Timeline: somewhere between 6x14 Agua Mala and 6x16 Alpha

Category: not a post-episode per say, just filling in some blanks; UST, Angst, Friendship

Chapter One

"Ugh," Scully said staring down at her tofu stir fry. "This isn't very good."

"It doesn't look very good," Mulder said as he grimaced at the jumble of unidentifiable items on Scully's plate. "That's what you get for trying something new…and healthy."

She looked over at his plate. Mulder wasn't concerned about his waistline. He seemingly stayed trim without even trying. It wasn't fair. He was enjoying fries and a grilled pastrami sandwich with obvious relish.

"Maybe you're right," she said poking at the offending food with her fork.

"Course I am," he said popping a fry in his mouth. "The FBI's cafeteria isn't known for its healthy choices. You have to go with the classics or you're liable to end up with…that," he said gesturing with a smile at her plate.

Scully looked back down at her lunch. She wasn't sure that she could force herself to eat this, but she was famished. It was dry, tasteless, and marginally frightening in its mysterious contents. She would have been better off going with a bagel. Even if all they had was off brand low-fat cream cheese.

"Here," Mulder said passing her a golden fry.

Scully took the fry and bit it in half. It was salty and warm. It was infinitely better than what was passing for lunch on her plate.

"Thanks," she said before finishing it off.

"Woman cannot live by fries alone," he said passing her half of his pastrami.

"Oh, Mulder. You don't have to do that."

"I insist," he said indicating that she should take the sandwich that he had already placed on her plate.

"You'll be hungry," she said eyeing the sandwich.

"I ate a candy bar an hour ago."

"Mulder," she said disapprovingly.

"Hey, that candy bar got you a half sandwich," he said with wink.

"I just wish you wouldn't eat like that."

"Okay, Mom," he teased. He wiped his hands on his paper napkin and tapped his chest with his index finger. "The old ticker is doing just fine. Passed my last stress test with flying colors."

Scully tried to push away thoughts of treadmills as she bit into the sandwich. It was a little greasy, but a godsend compared to what she had misguidedly chosen for herself.

"Better?" he asked.

"Much," she said after swallowing. "Thanks."

"Sure. I like to swoop in and save G-women from bad…tofu stir fry? What were you thinking?"

Scully laughed in spite of herself, covering her mouth with her hand. "I don't know," she said shaking her head. "I won't make the same mistake twice."

"If we hadn't been called home so unexpectedly without any kind of warning, we could have bagged our lunch," Mulder grouched.

Just that quickly Mulder was back to thinking about work. Scully wouldn't have minded lunch going by without a reminder.

"Mmm…Skinner is pissed," Scully mumbled.

"Another wrecked Bureau car…I know," Mulder said before devouring half of what was left of his portion of the sandwich in one monstrous bite. He paused, chewing slowly. "Shit," he cursed. "What time is it?"

Scully looked down at her watch. "Ten past."

"I'm late for my reaming," he groaned and pushed his chair away from the table. "Time to account for the smashed up car and whatever else I've cost the FBI this week."

"You want me to come with you?"

"No, Skinner said just me." Mulder paused as he removed his plate full of fries from his tray and set it next to Scully's. "Besides, you said I was driving too fast."

Scully's brow arched and she looked over her nose at him. "You were."

"Okay, lead foot, but that kind of talk won't help me," he pronounced standing up with his tray. "You dodged the bullet on this meeting—take advantage of it. Finish your lunch. I'll see you back in the office." He paused, leaning over the table. "Enjoy my fries," he said with a smile.

Before she could thank him again, he was several paces away, walking quickly towards his fifty lashes. He was truly going to get a stern lecture from Skinner. After Mulder had turned his cell phone off, Scully had been the recipient of the AD's voicemails, and he had not been pleased. This kind of meeting was nothing new, but it never got any less unpleasant.

Just when Scully thought she was alone with her thoughts and her acquired lunch, a woman approached her table.

"Excuse me?" the woman said.

"Yes?"

"Is it alright if I join you?"

Scully glanced around the expansive room. There were plenty of empty tables.

