TITLE: Tinkerbell
AUTHOR (S): Spooky152, but I had story
ideas from Biasong
RATING: Umm, PG-ish?
SPOILERS: Spoilers? We got lots of
stinkin' spoilers:Beyond the Sea, Tooms,
How The Ghosts Stole Christmas, Arcadia
(pant, pant) One Son, Triangle, Fight
the Future
KEYWORDS: X File, MSR
SUMMARY: Mysterious murders in a small
town lead Mulder and Scully into a
cult of so-called faeries
DISCLAIMERS: (To the tune of I Will
Survive)
First I was afraid, I was
petrified
I though CC would stand
forever by my side
But the he lied
So I lay down and cried
I knew right away
They weren't mine
Even though I love them
dearly he would not give
them up
Even though I love Mulder
and Scully too
But he lied
So I laid down and cried
They aren't mine

FEEDBACK: I am holding the Lone Gunmen
for ransom until you guys give me some
feedback. I know that's not much ransom,
but Mulder was already taken and Scully
is just too scientific for me.
Spookymulder152@yahoo.com,spooky152@private.as
or biasong@aol.com

Hi from the bottom of the totem pole.
This is a story BiaSong (formerly
Spright) and I thought of after having
a 7-hour X-F marathon at my house. I
apologize for the disclaimer, but
those 'Remember The Seventies' CD
commercials were on and you know how
easy songs can get stuck in your head
AND NOW ON WITH THE
SHOW.................................

--------------------------------------


Home of Rae and Phalene Walker
Pennyville, Maryland
August 5th 7:10PM

Rae shoveled the last bit of creamed
corn into his mouth, then set the
plastic spoon back into its
compartment on the TV tray. He stared
blankly at the TV screen, watching as
a televangelist explained eloquently
that if everyone watching the
broadcast would send $50 to the
address below, their souls would all
be saved from the fiery furnaces of
hell. Rae picked up the remote and
changed the channel.

"Hey, I was watching that!" said his
wife Phalene, reclining next to him in
her pink Lay-Z-Boy.

"Well, too bad,' Rae remarked. He
settled on a sitcom and the two
watched in silence.

BANG!

"What the hell was that?" Phalene said
worriedly, crouching behind her chair.

"I don't know," Rae said, slowly
easing toward the door. He silently
slid into his mud-caked Redwing boots
and grabbed the flashlight lying next
to the door. Phalene hurried
wordlessly into the kitchen, taking
the empty TV dinner plates with her.

Rae pushed open the front door and
stepped out onto the porch. There was
an eerie taste to the air tonight, and
the Bug-Off machine buzzed even louder
than usually.

"Come out, come out, wherever you
are," Rae called out teasingly, his
gun resting vulnerably on his right
side. "Come on," he cooed, "I know
your out there."

Meanwhile, Phalene was in the kitchen,
polishing a steak knife. As she put
down the cotton cloth, she paused to
admire her reflection and light
reflected directly into her eyes. She
squinted, then put the knife down on
the table as she reached up to wipe
her eyes.

BANG!

Phalene jerked her head up.

"Rae?" she called out timidly. "Rae?"

She picked up the steak knife and
walked out onto the front porch. She
looked around, but Rae was nowhere to
be found.

"Rae? Rae, where are you? Rae-"

She was cut off by her own scream, and
the knife fell, clattering on down the
stairs, landing handle-first in the
petunia bed.

FBI Headquarters
Washington DC
10:02AM

Dana Scully walked into the office she
shared with her partner, Fox Mulder,
half-asleep and dead tired. Her
mother's birthday had been yesterday,
and she'd spent last night at Maggie's
house after the party. Mulder had been
there too, but he'd left around 10.
Paperwork, he'd said. Scully had
realized by now that it wasn't
paperwork he was interested in after
checking last night's Pay-Per-Veiw
listings.

She opened the door to the office,
finding Mulder's back to her, sitting
in front of what Scully recognized was
a new computer. Bedside him was
several half-empty Styrofoam cups and
a package of sunflower seeds.

"Mornin' Sunshine," she said, setting
her briefcase on the desk.

"Hey, Scully," Mulder said, barely
noticing her entrance.

"I see you got a new toy," she
commented, walking over to stand
behind him.

"We," he corrected her. "Skinner said
that he'd bought a new home PC and
gave us the old one."

"Anything interesting on it?" she
asked, looking at the screen.

"Not unless you count the very advance
Freecell and Solitaire games he
bothered to download," Mulder answered
sarcastically, picking up a seed and
popping it in his mouth.

Scully gave him a little half-smile,
then, opening her briefcase, pulled
out a large, fat manila folder full of
(surprise!) paperwork. She pulled a
pen out of her purse, sat down at
Mulder's desk, and began.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

About an hour later, the phone rang.
Mulder, still engrossed in Freecell,
made no motion to pick it up, so
Scully, after capping her pen, did.

"Scully."

"Agent Scully, I need you and Agent
Mulder to report to my office in a
half-hour," said a voice on the other
end, presumably Skinner.

"Yes, sir," Scully replied and hung
up.

"Mulder, Skinner wants to meet with
us," she reported, turning to face
him.

"Did he say why?" Mulder asked,
reluctantly shutting down the computer
and polishing off the remaining
coffee.

"No," Scully replied, organizing her
files back into their respective
cabinets.

"Let's not go then," Mulder said,
sitting back down in his office chair
and propping his feet back on the
desk.

"I only wish we had that opportunity,"
Scully said, then knocked his feet off
the desk. The impact sent him
spinning. "Let's go."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"Agent Mulder, Agent Scully," Skinner
nodded as the two agents came in his
door. "Please sit down."

Mulder and Scully complied, then
leaned casually back, waiting for
instructions.

