I didn't think being separated from Scully at work would affect out personal life the way it would. I knew it would hurt her to be kept from the X-Files, why wouldn't it? She had invested seven years of her life into the cause. The only problem, however, was that if she was going to get involved, I would lose the X-Files. I *couldn't* lose the X-Files. I may have found out the truth about Samantha, but there was so much else, so many other truths that I needed to uncover...

I sighed to myself when I walked into the basement office that morning, preparing myself to meet my partner. I had a bad feeling that splitting up Scully and I wasn't just an FBI matter, but that the Syndicate, or the remaining members of it, had played a role in it. That was what worried me about meeting a new partner. I knew their first attempt to debunk my work with Scully had ultimately failed. Although at first she was a stubborn pain in the ass, she rather quickly saw my reasons for the search. More so she wasn't willing to lose her integrity to get promoted.

I remember those early cases like it was yesterday. She was infuriating at first, writing her reports, careful not to sound crazy to her superiors. She was so young, this tiny redhead with pouty lips that loved to tell me I was wrong… Of course, I was no walk in the park either. I know I was arrogant, obsessive, and that I believed in just about everything. Scully, however, didn't fall into their little plan. Her agenda was her own, and nobody else's. For their second attempt, I knew they'd send in another green agent, a scientist most likely, looking to get ahead in the Bureau by any means necessary.

She walked in the door and I knew she was going to be trouble. Her long legs carried her in a sure stride. I looked up from her heels to see a skirt that barely cut it concerning FBI dress regulations, a low cut blouse sporting a fairly large chest beneath, and a head of long brunette hair. She must've been about 28, looking as green as Scully did when she walked in here the first time. She had these bright green eyes that screamed ambition, a thin nose, and tanned skin that made me suspect a partially Spanish background.

Now, she was attractive, but she did nothing for me. I hadn't so much as looked at another woman since I've been with Scully. She's everything I have ever wanted, and all I'll ever want in a woman. *I* wasn't the problem. It would be Scully who would be the problem. She'd feel threatened. I don't mean to sound pompous, but I know that if she had a new good looking partner who she traveled away with, I'd feel the same way.

"You must be Agent Mulder," she said.

"Yes, I am," I said, looking up from my files.

"I'm Special Agent Becky Vass. I'll be working with you from now on."

"It's nice to meet you," I said, shaking her hand. "So, have they told you about the X-Files?"

"Yes, they're cases that deal with the paranormal, correct?" she asked.

"Yes, that's right. What's your view on that, Agent Vass?"

"Well, I don't believe in it. I have a background in hard science." Oh, great.

"Have you ever been in the field before?" I asked.

"Yes, for three months with Violent Crimes," she said.

"What did you do up there to get you sent down here?" I asked, reminding myself of a day seven years earlier.

"Nothing, I don't think, but I'm fairly certain I'm here simply because of my beliefs in science. They told me that if I did my job down here, I could move up the ladder. They needed someone to be the rational one down here after your partner left," she said.

"I'm going to try and not be offended, Agent Vass," I said.

"Well, Agent Mulder, what are we going to be working on?" she asked.

"A case out in Montana," I said, handing her the file. "Three girls have disappeared and since been found dead. No evidence of a break in, no ransom, no nothing. They just disappeared from their homes, in the middle of the day, no less. When returned, they all had a similar marking behind their right ears."

"And you think this is a case of alien abduction?"

"That's my working theory, yes. Of course, it could have been something else, but the case exhibits clear paranormal consistencies. This particular town is a UFO hotspot in Montana."

"Where were the bodies found?" she asked.

"All in the same place. The three girls were abducted within three days, one after another. They're all fourteen years old, but didn't know each other prior to this incident, which is somewhat odd considering it's such a small town. They were all found together on the shore of a nearby lake. They hadn't been submerged in the water, but were rather found at the top of the shore on the sand. They're cause of deaths has yet to be determined. I think it was due to tests, possibly chemicals..."

"Mmhm. Has a tox scan been done?" she asked.

"The results came back inconclusive. We're flying out there tonight. The job requires a lot of travel. The flight leaves at nine o'clock from Dulles."

"Tonight?" she said, in the whiniest way.

"Yes, tonight," I repeated. This was *not* going to be simple.

"Fine. Well, if that's all, I'll take the file home and look it over while I pack," she sighed.

"Sure. See you at the airport, Agent Vass. We'll meet in front of the Delta terminal."

"Yeah," she said, walking out.


I sighed to myself, more of a groan, really, and ran my hand through my hair. She had an attitude about her that I just didn't like. Even her name irritated me. Becky Vass. I couldn't imagine myself yelling out to her during I case like I had with Scully. 'Vass!' just didn't seem right. I finished up what I was working on quickly, eager to get home. I had little to do, so I got out of the office quickly.

I heard a knock at my door while I was packing, and walked over to let Scully in. I knew it was her, as it was drawing near the time for her to drop me off at the airport. I smiled when I saw her standing outside, and let her in. Taking her coat, I asked her about her day.

"It was okay, I guess. Yours?" she asked.

"Not great. Met my new partner."

She looked at me expectantly, goading me to elaborate.

"Her name is Becky Vass. She's young, only been in the field three months, and a science geek like you. They want her to debunk my work, and she seems eager to climb the ladder in the Hoover Building," I sighed.

"Becky Vass? Dana Scully is an FBI Agent name, Becky Vass is a stripper name."

"Scully, you don't have anything to worry about."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just don't like the thought of you going away to the other side of the country with some young agent named Becky Vass, that's all."

