Date: Tue, 11 Nov 1997 14:10:35 +0000 From: Caroline Subject: Armistice (1/11) Armistice (1/11) by Caroline O'Callaghan caroline.o@virgin.net Do NOT post to Atxc - already been there Rating: NC-17 Category: MSR/adventure/mythology Summary: Mulder discovers clues to the circumstances behind his sister's disappearance, whilst Scully battles fatal illness. Disclaimer: Oh, do I have to? Okay - nobody belongs to me - nuff said! Spoilers: Up to Small Potatoes (in this universe Gethesmane has not yet happened). IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a continuation of an earlier story 'The Lure of the Fox' in which Mulder and Scully became lovers. Fox Mulder's office Washington D.C. July 1st, 1997 1.05a.m. Mulder crushed the piece of paper, on which he'd been scribbling random notes, into a ball and threw it in the direction of the bin. It missed by a few good inches and he sighed. His mind was full, but not of the reports he'd received a couple of hours ago from the police department at Martha's Vineyard. He was still struggling to focus; his thoughts on the woman he had left at her apartment five hours ago. He looked across the room at the space she normally occupied. Her desk. He smiled, but it was bittersweet. It wasn't really her desk, it was just the spare desk that had been there long before she had. After the Ed Jerse fiasco he had made an obvious effort to treat it like it was hers. He no longer used it as extra storage space for himself, and Scully had tidied it up and filled it with her things. He got out of his chair and wandered across to it. It was tidy. The blotter clean, the computer screen without dust, the pens and pencils stored in a tub. He sat down in her chair and studied a framed photograph that sat in prime position. Scully wasn't really one for clogging up the workplace with personal items, but she'd made room for this picture. She and her mother, theirs arms around each other smiled at the camera. Maggie's face was split into a broad grin, whilst Scully's was a little more restrained and self-conscious. He reached out with his forefinger and touched the image of her face and then laughed at himself. "What are you doing Mulder?" The ring of his telephone made him jump a little and he crossed the room to answer it. "Mulder." "Mulder why don't you go home and get some sleep." He sat down in his own chair with a smile. Her voice was full of drowsiness and he pressed the receiver close to his ear, eager for it to work its magic on him. "I think you need to take some of your own advice Doc, why are you still up? You looked like you were in bad need of some zzz's when I left you." He heard her yawn, and imagined her in her pyjamas, an arm stretching lazily over her head. He wanted to see it, to be with her. "I've had a few hours. I just woke up and somehow knew you'd still be at the office. Go home Mulder." "I got reports from the Vineyard Scully, I think we should take a trip up there." She paused, and it was enough for him to sense her reluctance. "Something wrong?" She paused again. "No...I." "I could go on my own, if there's a problem." "No Mulder. We'll go together. We're partners." He nodded, and then wondered why. It wasn't as if she could see him to acknowledge it. "How are you feeling Scully?" He noticed his voice slip into a softer tone as he spoke. She sighed. "I'm fine. I was a little tired that's all." "Are you in bed?" "Yes." He hesitated. He wanted to ask to come over, but it was all still new, still fragile. He was swimming in uncharted waters. After her treatment Scully had joined him in the waiting room of Holy Cross Hospital looking woozy and exhausted. He hadn't said much, just helped her on with her coat, taken her car keys from her and driven her home. She'd fallen asleep during the drive and he'd had to wake her when they reached her apartment block. She'd leaned against him as he helped her up the path, opened her door and ushered her inside. She'd gone straight into the bathroom and begun to run a bath. He'd stood nervously at her bathroom door and asked whether he should go or stay. She'd given him a soft, small smile and he'd nodded his understanding as he prepared to go. He'd wanted to force the issue, to find some reason for staying, but had felt too uncomfortable to do so. He was on 'Scully territory'. He'd felt like an invader in her sanctuary-like apartment with its soft pastels, comfortable furniture and feminine touches, and so he'd accepted her decision. 'I should have kissed her' he reprimanded himself. He should have cemented the words he had spoken earlier with actions. He had taken the terrifying plunge and decided he wanted to be with her in every way possible, and he had been filled with blessed relief when he'd discovered she wanted the same, and then he had stood like a tenth grader at her bathroom door; shuffling his feet and mumbling his goodbye. He'd practically run out of her apartment. "You still with me Mulder?" "Huh? Yeah. Sorry, I was just thinking. Would you like me to come over?" "Mulder. There's no need." "No, but..." "I'll be asleep as soon as I hang up anyway." He knew that, but he still wanted to crawl into bed beside her. He knew what she'd be wearing. She'd want to feel comforted tonight, after her treatment, so she'd have slipped into those blue, jersey pyjamas, that looked so soft to the touch. He wanted to snuggle up behind her sleeping form and press his nose between her shoulder blades, drape his arm around her waist, breathe in her soapy scent. But she didn't want him there. He prayed to God she wasn't having second thoughts about changing the nature of their relationship; a small voice told him that it might not be such a bad thing if she were, but he swept it aside. He reminded himself that she had called him; that she had wanted to talk to him, and that even after cancer therapy that must make her feel weak and sickly, she had been worried about him. "I'll pick you up in the morning." He heard her sigh. "That's not necessary Mulder." "I think it is Scully, I have your car." "Oh, right. Of course." "Eight a.m?" "Fine. Should I pack for the Vineyard?" "Why not? Your finest debutante clothing Scully." "Taking me to the country club?" "They won't let me in there Scully. Not since I tried to look up Jackie O's dress, when I was eight." "You're kidding me Mulder?" He chuckled. "I'll see you in the morning." "Mmm." Her voice was soft and low and he didn't want the conversation to end. "Sleep well." "You too. Go home now." "I will." He replaced the receiver, a second after she did, both of them recognising that it was time to hang up, even though they hadn't exchanged a formal goodbye. He looked hard at the phone for a moment and then got to his feet and collected his coat from the stand. The phone rang again and he snatched it up quickly. "Okay Scully, I'm leaving. I swear." "Agent Mulder?" He froze slightly at the sound of the voice. "Yes." "I have something you might want to hear." Marita's tone was cold and hard. "Yeah well I'm afraid I'm a little busy at the moment. I don't have time to fly to New York to lap up the little snippets you've deigned to throw me." "You sound bitter Agent Mulder. Don't you want to know what I have to tell you? I assure you it concerns a matter that seems to be close to your heart." He spoke through gritted teeth. "Maybe I've decided to seek my own answers, instead of relying on others, from whom information seems to come only when I dutifully perform for it." "I'm on your side. I will help whenever I can, but you have to understand that everything comes at a price." "I'm not sure that I'm willing to pay anymore." "If that's your decision, very well, but I warn you, you may never hear from me again, all contact will cease." He considered for a while. He couldn't trust her. He didn't have faith in Marita Covarrubias, the way he had in Deep Throat and X, his previous 'informants', but he couldn't ignore what she had to say either. His need to know outweighed the growing dislike he felt for her. "I can't come to New York right now." "I'm in D.C. The Watergate Hotel." Mulder almost laughed at the irony. The leaker of information staying at a hotel named after the biggest leak of all time. "I'll be there in forty minutes." He replaced the receiver again, none too gently, snatched up the files that lay on his desk and left his office. Room 1121 Watergate Hotel Washington D.C. July 1st, 1997 2.02 a.m. She opened the door dressed in a white robe, a scotch on the rocks in one hand. She said nothing, and stepped back from the door to let him enter. Shutting the door behind him she went to a table on the far side of the room and sat down in a chair next to it, crossing her legs to reveal a shapely thigh. Mulder couldn't help but look. "Won't you sit down." "I wasn't planning on staying very long." "Can I get you a drink?" "No thanks. Like I said, I'm not stopping." "Somewhere you have to be?" "Anywhere but here." "I get the feeling you don't like me very much." He began to pace slowly. Trying not to look at her. She was attractive, no doubt about that. Tall, slim, high cheekbones, blue eyes, but it was all false, all coiffured and pampered. Too perfect. "What I don't like is being jerked around." She nodded and took a sip of her drink. "I know. I've never tried to do that. I've tried to give you what you required." "So why am I thrown a few crumbs at a time. Why don't you just tell me all you know now." She stood and crossed over to him. Standing so close that he could smell her perfume. "Because I probably know even less than you do. I'm just a messenger." "For who?" She bowed her head and stepped away. "I don't know." Mulder gave a sad laugh. "So what is it this time?" "You're looking into cases in the Martha's Vineyard area, concerning children who were taken and then returned to their parents." "How do you know that?" "They've been waiting for you to ask the police department for those records for years Agent Mulder. It was an obvious area for investigation, they're amazed you never looked before. They have friends everywhere. They were alerted, and then they sent me to you." "Who is 'they'?" His voice betrayed his exasperation. She looked up at him defiantly. "I've already told you. I don't know." "So what do they want you to tell me?" She walked back to the table and picked up a folder that lay on it. She held it out to him and he took it warily. "What is this?" "Virginia wasn't the only laboratory. There were others, some are still in operation. That's an address." He opened the folder glancing at the page of type that lay inside it. "The Vineyard." "Its tightly secured, almost impossible to penetrate." "And I suppose 'they' expect me to achieve the impossible, do their work for them?" "You might have much to gain if you do." He nodded, and turned to leave. "Well, its been delightful as always." He reached the door when she caught him by the arm. Her eyes gazed into his and a hand came to rest on his chest. "Mulder, I always thought it was delightful. Has something changed?" "Yes. Me. I've changed." He removed her hand and left. Watergate Hotel car park Washington D.C. July 1st, 1997 2.35 a.m. Mulder got back in the car, but didn't start the engine, instead he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialled a number. His call was answered with a gruff hello. "Good evening Sir." "Mulder. It isn't evening, its morning, and you'd better have a damn fine reason for waking me up at this hour." "I want to request permission to follow a lead in a case, up to Martha's Vineyard." He heard Skinner sigh. "What kind of case? You haven't been assigned anything?" "No sir, I have a lead into possible illegal experiments being conducted on civilians, at a Government laboratory." "I have to say Mulder, that I'm surprised you're bothering to inform me. Its not like you to follow procedure." Mulder ignored the sarcasm in Skinner's voice. "I want to take Agent Scully with me." "I see, and you didn't want her to be reprimanded for not filing a 302?" "Yes sir." "I have to tell you Mulder, that I'm sometimes not inclined to let you follow your instincts. At times you've acted rashly and put lives at stake." "I've made mistakes in the past I know, but.." "I'd prefer it if you presented this case to me tomorrow in my office." "I don't want to waste any time sir. This lead, it might shed some light on what happened to Agent Scully while she missing." He could almost hear the battle that he knew was raging in Skinner. He was placing the man in a difficult position, but he knew that bringing Scully into the equation would help to persuade Skinner to grant permission. He had long thought that their boss had an admiration and respect for Scully that influenced him when making decisions on the X Files. He wasn't sure what Skinner's feelings for her we're; whether he viewed her simply as a good agent, a friend, as the daughter he'd never had, or even as a possible lover. The last possibility made him recoil a little, but it wasn't so far fetched. Hell, he'd fallen for Scully's many charms, so there was no reason why Skinner shouldn't have. Mulder was pretty positive that Skinner would do almost anything for Scully; just as he would himself. "Okay Mulder. I'll make sure its officially recorded that you requested permission, and that permission was granted. Just try not to make me regret my decision." His superior hung up before Mulder could thank him. He put the phone back in his pocket and was about to turn the key in the ignition when a sign caught his eye. 'Parking is reserved for staff and guests of the Watergate Hotel'. He smiled. He'd been here before. When Scully and he had been separated, when the X Files had been closed, they'd met here. He had been filled with despair and she had given him new hope, with supportive words and a kind hand that had brushed gently and quickly through his hair. He suddenly became angry at himself for sitting immobile, staring into space like a lovesick jerk, while there was work to be done. He started the engine and pulled out of the car park with a squeal of tires. Dana Scully's apartment Washington D.C. July 1st, 1997 2.10 a.m. After talking to Mulder, Scully had replaced the receiver and fallen quickly asleep again, but now she was awake once more. Unsure what had disturbed her, she stared up at the ceiling, listening carefully, but there was nothing, not a sound. She sighed and yawned. It was a cool night and she pulled the covers up right under her chin. She almost regretted not asking Mulder to stay with her. His body would have been warm wrapped around hers. He had offered his presence, but something within her had rebelled at the idea. Two nights lying by his side would have been too much, after four years of sleeping alone, with only a deeply buried, secret desire for him, to keep her company. She was still having trouble accepting that last night had actually happened. She needed time for it to become a reality; time away from him to begin believing in it. She also hadn't felt up to entertaining anyone. She'd just needed to wash and sleep. Talking, or any other activity, had been beyond her. And if she was honest with herself, she would have to admit that she was still a little afraid of what changes the altering of their relationship would bring. She was worried that Mulder might begin to look at her differently, and was concerned that it might damage them, rather than bring them closer together. With a lazy smile, she remembered the night before, surely nothing that good could be wrong, it had to be right. Her body tingled a little when she relived, in her mind, the feeling of his skin against hers. She groaned quietly, knowing that sleep wouldn't come easily again; now that her mind was beginning to traverse all kinds of highways. She threw back the covers and quickly reached for the robe that she'd discarded. Shrugging it on, she padded out into the kitchen, without bothering to turn on the lights. She knew where everything was, and there was enough light shed from the moon, through her window, in order for her to make some hot milk. She opened the refrigerator door and as she reached down for the milk carton, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She took a deep breath. Suddenly, she knew what had awakened her. Someone was in her apartment. She felt it, and whoever it was, was staring at her back. She forced herself to speak, hoping that it was who she thought it was. "Mulder?" She turned slowly, the milk carton in hand. "Mulder, trying to scare me is not funny." "I think its hysterical." She flinched at the voice, knowing that she knew it from somewhere, but that it wasn't Mulder's. Her heart pounded as the living room lights came on. When she looked up towards the direction of the light switch by the front door, and saw the intruder's face, she let go of the milk carton in shock. It hit the floor and the creamy liquid splattered everywhere. She gazed dumbly down it, and then up again. Her voice was no more than a stunned whisper. "Krycek?" "Nice to see you again Agent Scully." He waved a small automatic weapon at her by way of greeting. Scully was desperately running through her options. Where was her gun? She'd been so tired when she'd got in that she just dropped it where she'd been standing. It must be in the bathroom. Krycek smirked at her. "I have your sig in my pocket. But don't worry, you won't be needing it, I'm just here for a nice friendly chat. Come out here and take a seat." He waved his gun and pointed towards the living room. Trying to remain calm, she walked out of the kitchen and into the living room and sank into her armchair. When Krycek took a seat on her couch she noticed the