"Umm…sure," Scully lamely replied.

It wouldn't do to be unkind, but she wasn't thrilled with the prospect of having to make small talk with this woman she had never met before. It wasn't high school: she fully expected to be allowed to sit alone in peace.

"Melinda," the woman said sliding into Mulder's chair. "Melinda Jones."

Scully's eyes darted around the room once more just to make sure no one was watching: this had the feeling of a set up, a joke. She was becoming used to feeling like a joke in this building: the woman with a background in science who should know better, but who hangs with her partner nonetheless. A punchline.

No one seemingly was paying them any mind, however, so she finally responded warily, "Dana…"

"Scully, I know. I'm the Assistant Director's secretary."

Scully cocked her head. She knew Skinner's secretary and this most certainly was not her.

"AD in charge of Laboratory," the woman amended.

"Ah…okay."

"I hope you don't mind my sitting here with you. I've only been here a couple of months and I don't know too many people. I know you though…you and your partner…by reputation of course."

Scully gave her a tight lipped smile. If this was going to be a game of twenty questions about goblins and ghouls, she didn't care to participate. She didn't like to encourage people thinking of their unit as a freak show. She wasn't put on this earth as a form of entertainment for others.

"And I've seen you around," the woman said leaning forward with a nervous smile. "Hard not to notice, if you don't mind me saying."

Scully narrowed her eyes at the woman in front of her. "I don't know what you mean."

The woman looked down at the table with a noticeable blush rising on her cheeks. "Nothing."

Scully could also see that she was wringing her hands just under the table. This woman, who was seemingly so eager to make her acquaintance, was acting decidedly odd.

"You know, I'm just going to go ahead and ask. It's what I came over for after all…" the woman said biting her lip.

"Alright," Scully responded.

She was beginning to think this young woman was a little off-kilter. The Bureau should be more careful in the hiring of support staff, if she was any indication of their standards.

"Are you two…you know…dating?"

Scully nearly knocked her water glass over as she nervously jumped in her chair, upsetting her tray with her forearm. Recovering, she knit her brows and fixed the woman across from her with a stony glare. "Excuse me?"

"You and Fox Mulder? I mean…that is what I'd heard."

So, that is what she meant by reputation. This woman could apparently care less about little green men. She was an office gossip of a different kind. Scully would have preferred the freak show.

"No," Scully replied flatly.

Her mind was flooded with things she might say to this woman. How presumptuous she was. Unprofessional. Nosey. But, all she could manage was 'no'; she was too thunderstruck to say any of those other things that might have put her in her place.

"No? I thought…well, I'd heard you…hmmm…awkward! Sorry. I saw you two over here and it looked like…never mind."

Shared food. Shared laughter. Shared confidences. Scully rolled her eyes. She knew just what it looked like.

"Most definitely not," Scully said clearing her throat.

"You wouldn't mind then? If I…?"

Scully's mouth opened in the shape of an "o" but no sound came out. Suddenly she sized this woman up, taking stock of her for the first time. Young. Younger than she was by at least five years. Maybe as many as eight. Skin unlined by age. Regular symmetrical features and big brown eyes. Silky brunette hair pulled back into a straight ponytail that hung down her back. Tall. Five foot nine perhaps. And if Scully could peer under the table, she would gamble that the woman was wearing heels in spite of her God-given altitudinal advantage—the nerve. And not quite stacked, but curvaceous under her black suit and white blouse. Pretty by anyone's standard.

"I don't want to step on your toes," the woman continued. "We girls have to stick together."

'I was unaware you were a vanguard for the feminist's movement,' Scully inwardly griped. Scully wiped her hands on her napkin and began to stack her things up on the plastic tray in front of her. She really no longer wished to be a part of this tête-à-tête. She needed to escape the cafeteria post-haste. "Do whatever you like," she finally managed.

"Yeah?" the woman said, eagerly leaning forward and griping the table with her hands. "You're not interested?" she asked incredulously.

"I know Agent Mulder better than you do," Scully said. "Besides, I'm seeing someone."