"Based on the evidence found by Dr. Scully's autopsy, we can conclude that he's escalating. The cause of death remains to be strangulation, with post-mortem stab wounds on their stomachs. Agent Mulder has provided us with a basic profile. Caucasian, male, between mid-thirties and mid-forties. We're looking for someone with an outward hatred towards women, but we think he's an observer. Perhaps someone in security, or janitorial staff. The central location of the attacks is a small, local clinic, and three of the victims have been either nurses or volunteers. Agents Stevens and Jones, I'm sending you to question the third victim's family. See if she was at the clinic, or works nearby where she might walk past on her daily route. Agent Mulder, I'll have you visit the most recent crime scene with Dr. Scully, see if there's anything we missed, or anything the family remembers." Michalson dismissed everyone to their assigned sections.
Mulder chanced a look over to Scully, a small smirk appearing on her lips, the apprehension so evident in her eyes. She sat next to him today. That small move gave him every ounce of hope he had lost since she left.
He escorted her out of the office as the other agents began to disperse. His hand twitched towards her lower back, pausing in motion. She glanced behind her slightly, seeing the trepidation in his eyes. A fire flickered in her stomach, knowing his touch would burn through her. She longed for that feeling again.
"The reports said she was found in an alley close to the clinic, but she didn't work there, and no connection has been made so far." Scully perused over the report as Mulder drove. They fell into the roles that consumed the previous years of their lives. This routine they had, it became their norm. They didn't work with others, because no one knew their minds or the secrets their eyes told when they had a silent conversation.
"Hopefully Jones and Stevens can find something that connects her to this location. Only the volunteer and the two nurses had the attachments to the clinic. The other victim was random, but there's got to be something we're missing." Mulder's mind was already bouncing around sporadically, images of the case fluttering around in his head like snapshots.
"He's gutting them like he's looking for something."
"Or wants them to feel the pain of something he's experienced…" His voice trailed off, lost in his own mind. She loved seeing him like this, it excited her. There was so much she had learned from him that made her love him in a way she's never felt about anyone before.
"What are you thinking?" She leaned in, putting herself in his peripheral.
"I don't know yet, but hopefully someone at the clinic can help." He shrugged, his realization of how close she moved. They did that when they were bouncing theories off each other, like somehow a closer proximity would bring their answers to them. He turned to her slowly, a grin touching his lips as she realized how near she had become. They had about 2 hours until they reached their destination, and lack of better judgement told him to dive right into an uncomfortable situation.
"So, tell me about your boyfriend." She leaned back in her seat, an incredulous breath huffing from her lips. She should have predicted this, being trapped in a car with him for too long often brought out rather interesting conversations.
"I've only been seeing Josh for a few months. He's a criminal analyst." She offered minimally.
"So that's his name." He nodded, pursing his lips. She rolled her eyes, shifting in her seat.
"What are you really asking, Mulder?"
"I was just wondering what you've been up to." He shrugged, hoping she wouldn't ask the same questions. He should have known better.
"And what about you? Anything new in your life...anyone?"
"Nothing serious."
"But there is someone." She persisted. There was no way to avoid this, and he felt incredibly stupid for even starting the conversation. The clock in the car told him they were only 5 minutes closer to their destination.
"Diana was assigned as my partner on the x-files, after you...left."
"I see." She cleared her throat, she didn't want to hear this. Curiosity always did win the best of her. "And you two have been...seeing each other?"
"Not in the committed sense, no." She pursed her lips, eyebrow raised as she glared out the window.
"It explains a lot then, I guess." Her mind was back to that night in the Gunmen's, the night that was the beginning of the end. She just wanted an answer, why was he so quick to trust her on a simple faith. Now she knew.
"Scully…"
"It's fine, Mulder. We don't owe each other explanations. This is the most we've even spoken in the past year." She bit back with a little more force than she intended.
"Yeah, and whose fault is that?" Her head snapped towards him, how dare he. They both glanced at the clock, 1 hour and 45 minutes to go.
"It's not exactly like you came after me, or forced yourself back in my life like you usually do. Now I know, you were a little too preoccupied to care."
"I would have cared enough to at least tell you about a child that's half yours." He let out a heavy sigh, this wasn't what he wanted. "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for."
"I want this to work, Mulder." Her voice was small, as if she were still convincing herself to believe her own words.
