From: Scifinerdgrl Date: 24 May 2002 18:00:57 -0700 Subject: REP These Imperious Instincts Source: atxc Title: These Imperious Instincts Author: SCIFINERDGRL Category: DRR, DRF, MOTW Rating: R for some disturbing images (rape) Spoilers: Seasons 8 & 9 Feedback: scifinerdgrl@mail.ev1.net Disclaimers: I don't own the characters. I don't own Washington D.C. By posting this story on this site I am inviting CC & 1013 to steal any and all ideas from it (PLEASE!!!) because I have no personal financial stake in this and I signed over any copyright to them when I joined this forum. If YOU steal from this you will have to answer to Fox. Author's note : My story will take place at all my favorite places in my former home, Washington D.C. The J. Edgar Hoover Building is not one of them, BTW, nor is their parking garage. I hope people will appreciate this story for its sense of place, even if they don't like Reyes or DRR. I will be adding links to these places so you can picture them and find out more about the most wonderful city in the U.S.A. (*sniff* I'm so homesick!) ***** John Doggett stood in the biography/history section of Kramerbooks with his back to the ceiling-high bookshelf. He had read almost a dozen pages of the best-selling biography of John Adams and was as oblivious to his surroundings as a New York cop could ever become. Suddenly he smelled a familiar fragrance -- herbal scented shampoo, with a hint of a musky perfume mixed in. He smiled and turned around. "Well, hello, Agent Reyes." His smile grew wider as he saw that she was dressed in a beautiful yet smart navy blue dress. Her hair was pulled back into a deliberately casual french twist. She was wearing jewelry and make-up, which he had never seen while she was on duty. "Hi John" she answered awkwardly. "You look nice." She glanced down at his shiny patent leather shoes, the immaculately pressed pinstriped suit, and drew her eyes up along the silk tie until she came to his penetrating light blue eyes. "Why so dressed up?" "I was going to ask you the same thing" he answered. She blushed faintly, and he realized he'd made a mistake. He quickly continued "I just came from Agent Pemberton's funeral." Reyes became somber. "Did you know him? That was such a tragedy." Doggett nodded. "We worked a few cases together. He was a good agent. You could trust him with your life." They shared an awkward moment of silence until Doggett interrupted. "And now I'm doing some Christmas shopping. Do you think A.D. Skinner would like this biography of John Adams?" He held out the book for her to see. She laughed. "I hope so. The copy I bought for him is already wrapped." Doggett smiled and set the book down on a stack of books across the aisle from them. "Well, I guess I have to keep looking, then. Any suggestions? I'm determined to find something he would like here. And at least I know he won't be able to find out what I got for him!" [note: Kramerbooks was subpoenaed by Ken Starr, who wanted to know what books Monica Lewinsky had purchased there. They fought this in court and won. For info: http://www.kramers.com/www/bookmain.htm ] "So, Monica, why are you so dressed up?" "I just came from the Phillips Collection -- the Sunday afternoon concert." "You went there alone? You must really love classical music!" He seemed surprised. He didn't know what kind of music she liked. They tended not to listen to the radio when they were in the car together. "Um, I like it a little. I was actually there on a date." Doggett looked down and said softly "Oh." He suddenly wanted to think of a way to leave without seeming rude. "It was a blind date" Reyes added quickly. "I doubt there will be a second. We were planning to have dinner together, but I told him I had the flu." She laughed as she said this, and Doggett perked up. [note: The Phillips Collection has a weekly free concert series. If you are a cheapskate it is one good place to take your blind date. They also have a fabulous collection of Impressionist & modern art: http://www.phillipscollection.org/ My favorite painting is The Luncheon of the Boating party: http://www.phillipscollection.org/html/lbp.html ] "So you were coming here for dinner?" Doggett looked to the rear of the store, where his favorite restaurant was. "Come to think of it I'm a little hungry. Mind if I join you?" ***** They were seated after a few minutes' wait, but neither noticed the time pass. They talked about books, Christmas shopping, and Reyes' move to D.C. and they were almost surprised when the hostess signaled to them. "Hello, I'm Kim and I'll be your server this evening." Doggett looked up in dismay. Was this a man or a woman? Or something in-between. Now he remembered why he didn't spend more time in Dupont Circle. Reyes seemed perfectly at ease. She took her menu and thanked the freaky multi-pierced she-man as if she saw this kind of thing every day. When "Kim" had left she looked at John and seemed puzzled by his bemused look. "Come here often, do you?" asked Doggett. Reyes smiled and opened her menu. "I've been here a few times. They have live music. More my taste than the Phillips collection." Doggett noticed the music playing in the background -- soft acoustic guitar, folksy but with an edge. He liked it. Maybe they weren't such opposites after all. "I'm more into classic rock, myself, but I can see how this would be good for eating." He opened his menu and started searching for something beefy. He found a steak sandwich with grilled onions. He supposed he could force himself to eat the California-sounding vegetables and fruit, or maybe foist them on Reyes. He watched her as she scanned the menu. He could see her eyes move as she read. She seemed so placid compared to other women he'd known. It was hard to believe this woman could fire a gun and handcuff a suspect as fast as any partner he'd ever had. She looked up suddenly and was surprised at the intensity of his eyes on her. "What?" she asked. She often found his intensity disconcerting, and in all the time she'd known him, she still couldn't tell when he was really troubled or just being his intense self. He shook his head as if to dislodge his eyeballs from her face. "I've decided what I want. Do you know?" "I think I'll have the "Fun guy To Be With Fettuccine." I love field mushrooms." [menu here: http://www.kramers.com/www/cafemain.htm ] Doggett laughed. "What's so funny?" Reyes asked. "Agent Scully never eats mushrooms, especially not field mushrooms. She and Agent Mulder had a bad experience with mushrooms while working on a case." "Oh," Reyes said nervously. She tried to push away the irrational jealousy that threatened to overwhelm her every time he mentioned his former