"REUNION"
By Andra Marie Mueller
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is very much an alternate universe story. While I have tried to follow canon wherever possible, the nature of the story dictated I take certain creative liberties with character and plot histories that have been established on "The X Files". Therefore, for my purposes, Mulder was suspended from the FBI, not fired, after the 8th season episode "Vienen"; he did not mysteriously disappear after the season finale; and the events depicted in Seasons 9, 10 and 11 did not happen.
DISCLAIMER: All things X Files are the legal property of Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions, 20th Century Fox, etc. I am merely letting them out to play. 😊
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." - 1 Corinthians 13:1-2
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA
November 19, 2002
Blackness. No matter where he looked, that's all he could see. The rain pounding down on his car was loud enough to drown out the sound of the radio, and his headlights were barely able to illuminate more than a few feet in front of his vehicle.
"I thought it was supposed to be the fires of hell, not the rainstorms," he muttered aloud.
Lifting his left hand from the steering wheel, he shifted his arm and glanced at his watch, the illuminated numbers indicating it was close to 9:00 p.m.
"Damnit!" he swore. "Sarah's going to tan my hide for missing dinner again."
A sudden brightness caught his attention and he glanced up as the white glare of oncoming headlights filled his limited field of vision.
"What the…?"
The thought was left incomplete as a sudden screech of brakes and a horrendous crash signaled the collision of the two cars. He barely had time to register what was happening before the force of the impact sandwiched his car with him inside of it. The windshield shattered and hearing the crackle of the breaking glass was the last sensation he had before he felt a flash of searing pain, and then nothingness.
FBI HEADQUARTERS, WASHINGTON D.C.
Assistant Director Walter Skinner was bored. He had spent the morning catching up on paperwork, then most of the afternoon sequestered in meetings, and was now feeling a bit of 'cabin fever'. More than ready to get some fresh air, he wandered out of his office and promptly collided with Monica Reyes.
"Agent Reyes, I'm sorry," he apologized quickly. "I didn't see you coming."
"That's all right, sir," Reyes responded. "I was reading my case notes and wasn't watching where I was going, either."
"You seem to be in a bit of a hurry," Skinner observed. "Is everything all right?"
"Everything's fine. It's just that I promised Agent Doggett I'd get back to him about this file before I left for vacation, and I'm supposed to be at the airport in about an hour to catch my flight."
Just then a feminine voiced laced with a slight Southern accent addressed them. "Excuse me," she said.
The agents turned expectantly, and Skinner did a double take at the woman standing a few feet away. She was dressed in a black knee length skirt with a matching blazer and an ice blue blouse and was undoubtedly the most exquisitely beautiful woman he had ever seen. Medium tall and very shapely, she appeared to be in her mid to late thirties, with fair skin and dark blonde hair, and sapphire blue eyes that accentuated the sheer perfection of her face.
She's almost too beautiful to be real, Skinner thought.
Oblivious to Skinner's reaction to her, the woman directed her attention to Reyes, tentative recognition evident in her expression. "I know you," she replied. "Agent Reyes, right?"
"Yes," Reyes confirmed. "You have an excellent memory."
The other woman smiled. "Given the circumstances under which we met, I have a rather vivid memory of you," she replied.
"I don't believe I've had the pleasure," Skinner interjected, and extended his hand. "I'm Assistant Director Walter Skinner."
"Lieutenant Jessica Doggett," she returned, and they exchanged a handshake.
"Are you related to John Doggett?" Skinner asked.
Jessica smiled faintly. "In a manner of speaking," she allowed. "Do you know where I can find him?"
"I think he's still in his office," Reyes told her. "Take the elevator to the ground floor and it's at the end of the hall."
"Thank you, Agent Reyes. Mister Skinner."
Bidding them farewell, Jessica turned and made her way back to the elevator. Once she was out of earshot, Skinner addressed Reyes. "What is her relation to Agent Doggett?"
