by Maureen B. Ocks
Maureen_B_Ocks@yahoo.com
 

Disclaimer:  Fox Mulder, Dana Scully and all other familiar X Files
characters belong to Chris Carter, 1013 Productions and FOX.  No copyright
infringement intended.

Author's notes at the end.
Archive -- Sure, as long as my name stays with it.
Spoilers:  Biogenesis.  I've picked up the ball from there.

x-x-x-x-x

Prologue

x-x-x-x-x

You're the one most likely to succeed
Just be sure to keep your head
'Cause girl you know that's all you need.

- S Vargas

x-x-x-x-x

After years of thinking it was the two of them against the world -- maybe the
universe -- Scully was surprised at how many offered help.

Chuck Burks was simple.

Whatever she found on the Ivory Coast, Chuck would be honest and would be
discreet.  She brought him and several trusted associates to the site.
Trusted was probably the wrong word.  Scully sent an encrypted e-mail to the
Gunmen with everyone's name, address, current position, post graduate degrees
and social security number.  All six, including Chuck, passed the Gunmen
test.  That was good enough for her.

Another encrypted e-mail to the Gunmen provided a list of things she wanted
"the boys" to gather.  After Vegas, Scully knew Byers would get her the moon
if she asked.

When Scully got back to D.C., her first stop was Hoffman, Miller, Quinn and
Donahue to meet with Mulder's personal attorney, Jacob Copeland.  Copeland
was happy to help Scully regain control of Fox Mulder's life.  As Copeland
and an associate put together the necessary legal documents, Susan Morgan,
Hoffman Miller's head of trusts and estates, asked to meet with Scully.

For eight months about ten years ago, Susan Morgan was Susan Morgan-Mulder.

Their marriage, she explained to Scully, was a failure but the friendship
wasn't.  Anything Mulder needed, *anything* she would love to help.  Scully,
who knew there was a former Mrs. Fox Mulder somewhere but not much else, was
impressed by Susan Morgan.  She fit the Mulder girlfriend mold -- tall, dark
hair, smart and professional -- but she lacked that hard quality of Phoebe
Green and the condescending, duplicitous tone of Diana Fowley.

Susan Morgan wound up being a big help.  When Copeland's favorite friendly
judge was on the back nine at Belle Haven, Morgan knew a friendly federal
judge.  She also offered the use of her summer home.  Three hours after
landing at Reagan National Airport, Dana Scully had the legal weapons she
needed, a safe house and a paralegal waiting at Georgetown Memorial.

Senator Matheson may have been Mulder's mentor, but Scully trusted Senator
Bradford after her Congressional Hearings.  Bradford had the things she could
use right now -- money, power and influence.  Scully called his son, a
political consultant and an Oxford pal of Mulder's.  Twenty minutes later,
she was in Bradford's office arranging for Mulder's transportation and
relocation.  The Senator's office also provided a good place for the Gunmen
to drop off her wish list.

A quick trip to Hegal Place confirmed several suspicions.  Mulder struggled
before being removed -- the TV, VCR and CD remotes were all over the floor,
the coffee table stood on its end.  Kneeing it back into position, she stood
on the coffee table and saw what she knew would be in the smoke alarm: a
small camera.

Waving to whatever son of a bitch thought this was important, she jumped off
the table and grabbed the masking tape Mulder still kept by the window.  She
covered the lens -- guaranteeing herself some privacy.

Scully packed for Mulder -- a few days worth of clothes, his shaving kit,
laptop and wallet.  She saw his cell phone on his desk.  She hit the "redial"
and found her number.  Maybe he realized Diana wasn't the only one who would
believe him after all.

She filed that piece of information with the ship on the African shore --
something to deal with later.

Her next move was home.  After her abduction, Charlie gave her a phone
number.  "Warren Davis -- 301-KL5-1834".  Charlie explained that Davis was a
former SEAL -- a SEAL who owed him, big time.  Charlie never said why but
Davis was one call away if she ever needed help.  Until this, Scully kept it
tucked in her phone book unwilling to even consider it.  Now, she needed all
the back up she could get.

She exchanged her Africa trip clothes with some new, clean gear for the next
few days.  She also packed her gun and the rest of the case materials she was
concerned about taking to Africa.  Unwilling to do her planning for an
audience, Scully went next door.  She explained to her elderly, semi-deaf
neighbor that her phone was not working -- the older woman didn't need to
learn about bugged smoke detectors and wiretaps.

When she told Davis who she was, all he wanted to know was what she needed
and when she needed it.  After she explained her plan, he asked her to sit
tight.  Less than an hour later, Warren Davis, all six foot three inches of
him, stood outside her apartment building with two even larger men --
Franklin Reid and Hale Perkins -- ready for action.

Operation Dana Storm, as Davis called it, was about to begin.

