I can't fault your enthusiasm," Scully sighed. "I just don't
fancy another day playing 'Daniel Boone' in this heat."

"Don't worry, Scully, there's a nice shower awaiting you back at
the motel, and I believe that it's my turn to buy dinner." Mulder
said patting her arm sympathetically.

"Hmm, things are definitely starting to look up." Scully said with
a smile.

"Right then, let's get back to the car, before we lose the light
altogether."

They started back retracing their route, with Scully taking the
lead. The evening sun had gone behind the distant hills and the
woods were suddenly wreathed in shadows. Scully was still
walking ahead when she realized that she couldn't hear Mulder's
firm tread behind her anymore. She turned to take a look and saw
him about ten yards behind her, crouched down, tying his
bootlace. She was just about to call out to him, when something
huge and dark erupted violently out of the bushes behind him.

Mulder's head shot up as he heard the commotion, he barely had
time to register the huge thing that was leaping towards him
shrieking and barking. It literally ran over him knocking him to
his knees.  It made a rapid U-turn and dived straight for Mulder,
knocking him flat, and started bouncing up and down on top of
him, screeching at the top of its lungs.

Scully was horrified as she witnessed what she could now see, to
her astonishment, was a huge gorilla, looming over her partner. It
looked as though it weighed at least four hundred pounds, its
long arms were heavily muscled and seemed to be as thick as
Mulder's waist, and she could see the wide band of silver hair,
standing in sharp relief against the black on it's broad back,
which indicated that it was a fully, mature male.

"Mulder? Don't move. Do you hear me?" Scully called to him as
she reached around for her gun.

Mulder heard Scully's instructions, and as he had the biggest
gorilla he'd ever seen sitting on top of him, he had no trouble
complying with them. He could barely breathe, never mind
move. The gorilla would occasionally give him an extremely
heavy slap on his back. Luckily, his pack was taking some of the
force out of the blows.

Scully brought her gun up into position. She was reluctant to
shoot the magnificent creature, but didn't want it to suddenly
become even more aggressive and harm, perhaps even kill,
Mulder. She could see him, lying on his stomach, with his hands
clasped firmly over his head for protection. She had no other
option, she was going to have to shoot it, and it would have to be
a kill shot, wounding it would only enrage the animal further.
She looked down the sight of her gun and started to squeeze the
trigger slowly.

"Stop! Oh, stop. Don't shoot, for God's sake, don't shoot."

Scully whirled around only to see Dorothy Maxwell emerging
from the trees behind her. She looked thoroughly winded and as
she came closer, Scully she could see that she was carrying,
rather incongruously, a paper plate loaded with sandwiches.
 
"Pleased don't shoot him, Agent Scully, he won't hurt your
partner, he's only playing with him. Really." Dorothy gasped out
as she reached Scully.

"Dorothy, he could be seriously injuring Agent Mulder. If he
doesn't move away, I'm afraid I'll have no choice. I won't risk
Mulder." Scully said returning her aim to the animal.

"Don't worry, I have just the thing." Dorothy picked up one of
the sandwiches and waved it at the Gorilla. "Bernard, oh
Bernard. Look, sweetie, it's your favorite." She called in a
singsong voice.

"Bernard?" Scully said her eyebrow arching.

"Well, it is his name, dear," Dorothy said as though she were
speaking to an idiot.

Mulder couldn't hear much of what was going on, due to the
growls of the gorilla, and the blood rushing in his head. To his
enormous relief he felt the weight on his back shift and with one
last hefty slap for good measure, the gorilla got off him and
started off down the track, with a jaunty bounce. Mulder rolled
on to his side to catch his breath. His whole body was sore from
the weight that had crushed him against the hard ground.

Scully watched amazed as the gorilla got off Mulder and came
towards them. As he reached them, Dorothy handed him a
sandwich, which he gently took in his huge very human looking
hand and got down to the business of eating.

"Is he tame?" Scully asked.

"Oh yes," said Dorothy gently stroking the huge ape's head. The
gorilla almost dwarfed the two small women with its great bulk.

Scully carefully sidled past the animal and ran to Mulder.

"Are you okay, Mulder?" She asked as she ran her hands over his
body checking for injuries.

"I think so. I'm just taking a moment so that my internal organs
can slot back into place." Mulder replied, grasping her hand.
"Scully, do I look thinner to you?" He asked.

"No, Mulder, you look wonderful," Scully said relieved to find
him relatively unharmed. "I was really worried for a moment."

"You were worried? At least, you didn't have King Kong over
there using you as a trampoline." Mulder said, sitting up.

"His name's Bernard." Scully said seriously.

"You're kidding?"

"Nope, Dorothy seems to know him quite well. She even brought
sandwiches."

"Sandwiches?" said Mulder, looking confused.

"Yes, he seems quite partial to them."

Mulder looked up, he could see Dorothy still gently handing
sandwiches to the gorilla.

"You know? Sometimes our lives are really quite bizarre," he
said wistfully.

