From: "Joylynn Wing" <aljoyw@a-znet.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 21:51:28 -0400
Subject: New: Irresistible II; the Evil Within


Part 6a of 19a and b


For from the moment she had joined that case, his evil design and 
acrimonious cruelty had eaten a hole into the very fabric of her 
being. The knowledge that a seemingly human monster could have 
such a lack of regard or remorse for his actions, had scared her 
to no end. He had come into her life, at a time when she had been 
at her most vulnerable. She was still recuperating from her 
abduction, and was still grieving for the loss of her father.

She had been nearly driven helpless by the events, which had 
upset her so. Somehow this one single person had a way of getting 
through all of her defenses and made her feel as dependent as a 
newborn suckling. She had tried to keep her apprehension of this 
particular individual from Mulder, for she had never wanted him 
to feel that he needed to take care of her.

She has even gone as far to see Karen Kossoff back in DC to get 
her head back on straight. When she did, she returned with 
information to rupture the seemingly insolvable case wide open. 
She felt empowered, strong in her knowledge she had beaten her 
worst fears and had come out ahead.

However on that lonely desolate stretch of highway, just outside 
of Minneapolis, all of that had changed. For the first time in her 
life, for as long as she could remember that is, she found herself 
helpless and out of control. The fear nearly paralyzing her 
naturally valorous and rebounding persona. He had reduced Scully 
to a quivering mass of fear and impotence.

In spite of her almost paralyzing consternation however, she ended 
up getting unrestrained, and maintained her composure and resolve 
long enough for help to arrive.

Scully stepped back and summed up her captor, she concentrated
strongly, forcing the swirling images to abate momentarily. The 
years had been kind to him. He looked not a bit older since that 
day she was at his competency hearing. His hazel eyes were soft 
almost friendly looking, but behind them was a cold empty 
nothingness that reminded her of what she though hell would be 
like. His medium brown hair was styled neatly and precisely, 
attributing to his obsessive compulsive nature. He still appeared 
to just like the ' boy from next door. ' One couldn't tell by his 
appearance and mannerisms that he was the sociopath that he was.

Pfaster stopped pacing, his delight in finally achieving his goal, 
pleasing him to no end. ' I have been waiting for so long, now it
is the time. My day of redemption is here. ' Since that day when 
he had escaped his imprisonment, he had systematically planned 
and then executed a ruse by which to bring her and her partner to 
him.

He had been declared mentally incompetent and had been sentenced 
to a psychiatric hospital for treatment. He had learned to work 
the system quickly, by appearing to acquiesce to their treatments 
and in the process seemed to be achieving mental health and 
stability.

Over time he had grown to be trusted, his subtle manipulations and
extreme intelligence outwitting the most perceptive health care 
provider. He had been allowed to do odd jobs around the facility,
as they thought it would assist in his rehabilitation. This
preferred status allowed him quite a bit of freedom and that was 
the way his last chance had been granted to him.

' After all of these years, you are finally mine. ' He thought 
happily. ' You are the only one worthy. The others were tainted 
and dirty, you have the promise of being pure and clean. You are 
strong, but will be stronger. I will make you worthy, and then you 
will come to me willingly. ' Pfaster rubbed his damp palms on his 
dress trousers, his nervousness causing him to be more off balance 
than normal. " You may not be pleased to see me now, but you will 
learn to be... "

Scully interrupted angrily, her voice low and controlled, " You 
think so? I will never learn to be. " She stepped back from him 
and gestured about the room. " What is this all about?  Why did 
you bring me here? Where are we? " As she moved, the chain binding 
her sore ankle, clanked loudly against the cement floor.

Pfaster turned to walk up the steep, narrow stairwell. His brown
hair caught the light and glistened softly. He turned towards his
captive and chuckled softly, " All in good time Girlie Girl. All 
in good time. For now know just this, this is your new home. There 
are some rules however that you should be aware of. One, you will 
never touch me. Never. Not, without my consent. Two, I have the 
power. I am in control, remember that. If you follow these simple 
rules, you will have a long and pleasant life. Of this reality, I 
can promise. "

Scully narrowed her eyes, the sapphire blue of her eyes, piercing
the dimness of her prison, and boring into his heartless soul.
She spoke softly, almost in a strained whisper, " They will find
me, I can promise you this. " She was angry and very scared. She
knew that she had to bide her time and keep a low profile. Pfaster 
was volatile, and had killed before. She wouldn't put it past him 
now. She needed to avoid angering him until an opportunity 
afforded itself to escape. " But until then, " she continued 
convincingly, " you are in control. "

Pfaster smiled slightly, small wrinkles graced his ashen face.
" Then we understand one another? I hope so. I have great plans
for you and I. We will make a great team, just you wait and see. " 
Pfaster began to climb up the narrow stairwell, the floor creaking 
loudly under his considerable weight. Once at the top of the 
stairs, he turned to stare at her. His eyes were dark and 
unreadable, his face stoic, " I will be back soon. I will bring 
you provisions and a change of clothes. You should try to rest 
until then. "  With that he opened the door, switched off the 
light, and left.

The encroaching darkness coupled with the sound of a deadbolt 
locking caused Scully's heart to sink into her feet. Suddenly her 
slight hands began to tremble and tears came to her eyes. " Oh God. 
What is going to happen to me? " Scully uttered softly under her 
breath. She stumbled haltingly over to the futon, feeling her way 
there and slowly sat down upon it. " I need to keep strong. I will 
be strong. I can beat him, I can beat this. " Scully brought her 
slender legs up to her chest, and covered herself with the thin 
wool blanket, the material, causing her skin to itch.

She knew that she couldn't sleep, even in the face of overwhelming
exhaustion. She needed to remain alert and on guard. In order for
her to survive, she knew that she needed to get into his head.
This would take every waking moment of her captivity, and every
ounce of resolve. Her father had taught her to be strong, she
was a Scully, and they never quit. ' I can do this. I beat him 
once, I will beat him again. ' She leaned her head back against 
the hard cold wall, focusing her thoughts inward. The sounds of 
dripping water and creaking boards filling her ears with 
consonance.


                    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*



Somewhere over Syracuse's Hancock International Airport.
Syracuse, NY
0430hrs.


Skinner glanced at his watch, and huffed impatiently. He had caught
the first available flight out of DC after the Syracuse Regional
Office had called. Skinner removed his glasses and pinched the
bridge of his nose, trying to fend of a headache which had been
threatening to take up residence in his head. His worst fears had
been confirmed, something was wrong. A something that was very 
close and near to his heart.

From the moment he had first met her, Scully had impressed him 
deeply. She was a strong willed, hard working and dedicated 
individual who had given everything to her career. In a career 
which demanded that you sacrifice a great deal for the work, she 
had never questioned the sacrifice. Being a woman in this ' good 
boy's network ', made the job that much harder. She was expected 
to be that much better and to work that much harder, to be even 
considered half as good. She had relished the challenge and had 
given up her upwardly mobile career to take up the quest that 
Mulder followed.

Not only did Skinner admire her professionally he also genuinely
liked her. She was thoughtful, sincere and fiercely loyal to the 
end. She would lay down her life for anyone that she cared about.
Her extreme intelligence and inner strength complemented the 
already very attractive package, making her that much more 
likable.

Due to fog, he had been stranded in a holding pattern for nearly
one hour. His impatience at the situation increasing exponentially
by the minute. As he glanced out the window at the twirling gray 
clouds of mist, he straightened his tie and uncrossed his legs. 

When the call had come in concerning Scully's disappearance, he 
had gotten dressed and ready to leave in only 15 minutes. Years of

fast exits and evasive maneuvers had taught him to be fast and
organized. He knew that Mulder would be beside himself with grief.
Whenever Scully had been taken away from him in the past, he 
became more reckless and self destructive than usual. 

' Mulder, you have to keep it together long enough for me to get
there. We can handle this. ' He cogitated mindfully.

Skinner checked his firearm, making sure that the holster was 
firmly placed for discreteness and for quick retrieval. Since 
becoming AD, he had few opportunities to get out in the field and 
get his hands dirty. As he sat in his office, day after day, he 
often times found himself longing for the rush which accompanied 
the thrill of the field. Now he was experiencing that said rush 
with such intensity, he felt his heart would explode.

Glancing down the empty isle, he noticed a slender dark haired
stewardess making her way down the few filled seats towards his.
As she stepped up, he glanced up at her navy blue uniform and
picked out her name tag. " Adrienne? " Skinner asked firmly.

The young woman glanced down at him, barely able to stand upon
the high heels which she teetered on and said, her soft blue eyes
friendly. " May I help you sir? " She looked out the window and
shook her head slowly, " the fog is pretty bad. I have never
seen it this bad in Syracuse for as long as I have done this 
route. "

' It figures, the one time that time is of the essence, an 
abnormal weather pattern sets in. That must be an X-file itself ' 
He deliberated dryly. Skinner nodded in affirmation and asked 
softly, " How much longer will our landing be delayed ? " He 
adjusted his weight upon the not so comfortable chair, his anxiety 
and excitement just starting to get to him.

" Should have clearance any minute from the tower. May I get you
anything before then? " Adrienne asked softly, as she smiled with
a sincerity which Skinner appreciated.

" No thank you. Thanks for all of your help. " Skinner voiced 
thoughtfully as he gazed back outside the window. He knew that he 
needed to get there. Time was of the essence. He knew that it was 
just a matter of time after the initial shock wore off that Mulder 
would start acting crazy. That was inevitability of the situation. 
His love for Scully would drive him literally to the ends of the 
earth to find her, no matter what the cost to himself or to 
others.

Skinner smoothed the soft skin of his forehead, his pensiveness 
focused upon the events which were unfolding before him. He knew 
that he was ' in for a penny in for a pound. ' There was no going 
back anymore. Today was the day that he made his decision. He had 
always been supportive, even helpful in their cause. But he had 
always held just a little of himself back, for fear of losing 
himself to the cause as they had done before.

Now there were no more options. He had to step forward and take up
the reigns himself. The lives of two people whom he cared about 
very much were in the balance, and this time, he knew the game was
for keeps. Skinner pulled out his cell phone and looked once again 
out the window, the cool spring winds and falling rain washing 
away the evils of man, if only for a moment. 




Part 6b of 19a and b

                         *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Scully's room
Skyline Motel
Syracuse, NY
0630hrs 

Mulder stood helplessly in the far corner of Scully's hotel room.
He stood there silently, rocking slowly back and forth on his 
heels, watching the investigation taking place before him. The 
forensics team was sweeping the room quite thoroughly, looking
at every minute detail for clues to reconstruct what had happened
in the final moments which Scully was abducted. As Mulder glanced
about the now quite stark room, the early morning sunlight
was streaming through the partially shaded window. The thin rays
of light, caught the now airborne fingerprint dust, the minute
specks caught the light and sparkled like fire imprinted diamonds.

As the din of the team filled his ears, he found himself at a 
total loss for functioning, with the team collecting evidence. His 
full profiler mode was on alert, his mind twisting and turning 
over what they had found so far, trying to get a hold of the 
individual behind the act. Who ever had taken Scully, had either 
been very careless or had wanted to leave evidence behind. The 
usual accountable prints had been left behind, Scully's, Mulder's, 
and a full time cleaning person. However several clear, very 
obvious prints had also been left, left in places in which it 
would be easy to spot. The doorknob inside the door, the door jam, 
the nightstand, the head of her bed. But the most damming and 
most obvious, were the prints carelessly left on the easily 
spotted hypodermic syringe.

Mulder knew who it was. His signature syringe being the bible
of his life. And he had changed the rules of the game...

But, why Scully?

' To jump an armed well-trained federal agent, he had to have been
well prepared. It wasn't as if he jumped her in a dark alley. The 
man had to be well prepared, watching and waiting for the right 
moment. So that means we had been watched for quite a while. His 
blatant prints strewn about show that he wanted to be caught.
He is playing a game, taunting us. He feels superior to us. Like
he needs us to find a way to know who he is... '

Mulder brushed a slender hand across his sweat dotted brow. He
hadn't slept in over 48 hours and his body was starting to wear
down. He knew that his mind would be fine. He knew that that
wouldn't rest until she was brought home to him safely. He just
worried about his body. He wasn't a young man anymore. When he
had worked in VCS, he had been young and full of energy. He could
slip into a man's mind without even a blink, now the effort
nearly wore him out.

He pushed himself to walk forward, his every step an agonizing
job in itself. He walked over to the forensics team leader
and spoke firmly, wanting his answers now. " Did the team find
anything else ? I want this taken care of in a thorough manner.
This is one of our own, and she is my partner. This counts in
every single sense of the word. "

The young dark haired man looked up from his clipboard where he 
had been keeping track of all of the personnel present and all 
that they were responsible for. " Agent Mulder. We take every case 
as seriously as the next. We are very aware of your personal stake 
in this and we are doing our best. Now, we did find some more 
latent prints. Those have been sent over to the lab for analysis 
and computer matching. After using the filter on the vac, we were 
able to find some hair and fiber samples. The blood was collected 
and will be typed and DNA tested. All and all this idiot left us 
with a plethora of evidence to nail his hide. If he was trying to 
be careful, he fell very short of the mark. "

Mulder shook his head, his thoughts becoming one with the prey
which he sought. " The UNSUB wasn't trying to be careful. He 
wanted us to find this. His use of the hypo and forethought of 
planning proves he is organized in his thoughts and actions. He 
has accomplished his goal, he wanted our attention and now he has 
it. He changed his usual MO for a reason, thus his carelessness is 
another method to his madness. He wants us to know who he is. He 
wants the power and control which accompanies the knowledge. He 
wants to play. He is proud of what he did, and he wants 
recognition for it. "

" Jesus, is that sick or what? " The younger agent replied. A
shiver running throughout his stature. He had been an agent for
several years, coming straight to Syracuse after getting out of
the academy. His experience was limited for an industrial city
such as this never had seen such brutality and evil in its
existence. 

