Title: Conversation Piece
Author: Gabiabi
Rating: PG
Spoilers: none that I know of yet
Disclaimer: Any characters you recognise are not mine
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"Thanks for dinner mom. It was delicious as usual."
"No problem. ... Okay Dana, spill. What is it?"
"What's what, mom?"
"What is it that you came over for? I mean, don't get me wrong, it's lovely to see you but..."
"But what mom? Do I need a reason to come see you now?"
"No Dana, you know you don't."
"Then why do you think there's some ulterior motive for me coming over for dinner?"
"Because I know you Dana and I know you never want to do anything but sleep and relax after you finish a case. So, since you just finished a case yesterday and you're here...add to that the fact that you've been distant for most of the evening like you've got something on your mind...well, it's not difficult to tell that there's something bothering you."
"Am I really that transparent?"
"Only because I'm your mother, and mother's can sense these things. Now, tell me what's wrong."
"...It's Mulder..."
"Fox? Why, what's wrong with him?"
"Nothing's wrong with him...it's just...oh, I don't know..."
"Start at the beginning Dana. That's always the easiest."
"Well, it really began during our case but it came to a head yesterday evening. We had just finished the case and had gone down to our office to finish off some paperwork..."
24 hours earlier
"I can't believe you did that Mulder!"
"What?"
"What do you think?!"
"Scully, I don't know what you're talking about. What did I do to piss you off?"
"What did you do...you have TO ASK???"
"Scully, please...sssh a bit."
"No, I will not 'sssh a bit', Mulder! I will speak as loudly as I want!"
"Scully, come on."
"I'm sorry, am I embarrassing you Mulder? Of course not - there's no one here to hear us, not like this AFTERNOON!!"
"What? I'm sorry Scully; you've completely lost me. I really don't have a clue what you're talking about."
"Of course not. Why would you? I mean you only humiliated me in front of half the Agents in our team - why would you care about that?"
"Humiliated? ...I humiliated you?"
"Yes, you humiliated me Mulder. Thanks to you it will be all over the FBI by tomorrow that Special Agent Dana Scully can't do her job - that she needs her big strong macho partner to do it for her!"
"What??!"
"Oh don't you 'what' me!"
"Scully. I honestly don't know what you're talking about. Really, I don't. I'm sorry for whatever it is, because you're obviously really annoyed at me for it but I seriously don't know what I've done."
"You're kidding right?"
"No, Scully, I'm not kidding. Tell me what I did."
"Oh, where to begin?..."
"Lose the sarcasm Scully. If I've done something wrong, fine - tell me, but drop the attitude until I know what the hell I did."
"Well, to begin with - that chauvinistic speech before we even began the raid about how I should stay in the back."
"Chauvinistic?..."
"Yes, chauvinistic... you know the speech about how I should let the MEN go in first and only come in myself if any medical expertise was required."
"That isn't what I said..."
"That is exactly what you said...now quit interrupting. Anyway, after all that crap, we finally get in there and, before we even get near the guy, you're at it again - telling me to drop back and get out of the way. Every single one of those agents heard you telling me to move, to play it safe and basically to not do my job. Taking down the bad guys is part of our jobs - OUR jobs, not just yours Mulder and I can do it perfectly well thank you very much. I don't particularly appreciate my PARTNER of all people telling the whole goddamn Bureau that I'm not up to the job."
"First of all, Scully I didn't say ANYTHING about letting the 'men' go first - I said the other agents. Just because they all happened to be men does not make me chauvinistic - I would have said the same if they'd all been female agents. I'm not sexist - I'm surprised, and not really very happy, that you would think that about me."
"Well it felt like that's what you were saying...What was your reason then if it wasn't that? Do you not trust me to be able to do my job?"
"Of course I trust you to do your job - I didn't mean you couldn't do your job, I know fine well you can. When we're out in the field on our own, I wouldn't want anyone but you watching my back because I trust you. This case though...there were plenty of agents - we were the back-ups, not really needed. I just thought...I didn't want you to be in danger of being hurt if you didn't need to be. I NEVER want that. I can't help it Scully - I worry about you too much - I thought that this time I wouldn't need to worry because I could make sure you were safe by making sure you didn't come in on the first attack. I didn't mean to imply that you weren't capable of being in the first wave - I'm sorry if you thought that's what I was saying. I just didn't want you to get hurt - I didn't think I could take it, I would've fallen apart like I always do when you're injured. You can shout at me as much as you want but I'm never going to stop caring about you Scully. I'm sorry if that annoys you - but I just can't stop."
"Mulder..."
"Look, I'll see you on Monday."
Present time
"And then he just left."
"Didn't you go after him?"
"No. I couldn't mom."
"Why not honey? on Dana, what's really the problem? This isn't just about a silly argument - if it was, you'd be talking to Fox and setting things right, not talking to me. Tell me."
"It's just...when he was talking...when he was saying all that stuff about how much he cared...I..."
"You what?"
"I realised... Mom, I think - no, I KNOW ...mom...I love him."
"Of course you do sweetie."
"No, mom. I mean I'm IN love with him."
"And? ...What's the big deal about that?"
"It doesn't surprise you?"
"No. Why would it?"
"It sure as hell surprised me. I mean, he's my partner - my friend, I can't be in love with him."
"Why ever not, Dana?"
"Mom, it could ruin everything...it could destroy both our friendship and our partnership..."
"...Or it could lead to you finding the perfect man for you. It could mean you could be with the man of your dreams. He's perfect for you Dana, he cares so much about you - as you were told just yesterday by him. You must know that he loves you too."
"What? No, he can't love me. Why would he? I'm not his type."
"His type?"
"Yes, Mulder goes for tall, leggy brunettes of which I am not."
"Dana, aren't you being a little harsh? On both Fox and yourself. Do you really think that all he cares about is looks - and that he doesn't know how beautiful you are?"
"No...but he doesn't love me. Or at least he's not IN love with me."
"How do you know that Dana? Have you asked him? - Don't go putting words into his mouth."
"So what should I do?"
"You need to tell him sweetie. Keeping this inside will do far more damage to your partnership, and even more to your friendship, than telling him could ever do."
"But mom I can't. What if he doesn't love me back - I don't think I could bear him telling me that."
"Well...I'm pretty certain that he does but I guess I understand what you're saying. You don't want to be hurt by his rejection - not that I think he will reject you."
"Maybe I could get him to tell me how he feels about me first."
"That's a bit unfair Dana. Why should he have to do what you're desperate not to do yourself?"
"Then...I don't know... I know - I'll give him a hypothetical situation and see if it shakes any feelings loose."
"I still think you're best just telling him, honey."
"No. I'll do it my way."
"Okay, if you're sure."
"Yes mom, I'm sure. Thanks for everything - you've been a great help."
"What are mother's for?"
"Right, well. I'd better get going, it's getting late."
"Okay then. It was lovely to see you. You need to come over more often - you can bring Fox as well. You know he's always welcome."
"I know. Goodnight."
"Goodnight sweetie. Oh, and Fox really does love you - I'm sure of it."
"Well, I'll just need to find out then won't I? Goodbye."
"See you."
