Mulder watched her leave through the corner of his eye and waited for the door to close before leaning back into his chair. He put his elbows on the armrests and twirled the 2H pencil in front of his face letting the smile that had been threatening to spread across his features finally claim his lips. The meeting replayed in his head and he shook his head at how deliberately obstinate he'd been. Trying to confuse her with snippets of information, putting the molecular structure on the screen and asking if she could identify it.
He could almost see the hairs on her neck and arms bristle at his challenge and he admired the determined look in her eyes as she quickly scanned the diagram. Her reaction to the taunting question about extra terrestrials was everything he expected from her, but the retort that quickly followed both surprised and delighted him. The idea that she could be more than a simple spy, sent to check up on him like an overgrown babysitter, flashed through his mind and he quickly dismissed it before it could take root.
The day passed by quickly and he found his mind wandering to and from the meting more times than he cared to count. The image of the last secret smile that played on her lips stuck with him and he couldn't help but return it. She seemed to be more than a drone that was here to take disparaging notes and comment on his procedures and beliefs.
Mulder gathered up the casework and took it home. He soon found himself sitting on the couch with the files spread out around him. The night before he flew off on a case was usually spent scouring the Internet for relevant information and similar cases or contacting Frohike to make sure he fed his fish, but tonight with the papers on the table in front of him he couldn't help but shake the nagging feeling that something was about to happen.
His memory played with her image. Her smile, her bright inquiring eyes, he small curved mouth as she tried to hide the smile that was tugging on her lips. Mulder quickly sat up as if the sudden movement would get rid of the thoughts and put the files away before wandering into the kitchen. He put the cereal bowl into the sink and reached for a beer from the fridge. Sitting back on the couch he watched his hand as it reached for the phone and dialled her number. He almost couldn't believe it when he place the set against his ear and waited for her to pick up. It rang five times and just as he thought it would go to the answering machine she picked up breathlessly followed by a clatter of noise behind her as something dropped.
"Hello?"
"Agent Scully?"
"Yes," she replied recognising the voice immediately.
"It's Mulder. I just wanted to give you an exact time for the flight tomorrow."
"Okay, go ahead," she said and he could hear her rummaging for a pen and paper.
"Flight number FR332, departing at 8.15am," he said.
"That's fine."
"Will you need a lift to the airport? I could pick you up if you want."
"No, that's okay. I have to go to the academy in the morning anyway. I'll meet you at the desk."
"See you tomorrow Scully."
He quickly hung up and put the phone down onto the couch next to him. Ideas and notions swirled around his head and he struggled to get rid of them. The sound of her breathless voice on the phone wasn't one he expected but then he hadn't expected to call her at all.
"She wont be here for long," he said to the empty room as he lay down on the couch but looking up to the ceiling he saw her again. Closing his eyes she was still there but this time her kept her image and let it float around his mind. She seemed so intelligent and enjoyed the challenges he threw at her. Even in their brief meeting he could tell she would work well and be an excellent investigator but just not the type of person he wanted arguing with every move he made and making notes of any mistakes. He couldn't tell her his theories. He'd wait and see how she would explain it herself, and then she might understand the type of case he usually took.
"Let's see how your science works out in Oregon Scully," he muttered again as he turned towards the TV and let the late night shows lull him to sleep.
***
Scully stepped out of the basement office and took the elevator up to the ground floor where she walked through the throng in the FBI lobby. It was a short drive to the academy not nearly enough time to think about their brief meeting and her mind swirled with parts of the conversation and the taunting tone in his voice. She walked towards her office in a daze her mind elsewhere and she didn't see Shane standing outside her door until she was almost upon it.
"Shane, what are you doing here?"
"Lovely to see you too Dana!"
"No I mean…I didn't expect to see you," she said as she walked in and he quickly followed.
"I wanted to surprise you and take you out for lunch."
"That sounds…lovely…but I cant," she said not meeting his eyes and shuffling through her desk for her belongings.
"How did your meeting go?" Shane asked ignoring her refusal.
"It went really well. I got the transfer."
"That's great news," Shane said obviously delighted and he bent over the table for a chaste kiss on her cheek. "When do you start?"
"I already have. I'm flying out to Oregon tomorrow morning."
"Oh, for how long?"
"I'm not sure, a couple of days at least. We should be back by the weekend."
"We? You met your partner then?"
"Eh…yes. Special Agent Fox Mulder."
"Fox Mulder? Strange name."
"Shane don't start," she said angrily. "Don't try to belittle what I'm doing by attacking it."
