The anticipation was building as Mulder tapped his pen against the table. He wasn't sure what information would be briefed to her before arrival, so he was going in blind. His hand froze at the sound of heels clicking on the hard floor. This was it, he just hoped she didn't hate him when this was over. He was genuinely trying to keep her from the inevitable hurt. She didn't deserve what was coming her way, or the accusations that the press would surely throw in her direction. He stood as the door opened, seeing her pause in her stride as the other agent led her inside.
"Mr. Hale?" Her brow was furrowed, she was utterly confused. He looked a little more put together than the last time she saw him, the suit fitting him like a glove. His 5 o'clock shadow was much the same, but he looked cleaner cut. What the hell was going on?
"Before we start, I just want to say -"
"What are you doing here? Did something happen?" The realization that she was clueless as to the reason of her visit entered his mind. There was no way to disguise the fear in her eyes of not understanding the circumstances. He watched as she put up a guard around herself. "Oh god, did Daniel find out that you helped me? I'll tell them whatever they need to know, you shouldn't have been brought into my mess."
She deflated in front of him, and he felt like a total ass. This kind woman who captivated his mind from the first moment, was caring about him when he had done nothing but lie to her. No, that wasn't fair to himself, his intentions were sincere, though stemming from ulterior motives.
"They haven't told you why you're here." He stated, rather than ask the question he already knew the answer to. He sat, gesturing for her to do the same. She narrowed her eyes at him, glaring as she crossed her arms and remained standing.
"Somebody tell me something, dammit!" She exclaimed, exasperated by whatever game this was already. "What the hell is going on? What are you doing here?"
He let out a heavy sigh, knowing he owed her the truth. When he met her eyes, they were wide and scared of whatever he had to say. He could sense the trepidation, and he wanted nothing more than to comfort her the way he had done before. Everything changed.
"I suppose I should start with an introduction." She dropped her arms, stepping behind the offered chair, hiding herself from the man she spent the last day with. "My name is Fox Mulder, I'm a special agent with the FBI. When you entered my cab last night, I was on a stakeout." He began to explain, watching the curiosity flash across her face.
"I still don't know what that has to do with me." She spat back, distancing herself from him. His heart broke, this was what he was afraid of when she found out the truth.
"You've been following the news, you know about the disappearances." She nodded, not offering more. "We had strong reason to suspect that your husband was the one committing these acts. We've been watching him since he arrived this last time in D.C."
She sank into the seat with disbelief, it couldn't be true. Sure, Daniel had a temper, but he had never been especially hostile with her. Everything flooded her at once, the tears spilling out before she could stop them. All those times he stayed later at the hospital when they were in town, all the times he didn't come back to the hotel room. The coincidence that it was a breaking news story update each time they were in town. How could she be so blinded, so dense?
"It's not your fault." She looked at him startled, as if he were reading her mind. Scoffing at his words, how many women could she have saved if she knew what kind of monster she married. "I'd say that you leaving him led us to finally being able to capture him."
"How?" She was overwhelmed, but his presence still brought a sense of comfort to her. Though lied to, she understood it was in her best interest. If they hadn't caught him, who's to say she wouldn't have been next in retaliation for walking away.
"Based on my profile -" He paused as she raised an eyebrow in his direction. "I knew he craved power, he thrived off it. We suspected that these women he attacked were ones that declined his advances. Younger women that didn't find his charm appealing."
"Yeah, well not all were able to resist." She mumbled under her breath.
"Anything you can tell me will help." He offered her a tight-lipped smile, hoping there was some part of her that still trusted him. She let out a heavy sigh, her elbows planted on the table as she cradled her head in her hands.
"The reason I left, was because I walked in on him and one of the interns. She was in his lap in the temporary office they let him work out of." The fresh tears brimmed her eyes, she didn't want to relive this, any of this. "There were rumors, at our own hospital back home, that I chose to ignore. Nurses, interns, office administration, they all gave in to his efforts because of his reputation. He used them all as play things, they were fools. I was just the only one stupid enough to marry him."
"You're not stupid."
"I feel pretty dumb, and embarrassed. How could I have not known?" It was the common question that most families of these monsters asked themselves. Mulder hated watching their spirits deteriorate, assuming the blame that wasn't theirs to feel. "So what happens now?"
"Well, we only caught him in the act of one attempted rape and assault. He's lawyered up, and we can't officially pin the others on him."
"That's why I'm here." She stated, leaning back in the chair as she observed the man in front of her. Though she hated to admit it now, but she had grown fond of him in the short while that she had made his acquaintance. There was something about him that she was drawn to, but her reserves were up, learning the truth. "What do you want from me? I didn't even know he was the one doing this!"
"I know, and I believe that."
