J. Edgar Hoover Building
8:00 AM
Next Day
Dana Scully was already collecting
Mulder's few personal belongings when John Doggett walked in.
"Agent Scully, why aren't you at
home? You shouldn't be here."
She turns to him, holding one of
Mulder's pencils, tears gleaming in her eyes.
She's trying to be brave, to not let her guard down. "I'm alright." She turns away, the pencil still in between her thumb and forefinger. "I remember this one case I was on. I was all by myself on vacation in Maine
when I was needed in a local case. It
was the one where Mulder asked me to marry him but I didn't believe him. He was so bored without me that he ended up
throwing his pencils at the ceiling.
That's why those holes are there.
When I came back he was just sitting in this chair, his feet up on this
desk and all the pencils came falling down on his head."
He moved closer to her. "Are you sure that you're okay? Because if A.D. Skinner came down here and
saw you he'd order you to go home."
"I know. Please don't tell him I was here. Mulder's body won't be ready until later today. And I really don't feel like picking out his
burial plot or headstone now. I don't
think I can."
"So instead you decided to torture
yourself by coming here."
She opened the top left drawer of the
desk that was now hers. Inside were the
videos. She smiled, ignoring Doggett's
stares at her.
(FLASHBACK)
"That isn't mine Scully. I don't know
where that came from."
"Uh-huh. I'll just put it with all the other ones that aren't yours."
She put the videos in the white box
and then started to clean off the top of the desk. The only thing that belonged to him was a picture. She looks at it closely. It is the only picture of them together
laughing and having a good time.
(FLASHBACK)
"Hips before hands. Got it?"
"Hips before hands. Hips before hands."
Crack. The ball and bat made contact.
"Okay, okay. That was good. Just don't
think. Keep your eye on the ball…"
"Shut up Mulder. I'm playing baseball."
She opened up
his top middle drawer. A few pens, a
pencil that hadn't put a hole in the ceiling.
Then she came across it. A
letter. Addressed to her. She was hesitant. DO I OPEN IT
NOW? She decided to wait. A few more items and her chore was done.
"Scully let
me carry that for you."
She handed
him the box and then pulled her keys out of her pocket. A small glint of gold caught her eye. It was her Apollo key chain that he had
given her on her birthday. She was
crying harder now as her body was wracked with uncontrollable sobs.
They arrived
at her car. "Agent Scully are you sure
that you're okay to drive?"
She turned to
him then. In his eyes she could see
pain and sorrow and abandonment. Like
he knew what she was going through.
"Yes, I'm fine." she gave him her automatic response.
Mulder's Apartment
10:03 AM
Alexandria, VA.
Scully puts
her key in the lock and opens the door.
Stepping inside, she fights the tears that blur her vision. She walks over to the fish tank and
sprinkles some food in. She walks to
his bedroom and takes his suitcases out from under his bed. Opening his closet, she takes out his suits,
one by one. Each one bringing back a
painful memory. She folds them
carefully, and moves on to pack his ties.
The ties that made him who he was.
Once she has packed all his work clothes, she moves to his dresser. In the back of her mind, she hears his
favorite song, ironically called "Africa" and pauses to listen to the words in
her head, It's gonna take a lot to take
me away from you, there's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do… and starts to cry as she packs
his jeans and t-shirts. I'm gonna take some time, do the things we never
did… next she packs all of his toiletries and
underwear – boxers, socks and undershirts.
They get folded and packed in one suitcase. His shoes and desk are the only things left to pack. She walks out of the apartment carrying the
two suitcases. Down the steps and to
her car. She opens the car trunk and
carefully places them next to the box.
Closing the trunk she turns around and heads back into the building, up
the elevator. This is the last time
that she will ever come here again. The
last time she will walk into apartment #42.
The last time she will come to Alexandria, Virginia. Fresh tears come. She takes in a deep breath and exhales slowly. She unplugs his computer and puts it on the
couch. There's nothing on the top of
his desk except a roll of masking tape and a few floppy disks. She moves to the left side drawer and opens
it. Inside she finds a photo album and
another letter addressed to her. She
puts the album beside his computer on the couch and places the letter with the
other inside her purse. She opens the
right side and finds another letter and a copy of his will with a safety
deposit box key taped to the front.
Both are addressed to Dr. D. K. Scully.
The desk is now empty. As empty
as her heart and her soul. Everything
else has already been moved to the storage unit she rents. Only his bed, dresser, desk, couch and the
shelf with his fish remain. Those will
be moved out when the manager finds a buyer.