"Agents," Skinner began, "I received a
call from Field Agent Thompson this
morning. Apparently, two days ago, a
man was found on the front porch of
his home, murdered. Several claw marks
were found around his body, but so
were footprints. I'm sending you to
Pennyville, Maryland to find the
killer."

"Sir, isn't this more of a VCS case
than an X-file?" Scully asked.

"It seems so on the outside, but, as
Agent Mulder puts it so well, it has a
paranormal scent around it. Besides,
the other agents didn't want to do it,"
Skinner replied, and Mulder let out an
amused chuckle. "Your plane for Baltimore
leaves tomorrow at 8AM. Contact Agent
Thompson at this number when you get
there." At this point Skinner pulled
out a card from his desk and handed it
to Scully, who tucked it in her
pocket. "Due to the recency of these
events, we've been unable to make any
residential arrangements."

"Am I to understand that we're on our
own in the hotel way?" Mulder asked,
an evil glint in his eye.

Skinner nodded and said, "If there
are no questions, then you are
dismissed."

Scully and Mulder arose from their
chairs and walked out. Before Mulder
got his foot out the door, Skinner
called, "Agent Mulder?"

Mulder turned around. "Yes sir?"

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do,"
Skinner said, and to Mulder's
surprise, he winked. Mulder gave his a
little half-smile, then turned to
catch up with Scully.

Pennyville Visitor's Station
11:21AM

"Thank you for coming so quickly,
agents, "said the chief of police.
Mulder nodded curtly, and Scully
handed him the report she'd finished
reading. "We've never seen anything
like it."

"Any idea of the origin of the
battering done to the man?" Scully
asked.

"No, but we did find these around the
body," the chief said, and produced a
black evidence bag. As Scully took it
from his hand, she noted the weight
and shape of the objects inside.

"Feathers?" she asked skeptically.
"Could we be dealing with a raven
attack or something of that notion?"

"Not by these standards," he said.
"These are swan feathers."

"And apparently, swans don't have
talons," Mulder said, putting the
report aside and examining the
feathers. "Do you still have the
body?"

"It's still in storage," the chief
said.

Mulder turned to Scully. "Are you
ready for another autopsy today?"

"Its not exactly what I want to do,"
Scully replied," but that's what I'm
here for."

Mulder turned to the chief. "May my
partner here be allowed to examine the
body?"

"Sure," the chief said. "Agent
Thompson said you probably need a
facility, so we got you one set up at
the Station. I'll take you there, if
you'd like."

Scully nodded.

"Sir, do you have Mrs. Walker's address?"
Mulder asked. "I'd like to ask her a
few questions."

Cedar Sets Trailer Park
12:05PM

"So, Mrs. Walker, did Rae have any
grudges against anyone that would lead
someone to do this?" Mulder asked.

Phalene, dressed in a matronly pink
housecoat, shook her head.

"Are you sure, Mrs. Walker? None at
all?" he pressed.

"Rae was a big 'people person', " Phalene
said. "He was the type of person
everyone was comfortable with. He was
voted 'Best Personality' by his high
school class and served on the FARO
council for about a year."

"The FARO council?"

"Faerie Art Restoration Organization."

Mulder gave her a look. She followed
up:

"We're not witches or anything, if
that's what you're thinking. Just
people restoring the ancient Faerie
arts . . . Its not the occult or
anything, Mr. Mulder. There's no way
anyone in FARO would do this to Rae.
He was-"

Mulder's cell rang. He excused himself
and pressed the TALK button.

"Peter Pan here."

"What?"

"Oh, hi Tinkerbell. What's up?"

"Defiantly not my mood after being
called 'Tinkerbell'. Anyway, I found
something on the corpse I need you to
take a look at. Do you have the time?"

"Yeah, I'm almost done here. I'll be
over there as soon as I can." Mulder
ended the call and turned to Phalene.
"Mrs. Walker, I'm sorry, but my
partner just called to inform me that
she has new information that might
lead to the finding of your husband''
killer. As you see, I really must go."

"Its okay," Phalene said. She got up
and led him to the door. "Do you have
hotel accommodations, Mr. Mulder?"

"No, but I'll find something."

"Good luck," Phalene said, opening the
door. "FARO is holding its annual
convention this week. The hotels are
booked up pretty solid."

"I'm sure we'll manage," Mulder said
as he stepped out onto the porch.

Pennyville Police Station
Room 206
12:45 PM

"Hey, Scully," Mulder said as he
walked through the door. "What did you
find that was so 'important'?"

Scully didn't turn around, but said,
"Come see for yourself."

Mulder walked up beside her and she
handed him a pair of gloves. She took
a long, deep breath and turned the
body on its stomach.

On the corpse's back were two
distinguishing black marks. They were
both slightly raised, and positioned
near the shoulder blades. Scully
looked up at Mulder, waiting for his
reaction.

"Well, what are they?" he asked
lightly, running his fingers over
them.

"At first I thought they were burn
products," she said, "but then I
noticed the shape. No burn source, no
matter how high tech, could ever
produce scorch marks in 2 perfect
ovals in this position relative to
each other."

"And even if they could, that doesn't
explain for the raised section."
Mulder finished.

"Exactly," Scully said. "Now, Mulder,
look at your fingertips."

He looked at them. A gooey tar-like
black substance oozed onto his palm.
"What is it?"

"I don't know exactly," Scully said.
"I sent it to DC for a lab test. The
results should be back in a while."

"Do you have any idea of how the marks
got here?" Mulder asked.

"No, but the inside of the marks are
filled with the same black substance
on the outside. Also, a winged joint
was found in each mark. These
structures are similar to the winged
structures found in birds,
specifically those of waterfowl. How
these got on a human-"

"Is the X-File!" Mulder said, his eyes
displaying the glint that Scully knew
oh-so-well as Fox Mulder on the hunt.

