Chapter twelve - So What Is The Problem?
Scully was the last to join the little gathering in Melissa's living room. When she entered the room she found, Angela, Melissa, and Mulder casually sipping coffee and chatting like they were enjoying afternoon tea.
Melissa walked over to her sister noticing immediately how tired she looked. "Hi Dana." She gave Scully a long hug before continuing "Coffee?"
"That would be great, thanks." She looked around the room and quietly greeted everyone else gathered there.
Melissa gave her the coffee and motioned to everyone to sit down. "I think we might as well get started."
Mulder looked at Scully and Angela "Did you two manage to talk today?"
"Yes, Dana told me everything."
"Okay, so does anyone have any ideas of what is bothering Andrea so much?"
Everyone looked at everyone else but no one seemed to be willing to share their opinion. Mulder wasn't sure if they were really stumped or if no one wanted to be the first to speak.
Finally Melissa broke the silence. "I must admit that I do have an idea of what may be wrong." She turned to Angela who was sitting next to her on the couch and took her hand. "I think it has a lot to do with you."
"What do you mean?" Angela asked. "I thought it had to do with Fox. I figured she was just jealous that couldn't have him."
Mulder looked a bit embarrassed but said nothing. Scully noticed Mulder's embarrassment but spoke up anyway.
"Not taking anything away from Agent Mulder" she said smiling slightly "but I think it is more than that. I think her 'wanting' Mulder is just one of many things she wants."
"I agree" Melissa said. "I think Andrea hasn't let go because you haven't let go yet."
"What?" Angela said pulling her hand away from Melissa "Are you taking about?"
Mulder chimed in "Angela, I know how hard it is to loose a sister. I can't even imagine what it would be like to loose one in an accident in which you walk away without a scratch."
Angela said nothing but looked down at the ground. She did, however, let Melissa take her hand again.
"Angela" Melissa said softly "You have a gift. A gift that allows you to talk to people who have passed on. But this is a gift that you must handle very carefully. I think of because of it, you haven't had to accept your sister's death or made yourself move on. If you can't move on, neither can she."
"Are you trying to tell me that it's my fault that Andrea is running around pissed off killing people?"
Scully answered "No, what we are saying is that you did what most people would do in your position. You used your gift to keep your sister close to you."
Angela thought about what was being said to her for several minutes. The others waited in silence watching as several large tears made their way down her cheek.
Mulder went over to the couch and squatted down in front of her brushing away the tears. "Angela, take it from me - your sister will not leave you ever. She will always be in your heart."
Angela nodded at this and looked over at Melissa. "I would like to be with her one more time. Can I use your bedroom?"
"Sure, we will give you a few minutes and then if you don't come out here will come in and break the connection."
Angela nodded and left the room.
Scully watched all of this somewhat detached. She knew that she had to be part of what was happening here, but there was a still a part of her that couldn't really rationalize what had happened to her over the past few days. Where was the logic? Where was the science? She didn't even believe in ghosts.
Scully got up from her chair and wandered over to look out the window as she listened to the conversation going on behind her.
Melissa and Mulder chatted about whether or not Angela would be able to do what she had to do. "I think so" Melissa said "she can be very strong when she has to be."
Right on queue, Angela walked into the room. Everyone turned to her and it was easy to tell that it was Andrea who was in charge.
"Hello Andrea" Mulder said tentatively. He watched as she walked over him.
"Hello Fox" she smiled up at him. "Angela explained to me what has to happen. I don't particularly like it but what am I going to do. I can't imagine coming back to this world if my own sister doesn't want me here."
She shrugged. "There is one last thing I want to do before I go though."
She looked at him very suggestively and Mulder swallowed hard.
"Nothing too much Fox" she said trailing her finger across his chest. "Just a kiss. Would you do that for me?"
Mulder swallowed again and barely nodded and started to lean in towards her.
"No, not with me in this body. I want to be in her" she pointed a finger at Scully who was watching silently from her place by the window. "I don't want to share this with Angela, but with Dana."
Melissa started to voice her objection but Scully spoke up, barely above a whisper. "Alright"
Scully wasn't quite sure why, but she felt an odd kinship with Andrea.
Scully turned back towards the window and waited until she felt Andrea slowly entering. This time she didn't fight her, but let her take her body over and do with what she wanted.
Mulder watched the transformation in fascination. It was like he could actually see Andrea slowly moving out of Angela's body and into Scully.
Andrea walked Scully over to Mulder and without hesitation reached up and pulled Mulder's face down to her and placed her lips slowly and deliberately on his lips. Their kiss lasted long enough to make the other people in the room shift their weight uncomfortably. But she pulled herself away.