"Me, too. I know we need to talk about all of this." He relaxed his shoulders, his hand now resting between them over the center console. She glanced down, the silent action thudding loudly in her ears with the sound of her heartbeat quickening. He was making an effort, he was trying to prove to her that he could be everything she thought he wasn't. She rested her hand over his, a gentle squeeze expressing her acceptance of his apology.
"We'll figure it out, I know it's a lot."
"I'm glad that you've had someone, that you weren't alone with the baby." He sounded genuine. He only wished that person would have been him.
She turned to look at him, brow furrowing as if he were speaking another language. This wasn't the single-minded, quick witted partner of hers. He had a sadness in his eyes that was more haunted than she ever remembered seeing. Something was severely broken inside of him, despite having what was important back to him. She thought her departure wouldn't be as compromising on him, given that he had the x-files back. But then she saw it.
The deep loss that was written in the finer lines of his face. Really looking at him, she could see that he had aged, lost some of his mischievous wonder that fueled his passion. This was deeper than Samantha, this was closer to his heart. He had lost her, and now, he felt like he lost the baby he didn't even know existed. Losing something before he had the chance to love and protect it. Tears brimmed her eyes as she composed herself, staring at the window. The wave of guilt washing over her, she gripped onto his hand tighter in a silent apology.
The rest of the car ride was silent, the only sounds were her flipping through pages and him cracking sunflower seeds. It was the theme song to their life for so many years, it comforted them.
"Scully." She absentmindedly answered her ringing cell, still flipping through the autopsy reports and writing her own notes.
"Dana?" His voice caused her to flinch, not expecting to hear from him. It was like he was separate from her work life, and hearing his voice created an unease that her worlds were blending together.
"Josh, hi." She glanced over at Mulder, seeing his shoulders tense slightly, his teeth gritting as he cracked open several more seeds and pretended not to eavesdrop.
"I'm sorry to call in the middle of the day, I know you're busy. I just haven't heard from you since last night, and I wanted to make sure you were okay." She could hear the anxiousness in his voice, the uncertainty.
"No, it's okay. I'm fine."
"I'd like to see you tonight, maybe I can stop by after work?"
"Oh. Um, it might be a late night for me. I'm actually on my way to a crime scene right now, and I don't know what time I'll be getting back." She hoped he would accept her explanation, but he never was satisfied with her minimal responses. Always trying to break through the walls she put up every day.
"That's okay, I'll stop by later tonight. I'll see you then." He hung up before she could respond, a deep sigh escaping her lips as she slammed her phone shut and shoved it back in her bag.
"Everything okay?"
"Well, dinner just got a lot more cozy." She mumbled, fidgeting with her hands.
"I don't have to come over." That sadness appeared in his eyes once more, like he was losing them all over again, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
"No, I want you to feel welcome to come over whenever you want."
"Scully, it's okay. I don't want to mess anything up for you, or make this more difficult." He scoffed, shaking his head. "That's all I seem to know how to do."
She didn't respond, feeling suddenly trapped in the car with no escape. The realization that she couldn't have both of them in her life hitting her like a force she wasn't ready to shield herself from. Mulder made her feel alive and captured her soul in a way no one had before. They created life together, and he would always hold her heart. She knew that eventually she would unintentionally fade Josh out of her life, and that wouldn't be fair to him. Mulder may not want her the way she thought he did before, but she would rather have him around than sacrifice that again. Having his child was what kept her going.
Mulder pulled up to a modest looking home, the traditional white shutters and blue painted door. He followed her up the porch, knocking as they silently waited for a response. A middle-aged woman opened the door, her warm smile welcoming them.
"You must be Agent Mulder." She shook his hand, moving aside to allow their entry.
"Yes, it's nice to meet you Mrs. Laughlin. This is my...partner, Dr. Scully." He glanced down quickly, just to catch Scully's eyes. There was a gleam in those bright blues and a hidden smirk on her lips.
"So you're here about Amanda's case?" Nancy Laughlin escorted them into the living room, offering them coffee as she restlessly moved around. Mulder could sense her unease about the topic, but only that of a grieving mother.
"We just wanted to see if there's anything else that you've remembered since you spoke with our colleagues?"
"No, I told them everything I know." She let out a heavy sigh and Scully could see the frustration in her eyes, the need for closure.
