A/N: Well, school has been completely easy nowadays, with little to no homework, so I got bored and decided to write a new chapter. I repeat, you don't have to watch X-Files to read this fic, but it would definitely help (and I certainly recommend it, best sci-fi drama in the universe). Also I've decided that even though I said Doggett and Reyes would be in this fic, I've changed it to three characters that are from the X-Files and we all know and detest (makes it fun to write them lol).
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"Black oil?" Elliot questioned. "Why the hell would they find black oil at the scene of a rape?"
"CSU isn't sure." Fin replied. "They couldn't even tell us what it's made of. Dr. Queen says she's never seen anything quite like it before...she couldn't even identify the components in it. All she could tell us was that this is not a new substance...by the look of it, it's been around for centuries, even millenniums."
"What the hell could that mean? What's the significance of that?"
"Nobody can tell, Stabler. For all we know, it means nothing, but for right now, it's the only lead we have."
The group stood around, inspecting the jar of black oil as if the answer was going to suddenly jump out at them, when Mulder walked up quietly, and took the jar from Fin, walking it carefully back over to Scully. Their heads bent together, as they quietly conferred. Again, Olivia heard the snippets of what they were saying.
"...can't be..."
"...we should send it to the gunmen..."
"...but why would their action of choice be to rape a university student..."
"...no telling what they'll do..."
"...if it is, case is over..."
"...victim did tell us she saw a black substance in her rapist's eyes..."
Finally, Olivia broke in.
"Do you know what this is?"
Mulder and Scully raised their heads, but not before Scully shot a warning look to Mulder, as if warning him against saying too much.
Scully hesitated before speaking. "We may. It looks similar to something we've seen in people before, but I don't want to jump to any conclusions. We'll send it to the Lone Gunmen to analyse, and they'll probably be able to tell us what it is.
"The Lone Gunmen?" Elliot inquired his tone more questioning than accusatory.
Mulder laughed. "Our favourite conspiracy theorists. Don't let their name fool you, they're tech wizards. They help us out a lot along the way, and one is trained at analysing biogenetics. We'll send a sample to them, they'll be able to tell us what they think it is."
Cragen came out of his office and up to greet the agents. He shook their hands and they exchanged small talk about the bureau.
"Make any solid breaks in the case?" he inquired, turning to his detectives.
Now it was Olivia's turn to hesitate. "...We're not sure."
"Not sure?" Cragen echoed.
"We found something at the crime scene that CSU says is a form of black oil, but we're not sure if it has any significance." Munch cut in smoothly.
"Oh...." Cragen still looked confused, and perhaps a little suspicious that he was being left in the dark, but Munch knew his captain would be happier if they gave him a long briefing full of solid leads, and they just didn't have that yet.
"Well, Captain, if it's okay with you, we've done about all we can for today, so we're gonna take these guys out for a drink. I don't suppose you want to come?" said Munch
"Well, gee, John, let me run it by the guys at my next AA meeting." Cragen quipped sarcastically.
Exchanging smiles, the group headed out to Barney's Bar. Olivia and Scully sat down next to each other, and an easy conversation followed. Olivia found Scully very easy to talk to, and they talked while the men drank and chatted amongst themselves.
"So, Agent Scully..."
"Dana, please. If you're going to say Agent Scully every time you want to talk to me, this conversation's going to take twice as long."
Olivia chuckled. "If you don't mind my asking, what's going on with you and your partner?"
Scully looked up sharply. "What do you mean?"
"I don't really know how to explain it...just...you sort of look at each other like you're more than...friends and partners...I don't know, there's just this kind of thing that you guys have where...you just seem to fit..." Olivia broke off, looking at Scully.
Scully stirred her drink thoughtfully for a moment, then took a sip.
"To tell you the truth, I'm not even sure. Mulder and I have always been...affectionate, I guess you would say. We're the only two people assigned to the X-Files, and I guess our peers are kind of scared of us, of what we do, so we are pretty much all the other has." Scully paused, a genuinely happy smile appearing on her face.
"Mulder's not who you expect him to be. Everyone says he's crazy, obsessed, 'spooky', but he's not like that. He's....devoted, passionate. And he has this fierce determination to help everyone. It's actually very...inspiring to be around." Dana's hesitation indicated that she had a different word in mind, but she shook her head and seemed to snap out of the trance.
"What about you and your partner? You seem to be pretty in tune."
Olivia smiled wistfully. "We used to be. I used to be able to tell him anything, and vice versa. He was my best friend."
"And now?"
Olivia's expression grew sad. "I don't know what changed, I honestly don't. Now...we're just like...just like strangers." Olivia stared down into her cup, trying to mask the tears that blurred her vision. Ever perceptive, Scully put her hand comfortingly on Olivia's arm.
Down the bar, a less peaceful conversation was taking place. While Munch and Fin had been listening with interest to Mulder ramble on about his work, while Elliot sat silently at the bar, nursing a scotch and glowering. He didn't know what it was specifically about this man that made him so angry, but maybe it was because Elliot was used to intimidating the people he didn't like, however that didn't work on Fox Mulder. He would taunt him, daring him to take a swing.
It was when he heard Munch and Fin laugh that he couldn't hold it in anymore, or maybe it was the scotch's talking through him.
"You really think you're better than us, don't you?"
Mulder looked up, and immediately a defensive look sprung onto his face. Elliot swung out of his stool and approached the other man, leaning right in his face.
"With your crazy theories, and your idiotic ramblings, it's no wonder they call you spooky. Shit, I'm surprised they could even find one person who puts up with you."
If Mulder wasn't angry before, the mention of his partner made him jump off his chair and meet Elliot's angry look.
"Yeah, and is it true what they call you? Un-stabler, was it? So hard to tell, you seem so stable."
Elliot's hands clenched into fists, but Mulder continued tauntingly, leaning in so their noses were inches apart.
"At least I treat my partner like she actually means something to me."
Elliot lunged forward, but Munch and Fin caught him before he could land any blows.
Scully and Olivia heard the commotion, and rushed over immediately. Scully reached Mulder, who was itching to deck Elliot, she could tell. Unable to stop him physically, she stepped in between him and Elliot, and Mulder immediately stopped. Olivia stood beside her, stopping Elliot as well.
"OK, that's better," said Olivia, talking as if she were speaking to two children on the playground.
Scully continued in the same tone. "Now, I don't know why you two seem so determined to beat the hell out of each other, but you have to learn to play nicely, or we're gonna have to take away your toys."
Exchanging a smile, the women dragged their partners forcefully out of the bar, so fast that nobody noticed a figure in the corner watching them, partially obscured by darkness, but noticeable by the smoke curling from his Morley cigarette.
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A/N: And that's all she wrote! PLEASE review, I'd love input...how was the girls' conversation? Are the fights to overdone? MSR goodness....sighs. Anyone know who the figure in the corner is?