PRINCIPALS VIII
Archive: Yes, please! Just let me know where...
Spoiler: Oh, absolutely everything. Requiem hasn't happened, though. Or Within, Without, or any of that stuff.
Rating: R for language
Classification: MSR
Disclaimer: (As the Mad Hatter in Disney's Alice in Wonderland) Not mine, not mine, not mine! Although I can't help but think they're in better hands with me than CC... g. I stole "Tempus Fugit" shamelessly from the x-files as well as Blast from the Past, or whoever said it first. Blast from the Past mentions the x-files, though. That's always fun. And Young Frankenstein is a rather funny movie, at least the first part. It belongs to itself.
Feedback: Please!
Notes: Ok, here we go again. This is the eighth installment of a story that has become that major work of my life. I'm trying my best to continue giving you, the readers, what you want, and I hope I haven't disappointed. Just in case you're wondering, YES, I do know where this is all going. And I'm working towards the end. I've been doing this for about two years now, and that's the longest I've ever worked on any work of fiction, be it fanfic or my other books. Anyway, I worked hard on this, so here it goes. Enjoy...
Silver Beauty
More notes: I am a believer that PMP was either a dream or an actual comic book but not something that actually happened. That's something you have to know so you don't go writing me saying Mulder and Scully did dance before. It's just not as special if it isn't their first dance.
Even more notes: For Tea Cup-- I promise to put Skinner's glasses in here somewhere along the way. Any other requests?
Principals VIII
December 11, 2000
FBI Headquarters
8:45 AM
"Mulder?" Scully turned on the lights and started toward the desk, then stopped. Who was in there? It didn't smell like Mulder. This person wasn't breathing like Mulder. With one practiced motion, her gun was out and trained on the dark room. "Who's there?"
"It's just me, Agent Scully."
"Oh, geez. Sir." Scully clutched at her necklace with one hand and holstered her gun with the other. "Why don't you have the lights on?"
"They're out. I'll get the maintenence people down here."
"Ah. Thank you. Um, what did you want?"
"Everything's on the desk. But I have a meeting, so I have to go."
"Yes, sir." Scully stepped around him to the desk, shrugging off her coat. "But--"
He was gone.
"Scully?" Mulder walked in, straining to see. "Why are the lights out?"
"They're not working." She let go of her necklace and took it off, sliding Mulder's ring into her palm. "I almost forgot. I can't wear this, Mulder. Skinner was in here a second ago and I almost had a heart attack. If the lights had been on, he would've noticed."
"Yeah." Mulder took it back and rolled it between his fingers, moving to his desk.
"Mulder. What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Mulder?" Scully reached up to where she thought his face was, turning it toward her. "Mulder, I don't want to give it back, but how do you expect me to wear it? Someone *will* notice."
Mulder turned his head and kissed her palm. "I know. I know." He pulled her closer and her arms circled his neck. "Scully..." he whispered against her forehead. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Retain your theories? Not waste your breath explaining yourself when you were right all along?"
"Yeah, well, that stuff is kind of overrated when you're dead." He stroked her cheek. "Hey Scully? Thanks for stickin' around."
Her voice was smoky and low when she answered. "It was my pleasure."
Slowly Mulder leaned down and somehow managed to find her lips with his. Scully's arms tightened around his neck and she pulled him ever nearer.
Suddenly the lights came on full blast.
"Oh God." Scully gasped as they jumped apart and looked at the door. Two seconds later the janitor appeared and walked in from down the hall.
"Sorry about that."
"About what?" Mulder's voice shook for a second. The janitor jerked his thumb upward.
"Blown fuse. Fixed it up, though. You should be good to go."
"Oh. Thank you." Scully turned away and sat in Mulder's chair, picking up the envelope with their names on it. Mulder spoke to the janitor a few moments more before clapping him on the back. When he came back and sat on the desk, she asked,
"What was that about?"
"Oh. Nothing important. What's that?"
She raised an eyebrow at him, but let it go. "An, uh, invitation to a..." she slowly put it down. "A dinner-dance."
"For who?"
"Skinner. He's receiving a commendation for a case he worked on. Formal wear. And a note from him saying it would go a long way toward keeping the x-files open if we went."
"Oh, you're kidding."
"I wish I were." Scully leaned back. "How are we going to handle this?"
"We, Cinderella, are going to the ball. You are going to dance with kind Skinner and kiss his royal ass, and I am going to get in with the director and see what I can do."
"Don't you think that should be the other way around?"
"Scully, I love you. But there is no way in hell I'm dancing with Skinner."
"I meant if anyone's going to be talking to the director it should be someone who doesn't make it a habit to antagonize local law enforcement."
"You wound me."
"Sorry."
"No you're not."
Scully smiled and leaned back further, stretching. Mulder plucked the invitation from her hands.
"This is for Friday."
"I know."
"Should we--" the phone rang. "Ah. Mulder." He listened for a few seconds, then hung up. "Skinner wants to see us."
"I thought he had a meeting."
"Maybe it's over."
"Yeah, but..."
"Look he didn't say why, but it's probably important if he's missing a meeting for it."
"Yeah." Scully got up and followed him to the elevator.
The doors opened and they stepped into the hallway just in time to hear a loud crash from Skinner's office.
"Sir?" Scully broke into a run and burst into his office with Mulder close behind. Skinner was on the floor, dazed. "Sir, are you ok?"
"I'm fine."
"Yeah, right." Mulder looked from the shattered window to the bullet hole in the wall. "Someone wants you dead."
"Really? How'd you come to that conclusion?" Skinner tried to sit up.
"I don't think so." Scully was ripping his shirt open at the sleeve.
"Agent Scully, what--" an agent was staring from the doorway.
"Call an ambulance." Scully directed that at her partner, who was already on the phone. With one hand he shrugged off his jacket and managed to undo his tie and give it to Scully. The bullet had hit Skinner's arm pretty badly, but had only hit the side. "This is gonna need stiches." She felt his forehead. "Sir, would you lay down? You're going into shock."
A crowd had gathered by now at the door, but neither agent noticed. Mulder knelt on the other side of his boss and faced his partner.
"Where's that tie..." she wrapped it around his arm and cinched it tightly. Skinner winced and she looked at his face again.
"Shit--where is that ambulance?" Scully got up. "Oh, great. Everybody, listen up! The situation is under control. But the EMT's need to be able to get through, so if you all--"
The doorway was empty.
"Wow." But that was all Mulder had time to say before the paramedics hurried in.
"He's going into shock. Deep groove hit the artery..."
Mulder listened as a whole lot of big words were exchanged, trying to figure out what they meant. Finally, Scully called an agent she felt somwhat comfortable trusting and sent him with their boss.
When the door closed and they were alone, Mulder's arms came around her waist from behind and he nuzzled her neck.
"You're amazing." his breath was warm and moist against her throat. She leaned back into him, guiltily enjoying their illicit embrace.
"Hmm?" Her eyes slipped closed as he kissed her neck.
"I don't know how you do it. Somehow... people just listen to you."
"Oh, yeah--" she breathed out quickly. "Yeah, I can get anyone to listen. Except you."
"Ah, that's not true."
She scoffed and reached up, craning her head back and pulling him down to kiss her.
"Ok. So what happened here?" she asked when they finally pulled apart.
"More than a gunshot; look at that window. Think something was thrown through."
"I'll get the slug." Scully pulled out an evidence bag and headed to the hole in the wall. Mulder started looking around and eventually zeroed in on the desk.
"Here, Scully, look at this." Carefully working through the broken glass, he pulled on some gloves and cautiously picked up a small red brick. "Got a note."
"'I'm coming.'" Scully put the bag down and stood next to him. "That's original."
"Who's coming?"
"And where?"
"No return address."
"You weren't expecting one, were you?"
Mulder glared at her and put the note in a bag. "I don't think we're gonna get anything off of this, but..."
"Standard font, looks standard ink..."
"We should go see Skinner at the hospital, see if he knows anything."
***
Bethesda National
10:00 AM
Skinner reached again for the call button. The nurse wasn't coming... he started to get up.
"Sir, what are you doing?" Scully entered the room.
