Title: Girl Talk 2

Author: Cassandra Mulder (AKA MacKenzie Rabb)

E-mail: dana_mulder32@yahoo.com or mackenzie_rabb@yahoo.com

Rating: PG

Classification: X-Files/JAG crossover; Romance (Mulder/Scully) (Harm/Mac); Angst

Spoilers: X-Files: "This is Not Happening"; JAG: "We the People", "Family Secrets"

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Files. It all, quite unfortunately, belongs to Chris Carter, 20th Century FOX, and Ten Thirteen Productions. I also do not own JAG. That belongs to Bellisarius Productions, Paramount, and CBS.

Summary: When tragedy strikes, Scully turns to her new friend for support.

Author's Notes: You asked for it, you got it. It took a little bit for inspiration to strike, but here's a sequel. I know, I know, the time line as far as Scully's pregnancy goes is screwed up, but that's my bad in the first one. I'm sorry, but I don't suppose it really matters pertaining to this story. Although I think it's quite possible that Mac and Scully could be friends, this isn't exactly realistic, just my crossover run amuck. So here we go...
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10:13 p.m.
Lt. Col. Sarah MacKenzie's Apartment
Georgetown

Dana Scully trembled as she stood outside the door to Sarah MacKenzie's apartment. She didn't want to lay her new problems on her friend, but if she didn't talk to someone, she was going to die.

She knocked on the door finally, and waited for Mac to answer. Over the past three weeks they'd had lunches, dinners, and plenty of talks together. Scully had forgotten how good it felt to have another woman to talk to. And she never needed someone like she did now that Mulder. . .

As Mac opened the door, Scully began to cry for the millionth time in twenty-four hours. She looked up from where she'd been staring at the floor, only to find that Mac looked like she'd been crying too.

"Dana?" Mac said with a sniff. "Are you okay? Come in," she said, opening the door and stepping out of the way to let Scully pass.

"I don't know, Sarah," she said in reply to Mac's inquiry.

"Let's sit down," Mac said, helping Scully lower herself onto the couch. 'Very pregnant' didn't even begin to describe her these days.

"Now what's the matter?" Mac asked. "Is the baby all right?" she said, concern washing over her face.

"The baby's fine. But before I tell you, why have you been crying?"

"Mic was over earlier," Mac said, looking down at her clasped hands. She looked up at Scully with red-rimmed eyes. "I broke it off with him tonight. It was awful. You should've seen the look on his face, Dana. But that's over now, I can't think about it. Now, what's wrong, Dana?" Mac insisted.

Scully didn't know if she could bring herself to say the words. Taking a deep breath, she said, "We found him last night," barely above a whisper.

"Oh God, Dana. Is he all right?"

Scully was focusing on a patch of carpet, her hair hanging down around her face, as she began to shake her head.

"No, Sarah," she said. Then she looked up. "He's dead." Tears began to form in her eyes again.

Mac was startled. Not only by the news, but by the pain she saw in Scully's deep blue eyes. Scully had had so much hope these past weeks. She'd told Mac about her and Mulder's life together. She couldn't imagine what she was going through right now, didn't want to imagine it. She didn't know if she could live if she never saw Harm again.

"Dana, I'm so sorry. I- I don't know what to say."

"I know, Sarah. I'm sorry to come here and dump all of this on you. I just," Scully said, a sob breaking free from her. "I just didn't know where else to go."

Mac's maternal instinct kicked in, and she wrapped her arms around Scully, whose body was shaking violently now.

"It's okay, Dana, let it all out. Just cry," Mac said, as she realized that she had tears running down her face as well. Tears for her friend, for the unimaginable pain she was going through, for the regret she was feeling that she'd never told the man she loved that she loved him. And the prospect of raising their child alone, and it never knowing it's father.

Scully cried as if she'd never stop. Mac had never heard such wailing come from a person, especially not one as tiny as Scully.

As she sobbed, Scully couldn't get the picture of Mulder as she'd seen him last night out of her head. That's why she couldn't stop crying.

Finally, about half an hour later, she calmed down enough that, with Mac's help, she got herself back in a fully upright position.

She hugged Mac. "Thank you, Sarah. I couldn't do that at Mom's, she loved him too. I couldn't let her see me like this," she said, wiping her eyes.

Mac handed her some tissue from the box on the coffee table. As she watched her dry her eyes and blow her nose, she couldn't think of a single thing to say to the grieving woman beside her.

"Are you all right?" Scully asked in a voice that was completely drained of energy.

Mac snapped out of her thoughts suddenly. "Me?" she asked in surprise. Then she realized she meant her breakup with Mic. That seemed like so much of nothing compared with Scully's tragedy. "I'm fine, Dana. Don't worry about me. Are you going to be all right? The baby?" she asked, her brown eyes full of worry for her friend.

"The baby's fine. I'll - I'll be fine someday, I suppose. I've lost my father, my sister, my little girl. The only thing is, Mulder was there for me all those times. Now he's not," Scully said with such a calm, such a finality, that Mac thought she might be slipping into shock.

