From: ANGELA WARD Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 06:55:52 -0800 (PST) Subject: Fanfic submission Source: direct Title: "Differences and Similarities" Author: Angela W. Category: MSR/Crossover Rating: R to mild NC-17 Summary: Mulder and Scully, now married, investigate a series of killings in New York City. Crossover with the characters of S.J. Rozan. Timespan/Spoilers: In the "real" X-Files universe, this would take place sometime after Season Seven, but I don't think there are spoilers for any particular episodes. In my series of "married" fanfics, this one takes place after "Merry Christmas, Mulder". Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me. Mulder, Scully and anybody else from "The X-Files" are the property of Chris Carter and 1013 Productions. Bill Smith, Lydia Chin and Mary Kee are the property of S.J. Rozan. Feedback: If it's nice or contains *CONSTRUCTIVE* criticism, feedback is valued. I'd be especially thrilled to hear from anybody who has read any of S.J. Rozan's mysteries. Archive: Feel free to archive anywhere. Just make sure my name, e-mail addy and disclaimer are attached. F.B.I Special Agent Fox Mulder slid a final pile of papers into his brief case and reached for his jacket. Almost five and time to hit the road. He couldn't wait to get home. It was, he admitted to himself ruefully, a far cry from the days when he worked the X-Files. Then, he and Scully would often burn the midnight oil in their basement office. He'd developed a reputation as a workaholic back in those days but, to be honest, he was really more of a Scullyholic. It wasn't that he enjoyed working so much as he enjoyed spending time with her. Now the object of his addiction was at home. Along with the second object of his affection, their infant daughter Melissa. Since money wasn't a problem, Scully had opted to take the full six months of allowable maternity leave. Mulder knew she really enjoyed the time she spent with the baby. But he also knew that, after an entire day as an at-home mother, she was usually eager for conversation with another adult by the day's end. "Agent Mulder? Can I talk to you about something?" Mulder looked up to see Special Agent Andrew Chan standing in the doorway, holding several files. The young Asian-American man was Mulder's personal favorite among the agents on his serial killers task force. "Will it take long?" Mulder asked. "It might," Chan admitted. "But it's kind of an offbeat case - if it even is a case - and I'd like your advice on it." "Would you be willing to come home with me, so we can look it over there? That way we'd have Scully's input, too." "If it wouldn't be an imposition," Chan replied. Mulder shook his head. "No problem." After a quick call to Scully to announce he was bringing Chan home with him - Mulder figured that all three of them would be terminally embarrassed if Scully chose this evening to greet him in a negligee or something - and a promise to pick up some takeout food for dinner, Mulder and Chan left. "Can I ask you a really stupid question?" Mulder asked as he and Chan walked out to the parking garage. "What?" "Do you like Chinese food?" Chan chuckled. "Actually, that question isn't as stupid as you might think. A lot of Chinese-Americans don't like what passed for "Chinese" food in most take-out restaurants. As it so happens, I like it okay." "We'll pick some up, then head out to the house," Mulder replied. "If you lose sight of me in the Beltway traffic, buzz my cell phone." Within less than an hour, both cars pulled up in front of Mulder and Scully's home. Mulder practically leaped out of the car. From the time he left in the morning 'til the time he returned in the evenings, he was away from Scully ten hours every day. Too damned long, in his opinion. Scully, holding Melissa in her arms, opened the door and smiled at him as he walked up the driveway. Mulder had to admit that some heretofore buried part of his psyche really enjoyed this ritual. It could have been a scene from his own childhood or even from his father's childhood. Mommy and baby waiting in the doorway to greet Daddy when he returned home from a hard day's work. Mulder kissed Scully - on the mouth, but only briefly, since Chan was right behind him - and took Melissa from her. "Hi, pumpkin," he said, kissing his daughter's downy soft cheek. He was rewarded with a toothless smile. "Hi, Dr. Scully," Chan said as he entered the house behind Mulder. "Hello, Chan," she replied. "Please don't feel you have to call me Dr. Scully all evening. Either Scully or Dana is fine." The four of them went into the dining room and Mulder secured Melissa in her infant seat while Scully dished up the food Mulder had brought home and poured glasses of iced tea. By mutual, unspoken consent, they didn't discuss the case during dinner. Once the table had been cleared and Melissa resituated on a play quilt in the living room, Chan opened his briefcase and took out a pile of folders. "So, tell us about this case that might not even be a crime," Mulder said. "Well, there's no doubt that a crime - several crimes, actually - took place," Chan said. "What's doubtful is whether or not there's any connection between them or anything that would make them a matter for the bureau to investigate." "Why don't you start at the beginning," suggested Scully. "With where and when the crimes happened and how they came to your attention." "The crimes - two murders and an assault - took place in New York City during the past two months. All three in or very near Chinatown. They came to my attention because a private investigator named Lydia Chin, who's a personal friend of mine, asked me to see if there might not be a link between the three of them." "Is Lydia a girlfriend or ex-girlfriend of yours?" Mulder asked. "No, but not from lack of trying on the part of would-be matchmakers in both our families," Chan said. "Lydia's brother is married to my cousin. We met at their wedding and have seen each other at a couple of other family parties since then. Both her mother and my aunt thought that, since we're both vaguely in what could be termed law enforcement, the two of us would make a perfect couple. Lydia and I realized early on there just wasn't any attraction of