"Agent Scully..." Skinner groaned, laying back down. "Are you psychic?"
"We'll talk later." Mulder said. Scully glared at him. "Meanwhile, we want to ask you some questions."
"Go ahead," the patient said wearily.
"Were you shot before or after the brick was thrown through the window?"
"You're certainly blunt enough." Skinner watched Scully move into the shadows by the window. She never spoke, just observed the proceedings from her steel-eyed, cross-armed stance.
She was making him very nervous.
"Time isn't something Agent Scully and I usually have a lot of, sir. What happened?"
"I don't know. I was at my desk when my secretary called me. The intercom wasn't working well, so I was headed to the door to ask her to repeat herself. Just after I got up, the brick was thrown. Immediately after that, the bullet. I didn't see who it was. I assume he was in a tree or something due to the projectory."
"Sir, your secretary wasn't at her desk." Scully said softly. "And if I'm not mistaken, the bullet would've been in your other arm if you'd been going to that door." Still she remained in the shadows.
"Well, I heard *something*. Perhaps I thought I heard her and when I saw she wasn't there, turned back to my desk..." he waved his hand.
"Perhaps?" Mulder asked. "You don't sound so sure."
"I did hit my head on my way down. I must be a little disoriented."
"Must be." Mulder said thoughtfully. "Sir, do you have any ideas who might have done this?"
"It's not like I have a shortage of enemies, Agent Mulder. It could have been any number of people."
"Nothing sticks out in your mind from recently? No one got out of prison that you know about?"
"Not that I know of, no."
"So this man managed to shoot you in your office. He sent you a threatening note that says only 'I'm coming'." Off his look, Scully nodded. Mulder gave his boss the evidence bag. As he studied it, she continued to pace in front of the window. "And now on Friday you're having a dance that possibly everyone in DC will know about?"
"Oh..." Skinner closed his eyes. "That headache is coming back."
"You're going to need protection," Scully said.
"Regular security won't cut it," added Mulder.
"And I suppose a few undercover agents are in order?"
"Can't imagine who you could use," Mulder said, leaning back.
"Sir, you should let Agent Mulder and I protect you." Scully moved out of the shadows to stand near her partner.
"I should call off this damned dinner." Skinner groaned.
"You know the director will never go for that." Mulder said. "He's real big on the FBI protecting its own. Canceling would be a sign of weakness, to him."
"We'd have to go undercover, but we've done *that* before," Scully said pointedly.
"Ah. The Arcadia Falls thing. Sorry about that." Skinner said.
"Make it up to us. Let us do this."
"It'll make us feel a lot better," Scully coaxed.
Skinner sighed. "Ok. Fine."
***
December 15, 2000
6:45 PM
The week passed uneventfully for all three agents. Besides increasing security and a new pane in Skinner's window, nothing had changed.
Mulder was supposed to meet Scully at her apartment. Skinner would be leaving the Hoover building at 7:00, and they were escorting him.
Scully looked in the mirror once more when she heard the knock. The long dark blue dress shimmered in the dim light of her bedroom. It looked similar to the one she'd worn on her excursion with CGB Spender, but this one was made for her.
She heard the door open and close.
"Come in, Mulder." she called, amused. He entered her bedroom slowly.
"You'd rather I stayed outside and got my suit dirty?"
Scully stared at his reflection in the mirror. As always, they were a perfect match. Mulder came up behind her and put his hands on her waist, smelling her hair.
"We should get going." Scully said lowly. "If we're late..."
"We wouldn't be us."
"Mulder..."
"Ok, ok." He spun her around and extended an arm. "Agent Scully."
Mulder led her out to his car and they drove off. Finally they got Skinner to the dance safely.
"Well, sir, you clean up good." Mulder said as they walked in.
"As do the both of you. Was this planned?" he gestured to their matching outfits.
"No, as a matter of fact." Scully said cooly. Then they entered the room and the fun began.
A few hours later, the only thing that had gone wrong was a dropped salad fork. Skinner was getting antsy--well, as antsy as an ex-Marine can get, anyway. Finally, near the end of the evening, he snapped.
"Agents. Why don't you go check the grounds?"
"Sir, we--" Scully protested.
"Agent Scully, for all we know, that note was a prank."
"And so was the bullet, I suppose." Mulder said drily.
"There are two agents I trust right over there. I'll stay with them. I'll stay away from the windows. Just--go get some fresh air. Please."
They looked at each other.
"Five minutes." Mulder said. "And you stay with them. Do not leave their sight, I don't care if you're going to the bathroom." He started to leave, then turned back. "Stay." He and Scully turned back and all eyes drifted curiously to his hand on her back as they left. Skinner glared at them.
"What are you looking at?"
Mulder led Scully outside to the tree line. She looked worriedly in the window at her superior, who was standing with a large group of his agents. Strains of music could still be heard from the inside, and all was peaceful.
"Do you see something?" Mulder asked, pointing in the trees.
"No..." but he was already pulling her in. When they could hardly see the windwos anymore, Scully stopped. "Mulder, no one's out here." No answer. "Mulder?"
Suddenly he spun around and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist. "*I'm* out here." He tried to sound injured. "You know I've never gotten to dance with you." He whispered huskily. Scully's arms slowly came up around his neck and her head rested on his chest.
"This is so normal." She said after awhile. "So why does it feel so strange?"
"Because it's us." Mulder slowed their swaying so he could crane his head down to hers. The kiss was slow, passionate... long. When finally they broke apart, they leaned their foreheads together.
"I love you, Mulder." Scully whispered.
Suddenly the forest went even darker.
"What happened?" Mulder looked out in the direction of the dinner. "The lights are out."
"Oh, shit--" the agents broke into a run. Seemingly out of nowhere, Scully pulled out her gun.
"Federal agents!" Mulder burst into the room.
"Mulder, you moron!" came a voice behind them. One of his old VCS friends moved to the light switches. "We're all federal agents."
"Where's Skinner?"
"Off schmoozing, I suppose." he flipped the switch a few times with no result. "That's odd."
"Scully..." Mulder said pleadingly. She nodded in the darkness and went downstairs, blinding groping for what might be the breakers.
Upstairs, Mulder held his breath until the lights slowly flickered on. Scully ran back and found her partner ordering people around furiously.
"I don't care if the lights went out!" he was yelling at some of the agents. Scully hurried over and put her hand on his arm.
"Mulder." she said softly. He glared at nothing and let her lead him out of earshot. "I think you're just mad at yourself."
"We shouldn't have left, Scully."
"We can't worry about that now. Let's just concentrate on finding him."
Mulder shifted his weight angrily. "I hate it when you're right."
"I'll get people out there and let everyone know what's going on."
Mulder looked around. "I've got a bad feeling about this." he moved over to the head table where Skinner had sat and began looking around. "Scully. Over here." He pulled her by the arm behind the table and pointed to the back of Skinner's chair. A sheet of paper with a skull and crossbones was taped to the back. Underneath was the slogan Tempus Fugit.
"Time flies. What the hell does that mean?"
It's a signature. How much you wanna bet it's from one of Skinner's old cases?"
"We should go lok at his files." Scully said, heading for the door. Mulder grinned.
"A woman of action."
***
FBI Headquarters
11:45 PM
"You know, Mulder, *this* is an office." Scully stood by the open file cabinet. "Files alphabetized, not stuffed haphazardly in the corners... easy location... legible writing..."
"Complete lack of creativity..." Mulder looked in Skinner's in-box. "Look at this. Completely up-to-date." He made a disgusted noise in this throat and moved on.
"Mulder, look at this." Scully pulled a folder out and spread it out in front of him. "It's the same thing. Tempus Fugit."
"Louis Blacke. In the middle of serving twenty years as accomplice to attempted murder."
"That seems light."
"He had a really good lawyer."
"Who's accomplice was he?"
"Uh... it was never revealed. They couldn't get him to talk, and the case was dropped."
"That sounds wrong."
"That's what it says."
"The *dropped* it?"
"Apparently."
"That doesn't make sense."
"What does?"
Scully shook her head. "We have to figure this out. If--" The phone rang and Mulder answered it.
"Yeah."
"Is your search... going well?"
