Time Is Running Out Part Nine
By Katie Phillips
Disclaimer Info located in Part One
April 18th 4:00 PM Scully's Apartment
Mulder was working himself into a full fledged panic. Scully's appointment was at ten that morning and now six hours later he still hadn't heard from her. To make matters worse, not only was her cell phone turned off but the message on her office voice mail calmly stated that she would be 'out for the day'."
Mulder decided the bag the rest of the day and head over to her apartment. Perhaps she was waiting for him there.
She wasn't. After knocking on her door several times he left himself. He called out her name and hearing nothing did a quick inspection.
There was no sign of her nor was there any sign that she had been there since early that morning. Mulder walked around the apartment again with a new appreciation how Scully felt when he had disappeared.
He was on his eighth lap of the room when he heard the key in the door and it opened revealing a very tired looking Scully. One look at her and he feared the worse and wasted no time in taking her into his arms.
"It's okay Scully, really it is. There are lots of different ways to make a family and we will find one that works for us. I know we will."
Scully pulled away from him and looked up at him rather puzzled. "Don't you understand Scully I love you and it makes no difference whether or not you can have a child."
"You do?" Scully her eyes began to fill with tears. Mulder was so upset about her test results that he had let those three little words slip out. "Do you really want to have a family with me Mulder?"
"More than anything in the world Scully." He leaned over so his forehead touched hers.
"And you don't care how we do it?" She asked looking up into his eyes and seeing nothing but concern and love there.
"No Scully. It makes no difference as long as we do it together."
She cradled his face between her two hands. "Are you sure Mulder?" She wanted to make sure she had gotten it right.
"I'm sure."
She beamed at him then. "Well, I hope you don't mind having to do it the old fashioned way."
Mulder stepped back and looked at her trying to comprehend what she had just said. He stared at her a moment or two before a slow grin started to creep across his face. He grabbed her then and swung her around until she felt slightly dizzy.
"Tell me Scully, tell me everything."
"They checked me over from head to toe and the chip is still there but the damage to my ovaries seems to have been eliminated."
He hugged her again. "I just assumed when you were so late and you looked so tired . . ."
"I stopped by the lab to check on Alicia and forgot to turn my cell phone back on. Really Mulder after all this time you should have learned your lesson about making assumptions."
"This definitely calls for a celebration Agent Scully." Mulder said quite formerly. "Why don't you rest awhile and I will come back around eight and take you out for a romantic dinner."
Scully laughed and Mulder looked at her a bit puzzled. "Leave it to you Mulder to tell me that you love me and offer to start a family with me all before we had our first real date."
6:10 PM FBI Labs
Krycek was once again surprised by the lack of security as he basically walked right into the building that housed some of the FBI labs. The security guard on duty had been the same man who was there the first time he had visited with Alicia. Recognizing him, the guard had waved him through without question.
He stood outside of the glass room which housed Alicia's research watching her. He felt a small twinge of regret at what he was about to do for he was genuinely fond of Alicia and had thoroughly enjoyed the several evenings he had spent in her bed.
Krycek tapped on the glass door and smiled in response to Alicia's. She came over to the door and unlocked it letting him in and was greeted by a long and very deep kiss.
"Alex, what are you doing here?"
"I got impatient. I just couldn't wait another minute to see you. Will you be long?"
Alicia frowned as she thought. "No, I expect I should have things wrapped up in the next few minutes. Do you mind waiting?"
"Not if you don't mind me nibbling on your neck while you work." He began to do so eliciting peals of laughter from Alicia. "Alex, what if someone should come by?"
"Are you expecting anyone?" He wrapped his hands around her waist and began to tug her dress upward.
"No. Dana has already come and gone and the rest of the labs down here are pretty much empty." She said feeling her legs start to become weak.
"Security cameras?" Krycek purred into her ears.
"No." Alicia allowed herself to be backed up against one of the desks. "Oh, wait a minute." She pushed Krycek away.
"What's wrong baby?"
"I don't have any rubbers in my purse." She said a bit sheepishly. "They sell them in the Ladies Room on the second floor. I'll just pop up there and get one." She kissed Krycek on the cheek. "Don't go away."
Krycek chuckled as he watched her leave. His original plan was to seduce her and then corrupt the computers when she headed to the Ladies Room to clean up. This worked out even better although he briefly regretted not having one more go around with her.
It took him but a moment to slip the CD into Alicia's computer. His program started immediately and would not only inject the virus into the system but erase all data on the CD before terminating.
Seeing his program chugging away, he walked over to where the vials were stored, slipped two into his pocket and calmly opened the others and poured their contents down a small sink located in the corner.
The empty vials were stuck in other pocket to be disposed later. He closed his jacket and casually walked out the door. Krycek was in his car and halfway down the block before Alicia returned rubber in hand.
