-Title: Another One
-Author: Stonewar
-Email: stonewar@alltel.net
-Rating: PG
-Category: S X
-Disclaimer: X-Files characters belong to FOX and 1013. .
-Spoilers: One Breath, US Season 6
-Summary: Someone else shows up in a hospital under similar circumstances
as Agent Scully. Who is she? and Can they investigate now that they don't
have the X-files

FBI HQ
January 20, 1999

It was far from peaceful in the bullpen. In fact it was cacophonous
with noise of ringing phones, chattering voices and clacking
keyboards. Special Agent Fox Mulder glanced over his shoulder at his
partner sitting at the desk behind him, just in time to witness her
tossing back a handful of ibuprofen. She was likely wishing for the
good old days in their dirty little office. Despite its many faults
like the lack of a second desk and the occasional mysterious smell, at
least she could work in peace and quiet. Mulder gave a nostalgic sigh
for the old office and a time when he didn't' have to twist and turn
in strange contortions in an attempt to seem nonchalant while
accumulating his recommended daily dose of Scully gazing..

He glanced at his monitor and noticed that the email icon was
flashing. " Probably another inter-office memo reminding us that
holiday window clings and toys on the desk do not uphold the dignity
that the facility managers wish to project in a Federal building," He
though while muttering curses toward the cubicle gestapo. He clicked
the icon anyway just to delay going back to paperwork hell.

DATE 01/20/1999 10:47AM
TO: MulderF@FBI.GOV
FROM: CarlisleKD@GUMC.EDU
RE: ER Admittance Unknown

Sorry, guy. I really hate writing subject lines.

Anyway just dropping you a line to let you know another weird
admittance showed up this morning around 6 am. Female 20's usual symptoms.

KDC

****
PAY DIRT!

Mulder quickly deleted the email and grabbed his coat.

"Mulder!" Scully called noticing his flurry of activity as he started
down the aisle toward the elevators.

"I have to go."

"Where do you *have* to go?"

That stopped his progress " Remember your New Years Revolution.,
Spooky." He turned back and sat back down in his chair facing her desk
and compiled what to say while she leaned back and considered him with
suspicious raised eyebrow.

"I got an email." He began and she reciprocated with a 'please continue'
gesture. "I sent out inquiries a while back to hospitals asking to be
informed when patients are admitted under strange circumstances."

"Like abandoned in the ER in an unexplained coma."

"Exactly."

"How many responses have you gotten?"

"This is the third."

Scully cleared her throat and composed herself before continuing.
"We'll ignore for the moment that I'm only now hearing about this
because you are keeping things from me again...What happened with the
other two."

Mulder noted the look she was giving him across the desk. Restrained
anger kept in check because she was genuinely interested.

"First one came in while we were out of town. Once we returned and
check my mail ....It was too late. She never came out of her coma"

"Autopsy?"

"Clerical Error," her responded with at sneer. "she was cremated
immediately."

"Of course," she agreed with a similar expression. "And the second."

"No connection. A serial killer had an attack of conscience and
decided it was time to be captured and dropped a broad hint for VCS at
Arlington General. The third...all I know is she's in her 20's and
showed up at Georgetown University Medical Center at 6 a.m." he
explained and stood up.

"Mulder, take off you coat. I assume you deleted the email already?
Please retrieve it from your trash file and compose a introduction
explaining what you just explained to me citing file numbers, etc."

He removed his coat and sat back at his desk and started to do as she
asked albeit reluctantly while she dug her address book out of her
purse.

"You can forward it to Fowley and Spender after lunch and make sure
you CC both Skinner and Kersh." His heart sank a little bit more as
she finished her instructions.

"Hey Mulder," called as she picked up the receiver and started to
dial. "Its almost eleven, let me take you out to an early lunch. My
treat. I hear GUMC has a great cafeteria.......ER please, Dr Javali."

"I knew there was a reason I loved this woman," He thought.

