"Mulder," a voice is pulling me from the darkness. I hear beeping and know instinctively I'm in a hospital.
"Scully?" I open my eyes and she's sitting on the edge of the bed, cradling a bundle. I blink in surprise. Then remember the child I was about to save from the tree and its poorly designed hammock.
"How you feeling?" Her gentle eyes are filled with concern.
"Like a tree fell on me," I laugh mirthlessly.
"Well, Mulder, that's kind of what happened," The crinkle of amusement is adorable on her beautiful face. But this little one will always be grateful, I'm sure. He landed on your chest."
"Oh, so that wasn't a branch," I smile gently at the sleeping child and am stabbingly reminded of the fact she will never hold her own child like this. The sadness she tries to hide from me is evident in those eyes of crystal blue.
"No, But his mother has gone again. As has some of the grooms. The family are selling the property to the mining community. There is apparently old mines beneath and the condition is only men should work there."
"That won't fly in this modern world," I comment and she nods in agreement. Shrugging, she stands, holding the child close to her chest.
"What about the boy?" I ask, not wanting her to leave just yet.
"I'm taking him to child services. Mulder, the umbilical chord showed some of the same properties we've seen before. The family have expressed they don't want him." I nod and she leaves, sadness surrounding her.
Lying back on my pillows, I feel an overwhelming sense of sadness for her. Would she take the child if she could? She had tried with Emily, but that ended tragically. She was good with kids. But a child, part of some alien conspiracy, was that something she really needed to pursue? She would though, if she felt she could.
I had my answer later that day when she returned to assist me leaving the hospital for home.
"Did everything go well with the baby?" Baby felt like a dirty word almost coming out of my mouth. I saw the prick of sorrow on her face and instantly regretted bringing it up.
"Yeah, he's being taken to the nearest Nevada child services home, waiting fostering. Maisie was returned Mulder. She's dead."
"How?" I ask but I think I know the why.
"She lost a lot of blood. She was found in that field where we saw the crop circles. I think, she was part of something that went very wrong."
"What I don't understand, is where the horses fit into all this?" I stand, stretching my back and regretting the movement as my ribs, bruised from the impact send searing pain through my chest. I wince and she gives me that medical look that I know is assessing me for further injuries. She must be satisfied with her assessment, because she carries on.
"How many files do you have on cattle mutilation in the office?"
"Hundreds," I respond without needing to think about it. "Why?"
"Well, I wonder if this is just another way to experiment. Horses have a longer gestation period, but in this case, it was shortened dramatically. If they wanted to have successful human pregnancies, in a fraction of the time, like in Maisie's case, using a bigger animal makes sense for experimental reasons."
"Yeah," I nod and raise my eyebrows at her in question.
"What?" She looks at me directly now.
"Well, this would be my line, usually," I laugh gently, careful not to irritate my ribs again.
"It's science, Mulder. To find new discoveries, you experiment."
"You do know what you're saying, Scully?" I look at her intently and she raises her hands and drops them heavily into her lap.
"I've seen so much and lost so much because of these experiments. I don't know, if they're really done by extra terrestrials or men from our government, but does it matter? These experiments are heinous either way. A child, has been brought into this world, for no other purpose than to prove their methodology. And that's wrong, Mulder. Children should be a blessing. Not a result of any experiment." Her tears were flowing fast now and her arms wrapped around herself in a hug. I reach for her, not sure she'd welcome the comfort from me right now but she meets me halfway.
"I know," I murmur into her hair as she sobs. She's not talking about Maisie's son, or this case now… she's talking about Emily.
"Dana," I whisper and she starts a little at my use of her first name in this setting. "I promise you, one day, they will pay for what happened to Maisie's son but also to Emily and mostly to you!" I kiss her head lightly and she hugs me closer, still careful not to grip too tightly.
"I'm not sure they will ever pay. These people, who take women and use them, are worse than rapists. Medically, harvesting human embryos and creating life. It's an abomination. The best we can do, is our work and live our lives."
I hold her and she settles before wiping her eyes and standing, taking a deep breath.
"Come on, lets get you home."
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Walking into the office the next morning, I find Scully back at the filing again. It's Friday morning and the weekend is looming. I realise we've not had a conversation that's not really work focussed since the impromptu make out session last Sunday. My hands are sweating but I know I need to bring this up before awkwardness sets in.
"What are the plans for the weekend?" I ask, mouth going dry like some love sick teen.
Her eyes flash to mine in wonder and scepticism.
"Why?" The smile on her face tells me she's not convinced I won't drag her into work on a Saturday morning.
"Just asking," I shrug my shoulders, and pretend to be busy with some files on my desk.
"Well, besides the usual house cleaning and food shopping, I was going to take a trip to hike as the weather is meant to be good on Sunday." She smiles warmly. "And you?"
"I might go shoot some hoops, unless something else comes up," I wink at her and leave the office, on the premise of getting some coffee. I don't want to put pressure on her but I do want her to think about my subtle hint. As I close the door behind me and head into the basement hallway, I slap myself on the head. Why didn't I just ask if she wanted some company?
