From: Donna Honeycutt Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 08:23:49 -0400 Subject: New Story - Neighborly Source: direct Title - Neighborly Author - Donna Email address - donnah@pop.uky.edu URL - www.geocities.com/Area51/Quadrant/4571/ Rating - R Category - MSR Spoilers - None Keywords - Scully/other, MSR, angst Summary - Dana has a new neighbor move in above her Feedback - Please Disclaimer - Mulder, Scully, the Lone Gunmen and Skinner all belong to Chris Carter, 10-13 and Fox. No infringement intended Neighborly He was lost, that much was obvious, but the morgue should be in the basement. If he just kept going down, surely he'd find it. A sound that he couldn't quite place stopped him. What the . . . a moan - someone was hurt. Here in the stairwell? He pulled his gun and proceeded down. There, on the bottom landing, a woman. No one else around. Even as that registered he heard a door close farther down. Ignoring that, he knelt beside her. His gun was back in the holster, and he knelt beside her. There was blood on her head and from the arrangement of her clothes he'd gotten here none too early. She jerked away from him then and began flailing at him, fighting for her life. "Whoa! Wait, you're safe now. He's gone, you're safe. Listen to me." She opened her eyes then and looked at him. "It's okay." She forced herself to take a deep breath, taking the handkerchief he held out to her and placing it gingerly to the cut on her forehead. "We need to get you checked out. Can you put your arms around my neck?" "I . . . I can walk." "You probably can, but I don't get to rescue many damsels in distress. Let me milk this a little." That actually brought a slight smile to her face and her arms did go around his neck as he took her into his arms. He carried her easily to the ER, where they received the maximum attention. "Dr. Scully!" He was led into an exam room, where he lay her gently on the table. The nurse asked him to step outside. By that time, Security had arrived. He gave them a statement, but since he knew nothing, that didn't take long. His original business forgotten for now, he waited until the nurse emerged from her area. He stood, "Is she okay?" "Yes, she's going to be fine." "Good." He relaxed slightly, then turned toward the door. "Could you wait? She wanted to speak to you." "Uh, sure. No problem." He resumed his seat and after a moment picked up a magazine. It wasn't long before the curtain was pulled aside and the small redheaded woman came toward him. He took in the bandage on her forehead and the bruises around her neck. He stood as she approached and smiled down at her. She was really a pretty little thing. "I . . . thank you for waiting. I wanted to thank you for . . . for everything you - " "I'm just glad I was there. You're a doctor here?" "Yes. I'm Dr. Scully, Dana Scully." She held out her hand. "Special Agent Fox Mulder." He took her hand. "Special . . .?" "I'm with the FBI." "Well, I . . . I would think you'd specialize in damsels in distress." He grinned then, she remembered. "I'm sure you need to get back to work. Thank you for waiting, so that I could thank you." He shook his head, "I'm happy you weren't more seriously injured. Be sure to talk to Security." "I will." They shook hands again and she watched him leave the ER, feeling strangely let down, almost abandoned. ***** He juggled the Styrofoam box in his hand as he stepped back when the door opened. He hadn't stepped back far enough though, and she almost ran into him. She looked up to apologize and their eyes met. "Agent Mulder?" He smiled down at her, clearly pleased to see her. "You're obviously feeling better." He'd thought her pretty a few days ago, immediately following her ordeal. Now he upgraded that to lovely. "Yes, thank you." The man behind her took her arm, and Mulder noted the territorial gesture. "Oh, Doug, this is Special Agent Mulder. Agent Mulder, this is Doug Michaels." She turned back toward Doug. "Agent Mulder is the man who rescued me in the stairwell." The shorter, blond man looked up at Mulder, assessing him and, for whatever reason, was not pleased with what he saw. He stuck out his hand anyway. "Thank you, Agent Mulder." "It was my pleasure." "Well, we don't want your dinner to get cold. It was good meeting you," Dana turned to look at Doug. That was it? His tone bordered on boredom. "Uh yeah. I'm glad you're doing well Dr. Scully." He let her past him and then exited the restaurant, purposely not looking back. She watched him leave, then turned to look at Doug. He wasn't even aware of her, motioning instead for the hostess to seat them. Her eyes hardened and her posture stiffened. If he noticed he made no comment. He took her arm to lead her to the table but she pulled away and stepped ahead of him. His eyebrow rose, but he kept quiet. Once seated he ordered a bottle of wine. "Are you going to be in a mood tonight?" She just looked at him. He sighed, "What's wrong?" "Nothing's wrong." "You want to act like it then, Dana?" She stiffened again, "You were rude to Agent Mulder. He did rescue me." "I thanked him. He was just acting a little cocky if you ask me." "Cocky?" "Yes, like he's god's gift to women or something. That attitude always irritates me." She held her tongue. As a woman she hadn't felt that at all, but her choices were to have a fight, or get through the evening and try to get home early. She chose the path of least resistance, nodding to him. He accepted her unspoken apology, which infuriated her more though she held her tongue. They ate in near silence, and it was his suggestion that he take her home rather than see the movie they had planned. She was relieved, but tried not to show it. It wasn't entirely Doug's fault that she was finding it harder and harder to spend time with him. The chemistry she had thought was there in the beginning had either worn off or been her imagination in the first place. Now she just wanted to go home, maybe soak in a hot tub. That ended up being exactly what she did, not even inviting Doug in for coffee when he dropped her off. He was obviously miffed with her and she found herself not caring at all. What did surprise her was the fact that once relaxed in the tub, with the steamy scent of her bath oil surrounding her, it was Special Agent Mulder's face that came to her when she closed her eyes. God's gift to women? Well, he had every reason to think that about himself, she was sure. But he hadn't come across that way to her. In fact, shy was the word that came to mind. That was ridiculous, he hadn't been shy when he rescued her, or in the ER. He had been quiet when he met Doug, but that was most likely the vibes he was picking up from Doug himself. She'd never seen him at the restaurant before. And yes, she realized, she would have noticed him. It would be nice to think he'd come there hoping to see her, but that was ridiculous as well. At least he hadn't forgotten her; his smile when he saw her had been extremely warming. She sat up in the tub then. Had she reacted to seeing him? Was that what had ticked Doug off? Well, Doug certainly looked at women and most of the time didn't even try to hide it. She eased back down into the warmth of the tub. She was tired of Doug. It shamed her slightly to admit that to herself, but that didn't make it less true. She'd been going out with him because he was there, comfortable and familiar. That was a terrible reason. Even the sex had become mundane, at least for her. Okay, she might be alone more on the weekends, but she was going to break it off with him. They would both be better off, and to be honest, being alone right now was better than being with Doug. She shouldn't have let inertia carry her this long. The next time she saw him, she would explain things to him. Doug probably was already looking for a way to tell her the same thing. Yes, it was time to move on. She soaked until the water was cool, then wrapped herself in her warmest robe and curled up on the couch with a novel she had been meaning to get around to for ages. She went to bed late and woke up even later. The sun was high in the sky. She realized she felt free, lighter than she had in a long time. She would have slept even longer except for the noise above her. Someone must be moving into that apartment finally. After a quick shower, she gathered up her laundry and headed to the basement. She was fitting her key into the lock and trying to hold on to the empty basket when the front door of the building opened and two men, with a leather couch between them, struggled inside. The man facing her was short, with a craggy face and glasses. He automatically gave her the once over. She managed not to roll her eyes - you have to be nice to the neighbors. "Now I see the attraction of the building." He spoke to the man whose back was to her. This second man turned, and stumbled, nearly dropping his end of the couch in shock. "Dr. Scully?" She had frozen, her hand on the doorknob and the basket falling to her feet, forgotten. Which one of them was moving in? Oh please, oh god please . . . "We seem destined to meet lately." He had control of the couch again and was watching her. "We do, don't we." She finally managed to speak. "Huh, Mulder. Could we do this later?" The smaller man shifted his end of the couch again. "Oh yeah. Listen, I'll be right back. Okay?" She nodded and let them pass her in the hall, then retrieved the laundry basket from where it had fallen. It wasn't possible, wishes weren't granted that quickly. And what business did she have wishing to see him again anyway. She left her door open, so he would know it was okay to stop by when he returned. She heard them drop the couch upstairs and some scrapping, then as the smile formed on her face, waited for him to return. He was at her door almost immediately, tapping on the door facing, but not presuming to enter. The little man was still with him. "Hi. Which one of you is my new neighbor?" She smiled at both of them. "I'll toss you for it, Mulder." He was leering at her again, but