" He maybe sick, but is very intelligent, methodical in his 
plotting. " Mulder replied as he brushed a stray lock of hair from 
his brow. Mulder walked from the corner, careful to keep his hands 
in his pockets, lest he add unknowingly to the evidence at hand 
being collected. Mulder couldn't put his finger on it exactly, but 
something was setting off his radar. Something was telling him 
that this was much deeper than just a random act. Something beyond 
the obvious evidence. Mulder stood there momentarily, watching the 
other agents carefully. ' Why Scully? Why now? What is the 
connection? '

Mulder walked out into the hall, the fresh air tinged with the 
smell of lilacs and dogwoods waking his tired, old soul. Mulder
turned to walk down to his room and as he did he saw he a tall 
well built figure. The figure was striding quickly up the hallway, 
his grey trench swaying behind his determined strides. A sense of 
fleeting relief floated over him, for now he wasn't alone in his
mission.

Mulder walked over to him, and spoke in low even tones, his 
desperation very evident to hear, as he lowered his twisted face 
to look at the floor,  " Skinner, she is gone. " Mulder knew that 
he didn't false pretense with him. He knew that Skinner was very 
aware of the closeness of their relationship and that he supported 
it.

" I came as soon as I got the message. What the hell happened 
here? " Skinner was already aware of the logistics but knowing 
Mulder and his uncanny way of finding the truth beneath the truth, 
he knew it best to have him fill the blanks. He studied Mulder
carefully, the torture already evident upon him. The dark 
circles which ringed his red rimmed eyes, matched the ghastly
pallor which he had already taken on. 

Mulder leaned against the wall, his exhaustion and frustration 
catching up with him. He took a deep breath, seeking the strength
that he needed to continue, from the life which existed about him.
" He jumped her sir. She was in there and he jumped her. And the 
funny part is he wants us to find out who he is. He left evidence 
in abundance all over in there. A veritable forensics party. "

Skinner rubbed his rough hand across his brow as if deep in 
thought, " Let me get this straight. He wants us to find him? He 
wants us to know who he is? That isn't logical... He has been so 
careful up until now. He had avoided leaving any clues, yet he 
does this? What does he expect to happen from this? " Even after 
all of his years in the bureau, he still couldn't fully grasp the 
inner workings of such a character. The thought of getting into 
his head, a choice he would avoid at all costs, for when you 
touch evil, you cannot help but be touched by it. 

Mulder looked him straight in the eyes, his hazel eyes seeing the
darkness which existed within the soul of the killer. " He wants 
to play a game. This was well planned and carefully executed. He
wouldn't make a mistake unless it was part of his plan. He wants
to taunt us. To tease us. To prove his superiority to us by 
jerking us around. " Mulder put his hands to his head and closed
his eyes, a tension headache threatening to overcome him and
drag him out into the darkness. 

" And what does that mean to Scully, Mulder? Why did he choose 
her? Why now? " Skinner was loath to ask the question. His 
instincts registering the darkness which the killer walked in. He 
knew that if this was a game as Mulder said, then Scully was an 
integral part of the scenario. A pawn in a battle of wits.

" He will not hurt her, " Mulder said as he centered his thoughts, 
his heart beginning to race. " He needs her. She is his bait, his
insurance if you will. He needs her until the game is up, then and
only then will he... "  We need to find them fast, Sir. We 
need... " Mulder trailed off quietly. He put his hands in his 
jeans pockets once again, the rough, dry skin on his knuckles 
beginning to become sore from the repeated action.

Skinner put his hand on Mulder's shoulder. He could feel the 
anguish rolling off him in palatable waves. He knew how much 
Mulder loved Scully, this was a given. They belonged together, and 
he was going to see to it that it all turned out fine in the end. 
" We will find, her Mulder. I promise you this. We will find her 
and we will bring this bastard down. "

Mulder just looked longingly toward Scully's room. His whole life
was gone, and until she was returned to him, he would not let go
of the breath that he was holding.




                     ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Unknown time...
Unknown place...

Scully moved deliberately about on the thin mattress. She felt 
herself growing sleepy, her eyes cumbrous and sear, but due to her 
dire circumstances, her body had remained ever vigil. Her training 
at the FBI had never prepared her for such an eventuality. Sleep 
deprivation was a serious condition. The side effects serious, to 
say the least. However, her medical residency had taught her a 
thing or two, so up until now she had been faring well.

She had managed to fend of the vehement fear that she had been
feeling since seeing him again. She had entombed them in the cool
waters of logic and science, trying to understand the man who
now held her very life in his hands.

She glanced down at her battered legs. The torn pantyhose that she 
had been wearing was now beginning to chaff at the abrasions which 
her knees held. She glanced down at them, the blood now dried and 
hard, barely hiding the bright crimson of a possibly impending 
infection. The scabs were imbedded with the mesh of the fabric, 
tugging painfully at the delicate tissue with each movement. 
' Just great. Drugged up, possible concussion and now an impending 
infection. I just love this job. ' 

With one swift tug, she ripped down the nylons, which were causing 
her such grief. She tugged at them gently, until they were to her 
knees. Once to the very painful injuries, she eased them from the 
knit, leaving the skin's barrier as intact as possible. She then 
removed them completely, her bare, pale, and scraped legs now open 
to the air. The took the hose, and with careful deliberation 
wrapped them around the confined area of her ankle. The cuff had 
been chaffing, and the barrier would protect the skin beneath the 
cold hard steel.

' I need to clean the open areas. They still have some dirt and
fiber in them. ' She pulled the shirt out that she was wearing,
and tore of a piece of the hem. With that she then with a careful
smudge of saliva, cleaned the open wounds, removing the debris 
which lie there. ' My, my. What would my residency mentor say if 
he could see me now. I gave up a promising career in medicine for
this? '

She then stood up carefully and paced slowly. Her wool skirt
did very little to ward off the chill which had settled in so
thoroughly. She pulled her tailored jacket closer to her torso,
attempting to warm herself. She plucked at the fabric covered
buttons in nervousness, releasing some of the irrefutable tension
that she was experiencing.

She had not seen nor heard from Pfaster since they had last spoken.
And since she had no real indication of how time was passing, she
wasn't sure of how long that had been. She knew that the drug, now
no longer affecting her profoundly, was still within her system,
as was probably distorting her time perception. With her watch
broken and lack of any indications of time passing, she felt 
slightly disoriented.

She had relieved herself only once, and yet was to feel the need
again. She could go for hours, but she was becoming dehydrated
and this would also affect this also.

She began to muse silently once more, attempting to make out the
puzzle which was her captor. ' What does he want from me? How did 
he know that I was here. We haven't been here for long. ' Scully 
thought as she tucked her fire colored hair behind her ears in 
thought. She bit her lower lip in concentration, her prefect  
white teeth revealed slightly in her action.

' He mentioned something earlier about control. He wants control.
Thus he must feel out of control. He hates women. That is his
operating motivation. He needs to take away the power which they 
have over him. That is why he killed, and defiled them. However he 
said that if I follow his wishes, I would not be harmed. That is 
against his MO. He kills to get his trophies, getting a sexual 
release out of the act of killing itself. Why does he have a need 
to tell me this? To placate me? To keep me subdued? I am clearly 
at the disadvantage, so why does he offer me this hope. His
treatment of the victims indicates that he enjoys the torment that
he puts them through. So why am I so different? '

She eased herself down upon the mattress and pulled the blanket 
up around her neck, leaning against the cold hard wall. The blanket 
was scratchy, irritating the sensitive skin of her legs further. 
She brought her hands down under the thin covering and dropped 
them into her lap.

' He clearly is attracted to idea of revenge. This must be 
considered due to the circumstances. Mulder and I put him away. I 
was the one that he chose and I got away. Revenge can be the 
greatest of motivators. However how will be exacted that upon me? '

Scully shivered from the images, which flashed through her mind's
eye. What he had done to those women, had bothered her 
tremendously then and did so even more now. She shut herself off 
to such thoughts, burying them deeply within her psyche where they 
would not be given the light of day to flourish. Scully sucked in 
a deep breath, centering her inner self. She needed to concentrate 
on keeping herself alive until help arrived. She needed to be 
exactly what he wanted her to be to insure her survival until they 
would come for her. And she knew that would be soon. She prayed 
that it would be soon.



                     ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


Day 1 
Syracuse Regional Office
FBI
1400hrs 

Mulder sat quietly at the desk in the crowded, artificial region 
of the bull pen. Mulder's hands were joined in the slender expanse 
of his wool clad lap. He rubbed his thumbs together in nervous
tension, his calluses there producing a slight rubbing friction. 
He sat there reclined in a quite uncomfortable chair, his feet 
perched precariously upon the flush cool surface of the desk as he 
stared at the blinking cursor upon the computer monitor.

Mulder closed his eyes, trying to will away the hazy, 
impressionistic chimeras which swirled through his mind in a 
disjointed manner. He kept seeing the faces of the woman that the 
killer had taken, their eyes begging for closure they knew that he 
could only grant. But now the faces were joined by another, now
Scully's visage stirred with them. Mulder took a deep breath, 
sweat and stale coffee mingling to create an offensive odor which 
assaulted his keen olfactory senses. It was magnified by it being 
trapped in the poorly ventilated office, and caused his stomach to 
feel slightly queasy.

Mulder reopened his eyes, the glare of the screen reflecting off 
of his wire rim glasses. His hazel eyes scanned the page, the orbs
reading the words before him which he had written.

' The killer is male and is between the ages of 18-40. He is most 
probably white, and of above average intelligence. He is an 
underachiever, never having accomplished much in his life. In his 
personal life he is quiet, probably even shy. He is average in 
appearance, so much so that he blends in with the masses. His 
personal history is complicated. He was a victim of neglect or 
abuse, but not necessarily physical in nature. This abuse caused a 
displacement of values which was influenced by the tremendous 
anger which he held for those who he believes are responsible. In 
this case, women. This probably relates back to a dominant woman
early in his formative years which mistreated him.

Part 7a of 19a and b


He seeks to gain back the power and dominance, which he feels,
was taken from him. So starting in vivid fantasy life, he lived
out his needs, taking away the power which the women held over him,
gaining it for his own. However, this doesn't suffice for to long,
and he began to live these out with the real objects which he
longed to defile.

From the carefully maintained lack of clues concerning these acts
and the obvious forethought involved in procuring his victims,
combined with the need for his victims to be found; He is a highly
organized social deviant. This is a game to him. He wants to taunt
us. He is very articulate and will often follow his crimes closely,
seeking the attention which he needs.

He gains a sexual release, power based from his defilement of his
victims. He stalks them quite frequently, taking control from the
very start. He plans carefully, then strikes, using drugs etc to
subdue his victims due to his feelings of inadequacy. Once
captured, he likes to torture, physically and emotionally. Once
his victim had met her demise, he will remove trophies to keep as
souvenirs, and will dispose of the body carefully in places where
they will be found but not quickly, giving him the time to savor
his kill as well as still gain the attention which he feels that
he deserves. The trophies, which he procures, are his way of
re-experiencing the high which he obtains from his acts. '

Mulder looked up from his computer screen. Why had the killer
chosen Scully? They hadn't been there very long, not enough time
to explore her suitability for his needs. He would need more time
to watch her, to gain that control that he needed so badly.

He was organized and highly intelligent. So why had he left so
much hard evidence including prints at the scene. Why had his MO
changed? Killers were creatures of habit, not accepting change
well. And why now? Why Scully? Too many questions, too little
time...

So now it was time to get into his head...



                      ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Unknown time...
Unknown place...


Scully lay upon the lumpy, thin filthy mattress. Her blue eyes
were sightless, for she had closed them for a few moments. She
laid on her back, the black skirt which she wore bunched up over
her knees. She could feel the chill of the atmosphere upon her
slender legs, the effect keeping her very much alert. She
alternately tensed and released the muscles in her body, trying
to keep it functioning at peak capacity.

As Scully reclined there, she slowly centered her breathing, her
heartbeat and metabolism following in suit, hand in hand, to
provide herself the rest that she needed, but couldn't afford
to grant, due to the circumstances. Unfortunately, her silent
musings began to center upon a memory, long buried and hopefully
forgotten. It crept from the unconscious recesses of her mind,
like a cat creeping through the fog. It hid behind the darkness,
the silence its food until it manifested, transmogrified into a
being just as real as life itself, tormenting her very being...

She was lifeless, bitterly cold. A cold so deep, it settled into
every molecule; her whole body becoming dumb from its unwanted
presence. From that bone freezing insensateness, she was utterly
paralyzed. She could comprehend what was going on around her,
but was prostrate to do anything to save herself.

From thoughts trapped inwards she looked towards the seeping
darkness. No light, so sound seemed to exist in this world.
A world devoid of life. A world devoid of love, a world not
worth living in.

From her introspection, she was cognizant of her nakedness; the
crystallized goo congealing on her gooseflesh graced tissue, a
mantle of shame she would bear from her ultimate humiliation. She
could also perceive the tortuous, extant alien appendage, which
made its way down her esophagus, into the depths of her being. It
gave her life and sustenance just as her mother had done, yet at
the same time it drained the life from her like her never to be
born children would have never done.

As she floated there, she could feel the beast amalgamating,
within the confines of her corporeal body. The hushed rancorous
entity, was constituting itself, making its presence known. For
her, it had been the ultimate form of incursion, the molestation
of her very anima. She had never believed in demonic possession
per say, but to her this was unfolding right before her eyes.

She remembered praying furtively to God for any supplication, from
this evil within, but her pleas fell upon deafened ears. Then she
turned to earth, her eyes searching the darkness for humanly
intervention; desire to be unfettered from her ephemeral symbiotic
being, prospect to join the existing. However, the only answer to
meet her desperate entreaties was the poisonous effluvium of
quagmire which was to be her confinement.

