Title: Slip Sliding Away

Disclaimer: Look at the bottom of your shoe. That is my net worth. Do I look like I own anything to you? I mean, hey, if I owned anything related to the X-Files do you think I'd be here? (Yes, but that's beside the point.)

Summary: Set in season six after Milagro: Scully needs a vacation from the X-Files so she goes somewhere she thinks even Mulder won't find her. When an X-File threatens to ruin her getaway and Mulder turns up, what will she do?

Author's Note: My sister has threatened my life so here I am writing more. Right now she's sitting behind me poking me in the back until I finish this chapter. So here we go.

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Day 3
Piper Maru

Tonight is the big bash the ship holds to welcome the guests, but today is a party in itself. Everyone is friendly and I swear I saw a conga line go by a while ago. I'm sitting here by the pool reading a book. When was the last time I could just sit doing nothing. This new experience is very liberating. I actually spoke with a few other women. One of them was married, but the others were single. They've invited me to a kind of mixer for the ship's singles. I think I might go.
I'm feeling kind of bad about being so bitter in my letter to Mulder. He's probably depressed by now. I shouldn't feel so bad about leaving him, but in truth, I actually miss him.
I'm just about to go off and start getting ready for the party tonight, when a little girl catches my eye. She's sitting alone on a beach chair crying. I think she's lost. I approach her.
"Hey, are you lost?"
She sniffles and wipes her nose. Then she nods her head.
"Where are your parents?"
"They're not here. My sister and I came with our uncle."
"Do you think maybe he went back to your rooms?"
"I don't know. Maybe he went to talk with Grandpa."
"Who's your grandpa?"
At this she beamed a smile.
"He's the Captain of this ship."
"I happen to know your Grandpa. Why don't we go find him?"
"Okay."
She took my hand and I walked with her to the bridge. I talked a moment with a crew member and he went to get the Captain.
After a moment, an elderly gentleman I knew to be Captain Archie stepped out on deck.
"Dana! Angie! What brings you two lovely ladies to my bridge?"
I hugged him and then stepped back to let him pick up the girl, Angie.
"It seems Angie got separated from her uncle. Do you happen to know where he is?"
"Here he comes now." Archie pointed to a man and another little girl making their way towards us. As they reached us Archie started the introductions. "Dana, this is my nephew Matthew and my granddaughter Amanda. Matthew, this is the daughter of an old friend of mine, Dana."
I shook hands with him.
"Please, call me Matt."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Matt."
"The pleasure is mine. Thank you for returning my charge. I had to take Mandie to the doctor's because she got a little seasick."
"Poor kid. I guess I'll see you tonight then."
"Later Dana."
I walked away. He seemed nice, but there was something about him. He seemed just a bit too good to be true. I pushed it out of my mind. I wasn't really that interested in him anyway.

Later Day 3
Piper Maru

The ballroom was done up beautifully with lights and ribbons. I found my seat at the Captain's table quickly and was introduced to the group.
"Dana, I'd like you to meet my family:" Archie gestured to the woman at her right and began to go around the circular table. "This is my sister Marta; her husband John; you've met Mandie and Angie, the twins; their brother Andrew; and you already know Matthew." He finished.
The dinner progressed and soon the table began to get up to dance. The girls went off with their grandfather and brother. Then the Captain's sister and her husband went off. It was only Matt and me. The family was watching us from the dance floor with interest.
"I have the funny feeling we've been set up." Matt took a drink of his Martini.
"It would seem that way."I sipped my Long Island Iced Tea. "Look, Matt, I'm sure you're a nice guy, but I'm not really interested in a relationship right now."
"That makes this slightly less awkward: Dana, I'm sure you're a nice girl, but I'm gay."
I let go of the breath I'd been holding.
"That does make it less awkward. I take it your family doesn't know."
"I plan on breaking it to them by the end of this trip. They wouldn't get it if I tried to tell them now. I can only imagine the hell I'm going to get later for not asking you to dance."
"Well, I could care less about who you date and we're only going to get more awkward sitting here so why not dance?"
"You really don't mind?"
"No, one of my best friends in college was gay. Personally, I think gay guys can be better friends than some women."
"In that case, let's go wow them with our dancing skills."
"I thought you'd never ask."
We start dancing and are having a great time when the lights in the ballroom go out. There are a few screams, but then the lights come back on. Everything seems okay until on woman begins to shout.
"Where's my husband?!"
The captain and I move to calm her.
"What's the matter Mrs. Lit? Where is your husband?" Archie asks.
"My husband! He just disappeared right before my eyes!!" With that she fainted. I looked around but the Captain put his hand on my shoulder.
"Dana, could you please? Mr. Lit is the doctor."
I begin to tend to the woman as Archie orders the ship searched for Mr. Lit.

Day 4
Mulder at the FBI

I didn't want to come in today. It depresses me to be here without Scully. I go to make some coffee and when I come back in I see a file has been dropped on my desk.
I begin to skim through it:

Presumed missing at sea, Dr. Hew Lit "disappeared" in the middle of a party aboard the Piper Maru. Witnesses testify that the lights were cut and Mr. Lit vanished right under his wife's eyes. The wife was so disturbed by the image she required medical attention from another doctor who happened to be traveling on board. A search of the ship turned up nothing, but some passengers have reported seeing Mr. Lit during the night. An unofficial investigation has been started by an off duty FBI agent and a Detective from New York. So far their information is scarce and Captain Archibald Wilhelm has asked for addition FBI assistance.

It sounded interesting. I looked at their location. They were skirting the edge of the Bermuda Triangle. That was a possible cause.
Immediately, I made an appointment with the AD for a meeting. I couldn't wait to get out their. If Scully knew where I was going, she'd probably kill me. She had made me promise as she checked me out of the hospital from my last Bermuda Adventure that I would never go off to the Bermuda Triangle again without telling her first.
Too bad she wasn't here. She could use the sun. The thought hit me hard. If Scully wasn't here that meant I had to take Diana. I stopped myself before I could visibly cringe. Scully would definitely kill me when she got back. I really wanted to go with Scully, but since she didn't tell me where she was going, I had no choice.
I called the Gunmen. If I couldn't reach Scully, they could at least tell her where I went.
"Hey guys. I know she told you not to contact her but please tell her if she calls that I'm going to investigate a disappearance in the Bermuda Triangle."
"Umm.. Sure.." Langley mumbled and then hung up quickly.
I swear those guys get stranger all the time.
My meeting with the AD took a minute and then I called Diana and told her I'd pick her up tonight at seven to catch our eight o'clock flight. I went home to pack and brood for a few hour over how much I missed Scully and how much I was dreading going on this case with Diana.

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Author's Note: Had you for a minute there, didn't I? Bet you all thought Scully was going to hook up with Matt. So, your thoughts?