So far: This story is a parody. Scully dumped Mulder and went to
Doggett, bringing William with her. Mulder found Scully at
Doggett's house and she explained some of her reasons for leaving
him. As this chapter begins, Mulder is trying to convince Scully that
her opinion of him is wrong.
***
Again, Mulder attempted to gather his thoughts for a rebuttal, but
he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that Scully was watching the
NASCAR race over his shoulder. Luckily, when he checked he saw that
her eyes were fixed firmly on his face. "My quest is over," he said
in his most sincere tone. "I know Samantha's dead. I'm ready to
settle down, really."
Scully arched an eyebrow. "What if you suddenly decide she's still
alive? How do I know that won't happen? That you won't go pursuing
leads in Atlantis or Timbuktu and abandon us?"
Mulder huffed in frustration. "Scully, we've been together nearly
eight years. We've learned to trust each other. This Doggett is
practically a stranger."
"Not after the way he backed me up during our cases. And another
thing, you don't see *him* leaving me hanging for most of a decade.
He knows what he wants and he goes out and gets it instead of
waiting for it to fall into his lap whenever he thinks the time is
right. There's a lot to be said for that attitude. Maybe you ought
to try it sometime, when you grow up. *If* you grow up." On a roll,
Scully plowed on, "Mulder, you're nearly 40 years old. You've never
been married. It took me eight long years to pry one lousy kiss out
of you unless you want to count that New Year's peck, which I don't.
You're obsessed with your work. You're forever getting into
disastrous situations. You are a walking recipe for dysfunction."
Mulder's head, which had drooped lower and lower as Scully
expounded, flew up when he remembered one important detail. "But I
went all the way to Antarctica to save you. Doesn't that count for
anything?"
Scully smiled slightly. "Yes, it does, but that was years ago. What
have you done for me lately? Except, of course, get yourself
abducted and leave me to spend stressful months searching for you,
only to find you dead, and then come back just when I had accepted
the fact you were gone. None of that was easy on me, you know."
Mulder winced. "So it's out with the old, in with the new, as easy
as that?" He could hardly believe Scully was hurting him so badly.
They remained mutely staring at each other until heavy footsteps
marked Doggett's arrival. "Dana? What's goin' on?" He crossed to her
chair and seated himself on the arm, placing his hand on Scully's
shoulder in a possessive gesture. "Mulduh. What brings *you* by?"
"I came to see Scully and my son," Mulder stated defiantly.
"Speaking of William, where is he?"
Doggett opened his mouth, but Scully immediately shushed him.
"John, don't tell him yet. Wait until I come back. Mulder, I'm
going to get the baby." She stood and hurried out of the room.
Doggett shifted onto the chair cushion and locked gazes with
Mulder. "Well," he said.
"Well," Mulder said back. They sat in silence for several seconds.
Then Mulder thought, 'This is stupid. I should be reminding Doggett
of the truth instead of wasting precious time staring at his ugly
mug.' He cleared his throat. "You may think you have Scully, but
once she comes to her senses she'll leave you so fast your head will
spin. In fact, doesn't it bother you even a little bit to know that
just the other day she was swapping spit with me?"
"I think she deserves a tonna credit for kissin' a dead man in the
first place. Besides," Doggett smirked, "the way I hear it, there
wasn't much swappin' of anythin' goin' on. Not even tongue."
Mulder did his best not to let his shock reflect on his face. Scully
had kissed and told? The situation was more dire than he had feared.
He could only glare helplessly at Doggett until Scully returned,
toting William with her. Mulder smiled and reached for his son. "How
are you, William? Did you miss your daddy?"
Scully stepped out of range and went to stand by Doggett's side.
"Remember what I was saying about the baby's name? I have some
news for you, Mulder. . ."
***
Notes
In the next chapter Mulder will get more bad news from Scully. Poor
Mulder, I'm putting him through the wringer. :)
Doggett, bringing William with her. Mulder found Scully at
Doggett's house and she explained some of her reasons for leaving
him. As this chapter begins, Mulder is trying to convince Scully that
her opinion of him is wrong.
***
Again, Mulder attempted to gather his thoughts for a rebuttal, but
he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that Scully was watching the
NASCAR race over his shoulder. Luckily, when he checked he saw that
her eyes were fixed firmly on his face. "My quest is over," he said
in his most sincere tone. "I know Samantha's dead. I'm ready to
settle down, really."
Scully arched an eyebrow. "What if you suddenly decide she's still
alive? How do I know that won't happen? That you won't go pursuing
leads in Atlantis or Timbuktu and abandon us?"
Mulder huffed in frustration. "Scully, we've been together nearly
eight years. We've learned to trust each other. This Doggett is
practically a stranger."
"Not after the way he backed me up during our cases. And another
thing, you don't see *him* leaving me hanging for most of a decade.
He knows what he wants and he goes out and gets it instead of
waiting for it to fall into his lap whenever he thinks the time is
right. There's a lot to be said for that attitude. Maybe you ought
to try it sometime, when you grow up. *If* you grow up." On a roll,
Scully plowed on, "Mulder, you're nearly 40 years old. You've never
been married. It took me eight long years to pry one lousy kiss out
of you unless you want to count that New Year's peck, which I don't.
You're obsessed with your work. You're forever getting into
disastrous situations. You are a walking recipe for dysfunction."
Mulder's head, which had drooped lower and lower as Scully
expounded, flew up when he remembered one important detail. "But I
went all the way to Antarctica to save you. Doesn't that count for
anything?"
Scully smiled slightly. "Yes, it does, but that was years ago. What
have you done for me lately? Except, of course, get yourself
abducted and leave me to spend stressful months searching for you,
only to find you dead, and then come back just when I had accepted
the fact you were gone. None of that was easy on me, you know."
Mulder winced. "So it's out with the old, in with the new, as easy
as that?" He could hardly believe Scully was hurting him so badly.
They remained mutely staring at each other until heavy footsteps
marked Doggett's arrival. "Dana? What's goin' on?" He crossed to her
chair and seated himself on the arm, placing his hand on Scully's
shoulder in a possessive gesture. "Mulduh. What brings *you* by?"
"I came to see Scully and my son," Mulder stated defiantly.
"Speaking of William, where is he?"
Doggett opened his mouth, but Scully immediately shushed him.
"John, don't tell him yet. Wait until I come back. Mulder, I'm
going to get the baby." She stood and hurried out of the room.
Doggett shifted onto the chair cushion and locked gazes with
Mulder. "Well," he said.
"Well," Mulder said back. They sat in silence for several seconds.
Then Mulder thought, 'This is stupid. I should be reminding Doggett
of the truth instead of wasting precious time staring at his ugly
mug.' He cleared his throat. "You may think you have Scully, but
once she comes to her senses she'll leave you so fast your head will
spin. In fact, doesn't it bother you even a little bit to know that
just the other day she was swapping spit with me?"
"I think she deserves a tonna credit for kissin' a dead man in the
first place. Besides," Doggett smirked, "the way I hear it, there
wasn't much swappin' of anythin' goin' on. Not even tongue."
Mulder did his best not to let his shock reflect on his face. Scully
had kissed and told? The situation was more dire than he had feared.
He could only glare helplessly at Doggett until Scully returned,
toting William with her. Mulder smiled and reached for his son. "How
are you, William? Did you miss your daddy?"
Scully stepped out of range and went to stand by Doggett's side.
"Remember what I was saying about the baby's name? I have some
news for you, Mulder. . ."
***
Notes
In the next chapter Mulder will get more bad news from Scully. Poor
Mulder, I'm putting him through the wringer. :)