partner. Doggett could sense her discomfort but he misinterpreted it. "They were eaten by a fungus, remember?" He smiled at her, trying to make her feel more comfortable. "Oh, yes, I remember that" Reyes answered. She resolved to try to forget Dana Scully and enjoy the meal. "Well, I won't hold that against all mushrooms." *** They stayed at the cafe for two hours, passing lingering over black bean nachos, their entrees, dessert, and several mugs of specialty coffee. Neither one wanted the evening to end. They talked until they both started to feel hoarse. Their waitperson, "Kim," asked for his/her tip so he/she could go home, and they realized how long they'd been there. John said "Monica, it's been wonderful chatting with you. Let's do it again." Monica's eyes widened and John saw her reluctance, almost to the point of horror, at the idea of parting. "C'mon" he added. "I'll walk you home." *** They walked down Connecticut Avenue to M Street, then crossed the bridge into Georgetown. They walked along M Street, looking into shops window and talking about Christmas presents, each surreptitiously glancing at the other in the reflection of the shop windows. At one corner Doggett took Reyes' elbow to help her across the street. It was more of an instinctive gentlemanly gesture than a "move" on his part, but it was all the encouragement she needed. As he dropped his hand to his side, she slid her hand into his. He was pleasantly surprised, and squeezed her hand gently. They stopped walking and looked into each others' faces, not saying anything for a moment. Then they smiled and continued walking, still silent. Doggett felt his mind quiet for the first time in years, as a warm glow emanated through his whole body, melding all of his thoughts and feelings into a ball of exhilarated contentment. Every few steps he looked at her, and saw his feelings reflected in her face. They crossed Wisconsin Avenue and headed for the Georgetown Park Mall. [link: http://www.shopsatgeorgetownpark.com/ ] As they approached the front door, it opened, and a cacophony of holiday sounds followed a weary-looking shopper out into the street. Doggett said, "Suddenly I don't want to do any more window shopping." "Me neither," Reyes answered, her voice a bit hoarse. Before she could say anything more, Doggett said "Have you seen the canal yet?" "Canal?" Reyes asked, puzzled. "Yeah, the Chesapeake and Ohio canal. It's behind this mall. You really should see it." He stopped to nuzzle her hair, inhaling the soft fragrance of her herbal shampoo, then stood back again. "It's much quieter than the mall." [link: http://www.mcmullans.org/canal/ ] Reyes looked into his eyes, and she felt as if she would follow this man anywhere, even to a skanky old canal. Doggett, still holding her hand, led her around the building to a bridge behind it. [link: http://www.mcmullans.org/canal/34th_street_crossover.htm ] They stood on a picaresque bridge overlooking a narrow canal, two paths running alongside it. A fine mist rose up from the water, giving the scene the kind of atmosphere Reyes had seen in the impressionist paintings at the Phillips Collection. He led her down a flight of stairs to a plaque, and started reading it aloud. Soon he began relating all the details of the plaque and more, without consulting it. "The boats would be in the canal, and donkeys on these paths pulled the boats along. There are still almost two hundred miles of this canal, using locks to keep it navigable. During the tourist season you can ride the boats with guides dressed in period costumes." The cadence of Doggett's speech quickened as he unraveled detail after detail about this historic canal. Finally, he said "We should take that trip sometime." Reyes smiled. She thought she knew him, but she had no idea he had such enthusiasm for history. Or that he was such a nerd. It made her like him even more. "Yes, I'd like that" she answered. She turned toward him, and he reached for her other hand. He pulled her closer to him, and their lips brushed briefly. She felt a surge of electricity go through her entire body, and she was afraid she might lose her balance. She opened her eyes, and he was smiling at her. He let go of one hand and started leading her down the towpath. "This is a very special place" he said. "Yes, it is" she replied, wishing she could come up with words to suit this moment. They walked another twenty feet in silence, then stopped. Doggett said "Who'd a thought that a day that started with a funeral would end this way?" Before she could think of an answer, Doggett's lips were again on hers, this time in a passionate yet gentle kiss. Their lips seemed to know instinctively how to match each other in pressure, shape and warmth, and she felt herself melting into him. He felt her put her arms around him, and he started to put his arms around her. She felt warm and protected in his arms, but then she felt something wrap itself around her ankle. Dogget heard her cry out, "John!" as he felt her being pulled away from him until she fell backwards into the canal. Before he could react, he saw Reyes being dragged down by a -- What the hell was that?! ***** Doggett heard Reyes thrashing in the water and trying to call out to him. In the misty darkness he could barely make out where she was. She was being pulled away from the bridge so fast that he decided he had to run ahead of the splashing sounds and then jump in. Something had wrapped itself around her ankle, and she kicked madly trying to loosen it. It tightened its grip even more, cutting off the blood supply to her foot. Suddenly she felt another one around her other ankle, pulling in the other direction, and one around her waist. She panicked and tried to scream, but yet another one wrapped itself over her mouth. Doggett reached blindly toward the sounds of struggle, and Monica's flailing arm whacked the side of his head. He grabbed her arm and she fought against him. "Monica" he shouted. "It's me." When she heard the sound of her partner's voice, Reyes tried to pull herself toward him, but she felt the things around her legs pulling backward and to opposite sides. Suddenly she felt another one slither up the inside of her thigh, and one more slither down her back. The two met at her crotch, and expertly entered her. She screamed and bit down on the one covering her mouth. It retracted suddenly and she gasped for air, swallowing a chunk of foul-tasting flesh. Doggett could hear Reyes struggling to breathe and he doubled his effort to pull her to the bank. He felt a snake- like creature wrap itself around his neck. Instinctively, he let go of Reyes and grabbed for it, pulling with all his might, his