From: clbews@unixg.ubc.ca (Carrie Lynne Bews) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: NEW: Sex, Lies and Videotape1/5 Date: 10 Sep 1995 03:59:58 GMT Okay folks here it is the sequel to Blind Faith. It will make sense without reading it or Isabelles' first story Xmas at the Scullys but it will be better if you had. We're not currently going to repost either one since we've had a heck of a time getting this one up on-line but if you feel the need to read one you've missed write to Isabelle at one of the above address and we'll try and help (though it may take a while) WARNING: If you are opposed to Mulder and Scully romance (and actually so are we as far as the series though alls fair in Net and War ) STOP READING NOW!!!! There is a plot (honest, if we were just doing the mushy parts you'd have gotten this in June) but most of the story focuses on their relationship. You have been warned. Flame us about that part and a giant rabid wombat will eat your car. Chris Carter (aka God who walks amoung us), 10-13, Fox, David Duchovny Gillian Anderson, Nicholas Lea and Mitch Pileggi own just about everything that follows except Matthew Delaney. He's ours and we love him so we reserve the right to make him squirm as much as we want. After all, he's good at it. Please ask if for some reason you want to borrow him. We also own Rebecca Allenby though we can't think why you'd want her. Everything else is borrowed with a great deal of bowing and scraping from the above list. One last point. We have been working on this for a long time. Isabelle came up with the initial idea in February and Meg's been on board since May. If we seem to be borrowing form other stories we apologize...it really is a coincidence. There were some elements we just really couldn't change. You're probably really sick of the intro. So comments and constructive criticism to either Meg's or Izzy's e-mail. We hope you like it 'cause we had fun writing it. We rate this story 'R'. Sex, Lies and Videotape. by "Scarlett Otter" and M. Katz clbews@unixg.ubc.ca mkatz@unixg.ubc.ca Aspen, Colorado 8:53pm (Mountain Time) "To our second year anniversary." He raised his glass expecting to hear the clink any second now. "Mulder that sounds really weird. Like we're married or something." "All right then... To the best partnership in the bureau...And to the best partner I could ever have." "Now, I'll drink to *that*," she said, her glass meeting his. Special Agents Mulder and Scully had good reasons to celebrate that night. Together they had just solved a case that had been at a standstill for about a month. Scully had found the necessary clues in the autopsies; Mulder had made the connections between them. Together, they made a pretty efficient team. Today also marked the anniversary of their partnership. Two years ago, the higher-ups had assigned Dana Scully to keep an eye on Spooky Mulder. What they didn't know was that they were about to give him the strongest ally he could ever want. Slowly, things had progressed to the point where Mulder would not trust anybody but Scully. They had been through a lot together: abductions, death of parents, attacks by strange creatures and psychotic killers...but they'd pulled through. And both felt that as long as they had each other, they could get through anything. After the meal they went to the patio, admiring the stunning view before them. Moving behind her, Mulder tightly wrapped his arms around Dana's waist, resting his cheek on the top of her head. Dana covered his arms with her own and leaned back in the embrace. It was such a rare moment to be able to act like this in public. Washington was full of too many people they knew. Mulder bent down and tenderly kissed her behind the ear. She shivered in response. "Are you cold? Do you want to go inside?" "No, I'm fine." "Do you want to go inside anyway," he whispered hopefully. Dana glanced at him over her shoulder seeing the expected grin on her partner. "And here I thought you wanted to use your free time to go skiing?" "Huh-uh." "Snowboarding?" Mulder shook his head "No. Look Dana, the case is wrapped, we're not on duty anymore. Let's-" "I know, we could try skating!" "Scully!" He sounded much more like a little boy than he had intended, and Dana had to stifle a chuckle as she turned in his arms to face him. "Well Mulder, according to the brochure Aspen is the recreation capital of North America." Her face was the picture of innocence. "That's *exactly* my point," he replied, kissing her neck again. "So what kind of recreation did you have in mind?" Mulder straightened, calling her bluff. "You're having me on, aren't you?" She leaned up and whispered in his ear. "That's exactly what I'd like to do...Have you on." Mulder paused, taking careful stock of what she had said. "I think it's definitely time to go inside," he replied with a smile. Two bodies entwined on the bed;a tall dark haired man, a short redhead. He kissed her neck, and she moaned appreciatively. Assistant Director Walter Skinner hit the stop button on the remote control with a disgusted look on his face. He had seen enough. He rubbed his eyes as though that might make the images disappear. It didn't. It just made his growing headache worse. Now what the hell had they done? The tape had arrived by courier that afternoon. Expecting a surveillance tape sent by the Baton Rouge office, Skinner had been shocked, then infuriated by the contents. He'd given Mulder a lot of slack, a lot more than most agents under his supervision. More than that, he had intervened on Mulder's behalf more times than the agent knew. Skinner believed in him and in his work with the X-Files. But God dammit, there was only so much he could do. There was a big difference between tolerating unorthodox methods of investigation, and allowing partners to have sex with each other. He'd ignored the rumors. They were too smart to do something like that, he told himself. Mulder might have been eccentric, but this, this was just plain stupid. Professional suicide. Scully ought to understand that, even if it was lost on Mulder. And this wasn't going to go away with the pull of strings from Capitol Hill. Other agents had gone down for similar behavior. And if Mulder and Scully were so dumb as to think that *none* of the rules applied to them, they were going to go down too. The two agents were due back at eleven the next morning. He was going to give them a debriefing like they'd never had before, though evidence that they'd already done a very thorough job on each other was right there in the VCR. And they better have a very good explanation, preferably something involving alien mind control, or they were going to be handling mail fraud in Arkansas until they were much too old to do whatever the hell they were doing on that goddamned tape. FBI Headquarters, Washington D.C. 11:00 a.m. EST Scully and Mulder were still in travel mode as they jogged up the steps of the J. Edgar Hoover Building. "Hey," Mulder said stopping suddenly. "We can probably slow down. We're done catching planes for a while." "We still have to check in with Skinner," Scully pointed out. "He's not going to care if we're a minute or two late. We've done good for a change. We've actually closed a case that does not require thirteen layers of red tape and an armed marine escort." "I'd still prefer to be on time." his partner replied matter-of- factly. "A.D. Skinner would like to see you in his office," the security guard told them as they flashed their I.D.s. "He said to skip the basement and go straight up." "Do not pass go. Do not collect $200," Mulder quipped. "Did he sound mad?" asked Scully. The young man looked uncomfortable. "He's mad," Dana confirmed "What could we possibly have done now?" wondered Mulder as he hit the elevator button. Walter Skinner looked over his glasses at the agents. Mulder stared blankly back at him. Scully looked a tad unnerved. She had seen the look on her boss' face and was really just bracing herself for the full explosion. "So, did you two have *fun* in Aspen?" Skinner asked, his jaw clenched. "Well Aspen has some unique recreational possibillities..." replied Mulder. "Mulder!" Scully warned under her breath successful trip." he finished concealing a grin Skinner missed the exchange but not Mulder's slightly smug expression.He gritted his teeth "Good. I have an interesting new case for you. Take a look at this tape I received yesterday." Skinner moved to the monitor set up in the corner of his office. "Is this the Mafia investigation in Louisiana?" asked Scully. "Not quite." Skinner hit the play button. Terror struck Scully as she recognized the tangled bodies on the screen, and heard Mulder's voice moan her name. She resisted the urge to look at Mulder, though she sensed him tense beside her. "You two care to enlighten me as to what the Hell is going on here?" Skinner exploded. "It's a fake," Scully said in what she hoped was a detached voice. She turned to Mulder, anxiously waiting for his corroboration. "It's got to be a fake," he answered, avoiding Scully's gaze. The tape was still running and the figures turned. The two agents faced a distorted mirror image of themselves, the faces quite obviously theirs. "So how do you explain this? Your evil twins maybe?" sneered Skinner, choosing that particular frame to freeze on. "Look," Mulder said firmly, since Scully seemed to have lost the power to speak. "I don't care what it looks like, I'm not doing the Wild Thing with Scully." "You have such a way with words," Scully muttered Skinner growled. "The Video lab has been all over this tape, it's real. They found no evidence of any tampering." "Oh." "Oh? That's all you have to say for yourself, 'oh'? You two have been given more freedom than practically any other team in this agency and what do you do with it? Go for a roll in the hay?" "Sir," Mulder attempted. "Did I tell you it was your turn to talk? For all I know, you're doing this in a hotel room paid for with tax payers money, while you're supposed to be investigating something other than your partner's fillings." Scully remained stone faced as her mind whirled through possible answers. Where the hell had the tape come from? They had been so damn careful. "We would never do anything like that..." Mulder jerked a thumb at the screen "...on the Bureau's time." The implications of that statement were not lost on Skinner. "So you're saying you do this off duty, then?" roared the Assistant Director. Scully jumped in before this got any closer to the truth. "I think what Agent Mulder is trying to say is that we would never do anything so unprofessional-" "UNPROFESSIONAL?! You bet it's unprofessional. It's also stupid, irresponsible, and quite frankly egotistical. I know you two think rules are written to be bent, but believe it or not some of them actually apply to you." "Sir-" "Shut up. And how long did you think you could get away with this? Do think I'm a complete idiot and wouldn't eventually figure it out?" Scully said a silent prayer that Mulder would not dig their graves any deeper by somehow confirming that they had, in fact, believed Skinner wouldn't catch on. Skinner left his desk to pace around the room. His tone