Over time she remembered; her mind, deprived of sensory
stimulation, reverted to reliving her whole existence until now;
every single moment of time, in the space of a heartbeat, good and
bad, reminding her of what she loved and lost. To her it had been
the virtual happening of the final life review which she had heard
so much about. Each and every memory replayed with such clarity
that it was if as she was reliving it all over again. But of all
the visions which plagued her being the most, Mulder was the most
incessant. Her love for him haunted her like the cancer which once
inhabited her body. The knowledge that it would never see the
light of day, to take flight and to fly, darkening her already
darkest hour. She was resigned to realize that she would exist
here for eternity; the host for another.

Scully shuddered, sitting up quickly into the damp darkness. She
pushed the memory back into the closet where it lurked violently,
trying to not let the overwhelming sense of panic which she had
been fending off for a while, swallow her. A feeling, which she
fought off often, but she kept it deep within herself, fearing
her deepest darkest secret would see the light of day and would
doom her to a life marked with failure.

The secret had surfaced itself, just after her abduction. It first
it had been subtle, slight stirrings of nervousness which
unsettled her thoughts, but over time they seemed to grow, the
feelings taking a strong hold over simple activities of daily
living. Being the conscious woman, that she was, she sought
help for this growing affliction, and with Karen's help, she
learned to recognize it for what it was.

It was an anxiety based disorder; a fear of enclosed spaces,
claustrophobia.

It didn't need to be a very small space for her to react, it just
had to be the right time and place. The appropriate trigger; the
surroundings. They would draw out long buried memories, flashbacks,
to when she had been missing, held against her will and tested
upon, by strangers with no faces and with a hidden agenda. The
anxiety had been augmented after Pfaster had trapped her in
his tiny, caliginous, putrid closet until he had been ready for
her. Like a lamb to the slaughter.

She had sat there huddled in the corner as her heart raced and
her lungs burned. She fearfully fought off the vague phantasms
which threatened to fill her thoughts with unwanted, well
buried memories. She could still remember hearing him walking
about, his breaths even and deep as he prepared for her final
moments upon this earth.

However it had been Antarctica, which had been her most tortuous
test. She had been alert, in almost a dream like state during her
incarceration. Her deep blue eyes searching the swirling darkness
for any light that they could perceive. That ultimate feeling
of helplessness, of total lack of control, her version of hell
on earth. That to her had been the most evil experience of her
life.

Scully listened carefully; she could hear the stirrings of her
captor above, but she tried not to dwell upon his presence for
it served to only stir her fears more. She took deep breaths;
in and out, very slow. She could do this. She was better than
* this * phobia. She was a Scully, and failing wasn't an option.



                     ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


1900 hrs
Syracuse Regional Office
FBI


" Ladies and gentleman... This is what we have so far. It is as we
suspected. The syringe, was found with trace amounts of
Scopolamine. Just as with the other victims. From the amount found,
he had adjusted the dosage to not be fatal to a woman of her size
and weight. He had just enough to effectively and quickly, I may
add, knock her out. "

" The blood and hair samples found at the scene were typed and
cross matched. The samples were from Agent Scully. From that
evidence we can assume that she was injured during her capture, a
possible head injury judging from the hair within the blood. "

" From the carpet, we gathered hair, bedspread, and unknown fiber
samples. The samples were wool and cotton respectively.
The wool was of the same color and texture of the suit that
Agent Scully had been wearing earlier that day. The cotton was
unidentified, possibly from the abductor. "

" We have tons of latent prints. Clear and printable. However
since we * are * talking the FBI fingerprint data base, it might
take a while to process. Even then it might not be catalogued
yet so agents are reviewing hard copies meeting certain criteria
also. "

" It has been at the least, 12 hours since her abduction. All
local and federal agencies have pictures of Agent Scully, and the
tentative profile of our guy. No leads have came in as of yet. We
have precious little time left. We know what happens to his
victims so we need to buckle down. We are turning this
investigation over to AD Skinner and to now SAC Mulder. A parallel
investigation, following up on his other victims, will still be
conducted by me and SAC Barton. I feel that between this two
pronged approach we may better serve all interested parties, to
the best of out abilities. All agents are to meet with their new
SAC's, to receive their new assignments. Dismissed. " With that,
Bureau Chief Reynolds stepped down from the podium and left the
front of the room, voices once again speaking to one another.

Mulder watched intently as the mulling crowd of agents stood up
and started meandering about the office. Mulder reached up and
loosened the tie up that he had been wearing, its presence more
than just a little cumbersome.

A flash of red met his tired eyes, and as he gazed over at the
movement, he saw Anna Barton speaking seriously with her SAC
Reynolds. Mulder took a quick glance at her, and noticed she was
wearing a bright red suit, not unlike a red suit, trimmed in black
that he had seen Scully wear in the past.

Mulder felt tears of discommode fill his tired eyes. He took off
his glasses and rubbed his lids with the back of his hand, hoping
to somehow remove the stain of guilt which he wore.

' If we hadn't quarreled, none of this would have happened. You
would not have been alone, and you would not be in harm's way once
again. '

Mulder then turned his gaze over to the burley man seated next to
him at the table.

Skinner sat there quietly, a commanding figure, his hands folded
gracefully in his lap. His eyes were narrowed in consideration,
his face stoic, as he quietly sat there, taking in the information
being provided to him.

The loud, shrill ringing of a cell phone, broke the whispering
body of agents into a deadly hush. Agent Reynolds reached in his
pocket and pulled out the phone, his voice barely registering
to outside ears.

Reynolds dark, time etched face broke out into a smile. His
teeth a stark white against the bronze of his countenance. He
nodded quickly, taking a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped
it across his furrowed brow, his slightly receding hairline
glistening with the evidence of his efforts. He put the cloth
back into his pocket, straightening out his black and green
striped tie.

" We have a match... " Reynolds said brightly as the crowd began
to clap and cheer in affirmation. Mulder closed his eyes, saying
a prayer to whatever god would have him. He slid down in his
cheap plastic chair, a sense of relief flooding his heart and
mind with light and warmth. His soul had been dark and cold,
his Truth absent from his life.

" The FBI Crime mainframe as came up with a 100% match. He has a
prior history, abduction and murder... He was in an institution
for an assault on a federal officer... " Reynolds stopped speaking
as he continued to listen to the voice on the other end of the
phone. " Jesus, he is a sick one. DC is faxing all the info as we
speak... Our boy's name is Donald Addie Pfaster. "


Part 7b of 19a and b


" What! " Mulder jumped to his feet, the coffee, which had been 
sitting on the table before him fell to the floor, the hot liquid 
spilling about his feet. All eyes were trained upon him as he
stepped forward, his hands moving wildly about, as he brought
them to his head in sheer agony. ' I should have known. This was
his MO. Jesus, Scully. I am so sorry. ' Pain surged throughout his
soul, dragging tears to his already swollen eyes. His chest was
heavy, his breaths fighting his own efforts. His heart had 
literally stopped beating in his chest.

Skinner stood up, his face marked with confusion, his eyes full of 
questioning. He brought his hand over to lay upon Mulder's 
shoulder. ' Jesus, Pfaster... '

" Agent Mulder? " Reynolds asked, " you are familiar with this 
man? " He put his phone away, gesturing for his assistant to step 
to the side so that he could get a better view of the agent across 
from him. Judging from Mulder's reaction, he knew that it had to 
be bad.

Mulder began pacing, his anxiety very evident. " Scully was the
agent that he had been arrested for assaulting. " Mulder was in
shock. He would have never suspected that his killer, was in
actuality a killer which Scully and he had pursued years earlier.
A burning nausea began to creep up into the middle of his throat.
It loosened the tethers of his sanity, and released his basal
instincts. ' Pfaster has her. Just like before. This cannot be a 
coincidence. His escaping and eventual re emergence into his 
needs.  Too convenient, too obvious. '

" I don't understand... This guy, who had Agent Scully... " 
Reynolds was confused. He spoke silently to his assistant, and the 
blonde woman walked quickly out of the office. " You have a prior 
history? How? "

Skinner looked over at Mulder, fearful of how Mulder was going to
react to reliving the events surrounding his losing her once
again.

Mulder looked up his memory returning just like it was yesterday.
" Scully and I were called in on a case concerning desecration of
the dead. The agent in charge, Moe Bocks, thought it a possible 
X-File connection with UFOs since the mutilations were similar to
cattle mutilations. But it turned out to be a death fetishist. His 
compulsion, his need, grew to proportions, which drove him to 
escalate his behavior from procuring his desires; hair, nails, 
fingers etc from dead people to killing the living to obtain his 
collection. "

Reynolds shook his head, his carefully combed hair falling out
of place, revealing the bald spot which he had worked so hard
to hide. He closed his dark eyes and continued, " And Agent 
Scully? How did she fit into this? " He was afraid to ask, 
considering the nature of his crimes, but they needed to know.

" After taking his first victim, he had been arrested for 
approaching a student on a college campus. We were visiting a 
potential suspect, in the same cell block where he was being held,
and he saw her. He was released for lack of evidence and stalked
Scully, seeing her as the perfect means to obtain his needs. He
drove her off the road, and just before he was about to kill her, 
she managed to get away. We got there just in time to prevent him 
from making another attempt. " Mulder took a deep breath, letting 
out a shuddery sigh. His hazel eyes were misty, his heart heavy, 
dragging his soul down to the floor below.

" Shit, " Reynolds exclaimed, the other agents murmuring in 
response. He reached up and loosened his tie, pulling the tie off 
and with a flick of his thick wrist, he threw it to the desk 
nearest him. " We have our job cut out for us. " He let out a 
breath also, putting his hands into his pockets. " This cannot be 
a coincidence, this is just too neat. "

" I agree, " Mulder responded as he sat down at the desk that he
had been gracing earlier. " He wanted us here. He wanted a second
chance, to get to her. That is what this was all about. " Mulder 
put his head into his hands, closing his eyes and focusing his 
introspection.

Skinner shook his head, voicing the question which all of the
other agents were to afraid to ask, " He killed all of them, for 
her? " Skinner then walked out from behind the table, stepping up 
to Mulder saying, " How could he have known that you both would be 
sent here? How could he insure that? How could he even be sure 
that you both were still in the bureau? "

Mulder lowered his face once again, guilt overcoming him. He knew 
what Pfaster was capable of, when he had gotten into his mind 
after he had taken her before. His mind was tortuous, twisted, a 
grotesque mimicry of humankind. The caliginous flagitious which 
had resided there, still caused his scalding plasma to run cold 
with pusillanimity. " I am not sure, " he responded honestly, 
" the last time I knew, he was in a psychiatric facility. "

Reynolds nodded and retorted as he scuffed his black shoe across 
the thin carpeting, " That is where we need to start. As soon as 
we have the particulars, we will reconvene. " With that he reached 
over and picked up his tie, as he left the room.

The crowd of agents began to disperse, their clamorous ecstatic 
voices filling the hall, as they left. Skinner stepped up to
Mulder, reaching over to squeeze his shoulder. " We will find
her Mulder, " he said softly. " You found her before, and now
we have all of this at our disposal to locate her once again. "

Mulder just nodded, his words failing him at that moment since
his memories of how they had spent their last moments together, 
filled his thoughts with grief. He couldn't bear the thought that 
their last moment was born of anger and fear. ' She was leaving me. 
She had called the airport and was going to leave, because of my 
ignorance. I hurt her, like I have done in the past, and now 
because of that she is in danger. I have to find her, I have to. 
There is no margin for error. Her life is at stake. '


                     *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Unknown time...
Unknown Place...


A flash of bright light flooded the black night of her soul. 
Scully sluggishly roused from the deep meditative state which she 
had been existing in, seeking out the light which beckoned to her. 
She could hear someone moving the deadbolt to her prison, the 
sound of scraping metal against wood, causing her hair to stand on 
end.

She turned over, grunting loudly with the violent response that
her debilitated body gave her. She slowly brought herself up to 
the standing position, preparing for any foe that she may meet.

From her vantage point, she could see the door open, the light
from the upper level flooding her vision like a long lost friend.
The sudden brightness temporarily blinded her, but after a few
seconds her eyes compensated for the change. Appearing from that 
flood of illumination, Pfaster slowly descended down the stairs, 
his presence almost eclipsing the light around him. As he walked 
down, each floor board creaked in turn under the bulk which 
stepped upon it.

Scully backed up slowly, her senses on full alert. She couldn't 
let him see her weakness. That would be her down fall. She needed 
to be aware of what he required of her, but still remain resolute 
to keep whatever upper hand that she may possess. A penetrative 
frigidity went through her slight frame, and she suppressed the 
shudder which pulsed through her.

" So, how do you like the accommodations? " Pfaster asked as he 
walked up to Scully. He brought his hands out of his pockets to 
gesture around the room around her. " I hope that they are 
adequate. " Pfaster finished in his low monotone voice. His 
expressionless eyes took in her tired, harried appearance with 
interest.

Scully studied Pfaster carefully noting the ever present gun; hers,
tucked into his waistband. " They will do, " Scully retorted as she 
straightened her back until the effort tore at her physique. She 
reached down and smoothed out the smooth cloth of her skirt, more 
out of nervousness than out of necessity.

Pfaster reached out to attempt to touch her cheek, but Scully 
leaned away from his advances as he asked, " You were injured when 
I picked you up. Are you all right? " Pfaster smiled at her attempt 
to thwart his advances, her strength still fresh in his thoughts 
over all of the years that they had been separated. He studied her
face carefully, the resulting bruise had slid down her forehead 
and blended into the edge of her brow. Purples, reds and blacks
heralded the quite sizeable gash which now was dried and angry
looking.