"*Geez!*" He whispered, snapping his fingers. Scully was already on her phone. "Very well, Mr. Blacke. We found your life story."
"So you're running... a trace?"
"I'm the only one in here, Mr. Blacke. How can I run a trace?"
"You're not the only one... in there. Your little partner is talking on the phone... to someone."
Mulder froze, looking out the window. Through the darkness, he saw a single window illuminated in the building across the street. A man waved jauntily and hung up the phone.
"Shit!" He slammed the receiver down.
"What? What?"
"He's across the street!"
"*What?*"
Mulder burst into the sunlight with Scully close behind, just in time to see someone running down the sidewalk.
"Hey!" He took off after him as Scully ran around the building to catch him head-on. When she came around, though, Mulder was talking with an angry man in a jogger's suit.
"Mulder?"
"I'm not a criminal! Do I *look* like a criminal?"
"No, sir, you don't." Mulder said, impatient. "But the chance was too great to take the risk that you weren't him."
The man scoffed and stalked off. Scully went up to her partner and put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll put out an APB. Someone'll find him."
"Before or after he kills Skinner?" The Bureau doesn't negotiate with kidnappers, but it's an assistant director on the line now. We don't want him to get away clean *with* however moch money or whatever it is he wants, we only have one choice. I'm gonna hvae to profile him."
Scully nodded.
"No, Scully, I don't think you understand. I'm not going to be myself when I start this. You probably aren't going to want to be around me. I don't want to do anything..."
"No--I understand." She reassured him. "It's what you have to do for Skinner." She looked around and lowered her voice. "I know it's gonna be hard, but I love you. I'm not going to let you go through this alone. Hell, Mulder, we've beaten death to be together. What's a little profiling compared to that?"
Mulder smiled and glanced up for a second to make sure no one else was roaming the darkened streets before kissing her softly.
"We're gonna be ok, Scully." He whispered, pulling her close. "I promise."
***
December 16, 2000
3:00 AM
***Darkness. Darkness and an uncontrollable, raw, blind pain that seemed like it would never go away. His face was wet. Why was he crying? He opened his eyes--but he didn't. He was home--but he wasn't. There was a picture in his hands. A small girl clutched a worn teddy bear and grinned toothlessly into the camera. The bear was a cream color, worn and well-loved. There was a visible hole in the side and one of the ears looked like itmight fall off at any moment. The girl wore a silver necklace with a rose charm dangling just above her shirt collar. One strand of her dark brown hair was caught and tangled in the chain, but she didn't appear to notice it. Brown eyes were wide open and white teeth showed promise of a perfect smile. It was such a happy sight. Why was he crying? Why...***
"Mulder?"
Scully started when her partner turned a tear-stained face to her. He was sitting at her couch in the living room, having stayed there "just a few more minutes" after she finally went to bed. She should have known better. Two hours later she had woken up alone and found him here...
"Mulder, what is it?" She sat on the coffee table, bringing herself to his level and touching his face gently. "Are you ok?"
"I was profiling."
"You were in pretty deep. I've been here awhile and you never knew it."
Mulder watched her close the file and set it aside, her meaning clear. That is enough.
"I saw a picture. I was crying. Did Blacke have a daughter?"
"It doesn't say in that file. We can check that out tomorrow. Right now you need to sleep."
"Right now I need to concentrate." He made a move for the file, but Scully caught his face and brought his lips to hers fiercely. For a moment he knew only the softness of her kiss and responded in turn. But when it ended, when she pulled back, he had to say it.
"Scully... I need to do this. I need to focus."
"You trust me?" He didn't need to answer that. "This will keep for one night. It's only a few hours. Come on." She took his hand and pulled him from the couch and into the bedroom. "We can start again tomorrow." She lay down on her side and turned off the light. A few seconds later, Mulder was next to her, sliding his hand under her neck and lifting her head so he could kiss her thoroughly. Finally they broke apart, but Mulder wasn't done. She felt his mouth blazing a trail across her face until he stopped and began to give her earlobe the same treatment he'd given her mouth moments ago. Scully kissed his neck and whispered huskily, "Mulder as much as I'm enjoying this..."
He stopped reluctantly. "I know. Sleep."
"You got it." She smiled as he lay down without protest and both were dead to the world in seconds.
***
7:00 AM
***The girl was back. This time there was no smile, no teddy bear, no necklace. Where was the necklace? She was laying down, but it was sunny outside. Somehow he knew this girl was supposed to be inherently active, so why was she asleep in the middle of the day? He reached out and touched her cheek. Her eyes didn't open. Her face was cold. Get a blanket--she's gonna get sick. There was no blanket. What kind of bed was this, anyway? Then his vision widened and he took a step back. An eternal bed. His pretty little girl was never going to get up again. She seemed so out of place with all those flowers surrounding her. Who brought flowers? Had the girl had friends? Why didn't he know that? He wanted to scream. Please, just wake up. Please. I promise I'll do better, please... please...***
"Please... please..."
"Mulder, wake up. Mulder!"
Slowly his eyes began to open. He was flat on his back in Scully's bed, hands clutching the sheets. His partner was standing over him, worried. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a line from the movie Young Frankenstein flashed through his head. 'Doktor. You were having a Nachtmare!'
"Scully?" He croaked. She handed him a glass of water from the nightstand. "I was--"
"--having a nightmare? I could tell. Feel like sharing?"
"It was more of the same." He motioned for her to lie down next to him and pulled her into his arms. She rested her head on his chest and listened carefully. "When I was in the living room earlier, I saw a picture of a young girl. Dark brown hair. Brown eyes. Maybe about five years old. Holding a teddy bear. I was crying, but I didn't know why. And then the dream... she was lying down. And I was won--I was wondering why, 'cause the sun was shining and she was supposed to be up and running around." His voice began to take on that husky tone that she loved, and she unconsciously relaxed even more into his embrace. Mulder kissed the top of her head and continued. "Then I realized she was in a coffin. I remember wondering if she had had friends, and being upset that I didn't know. Maybe I'm her father."
Scully blinked. "You mean you were seeing through her father's eyes?" He didn't answer. "Mulder?"
"Uh--yeah. Well, yeah. Of course."
"So I guess the first thing to do is resolve the question of whether or not he had kids."
"He had a daughter, Scully. I know it."
"Well." Scully reached up and kissed him. "You know how fond I am of proof. Let's go get some."
***
10:15 AM
Lone Gunmen Headquarters
"You know, Mulder," Langly said grumpily as he opened the door. "You use that phone enough to call Scully. Why can't you give *us* a little notice?"
"How late do you boys sleep, anyway?" Mudler asked, following Scully inside.
"Depends on how late we were out partying." Frohike said, coming into the room. "Agent Scully, the light of my life." He boldly kissed her hand and winked. "Ravishing as always."
Scully raised an eyebrow at her partner.
"At ease, Frohike." Mulder waved the file under the older man's nose. "C'mon, we need some help. Familiar with the Louise Blacke case?"
"Unbelievable." Byers came in. "We were outraged at his sentence.
"You're gonna be madder." Mulder said almost flippantly. "He's out."
"No way!" Langly was already pulling up his records.
"And he's got Assistant Director Skinner." Scully said softly.
"Shit." Frohike said, staring at her. "He's a good guy."
"And sort of an asset to us, so we'd kind of like to get him back." Mulder saw Langly's strange look. "What?"
"You been profiling, man?"
Mulder shifted uneasily. "Yeah."
"Whoa, dude." Frohike looked up from the folder. "You better be careful. You're too good at it."
"I'm fine, Frohike." Mulder sounded annoyed. "Right now I need you to find everything on his personal life. Wives, lovers, whatever. I think he had a kid, but I need to know more. And I need it as soon as possible."
"You got it, man." Langly got back to work. Byers pulled Scully aside.
"You two have been partners for what, eight years now?"
"Nine in March." She said automatically. Byers rose an eyebrow.
"Wow. Anyway, I don't know if he's ever done any profiling during your partnership..."
"Once. When Patterson brought him onto a VCS case. The gargoyles."
"Ah, that one. I remember. Do you recall what Mulder's behavior was like during that case?"
