From: eponine119 Date: Sun, 22 Oct 1995 12:34:24 -0700 Subject: new: The Luck (1/5) Hi everyone. This story is about what happens when Mulder and Scully go to try to figure out what the deal is with Chance Harper on Strange Luck. However, I have to admit that the Strange Luck characters were kind of neglected in this story so if you don't like/don't watch Strange Luck, you may still enjoy this story. All comments heartily appreciated. Disclaimer: Dana Scully and Fox Mulder are not my characters, they were created by Chris Carter and are owned by 10-13 productions and 20th Century Fox. Chance Harper, Audrey Westin and Angie the waitress were created by Karl Schaeffer and are owned by MT2 Services Inc in association with Unreality Inc and New World Entertainment. The Luck by eponine119 eponine@uci.edu Agent Scully had her feet up on the desk and was reading the newspaper when Agent Mulder came in. He said nothing to her, so she said nothing to him. But she was smiling behind the pages because she could tell it annoyed him. She could hear him shuffling around behind her. "Comics?" he asked finally. She handed them to him. Pages ruffled. Mulder got up and wandered up next to her. "Jeez, Scully, do you have to do this to my stuff?" he demanded. The paper folded down and Scully looked at him. "I wasn't aware the desk was yours." she said, a cool challenge. He grumbled and stalked away. It didn't really matter because a few moments later, Scully's feet came off the desk and she sat up straight, spreading the pages out in front of her. She read a moment and then got up and walked to the well beaten file cabinet in the corner. She withdrew a thick folder and returned to the desk. She read a few minutes longer and then as though finally remembering Mulder's presence, turned to him. "Did you see this, Mulder?" "How could I have?" She pursed her lips. He was sulking. Tough. Scully gave in and brought the paper over to him. "This little boy lost his parents in a plane crash thirty years ago. Now he's looking for his brother who wasn't on the plane." "What's that got to do with anything?" Mulder asked crossly. "What's wrong with you, Mulder, they find out Elvis really is dead?" Scully asked. No response. She hadn't expected one. She retrieved the weighty folder from the desk. "This is the X-file we have on him." "Scully-" "We could help him, Mulder." When her eyes were shining like that, he knew he wasn't going to win. Still he tried. "Scully-" "Mulder, it's an X file. It's got the better than transcribing Skinner's bingo game or whatever he's got you working on." She fixed him with her best smile. She knew she was right. "You're right." Mulder sighed. "You wanted to see me?" Chance Harper rarely visited his friend Audrey Westin at her Examiner office. He felt out of place. "There's some people coming in a few minutes. They saw the article. They think they can help find your brother." Chance started, feeling her words like a blow. A thousand words rudshed through his head; he said none of them, just looked at her hopefully and started pacing. Audrey smiled. She hoped this would be it. Chance was nervous now, all kinetic energy, and pacing didn't help. "Who are they?" he asked. "What do they know? Do they know Eric?" Eric was his missing brother. Chance put his hands in the pockets of his brown overcoat, then took them out. He fiddled with his camera. He pointed it at Audrey. "Chance." she said and he lowered it. "There's something about them you ought to know." He tensed. Bad news. It had to be. "They're with the FBI." "FBI? No way, I'm out of here." "Chance." Her tone stopped him at the door. Reluctantly he turned around. "They're used to strange cases. They only want to help you." Audrey promised. He hesitated and it was too late. The man was taller than Chance and had an even grimmer look on his face. The woman, a petite redhead, smiled at him and he had to smile back. "Ms. Westin." Mulder said. "I'm Agent Mulder and this is Agent Scully." "This is Chance Harper." Audrey said. Uncomfortable pleasantries were exchanged. "What makes you think you can help me?" Chance asked immediately. "We read your story in the paper and had a look at some data the FBI had collected about the crash," Scully said. "We've handled other cases like yours-" "I doubt that." said Chance. Scully looked at him. "Strange things happen to me." he said by way of explanation. "We've seen strange things before, Mr. Harper." Mulder stated. Something about this was pressing his annoyance button, hard. "Chance." he corrected. "Chance," Scully smiled at him and Mulder glowered. What kind of a dumb name was that? "We're hoping we can help you find your brother." "Thank you." Audrey spoke up on Chance's behalf. "So where do we start?" Chance shrugged. "We thought we could conduct a preliminary interview later today-" Scully began. "With me?" "Yes, with you. Is there a place we could meet?" Chance nodded. "I'll see you at the Blue Plate Cafe about six." he said and headed for the door. He stopped before he reached it. "Is there something I can call you? I mean, do you guys have first names? Besides 'Agent'?" he managed a smile. Audrey was ready to apologize for him but Scully simply smiled. "I'm Dana." she said. "Dana," Chance repeated. Scully thought how nice it was to have a man call her by her first name. They both looked at Mulder. "I'm Agent Mulder." he said gruffly. Scully's eyes on him made him feel mean. "Fox." Chance nodded. "See you," and he left thinking: Fox? What kind of a name is that? Scully had some choice words for Mulder as they walked out to the car. "What's gotten into you, Mulder?" she asked. He couldn't even think of a clever reply. "I just have a bad feeling about this." he said darkly. "You know," Scully turned to himas she slid in behind the wheel, "Bad feelings are only a product of your own imagination." Mulder unfastened the seat belt he'd just