that nature between us, but getting that message through to our respective families has been difficult. Still, I'm the only person she knows who works for the F.B.I. and when she asked me to look into this case, I didn't want to turn her down." "Let's see the files," Mulder suggested. Mulder and Scully, sitting beside each other on the couch, skimmed over each of the three files while Chan remained quiet. "Well," he said, when they put the third file down. Mulder spoke slowly, "On the surface, there doesn't seem to be any connection to the three crimes. The first victim was a 34-year-old married white male who was killed two months ago in Chinatown by blunt force trauma to the head. M.E.'s report says most likely a baseball bat, but no weapon was found at the scene. Second victim was a 26-year-old unmarried black male who was killed five weeks ago a block or so away from Chinatown. M.O. is similar, but this time around it looks like the weapon was more likely a rock or brick; again, no weapon was found. Most recent victim, who was beaten but not killed, is a 45-year-old divorced white male. The location of this one, which occurred just last week, is also in Chinatown." "There are some similarities," Scully said. "But in a city the size of New York there's a lot of violent crime. I'm not sure any three assaults or murders selected at random wouldn't show a certain number of points in common." "If you - or your friend Lydia - is thinking this is the work of a serial killer, I seriously doubt it," Mulder said. "Serial killers rarely cross racial lines and, interestingly enough, the killer and his victims are almost always of the same race. They also tend to target people who are fairly similar in age and marital status - say, young single men or middle-aged married women." "Other than the fact that all three victims were male and that all were residents of New York City, rather than visitors, I don't really see any similarities between the three victims," Scully said. "There's a link, but it's a tenuous one," Chan said. "But the most recent victim - the only one who survived - is a business associate of Lydia's. More than that really; closer to a business partner, I suppose, and a personal friend as well." "So, are you going to tell us what this. . .Bill Smith," Mulder said, glancing at the file again, "has in common with, um, Rick Kirkland and Delroy Jackson?" "As I said, Bill and Lydia are business partners and friends. They're both private detectives. A Chinese-American woman and a white man. Rick Kirkland's wife was Chinese-American. For the last few months of his life, Delroy Jackson was dating a Chinese-American woman." Mulder and Scully were silent for a moment, their eyes meeting in a glance of unspoken communication. Could be, they both agreed. It's a lot less weird than some of the cases we've investigated over the years. "So your theory - or Lydia's theory, maybe - is that these are hate crimes? Some whacko with bizarre ideas of racial purity meting out punishment on those who dare to cross ethnic lines in their relationships?" Mulder asked. "I see a glitch with that theory," Scully said. "We're dealing with different kinds of relationships. Kirkland and Jackson had personal relationships, intimate relationships with the Chinese-American women in their lives. But you say Bill and Lydia have a business relationship." Chan shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure it's strictly a business relationship. Lydia was very upset when she called me. More upset than, I'd think, most people would be if something bad happened to someone who was merely a professional acquaintance. I didn't really question her about the details of her relationship with Bill. It started out as a business relationship, I know that. But you two, of all people, should now that relationships which begin as professional partnerships can sometimes grow more personal over the years." Mulder and Scully smiled at each other over that last remark. It was true that they had done exactly what the F.B.I. most strongly encouraged male and female agents who were partnered together *NOT* to do: fallen in love with each other and gotten married. Even had a child which, judging by the reactions of some of the bureau brass to the news of Melissa's arrival, had simply been adding insult to injury. Melissa chose that moment to let out a wail. "She's probably ready for a diaper change and then to be fed and go to sleep," Scully said. "I'll be back down with her in a few minutes." "You stay here and go over the reports," Mulder suggested. "I'll get her ready for bed and bring her back down to you." Mulder scooped his daughter up in his arms, making goofy faces at her while he carried her upstairs. She was such a delight! Scully put the three reports side by side. Bill Smith's injuries had been similar to, but less severe than, the ones that led to death for the other men. "Does Lydia have any ideas as to why her. . .partner survived while the other two men didn't? Especially as he was older, it would be likely that his injuries would be more severe, not less so?" "Lydia chalked it up to Bill being street smart; you know, tough and savvy. Unlike the other two who were, by profession, an engineer and an insurance agent, Bill's been in dangerous situations before. He probably realized the danger before the attack actually began and so was able to defend himself to a certain extent," Chan said. Mulder soon returned with Melissa, who was now wearing a nightgown. She opened her mouth and made gulping noises when she saw her mother. "Will it bother you if I feed her while we talk?" Scully asked. "I know some single men feel uneasy around nursing mothers." "I don't mind," Chan said. "I appreciate you - both of you - giving up an evening of your personal time to look into this for me." "Actually," Scully said, smiling at both her husband and Chan while getting her daughter situated, "I'm enjoying it. Mulder shares the information from some of his cases with me, of course, but this is the first time since Melissa was born that I've been in on the ground floor of an investigation." Mulder glanced at his wife. He supposed the picture she made ought to look faintly absurd. She had Melissa in the crook of one