She frowned when she saw the empty room assuming that Krycek had gone back to their hotel so they could have a more leisurely encounter. She shut off the lights and locked the door behind her never noticing the whirring sound of her computer.
8 PM
Scully opened the door to her apartment to find a very nervous Fox Mulder standing in her doorway. She smiled at him wondering how a man who could take on mutants and aliens without batting an eye would be so thrown by a simple date.
"Hey."
"Hey, yourself. Just let me grab a sweater." Scully ducked back into her apartment and appeared seconds later tugging her sweater on. Mulder helped her with it, ignoring the 'I can do it myself' glare he got for his efforts. He kissed her on the cheek and motioned for her to take the lead.
Scully had wondered about their big date all evening. Where would he take her? What would they talk about? What would she do when he returned her back to her apartment? It was definitely time to fish or cut bait but she still was unsure of which to do.
She gasped in surprise when Mulder pulled up in front of an exclusive French restaurant.
"Isn't this okay Scully? I thought you liked French." Mulder's insecurities were threatening to start showing themselves.
"I love French food Mulder. I am just surprised that's all." She got out of the car and actually took his arm when he offered it to her. "How did you ever get a reservation Mulder? There is usually a two week waiting list."
"Frohike." Mulder said with a grin. "Apparently our friend Melvin has friends in high places."
Scully laughed and shook her head in disbelief as the waiter showed them a table towards the back of the room. The restaurant was very romantic and Scully thought briefly of the time that she and Skinner had dined there. She pushed the thought out of her mind as she ordered in dinner in perfect French.
"When did you learn to do that?"
"What? Oh, speak French?" Scully said blushing slightly. "My father almost got transferred there years ago and made us all take French lessons from this little old lady who would come by our house every week and torture us for an hour."
Mulder laughed and took her hand in his realizing how little he and Scully had ever discussed their private lives or their past. They did that night and both were pleased to find out that they had much more in common than the X-files and their mutual experiences with the Bureau. As they left the restaurant Mulder turned to her. "Do you want to go someplace for a drink Scully?"
She looked a bit sheepishly at him. "It's getting kind of late Mulder and we have that 7 AM meeting with Skinner tomorrow."
Mulder nodded and frowned as he opened the door for her. "No problem Scully. I will take you right home." He got into the car and an uncomfortable silence wrapped itself around them. It took Scully a few minutes to figure out what had put a damper on their evening. "Mulder?"
"Yes Scully."
"Do you want to come in for some coffee?"
"You said it yourself Scully, it's getting pretty late."
Scully nodded and stared out the window knowing perfectly well that their big chance was slowly dissolving. Refusing defeat, she tried again.
"Mulder?"
"Yes Scully." She couldn't tell from the sound of his voice if he was annoyed with her for what she said back at the restaurant or because she was badgering him now.
"If it gets too late you can always stay over." She was still looking out the window.
Mulder said nothing just glanced at her from time to time as he drove along. Scully knew him well enough to know that he was trying to get a read on her. Finally he spoke.
"I think a cup of coffee would be great."
Scully opened the door to her apartment and was suddenly overcome with the same case of nerves that had consumed Mulder earlier that evening. She said nothing as she flipped on the lights and went to hang up her sweater leaving Mulder to throw his jacket over a chair. He watched her as she returned from the bedroom and took her hands as she stood before him.
He waited until her eyes met his and then he slowly bent over and kissed her. Unlike the kisses they had shared in the past, this kiss was filled with more. With a promise of what was to come.
They parted and Mulder leaned his forehead against hers. "I would tell you how much I love you Scully but every time I try to you start crying and I don't want to break the mood." Scully swatted him playfully. "I am going to put the coffee on. Make yourself comfortable."
Mulder thought about following her into the kitchen but thought better of it. There was no rush. They had not only the whole night but their whole lives to spend together. He could wait a few more minutes.
Scully came out of the kitchen and saw Mulder sitting on the couch and glancing at the TV was surprised to find it off. Apparently Mulder did mean business tonight.
He raised his eyebrows at her and patted his lap inviting her to join him. She paused only a second but when she saw the fear of rejection flash across his face she walked over and sat down wrapping her arms around his neck.
"You say you want to believe Mulder, but how come you can't believe this?"
"I'm sorry Scully but I keep expecting to wake up and find that this is all a dream. Ow! Why did you pinch me?"
"So you would know you're awake." She lowered herself and placed her lips on his. "Mulder, I am going to make a believer out of you tonight." She whispered into his ear before resuming her assault on his mouth.
It didn't take long for the passion that had been long buried between them began to rise. Mulder found he couldn't get enough of Scully and was eager to explore every inch of her. Scully was only too happy to oblige.
He had laid her down on the couch and after thoroughly tormenting the upper half of her body with his tongue decided to begin the same process on the lower half. Scully lay there half undressed doing her best to guide Mulder's head with his hands. She would have told him exactly what she wanted but at the present time was incapable of speech.
