From: phileyx@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 05 Aug 2000 06:33:46 -0000
Subject: xfc: =?iso-8859-1?B?k011bGRlcpQgKFBhcnQgT25lIG9mIFRocmVlKSCW?= =?iso-8859-1?B?IFNlcXVlbCB0byCTRm94lCA=?=
Source: xfc

Title: "Mulder" (Part One of Three) -- Sequel to
"Fox" 
Author: PhileyX 
E-Mail: phileyx@yahoo.com 
Web-site: http://www.angelfire.com/id/phileyx
Rating: PG 
Category: UST 
Spoilers: Season Six - Three Of A Kind 
Disclaimer: The following characters in the story do not belong to 
me. If they do, would I still be writing this? I'll be making the 
episode instead. Duh!
Intro: So Mulder managed to resist Scully. Will she be able to resist 
him? Read "Fox" first, it will be easier to follow the story
(you can 
find it on http://www.angelfire.com/id/phileyx).

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
3.23 am
Scully's apartment


The ocean was beautiful. Deep blue and sometimes a tinge of green. 

She inhaled deeply as memories of sailing with Ahab filled her heart. 

She missed him. 

She closed her eyes and let the soft wind caress her face. 

She frowned, wondering why it was warm. 

She opened her eyes and ...

....was startled by a dark figure hovering over her. She scrambled
out 
of bed. 

Her heart pounded wildly as she backed away from her bed. The 
intruder, standing on the opposite side of the bed, stood unmoving. 
It was too dark to see his face. He was tall and that was all she 
could tell. She glanced at her nightstand and cursed silently. Of all 
the nights to forget to remove the gun from her upholster...

"Who are you?" She demanded to know, her voice surprisingly
calm.

The stranger slowly removed his hand from his pocket. A little 
hesitant, unsure perhaps. She frowned, he seemed familiar. 

"Dana?" 

Scully sighed in relief. "God Mulder! You scared the living
daylights 
out of me!" 

"I'm sorry."

She switched on the light on her nightstand and winced slightly as 
the sudden brightness hurt her eyes. "What are you doing her in
the 
...." she glanced at the clock... "middle of the
night?"

"I....I..." He trailed off and looked at his feet
uncertainly.

"Of all the stupid things to do, Mulder; one of them would be to 
sneak up on me. If my gun was where it usually is, you would be
dead."

"I said I was sorry."

She was about to start on a long lecture on good manners and his 
abuse of her house keys when she noticed that he was holding a tiny 
blue velvet box in his hand. Curious, she gave him a chance to 
explain himself. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to ask if you would marry me."

Scully gaped. Slowly, her head cocked to one side as she studied his 
serious face. He wasn't kidding, she soon realized. "Did you
knock 
your head somewhere?"

"I love you Dana. I always have."

Scully shook her head slowly. "This is not happening....."
she mumbled 
and walked to her partner. Gently pushing the out-stretched box out 
of the way, she cupped the back of his neck and pulled it down to her 
line of view. Finding what she expected to find, she let him go and 
headed out to her living room.

"At least take a look at the ring before you say no. You owe me
that 
much." Mulder called out behind her.

She picked up her phone and called the Gunmen's number. While
waiting 
for one of them to pick up, she thought about her partner in her 
bedroom. She had found an injection mark on his neck, the EH gas 
again. These guys just didn't know when to give up. `But why
pick on 
Mulder?' She wondered.

`And the proposal?' She grinned, thinking the amount of
pleasure she 
would have when she told him about it later. `Come to think of
it....' 
She never even considered Mulder to be conscious while he said it. It 
was as if there wasn't even a remote possibility of it happening
for 
real. The fact made her a little sad. 

A few seconds later, Byer's voice answered groggily, shutting
away 
her thoughts. "Hello."

"Byers, it's Scully. Guess what? Mulder just asked me to
marry him."

"He wha...." And broke into a coughing fit. "Sorry. I
must have heard 
you wrongly. Mind repeating what you said?"

"You heard right Byers."

"Was he drunk?"

She rolled her eyes. Even the Byers knew the impossibility of it. 
Now, it felt even sadder. "No, remember the time, not too long
ago, I 
was gaga, wild and hot?"

"The EH drug?"

"Looks like it and explains everything."

"This is not good, Agent Scully. They would have come up with a 
better plan this time."

"I know. I have a feeling that this time round they'd pay
less 
attention on Mulder and concentrate on you."

"I'll wake the guys up. Meanwhile, watch Mulder."

"Right. Bye." She hung up and turned, almost bumping into the
man in 
question.

She stepped back, noticing that he had a frown and a sad look that 
could be poster ad for Hush Puppies. "What's wrong,
Mulder?"

 "What is it, Dana? I know you care for me."

She then realized that he was talking about his proposal and her 
unenthusiastic response. Studying his pained face, she took a moment 
to marvel at the complexities of the drug. When triggered, different 
people actually react differently to it. It made her into a slut 
while for Mulder it ....what? Turns him into a Don Juan that calls
her 
Dana? Or does it reveal his unspoken desires? She dropped the last 
thought, not wanting to start wondering inappropriately. 

She decided to reason with him. "Mulder, you're drugged. And
it's 
making you think that you're in love with me."

He blinked at her, and then frowned. "I don't need a drug to
make me 
think that. I **am** in love with you."

"You're not. Remember the EH gas and Susanne Modenski?"

"Scully, listen to me. I've been a fool for keeping it from
you for 
so long. It's just that I didn't think that you would want a
messed 
up asshole like me."

"Mul...."

He interrupted her. "I told you once before and you brushed it
off. 
This time, I'm gonna make you hear me." He held her shoulders 
firmly. "Scully, I love you."

"Will you stop saying that? You're not!" As the words
came out of her 
mouth, she was surprised at it's own harshness. He was surprised
too 
for he remained silent. 

She wriggled out of his clasp, needing some space to think. Why was 
she so bothered at his vehemence? The man was obviously drugged so 
why she was still trying to get through to him? 

Maybe, she wanted to stop him from saying things that she secretly 
longed to hear, lest she started believing in them.

Mulder began again. "Why don't you believe me?"

Still troubled with her personal revelation, she sighed. "Mulder, 
just trust me. You need help."

He shook his head sadly. "All you had to say was you don't
love me 
back."

She looked at him and frowned. `True. That was all she needed to
say 
to stop his tirade of declarations.'

He pursued his argument. "Why can't you say it?"

`Because I would be lying.' She answered silently and
suddenly 
realizing that Mulder had just dragged out a confession out of her 
without her even knowing it. Now, she was pissed. Talk about misusing 
one's talent. "Mulder, believe me. In the morning, you wished
you 
didn't come here at all."

He stared angrily at her for a moment and growled at her. "You
just 
can't say it, can you? Go ahead and suppress all those feelings.
I 
can't and I won't. Not anymore." He started to walk
towards the door. 

Scully panicked. She couldn't let him leave in that state.
"Mulder, 
you can't go."

He stopped and turned. "I'm tendering my resignation
tomorrow. Let's 
see how long we can stay apart."

Although she knew that he didn't say it under his own influence,
the 
impact of his words still shook her. She found herself wondering 
whether she could indeed bear his departure. Slightly disorientated, 
her coolness cracked. "Just what do you want from me, Mulder?"

"I want the truth." He looked at her intently. "Do you
love me?"

As he waited patiently for her answer, she regained control of her 
emotions and began rationalizing. If she told him the truth, he would 
stay and she could keep an eye on him until the Gunmen came up with a 
solution. If she lied, he would leave and no matter what she said, 
she wouldn't be able to stop him. Without her supervision,
there's no 
telling what `they' might order him to do when `they'
decide to 
trigger him. 

For his safety and others, there seemed to be only choice. Besides, 
it's not like he's going to remember what she confessed in
the 
morning.

