They talked for a long time. Scully told Skinner everything she could manage. She told him about her supposed car accident, the trauma that caused her amnesia. Her run in with Mulder and all he had told her of his memories. She told him about her dreams that she felt more now then ever before were real memories.
And did he have a story for her.
"I'm not sure where to begin Scully." He was looking directly into her eyes. He inhaled deeply before he continued. "You were recruited into the FBI right out of medical school. They saw you as an asset. To be blunt, Agent Mulder was pain in their asses. They wanted him discredited and who else to do that than a bright, young, doctor with a background in hard science. To be perfectly honest Scully, they thought you would wipe the floor with Mulder and make a joke out of him." Skinner took his glasses off and wiped the lenses with his jacket sleeve.
"What they never accounted for was the bond that was to develop between the two of you. Also, not to mention the fact that so many of Mulder's theories could not be disproven. At times, in fact, had been proven by you directly." He shook his head. "I'm sorry Scully, theres just so much I could sit here and tell you, its difficult keeping a direct line of thought. I'll try and keep to the most relevant information."
Again a deep sigh from him. Scully was so enthralled with his story. She could sit her all night despite the chill in the air that was cutting through her light fall jacket. How she had longed to talk to someone that knew her prior to her memory loss. Only she had no idea that it would ever be something as intense as this. She had always thought she lived a normal, mundane life. Never had she so much even imagined that her life had been so extraordinary, exciting, important.
She quietly stared at him, waiting for him to continue. "To make a very long story extremely short Scully, the two of you became closer than any two people I have ever met in my life, my career or my personal experience." Now his chuckle was more up beat. He was staring into the distance, past Scully, into the night as if he was watching the past play before his eyes. "You two were a force to be reckoned with, that's for sure. Boy, they had no idea what they did when they paired the two of you up." Now he out right laughed. It made Scully jump but she relaxed once she saw how alive and happy his eyes had become.
She smiled at him. Smiled at his memories of her. She wished she could share them. "What happened to us, Sir?"
"That's what I would love to know." Now his expression saddened tremendously. "Ok, where to begin?" The question was to himself. Scully just patiently waited. "Mulder was being framed for murder. It was a set up. The people that wanted him gone from the beginning were finally fed up with him. Fed up with you. They wanted to hurt both of you. They had hurt both of you but they weren't done yet.' Another long sigh escaped him and she wondered what these people had done to both her and Mulder.
"He was sentenced to death for a crime he hadn't committed. We all came together. Not just you and I but other allies the two of you had made along the way. When testifying for him wasn't enough we broke him out." The look on his face told her of the seriousness of the situation they had dealt with.
Scully scoffed. "What?! Are you trying to tell me I was part of a prison brake out?"
"Yes. Thats exactly what I'm telling you." There was no trying to convince her. It was just a matter of a fact statement. "We were successful. We were able to get the two of you to safety were you were supposed to get as far away as possible from all this. You left together. It's how I remember you both. Leaving, with so many possibilities ahead of yourselves." He shook his head as if he needed to clear his mind.
"How long ago was this?" She asked, trying to leave the sound of defeat out of her voice.
Looking directly in her eyes, knowing this would probably hurt her, he said, "The last time I saw either of you was over six years ago."
For a moment Scully couldn't breath. Six years. How was that possible. For six years no one knew where she was and now she knew nothing of this past except that it was true.
"What happened next?" She spoke just above a whisper. This was so much to take in.
"I honesty don't know. You both went into hiding. He was an escaped convict at that time and you had helped him. You were wanted as an accomplice." He looked down at his feet having trouble meeting her eyes. "I was able to keep any evidence from them that directly pointed at me although everyone knew that I had helped as well. Because of their lack of evidence against me I was able to keep my job. As the years past I was able to rebuild somewhat of a career again for myself."
"I'm sorry for how all of this affected you." She was sincere even though she couldn't remember all that he was telling her.
He put her hand on her forearm. "Don't be sorry Scully. You have no idea how much I wished I had done more. I think about it all the time. There were so many times when I could have done something to actually make a difference and I didn't. I let fear rule my decisions. I thought I was doing the right thing for myself and my career but now….Now looking back on it, all I did was create so many regrets for myself."
