Present Day, The Broadway Bar...
Monica had driven well out of her way to a bar where she knew they wouldn't likely be seen by any other agents or get caught completely disregarding any notion of working. She had only been to this particular bar once before, she and Dana had been for a drink to relax whilst the men took care of the kids for the day. Phoebe looked unsure or herself and her surroundings as they sat down. Monica had tried to convince her to have something a little stronger to drink because she wasn't driving, but Phoebe had stayed with her first choice of orange juice and refused to alter it.
"So, Agent Carmichael, how in the hell did you wind up in the X-Files office?"
"It kinda just happened, I asked for reassignment and they handed me down to the basement, but some of the cases I've read are fascinating."
"Give it time, the fascination will fade when work takes over your life. Then you'll be
reaching for all the alcohol you can lay your hands on."
Monica reached around in her bag for one of the three cigarettes she had left; she'd been desperately trying to bring herself to throw them away but hadn't quite managed it.
"Well I don't really drink very much, ever actually... There are two things that I don't like about people when they're in public, getting so drunk they don't remember their own name and smoking."
As if it had been a well-rehearsed comedy sketch Monica pulled out a cigarette just as Phoebe made her feelings clear on the subject.
"Oh God, I'm sorry..."
"No it's fine."
"No really, go ahead... I mean God knows it must be a comfort of sort's right? I mean after everything you've been through..."
Monica was uncomfortable with the way this woman was acting as if she knew anything about her life or what she had been through, and now she couldn't have
a ciggerete to numb the reality of it all.
"It's fine really. I should throw them away anyway."
"Oh well, allow me!"
Phoebe enthusiastically held out her hand and Monica didn't know what to say or do. She could see no other option but to give the cigarettes to Phoebe who threw them into the bin beside her with a positive glow on her face.
"So did you start smoking when... Well, when your..."
"You can say it, I'm not going to cry on you I promise. Yes I picked up smoking as if I had never quit when my husband died. Old habits die hard."
"I was so sorry to hear about Agent Doggett... I was glad that the bureau didn't let you go when they realised you were married, it wouldn't have been right."
"Maybe. So tell me about yourself, I could use the change of conversation. Why'd you wanna work for the FBI?"
Phoebe's smile faded and she looked at her drink for a few seconds before looking up at Monica and trying to smile again.
"If we're here as an attempt to make you forget about your worries and problems, we shouldn't talk about my life history."
"Why? Maybe it'll make my life seem like a walk in the park. Why'd you join the bureau?"
Phoebe desperately tried to think of a way out of this but wanted to be honest with Monica.
"I was raised by my grandparents, who are great people who I love dearly, in Florida, but I wanted to move as far away from what I knew as possible. I had some what of a reputation."
"As what?"
"As the girl who survived her mother's murder whilst in her womb."
Monica almost choked on her drink as Phoebe divulged this incredibly personal information to her.
"I don't know what to say... I... I'm sorry..."
"It's ok. She was stabbed and had there not been witnesses who acted so quickly I might not be here today. Everybody in my home town knows who I am and why I don't have a mother, so I moved away, but then at the bureau I get the reputation of being a 'spooky-mulder', whatever the hell that means. I dealt with my past, and I moved on, but I'd be lying if I said the sole reason I joined the bureau wasn't to make sure that bastards like the one that killed my mother were always caught and put behind bars."
"Unfortunately that doesn't always happen. It's a sad reality..."
"But I can make a difference. We all can. My mother's killer is behind bars, and he'll be there until the day he dies. I want to make more people like him suffer."
Monica took a sip of her drink and couldn't make up her mind whether this girl had inspiring confidence or was plain naïve about the true horrors is the world. Either way, she'd learn the truth eventually. Especially on the X-Files.
June 28th, Mulder Residence...
"So, where are you taking her?"
"The Savannah. It's the restaurant I proposed in, is that tacky?" Dana laughed.
"No, it's sweet. Monica will love it. And don't worry about Anna, she'll be fine."
"I know. But call if you need anything, or if something happens, just call."
"John would you calm down and just relax. You have the entire evening and a whole day together tomorrow, go be with your wife."
John smiled and turned to leave but quickly turned back to say goodbye to Anna, but she was already far too engrossed in the magic trick Mulder was trying to teach William to do. He smiled and knew that as long as Anna was having fun, then he may as well allow himself to have fun too.
John pulled up outside the house and hurried inside, they were running a little late and he'd made reservations that he desperately didn't want them to miss.
"Ok Mon, I'm back, you ready?"
"Just a second!"
"You had twenty minutes, you said you needed ten!"
"I'm almost ready!"
"I just don't want us to be late and lose our reservation..."
As John finished yelling up the stairs Monica appeared at the top of them with the biggest smile on her face he had ever seen. John had no words to express how phenomenal she looked. He'd never seen her look any more beautiful. She slowly walked down the stairs and slid into his arms as if she was made to fit into him like a jigsaw and he kissed her. As she tried to pull back Monica laughed as John's grip only tightened around her.
"John, we'll be late..."
"So we're late..."
"But you said..."
"Right now I just want you..."
Monica laughed and allowed John's hands to roam freely around her body but she finally found it in herself to say no.
"Down boy, I didn't get this dressed up to stay at home and satisfy your needs Mr Doggett."
"Well then Mrs Doggett will have to make sure she leaves enough room for desert when we get home."
"Deal..." They left the house and got into the car without saying another word.
As Monica watched John studying the roads and driving so carefully she couldn't help but wish she'd let him keep them at home in stead. She wasn't overly hungry and more than anything she just wanted to be with the man she loved.
"Turn around."
"What?"
"Turn around, I wanna go back..."
"But..."
"Turn back, and we'll have desert first..."
Monica slid across her seat and began to kiss John as he tried to continue concentrating on the roads. But the beautiful woman that was practically sitting on his lap now was making it difficult for him to think about anything other than how fast he could get her into bed.
Ten minutes later Monica and John were home and falling up the stairs as they tore at each other's clothes. Any efforts to get into the bedroom were abandoned as they took advantage of the empty house and allowed themselves to divulge in each other's company on the stairs. It was something they hadn't done for a very long time, it felt exciting and new, and as they made love neither of them were concerned about missing dinner reservations.
Finally getting into their bedroom they made love again, repeatedly and they both felt so alive and free. Before they were married John had regretted so much not making the effort to be with Monica sooner, he had missed out on so much precious time with her and now he wanted to make up for that and craved her beside him. Monica felt the same way, she'd been in love with John long before that first date, that first kiss, and now finally everything was as it should be. The best things in life were worth waiting and fighting for, and as they lay in bed together just holding each other they knew that nothing would ever come between them or ruin their love for one another. This was forever, no matter what.