Title: Paranoid

Rating: R

Author: M & S Shipper

Summary: Set before requiem in the seventh season, Mulder and Scully become paranoid that the other is holding something back.

Disclaimer: All familiar characters belong to fox, 1013 an Chris carter. Any new ones are all mine.

- - - - - - - - - - -  -

Briefly peering over the top of my computer screen I saw the lanky frame of my partner enter the room. Mulder was late, again. It had been the fourth day in a row he hadn't shown before 11am. Something was going on that much was certain.

I tried to look disinterested in his arrival, mumbling a quick hi before returning to my full attention back to the computer screen.

- - - - - - -- - -

"Hey Scully." I said brightly.

The frosty disposition of my partner was clearly evident from the chilly reception I received. This was not a new progression either. It had begun a few days ago and at first I'd put it down to a bad day, but bad days don't last close to a week, the ice should have melted by now. Something was wrong, I was sure of it.

The case file under my arm slipped slightly reminding me of it's presence. The tension of the room forgotten, I launched into an overview of our latest assignment.

"It's time to pack for the grand old state of Nevada Scully." My excitement was transparent, alien abductions, group reports all confirming each other without contradiction, it was the case I'd been waiting for, I could feel it.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Great, more alien abductions, and this time the lie had been so well planned as to get all the supposed witness stories into alignment. He couldn't possibly believe this one.

The two tickets he produced from his pocket told me otherwise.

One look into my partners eyes would also have destroyed that notion, he was giddy as a school boy, speaking as fast as was possible and already off on a wild tangent about the close proximity of the area to some well documented cattle mutilations.

"Just hold on for a second Mulder. Who assigned us this case?"

"Skinner." He replied, not looking up from the case file he'd begun to spread out over the desk. My eyes travelled over the collage of photos he was making.

"Doesn't sound like something we'd usually get from Skinner." I said stepping into my far to regular role of sceptic. My eyes searched his for some kind of clue as to his sincerity.

- - - - - - - - -  - - - -

Her eyes bored into mine making me uneasy with guilt, only this time I had nothing to be guilty for. Believe it or not, Skinner has assigned this one to us, with the full support of the bureau behind us, both monetary and investigative.

"No really Scully. Skinner assigned this." Her eyes looked away, now appeased but I was still hurt that she thought I'd lied to her.

"I am going to go and speak to someone who might know something about this, I was hoping you could talk to docs about running some background checks on all of the witnesses and abductees."

I was insulted when her eyes rolled heavenward, before she mumbled out a 'sure, fine, whatever.'

Reaching for the door, it looked as though she was about to ask me something else. Her mouth closed again, before deciding against it, so I continued on.

- - - - - - - - -  - -

Damn, what was the matter with me! All I had to do was ask the man who he's going to see. It's certainly not a hard thing to do. Open mouth, say words. Even an idiot can do it.

It seemed though, that whenever things aren't right between us, even the most basic of questions become unpalatable. He was sure to misinterpret my question for suspicion, and there was already enough of that on my side without sending anything back.

I looked around the room for a moment, deciding what I should do. Where was he going, and more importantly who was he going to see? This had to have something to do with his absence over the past few days, and if I didn't find out what it was it would kill me.

The decision made I pulled on my coat and grabbed my bag. His legs were long but he couldn't be that far ahead of me.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --  - -

End Chapter one, Chapter two coming soon.

Any kind of review, welcome.

PLEASE REVIEW!!!!