Well, this hiatus has been so long that I'm betting some of you thought
you'd never hear from me again.  It's not like I intended for it to be that
way, but real life and then serious writer's block got in the way... you
know the story.  But never fear, I'm back! <g>  Maybe not in full force yet,
but I've got the writing bug and I figure it's time I get back into the swing
of things.

Disclaimer:  The characters in this story do not, never have, and never will
belong to me.  Fox Mulder and Dana Scully belong to Ten Thireen
Productions and Twentieth Centry Fox Television Inc.   Oh, and to a man
whom they tell me is called Chris Carter, not that I've ever heard of him.
<g>  Jake (last name unknown to me) belongs to Zalman King and Zalman
King Productions (I believe).  All characters used without permission.  No
harm intended, no infringement intended, no money earned through the
writing and posting of this.  The author wishes to say to the creaters of
these characters that she wishes she'd thought of them herself, but she
hasn't and she's using them as a form of catharsis, and flattery (you know
-- imitation).
	Large portions of the text in this story are dialogue and actual
descriptions of events that took place during the X-Files pilot.  Any phrases
or descriptions that cannot be recognized as being from the pilot
copyrighted to this author, 1998.  Do *NOT* distribute to archives outside
of Gossamer, and do not, under any circumstances, repost, copy, distribute,
or reuse any of this text for any purposes without prior written consent
from the author.

Rating: PG-13 for some nasty words

Classification: CX, UST

Key words: Mulder/Scully UST (no romance yet), Red Shoe Diaries
crossover

Spoilers: Pilot

Summary:  Dana Scully is assigned to work with Fox Mulder in the X-Files
division.  Imagine her surprise when she opens the door and sees his face.

Author's Notes:  It's been so long that I almost didn't remember what
categories to write at the beginning of the story.  This is part 5 of an
ongoing series involving Dana Scully's life -- before, and now within, the X-
Files.  While this could be a stand alone with the following information:
Dana Scully fell in love with and almost married Jake, an aspiring architect,
while she was in college -- it would be best if you went back and reread
(or simply read) Jumeaux parts I to IV.  They're available at Gossamer
sites under 'J' for Jumeaux, or 'D' for Dragon Lady, The.
	I'm posting part 1 now, part 2 will probably be out tomorrow, to give
me time to write part 3 and have my editors look it over.  Everything
should hopefully be out before or during the weekend.  If you're happy
I'm writing again, why don't you flood me with feedback.  It might just
goad me into writing the next installment faster. <g>

Jumeaux V

by The Dragon Lady (nlemie@po-box.mcgill.ca)

	Dana tossed her keys onto the entrance table and hung her coat up
on the rack, settling into her familiar evening routine.  Turning on a light,
she then moved towards the kitchen while leafing through her mail.  A
smile appeared on her lips as she recognised a familiar script on a
handwritten address.  Jake.   Inserting a finger below the flap of the
envelope, she pulled at it, tearing the paper open easily and slipping a few
leaves of paper out.

	It hadn't changed.  Seven years ago she and Jake had broken up.
While it had been extremely hard at first to communicate, they had kept
their vows to stay in touch and stay friends.  As a result, they called each
other every few months, and almost every month, like clockwork, Jake
would send her a letter, to which she'd reply within a couple of weeks.
That way, they kept up on each other's lives.  That was very important to
both of them.  As long as they remained friends, there was always a hope
that things would be right in the world.

	She let her eyes flow over the words, drinking in Jake's latest
adventures, reading about how he'd managed to find a great door for the
bathroom in his loft... a sort of sliding door/venetian blind combination
that allowed for maximum privacy.  And he'd found a stray dog.  A puppy
no more than a few months old who'd wandered into the building when
the door had been left open one scorching evening.  The eyes, he told Dana,
had done him in and he'd immediately adopted her.  Her name was Stella
and he was beginning to really appreciate her company -- even if she
hadn't quite figured out the meaning of paper training yet.

	Dana sighed, letting herself be enveloped by the normalcy of Jake's
tone.  Things seemed to be going great for him and she was happy.  On the
other hand, her life was about to change and she wasn't quite sure how to
prepare for it.  Her thoughts were echoed in Jake's letter.

	"So, dearest Dana, how goes it with the work?  Have those rumors
that you might be transferred materializing or are you still slicing and
dicing?  I'm curious to know.  Any chance you might end up in California?
Kidding!  Ouch!  Don't hurt me!  Anyway, I was just curious, so whenever
you get some definite news either way give me a call.  I don't think I can
stand waiting 3 weeks to hear the answer.

	Love always,

	Jake"

	His last paragraph once again set aflutter the butterflies in her
stomach.  She'd been told to show up to Section Chief Blevins the next day,
10 am sharp.  Guess the rumours were true.  She was going to be
reassigned.  Although this scared her a bit -- after all she'd always stayed
within the safe confines of Quantico after qualifying as an agent -- she was
looking forward to a challenge.  A new start, a chance to meet an agent
who would work with her in the field.  The opportunity to solves crimes
rather than just doing the grunt work for other investigators.  Not that she
didn't love her job, but she'd decided it was time to graduate to the big
leagues.  Play with the boys, as her brother Charlie would say.

