Chapter 7

"John?" Mollie cried and stood up as the new guest opened his arms and pulled her into a big hug.

"What are you doing here? I didn't know you were coming." Mollie whispered into his chest, where her face was buried fighting back the tears forming from his arrival. It was a blessing to have good friends, especially ones like John, who knew her in and out and still cared about her.

"I know. I couldn't not come though. I know you need friends now. Plus school just isn't the same without you, especially Anatomy." He grinned into her hair. He knew that was her favorite class. For as long as he'd known her, she'd always been interested in science and how the human body works.

"How are you holding up?" He asked as he smoothed her hair away from her face.

She looked up at him.

"I'm fine." She whispered and nodded. She could tell he didn't believe her so she kept on. "Really, I'll be okay."

"Uh, Mollie?" Leila asked disturbing the two.

"Yea?" Mollie asked, disengaging herself from Johns embrace and turning to face Leila.

"Who is that?" Leila pointed to a woman who was looking around the church, as if searching for something or someone.

"What is she doing here?" Mollie wondered out loud and walked past Leila. "Agent Scully?" Mollie raised her voice slightly to alert the new comer.

'Ah so that's who she is, the elusive Agent Scully.' Leila thought.

"We'll be right here, Mollie." John called out as Mollie walked over to Agent Scully, obviously not hearing him.

"You've got it bad, John." Leila shook her head and sat down again. Would he ever tell Mollie about his feelings...

He shrugged and sat down next to her.

"She doesn't know that though." He whispered and longingly looked back at Mollie and the pretty FBI agent.

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"What are you doing here?" Mollie asked as she approached Scully, who was walking towards her as well.

"I needed to speak with you." Scully said in a hushed whisper when she came close enough to Mollie to be heard.

"So you came here? To the memorial service? You couldn't have waited to ask me questions until after?" Mollie questioned, her eyes widening in confusion. This was definitely not the time or place to question her about Tommy's death!

"I don't need to ask you questions, well not about the case at least." Scully explained and sat down on the pew nearest her.

"Well, then what?" Mollie asked, staying where she was instead of sitting down like Scully.

Scully looked down and gathered her thoughts. 'What can I say' she thought 'I had an experience?' Oh yea that'll work. Whatever....just get to the point. Straight and clear. She took a deep breath and looked up to meet Mollies wondering eyes.

"I had a dream." There was that so bad? Wasn't to hard.

"You what?!?" Mollies voice rose slightly. A few people around them turned sharply and pinned her with agitated glares. She blushed slightly and fell onto the pew next to Scully.

"What do you mean you had a dream? You mean like me? Those dreams?" She whispered.

"What happened?" She asked after Scully nodded.

Scully related her dream to Mollie. She told how the redhead had come to her and had told her to leave and how she exuded bitterness and felt evil. Also, she told her that the dark haired woman had protected her and made the other leave and had told her their names. Mollie was gaping at her when she finished.

"What do you think it means?" Mollie asked.

"I don't know. I was hoping you could help me with that." Scully said.

"Me? I don't know. This has never happened before. I mean Leila has never had a dream like mine, at least she's never said she has." Mollie crinkled her forehead, deep in thought. "Maybe you just dreamt that because I told you about my dreams. Maybe it was kind of like a suggestion thing. You know, me saying something and your brain making something out of it. That's logical right?" Mollie asked, a hint of worry lacing her words.

Scully stared at her for a moment then let out a short bark of laughter.

"What?" Mollie asked, bewildered.

"You. You sound like me. I told myself the exact same thing after I had the dream but I think, I don't know, I think it was real. I can't shake this feeling. It's weird, I think maybe I'm..." She trailed off, not finding the right word.

"Linked?" Mollie offered, staring at Scully.

"Yea, something like that. Like I was supposed to help, I was supposed to be here." How crazy was she sounding? Wouldn't Mulder be proud...either that or he'd have her committed. Why was she so willing to believe this?

"Well you did say you would help."

That's why she was willing to believe, Mollie. She wanted, no she needed to help her. She didn't know why, just a feeling that she had and couldn't shake. If she didn't help, something bad would happen, she was sure of that.