"Mrs. Laughlin, did Amanda work near the area where she was discovered? Was it on her normal path, or did she have friends over there?" She asked gently, leaning forward to give her her undivided attention. Mulder was always amazed when she did this, was able to comfort victims' families, push her skepticism and doctoral detachment aside. She had a huge heart, and it's something that he admired and loved about her.
"Not that I can think of. She never really spent any time over in that area that I would know."
"What about friends in that area, or that worked at the clinic?" Mulder chimed in, hoping for a connection.
"She has one friend that lives closer to that part of town, but she only used to work at a coffee shop nearby." They both nodded, realizing that they weren't going to find their answers here. They thanked her for her hospitality and then made their way to the crime scene.
Scully began wandering around the alley, Mulder lost in his own version of what happened. She collected samples of the surroundings to match them to traces found on the victims, while he profiled. That's what they did, what they knew how to do well together, before he screwed it up.
"There's something we're missing." He pulled at his lower lip, deep in thought. She stepped towards him, standing in his personal space.
"What are you thinking?" He could feel her breath on his mouth.
"I don't know, does the clinic have any specialties that they cater to?"
"No, it's a general women's and children's clinic."
"Which only sticks to the theory that he has a hatred towards women, but -" He let out a heavy sigh. This case was frustrating him, and he was almost afraid to completely lose himself in the profile. There was too much at stake for him to be reckless, for him to drown himself in the emotions of a mad man.
"Let's go talk to the clinic director, see if there's something there." She laid a comforting hand on his arm, giving him a reassuring squeeze. A small smile touched his lips, a sense of remembrance of what they used to have.
Scully walked in with authority, flashing her badge and asking to speak to the head doctor. They were introduced to a Dr. Amy Faulkner, a strict woman with a genuine kindness in her eyes. Scully and Mulder had read about the backgrounds of the staff, all avid women's studies doctors and nurses. Even the volunteers had a solid background. No one stuck out to Mulder, no one screamed suspect.
"Dr. Scully, it's a pleasure to meet you." Dr. Faulkner extended her hand to them both, her stoic demeanor present.
"Thank you for taking the time for us today. This is my partner, Agent Mulder." She flashed him a quick smirk as her eyebrow twitched slightly in amusement.
"Please, let's discuss things in my office."
They were led into a small room, barely large enough for her desk. They took the seats she gestured for them to take, and positioned herself in her chair. Mulder glanced around, pictures of newborns and women plastered on several bulletin boards around the office. He knew instantly that the people that worked here were strictly here for the work and help of these women, not the money. It could use a modern day touch up, but that rustic, homey feel is what gave it its charm. No doubt it attracted the trust of their patients, making them feel comfortable. He couldn't understand why someone would be targeting them.
"Dr. Faulkner, I want to start by extending my condolences to you for the staff that you've lost." Mulder began, trying to allow her to open up to him, creating a comforting space.
"The staff was definitely heartbroken to hear of what happened to Linda and Mallory. They were some of the best nurses we've ever had." She cleared her throat to shake the tears from her eyes. "Stacy, our volunteer, she'd been here for years as well."
"Were you able to pull the reports for us that I asked about before meeting today?" Scully asked with a small smile, understanding the doctor's need to keep this professional.
"I did, but with such a small staff, there are dozens of patients that those three specifically worked on together." She shrugged, handing them a rather large list of names.
Scully began to sift through them while Mulder asked more questions about the types of clients and services they rendered. She could tell he was trying to get a feel of the place, doing what he does best. He needed to completely throw himself into the center of the investigation, the missing link was killing him.
"You've performed abortions here?" Scully's brow furrowed, seeing one catch her eye on the list.
"Only very few, and under specific circumstances." Dr. Faulkner redirected her gaze, suddenly feeling as if she were on trial.
"Were you the primary doctor for all of these procedures?"
"Yes, I'm the only one who's performed the abortions. Though, like I said, there have been very few. I think on that list, I can only think of maybe three."
"It's not more of a common request at a women's clinic?" Mulder's mind already working this case from a completely different angle.
"I didn't say it wasn't requested, I said that it was only minimally performed. We have therapists here to talk to the women who come to that as their only answer. Many of them change their mind, choose to carry to term and go the adoption route. Some realize they have more of a support system than their anxiety allowed them to see that they had. But there are the few that are rape victims, or in abusive relationships, and this truly is the only option in their mind."
Scully looked to Mulder, the images of the victims' mangled bodies flashing through both of their minds. This was it, this was the key to the case. With their unspoken communication, they both turned and thanked her for her time.