She finally told him. "Yes, I love you."

Relief spread across his face but her terseness limited his joy.
"But 
that wasn't a `yes' to my proposal?"

She shook her head sadly, immediately creating a frown on his brow. 
He looked down and asked her, "You need time?"
 
She almost smiled. `Anymore time and mom would start disowning
me.' 
She replied in her head, but agreed with him anyway. "Yeah."

He studied her face for a while and nodded. "Okay." And he
turned to 
go. 

She stopped him quickly. "Stay the night."

His eyebrows shot up.

"On the couch." She firmly curbed his imagination.

"Oh." He sat on her couch and sighed. "I wish you
wouldn't tease, 
Dana."

She smiled and then looked at him thoughtfully. "Mulder, why are
you 
calling me Dana?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
7.11 am
Scully's apartment


Mulder looked at his disheveled partner. "Good morning." He
wished 
her brightly.

She ignored him and headed straight for the coffee pot. Filling her 
cup, she walked out of the kitchen leaving him again by himself. He 
shook his head. `Scully was never a morning person.' 

Scully rubbed her forehead and groaned. She didn't get much sleep
the 
night before. Although she had disconnected her phone and switched 
off all the cell-phones, her mind still wasn't at ease. And she 
wasn't sure if it was because of Mulder being drugged or because
of 
the realities of their intricate relationship. 

Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks. "Of course, how could I
forget?" 
She muttered to herself. "The drug would have worn off by
now!"  

Mulder was just about to return to his newspaper when his partner 
burst through the kitchen door and stared at him.

"What?" He asked her, surprised.

"Are you in love with me?"

His eyes bulged as he regarded her suspiciously. "It that a trick 
question?"

She smiled broadly. `Yup, that's the Mulder I know.' 

Mulder scratched his stubbled chin nervously, trying to figure out if 
he should answer her truthfully or lie. Her smile however discouraged 
his honesty.

She called him and waited anxiously for his reaction. "Fox."

His confusion grew. "Why are you calling me Fox?"

She tried again. "Scully."

"No, you're Scully."

"William?"

"What are you doing?"

"Dana."

"Scully stop it, you're getting on my nerves!"

"Mulder."

He hesitated, blinked and then said, "Good morning, Dana. Did you 
sleep well?"

She grinned. `Bingo.' The trigger is **Mulder**.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

9.23 am
Scully's car


She flipped open her cell-phone and answered it. "Scully."

Frohike's voice greeted her. "Agent Scully, progress
report?"

She glanced at her sleeping partner in the co-driver's seat.
"Asleep. 
We're on our way to the office."

"He's asleep?" 

"The drug seems to do wonders for Mulder's insomnia. Maybe we
should 
get Susanne to patent it."

"At last, a way to profit from this madness."

Scully smiled. "Has Byers found Susanne yet?"

"Not yet. He's being very careful this time. Bringing the
company on 
a wild goose chase first."

She groaned. "How long will that take?"

"Maybe a few days. I'm sure you'll be able to handle the
G-man. I 
mean he's just in love with you, right?"

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"If he starts serenading to you, could you give me a call? I must 
catch that on video."

"Frohike...." She warned.

"On the safe side, Byers is keeping us out of the loop. He'll
contact 
us when the antidote's ready. Do you know the trigger?"

"Yup, it's his surname."

"Gees, these guys have a thing for the G-man. First, his first
name, 
now his last."

"I have to figure out how to get him a few days leave. Everyone
calls 
him that in the office. We can't have him mooning over me in
public."

Frohike chortled. "Another thing I would love to get on
video."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

10.35 am
FBI headquarters

Mulder's glum face made her smile. She knew it wasn't easy
being in 
his position, knowing that there was someone out there who was 
capable of controlling your every action. 

She gently ruffled his hair and comforted him. "It'll be okay
Fox, 
we'll get the antidote."

He grimaced. "Actually I'm more concerned if I'll be able
to survive 
being called `Fox' all day."

She laughed. "Come on, we're already very late for work."
She removed 
a pair of ear-plugs from the paperbag in her hand. "Here, wear
this."

He shranked back. "No way, Scully. What if they got stuck?"

She raised an eye-brow. "Don't be a baby. Everyone calls you
by your 
last name here, no thanks to you."

He glared at her. "If they all called me by my first name,
you'd be 
in bigger trouble a week before today."

She sighed. "Sure, fine, whatever. Just don't go love-sick on
me."

Mulder nodded and followed behind her as she led the way out of the 
Bureau car park and to the back entrance. 

They were an hour late for work, waiting for him to wake up from his 
sobering sleep. And when he did, she told him the bad news.

He was horrified. And he felt even worse when she described his 
drugged alter ego - a whimsy-whining-Scully-adoring fool. Not that he 
wasn't one already, but at least he knew how to keep his mouth
and 
his wallet shut. The ring cost him a bomb. It was a lovely one 
though, exactly the pattern he would buy for her if he were to 
propose to her for real. He wondered if he could return it.

As they neared the entrance, she looked back at him with a warning 
look. He used his hands to shut his ears and started alternately 
humming and mumbling random words.

She frowned and hissed. "What are you doing?" Receiving no
answer, 
she tugged at his sleeve.

"Can't hear you, Scully." He replied and continued his
ridiculous 
ritual. 

As they passed through security, his performance began to attract the 
attention of passer-bys. She shook her head and groaned. "Sure, 
embarrass me, why don't you?" She mumbled under her breath
and 
increased her pace towards the elevator.

There were several agents already waiting at the elevator entrance, 
waiting for the lift `going up'. The duo stood behind them.
Mulder 
was humming a song softly; his ears still clamped shut by his hands. 

Several agents glanced back at him curiously, which gave Mulder an 
idea. He began muttering a string on unintelligible words loudly. The 
turned looks increased in frequency and Scully smiled sheepishly at 
them, noticing their annoyance.

Soon, one of them boldly whispered to her, "What's he
doing?"

She whispered back, lying. "He's chanting an old tribal
spell."

He blinked back at her. 

She nodded at him earnestly and explained. "Calling of the dead.
If 
he concentrates hard enough, he could call on any spirit he wishes 
and they could use his body for a few seconds."

His mouth dropped and so did most of the other agents who overheard 
her.

The elevator finally came and to the duo's surprise, the crowd in 
front of them made way for them. Mulder and Scully walked into the 
cubicle and waited, but no one else wanted to go in after them. 

"Aren't any of you going up?" Scully asked.

"Oh, I'll take the next one." One of them nervously
replied. The rest 
echoed the same.

`What a bunch of suckers.' She thought and smiled at them 
sweetly. "Okay." And she pushed the `Close' button
for the doors to 
shut.

Mulder released his ears when it did. He looked at his partner with 
pride. "N.i...c..e. How did you do that?"

"You don't want to know." She laughed. "Anyone asks,
you're Elvis. 
And do your favourite impersonation for them, you know...the one
with 
the hips....."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

11.02 am
X-files division office


"Oh-oh." Scully frowned at her computer screen.

"What?" Her partner asked from across the room.

"An e-mail from Skinner. He wants to see me."

"Only you?"

"Apparently."

Mulder raised an eyebrow at her questioningly. 

"Maybe he's gonna propose to me too."

He scowled at her playfully. Smiling in reply, she headed out the 
door. 

Reaching Assistant Director Walter Skinner's office, she nodded
at 
his secretary and knocked on his door.

His muffled voice said. "Come in."

She entered and obeyed his motion for her to sit. "Sir, you
wanted to 
see me."

"Yes. Where's your report?"

Scully blinked. "What report, sir?"

Skinner looked annoyed. "The experiment." She was still
looking 
confused so he continued, "Didn't Agent Mulder tell you to
prepare a 
report on your experiment in the elevator last week?"