changed, but it did not soften any. "Do you know how many times I've pulled your sorry ass out of the sling? Then you toss *this* at me. I can't keep on bailing you out, Mulder. You're on your own for this one." Mulder was infuriated. "All the times you've helped me?" He was having trouble remembering Skinner was his ally. "You-" "Mulder!" Scully barked in a voice that would make any marine sergeant proud. "What my partner is trying to say, Sir, is that this isn't us. It may look like us and I have no idea how but it is quite definitely *not* us." "Well, you'd better figure it out, because you are both up for a review board tomorrow morning, 9 a.m.. And they'll want a solid answer as to why two partners are tumbling in bed with a video camera on." Skinner hissed "And you're both suspended until the hearing, understood?" Mulder and Scully knew better than to try to protest. They sat there taking the heat. "You're dismissed, Agent Scully." Her eyes suddenly focused back on Skinner. She got up and glanced quickly at Mulder, who looked at her for the first time since watching the tape. She closed the office door behind her. When Skinner was sure she was out of earshot, he started again. "All right, what's going on between you and Scully?" Skinner was standing in front of Mulder, arms crossed. "Nothing like this." Mulder answered. That was not quite the answer Skinner was expecting. "Let me make this easy for you, Mulder. Are you screwing your partner?" Mulder's eyes locked with Skinner's. "The tape is fake." he enunciated clearly. "Then prove it." "I will." Mulder got up to leave. He'd had enough of this. =========================================================================== From: clbews@unixg.ubc.ca (Carrie Lynne Bews) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: New:Sex, Lies... 2/5 Date: 10 Sep 1995 04:02:41 GMT Sex, Lies and Videotape (2/5) clbews@unixg.ubc.ca mkatz@unixg.ubc.ca Scully was waiting for him, her expression anything but welcoming. She had a few questions she needed answers to. "What?" Mulder asked, not expecting a second showdown. "Where'd the tape come from Mulder?" "How should I know?" "Maybe you got tired of your current collection and tried your hand at a bit of cinematography," she suggested harshly. "I'd hardly call that 'Gone with the Wind'," he snapped "And I'd hardly call you Rhett Butler." They sat for a moment at their desks, each fighting a silent battle with mistrust and fear. "Do you honestly think I'd make a tape of us having sex?" he asked quietly, her answer of utmost importance to him. "No." she said finally. "And I've barely looked at those tapes since we-" "I know. There's an inch of dust on them. " "There you go." he said smiling, rising from his desk and coming toward her. Scully shook her head, "But that doesn't change the fact that somehow, Skinner wound up with a tape of us having sex on his desk. I mean-" "Now there's an idea," he smiled suggestively. "Mulder stop making jokes! Don't you understand what this means. The FBI believes the tape is real. So as far as I can tell my career ends at the review board tomorrow. It's hard enough being a woman agent. But an agent who has slept with her partner, hell her boss...." "I'm not your boss, Scully." "Yes, you are. In the Bureau's mind, you are." "I don't care what they think." "No, you never do. But *I* can't afford that luxury. There has always been a voice in my head, from day one, reminding me that no matter how attractive you were, I could not get involved with you. But slowly, I started to ignore it, because once I fell in love with you, I didn't want to hear it. Now, I think I should have kept listening." She saw the pain in his eyes but she had to keep going. "Not because I don't love you, I do. And not because they're right about the whole emotional blackmail stuff. We both know that we were vulnerable to that even when this partnership was *just* professional." "Then why?" he asked tightly "Because Mulder, the Bureau controls how we live our lives." "And you're going to let them?" he asked, barely able to conceal his disgust. Scully felt her temperature rise. "Look I put up with a lot to get here. Medical School was not fun. Quantico was not fun. I love you, but I also love my job. I knew that someday I might have to choose between the two, but I never quite planned on losing both." Mulder wanted to tell her that everything would be all right. He wanted to put his arms around her and hold her tight until her fears dissipated. But he knew his solution was also the problem. Her worst professional fears were coming true. Once this got out, his reputation would probably go up a notch, in few sleazier eyes, for melting the ice queen. But Scully...Scully was never going to live it down. So finally, he said "Scully, the tape is a fake." It was the best he could do in the circumstances. "Mulder, why would anyone bother to fake a tape of us having sex?" "Exactly, Scully. It's not like Skinner found that tape accidentally. Something's going on, that's what we need to concentrate on." She considered his reply "Let's go talk to Neil in the video lab," she said. "Maybe he can at least give us a start mark" FBI Video Lab. 12:16 p.m. "It's real," Neil declared. "I've scanned it with every instrument we have, can't find a single frame out of place. It's a pity its not a UFO tape, Mulder, you'd finally have your proof." Neither agent smiled. "Sorry guys." He shrugged. "Can I take the tape? I'd like to run a few tests on it myself. No offense." "None taken, but I doubt you'll find anything. I can't give you the actual tape, it's evidence. But I'll dupe you a copy." Neil loaded a of couple machines, then went into the next room, leaving the agents with some privacy as the tape ran before them. "Maybe we should just grab the tapes and run. Destroy the evidence." Mulder suggested grimly. "That'll do a lot to prove our innocence." "Then we'll give them a dose of their own medicine. We'll deny everything." "I think we already tried that," Scully pointed out. Mulder returned his attention to the tape. And then a strange thing happened. Mulder began to know what was going to happen next. Not because he'd suddenly developed a psychic ability, but because he'd been through it before. Literally. He remembered the events he was watching on the screen. Could the tape be real? Meanwhile, Scully was staring at the screen, trying to retain some level of objectivity; to shut down her emotional side and let her investigative mind work. However, seeing herself tangled up with Mulder was still pretty embarrassing. And given that the tape had been in already two different offices in the Bureau, she knew this was just the beginning. She could feel the rumour mill was already churning. But then something caught Scully's attention. "Gotcha," she smiled "What?" Mulder, lost in his own thoughts, jumped a little at the sound of her voice. "I'll explain back in the office. Let's go" Mulder closed the office door behind them. "Well at least you're smiling again. What miraculous discovery have you made?" Scully put the copied tape into their office VCR. "What in particular am I looking for?" he asked. "I don't want you to *look*. Close your eyes and listen for a sec." Scully fast forwarded to the scene that had caught her attention. Facing away from the camera, the woman on the tape moaned 'Oh Mulder, please.' Mulder twitched. Scully froze the tape. "That's your voice, if that's what your trying to get at." "Yes, but what is it saying?" Mulder did not follow her train of thought. "It's you calling my name." "Calling your *last* name," Scully corrected. "When have I ever called you Mulder in bed?" she asked. Her voice dropped to a whisper, her face close to his. "It's one of the few occasions you let me call you Fox." Still, Mulder was utterly confused. "But I remember this." he gestured at the monitor. "You remember what? Going to bed with me?" "I remember this specific um....event. You. Me. There." Dana pressed play and once again studied the tape. Why didn't she remember it? It wasn't like they had been sleeping together for all that long. And she had waited so long for it to happen. She had pretty clear memories of the times they had been together. Those were memories she wasn't about to forget. Plus, it had been fewer times then she would have liked. They still strove to keep their work personalities in some way separate from their off-duty ones. Mulder had told Skinner the truth. With the brief exception of Aspen, they had never made love while away on assignment. Given all that, how come she couldn't remember this if he could? Mulder felt her hesitation. "You do remember. Don't you, Dana?" She concentrated on the tape then slowly tore her eyes away to look at him. She shook her head. "Mulder, I've never been in that room." They faced each other, neither quite knowing what to say next, their minds leaping to possibilities neither wanted to face. "What are you saying, Scully?" his voice had just a tad of defensiveness she had only heard once before: when he was with Phoebe Green. "All I'm saying is that we've only had sex in three places. Your apartment, my apartment and the hotel room in Aspen. This..." she tapped the TV "...is not any of those places." She silently prayed for Mulder to come up with an explanation. Any explanation. "I can't explain it." Mulder said with frustration. "I remember making love to you in that room." "Are you sure it was me?" She didn't like that possibility, but it was the only rational one at the moment. He gave her a wounded look. "You know I couldn't do that." "You have before." she accused, instantly regretting it. Mulder's voice grew cold and precise. "I thought we'd cleared that up. That was in the past." And then an idea occurred to him. His voice relaxed again. "And this might be too." "I'm sorry I don't follow." Mulder tried to hold her hands, but she didn't let him. Growing anger and her ever present sense of Bureau propriety made her pull them free. "You know I've loved you for along time, At least a year before I ever admitted it. Before Kristen, before you were kidnapped, hell before I even completely trusted you, I wanted to be with you. But it was impossible," he paused and cleared his throat. Scully could swear he was blushing. "Once or twice I went out to bars, picked up women who looked like you. I even pretended they were you." His voice trailed off momentarily under her intense scrutiny "Anyway, this could be a tape of one of those encounters." Dana tried to take in all that he was saying. The thought of him scavenging for women who looked like her was pretty scary. It seemed less like love and more like obsession. But, she also knew he'd been lonely man. And it wasn't as if the thought hadn't crossed her mind, although she never would have acted on it. "I'm sorry, Dana" he whispered. She realized that once and for all she was going to have to come to terms with the darker aspects of his past. Since they'd been together, she had never once felt threatened by him. On the contrary, he went out of his way to try and make her feel safe. She couldn't make him keep paying penance for who he used to be. Scully leaned over to stop the tape. She needed to be able to think clearly about his admission, In reaching out, her cuff slid back, revealing the leather friendship bracelet she always wore. It was the twin of one she had given Mulder at Christmas, one which he too always wore on his right wrist. Almost involuntarily, she glanced at the screen. There was no question: he was wearing it. "Mulder, when was the last time you did this?" "The day they shut down the X-files." Scully turned to face him. "Then why are you wearing the bracelet I gave you at *Christmas*" She stepped aside so he could see. "Scully I......" The tears were already welling up in her eyes. "You bastard!" she hissed before storming out of the office. Her footsteps echoed down the hall. Crushed, Mulder tried to convince himself it wasn't for the last time. =========================================================================== From: clbews@unixg.ubc.ca (Carrie Lynne Bews) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: New: Sex, Lies... (3/5) Date: 10 Sep 1995 04:04:11 GMT Sex, Lies and Videotape (3/5) clbews@unixg.ubc.ca mkatz@unixg.ubc.ca Arlington, VA Scully residence. 