Scully lifted up her chin, her deep blue eyes full of ice, " I am 
fine. " She brought her arms up to cross over the length of her
chest, leaning her weight to one side slightly. ' What is he up 
to? '

A flash of anger went through Pfaster's visage. ' She is so smug.
She thinks that she has some hope. She has no clue of what I have
in store for her. I will win. Then I will take my place in the 
light. '" You know, " Pfaster said as he turned to slowly walk 
around her, his eyes never leaving the burning vision before him, 
" they are not looking for you. They never will. You will remain
her for the rest of your life, with me. "

Scully shook her head, her mussed hair falling about her face in
tussled waves, " No, that is where you are wrong. They will find 
me. " She met his gaze with equal intensity, musing silently, ' I 
am not letting you get to me. I am better than this... '

" No, I don't think so, " he retorted with an evil smile. This was
better than he ever imagined. He could feel the life already 
filling his dark soul. " They do not even know that there is 
anything wrong. And when they find out, it will be too late. " He 
continued to walk around her, sizing up the woman which showed no 
fear towards him. ' I knew that you were the one. You will redeem 
me. '

Scully arched a slender brow, steeling her faltering resolve as
much as she could manage. His words struck fear down into the very
anchors of her existence. She inquired as she shook her head in 
disbelief, " What do you mean they don't even know anything is 
wrong? When they discover that I am missing... "

" They do not know that you are missing, " Pfaster interrupted his
smile growing wider by the moment. " I have seen to it. I have
taken you lead, and made it look like that you have left town.
I have emptied your room, filled your plane reservations, and
even left a note for your partner... "

If Scully had been scared before, she was now petrified. What if 
they didn't know she was gone? He could have made it look like 
that she had left. ' Skinner, Mulder would call Skinner... " But 
Skinner... "

" Received an email from you requesting a LOA for time being. 
Your laptop was very helpful. " Pfaster finished as his eyes 
twinkled with the pleasure which he was receiving from dashing 
her hopes.

Scully shook her head in denial, and looked down at her feet.
' Oh God. No one knows that I am gone. I am in this alone. '
Scully felt a flash of burning fear encircle her heart and darken
her soul. She knew that this was up to her. She needed to be
the one to save herself, for there was no white knight on a
trusty steed to free her from her bonds. She looked back up
at his very pleased face and retorted, " Why did you bring me 
here? How did you know? " If she was her last best hope, she 
needed to better understand the motives of the dark man before 
her.

" This was all a game, " he replied, eager to begin the next phase
of his plans. " The case, the girls. All designed to bring you
here. I knew that they would bring you and he here, sooner or 
later. And to insure that, my ace in the hole, the lovely but
unsuspecting Anna Barton. " Pfaster smiled as he started to
step from her. He knew that she was going to become angry and
possibly violent. She would break, all of them did after a while. 
But knowing that the syringe in his pocket and her gun were close 
at hand, made him feel that much more secure.

Scully closed her eyes, as tears came to the surface. They were 
hot and biting, full of frustration and pain. She swallowed hard,
speaking in a soft pleading voice, " You killed them all for me, 
why? " She lowered her face from his piercing gaze, her death
complete. So many lives, given to bring her here. So many dreams
tossed into the swirling seas of eternity, for a twisted idea
which this madman held.

Pfsater took a deep breath. ' Now begins our journey. ' " You are 
the one. The one to free me from all of this. You are the only one 
who is worthy enough to love me. And through that I will receive 
salvation. You are so close, to becoming. When you are finally 
free of your ties, you will be ready. Then I will be complete. "

Scully looked back up at his, dark hazel meeting tear filled 
azure, " Complete? " He was deliberately speaking in riddles. This 
frightened her. Usually she knew that meant more mental 
instability on the speakers part. His own vision so clouded and 
confused, the words which he wished to say failed him.


Part 8a of 19a and b

Pfaster smiled once again and began to slowly walk back to the 
bottom of the stairs. He needed to rest, to make his plans for
the next step. She still wasn't ready, she needed to be pure.
"  That is enough for now, you know all that you need to know for
a while, " he answered softly as he began to climb the stairs to 
his self imposed hell. ' Soon I will be free. Soon I will take my 
place out there, until then I will be patient. '

" I am hungry and thirsty, " Scully offered before he reached the 
top of the stairs. She would rather not eat or drink anything from
him at this point, but she sensed that she was in no immediate
danger. He had gone to an awful lot of trouble to bring her
here, so she would be safe for a while. She knew that to escape,
she would need to be strong, physically as well as emotionally,
so she needed to take good care of herself.

" You need to be purified. You are not ready yet. When it is time,
you will be fortified. I will return and we will talk further.
We have a great future, you and I. " Pfaster continued up the 
steps slowly, as he spoke. He never turned to face her, he just 
opened the door and stepped once again into the light above. He 
tuned off the light, the darkness once again invading the room, 
like a soldier hiding from the enemy.

Scully slowly crumpled to the floor, the tears, which she had been
hiding falling like hot spring rain, down upon the parched 
desolate landscape of her soul. She cried for her lost freedom, 
she cried for the lives of those given for her to be here, and she 
cried for her loss of hope and confidence. Her silent sobs blended 
into the stark silence, her voice only being beheld by the God 
which seemed, to have forsaken her for the time being...


                      ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*


Syracuse Regional Office
FBI
2100 hrs 

" I am here Scully... I am here... " Mulder said as he stood 
looking down at the spring touched courtyard below, his hand 
wrapped around the cross which he had worn since her abduction. He 
brought his slender hand up and ran his fingers through his hair, 
mussing the already tangled mop of dark hair. 

The misty black clouds swirled violently, shrouding the weeping
sky in a veiled heated sea of mystery. As Mulder stood there,
his tired gaze mesmerized by the hypnotic quality of the clouds,
he listened to the rush of the pouring rain fall down upon the
ground below, a staccato beat done in nature's own time.

He glanced at the trees, just beginning to bear the evidence of
their renewing life, the lone silent sentinels of his discourse,
the rains shimmering like golden sands in the soft forgiving light.

Mulder closed his sea green touched hazel eyes, the tears once 
again filling their endless depths. He couldn't explain how or why, 
but ever since this morning, he had been almost able to sense what 
Scully was feeling.

It was fleeting, like a spring breeze; light and gently caressing.
But never the less acknowledged.

Fear; an overwhelming sense of dread unlike he had ever felt of 
her before.

He could feel the control that she was attempting to exert over 
it, but he also sensed that she was losing the battle fast.

Mulder opened his eyes, allowing the rain-slicked colors of spring
to entertain him momentarily through the water graced sparkling
surface of the window before him.

Bright greens of grass and leaves, were highlighted by the bright
purples, blues, and reds, of the earlier risers which reached
up to embrace the heavens.

The lushness of life about him, only served to remind him of the 
life which he had lost; the life which he needed to get back. The 
only life which had graced his lonely miserable experience for 
seven wonderful years... Scully...

The 5ft plus red headed ball of composed living fire encased in
breathtaking beauty.

Mulder's inward thoughts were interrupted by the gentle sound of
scuffing footsteps against the thin thread of the carpeting.
He looked over to see who dared to approach him for he was not
of a social mood, and a most welcome sight greeted him. Skinner
was approaching with another mug of steaming hot coffee.

" She is scared, " Mulder said emotionlessly, as he once again
looked back out the window, trying to somehow better connect
with his life absent, by joining with nature.

Skinner stepped in front of him, passing him the mug. He also
glanced out the window as he spoke softly, " I am sure that she
is but... "

" She is... " Mulder interrupted strongly, " I can feel it. She is 
trying hard to be strong. She is trying so hard, but she is so 
tired, she doesn't know if she can hold on much longer. " He 
remained stoic, his breathing deep and carefully measured as if 
he was breathing for both he and Scully.

" You can feel her? " Skinner asked as he searched Mulder's face.
He believed him. He knew them to have a very special bond which
bound them closer than anything substance known in nature. It
would stand to reason that their time together had also 
strengthened emotional empathy between them.

" She is cold, it is dark. She feels so alone, so afraid. For some 
reason she feels as if she is... lost out there all alone without
anyone. Doesn't she know that I am here? Doesn't she know that I 
will be her strength when she becomes weak? " Mulder asked to no 
one in particular. He brought his hands around the mug tighter, the 
pain from the intense heat searing through the well callused palms 
of his hands. He welcomed the pain; he cherished it. It reminded 
him that they were both still alive and that there was still hope.

Skinner brought his broad hand up to his furrowed brow, and wiped 
off the perspiration when had collected there, " She does know. I 
am sure of that. But for now Mulder, I need you to come back... "

Mulder's jaw dropped, his surprise very evident as he interrupted, 
" Sir, but Scully..."

" Needs you, " Skinner interrupted back. He shook his head and
continued, his eyes narrowed and stern, " She needs you to be here,
looking for her. She needs you to get into his head and figure out
what he is really up to. She needs you to be the one that she can
count on. That means you have to be here. "

Mulder looked over at him, and took a sip of the bitter hot liquid.
He knew Skinner was right. He knew that is was up to him. Scully
needed him here, to seek her and Pfaster out. He swallowed the
scalding substance, the liquid burning a hole into his gut where it 
sat, fueling the fire which already existed. Mulder nodded, the 
message clear in his hazel eyes. 

Out of the periphery of his vision, he could see Agent Barton, 
making her way through the small group of agents which had 
remained after the meeting. As she came to stand in from of him 
she nodded to Skinner and said softly, " May I speak to Mulder for 
a moment? "

Skinner nodded and stepped away, saying to Mulder, " Remember what
I said, here... " And with that he walked away, knowing that
he had reached Mulder in that dark cold place where he had been
consoling himself.

Mulder looked quietly over Agent Barton. She was the last person
that he wanted to talk to at this point. He was confused enough 
about things, he didn't need an added distraction. " Yes? " he 
asked quietly as he raised both of his brows in mock curiosity.

Barton looked down at her feet. She looked up and let out a soft
breath in contemplation. Her first attempt at seduction was a big
flop. She could feel him responding to her; yet he had sent her
away. She knew why, Scully. He obviously cared about her a great
deal more than she had thought. And now that she was a ' ghost ',
Scully was something she couldn't fight. She would have to back 
off for now. Until Scully either died or returned, and she 
preferred the latter. For death, which Scully definitely didn't 
deserve * would * create martyrdom, a state that she knew she 
couldn't compete." I would like to apologize for last night, " she 
started off saying as she brought up her hand to her chin in 
thought, " I normally don't come on so strong. "

Mulder just shook his head and gazed once again out at the falling
rain as he responded, " It's ok. " He wished that she would just
leave but the dejected look on her face that she wore told him
she wasn't leaving soon. Mulder put his hands back into his pocket
and he smiled weakly.

" No, it isn't ok, " she replied as she brought her hand back onto
his forearm. " I just find you so attractive and I thought that 
you were attracted to me that... I thought that I had a chance. I 
know that now is not the time so I will make this brief... Scully 
obviously cares about you a great deal, and I can see that the 
feelings are quite reciprocated. " She took her hand off his arm 
and stepped towards him, I should have seen it sooner. " She 
struggled to make each and every word honest and supportive.
She needed to get on his good side, to take credit when all was 
done. This would also allow her to be there for him, ensuring that
she would still be on his mind after Scully was returned for good
or for bad.

Mulder looked at her, his hazel eyes clouded with thought, " We 
aren't like that. We are just... "

" I know. Good friends. I would really like to be your friend,
and help you through this." She interrupted as she nodded her head, 
her dark eyes full of forced sadness. This was going to be easy.
He was so disconcerted that he really was clueless as to her 
agenda. Earn his trust and everything else would fall into place.

" Yes... " Mulder said softly, as he closed his eyes, his 
lassitude sapping every ounce of energy left within him. He wasn't
really listening to her, her words floating by him with the air
conditioner's currents.

" Well then, we had better get to work. " With that she smiled 
brightly and nodded slowly, trying to appear as sincere as 
possible. Staying in his good graces would have their benefits 
indeed.

Mulder and Barton were disturbed from their individual thoughts 
as a loud chorus of mixed voices began to enter the auditory 
landscape. Both turned around as Bureau Chief Reynolds entered 
with his assistant, Skinner not far behind. The entourage walked 
up to the front of the conference room, a small group of agents 
following closely behind.

" Ladies and gentleman, " Reynolds stated as the crowd grew hush.
" The Minneapolis bureau has faxed us the dossier that we have 
been waiting for. " With that several agents began to pass out
yellow bound packets to everyone in the room. "  Enclosed is a 
picture, and the original profile which Agent Mulder had been
responsible for. Our man, Donald Pfaster... Was in a state mental
institution for years after being convicted of aggravated assault
and kidnapping of a federal officer. After what they deemed 
successful treatment, he was allowed to enter a sheltered work 
release program. One day while the group was traveling out on a
bus to the site, it crashed head on into a drunk driver, killing 
all on board. The resulting fire was so intense that the bodies
were cremated. Since all 7 bodies were found and accounted for,
it was assumed that he was one of the causalities. In searching
his things, at our request, they found that he had been doing
more than reading on the internet. As you can see from the various
clippings enclosed, he followed Agent's Scully and Mulder very
carefully, from afar. He has know about every single case which
they have been on that has made the news anywhere... "


" Oh God no, " Agent Barton muttered as she slowly looked through
the packet which had been handed to her. She could still hear 
Bureau Chief Reynolds talking, but her thoughts were a thousand 
miles away. She fingered the picture, which she held before her, 
her heart sinking into the bottom of her chest. The photo was cool 
and slick under her now sweaty palms, she could feel what was left 
of her heart bounding fiercely in her chest.

