p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"stronguspan lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Chapter 2/span/u/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"strongspan lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"J. E. Hoover Building FBI Headquaters, Washington, D.C./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"strongspan lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Basement Office /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"strongspan lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"8/12/1999 8.15 p.m/span/strongspan lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Special Agent Fox Mulder was sitting on his desk across the door, feet propped up on the desk, looking around in his office, feeling bored as hell. In the last two weeks, his partner and him were on desk duty. God, how he hates paper work. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Sitting the whole day long on his behind, gathering files together, writing expanse reports on every single dime spent on the cases they worked on for the last three months. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"However, what he found most disturbing was that sometimes she seemed to amuse herself watching his disgusted and annoyed face while doing paper work. \That little red-headed cute devil\, he thought. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"\By the way, where is she again? She should have been here a half an hour ago.\/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Without even straightly ending the thought, he heard the elevator doors outside rumble and then there was the familiar clicking of her don't-mess-with-me-shoes. That could only be her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Smiling to himself about the anticipation of seeing one of her exquisite outfits she wore every day to work, but more so on her smile and her beautiful bottom-less, clear-blue eyes. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"There she was, walking through the door and lighting up the small basement office immediately. \Jesus, she is pretty.\, he thought. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"But after 6 years he learned to shove his emotions for her right back where they came from and just for the fact he enjoyed working with her so damn much. But at that moment, he didn't know how long he could keep his feelings to himself. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"She has a brilliant mind and is never afraid to contradict him in nearly everything he came up with. She challenges him in ways nobody else does. More so, he knows that she enjoys it as much as he did. Why else would she stay with him? They have been together through so much. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"They trust each other blindly and would die for each other. However, desk duty is also not her favorite, that he was sure of./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""Morning, Mulder" were the first two words Special Agent Dana Scully said to her partner this day, glancing over to him with a huge grin on her face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"She couldn't help doing that when she saw him for the first time on each day. After these six exciting, challenging, complicated and often disturbing and depressing years, he was her anchor, savior and best friend. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Seeing him smile back each morning, gave her the strength to look ahead on the day, especially after her cancer went into remission. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Oh, she will never forget that it was her black knight in shining armor who saved her from certain death, which is why she enjoyed being with him and working with him more and more every single day since. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Sometimes she even felt like flirting and firing innuendoes back at him, when he started it. \What might happen, if one day she acted on those innuendoes?-Whoa, where did that came from? Stop that right now. Must be the stupid desk work.\ she thought. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"But even after being literally welded to the desk for nearly ten days now, both of them being bored out of their minds, she loved being together in silence. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"They were having lunch together each day, even when she nagged him about his unhealthy nutrition. She also found it hilarious when he tried to hide his boredom and annoyance at this part of their job, but right now she had had enough herself. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"What would they both give for a new case out in the field. And right before she could say anything more, the phone on Mulder's desk rang. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"They have to go to A.D. Skinner, immediately./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"strongspan lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"…in Skinner's office – 5min later/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""Good morning. Come on in. I have a new assignment for you." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Assistant Director Walter Skinner said, shortly smiling in greeting them, and gestured them to be seated in their usual chairs across his desk. Very seriously he started to sum up the case and handing them the case file with pictures of the victims./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""Two days ago the Crater Lake National Park Service Rangers and the local police department requested our assistance after finding a dead mutilated male, age around 34 to 38 in the woods near the lake shores on the west side of the lake. As you can see in the pictures, it is nearly impossible to identify the person, but in this part of the forest there aren't many tourists. That's why they found out the only missing tourist in that area quite easily. His name was Sam Rachet and was a cooperative lawyer in a big firm in New York. He was on his vacation there and wanted to stay for a week in that area in the Crater Lake Lodge. Unfortunately, he was found that way on his second day there." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Pointing at the crime scene picture, holding it up in his right hand, he went on. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""The rangers tried to keep it out of the media and also from the tourists, but haven't accomplished. So the remaining tourists were frightened and some tried to reach the crime scene violently, just out of curiosity. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The rangers and the local police are overwhelmed with the situation by keeping people at bay. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The report of the local coroner didn't make much sense to me. Agent Scully, that of course would be your part of the job and to find out what happened to that victim. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"There are rumors in the area for quite a while now, that there is a total madman with super powers slaughtering people in the woods. Within those two days another victim was found dead on the eastern part of the lake. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"He was mutilated like the first victim. That's why the police thinks it's the same killer. That alone seems to be an X-File, because of the force and the senselessness of the killings. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"So you both will fly in there tonight. My secretary will give you your travel information. Questions?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""Yes, sir." Mulder answered. "I have read of Crater Lake before. Those rumors that you mentioned have been there for 50 years now. I found an old X-File on a similar serial killing. Could those be connected in any way?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Skinner looked at him over his glasses and said: "This is exactly why I send you two there." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Ogling both his pet agents he ordered: "I would also prefer it, if you could report to me every two days. This case seems to be very important because of all the media people there. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Mulder, you have to behave nicely and be careful what you tell the reporters. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Scully, you are responsible as well if he doesn't behave. Keep an eye on him." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Mulder wanted to protest, but Scully laid her hand on his arm to stop him and nodded at her boss. "Dismissed. " Was the last word of Skinner and the agents left the room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"In the ante-room, Mulder moved directly behind Scully, leaning into her right side and murmured into her ear "Seems you are to boss me around and annoy me the next few day. Guess, you are happy about that, huh?"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Scully smirked at him, surprising a chuckle. They received their travel information and Mulder from Skinner's secretary. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"On their way to the elevator, Mulder saw that they should stay at the Crater Lake Lodge and was quite happy about it, because he knew its history and the view from pictures of the old X-File. Smiling, he looked at Scully and announced: "Better pack in some hiking boots and your sexy shorts. Your current outfit might not be appropriate there." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Reaching the end of the corridor, Scully smirked back at him with the words "Only if you pack in your tight black jeans." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Both were chuckling and left the building to meet at the airport later this afternoon./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"strongspan lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"…on their way to Crater Lake/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The five hour flight to Portland, Oregon was during the night, so they both slept in their seats, constantly drifting to one another's shoulders, like their proximity glues them together like magnets. Scully woke up first and woke Mulder with her fingers stroking his cheek, like he often does with her in a very gentle and intimate way. He looked at her and was happy that she was the first person he saw. \I could get used to the feeling\ he told himself, \especially when she had so much warmth and love in her eyes for him like right now.\ /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Another four-hour drive awaited them and so they quickly found a coffee shop to load up their caffeine levels in their blood. The rout to the lake was really scenic and both of them took in the view and let them drift into a good and relaxed mood. Shortly before they came to the lake, Mulder told her about the old X-Files and gave a little history on the lodge. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""We will stay on one of the oldest lodges in Oregon. It was built 1915 and renewed in 1991. This place is very scenic and the view on the lake is spectacular. It has a huge stone built fire place in the main hall and some people only go there for that. In winter it is closed because it is not accessible through the snow. However, there are a lot of old stories of the house being hunted by the victims of that super powered madman in the 50's. In 1954 this guy killed 5 hikers in a very brutal way. He cut them in the face, seemingly tryingspan style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanto remove their noses and then used an axe to mutilate them into unidentifiability. The police didn't get him, but found him dead on the shore of the lake, right next to the Old Man in the Lake, which is an old dead tree stump peaking 3 feet out of water and still moving around the lake. If our new killer is like the old one of the 50's, that's gonna be fun." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Scully listened carefully to her partner but wasn't convinced about the fun part. However, she found that new case highly interesting and was looking forward to the investigation. In front of the road, she could already see the lodge with its massive wooden roofs and the two angled parts of the building. The side which is turned to the road was lit with afternoon sunlight, whereas the other part was slightly hidden behind a small hill and group of trees. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""Wow, that's lovely", she said to Mulder with a smile on her face. Grinning back at her, she thought that this case would indeed be fun./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"After parking their usual rental Ford Taurus sedan, they finally entered the huge building, being awed at the sight of the immense fire place. Mulder talked to the receptionist to check them in and Scully took in the cozy sight of the interieur. Little groups of coffee tables, surrounded by massive furniture of armchairs and couches were neatly placed on both sides with a little ails in the middle. Even when the fire place was not lit on that hot August day, it was a warm and homey atmosphere that soothed her senses and relaxed her immediately. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"She didn't realize that Mulder came up behind her. She just recognized him when he stood really close to her, touching her left shoulder with his hand. She just turned her head towards him. The closeness sent a warm shiver down her spine and she blushed with it, hoping he wouldn't recognize it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""Our room is ready", he said. With that she turned around to face him with an astonished look on her face. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Mulder used his lost-puppy-face and said "They only have rooms with two queens or one king. And guess what Kimberly booked for us? Yes, one with a king. I wanted to change it, but they are fully booked. I think that she wanted to send us a massage with that. We both know that there are a lot of rumors about us, that half of the bureau thinks we are a couple. Mean teasing, don't you think? Do you think we can manage that like grown-ups?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Again that puppy face was directed to his partner. He always uses that face because she had a weak spot for it and always gave in to his demands like that. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"She said: "Well, I guess I can. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhat about you? Think you can keep your hands on your side of the bed?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Deviously grinning, he replied "If you think you can handle me in my tight black jeans without coming onto me, then I can manage that." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Chuckling they moved to their room on the third floor. It was a very warm and bright room. Sunlight's coming through the yellow curtains and gave the room an extra-cozy look. There was also a desk with a lamp and there were nice flowery pictures on the walls. Mulder peaked into the bathroom and smiled nudging his head with a smile at Scully, who immediately came up to him so she could see the huge tub in the big bathroom. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""That's some tube", she just said and Mulder shortly laughed and dove back into the bedroom. The windows were big and the view was amazing, showing the mountains at the back of the lodge. The bed made up most of the space of the room, a classic four poster mahogany king size bed. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Scully stood in front of the bed first, smiling, touching its soft comforter and took over the right side for herself. The bed was huge, but they both looked first at it and then at each other, simultaneously raising a brow and agreeing that that might be dangerous. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Mulder broke the uncomfortable silence with "Wanna go for a first look around before dinner?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Nodding, Scully quickly changed shoes and followed him outside, happy to get some movement after such long sitting in a plane and a car. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"During their one-hour walk around the lodge they discussed the old and the new case and tried to make sense of it. For that they definitely needed more information so they decided that on the next day Scully would go to the coroner's office and afterwards meeting Mulder at the ranger's station, where he would interview the rangers and police officers to find out what might not be written in the case file. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Standing on the little hill in front of the lodge, both watched the sunset. Mulder let his gaze drift to her profile and was taken aback by the warm orange light surrounding her. \God, she is beautiful\, he thought, feeling the sudden urge to touch her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"He moved closer, slightly behind her and attached his upper body to her back, laying his arm around her waist, moving her closer. Scully didn't move away, instead leaned into his embrace. She sighed and closed her eyes. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"It had been a while since they tentatively embraced this way, with her being ill and him being worried. This was different and it felt amazing. For the very first time both were in perfect health, no distress or drama around the next corner waiting for them. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Scully tensed slightly by the dangerous feelings this embrace awoke, making them rising dangerously close to the surface. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Mulder felt her tenseness and whispered into her ear, with his nose tip touching her temple "Relax Scully, it's just me. (sighing) I missed this. I missed you close. We should do that more often." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"While he spoke those words, Scully shivered again and told him in a low husky voice "I enjoy that, but I think I enjoy it too much." Nuzzling his shoulder with the back of her head. "If you go on like that, I think I cannot stop what I feel right now." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"He turned her towards him, lips inches apart, looking deep into her clear blue eyes, saying "Don't you think we deserve a little happiness? You are the only person in the world I want to share that beautiful sunset with and being able to be happy at the same time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Scully's eyes swelled up with tears, but before one tear could fall, Mulder kissed her tenderly on the lips. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"She closed her eyes, unable to reject his kiss. Sighing she returned and deepened it, clutching with both hands at his back to get him so close as if nothing could ever come between them ever again. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Long, lingering open mouth kisses followed, accelerating their breathing and heart beats, combined with a feeling of butterflies in their stomachs and weakness in their knees. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"They both knew that they loved each other for years, but this real feeling of being deeply and head-over-heals in love was overwhelming for them and so they sank into that sensation, moaning into their mouths and melting in each other's arms. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"They stood there that way till the sun vanished behind the mountains. Scully then broke the kiss, needing to breath, saying "So that's what it feels like. I always wondered. Wow." and smiled at him. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"With a feather-light stroke of his fingers along her cheek and her lower lip, he said "Wow indeed." They tenderly kissed again, releasing a tension that built up for six years. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Then they moved to the lodge with his arm around her waist and her hand on his arm holding it in place. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"After a nice dinner, they moved to their room. Both growing more nervous the closer they came to their room. His hand touching hers and she took it and looked into his amazing hazel-green eyes. She could get lost in those depths. The physical proximity between them setting electrical jolts back and forth. He couldn't resist anymore and in front of their door he suddenly leaned in to kiss her again, pinning her to the door by the gentle weight of his full length of his body. But right before his lips could brush hers, Mulder's cell phone rumbled in his suit jacket and made them both jump, breaking the spell. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"It was the local sheriff. "Good evening Agent Mulder. This is Sheriff John Miller. I got your cell number from AD Skinner. I know you just arrived at the lodge and want to settle in first, but I have to inform you that there is a new victim. Sighted two miles north of the lodge near the forest trail. We need you there. Could you and your partner get there in an hour? You can drive with your car the first mile up the road behind the lodge, park at the end of the bituminized road. Then you have to walk straight up the path till you see us. Pack in some flashlight. It's dark up there." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Mulder just said "We'll be there" and ended the call. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dropping his head and sighing, Scully lifted his chin and asked what it was and he just kissed her cheek and said "We have to reschedule our plans for tonight. There is another victim." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"She whispered into his ear "I won't forget where we stopped" and kissed him briefly before they grabbed their flashlights and the car keys and stepped into the night./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"strongspan lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"J. E. Hoover Building FBI Headquaters, Washington, D.C./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"strongspan lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Basement Office /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"strongspan lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"8/12/1999 8.15 p.m/span/strongspan lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Special Agent Fox Mulder was sitting on his desk across the door, feet propped up on the desk, looking around in his office, feeling bored as hell. In the last two weeks, his partner and him were on desk duty. God, how he hates paper work. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Sitting the whole day long on his behind, gathering files together, writing expanse reports on every single dime spent on the cases they worked on for the last three months. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"However, what he found most disturbing was that sometimes she seemed to amuse herself watching his disgusted and annoyed face while doing paper work. \That little red-headed cute devil\, he thought. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"\By the way, where is she again? She should have been here a half an hour ago.\/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Without even straightly ending the thought, he heard the elevator doors outside rumble and then there was the familiar clicking of her don't-mess-with-me-shoes. That could only be her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Smiling to himself about the anticipation of seeing one of her exquisite outfits she wore every day to work, but more so on her smile and her beautiful bottom-less, clear-blue eyes. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"There she was, walking through the door and lighting up the small basement office immediately. \Jesus, she is pretty.\, he thought. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"But after 6 years he learned to shove his emotions for her right back where they came from and just for the fact he enjoyed working with her so damn much. But at that moment, he didn't know how long he could keep his feelings to himself. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"She has a brilliant mind and is never afraid to contradict him in nearly everything he came up with. She challenges him in ways nobody else does. More so, he knows that she enjoys it as much as he did. Why else would she stay with him? They have been together through so much. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"They trust each other blindly and would die for each other. However, desk duty is also not her favorite, that he was sure of./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""Morning, Mulder" were the first two words Special Agent Dana Scully said to her partner this day, glancing over to him with a huge grin on her face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"She couldn't help doing that when she saw him for the first time on each day. After these six exciting, challenging, complicated and often disturbing and depressing years, he was her anchor, savior and best friend. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Seeing him smile back each morning, gave her the strength to look ahead on the day, especially after her cancer went into remission. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Oh, she will never forget that it was her black knight in shining armor who saved her from certain death, which is why she enjoyed being with him and working with him more and more every single day since. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Sometimes she even felt like flirting and firing innuendoes back at him, when he started it. \What might happen, if one day she acted on those innuendoes?-Whoa, where did that came from? Stop that right now. Must be the stupid desk work.\ she thought. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"But even after being literally welded to the desk for nearly ten days now, both of them being bored out of their minds, she loved being together in silence. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"They were having lunch together each day, even when she nagged him about his unhealthy nutrition. She also found it hilarious when he tried to hide his boredom and annoyance at this part of their job, but right now she had had enough herself. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"What would they both give for a new case out in the field. And right before she could say anything more, the phone on Mulder's desk rang. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"They have to go to A.D. Skinner, immediately./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"strongspan lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"…in Skinner's office – 5min later/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""Good morning. Come on in. I have a new assignment for you." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Assistant Director Walter Skinner said, shortly smiling in greeting them, and gestured them to be seated in their usual chairs across his desk. Very seriously he started to sum up the case and handing them the case file with pictures of the victims./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""Two days ago the Crater Lake National Park Service Rangers and the local police department requested our assistance after finding a dead mutilated male, age around 34 to 38 in the woods near the lake shores on the west side of the lake. As you can see in the pictures, it is nearly impossible to identify the person, but in this part of the forest there aren't many tourists. That's why they found out the only missing tourist in that area quite easily. His name was Sam Rachet and was a cooperative lawyer in a big firm in New York. He was on his vacation there and wanted to stay for a week in that area in the Crater Lake Lodge. Unfortunately, he was found that way on his second day there." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Pointing at the crime scene picture, holding it up in his right hand, he went on. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""The rangers tried to keep it out of the media and also from the tourists, but haven't accomplished. So the remaining tourists were frightened and some tried to reach the crime scene violently, just out of curiosity. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The rangers and the local police are overwhelmed with the situation by keeping people at bay. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The report of the local coroner didn't make much sense to me. Agent Scully, that of course would be your part of the job and to find out what happened to that victim. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"There are rumors in the area for quite a while now, that there is a total madman with super powers slaughtering people in the woods. Within those two days another victim was found dead on the eastern part of the lake. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"He was mutilated like the first victim. That's why the police thinks it's the same killer. That alone seems to be an X-File, because of the force and the senselessness of the killings. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"So you both will fly in there tonight. My secretary will give you your travel information. Questions?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""Yes, sir." Mulder answered. "I have read of Crater Lake before. Those rumors that you mentioned have been there for 50 years now. I found an old X-File on a similar serial killing. Could those be connected in any way?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Skinner looked at him over his glasses and said: "This is exactly why I send you two there." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Ogling both his pet agents he ordered: "I would also prefer it, if you could report to me every two days. This case seems to be very important because of all the media people there. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Mulder, you have to behave nicely and be careful what you tell the reporters. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Scully, you are responsible as well if he doesn't behave. Keep an eye on him." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Mulder wanted to protest, but Scully laid her hand on his arm to stop him and nodded at her boss. "Dismissed. " Was the last word of Skinner and the agents left the room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"In the ante-room, Mulder moved directly behind Scully, leaning into her right side and murmured into her ear "Seems you are to boss me around and annoy me the next few day. Guess, you are happy about that, huh?"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Scully smirked at him, surprising a chuckle. They received their travel information and Mulder from Skinner's secretary. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"On their way to the elevator, Mulder saw that they should stay at the Crater Lake Lodge and was quite happy about it, because he knew its history and the view from pictures of the old X-File. Smiling, he looked at Scully and announced: "Better pack in some hiking boots and your sexy shorts. Your current outfit might not be appropriate there." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Reaching the end of the corridor, Scully smirked back at him with the words "Only if you pack in your tight black jeans." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Both were chuckling and left the building to meet at the airport later this afternoon./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"strongspan lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"…on their way to Crater Lake/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The five hour flight to Portland, Oregon was during the night, so they both slept in their seats, constantly drifting to one another's shoulders, like their proximity glues them together like magnets. Scully woke up first and woke Mulder with her fingers stroking his cheek, like he often does with her in a very gentle and intimate way. He looked at her and was happy that she was the first person he saw. \I could get used to the feeling\ he told himself, \especially when she had so much warmth and love in her eyes for him like right now.\ /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Another four-hour drive awaited them and so they quickly found a coffee shop to load up their caffeine levels in their blood. The rout to the lake was really scenic and both of them took in the view and let them drift into a good and relaxed mood. Shortly before they came to the lake, Mulder told her about the old X-Files and gave a little history on the lodge. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""We will stay on one of the oldest lodges in Oregon. It was built 1915 and renewed in 1991. This place is very scenic and the view on the lake is spectacular. It has a huge stone built fire place in the main hall and some people only go there for that. In winter it is closed because it is not accessible through the snow. However, there are a lot of old stories of the house being hunted by the victims of that super powered madman in the 50's. In 1954 this guy killed 5 hikers in a very brutal way. He cut them in the face, seemingly tryingspan style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanto remove their noses and then used an axe to mutilate them into unidentifiability. The police didn't get him, but found him dead on the shore of the lake, right next to the Old Man in the Lake, which is an old dead tree stump peaking 3 feet out of water and still moving around the lake. If our new killer is like the old one of the 50's, that's gonna be fun." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Scully listened carefully to her partner but wasn't convinced about the fun part. However, she found that new case highly interesting and was looking forward to the investigation. In front of the road, she could already see the lodge with its massive wooden roofs and the two angled parts of the building. The side which is turned to the road was lit with afternoon sunlight, whereas the other part was slightly hidden behind a small hill and group of trees. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""Wow, that's lovely", she said to Mulder with a smile on her face. Grinning back at her, she thought that this case would indeed be fun./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"After parking their usual rental Ford Taurus sedan, they finally entered the huge building, being awed at the sight of the immense fire place. Mulder talked to the receptionist to check them in and Scully took in the cozy sight of the interieur. Little groups of coffee tables, surrounded by massive furniture of armchairs and couches were neatly placed on both sides with a little ails in the middle. Even when the fire place was not lit on that hot August day, it was a warm and homey atmosphere that soothed her senses and relaxed her immediately. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"She didn't realize that Mulder came up behind her. She just recognized him when he stood really close to her, touching her left shoulder with his hand. She just turned her head towards him. The closeness sent a warm shiver down her spine and she blushed with it, hoping he wouldn't recognize it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""Our room is ready", he said. With that she turned around to face him with an astonished look on her face. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Mulder used his lost-puppy-face and said "They only have rooms with two queens or one king. And guess what Kimberly booked for us? Yes, one with a king. I wanted to change it, but they are fully booked. I think that she wanted to send us a massage with that. We both know that there are a lot of rumors about us, that half of the bureau thinks we are a couple. Mean teasing, don't you think? Do you think we can manage that like grown-ups?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Again that puppy face was directed to his partner. He always uses that face because she had a weak spot for it and always gave in to his demands like that. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"She said: "Well, I guess I can. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhat about you? Think you can keep your hands on your side of the bed?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Deviously grinning, he replied "If you think you can handle me in my tight black jeans without coming onto me, then I can manage that." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Chuckling they moved to their room on the third floor. It was a very warm and bright room. Sunlight's coming through the yellow curtains and gave the room an extra-cozy look. There was also a desk with a lamp and there were nice flowery pictures on the walls. Mulder peaked into the bathroom and smiled nudging his head with a smile at Scully, who immediately came up to him so she could see the huge tub in the big bathroom. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;""That's some tube", she just said and Mulder shortly laughed and dove back into the bedroom. The windows were big and the view was amazing, showing the mountains at the back of the lodge. The bed made up most of the space of the room, a classic four poster mahogany king size bed. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Scully stood in front of the bed first, smiling, touching its soft comforter and took over the right side for herself. The bed was huge, but they both looked first at it and then at each other, simultaneously raising a brow and agreeing that that might be dangerous. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Mulder broke the uncomfortable silence with "Wanna go for a first look around before dinner?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Nodding, Scully quickly changed shoes and followed him outside, happy to get some movement after such long sitting in a plane and a car. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"During their one-hour walk around the lodge they discussed the old and the new case and tried to make sense of it. For that they definitely needed more information so they decided that on the next day Scully would go to the coroner's office and afterwards meeting Mulder at the ranger's station, where he would interview the rangers and police officers to find out what might not be written in the case file. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Standing on the little hill in front of the lodge, both watched the sunset. Mulder let his gaze drift to her profile and was taken aback by the warm orange light surrounding her. \God, she is beautiful\, he thought, feeling the sudden urge to touch her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"He moved closer, slightly behind her and attached his upper body to her back, laying his arm around her waist, moving her closer. Scully didn't move away, instead leaned into his embrace. She sighed and closed her eyes. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"It had been a while since they tentatively embraced this way, with her being ill and him being worried. This was different and it felt amazing. For the very first time both were in perfect health, no distress or drama around the next corner waiting for them. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Scully tensed slightly by the dangerous feelings this embrace awoke, making them rising dangerously close to the surface. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Mulder felt her tenseness and whispered into her ear, with his nose tip touching her temple "Relax Scully, it's just me. (sighing) I missed this. I missed you close. We should do that more often." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"While he spoke those words, Scully shivered again and told him in a low husky voice "I enjoy that, but I think I enjoy it too much." Nuzzling his shoulder with the back of her head. "If you go on like that, I think I cannot stop what I feel right now." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"He turned her towards him, lips inches apart, looking deep into her clear blue eyes, saying "Don't you think we deserve a little happiness? You are the only person in the world I want to share that beautiful sunset with and being able to be happy at the same time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Scully's eyes swelled up with tears, but before one tear could fall, Mulder kissed her tenderly on the lips. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"She closed her eyes, unable to reject his kiss. Sighing she returned and deepened it, clutching with both hands at his back to get him so close as if nothing could ever come between them ever again. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Long, lingering open mouth kisses followed, accelerating their breathing and heart beats, combined with a feeling of butterflies in their stomachs and weakness in their knees. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"They both knew that they loved each other for years, but this real feeling of being deeply and head-over-heals in love was overwhelming for them and so they sank into that sensation, moaning into their mouths and melting in each other's arms. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"They stood there that way till the sun vanished behind the mountains. Scully then broke the kiss, needing to breath, saying "So that's what it feels like. I always wondered. Wow." and smiled at him. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"With a feather-light stroke of his fingers along her cheek and her lower lip, he said "Wow indeed." They tenderly kissed again, releasing a tension that built up for six years. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Then they moved to the lodge with his arm around her waist and her hand on his arm holding it in place. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"After a nice dinner, they moved to their room. Both growing more nervous the closer they came to their room. His hand touching hers and she took it and looked into his amazing hazel-green eyes. She could get lost in those depths. The physical proximity between them setting electrical jolts back and forth. He couldn't resist anymore and in front of their door he suddenly leaned in to kiss her again, pinning her to the door by the gentle weight of his full length of his body. But right before his lips could brush hers, Mulder's cell phone rumbled in his suit jacket and made them both jump, breaking the spell. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"It was the local sheriff. "Good evening Agent Mulder. This is Sheriff John Miller. I got your cell number from AD Skinner. I know you just arrived at the lodge and want to settle in first, but I have to inform you that there is a new victim. Sighted two miles north of the lodge near the forest trail. We need you there. Could you and your partner get there in an hour? You can drive with your car the first mile up the road behind the lodge, park at the end of the bituminized road. Then you have to walk straight up the path till you see us. Pack in some flashlight. It's dark up there." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Mulder just said "We'll be there" and ended the call. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dropping his head and sighing, Scully lifted his chin and asked what it was and he just kissed her cheek and said "We have to reschedule our plans for tonight. There is another victim." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Verdana',sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"She whispered into his ear "I won't forget where we stopped" and kissed him briefly before they grabbed their flashlights and the car keys and stepped into the night./span/p