This one's pretty short, but I've been trying to write this part for a while and it hasn't turned out the way I'd like so I'm decided to do this in two parts. This is my first multi-chapter fic and I don't have a lot of practice.
Scully paused before entering the office. Mulder was on the phone with someone, and she didn't want to interrupt if it was Phoebe. Then again, maybe she did.
"So…" he was saying into the phone as she entered. "I don't know when you're going to get a weekend off, but when I do I'll come see you, OK? … I meant what I said about that background check by the way… No, I'm serious!" he laughed. "No boyfriends unless they've been vetted through my division. I'll see you soon… Bye."
"That didn't sound like Phoebe." Scully remarked after he'd hung up the phone.
"Phoebe? That was my sister!"
"I didn't know you had a sister. Older or younger?" she asked thoughtfully.
"She's four years younger than me."
"So, the same age as me."
He smiled. "I never though of that. Yeah."
"What does she do?"
"She's a simultaneous interpreter. Works for the UN."
"In New York?"
"Yeah." he paused. "You're like her."
"I'm sure I would." Scully said, misunderstanding.
"No, no. Not you'd like her. You're like her."
She was silent for a moment. "Ok, I'll bite. How so?"
"You're both so… dedicated. Obsessed. It's aliens with you, with Samantha it's languages. When she was younger she'd tape of pieces of paper around the house with the German word for everything, or French or Spanish or whatever. Once I even let her tape the word Fuchs to my forehead."
"i take it you were close as kids then." Scully said quietly.
"Nah. Not really. That was just a really good day. We fought a lot, stupid things. There were good days though." He looked up at her. "Were you? Close?"
"When we were really young, yes. Not as teenagers. It was the same… stupid fights. I'd take it all back now of course, if I could."
"Maybe one day you'll get the chance." He didn't ask if she thought she would. Either it was because he didn't want to know the answer, or he didn't think she did. "Uh Scully… Did you come down here for something?"
"Right." The moment was over. "I was going to take a look at the file for Phoebe's case."
"Look Scully, I'm doing this because Phoebe's my friend and I'm doing this because she hasn't given me much choice. This isn't my division, it's yours. You don't need to be any part of this."
"This case has X-File written all over it, you're not getting rid of me that easily."
"While I appreciate the sentiment there's no need for you to be dragged into one of Phoebe's mind games."
"Mind games?"
"She knows I hate fire. I can't stand it. Ever since I was a kid I've had nightmares about it. This is her test. To see if I can handle it."
"Well, it looks like you might be needing some back up."
To be continued…
I know that was short, the next bit will continue through the rest of Fire and start to show the beginning of this story's mythology.