	Turning her thoughts back to the present and her grumbling
stomach, Dana slipped the envelope into the box on her desk where she
kept all of Jake's correspondence and returned to the kitchen to re-heat
some leftovers.  The hum of the microwave followed her all the way to the
bedroom as she changed out of her work clothes and into something more
casual -- a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.  Tying her hair into a ponytail, she
then walked to the bathroom to wash her face clear of the scant make-up
she wore.  As she patted her face dry she heard the ding of the microwave
alarm telling her that the Irish stew her mother had made for her was
once again heated and ready to eat.

	One bowlful and two bread slices later, she felt the familiar warmth
of a full stomach and rose to clear the table.  One long hot bubble bath
later, she was ready to retire for the evening.  Choosing a paperback she
was halfway through, Dana reclined on her bed, preferring to immerse
herself in the story than to lie there worrying about tomorrow's meeting.
She'd planned for it as much as she could, to the point where she'd already
laid out the suit she was going to wear.  Now all she could do was wait, and
that was one thing Dana Scully did not do well.  So the novel was the
perfect chance to pass the time until she fell asleep.

********************

	Her posture and facial expression schooled into that of perfect
professionalism, Dana made her way into the Bureau's headquarters ten
minutes early.  Giving her name to the security guard, she accepted the
visitor's pass and threaded her way towards Blevins' office.  She made it
with three minute to spare.  Taking one last breath before knocking, she
entered when told to do so and approached Blevins' desk with a curt smile
on her face.

	He asked her some questions on her background -- not that unusual,
she guessed, since she was being given a final evaluation before
reassignment, so she answered them as well as she could, feeling a little 
twinge of pride and guilt as she explained the circumstances around her
joining the bureau.  Her father had been angry, to put it mildly, and her
mother had seemed to also disagree with the decision, though she hadn't
been as vocal about it.  Dana paused for a second, thinking about her
parents' disappointment.  Margaret Scully had always harboured the hope
that when Dana finished medical school she would once again reunite with
Jake.  It had been a blow to the whole family when she'd decided to play
in the big leagues and join the boys' club of the Bureau.  But she'd made
her own choices and she hadn't regretted it.  Now if only her father could
accept that...

	She wasn't able to spend any more time thinking about this as the
man sitting next to Blevins spoke up and startled her with his question.

	"Are you familiar with an agent named Fox Mulder?"

	Her mind racing with the implications, Dana answered.

	"Yes I am."

	"How so?"

	"By reputation.  Uhm... He's an Oxford educated psychologist who
wrote a monograph on serial killers and the occult that helped catch Monty
Propps in 1988.  Generally thought of as the best analyst in the Violent
Crimes section.  He had a nickname at the academy...."  She paused, feeling
uncomfortable with having to resort to Bureau gossip and turning her gaze
towards the silent man in the corner who was smoking.  Wasn't it against
office policy for anyone to smoke within the building?  This was starting to
seriously annoy her, though she didn't let it show.  Instead she continued.

	"... Spooky Mulder."

	"What I'll also tell you is that Agent Mulder developed a consuming
devotion to an unassigned project outside of Bureau mainstream.  Are you
familiar with the so-called X-Files?"

	"I believe they have to do with unexplained phenomenon."

	"More or less.   The reason you're here, Agent Scully, is we want you
to assist Agent Mulder on these X-Files."

	Dana felt her jaw clenching tighter and tighter at each word out of
Blevins' mouth.  No!  Oh no!  She wasn't going to be paired with Spooky.
What had she done to deserve this?  She'd heard about the frequency with
which he'd switched partners in the last two years.  It wasn't going to do
her career any good to be stuck in a god forsaken basement only to be
dumped by him.  Not that she'd let him do that.  Nuh-uh!  No man had ever
treated Dana Scully with anything else than respect, and that wasn't going
to change.

	Her thoughts slowed down as the rest of Blevins' speech sank in.

	"You will write field reports on your activities along with your
observations on the validity of the work."

	Dana's mind rebelled again.  They wanted a stool pigeon!  A spy!!!!
Someone to report to them on Spooky's work.  How *dare* they ask this of
her!  Barely maintaining her calm, Dana forced out a question, hoping that
Blevins would refute it.

	"Am I to understand that you want me to *debunk* the X-Files
project, sir?"

	"Agent Scully, we trust you'll make the proper scientific analysis.
You'll want to contact Agent Mulder shortly.  We'll be looking forward to
seeing your reports."

	Yeah right!  By this time, Dana was fuming and felt the need to get
out of that office -- fast.  Biting on her tongue to hold back an angry
retort,
she nodded her agreement with Blevins' instructions and turned to leave,
not looking back.  Back in the hallway, she breathed a sigh of relief.  The
air in there had been stifling, and it was nice to get some smoke-free
lungfuls.  As a pathologist she knew the effects of second-hand smoke and
wasn't particularly happy at having to endure it.

	Heading towards the break area, she poured herself a cup of coffee
and drank down a third of it before she even bothered moving again.
Feeling the warmth course through her even as the rich aroma and flavour
soothed her nerves, Dana set about her plan to meet Spooky Mulder.

	*Maybe I should cry out that I just saw a little green man.  That
should get him up and running over here.*  Imediately regretting that
statement, Dana took another few sips of coffee and tried to figure who to
talk to in order to find Spooky's lair.  Deciding that the guard at the front
desk was her best bet, she dropped the almost empty cup of coffee into the
garbage can and threaded her way back towards the front of the building.

