IV. Invocation
AN- This chapter is a shortie. Loads more to come.
Narrator POV
He watches her intently as she examines little Billy. She is so sweet with him. He watches her, crouched to the child's line of vision, examining his eyes, speaking quietly to him so he won't be afraid.
He thinks she'd make a damn good mother, and remembers with a bitter pang the X-File he read about her, what they did to her.
She can't have kids.
She's barren.
Scully becomes aware of how infrequently his piercing gaze leaves her. She observes his granite work ethic and dedication to resolving the case, even if he has to cross a line or two to get the job done. This surprises her. She's usually the one flouting orders. Could there be a little rebel in him yet?
She also notes how Doggett insists on going ahead of her when entering a situation that bears even the tiniest trace of danger.
In the end, Billy's body was found.
Discouragement ripped through Doggett and he refused to believe the boy they found was a ghost, his skeleton found buried in the woods.
He couldn't take another failure. It was too close, too similar to how it felt when he lost his only son. Emotions swirled uncomfortably as he watched the parents grieve.
And Scully came to comfort him.
To tell him he had succeeded, because he caught the guy and he'd never be able hurt anyone again.
Her words cleansed and dressed his wound, but the pain was still there.
The pain would always be there, he thought as he thumbed Luke's photograph.
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