arm and was holding an autopsy report in the opposite hand. Rather than amusing him, however, he found that looking at her evoked feelings that were a mixture of pride, tenderness and desire. One of the things he'd always loved most about Scully was her multi-faceted personality. Her ability to nurse their daughter while assimilating the facts of a homicide was only further proof of that. Scully looked up to see Mulder smiling at her and smiled back. She'd been telling the truth when she said she was glad to be included in the case, and she really enjoyed Chan's company, but she was beginning to wish the younger agent would leave now. She wanted to touch her husband some more. Usually, from the moment he arrived home, they were in contact. He'd nuzzle her, hold her in his lap, run his fingers along her arm. . .but, she supposed that Mulder felt such behavior, even in the privacy of their own home, would be inappropriate in front of another agent. Except for the brief kiss when he first arrived, he'd maintained his distance. She took advantage of switching Melissa to the opposite breast to brush her fingertips lightly along Mulder's forearm and was rewarded by seeing his smile grow even brighter and a "Wanna play?" twinkle in his eyes. "So. . .what do you two think?" Chan asked. "Is there a connection here? Or are Lydia and I just making mountains out of molehills?" "I don't know," Mulder said slowly. "The Ku Klux Klan or a similar white supremacist type group might want to "punish" white men for becoming involved with Asian women. But I don't really think they would care about blacks and Asians becoming involved with each other; to their mindset it would probably just be two "inferior" races co-mingling." Chan sighed and said, "You're looking at it from the opposite angle that Lydia and I were, but maybe that's a good thing." Scully grasped the impact of Chan's words before her husband did. "You and Lydia think that Chinese-American men are responsible for these crimes?" Chan nodded. "Asian-Americans aren't always quite the "model minority" we're touted as being. And these particular crimes. . .they go right to the heart of what is currently one of *THE* biggest concerns in the Asian-American community. Asian-American women marry outside their own ethnic group at a much higher rate than any other portion of American society. Think about it. I'm sure you've both seen couples composed of a white or black man and an Asian woman. It's so common that, except in truly backwater places, nobody even gives such couples a second glance. But the opposite rarely holds true, which puts Asian-American men - like myself - in something of a bind. You know, how I told you earlier about Lydia's brother being married to my cousin and everybody trying to set us up?" Mulder and Scully nodded. "Well, there was a similar situation involving a family wedding that went just the opposite way. My sister got married last summer. Nice guy. White guy. I met one of my brand new brother-in-law's cousins at the wedding. She and I spent the whole rehearsal dinner and reception talking; really seemed to hit it off. She wasn't prejudiced, generally speaking, about the idea of Asian-white romances. I mean, she thought it was just great that her cousin was marrying my sister. Turns out the woman - her name was Christy - lives in Philadelphia. Not too far away, so I figured fate was smiling on me. I suggested that maybe I could come up one Saturday, she and I could do dinner and a movie. She looked stunned. Said, "You mean like a *DATE*?" Then she started stammering about how she didn't really think, how I was a really nice guy and everything but she just couldn't consider. . .Well, I got the picture. It's not like it hasn't happened to me before. Lots of white women are perfectly fine with the idea of being "just friends" with Asian guys, but the idea that we might have some sort of romantic or sexual interest in them simply freaks them out." "Are you bitter about that?" Mulder asked. Chan sighed. "Oh, hell, how do I answer that? Am I, personally, pissed off about it enough to beat the crap out of some white or black guy just because he's dating an Asian-American woman? Of course not! I wouldn't do that in any case, but for me there are really tangled personal circumstances. I've told you about my maternal grandfather, right?" Scully nodded. "Irish-American cop. Brought your grandmother back from Korea as a war bride. Your role model the whole time you were growing up; the main reason you joined the F.B.I." "Right," said Chan. "It's kind of hard for me to hate white men who marry Asian women when the man I loved most in the world did exactly that! Not to mention the minor fact that if Grandpa hadn't married Grandma, I wouldn't be here. But it still rankles sometimes." Mulder met Scully's eyes for a moment before answering. "I think there is, at least, ground for suspicion. A series of killings - well, two killings and an attempted murder - which could justify a couple of agents from the F.B.I.'s serial killers task force going up and at least talking to Lydia Chin and Bill Smith. Maybe talking to Mrs. Kirkland, too." "And Delroy Jackson's girlfriend, if we can find out her name," added Scully. "When?" Chan asked. "Tomorrow, I suppose," Mulder said. "Am I coming, too?" Scully asked. "Sure," Mulder said. "We'll have to take Melissa with us, since you're still nursing, so it will have to be unofficial. But I don't think Chan will tell on us. And since you'll be sharing my hotel room and riding up with me, there won't be any extra expenses." After arrangements were made among the agents - it was agreed that Chan would fly up first thing, Mulder and Scully would drive and meet him later that day - Chan left. Melissa was asleep by this time, so Scully carried her up and laid her gently in the crib then tiptoed into the master bedroom across the hall. Mulder spent a few minutes locking doors, gathering up files and turning off lights downstairs, then walked quietly upstairs. Scully was already in bed, naked, when he reached their room. Mulder gave a grin and sat down to take off his shoes and socks, then reached for his tie. "Fox?" "Yeah, babe?" "Go slow?" Mulder's ears turned slightly red at the request. "You