"What?" Asked Mulder. "What do you mean, 'your to become Joan of Arc'?".

"Just what I said. I'm going to become Joan of Arc. That's what they are going to send me back to do." She silenced the protests of the agents. "I always said I wanted to was help people. Well this is my chance! I know I am going to die, but everyone dies eventually, right? Look, if I don't do this, what will happen to the time line? I would be betraying my morals if I didn't, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did that. My death..." she faltered. "It won't hurt. I'll be living a life I always dreamed of."

"What about your family?" Asked Scully. Kathryn grimaced. "What will they say, what will they do?" Kathryn looked at the three in despair.

"We can wipe the memories of everyone. The records of you, too."

That seemed to settle Kathryn's mind. She nodded to the three.

"Kathryn, I won't let you." said Mulder.

She rose to her full height, eye level to Mulder. "I wasn't under the impression that it was your choice." She replied. "This is my destiny, and I will face it."

The three girls clasped hands, and began chanting. A bright light appeared. "Step into this. It will change your appearance to that of which you will need."

Kathryn stepped in, and the light flared. When she stepped out, she looked totally different. She was shorter, her hair cropped shorter in a boys cut.  Her clothes were different, too.

"Chain mail?" She jumped at her voice, and her French accent. "I always wanted a voice like this.  I… I know French." She said, smiling, slightly. She felt at her neck- her dog tags were still there. She gently, lovingly, unhooked them. "I've worn them so long..."

The girls clapped simultaneously, startling everyone. The portal changed. Now it showed a different land, an earlier land.

"When you step through, a horse will be waiting for you. You will know what you need to do." Kathryn, or Joan, nodded. She walked forward, and a step away from the portal, turned.

"Agent Scully, take these. I want to know there is at least something of me left here." Scully took them, looked at them, looked back at Kathryn, and then put them in her pocket.

Kathryn nodded at Scully, then Mulder, turned and strode into it.

Then the agent's vision went black.

"Agents!! AGENTS!!" Scully and Mulder woke up on the ground, in a cave, to a frantic Skinner.

"Are you two all right?" He asked, though he was only looking at Scully.

She answered for them both. "We're fine, just a little confused. What exactly are we doing here?"

"We were undercover here, staying at this ranch while searching for three young girls. You don't remember?" He looked worried.

"Sorta." Replied Mulder, sitting up carefully. He winced, and put a hand to his temple.

"What happened?" Asked Skinner. Both agents shrugged. "Well, we found the girls."

"And?" Asked Mulder.

Skinners face was grim. "They are all dead, a hundred yards or so from here."

"Cause?" Asked Scully.

"Unknown, though the medical examiner says it looks similar to what happens to marathon runners when they "bonk". This case was more serious, though, and they died."

Both agents sighed unhappily.

"Come on." said Skinner. "I have arranged for some free time for all three of us in Dallas. I think we all need the break. Go get checked out by paramedics, then we'll leave."
~~~

Someone else had done the packing for them, so all Scully had to do was change. She dumped her dirty clothes in luggage without thinking.