"But others don't? Oh god, do they honestly think I had anything to do with this?" She was becoming panicked, he could see it in her eyes. He wanted to say anything to reassure her, but he had to maintain the professionalism.
"No, we just want to know what you do know." She could sense his guard going up, seeing the shift in his demeanor. If he wanted to keep this as business as possible, then that's what she would do as well. There was a glimpse of longing in his eyes that she wasn't sure how to interpret.
"Nothing. I know nothing about any of this."
"What about your trips to D.C.? You've said that you often came together, but were not always in each other's presence." She glared at him, those words spoken between what she believed was new friends.
"That's correct." She answered shortly. He sighed, wanting to keep this casual like the night before, but knowing he had a job to do.
"We've pulled flight manifests around the time that the murders occurred. We searched specifically for his name, but there are a few occurrences in which he was seemingly not in the area." Her eyes widened, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. She felt even more foolish than before. The instances so fresh in her mind as everything came to light.
"There were several times that Daniel insisted we drive, or take the train down. I told him that was stupid and a waste of time, but he was persistent about it." Her voice was almost a whisper, as if she were afraid of her own words.
"We'll need you to write those dates down for us to the best of your ability." She nodded, not wanting to offer more.
"It - uh," He cleared his throat, straightening his posture. Whatever he had to tell her next was serious, and piqued her attention as she met his poise. "He disposed of the bodies by mutilating them, cutting them into smaller pieces to be discarded all over the area. Originally, there was reason to believe that -"
"That I was the one helping him?" She met his gaze head on, not backing down from the accusations. She had nothing to hide.
"Yes, but I dismissed that with my profile."
"Before or after you 'met' me?" She asked with a sharp tongue, emphasizing that their meeting was not as random as she thought. He was pleading with his eyes for her to believe that this wasn't a set up, but she had no reason to believe him.
"Before." She nodded, signaling for him to continue. "Is there anyone at the local hospital that would have helped him without persuasion? Someone maybe that we can hopefully get a confession from."
Dana leaned back in her seat, her lips pursed in thought. Mulder took the moment to admire her beauty, something that he found pleasurable the evening before. The concentrated expression on her face was vastly different than the laughter he encountered, but he was fond of both versions of this incredible woman. It felt as if he were watching her mind, seeing the brilliance that lived in her brain as she pondered his question.
"Stacy." She sat upright again at the revelation.
"She works at the hospital?"
"Yes, she's the lab assistant to the medical examiner there. There's always been a feeling of hatred that I've felt from her ever since she found out I was Daniel's wife. She was infatuated with him, we've argued about her before, but he insisted that nothing was going on." Mulder nodded, taking notes as he began to piece everything together.
Daniel no doubt sought her on purpose. Dana had said he didn't approve of her switch in careers, so choosing someone in the field in which she now specialized would be an extra stab to the heart. He would use his sex appeal to overpower this younger assistant, making her a slave to his ego. If she were like Mulder profiled, she would do anything for him, unless she felt as though he betrayed her. He could work with that.
"What are you thinking?" He was startled from his reverie, momentarily forgetting anyone else was there. It happened often, him getting lost in his own mind, but most people ignored him. He met her bright blue eyes, filled with questions that he couldn't answer yet.
"I want to bring her in. There's been no reports that he was arrested, we were careful to take him out through the back. The corridor of his office was mostly empty other than our agents, so there's a chance she doesn't know."
"You think she would confess?"
"No, it's going to take some coercing and truth bending, which I may need your help for." He looked at her expectantly. She simply nodded her agreeance, just wanting this to be over.
He left the room to instruct the other agents still around to retrieve Stacy from the hospital. He told them to withhold the reason, and he would handle that as soon as she arrived. All they were to say was that she may have information in an active investigation.
As Mulder made his way back into the small room, he overheard her talking on the phone. He gave her his cell phone to make any calls that she needed, a lawyer, her family. If he could make this easier in any way, he was determined to.
"No, mom, I'm fine, really." Her voice echoed in the confined space as he hid just behind the door. He knew he shouldn't betray her trust even more, but what kind of agent would he be if he didn't fully study each person. "I'll explain more when I get home. It - mom, it was Daniel. The news, the murders." She broke down, everything hitting her emotions as once. He felt guilty for listening, but at least he was sure that she genuinely didn't know. "I'll talk to you later."
"I'm sorry." He was standing behind her, causing her to jump at the sudden intrusion. She wondered how much he had heard, but the warm apology in his eyes told her that he heard everything. She was almost relieved, at least he knew the truth.
"What do you need from me when Stacy gets here?" She decided to change the subject, not wanting to get into her emotions. It was hard enough fighting them back as much as she was.
"Based on what you told me, she would probably confess to everything to protect him." Dana looked startled, how could anyone in their right mind protect that bastard? "Unless she thinks he betrayed her."