Mulder had been listening intently to the Bureau Chief assigning
the teams, but Barton's soft exclamation and pale features caught
his eye. He knelt down beside her, her face drawn and her mouth 
wide open revealing her perfect white teeth. " Are you all 
right? " Mulder asked softly as he looked down at the picture that 
she was gazing intently at.

" It's him, " she replied as she looked back up at Mulder. " It's 
Henry Baickle. " She closed her eyes and a shudder of revulsion
ran the length of her body. She would have never guessed. He 
seemed like a normal decent, even attractive kind of a guy.

Part 8b of 19a and b

From across the room, Reynolds had seen the events taking place
separate from his attentions. He had stopped talking momentarily
and had heard a name which was very familiar to him. " Henry 
Baickle, the newspaper guy? " Reynolds questioned with amazement, 
his voice low and controlled.

" What? You know him? " Skinner questioned as he looked down at
his copy of the photo. He looked back up at Reynolds, and then
at Barton.

Barton stood up shakily, smoothing down the line of her skirt in
nervousness. She tucked her hair behind her ears and began to 
speak, " We have an outreach program, where SU Criminal Justice
students intern here for a few weeks near the end of their
program. A student reporter from their college newspaper 
approached us a few months ago about following some of the 
student's experiences during their tour of duty. This was the guy. 
I was assigned to be the liaison between he and the department.

" This is the connection. But how did he know that we would be
the ones that were assigned? " Mulder asked as he looked over
at Barton.

She lowered her head and sighed softly, " He approached me just 
after the third woman was found. He asked if we would be calling 
in a profiler, since we do not have one here on staff. He said 
that the best profiler that he had ever heard of was a Fox Mulder 
out of DC. I did some research and... "

" Do you know where he lives? " Mulder asked quietly, hopefully

guarded.

" No, but SU would have an address, I would think. " She replied
a broad smile blossoming across the now pink skin of her visage. 
She had been feeling pretty low, for she had been the one to 
unwittingly draw Mulder and his partner to the trap that Pfaster 
had set for them. Being duped was something that she couldn't 
stand. But now she had recourse. She would be the one to bring him 
in. This would be her chance at greatness.

Reynolds smiled in turn and gestured to her. " Barton, you take 
Miller and Jenkins, and go to the campus. See what you can find. 
Agent Mulder, I need a clearer profile of Pfaster. This one that 
we have is old, it is clearly not reflective of his new state of 
mind. " With that he stood up straight and tucked his shirt further 
into his dress pants. " Let's make this good guys, we have very 
little time left. "

Mulder nodded at Barton as she left with her assigned agents. He 
knew that they wouldn't find anything. That would be too easy. 
Pfaster was playing a game, a game that he planned to win, and 
both he and Scully were his guests. He wasn't done yet. The game 
wasn't up. Mulder knew that it would be up to Pfaster to make the 
next move, it would be up to them to take it from there.

As the crowd went about their appointed duties, Skinner walked up
to Mulder, his mind thinking just as Mulder's was. Skinner rubbed
his hand across the strong line of his jaw, his eyes were dark
and narrowed, "  We both know that they will not find a thing.
He is too smart. "

Mulder nodded and sat down at the desk next to him, taking another
sip of the now quickly cooling coffee. The rain continued to
fall gently, washing away the sins of man below. Nature was 
doing its part in annihilating the evil which parched the land,
now it was time for man to do the same.



                    *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Unknown time...
Unknown place...

A small figure sat leaning upon the cool, smooth wall. Her bright
eyes were closed, focused upon a vision which was only visible
to her...

" You don't need me Mulder. You've never have. I've only held you 
back, " Scully remembered declaring to him as she bit on her lip 
trying to will back the tears which threatened to fall. She 
couldn't deal with this any more. Seeing the hurt in his eyes was 
way to much for her. She remembered, turning and walking for the 
door uttering in plaintive defeat, " I've gotta go. "

As she walked down the hall, she could remember feeling the tears 
of profound loss and grief, as they washed over her already 
shattered soul, sending shards of it to floor beneath her feet. 
As she walked down the hall, she could remember Mulder's presence
behind her as he spoke in desperation, his voice strong and true, 
" You're wrong. "

She could still see the pain, which was etched deeply over his 
strained face. She could remember that she needed to escape; she 
needed to hide from the tremendous pain which ripped through her 
soul and tormented her heart. " Why was I assigned to you? To 
debunk your work. To rein you in. To shut you down. "

She could still see the love and honesty in his eyes as she 
recalled the words that she had spoken to her, " You've saved me, 
Scully. " Scully could still feel the heat of his hands on her
shoulders, " As difficult and frustrating as it's been sometimes, 
your goddamn strict rationalism and science have saved me a 
thousand times over. You've... you've kept me honest and made me 
a whole person. I owe you everything Scully and you owe me nothing. 
I don't know if I want to do this alone. I don't know if I can. 
And if I quit now, they win... " His baring his soul to her so 
intimately had been the most important moment in her life. 

She could still feel the brush of her warm lips on his cool brow; 
his soft sweet breaths like gentle butterfly's wings against her 
skin, the warmth and softness of him in her arms, and she could
still feel the warm fullness of his lips as they brushed hers just
before the terrible night came to claim her...

Scully suddenly opened her eyes, her vision's only perception,
the darkness about her. She had tried to hard to fight off the
anxiety that the darkness brought her, and as a result she had 
been hiding safely away in her mind, where there was no darkness,
only light, pure and soul lifting.

However, whenever she tried to think of bright thoughts that would
lift her spirits, she found herself thinking of Mulder and of
all of the times that she had spent with him. She knew that this
wasn't the time and place, but here in the dark, where a multitude 
of sins were hidden, she was at this moment, no longer
Scully, the FBI agent, she was now Dana...

In her real world, she was Scully. A strong, controlled, and 
centered woman. She was refined, no nonsense and simple in her 
presence. She was Scully, and she had faced monsters within and 
without. She had faced them and have never lost her resolve.


But here in the dark, she was Dana. The woman behind the suits
and forced stoicness. She existed in her soul, hidden safely from 
the swirling storm clouds of without. The darkness drew Dana out,
even as she wished her back, for the darkness was not safe. 
Dana was the lover, the dreamer, the spiritualist, the poet and 
yes even the believer.

Scully allowed the existence of Dana to continue, only for that 
she knew that without her, she would be nothing; a mere shell
of a human being without life, another Fellig, and she would
never let that happen.

She knew that she needed to keep her wits about her, for she 
needed to be at her most alert, so she graciously allowed whatever
memories which her thoughts needed to focus, even if they were
unrealistic. The memory, which had been playing before her was
precious, for it had meant the world to her. And even though it
now was proven false for what she had thought what it had meant,
she still clung to it with a strength unparalleled. It had been
the proof of her faith for so long, that she wasn't going to give 
it up now. She needed the strength that it brought her, to face 
the fate which had befallen her.



                      *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



Day 2 
Syracuse Regional Office
FBI 
1600 hrs.

Mulder sat quietly at the desk that he had been sitting at for
ten hours straight. He stretched his long, cramped legs out below
the surface of the desk, the material feeling a little more than
sticky in the sweltering heat. He brought his slender hands up to
his hair and ran his fingers through it, the greasiness present
more than unnerving for him.

Mulder had long ago abandoned his suit jacket and tie and now had
his short unbuttoned way down below the sweaty T-shirt that he
was wearing. He brought his hand down to grasp the countless mug
of coffee that he had been ingesting. The agents which had been in
the office overnight had ordered pizza, but his nonexistent 
appetite had prevented him from eating any. He had been working on
a more complete profile of Pfaster, his walk into the darkness 
which was evil, had kept him more than focused. It had been long 
night, and an even longer day. The investigation at SU had proven 
to be pointless, as they had feared.

Pfaster had given a false information concerning his address and
had paid his tuition with money orders that were not traceable.
He was attending classes, part time with a concentration in
religious studies. No one that he had been acquainted with had
anything to add about him, other than he was quiet and well
mannered. He also had not attended class since Scully's abduction,
which was of no surprise to Mulder, for his schooling was just
a means to and end for him.

Mulder closed his eyes, willing his depletion to cease.  From
the weary recesses of his reason, he began to recall the words
of a song which he had heard earlier on in the day, on the radio
playing in the lounge. He hadn't recognized the artist, for this
station wasn't his usual style, but the words had caught his
attention...


' Spend all your time waiting,
for that second chance,
for a break that would make it okay...'

' There's always some reason,
to feel not good enough
and it's hard at the end of the day... '

That was the story of his life, always waiting... never feeling
good enough.

' I need some distraction,
oh beautiful release
memory seeps from my veins... '

' Let me be empty,
and weightless then maybe,
I'll find some peace tonight... '

Scully was that release, for she was the only one to chase
away the burning memories which haunted his every waking moment.

' In the arms of an angel,
fly away from here,
from this dark cold hotel room,
and the endlessness that you fear... '

' You are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie,
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort here... '

She was his salvation, his comfort. She gave him life, she gave
him hope. She filled his heart with love and released the fear
which he felt.

Mulder opened his eyes, the bullpen's activity once again catching
his gaze. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Skinner
making his way towards the corner where he was sequestered.
Skinner hadn't left the office either, but had managed to shower 
and shave so he appeared as fresh as ever. Mulder took another sip
of the coffee as Skinner came to a stand before him, his glasses
taking in the man before him.

" I called Maggie Scully, " Skinner said softly as he sat in the
chair next to him. He brought his hands into his lap, and
enfolded his fingers. " She's strong, just like Scully. She gave
me a message to give to you, she says that she has faith in you.
If anyone can find her, you can. She knows that you will bring her
home. "

Mulder just lowered his head, letting out a soft breath as he did.
" I have been working on that updated profile on him. I am almost
done. I don't know how much help it will be, but we will 
understand him better. He then looked back up at Skinner, his now 
dark eyes, full of pain. " I have to find her sir, I... "

" You will, we will. Keep the faith, Lord knows that you have
enough for all of us, " Skinner interrupted as he nodded his head 
in affirmation. Skinner could see the toll this was taking out of 
him. His visage heralded back to when Scully had been abducted 
before. This scared him. He knew Mulder to be fragile, reliant 
upon Scully to help keep him together, and with his digging into 
the dark thoughts of Pfaster, he was more concerned than ever.

A shrill ring, caused the two men to jump slightly. Both reached
for their cell phones, but in an instant realized that it was
Mulder's.

" Mulder... " Mulder said into the phone as he leaned back into
the hard surface of the wood behind him. He brought his stiff
legs out in front of him, and brought his feet up to rest on the
edge of the desk.

A disembodied voice spoke softly it's tone clear and resonant, 
" Hello, Mr. Mulder... I think I have something that you might be 
very interested in. "

" Pfaster... " Mulder hissed as his feet fell to the floor, with a 
heavy thud. His heart began to race, his face felt flushed. He 
knew that he would contact him, he had been prepared but the 
reality of it was still irrepressible.

Skinner stood up quickly, speaking in hushed tones to the other
agents about, the participants scattering to all points of the
wind. He picked up his cell phone and dialed out, trying to get a 
cellular trace on the call.

" You are as brilliant as they say you are... " The voice responded 
with a slight chuckle.

" How is Scully? " Mulder asked as he listened intently to the 
call. He carefully examined the background noise, which was present, 
hoping for any clue which could lead him to her.

" You are not in a position to ask any questions Mr. Mulder. 
* Dana * is fine. I will protect her. She is safe... " The voice
retorted strongly, his voice low and controlled.

Mulder knew how to talk to him, his mind reaching for reflective
listening techniques which he had learned in hostage negotiation
classes, " How is she safe Pfaster? " He brought the phone 
between his head and his shoulder, freeing the hand that he had 
been using to begin to jot down the conversation. 

" I would never harm her, she is the one, Mr. Mulder. She is my 
savior. My Salvation. She and she alone can bring me into the 
light... " Pfaster informed him, his bass voice showing no
inflection. 

" What light, tell me about the light? " Mulder asked as he
quickly jotted down the conversation. He knew that he needed to 
get further into his thoughts, make Pfaster feel like he was being
listened to, make him feel important. He knew that this would
get Pfaster to open up further, thus possibly making a mistake
which would be his fatal one.

" I have lived in the darkness, Mr. Mulder. I have existed in the 
depths that evil provides its disciples. Searching for my 
redemption. Do you know what it is like to live like that? " 
Pfaster questioned softly, his voice betraying his hurt.

" Yes, yes I do, " Mulder conceded, his eyes filling with tears.
He did know. He too lived in the colors of the night. He also
walked that road, his heart and soul immersed in the darkness
which it brought.

Skinner looked over at him, putting his now silent cell phone
down. He could see from the stunned look on Mulder's face that
he was connecting with him. Even though he knew that Mulder
really didn't need anymore darkness at this point, his
connection might be the very thing that would save Scully, 
in the end.

" She is very special, " Pfaster continued to share with Mulder, 
" I knew that from the time that I first saw her. She is touched, 
graced by God. She can give redemption. She can give me 
redemption, * give * me my humanity. She is part of the one, the 
vessel of its power. She has the power and she will give me it, 
freeing myself of this earthy excrement. "

Mulder squeezed his eyes tight, forcing his thoughts to become one
with him. He could feel his thoughts, blending with his, becoming
one... " How... How will she grant it, Pfaster? " Mulder questioned
firmly, trying to get him to open up further.

Pfaster chuckled softly, his voice thick and even, " Why, Mr. 
Mulder, Do you really need to ask me that? I think you know how. "

A burning anger rose up from his soul, as Mulder dropped the
pad which he had been hen scratching upon the table as he sat
up stiffly, " If you lay a hand on her... " Mulder hissed his 
voice angry and threatening.

