Author:Jen the Genie
Title: Dirty Laundry
Contact: purpledragon17@hotmail.com
Rating:PG for language
Spoilers: Requiem (sort of)
Category: Damned if I know - just read it
Disclaimer: X-files and the characters therein are the property of CC and 1013 prods.
Any other characters are purely coincidental and any conclusions you draw are your problem*g*

Notes: Before you all go 'oh no, not this old chestnut again', Yes I am aware that there are several stories doing the rounds that have covered similiar ground to what I am offering here. Dont let that put you off,
just give it a go (you know you want to!) You never know it might just suprise you and failing that you get the chance to toast me good and proper.
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Dirty Laundry

Sally Jones Show

Loud, jazzy intro music accompanied by over the top whooping and whistling.
"Hello, and welcome to another edition of the Sally Jones Show." a short, dark elegantly coiffured woman enthuses as she walks onto the stage. "What can you do when a man won't face up to his parental responsibilities?" she continues in a melodramatic tone.
"On today's show we're going to examine such a case. As the young lady involved has a rather sensitive career, we've agreed to protect the identities of all the parties involved. So c'mon everyone, lets show our support for Dee. C'mon out here Dee!"

A petite woman in a smart suit, an obvious wig and dark glasses comes hesitantly from stage left. The audience erupts into a volley of sympathetic calls and applause. The dark haired host pats the seat next to her on the sofa. "Hello Dee, take a seat."

Dee hovers for a moment nervously, then comes to perch on the plump, pastel sofa. "Hello Sally. Thank you."

Sally allows her guest a few seconds to compose herself. After a quick sweep of her eyes to silence the audience she turns back to Dee.
"Now Dee, I know this is difficult for you, but I'd like you to tell me in your own words what the situation is?"

Dee takes a deep breath and swallows hard. "Well I've worked with Marty for about seven years. At first we were just good friends but gradually our relationship began to change and we realised that we had deeper feelings for each other." Dee pauses nervously, clenching and unclenching a paper tissue in her hand. "We eventually became..we became involved.." her voice trails off.

"You became lovers, didn't you Dee? Sally rests her hand comfortingly on the young womans arm "It's ok y'know! I mean, you're both consenting adults and neither of you was involved with anyone else, right?"

Dee nods "Yes ma'am. that's correct. It's just that in our line of work this type of relationship is a no-go area. It's frowned upon. But we we're discreet!"

"You're doing fine Dee. So tell me? What happened next?"

"Well, the next thing I know, Marty is re-assigned. He gets a posting out of town, I mean way out of town. Anyway after he's gone I find out that I'm pregnant." Dee starts to dab at the edge of her eyes with the tissue.

"Did you try to contact Marty?" Sally passes her another tissue.

"Yes ma'am. But he was on the road a lot and I couldn't reach him. I wasn't too worried at first, I mean I was worried about Marty not knowing, but I didn't think it was a problem...I really love him you know *sniffle* and I thought he loved me. I thought that this baby was the best thing to ever happen..*sniffle*"
"And you had baby Christopher three months ago?" A photo of a happy smiling baby is projected onto a large screen behind the women on the stage. The audience ripples with coo's and arh's. Dee looks at the picture and smiles sadly.

"I did, yes! "

"And when Marty finally came home? Was he as delighted as you?" Sally passes Dee another tissue.

Dee shakes her head, the emotion she is feeling begins to rise to the surface. "I thought he'd be so happy, but he went ballistic, I mean I know it's a bit of a shock, but I really thought.." Dee breaks down briefly but fights her way back to some composure " Marty doesn't believe that the baby is his *sob* He's saying that I've cheated on him. He's denying that this wonderful child, this gift from heaven, our son...*Sob*" Dee loses her grip and begins to weep. More sympathetic ooh's and arh's from the audience.

"As you can see, Dee is very distressed about all this, So we're going to take a short break now and when we come back we'll see what Marty has to say."

A short commercial break ensues.

"Welcome back! Before the break, we met Dee, who's long-term partner Marty, is denying paternity of her three month old son Christopher." Sally pats Dee sympathetically on the knee. "I think it's about time that we got Marty on stage to hear his side of the story. So c'mon out here Marty!"

The audience erupts into a cacophony of boo's and cat-calls of 'Shame on you boy!'
as a lanky man in a leather jacket and jeans strides purposefully onto the stage and flops into a waiting chair. He is unshaven and has a knicks baseball cap pulled down low to obscure his eyes. The crowd continues to berate him but he dismisses them with a wave of his hand. Dee glances nervously in his direction but he doesn't acknowledge her.

"So Marty!" Sally casts her eye's coolly over him. "What's going on here?"

Marty shrugs. "Ask her?" he say's flatly
.
"Dee has told us that before you were went away, you two had a really strong relationship."

"Yeah! Well! I thought that." Marty growls "I mean one minute everything's going great, then I get this posting."

"Did the two of you agree about you taking the posting?" Sally coaxes.

"I don't think that she was all that happy about it, but we didn't fight about it or anything." Marty softens a little. "I thought she understood that in our line of work these things happen sometimes."

"And While you were away, were you and Dee able to stay in touch?"

"Well it's kinda difficult when you're on the road" Marty chews nervously on his lower lip.

