So far, Scully dumped Mulder and went to Doggett, taking William
with her. Mulder came to ask why she left him and Scully gave
him many reasons. She also renamed William as "Walter Jonathan,"
to Mulder's dismay. Scully once again rejected Mulder, and
later informed him that she had married Doggett. Mulder decided
to fight for custody of William/Walter.
In this chapter, Mulder comes to a startling conclusion about
Scully and takes action.
***
The day of the custody hearing started badly for Mulder and grew
worse as fact after fact emerged, and witness after witness was
called. By late in the day, matters looked black indeed. Skinner's
upcoming testimony loomed as perhaps the final nail in the coffin of
Mulder's custody chances.
Ms. Jones' lips had taken on a perpetually pursed appearance. During
a brief break in the action she turned the look on her client and
asked, with only a trace of hope in her voice, "Is there any chance
A.D. Skinner's testimony could benefit you in any way?"
Mulder shook his head. "Probably not, considering that Scully named
the baby after him in as blatant a bribe attempt as I've ever seen.
Looks like there's some method to her madness after all. . . Wait a
minute. . . Madness. . ." With the proverbial click, the word fell
into place in the tumblers of Mulder's mind. Surely when she had
ordered him out of her life, Scully's eyes had held a manic gleam.
And what other explanation could reasonably account for her
irrational choice of Doggett over himself? Mulder was amazed this
obvious answer hadn't struck him much sooner. Scully had gone insane.
He found himself studying his erstwhile partner in a whole new
light. Every tilt of her head, every blink of her eyes, took on an
added significance. Soon he felt confident that if ever anyone had
personified insanity, that individual was Scully. He needed to save
her from herself. But he couldn't do it alone. He had to get help
from someone who would believe him and take action. And at this low
point in his life, he could place only one name on that short list: Skinner's.
The pounding of Judge Meyer's gavel roused him, and he came back to
the present to hear her announcement of, "Ten minute recess."
Perfect. Mulder jumped up and went in pursuit of Skinner. He caught
up with his former boss in the outer hallway, and maneuvered him
into a small, deserted conference room. "Sir, you have to listen. I
don't have time to go into a lot of detail, but I know this much:
Scully's gone crazy."
"What? Mulder, are you feeling all right?"
"Just listen." Swiftly, Mulder recapped Scully's recent bizarre
behavior, dating from her rejection of his long-awaited kiss.
Clearly stunned, Skinner removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge
of his nose. "Let me get this straight: You claim Agent Scully left
you because your first romantic kiss in eight years did not include
enough tongue?"
"That's when it all started," Mulder confirmed.
"Why are you telling me this?" Skinner demanded.
"Because Scully has lost it, and I need you to talk to Judge Meyer.
She won't listen to me, but she might to you. You're an assistant
director in the FBI. Your opinion carries some weight."
Desperately, Mulder sought the words that would ensure Skinner's
support. "Scully needs professional help. You have to believe me,
for her sake."
Skinner stared at him with an indecipherable expression. "Right. For
Scully's sake."
Mulder grabbed his hand and pumped it. "Thank you, sir. You're doing
the right thing." He exited the room with a smile on his face for
the first time all day. He had always known Skinner had a soft spot for Scully.
The ten minute break was almost over. With a spring in his step,
Mulder re-entered the courtroom and slipped into his seat beside
Ms. Jones, who looked at him curiously. "Is everything all right, Mr. Mulder?"
"It is now," he replied with the satisfaction of knowing matters
were under control. He watched as Skinner approached the judge's
bench and spoke quietly to her. She glanced at her watch and
replied with a shake of her head. Skinner spoke again, more
emphatically and at greater length. The judge looked across the room
at Mulder, then nodded.
After another whispered exchange with Skinner, Judge Meyer rapped
her gavel for attention. "I know the hour is late, but a matter has
arisen that I feel justifies my consideration. Court is dismissed
for the day, but I must request that Mr. Mulder and Mrs. Doggett
remain in the vicinity while I speak with Mr. Skinner in my
chambers."
Confused murmurs spread throughout the room as Judge Meyer and
Skinner exited. Slowly, the other courtroom occupants filed out,
leaving only Mulder, Scully, Doggett and their attorneys.
"What's going on?" Ms. Jones whispered to Mulder.
"Something good," Mulder informed her. He refused to elaborate,
instead waiting for the judge to come back and shoot Scully down.
But minute after minute trickled by without her return. Finally,
Mulder stretched his cramped legs and told Ms. Jones, "I'm going
outside to get some fresh air. I'll be back in a few minutes."
As he proceeded outdoors, he noticed that Scully and Doggett were
following him. They probably thought he was up to something and
wanted to monitor him. It felt good to have made someone else
feel paranoid for a change. Mulder stood on the courthouse lawn and
took in lungfuls of crisp early evening air. He heard the chirping
of crickets, the hum of traffic, the slamming of a nearby vehicle
door. The atmosphere was a big improvement over the clamor of the
courtroom.