nails scratching at the scaly skin. He felt a burning sensation on his neck, and a mortal terror overtook him. With almost superhuman strength, he pried off the creature, and yanked it away from both him and Reyes. He heard a high-pitched groan and the thing stopped resisting. "Monica!" he yelled as soon as he was free. He heard nothing. There were no splashing sounds, and Monica did not answer his call. *** "MONICA!" Doggett screamed, frantically. Over and over he shouted her name as he swept his arms through the murky water. His leg bumped against something large and he reached down to investigate. It was her leg. He ran his hand up along her body until he came to her armpit. She was floating, face-down, lifeless and cold. He put his hand under one armpit, then managed to get his other hand under the other. He pulled her to the bank, faced her toward the towpath, and pushed her up onto it. He scrambled up after her and rolled her onto her side. Starlight reflected off a puddle of water forming as water dribbled out of her mouth and nose. "Aw, geez," he said with desperation. He put his fingers to her carotid artery to feel for a pulse. He felt nothing. When the water stopped flowing he rolled her onto her back and began CPR. After a few minutes she coughed and began breathing on her own. Doggett felt immense relief, and leaned back on his heels. "Monica?" he said gently. She groaned weakly and rolled onto her side. Then she started vomiting on his shoes. He pulled on her forearm to help her lean forward as she continued to throw up. Finally she stopped and seemed more alert. She looked up and saw his distinctive silhouette looking down on her. "John?" she whispered. "Mon, are you okay?" he asked as he stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "What the hell was that?" she asked. Doggett answered, "I have no idea. Did it hurt you?" The whole ordeal replayed in her mind and she started to cry. "I want to go home," was all she could say. Doggett took her hands and pulled her to a sitting position. "Do you think you can walk?" She nodded and leaned on him for support. He started to pull her up, but when she put weight on one ankle she collapsed again. "I think my ankle's hurt" she said. "You need to get to a hospital" Doggett said, his eyes boring into hers. "You need to get that checked." "No!" Reyes practically screamed. "I just want to go home. If you help me I can walk." She started feeling around the towpath. "Where's my purse?" she said, sobbing. Doggett found her purse and they set out for her apartment. *** Reyes' loft apartment was only a few blocks away, but by the time they arrived both were shivering from being cold and wet. Reyes pulled out her key and aimed for the lock, but her hand was shaking so badly she couldn't put it in. She tried valiantly for a minute, then broke down in sobs. Doggett grabbed her key, unlocked the door, opened it, and switched on the light. There, on the floor where Reyes stood, was a watery red puddle, formed by a trickle that ran down the insides of her legs. Doggett looked at Reyes' contorted and tear- stained face then said, "Monica, did that thing rape you?" She nodded but couldn't say anything. "You HAVE to get to a hospital now" he insisted. "No! No hospital! I just can't do that." Reyes looked pleadingly at Doggett and he felt himself giving in. "Well, at least let's call agent Scully." "No! I'll be fine. Really. We don't need her." Doggett could not be persuaded from this idea as easily. "You need to see someone. You're hurt, and like it or not, Monica, your body is a crime scene. I think you can trust DOCTOR agent Scully. " Despite the swirl of emotions she was feeling, Doggett's appeal to Reyes' law enforcement training got through to her. She looked at him and then ran her finger along the red welts on his neck. She said, "Yours is too" ***** Doggett led Reyes to the kitchen, where they both created murky puddles, his brown, hers reddish. He picked up the phone and started dialing. He looked into Reyes' face as he listened for a ring.. She was almost catatonic, staring at a point in space just over his left shoulder. "Agent Scully?... John Doggett here. I hate to call you like this, but I need a favor. It's important." Scully put the baby in his crib and said, "I'm listening." Doggett cleared his throat. "I need an evidence kit, do you have one?" Scully said that she did. "And, well, I hate to ask you to do this ..." He paused, searching for both the words and the strength to make his next request. "And, can you, uh, process a rape kit? I need a rape kit too." At the mention of these words tears came to Monica's eyes, but she continued staring blankly. Doggett started tapping his foot nervously. Scully raised her eyebrows. "A rape kit? That really needs to be done at a hospital, John." He answered "Yeah, I know, but um, I think," he looked at Reyes' eyes, then continued, "no I'm sure, that this is an X-File" Monica's lower lip started trembling. John continued, "This isn't a case for the DC police." Scully started to object but John interrupted. "Dana, this is personal. I really need your help." He paused and watched thin streams of tears wend their way down Monica's cheeks. "WE need your help." Scully had a sinking feeling she knew the answer to her next question, but she couldn't keep herself from asking, "John, who's the victim?" "It's Monica. I'm calling from her place." Monica started to wobble and he rushed to put his arm around her waist. She leaned against him and buried her face in the crook of his neck. She started sobbing, and Scully could hear the muffled sobs over the phone. Doggett continued, "Listen, if you can't help, just say so, but I'd rather have you do this." "I'll be right there" Scully answered. ***** Doggett hung up the phone and led Reyes to a counter, pulling her elbow backwards to help her balance herself. He looked toward the living room then said "Wait here." He went to the bedroom, pulled off the bedspread, and put it on the sofa. When he got back to the kitchen she was pouring a glass of water. He grabbed it from her hand. "Mon, you know better than that. We can't take the chance you'll swallow evidence." "But I'm so thirsty" she croaked. "Please?" Doggett frantically opened cupboards until he found a package of ziplocs. Then he went into the bathroom and came back with Q-tips and a tweezers. He laid them on the coffee table then went back to the kitchen. "Here, Mon, I can get started while we wait for Agent Scully." He led her to the sofa and sat facing her. He swabbed the inside of both cheeks, then started examining her teeth and cheeks, using tweezers to pull out anything that might be evidence. His