*******************

	The basement was dark and almost ominous as the elevator doors
opened.  The claustrophobic hallways filled with boxes and boxes of files
and god knew what else were stacked in space saver cabinets.  There was
very little traffic.  Not surprising.  Who would want to go to the basement
unless they *absolutely* had to.

	*Better get used to it, Dana,* she told herself.  *You might be here a
while.*  But a part of her mind hoped it wouldn't be too long.

	Dana walked down the hall until she'd reached the right door, then
knocked and waited for the invitation to come in.  She shouldn't have been
surprised by the unusual answer.

	"Sorry.  Nobody down here but the FBI's most unwanted."

	Ignoring the dig, she pushed her way forward and walked towards
the semi well-lit office.  Pausing first on the figure of the man sitting with
his back to her, she felt a flicker of recognition in her... almost like
something familiar, but she let it pass.  She chose instead to peruse the
contents of the office, noticing the ordered chaos of books, files, photos,
and
all sorts of other knickknacks cluttering every available space.  Her eyes
rested on the poster that loudly proclaimed 'I want to believe'.  *Figures*,
she thought as her eyes moved on.

	She finally returned her gaze to the man who was still facing away
from her, examining him more closely.  It was almost as though he felt her
eyes on him because he chose that to moment to turn around abruptly and
face her.

	Sweet mother of God!  Dana's face lit up with a smile as the first
thought that crossed her mind was that this was an elaborate joke.  *Play
along,* was her mind's first reaction and she obliged.

	"Agent Mulder?  I'm Dana Scully.  I've been assigned to work with
you."  She reached out her hand, ready to yank Jake up into a warm
embrace and look for the hidden camera she'd obviously missed upon her
first glance at the office.

	But there was something wrong.  The first contact didn't feel right.
There was a tingle, but not the familiar one.  This was new, unexpected.
She looked into his eyes and the colour seemed wrong -- off somehow.
*Must be the lighting, or else maybe contacts?*  She thought.  And the
voice... It was somewhat the same but older, a little more deep, and with a
richer undertone.  *He's doing a good job of modifying it.*  She wanted a
chance to hear it again, and was able to do so when he spoke up.

	"Isn't it nice to be suddenly so highly regarded.  So who did you tick
off to get stuck with this detail, Scully?"

	She didn't flinch, only smiled lightly as she waited for people to
jump
out and yell "Boo!"  or "Surprise!".   Nothing.  *Fine, keep playing along.*

	"Actually, I'm looking forward to working with you.  I've heard a lot
about you."  *Not surprising, considering I was your lover for almost two
years.*

	"Oh really?  I was under the impression that you were sent to spy on
me."

	Okay, that clinched it.  Spooky Mulder, no matter how good he was,
wouldn't have known this much.  This was definitely a set-up.  Now all she
had to do was wait to see how this was going to end.

	"If you have any doubt about my qualification or credentials I --"

	"You're a medical doctor.  You teach at the Academy.  Did your
undergraduate degree in physics.  'Einstein's Twin Paradox:  A new
interpretation'. Dana Scully' senior thesis.  Now *that's* a credential --
rewriting Einstein."

	Dana saw red.  Okay, the joke had gone on far enough.  She wasn't
about to be humiliated in public -- assuming others in on the joke were
listening in, or even watching through a hidden camera?  She felt her
pressure rise as she bit back a harsh retort, preferring instead to take a
defensive stance.

	"Did you bother to read it?"

	"I did.  I liked it.  It's just that in most of my work the laws of
physics rarely seem to apply."

	Dana gave him her best look of annoyance.  The joke had gone on
long enough.  It was time to end this.  If this was just a trick then she'd
had enough and wanted to get back to work at the Academy.  However,
she didn't really have a chance to mount a full-scale attack before he
launched into an explanation of whatever it was he'd been working on.

	She listened to the description accompanying the slides, even
offering her opinion on what she thought the marks were, and what
organic substance had been found in them.  But she was reaching her
breaking point.  This wasn't funny anymore.  Any minute now she was
going to get really angry, and then friend or not, heads would roll.  *Wait a
minute...  Unless?  Nah, the similarities were too strong.  This _had_ to be
Jake.*  Further thoughts were interrupted as the slides lit up the screen on
the far wall and he showed her pictures of the bodies found in different
parts of the country.

	"Do you have a theory?"

	"I have plenty of theories,"  he countered.

	Then he stood in front of her, gave her an intense gaze and she knew
the game was up.  She was just getting ready for a greeting kiss from Jake
when he whispered a sentence that made her stare at him in shock.

	"Do you believe in the existence of extraterrestrials?"

	*Aw come on, you know this already.  We've talked about this
before.  Don't you think you've taken this far enough?*  Stopping just short
of a sigh, Dana kept her arms firmly crossed in front of her as she started
her usual schpiel whenever someone broached the subject with her.  He
easily retorted.

	"Now when convention and science offer us no answers, might we not
finally turn to the fantastic as a plausibility?"

	*Oh bravo!  You learned your role well.*  Dana thought, too irritated
to do anything but refute the argument.

	"What I find fantastic is any notion that there are answers beyond
the realm of science.  You just have to know where to look."