want me to STRIP for you?" "Why not? I do it for you." "Um. . .okay," he muttered, unknotting his tie and drawing it slowly off his neck. Then he began to undo the buttons to his shirt. When it was loose, he shrugged out of it and flexed his muscles as it dropped to the floor. Scully rewarded him with a wolf-whistle. Mulder let his hands drift to his belt buckle and drew it off in the same lazy manner he'd used for his tie. Then he slid his slacks down his long legs. He was now standing in front of Scully wearing nothing more than his heather gray boxer-briefs and she was staring directly at the now-prominent bulge they barely covered. "Go on," Scully encouraged, "don't stop the show before the main event." Mulder quickly divested himself of his shorts and leaped on the bed with a growl, pinning a giggling Scully beneath him. "The main event hasn't even started yet, honey." They kissed deeply and lingeringly, giving into the pent-up passion that had built over the course of the evening. Scully groaned softly when Mulder moved his mouth from her lips to her breast. His fingertips drew teasing circles on the soft skin of her belly. "Mmm! I like that," she said. "You were flirting with me tonight, Dana," he murmured as he moved his lips to the opposite breast. "Yeah, I. . .OH!, yeah, like that, Fox!" she said as his fingers moved lower and his tongue teased her nipple. "It turns me on to see you nursing Melissa. Do you think that's. . .um. . .kinky?" he asked when he moved his mouth back to her ear. "No, lover. I think it's very nice." "You want on top tonight?" "Please," she murmured as they shifted positions so that he was on his back and she was on her side next to him. Wet though she was, Scully was in no hurry to mount him. She let her hands and mouth glide up and down his chest, belly and biceps. Finally she took him in hand and began to stroke him. He was so hard, so hot. So throbbing and full of life. Finally, when they were both about to snap from their arousal, she straddled his hips and slid him inside her body. "God, Scully! That feels so incredible. Every time it's better than the time before." Scully stretched on top of him, practically purring with satisfaction. He was so big, he filled her so completely. She wiggled and flexed, riding him until she could feel her orgasm beginning to peak, then going still and sighing his name as it flowed over her. Once she had finished, Mulder rolled her under him and began to thrust into her. His strokes were deep and powerful, but even in his daze of passion he never moved so forcefully as to hurt her. Soon he, too, had climaxed. After a few moments, he slid off her and she snuggled her head down against his chest. I love you," they murmured simultaneously before drifting off to sleep. **** By late afternoon the next day, Mulder and Scully - along with Melissa - had checked into a New York City hotel room. There had been a message from Chan awaiting them upon arrival. He had been there since mid-morning and had spent most of the day in Chinatown, talking with Lydia and Bill. He suggested that Mulder and Scully meet them for dinner at a restuarant in Chinatown and gave the address. Mulder and Scully sat down to discuss the case while Scully nursed Melissa. "This is almost like being on the X-Files again," Scully said with a smile. "Travelling together to another city, investigating a case which may not actually be a case." "I'll do my best to try to produce a body for you to autopsy, Scully, but I make no promises," Mulder replied. "Mulder, do you remember, right after we got married, when I said I couldn't stand the thought of you ever having another partner if I went back to Quantico and you remained an active field agent? That another woman would be horrible, but even hearing another man referred to as you partner would be hard for me?" At his answering nod, she continued, "Well, if it was Chan. . .I think I could handle it. He's. . .I mean, he. . ." Mulder nodded again. "He respects our relationship. He understands that any major decisions I make, I'm going to run them by you first. "So what do you think, really, about this case?" she inquired. "Do you think the same person or group of persons might be responsible for all three crimes or are you just trying to humor Chan?" "I honestly don't have a theory at this point, Scully. As I told Chan last night, I do think there's at least a possibility that the cases could be connected. But there must be thousands of non-Asian men in New York City who have relationships of some kind - be it business, personal or a combination of both - with Chinese-American women. If you're involved in a relationship, of any kind, with a Chinese-American, the odds are that you're going to spend a fair amount of time in or near Chinatown. So it could be nothing but a coincidence. I just think it's worthy of investigation, that's all." "As someone told me years ago, that's why they put the "I" in F.B.I.," she said with a smile. *** When they arrived at the restaurant at the appointed time, Chan was there to meet them with a Chinese-American woman in her late 20s. She was about Scully's height and exuded the same air of a woman who had fought - and succeeded - to make it in a man's world. "Agents Mulder and Scully, this is Lydia Chin, the private investigator I told you about. Lydia, this is Special Agent Fox Mulder and Special Agent Dana Scully and their daughter, Melissa Mulder." Scully suppressed a smile at formal way Chan had included the baby in his introductions. "The F.B.I. allows you to bring your baby with you on investigations?" Lydia asked as they settled at a table near the back of the restaurant. "Actually, I'm here kind of unofficially," Scully admitted. "I'm still on maternity leave, but I enjoy travelling with Mulder when I get the chance." "Not to mention she's a qualified pathologist and often notices clues at crime scenes that other investigators miss," Mulder added. Once they had ordered, Chan said, "I think we have an even stronger link to suggest these crimes may be connected. Tell them what you told me, Lydia." "Bill and I were investigating Delroy Jackson's death at the time Bill was attacked. Bill was the one who made the connection between Delroy and Rick Kirkland. Neither