I wrote my name on the board, Dr. Dana Scully. I looked back at the young FBI cadets in the large lecture hall, imagining the days that I sat there. The days I spent wondering about right choices and where I belonged. The days before Mulder and I met, before I'd ever even heard of the X-Files. I had heard of him, though, Spooky Mulder. Then again, who hadn't? It was the first bit of gossip you heard at the academy. The second you joined the FBI, you knew about Spooky Mulder who searched for aliens in a dusty basement office.
"Good morning, my name is Doctor Dana Scully. I am a Special Agent, and I have spent several years in the field. I'm a medical doctor and a scientist--"
"You're Mrs. Spooky!" someone called out.
I ignored and continued, "I've seen a lot in my work, but I always try to back it up with hard science. That's what this course is about--science. Forensics, pathology--the art of recreating events from the evidence at a crime scene, or the body left behind. This enables us to find killers, rapists, and any other assorted type of criminals--"
"What about UFOs?"
I cleared my throat and said, "This is not a question and answer session concerning the X-Files. Now, you *will* show me the proper respect that I deserve, or none of you will make it out of this academy."
The threat seemed to work, and I continue to teach the class. They were just beginning pathology, but had been in the academy long enough to have heard all of the rumors. Sometimes it felt like high school to me, the way word spread so quickly. The rumors I'd heard as a student here about Mulder were bad enough, and now I was thrown into the mix. I'm sure people had been regaled with stories of our supposed romance (which I'm sure they "supposed" long before it existed) and of our probes into the unknown. I was also pretty certain that they had heard the latest water cooler gossip. Once word got out that we were split up, people naturally assumed it was for fraternization. My thoughts were confirmed at the end of the class.
"See you all tomorrow," I called out as they left. As the cadets walked out, I heard something interesting.
"Nah, man, she and Spooky got split up for screwing around. Apparently they've been doin' it for years and it finally caught up to them," one student said.
"Dude, like you wouldn't break the fraternization rule with her? Seriously, down in that basement office? I heard they only got caught 'cause the janitor heard them going at it on the desk," at that point they were out the door.
Now, that was *not* true at all. The janitor heard us? In the office? On the desk? It may have been tough, but we managed to wait until we got home. And did he say dude? Dude?! Was that the future of the FBI? Dude.
I sighed, glad that the day was over. I hated not being with Mulder. I hated that he'd be doing *our* work without me--and even worse, with someone else. His partner would join him tomorrow. I didn't know anything about him or her, I wasn't allowed to pry into that anymore. All I could do was hope that it was an ugly man. Honestly, I didn't need jealousy to deal with on top of all this other stuff.
Driving home, I glanced down at my watch to see that it was past five. Mulder was most likely home, and if he wasn't, he would be soon. I changed my direction and began to head to his apartment. As pathetic as it may have seemed, I missed him. I wasn't used to not working with him. Even on days when we were split up on cases, I always had that sense of calm knowing that within a day or so, we'd be side by side in the field or the office again. Now, I felt this emptiness...sure, we'd be together at home, but we could never work together again.
I walked into his building and went for the elevator. I impatiently sighed as I rode by myself, and smiled when I heard the familiar "ding" that signaled the opening of the elevator doors. I walked out and down the hallway to knock on a door I'd knocked on millions of times. Number 42, full of memories...so many of them were about cases, things I couldn't even hear about anymore. The door opened, breaking my thoughts, and I saw Mulder standing there.
"Hey, Scully, come in," he said.
I smiled at him and walked inside the apartment. He took my coat and I walked into his kitchen.
"Have any wine, Mulder?" I asked.
"Need a drink already, Scully? One day without me was that tough?" he joked.
"Not as tough as it was boring," I sighed, finding the wine myself. "Want a glass?" I asked.
"Sure," he replied.
I poured two glasses of wine and walked into the living room, finding him sitting on the couch. I handed him his glass and sat beside him. I scooted over, closer to him. I just wanted to lay against him for a while. The finality of our situation was finally setting in. I couldn't know about the X-Files anymore. So much of my life was already invested into it: the loss of Melissa, my infertility, my abduction, my cancer...would I just have to forget about those loose ends waiting to be tied?
"So how was Quantico?" he asked.
"Well, you and I are the talk of the town, Mulder. Rumor has it we got split up because the janitor overheard us going at it in the office," I smiled.
"That would've been a lot more fun than the way it actually happened," he sighed.
"Yeah, but if I get one more Mrs. Spooky comment I'm going to snap," I said.
He kissed my forehead tenderly and said, "Well, my day wasn't great either. Spent the day preparing a case to start on tomorrow with my new partner."
"What kind of case?" I asked.
"Mm, Agent Scully, we're not supposed to discuss those matters," he said, taking a sip of his wine.
"Yeah, but since when do we follow the rules?" I asked.
"Nothing big, a UFO case, that's all."
"Where will you be going?" I asked.
"Montana."
"Montana? All the way to Montana? With this new partner?" I sighed, sounding terribly whiney.
"I know, I'll try to be home as quickly as possible."
"I didn't realize how much this would affect us, Mulder. You're going to be gone on cases, and I'm going to be home all by myself..."
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder," he said.
"Or the heart grow more paranoid," I deadpanned.
"C'mon, Scully, what have we got to be paranoid about? We both know that we love each other, so we won't stray no matter how long we have to wait," he began. I couldn't argue with that. "And," he continued, "we're both perfectly capable FBI agents, so we don't have to worry about our safety..."
"Well, Mulder, I *have* had to pull you out of quite a few bad situations," I teased.
"Mm, and vice versa, Scully. Trust me, I know *all* about paranoia. But where you and I are concerned, there's no need for it," he said. "I'm leaving on the flight tomorrow night, it's a redeye. Tell you what, you drive me to the airport and you can meet my new partner for yourself, okay?"
"'Kay," I sighed.
"Forget about work, Scully. We're not partners anymore, you know," he said, speaking into my neck. His breath on my skin made me shiver a bit, and he place a quick kiss there before speaking again. "That means we can fraternize all we want."
"You know, fraternize doesn't even mean have sex. It means to be friendly with one another, really. Technically, it means to be like brothers, you know, fraternal," I said, not really going anywhere with my point.
"Well, we obviously aren't like brothers, Scully, that would be pretty damn gross," he smiled. "In terms of you and I, the verb fraternize is used differently."
"Oh is it?" I asked playfully.
"Yes, as in, 'Scully, I want to fraternize you until morning,'" he said.
"Think Merriam-Webster will add that to the dictionary?"
"Maybe if we put it into more common use..." he began.
"Well, if it's for educational purposes," I laughed a bit, and kissed him.
I remember thinking that maybe things could be okay after all. Mulder and I wouldn't have to hide our relationship anymore; we could openly admit to being together... Of course, I'm not sure why I didn't realize that nothing in my life is simple.
Nothing.
Author's Notes: Kind of short, I know, but I'll have more up relatively soon. Thanks for the reviews… Feedback no function Jillian well without.