The Constellations Aligned (or Insider Baseball)

by mommieburger

Mulder and Scully have been trapped together for a few weeks without a case and Mulder is starting to weaken. Scully finds a love interest. Will Mulder step in and put a stop to a budding romance—or will he create one of his own? It's not certain whether the constellations will align and our two favorite agents see stars or if it will end in predictable tragedy.

The Constellations Aligned (or Insider Baseball)

By Mommieburger

Category: Story, X-file, Romance

Rating: R (it's marked for the kids)

Summary: Mulder and Scully have been trapped together for a few weeks without a case and Mulder is starting to weaken. Skinner assigns them a joint investigation with the Navy police and Scully finds a love interest. Will Mulder step in and put a stop to a budding romance—or will he create one of his own? It's not certain whether the constellations will align and our two favorite agents see stars or if it will end in predictable tragedy.

Disclaimer – All the X-Files character belong to Chris Carter and 1013 Productions. Blah, blah, blah. They own them—I don't. Yadda, Yadda. Don't sue, No money being made here (I wish). Besides, I treated them right and you didn't. Story arc is through the end of the Seventh season including Fight for the Future. SPOILERS: Samantha's turned into starlight, Diana Fowley is dead, the Gunmen are still alive and Requiem didn't happen. Neither seasons 8 or 9 exist and never will in my world. No William, no super soldiers. That was a stupid attempt to revive the series after Duchovny left. Booooo and shame on you to 20th Century Fox. Should have just taken the money and run. A story well ended is a beloved and cherished tale. Lesson learned: Don't ruin stuff just for greed. On with the show…

Act I - The Line Up

J Edgar Hoover Bldg.

Washington D.C.

10:00 a.m.

A large bear of a man walked down the hallway leading to the basement office of the X-Files Division. The head of that area was Special Agent Fox Mulder and has been for over 8 years. Mulder, having been granted that "prestigious" assignment after his stint as a profiler in the Violent Crimes Unit of the FBI, manned the two person team that investigated the paranormal, strange and basically unsolvable cases no one else cared about.

Assistant Director Walter Skinner didn't need to take new cases down to his team. He could order them up to his office and do it there. It didn't matter as both places were surely bugged. However, as Mulder would say: here were the FBI's most unwanted. The sorry ass basement workplace spoke volumes of what the Federal Bureau of Investigation thought of the X-files, and Mulder, in particular, but Skinner decided this particular assignment deserved a little more pomp and circumstance.

As he approached the open door, he could hear the agents talking. The subject matter gave him pause because he always wondered if the two younger agents were sleeping together. If Skinner was a betting man, he would say 'no' because Scully's uptight attitude and Mulder's restless energy didn't say that either one of them were getting any at all—much less from each other. His suspicions were confirmed.

"So Scully, have you considered dating in the last six months?" Skinner heard the teasing in Mulder's voice.

Special Agent Dana Scully answered acerbically. "When have I had time, Mulder? Most of my free time has been spent chasing monsters and ghosts with you."

Skinner smirked. Dana Scully was a no nonsense, forensic pathologist and the second member of the X-files team. Even as her supervisor, Skinner had to admit she was a beautiful woman. If he wasn't in that position, he would have tried for himself, years ago. However, she wouldn't have wanted a significantly older, balding, desk jockey like himself. Fox Mulder was more her type, if she liked handsome geniuses that always seemed one hair away from a complete mental breakdown. Anyway, since the chicken-shit refused to make the first move, it was unlikely to matter.

"We've had some slow times lately, Scully. You should go out and have some fun."

"Alright, Mulder. Have you dated in the last six months?"

Skinner could hear shuffling. "No, but I've considered it. I think it is time we both start shaking the trees and putting ourselves out there. Now that I know what happened to my sister, I feel I can finally move on."

Scully's voice softened. "I'm glad, Mulder, and I agree. Perhaps we should start paying more attention to our personal lives." Skinner could hear a keyboard tapping. "By the way, what brought on this aura of contemplation? In the 7 years I have been your partner, we have discussed this subject—maybe—4 times."

"I dunno, Scully. I guess I'm seeing things differently as of late."

Skinner decided this was a good time to make an entrance and blustered through the door as if he had just winged down the hallway seconds ago. "Mulder, Scully, I have a new assignment—one with some perks. High profile, networking opportunities and apparently a serial killer. Interested?"

Act II – The Wind Up

Interstate 395 to the Navy Yard

Washington D.C.

2:00 p.m.

Mulder was driving down the interstate on the 19 minute trip from the Hoover Bldg. to NCIS Headquarters. The Navy Criminal Investigative Station was location in Washington D.C. at the Navy Yard and were one of the lesser known federal law enforcement agencies. According to Skinner, a serial killer was targeting Navy personnel and the FBI was brought in to partner with them. They got involved as it crossed state lines and may be of interest to the Bureau if there was a national security link between the victims.

Looking over at his partner, Mulder wondered what Scully thought of being involved in a Navy case considering her deceased father and both of her living brothers were Navy officers. He knew she would be the consummate professional, considering her high intelligence, quick mind and amazing skill set ranging from sharpshooter to medical professional. However, sometimes he would like to see a crack in that façade. Just once in a while, he would like to see 'Dana' and not just 'Scully'.

Mulder tried to tamp down the familiar longing that always arose when he looked at her. The lengthening cinnamon hair, the ripe, delicate petal lips and her stunning peacock blue eyes were attention grabbers—every time. However, she was his partner and never the twain shall meet—at least in bed anyway. Pity. He decided to pull his attention off of those lips and back onto the road. She can never know how he feels about her as it would be the end of their partnership, Mulder decided to keep telling himself that.

"Hey, Scully. Did you finish reading the case file?"

Scully nodded next to him. "Yes. Apparently several Navy officers have turned up around DC, Maryland, Virginia and one in Florida with the same modus operandi. They were attacked with a knife and tortured in a similar fashion before the final blow was delivered in the form a slit throat with near exact depth and length. All evidence points to the same person and blade, but no DNA has been recovered from the scenes. Our killer is very careful."

Mulder glanced at her before turning back to the road. "It sounds like a serial killer, but so far NCIS hasn't found a link other than they are Navy officers. What are your first impressions?"

"Without looking at the autopsy reports, forensic evidence or photos from the crime scenes…" Scully stared at him inferring her point. "I would say it was a person with an axe to grind against the Navy. We need more information, Mulder."

"Sure, Scully." Mulder said amiably. "Did you notice the one thing that they do have in common?"

"No, what?"

"They were all investigated or questioned by NCIS in the last 3 years."

Scully frowned. "I didn't see that in the file."

Mulder was smug. "It wasn't. NCIS keeps detailed records on Navy personnel only if they have been a subject of an investigation. In every case, some of the information they sent to us has been pulled more than 3 years ago. If they were researched recently because of their deaths, then the retrieval dates on some of this information wouldn't be so old. They had a lot of this information already on file."

He enjoyed Scully's wry smile. It showed appreciation for his abilities. "So, Mulder, what are your impressions?"

"Well, Scully, without looking at the autopsy reports, forensic evidence or photos from the crime scene…" He watched with pleasure as Scully rolled her eyes. "I think we are looking at someone who has intimate knowledge of NCIS investigations."

Scully huffed softly. "Mulder, I don't suggest we go into their headquarters and accuse them of leaking information. I think we should keep that under our hat."

Mulder and Scully showed their IDs, got clearance from the Navy yard and pulled in. Mulder continued. "I agree. After all, it may be someone close to the investigation or there may be a breach. Remember, Skinner warned us to be good ambassadors for the FBI and work well with our law enforcement partners." The last sentence was sounding a little snide, but he couldn't help it.

"Play nice, Mulder." Scully said fondly. "There is plenty of sand in the sandbox for everyone."

"I'm always nice, Scully." Mulder said after they parked and got out of the car. Mulder ushered his partner forward with his hand on the small of her back, guiding her to the entrance. He wondered why she never called him on that intimate contact, but she didn't. It was one of those 'Scully-isms' that he never quite understood. Maybe one day.

Mulder was determined not to assume that the investigators were dolts. They usually were when they were sent on join missions, but it was important that he not embarrass or tick NCIS off. Mulder appreciated that Skinner assigned this to them considering they were in a lull and needed something to do. Aside from the jackalope, chubacabra and UFO sightings he had on file—nothing new had come up in over two weeks. That is what prompted his musings into the idea of dating. Mulder had been trapped in that basement office with Scully for two weeks and her sight and scent were driving him wild. If he didn't distract himself it was going to end in disaster, meaning he would press Scully up against the file cabinets and have his way with her. That would be a bad career move all around.

He wasn't sure if there was a God or Great Spirit or whatever was working in his favor, but coming to meet them was just what the doctor ordered – a tall, leggy brunette with a fair size bosom and a gun. What a distraction.

"Hello, my name is Special Agent Anne Crofton and I'm the Team Lead from the Navy serial killer case. The guard station told me you were coming up. Special Agents Mulder and Scully, I presume?"

Mulder stepped in front of Scully, and realized it too late. He wanted to be the first to shake her hand and he was. "Yes. I'm Agent Fox Mulder and this is Agent Dana Scully." He noticed Scully's irritated glance, but she would chalk it up to his normal asshole behavior and soon forget about it. Scully was forgiving that way. It was one of the most endearing qualities about her.

Crofton shook each of their hands. "Glad you are here. We have been instructed to give you every consideration, but I will say that we aren't sure why your area was called in. We only got enough information to determine it was a serial killer two days ago and your division doesn't investigate ordinary crimes—does it?"

Scully stepped in. "It's true that Mulder and I tend to be called into cases of unexplained phenomena, but we have a 79% solve rate even with our unusual cases. Besides, I'm a forensic pathologist and Agent Mulder is a profiler and psychologist. The FBI figured with the amount of bodies that another pair of eyes couldn't hurt. We are here in a supportive capacity only."

"I see." Crofton said slowly. "Well, I have my instructions. Let me introduce you to the team." She gave a strained smile and walked over to a few nearby desks. "This is Special Agent Roger Gemela and his partner Agent Damien Thorn." Crofton introduced them. They all shook.

Mulder tried not to notice the lingering physical contact Thorn had with Scully. The rugged pretty boy looks were already irritating him. The man probably had his hair done at a salon. Wuss. Mulder checked himself. He barely knew the man and shouldn't prejudge, but then it happened. Thorn smiled quickly at Mulder and then gave a 100 watt blinding smile at Scully. What was worse is she returned it. He hardly ever got her full smile. Uh Oh.

"These are the agents in charge of the investigation. I can arrange for a conference room and they can bring you up to speed." Crofton said.

"Yes, that will be fine." Scully said automatically, pulling her hand gently from Thorn's grasp. "I would also like to speak to your pathologist and any forensic scientists that you have working on the case."

Crofton replied sourly. "Of course." The brunette looked at Mulder. Did he catch a ray of interest in between the waves of irritation she was transmitting? After all, it wasn't their fault they were assigned here. If she wanted to be angry she needed to direct it to her bosses, not them. However, she was making an effort at being polite to Scully and was darn right cordial to him. Maybe he could wedge open that crack in the door a little. He gave her his best smile and was rewarded.

"Is there anything specific you need Agent Mulder?" Crofton said with a hint of a smile.

Mulder wanted to say that he needed Damien Thorn removed from the case and from Scully's sight, but that wasn't going to happen. He decided to stay on the professional track. "I would like to see all the historical information NCIS has on these victims including any past investigations, if any."

"Past investigations?" Crofton was immediately on guard. "What makes you think that these officers were investigated by NCIS?"

"Some of the information looked dated, like it had been already on file. This may be a dead end, but it stood out to me." Mulder tried to play it down, but he could tell by the look on Anne Crofton's face, he failed at it.

Crofton nodded to Agent Gemela and he sat at his desk and started typing. "This will take a while to gather." Gemela said. "I may not have it until the end of today."

"That's fine." Mulder said. "Both Agent Scully and myself live in the area. We will take the information to go on an encrypted flash drive or on paper and studying it tonight."

Thorn sat on his desk. "Oh, do you and Agent Scully often work after hours together?"

Mulder heard the unspoken question. He was tempted to torpedo Scully's chances with a possessive answer, but the look she gave him made him back off. It was a decision he regretted later. "Sometimes. It depends on the seriousness of the case. We have five bodies already. That sounds fairly serious to me."

Thorn nodded. "How about we let you look over our notes right now and when Roger is ready, we will send the details with you and brief you in the morning?"

Scully agreed. "Thank you, Agent Thorn. Can interviews with the other scientists be arranged for tomorrow as well?"

"Will do." Crofton said. "Welcome aboard."

Mulder drove Scully home trying not to think of their new case partners. Thorn leaned over Scully the rest of the afternoon showing her how to interpret their notes and that irritated Mulder to no end. Scully could read just fine. The one arm over her shoulder and the other circling around to point at the page was a little too…intimate for his taste. Agent Gemela didn't seem to notice as he worked on pulling up all relevant material and the Team Leader Crofton had her own interest—him. That was nice.

Crofton wasn't a bold as Thorn, but she made sure to personally show Mulder how to access their records while dropping the proverbial handkerchief. Mulder knew he was handsome. Too many women have told him that for him to believe otherwise. However, when he was growing up, his too large nose and gangly appearance closed down many opportunities for him, but during his last year of high school, he just buffed out. Strength, athletic grace and looks came together into a combination that the females finally found attractive. He was glad that Crofton was one of them, but he would rather have the rapt attention of another specific female.

Scully was too much a professional to let mere physical attraction interfere on a case, but when they had gotten back to her apartment and Mulder escorted Scully inside, her cell phone rang. Guess who? It was Special Agent Damien Thorn. Yippee. Apparently, there was something he forgot to highlight during all their time together that afternoon and it couldn't wait until morning. Uh huh. Scully waved at Mulder to sit while she talked and he stewed. Pretty boy knew they would be working together tonight. Thorn did that specifically so that she would have him on her mind and break any momentum that Mulder might have built up on the ride home. It was a devious plan and Mulder recognized it because he had used it himself.

