The Metro ride from the coffee shop afforded Dana Scully ample time to fill her thoughts with Fox Mulder.

The tall, soon to be FBI agent who invaded her space at the coffee shop, now invaded her mind. She recounted what she had already learned about him.

Oxford graduate. She could tell he was intelligent and witty. She wondered what his major was; Literature, Sociology perhaps or maybe Psychology? Did he play rugby, or maybe he was on the row team. She caught The Boat Race between Cambridge and Oxford on TV once, and she could easily see him as a rower with shoulders and arms like he had.

FBI Academy. What very little she knew about the FBI was influenced from what she saw on TV, and from her distant cousin on her dad's side. He was an analyst for the FBI, and Mulder didn't seem to fit the analyst stereotype- he certainly didn't look like her cousin.

She figured he'd be a special field agent type. The ones she saw on TV who caught bad guys, serial killers and made the world a better place. All the while looking incredibly hot doing it.

Knock it off Dana, you barely know the guy. But there was no doubt in her mind that he would look down right handsome in one of those navy jackets with the big yellow letters on the back, F-B-I.

She giggled at her thoughts. Her reaction must have been louder than she thought because the lady sitting next to her glanced up from her book with a raised eyebrow, and smiled curiously at Dana.

"Sorry." Dana said with a soft smile and a dash of pink on her cheeks.

She had so many questions that needed answers. And it was a shame her time with him was so short.

He was most likely a couple years older than her- although she really couldn't make that assessment without asking him his age. She shifted in her seat, and crossed her arms. She wasn't keen on the idea of waiting an entire week to get her questions answered. Thursday suddenly seemed so far away.

He had a friend on campus, a TA. He was much shorter and scruffy in appearance. She bit her bottom lip trying to recall his name, Melvin Frohike .

Maybe she'd look him up and ask him about Mulder; Okay Dana, calm down. You're not going to stalk his friend.

The train came to a stop, and she exited onto the station platform to continue the short walk to her and Missy's apartment.

She couldn't wait to tell Melissa what had happened, mostly because she wanted to see what she thought. While she and Missy were completely different- she loved and valued her sister's opinion. Melissa moved in several months ago after a year long spiritual journey across the states. Dana would get postcards from her at every stop and when Missy was finally done with her expedition she moved in with Dana.

Please Danes, I can't move back in with mom, dad and Charlie. Missy had pleaded with Dana, but she really didn't need convincing, she was excited at the prospect of having Missy around.

In fact, she was thankful for her sister and her roommate status. Dana had moved off campus as soon as it was allowed, she wasn't keen on dorm life and found it full of unnecessary distractions. They found a two bedroom apartment in Hyattsville within walking distance to several small mom and pop stores. A couple of art galleries were starting to open up which made Missy very happy.

"This place has good vibrations." She had told Dana as they toured the apartment complex. The next day they signed a lease and Missy went out and found a job at a local bakery. She worked early mornings so she could have her evenings off.

Dana arrived at her apartment door and she took a deep breath, filled with anticipation; she couldn't wait to tell her sister about her day. She entered the small apartment and called out her sister's name.

"Missy."

Putting her keys down on the small entry table their mom had supplied them as part of their hand-me-down furniture collection, she called for Missy again.

"You here, sis?"

She plopped her backpack and books down on the floor and proceeded to plop herself down on their brown plaid couch, another gift from mom. She kicked off her shoes and threw her feet up on the coffee table. One last call outloud to her sister.

"Heyyyy Miss..."

No answer. She settled into the couch getting comfortable, exhausted from her day- she realized just how tired she had become. Her eyes were heavy and her body heavier.

Dana Scully slowly drifted off to sleep thinking of the two men who had the ability to shape the rest of her life.

Fox Mulder and Albert Einstein.

"How do you do it?" Melvin said as he took a drink of his coffee, black with three sugars, "You're not even trying," tilting his head suspiciously at Mulder, " Are you trying?"

Mulder laughed. "Mel, dude- I swear. Look at me, I am a mess!"

Melvin pursed his lip and rolled his eyes, "Bullshit, Mulder. You're the quintessential guy next door. Boyish grin, handsome, tall, smart, well...maybe not smart." Mulder laughed at his friend's description of him. "Gee, thanks pal, you really have me figured out."

More thoughtful now, "I don't know Melvin, there's something about her, it's as if I've known her my whole life."

Melvin nodded. Looking uncomfortable, he squirmed in his chair, he was about to speak, but Mulder beat him to it, "I know what you're going to say, and we aren't dating. We aren't together."

"Hmm. If you say so, but… you better make sure she knows that."

"Look, Mel, I told Diana, we aren't together, I don't know what else to tell her."

Mulder was getting slightly irritated, but he knew Melvin's heart was in the right place. He had always been protective of Mulder. Ever since freshman year at Oxford. Melvin was his wingman and really, when it came to women, Mulder always seemed to fall into terrible situations. "You're too naive Mulder; you can't trust every chickadee you come in contact with." Melvin had told him one night in a small pub as they were drinking freshman finals and their sorrows away. Ever since then, Mulder knew Melvin would be a friend for life.

