Title: Truth Uncovered Author: Tess E-mail: tnv099@aol.com Distribution: Sure, if you want it but I'd like to know where Spoilers: General thru Season 6 Rating: NC-17 Content: S, A, R Classification: MSR Disclaimer: I don't own any of these people. They belong most definitely to CC, Fox and 1013. Summary: Mulder, Scully and Diana all discover a truth about each other. Author's notes: I was watching One Son recently (don't ask why I tortured myself with such drivel, I can't answer you). It reawakened my violent dislike of all things Fowl. Truth Uncovered (1/1) By: Tess "Mulder, you'd better get in here and see this," Langly's voice called to him from the other room. Mulder tossed aside the latest issue of the Gunmen's newsletter and strolled over to where Langly was intently eyeing a video monitor. Byers and Frohicke trailed along after him. "Oh, shit!" Frohicke exclaimed as he looked at the video screen that had captured Langly's attention. Mulder stared in confusion for a moment and then he turned to the other men. "Jesus! You're spying on Diana? What the fuck is going on here?" Byers pushed him down into a chair, never taking his eyes off the screen. "Scully asked us to keep an eye on her. Now shut up so we can hear." Reaching out with one hand, he turned up the volume on the audio feed. "....wondering why I asked you to meet me here, Agent Scully," Diana was saying. "I really need to speak to you about Fox. Listen, do you mind if I call you Dana? Agent Scully is so formal." "Actually, I do mind. And I'm not going to stand here and discuss my partner with you. Good night. Agent Fowley." Scully turned to leave. "Don't you think it's time you let go?" Diane asked calmly. Scully froze, her hand gripping the doorknob tightly. Turning back to the older woman, she asked, "What the hell are you talking about?" "Listen, I know that you have worked together for a lot of years now but Fox needs someone who believes in him, in his work. That person is not you." "Oh, and I suppose you just happen to be *that* person?" "Look, Da..Agent Scully, the truth is, you are holding him back from finding the truth. He needs a partner who thinks like him, who can support him. Not someone who is constantly tearing down his ideas, looking for ways to punch holes in his theories, prove him wrong. And yes, it may be hard for you to hear, but I believe that I am the right person to be Fox's partner." "Well, that's just too damn bad because I'm not leaving!" Scully's back was ramrod straight, her jaw was tight, her chin lifted slightly in a challenging manner, but Mulder had seen a flash of insecurity in her eyes when Diana had told her that she was holding him back. Diana shook her head and closed her eyes as if about to impart terrible news. "I'm not the only one who thinks I would be a good partner for Fox." "Oh, I suppose you're trying to tell me that Mulder wants you to be his partner again." Diana stared at the smaller woman and raised her eyebrows challengingly. "You're lying," Scully spat. "Mulder and I have already had this conversation, so you can just save your breath. I know where I stand with Mulder." Diana shook her head pityingly. "Agent Scully, you are Mulder's friend, his best friend, I'd warrant. He would never intentionally say or do anything to hurt you. He would jeopardize everything he has worked so hard for before he would tell you that he wanted you to leave." "I'm not listening to any more of this." Scully turned once again to leave and once again stopped at the sound of the other woman's voice. "I don't understand why you stay. You've lost so much because of your association with the X-Files. You don't believe in the work. So tell me, why? What possible reason could you have for staying...? Oh. My God. It's so obvious. You're in love with him!" Diana laughed delightedly. "I can't believe I didn't see it before." Mulder's eyes widened and he moved closer to the screen, trying to see Scully's reaction. "Come on," he whispered, "stay with me here, Scully." "What are you waiting for, Scully? Do you think he's in love with you, too? Are you expecting him to ask you to marry him?" "Shut up!" Scully barked. But the tall brunette only shook her head, her eyes sparkling with glee at Scully's discomfiture. "I hate to break it to you, and you may not have noticed but you certainly are not his type. Has he ever kissed you? Tried to get you into bed? No! Let me tell you something. Six weeks after we first started working together, we were sleeping with each other. He couldn't keep his hands off me. We made love everywhere. In the car. In our motel rooms when we were away on a case. At home. In the office. Oh yes, in