A flame of dark red hair lay across a hospital pillow, staring dreamily out the window; her normal bright green eyes were glazed over with tears, face pale and wan from her illness. Her brain working in overtime trying to understand 'why,' and still coming to the same conclusion that her doctors had already told her. Except one, she thought to herself and smiled a little bit thinking about Dr. Scully. She's fighting for me; I'm trying my hardest to fight alongside her.

Rebecca had always been top of her classes in school, earning the highest marks and her instructors were always impressed that she was so knowledgeable on everything. She did possess a gift in reading people, analyzing data and absorbing seemingly useless information. Day by day her body started growing weaker while her knowledge of everything seemed to become clearer. Rebecca starting not going to her classes at the academy out of sheer exhaustion, she physically couldn't will herself out of bed some days. She had come to find out that she was fighting an unusual brain tumor, the cancer had begun to invade her mind, body and soul; there was something strange about it. She knew from her medical training how it happens and treatment options available but all her doctors told her that it was only buying time from the inevitable. Her tumor was inoperable but she still felt like she had a friend when the rest of the world seemed to be working against her.

Everything she was going through seemed to be pushed aside and forgotten when she got a visit from Dr. Scully. There was something in their conversations that seemed to hold truths and honesty. Hearing the approaching footsteps in the hall outside her door, Rebecca braced herself for yet another blood drawing or brain scan; she was tired of them all, but being greeted by her doctor instead. Her hair pulled back into a pony-tail as it was most of the time when she was working. Rebecca thought long and hard about what her doctor was like when she was younger and imagined much of herself. Maybe that's why I'm so drawn to her.

"How are you feeling this morning, Becky?" Scully was sincere and met Rebecca's tear filled eyes, "you ok?" Scully sat on the edge of the bed genuinely concerned.

"Just emotional I guess, I just feel the world against me just doesn't seem fair…" Rebecca wiped her eyes, "I just can't shake why. No matter how many times you tell me, I was in perfect health and now…" she trailed off. Scully knew where she was coming from and knew all too well Becky's arguments with the cancer. It did take its course without warning sometimes.

"God has his reasons, as mysterious as they seem at the time, you never know when you could come out of this and –"Scully stopped not sure where to go from there, it was a rehearsed speech she felt like she had given Rebecca one hundred times before. She wanted so desperately to tell Rebecca everything about her own battle but she had to be careful, she didn't want to promise anything.

"Doctor, are you ok?" Rebecca stared at her, Scully had kind of dazed out for a few moments. Thinking about her conversation with Mulder the night before, he had told her to speak of miracles but she knew speaking with Rebecca now that it probably wouldn't do any good.

"Yes, Becky, I—I'm fine," there was a few moments of silence between the two women. "Becky have you had a chance to talk to a counselor here at the hospital, I know I mentioned it to you awhile ago?" "Yeah…" she didn't even want to talk about it, "they keep telling me it's God's will, blah, blah…and that I should just anticipate the inevitable and make my peace with God," she laughed a little and held her head down. Rebecca had faith but science had taken a hold on her and now she always seemed to question her faith and push it away. Another story that Scully was all too familiar with and nodded her head in agreement, reaching out her hands to hers and held her hands for the first time, not as her doctor but as her friend, earning that trust.

"You know, I know this seems a little unorthodox but um—after 6 o'clock this evening I am no longer a doctor…" she smiled a little at the younger girl, "would you be at all interested in having dinner with me tonight, I know you have medical training, you could be my shadow for awhile, get the behind the scenes? I think what you need more than anything is a chance to get your mind off of your illness."

Rebecca grinned from ear to ear at the chance to chat with the non-doctor side of Scully; there was comfort in her request for dinner. For the first time in a few months Rebecca felt extremely happy and giddy.

"Okay, I'd love to…" she was excited but calm in her response.