	She thought she'd won when he moved towards her.  Anticipating
the contact she was once again disappointed as he stopped at a respectable
distance and simply stated:

	"That's why they put the I in FBI."  He turned away from her, but not
before adding his final thought.  "I'll see you tomorrow, Scully.  Bright and
early.  We leave for the *plausible* state of Oregon at 8 am."

	With his back to hers again, she just stared at him, then smiled.
Apparently the man she knew had more acting capabilities than she'd
thought.  Fine.  If he wanted to play it 'straight' then so would she.

	Dana walked out of the office without as much as a good-bye,
heading for her office.  There, she picked up her briefcase and headed
home.  She expected a message on her answering machine.  Jake's teasing
tone saying "I got you!"  But it didn't happen.  The only message was from
her mother who'd just called to say hi.

	She headed to the kitchen to make herself a hot chocolate and a
sandwich, thinking over the day's events.  Probably Jake was just waiting a
little more to make the suspense drag out before he called her or came
knocking on her door.  Well, she'd be ready for him.  Picking up the
cordless phone and the paperback she still hadn't finished reading, along
with the food she'd prepared, she headed for her very comfy stuffed chair
and settled in for the evening.

************************

	The shrill cry of an alarm woke Dana up at 5 am, and she grumbled
as she tried to remember where she was and why her neck was so sore.
Finding herself in her stuffed chair she realised that she's spent the night
in the living room and that the alarm in her room had gone off.  She
walked to the bedroom and turned off the annoying thing.  Stretching and
yawning, she felt her mind clear as it quickly jumped to the last thought
that had crossed her mind as she'd fallen asleep.  The phone hadn't rung
last night, and she realised this had really gone too far.

	After showering and eating breakfast, she hopped onto the Net and
accessed the FBI personnel files using her security clearance.  Just a few
moments of searching and the screen cleared, followed by the appearance
of text and a photo.  Dana gasped and brought her hand to her mouth as
she stared at the screen, dumbfounded.

	Fox William Mulder, special agent for the FBI, was indeed the man
she had met yesterday afternoon in that basement office.  This wasn't a
joke -- at least not in the traditional sense.  A cosmic joke, maybe, though
she didn't believe in that.  But there was no doubt that she was now going
to be working with Jake's spitting image.

	*Oh great, what do I do now?*

	*Pack!* was the immediate answer as she realised that if she didn't
move quickly she'd be late.

************************

	They made their flight without any real problems.  When Dana
showed up at the FBI headquarters, Mulder was already there -- had
apparently been there for hours -- and both were ready to go.  In the
plane he managed to sweet-talk the flight attendant into letting him hog
two business class seats so he could lie down and relax while she opted to
keep her own booked seat and review the case file once more.  Mulder
obviously had a jump on her as far as this case was concerned, and there
was no way that she was going to blindly follow him around.

	The sudden veering off of the plane scared her witless.  She always
hated flying even when it was a smooth ride.  Gripping her armrests as
hard as possible, she concentrated on her breathing.  Hey, it was better
than thinking of what would happen if the aircraft suddenly plunged
forward into the abyss.  A few moments later the plane righted itself and
everything returned to normal -- give or take the few children screaming
and crying in the coach section of the plane.  Just as Dana was starting to
feel her breathing slow down a little bit Mulder turned to look at her.

	"This must be the place."

	She glared at him, then looked away as she felt the adrenaline surge
once again, which was something she definitely didn't want at this
moment.  Once again in control of herself, she loosened her death grip on
the armrests and leaned down to pick up the file that had fallen on the
floor during the commotion.  She chanced a look at Mulder who, still cool as
a cucumber, was once again lying down and listening to music on his
walkman.  *Bastard*

********************

	Like it or not, Mulder's ascerbic wit was starting to grow on her.  He
had a twisted sense of humour but he always seemed to know when to
crack a smile or throw out a one-liner.  It kind of reminded her of--

	*Don't go there, Dana*

	She followed his conversation on how the case had previously been
shut down and saw her chance to show him just how competent she was at
investigating.

	"... the case was re-classified and buried in the X-Files until I
dug it
up a week ago."

	"And you found something they didn't."

	"Oooo........!"

	"The autopsy report said the first three victims 'show no unidentified
marks or tissue samples'.  But those reports were signed by a different
medical examiner than the latest victim's."

	"That's pretty good, Scully."

	"Better than you'd expected or better than you hoped?"

	"Well, I'll let you know when we get past the easy part."

	She smiled while fuming inside and hoping that somehow he choked
on that sunflower seed he was munching on.  She'd picked up on the exact
same clue that he had.  What more could he possibly want?

	She asked him if the medical examiner was a suspect, then smiled as
he asked her if she was squeamish around exhumed bodies.

	"I don't know.  I've never had the pleasure."

	*Yeah, Mulder.  I cut up dead bodies all day, and at Quantico we don't
always get the freshest merchandise.  Let's just say I'm not too worried.
But I *am* curious to see how you'll hold up, _Fox_.*

	And then he went and did that _thing_ with the orange X in the
middle of the road, leaving her dazed and dragging behind as she tried to
comprehend what he was doing.