8:06 p.m. Margaret Scully held her sobbing daughter, sharing her pain. She had known for quite a while now that Dana was truly in love with her partner, even though Dana never admitted it to her until now. Still, Margaret hadn't realized how deeply their feelings ran until her daughter sat weeping in her arms, her heart shattered. Maggie held her daughter comfortingly as Dana tried to sort through the array of feelings warring within her heart. "This is more than just a review board, isn't it?" Dana nodded. "Tell me what happened, honey." Dana took a deep breath through the sobs. "He cheated on me, Mom. And he doesn't even remember her." Margaret was shocked. She knew Fox wouldn't do that. Not willingly anyway. "Are you sure?" "He admitted to it." Dana sniffled angrily. "Did he tell you why?" "He says he doesn't remember. Well, that's not quite true. He maintains that he remembers me, but I'm positive we never..." She hesitated. "Not there, wherever that is." Dana moved away from her mother's grip. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have made him wait this long. He just got sick of waiting and went somewhere else." "Honey, you can't believe that. Fox cares for you too much to do that. You know it as well as I do." "Do I? I trusted him, mom. That was the one thing I could always rely on. No matter what. So now I have no one to talk to. One side of me wants to just sit down and talk to him about it. the other side never wants to lay eyes on him again." "You can still trust him, dear." "How can I believe him now when he tells me he loves me?" "Fox loves you, Dana. When you disappeared he practically stopped living." Dana winced at that remark. Indeed, he had come very close to ending his own life. Her mother continued. "Does that sound like a man who would then go and have a fling after he finally found who he had so desperately wanted to be with." Dana nodded. She steered the conversation in another direction. "Nobody knows about us, Mom. You're the first person either of us has told." Margaret smiled, knowingly. No point in telling Dana she had known before they themselves had. "We tried to keep it as quiet as possible specifically so something like this wouldn't happen. But there were so many times I wanted to tell you. To share my joy with you." Margaret took Dana's hands in hers. "Well now you can." "There's nothing left to share. But Mom, please don't tell anybody. Not even Melissa or the others. Nobody can know, especially now..." "I promise your secret is safe with me, honey," she reassured her, squeezing her shoulder. "There's just so much at stake. I know they'll transfer me. And I don't want to leave." "You've always been the strongest one, Dana. No matter what they do to you, they can't take away what you and Fox have." Dana wished she could find comfort in her mother's words. Under her breath, she grimly whispered: "I think they already have." TLG Underground Office Washington, D.C. 8:17 p.m. "That's quite a piece of handiwork you've got there, Mulder," Byers admired. "Now we know why you stopped hanging out with us on Saturday nights. Not that we blame you or anything. Right Frohicke?" A grumble came from a corner of the room where Frohicke was hunched over his camera. "For the record, that's not Scully and me," Mulder protested. He knew he'd have to put up with this, but the Lone Gunmen were his best chance. "Well, you certainly could have fooled me," Langly retorted, his head tilted to one side. "I should have known they were doing it. That's why Scully-" "What was that, Frohicke?" Langly provoked. This was way better than the stuff on alt.misc.elvis.sightings. "Nothin'." He shot a dirty look to Mulder, who ignored it. "I didn't ask for a critique, guys. I need to know if you can help me prove this is a fake." "Did Forrest Gump really shake hands with J.F.K.?" Byers asked the agent. "I don't think they're shaking hands on this, Byers." Byers sighed. Langly may be a computer genius, but he still had the raging hormones of a fifteen year old. "We'll need an original. If it's been doctored, it won't be show up on a dub." Byers explained. "Fine, I'll get you the original. And if you don't mind, I'll take this one back. I'd hate to see scans of this on the newsgroups." "Mulder, we'd never do that. I'm hurt," the blonde gunmen joked. "Shut up, Langly." Frohicke barked back. "Hey relax dude. No need to bite my head off just because Mulder beat you to her." "Come on guys. Mulder needs our help here." Byers reminded them. Frohicke snorted. "And Scully too, don't forget." Mulder added. "Whatever you can give me, I'll take." "Get us the original first. Then, we'll see." FBI Headquarters 9:00 a.m. Scully was standing outside the boardroom, pacing. Mulder was nowhere to be seen. She should have known that they would be interviewed separately. And given their parting words yesterday, maybe that was a good thing. Skinner opened the door, asking her to come in. Three men, a woman and Skinner were staring at her as she took her seat. A man started. "Well, Agent Scully, I'm sure that by now you are familiar with the contents of the tape." "Yes I am." "And surely, you must also be familiar with the protocol regarding personal involvement between partners." "I am not the woman on that tape." "You must admit that the resemblance is striking." "Still isn't me." The woman took over. "Listen, Agent Scully. We want you to know that whatever you say will not leave this room. If Agent Mulder somehow coerced you into engaging in these types of activities-" "I was not coerced! I think I'm capable of making my own decisions." Five pairs of eyes scrutinized her with avid interest. "Not that I decided to sleep with Agent Mulder. I am not the woman on that tape." How much clearer did she have to be before they understood that. "Then who is it?" "How should I know? Agent Mulder's sex life is none of my concern." "Oh, but we think it is, Agent Scully." The voice came from a dark corner of the room, where cigarette smoke lingered in the air. Another man continued. "Agent Scully, do you have a relationship of a sexual nature with Agent Mulder?" "I am not the woman on that tape." The smoking man spoke again. "Agent Scully, I'm sure you don't need to be reminded of the consequences of lying to the review board. Do you have a relationship of a sexual nature with Agent Mulder?" Scully stared at him through the thickening cloud of smoke. "No. I do not." "Can you prove that the tape is not legitimate?" "Not at this time." "Fine, then according to Bureau protocol you and your partner will be re-assigned to different offices. You are to report to the Violent Crimes section of the Bismarck office in one week. Unless there are new developments, your transfer papers will be ready in two days." Skinner spoke now. "That will be all, Agent Scully. Please send Agent Mulder in." Scully stepped out, willing herself not to slam the door behind her. Mulder jumped out of his seat as soon as he saw her. Scully darted him with her eyes. "You're up," she said flatly. She turned to leave when he grabbed her right arm. "Don't walk away from this, Scully." "Walking away is not an option for me anymore, Agent Mulder." She got out of his hold and quickly headed for the stairs. "Agent Mulder, I believe you are aware of the reasons why this review board was called." "You think I slept with my partner and you're jealous?" Skinner sighed, exasperated. The rest of the review board was not amused. "And what do you have to say for yourself?" "This is a set-up. The tape is not legitimate." "What about the rumours that the two of you do have a relationship of a more personal nature?" "I thought the Bureau was more interested in fact than rumour." "Depends on the rumour. Can you substantiate your claims that the tape is not real?" "So, we're supposed to just take your word for it?" Another agent continued: "What if we told you that Agent Scully already admitted to having sex with you?" "I'd say you were throwing a few lines in the water to see if I'd bite." "You don't seem to appreciate the seriousness of these allegations, Agent Mulder." "On the contrary, I am very aware. And I am also aware that you have already convicted us." "And you have nothing to add?" "You don't want to hear the truth." "Very well. You and Agent Scully will be reassigned and transferred. There seems to be something right up your alley in Nome, Alaska." Mulder could swear he saw the man smile at that. "Where are you sending Scully?" "That's none of your concern." "Don't transfer her out of state." "You're hardly in a position to make demands, Agent Mulder." "It's not a demand, it's a request. Her family needs her here." "You're awfully concerned for her well being, Mulder." Cancerman noted. "She is my partner," he replied bitterly. "Yes. At work and at play, it seems." Skinner saw Mulder tense and start rising from his chair. He intervened before Mulder did something stupid that would end his career right there and then. "You have 48 hours, Agent Mulder. If you can't supply proof that this tape is not what it seems to be, we'll proceed with your transfer orders." "So much for innocent until proven guilty," he spit out. Skinner glared. "You're dismissed." Mulder returned to the basement. Scully did not acknowledge his entrance, but continued to toss miscellaneous items from her desk drawers into a box. "You don't have to leave for another 48 hours you know," he told her. It was as if he hadn't spoken. "Scully, you can't just ignore me and hope I'll disappear." She stopped mid-motion. "On the contrary Agent Mulder, that's exactly what's going to happen." "Come on, Scully. Cut the crap." Scully glared at him as she tossed her name plate in the box. "This isn't over yet," he said. "As far as the review board is concerned, it is." "When did you start giving up so easily?" "Mulder, will you give it a rest! There are no pieces to pick up anymore. It's over!" "What if I don't want it to be over? What we have-" Scully took a step back. "Mulder," she warned. "Not here, not now." 