of us considered the possibility of Bill himself becoming the next victim," Lydia replied. "Where is your partner, Lydia?" Mulder asked. "Is he able to speak or to identify his attackers?" "He's out of the hospital and home resting," Lydia said. "At least he's supposed to be resting. If I know Bill - and I do - he's working the phone or deep in thought trying to figure out who put him in the hospital in the first place." "He couldn't identify his attackers?" Mulder repeated. "A group of Chinese-American men in their 20s," Lydia replied. "He wasn't sure if there were three or four. He said one looked vaguely familiar, as if he might have encountered him in a restaurant or store recently, but he couldn't put a name to any of their faces. Bill could probably identify them in a line-up, though; he's got a good memory for faces and, unlike a lot of whites, he doesn't think all Chinese-Americans look alike." "How did you come to be investigating Mr. Jackson's death?" Scully inquired. "Vivian Li is a personal friend of mine; we grew up together. When, after several weeks, the police didn't seem to be making any head way in their investigation of her fiance's death, she came to me and asked me to look into it for her," Lydia answered. "Differences and Similarities" Part 2 Disclaimed, summarized, etc. in Part 1 "Her fiance?" Scully asked. "The report we received only mentioned her as being his girlfriend." "Vivian used the word 'fiance'," Lydia replied. "It probably wasn't official. I imagine there would have been objections from both their families. But I suppose, between the two of them, they had agreed they would marry." Mulder said, "Here's what I'd like to do, if it's convenient for everyone. Once we finish eating, I'd like Ms. Chin to go back to our hotel room with Scully. She can give her all the details of the the investigation they were pursuing and any leads they came up with. Chan, I'd like you and I to pay a visit on Mr. Smith, get a firsthand account of his attack." *** So, less than an hour later, Scully found herself back in the hotel room with Melissa but this time, Lydia Chin, rather than Mulder, was with her. She knew why Mulder had suggested they split up. "I'll be happy to answer any questions you have," Lydia said, "but I think Bill and I have already told Agent Chan everything we know." "There was one other. . .element. . .Agent Mulder and I feel we need to get straight," Scully said softly. "What?" Lydia inquired. "Well, Rick Kirkland was married to a Chinese-American woman. And Delroy Jackson was engaged - at least unofficially - to your friend Vivian. I'm not trying to pry into your personal life, but it may be important to the investigation for us to understand exactly what kind of relationship you and Mr. Smith have with each other." Lydia sighed and crossed the room to look out the window. "I'd be happy to tell you "exactly" what kind of relationship Bill and I have with each other, Agent Scully, if I knew myself!" Scully smiled gently. "I take it that means the two of you are more than just business partners; more, even ,than just close but platonic friends?" Lydia sighed again. "We're not lovers. Bill has asked; but, so far, I've been saying no. We've kissed a few times; held hands, things like that." "These, er, displays of affection," Scully said, "do they ever occur in public? Where someone could witness them and, possibly, form the assumption that you and Mr. Smith engage in even more intimate activities when the two of you are alone together?" Lydia nodded. "As a matter of fact, they occur almost exclusively in public. It's almost as if we're afraid - both of us - that things might quickly reach a point of no return if we engaged in these activities behind closed doors." "Mixing business with pleasure can be tricky," Scully said. "It's not so much that," Lydia replied. "It's more the fact that intergenerational romances and interracial romances are both tough. Bill and I are 16 years apart in age AND we're of different races. It just doesn't seem likely that it would - that it could - last. Then, I don't know if we could ever pick up the pieces; go back to being just friends and business partners. And I don't know if I could live without Bill in my life." "My husband and I went through much the same thing," Scully answered, "we were F.B.I. partners for years before we married. I wanted desperately to be with him but was afraid of exactly the same thing you're talking about; that a love affair between the two of us wouldn't last and I'd be left with nothing - no lover, no best friend, no partner who made each day at work a challenge and an adventure." "The problems you two faced weren't the same as the ones Bill and I are dealing with," Lydia pointed out. "No," Scully agreed. "They're different. On the surface, at least, the differences Mulder and I had to overcome weren't as obvious as the ones between you and Bill. We're of the same race and quite close in age. But what I'm saying, I guess, is that all couples have obstacles they have to deal with. Some are just more obvious than others." "You're not really supposed to be here, are you?" Lydia asked with a small smile. "Well. . ." Scully said slowly, "it's not like I'm supposed to be someplace else and I'm here instead. Like I said at the restaurant, I'm still on maternity leave. Technically, I'm not here as an F.B.I. agent assigned to investigate a case; I'm just a wife accompanying her husband on a business trip." "Do you miss working with your husband?" Lydia asked. "Sometimes," Scully replied. "But, before we got married. . .it got to a point where I was beginning to miss what I didn't have then. I really wanted to get married, have children - well, at least one child, anyway - and I knew, if we did that, we'd have to quit working together. There are costs associated with any choice." Lydia nodded. *** Several miles away, Chan and Mulder climbed the steps to an apartment situated above a restaurant located just a block or so outside of Chinatown. They could hear music - a piano sonata - coming from behind the door they knocked on. The music stopped and, a moment later, the door opened. "Hello, again, Agent Chan," said the man who opened the door. He was in his mid-40s; not