Mulder recalled a few years ago when Scully started seeing that guy named 'Gary'. Although she didn't talk about him much in the office, Mulder could tell when they had a date as Dana Scully started to get edgy near the end of the shift. That's right folks, the Ice Queen was acting giddy. It was hard to accept that he saw that emotion emanating from his delicious partner's personality at all, especially if it wasn't for him. He was sure that Scully hadn't yet slept with 'Gary', but one day he got the impression that tonight would be the night. It took several weeks for Scully to forgive him for showing up at her door at 11pm at night and inserting himself into their date. 'Gary' got so frustrated that after an hour that he went home. A few more well-timed calls to her cell on subsequent date nights and that ended the budding relationship. Scully even mentioned that 'Gary' couldn't deal with the constant demands of her partner. Score one for him.

It hurt him that Scully was sad about it, but this wasn't a child's game of keep-away. This was serious. Once Scully found someone that could make her a little happy (or at least not bring pain to her life like he did), she would leave him. It was simple self-preservation because he couldn't live without her now. Maybe in during the first year he could have, but not after 7 years of partnership bliss. Scully was his life and he intended to keep her.

Scully finally got off the phone and Mulder was so annoyed that he didn't even bother asking what the spawn of Satan wanted. Yeah he had caught the similarity of his name to a character in a 1970's antichrist film, but he was saving that analogy for later use. They took out the flash drive and reviewed the information that Gemela had retrieved. It turned out that Mulder was right. Not only were each of the 5 victims subjects of NCIS investigations, they were all investigated by the same team. Crofton's team. That was too much of a coincidence to overlook.

"What do you think now, Scully?" Mulder said leaning back on her couch, watching her pour though the records again.

"That is an amazing coincidence, Mulder, I will admit that." She turned her blue eyes to his hazel ones and Mulder refrained from sighing audibly. "However, the investigations have no relationship to each other. One was a suspected of bringing drugs aboard a naval vessel, two others were suspected of having affairs and falsifying records to cover it up, the last two for random theft."

"We need to focus on the connection to the NCIS team. In every case, Crofton, Thorn and Gemela were the lead investigators. This serial killer is trying to send one of them a message."

Scully stood up and stretched. She cracked her neck and walked to the kitchen. "I'm going to make some tea. Do you want some?"

Mulder followed her. "Yeah, I'll take a cup. I'll need to stay awake for the ride home."

"You can stay here if you are tired, Mulder. You know where the sheets in the closet are." Scully set two teabags in cups and waited for the water to boil.

Mulder was tempted. He always slept better knowing Scully was nearby and showing up the next day at NCIS headquarters in the same suit would irritate Thorn to no end. However, if he got caught acting territorial too soon, Scully will pursue Thorn just to annoy him. He'll go home like a good boy.

He took his cup. "Naw, Scully. I've got to feed my fish and my cracked, leather couch is much more comfortable than your soft upholstered one." Plus it smells like you.

Scully gave him another wry smile. "I thought all your fish died." She took a sip of tea. "You sure love your couch, Mulder. Have you ever slept in your bed?"

I have no one to sleep with… "I might have. The memory doesn't stand out."

"You have an eidetic memory, Mulder. You remember everything. Well, the offer of the couch is always open." They sat in comfortable silence for a while. "How do you want to pursue this? We can't voice our concerns to Crofton's team yet."

Mulder crossed his long legs. "I think after we confer with everyone, we will be able to chart a course. The best thing to do would be to have them pull their recent cases and warn all the participants that they might be in danger."

"That would likely ruin the current investigation, Mulder. The killer will go underground and we may never catch him."

"Or her." Mulder reminded. "Just from what we saw in the case file, it was possible for a woman to have done this—if she drugged the victims first."

Scully nodded. "I'll look for that in the autopsy results. The case file didn't mention any drugs in their systems." She sipped. "Damien said that the lack of DNA is significant."

Thanks, Captain Obvious. Mulder was now sure that call had only one purpose and it wasn't case related. That was Mulder's cue to leave. He had no intention of staying to hear what Damien thought. He stood. "We'll know more tomorrow. Get some sleep, Scully. Your apartment is on the way to the Navy yard. Pick you up at 7:30? I'll bring coffee!" He got graced with a half-smile this time.

"Sure, Mulder. See you in the morning." Scully walked him to the door.

Mulder hesitated for a moment and saw the patented Scully eyebrow go up, so he thought better of it and left. On the drive back to Alexandria, Mulder thought about the direction this was going and that he had a bad feeling about it. Not only was there something odd about Damien Thorn gnawing at his insides, there was an air about Scully that bothered him too. Was she ready to move on without him? Had he pushed her away until there was no hope of something more? Mulder had always thought that being sexual with his touchstone, best friend and the only one he could trust, would put their partnership at risk. Now with the possibility that she may find someone else and leave him, he considered that not acting may be the deed that destroys their relationship for good.

He opened to door to #42 and surveyed his dark, funky and messy apartment. His fish were dead—again. He only bothered with goldfish now. Being gone for stretches at a time and general neglect didn't lend to permanence in his house for those of the animal kingdom. He went back into his bedroom, stripped and put on a comfortable tank top and sweats before settling on the couch.

The videos that 'weren't his' were calling to him, but he didn't want them tonight. He wanted her. He had taken to finding videos with redheads in them to try to assuage his thirst, and they worked at first, but they have lost their allure too. Mulder didn't want to admit that he was entering the fantasy end game that he has been playing for the last 7 years. This is the imaginary land where he pretends he isn't attracted to his partner for anything but her friendship and where everything keep humming along without required action. Scully runs off at a moment's notice with him, he can ditch her and she will follow, she looks up adoringly at him and all is right in the world. Shit. She doesn't do that anymore. Ever since that tattoo, he has been steadily losing her and Diana Fowley almost severed everything irrevocably.

Mulder knew he was to blame, but that knowledge didn't help. The right thing to do would be to let her go, but he couldn't do that either. She owned too much of his soul and was too much a part of his life. He reached the conclusion that he may have to fight for her, but he couldn't do it haphazardly. He needed a strategy and if he was playing a sport, he had already revealed one of his plays by allowing Thorn to think there wasn't something more to their off duty relationship. That was an error. However if the man believed it, he wouldn't have called tonight. Just like the shadow government he has been fighting all his adult life, he can play the long game too. Thorn will never have her—he will make sure of that. The question was…will he win in the end?

Act III – The Pitch

Scully was attracted to Special Agent Damien Thorn. She was proud that Mulder didn't mention the similarity of the agent's name to a character that represented the antichrist. The 1970's were gone, however considering his age, his parents must have known about the connection. It was interesting that they named their child that—anyway.

Thorn was handsome with his dark hair and eyes. Those eyes were focused on her today. It was a change of pace from a certain agent's hazel eyes flitting around the room, barely taking her into consideration. Scully knew that wasn't fair. Mulder had many lines in the water and her input was only one of them. Requiring a brilliant mind, such as his, to pay attention to only her was…unreasonable. However, he shouldn't fault her for looking for a more fixated point of view. Damien Thorn seemed to be it.

The phone call after she got home solidified it. Damien was interested. However, the case didn't lend them to explore—right now. It was nice to know that afterwards, there was the promise of more and they even lived in the same city! She did catch Mulder's irritation at the man's attention, but she was a molecule away from not caring a whit. Mulder might be possessive, but he always took her for granted and that was part of who he was. Just like her trip into Philadelphia, maybe it is time for Mulder to realize it isn't all about him.

Scully got ready for bed and snuggled in. There was a time she longed for her partner in an unpartnerly way, but some of his selfish and disinterested behavior quashed that. She still was in love with him, but no longer holding out hope that he cared for her in that special way. Fox Mulder was her best friend, partner and she would do anything for him. Scully was sure he returned the sentiment, but perhaps that was all they were meant to be. She had to make a life outside of Mulder and the X-Files. The conversation about dating this morning showed that he felt the same way. Time to move on.

The next morning brought a few surprises. One, Mulder not only brought coffee, but he brought her coffee fixed the way she liked it. Scully should have realized that Mulder noticed how she took her mocha latte with 1 agave and extra whipped cream. He pays attention to details, that's what makes him a good agent, but he also brought her a fruit parfait. Be still her heart. If Scully was a suspicious person, she would swear Mulder was putting her in a good mood for something. It might be more efficient to just ask.

"Ok, Mulder—give. Why the treats? We aren't searching for serial killers during the day and going jackalope hunting at night are we?"

Mulder smiled. "Jackalopes aren't real, Scully, you know that. Besides, can't I do something nice for my partner without expecting something in return?"

"No." Scully was succinct. "The last time you did something nice for me, it was a bribe to watch Frohike's alien autopsy film with you. Over the years I've come to beware of Mulders bearing gifts."

"I'm wounded, Scully. I know this is going to be a long day and wanted you fed and watered for the exercise to come."

Scully snuffed. "Now I sound like a horse." Scully could see that Mulder was actually a little hurt by her accusation, but it had a firm basis in reality. She decided to eat her parfait and be quiet as Mulder navigated traffic. She glanced at her partner now and again to see the same dark hair with the untamable lock that kept falling over his forehead and the strong profile she was used to. There were a few nights that Scully had wondered what those full lips would taste like and how it would feel to have those strong hands and long fingers touching her. She sighed—a little heavier than intended.

"Everything ok, Scully?"

"I'm fine, Mulder." She even cringed when she said it. Mulder's head snapped back to the road and she could see his knuckles turn white with tension. Scully had to admit that phrase had worn out its welcome. She said it even when she wasn't fine just so Mulder would stay away. One day should would like to say how she really feels and see what he does with that. Her guess is that she would be looking at his backside as he fled the room.

The second surprise came when they entered the NCIS office and were shown immediately to the conference room where they were given a short, but well-orchestrated presentation of the timing and investigation of the 5 victims. Most of what was presented they already knew from the notes, but the surprise came when Roger Gemela stopped reciting and looked at Mulder.

"After pulling those records for you, Agent Mulder, I reviewed them and discovered what you probably already know." Gemela held Mulder's gaze. "All five victims were investigated by our team within the last three years."

Crofton leaned forward. "All of them?"

"Yes." Gemela confirmed. "What is worse is that they were probably all guilty, but the evidence didn't support that." He turned to Thorn.

Damien Thorn sat on the end of the table. "After I spoke to Agent Scully last night, I conferred with Roger. We process a hundred cases a year. These victims were small timers and no charges were ever filed. Until Anne mentioned why you wanted the NCIS records, it didn't click that we knew these officers beyond perhaps seeing them around the Navy yard. Roger and I agreed that when we conducted these investigations we suspected they were guilty, but had to let them go."

Mulder broke in. "So you are now saying that a possible motivation for the killer is he didn't want the guilty to go free?"

"Yes." Thorn said. "This morning we are going to go back through our files and see if there are any others that fit that scenario. We would like you, Agent Mulder to see if you can develop a profile for this person. He will strike again."

"I'll review the forensic reports to see if I can detect a pattern." Scully said and rose signally to everyone that they needed to get moving. Scully found it hard to believe that trained investigators wouldn't figure out that they knew these men and one woman in a professional capacity especially after the 5th body turned up, but they had only known these bodies were connected for two days. The local governments hadn't thought to call NCIS until two of the coroners happened to have drinks one night and then they sent up the flags and found the others.

The third surprise of the day was the lead forensic pathologist, herself. Her name was Dr. Wendy Muscott and she was very pregnant. Agent Crofton introduced them and the woman's thick Texas accent and vivacious attitude was a pleasant change from the usual dour law enforcement personnel Scully had to deal with on a regular basis.

"Dr. Scully! It's a pleasure!" The dark haired woman with the thick teased hair said happily. The pathologist was pumping her hand energetically, but gradually slowed. "You wouldn't happen to know a William Scully, now would you?"

Scully was shocked. "My father and brother are named William Scully."

Muscott reared back and guffawed. "Well I'll be! Your father? How is that old coot doin? I haven't seen him in over 10 years, but I'm sure he would still give me grief about choosing to be a doctor over a sailor." She stopped laughing when she saw Scully's face. "I'm sorry, darlin'. I said something wrong, didn't I?"

Scully rallied. "My father died about 6 years ago. It was a heart attack. Very sudden."

"I am so sorry, dear." Dr. Muscott put a hand on Scully's arm. "My mouth is much bigger than it has a right to be. I'm sorry for your loss. Please forgive me."

"There isn't anything to forgive, Dr. Muscott. It sounds like you have fond memories of him. So do I."

"Call me Wendy and I do. Your father was the meanest teddy bear I have ever known." Both women smiled at that.

Scully looked wistful. "Please call me Dana. He was firm, but then he had 4 Irish kids to raise. Bill Jr. and my younger brother Charlie are still in the Navy—stationed out of San Francisco. My father had his soft side too. We had pet names for each other—straight out of Moby Dick. I would call him Ahab and he would call me Starbuck. It was something special between him and me."

Wendy guffawed again. "Look at us, two Navy brats and pathologists to boot! Glad to meet that old sea dog's daughter. He'd be right proud of you." She looked around and grabbed an extra-large (and tall) hair cap. "Not to put a damper on this sorta reunion, but you didn't come down here for a walk through memory lane. We'll do that later—over dinner. Let's take a look at our serial killer's handiwork shall we?"

Hours later the women finally sat and Wendy Muscott could have been the poster child for exhaustion. "How do you do this being 9 months pregnant?" Scully asked amazed at the woman's stamina.

"I've got to. My replacement can't come until two weeks from now. I told my bosses that I'll work until I can't and that's the best I can do. You are pretty decent with a scalpel. Why don't the fibbies do us a solid and lend you out for a while? As you can see, we could use the help."