'And maybe,' she added to herself, 'Not ever.' They both whipped around at the knock on the door. Skinner entered without bothering to wait for the answer. "Agent Scully, can I have a word with Mulder?" "I was just leaving anyway." She shot a last look at Mulder before grabbing the box and heading upstairs to Violent Crimes. "What do you want?" Mulder asked rudely. "Wait, don't tell me. They've also decided I'm responsible for the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa, The Titanic and... oh, I don't know. The black plague?" "Are you done?" Skinner patiently asked him. By now, he was convinced that Mulder joined the Bureau for the sole purpose of making his life miserable. "Or were you planning to use the next 48 hours to sulk?" "I'm done," Mulder answered. "Good. If you're going to stand a snowball's chance in hell of getting out of this, you're going to need some help. So I'm assigning Matthew Delaney to you for the next two days." "No thanks. I already have a partner." Mulder protested through clenched teeth. "No you don't. Didn't you listen up there? Your best bet is stay as far from her as possible until you manage to clear yourselves." "I don't need a new-" Matthew Delaney had chosen that exact moment to enter the office. His sense of timing was impeccable, as always. "No buts, Mulder," and Skinner promptly left. "Agent Mulder, it's nice to finally meet you. I worked with your partner, Agent Scully while you were hurt. She thinks the world of you." Mulder stared at him, arms crossed. And Scully said she liked this kid? "So," Delaney made another attempt. "Your burns cleared up nicely. You don't look scarred at all. Lucky your partner's an MD.., huh?" Mulder still didn't reply. This was a technique usually used on suspects, but it was surprisingly amusing when tried on green agents. "Anyway, I'm honored to be working on the X-Files. I've wanted this assignment since I had to cover for you with Scully." Delaney sighed in defeat. Nothing was coming out right, today. He tried to control the damage. "I'll shut up, now. What would you like me to do, or should I just leave?" "Oh," said Mulder. "It does have a brain." Delaney attempted to smile. "You wouldn't know it from my opening would you? But seriously, Agent Mulder, I would like to help." "Isn't this where you tell me how helpful you were with Agent Scully?" "No, I thought I'd skip that part." Mulder sighed. You had to give it to the kid: he had staying power. "Is it common knowledge that you've been assigned to me?" "I don't think so, not yet." "Good. I want you to do me a favour." "Name it." "Go up to evidence. Get me the tape... you know which one I mean?" Delaney blushed. "Uh...yeah." Mulder paused for a minute. "Have you seen the tape?" "Uh no. Well, some of the guys were talking about it so I...Feel free to stop me anytime, here." Mulder came close to smiling. "I need the original tape. A copy's no good for analysis. So you're going to have to make up a case requisition number. I'm not supposed to have access to it." Delaney nodded. "Is reversing my social security number too obvious?" "You know kid, you may have a great future in the FBI." he answered, heading back for his desk. Delaney sighed in relief. "Thanks." "It wasn't a compliment." Mulder replied dryly 7:24 p.m. Scully's Apartment Washington DC She answered the door. "Oh, it's you." Nevertheless, she stepped back and let him in, almost out of habit. "Who were you expecting" he asked, shutting the door behind him. "I thought it might be Mom" He glanced about the apartment. Three days earlier, he would have walked in, tossed his coat in the closet, and flopped onto the couch. That sense of comfort felt a lifetime away. Now, he stood awkwardly in the middle of her living room, unsure of what to do with himself. He turned back to her, as she stood, arms crossed, waiting. "I suppose I owe you an explanation." "Do you have an explanation?" she retorted. "Not really." "Didn't think so." He tried anyway. "Dana there's something different about this time. Those other women, I *knew* they weren't really you. But what we saw on the tape, I remember that as us. I've gone over it again and again and I keep seeing you there. But if you say you weren't, then you're right; I don't have an explanation." "Look, Mulder, if you did it, then that's that. Just at least have the guts to admit it." Scully glared him "I keep trying to tell you I don't know what I'm supposed to admit to!" He paused. "I don't remember sleeping with anyone but you since we told each other how we felt." She looked through him, refusing to meet his eyes. "Is it Kristen?" she asked, finally looking up. Mulder closed his eyes, fighting to keep his temper. "Kristen is dead, Scully. In more ways than one." He took a deep breath, remembering why he had come. "Look I..." He took a step toward her. She slid out of his reach and crossed toward the door. "Mulder, please just leave. I don't have the energy to deal with this, with you right now." "Dana, we have to talk about this." As he spoke, Mulder walked cautiously up behind her until she could feel his breath on her neck. "We can't let it tear us apart." He exhaled sharply. "Hell, that's probably what they wanted to do in the first place." Dana whipped around to face him, her rage almost physically tangible. "I realize the X-files are your first and last line of defense but I really don't think I'm in the mood to hear a conspiracy theory. In fact, it's no longer my job to listen to any of your theories." Mulder looked as though he'd been slapped. He turned away so that she could not see the pain on his face. He had to come to think of their quest to be a shared one . She had erased that with one simple sentence. "Mulder, you didn't deserve that. I'm-" "Did Skinner tell you I talked them into giving us an extra 48 hours before the transfer? " Dana sighed. "Does it matter?" "Yes. It does" he replied forcefully, annoyed that she would even ask. "Look Mulder, today I had to sit in a room full of men who believe they have watched me having sex, and listen to them transfer me to North Dakota because somehow, someone has tampered with a video of you sleeping with someone you don't even remember." "If it helps, they want to transfer me to Nome." he joked tentatively. "No, it doesn't help. In the last 24 hours I have lost my position, my reputation, my partner, my lover and my best friend" her voice cracked but she swallowed hard. "So you can be transferred to Hell for all I care, Mulder." She waited for his reply but he just stood there his eyes full of sympathy. It was more than she could bear. she thought. "I'm going to take a shower, I feel dirty about three layers deep. You know the way out." she said as she retreated into the bathroom, and felt the tears begin. Mulder watched her go. He turned and stared at the door for a minute. Somewhere inside him a voice said 'if you leave now, you can never come back.' =========================================================================== From: clbews@unixg.ubc.ca (Carrie Lynne Bews) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: New: Sex, Lies... (4/5) Date: 10 Sep 1995 04:07:43 GMT Sex, Lies and Videotape (4/5) clbews@unixg.ubc.ca mkatz@unixg.ubc.ca He walked into the bathroom. "Please..." She was already in the shower. He leaned against the door frame. "Listen up Dana Katherine Scully. I love you, okay? I am sorry about whoever she is. I'm sorry I don't remember her." Mulder moved to lean his forehead against the glass shower door. His voice was husky as he continued to bare his soul. "With everyone else, ever, it's just been sex. With you, Dana, it's making love. And as for all the things you may have lost, you haven't lost me." His tone grew solemn. "Dana, you know I need you. Please don't give up on us now." Dana bit her lip. He was standing out there saying all the things she wanted to hear. It would be so easy to open the shower door, but even as she started the motion, she checked it. Everything she and Mulder had shared, on every level, was based on trust and she wasn't sure she could trust him anymore. And that scared her. "I know you think it's a cop out, but I truly believe that someone out there is trying to split us up. Think about it... they've done it before. Together, we scare them. Otherwise, they wouldn't spend so much energy trying to separate us," He paused. There was still no reply. Mistaking her silence for rejection, Mulder's frayed nerves finally snapped. "And if you do let them break us up, well maybe you aren't the woman I thought you were." He hadn't meant to say that last bit, but he felt it. She was giving up on them, Damn it, and he wanted to know why. Dana leaned her head on the tiles trying to absorb everything he said. "Don't..." she said quietly. "Don't what? Don't go? Don't stay? Dana you *have* to meet me half way." She took a deep breath, opened the shower door and met his gaze dead on for the first time that evening. She couldn't believe her ears. "You have some gall, Fox Mulder, to stand in the middle of my bathroom, call me a wimp, and then tell me to meet you half way." "I know," he said almost sadly. "But will you?" Somehow his simple request affected her like none of his other arguments had. She had no defenses against it and she realized no matter what he had or hadn't done, it wasn't worth losing him over it. She reached out to touch his face. But Mulder was to shell shocked to recognize the white flag. He pulled back, irrationally afraid that she might slap him. Dana felt her stomach plummet, but she knew *she* had to end this. She placed her left hand on his arm, reassuring him, as her right hand came to rest tenderly on his cheek. His hand finally joined hers on his cheek, covering it as he turned his head to kiss her palm. Moving slowly but fluidly, they bridged the final gap between them and wrapped their arms around each other. They pressed close together, holding all the tighter for having momentarily lost sight of what was important. "We can solve this. We can prove we're innocent." he promised in her hair. "But Fox, we're not innocent. We definitely proved that two nights ago," she teased. "I wasn't planning on sharing that particular fact." She smiled and her kiss was warm and passionate. Dana shivered. Maybe it was the cold bathroom air. Then again, maybe it wasn't. Mulder brought her even closer to the heat of his own body. His hands gently caressed her spine. She leaned back to look him in the eye. "There's just one thing that's still a problem." she said with a frown. "What's that," his brow creased with concern. "You're a bit too dry." And before he had time to struggle or protest, she had pulled him into the shower and pinned him to the wall, kissing him again. "Dana, this suit is an Armani." he whined as she moved to drop kisses along his jaw-line. But he didn't really mind; they were back in each other's arms who cared about a suit. "That Armani is wet," she commented, undoing his dripping tie. Mulder looked down at his soaked clothing. "It sure is," he agreed. "Better take it off." "Yeah, we better." He shrugged out of his jacket while Dana started undoing the small buttons on his now transparent shirt. He kicked out