Silence overtook them both for a few minutes. Finally he spoke again. "I can't change the past but I can make sure not to repeat my mistakes. I won't fail you this time. I'm going to help you find Mulder and make sure you guys get your lives back."
She reached her hand out and grabbed his. "Thank you."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. "I want you to take this. It's a burner phone. It can't be traced right away but I wouldn't make more than just a few calls on it before replacing it. For the time being you should go about your regular routine. Not make anyone suspicious of your knowledge of your past. I programmed a number where you can reach me at in case of an emergency. I'm going to find Mulder. I know your anxious to do the same but I wouldn't if I were you. It's not safe. You can't be sue of who is watching you, if they have your home bugged."
"Bugged? Your saying these people could be watching my every move? Even inside my own home?" She was exasperated.
"I would….." He was cut off.
"Trust no one?" she just stared at him.
A small sad smile appeared on his face. "Yeah. That sounds about right. Come on Scully, let me get you back home."
He drove her back to her car. Just as the first time, they sat in complete silence on the way back. Scully couldn't keep her thoughts focused. She had so much to think about. When they reached her car, Skinner parked behind her and they just sat there for a moment. He finally got out and walked around to her. Opening up the passenger side and taking her hand.
She stood up, looking straight up at him. "Thank you. I can't tell you how much this means to me." She threw her arms around him and felt him stiffen then relax.
He hugged her back. "Don't worry Scully, were going to figure this out. I promise."
xxxxxxx
It was finally the weekend. Scully was off again. She felt like her life was flying past her. All she seemed to think about was her unremembered past. Sometimes she felt sorry for herself. She had lost over two years of her life to lies that were hand fed to her. Would she ever remember? If she did would she have a normal life? But what was normal? This sure wasn't.
She waited for Skinner or Mulder to contact her but nothing so far. It had been a few days since her meeting with Skinner and she hadn't heard anything from him. She had hoped that he would have called her to give her information on where she could find Mulder…. but nothing. She could have called him but what would be the purpose. If he had more information for her he would have gotten it to her.
It was so hard to refrain from looking up the information of the doctor that Mulder was referred to by Mark. Every time she had considered it she would remember Skinner telling her that she was most likely being watch. Her home probably bugged. The thought of packing her things and moving out had come to her on more than one occasion but she told her self that would only bring more suspicion.
She sat on her couch re-reading the same page of a book for about the tenth time. She needed to clear her head. Do something to refocus her thoughts. There was no way she could stay in this house right now. Grabbing just her keys she headed out the door. Shuddering, she could feel the watchful eye of her neighbor. She picked up her pace and decided it was a nice night for a jog.
Twenty minuets in her run she stopped to catch her breath. It was beautiful night for it. The air was crip and felt cleansing. She was leaning against a lamppost when suddenly a memory hit her so hard it almost knocked her off her feet.
She was sitting on a bed examining something when she heard a knock at her door.
"Who is it?" she yelled.
"Steven Spielberg." a male voice yelled back.
A smile played on her lips. She took off her glasses getting off of the bed and walked over to the door to answer it.
Mulder stood in front of her. Wearing an oversized sweat shirt and his cap on backward he said, "Way to wired. I'm going for a run you want to come?"
"Pass." Now she held her smile in check not wanting him to know that she was happy he came to ask her anyway.
Scully caught her breath. This was the first memory she had while she was awake. It was the first time she felt like she couldn't brush it off. She needed to find Mulder. With or without Skinner. If she didn't hear from him by tomorrow night she would go to a library out of town and use their computer. She was tired of feeling helpless. She had done that long enough.
With a renewed sense of purpose and excitement she headed back home. Once she was less than a block away from home she saw a car pulling away from her house. It was to quick to be certain but she was sure it was Dr. Owen's car. Immediately her eyes pulled up to her neighbors front door. He wasn't there but a stream of smoke was still coming out of his ashtray from a newly put out cigarette.
xxxxxxx
It was Sunday and she decided to do her food shopping. She was at her local grocery store. Her mind wondered as she purchased her items. It was difficult trying to decided what the best next course of action would be when she had no idea who may be in on this conspiracy to hide the truth from her. The two men she felt she could trust, she had now way of contacting.