"Very nice" she whispered.
Andrea then returned Scully to her place by the window turning as if to take a look a the sunshine one last time.
After a moment, Scully whispered "She's gone."
Scully didn't turn from the window but heard a small whimper escape from Angela and the sound of Mulder taking her into his arms to comfort her.
She stayed staring out the window as Mulder left to escort Angela home.
Melissa walked over to her sister and gently stroked her back.
Scully turned to her sister and before accepting her embrace said "It was very nice."
Scully, Krycek and Mulder all sat in front of Blevins' desk as he slowly went over both Scully's and Mulder's reports.
"Agent Scully, are you trying to tell me that you actually had a spirit inhabit your body?"
"I know it sounds incredible Sir, but I believe that is what happened."
"You know Agent Scully, I expect this time of report from Agent Mulder and even from time to time from Agent Krycek but from you I expect something more substantial."
"In all due respect Sir" Scully started trying to keep her temper in check "My report accurately depicts my personal experience during this case. I would be more than happy to entertain any other explanations that may be available for what happened to me."
Duly chastised, Blevins let the matter drop and sent the agents out of his office.
Mulder, Krycek and Scully left together and paused rather awkwardly outside his door.
Krycek was the first to break the silence. "Dana, I would like to let you know what a pleasure it has been to work with you on this case."
Behind his back, Mulder rolled his eyes. Not seeing this gesture by his partner he continued. "I hope we have the chance to work together again."
Scully accepted his extended hand and shook it. "Fox, I will run a copy of this report over to VCU and meet you there" Krycek said before heading off down the hall.
"He really is an eager little agent, isn't he?" Scully said watching Krycek depart.
"He is annoying"
"I don't know, I think he is kind of cute" Scully said smiling up at Mulder.
She started walking towards the elevator and Mulder strolled along with her.
"Well Agent Scully, it has been a pleasure." Scully pushed the down button and turned to Mulder.
"The pleasure has been all mine Agent Mulder."
The elevator door opened and Scully stepped in pushing the button to head towards the lobby. When the door began to close, Mulder stuck his foot in to stop it.
He said nothing just raised his eyebrows at Scully.
She smiled and Mulder let the door close. He turned to head down to VCU himself with a large smile on his face.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
That's all folks.
Scully was the last to join the little gathering in Melissa's living room. When she entered the room she found, Angela, Melissa, and Mulder casually sipping coffee and chatting like they were enjoying afternoon tea.
Melissa walked over to her sister noticing immediately how tired she looked. "Hi Dana." She gave Scully a long hug before continuing "Coffee?"
"That would be great, thanks." She looked around the room and quietly greeted everyone else gathered there.
Melissa gave her the coffee and motioned to everyone to sit down. "I think we might as well get started."
Mulder looked at Scully and Angela "Did you two manage to talk today?"
"Yes, Dana told me everything."
"Okay, so does anyone have any ideas of what is bothering Andrea so much?"
Everyone looked at everyone else but no one seemed to be willing to share their opinion. Mulder wasn't sure if they were really stumped or if no one wanted to be the first to speak.
Finally Melissa broke the silence. "I must admit that I do have an idea of what may be wrong." She turned to Angela who was sitting next to her on the couch and took her hand. "I think it has a lot to do with you."
"What do you mean?" Angela asked. "I thought it had to do with Fox. I figured she was just jealous that couldn't have him."
Mulder looked a bit embarrassed but said nothing. Scully noticed Mulder's embarrassment but spoke up anyway.
"Not taking anything away from Agent Mulder" she said smiling slightly "but I think it is more than that. I think her 'wanting' Mulder is just one of many things she wants."
"I agree" Melissa said. "I think Andrea hasn't let go because you haven't let go yet."
"What?" Angela said pulling her hand away from Melissa "Are you taking about?"
Mulder chimed in "Angela, I know how hard it is to loose a sister. I can't even imagine what it would be like to loose one in an accident in which you walk away without a scratch."
Angela said nothing but looked down at the ground. She did, however, let Melissa take her hand again.
"Angela" Melissa said softly "You have a gift. A gift that allows you to talk to people who have passed on. But this is a gift that you must handle very carefully. I think of because of it, you haven't had to accept your sister's death or made yourself move on. If you can't move on, neither can she."
"Are you trying to tell me that it's my fault that Andrea is running around pissed off killing people?"
Scully answered "No, what we are saying is that you did what most people would do in your position. You used your gift to keep your sister close to you."
Angela thought about what was being said to her for several minutes. The others waited in silence watching as several large tears made their way down her cheek.