"No Dana…I'm sorry."
"Listen Shane I don't have time for lunch, I have too much stuff to do before I leave tomorrow."
"I understand, I'll call you later."
She watched him walk out of her office before she fell back onto her chair. A deep sigh escaped passed her lips as she gave her new status a chance to sink in. But there was no time for indulgences so she gathered as much of her stuff as she could while making frantic calls to get cover for her lectures. It was nearly seven when she found herself curled up on her sister's couch, holding the Chinese takeout carton up to her chin as she used the chopsticks to eat the rice.
"Couldn't we just use forks?" Dana argued with Melissa who sat at the other end using her chopsticks with ease.
"No. We cant," Melissa replied, laughing at the sight of her usually composed sister struggling to eat. "So what was he really like?"
"Hmmm?"
"Fox Mulder?"
"He-," Dana Began.
"Dana, I know he studied at Oxford, I know he worked in Violent Crimes, I know he has a psychology degree…but what was he really like?"
"He was fine."
"Dana, come on," Melissa slapped her sister's shoulder making her drop her rice. "If he mugged you what kind of description would you give to the police?"
"Tall maybe six foot two, green eyes, wide jaw, slight stubble, big hands with slender fingers…he had a small freckle just there," she added pointing to the bottom of her right cheek.
"Wide jaw? Slender fingers? I don't think the police could do much with that information," Melissa teased.
"I was only saying to Shane that I didn't want to be treated differently for being a woman, or for the way I look."
"You're not treating him differently," Melissa said exasperatedly. "I'm sure you'll show him the same respect you show everyone."
"What does that mean?"
"It means you'll put up this professional front and deny any interest you have in him."
"But I don't-," Dana argued but Melissa carried on regardless.
"And you'll carry on through life with great advancements in your career but ultimately alone."
"Melissa-," she said trying again, but still her sister continued.
"Alone, unless you let go."
"Let go of what?"
"This insane idea that you probably picked up from Bill that emotions are a weakness and any sign of them are a sign of frailty."
"All this from my description of Agent Mulder?" Dana said trying to defuse the situation.
"No, I've known you all my life Dana."
Dana looked away towards the fire that Melissa had insisted on lighting despite the warm breeze out side. An image of Mulder popped into her head and he was leaning back against his desk. His shirtsleeves were folded up to his elbows and the navy tie he wore hung just past his belt emphasising his slim healthy figure and long legs. His arms were crossed against his chest and he wore a hint of a smile on his lips and a challenging look in his eyes as if he were daring her to prove him wrong.
Dana didn't stop the smile that curved her lips obviously and she looked away in case her sister caught it but Melissa had already seen it. She didn't miss the moment of introspection that waved across her sister's face and a faint blush that followed it. She was sure there was more to this Agent Mulder than her sister was telling.
"Dana?"
"Yeah?"
"What was he really like?" she asked before their eyes met and they both broke into laughter.
Later as Dana drove home she found her mind wandering again and the unfamiliar bubbling sensation of excitement churned through her body as she let herself in and began to pack. She was lying half under the bed pulling out the overnight bag when the phone rang. As she ran to catch it she lunged for the table sure that the person would hang up before she could reach it, she pulled the handset up to her ear knocking over the lamp in the process.
"Hello?" she said cautiously as she looked down to the carpet where the lamp had fallen, taking the small dish of loose change with it.
"Agent Scully?"
"Yes," she replied recognising the voice immediately.
"It's Mulder. I just wanted to give you an exact time for the flight tomorrow."
"Okay, go ahead," she said as she rummaged through the mess for a pen and a piece of paper.
"Flight number FR332, departing at 8.15am," he said.
"That's fine," she said pulling the Chinese menu from the holder and writing across the back of it.
"Will you need a lift to the airport? I could pick you up if you want."
"No, that's okay. I have to go to the academy in the morning anyway. I'll meet you at the desk."
"See you tomorrow Scully."
He hung up before she had a chance to say goodbye but she just put the phone down and bent to pick up the lamp and spilled coins. Glancing at the clock she saw that it was nearing midnight and she wondered briefly what made him call so late. She checked the answering machine and noticed she hadn't missed any calls so this was the first time he called her. Shrugging she wandered back to the bedroom and continued packing.
This assignment was going to be unusual to say the least, she thought. But it will definitely be interesting.
** I just wanted to say about the medically trained doctor…I meant that as opposed to being a surgical, orthopaedic or orthodontist…but I admit it does sound kinda weird though!!! **
