A young man swung the door to the basement room open, dropping a file in front of Mulder. "Got a case for you, Spooky." He left quickly, taking out his phone to answer a text.

Alice spun around in her chair, raising an eyebrow. "'Spooky'?"

"That's what they call me. I've gotten used to it," Mulder explained, opening the manila folder. "Guy in South Carolina claims to be a demon. A kid's dead because of it. Want to go?"

"Sure. What about Scully? She hasn't come in yet."

"She's been called down to the principal's office," Mulder said, gathering up some books. "Mind if you drive? I want to read up on this."

Alice was driving through Maryland when Mulder began to read aloud. "'Experts all seem to agree on holy water as a weapon'. Where do we get some of that?"

"We can rob a church if we have to. Am I supposed to branch off to the right here?"

Mulder consulted their map. "Not yet. Next exit." He went back to his books, Alice glancing over at him and shaking her head.

"Did you ever have a life outside of the X-Files?"

"They've been my life since I was a kid."

"You never got married or had kids or tried to settle down? You've just been hunting aliens and monsters your whole life?"

He sighed, closing his book. "I tried that, once. It didn't work out well."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sounds like you just did. Shoot."

As she follows the road's right branch, Alice questioned, "You and Scully... Was that a thing? I sense some sort of tension there."

"That was a thing," he nodded. "Years ago." After a brief silence, he asked, "What about you? Are you seeing anyone? A pretty, young FBI agent like you surely-"

"No."

"Oookay, touchy subject there."

Alice took a deep breath before confessing, "I was seeing someone. We were together for nearly a year and a half. I was madly in love. We were going to get married, I swear. At least until her best friend stole her from me."

"Hmm."

"I know that look. Guys and girls, whoever I fancy." She paused before adding, "Look, I trust you, so I'm going to tell you this. It's also because you believe. The girl she left me for... there was something off about her. I mean, not totally human. And I was right. They were murdered, at least according to the report. Mulder, the security camera showed a man glowing silver when he killed them. It's all been officially erased, but... I still remember it all."

"You're crying."

"I know."

He handed her a few napkins that he'd fished from the center console. "I'm sorry."

"That's why I accepted the X-Files when they told me I should transfer."

"My sister was abducted when I was a kid. I was in the room, and I should've done something, but I just couldn't move. That's what got me into this."

When they pulled into a rest stop parking lot, Alice turned to Mulder, who looked up from his book. "Thank you." She leaned across the console to give him a hug. He hugged her back, deep in thought.

"Dillon Andrews, 34 years old." Mulder and Alice followed a police officer through the town's jail. "He's our suspect claiming to be possessed. He strangled a twelve-year-old boy outside of the middle school two nights ago. Mr. Andrews, some visitors."

"Thanks, Officer Kennewick," Alice nodded, walking into the room where Andrews was shackled to a chair. "Agents Hemming and Mulder, FBI."

Mulder leaned against the wall. "Demons?"

"I'm fighting for control," Andrews grimaced. "I didn't kill that boy. He did."

"Who?"

"Amon. He-" Andrews' head dropped to his chest as he made a hissing sound.

"The commander in Hell?" Alice asked. Mulder nodded. "Is he okay?"

"He will be fine," Andrews slurred. His voice became stronger, deeper somehow. "He summoned me."

"Who are we talking to now?" Alice questioned.

"Amun, the Marquis of Hell and commander of forty legions."

"Why did you come to Earth?"

"He bound me to this body. Summoned me by sacrificing a child. He craved power. He will be weak no more."

"I thought Amun was some sort of wolf-snake demon," Mulder objected.

Andrews laughed manically. "You simple humans can't understand shape shifting or possession, can you?"

"If you're really Amun, why are you letting them bind you here? Can't you just break out, your Powerful Evilness?"

"You question me? I'm nearly a god."

"How do we know you're not just a sick man?"

Andrews knit his eyebrows, glaring at Mulder, who said nothing. He gestured at the wall of the cell with his chin, Mulder slamming into the concrete. Alice scrambled to where he lay. "Mulder!" She turned to where Andrews' body sat. "What have you done?"

"I'll be fine," Mulder groaned, raising a hand to his head. "Skull's not cracked or anything." Alice helped him up. "I think I'll talk to the DA out there, though."

Alice watched him walk out of the cell before observing, "You say you're one of the highest ranking demons in Hell, right? Then why didn't you kill him?"