artificial limb he wore and her eyes shot up to look into his. His gun was still pointed at her and he gave a little nod of his head. "Thank you for your sympathy. You're a very kind person Scully, you know that. I spied on your partner, I assisted in your abduction, I was there when your sister was shot, and here I am breaking into your apartment, and yet you still manage to look at me with compassion." She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off. "Don't try and deny it, I saw it in your eyes. It must be wonderful to be such a good person Scully. No wonder you sleep so easy at night." He sighed. "I don't sleep very well, too much on my conscience." She was shocked to realise that he was speaking sincerely. "I didn't think you had a conscience Krycek. What do you want?" His gaze dropped to her bathrobe and for a moment she was filled with fear. He must have noticed a change in the tension in the room because he looked back up into her face. "Don't worry Dana, I'm not here to ravish you." He smiled in a way that made Scully want to smack his mouth back into place. "I'll leave that to Mulder." She licked her upper lip, unsure of how to answer. He spoke instead. "I've been following you for a couple of days. That was a pretty hot scene outside the motel." Scully felt herself blushing and the knowledge made her more angry. "Just tell me what you want and get the hell out of here." "I want to apologise." She raised her eyebrow at him in disbelief, an expression she had used on Mulder a thousand times in response to his more 'way-out' theories. "For which of the particular crimes that you've committed are you saying sorry for?" "All of them. Well, all of them that affected you. You were innocent Scully. When I heard what...what they'd done to you... I was just following orders, I had no choice." Scully swallowed hard and fingered the tie on her robe nervously. "You played a part in my abduction?" "I stopped Mulder from getting to you in time." "I see, and you knew what they were going to do to me?" "I had an idea, but they never really explain anything properly. I know that what they did to you, the procedures, gave you cancer, like it did with the other women they took." Scully remained silent and looked down at her fidgeting hands. Krycek spoke in a saddened tone, as if he already knew the answer to the question he was asking. "Are all the other women dead?" Scully looked up, memories of Penny Northern penetrated her mind and she willed herself not to cry in front of this man, who had once seemed so evil, but now seemed so contrite. "Yes." Krycek nodded. "The treatment you're receiving Scully, it won't do any good." Her heart missed a beat. "How do you know?" "They gave it to you. They're the only one's with the cure." Scully looked around her apartment walls, trying to gather her thoughts, and then back at her captor. "Why this change of heart, Krycek?" He got to his feet. "As a man gets older, as things happen to him." He touched his prosthetic hand with his real hand and Scully shivered slightly. "He begins to reassess his life." He moved towards the door and Scully felt a sense of relief wash over her. He stopped and turned. "You understand the significance of you being the last one, don't you Scully?" "You mean that I'm the only evidence left?" "Yes, and they always like to get rid of the evidence. Remember also that you've managed to survive far longer than any of their other victims. That may be interesting to them. Watch your back." He moved the gun into his false hand and opened the door with his other hand. "Oh, and tell my old friend Mulder that he's close. Closer perhaps than he's ever been." With that, he left, closing the door quietly behind him. Scully looked down at the place he'd occupied on her couch and noticed he had placed her sig on the cushion. She grabbed it quickly and ran to the door, flinging it open, she ran into the corridor. All this took her no more than 30 seconds, but he had already disappeared. Breathing heavily she went back inside her apartment, slammed the door shut and leant against it. Her legs gave way and she sank to the floor, where she sat for a long time, hugging her knees and gripping the handle of her sig sauer. Office of the Lone Gunmen Washington D.C. July 1st, 1997 4.35 a.m. Mulder yawned and leaned back in his chair. He looked over at Langly and Frohike who were bent over a computer screen, which they were viewing with intense expressions. "You guys better be looking up the laboratory. If I find out you've been checking out the Playboy web site for the past two hours, while I've been cooling my heels, there's gonna be trouble." Langly looked around at Mulder, a smirk crossing his deceptively boyish face. "Unlike you Mulder, we don't have to get our kicks from exploitative, 12-inch-high, bit-mapped images." Frohike shot him a defensive glare. "Yeah, you should try real women for a change Mulder. You never know you might like it." Mulder smirked back. He had tried a real woman. A very, very real woman. "That's rich Frohike, from someone who's spent the last four years mooning over my partner and is still scared to do anything about it." Assessing what he'd just said he decided to change the subject. After all, he was accusing Frohike of doing exactly what he was guilty of. Well, what he had been guilty of, until last night. "So did you find anything?" Frohike and Langly made some space for him between them at the terminal and Mulder joined them, looking down at the screen. "We hacked in. There's a few records, lists." "Can you print them out for me?" Frohike clicked on the items and sent them to print. Langly looked up at Mulder. "Dr Scanlon's name is mentioned." Mulder looked at Langly, his surprise showing in his expression. "The Doctor at the hospital in Allentown? The one who murdered the other abduction victims?" Langly. "Yep, the same one. He would have done the same thing to Scully." All three men swallowed silently. "While pretending to cure her." Frohike spoke with hatred in his voice, and Mulder patted his shoulder. Clearing his throat Mulder tried to focus his mind. "Anything else of interest in here?" Langly shrugged. "Hard to tell. A lot of its in code, and some of it is password protected." "Is the code Navajo?" Both men shook their heads at his question. "No. Its something we've never seen before." "Print it anyway." He shrugged. "You never know. What about the password stuff? Can't you get past it?" Langly gave Mulder a grave look. "It would take quite a while. We might have to run several programs, and if we stay in here for too long we might get noticed. We need to hit and run here Mulder." "Okay, print what we can and shut it down." Frohike tapped away furiously and Mulder gathered the sheets of paper from the printer. He picked up his coat and prepared to leave. Frohike looked up at him as he exited the laboratory files. "Give my regards to Scully. Tell her she's still my pin up girl." Mulder rolled his eyes, and then looked at Frohike's computer in amazement, as the screen saver came up with an image of Scully on it. He shook his head at the little man. "I don't know how you got that picture. But if she ever comes here you'd better ditch it fast. I can personally attest to her proficiency with a firearm." He heard Langly laugh as he left their office. Back in his car, he switched on the interior light and scanned the printed pages. He was looking for a name that was dear to him and he quickly found it on a list labelled 'acquisitions'. He sucked in a breath as he read the entry. August 1994 Scully, Dana Katherine Under each month heading were approximately five or six names. Wondering if the 'acquisitions' were still continuing, he turned to last page. What he saw there made his heart stop and his lungs crash. July 1997 Scully, Dana Katherine. Managing to breathe again, despite being struck with fear, he jabbed the key into the ignition, started the engine and began what was to be the fastest drive of his life, towards Scully's apartment. Continued in Part 2. Armistice (2/11) by Caroline O'Callaghan caroline.o@virgin.net Do NOT post to atxc - already been there Rating: NC-17 Category: MSR/adventure/mythology Summary: Mulder discovers clues to the circumstances behind his sister's disappearance, whilst Scully battles fatal illness. Disclaimer: Oh, do I have to? Okay - nobody belongs to me - nuff said! Spoilers: Up to Small Potatoes (in this universe Gethesmane has not yet happened). IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a continuation of an earlier story 'The Lure of the Fox' in which Mulder and Scully became lovers. Dana Scully's apartment Washington D.C. July 1st, 1997 5.05 a.m. After Krycek's departure, Scully had sat silent and still for a long time, trying to calm her turbulent thoughts and shaking body. She didn't know what scared her most. The thought of the consortium eradicating her as they did other 'evidence', or dying slowly from a cancer for which there was no cure. She had put such faith in the experimental treatment she'd been having. She'd had no choice, it had been her only option; but she had looked upon it positively, hoping that it would produce a miracle cure, where she knew conventional treatments would fail. She had fought the temptation to call Mulder; wanting to get past the worst of the mental pain first. She needed to have her control back by the time she saw him again. She didn't want him to see her with her defences down. She was afraid that he would consider her too disturbed, or too weak to work, to travel with him, to watch his back. Her mind had been screaming 'I'm gonna die', 'I'm dying', 'I don't want to die', but she had spent long minutes breathing deeply and quelling her fears, and then she had got up, got dressed, packed, thrown up, tidied her apartment, made coffee, and now she sat quietly on her couch just waiting for Mulder. He'd be three hours yet, but she'd just sit and wait. The knock on her door made her jump in surprise, but she reacted quickly, whipping her gun from the holster at the small of her back and pointing it at the door. "Scully, its me." Her brow creased in confusion. Mulder sounded frantic, and he was early, far too early. Her heart was beating furiously as she remembered that she had once been fooled into opening the door to Mulder before, when it hadn't really been Mulder at all, but an enemy with the ability to take on his shape. "Scully, are you in there please? Open up." He was banging on the door so hard it was rattling on its hinges. She licked her upper lip and spoke hesitantly. "Mulder?" She heard him exhale in what she thought was relief. "Thank God. Are you alright, are you okay? Let me in Scully." She went to the door and looked through the peephole. It looked like Mulder, wearing the same clothes he'd had on last night, but she couldn't be sure. Keeping her gun pointed at the door, she undid the locks quickly and stepped back. When Mulder entered her apartment he was greeted with a small automatic weapon pointed at his head, and Scully looking like she was just waiting for the right moment for him to blow him into his next lifetime. He put his hands up, palms out, in a defensive gesture. "What's going on here Scully?" "Don't move". She clicked the safety off and Mulder began seriously fearing for his life. But then, instantly, he understood. "Its okay, its me. Trust me." Their breathing was the only sound in the apartment, while he watched her trying to make her decision. "Jesus, Scully, if you keep pointing guns at me all the time I might start to think you don't like me." That did it. Her face crumpled and her firing arm dropped. She threw herself at him and he enveloped her in his arms. He noted the trembling of her body as he rubbed her back to soothe her. The front door was still open and he used his foot to kick it closed, relieved that their exchange hadn't woken any enquiring neighbours up. "Why did you think it wasn't me Scully, what's happened?" She shook her head against his chest, indicating that she couldn't tell him now, and he understood. He ran a hand over her hair. "You're a frightening woman when you want to be, you know that? I nearly peed my pants for the first time since I was four." He felt her smile but couldn't see it, her head was still leaning against his right shoulder blade. He took a moment to enjoy the feel of her in his arms. Her little body crushed against his, her thighs rubbing his lower thighs, her breasts distinguishable where they touched him, even through her heavy suit jacket. He felt the beginnings of arousal and decided to shift a little. His shirt was growing moist, and he became aware that she was crying, silently. For the first time he noted that she was dressed, and that her packed bag was sitting by the door. Why was she ready so early? She loosened her grip on him and turned away, bringing her hands up to her eyes to dry them. "Do you want coffee Mulder? I know I could use some." She walked into the kitchen briskly, holstering her gun on the way. He sensed, as he wandered in after her and took a seat at her kitchen table, that she had regained control of herself again. He wished she hadn't. He wanted her to be able to lose some of the tension that was packed into her small frame and was visible on her face. "Scully, are you gonna tell me what's happened?" She shot him a brief, tight-lipped smile as she set a mug in front of him and poured his coffee. "Why don't you tell me why you were trying to break down my door at five o'clock in the morning?" She poured herself a mug full and sat opposite him. He winced at the briskness of her movements and the way she avoided eye contact with him. She was like a tightly- coiled spring just waiting to unravel. Her tears at the door had exercised some of what was bothering her, but he sensed there was still much more she had to let go of. He sighed and pulled the computer print-outs that Frohike had given him from his inside pocket. "Since we spoke on the phone I've gathered some more information." He shoved the lists across the table and she took them and started to read. "What are these?" "I had the guys at the Lone Gunmen hack into the files of a top secret Government laboratory up in the Vineyard. This is what they retrieved. Some of it is in code, but there are lists with names of civilians on." Scully nodded, flicking through the sheets of paper. "Your name is in there Scully." She didn't even flinch and for a moment he thought she hadn't heard him. "Where?" "The list labelled 'acquisitions'. You're listed under the date of your abduction, and...also...under this month." Again, she didn't flinch, didn't react at all, and for some reason it scared the hell out of him. "That's why I raced over here Scully. I was afraid that..." He didn't finish the sentence. Scully downed almost half a cup of coffee in one swallow and got up from the table, snatching her mug, and his, before he'd even had a chance to take a single sip. She threw the black liquid down the sink and rinsed the mugs, when she turned back to him he was looking at her, his mouth hanging open in surprise, and his eyes wide. The expression almost made her laugh. "You're afraid that I'm going to be taken again?" He nodded mutely. "Well, maybe." She leaned over to switch the coffee pot off and walked out of the kitchen and grabbed her coat from the back of couch where it had rested. "Let's go then, I don't want to wait around here like a sitting duck." Route 27 Washington D.C. July 1st, 1997 6.02 p.m. Mulder slammed the wheel of the car in frustration, but saw little point in honking the horn as he glared at the bumper-to-bumper traffic in front of him. "Where is everybody going? Its six o'clock in the morning?" Scully didn't answer and when Mulder looked around at her, she was gazing out of the window, seemingly lost in some kind of trance. He ran a hand through his hair. They were making their way, slowly, to the airport, after they'd stopped quickly at his apartment to grab him a few changes of clothes. Scully had barely spoken five words in the last hour. In his apartment, she had stared long and hard at his fish tank, which hadn't contained any fish for as long as he could remember. Then she'd walked over to the window, gazed out of there for at least five minutes, before resting her eyes on his photograph of Samantha. He had the feeling that she hadn't actually been looking at any of the things that she'd gazed at. He did honk the horn then and Scully jumped a little in surprise. "Earth to Scully." "I was listening Mulder. If you want an answer, these people are likely to be all going the same place we're going, the airport." "Sometimes I think it might be quicker to drive. By the time you buy tickets, wait for the plane, get on the plane, get off the plane, hire a car..." "All of which takes around three hours, max. Driving would take around six hours, maybe more." He snapped suddenly at her cool tone, signalled, and pulled off the freeway and into the parking lot of a small roadside diner. Scully glanced at him in surprise. "What are you doing?" He swung the car into a parking place, put the brake on and switched off the engine. "We're not getting far anyway, and I'm hungry, I want breakfast." He gave her a final glance before snapping his seat belt off and getting out of the car. "And you need breakfast." He was already at the diner door before she caught up with him. He strode to a booth and sat down in it with a thud. She sat opposite him carefully, trying to gauge his mood. He looked pissed, he sounded pissed. He slid a menu across the table at her. She glanced at it briefly, but her stomach lurched and when the waitress approached them, she