"Where do I come in?"
"I'm going to have them bring her in the room next to us. I asked that they not let her enter until I exit this room, with you. If she sees you, I'm hoping it will set off some kind of trigger that I can work with."
"Okay." Her voice was small, brow furrowed as she dismissed the tears that began to rise. She felt used, in more ways than one. Daniel used her as an arm piece throughout their entire marriage, but she didn't want to see it. This man standing in front of her, he had used her, too.
"I know this is a lot for you, and I want to do anything I can to make this as easy as possible, so please, use my number whenever you need." He was desperately grasping onto hope that she didn't hate him completely. There was a larger apology that she was owed, but until this entire thing was over, he couldn't give her that. She thanked him with a quick glance, nodding to acknowledge that she heard him.
The operation went off with a hitch, the minute Stacy laid eyes on Dana, she grew visibly angry. Mulder even felt the need to walk her down to the lobby, placing himself between the two.
"You weren't kidding." She scoffed at his attempted humor. He stopped her in their stride, hoping for a small moment away from the madness that now consumed her life. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry, that I unintentionally used you. When you happened upon my cab, I found it as an opportunity of fate, and it gave me the chance to really know you."
"Well, I'm glad I could help in the investigation, Agent Mulder." Her words sounded rehearsed and detached. It was Dr. Scully, coming out in full force to distance herself from a potentially consuming situation. She watched as the disappointment settled on his face, a lump forming in her throat. It had to be this way, she needed to start over, step away from everything that involved Daniel. Unfortunately for her, that included the man standing in front of her.
Mulder took the tone of her words, nodding as he made his parting pleasantries. Her demeanor seemed almost cold, and the last bit of hope he had, diminished. She was pulling herself away from all of this, though he didn't blame her. If it were him, he'd pack up everything and run far far away. That's basically what he did when he attended college in another country. He understood the feeling well.
"Ms. Hannon, thank you for meeting with us." He flashed her that charming grin that seemed to work on women when he needed something. It was often used on the secretarial office, and occasionally during an interview. He didn't even attempt it with Dana, he wanted that to be honest.
"I don't understand why I'm here. I don't have any information about any case." She spat, her eyes casually glancing towards the door as if she were expecting Dana to walk through the door.
"We have reason to believe that you may have some connection to a Daniel Waterston." Her face grew angry and tight, fury burning in her eyes.
"It's Dr. Waterston." She emphasized the power to his title, Mulder nodding as he felt her about to explode.
"My apologies. His wife mentioned that -"
"Is she the reason I'm here?" She cut his words off at the mention of the word 'wife.' He wanted to smile at how easy this was going to be. "Whatever she told you, she was lying."
"She's simply here to support her husband through this difficult time."
"They're hardly together." She spat, not even questioning why he was in custody.
"He seemed very pleased to have her by his side." The fire burned within her. It was as if Mulder had lit the fuse and was waiting for the explosion. He didn't have to wait long.
"I'm the one who's been by his side! He turned to me when he had to get rid of the first one, not her." Mulder smiled grimly at the woman, the confession one for the record books. She realized her mistake the minute the words left her mouth. She broke down as she confessed to everything, highlighting specific details that were not released to the press.
Mulder sent her to be booked and locked up. The other agents left were bustling around with the final piece of the investigation wrapping up. The only thing left to do was talk to the good doctor himself, which Mulder had to prepare himself for. Patterson had already somewhat congratulated him on the first confession, coming as a surprise to them both. He was instructed to break him down, make this as solid as possible.
"We need a confession, this needs to be easy for the court." Patterson grumbled, dismissing Mulder to the larger interrogation room. Daniel was being watched from every angle, none of his words going unnoticed. He simply nodded, hoping he could control himself long enough to make it through this interview. Who was this man that Dana married?
"Mr. Waterston." Mulder announced as he entered the room. Daniel scoffed in his direction, unfazed by the agent's presence.
"It's Dr. Waterston." He bit back with a smug smile on his face.
"Agent -" His lawyer began.
"Mulder."
"Agent Mulder, we still have yet to be told what my client is being held for. What happened with the woman at the hospital was simply a misunderstanding." His lawyer looked just as smug as his client. Daniel Waterston was older, distinguished in nature, confidence wafting off of him. He couldn't see what attracted Dana to him, he was turned off the minute he walked in the room to meet the man.
"That may be true, however your client is here as the main suspect in the string of murders that have been happening in the finer D.C. area." Mulder stated coolly, detached from his emotions.
"That's absurd!" Daniel launched forward with his anger, his lawyer desperately attempting to hold him back.
"We have a first-hand witness who has already given a full confession to being an accessory, you could make this easier for everyone with a statement of your own."