"There is scientific evidence proving
this happening. A cartilage like
structure can grow on a fetus' back,
subject to a birth defect called-"

"Come on Scully," Mulder said. "This
is bone we're talking about. I saw it
and touched it. This is no cartilage.
I saw it. Besides, this man has no
defect of the sort. His medical
examination papers from last week
prove that."

"Why was he in the hospital last
week?"

"Rae was found near the town pond,
half naked and freezing to death.
These papers say he had no idea of how
he got there. Phalene took him in to
make sure he hadn't caught anything."

"And the examiner didn't notice the
marks?"

"Apparently not. There's no notice of
any abnormalities."

"Who was the doctor? Maybe we could
talk to her."

"Verdania Adams. A med. student from
Pennyville State. Senior last year."

"Could we talk to her?"

The phone rang. Scully removed her
gloves and said into the phone, "Dana
Scully."

Mulder tuned out her conversation and
began examining the body his own way.
He looked inside the bumps, and the
goo oozed out.

"Thank you, Agent Thompson," Scully
finished her call and hung up, turning
to face Mulder. "That was Agent
Thompson down at the forensics lab.
The sample I sent down there is gone."

"Gone? What do you mean, gone?" Mulder
asked, pulling off his gloves.

"I mean gone. The tube I had Fed-Exed
is missing. It must have been
intercepted on the way there."

"Well, lets just get some more,"
Mulder said, taking a scalpel and
scraping some off into a tube. "Here."

"That's not all he said," Scully said,
putting the tools back into a drawer.

"What other 'wonderful news' did he
give us?" Mulder asked.

"Verdania Adams was found dead 2 hours
ago. Our murder has struck again."

Later that day
9:45PM

Mulder was snapping pictures on the
newest victim while Scully read from
the file Thompson had sent along with
the corpse.

"Twenty-five year old female, Verdania
Adams. Recent graduate of the local
Pennyville University, majoring in
medicine. Found dead in a canoe, on a
lake nearby her residence. Several
blows to the neck with sharp objects
preceded death. Subject
apparently bled to death."

"Rough night," Mulder commented dryly,
setting down the camera and strapping
on another pair of sterilized gloves.
"Scully, help me here."

With joint effort the two rolled the
body on its stomach, the blood quickly
draining to its chest. Mulder looked
up at it shoulder blades.

"Check it out, Scully," Mulder said, "
Apparently Rae and Verdania died with
the same marks." He traced them with a
gloved hand.

Scully bent over the autopsy table,
skimming her fingers over the marks. A
black substance coated her finger.
"The same substance covers both sets
of marks. It is likely-"

"Though highly illogical."

"That Rae and Verdania both developed
the same genetic disfigurement due to
exposure, "Scully finished.

"Exposure to what?" Mulder asked.

"I don't know exactly," Scully said.
"Did you find out anything at Rae's
home that could lead to this?"

Mulder paused. "According to Mrs.
Walker, Rae belonged to a group called
the FARO-Faerie Art Restoration
Organization. When I questioned Mrs.
Walker about it, she claimed it didn't
have anything to do with the occult,
but-"

Scully let out a snort. "Mulder, you
think these people were murdered by
modern-day Tinkerbells? No wonder you
answered the phone the way you did."

"No, I'm not saying that," Mulder
said. He reached into his pocket and
pulled out two evidence bags, which he
laid side-by side on the table.

"Black swan feathers,' he stated,
while Scully looked doubtfully on.
"According to the information I've
gathered and the cases I've read in
the X-Files, this is part of a chain
of murders stretching over a period of
200 years. Each case has stated a
possible link to the Black Swan Faerie
story written by Hans Christian
Anderson."

Scully raised an eyebrow. "And so,
Mulder, were supposed to believe that
some psychopath over 200 years old is
running around, turning children's bed
time stories into serial killings?"

"No, but in other folklore, there have
been mentions of this so-called Black
Swan Faerie that lead people out of
their homes and slaughter them,"
Mulder explained, "Mulder explained.

"But Mulder, swans-neither black nor
white-have talons or claws or anything
else that could cause the puncture
marks seen on both Rae and Verdania's
bodies. Also, the location of these
bodies puzzles me. According to this
legend and the files, all the victims
were found in the open. In a secluded
back porch and the bottom of a leaking
canoe, don't really fit the
description." Scully countered.

"Technically, a pond is out in the
open," Mulder replied. "It is also I
swan's native habitat. The Cedar Sets
trailer park has a small fishing pond
in the southern edge, even though it
is near a major metropolitan area."

Scully's growing discomfort and
fatigue had gotten to her. Finally,
after a few moments of silence, she
spoke up. "C'mon, Mulder, lets just go
to a hotel and leave. We'll work on
the case tomorrow."

And for once, Fox Mulder did not
argue.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Days Inn
Room 103
11:09 PM

Hours later, a sleepy-eyed Dana Scully
barged into her hotel room, toting her
bags and nearly slammed the door on
Mulder trailing behind.

"I can't believe there was just one
room in all of Pennyville, "she
groaned. Mulder just shrugged and
said, "At least it was double bedded."

Scully set down on her bed and reached
for the phone. Mulder picked up her
laptop and plugged it in a jack in the
wall.

"Hey mom," Scully said after a few
seconds of silence. "Its
Dana...yeah... Skinner gave us a new
case..."

As Scully continued chatting with her
mother, Mulder reached over and took
the channel listings, looking for
something to perk his interests.

"Yeah, Maryland...uh-huh...-Mulder!"
Scully interrupted the conversation
and lunged over toward Mulder,
catching a firm grip on the remote.
Apparently Mulder had done enough
channel surfing, for he had settled on
a screen that read Mature Audiences
Only: Contains Explicit Nudity.