clicked into place. "You know, Scully, I think I'm going to take a walk. I'll see you later." He opened the car door and got out. Scully watched him walk away, noticing his stiff shoulders and downward gaze. She wondered what his problem was as she put the car into drive and pulled away from the curb. It's just a mood, he'll get over it, she told herself and stepped on the gas. Mulder found himself walking in the woods. He didn't like himself very much. His birthday had just passed. He was feeling old. "What's got into me, Scully?" he repeated her question aloud. "A cranky old man." The cranky old man he was afraid he was becoming. He'd never gotten along well with people. From an early age, he'd earned a reputation for being "spooky" so people avoided him. And he was content to avoid them right back. So he'd never had much luck with relationships. So what? So, he felt old. He looked up at the trees and the sky and forced himself to continue his line of thought. He was starting to think the rest of his life was going to be spent alone. And it didn't help when Dana started giving him those probing 'I'm worried about you' looks. It really didn't help when she started flirting with other guys. True, it wasn't really her style to flirt, he thought, but he was hard-pressed to call that scene with Harper anything else. Mulder sat down on a fallen tree, not caring that it was mossy and wet. He was on a lifelong quest for the Truth, wasn't he? The truth was, he was in love with Scully. But he didn't think he could tell her. He'd been trying for months. And he had a very bad feeling about this. Chance Harper usually had a bad feeling about everything - that was life - but not today. OK, he didn't like the fact that the FBI was in town. But he did like the FBI. Or at least, FBI agent Scully. There was something about her that made him smile and try to pick out a good tie for dinner at the Blue Plate Cafe. And he hadn't gotten into any sort of trouble all day. A new record, he thought, whistling, as he started for the cafe. Scully sat in a booth alone, her chin propped on her hand. Her coffee cup was empty and the waitress knew she didn't want more. She'd already had two cups. Mulder was late. Harper was late. She was bored. She shuffled through the file again, wishing something new would appear. Good job, Scully, she told herself, you come out here, get everyone's hopes up, and have no leads. None. She rolled her eyes and let her head droop more. Mulder, where are you? she wondered. The door to the cafe opened. Chance walked in. It was something, Scully thought, lifting her head. "Where's your partner?" Chance asked and slid in across from her. She shurgged. "Just as well." He fiddled with the menu he knew by heart. "Is he always so grouchy?" "Sometimes." Scully agreed. She straightened up and neatened the file. "So, Mr. Harper-" "I thought we agreed on Chance." he said, then added, "Dana." She looked up at him in surprise. Their eyes met and he shifted like a little boy in the seat. His leg touched hers under the table. They both jumped, but remained touching for a long moment before Scully moved away. Oh boy, she thought, her blood moving faster. She hadn't felt an attraction this strong and this quick since...well, since she'd met Mulder. She looked down at the file. Chance looked out the window. The FBI agent was OK; he liked her. All right, she was more than OK. And she was blushing. She waited a moment before beginning again. "Chance-" Scully looked up but his eyes were fixed on something out the window. Before she realized it, he'd jumped up and run out the door. She ran after him. "Hey, that's my car!" he shouted and chased it up the street, but gave up. It was a lost cause. His car squealed around the corner, out of sight. Chance turned and walked back towards Scully. "That was your car?" she asked, finding it hard to believe. "And somebody stole it?" "I was having such a good day, too." Chance was bummed. He'd never gone more than twenty four hours without something like this - usually worse - happening. "Guess I'd better report it." Scully had the keys to the rental out. "Let me give you a ride?" "What about your partner?" Scully shrugged. "He's late." "Ok." They got in the car. Mulder was walking in the road because there was no sidewalk. It had rained; the shoulder was mud. He wondered when it had gotten dark. A car skidded around the curve, going too fast for the slick road, headed right for him. Mulder jumped out of the way, but the car swerved and went off the road anyway. Mulder rushed over to it. The car was a beat up, rusted out hunk of junk. Having done some initial research, Mulder recognized it from the description of Chance Harper's car. He pulled open the driver's side door. "Are you OK?" he asked the driver, whose head rested on the steering wheel. When he got no repsonse, Mulder reached into his pocket for his cell phone, only to remember it had been destroyed by the kid with the lightning problem and Skinner had been unimpressed with his report. The driver lifted his head and looked at Mulder with trepidation. "Do you know your name?" Mulder asked, helping the man out of the car. "Chance Harper." the man replied and Mulder stopped, frowning. It was not the same man he'd met earlier that day. That meant someone was lying. The man, who had been leaning on Mulder for support, suddenly seized Mulder's weapon and ordered, "Down on the ground! Now!" Mulder did as he was told, making friends with the mud. He heard the man run off into the forest and got to his feet. What a sucky day this was, Mulder thought. At least the keys were still in Harper's car. He started it and headed for town. End of part one. Next up: Scully gets kissed. =========================================================================== From: eponine119 Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: new: The Luck, part 2 Date: Sun, 22 