Mulder was just about to go in for the kill when the sound of Scully's phone caused them both to jump.
"Leave it." Mulder said gruffly from somewhere around Scully's knees.
Scully did her best to comply with his wishes but when Skinner's voice boomed over her answering machine she bound off the couch and ran to grab the phone leaving Mulder impressed with her grace of movement considering her skirt was bunched up around her waist.
"I'm here Walter." Scully said the look of concern on her face growing as she listened. Mulder had risen and came to stand next to her.
"Yes, I'm sure I can get hold of Agent Mulder." Mulder choked back a snort at this comment. "We will meet you there in half an hour."
Scully slammed down the phone and started to head towards her room to change her clothes muttering something about a problem down at the lab. She was about the close the door, a fact which Mulder found rather amusing considering what they had just been doing, when he called out to Scully.
"Hey Scully, aren't you going to need these?" He waved a pair of black thongs in the air like a flag.
Scully mustered as much dignity as she could as she marched out of her room and grabbed them from him. "Not a word Mulder." She threatened as she walked back into the room and slammed the door shut.
Midnight FBI Labs
Skinner was already outside the lab with Alicia when Mulder and Scully arrived. Skinner took one look at the two of them and the way Scully was embarrassed to look him in the eye and knew immediately what had been happening. He motioned for the women to lead the way into the lab holding Mulder back by the arm.
"Sorry Mulder." He said.
Mulder looked a bit perplexed and then smiled and shrugged before entering the lab where Alicia was busily pointing to the main computer.
"As I was telling Dana, I was working on my computer back at my hotel room when I started getting all sorts of 'file corrupted' errors. I logged onto the main computer here and began getting the same error."
Scully's eyes grew larger and she looked at Mulder. "I'll get the guys here right away." He said before leaving the room to call the Lone Gunmen.
Skinner glanced up from his perch over Alicia's shoulder when something caught his eye. The door to the glass storage unit at the back of the room was slightly open.
"Agent Scully, where are all the samples of the vaccine being kept?" Skinner felt like he had swallowed lead.
"Here Sir. Why do you . . ." Scully followed Skinner's stare and ran over to the storage unit door while yelling for Mulder.
"What's wrong Scully?" Mulder said running back into the room. "Damn." He shut his eyes when he saw the empty storage unit.
"What is it?" Alicia peered from one agent to the other and then up at Skinner.
"The vaccine appears to be missing Ms. Duran." Skinner said between clenched teeth.
Scully and Mulder retrieved an evidence kit while Skinner escorted Alicia back to his office to question her about her activities pertaining to the lab. The Lone Gunmen arrived within the hour and began their examination of the lab's computer system. They worked in relative silence as it became clearer and clearer that everything on the computer had been lost.
Scully busily dusted the storage unit for fingerprints even though she was quite sure that she wouldn't find any. Whoever had planned this little attack was a pro and not likely to make such an obvious mistake.
Mulder looked around the room for any other type of clue that might prove helpful. The only thing he had been able to find was a small amount of green residue that was clinging to the side of the sink. "Whoever it was seemed to have just poured it all down the drain." He commented digging an evidence bag out of his pocket. "There seems to be minute traces of left here." He dragged a sterile cloth around the surface of the sink. "I am not sure if there is enough here to be of any use."
Scully walked over and looked at the sink and the white cloth which showed the slightest tint of color that was in his hand. "I don't know Mulder but Alicia will."
After collecting whatever evidence they could Mulder, Scully left the Lone Gunmen to continue their searching and headed down the street to Skinner's office. When they arrived they found Skinner looking gloomier than normal behind his desk and Alicia sitting in front of him sobbing quietly.
Scully looked at Skinner and then Alicia and quickly realized that her tears were not a result of simply being upset over the files being corrupted. Mulder apparently had assumed the same thing for he immediately squatted in front of Alicia and began to comfort her.
"What is it Alicia?"
"This is. . .all. . .my . . fault." She managed to get out between sobs.
Mulder looked to Skinner for clarification. "From what I have been able to gather, Alicia had made a new male friend since she has gotten into town." Mulder looked at Alicia and back to Skinner not at all surprised at this for she attracted men likes bees to honey.
"Her gentlemen friend called on her while she was working this afternoon." Scully looked at Skinner and saw he was trying very hard to control his anger. "She left the lab for a few minutes and when she returned he was gone."
Alicia broke in at this point. "I thought he had gone back to the hotel to wait for me but he didn't. We had date but he never showed."
Mulder felt his stomach turn over. "Alicia" he began slowly as to control his own mounting anger. "What's this guy's name?"
Alicia looked very embarrassed. "I don't know his last name."
"That's okay, just tell us what you do know."
"It's Alex."
Scully and Skinner exchanged confused glances while Mulder stood up and slammed his palm down on Skinner's desk for all his might.