with her 'hero' here she felt safe enough. "Back off Frohike. If she finds out I have friends like you I'll never make any headway with her." Dana chuckled, enjoying the bickering, but enjoying even more the fact that HE was the neighbor. Two other men appeared behind them in her door. "Come on in." She gestured to the whole group. "Yeah, these are my friends, Frohike, Byers with the beard, and Langly with the hair." "Pleased to meet you." She shook hands with each of them. Frohike's hand held hers the longest, and Mulder elbowed him to get her released. "Sorry about all the noise. But everything should be inside soon. We're going to order pizza. Want to join us?" "Sure. After I get the clothes in the dryer I'll be up." "Great. And you can show me where the laundry room is?" "I think I can handle that." The guys backed out and she saw Frohike clap her new neighbor on the back in a congratulatory way. She shook her head, but felt like someone should congratulate her. By the time she had her laundry drying, the men had finished unloading the truck and were sprawled around his new living room. The floor plan was the same as hers, but the two apartments couldn't have looked more different at present. She had to chuckle when she entered after tapping on the door and responding to the "In!" There was some attempt to rise in her presence, but she waved them down. "Hard work, huh?" "If they throw you out of here, call a moving company." Langly groused. She watched the heat take over his face. "Thrown out? What kind of neighbor am I getting?" "Hey, it wasn't my fault. My work followed me home a couple of times and . . . " "Do I want to know about this?" She asked warily. "Probably not. But I'll be more careful here. I really don't want to offend my new neighbors." "Good." She took the beer he handed her, then turned to look around. "Where's the rest of your furniture?" "This is it." He gestured toward the table in the kitchen and the desk and couch in the living room. "What about your bed?" "Well, I uh, I normally sleep on the couch." She looked at him closely to see if he was kidding, decided he wasn't and dropped it. She moved over to look at the fish tank, it hadn't been set up yet, but there were several bags sitting on the rocks with fish swimming around. The knock on the door drew her attention. Mulder stepped over Langly, pulling his wallet from his pocket. He paid the pizza guy and returned to the couch. "Sorry, I haven't unpacked any plates yet, but there're plenty of napkins." They insisted that she take the first slice, even though she protested that she hadn't done any work. She helped herself to a small slice and made herself comfortable on the couch while they tore into the rest of the pizza. When the pizza was gone, Langly stretched. "Okay, Mulder, I'm outa here. I've got a chat room meeting this afternoon." "I should give you some space too." Dana started to rise. "Hang on just a minute Dana, please?" She nodded and settled back. Frohike and Langly exchanged looks. "I appreciate this guys. I owe you one." "We'll think of something. It was nice meeting you Dana." "You too." She rose as he let the men out, "Mulder, you have a lot to do. I better let you get started." "But if you leave, I'll have to do it." The puppy dog expression on his face brought a grin to her own. "What if I come check on you in a little while?" "Promise?" That got a chuckle. "Yes, I promise." She moved to the door, then stopped, "May I ask you a question?" "Sure." "Doesn't anyone call you Fox?" "Not if I can stop them." He grinned. "I prefer Mulder." "Then Mulder it is." ***** She took pity on him and had him to her place for dinner that night. About the only things he had really accomplished were setting up the fish tank and the computer. They were comfortable together and it showed. When she asked about his work and his partner, his expression again brought a chuckle to her lips. "What's wrong with him?" "Nothing. Well . . . I have trust issues with him." He smiled a little. "Fear of commitment?" She was still grinning. "Something like that." But he dropped it, so she let it go, talking of other things instead. ***** It was Tuesday evening; he'd been living there for four days when he tapped on her door. "Hi, come on in." He did, following her to the kitchen. "Can I ask a favor?" "Um, what?" But she was smiling as she said it. "I have to fly out in the morning. I wondered if you could feed the fish for me?" "Oh, sure, that wouldn't be a problem." "Great." His smile was bright. "Here." He withdrew something from his pocket and took her hand. "What? A key? You had a key made for me?" "Sure. You'll need to get in." "I thought you didn't trust." "I trust you." The smile faded slightly from his face, and the look in his eyes confirmed that. ***** When she arrived home the next evening, she let herself in her apartment and put her stuff down, then headed upstairs. Things weren't a lot different from when she'd been here on Saturday. There were plenty of boxes untouched, though his clothes had found their way to his closet. When she returned downstairs, she realized she was actually lonely. That was silly, they hadn't really spent that much time together, but knowing he was there, in the building, was a warm feeling. She tried to shake that off, but shortly realized that she wasn't able to just dismiss the fact that he was away and chided herself for it. There was plenty for her to do, and she probably wouldn't have seen him tonight anyway. She absolutely refused to think of him any longer, forcing herself to finish up some housekeeping chores she had been putting off. She was still ready to go to bed a little after ten. She had just lain down when the phone rang. "Hello?" "Hi." "Mulder?" "You know my voice." She could hear the pleasure in his voice. "I guess I do." "Is this a really stupid thing - calling you like this?" "No, I'm glad you did. The fish are fine." "Good, I worry about them a lot." She chuckled and settled back to enjoy the conversation. They talked for nearly an hour and she found herself extremely relaxed when they did finally say goodnight. Her co-workers noted and commented on her mood the next day, but she said nothing. He called earlier that evening, and didn't sound as positive. "Is the case not going well?" "About like I expected. I'd rather hear about your day." They hadn't talked long when she was startled by a knock on her door. "Mulder, I need to go. There's someone at the door." "No, don't hang up. Find out who it is first." She smiled at the protective gesture. "Okay, hold on." She went to the door and rose up slightly on her toes to get the best view out of the peephole. Her heart sank at the sight. Doug. And he knew she was home. She might as well get this over with. She opened the door. "Dana, I thought we should talk." She nodded and moved to allow him entry. "I'll be right with you." She brought the phone back to her ear. "I need to go." "Is it Doug?" "Yes." She didn't add anything. "Are you okay?" "Of course. I'll talk to you later." "Dana . . . 'nite." He didn't want to break the connection, but she needed to talk to Doug. She'd told him that, he had to respect it. ***** She was lying in bed, but far from sleep. When the phone rang, she grabbed it before the first ring ended. "Hello?" "Are you okay?" It was him and she found herself relaxing. "Yeah, I'm fine." "You don't sound fine." "It was . . . it was unpleasant. I don't think many women have made the decision to stop seeing him." "He didn't get out of line?" "He was just upset." "I wish I was there." "Me too." He didn't know what to say to that, but the desire to be back in DC and away from this case, this partner, this . . . "I'll be home tomorrow or the next day." "Good." He could hear her smile. "If you need anything, you know you could call the guys. Whatever you need . . . " "Thank you, but it's not necessary. I'd better go, I have to be in early tomorrow." "Okay. Call me if you . . . good night." "Good night Mulder." She was able to sleep then, a smile on her face. ***** Traffic made her a little late getting home the next day, it was happening more and more. She really should look for another route home. She let herself in and let the door close behind her after pulling out the key. She had barely gotten her arm out of her coat when she heard the knock on the door. She tossed the coat over the back of the couch and automatically checked the peephole, then threw the door open. "Hi Honey, I'm home." "And me without my pearls." She was as happy as she remembered being. Rather than analyze it, she rose onto her toes to brush a kiss on his cheek. He turned at the last second and their lips met as though magnetized. He managed to move them both inside, kicking the door closed behind them without releasing her. When she finally moved away from him he allowed it, reluctantly, but kept his hand on her to steady her. "Mulder, I . . . I'm sorry I - " Her cheeks were flaming as she realized to what extent she had betrayed herself. "Don't ever apologize for that. Never Dana." He looked around the apartment, "Look, you haven't started dinner yet, have you?" "No, I just walked in." "Yeah, I was watching for you. Why don't we get a bite to eat; there's no food upstairs. We could . . . you know, in some place with a lot of people . . . " "Yeah, that would be a good idea." At least he recognized that things were moving too quickly. That was a relief, mostly. She asked him about his case, but he countered with what had happened with Doug. Well, neither wanted to bring the other down, but it seemed inevitable. She started, at his insistence, and told him, finally, just how upset Doug had been last night at her apartment. She saw the tenseness in his own shoulders at her words. "Dana, you should have told me. You should have called the police when he grabbed you." He reached for her hand, then hesitated. She placed her hand over his to reassure him. "Mulder, it's over. He's gone. His ego was hurt and he reacted, but he didn't really hurt me." His look