tweezers grabbed something from between her teeth and he looked at it with nearly crossed eyes. "What the hell is this?" ***** This piqued the interest of Reyes' investigative side. She looked closely and saw a greenish flap of something that looked like skin. "That might be its skin. I bit it pretty hard. In fact I swallowed a chunk of it." Doggett looked from the tweezer to Reyes. "And then you threw up." Reyes realized the significance of this and just said "Yeah." "When Agent Scully gets here I'll go back for it." Reyes reached for a Q-tip and ran it along a welt on John's neck. She held it up and twirled it between her finger and thumb as she looked at it. "I wonder what this thing is." She put the Q-tip in a ziploc then sat back against the sofa. "I wonder how many times this has happened." "Well, if your reaction is any indication, I bet we won't find corroboration in police reports." Reyes smiled weakly "Patient histories at St. Elizabeth is more like it." [link: http://darkspire.org/asylums/steliz_dc/ ] ***** When Scully arrived she had a large garbage bag and a plastic shopping bag in one hand, and William's carrier in the other. Doggett grabbed the bags and ushered her into the apartment. "Sorry I had to bring the baby. My mother is visiting my brother Charles this week." "No problem" said Doggett. Reyes added "Thank you for coming," as if Scully were making a social call. Scully took one look at their muddy faces and wet hair and said "Do you mind telling me what happened?" Reyes and Doggett looked at each other for permission to tell the story. Doggett nodded to Reyes. Reyes said "We both wound up in the canal, behind the mall" Scully raised her eyebrows, waiting for more, but Reyes closed her lips tightly together and looked at Doggett. "She was pulled in, and I pulled her out." He added. "Unh huh" said Scully. "And you need a rape kit because..." "I was raped" Reyes said, her voice high-pitched and quivering. Scully pursed her lips. She could tell she wasn't going to get a more detailed answer at this point. She said with resignation, "Okay. Let's get started." Doggett became agitated. "I need to go back to the scene -- to collect evidence." Scully and Reyes looked at him with identical skeptical yet understanding looks. "Thank you, John," Reyes said sincerely, as Scully started pulling things out of her bags. "We'll be okay alone." Doggett collected up a few tools of the trade and set off out the door. If the situation hadn't been so grim Reyes and Scully would have shared a girl pal chuckle. ***** Doggett went back to the canal and walked for several blocks along the towpath, listening for any sounds in the water. Nothing. In a city as noisy as DC the silence of this canal was eerie. The fog had become even thicker, and the halos around the streetlights looked as big as the sun. It seemed the kind of place Jack the Ripper would haunt. As he approached the 34th Street bridge he heard persistent and high-pitched yapping. He followed the sound, and found a small German Shepherd puppy, barking furiously at something on the ground. He took out the flashlight he'd found at Monica's apartment and shone it on the puppy, then followed the puppy's eyes to a small object on the ground. He put the flashlight in his teeth and pulled on his latex gloves. He picked up the object and recognized the greenish skin on one side. The edges were serrated, as if from teeth. He pulled a ziploc out of his pocket and dropped the thing into it. He put the sealed ziploc into his left suit pocket and took the flashlight out of his mouth. The puppy was now barking at him, dancing around him and blocking his feet as he tried to walk. In exasperation, he bent down to pick up the puppy. As he raised the puppy past his left suit pocket it growled and flashed its teeth, but when he held the puppy up to his face it licked his lips. He put the puppy under his right arm, and continued searching the scene. He found no clues, and stood up. "Well, puppy," he said, holding the pup in front of his face. "Let's find your owner." He walked to the side door of, the mall, but the door was locked. Inside, a security guard noticed him, and he signalled to him, holding up the puppy. The security guard opened the door. "We close in ten min---" the guard stopped as he saw Doggett's condition. "What the hell happened to you?" Doggett looked down at his suit as if seeing it for the first time. "Oh, this? I fell into the canal," he said as if it happened every day. He continued, "I found this puppy, and I was hoping you might know who it belongs to." The guard put his hand under the puppy's chin, holding its head still and staring intently into its face. "Mitch?" he said. The puppy wagged its tail and strained to lick the guard's face. The guard's face grew ashen. "So," Doggett started slowly, as if assessing the guard's reaction to each word. "You do know who this puppy belongs to?" The guard nodded. "Ashley Nicholas. She worked in the mall. "Worked?" Doggett said, stressing the -ed. The guard nodded again. "She died a week ago. Drowned in the canal." ***** Scully tried to be friendly, but every instinct told her to be cold and efficient so she wouldn't feel the reality of what had happened to Reyes. Reyes was doing her best to hold herself together, and seemed to want Scully to hurry. Scully looked around and said "Would you prefer the living room or bedroom for this?" Reyes thought for a second then said "The bedroom." "Right" said Scully. "I'll go get it set up. Are you okay with staying here on the couch? Don't get up. There might be evidence on your clothes, and we should keep it on that blanket." Reyes nodded then said, "Okay, but could I at least have a glass of water? I'm really thirsty." Scully went to the kitchen and came back with a tumbler of cold tap water. Reyes held it with both hands and drank it down without stopping for a breath. She sighed. "Thanks. I really needed that." Scully went into the bedroom, and Reyes could hear her moving things around. Finally Scully came back out and led Reyes into the bedroom. She almost didn't recognize it. Scully had laid a brand-new sheet over the bed, moved all of Reyes' knick-knacks off of her dresser and nightstand, and put out her rape kit tools in a neat line. Reyes had assisted in a few rape cases, and she knew exactly what each object was for. She gulped and said "Okay, let's do this." Scully suddenly felt very nervous. "First, take off all your clothes and put them in this evidence bag. I don't have a hospital gown, but I think this will work." She held up what was obviously a brand-new pillowcase, jagged holes cut out for armholes, a neckline, and an equally jagged