the office that you share with Fox. On his desk, on my desk, against the filing cabinets. A month after that, we moved in together. Four months later, we were married." Diana smiled triumphantly. "Didn't he tell you that we were married? For about a year. I was offered a promotion, a job in Europe. We agreed that I would be foolish to turn it down and we thought that our love would see us through. But the long distance was beginning to wear on the relationship and we decided that it would be better for us to end the marriage. But I never stopped wanting him, loving him. And he never stopped wanting me, loving me. And now I'm back." Scully was trembling imperceptibly, struggling to keep it together long enough to get away. She fumbled with the door handle when Diana fired her crippling blow. "Fox is so handsome, such a brilliant man, so gentle, so caring, so full of love to give. He should marry again, settle down, have children, and raise a family. You can't give him that." Mulder groaned, "Diana no, please." Scully turned to face her attacker. Her face had been leeched of all color and her eyes were a dull gray. She looked questioningly at the other woman. "Oh, yes. I know all about your abduction and the unfortunate results of your captivity. I've known it for a very long time." Scully's hand twitched imperceptibly toward the gun holstered at her waist. She drew herself up and this time succeeded in yanking open the door and letting herself out. Diana smiled gleefully. "That takes care of Plan A. Now on to Plan B." She walked quickly toward her bedroom and out of view of the camera hidden in her apartment. "Scully," Mulder moaned softly. He stood jerkily. "I've got to find her." He searched his pockets frantically for his keys. Byers scooped the keys up from a nearby table. "Here you go, Mulder." "Thanks." Mulder snatched the keys from the other man's hand and rushed out of the door. *************** Mulder drove quickly toward Scully's apartment. he thought. . It was true. It had taken some time after the events that had transpired in February at El Rico, but he and Scully had worked their way through it. he raged. Mulder wiped his eyes angrily. The skies, which had been threatening rain all day, had finally made good on their threat. Rain was falling steadily, soaking ground parched by a long summer drought. Mulder pulled over suddenly and turned back toward the city. he thought. No, he didn't think that she had gone home. Where? Where would she have gone? Mulder smiled grimly and pressed his foot more firmly against the accelerator. ******************* Mulder stepped out of the car and into the rain. His shoes were quickly soaked as he strode across the grass. He could see her sitting there, her hair a splash of color against the brown, burnt out grass and leaden skies. The temperature had dropped dramatically with the arrival of the rain and it was actually chilly. Mulder stopped about 15 feet behind the bench. He took a deep breath and continued on his path. He walked around the bench and crouched before her. "Hey," he murmured softly. Scully looked up at him and from the moment she laid eyes on him, it was obvious to her. "How did you find out?" "I was visiting the guys. I saw it on the monitor." "I'm sorry about that Mulder. I didn't want to hurt you, but I just couldn't trust her." "Scully, what she said...it's not true you know." "Well, some of it's true. You *were* married to her." "Yes, but I had already told you that. As for my wanting a new partner ...well I won't even dignify that with a denial. I told you last summer that I needed you. That hasn't changed. That will never change." Scully nodded tightly but did not reply. Instead she tucked her chin in against her chest and drew her feet up onto the bench, trying to make herself as small as possible, trying to absorb the pain of the many blows that Diana had landed during their short meeting. Mulder reached out and tipped her face up to his with one finger under her chin. "I saw your face, Scully. There was this flash of insecurity when she told you that she would make a better partner for me. Please, Scully. I thought we were past all of that." "I thought we were too. We are. But it's a weak spot for me and I'm vulnerable to attacks on that issue." "Come on, let's get out of this rain. It's getting cold." Mulder stood and reached out his hands to pull her to her feet. Scully sighed and stood. She took one step forward and rested her head against his soaked shirt for a moment before allowing him to lead her back to his car. ******************** He drove to his apartment, as it was closer. They had not spoken again since leaving