"You've only just realized this now?" Scully gave him an
incredulous look

Mulder smiled at her and lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it
softly.

"You want to go and wrap this case up now?" He asked her still
holding her hand.

"Oh, yes please."

"Right then, help me up and we'll go and put the thumb screws
on Dorothy," he said, starting to get up. "Ouch, shit, Scully, my
ankle really hurts." Mulder said slumping back to the ground as
his ankle gave way.

"Okay, keep still and let me look at it." Scully rolled up Mulder's
pant leg and rolled down his sock. She gently palpated the
swollen ankle. "Can you move it at all?" She asked

"Yeah, but it's really sore."

"I think it's just a bad sprain, Mulder. I don't think it's broken.
Keep your boot on for support. I'll go and get you a big stick or
something, to help you to walk."

They both looked up as Dorothy came up to them, with Bernard
in tow.

"Are you hurt, Mr. Mulder? We are only a mile from my house
as the crow flies, we can phone for help for you from there."
Dorothy said with concern. "I'm so sorry about Bernard, he
really didn't mean to hurt you, and he was just feeling a little
territorial, he thinks of the woods as his really."

"I can see why you didn't want the developers around here now.
It had nothing to do with butterflies, did it? It was all about
Bernard here." Mulder asked.

"Yes, you're right. Although I am very concerned about the
butterflies loss of environment, my main concern was for
Bernard's welfare." She looked at her charge as he sat, still
munching away.

"How the hell did you end up with a gorilla as a pet?" Mulder
asked. "Couldn't you have been happy with a cat?"

"Oh, Bernard's not really my pet, he was my father's. I inherited
him when father died. He'd brought him back from the last trip
he made to Africa. The Congo, to be more precise. You see he'd
rescued Bernard from poachers. Bernard's whole troop had been
slaughtered, so father shipped him back over here to put him in a
zoo. I'm afraid that he got so attached to Bernard, who was very
young, that when the time came, he just couldn't bare to part
with him. I'm afraid that was the beginnings of my father's
dementia. Any way I've looked after him since, but he's a very
mature adult silverback now and he needs his space to roam. I
can't keep him locked up in the stables all the time, so I decided
that he could go out into the woods. That's when he scared Jim
Franklin." Dorothy lapsed into silence and stroked Bernard
distractedly.

"That's quite a story, Dorothy, but you do know, you won't be
able to keep him. He can't be allowed to go around the woods
scaring people or even worse, injuring them." Mulder said
gently.

"I know, Mr. Mulder, but where can I send him? I won't have
him put down." Tears started to run down the old lady's face.

"Well, I might be able to help you with that." Scully replied,
back with a stick for Mulder. "I have a friend who works at the
Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville right here in Texas. She did a
primate pathology course with me some years ago. Anyway, she
works as a vet at the zoo and she's told me many times about the
excellent facilities for gorillas that they have there. I could make
some enquiries if you would like?"

"Yes, would you? That would be wonderful." Dorothy broke out
into a hopeful smile.

"I can't promise anything, Dorothy, but it's a chance." Scully
cautioned.

"I know, but it's worth a try. Thank you so much, my dear."

"Well, come on then, Mulder, don't just lie there. Let's get you
to Dorothy's house, so we can get the ball rolling." Scully said as
she griped him under his arm and helped him to his feet. She
thrust the stick into his hand. "How does that feel? Do you think
you can make it?"

"Yeah, I think I'll manage okay." Mulder looked at Dorothy.
"You'd better make sure that Bernard comes along too, so that
you can keep him out of trouble. Perhaps it would be best, if you
kept him locked in his stable, just to be on the safe side."

"Don't worry, Mr. Mulder. As long as I have his cheese and
chutney sandwiches, he'll follow me anywhere. He's addicted to
them." Dorothy said with an indulgent smile looking towards
Bernard.

"That explains all those jars, in your kitchen." Scully said.

"Yes, he keeps me very busy churning it out." Dorothy agreed.

"Are the toys his, too?" Scully asked.

"Yes, even though he's an adult, he still likes to play with them."
Dorothy handed another sandwich to Bernard and the strange
quartet made their way through the darkening woods, with only a
few crumbs to mark their passing.
 

Chapter Nine

AD Skinner's Outer Office,
FBI Headquarters,
Washington DC.

August 14th 1999

9:00am
 

Kim had been AD Skinner's personal secretary for some years
now, and she could always tell when an agent was going to get a
blasting from the surly AD. She hadn't been surprised when
Agent Scully walked into the outer office first thing, clutching
their latest case report, under her arm. She'd already dealt with
the paperwork for Agent Mulder's sick leave and when she saw
Agent Scully's tense face, she knew that she was going to be in
for some entertainment. But then, Mulder and Scully's case
reports where always entertaining.

Agent Scully had only been in with the AD for a few minutes,
when Kim heard him bellow something that sounded like
"Bigfoot?" Then there was some more quiet conversation
coming mostly from Agent Scully, and then there was another
bellow of "Butterflies?" Then some more of Agent Scully's low
tones were audible. Kim jumped when AD Skinner roared "A
gorilla?" She heard some affirmative sounding murmurs coming
from Agent Scully. The door actually rattled at AD Skinners
apoplectic shout of "Chutney?"