	*Face it, Dana, he's going to be a handful.*

*****************************

	Dana sat cross-legged on her motel bed, mindlessly typing the
autopsy notes as she focused on remembering Mulder's enthusiasm in that
room.  He'd seemed like a kid in a candy store while she couldn't believe
he was seriously asking him to believe this was Ray Soames.  What did he
take her for?  She hadn't just fallen off the turnip truck.  This was some
sick, elaborate joke and she'd been about three seconds away from pulling
her gloves off and walking out of that room when he'd looked her straight
in the eyes and lowered his voice to say he wasn't crazy and he had the
same doubts.  That had done her in.  That look had always managed to
soften her up, and she'd fallen for it again.

	*I'd better be more careful.  This is someone else.  He just _looks_
like someone I know.*

	Stopping her tape recorder, she picked up the metallic implant and
stared at it, trying to figure out what it was.  The knock on her door
startled her and she laughed at his joke before opening the door.  His offer
to run was tempting but she felt herself still under the influence of her last
thought and opted to stay at the motel.  It was safer that way.  Okay, so
she'd lied about not losing any sleep over the implant.  It wasn't like he
was telling her everything.

	Try as she might, she couldn't help thinking that there was more to
Fox Mulder than met the eye, and she mentally resolved to find out exactly
what it was.  Sighing, Dana re-powered her sleeping computer, rewound
the tape a bit, and resumed typing.

********************

	Fuming, Dana slammed the door as she walked out of the psychiatric
hospital.

	*How DARE he?*

	She heard the door open behind her and footsteps follow as he tried
to catch up with her.

	"What his name... uh Billy!  Said he was sorry he didn't get to say
good-bye."

	She didn't even bother looking at him as she continued to walk away.
But at least she was polite enough to answer.

	"How did you know the girl was gonna have the marks?"

	"I don't know.  Lucky guess."

	She felt the last few tenuous strands of control break.  Her anger
began to surge.

	"Dammit, Mulder!  Cut the crap!  What is going on here?  What do
you know about those marks?  What are they?"

	"Why?  So you can put them down in your little report?  I don't think
you're ready for what I think."

	That did it.  Okay, so maybe he thought she was just a spy, but he
was going to treat her like an equal or find out the hard and painful way
exactly how she dealt with people who pushed her aside.

	"I'm here to solve this case, Mulder.  I want the truth."

	Whatever she expected, it wasn't what came out of his mouth.

	"The truth?  I think those kids have been abducted."

	"By whom?"

	"By what."

	*Nice time for his sense of humour to surface.*

	"You don't really believe that."

	The argument that followed stuck in her mind.  She kept replaying it
over and over again during the day.  Did Mulder *really* believe in
extraterrestrials?  Could he really assume that something beyond scientific
explanation was at work?  How much harder would she have to work to
prove to him he was wrong?

	Even after they had entered the woods to explore the crime scene --
and exactly when does a detective overrule a Federal investigation? -- the
same thoughts were still coursing through her mind.  *I told him he's
crazy, but I think he's nuts.*

	It was only after the bright flash of light that she started to feel
doubt creep into the back of her mind.  *Time stopped?*

	She couldn't believe him -- wouldn't believe him.  And yet the radio
had gone haywire, the car had stopped, and it was indeed 9:13.  She just
couldn't believe him because it just didn't make sense.  But looking at his
eyes, the way they shone as he explained the abductee scenario, she
almost wanted to believe, just to see his smile grow bigger.  Instead, she
argued for her side -- knowing all those years of physics had finally paid
off -- and simply followed him back to the car.

********************

	She swore as the lights went out and her laptop screen blinked off.

	"Great!"

	Just what she needed.  Why hadn't she thought to bring the good
battery?  Now she didn't have enough power to try and salvage the report
she'd written after the last save, since she'd just put the drained battery to
recharge.  With nothing left to do, she called the front desk where the clerk
promptly told her that power outages weren't that uncommon during
storms in this area.

	The candle and matches were exactly where the clerk had said they
would be, and Dana opted for a bath.  *Not much else to do when the lights
are out.*  She chuckled as a quick thought reminded her that there were
other ways to pass the time in the dark, but she quickly dismissed them.
No sense in thinking about that when she was stuck in the middle of the
Pacific Northwest, with no boyfriend.  *There's always Mulder,* one part of
her mind quickly supplied, but she was just as quick to push that idea out
of her mind.  Nope.  Their relationship was already complicated enough
without adding to it.

	Heading towards the bathroom, she started the water flow, hoping
that there was enough hot water left to fill the bathtub.  She took off her
robe and was slipping her hands down to remove her panties when she
froze.  Twisting around, she saw what she'd just felt a few moments ago.
Two bumps on her lower back, right where they had been on the victims
and on Peggy O'Dell.

	She felt her pulse begin to race as the events of the evening came
back to mind.  What if something had happened while they were in the
car?  What if there _was_ such a thing as missing time?  What were these
marks, and what were they doing on her back?

	Taking only a moment to grab her robe and key, Dana ran out and
headed for Mulder's room.

	He took a while to open the door, answering with a startled 'Hi'.  She
barely noticed his half-closed eyes and sleepy features.  She was too
nervous to care at that point.

	"I want you to look at something."

	He invited her in, closing the door behind her as she walked to the
middle of the room and began taking off her robe.  If he reacted to this she
didn't have a chance to see as she turned her back and dropped the
garment, arching her back and pointing with her eyes so that he would
know where to look.  Seconds passed like hours as she felt the heat of the
flame approach her lower back.  Finally, she couldn't handle it anymore
and asked.