"Mulder, listen to me. You can tell her all you want, but maybe you need to show her by not..." clearing his throat, "...sleeping with her."

"It happened one time after we broke up. And as you know, we got back together.." thinking to himself, then continuing, "Oh yeah and that one time after we broke up the second, and might I add- final time."

God, I sound like an idiot. What was I thinking?

He continued, "But it's done now. I haven't spoken to or slept with Diana for several weeks now." He raised his right hand "scouts honor."

Melvin quipped back, "Good."

He took another sip and rested his elbows on the table, "All I'm saying Mulder, is that woman is a wicked person, and you need to be completely done with her- just stay away."

Mulder nodded in agreement, the entire time Melvin was talking, in fact. He knew Melvin was right of course; his warning was justifiable. Diana was seven years Mulder's senior and while an older, more mature woman was exciting at first, she quickly became more and more possessive and controlling and the novelty quickly wore off. He did feel some semblance of gratitude toward her; after all, she had pushed him when he needed to be pushed.

But he was certain he had made himself clear the last time they had seen each other.

Didn't he?

"Earth to Mulder..." Melvin was standing, "...I have to get back to campus, all the little fish are scrambling for last minute extra credit, and guess who holds all the power?"

"God those poor students, don't be too hard on them Professor Frohike," making air quotes as he emphasized the word professor, "...we were once wide eyed, college students who didn't know our own ass from our elbow."

"Hey speak for yourself, I know the difference." Both men laughed at their banter.

"See you next Thursday?"

"Yeah, for sure. Hey, before I forget, Byers is having a get together next Saturday, you in?"

"Sure, I have off campus privileges now, I just have to be back by midnight or I'll turn into a pumpkin. "

Melvin rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah, hey remember what I said about the foul one. Stay away, especially if you think this…," snapping his fingers in a spirit of forgetfulness.

Mulder prompted him, "Dana…Dana Scully."

"Right, Dana, is someone you think you might want to get to know better." Melvin patted Mulder on the back and took one last sip of coffee, leaving the empty cup on the table. Then he left his friend alone with his thoughts.

He did want to know Dana Scully better. In fact, he groaned at the thought of waiting a week. And what if she didn't show up? What then?

She'd be there. He was confident in it.

His mind shifted to Diana now. The problem with Diana Fowley.

They hadn't been going out that long, a couple of months maybe? He was always bad with dates and time-frames. Heck, he'd forgotten his own birthday several times- too many to count. They had met when Diana was a guest lecturer for his Interview and Interrogation class. She was hot and he'd just turned twenty-five. He thought the sex was good, of course his experience was relegated to porn and two other partners at Oxford and a High School girlfriend who introduced him into the wonderful world of eating pussy. He wasn't exactly a seasoned lover, per se, but he felt like he could hold his own.

He sat at the table for a few minutes longer before checking his watch. He had an hour drive back, which gave him plenty of time to think about the enigmatic Dana Scully.

"Danes, Dana."

"Hmmhmm."

"Wake up sis, you're drooling all over yourself."

Groggy, half-awake, Scully rose from the couch. She must have been out for sometime because the direction of the sunlight had changed, only illuminating one half of the small apartment.

"Hey…Missy, where have you been? How long?" Looking at her watch.

"I stopped by another new art gallery on the way home from work."

She plopped down by her sister. Missy was energetic and beautiful. She commanded attention when she walked into a room- she probably didn't want to admit it, and Scully would never tell her, but she was a lot like their dad. Suddenly remembering what she had been so excited to tell Melissa about popped into her head.

Fox Mulder, soon to be Special agent Fox Mulder.

She sat up and crossed her legs in front of her, excited to share everything that had happened earlier at the cafe.

"Missy," clearing her throat, "I met someone today."

Her sister instantly turned to face her, and placing her hands on her knees- she squealed.

"Oh, Danes! I knew something great was going to happen today. I had a feeling when I woke up."

"Now Missy, don't read too much into it. I may never see him again, it was one time, and really I'm not sure why I'm all worked up over it."

"Ohhhhhh. You're worked up over it… oh, do tell little sis."

"He approached me in the coffee shop."

Another ohhh seeped out of her sister's mouth and with a half smile plastered on her face, "Scandalous Danes!"

"I know...," not getting the tease, "...crazy right."

"Well, then what did you do?"

"He asked if he could join me."

"He did not! Sis- what did you do??!!"

"I let him."

Missy, in a grand gesture, suddenly stood up-throwing her hands in the air.

"Dana Katherine Scully, you did what ?!"

Dana giggled at her sister's overly exaggerated response. "I let him..," she said, barely getting the sentence out from laughter.

"Oh my God, I can't believe it…well, you know. I have to know this guy's name. Tell me everything Dana, every detail."

Sitting down now, she faced Dana. Both sisters, sitting criss cross applesauce on their hand-me-down couch, giggling and laughing. Nostalgia quickly set in for Dana and her mind was filled with memories of her and Missy in middle school talking about their latest schoolgirl crushes.

Dana's cheeks blushed at his name on her lips, "Fox Mulder, but his friends call him Mulder. "