When they arrived at Georgetown Memorial, the paralegal from Hoffman Miller
presented Dr. Harriman with a court order demanding Fox Mulder's release to
Dr. Dana Scully along with all his medical records.  As Dr. Harriman tried to
mask his outrage at the court order with concern for Mulder's sanity, Reid
and Perkins escorted a pair of Capitol Police EMTs, courtesy of Senator
Bradford, to Mulder's room.

Davis stood silently no more than two steps behind Scully at all times.

Diana Fowley showed up as the EMTs were rolling Mulder out of his room.  She
didn't try to mask her outrage.  Scully cut her short by telling the
paralegal "This is Diana Fowley."

Fowley was served with a court order requiring she remain 500 yards away from
Fox Mulder and Dana Scully at all times.  As Fowley swore she'd get the order
vacated, Walter Skinner arrived.  He was less outraged, more concerned.  It
was a genuine concern but Scully wasn't interested.  She told the paralegal
"This is Walter Skinner."

Skinner got the same order Fowley did.  "This is unnecessary." Skinner told
her.

"The camera in Mulder's office is unnecessary.  The camera in Mulder's
apartment and the likely cameras in my office and my home -- all unnecessary."

Scully was cut short by Mulder's reappearing doctor reluctantly giving her
his medical file.  "I don't like this." Dr. Harriman told her.

"Neither do I.   I  leave him to her tender mercies," Scully pointed to
Fowley, "for twenty four hours and he's suddenly institutionalized.  I don't
like it at all."

"I don't appreciate the implication." Fowley complained.

"I don't care.  I know whatever he is suffering from, you are behind it.  Why
else would you be here?  Gibson Praise, Cassandra Spender and now Fox Mulder,
what do you consider that?  A success record?  A hat trick?  A triple play?
Only the plague was more efficient than you." Scully replied.  Diana took a
step forward.  Davis did as well.

"Agent Scully."  Skinner was desperate to diffuse the situation.

Turning her attention to Skinner, Scully asked him, "This doesn't seem
familiar to you at all?  Mulder gets hold of something, gets too close and
suddenly he's crazy."

Skinner knew where she was going but was interrupted by an angry Diana
Fowley.  "I will get this vacated."  Fowley turned on her heel and walked
down the hall, nearly crumpling the court order in her hand.

"Yea, you do that" Scully mumbled to no one in particular as she reviewed
Mulder's paperwork.

"We'll play this your way..." Skinner told Scully.

Scully was having none of it, "The piece of paper in your hand doesn't give
you a whole lot of choice."

"You are still a member of the FBI and will have to answer for your actions."

"You might want to remember that yourself."  Scully watched the EMTs finally
secure Mulder in the ambulance.

"Dr. Scully, the Senator told us you were to ride with Agent Mulder."  The
EMT offered a hand to help her into the ambulance.  Davis actually got in
first, she was sandwiched between him and an EMT.  Franklin Reid followed in
Scully's Explorer, Hale Perkins pulled up the rear in Davis's Bronco.

Dana Scully held Fox Mulder's hand for the ten minute ride to Bradford's
Georgetown townhouse.  The Capitol Police Ambulance pulled up next to the
Georgetown Volunteer Ambulance Corps vehicle with a pair of uniformed EMTs
and Senator Bradford waiting for them.

The EMTs transferred Mulder from one vehicle to the other.  The GVAC would
take the two of them where they needed to go, no questions asked.  Before
Scully could object, the Senator told them about a donation his granddaughter
made to the GVAC just that day -- $10,000 for helping after her car accident.
 Whatever she wanted, they'd do.

Senator Bradford also handed her a New York Knicks gym bag and a set of
X-rays.  "A Mr. Byers sent this to you care of my office."

Scully thanked the Senator who promised discretion in this matter.  Davis
would follow the ambulance with her car, Reid and Perkins would be behind him
so he could get home.

Scully whispered in Mulder's ear that they were almost safe.

In the ambulance, she briefed the volunteer EMTs on Mulder's condition.  When
they arrived at Susan Morgan's Rehoboth Beach house, all she would need was
help getting Mulder into bed.

The ride went quickly.  Scully read Mulder's medical charts, noting the
bruises on his wrists and ankles.  She wanted to apologize to him.  She was
sorry she left him, sorry she couldn't protect him from Diana, sorry, so
sorry, that he felt Diana was the only one who would believe him.  Then she
wanted to kill him because he felt Diana was the only one who would believe
him.

The perfunctory dance started again.

Susan Morgan's beach house was a large pre-war home right on the water.  The
EMTs easily moved the near lifeless Mulder into the king-sized bed in the
master bedroom.  Perkins and Reid took a recliner from the living room and
moved it to the bedroom.  "Only way you'll get any rest tonight." Davis told
her, dropping off the luggage and the Gunmen's package.

"Thank you for the back-up.  Anytime I can help..."