	"What are they?"  When he didn't reply right away she felt
impatience come through again and repeated the question more
vehemently.  "Mulder, what _are_ they????"

	He sure took his sweet time to answer.

	"Mosquito bites. "

	"Are you sure?"

	"Yeah.  I got eaten alive myself out there."

	Dana felt relief flood through her, and she quickly pulled the robe
back on, barely managing to close it before whirling around and holding
onto Mulder in sheer joy.  She couldn't remember the last time she'd been
this afraid, and she clung to him as she felt the first of the tremors begin.

	"You okay?"  She heard him say tentatively as he carefully patted
her shoulder.

	Dana took a moment to answer.  Pressed up against him, she was
remembering a time past when she'd pressed up against another man who
looked just like him.  The memories were beginning to overwhelm her and
cause her body to tingle as well as shake.  Taking a deep breath, she
inhaled the unfamiliar smell and that managed to return her to the
present.  He'd asked a question and she needed to answer.

	"Yes."

	"You're shaking."

	*I _know_ that.*  She replied mentally, but opted to say she needed
to sit down for a bit.  It didn't help that he told her to take her time, then
sat down next to her.  She could feel his gaze upon her, even with her eyes
closed, and it wasn't helping her countenance.  She needed to be alone to
gather her thoughts and return to a semblance or normalcy.
Unfortunately, she could see that he wasn't about to leave her alone, so
Dana opted instead to close her eyes and take a few deep breaths --
praying for control.

	When she realised that he was still looking at her, she decided that a
distraction was the best way out.

	"Tell me why it is you're so interested in extraterrestrials."

	"It's a long story."

	She turned to face him, a smile on her face.

	"We've got plenty of time.  The storm's still raging and I doubt
they'll
be able to fix the power anytime soon.  Besides..."  She hesitated, unsure as
to how much she should admit.  "I don't think I'm going to fall asleep any
time soon."

	She saw him look away, obviously going through some sort of
internal struggle.  It took a few moments but he finally turned back to her,
gave her a weak smile and said "Okay."

	"It's a long story," he continued, "and it's a bit of a bedtime
story so
you'd better get comfortable just in case you nod off."

	He got up and patted the bed, extending his hand as an invitation.
Dana suddenly felt her blood turn cold at what was implied.  She didn't
move, unsure how to proceed.  It wasn't that her partner wasn't attractive.
Heck, her mind had already indulged in this scene once or twice before she
curbed it, but this was serious.  She was in no shape to do anything, and
she wasn't sure if she wanted to.  Better just try and find a way to exit
gracefully.

	He saw her hesitation and his expression changed as he grasped what
she was thinking.

	"Oh, no!  No, don't worry.  I'm not going to do anything.  I just want
you to get comfortable."  He grabbed the extra blanket on a nearby chair.
"Here, you can use this to keep yourself warm.  I'll be sitting on the floor.
It's just that you seem to be shaking still and it's better if you're wrapped
up in a warm blanket."

	Reassured, Dana got up and moved towards the bed.  Mulder
obligingly moved away to give her a chance to sit down and then lay back
against the pillows.  He opened the blanket and gently laid it on her before
turning away and sitting down against the bed -- head reclined on the
mattress.

	"It has to do with my sister disappearing when I was young."

********************

	Lying on Mulder's hotel room bed, listening to the story about his
sister having disappeared, Dana began to feel like she was on a roller
coaster ride.  Whatever she'd expected from Spooky, it hadn't been this.
He was a man with a mission -- a passion for his sister and for the truth
which he believed he would find by unrooting the conspiracy surrounding
aliens.  He even included how the government was in on the whole deal.  It
had gone as far as him accusing her of knowing more than she was letting
on.

	It had been hard for Dana to hear this.  She understood that he'd
been burned before and that he'd thought she was a spy, but Dana had
truly believed that he'd finally seen her for what she really was: an
investigator trying to uncover the details of what was going on.
Apparently, she still had more work to do to gain his trust.  Although... he
had told her the story about his sister so he had to trust her a little bit.
Just not enough.

	The ride only got wilder as things began to develop.  Peggy O'Dell's
body had been run over, after she'd *run* into the middle of the street.
Dana didn't want to think about the fact that Peggy's watch had stopped
two or three minutes after nine -- the same time that their car had
stopped.

	Suddenly she was wondering if maybe Mulder had _really_ seen a
time difference on his watch.  But she never got a chance to mull it over.
The body had disappeared from the lab, and then to top it all off their
motel had caught on fire.

	She could feel Mulder seething, see his face compress itself into an
expression that only partly belied the anger below.  She herself was trying
to mentally calculate how much the Bureau would have to fork out to
cover her personal effects when a girl she recognized -- the one from when
they'd exhumed the body -- asked for their protection.

	In the diner they talked with Theresa Nemmens, learning more
every minute as the pieces of the puzzle began falling into place.  They
were just a minute away from getting a whole confession when the blood
began pouring out of Theresa's nose.  And then out of nowhere her father
and Billy Miles' father appeared.

	The village was hiding a secret.  There was no longer any doubt
about it, and Dana shared her thoughts on the matter.  It was then that
Mulder wondered about the two other graves.

