CHAPTER 12
The next day, Dana drove her SUV to the airport. She was due to leave for San Diego that afternoon. There was a high school for kids interested in a serious career in science that was looking for a forensics and pathology teacher. Charlie and his wife Denise lived in town, so they would be able to help out with Emma and Danny before school started. Their son was Danny's age, and Denise had already said that she would love to have Danny during the day, and Emma would be starting kindergarten. Since the high school had holidays and summer off, she would have plenty of time with her kids.
For the time being, she would be spending a week and a half with her brother and his family, basically to get away from it all.
At the airport, Dana checked their bags with the skycap, and then went to park in the long-term parking lot. She put Danny in his stroller and went to the ticket counter to check in. Emma was jumping up and down excitedly, trying to see over the counter. Everything about flying excited her. She pulled on Dana's arm for about the fourth or fifth time while she was taking to the clerk, trying to find out what gate they needed to go to.
"Emilie Samantha Malone, please. Mommy is trying to get this all sorted out. If you do not calm down, we will not be going to see Uncle Charlie."
Emma's lip started trembling at her mother's harsh tone. "I'm sorry Momma."
Dana sighed. "It's okay baby." She smiled at the clerk and leaned down to pick up her daughter. Emma put her head down on her mother's shoulder. She knew she shouldn't have snapped at the little girl. She was just so stressed out these days.
She got all their paperwork straightened out and set Emma down, pushing Danny's stroller toward Gate D-10.
"Momma, can we get hotdogs?" Emma asked. She had obviously gotten over the earlier incident at the ticket counter. Dana looked at her watch. They still had an hour and a half before their flight began boarding, but they still had to get through airport security, which was still tight after September 11.
"We'll see hon. We still have to go through the metal detectors. Let's get in line." She guided the stroller in place behind a man and a woman in business suits. They were arguing about a meeting they were flying to Seattle for. Then their talk turned more toward flirting and innuendos. Dana could tell they were sleeping together, or at least thinking about it.
She tuned them out and focused on her children instead. Danny had fallen asleep in his stroller. He was clutching his security blanket and sucking his thumb. She smiled at her beautiful boy. He was so oblivious to his mother's troubles.
Emma, on the other had, could sense that something was wrong. She had grown rather quiet. She was sitting on the floor with drooping eyelids.
"Come here sweetheart," Dana said to her daughter. Emma picked her backpack up off the ground and dragged it over to her mother. "Put your book bag on." Emma sighed and put her little arms through the straps. Then Dana leaned down and picked her up. The line shuffled along for another 15 minutes before the family got to the metal detectors.
"Sweetheart, put your bag on the conveyor belt. Emma dropped it on the belt. It went through with Dana's laptop case and Danny's toy bag. After getting through security, they stopped in at a deli for hotdogs. She woke her son up and gave him some French fries. She knew they would get food on the plane so she didn't want them to eat a lot.
They were sitting at one of the tables when a woman walked in. She walked up to the counter and ordered a double skinny latte with no foam. She seemed to have a way that she carried herself that just drew attention to her. She was dressed in a black pinstripe suit with a short skirt and heels. She was even wearing the panty hose with the little seam up the back. 'Some people,' Dana thought to herself, then turned back to entertaining Danny. The woman tuned to look at a rack of snack food on the counter. Dana looked up at her again and saw an FBI badge pinned to her jacket. The woman picked up a bag of sunflower seeds and Dana's heart sank. She knew that brand of seeds. She had purchased them herself many times.
She knew she shouldn't do it, shouldn't mess with fate, but she had to know. "Stay here guys," she said to her kids who were now sword fighting with their French fries. She pasted a smile on her face and approached the woman.
"Excuse me, but I couldn't help but notice your badge. I used to work at the Bureau."
"Oh, hello. I'm Kassie Magellan. Well, Special Agent Kassie Magellan." The woman had a frosty tone.
"What department do you work in?" The moment of truth. Now that the words had come out of her mouth, Dana regretted saying them. She didn't really even want to know.
"You probably wouldn't know it. It's just reopening."