Scully had made one of the most painful decisions of her life. The decision to sell his home. Her home.
Their hide away. She has also
decided to sell her apartment. She
wants something larger for the baby.
But that's not the real reason, it's just too painful for her to stay
there.
She picks up
the photo album and sits in the chair by his desk. The first few pages are of him, his family and of Samantha. The rest are of Oxford, work, before the
office was as messy as it is now, and of her.
And again she finds another plain brown envelope addressed to her. She closes the book. Tears fall freely as she hugs the album to
her chest and ever growing stomach. She
doesn't care anymore. She calls the
Lone Gunmen and asks them to pack his computer. They agree and tell her that they will bring it to the storage
unit later tonight. She thanks them,
hangs up and holds the album tightly as she locks the door behind her.
Quantico Forensics Department
Autopsy Bay 1
1:13 PM
She's pacing
back and forth in front of the doors, the doors that hide Mulder from her. She wouldn't make herself watch the one
autopsy that she could never bring herself to do. The doors open and the doctor hands her the results as he walks
away. She places the report on the
table and walks in.
She unwraps
his body, and reaches out to touch him.
His skin is cold, his face without his warm smile that brightened up the
dreariest day. There are visible
unhealed marks of his torture. She
gives him one last kiss on the forehead and leaves, reading the report she left
on the table.
She calls the
funeral home and begins to arrange for the hardest goodbye she'll ever
make. Then she goes to the cemetery and
arranges for a small, simple plot next to the one she has had reserved for
herself since the day she was dying of cancer.
There will be no service. Just a
simple wake the night before and only a few close people will be there to see
the one person she loved more than life itself lowered into the ground that
would claim him forever. She knows that
she will visit him more than once a day.
Next she drives to pick out his headstone, the monument that will remind
the world that he lived. She needs
support for this task, so she calls Skinner and Doggett. They agree to meet her in an hour.
Dana Scully's Apartment
3:03 PM
Georgetown
She walks
down the hall, her footsteps echo in the silence. She unlocks her door and drags in the suitcases. She walks down to her bedroom to change her
clothes. She hasn't worn different
clothes in two days and she will never wear this suit again. She hangs it on a hanger and puts a dry cleaning
bag over it. She opts for a black suit
and black blouse, the only black suit that still fits her changing body. She hears a knock at her door and she walks
to open it. Outside stand Skinner and
Doggett both trying to find something to say that will comfort her. She shows them in and tells them that she
will only be a minute that she has to get the instructions for the stone.
Father David's Stone Store
3:22 PM
Washington, DC
They escort
her to the front of the building. They
both know that this is the one thing she has been putting off. She tells them that she'll be okay and that
they can leave. They don't argue but
leave her and tell her to call if she needs something. She walks around the store, looking for the
right one. She finds it after only a
few minutes. A man walks over, asking
if she needs help. She says yes, that
she would like this one and that she wants something special engraved by next
week. He tells her that it can be ready
then and takes her to the counter where she fills out the appropriate forms and
then leaves. Out in the street, she
breaks down, people staring at her as they pass. She doesn't care and starts to head to her doctor's appointment.
Doctor's Office
3:46 PM
Local Hospital
She steps off
the elevator and enters the room. It's
full of happiness and laughter. She
feels out of place. She walks over to
the receptionist and tells her that Dana Scully has arrived for her
appointment. The receptionist nods and
goes back to her typing. Scully sits in
a chair and waits, still crying. People
are staring and she doesn't care.
Inside the
exam room, the doctor tells her that everything is fine and that she should
make an appointment for a month from now.
She agrees and walks out, the doctor wondering what has happened to the
happiest person he knows.
Bank
4:11 PM
DC
Scully opens the door and asks to
be taken to the deposit boxes. A young
teller leads the way and helps her find box 1013. She thanks him and brings the box to the nearest table. She inserts the key and takes out the
contents. She removes each one as if it
were made of porcelain. The only items
are his birth certificate, social security card, his living will and the original
copy of his will. She removes them and
underneath she finds more letters, all written in the same sloppy Mulder
handwriting. She's overcome by sobs
again and she closes the box. She locks
it and puts it away, the teller wondering what is causing her so much
pain. Exiting, she whispers a thank you
and drives to the nearest convenience store.
CONVENIECE STORE
5:18 PM
DOWNTOWN DC
She walks
through the aisles, looking for the right newspaper. She finds it after only a few minutes. She pays the cashier and leaves.
The paper is placed in the back seat, hidden from sight underneath her
black coat. She checks her voice mail
before heading to the mall. Another
task that she's in no hurry to accomplish.