"It was erratic. I came to his apartment and found gargoyle pictures covering the wall."
"It's kind of scary, what he can do. I know he wouldn't wish it on his worst enemy. He's gonna need you to be there for him a lot, without his being there for you. It's going to test your patience. But without you, Mulder would probably slip into those monsters' minds and wind up getting himself killed. You're his lifeline, Agent Scully." Byers looked at her seriously.
"I know. I'll take care of him." She smiled reassuringly and started to go back.
"And--Scully?" She stopped. "Mulder's like a brother to me, and I imagine you feel much the same about him. If you need someone while he's in deep... I'm here."
She managed a small smile and moved back to him, touching his arm briefly. "Thank you, John." Then she left in search of the others. Byers sighed before following. She was going to have a rough time of it.
"Bingo!" Langly said triumphantly. "Blacke's girlfriend. Carole Whalen gave birth to a girl on December 20, 1985. Carole died in childbirth. Blacke was nowhere to be found, so his father stepped in and took custody of the girl. Need anything else?"
"Yeah. Is she still alive? Check newspapers, obituaries, hospitals..." Mulder's eyes were beginning to look glazed, and Scully went to stand by his side, putting a hand on his shoulder to bring him back to earth. He looked at her gratefully. A few minutes later, Langly sat back.
"I don't know how you do it, man." He said, bewildered. "Right here. Debra Anne Whalen. Hit by a car right in front of her house in 1990. Apparently she ran out in the middle of the street."
"Blacke's arrest should be around there somewhere, isn't it?" Mulder closed his eyes, and he was almost swaying back and forth. "A few days after the funeral."
"Uh... right again." Langly said. Mulder was ghostly pale.
"That's enough, Mulder." Scully said firmly. "You need some sleep."
"No, Scully..."
"Mulder, 'no' is not an option. Come on." She pushed him to an adjorning room with some couches. Frohike stopped her quickly before she turned around.
"You should go too." He said seriously. All previous flirtations were gone. "Just for like an hour. You don't look so good."
"Gee, thanks." She said drily.
"Keep an eye on him." He replied.
Five minutes later they looked in and saw Scully sitting on the couch with Mulder's head in her lap. Both were sound asleep.
***The girl was staring at him without a glimmer of recognition in her eyes. For some reason, that really hurt. She was standing in a large mall, right across the way from him, holding someone's hand. He couldn't tell whose hand it was, but she gripped it like a lifeline. He began to fight his way through the people, inching his way to the girl. The hand tugged once and she looked away, was led away from him. He wanted to call out to her, but instead doubled his efforts to reach them. Sweat broke out along his brow as the crowd pressed closer and he began to lose sight of the girl. Then suddenly he was loose, and had only to run a few feet to see the face of the man holding her hand...***
"Geez!" Mulder bolted up. "It's the dad! The dad's the key, Scully." He pushed himself off the couch and into the room, with his partner hot on his heels. "Find the dad. Is he alive? And I need a picture."
"Got it." Langly said, pointing to the screen. "We were just checking that out. Dad died of a heart attack in '97. Picture loading... whoa."
Scully stared at the driver's liscence photo of Louis Blacke's father--who could very easily have passed for Walter Skinner's identical twin.
***
12:00 PM
"This is so textbook." Mulder paced up and down in his apartment. "I should have known. He blames his dad for the death of his daughter, so he's getting his revenge on Skinner--not only is there the similiar resemblence, but Skinner was also in charge of the case that put him in prison."
"Debra's birthday would have been this Wednesday." Scully said, looking at him.
"That could even be a deadline. I have to figure out where they are."
"Ok. let's try--what?" She felt his warm gaze upon her and knew immediately what he had meant.
"I'm gonna go again." He said softly.
"Oh, Mulder. Are you sure?"
"I have to."
"It's just--I worry about you. I never know what's going on when you get started. I never know how deep you're going to go... even if you're ever going to come back. Isn't there any other way?"
Mulder got up slowly. "Maybe. I'll think about it; gonna go for a run, clear my head."
Scully nodded. She heard the door shut a few minutes later and looked up.
The glow almost hurt her eyes. Emily was standing there with another girl.
"Who are you?" Scully gasped, hardly aware that her own dead daughter's appearance no longer really shocked her.
"Mom, this is Sarah. Walter Skinner's daughter."
"Skinner's--" She sputtered.
"Yeah." Sarah nodded. "Don't worry, I'm a good spirit. How bad could I be? I helped him pick out his new glasses. Guess you could call me his guardian angel."
"Sort of like me." Emily smiled. "Mom, you have to get to him. Time's running out."
"I don't know where he is." Scully said, hanging her head.
"Hey." Sarah tried to get her attention. "That's what we're here for. You know the Botanic Gardens. There's a section made up predominately of rose bushes. An old tool shed is behind it. That's where they are."
"I--" Scully grabbed for the phone. When she looked up, they were gone. "Mulder, please tell me you took your cell phone... please..."
"Yeah?" He had answered.
"I know where they are."
***
8:00 PM
The agents had decided to wait until it was dark for the raid, unless their surveilance showed Skinner was being harmed. Mulder and Scully grew increasingly anxious until the time came, but Mulder found ways to amuse himself. One of the best ones was incessently asking Scully how she's known where Skinner was. She only bit her lip and promised to tell him later. Finally, everyone was in position. Mulder went first.
"FBI! Freeze! Put it down, now!" Skinner was taped into a chair. Blacke was standing next to him, a gun to his captive's temple.
"I suppose you know he's an assistant director." Mulder said. "Which means you've also know that some of these guys are a little trigger-happy."
"Sir, it is in your best interests to put that gun down." Scully said.
"Well, aren't you two cute." Blacke said sarcastically. "You know I saw you out in the woods that night. You were--"
"Waiting for you. We knew it was you." Mulder said quickly.
"No you didn't."
"And now we know everything. We know about your daughter and about your father. But this man is not your father, Louis. He just looks like him. What do you hope to accomplish?"
"My father let my little girl get killed!" He started to wave his hands around when a gunshot filled the room. Louis Blacke dropped, dead on the floor.
***
December 17, 2000
2:00 AM
Scully shut the door behind them and shrugged off her coat wearily. "The kid that shot him said he thought Blacke was going to shoot Skinner. He was a rookie, I don't know what he was doing there. But I guess it ended all right. Skinner's back, Blacke's taken care of... Scully?"
She turned back to him. "Yeah?"
"You gonna tell me about how you knew about all this?"
She sighed. "I guess--I guess there's no easy way to put it." She looked up at him, trust filtered through her gaze and into his, knowing he wouldn't hold this against her. "I've been seeing Emily."
"What?" He gasped, then automatically reached out to hug her tightly. She spoke against his shoulder as she went on.
"She appeared when you were dead and told me it was going to be ok. Then I saw her earlier today, right after you left. There was another girl with her, said her name was Sarah. Mulder..." she pulled back. "She said Sarah was Skinner's daughter." Mulder stared at her, shocked. "I know. I had no idea. Maybe we can ask him sometime. But they told me where he was. So..."
"So you acted on something your guardian angel told you."
"My guardian angel." She muttered, half laughing. "I suppose so."
"Ah, Scully." He kissed her softly. "I love you, you know that?"
Scully smiled at him and took him by the hand, leading him into the bedroom and falling into bed. Slowly her tone became serious as he joined her. "We were lucky tonight, Mulder. It would have been so easy for Louise to just blurt out what he saw in the woods." She sighed. "I don't know how much more of this we can take."
Mulder closed his eyes and pulled her close. "We'll bide our time, Scully." He said quietly. "We'll bide our time."
End Part VIII
Still MORE NOTES!!! First of all, I know that last part may have seemed a bit fast, and I apologize, but my spring break is almost over and it was my ultimate goal to finish it before I went back to school. And just so you know, I AM going to address the Sarah Skinner thing (Yes, Tea Cup, thinking of you when I chose the name... ;) are we having fun yet?) It just seemed like a good thing to do that might lead into a plot line or two later in the story. Yeah, there's gonna be more. Hop on and enjoy the ride. I'm taking a vacation. All this writing is giving me a headache... Stay tuned for Chapter Nine.