`Last week?' Scully's mind raced. Something told her that
she wasn't 
exactly in her right mind when she performed the so-called 
experiment. "Sir, the experiment did not involve removal of
clothes, 
did it?" Her superior's eyes widened and she knew the answer
was no. 
She hastily told him, "Just kidding. I'll get the report done
by 
Monday," and she thought, `Just as soon as I get Mulder to
tell me 
what the hell is going on and then strangle him for not telling me 
earlier.'

"I don't have until Monday. The meeting is this evening. And
I want 
an explanation why you publicly announced that you're sleeping
with 
your partner when you're not." 

`I did what?' She asked herself in consternation. Her face
must have 
showed a reaction of some sort because he asked suspiciously.
"You 
are **not** sleeping with him, aren't you?"

"Of course not, sir." She assured him and frowned as she
thought of 
the looks she had been receiving over the past week around the 
Bureau. God, sometimes it was just easier not knowing. "I'll
get that 
report done for you."

"Good, in an hour. Dismissed."

She was about to get up from the chair when Skinner's secretary
voice 
blared on his intercom. "Mr Skinner, I just paged Agent Mulder to 
report to the Psyche department. He's on his way there right
now."

"Thank you, Kim."

Scully panicked. If Kim got Mulder on the phone, there could be a 
high possibility that he's been triggered. And if he were, there
was 
no way she could finish the report if she didn't know what she
did. 
She frowned and thought hard.

"Agent Scully. Didn't I dismiss you?"

"Erm.. sir, do you need any specific details, like why the
experiment 
and who's involved in it?"

"Of course, I need details. Especially on why I wasn't
informed about 
it. I felt like a fool in front of AD Fuller."

`Not in front of an AD!' She grimaced. `No wonder he
needed a 
report.' And somehow she had to get the facts from Skinner, she 
realized. "Well sir, as Mulder said, the experiment ......" She
trailed 
off expectantly.

"....wasn't yours?" He answered for her, tired of waiting.

`Huh?' Scully's expression nearly gave her away. But she
tried 
again. "Yeah, it's for......you know...."

"....a friend?" He helpfully filled in again.

"Yes, a friend." She sighed in relief. "That's why
you weren't 
informed. 

"Enlighten me, you say these things and what exactly do you
derive 
out of their reactions?"

`Oh-oh.' She bit her lip and fumbled. "Well...
experiments such as 
these are very ...... interesting. You say these .... things and
wait for a 
reaction."

He blinked at her. "I just said that."

"Sir...erm... Things like Mulder and I sleeping together are
.... 
surprising." She hesitated, "Well maybe not so surprising
considering 
the department rumour-mill but actually **admitting it** would be 
surprising enough."

"I know that. What I'd like to know is, so what? What can you
tell 
from their expressions? What exactly are you looking for? What 
exactly are you trying to prove?"

`Okay, that was it. Even Mulder wouldn't be able to figure
his way 
out of this one.' She apologized. "I'm sorry, I can't
tell you that."

"Why not?"

"Because ... the experiment's not completed yet. Only until
then, we'll 
be able to derive the conclusion."

Skinner's frown was just about to turn into a scowl at her
ridiculous 
explanation when a loud screech on the public address system caused 
them both to cover their ears until it stopped.  

"Testing.... Testing.... 1 2 3."

Skinner cocked his head. "That voice sounds familiar." 

"An Ode To Dana Scully." The voice cleared his throat and 
continued.  "I love the way your hair attaches to the
sunlight....."

"Mulder!" Scully whispered in horror as her ears confirmed
her 
earlier suspicion that her partner was triggered.

"What the hell is he doing?" Skinner demanded to know.

She blinked at him, suddenly reminded that she had bigger problems to 
deal with at the moment. She then told him the first thing that she 
could come up with. "You know the experiment we talking about,
sir? 
Well, Mulder kind of decided to help out too."

"On the Bureau  PA system!?!" 

"You know Mulder, he likes doing things in a big way."

"Get his ass in here right now!" 

"Yes sir. Right away, sir." And Scully almost ran for the
door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

End of `Mulder (Part One of Three)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
12.26 pm
Scully's car

Mulder woke up to find himself in the car again. He glanced at his 
partner who was driving beside him. "Where are we going?" 

She gave him a quick smile. "Somewhere where no none calls you by 
your last name?"

"That place doesn't exist." He told her and stretched his
long arms 
and legs the best he could in her small car.

"We're going to my Mom's place. It should keep you out of
trouble."

"Why, what happened?"

She grinned to herself and wondered if she should tell him or take 
her revenge for not telling her about the `elevator report'.
"I got 
to hand it to you, Fox. I was speculating how to get you a few days 
off until we hear from Byers. But within an hour, you got a 2-day 
suspension all by yourself. Good work!"

He noticed her indecision and chided her. "Oh come on, I told you 
everything that you did. You just didn't believe me."

`Not everything.' But she decided to be magnanimous.
"Fine. You wrote 
me a poem and read it out on the Bureau PA system."

He was speechless at first and then surprised her by asking.
"You're 
not angry?"

"Why should I be angry?"

"Scully, I just announced to the whole world that we're
involved."

She raised an eyebrow. "Mulder, they'll believe anything they
want to 
believe whether there's proof or not. Besides, I think `Super
Slut 
Scully' gave the secret away already. And thanks to you, with
your 
latest escapade, I not only have to produce a fictional report which 
by the way, thanks for not telling me; I have to produce a fictional 
friend to present the report with."

"I had forgotten about that report." He grimaced, recognizing
the 
beginnings of a Scully rant. 

Fortunately for him, they had reached Margaret Scully's
apartment. 
And she decided to leave the nagging for later.

As they walked up the driveway, Mulder tugged at his shirt and tie, 
pressing down the crumpled lines. She saw his actions through the 
corner of her eye and smiled at his ever-ridiculous need to impress 
her mother.

She pressed on the doorbell. A few seconds later, her mother opened 
the door. She hugged them both and whispered to them 
confidentially. "Bill's inside."

Mulder groaned and automatically turned to head back to the car.

"Come back here!" Scully grabbed his arm and pulled him into
the 
house. "Sorry, you don't have a choice this time."

"But Scul...."

"Shut up, Fox."

Bill stood up at his sister's entrance, his smile quickly turned
into 
scowl when he saw her partner behind her. He held out his hand to his 
sister.

"Hello Bill. Tara and Matthew okay?"

"Yeah, they're all right. What are you doing here?"

She lied. "I came to visit mom."

He gave her a look, clearly not believing her words. She rolled her 
eyes at him and shot back. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to bring Mom back to my place."

"Oh." 

Maggie motioned them all to sit. "Tara needs help with Matthew.
She's 
in the middle of a huge project that's taking a lot of her
time."

"I see." Scully frowned. She had hoped Mom would be able to
keep an 
eye on Mulder while she was at work. 

"I could stay at home." Her partner whispered hopefully in
her ear, 
igniting a warning grunt from the watchful big brother. Mulder 
ignored him.

"You'd get phonecalls," she whispered back.

"I could stay in your place."

"You'd still get phonecalls," she reminded him that her
place was the 
second number people called when he wasn't at home.

"He could stay here." Maggie interrupted their exchange.
"Nobody 
would call him here."

Scully blushed, embarrassed that she overheard their conversation. 
Thankfully, Bill was too far away to catch their words. "I
can't 
really leave him alone, Mom. He's.... well ....sick."

Surprisingly, Maggie didn't ask anymore but nodded her head as if 
understanding. "Come by after work and stay with him then. Bill 
promised to fix the leaking pipe in the bathroom so we probably
won't 
leave for his house until you get back."