"Dr. Faulkner, I don't mean to alarm you in any way, but based on the findings, you may be on the list of his wrath. We will be sending a few local officers to escort you to and from work until this is over. Please, do not leave the clinic tonight until they are able to get here." Mulder warned, the doctor's eyes widening. She simply nodded her understanding, sinking back in her chair as they made their exit.
"Scully, you're a genius." He said excitedly as they settled themselves in the car, a long drive ahead of them.
"It's taken you this long to figure that out Mulder?" She smirked at him as she pulled out her phone to call Michalson with their findings.
Once the rest of the team was filled in, she began going through the list that was provided for them. She highlighted the abortion cases, and they suddenly had 5 names. There was still no direct connection to the other women who were murdered, but she had no doubt that if the other team was working as diligently as them, they would have their relation by the end of the day.
As she glanced over at Mulder, she could see the lightness back in his features. He had seemed so lost when she saw him just yesterday, sitting on the park bench, searching for answers from anywhere he could hopefully get a response. The gleam in his eyes now, it's the same spark that he held for his slideshows when he had to convince her of a case. It was the passion for his work that had died along with her absence in his life. She now understood that he needed her just as much as she was starting to realize she needed him. No one brought out the exhilarating frustrations that he made shine in her, no one challenged her, treated her as an equal. Sure, she was a department head, but that came with much scrutiny and judgement from several of her male colleagues. She could even see the same look in Josh's eyes sometimes, the look of intimidation when they attempted to have an intellectual argument. He usually gave up, and joked about not being able to win against her stubborn competitiveness. But that never deterred Mulder, it fueled him.
"So how narrow has our list become?" He asked, noticing the far away look that shone in her eyes when she was lost deep in her thoughts. She shook her head, glancing back down at the papers in her lap.
"Five names, five women who have had abortions in the last year. All of them had the two nurses, and the volunteer, along with Dr. Faulkner, as their staff during the procedure."
"So now we just have to find the connection between the other two victims, and the women on the list." She nodded wordlessly, realizing they had about an hour left in their drive, and an ambiguous air floating around them.
"Did you still want to come over after work?" She cleared her throat, suddenly terrified of his rejection. She wanted him to be around, and she could see the longing to do so in his eyes. It wasn't enough to mask the hesitation.
"I don't want to intrude. I know you have plans." He said quietly, hoping she wouldn't pick up on the bitterness in his voice. The heavy sigh escaping her lips told him that he wasn't that fortunate.
"Mulder, I'm not going to push you away. You're both going to have to deal with the fact that the other is in my life. I'm hoping you can handle that like adults." His heart swelled at the mention of him even being in her radar again, let alone her life. He knew she meant for the baby, but in his mind it meant so much more.
"I just get the feeling he doesn't like me around."
"You're probably right, but it's not for him to say. It's going to be an adjustment for us all." She said confidently, jutting her chin out. He wanted to laugh, when she made a decision, there was no convincing her of otherwise.
"Maybe I can come over tomorrow?" He still needed to sort out his feelings, and knew that Josh being around, glaring at him, wouldn't help things. She sighed in resignation, knowing it was the best course of action. She would just have to find a way to kick Josh out.
"Sure, we can go to the park and have lunch. He loves to be outside." She said with a smile. His heart sank, the sudden awareness of that fact that he knew nothing about his son hitting him full force. Was he a dreamer like him, staring up to the sky for answers? Or did he look around for hard evidence of things, like her? Was he even too young to have a personality, no doubt he'd have to be advanced mentally, he was their child after all. "You okay?"
"Yeah, just thinking." He shrugged, staring straight ahead.
"Well, don't too much." She teased, resting a hand on his arm. He huffed a breathy chuckle, glancing over at her. She still knew him better than he even knew himself. If he had the time to overthink everything, he'd be more of a mental case than he already was. He needed to trust her words, believe that she truly wanted him around for William, and if he was really going for extreme possibilities, for her, too.
Scully was exhausted, no new information turning up from their case yet. There was an awkward moment after Mulder walked her to her car, both of them unsure how to do this part of everything. They could work together, feed off each other's mental energies, but this personal aspect of their newly budding friendship was still an adjustment. In a way, they had to start over.
"Hi, honey. I thought you'd be in later, dinner is still cooking." Her mother greeted with a welcoming smile.