was openly skeptical. "Mulder, he's out of my life." He glanced down at their hands intertwined. "I'm going to sound like an egotistical jerk, but . . . did I mess up your relationship?" "You don't sound like an egotistical jerk. The answer is, yes. You helped me see that the relationship was over. But I made the decision before I really got to know you, before you moved into the building." "Are you sure I didn't - " "Mulder, it was the right thing to do. And way past time." He took a deep breath and finally nodded. "Now tell me what you can about the case." "We're really trying to bring each other down tonight aren't we?" She squeezed his hand and smiled gently at him. "The, uh, the case wasn't really straight forward. They dropped it on my partner's say so, rather than investigate the . . . the evidence I was following." "Your partner?" "Yeah. He, uh, he doesn't understand me." He gave her a rueful grin, and she chuckled. "You can't really talk about it, can you?" He shook his head. "The case isn't officially closed, and maybe you don't know me well enough to want to hear my theory." She looked at him curiously. What did he mean by that? "We should order." She gave a slight nod and looked at the menu. After the waitress left, he picked a new subject entirely. "Do you have to work tomorrow?" "No, I actually have enough seniority to get weekends off now." She smiled. It came to her that she did a lot of smiling around him. "Good. Now I ask if you have plans?" He looked almost comically eager. "Well, I do have plans for tomorrow morning, but I'll be free after lunch." "After lunch?" "Yes. I can't get out of this one." "He's important?" "She. My mother. I'm going with her to the attorney's. They made a special Saturday appointment to accommodate me." "Oh. Is there a problem? I mean, lawyer?" "He's handling Dad's estate. Mom just doesn't want to go alone." "Dana, I'm sorry. I didn't know . . . " "It's, it's been almost four months. Dad had a heart attack. No warning. It was, it was a good way for him to die. He didn't linger, or suffer. But Mom . . ." Mulder nodded. "Yeah, of course you should be with her. But if you feel like it, maybe in the afternoon . . . " "I think I'll very much feel like it by then." He nodded, "I'll go in and do some paperwork - my favorite pastime, then we could meet up." "Yes. The lawyer's office is just down the street from the Bureau." "Yeah? Who's the lawyer?" "Joseph Simonton of Templeton, Hurst and Simonton." "I've seen the sign. So, it's a date?" She nodded and found herself smiling again. She barely noticed what she was eating. The company was too distracting, too congenial. She couldn't remember a time when she had been so attracted to a man. Back at the apartment, he watched her unlock her apartment, then rather than follow her in, cleared his throat. "I, uh, I should head on up. I still have a lot of unpacking I could do, or . . . you know." "Yeah. See you tomorrow, okay?" He nodded, "Nite." "Goodnight." She watched him turn toward the stairs and softly closed the door. She wasn't sure if she was more disappointed or relieved. Much too fast . . . ***** When her mother picked her up the next morning, she saw that his car was already gone. They hadn't talked about plans, so she'd opted for slacks and a silk t-shirt with a blazer. She saw how tense her mother was when she got in the car, and put everything else out of her mind. The session with Mr. Simonton, Joe, went well. He and her father had been friends for years, and his compassion for her mother was warm and heartfelt. It didn't take long and ended with an invitation to dinner with Joe and Esther for the next week. When they got back to the waiting room, her eyes found him as though drawn by a magnet. It was as though he felt her approach and came to his feet. Mrs. Scully looked at the two of them, unsure what was happening, but the smile on both of their faces reassured her. "Hi. Thought I'd meet you here." "Mom, this is Fox Mulder. Mulder, this is my mother, Margaret Scully." "Pleased to meet you. Did she say Fox?" "Just Mulder would be fine." He shook her hand. "I thought I'd see if I could take the two loveliest ladies in DC to lunch." That caught both women a little off guard, but both smiled and, after looking at Dana, Mrs. Scully nodded. "I'd love to." He led them to his car and reached for the door handle. "Mulder, what happened?" Dana was staring at his car. "Yeah, pretty fancy key job, huh?" "When did that happen?" "Sometime last night. Some neighborhood I live in." "Where, where do you live Mulder?" "Oh, he moved into that apartment above me, Mom." "This happened in your neighborhood? Dana?" "I didn't see any other damage. It was probably kids and they got to my car first." He shrugged off the damage and seated Mrs. Scully in the front seat of his car, then Dana in the back. He chose a teashop that he knew his mother had enjoyed when she was in the city and escorted them in. The talk was easy, Mrs. Scully was fairly discrete with her interrogation and Dana didn't attempt to rein her in. Mrs. Scully was obviously pleased to be included and enjoyed the opportunity to meet this new young man in her daughter's life. Besides, it was obvious he was in her life. It had been a long time since she had seen Dana so happy. When they had finished the meal, Mrs. Scully reminded Mulder that she had things to do that afternoon. Dana wasn't sure it was true, but she was obviously trying to give them some time alone. "Mrs. Scully, are you sure? You could - " "Joe gave me plenty to do this afternoon." Mulder's face became somber then. "Mrs. Scully, I was sorry to hear that your husband had passed away." Maggie looked up at the young man, "Thank you. I miss him terribly. We had a lot of wonderful years together, but when you find that one person that you belong with, five hundred years wouldn't be enough." She noted the involuntary look that passed between them and part of her smiled. He cared for her daughter. Maggie wished again that William were here with her. She was sure he would have liked this man, and she did so wish he could have met him. "Come on, I'm not going to intrude on your whole day. Have fun and thank you so much for the lunch. If you could take me back to my car I'll let the two of you get on with your day." Mulder looked over at Dana and she nodded. He rose and held Mrs. Scully's chair. Mulder drove them back to Mrs. Scully's car. "It was very nice meeting you, Fox. I hope we'll see each other again soon." "So do I." He glanced over at Dana, who nodded smiling. "Good. Now go, have a wonderful day." He waited until she drove off, then returned to his own car. "So, what do you have planned?" She smiled at him as he entered the car. "Hmm, maybe I should surprise you." "I know, my own personal tour of the FBI building." She grinned. She saw the smile slip from his face. "No. I think you should stay far away from that place. And especially stay away from me over there." "What?" "Look, you don't want anyone at the Bureau to even know you know me. Okay?" He started the car. "How about a drive? There's someplace I'd like to show you." He wanted the subject changed, and she wanted to spend the day with him. This other could be discussed later. "I'd love a drive." He nodded and pulled out of his parking space and out of the garage into traffic. She quickly realized they were headed toward Virginia. "How did you find this place?" "Actually I was here on a case, unofficially, and there was this really beautiful spot to just sit and . . . and be. I wanted you to see it." "I can't wait." "You know, your mother's a very nice lady." "Yes, she is. She raised the four of us very well. Dad was Navy, so he was gone a lot, but she kept us in line." "Four of you?" "Yep, two girls and two boys. Bill's the oldest; he's in the Navy too. Then Melissa, she's a designer and the last I heard was in California. Then me and finally Charlie. He teaches at a university in Ohio." "Wow, that's a diverse group." She laughed and agreed. She started to ask about his family when he pointed to a sign. "There." She turned to see what he was talking about. 'Skyland Mountain, Ascend to the Stars'. "Is that where we're going?" "Yeah. The sky tram isn't running this time of year, but the scenery is really awesome." For some reason she felt like the subject had been changed again, but decided not to pursue it, letting him guide the conversation for now. It really wasn't that long a drive, or maybe it was the company. At the top of the mountain, he pulled into a parking space. He got out and hurried to her side of the car and opened the door. "Come on, we have a little walk now." He opened the trunk and handed her a heavier jacket and a blanket, while he took a gym bag and his own jacket. He hoisted the bag onto his shoulder and took her hand. They walked for about thirty minutes before he stopped. He gestured at the view. "Did I oversell it?" "Oh Mulder, it's beautiful." He nodded and dropped the gym bag, then lifted the blanket from her shoulder. He spread it out then took her hand and seated her. He sat beside her and opened the gym bag. He handed her a bottle of water, then pulled out some grapes and cheese. "Hokey?" "Wonderful. How did you find this place?" "I was . . . I was looking into an old case and just wanted to see the place." She nodded and looked back out at the view. "You know, I feel like I know you, Dana, but if anyone asked me questions about you, I couldn't answer them. I mean, I don't even know what kind of doctor you are. Would you remove my appendix, or do I have to get pregnant to see you?" She chuckled, then grew serious. "No, I'm the kind of doctor you never want to see." She looked away for a minute. "I'm a pathologist." He blinked at that, "You mean . . . dead bodies?" She nodded, "dead bodies." "Why?" She shrugged, "Maybe I've read too much Patricia Cornwell, but I'm fascinated. The human body has so much to tell. I help the police; I work with the CDC. It's just . . . it's what I want to do." "I bet you're good at