"Mulder...give... me...the...remote"
she said sternly, wrestling it away
from him and flipping to ESPN. "Hey
Mulder, look. The Knicks are
on...watch them."

Mulder gave her a disgusted face that
plainly told her what a bore she was,
then watched with interest as the
cheerleaders came onto the screen.

"Sorry, Mom, just Mulder...so, where
were we?" Scully was saying.

After the cheerleaders disappeared
from camera, Mulder disappeared into
the bathroom, presumably to take a
shower. After Scully ended her phone
call, she flipped channels for a
while, landing on CNN.

Mulder's cell phone rang. Reaching
into his coat pocket, she pulled it
out and said, "Scully."

"Agent Scully?" came the commanding
voice. Scully cringed when she thought
of all the things running through the
AD's mind at that time, but recovered
quickly. "Yes, sir?"

"Isn't this Agent Mulder's line?"

"Yes, sir," Scully replied, proud that
her voice did not wobble.

"Normally, I would ask for an
explanation as to why you're answering
his phone, but I think I'll skip it
today, "Skinner said, and Scully
breathed a silent breath of relief.
"Where is Agent Mulder?"

Scully was about to reply, but Mulder
stepped out of the bathroom, dark hair
damp and towel wrapped loincloth style
around his hips. Obviously Mulder was
not one for modesty. She handed him
the phone, mouthing 'Its Skinner' to
him. He took it and said, "Yes, sir?"

Scully leaned back on her bed, eyes
focused on the television set but
using her peripheral vision to scan
every inch of her partner, thinking
unpartner-like thoughts that she
chided herself for thinking, but kept
doing it anyway.

"Yes, sir. I understand sir. I'll fax
you our evidence report as soon as
possible, "Mulder clicked off his
phone and tossed it over toward his
suitcase. Scully gave him a 'you slob'
look as she went over to pick it up
and put it in his discarded suit
pocket.

"Expecting to sleep in your clothes
Scully?" Mulder teased. Scully raised
one copper-colored eyebrow and walked
into the bathroom with her suitcase.

Mulder chuckled and seized the remote
Scully had unsuccessfully tried to
hide. He flipped over to one of his
favorite channels, but it didn't
really interest him since he knew
Scully was in the next room. In fact,
it made him feel uncomfortable.

Shit, Scully he thought to himself,
and gritted his teeth. She always had
a way of getting under his skin,
consciously or unconsciously. But,
that was part of what made him feel so
attracted to her.

Scully stepped out of the bathroom,
with the same nightgown he had seen
during the Falls at Arcadia case, with
the same terrycloth headband. But,
something was missing.

"What happened to the alien-green face
mask?" he taunted. She rolled her
eyebrows and retorted. "I forgot it.
Besides, aren't aliens gray?"

Mulder grinned into his pillow, then
rolled over quickly. "Hey, Skinner
said that he's sending us the lab
results on that substance you sent
down to forensics."

"Did he say what they found?"

"Nope, "Mulder snuggled close to the
pillow. " He wouldn't say much, just
that you'd be surprised."

Scully got into her bed and flicked
off the TV. "Pleasantly or not?"

"Like I said, he didn't say much,
"Mulder said, and flicked the TV back
on. " Keep it on. I fall asleep to
this stuff."

Scully flicked it off. "I can't sleep
with it on. Keep it off. "

Mulder flicked it back on. "Like I
said, I can't fall asleep with out
it."

"Like I said, I do, " Scully said,
annoyed, and flicking it back off.

A few silent seconds passed and Scully
thought she'd won the battle. She
snuggled back into the covers and then
as she was on the brink of
consciousness when-

"AND FOR FIFTEEN NINTEY-FIVE YOU CAN
OWN THIS MARVOLUS CHINA SET, MODELED
AFTER THE SET BOUGHT BY QUEEN ELIZABETH
THE SECONED ON HER 35TH BIRTHDAY---"

"MULDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Silence.

"Thank you."

More Silence.

"TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED SATISFIED
CUSTOMERS SINCE DAY ONE-"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx
X

Home of Phalene Walker and the late
Rae
7:15 AM

"According to Phalene's taste in
décor, she seems to support your
theory fully, "Scully commented as she
sat down to the dining table.

"You know I hate to say this, "Mulder
said smugly, and Scully mouthed
sarcastically "I told you so.'

Scully, exhausted from not getting
enough sleep last night, countered,
"But what makes you so sure that we're
dealing with these so-called faeries.
Why couldn't it be some deranged
serial killer of something out for
revenge? Taking insurance on past
grievances or plotted revenge against
an old enemy?"

Mulder opened his mouth to answer, but
before he could, Phalene walked in
with a skinny, well-scrubbed teenage
girl with sunbeam-colored hair and a
mouthful of wiry braces, toting a tray
with a pink plastic pitcher and four
glasses on a tray. "I brought you some
lemonade you can sip on while we
talk."

Mulder nodded and picked up a glass,
filling it to the brim before passing
it to Scully, who gave him a look
before passing it back to the un-
identified girl.

"Agent Mulder and Scully, I'd like you
to meet my niece MaryBeth Evans. I'm
her legal guardian since her parents
died in a tragic accident a couple
years ago."

"Tragic, " echoed MaryBeth looking out
the window listlessly. Mulder and
Scully exchanged glances.

"Mrs. Walker," Mulder began. "My
partner and I came here today to
discuss further details of your
husbands death. This is valuable
information that possibly will be used
in a court of law. Now, Agent Scully
and I are going to ask you and
MaryBeth a few questions that we're
going to record on tape, alright?"