"I have nothing to admit. I don't even live in the D.C. area." Mulder smiled, checkmate.
"We've also been able to confirm that you've traveled from New York by different means each time. All those dates have coincided with a murder."
"You spoke to my wife." Daniel leaned back, eyeing the agent in front of him. Dana was the only one who would have known his travel arrangements.
"Yes, we did." The older man nodded, leaning in to whisper something in his lawyer's ear. He excused himself from the room, leaving only Mulder and Daniel alone.
"Mr. Waterston -"
"Doctor."
"Right." He answered shortly, uninterested. "It's not going to be good for you, or your reputation, if you choose not to comply. We already have a witness and a confession, your cooperation would be greatly appreciated."
Just at that moment, his lawyer came back in, shaking his head. Daniel grew visibly angry at the gesture and its meaning. Mulder excused himself for a moment to allow them to speak privately in hopes that he would reveal whatever the scheme was.
"She said that she doesn't plan on seeing you, and she's already offered everything she knew."
"She knew nothing!" Daniel stood with a force, knocking the chair over. "The only suspicions she had was about where I was during the nights that I didn't sleep in our shared bed. Does she honestly think that she can do anything with herself without me?"
"Well -" His lawyer began, clearing his throat and becoming uncomfortable with the next wave of news. "She also mentioned that you should be expecting divorce papers."
Daniel's eyes grew wide, fury burning deep inside of him. Mulder could sense the loss of control, waiting for the final trigger to cause this man to combust. If he were lucky, it would lead to a full confession while the tape recorder was on. He let him stew for a few more minutes before making his entrance again.
"Let's get down to it, Mr. Waterston." Mulder began, showing a lack of interest in the man in front of him, only aggravating him further. "We need a statement. May I remind you that we already have a witness confession, as well as the full cooperation of your wife on any further details. Now -"
"What details?"
"That's not important." He shrugged nonchalantly, watching the older man's jaw twitch with anger. "Are you ready to give a statement?"
"My client won't be saying anything. If that's all you have, we will be leaving." His lawyer stood, Daniel following suit.
"Actually, we already have the arrest warrant, due to the witness statement. If you choose to protest that, you have another 20 hours or so that we may detain him for the arrest of assaulting another woman." Mulder smiled, both men growing slightly pale. He left the room, allowing them to talk amongst themselves.
Something told him that Dana wasn't going to be left alone in this. He needed to talk to her, make sure she was okay. He handed the task off to the other agent, it was basically paperwork from this point. They had already taken Stacy, and if Daniel chose not to cooperate, they could hold him for the next day. She was at least safe until then.
Mulder drove to her parents' house, hoping that she was staying with them still. She would need the support after everything she just went through. Her entire life had been a lie, and she was feeling humiliated. He desperately wanted to be the person she turned to, talk to him the way she had the night before, but things changed. He lied to her, too.
He parked on the curb across the street, reclining enough to be out of sight from the naked eye. There was a direct view into the large window in the living room, and he could make out a larger man, sitting with an older woman on the couch. He assumed those were her parents, seeing small resemblements in their features. He brought his binoculars up as another figure entered the room, sighing in relief as the familiar red hair stared back at him. Her eyes were slightly puffy, and she looked younger without makeup. She was beautiful.
"Starbuck, you can't beat yourself up over this. No one knew what he was capable of, it's a shock to us all." Her dad attempted to reassure his youngest daughter, seeing her so beaten down emotionally.
"Thanks, Ahab." She huffed, shaking her head as she buried herself into the couch. "But you both had your reservations about him, and I should have listened."
"No, don't do that. Stop thinking about the 'what-ifs' and focus on the next part of your life." Her mother said gently, relieved to have her daughter away from that monster. Maggie Scully knew something was wrong the minute she saw Dana standing on their front porch. She tried to be strong, but her mother saw straight through the facade.
They spent the better part of the evening attempting to talk their daughter out of a depression of feeling guilty for what happened. She felt so lost, so confused that she could be controlled and manipulated by the man she married. As a young attending, she was so captivated by his mind. The fact that he paid her any attention at all was a compliment. When he started pursuing her, he was assertive about his wants and needs, but never in an aggressive manner. Perhaps it was because she hadn't turned down his advances.
Mulder woke in the early morning just as the sun began to rise. There hadn't been any activity, and he was relieved to know that the two responsible for all of this were locked up. He stretched, rotating his neck from side to side as he groggily entered the new day.
"Hey Maggie -" William, Dana's father, began to say. "Did she say they were sending surveillance for the house?" He was peering out the front window at the dark blue government issued sedan. It was unmistakable that it was an official vehicle.
"No, she didn't mention anything." Maggie joined her husband as they watched the man wake up to the morning sky.
