Consumed By Sin

Chapter One

The Doctor and the Agent

"The Meeting"

Summary: After "Journey's End", the Doctor feels lost about everything that's happened recently. The loss of his companions and the last words of Davros are eating him from the inside out. The titles that he has earned are starting to get the better of him, so he decides to take a trip back when things were more simple. While on holiday in San Francisco, he meets up with an unruly FBI Agent known as Fox Mulder of the X-Files and an Assistant Director who's tired of Mulder's senseless actions.


San Francisco, California

1997 Springtime

8:30 p.m.

The FBI Agent sat back in his rented Buick Century and watched the sun set beyond the horizon. He continued to nibble on his sunflower seeds, tossing out the shells, and sipped on his drink. The spring air was relaxing and the weather had been gorgeous the last few days. Fox Mulder decided to embark on another self-assigned mission. He thumbed though his files that he'd brought with him.

Part of him actually thought of calling the entire investigation off. That was the logical part that he told to shut up, thank you very much.

Of course, Scully thought that the entire notion of him giving a second thought to a Blue Box Alien was absurd, but for some reason or another he could not shake the sightings that he had read.

He read through the files as he chewed on his seeds. First sighting was in the early 1960s when a strange young girl went missing along with two schoolteachers in Britain. They reportedly were interested in her advanced knowledge of science well beyond her years. At this moment, he felt that any lead on disappearances may be able to lead him into the discovery of what happened to his sister.

Any lead in contacting Samantha were worth any trouble he would potentially get into with the FBI or Skinner.

As he continued to read the file on the Doctor, which was mostly comprised of data he could get his hands on - courtesy of the Lone Gunmen. Fox's cellular phone rang. He rolled his eyes as he noticed it was Skinner on the line and shook his head.

"To answer or not to answer...that is the question."

He took a quick drink of his sweet tea and took in a deep breath for strength. He hovered his thumb over the 'answer' button and accepted the phone call.

"Mulder."

"Agent Mulder. Where are you? And it better be within distance of the Bureau for the sake of your own ass."

"Well, I believe there may be one close to San Francisco."

"What are you doing in San Francisco?"

"On a lead from an old case. The paperwork is approved, Sir. I'll be back by the end of the week."

Skinner rubbed the bridge of his nose and clenched his jaw. "Fox, this trip was not approved by me. Our arrangement is that you are to let me know your whereabouts and, up until now, you've been ignoring my calls."

"Well…"

"Well, what? And the truth, Mulder."

"I knew you wouldn't allow this trip to be honest. I do have a good lead on alien sightings. I just need a few more days-"

"You will get on a plane and back to D.C. And I don't mean tomorrow or the next day. You will-"

"I'm sorry? What was that?"

"Fox!"

"We have a bad connection. I. Can't. Hear. You…." Mulder smirked to himself and hung up the phone. Putting the car in gear, he looked at his watch and decided to head back to the hotel. It was a long shot to even expect the Police box would show up but he had to try.

He took off his jacket and threw it in the backseat.

"Guess I'll call it a night."

He drove off in his rented vehicle and back to the hotel. The last time The Doctor showed up on this side of the pond was in this general vicinity, hopefully, he'll show soon.

####

London, UK

2008

11:47 p.m.

Never forget. I forever name you the destroyer of worlds. Ice, fire, and rage. The last of the Time Lords.

The words kept ringing in the tenth incarnation of the Doctor's head. All these titles he'd earned for himself and he couldn't disagree with any of them. He had destroyed his home, Gallifrey, and all that went along with it.

The only other Time Lord had since refused to regenerate, leaving him alone. The memories of the great Time War still dwell in his mind, as well as those memories of his past regenerations. Everything he had done up until now has led him to this moment.

A wonderful, fiery companion who was every bit as clever as he could hope for could no longer even remember who he was. He had to take away the memories from her or else she'd be another casualty. The raindrops trickled down his face as he leaned over the console of his faithful Tardis.

The two heartbeats deep inside his chest were aching. The hearts that have felt more hurt in the last century than he would have liked to. He would like to go back to his own home of Gallifrey but that wasn't even a choice.

He remembered the time before all this. Before the war. Before having to say goodbye to everything he loved.

He was in San Francisco and had been shot by a gang. The human doctor that tried to help him only wound up killing him due to the lack of knowledge to his physiology.

A time that everything was still right in the world for the most part.

He had lost so much: Rose, the death of the Master, Jack couldn't go along with him, Martha, and now Donna. He took in a deep breath and rubbed his face frantically. He didn't want to risk going at the precise time as his seventh incarnation of himself and he may accidentally meet, so he decided to go for a few years before the shooting happened.

"Right, old girl. Buena Vista Park. San Francisco. 1997. Let's take a bit of a holiday, alright?" He said to his Tardis and rubbed his hand gently over the console. "Just you and me."

He tapped the console and set the time.

"Let's go for 1997, then. Springtime. It has to be fantastic weather right now."

With that, he held on to the Tardis as it made its way through the vortex.

All that could be heard, if there was anyone around to hear it, was "Alllllllllons-y!"

####

San Francisco

1997

10:15 p.m.