Part Two

"Are you aware how thin the ice you're walking on is? Your current
attitude of 'You may has well give me back the X-files because I'm going to investigate them
anyway' is only hurting you...and us." Scully chastised over the echoing clicks of their heels
in the Hoover building parking garage.

Mulder sighed. "I know. I can't help myself sometimes." He pulled out
his keys and unlocked the door for her.

"Believe me, Mulder. I know," She said and got in the passenger's
side. "That's why I'm coming along. We'll do the initial inquiry and once its clear it an X-file,
we'll turn it over. That should be enough to satisfy your curiosity and show the others you can
exercise restraint."

"May I?" He asked with a smirk.

"Not now, Mulder," She said sharply while she read the fax she
received from her friend at the med center .

"Ok, no banter, all business," He thought and quickly changed
channels. "What did Dr .Javali fax over?" He asked.

"Just the initial blood work results....oh and she's awake." She
commented distractedly all of her attention focused on the fax.

"Already? She was only admitted this morning."

"Felix seems to think that the coma was induced but there is no trace
of those drugs in her system."

"It may be a drug they haven't seen before. So, no branched DNA, This
may not be an X-file after all." He murmured as he pulled on to the Beltway.

"She has an implant in the back of her neck. I asked him to check when
I requested additional tests. He'd noticed it during the admittance exam."
Scully closed her eyes, leaned her head back against the
seat back. and lightly fingered the cross at her throat. She breathed
a heavy sigh.

Mulder's eyes grazed over face wishing he could spare her the pain of
her memories or the pain certainly caused by the lack of them.
He gently pulled the fax from her lap and scanned over it himself while
pulled off at their exit.

"Athena Braun," He read aloud.

"Sounds like one of your video women," She remarked glancing over with
a playful look.

"Scully, shame on you. Judging someone based on their name. Just look
at Star Jones."

"Or Fox Mulder. So, you've been watching 'The View' on your coffee
breaks, eh, Mulder." She teased.

He glared at her. "Of course not, she was a legal correspondent during
the Simpson trial."

"Mm-hmm," She smiled closing her eyes again not believing him.

"They did a rape kit." He pointed out on the form before handing back
the fax while he pulled into the parking area.

"They found some recent trauma."

"Good luck finding trace evidence." He said with a derisive snort.

"Speculums and latex gloves rarely leave any," She pointed out as they
pulled into a parking spot.

They collected their things and stepped out of the vehicle.

"Mulder," Scully said trying to grab his attention as he walked toward
the entrance of the hospital. When he turned she continued talking.
"I think this is the case that will get them back for us."

"Or at the very least away from them." He said finishing her thought.
"Of course, I think that every time. Why do you think that this one is different?"

"Well, this is a classic X-file. You can reference previous incidents.
and its a clear cut federal offense - Kidnapping and doubly so if they
crossed state lines which is so easy to do in this area."

He closed the distance between them finishing Scully's thought "It also involves
the Syndicate. So once its in Spender's hands he likely to bury it."

"And that's negligence pure and simple. If he doesn't think its an
X-file he should route to another
division or at the very least put it in the hands of the local
authorities. This is what I had in the back
of my head when I had you type up that attachment. *We* are going
through proper channels and
when *He* doesn't follow though---"

"We've given him enough rope to hang himself with."

"Aren't you glad I came along?"

"I'm always glad when you come" He said giving her shoulder a little
squeeze. "I assume you have a plan
for how we are going to know how he handles this case or *doesn't*
handle it. Unlike some people I can mention we don't have spies."

"Just turn on that Mulder-charm and Ms. Braun will keep you posted.
You won't have to lift a finger."

"You think I'm charming, Scully?"

She turned to him and flashed a smile full of sweetness and light and
said "I think you are a insufferable, arrogant, self-centered son of a
bitch, but some women find you charming." she gave him a
condescending pat on the cheek then walked past
him through the hospital's main entrance.

end part two.