"Try me," Dana said, smirking, "I taught at Quantico up until a few months ago, so I might surprise you."
"Oh, you taught at Quantico? What did you teach?"
"Forensic science and pathology."
"I don't think I ever took anything like that."
"So what department are you in?" Dana knew she sounded rude, but if she was going to know, she had to know now.
"The X-Files," Kassie said slowly. "We investigate paranormal activity. I know it sounds unusual, but there's a lot of stuff out there that can't really be explained, but it still needs to be investigated. I'll understand if you've never heard of it. Or, if you have, you may have heard some of the rumors. I assure you, it's all very real and there's a lot of science in it. It's not all 'spooky Mulder' down in the basement anymore."
Dana knew she shouldn't do it, but she couldn't let herself be patronized by this rookie agent. And what was this 'anymore' business? It was never 'spooky Mulder' down in the basement.
"I do know the X-Files. I actually worked down there for about 7 years ago, until right before they closed. Believe me, I know all about the balance between the science and the paranormal. And Mulder was never really 'spooky.'"
"Well, that I know. I know Fox quite well."
'Fox?' Dana thought.
Kassie continued, "It's a lot more professional and business like now. There will be more cooperation with and from the rest of the Bureau. Less rule breaking and general problems. What did you say your name was, by the way?" Kassie was the one smirking now.
"Dana Scully. Are you here with Mulder?"
"Yeah, he's at the gate with my partner. We're flying out for our first gate. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, just thought I'd say hello. He was my partner for 7 years. What gate are you flying out of?"
"D-10. Flight to San Diego."
'Shit,' Dana thought. She had just wanted to get away from the argument while putting the woman in her place. Now she was going to be stuck on a plane with her daughter's father who wanted nothing to do with either of them. If she hadn't started this asinine conversation, she would have been happily unaware that they were sharing a plane. It was a big plane; they might not have ever crossed paths. You know what they say, ignorance is bliss.
"Well, I've got to get my kids ready for early boarding, so I'll be going. Good luck on your case." With that, she started to gather Emma and Danny and their things. The woman looked at her and raised her eyebrows at the brush-off. Then she shrugged and turned on her heel and left with her coffee. She left the sunflower seeds on the counter. Dana picked them up and, sighing, paid for them. She was not looking forward to this flight.
Emma was getting tired now. She was dragging her bag on the floor and her eyelids were drooping. She would probably sleep the entire flight. At least that would make this easier. Maybe she could avoid Mulder. She might have to see him, but maybe he wouldn't see her.
She walked slowly up to the gate. D-10 was at the end of the terminal. The entire terminal emptied into the waiting area. As they approached the crowd of chairs, she scanned the crowd that was milling around. She saw Kassie standing with two suited men by the windows. One was shorter and blond, and the other was Mulder. She recognized him even though his back was to her. Hi dark suit accented his broad shoulders and his brown hair was shorter than the week before. She bit her lip and steered Danny's stroller toward a few open chairs as far away from the agents as she could get.
Dana settled Emma into one of the open seats and sat down next to her in the other. She slouched down, avoiding the windows. Emma had drifted off to sleep and Danny's thumb was in his mouth, which meant that sleep was coming. There was still 20 minutes before the pre-boarding began, and she wished she could just sleep. But all she could do was space out. She stared straight forward, not letting herself think about anything. It worked until the woman's voice came over the loudspeaker announcing that anyone requiring assistance or traveling with small children should begin the pre- boarding process.
Realizing that both her children were now fast asleep, Dana sighed. She would have to carry Emma down the jet way and then Danny also once they were on the plane. Strollers never came onto the actual plane, so she would have to somehow hold both of them. She considered waking Emma, but then she was likely to be awake for the rest of the trip. She would have to be carried.
She picked up Emma's back pack, her own lap top case, and Danny's toy bag. Trying to juggle all that, she picked up her four year old daughter who was much harder to carry while sleeping. She started pushing the stroller with one hand toward the gate. She was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll take her if you want," a male voice said. She turned, but she didn't need to. She'd know that voice anywhere.