Scully looked at her partner. His eyes held a pleading look, begging 
her not to leave him behind with her horrible brother. She smiled at 
him sadly and shrugged, she didn't have a choice. He groaned in
reply.

"Sorry." She whispered to him and got up from her seat.
"Okay, so 
I'll see you around seven?"

"Sure, fine, whatever." He replied lifelessly.

"What's going on?" Bill asked.

Maggie told him. "Fox is staying here for a while."

"Why? The aliens looking for him?"

Mulder grimaced. "Ha ha, very funny."

Scully sighed and warned them. "Both of you, be nice. And I mean
it."

Maggie stood up and took Mulder's hand. "I'll take you to
your room, 
Fox." She nodded at her daughter and led him upstairs.

Bill watched them for a while and turned back to her sister. "Are
you 
sure we should have him here. What if **they** find him here, abduct 
me and do tests on me?"

She glared at him. "If you weren't Matthew's father.
I'd probably put 
a huge neon sign on your roof saying, "Take Me!" 

He rolled his eyes. "The day I figure you out....."

"You're so dumb, you probably never will."

He was about to rebuke her further but thought the better of it, 
seeing that it wouldn't much of a use. His sister was as
obstinate as 
a mule, as all Scully women generally were. Instead, he asked her 
quietly, "Do you think Dad would have liked him?"

She hesitated, knowing fully well that her father would have written 
Mulder off as one of her mistakes in a second. "Dad was never
really 
was a part of my decisions when I made them."

"But you wished he were."

She looked him in the eye. "Bill, don't you ever wonder what
it would 
be like following your own heart, following your own dreams? Just 
once, don't you wonder where you would be now if you had taken
the 
Law Scholarship instead of joining the Navy?"

The flicker of doubt in his eyes was unmistakable. And he knew she 
saw it. He told her honestly. "Yeah. But if I had to do it all
again, 
I would. For Tara 
And Matthew."

"But you still wondered." She persisted.

"Yes."

Somehow, his admission didn't give her as pleasure as she thought
it 
might. She laughed softly and told him. "I'll tell you a
secret. I 
too sometimes wonder what it would be like to take the more traveled 
path."

He was slightly taken aback at her honestly and was about to take the 
given opportunity when he stopped himself. He shook his head 
incredulously. After all the crap he gave her, she still had the 
courage to leave herself wide open for a cheap shot. `Now that
took 
guts,' he told himself.

He raised his hand to touch her face gently and he whispered,
"You 
wondered, but you still wouldn't change a single day."

She looked up. "Not even a minute."

`It was no use. The man is under her skin.' He sighed 
resignedly. "I'll try to be civil."

She nodded back at him and her eyes twinkled in mischief. "And
just 
for that little brother-sisterly moment we had back there, I'll
let 
you in on another secret. Mulder hates being called
`Fox'."

He grinned at her. "How about `Foxy'?"

"Oh, that'll give him a seizure."

He shouted towards the stairs. "Hey **Foxy**, wanna help me with
the 
pipe?"

Scully laughed and headed for the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
8.26 pm
Margaret Scully's house

When Mulder answered the door with a beaming smile, Scully knew that 
someone had triggered him. `And since Mom calls him Fox and
nothing 
else, the culprit had to be Bill.' She sighed and wondered if her 
family had noticed the change in him.

"Dana, you're back. I've missed you." He told her.

She gave a half-laugh, not used to his easy affection.
"Where's Mom, 
Mulder?"

"In the kitchen." He replied flippantly and tentatively
helped her 
with her coat. She shrugged out of it quickly and left him to hang it 
up.

"Hi Mom, I'm back." 

"Hi honey."

"Hi **Dana**." Bill greeted her, his voice intentionally
sweet. 

She frowned at him, catching his sarcastic grin. Something told her 
that his brother noticed Mulder's change. She ignored him and
asked 
her mother. "Was Mulder any trouble, Mom?"

"No, he was an angel." She smiled mischievously and something
told 
her that her mother had noticed the change too.

She grimaced and tried explaining. "I did tell you that he was 
unwell."

Bill rolled his eyes. "I'll say. The guy seems to have a bad
case of 
Dana Scully." 

Dana blushed. "Don't you have to go home or something?"

Maggie laughed and got up from her seat. "Yes, we've got to
go."

Bill followed her but couldn't resist teasing his sister just
before 
going. "Oh, he wrote you a poem. Very cute."

"Get out of here, you!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
10.23 pm
Margaret Scully's house

When Langly finally picked up the phone, there was only silence on 
the other side. "Hello?" He called again.

A distant Agent Scully answered him, although not quite what he 
expected. "Hmmm lower, Mulder. That's right. Oh, that feels
good."

Langly eyes widened. He felt he should say something quickly or hang 
up. "Agent Scully, it's Langly. I'll call you
back......."

"Langly, good you're there! What took you so long to answer
the 
phone?"

"I just came in. Erm.... is Mulder all right?"

"Yeah, he's fantastic."

He raised an eyebrow and grimaced as his imagination began to paint 
an explicit picture of his two favourite FBI agents. "Maybe this
is a 
bad time?"

"What? No.... Oh I never knew Mulder was so good with his
hands."

"Is he now?"  

"Oh yeah. You should get him to give you one, Langly."

He was horrified. "Agent Scully, I'm straight!"

"What?" When she realized what he meant, Scully rolled his
eyes. "No! 
A foot-rub. Mulder gives great a foot-rub."

Langly heaved a sigh in relief at his intact masculine preference and 
asked laughingly. "I take it he's in Romeo mode again."

"Yup, Bill triggered him off."

"Your brother?"

"Uh-huh. Had lots of fun with him too. Mom refuses to tell me
what he 
made Mulder do in my absence, knowing I'd probably murder her
eldest 
son in the worst possible way."

"Just as long as he doesn't get any phonecalls. I'll keep
you 
updated."

"Right." Scully hung up and looked at her partner across the
other 
end of the bathtub. She was originally nervous about letting Mulder 
in the bathroom while she was in the tub. But the unfamiliarity of 
his character gave her courage. And it's not that he was in the
tub 
with her or anything. Plus, she was covered from neck to ankles with 
bubbles, so technically she was decent......technically.

Besides, Mulder seemed oblivious to her unusual allowance of 
intimacy. In fact, he acted as if he expected nothing less. And from 
the foot-rub, offered to soap and scrub her back.

This time Scully hesitated a little longer. But before she could 
agree or disagree, he was already behind her, coaxing her to lean 
forward. She banished all doubts from her head and impulsively 
decided to enjoy his touch while she could. After all, it would be a 
matter of time before he'd want his beauty sleep. So she let him.

He lathered his hands with bath foam and rubbed her shoulders gently. 
His repeated circular motion soon relaxed her as he continued the 
massage lower her back. 

His strong hands traced the contours of her muscles and gently 
fingered her spine, lower and then even lower. She shivered. He 
seemed to sense it and began to apply more pressure on her stiff, 
aching back. And she groaned softly at how good it felt.

Her sounds excited him. And he leaned closer, wanting to be as near 
as possible to her. She was totally unaware of his proximity, too 
carried away by his soothing touch. 

His hands soon wandered north, the right hand toying with the strands 
of stray hair behind her right ear and the left hand stroking the 
base of her neck.

Unconsciously, she tilted her head to one side, allowing him a view 
of her face. He was struck in awe at the sight of his goddess, 
glowing with contentment by his own hands. And he wished he could do 
more.

Mesmerized, his hand moved to tenderly caress her ear..... then her 
cheek ........and then finally her lips. She started slightly but
gave no 
other indication of protest. So he continued his exploration; tracing 
the outline of her mouth and lingering intently on her small mole 
nearby that could only be seen up close. Somehow, he had always known 
it was there.