When we had got back from Nevada, she had dropped me at my place and headed home. I knew she needed some time to process all the trauma this case had brought up for her. But this thing between us was still so new and I was determined not to fuck it up.
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As he closes the door, I grin to myself. Do I want him along on the hike? Absolutely! Do I want him to make the first move? Yes! But does it really matter? Probably not.
I decide to let him sweat on it a little. I will bring it up later that afternoon.
Walking out into the balmy summer midday sun, I smile as the reflection pool glistens beneath the deep blue sky. My heart is full as I sit down with my sandwich. I know Mulder is eating his lunch at his desk but on a day like this, I need to embrace some outdoor time.
"Look who is debunking the myth about red heads hating the sun," I hear a warm, mocking voice behind me and I turn to smile at him.
"Look who, despite popular opinion can actually leave the basement office." We share a grin and I ask, foreboding in my heart, sinking all the way to my stomach and making my sandwich feel most unwelcome. "Don't tell me you're about to drag me somewhere and ruin my weekend?" He grins again and sits down.
"No," he mockingly stares at me, hurt expression firmly in place. "As if I ruin your weekends."
"OK, change my weekend plans," I correct myself. Realising in that moment I rarely feel my weekend has indeed been ruined even when he does highjack it for the X-files.
"No, just felt like I should shock a few squares today," I laugh behind my hand as one of the agents who often throws scathing looks our way heads by and double takes to see us both sitting in the quadrangle. He nods, to try and cover his apparent disbelief.
"I want to believe," Mulder whispers in my ear and I try my best to swallow the mouthful of fruit before I choke.
"Don't do that," I slap his arm playfully. "I nearly choked." His smile is teasing and I wonder what life could be like if this was it? Me and him. But I shrug it off. I am notorious for pushing people away and Mulder's commitment is purely to the X-files. But these moments… they are precious and I love them. Does that make a relationship? Not conventionally. But maybe that's all I can hope for.
My cell rings and I answer.
"Scully," it's Ad Skinner and he's complaining no one is in the office.
"It's lunchtime," I point out as our supervising director continues.
"Where's Mulder?" He snaps back. Someone had got up his nose.
"He's outside, lunching," I feel frivolous and flighty and Mulder notices with a playful grin of his own.
"Well, both of you get back down here, now!" And skinner hangs up.
"We've been summoned?" My partner asks and I nod, the happy, fun filled moment passing over us and the cloud of the work day returning.
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Back in the basement, Skinner hands me a file and I flip it open. A grainy image of a giant footprint in the backdrop of a forest floor.
"New mills, Connecticut," Skinner barks at us. He looks especially pissed off today. "Two murders, at each scene, this was found. I need you up there now." Scully looks crushed and part of me is right there with her. I was looking forward to some more of the light heartedness we'd just shared outside. Nodding, I flip through reports and more crime scene photos. Skinner leaves, slamming the door.
"What we looking at?" Scully was already calling the booking line.
"Complete draining of the bodies. No blood at the scenes. This sounds like a few other cases here in the North West United States."
"Big foot, the jersey Devil," Scully rhymes off, her disappointment hard to hide.
"Hey, Scully, look at it this way. If we tidy up before Sunday, it'll be a quicker drive for your hike in the woods. In fact, more hiking can be done." She smiles but the smile doesn't reach her eyes.
"I guess," She gets through to sally in booking and books the car and the Motel.
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Mulder drives as usual and I catch up on the autopsy reports.
"Mulder, will we ever get a weekend to just do nothing?" I lean back in the soft leather of the rental range rover. Our normal FBI issue cars wouldn't cope with the terrain so we were renting this four wheel drive."I do sometimes wonder what the hell I would do with a full free weekend.' He smiles as we pull onto the freeway.
"You'll pizza night with the lone Gunmen," I point out and he merely shrugs.
"They're not back from Nebraska til Sunday," His tone is nonchalant. "I hope you've packed your hiking boots."
"Do you even own hiking boots?" I retort and he laughs.
"Scully, I was an Indian guide, always be prepared."
"That's the girl Guide's promise," I point out and he shrugs.
"You'll get to hike, Scully, I promise." His tone is warm and I remember Sunday night clear in my mind. I want those arms around me again but I know, as he does, we're working and we both value our working relationship far too much to blur the lines.
"So Jersey devil?" I ask, remembering the case from years before.
"No, I don't think so. The bodies are left with no blood. I think is a succubus."
"Prowling the woods?"
"Sure, why not? Men out hiking alone, finds a beautiful woman in the woods, they get a little hot and heavy. And she has her meal."
"Do men really just think a pretty woman is up for one thing in the woods?"
"No, but Scully, this is a demon. She mesmerises the man she's with and his thoughts of reality and his inhibitions vanish."
"Sounds like you have had experiences," I feel a pang of jealousy which I know is unfounded.