They both nodded. Scully produced the
recorder from her pocket and flicked
it on. "This is Agents Mulder and
Scully reporting on case 859013. The
focus of this case is the death of one
Mr. Rae Walker of Cedar Sets Trailer
Park, located in Pennyville,
Pennsylvania. Subjects of
interrogation are Ms. Phalene Walker,
wife of the deceased, and MaryBeth
Evans, niece of the deceased."

Scully placed the recorder softly on
the top of the table, carefully not to
bang it loudly. Mulder started with
the first question.

"Ms. Walker, did you know of anyone
who might have held a grunge against
any member of your family, yourself
and MaryBeth included?"

Phalene sighed. "Mr. Mulder I already
answered that question when you first
came here."

"This is for the purpose of the legal-
case, Mrs. Walker. Now, do I need to
repeat the question?"

"No, I know what its is, "Phalene said
stubbornly. " Like I told ya earlier,
I don't know of nobody who'd hurt any
of us."

"But you did say that you belong to a
profiting, widely unknown
organization, correct?" Scully
queried.

"Yup."

"Would you state the name?"

"The FARO. Faerie Art Restoration
Organization. MaryBeth here belongs to
it too, don't you MaryBeth?"

"Yes, Aunt Phalene." MaryBeth spoke in
her listless southern drawl, still
staring out the window.

"Could you tell us what the FARO does,
exactly?" Mulder asked.

"Sure, MaryBeth here will help me,
won't you MaryBeth?"

No reply. MaryBeth was still gazing
out the window oblivious to the goings
around her.

"Well, Vivian Raqovich, she's the
group leader, helps us restore all
these old Faerie legends and stuff
'round here. Real convincing stuff,
too. I never would have imagined I'd
get involved in all this witchcraft
hocus-pocus, but she can sure make a
body believe in that stuff!"

Scully switched off the tape recorder
when Mulder nudged her in the side.
"Mrs. Walker, do you have this
Vivian's address?"

"Sure do. Why, y'all want to interview
her too?" Phalene asked.

"Sort of, "Mulder said, and they all
got up. As Phalene waddled out of the
room to get Vivian's address, he
turned to Scully. "You thinking what
I'm thinking?"

"Probably not, "Scully said. " But
it's worth a try."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

3.4 miles from the Home of Vivian
Raqovich
9:55AM

"So, as far as we know, this Vivian
could be in your case a mad-dogged-
Tinkerbelle and in mine a deranged
serial killer?" Scully asked on the
way there.

"How about this, "Mulder asked. " We
compromise and it'll be a serial
Tinkerbelle?"

"Be serious, Mulder, "Scully
reproached him.

"I am being serious," he replied
innocently. "I think if both of our
theories could find a common link we'd
both be right."

"Sure, like that's ever going to
happen, " Scully muttered as the
pulled into a winding boulevard of
trees that lined the driveway to a
sprawling Victorian gingerbread
farmhouse.

"I'd like to can Vivian the 'head
faerie, if I may, " Mulder said to no
one in particular.

"Mulder, why do you keep on insisting
that we're dealing with faeries here?
Faeries are purely myth and legend.
You know that, I know that, even the
Gunmen know that, although I wouldn't
put it past Frohike."

"But apparently the members of FARO
don't, "Mulder said precisely.
"Besides, I doubt the Gunman, even
Frohike, don't either."

"Yeah, I forgot what an influence you
have on them, "Scully half-growled.
Even though not many people enjoyed
arguing with their partners, it had
become a routine, almost normal
circumstance surrounding their
relationship. Scully, as Lydia had
picked up, enjoyed this aspect,
especially when she came out on top.

The car stopped and Scully and Mulder
stepped out, slamming the car doors
shut.

"Nice place, "Mulder commented. He
picked up the miniscule tape recorder
Scully had custom-ordered from one of
the Bureau's nearest office and pinned
it on the back of his tie, turning it
on.

They walked up to the front steps and
Scully rang the doorbell. She turned
over to straighten his tie, but Mulder
swiped her hand away, whispering,
"Stop it. "

The door opened, and a short, chubby,
pleasant-looking woman in a black
uniform answered the door.

"Hello, I'm Agent Mulder with the FBI.
This is my partner, Agent Dana Scully.
We were sent here to make contact with
one Vivian Raqovich, who we were told
lived here. "

"Yes, I'll get her, " the woman said,
opening the door wider. " Please come
in and make yourself comfortable in
the library. I'll get Ms. Raqovich.
Straight down the hall, two doors to
your left."
Then the little woman disappeared down
a long, dark and narrow hall.

"Somehow I feel like Twilight Zone
music should be playing in the
background now, " whispered Mulder to
Scully as they made their way down the
hall.

"Here's my first question, "Scully
whispered back. " How does the
president of a little club like FARO
be able to afford a maid with no other
work credits?"

Mulder shrugged as he opened the door
to the library.

Inside were numerous armchairs
strategically placed in groups of 3
around the room. Several oil lamps lit
the room, and sunshine poured in from
an opposing wall. It gave Scully the
chills as she remembered how many
horror flicks she had seen as a
teenager had started in similar rooms,
but then rebuked herself for thinking
such childish thoughts.

After Mulder and Scully were settled
in opposing armchairs, the door
creaked open and a pale, tall dark-
headed woman stepped in. She had
piercing eyes that could only be
called violet, and her hair fell to
the small of her back. When Mulder
stood up to greet her, the top of him
head came to her chin.

"Vivian Raqovich, I assume?" Mulder
said and the woman nodded. "I'm Fox
Mulder with the FBI and this is my
partner-"

"You can skip the introductions, "
Vivian interrupted in a low, throaty
voice. " Estelle told me who you were.
We can sit down now."