MALL
5:42 PM
VIRGINIA
She walks
into the maternity store. Immediately
she heads for the dark colors. It takes
her only a few minutes to find what she needs.
She charges the purchase to her credit card and walks out. She already has his suit bought and it's
going to the funeral home tomorrow.
She's crying again and she doesn't care. Carrying her new clothing, she walks towards the food court. She hasn't eaten for two days. Taking out her wallet she heads for the
Chinese. It was their favorite. She orders, pays and sits at a nearby
table. She eats slowly, memories
flashing in her mind. She can't take it
anymore. She finishes quickly and
leaves, the long drive home uneventful.
DANA SCULLY'S APARTMENT
7:15 PM
GEORGETOWN
She unlocks
her door and walks in. She turns on a
light and then walks back to her door.
She picks up the white office box and puts it on the coffee table, kicking
the door closed behind her with her foot.
She starts to boil water for tea and goes to change. She finds her favorite pair of flannel pants
and Mulder's Knicks t-shirt. She fights
the tears again and goes back into her kitchen. She spreads the paper she bought on the table and opens it to the
classifieds. Using a red pen, she
circles three ads, and makes calls to each, asking if it would be okay if she
stopped by tomorrow. Then she calls
Assistant Director Skinner to tell him that she won't be in tomorrow. He's not there so instead she leaves a
message with his secretary. The
teakettle goes off and she turns the burner off. She puts a teabag in her favorite mug and pours the hot water
inside. A few minutes later, she is
curled up on her couch, covered by a blanket and watching "Close Encounters of
the Third Kind." She's trying to ignore
the letters and his will, for they are tormenting her in every way. Eventually she falls into a dreamless sleep.
DANA SCULLY'S APARTMENT
6:12 AM
GEORGETOWN
She awakens before her alarm and
lays in the stillness of the moment.
Sunlight peaks in through he curtains and she rolls over to keep the sun
out of her eyes. Eventually she gets up
and starts the shower. She looks in the
mirror, and staring back at her are two eyes, red and puffy from two days of
uncontrollable crying. She turns away
from the mirror and walks slowly to her closet. She picks out one of her new suits and places it on the king size
bed. The shower is ready. She sheds her pajamas and steps in. The water feels warm against her cool
skin. She washes quickly and puts on
her white terrycloth robe. She puts a
bagel in her toaster and walks down the hall to her bedroom. She dresses quickly in a navy blue suit and
white blouse. Her gold cross and small
gold earrings complete the outfit. By
the time she is ready for work, her bagel is done. She spreads some cream cheese on it and puts it in a sandwich
bag. She heads for work, briefcase in
hand. Inside are the letters. Her plan is to read them at work in the
privacy of her office.
J. EDGAR HOOVER
BUILDING
7:59 AM
BASEMENT OFFICE –
XFILES DIVISION
She
walks in, relieved that Doggett isn't in yet.
That means that she has a few minutes to herself. She reaches inside her beaten up briefcase
and pulls out the first letter. She's
hesitant but she places it in front of herself on the desk. Using a letter opener, she cuts open the
envelope at its crease and slowly pulls the letter out, her nervousness showing
by her shaking hands. She unfolds it,
her bagel left unnoticed, and starts to read.
Dear
Scully,
I
guess that something has happened to me if you're reading this. I just want you to know that I am grateful
to have had the honor to work with you, to meet you, know you, and be your best
friend. You were my touchstone, my one
real love. You mean everything to me
and to my shallow quest. But you stuck
by me through it all and came to respect me as I had you. You are my truth. Never forget that. Even
If you don't believe me, know this – I love you Scully. So much.
Don't listen to Bill. He doesn't
know everything like he thinks he does.
Give my love to you mother because she loved me more than my own. I'm sorry that it took me all of these years
to tell you but this was the only way how.
Please forgive me. I intended to
give these to you myself but I chickened out and never got the chance. I love you so much Scully. I'd give you a kiss and hug right now but
I'm kind of not there. I'm so sorry for
leaving you. I love you.
"Spooky"
Mulder (not Fox)
P.s. – Trust no one
She
sat in an odd silence, not realizing that Doggett was standing in the doorway
holding two steaming cups of coffee. He
walks in, at a loss for words. She sees
him and quickly hides the letter in her briefcase.
"Good
morning Agent Doggett."
"Agent
Scully. Are you any better?"
"A
little."
"Why
are you here?"
"I
need to keep busy. All of Mulder's
stuff is either in my apartment or in my storage unit. I don't have to be anywhere until later this
afternoon. I trust you got my message?"