Silver Beauty
Archive: Yes, please! Just let me know where...
Spoiler: Oh, absolutely everything. Requiem hasn't happened, though. Or Within, Without, or any of that stuff.
Rating: R for language
Classification: MSR
Disclaimer: (As the Mad Hatter in Disney's Alice in Wonderland) Not mine, not mine, not mine! Although I can't help but think they're in better hands with me than CC... g. I stole "Tempus Fugit" shamelessly from the x-files as well as Blast from the Past, or whoever said it first. Blast from the Past mentions the x-files, though. That's always fun. And Young Frankenstein is a rather funny movie, at least the first part. It belongs to itself.
Feedback: Please!
Notes: Ok, here we go again. This is the eighth installment of a story that has become that major work of my life. I'm trying my best to continue giving you, the readers, what you want, and I hope I haven't disappointed. Just in case you're wondering, YES, I do know where this is all going. And I'm working towards the end. I've been doing this for about two years now, and that's the longest I've ever worked on any work of fiction, be it fanfic or my other books. Anyway, I worked hard on this, so here it goes. Enjoy...
Silver Beauty
More notes: I am a believer that PMP was either a dream or an actual comic book but not something that actually happened. That's something you have to know so you don't go writing me saying Mulder and Scully did dance before. It's just not as special if it isn't their first dance.
Even more notes: For Tea Cup-- I promise to put Skinner's glasses in here somewhere along the way. Any other requests?
Principals VIII
December 11, 2000
FBI Headquarters
8:45 AM
"Mulder?" Scully turned on the lights and started toward the desk, then stopped. Who was in there? It didn't smell like Mulder. This person wasn't breathing like Mulder. With one practiced motion, her gun was out and trained on the dark room. "Who's there?"
"It's just me, Agent Scully."
"Oh, geez. Sir." Scully clutched at her necklace with one hand and holstered her gun with the other. "Why don't you have the lights on?"
"They're out. I'll get the maintenence people down here."
"Ah. Thank you. Um, what did you want?"
"Everything's on the desk. But I have a meeting, so I have to go."
"Yes, sir." Scully stepped around him to the desk, shrugging off her coat. "But--"
He was gone.
"Scully?" Mulder walked in, straining to see. "Why are the lights out?"
"They're not working." She let go of her necklace and took it off, sliding Mulder's ring into her palm. "I almost forgot. I can't wear this, Mulder. Skinner was in here a second ago and I almost had a heart attack. If the lights had been on, he would've noticed."
"Yeah." Mulder took it back and rolled it between his fingers, moving to his desk.
"Mulder. What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Mulder?" Scully reached up to where she thought his face was, turning it toward her. "Mulder, I don't want to give it back, but how do you expect me to wear it? Someone *will* notice."
Mulder turned his head and kissed her palm. "I know. I know." He pulled her closer and her arms circled his neck. "Scully..." he whispered against her forehead. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Retain your theories? Not waste your breath explaining yourself when you were right all along?"
"Yeah, well, that stuff is kind of overrated when you're dead." He stroked her cheek. "Hey Scully? Thanks for stickin' around."
Her voice was smoky and low when she answered. "It was my pleasure."
Slowly Mulder leaned down and somehow managed to find her lips with his. Scully's arms tightened around his neck and she pulled him ever nearer.
Suddenly the lights came on full blast.
"Oh God." Scully gasped as they jumped apart and looked at the door. Two seconds later the janitor appeared and walked in from down the hall.
"Sorry about that."
"About what?" Mulder's voice shook for a second. The janitor jerked his thumb upward.
"Blown fuse. Fixed it up, though. You should be good to go."
"Oh. Thank you." Scully turned away and sat in Mulder's chair, picking up the envelope with their names on it. Mulder spoke to the janitor a few moments more before clapping him on the back. When he came back and sat on the desk, she asked,
"What was that about?"
"Oh. Nothing important. What's that?"
She raised an eyebrow at him, but let it go. "An, uh, invitation to a..." she slowly put it down. "A dinner-dance."
"For who?"
"Skinner. He's receiving a commendation for a case he worked on. Formal wear. And a note from him saying it would go a long way toward keeping the x-files open if we went."
"Oh, you're kidding."
"I wish I were." Scully leaned back. "How are we going to handle this?"
"We, Cinderella, are going to the ball. You are going to dance with kind Skinner and kiss his royal ass, and I am going to get in with the director and see what I can do."
"Don't you think that should be the other way around?"
"Scully, I love you. But there is no way in hell I'm dancing with Skinner."
"I meant if anyone's going to be talking to the director it should be someone who doesn't make it a habit to antagonize local law enforcement."
"You wound me."
"Sorry."
"No you're not."
Scully smiled and leaned back further, stretching. Mulder plucked the invitation from her hands.
"This is for Friday."
"I know."
"Should we--" the phone rang. "Ah. Mulder." He listened for a few seconds, then hung up. "Skinner wants to see us."
"I thought he had a meeting."
"Maybe it's over."
"Yeah, but..."
"Look he didn't say why, but it's probably important if he's missing a meeting for it."
"Yeah." Scully got up and followed him to the elevator.
The doors opened and they stepped into the hallway just in time to hear a loud crash from Skinner's office.
"Sir?" Scully broke into a run and burst into his office with Mulder close behind. Skinner was on the floor, dazed. "Sir, are you ok?"
"I'm fine."
"Yeah, right." Mulder looked from the shattered window to the bullet hole in the wall. "Someone wants you dead."
"Really? How'd you come to that conclusion?" Skinner tried to sit up.
"I don't think so." Scully was ripping his shirt open at the sleeve.
"Agent Scully, what--" an agent was staring from the doorway.
"Call an ambulance." Scully directed that at her partner, who was already on the phone. With one hand he shrugged off his jacket and managed to undo his tie and give it to Scully. The bullet had hit Skinner's arm pretty badly, but had only hit the side. "This is gonna need stiches." She felt his forehead. "Sir, would you lay down? You're going into shock."
A crowd had gathered by now at the door, but neither agent noticed. Mulder knelt on the other side of his boss and faced his partner.
"Where's that tie..." she wrapped it around his arm and cinched it tightly. Skinner winced and she looked at his face again.
"Shit--where is that ambulance?" Scully got up. "Oh, great. Everybody, listen up! The situation is under control. But the EMT's need to be able to get through, so if you all--"
The doorway was empty.
"Wow." But that was all Mulder had time to say before the paramedics hurried in.
"He's going into shock. Deep groove hit the artery..."
Mulder listened as a whole lot of big words were exchanged, trying to figure out what they meant. Finally, Scully called an agent she felt somwhat comfortable trusting and sent him with their boss.
When the door closed and they were alone, Mulder's arms came around her waist from behind and he nuzzled her neck.
"You're amazing." his breath was warm and moist against her throat. She leaned back into him, guiltily enjoying their illicit embrace.
"Hmm?" Her eyes slipped closed as he kissed her neck.
"I don't know how you do it. Somehow... people just listen to you."
"Oh, yeah--" she breathed out quickly. "Yeah, I can get anyone to listen. Except you."
"Ah, that's not true."
She scoffed and reached up, craning her head back and pulling him down to kiss her.
"Ok. So what happened here?" she asked when they finally pulled apart.
"More than a gunshot; look at that window. Think something was thrown through."
"I'll get the slug." Scully pulled out an evidence bag and headed to the hole in the wall. Mulder started looking around and eventually zeroed in on the desk.
"Here, Scully, look at this." Carefully working through the broken glass, he pulled on some gloves and cautiously picked up a small red brick. "Got a note."
"'I'm coming.'" Scully put the bag down and stood next to him. "That's original."
"Who's coming?"
"And where?"
"No return address."
"You weren't expecting one, were you?"
Mulder glared at her and put the note in a bag. "I don't think we're gonna get anything off of this, but..."
"Standard font, looks standard ink..."
"We should go see Skinner at the hospital, see if he knows anything."
***
Bethesda National
10:00 AM
Skinner reached again for the call button. The nurse wasn't coming... he started to get up.
"Sir, what are you doing?" Scully entered the room.
"Agent Scully..." Skinner groaned, laying back down. "Are you psychic?"
