Act V – A Blue Day

Scully watched as Claude escorted Mary out of the room. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. She wasn't naïve and knew that some couples practice and enjoy bondage and torture sessions while others live out rape and voyeur fantasies, but this was all the above and she had to watch "herself" being a part of it. The fact that a Skinner doppelganger was doing that to "her" made it very surreal.

She hoped that Mulder would wait a few minutes before coming up. She needed time to get in charge of her emotions. That scene was intense and she was a little hot and flustered about it. Scully didn't want to use the word "aroused" because that would imply that she was as sick as Claude. However, she has had dreams where Mulder came into her room at night and took advantage of her. It wasn't violent, but she resisted and he…insisted. Just the thought of that fantasy made her flush.

The metal noise meant that Mulder was on his way up. They could go down and see the men, but there was no way to be sure who was coming back. It just occurred to her that Mulder saw that scene too. This was going to be awkward.

"Scully?" A loud whisper came over the last stair. "Are you still there?"

"Yes, come on up."

Mulder peeked over the stair and then, still crouching, came and sat next to her, but wouldn't look at her. "Are you ok?"

"I guess so. It seems the plan is working."

"Yeah." Mulder didn't say anything for a while. "She's a different person, Scully. She's not you."

"I know."

Mulder took her hand. "We are going to get out of this."

Scully looked at him. "Does that mean you are coming with us?" Mulder nodded. "Good, I was going to hate to have to shoot you again."

XXXXXXXX

"Another fine mess Mulder has gotten us into." Byers was glum. "Not only are we going to be tortured for information we don't have, but we lost Mulder and Dana."

"Frankly, that other Scully and Skinner freak me out." Langley pulled at the rope on his hands.

Frohike tried to look at his watch. "I think we have more pressing problems. This ship is scheduled to disappear and go wherever it goes in 45 minutes. We are going to go with it, gentlemen, and be trapped with Nazis possibly for eternity."

"Will all of you be quiet?" Skinner's weary voice came from next to them and there was silence for a while. He was grateful that his doppelganger saved his life, but this wasn't much of an improvement. It was likely that he would be the one tortured first.

Skinner started to fall asleep when the door opened and his twin and the weasel dragged in either Scully or that other woman. He hoped it was that Mary person. If it was Scully they were going to hurt, Skinner vowed to kill his lookalike and Spender before he left.

They tied her hands and pulled her into the room beyond, then the screams began. Langley started to cry and the other two just fidgeted nervously in their seats. Skinner was uncomfortable too because after about 10 minutes, the screams slowed, but there was another noise and he was pretty sure what it was. He has heard himself make it often. That had better *not* be Scully in there.

He hazarded a look at the guys and saw the abject misery on their faces. He felt he had to say something. "Look, that's not Scully. The other woman is a spy, that's why they are torturing her. I know this seems bad…"

"They are doing more than torturing her, Skinner." Byers had to be the one that said it.

"Hang in there. Mulder and *Scully* are still out there and they won't leave us."

"We have only 20 minutes." Frohike stared at his watch again.

Skinner was starting to consider chewing off his hand, when suddenly, the Nazi Jeffery burst from the room and then flew out the door. For a brief moment before the other door closed, Skinner got to see that they had the woman strung up on a hook, her clothes were barely intact and they were blood stained. Damn. They really did a number on her. His twin is a real monster.

A few minutes later, the other two emerged. The woman was no longer restrained and incomprehensively, she was walking placidly next to her torturer. He saw that the Lone Gunmen were equally puzzled.

"We have found a way to get you out of here." Claude spoke calmly as he cut their cords with Mary's knife. She just stood there and tried to hold her dress together. "Once my people leave the ship, you can leave without incident. We are going to take care of that right now and it is likely we will not see each other again. When the door opens, head for the upper deck." They started to leave.

"Wait!" Skinner was confused. "What just happened?"

Mary calmly answered. "When you find Mr. Mulder and that Scully woman, they can explain. They should be here soon."

XXXXXXXX

Mulder waited a few minutes then dared to run over and check on the men and saw that they were no longer tied up. He grabbed Scully and they went through the internal door to see Skinner and the Lone Gunmen doing well.

"Guys!" Mulder was happy to see them.

Frohike, Byers and Langley all gathered around Mulder for a hearty handshake, while Skinner went up to Scully.

"Are you alright?"

"Perfectly fine, thanks to Mary Buckley and even Claude."

"That man is a monster, Dana. He didn't hurt you, did he?"

Scully's mouth upticked a quarter of an inch. "I'm fine, Skinner."

Mulder turned at that familiar statement and scowled. "We have only 10 minutes to get out of here. I think we should go."

He just finished talking, when the door opened and a British sailor waved them out. "Come on, I know where a rowboat is."