"Yes,
A.D. Skinner and I will meet you there."
"Then
I assume that you also know that I will start my leave a bit earlier than
expected?"
"Yes."
"Okay,
I'll see you later then."
LAW
OFFICE OF FRANCIS RHYS
1:04 PM
MAIN STREET
"May
I help you?"
Scully
stared at the secretary. Studying her,
Scully guessed that she was in her early thirties.
"Yes. I'm here for Mr. Rhys."
"Name?"
"Dana
Scully."
The
secretary looks at the appointment sheet and then she looks back at Scully.
"Mr.
Rhys is running late. Please sit. It'll only be a few minutes."
LAW OFFICE OF FRANCIS
RHYS
1:10 OM
MAIN STREET
Agent Doggett and AD Skinner walk
in and see her sitting in a blue office chair.
She waves them over to the spare seats near her and they sit next to
her. In her hand is Mulder's will. She looks at them and says, "I guess this
makes it final."
Doggett
looks at her, "This?"
"Reading
his will. Packing his stuff only makes
it seem that he's moving away. Having
his lawyer read the will is kind of like a reality check."
Skinner
looks at her, "Are you sure that you want us to be here?"
"Yes…"
she trails off, her emotions catching up with her.
The
three sit in an uneasy silence, each wondering what will happen next. Before anyone can say or do another thing,
the secretary calls them and leads them to the conference room. "Mr. Ryhs will be right in."
They
each sit in a chair, Scully fidgeting with a well-worn tissue. The door opens and looks to see who it
is. It's Agent Reyes. Scully looks at her then she looks at
Doggett, puzzled. He mouths an 'I'll
tell ya later,' to her. She turns to
Reyes, "Why are you here?" Her tone is
not cold or rude, but filled with emotion.
"Agent
Doggett asked me to be here. He told me
that you were having a rough time and he said that we should all come together
and give you all the support that you need.
So I came to help in anyway I can."
"Thank
you." She points to a chair as an
invitation to join the solemn group.
Reyes
sits next to Scully and hands her another tissue. Scully gives her a weak smile in thanks but before she can say
anything else, Francis Rhys walks in and sits at the end of the table.
He
clears his throat and opens a think file folder. "I would just like to say how very sorry I am that we are meeting
on such a sorrowful occasion. Is Dr. D.
K. Scully present?"
She
speaks up, "Yes, I'm here."
"Okay
then, let's begin."
Doggett
interrupts, "Why is that so important?"
Mr.
Rhys clears his throat again, "Because she is named as his next of kin."
Doggett
looks at Scully, it's her turn to mouth an 'I'll tell ya later' to him.
Mr.
Rhys continues on speaking, "If there is nothing further, then let's continue."
Le Grand Café
4:00 PM
Ave. of the Americas
They walk in. Reyes speaks, "I better be going."
Scully
turns around, looks at her. "It would
be okay with me if you stay. I'm only
going to share some of my old cases.
It'll be fun. Stay."
Reyes
looks at her watch. "Well, okay."
A
hostess comes up. "How many?"
"Four,"
Skinner answers.
"Smoking
or non?"
"Non."
"Right
this way."
The
woman leads them to a round booth in the back of the café. She hands them menus and walks away.
They
study the menus and each decides quickly.
Doggett starts the questions.
"Agent Scully, what would you say was your oddest case?"
She
leans back, "All of them?"
"No. Really."
"Hmmmm,
that's a hard one. They were all odd in
their own way."
Skinner
jumps in. "How about the one in Texas?"
Scully
takes a sip of her water. "Oh, yeah,
that one was odd."
"Care
to elaborate?"
"Mulder
and I investigated mysterious exsanguinations in Cheney, Texas. He believed that vampires were the cause and
I believed the cause was someone obsessed with vampires. Needless to say, we had differing stories
about the events that occurred. He was
drugged by a pizza boy, chased our suspect through the woods and put a stake
through the suspect's heart. And then
we found out that his vampire teeth were fake and a huge lawsuit was brought upon
us. The coroner removed the stake, the
suspect came back to life and the entire town disappeared. They just left. The case was never closed."
"That's
odd."
"I
know. All of our cases were odd in some
way."
The
waitress came up and took their orders.
Now Skinner asked a question.
"What was your most memorable?"
"That
one's hard. They all had their
moments. Ask another question."
Reyes
spoke up. "How about the most
entertaining?"
"That
one's easy. The one where a movie was
based on an X-FILE. Maybe you saw it, I
think it was called the Lazarus Bowl."