Oct 1995 13:03:55 -0700 Disclaimed in part one, may I add any other characters used and not mentioned in the disclaimer are also not meant to infringe on anyone. The Luck, part 2 by eponine119 eponine@uci.edu "The box with the clippings and my brother's jacket is over here." Chance said as he escorted Scully into his apartment. "Can I get your anything?" "No, I'm fine, thanks." she said and followed him across the room. He pulled a cloth off a glass table and revealed a wooden box underneath it. He opened the box and pulled out a small jacket. "Your brothers?" "Yes." Chance watched as Scully found the tag and flipped it up to reveal where his brother had written "Eric" on the other side. "He put it on me. I think the same day as the crash." "You remember this?" "Yes." "How old were you?" Chance shrugged. "Two, maybe three." She couldn't help giving him her doubtful look. It was unusual for people to remember that far back into their childhood. "Do you remember the crash?" "Yes - no. Sometimes. Not really." "Why did you wait so long to start searching?" "I didn't remember I had a brother till a month or so ago when I was hypnotized." Scully shifted in towards him. This could be interesting. Mulder pulled up in front of the Blue Plate Cafe a little over two hours late. He couldn't complain; he felt lucky to arrive at all. Harper's car had no steering, no brakes, no heater, one windsheild wiper and very little transmission. Give me a Ford Taurus any day, Mulder thought. A waitress in an incredibly short skirt met him at the door to the diner. "You the guy who stole Chance's car?" "No, I'm the guy who found it." "You must be as lucky as he is." She eyed him and Mulder was reminded that he was dripping mud. And he had to report his weapon stolen. "Let me get you some coffee." "Thanks." Mulder wiped himself off with a paper napkin and put in a quick call to Skinner, who was not pleased to hear from him. Why break tradition? "Where's Harper?" Mulder asked, gulping the coffee. He was freezing. "He left with your partner over an hour ago. When the car got stolen." "Where'd they go?" Mulder asked. Angie, as her name tag read, didn't answer. "Where's your partner?" Mulder turned to see the reporter. Audrey. "We're not Siamese Twins." Mulder remarked. She held her own. "I didn't say you were." Mulder gave in. "Off with Harper." She looked about as happy as he was about the fact as she sat down next to him. "What happened to you?" "Somebody stole Chance's car. I met the guy up the road. Funny thing is, he says he's Chance Harper." "Hmm." she said. "Sounds like you've got it too. The luck." Mulder frowned. Why did he mind when this young girl who looked like Cybill Shepherd, heavy on the bleach, said it, but not when the waitress did? He looked at Angie again. Maybe he was developing a thing for redheads. "So what do you know about Harper?" "He's your ordinary guy that weird things happen to." Audrey said, cautious. "He keeps a lot inside. He's careful." "Why would someone want to steal his car?" "Got me there." Her look was ironic. "If you'll excuse me, Ms. Westin." Mulder said and took his leave. He paused by the door to consult his notes and determine Harper's address. "Don't you think you should clean up first?" suggested Angie. He looked up sharply. She was right. What would another 15 min. hurt, besides meaning he had to drive Harper's car again? Mulder found out. The police stopped him and accused him of stealing Harper's car. While they agreed that no one his their right mind would steal it on purpose, they still had to take him to the station to verify his story. So it was nearly ten when he arrived at Chance Harper's door, clean, pressed, and ready to wear. The door was slightly ajar. It gave Mulder the creeps. True, the police had called Harper so they knew he was coming, but that was quite a while ago. And it wasn't like Dana not to lock a door. Cautiously, he pushed open the door to the studio apt. Newspaper clipping about the boy and his search were spread on the floor near the front door. Tension built sickly in the pit of Mulder's stomach. He raised his eyes and his stomach dropped completely. There, on the couch, were Dana and Chance. Kissing. He watched for a moment, jealous, betrayed, angry, hurt. He didn't know what to do and he didn't think he could move. Just stand there and let the images burn into his brain. After a moment, Scully must've felt his presence because she pulled her mouth and body away from Chance's and raised her head. Her always neat hair was mussed the way Mulder had longed to restyle it with his fingers and her eyes were fever bright, staring guiltily into his. Motion caught his eyes and Mulder's focus shifted to see Chance Harper surreptitiously remove his hand from beneath Dana's blouse. Mulder saw red. He turned and left. Scully scrambled after him. "Mulder!" she shouted, the look of pain on his face indelible in her brain, beyond her comprehension. She chased him into the hall, but he was gone. She rebuttoned her loosened blouse before she went back into Chance's apt. "I'm sorry." she said. "I, um, have to go." Chance nodded, his eyes dark. "Is there something going on with you two?" She only hesitated a moment before she answered, "No." Chance nodded again as she retrieved her jacket and the file she hadn't let him see. He stopped her at the door. "I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked softly. "Yeah." Scully's answer was rough and they kissed again. It made her rethink leaving. "I have to go," she said again and did. Mulder lay on the lumpy bed in the motel, the TV tuned to a rerun of Remington Steele. It was pretty inane but it was the only thing on without a laugh track. He was barely watching it, listening more carefully for indications Dana'd returned. Mulder listned to Laura on the screen call her husband "Mr. Steele," as though to distance herself from him and thought