From: Sheryl Martin Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2000 15:53:04 -0500 Subject: NEW- Feedback (1/1) Please Archive... grin... All Characters copyright of TenThirteen Productions and Chris Carter. No infringement intended on any part... go ahead, take me to court... I'm using the insanity defense... heh, heh, heh... Comments, complaints and just plain talk to sheryl_martin@goodmedia.com Summary: So what DID the FBI think of the COPS show? Spoilers: X-COPS, obviously... Rating: PG, story... Feedback (1/1) by Sheryl Martin Thunk. "Scully..." Thunk. "Scully... stop it." Thunk. "You're going to hurt yourself." Thunk. "Don't hurt the desk, then - put something under your head." Thuddle. "I didn't mean the case file. Besides, we did okay." Dana Scully looked at him as she lifted her head from the desk; propping her face up with two hands. "Okay?" She whispered. "Okay? Mulder, my mother saw it. My brother saw it. He called me right after it was over." "Charles?" "Bill." Mulder's face fell. "Oh. Well, what did he have to say?" She exhaled slowly. "He wanted to know why I was dashing around Hollywood chasing ghosts when I could have married a nice Navy man and have a brood of kids out in San Diego by now." "Did he have a message for me?" "Nothing I'd repeat." Plopping her face down again on the thick folder in front of her Scully let out a slow moan. "And my mother... well, she's avoiding Father McKuen for a week or two. Again." "Come on, Scully..." Getting to his feet Mulder walked over towards her desk; balancing himself precariously on one edge. "It wasn't that bad." One eye glared at him from under a curtain of amber. "Okay, it wasn't that good." He smiled. "But at least we got our moment of fame..." "Mulder, that wasn't a moment of fame. This made the entire Jose Chung debacle look desirable." Covering her face with her hands she rocked back in her chair. "Oh, Gawd... and I looked awful..." "You looked great." "I looked rotten." She peeked out between two fingers. "The camera does put on ten pounds..." "Look, it was fine..." Mulder reached over; pulling down one hand and covering it with both of his. "It was an interesting case that got the publicity it deserved. That poor deputy wouldn't have a career left if we hadn't been around to help substantiate it." Tilting her head to one side she sighed. "Mulder, he has NO career left. You know it and I know it. All we did was give them some facts to fill in on the forms when they put him on public relations permanently." "Maybe they have their own version of the X Files..." The hopeful smile died as Scully's phone rang. "Uhm... I'll let you get that." Slowly withdrawing her hand from his she smiled. "So much for chivalry..." She picked up the phone. "Scully..." Mulder watched as her face rotated through a variety of emotions from scared to angry to panicky to the face that he knew she made when they were facing certain death. The receiver dropped back into the cradle. "Assistant Director Katherine McKinnon wants to see us." "Who?" His forehead furrowed. "The woman who runs the Public Relations Department." Scully's calm voice changed to a higher; squeaky tone. "She wants to see us right away." "Wonder why..." **************** A.D. McKinnon was a rather imposing woman; taller than Mulder and twice as aggressive if given the chance, if rumor held true. The way she was eyeing the two agents as they fumbled for seats in front of her desk confirmed the rumor in spades. "Agents Mulder; Scully..." The redhead flipped open the file folder on her desk; adjusting her glasses where they sat delicately on her petite nose. "I've been looking over the reports of your recent television excursion..." Her voice trailed off as she ran a finger along one page. Scully turned her head slightly towards her partner; catching his eye just as he began enthusiastically chewing on his lower lip. She jerked her head towards the silent woman slowly; one eyebrow raised. Mulder shrugged in reply; his lip now totally withdrawn into his mouth as his teeth nibbled wildly. "I understand that you spoke to A.D. Skinner at the beginning of this... production." The soft sentence whipped across Scully like a typhoon wind; snapping her to attention in her seat with a speed born only of a Navy brat. "Yes... I spoke to him as soon as it became obvious that the camera crew would be following us around for the duration of the investigation." McKinnon nodded. "I see..." Her eyes dropped back to the report; letting Scully sag in the chair. "Agent Mulder..." "Yes?" The lower lip jutted back out; red and swollen. "I must say, you did play a bit to the camera crew..." "Ah, well..." He glanced again at Scully. "I didn't want to give the impression that we were hiding anything..." "I see..." A well-manicured fingernail traced a word. "And the autopsy..." Scully's spine snapped straight again as she waited for the question. "You smiled at the camera, Agent Scully. A nice smile, granted. I should point out that A.D. Skinner has commented that you don't smile enough." She lifted her head to smile at the two agents. "Agent Mulder, you smile too much." "Yes, 'mam." The mumbled reply came as the lip disappeared again to the onslaught of enamel. "But I have to say that in my personal and professional opinion this is the best Public Relations exercise that we've done in years." Scully began to slide off the chair, catching herself just in time. "Excuse me?" She squeaked again. "Agent Scully, this was wonderful publicity for the Bureau. You were both honest and forthright and professional - everything we try and put out in the news releases but never get across." She tapped the folder. "You've done more in an hour's worth of film than we've managed in a year." "In a good way?" Mulder croaked. "In a very good way." McKinnon beamed. "You showed that not only can the Bureau work with local law enforcement and get the job done but we can be caring and thoughtful professionals at the same time - your handling of the domestic situation was picture-perfect!" "Steve and Eydie..." Scully murmured to Mulder; seeing his blank expression. "And while the deaths were... regrettable and certainly a low point in the production the professional interaction between you and the LAPD did more for the Bureau than we could with a thousand seminars in co-operation." Scully put one hand up to her face; feeling the red burn. "You're... not concerned with..." The A.D. waved a hand in the air. "Things happen; people die. But this one hour proved that we can handle the strangest of cases and make it work." Picking up a pen she scribbled on a note pad. "I'm putting you both in for a letter of recommendation to go into your folders and copied to Skinner." "Thank you..." Mulder's hand shot out to steady Scully as she began to slip off the chair again; latching onto her forearm. "We do appreciate our efforts being recognized..." "Recognized? Why, Agent Mulder..." McKinnon grinned. "I think with a little time and effort we could make this into a television series!" "Ah, well..." Getting to his feet Mulder straightened his tie, seeing Scully rise beside him. "I think it might interfere with our work, but thank you for your positive feedback..." "Yes, certainly." The A.D. beamed at the pair. "Just let me know next time you're in the middle of a case like this one and I'll send out one of our camera crews to join you..." A wave of the hand. "I'll let you get back to work now - just stay in touch..." "Oh, certainly..." Scampering to the door Mulder held it open for his partner as she walked slowly past him; her vacant and shocked expression saying more than he could imagine. "We'll have lunch sometime..." "Oh, yes!" He shut the door on her enthusiastic response. Spinning around to steady Scully with one hand on the small of her back, he directed her towards the hallway. "She wants more..." The slow moan bounced around the small room as the elevator descended down the shaft. "We all want more, Scully..." His reply echoed along the narrow basement walls. "Only question is - do we make the next one X-Rated or not?" "......." "Ooooh.... Scully..." ******************* ************************* "Bother," said Pooh, "Eeyore, ready two photon torpedoes and lock phasers on the Heffalump. Piglet, meet me in transporter room three. Christopher Robin, you have the bridge." ************************* "Heart of a warrior, mind of a fool... soul of a romantic..." - Jackie St. George ************************* Dragon's Lair - www.geocities.com/area51/chamber/7976 *************************