The X-Files and its characters belong to Chris Carter and Fox TV. No copyright infringement is intended.
Push Comes To Shove
John Doggett hated breaks in his routine. He was aware days in law enforcement would rarely be the same. However, within those days he liked things to go a certain way. These days that certain way included Monica Reyes working with him.
They had a rhythm, the easiest partnership he'd ever had and one that didn't require a lot of words on his part. Monica understood his terse declarations and understood his need for silence and solitude. It was part of her brilliant nature.
Of course that brilliance fueled his current funk. Monica had been loaned out to the Denver field office because of her expertise in religions and cults. It was apparently unrelated to the X-Files meaning John's services weren't required.
Monica hadn't even required him to take her to the airport. She'd blithely informed him that she'd take the Metro since she had packing down to an art and also liked to keep her carbon footprint as small as possible. Her usual warm smile heated up a few degrees more when she promised to keep in touch and warned him not to meet any aliens until she was back at his side.
He'd merely harrumphed. It was expected and he didn't want to disappoint her.
A glance at the clock told him she should be close to landing in Denver. So the ding from his computer earned the monitor a frown. It wouldn't be Monica therefore, it was a hassle. He noticed a somewhat familiar name as the sender. Ray Wilson had been one of his classmates at Quantico. John recalled a barely competent man who was better at back slapping with management leaving his partners to slap cuffs on the bad guys. He groaned, this moron was in the Denver office. He clicked to open the message with a feeling of dread.
"Johnny boy, - I should have called for the lowdown on your partner. I figure a religious studies expert is going to be some mousy ex-nun type. Sounds like the kind to keep you in line. We'll try to show her a good time. Wilson"
Another groan echoed off the basement office walls. Wilson was a letch and when he saw how beautiful Monica was along with how smart, he'd be all over her. Or at least, he'd try.
John decided against his better judgment to reply.
"Agent Wilson, - Agent Reyes is one of the best agents I've ever worked with during my time at the FBI. She is intelligent, thorough and a first rate agent. I'm sure she will be an important member of the team and help you close this case quickly. Doggett"
He hit send as the phone rang, "Doggett."
Monica's cheery voice let him know she'd landed and would be heading out to the meeting point to get right to work. Her rental car wasn't ready and she hated standing around. He grinned at her eagerness and wished her well.
She made him promise again not to have any good cases until she was back. John countered with urging her to then come back quickly. They parted on her laugh and on his sigh over the pile of paperwork left to him alone.
John lost track of time immersed in paperwork. The streetlights glowing outside the basement window jolted him to the fact that day was done. He stretched out his back and leaned into and away from the desk working out the kinks. His chair creaked like his back.
He glanced at his partner's desk. The sad little plant Monica had rescued from another department's trash was making a comeback. Monica had endured John's pointed, "Jeez, Monica it's a goner." And then she proved him wrong. Typical.
Knowing her, she'd given it a good soaking before she left. Still, he'd check it before he closed up shop for the day. Wouldn't do for her to come back and find it dead. He reached over to turn off the computer monitor. A ping stalled him. It was an email from Ray Wilson slugged, "WOWZA!".
John had been in the X-Files long enough to recognize foreboding when it showed up. He clicked the message open anyway.
"Johnny, you lucky son of a bitch – Monica is a babelicious wonder with a great ass, indecent legs and it's hard to look at that face when you see those tits. You have been holding out on me. All our tongues are on the floor, I intend to have my tongue in some much better places on the hot Agent Reyes. Woof, woof."
Slamming a mouse down was counterproductive but all that John could do. He shut down the computer and grabbed his keys. He was nearly out the door before he came back and checked the plant. As he predicted, the soil was moist. He took a calming breath. "Monica would want me to say goodnight and though I feel really stupid doing it, good night."
He turned off the lights and mentally crossed the day off the calendar in his mind.
(TBC)