it." She nodded, "I am." She smiled up at him; "Maybe as good as you are at profiling." "Who said I was good at profiling?" "I've been in touch with your fan club." She grinned. "My what?" "Frohike called me." Mulder sat up; "He called you? Do I need to ask him to step outside?" She laughed out loud. "You were out of town. He just wanted to make sure I was okay." "Yeah, right. The little pervert." But he was smiling again. "So what did he say about me?" "Shouldn't we wait until home room?" He glared at her for a second and she tried to look serious. "Okay, okay. He says you're the best at the Bureau. That you get insights and flashes that solve the unsolvable cases. That your superiors call you 'Spooky'." "Well that part's true." He grimaced at the name. "Are you that good?" "No. I've been lucky." "You don't earn a Ph.D. from Oxford by luck." "I'm obviously not paying Frohike enough." "Do you enjoy profiling?" He looked away then and she reached out and touched his arm. "The truth? No, but I am good at it for some reason." "Why do you stay? I mean if you don't like it . . . " "It's not why I joined the FBI anyway. I wanted access and now I have it." "Access to what?" He looked at her for a long moment, as though asking a question she couldn't quite hear. "It's not something I talk about much." She saw how serious he was. "If you want to talk about it, I'd like to hear it." He still hesitated and she took his hand. "I . . . I've met your mother, you've told me about your brothers and sister. I haven't said a word about my family." "I know." She said it softly and squeezed his hand. "My parents divorced when I was fourteen. I stayed with my mother until I went away to school. I didn't see my father but a couple of times." "I'm sorry." "About the divorce? Don't be. It was bitter. I think my mother truly hated my father by that time." He gave a sad chuckle. "Maybe she was right." "Mulder? I'm sorry." "I, uh, I had a sister." That startled her, but she kept quiet. "She disappeared from our home when she was eight. I was twelve. I was babysitting and I was there when whatever happened . . . I woke up in the hospital a couple of days later. We never found her." "Oh my god, Mulder. I'm so sorry." "It tore the family apart. We never talked about it. I know Mom blamed my father though she never explained why. She still won't. When I got recruited by the Bureau, it seemed like the best way to conduct my own investigation into what happened." "Have you?" He nodded, "It took a while to find her file, it was buried in the basement along with a lot of other unsolved or unsolvable cases. They call them the X-Files." "Mulder, you don't feel guilty about this, do you? You were twelve." He shrugged. "Yeah, I feel guilt. I was there; I should have looked after her. And I still haven't been able to . . . the case I was on unofficially when I found this place was, I think it was, related. The Bureau doesn't say too much, since I do this on my own time. As long as I continue to do as well as I do with the profiling . . ." Without hesitation she moved closer to him and put her arms around him. His own arms went around her as well and they sat in comfortable silence. After a little while she looked up at him. "Thank you for telling me this Mulder." "I told you, I trust you." "You don't know me that well." "I feel like I do." She nodded at that. Then without really planning it, moved toward him, pressing her lips to his. He obviously didn't mind, pulling her even closer. When they broke apart, he took a deep breath. "I'm finding it really hard to go slow with this relationship." "Me too." She whispered. That brought a smile to his face. "That's very good to hear." She moved slightly away from him. "Maybe we should - " "Get back to a public place again?" "I don't want to do this wrong, Mulder." "Me either. It'll be sunset soon, then I'll take you back to civilization. Okay?" "Okay." She relaxed back into his arms and enjoyed the feel of him against her and the peace of this place. They didn't talk much, just being together. The sunset he had been waiting for was spectacular. She couldn't remember being closer to a man, and nothing physical had really happened between them. It was only a matter of time. She knew that without a doubt. They stopped for a quiet dinner on the way back to DC and she got him to talk about Oxford, leaving unhappy memories for another time. When he dropped her off at her apartment, he refused to come in for a drink. "Taking it slow means I can't come in, not now Dana. But soon." She nodded and turned to enter her apartment. He stopped her and gave her a quick kiss, then stepped back and after a moment, turned toward the stairs. ***** She didn't sleep well, knowing he was directly above her, only one flight away, kept intruding on her dreams. The alarm wasn't really needed, she had been awake for nearly an hour when it went off, but couldn't force herself out of bed. At the jarring sound, she slapped her hand on the off button and threw back the covers. She forced herself into the shower and got ready for her day. She was fixing herself a cup of coffee when she heard the knock on her door. She couldn't stop the smile from forming on her face. Mulder. Probably just wanted to wish her a good day. The thoughts of seeing him made her less cautious and she didn't bother with the peephole, just opening the door with a smile. That smile vanished as Doug pushed his way into her apartment. "I waited until he left. Didn't take you long to get him into your bed, did it?" "What are you - " "Is he that good Dana? You throw me over after all these months, after it takes me weeks to get into your bed? You can replace me in a couple of days, huh?" "Mulder and I aren't - " His hand against her face kept her from finishing the sentence. She stood more stunned than hurt, her hand to her cheek. No man had ever hit her before. Her lack of reaction seemed to enrage him even more and he swiped a lamp off of the table beside her couch. That caused her to take a step back from him. He saw it out of the corner of his eye and moved toward her again. He grabbed her arm and before she could speak, punched her in the jaw. Pain flared and her vision swam as her knees buckled. She felt his shoe connect with her ribs, then blackness overtook her. ***** He was back with breakfast for them. It would have been more fun if he'd gotten up from her bed, but that was going to happen - at her pace. He'd never been more attracted to a woman, which made no sense. He didn't let people get close to him, it was safer that way, no one got hurt. But this woman, she had wormed her way into his life without breaking a sweat. He transferred the bag with the Danish to the hand with the coffee tray and knocked on her door. To his surprise, the door swung open. That didn't feel right. He reached for his gun with his free hand. "Dana?" He stepped farther into the room cautiously, "Dana? Are you here?" Then he spotted her, crumpled and bloody on the floor in front of her couch. "Oh shit!" He was on his knees beside her, checking for her pulse. His breathing started again when he found it, faint but there. Then he was yanking his phone from his suit pocket. 911 was responding. He hadn't hesitated to use his badge number and the 'officer down' phrase didn't hurt. "Dana, can you hear me? Please, say something. Open your eyes. It's me, it's Mulder, I'm here." Nothing. He forced himself from her side to grab some towels and wet a washcloth. He very gently wiped some of the blood from her face. She'd need some plastic surgery, whoever had done this was angry. Mulder felt his own anger grow. Whoever had done this would pay. He'd make sure of that. And he would find this bastard. "Dana, please, can you hear me?" He could hear the siren now. "Help is almost here, Dana. Just hang on, please." Tires squealed in front of her building and he heard the EMTs hurrying up the front walk. They moved him out of the way and began examining her, making contact with the trauma center. "Is she . . ." He had to swallow, "she'll be okay?" "She's been beaten pretty badly. Are the police on the way?" He pulled out his badge. The EMT glanced at it then back up at him. "I hope you get this guy." Something about his expression sent ice down Mulder's back. "What?" "I just hate it when a man forces himself on a woman. This guy . . . " He shook his head and turned back to his patient. Mulder took hold of the couch to stay on his feet. He heard others enter the apartment but couldn't turn to look. He was reeling from the words he was still trying to process. The first uniform approached him as the second spoke to the paramedics. "Sir? Can you hear me? I'm Officer Harris, is this your wife?" Mulder looked up then, "What?" "I'm sorry, sir. Could I have your name?" Mulder blinked, then pulled his badge out again. He still hadn't spoken. "Agent, Agent Mulder. Is this a Bureau matter?" He motioned for his partner to join him. "Dr. Scully is . . . I live upstairs. We, we've become friends. I was bringing some breakfast over." He motioned to the spilt Danish and coffee inside the front door. The two policemen exchanged glances. This man wasn't on any case. He was devastated at what had happened to this woman. "We need to transport." That caught everyone's attention as they turned back to the EMTs. "I have to go with her." "Agent Mulder, we need you to answer some questions." "I'll make myself available." He handed them his card. "You can reach me through the Bureau at any time. The door was unlocked when I got here, I didn't see any sign of forced entry." He was beginning to function, barely, but they were not taking her from here without him. The two officers saw that and were at a loss. Technically he out ranked them. "Listen, officers, I want this man caught a lot more than you do. I will help you with this investigation, but right now, I am going to the hospital with her. Get your investigators over here and get all the forensics you can, don't screw this up." They found themselves nodding, taking