From: ephemeral@ephemeralfic.org
Date: 20 Apr 2002 02:14:32 -0000
Subject: In Between - special friend by T.Collins
Source: direct

Reply To: DAZEDCAVIAR@aol.com


In Between - special friend
Author: T. Collins
Email: DazedCaviar@aol.com
Rating: PG
Classification: vignette
Disclaimer: I wish the hell they were 
mine but unfortunately they're not.

Summary: The downtime between cases


Finally, a quiet Tuesday night. My upstairs 
neighbors seemed to be in good standing with 
each other, no arguments raging above over 
unpaid bills. The married couple had been 
unusually soundless tonight. But whatever the 
reason, I am grateful. I needed a peaceful 
night to unwind. Sunday morning, Mulder pulled 
me from my warm bed to investigate what he 
thought to be an X-file. I protested, of course, 
because we had just gotten back from another 
harrowing case. A case that took up to a week 
to solve. I was tired. I didn't get a chance to 
recoup then but tonight I will.

I had just climbed out of the bath from a long 
and relaxing soak. My next activity would be 
emptying and replacing my overnight bag. I had 
learned through the years of being Mulder's 
partner to have a change of clothes waiting for 
an unpredictable getaway. As I pulled my black 
pantsuit from the bag, I noticed that the remaining 
items are only a spare pair of pumps, a small 
toiletry bag and my journal. Rascal is nowhere 
to be found. I immediately dropped my suit on the 
bed and turned the bag upside down. All of it's 
remaining contents fell out. Everything but 
Rascal. Undenyingly, I checked inside the bag 
using my hands. Nothing.

"Where the hell is he?"

I can't believe I've lost him. Not now, not after 
all these years. He's been with me since... since... I 
can't remember a day without him. And now because 
of my recklessness I may never see him again. He's 
been my best friend and the greatest listener I've 
ever had. I stand at the foot of my bed staring at 
the unpacked things wishing for him to somehow 
appear. The chirping of my cell phone broke me out 
of my daze. I blindly took it off the bureau top and answered.

"Scully."
"Hey, Scully, please tell me I've caught you 
getting out of the tub and you're dripping wet."
"What do you want, Mulder?" I sigh as sadness 
begins to creep over me.
"I'm getting off the elevator in your building 
and was wondering if you could open the door?"

As I walked to the door, I end our conversation 
with closing my phone. I undid the locks and threw 
myself onto the couch. I didn't even look up as 
Mulder entered my apartment. 

"I know we've just left each other not more than 
sixty minutes ago, but I thought I would treat you 
to dinner. The finest Chinese takeout as a peace 
offering. What do you say? Scully?"
"Sure. Fine. Whatever."
"I'll accept that as an apology. I'm not picky."

I heard Mulder move into the kitchen and began to 
divide up the meal. I still haven't left my seat or 
looked up at him. My depression continues to eat 
away at me. I don't think I'll even be able to eat. 
How could I have lost him? I've tried hard not to 
lose track of him during all the moves in my youth. 
He had to be at least twenty years old by now. A 
little worn and stained but he still reminded me of 
him. I could never forget that year. We had just 
moved to another town, in another Navy base community. 
He was the first kid to introduce himself to me. 
Curt George was skinny boy not more than nine years 
old. He had shoulder length hair. Way to long by 
Ahab's standards. But cute never the less. A shy boy 
around other boys but a chatterbox with girls. He 
and I became fast friends when I discovered he was 
a fellow bug collector.

"Scully, you want a soda or beer?"
"Beer."

Might as well drown my sorrows.

"I got the usual and a couple of fortune cookies."

We had camped out in my backyard a number of times 
during the summer. But one night he was late for 
our monthly Buggles meeting. Where the name came 
from I don't remember. I think it was his idea. 
I was setting up the tent when my mother called me 
in the house.

Flashback:

"Dana? Dana, come inside."
"Yes, Mom."

She sat me down at the kitchen table and told me 
that Curt wouldn't be coming over that night.

"Why? Is he on punishment?"
"Dana, honey, Curt was stung by a wasp earlier 
today."
"I bet that hurt."
"He had an allergic reaction to the sting. A bad 
reaction to it."

She paused for a moment. Bringing her hand to her 
mouth and them smoothing down my hair.

"Sweetheart, Curt is up in heaven now."
"You mean he's dead," I stated without a trace of 
emotion in my voice. 
 
Even then, I detached myself from death. I didn't 
cry then. My mother hugged me to her chest. When 
she released me, I simply went into the backyard 
and took down the tent. My mother took me to his 
funeral later on that week. There was a closed 
casket. Curt's mother pulled me aside and handed 
me a stuffed brown dog.

"It was his favorite. I know he would have wanted 
his best friend to have it."

I looked at it and quietly said thank you. 

On the drive back home, I clutched at the stuffed 
animal. My mother and I both silent. We passed the 
base park where some children were playing.

"He was afraid of dogs."
"Dana?" my mother questioned me.
"His Uncle Ben has a Great Dane that always chased 
him whenever he would go visit."


My mother pulled the car into our driveway. She 
turned off the engine and we sat there. In the 
silence, my tears began.

"Oh, Dana."

I climbed over into her lap with as much room as 
the car would allow. Then I cried as somewhere in 
the town my first best friend was being buried.

Present:

"Hey, Scully, are you going to eat to what?"
"I'm sorry, Mulder. I don't feel like eating 
right now."
"What's wrong?" he asked putting his fork down.
"I lost something important to me today," I 
sigh.
"What?" Mulder asked getting up to refill his 
drink.
"A childhood friend."
 

I heard him in the kitchen rummaging around in a 
bag. 

"A friend?"
"A stuffed brown dog."
"With one eye missing?'
"Yeah, His name was Rascal."
"Is this Rascal?"

I looked up at Mulder standing by the refrigerator 
holding my beat up dog.

"Rascal!"

I jumped up from the couch and grabbed Rascal 
from Mulder hands.

"Where did you find him?"
"He was lounging around in the trunk of my car.
At first I though he was a rodent and was about 
to shoot him."
"Mulder!" I shriek slapping him on the arm.
"Well, I knew he wasn't mine. So I guessed he 
belonged to you."

I pulled Mulder into a fierce hug and then kissed 
him softly on the lips. 

"If I had known bringing an ugly dog over here was 
going to get me a kiss, I would have brought Beethoven 
over here a long time ago."
"Shut up, Mulder," I laughed.

I climbed back onto the couch and began eating my 
lukewarm Chinese food. Mulder stood smiling as he 
watched me with Rascal resting in my lap.

"Are you going to stand there all night or are you 
going to read me my fortune?"
"I can tell you your fortune right now, G-woman 
without opening that damn cookie."
"Oh yeah. What is it?"
"Rascal isn't going to be the only one resting in 
your lap receiving all your attention."
"If you say so," I smile back.

I knew exactly what he had in mind for later on 
and I wasn't going to disappoint.