Well that wasn't exactly true. The phone Skinner gave her….she could reach him on that, but then what? She didn't have any information and he told her as soon as he did he would contact her. She felt so lost. So alone.
Last night, another memory came to her. She was standing in a hallway, walking away from Mulder. They had been arguing, about what, she wasn't sure.
He was walking after her. "If you want to tell yourself that to quit with a clear conscience you can but your wrong."
She turned, facing him. "Why did they assign me to you if the first place Mulder? To debunk you work, to rein you in, to shut you down."
Looking so seriously into her eyes he almost yelled at her, "But you saved me. As difficult and as frustrating as it's been sometimes, your goddamn strict rationalism and science has saved me a thousand times over. You kept me honest. You made me a whole person. I owe you everything, Scully and you owe me nothing. I don't know if I want to do this alone. I don't even know if I can. And If i quit now they win."
Tears filled her eyes and here heart swelled as her memory ended. She wish could remember everything that happened in that hallway. She wished should remember how long ago that was or what they were arguing about in the first place but all she knew at this moment is that was a real memory.
Paying for her purchases her mind was only half way in the present. The rest of her was trying to put together the bits and pieces she could remember. It seemed now almost everyday something new came to her. She couldn't wait for them, always hoping the next one would be the one to make everything all come back.
Loading her groceries in her car she looked around getting the feeling she was being watched. After scanning the parking lot she saw Dr Owen's car parked a few rows in front of her. She clearly saw him watching her through his side mirror but when she caught his eye he ducked down.
Throwing the last bag into her car she slammed the trunk shut and starting walking in his direction. Once he saw her he started the ignition but he knew he was to late, they had already made eye contact. There was no way he would be able to deny it.
Leaving his car running, he stepped out of the car with that huge smile of his that he wore so well. "Hi, Dana, how nice running into you here."
Her jaw hung slack, she couldn't believe he was trying to brush this off as a coincidence. "So you shop here?"
"Well, not regularly but I heard they had some great sales and wanted to check it out." All of a sudden she caught a whiff of cigarette smoke coming off of him.
"What kind of sales would that be? Tobacco products?" She said under her breath.
"I'm sorry?" his eyes furrowed together.
"Nothing, never mind. Where you by my house last night?" She asked with one eye brow raised high.
"No, of course not. Are you feeling ok, Dana? Would you like to talk?" Now he looked at her as he was truly concerned but Scully wasn't buying it.
"Forget it." She turned away leaving him staring after her and got in her car. She had the urge to punch something as hard as she could. Instead she opted on driving back home and unloading her groceries into her house.
While sitting int the drivers seat she heard a phone ringing. First she got out her regular cell phone and when she realized that wasn't it she reached for the phone Skinner gave her.
"Hello?" she couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice.
"Scully, I need to see you tonight. Watch Chanel 2 at 9pm." The call ended. It was Mulder. She still held the phone to her ear. 'What the hell did that mean?' If only she had been able to talk to him longer.
She sped home as if getting there faster would make 9pm come any quicker. Putting her groceries away she found herself just sitting at her kitchen table unsure of what to do with herself. It was only three in afternoon. She turned her tv on and scrolled through the listings. Channel 2 at 9pm was the evening news. What could possible be on there that would lead her to Mulder. How would she be sure of what it was when it was on. She set her d.v.r to record it just incase she missed something important.
When 9pm rolled around she already had her tv on Chanel 2 for almost an hour. She watch the news more intently than she ever head in her entire life. Analyzing every word and every report that came on. She could not figure out one thing that could be a clue to meeting with Mulder tonight. What if she missed it? What if she didn't catch it? What if it pertained to a memory that she was yet to posses.