cut down the middle for a back flap. Reyes laughed. "This is what I call high fashion!" Scully felt their roles reversing -- Reyes was making HER feel better. She felt a little guilty for not being more witty. Reyes started pulling at the zipper at the back of her dress, and Scully quickly said "I'm just going to check on the baby. Back in a second, okay?" Reyes smiled placidly and said "Fine." Scully made her exit before Reyes was able to pull her dress over one shoulder, and left her alone for what seemed like an hour. Finally Reyes leaned on the door jamb and said "Ready when you are." *** Scully processed Reyes' body in the way she'd been trained and was now training others. Find every trace of evidence possible, label everything, keep contamination to a minimum. After the rape evidence had been collected she looked at Reyes' ankle. "What is this?" Scully asked. Reyes answered matter-of-factly "It pulled me in by the ankle. I think I twisted it." Scully bent Reyes' ankle several ways until Reyes finally yelped. "Sorry," Scully said sincerely. "Most of my patients are dead." "You're not going to do a Y-incision now, are you?" Reyes quipped. Scully grinned. "No, I think we're done here." She held on to Reyes' ankle and continued looking closely at it. "These welts have me puzzled, though." "John has some on his neck" Reyes offered. "I took a swab already." Scully found herself respecting Reyes more every minute this examination went on. She doubted whether she could have remained as calm, cheerful, or efficient under these circumstances. "I think I'll take a few here too" Scully said as she started swabbing the welts. "We have no idea how many of these things there were." For the first time, tears welled up in Reyes' eyes and she said in a hoarse voice "I think it was just one. It was too coordinated to have been..." her emotions choked off the rest of the idea she didn't want to consider. "Please don't let this be a gang rape!" she prayed silently to a nameless deity. Scully was making the same prayer to her God. ***** Doggett handed the puppy to the guard and reached for his badge. When he flipped open the holder, a small spray of water spritzed the guard. The guard shook off the water and stared wide-eyed at the badge. "You're FBI?" he said, stunned. "I thought the mall management said it was going to keep tthis quiet until after Christmas." "Huh? Keep what quiet?" Doggett answered. "You're not investigating the canal attacks?" Doggett recovered his wits and said "I'm investigating *an* attack. How many others have there been?" The guard looked over his shoulder then said conspiratorially, "Come with me." He motioned for Doggett to follow him, and led him to a clothing store. The manager came out and talked in hushed tones with the guard for a few minutes. The manager then took the puppy then motioned to Doggett to come inside. "I'm Derrick. I'm the manager here. You look like you could use some dry threads. They're on me." Doggett stepped back. "Whoa. I'm a federal agent. I can't accept a gift." Derrick responded with intensity that startled even Doggett. "You have no idea how happy I am to see a federal agent here. My wife was attacked last week. Can I at least give you a discount?" Doggett said "Listen, I'll help you because I'm investigating a case that might be related. But no gifts, no discounts, no nothing. Deal?" Doggett's eyes bored into the manager's, and the manager looked relieved. He locked the entrance and said "It's a deal." "I just want to help. There has to be something I can do here." The man's voice cracked as he finished. "I hate this helplessness." His eyes pleaded with Doggett. "Please get this thing." Within minutes a warm dry Doggett felt like a king coming home to his kingdom. He was dressed in a turtleneck, corduroy blazer, black jeans, cowboy boots, and even had clean dry underwear, all selected by the manager, who filled in Doggett on the attack on his wife. It sounded very similar to the attack on Reyes, but his wife managed to escape with only a few bruises on her ankle. "It happened to one of my employees too. Temporary help for Christmas. Haven't seen her since." Derrick's tone revealed suppressed rage. "The mall doesn't want to upset the customers. They just lock the rear door and claim these ladies are just falling into the water. But I KNOW there's something in there." Doggett asked, "You don't think they're just being pushed?" Derrick shook his head. "I know my wife. She's a smart lady and she's always aware of her surroundings. This thing took her by surprise. If it hadn't been for her karate experience ..." The man's eyes turned to hard-rimmed slits and he looked away. In a husky voice he added "Please. Someone needs to put a stop to this." Doggett took out his credit card and said, "Thanks for the information. I'll follow it up." He waited until Derrick's eyes were again on him and added, "I promise." Derrick went to the cash register with Doggett's credit card as Doggett picked up Mitch. "Any ideas on what I should do with the puppy?" Derrick swallowed hard. "Ashley Nicholas was walking that puppy when she went missing. I doubt her family wants the reminder. They were against her getting a dog in the first place. Can you handle it for them?" Doggett smiled into Mitch's face. "Sure thing." After the clothes were paid for, Derrick picked up a plastic bag and heaved it over the counter. The puppy started barking at it. "Oh, I almost forgot!" Doggett said. He stuck his hand into the bag and pulled out the ziploc. He put it in the pocket of his new corduroy blazer. "Can I pick up the clothes tomorrow? I've kind of got my hands full here," he said as he picked up Mitch. Derrick nodded and unlocked the door. "Please get this thing." When Doggett stepped through the entrance a knot of about twenty people started approaching him. One young woman stepped to the front. "Is it true, you're a cop?" Doggett answered "FBI ma'am." He looked at all the concerned and anxious faces. "You all want to talk to me?" They nodded. "Look, I have to get some evidence to the lab. I'll be here tomorrow." "What time?" someone from the rear demanded. "Eight sharp, okay?" ***** Doggett knocked softly on Reyes' door. Scully opened the door, and couldn't help looking him up and down. "Well that explains what took you so long." Doggett looked down at his new clothes. "Oh the clothes! I got them at the mall." "And the puppy?" Scully asked with skepticism. "Where did he come from?" Doggett held the puppy up to Scully's face, and he started to lick her mouth. She backed away and wiped her face with the back of her hand. She reached up and tentatively stroked the top of the puppy's