Title: Reyesian Ramblings
Author: Marianne
Rating: PG
Summary: After meeting Mulder, Monica does a little...post game analysis.
Keywords: MRR Unrequited (not sure on that), Reyes, Mulder
Spoilers: Possibly for DeadAlive & Empedocles
Archive: Sure, just let me know where they're going!
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em though I'd treat 'em better if I did.
Feedback: Always welcome! and encouraged!
Author's Notes: I don't know about anybody else, but I'm *sure* there were
sparks when Mulder and Reyes first met so that's the route this is taking.
Oh, and this is so not beta'd.

***
Reyesian Ramblings
by M. Edison
***


This is not what I had in mind. I swear it wasn't.

When I called Fox Mulder for help the only thing I was thinking about was
the case and finding the bastard that killed John's son. That's all.

I'm serious - I had no thoughts toward Agent Mulder past those of the
professional variety. Well, that and I'm glad he isn't really dead. For both
his own sake and Agent Scully's. That's it. Relief for his survival and
admiration of the work he's done with the X-Files.

That's all I was thinking. I certainly had no personal thoughts about him
beyond that.

Until that is, he walked in the door and then all bets were off.

And yes, he is extremely good-looking - in a Daniel Jackson kinda way. Y'
know, the anthropologist guy in that Stargate movie? A real nerd but
absolutely adorable? That kind of way. But his looks, believe it or not, had
very little to do with it.

I'm big on my instincts, call it ESP, women's intuition or whatever you
want, and they play a major part in how I live my life. I listen to them and
when I do, I'm usually right. Those instincts don't let me down. And when
Fox Mulder walked in that door and looked up at me....those instincts went
nuts.

Now I'm not saying we're soulmates, or psychic twins or whatever cute names
there are to put on things like this but, we're...something. Connected.

When I think about it, *really* think about it, the closest description I
can come up with is kindred spirits.

We share similar views...a willingness to believe. We also seem to attract
skeptics as friends that keep us grounded, or at least try to. And I'd lay
serious money on the fact we both enjoy teasing our skeptic friend about the
paranormal. I haven't had much opportunity to bug John lately about it but
when I get the chance...I can get him good.

Where was I? Oh right.

Meeting Fox Mulder.

When he walked in the door and I felt that connection...that pull...I barely
managed to keep my mind on business. Barely. As it was, standing there with
Agent Mulder, I couldn't help it...I flirted with him!

I am a flake, I freely admit it. I enjoy being a little off-center. It keeps
people off balance and when they're off balance I have an easier time
reading them. Comes in handy in my line of work - people think you're a
flake, they start thinking maybe they'll have an easier time pulling
something over on you. It works well for me, and besides, where's the fun in
being normal? Normal's boring and I never want to be boring.

Make no mistakes though, I am a flake, yes. But I am also a professional who
prides herself on the work she does and being able to be intently focused on
her work. That's something I am damn proud of - when I'm focused on
something, no matter how flakey I may appear to be, I'm *focused*. I can be
talking about a dozen different things and still be considering that case in
the back of my head. It never leaves me. It's a hard life sometimes, but its
my life and I'm good at living it.

Which is what I was doing today, only in reverse. All the while I was
talking about the case, a small part of me was noting -in a very teenage
manner - that Fox Mulder is a whole lot cuter alive.

Silly I know, but I was also wondering how this relatively nice guy had
managed to piss off John Doggett more than any person he'd met since I've
known him.

Its hard to get John to talk about such things but when he does mention
Mulder now, there's a look in his eyes that wasn't there before. Not
disgust...not hatred. But anger and something else. I can't pin it down. Its
not pity...no way. Frustration maybe?

Which is totally understandable. I don't know the details but I know John
and I also know he's been working his ass off to keep the X-Files going. No
matter what his personal view on the subject matter is, when John Doggett
does a job its wholehearted. He doesn't do half-baked attempts. Its all or
nothing with him.

Anyway, I can't understand it - the animosity and suspicion between Mulder
and John. Or John's reactions to Mulder. I'm probably not cluing into a
major piece of the puzzle here but nevertheless, I'm still confused - Mulder
didn't seem to be that...well, suspicious to me when I talked to him. Yeah,
he was reluctant to get involved, and the man's even damn cute when he's
reluctant, but he did get involved.

And I'm *sure* he was flirting with me too!

Yeah I know that's completely not on topic but when do I ever stay on topic?
Some of my best discoveries have been made when I was just rambling. It's a
good technique.

Okay...deep breath here, warning I'm leaving Agent Reyes behind for a
minute. Now I'm just Monica.

Oh my god that man has a smile that should be declared a dangerous
weapon!!!!

I swear, that smile...It makes a girl do dangerous things! Say dangerous
things!!

If the devil smiled at me like that I'd probably sign away my firstborn and
not think twice.

Crazy I know. But this is the first time in a long time I've had to battle
with my thoughts to keep them *on* my theories and *off* a man. I managed
it, I'm not that flakey, but it was a bit of a battle at times.

I'm tempted to ask Agent Scully if she's had the same problem with him. If
this is a general thing or just an affect he's having on me. I mean, I've
heard the rumours around the Bureau about Spooky Mulder and this was *not*
what I was expecting.

I mean, to hear people talk, Fox Mulder spent his days in a dark corner of
the basement, hunched over his computer, visiting conspiracy theory websites
while he scribbled out his X-File reports. Reports that would give Asimov a
run for his sci-fi money. I never really bought into the stories but at the
same time I wasn't expecting a man with this much...charisma.

Sure he's probably a little paranoid. With the amount of support the X-Files
seems to get, no wonder. But he's definitely not the scraggly little nerd I
was expecting...far from it.

For a man who was dead a few weeks ago, Fox Mulder's looking pretty good.
And for that matter, he's acting pretty good. I guess with all he's faced in
his life he's learned to be either pretty resilient or a master of denial.
Probably a mixture of both.

And damn cute.

Oh man...I did *not* plan on things turning out this way.

I'm just going to quit obsessing about this - given how things turned out
this time, I think any more and I'm going to start having dreams of the
NC-17 variety. Although, I have a feeling I may be having dreams of the R
variety tonight.

Not that I'm complaining mind you. It'd be nice to have a good sex dream
instead of the usual "going to work and realizing you're naked" dream.

Oh come on, don't tell me you've never had that one or a variation thereof.
It's a classic!!!

Oh nevermind.

I'm just doing to stop talking now. I'm getting myself into dangerous
territory here. I mean, I just met the guy! Well alive anyway. I don't even
know if he's really interested in me. Best to hold my cards and see what
happens the next time we meet.

And believe me, there will be a next time.

I want to see that smile again.

finis