Skinner reached over and placed his hand down on Mulder's forearm,
squeezing it firmly. He shook his head, his eyes narrowed and
piercing. He knew that it wasn't a good idea to piss Pfaster off,
and threatening him just might accomplish that. Scully's life was 
dependant upon Pfaster's mental state.

" Please. I am not the monster that you believe me to be. When I 
am done, I will not have to force her, " Pfaster retorted, his 
voice dripping with ice. " There are more subtle ways of achieving 
my goals. For now I am finished, but I will call again. " And with 
that the line went dead, Mulder slammed his phone down on the 
table, catching the attention of the other agents still within the 
room.

Skinner questioned quickly, " What did he say? " He leaned forward
to get a peak at the yellow pad before him.

Part 9a of 19a and b

Mulder reached for the pad, quickly handing it to Skinner. He
was at a loss for words at this point. His heart was too busy
shattering at his feet upon the cheaply carpeted floor. He closed
his eyes once again, the words of the song once again filling his
thoughts.

Skinner quickly looked down at the pad, his face displaying the
dismay that Mulder was feeling. He knew that this was bad, but
he wasn't aware of how bad it really was. ' Oh, God. ' He mused
as he looked at the heart broken man before him, his own heart
breaking for the both of them...



                 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Unknown time...
Unknown place...

From behind the closed lids of her equidistant deliberations, 
Scully noticed that the overhead light had been turned on. She 
quickly brought her now unsteady stance up to its full height. She 
could tell that her body was suffering greatly from the duress 
which it was having inflicted upon it. 

Her eyes were sore from the darkness which she found herself most
of the time immersed in, the lack of fluid drying out her eyes
greatly. Her mouth was dry, and her output was slowing, the urine
becoming more concentrated and pungent with each voiding.

She found that her thoughts were becoming sluggish, harder to
focus. She knew that it was all related to her growing condition
of dehydration, and until she received hydration, it would
only grow worse.
 
Suddenly the door opened, and a looming shadow began to ascend
the stairs towards her. She stepped back, making sure that their
was enough space between them as he came to a halt before her,
his eyes dark and cold.

" Dana... " Pfaster said softly as he walked up to her, his hazel
eyes shining in the dim light. He scanned her carefully. She was
quite a sight. Her golden red hair mussed, her clothing wrinkled
and quite soiled. He was impressed. For so far as she had been
there, she had not once lost control in his presence. Her eyes,
remained focused and controlled. He knew her to be strong, but
she was * strong *. She would take more work than he had 
anticipated, but he didn't mind. It would make her surrender that
much sweeter.


"Pfaster... " Scully replied as she stood up straight in front of
him. ' I need to be on level with him, he needs to see me strong
and resolute. ' She would not show him fear, for she knew that was
what he wanted. He needed to feel in control, her at his mercy,
but she would show no fear. ' Let him think that he does have me,
but he will not know my surrender... ' She smoothed her skirt down
over her slender thighs, and out of the corner of her eyes, she
caught him carefully watching him during her actions. She could
see a dilatation of his eyes and a quickening of his breaths.
She silenced a shudder, a primitive realization hitting her like
a cold wave. ' Shit, I turn him on. '

" I am impressed, " Pfaster said as he walked in a semi circle,
back and forth about her. She was beautiful, no doubt. He had 
found other women as beautiful, but he had never been sexually 
aroused in such a way that he would want to have intercourse with 
them, they were too dirty... But not Dana, she was worthy. She 
would give him new life. " You haven't slept at all since I 
brought you here. "

" And I won't... " She replied, her voice firm, her fear 
sublimated. She still saw the hazy, muted faces, which played 
before her on occasion, but she had learned to tune them out. She 
knew he was evil, of this she had no doubt. She also knew that 
this was her subconscious's way of dealing with the human monster 
before her, for evil would never be thought to lie within the 
average boy next door.

" You need to save your strength, " Pfaster informed her, 
genuinely worried about her condition. She seemed all right for 
the moment, but for what he had planned, she would need to be in 
peak form. However the cleansing was needed, to rid her of the 
evil which she was tainted with.

Scully shook her head, her sapphire blue eyes narrowed, as she 
gestured about her. " Why * have * you brought me here. You said 
that you would bring me provisions. You feign concern, yet you are 
harming me. " She continued to hold fast to her ground as his dark 
emotionless eyes pierced right through to her very soul.

Pfaster stood there fugaciously, his face stoic and unreadable.
Then a smile broke across its flat planes, a grin as evil as she
could ever imagine, " You are fasting... " He brought his hands
into his pockets, trying to quell the burning desire which was
flowing through him.

Scully was confused, " Fasting? For what? " She brought her hands
up in front of her and crossed them across her chest. She couldn't
be sure, but she thought that she noticed an decrease in the
temperature whenever he was near. However, she had chalked it up 
to the menace which he posed to her; her physiologic reaction to 
the stress which he induced in her.

Pfaster nodded to himself, as he spoke carefully. ' It is time,
she needs to know. She needs to prepare herself for her fate.  
" You need to be pure. You need to be clean to redeem me. You are 
going to give me back my humanity. " He stopped pacing and stepped 
up to her, his large frame dwarfing the slight red head before him.

Scully arched a slender brow, and tilted her head, a strand of
her quite messy hair falling across the curve of her cheek, 
almost obscuring her vision, " And how will this occur? " Scully
asked as she stepped up to him. He wasn't going to intimidate
her, even if he was the one to be in control for the moment.


" You will have my child, " Pfaster said nonchalantly, as he 
brought his hands to his hips, taking one more step towards his 
prisoner.

Scully's jaw dropped to her chest, she felt the bile rise in
her throat. ' Oh my God. ' She thought fearfully, as her heart
began to pound painfully in her chest, " Excuse me? " Scully
barely spit out as she shook her head, " A child... " He 
obviously didn't know. If he did, she wouldn't be here. Of course, 
it wasn't common knowledge that she was sterile. She wasn't sure 
if she wanted to know this, for she knew the answer already, but 
she needed to hear it from him, " And how do you propose to get me 
pregnant? "

Pfaster grinned even wider, his eyes full of lust, " The usual 
way, with a little augmentation. " His eyes stared at her, going 
from the top of her head, down to the bottom of her bare feet. He 
had planned on waiting a while longer, but he knew that he 
wouldn't be able after all. She was here, and so close. He would 
need to bring up the timetable to speed.


Scully closed her eyes, tears filling the sky blue depths. It was 
as she had feared. Not only was she at his mercy totally, she was 
* at * his mercy. She brought her arms tighter around herself and 
uttered, " No... " She could feel the hysteria rising up in her. 
How could she fight off a man, twice as big as her? Sure, she 
could try, but shackled she would not be able to go anywhere. 
Eventually he would get to her, and what then? How far would he go 
to insure his progeny? ' What happens when he finds out I cannot 
conceive? What will he do then? '

Pfaster could see the blatant reaction in his chosen one. Her
fear and revulsion were clear and he spoke quickly to dissuade
her fears, " I am not going to rape you, if that is what you are
thinking. "

Scully just looked at him, as if she was dissecting him piece by
piece, " And you think that I am going to have consensual sex
with you? She shook her head and walked away. She knew that she
had to come up with a plan fast to get away from him. It was
only a matter of time, time that she didn't have in her favor.

Pfaster smiled in reply, and said as he turned to walk up the
stairs, " You will, when it is time. It is your destiny and 
mine. When it is time, you will not be able to resist, for you
will know it is your place to be here with me, and our child.
I brought you here Dana Katherine Scully, and you are mine.
The woman, that you existed as before, no longer inhabits the
world out there. You are being remade, in the image that you need
to be for you to be my vessel, for through you I will be reborn,
whole and complete... " With that he began to climb the narrow
stairs, the board creaking under his tremendous bulk. He had much 
to prepare for, much to do before the time.

Scully was left there, carefully reviewing what he had said.
" They will find me, mark my words. They will find me whatever you
may think. " The light went absent, the thick swirling darkness 
once again enveloping her. She began to pray intensely that they 
would find her. She knew that God always won and never let the 
devil steal the show. But she knew that until that prayers was 
answered, she would have to be her own rescue party.

She lowered herself slowly down to the mattress below. She began
to collect her thoughts, letting their cold matter ground her
firmly to reality. Now that she knew her fate, her fear was more
manageable. Knowing something, makes it that less fearful, for 
then you can plan.




                      ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Unknown time...
Unknown place...



Donnie Pfaster walked slowly across the dusty hardwoods of his
self made prison. His hard soled dress shoes clicked loudly
upon the floor, kicking up small puffs of dust along the way.

A small smug grin graced his average features, as he walked 
through the front living room, his successful actions pleasing him 
to no end. His months of planning, and careful forethought had 
brought him to this moment, and that knowledge bolstered a very 
damaged, very fragile ego.

' You said that I would never accomplish anything; you said I was 
a failure. You said that no real woman would ever desire me. I 
have proved you wrong, mother. I am able to do anything that I set 
my mind to, you just never let me do so. '

Pfaster sat down upon the still covered davenport, watching 
intently as the small slivers of moonlight began to filter through 
the partially closed shades. The wind moving through the trees 
before the window, caused the fingers of soft light to dance 
merrily upon the dark wall, a signal to him that his 
accomplishment was praised.

Pfaster shifted uncomfortably upon his seat, the rock hard 
erection that he was sporting, more than troublesome.

He rubbed himself roughly, still amazed that she elicited such a
response from him.

For until the day that he had met her, only the dead had aroused 
such passions.

He still remembered that fateful day in that holding cell. When
his eyes had fell upon her personage, everything had changed.
She had proven that he wasn't beyond the light, that all was not
lost. He knew her to be most worthy of his attentions, and when he
had procured her, his life had became complete.

However, when she was taken from him, his life had became from 
that point, a race, which he was determined to win. A race in 
which his immortal soul was at stake, and she was the only light 
in his darkness. He had spent every waking lucid moment thinking 
about how she was the one. He had played their games; well in 
fact. Throughout all of his treatments, attempting to appear 
better, though he knew that they couldn't save him.

When they began to believe the lie, he was allowed more privileges,
given access to their library; to their computers, making his
work that much easier for him to perpetrate his delusions.

Pfaster took a deep breath and brought his hands to his finely 
combed hair, gently checking to see that it was still in place. He
leaned back, allowing the icy silence to fill the deepest recesses 
of his mind. The institution was loud and crowded; nauseating 
smells filled the long windings halls, making his stomach turn 
violently.

This was nice, a place where the world would not touch him. The
silence was comforting; like no place which he had ever known.
He could get used to being there, a world created by himself,
where any of his dreams could happen. Even since being here, the
ghost which haunted his mind was peculiarly silent, only taunting
him on occasion. In this world, he felt worthy and redeemable.

A feeling which he had never experienced before, and Dana Scully
was a very big part of that.

Pfaster let his musings return to where it all began. He had been
the youngest boy of several older sisters. The outcast among the
tides. For some reason, unbeknownst to him, his mother had singled
him out, as the evil dark one; the cause of everything bad in 
their family. His sisters, beautiful and perfect in every way, 
were flaunted as the ideal, which he was told that he could never 
obtain.

Nothing that he ever did was right, including the natural 
investigations which all young boys do of their bodies. He had 
been caught red handed so to speak and had been punished severely 
for it.

And from that night on, his whole world changed. For in an instant,
a young innocent boy had been tainted and a monster had been
born...

But in this act of twisted nurture vs nature, a monster most 
atypical was born. A monster not of without, but of within.

Pfaster stood up slowly, his lumbering form aching with his every
movement. He also had not slept since she had returned to his life.
Sleep, to him was unnecessary, since she was everything that he 
needed. Scully would help to wash away the filthiness, which he 
lived with everyday. 

She would drive away the memories, of his mother touching him,
stroking him, not out of love but out of a need for control. Her 
touch, had not been the same as his. His felt good; his mother's 
felt evil. He had hated it. He had cried until she had left, and 
then he, out of a need to drive her touch from his body, touched 
himself. And when he had, he had visualized her lying before him, 
dead.

Her beautiful body lifeless, her power removed with the proof of 
such things, her glorious hair and nails.

So it had began.

Pfaster slowly walked over to the window, carefully watching the
trees sway stiffly in the evening's influence. Tomorrow was the 
day. His excitement was beginning to build. Tomorrow was the day 
which he had been planning for. A new beginning, for him as well 
as for Scully...


Part 9b of 19a and b

                        *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Unknown time...
Unknown place...


Scully awakened from her hazy thoughts with a startle. At first 
her dehydration influenced vision wouldn't let her focus. Perhaps 
protecting her from the fate that had befallen her. But after a 
few moments reality came crashing back, cold and desolate. Her 
worst nightmare once again given the breath of life in which to 
flourish and grow.

The smell of human excrement filled her nostrils and threatened
to dispel the foul bile which inhabited her very empty stomach.
She began to mouth breathe, removing the foul stench temporarily
from her palate. She rolled off of her side, stretching her sore,
tired limbs past their normal range of motion; trying to dispel
the pins and needled sensation which had taken up residence there.

She slid to her abused and aching knees and stood up, pressing the
soiled skirt down over her bruised and dirty legs. The material 
had became stiff with dirt, the once smooth material now harsh and
vicious against the sensitive skin of her thighs.

From the edge of her perception, she could hear the stirrings of
Pfaster as he walked about up stairs. She glanced around the room,
the absent walls held steadfast against how long she had been held 
down here. The never changing light level, coupled with no means 
to tell time and caused time to stand still. She had tried to 
count the minutes earlier during one of her more lucid moments, but 
had given that up after a while.

It really didn't seem to matter.

Scully licked her parched, cracked lips, the sparse saliva causing
the raw surface to smart under its caress. Even the caress was 

painful, her swollen tongue groaned under the abrasion that her 
lips provided. From her skin turgor, to her lack of voiding, she 
could tell that she was growing very dehydrated.