his shoes, while she fumbled with his belt buckle. Moments later, he was naked. Her lips met his again as the hot water flowed between their bodies. The spray of the shower and Dana's hands massaged his lower back. He felt the urgency built within him, but remained in control. He took Dana's head in his hands and looked deep into her blue eyes, their noses rubbing. "You've always been the only woman for me, Dana. God I love you." Her fingers tangled in his hair, she brought his lips to her own, aching to feel his mouth against hers. "So do I," she whispered in his kiss, just before they became one again. Dana woke at dawn, spooned with Fox. His right arm held her gently, but possessively; his breath shifted her hair. She sighed happily, as she stroked his arm. Did normal people begin to take this for granted? Just once she'd like to have something that was hers alone, not shared with the bureau. The bureau which was currently being vindictive. At the very least, couldn't they both be left in D.C. Scully thought, Mulder who had been awake for hours felt her tense. "Ssh," he whispered, kissing her temple. "What's the matter?" "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." She turned so she was on her back. She looked up at him as he propped himself on his left elbow, his right hand caressing her soothingly. "You didn't. Even with you I don't sleep much. I was just lying here watching you wake up. What upset you?" "The review board. Did you know they asked me if I was coerced?" "And you said once or twice." he teased. She gave him the Look and threw a mock punch. He caught her hand and kissed it. "I love you, Fox" "I love you." She smiled then frowned. "How long did Skinner give us? I know you told me last night, but I wasn't really listening." "48 hours." "And I've already caused us to waste a day," she groaned "I'm sorry Mulder, sometimes I can be so stupid." "Nothing you said last night was stupid. You had every reason to be hurt and scared." He paused. "I still can't explain it." "You don't have to. No more tests, Fox. I know you love me. If you only trust someone when there's no reason to doubt, what's the point?" He smiled that smile that made her knees go mushy. "That's my girl." He bent his head to brush a kiss across her lips when the sound of a cellular beeped. "Yours." Scully said. "Oh god Mulder, it wasn't in your suit, was it?" He shook his head heading for his overcoat in the living room. "If this is Delaney, I'll kill him.... Mulder... Hey Byers what have you got for me?" A moment later Scully's cellular also buzzed. She glanced at Mulder before answering. "Good morning, Agent Scully. This is Frohicke. I'm sorry to call so early. I was wondering if Agent Mulder has been in touch with you yet this morning." If she craned her neck, she could see her partner flopped out on the sofa, feet up. Still stark naked. The corners of her mouth curled up. "No Frohicke, he hasn't. Can I give him a message for you... if I see him?" "He left us a tape for us to analyze." Scully winced "And we may have found something of interest." "Thank you, Frohicke. We'll be over as soon as we can." She hung up as Mulder finished with Byers and returned to the bedroom. "Pray tell, Fox Mulder, how does Frohicke have my cellular number?" Mulder shrugged. "It was his birthday last month. I didn't know what else to give him." Scully half groaned, half laughed. "And what's the tape? This year's Christmas present?" She rolled off the bed and pulled a t-shirt and a pair of jeans out of her dresser. "It was them or Chuck. I went with the lesser of two evils. Besides Frohicke hated the tape and me because of it." "Serves you right." Mulder felt a twinge of regret as she started to dress. She recognized the look, feeling somewhat the same. She would really like to just spend the day in bed with him, especially given the recent turmoil. But not if it meant it was the last day they were together. It was time to get to work. "You might want to follow suit." "It's probably still damp." he complained retreating to the bathroom and reappearing a minute later. "Actually, it's a sodden mess." He held a dripping bundle. "Hang it up in the shower." "What do you suggest I wear, instead?" he asked archly. A thousand replies sprung to mind but none forwarded the task in hand. "You left a pair of jeans and a sweater here a couple weekends ago. I washed them for you. They're in the bottom drawer. I think there's even a pair of boxers." "Doing my laundry now. It must be love." Scully rolled her eyes, tossed a pillow at him, and went to make coffee. TLG underground office Washington, D.C. 10:14 a.m. "Hey Mulder, where were you this morning? There was this really strange feedback signal stuff happening when we called your cell phone." "You guys are monitoring my cell phone?" "Hey, if you'd been at your apartment we wouldn't have had to track you down." "But you know what the really strange thing was? There was the reverse of that feedback effect when Frohicke called Scully." "Triangulation is a beautiful thing, don't you think?" Mulder was blushing. The Lone Gunmen had caught him red handed. Frohicke found that absolutely hilarious. Langly went in for the kill. "I'm really surprised you made it here that fast. After seeing that tape, we thought you and Scully would be... 'otherwise engaged' for another couple of hours at least." Scully appeared at the door. "And we would have been if you nutcases had called at a decent hour." Mulder whirled around, his mouth still wide open. Scully couldn't help but laugh at the mirrored expressions on the Gunmen's faces. "So, did you guys call us down here for a reason, or were you just testing your hypothesis?" Byers was the first one to snap out of it. "Hmm, yes. We found something on the tape." Langly took over. "This guy I met on the net is into digital effects and stuff. He's got his own little company in his basement and specializes in, huh, custom orders and special requests." "We scanned the tape for latent images, stray time code bits, date stamps and we found nothing. Same as your video lab." "But, the thing is this guy also always hides his logo on the 500th frame of the clip. A digitized image of the Sphinx, with a full nose. He calls himself 'the Sphinxter.'" "How cute," Mulder smirked. "That single image becomes his calling card. You can't really notice it unless you search for it. And you won't know about it unless you've been told to look for it. Word of mouth, so to speak." "So you know this tape has been doctored, and you know by whom. Great!" "So if this guy is a friend of yours he's hardly going to give evidence to the FBI" Scully pointed out. "Uh no. Most of his stuff his kind of sensitive." "He's running a closet porn operation isn't he?" Mulder translated "Yeah but its really tasteful." Scully arched an eyebrow "Its no worse than the tape Mulder lent me," Langley protested " And there's no kids or animals. I'm telling you this guy is really great he leaves ILM in the dust." "Okay, so the guy obviously won't show up to a hearing, but do you think he could tell us who hired him, or get us some proof that he tampered with the images?" "Only because we like you, Mulder..." Langly said as he logged on to the internet. "Mulder-" Scully began "Before you say anything Scully I promise I gave them to Langley. Permanently." "All I was going to ask was whether you had renewed our e-mail accounts. Gee do you have something on your conscience?" "Cool, he's on-line." Langly declared postponing any further embarrassment on Mulder's part. "We'll know right away. I'll ask him if he's worked on a tape with a hot redhead." Scully blushed. Not one to bypass revenge, Mulder leaned down close to her ear. "Well, it's true. You are hot. Frohicke keeps on saying so... and for once, I agree." She elbowed him deftly and whispered in his ear as he bent over in pain;" Don't encourage them...or maybe I will go out with Frohicke." "Point taken, Scully." he gasped. "He did it." Langley informed them ."Hot red head having sex with tall guy. Changed the woman's face. Not much of a challenge, he was disappointed." " We'll try to do better next time" Scully said dryly "Does he have anything we can work with?" "He's gonna send me a .gif of the image of the woman whose face he put on the body. We can make sure that at least we're talking about the same tape. He said they gave him some sort of audio tape too to replace the voices. Sounded like a phone tap or somethin'. The graphic's coming through right now..." Mulder and Scully stared at the color screen as the image formed, line by line. A still of Scully getting out of her car. "The dude says he had about an hour of surveillance stuff so he had a variety of angles, expressions to choose from. Electronic cut and paste. " "Well at least they got your good side, "Mulder offered. Frohicke, who had been watching the scene from a distance, grumbled. Where did he go wrong? He was obviously more sensitive and sympathetic than this spindly jerk and yet she was eating it up. Women! Maybe he should just stick to photography. "We need something more concrete, Langly. A name, and address, something that can put us on to whoever did this." Mulder almost ordered. "You owe me big time , buddy." Langly was frantically typing away, trying to keep up both conversations simultaneously. "He doesn't have a name, but he's got a delivery address, and he can probably dig up the master tape, if you give him a little time to look." "Great. Thanks guys. For paranoid nutcases, you are pretty resourceful." "You sure we can't use those gifs for the next cover of TLG?" "I think maybe Scully's had enough publicity for one month" Mulder replied "Fair enough" Langley agreed waiting till the agents were at the door before adding "We'll save them for the Christmas special" "So Baltimore?" Mulder asked as they got into the car glancing at the address of the Sphinxter. Scully shook her head "I think we should split up. You go to Baltimore. I'll go stakeout the delivery address" "I don't like the sound of that, you doing a stakeout on your own. Why don't you go to Baltimore, I'll do the stakeout." "I think the two of you have more in common. I can do this on my own, Mulder. You don't need to be there every single second. I'll be okay." "But I want to be there every second." he gave her his best wounded puppy dog look. "But you win. I'll call Delaney , get him to arrange a car. I'm sure he'll jump at the chance to be helpful." Scully smiled. "Cut him some slack, Mulder. He's a good kid." "I'll cut him something all right." "Mulder, keep this up and I'll begin to believe you're jealous." "I am not! Why would I be jealous of a kid?" Mulder replied defensively. "You tell me. Why would you be jealous of a kid?" Mulder knew wasn't going to win. "Oh just shut up and kiss me and go be MS Superstar Federal Agent." he grumbled. She gladly obliged him. "And you go and get us some evidence, Armani boy." "Yes, ma'am." 5391 Brooksbank Bowie, MD 4:17 p.m. Scully shifted position and cracked another coke. She picked up the binoculars and scanned the house. The woman inside was still watching t.v.. Oprah. Before that it had been Donahue and before that Jerry