asked for coffee. Mulder glared at her as ordered. "Bacon and eggs, toast, orange juice." The waitress grinned at him. "Will that be all?" "Yeah, but I want it all twice." Scully watched the waitress leave, before pinning Mulder with a 'what the hell was that about?' look. "You need to eat Scully, when was the last time you ate?" Her mouth hung open. "What exactly are you trying to say Mulder?" Silences between them were often friendly, companionable, the one that developed now was the complete opposite of that; it was downright unpleasant. Eventually Mulder shrugged and looked away, unable to take the intense, crystal blue glare of her eyes. "Nothing, forget I said it." She was going to let it ride when he spoke again. "You're as thin as a rake Scully. You need to eat to keep your strength up. You have cancer." Her face displayed the gamut of emotions that went through her as his words sank in. Hurt, confusion, anger, sadness. He saw them all. She placed her palms on the table and used them to lever herself up. She spoke in low, warning tones. "Thank you Mulder. I'm well aware that I have cancer, its something I live with twenty-four hours a day. I don't need reminding." With that she left the booth and he watched her graceful strides as she walked towards the ladies room. He admired the way she held her head up. He felt about two feet tall. He slammed a hand against his forehead, just as the waitress appeared with their order. She gave him a quizzical look and he smiled politely at her to let her know she wasn't dealing with a lunatic. When Scully came back, he was still trying to decide what to say to her. She took her seat, without looking at him and turned her nose up at the greasy food in front of her. Then, to his surprise, she stabbed at a piece of bacon and shovelled it into her mouth. He watched her face in fascination as she chewed it. When she'd swallowed, she looked at him levelly. "Happy now?" "I don't..." He looked around the diner to avoid her eyes, because he thought if he looked into their depths he might actually cry, such was the pain. "I don't know how to handle it Scully." She understood, because she always understood. She dropped her fork and reached across the table to take his hand. "Its okay Mulder, neither do I." Feeling more in control of himself he looked at her again. She gave him an unexpected, full-blown smile. He couldn't remember if he'd ever seen her grin properly like that; enough to show him a row of perfect, small white teeth. Her eyes were shinning and it shook him to the core. She squeezed his hand. "We'll just make the rules up as we go along. You're good at that." She let go and took up the fork again, popping another piece of bacon in her mouth to chew. "You want something else Scully? Its not really you're kind of meal." "Its fine. To be honest Mulder I can't really taste it anyway. Its the treatment, the drugs, they've dulled my taste buds, and I don't have much of an appetite either." She sighed. "Which is probably why I've been losing weight." When he looked at her he tried to keep the pity out of his eyes. Scully didn't accept anyone's pity. "Do you forget to eat sometimes?" She reddened a little. "I suppose I do." "Okay if I nag you about it when you do?" She took a sip of orange juice and looked at him over the glass. "Sure. As long I can nag you about your awful choice in neckwear, your partner ditching tendencies and the fact that you don't get enough sleep." Her head cocked to one side as she examined his face. "Did you sleep at all last night?" "Did you?" She set the glass down. "For a while. I had a visitor." Mulder looked at her curiously. She tried to say the words calmly, knowing that Mulder was likely to explode when he heard them. "Alex Krycek came to see me." Mulder's jaw clenched and she quickly interjected when his mouth opened to speak. "He didn't harm me, or threaten me in any way. He came to talk." Mulder's voice, when he found it, was an angry whisper. "Why the hell didn't you tell me? Call me." She swallowed. "There was no need." "No need..." He sighed and his tone became a little softer. "What did he want?" "To warn me." "About what?" "The same thing you warned me about. That whoever took me the first time, might be back for seconds. Or, worse, that they may try to eliminate me." Mulder now understood why she hadn't been surprised by his news that morning. Her gaze drifted away. "They could just pick me off any time, Mulder, I could just be walking down the street and..." He reached under the table and grasped her knee, bringing her eyes back to his. "No Scully, they don't want to kill you, at least not yet. Those files from the lab prove they have other plans." She gave a sad little laugh. "Is that supposed to make me feel better Mulder?" He stroked knee he held. "I hope you realise I'm not letting you out of my sight for a second." She reached under the table and put her hand on top of his. "There might have been a time when I would have objected to a statement like that Mulder, but at the moment, it sounds like a pretty good plan." "What else did Krycek say?" "Nothing." Her gaze floated towards her unfinished breakfast "You're a terrible liar Scully." He was a little stunned when he saw tears form in her eyes. Scully didn't cry easily, and now she was on the brink of it for the second time in the space of as many hours. "Tell me Scully." He stroked her knee again, and she squeezed his hand. "He said the treatment I've been receiving won't help me at all." She blinked back the tears from her eyes. "Mulder, all that pain, the bruising, the sickness from the drugs. It was all for nothing." She looked like she wanted to hit something and her grip on his hand made him wince a little in pain. "I don't know what to say Scully. Except I believe... I've always believed, that together, we'll find a way to beat this." She withdrew her hand and moved her knee so his hand fell away. "But its not you that's dying Mulder." He nodded, a thousand answers formed in his mind, 'but if you die Scully, I'll die too' was among them. Instead, he said nothing. A minute's silence ensued before she turned to him again, looking deep into his hazel eyes. "I'm sorry Mulder." "It's okay. You can take it out on me any time you want." She gave him a brief, barely there, smile, before becoming business-like again. "So what do we do when we get up to the Vineyard?" He shrugged. "Play it carefully. Talk to a few parents, and abductees. Try and gain access to the laboratory by flashing our i.d.'s. Of course, we'll get turned away. So we might have to explore other avenues." "By other avenues, you wouldn't mean breaking into Government property would you?" "Who me? As if I'd do such a thing." He took a few spoonfuls of breakfast. "We'll play it nice and easy at first Scully. Pretend we've lost interest for a few days, do a little sight-seeing, play tourist, before we make any kind of move." "Speaking of making a move. We should get going." He nodded and swallowed most of his orange juice in one gulp. Scully caught the waitresses eye and asked for the check. They drank their coffee without words and wandered out into the parking lot. Scully was walking in front of him when Mulder caught her by her coat collar and spun her around. She opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but her words were taken away by his kiss. She pressed her lips against his eagerly, and he returned the passion, slightly disturbed by the effect, even this simple kiss, was having on his body. His hands went through her hair, and he felt her arms go around his waist, sneaking under his suit jacket and overcoat, as his tongue delved into her mouth. She made a small sound, that could have been born either from contentment, or arousal. He pulled away and planted a kiss on her forehead. She leaned against him and he held her head against his chest. "What took you so long Mulder, I've been waiting for that." He smiled down at her. "The truth Scully, is that I'm a little scared." "Of me?" "Of us." She looked up at him and planted a kiss on his chin. "Me too, I know its terrifying Mulder, but I want this. I'm sure of that. I thought we'd decided it was what we both wanted." "I just don't understand." "What?" "Why you want me. You know that I could easily make things worse between us, rather than better. I'm terrible at relationships Scully." She inched away from him and grabbed him by the lapels of his coat to bring his face down to hers. "We've been in a relationship for four years Mulder, and we've done okay so far, we we're together long before we..." She felt herself blush a little, "Before the other night." She gave him a quick kiss on the lips, before turning and walking to the car. "Come on, we have work to do." His mood brighter, Mulder walked ahead to open her car door for her. Before she got in she looked at him, and then at their surroundings. "Parking lot Mulder. Why do you always kiss me in parking lots?" "You think I might have a fixation?" "I think its a definite possibility." "It would interesting though Scully. Think about it, we could traverse the country, stopping to neck at every parking lot we see." She shook her head at him and sank into the seat. Scanlon Bed and Breakfast West Tisbury Martha's Vineyard July 1st, 1997 2.47 p.m. Scully watched Mulder run into the bed and breakfast as she leaned against the hood of the car taking in the scenery. It was beautiful, lush and green, and the sun was high in the sky. She closed her eyes and turned her face towards it. Her mind was reeling a little. So much had happened, in the last twenty-four hours, some good, some bad, and she was still processing it all. She felt some despair, some hope; much happiness, much sadness. On the flight to Boston, Mulder had insisted she tell him all about Krycek's visit. Word for word. He had threatened to shoot Krycek on sight, the next time he met him, just for scaring her. They'd discussed whether what he had told her was the truth, but had come up with no plausible explanation for why he would want to lie to her. Then they'd both fallen asleep. Her head on his shoulder, a hand resting lightly on his thigh. On descent they'd woken together, smiling softly at each other, sharing a gaze that was so intense and so laden with promise of things to come, that Scully had had to look away, embarrassed at the direction her thoughts were taking. And on the drive down to the Vineyard, and the trip over to the island on the ferry, she'd had to force herself to stop touching him. She wasn't a 'touchy' person, but every couple of minutes she had felt the need to reach out and brush his coat sleeve, straighten his hair, or remove imaginary fluff from his trousers. She'd done a pretty good job of restraining herself, but there had been a few times when her hand had moved seemingly of its own accord, and when it did, its reward was always a smile from Mulder, which would send shivers down her spine. There lay the hope, the happiness. The sadness lie in the fact that she was now aware; there was no more denying it, that she may not have long to revel in the joy of being by Mulder's side as more than just his partner and friend, but as his lover. He came bounding back from the bed and breakfast, a definite spring in his step that she hadn't seen in years. He dangled a key to indicate that he'd managed to book them in. She nodded and leaned into the car to pop the trunk open. Mulder lifted their bags and she locked the doors. The two of them moving as a team, doing what needed to be done, without any confusion as to what should be done and who was going to do it. She surveyed the building as they approached it. "Pretty nice Mulder. Not your usual taste." He just shrugged and she knew then that he had chosen it because he thought she might like it, and the knowledge filled her with warmth for him. "If it would make you feel more at home Scully, I could find somewhere with friendly roaches and peeling wallpaper." She shook her head. It was only three stories high and Mulder led her to the second floor and down a corridor. He stopped in front of room number six and dropped the bags, fishing in his pocket for the key. He opened the door as she held out a hand for her key. He looked down at her outstretched hand and Scully believed she actually saw him blush. Realising her mistake, she pulled her hand away. "I...uh, only got the one room...." She interrupted a little too quickly. "Its fine." "It was presumptuous, I...." "Its okay." "I can get another room..." "Mulder, shut up." She brushed past him and into the room, with a slight smile that she hid from him. He followed her in and put the bags on the four-poster bed. He had seen Scully eye the bed and then move quickly to the window. "Its lovely Mulder." She gave him a quick glance before walking to the bathroom. It was a beautiful room. Lush furnishings and ornate fittings, a real fireplace and a spectacular view. He had often driven past, or walked past, the bed and breakfast in his youth, and had always wondered what it would be like inside. Now he knew. He had wanted to please Scully so much; take her somewhere nice. Although doing so had made him feel a little foolish. He felt like he was back in high school and trying to impress a girl on whom he had a crush. He watched Scully walk back into the room, drinking in the way she moved, her every expression. Yes, he had a crush, an enormous crush. He cleared his throat, still a little embarrassed at assuming that she would want to share a bed with him. "It'll be easier for me to keep an eye on you if we're in the same room, and there's safety in numbers." She gave him an unreadable look. There was still so much about her didn't know. She was often a complete mystery to him. He knew he was babbling a little, but he couldn't keep quiet. "...though I won't be offended, if you want to get another room. If it makes you uncomfortable ..." He faltered in the sentence as Scully sat down on the edge of the bed and gave it a little bounce. "On the contrary Mulder, it feels very comfortable." She glanced slyly up at him, and he realised that she was playing with him. Teasing him the way he sometimes teased her. He smiled. "Come on Agent Scully, lets go see a few witnesses. " Jacobs Residence East Tisbury Martha's Vineyard July 1st, 1997 4.28 p.m. Megan Jacobs cradled her four month old son in her arms, and looked at the two very-formal, very stern looking FBI agents who were sitting across from her. The tall, dark-haired man was asking most of the questions, whilst his companion; a pretty, petite, auburn-haired woman, sat mostly in silence, gazing around the room now and again, but her eyes falling mostly on the infant in his mother's arms. Megan interrupted the man's questions with one of her own. "I just don't understand what this is about. I don't remember much about what happened to me." The man nodded. "I appreciate that Mrs Jacobs, but we need you to remember anything you can. Its very important." "Why? All this happened ...years ago" Mulder cleared his throat a little and leaned forward. "We have reason to believe that you may have been subjected to..." Scully interjected before Mulder had a chance to mention Government cover-ups, alien connections, or clones, knowing that it would be most people's inclination to freak out and clam up at the suggestion that they were part of a grand conspiracy against the American public. "Mrs Jacobs. The FBI has noticed that around the time you were taken, several other children disappeared too. All we're returned to their parents unharmed. We're just looking into the case as a formality. We just need to establish that nothing untoward happened to you so that we can stamp the cases closed." She felt Mulder giving her a 'cut the bullshit' glare, but ignored it and pressed on. "All we need you to do is to tell us anything you remember at all from the time you we're abducted." Megan thought carefully. "I don't remember being taken as such, just waking up in a bright room." Scully leaned forward. "Can you describe it all?" "There were lights that made it hot. I'd been dressed in a hospital gown, but I was aware that I wasn't in hospital, although there were men there, dressed as doctors." "Can you describe any of the men?" She shook her head. "Not properly, they all wore masks, but I think one of them might have been Japanese." Mulder watched Scully carefully and admired the way she hid any kind of reaction to Megan's last statement. He wondered how close Megan's experiences were to Scully's partial memories of being taken, but he was still somewhat agitated at his partner for taking over an interview that he'd been conducting. He knew why she had, but that just made it seem worse. Why did she feel like she had to protect people from him? Megan continued. "I remember them giving me an injection, and me screaming. As a child, I hated needles." She sighed. "And I'm afraid that's it, oh apart from the fact that I was aware there were other children there too, one of them comforted me. I knew the name, but it escapes me now." Scully got to her feet and nodded. "Thank you." Mulder stood also and walked past Scully and through the door, without bidding their witness goodbye. Scully could tell he was pissed at her for taking over the questioning, and prepared herself for any disagreement that might follow. Megan seemed not to notice Mulder's rudeness. She smiled and got to her feet, gazing fondly at her son, who had drifted into a peaceful slumber. Scully looked down at the infant and then back at the mother. "He's beautiful, how old is he?" "Four months." Megan looked into the FBI agent's eyes as she answered and swore she saw a hint of jealousy in them. Scully went towards the door. "Sorry to have taken up your time Mrs Jacobs." "No problem." Scully stopped, and turned, gripping the door handle. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but did you have any trouble conceiving?" Confused, Megan shook her head before she had time to wonder at the strangeness of the question. "No, none." Scully nodded again and walked into the hall. Mulder had left the door open, and she bid Megan goodbye as she walked through it and out to the car. When she settled herself in the passenger seat beside Mulder, she tried to ignore his clenched jaw. He glared at her, but she shot him a cool 'we'll discuss it later' look. He started the engine and was about to pull away, when he noticed Mrs Jacobs coming out of the house, waving to them to stop. He rolled down the window and she approached the car, leaning down to speak to them. "I remembered the name. The one who comforted me. It was Samantha." Continued in Part 3 Armistice (3/11) by Caroline O'Callaghan caroline.o@virgin.net Do NOT post to atxc - already been there Rating: NC-17 Category: MSR/adventure/mythology Summary: Mulder discovers clues to the circumstances behind his sister's disappearance, whilst Scully battles fatal illness. Disclaimer: Oh, do I have to? Okay - nobody belongs to me - nuff said! Spoilers: Up to Small Potatoes (in this universe Gethesmane has not yet happened). Particular reference to Nesei and 731. IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a continuation of an earlier story 'The Lure of the Fox' in which Mulder and Scully became lovers. Outside the Jacobs Residence East Tisbury Martha's Vineyard July 1st, 1997 4.42 p.m. Mulder stared at Megan Jacobs like she had slapped him. The woman looked confused and Scully leaned over to appease the situation. "Thank you Mrs Jacobs, you've been a big help." Megan nodded, gave them both another wary look, and turned and walked back into her house. Scully glanced at Mulder, who was now gazing at the windshield, seemingly a million miles away. She gently touched his arm to bring him back and he turned to her, a face full of wonder. "She was here all the time Scully, right here in the Vineyard. I looked everywhere, and she was right here." "Mulder you don't know that. It might be a coincidence, maybe she's talking about another Samantha." Mulder gave her a look that she read as 'c'mon Scully, cut the crap'. She wanted to pull his head to her chest to comfort him, but she settled for stroking his arm lightly. "I can guess where were going now, but take it easy Mulder, don't let them know what you know." "Give me a little credit Scully." She pulled her hand away, aware that his harshness and restrained anger, were not meant for her, even if they were directed at her at the moment. "Okay, let's go." J.E.M. Laboratory West Tisbury Martha's Vineyard 5.20 p.m. Mulder pulled the car to a stop, and looked quickly at his partner, who was gazing at the building with a troubled expression . He was eager to try and gain access to the laboratory, but took a moment to see if everything was alright with Scully. "Something wrong?" She cleared her throat and shook her head. "Deja Vu." "You've been here before?" "No, I don't think so, it just felt like I'd seen or done this before." The tension that had been present at the start of the journey had eased slightly with each mile, as he came to regret being harsh with her outside the Jacobs residence. Now, more than ever, he needed Scully by his side. He leaned over and peered into her eyes. "Scully, is that you? My real partner would never admit the possibility that her cognitive mind had conjured up a false memory so strong that it had felt like a real occurrence." His face was just in front of hers, she could see every pore; the whiskers of his five o'clock shadow; his full bottom lip. It was too much to resist and she leaned in and kissed him, quickly, but not chastely. He looked at her, his expression betraying surprise and pleasure. "There's a logical reason for Deja Vu Mulder." He smiled. "That's better." "Although I've never been to this place before, I've probably been somewhere very similar, under similar circumstances, but the memory is so dormant..." He cut her off by giving her a kiss in return. When he pulled away she licked her lips, capturing the lingering taste of him. Caffine and sunflower seeds. She reached out a hand to pull him to her again, but he pulled back to his side of the car. She tried to ignore the small pang of rejection that entered her heart and slipped to her stomach. She understood Mulder's retreat, they were here for work, not play. And work came first, Samantha came first; Mulder had warned her of that. Even so, a part of her wished that he didn't find it so easy to resist her. He reached over and pushed a strand of errant hair behind her ear. She gave him a look that she knew was full of longing and he smiled. "Oh Scully." He sighed. "You'd better stop looking at me like that. We're probably on Candid Camera." He gestured up towards the security camera on the perimeter fence of the building. She sighed. "Great, they're really going take me seriously, now they've seen us......" She gestured with her hand, unable to find the right word. He made a similar gesture with his hand and got out of the car. Scully followed him and they walked towards the gate of the laboratory together. "We're not being very discreet Mulder." He gave her a side look, but he was becoming more focused on the task at hand now. She continued. "The parking lot this morning, sharing the same room...now here in..." She looked around and realised they were in another parking lot. Mulder must have been listening more closely than she had thought and the realisation dawned on him at the same time. He grinned. "Must be the smell of gasoline or something." She shook her head at him. "You have any other fetishes I should know about." "Only my one for women who carry firearms and handcuffs." "Seriously though Mulder, don't you think we ought to be a little careful?" "We'll talk about it later Scully." She started to speak again, but he put a finger to his lips. She obeyed his request when she saw the security guard appear at the gate. He gave them a questioning look up and down. "Can I help you?" "We'd like to see Mr Nolan, I understand he's the director of this facility." "Do you have an appointment?" Mulder exchanged glances with Scully and they simultaneously pulled out their FBI badges for inspection. "We're here on an investigation, we don't need an appointment." The Guard nodded politely, but he seemed to be hiding a sneer. "This is a high-level security, Government facility. Even the president would need an appointment." Scully noted how the two men we're squaring up to each other now. Mulder stood with his hands on hips, jacket pulled back to reveal his firearm. "I'd ask Mr Nolan if he would like to see Agent Scully and I personally if I were you. I doubt that decisions about visitors to this facility are yours to make." The Guard sucked in a breath, making his chest look even wider than it was. "And if I were you Agent Mulder, I'd leave and not come back till you have an appointment." He looked down at Scully with a leer. "I'm sure you'll find something else to do." Mulder glanced at Scully to gauge her reaction. She met the Guard's look with a cool gaze and a sweet tone. "I'm sure we all have other things to do. So why don't you please ask Mr Nolan if he'll see us. If he says no, we'll go away. Fair enough?" The request was put so nicely, in such a non-threatening manner, that the Guard seemed to not know how to react. He bustled a little, nodded, and walked over to a security hut at the gate and picked up an internal telephone line. Mulder looked at his partner in surprise. "Manners cost nothing Mulder." "I'll have to remember that. Maybe that's where I've been going wrong all these years." Five minutes later they were met at the gate by Nolan's assistant and driven into the laboratory. Mulder and Scully scanned every inch of the property on the way in, looking for any piece of evidence that would help them in their quest. They were shown to Nolan's office. He stood to greet them. He was a odd-looking man with bulging eyes, a broken nose and a head that seemed too big for his body. When he stood to greet them, Mulder noted that Scully, in her heels, was a good few inches taller than the director. His thoughts wandered at the observation, and for some reason, conjured up an image of Scully in nothing but her heels, which he filed away in his mind for later, under 'I' for 'Inappropriate at this time'. Nolan spoke in a ridiculously squeaky, high pitched tone. "Now, what possible reason could the FBI have for coming to this facility?" He looked at Mulder for an explanation, but it was Scully who spoke. "We're investigating a case. Its come to our attention that several children on the Vineyard, over a certain time span in the late 1960's and 70's, were taken and later returned to their parents. During the time they were missing, they all have memories of being held in a laboratory and experimented upon. Nolan laughed, reminding Mulder of a leprechaun. He was really starting to hate the man. "You don't think the J.E.M. facility had any thing to do with these cases surely? Look around you Ms Scully, its patently obvious that this building is only a few years old." Mulder interrupted. "What was here before it was built?" The man shrugged. "I have no idea. Why don't you check the local library? This meeting is starting to sound like a waste of my time." "What kind of work are you carrying out here?" "That's classified." "Can you tell us what Government department finances your work?" "No, I'm afraid I can't." Scully leaned forward. "Then I suppose a tour of the laboratory is out of the question?" Nolan looked at Scully as if she were stupid, and Mulder saw his partner bristle with restrained anger, but she said nothing. He admired her control, he was losing patience fast. He was on the verge of standing up and shouting. 'Where's my sister you son-of-a-bitch?' followed by 'What the fuck are you covering up you little toad?' "Sir, you are hampering our investigation." Nolan got to his feet to indicate he was about to show them the door. "I would have thought the FBI had better things to do than disrupt important Government work because a few hysterical people imagine they were experimented on by aliens." Mulder exchanged a look with Scully, before glancing back at Nolan. "I never mentioned aliens Sir." "Well that's what you two do, isn't it? Chase aliens?" Scully stood and shot a fierce look at Nolan. The man almost recoiled from it. "No, that's not what we do. But you've obviously heard of us, can I ask how?" The man chuckled, but Mulder noticed that he'd suddenly become nervous and his mouth twitched as he spoke. "You're the laughing stock of Washington, that's how I know you." Mulder stood, knowing their time was up. "Spend a lot of time in Washington do you Mr Nolan?" "I have enough contacts there to make sure that your ass is grass if you try to come here again and make accusations about me or this laboratory." Scully shot him another withering look before moving to the door. "Accusations. I don't remember making any accusations, do you Mulder?" He shook his head. "No Scully I don't." Nolan reached over his desk to press an intercom button. Mulder waved a hand in the air. "Don't bother calling security, we're on our way out." He joined Scully at the door and opened it, but before they exited he shot one last question at Nolan. "Your contacts in Washington Mr Nolan. Any of them smoke?" The director looked at him in open-mouthed astonishment. Mulder nodded as he and Scully left the room. They didn't speak until they were sitting back in the car and Scully was pulling on her seatbelt while Mulder started the engine. "So Mulder, what happened to playing it cool and not letting them know too much?" He shrugged. It could have been a criticism, but he knew Scully didn't mean it as one, she just wanted to know what was going on his mind. "Change of plan." "Oh, you mean you actually have a plan?" To her surprise he reached over and squeezed her hand. "We'll talk back at the room." They didn't speak as he drove them along the quiet lanes of the Island. Each was comfortable with the silence, lost in their own thoughts. Scanlon Bed and Breakfast West Tisbury Martha's Vineyard July 1st, 1997 7.05 p.m. Back in their room, Scully yawned, sat wearily on the bed and waited for Mulder to gather his thoughts. He was pacing and she watched him move. "Did you see his face when I mentioned Cancer Man? Nolan definitely knows him." Scully nodded. "He was defensive from the first moment we were in there, he's obviously hiding something." "What do you think goes on at that laboratory Scully?" She shrugged. "I honestly don't know Mulder, and I wouldn't like to surmise anything. Although its unlikely that building was the same laboratory the children were taken to. Like Nolan said, its only been there a few years." Mulder ran a hand through his hair and sat on the edge of the bed, a few inches away from her. "What if the original laboratory was underground, like the one in Virginia? What if this building has been built on top of the original? There may still be evidence underneath. Maybe there are tunnels leading to it, like there was in Breakspeare." Scully sat up a little and gave him a questioning look. "Mulder, what are you suggesting?" "That there's another way in. Just because we can't get in the front door...." She gave him another stern look. "You want to go searching the surrounding undergrowth for tunnels that may not even be there?" He shrugged. "Yes." "Tonight?" He nodded. She sighed. "I don't think its a good idea. We've alerted them now Mulder. They know were here and they'll be expecting us to make a move. I think your original plan was better. We should lay low for a few days, play tourist..." He cut her off and got to his feet. "What if there's no time for that?" Scully knew why he wanted to speed things up. Samantha. His driving force. Tomorrow wasn't good enough where his sister was concerned. She knew, when he had booked this room, that he had done so with the intention of making love to her in it, and she had looked forward to the coming of the evening with a thrill. Now she was to be denied that. Instead she had to go trawling through trees and bushes in search of secret passages, like some heroine out of a children's adventure book. She almost laughed at herself when she realised she was jealous. Jealous of her lover's sister, who may or may not be alive, and who hadn't been in his life since he was twelve. As much as she wanted Mulder to find Samantha, or what had happened to her, sometimes she couldn't help but hate the search for her that controlled Mulder, and sometimes influenced his actions to the point where he seemed to be acting in madness. She got to her feet and began rooting through her luggage. Mulder came to stand over her. "Scully, can I count on your help?" She found her sleepwear and stood up to face him. "Of course you can, always Mulder." He looked as if he might kiss her but she stepped backwards. "I'm going to change, and grab a couple of hours sleep. Everything that's happened, and the travelling ...well I'm tired. Wake me up later and we'll go." He nodded and she went into the bathroom to change. He noted that she locked the door. He wondered if it was habit, shyness, or whether she was withdrawing from him. He shook the anxiety from his mind and forced himself to concentrate on the job in hand. He sought out the lists from the laboratory and sat down in a chair to peruse them again, in case anything had been missed. When Scully came out of the bathroom, Mulder felt his mouth go dry, his heart constrict and another part of his anatomy harden. She wore a deep blue, silk, nightgown that fell to just above her knees. She shot him a quick, unreadable look as she walked towards the bed. He watched the way the silk played around her body, showing her curves and dips to such an effect that he couldn't take his eyes off her. He noted the elegance in her neck and shoulders, revealed by the thin spaghetti straps and the delightful way the material hugged her breasts. He shifted in the chair and wondered whether she had worn the wonderful piece of clothing to drive him crazy on purpose. 