The crew raced through the halls and the corridors were clear. When they reached the deck, they got in the boat and Mulder and Skinner helped lower the life raft while The Lone Gunmen and Scully watched the German U-boat slowly withdraw and sink beneath the waves. Skinner grabbed the oars and used all his strength to get them as far away from the Queen Mary as possible. The fog surrounded them, but it was obvious when they had crossed the barrier because the little boat hit rough seas. It was hard to see, but there was a larger ship just yards away and Skinner steered for it.

Mulder was surprised to see Captain Blake waiting for them as they climbed up to the embattled craft. "I thought you wouldn't come out in this." He almost had to scream to be heard.

Blake shrugged. "Your lady friend insisted. Since she was looking for you, there didn't seem to be a good reason to let you die out here searching for a ghost—I'm a hopeless romantic. I'm also a poet. That crusty sea captain bit is to keep the tourists away. Let's get back to the island before we go in too."

Mulder just shook his head. A man named William Blake—a poet. Who woulda thunk?

XXXXXXXX

They arrived safely on the Island of Bermuda, but they were going to have to stay for a while. With the incoming storm, the flights were grounded and Mulder found that he had to shack up with Skinner as all the hotels were booked. They still had reservations for tonight and the group hoped that there would be room for them tomorrow.

After their harrowing journey everyone took a nap except Mulder. He looked out from the balcony at the advancing storm. Usually Bermuda is a lovely island paradise, but not right now. The rain can't decide which way to fall with the wind blowing around and the skies were gray and gloomy. What made it worse is that Scully is probably furious with him. The other men were. They had a right to be after they nearly died trying to save him from another foolish quest on the same ship.

Mulder was even more depressed now because Mary Buckley was his last chance of having happiness with Scully, but she wasn't Scully at all—not even close. Now he is right back to where he started from. Scully is going to marry that surgeon and he is going to have to watch it all. She will probably want him to be her 'man of honor'. *How Cute* He will hold her bouquet only if he could smash it over David's head later.

"Stop brooding and get some sleep." Skinner's sleepy voice came from the bed behind him.

"I'm fine, Skinner."

"Not you too. It doesn't work for her so you shouldn't try it either." Skinner wearily sat up. "Have a seat, I want to tell you something." Mulder sat down in a chair and his boss (and friend) leaned into him. "Just do it and get the thing over with."

"What are you talking about?"

The A.D. sighed. "The reason we all panicked and flew out here is that we thought you were going to kill yourself over David's proposal to Dana. By the way, you should know that she found the bug you put in her purse. You might want to duck when she comes after you for that one."

"So you want me to just kill myself and get it over with?"

Skinner waved a hand. "No. I mean with Dana—Scully. You two have been together for a long time and those of us who have been a part of that friendship recognize that it was always going to end up being much more. The dance you have been doing with each other caused this entire mess. Enough already. Stop the music and do the deed. Go after her, Mulder—*PLEASE!*"

"She's engaged to someone else."

"No, she's not. If you listened carefully to your *illegal* surveillance, you know she didn't give an answer. However, even if she had—she's not married yet." Skinner sighed heavily. "Why do you think she went out with that man in the first place?"

Mulder thought for a moment. "Because she wanted to get away from me." Skinner shook his head. "Because she wanted something different?" Skinner motioned for him to keep working at it. "Because she wanted more?"

"Bingo and *you* weren't giving it to her. Before you jump out of another boat or go ghost hunting to solve your problems, try talking with her first. She scared of being hurt and you can be a royal ass to her sometimes. Own it and take her back from David. I doubt it will be very hard." He laid down, but sat right back up. "Mulder come here." The man did and Skinner popped him in the back of the head.

"Now, get some sleep."

XXXXXXXX

Scully woke up to darkness. Her nap took her past 8pm and with the storm, it was dark outside. At first, she tried to make sense of all that happened on the Queen Anne and soon gave it up. She realized that she didn't want to be alone and decided to see how Mulder was doing. She knocked on both Skinner's and the Gunmen's door, but there was no answer. Frustrated, she went down to the hotel basement to a little bar that she noticed after check in. She sat in a corner sipping a glass of white wine when someone slid into the other side of the booth. It was Mulder.

"Have you had dinner yet?"

"I ate a grilled chicken salad. How about you?"

"Skinner the guys and I went out to eat earlier. When you didn't answer your door, we—well Frohike—unlocked your room and found you asleep so, we decided to let you continue. It's been a little bit of an adventure and you needed the rest."

"How did you find me?" Scully was curious why he even looked for her.

"I just asked where a gorgeous redhead with peacock blue eyes, a fantastic figure and rose petal pink lips went and I was immediately directed here. I guess you make an impression."

"It wouldn't be another bug in my purse—would it?"