his orders as a matter of course. Then he was following the stretcher out. After she was loaded into the ambulance, he raced for his own car and fell in behind them. He kept his mind carefully blank for the drive. It wasn't until after he saw them wheel her into the trauma bay that reaction set in and he sank into the chair closest to her treatment area. A nurse approached him shortly. "Sir? I'm sorry to bother you, but I need you to fill out a couple of forms." "She's on staff here, can't you - " "On staff?" She interrupted him startled. "Who is she?" "Dana, uh Dr. Dana Scully." "Oh my god, I didn't even recognize her." She looked back in that direction. "Do you know how to reach her mother?" "Uh, personnel would have it. I'll, I'll get it for you." She returned to the desk and spoke to several of the people there, then picked up the phone. Mulder watched more people move into her area. At least she was getting the best care. He looked up to see a young female doctor standing in front of him again. "Were you going to call her mother?" She was holding out a piece of paper. "Yeah, yeah I'll call her, but I need to know how she is first." The woman nodded, "Let me see what I can find out." She was back shortly, and obviously paler. He rose before she reached him. "Is she . . .?" He couldn't finish the sentence. "Her injuries are not life threatening." "But?" "I'm sorry, I'm not being very professional. I'm Dr. Atkins. I'm a friend of Dr. Scully's and . . . and her injuries are, are severe." Mulder nodded, he couldn't have said it either. "But she's going to live?" "Her doctors think her physical trauma will heal. They've called in a plastic surgeon, for her face." Mulder nodded. "I'll, uh, I'll give her mother a call." "Do you know Mrs. Scully?" "I've met her. Why?" "I just wondered if a phone call . . . " She glanced over to that area again. "Is it, is it safe to leave her?" "They'll be working on her for some time. You wouldn't be able to see her. Are you . . . I didn't know she was seeing - " "I'm her neighbor." The woman absorbed that and seemed to dismiss it completely. "Neighbor. You're a very caring neighbor." He didn't comment, looking down at his shoes. "Look, it's none of my business, but if you know who she is seeing . . . He needs to get over here. She's going to need a lot of support, and not just from her mother." He nodded, "I'll be back with her mother shortly." That seemed to reassure the woman, and tell her what she needed to know. ***** He had no trouble locating the woman's house; the hard part was getting out of the car. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the steering wheel for a moment, then drew a deep breath and exited the car. Mrs. Scully came to the door quickly and smiled broadly when she realized who stood before her. "Fox! Please come in. I certainly wasn't expecting to see you again so soon." She moved to allow him entry. He stepped inside and stopped. "Mrs. Scully - " Her smile faded, "Is something wrong?" "Yes ma'am. I'm sorry, but Dana was hurt. Someone was in her apartment. She's going to be okay. She's at the hospital and they're taking good care of her. I've come to take you to her." "Fox, how . . . how badly -" "Her injuries are not life threatening. Her friend Dr. Atkins checked for me." "Kim." Mrs. Scully nodded, slightly reassured. "What aren't you telling me?" "He hurt her." Mulder looked down, not quite able to look her in the eye. "He." Then realization dawned and her hand clutched as his arm. "Mrs. Scully, maybe you'd better sit down." His arm went around her for support. "No, no I need to see her. I need to see my baby girl." He nodded and helped her out to his car. She asked no questions on the way to the hospital, merely clutching and unclutching her hands. He held her arm again as they made their way inside. Kim Atkins had obviously been watching for them and was at Mrs. Scully's side immediately. "Mrs. Scully, Dana's with the plastic surgeon now. I'm sure you'll be able to see her shortly." "Plastic . . ." She looked over at Mulder, who was focused on the area Dr. Atkins had indicated. "Kim, what else, what are her other injuries?" Dr. Atkins looked at Mulder for an instant, then back at Mrs. Scully. "Why don't we step into the back here?" She took the older woman's arm. Mrs. Scully stopped, and took Mulder's hand as well. "Please?" He nodded, "thank you." They didn't release each other's hands as they followed Kim to a more private area. Mulder seated Mrs. Scully, then they both looked at Kim. "I'm not treating Dana. They wouldn't allow that, but I've been talking to the attending. She has several cracked ribs, a concussion, and several cuts on her face. Her kidneys are bruised but her internal injuries are being monitored." "Kim." Mrs. Scully looked deeply into the young woman's eyes. "Please." Kim looked over at Mulder, then away. "She was sexually assaulted. Mrs. Scully - " "Oh my god." Her hands came up and covered her mouth. Mulder took a step closer. He wasn't sure whether or not she was going to faint. Until Kim had said it, she had held on to the hope - "No." It was a moan more than a word. Mulder squatted down beside her, "Mrs. Scully, maybe you should lie down." She shook her head, "I need to see her, I need to see Dana." "She's been sedated Mrs. Scully. When they move her to her room you can see her. You know, with a daughter who's a doctor, that they wouldn't be working on her face if she were in any danger." Mrs. Scully managed to nod and tightened her grip of Mulder's hand. "Can you stay?" "Of course. I need to call in, and check in with the police to see if they've learned anything, but I won't leave." He wasn't sure she heard him. He glanced up at Kim to see what he should do. She merely shook her head. "I'll be right outside. Mrs. Scully, you stay here." She didn't respond. After another quick look at Kim, he pulled out his cell phone and punched in AD Skinner's number. He explained quickly where he was and why, and that he would be in touch with the police. He quickly accepted Skinner's offer of assistance, then broke the connection and placed a call to an acquaintance with the police. He broke off the phone call when he saw the curtains open, and a gurney with Dana on it emerge. He approached it without thinking. "Dana? Can you hear me?" "I'm sorry sir. We need to take her to her room." "Is she . . . " "We need to get her settled. Check with the nurse's station on fourth floor." They were moving again, away from him. That's when he remembered Mrs. Scully and turned to get her. "Mrs. Scully? They're moving Dana to her room now." She reached for him and he helped her to her feet. "Where?" "Fourth floor. Where's Dr. Atkins?" "She was called away. It's okay. " She let him lead her to the elevator. "Fox? Could this be the same man that you rescued her from before?" The question surprised him, he'd not thought about their first meeting. Even now it didn't feel like there was a connection. "I don't know Mrs. Scully. I'll mention it to the police, but I don't know how he would have known where Dana lived. He didn't even have a name." She nodded, accepting his words for now. ***** They only had to wait outside of her room for a few minutes. When the nurse emerged Mrs. Scully moved to enter, then turned to him. "Fox?" "You don't mind?" "I'd appreciate it." He tried to smile but couldn't. He was reeling from this. Who could do this to her? He felt the growing need to beat the shit out of something. He seated Mrs. Scully beside her bed and squeezed her shoulder. Mrs. Scully's hand came up and clasped his. They both looked up startled at the discreet tap on the door. An older man stuck his head in and nodded to Mrs. Scully, then motioned for Mulder to step outside. Mulder leaned down. "That's Detective Costas. I'll be right back." He moved out into the hall, pulling the door closed behind him, and glancing inside once more through the window. "What have you found?" "Not much. How's she doing?" "They have her sedated. She had to have plastic surgery. You found nothing in her apartment?" "Listen Mulder, we just got started on this. We've lifted a lot of prints, some are yours." Mulder nodded. "The, uh, the rape kit is being analyzed now. Are you and she . . . " Mulder shook his head, "We haven't been together." "Look, I'm sorry, but - " "You're doing your job. I want you to do whatever you have to do. Did anyone tell you about the assault here in the hospital a couple of weeks ago?" "Yeah." The detective looked down at his notes. "He's out of the running, the perfect alibi. He's in jail. We got him a couple of days after the attack. He was a kid trying to get drugs. She just came on him in the stairs. He was scared and confessed to the attack." "Did you tell her about this?" "I, uh, I don't know. She should have been notified." "Great. Look, I want that evidence analyzed. If you need the Bureau's resources, you've got them." Costas nodded. "I really need to talk to her." Mulder looked grim. "I'll let you know when you can." "Mulder, I'm sorry about - " "Just find him, okay? I need to get back in there." "Yeah." He looked over at the door. ***** "Dana? Dana, can you hear me?" Dana turned toward the sound of her mother's voice and struggled to open her eyes. "Ohhhh." Mulder stepped forward at the sound. Maggie looked up at him with sympathy in her eyes. "Honey, you're going to be okay. You're in the hospital." "Hospital?" She winced and reached up to touch the bandage on her forehead and over part of one eye. "Yes Honey. But Fox found you. Kim says - " "Wait, what?" Dana squinted, what had her mother said? Maggie looked up at Fox and motioned him closer. "Fox got you help very quickly. You're going to be fine." She looked over at the man approaching the bed. "You found me?" "I'm sorry I wasn't there, Dana." She absorbed that for a moment. "Where did you find me?" "Your apartment." He reached for her hand and she shied away from him. "Dana?" "Thank you . . . Fox?" He froze then and looked up at her mother. "Honey, you know Fox, don't