Chapter 2

Mulder checks the clock and realizes he's running later than he anticipated. Scully's going to be so mad with him. He's surprised she hasn't tried calling him yet.

He turns on the radio to see if there are any traffic problems. The last thing he needs is to be even later because of some accident.

" . . . store. There are unsubstantiated reports of shots being fired at the hostages. DC Metro Police are on the scene. More after these words from our sponsor."

He wonders what's going on. Robberies this time of year are hardly uncommon, though. People tend to get desperate around the holidays. He wants to keep listening to hear what's happening, but he finally arrives at Scully's. Maybe he can listen inside.

He takes the stairs two at a time, not even bothering to wait for the elevator. He doesn't want to be even later than he already is. He emerges from the stairwell and walks towards her door, surprised to see someone standing in front of it knocking. He's also surprised at *who's* knocking.

"Bill? What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? What are *you* doing here? Let me guess. You're here to drag Dana off on some ridiculous case, aren't you?"

"No, I'm here to take your sister to your mother's house for dinner," Mulder explains, trying hard to ignore the other man's hostility towards him.

"I'm here to do the same," Bill says, squinting his eyes at Mulder. "My mother said she had a lot of stuff to bring, so I thought I'd come and help her carry everything. I didn't know you were coming, too. Outsiders aren't usually invited."

"Whatever," Mulder mutters under his breath. Scully would be very upset if he hit her brother, but that may happen pretty soon if she doesn't open the door. Why hasn't she opened the door by now, he starts to wonder.

"Scully," he calls out, concern starting to build. "Are you in there?"

"Looks like she's standing you up," Bill snorts, amused by his joke. "She tells you to come by and she isn't even home."

"She was here an hour ago, Bill. I wonder where she is now?" Mulder pulls his keys out of his pocket and quickly finds hers to unlock the door. That shuts Bill up. Mulder looks up at him to see his mouth hanging wide open in shock.

"What are you doing with a key to my sister's place?" Bill angrily demands to know.

Mulder continues to ignore him, his attention focused on the inside of Scully's apartment. She doesn't appear to be inside, but he can't see any reason for her to have left.

"Her car is still here," he mutters, more to himself than to Bill. "And so is her purse. But her jacket and keys are gone."

Just then, there's a knock at the door. Bill answers it, since he's closer.

"Can I help you?" he asks the person standing there.

"Oh, excuse me. I didn't mean to interrupt. But I live across the hall. I thought you were Dana returning from the store," Mrs. Levitz says, a bit shaken at seeing Bill at the door instead of Scully.

"Hello, Mrs. Levitz," Mulder calls to the woman. She visibly relaxes at seeing his familiar face. "You said that Dana went to the store?"

"She needed cream cheese," the woman nods. "And she was going to pick up something for me. But she's been gone for almost an hour. I wonder what's taking her so long."

"That was about the time I last spoke with her," Mulder says, his radar starting to madly go off. He has a bad feeling about this. "Mrs. Levitz, I'll send Dana over as soon as she returns."

He walks the woman across the hall, back to her own apartment to make sure she gets there safely.

"By the way, which store did she go to?"

"The one not too far from here that nice Mr. Herman owns. Pops Family Corner Grocery Store."

He closes his eyes as the warning bells in his head start blaring. Looking around the room, he grabs the remote control from the table and turns on the television, all the while ignoring the stare of Mrs. Levitz.

"Is that the store?" he says, pointing to the TV. He knows what she's going to say before she even says it and his rubbery legs suddenly cannot support him anymore.

"Why yes, it is? Oh my. What's going on down there?"

The screen shows vividly what's going on. The flashing lights. The yellow police lines. The news crews fighting for purchase outside of the corner grocery store where several people are being held hostage. And he has a very bad feeling that one of those hostages is the love of his life and partner.

"You don't think Dana's there, do you?" the woman gasps.

That's exactly what Mulder thinks. But he doesn't tell the woman this. He doesn't want to worry her. Instead, he thanks her for her time and tells her he'll get in touch. Going back across the hall, he realizes he'll be faced with someone he won't be able to lie to. Bill's going to have to be told what's going on. And something tells Mulder this is just something else for Bill to blame him for. So much for trying to bury the hatchet.

End Chapter 2