Scully stepped out of her heels and pressed her feet on the cool cement floor. "I'm already being lent out. This is NCIS' case. My partner and I are just assisting."

Wendy winked at Scully. "I got a good look at that partner of yours. Quite the handsome one." She looked around the room. "Just between two ladies, are you two…?"

Surprisingly, Scully got that a lot. Women who felt comfortable enough to approach her always asked before trying to catch Mulder's eye. While he never went out with any of them, he did do a lot of looking. She tried to shame the other woman. Scully should have known that was impossible. "Wendy, aren't you married?"

Wendy laughed again. It reminded Scully of a horse. "Course I am, dear, I'm just not dead. My hubby would tear your partner six ways from Sunday if he thought I was messing around. I swear that man keeps me pregnant just so I don't run around on him—not that I would."

"How many children do you have?" Scully asked.

"This will be number 8." Wendy ignored Scully shocked expression. "We've always wanted a large family. My Ben stays home with them during the day and when I'm on call. He had a bad accident years ago and lost his left hand. Yeah, he's got a prosthetic, but for years no one would hire him and finally he decided to raise our kids and I'll bring home the bacon. I'm sure it hurt his ego to have to rely on his wife for finances, but it's worked out. He does a ton of stuff around the house, has a few businesses on the side and since we have 6 sons, it's good a man is around to reign them in. Even after the accident, he refused to get depressed and don't drink or none of that. He's a good man."

Scully smiled. "It sounds like he is. I'm happy for you Wendy."

Wendy tried to catch Scully's eye. "Ever married? Have any kids?" Scully tried to stop the sad expression from forming, but the woman saw it. "I've done it again, haven't I? Ben always told me to mind my own business and that I'm a busybody. I'm sorry again, sweetie. I don't mean any harm."

Scully put a hand on the woman's arm. "Again, it was years ago. Had a daughter—lost her. Her name was Emily. I'm sterile now and can't have any children. My FBI life doesn't leave much for the prospects of a marriage. Sometimes making a choice because it is what you want to do, closes other doors for good. This is one of those kind of things."

"Gotcha." Wendy said sagely. "At the risk of saying too much again, don't give up. I'm one of those people that truly believes that women today can have it all. It may not be 100%, but it doesn't have to be 0% either. What you need is a man that understands your line of work. You might want to start with your partner. There are others out there. Don't give up the ship."

Scully laughed at that last reference. "We've moved onto quoting James Lawrence. I think that means we are done for today."

"Right-o, missy. Now about that dinner…"

Scully couldn't believe that she was sitting in a bar called the Bootstomper with all the members of the NCIS team, Wendy Muscott and Mulder. The country music was blaring, the beers were in abundance and even though she was being a good girl with her salad, Scully's arteries were clogging by osmosis. Mulder had double cheeseburger and fries, Damien fried mushrooms and mozzarella sticks and Roger Gemela had a gigantic wet burrito with so much hot sauce that Scully could feel her eyes burning from across the table.

Wendy wasn't drinking, but she was shoveling down a fried chicken dinner with gusto. The only other quiet person was Anne Crofton and she was picking at her nachos with disinterest. Scully wasn't sure what to make out of her. Being the leader of this bunch seemed out of place for her. She was obviously respected, but it wasn't her bag. She was a complete enigma. Damien kept catching her eye and Scully didn't dissuade him. Finally they all finished playing with their food and the waitress had cleared it all away.

"So, what were the findings for today?" It was Crofton who spoke and Scully realized she was just going along with the joviality to get to this point. They were going to do a debriefing in a bar.

Mulder started first. "I examined a lot of the crime scene photos and the case files from the NCIS investigations. I'm fairly close to coming up with a profile. I'll keep working on it tonight. Hopefully by morning we should have the basics."

"No collaborative late night session?" Thorn said as quietly as he could in a rowdy bar. Scully caught the challenge in the man's gaze toward her partner. It was hard for her to understand why Damien needed to push Mulder's buttons, but he was.

Mulder didn't miss a beat. "My partner and I will talk. That's what the phone is for—isn't is Thorn?"

Scully decided to head this off. "Wendy and I had a new development. Why don't you tell them?" Scully looked at Wendy.

"Oh no, girl. You found it. Your collar, your glory." Wendy munched on the chips at the table.

The female FBI agent saw she had the attention of the table. "We've identified the weapon, as a fishing knife, carbon steel blade with one knick near the tip. The assailant is left handed, has some medical knowledge because the other cuts were designed not to kill, he avoided all the major arteries."

Crofton was sharp. "Wendy already told us that."

Scully was smug. "What we didn't know is that the killer used a virtually untraceable drug to subdue his victims. It didn't show up in the tox screen, but because he tortured his victims for at least 3-5 hours before the final blow, the drug was able to work its way into the muscle tissue and showed up there. It's called R-99 and is a horse tranquilizer. The substance is strictly controlled and monitored so either he legally purchased it and is on the Federal list or he stole it, but that is also reported. That is our next lead."

Thorn nodded. "That makes sense. Three of the victims were well trained sailors. One was a Marine with a black belt. Good work, Dana."

Scully saw Mulder bristle at the use of her first name. Mulder never allowed his to be used (except for people like Diana Fowley) and Mulder rarely called Scully by her first name and when he did it was because he needed her immediate attention. Scully like hearing it from Damien Thorn's lips. It felt like he saw her as a person, not just a damn good agent.

Crofton stepped in. "Anything else? Thorn, Gemela? Any possible future targets?"

Gemela spoke. "We have some possibilities. There were 7 cases over the last three years that both of us would agree let potentially guilty people free. Thorn and I were able to contact 2 of them, but the other 5 we couldn't reach. We sent the local PD around to their homes, but haven't heard back yet."

The team lead, nodded. "Okay, it sounds like we've done all we can for today. I know Wendy has to get home to her beau and I'm beat. See you guys in the morning." Crofton pulled back her chair and Scully helped Wendy get up. The two women left—one walking the other waddling.

Thorn seemed animated. "I guess it's just us four!"

"Make that three." Gemela said. "I've got to get home to my woman. She already thinks I'm cheating on her as it is. Latina women are suspicious—but they are hot in bed. See you in the morning." The man smiled and left with a brief salute.

A slow song started up and couples paired up on the dance floor. Scully was surprised and pleased that Damien got out of his chair, went to her and offered his hand. There was no doubt she was accepting. Reaching the dance floor, Damien swung her into his arms and the rocked back and forth to the beat. Scully glanced at Mulder a few times who alternated between looking genuinely pissed off and equally depressed. He could have asked her to dance. Is she supposed to feel bad that she was having a good time?

"So…" Damien said close to her ear. "What's the deal between you and your partner? You seem…close."

Scully leaned back so she could look at him. He was a shorter than Mulder and his warm brown eyes were focused on her. "We are close. We've been together for 7 years and seen a lot together."

"Does that mean I should back off?"

She was all in. "Why? Mulder and I aren't sleeping together, if that is what you are asking. Naturally, you and I are working a case together and shouldn't pursue something that could compromise it, but one day it will end and I'll still be here."

Damien smiled. "Me too. I'm glad to hear that you are a free agent—so to speak. It's been a while since I met a beautiful, fascinating and available woman that carries a gun like me." Scully laughed. "I want to know more. Stick a pin in this?"

Scully nodded. "The pin is stuck. However, like Crofton, I'm beat too. We should call this a night."

"Alright. I'm lucky. I get to see you tomorrow." Damien kissed her hand and when the song ended, led her back to the table.

Scully ignored Mulder's thundercloud expression and gathered up her purse and coat. "Are you ready to go home yet, Mulder?" Her partner didn't say anything, just rose and threw some dollars on the table. However, the look he gave Damien Thorn was unmistakable. Pure hatred.

"Come on, Scully." Mulder stalked out and Scully shrugged at Damien in the way of an apology and followed.

Mulder didn't say a word to her on the way home. In fact, instead of following her up to her apartment, he dropped her off at the curb and drove away. That wasn't like him. Scully surmised that Mulder was feeling a little threatened by Damien Thorn, but didn't they just agree they should start dating? She will talk to him tomorrow and try to straighten it out.

Scully took the elevator to her apartment, locked her door and set about getting ready for bed. She took a relaxing bath, had a few spoonfuls of yoghurt to calm her stomach and settled between the sheets. The radio she turned on was helping her sleep and she drifted off peacefully. Unfortunately, when Scully awoke it was because there was a hand over her mouth and a masked man ordering her to be quiet. He showed her a very bright and very shiny fishing knife with a nick near its tip.

Act IV – The Foul Ball

"Mulder! I'm okay!" Scully practically screamed as the NCIS team (and Mulder) rushed around comparing notes. "The man had a specific message and you aren't listening!" It was the morning after Scully was held at knife point in her own apartment by (presumably) the serial killer. The team were scouring her living area and Mulder could tell that Scully was feeling violated. Thorn and Gemela were sorting through everything in her place searching for a connection when Mulder already knew what it was. It was all in the message.

"It smells like the left wing of the day of judgment." The killer had said.

Mulder knew that it was a quote from Moby Dick. The quote was significant as it spoke to a manmade day of judgement. The killer snuck into Scully's apartment, waited until she went to bed, then accosted her. He could have raped her, he could have ended her life, but he didn't. It was a warning that he was on a crusade and it was personal.

Mulder wheeled around and acknowledged his upset partner using the chance to invade her space. "I understand, Scully. He wanted you to know that his pursuit was specific and personal. We are looking for evidence and since this is your apartment, you cannot participate."

The FBI agent had a suspicion that someone on the NCIS team was directly involved and he had a guess on who. What was worse is the team did find something. There was an unfamiliar knife found in Scully's bedroom, stuffed under the pillow—smeared with blood. Just great.

Mulder was trying to pull himself together. This was his fault. If he had walked Scully up to her apartment, like he always did—he might have spotted something that said the killer was inside. The only reason he didn't is because he didn't trust himself not to do or say something that would make the situation worse. Thorn was going after his partner and his advances didn't look unwelcome. Shit. He was going to have to tell her how he felt and Mulder didn't have a clue how to do that. His declarations could easily scare her so badly that she would leave him. Now, Scully was a target and he could have lost her—again—last night.

"I've bagged the knife and I'm taking the sheets also." The tech said as he finished up in her bedroom. Soon a familiar and unwelcome growl came from the hallway as Assistant Director Walter Skinner barged in.

"Scully?" Skinner barked.

"I'm here, Sir." Scully said quietly from the sofa. She had been sitting there, trying to stay out of the way after being checked out by the paramedics. Still in her pajamas, Mulder imagined that she felt a little vulnerable.

Skinner approached his diminutive partner. She was only 5'2" without her heels, and both Skinner, Mulder and nearly every other male in the area towered over her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes. I assume I was held by the serial killer considering that he had a knife that matched the wounds on all five victims. He gave me a Moby Dick reference then left. Apparently, he put a bloody knife under my sheets and they are taking that for evidence. Aside from the hand he put over my mouth and the brandishing of the knife, he didn't try to hurt me in any way. I was being put on notice."

Skinner put his hands on his hips and looked down at the ground. "And in your opinion, Agent Scully, what was his message?"

"That he was the instrument of judgement and he wasn't done." Scully looked at her boss and Skinner adjusted his wire rim glasses.

"Mulder?" Skinner walked over to the younger agent. "What is your take on this?"

"I agree with Scully that this was a warning. I'm not sure of his motive yet. I've been working on a profile, but this has put a wrinkle in my reasoning. By targeting Scully, personally, it appears the killer has not only been watching NCIS former cases, but the agents, recently and specifically. How else would he have known about Scully unless he was following them—and us? He chose Scully for a reason and he quoted her a phrase from a book she was sure to know. He either has access to the NCIS systems or knows someone with access."

Skinner nodded. "I want Scully off this case…"

Mulder tried to stop him. "Sir, I don't think…"

"You can't remove me from this." Scully came barreling around in all her pajama-ed glory. "He didn't harm me. I'm not a target. If anything, my presence gave us more information than he had before. I want to see this through, sir. I'm a full FBI agent and I do my job well. Would you take Mulder off the case if this happened to him?"

Mulder felt sorry for his boss. He knew the answer to that last question—everyone did. They wanted to protect Scully, but they had no logical reason to treat her any different than any other agent. Mulder knew Skinner was going to have to give in and he could see it in 5…4…3…2…"

"Alright. Mulder watch out for your partner. Keep me informed." Skinner strode out.

Thankfully, most of the techs were leaving. They still had a few hours until the workday began and Scully needed the time to recoup. Once Mulder was able to shoo everyone out—including Damien Thorn (with extreme pleasure—he might add) he sat on the couch next to his partner.

"You okay?"

"I'm…" Scully stopped. Mulder was grateful. That hated phrase might be enough to send him over the edge with his emotions so raw like this.

"I…wonder how he knew to quote Moby Dick." Scully said sounding a little dazed. "Why not a Biblical phrase or some other literary work? Besides, why not go directly for one of the team? Isn't he mad at them for letting these people off the hook? Isn't that what this is all about?"

Mulder risked coming closer. "I'm not sure that's his only motive, Scully. My profile indicates a strong personal connection with one of the NCIS team members." Mulder leaned his head back. "I didn't want to tell you until I was certain, but…"

"It's Damien." Scully finished for him. "I suspected that. There was no other reason to target me, specifically."

"I'm sorry, Scully." Mulder tried to sound sincere.

"No you aren't." Scully snapped to his surprise. "You two have been having a pissing contest since you met." Scully took a deep breath. "Anyway, that doesn't mean he is directly involved. It just means the killer has fixated on him." She looked over and Mulder unconsciously drew in a breath as he gazed into her unshielded eyes. Her emotions were raw too. "What else?"

"He's an avenger, feels like justice needs to be done to the victims because it wasn't done for him. This is an old wound, Scully. He's just found a way to open it to light. He lay dormant all of these years because he couldn't find the right path. Now he has it and he won't stop until his version of justice is complete—or he is caught."