handsome, but with a look of rugged dependability about his features. He was sporting a black eye and a bandage on one cheek. As the two F.B.I. agents entered the room, Chan made the introductions. Mulder bit back a small smile at meeting yet another man named Bill. It had been the name of both his father and father-in-law, and was also the name of his least favorite brother-in-law. "I've heard of you," Smith said quietly, looking at Mulder. "You're one of the bureau's top profilers. I didn't realize the F.B.I. was taking this quite so seriously. I thought maybe Chan was just looking into it as a favor for Lydia." "We're still not sure it's a matter where the bureau would have jurisdiction," Mulder said. "We're just doing a preliminary investigation." "What do you want to know?" Bill asked, waving a hand to indicate the two agents should sit down. He pulled out a cigarette and lit up. Mulder thought of asking him to put it out, but refrained. Smith was a private citizen and this was his own home. "You're the one who made the connection between the deaths of Rick Kirkland and Delroy Jackson?" Mulder asked. "Lydia and I," Bill replied, giving equal credit to his partner. "What made you think the two were connected?" "Intuition, hunch. . .it's hard to say. I noticed some similarities in the two deaths; the possibility that they might be connected was only one of the leads I was following up. Lydia and I were digging into every aspect of Jackson's life that we could. It never occurred to me that I would get to personally provide the proof of my theory." "What, exactly, had you done in the hour or so before you were attacked?" Mulder asked. "Had dinner with Lydia; then we split up about a block away." "Did you have dinner here?" Chan inquired. "If by "here" you mean this building, yes," Bill answered. "Not up here in my apartment; down in the restaurant on the first floor." "Either while you were with Lydia in the restaurant or when the two of you split up, did you do anything that might have given a casual observer the impression that the relationship between the two of you was of a personal, rather than business, nature?" Mulder asked. "Held her hand, kissed her cheek, hugged her?" "Yes." "What?" "All three," Bill replied with a shrug. "I held her hand for a minute or two while we were waiting for dinner; when we parted from each other, it was with a quick hug and a brief kiss." "Why? I mean, that's hardly standard procedure between business partners," Chan said. Bill smiled. "Come on, you've seen Lydia, Andrew. You've seen her too, I assume, Agent Mulder?" "I'm a married man," Mulder said, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "It's no secret - at least not to Lydia - that I'd like there to be more than just a business relationship between the two of us," Bill said. "In a way, of course, we already have more than that. We're friends. I'd like us to be lovers. She hasn't said yes yet, but she's never told me to stop asking, either." Mulder nodded. If anyone in the world could relate to the mingled agony and ecstasy of what it was like to spend hours everyday with the woman you loved, but whom you were unsure loved you in the same manner, it would be him. "How soon after you left Lydia were you attacked?" Mulder inquired. "About five minutes." The three men talked a while longer, formulating plans and theories. Mulder agreed to return the next day with Scully and Bill said he'd call to make sure Lydia was in attendance. **** After Lydia had left, Scully got herself and Melissa ready for bed, then lay down to nurse her. A few minutes later, Mulder returned to the room. Stripping down to his boxer briefs, he stood by the bed and murmured, "Decisions, decisions." "Such as what?" Scully asked, her voice gentle and amused. "Do I lay so that you're the one in the middle or so that Melissa is? I want to cuddle both of you!" "Well, I'm finished nursing her, so you can be the one it the middle," Scully suggested. Mulder settled in the bed, with his daughter snuggled to one side of him and his wife on the other. Before Scully drifted off to sleep, he explained the plan that had been hatched in Smith's apartment. *** The next day, the Mulder family and Agent Chan met with Bill and Lydia in Bill's apartment. Also present was a New York City police officer by the name of Mary Kee. "So. . .it seems fairly certain to everyone that these attacks are the result of an Asian-American gang who is seeking to. . .discourage, shall we say?. . .non-Asian men from getting involved in relationships with Asian-American women. I think we've worked out a plan that should root them out." Scully sighed. "I just don't see why *YOU* have to be the one who acts as a decoy, Mulder!" Mulder gave her a sympathetic smile. "Who else could we use, Scully? Bill's already been attacked; he's still recovering from his injuries and we don't want to aggravate them. Chan, obviously, wouldn't be a target." "How about one of the non-Asian police officers from the local precinct?" Scully suggested. "Most of them are fairly well known in Chinatown," Kee pointed out. "The majority of our officers are Asian-American and the few who aren't tend to stand out. It's doubtful the assailants are stupid enough to attack a man they know is a police officer." "We could get Colton or somebody else from the team up here," Mulder offered. "But it would mean a wait of several days while he made travel arrangements and was filled in on the plan. Another innocent civilian could be attacked in the mean time." Scully shook her head. "No, I'm just being silly. It makes sense for you and Officer Kee to go ahead and do this tonight. I realize that." "So I'll meet you here about nine, Officer Kee?" Mulder inquired. "We'll have a drink in the restaurant, stroll outside for a couple of blocks holding hands, kiss goodbye and go our separate ways." Kee nodded. "Several of the officers from our precinct, along with Agent Chan, will follow you once we separate. If you're attacked, we can close in and arrest the assailants." *** As Mulder, Scully and Melissa left Bill's apartment, he said, "We've got the rest of the afternoon. Was there anything you wanted to do while we're here in New York City? It's not like we can take in a Broadway