the bench. Mulder followed Scully as she went directly to the bathroom. She tugged off her wet clothes and left them in a sodden heap on the tile floor and wrapped her dripping hair in a towel. Taking another towel she vigorously rubbed herself dry. Scully looked into the mirror to see that the rain had washed her face clean of makeup. She quickly brushed her teeth and padded naked into the bedroom. Mulder had dried himself off and was standing next to the bed wearing a pair of boxer shorts. Together they drew the quilt and top sheet down to the foot of the bed. Mulder slid into bed as Scully slipped her hand beneath a pillow, drawing out her nightgown. It was a sleeveless, ice blue confection of lightweight cotton and lace that made her eyes seem impossibly more blue. Scully sat on the edge of the bed and reached for the bottle of lotion sitting there. Uncapping it, she poured a small amount of the fragrant lotion into the palm of her hand. Rubbing her hands together to spread the lotion, she slicked her hands up and down her calves and feet. Mulder lay quietly watching this nightly ritual. Her hands now free of the lotion, she turned off the bedside lamp and slipped into the bed next to Mulder. He raised himself up on one elbow to lean over her. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly. "I'm fi.. You know, something else she said tonight is true." Mulder tilted his head curiously, watching her. "You would make a wonderful father. Sometimes," she choked and then continued. "Sometimes, don't you think about having children? I can never give you that. She's right." "God, Scully. I don't want children if they aren't yours," he began firmly. "But, oh Mulder, your children would be so beautiful." Scully sighed and wiped away a tear as she envisioned a dark-haired, hazel-eyed babe nursing contentedly at her breast. "Scully, someday we *will* have children. There are so many ways, so many options available to us. And they will be beautiful because they will be ours." Scully nodded and swallowed heavily. Her lips trembled as she tried to suppress the tears swimming in her eyes. One plump droplet spilled over her lashes and down her cheek. Mulder's mouth chased it and he captured the salty droplet at her jaw. His warm lips pressed against her jaw in an open-mouthed caress. He trailed his lips over her cheek and probed the sensitive corner of her mouth with his tongue. Scully turned her face to capture his mouth with her own. Mulder's teeth caught her bottom lip and he tugged gently, nipping at it lightly, soothing it with his tongue. Scully opened her mouth to him and deepened the kiss. She slid her hands through his silky hair, down his neck and tugged at his shoulders, drawing his body to cover hers. Mulder settled his hips into the cradle of her thighs and propped himself up on his elbows on either side of her. He drew the straps of her nightgown down off of her shoulders to rest against her upper arms and fastened his mouth to her neck. Scully moaned and pressed her head back into the pillows, offering the delicate, vulnerable column of her throat to him. He nuzzled the soft underside of her jaw, nibbled the faint blue line of the vein running along her neck, lapped at the hollow of her throat. Mulder drew the straps of her nightgown further down her arms and then helped her pull them completely off. Grasping the lace bodice, he tugged until her breasts sprang free. He cupped both breasts in his palms, hefting them, testing their weight, enjoying their softness. He pursed his lips and blew gently across them, watching with delight as the tips puckered and tightened. Mulder lowered his head to one breast capturing the nipple lightly between his teeth. Scully moaned softly as he drew the peak of her breast into his mouth, suckling softly. She cupped his head with one hand, her nails massaging his scalp gently. Mulder released her nipple and pressed a firm kiss to it before reaching up to capture her mouth in another kiss. His hands went back to work on her nightgown, tugging it off her body. Scully lifted her hips to help him. Mulder raised it triumphantly over his head and then tossed it gently to the floor next to the bed. He sighed happily as he stretched out over her naked body, grinding his cotton-clad erection into her wetness. Scully tried to lower her hands to the waistband of his boxes but she couldn't reach. Instead she drew her knees up and hooked her toes into the elastic waist of his clothing. Before she could lower her feet to push his boxers off his hips, Mulder slid his hands up the back of her thighs, pushing her knees up to her chest, holding her in place. He smiled at her