'Take that Fox Mulder, this is what you're missing'. She laid down, pulling the covers up and shutting her eyes. ************ end of part 3a continued in part 3b ************ Armistice (3b/11) by Caroline O'Callaghan *************** Scanlon Bed and Breakfast West Tisbury Martha's Vineyard July 1st, 1997 9.05 p.m. Scully awoke to an unfamiliar sound and a strange feeling. A snoring Mulder, draped over her. A leg between her legs, face buried in her neck and hair, and a hand lightly resting on her left breast. She lay still, a quiet smile on her lips, enjoying the moment, despite a thick fuzziness that seemed to be occupying her brain. He snored louder and she nudged his leg with one of her own, hoping to disturb him just enough to quell the sound. He shifted and she felt his arousal brush her thigh through the material of the sweat pants he had changed into. Her body tingled with the knowledge that he wanted her, and sparks of desire flew through her when he tightened his hold on her breast. She resisted a moan of pleasure, but gloried in the thought that she had the ability to turn him on. His head lifted up and his eyes opened. His hair was poking out in all directions and his eyes were dark as they met hers. She felt herself melt a little. He smiled sleepily at her and then must have realised where his hand was because he pulled it away sharply. "Sorry...I" She kissed him. "There's nothing to apologise for Mulder. Decided to join me for a nap huh?" "Well you looked so cosy in here, I couldn't resist." He touched the strap of her nightgown and she sucked in a breath. "This is nice." "My mother bought it for me, I think she was hoping it might encourage me to find someone I could wear it for." She wondered whether Mulder thought she had worn it for him. The truth was that, with him dragging her off at the last minute all the time, she hadn't had much time to do laundry lately and it had been the only clean nightwear she'd had to pack. He shifted his legs a little, so she wasn't able to feel his erection anymore. He probably thought she hadn't noticed in the first place. She remembered suddenly an important conversation they had postponed. "Mulder, what happens if the Bureau finds out?" He shrugged. "Scully I'm paying for this hotel, not the Bureau. It won't go through expenses, they won't know we played roomies." "But should we be, you know....displaying our... feelings for one another out in the open? I mean..." He cut her off with a kiss. "I don't care who knows, I'm not going to hide it." "But it could give them a justified reason to separate us as partners, maybe even dissolve the X Files." "Scully, I hate to break this to you, but most people in the Bureau already think we're sleeping together." Her eyebrow arched up and he did something he had wanted to do for the longest time. He kissed it. "They do?" "They think we've been at it like bunnies for years. I'm sure even Skinner suspects we're involved." "Suspecting and knowing are two different things Mulder. As much as Skinner purports to be on our side, if he had actual evidence that we're sleeping together, he might have no choice but to take action." "Scully, I'm not going to try and take you on the reception desk of the Hoover Building or anything." The words conjured up an image which he struggled to put aside. "We won't be obvious, but I'm not going to hide in the shadows either." He kissed her, deeply, loving the softness of her lips. She sighed, opened her mouth to him and his tongue sank inside, glorying in her taste. Scully kissed him back with fervour as they lay on their sides. She thought she knew why Mulder felt so reckless about their relationship. Because he knew they didn't have much time left anyway; he knew that they would be separated soon, either by her death, or this case, which felt like it would solve many of the answers they had been seeking for so long. The whereabouts of Samantha, the nature of the 'tests' that she and other women had been subjected too. Much was likely to be revealed, and who knew where it would leave the two of them when it was. They kissed for a long time, tasting, nibbling, sucking, and inevitably hands came into play as Scully sneaked hers under his t-shirt to feel his chest and his moved lower, past her waist and onto her backside where they stroked and then pulled her towards him so that her stomach was against his arousal. She managed to disentangle their mouths long enough to work his t-shirt over his head and then she dipped her head to his chest, running a tongue over his nipple, he ran a hand through her hair and ground his hips towards her. Her right hand moved devilishly downwards and took a tight hold of him. When he gulped for air she kissed his adams apple and released him just long enough to sneak the hand inside the sweatpants. She smiled against his chest when no underwear barred her way. She wasn't wearing any either. She ran her hand along his length in slow, tight strokes and pulled her head back to look at his face, just to assure herself that she was giving pleasure, not pain, because she couldn't tell either way from the groans she was eliciting from him. His face was screwed up, but he was definitely enjoying her touch. His hips began to thrust into her hand. Her name was a choke. "Scully." The hand that had been in her hair moved down between their bodies and sneaked between her thighs. Her own voice was deep and hoarse with desire "Yes Mulder." She didn't know whether he'd been asking permission, but she'd given it anyway and shifted her position so her legs fell open. When his fingers found her she groaned loudly and struggled to keep up the rhythm she had found in stroking him. The kissed deeply as their lower bodies moved desperately. Each thrusting into the other's hand as fingers played, danced, stroked, gripped. Scully smiled against his lips, reminded of early sexual experiences when she hadn't dared have actual intercourse, but had wanted the physical contact. The memory of the back seat of a car, a nervous hand inside her underwear fumbling with her, while she struggled with a stubborn zipper. But then suddenly, Mulder touched her just there, right where she longed to have him touch her, and two fingers slipped inside her, and all other thoughts were lost. There was nobody else but Mulder. Nothing else but the feel of him, the taste of him, the smell of him. She increased her pace on him and he groaned. "Scully." The fuzziness in her head began turning into an ache, and she knew that she was unlikely to get total satisfaction from his lovemaking, even though he was doing everything right and giving much pleasure. She let go of him and pushed away the hand that had been stroking her. His eyes sought hers to ask what she wanted. She made it clear by kissing him and pushing his sweatpants down by the waistband. He kicked them off, and grabbed the edge of her nightgown, but she shook her head. "I want to see you. I don't care about..." She cut him off with another kiss. She hated the ugly, treatment-induced bruises that covered her back, didn't want them to be revealed and hoped he wouldn't force the issue. He didn't. He kissed her forehead, snaked his hips between her thighs and pushed up into her with a loud moan. Scully caught her bottom lip between her teeth. God, he filled her so well, so completely. A perfect fit. He wasn't too large, and he certainly wasn't too small. Just right. He rocked them slowly at first, gazing down at her with intensity, then quickened the pace to fit his growing need. Scully's fingers pressed into his behind, pulling him back in when he withdrew. Her hips rushing to meet every thrust. Mentally Mulder knew he ought to slow things down. Scully hadn't come and didn't look as if she were just about to either, but his body betrayed him, quickening the pace despite his concerns. It was too glorious, being inside her, being enveloped by her. Watching the wonderful expressions that lit up her face as he began to pound in and out of her, increasingly faster. His blood was rushing, his heart beating frantically. "Scully ..." She understood him, even though he couldn't find the words. "Its okay Mulder. Come for me." He went wild then and she stopped trying to match his pace because it became impossible. The ache in her head was now a searing pain and she cursed it, for if it hadn't been there she would be enjoying the friction to the utmost, and reaching high points of pleasure in Mulder's arms. With a smile she thought about how his frantic pace was going leave a lasting impression on her body. She probably wouldn't be able to walk straight for the next few days. He exploded inside her with a yell and his body collapsed heavily on top of her. She held him to her and stroked back his sweat-soaked hair. He gasped into her ear. "Scully." "Yes I'm here." He gripped her tightly and her heart swelled. He raised his face to look into her eyes. "You okay?" "I'm fine. Although you're a little heavy." He grinned and left her. Rolling over so that he lay next to her on his back. "Sorry." She regretted saying anything, wanting him back inside her, now that he was gone. He stroked her hair and watched her closely. "I'm sorry, you didn't..." She put a finger to his lips and he kissed it. Her voice was soft. "Don't worry about it." "But I do. Its kind of a blow to my sexual ego Scully." She shook her head at him. "Nothing to do with you Mulder. Don't go getting performance anxiety on me will you?" "I want to pleasure you every time." She kissed him. "Its a lovely thought, but I've never been one of those women that it happens easily for. It usually takes a lot for me to...well...you know." She lay on her side and boosted herself up on her elbow to look down at him. "In fact the other night, with you. That's the first time that its ever happened twice for me, in one night." He looked a little proud of himself and she hid her smile from him behind her long fringe of hair. "Don't expect that that's going to happen every night." "Ahh, but Scully..." He looked over at the clock. "This particular night is still very young, and I think we have a little time to see just what can be accomplished when we set our minds to it." He pushed her onto her back and laid over her again. "Already Mulder. That's fast re-loading." He smiled down at her. "'Fraid not Scully, but there's more than one way to make love to a woman." He kissed her neck first and then began working his way down, nuzzling her breasts through the silk material of her gown. When he reached her stomach, he pushed it up and kissed the flesh around her belly button. Scully lay back, enjoying the sensations. The pounding in her head was subsiding slightly and her body came alive at the thought of what he was going to do to her. His mouth was nearly there; just a couple of inches lower. Mulder looked up, eager to see what kind of expressions were crossing her exquisite face. He froze. "Scully." Hearing the concern in his face she sat up. "What?" "You have a nosebleed, Scully." "Oh." Her hand flew to her upper lip and she pushed him roughly off her, got out of bed and rushed to the bathroom. She shut the door firmly. Mulder got up and found his sweatpants, pulling them on as he went to the door and knocked lightly on it. "Scully. Is there anything I can do." "No. Its okay. Well, there's some tablets in my medical kit, in a green bottle, could you get them for me?" "Sure." When he found the bottle he frowned at the label, recognising the medical term for what were essentially pain-killers. He opened the bathroom door and walked in, ignoring the fact that she had shut him out. She looked at him accusingly, then her expression softened when he held out the pills, which she took from him. "Pain-killers Scully?" She was dabbing at her nose with a flannel. The blood had almost stopped. "I have a headache, that's all." "Must be a pretty bad one if you don't think Asprin will cure it." "Could you get me a glass of water Mulder." He did as asked and watched as she swallowed the pills down. She handed the glass back to him. "I guess we should getting ready to go." He laughed in amazement and shook his head at her. "The only place you're going is the emergency room Scully. That's two nosebleeds in three days, and now you have this headache." She raised her voice. "Its just a headache. You're not ditching me, I'm going with you." The glared at one another for a long time. Silence echoed around the small bathroom. Mulder gave in first. "I'm just concerned Dana, I think you need to get yourself checked out." Hearing her first name fired her temper. She hated the way Mulder used it when he thought she was feeling vulnerable. He used it as a weapon, to get to her; to try and persuade her. "No, what I need is to go with you and find out why this is happening to me. I need to fight back, take some action. Sitting in a waiting room or hospital bed is not an option, I don't have time for it." She sighed heavily and leaned against the sink. "This case might give you some answers, but it could also give me some." When she had finished she lifted her chin in defiance, and he had half formed an argument in his mind when he noticed that her eyes were secretly pleading with him. He was helpless against their appeal. "Okay. I can't make you do anything. Its your choice. Let's get ready." Woods outside the J.E.M. Laboratory West Tisbury Martha's Vineyard July 1st 10.58 p.m. Mulder cursed when he stubbed his toe on a felled tree trunk. His partner shot him a sympathetic glance, which was tinged with a look that screamed 'that's what you get for walking around woods in the middle of the night'. "Why are you so sure there's going to be another way in?" He shrugged. "I'm not sure. Let's just say I have a big hunch." "I thought we already took care of your big hunch." He laughed, then looked at her in shock. "What Mulder? You think I've worked with you all these years and not learned a little about the art of innuendo?" "Well its nice to know I've taught you something." They'd worked their way to the top of a hill that looked down over the laboratory. Mulder pulled out his binoculars. Scully looked up at him expectantly. "Something going on down there?" "Yeah. It looks like they're moving house." "What?" She grabbed the binoculars herself and looked through them to see men at the back entrance of the laboratory loading large boxes into removal trucks. She noted the name on the side of the trucks before looking back up at Mulder. "You don't suppose our visit freaked them so much, that they've been forced to move premises do you?" "Nolan was pretty uptight about us being there, but I can't see us as that much of a threat. This is a pretty big operation. Moving it would take a lot of planning, maybe they've been arranging this for a while and our arrival was a coincidence. Perhaps that's why Nolan was so edgy, he was afraid we'd see this, all his secrets in transit." He looked down at her, eyes full of excitement. "We have to get in there before everything disappears Scully. Its a good thing we came tonight instead of waiting." "The question is how. Look at the security they have. There must be fifty guards down there, and dogs and cameras." Mulder reclaimed his binoculars from her and raised them to look down at the laboratory grounds. He was quiet for a long time and she jumped when he eventually spoke. "I can't believe we didn't see it before." "What?" "Rail tracks. There are rail tracks. They go from one outbuilding to another, and then..." He pocketed the binoculars and grinned down at her. "Then they disappear." She looked up at him doubtfully. "Railtracks?" He nodded eagerly. "A tradesman's entrance." "But you said they disappeared." "Disappear from view Scully." "You mean you think they're underground?" "A tunnel. Which would make sense, I mean we're on an island. If the track is connected to the mainland, it would have to go under the water." He headed quickly off in a direction east of the laboratory. She struggled to catch up with his movement and his thoughts. "Mulder. I don't understand." He turned and stopped. "Don't you see Scully? They have their own railroad. I've travelled on it before, and so have you." She suddenly remembered being shown a train car fitted out like an operating theatre in Perky, West Virginia, and knowing that she had been in it before. She also recalled Mulder jumping onto a moving train, convinced that it was transporting an alien life form. "My God, Mulder..." "All the time Scully, when I was looking up at the sky, I should have been checking out the choo-choos. I'll bet there was a track in Virginia and one on Skyland Mountain where Duane Barry took you. They were just very well hidden. Better hidden than this one probably is." He rushed into the trees again. She paused briefly before she followed. They found it within thirty minutes. The track surfaced for about half a mile before it disappeared into tunnels, one heading into the laboratory grounds and the other heading away, in the direction of the mainland. Mulder paused at the edge of the tunnel and looked down at his partner. They both wore black jackets, sweaters, jeans and boots. She provided the only colour around. Her hair looked like fire in the night sky, her eyes were flashing an extraordinary blue, and her lips were cherry red. He took a moment just to study her; to commit this particular image of her to memory - utterly gorgeous whilst scurrying around train tracks in the middle of night, looking like a pint- sized member of the S.A.S. Scully shone her flashlight down the tunnel and then gazed up at him with a sense of foreboding. "Mulder this tunnel has been built just wide enough for a train." He looked at her blankly and she sighed at his lack of practicality. "What I'm saying is, that if we go down here, and a train comes. We're hamburger." "You have such a nice way of putting things Scully." "I suppose you still want to risk it?" "What are the chances of them sending a train down here now? I mean, you saw them, they're packing up. They're not expecting any more deliveries." He put a hand on her arm. "Scully, I just feel that we're so close..." "Okay, okay." She gave him a shove towards the tunnel. "Lead on MacDuff." He walked eagerly into the damp, dark, brick tunnel. Scully followed more warily, consoling herself with the thought that at least if she were to get mowed down by a train, she was with Mulder, and he was wearing that black leather jacket and jeans outfit that did wonderful things for him. She'd die, but at least her last view would be of Mulder, and he was looking damn fine. ************ Continued in part 4 Armistice (4a/11) by Caroline O'Callaghan caroline.o@virgin.net Do NOT post to atxc - already there Rating: NC-17 Category: MSR/adventure/mythology Summary: Mulder discovers clues to the circumstances behind his sister's disappearance, whilst Scully battles fatal illness. Disclaimer: Oh, do I have to? Okay - nobody belongs to me - nuff said! Spoilers: Up