"Hello, Mr. Brenner. I'm here to pay for the rest of the week. How much do I owe you?"

"Yes, yes. Mr. Mulder is it? That'll be $208.74. How are you enjoying San Francisco?"

"Fine, fine. Thanks. Buena Vista Park is rather nice."

"Hmm. It is if you like that sort of thing. Be careful of who you'll meet there."

"I'll be fine."

"Are you enjoying your room? Sorry we didn't have any lower floor rooms."

"The second floor will be perfectly fine. Sleep good, Sir."

"You, too."

Mulder climbed up the stairs to his hotel room. He threw the Doctor's files on the desk along with his change when he got inside.

"I must be crazy to think that a blue British police box is just going to just land in San Francisco. At least I can enjoy the spring here for a bit longer. I took a week for this trip," Fox mumbled to himself.

He heard his cell phone ring again, and of course it was A.D. Walter Skinner.

"I swear, I wish he'd back off."

Tossing it on the bed, he started to make his way to take a shower.

He heated up the leftover pizza from the fridge and a bottle of sweet tea, sitting at the desk, and read over his notes once again. It was very difficult to profile someone like the Doctor because he was very elusive.

You could never really tell where he was going to be and it seemed as though he had some kind of way to change his appearance. Either that or the title was just something that was shared between these different photographs.

It really did not make a lot of sense but he didn't give up on learning as much as he possibly could. He had to find out of the Doctor could provide any insight as to how his sister got abducted.

If he was changing his appearance, how could he change his face?

How was any of what he read possible?

He met up with a man while he was in England awhile back and purchased a lot of conspiracy type files from him concerning the Doctor. He wasn't, obviously, the only one who had noticed the Doctor's movements. He got the lead to this guy named Clive from the Lone Gunmen.

Luckily, the man had pictures that were associated with the Doctor. Files on where he'd been. He wasn't known to the general public, not that anyone was looking for him, but there was one consistent occurrence associated with the man, alien, known as The Doctor.

Whenever he was around, it was normally a sign that some kind of catastrophe was about to transpire. That was the conclusion the young man had reached and made the most logical sense. He did warn Mulder not to go looking him out because if he did, only God could help him.

Rubbing his eyes, he was growing tired fast. He had just arrived here yesterday and had not slept much.

"Tomorrow's a brand new day."

He sighed as he laid down on the bed, drifting off into a content slumber.

####

The next morning, Washington, D.C.

1997

8:03 a.m.

Scully sat outside the Assistant Director's office wondering why she had been summoned for a private meeting with Skinner at God forsaken hour. She was in the lower office working on some paperwork when she got his message.

"Scully, You can come in now," the Assistant Director said as he peeked outside his office.

She cracked a small smile as she entered his office, "Good morning, Sir."

"Good morning, Agent Scully. I asked you up here because I would like to know if you've heard anything from Agent Mulder. It seems as though he's made an unauthorized trip to San Francisco and I've been trying to contact him. I did speak with him briefly but, apparently, we lost connection last night. He stated in the report it was to track down a lead he'd gotten on an investigation. However, it doesn't state what that investigation would be pertaining to."

"I haven't heard anything from Agent Mulder since last week, Sir. I wasn't aware of this trip or investigation."

"Agent Scully. I have been fortunate enough to be able to trace his itinerary and I do know his location. He is staying in a hotel just on the city limits and has rented a Buick Century. Now, he has completely disregarded nearly all the phone calls I have tried to make to him. As he is your partner, I would inform you that if he does not make an effort to contact me back with details on his trip, that the consequences that he faces will be severe. Up to and including suspension without pay. Now, I ask again: What do you know of this trip? You realize the penalty for withholding pertinent information will lead to the same consequences he faces."

"Sir, I entirely understand. I do know of one thing. I know that he is investigating some British Police Box but I'm not entirely sure of the details. I told him that the entire thing sounded completely absurd. Apparently, it some sort of spaceship."

"Christ, Scully. Is Agent Mulder on another alien hunt?"

"I'm afraid that's what it looks like, Sir."

"And, obviously, he believes this has something to do with his sister."

"It would appear to be so, Sir."

Skinner took the wire frames off his face and rubbed his temples. How can Mulder continue to go on these wild goose chases of his, he wondered. Every time he does it, he only causes himself more pain than is necessary. He would think that since he knows their disciplinary arrangements, he would calm these excursions down.

"Thank you for the information and your cooperation, Agent Scully. If I do not hear back from him soon, I will be making a special trip to the west. You are dismissed."

#####

San Francisco

1997

3:00 p.m.

The whooshing sound of the Tardis signaled its materialization in the late 20th century San Francisco park. The Doctor stood up straight and walked over to grab his tan trench coat from where he threw it hours before.

He stepped out of the Police Box and turned to lock it up. He sauntered along the sidewalk of the park as he set out to enjoy a nice, long stroll around the city to breathe in the welcoming springtime air. He didn't notice a man in a Buick parked, eyes bugged out, watching him leave.

"Oh, my. You've got be kidding me," Mulder whispered as he watched the tall, spiky brown haired man walk from the Police Box.