As they were seated, Scully felt the
hairs on the back of her neck tense
up. She'd never felt so nervous
interrogating a suspect until Luther
Lee Boggs, but even then she was under
personal connection leave from the
case. There was something about this
woman; some sense or something that
caused Scully to be on her guard at
all times. She could tell Mulder felt
it too, when his muscles tensed up
underneath his suit.

"So, what did you need to discuss with
me?" Vivian asked, arranging herself
in a black armchair with three fluffy
pillows she had acquired after they
were laying dormant on a library
latter.

"Actually we were sent her to
interview you, "Scully said, awakening
her tongue.

"Don't you mean interrogate?" Vivian
asked saucily.

"What do you mean?" Mulder asked.
Vivian let out a hearty laugh.

"What do you mean? I'm not stupid. I
read the news, I watch television. I
know you're here about the deaths of
two FARO members, " Vivian answered,
resting her head against the bridge of
the chair-top.

"Well, since you know why we're here,"
Mulder said testily, "then maybe you
could go on and give us testimony."

Scully shot Mulder a warning glance.
She knew Mulder better than anyone
else, and she off all people knew that
Fox William Mulder DID NOT like being
bossed around.

Vivian laughed, her head rolling back.
"Well, just a little quick to the gun,
aren't we?"

"No, " Mulder replied, annoyed. " Just
a little impatient. Excuse my
manners."

"It's alright, " Vivian said. Scully
watched, perturbed that Vivian did not
make amends but rolled right over
Mulder's moods, ever the woman
steamroller. That was one quality that
Scully admired, even though she did
not exactly approve of. "Where shall I
start?"

"How about where you were the night of
each murder?" Scully said, glancing at
the device hidden under Mulder's tie.
He gave her the slightest of nods and
she turned back toward Vivian.

"Well, on August the fifth at around
seven I was watching television in my
bedroom. I'm an early sleeper, and I
had to be prepared for the upcoming
FARO planners meeting the next
morning."

"Do you have anyone who can confirm
this alibi, Ms. Raqovich?" Scully
asked.

"Estelle came in to turn off the
television at seven-thirty and she had
sent me in my room at seven."

Mulder glanced at Scully ever so
slightly. Scully, who had mentally
cleared Vivian of that murder already,
proceeded to the next question.

"Where were you the day Verdania Adams
was killed?" she asked. Vivian gave a
luxurious yawn and answered, "I was in
the garden, working on the tomato
patch. Several people were with me,
including some non-FARO members."

Scully stood up. Obviously, in here
mind, Vivian was cleared. Mulder
stopped her. "Scully, could I have a
moment alone with you?"

"Can't it wait, Mulder?" she asked,
eager to get back to the hotel room
where the fax from Skinner was
waiting. He looked at her urgently,
and she reluctantly walked into the
hall with him.

He shut the door behind him. "Scully,
the woman is obviously guilty."

"Guilty, Mulder?" Scully asked,
surprised. "How exactly do you explain
that?"

"I'll tell you later, " he said,
pulling her closer. " I don't feel
really safe all of a sudden."

Scully felt an eerily cool wave pass
over her. She shivered. "Me neither,
Let's get out of here."

Neither agent noticed the little woman in
a maid's uniform slip coyly down the hall.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Days Inn
Room 103
9:58 PM

Mulder looked up from Scully's
computer when she came barging in the
hotel room, toting 2 large bags.

"Any luck on that background check?"
she asked, throwing down the bags and
removing her suit jacket.

"Yeah," Mulder said, clicking on the
send button. "Byers just sent me a
whole truckload of stuff an this
chick. Did you know her favorite food
is broccoli?"

Scully didn't bother looking up as she
spread the papers over the two beds.
"Anything helpful?"

Mulder clicked on the new message that
had appeared on Scully's inbox. He
scrolled down. 'Vivian Georgina
Raqovich. Born April 22, 1960. Never
married, suspected of a homicide-
turned murder case in '88. She has a
steady income, but Langley said no
source has been found yet, unless you
count a subscription to the National
Family Opinion Service. Any luck with
you?"

"That substance found of the victim's
shoulder blades has been linked to
five different chemicals, all
originating from a plant not far from
here. It could be just an allergic
reaction."

"Since when do allergic reactions have
talons?" Mulder asked. "Bye, the way,
Frohike wants to discuss threats to
the country over coffee next week."

"That guy never gives up, does he?"
Scully asked, smiling for the first
time in days. "Tell him my schedule's
kinda full."

The room was silent for a few hours,
with nothing but the shuffling of
papers and the tip-tap of keyboards,
along with the vast exchange about
Frohike and the other Gunmen occurring
rarely.

After awhile, Mulder connected the
computer to the printer and it spat
out several word-splattered sheets,
which he handed directly to Scully,
commanding, "Read."

She skimmed it then looked up. "So
Rae's obituary had a mistake in it
and Vivian's birth certificate can't
be located. So what?"

"The mistake in the obituary wasn't
any little mistake, "Mulder said.
" It said that Rae had died a whole
day earlier."

"And your point is?" Scully asked,
putting her glasses back on. Mulder
flicked on the tape recorder.

"-On august 5th around seven I was-"

He clicked it off. "How could she have
known that Rae died August 5th if she
wasn't the murderess?"

"He belonged to her organization,
Mulder, "Scully explained patiently. "
Mrs. Walker probably called."

"No she didn't," Mulder said, whipping
out another sheet. "This is Phalene's
phone bill up until now. No calls were
made to Vivian's house."

"What if she came over?" Scully asked,
still dismissing the fact that Vivian
killed them both.

"I talked to her," Mulder said. "She
never came over."

"Ever heard of word of mouth?"

"Yeah. Only MaryBeth knew until the
day before the funeral and you know
her.."