Skinner
groaned. "Not that one."
"Yes
that one. But I won't get into it. Any others that you want to know about?"
"Didn't
I see you on COPS once?"
"Yes
you did. That was one of Mulder's favorites."
Their
food arrives then, saving Scully from taking the journey down an unwanted and
painful path.
(Flashback)
"I'm going to call Skinner about this."
"Yes. Yes sir.
I understand."
"So
are we staying?"
"Yes."
"What
did he say?"
"That
the FBI has nothing to hide."
They eat,
pay and leave. Each one going their own
separate ways – Skinner, Doggett, and Reyes going back to the office and Scully
to look at apartments.
DANA SCULLY'S
APARTMENT
8:12 PM
GEORGETOWN
She unlocks her door and steps
inside. Her mail is carelessly tossed
on the desk. She goes back down to her
car and takes packing cartons out of her trunk. She returns to her apartment and starts to pack her books, cds,
and tapes. She keeps packing all of her
odds and ends, crying as she does. She
doesn't want to leave the one place she's called home for almost ten
years. She knows it's big enough but
she doesn't want to deal with the pain day in and day out. Eventually she runs out of boxes and
collapses on her bed from exhaustion.
She falls asleep easily and doesn't wake up until the phone rings. It's the stone store calling to tell her
that his headstone will be moved to the cemetery plot later in the
afternoon. She thanks the caller and
hangs up. She looks over at her clock. The red, digital display says "7:21" and she
realizes that she's late.
BANK
7:38 AM
DC
She's waiting in line. Finally she is next. She asks to be taken to box 1013. The teller leads the way. The box is taken out and Scully takes it to
a private table. She puts his documents
and all of the letters inside. She
finishes and hands the box back to the teller.
She leaves and heads to the office.
J. EDGAR HOOVER
BUILDING
8:59 AM
BASEMENT OFFICE –
XFILES DIVISION
She exits the elevator and walks
down the hall to the place that she's called her office for almost eight
years. And she will continue to call it
her office in honor of her best friend.
Her name still isn't on the door but at least now she has a desk. She leaves a note for Doggett to meet her at
Le Grand Café at noon and leaves. She
enters the elevator and presses the button for the third floor. She goes to Skinner's office and his
secretary informs her that he's in a meeting but will give him any
message. She leaves a message and goes
home to finish packing.
DANA SCULLY'S
APARTMENT
10:10 AM
GEORGETOWN
She walks in and hangs her coat
on the coat rack by the door. She picks
up the cordless phone and calls her mother.
"Hello?"
"Hi
Mom."
"Dana? Is everything okay?"
"No…"
"What's
going on? What's the matter?"
"We
found Mulder a few days ago."
"That's
wonderful. Is he okay?"
"We
found him…we found him in the middle of the woods in Montana. He's…he's dead."
"Oh
Dana. I'm so sorry. Are you okay?"
"I
think I'll be okay but can you come to here tonight for the wake? The funeral is tomorrow."
"Of
course I'll come. Is anything else
bothering you?"
"I
guess you should be the first to know this."
"Know
what honey?"
"I'm
moving."
"What? But Dana you love that apartment."
"I
know, but I need more space for the baby."
Her
mother knows that's not the reason but doesn't press the issue further. "Okay, what time do you want me to come
over?"
"The
wake is from six to seven thirty. And
then dinner is after. You can spend the
night because the funeral is at ten tomorrow morning."
"Okay. I'll be over between five and five
thirty. Have you called Bill yet?"
"No,
he's next."
"Okay. I'll see you later. Love you."
"Love
you too Mom. Bye"
"Bye."
She
hangs up the phone and waits a minute.
Then she dials Bill's number. He
answers on the first ring.
"Hello?"
"Hi
Bill."
"Dana
what's wrong?"
"Mulder's
dead. Can you make it to the funeral
tomorrow?"
"I
can try but if I can't make it then Tara and Matthew will come."
"Okay. It starts at ten so be at my apartment by
nine thirty."
"Okay. And Dana?"
"Yeah
Bill?"
"As
much as I didn't like him, I will miss him."
"Thanks
Bill. See you tomorrow."
She
hangs up and looks at her watch. It
says noon. She grabs her coat and leaves,
heading for lunch before the cemetery.
LE GRAND CAFÉ
12:13 PM
AVE. OF THE AMERICAS
Scully walks in and heads for a
booth in the back. A waitress walks up,
ready to hand her a menu. She declines
and orders and salad with Italian dressing, and cup of chicken soup and a diet
soda.