Davis cut her off, "This is nothing.  It was an honor to help.  And
entertaining.  I enjoyed seeing that Scully backbone extends to the family's
civilians."  He smiled and pointed to Mulder, "I hope he knows that."

Scully sighed, "Most of the time."

Ten minutes after they arrived, Scully was alone with Mulder for the first
time in days.  Alone and on their own.

She cracked open a door that lead to a balcony off the bedroom.  The sound of
the Atlantic gave her some solace as she returned to the recliner.  What she
knew was on the other side of the Atlantic, however, made it an uneasy peace.

# # #

End of Prologue.
 
 
 

 ~~~
 

Yikaisdahi

Chapter 1

x-x-x-x-x

Psychos do not explode when sunlight hits them, I don't give a fuck how crazy
they are.
 - Seth Gecko

x-x-x-x-x

Susan Morgan's Rehoboth beach house
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
10:30am

Scully struggled to wake up.  She hadn't been that tired
since...since...since a bad day a few years ago that started with
"identifying" Mulder's body and ended in the hospital.

Mulder.

Scully dragged herself up from the recliner and panicked.  Mulder was gone.

Jumping up, nearly tripping over the footrest, she quickly discovered him
standing on the balcony staring at the ocean.

Walking to the balcony door, she noticed he was showered, shaved and in his
jeans, black tee-shirt and Nikes.  He was scratching his side and studying
the horizon.  Self-consciously, she combed her fingers through her hair.

Scully was relieved. It was not the man on the video screen.

"What did you think of Susan?" he asked without turning to her.

"Seemed nice enough." she yawned, "Fit the profile." she let slip.

"The profile?" Mulder turned his attention to her, "What profile?"

Scully blushed a little, making Mulder’s day, "The Mulder "ex" profile.
Bright, brunette, beautiful."

"Any other "b" words?" he teased.

"Probably.  She's the reason you're out of the hospital.  She found a judge
that signed a court order releasing you."

"Diana probably didn't like that." Mulder scratched his side and turned to
the ocean again.

"I got us an order of protection against Diana.  Skinner too."

"Makes you a "b" word -- busy."

"I have a lot to tell you, but I need to know what happened to you."

"You know what happened."

"No, I don't.  I went to see Albert and got a call from Skinner saying you
were in the hospital.  I get back and you're in the psych ward, Dr. Harriman
is worried about a stroke...."

"And a lawsuit." Mulder interrupted.

"And Diana Fowley was making things difficult again."

Mulder turned and smiled at Scully again.  She noticed the smile was a
peaceful one, not the sad smile she thought was uniquely his.  "Come inside,
I want to show you something."

Scully followed Mulder back into the bedroom.  She returned to the recliner
while he sat at the end of the bed.

"Pick a number one to ten but don't make it two or three since that's your
birthday."

"Mulder, we don't have time for party tricks." Scully complained.

"One to ten.  Think about it when you pick it."

"This is stupid" Scully told him, but picked a number anyway.

"Seven," Mulder told her, "two, two, three equals seven."

Scully was surprised but told him "Lucky guess."

"One to one hundred.  No reason to pick the number either, just pick one."

She waved her hand dismissively, "It was a lucky guess Mulder, you won't get
this one."

"Seventy-one Scully.  You can't keep picking numbers that mean anything to
you."

"What does seventy-one mean to me, Kreskin?" she challenged him.

"It was your family's first home in Japan, not the one you lived in the
longest, but Housing Unit Seventy-one was your family's first stop."

Scully was shocked.  She didn't even remember Housing Unit Seventy-one, it
was just the one her mother spoke about the most.  "Mulder, I don't
understand...."

"Yes you do," Mulder cut her off, "you just need to believe it.  It is why
you got the Gunmen to give you their copy of Gibson Praise's CAT scans.  You
want to compare them, see if mine look like his."

"Do they?"

"Don't know Scully, you tell me."  Mulder scratched his side again, "Whoever
Diana is working with thinks so."

"What do you mean?"

"She has a copy of the etching.  She's carrying it with her."

"So?"

"So?  You have a copy of it too, somewhere near here because I can do the
Kreskin thing when it's around."

"I still don't understand."

"Diana's working with the people who experimented on Gibson.  People who
would be very happy to start working on someone with similar brain scans."

Scully was horrified, "My God Mulder."

"That's why I fought the doctors at the hospital, why I wouldn't sleep.  Not
until you saw me, Skinner saw me.  If I just disappeared, both of you would
have known Diana was involved."

"Skinner's dirty."

"Skinner's got another keeper.  Alex Krycek is back in the picture."

"He told you that."

Tapping his head, Mulder said "Indirectly."

"Jesus, who isn’t involved with this?"

"Where are Gibson's CAT scans?"

Scully got Mulder's X-Rays and compared them to the ones the Gunmen had for
Gibson.  They were similar, but not identical.  Scully showed the differences
to Mulder.  Gibson's scans had more activity spread throughout his brain.
Mulder's brain activity was more centralized.

"That might explain the headaches."  Mulder told her.

"Are they bad?"

