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: No school= more chapters. Thank you for the enthusiastic response.

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Day 6
Piper Maru (Karaoke Bar)

Matt and I had just met up after spending the last day and a half gathering testimonies from the witnesses. Another person had turned up missing, but this case was beginning to sound less and less paranormal.
"I still can't believe you investigate paranormal cases for a living. It must be exciting." Matt had said when I told him about my job.
"Yeah, something like that." I had replied.
Now we sat critiquing the singers and exchanging theories on this case. He sat down next to me as a young woman began to belt out the words to "All By Myself".
"Please let her pass out from the alcohol in her system." I pleaded to some invisible deity.
"Not likely." Matt shook his head at her screeching. "So, I have a theory. What about you?"
"Yeah, I have one. Do you want to go first?"
"No, ladies go first."
"Age before beauty." I countered as he faked insult.
"Fine then, I believe it was Miss Scarlet with the candle stick in the study."
"No fair!"
"Respect your elders dear. Now, let's hear that theory."
"I think that Mr. Lit planned his disappearance. To escape his controlling wife, he had a crew member cut the lights. He then slipped out and hid while the ship was being searched."
"What about the whole 'disappearing into thin air' thing?"
"Stop interrupting! I'm getting to it. His wife was so drunk that her mind must have filled in the blanks with that little hocus pocus act. I also believe that Mr. Lit met up with Ms. Starr, the lounge singer, with whom he'd been having an affair for quite some time."
"How anticlimactic."
"It's sad, but true. At least we can hand off the investigation to the FBI and get back to our vacation. After all, didn't you say you took this vacation to escape the precinct? Working in New York must be hard."
"I can't imagine it being as hard as working for the FBI."
"You get used to it after a while."
"You sound a bit depressed. Is it the song? I swear no matter how horribly it's sung, it still strikes a sad note with me."
I laughed a little.
"No, it's not the song. I just have the sinking suspicion that my partner is going to be put on the case."
"Don't like him?"
"No, we've worked together for six years. He's my best friend, but lately. I don't know. It's like he's ignoring me and taking advantage of my skills. It's been a little weird."
"So, I'm running away from work and you're running away from him."
"Something to that extent.. Oh god. This girl is terrible. Is this song almost over?"

Later Day 6
Piper Maru

This ship was huge. I couldn't believe it. It was like a mini city. Diana and I had just been dropped of by helicopter and were meeting the captain, a man by the name of Archibald Wilhelm.
"It's a pleasure to meet you both. Thank you for coming all the way out here to solve this case, but I was just speaking with Detective Farley and Ms. Smith and they seemed to have it solved."
"That's alright." I smiled. "Do you know where we could find Ms. Smith and the Detective?"
"Ms. Smith said something about having tea with my granddaughters in her cabin and Detective Farley was going to meet with his parents on the café's deck."
I sent Diana to go find Mr. Farley and went off to find the elusive Ms. Smith myself. I had run a background check on her and it had come up with nothing. Who travels on a cruise ship under a false name? Unless it's someone with something to hide.
I reached her room and knocked at the door. After a few moments no one had answered so I picked the lock and slipped inside.
It was a very nice cabin, probably one of the most expensive ones on the ship. She even had her own kitchen area. This was probably someone who was staying for an extended amount of time on the ship. I moved towards the desk and saw some files with the FBI insignia on the cover. I flipped through them. There was information on the victims and testimonies from witnesses. This was someone who knew what she was doing. I began to dig through draws and was so distracted I didn't even hear the door open behind me.
I was finally made aware that I wasn't the only one in the room when I heard a handgun unlock behind me. I put my hands up and stepped away from the desk when a familiar voice addressed me.
"Breaking and entering is a federal offense Mulder."
I turned around.
"Scully? What are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you the same question considering you just broke into my room."
"You're Ms. Smith?"
"I thought you would have figured it out sooner. Take the case and please leave. I have to make some tea made before Mandie and Angie get here."
I was a little upset. I had missed her terribly and now that I'd found her she couldn't wait to get rid of me.
"Can we meet later to discuss the case?"
She lowered her gun and sighed.
"You can meet Matt and me for dinner at the Karaoke Bar. Are you here with someone?"
"I had to bring Diana."
Her mood suddenly changed; to what I couldn't say, but there was a shift.

Later Day 6
Piper Maru (Karaoke Bar)

"They're going to be here soon." I told Matt as he sat next to me. "I can't believe he brought her."
"Who did he bring?"
"Agent Fowley. I don't trust her, but apparently they have a history together and that takes precedence over the six years I've been with him."
"If he can't see what a wonderful asset you are, then he doesn't deserve you. Come work with me."
"The thing is, the work means almost as much to me as it does to him. Even if he left, I think I'd still be there."
"Then what do you say we play a little mind game with him? Just to make him realize how much he needs you?"
"How do you play?"
"Let's pretend that we're madly in love and that you're thinking of moving to New York to be with me. If it works he should be on his knees begging you to stay. If it doesn't you come be my partner in the NYPD. It's a win-win situation."
"The only problem is I've invested a little more than my time in him."
"Oh no, you didn't!"
"Hey, I've never admitted it to anyone. Don't make it harder."
"Sweetie, nothing is easy when you fall in love."
"I know."
"Well then, game is changed. By the end of this trip he's going to be so in love with you he won't know what hit him."
"Good luck with that. Shh, here they come."
"Good evening Agents." Matt stood to greet them. I just sat back and nodded. Mulder sat across from Matt and Diana sat across from me. Matt sat down closer to me and whispered in my ear so they couldn't hear. "Damn Dana. He is hot. Nice catch."
I giggled and Mulder eyed me suspiciously. I thought I saw a flicker of jealousy in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it was there. Matt took my hand and continued to speak to them.
"Can we make this quick? Dana and I were really hoping to catch the late night Cabaret in the lounge."
"Just tell us what you know." Fowley said bitterly as Mulder sat up straighter, studying Matt and me.
"We think that Mr. Lit staged his 'disappearance' to escape to his lover, the other 'victim', Ms. Starr. It's likely that they're still hiding in the ship in some crew quarters or a smaller cabin under a false name." I pushed the case file across the table.
"I think there's something more to it than that." Mulder said looking over the case.
"That's good for you. It's all yours. After all," Matt put his arm around me, "Dana and I are on vacation."
He leaned over and kissed me. Mulder was fuming.

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Author's Note: Another chapter done. What do you think? (By the way, the drunken karaoke singer is my sister.)