Scully stood up and went to her disturbed kitchen. The techs had examined everything under black light and found no blood outside of the bedroom. That's good otherwise, she wouldn't have dish left in the cupboard. The yogurt was still there in the refrigerator. She opened up the large container and took a couple of spoonfuls. Mulder made a mental note to get the woman to eat more. She was wasting away.

"What do I do now, Mulder?" Scully put the container away. "I'm sure that man has already killed again, we just haven't found the body. He might even have killed someone last night. Am I a detriment to this case?"

Mulder went to her and took her by the shoulder. "No. You looked him in the eye. We need you." To his shock, Scully started crying. Mulder pulled her to his chest. He couldn't imagine what dam broke inside his stoic partner to cause this.

"That's just it. I looked him in the eye."

"I don't understand, Scully."

"Mulder, there is something I didn't tell the NCIS team. It is going to sound ridiculous, but the masked man I saw looking at me—inches away—was Damien. It was his eyes, but, it wasn't…him." She pulled away. "That sounds crazy."

Mulder was thinking. "No, it doesn't, Scully. Why do you think it was Damien's eyes?"

Scully threw up her hands. "That's what I can't quantify. I don't know. When it happened, my first thought it was Damien, but then I saw the knife. When I looked more carefully, the eyes were the same color, shape and spacing as the man I danced with tonight, but I didn't recognize the person inside. The rest of his face was entirely covered except for the strip around his eyes."

Mulder didn't want to scare his partner with his thoughts. Damien Thorn could be a split personality and she could have seen another side of him. Whatever it took, he wasn't letting Thorn get near her again. He might have additional personalities and they may not be as altruistic as their serial killer.

"Ok. We have a few hours before we have to be back at NCIS. We can do the post mortem there. I know you don't want your bed right now—especially because it has no sheets. Come lay on the couch with me."

"Mulder…" Scully started to whine.

"Try it. I'm watching out for you." Mulder insisted and she acquiesced.

Mulder sat on one corner and Scully sat beside him. When she didn't move, Mulder pulled her into his lap and Scully laid her head on his chest. He ignored the alarms that started clanging…Scully!...Lap!...Pajamas! Mulder was going to hold her like he has always wanted to and she trusted him and he was going to live up to it, so help him. Thankfully, it didn't take long before Scully was asleep. Mulder wanted to take credit for creating a safe space where she felt comfortable enough to sleep, but she calmed him too. Soon both agents were snoring softly. No one saw the masked man looking through the window flit away to the roof and disappear.

They didn't get to NCIS headquarters until almost noon and the ruckus was intense. Neither Mulder nor Scully were planning to mention that Scully thought the masked man might be Damien and that was primarily because they needed to keep that information close. It turned out that it didn't matter.

The high energy in the building was because they found another body. This one was a Marine officer that had been investigated by NCIS for selling Blackhawk secrets to the Chinese, but escaped on a technicality. He was one of the 5 the men couldn't contact yesterday and they only found the body because local PD grew suspicious this morning when checking out his home and busted down the door. From the sour looks on the NCIS team's faces, they were familiar with the case.

"Give me the 5 W's people!" Crofton said as she strode into the room barking orders at the lesser staff.

Gemela stepped up. "The name is Lieutenant Lee Chen and he was a naturalized American citizen. We investigated him last year for possible espionage, but the locals bolloxed up the search warrant." In a rare case of swearing, Gemela continued. "The delicate fuckery that resulted in that man's release rubbed everyone the wrong way. Actually, I'm surprised he stayed alive this long. I thought the Chinese would take him out first. In any case, our serial killer got him." Gemela smiled evilly. "The cool thing about this, is the killer left some DNA behind as Chen managed to scratch his attacker. It's in the lab being tested as we speak."

Thorn walked around. "Same M.O., killed sometime between 7pm and midnight. The killer must have gone to Agent Scully's apartment right after."

That didn't make Mulder feel any better. They left the bar around 9pm. Thorn had enough time to kill the lieutenant and still make it to Scully's place for their little tete a tete.

Robert Jasper, the lead forensic Tech burst through the elevator door, but went straight to Crofton and showed her the results. Mulder got a cold feeling and looked for his partner who was standing next to Thorn. He reached her and motioned her away from the man.

"What, Mulder?" Scully said annoyed.

"Just stay with me, okay?" Mulder was almost sure from the reaction of the Tech and Crofton, what was found. God, he wished Scully didn't have to go through this. Mulder's heart sank, not because it wasn't what he expected, but because it was. He put a hand on Scully's arm. Crofton walked up to Special Agent Damien Thorn.

"Damien, where were you between 7pm and midnight last night?"

Agent Thorn looked nervous. "I was at the bar until about 9pm. After Mulder and Dana left, so did I. I went straight home and to bed." Thorn looked about the office. "You can't honestly think that I had something to do with this!"

"Your DNA was found at the crime scene and on the bloody knife at Agent Scully's apartment along with Lee Chen's DNA. You have no alibi for the murder. Being an NCIS agent gave you access to sensitive files and Chen's botched case gave you motive." Crofton was unreadable. "Damien Thorn, you are under arrest for the murder of Lee Chen and the possible murders of 5 others. You have the right to remain silent…"

"I didn't kill Chen, Anne." Damien said as the handcuffs were put on him. "This is a joke—right?" When the woman pushed his arms behind his back, "Anne, listen to me. I don't have any scratches. You said Chen scratched his killer. I don't have any. Anne!"

Scully tried to break out of his grip and go to Thorn, but he held her fast. If there were bruises tomorrow, he wouldn't be surprised. When the realization of the charge sunk in, Damien looked helplessly at her while being led away. Scully sat solidly into the nearest seat. Mulder wished he could have ripped his heart out to save her this pain, but there it was.

Finally, after a few moments in the shocked atmosphere, Scully stood, faced Mulder and spoke with determination. "It wasn't him."

Mulder wasn't sure what to do. Intuition told him last night that that knife not only contained the blood of Lee Chen, but the killer's DNA would be found there too. However he looked at his best friend and the most logical, scientific person he knew was telling him to his face that Damien Thorn didn't do it. Instinct played another role. "Ok, Scully. Who did?"

As expected, the lab results were revealed to the group. The DNA was over 99% match, nearly impossible to fake. The murderer was left handed, like Thorn and for at least 3 of the other murders, he had no corroborated alibi. They were still checking on the other two. This wasn't looking good for Damien Thorn. Mulder didn't know what to say to Scully, but she kept sorting through the evidence. The autopsy was scheduled for tomorrow morning. Crofton was allowing Scully to assist.

"Scully, you are tired. I'll take you home or back to my place. You can finally see the bed I've been hiding." Mulder tried to plead with her, but nothing dissuaded her.

"Mulder, it's not him. The man I saw in my apartment was not the same man as Damien Thorn. I'm sure of it."

Mulder paced. "I believe you, Scully. However split personalities actually become different people. You could have been looking at the body of Damien Thorn and not recognize the man inside. He really could have been someone else."

Scully tried to still her hands as they started to shake. "I thought I knew people, Mulder. I understand what you are saying and I get it. However, my gut won't allow me to believe it."

"Come on. It's been too much sensory input for one day. Come home with me. We'll order pizza—my treat." Mulder waited patiently until Scully finally gave in.

"Ok, but I'm not hungry. If my apartment wasn't a crime scene…" Scully put down the paper work.

They left NCIS early and Mulder took her to his home. He was glad that Scully was in his apartment. He held the keys to the car. She couldn't run away from him. His partner was doing the perfect imitation of the 'composed', 'stoic' and 'unflappable' Scully. However, after all these years, Mulder knew the hidden signs of cracks in the façade. Most of the time he let her repair them and gave her the dignity she would want in front of an audience. This time they were alone. Scully had been shaken, her life threatened, the man she was considering as a potential mate—now seen as a potential killer. It had to be difficult for her. Mulder should be kind and allow her to rebuild those walls. He should be respectful and give her space. He should be the platonic friend that she needed, but he couldn't do that—not this time. Mulder was going to press his advantage. It's what a skilled sports player does.

"Scully?" Mulder asked as he watched her survey his messy apartment. "Is there anything I can get you?"

Scully scoffed. "Do you have anything that isn't on the floor, Mulder?" She stepped gingerly over a pair of jeans. "What are you offering?"

His usually powerful and intact brain filter took a sick day and he blurted, "A lot. I offer safety, comfort, deep friendship. Even more."

"What? Mulder?" Scully turned to him and saw the seriousness in his face. Mulder could see the exact moment when she realized he wasn't kidding. He watched as the normal Scully reaction of fight or flight flitted across her face. Flight usually won, but she had nowhere to run today.

Mulder decided not to force a reply. She wouldn't like that. He deescalated the situation by walking toward the unused bedroom. "Here. The sheets are clean or…at least unused. You should be safe until morning."

Scully strode toward him. "Safe, Mulder? When have we ever been safe?"

"When we are with each other." Mulder said. His brain filter was on life support. "Goodnight, Scully." Mulder managed to walk away. He wanted her badly, but in her vulnerable state, there were bound to be regrets—on both sides. Having her here was reward enough.

"Stay with me."

Mulder never thought he would ever hear those words from her lips. Special Agent Dana Scully rarely asked for anything. Turning this request down, may mean he is never offered another chance again. The biggest problem was that Mulder was at a low point of resistance. He wasn't able to offer guarantees to her or himself. "Scully…"

"Just for a little while."

He swallowed and hoped he could be strong. "Alright." Scully climbed under the sheets in his unused bed. It smelled like a grandma's closet, but Scully didn't complain. Mulder stayed on top of the covers and he held her. God, he was holding her and she was letting him.

"Mulder?" She sounded small like a little girl. "What is happening between us?"

Dang. Despite the pain and suffering, hope and betrayal—the woman was still watching to see if he got too close to her. Did she have a Mulder radar or something? "I think some of our real feelings are coming forth and right now we aren't strong enough to stop them."

Scully stirred in his grasp. "We should stop them, Mulder."

Mulder smiled and indulgently kissed her forehead. "Too much effort. It's probably best you don't say anything. Me either. The truth may accidentally come out."

"Truth, Mulder?" He could hear the expectation in her voice. My god, how he wanted her… "Go to sleep, Scully. The morning will come soon enough."

"You knew Damien was involved."

There it was. It wasn't that he knew from the moment they met the NCIS crew, but yeah, in a way—he suspected. "Not from the beginning. Besides, I'm not 100% convinced he is our killer. It's possible someone is framing him. However, this case revolves around him and we need to find out why."

"When were you going to tell me?"

"I was hoping I wouldn't need to." Mulder didn't want her angry with him. "Sleep. I'll be right here."

Scully looked up at him with those forever eyes. "That's why you hate him."

The damaged brain filter with the flickering operation light finally gave up the ghost. Mulder suspected that Scully's had too. "No. I hate him because he wanted you." The wide-eyed look from his partner overwhelmed him. She tried to escape and he reacted by keeping her trapped against him. He leaned and spoke into her ear the way that Thorn had last night. "He didn't understand that you are mine."

Act V – Substitution

Scully couldn't believe what she just heard. Mulder just told her that he was jealous of Damien because he considered her to belong to him. This was completely unexpected. They had never discussed taking their partnership any further and frankly, she was worried about this turn of events. Mulder had to know her guard was down and he was taking advantage of it. What did he really want from her? She decided to give him an out. It was best for everyone.

"Mulder, I know you can be possessive of your partner. I remember when Tom Dolton tried to lure me away, but I'm not going anywhere. You can relax."

His mouth was still near her ear. "That's not what I meant, Scully." She tried not to shiver, but Scully was sure he felt that. "Thorn found you fascinating, skilled and attractive. So do I."

"You find me attractive, Mulder?" Scully was afraid of the answer, but it had to be asked.

"God, yes." Mulder's voice was husky. "It's taking all my willpower not to do what I want with you right now. I know that's not what you expected when you asked me to stay, so I'm being good. Let me know if you ever want the 'more' I offered earlier."

Scully was reeling. She had no idea Mulder felt this way about her. "When did you start feeling like this? Were you ever going to tell me?"

Mulder sighed and spoke low. "I've felt this way for a long time and I did tell you once. You blew me off, by the way. However, if you meant why didn't put it in these stark terms before—I think you know the standard answers. Against regulations, the Consortium will use it against us..." He paused. "It will ruin our partnership—that's a big one. I couldn't afford to lose you. I need you too much."

Scully was confused. "Why now?"

"Damien Thorn. I didn't like the way he was looking at you and I realized I may not be able to get in the way of this one."

"What?!" Scully flipped to face him. "Are you telling me that you sabotaged those few attempts I tried to get dates on purpose?!"

Mulder shrugged. "A man's got to do what a man's…" That was as far as he got because Scully hit him on the arm. "Ow!" He cried. "Scully, you aren't mad at me—are you? Those men weren't right for you…Ow!" She hit him again, then pulled away and got out of the bed.

Scully was furious. She tried really hard to keep some of those men, especially Gary, and Mulder pulled that boneheaded late night trick and ruined the one and only time she had gotten far enough to have sex in the last 5 years—deliberately? She could kill him.

"Scully?" Mulder came stumbling out of the bedroom. "I'm sorry. That was a rotten thing I did. Does it matter that I did it because I cared about you?"

"No, Mulder. You didn't do it because you cared about me. You were being selfish as always. You weren't willing to put yourself out there, but you made sure that I couldn't. Ugh!" Scully stared daggers at her wilting partner. "Mulder, I find you attractive too and I have thought about what it would be like if we crossed that line, but the thing that holds me back the most is behavior like this!" She waved her arms around the room.

Mulder looked devastated. "Scully, this isn't just sexual attraction—its more."

"More?" Scully crossed her arms. "What do you define as 'more'?"

"Um…" Mulder stammered. "I hadn't really thought about it specifically. I mean, we already love each other, we're best friends, we've seen each other at their best and their worst (at least you have seen me that way) and we are still together. The only thing we don't have is a physical relationship and I want that. Don't you?"