Mulder had enough sense to look embarrassed. "I heard you found it."

"Why, Mulder?"

"I felt threatened. You were sleeping together and I wanted to know…"

"We were not sleeping together." The look on Mulder's face was classic. Her partner was a genius and a trained psychologist, but when it came to her, his performance was below average. "I repeat, I'm not sleeping with David."

"But…you rode together, he dropped you off—in the morning!"

Scully sighed and put a hand on his. "Did you forget I was having car trouble?"

Mulder rubbed his neck. "Oh, yeah."

"What else did you assume?" Scully looked pointedly at him. "That I accepted his marriage proposal?"

He stared at the table. "Yes…no…you should."

"I should? That's interesting. While we were running around on a 1939 ghost ship with doppelgangers of FBI people, Nazis, international spies and some of the strangest things I have ever seen, I thought we were doing that because…I shouldn't." Mulder met her gaze and Scully saw such deep pain that immediately she was sorry. "I didn't mean…"

"Ok," Mulder took a deep breath and straightened up a little. "No, you shouldn't. I don't want you to marry David."

"Why?"

"Because I'm in love with you." Scully gasped and he continued. "I've been a coward about it all, but my feelings for you have only grown. I can't remember a time I didn't love you. Even in the beginning. Maybe for the first few months when I wasn't sure about you, but the need seems like it has always been there. I couldn't image a life without you in it—by my side. David changed all that."

"I really didn't know how you felt—for sure. There were times…"

"I know. I've been told I can be a royal ass."

Scully smiled a little. "I think that would be an accurate statement. Still, if you had told me…"

Mulder smirked and gave a derisive laugh. "I destroy everything I touch, Scully. I could never tell you because I would lose you too. I meant it when I said that if I was really your friend, that I'd let you go. I saw you moving on without me and—I let you go."

Scully squeezed his hand. "I think Sherrilyn Kenyon said that: 'If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it was, and always will be yours. If it never returns, it was never yours to begin with.' How many times have I been back, Mulder?"

He slowly closed his eyes. "What do we do now? I'll fight David if I have to. He's a surgeon—right? I'll just threaten to break his hands…"

Scully stopped him. "I'm sure we can find a better solution. Just out of curiosity, who told you that you had been a 'royal ass'?"

"Skinner."

She smiled wide. "Why does that not surprise me?"

XXXXXXXX

The agents decided to stick a pin in it and get some rest. The next day, they all met for breakfast. It was an interesting meal.

"Dana, Mulder told us that the Skinner lookalike and your lookalike were having an affair—is that true?" The tale fascinated Langley.

Scully *so* wanted to put this to rest. It would take her years to figure out what really happened, although she had a general sense. "Claude Graber and Mary Buckley were both OSS agents. Graber was part of the Nazi regime, but he was on our side. That is why he helped protect us on the ship. He was turned to the Allies, by Mary Buckley and yes, they were lovers."

"He was still a monster." Skinner was unmoved. "What he did to her…"

"Was what he *always* did to her." Mulder countered. "The only difference this time is that he was witnessed. That was the thing Mary was the angriest about. To have someone watching him do that to her was humiliating. However, she knew Graber would have to torture her to keep his cover."

Byers sipped his Coke. "So you told her about the invasion of Poland? Weren't you worried that it would change history?"

"Not on a grand scale. The plans were already in place and Germany would strike in 5 days, Russia in 21. By the time the U-boat or the Queen Anne got back and told anyone…"

"It would be too late." Frohike finished. "I did do some research late last night, Mulder. The Queen Anne is no longer missing."

"What?" Mulder stared at his friend. "What happened?"

"Apparently, it ran into "pirates" and took casualties. A prominent scientist survived as well several high-ranking officials and many civilians."

Mulder's face drained. "We've altered the timeline. What else isn't right?"

Frohike sighed. "That scientist was the premier leader of military technology. There were rumors that he even had access to alien tech. The 'unofficial' report is that he discovered how to create a rift in time. That might explain how the Queen Anne got there in the first place. The Philadelphia experiment has a new wrinkle, but nothing significant—on record, anyway."

"Mulder, is this a problem?" Scully was looking for reassurance.

"How would we know? The only account of what came before are our memories."

Frohike continued. "The bright spot is that Agent Mary Buckley is no longer missing. She lived for years, in England, and died at 90 from old age. She was proceeded by her two husbands, but her children are still alive."

Scully looked at Melvin Frohike in disbelief. "Do I want to know the answer as to who they were?"

"Probably not."

"Tell me anyway."

"Her first husband, Claudius Franz Graber died shortly after the end of WWII when all the Nazis were rounded up and killed, imprisoned or tried for war crimes. Graber shot himself as they raided his Berlin apartment where he lived with his wife and child." Scully gasped and Frohike continued. "Mrs. Mary Graber was imprisoned until they determined that she was not complicit in German war crimes and released her. Her child, Franz Kurt Graber, was restored and she remarried."