"She could have been at the funeral."

"No register signature. It was
required at the door, "Mulder said,
grinning. He loved it when he knew he
would win an argument with Scully.
Plus, this X-File, which should have
been routine, was rapidly turning into
that sensational throb that ran
through his veins whenever he was
getting ready to solve a bona-fied X-
File.

"Any explanation before I write this
up?" said Scully, closing a three-
pronged notebook. Mulder looked at
her, shocked.

"You're giving up this early?" he
asked, dumfounded. She nodded. "I
figured I owed you one. So, anything?"

"I do have a theory on how the people
were abducted," Mulder began. Scully
took off her glasses and leaned back
up against the headboard.

"First, Verdania gathered together
this group of people, "Mulder began. "
She lead them to believe that they're
really faerie's out there.."

As Mulder droned on and on, Scully
felt her eyelids droop. She tried to
stay awake, to pay Mulder the same
curtsy he had given her while she
explained her theories, but she was
just...so...tiered...

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Mulder finished his speech and looked
over at Scully. Instead of seeing her
with her skeptic look, he saw her
asleep, sprawled halfway on his bed,
papers kicked astray on the floor,
conveniently leaving just enough space
for a person Mulder's size to fit.

He looked around, like he felt he was
a naughty child getting ready to steal
from somewhere, and curled up next to
Scully, his arm wrapped around her
waist.

It felt good, almost natural to be
cuddled up next to Scully, with the
top of her head a comfortable spot to
rest his chin, and her hand touching
his (how did that get there anyway?
:)) He snuggled up closer, listening
to her soft breathing as she lay
floating in Dreamland, another
dimension where secret hopes and
passions lay, where the key to
unlocking one's mind was fixated
inside, only to be unlocked by
one...if only he could be that one...

He shivered, and pulled up the
comforter with his free hand. He had
always hoped to do something like this
with is partner, whom he had
'worshipped from afar' for the past
seven years. He hated that cliché, but
somehow it expressed how he had felt
about Scully since they had been
paired together. He had also hope she
would be awake, but he kept reminding
himself small steps lead to giant
leaps.

Scully murmured something and
unconsciously snuggled up closer to
Mulder. He wrapped his grip around her
more securely, never wanting this
moment to end...

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx


Scully awoke slowly, as she became
aware of sudden pressure on her body's
side. Instead of unfamiliarness, she
recognized it as Mulder's body heat,
projecting toward her as she mentally
noted the pulled up comforter, the arm
wrapped around her waist, and his face
buried in her hair. She squeezed his
free hand ever so gently as to not
wake him, and lay there basking in the
glow of her affection for the sleeping
man lying next to her.

She had no idea how he'd gotten there,
and didn't really care. She pulled his
hand up to her lips and kissed it
gently, then rested it against her
cheek. She had wanted to do this ever
since that stakeout on the Tooms case,
but work and different clauses always
wormed their way in. She slowly
shifted her legs, and Mulder stirred
slightly.

"Mulder?" she asked softly into the
abyss of night. There was no answer
from the sleeping form lying next to
her.

"I love you." There, she had said it.
She had spent nights alone in her
apartment thinking of that night after
Mulder was hospitalized after the
Queen Anne incident. She had never
forgiven herself for not returning the
sentiments he had declared to her, and
had made her mind up after the
quarantined account with Diana Fowley
that she would let him know.

The moment had never seemed right
beforehand, though she had wanted it
to be. Oh, how she had wanted it to
be.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx


Mulder awoke once again. This time, he
sensed that Scully was awake, even
though the lights had been turned out.
He didn't want to move, and Scully
seemed to convey positive body
language toward the situation.

He squeezed her hand and she jumped,
but settled back in to her position.

"Do you want me to move, Scully?" he
breathed quietly, hoping she'd say no.

"No. Just hold me. " she replied, and
he kissed her hair, savoring at the
moment.

Time passed. Eternity could have come
and gone and the two agents could have
never missed it.

"Mulder?" came the voice, softly.

"Yes?" he said back, hugging her
tightly to him.

"I love you."

He felt a smile spreading over his
face. She tensed up, but then he
quickly said, "I love you, too."

She shifted around so she faced him
and brought her lips to his.

To Mulder, all the bombs in the world
could have just exploded and
colonization could have begun, but he
didn't care. There he was, kissing
Dana Katherine Scully, the woman he
loved more than any in his life. He
never wanted the moment to end, and as
he sat there kissing her, he couldn't
believe what he had missed out.

Scully remembered as a young teenager
what her sister Melissa had told her
about her first kiss.

"Fireworks explode, the world turns
upside down, and everything just fades
away, " she had said.

Well, Dana wished that Melissa could
have been there because when she
kissed Fox William Mulder, she saw the
fireworks, she felt dizzy, and the
whole world rejoiced. She couldn't
believe what she had been missing out
of the long seven years.

*******************
Sometimes you drown it out
With all your rage and thunder.
Sometimes you drown it out
With all your tears.
And then one day
You wake up and you wonder
'Where in the world have I been?'

So listen with all your heart
Hold it inside forever.
You may find all your dreams
Have already come true.
Look inside and find the part
That's leading you.
It's a beat of a heart
*******************

Room 103
9:25 AM
Scully slowly awakened, checking her
still-on watch. 9:25.

"Mulder?" she called out. "Mulder, you
there?"

Somewhat disappointed that he wasn't,
Scully got up and went to the bathroom
to shower and change. When she
returned, Mulder still had not
returned.

Scully sighed and opened up her
laptop, going to try and finish the
report before they left. She couldn't
believe that he had ditched her so
soon after what had happened last
night, but this was Mulder she was
talking about...

When the screen on her computer
was cleared from the screensaver,
she noticed a message box at
the bottom of the screen. She clicked
on it and began to read.