Then, his lips touched her eyebrow, gently warming her face with his 
breath. It made her unconsciously lick her lips and a little of his 
finger as well, causing him to swallow hard. With a mind of it's
own, 
the other hand on her back made a bee-line to her waist, stomach and 
yet higher, stroking her skin tenderly, arousing her, making her gasp 
and making her wonder if she should stop him. Then again, this could 
be the only opportunity for her to feel what it would be like to be 
loved by Fox Mulder. And that weakened her noble thoughts.

His little kisses soon grew more intent, searching for spots to 
please her, down her cheek, her chin, her neck. Every once in a 
while, his tongue would lightly brush against her face, leaving a 
burning sensation on her skin. Finally abandoning her last once of 
sense, she tilted her head further and met her mouth with his. 

She couldn't remember if this kiss was better than the last.
Hell, at 
the moment she probably couldn't even remember her full name. As
the 
kiss progressed, her body began to ache for more. And she began to 
wonder if Mulder would mind if they made love in his stupor. 

And when his hand moved to touch her where it ached, she conveniently 
decided that he wouldn't. `I think.' She frowned. 

She stopped thinking when his other hand began another mission to 
drive her insane with desire. `Oh God! So this is what is feels
like 
to taste the forbidden fruit......' 

`The operative word being **tasted**.' Her conscience
reminded her.

`Oh shut up!' She told herself but was quickly brought back
to the 
pleasurable task at hand by his voice.

"Dana...." Mulder growled hoarsely in her mouth, as if
asking 
permission to do more. She broke the kiss to nod at him. His eyes 
although full of yearning still managed to show a little joy at her 
go ahead. 

He kissed her hard and pulled away, impatiently unbuttoning his 
shirt. "Here, Dana?" He asked.

Scully frowned. Somehow, it suddenly didn't feel right.
`Why?' She 
wondered.

He frowned back. "What's wrong?"

Then she knew. "You called me Dana."

He laughed softly, surprised. "But that's your name."

She looked away, hesitating. " Calling me `Dana' is just
not ..... 
you...." At that point, she knew she couldn't do it. It was
wrong. She 
was wrong. He **would** be pissed if they did make love without his 
sober consent. Wasn't she, last week?

"Are you all right?" He asked again.

"Mulder.... I just can't..... Will you please go?" He
looked confused. 
And she felt even more ashamed of herself. How could she even think 
of taking advantage of him in this state? She insisted. "Please
go."

"Okay." He told her softly and walked out of the bathroom.

She raved at herself silently for ten minutes and then decided to 
face him. Washing off the bubbles and slipping into her mother's
silk 
pajama, she stepped into the living room. He was sitting on the 
couch, staring blankly at the TV. 

"Hi." She called softly.

He looked up at her. His eyes showing his feelings; confused, lost 
and rejected. And just when she thought she couldn't possibly
feel 
guiltier, he asked her. "Did I do something wrong?"

She shook her head quickly and assured him. "God Mulder, no! You 
didn't do anything wrong. It was me... It was wrong of
me...." She 
started to explain but stopped, realizing that he wouldn't be
able to 
comprehend what she was trying to say. Right now, this Mulder was 
only concerned about loving her; to hell with FBI protocol. 

So she lied. She looked him in the eye and told him. "I was just 
tired."

He looked slightly hopeful that it indeed had nothing to do with him. 
She smiled at him and added. "It's been a long day. And I
didn't 
really get much sleep last night."

He soon smiled back, his confidence regained. "Okay."

Scully shook her head at his innocence. He reminded her of a little 
boy. She held out her hand and he automatically moved to take 
it. "Come on, Mulder. Let's go to bed."

He raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said you were tired?"

She rolled her eyes. Maybe not quite the **little** boy in every 
way. "To sleep." She told him.

"Oh." He got up and followed her to the bedroom.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
3.11 am
Margaret Scully's house

The phone rang, waking Mulder up with a start. He blinked in the 
dark, sensing that he wasn't on his couch. He felt warmth beside
him 
and froze. She smelt like Scully but what would she be doing with him 
in bed? 

Then he remembered. The EH gas, suspension, Maggie's house......
His eyes 
widened. Scully was supposed to watch him. `But isn't this
taking it 
too far?' Then he shook himself. `What the hell was he
complaining 
about?' It wasn't often that he was given a chance to share a
bed 
with her.

The ringing phone reminded him why he woke up in the first place. By 
that time, his eyes had already adjusted to the darkness. He glanced 
over her and spotted the phone on nightstand on Scully's side of
the 
bed. 

He frowned and looked over his sleeping partner. She didn't seem
to 
respond to the noise at all. `Boy, she must be tired.' He
thought. So 
he cautiously reached his long arm over her to grab the cradle from 
its hook before the rings drove him insane. Just as he was about to 
pick it up, she woke up. "Mul.... Damn it, I almost forgot.
What are 
you doing?"

He pulled back. " Trying to pick up the phone."

"You're not supposed to, remember?" She nagged.

He grumbled. "You're real grouch in the morning, you know
that?" 

She ignored him and grabbed the phone. "Hello?"

Mulder slunk back on the bed, pouting. He soon realized that his 
right arm was somehow entangled between Scully and the blanket. He 
tried unraveling it but to no avail.

"What? Are you sure?" Scully's worried voice caught his 
attention. "Yeah, we'll be right there." She hung up.

"What's wrong?" He asked her.

She turned to him. "They've got Byers and probably
Susanne."

"Are they sure?"

"Byers didn't check in like he promised to." She frowned
when she 
caught sight of his entwined arm. 

He shrugged. "I think you pulled the blanket around you and my
arm 
was caught in between."

"Oh." She hastily pulled the covers off her and freed his arm
from 
her body. He grinned slightly, thinking that she was embarrassed at 
the intimacy. The thought banished when she coolly got up and began 
changing in front of him.

`What the.....?' He was stunned. Scully never undresses in
front of 
him. In six years of partnership, she has always, **always** 
maintained a certain amount of professionalism, and that includes 
dressing and undressing in private.

When she found him still where he was, she frowned at him. "What
are 
you doing still in bed? Come one, go freshen up!"

He nodded at her blankly. "Right." But still remained where
he was, 
staring.

"What?"

"No..nothing. I'm going." He nodded his head again and
forced himself 
to get out of the bed. As he stepped into the bathroom, he took one 
more look at his changing partner as she slipped into her skirt and 
hoped his photographic memory would not fail him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
4.32 am
The Lone Gunmen's lair

Scully yawned and stretched her legs. 

Frohike smiled at her and told her to take a break.

"I can't. I have to keep on eye on Mr. Lurve here." She
told him and 
nodded pointedly at her partner sitting beside her.

Langly chortled. "Agent Scully, I'll keep an eye on him. Why
don't 
you take a nap? We'll wake you if we find anything."

Mulder grunted in agreement. His eyes glued to the computer monitor 
as he scanned the screen for anything information that could give 
them a lead on Byers's location.

"This is like finding a needle in a haystack." She told him
softly.

He frowned, pausing a while from his mission to look at her. "I
don't 
have any other ideas, Scully. We just know that these people are from 
the government, have an obscene amount of money to invest in the 
project and it has something to do with gasses and voice recognition 
techniques. All we can do is check out whatever we can. Go to sleep. 
Don't worry, Langly will 
watch me."

"Come on, Miss Scully. I'm taking a breather too. Share a
bed?" 
Frohike leered.

She rolled her eyes at him. "No thanks. I'm taking
Byers's bed. I'm 
sure it's cleaner.

He scowled at the insult but was too tired to take offence.

Scully made her way to Byers's room and switched the light on. It
was 
very neat, just as she imagined it to be. Too tired to wash up, she 
slipped out of her pumps and slid into bed. Within seconds, she was 
asleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
5.21 am
The Lone Gunmen's lair

She woke with a start. `Gunshot!' She thought and
instinctively 
removed her gun from her upholster. But before she could get up, 
Mulder burst through the door with his gun.