"That sounds like sex to me, Mulder."

Mulder leaned against the wall. "I've messed this whole thing up. That is another reason why I never said anything before. I was afraid it would end up like this. You would be yelling and threatening to leave me and there I would be wishing I hadn't been so stupid and kept my mouth shut."

Scully started to feel sorry for him. "I'm not threatening to leave, Mulder." She approached him. "You have to admit that this is quite sudden and came about at a time when both of our emotions were a little frayed. Maybe what you did was the right thing at the wrong time."

"That sounds a lot like me." Mulder tried to laugh at himself. He seemed shocked when Scully came up to him and grabbed him around his waist and pressed herself against him. "Scully?"

"Mulder, you are right. We love each other and have the best friendship and partnership on earth. However, sabotaging my dates is a little extreme—isn't it?"

Mulder allowed his arms to come around her. "Not from where I sit, Scully. Once any of those men found out how special you really are, they would have moved heaven and earth to get you. In that respect, I'm not much different than them." Scully looked up at that and smiled. "I knew I couldn't just saunter up to your desk one day and say: 'Hey Scully, want to see this really cool UFO sighting and then do the horizontal mambo afterwards?' It just never seemed like the right time. I guess it still isn't."

Scully snickered at that. "Alright, I see your point. For whatever it's worth, Damien and I decided not to pursue anything until after the case is over. Of course, his arrest puts a big crinkle in that, but I think that is a good policy for us too—what do you say?"

Mulder stared at her. "Only if you promise you won't run from me, Scully. If I think you are using this to avoid the discussion, I'll come after you. I felt that shiver in the bedroom. I bet I can make you do it again."

Scully felt heat pooling in her stomach as she looked into his chameleon hazel eyes that burned with raw desire. She had just remarked a few days ago that she was just one of dozens of pieces of input he processed by the minute. Now, all of that focus was on her alone. Scully did shiver again.

Act VI – Play Ball

Scully took the bed—alone and Mulder settled in on his usual resting place, dozing for a few hours. He never minded sleeping on the couch before, but having the object of his desire just a few feet away was causing him to be restless. He couldn't believe that he botched that whole thing and it still came out well—or not a complete disaster. Mulder was determined not to let his brain filter fail so spectacularly again. Scully finding out that he was undermining her in the dating department wasn't the best confession to make.

Slowly Mulder began to understand what she wanted to hear when she asked what his definition of 'more' was and it scared him. There was a reason that most of his relationships failed and it was because he was lived too much inside his own head. He focused on what he wanted and he assumed that translated into what his partner wanted. He always found out later that it didn't, and each time he was surprised. However, he had no clue on how to do it differently.

Scully was right about one thing. Until the case is over starting anything emotionally serious would be a mistake. What irritated him is that she had also promised Thorn the same opportunity and despite the fact that the NCIS agent was arrested today, Mulder had a feeling he might still be around in the end. The quote from Moby Dick was bothering him. How did Thorn know to use that to connect to Scully? Did she mention it to anyone else at NCIS?

Mulder rose and started pacing. The DNA match was worrying him too. Thorn said he didn't have any scratches. If that was true, how did his DNA get under the victims fingernails? The knife would have the same problem, but he didn't know how much blood was from Thorn vs Chen. Mulder picked up the phone and made a call. He needed information about Damien Thorn now.

"Frohike! My man! How are you doing?" Mulder tried to be jovial. "Yeah, I know it is 3 am. You guys are still up—right?" Mulder switched ears. "Oh. Sorry dude. Look, I need some information about an NCIS agent in kind of a hurry. Can I call in a favor?" Silence. "I owe you? Well, can I owe you another one?" Mulder waited. "Thanks, man. His name is Damien Thorn—yeah I know about the Omen movies, but that's his name and he is an NCIS agent working at the Navy Yard. He's about my age between 38-42. Is that something you can turn around in a half-hour or so?" Mulder held the phone away from his ear a little. "Ok, man. I know you want to go back to sleep. Thanks for the quick turnaround. Send it the usual way."

He hung up and turned around to see Scully staring at him from the bedroom door. "Hi Scully. I didn't mean to wake you." Mulder tried not to look at her as she was quite delectable wearing one of his shirts and shorts.

"I was having trouble sleeping anyway." She walked in and sat in a nearby chair. "Was that Frohike on the phone?"

"Yeah, I called him for some information on Thorn. Something isn't right, Scully."

"I know. Can I help?"

Mulder bounced and sat on the sofa. "Yes you can. Did you talk to Thorn about Moby Dick or use any their references?"

Scully shook her head. "That is something I have been thinking about since that night too. I'm sure I didn't talk about Moby Dick with anyone except Dr. Wendy Muscott. It turns out that she knew my father and I mentioned that I called him Ahab and he called me Starbuck. I don't think I've said anything like that to anyone else."

"She would be in perfect spot to switch DNA samples." Mulder reminded her.

"Unlikely. One, she didn't collect them and they go straight to the Tech Lab on the 3rd floor where Robert Jasper works on them. Wendy is in the basement. In her condition, she doesn't go out on the field work anymore."

Mulder heard his computer chime and he went to find a file in his encrypted file share account. It was a dossier on Damien Thorn and he started looking over it, when Scully came up behind him. She was distracting, but he brought his focus back.

"That's interesting. Thorn was adopted from a Canadian woman when he was one and his name changed. Both adoptive parents are dead, no additional siblings. He grew up in Washington DC, was Harvard educated until he dropped out to join the Navy. Served for a few years then finished his degree and joined NCIS as a criminal investigator. No signs of mental disturbance in this file."

Scully leaned over Mulder shoulder and scrolled through a few pages. "Mulder, He has an IQ of 140 and was once invited to join MENSA."

Mulder was still not 100% resistant and her smell of honey, almonds and...Scully was driving him crazy. He was mostly sure it was what she used on her hair, but it would be so easy to learn over… God, he could see down her shirt! Those creamy mounds were barely in view…

"Mulder?" Scully was looking at him and he was caught.

"Yes, Scully?" Mulder looked up at her eyes and unexpectedly didn't find censure, but a wry smile indicating slight amusement. However she did stand up. "Umm… See anything that stands out to you?" Scully's smirk got wider. "What I meant was…"

"You might want to quit while you are ahead." Mulder said sheepishly.

She pointed from her standing position. "Just like when we joined the FBI, they give all law enforcement applicants a psychological screening that takes several days. Do you think a split personality could have passed that?"

Mulder nodded. "As long as that personality showed up consistently for all days of the test. Usually, a split personality needs a trigger to switch to a different identity."

"So they can't do it at will?"

"Not in the cases I've studied. It's involuntary." Mulder looked over the dossier again. "I think you are right, Scully. Thorn didn't do it. Someone is going through a lot of trouble to frame him and they might be successful."

Scully stared at her partner. "We are going to find out who really did this, Mulder. We can't let an innocent man rot behind bars for this."

"In the perfect world, no, but that DNA evidence will be hard to get around. If there are no scratches or wounds on his body, we have a good case. We need to check the age of the skin cells and the amount of blood on the knife in the morning."

"It is morning, Mulder. Want coffee?" She swayed into the kitchen.

"Yeah." Mulder's voice was strained. "Then get dressed and I'll take you back to your place to change." He would feel much more comfortable with Scully in one of her severe suits than wearing his clothes around his apartment with his bed only a few feet away.

"Agent Crofton, we would like to talk to Damien Thorn. Is it possible you can arrange an interview?" Mulder was asking politely and hoping that professional courtesy carried that far.

Crofton looked Mulder up and down. "If you think that I was happy to put one of my own agents in handcuffs, I wasn't."

"I didn't think you were. You were just doing your job. You couldn't let personal feelings interfere with the performance of your duty." Mulder tried to look sincere. It wasn't hard because he meant it.

"I can have him available later this morning." Crofton sat at her desk. "Just in case you were wondering, Damien was thoroughly searched, at his request, and there isn't a mark on him. No scratches, no wound that could account for the blood on the knife—nothing. However, until I can explain how that exact DNA match got there, he is still under arrest."

Scully nodded. "Thank you for letting us know." She turned to Mulder. "I'm going to confer with Wendy and help with the autopsy. You might have to interview Damien alone."

"That's fine, Scully. I'll see you later." Scully left and Mulder walked over to Gemela's desk. The man was hastily scribbling into his notepad. "Hello Agent Gemela. How are you taking the news?"

The Hispanic man looked up and Mulder could see the immediate signs of stress. "Agent Mulder, Damien didn't do it. I've worked beside him for over 10 years. He couldn't torture those men and that woman. It's impossible. I've heard people say Damien is batshit crazy and was able to fool us, but I don't believe it. I'm still looking for the killer. I hope you and Agent Scully are as well."

"We are operating on the assumption that Agent Thorn was framed until we know otherwise. If you come up with any information, be sure to share."

"Will do." Gemela said and went back to his scribblings.

Mulder decided he needed to come clean to Crofton. He went over to her and motioned her to the side. He talked low. "Agent Crofton, we've been withholding a few pieces of information. They weren't evidence, more like surmises, but I think you should be made aware of them."

"I already guessed that, Mulder. You knew whose blood we would find on that knife before we did. I saw you pull your partner away. I want to know how." She stood with her arms cross awaiting a reply.

"When Scully was attacked in her apartment, she got a good look at the assailant's eyes. She swears they were Damien's, but she also swears that she didn't recognize the man behind them." Croft started to interrupt, but Mulder held up a hand. "Also, the quote the man gave her was from Moby Dick. Scully is sure that she spoke to no one about references to that book except to Dr. Wendy Muscott. Scully mentioned that she called her father Ahab and her father called her Starbuck."

Crofton was curt. "Where are you going with this, Agent Mulder?"

"I think you should sweep your offices, lab and autopsy area for listening devices and do it right away." Mulder watched as Crofton blanched and then walked back to her desk and picked up the phone, barking a few orders into it. In about 10 minutes a crew came, but Thorn was ready before they finished. Gemela escorted him to an interrogation room.

Mulder didn't bother with hiding behind the mirror, he walked straight into the room. "Thorn."

"Mulder." The miserable man replied. "I shouldn't have to tell you that I didn't do it, but I didn't do it."

"I believe you." Mulder said flatly.

"Dana?"

"Scully believes you too." Mulder wasn't happy at the relief that washed over the man like water.

"Thank, god." Thorn wiped a hand over his face. "I couldn't stand it if she thought I was a killer." He leaned forward. "I have no idea how that DNA got there. I don't have any scratches or wounds. Did you know that I don't have a verifiable alibi for the times of any of the murders? Technically, I could have even done the one in Florida! It happened when I was visiting an old friend. Someone is trying to set me up and I want to know who."

Mulder was calm. "If you had to guess on someone that wanted revenge, who would it be?"

Thorn shook his head. "I've been thinking, Mulder—believe me. I can't come up with anyone that would want to pin 6 murders on me. Really. I'm not going to say that I haven't ticked people off in my life. I bet you have too, but not to this degree. No way."

"Alright. I'm going to ask you some seeming odd questions and they may seem irrelevant, but please answer them—ok?" Thorn nodded. "What is your earliest memory?"

Thorn crinkled his brow. "What? I don't know. Um…" He thought for a while. "Looking into a mirror and laughing."

"How old were you?"

"I have no idea. What does this have to do with anything?"

Mulder remained calm. "Please indulge me. How did your parents die?"

"Car crash when I was 20. Turns out that they had just had the car worked on and some idiot didn't put the brake system back together well and when they went on the Virginia hills, they lost control and crashed."

"Was the mechanic ever charged?"

"No, when he heard what happened, he took off. They didn't have enough information to find him. That was 20 years ago. They don't have the technology they do today."

Mulder was watching the man carefully when he answered. So far he was sure Thorn was telling the truth. "Next question. Has there been strange events that seemed to follow you around as an adult?"

Thorn looked puzzled. "Strange events? Like what? Black cats crossing my path or like air conditions falling from the 2nd story on me?"

"Closer to the second one. Has there been an unusual amount of tragedy with people involved in your life?"

"No more than anyone else." Thorn wouldn't look at him. Mulder was sure that was a lie.

"Damien, I believe you to be innocent, but based on the evidence gathered, if we don't find the real killer they are going to pin it on you. I need you to be honest. Has there been a lot of tragedy with people close to you?"

Thorn looked very uncomfortable. "Please don't tell Dana this, especially after what happened the other night, but the real reason I'm not married or with a girlfriend, is…bad things keep happening to them. You have to believe that I would never put Dana in danger. The last woman I went out with was…IS fine. I thought I had finally broken through the string of bad luck."

"What happens to them?" Mulder was trying not to get upset. He was playing psychologist right now and had to remain detached. However, if Thorn knowingly put Scully in danger, he was going to finally get a wound, security camera or not.

"It depends. My first adult girlfriend was involved in a home robbery and was beaten. We had only been going out for a few months. She never quite recovered and we broke up. The next long term girlfriend was hit by a car and put in the hospital for 6 weeks. That is when I got suspicious, but it still could have been coincidence. The next few women I just dated off and on, but about the 4th date, they had bad luck too. One had her car broken into and the other—her tires slashed. That's when I accepted whether it was bad luck or witchcraft or whatever, that I was bringing this on them and I stopped dating when I went into the Navy. After I joined NCIS I tried again and that woman is doing well. We just didn't hit it off."

"What is her name and how many times did you see the last woman?"

"Cynthia Edwards. Five dates."

"How long ago?"

"About 3 months ago. We broke it off right before I went to Florida."

"Isn't that the time of the first murder?" Mulder watched Thorn carefully. The man was grappling with the timeline. Mulder understood it was hard to see the pattern from the inside, but Thorn was putting it together.

"Yeah, Florida was the first in the string of murders." Thorn looked stricken. "Are you telling me that someone has been following me all of my life and doing these things? Why start killing now? Why frame me for it?"