musical or a Knicks game, but we could hit Bloomingdales or ride the ferry out to the Statue of Liberty or something." "I know what I'd like us to do," Scully said slowly, "but it's kind of. . .corny." "Dana, I'm a man who has the entire Elvis movie collection on DVD," Mulder pointed out. "I don't think "corny" is going to be a problem for me. What?" "Well, you know those horse-drawn carriage rides you can take through Central Park?" Mulder grinned. "Great idea!" *** Soon, Mulder and Scully were seated in one of the carriages, with Melissa snuggled on her mother's lap and Mulder's arm curved around his wife's shoulders. "This is so nice," Scully murmured as she burrowed closer to her husband. "Mmm!" Mulder agreed. "We'll have to come back and do it again sometime when Melissa's a bit older. We could take her for a ride on the carousel, too." "That would be fun. I used to wish. . ." "What?" "Sometimes, when we were on cases back before we got married, I used to wish we could take a break and do sort of "touristy" stuff. You know, ride the carriages in Central Park, eat out at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco; things like that." "Would have been nice," Mulder agreed. "Part of the problem, though, was that alien aircraft sighting and mutants with weird powers seemed to avoid romantic locales. Seems like we spent most of our time in backwater towns in the middle of nowhere." "That's true," Scully agreed. "Are you. . .looking forward to your little undercover assignment this evening?" "Scully are you jealous?!" he asked incredulously. "Maybe a little,"she said softly. "There's no reason to be," he said gently. "First of all - and I don't know if this indicates some sort of latent racism in my psyche or what -but I've never been attracted to women of other races. I certainly don't think it's wrong for people to enter into interracial relationships; it's just something I've never, personally, had any interest in. Secondly, and more importantly, I love *YOU*, Dana. Even if I was going undercover as Cindy Crawford's boyfriend, it would just be a work assignment to me!" Scully smiled, reassured, and leaned up to kiss him softly. "Hey, how about you?" Mulder inquired. "Did you ever date any guys of other races?" "Not me," she replied. "My sister had a black boyfriend for a while, though." "Did your parents object?" Scully laughed. "Hardly! He was a midshipman at the Naval Academy -a roommate of Bill Junior's - so that thrilled Dad. And he was Catholic, so that thrilled Mom. Far from objecting, I think they were really hoping for Missy to marry him!" *** When they arrived back at the hotel, Scully lay on the bed to nurse Melissa. Mulder flopped down on the other side, letting his hand roam up and down Scully's thighs and face while she was facing him. Then, when she rolled over to switch Melissa to the other breast, he pulled his wife tight against him. "Mmm!" Scully said, rubbing her bottom against his erection. "Looks like after taking care of baby's needs, Daddy's going to need some attention!" Mulder nibbled on her neck. "I just want to make sure you know that the only woman who turns me on is you!" Eventually, Melissa stopped suckling at her mother's breast and closed her eyes. Scully slowly eased the baby onto her back and rolled over so that she was face-to-face with her husband once again. They shared a slow, deep kiss. "We've got a small problem," Mulder pointed out when they finally came up for air. "We didn't order a crib for Melissa. There's only one bed in the room and she's on it!" "I thought maybe we could make use of that little alcove there, between the dresser and the bathroom," Scully said. "Oooh, Agent Scully! Are you suggesting up-against-the-wall sex?" Mulder inquired with a grin. This had been a position they'd both enjoyed during the first year of their marriage, but they'd discontinued it during pregnancy, due to fear of putting too much pressure on the baby. Scully's petite height and Mulder's superb physical condition made it possible for him to support her easily. "If you think it won't be too much of a strain on your back," Scully said. "I still haven't lost all the weight I gained while I was pregnant." "You know, Scully, that sounds like a challenge to me," he said. "And you KNOW I can't resist a challenge. Take off your clothes." Scully grinned and stood up to quickly strip while Mulder did the same. Then he backed her up against the wall and kissed her again, even more passionately. When they broke off the kiss, Scully lifted one of her legs and slid her foot against the back of his calf. She was obviously ready for him to lift her, the snuggling and kissing in the carriage and on the bed having been more than enough foreplay for her, but Mulder had other ideas. He sank down to his knees instead and briefly nuzzled the valley between her breasts. Mulder thought her breasts were beautiful, but he was careful not to give them too much attention. Even though she'd just fed Melissa, he'd learned from experience that too much stimulation to her nipples would just net him a face full of milk. So Mulder continued to sink lower, until his legs were folded beneath him. Then he dropped a kiss at the top of Scully's nest of copper-colored curls. Pulling her thighs open wider, so that she was straddling his face, Mulder began to lick at her. Scully grabbed at the wainscoating on the walls to balance herself and let out a muffled moan. Mulder's hands rose up to cup her ass as he pulled her down securely onto his mouth. He held her there, licking and sucking, until she climaxed. Mulder slowly stood up and grinned at his wife. "Damn, Dana! I may talk with a lisp for the next few days. I think you sprained my tongue!" She giggled. "Serves you right, Fox! There are times when I think I'm going to walk with a limp for a few days after our lovemaking; you're so big!" "Yeah?" he asked with a grin. "Yeah," she agreed, stroking him. Mulder wrapped his powerful arms around Scully's tiny body and lifted her up so that she was caught between the wall and his body. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he penetrated her with one quick thrust. Soon, he spilled into her, calling out her name in a hoarse whisper. Scully smiled at him and they kissed lightly, then he walked them to a chair where he settled her in his lap for a bit of afterglow cuddling. When Melissa woke up an hour or so later, Scully was still naked. "Come on, little lady," Scully said as she leaned over her daughter's face and smiled. "You need a bath." She quickly undressed the baby and removed her diaper. "We didn't bring her little bathtub with us," Mulder said. "Are you just going to bathe her in the sink?" "No, in the tub with me," Scully replied. Holidng Melissa securely in one arm, Scully got the bathwater started with her other hand. She made the temperature slighly cooler than what she usually chose when bathing by herself, and settled in the water with the baby in her arms. When Melissa was clean, Scully handed the squiriming infant to her father for diapering and dressing and added more hot water to the tub for herself. "Did you want me to put more clothes on her or a nightgown?" Mulder inquired. "A nightgown," Scully replied. "I doubt that she and I will be going out any more this evening." *** When Mulder met Mary at nine that evening, he tried to appear nonchalant. He knew that Chan and several local officers were lurking in the shadows, keeping him under surveillance. Although Bill and Lydia were civilians and therefore not officially on the case, he had the feeling they were probably observing his actions, also. The clientile in the restaurant, located right on the fringes of Chinatown, was a mixture of white and Asian. In fact, just from where he was sitting, Mulder could spot two other couples consisting of a white man and an Asian woman. It made him wonder if he wasn't functioning as a needle in a haystack. Even though he disapproved of violence, it also gave him a brief feeling of empathy for the men responsible for the attacks; because he certainly didn't see any corresponding couples consisting of Asian men and white women. Mary Kee grasped Mulder's hand atop the table and gave him a smile that was meant to look, at least from a distance, as if it were seductive. "Relax, Agent Mulder," she said. "This is just a job." "Sorry," he said with a smile. "I haven't really done a lot of undercover work." "What should we talk about?" she asked. "What are your own, personal feelings about Asian women dating non-Asian men?" "I certainly feel anybody has a right to date anyone they wish, without being killed - or even hassled - about it," Mary said. "But it's not something I've ever had any interest in. Non-Asian guys. . .I don't mean to sound insulting or anything, but. . .they just don't turn me on. I've attended school and worked with people of other races my entire life; but, when it comes to romance, I've always been attracted to men of my own race." Mulder gave a brief grin at the way Mary's feelings mirrored his own. Mindful of the fact that they were supposed to be acting like lovers, he let his fingertips brush her cheek lightly. "I was wondering if. . ." Kee continued. "What?" "Well, do you know if Agent Chan is, um, involved with anyone or anything?" "As far as I know, he's not," Mulder answered. "You ready to go?" After strolling a few blocks along together, Mulder gathered Kee into an embrace. Then he bent his head and quickly kissed her and they parted. Mulder strolled along, trying to keep to the darker, more deserted side streets. He was unlikely to be attacked in the middle of a throng of people. Just as he was walking by the entrance way to an alley, it happened. One minute he was alone. The next he was surrounded by four menancing Asian-Americans in their 20s. "Looks like we've got another one," the tallest one snarled. "Hey, this dude must be at least 40," said another. "Not only is he stealing our women, he's robbing the cradle!" "Just like the other old dude - the one who got away last week," agreed the tall man who seemed to be the leader. "What is it with these old white dudes, who think they have a right to all our pretty young women?" "The black guy we got - hell, at least he was young!" said a third man. "Enough talk," muttered the leader, advancing on Mulder while thumping a blackjack against his palm. As soon as the first blow struck his temple, the alley erupted into action. "Freeze!" half a different voices yelled at once. Most added "Police!", although Mulder recognized, through the haze of pain and disorientation brought on by the blow, Chan's deep voice bellowing "Federal Agent!" Three of the men - the ones who had spoken - were quickly wrestled to the ground and handcuffed by Chan and several New York City police officers. The fourth, who had remained silently in the shadows during the attack on Mulder, turned and ran. He had reached a crowded cross street and was about to melt into the Chinatown crowds when two figures stepped out from the shadows to confront him. "Remember me?" Bill asked. "Let's see if you're as ready to rumble when the numbers are against you as you were last week," Lydia said. *** Several hours later, Chan delivered a somewhat disheveled Mulder to his hotel room. "I tried to get him to go to a hospital," Chan explained to Scully, "but he assured me you could take care of him." Scully nodded. "Sure, I'll patch him up. Giving medical attention to Mulder is one of my main functions in life." She helped Agent Chan get her husband settled on the bed, then walked the younger agent back to the door. "What if it's not medical attention that I'm in need of, sweetheart?" Mulder asked her with a grin. "Sorry, Romeo, that's the only kind of attention you're getting from me tonight. You may have a concussion and the last thing you need is to participate in activites that are likely to lull you into a deep sleep!" *** Bill and Lydia sat together on the couch in his living room, sipping the fragrant tea that she favored. The companionable silence had lasted for several minutes when Lydia turned her face to Bill and captured his mouth in a slow, deep kiss. "Lydia?" Bill whispered hoarsely when their lips finally parted. He was amazed. It was the first time she had ever been the one to initiate any kind of physical intimacy between them. "Just don't. . .don't rush me, okay, Bill?" "Whatever timetable you want, Lydia," he agreed, hs voice gentle. Author's e-mail addy: tapw63@hotmail.com