Scully opened the door dressed in her nightgown and robe. "Mulder? What is it? What's wrong?"
Mulder totally ignored her as he brushed past her and into the room. "Where is he?"
"Where's who?" Scully asked as she tied her robe around her waist.
Mulder began searching the room frantically. "You know damn well WHO I'm talking about!"
"Would you please stop assuming I know who you are talking about and answer me?!" Scully asked putting her hands on her waist.
Mulder stopped in front of her. "The ghost that was in your room, Scully. Jonathan McBride, tall, dark haired? Complete psycho? Ring a bell now?"
"I told you before, Mulder there are no such things as ghosts and there are none in my room!"
"That's EXACTLY what he wants you to think, Scully."
Scully tilted her head. "What are you talking about?"
Mulder sighed. "Ok, look I don't expect you to completely believe me but hear me out ok?" He paused. "This house is haunted, Scully. Jonathan McBride has possessed all the souls who inhabit this house."
Scully shook her head and closed her eyes. "Mulder..."
"This house appears every year on Halloween to capture more souls who enter this house. And the victims are drawn here."
Scully gave a chuckle. "Mulder, you are really letting Halloween get to you. And how can a house summon anyone? It's an inanimate object Mulder! It's not capable of achieving anything human-like! I'm going to take a nap." She turned away from him.
Mulder grabbed her and turned her around to face him. "You have to listen to me, Scully. Your own life depends on it. Both of our lives do!"
"What are you talking about?"
"You...brought us here, Scully."
"What?"
"You drew us to this house. You're....need conjured up this house and everything in it. The nightgown on the bed, the bath tub and the bottles in the bathroom?"
"You're crazy." Scully answered turning away from him again.
Mulder grabbed her by the arm. "You may not realize you were doing it consciously but you were. This...Jonathan he feeds upon the needs deep within your soul. He seduces you by giving what you secretly desire and then....he will possess your soul forever."
"Let go of me!" Scully screamed back at him.
Mulder turned her around and then pulled her to him with this hand resting on her shoulders firmly. "Scully, look at me."
"Let me go!" Scully yelled as she struggled.
Mulder kept a firm hold on her. "Scully, he's trying to turn you against me. He's trying to not make you see what is happening to you! How long have we been partners? You've always trusted me haven't you? Please don't throw away everything that we've shared. Oh god, please don't do that, Scully. Don't let material possessions take the place of a close friendship." He looked deep into her eyes. "I...I don't know how else to say this but...I love you, Scully. I always have but I've been afraid to tell you. And now that this has happened I....I just don't want to lose you." He closed his eyes tightly.
Scully stopped struggling as she looked back into his eyes. She could feel her mind clearing. "Mulder?"
Mulder opened his eyes. "Scully?" He pulled her into an embrace. "Oh god, Scully!" He caressed her hair. "I thought I'd lost you!"
"I'm....I'm sorry." Scully replied tearfully. "I don't know what came over me, I..."
"Sssssh." Mulder replied as he rocked her in his arms. "It's ok, the important thing is you are back." He pulled back and looked at her. "We have to get out of here Scully. Once it reaches midnight you and I will be trapped in here forever."
At that moment, a large gust of wind came through the room. It picked up Mulder and forcefully pushed him out the door. Mulder rose up from the floor and shook his head. "Scully!" He yelled looking at her in the doorway.
"Mulder!" Scully yelled with her hand outstretched before the bedroom door slammed shut.
"No!" Mulder yelled as he slowly got to his feet. He ran at the door pulling at the handle. "Scully!" He pounded at the door. "Let her go you bastard!" He was then thrown against the back wall. He lay on the ground breathing heavily as he winced.
"Get up, Fox." A voice whispered in his ear. "If you wish to save her you must get up."
Mulder blinked his eyes as he tried desperately to focus. "Jos...Josephine?" He whispered weakly. His entire body was wracked with pain.
"The library, Fox. You must get to the library, now! It's the only way to stop him!" A candelabra began to sway on the other side of Mulder. "Go now!"
