From: ephemeral@ephemeralfic.org
Date: 28 Dec 2005 19:47:21 -0000
Subject: Alphabet Soup: J is for Juxtapose by YappiChick
Source: direct

Reply To: yappichick@yahoo.com


Title: Alphabet Soup: J is for Juxtapose
Email: YappiChick@yahoo.com
Summary: Juxtapose: v. to place side by side, especially for 
comparison or contrast.
Website: http://www.geocities.com/yappichick
Feedback: Some people need food to survive, others feedback.
Rating: PG
Archive: Absolutely!  It's nice to know my fic has other homes!
Spoilers: The End
Category: A
Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.
Author's note:  This is a continuation of my Alphabet Soup series.
You should probably read the privious installments or else it won't
make any sense.  And as always, a BIG thank you goes to my 
ncredible beta, MF Luder! :)

J is for Juxtapose
by YappiChick

Dana Scully's Apartment
7:15 p.m.

"So, Diana Fowley is your new partner?" Scully asked icily.  She 
had asked Mulder to come over to her apartment for dinner to fill
her in on what happened during his meeting with Skinner.  After 
hearing his summary of the day, she was beginning to regret inviting
him over.

Mulder winced as she stabbed the innocent piece of orange peel 
chicken on her plate.  He should have known she was going to take
that piece of news difficultly.  "No, I told you she *wants* to be
my new partner. I already voiced my concerns to Skinner and he's 
going to see what Kersh says."

His answer didn't satisfy her.  "And what happens if they deny 
your request?"

"I don't know," he responded exasperatedly.  He was starting to get
angry.  It wasn't as though he made the decision to make Diana his 
partner.  "Maybe I'll quit the Bureau and become your sidekick.  
Nurse Mulder has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"Better than Mr. Fowley," she muttered.

He pushed his chair away from the table and began pacing.  "Is that
what this is about?  My marriage to Diana?"

Scully raised her eyebrow, challenging him.  "Isn't it?"

"No, Scully, it's not," he answered harshly.  "Yes, Diana and I 
were married.  Yes, she and I left on relatively good terms.  Yes,
I consider her my friend.  But, she's not my partner.  There's a 
difference and I'm sorry if you can't understand that."

"I don't trust her," Scully argued.

"Paranoia is my forte, Scully."

She stood up, taking her plate off the table.  "You are so gullible,
Mulder.  Do you think it was just by chance that as soon as I 
resigned they brought in your ex-wife, who you still care about, to
be my replacement?  For God's sake, you can't even sleep with another
agent without having to explain your actions to OPR.  And you think
that there is nothing suspicious about them letting a woman who 
obviously cares about you and wants you to be your partner?"

A smirk passed over his face.  "You cared about me when we were 
partners and you didn't seem to care about OPR then.  Or do you just
let any of your superior agents kiss you in the middle of their 
hallway."

She felt her stomach hit the floor.  Though her rage was intense, 
it was nothing compared to the hurt she was feeling.  Did she 
really think a personal relationship would work out with Mulder?  
She should have listened to her unfailing logic that night that she
kissed him.  A personal relationship with Mulder was never going to
work.

His harshness was nothing new, especially when they disagreed 
strongly with each other.  But, he had never personally attacked her
like tonight.  She knew that the people he cared about the most often
received the worse in him.  It was a burden she could not handle.

"Go home, Mulder."

He rolled his eyes.  Now that he allowed himself to get mad, he was
taking all the frustrations of the day out on her.  "Sure thing.  
When the going gets tough, Scully gets going.  Or in this case, she 
kicks her boyfriend out."

"You are not my boyfriend."  She wondered how this situation spiraled
out of control.

"Obviously not."  He walked to the door.  "See you around, Scully.
Have fun saving the world."  With that, he slammed the door.

Once she was sure he left, Scully curled up on her couch and cried
softly.


Fox Mulder's Apartment
8:02 p.m.

Mulder was still fuming when he reached his apartment.  He couldn't
believe how jealous and prissy Scully was acting.  He didn't expect
Scully to be so insecure when it came to their relationship.  He 
could see her in her apartment now, sharpening her claws in case 
Diana became his partner. 

When Mulder got to his apartment door, he noticed it was open 
slightly.  Fear replaced anger as he pulled his gun out of the 
holster.  He opened the door with his foot. "Freeze!" he shouted.

Diana put down the fish food calmly, as if expecting him.  "Fox," 
she greeted.

"I hope you didn't give them any food.  I already have someone to 
feed my fish," he said dryly, putting his gun away.

She laughed softly as she took a seat on his couch.  "Who would 
that be?  Dr. Scully?  She's going to be too busy to help you out 
with your pets."

He ignored her comment, not wanting to rise to the bait.  "What 
are you doing here, Diana?"

She ran her hand seductively on the couch.  "You know, I am surprised
that you have kept this couch all these years.  Though, with the 
memories of us that are attached to it, I would have a hard time 
letting it go too."  Diana patted the cushion next to her.  "We 
need to talk."

Like a moth drawn to a flame, Mulder did as she requested.  "What's
up?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

"I heard that you have put in a request to deny my position to 
become your partner," she said.

He shifted uncomfortably.  "Yeah, I did."

She frowned slightly.  "I think after all we've been through, you
would at least give me an explanation why you would do something 
like that."  She leaned forward so that her lips were close to his
ear.  "We make such a good team, Fox."

Mulder stood up abruptly, disrupting Diana's attempt to seduce him.
"We made an ok team, Diana.  What we had was nothing compared to 
Scully and I.  We made the best team the FBI ever had."

"Had, Fox.  She isn't coming back, you know," she taunted.  "She's
going to be swamped helping all those poor people at the clinic."

He narrowed his eyes.  Mulder thought back to how Scully said she
didn't trust Diana.  Maybe she had reason to.  "How did you know 
where Scully was working?"  

Diana paused as she realized her mistake.  "Skinner told me after
you left," she lied.

"Try again.  I haven't spoken to Skinner about where Scully is 
working."  

She stayed silent, not wanting to get caught in her lie any further.

"Who are you working for?  Kersh?  The Smoking Man?" he shouted.

She stood up and caressed his cheek.  "I can help you so much, Fox.
There are things that I know that you can only dream of."

He pulled away from her touch.  "I will not sell my soul to the 
devil for a few false leads."

Her lips pressed together.  "He is not the devil, Fox.  In fact, 
he may be our savior."

"I wasn't talking about him," he shot back.  "Get out, Diana.  And
you can tell whoever you are working for that they will have to 
come up with something better to ruin me."

She shrugged slightly.  "After all this time, you still have learned
nothing.  You think that you are better than me because you have 
morals.  Where has that gotten you?  Nowhere.  My God, you are still
in the same place that we got when we were married."  She put down a
piece of paper with her phone number on his coffee table.  "When you
grow up let me know and I'll be able to help you."

Mulder plopped on his couch after she closed the door behind her.  
Scully had been right; Diana was dirty.  His gut tightened as he 
thought of the terrible things he had said to Scully.

What have I done? he asked himself.