"Jessica's his ex-wife," Reyes clarified. "I met her briefly after their son was killed."
"She referred to herself as a lieutenant. Is she in the military?"
"No, she's a police officer, but John mentioned once that she was living in California."
"Any guesses as to what she's doing here?"
"No, but if she's gone to the trouble to track John down after almost five years I can't imagine she's here with good news."
Unaware of his impending visitor, Doggett was in his office making a valiant attempt to work through the stack of files covering his desk. Although the agents working on the X Files were still considered personas non grata within the Bureau, with the expansion of the division from two to four people the powers that be had reluctantly enlarged their office on the ground floor of the Hoover Building. As he crossed over to the water cooler to fill his cup, Doggett heard the unmistakable click of high heels on the tiled floor echoing in the hallway. Assuming the new arrival to be Reyes, he offered a greeting without turning around.
"I was beginnin' to think you'd forgotten about me," he quipped.
"I don't think I'm capable of that."
Doggett froze, awareness making the hair on the back of his neck stand up a split second before he recognized the distinctive voice, slightly husky and laced with an accent that was a unique combination of upper crust East Coast and Southern drawl. Tossing his paper cup into the trash, he slowly turned around to face his visitor, feeling his heart skip a beat at the sight of his former wife. She looked much the same as she had the last time he'd seen her, that fateful day four years and seven months ago when they'd agreed they needed to spend some time apart. Jessica had moved to California, and eighteen months later the divorce petition had arrived by registered mail. He had phoned her then, not to contest her decision but merely to assure her that he bore her no ill will, and that he would always care for her. She had responded in kind, and that was the last contact Doggett had with her until hearing her voice a moment ago. Yet despite the passage of time his reaction to her remained unchanged, and he silently wondered if he was in for another emotional roller coaster ride.
Ah, Jess; what havoc will you wreak on my heart now?
Obviously amused by his stunned silence, Jessica spoke first. "I do believe this is the first time I've ever seen John Doggett at a loss for words," she chided.
Finally finding his voice, he managed to return her smile as he responded. "Sorry," he said. "It's just that you're about the last person on Earth I expected to walk through my door."
"Does that mean I don't get a hug?"
"Of course not."
They met one another halfway and exchanged a brief hug, then Jessica reluctantly pulled back as Doggett asked, "So what brings you back here from California?"
She frowned. "Obviously you haven't heard the news."
"News?"
"Scott's dead, John," Jessica told him, sorrow etched in her refined features. "He was killed in a car accident three days ago."
"Sweet Jesus…" Doggett exclaimed. "I'm sorry, Jess. I had no idea."
Scott was Scott Caldwell, Jessica's brother and a member of Doggett's unit in the Marines. The two men had met as roommates at Syracuse University, and it was their friendship that had brought John Doggett into Jessica's life.
"Alexandria P.D. is still investigating the case, but the preliminary reports indicate he was hit by a drunk driver on I-395 during the storm."
"What was he doin' drivin' in that kind of weather?" Doggett asked.
"Sarah said he had been working late at the office and was rushing home to try and join the family for dinner," Jessica answered. "The other driver apparently crossed over into his lane and hit him head on. Scott was killed when the car flipped over."
"Hell of a way to go," Doggett muttered. "How are Sarah and the kids takin' it?"
"About as well as can be expected. Thankfully my mother's connections have enabled us to keep the media out of our hair, but it's only a matter of time before the news breaks."
"The death of the only son of a U.S. Senator is definitely worth a headline or two," Doggett allowed.
"I know this is short notice, but the funeral is 3:00 P.M. Sunday afternoon at St. Matthew's Cathedral," Jessica told him. "It would mean a lot to all of us if you could be there."
"Of course."
"Good. I was fairly certain you would want to be there, so I took the liberty of arranging a car to pick you up."
"A car?" Doggett prompted.
"Limousine."
"Ah."
The two lapsed into an awkward silence then, and after a moment Jessica spoke again.
