New Beginnings 12

"You figured out the link between Scully's memory loss and her eyesight. Now what? We still have to find Donald Gordon," Frohike asked.

Mulder sat silent.

"I guess Scully has to go back to not knowing anyone if we want to catch this guy," Langly offered.

"We can use Scully...uh, the one who doesn't remember anyone, to give us information about Donald Gordon and his so-called church," Frohike mused. "Maybe there is a link between alien abductions, or at least this one, and Donald Gordon and his followers. We could-"

"Stop!" Scully interjected. "Just stop. Stop talking about me like I'm not here. Don't I get any say in this?! Do I have any control over my situation?"

Frohike and Langly exchanged glances. Langly looked to Byers.

Byers broke the silence, "Of course you do-"

"DON'T!" Scully yelled. "Patronize me."

Byers cleared his throat and began again, this time more cautious of his words, "You are the link to all of this. But I don't know what to say. The decision is ultimately up to you. You must understand, though, that you ultimately hold the key to so many of the answers we, including yourself, have been searching for," Byers finished quietly.

Scully sighed. She knew in her heart that she would inevitably concede, but this knowledge did not stop her from the inner battle. All four men in front of her stared at Scully expectantly. While not meeting their gaze, she shifted uneasily in her seat.

"Guys, could you give us a second?" Mulder asked, rising. The three men shuffled out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

Scully sighed, for she knew what lay ahead. "Mulder, please don't start with me..." Scully said softly, letting her words just drift off.

Mulder moved to the couch that Scully sat stiffly upon. He forced her to turn to face him, ignoring the tie covering her eyes. "Look at me," he whispered. "Now, I have to talk to you, but you can't interrupt me."

Scully nodded.

"If you, as Dana, the wife of Donald Gordon, went back to him, and we put a tracking device and a microphone on you, we could uncover what appears to be a religious fanatic group. This group may or may not have links to the alien conspiracies. But if it doesn't we could still find out how you got into the group. I know this is a big risk, seeing as how you won't exactly be yourself, but we could uncover *so* much, Scully," Mulder said softly. "I know that sometimes my judgement is a little, shall we say wavered, because of my search for the truth. But I know that you trust me. I would never put you in any situation that I deemed dangerous. Intentionally. However, if you choose not to go, I won't blame you. We'll never mention it again. I'm letting you make this decision, but I do want to say that I would like you to go, though I am not going to pressure you. Understand?"

Scully nodded solemnly, like a chastised child. Mulder waited for her to speak.

"But what if, when I take off my blindfold, I stay as Dana Gordon forever? We don't know anything about my condition! I could lose my identity forever. I don't want that."

Mulder sat silent and just nodded.

"What if I lose you?" Scully asked softly. Then she looked up from her lap and into Mulder's face. "I don't want to live not knowing you."

Mulder offered a weak smile. "I don't think," Mulder began, "that this condition, as you call it, is one that will force you to remain locked in one personality. However, I don't know for certain. But when you were Dana Gordon, you would remember little things. From dreams and such. So even if you were to remain stuck, eventually, I think, you would become Dana Scully. At least, when you are blindfolded."

"But Mulder," Scully started to cry, "I'm scared."

"I know. And you don't have to do this."

Scully nodded. She sunk back into the couch. Scully sat silent for two minutes. Then, with a shaky voice, she agreed to do it. Mulder reached his long arms over and embraced her. Scully rested her head on his chest, calmed by the stead beat of his heart. Mulder kissed her hair as they parted. Then, they stood up, hands linked, ready to call in the Lone Gunman to tell them Scully's decision. Mulder glanced at Scully warily.

"You sure?" Mulder asked.

Scully nodded as she let out a shaky breath that she did not know she was holding.

Mulder called for the three men to reenter the room. As they did, they looked at Mulder and Scully's face for any indication as to whether Scully agreed to their plan.

"Scully has agreed to resume her identity as Dana Gordon," Mulder announced.

The three men shared glances and grinned. As they all came up to Scully to thank her, she smiled weakly before glancing away.

"Okay," Scully said. "Let's get started. You have to teach...the other me...to use your equipment. I want you to bug me. And tell me to listen to whoever is talking to me, and how to talk into the microphone. And we should attach a video camera to me, so that you can see where I am going and such. I know that the other me is drawn towards Donald Gordon, and I have a tendency to listen to him over anyone else. So you need to find something that convinces me to listen to one of you guys over him. And," Scully paused for a breath, "I need to take William."

Mulder started shaking his head. "You can't take him. It will be too risky."

"I have to," Scully simply stated. "Donald will suspect something, and I know that Dana Gordon will become flustered in one way or another."

Mulder sighed, "Whatever you think you should do..."

"Then it's settled," Scully said, walking over to the computer. Despite her hesitancy at first taking on this project, Scully was totally focused on her task. "We need to figure out something that will make Dana Gordon believe whoever is talking in her ear over Donald Gordon."

"What if," Byers started, "we told you-her- that we were her...guardian angels? You know, since it's a religious cult..."

"Or," Frohike interrupted, "we could say that we are God."

Langly shrugged; Mulder looked to Scully for approval. Scully eyed Frohike suspiciously.

"Okay, but watch Frohike when he's talking to me."

Langly laughed as Frohike feigned innocence.

Scully cleared her throat, "Are you guys ready to work with Dana Gordon?" Scully toyed with her tie.

They nodded; Scully looked to Mulder, who nodded. Scully took off her tie and blinked.

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a/n: big enough cliffhanger for ya? review, please!