"Did you order copies of the lobby security tapes Sir?" He asked hope already receding from his voice. When Skinner nodded he continued. "I think what you find there will confirm my identification of Alicia's little friend."
"And who exactly do you think it is Mulder?" Skinner asked.
"Alex, Alex Krycek."
1 AM Dulles Airport
Alex Krycek sat calmly in the lounge waiting for his Virgin Atlantic flight to be called. He patted his pocket confirming not only the large envelope of cash that the Syndicate had given him to cover his expenses while he hid out in Europe but also the small glass vial. Next to him in his computer case sat Scully's personal laptop computer and a small stack of files. All and all it had been a very productive evening.
He resisted the urge to rub his sore leg where he had administered the other vial's contents to himself. He was no doctor and the injection had been quite painful.
He smiled to himself and sipped his coffee knowing that by this time tomorrow he would literally be a new man living somewhere in Switzerland.
2 AM Scully's Apartment
Feeling quite defeated by the events of the last few hours, Scully opened her door and entered her apartment with Mulder following close behind her. She clicked on the light and went to hang up her jacket when she gasped.
Mulder looked up from where he was tossing his own coat and saw her staring at her desk. Her computer was gone. He watched in silence as she walked over began to rummage through her desks drawers.
"Damn that Krycek." She said walking past Mulder and throwing herself onto the couch. "He got everything. My computer had all my personal notes on not only my medical condition but yours as well as copies of all your medical records."
"So he knows."
"If he doesn't already he will soon enough." Scully leaned her head back and looked up at the ceiling.
"From what the Gunmen said, the virus will have wormed its way into all the backups you and Alicia created." Mulder said mirroring her position.
Scully all of a sudden sat straight up. She looked at Mulder and smiled at him. She got up off the couch and starting going through her CD collection tossing CD's aside as she went. Watching her, Mulder couldn't help but think that she had finally snapped under all the pressure.
"Here it is." Scully held up a CD triumphantly.
"What's that, the new REM CD?"
"No Mulder, it's not the new REM CD. It's a copy of all my reports and all of our records. I made it this afternoon before we went out to dinner."
"And you hid it. . ."
"In plain sight. I knew no one would ever think that the anal Agent Scully would stash information in her CD collection."
Mulder got off the couch and went over and swept her up into his arms. "Thank God some of my paranoia rubbed off on you."
Two days later The Syndicate Board Room, New York City
"There must be some mistake." The Well Manicured Man was saying. "I saw the data that Krycek obtained myself and I oversaw the creation of the virus that destroyed it. It's impossible that any data may have survived."
"What we didn't take into account was the fact that Agent Scully was a seasoned veteran of the X-files and was smart enough to make her own copy of the data." The Cigarette Smoking Man took a long drag of his cigarette.
"Is what she has enough to hurt us?"
"That remains to be seen. It will all depend on what whether the FBI chooses to handle the matter or if another branch of the Federal Government does."
"And if it is the FBI. . "
"Then we could have some difficulties."
The Office of The Director
George Williams opened the door to his office and extended his hand in welcome to Mulder. Mulder shook it and followed Williams into his office noticing that AD Skinner and Scully were already there.
Williams perched himself on the side of his desk and waited for Mulder to take a seat before speaking. "I was in a long meeting with the President this morning discussing our best course of action concerning the data that Agent Scully collected."
He nodded an acknowledgement in her direction. "General Elliott felt very strongly that the entire situation be handled by his organization while I and the others gathered there thought that an investigation by the FBI would be the best course of action." He paused a moment. "Fortunately the President agreed with us."
"That's wonderful Sir." Mulder interrupted. "But it is my understanding that the Bureau no longer has a unit that specializes in this type of investigation."
"It didn't." The Director corrected. "As of this morning, the X-files have been reopened with you, Agent Mulder, as Agent in Charge. I have arranged to give you access to whatever labs or computers you may need."
Mulder fought back the urge to smile. "Thank you Sir."
"You are more than welcome Agent Mulder. It's nothing that you don't deserve." Williams got up and walked back behind his desk a signal that Scully and Mulder took to mean he was done with them.
"There is more Agents." Williams said when he noticed they were preparing to depart. "You will need help in your quest Agent Mulder and if both AD Skinner and Agent Scully are willing, I would like to have her rejoin you on the X-files."
This time Mulder did smile as he glanced at Scully awaiting her response. "I would like that Sir, thank you."
Williams looked over at Skinner. "AD Skinner, I assume you will handle the necessary paperwork." He sat then. "Thank you everyone."
Outside the three of them were silent until they got into the elevator. There Skinner smiled broadly and congratulated them both. "I'm glad to have you both back where you belong."
Scully looked a bit uncomfortable. "Walter, what about?" She glanced at Mulder a moment and then looked at the floor.
Skinner smiled again. "I won't ask if you don't tell."