"Mulder."
The next day, Dana drove her SUV to the airport. She was due to leave for San Diego that afternoon. There was a high school for kids interested in a serious career in science that was looking for a forensics and pathology teacher. Charlie and his wife Denise lived in town, so they would be able to help out with Emma and Danny before school started. Their son was Danny's age, and Denise had already said that she would love to have Danny during the day, and Emma would be starting kindergarten. Since the high school had holidays and summer off, she would have plenty of time with her kids.
For the time being, she would be spending a week and a half with her brother and his family, basically to get away from it all.
At the airport, Dana checked their bags with the skycap, and then went to park in the long-term parking lot. She put Danny in his stroller and went to the ticket counter to check in. Emma was jumping up and down excitedly, trying to see over the counter. Everything about flying excited her. She pulled on Dana's arm for about the fourth or fifth time while she was taking to the clerk, trying to find out what gate they needed to go to.
"Emilie Samantha Malone, please. Mommy is trying to get this all sorted out. If you do not calm down, we will not be going to see Uncle Charlie."
Emma's lip started trembling at her mother's harsh tone. "I'm sorry Momma."
Dana sighed. "It's okay baby." She smiled at the clerk and leaned down to pick up her daughter. Emma put her head down on her mother's shoulder. She knew she shouldn't have snapped at the little girl. She was just so stressed out these days.
She got all their paperwork straightened out and set Emma down, pushing Danny's stroller toward Gate D-10.
"Momma, can we get hotdogs?" Emma asked. She had obviously gotten over the earlier incident at the ticket counter. Dana looked at her watch. They still had an hour and a half before their flight began boarding, but they still had to get through airport security, which was still tight after September 11.
"We'll see hon. We still have to go through the metal detectors. Let's get in line." She guided the stroller in place behind a man and a woman in business suits. They were arguing about a meeting they were flying to Seattle for. Then their talk turned more toward flirting and innuendos. Dana could tell they were sleeping together, or at least thinking about it.
She tuned them out and focused on her children instead. Danny had fallen asleep in his stroller. He was clutching his security blanket and sucking his thumb. She smiled at her beautiful boy. He was so oblivious to his mother's troubles.
Emma, on the other had, could sense that something was wrong. She had grown rather quiet. She was sitting on the floor with drooping eyelids.
"Come here sweetheart," Dana said to her daughter. Emma picked her backpack up off the ground and dragged it over to her mother. "Put your book bag on." Emma sighed and put her little arms through the straps. Then Dana leaned down and picked her up. The line shuffled along for another 15 minutes before the family got to the metal detectors.
"Sweetheart, put your bag on the conveyor belt. Emma dropped it on the belt. It went through with Dana's laptop case and Danny's toy bag. After getting through security, they stopped in at a deli for hotdogs. She woke her son up and gave him some French fries. She knew they would get food on the plane so she didn't want them to eat a lot.
They were sitting at one of the tables when a woman walked in. She walked up to the counter and ordered a double skinny latte with no foam. She seemed to have a way that she carried herself that just drew attention to her. She was dressed in a black pinstripe suit with a short skirt and heels. She was even wearing the panty hose with the little seam up the back. 'Some people,' Dana thought to herself, then turned back to entertaining Danny. The woman tuned to look at a rack of snack food on the counter. Dana looked up at her again and saw an FBI badge pinned to her jacket. The woman picked up a bag of sunflower seeds and Dana's heart sank. She knew that brand of seeds. She had purchased them herself many times.
She knew she shouldn't do it, shouldn't mess with fate, but she had to know. "Stay here guys," she said to her kids who were now sword fighting with their French fries. She pasted a smile on her face and approached the woman.
"Excuse me, but I couldn't help but notice your badge. I used to work at the Bureau."
"Oh, hello. I'm Kassie Magellan. Well, Special Agent Kassie Magellan." The woman had a frosty tone.
"What department do you work in?" The moment of truth. Now that the words had come out of her mouth, Dana regretted saying them. She didn't really even want to know.
"You probably wouldn't know it. It's just reopening."