head. Doggett watched this with amusement, but also with some disappointment. Even a puppy couldn't break down Scully's reserve? "He belonged to one of the other victims. I'm going to try to find him a new home." Scully's eyebrows raised "One of the *other* victims?" They walked into the living room as Doggett started filling her in. He broke off this debriefing mid-sentence when he saw the evidence he'd sampled sitting on the coffee table. He looked around and said "How is she?" "She's doing better than I would, under the circumstances. She's in the shower now." "I mean, physically, what did you find? What about the blood?" "The good news is she has a sprained ankle and some superficial injuries, but the bleeding wasn't anywhere near as bad as it looked. It came from a series of tiny tears in her skin, kind of like a rug burn. Each injury is tiny, but they did bleed. And when that blood mixed with the water, well, it just looked like more than it was." Scully picked up William and began to coo into his face. Doggett suddenly felt guilty for calling her in. "Thank you for doing this Dana" he said with genuine gratitude. "I know it was an inconvenience." Scully looked up and said, "This turned out to be a very interesting case. I'd like to stay involved with your investigation, if you don't mind." Doggett was both impressed and dismayed by her clinical interest. "Yeah, sure, of course your expertise is invaluable." "You said there were other victims?" "The people who work at the mall had some tales to tell. I'm going back there in the morning. It's too soon to know how much more there would be for you to do." "Still," Scully said, "Count me in. I miss the X-Files." She looked at him wistfully and in his mind he finished her sentence, "but not *me.*" She continued "and this is an X-File, I'm sure of it." Doggett suddenly remembered the ziploc in his pocket and pulled it out. He held it up for her to see. Mitch started barking and showing his teeth, and William woke up and started crying. Scully took the package and walked back to the bedroom and Doggett put Mitch back on the floor. Mitch ran into the bedroom, barking all the way. Scully tucked the package into the evidence bag as Doggett grabbed Mitch and took him back to the living room. Scully turned her attention to the sound of the shower. How long had she been in there? It was normal for a rape victim to take a long shower, but she decided to check on her. She knocked on the bathroom door and opened it a crack. "Monica?" Reyes was standing on her good leg, her arm out to support her, with her head directly under the showerhead. She was gulping the water, as she had been for several minutes. When she heard her name she snapped to attention and turned the shower off. "What?" "Monica," Scully continued. "John's back. We're done collecting evidence. Do you want one of us to stay with you?" Monica stepped out of the shower, grabbed a tumbler from the sink, filled it with water, and gulped it down. "Monica?" Scully asked again. "Yeah?" Monica said as she refilled the tumbler. "Oh, I think I'll be all right, really." She tilted her head back and started drinking down the water. When she was finished, she turned the tap on, and put her mouth under it. ***** Doggett sat with a squirming Mitch on the sofa, as Scully gently shut the bedroom door and approached the living room. Mitch lept out of Doggett's lap, ran to the bedroom door, and began scratching at its base. Scully gave Doggett a significant look. "What's the real story here?" "One of the victims was walking him when she disappeared. That dog is a witness, and he's testifying the only way he knows how" Doggett answered. They looked at the puppy again briefly and then at each other. "Is Monica okay in there?" Doggett asked with concern. Scully answered, "She says she's fine." Doggett remembered back to a time when Skinner said that about Scully, and he challenged her by saying, "She says she is, but what do you think?" "I think... she shouldn't be alone tonight. One of us should stay with her, or she should come home with one of us. She says she'll be fine alone, but..." Scully knew she didn't have to finish this sentence. She'd been the beneficiary of Doggett's protection and concern often enough to know he was two steps ahead of her. "I'll stay here" Doggett volunteered. "I'm going back to the mall tomorrow morning anyway. You've been inconvenienced enough." Scully smiled. She knew Reyes would be in good hands. "I can't wait to get these samples under a microscope. I'll call you when I know something." She held William out to Doggett. "Here, hold him. I'll pack up the evidence." Scully made three trips to her car, carrying evidence in plastic and paper sacks. When she returned for the last time, she saw Mitch curled up in a chair, sleeping soundly, and Doggett talking baby talk to William. She enjoyed watching Doggett play with William and she didn't want to interrupt. Finally, she said, "Well, that's it." She reached for William, and Doggett reluctantly released him. Doggett's face was beaming, and Scully felt proud of the effect her baby had had on him. "Call me when you know something," Doggett reminded her as he closed and locked the door. He walked to the bathroom door and knocked. "Monica?" he said softly. He could hear running water. "Monica?" he said a little louder. Still no answer. He tried the knob, but the door was locked. "Monica!" he shouted. "Open up!" When he got no response, he started pushing on the door with his shoulder. ***** Doggett backed up and ran shoulder-first toward the bathroom door. At that moment a towel-wrapped Reyes opened the door, and Doggett flew in, knocking his head against the bathroom mirror. Reyes put her hand out to him and he whirled around. "Monica!" he shouted. "Why didn't you answer?!?" "I didn't hear you until just now. I'm running the bath." She answered, with no sign that his anger was bothering her. Doggett looked down to the bathtub, which was about to overflow with strawberry-scented bubbles. "Monica," he said with measured compassion. "I know you told Scully you wanted to be alone, but I'm staying here tonight, like it or not. You just had a shower, and now you're taking a bath? It's normal to feel dirty," he suddenly realized what he'd said, and corrected himself. "...er, like you can't get clean enough, at a time like this. What you're feeling is normal, but it's not your normal self." Monica smiled and teased, "How do you know I don't take both a shower and a bath every day? Are you spying on me?" Doggett's eyebrows raised, and he couldn't help smirking. Before he could answer, Mitch came running through the door. He ran to Monica and stood