Disclaimer: The Hulk™ & the Waif™ and Moose™ & Squirrel™ belong to each other and their actors. My respects to DW and CC for their genius and a word of thanks to the writer of a certain former Baltimore detective with interesting friends.

Additional Disclaimer: Please note all references to my private XF/CI universe occur in a world where S9 of XF NEVER happened. In my world, XF ended with the birth of William and we pick up from there.

Thanks: To everyone who has provided me feedback, especially the people who want more of the Mulder & Goren Show. You folks are a dream come true. Also, thanks to Geena, Maureen and Kristen for helping me find Bobby's voice.

A/N: The 420 Bar and Lounge really exists. It's at Amsterdam and W. 80th on the Upper West Side. The Carlyle also exists, located at 35 E. 76th on the Upper East Side. I have never been to either of these places, but I have high hopes. Since we'll be adding to the party, this piece will be broken in at least 3 parts: the guys, the gals and the whole gang. This is a sequel to Cyfeillion, by popular demand.

Love will enter cloaked in friendship's name. - Ovid
 Boys will be boys

Sitting easily at the corner table, in the back of the very dark bar, Bobby turned to Mulder, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Why do women go to the bathroom in groups?"

Glass raised partway to his mouth, Mulder paused and looked back at him, "…safety in numbers?"

"Mulder, I know Eames is armed," Bobby took a quick sip of his beer before continuing, "and I'd imagine Scully is too."

Chuckling to himself, Mulder watched his friend for a moment, amazed at how much like him the other could be. "Maybe they just wanted some alone time."

Eyebrow arched as he tried to process what Mulder had just said, Bobby set down his drink. "To do what?"

"Bobby, you need to get out more." A wry grin spread across Mulder's lips, flashing just a glimpse of teeth before he continued, "I'll bet you a week's pay that they are in there talking about us."

Suspecting he was being set up, Bobby eyed his friend over the lip of his glass, "your pay or mine?"

"Your choice." Mulder set his empty glass down on the glass and began searching the bar for their waitress.

Finishing his own drink, Bobby spotted the waitress and signaled her for another round. He then turned his chair a bit to face Mulder before answering; "I'll get back to you on that. So, how did you find this place?"

As the fresh drinks were set in front of them, Mulder pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to Bobby. "The concierge at The Carlyle suggested it. He said something about interesting atmosphere, perfect place to catch up with friends."

"I have to admit, I was a little concerned when you told me we were going to the 420 Bar and Lounge." Bobby looked around the place again; this time with a cop's eyes; noticing the dark corners, soft leather furniture and the acoustics that allowed you to hear the people at your table but not the people at the table next to you. "Seems like a place we should have staked out while I was still in narcotics."

Sighing deeply, bemused by his friend's tenacious nature, Mulder shrugged. "Ya know, I didn't even think of that. Geez, Bobby, are you ever off the clock?"

Noticing Mulder's sigh and look of bewilderment, Bobby responded with the hard truth, "as often as you were."

Not wanting to be reminded that he was no longer with the Bureau, Mulder decided to drop the subject. "Point taken."

Anxious to get his friend's opinion, while the ladies were still gone, Bobby turned to Mulder, his question sounding somewhat desperate, "so…what do you think?"

"I think you are in a world of trouble," Mulder smiled sympathetically at Bobby.

"Is it that…um, obvious?" Bobby glanced furtively in the direction that Scully and Alex had left, hoping that they hadn't chosen that moment to return.

Pushing his glass away, sensing Bobby was on shaky ground, Mulder continued softly, "only to the trained professional."

"Are you serious?" Bobby tried to stifle the panicked feeling growing in his stomach, but was unable to hide his look of consternation from his companion.

Unable and unwilling to hide his amusement, Mulder reached over and patted Bobby on the shoulder. "Relax, Bobby. I have that unique perspective on your situation, remember."

"Fine, let's examine your perspective, shall we? When did you…" Bobby's hand flailed about, as if to conjure the word he is looking for out of the ether, "…know?" He knew his attempt to steer the conversation was weak, but hoped that Mulder would understand how difficult this was for him.

Mulder's eyes glazed over as he thought back, digging out memories that he'd just as soon forget. "Know? Hard to say, but I had an idea fairly early on. I kept it to myself. I was afraid, Bobby." Mulder paused, searching for the right words to help out his friend, while trying to keep a hold on the fear that always came with these memories. "I was scared that she would reject me. I just knew that she would toss our partnership out on its ear if she ever had a clue."

Bobby nodded, understanding the fear that Mulder was talking about. That same fear ate at him day after day. "So, what did you do?"

"I buried it. Or, at least, I thought I did." Picking up his glass, Mulder drained it before continuing, "but the heart and the mind often differ on how to handle things. I started looking for excuses to be with her. Hell, I started grasping at straws. I would find the most absurd cases to investigate, just so I could be near her."

"And it-it worked?" Bobby signaled the waitress and ordered Mulder another drink.

"Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Not an approach I'd recommend to you, however." Mulder barely registered the fresh drink in front of him, lost in the memories of how he had almost lost Scully more times than he cared to count. "It started to put a strain on our partnership. Which just scared me more. I started obsessing, calling her at all hours…" He chose that moment to glance over at Bobby and saw the look of horror and embarrassment on his face, "why are you looking at me like that?"

Quickly affecting a blank look, Bobby stared back at his confidant for a moment before responding, "nothing… Continue."

Seizing upon Bobby's hesitation, Mulder plowed forward, determined to get an answer. "How many middle of the night calls have you made?"

"Just a few." Bobby swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing quickly. "B-but they were all…relating to cases."

Striking at the weak spot his compatriot had just presented, Mulder pushed, "really?"

"Well, most of…most of them" Admitting defeat, Bobby shrugged.

"Uh-huh." Hoping to be able to get his point across without having to hit Bobby over the head with his behavior, Mulder leaned forward. Speaking softly, he continued, "keep telling yourself that and you'll find yourself in an uncomfortable place very quickly."

Clarity and confusion battled across Bobby's face. The winner seemed evident to Mulder, until Bobby spoke. "How so?"

Knowing that Bobby couldn't be as dense as he was behaving, Mulder cheated, answering a question with a question. "Do I really need to explain this to you?"

Resigned to being unable to fool his friend, Bobby nodded. "Uh, no."

Noticing the fresh beer for the first time, Mulder scooped it up and leaned back. "That's what I thought. So, what do you plan to do?"

"I'm not exactly sure." Bobby sighed and took another drink from his glass. "I wonder what's taking them so long."

Mulder smiled at his friend, then looked off towards the bathrooms. Laughing, he tapped Bobby on the shoulder and pointed, "well, speak of the devil, or devils, as the case may be…"

TBC