Mulder sat at his desk tapping a pen on the table. He had a pile of junk mail staring at him that he was not looking forward to sorting out. He usually left it to Scully, but she'd not been in to him for a week. He was beginning to realise how much he depended on her, but it might have been too late.

He'd also not heard from "Diana", or CSM. He was at a loose end with all of his work. He just couldn't concentrate without Scully by his side, and he wasn't as worried about Diana as he was about his best friend. He was called into see Skinner for a meeting at short notice, so Mulder went up to his office very un-enthusiastic.

"Agent Mulder are you alright?"

"Yes Sir. I'm sorry, I'm just a bit pre-occupied at the moment."

"Is that why I haven't heard anything from you in over a week?"

"I guess so."

"Well, do you plan on showing me any work?"

"Uh, yes Sir I do. But I'm a little worried about Scully."

"Scully?"

"Yes sir. I haven't seen or heard from her for a longer period of time than normal."

"Well I have. She took a couple of days off, and then asked for a case that she could deal with with another agent."

"What agent? What are you talking about?"

"Agent Scully expressed that she and you were having, problems. So she requested to have a break from the X-Files, a break from you. She's working on a case with Agent Wilmore. She's sending regular reports, and I can assure you that she's fine."

"Oh, I see."

"So, are you going to keep me informed with your work Agent Mulder?"

"Yes Sir. I'll send up my reports by the end of the day."

"Thank you."

Mulder stood up and walked towards Skinner's door, he was about to open it when he turned back round to him.

"What case is Scully working on?"

"I don't know if that's really any of your business Agent Mulder."

"Oh come on, who am I gonna tell? I'm stuck in the basement with not even so much as a neighbouring office for me to communicate with."

"Alright, alright. It's a series of murders. No immediate links between them, but I'm more than certain Agents Scully and Wilmore will do a fine job."

"I'm sure they will sir."

He opened the door as a hand came up to knock on the other side. It was Scully; she almost hit Mulder as her hand came down to hit the door.

"Mulder, what are you doing here?"

"Oh you know, the usual. Getting my ass kicked for not being a good agent with my reports."

"What reports?"

"Exactly."

"Oh Mulder."

"I know, I know. I just can't seem to function at the moment."

"And why's that?"

"I think you know why."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Why did you ask to leave the X-Files?"

"I didn't ask to leave, I'm just helping another agent with some work that I thought I could use my expertise on."

"Oh I see, like that is it."

"Like what?"

"Nothing."

Scully rolled her eyes and felt herself getting frustrated by Mulder. She still couldn't understand why she found it so difficult being around him. He was the same guy she'd known for seven years. But they'd both changed a lot since their first days together. Not necessarily for the better.

"Look Mulder, I gotta go."

"I know, you have real work to do."

"Yeah, real work. You shouldn't beat yourself up about anything Mulder."

"Yeah."

"I mean it."

"Ok, sure. I understand you're through with being Mrs Spooky."

"It's not like that."

"Look, it had to end sometime right? You can be a doctor now. See you around Scully."

He walked away from her and she stared in disbelief as he left her outside Skinner's office confused and hurt. He'd been cold with her, and he knew he had. And he couldn't have regretted it more if he tried.

He went back to his office and slammed the door as he entered, he wanted something to take his frustration out on, but he had to behave himself. Agent Mulder had company; an old friend that he'd betrayed Scully with was paying him a visit. And he didn't know how to react to it...