to Small Potatoes (in this universe Gethesmane has not yet happened). Particular reference to Nesei and 731. IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a continuation of an earlier story 'The Lure of the Fox' in which Mulder and Scully became lovers. ********* Train tunnel heading into the J.E.M. Laboratory West Tisbury Martha's Vineyard July 1st, 1997 10.58 p.m. They didn't speak as they walked, Scully following carefully behind Mulder. She knew they were walking into dangerous territory. Even putting aside the fact that they could be mowed down by a train at any moment, there was still the possibility that they would be caught and killed to ensure their silence. Scully cursed every sound they made in the dark, dank tunnel; their footsteps, and even the breaths they took. They walked for around half a mile before they saw the the end of the tunnel. As they approached it, Mulder looked around at her in an 'are you ready for this' kind of way. She nodded, and they put their backs against the tunnel wall as they edged into an outbuilding with a makeshift train platform. Hearing no voices or activity, Mulder shone his torch around and whispered to his partner. "Looks like were alone." She whispered back. "They've must have finished packing here. Do we go on?" Mulder licked his dry lips. "Yes?" "Mulder..." She let the sentence trail off, knowing he didn't want to hear her warnings; her telling him that they should be careful. He was searching for the truth now and nothing or no-one was going to stop him. They followed the track through the empty building, until they reached the grounds of the laboratory. The track went on, but there was no tunnel, if they wanted to go further they would have to walk across in plain sight. Scully could hear voices in the distance and peeked out of the building to see groups of men, about a hundred yards away, still loading the trucks. She shot a look at Mulder. He was looking down the train tracks to the building across the way. If they were going to make it there, they'd have to dodge the security and removal men. She tossed her head in the direction of the men and Mulder shrugged his shoulders. "We'll run for it." She sighed and switched off her torch, tucking it into the waistband of her jeans whilst removing her gun. She clicked the safety off, deciding that if she was caught, she at least wanted some form of defence. "On three?" She found Mulder's eyes in the moonlight. Her heart was beating with excitement and the adrenaline was flowing. Mulder must have recognised it, because he suddenly grinned at her. She frowned at him. "Did I ever tell you I think you're amazing Scully?" She grinned back. "Let's do it Mulder." She thought for a moment he was going to throw a suggestive comment at her in reply but he merely nodded, and then they ran. The fear of getting caught must have increased her normal sprint capabilities because she beat Mulder across the yard. Although, she was panting furiously when she reached the other side and flung herself against the wall; whilst Mulder was barely out of breath and joined her a moment later. The tracks disappeared behind huge double doors. Mulder looked everywhere for a way to open them, before sighing heavily and shrugging at Scully. "They must open from the inside." After glancing nervously at the laboratory personnel who were carrying on their tasks, oblivious to the intruders, she looked back at Mulder. "Then let's find another way in, I'm not going back empty handed after risking life and limb getting this far." They walked slowly around the main laboratory building, keeping close to the wall and in the shadows. Nevertheless, three minutes later they were caught. A tall, broad figure stepped out of a doorway and pointed a large automatic weapon at them. "Hold it." They both stilled instantly. Their captor looked them up and down and then, to their surprise, lowered his weapon. He spoke roughly to Mulder. "What are you doing out here, why aern't you helping with the loading?" Mulder didn't dare look at Scully, afraid any movement might give them away. He realised that the man was dressed in roughly the same attire he was. Black jeans, black t-shirt, black leather jacket. It was obviously some kind of uniform, and his clothes looked so similar in the dark that he had been mistaken for a member of the security team. But what the hell was the man going to think when he saw Scully? She definitely wasn't big enough to be mistaken for anybody's paid gorilla. The guard's eyes shifted towards her, narrowed and then turned on Mulder. "Why is she out here? She should be ready for transportation by now." Mulder thought quickly, his brain running on over-time, he just prayed that Scully hadn't shown too much of a reaction to the question. Mulder cleared his throat. "She was restless. I was asked to take her for a walk. I'm taking her back in again now." The guard looked at Mulder, as if he might interrogate him further, but then calmly stepped aside and opened the door for them. Mulder took Scully by the elbow, as if she were his prisoner and practically hauled her through the door. Once it was shut behind them and the guard out of sight, Scully breathed again for what felt like the first time in five minutes. Mulder looked around the brightly-lit corridor, which was empty with the exception of a few boxes and themselves. He loosened his grip on Scully's elbow and tried not to be too affected by the small face that was looking up at him with a mixture of confusion, terror and relief. "I say we look around and then get out of here before he realises that we're not who he thought we were." He began to move off down the corridor, but Scully stopped him with a hand on his forearm. "Mulder, he knew me." "They may have test subjects held here Scully, he probably just thought you were one of them." "No Mulder. He looked right at me. And he knew me." He cupped her face with both his hands and looked down at her pleadingly. "I know Scully. It was strange, I admit, but we don't have time to think about it now. We have to get in and out of here quickly." Regaining her composure a little, she nodded and jerked her face away. Mulder went ahead and after passing by several locked doors he was beginning to lose hope of finding anything significant. The corridor came to a stop eventually and another one crossed it, leading left and right. He hesitated, looking to make sure no-one was around and then chose to go left. Behind him, he heard Scully stop and he turned to see if there was a problem. "Its the other way Mulder." He looked at her incredulously. "What?" "Trust me, its the other way." She jogged off and he had no choice but to follow her, and wonder at how on earth she knew where she was going. After a few hundred metres she stopped again, her attention focused on a set of double doors to her right. She looked at the doorknob desperately, as if she were almost afraid to see what lay beyond. Mulder reached out and turned it for her. To his surprise, it opened and together they walked into what seemed to be an operating theatre. It was in darkness, and most of its fixtures and fittings had been removed. Mulder shone his torch around at Scully, only to see her blinking furiously, holding back tears that threatened her composure. He walked across and laid a hand on her arm. "Scully, do you remember this place?" She nodded, her voice cracking as she spoke, fighting to form her words. "It wasn't de ja vu this morning Mulder. It was my memory coming back." "Your memories from your abduction?" "Yes. This is where..." She faltered, but then found the strength to go on. "This is where they put the microchip in my neck. Right here. There was an operating table. I was awake when they did it. I couldn't move, it was like I was paralysed, they must have given me some kind of drug, but I could see everything. Once they'd inserted it, they tested it, to see if it was working. There were rows of computer monitors, all along this wall." She walked over and started at the now featureless wall. Mulder came up behind her. "Scully. Before, you said that everything had happened in the train car, and now you're telling me things happened here..." She whirled around to face him. "I was experimented on in the train car, while I was brought here...on the way here. I think they were testing me to make sure I was healthy. Some of the tests were very ordinary, like a medical exam, and others...." She closed her eyes. "You don't have to remember everything now. You can tell me the rest later, but is there anything we should see, before we leave?" "Oh Mulder, there's so much more." She walked to the back of the room and found a door controlled by an electronic key pad. Mulder looked at the security device and then at Scully. "I don't suppose you remember the number do you?" "No, but you might." He looked at her quizzically, before smiling; remembering another keypad, when he had been locked inside a train car that was just about to explode, and Scully reading out the code over the phone, that she had discovered by watching a video of the consortium's activities; his alien autopsy video. If the number was the same, it was going to be well worth the $29.99 he had paid for it. He shut his eyes, forcing his near-eidetic memory to recall the code. Scully watched him anxiously. "One, zero, one, three, three, one." "You sure Mulder?" He shrugged. She tapped the number in and they were both a little shocked when the automatic door slid open. The stepped through cautiously. Looking around for any signs of security guards. They walked into a long, dark corridor and Mulder saw Scully shiver. The place wasn't cold; he knew why she was shivering, because her mind was suddenly being assaulted with bleak, cruel memories. He let her go ahead of him. This was her journey, not his. "It seems so deserted." She flicked on her flashlight. "Yeah, well, we're watching a evacuation operation. Most people are probably gone." "Its strange. Its different, but the same. This was all lit up. There were so many bright lights...." Her voice trailed off when they heard faint conversation from afar and saw a light in the distance. Light coming from a window. They approached it cautiously, putting their backs against the wall and looking through it with side glances. They were looking down into a huge convention room, which must have been in the heart of the building. A meeting was taking place. The soundproofed window blocked any chance of them knowing what was being said, but it looked to Mulder like some kind of de-briefing. Around fifty people stood listening to a man in a neatly-pressed grey suit. "I know that man Mulder. He was the one who warned me when I thought you were dead. The one who told me that I might be killed." He nodded. "He looks like he's in charge here." She saw Mulder's jaw stiffen as he focused on one of the faces in the room. She followed his gaze. "Krycek. I thought he wasn't working for them anymore?" "Well, you know Krycek, he sells his soul to the highest bidder." "When I saw him last night, I thought maybe he regretted the past." "He can never be trusted Scully, and neither can she..." Again, she followed his gaze. It was resting on a tall, ice-cool blonde. "Who is that Mulder?" "Marita, my informant." She listened to the inflection in his voice and studied his face. There was suddenly something she wanted to ask him about Marita, but she'd save it for later. She looked around the room again. Her jaw dropped when she saw yet another face she recognised. "I don't believe it." "What Scully?" "Oh God. Please tell me its not him. Please don't tell me he's gone to the other side." Mulder was looking around the room frantically. "Scully, who? Where? "Skinner." Mulder's eyes fell on their boss at the same time his partner said the name. He turned back to Scully. "There may be an explanation for him being here... it doesn't necessarily mean that he's turned on us." "An explanation..." She looked at him with such disappointed eyes. He knew that Scully had always had respect for Skinner, and considered him an ally. It was painful to watch her faith in him withering away. They were disturbed by the sound of boots coming along the corridor and looked at each other in desperation. Mulder became aware that whoever it was, was approaching from the same direction they had. Their escape route through the laboratory was blocked. Scully took off in a light jog, hoping that their feet wouldn't make too much noise, and that Mulder would follow her. She wasn't sure if it was instinct or memory that told her where to go, but she found what she had been subconsciously looking for. A metal gate to their right, which swung open noiselessly. She practically hauled Mulder in after her, and they both pressed their backs tight against the wall as they watched the security guard walk past the gate and on down the corridor. When he was out of sight they both sighed. "We're having some pretty close calls tonight Scully." He looked around him. "Where are we?" "Holding cells." Anybody but him would have thought she was speaking dispassionately, but he knew her so well that he heard the ever-so-slight tremor in her voice. "Where they kept us." That was all Mulder needed to know. He walked along to find that she was right. There were eight by ten cells. Badly lit and unheated. In them were cots with thin mattresses, tiny skinks and a single shelf. He didn't dare look at Scully right now, for he was afraid of showing his anger at the men who had kept her, locked up like a criminal, for three months. He could imagine her when she had first arrived. Curled up in a corner, holding her knees to her chest. Terrified of what they had done to her, what they might do to her in the future. He couldn't even begin to imagine what was going through her mind. He suspected she was recalling it in vivid detail. He shuddered. "Come on Mulder, let's get out of here. The guard is gone, we can try and go back the way we came." He nodded, still not able to meet her eyes, and was about to move away with her when he heard a noise from the end cell. He walked to it quickly to see a figure huddled up on the cot. He could tell it was a woman, but her hair hid her face. "Scully get over here. There's somebody here." She crossed to his side immediately, and they both jumped when the object of their gaze sat up and hissed at them. "Get away from me, no more, I can't take anymore." Mulder tried to speak soothingly. "Its okay, we're not here to hurt you." She eyed them both suspiciously, and pushed her hair back from her face. "Who are you?" "We'll try and get you out of here. Okay?" He began looking around the area for a key. Scully put a hand on his arm to stop him. "What are you doing Mulder?" "We have to take her with us. We have to save her." "Mulder, you can't touch...." He put his hand on the bars of the cell, at the same time as heard Scully telling him not to. It was too late. He made contact with the cold metal and all hell seemed to break loose. Bells started ringing and a yellow light started flashing on and off above their heads. Scully had her hands over her ears and seemed to be in some kind of pain. He wasn't sure if it was physical, mental or emotional, but her face was screwed up tightly in a way that he had never seen before. He grabbed her hand, giving the trapped woman a last regretful look, knowing that it was too late to try and save her. He had to get Scully out of here, and fast, before those bells alerted the security forces. She wouldn't move at first. She seemed to be struck dumb and immobile in a kind of terror trance. He considered throwing her over his shoulder, but as light as she was, he knew that would slow him down too much. He did the only thing he could think to do. He raised his other hand and slapped her face. Hard. She came too and shot him a furious look, realising that he had struck her, but then she seemed to know why, and when he pulled on her hand again, she followed him, and they both raced out of the holding cells, and back out into the corridor. Praying that they had enough time to make it out before someone came to check on the raised alarm. As they made it to the laboratory door they heard someone behind them. "Hey you two...stop." But they didn't, they kept running. Through the lab, down the corridor, through the main door and out into the night air. All the while hoping that their pursuer, who seemed to be gaining on them, didn't just draw his weapon and decide to gun them down. They sped across the yard and into the outbuilding, back the way they had come, following the train tracks again. Down into the tunnel. A shot ran out and they both ducked a little, and then glanced at each other to make sure they were both still standing and unhurt. They pressed on. Another shot rang out. It was fortunate that the shooter was firing into the blackness, otherwise he probably would have hit them. As it was he was just firing at the noise of their boots on the tracks, and he thankfully missed again. Mulder knew they were almost there. He could almost see the end of the tunnel. Once they were out in the open, they could probably find something to duck behind and return fire if they had to. Until then, they'd just have to keep running. And he did, until he saw and heard the train. He stopped, and so did Scully. They both stood, mouths agape as they watched the train bear down on them. The warning Scully had given him earlier, raged through his mind. 