you?" "I'm sorry I - " Her look was one of fear now. "Dana, it's okay. Just relax Honey. You're probably a little confused because of the blow to your head. Please don't get upset." "Yeah, look, I'm probably in the way here. I'll give you two some space. And, uh, I'll tell the nurse she's awake." He looked at her for a moment, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. "Fox, I'll give you a call." Mrs. Scully spoke softly. He nodded and turned toward the door. "Mom, has Doug been here?" Mulder stopped, his hand on the door. "Uh, no Dana." She looked up at Mulder, then back at Dana. "Honey, I didn't call him. You two aren't seeing each other anymore." "What are you talking about?" Dana glanced over at Mulder and quickly away. "Maybe . . . maybe I was mistaken. Just rest, Honey. I'll go give Doug a call. Okay?" "Thanks Mom." She closed her eyes and Maggie allowed Mulder to lead her into the hall. "Fox, please." She put her hand on his arm. "Just give her a little time. She's been through a traumatic experience. More so than even she knows. Give her a chance to - " "Mrs. Scully - " "Maggie, please." He managed a small smile. "Maggie. I'm okay. She's the one we need to worry about. If . . . if she wants Doug here, then you should call him. I'll, uh, I'll check with the police, see how the investigation's going. You should get back in there. Would you call me if - " "Of course I will. I think you should stop by this evening. She should be more herself by then." He nodded and she gave him a quick hug. He rode down the elevator in silence, but snatched the phone from his pocket once he reached the lobby. "Costas." "It's Mulder. Where are you?" "My office." "I'll be right there." "Hey, how is she - " But the detective realized he was speaking into a dead phone. What had happened? ***** He looked up as he heard Mulder approach him. The look on the younger man's face didn't bode well. He rose from his chair. "What happened? Were you able to question her?" Mulder sank into the chair beside the desk. "No." "Is she . . . Mulder?" "She doesn't remember." Costas leaned back slightly. "Well that's fairly common, isn't it? I mean, she had a concussion and . . . Mulder?" "She doesn't remember me. She's lost more than just this morning." "Oh. Hey, Mulder, you shouldn't jump to any conclusions. You couldn't have talked to her that long." Mulder sighed, looking at the ceiling for a minute. "Okay, what have you got?" Costas opened the file. Three sets of prints, hers, yours and a Douglas Michaels. You know him?" "Yeah, she was seeing him until . . . Why were his prints on file?" The detective ran his finger down the page. "He's an investment banker, he's bonded so he had to have his prints taken." Mulder nodded, but his eyes had narrowed. "You need to check on this guy." "We did, no criminal record, not even a parking ticket. We're going to question him, but - " "I want to be there." "Hold it. No way, this is not your investigation." "I don't . . . this guy was upset when she told him she didn't want to see him anymore." "Fine, I'll keep that in mind, but you're not interrogating him. Mulder, you're part of the case. Have you met the man?" "Once." "And you didn't like him. Another reason to stay out of this. If he was her boyfriend, then you're already prejudiced against him." Mulder started to speak again, but he couldn't really dispute anything said. Finally he leaned back again. "I need to stay in the loop." "Okay. But let us handle this." "What about the DNA?" Costas actually grinned then, "What did I just say? They're working on it - it'll be a week anyway and then, unless the guy's in some database as a repeat offender - " "A week?" "Mulder, you know the case load." He looked at the agent for a minute, "I'll put a rush on it, call it a Bureau matter." Mulder nodded his thanks and stood. "Mulder, I'll stay on this." "Thanks. You know how to reach me." Costas nodded. "Listen, check back with Dr. Scully. I'm sure she'll remember you." "Yeah, but is that a good thing?" He turned then and headed for his car, leaving a confused detective behind him. ***** Mulder looked through the glass in her door. He didn't see Maggie, but Dana was awake, so he tapped on the door and let himself in. "Dana? How are you feeling?" She looked over at him startled. "Fox, right?" His heart sank, though he tried to keep it from his face. He kept a distance between them rather than take her hand, as he wanted. "Still don't know me, huh?" "I'm sorry." "It's not your fault. Is . . . is Maggie here?" "She went to get a bite to eat." He nodded, unsure what to say to this woman he had been so open with just days ago. "I've, uh, I've talked to Detective Costas. He's going to be working hard to find the man - " "What the hell are you doing here?" Mulder turned as Dana jumped at the intrusion. "Doug? Do you know Fox?" We've met." Was his clipped answer. "You didn't answer my question." "I wanted to see how Dana was doing." He wanted to ask if Doug had a problem with that, but managed to hold his tongue in deference to her. "She's fine, but she doesn't need visitors." "Doug, its - " "The doctor said you were to rest. I'm sure Mr. Mulder would want to respect that." Again Mulder managed to show restraint, though he wanted to flatten this pompous little shit. "Doug's right, Dana. You should rest. If you need anything from your apartment - " "Why would you be anywhere near her apartment?" "I wouldn't necessarily, but since I live upstairs . . . " The smaller man froze and Mulder saw his eyes bug out. "You . . . you live . . . " "Right upstairs. Funny we haven't passed in the hall." "When . . . when did you - " "About three weeks ago." Mulder stated calmly, watching and weighing the man's obvious unease. After a short silence Mulder turned toward the bed again. "Dana, I'll check on you again later." She smiled tentatively, slightly unnerved herself at Doug's reaction. Mulder let himself out and moved down the hall until he was out of sight of her room. Then he stopped, and leaned his back against the wall. What the hell had that been about? "Fox?" He opened his eyes to see Maggie approaching him, a worried expression on her face. "Maggie." He managed to smile. "Did you see her?" "For a second. Doug was there." Maggie rolled her eyes. That brought a chuckle to his lips. "Thanks." "Sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I've been a mother long enough to know you can't criticize choices." She sighed, "as much as you'd like to." "Have you spent much time with him?" "Very little. In fact, I had the impression she wasn't seeing him anymore." "She wasn't. But that memory is apparently gone too." He glanced back in the direction of her room. "Don't worry, Fox. She'll remember soon." He sighed and nodded. "Does she know about . . . " "Yes. She's being Dana, stoic and strong. She doesn't want to talk about it. She's going to have to get help, but she'll have to reach that conclusion herself." "I talked with Detective Costas. I'm not letting this filter down in the stack." "Thank you, Fox. I think they're going to let her go home tomorrow. I'm still trying to talk her into coming home with me." "Is she resisting that?" "Of course. It would be a sign of weakness." She sighed, "I need to get back in there. I'm just not comfortable around Doug." "Will you call me if you need anything?" "Thank you, Fox. I will." She turned back toward her daughter's room. Mulder watched her walk away, but after a couple of seconds, didn't actually see her, his mind clicking into gear. Why had Doug been so freaked that he lived in the building? Where had the man been this morning? Okay, he wasn't officially part of the investigation but when had he ever followed any rules? He pulled the phone from his inside coat pocket and dialed. "Danny, it's me. I need some information about a Douglas Michaels. Everything you can get. Yeah. Yeah, I'm headed in. Thanks." ***** "It's him." Costas looked up to see Mulder looming over him. "Shit, Mulder could you make a little noise when you move?" He shook the hot coffee off of his fingers. "Sorry. But you need to bring Michaels in." "Michaels." "Yeah, he's the one that attacked Dr. Scully." "You got proof? Come on Mulder, we've worked together enough - " "Have you taken his DNA?" "No, but he admits they were lovers. She agrees. Mulder, if he had been the one to attack her, she'd recognize - " "She doesn't remember. She's blocked it out of her memory." "What about his alibi?" "He got to work on time. That's not an alibi, this attack happened early in the morning. I'd gone out to get breakfast before the attack. Why are you going easy on this guy? Because he's a banker?" "No, because he's a friend of the victim and he's spending time with her, giving her comfort and support. Look, I can understand why you'd think - " "He did it. He's using her memory lapse to cover himself and make nice. She had dumped him, I know he came over and confronted her once about that." "But you're the only one that remembers that." "No, she doesn't remember it and he's lying. Bring him in. Have him take a polygraph. Take his DNA. Treat him like a real suspect, because that's what he is." "A polygraph?" "Yeah, and ask him if he knows anyone else who lives in her building." "Ask what?" "That's what set him off. He was furious that she had dumped him. Then he found out that I was living there, but he thought I was living with her. That sent him over the edge, don't you see? He was punishing her for being with me. He found out yesterday that I'm not living with her. If you go after him now, before he has a chance to regroup . . . " Costas sighed, "That's flimsy." Mulder shrugged, "Prove me wrong." ***** He knocked on the door and looked directly at the peephole, so that she could see him clearly. After a long moment she opened the door to the length of the chain on the door. "Dana, could I come in?" She looked at him, then nodded and shut the door. It opened again and she stood aside to let him enter. "I tried to find your mother, but she wasn't home." "She just