on his hind legs, his front paws reaching just past her knees. Monica looked down and immediately forgot that John was in the room. She picked Mitch up and brought his face to hers. "Who's a little cutie pie?" she cooed, as Mitch licked her mouth. She laughed and shook the puppy from side to side. "You're the cutest widdle doglet, yes you are, yes you are," she cooed, her voice rising in pitch as she continued. She hugged him to her and rocked side to side. "What a wonderful surprise! Where did he come from, John?" John was thoroughly amused by Monica's reaction to the puppy. "I found him at the canal." He decided against telling her about Mitch's owner. "The employees at the mall think he's homeless." Monica held the puppy out to face him. "Who could resist such a beautiful face?" Doggett looked at the puppy, then past Mitch to Reyes' face. "I don't see how anyone wouldn't love that face." Monica smiled, oblivious to the double meaning of Doggett's comment. She turned Mitch around to face her and said "You'll never be lonely again, you adorable doglet." Doggett started to feel uncomfortable. He watched Monica nuzzle the puppy for a few moments then said, "Uh, Mon, I really did mean what I said about staying here. I hope you don't mind." Monica looked up as if she'd forgotten he was there. "Really, John, I'm fine." "Mon," his hand moved toward her then started stroking Mitch. "There were other victims. Some are missing. I just want to be sure you're all right." Monica lowered Mitch, then dropped him to the floor. "What? How do you know?" "The mall employees. I'm going back tomorrow morning." He looked into her eyes, "I don't know what's going on, but I'm not going to take you word for it that you're okay." For the first time in hours, Monica remembered that kiss, the one that she'd waited so long for. She reached out and caressed his cheek. He pulled her hand down to his mouth, and gently kissed the palm. She felt a tingle over her whole body and she couldn't take her eyes off his. He said "I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you." She blushed. "Thank you, John," she said, then pulled her hand away. "I appreciate your concern." She seemed lost in thought for a moment, then said, "Do you mind if I take the couch? The bed is where Scully..." He understood immediately. "Yes, of course." After a silent moment he said "Get back to your bath. I'll try to scrounge up some dinner for Mitch." He took a few steps out the door, then turned and said "Hey, Mon.." only to see her drop the towel and step into the bath. He turned away quickly and muttered to himself, "I'll find the bowls on my own." ***** Reyes sank down into the tub, leaving only her head above the water. She blew the bubbles away from her mouth, and sighed heavily. A few short hours ago she couldn't stop crying. Then while Scully was collecting evidence from her "crime scene," she felt violated, frightened, and alone. And then she had that incredible thirst. Where did that come from? And afterward, after drinking more water than she ever thought she could drink, she felt wonderful. And John... She sighed again. John being in her life, in her apartment, and now in her bathroom! She smiled. Everything was perfect. She felt like she was floating on air, then realized she was floating in the tub. *** Doggett kicked off the cowboy boots and padded around the kitchen, looking for supplies for Mitch. He found some bread, bran flakes, and a half-circle of gouda cheese, mixed them together in a floral-patterned cereal bowl and put it on the floor. He didn't know much about puppy nutrition, but he figured one makeshift meal would be okay. Mitch greedily gobbled up the meal while Doggett filled a second bowl with water. When Mitch had finished with his food he lapped up all the water in a regular slurping rhythm. For the first time that evening Doggett was alone with his thoughts, and with some very uncomfortable feelings. The entire attack replayed in his mind, and he started to choke up. Despite his considerable experience with rapes, this hit him hard. It reminded him of the time when his son had been victimized. He never quite got over the idea that if only he'd done something different that day, Luke would have been spared. The same process was starting now as he replayed the day's events. If only he hadn't taken her there. If only he hadn't insisted on walking the towpath. If only he hadn't kissed her... He had the sudden urge to get busy. He walked around the living room looking for something to occupy himself, and stepped in a pile of puppy poo. Well, he thought, it's something to do. He pulled off his socks and went back to the kitchen for cleaning supplies. A few minutes later he was still on his hands and knees, rubbing furiously on a spot that was already clean, when Monica emerged from the bathroom. She was radiant, dressed in a white silky kimono with bright pink flowers. Doggett's jaw dropped and he stopped scrubbing. She seemed almost to glow in the light from behind her, and Doggett thought the kimono made her look like an angel. "Hi Mon," he said, a little hoarse. She walked toward him, no trace of limp from her sprained ankle. Doggett thought she must have been floating. She bent over and held out her hand to him. He felt like a knight being summoned by his queen. He gave her his hand, and she led him toward the bedroom. ***** He let her lead him, feeling giddy and light on his feet. When they were in the bedroom she turned to him, and took his head in her hands. She kissed him passionately, and he responded in kind. His hands swept up and down her back, and he bent down to nuzzle her neck. He inhaled deeply. Her hair smelled soapy, not like herbal shampoo. He pulled back and cradled her head in his hands. He pulled his hands forward, and with his thumbs rubbed against the welts around her mouth. They were healing quickly. A little too quickly. He dropped his hands and pulled back further. He looked into her glistening, radiant eyes, and he wanted to kiss her again. "Monica," he said, summoning all his strength. "After all you've been through, ..." She sighed and looked longingly at him. He continued, "I think we should stop right here. You're not yourself." "I've never felt happier in my life, John." Monica said serenely. She reached for his hand and pulled it to her chest. "I feel complete for the first time. It's because you're here." John pulled his hand away quickly. "Mon, I can't do this. Not tonight." She looked disappointed but not hurt, so he continued, "Maybe in a few days, or a week, if you feel the same then..." "I will," she assured him. "I can wait." She caressed his face then said goodnight and