The
waitress jots it all down and walks away.
Scully's
phone rings. She answers. It's Doggett telling her that he and Skinner
will meet her at the cemetery at one fifteen.
They talk for a few minutes and then she hangs up.
LE GRAND CAFÉ
12:41 PM
AVE. OF THE AMERICAS
The waitress comes back with
Scully's order. She places the food in
front of her and leaves. Scully eats
quickly in silence and summons for her check.
The total is $10.21. She leaves
$15 and walks out of the café, heading towards her car.
CEMETERY
1:17 PM
DC
Scully pulls in followed by
Skinner and Doggett. They walk over to
the plot where on man is placing the head stone on its proper concrete block
and another is digging the grave. The whole event doesn't take long but she
knew that they would want to be there with her for support. They leave, Scully giving them directions to
the funeral home. They get the
directions and drive away, only to meet in a few hours.
FUNERAL HOME
6:01 PM
DC
She's sitting in a chair next to
her mother and Mulder. She made the
decision to keep the casket closed because the mortician could not mask all of
his numerous unhealed cuts and bruises.
Mulder didn't have many friends and the only ones who came only came out
of respect. At seven thirty, after the
Lone Gunmen had left, Mrs. Scully, Doggett, Skinner and Reyes wait outside as
Scully slowly opens the casket and kisses him goodbye for the last time. She pulls up a chair and starts to talk to
him. She can't stop. Her mother walks in and has to drag her away
from him. She doesn't want to leave
him. It takes all of them to get her
out and into her car. She can't cry any
more. There simply aren't any more
tears left. Her mother hugs her tightly
as they drive to the restaurant.
CASA DE HONOR
8:15 PM
DC
The
five walk in. Scully speaks to the
host. "Scully, party of five."
He
checks his list and then grabs five menus.
"Follow me."
They
follow him to a round booth. They each
sit and the host hands them their menus.
He walks away. A waiter walks
up. "Hola. My name is Aaron and I'll be your server. Can I get you something to drink?"
Scully
speaks up. "I'll have a Shirley
Temple."
"That
sounds good, make it two," says Reyes.
The
other three each order wine. The waiter
leaves and they look over the menu.
Aaron
returns a few minutes later and distributes the drinks. "Are you all ready to order or do you need a
few more minutes?"
"No
I think we're all set. I'll have a
small salad with Italian dressing and the eggplant parmesan with ziti."
"Okay."
"I
think that I'll have the same but I would like spaghetti instead of ziti and
French dressing with my salad."
"We'll
split a large veggie-lover's pizza."
Aaron
writes it all down and collects the menus.
He walks away.
Doggett
starts with another round of questions.
"What was your least favorite case?"
"Probably
the ones where either one of us got hurt."
"Such
as?"
"The
one with the liver eater or the one with Duane Barry."
Everyone
is looking at her with disbelief written all over their faces.
"How
about the most fun?"
"That
one's easy. The one where Mulder and I
were undercover as a married couple out in California."
(FLASHBACK)
"I don't know. It's our first hitch back on the X-Files. Something tells me that this isn't an
X-FILE."
"Sure
it is. It's unexplained. What do you want? Aliens? Tractor beams?"
"Wow,
admit it. You just wanna play house.
(doorbell rings) Woman, get back in here and make me a sandwich. (rubber gloves
hit his face) Did I not make myself clear?"
Their
food arrives and they eat in silence.
After
coffee, they all leave. Everyone to
their homes.
DANA SCULLY'S
APARTMENT
10:13 PM
GEORGETOWN
"Let me get you clean sheets and
I'll make up the couch for you."
"Dana,
stop. Slow down. I know where everything is, I'll make the
couch. You go to bed. You need sleep. Go on. Go."
She
walks down the hall to her daughter's room and takes the extra pillow and
blanket from the top shelf of the closet.
Scully changes into her pajamas and says goodnight.
DANA SCULLY'S
APARTMENT
8:30 AM
GEORGETOWN
"Dana? Time to wake up. Bill and
Tara will be here in a little while."
She
wakes up, showers, dresses and tries to eat something but no food will stay
down. She's brushing her teeth when her
brother, sister-in-law, and nephew arrive.
"Hi
Bill, Tara. Thanks for coming."
Bill
hugs his baby sister and then his mother.
Tara does the same. Matthew, her
nephew, waits by the door.
Scully
walks over to him. "Hi Matthew."