	Surprise!  They'd showed up at the cemetery to find they were too
late.  The graves had been dug up and the bodies and coffins were
nowhere in sight.  *Curiouser and curiouser,* Dana thought, wondering
what would happen next.

	She should have expected that Mulder would have an answer to this.
He always seemed to have one and it always involved some out-there
theory.  She was beginning to get used to his spouting off ideas like this.
*Well, Dana, looks like this is what's going to happen every time.  Better
get used to it.*

	But even with that forewarning, she couldn't believe what came out
of Mulder's mouth.

	"I think I know who did it.  I think I know who killed Karen
Swensen."

	"Who?  The detective?"

	"The detective's son.  Billy Miles."

	"The boy in the hospital?  The vegetable?  Billy Miles, a boy who's
been in a coma for four years got out here and dug up these grave?"

	She couldn't even believe she was arguing this with him.  Now what?
Was he going to say that little green men had helped?  That a flying saucer
had given Billy Miles a lift over to the cemetery?

	She continued to listen to him, arguing his point, until his face
fell.
He paused, looked her in the eye, and stated -- not asked:

	"You think I'm crazy."

	She'd have been lying if she said no, so she simply nodded her head.
Yet, her mind was still processing what he'd just said.  As impossible, as
unlikely and crazy as what he'd said sounded, everything he'd mentioned
_did_ fit with what had happened.  Besides, there had to be an explanation
as to why Peggy O'Dell had run out on the road.

	*Okay, Dana.  It's freezing, you're soaked to the bone, yet you
persist
in arguing with this man when you could be somewhere drying up and
resting comfortably in another warm hotel room.  Why don't you just do
it?  Throw him a bone.  It won't hurt.  Tell him what you saw when you
examined Peggy.*

	"What?"

	He seemed to instantly pick up on her hesitation, in tune with the
fact that she was about to speak.  So she told him about the watch.  How it
had read a little past nine.

	Well, he was off again, talking about how the forest summoned the
kids into the woods.  *Yup, call the nice men in white coats, we have a
winner.*  She couldn't believe what she was hearing.  She had to make
sure she hadn't imagined it all.

	"And the forest summoned _Peggy O'Dell's_ body into the woods
tonight."

	"YES!!!!"

	The light was back in his eyes.  His tone was excited, like a child
whose older sibling had finally agreed with what he'd just said.  She
laughed.  Couldn't help herself.  This was just too insane to be possible.
Yet
here they were, still soaking wet.  But somehow it seemed worthwhile.
Suddenly there was a closeness between the two of them, a camaraderie
that had appeared.  They were more comfortable with each other, and
Dana felt like he trusted her a little more than he had before.

********************

	She didn't know what inspired her to pull up the covers at the end of
Billy Miles' bed, but whatever reason she'd had fled when Dana saw what
was caked onto the soles of his feet.  Dried mud.  Not just any dried mud,
either.  The colour and texture -- it was like what she'd picked up in the
forest.  Somehow, the feet of Billy Miles had touched that forest floor.  And
maybe, just maybe, Mulder's theory that he'd been the one to kill Peggy
O'Dell was right.  She was _this_ close to agreeing with his theory when his
own words brought her back to earth.

	"He was in the woods."

	"You're sure?"

	"This is the same stuff that I took a handful of in the forest."

	"Okay, well then maybe we should take it and run a lab test on it -"

	"We lost the original sample in the fire.  What else could it be?"

	He stopped.

	"Alright, but I just want you to understand what it is you're saying."

	"You said it yourself."

	"Yeah but you have to write it down on your report."

	Talk about your cold showers.  It's one thing to get caught up in the
moment.  It's another thing to tell your superiors that a boy considered by
all to be a vegetable had walked into a forest and was perhaps the key
player in a young woman's demise.

	"You're right.  We'll take another sample and run a comparison
before we do anything."

	*Ah... the scientist is back.  Nice to see you again.  Did you
enjoy your
brief vacation?*  Her mind mocked her.  What had been that temporary
insanity she'd spouted?  There had to be a better explanation.  They just
hadn't found it yet.

********************

	As Dana lay in bed, she remembered the events that happened right
after they returned to the forest.  Having been so nicely knocked out by
Detective Miles, she'd missed the light show.  Arriving only a minute too
late, Dana had caught up with Mulder as he'd come looking for her.

	"Mulder, what happened?  There was a light..."

	"It was incredible, Scully."

	He'd been too moved to even utter another word.  All she'd had to do
was look into his face to see the elation, the wonder, on his face.
Something had happened.

	It had taken him a minute to calm down enough to tell her what he'd
seen.  She hadn't believed him at first.  Not until he'd walked her over to
the clearing where Billy Miles stood -- awake, walking, and mark-free.

	What had happened?  Even now, as she mulled over the scenario, she
couldn't quite believe it.

	Billy's testimony had given a story that fit well with abduction
scenarios, Mulder had explained to her on the plane ride home.  She'd
listened to it in the next room, watching as a boy who'd been inactive was
now able to tell his story.  The other men had left and she'd been about to
follow when she'd felt it.  Mulder's gaze -- pinning her to the spot.  He'd
looked through a smoked mirror glass, supposedly unable to see her, and
yet it was as though he'd looked right into her.

