A/N: For the record, this fic is only canon with the shows so if something contradicts the movies that is why. Also, last fic of 2014! Happy new years :)
April 30, 2032
Four figures huddled inside a church on a rainy Friday afternoon. The frigid temperature could be felt by all those (well, all those who were still alive) in the small wooden building. Had the sound of crying not been so loud, Monica Reyes might have been able to hear the pitter patter of children playing in the puddles.
It had been three years since she had seen her colleagues, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, but she was very happy to see them. After John Doggett's funeral, she had fallen out of touch with the two former X Files agents. Monica only wished they could meet under less dim circumstances for a change.
On Scully's left, Arthur Fogelman wept into Monica's shoulder. The body of Dr. John Rietz lay cold in the oak coffin in front of him.
"Why," he wailed, his voice muffled by Monica's furry brown sweater.
Monica breathed slowly out of her nose. "I know," she whispered, hugging the older man to her side, "I know." Dr. Rietz had been the closest Arthur Fogelman knew to a father, his caretaker and only friend, and Monica (who had had to bury a close friend years earlier) knew how hard that was.
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Mulder quizzically raise an eyebrow as Scully frowned at him.
All four people turned as the doors opened and the priest walked in, closing his umbrella and locking the doors behind him.
"Shall we begin?"
Hours after the funeral took place, the three ex FBI agents gathered in a small pub to wait out the rain.
Attempting to break the silence, Monica spoke, "So how have the two of you been?"
"Good," Scully nodded, "good. We moved to Nova Scotia last year and we've been building a life there ever since."
Monica smiled. "That's nice!"
"So I heard you're spending your retirement working as a … museum curator?" Mulder asked, frowning at the brunette.
Monica laughed, nodding. "Yes, at the Museum of Biblical and Satanic Culture and Ritualism, up in New York City."
Scully laughed loudly. "That's got to be interesting."
"Very much so," Monica agreed, "I get lots of strange phone calls."
Monica thought of the frantic phone call she received the previous day from Arthur, melancholy and desperate, asking for her, John Doggett, and Dana Scully to appear for a funeral.
"How have you been, really?" Scully asked, breaking her from her thought. "I know it's been hard, since…" Mulder nudged Scully firmly, cutting her off.
"Since John died," she finished. "I've been alright, I suppose," she said dully, "haven't really enjoyed driving to work every day though," she joked, remembering the gruesome car accident that took her ex partner's life.
Mulder and Scully laughed humorlessly, filling the awkward silence.
"Truth be told," she continued, "it's mostly been lonely. I mean the museum's been a lot of work, but it's not so fun to do alone."
"Well," Scully said, "if it means anything to you, you are always welcome to come and visit us up in Canada."
Monica smiled politely. "Thank you, Dana, that is very kind of you."
Just as the waitress came by with their burgers, Mulder tapped Scully on the shoulder and said, "Well little lady, I'm gonna go off to the squatter."
Scully nodded.
Monica laughed, "What was that about?"
"Staying in character, I presume," Scully said dryly, pulling out her ID card.
"Sarah Browning," Monica read.
"Yep. Married to Robert Browning for over twenty years."
Monica smiled again, "Ah, that's nice. What do you guys do?"
"Well," Scully said, faking an accent, "Robert's been working in astronomy and Sarah has a job as a pediatrician."
"That's very nice."
Scully rolled her eyes, "Very boring, more like."
"Boring can be good though, especially after a life as exciting as yours," Monica responded.
Scully smiled genuinely. "Yeah, it kinda can be. Although, I will say this, there is nothing boring about Fox Mulder, despite how Robert Browning may sound. That man, after thirty years of marriage, just refuses to clean up after himself, no matter how hard I try," she said, sounding exasperated, "and now that his hearing has started to go, he pretends he doesn't hear me when I tell him to pick his socks up."
Monica giggled.
"'Oh sorry darlin', didn't hear ya over the tee vee!" Scully mocked, faking Mulder's accent. "It's so annoying!"
"What's annoying?" Mulder asked innocently, kissing Scully on the top of her head before he sat down.
Scully rolled her eyes and took a large bite of her burger.
After two and a half hours of simply sitting, eating, and catching up, Mulder heard the rain stop and looked down at his watch. "Our flight leaves in an hour, we better hit the road."
Scully frowned, looking down at her own watch as though she didn't believe Mulder. "I guess. Well, Monica, it was lovely to catch up with you. Please, do come and visit!"
Monica smiled, "I definitely will."
Just as the three people stood up, Monica's phone began to ring.
"One moment," she said, gesturing for Mulder and Scully to wait. They both nodded, pausing.
"Am I speaking to a Monica Reyes?" the voice on the other end of the line asked.
"Yes," Monica said, "this is she."
"I'm calling from the hospital, on behalf of an Arthur Fogelman. It seems he's had a seizure and this number provided."
"Oh God," Monica said, remembering writing her phone number on her wrist in case he needed help, "we'll be right there."
Monica hung up the phone, grabbing her coat. "What is it?" Scully asked.
"Arthur's had a seizure."
Within fifteen minutes, the three ex agents were at the hospital. Monica, in front of Mulder and Scully, walked toward a hospital bed surrounded by familiar faces. The scene looked eerily similar to one she had seen nearly forty years ago, with the cast of The Brady Bunch surrounding Arthur's bed. Standing next to his head was Dr. Rietz.
The kids were smiling and waving and Mr. and Mrs. Brady held each other's hands. "Goodbye, Arthur," Dr. Rietz said, as the machine indicated he had flatlined and the figures faded away.
Doctors and nurses rushed over to Arthur Fogelman's bedside, removing the pillow from under his neck and attempting to restart his heart. Finally, the main doctor waved his hand and checked his watch. "Time of death, 9:07 PM. Cause, multiple organ failure."
"What happened?" Mulder asked, looking concerned as Scully gripped his hand.
Voice dull, Monica responded, "Connect A to B to C. A: Arthur Fogelman lost his closest friend and father tonight, one who he enjoyed watching The Brady Bunch with. B: Arthur had a power that, if he used again, would kill him. C: Arthur is now dead."