"When there is just one person -- like now -- it's a dull throb.  It's like I
read too much, didn't get enough sleep, was in a stuffy room -- basically a
day in my office.  And you're not saying one thing and thinking another.
That's confusing." Mulder scratched his side again.  "When I was in the
elevator at work or at AU, it was bad.  The elevator emptied out in Hoover
before it got too painful but at AU I couldn't get out."  Mulder scratched
his side again before pulling up his shirt.  "You got anything for this?"

Mulder showed Scully his side.  She gasped at the evenly spaced burn marks
below his ribs and looked at him.

"Diana.  When I figured out what she was up to she was, well, less than
thrilled with accusations."

"That's how she got you committed."  She opened the bag from the Gunmen and
took out the first aid kit she requested.

"That's how she got me under control.  A few phone calls while I was drooling
from a fetal position on the floor and Diana had me as a guest of Georgetown
Memorial."

"Bitch." Scully muttered, working on his wounds.

"You keep going to those "b" words Scully."  Mulder changed the subject, "You
want to tell me what you saw in Africa?"

"How do you know I went to ...."  Scully stopped herself, she knew how he
knew.  "I don't know what I saw.  Chuck Burks is investigating."

Surprised, Mulder asked, "Not the FBI?"

"Not after I saw what they did to you."  Scully finished on the small burns,
"Now what?"

"What did Albert tell you?"

Scully sighed, "Nothing, he’s dying.  They took him to do that ceremony they
did to you."

"When did they start the ceremony for Albert?"

"A couple of days ago.  Mulder, Albert is riddled with cancer -- lungs,
liver, brain."

"The ceremony worked for me."

"A man in his thirties who was a little dehydrated, a lot exhausted and
coming off an LSD style drug and a minor gunshot wound."

"Not that minor." he teased, rubbing his shoulder.

"If Albert can't translate it, someone on the reservation can or they'll know
someone.  We need to get to New Mexico, more importantly we need to get out
of the area.  Sooner or later Diana is going to get the legal means to get
near us."

"And I don't want to go back to my padded room." Mulder added.

Scully dug through the Gunmen's Knicks bag, "We have ID's, passports,
driver's licenses and credit cards."  She handed him a plastic bag that read
"Mulder".  She tore open an envelope with dollar signs on it -- "They only
were able to put together about a thousand dollars.  That will barely..."

"There's money in my apartment.  A lot."

Scully looked around the well appointed bedroom, "Is the former Mrs. Mulder
paying alimony?"

"No, " he told her, "after last summer I decided I needed some ready cash for
quick hops to the North Pole.  When we got the X Files back, I rented the
houses on the Vineyard and Quonochontaug for the summer.  Money isn't a
problem."

"Getting back there might be if they're looking for you."

"Park a couple blocks away, back door, in and out two minutes.  We need to
get flight info to Gallup."

"Have the boys take care of that" Scully handed Mulder the cellphone the
Gunmen left in the duffle bag.  "Anything else?"

"I'm gonna need ear plugs or headphones or something for the plane.  I won't
be able to sit on a crowded flight with the etching."

"We'll pick something up on the way to your place." She took her overnight
bag to the bathroom to clean up, "What else do we need?"

"Vegetarian meals on the plane.  The food back from Arcadia Falls a few
months ago really made me sick.  I can't afford another scene."

Scully closed the door of the bathroom and readied for her fifth long plane
ride in six days.

# # #
 

Chapter 2

x-x-x-x-x
 
Archie: I used to box for Oxford.
Otto: I used to kill for the CIA.

x-x-x-x-x

Fox Mulder's Apartment
Alexandria, VA
12:30pm

Scully parked her Explorer about two blocks from Mulder's apartment.

Mulder was scratching his side again as he walked into his apartment.  While
Scully started checking his Discman for batteries and CD collection for
appropriate traveling music, Mulder went into his bedroom.

He grabbed the old biography of Jung sitting on the floor near his bed.
Flipping to the back of the book, Mulder found an envelope -- his "secret
stash".  "You know Scully," he told her, "the men who regularly toss this
apartment are either honest or totally uninterested in the workings of the
mind."  He told her he had close to sixty thousand dollars in that envelope
-- good year for real estate on the Vineyard.

When he walked into the living room, Scully had her gun drawn on someone at
his front door.  Peeking around the corner, Mulder saw Walter Skinner with
his hands in the air.

"It's like deja vu all over again." Mulder said.  "Come in sir."

Skinner walked slowly into the room.  Closing the door behind him, Mulder
ordered Skinner to stop and relieved the Assistant Director of his weapon
before directing him to the couch.

"I'll sit on my hands, make this easier." Skinner told his agents.

"Found the digital tape sir?" Scully's voice dripped with sarcasm.
 

"Agent Fowley is demanding you be brought in for causing grave danger to
Agent Mulder."

"Mulder, you feeling better?" Scully asked.

"Yes."

"Good, now I'm demanding that Agent Fowley be brought in for causing grave
danger to Agent Mulder.  Show him your chest Mulder."