"I'm going to see what's going on then." William announced with authority in his voice. Maggie simply nodded, the Navy Captain in him taking over his demeanor. He wasn't going to be dissuaded.
Mulder startled as he saw the taller man walking straight towards his car. Apparently, he wasn't an inconspicuous as he thought. He was busted, and he had no good reason other than that he was genuinely just wanting to make sure that Dana was okay. There was no way to explain what he was already feeling for her in the short few days they've known each other.
"Sir." Mulder exited the car, attempting to seem as harmless as possible. He'd pull the badge if necessary.
"Who are you, and why have you been parked here all night?" The authority in his voice, Mulder sighed, this wasn't what he had planned. He didn't want her to know that he was there.
"I'm Special Agent Fox Mulder. I'm with the FBI, and I'm currently working an investigation in relation to your daughter."
"My daughter has no relation to anything." He was guarding his territory, Mulder understood. He wanted to stand guard right next to him.
"Believe me, I know that. She's been very helpful."
"That still doesn't explain why you're here."
"I just wanted -"
"He seems to like sleeping in cars." A raspy voice came from behind her father, surprising them both. Her hair was still slightly disheveled from sleep, but she had changed quickly into jeans and a sweater. Her mother made sure to note the frantic need to look presentable as soon as she saw who her father was talking to. She'd ask about that later.
"Starbuck, do you know this man?"
"Yes, Agent Mulder has been very...kind, during the process." She chose her words carefully, not disclosing the first night they spent together. Her father simply nodded at them both, leaving them to talk as he made his way back to the house. "What are you doing here?"
"I - uh, was in the neighborhood?" He attempted with humor, the sheepish grin spreading on his face. She pursed her lips to hide her own smile, raising an eyebrow at him challengingly. "Okay, okay." He let out a deep sigh, running his hand through his hair. "I spoke with your husband after you left. There was something that made me feel deeply unnerved about him, so I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Is he out?" Her eyes widened with the question.
"No, he's in holding, but his lawyer seems to think he has some ideas on not making that stick."
"But he's guilty, isn't he? I mean, he didn't confess?" She was overwhelmed, she could feel the emotions building inside of her, waiting to be released. He sensed it, too, wanting to comfort her and reassure her that everything would be okay, he would make sure of it.
"No, he's too proud to admit defeat. The lab assistant confessed, as I hoped she would. I need a different kind of trigger for him." Mulder bit his lip, not wanting to meet her eyes. As he sat in his car alone for many hours the night before, the perfect idea came to him. He knew just how to make the good doctor snap and get the confession he needed. The only thing that made him falter on his plans, was that he would need her help, and he didn't want to put her through that.
"You need me." Her voice was small, catching on to his silence.
"I have an idea." He nodded, hoping that he hadn't lost all of her trust. She met his eyes, reading him through her gaze. There was an unnerving feeling to how intently she held the connection, but it also exhilarated him. This woman was absolutely captivating.
"Okay." She didn't know why she was agreeing, but she trusted him. Though meeting under false pretenses, something told her that his feelings were real. She could see it in his eyes.
"I'll fill you in on the details at the office, take your time to get down there. He's not going anywhere."
"No." He began walking back to his car, stopping in his stride to face her with a quizzical look. "My mother saw you talking to my father earlier, and ask that I invite you in for breakfast. You can't turn down an invitation from Maggie Scully." Her face relaxed, a small smile teasing on her lips.
"I don't want to intrude."
"They don't know everything, so we'll have to keep details to a minimum."
"Do they know about -" He began to say 'us,' as if there was a them to consider. She caught on to his implied unspoken words, shaking her head. He almost felt relieved. Having to explain that he was falling for their daughter after only one night wasn't exactly the best lead in.
Mulder followed her inside, suddenly nervous as they approached the door. She could sense him tensing, turning with a teasing smile on her face. This was the real him, the one that she had met that first night. It made her feel better, knowing that a lot of their conversation was him, and not Agent Mulder.
"Scared?"
"No." He glared at her playfully. "I just don't usually do the meet the parents thing."
"I think that only applies when you have certain intentions."
"And who said I didn't?" He leaned in closer, a smirk on his lips. She didn't pull back right away, feeling herself relax in his presence. Could she trust him again after being lied to? Everything was so complicated.
He met them both, maintaining his good manners that were learned through years of formal dinner parties that his parents dragged him to. She watched in fascination as he moved through conversation with ease. Her father was still watching him, but she could tell he was relaxing as well. There was a certain amusement that he managed to hit it off so well with her parents. When she first introduced them to Daniel, he spoke of her talents the entire evening, as if she were a prized toy. She rarely had a moment to interject her own words, Daniel taking over the entire conversation as he often did. But this man, he was not her husband. He was kind, and treated her as an equal, bringing her into the discussion as she tried to hide from the mess that her life had become.