"Well, Scully, you know I only have eyes for you. Besides, she was a bitch. Frankly, I dislike her already."

"Yeah, but I'm sure you thought I was a bitch when you first met me," she countered.

"That's not to say you weren't a bit of a bitch," he teased.

"Gee, thanks Mulder," she deadpanned back.

"Well, you were a bitch with integrity, something I think she lacks."

"That's not a good thing," she sighed.

"No, it isn't. We'll just have to stick around and see how this goes."

"Is she pretty?" Scully asked me quietly, trying her best to sound nonchalant.

"C'mon Scully, don't do this," I said, stroking her cheek with my hand. "I didn't notice. I don't care," I said, placing a kiss on her lips. "You're the only woman I look at anymore, I promise you that."

"So she is pretty, then?" she asked, a slight smile threatening her lips.

"Some men may think so, yes. I myself only go for short, gorgeous, redheads with amazingly bright eyes and a couple of freckles here and there," I said.

"Is that so?" she asked.

"Yes," I punctuated my response with a kiss to her lips and then added, "and I only know one of them. Her name is Dana Scully and another woman will never come into my mind. I'm almost wounded that she'd think otherwise."

"It's not that I think you'd do anything, Mulder, but you forget how handsome you are sometimes. You turn women's heads, and this Vass girl is probably no different. I don't suspect you'd do a thing, but I know how women are..."

"And if she made any advances, which she won't, I'd fight them off."

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "You're right, I'm being silly."

"No, I understand. I put myself in your shoes, Scully, and I would feel the same way if you were going off to Montana with a good-looking guy. You don't have to apologize, just don't worry about it, okay?"

"Okay."

"We're gunna have to get going, Scully, I don't want to miss my flight."

"Mm, I'm going to miss you, Mulder."

"I'll miss you too, Scully, but it's just a few days."

"Yeah, I guess."

"C'mon, let's get to the airport," I said, reluctantly. Who wouldn't be reluctant to let go of Dana Scully?

"'Kay."

* * * * * * *

We pulled up to the airport where Mulder had agreed to meet his new partner. I slowed the car, and he signaled for me to stop by saying, "There she is." I looked as I stopped the car and caught a glimpse of her.

Damnit! Even *I* thought she was hot! This simply was not fair. She reminded of a younger, far prettier Diana Fowley. I scowled, noticing she was Mulder's "type." Tall brunette with a big chest. I pushed the thoughts out of my head, knowing that Mulder's type had switched to short, modest redheads. I looked to him and said, "I'll go introduce myself while you get your things." He nodded, and we got out of the car.

Walking up to her, hoping a cop didn't ticket me for leaving my car for the moment, she made eye contact but offered no smile.

"Hi," I began, trying my best to be polite, "I'm Dana Scully. I used to work on the X-Files."

"Agent Scully, I've heard a lot about you around the Hoover Building," she began. I was fairly certain this was one of those things that sounded like a compliment but wasn't necessarily meant as one. "I'm Agent Becky Vass, Agent Mulder's new partner."

"Nice to meet you," I said, extending my hand. She shook it clinically and looked to Mulder who had walked over with his bags.

"Um," I faltered at first, "I just wanted to tell you that I know he may sound crazy sometimes, but you should hear him out--some of the stuff he says makes a lot of sense."

"I'm sure it does," she replied. "We'd better be going," she said.

"I'll see you as soon as we get back, Scully," he said, closing the distance between us and ignoring Agent Vass' presence.

"Yeah," I smiled weakly.
He placed a quick, chaste kiss on my lips. I was surprised at first, not used to the public displays of affection. Out of the corner of my eye I caught an annoyed eye roll from his new partner, but I dismissed it. He caught my surprised smile and answered it with, "There have to be *some* good consequences of our current position, huh?"
I smiled back and said, "Good luck with the case."

He squeezed my hand in his own, and then he was gone.

I drove off, feeling lonely. It was stupid, I knew. I was a perfectly capable of being by myself for a few days, and I knew I could trust Mulder around another woman. I got home and lounged around a bit before going to bed. I tossed and turned all night. Mulder and I often slept apart on weeknights, but he was never too far away. I quite frankly didn't like to be alone anymore. I also didn't like not knowing what was going on with the X-Files, but I had no control over that anymore.

It seemed like I was losing control over an awful lot of things lately. Mulder's whereabouts, my job, who he spends time with, my knowledge of the X-Files... These were things I desperately wanted a say in, but couldn't make choices about. Here I was, a grown woman, sitting home alone feeling like there was nothing for me to hold onto anymore. Everything could be taken away from me at an instant, and it's beyond my control.

I didn't like my current situation, but what other choice did I have? I may have lost the X-Files, but Mulder did not. He would be able to carry on our work without me. No matter how much that really hurt me, no matter insignificant it made me feel, it seemed to be true. He was off on a case and I was at home, trying to sleep, knowing I'd have to be at Quantico the next morning. At least they hadn't been able to take Mulder away. We weren't truly split apart.

We were still lovers. Life when he was with me was like perfection. I wished I could live in those moments: wrapped in his arms. I often wondered how I lived without those moments in the first place. Slowly but surely, I always fell out of the moments to face reality. I always had to leave our togetherness, complete perfection, behind.

I never thought I'd ever consider not going back.

Authors Notes: Thanks for the reviews everyone! You guys kick butt! Sorry for the delay in a new chapter, but I've been busy. Hope you liked it!