Gathering up all his strength, Mulder rose from the floor just as the candelabra came crashing down where he had been. Looking back, he then saw a huge black mist coming down the hallway. It took on the shape of a hooded figure with outstretched arms. It then let out a roar. "Oh shit!" He yelled before turning around and running. He didn't look back as he headed back toward the library. He could hear all the candelabras crashing behind him as he finally reached the door. He swung it open and ran inside quickly shutting and locking it behind him.
Scully found herself alone in her room once again. "Mulder!" She called out as she pounded on the door.
"He can't save you, now." Jonathan replied as he appeared once again in the middle of the room.
Scully turned around with her back pressed against the door. "Keep away from me!"
Jonathan advanced toward her. "You can't resist me, Dana. It's too late for that. You belong to me." He walked up and caressed her face. "You called out to me and I answered." He smiled as Scully trembled under his touch. "Oh but you are special, Dana. You aren't like the others. You have that special spark about you. Look into my eyes, Dana. Look deep into them and you will see what can not be denied."
Scully struggled against Jonathan but found herself losing. She gazed into his eyes and once again her stare clouded over into a catatonic state. Her eyes half-closed as Jonathan leaned more into her. She could feel her heart beating rapidly.
"You are now..." Jonathan perched his lips above hers. "Mine." He whispered before giving her a passionate kiss.
Mulder turned around and looked into the library. "Josephine! Where are you? "
Josephine appeared in front of Mulder. "I told you he was too powerful but you wouldn't listen. Now it may already be too late."
"It's NOT too late!"Mulder yelled. "You said there was an incantation!"
"It's too late! He's won! He has her now as we speak! I can't face him again! He's grown too powerful!"
"You want to be trapped here forever? Want to roam the earth eternally never knowing rest? If you let him win, Josephine then you will give him even more power. I...I can't let her die!" Mulder clenched his hands tightly as a tear trickled down his cheek. "I love her, Josephine. Do you remember what you felt for your lover? Please....please help me."
Josephine felt herself touched by Mulder's heartfelt emotion. She touched Mulder's cheek. "I will help you, Fox. Now let's find that incantation."
Scully stood standing in the room wearing a bridal gown. She wore a garland of flowers in her hair followed by a veil cascading down. She looked back at Jonathan with no emotion in her eyes. Her bluish green eyes had taken on a silvery tone.
"Yes, my bride." Jonathan whispered. "We are one now." He then began to pull a white type of smoke from Scully's mouth.
Mulder began pulling books off shelves and thumbing through them. "What the hell am I looking for?"
"It's an incantation used to banish evil. My lover Anthony wrote it before he was banished."
"Banished?" Mulder asked going through another book.
Josephine nodded. "Jonathan banished his spirit from this house shortly after he found out what he was. He was too weak to face him."
"I'm sorry." Mulder glanced at his watch. "Come on there isn't much time left!"
Josephine paused. "Fox, I know where it is!" She then started to fade.
"Josephine?" Mulder asked reaching out toward her. "What's happening?"
"Fox!" Josephine yelled. "It's Jonathan! He's..."
"Where is it, Josephine? Where's the incantation?!" Mulder then watched in horror as Josephine completely disappeared. "No! No, this isn't happening!" He then looked up toward the ceiling . "Damn you!" Jonathan's laugh then echoed in his ears as he fell to his knees. "I'm sorry, Scully. Oh god I'm so sorry." He whispered.
Just then, the entire library became filled with a bright light. The figure of a young man appeared in front of Mulder. He looked down at Mulder for a moment before heading over to a table. The table then levitated before turning over on its side.
Mulder wiped his eyes before making his way over to the table. He looked at the underside of the table and his eyes widened. "Oh my god." He traced his hands over the words carved into the wood. "This is it." He breathed. "Oh great, Latin. Hope I remember my course from college. Scully, think of Scully." He took a deep breath and began to recite the Latin.
hic et nunc
in terrorem
Jonathan could feel Scully growing weaker by the minute. He had to admit that her soul was the tastiest he had felt in a long time. And the fact that she had elements of skepticism made it even savorier. He just loved it when they finally weakened to him. He had thought that her partner would give him a run for the money but he was just like all the rest. And he had taken Josephine away and locked her away from the physical world. Now there was no one to stop him. He then felt a strange energy within him. It was something he had never felt before. A clenching from deep inside. He stopped "feeding" from Scully and turned.
"The incantation." He whispered. "It can't be." He then closed his eyes in concentration.