Mulder looked at the agent. "I don't know. Damien, I need to ask another indelicate question. Have you ever been treated for any mental illnesses?"

Thorn looked back steadily. "No."

"Have you ever experienced period of unconsciousness lasting for more than a few minutes?"

"No." Thorn slammed his hands on the table. "I'm not crazy, Agent Mulder. I went to Harvard and as part of my criminal justice background I had to take a few psychology classes. I know what you are thinking. I might have a split personality. I might be Damien Thorn one minute and then and turn into that killer the next and not remember it." The agent sniffed heavily. "I won't look silly by saying it isn't a possibility, because if I really was crazy, how would I know? However, I don't believe I am and that is the best I can do."

Mulder nodded and stood up. "I'm going to need your permission for some legal searches. If my theory is correct, this person is responsible for killing your parents too. Can I count on your cooperation?"

"Hell, yeah!" Thorn said. "If there is someone out there haunting me, I want him stopped. He has ruined my life!"

"I'll do what I can. Thank you for being honest." Mulder turned to go.

"Agent Mulder?" Thorn got his attention. "He went after Dana. He may try again."

Mulder looked pained. "I know. I'll stay with her."

"I care for her." Thorn said as Mulder stared back at him.

"So do I." Mulder replied, his meaning unmistakable. "Let's deal with this problem first." Thorn nodded and Mulder left.

No one was around the NCIS office when Mulder came out of the interrogation room. Crofton appeared several minutes later and Mulder suspected she was behind that mirror the whole time, hell he would have been.

"Did you get what you wanted, Agent Mulder?" Crofton said quietly. "It appears you have a way of bringing out things from people. I had two officers and myself question him for hours yesterday and we didn't get half of what you did out of him. Care to share your theory?"

Mulder wasn't sure if she was coming on to him or just being honest. He was sure that he didn't care anymore. Thorn was right, Scully might be in danger still. He did owe Crofton something for being so cooperative. She could have been a bitch about the whole thing.

"I'm not ready to share my theory just yet, but I will tell you that after talking to Thorn, I'm more convinced that he didn't commit those murders. What did your sweep find? Any listening devices?" Crofton's attitude plunged about 20 degrees and Mulder's balls shrunk up into his body. Sometimes it sucked being right. "How many?"

"Four. One near my desk, one near Thorn's, one in the Lab and one in Autopsy. You were right. We were chumps. Happy?"

Mulder scratched his head. "Finding none would have made me happy. However, knowing how the killer got his information is still valuable. Were any of them traceable?"

"No. They were turned off by the time we got to them. The previous transmissions were scrambled and useless. I would take a genius to do that—right under NCIS' nose. Did you know that Thorn was asked into MENSA?"

"And you know that Damien Thorn had no need to spy on his own people. He got briefed on all this information legitimately. What does your instinct tell you?"

Crofton was trying to arrange her face. "My instinct tells me I just put one of my best agents and my friend in jail unjustly. Find the killer Agent Mulder. I don't know why you want to hold your cards close to your vest, but as long as you catch him you can have all the glory. I just want my agent cleared and back at his desk."

Mulder rose. "I don't want the glory, and I'm not giving my theory because I don't know if I'm right and it's a little outside of the box. But for what it is worth, arresting Thorn was hard for you, and you went up ten notches in my respect department. It took courage to do what you did."

"It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do." Crofton said trying to keep her voice steady. Ever face that problem—Agent Mulder?"

Mulder chuckled to himself. "Not really. However, Scully knows. She shot me to prevent me from committing a crime."

Crofton stared in wonder. "Your partner shot you?"

"Yep. Hell of a shot too. Clean and clear. Had a little trouble with the hallucinogen that I was slipped, but it sorted itself out. Speaking of Scully, do you know if she is finished in autopsy?"

Crofton shook her dark head and tried to cover her confusion by rifling through papers on her desk. Mulder noticed that she was a beautiful woman and ten years ago he would have jumped at the chance to go out with her. He wasn't sure when his tastes changed from tall, brunette and leggy to petite, redheaded and goddess-like. Aside from that minor peck on New Year's Eve one year, he has never really kissed Scully. After this all was over, that was number one on his list.

"I'm going down to see how they are doing. Let me know when Thorn has signed those legal documents."

"Will do."

Mulder descended in the elevator to the basement. Walking through the pressurized door he found the two ladies taking a break and talking about shoes—of all things.

"I don't know how you chase after suspects in 3" heels, Dana. Sounds like you have a death wish. Of course, I'm pregnant so often, heels are the things in the back of my closet that I never get to wear. Do you know how many babysitters refuse to watch 7 children so their parents can have a date night?"

Scully noticed him. "Mulder! Any news? The tech team found a bug down here. That's how the killer knew about Moby Dick."

Mulder smiled at his diminutive partner. "Crofton told me. She pissed about the whole thing."

"How did they get in here? This is a secure area!" Wendy Muscott mused. "He's got to be an escape artist or something."

"Probably…or something." Mulder said with fondness. That ex-Texan was a colorful character. "Hey Scully, I'll show you mine if you show me yours…" Mulder waggled his eyebrows.

Wendy let out a half bark, half guffaw. "Dana, that partner of yours is a hoot! I don't know how you can resist his charms."

Mulder gave Wendy a full smile. "I've been telling her that for years."

"You have not." Scully said trying to keep a straight face, but the other two kept smiling at her. "Mulder…" She tried not to whine. "What did you find out from Damien?"

He gave the highlights and left out the details for when he and Scully were alone. "But that doesn't make sense." Wendy said. "Dana and I tested the blood and skin cells and they were fresh, how can Agent Thorn not have a scratch on him?"

Mulder shrugged. "Now give."

Scully shook her head. "Wendy's given it to you. Lee Chen was drugged, tortured and killed in the same manner as the others. The DNA evidence was fresh and the knife found under my pillow matched one of the wounds. The killer was obviously trying to send us a message."

"Which wound matched that other knife?" Mulder said and got close to the body.

Scully showed him "It's this one, the one near the heart. It almost looks like a symbol, but with all the other wounds, it could be just as haphazard."

Mulder stared. "It is a symbol, Scully. I want you to wait here for me. I have something to do upstairs and then you are coming home with me again."

"Mulder!" Scully cried, but he was already out the door.

Fifteen minutes later, Mulder came running back to autopsy to see Wendy sitting alone. "Wendy? Where is Scully?"

"Oh! Damien came for her and said he was taking her up to you now that he's been released. I'm glad you were able to clear him, Agent Mulder."

"What?!" Mulder was terrified. "She left with him?"

"Sure. They took the freight elevator."

"Oh my god! How do I get Crofton on the line! Now! Wendy! Now!" Mulder was screaming and the 9 month pregnant woman moved as fast as she could. She picked up the phone and punched in a few numbers and gave Mulder the phone. "Crofton? Shut down the base. The killer has Scully! No one in or out. No one! I'm coming up."

Mulder burst from the elevator in a fury. "Crofton, I need you to release Damien. The killer has Scully and he is going to kill her. Damien might be able to talk him out of it. Please! You have to trust me."

Crofton hesitated for a few moments then started making phone calls. In ten minutes, Damien Thorn was unshackled and brought into the squad room.

Mulder stared at the agent. "Damien, I need your help. This person has been chasing you your entire life. He's killed your parents, he gone after every person that you could have possibly loved and when that didn't get your attention, he tried to emulate you by killing those that escaped justice. He is trying to get your attention, Damien. If someone like that was going to make a final stand, where would it be?"

Damien didn't think long. "At my home. I live in the same house I grew up in. I inherited it when my parents died."

"Crofton, send several cars over there, but tell them not to approach the house. Scully's life could hang in the balance. Damien, you are with me." Mulder and the orange jump-suited agent headed out.

Act VII – The Seventh Inning Stretch

Scully was happy to see Damien released from custody and was glad that they could finally concentrate on finding the real killer. She followed him out to the freight elevator, but her instinct kicked in. Damien was acting strange and wouldn't look at her.

"Damien? Is everything alright, you seem…odd." Scully watched as the doors closed and the man turned toward her and see saw his eyes. This wasn't Damien Thorn. It was the same man that held her at gunpoint that night, but he was a physical carbon copy of Damien in every way—but the soul.

"You recognize me." The cold, now-familiar voice said. "It didn't take you long. You must be smarter than the other whores he had gone after. I sensed that I could get him to come to me if I had you. It looks like I was right. My brother will finally recognize me at last."

"Brother?" Scully said with genuine fear. "Damien Thorn doesn't have a brother."

The killer laughed. "Apparently he does. His adoptive parents kept that knowledge from him and I made them pay for it." The elevator reached the top. "Look here, girlie. I could kill you now or you can live a little while longer while I wait for my brother to come to me. How you act when we leave this box will determine that. Stay cool, act normal and you will live. Scream or draw attention to us and you die. Understand?" Scully nodded. "Good. Come on, whore."

The killer and Scully emerged from the shaft and walked calmly to a nearby car. He put Scully in the driver's seat and then entered the other side. Scully followed his directions as they maneuvered out of the Navy yard. Damien Thorn was known on sight and this man looked exactly like him. That was how he came and went so easily. The guard waved them on and only after they were a little down the road, did Scully hear the sirens and klaxons blaring. Mulder had figured it out, but he was too late.

"Don't worry. Your partner will get Damien released, he will then come to me and we will be reunited. You are just the bait. I watched you snuggle up to that tall partner of yours. You are a whore. Teasing my brother on one end and letting that other man touch you on the other. Damien will be happy I pointed out your duplicity. He will be proud how I've stopped him from making all those mistakes with all those other stupid women too. He will finally recognize that I am the only one that really loves him."

Scully was scared. She has been kidnapped three times and it never ceased to terrify. She knew Mulder would come for her, but with this man having killed 6 people already, she didn't know if she would be alive when that time came.

It made the decision to wait for a relationship seem even more foolish. Damien was a wonderful man and he would be a great choice if she couldn't have what she really wanted. However, what she really wanted hadn't yet arrived—but it was getting close. Scully almost laughed with the ridiculous nature of her musings. This may be her last moments alive and she spends them deciding which man to have? Like it's going to matter in a few minutes. Silently, she said goodbye to her brothers, mother and friends. Finally to Mulder, her best friend and partner. She hoped he would be able to go on without her.

While they drove, Scully tried to engage the killer in small talk, but he eventually told her that if she said another word, he would kill her and throw her body by the side of the road. That ended any budding conversation. They drove for about forty-five minutes and then parked at an unfamiliar house. "Get out." The man said and she did. Apparently the killer had his own key and opened the door pulling Scully in with him.

The man dragged her to the top of the stairwell and into what looked like the master bedroom. Scully could tell Damien slept here as it had pictures from his college and Navy days as well as medals and commendations that he received over the years. Scully almost cried, when he saw a couple that could have only been his parents by his bedside. He never forgot them. The killer did the requisite tying and gagging, then propped her up on the bed.

"Don't worry, whore. You did a good job. For that, I'll make it quick. I tortured all those others to interest Damien, but I see no reason for you to suffer. That's my gift to you." He sat in a chair across from her and they waited for Mulder and Damien to take the bait.

When Mulder got word that Damien Thorn had already left with a redheaded woman, he nearly crawled inside himself and died. That man was a cold blooded killer and wouldn't hesitate to harm Scully. There had to be a way to save her. It couldn't end like this. There was too much he wanted to give her—too much to experience. A nice dinner, dancing, sunlit walks, breakfast in bed. It wasn't fair. It just dawned on him what 'more' meant. It was about pleasing her. Scully wanted to know if he would be happy giving as much as taking. If he could have her back—god, yes.

Mulder remembered the times that he brought her Chunky Monkey ice cream or her favorite Danish and the appreciative smiles that he would get. Just a few days ago, he made the mocha latte the way she liked and got her a parfait. She was happy with him. It wasn't about the gifts, themselves, it was the thought and attention to detail that let her know he cared and put her first. Wow. Hell of a time to have a revelation. By the time this is over, it may not matter. Mulder didn't know what he was going to do if the worst happened and he just finally understood. Please—not now.

The two agents, one in an orange jumpsuit, got into a car and went to Damien Thorn's house. Several cop cars followed at a discrete distance. This was the Alamo. Mulder was certain they were going to stop a serial killer tonight, but at what cost? Scully may already be dead. He didn't want to believe that the universe could be so cruel, but it was. Hell, his life was a testament to it.

"Mulder?" The FBI agent looked at Thorn. "Let me handle this. He wants me—not you and he is only using Dana to bring me to him. I'm a trained agent too. I got lead."

"That's my partner in there!" Mulder nearly screamed. "I'm not putting her life in your hands!"

"You have to trust that I'm going to do everything I can to protect her—including sacrificing my own life. Do you believe that?" Thorn stared him down.

Mulder didn't know what to think so he went with feeling. "I believe that."

"Good. I'm in charge. He wants me. He will get me, but only if Scully goes free. This ends here." Thorn watched Mulder nod and Mulder felt sick. The future, if there was one for him, was going to be decided by a virtual stranger with the hots for his partner and a Devil Spawn name. Wow. This is one for the books.

Mulder watched as Thorn got out and approached the house. Mulder's weapon was drawn and Crofton had given Thorn a spare for the mission. He knocked. "Hey! It's Damien Thorn. I want to see Agent Scully before I go in. Let me know she is still alive!"

A cold voice yelled down. It sounded eerily like Thorn's, but it was distinct. "She's here, but a little tied up at the moment. I know you have that tall agent with you and probably a host of others off in the distance. If you want to see this 'Scully' alive, you will put down your weapon and come upstairs unarmed. I want to talk to you…AND I DON'T' WANT MY FACE BLOWN OFF!" The man screamed. "Do what I ask or I will stick this whore in the side and gladly watch her bleed out." He paused. "What is it going to be?"