"We didn't hit much traffic coming back, and there's been a break in the case, but nothing new for me to do." She shrugged, picking up the baby from her mother's lap. This was her favorite part of the day, losing herself in her son's baby scent. It washed away all of her nerves of the day, enveloping her in love.
"Is Fox still joining us for dinner?" Her mother probed as she tossed the salad. Scully rolled her eyes, knowing she shouldn't have let that information slip.
"No, but Josh is. He will probably be here shortly." Her mother nodded, going back to her task with a secret written on her face. She liked Josh, he was nice, easy going. The only trepidation she had towards him was that her daughter didn't have that spark in her eye like she did when she talked about Mulder. There was never any obvious chemistry, and she realized, now more than ever, that he was more of a convenience. "What, mom?"
"Nothing, I made Fox's favorite meal, but I'm sure Josh will enjoy it just as much." She smiled at her daughter, pulling the lasagna out of the oven to cool. Scully sighed, knowing that 'nothing' from a Scully woman meant there was a conversation brewing like a storm.
"Mom…"
"I'm just worried that he doesn't feel welcome here, Dana. He's William's father, you can't push him away."
"I'm not, but until him and Josh are comfortable with each other, it's best for everyone to just keep things separate for now. Josh was pretty insistent on coming over tonight, and I know since Mulder came back into the picture, I've been kind of neglecting him. I don't want either of them to feel like they're not welcome. Everything's just so complicated right now." She let out a heavy sigh, groaning as she buried her face back into the baby's hair. He played happily with toys in front of him, completely oblivious to the discussions around him.
"I know you're worried about including everyone and making them happy, but you need to make sure you're doing what's best for you, too." Maggie said comfortingly as she set the salad on the table and squeezed her daughter's shoulder. She was done lecturing, for now.
Her seemingly harmless comment jarred Scully, her grip tightening slightly on the baby as her mother's words processed. What was best for her? At first glance, Josh was the nice guy, supportive, with a stable job. He stepped up and helped her around the apartment and with the baby. He had entered that role without her asking, a regular standup guy. Mulder was never even given that chance. He was the risk, the one that she would always wonder about, but knew she loved harder than ever before. Ever since she walked away, she felt like part of her was missing, like her life was just automatic motions. Her mind and her heart were telling her two different things.
Josh arrived just as they were getting ready to eat. Scully had called him on her way home and let him know that she was home earlier than expected. She was mostly hoping that he would come over early, and not stay the night as he often did if he came later. It would be easier to avoid him tomorrow so that Mulder could come spend time with the baby. When he arrived, he handed her flowers and a bottle of wine, and her hopes sank with her heart. This was going to be more difficult than she thought.
"This looks great, Maggie." Josh smiled at her. Scully could sense the anxiousness radiating off of him, and his mannerisms told her that he had something on his mind. That, mixed with the flowers and wine, she was suspect about his behavior.
They engaged in pleasant conversation, though she was rather quiet, and both her mother and Josh noticed. It amplified his nerves, and Maggie could feel the disconnect between them. She let out a concerned sigh as she offered to do the dishes, hoping they would sort this out before there were more broken hearts.
"Actually, I'm glad you're here Maggie. I have something I want to run by you, well, both of you." He began, seeing the skeptical look in Scully's gaze. "I would really like to take a weekend trip away with Dana, but we'd need someone to take the baby."
Scully let out a heavy sigh, he had been persistent about this the past week or so, and she was avoiding it at all costs. Part of her knew that he wanted something even more permanent than their current arrangement, but she'd always known that it was wrong. Work was the main excuse, along with not wanting to leave the baby with someone for too long. He had made every compromise in the book, and she had still found an excuse every single time.
"I think it's something we should discuss before we start making plans." She chimed in, giving him a pointed glare. Maggie chose this time to put the leftovers in the fridge and make her exit.
After she put the baby to bed, he was waiting for her with a glass of wine on the couch. She knew this urgency was mostly due to Mulder's presence suddenly back in their lives. He had reason to panic, though she'd never admit to that.
"Did you want to watch a movie?" He asked hesitantly, hoping she didn't really want to talk. He knew that would mean facing a truth he's felt coming for a while.
"No, but I think we should talk." He sighed and she knew he was jumping to all the wrong conclusions, so she continued quickly. "I talked to Mulder earlier about the same thing."
"Oh?"