of Scully, of all the times she'd given him that look and sternly said, "Mulder." He wished he was as cool as Steele. He wished he trusted himself with his feelings. He wished things were different, he'd told Dana of his love for her ages ago instead of ignoring it and hoping it'd go away. More than anything, he wished it had been him on that couch kissing her senseless. There was a soft, hesitant knock at the door. Not the maid at this hour - he hoped. He rolled on his back, trying to decide what to do. The knock again. She wouldn't wait forever. He eyed the TV. What would Steele do? Drink a beer, obviously, the show was on commercial. "Mulder, open up, it's me." Indecision. "I'm going to stand here all night if I have to," she threatened. He didn't open the door. She felt ridiculous standing there in her bathrobe and had no idea why she was doing this. She had nothing to apologize for. He had to the count of five, she decided, then she was going back to her room and going to bed. The door opened. She smiled up at him and he turned away, walking back into the room. "I wanted to find out where you'd been. Why you were late." she began. He didn't answer, just returned to the bed, not looking at her. "What're you watching?" she climbed up on the bed next to him. He could smell her soap and her toothpaste. "Oh, Remington Steele." she said and settled down next to him to watch, as they sometimes did on these assignments away. He was careful not to touch her. The other character appeared to try to seduce Laura away from her husband. "He's cute," Scully remarked, now desperate for any response at all. Mulder's jaw hurt from grinding his teeth. He got up, snapped the TV off and facedher. "Maybe you should go." he said. "Oh?" "I'm tired, I'm going to sleep." he lied. Scully wasn't buying it. "You never sleep, Mulder. You're like the undead." she said and left anyway. Got that right, he thought, lying in bed staring at the ceiling long after she was sure to be asleep. It just wasn't as comfortable as his couch. End of part 2. Next up: the car accident. =========================================================================== From: eponine119 Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: new, The Luck (3/5) Date: Sun, 22 Oct 1995 13:33:29 -0700 Disclaimed in part one. The Luck by eponine119 eponine@uci.edu Mulder got out of bed early the next morning. He was awake and he wanted to avoid Scully. He knew he'd have to talk to her eventually, that things would have to get back to normal, but not now. For now, his main priority was getting this case cleared up as fast as possible. He wasn't acknowledging his ulterior motive - get Dana away from Chance. The false Harper he'd encountered intrigued him. The man obviously had been lying, but why? Mulder had no answers. He walked to the Blue Plate Cafe, mostly because Scully still had the keys to the rental car, but he didn't really mind. Walking gave him a little time to sort out his thoughts. "You know of any reason why someone would pretend they were Chance Harper?" he asked Angie the waitress when she filled his coffee cup. He didn't know why, maybe it was because she was the only one around who seemed sane, but her opinion meant something to him. She paused and looked at him. "Did you sleep last night?" Was it that obvious? "No." "Then you've probably got more ideas already than I could ever think of." she said. "True." said Mulder, "Still, what do you think?" Her wise eyes fixed on him. "I think if you just go about your business, the answers will come to you." "Yeah right." Obviously he'd been wrong; now she sounded like a fortune teller. "Seriously. You have the luck, too." She told him. He dug in his pocket for the money to pay for his meal. "Buy a scratched instead," she suggested Chance's best parlor trick. Mildly amused, he slid her a dollar to humor her. She handed him the lottery ticket. He was only a little surprized when it was $25 winner. He could hear Scully's voice in the back of his head, telling him it was a coincidence. Hed read Harper's file and didn't relish the thought of having the same strange luck Harper had. "Keep it." he pressed the ticket into her hand and went outside to catch a cab. Scully knocked several times on Mulder's door before starting out but there was no answer. It wasn't like him and it made her worry. He's sleeping, she told herself, it has nothing to do with yesterday. She didn't quite believe it and slipped a note under his door. She went over it again in her head as she drove to the Blue Plate Cafe, where she'd noted to Mulder she would be. Mulder was in a bad mood before Chance even came into this, she thought, but it only added to her worry that he had something big on his mind. There was nothing wrong with her liking Chance, she told herself as she entered the diner. It wasn't as though there was anything going on between her and Mulder. She couldn't wait forever. "Your friend was here." the waitress informed her as she poured her coffee, but disappeared back into the kitchen before Scully could question her further. "Good morning, Dana," Chance said and smiled at her. "Hi," she smiled back, suddenly feeling kind of breathless. No, there was no doubt about it. She liked Chance a lot. "What've you got in mind for today?" he asked and made it sound casually suggestive. "Have you had any response to the news article?" "Oh yeah." Chance gulped down some more coffee. "Anything check out?" "Audrey's got all the stuff." "Did you and she used to be...together?" Scully carefully kept her voice neutral. "Once." "That's what I thought." "Problem?" he asked, taking her hand in his and massaging it lightly. "No. I mean, I'll want to check out the responses. And I wanted to stop by the hall of records." "You mean there's something not in that file of yours?" Chance half-smiled, trying to be amused at the fact the FBI was keeping records on