Mulder lifted his shirt and showed the burns.

"Agent Fowley did that?" Skinner asked, amazed.

"With her trusty little stun gun."  Mulder leaned against the wall.  "She
became distressed after I discovered her true interests in my health and
welfare."

"And she lied on her version of events on Mulder's admission forms.
According to Agent Fowley, Mulder had to be controlled by the EMTs."  Scully
added.

"Are you sick Agent Mulder?"

"Only of the lies.  Who are you working with, sir?"

Skinner looked straight at Mulder, "The FBI."

"Alex Krycek back on the payroll?" Scully asked.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Skinner lied.

"Since January," Mulder said, "he was the reason you got sick."

Skinner could not hide his surprise, "How do you know?"

Scully noticed Mulder was leaning against the wall, Skinner's gun hanging
uselessly in his right hand.  Keeping her eye and weapon firmly on the
Assistant Director, she walked over to Mulder and tucked the gun in the
waistband of his jeans.

Mulder slid into one of his chairs, "Alex Krycek was the one who made you
sick last winter.  He's been calling the shots ever since."

"Only since you got the X Files back.  He's been monitoring what's been going
on with you and Agent Scully.  You were right Agent Scully," Skinner watched
her stand behind Mulder, "your apartment and your office are wired.  So is
this place.  You need some help."

"The only thing we need is to know why you are here." Scully replied.

"I came here to warn you about Agent Fowley.  She is going after you, Agent
Scully, with all the professional weight she can muster.  I told you she
wants you brought in for endangering Agent Mulder's life.  She also wants
Agent Mulder returned to Georgetown Memorial.  She claims Agent Mulder was
violent in his dealings with her.  She has a torn blouse as evidence."

"I never touched Agent Fowley."

"I didn't make the accusation, she did.  I came here to retrieve the tape in
your smoke detector in hopes of clearing you."

"Agent Fowley, in all likelihood, has taken the tape."  Scully told the
Assistant Director.

"She's had a hard time getting out of Hoover today.  After the accusations
were made against the two of you last night, the Select Committee on
International Intelligence sent a rather urgent request to her A.D. for
several years worth of back records and expense reports.  Seems there are
some questions about the funds she spent going through England, France, East
Germany and Tunisia."

"That is Bradford's and Matheson's committee.  Pays to have friends."  Mulder
commented.

"She has a deadline of less than twenty-four hours or she'll be facing fraud
charges.  Your patrons on the Hill are helping."

"And you?" Scully asked Skinner.

"I am doing my best, as always, to keep walking the line..."

"Illegally taping my apartment, my office, Agent Mulder's apartment and
office isn't walking any line."

"Agent Scully, whatever the two of you are onto is way beyond any line.  If
charges are brought against you and Agent Mulder, I won't be able to protect
you.  Matheson and Bradford can only keep Agent Fowley busy for a day or two.
 After that, any large group of law enforcement officials may be brought in
to work against you. I do not doubt her ability to marshall whatever
resources she needs -- from getting me removed from the OPR review panel to
bringing in the CDC last winter.   Whatever you are looking for, find it."

Mulder struggled to his feet.  He removed the ammo clip of Skinner's weapon
before returning the gun to the Assistant Director.  "If the tape is in
there, take it and hide it.  I may need it when we get back."  Mulder tossed
the clip to Scully

"Where are you going?" Skinner asked.

"What did you tell me once after a hearing?  If you don't know, you won't
have to explain it." Scully was still wary.  "Sit here for a few minutes,
then see if the tape is there.  If I see you following us, I will deem you a
grave threat to Agent Mulder."

Scully picked up Mulder's Discman and the handful of CDs.  She gave the A.D.
one last look before leaving with Mulder.

"Scully, run." Mulder grabbed her arm as she left his apartment.  Before the
pair could turn the left corner along his apartment, a shot rang out.

Alex Krycek was standing near the elevator door.  "I thought you two would
never get out of there."

"Krycek," Mulder took a step forward, partially shielding Scully, "was that
you the other day after I passed out at AU?  Scully, I was just totally out
of it and Alex here helped me home.  That's the best thing about you Krycek,
always willing to lend a hand."  Mulder watched Krycek aim his weapon right
at Mulder's head, "So to speak."

"I'm glad you think this is funny Mulder.  I can't wait to see the sense of
humor section of your brain, up close and personal.  I may even put it in a
jar at home."

"Put the gun away Alex.  You've been ordered to bring me in unharmed."

"That's right.  And if come along quietly, I'll only wound Agent Scully."

"Oh please Krycek," Scully laughed, "I'm not some pawn in a makeshift
militia.  You put your gun down and I won't shoot you."

"He can't shoot you, Scully, he can't do anything." Mulder said cooly.

"Excuse me."  Krycek was annoyed, "I'll do what I have to.  As always.  If
they would have listened to me in the beginning, Agent Scully would have
stopped being a problem five years ago."