"I want you both to be around, but that will sometimes mean being in the same place at the same time and needing to at least be civil. You don't know each other, but I'd like you to. I need you to be okay with him being around more often."
"I know, and I promise to try. It's still just interesting to me that he comes back out of nowhere and suddenly wants to be part of your lives." She winced, now knowing the misconception about Mulder stemmed from the lie she told herself about his involvement with the baby.
"He didn't know." Her voice was only a whisper, having to face the truth.
"About the baby?"
"I know I told you that he wasn't involved, and that's true, but it wasn't what you were led to believe, and I should have clarified that. You've always thought he just left me with this responsibility, but he didn't even know I was pregnant." She paused, diverting her eyes from the tenderness and understanding in his. "There was a time that the doctor told me that I couldn't conceive, and Mulder accepted my request to be my sperm donor so that I was able to try all of my options."
She watched as Josh's jaw stiffened, now piecing together that they were closer than she originally let on. Always explaining it as a one time thing, and here she was, proving the contrary.
"We were closer than partners, he was my best friend. After the IVF attempts failed, I was so distraught and upset. He held me together, we did that for each other. Then, the work was trying both of our patience, and we just went our separate ways. I found out I was pregnant after I left, and I thought it was best to keep it from him." She sounded disappointed in herself, the melancholic look in her gaze as she glanced towards the room where the baby slept.
"Do you think things would have been different, if he had known, been involved?"
"I don't know, honestly." She mumbled, the guilt washing over. She had asked herself that question over and over. Would he have walked away from the work, even as close as he was? Would he have been there for her while she was giving birth instead of clear across the country chasing the lights in the sky? She didn't know. "I think he would have wanted to be involved, but I don't know how much of himself he'd be able to commit. I don't know how much he's willing to give now. It's all so complicated."
"Well, I'm willing to try, if it's important to you."
"It is." She met his eyes, seeing him nod back his apprehensions. He leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on her lips, and she invited him to stay. She'd deal with the new issue tomorrow, one day at a time.
Mulder jolted forward after answering his phone, glancing at the clock seeing the midnight hours staring back at him. He let out a heavy sigh, processing the information being told to him by the ASAC of the case.
"Yeah, I'll be in right away." He slammed his phone, the bastard was escalating, and completely changed everything. Their new victim, was a man.
"Hello?" She sounded agitated, but not asleep.
"Scully, it's me."
"Is this some kind of conspiracy to not let me sleep?" She groaned as he heard shuffling in the background.
"What?"
"William woke up screaming not 5 minutes ago. He feels a little warm, but I don't think it's anything serious." She explained, more shuffling. A faint voice caused his heart to stop. 'Do you want me to get a cool cloth?' Something so simple, and his entire life felt like it was closing in. It seemed that he was more unwelcome to dinner than he originally thought. "Mulder?"
"Yeah, sorry. Uh, I was just calling to see if -"
"What the hell is this?" She groaned again. "My other line is beeping, hold on." He knew it was no doubt Michalson calling her in to do the autopsy. He had hoped he could beat him to the punch, offer to pick her up with some coffee. "So that's why you were calling."
"Yeah, I was going to see if you wanted me to pick you up, but maybe I'll just meet you there." He said quickly. She let out a heavy sigh, knowing he heard Josh's voice in the background, there was no mistaking that he was awoken in the middle of the night as well, because he was sharing her bed. "Is he okay?"
"He should be, I'm going to give him some baby Tylenol, and hopefully that'll bring down his fever and let him sleep." She explained absentmindedly. He should be there, to handle this with her. Not just some secondary phone call. Would she have even called him?
"Okay, I'll - uh, see you soon then." He hung up before she could respond. She stared at the phone in her hand, almost not wanting to have to face him when he was in a mood.
They both met in the conference room, the other agents sleepily buzzing around and bouncing ideas off each other. What the hell had changed? Mulder stood in front of the board, looking at the new crime scene photos. They had just been sent in, and Scully was waiting for the body to arrive. She approached, standing next to him, watching his mind work. As uneasy as they were around each other in their personal life, he needed her here. He thrived off her presence, off her mind. With her next to him, he felt invincible.
"Was there any connection between the other victim and one of these people on our list?" He asked, sensing her without a spoken word.
"Yes, but only that Vanessa Chavez was friends with one of the 5 women on the list. A Yesenia Garcia. It looks like the family confirmed that they were close friends, but didn't know Yesenia very well. They were college friends, and her family doesn't live in the area."