"Once maybe," He says quietly. "Luckily for me, she was full." I burst out laughing.
"So you think, a demon is prowling the woods to get her daily meal? And innocent hiking men are her prime target? You sure you're Ok coming hiking on this case Mulder? You've been set upon once before." I tease him and he gives a half smile which I beam at.
Turning the page, I note there is more footprints. They look human but with a sixth toe.
"Did you check out the footprints? Additional toe on both feet."
"Usual for a demon," His approach is as always, to the point.
I shrug, knowing I can only rationalise this once I've seen the bodies. Sitting back, I watch the storm clouds predicted for that afternoon to roll over the clear blue sky and darken the New England countryside as it winds past the car window. Rain starts to fall and I shrug, grateful for the spare raincoat I always have in my bag.
"Looks like it'll be a soggy walk," Mulder has his eyes on the road and I utter an audible agreement.
"Do the succubus like the rain?" I ask, knowing it'll draw him back into conversation.
"I don't think they have a weather preference. Much like you or I, if we need food, we will go out to get it, come rain or shine."
"Except we can also order in," I grin at him.
"Oooh, Scully, the take out services in George Town must love you!" I smile again and comfortable quiet resumes.
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Closing the motel door on the persistent rain, dropping my bag and jacket on the bed, I head into the relatively clean bathroom and wash my hands. I decide not to shower but to change out of my suit clothes and into something more appropriate to hike through rainy woods in. Looking in the mirror, I notice the usual gleam of excitement in my eyes, although I'm not sure if it's at the prospect of finding a succubus or whether it's the prospect of spending time with Scully outside of the office. Although we're working, I'm hoping the case will be wrapped up in time for her Sunday walk. I have to say, I'm not convinced but hope is all we have.
Pulling a T-shirt on and a hoodie to try and keep warm as the temperature has already dipped with the rainfall, I loop a belt through my jeans and tie up the laces on my walking boots. Pulling my waterproof jacket on grabbing my cellphone and keys, I head out to meet Scully. She's already waiting under the decorative owning over the motel doors and we head to the car.
"I hope this rain lets up soon," I comment as I slip into the driver's seat.
"Well, the woods should give some cover," She's wearing similar, all be it more feminine version of my own clothes. Her auburn hair is tied back off of her face and her rain jacket is only pulled half shut.
Heading to the latest crime scene, she starts organising the survival kit. Water, flash lights, first aid kit, spare batteries, a whistle, and chocolate. She tells me its in case of cold but I always tease her it's in case we get the munchies.
The paths are slick with rain, the recent dry spell making surface water as apposed to mud for the foreseeable. The sky is almost black with heavy rain clouds and the lightning is flashing in the distance.
"Nice day for it," Scully grins through determination at me and I nod appreciatively at her humour.
The yellow tape hangs limply around the area the last victim was found, about three quarters of a mile off the main road.
"Close to civilisation," Scully comments, ducking under the tape having flashed her FBI badge at the patrolling officer.
"They took the body an hour ago," officer Stansworth, the detectives in charge informs me. "I'll grab you a copy of the crime scene photos. What do you think this is, Agent Mulder?" The worry in his face is palatable and I know they are scared.
"We should know more once my partner has performed the autopsy," I nod toward Scully who is scraping some dirt into a test tube.
"Ah," The officer raises his eyebrows, shocked that my partner is female judging by the set of his jaw. "She a medical examiner?"
"Well, she's an MD, so qualified to perform autopsies. That a problem?" It irks me to hear men like this diminish female agents' abilities. I've been in tough situations with Scully at my side, and she's always been the type of agent who had my back through everything. I've worked with male agents who couldn't cope with some of the crap she has dealt with.
"No, just shocking. You wouldn't think a woman could, well, you know?" He shrugs his shoulders and I shake my head, ducking under the tape to join my more than capable partner.
"What's his problem?" Scully had noticed the exchange.
"Just a man set back in the sixteenth century where equal opportunities are concerned," I informed her and she rolls her eyes in disgust. Nodding, I crouched beside her, taking in the body imprint in the slowly muddying surface.
"That's strange." I comment, staring down at the clear imprint of a 5 ft 11 inch man shape in the forest ground.
"This was the same at two previous crime scenes, although not the first. But it had rained the previous night."
"But you'd think the mud would have created an imprint instead of dry earth, wouldn't you?" I look at her as she thinks, her incredible mind working to solve the problem.
"Possibly," She looks to me for my thoughts.
"Unless heat was involved," I note and she stares at me.
"What? Heat?"
"During the blood being taken, what if the body heated, therefore leaving an impression on dry earth but not wet earth."
"Maybe," She stands and I follow suit. "I should have more once I do these autopsies. I'll meet you back at the motel."
"I'm going to go on one of the search parties with officer Nelson," I indicate the man who had been my contact before we got here.
"Be careful, Mulder. Don't be taken in by those Wiley women," we both chuckle and depart our ways.
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