"We'll talk later." Mulder said. Scully glared at him. "Meanwhile, we want to ask you some questions."
"Go ahead," the patient said wearily.
"Were you shot before or after the brick was thrown through the window?"
"You're certainly blunt enough." Skinner watched Scully move into the shadows by the window. She never spoke, just observed the proceedings from her steel-eyed, cross-armed stance.
She was making him very nervous.
"Time isn't something Agent Scully and I usually have a lot of, sir. What happened?"
"I don't know. I was at my desk when my secretary called me. The intercom wasn't working well, so I was headed to the door to ask her to repeat herself. Just after I got up, the brick was thrown. Immediately after that, the bullet. I didn't see who it was. I assume he was in a tree or something due to the projectory."
"Sir, your secretary wasn't at her desk." Scully said softly. "And if I'm not mistaken, the bullet would've been in your other arm if you'd been going to that door." Still she remained in the shadows.
"Well, I heard *something*. Perhaps I thought I heard her and when I saw she wasn't there, turned back to my desk..." he waved his hand.
"Perhaps?" Mulder asked. "You don't sound so sure."
"I did hit my head on my way down. I must be a little disoriented."
"Must be." Mulder said thoughtfully. "Sir, do you have any ideas who might have done this?"
"It's not like I have a shortage of enemies, Agent Mulder. It could have been any number of people."
"Nothing sticks out in your mind from recently? No one got out of prison that you know about?"
"Not that I know of, no."
"So this man managed to shoot you in your office. He sent you a threatening note that says only 'I'm coming'." Off his look, Scully nodded. Mulder gave his boss the evidence bag. As he studied it, she continued to pace in front of the window. "And now on Friday you're having a dance that possibly everyone in DC will know about?"
"Oh..." Skinner closed his eyes. "That headache is coming back."
"You're going to need protection," Scully said.
"Regular security won't cut it," added Mulder.
"And I suppose a few undercover agents are in order?"
"Can't imagine who you could use," Mulder said, leaning back.
"Sir, you should let Agent Mulder and I protect you." Scully moved out of the shadows to stand near her partner.
"I should call off this damned dinner." Skinner groaned.
"You know the director will never go for that." Mulder said. "He's real big on the FBI protecting its own. Canceling would be a sign of weakness, to him."
"We'd have to go undercover, but we've done *that* before," Scully said pointedly.
"Ah. The Arcadia Falls thing. Sorry about that." Skinner said.
"Make it up to us. Let us do this."
"It'll make us feel a lot better," Scully coaxed.
Skinner sighed. "Ok. Fine."
***
December 15, 2000
6:45 PM
The week passed uneventfully for all three agents. Besides increasing security and a new pane in Skinner's window, nothing had changed.
Mulder was supposed to meet Scully at her apartment. Skinner would be leaving the Hoover building at 7:00, and they were escorting him.
Scully looked in the mirror once more when she heard the knock. The long dark blue dress shimmered in the dim light of her bedroom. It looked similar to the one she'd worn on her excursion with CGB Spender, but this one was made for her.
She heard the door open and close.
"Come in, Mulder." she called, amused. He entered her bedroom slowly.
"You'd rather I stayed outside and got my suit dirty?"
Scully stared at his reflection in the mirror. As always, they were a perfect match. Mulder came up behind her and put his hands on her waist, smelling her hair.
"We should get going." Scully said lowly. "If we're late..."
"We wouldn't be us."
"Mulder..."
"Ok, ok." He spun her around and extended an arm. "Agent Scully."
Mulder led her out to his car and they drove off. Finally they got Skinner to the dance safely.
"Well, sir, you clean up good." Mulder said as they walked in.
"As do the both of you. Was this planned?" he gestured to their matching outfits.
"No, as a matter of fact." Scully said cooly. Then they entered the room and the fun began.
A few hours later, the only thing that had gone wrong was a dropped salad fork. Skinner was getting antsy--well, as antsy as an ex-Marine can get, anyway. Finally, near the end of the evening, he snapped.
"Agents. Why don't you go check the grounds?"
"Sir, we--" Scully protested.
"Agent Scully, for all we know, that note was a prank."
"And so was the bullet, I suppose." Mulder said drily.
"There are two agents I trust right over there. I'll stay with them. I'll stay away from the windows. Just--go get some fresh air. Please."
They looked at each other.
"Five minutes." Mulder said. "And you stay with them. Do not leave their sight, I don't care if you're going to the bathroom." He started to leave, then turned back. "Stay." He and Scully turned back and all eyes drifted curiously to his hand on her back as they left. Skinner glared at them.
"What are you looking at?"
Mulder led Scully outside to the tree line. She looked worriedly in the window at her superior, who was standing with a large group of his agents. Strains of music could still be heard from the inside, and all was peaceful.
"Do you see something?" Mulder asked, pointing in the trees.
"No..." but he was already pulling her in. When they could hardly see the windwos anymore, Scully stopped. "Mulder, no one's out here." No answer. "Mulder?"
Suddenly he spun around and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist. "*I'm* out here." He tried to sound injured. "You know I've never gotten to dance with you." He whispered huskily. Scully's arms slowly came up around his neck and her head rested on his chest.
"This is so normal." She said after awhile. "So why does it feel so strange?"
"Because it's us." Mulder slowed their swaying so he could crane his head down to hers. The kiss was slow, passionate... long. When finally they broke apart, they leaned their foreheads together.
"I love you, Mulder." Scully whispered.
Suddenly the forest went even darker.
"What happened?" Mulder looked out in the direction of the dinner. "The lights are out."
"Oh, shit--" the agents broke into a run. Seemingly out of nowhere, Scully pulled out her gun.
"Federal agents!" Mulder burst into the room.
"Mulder, you moron!" came a voice behind them. One of his old VCS friends moved to the light switches. "We're all federal agents."
"Where's Skinner?"
"Off schmoozing, I suppose." he flipped the switch a few times with no result. "That's odd."
"Scully..." Mulder said pleadingly. She nodded in the darkness and went downstairs, blinding groping for what might be the breakers.
Upstairs, Mulder held his breath until the lights slowly flickered on. Scully ran back and found her partner ordering people around furiously.
"I don't care if the lights went out!" he was yelling at some of the agents. Scully hurried over and put her hand on his arm.
"Mulder." she said softly. He glared at nothing and let her lead him out of earshot. "I think you're just mad at yourself."
"We shouldn't have left, Scully."
"We can't worry about that now. Let's just concentrate on finding him."
Mulder shifted his weight angrily. "I hate it when you're right."
"I'll get people out there and let everyone know what's going on."
Mulder looked around. "I've got a bad feeling about this." he moved over to the head table where Skinner had sat and began looking around. "Scully. Over here." He pulled her by the arm behind the table and pointed to the back of Skinner's chair. A sheet of paper with a skull and crossbones was taped to the back. Underneath was the slogan Tempus Fugit.
"Time flies. What the hell does that mean?"
It's a signature. How much you wanna bet it's from one of Skinner's old cases?"
"We should go lok at his files." Scully said, heading for the door. Mulder grinned.
"A woman of action."
***
FBI Headquarters
11:45 PM
"You know, Mulder, *this* is an office." Scully stood by the open file cabinet. "Files alphabetized, not stuffed haphazardly in the corners... easy location... legible writing..."
"Complete lack of creativity..." Mulder looked in Skinner's in-box. "Look at this. Completely up-to-date." He made a disgusted noise in this throat and moved on.
"Mulder, look at this." Scully pulled a folder out and spread it out in front of him. "It's the same thing. Tempus Fugit."
"Louis Blacke. In the middle of serving twenty years as accomplice to attempted murder."
"That seems light."
"He had a really good lawyer."
"Who's accomplice was he?"
"Uh... it was never revealed. They couldn't get him to talk, and the case was dropped."
"That sounds wrong."
"That's what it says."
"The *dropped* it?"
"Apparently."
"That doesn't make sense."
"What does?"
Scully shook her head. "We have to figure this out. If--" The phone rang and Mulder answered it.
"Yeah."
"Is your search... going well?"