"Because. He means something to you. And I like you. You're curious. And you're afraid. I can smell it. It radiates off of you."

"That's a lie."

"Which part?"

Alice crossed her arms. "You admit that Andrews killed that boy. But why not just break out of here?"

"Andrews is a sick man. I need a real host before I can act. Someone strong. Like you."

"No," she shook her head.

"No you won't do it? Fine."

"I'm not storing enough for you."

Mulder appeared at the door. "Alice?" She walked over, Mulder whispering, "They've got a priest who is going to try an exorcism. If that doesn't work, then we're out of our league here. Do you have any Advil or something?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" She handed over a bottle of painkillers from her bag.

He downed three, pocketing the bottle and handing her a vial. "I'll be fine. Keep this with you, in case this goes south."

An elderly man in formal church robes walked into the cell, Andrews hissing. The man opened a book, reading, "Unde factum est ad infernum conjecti daemone, et ora pro nobis ad tutelam. Unde ad eum pertinet, nomen sanctum tuum."

Andrews only laughed, the priest's eyes widening. Alice glanced at Mulder, who was also in shock. "Christo." She frowned, circling the chair. "That's not a demon."

"Then what is it?" the priest gaped.

"I'm not sure, Father. But it didn't flinch at a holy name. So it's not a demon." She turned to Andrews, asking, "What are you?"

"I am God. And I am vengeful."

The priest began to cough, grasping at his throat. "Please... let go... omnis immundus spiritus... let go of me, you... unholy..."

"Mulder, do something!" Mulder was trying to help the priest, but he was slowly suffocating as something chocked him from behind Andrews' eyes. Alice wheeled around, facing the being tied in the chair. "Let go of him."

"Make me, sweet cheeks." The priest fainted, Mulder catching him before he could fall onto the concrete. "Let's turn up the heat, shall we?" Mulder began to cough.

"Alice-"

"Stop it!" Mulder kept coughing, doubling over as he gasped for oxygen. "Stop it! If I say yes, will you let him go?"

"Don't," Mulder croaked. "Alice, don't."

"Yes."

"Good," Andrews' face twisted into a sadistic grin.

Mulder took a deep breath as a black, shadowy figure floated up from Andrews' body, moving towards Alice. "No!"

The being stopped, as if it had smacked into an invisible wall. Alice pulled something out of her pocket, flicking it on the ground. A circle of fire bloomed around the hovering shadow. The creature began to wail, dissolving as the flames died. "What the hell was that?"

"A spirit. That's why the demon exorcism didn't work. Luckily holy oil did."

Mulder sat on his bed, eating out of a take-out box. Alice sat in the chair by the cheap motel desk, typing up a report on her laptop. "You sure you don't want to get your head checked out? That came out wrong. You know what I meant."

"I'll be fine. No one'll notice of Spooky Mulder's got a few more loose screws. Lo mein?" He held the box out.

"My favorite. Thanks. But they still shouldn't call you that. It's not a nice nickname." She took some of the food that he offered, scooping it onto a paper plate.

She clicked her laptop shut, grabbed her plate, and sat down next to him as he asked, "What would you call me, then?"

"I think Mulder is a fine name. Or Fox. Makes you sound like James Bond, solving crimes, being all mysterious, and getting all the ladies," she laughed. "You're getting sauce all over your white shirt."

Mulder shrugged as she balanced some napkins on the top of his head. "Speaking of ladies, are you going to that FBI charity gala thing next week?"

"I might. I've got a dress, but-"

"Need a date? I figured I should bring someone."

"What about Scully?"

"She's not much of a dancer."

"In that case, I would be honored."

Mulder smiled, but his face turned serious quickly. "Earlier today, that thing... Why did you say yes?"

"I knew I could trick it."

"And if it didn't work?"

"I would have fought it."

"You could've been killed."

"It's better me than you. Or a citizen, like that priest." She had gotten up, putting her shoes back on. "Look, I should go get some sleep, especially if I'm going to drive all the way home tomorrow."

Mulder stood too. "But you still could have died."

"It was going to kill you."

"I've been doing this for years. I'm expendable."

"Not to me." She pulled him into a hug. "Mulder, don't be so self-depreciating. We need you."

He let go of her for a second before giving her a kiss. She didn't move, Mulder apologizing profusely. "I am so sorry. I just-"

She kissed him back, pulling away to say, "I should go."

"Um..."

"Goodnight, Mulder." She smiled, heading out of the door. He could hear her unlocking her door as he sat back on his bed in confusion.