Present Day...

Monica had been in the hospital waiting room for over an hour. Nobody had been to talk to her, and she was beginning to get angry at the ignorance the hospital staff was showing her. Anna had been fully conscious but shaken up and upset when they had brought her to the hospital.

Monica had been more distraught than the small child and now she was being left to worry about all the things that could have been going wrong whilst her daughter was being checked over. She had called Dana in the hope that she could get somebody to talk to her, but even Dana had been gone for over half an hour trying to find out some news.

Rosey and Frank were sitting patiently and John's sister had arrived a few minutes earlier

after getting a call from her mother about Anna's fall. Monica didn't care who was sat around her, or who offered her coffee or comforting words. She wanted to see Anna.

Dana appeared around a corner and Monica leapt up from her seat so fast that she startled

everyone around her.

"Dana, where is she I want to see her."

"She's fine. It's ok."

"Really?"

"Yes, she's sprained her ankle and bruised her arm pretty badly, but nothing's broken and she's doing fine."

Monica put her hand to her mouth to stop herself form exclaiming her relief. She

couldn't help but cry and Dana put her arms around her to try and ease her load. But the truth was Dana couldn't believe what Monica was going through. This was more than bad luck. Monica was her best friend and she couldn't bear seeing her like this.

"Come on, let me take you to see her."

Dana led Monica to the children's ward and the rest of the family held back to give her some space. Monica couldn't help laughing as she saw Anna playing on a computer game in her bed surrounded by toys and bright colours.

"Hey baby."

"Mommy!"

Monica walked over and Anna threw her arms around her mom before realising it would

hurt so much. She pulled back the arm she had bruised and Monica took her into her own arms.

"I'm sorry I fell mommy. Was it really high?"

"Higher than your... than your dad lets you climb..."

"I know... Can I tell you a secret? I went higher because daddy wasn't there. And then I felt bad and wanted to get down but I couldn't so I let go..."

"It's ok baby, it's all going to be ok. I promise."

Monica rocked Anna in her arms and Anna smiled as she looked at Dana and Dana smiled back. She was so relieved that everything was ok. When Monica had called her she had been in such a terrible state, she'd been lucky though, at least this time...

June 26th, Doggett Residence...

Monica hadn't slept well and she was sure that she had kept John awake tossing and turning in bed. But all she could think about was Mia and how hard her life had been to her. No matter how she fought at the thought she had done the wrong thing in shooting Jeb Dukes, it was getting harder and harder for her to believe that she had done the right thing.

When she sat up to get up and get ready for work John took her arm and she turned to look at him. They hadn't spoken about Mia since getting home the night before, and Monica had spent the evening reading to Anna so as not to have to talk to John.

"Mon, are we going to talk about this?"

"About what?"

"Don't do that, don't treat me like an idiot. I know you're thinking about her. I know that's

why you didn't sleep. If you can't talk to me then who can you talk to?"

Monica sighed and lay back against the bed.

"I can't help it. I just keep seeing her in my head, and I can hear her crying eight years ago as Jeb Dukes held her against him. She didn't kill those people John, I don't care what the evidence says."

"I know. If there's one thing that I've learnt it's that you know people. And I won't argue

that, but I also know that there has to be a reason for the evidence, whether it clears a

suspect or not. There is a reason for why Mia Dukes' prints were on the syringes, and why her blood was found in the trash."

Monica looked at John and then looked out of the window.

"She hated me John, she really hated me."

"The she's a fool."

John sat up and pulled Monica closer to him. She was glad for the closeness and the reassuring knowledge that even when things got tough, they would always get better

again afterwards. She kissed John and he stroked her hair behind her ears.

"This Friday, I'm taking you on our date."

"You are?"

"Yeah, I've checked that Dana can take Anna for the night, we don't got work the next day, it's time for me to have you all to myself."

Monica giggled and kissed John again before finally getting out of bed.

Monica was not looking forward to work. She had blown off the bureaus lawyers and

disappeared to Maryland against an order from her superior. Skinner was not going to let her off easily with this one.

After dropping Anna off with Mulder, John drove to the bureau and Monica prepared herself for an earful from Skinner. She had been told to go straight to his office upon arriving at the bureau and to come alone. When she arrived his assistant told him of her arrival and she was called straight in.

"Agent Reyes have a seat."

Monica sat down. She was going to keep her mouth shut until it was appropriate to speak. She didn't want to make this any harder for herself than it had to be.

"Agent Reyes I need you back in Maryland."

Monica was sure she had misheard Skinner, she must have.

"Excuse me?"

"Mia Dukes has been arrested on suspicion of murdering her foster parents and she says that she'll only talk to you, I've told the local PD that you'll be there before midday and that they have you fully at their disposal."

"I'm sorry sir I don't understand."

"You screwed up Agent Reyes. Now if you can carry out this order without screwing up again then maybe we can forget that yesterday ever happened. Don't make this harder than it has to be."

"But what about the lawyers, the fact that I'm not even supposed to see her?"

"Well it didn't stop you seeing her without permission yesterday, so I'm sure you can sleep with a clear conscience now that you do have permission to see her. Mia Dukes has bigger worries that suing the FBI now. She asked for you, I'm sending you. End of discussion."

Monica looked at Skinner as he began to read through some paperwork as if she wasn't even there. She stood up and was about to open the door when he stood up from his desk.

"Make sure that Agent Doggett goes with you, I don't know who wears the trousers in our

marriage but I wont have you alone in the field, and he must have more control over you than any other agent I could send alongside you."

"But what if we're not back tonight..."

"That's not my concern. You deal with your private life on your own time. I suggest you make arrangements for your daughter."

Monica walked out of the office and didn't know whether Skinner had pissed her off or done her a favour. Either way she didn't want Anna to not be at home for the night, no matter what Skinner said either she or John would be back to take Anna home.