"Scully?" She heard his voice directed at her, shaking her head as she broke from her reverie.
"You call her Scully?" Her father asked, confused that that's what she responded to. Mulder had called her Dana before attempting the nickname she had practically given herself the first time they met.
"Oh, I - uh," She paused, thinking quickly. "I wanted to start separating myself from this as soon as possible. I told him to call me Scully." She smiled, knowing her parents would be satisfied with her response. Mulder nodded at her answer, noting to call her that now as much as possible.
"Well, I thank you Mrs. Scully, it's the best meal I've had in quite a while." He joked, rubbing his stomach as he stood to leave.
"It's Maggie, and you're welcome for a home cooked meal any time." She patted his hand in departure. He shook her father's hand, hoping to keep them in the loop of the investigation as much as he could, and handed them his business card as well.
She walked him out, knowing that she would need to be briefed on his plan. They had wasted enough time with breakfast, and he needed to get to work.
"I actually enjoyed that."
"You sound surprised."
"I just usually don't do well with parents, but yours are great." He smiled, causing her to return the gesture.
"They are, I've missed them." The sudden sadness washing over her, she hated this. "They're glad to have me back."
"It will all be over, soon. I'm going to do everything I can to guarantee that for you." He was confident in his words, startling her as he nearly was reading her thoughts.
"So what's the plan?" She cleared her throat, needing to stay strong. He nodded at the change of direction, knowing she needed to stay as detached as possible to make it through this.
"I think you'll be the trigger I need. You leaving him has already put a dent in his ego, making it official would create the hole I need to move in."
"Divorce?" She looked surprised, though the idea was so heavily engraved in her mind. It was happening so fast.
"I can have the bureau's legal team work on that, unless you're not ready."
"No, no. I -" She took a deep breath. "You really think that would work?"
"I'm fairly confident that it will be what I need to push through."
"He's going to threaten me." She spoke low, her head hanging. He tensed up at the thought, his hands gripping tightly to his coat. She saw the action, licking her lips as she was about to open up another prospect. "Will you be able to handle that?"
"Yes." He answered quickly, though through gritted teeth. He hadn't thought about how this bastard would respond directly to her leaving him for good. He had to control himself. "I will keep this as professional as possible. I know the risks, and I want to do this right."
"I'm going to get ready, and I'll meet you down there at noon." She met his eyes again, seeing his own conflicting feelings bouncing around in his mind. He was confused, and angry, but mostly he was compassionate towards her and genuinely cared. The emotions so fresh in their minds, she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around his waist, and hugged him. Mulder was shocked at first, but then relaxed his arms around her small form. She felt warm, and her hair smelled good as he buried his nose in it.
"Thank you, for being my friend." She whispered into his chest, causing the smile to spread on his lips. She reluctantly pulled away, seeming embarrassed for her sudden wave of sentiment.
"I'll see you later, Scully."
She arrived ahead of schedule, wanting to make sure that she was fully prepared for whatever she was about to face. The secretary told her to wait in the conference room down the hall, an agent would be there with her shortly. She could only hope that it was the agent she had in her mind.
"Dr. Wa - uh, Scully." An agent came in, a welcoming smile on his face. She furrowed her brow at the name, watching him slightly fluster. "Mulder made sure I got the name right." He winked. "I'm his partner, Reggie."
"It's nice to meet you." She extended her hand, giving a genuine smile. "Will Mulder be joining us soon?"
"Loverboy needed to go home and make himself pretty. I spend a lot of time with him in different situations, but he was even a little ripe for me." Reggie teased, seeing her cheeks tinge with color. "I'll also deny that entire sentence if you tell him." She laughed, relaxing again.
Reggie filled her in on the updates, Mulder insisted that he was as detailed as possible. There was nothing that he wanted hidden from her. After Reggie spent an hour giving her a breakdown of what had happened, she was more determined than ever to end this.
"Can I get the autopsy reports?" She asked, making revisions to the divorce agreement in front of her. It was all too generous, she wanted nothing from him.
"Uh, I don't know if -"
"I'm a doctor, a pathologist actually. I just want to see if anything was missed, or if there's something I can do to make this fool proof."
"You shouldn't concern yourself with any of that." Reggie felt for her, seeing the conflicting thoughts flash across her face.
"I want to help."
"Well, if Mulder's right, which he is a good majority of the time, then you being here will be all the help he needs." She smiled at him, he was kind, like Mulder. He could see how they worked well together. Before she could respond, the person in question came running through the door.
"Sorry I'm late." He looked nice in a suit, freshly shaved and clean from two nights of sleeping in his car. She admired him with her eyes, Reggie holding back his chuckle at how flustered his partner was. The whole investigation had been amusing, seeing him transform into a different person.