'What I'm saying is, that if we go down here, and a train comes. We're hamburger.' They were mere moments from becoming hamburger. Even if the train saw them it wouldn't be able to stop in time. It was way too fast for them to outrun it by heading back the other way, and Scully was right. Even if they held themselves against the wall and breathed in, there was not enough width in the tunnel for the train to pass them. He looked at her in desperation. "I'm sorry Scully." "For what Mulder?" She threw herself to the ground, in between the tracks, grabbing him by the collar of his jacket so her fell with her. She was just in time. As he fell, he realised what she was doing and ducked his head, and the train began to pass over them. The noise was deafening, but they still heard the scream of the guard, and a thump as the train hit his body. Mulder looked for Scully's eyes, even as the tonnes of lethal machinery rattled over them, they were shinning brightly. He realised that he loved her. It wasn't a sudden, shocking epiphany, more of a quiet acceptance of something he hadn't allowed himself to admit before. He wondered if he should say it out loud and realised that she probably wouldn't be able to hear him, and even if he did, it perhaps wasn't the right moment to tell her; while cheating death, under a moving train. It seemed like the train would never pass over them completely. It seemed to go on forever. When it did, and rumbled on its way down the tunnel, they both got shakily to their feet. He grabbed her hand and they ran out of the tunnel and into the forest. He stopped behind a tree, and gathered her to him, hugging her fiercely. His chin resting on her head. "What would I do without you Scully?" "You'd be somebody's Big Mac Mulder." He grinned. "I think we're safe. They probably think we're dead." She pushed a little at his chest, to part them slightly, so she could look up at him. "There's something I have to tell you Mulder. Back there, in that cell. That was Samantha." He looked at her incredulously, and swallowed hard. "What? That woman?" She nodded and he noted that tears were brimming in her eyes. "I'm sorry Mulder. I'm sorry we had to leave her behind." "You're sure about this Scully?" "I remember her. I remember everything." Another question formed in his mind, but he never asked it, because she collapsed in arms. Her eyes shut, her legs gave way and she slumped against him. Feeling panic rise in his chest, he lowered her to the ground and began trying to rouse her by touching her face and speaking softly to her. "Scully, come on, wake up." He shook her shoulder gently and realised with a lurch in his stomach that she hadn't just fainted. She was unconscious. *********** end part 4a continued in part 4b ************* Armistice (4b/11) by Caroline O'Callaghan ************ St Mary's Hospital East Tisbury Martha's Vineyard July 2nd, 1997 2.20 a.m. Mulder rubbed his eyes as he slumped against the wall of the cold, clinical, hospital corridor. He'd been waiting for two hours now, ever since he'd strode in the A&E department with a still unconscious Dana Scully in his arms. He'd briefed the doctors about her tumour, and was then relegated to the corridor, while they went about assessing her immediate condition. He was trying to convince himself that this was just exhaustion, that it wasn't related to her cancer, but it was increasingly difficult for him to do so. He hated the fact that a large part of him wanted to forget that Scully was somewhere in this hospital undergoing tests, and race back to the laboratory to see if he could get inside again to see his sister. Samantha. That was what his life was about wasn't it? So what was he doing sitting around here, while she languished in a cell, under the control of heinous men and women. Scully. His life was about her also, wasn't it? He was aware that somewhere along the line she had become as an important part of his existence as Samantha was. Yet it was so hard to have to chose between them. Perhaps once he had news of Scully's condition, his attention would be back on Samantha, yet he felt so torn. Around his head floated questions. Skinner, Marita, Krycek; were they all in on the 'project'? And, why had the security guard recognised Scully? It was the waiting that was destroying him. If he could act on something he wouldn't have to think. He saw a tired and harassed doctor approach him and he stood a little straighter. "Mr Mulder?" "Yes." "My name is Doctor Warren. I'm an oncologist. I've been examining Miss Scully. Are you family?" "No, I'm her partner." He saw the man nod, and realised that the Doctor thought he meant 'partner', as in 'life-partner' rather than 'work- partner', but he felt no need to correct him. "We're running a few tests and we've requested her medical records to be sent down from Washington." "How is she? Do you know why she collapsed?" "She's still unconscious, and I really don't want to try and guess at why she's had this collapse until I get the results of the tests back. Are you her next of kin?" The words frightened the hell out of Mulder. "No, her Mother is." The Doctor looked at him sympathetically. "Then I suggest you contact her. Or we can if you wish?" "No, I'll call her." "Okay, I'll inform you if I have any more news." "Thank you." Mulder watched the Doctor walk away, before he turned and wandered over to the payphone. Margaret Scully answered on the third ring. Mulder felt like puking. "Hello Mrs Scully. Its Fox Mulder, sorry to disturb you." "No, that's okay, I was up, I couldn't sleep." Her tone changed and Mulder could almost hear her mind stepping up a gear. "Oh my God. What's wrong Fox. Where's Dana?" "She's in the hospital I'm afraid. We're on the Vineyard ...Martha's Vineyard, on a case...and she just kind of... well, she's had a few nosebleeds, and a headache, and she's unconscious now." He tried to stop himself babbling, but couldn't. "It might just be a set-back I don't know, but they asked me to call you...the Doctor asked me to call you." "Is it the cancer, the tumour?" "I think so." He heard Maggie give an anguished sigh. "I'm coming up there Fox." "Okay. Do you want me to make any travel arrangements for you?" "No, my son Charlie is here. He'll probably fly up with me." "Okay. I'll see you when you get here then." "Fox. Just look after her...take care of her till I get there will you?" "Of course. Goodbye." He heard Mrs Scully put down the receiver and he did the same. St Mary's Hospital East Tisbury Martha's Vineyard July 2nd, 1997 8.15 a.m. Mulder awoke with a start when he heard her call his name. He was instantly alert and leaned forward in the chair beside her bed to look into her eyes. "Hey sleepyhead." She looked pale and frightened. He ran a hand over her hair to soothe her. "Where am I?" "In hospital." Her lips twitched in an almost smile. "I guessed that." "Still in the Vineyard. St Mary's Hospital. I called your Mother, she's on her way. And I spoke to the Doctor who's treating you, he seems okay." "What happened?" "You passed out. They've run some tests. Doctor Warren said he'd tell me the results as soon as he had them." She made a move to sit up, but he stilled her with a firm hand on her arm. "Just lay still, you have an IV in." She twisted a little instead, to get herself more comfortable. "Am I allowed to drink?" "Sure what can I get you? Scotch on the rocks?" She chuckled weakly. "Glass of water." He looked at the pitcher of water that sat on the bedside table and realised it had been sitting there all night, probably gathering all sorts of germs. He decided he'd get some fresh water for her. He picked up the pitcher. "I'll be back in a second okay?" She nodded, and he leaned in to place a kiss on her lips. He broke it off quickly when he heard the door behind him open. He turned to see Maggie Scully in the doorway, with an unreadable expression on her face. "Mrs Scully, hi. She just woke up." Maggie brushed past him to go to her daughter. She leaned down and stroked her cheek. "How are you feeling honey?" "A little strange. Not sick. Just weird." Mulder moved to the doorway with the pitcher of water, only to find it blocked by a huge pair of shoulders, attached to a face and body that screamed 'Scully' at him. The man nodded at him in greeting and gave him a wary look. Mulder nodded back. "You must be Mulder?" "Yes. Charles?" He nodded again, and for a moment Mulder was fascinated by the man's small roman nose, his bright blue eyes, and deep red hair. He looked more like Scully's twin than just a brother. "Charlie." Mulder gulped at the sound of Scully's voice. So soft, so gentle, so delighted. Charles brushed past him and moved to his sister's side. "Yeah. Good to see you again D, just wish it was under better circumstances." "Me too Charlie." "What did the Doctor say?" "He hasn't been yet." He kissed his sister's forehead. "Well, I'd better go make a fuss so we find something out then. I'll be back in a while." Charles left and Mulder made a little coughing noise and went about his mission to get fresh water. Maggie Scully sat on the edge of Dana's bed. "So, what happened to 'we're just good friends' and 'its not like that with Mulder and I?" Scully smiled. "I guess you could say things have changed." "I see." "Mom. You sound like you don't approve." "No, I... If he makes you happy..." "I thought you liked Mulder." "I do, its just that...Oh, I stopped by your apartment to get you fresh clothes. Do you know how much laundry you have to do? I couldn't find any clean pyjamas, so I bought some on the way." "Thank you." "It was nice that Charlie was home, so that he could come with me." "Yeah. Mom..." "Dana, it doesn't matter what I think. We'll talk about it another time." Scully lay back and resigned herself to the fact that she wasn't going to get her Mother to open up any more than she already had. St Mary's Hospital East Tisbury Martha's Vineyard July 2nd, 1997 8.45 a.m. Mulder was refilling Scully's water jug when his cell phone rang in his pocket. A passing nurse gave him an accusing look as he answered it. "Mulder." "I have news. I need to meet you." Mulder bristled at the sound of Marita's voice. "That's not possible at the moment. My partner is sick." "I know. I also know that the two of you broke into the laboratory last night. You were caught on the security cameras." "Hope they got my best side." "Mulder. Do you know that your sister is being held by them?" He hesitated before answering, not wanting to give anything away. "I know that you were with them willingly." "I understand if you don't trust me. But I have information for you. Meet me in your room at the Bed and Breakfast in thirty minutes." "I am so sick of this. If you're jerking me around again..." "I've never jerked you around, at least not intentionally. If you want Samantha back, meet me." She hung up. Mulder stared at his cell phone and barely resisted the urge to throw it all the wall. He finished filling the jug and strode back to Scully's room. Her Mother was fussing over her when he burst through the door. They both turned to look at him. He slammed the water down. "I'm sorry. I have to go..somewhere...I'm sorry." Scully opened her mouth to demand an explanation from him, but he was gone before she had a chance to voice one word. ****** Continued in Part V Armistice (5/11) by Caroline O'Callaghan caroline.o@virgin.net Do NOT post to atxc - already there Rating: NC-17 Category:MSR/adventure/mythology Summary: Mulder discovers clues to the circumstances behind his sister's disappearance, whilst Scully battles fatal illness. Disclaimer: Oh, do I have to? Okay - nobody belongs to me - nuff said! Spoilers: Up to Small Potatoes (in this universe Gethesmane has not yet happened). Particular reference to Nesei and 731. IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a continuation of an earlier story 'The Lure of the Fox' in which Mulder and Scully became lovers. St Mary's Hospital East Tisbury Martha's Vineyard July 2nd, 1997 9.15 a.m. Scully lay down on the flat hospital pillows, trying to resist scratching at the itchy patch on her right arm where the I.V. had been inserted. Her mind worked feverishly against the thick, pain- killer, induced fog that surrounded it. 'What's happened Mulder, where have you gone? Gone to find Samanatha?' She almost wished she hadn't told him she remembered his sister, but that would be unfair. Yet, she knew how rashly he could act sometimes when he thought he was close to finding her. She prayed he hadn't returned to the laboratory. That would be downright foolish after their narrow escape last night. Memories of her time trapped there were still assaulting her now. She remembered being strapped down to an operating table, a needle injected into her, and her ankles being raised into stirrups, ready for a Japanese-looking doctor to perform some kind of gynaecological procedure on her. She twisted a little in the bed and her Mother was instantly at her side. "Okay sweetie?" "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Her brother came back to the room with a Doctor in tow. "Dana, this is Doctor Warren. He's been up all night running some tests on you." She and the Doctor exchanged an appraising look and she nodded her hello at him. "Nice to see you awake Doctor Scully." "Dana's fine. Or just Scully. I don't use my title very often." "Really. What's your speciality?" She really didn't feel in the mood for small talk. "I cut up dead people." "Uh, huh." Her Mother spoke to admonish her. "Dana." Doctor Warren smiled at her Mother. "Its okay. Doctor's make the worst patients." "She's not usually this bad. I think she's in a grouchy mood." "Maybe its because people keep talking about me like I'm not here." Her Mother glared at her, and she tried to look a little apologetic. "So Doc, going to hit me with the bad news?" He looked at her carefully, ran a hand through his floppy blond hair and sat on the corner of her bed. "I haven't received your medical records from Washington yet, but our MRI shows your tumour pushing into your brain. You must have been having symptoms for a while?" She heard her Mother gulp back what might have been an hysterical sob. Her own voice shook a little as she spoke. "Increased nasal bleeding, headaches, nausea, dizziness." The Doctor nodded and she suddenly regretted being so tough on him, he looked truly sorry for her and so...young. She felt so old. Charlie came up beside the bed and took her hand while bending down to kiss her forehead. The Doctor was speaking again. "I'm afraid the blood-work doesn't look good. The cancerous cells seem to be multiplying at an accelerated rate." Dana blinked, willing herself not to evaporate into self-pity and give in to tears. 'Mulder. I need you Mulder, where are you?' Charlie's voice was surprisingly calm, and Dana remembered that he was no stranger to death. He had seen many die, her little brother. "Is there anything you can do, radiation or chemo?" Doctor Warren shook his head. "I'm afraid its too late. We'd be putting Dana through a lot of pain and sickness for nothing." Scully found her voice again. "So...how long...?" Her Mother let out a frightened squeal and jumped from her chair and ran out into the corridor. "We can't be sure until we have your records. Till we can see just how much the growth has accelerated by. We should know later this morning." Dana nodded, thanked him, and he left the room. Charlie took his place on the edge of the bed. "So D." "Yeah. So." He gave her a weak smile and sighed. "So tell me what's going on with this Mulder character." Scully found herself smiling back at him, and she couldn't think why. She had no reason to be happy, other than someone she loved wanted to listen to her talk about Mulder. "Later Charlie. You'd better go and check on Mom first." "No she needs some time to compose herself. We'll just wait till she comes back. In the meantime tell me about Mulder the magnificent." "What makes you think he's magnificent?" "Well I think he must be quite a guy if he manages to make old poker-face smile at the mere mention of his name." "Don't call me that." "What, poker-face? I always call you that." "No, I meant don't call me old." Charlie chuckled and leaned on an elbow. "So, come on, I'm listening." Scanlon Bed and Breakfast West Tisbury Martha's Vineyard July 2nd, 1997 9.25 a.m. True to her word, Marita Covarrubias was in his room, perched on the end of the bed that he and Scully had made love in the night before. He didn't bother asking her how she'd known where he was staying, or how she'd gotten inside the room. He really didn't want to know. There were more important things to discuss. He shut the door behind him and leaned against it. "This had better be good." She gave him a cool glance. "I sometimes wonder about your priorities. You told me nothing matters to you except the truth and your sister, and yet you're so reluctant to be dragged away from Agent Scully's bedside." She lifted up the night-gown that Scully had discarded on the bed. "Although I'm beginning to see why." He walked forward and snatched the silk from her grasp. "She has cancer." "Yes, but you're sister doesn't. You'd do better to concentrate on her." "Don't tell me what to do? I'm not the one who changes sides every five minutes." "I've never changed sides. I know who my enemy is." "Well I wish I could be sure who mine is." Mulder moved back across the room and locked the door from the inside, then he dragged a chair in front of it and sat down facing Marita, who watched him carefully. "We're not leaving Marita. Not until I know everything." She licked her lips. "I'll tell you about Samantha. What I learned last night. I can't tell you everything about the project and my part in it. Not yet, not until I know you can be trusted." Mulder nodded. "Okay." "Your Father was the appointed administrator of a project begun almost thirty years ago. A cloning