"*Geez!*" He whispered, snapping his fingers. Scully was already on her phone. "Very well, Mr. Blacke. We found your life story."
"So you're running... a trace?"
"I'm the only one in here, Mr. Blacke. How can I run a trace?"
"You're not the only one... in there. Your little partner is talking on the phone... to someone."
Mulder froze, looking out the window. Through the darkness, he saw a single window illuminated in the building across the street. A man waved jauntily and hung up the phone.
"Shit!" He slammed the receiver down.
"What? What?"
"He's across the street!"
"*What?*"
Mulder burst into the sunlight with Scully close behind, just in time to see someone running down the sidewalk.
"Hey!" He took off after him as Scully ran around the building to catch him head-on. When she came around, though, Mulder was talking with an angry man in a jogger's suit.
"Mulder?"
"I'm not a criminal! Do I *look* like a criminal?"
"No, sir, you don't." Mulder said, impatient. "But the chance was too great to take the risk that you weren't him."
The man scoffed and stalked off. Scully went up to her partner and put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll put out an APB. Someone'll find him."
"Before or after he kills Skinner?" The Bureau doesn't negotiate with kidnappers, but it's an assistant director on the line now. We don't want him to get away clean *with* however moch money or whatever it is he wants, we only have one choice. I'm gonna hvae to profile him."
Scully nodded.
"No, Scully, I don't think you understand. I'm not going to be myself when I start this. You probably aren't going to want to be around me. I don't want to do anything..."
"No--I understand." She reassured him. "It's what you have to do for Skinner." She looked around and lowered her voice. "I know it's gonna be hard, but I love you. I'm not going to let you go through this alone. Hell, Mulder, we've beaten death to be together. What's a little profiling compared to that?"
Mulder smiled and glanced up for a second to make sure no one else was roaming the darkened streets before kissing her softly.
"We're gonna be ok, Scully." He whispered, pulling her close. "I promise."
***
December 16, 2000
3:00 AM
***Darkness. Darkness and an uncontrollable, raw, blind pain that seemed like it would never go away. His face was wet. Why was he crying? He opened his eyes--but he didn't. He was home--but he wasn't. There was a picture in his hands. A small girl clutched a worn teddy bear and grinned toothlessly into the camera. The bear was a cream color, worn and well-loved. There was a visible hole in the side and one of the ears looked like itmight fall off at any moment. The girl wore a silver necklace with a rose charm dangling just above her shirt collar. One strand of her dark brown hair was caught and tangled in the chain, but she didn't appear to notice it. Brown eyes were wide open and white teeth showed promise of a perfect smile. It was such a happy sight. Why was he crying? Why...***
"Mulder?"
Scully started when her partner turned a tear-stained face to her. He was sitting at her couch in the living room, having stayed there "just a few more minutes" after she finally went to bed. She should have known better. Two hours later she had woken up alone and found him here...
"Mulder, what is it?" She sat on the coffee table, bringing herself to his level and touching his face gently. "Are you ok?"
"I was profiling."
"You were in pretty deep. I've been here awhile and you never knew it."
Mulder watched her close the file and set it aside, her meaning clear. That is enough.
"I saw a picture. I was crying. Did Blacke have a daughter?"
"It doesn't say in that file. We can check that out tomorrow. Right now you need to sleep."
"Right now I need to concentrate." He made a move for the file, but Scully caught his face and brought his lips to hers fiercely. For a moment he knew only the softness of her kiss and responded in turn. But when it ended, when she pulled back, he had to say it.
"Scully... I need to do this. I need to focus."
"You trust me?" He didn't need to answer that. "This will keep for one night. It's only a few hours. Come on." She took his hand and pulled him from the couch and into the bedroom. "We can start again tomorrow." She lay down on her side and turned off the light. A few seconds later, Mulder was next to her, sliding his hand under her neck and lifting her head so he could kiss her thoroughly. Finally they broke apart, but Mulder wasn't done. She felt his mouth blazing a trail across her face until he stopped and began to give her earlobe the same treatment he'd given her mouth moments ago. Scully kissed his neck and whispered huskily, "Mulder as much as I'm enjoying this..."
He stopped reluctantly. "I know. Sleep."
"You got it." She smiled as he lay down without protest and both were dead to the world in seconds.
***
7:00 AM
***The girl was back. This time there was no smile, no teddy bear, no necklace. Where was the necklace? She was laying down, but it was sunny outside. Somehow he knew this girl was supposed to be inherently active, so why was she asleep in the middle of the day? He reached out and touched her cheek. Her eyes didn't open. Her face was cold. Get a blanket--she's gonna get sick. There was no blanket. What kind of bed was this, anyway? Then his vision widened and he took a step back. An eternal bed. His pretty little girl was never going to get up again. She seemed so out of place with all those flowers surrounding her. Who brought flowers? Had the girl had friends? Why didn't he know that? He wanted to scream. Please, just wake up. Please. I promise I'll do better, please... please...***
"Please... please..."
"Mulder, wake up. Mulder!"
Slowly his eyes began to open. He was flat on his back in Scully's bed, hands clutching the sheets. His partner was standing over him, worried. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a line from the movie Young Frankenstein flashed through his head. 'Doktor. You were having a Nachtmare!'
"Scully?" He croaked. She handed him a glass of water from the nightstand. "I was--"
"--having a nightmare? I could tell. Feel like sharing?"
"It was more of the same." He motioned for her to lie down next to him and pulled her into his arms. She rested her head on his chest and listened carefully. "When I was in the living room earlier, I saw a picture of a young girl. Dark brown hair. Brown eyes. Maybe about five years old. Holding a teddy bear. I was crying, but I didn't know why. And then the dream... she was lying down. And I was won--I was wondering why, 'cause the sun was shining and she was supposed to be up and running around." His voice began to take on that husky tone that she loved, and she unconsciously relaxed even more into his embrace. Mulder kissed the top of her head and continued. "Then I realized she was in a coffin. I remember wondering if she had had friends, and being upset that I didn't know. Maybe I'm her father."
Scully blinked. "You mean you were seeing through her father's eyes?" He didn't answer. "Mulder?"
"Uh--yeah. Well, yeah. Of course."
"So I guess the first thing to do is resolve the question of whether or not he had kids."
"He had a daughter, Scully. I know it."
"Well." Scully reached up and kissed him. "You know how fond I am of proof. Let's go get some."
***
10:15 AM
Lone Gunmen Headquarters
"You know, Mulder," Langly said grumpily as he opened the door. "You use that phone enough to call Scully. Why can't you give *us* a little notice?"
"How late do you boys sleep, anyway?" Mudler asked, following Scully inside.
"Depends on how late we were out partying." Frohike said, coming into the room. "Agent Scully, the light of my life." He boldly kissed her hand and winked. "Ravishing as always."
Scully raised an eyebrow at her partner.
"At ease, Frohike." Mulder waved the file under the older man's nose. "C'mon, we need some help. Familiar with the Louise Blacke case?"
"Unbelievable." Byers came in. "We were outraged at his sentence.
"You're gonna be madder." Mulder said almost flippantly. "He's out."
"No way!" Langly was already pulling up his records.
"And he's got Assistant Director Skinner." Scully said softly.
"Shit." Frohike said, staring at her. "He's a good guy."
"And sort of an asset to us, so we'd kind of like to get him back." Mulder saw Langly's strange look. "What?"
"You been profiling, man?"
Mulder shifted uneasily. "Yeah."
"Whoa, dude." Frohike looked up from the folder. "You better be careful. You're too good at it."
"I'm fine, Frohike." Mulder sounded annoyed. "Right now I need you to find everything on his personal life. Wives, lovers, whatever. I think he had a kid, but I need to know more. And I need it as soon as possible."
"You got it, man." Langly got back to work. Byers pulled Scully aside.
"You two have been partners for what, eight years now?"
"Nine in March." She said automatically. Byers rose an eyebrow.
"Wow. Anyway, I don't know if he's ever done any profiling during your partnership..."
"Once. When Patterson brought him onto a VCS case. The gargoyles."
"Ah, that one. I remember. Do you recall what Mulder's behavior was like during that case?"
"It was erratic. I came to his apartment and found gargoyle pictures covering the wall."