After a few minutes of peace, he turned to go back inside, only to
find a group of white-coated medical attendants facing him. "Talk
about service. I didn't expect to see you so soon." He helpfully
pointed in Scully's direction. "There she is, next to the guy with
the jug ears."
They advanced upon him then, and Mulder's last coherent thought for
a few minutes was that someone, somewhere, had committed a major
tactical error, and he thought that someone was him for having
trusted Skinner. When he next had a chance to assess his situation,
he found himself out of breath and secured on a stretcher, feet tied,
hands bound by his sides. He gave a few half hearted tugs to check
that the bonds were firm, then gave up the idea of any further
struggle. He was caught, all right. And to add insult to injury,
Skinner, Scully, and Doggett stood a few feet away, witnessing the
spectacle. Skinner looked disapproving; Doggett, surprised but
amused; Scully, saddened but relieved. Mulder glared accusingly at
Skinner, who slowly, ponderously shook his head, then turned and
walked away.
"Don't worry, Mulder," Scully called. "I'm sure you'll be fine."
Before Mulder could respond, attendants took up positions at both
ends of the stretcher and started to convey him away. The young man
near his head kept up a patter that was apparently meant to be
reassuring, but came off as much more irritating. "We have a nice
little padded room all prepared for you. I'm sure you remember what
those are like? Everything's going to be all right. We'll take
wonderful care of you. You're going to take a nice, long vacation
in a very restful place."
"I'm not crazy. Really. I'm not," Mulder protested. "If you'd just
listen to me for a minute. . ." He trailed off. His efforts were in
vain; the well-trained attendants expected him to proclaim his
sanity and wouldn't listen to a word he said. But Scully. . . Scully
could still save him. She had never before failed him before in a
time of utmost crisis. He would throw himself on her mercy and hope
her dormant sense of impeccable logic would miraculously kick back into play.
With a monumental effort, Mulder lifted his head and twisted his
neck so he could look back in the direction from which he had been
carried. For a moment, the array of colors cast by the setting sun
nearly blinded him. After his eyes adjusted, he sought Scully. Yes,
he saw her. But unfortunately, Scully didn't see him. For against a
backdrop of auburn, burnished orange, bright yellow, vivid pink,
and delicate peach she stood facing Doggett, holding his hands,
oblivious to the world around her as she gazed into his eyes.
With a groan, Mulder let his head flop back upon the stretcher. It
was ironic, he decided, that the world thought *he* was the nut.
***
finis
OK, that's it. Please review. If you loved it, thanks. If you
hated it, tell me why.
with her. Mulder came to ask why she left him and Scully gave
him many reasons. She also renamed William as "Walter Jonathan,"
to Mulder's dismay. Scully once again rejected Mulder, and
later informed him that she had married Doggett. Mulder decided
to fight for custody of William/Walter.
In this chapter, Mulder comes to a startling conclusion about
Scully and takes action.
***
The day of the custody hearing started badly for Mulder and grew
worse as fact after fact emerged, and witness after witness was
called. By late in the day, matters looked black indeed. Skinner's
upcoming testimony loomed as perhaps the final nail in the coffin of
Mulder's custody chances.
Ms. Jones' lips had taken on a perpetually pursed appearance. During
a brief break in the action she turned the look on her client and
asked, with only a trace of hope in her voice, "Is there any chance
A.D. Skinner's testimony could benefit you in any way?"
Mulder shook his head. "Probably not, considering that Scully named
the baby after him in as blatant a bribe attempt as I've ever seen.
Looks like there's some method to her madness after all. . . Wait a
minute. . . Madness. . ." With the proverbial click, the word fell
into place in the tumblers of Mulder's mind. Surely when she had
ordered him out of her life, Scully's eyes had held a manic gleam.
And what other explanation could reasonably account for her
irrational choice of Doggett over himself? Mulder was amazed this
obvious answer hadn't struck him much sooner. Scully had gone insane.
He found himself studying his erstwhile partner in a whole new
light. Every tilt of her head, every blink of her eyes, took on an
added significance. Soon he felt confident that if ever anyone had
personified insanity, that individual was Scully. He needed to save
her from herself. But he couldn't do it alone. He had to get help
from someone who would believe him and take action. And at this low
point in his life, he could place only one name on that short list: Skinner's.
The pounding of Judge Meyer's gavel roused him, and he came back to
the present to hear her announcement of, "Ten minute recess."
Perfect. Mulder jumped up and went in pursuit of Skinner. He caught
up with his former boss in the outer hallway, and maneuvered him
into a small, deserted conference room. "Sir, you have to listen. I
don't have time to go into a lot of detail, but I know this much:
Scully's gone crazy."
"What? Mulder, are you feeling all right?"
"Just listen." Swiftly, Mulder recapped Scully's recent bizarre
behavior, dating from her rejection of his long-awaited kiss.
Clearly stunned, Skinner removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge
of his nose. "Let me get this straight: You claim Agent Scully left
you because your first romantic kiss in eight years did not include
enough tongue?"