Scully shook her head, trying to clear her head of the very last 
words Pfaster had spoken to her.

' You are going to redeem me. '

The words still struck fear into the depths of her soul, for she 
was all alone in this.

She knew that he was right, God help her, at least partially.
Mulder would probably not know she was gone. After the argument,
that they had had, he probably did think that she just left.

He would be so tightly wrapped up in his profiling, that he 
wouldn't think to call her. All else ceased to exist when he was 
on the hunt. That was the way that he was. And she could only 
surmise that when he was in a relationship with a woman 
romantically, that was also the way that he was, focused. Between 
the two, no one would be the wiser until it was too late, for her.

Scully felt tears of hot indignation fall down the now dirtied 
cheeks of her face. She knew that no one would find her. Pfaster 
had played the game a little too well. No one would know whatever 
happened to her. And by the time they suspected something might 
even be up, she would have died from dehydration.

Scully felt a surge of hopelessness encircle her heart and she 
fought that feeling with all that she was worth. Since they would 
not be able to find her, she needed to be prepared for any out
available. ' You have been in worse predicaments than this Dana,' 
she mused as she sat back down on the thin mattress. ' You need to 
rest and get yourself together. There isn't much time left, you 
need to think of a way to save yourself. Forget the pity and get 
to work soldier. ' She brought her shackled ankle up to her bottom, 
tucking her chin on top of the knees. Her mind began to formulate
multitudes of possible scenarios, reaching for the out which
she knew that existed...

                   

                       ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Day 3
Syracuse Regional Office
FBI 
0330hrs 


AD Skinner looked up from the neatly stacked pile of requisitions.
He closed his eyes momentarily, rubbing his eyes with the callused
flat of his palm. He leaned back upon the hardwood back of the 
office chair, wishing that he had his own well-worn, soft leather 
chair. He stretched out his long well muscled legs, working the 
stiff tired limbs. The gray wool pant legs of his trousers slid 
down to the econo line blue Berber carpeting with a soft thud, the 
only sound that could be heard in the desolate silence.

Skinner looked up, surveying the office about him. Dark rolling
shadows danced about the room, providing a floorshow for only
those who were to pay careful attention. Skinner could still smell
the soft scent of take out Chinese food which they had eaten 
earlier, mixed with the stale smell of cigarette smoke wafting 
from the latrine. The lights were down, the only illumination 
being provided was from the occasional desk lamp left on near its 
occupant.

About three other agents were scattered about the bullpen. 
Normally no one would be in, but with the investigation at hand, a 
night team had been assigned. The three, dressed in jeans and 
T-shirts due to being off time, were pouring over potential 
witness statements.

Skinner looked over into the far corner where Mulder was sitting
intently. He was stooped over a pile of folders, Skinner knew to
be his carefully rewritten profile of Pfaster. Mulder still had 
not been out of the office since arriving here after leaving 
Scully's room. He still wore the same suit, which he had put on 
that very morning. However, by now it was creased and soiled, 
matching the unshaven face and too short, unwashed hair.

' Jesus, he looks like shit. I don't know how much longer he can 
hold out. '

Skinner shivered at the thought. However, the most frightening 
thing about the man that he was observing was his eyes. Even from 
across the poorly lit room with very tired, strained eyes, he 
could see it.

The darkness.

The empty, lost look that reflected back to the shell shock which
he had seen back in Vietnam. The walking dead.

A man, soulless but not dead.

A shell of a life, existing but not living.

Skinner stood up, his back groaning in protest to his maltreatment
of it. He raised his arms over his head, extending the limbs out
of midline. He had been given Scully's case, the added stress of
that plus his regular duties as AD wearing him very thin. However
his concern outweighed his stress, so he continued on.

Relentless in his mission, until his quest was fulfilled.

He made his way carefully through the crowded maze of desks,
his shoes clicking against the thin carpeting. As he stopped to
stand in front of Mulder, the thin distracted man looked up
at him, his eyes glazed and empty.

" Mulder? " Skinner asked as he put his hands into his pockets,
and sat on the edge of the wooden desk top. He looked down,
the faces of Pfaster's other victims staring up at him, demanding
retribution.

Mulder looked up at his superior, his eyes seeing but not 
comprehending anything going on outside of himself. He was walking 
in the darkness with the man which held Scully. He could read 
almost every single thought that Pfaster had ever had, or would 
have.

He could see his victims for what they were. Unfulfilled vessels;
tainted offerings for his redemption. Sacrificial lambs.

" Yes, sir? " Mulder said absentmindedly as he leaned back 
slightly. He reached up to remove his loosened tie, fingering the 
fine silk which his slender hands held. The simple geometric tie 
of blues, grays and brows, were mixed in a soft, classy design. It 
had been a gift from Scully, a while back. Scully had been so 
pleased that she had found such a nice tie at such a good price. 
Mulder found himself wearing it often, for it pleased Scully to no 
end to see him wearing it.

" How are you holding up? " Skinner asked as he watched the pale,
stubble graced face contort in thought momentarily. He knew the
answer, it was clearly written upon his visage. However, he hoped 
that Mulder would open up to him. Skinner was a practical man. He
knew though they had many leads and knew who the killer was, they
had no clue as to where to start looking for him. He had been 
careful, leaving no tangible trail as to where he might be living. 
He knew that Mulder, in spite of his obviously distracted state 
was the only one good enough to get into his head effectively.

" Fine, Sir. " Mulder replied as he took another sip of the very
concentrated, extremely bitter coffee. He sighed and shook
his head slowly, attempting to clear the fogginess which 
threatened to take over his thought patterns. ' I need to remain 
thoughtful. I am so close. I can feel him. Scully is depending 
upon me. I will not let her down. '

Skinner shook his head in retort. Mulder could be just as bad as
Scully when it came to denial. They were the poster children for
denial as far as he was concerned. A flash of anger, born of
fatigue and frustration boiled up to the calm exterior and he said, 
" I suppose, I don't need to tell you that you look like shit. Go 
and get some rest."

Mulder chuckled slightly, his mirth sort lived. "  Sorry sir. No
can do. I will not be able to rest until we find her. I am so 
close. " He put down the coffee cup with the rapidly cooling 
liquid spilling over the edge, falling upon the smooth table top 
into a dozen or so irregular splash patterns. 

Skinner scowled slightly as he brought his hand out of his pocket 
and brought it to his brow. He knew that Mulder wouldn't rest, at 
least not willingly, yet he also knew Mulder needed to have a 
break. If he were to begin to fall apart totally, he would not be 
any use at all. " Mulder, what if I was to make that an order? " 
Skinner half heartedly retorted. He knew Mulder took orders as 
well as an 1-year-old, but he still had to try.

Mulder smiled softly to himself, ' Boy, wouldn't Scully get a kick
out of that one. ' Mulder pushed his chair back, the rough legs
pulling at the nap of the low pile and causing a ripping sound.
He stood up slowly, answering " Since when have I ever taken 
orders? " He crossed over in front to where Skinner was sitting 
precariously on the edge.

Skinner nodded and replied, " That is what I thought you would 
say. " Skinner looked down at his feet, studying his shoes 
carefully. He wasn't sure how to broach the topic, but he needed 
to have Mulder's thoughts on the topic. " So Mulder, I am not sure 
if I really understand how Pfaster thinks that raping Scully, will 
save him. Isn't this against his MO? He was into dead things, 
right? And now he wants Scully, alive? "

Mulder nodded and shuffled through the pile of files which lay 
upon his desk. " I have been doing extensive research upon 
Pfaster's stay in that institution. He underwent some ECT therapy. 
That was not a success. All that succeeded in doing was causing 
more harm than good. He became more delusional than he was 
originally. He wasn't suffering from depression or any other 
recommended disorder, so they attempted a radical new form of 
Aversion therapy. Utilizing new anti psychotics, with the video 
display and the electrical shock conditioning, they thought that 
they had treated him successfully. However... " Mulder searched 
quickly to find another file and began reading, " He began to 
fixate upon religious overtones of salvation and redemption. This 
seemed like an appropriate displacement at the time, but I guess 
that it backfired on them. He knows what evil is... He knows that 
it drives him to do what he does. However he is powerless to stop 
it so he seeks other methods to redeem himself. "

Skinner grew nauseous at the thought. A mad man who knows that he
is sick, seeking redemption. ' What else would he be willing to 
do? He has killed and kidnapped for his need. Would be willing to 
do what he said that he wouldn't just to achieve his goals? " I 
know that some cultures believe that sexual intercourse is a type 
of rebirth of sorts but this... "

" He doesn't want Scully for sex, he wants he for what she can 
give him. " Mulder swallowed hard, his heart beginning to pound 
hard within the tight confines of his chest. He put his hands into 
his pockets and lowered his eyes to the floor, as the pain began 
to swallow him whole. " He believes that if he father's a 
child... "  


Part 10a of 19a and b

" Excuse me? " Skinner nearly choked out, not expecting to hear 
that. " A child? But I thought Scully... "

" Can not bear children... " Mulder finished as he looked up.
" She can't. But he doesn't know that. He has followed us very
closely over the years, but that was never revealed. All that he
sees is a strong, successful, intelligent woman who is worthy to
give him redemption. She is inherently good, and she did escape 
him. She is his last chance in his sick little world. "

Skinner closed his eyes, bile rising up from his gut. He had heard
of sick things, his job had hardened him to most everything. But
to believe you could get redemption through conceiving a child
with someone against their will, was beyond his comprehension.
" All of this to conceive a child? " Then he stopped and thought 
for a moment, ' Oh my God. What if? ' " Mulder, " he asked softly, 
" what happens if and when he finds out she cannot conceive. I 
mean, if we don't get to her in time, how long will he wait? "

Mulder closed his eyes and the vision of Pfaster touching his 
Scully, being with his Scully, filled his mind with unimaginable 
dread. He opened his hazel eyes, and looked about the nearly 
desolate room. " I believe that he will not wait long. Once she is 
ready, as he said, he will try to fulfill his mission. If we can't 
get to her, I believe that within a matter of time she doesn't

become pregnant, he will kill her. That will not be an issue with
which he would have any trouble. She will become expendable. "

" Then we will make sure that we get to her in time. If we have to
go door to door to find her, we will. " Skinner put his hand on
Mulder's shoulder in support. Skinner nodded and smiled slightly,
" I have faith. "

Mulder just nodded and lowered his head. In his heart he knew that
they would find her. Of that he was quite sure. He knew that he
was close, and they had been through way too much together to
have it end like this. But in his mind, doubt remained. Would they
be there in time to stop him from acting on his delusion?



                    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Unknown time...
Unknown place...


Silence, thick and hot, like syrup filled the deathly still air.
it filled the curtain of desolation, like a long lost partner,
edges blurred, blending into a seamless union of perfection at
work. Within that infinite universe of impossibilities, someone
was attempting to make the impossible, possible.

Scully sat silently, carefully taking measured breaths, letting
the forced rhythm to wash over her like a warm wave, bathing her 
in swirling comfort. Her eyes were closed, her thoughts turned 
inward, as she attempted to keep her mind limber and her memory 
keen. She had found her mind growing soft, the results of sensory
deprivation.

' Left Common Carotid Artery
Left Subclavian Artery
Aortic Arch
Left Pulmonary Artery
Left Pulmonary Vein
Left Atrium
Aortic Valve
Mitral Valve '

She visualized each feature, as if she was holding them in her
hands, word for word; image for image...

Her entire Anatomy and Physiology.

Her father had always taught her that a sharp mind was always
the best defense, and seeing she had very little for her arsenal,
she knew that this would have to be her way out.

Out witting him.

Scully clenched her brow tightly, envisioning the gut of a human
during dissection.

' Stomach
Duodenum
Small Intestine
Cecum
Ascending Colon
Transverse Colon
Descending Colon
Sigmoid Colon '

She followed the pink healthy tissue, as it wound its way 
carefully throughout the open body cavity. She allowed herself to 
be drawn into the vision; in so far as to smell the pungent smell 
of the organs and hearing the soft sounds of moist organs sliding 
against one another while she moved them about.

Suddenly the sound of a deadbolt sliding slowly, filling the 
desolate silence, the sound of scraping metal against metal, 
sending fingers of discomfort up her stiff spine.

Scully rolled over, every joint in her body screaming in 
succession. She brought herself up to standing, bracing herself 
physically and emotionally for anything possible which could be 
inflicted by her deranged captor.

As she looked up the stairs, she saw dancing fingers of light
permeate the deep stillness... A lone figure turned on the light,
the bright flash temporarily blinding her. She blinked her azure 
blue eyes quickly, her eyes quickly compensating for the sudden 
change in focal light.

She watched the dark figure descend the stairs, his huge stature
causing a large shadow to loom over her as he approached. She
took a step back towards the wall behind her, providing some 
measure of perimeter control. 

" Dana... " Pfaster said softly, as he stepped to stand in front
of her. He stooped over slightly, putting his hands into the 
pockets of the cocoa twill pants that he was wearing. He took in
a breath, the foul smelling air now even getting to him.

" Yes... " Scully said as she sized up her opponent. She noted the
ever present gun at his side, that would be a problem. His size 
was formidable, so a frontal attack was definitely out of the 
question. She shifted her weight from side to side slowly, due to 
the fact that her legs were beginning to cramp from the 
electrolyte imbalance caused from her ever growing dehydration.

Pfaster shook his head slowly, her ever present strength still a
constant source of astonishment. When he had taken the others, 
they had broken within hours of being left here down in the dark. 
She however remained in control and even a little bit testy. They 
were of such a little challenge. They were so unworthy it made him 
sick. " You continually amaze me, " Pfaster muttered softly, as he 
smiled a tight smile.