End of story..
Disclaimer Info located in Part One
April 18th 4:00 PM Scully's Apartment
Mulder was working himself into a full fledged panic. Scully's appointment was at ten that morning and now six hours later he still hadn't heard from her. To make matters worse, not only was her cell phone turned off but the message on her office voice mail calmly stated that she would be 'out for the day'."
Mulder decided the bag the rest of the day and head over to her apartment. Perhaps she was waiting for him there.
She wasn't. After knocking on her door several times he left himself. He called out her name and hearing nothing did a quick inspection.
There was no sign of her nor was there any sign that she had been there since early that morning. Mulder walked around the apartment again with a new appreciation how Scully felt when he had disappeared.
He was on his eighth lap of the room when he heard the key in the door and it opened revealing a very tired looking Scully. One look at her and he feared the worse and wasted no time in taking her into his arms.
"It's okay Scully, really it is. There are lots of different ways to make a family and we will find one that works for us. I know we will."
Scully pulled away from him and looked up at him rather puzzled. "Don't you understand Scully I love you and it makes no difference whether or not you can have a child."
"You do?" Scully her eyes began to fill with tears. Mulder was so upset about her test results that he had let those three little words slip out. "Do you really want to have a family with me Mulder?"
"More than anything in the world Scully." He leaned over so his forehead touched hers.
"And you don't care how we do it?" She asked looking up into his eyes and seeing nothing but concern and love there.
"No Scully. It makes no difference as long as we do it together."
She cradled his face between her two hands. "Are you sure Mulder?" She wanted to make sure she had gotten it right.
"I'm sure."
She beamed at him then. "Well, I hope you don't mind having to do it the old fashioned way."
Mulder stepped back and looked at her trying to comprehend what she had just said. He stared at her a moment or two before a slow grin started to creep across his face. He grabbed her then and swung her around until she felt slightly dizzy.
"Tell me Scully, tell me everything."
"They checked me over from head to toe and the chip is still there but the damage to my ovaries seems to have been eliminated."
He hugged her again. "I just assumed when you were so late and you looked so tired . . ."
"I stopped by the lab to check on Alicia and forgot to turn my cell phone back on. Really Mulder after all this time you should have learned your lesson about making assumptions."
"This definitely calls for a celebration Agent Scully." Mulder said quite formerly. "Why don't you rest awhile and I will come back around eight and take you out for a romantic dinner."
Scully laughed and Mulder looked at her a bit puzzled. "Leave it to you Mulder to tell me that you love me and offer to start a family with me all before we had our first real date."
6:10 PM FBI Labs
Krycek was once again surprised by the lack of security as he basically walked right into the building that housed some of the FBI labs. The security guard on duty had been the same man who was there the first time he had visited with Alicia. Recognizing him, the guard had waved him through without question.
He stood outside of the glass room which housed Alicia's research watching her. He felt a small twinge of regret at what he was about to do for he was genuinely fond of Alicia and had thoroughly enjoyed the several evenings he had spent in her bed.
Krycek tapped on the glass door and smiled in response to Alicia's. She came over to the door and unlocked it letting him in and was greeted by a long and very deep kiss.
"Alex, what are you doing here?"
"I got impatient. I just couldn't wait another minute to see you. Will you be long?"
Alicia frowned as she thought. "No, I expect I should have things wrapped up in the next few minutes. Do you mind waiting?"
"Not if you don't mind me nibbling on your neck while you work." He began to do so eliciting peals of laughter from Alicia. "Alex, what if someone should come by?"
"Are you expecting anyone?" He wrapped his hands around her waist and began to tug her dress upward.
"No. Dana has already come and gone and the rest of the labs down here are pretty much empty." She said feeling her legs start to become weak.
"Security cameras?" Krycek purred into her ears.
"No." Alicia allowed herself to be backed up against one of the desks. "Oh, wait a minute." She pushed Krycek away.
"What's wrong baby?"
"I don't have any rubbers in my purse." She said a bit sheepishly. "They sell them in the Ladies Room on the second floor. I'll just pop up there and get one." She kissed Krycek on the cheek. "Don't go away."
Krycek chuckled as he watched her leave. His original plan was to seduce her and then corrupt the computers when she headed to the Ladies Room to clean up. This worked out even better although he briefly regretted not having one more go around with her.
It took him but a moment to slip the CD into Alicia's computer. His program started immediately and would not only inject the virus into the system but erase all data on the CD before terminating.
Seeing his program chugging away, he walked over to where the vials were stored, slipped two into his pocket and calmly opened the others and poured their contents down a small sink located in the corner.
The empty vials were stuck in other pocket to be disposed later. He closed his jacket and casually walked out the door. Krycek was in his car and halfway down the block before Alicia returned rubber in hand.