"It's cool, we were just talking about the Granados case when you decided it would be a good idea to strip down to -"
"Enough! She doesn't need to hear the details."
"Oh, but I think I do." She chuckled, causing Mulder to sigh with relief.
"Later." Reggie winked at her, excusing himself to leave them alone.
"He's nice." She smiled a silent thanks at him for sending someone that he trusted to help her through this. He wasn't going to entrust just anyone to be with her.
"He talks too much." Mulder playfully glared at her, a smiled response gracing his presence.
"Well, he did say that you were right most of the time."
"I'm clearly not paying him enough then." He smiled at her in return. "Did the lawyers bring over the divorce agreement?"
"Yes, but it's too much. I don't want anything from him." She sighed, shoving the papers from in front of her. "I just want this to be over."
"It will be, soon. I promise you that."
He briefed her on the details that Reggie kept broad and vague, wanting to mask her from as much pain as possible. Mulder wanted to be honest with her, allowing her to read over the autopsy reports. There was nothing that he wanted to keep from her, not anymore. She knew he was overcompensating for lying to her in the beginning, wanting to tell him that the attention was unnecessary, but she secretly relished in it. She was thankful that he was here for her.
"Are you ready?" He asked, watching as she fidgeted while waiting. She took a deep breath, nodding in affirmation. "Remember, I want you to keep everything to a minimum, he's going to try to get a reaction from you."
"I know." She huffed, already annoyed with the whole situation. "You'll be with me, right?"
"Every step of the way." He reached out to gently rub her arm in a comforting gesture. She smiled her thanks, leaning slightly into his touch.
They finally made their way into the interrogation room, her stopping as soon as Daniel set his eyes on her. She felt unnerved under his gaze, disgusted that she had given her life for this man. Mulder placed his hand on her lower back as he had done several times before, offering her a silent support. He felt her lean into the touch before standing on her own feet. She was determined to do this just as expertly as Mulder had entrusted her to.
"Dana, I'm glad you changed your mind about seeing me." Daniel flashed her that grin that normally made women swoon. It made her want to gag, seeing him for who he really is.
"I'm only here to finalize things." There was confidence in her voice that even surprised Mulder. He wasn't sure how she would do, confident that she'd be able to get a reaction from him, but not knowing how it would truly affect her. He had only known her for two days, and he couldn't figure her out. She was strong, but compassionate and loving. There was a professional demeanor that she carried with her, but a softness that he guessed only a few ever had the pleasure to see. Any other person, he had figured out within 15 minutes, max. But she was different, she intrigued him.
"You're not here to give the loving support of a doting wife?" He scoffed, meeting her gaze.
"I don't plan on supporting you in any way, Daniel. You and I, we're over. I've had lawyers draw up the divorce agreement, the only thing I want from you is a signature." Mulder handed her the paperwork to push in front of him. The anger was building in his eyes as he tensed up at her rejection. Daniel's lawyer pulled the document into view, his eyes widening on what was on paper.
"How dare you -" Daniel began, his lawyer restraining him.
"It's a very generous agreement, are you sure Mrs. Waterston?"
"It's Scully, and yes, I'm sure. I just want this to be over." She addressed the lawyer before turning her attention back to Daniel. He glared at her, stiff and stern.
"You don't get to walk away from me. Do you know who I am? I did this because of you!" He shouted, lunging forward as she pushed herself back from the table. Mulder interjected, helping her from her seat and placing himself between them. Daniel's lawyer was attempting to restrain his client, failing as he made matters worse.
"Mr. Waterston, I suggest you calm down before there's another assault charge added to your case." Mulder warned, protectively standing in front of Dana and blocking her from his view.
He backed off with a huff, losing control of the entire situation. Mulder sensed it, knowing now was the time to get Dana from the room.
"Thank you." He whispered as he turned to face her.
"He didn't sign them." She looked worried, as if the plan had failed. One look into Mulder's eyes and seeing that confident grin on his face, she knew that he had knowledge that she didn't.
"He will, I promise. I think you should go though, it's going to get ugly." She nodded, not wanting to leave just yet. "Why don't you wait in the conference room, and I'll come meet you when I'm done?" He was standing close enough for only her to hear him, both blocking the indistinct yelling from Daniel. She nodded her response, turning to leave as Mulder kept her sheltered from the angry man behind him.
"I'll ruin you. You're nothing without me." Was the last thing she heard as she closed the door behind her. Mulder followed quickly, knowing how those words were affecting her. It was her biggest fear.
"Hey, Scully, wait up." She paused in her stride, wiping her face of the tears that escaped her eyes before facing him.