Springer. Scully suspected the woman taped the talk shows that were in conflict with each other. The car was parked across from the house in the lot of a small park. Delaney had arranged the car at Mulder's request, well order. Not only that he'd filled the cooler, provided a stack of magazines, and a set of high powered binoculars. There was a note saying, "Sorry, couldn't get any night sights. Call if you need back up" "You know kid, you might just have a future in the FBI." Dana said in her best Elliot Ness to the absent junior agent. She yawned then smiled. It was her own damn fault she hadn't gotten much sleep. "But what a way to go." she laughed out loud, wishing that Mulder was there. Doing stakeouts alone was boring. She missed his companionship in situations like these. One particularly long and drawn out stakeout he had read an entire years worth of X-men comics to her and to her surprise she'd actually enjoyed it. A wave of frustration broke over her. She could almost hear the second hand on her watch marking of the progression to 9 a.m. the next morning when Mulder had to go back in front of the board. And she was making absolutely no progress. She was stuck in a car waiting, watching talk shows long distance. She should have done more when she could, she should have torn the review board to pieces, made them listen. She sighed. Made them listen to what? She hoped Mulder was having more luck. It was nearly evening when the woman in the house moved. Dana was at the point where she was folding pages of the magazines into paper footballs and flicking them at various targets in the car. She grabbed the field glasses and watched as the woman turned on lights in the house. Watching her an idea began to form in Dana's mind. She wasn't sure whether it made her happy or upset and she tried to rope in her emotions. "You're jumping to conclusions, old girl," she told herself. "Let's not get into trouble again." A little while later a car drew up to the drive and her theories took another step toward confirmation. It was time to call Mulder. Her cellular beeped to life as she reached for it. "Scully." "It's me." he sounded tired "What'd you find." "A fourteen year old kid, shot execution style, about three thousand video tapes, which if they are catalogued it is not by any system previously known to man and the Baltimore police who are happy to assist the Bureau as long as the requests come through proper channels. It'll take us till the middle of next month to plow through this stuff, if the tapes even here." "Mulder you didn't find the body did you?" "No the police were on scene when I got there. I've just spent the last few hours unsuccessfully trying to sweet talk Maryland's finest. I'm not sure what to do next. Any ideas?" "How about joining me at the house? Things here just got really interesting." "I'm on my way." Forty five minutes later Mulder rapped softly on the window and slid into the passenger seat. "What have you got?. Scully handed him the binoculars "An old friend just dropped by." she said gesturing at the house. It was now dark and the figures in the well lit windows were easily identifiable "Krychec?" I might have known. I should have known. I'm going to kill the sonuvabitch" he declared reaching simultaneously for his gun and the door handle. "Mulder" Scully grabbed his shoulder "Don't do anything stupid. We still have to find something to give the board. And before you ask. No I don't think Krychec dead or alive is going to do it." Mulder fell back against his seat. Resigned he asked her "What's he been doing." as he put the binoculars back to his eyes "He got here just before you called. It's been pretty domestic since then." "I'd bet my badge that he killed that poor kid in Baltimore" "Sounds about right. Can you prove it?" He sighed and glanced at her managing a wan smile. "So what else is new." "Mulder check out the girl" "Aw ain't that cute, Krychec got himself a girlfriend. How much do you think she charges an hour?" Scully laughed. "Hey" Mulder continued "things are getting a little steamy. You'd think they'd pull the blinds." He glanced at his partner "Is something wrong, I mean other than the return of our favorite felon " "Take another look at the woman." "And?" he refocused the binoculars "Does she remind you of anyone?" And in a flash he knew. Knew what Scully had probably figured out. Knew who the woman he had slept with was. Up until now, he'd been protected. His memory had only let him see Dana's face. Now he had to face the truth. He felt sick. "I was right then?" Scully asked gently. "I'm sorry," was all he could manage. For a moment Dana felt her anger resurface but she knew now the price of letting her temper go unchecked, and somehow it wasn't really Mulder she was mad at anymore. "No more apologies, Fox. I told you I trust you. If you remember her, do you remember what happened?" "Do you really want to hear that?" he asked softly. "Really? No. " she slid closer to him in the seat taking his hand "But tell me anyway. We need to know" "I helped her move into my apartment building. She dropped a box outside my door and I-" "Move into which apartment." "The one across the hall, two doors down." "Mulder that apartment's been empty for months. Every time your landlord sees me, he tries to convince me to rent it." "No. There's the old lady with the yappy dog. And then the young couple who always seem to be going jogging. And...." "And?" "An empty apartment. So much for my photographic memory." "Keep telling me what you do remember." "Well I helped her with the box. And she gave me a glass of lemonade and we stood talking in her kitchen. Then I started feeling hot and sort of dizzy. And now we're back to the scene I remember with you. Only it isn't you anymore, Its her. Jesus, Dana, I slept with her." he gestured angrily at the house. "Was it your idea? I mean, to sleep with her. Did you want to? I'm sorry Mulder, I have to ask." "For some reason, I thought it was you. I think I even called out your name.." "How long were you there?" "I have no idea, I don't remember going back to my apartment." "You blacked out?" "Yeah maybe." Scully reviewed his statement in her mind, trying to put the pieces together "Mulder, I think maybe you were drugged." "You don't have to make excuses for my actions" "Trust me, if I believed you had gone into this willingly, I would not be helping you find an excuse. Think about it. You help someone move into an unleased apartment, you drink something and feel hot and dizzy and your normally perfect memory is turned to Swiss cheese. I believe that she laced your drink with some sort of hallucinogen and seduced you. The apartment was probably wired a head of time. Mulder they set you up, they set *us* up." Mulder did not reply, he picked up the binoculars and studied the couple again. "She doesn't look half as good as you do naked " he said tentatively. "Neither does he" she smiled "So now we wait." "For what?" "Well. If Krychec killed the kid, he might have the tape. We could wait till they fall asleep, see if we can find it." "Waiting. I hate waiting. It puts everything so out of our control." "We don't have much choice. We need that evidence. I'll take the first shift. You get some rest." "But we go in together, right?" "Absolutely." he reassured her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "We're a team." She yawned and nodded, settling herself into his shoulder. "Wake me up when something happens" He leaned his cheek against the top of her head and took a deep breath. Soon, he felt her even breathing against his chest. She was asleep. Dana snapped awake. She was upright and not moving. That meant a car and not a plane. Stakeout. Right. In a flash, she remembered. She turned to Mulder...except he wasn't there. She glanced in the back, in case he had stretched out , but she was alone in the car. And then she saw him. She stumbled, still drowsy, across the lawn. Mulder was just visible, his gun glinting in the pale light of the slim moon . He was standing at the bedroom window, weapon in hand finger on the trigger, sight set on Krycek. He turned his head at her footsteps but did not move otherwise "He killed my father, he was responsible for your abduction and now this. Every time he gets clean away. Well not any more." "You pull that trigger, it's murder one." "Yeah but he'll be dead." "And so will you. I am not losing you to Alex Krycek and if you pull that trigger, ultimately he is going to win. He just won't be around to enjoy it." She saw his mouth twitch in a slight smile. Carefully she put her arms around him from behind. She stood for a moment with her face pressed to his back, mimicking best she could how he'd often held her. Then she raised her hands to his arms and carefully forced the gun down. He hung his head, shaking. "Dana what's happening to me, when did I cross the line." "You didn't and you won't. If you don't trust yourself, you can trust me." He allowed her to lead him back to the car. "C'mon" she said sliding into the driver's seat. "Let's go back to the office maybe we can dig up something on her in the files." =========================================================================== From: clbews@unixg.ubc.ca (Carrie Lynne Bews) Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: New: Sex, Lies... (5/5) Date: 10 Sep 1995 04:10:12 GMT Sex, Lies and Videotape (5/5) clbews@unixg.ubc.ca mkatz@unixg.ubc.ca FBI Headquarters Washington DC 1:03 am Delaney was sitting at her desk. It was an unintentional error but he'd need a computer terminal and he didn't dare sit at Mulder's. "You gave him my desk?" asked Scully with mock offense "I'm sorry. I'll move" Delaney stuttered "Relax, Matt I was kidding." Scully waved him back in his seat. Mulder glared at the young man over his partner's head. "Since you're here though you might as well help." Scully paused "Why are you down here this late?" "Same as last time, trying to make a match with one of your old cases." "Why don't you leave the cases to us," Scully said " Just tap into the Data bank, try and find someone for us." "Okay," he said happy to help though Mulder was still glaring at him. He tapped a few keys and waited for the computer to comply. "Who am I looking for?" "Scully." Mulder barked flopping into his seat. "Pardon me?" Delaney peered over the top of the terminal "Someone who matches my basic description. " Scully corrected "And here's an address though I'm not sure it'll help." She took a pile of files out of the cabinet drawer and dumped them on Mulder's desk and pulled up the spare chair "Let's get started." Three hours of work rendered them nothing. "This is ridiculous" Mulder said returning the latest completed pile to their drawer and collapsing into his chair without pulling out any more. "We know who's responsible." "Mulder you know we can't get to him, our only hope is to figure out who she is." "I know who she is. She's some whore who Alex Krychec sent to seduce me, after he got me drugged up, so he could video tape it and give it to Skinner to fry us." Delaney wondered if he could make it to the door unnoticed. This conversation was not intended for three people. Scully pushed back