She frowned when she saw the empty room assuming that Krycek had gone back to their hotel so they could have a more leisurely encounter. She shut off the lights and locked the door behind her never noticing the whirring sound of her computer.
8 PM
Scully opened the door to her apartment to find a very nervous Fox Mulder standing in her doorway. She smiled at him wondering how a man who could take on mutants and aliens without batting an eye would be so thrown by a simple date.
"Hey."
"Hey, yourself. Just let me grab a sweater." Scully ducked back into her apartment and appeared seconds later tugging her sweater on. Mulder helped her with it, ignoring the 'I can do it myself' glare he got for his efforts. He kissed her on the cheek and motioned for her to take the lead.
Scully had wondered about their big date all evening. Where would he take her? What would they talk about? What would she do when he returned her back to her apartment? It was definitely time to fish or cut bait but she still was unsure of which to do.
She gasped in surprise when Mulder pulled up in front of an exclusive French restaurant.
"Isn't this okay Scully? I thought you liked French." Mulder's insecurities were threatening to start showing themselves.
"I love French food Mulder. I am just surprised that's all." She got out of the car and actually took his arm when he offered it to her. "How did you ever get a reservation Mulder? There is usually a two week waiting list."
"Frohike." Mulder said with a grin. "Apparently our friend Melvin has friends in high places."
Scully laughed and shook her head in disbelief as the waiter showed them a table towards the back of the room. The restaurant was very romantic and Scully thought briefly of the time that she and Skinner had dined there. She pushed the thought out of her mind as she ordered in dinner in perfect French.
"When did you learn to do that?"
"What? Oh, speak French?" Scully said blushing slightly. "My father almost got transferred there years ago and made us all take French lessons from this little old lady who would come by our house every week and torture us for an hour."
Mulder laughed and took her hand in his realizing how little he and Scully had ever discussed their private lives or their past. They did that night and both were pleased to find out that they had much more in common than the X-files and their mutual experiences with the Bureau. As they left the restaurant Mulder turned to her. "Do you want to go someplace for a drink Scully?"
She looked a bit sheepishly at him. "It's getting kind of late Mulder and we have that 7 AM meeting with Skinner tomorrow."
Mulder nodded and frowned as he opened the door for her. "No problem Scully. I will take you right home." He got into the car and an uncomfortable silence wrapped itself around them. It took Scully a few minutes to figure out what had put a damper on their evening. "Mulder?"
"Yes Scully."
"Do you want to come in for some coffee?"
"You said it yourself Scully, it's getting pretty late."
Scully nodded and stared out the window knowing perfectly well that their big chance was slowly dissolving. Refusing defeat, she tried again.
"Mulder?"
"Yes Scully." She couldn't tell from the sound of his voice if he was annoyed with her for what she said back at the restaurant or because she was badgering him now.
"If it gets too late you can always stay over." She was still looking out the window.
Mulder said nothing just glanced at her from time to time as he drove along. Scully knew him well enough to know that he was trying to get a read on her. Finally he spoke.
"I think a cup of coffee would be great."
Scully opened the door to her apartment and was suddenly overcome with the same case of nerves that had consumed Mulder earlier that evening. She said nothing as she flipped on the lights and went to hang up her sweater leaving Mulder to throw his jacket over a chair. He watched her as she returned from the bedroom and took her hands as she stood before him.
He waited until her eyes met his and then he slowly bent over and kissed her. Unlike the kisses they had shared in the past, this kiss was filled with more. With a promise of what was to come.
They parted and Mulder leaned his forehead against hers. "I would tell you how much I love you Scully but every time I try to you start crying and I don't want to break the mood." Scully swatted him playfully. "I am going to put the coffee on. Make yourself comfortable."
Mulder thought about following her into the kitchen but thought better of it. There was no rush. They had not only the whole night but their whole lives to spend together. He could wait a few more minutes.
Scully came out of the kitchen and saw Mulder sitting on the couch and glancing at the TV was surprised to find it off. Apparently Mulder did mean business tonight.
He raised his eyebrows at her and patted his lap inviting her to join him. She paused only a second but when she saw the fear of rejection flash across his face she walked over and sat down wrapping her arms around his neck.
"You say you want to believe Mulder, but how come you can't believe this?"
"I'm sorry Scully but I keep expecting to wake up and find that this is all a dream. Ow! Why did you pinch me?"
"So you would know you're awake." She lowered herself and placed her lips on his. "Mulder, I am going to make a believer out of you tonight." She whispered into his ear before resuming her assault on his mouth.
It didn't take long for the passion that had been long buried between them began to rise. Mulder found he couldn't get enough of Scully and was eager to explore every inch of her. Scully was only too happy to oblige.
He had laid her down on the couch and after thoroughly tormenting the upper half of her body with his tongue decided to begin the same process on the lower half. Scully lay there half undressed doing her best to guide Mulder's head with his hands. She would have told him exactly what she wanted but at the present time was incapable of speech.