left. She went to get some things from the store for me." He nodded. "They, uh, they've arrested someone in your case. I wanted you to hear it from me. You want to sit down?" She looked him over and finally nodded, seating herself on one end of the couch. He took the other end, as far from her as possible. He watched her, taking in her unease. "You still don't remember me. I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable." "You . . . you said they had arrested someone?" "Yes, Doug, Doug Michaels." "Doug? No, he - " "He's confessed, Dana. When he, when he thought you had taken another lover so soon after throwing him over, he snapped." "Who, who did he think I was sleeping with?" "Well, me." "Oh." She looked down, flustered. "He, he didn't realize that I had moved in upstairs. He's the one that keyed my car as well. I guess you don't remember that either." She shook her head. "I . . . I wouldn't think Doug was capable of what - " "I don't think he knew he was either. Do you remember how he reacted when he found out I lived upstairs?" She nodded. "He was . . . I think he regrets it, but . . . that's not enough. He hurt you badly. Maybe you'll forgive him some day. I won't." She didn't speak, just watching him. "Well, I uh . . . " He rose from the couch. "You'd probably like to be alone now. I'll head upstairs. You're okay, aren't you? When's your mother due back?" "I'm okay. Thank you. I just . . . I need to think about . . . Thank you for the information." She knew that sounded formal, unemotional, but she needed to stay in control. She rose as well, to see him out. Before either of them could move, they heard the knock on the door. He saw the fear immediately form in her eyes. "You want me to get it?" "What? Uh, no, I'll get it." She glanced up at him and away. She moved toward the door. She checked the peephole and frowned. He moved slightly closer to her. She noted it and smiled her thanks. "Yes?" "Dana? You remember me?" "Dana, this is Melvin Frohike. He's a friend of mine, you've met him a couple of times." She nodded, "You do look familiar." Mulder turned to look at her then. "Really?" Frohike grinned, and backhanded Mulder in the chest. "Women don't forget the Frohike charm, tall guy." She actually chuckled at that, and seemed to relax a little. "I was looking for you, Mulder. I have that info you wanted. When you weren't upstairs, I thought I'd check down here." He glanced over at Dana. "I'll get out of here, glad you're feeling better." She involuntarily touched the bandage on her forehead. "Thank you." "See you guys later." Frohike clapped Mulder on the shoulder and left the apartment, pulling the door closed behind him. Mulder turned immediately to Dana. "You recognized him?" "I . . . I'm not sure. When I looked out at him, I was . . . he was kind of scary looking, but then I remembered that you were here." Mulder blinked at that. "Thank you." "But when he came in, there was something about him . . . I'd seen him before, in a good context. I mean, he wasn't scary anymore. When did I meet him?" "He helped me move in here. He and two other guys, my friends, Byers and Langly. You shared a pizza with them, and fortunately my taste in friends didn't scare you off." She managed a smile at that. "I think a lot of things would be less scary with you around." That statement surprised even her. He automatically reached out to her, but stopped himself. "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me." "I don't remember you. I wish I did." "I wish you did too." He nodded and opened the door again. "I'm upstairs if you need anything." She shut the door behind him and felt a deep sadness. She made her way back to the couch and sat trying to assimilate the information he had brought. That's where she was sitting when her mother let herself back into the apartment. "Dana? Did something happen?" She dropped the bag she was carrying and hurried to her daughter's side. That was when Dana realized she was crying. "I'm okay. Mr. Mulder was here earlier. They . . . they arrested Doug." Her mother nodded. "You knew?" "Fox told me he had done it. I didn't know they had the proof." "Why didn't you say something?" "Because you were leaning on the man and you didn't remember. Fox believed it was him, he was positive, but he didn't want to upset you. That's why he came to me." "He was protecting me?" "Oh yes. That man would do anything to protect you. He's devastated that he . . . allowed this to happen. I've tried to tell him that he couldn't have known, but . . ." "He cares that much about me?" "I've never seen anyone so upset and . . . guilty. You two had become very close in a very short time. I've gotten to know him a little bit over the last few days. I don't know why he feels as guilty as he does, I feel like he's absorbed a lot of guilt in his life and is used to it. Of course, I don't know that, it's just a feeling." "You like him." "Very much. I hope that's not the kiss of death for him." Dana managed to smile then, "No. He is an attractive man." "Very." "A friend of his stopped by while he was here, looking for him. Did he spend much time here?" "I don't know." "Oh! His friend, Melvin Frohike, he looked familiar." "Familiar? That's wonderful. Do you know from where?" Dana shook her head. "Mom, I'm tired." "Why don't I stay here tonight, Dana? I don't want you to - " "Mom, thanks. But I need some time. Doug's in . . . in custody. I'll be safe. And Mr. Mulder is upstairs, in an emergency." "Would you call him?" Her mother asked softly. "I . . . I think I would." Maggie nodded and after a moment, bent to pick up the groceries she had dropped when she entered the apartment. "I got everything on your list and some dinner for you. I'll head on home, but promise me you'll call Fox or me if you need anything." "Thanks Mom. I'm okay." She shook her head at her mother's expression. "Well, I will be." "I know." Maggie hugged her, then reluctantly left for home. Dana forced herself to eat some of the dinner her mother had brought her, and put away the supplies she had gotten. She turned on the TV, but in a few minutes flipped it back off. She couldn't get interested in the book she had been reading, or even the magazine on her coffee table. She wasn't sleepy either, instead she found herself pacing around the apartment. Doug had come into her apartment and . . . and . . . She closed her eyes. She shuddered, suddenly incredibly lonely. She had trusted Doug, given her body to him willingly many times. And he had done this because she had wanted to quit seeing him? What kind of man would do that? This Mulder wouldn't. She already knew that about him, if nothing else. Maybe a nice warm bath would help. But instead she found herself in her bedroom. She opened the drawer in her bedside stand and pulled out her address book. It was there, Mulder's phone number. She'd known it would be somehow. Her mother wouldn't deceive her and somehow she knew he wouldn't either." Before she would allow herself to change her mind, she dialed. "Mulder." "Hello. This is - " "Dana. Are you okay?" She took a deep breath. "I'm not sure how to answer that. I'm lonely but I don't want you to come down. Could you just talk to me a little?" "I'd love to." She could hear him getting settled. "We've done this before." "We have?" "Yeah. I have to travel in my job and when I'm out of town, you feed my fish and I call you to check on them." "I feed your fish?" She laughed a little nervously, was he kidding? "Yeah, you have a key. You're the only one I could trust with such a heavy responsibility." "Not Mr. Frohike?" He laughed out loud then. "Oh no, I like finding them alive when I return." She felt herself relaxing for the first time in ages. "Tell me how we met." ***** She woke the next morning rested, her headache barely noticeable. After a quick shower she dressed and fixed breakfast. She was washing up when she heard the knock at the door. For the first time that morning she felt a nervousness come over her. She moved toward the door and when she saw him felt her shoulders relax. She opened the door, and smiled. "I guess I should have called first, but I wanted to see if you were okay." "I'm okay. Thanks for keeping me company last night." "I was very glad to do it. When you're . . . when you're up to it, I'd like to take you to a place we went before. It's a . . . a relaxing place. We . . . we were close then, the closest we'd gotten." "I'd like to see it." He nodded, "When you're feeling better." "I am feeling better." "What?" "I'm sorry. You have to work." And her boldness surprised even her. "No, no I don't have to be anywhere today. But are you sure you want to . . . to go somewhere with a stranger." "I'm not sure you really classify as a stranger. From what I hear, you've saved me several times. And my mother really likes you." He mock cringed. "And that doesn't turn you off?" She grinned, "No, but don't tell her that." She sobered, "You wouldn't hurt me, would you?" "Never." She heard the depth of that statement. She nodded then. "Take me to this place, the place where we were close." "Call your mother. I'm not going to take you anywhere without her knowing about it." "Okay." She reached for her phone. "Mom? No, I'm fine. Mulder is here. I've asked him to take me to a place he told me about, someplace he says he took me before. He wanted you to know." She nodded, "Sure, here he is." She handed the phone to Mulder. "Maggie?" "What's going on Fox?" "She wants me to take her to a place in Virginia. It was the last place we went together. I think she wants to remember." "I know she does. Thank you for calling me. Fox, keep an eye on her. She's not as strong as she wants everyone to believe." "I know. You still have my cell phone number? We'll have it with us." "Thank you, Fox. I hope this works." "Me too. I'll give you back to Dana." He handed her the phone. "I'm gonna get some things. I'll be right back." When he returned he'd changed into jeans and t-shirt. She couldn't stop her review of his body as he stood in front of her