as he slid further down the bed and pressed a kiss to the baby soft skin at the inside of her thigh. Scully shivered and looked down. Mulder lowered his head to nuzzle the wet curls between her legs. His tongue darted out in a long exploratory lap and she arched her hips, pushing herself closer to his mouth. Mulder pushed harder on her legs, opening her further to his exploration. No matter how many times they did this, she would never, ever get tired of it. Mulder was teasing her now, his tongue darting and licking, lips sucking and pulling, but never staying in one place for very long. Her body was tightly drawn, every muscle trembling, every nerve quivering, but Mulder continued to tease. Finally, Scully reached out with both hands. She tangled the fingers of one hand into his hair. "Please, Mulder. Don't tease anymore." Mulder looked up at her. She stared back through slitted, glazed eyes. "Please," she breathed. Mulder's tongue darted out again and he captured the tiny bud that had been screaming for his attention between his lips. He began to suckle in earnest now and slid two fingers deep inside of her. His eyes slid closed but she continued to watch as he pumped his fingers in and out of her in rhythm with the tugging movements of his mouth and tongue. He was making contented little sounds in the back of his throat and she was moaning continuously now. "Oh, God. Oh Mulderrrrr. Yeah, oh please, don't. Don't. Oh, don't stop." She panted, closed her eyes and buried both hands in his hair. "Close, oh, so close," she whispered as her body strained toward release. Suddenly he was gone. Her eyes flew open to find him kneeling between her legs, his boxers pushed down to his knees. He guided himself to her and pushed into her in one, long, slow stroke. Just as slowly he drew back out and then pushed his way deep within her again. Scully shuddered and arched, trying to draw him ever deeper. Mulder grasped her hips in his hands and lifted them from the bed. She planted her feet firmly against the mattress and pushed hard. He slid so deeply this time they both cried out in surprise. Mulder braced his hands on the bed and began stroking in and out of her. Faster and faster they moved. The room was filled with the sounds of their sighs, moans and the wet slap of their bodies. Once again Scully was so close, but he wouldn't let her come. She knew that tonight he wanted them to find their release together. Her body shaking with unrelieved passion, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Scully ran her hands down to where their bodies were joined, teasing herself, cupping him, gathering their moisture on her fingertips. She skimmed her hands back up his body, spreading the moisture over his nipples and then lifted her head to lick the wetness from his nipples, lapping at him, biting lightly, sucking hard. Mulder went crazy, hips bucking against her wildly. His movements were disjointed, out of rhythm as he reached out for release. She felt him tighten, grow harder still. Scully lay flat on her back and pulled him down to cover her body, locking her legs around his hips, arching her body to meet his pounding thrusts. "Scul...Scu...Scully." He chanted her name, his breath hot against her cheek, in her ear. He felt her tighten around him and he lost control, pumping, emptying himself into her as her muscles clenched and convulsed around him, draining him. Mulder collapsed on top of her and she ran soothing hands over his sweaty back, calming the quivering muscles until he lay quietly pressing her into the mattress. He jumped as her inner muscles continued to flex and convulse softly around him as tiny aftershocks continued to pulse through her. After several long minutes, he rolled onto his back, pulling her with him. She reached out for the sheet and drew it over their bodies as the air-conditioned coolness of the room hit their dampened skin. She snuggled closer, pressing her lips to his neck. He felt her whisper, "I love you," against his skin and smiled. "I love you too," he murmured softly and held her as she drifted off to sleep. ********************** Mulder awoke from a light doze about an hour later to the sounds of someone knocking on the front door. He glanced down at the woman sleeping in his arms. He slipped free of her clinging arms and she stirred. "Wha...? Where are you going?" she slurred sleepily. "Shhh, go back to sleep. I'll be back in a minute." She nodded and burrowed deeper into her pillow, dragging his pillow into her arms. "Hurry," she whispered and slipped back into an exhausted slumber. Mulder grabbed his gun out of its holster on the nightstand and slipped on his jeans. Snapping