"That's when it all started," Mulder confirmed.
"Why are you telling me this?" Skinner demanded.
"Because Scully has lost it, and I need you to talk to Judge Meyer.
She won't listen to me, but she might to you. You're an assistant
director in the FBI. Your opinion carries some weight."
Desperately, Mulder sought the words that would ensure Skinner's
support. "Scully needs professional help. You have to believe me,
for her sake."
Skinner stared at him with an indecipherable expression. "Right. For
Scully's sake."
Mulder grabbed his hand and pumped it. "Thank you, sir. You're doing
the right thing." He exited the room with a smile on his face for
the first time all day. He had always known Skinner had a soft spot for Scully.
The ten minute break was almost over. With a spring in his step,
Mulder re-entered the courtroom and slipped into his seat beside
Ms. Jones, who looked at him curiously. "Is everything all right, Mr. Mulder?"
"It is now," he replied with the satisfaction of knowing matters
were under control. He watched as Skinner approached the judge's
bench and spoke quietly to her. She glanced at her watch and
replied with a shake of her head. Skinner spoke again, more
emphatically and at greater length. The judge looked across the room
at Mulder, then nodded.
After another whispered exchange with Skinner, Judge Meyer rapped
her gavel for attention. "I know the hour is late, but a matter has
arisen that I feel justifies my consideration. Court is dismissed
for the day, but I must request that Mr. Mulder and Mrs. Doggett
remain in the vicinity while I speak with Mr. Skinner in my
chambers."
Confused murmurs spread throughout the room as Judge Meyer and
Skinner exited. Slowly, the other courtroom occupants filed out,
leaving only Mulder, Scully, Doggett and their attorneys.
"What's going on?" Ms. Jones whispered to Mulder.
"Something good," Mulder informed her. He refused to elaborate,
instead waiting for the judge to come back and shoot Scully down.
But minute after minute trickled by without her return. Finally,
Mulder stretched his cramped legs and told Ms. Jones, "I'm going
outside to get some fresh air. I'll be back in a few minutes."
As he proceeded outdoors, he noticed that Scully and Doggett were
following him. They probably thought he was up to something and
wanted to monitor him. It felt good to have made someone else
feel paranoid for a change. Mulder stood on the courthouse lawn and
took in lungfuls of crisp early evening air. He heard the chirping
of crickets, the hum of traffic, the slamming of a nearby vehicle
door. The atmosphere was a big improvement over the clamor of the
courtroom.
After a few minutes of peace, he turned to go back inside, only to
find a group of white-coated medical attendants facing him. "Talk
about service. I didn't expect to see you so soon." He helpfully
pointed in Scully's direction. "There she is, next to the guy with
the jug ears."
They advanced upon him then, and Mulder's last coherent thought for
a few minutes was that someone, somewhere, had committed a major
tactical error, and he thought that someone was him for having
trusted Skinner. When he next had a chance to assess his situation,
he found himself out of breath and secured on a stretcher, feet tied,
hands bound by his sides. He gave a few half hearted tugs to check
that the bonds were firm, then gave up the idea of any further
struggle. He was caught, all right. And to add insult to injury,
Skinner, Scully, and Doggett stood a few feet away, witnessing the
spectacle. Skinner looked disapproving; Doggett, surprised but
amused; Scully, saddened but relieved. Mulder glared accusingly at
Skinner, who slowly, ponderously shook his head, then turned and
walked away.
"Don't worry, Mulder," Scully called. "I'm sure you'll be fine."
Before Mulder could respond, attendants took up positions at both
ends of the stretcher and started to convey him away. The young man
near his head kept up a patter that was apparently meant to be
reassuring, but came off as much more irritating. "We have a nice
little padded room all prepared for you. I'm sure you remember what
those are like? Everything's going to be all right. We'll take
wonderful care of you. You're going to take a nice, long vacation
in a very restful place."
"I'm not crazy. Really. I'm not," Mulder protested. "If you'd just
listen to me for a minute. . ." He trailed off. His efforts were in
vain; the well-trained attendants expected him to proclaim his
sanity and wouldn't listen to a word he said. But Scully. . . Scully
could still save him. She had never before failed him before in a
time of utmost crisis. He would throw himself on her mercy and hope
her dormant sense of impeccable logic would miraculously kick back into play.
With a monumental effort, Mulder lifted his head and twisted his
neck so he could look back in the direction from which he had been
carried. For a moment, the array of colors cast by the setting sun
nearly blinded him. After his eyes adjusted, he sought Scully. Yes,
he saw her. But unfortunately, Scully didn't see him. For against a
backdrop of auburn, burnished orange, bright yellow, vivid pink,
and delicate peach she stood facing Doggett, holding his hands,
oblivious to the world around her as she gazed into his eyes.
With a groan, Mulder let his head flop back upon the stretcher. It
was ironic, he decided, that the world thought *he* was the nut.
***
finis
OK, that's it. Please review. If you loved it, thanks. If you
hated it, tell me why.