"Get your rest now, who knows how late we will be up…" Scully patted the girl's hands and rose, "I'll come back in a bit and we do need to do another scan today ok? I know you hate them but I just want to see how it's looking ok?" Rebecca nodded and sighed. She trusted Scully more than anyone else she had in her entire life, her parents were wonderful but they had only made a couple visits since she was admitted, they lived in North Carolina and couldn't be with her for her entire ordeal, as much as her mother wanted to be. Rebecca pushed them away too; they seemed blinded by faith and prayers when Rebecca felt that there was more medically that could be done. When Scully had a chance to talk to the parents it put their minds at ease that their daughter was in Scully's care. They all shared the same beliefs and felt Scully the best suited and leveled headed to handle their stubborn daughter.

"I'm doing everything I can for your daughter I can promise you that. It's hard, all the other doctor's want to give up on her but there just seems to be something that feels missed." Scully was honest with the parents and felt confident in helping Rebecca.

Scully had left Rebecca to her thoughts and her rest, God knows it's what she needed the most. She needed to put her mind at ease and just let herself relax. She needed to accept the cancer that was invading her body and really make her peace with it. Scully flashed again to her own past, Colleen, when she quit her job she ultimately hated and stopped denying who she was as a person, her cancer went into remission. Maybe acceptance is the first step…

Walking down the hall to her office, Scully needed a little assistance in her plan; I hope Mulder is up for a challenge tonight. He needs some brain stimulation. Laughing a little at the thought, he is going to get the biggest kick talking to this girl, she is just like me! Pulling out her phone she dialed Mulder, hoping he wasn't too engrossed in anything.

"Hey, it's me."She stammered out quickly and quietly.

"Hey, Scully, I didn't expect to hear from you this early. You ok?" he was only slightly concerned at her calling at this early hour.

"You know I wouldn't normally let you come to the hospital for a visit but I have a favor…" a slight smile in her face.

"Are you sure you are ok?"

"Of course, you remember I was telling you about Rebecca…well I just had a chat with her and well I-I kind of invited her to shadow me this evening at the hospital and have dinner…" she was hesitant and eyeballed her doors to make sure no one was prying on a private phone conversation.

"Well what do you need me for?"

"Would you be able to make a simple, light, healthy dinner for us and bring it to the hospital?" she grimaced at the thought of what his face would look like at that moment. Biting her lip the line was silent for a moment.

"Uhh, yeah I suppose I could do that…" his brain trying to figure out what he could make for Scully and this girl. Mulder had gotten good at dinner planning as crazy as it sounded; he still had some free time on his hands for the time being it should be an easy feat.

"I also wanted to ask how you would feel about joining us?" she was quiet a moment, "Mulder, I can't talk to someone who is—she's so much like me Mulder, I need someone who has experience in talking to me, God knows you've had years of experience in that department." She was honest, she couldn't have a conversation with herself it would drive her mad. She needed someone who was professional and a background in psychology would come in handy here. Rebecca was so stubborn about talking to the hospital counselor's maybe Mulder's different approach would work better. This could be career starting for him.

"Scully—this just doesn't seem right. How do I talk to you? The way we talk now cannot be appropriate for—"he joked lightly.

"Come on, I know you are begging for some work and this will be a good brain work out for everyone…" she was right, as she was most of the time. He needed the challenge, though this challenge had to happen privately and he knew he'd have to keep a low profile with Scully. They were still careful, even though it had been years, public displays of affection were not something they were comfortable enough with around her work place, especially since it was a Catholic hospital and she was technically not married.

"Alright, Scully, you've got me hooked, what time?"

"I said I was 'off the clock' at 6…so anytime after that would be good, I'll just meet you in my office."

"Alright, well I'll see you shortly thereafter then?"

"Sounds wonderful, thank you so much."

"Love you…" there was hesitance in his voice at the statement; it wasn't something they said often to each other, mainly because they both knew it so well after so long.

"I love you too…" she whispered it just barely and hung up the phone, sighing contently at his admiration. This should prove to be an interesting evening; she thought and went about her daily routine with her other patients.