him. Scully decided his mouth was very sexy. "Most of that is about this weirdness that seems to follow you around." "Oh, that." "Yes, that. Do you have any idea why these things might be happening to you?" She asked, the scientist in her regaining control. "Let me give you a ride." he offered. She agreed and they went outside to his car. "Someone stole *this*?" Scully asked, amazed. "It gets me around." Chance actully sounded protective. "How many parts are original?" She asked, particularly admiring the taxicab door. "Two, maybe three." he joked and they got in. The ride was uncomfortable for Scully. For starters, she liked to be the one driving, the one in control. She also had her doubts about what was holding the random car parts together. Give me a nice Ford Taurus any day, she thought, trying not to close her eyes as Chance came up fast on a stalled car. "Sorry." he said when he stopped, realizing he'd scared her. "The brakes - well - it's a long story. I'm going to see if they're all right." he said and got out of the car. Scully wondered if she should accompany him. She drifted off into thought as Chance consulted with the people in the stalled car. In his wrinkled overcoat, he had that same little boy look Mulder had when he dropped weight he couldn't afford to lose and his suits hung on him. But Chance wasn't all that tall, she thought, something a woman of her height could appreciate. Scully noticed Chance handing the people in the car something that looked like his camera. Something was wrong. She drew her weapon but didn't think she could do anything without causing the scene to escalate. "Where to?" asked the cabdriver. Mulder thought a minute. Scully had the file. "The courthouse - hall of records." he said. The cabbie nodded and put the car into gear. As it rolled into traffic, he tilted the mirror so he could see him fare. The cabbie met Mulder's eyes in the mirror. "It's you." Mulder said. "The guy who stole Harper's car. You said you were Chance Harper. Who are you?" he demanded. The cabbie stepped on the gas. Scully watched the scene before her unfold, taking in the facts and analyzing them quickly. There were four adult men in the car. Chance looked perturbed; they were probably armed. They were stopped to the side of a relatively busy street. She would have to hesitate to shoot in such a populated area. They would not share her qualms. As she weighed her options, they pulled Chance into the car. Scully hopped over into the driver's seat and followed them. Mulder leaned over the front seat and took a closer look at the cabbie's displayed papers. "Muhim el Habil? That's not you." It did not take an astute observer to determine this. The man did not speak, his forehead creased in concentration as he accelerated. Mulder noticed the speedometer was edging towards 70. He thought it would be a good time to fasten his seatbelt. The car Scully was following shot through the end of a yellow light. There were no other cars around, but she hit the brakes, skidding into the intersection as the light turned red. The brakes didn't work. Scully swore and swerved, but couldn't avoid the yellow taxicab that came speeding into the intersection. The noise was horrendous. Metal grinding on metal, glass breaking. the hood popped open and steam hissed out of the radiator. Even as the cab slid to a stop, the driver had his door open and was running away. It took Mulder a moment or two longer to recover from the impact. He shook his muddled head and pushed on the door handle. The door wouldn't open. He had a long moment of frustation as he wondered what he was supposed to do, then awkwardly maneuvered into the front deat - not easy when the passenger deat was compressed - and jumped out the open driver's door. By this time the false Harper, whoever he really was, was long gone. "Damn it," Mulder said, but his heart wasn't in the curse. He turned back to help whoever was in the other car. It looked a lot like Harper's car, Mulder thought as he approached. No, it was Harper's car. When he saw the driver of the car's familiar red hair, his heart stopped for much longer than it was supposed to. He thought he was going to black out. He rushed at the car, tearing at the driver's door with his fingers. The window was broken and his hands bled, but he didn't care. He had to get to her. This was his fault, he thought, somehow this was all his fault. End of part 3. Next up: Mulder and Scully both get some interesting offers. =========================================================================== From: eponine119 Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: new: The Luck (4/5) Date: Sun, 22 Oct 1995 14:06:39 -0700 Disclaimed in part one. The Luck, part four. by eponine119 eponine@uci.edu Bleary, Scully lifted her head and opened her eyes. Blood poured into her left eye, obscuring her vision. She raised a hand and found the left side of her face was bloody. She wondered why. Then she saw she was in a car and all the windows were broken. Things were foggy as her instincts took over. She saw there was nothing blocking the passenger door so she climbed across and out. Her feet touched pavement, but her knees didn't hold and she knew she was falling but powerless to stop herself. Something, specifically a warm human body, blocked her fall and her head bumped a familiar bony shoulder. Scully clung a moment until she was certain she could stand and then looked up. Mulder. She managed a weak smile, adrenaline burning her stomach. His face was the color of unbleached cotton. She frowned. "Why are you here?" He didn't actually answer her, just clutched her body closer to his. Scully found she didn't mind. She wondered which of them was shivering. Probably her. Things were beginning to clear now. She knew their embrace had to end. She just felt so safe in his arms. Gathering all the strength she had, Scully pulled away. For a moment, Mulder