Oh yes, she would have some lovely juicy tidbits for the
secretarial pool. Kim was a consummate professional, she didn't
indulge in the office tittle-tattle, but she did like to hint at the odd
goings on with her boss and the agents from the basement. She
liked to think that it gave her an air of mystery. If only they
knew.

"You're home early," said Mulder, as he lounged on Scully's
sofa with his bandaged ankle propped up on the coffee table.

"Yes, well, I thought, as Skinner was already screaming at me, I
might as well go the whole hog and ask for some time off."
Scully said, tossing her keys on the little table by the door and
joining Mulder on the sofa.

"Did the meeting with Skinner not go well then?" He said resting
his hand on Scully's thigh and gently stroking it.

"You could say that, Mulder. I thought he was going to have a
cardiac arrest at one point. I was getting set to perform CPR. He
told me to pass on to you the message that he doesn't want to see
either of us in his office for another month, so I think we should
keep it low key and catch up on some paperwork when we go
back next week."

"The Texas jinx strikes again, eh, Scully." Mulder grinned

"Maybe, but we did solve the case, so it wasn't a complete
disaster." Scully returned the smile. "I forgot to ask, did Dorothy
ring?"

"Yes, she did, and Bernard is settling in very well. I'm glad that
your friend was able to help."

"Me too. So I guess there'll be no more Bigfoot sightings around
Lake Cherokee?"

"On the contrary, Scully, only yesterday an angler was pushed
into the lake by what he described as a large ape-like creature.
He also mentioned a strong smell coming from it." Mulder
looked Scully in the eyes. "Didn't your attacker have a touch of
body odor?"
 
"Oh no, Mulder, don't go there. Couldn't you just have let me
carry on believing that for once, we'd reached a conclusion on a
case? Who told you about the sighting, anyway?"

"Chief Lowry rang to thank us for our efforts with Ms. Maxwell
and he mentioned it in passing. He seemed to be rather amused
and said that we would be welcome, at anytime, to come down
there and look into it. But the best bit was who do you think the
unfortunate angler was?" Mulder asked his face alight with
mischief.

"No?" Scully said incredulously

"Yep, you got it, poor old Jim Franklin. I think Bigfoot has taken
a fancy to him." Mulder said delightedly.

Scully reached over and cupped his jaw in her hand, stroking his
cheek with her thumb "You know, Mulder? I think all this
excitement has taken its toll, you look tired."

"I don't feel tired." Mulder said, enjoying her touch.

"You are on sick leave, maybe you should lie down for a while?"
Mulder noticed a slightly predatory glint in Scully's eyes.

"You really think so, Scully?" He said, innocently.

"Oh yes, absolutely," she leaned towards him and kissed him
softly.

"Mmmm...okay Scully, what ever you think is best."

"Are you going to be this amenable from now on, Mulder?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe for the first thirty or forty years, just
until the first flush of romance is over." Mulder said, dreamily.

"If I'd have known that the prospect of sex made you so
agreeable, I'd have jumped you years ago.

"We're going to have sex?" Mulder said looking shocked

"Yes, Mulder, we are going to have lots and lots of sex."

"Oh, yes! Take me now, G-woman." He grinned as Scully helped
him stand and they slowly made their way to the bedroom.

****************************************************
 
Epilogue

Lake Cherokee,
Rusk County,
Texas.

One Year Later

A sultry breeze fluttered through the leaves, as Dorothy
Maxwell, slowly made her way through the woods. She knew
that she wouldn't be able to make this trip for much longer, she
was getting old and her arthritis had been playing her up more
frequently of late.

She reached the old rotted tree stump and placed the paper plate
on the top, then stepped back a few paces to wait. After a short
while, she saw her. The long, shaggy, reddish colored fur,
brushing through the undergrowth as she slowly, approached the
tree stump. Behind her, trailed two youngsters, both female, as
far as Dorothy could tell. She watched, as the mother took the
sandwiches from the plate, she gave Dorothy a long look then,
hooting gently, she ushered her youngsters back into the deep
woods and they melted into the trees.

Dorothy sighed a little sadly. Those infants would be the first and
last of their kind. It was a great pity that their father would never
see them. Bernard would have been so proud.
 

The End
 
 

Author's notes:

All the places mentioned in this story are real. However, I have
had to rely on my imagination for many of the descriptions of
these locations. The Internet can only get you so far. So I
apologize if I've got it wrong.

In regards to the butterflies, all of the species mentioned are
indigenous to Rusk County. Just in case there are any enthusiasts
out there.

I did exaggerate the number of sightings of Bigfoot around the
Lake Cherokee area. Although there have been documented
sightings in that location, the incident with the duck hunter being
one of those, I did use a bit of dramatic license, authors
privilege!

Lastly, the Gladys Porter Zoo really does have a fine reputation
for it's handling of gorillas.

afg