"Try me," Dana said, smirking, "I taught at Quantico up until a few months ago, so I might surprise you."
"Oh, you taught at Quantico? What did you teach?"
"Forensic science and pathology."
"I don't think I ever took anything like that."
"So what department are you in?" Dana knew she sounded rude, but if she was going to know, she had to know now.
"The X-Files," Kassie said slowly. "We investigate paranormal activity. I know it sounds unusual, but there's a lot of stuff out there that can't really be explained, but it still needs to be investigated. I'll understand if you've never heard of it. Or, if you have, you may have heard some of the rumors. I assure you, it's all very real and there's a lot of science in it. It's not all 'spooky Mulder' down in the basement anymore."
Dana knew she shouldn't do it, but she couldn't let herself be patronized by this rookie agent. And what was this 'anymore' business? It was never 'spooky Mulder' down in the basement.
"I do know the X-Files. I actually worked down there for about 7 years ago, until right before they closed. Believe me, I know all about the balance between the science and the paranormal. And Mulder was never really 'spooky.'"
"Well, that I know. I know Fox quite well."
'Fox?' Dana thought.
Kassie continued, "It's a lot more professional and business like now. There will be more cooperation with and from the rest of the Bureau. Less rule breaking and general problems. What did you say your name was, by the way?" Kassie was the one smirking now.
"Dana Scully. Are you here with Mulder?"
"Yeah, he's at the gate with my partner. We're flying out for our first gate. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, just thought I'd say hello. He was my partner for 7 years. What gate are you flying out of?"
"D-10. Flight to San Diego."
'Shit,' Dana thought. She had just wanted to get away from the argument while putting the woman in her place. Now she was going to be stuck on a plane with her daughter's father who wanted nothing to do with either of them. If she hadn't started this asinine conversation, she would have been happily unaware that they were sharing a plane. It was a big plane; they might not have ever crossed paths. You know what they say, ignorance is bliss.
"Well, I've got to get my kids ready for early boarding, so I'll be going. Good luck on your case." With that, she started to gather Emma and Danny and their things. The woman looked at her and raised her eyebrows at the brush-off. Then she shrugged and turned on her heel and left with her coffee. She left the sunflower seeds on the counter. Dana picked them up and, sighing, paid for them. She was not looking forward to this flight.
Emma was getting tired now. She was dragging her bag on the floor and her eyelids were drooping. She would probably sleep the entire flight. At least that would make this easier. Maybe she could avoid Mulder. She might have to see him, but maybe he wouldn't see her.
She walked slowly up to the gate. D-10 was at the end of the terminal. The entire terminal emptied into the waiting area. As they approached the crowd of chairs, she scanned the crowd that was milling around. She saw Kassie standing with two suited men by the windows. One was shorter and blond, and the other was Mulder. She recognized him even though his back was to her. Hi dark suit accented his broad shoulders and his brown hair was shorter than the week before. She bit her lip and steered Danny's stroller toward a few open chairs as far away from the agents as she could get.
Dana settled Emma into one of the open seats and sat down next to her in the other. She slouched down, avoiding the windows. Emma had drifted off to sleep and Danny's thumb was in his mouth, which meant that sleep was coming. There was still 20 minutes before the pre-boarding began, and she wished she could just sleep. But all she could do was space out. She stared straight forward, not letting herself think about anything. It worked until the woman's voice came over the loudspeaker announcing that anyone requiring assistance or traveling with small children should begin the pre- boarding process.
Realizing that both her children were now fast asleep, Dana sighed. She would have to carry Emma down the jet way and then Danny also once they were on the plane. Strollers never came onto the actual plane, so she would have to somehow hold both of them. She considered waking Emma, but then she was likely to be awake for the rest of the trip. She would have to be carried.
She picked up Emma's back pack, her own lap top case, and Danny's toy bag. Trying to juggle all that, she picked up her four year old daughter who was much harder to carry while sleeping. She started pushing the stroller with one hand toward the gate. She was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll take her if you want," a male voice said. She turned, but she didn't need to. She'd know that voice anywhere.
"Mulder."