"If you consider firing at Agent Scully, I'll consider standing right in
front of her.  You can't fire without me knowing." Mulder replied calmly, "In
fact, there is nothing you can do to stop me from going back into my
apartment and getting my weapon from the bottom drawer of my desk.  Now if
you put your weapon down."

"You're full of shit Mulder."

"And you've been warned.  One more fuck up and the ones who are left will all
walk away from you.  You lost your patron last summer.  The ones that didn't
die at El Rico wonder why you weren't there."

"They never planned on including me."

"And now your only hope is me." Mulder chuckled.  "That just may be the most
pathetic thing I've heard in months."

As Krycek glared at Mulder, he did not notice the door to Mulder's apartment
opening.  Walter Skinner took one shot, dropping Krycek.

"Get out of here."  Skinner told his agents.

"Took you long enough to find my gun."  Mulder wanted to see how injured
Krycek was.

"Next time leave me some ammunition."  Skinner walked over to the
semiconscious and bleeding Krycek and took his gun.  "Alex and I are going to
talk about reassessing our relationship."  The Assistant Director pulled at
Krycek's boot and started dragging him toward Mulder's apartment.  "I think
you need to get out of here."

Scully tugged on Mulder's arm.  "Even if he's alone, there will be more
behind him if we don't go."

Mulder watched Skinner pull Krycek into his apartment.  "Get out of here."
was the last thing Mulder and Scully heard before Skinner slammed the door.

They did just that.

# # #
 

Chapter 3

x-x-x-x-x

Gentlemen, we are just going from one bizarre circumstance to
the next.
--David Letterman.

x-x-x-x-x
Joseph Hosteen's house
Tohatchi, New Mexico
2:00am

Seeing Mulder dozing on the living room couch -- complete
with files all over the coffee table and SportsCenter on the TV -
- Scully decided on a quick shower.

She was so tired.  In a week she made two trips to New
Mexico, two trips to the psych ward at Georgetown Memorial,
one trip each to Africa, Delaware, a fancy law office in D.C.
and now this one bedroom house.  She remembered her father's
comments to Charlie when he became a Navy flyer about
joining the service and seeing the world.

Short of Charlie piloting a space shuttle flight, she logged in
more miles over the last few days.  Made the days of
questioning farmers about manure purchases and government
employees about past drug usage seem like the better career
move.

No, that wasn't true.

She remembered using the bathroom when they got to the
house, as Mulder cranked up two ancient air-conditioners and
talked about food.  She really intended just to sit on the bed and
rest her eyes.  That was six hours ago.

As she let the water work out the kinks, she remembered
getting to New Mexico.  They dropped by the "Magic Bullet"
where she reluctantly gave Byers her weapon and picked up
their plane tickets.  Since they weren't travelling as feds, they
weren't travelling armed.

Paranoid as ever, the Gunmen had them leaving BWI for
Denver and then taking a small plane from Denver to
Farmington.  Mulder, or Ben McKenna, was stuck in coach
with a six year old coloring expert and his overtaxed mother.
Too tall for his seat and in terrible pain, Mulder's trip was
miserable.  She sat in first class as Dr. Jordan Cochran,
reviewing Dr. Harriman's notes.

Mulder struggled through the layover at Denver.  She forced
him to take a couple of Tylenols and bottle of spring water.

With a rented Chevy Tahoe, Scully took the wheel from the
Farmington airport and began the two hour drive south to
Gallup.  Mulder slept fitfully, still suffering a little from the
Denver Airport experience.  Scully was glad he slept -- they
were on Route 666.  She was sure Mulder would have some
theory about that.

By the time he woke up, Scully had called Eric Hosteen,
Albert's grandson, from a rest stop and arranged a placed for
them to stay on the reservation.  If law enforcement wanted to
get Mulder, getting him off a reservation would be a political
nightmare.

Scully followed Eric's directions and wound up at Joseph
Hosteen's home.  Albert's nephew and Eric's cousin, Joseph was
in Arizona at a tribe gathering.  Joseph's home wasn't much -- a
one bedroom ranch -- but it suited their purposes.  There was a
minimart, a diner and a gas station about one hundred yards
away. It was also in an area with one way in and one way out --
right past Albert's house.

When she left the bathroom, Mulder was coming out of the
kitchen balancing a plastic container and a couple of sodas in
one hand while he scratched his side with the other.

"I got you a Chicken Caesar Salad if you're hungry."

"Famished."  Scully plopped down on one side of the couch,
gladly taking the salad.  "Did you eat?"

"Two green chile cheeseburgers,  I was starving."  Before she
could question him on his food choice, "The hospital food was
mashed mush every day.  I wanted to taste something."

"You'll probably be tasting that for a week."  Scully began to
pick the chicken from the salad.

Mulder took a deep breath, "You ever going to tell me what
you saw in Africa?"

"I told you, I'll review the data when Chuck contacts
us...actually Byers.  I asked that Chuck send everything to
Byers."

"So Chuck's data is better than your first person account?"