on the lamp on the desk, he walked over to the door and peered out of the peephole. His eyes widened in surprise and he opened the door. "Fox, I need to speak with you." Diana stepped over the threshold and pushed her way into the apartment. Mulder lowered the gun to his side and tipped his head curiously at her. "What happened to you?" Diana's face was bruised and scratched. A black and blue mark was forming near one eye. Her blouse was torn in places, the sleeve ripped at the shoulder showing more scratches on the skin beneath it. "Fox, I don't know how to tell you this, so I'm just going to come right out and tell you. Scully came to my apartment and attacked me," Diana began. Mulder's eyes widened in disbelief at this woman's audacity. "I know you don't want to believe it, but it's true," she insisted. "She told me we needed to talk and came to my place. She said that she knew that I was trying to take her place as your partner." Mulder happened to glance down to Diana's hands. He could see blood stains on her fingers and under her nails. Diana followed his gaze to her hands. Lifting her eyes back to his she explained. "She threatened to kill me. She told me that she would kill you before she allowed anyone else to have you. She was acting crazy, Fox. I had to defend myself." Mulder heard a movement coming from the bedroom. Scully stumbled out of the room, knuckling her eyes like a sleepy child. She had put her nightgown back on. Yawning, she staggered over to him, unaware of the other woman's presence. Wrapping her arms around his waist she rested her head against his chest. "Mulder, come back to bed," she implored and lifted her face to his. Mulder dropped a quick kiss on her pouting lips. "In a minute baby. We've got company." Scully turned her head to see Diana standing there, mouth agape. "Oh Lord, what does she want now?" Scully moaned and dropped her head back against Mulder's chest. Diana stood transfixed at the sight of the smaller woman in Mulder's arms. Her hair was tousled, her lips were swollen and the delicate skin of her face and neck were abraded from the stubble of his cheeks and chin. She had the look of a woman who had just been thoroughly made love to. "Geez. What the hell happened to your face?" Scully demanded from her comfortable resting-place. Mulder's voice was a deep rumble above her head as he replied, "Diana claims that you came to her apartment and attacked her." Scully stepped back to look first at Mulder and then at Diana. Her mouth was a perfect "o" of astonishment. "She also says that she had to fight back to protect herself. She even has the blood on her hands and under her nails to prove it." Scully could hear the note of ironic amusement enter his voice and she arched one delicate eyebrow at him, waiting to see where he was going to take this. "You know, Diana, the funny thing about that is that I just kissed and explored every inch of Agent Scully's bare skin and I didn't notice so much as one blemish. Anywhere. Well, other than the marks I was leaving." He paused to trace a gentle finger along the whisker burns on Scully's jaw. "I was pretty thorough in my examination, wouldn't you agree, Scully?" "Extremely thorough, as always. But Mulder it was kind of dark...." "True, true. Perhaps another examination is in order. I really need to collect all the evidence at hand." Scully had turned her back to Diana to smile at Mulder when Diana shrieked and lunged for her. Mulder quickly moved between the two women and grabbed Diana's hand. His voice turned menacing as he dragged her closer. "What do you think a forensic team would find if we were to take a sample of this blood and skin that are under your nails? Maybe we would find that you 'attacked' yourself, trying to frame Scully." He pushed her away from him and moved back to Scully's side. He did not make a move to touch Scully, however, as it only served to antagonize Diana further. "I know everything that went on in your apartment, Diana. And I think it would be best if you were to leave. There is no way that I am letting you back into my life either personally or professionally. Scully hasn't trusted you from the day you came back, but I've defended you to her time and again. It's over. I don't know what you are up to, but if you are looking to force me to choose between you and Scully, well, there is no choice to be made." Diana trembled in anger and jealousy. Her job had been simple. She was to tear these two apart. Her reward was to have been Mulder. Instead it seemed that they were closer than ever. When had they become lovers? She was in a towering rage and wasn't thinking when she next spoke. "What