**a moment of inspiration after watching too many episodes in a row... no beta has been abused to read this... all mistakes are sadly mine...**
It has occured to me that sometime while I was gone and Scully was looking for me, aided by the rather bland and determined Agent Doggett, something odd happened. If were any other division of the FBI it would be odd, but given that this was the Xfiles and we were already something of a curiosity it was something like 'lightning in a bottle.'
It had nothing to do with aliens or shapeshifters, jin or psychics, it was purely a matter of the heart.
Somewhere along the line, the man assigned to find me and bring a halt to all of our work had fallen in love with Scully.
He never said as much, Doggett played things close to the vest, probably closer than I do. He didn't even try to touch her more than he should as a co-worker, or say things to her that would reveal his feelings. No, Agent Doggett was only an open book because I felt the same way.
We recognized in each other a basic human fact and something that had brought the world screaming into war many times through the centuries of human history. Competition for a woman.
Mulder paused for a moment, resting the tip of his pen on the paper, a simple ball-point pen from some office store and the economy notebook from the same. Lifting his head he looked out the window and watched the street for some sign of her car. For some sign that he, along with the Xfiles hadn't been forgotten.
A strange silver car turned into one of the metered spots below and stopped.
Setting his pen down, Mulder leaned closer to the window and watched the door open and the driver step out into the cold grey afternoon. He didn't have to see the man's face to know who it was. The simple and efficient way he walked, the way he held his head as he easily gained entrance to the building, it was even in the steady cilp of steps on the stairs that has Mulder on his feet and moving toward the door.
He opens it before Doggett can even knock.
There are no questions as they stare at each other. No simple niceties of greeting that one would expect of colleagues. There is nothing between them but expectant air and a sudden rise in testosterone.
"You need something?" Mulder knows his voice is cold even though he's smiling. He doesn't even step to the side to allow Doggett in.
Doggett looked back at the other agent, former agent, and nodded. "Yeah, i needed to tell you something."
Mulder nodded, just the slightest movement of his head, but it was enough to communicate two things. 1) I'm listening and 2) you can stand right there.
Knowing the hallway was empty Doggett spoke, tacitly agreeing with the rules. "I know you don't like me much, Mulder."
The rise of Mulder's brows and the widening of his eyes registered a little bit of amused shock at the opening salvo.
"I don't much care for you either."
Mulder nodded, a much larger movement this time. His gaze was straightforward. Waiting.
"But I figure that I should tell you something, just to make things clear between the two of us."
Folding his arms across his chest, Mulder was willing to give him a little more rope.
Doggett seemed to gain strength in that moment, something inside of him opened up and whatever it was that had been stewing inside him was just about to flood over the edge of the levee.
Leaning just a fraction of an inch closer, Doggett lowered his voice as it ground between his teeth. "I'm gonna be here... whether you like it or not, Agent Mulder. I'm gonna be here because it's not about you."
Mulder nodded again, his lips cracking into a smile that was more of a smirk. "And it's not about the Xfiles, is it, Agent Doggett?"
The stern expression of the cop-turned-agent lightened just the slightest bit. "No. Not in the least."
The two men watched each other for a moment, their eyes shrewdly measuring the man on the other side of the door.
Without another word, Agent Doggett turned and walked away.
Mulder leaned against the door frame and watched until the other man disappeared into the stairwell before he shut the door and returned to his journal.
I believe we understand each other now. I see where he's coming from and he knows where he stands with me. I admire his candor but I have to say I hate him even more.