Thorn looked back at Mulder. "My call. I'm going in." He put down the gun and walked into the house. Mulder watched as Crofton maneuvered her people so that there was no escape for the killer. The only variable was who was going to die.

Act VIII – Sacrifice Fly

Scully was growing cold. The ropes used to bind her was cutting off a fair amount of her circulation and she was trying to prepare herself for the worst. She heard Damien's voice shouting up the stairs and knew that he was going to come in—unarmed. The worst thing about this situation is understanding that the killer had no intention of getting out alive. He would gladly send them all to Hades as long as he made peace with his brother and it looked like that was about to happen. All she could do is watch.

"Scully?" Damien's voice came as he reached the top stair.

"We're in here." The killer said. "No quick moves." Scully tried not to squeak as the knife used to kill 6 people was placed at her throat.

Damien walked through the door with his hands in the air. "I'm coming in. I'm unarmed."

"I can see that." The killer snapped. "They still have you in that ridiculous jumpsuit. By the way, brother, what was jail like?"

"Brother?" Damien said as he cleared the door and came face to face with himself. "What the hell...?"

"Hello, Damien. Meet your other half." The killer didn't move the knife away from Scully's throat, but focused his attention on the agent. "Thanks to your rotten parents, you have no idea who I am. They made the choice to split us up and I made sure that after I found out, they paid for it."

Damien stuttered. "I—I—I don't understand. Who are you?"

"The name they gave me was William Danforth. We were born as James and John Butcher and I'm sure you have guessed that we are twins. Our mother couldn't raise us and gave us both up for adoption, however the Thorns only chose to adopt you. I ended up being bounced around from foster home to foster home until I landed with an old couple that adopted me to do all their work for them. At that point having a permanent home was more important, so I stayed—at least until I was old enough to inherit everything. They never suspected it was foul play. That was my first kill…"

"Look, William. I didn't know about any of this. Agent Scully certainly had nothing to do with it. Please just let her go and we'll talk and work this out." Damien was trying not to let fear into his voice, but Scully could hear it. She was sure that William Danforth could too.

"That sounds like the perfect page from the hostage de-escalation manual of NCIS, brother. I have nothing more to lose. This whore's partner figured out who I am and was about to 'drop the net' on me soon. Did you know that she is in love with him?" William watched as Damien unconsciously glanced at Scully. "It's true. She is worse than all those other bitches you tried. At least most of those were interested in you and you alone. That last one? I didn't bother with her. She was bored and just was using you to go out on a date. You figured that out soon enough. In fact, I think you went out with her for the same reason. By then, I had found a new game. Since my big brother wanted to play cops and robbers, why not join him? Since you were on the cops' side…"

Damien tried again. "I'm glad I have a brother. I've always wanted one. I would like one that would be a part of my life and you can be, William. Just put down the knife. No one else needs to get hurt."

William Danforth grew enraged and stood up brandishing the weapon. "Hurt? You don't know the definition of hurt! Do you know what it is like to know my family and future was ripped away by a couple of selfish people? The Thorns should have taken me too." Danforth was breathing heavily, but managed to get himself under control. "In any event, it doesn't matter now. This house is rigged with explosives and if your police buddies get too close, they will go up with it. I promised your little whore that it will be quick and it will." He looked at his watch. "We have about 3 minutes left. Is there anything you want to say to me, brother?"

"Yeah. There is." Damien lowered his hands. "You ruined my life and I hope you rot in hell." Damien rushed William and the two started struggling. Scully was still tied, but she tried so hard to work free of her bonds, that she didn't' notice Mulder had entered the room. William saw him.

"No! Don't touch her!" William tried to lunge at Scully, but Damien stopped him.

"The house is rigged to explode. Get her out of here!" Damien cried as the murder weapon stabbed him. "Go!"

Mulder hoisted his partner over his shoulder and ran out of the room. Scully tried to scream, but she was still gagged. When they reached the outside, Mulder yelled to everyone to back away from the house. He ran as fast as he could and barely got far enough away when the house shattered into a million pieces. Wood and debris flew like shrapnel and everyone ducked for cover. The force of the blast knocked Mulder to the ground and Scully landed hard. She opened her eyes to find Mulder trying to shelter her with his body.

"Ummmph!" Scully tried to say, but Mulder didn't move for a few seconds. Finally, he groaned and tried to rise. The cry of pain gave her pause, but there was nothing she could do. Mulder managed to roll off of her and Scully watched in horror as he pulled a large piece of wood out of his left calf. That had to hurt.

"Scully! Are you alright?" She nodded and Mulder removed a knife from his pocket and started to cut the ropes.

"Ummph!" Scully said and he stopped to remove the gag.

"Sorry, Scully." Mulder said sheepishly and went back to cutting her bonds.

Scully spit some of the cotton out of her mouth. "Mulder! What about Damien?" Her partner didn't look at her.

"You heard the explosion, Scully. Thorn was still inside. If he hadn't lunged at Danforth, none of us would have gotten out alive."

"You were there?" Scully was stunned.

"Yeah. I was right behind Thorn. I was looking for a chance to take Danforth out, but had to wait until he didn't have that knife at your throat. He stood up and when Thorn went after him, I went after you. It was like we had practiced it. He died saving you, Scully. I owe him a debt of gratitude."

"So do I." Scully tried not to cry, but the trauma was too much and a tear slipped. "I can't believe he is gone!"

Mulder finished cutting the ropes and helped his partner to her feet just as Crofton came up to them. "Are you alright?" The team leader said with worry. "Where is Damien?" Mulder looked at the agent and then at what remained of the house. He stared at the ground as the reality sunk into the woman. "Oh no."

The attitude around NCIS was somber as the details came to light. Using the legal papers Thorn had signed, they were able to piece together the whole puzzle. Mulder and Scully had heard what William Danforth had said, but there was nothing like good old fashioned proof to back it up.

It was true that Danforth and Thorn were identical twins and given up for adoption in Canada. That explained the 99% DNA match at the crime scene. When Danforth turned 18 and according to Canadian laws had a right to learn about his birth parents. That's when he discovered his brother and learned of the single adoption. Through a series of (possibly illegal) transactions he found the Thorns and circumstantial evidence placed Danforth in the same city where the Thorns got their car repaired. The rest of the murders were uncomfortably easy to connect. However, because there was no apparent motive, no one was looking in his direction. Danforth was good at disguises and hiding himself in plain sight. Even Damien Thorn had no idea he had been stalked all those years.

The funeral for Special Agent Damien Thorn was well attended and he was buried next to his adoptive parents. His body was found in the remains of the house along with his brother so the case was closed. Mulder was still using a cane a week later as they went up to AD Skinner's office for the review of their final report.

Act IX – The Last Play

While they waited in the secretary's office, Mulder reflected how concerned he was about Scully. After closing the case and leaving Damien behind and buried, she became withdrawn. Both agents were put on involuntary leave this week. Mulder was out because of his leg and Scully because of the kidnapping. He found out, accidentally (on purpose), that Scully still had yet to see the FBI psychologist to get cleared for active duty.

It wasn't as if she wasn't talking to him. Since they weren't in the office together and forced to interact daily, Mulder had little to go on to tell how his partner was doing after her ordeal. He didn't hint verbally or in the report that Scully had an unprofessional interest in Damien Thorn, but Skinner suspected it. That was part of the reason for the forced leave and the kidnapping excuse covered all of it. Mulder could tell when Skinner approached him at the funeral and asked him how Scully was taking it. If he didn't suspect, he would have just asked her directly.

Mulder told his boss that Scully was doing well and looking forward to getting back to duty. The stern, brown eyes of his boss indicated that he wasn't fooled. He admonished Mulder to look out for her and then never mentioned it again. To his credit, Mulder tried. He called Scully every day and she responded to his questions, but said little else. He offered to pick up Chinese food and have movie night, but she turned him down saying that she wanted a quiet evening reading. He even showed up at her door one day, but she was on her way out—or so she said. She was avoiding him.

Now they had to face their boss together and this was the first time that the report would be reviewed in front of both agents. Scully simply emailed her part to Mulder and he compiled it. Mulder was anxious and interested to see how his partner was really feeling, but if the impenetrable mask she wore in the waiting area meant anything, this was a wash. The secretary said they could go in and the duo took their usual seats in front of A.D. Walter Skinner's desk. The broad man in the impeccably pressed white shirts was looking at something on his desk. Once the agents were seated, he looked up and the window glare made his expression unreadable behind those wire rim glasses.

"Agents Mulder, Scully. I've read your report and have a few questions. How did William Danforth get a hold of the R-99 tranquilizer?"

Scully fielded that one. "He was listed as a veterinarian under a stolen name. The real vet, John Hathaway, had died and Danforth assumed his identity."

"Did Danforth kill him too?"

"NCIS is looking into that." Scully answered smoothly. Skinner nodded and continued reading until he got to another point.

"Agent Mulder, your report was vague on when and why you suspected that Agent Thorn was not the killer, but one of his victims."

"It was the DNA, sir." Mulder said. "If Thorn had no visible scratches or wounds and the DNA was fresh, then the only logical conclusion is that someone else has a match to his DNA."

Skinner adjusted his glasses. "Is that when you suspected a twin?"

"Yes. Finding out that Thorn was adopted opened up that possibility."

"Why didn't you tell the NCIS agent in charge your suspicions?" Skinner started hard at the man. "That might have prevented Agent Scully's abduction."

Mulder fidgeted. He had the same concerns, but what's done was done. "I wasn't sure if Agent Crofton would accept such a farfetched conclusion until I had more evidence." He nervously glanced at Scully who was sitting perfectly composed with a blank expression. "I have considered that may have been an error at the time, but in retrospect, if the gate guard had tried to stop them, Danforth would have surely killed Agent Scully on the spot. Danforth never intended to survive this final move so he had little to lose."

Skinner held the agent's gaze for a few beats then returned to the report and read in silence for about a minute. He closed the file. "Agent Scully. You have not yet gotten clearance from the Bureau's psychologist. When is your appointment?"

Mulder inwardly smiled. Skinner didn't ask if she had an appointment, but when. Nicely done, sir.

Scully's wore her impassive mask and answered professionally. "I plan to see Dr. Kosseff this afternoon."

"Good. I look forward to her clearance memo so you can start work again." Skinner turned to Mulder. "Also, I haven't gotten your medical clearance, Mulder."

"Should be faxed over soon. I'll have to be on light duty for a while, but there will be no permanent effects."

Skinner stood up and so did the agents. "Is there anything else?" Mulder took note that Skinner was watching Scully carefully.

Scully answered. "No, sir."

"Then you are dismissed. Mulder, please—a word?" Skinner remained standing as Scully turned and walked out. Mulder saw her briefly look back at him as she went out the door. "Mulder," Skinner began. "How is Scully really doing?"

"I'm not sure, sir. She's been avoiding me."

Skinner put his hand on his hips. "Avoiding you? You've never had a problem getting in her way before. What has she said?"

Mulder held his boss' gaze. "Not much."

"You aren't saying much either, Mulder. What is your psychologist's impression of how she is doing?"

"Wouldn't you rather wait for Dr. Kosseff's report?"

Skinner sighed. "No. I'm sure Scully will tell her whatever she wants to hear. I'm asking for her partner's report."

Mulder echoed Skinner's sigh. "She's having trouble dealing with the events of this case. Believe it or not, the kidnapping is not the source of the problem. Agent Thorn's death is."

"So she was involved in a relationship with him."

"Not exactly, but they were considering it. The topic had been discussed and they wisely decided to wait until the investigation was over before pursuing anything."

"And then he died." Skinner shook his head. "Is she going to be fit for duty?"

Mulder was adamant. "Yes. She is disappointed, but she will be able to move on—given time. I don't think her personal feelings will affect her work, but keeping her off duty will affect her negatively." Mulder needed to give the warning to Skinner that keeping her away from the office will do more harm than good.

Skinner nodded. "Thank you. That's all."

Mulder left the office and went to the basement to find Scully. She wasn't there. Perhaps she went to go see Karen Kosseff and Mulder hoped so. They sooner they were back on a normal schedule the better. Mulder hadn't forgotten that they had stuck a pin in the pursuit of their own relationship, but Scully needed time to bury Thorn in her mind and her heart before being ready for the next phase. He was giving her space to do that, but time was up. He was going to see her tonight and he wasn't taking 'no' for an answer.

Mulder knocked on the door to Scully's apartment. It was Friday night and Scully has seen the Bureau psychologist and probably gotten cleared. He had questions, statements to make and he wanted answers from her. He wasn't leaving without them.

Scully opened the door. Mulder tried not to goggle as she looked more delectable than usual or maybe he was just starved for her. It could be both. She wore an oversized blue sweatshirt and skin-tight capris with bare feet. It was official, Mulder always assumed that she painted her toes and there they were. Pretty in pink.

"Hi, Scully!" Mulder said with as much cheerfulness as he could. He showed her the bottle of wine. "Thought we could relax, order some Italian and just watch some of your old movies."

"Mulder…" Scully began not moving from the door.

Her partner stepped into the vestibule and into her personal space. "We need to talk, Scully." He was using his height to intimidate her because she wasn't looking at him. Finally, he reached down and pulled up her chin so he stared into her eyes. "It's time." Surprising, Scully nodded and backed away from the door allowing him to enter.

"Nice place you have here. Have you been out of it much this week?" Mulder walked to the refrigerator and put the white wine inside, crumpling the empty bag.

Scully had her arms crossed. "Yes, I have, Mulder. I went shopping, saw my mother and went jogging a few times."

"If you wanted to run, Scully, you could have called me." Mulder sat on the edge of her couch and regarded her. "Or if you wanted to talk…or listen." Mulder held her gaze. "It's been a lonely week without you."

"We've talked, Mulder."

"Yeah those one word answers were the most stimulating dialogue I've had in months." He stood up and came near her. To her credit, Scully didn't back away. "Did you get cleared for duty?"

"Yes."

"So on Monday, everything will be back to normal?"