"Hi
Auntie Dee." He hugs his favorite
aunt. "Where's uncle Mulder?" he asks
in wide-eyed innocence. He doesn't
realize what has happened but he is startled to see her in tears. "What's wrong?"
She
takes in a big breath. "Nothing, but
there's something that I should tell you Matthew."
"What
is it Auntie Dee?"
"Uncle
Mulder died a few days ago. He won't be
here anymore."
"Is
he with Grampy and Auntie Missy?"
"Yes
he is."
"Is
he coming back?"
"No,
he's not."
Matthew
starts to cry and so does Scully. He
pulls away from the embrace. "It will
be okay." She sniffs and wipes her
eyes. "You're right." She glances up. "The car will be here soon so we should go wait outside."
"Are
we going to church?"
Scully
smiles and looks down at the small boy holding her hand. "Nope.
Just to a big house and then the cemetery."
FUNERAL HOME
10:02 AM
DC
The limousine waits as Mulder's
casket is placed into the black hearse.
When that's done, they begin the long drive to the cemetery in northern
DC. It will be a small service, just a
priest saying a verse and then some co-workers paying respect by saying a few
words before heading back to work.
CEMETERY
11:32 AM
NORTHERN DC
They all stand around the plot
while the priest finishes. Scully
stares at the headstone. It's simple –
MULDER. BELOVED SON AND FRIEND. FOX WILLIAM. 1961-2001 "I WANT TO BELIEVE" and the words are said for an
inside, private joke – said with the utmost respect, love and honor.
The
priest and co-workers are finished, and now it's Scully's turn.
"Mulder. Spooky.
The man behind the name. He was
and always will be my best friend, my truth, my guiding light. He was the last one. His mother, his father and his sister have
all met the same fate as him. But
Mulder was strong. He always put others
before himself and he took the jokes and the rumors and crap with grace and
always tried to be civil or polite and always extended courtesy to those we
helped…." She pauses, the moment catching up with her. She breathes in and exhales, trying to
steady herself. "I wish you could have
all known him the way I did. I would
like to thank you all for coming and saying the things you did." She steps away, kissing the casket before
standing next to her mother and Skinner.
A bugle player starts to play the Tapps and Skinner and Doggett start to
fold the flag that is draped over the casket.
The
President takes the flag and brings it over to Scully, handing it to her
saying, "On behalf of a grateful nation, I offer you this flag and my deepest
sympathies."
She
looks up and whispers a thank you. Many
start to leave, but Scully stays behind, watching the one person she ever loved
be lowered into an unforgiving and cold earth.
Her left hand rests on her protruding belly and her right fingers the
necklace she wears. Her ring finger
shows off his mother's ring, and her thumb shows his high school one, both of
which have been left to her like everything else.
The
Lone Gunmen come up to her before they leave in their Volkswagen Bus. She hands a bag to Frohike. It's the videos. He laughs and they walk away.
He
is resting at the bottom now, and she walks over to the edge. The flag is held by her right hand and now
her left gently tosses a handful of dirt on top, symbolic in a way known only
to her. She lays down next to the edge
and starts to sob, quietly at first and then harder and harder until she cannot
control her shaking. Her mother stands
by and waits a few minutes before walking over to her and coaxing her up and getting
her to the car.
Her
crying has stopped and she uses her mother as a support beam, leading her away
from him. She can't watch the men throw
shovel full after shovel full of fresh dirt on top of him. Her mother hugs her tightly and eases her
into the car. The drive to her
apartment is silent, no one knowing how to comfort her.
DANA SCULLY'S
APARTMENT
1:22 PM
GEORGETOWN
Her family leaves, everyone
promising to call soon. She says
goodbye and thanks them for coming. She
walks to the closet to bring out the last of the packing boxes. She's almost ready, just a few odds and ends
to finish up. The movers will be at the
door early. She found a place. It's only a few streets over and in a safe
neighborhood. She finishes and gets
ready for bed; tomorrow will be a stressful day.
DANA SCULLY'S
APARTMENT
7:06 AM
GEORGETOWN
She's ready and waiting for the
movers. They arrive and load the
truck. She gives them the address and
says that she'll be there in a little bit, to just put the furniture in the
appropriate rooms. They agree and leave. She makes one more check of the place to
make sure that nothing is left behind.
Finally, everything is and she leaves, giving the manager her key.
MULDER'S APARTMENT
8:00 AM
ALEXANDRIA, VA
She steps out of the elevator and
stops in front of apartment #42. She
opens the door and walks over to the shelf in the corner. She taps the food can to feed the fish and
walks out, giving the manager her new address and phone number.