"It can't be."

Mulder's thoughts were once again distracted as his cell phone rang. With a look of annoyance, he picked up the phone and clicked it on, then turned it back off, hanging up on Skinner.

"Yeah, Skinner. I know our arrangements, but any punishment you give me will be worth this."

He said as he got out of the vehicle, locked it up, and sat on following the lanky Doctor.

"That's it, Mulder. You've pushed me too far," Skinner said as he slammed down his phone. He pushed the button to his secretary.

"Yes. Get me a ticket to San Francisco ASAP. I want to be there as soon as I can. I have urgent business to attend to."

"Yes, Sir," she said as she quickly began to make the arrangements.

"Mulder, your ass is mine," Skinner muttered as he got up and started on his way home to pack his things.

#####

Mulder walked as stealthy as he possibly could while following the Doctor. Mulder took a few photos of the alien as he followed him throughout the shops.

The Doctor felt something odd but disregarded it, being that he was too lost in his thoughts to really care much of it.

All he wanted was to take a bit of a holiday at a time when Gallifrey was still in existence and things seemed simpler. Sure, there were always problems happening and he swore to himself that he would not meddle with anything in the time line.

He walked into a produce shop and looked over what they had for sale. Mulder walked in behind him and pretended to be interested in the goods as well, listening to the man carefully. The shop keeper smiled at the Doctor, "Anything I can help you with?"

"Just browsing a bit, thank you," he said with a kind smile. He looked at the pears and made a face at them.

"Those are the best in the state. Would you like some?"

"Oh, no. No, thank you. Don't really like pears. Always room for a banana, though," he said with a grin, picking one up. "How much?"

"That'll be a quarter, please."

Mulder watched as the tall man reached in his pocket, pulling out a coin. "Oh, dear. I'm sorry, I've only got British money. Never mind," he sighed and put the banana back. The lady looked at him leaving and picked up the fruit, rushing towards the Doctor.

"Don't worry, son. It's on the house. Enjoy," she said as she put it in his hand.

"Are you sure?"

"You could stand for a bit of food, dear. Have a good evening."

The Doctor nodded his thanks and left the store. Mulder stepped over to the lady and put a quarter in her hand before rushing out to the streets.

He watched as the lanky man ate his banana, staring into the sky at the sunset. He was an alien, something he'd been searching for years to find, but something else drew him to this creature. The way he carried himself as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

#####

They finally made their way back to the park. Mulder walked softly to his car and slipped back into the driver's seat of his vehicle. He watched as the Doctor entered his Blue Police Box and decided to stay there until he had a plan.

Up until this point, he merely wanted to find the Doctor. He was going to confront him the first moment he saw him but plans do change and so did Mulder's.

He noted the time was close to 10:00 at night now and let the seat lean back to make himself a bit more comfortable. He tried to keep his eyes wide open as he waited for the Doctor to reappear. Or at least he tried to keep himself awake. At some point during the night, he fell fast asleep.

He had just a moment to glance at the car's clock reading 6:30 in the next morning when he felt a hand balling the collar of his T-Shirt rather tightly.

"Agent Mulder, it seems as though you are in perfect working order. Care to explain to me why you haven't been answering my phone calls?" The A.D. said.

"Sir...Sir? How...When...What..."

"Good morning to you, too, Sunshine. The hotel owner told me you'd be at this park. I took the first plane out of D.C. yesterday and got here as quickly as I could. Now that I have answered your questions, would you care to explain to me just what in the hell is going on with you?"

"Sir, I can explain. My investigations are correct and I've found-I have found the Doctor."

"Who the hell is the Doctor? We have doctors in D.C."

"Sir, not a doctor. The Doctor. Look, I've been sitting around this park for the last few days. The police box was not, I repeat, not here in all that time. In fact, there are no British Police Boxes in San Francisco, why would there be? That one just popped up out of thin air and this tall, brown haired creature just walked right out of it. Tell me that doesn't seem odd to you, Sir?" Mulder explained as he pointed at the British Police Box across the park from them.

Skinner let go of Mulder's shirt and opened the car door, pulling the younger man out of the car and pushing him against the Buick roughly.

"The only thing that I find odd is that the last few months you and I have formed a relationship that is completely out of protocol. You agreed to be taken under my hand and to be disciplined when you go too far. Remember? When you let that criminal out and put that little girl in danger? Now, you have repeatedly ignored my phone calls, made unnecessary requests for financing this little trip of yours, and you hung up on me, Fox Mulder. You deliberately hung up on me. Now I ask you again: What in the hell is wrong with you to be in complete insubordination of my authority over you?"

The tall Gallifreyan was standing no more than ten feet away from the two men. He had been listening to the entire conversation quietly. Mulder locked eyes with the Doctor and Skinner's eyes were holding Mulder's gaze.

Slowly, Skinner looked over his shoulder.

The Doctor's stare was stone cold as he looked upon them.

He stood with his hands in his pockets, head held high, and utterly expressionless, "Hello, I'm the Doctor. Top of the morning to both of you and all that. By the way, would either of you care to explain why that one has been following me about and why he slept out here all bloody night?"

TBC