and she suddenly wondered if she had made a good decision. "If you've changed your mind, I understand." She met his eyes startled. Was she that transparent? He gave her a worried smile, "The last thing I want to do is rush you." She straightened her shoulders. "No, I want to do this. I haven't been anywhere but the hospital or inside here in days. You cleared it at work?" "Yeah, they're glad to have me out of the place." She looked puzzled at that. "Don't worry about it. I'll explain later. Be honest Dana, do you want to do this?" "Honestly? Yes and no." He nodded, watching her closely. "But after last night, if I'm going to heal, I feel like you could help." "I want to." "Were you this good a neighbor at your last apartment?" He laughed then, "You know, there are some things you'd be better off not remembering. Especially about me." Dana took a deep breath. "Let's go." He smiled, then his hand came up to touch her back. He stopped himself and shrugged. She noted the gesture and held her silence, moving ahead of him out of her door. ***** The closer to Skyland Mountain they got, the quieter she became. He was ready to offer to turn around when she looked over at him. "We were here?" "Yeah. Nothing looks familiar?" She shook her head and seemed to shrink slightly. "Hey, don't give up yet. Wait until you see the beautiful spot I'm taking you. Dana, you know I'll take you home, right now, if you want." "No." "Dana, you don't have to be strong for me." She was quiet then, so he kept on driving. When he pulled into the parking lot and stopped the car, he felt her shudder. Rather than ask again, he let himself out of the car. He opened the trunk, giving her time, but she let herself out and came back to meet him. He threw the blanket over his shoulder and reached for the bag. "Aren't I supposed to carry the blanket?" He looked up at her and after a moment nodded, transferring the blanket to her shoulder. "Thanks." He led her to the spot they had visited before, occasionally taking her hand to help her over the terrain, but otherwise allowing her to move without him. He stopped finally, "This is the place." She turned to look at the vista and allowed him to take the blanket from her shoulder and spread it out. When he turned back to her, she was rubbing her forehead. "Dana? You okay?" "My head . . . I - " She stumbled and he caught her. "Dana!" "I can't . . . Oh my god . . ." She collapsed into his arms then, sobbing. "Dana, Dana can you hear me?" God, what had he done, bringing this fragile woman out to the middle of nowhere? She was completely hysterical, but instead of pushing him away, she was clawing at him, trying to get closer to him. He tightened his hold and lowered both of them to the blanket. He held her close, so that she couldn't harm herself. He couldn't leave her to get help, so he spoke softly to her, letting her get it all out. Her grip finally eased and her breath began hitching. He realized she had cried herself to sleep. Now what was he supposed to do? He eased her down onto the blanket, but she shivered, so he lay down beside her and drew her back into his arms. That seemed to satisfy her and he felt her relax slightly. He smoothed the hair back from her face and pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. How could he have put her in this position? He did have that damn degree in psychology - why hadn't it occurred to him to use it? He'd promised Maggie to look after her. Her sleep wasn't peaceful, but he held her when she struggled with her dreams, and after a little more than an hour she opened her eyes. "Mu . . . Mulder?" "It's okay. I'll take you home." She shook her head, "I remember." "You remember?" "What we talked about here, you, and . . . and what Doug did." She shivered then and moved closer to the warmth of his body. "Dana, I'm sorry. I didn't think, I wanted you to remember, but not like this. I need to get you home." "No, not yet." "Tell me what you need." "I need to see the sunset." His mouth fell slightly open at those words and then the smile began to grow in his eyes. "Yeah. That's a good idea." She cuddled in, not speaking, just absorbing the peace of the place. Finally she took a deep breath. "This is the place where we decided to take it slow." He nodded. "Mulder, do you still want a relationship with me?" She said it quickly, needing to get the words out. He blinked, "Do you doubt it? I'm here, I want to be here with you." "Make love with me." "Here? Now?" She had caught him completely off guard. Dana nodded. "Do you have any protection?" "Uh, if you're talking about the condom in my wallet, it's been there since high school and I really wouldn't trust it." She laughed lightly at that. "There should be some in my bag." "You, uh, you always carry condoms?" "They distribute them at the clinic." "I love a woman who can take care of me." He kissed her thoroughly, "but I'm not sure this is a wise idea. You were just in the hospital." "Then you'll have to be gentle." She murmured as she nipped at his throat. "You're, uh, very persuasive . . . oh god." ***** They held each other as the sun went down. When the colors faded, he looked back down at her. "You're incredible." She smiled up at him, relaxed and at peace. "This was the right place and the right time." She sighed then and looked back at the sky. "What'cha thinking?" He asking, watching her. "To be honest, that I should invest in Adam and Eve." "Beg pardon?" She laughed then, "It's the company in North Carolina that supplies the clinic with . . . supplies." He laughed out loud then, "Are you kidding?" "Nope, it's a real company. And right now my gratitude knows no bounds." She grinned at him. "I could stay here forever." He nodded. "But as much as I hate to say it, it's going to get dark quick. We should head back to the car." She sighed and reluctantly nodded. He rose to his feet and gently pulled her to her feet. When she winced his grip tightened. "You okay?" "Wonderful." "You sure?" She could hear the concern in his voice. "Mulder, you were very gentle, but you can't help how . . . well endowed you are. I'm not complaining." He shook his head then, just looking at her. After a moment he bent to pick up the blanket, which he shook out and placed over her shoulder again. He gathered up their trash and stuffed it in his bag. He took her hand then, and they headed back to the car. He started the engine, then pulled his phone from his pocket. "Call your mother. We've been gone a lot longer than she thought, I'm sure." She nodded and dialed. "Mom? Hi. Thought I'd check in. No, we're in Virginia, but headed home. Mulder. Mom, I remember him, I remember it all." Mulder glanced over at her. Not all her memories were pleasant unfortunately. She looked at him and smiled. "She wants to speak to you." He took the phone. "Maggie?" "Is it true? She remembers?" "Yes. I think she's okay." "I'm sure she is, thanks to you. I don't know what you did, but I'm eternally grateful." Dana watched the dark red take over his face, but his words were steady. "Your daughter is an incredible woman." "True, but now I can see her happy as well. Be careful and tell Dana I'll talk to her tomorrow." She hung up the phone and Mulder disconnected his own. "You okay Mulder?" "I . . . I've never had a mother thank me for . . . that before." "She's wise, Mulder, but she's not psychic. She probably still doesn't know." "God, I hope not. I want her to like me." "Don't worry. She adores you. You're all she talked about while I was in the hospital. She only left me alone last night because you were upstairs and I promised to call you if I needed anything." "No way." "Way, Mulder. She thinks you're the world's best neighbor." "What about her daughter?" "Oh, she thinks having you live in the building could be damn convenient." "Convenient?" "Yeah, I think she would like to see a lot of you. Get to know you better than she's known anyone. Having you live upstairs could be considered 'convenient'." The smile he shot her was reassuring. "The fact that you remember me and want to know more is . . . I don't know a word for it. It's never happened before." "Do I get to hear how many times you've tried it?" "That could take a couple of minutes. Dana, I haven't had a 'relationship' since I got back from England. I've gone out a few times, but - " "You've been back from England for years, Mulder." "I've been trying to find my sister, and working. I spend free time with the guys, but most of the time I work." "You called in today without even hesitating." "I wanted to be with you. I'm not sure how you did it, but . . . you're different. I can't . . . being with you feels right. It feels . . . complete." Her eyes grew wide at that. "Now I am scaring you." He sounded uneasy. "No, not exactly scaring." "Then what?" "Reading my mind." He looked over at her, then back at the road. As soon as it was possible, he pulled the car over and put it in park. "Say that again." "I'm not calling you Spooky." She didn't know how to feel under his intense gaze. "What do you mean, reading your mind." "Mulder, I feel the same. We hadn't said more than a dozen words to each other when I knew that I didn't want to see Doug anymore. I didn't know if I would ever see you again, but I knew that what I had with Doug wasn't right, wasn't enough. I felt like I knew you. It wasn't just that you put me at ease when you rescued me in the stairwell, or that you recognized me at the restaurant. Mulder, I've never done it, but if you hadn't moved in, I would have called you." She saw the disbelief on his face. "Don't you believe me?" "God, I want to." "Relax, Mulder. You still have a lot to learn about me too." "I'm beginning to think it wasn't just an incredibly lucky coincidence that I moved into your building." "Fate, Mulder?" "Oh we do have a lot to talk about. Your place or mine?" "Well, mine has a bed." He laughed out loud then. "Come on neighbor. Let's go home." She smiled and leaned back. She felt healed, well healing anyway and she couldn't wait to complete the task - with him.