"Oh my God!" Scully jumped from the couch. Mulder growled at the intruder and stood protectively next to his partner.
"Did you miss me, Agent Scully?" Genia asked with a bored smile.
"Where have you been?" Scully gasped, barely able to breathe. "How did you get inside?"
"Does it matter?" Genia sighed. "I'm here now, so let's get this over with. Are you ready for your last wish? Or did you want more time to think about it?"
"I…" Scully was at loss for words, but only momentarily. "Why are you doing this? Why are you messing with my life?"
"You unrolled me," Genia rolled her eyes impatiently. "It's my job."
"Really? Who hired you? Was it someone from the FBI? Spender? Military?"
"I think I already told you my story."
"Yeah. You did. The problem is, I'm not buying it!"
"Well, I think your dog bought it, all right," Genia nodded towards Mulder, who started to bark angrily in response. Scully placed a hand on his head to quiet him.
"Stay here," she told him. "I'll handle this."
She made a few steps towards Genia, leaving Mulder behind. He sat down obediently, but he kept his gaze on their guest, still quietly growling.
"What did you do to Mulder and how do I get him back?" Scully asked with no-nonsense, deadly serious tone, now standing dangerously close to mysterious woman.
"I took his ability to talk, as you wished," Genia was not the least bit intimidated by this tiny woman who appeared to be trying to stare her to death. "Remember? It was only a few days ago. You can use your last wish to get him back, but it might do you more good to wish for a better memory instead."
"Don't tell me what to wish for!" Scully snapped.
"Fine," Genia rolled her eyes again. "Why don't you tell me, then, so that I can make it happen and be on my way?"
"Because I don't believe in genies," Scully said and she meant it. She really meant it. It was all just a dream, it had to be. She would wake up soon enough, go to work, let Mulder drag her to some God-forgotten place and on the way there tell him all about him being a dog in her dream. Well, maybe not all of it. Some parts could, and should, remain private.
It was a good dream, though. She turned around to meet the dog's gaze, trying to communicate all that to him. She didn't regret a single moment spent with him, no matter his form. Dream or no dream, she wanted him to know that. She also tried to figure out what he wanted. Did he even want to go back to living as human? And if he didn't, could she respect that? Did she have the right to choose for him? As a dog, was he even capable of having an opinion?
They stayed like that, looking at each other, for what seemed like an eternity. Not even Genia interrupted them, though she observed them curiously the whole time.
When Scully finally turned back to her guest, she knew there's was only one thing she could ask for.
"I want him back," she said, defeated. Believing in Genia was one thing, but playing her game was a step too much for a scientist in her. She didn't have a choice, but that didn't make it any easier.
"Are you sure?" Genia asked. "It's your last wish. You could have whatever you want. He's kinda cute, maybe you should keep him."
"No," Scully said. "I'm sure. I wish for Mulder to be human."
There. She said it. Short, clean and precise. With this wish, nothing could go wrong. This time she finally did it right!
"Done," Genia assured her and Scully felt a huge weight being lifted from her shoulders. With a sigh of relief, she turned around, getting face to face with a… human! But not just any human!
It was a tall…
Naked…
Handsome…
Confused…
Woman.