Mulder was just about to go in for the kill when the sound of Scully's phone caused them both to jump.
"Leave it." Mulder said gruffly from somewhere around Scully's knees.
Scully did her best to comply with his wishes but when Skinner's voice boomed over her answering machine she bound off the couch and ran to grab the phone leaving Mulder impressed with her grace of movement considering her skirt was bunched up around her waist.
"I'm here Walter." Scully said the look of concern on her face growing as she listened. Mulder had risen and came to stand next to her.
"Yes, I'm sure I can get hold of Agent Mulder." Mulder choked back a snort at this comment. "We will meet you there in half an hour."
Scully slammed down the phone and started to head towards her room to change her clothes muttering something about a problem down at the lab. She was about the close the door, a fact which Mulder found rather amusing considering what they had just been doing, when he called out to Scully.
"Hey Scully, aren't you going to need these?" He waved a pair of black thongs in the air like a flag.
Scully mustered as much dignity as she could as she marched out of her room and grabbed them from him. "Not a word Mulder." She threatened as she walked back into the room and slammed the door shut.
Midnight FBI Labs
Skinner was already outside the lab with Alicia when Mulder and Scully arrived. Skinner took one look at the two of them and the way Scully was embarrassed to look him in the eye and knew immediately what had been happening. He motioned for the women to lead the way into the lab holding Mulder back by the arm.
"Sorry Mulder." He said.
Mulder looked a bit perplexed and then smiled and shrugged before entering the lab where Alicia was busily pointing to the main computer.
"As I was telling Dana, I was working on my computer back at my hotel room when I started getting all sorts of 'file corrupted' errors. I logged onto the main computer here and began getting the same error."
Scully's eyes grew larger and she looked at Mulder. "I'll get the guys here right away." He said before leaving the room to call the Lone Gunmen.
Skinner glanced up from his perch over Alicia's shoulder when something caught his eye. The door to the glass storage unit at the back of the room was slightly open.
"Agent Scully, where are all the samples of the vaccine being kept?" Skinner felt like he had swallowed lead.
"Here Sir. Why do you . . ." Scully followed Skinner's stare and ran over to the storage unit door while yelling for Mulder.
"What's wrong Scully?" Mulder said running back into the room. "Damn." He shut his eyes when he saw the empty storage unit.
"What is it?" Alicia peered from one agent to the other and then up at Skinner.
"The vaccine appears to be missing Ms. Duran." Skinner said between clenched teeth.
Scully and Mulder retrieved an evidence kit while Skinner escorted Alicia back to his office to question her about her activities pertaining to the lab. The Lone Gunmen arrived within the hour and began their examination of the lab's computer system. They worked in relative silence as it became clearer and clearer that everything on the computer had been lost.
Scully busily dusted the storage unit for fingerprints even though she was quite sure that she wouldn't find any. Whoever had planned this little attack was a pro and not likely to make such an obvious mistake.
Mulder looked around the room for any other type of clue that might prove helpful. The only thing he had been able to find was a small amount of green residue that was clinging to the side of the sink. "Whoever it was seemed to have just poured it all down the drain." He commented digging an evidence bag out of his pocket. "There seems to be minute traces of left here." He dragged a sterile cloth around the surface of the sink. "I am not sure if there is enough here to be of any use."
Scully walked over and looked at the sink and the white cloth which showed the slightest tint of color that was in his hand. "I don't know Mulder but Alicia will."
After collecting whatever evidence they could Mulder, Scully left the Lone Gunmen to continue their searching and headed down the street to Skinner's office. When they arrived they found Skinner looking gloomier than normal behind his desk and Alicia sitting in front of him sobbing quietly.
Scully looked at Skinner and then Alicia and quickly realized that her tears were not a result of simply being upset over the files being corrupted. Mulder apparently had assumed the same thing for he immediately squatted in front of Alicia and began to comfort her.
"What is it Alicia?"
"This is. . .all. . .my . . fault." She managed to get out between sobs.
Mulder looked to Skinner for clarification. "From what I have been able to gather, Alicia had made a new male friend since she has gotten into town." Mulder looked at Alicia and back to Skinner not at all surprised at this for she attracted men likes bees to honey.
"Her gentlemen friend called on her while she was working this afternoon." Scully looked at Skinner and saw he was trying very hard to control his anger. "She left the lab for a few minutes and when she returned he was gone."
Alicia broke in at this point. "I thought he had gone back to the hotel to wait for me but he didn't. We had date but he never showed."
Mulder felt his stomach turn over. "Alicia" he began slowly as to control his own mounting anger. "What's this guy's name?"
Alicia looked very embarrassed. "I don't know his last name."
"That's okay, just tell us what you do know."
"It's Alex."
Scully and Skinner exchanged confused glances while Mulder stood up and slammed his palm down on Skinner's desk for all his might.