"I meant it. We'll find a way to stop them."

Mollie didn't exactly know which "them" she was talking about, the dreams or the dream visitors, but she believed her.

"Thank-you all for coming." A voice boomed from the front of the sanctuary. The service was starting and the preacher had begun speaking. Mollie stood and headed back to her seat where Leila and John sat. She looked back and saw Scully stand and move in the opposite direction.

"Hey, stay, come sit with us. We'll talk after." Mollie whispered back at her.

Wordlessly, Scully followed, taking her seat by Mollie and listening to the speakers fond words of Tommy. She looked around at all the people. It seemed that Tommy had been loved whether he realized it or not. She absently wondered how people would react at her memorial service, or if there would be anyone there at all, except Mulder. Always Mulder.

Jacksonville Police Headquarters

Downtown Jacksonville

10:30 am

An older, stocky man, with thinning gray hair, wearing a dark blue suit, walked into the conference room.

"Agent Mulder? I'm Detective Raymond Murdick. Cindy said you wanted to talk to me about the Kilpatrick case." He held out his hand for Mulder to shake.

Mulder stood and greeted him.

"Thank you for taking the time Detective Murdick."

"Ray...call me Ray. Everyone else does. No sense in being formal."

Mulder let out a huff of laughter and sat down at the large wooden table. The older man took off his suit jacket, revealing a blue hexagonal tie and bright red suspenders. Mulder couldn't help but smile at the suspenders. It had been a long time since he had seen a pair of those. The Detective noticed and hooked his fingers behind them and let go creating a loud snapping sound, a huge grin taking over his face.

"Snazzy huh?" He chuckled and sat down. "The wife makes me wear 'em. Says they'll hold my pants up since my guts too big."

Mulder grinned. He might actually like this guy, which was unusual since he didn't ever really like any law enforcement people he had to work with.

"So anyway, what you wanna know about that case?"

"Tell me everything. Anything you can remember. What did you find in the woods?"

"Not a damn thing. Didn't find nothin'. The girl, Mollie, called 911 to report the death and we went out there. Couldn't find nothing. Crazy but it looks like the kid was just walkin' 'round his property and up and died. Weirdest thing I ever did see. Looked like he melted. 'Cause of the lack of evidence, everyone assumes he commited suicide. I don't like to assume things though. You know what they say when you assume things, right?" He grinned.

"No, I don't think I do." Mulder shook his head.

"Well, it makes an ass out of u and me. Get it? A-S-S out of U and M-E." The detective chortled.

"I've never heard that. I'll have to remember that to tell Scully." Mulder chuckled.

"Scully?" Ray wondered.

"Oh, Agent Scully. She's my partner. Actually, she just left a few..." Mulder looked down at his watch. "...thirty minutes ago."

"I see. You got a woman partner?" The older man said, looking Mulder in the eye. Oh no...not another one of those old-fashioned "Women shouldn't be in law enforcment" men. Mulder had actually started to like him. Please don't let him be so backwards.

"Yes." Mulder answered slowly.

"She pretty?" Ray smiled.

"Not that that has anything to do with anything, but yes she's pretty." Yea, pretty sexy that is. "Why?"

"I'd hate to have a woman partner. Not that I have anything against them being in the law enforcement positions. No way. I'm glad they are. Bring some sympathy, compassion, to it, if you ask me. I just couldn't have one."

"Why's that?" Mulder asked, glad the detective wasn't a sexist type of guy.

"Couldn't control myself." He gave a hearty laugh. "Partners get closer than most married people. I'd hate to have that temptation. I admire people that do though."

Mulder smiled slightly and nodded. He knew all about temptation.

"Anyway, sorry, I got you off track. What else you wanna know bout the case." The detective sobered.

"Oh. What do you think happened?"

"Hell of I know. Like I said, it was the weirdest thing I ever saw." The detective looked down at his hands resting on the table. "If you wanna know my honest opinion, though, it would be that I don't think the kid offed himself."

"Well what do you think?"

The detective looked back up at Mulder.

"I think the kid was murdered, pure and simple."

Continued in Chapter 8