PART THREE

Fox Mulder hovered at the door of room 831 to
observe its occupant without letting her know she was
being watched. He also debated whether to wait for
Scully to finish speaking with her friend Dr. Felix Javali
so Ms Braun would not need to repeat the answers to
their questions.

She was sitting up in the bed while a nurse checked her temperature
and pulse. Her dark brown hair hang rather stiffly around her
shoulders like it hadn't been washed in a while, but it still flipped
up at the ends. Her complexion was the startling ivory that only dark
haired women have.

"Special Agent Peeping Tom, I presume. Come on in. I'm not so modest
that exposed arms embarrass me." the patient called with a smirk, mischief dancing in
her moss green eyes while the nurse wrapped the blood pressure cuff around her arm.

"You were told we were coming." He stated stepping the rest of the way
into the room.

"We? I only see one of you ," She countered.

"My partner is speaking with your doctor at the moment."

She nodded her acceptance of that statement. "You seem familiar to me.
Have we met before?"

"Not that I recall, sorry."

"Its ok. So go ahead ask your questions."

"If you insist," he allowed, amused that she had taken over the
interview for a moment and had
returned the control or rather bestowed it upon him like it was gift.
"What was the last day you remember?" He asked as he pulled up a
chair next to the bed and sat down.

"Umm...the 10th all day," she murmured searching her memory," the 11th
is a complete blank, and just bits and pieces of the 12th. So December 12th, I guess."

Six weeks. Sadness crept into his eyes. Ms. Braun picked up on it
immediately, her expression also became more serious.

"I've been gone for a while, haven't I?" She demanded timidly. "You're
trying to figure out how to tell me without traumatizing more than I already am. Right?"

"You are very perceptive, Ms. Braun." He said with a sigh.

"Just tell me the date, OK." she asked bracing herself mentally and
physically by gripping the bedding.

"January 20th."

"Shit!"

That was not quite the reaction he had expected. Especially when the
expletive conveyed Annoyance more that dismay.

"I've missed the beginning of Spring term." She muttered, rubbing the
bridge of her nose as if warding off a headache.

"Do you teach?"

"I'm pursuing a Ph.D. in Anthropology at Yale." She answered leaning
back against her pillows.

"You were in New Haven on the 12th, then?" *Connecticut to Maryland
this looks promising* he thought.

"No, my mother called me home early. She'd been ill. I was at her home
in Langley." She answered distractedly while the nurse prepared to take
some more blood. She snapped her fingers. "Fox Mulder."

"What?" Mulder responded. Then he realized he hadn't introduced
himself when he arrived.
"Then we *have* met?"

"No, but I saw a picture of you once." She began, speaking very
quickly like she were an adolescent rather than a woman in her twenties.
"Mid-80's you were younger, of course your hair was longer and
you were wearing a mortar board and robe over a hawiian shirt
so I assume it was taken while you were in England."

Mulder scooted his chair closer to the bed. "Where did you see that
picture, Ms. Braun?" He demanded. There was only one picture that he was
aware of where he was posed like that.

"Stealing money from Dad's wallet during my misspent youth." she
answered sheepishly.

Mulder had no response for that statement. He re-evaluated the woman's
features in a new light. her nose was somewhat prominent and had obviously
been broken once during her 'misspent youth.' On
second observation her eyes were actually hazel with a star burst of
brown creeping around the moss green iris.

She smiled a crooked grin, revealing a slight overbite, "Please call
me Theen."

Mulder stood abruptly "Will you excuse me?" he asked. He escaped the
room quickly and practically ran over Scully in the hall.

"Mulder, wait!" His Partner called after him as he continued down the
hall. Swiftly he turned on his heel and returned to her side.

"Scully, can you finish questioning, Ms. Braun, please?" He requested
digging a business card out of his jacket pocket and handed it to her. "I'll wait for you
downstairs."

"What about that Mulder-charm," She smiled weakly taking note of the
obvious distress on his face.

"She has a fair amount of that on her own." he muttered as he turned
away to press the elevator call button.

End of Part three