"I knew he was going to get angry, he's always had a temper. I told myself to expect it, but -" She paused, sniffling. "It's different when you hear it." He didn't think much of the action, pulling her into a comforting hug. She buried her face into his chest, thanking god that she had someone to help her through this. He was a stranger, and the best friend she's ever had.
"I'll be done soon, go on." She nodded, making her way back to the conference room as Mulder entered the interrogation room with a new confidence.
It didn't take Mulder long to crack him. He was nothing but a ball of rage and anger, which usually led to a confession. After the lawyer attempted to make a deal for his client, Mulder instructed that he only wanted one thing with the confession.
"Absolutely not." Daniel's anger built again.
"We're not going to beat that offer." His lawyer was becoming frustrated, having to control his client and keep him from a harsher punishment.
"She doesn't get off that easily." He bit back through gritted teeth. "I'll sign them, if she agrees to be there during the court hearings."
"You'll sign them, or we reconstruct the divorce agreement."
"He'll sign them." His lawyer agreed quickly. Mulder excused himself as they signed the documents, wanting to check on what was really important.
As he made his way to the conference room, he could hear a conversation happening. The voices were familiar, Reggie and Dana. He knew they'd hit it off, and it was rather a comforting thought to him. They were now his two closest confidants, the only people he's ever trusted.
"Yeah, and then Mulder decides that shouting at the two in what he thought was spanish would make them comply."
"They understood enough." Mulder interrupted, glaring at them both as they laughed along to Reggie's story. "You've done enough."
"Well clearly I'm not wanted anymore." Reggie teased, excusing himself from the room.
"I like him."
"Do I need to take him outside?" She laughed, making his heart warm. "I wanted to come and tell you personally, that you should have signed papers by the end of today."
"He agreed so willingly?" She was astonished, surely not Daniel.
"It took some persuading, but his lawyer found the offer very generous, as do I."
"I told you, I don't want anything from him. I just want to go back to New York, pack my things and start my life over." She was exasperated, the emotional exhaustion weighing down on her. Mulder nodded, realizing that this wasn't where she was planning to stay, she had a life elsewhere.
"Well, that should all be an easy process now." He gave her a tight-lipped smile, distancing himself before he had the chance to get hurt by this woman he barely knew.
"Mulder -" She sensed it, not knowing how to reassure him of anything, she didn't even know what was happening in her own life.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Scully. You have my number, let me know if you're ever back in town." He squeezed her arm tenderly, offering a friendly parting smile. Her heart felt heavy, seeing this fragile man break right in front of her. Despite what her life had become in the last 48 hours, seeing this man walk away from her was the feeling that rocked her soul.
"Dana, we have multiple gunshot wounds coming in. I know you're working in the morgue today, but granted none of these ones end up down there, think we could use you?" Terri came rushing in to change. Dana jumped quickly to her feet, break over.
"What happened?"
"I don't know, we got the call from the emergency unit. Some are critical. It sounds like some kind of police bust gone wrong."
Dana had only been working at D.C. General for about a month. Once she got her life in order, she moved back to be closer to her parents. There was a time that she felt she had nowhere to go, sitting on the bed she used to share with Daniel as she packed her things. She felt lost, as if she had to start her life all over. She practically did.
Her parents were more than happy to have her back, especially because she was staying with them until she found her own place. There was a certainty in her decision to come back, some kind of justice for the women that Daniel raped and murdered. She wanted to work at Georgetown, knowing the staff already, but felt that was far too complicated. Because they knew her, she'd have to prove herself even more, wait for the rumors to die down. D.C. General was hiring for a trauma doctor, and because she had switched to pathology, they agreed to let her help in the morgue as well. She offered her assistance where they needed her.
The first thing she did when she moved to D.C. was call Mulder. The move drained her in more ways than one, and she really needed a friend. There hadn't been any contact between them, mostly on her part. She wanted to sort out her life before she started on a new adventure, which would include Mulder, if she were lucky. He had seemed interested, at least in being her friend. When she moved into her parents' house, she found his business card that he had given her dad. She thought it was fate, that he fell in front of her when she needed him most. Then, when the number was disconnected, she thought it was fate again, saying it wasn't meant to be.
"It's showtime." Terri mumbled as they all scrubbed up. Multiple EMTs began wheeling in person after person. The doctors waiting all grabbed one and made their way to assess the damage.
"These four are the worst, gunshot wounds to the chest. This one has a collapsed lung." Terri grabbed the gurney and made her way to an OR. Dana noticed the attire of the team brought in, they weren't officers, they were dressed too formal. Her heart sank at the realization, they were agents.
The lump in her throat began to build as they wheeled in the next body, seeing him lying lifelessly on the gurney. He looked much the same since she last saw him, though sadder in his features. She grasped onto the cross around her neck, saying a silent prayer. "Mulder."