"Did you order copies of the lobby security tapes Sir?" He asked hope already receding from his voice. When Skinner nodded he continued. "I think what you find there will confirm my identification of Alicia's little friend."
"And who exactly do you think it is Mulder?" Skinner asked.
"Alex, Alex Krycek."
1 AM Dulles Airport
Alex Krycek sat calmly in the lounge waiting for his Virgin Atlantic flight to be called. He patted his pocket confirming not only the large envelope of cash that the Syndicate had given him to cover his expenses while he hid out in Europe but also the small glass vial. Next to him in his computer case sat Scully's personal laptop computer and a small stack of files. All and all it had been a very productive evening.
He resisted the urge to rub his sore leg where he had administered the other vial's contents to himself. He was no doctor and the injection had been quite painful.
He smiled to himself and sipped his coffee knowing that by this time tomorrow he would literally be a new man living somewhere in Switzerland.
2 AM Scully's Apartment
Feeling quite defeated by the events of the last few hours, Scully opened her door and entered her apartment with Mulder following close behind her. She clicked on the light and went to hang up her jacket when she gasped.
Mulder looked up from where he was tossing his own coat and saw her staring at her desk. Her computer was gone. He watched in silence as she walked over began to rummage through her desks drawers.
"Damn that Krycek." She said walking past Mulder and throwing herself onto the couch. "He got everything. My computer had all my personal notes on not only my medical condition but yours as well as copies of all your medical records."
"So he knows."
"If he doesn't already he will soon enough." Scully leaned her head back and looked up at the ceiling.
"From what the Gunmen said, the virus will have wormed its way into all the backups you and Alicia created." Mulder said mirroring her position.
Scully all of a sudden sat straight up. She looked at Mulder and smiled at him. She got up off the couch and starting going through her CD collection tossing CD's aside as she went. Watching her, Mulder couldn't help but think that she had finally snapped under all the pressure.
"Here it is." Scully held up a CD triumphantly.
"What's that, the new REM CD?"
"No Mulder, it's not the new REM CD. It's a copy of all my reports and all of our records. I made it this afternoon before we went out to dinner."
"And you hid it. . ."
"In plain sight. I knew no one would ever think that the anal Agent Scully would stash information in her CD collection."
Mulder got off the couch and went over and swept her up into his arms. "Thank God some of my paranoia rubbed off on you."
Two days later The Syndicate Board Room, New York City
"There must be some mistake." The Well Manicured Man was saying. "I saw the data that Krycek obtained myself and I oversaw the creation of the virus that destroyed it. It's impossible that any data may have survived."
"What we didn't take into account was the fact that Agent Scully was a seasoned veteran of the X-files and was smart enough to make her own copy of the data." The Cigarette Smoking Man took a long drag of his cigarette.
"Is what she has enough to hurt us?"
"That remains to be seen. It will all depend on what whether the FBI chooses to handle the matter or if another branch of the Federal Government does."
"And if it is the FBI. . "
"Then we could have some difficulties."
The Office of The Director
George Williams opened the door to his office and extended his hand in welcome to Mulder. Mulder shook it and followed Williams into his office noticing that AD Skinner and Scully were already there.
Williams perched himself on the side of his desk and waited for Mulder to take a seat before speaking. "I was in a long meeting with the President this morning discussing our best course of action concerning the data that Agent Scully collected."
He nodded an acknowledgement in her direction. "General Elliott felt very strongly that the entire situation be handled by his organization while I and the others gathered there thought that an investigation by the FBI would be the best course of action." He paused a moment. "Fortunately the President agreed with us."
"That's wonderful Sir." Mulder interrupted. "But it is my understanding that the Bureau no longer has a unit that specializes in this type of investigation."
"It didn't." The Director corrected. "As of this morning, the X-files have been reopened with you, Agent Mulder, as Agent in Charge. I have arranged to give you access to whatever labs or computers you may need."
Mulder fought back the urge to smile. "Thank you Sir."
"You are more than welcome Agent Mulder. It's nothing that you don't deserve." Williams got up and walked back behind his desk a signal that Scully and Mulder took to mean he was done with them.
"There is more Agents." Williams said when he noticed they were preparing to depart. "You will need help in your quest Agent Mulder and if both AD Skinner and Agent Scully are willing, I would like to have her rejoin you on the X-files."
This time Mulder did smile as he glanced at Scully awaiting her response. "I would like that Sir, thank you."
Williams looked over at Skinner. "AD Skinner, I assume you will handle the necessary paperwork." He sat then. "Thank you everyone."
Outside the three of them were silent until they got into the elevator. There Skinner smiled broadly and congratulated them both. "I'm glad to have you both back where you belong."
Scully looked a bit uncomfortable. "Walter, what about?" She glanced at Mulder a moment and then looked at the floor.
Skinner smiled again. "I won't ask if you don't tell."
End of story..