Scully started rummaging through the files on the coffee table.
"Why don't you get that copy of the etching and get your own
answer?"

"I put it out in the truck after I ate.  It was giving me a
headache.  Besides, I want you to tell me," Mulder got off the
couch and sat in front of her on the coffee table.  In a calm,
soothing voice, he asked, "Tell me what you saw."

She really was so tired.  The shower refreshed her a little, the
food supplied an energy boost but she was exhausted.  And
trying not to deal with what was on the other side of the world
was just wearing her out.  "It was a ship, or a craft, or
something."

"What kind of a ship?"

"Not like anything I've ever seen before.  It was on the shore of
the Ivory Coast in Africa.  It was so beautiful there.  So unlike
anything here."  Scully ran her hand through her hair.  "The ship
was partially submerged in water, partially on the beach and
partially underground.  It looked to be the size of a commercial
airplane but after North Carolina, I give a lot of credit to what's
under the ground right now."

"You OK with this?"

"I don't know." she told him, sounding both scared and sad.
Putting her fork down she told him, "I know you probably don't
believe this but there are things I know, things I know even
though I don't have proof."

"Keep talking like that and you're going to lose your lab keys."

"No Mulder, faith."  Her eyes began to fill with tears, "I believe
in God.  I believe God's hand can be seen in all things created.  I
believe that God sent His only Son to save my soul, your soul,
the world."  A tear finally rolled down her cheek, "But I don't
believe God sent Him from Mars, or Jupiter, or some other
galaxy where He was in temporary housing."

"Scully...." Mulder returned to the couch and took her hand.

"The etching, do you know what the etching said?  Albert had it
translated.  'And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be
fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and
have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the
air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.'
Mulder, what does this mean, Mars didn't work out so God sent
us here?"

"I know you believe in God but think about it.  Does God have
an actual location?  Is heaven in one place and not another?"

"I don't understand."

"Scully, if God created the heavens and the earth, couldn't there
be anything else?  Did it have to be the third planet from this
particular sun?  If the universe is as vast as I know you know
scientifically it is, why can't there be something else out there?"

"We've had this conversation Mulder, the fact that life happened
at all on this planet..."

"That's Scully the scientist talking." he leaned to her and gently
held the cross around her neck, "What about Scully the
believer?  Why can't you believe that maybe your God who you
believe loves man so much found a place where His followers
could live free, in relative comfort, as top of the food chain."

"I don't know...this is all so much."

Mulder pulled back and tried another track, "Are you a
creationist or an evolutionist?"

"Are we being transferred to Kansas?"

Mulder smiled at the return of Scully's spirit, "Depends on what
their standards for involuntary commitment of free thinking FBI
agents are.  Creationism or evolution?"

"A mix of both I guess.  Adam and Eve, God creating the world
in seven days, not exactly.  That God shepherded man through
millions of years of changes in the planet, yes."

"If you can make those two ideas work together, why not this?
Maybe God shepherded man to this planet when it became
habitable."

Scully finished her salad in a troubled silence.  After popping
open the second diet Coke, Scully pointed to all the papers on
the coffee table, "What did you learn?"

"I called the Gunmen a few hours ago.  Skinner contacted
them."

"I don't..."

"...I don't know if I trust him either but he has Krycek under
control and he has the tape of Diana kicking my ass."

"Too bad America's Funniest Home Videos is off the air."

"Thanks for mocking my pain." Mulder grumbled.  "Oh, your
boyfriends are the ones who turned in Diana.  When they
dropped off whatever you wanted at Bradford's office, Byers
gave the Senator the presentation they put together for you last
February to use against Diana.  That's what kept her busy for
the last few days."

"Nice someone used that data."

Mulder sighed, "I told you I fucked up with that.  And that I
was sorry."

"Yea, but you don't seem to learn from your mistakes Mulder."

"What does that mean?"

It was Scully's turn to sigh.  She took a sip of her diet Coke.  "I
would have come back if you told me you collapsed."

"I know."

"Then why'd you call her?"

"Diana?"

"Who else?"

"You think I called her?"

"How else did she wind up in your apartment?"

"I was about to ask her that but she decided to introduce me to
about 65,000 volts of stun gun fun."

"Diana told me you called her after you collapsed at American
University.  She said you told her she was the only person who
would believe you."

"No Scully, Diana told you that I called her because *you* are
the only person who would believe her." an angry Mulder shot
back.  He stood up and walked to the other side of the room.

"Excuse me."

"I haven't talked to Diana since the fiasco in February.  I tried to
contact her just afterwards, but she'd been transferred back to