her chair and circled the desk so that she was leaning against it next to Mulder's chair. "I think you need to go home and get some sleep. I'll stay and work. The review board's only expecting you tomorrow anyway." He shook his head. " Mulder, you're exhausted. You've been going non-stop since we got home from Aspen." "So have you." "I slept the night after Skinner reamed us. At my mother's" well that was a lie but he didn't need to know that "Did you?" He shook his head "See." Dana said "So I'll keep going through these. I can sleep while you're wowing the review board." Mulder still looked skeptical. "C'mon Mulder stop fighting me. You need sleep. And a shave wouldn't hurt either." Scully reached out a hand and gently grazed her knuckles down his cheek. He glanced over her at Delaney who was wondering if he made himself very small, whether or not he could fit into Scully's bottom desk drawer. Mulder gave Scully a silent warning look "Yeah like he doesn't know everything anyway," she replied softly still letting her hand rest against his face "Like the entire Bureau doesn't know ." "Deny everything, Scully." "Everything Agent Mulder?" she smiled "Especially that." Delaney stared very hard at his computer screen, when suddenly he realized what he was staring at. "Hey I got a match!" he announced proudly. The other two agents came and stood looking over his shoulders. "Rebecca Allenby" he said reading off the screen "Numerous aliases. Wanted for felonies in three states. Oregon. Texas and North Dakota." "Figures. "Scully laughed humorlessly. "Is that her Mulder?" Her partner nodded tight-lipped "So she's a fugitive from justice. She's in our jurisdiction. Great let's go get her." Mulder said reaching for his jacket. "Hang on." Scully said. "You're going to bed." "No." "Mulder. This is going to take a while. I need to wake up a federal judge and get a warrant." "Probable cause." he pointed out "No-one is going to give us any slack. Technically speaking we're not even supposed to be investigating a case that we're the suspects in. And you still have to appear before the review board in a matter of hours. Go to bed, Delaney and I will take care of this." He wanted to argue but he knew she was right. She looked up at him "Mulder. Trust me." she pleaded softly. "Okay." he said finally. "I'll see you at the review board" Delaney waited until the elevator doors had slid shut behind the retreating agent, then turned to Scully. "Now what? We get a warrant." "No, not exactly. Delaney, I want you to hit me." "I beg your pardon." "I want you to hit me, in the eye. Make sure it's the left so I can still sight a gun and make sure its hard enough to cause a bruise." Matthew Delaney peered at her through concerned eyes. "Agent Scully are you sure you're feeling all right. Maybe you should go to bed too. Its been a long-" "Look Delaney, we're talking about our last chance here. I go to bed, I wake up on a plane . Now hit me." He looked at the floor. "It's just...." Scully was losing her patience "Now what's wrong? You're being given a direct order from a superior agent." "It's just that if I hit you Agent Mulder is going to kill me in the most slow and painful way he can think of. In spite of herself, Scully laughed "And we all know extent of Mulder's imagination" she muttered. Delaney blushed "Look Matt, I'll take care of Mulder. I need your help here. Now hit me." Delaney sighed and swung at Scully. The punch landed squarely on her left eye and knocked her backward with the sheer force. "Are you okay ? The young agent asked her cautiously "Agent Scully?" Scully shook her head a few times. She had been punched by suspects a few times but it wasn't something one got used to. "You have a mean right, Delaney." "I used to box in college." "Hell of a time to bring that up." "I'm sorry . Um I'll..." "It's okay. Run up and get me some ice." While he was gone Scully sat down and checked her gun. It was loaded. She carefully slid it into her holster as she glanced across at Mulder's desk. If he knew that she was about to do this, he wouldn't have let her. In fact he'd probably be furious she was even considering it. It was against her training, it sure as hell wasn't by the book and it might just get her killed. But she didn't have any other choices. She tried to picture him at his desk. She wished he was there, not to talk her out of it but just so she could say good-bye, say she was sorry that she hadn't believed him, had lost faith in him. "I really put you through hell the last few days haven't I" she addressed the empty chair "I'm sorry." She sighed and stood up as footsteps announced Delaney's return. He handed her the ice, wrapped in his handkerchief. She pressed it to her eye. "Thanks." "Now what do want me to do." "I want you to go home to bed. And I want you to forget everything you saw or heard tonight. Better yet, forget that you were here. I don't want you implicated." "What are you going to do?" "I 'd tell you but then I'd have to kill you." she smiled "Agent Mulder's going to that anyway." Delaney muttered but he knew better than to argue. "Goodnight Matt and thank you." He waved it off as he headed for the elevator. Scully glanced around the office one last time. "I hope this is still mine when the dust settles." Bowie, MD 5:38 a.m. The dawn was just breaking in the east as she slid quietly out of the car and jumped the fence into the back yard. She paused for a moment beneath an open window, gun drawn "Dana what are you doing?" she asked herself "I'm breaking the rules." she replied. And honestly it felt pretty good. The odd comfort of having nothing left to lose. With that thought, she hesitated no longer, checked that the room was clear and hoisted herself inside. It appeared to be the guest bedroom/study. She glanced quickly at the pile of receipts on the desk. In amongst a mechanics work order and an old phone bill, was a bill from JB video. "This is almost too easy" said Scully pocketing the paper and the phone bill which she noticed had calls to the company. Scully slipped out into the hallway. Beside her was what she guessed was the bathroom. The door was closed and she could her the sound of the shower. She edged further along . To her left was the kitchen. To her right the living room with a staircase rising up from it and at the far end the front. door. Scully listened. She could here clanking from the kitchen but no movement from upstairs. Since the front door was likely to be her route of escape, she slipped across to it, removed the chain and as quietly as she could threw back the dead bolt. Then she got down to business. Rebecca was in the kitchen her back to the door, mixing something. She didn't hear Scully until it was too late. Scully covered her mouth and put the gun to her head. Rebecca struggled but although they were the same height, she was no match for Dana in strength. Scully spun them so her back was to the pantry door. "Get Krycek in here." she ordered, moving her hand from Rebecca's mouth but maintaining a choke hold. "Alex. Come in here. Now." The water stopped. A moment later a grumbling, dripping naked version of Alex Krycek appeared in the doorway. In spite of herself, Scully couldn't help thinking that having seen both men naked and wet in the last 48 hours, Krycek was really no match for Mulder. "Good morning Agent Krycek." "Good morning Agent Scully, little early for a social call." "Oh it's business. I've come for the tape." "I don't know what you're talking about." "I think you do. The tape of Mulder and a redhead having sex that you sent to Skinner. Only I'd like the original this time." "It's not here." "That's a pity because I was going to trade you the tape for your girlfriend and now I'm going to have to shoot her." Rebecca whimpered. Alex sneered "You've never shot anyone, except Mulder." "You might want to ask Cecil L'Ively if he's willing to verify that." "You wouldn't let Mulder shoot me that night at his apartment" "I'm not going to let you destroy him. If that means shooting your accomplice." she shrugged "And I think its time Alex for you to discover what its like to lose someone." "You shoot her they'll take your badge away, you'll lose everything." "I've already lost everything Alex, that's the point. Besides, your girlfriend is a felon wanted in three states. She resisted arrest, note the shiner she gave me. It's always a shame when one of these standoffs ends in death but it happens." "Don't believe her," Alex told Rebecca "She's way too 'By the book'" "Oh I'm still by the book, I'm just reading a different edition." "You're not going to shoot her." "She fucked Mulder, I'd like to shoot her for that alone !" "Alex please...."Rebecca moaned "Just give her the tape." He gave in "It's in the living room." Scully gestured for him to lead, watching him carefully for any sudden moves. Meanwhile Mulder, had returned to the basement, having slept briefly showered and shaved. He had expected to find Scully there since she hadn't answered her apartment door or her cellular. He had fully prepared himself for the sight of her, still in jeans and her old Annapolis sweat shirt, asleep on her desk. The empty room unnerved him. "Goddammit Scully." Well at least she had Delaney with her. Skinner appeared at the door. "Good morning Mulder," "You're here to make sure I show up I suppose" "Actually I wanted you to know that not everyone in that room will be your enemy. What you or Scully do on your own time is really your own business, providing you can keep it out of the Bureau's line of vision. I'm sorry it had to come to this" Mulder nodded briefly. It was the best he could do. "Are you ready?" Skinner asked. "No but I don't have much choice." The last thing Mulder saw as Skinner ushered him into the review board was a group of the younger agents, one of them was Matthew Delaney. Krycek removed a tape form the bookshelf where he'd tossed it the night before. He held it out to her. "Put it in the machine, Alex. I'm sure the review board has already seen 'Beethoven.'" Krycek obeyed. The sight of Mulder with another woman made Scully momentarily nauseous, but it was quickly replaced by anger at what these people had tried to do to him. "That's fine. I'll take it now." Krycek stopped the tape and returned it to its box. "Now very slowly. Give the tape to Rebecca. Good. Rebecca you hand it back to me." Scully took the tape in her free hand, that arm still restraining Rebecca as they walked backward toward the front door. "It doesn't matter." Krycek told her in a last attempt. "Everybody knows you're really sleeping with him." "What the bureau knows and what they can prove are two very different things. You of all people should understand that." They had reached the door. Scully took a deep breath. This was the trickiest part . "By the way Alex, If you're going to follow me, put some pants on first. I'd hate for you to get arrested." With that she threw the now shaking Rebecca at Alex. As Scully had hoped Rebecca tried to cling to Alex. The struggle to disengage himself brought them tumbling to the floor and gave Scully time to get out the door and into her car before Alex could even begin to go for his gun, still in