Location: Dulles International Airport

12.55pm

Scully sighed as she settled into her window seat. It was a sunny day and the bright light from the aircraft window was making her eyes hurt. She looked up, checking on Mulder, who was now placing the hand luggage on the overhead cabin. He pulled out a large envelope and threw it on to her lap, before sitting next to her on the uncomfortable and poorly spaced seat.

So you think this is an X File? She was still not completely sure on the purpose of their journey.

Yeah – They need our help Scully and the evidence left is very less significant so that they are not able to draw a conclusion. His voice was firm but almost a whisper.

And… He paused, meeting her eyes with a silent chuckle.

What…now what! She was baffled trying to figure out exactly he is trying to tell her, to convince her.

Instead, his hands reached her cheek, wiping away a tiny smear of chocolate syrup left from their quick lunch at the airport café – you don't want to let the dead know what you had for lunch today! He chuckled, still gazing at her blue eyes.

She blushed, quickly rubbing her cheek, and grabbed the envelope and opened it, carefully taking out the notes and the photos on by one.

They were quite disturbing, a young man and a woman, probably in their late twenties, in the middle of a pool of blood and then images of their wounds in different angles and yet they looked so white and fragile like porcelain dolls to her.

Tell me about them, Mulder...

Jac Goffman, 28 and Abigail Dakota 27, married for 3 months and just settled down in Mayfield Estate, Beaufort, SC. Abigail is a native of SC and Jac is from Mesa , Arizona. They were college sweethearts where they met during a student transfer program and got married soon after finishing their studies. They had been living with Jac's parents for some time but had returned to Beaufort a week before the murder. Found dead in their own home, at the homecoming night – He was quick and clear on the facts.

This was how they were found on the following morning by a close friend Aaron Mass, who was supposed to pick up Jac to help him during the day with his wedding – he pointed out to the two images of the two bodies on a porch, covered with blood.

Mr .Mass and his fiancée Savannah are reported to be as the closest friends of the victims, apparently, Abigail and Savannah are reported as best friends who took part in a student transfer program a few years back and met their partners, Jac and Aaron on the same program before coming to Beaufort to settle down. Jac was supposed to help on his wedding dance, which is planned to be held in a few days!

As per the parents and friends, they had no enemies or whatsoever as a suspect and everything seems to be a blank canves!

Oh..That sounds terrible – Scully's voice was low as she kept on glancing at the photos one by one. And..what made you think that this is an X file?

Here have a look at these.. he took four of the images and handed them to her, his fingers brushing hers gently,

Both the victims have identical wounds, one clear stab from the back, presumably pointing their heart – He was tracing the bloody wound on the images.

And..the deep burn marks on the back of the neck, some sort of a branding placed right after murdering them. The local police were not able to find a clear clue and which is exactly I need your help here Scully!

The images were disturbing; she could feel her inner self-feeling nauseous to see the freshly burned skin of the victims. The burns were crisp and clear, but the signs were not familiar for her to identify the clear message meant by the killer.

I have already faxed these to an agent at a local cultural center, I believe these might help us to get more closer to the case - He pulled up the photos from her grip, stacking them neatly.

I want you to go straight away to the coroner's office and to work on the autopsies, I'm so sure that the wounds would be identical. We need to have facts to dig in for past cases.

Ok..she smiled lightly, Here goes my Friday! She chuckled as she turned away from him, looking away from the window.

He chuckled too, hearing her words and leaned towards her. His arms ran around her waist, while he muzzled softly to her ears.

I know..and I'm sorry for dragging you into this, but you know what, I promise, let's finish this and have a good time tonight, just you and me..ok.. he finished with a gentle kiss on the side of her face.

She turned to him, meeting his eyes in the deepest gaze, with a warm smile on her lips as if to say it's all right. She opened her mouth to respond, but before that, his lips crashed on to hers for an abrupt kiss. She closed her eyes, letting the moment to lead them without any hesitation.

Just then, the familiar in-flight announcement broke the silence, requesting the passengers to fasten the seatbelts for talk-off. He groaned as he broke up from the addictive breath of hers.

"You better buckle up!" she smiled while fastening her seatbelt, closing her eyes and settling deep in to her seat.