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: Hey finally some excitement! Oh what? That's right! You haven't read the chapter yet. Then by all means, please continue.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Day 15
Piper Maru (Main Deck)

I haven't seen daylight in three days.
After Diana and I got some sleep (well at least Diana got some sleep, I was to busy sulking over the almost kiss), we proceeded to scour the bowels of the ship looking for Dr. Lit and company. We'd probably still be down there but fortunately, a huge storm brewed up and is tossing the ship back and forth. Diana is seasick. I left her in her room and ventured up here to the deck to watch the storm.
This is the first time I've had a moment to myself in days; no Scully (sadly), no Diana (luckily), and no Drunk Girl (thank God!).
What I really want is to forget the case and stay on the ship just enjoying the party atmosphere. Or even just to get out of my head for a couple of days. Instead, I'm stuck with Diana, the seasick, while my partner and love of my life is off locking lips with some guy she just met. I wish I'd never taken this case.
"Help me!"
I barely hear the cry over the rolling thunder. I begin to run towards the place of origin.
"Dana!" I hear Matt cry. Then there is a splash and I fear the worst. "Dana!"
I turn the corner just in time to Matt jump over the railing into the drink. I rush to the railing and see Matt trying to hold Scully's head above the water as the waves pound them. I quickly throw down the emergency rope ladder and help him lay her on the deck. She is beat badly and barely breathing. She's shivering hard and there is a small cut above her eye.
"Where the hell have you been?" Matt asks angrily.

Day 16
Piper Maru (Scully's Cabin)

I sit up suddenly, wondering where the hell I am. I look around and realize that this is my room. How did I get here? I think over the events that I believe led me to this point. I got a message from an anonymous informant that they had information on Dr. Lit and Ms. Starr. I went alone to meeting place, the main deck. It was storming and I found out Matt had followed me. The informant didn't show and I got mad at Matt and walked off. Then there was this guy. I thought he was the informant -but he wasn't. He attacked me and we fought and then we fell into the water.
Oh man! My heads is killing me. I get up to go find some water and aspirin. I see Matt is asleep on the couch and Mulder is shifting through some papers at my desk.
"How long have I been out?" I ask quietly. Mulder jumps at my voice and turns to face me. He looks like he hasn't slept in days.
"Just about a day. How are you feeling?" He's not even pretending he's calm. The concern and worry are dominant in his voice.
"I'm." If I say 'fine', he'll know I'm lying. I might as well tell the truth. "My head is killing me and I feel like I drank half the Atlantic."
I am rewarded for my honesty with a flash of a grin.
"You scared the hell out of us! What the hell were you thinking?"
"I though I was going to get some info on the good doc. I didn't expect to get attacked."
"How long have you been getting these?" He holds up some papers. I don't need to read them to know what they are: death threats.
"One everyday since we started looking into their disappearances." They all say the same thing: Stop the investigation or die.
"Why didn't you tell anyone? Matt says you never told him a thing."
"I'm a big girl. I don't need anyone to protect me."
"You almost got yourself killed!"
"If you think I look bad you should have seen the other guy. Speaking of whom, did you find him?"
"No. He fell overboard with you and was never recovered."
"Good riddance!" Matt surprised us. "Hey, Sleeping Beauty, don't ever pull that crap again! I swear I'll lock you in here next time."
"I'm okay. Go back to sleep. You look terrible." I turn to Mulder. "And you're no beauty queen either. When was the last time you slept more than an hour?"
"I figured you were doing enough sleeping for the both of us."
"Don't even try to pull that with me. Go get some rest!"
"Just let me finish up here. Please?" He used the puppy eyes and pouted lip look. How can I say no to that?
"Fine, you can stay. Besides, I wanted to ask you about the case."
"No work for you."
"You didn't find anything in the lower decks did you?"
"Scully-"
"Am I right?"
He exhaled deeply.
"We didn't find anything."
"I don't think they're down there. I think they're staying somewhere closer to the Deck, probably in a cheap cabin rented under a false name. I also think they're planning something -something big."
"How can you tell?"
"Call it a hunch."
With this, I walk back to my room. Seeing Mulder has made me forget the headache. My dreams are peaceful.

Later Day 15
Piper Maru (Café Luna)

I'm sitting here with a cup of coffee waiting for Matt so we can discuss the case. Scully is still sleeping. She needs the rest. I slept for a few hours after I left her cabin. I took a peak at her before I left. She looked so peaceful.
Matt sits down at the table and folds his hands.
"I think Dana is right." He states.
"Me too. We just have to prove it and prevent it."
"Well, then case discussed. Now I have a more personal matter to discuss with you."
This can not be a good thing.
"Dana and I talked a bit after you left and we've decided to come clean with you. We're ending the game."

"What game?"
"I love Dana, but only like a sister. We were going to fool my family and you by pretending to be a couple. You know? I wanted to satisfy my family for now and she wanted to make you jealous. We've both decided that we've accomplished our separate missions. Here's the truth: I'm gay and Dana is in love with you."
I stared into my coffee, watching the clouds of milk swirl around. Dana loves me! Couldn't she see that there is no need to make me jealous? I'm already in love with her! Nothing could drag down my mood.
"Do me a favor, okay? Don't break her heart. I'll break your skull if you do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's Note: Coming along nicely? I think so. Then again, it's really up to you.