"Mulder!"

He cocked his head slightly but stared at her fiercely. She bit her 
lip. `Something is wrong.' Then he raised the gun and pointed
it at 
her. Her eyes widened. `He had been triggered.' She realized. 

"Mulder, put the gun down!" She told him calmly.

He ignored her and aimed for her heart. She raised her gun and did 
the same. "Mulder, you're not yourself. Listen to me.
It's me, 
Scully. Put the gun down!"

His index finger on the trigger moved a few millimeters and she 
panicked. It was no use. He was going to shoot her unless she shot 
him first. She grimaced and pulled the trigger, moving her aim 
slightly higher to the left.

The bullet drove into his arm but he didn't even flinch. Instead,
he 
frowned and stepped forward, this time aiming for her head.

Scully almost balked, knowing fully well that the only way to stop 
him this time was to kill him. And that was not an option she could 
live with. She lowered her gun and waited, for her partner to shoot 
her.

Time seemed to expand for the next few seconds. It was like watching 
a movie in slow motion. First, his finger pulled the trigger and then 
suddenly his gun jerked up, throwing the bullet into the ceiling 
instead. Scully blinked in surprise. Next thing she knew, Mulder was 
unconsciously lying on the floor. And Frohike was hovering over him 
with an Iomega CD Writer.  

Scully jumped out of bed and rushed to her partner's side. She
turned 
him around and inspected the wound on his arm. `Thank God she was
a 
perfect shot.' 

"You shot him?" Frohike asked, stunned.

"He didn't give me a choice."

"Is he going to be all right?"

"Yeah. It's just a flesh wound."

"Good. Maybe you might want to check on Langly. Mulder shot him
in 
the gut."

Dana looked at him in surprise. "Okay Frohike, use this and apply 
pressure. Don't let go. I'll go check on Langly."

"Right."

Scully scrambled out the room and hastily looked around for the 
gunmen. He was sprawled on the floor next to the computer, 
unconscious. At his side, she saw that Mulder had indeed shot him in 
the stomach. She frowned, not liking the possible consequences of the 
situation. 

As she ripped open Langly's shirt, she stopped in surprise. He
was 
wearing a bulletproof vest! She fingered the compressed bullet that 
was glinting in between a hole in the vest. Then she slowly extracted 
it, gently prodding the vest further to see if it were punctured 
through. Satisfied, she called out to Frohike. "He's fine. He
wore a 
vest."

"Why that paranoid Son of a....." He answered her, sounding
relieved. 

Scully smiled. "Yeah, I'm glad he's all right too,
Frohike."

As if on cue, Langly's eyelids fluttered open. "Am I
dead?" He asked 
her.

"No, but you will be once I kill you for letting Mulder answer
the 
phone." She growled at him.

He grimaced. "I'm sorry, I feel asleep."

"He nearly killed all of us, Langly. Come on, we gotta get him to
the 
hospital."

"Why?"

"I shot him."

"Again?"

She glared at him and he decided not to pursue the matter.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

End of `Mulder' (Part Two of Three)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
6.52 am
County Hospital, DC

She rubbed her forehead and groaned. The need for sleep was making 
her short-tempered. Mulder was right, she was a grouch in the morning.

"Agent Scully?"

She turned around and found two men sizing her up behind her.
"Yes, 
can you help you?"

The younger man stepped forward and showed his badge. "My name 
Detective Steward and this is my partner, Detective Willis. We 
received a report of gunshots heard from a Mrs. Sally Svenson. She 
stays on Meeks St., Kingsford. Said it came from her neighbour's 
place?"

She sighed. `Great, just what she needed. Red tape from the local 
PD.' Nodding her head, she acknowledged them. "Yes, of
course. Meeks 
Street....."

"May I ask how you are related to Mrs. Svenson's neighbour,
Mr. 
Bartholemew Fuller?"

She blinked. `That was Byers's real name?' 

"Agent Scully?"

"Oh yeah....erm... I'm sorry. We're just friends of
his."

"We're?" The older detective raised an eyebrow.

My partner, Agent Mulder and I. We were there a few hours ago."

"And the gunshots? According to the doctor, a shot to the
arm?"

"Yes, Agent Mulder was shot in the arm."

"By?"

She bit her lip. "I shot him."

The two men stared at her. When Steward recovered, he asked 
again, "You shot your partner?"

"Well, it was self-defense. He tried to shoot me." Now they
were 
stupefied. So, she tried explaining. "It's all a
misunderstanding, 
really. My partner has been drugged."

"We'll see about that when the blood-works come out."

She stared at him. "What? Look, I'm not pressing
charges." The two 
share a look. She reminded them. "If I don't press charges,
there's 
no case."

"Unless he presses charges." He reminded her.

"He's not going to press charges...."

"Agent Scully. Unfortunately with the report of gunshots,
we'll have 
to look into it. We just want to hear what he has to say, and once 
we're satisfied that no one is going to get hurt in future,
we'll 
drop it, okay?"

She rolled her eyes. "Sure, fine, whatever." And she strode
off 
towards Mulder's room.

"Meanwhile, don't leave the country." Steward called
after her.

"Don't leave the country...." Scully muttered to
herself. "Very funny." 
A few more steps around the corner, she came to her partner's
room. 
She walked in and stopped in her tracks. There was a policemen 
sitting at the far end of the room. "Who are you?"

"Don't mind me, maam. I'm just on watch."

"What?"

"Well, someone tried to kill this man so Detective Steward's
assigned 
me to watch him."

She shook her head in frustration. "Nobody tried to kill him.
**I** 
shot him."

The policeman hesitated a few seconds and drew out his gun.
"Maam, 
I'll have to ask you to leave this room."

She stared at him for a moment, her temper just on the edge of 
erupting. Thankfully for him, a moan from Mulder distracted her. She 
walked to the bed. 

"Maam, I'm warning you."

She didn't even look back as she answered him. "Sergeant, go
call 
your Detective Steward and we'll clear this whole thing up."

"But...."

"Now, Sergeant!" Her command was clear and he quickly escaped
to 
fulfill it.

Mulder's gruff voice sought her attention. "Scully, are you
scaring 
people again?"

Her countenance softened as he opened his eyes. "Hey, how are you 
feeling?"

"I don't know. What happened?"

"You got triggered by the right guy, or should I say the wrong
guy."

He frowned. "What was I instructed to do?"

"To kill me."

He was stunned and attempted to push himself up-right.
"Yeouch!"

"Easy, Fox...." She helped him down.

"What the...?" He looked at the bandage on his arm.
"Feels like I'm 
shot."

"You were." Before she could elaborate, Detective Steward and
his 
partner came into the room. Mulder glanced at her questioningly.

Willis smiled and asked him, "Agent Mulder? How are you
feeling?"

"Like I was shot. Who are you?"

They showed their badges. "Detective Steward and Detective
Willis, DC 
police department."

Mulder whispered to his partner. "Do we sound as bad as them when
we 
introduce ourselves?" She frowned at him to shut up.

Steward cleared his throat. "We'd like to ask you a few
questions 
about the shooting."

"I'd like to ask a few questions too." He admitted to
them. 

He ignored him. "Agent Scully told us that she shot you in the
arm 
because you attempted to kill her...."

He glared at her. "You shot me?!?"

She defended herself. "You were trying to kill me!"

"You shot me again? That's the second time Scully! And on the
same 
left shoulder?"

She glared back at him. "Oh I'm sorry, would you rather the
right? 
Why? You want perfectly symmetrical gunshot scars?"

"Wait a minute." Willis interrupted. "This is the second
time you 
shot him?"

Scully scowled at him. "It's a long story. I would rather not
talk 
about it."

