August 15th

F.B.I. Headquarters

8:50 AM

Mulder and Scully discussed whether or not to drive to Tennessee in detail. Normally these things are not a big deal but the method of transportation is in dispute. Scully feels the weight of the discussion after a few moments and knows she could have Mulder take her side if she just asks him - and asks him and asks him. she has that way with things involving him, they have developed a kinship by now.

Besides, he called in the middle of the night - again.

Scully prefers flight today, knowing there is a direct flight to Tennessee and knowing a terminal is close, in Nashville. She thinks Mulder will agree, but Mulder thinks otherwise.

"The scenery is nice this time of year," he had told her.

"Besides, they have one of the biggest museums on Asian oddities this side of the Pacific."

Scully looks around the office, knowing fully that this collection had come from trips just like the one he was talking about. She thinks about saying something but then lets it go, knowing how much this room means to Mulder. In it are answers to so many pieces of this thing called living, with answers on everything from Nessy to the stars. She even thinks he has something in here that possibly connects him to his sister, if only for a moment.

In the end, Mulder flips a quarter and Scully calls it.

Mulder wins.

They drives.

It is going to be a long day.