"So the first you knew about the baby is when you arrive home?"

"Yes Ma'am. I arrive home and she says 'Hey honey, I've got a suprise for you!' " he stiffens visibly. "Jeez! Some home coming, right! One minute we're a couple, a new couple, the next we're playing 'and baby makes three!' "

"And you have a problem with that?"

"Damn right I do!" Marty gets agitated "last time I recall she" he jerks his thumb in Dee's direction "She couldn't have kids...something to do with some medical treatment she had way back."

Sally looks to Dee for clarification. "Is that right Dee?"

"The doctors at the time told me that it would be very unlikely that I could have children." Dee nods her head sadly. "But I swear that I've never been unfaithful to you Marty..."

"So what makes you think that Dee has been unfaithful to you, Marty?" Sally coaxes.

"Well you'd think that she'd know that she was pregnant, right!" Marty growls "You'd think that she would have found some way of letting me know...unless of course she's got something to hide."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Dee is very agitated.

"Mmm, well, let me see!" Marty's voice is dripping with sarcasm "Could it be something to do with that work trip that you took with Chuck, y'know, 'mister flavour country'! Are you getting my drift here Dee?"

"I told you! That was just work, nothing more!" Dee is almost shouting.

"Yeah that's what you told me! So why'd you up and out of town and not let me know?"

"I didn't have time. I couldn't tell you!" Dee's fury is rising. "Just like you don't always have time to tell me when you get called out....Do I give you the third degree when that happens?"

A sullen silence from Marty followed by "Yeah! Fine! Whatever!"
Sally takes a deep breath and casts her eyes across the pair. "Well you two definitely have some trust issues going on here, don't you?"

Dee wipes the tears from her face and hangs her head. Marty just chew's on his lip.

"I think that the best thing to do is to get the third party out here and see if we can clarify this situation. Why don't you come on out here Chuck?"

A ripple of boo's from the audience as a tall gaunt man emmerges. He is significantly older than either Dee or Marty. He takes a seat and survey's the scene with an air of superiority.
"So Chuck, So where do you fit into all this? "

The man shifts uncomfortably and looks as if he badly needs a cigarette. "I've had occasion to work with both Dee and Marty." he states simply "They are both very fine people."

"And did you know that they were involved?" Sally leans forward.

"No! no I didn't, " Chuck feigns suprise "I think that they make a wonderful couple."

"You lying Son of a bitch!" Marty suddenly turns on him "You've tried every trick in the book to seperate us, I bet you've had designs on her yourself, C'mon be a man and admit it?" he jumps to his feet, his fury apparant.

"I can assure you that my intentions toward Dee have always been honourable." Chuck smiles smugly "I think you're just very insecure.

Marty lunges toward him , cursing loudly. Two large security personnel spring onto the stage and step between the men. Marty is forced back to his seat. Sally looks a little taken aback but remains calm. "So what about this trip Chuck? "

"Yes! We had to go out of town on business...but I can assure you that it was just business." He leans back in his chair and looks pointedly in Marty's direction. "I think, as you say Sally, that these two have trust issues. It's just unfortunate that there is a child involved."

"Don't think that for one minute you smug, coniving B*****d, that I don't know what's going on here!" Marty yells poisonously. "You've wanted me out of the picture for years! What's the matter old man, worried I might get the better of you?"

"On the contrary." Chuck smiles, a cold hard little smile, "I think you're more worried that you won't be able too."

Marty goes to lunge again but a hand from the security guy behind his chair pulls him back. He angrily shrugs the hand away and just glowers.
Dee who has been silent all this time, finally speaks. "I'm just horrified that after all we've been through together." She turns to Marty "That you think I'd betray you with him." she says sadly, "I didn't want it to come to this."

"I'm not the one who wanted air our dirty laundry in public!" Marty shrugs again and won't look at her.

Sally stands up and walks across the stage. "I'd like to introduce Dr Nick Riviera, one of our resident genetics experts." A polite ripple of applause. Before the start of this programme we took DNA samples from all the parties involved and after the break we'll back to see just who is the father of baby Christopher."

Loud appluase and yelling.

A small commercial break.

"Before the break we were trying to establish the paternity of baby Christopher, I now have those results. Before I read them out I want assurances from all of you that you'll keep the best interests of the child at heart when making any descisions!" Sally is now standing in the audience.

All three parties nod although Marty is a little reluctant. Sally opens the paper in her hand and scans it quickly. "According to the test results, and I'm assured that these have an accuracy rate of 99.9%, the father of baby Christopher is......

Dana Scully hit the off button on the tv remote as the phone began to ring.
Struggling to haul her self off the couch she made a grab for it .
"Dana Scully! Oh hi mom....no I'm fine, I was just resting....yes, I am getting enough sleep but...I know, I was just watching that....I mean can you believe?...no, No!...stop fussing Mom... look I'll call you later....Love you too, Bye."
With a chuckle she put down the phone, her hands moving to stroke her hugely swollen belly lovingly. "Your grandma watches too much daytime tv, she's got herself all worried again." she whispered with a smile "But I know who your daddy is and everything is going to be just fine!"

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Right if anyone wants me I'll be back in my lamp.