A/N Spoilers concerning Agua Mala, Arcadia and Alpha.

Disclaimer: All together now: The X-Files belong to CC and crew. I don't claim them.

CHAPTER 10

They didn't speak for days and when they finally did, it was strictly about work. Scully debated about requesting a transfer, but she had meant what she said to Mulder, she was as invested in the X-Files as he was. She wasn't going anywhere.

The tension between them over the next few weeks made the office feel a lot smaller than it was. There was a lot of paperwork to be done. A lot of boring, administrative things, not too mention the disappearance of Jeffrey Spender, but all of it was distracting enough to keep either of them from bringing up the fight to end all fights.

The truth was, Scully didn't have the strength to fight Mulder anymore. Things were clear to her now. She was there to do her job and nothing would keep her from doing that.

The next few months were equally as strained. She let him talk her into going to Florida to investigate an X-File during a hurricane. She would never let him accuse her of not putting her all into the work.

When Mulder was attacked by…..well, by water….. she feared for his life. Despite what had transpired, she wanted to help him. He must have known that because after it was all over, he seemed to lighten up to her, a little.

She still hadn't forgiven him, though. She started wondering if she ever could.

Then Skinner forced her into her own private hell. Arcadia. Having to be stuck in the same house as Mulder for an extended period of time was one thing, having to pretend to be married to him, well that was another.

Every time he tried that cutesy, touchy-feely stuff she considered breaking his arm. Or shooting him. The latter was definitely the more attractive option.

It wasn't until after the whole experience with Kerin Berquist and the Wan-Shang Dol that they made a step forward.

She had left him at the office, as per usual. She had been nice to him, offered him some words of comfort. She didn't consider it reaching out as much as not being the "Ice Queen."

She was sitting on her couch, flipping through a magazine when the familiar rap on the door came.

She frowned and walked to the door, remembering how she almost ended up on her butt the last time she had let him in. This time, she opened it enough to put her body between the door and the doorframe.

It was raining outside and he was drenched. He also seemed to be very interested in his shoes, but then his eyes rose to meet hers.

"Scully, I'm sorry about what I said. I should never have unloaded on you like that."

He sounded sincere, but her resolve was still strong.

"No, no you shouldn't have."

He nodded, and then sneezed. As much as she wanted him to go, she didn't want him to catch pneumonia.

"You look like you're freezing. Come in, I'll make you some hot tea or something."

She opened the door for him but didn't usher him inside. This was going to take baby steps. They were silent as Scully busied herself with his tea and Mulder sat quietly at the kitchen table. Finally, she took the seat across from him.

He looked at her. She looked at him. Both were afraid to speak, but Scully decided long ago, fear was not something she would give in to.

"Mulder….there's something I need to know," she began slowly. "How did you know about San Diego."

He stopped sipping his tea and looked at her earnestly. She couldn't read his expression, something he was well known for.

"Frohike gave me your flight number," he said. "But Diana gave me the flight manifest."

Scully frowned again, but in confusion.

"Diana?"

Mulder noted her confusion and explained.

"She told me about Agent Holcomb and her parents," he said carefully, trying to avoid another confrontation. "She felt you were trying to dredge up the past to discredit her. When she showed me the flight manifest to San Diego, I had hoped she was wrong."

Scully rubbed her forehead in frustration as Mulder tried to maintain his composure.

"Wait…..Agent who? Mulder, I have no idea what you are talking about."

He sighed in exasperation. He really hoped they would be able to move past this.

"Come on Scully, I don't want to do this anymore. I'm sorry I threw it in your face but let's be honest here."

Scully removed her hands from her face and glared at him. Her fury building up.

"Mulder, I didn't go to San Diego because of your precious Diana," she explained. "I went for Emily."

Now it was Mulder's turn to be confused, but Scully didn't stay seated long enough for him to ask questions. Instead, she got up and walked over to her desk, pulled open a drawer and pulled out a thick yellow envelope, the contents of which she quickly deposited back on the table.

"What is this?" he asked as she rifled through page after page.

Scully chuckled sarcastically as she tore through the documents.

"Whatever you were led to believe, Mulder, I did not go to San Diego to investigate your ex-wife. Although I realize you live in a world where everything is about you. This however, was not."

She came across some pages that had been stapled together and shoved them into Mulder's hands.

"Read," she demanded flatly.

After several moments of reading, his shoulders slumped and he looked at her woefully.

"Oh my God, Scully….I….." he shook his head. Then she recognized it, he looked betrayed.

As much as she wanted to gloat, she didn't want it to be over a revelation concerning her dead daughter.

"It's getting late, Mulder," she sighed as she started putting the papers back into the envelope. He said nothing more. He simply nodded and left.