Knowing Scully was a doctor, she asked what was on her mind.

"Dana, you're not going into shock, are you?"

Scully smiled slightly at her concern, and shook her head. "No, that was last night. I spent the night at the hospital so they could make sure nothing went wrong with the baby. And I flew home with A.D. Skinner this morning."

"You could've called earlier," Mac said.

"I know, and thank you, Sarah. But I had to deal with Mom and some arrangements and all that. Actually, looking back now, it's all quite a blur," she said, running a hand across her forehead.

"I imagine," Mac said, knowing well everything that came along with death. But she wasn't going to bring that up now.

"When's the funeral? I'll come if you like," she offered.

"It's, ah, I'm not really sure yet. Either Friday or Saturday. I'll let you know."

"Okay," Mac sighed. "Can I get you anything? How about some tea?"

"That sounds good, thanks," Scully said as Mac got up to put the kettle on.

Mac came back a minute later and sat back down.

"So are you going to tell him now?" Scully asked.

Mac laughed a bit. "Easier said than done, I'm afraid."

Scully opened her mouth, but Mac cut her off.

"I know, Dana. I need to. I'm going to, I promise."

Scully lifted her hands, palms up, and then dropped them on her lap again. "I don't know what I'm going to do without him, Sarah," she said, her eyes brimming with tears again. "There were times when he was here that I just wanted my space, and times after he was gone that I wondered how I was still breathing without him. Actually, that's what I'm wondering what now. What *am* I going to do without him?" she asked rhetorically.

"I wish I had the answer," Mac said.

"I mean, it's like a piece of me is missing, and I know I have to hold up for this child, but I don't know if I can. My whole body hurts, it's an ache that I don't know if I can ever get rid of. He's been my whole life, everything, for nine years. I don't know how to accept that I'll never look into that beautiful face, or hear his voice, or one of his wisecracks ever again. He was the most important, most special person in my life. The best friend I've ever had, so what can take away the pain of losing all that?" she finished, silent tears streaming down her face.

Mac took her hand and squeezed. "Do you want the truth?" she asked.

"Always," Scully replied.

"When I was a teenager, my best friend was killed in a drunk driving accident. He was the drunk driver and I was the drunk passenger," she said, regret still tinging her voice. "It's going to hurt like hell at first. I know our circumstances and all that are very different, but Eddie wasn't the only person I've ever lost. He was the first of many. And I know that Fox isn't the first for you. For awhile the world will be hazy, you'll go through the motions, but you really won't be aware of what you're doing. I'm not trying to make things worse, but I've been through enough of that 'he's in a better place now' stuff to know that's the last thing you want to hear right now. I'm sure he is, but he's not here with you, and that's the only place you want him to be."

Scully wiped her eyes. "All of that's true," she said. She laid her head back and sighed.

Just then, the kettle began to whistle, and Mac excused herself to make their tea.

When she came back, she handed Scully a steaming mug that she promptly wrapped both hands around.

"Is there anything I can do? Anything you need?" Mac asked.

"I don't think so, but thanks," Scully smiled wanly. "I'll let you know if something comes up though."

"Okay, you do that," Mac said. "You must be worn out."

"Yeah, I don't think I've ever been so exhausted in my life."

"Why don't you sleep here tonight?" Mac offered. "I don't know if it's a good idea for you to be alone anyway. You could have the bed and I'll sleep here," she said, patting the couch. "I'm sure I have some sweats that you could fit into."

"Really?" Scully didn't like the thought of staying by herself at all.

"Sure."

"I- I guess so. If something happened I don't know if I could get myself to the hospital fast enough."

"That's what I'm worried about," Mac said, setting her mug down on the coffee table. "I'll go turn down the bed and put out some clothes," she said, getting up.

"Thank you, Sarah," Scully said gratefully.

"It's no problem, Dana. What are friends for?" she asked, turning towards the bedroom.

A few minutes later, Mac came back with some sheets for the couch.

"Everything's set in there," she told Scully. "If you need anything, just holler."

"Right now, I need some help up," Scully said.

"Oh, right," Mac laughed, helping her ease up off the couch.

Scully hugged Mac again. "Thank you so much, Sarah. I'm sorry to have come here and caused you any trouble."

"Don't you dare apologize," Mac said. "You would've done the same thing for me, for any of your friends. Now go get some rest, you're going to need it. 'Night, Dana."

" 'Night, Sarah," Scully said, heading for the bedroom. As she got ready for bed, she heard the rustle of sheets as Mac made up the couch.

Lying in bed, trying not to think about Mulder and what she would have to do in the coming days, she heard Mac stir in the living room.

Getting as far away from the bedroom as she could, Mac took a deep breath and turned on the phone.

Scully strained to hear what was going on.

"Harm, it's Mac," she heard from the other room. "I know it's late. . ."

Scully tried to get comfortable, and when she finally found a good position, she could still hear the low murmuring of Mac's voice in the next room.

She hoped they would make it, all the while praying for the strength to make it without Mulder.

THE END