"Well, I'm sure you have work to finish so I'll let you get back to it," she said. "But I wanted to make sure you heard the news about Scott from me. In spite of what happened between us, he always considered you the brother he never had."
"The feeling was mutual," Doggett responded. "I'll miss him."
"We all will. I'll see you tomorrow, John."
"Thanks for deliverin' the news personally, Jess. I appreciate it."
Her only response was a warm smile, then she wordlessly left his office. No sooner had she walked out then it occurred to Doggett he had not given her his address. Crossing the office to the doorway, he stepped out into the hall and called out to Jessica just as she reached the elevator.
"Jess, wait a minute!"
The lieutenant turned expectantly as she pushed the call button.
"I didn't give you my address."
She smiled at that, and Doggett felt his heart skip another beat. She is still the most beautiful woman on the planet, he thought to himself.
"John J. Doggett, 1969 Bear Creek Lane, Falls Church, Virginia," she recited.
Doggett's surprise was obvious. "How'd you know that?"
"I have friends in high places," Jessica answered evasively, and stepped into the elevator.
Frowning at her computer screen, Scully was attempting to organize her notes for her current case when the phone rang just as William awoke from his nap and announced his hunger.
"I'll grab a bottle and feed Will," Mulder offered from the couch. "You can get the phone. It's probably for you anyway."
Scully gave him an 'I am not amused' look as he retreated into the bedroom. Reaching around her desktop terminal, she retrieved the portable phone. "Hello?"
"Dana, it's me."
She smiled in recognition of Doggett's familiar gravelly voice. "Good morning, John. What can I do for you?"
"I'm sorry to bother you at home, but I was callin' to let you know that I'm gonna have to miss Will's birthday party this afternoon."
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, but my former brother-in-law was killed in car accident a few days ago and I have to go to the memorial service," Doggett explained.
"Monica mentioned that your ex-wife showed up out of the blue at Headquarters yesterday," Scully replied. "She also said that your former mother-in-law is Senator Elizabeth Caldwell. I'm impressed."
"I'm sure," Doggett responded with friendly sarcasm.
"I'd be interested to hear how a conservative New York cop turned FBI agent from Georgia wound up married to the Virginian born and bred only daughter of one of the country's wealthiest and most Democratic families."
"My history with Jess will take more time than I've got to explain over the phone," Doggett stated, his tone making it clear that the subject was not to be broached again. "And I'd appreciate it if you could keep the information about her family to yourself. They want to keep the media away until after the service."
"Of course."
"I'll bring Will's gift to the office tomorrow," Doggett said. "Meantime give the little guy a hug from his Uncle John and don't let Mulder give him any model spaceships or toy aliens."
Scully smiled. "I'll do my best," she demurred. "Please express my condolences to your ex-wife and her family."
"Will do."
Scully replaced the phone in its cradle just as Mulder emerged from the bedroom with a happily feeding Will nestled in his arms. "Who was that?" he asked.
"That was John. He called to tell me he can't make it to the party this afternoon because he has to attend a friend's memorial service."
"For whom?"
"His former brother-in-law."
"That would explain why his ex-wife showed up at the office yesterday," Mulder remarked casually, earning him a surprised glance from his partner.
"How did you know about that?"
"I passed by her in the lobby when she was leaving the building," Mulder answered, "and after hearing Skinner's description of her I realized who she was."
"Monica says she's quite beautiful," Scully said.
Mulder made a tsking sound. "Agent Reyes has always had an inflated opinion of herself," he quipped.
Scully permitted herself a small smile. "I meant Jessica Doggett," she clarified.
"Ah. Well my taste runs to redheads with blue eyes and medical degrees, but I will confess that from what I saw, Lieutenant Doggett is indeed an exceptionally beautiful woman."
Scully's smile widened. "You realize that your disclaimer about preferring redheads is the only reason you're not toast," she told him.
"I love you too, Scully."