"Would the clinic keep a guest log of people who came and went, or is it just the patients they see?" An idea popping in his head, excitement in his eyes.
"It's a small clinic, so they take the names of anyone who enters."
"We need the guest log from the day that Yesenia had her abortion, and we need to contact her to confirm." He rambled on, lost in his own thoughts. "Scully, I think he's attacking those who went with them for the procedure. In his mind, these people allowed them to make this decision, and he feels wronged by it."
"You think someone aborted his child without his knowledge?"
"Yes, exactly. I think whoever started this is on that list, too. Somehow he was able to gain access to the list, maybe by volunteering, or hacking into their system, I don't know. But we need to make this connection, something to hold it."
"Well, the newest victim's girlfriend is on her way in, maybe she can confirm." Michalson chimed in, overhearing their conversation.
"What's her name?" Scully ventured, pulse quickening with the energy of the room.
"Angela Serrano."
"Mulder…" Her voice was just a whisper, glancing down at the paperwork in front of her. He leaned closer, voice so small. "She's on the list." Their eyes met, both knowing this was it. This was going to be the one to end it all.
Once the interview was in full swing, they watched from the room off to the side, hiding behind the wall. The woman was young, early 20's, and clearly distraught over the brutal murder of her boyfriend. Even in her emotional state, it was necessary for them to ask about her abortion. The confirmation of him being with her at the time of the procedure caused a sigh of relief from every agent listening in.
"If we can narrow down who went with each of these other women, we can narrow down who's next on the list, and hopefully find our suspect. I'm thinking that the one who did this alone will give us whoever she was avoiding in the first place." He explained with an enthusiasm that she missed.
They worked diligently all morning, thriving off of coffee and stale pastries to fuel them through the rest of the case. They were close, and narrowed down the one person on the list who went into the procedure alone. It was only a matter of contacting her for more information. Scully finished her autopsy while Mulder finished his report on the profile. There was no need for either of them anymore unless something new happened.
"How's it going down here?" He sauntered into the room, looking rumpled and sleepy, but an overall content demeanor.
"I'm just finishing, I do not miss these 3 am wake up calls." She groaned, causing him to chuckle at her disheveled state. "Are you still coming over today? We might have to forgo the park, but we can just hang out."
"Yeah, I'd like to shower first, but I can be there later this afternoon." They both nodded at each other. They could do this. He had time to think about it, and push aside his feelings about the fact that Josh was around. It was important to her, and he would have to deal with it if he wanted to see his son. He just was never good about sharing, especially when it came to her.
He escorted her upstairs once she finished, his hand twitching at her lower back again. It was so automatic, that even after a year, he felt like it belonged there. She caught the motion, wanting to reassure him that it was okay, not knowing if she was truly ready for that.
"Fox, I wasn't sure you got my messages." Diana came towards them, a determination in her eyes. Scully startled, jaw tightening at the sight of this woman. They had managed to avoid this topic of conversation.
"Diana, what are you doing here?" He asked, an exasperated sigh escaping his lips.
"I've been trying to call you all morning. There was a report of a returned abductee in Washington. I was on my way here to set up our travel arrangements. She's in a coma, but I think we should get there as soon as possible." She glanced down at Scully, whose eyes diverted down towards her feet.
He was torn. This is the type of case he's been waiting for, almost not wanting to believe that Diana was the one bringing it to him. He'd been tracking on his own, but there hadn't been a return in a while, at least none that were reported. He stayed in touch with most of the MUFON groups, tracking their chatrooms, but there'd been no new activity. He could see the apprehensions in Scully's eyes, would he run off at the first mention of extraterrestrial life? They had plans, to spend the day together, with their son.
"If she's in a coma, Diana, I don't see why we'd have to fly out right away. This can't wait until Monday?" Scully's brows furrowed, he wouldn't possibly be turning down this chance. She glanced towards Diana, seeing her teeth clench and eyes burning.
"I thought this would be too important to waste any time on." Diana bit back, glancing between him and Scully. Their close proximity, his refusal to run off right away. He knew, there was no denying it. He knew about the child. This was her last stitch effort to keep him at her side, away from her. "It's a woman, Fox. She matches Samantha's description."
Scully let out a heavy sigh, there was no way she could keep him from this. He'd resent her, as she always feared. One look in his eyes and she knew his decision was already made, though she didn't trust where the information was coming from. There was a distinct feeling of dejavu that if she attempted to invalidate Diana's claims, it would just lead to another argument.