wasn't going to let her go, but then he relaxed his grip and let his arms hang slack at his sides. Scully's eyes met his and for a second he was afraid she'd guessed his secret and looked away. "Mulder." There it was, the serious tone. He had to look at her. "What happened? Why are you here?" "You don't remember?" he frowned, concerned. She shook her head. "The memory usually blocks the minutes preceding a trauma to the head." Her fingers touched her face and she winced. Oh boy, he thought, if she was quoting medical facts to him, she was really hiding something. "Maybe you should have your head examined?" "I'm all right." she proclaimed vehemently. She glanced at the two cars and felt sick. "We should call someone." "The police should be on their way." "Great." she sighed. Her head was beginning to throb. "Would you think I'm weak if I said i had to sit down?" "No." "Good." she said and surprised him by sitting down on the sidewalk. They barely spoke the rest of the afternoon. First there were the police reports to make, then they went to the courthouse and spent a coupld of hours looking things up in silence. Then it closed and they went to the Blue Plate Cafe. It should be good, Mulder thought, that we can be comfortable and quiet. Truth was, he couldn't think of anything to say. He looked again at his partner, the unattended gash on the whiter than normal skin of her forehead. When he looked, he remembered how he felt at the moment he realized she was in the car. It made him cold and it made him sweat. He couldn't lose her. The diner was deserted. Angie the waitress gave them both a once over and then spoke to Scully. "Chance said he was going home to clean up and he'd see you here later." Scully's jaw dropped. "Chance - oh my - how could I forget -?" she turned to Mulder. "I can't help you without a complete sentence." "Before the accident, we stopped to help a stalled car and they grabbed Chance. I guess I blocked out that far back." She turned to Angie. "Is he OK?" The waitress nodded. "what happened to you two?" "Car accident." Mulder said. Angie gave him a long, creepy look then retreated behind the counter. "What was that about?" Scully asked. "She thinks I have it." Mulder slid into a booth. "What?" "The same bizarre luck as Chance Harper." Mulder's distaste was obvious. Scully regarded him doubtfully, then said, "Mulder, we have to talk." "What about?" he asked though he knew. "Why have you been such a grouch lately?" "I'm always grouchy." "And why do you have this aversion to Chance?" "I don't." "Mulder, don't lie to me." Uh-oh, now she was getting tough. "You and Chance are actually a lot alike." she said and paused, but he didn't contribute, so she went on. "You're both like lost kids in a way. You both lost so much, so early. And have a hard time trusting people." "I don't want to hear this." Mulder said mostly because if she went on, he didn't know what he would do. All he heard her saying was, Chance was like him, but she chose Chance. "I'm just saying you should give him a chance. So to speak." Scully was searching for a reaction on his impassive face. This was worse than getting boys past her dad when she was growing up, maybe because she cared what Mulder thought. "For me." That was the last straw. Mulder felt actual physical pain and closed his eyes. "OK." he said because he knew it was the only way to get her to stop talking. She was surprised at his reaction now that he'd finally had one. "I wish you'd tell me what's on your mind." she said. He just made a grim face and shook his head. "OK, then, I'm going to see Chance. You want to come?" "No." he croaked like a dying man. "OK then." Scully hesitated a last moment and she thought he would call her back. He didn't. What were you expecting, a confession of love? she asked herself. He was acting weird but not that weird. Never that weird. Angie came up at his elbow. "I could use a drink." he said. "Coffee?" she offered, brandishing the pot. "It'll have to do." She refilled his cup. "You should tell her." Angie advised and walked away, leaving Mulder to stare. Audrey Westin came in, looking for Chance. Since he wasn't there, she approached Mulder. "You see Chance?" He shook his head. She sat down. Just what I need, he thought, company. Might as well get some work done, he thought. "Scully mentioned you had the responses to the newspaper story about Harper." "Sure, they're at my apt." she answered casually. Mulder waited. "You want to drop by and have a look?" He realized he still didn't have the keys to the rental car. "Give me a ride?" he asked, resolved. "Sure." she gave her keys a shake. "Let's go." Mulder was impressed by her car, a red classic convertible. He even gave her a second look, but he'd never liked blondes much. Before his recent redhead fixation, he'd mostly gone for brunettes. It was either vanity or had some sick relation to his sister, which he didn't want to consider. What Mulder was not impressed by was the number of drinks Audrey had while he was reading at her kitchen table. He knew she was depressed for the same reason he was - Chance and Scully - but she could at least offer him some. She did, finally, joining him at the table. He noticed her hair looked green under the flourescent light. He noticed the bottle was almost empty. He actually refused. He was working, and he'd just found a very interesting letter that he thought might explain the fake Chance Harper. He slipped it into his pocket when she wasn't looking. "You're cute." she said. Oh yes, she was smashed, Mulder thought. He would've smiled, the line reminding him of The Big Sleep, but he didn't. He wondered why she was still conscious. She got up and fell into his lap. Didn't look like she'd be conscious much longer, he thought. She pressed her mouth to his. It looked like he had a decision to make. "Chance, I'm so sorry." Scully said as she walked into his apartment. She