"Agent Scully. If this is the second attempt on his life, you
could 
be in trouble."

She groaned. "Mulder is not going to press charges."

"Don't be so sure about that." Mulder grumbled. She
glared at him 
again.

"Agent Mulder, why were you trying to kill Agent Scully?"

"I was drugged. I didn't know what I was doing."

"I just spoke with the doctor. The blood-works show nothing."

"That's because you don't know what you're looking
for."

She agreed. "He's right. It's hardly traceable. And
normal tests 
won't show it." They look at her, unconvinced. "I'm a
doctor."

Steward shrugged. "Okay, whatever you say doc. Why don't you
come by 
the lab and tell the techs what to do?" She grimaced and he 
replied. "I'm sorry, I have a report to write. Now, let's
assume 
Agent Mulder was drugged. He tried to kill you and you shot him in 
the arm. That stopped him?"

"No. He aimed for my head." The three men stared at her.
"Thankfully, 
Frohike knocked him out with something just as he pulled the 
trigger." 

Mulder let out a breath he didn't know he was keeping. He
couldn't 
believe he nearly killed her. 

"Who's Frohike?" Willis asked.

"Byers, Frohike and Langly all stay together in the same
house." 
Mulder told him.

They still looked confused. Scully sighed. "Byers is Bartholemew 
whatever and Frohike and Langly are his housemates. Are we done? Can 
you go?"

"Just one more question. Would you like to press charges against
your 
partner, Agent Mulder?"

He looked at the two detectives as if they were from Mars.
"No!"

"All right. Thank you for your time. Agent Scully, anytime
you're 
ready, give me a call. I'll let the lab know."

She nodded and watched them as they walked out. When she turned, her 
partner was looking at her in a certain way. "What?"

"What if Frohike wasn't there?"

She looked at him in surprise and caught his meaning. Shaking her 
head, she gently reached for his hand. "It wasn't your fault. 
Besides...." she paused, "he **was** there."

"Scully?"

"Yeah."

"Next time I pull a gun to your head, shoot me first."

She grinned. "I did."

"No, I mean shoot to kill."

When she saw he was serious, the grin disappeared. She told him 
firmly. "There won't be any next time, I promise."
Gently, she let 
his hand go and pulled the covers over him. "Now, you need rest. 
Close your eyes." Surprisingly, he obeyed her and soon fell
asleep. 

When she finally left his room, she found Langly and Frohike deep in 
discussion. They stopped talking at her arrival and looked at her, 
questioningly.

"He's fine. He's asleep now." She answered their
unasked query. They 
smiled in relief. 

"So you're not going to kill me?" Langly asked, smiling.

She gave him a look. "Don't tempt me. What have you found
out?"

He cleared his throat and began. "Remember the group under Grant 
Ellis that dissolved after his death? Well, there seemed to be a 
separate department working on the same project under the DOD. 

Before Mulder got the phonecall, he was on the DOD page and was 
probably about the strike the jackpot. The DOD officially spent four 
years researching on voice recognition techniques on the pretext of 
access security but it was closed down 2 years ago. Seemingly they 
transferred all their knowledge and facilities to a university under 
the Telecommunications Engineering Faculty. They had some pictures on 
the web and guess whose pretty face was there?"

"Susanne's?"

"No. Grant Ellis's."

"So, you think that the particular university is involved?"

Langly shook his head. "No, I think the DOD is involved and a
brand 
new ISP company who just launched a joint venture with that 
particular uni."

"You can't just assume that. You must have something
more?"

"He was just getting to that." Frohike added. "The ISP
company is a 
spin-off of a pharmaceutical giant that was coincidently heavily 
funded by the DOD, two years ago."

She shook her, amazed. "And why would a pharmaceutical giant want
to 
go into internet services?"

"More importantly, why would the government want to invest in a 
private ISP company when it's got it's own? They recently
poured out 
a few million dollars into their bank account all in the name of 
National Security. Of course I had to do a little digging to get this 
information."

"So, who are we looking for here?" She asked. "The ISP
company, the 
DOD or the Uni?"

"That's where we were stumped. We know that they're all
involved but 
who do we prosecute? Then, Frohike checked the number of the call 
that came in earlier this morning, the one that triggered Mulder? It 
came from a mobile phone registered to a certain Davies Matthews. 
Matthews has a number of aliases but one stuck out like a sore thumb. 
Lionel Elliot, a part-time researcher in the Engineering Faculty, 
University of Maryland and a full time staff with our ISP company, 
One-World Incorporation."

"So he's our man."

"Unfortunately, our man just took a flight this morning to France 
from DC. And he wasn't alone. A certain Miss Colleen Parker
checked 
in with him."

"Susanne....."

"Yeah, that's what we think too. But she's Susanne,
where's Byers?"

She nodded blankly and rubbed her forehead. "I guess we'll
have to 
start with Elliot's address. How about credit cards?"

Frohike answered her. "Done. Nothing under Lionel Elliot."

"How about the other aliases?"

He looked at her in surprise. "Damn, never thought about
that."

Langly chided him. "You're getting soft, toadstool."

"Hey, watch the names, baboon boy."

"All right you two, that's enough. Frohike, you check the
cards and 
call me if you get anything. Langly, you come with me."

Langly raised his hand to stop her. "What about Mulder? Who's
going 
to watch him?"

Scully froze in her tracks. `Damn Mulder, I forgot about
him.' She 
frowned and thought hard. As she did, she caught sight of Detective 
Steward just exiting the main entrance. Her eyes lit up and she 
grinned. "Guys, I think I might want to press charges after
all."


XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
9.16 am
Somewhere outside DC

"Are you sure you're reading the map right?" Scully asked
Langly for 
the fifth time, much to his irritation.

"Yes, I am! Stop asking!"

"We're been down this road before. I'm sure of it."

"Go further up, there an intersection somewhere."

"Why don't we just stop and ask.... wait, you're a man.
Of course, that 
idea would be incomprehensible to you." 

"I know exactly where we are." He assured her and Scully
rolled her 
eyes.

The tension broke when her cell-phone rang. She flipped it open and 
answered. She turned to her co-driver. "It's Frohike. I'm
coming to a 
turning, you talk to him." She passed the phone over and
concentrated 
on driving. When he finished the conversation, she had somehow 
managed to get to the correct address. 

"See I told you we were on the right road." Langly
triumphantly told 
her."

"Langly, I  made a U-turn two blocks ago. We're in the
opposite 
direction now."

"Oh." He hastily dismissed further talk. "Well it
doesn't matter, 
Byers is not here. Frohike thinks he knows where he is. He's on
his 
way there now. We gotta head back to the city fast."

"What?" She groaned as she started the car and turned around.
"What 
exactly did Frohike say?"

"One of the aliases checked out. Elliot rented a studio apartment
in 
the city for a week. Frohike took a ride down there an hour ago. It 
was clean."

"So where's Byers?"

"How do you get rid of a witness without killing him
yourself?" 
Langly paused and switched on the radio, browsing through the 
stations until he came to one with the news.

<<eighteenth storey building in the Central Business District of the 
capital. Police are still trying to coax the unidentified man to get 
off the ledge. His reason for this suicide attempt is unknown.....>>

Scully's eyes widened and she stepped on the gas.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
9.35 am
Central Business District DC

"Stupid city traffic!" She muttered under her breath as they
finally 
pulled up at the scene of the attempted suicide. They quickly got out 
of the car and ran towards the building with the mass crowd in front 
of it. Peering up, they could make out Byers's figure at the very 
edge of the building ledge. And they both wondered if they were too 
late.