do you love so much about her? he's never supported you. She doesn't believe in anything you believe in. She's a coward. If you could have heard her screaming, begging for them to stop, begging for her life..." Diana's voice trailed off as she saw the twin looks of horror and rage on Mulder and Scully's faces. She realized that she had said too much and her anger turned quickly to an icy cold fear. Mulder lifted a trembling hand - the hand that still held his gun - and pointed it directly at her. "You knew. You've known all along. Oh my god. The whole time she was missing. Everything that was done. Oh god." He stared at his ex-wife in disbelief and then he knew. "It was you. You chose her. You knew that she was becoming important to me so you arranged to have her taken. Experimented on. Tortured. Everything that has happened to her can be traced directly back to you!" His voice was low, shaking and deadly. He slid the safety off the gun. "STOP!" Scully's voice was firm and insistent. She laid her hand on the trembling muscles of his back. "Mulder, stop." Mulder didn't take his eyes off of Diana. "No, Scully. I promised. I promised you that I would not allow the people who did this to you to go unpunished. And it was all because of her. She stole so much from us. Three months! Your health! Our babies! She's going to pay." Scully did not step in front of Mulder's gun. She was reluctant to take her eyes off of the other woman. "Mulder, if you kill her now, they will take you from me and she will have succeeded. Please. I don't want to lose you now. Let her go and she's failed. For once, we will have won." Mulder stubbornly shook his head and refused to lower his weapon. "Mulder, don't you see? Her whole job, from the very beginning was to come between us. She's tried so many times and failed. Yes, she arranged for me to be taken. But I survived and came back to you. I survived the cancer, too. She has no power over us anymore. We know it. She knows it. And soon, her bosses will know it. I'm here. With you. At work. At home. In your bed. Please, don't throw it all away on revenge." Mulder drew in a deep breath. He handed the gun over to Scully and instructed her to keep it trained on Diana. He walked over to the other woman and quickly searched her, pulling her weapon from her holster. "You smell like smoke, Diana. Tell your boss you've failed. Tell him you want to leave the country. And don't come back, Diana. If I find out you have, Scully won't be able to stop me from finding you and murdering you and burying your body someplace where no one will ever find you." He grabbed the front door and pushed her out. Diana looked up at him, face mottled with anger and then he saw the flame in her eyes die out. Suddenly she looked old and defeated. She nodded once and walked away. He walked over to the window and waited until he saw her drive away before he dropped the blinds back in place. He braced himself and turned back to Scully to find her staring at him thoughtfully. He walked over and drew her against his chest. Running soothing hands over her back, he asked, "Are you alright, Scully?" "I'm fine," she replied. She leaned back a bit so that he could see her face. "I *really* am fine," she insisted. "I feel like I've finally gotten some answers and now I can start to come to terms with everything. It's not going to be easy, Mulder, for either of us. But now we know. We finally have one piece of the truth. It's a start." Mulder's chest lifted and fell on a shuddering breath. "You were right, Scully. About Diana. You were right and I just didn't want to hear what you had to say. I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry." His voice broke and he buried his face in her hair. Scully pulled back again, forcing him to look at her. "Well Mulder. You may very well be right 98.9% of the time. But that 1.1% of the time that *I'm* right... What can I say? When I'm right, I'm RIGHT!" Mulder laughed and lifted her against him for a kiss. Scully wrapped her legs around his waist and let him plunder her mouth for a long moment. Wrenching her lips from his, she squirmed until he set her back on her feet. She took two steps toward the bedroom and reached out for his hand. "It's late, Mulder. Come back to bed." The End Author's notes: See in my opinion death was too good and too easy for one as wretched as Diana. I wasn't exactly thrilled with the minor redemption of her character either. I would have much preferred having Mulder see her for who she really was and sending her packing. So I decided to write it for myself. And to share it with you. Did you like my version? I'd love to know at tnv099@aol.com