stopped when she realized how comfortable it felt, so fast. It scared her a little. She didn't dwell on it. "Are you OK?" He nodded. "I'm always OK." he told her. "Are you?" his eyes went to the cut on her head. She nodded. "I crashed your car." "The police told me. It was brave of you to try to follow." "It wasn't brave; it's my job. I'm an FBI agent, Chance." She told him in her warning tone. "I didn't mean it like that." "I know you didn't." She sank down on the couch next to him, suddenly exhausted. He put his arm around her and she revelled in the touch. She tried to focus her thoughts. "Do you have the responses to the newspaper article?" "No." Now he was kissing her neck. "Chance -" He pulled away slightly and looekd her in the eye. "I don't really want to talk right now, Dana. I want to make love to you." He sat there, waiting for her reponse. "I - I-" She didn't know what to say. She wanted him. At least, she thought she did. She wasn't 100 percent sure she wouldn't react this way to anyone...it had been a long time. He was kissing her now, slowly. A very long time. She did want him, she decided, but put a hand on his shoulder. "This is going too fast for me." she said, "I understand." Chance said and he did. "Thank you." Scully said, heartfelt, and got to her feet. "Where're you going?" he asked. "Back - back to the hotel." "You don't have to go." "I won't change my mind tonight." "You still don't have to go." "You're wonderful," she told him, "But I should get some rest." "OK." Chance agreed. "We'll try it again tomorrow. Umm. Investigating, I mean, not -" "I know." Scully smiled. "I'll see you." She tried to go. He stopped her at the door for a last kiss and then let her leave. End of part four. Next up: Scully says goodbye...but to whom? =========================================================================== From: eponine119 Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: new, The Luck, (5/5) Date: Sun, 22 Oct 1995 14:44:34 -0700 Disclaimed in part 1. Please note, this part contains some bad language. The Luck part 5 by eponine119 eponine@uci.edu Mulder pulled Audrey Westin out of his lap. "No," he said, not even kindly. She sagged drunkenly against the counter. He knew she had no idea what she was doing but he still felt kind of disgusted. He let himself out. It was a long walk to the hotel and it was cold. It cleared his mind, though, which was nice. Back in the hotel, he lay on the bed and wondered what he was supposed to do next. Inevitably, he tried the TV. Silence of the Lambs was on and for some reason, Jodie Foster reminded him of Dana. Mulder told himself he needed some serious help, but didn't change the channel. What Clarice needed, he thought, was a nice cynical partner to tell her not to listen to Hannibal the Cannibal. That's it, he told himself. The TV zapped off and he resigned himself to staring at the ceiling. He counted the opportunities he'd had to tell her. When he finished, and he still wasn't asleep, he'd review the excuses. after that... After that it would most likely be morning and he could get up. Scully spent the night tossing and turning, thinking about Chance. She felt like she knew him. She trusted him. Sure, it was fast, and she never slept around, but she didn't know why she'd left him. She even thought things miught have been in better perspective if she had stayed and slept with him. Then she'd know for sure if it was Chance she wanted or just sex. Chance. It had to be Chance. She closed her eyes. Definitely Chance. Mulder went to the Blue Plate Cafe early the next morning. He'd been listening and hadn't heard Dana come in. If she was with Harper, he wanted to avoid them. The place was empty and Angie stopped to talk. "How're you doing?" she asked and really meant it. "I'll live." Mulder replied. He tried to remember the last time he'd slept. It had definitely been before meeting Harper. "Life might be better if you had it under control." "I hear quality of life is highly overrated." Mulder retorted, gulping scalding coffee. One of these days he was going to cut himself shaving and discover coffee ran in his veins, he was convinced. "Are you going to eat something?" "Now you sound like Scully." "You're not the only one upset about her relationship with Chance, you know."' "I noticed last night when Audrey had a few too many." Angie nodded. "She was here earlier. She was really embarrassed." Mulder eyed the customers who'd just entered. "Chance has a good heart. He'll do what's right." As she left him with those words, Mulder wondered why he couldn't have developed a crush on her. She was wise, worldly and redheaded...but his heart wasn't in it. The fake Chance Harper staggered through the door. Mulder was out of his seat even before he saw the gun, but it was too late. Before anyone could reach him, the man shot himself. Mulder knelt next to him, but there was no aid to give. He remembered the letter he'd lifted from Audrey's apt the previous ight and pulled it out. ""Poor guy," he said, laying the envelope on the floor near where the gun had fallen. "He just wasn't lucky." Scully arrived after the police had gone and Mulder was back in his booth drinking coffee. He almost didn't recognize her. "What happened to you?" he asked. Her hair fell about her face in almost frizzy waves. "My hair dryer broke. And then the humidity...God, what a morning." She slid into the booth and appropriated his coffee. He let her. "I'm willing to bet you haven't handled a suicide yet this morning." She gaped. He nodded and continued, "This town is weird, Scully, the Bermuda Triangle of the Pacific Northwest. I think we should be going." "But you know how I hate putting unresolved files back in that cabinet..." "Get over it." "Think of all the new X-files that would fit if this one was gone." Was she begging? Mulder was sure that odd sensation was his skin crawling. "Skinner wants