Mulder stepped in. "To whom?"

The Gunman hesitated. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes." Mulder said definitively.

"I wasn't asking you," Frohike looked at Skinner. "Are you sure?" Skinner nodded. "Alright, she married a Jonathan Joseph Skinner, born in England. He adopted the boy, changed his name to Frank Kurt Skinner and had another child later…"

"Anna Marie Skinner." The A.D. said automatically. "My Aunt. My god. I'm directly related to that monster."

The Lone Gunman tried to soften the blow. "If it makes you feel any better, Claude Graber's contribution to the war effort was considerable. Posthumously, he was credited with the intelligence that thwarted major German operations and saved many Allied lives. If he wasn't a listed member of the Nazi party, he might have been viewed differently."

Scully put a comforting hand on Skinner's arm. "She married him. It can't be that bad."

Skinner scoffed. "You didn't hear it."

Scully debated, but decided to tell him. "Yes, I did. I saw it too. Mulder heard more than me. It's not what you think."

Skinner's head snapped up, but Mulder held up a hand. "We will talk later. However, Scully is right—don't take what you heard from that room at face value."

"That's enough for one meal. I hear that planes will be able to fly out later today. The storm turned. Let's prepare to go home." Skinner angrily strode off.

XXXXXXXX

The crew could get tickets to fly out that afternoon. Everyone was happy to leave behind the memories associated with the Queen Anne. Mulder and Scully had a conversation to finish and Skinner was in a decidedly bad mood. They all caught their flights and arrived home—back in D.C., but Mulder wasn't ready to let Scully go.

"We need to talk."

"Your apartment or mine?"

Mulder headed for Maryland. "Let's go to yours. I'm sure my fish are dead by now."

Scully's overnight bag was unceremoniously tossed on the floor as she went to the bathroom and Mulder went to the fridge. "Hey! Do you have any milk?"

"No!" The yell came from far away. "I stopped drinking milk because I was gone so much, it kept spoiling." Scully walked out patting her face with a towel while Mulder pulled out some bread and cheese.

"Want a sandwich?" Scully shook her head.

"Well, what do you want to talk about?" She sat down on her couch with a plop.

Mulder, with sandwich in hand, sat on the other end. He took a big bite and chewed. Even before the part was swallowed, he answered. "How to get rid of David."

Scully raised an eyebrow and thought for a moment. "Let's first address—us. You told me that you loved me in Bermuda."

He nodded, still chewing, and waited to answer, swallowing this time. "You didn't respond to that. How do you feel about me?"

"It's complicated. We have a fantastic partnership; I consider you my best friend, but…" she trailed off.

"I hurt you."

"Sometimes, yes."

"That's not my intention, Scully. I would never hurt you on purpose."

"I know. Just like this whole Queen Anne business. You left *me* to go to *her*. That hurt."

"I thought I had lost you. I thought…" Mulder put down the rest of his sandwich and came closer. "I thought I could find you again. Y'know, start over. I realize I made a lot of mistakes. Diana was one," Scully smiled sadly at that. "and going after Mary Buckley was another. But, what I found out was that no matter how beautiful Dana Scully is on the outside—what I really want is what's inside. I'm hoping to hear that David isn't going to get that part. I want you to love me back."

Scully sighed and touched his hand. "I do, Mulder. That's what I don't get about this whole thing. I've shown how much I love you in every move I make." She lowered her eyes. "Until now, you didn't seem to want it."

Mulder lifted her chin and stared into her brilliant eyes. "That's because I assumed it would always be there. I took you for granted, and I'm sorry. I will *never* make that mistake again. Scully, I want us to be more than partners and friends. I want to be your lover. I want to claim you as my own and have rights to beat up people like David that try to take you away. However, I need to know if that is what you want."

"Only if I get to beat up people like Diana Fowley, Bambi and Detective White, Mulder."

He broke into a full grin. "You got it, partner. I'm not much interested in them anymore. I never really was in the first place. It was something to pass the time while I waited for you, but I won't give them the time of day especially, if it means losing what we have. I want to kiss you, Scully."

"Then do it, Mulder."

END NOTEl

This is the end of Part I. Sometimes there are consequences for messing with time and space... (he he he)

Part II coming right up...

P.S. I know the timeline isn't air tight. *shrug* Also, Mitch Pileggi (who plays Skinner on the show) may be a hot Italian dish, but Skinner isn't an Italian name-hence England. Thirdly, William Blake's 'Auguries of Innocence' has one of my most beloved poetry sections: 'To see the world in a grain of sand..." I won't state the whole thing. If you are interested, look it up