The sports segment came on. She had stopped listening and was tempted to rewind it to the being to see if she could figure out if she had missed something. As soon as she picked up the remote an ecstatic young woman starting speaking directly into the camera. "Well local Dodger fans must have been happy today. Sports announcer Vin Scully was here today in D.C. Here are a few pictures of him posing with some fans." Scully froze. This had to be it.
The screen flashed to Vin Scully standing in front of the famous Lincoln Memorial in the National Mall. This is where she had to go. She grabbed her things and headed out.
Traffic wasn't as bad as she had seen it before. She got the mall and actually found a parking space. She was nervous and excited. She couldn't wait to see Mulder. She realized for the fist time since meeting him that she actually missed him.
Walking over to the Lincoln Memorial she took in her surroundings while doing her best not to look suspicious or stand out. Mulder was no where in sight. She sat down at the steps and just waited. Beginning to worry now, a thousand thoughts raced through her mind. What if she was wrong about the clue? What if Vin Scully visiting here was just a coincidence? What if it wasn't really Mulder that had called her? What if? What it?
Startling her out of her many thoughts a man came and sat next to her. It was Skinner. He gave her a large sad smile and folded his hands together. "I'm glad you made it." He handed her over a set of car keys. "I parked right behind you. It's a loaner car so you won't recognize it. I have the GPS set for where you need to go. Be careful Scully. I have good reason to believe your being watched."
She had no need to ask any questions. She knew where he was leading her. Taking the keys out of his hand, she put a quick kiss on his cheek. "Thank you Sir."
He sat still, smiling after her.
xxxxx
As promised the car was waiting for her, parked right behind hers and the GPS set and ready to bring her to Mulder. She couldn't remember ever wanting anything more. It took her about forty five minuets further from home than she already was but she couldn't care less. She would have driven all night if that's what it took.
Finally, the GPS told her she had reached her destination. Parking the car, she got out and looked around. There was nothing in sight but an old run down looking hotel. Mulder must be waiting inside. She made her way over the reception desk and for a moment she didn't know what to say.
"Hi, I have a room booked under Dana Mathew." She could she feel her palms starting to sweat. What if she was wrong with giving this name. How would she correct the situation.
The man behind the dest took out an old fashioned record keeping book and scanned the page. "Ok, here we are. Your husband has already arrived. He told me you would be here shortly and to give you the other key." The older gentleman handed Scully a key chain marked 505 with a single key hanging from it and pointed her in the way of the stairs explaining that the elevator was out of order.
Once up the five flight of stairs Scully stood in front of room 505 and just stared at the closed door. She resisted the urge to knock. After all, she did have a key. Letting her self inside, she scanned the room. First, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, a king size bed, the bathroom off to the right, a tv that was playing, and a desk and two chairs. That's when she saw him. Mulder was sitting at the desk staring directly at her.
She closed the door behind her and stood leaning against the wall just staring at him.
"Hi." He stood up, smiling at her and took two steps in her direction.
Completely frozen she looked and him and sheepishly said, "Hi."
Closing the small distance that was between them he was now just inches in front of Scully. With no where to go and her back upon the wall, his smile widened when he looked down at the cross hanging from her neck and said, "I'm so glad you made it tonight Scully. Skinner found me. I recognized him as soon as I heard his name. He said you really wanted to see me. I can't tell me how happy that makes me."
He grabbed both of her hands in his looking down at her directly into her eyes. "I have remembered more since we've last spoken."
"So have I", speaking softly, she made no effort to pull away from him.
They stood still for a moment just staring at one another. He let go of her hands and wrapped his arms around her waist lifting her just slightly off of the ground. Lips to her ear he said, "Thank you for coming here. I needed to see you." Setting her back on the ground but his arms still wrapped around her waist he bent down just enough to be eye to eye with her.
She felt his arms around her waist and kept her arms locked around his. It felt so right to her even though she couldn't explain it. Taking her by surprise she felt his lips touch the edge of hers and he pulled her tighter into his embrace. She felt his warm breath on her face and his lips turn up into a smile against her check and said "I hope some of those memories included me, Scully."
You know what I'm going to ask! Please review!