"As much as it ever is, Mulder."

"Did you visit his grave?"

Scully started at that and confusedly looked up at her partner. "Why would you suppose that I did?"

Mulder liked that about his relationship with her. He changed gears quickly and Scully kept pace. He answered her. "To put Damien and the possibility he offered to rest. Give yourself permission to move on."

Scully walked over to her desk and picked up her phone. "What do you want from the Italian place?"

"Nice deflection." Mulder joined her and gently took the phone from her hand. "I'm a trained psychologist—remember? You needed closure. I gave you the space for that."

"Is that what you and Skinner talked about after I left? He wanted to know my state of mind?" Scully's face was hard.

Mulder sighed and pulled her into his chest. She let him do it. Phase I complete—Achievement Unlocked – We have contact. "He was worried about you. So was I. I told him that the best thing for you was to go back to work. Okay?"

"He shouldn't have died, Mulder. I should have known it wasn't Damien."

"You did know and almost right away. There was no way you would have suspected a twin earlier."

"You did..." There was a hint of censure in her voice.

"…and I should have told you." Mulder finished her sentence. She wasn't looking at him.

"That symbol carved into Lee Chen's chest was the sign of Gemini."

Mulder pulled her closer. "Yes. I thought I had more time than a few minutes. He must have already been on the move after he heard your autopsy findings. It's my fault, Scully. It's my fault that Damien is dead."

Scully was sad. "Danforth was going to kill Damien anyway. If I had been alerted beforehand, he might have killed Wendy—and me right there in that room."

"Enough of the 'what ifs' and the case is closed. We have a pin stuck in something of our own and I want to open it back up. "You promised me that you wouldn't run, Scully."

"I know." Her voice was small. "It's just…"

Mulder sat on the couch edge so his face was level with hers. "Just what?"

"Damien's death didn't bother me for what could have been between us, but because that it could have been you dead in that house, just as easily. Danforth could have stabbed me in the elevator and I would have bled out before anyone found me. We both barely escaped death and I am tired of contemplating a life without my best friend. I spent this last week picturing what it would be like if we took this to the next level and you died on me. What would I feel? How would I move on?"

She walked to the window and looked out. "I have often accused you of being selfish and thinking only of your needs, but I'm guilty too. That's all I thought about this week and I don't think I can do this. I want to be able to survive your death and I can only do that if you don't mean everything to me. I want you to be able to survive mine too. I don't think we should pursue this."

Mulder leaned back and stared at the ceiling. Apparently, he had it wrong. It wasn't the lost opportunity with Damien she was mourning, it was the loss of their own future when she rejected the deepening of their relationship. This was serious. He had to turn it around.

"Scully, I hear what you are saying. You are afraid. Frankly, so am I. You are already everything to me and losing you would be…" He paused for the right word. "Devastating. If you had asked me five or even two years ago would this be worth the destruction of the sorry remnant of my soul, I would have said 'no'. However, after my mother killed herself and I discovered the truth about Samantha, I realized that I have spent too much energy in the wrong area. Just a few months ago I might have said I wasted my life, but it wasn't wasted, just misdirected."

Mulder walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders. He could see Scully's reflection in the window as she gazed unseeing into the DC nightlife below. She looked in pain, but she wasn't pulling away from him and that was a good sign.

"I needed to find what happened to my sister because I thought that I was responsible for all the pain and suffering her disappearance caused. Before he died, my father tried to tell me who was responsible and my mother's death verified it. I want my own life now and I want you in it."

Scully's voice was clear. "I am part of your life, Mulder. I'm not leaving. We'll still keep searching for the Truth—together."

Mulder spun her around. "That's not good enough anymore. Damien showed me that I could lose you so easily and it's because I haven't filled a part of your life that you need to be whole. You buried it and so have I. It took someone else to show us our vulnerabilities. We convinced ourselves that it wasn't necessary, but it is. I want you, Scully—in every way. I don't care if I have 50 years or 50 minutes left with you. I want this…and you do too."

She tried to pull away, but Mulder held her. "It isn't about sex, Scully. It's about love. It's about giving everything to someone else—your hopes, dreams and secret desires. I don't want to keep you at a distance anymore. I don't want you to do that to me and above all, I don't want the bastards that keep fucking with us to take any more of our souls. I want to give you what's left of mine because I know you will keep it safe. I ask for yours in return. Do you trust me that much?"

Scully looked up at him and he could see the unshed tears forming in her eyes. She understood what he was asking. Now what was she going to do with it? His future hung in the balance.

Mulder sensed she was about to give in and decided to press his advantage. He pulled her into him and leaned down to kiss her. She didn't stop him. When their lips met, it was like an epiphany. This is what everything was for—it was this moment. His lips slid over those warm petals and he suckled them. She was trembling again and Mulder was catching on fire. He wanted her and when she gasped, he pushed in deeper and drank from her. The moan that escaped her lips encouraged him and the kiss went on. They only broke for the necessity of air. Both were breathing heavily.

"Wow, Scully." Mulder said heaving. "Do you have any idea…?"

"Mulder?" Scully was catching her breath also. "We…"

"Need to do that again." Mulder finished for her and captured her mouth in another passionate kiss. Scully started to respond to him and soon he had pushed her up against the nearest wall and trapped her with his body. The trembling had ceased and she had wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him closer to her. There were no aliens, shadow government or conspiracies here, just raw emotion, need and desire. Mulder pulled away from her.

"Scully, stop me now or take me to your bedroom. I need to make love to you." Mulder wondered what his diminutive partner would do. He wasn't holding her against the wall anymore, but he was close. She was quick enough to push him aside and escape, if she wanted. She could be on the phone to 911 or holding him at gunpoint within seconds. What she did was take his hand and lead him to her bedroom. Oh man. This is really going to happen.

Mulder had only been in here a few times longer than the time it took to walk to her bathroom and back. Scully's room was decorated with a floral motif evident in her bedspread, wallpaper and a few knick-knacks she had around. It suited her as Scully's personality seemed like a rose that opened slowly and only with deliberation. She was going to bloom for him tonight. He had to make her his.

Scully started to take off her sweatshirt, but Mulder stopped her. "No. We aren't rushing this." He cupped her face and kissed her deeply. "What do you want, Scully? Tell me anything. Command me."

She stopped and stared at him for a while. "Do you mean that, Mulder?" He nodded and she smiled—a full 1000 watt smile. His heart did a flip. Scully was surprised at him, but pleasantly so. "I thought…"

"What, Scully?"

"That you would want to get me in bed so you could have your way with me." Scully sidled up to him provocatively.

Mulder smiled. "I do. But I want to know what you like. I already know what I want. Show me."

"This isn't what I expected."

"Show me, Scully." Mulder kissed her gently. "If you can't show me, tell me."

"Mulder…" She was getting embarrassed.

"Do you trust me, Scully? Tell me one of your fantasies. Remember, I'm a trained psychologist. Nothing surprises me."

"We were just doing one right out there. You were being aggressive and taking what you wanted."

Mulder smiled. "Interesting. You, a highly trained, deadly, female FBI agent want to be dominated? I can do that. I would enjoy it too. Are you sure that is what you want? Slow and sweet has its allure also."

"I want passion, Mulder—at least this time. I always pictured us coming together for the first time in a blaze of glory. I appreciate that you are too sensitive, especially about this subject, to take the lead without permission, so I give it to you. Take me, Mulder."

My, My. What a dream come true.

Act X – Home Run

Rating R

Mulder wasted no time. He pulled Scully to him and assaulted her mouth. She moaned as he swirled his tongue around hers. His hands went around her small waist and encircled it. With his thumbs brushing her ribs he inched up until he was touching the undersides of her breasts. Oh yeah. One hand broke away to cup her luscious bottom and he pulled her in and rubbed his sizable erection against her belly. Scully moaned again and Mulder was quickly losing it.

He pulled off her sweatshirt and started to kiss her neck and chest. She smelled like warm honey, almonds and…Scully. Releasing her brassiere, he reared back to stare at her perfect breasts. Scully had rose pink nipples, just like her toes. How tasty. Mulder bent her back over and started suckling until he realized that both would be more comfortable on the bed. He pushed her there and after tossing her mercilessly onto the mattress, climbed on top of her and continued. Scully tried to remove his shirt, but he grabbed her wrists and held them over her head.

"Nuh uh. I'm going to have my way with you first. You put me in charge and I'm going to enjoy myself. Don't worry, I'll make sure you do too."

Mulder suckled and nipped each breast in kind. Scully's moaning was driving him wild. He released her and pushed both hands down her stretch pants pulling them down and…eventually off. She was naked before him and Mulder was fully clothed.

"Mulder! You have way too many clothes on." Scully said throatily as she writhed under his touch. Wow, Scully has a damn sexy voice…

He could see the desire in her eyes as he looked at the woman he has wanted for 7 years, naked and open to him. He landed for another kiss as his hands roamed over her hips and finally to that juncture where Mulder got confirmation that the drapes matched the carpet. When he touched her, the sound she made almost made him come right there in his pants. Scully was trying to kill him. She tried again for his shirt and he let her. Soon it was skin on skin, but Mulder kept his pants on or he was going to bury himself in her and it would be over. He wanted this to last a bit longer.

"Scully, I love you." Mulder pushed two fingers inside her and began a slow rhythm. His thumb was rubbing her clitoris and the woman was struggling beneath him. He kept it up, increasing in speed and intensity, but then stopped. Scully moaned her disappointment. "Switching gears." Mulder got up and unbuttoned his pants. The audible gasp as he revealed himself to her was appreciation enough. He got back on the bed. "Now back to our program." He held her arms above her head with his left hand and inserted his fingers again with his right. This time he used his thumb and index finger to rub her like a well-oiled marble. She was incredibly wet and he could smell her arousal. Mulder had to hold on.

Continuing to rub as he suckled on her breasts while holding her to the mattress was causing a flurry of reaction from his prey. Scully was moaning, screaming and trying to throw him off all at the same time. Mulder could feel the pressure building within her and it was glorious. Scully started to buck harder, but he continued and lapped fervently at her nipples as he stimulated her to climax. It wasn't too long before Scully shrieked and raised up as Mulder could feel the gush of her orgasm rush into his hand. Phase II completed—Achievement unlocked—Scully has come in his arms.

Mulder was quite satisfied with himself. Scully watched him from lowered eyelids, the contentment evident on her face. "You like?" She nodded. "There's more, but take a few minutes." Mulder let her enjoy her orgasm while he enjoyed himself with her body. He kissed his way down to her gunshot wound and ran his tongue over that. He almost lost her with that one. Parting her legs he tasted her juices and kissed the inside of her thighs which were slick and inviting. When he looked up to find her watching him, his face was shiny and he smiled goofily. Scully's sultry smile let Mulder know it was his turn to take what he wanted.

She had rallied and when he kissed her lips again, she eagerly licked and cleaned him. Mulder grabbed her arms and parted her legs forcefully as he positioned himself. "Are you ready, partner?" She nodded and Mulder entered her in one thrust. Scully screamed at the invasion and while Mulder knew it had been a long time for her, he was given permission to take what he wanted. The instant gratification of having Scully surrounding his member was too much to pass up. Mulder held her gaze as the surprise and pain faded and she accepted his intrusion into her body. He could pinpoint the moment when it started being pleasurable for her and she met his thrusts as he took her. With each plunge, Scully gasped and Mulder grunted. Soon the cacophony of sounds filled the room as the two lovers gave each other pleasure.

Mulder's senses were filled. He could smell and taste her still on his tongue. His cock was snugly enveloped in her warm heat and he listened to her moans and watched her face as she accepted him within her body. This was home. Soon the frenzy exploded and Mulder was pounding her into the bed with fervor when he heard her cry out his name again. It was right after that a blinding sensation ripped through him and pulled his soul through his body and out into hers. He continued to fill her with himself as he screamed her name and her legs were wrapped tightly around him. When he finally collapsed on her, the last thing he remembered was the words she spoke in his ear.

"I love you, Mulder."

Phase III Complete – Mission Accomplished.

Mulder awoke the next morning spooned up against the love of his life. He had a vague memory of collapsing on her and then rolling off and pulling her against him. The light streaming through her lace curtains onto the pale yellow of her wallpaper gave the room a warm glow. Mulder once read a story that described this kind of phenomena as 'buttery light', but that phrase seemed awkward in the book. It almost fit here. He looked down to see a more perfect vision. It was a creamy skinned, naked Scully with a dusting of freckles on her face and shoulders. He pulled back her fiery hair and tucked in behind her ear to get a better view. She was perfection and all his.

The vision moaned softly and unconsciously wiggled her bottom against him sending all the appropriate alerts to the right areas. Mulder lightly caressed her face and was rewarded with her turning toward him so he could study her peaceful form more intently. Mulder wondered if he had the same look on his face last night. The expression he wore right now was a mixture of hunger and wonder at the prize he had won. Laying small kisses on her shoulder, he hoped he could gently wake her and entice the goddess into another lovemaking session. It was Saturday, they weren't officially back on duty until Monday and no monsters were chasing them or assassins trying to kill them—for now. This was their time and Mulder was going to use it to their advantage.

Scully did finally open her eyes and Mulder didn't try to hide the gasp at seeing those brilliant blue depths up close. "Hey, sleepyhead. Have a good night? I hear some gorgeous hunk of a guy came in here and wore you out."

"Is he still here?" Scully said, her voice hoarse from last night. "Tell the hunk that he is wanted back in bed. Thanks, Mulder."

Mulder chuckled and pulled her closer. "I want to make love to you."

"Didn't we do that last night?" She was becoming more awake.

"Nuh uh. I think I ravished my partner last night. She wanted me to and I enjoyed every minute. Now I want to make love to her."

"I'll look for her while you look for the hunk."

Mulder responded by pressing his erection into her back. "I found him."

Scully smiled wide. "I think I know where your partner is. Kiss me, Mulder."

He did.

THE END