Scully took the lead and made her way through the crowd and under the 
police tape. When a policeman tried to stop her, she flashed her 
badge and walked past them. Within 5 minutes, they made it to the 
18th floor. They found Frohike amidst a few policemen. They were all 
standing just a hundred feet away from Byers.  The former was talking 
softly, persuading the latter to come in from the window ledge. 
Scully and Langly looked at one another unsure of what they could do 
to help. 

Half a minute later, Scully snapped. `I can't just stand by
and do 
nothing!' She strode forward and called out to Byers. "Byers,
it's me 
Scully. Get down from ledge right now!"

For a few seconds, there was only silence. Then to everyone's 
surprise, Byers obeyed her. It took a few seconds before one of the 
policemen recovered from the shock and pounced on him, making sure 
Byers didn't change his mind. When he was securely held, all the
men 
stared at the FBI agent.

Frohike asked the question that was on all their minds. "How did
you 
do that? They've been trying to get him down for over two
hours!"

She shrugged, a little unsure of it herself. Grinning, she 
added. "Some situations just require a woman's touch."


XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
11.42 am
County Hospital, DC

Scully smiled as she caught Detective Steward's eye. He smiled
back 
and his chair screeched loudly as he got up to greet her. "Now
how 
did I know you'd be here to drop all charges and get him out?"

She raised an eyebrow in surprise. And he nodded towards the TV 
across the room. The news was on, covering Byers's attempted 
suicide. "Nice work. I take it the guy was drugged too?"

"Very perceptive, detective." She affirmed him, impressed
that he 
made the connection.

"Thank you." He gallantly made a sweeping gesture with his
hand and 
led her to his room. Walking behind her, he took the opportunity to 
admire her petite figure, soft red hair and her classy walk. And he 
found himself wondering if she were attached.

"Aren't you too high in rank to be watching him?" She
asked.

"Stanley's on a break."

"I see. Was Mulder any trouble?"

"None at all. In fact, he's quite the poet." Scully
groaned and he 
grinned in reply. "He's been entertaining my man with a
little 
romance in his life. Goes all mushy on you."

`Mulder reacts the same to men too?' She blinked in surprise.
"He 
went mushy on Stanley?" 

"No." He looked at her with a twinkle in his eye. "I
meant mushy **on 
you**, Agent Scully."

"Ah." She grimaced. 

"Effects of the drug?" He guessed.

"Unfortunately." She replied.

He wondered what exactly did she mean by that. But they had already 
reached the door. As he opened it, he told her. "He fell asleep a 
while ago. The doctor said he could leave if he wants to. You can 
sign the papers on your way out."

She glanced at Mulder. He was still asleep. Without turning around, 
she thanked the policemen softly.

He watched her watching him and cursed himself for having the worst 
luck on women. Somehow, his timing always stank. `Why is it that
all 
the fantastic ones are taken?' He wondered but told her.
"I'll still 
have to make that report about the gunshots."

She decided to compromise. "I can be in the lab tomorrow at
nine."

He smiled at her. The moment seemed right so he tried his luck.
"Is 
that a date?"

Slightly taken aback at his choice of words and the look he was 
giving her, she laughed. "Was that a pass?"

He boyishly grinned. "Well, it's tremendously rude to flirt
in front 
of the competition but since he's asleep...I figured what the
hell...."

She laughed again and turned slightly to look at her partner. The 
reaction told him all and he shook his head sadly in anticipation of 
her rejection.

"Detective..." 

He interrupted her. "I understand."

She looked back at him incredulously. "You didn't even hear
what I 
was about to say!"

He met her gaze. "I didn't have to." He smiled.
"I'll see you in the 
lab." He then walked out, closing the door behind him.

Scully took a few minutes to recompose herself. It has a while since 
someone had asked her out. A reminder of how little her career was 
allowing her to have a life. Although from what she had just 
experienced, it would be more accurate to say; how little Mulder was 
allowing her to have a life. Being his partner and friend was time 
confusing and emotionally strenuous. And it didn't help that she
was 
in love with him. Sighing, she attempted to wake her partner.

"Scully. What happened?"

"You want the short version or the long one?"

"Did you find Byers?"

"Yeah."

"Susanne?"

She shook her head. "They've got her."

He grimaced as he asked the most important question. "The
antidote?"

She smiled. "Thankfully, Byers had the brains to hide it in the 
studio apartment that they were locked up in."

"I'm surprised they didn't kill him."

She told him. "They tried. He was shot up with the gas and 
brainwashed to jump off a building." She suddenly gave a half-
laugh. "But somehow, he listens to everything **I** say and
didn't. I 
also managed to get him to reveal the location of the anti-drug. 
Luckily there was enough for two people."

"Oh good." Mulder sighed in relief. 

She removed the loaded needle from her jacket and searched the 
medical kit beside his bed for some gauze and alcohol. "How's
your 
arm?"

He answered her. "I'll live." He then frowned as he
remembered. "And 
I can't believe you pressed charges. When Steward came in and
read me 
my rights, I almost threw a bed-pan at him."

She chuckled, a picture forming in her mind. "He was just doing
his 
job. And I was just trying to keep you out of trouble." The devil
in 
her made her add. "Steward is all right. In fact, he's pretty
sharp 
for a detective."

He frowned at her tone. "Really? And how did you conclude that, 
Holmes?"

She smiled at him sweetly. "Oh, he's good at joining the
dots. And 
thanks to him, I don't have to spend two days clearing up all the 
paperwork if he did go ahead and draw up the charges officially."

 "Whatever." He scowled and wondered if Scully had a thing
for police 
officers. First, the Sheriff of Dracula Trailer-town and now, 
Detective Steward. 

She caught his disapproval and smiled. It was easy to get Mulder 
riled up. He was terribly jealous with anyone that showed a little 
contest to his powers of deduction. Soon, she was ready to give him 
the antidote. "Ready?"

He grunted in reply. Taking that as a yes, she injected him with the 
anti-drug and applied the gauze onto the puncture. They were silent 
for a while.

"Scully?" He called her as he remembered something else he
had been 
meaning to ask.

"Hmm..." She replied, still smoothing the cotton on his skin. 

"Why was I in your bed this morning?"

She hesitated, blushed and told him. "You were triggered by my 
brother last night." Knowing fully well that she hadn't
really 
answered his question, she tried to prolong the inevitable by getting 
up and clearing away the needle and the medical kit. 

"So?" He prodded her, trying to catch her eye but she
wouldn't look 
at him.

Scully frowned and wondered what she should say. `Should she tell
him 
the truth or lie?' But when she thought about their unauthorized 
passion in the bathroom, it was evident that she had to lie. "You 
were...," she grimaced and blurted out the first thing that
came to 
mind, "...scared of the dark."

"What?"

"Scared of the dark. You didn't want to sleep alone so I let
you 
sleep in my bed."

His mouth opened, closed and then hung partially open in mid-air, 
speechless.

Satisfied that he bought the story, she smiled at him sweetly and 
blamed the mind-altering gas. "I can't figure out the drug
either." 
She then tucked him in the covers and told him. "I think you
should 
stay here for one more night to rest. Why don't you get some
sleep 
and let the antidote take effect?"

He nodded at her blankly. "Okay."

"I'll come by tonight."

"Okay."

"Sleep tight, Mulder." He nodded at her again and watched her
walk 
out the door. 

A minute later, he sat up abruptly, causing him to flinch in pain 
with his hurting arm. `She called me Mulder!' He realized.
`And I 
wasn't triggered.' He frowned. `I thought the antidote
took time to 
take effect?'

His memory took him back to a week ago when he administered the same 
anti-drug on his partner. He knew for a fact that it didn't work 
immediately because Scully was triggered even after the shot. 

Suddenly, he stiffened as another possibility struck him. `Or was 
she?' 

And Mulder had a feeling that he might never know. Maybe he should 
hang on to the ring, just in case.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
End of `Mulder' (Part Three of Three)

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