Scully arched a brow and rolled her eyes in annoyance. She could
really do without his color commentary. She put her hands on her 
hips, and stared him down the scum that he was, " I am just so 
glad that I can provide such a rich source of entertainment for 
you. " She tossed her stringy hair out off her damp face, 
revealing the full extent of her growing annoyance with the 
situation.

Pfaster narrowed his eyes, the hazel depths almost turning as 
black as his soul. " * In spite * of how you resolve renews my 
faith that you are indeed the chosen one, you do need to rest... 
It is essential that your health be in excellent condition for 
ovulation to occur. " In preparation for his harvest of Scully,
he had thoroughly read up on the topic of fertility.

Scully looked up at the ceiling, and huffed questioningly, " And 
how are you going to know when I ovulate? "  She knew that she 
needed to bluff him. Since this was clearly the reason why she was 
her, she needed to figure out exactly how much he did know, and 
begin to from the figure out a plan to free herself. " Ovulation 
isn't a set event, hell it is so unpredictable that a whole branch 
of medicine was designed to follow through on it. "

" Starting the day after tomorrow, " Pfaster said unemotionally, 
" with your first morning voiding, we will test your urine for the 
hormone produced just before ovulation. We will continue to test 
until you test positive, then we will have about 12 hours to 
insure enough sperm is available for fertilization.

Now she had the means, now she needed to prepare herself. For her 
to take the advantage of any break possible, she needed to make 
sure that she would be strong enough to take her chance, whenever 
it presented itself. " You do realize that my less than optimal 
state may delay or even prevent ovulation, Scully informed matter 
of fact, as she brought her arms out in front of her to make a 
point.

" Yes, " he replied as he brought his hand to his smooth chin in
thought, " also starting tomorrow night, you will begin taking 
prenatal vitamins and you will begin to be provided three 
nutritious meals a day. I will also weigh you every day, making 
sure that your weight does not fluctuate.

Scully was intrigued. Everything seemed to revolve around tomorrow.
She tilted her head, making her interest seem as innocent as 
possible. If a chance was going to present itself tomorrow, she 
wanted to be ready. " Why tomorrow? What is so special about 
tomorrow? "

" The purging will be complete... " Pfaster answered as he looked
deeply into her ice blue depths. He was so glad that his penance
was up. Having her so close, was such a distraction, especially
since they hadn't even began planning. He closed his eyes 
slightly, stifling the wave of joy which was engulfing him. His 
plan was nearly complete, only one more step to put into place.

" What is this purging? " Scully pressed further, she needed to
know everything that he was thinking. " I do not understand. "
To beat the monster, one had to get into their head. She needed to
understand what he was doing, to better plan for her escape.

" You need to get Agent Mulder out of your system. " Pfaster spat
out, his face contorted with disgust. He really hated that man.
Her attachment to him was the one thing that was preventing
this from progressing at a more expedient measure. He shook his 
head and turned away, trying to compose himself. He knew that she
shouldn't show any weakness, for she would use it against him.

" Excuse me? " Scully choked, her throat tight and her face pale.
She had never expected that was what he was thinking about. She
turned slightly from him, releasing a deep breath. She then looked
back at him and said softly, " You are so far out of the ballpark,
you are in the parking lot. "

Pfaster grinned, knowing the trap was finally sprung. He stepped
towards her, placing his hands back into his pockets, placing his
one hand firmly around the securely capped hypodermic which was
hidden in his pocket. " You talk when you are under sedation, you 
know. I know you love him, " he retorted in an amused tone, his
eyes twinkling with pleasure.

Scully narrowed her intelligent eyes and said desperately, " You 
are mistaken. " This situation was hard enough, let alone add 
another factor into the equation. If he thought that she had 
feelings for Mulder, he would never trust her enough to give her 
an out, she would be doomed. 

Pfaster shook his head in disagreement. He took another small step
forward in preparation. " No misunderstanding here Girlie Girl, "
he spoke firmly, " I know how you feel about him, and that taints 
you for me. He runs hot in your blood. I thought that purging 
would be enough, but I had miscalculated. But all is not lost, for 
I plan to remedy that mistake very soon. "

Scully felt fingers of suspicion crawl up the back of her neck.
Pfaster was up to something, and she knew that it wasn't good. She
brought her face forward, furrowing her brow in thought as she 
asked, " What do you mean that you are going to remedy that 
mistake? "


Pfaster squeezed the syringe tighter, as if getting strength from
its very presence. " I am going to eliminate the very poison from 
your blood. I am going to eliminate the very thing that stands 
between you and me, Mulder. " Pfaster turned slightly, as if he 
was planning to walk away from her.


Part 10b of 19a and b

Scully grabbed his forearm with a tight grip. She raised both
brows, her eyes full of fear and tension. " What? " Scully asked
as she shook her head, her reddish gold hair falling about her 
face, " Oh my God, I... " Scully felt her heart begin to flutter, 
and nausea was beginning to rise up from the depths of her very 
upset stomach.

Pfaster winced from the heated firmness of her touch. He whispered
softly, his voice low and husky, " Then you and I will be as one.
Nothing or no one will stop me from meeting my destiny. " Pfaster
gripped the syringe tighter, loosening the cap, preparing for
his attack.

Scully fought the surge of protectiveness, which he had elicited
from her, but lost miserably. She stepped up on her tiptoes, 
forcing her stern gaze to meet his. Her heart was pounding so 
violently, that her lungs burned. " If you so much as harm one 
hair on his head, I'll... " Suddenly, out of no where, a sharp 
prick hit the middle of her deltoid muscle. From the depths of her 
soul, she began to feel the room spin, her vision began to dim. 
She felt her legs grow weak and her equilibrium waver, " Jesus, 
what did you do... " Scully managed to say just as she pitched 
forward, her world closing in around her.

Pfaster caught her rag doll body, her slight figure not a bother
for him. He lowered her carefully to the floor, as her eyes began 
to roll back into her head, " I knew your reaction would be so 
emotional, I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself. It's okay... Just
rest. We have a big day tomorrow. " With that he slung her over to 
the mat, placing her head upon the small pillow which lie there.

" Please, don't hurt... I can't... " Scully whispered softly, as 
the incoming darkness finally claimed her elusive spirit. She felt 
herself slipping away, her soul no longer within its corporeal 
confines. She found herself swimming in a sea of warm dreams, Dana 
once again finding her way from the depths, moving Scully out of 
the way, even if only for a few moments.


                     ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Day 3
Syracuse Regional Office

FBI 
1600hrs 


Her eyes...

Her beautiful swirling blue depths of strength and intelligence...

As Mulder lay upon the cool slick leather of the too small couch
in the staff lounge, his clear photographic memory shared the 
vision of her eyes. He had seen so much of his world through those 
eyes for so long that they had become his whole existence.

Deep warm pools of ocean blue touched with light... 

Unguarded, honest, reflections of soul... 

Mulder smiled slightly as he stretched out his long slender 
runner's legs, tensing and relaxing the tight muscles along the 
way. He rubbed the smooth dress trousers with the callused tips of 
his slender, well defined fingers.

Mulder rolled over slightly, his face falling flat upon the cool 
surface of the back rest. The smile receded, being replaced with a 
slight snore, as he snuggled further into his pose.

In the enclosing darkness in which he found himself, he found some
respite from the demons which had been plaguing him since Scully
had been taken.

As Mulder's vision's played out before him, his eyes darted about 
under his paper thin eyelids, his dark lashes fluttered against 
the golden hue of his skin.

Mulder unconsciously brought his slender hand to his head, and he 
ran his well defined, fingers through the silky dark chestnut 
tangle which was now his hair. As he did this, a stray lock of 
glistening hair, strayed to fall upon the deep furrows of his brow, 
creased with his dream musings.
 
After a few moments, Mulder's dream began to take flight, the 
darkness within giving away to events which he had no knowledge of,
to wash over him. The images muted hazy, colors blended seamlessly 
into flowing lines...

Scully. He could see her light even before he caught glimpse of
her. She lay quietly upon a thin, futon like mattress, surrounded
by the swirling wisps of darkness. He moved ethereally towards her,
her soft, shallow breaths filling his soul with joy. Even through
the damp, foul scented air, he could make out the intoxicating 
scent of her very presence. Soft floral tones muted with summer's 
breezes and spring rain.

In that solitary room, he felt something so profound, so earth 
shattering...

Love, pure unconditional love and desire. 

And in that moment, a miracle graced his life.

He felt their souls connect once again. Their souls had brushed
and united even if for only a moment in time.

Two hearts beat as one.

Two breaths mingled and became as one.

Two souls embraced and shared as one.

They had once again joined the ebbs and flows of creation.

The Alpha and the Omega.

Just as they had several times before in the past.

He had missed that feeling. He had missed that soul mate 
connection which he only shared with her. In its embrace he felt 
safe, strengthened, loved...

He came closer to her, seeking to warm himself in the light of her 
truth. He reached out with his essence; touching the damp cool 
skin of her cheek. He could also feel that she was also free, 
following the ebbing estuaries of her heart. Suddenly he felt a 
surging heat and he found himself in a warm, inviting place. He 
couldn't place exactly * where * he was, but he felt safe, so he 
knew that it had something to do with Scully.

As he looked about, a vision began to form. It was hazy and 
impressionistic at first, but then it began to take on a crystal 
clear clarity which hurt his concentration. However it was unlike
any vision which had graced his eyes. The colors were bright, 
vivid, deep and sharp. All about those colors were streaming
rays of light, pure and idealistic, as if the clouds had just
parted from a sudden storm which had just rolled in from the
horizon. 

Piercing blue eyes.

That was the first sight that he saw.

Piercing blue eyes, swirling with deep emotion.

As he stared at the eyes, he saw a vapor of ivory, flowing 
effortlessly like a heavenly cascade, glittering with blazing 
points of brilliance. 

He narrowed his vision, he saw that the cloud was topped with
the most impressive of sunsets, clad in copper, lighted with
golden hues. Waves undulated within that sunset, the blue eyes
just below the horizon.

Scully. He was looking at Scully, through * her * eyes, into a
mirror.

He felt himself looking down, at a diminutive girl. Her cherubic 
countenance beaming brightly up at him. She was also graced in a 
cloud of white, her eyes piercing the vivid colors about them.

Emily. He was looking at her precious successor. Through * her * 
eyes. He had once told her that he had never seen her as a mother,
but now he did.

" Are you ready Dana? " A accustomed voiced filled his ears. He
turned to look, and the tear stained face of Maggie Scully
smiled euphoniously at him. She was enveloped in a cloud of vivid
blue, her hair swirled upon the top of her head.

Suddenly a diaphanous cloud of snow white, fell upon his vision.
He was floating within the cloud, gliding towards the light
which filtered in from behind him. From that light, an impressive
man with the same piercing blue eyes, arrayed in white emerged.
His strong, proud face was edged in a now fading shock of red.

Her father... 

He felt his arm, draping over William Scully's, as they promenaded
once again toward the light. And within that light, a soft pair
of sea touched hazel eyes gazed loving.

And Mulder didn't have to think twice. * His * eyes. Filled with 
the same love which he had just seen in his.

Love, pure and unconditional. 

Mulder opened his eyes once again, the hazel depths now glittering
brightly with unshed tears in the faint light. 

Mulder swung his lanky legs over the side of the black sofa, his 
sock clad feet landing with a slight thud upon the area rug 
beneath him. He scratched his taunt stomach gently, as he stood 
up and went over to the restroom on the other side of the room. As 
he slowly ambulated, his footfalls, echoed gently off the thinly 
carpeted floor.

Mulder went to the sink and from the spigot, retrieved himself
a glass of very cold water, the cool smooth liquid, flowed 
effortlessly down his parched, brittle throat. It bottomed out in 
his stomach where it caused an involuntary shudder.

He had been where no man had been before, within the very dreams
of one Dana Katherine Scully. He had seen the world, her world,
through her very eyes. Full of love, light and Truth.

He had not seen Scully's world; but rather the idealistic world
of the woman which he knew to exist behind the cool facade.

Mulder smiled brightly, his teeth gleaming brightly in the light. 
He knew that everything would be all right. Deep within his heart, 
he knew that she would come back to him and * they * would find 
their way back to one another. She was safe, for now. And that was 
all that mattered...



                    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


Unknown time...
Unknown place...

It was deathly silent. The only sounds perceivable were the 
occasional faint sounds of running water and banging pipes from 
over head. Within that desolate auditory landscape, Scully sighed 
softly, her voice dreamy and content. She slowly moved her head, 
her thoughts not within her body, but within the cosmic oneness, 
where anything was possible, and dreams came true.

Her meditations...

Incessant and tender...

Apparitions of events antecedent and of events longed for...

" Hey, it's not a bad piece of ash, huh? "

She heard him say into her ear and she turned and gave him a
look which could freeze boiling water. She could feel the heat
rolling off of him, chasing away the chill which had set in.

She felt Mulder silently chuckle, his mirth becoming quickly
contagious. " The bat-talking about the bat. Now, don't strangle 
it. You just want to shake hands with it. " Hello, Mr. Bat. It's 
a pleasure to make your acquaintance. " " Oh, no, no, Ms. Scully. 
The pleasure's all mine. " 

Scully laughed softly, gripping the bat more firmly within
her grasp. This was nice, she couldn't ever remember when she
had seen him so happy. Like a little boy. She fell in love with
him all over again.

In the corner of her ear, his hot breath tickled softly, instantly
causing a heat to burn within her. " Okay, now, we want to... we 
want to go hips before hands, okay?  We want to stride forward and 
turn. That's all we're thinking about. So, we go hips... before 
hands, all right? "

Scully could feel his gentle touch upon her hips, his hips pressed
firmly against her bottom. The feeling of having him this close to
her was more than she had ever imagined. Decadent visions of him, 
bent over her, his body thrusting deeply into her, conjured a 
shudder to run through the entire length of her body.