its holster in the bedroom. Mulder was drowning. He had told his theory to the review board, twice, but he couldn't prove it. He could barely think straight for worrying where Scully was and if he left to go find her their transfers would become effective immediately. He did something he'd never have expected of himself. He glanced at Skinner for help. Skinner shrugged. He didn't have any answers at this point either, Mulder's theory sounded plausible, he was willing to buy it but he was only one vote. The rest of them were about to move in for the kill. "Agent Mulder" the one woman spoke. "You are quite obviously wasting this board's time and the taxpayers money. If you have nothing to add-" "Hold it!" The door of the conference room swung open and Dana Scully burst in. Mulder had seen her dressed like this before, but the review board was taken aback. Most agents did not appear before them in jeans sneakers and their older brother's sweatshirt. Hair uncombed, weapon in full view and left eye swollen shut. Skinner echoed every one's thoughts, including Mulder who had now seen the eye , when he asked "What the hell happened to you." "I believe this is what you've all been waiting for. " Scully put the tape in the VCR and triumphantly hit play. "As you can see, ladies and gentlemen. This is not me. This is the original tape that was doctored to appear like Agent Mulder and I were engaged in sexual relations. The tape was altered by an underground company in Baltimore. " she slapped the work order on the table. " The owner of which was murdered yesterday. Coincidence I don't think so." Mulder and Skinner exchanged a smile "Furthermore if you dust the tape you will find my prints but also the prints of Rebecca Allenby, a wanted felon and Alex Krycek a former agent of this bureau. Here is a phone bill from the house where both were recently witnessed and you will note several calls to the aforementioned firm. A shoddy conspiracy but one none the less. " "Did you have a warrant to obtain this material Agent Scully." one of the bureau asked coldly. "Probable cause." she retorted almost gleefully. "And the suspects." "I was not in a position to apprehend either Mr. Krycek or Ms Allenby. The address has been given to the Maryland State Police but I suspect having discovered the loss of the tape, both will have fled." "There still remains the matter of Agent Mulder having sex with a known felon." another member pointed out. "Known felon my eye," Skinner barked. "The only reason we know she's a felon is because Agent Scully just told us so and I suspect that took some digging." he glanced at Scully who nodded on cue. "As far as I am concerned this board is over. Agents Scully and Mulder, take 24 hours, get some sleep. I'll expect you in the office this time tomorrow prepared to resume your normal duties." "Yes sir" they both replied before retreating to the safe haven of the basement. Mulder dragged her into the office, shut and locked the door. He was rewarded by Scully, still high on victory and lack of sleep, dragging his face down to hers and kissing him passionately," "What on earth has gotten into you?" Mulder laughed as they surfaced for air. "I'm just buzzed." Scully said with a laugh "Don't worry tomorrow the rules go back to normal. Work in the office, everything else saved for the privacy of our own apartments." "Pity I was just starting to enjoy it." Scully laughed kissed him once more and sat down on her desk top. Mulder pulled out her chair and sat facing her, the experience of looking up at her an odd one. "Want to tell me how you got the tape from Krycek." "I put a gun to his girlfriend's head and told them if they didn't give me the tape I'd kill her." Mulder stared at her "If I stab you are you going to start bleeding green toxic goo?" "It's me, Mulder. It's not a side I let out very often but its still me." "You put a gun to her head?" "So you might want to be careful about introducing me to your ex-girlfriends." "On the contrary I was thinking about setting up lunch between you and Phoebe Green." He stopped laughing. "By the way, you scared the hell out of me." "I know, I'm sorry Mulder. It was a lousy situation. I knew what had to be done and I had to do it alone. You're still not ready to face Krycek with a loaded weapon in your hand." "I know. ..." he closed his eyes. And see I'm okay. You don't always have to rescue me. Sometimes I get to rescue you." He sighed softly, wrapping his arms around her waist. Scully rested her cheek on the top of his head stroking his hair gently. "I think I'm going to go home take a shower and go to bed," she said. He nodded, released her and sat back. Their eyes met. She arched her eyebrow slightly "You wanna help?" "Thought you'd never ask. They were half way across the parking lot when another thought occurred to Mulder "Who punched you? Krycek?" "No that was Delaney." "What?" Scully caught him as he spun around. "I told him to." she said firmly. "I don't care. I'm going to rearrange his ears. I left him to look after you." "One. I do not need a junior agent to look after me. Mulder I *taught* him at Quantico. Two. I needed to make it look like I had been decked by a suspect resisting arrest in case I had to shoot her." "I could have done that," he sulked " Actually I don't think you could, and I don't think I'd want you to. And three...." she paused "What's three?" "Three is my shower or tearing apart Delaney. You only get to choose one and in doing so you relinquish your right to the other." "And how long do I get to think about it." "Mulder!" "All right. No contest. But I get to let Delaney believe he's still in trouble for at least a week. If I can't hit him, at least I can scare the punk." One Week later Pendrell's Crab Co. Eastern Shore. Maryland 8:19 p.m. The atmosphere was right. The food was excellent. The warmth of his hand covering hers felt wonderful. Dana wondered why she had even hesitated before accepting his invitation. It had been a week since the review board and only now had the rumours started to fade. Everybody in the Washington office had heard about the sexcapades of Spooky Mulder and Scully, the Ice Queen even though Skinner had made it very clear to anyone who cared that the partners had been set up, the were the center of attention in the office. Even Delaney, who was now known to spend a great deal of time with the agents, seemed unable to completely convince the gossipers that the rumors were unfounded. Scully was really sick of it. Couldn't people mind their own damn business? Mulder had seen how the whole situation at work had affected Scully. She was tired, cranky and had lost her appetite. And, she insisted on sleeping at her apartment...alone. Mulder was used to being ridiculed, but it hurt him deeply to see Scully get dragged down by it. So finally he'd convinced her to go out with him to this quiet, dark and isolated restaurant on the Eastern Shore. It seemed to be doing the trick. He looked deep into her eyes. She smiled warmly at him. Dana squeezed his hand then raised her glass of wine for a toast. "To partnership...for better or worse?" Dana ventured. "Now *that* sounds like marriage," Fox teased "But it's very true. To partnership." After the meal they walked along the shore. The sound of the waves lapping on the seawall was soothing and Dana felt a twinge of regret about having to return to the city so quickly. Another week of rude e-mail and snickering in the cafeteria. She squeezed Mulder's hand again and was comforted by his answering smile. They didn't say much they didn't need to. They just strolled along, as the light faded, holding hands and enjoying each other's presence. When they had almost returned to the parking lot of the restaurant, Mulder suddenly put his arm around Scully's waist and spun her to face him. He tenderly framed her face with his hands, caressing her cheeks. "I miss you, Dana" he whispered. His lips quickly found hers and expressed everything he could not put into words. As the kiss deepened, Dana felt the frustrations of the previous week melt away. Mulder's words echoed in her ears and she pulled away only to hug him tightly a second later. She let out a sigh into Mulder's chest as he strengthened his hold on her. "There was an Inn where we turned off the highway. We could get a room..." she murmured. "Gee twist my arm," he replied, his breath tickling her ear, followed an instant later by his lips. "I take it that's a yes, then?" Dana grinned turning her head so that his next kiss landed full on her mouth. She entwined her fingers in his hair pulling him closer. "Agent Mulder, I barely recognized you with your tongue down your partner's throat." Mulder's head snapped up as Scully jerked away. It's funny how hearing your boss's voice while you're making out with your partner can have that effect. Skinner's face was unreadable. "Um, this uh, isn't what it looks like, Sir," Scully attempted before pausing. "Actually, it *is* what it looks like" she conceded. "Scully!" Mulder protested. "How were you planning on explaining it, Sherlock?" "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder," Mulder replied smoothly. Skinner cocked an eyebrow. "Which stress would that be, in particular, Agent Mulder?" "My fish died. We were very close" "Keep it up, Mulder, and you'll be getting close to a dead fish tonight too." Scully warned him under her breath. "How about you Agent Scully? Did you also have an unnatural affection for Mulder's fish or did your plant die?" "No Sir, I thought I'd just plead temporary insanity, give you my badge and gun, and go home" Skinner couldn't hold back any longer. A smile formed on his lips. "Your resignation's not necessary. I think covering Agent Mulder's ass is punishment enough." Mulder piped up at that. "But I thought you liked covering my-" "Mulder, don't!" Scully barked. Skinner was really enjoying this, but now that Scully thought about it, so was Mulder. "Okay, what's going on here?" she demanded. Skinner started to laugh. "Relax, Agent Scully. Like I already told Mulder, as long as you keep it to yourself and it doesn't affect the work I'll let it go. But," his tone grew serious. "I don't want to see anymore videos, photos, memos, surveillance tapes or hear about it by the water cooler. Got it?" "Thank you, Sir," they chorused as they started to leave. "Oh and Agent Mulder...whatever you're doing to Delaney knock it off! He's scared to go within three floors of the basement." They returned to the car watching Skinner head into the restaurant, still chuckling to himself. Scully eyed Mulder. "How long have you known that we had Skinner's blessing." Mulder shrugged "About a week." Scully glared at him . "And you think I was kidding about sleeping with the fishes." "I'm sorry Dana, but the look on your face..." he laughed. "Pull a stunt like this again, Mulder and I will give you a real reason to be jealous of Delaney." "Hey I've told you before I'm not jealous of Delaney. I just-" She kissed him hungrily, effectively ending the conversation ...until late the next morning. The end of this particular epic. Comments, suggestions, missing parts requests to mkatz@unixg.ubc.ca or clbews@unixg.ubc.ca