Mulder continued to struggle with the Latin when he heard a voice.
"Fox."
Mulder stared in disbelief at the figure before him. "Oh my god...Samantha?"
"I need your help, Fox." Samantha called back to him.
Mulder slowly rose from the table. "Samantha....I'm here."
Josephine's voice could then be heard. "No, Fox! Don't listen! He is only trying to distract you from your purpose! Read the incantation! Time is running out!"
Mulder shook his head in his confusion.
"Look within Fox and you will know what is real and what isn't!"
Mulder looked at Samantha for a minute before heading back to the table.
Hunc tu cavetto
Nunc Dimittis"Fox!" Samantha screamed before disappearing.
The figure of his father then appeared. "Fox..."
"Keep reading!" Josephine's voice yelled. "It's almost midnight!"
In articulo mortis
In aeternum
The legs of the table then came to life and tried to pin Mulder. He could feel it crushing his weight as he tried to breathe.
Requiescat in pace
He started to cough as he felt his ribs being squeezed. His eyes started to slowly close as the constriction continued. He could feel his life slipping away and Jonathan laughing at him. Suddenly he felt the constriction loosen allowing him to breathe again.
"Finish it quickly!"
Dei gratia
"A....amen!" Mulder gasped before passing out.
A bright light filled the entire room spiraling into a vortex. The figure of Jonathan could then be seen being pulled into it several other transparent figures could be seen going into the vortex as well. A large roar could be heard before Jonathan and the other figures disappeared in a blinding white light.
The figure of Josephine once again appeared in front of Mulder. "Fox." She whispered.
Mulder's eyes slowly opened as he sat up from the table. "What....what happened? Where's Scully?"
"You saved her." Josephine answered. "You saved all of us. Jonathan is gone and our souls are free now."
"Then it's over."
"Not completely. It's true that you saved our souls but now you must take your partner far away from this place. Even though Jonathan is gone, he still has a hold on her. You must get her away from here. Now that Jonathan is gone, this place will cease to exist."
"What do you mean it will..." Mulder then noticed the walls beginning to shake. "Oh, I think I get your drift now."
"Save her." Josephine then placed a book in Mulder's hand. "Take this with you and never forget." She then disappeared.
Mulder rose from the ground. "Scully!" He ran out of the library, which was starting to collapse. Reaching Scully's room, he burst in and found her lying unconscious on the floor. "Scully?" He bent down and felt her face, which was ice cold. He then noticed her purple lips. "Oh god. Scully?" He then saw the walls beginning to crumble. He knew he had not much time to lose. He quickly scooped Scully into his arms and ran out of the room. As he ran down the hallway with Scully, walls were crumbling behind him and doors were exploding. Not looking back, he reached the stairwell. Steadying Scully and taking a deep breath he ran down the stairs as fast as he could. With every step he took he could hear the steps behind him crumbling. He finally reached the front door and went to open it but found it locked. "No! No, no, no!" He screamed as he tried desparately to open it. The entire house was falling apart right before his eyes. He then saw a large statute starting to tilt toward him. If this statue fell, it would crush both he and Scully in one blow. He continued pulling on the door handle. "Please....oh god...please." He whispered. The door suddenly gave way just as the statue fell missing he and Scully by inches. Shifting Scully in his arms, he ran down the porch and through the cemetery. Finally, not being able to run anymore, he fell to the ground from exhaustion. Behind him the house crumpled and then disappeared into a bright light. Several figures could be seen leaving the cemetery and also going into the light. Then there was a burst of light and all was still. All that remained was a large field.
On the other side of Mulder, Scully slowly stirred. "Mmmm..."
Mulder slowly opened his eyes. "Scully?" He bent down to her and cradled her.
"Mulder?What....what happened?" Scully asked looking down at what she was wearing. "Why...why am I wearing this bridal gown?"
"I...I don't know." Mulder answered back. "I...I don't even remember coming out here." He then looked down at his attire. "What the hell?" He then noticed Scully shivering. "Come on, let's get you someplace warm." He then picked her up and carried her back to the car.
From the field two lone figures could be seen coming together. Josephine and Anthony walked to each other and held hands, smiling. They then leaned toward one another and kissed before disappearing in a white ball of light.