	What was it about him?  What gave him that sixth sense that put
him leap years ahead of every other investigator in the VCS?  The sense
that somehow allowed him to come up with those wild theories that
somehow managed to still fit the scenarios they investigated?

	Then right afterwards, at Blevins' office she'd done the dutiful agent
thing... she'd reported her findings, explained how she couldn't corroborate
the story.  But she'd done her job to the best of her abilities, and she'd
been straightforward with her findings.  It wasn't an answer, but she'd felt
proud when she'd handed the metallic implant over to Blevins.  Her
reports were accurate, and yet she hadn't ridiculed Mulder in any way.

	Somehow, thinking about this now as she tossed and turned, unable
to sleep, Dana knew that she'd done the right thing.  Mulder was too
brilliant a man to be ridiculed.  Yes, his theories weren't standard and the
evidence was inconclusive, but she'd caught a glimpse of how his mind
worked and she was intrigued.  In the privacy of her own home, Dana
could admit that she loved the stimulating conversation between herself
and Mulder.  His mind was sharp, and she was glad to have someone with
which she could match wits and trade theories.  This was much more
refreshing than the standard by-the-book technicians and medical
examiners who were two steps behind her own conclusions.

	*I could grow to like this.*  Dana took in a deep breath and let it
out
in a sigh.  *Yeah.  I'm not going to be quitting any time soon and it looks
like Mulder may have finally broken his ... er... lucky streak.*

	Turning around to stare at the clock she was beginning to let her
gaze unfocus when the ring of her bedside phone startled her.

	"Hello?"

	"Scully?  It's me.  I haven't been able to sleep.  I talked to the
DA's
office in Raymond County, Oregon.  There's no case file on Billy Miles."

	*What?*

	"The paperwork that we filed is gone.  We need to talk, Scully."

	*I.... I...*

	"Y-yes.  Tomorrow."

	Dana hung up the phone without saying good-bye.

	*Gone?  All gone?  What does this mean?*

	The thoughts were racing through her mind.  How could their case
just disappear?  Then again, was it any less plausible than a boy in a
vegetative state that suddenly walked into the woods?

	The phone rang again and Dana sighed.  What now?

	"Hello?"

	"Dana, hi!"

	"What is it, Mulder?"  Dana asked, wondering why his tone was
suddenly so light.

	"Mulder?  Who's Mulder?"

	Now Dana was lost.  "Who's this?"

	"It's me, Dana.  It's Jake."

	"Jake?  Oh, I'm sorry!  I wasn't expecting your call."

	"Yeah, I know.  I'm sorry.  Did I wake you up?  I sometimes forget
there's a three hour time difference between us."

	"No!  No, you didn't.  Hi!"

	"Okay.  Now that we've got the salutations out of the way, who's
Mulder?"

	Dana hesitated, wondering how she could possibly begin to describe
it to him.

	"He's my new partner."

	"Oh, Dana!  That's great!  You got that transfer?  Congratulations!
So...
what's he like?"

	She pondered her answer.  How to summarize Mulder in a few
sentences?

	"Uhm... well he's very intelligent, he's a trained psychologist who's
done some work.  He's a bit of a loner too -- he's scared quite a few
partners away -- but I think we're going to work out.  He throws out weird
theories, I use my science to prove him wrong."

	"That's my Dana," Jake laughed, "just make sure you kick butt as
usual."

	Dana felt herself smile.

	"Don't worry.  I will."

	"Now don't avoid the subject, Dana."

	"What subject?"

	"What does he look like?  He can't possibly be as handsome as I am."

	Dana burst out laughing.  *Oh Jake, if only you knew.*

	"No, of course not, Jake."  She felt the comfortable silence settle on
the line, then realized that he was paying long distance fees for this
silence.  "So... why did you call?"

	"I told you, Dana.  Don't you remember that I wrote how I wanted
news about your transfer?  You didn't call, so I did.  I wanted to know."

	"Yeah, Jake, but you could have waited until my letter showed up.
You've got self-control.  My letter would have gotten to you soon enough.  I
can tell you're up to something.  You never could lie to me, Jake.  Alright,
spill!"

	She settled back on her pillow, warmed by Jake's soft chuckle at the
end of the line.

	"Okay, I admit it.  You know me well.  I didn't call just to ask about
your transfer."

	"Well?"

	"I - I found someone."

	Dana felt a pang inside her as several emotions battled within her --
joy, apprehension, curiosity, and jealousy.  It was the happiness that won.

	"Oh, Jake!  That's wonderful!  How did you meet her?  What's her
name?  What does she look like?  How long have you been going out?
Come on, I want to know _everything_!"

	He laughed again.

	"Hey!  One question at a time.  First, I met her a few weeks ago at
this hotel in town when I went to a reception.  There were two different
parties in the hotel and as I wandered down the hall I bumped into her by
mistake.  I invited her for a drink, we got to chatting, and we just hit it
off."

	"What's her name?"

	"Alex.  You'd like her, Dana.  She's got a great laugh and she's an
interior decorator.  She's got great tastes, like you, and she's really the
life
at parties..."

	Dana listened as Jake continued to gush over this Alex.  Somehow, as
the conversation advanced, she began to feel like a chapter in her life was
closing.  Perhaps now that Jake had found happiness she might be able to
do the same.

End of Jumeaux V... stay tuned for Jumeaux VI