HES GONE BECAUSE HE KNOWS TOO MUCH

It was signature-less, but Scully knew
who it was. She scrolled down to the
bottom of the document where a set of
coordinates were typed. She got out
her map from her pocket and studied it
carefully.

She got up and went back through the
room, picking up Mulder's cell phone
and her own. She made a quick call to
the local PD (which wasn't much
considering Pennyville's population),
requesting back up. Then, she got into
the waiting car outside.

"I'm coming, Mulder, " she said to
herself. " Hang on."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Scully pulled up next to Pennyville's
pond. She checked the coordinates on
her machine, and then stepped out of
the car, casually resting a hand on
her holstered Smith & Wesson.

"Mulder?" she called out, walking
toward the water's edge. "Mulder, can
you hear me?"

"He can't, ' replied a familiar voice,
and Scully watched a tall figure slink
out of the room.

"Vivian, " she said quietly. " What
the hell did you do to him?"

Vivian laughed, her wicked lounging
laugh that echoed through the forests
and sent shivers down Scully's spine.
"Oh," she said casually, letting her
eyes drift to the shimmering water, "
he's around."

Flabbergasted, Scully followed
Vivian's gaze, and after realizing
what she meant, ran to the water's
edge. On the way, she tripped and
started falling face-first into the
shimmering waters below.

BAM. Scully felt shivers retract back
into her elbows, and she looked at the
surface she had hit. It was till the
lake, all right, but not the 'water'
she'd expected. This substance was
more like glass than water with no
permeation and a damn good punch.

"Shit, " she said, then stood back up.
"Vivian, where the hell is he?"

Vivian still stood there, her faux
manufactured perfume leaking over
toward Scully and filling her
nostrils. She sneezed and repeated
again her request, except a little
more louder and frantic, "VIVIAN, TELL
ME WHERE THE HELL MULDER IS OR I'LL
KILL YOU!"

Vivian, ever the calm one, still stood
there, taunting, "I doubt it."

Scully sat there, lungs burning from
her most recent outburst, wondering
why the hell the police hadn't gotten
here yet. She fumbled for her gun and
upholstered it, facing it point-blank
at Vivian's chest.

"You, know Vivian, I've known some sorry
SOB's in my life, and I think you're going
to join them if you don't do as i say. Now,
Tell...me...where...he...is...," she
breathed, finger poised on the
trigger. She wasn't going to take the
chance of loosing him, not after what
had happened last night.

Vivian smiled coyly, but instead of
replying, there was a brilliant light.
Scully turned, and shielded her eyes.
When she looked up, Vivian was no
longer there.

Instead a beast only described as a
black swan/human hybrid stood there,
fingertips sprouting black talons,
poised and ready to lunge at Scully's
throat. Scully fired her gun, but it
didn't faze the creature, but seemed
to anger it. It began to run toward
Scully wildly.

Scully sat there, her body tensing up
but still steadied her feet and kept
on firing. The creature didn't slow
down and Scully felt that she would
have to bail before...

"Stop," commanded a loud, hearty
voice. The creature stopped and turned
around and Scully craned her neck to
see who it was.

It was MaryBeth Evans. Shy, listless
MaryBeth, whom both Mulder and Scully
had dismissed as pure fluff, was now
gazing right into the eyes of the
terrifying creature, commanding it to
stop.

The creature looked from Scully and
MaryBeth quickly, as if trying to
decide which she should harm first.
After lingering its gaze on Scully, it
decided that it could finish off this
little wisp of a girl and come back
for Scully later, It staggered toward
the girl.

Scully gasped as she watched the
creature's fingers contract, realizing
what it planned to do to the girl.
MaryBeth made no motion of escape.
Scully reached for her gun on the
ground, but MaryBeth looked at her,
her eyes telling her to put it away.
She did, and sat there watching.

When the creature reached MaryBeth, it
raised its claws, poised to strike,
and there was another brilliant flash.
Scully closed her eyes and shielded
her face with her forearm.

A few seconds later, it was all over.

Scully slowly opened her eyes,
blinking to regain her sight. When
everything came into focus, she knew
something was wrong. Vivian was no
longer there, but a white swan,
cleansed of its dark heart was
swimming happily in the pond. MaryBeth
was no longer the quiet girl they had
seen at Phalene's farmhouse, but a
being only described as a Faerie.

Scully looked around dazed, and saw
Mulder resting at the water's edge.
She looked up at MaryBeth and
whispered, "Thank you." The medium
nodded, and vanished into a volume of
light.

Scully scrambled to the water's edge,
where Mulder was reviving himself.

"Scully?" he asked, looking into her
face. "What happened?"

"You were right, " she said, and
leaned down to give him a kiss.

Mulder lifted his head up to meet her
lips, but before they kissed, he
managed a small, "I told you so."

--------------------------------------


That's it. Feedback is very much
appreciated @
spookymulder152@yahoo.com or
spooky152@private.as

I hate the
"This is my first fic excuse, but its
true for this one, so don't be to
harsh. :)

The song "The Beat of A Heart" excerpt
in this fic is from the Where The
Heart Is soundtrack. I think it's by
the Warren Brothers, but I'm not sure

PS. I know in Beyond The Sea Scully
fell asleep with the TV on, but lets
just ignore that for the purpose of
this fic

PPS: For all you paperback XF readers,
yes, I do realize the part about Frohike
and Scully discussing threats to the country
over coffee was mentioned in EBE. I happened
to like that book, though, so it was a little
homage to it.

PPPS:(Just one more thing before the Goss
volunteers get really ticked) You can visit
Spooky152's Shipper Haven at the following:
www.geocities.com/marajadeskywlker/shippers-haven,html
Have Fun!