project. The technology was still in its infancy, so it was top secret, even the President had no knowledge of it. They took children from their homes and extracted the necessary genetic material. It didn't harm the children. Almost all we're reunited with their parents." "Samantha was one of those?" "No. Not at first anyway, but things began to go wrong with the experiments. They didn't achieve the results they wanted, and as you've already discovered, a child died at the lab in Virginia." "Lisa Mendhlesson." "Yes. Back then, some of the men actually had a little human compassion, and when things started to not work out, they threatened to withdraw the funding. Your Father panicked, his reputation was on the line. To try and convince his superiors that it was a safe project, he decided to put one of his own children through the test. Originally, he intended to use you, but for some reason I'm not sure of, he used Samantha instead." Mulder stared at her dumbfounded, unable to believe that he was finally hearing the truth he had been seeking for so long. "And?" "And nothing. She underwent the tests and was returned to your home. Your Father told your Mother that he was taking the child away for a few days and he returned with your sister safe and well." "I don't understand....Samantha disappeared..." "I haven't finished." "Okay. Please, go on. I have to know." "It was then that your Father discovered that there were sinister reasons for the experiments; that he wasn't working for the good of mankind. As he became trusted by the men you label the 'consortium', he gained access to their secrets. He didn't like what he heard and saw. He threatened to expose them and they did something that ensured his silence." "They took Samantha." Marita nodded. Mulder let out a self-depreciating laugh. "All this time, I believed she was taken by some extraterrestrial force." "Its understandable. You thought you saw bright lights and her floating in the air. What you probably saw was headlights and torches, and someone lifting her up and out of the room. You were probably paralysed by fear, and blamed an uncontrollable force because you didn't want to believe that you had let somebody just walk away with her. Your false memories are most likely guilt based." "So, they've held her captive all these years. To keep my Father quiet?" "They decided he couldn't be trusted. He was demoted until he was little more than a paper pusher and Samantha's life was threatened every time they thought he might step out of line. Strangely enough, it was Samantha's genes that provided the breakthrough. She was their first success. A series of clones was made using her DNA." Mulder recalled the silent little girls that Jeremiah Smith had shown him in Canada. "I've seen them." "They weren't a complete success. No emotions, both deaf and dumb, and once they reached the same age of the children from whom the DNA was extracted, they stopped growing. They were useless to the consortium, who found no use for them except as workers. In the hive they are merely drones." "Bees? There were bees there." "I can't tell you about the hive, not yet. Please don't ask. I don't know all the details, and I could compromise myself. But I will tell you that for a long time Samantha lived a safe and happy life. She was kept from your family, but placed with members of the consortium who reared her well. She attended school and college, and gained a job as a librarian at the University of Maryland." Mulder gulped for air. Maryland! So close. She'd been so close. All this time, a couple of hours drive away. Maryland? Wasn't that where Scully had gone to school? He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "But they have her again. I saw her. Last night she was in the laboratory." Marita nodded. "She was taken again for a later phase of the cloning project." "The same phase that Agent Scully and the Mufon members were taken for?" "I believe so." "And now she's there again. Why? More experiments?" "No. This time she's there in case they need to deal with you. You're getting very close to the truth Mulder, and she's a powerful bargaining tool." Marita stood up to leave. Mulder withdrew his gun and pointed it at her head. She stilled. "I've told you all I can for now." He clicked the safety off. "And what if I stick this gun in your mouth and demand to know everything?" "Blow my brains out if you wish. But then you'll never know anything." "You'd be prepared to die?" "Yes. I wouldn't be involved if I wasn't." He lowered the gun, knowing he was defeated and got out of the chair and pushed it away. He unlocked the door. Marita brushed past him, reached for the doorknob, then paused. "You'll have to make the kind of decisions I made Mulder, and soon. I had to sacrifice everything." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I have one last question. You said Samantha doesn't have the cancer that Scully has, why not?" "She was a control subject, not strictly part of the tests, she was used as a comparison." "Is there a cure for the cancer?" "That's two questions Fox." He gripped the shoulder he held and she winced. "Answer me." She moved her arm quickly, throwing his hand away from her. "I'm sorry, I don't know the answer. But I will say that if she dies, she won't be the only one who has laid her life down for the cause. She will be remembered, and will be said to have died an honorary death. The work you've done will be appreciated. There's a chance for you to do even more. If you want that, contact me." She pulled a card from her suit pocket and pressed it into his hand. She reached up and placed a kiss on his cheek before he had time to pull away. She left, and the door closed with an ominous click. Parking lot St Mary's Hospital East Tisbury Martha's Vineyard July 2nd, 1997 11.35 p.m. As he left his car and headed for the hospital entrance, Mulder heard Skinner call his name and almost turned round, gun drawn, to shoot the bastard. Instead, he stopped wearily and looked at his AD. Who strode towards him like the ex-marine he was, full of determination. "Mulder, how is Agent Scully?" "I'm just about to find out. I suggest you stay away from her." He shot the man a glare and began walking again. Skinner stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Something wrong Mulder?" "I don't like the company you're keeping lately." Skinner sighed. "You saw me last night when you were in the laboratory." "Its funny, everybody seems to know where we were last night. I don't know why Scully and I bothered to sneak in. Why didn't we just knock on the door? Cancer Man might have invited us in for coffee." "Mulder I had to be there. I'm under orders. They have me by the balls. I want to see Scully well again, and for that I have to go along with whatever they want." "What do you know?" Skinner shook his head. "Not a lot. Nothing that would help you. I'm just a lackey." "In all honesty Sir, I'm beginning to think you sold yourself out for nothing. There is no cure." "But what if there is?" Mulder shrugged and began walking again, leaving Skinner behind. He had expected him to follow, to check on Scully, but the A.D. stood in the parking lot and watched him go. He reached Scully's room and was surprised to find her on her own. "Scully." Her face turned towards him, and as he regarded her a chill went through him. Her face was expressionless, fixed in porcelain beauty, but her eyes were dark, full of sadness and anger. He approached the bed carefully and sat on the edge. "You decided to come back then?" "There was something I had to do." "Well I guess your day wouldn't be complete unless you managed to ditch me at least once." He took her hand and squeezed it, but she didn't respond. "I could hardly take you with me when you're not well." "I'm dying Mulder." He looked at her carefully. "There's a lot of life in you yet Scully." "There's about two weeks actually." He looked at her in horror and prayed he had misheard her. "What?" "That's what the Doctor says. Better start planning my eulogy." Tears swam in her eyes. "No." "Yes. Why weren't you here when he told me Mulder? I needed you here." He pulled her to him and cradled her against his chest as he heard her begin to sob. "I'm sorry Scully. If I'd have known, I'd have been here." "But you weren't." "I know, I'm sorry. But I won't leave again. I'll be near from now on." The pain he felt as he held her was far worse than any physical pain he had ever known. His body began to shake and his chest contracted. "I was looking for the truth Scully. Remember when I told you it would save you. I still think it can, and I'm so close." She squirmed against him and pushed at his chest, wanting him to release her. He felt her anger rising. "Let me go Mulder." "No, never again." She began hitting him in any place she could reach. "Fuck the truth. It doesn't matter to me. Its useless. Fuck it." "Scully stop it." She flailed around faster, fists connecting as hard as possible with him. "Scully, stop it. You don't know what you're doing." "Don't tell me what to do Mulder. I gave my life to you. Everything. I gave you everything I had. So selfless for so long because I thought it would be worth it in the end." She sobbed and continued her tirade. "You used me. You used me to help you. I'm only important when you have nothing else to do. All the humiliation I've been through. People laughing at me, people laughing at you and me having to defend you. And Melissa....Oh God Melissa... and you, you couldn't even come to her fucking funeral." He winced, but let her continue. "And what was it all for? Tell me. All for nothing. So I could lay in a hospital bed dying, while you go running off in search of something that isn't there. Something that you can never find." He took her face between his hands and held it fast, so she had no choice but to look him. He despaired at what he saw. Her face streaked with tear stains. Her eyes full of pain, her mouth shaking with sobs. "Scully..." "You can't save me now Mulder. Its too late." "Don't believe for a second that I don't realise how much you've given me Scully." Her sobs began to subside a little and as she looked into his eyes and saw the truth in what he said she let out a small wail. "I'm sorry." "No, don't be sorry. You're angry...I understand." He couldn't find any more words to console her with. There were so many words in his head. So many apologies, and reassurances, words of love and of pain, but he couldn't speak them, so instead he kissed her. They kissed for a long time. Not in passion, but chastely. Small pecks of comfort. He kissed her tears until they stopped and her nose and her forehead, exactly on top of where he thought her tumour might lay. Eventually she calmed in his arms and he drew her out of the bed and slid her onto his lap, where he cradled her like a baby. "So where did you go?" "Later." "No. I want to know now." He sighed. "To see Marita. The woman from the UN. Although I'm pretty sure that's just her day job." Scully stiffened a little in his arms but he ignored it and carried on. "She told me some things I needed to know. About Samantha, about my Father's role in the consortium's project. I'll discuss it properly with you later, I can't talk about it now. Maybe when I've processed it myself. But you were right Scully. I should have listened to you more. There were no little green men involved in my sister's disappearance." "That doesn't mean you should discount any of the evidence of extraterrestrial life that you think you've seen." He smiled warmly down at her. "Thank you." Her brow furrowed in confusion. "For what?" "For trying to give me back my beliefs. For encouraging me to trust in something you don't subscribe to yourself." "I would believe Mulder. I just need...." He cut her off. "I know. You need proof." "And you have to keep trying to get it for me Mulder. Even after I'm gone." "There's still some hope that you're not going anywhere. There are people other than me searching for a way to save you. Time may be short, but nothing is impossible. I haven't yet given up on Marita. She knows more than she tells me. I just have to find a way of getting her to talk." "Marita..." Her voice trailed off. Mulder looked down at her questioningly. "What about her?" "How long have you been sleeping with her Mulder?" His throat went dry as she looked at him with a face that begged him to be honest with her. "How did you know?" She looked down at her hands. "I didn't, you just told me." "Its was just a couple of times. I was lonely..." "Don't give me any crap." "I'm not. I...it meant nothing. It was just sex. Some gratification." "You haven't since you and I though...Mulder, you haven't have you?" "No. I wouldn't betray you Scully. I swear." "I believe you." She shifted from his lap and lay back down on the bed. She spoke softly, in a detached voice. "Can you leave me alone for a little while please?" He nodded, recognising that she had decided she wanted to be by herself, and that he had little hope of changing her mind. "I'll be back soon." She watched him go, a thousand different emotions running through her as she fingered the material of the pillowcase. She felt betrayed. She felt angry. She felt nauseous. She shouldn't care. It shouldn't matter that he had 'relieved' himself in the arms of another woman, and she was sure that had been it all it was; just light refreshment, an act of desperation. He hadn't loved her. 'Does he love me?' she thought. Even if he did, Mulder would probably never say those words to her. They wouldn't slip easily from his tongue like the wisecracks and cynicism did. He wasn't that type of man. Marita. The name ran through her head. 'Marita'. 'Marita'. 'Marita'. Tall, blonde, glamorous. She had run a profile on her when Mulder had asked her to get an address. She remembered the uneasy feelings she'd experienced when the woman's computer generated imaged filled the screen. 'Jesus Dana. You're dying. The last thing you should be worried about is whether or not Mulder enjoyed screwing Marita Covarrubias'. She couldn't help it though. She suddenly saw an image of Ed Jerse in her mind. Of her asking him to join her in the bedroom. She shook her head to clear it. The door opened and Scully turned, hoping it wasn't Mulder. She wasn't prepared to speak to him yet. Her eyes widened when she saw who her visitor was. "Hello Sir." "Hello Agent Scully." Cafeteria of St Joseph's Hospital East Tisbury Martha's Vineyard July 2nd, 1997 12.35 p.m. Mulder asked around at the nurses station and had been told that Dana Scully's relatives had gone for something to eat. When he approached their table, Maggie and Charles both looked up at him and then back at their untouched plates of food. Mulder sat down in the empty chair, aware that all three of them probably wore the same expressions of grief and despair. "Mrs Scully. I'm so sorry." Maggie Scully glanced at him and he saw a flicker of anger pass over her face. He'd never seen her look so fierce, normally she was so placid. "Did you talk to the Doctor?" "No I went to talk to Scu....Dana. What has the Doctor said?" Charles spoke; his voice commanding, straightforward. "He's seen her twice. The second time he told her she probably has about two weeks left. There's been a rapid growth in the tumour. She's going to start deteriorating fast now. She may lose some mobility, possibly her sight, before the end." Mulder swallowed hard. "Mrs Scully. I hope you know that I'd have done anything I possibly could to have prevented this." Maggie's expression softened and she covered his hand with her own. "I'm sorry. Ever since you called last night. I had a feeling it was going to be awful news, and I wanted someone to..." Her voice trailed off so Mulder finished the sentence for her. "Someone to blame?" "Yes. I suppose so, and you were the easiest person. I kept thinking that if she hadn't gotten so attached to you all this wouldn't have happened to her." "You're right. Its my fault." "No Fox. I realised that you would never intentionally hurt her or put her in danger, and you certainly didn't give her cancer. You care for her deeply, I know that." He nodded. "Yes I do." She smiled softly and he suddenly had an idea of what Scully would be like in twenty-or-so-years time, if she lived that long. "Listen, why don't you finish my food. I can't eat and I'm sure you haven't had anything for ages." "I don't think I could Mrs Scully." "Force it down Fox. You need to stay strong. Charlie will get you some coffee and then we'll go back upstairs and see Dana again." He nodded. "Okay." St Joseph's Hospital East Tisbury Martha's Vineyard July 2nd, 1997 12.52 p.m. After wolfing down the food Mulder, Maggie and Charles rode up in the elevator together on their way back to Scully's room. Mulder stood next to Charles and decided that he was starting to like the guy. He was a lot like Scully. Calm, resolute, strong minded, non-judgemental. He spoke only when necessary and was comfortable in silence. The elevator stopped on the fourth floor and they all got out. Doctor Warren was standing at the nurse's station, saw them and approached; a grave look on his face. Maggie Scully saw the expression and spoke with an edge of fear in her voice. "Doctor. Is there something wrong?" "Yes. I'm afraid that when I went to add a few things to Dana's chart...well...she was gone." Mulder saw Maggie turn white and Charlie put a hand on his Mother's arm, obviously worried that she might faint. "But you said she had two weeks. It can't have happened that quickly." The Doctor shook his head. "No. I'm sorry Mrs Scully. I didn't mean she'd died. I mean that she's disappeared." End of part 5 Continued in part 6 *****