"Scully, I -"
"It's fine, I'll talk to you later, Mulder." She dismissed herself, leaving without another word. His heart sank, she was walking away from him, and taking their child with her...again.
"Scully, wait." He called after her, ignoring Diana's pleas to hurry so that they could leave. How could he ever make this decision? He knew that Diana's sources weren't exactly reliable, but he would wonder every day if maybe this time, it was really her. "Scully, please." He caught up to her in the parking garage, his hand wrapping around her arm gently to stop her in her stride. She yanked her arm away from him, anger burning in her eyes when she met his gaze.
"Mulder, I said it was fine."
"Then why don't I believe you?"
"Oh, so now you care about what I have to say? It's not me you should be questioning your belief in." She spat at him, the implication clear.
"Look, I know you don't trust her, and I'm not completely sure I do either, but I have to know."
"I know." She let out a resigned sigh. "I wouldn't hold you back from that, but you also have to understand that there's more to think about here, Mulder. If you go off on this bender, I don't know when I'll see you again. You might come back, and hole yourself up in the basement. I know you want to be here, but that means fully being here, not just a presence."
"You can't ask me to choose, Scully. This has been what I've based my entire life off of, and I don't know if I know how to change that."
"I'm not asking you to!" She shouted at him. He took a step back at the force of her words. "I never asked you to."
"No, you just made the decision for me."
"Well, it looks like it was the right choice after all." Tears brimmed her eyes as she jutted out her chin, needing to gain some semblance of confidence. She could feel him glaring at her. It wasn't fair, what she was doing, but things were different now. As much as she wanted to be by his side during his quest, she had another person to consider, a life to take care of and protect. She couldn't do that if she ran off at the first sign of little grey men anymore.
"Don't do that, you know this is important to me."
"Yes, I know. It's why I made my decision in the first place. Mulder, you are brilliant and ambitious, but you don't know how to share the importance of your mind and your heart. You've always told me that finding Samantha was the most important thing to you, and I would never step in the way in that."
"You make it sound like I'm not coming back. I'll be back, I just -" He growled, turning to hit a wall behind him with his flat palm. She startled back, seeing the conflicting thoughts bouncing around his mind. "I can't do this right now."
"No, I suppose you can't."
"Scully, please. I can't walk away from this, but I can't walk away from you either. I -" He paused, running his hand through his hair.
"I can't constantly wonder if you're going to show up for things, or ditch us to go chasing lights in the sky at the first mention of activity. If you want to be here, I need you to be here, Mulder. There's a certain responsibility that comes with being a parent, and I don't -"
"You don't think I can do it."
"I don't know if you're ready for it. I know this was thrown at you, and that's my fault, but -" She let out a heavy sigh, the tear falling. "I don't know."
"Scully, I promise, when I get back, I'll be here, and we can talk. But I need to follow this lead."
"Yeah, I know." Her voice was just a whisper. He wanted to hold her, apologize for being a complete idiot all over again, but he couldn't do that. His mind was elsewhere, already in Washington.
"I know you think I'm running off at every lead I get, but I'm only chasing what's important to me. I chased you, Scully." The words clenched her heart, the tears now spilling over, unable to be contained. She met his eyes, understanding that even though Samantha had always been the most important thing to him, so had she.
He followed Duane Barry's every move, bypassing the obstacles that Krycek put in front of him, just to reach her. He barely missed her, and that guilt ate him alive for an agonizing three months. When her mother had her completely buried and gone, Mulder was the one who chased the hope that she was still alive, that she would return to him the way Samantha never did. He was what pulled her back to this earth, pulled her soul to his.
He went chasing after the men that caused her cancer, hoping to find a cure. He risked his own life to even have a chance to save hers. He followed the shadows that were obscured by cigarette smoke, just to meet the Cancerman head on.
Then, there was Antarctica. He quite literally went to the ends of the earth to save her. He kept her warm, carrying her out when her body gave up on her. There was never a question on whether or not he would chase the lights in the sky to save her, she'd always known the answer to that, too afraid to face it. He had traded his believed sister for her, sacrificed the most important thing in his life, for her. Her eyes widened, she had become the most important thing in his life now. The guilt began to crush her heart, seeing the pleading look in his.
"I chased you, Scully."
The tears fell freely as she watched the watery image of him walk away.