"It's kind of scary, what he can do. I know he wouldn't wish it on his worst enemy. He's gonna need you to be there for him a lot, without his being there for you. It's going to test your patience. But without you, Mulder would probably slip into those monsters' minds and wind up getting himself killed. You're his lifeline, Agent Scully." Byers looked at her seriously.
"I know. I'll take care of him." She smiled reassuringly and started to go back.
"And--Scully?" She stopped. "Mulder's like a brother to me, and I imagine you feel much the same about him. If you need someone while he's in deep... I'm here."
She managed a small smile and moved back to him, touching his arm briefly. "Thank you, John." Then she left in search of the others. Byers sighed before following. She was going to have a rough time of it.
"Bingo!" Langly said triumphantly. "Blacke's girlfriend. Carole Whalen gave birth to a girl on December 20, 1985. Carole died in childbirth. Blacke was nowhere to be found, so his father stepped in and took custody of the girl. Need anything else?"
"Yeah. Is she still alive? Check newspapers, obituaries, hospitals..." Mulder's eyes were beginning to look glazed, and Scully went to stand by his side, putting a hand on his shoulder to bring him back to earth. He looked at her gratefully. A few minutes later, Langly sat back.
"I don't know how you do it, man." He said, bewildered. "Right here. Debra Anne Whalen. Hit by a car right in front of her house in 1990. Apparently she ran out in the middle of the street."
"Blacke's arrest should be around there somewhere, isn't it?" Mulder closed his eyes, and he was almost swaying back and forth. "A few days after the funeral."
"Uh... right again." Langly said. Mulder was ghostly pale.
"That's enough, Mulder." Scully said firmly. "You need some sleep."
"No, Scully..."
"Mulder, 'no' is not an option. Come on." She pushed him to an adjorning room with some couches. Frohike stopped her quickly before she turned around.
"You should go too." He said seriously. All previous flirtations were gone. "Just for like an hour. You don't look so good."
"Gee, thanks." She said drily.
"Keep an eye on him." He replied.
Five minutes later they looked in and saw Scully sitting on the couch with Mulder's head in her lap. Both were sound asleep.
***The girl was staring at him without a glimmer of recognition in her eyes. For some reason, that really hurt. She was standing in a large mall, right across the way from him, holding someone's hand. He couldn't tell whose hand it was, but she gripped it like a lifeline. He began to fight his way through the people, inching his way to the girl. The hand tugged once and she looked away, was led away from him. He wanted to call out to her, but instead doubled his efforts to reach them. Sweat broke out along his brow as the crowd pressed closer and he began to lose sight of the girl. Then suddenly he was loose, and had only to run a few feet to see the face of the man holding her hand...***
"Geez!" Mulder bolted up. "It's the dad! The dad's the key, Scully." He pushed himself off the couch and into the room, with his partner hot on his heels. "Find the dad. Is he alive? And I need a picture."
"Got it." Langly said, pointing to the screen. "We were just checking that out. Dad died of a heart attack in '97. Picture loading... whoa."
Scully stared at the driver's liscence photo of Louis Blacke's father--who could very easily have passed for Walter Skinner's identical twin.
***
12:00 PM
"This is so textbook." Mulder paced up and down in his apartment. "I should have known. He blames his dad for the death of his daughter, so he's getting his revenge on Skinner--not only is there the similiar resemblence, but Skinner was also in charge of the case that put him in prison."
"Debra's birthday would have been this Wednesday." Scully said, looking at him.
"That could even be a deadline. I have to figure out where they are."
"Ok. let's try--what?" She felt his warm gaze upon her and knew immediately what he had meant.
"I'm gonna go again." He said softly.
"Oh, Mulder. Are you sure?"
"I have to."
"It's just--I worry about you. I never know what's going on when you get started. I never know how deep you're going to go... even if you're ever going to come back. Isn't there any other way?"
Mulder got up slowly. "Maybe. I'll think about it; gonna go for a run, clear my head."
Scully nodded. She heard the door shut a few minutes later and looked up.
The glow almost hurt her eyes. Emily was standing there with another girl.
"Who are you?" Scully gasped, hardly aware that her own dead daughter's appearance no longer really shocked her.
"Mom, this is Sarah. Walter Skinner's daughter."
"Skinner's--" She sputtered.
"Yeah." Sarah nodded. "Don't worry, I'm a good spirit. How bad could I be? I helped him pick out his new glasses. Guess you could call me his guardian angel."
"Sort of like me." Emily smiled. "Mom, you have to get to him. Time's running out."
"I don't know where he is." Scully said, hanging her head.
"Hey." Sarah tried to get her attention. "That's what we're here for. You know the Botanic Gardens. There's a section made up predominately of rose bushes. An old tool shed is behind it. That's where they are."
"I--" Scully grabbed for the phone. When she looked up, they were gone. "Mulder, please tell me you took your cell phone... please..."
"Yeah?" He had answered.
"I know where they are."
***
8:00 PM
The agents had decided to wait until it was dark for the raid, unless their surveilance showed Skinner was being harmed. Mulder and Scully grew increasingly anxious until the time came, but Mulder found ways to amuse himself. One of the best ones was incessently asking Scully how she's known where Skinner was. She only bit her lip and promised to tell him later. Finally, everyone was in position. Mulder went first.
"FBI! Freeze! Put it down, now!" Skinner was taped into a chair. Blacke was standing next to him, a gun to his captive's temple.
"I suppose you know he's an assistant director." Mulder said. "Which means you've also know that some of these guys are a little trigger-happy."
"Sir, it is in your best interests to put that gun down." Scully said.
"Well, aren't you two cute." Blacke said sarcastically. "You know I saw you out in the woods that night. You were--"
"Waiting for you. We knew it was you." Mulder said quickly.
"No you didn't."
"And now we know everything. We know about your daughter and about your father. But this man is not your father, Louis. He just looks like him. What do you hope to accomplish?"
"My father let my little girl get killed!" He started to wave his hands around when a gunshot filled the room. Louis Blacke dropped, dead on the floor.
***
December 17, 2000
2:00 AM
Scully shut the door behind them and shrugged off her coat wearily. "The kid that shot him said he thought Blacke was going to shoot Skinner. He was a rookie, I don't know what he was doing there. But I guess it ended all right. Skinner's back, Blacke's taken care of... Scully?"
She turned back to him. "Yeah?"
"You gonna tell me about how you knew about all this?"
She sighed. "I guess--I guess there's no easy way to put it." She looked up at him, trust filtered through her gaze and into his, knowing he wouldn't hold this against her. "I've been seeing Emily."
"What?" He gasped, then automatically reached out to hug her tightly. She spoke against his shoulder as she went on.
"She appeared when you were dead and told me it was going to be ok. Then I saw her earlier today, right after you left. There was another girl with her, said her name was Sarah. Mulder..." she pulled back. "She said Sarah was Skinner's daughter." Mulder stared at her, shocked. "I know. I had no idea. Maybe we can ask him sometime. But they told me where he was. So..."
"So you acted on something your guardian angel told you."
"My guardian angel." She muttered, half laughing. "I suppose so."
"Ah, Scully." He kissed her softly. "I love you, you know that?"
Scully smiled at him and took him by the hand, leading him into the bedroom and falling into bed. Slowly her tone became serious as he joined her. "We were lucky tonight, Mulder. It would have been so easy for Louise to just blurt out what he saw in the woods." She sighed. "I don't know how much more of this we can take."
Mulder closed his eyes and pulled her close. "We'll bide our time, Scully." He said quietly. "We'll bide our time."
End Part VIII
Still MORE NOTES!!! First of all, I know that last part may have seemed a bit fast, and I apologize, but my spring break is almost over and it was my ultimate goal to finish it before I went back to school. And just so you know, I AM going to address the Sarah Skinner thing (Yes, Tea Cup, thinking of you when I chose the name... ;) are we having fun yet?) It just seemed like a good thing to do that might lead into a plot line or two later in the story. Yeah, there's gonna be more. Hop on and enjoy the ride. I'm taking a vacation. All this writing is giving me a headache... Stay tuned for Chapter Nine.
Silver Beauty