us back, Scully. This was only marking time until something bigger came along." Her stricken look was a knife in him and he continued more gently. "We have till this evening to wrap things up." She stared out the window. "I don't know if I can go." Mulder prayed he'd heard her wrong. "What?" It came out harsh, demanding. "I'm not sure I'm going back with you." "Why not?" he asked. She saw the denial in his face and knew she'd hurt him. "I might want to stay here." "Why?" She should have known he wouldn't let her off so easily. "I'm not sure I can walk away from Chance." "Scully, they'll close the X-files in you leave." He was desperate. This could not be happening. "They won't." "They will. They still don't trust me." Scully couldn't face him; Mulder actually looked like he was going to cry. "This isn't about you." she said quietly. "Then tell me what this is about?" he demanded. Anger is good, he told himself, anger could help him cope with this, enough to keep him sane. "It's about me, Mulder. I've been thinking lately. I don't have a life except for work. I don't have any friends except you. I'm always on the road, eating in restaurants, sleeping in hotels. Trying to find the truth when it just isn't there. What kind of life is that, Mulder?" He had actually been asking himself the same questions. But life without the X-Files? Without Scully? No. "It's important." he said. "What we do is important." "So is life and love and family. I'm 31 and I'm all alone in this life, Mulder. I don't want to be 41 or 51 and still chasing after lights in the sky, answers that are always out of reach. I want to have a life. I want to have kids." "Go to a goddamned sperm bank." Mulder said bitterly. What about me? he wanted to yell at her and shake her. "I want a man in my life." "And you think Chance Harper is it?" Mulder cried. "I'll never know if I don't give it a try." Scully felt incredibly close to tears but she refused to let them come. Refused to let Mulder see. She had a notion that if he asked her, she'd reconsider. But she knew he'd never ask. He was as stubborn as she was. He clenched his jaw and waited. She was looking down at the table. She didn't even look upset, he thought angrily. "You've never cared about me or the Files or any of it have you?" he demanded. She couldn't speak. "You've been playing games and lying this whole time if you can walk away this easily." She shook her head and raised her eyes. "You are so wrong." "I've had it, Scully." Mulder jumped up from the booth. He dug and envelope out of his coat pocket and threw it hard down on the table. "I'll be on the place and 5:30. Not that I think you care. I -" No, he couldn't say it. He was mad, true, but he didn't hate her. Couldn't hate her. "Have a nice fucking life." He turned and left, feeling the other diners' eyes on him. The door closed soundly. A small cry escaped Scully's lips as she watched him go, powerless. What had she done? She hadn't expected him to understand, but she hadn't expected him to be destroyed by it. What was she going to do? That was a better question. Mulder threw his belongings into his bag, making a list in his head. This was a serious contender for the worst day of his life. He had to be sure he remembered it. 1. Nightmare about cannibals. 2. Saw man commit suicide 3, lost Dana 4, lost X Files 5, lost hope. He could imagine 6,7 and 8. Lost on the way to the airport, lost luggage, lost plane. But it couldn't get worse because he was beyond caring. He was completely disenchanted. Scully didn't even love Harper, she wanted to use him to have a family, to look for fulfillment. She couldn't be the person he'd thought she was. Mulder started a new list. Things to do when he got back to DC 1. get drunk 2. clean out his apt. of anything that reminded him of her 3. get drunker 4. get laid, to forget 5. get drunker, to forget #4. There was no point in continuing. He left for the airport without glancing toward Scully's door. Scully spent a long time sitting in the diner, unable to get the image of Mulder out of her mind. Her heart hurt to think about it. Maybe this wasn't the right thing to do. Just when she thought she had it all figured out...she had more thinking to do. Even though she knew in her heart what was right. Mulder looked at his watch and at the empty seat next to him. He shifted, then shifted again. What was he supposed to tell Skinner? He closed his eyes and waited for the plane to begin taxi-ing, leaving her behind him. For good. Once the plane took off, he'd decided, he would not think of her again. He felt someone sit in the seat next to him, brushing him lightly. He didn't open his eyes. He didn't want to see someone else in Dana's seat. Not yet. The plane began to move. He looked out the window. Then he turned his head. Tears filled his eyes and he smiled. A real smile. "You're here." He took her hand to be sure she was real. "I'm here." she smiled back. "Dana, I have something I have to say to you -" "Mulder, save the lecture. I was wrong, OK?" "Dana, I-" "Mulder, I don't want to hear it!" Scully snapped and plugged in her earphones. He turned back to the window, still holding her hand, his heart rate returning to normal. Another reason to add to the list. Chance found the note in is darkroom but he already knew what it would say. He'd seen Scully with Mulder and knew he didn't really stand a chance. It was the way his luck ran. "Dear Chance. I'm sorry, I'm sorry I had to leave. I'm sorry we didn't help you find your brother Eric..." The Chapel of Perpetual Happiness Las Vegas, NV That evening The groom looked happily at his bride. Well, she wasn't quite his bride yet, as luck would have it, but soon. Very soon. They shared a smile and the minister began. "Do you, Eric, take this woman, Samantha..." The end. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, or if you didn't, feel free to email me at eponine@uci.edu.