Mulder went over to the couch and squatted down in front of her brushing away the tears. "Angela, take it from me - your sister will not leave you ever. She will always be in your heart."
Angela nodded at this and looked over at Melissa. "I would like to be with her one more time. Can I use your bedroom?"
"Sure, we will give you a few minutes and then if you don't come out here will come in and break the connection."
Angela nodded and left the room.
Scully watched all of this somewhat detached. She knew that she had to be part of what was happening here, but there was a still a part of her that couldn't really rationalize what had happened to her over the past few days. Where was the logic? Where was the science? She didn't even believe in ghosts.
Scully got up from her chair and wandered over to look out the window as she listened to the conversation going on behind her.
Melissa and Mulder chatted about whether or not Angela would be able to do what she had to do. "I think so" Melissa said "she can be very strong when she has to be."
Right on queue, Angela walked into the room. Everyone turned to her and it was easy to tell that it was Andrea who was in charge.
"Hello Andrea" Mulder said tentatively. He watched as she walked over him.
"Hello Fox" she smiled up at him. "Angela explained to me what has to happen. I don't particularly like it but what am I going to do. I can't imagine coming back to this world if my own sister doesn't want me here."
She shrugged. "There is one last thing I want to do before I go though."
She looked at him very suggestively and Mulder swallowed hard.
"Nothing too much Fox" she said trailing her finger across his chest. "Just a kiss. Would you do that for me?"
Mulder swallowed again and barely nodded and started to lean in towards her.
"No, not with me in this body. I want to be in her" she pointed a finger at Scully who was watching silently from her place by the window. "I don't want to share this with Angela, but with Dana."
Melissa started to voice her objection but Scully spoke up, barely above a whisper. "Alright"
Scully wasn't quite sure why, but she felt an odd kinship with Andrea.
Scully turned back towards the window and waited until she felt Andrea slowly entering. This time she didn't fight her, but let her take her body over and do with what she wanted.
Mulder watched the transformation in fascination. It was like he could actually see Andrea slowly moving out of Angela's body and into Scully.
Andrea walked Scully over to Mulder and without hesitation reached up and pulled Mulder's face down to her and placed her lips slowly and deliberately on his lips. Their kiss lasted long enough to make the other people in the room shift their weight uncomfortably. But she pulled herself away.
"Very nice" she whispered.
Andrea then returned Scully to her place by the window turning as if to take a look a the sunshine one last time.
After a moment, Scully whispered "She's gone."
Scully didn't turn from the window but heard a small whimper escape from Angela and the sound of Mulder taking her into his arms to comfort her.
She stayed staring out the window as Mulder left to escort Angela home.
Melissa walked over to her sister and gently stroked her back.
Scully turned to her sister and before accepting her embrace said "It was very nice."
Scully, Krycek and Mulder all sat in front of Blevins' desk as he slowly went over both Scully's and Mulder's reports.
"Agent Scully, are you trying to tell me that you actually had a spirit inhabit your body?"
"I know it sounds incredible Sir, but I believe that is what happened."
"You know Agent Scully, I expect this time of report from Agent Mulder and even from time to time from Agent Krycek but from you I expect something more substantial."
"In all due respect Sir" Scully started trying to keep her temper in check "My report accurately depicts my personal experience during this case. I would be more than happy to entertain any other explanations that may be available for what happened to me."
Duly chastised, Blevins let the matter drop and sent the agents out of his office.
Mulder, Krycek and Scully left together and paused rather awkwardly outside his door.
Krycek was the first to break the silence. "Dana, I would like to let you know what a pleasure it has been to work with you on this case."
Behind his back, Mulder rolled his eyes. Not seeing this gesture by his partner he continued. "I hope we have the chance to work together again."
Scully accepted his extended hand and shook it. "Fox, I will run a copy of this report over to VCU and meet you there" Krycek said before heading off down the hall.
"He really is an eager little agent, isn't he?" Scully said watching Krycek depart.
"He is annoying"
"I don't know, I think he is kind of cute" Scully said smiling up at Mulder.
She started walking towards the elevator and Mulder strolled along with her.
"Well Agent Scully, it has been a pleasure." Scully pushed the down button and turned to Mulder.
"The pleasure has been all mine Agent Mulder."
The elevator door opened and Scully stepped in pushing the button to head towards the lobby. When the door began to close, Mulder stuck his foot in to stop it.
He said nothing just raised his eyebrows at Scully.
She smiled and Mulder let the door close. He turned to head down to VCU himself with a large smile on his face.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
That's all folks.