DANA SCULLY'S NEW
APARTMENT
9:01 AM
DELAWARE
The movers are finished and now
Scully is alone. She starts to unpack
but only gets her room and the living room done before she decides to go
out. She grabs her coat, purse and
keys, locking the door behind her.
MALL
10:56 AM
VIRGINIA
She walks into the baby store,
prepared to pick out the furniture for the baby. Seeing exactly what she wants, she buys it and arranges to have
everything delivered in a few months.
She goes into "BABIES 'R US" and picks out clothes and blankets. She pays for them and then heads to her
car. She has to go home, the phone guy
and cable repairman are going to be there soon.
THREE MONTHS LATER
DANA SCULLY'S
APARTMENT
1:00 PM
DELAWARE
There's a knock at her door. She opens it and the deliverymen are waiting
with an invoice for the baby furniture.
She signs and they bring it in for her, arranging the furniture for her
in the baby's room, which has been painted a soft green. She thanks them and tips them
generously. They leave and Scully
starts to put the clothes and blankets away in the new dresser.
Once
that task is done, she calls Agent Doggett and tells him that she'll be in soon
but is interrupted by a knock at her door.
Holding the phone in one hand, she opens the door and faints.
SCULLY'S APARTMENT
3:00 PM
DELAWARE
Doggett rushes over to find Scully
laying on the sofa, a tall man trying to wake her up. Drawing his gun, Doggett tells the strange man to get up and face
the wall. The man obeys and turns
slowly. Scully wakes up now. "Agent Doggett? What are you doing here?
What happened?"
"I
have no idea. One minute you were
talking to me on the phone and the next, I hear you gasp and then the phone
went dead. I came over as soon as I
could. Your door was open so I came in
and found this man standing over you.
Do you know who he is?"
The
man turns around, his hands still up in the air. Her eyes widen and she starts to cry. Memories flashing in front of her eyes. Doggett looks at her with a puzzled expression on his face. The tall man puts his hands down and goes
over to comfort her, Doggett still keeping his gun fixed on the man.
"It's
okay Agent Doggett. I would like to
introduce you to Agent Fox Mulder."
Doggett
clicks the safety back on and puts his gun back into its holster at his
waist. Mulder gets up and extends his
hand, "How do you do?"
"Mulder,
this is John Doggett. He was assigned
to help me find you."
"Well,
you didn't do very well."
"Agent
Mulder, I was the one who found your body in the woods three months ago."
"Well,
I'm obviously not dead."
"Mulder-…"
"Now,
is there something you want to tell me Scully, like why I no longer have an
apartment and why you moved. You've put
on a little weight haven't you?"
"I
think I'll leave you two alone. Agent
Scully, I'll call A.D. Skinner and tell him."
"Okay,
thank you Agent Doggett."
He
leaves and Mulder turns to Scully.
"Well?"
"Mulder,
I pronounced you dead and buried you three months ago. I couldn't keep two apartments on my salary
and provide for myself."
"But
that doesn't explain why you're so fat."
"Thanks
Mulder, but I hate to break the news to you.
I'm almost seven months pregnant."
"Wow. Congrats Scully."
"Do
you remember anything that happened to you?"
"No."
"Are
you hungry?"
"Yes."
"Would
your hunger go away if I heated up some of my mom's tuna casserole?"
"Definitely."
"Come
on."
"Remember
when I said I'd kiss you if you weren't so damn ugly?"
"Yeah."
"Well,
you're not so damn ugly.
"Scully…" Their kiss is only a moment and it's not on
the lips. She brings his head down and
kisses his forehead. They linger in her
living room for a moment, resting against each other, forehead against
forehead. After a moment, he
speaks, "Thank you Scully." His words are simple but she knows the
meaning right away.
"For
what?"
"For
everything."
She
smiles at him. "You're welcome."
THE END
****AUTHOR
NOTE 1**** I don't own the X-Files or any of the characters. They are owned by Chris Carter &
co. Please don't sue me – I have no
money.
****AUTHOR
NOTE 2**** Thanks to all of my friends who pressured me to finish this. I would have never done it with out you. You all rule!
****AUTHOR
NOTE 3**** Thank you Kendell for coming up with "Le Grand Café" and thanks
to all of my friends who have edited this!
REVIEWS
(GOOD AND BAD) ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
BE HONEST BUT FLATTERY WILL GET YOU EVERYWHERE. HEY, I MIGHT EVEN RESPOND TO YOUR
REVIEWS. YA NEVER KNOW. THANKS FOR READING! PEACE.
(..)