Europe before we could get Jeffrey Spender's blood stains off
the basement floor."

"You didn't call her?"

"No, as I said in my hallway, I think Krycek brought me back to
my apartment but I was too out of it to do anything.  Next thing
I know, Diana's walking into my bedroom with my phone
saying you were calling."  Mulder was pacing in front of the
couch.

Scully looked up at him, "You didn't think it was odd she was
there."

"All I could think about was how much my head hurt, how dry
my mouth was and that I wanted to take a leak."  Mulder
paused and then asked, "You really thought I called her?"

"Not at the time she told me but..."

"...But you thought I could do something like that."

"I don't know Mulder.  In the last year I've seen you do some
questionable things when she's around."

"So I got what I deserved for trusting her last time."

"Of course not." she shot back.

"Then what?"

"Nothing...nothing.  Diana keeps showing up whenever we get
close.  If you say you are suspicious of her, then I guess we are
a step ahead of where we were in February."

"Where does this leave you and me."

"In New Mexico, one step ahead of the bad guys for a while."

"And then?"

"You're the psychic right now Mulder, you tell me."

"I mean we've been here before, right here.  It's you and me
against the world and when we survive this, you'll go to your
corner and I'll go to mine and we'll lick our wounds..."

"Two steps forward, one step back." she mumbled.

"Something like that.  I know this all has been hard for you.  I
know how hard it had to be for you to fight Skinner and Diana
to get me out of the hospital.  I know how hard this life on the
run stuff is for you.  I know you were hurt thinking I'd trust
Diana over you again.  Bothered by what you saw in Africa,
but...don't shut me out."

"With the etching I can't." she replied almost hopelessly.

"I don't want to know things that way Scully.  Not with you.  I
want ... I've been trying to spend the last year figuring us out.
Maybe the last six years doing that.  I do want to find my sister.
I want justice for her and for what was done to us as kids.  I
want justice for what was done to you, to Melissa, to that poor
bastard Jeffrey Spender.  But I want more than that Scully.  I
think I've wanted that for a long time."

"What do you want Mulder?"

He ran his hand through his hair, "More...a life, not a
quest...you."

"You got me Mulder, where ever you are, sooner or later I'm
there."

Amazed, he asked, "So you see yourself as partner?  Sidekick?"

"Partner yes, never quite sidekick."

"Nothing else."

"Usually I think there is more.  It's just your focus has always
been the work.  Even your faith in Diana goes back to her
respect for the work."

"I exist outside the office."

"I know that."  Scully finished the diet Coke, "But you like
dealing with me through the office."

"I don't understand."

"I know that whenever you come up with an unbelievable idea
from nowhere at 4:30 or so and want to work through dinner its
usually because you're lonely and I'm decent company for
dinner."

Mulder opened his mouth to disagree but couldn't bring himself
to do it, "More than decent."

"Thank you."  Oddly, it was one of Mulder's nicer compliments,
"'Scully, you wanna hang around and grab a bite' would have
worked too."

Mulder seemed embarrassed.

"You know its funny.  After the X Files were given away I
thought maybe I can figure this, us, out.  And you know, we
had some interesting talks in between farm visits and weekend
trips to Nevada.  But when we got the X Files back, and how
we got the X Files back, made me realize that we need to be on
guard and protect us as we are.

"God, Mulder, this all started as a simple murder investigation
and now you're either psychic or crazy, I've been around the
world in eighty hours, Skinner is back playing both sides against
the middle and Krycek and Diana are back in town at the same
time."

"Scary huh?"

"Exhausting.  I am so worried about you, about me, about
whether we have jobs or lives we can return to, about what is
over in Africa.   So going back to where this started, yes, I want
more, a life not a quest and you.  But I think we need some time
to figure it out without being on the run, without one of us sick
or dying, or nearly being killed.  The best conversations I've
ever had with you, where I've learned about you even after I
thought I knew everything about you came after some life
threatening event.  Maybe I'd like to learn something just one
day at lunch, when being open with one another is a gift, not a
last shot of hope against a certain death."

"You've thought about this."

"Yes.  And I want to think about it some more when I'm home
on a Saturday afternoon and there's a Maryland game on
ESPN"  Scully yawned and pointed to the monster truck show
that was now on ESPN.  "You want to sleep in the bed?  I can
sack out here."

"You need the rest, I won't be driving anytime soon."  Mulder
took the empty soda cans and salad tin and started for the
kitchen.

"Eric said Albert is better in the mornings so we should see him
then."  Scully made her way to the bedroom.

"We OK?" Mulder watched her walk to the bedroom.

"We're always OK at times like this Mulder.  Call me that
Saturday afternoon this fall, we'll do a state of the union review
then."

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