grabbed extra pillows and blankets from a cabinet. She went into the living room as Doggett looked after her, thinking "What the Hell just happened?" He stripped down to his boxers then got into the bed. The pillows had that herbal smell he'd come to love, and it made him miss the old Monica. His mind went in circles trying to figure out what was going on, and he fell asleep. ***** Doggett awoke from a nightmare replaying the canal attack. After taking a second to remember where he was, he headed into the bathroom. As he stood there relieving himself he looked around absently, and then noticed Monica lying in the tub, the water up to her chin. He rushed to her and grabbed her arm. She opened her eyes and said "Wha " Doggett dropped her arm and said "Jesus, Christ, Monica, what are you doing in there? You could have drowned!" Monica pulled her legs up and rolled onto her side, her arm covering what it could. Doggett pointedly focused on her face. "Well?" he demanded, angrily. "You were right, John. I just can't help it. I still don't feel clean. I guess I just fell asleep." Doggett had rarely seen Monica lie, but he was sure she was lying now. "Monica," he said gently, squatting to look more directly into her eyes. "You can't do this. Please. You can't sleep in a bathtub full of water." He felt like he was talking to a drug addict about her habit. "You need to sleep where you'll be safe." "But I'm okay here, see?" she said with forced cheerfulness. He looked at her sternly but said nothing. After a moment she sighed and said with resignation, "Okay. Turn around." He turned around and she stood up. "Could you hand me that towel, please?" she asked. He grabbed a towel and passed it behind him. He made a point of not peeking. If he had, he would have noticed the bulge in her belly. ***** The next morning, Doggett awoke at the first light of dawn. He immediately checked the bathroom, and was relieved to find Reyes was not there. He tiptoed into the living room and found her curled up on the sofa under a bulky comforter. He studied her face for a few moments and sighed. She was sleeping peacefully, serenely. He decided not to wake her. Mitch was sleeping at Reyes' feet. He woke up and jumped down, wagging his tail and begging to be picked up. Doggett picked him up and stroked him behind the ear. Doggett carried the puppy to the kitchen, made him another makeshift breakfast, and stood there watching him as he thought about his plans for the day. Reyes' behavior was odd, but he decided he could leave her alone for a few hours. He was eager to find out what the mall employees knew. He found the coffee and brewed enough for himself and Monica, then headed to the bathroom for a shower. After his shower, he rooted around for a decent razor, and started shaving. As he started on his neck, he noticed the welts. They were still bright red, and starting to form little scabs. He thought back to his mental picture of Monica on the sofa, and realized hers had healed completely. He was more convinced than ever that this was an X-File, and that something was wrong with Monica. He dressed in his new mall clothes, refilled his coffee mug and filled a second for Monica. He squatted to her level and shook her shoulder gently. She woke slowly, and it took her a moment to focus on his face. "John?" she said, confused. She saw the look of concern in his face and forced herself to remember all she could. "Oh, yeah, you stayed here last night." He stroked her hair and said, "How do you feel?" "Mmmmmmm" She smiled slightly and looked toward the ceiling. "I feel pretty good, but I'm not ready to wake up." She looked at the mug on the coffee table. "You made coffee? Thank you, but I really just want to go back to sleep." "I'll check in at the office, and see when Agent Scully might have some answers for us, then I'll question the mall employees. You'll call me if you need me?" It was more of a command than a question. She nodded. "And, I hate to presume, but do you have a spare key? If I knock on the door and you don't answer..." "On the hall table. In the little wicker basket" she answered groggily. "I know you worry about me." She reached out her hand to his, "Thank you." He squeezed her hand gently, then got up to go. He turned back and said "Oh, want me to bring back some lunch?" but she was already asleep again. At the J. Edgar Hoover Building, Doggett made a few phonecalls and found out that the DC police considered the canal monster an urban legend, and had no cases, rape or otherwise, on file. Armed with no more information than he'd already had, he went back to Georgetown Park Mall. When he arrived at the mall, he found a small crowd waiting for him. Derrick, the manager of the clothing store, excitedly motioned him toward an open area on the ground floor. Doggett felt overwhelmed, but taking statements from witnesses was old hat for him, and he quickly developed a kind of witness triage. Actual victims first, then witnesses, then people who had seen or talked to victims. This weeded out the vast majority, who had all heard the whispered stories but were not true witnesses. The workers brought him coffee, which he insisted on paying for, and he started taking their statements one by one. After about an hour, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked up to see a very surly A.D. Skinner scowling down at him. "What do you think you're doing here, Agent?" Skinner demanded. Doggett stood up to face his supervisor. "I'm interviewing witnesses on an X-Files case, sir. Just doing my job." "There is NO case, here Agent Doggett. I suggest you terminate this interrogation." The A.D. looked around to the people waiting their turn, as if he could chase them away with a glare. Nobody moved. "With all due respect sir," Doggett started, "I believe there IS a case here. One that needs to be solved as soon as possible." Skinner met Doggett's determination with all the authority at his command. "I repeat, agent, there is NO case here. The bureau does NOT have jurisdiction here, and there will be NO investigation of any cases in or around this mall. Am I making myself clear?" Doggett grabbed Skinner's elbow and led him away from the crowd. "Agent Reyes was raped here last night, sir." Skinner's eyebrows went up and he said "What?... And all these people were witnesses?" "No sir, they are witnesses to other attacks by the same perp." Doggett filled Skinner in on what he knew, and Skinner pulled his cellphone out. Within two hours, Skinner and Doggett together had interviewed all the witnesses and the canal had been drained. There, at the bottom of the canal, was an octopus-like creature, the size of a man, and the bodies of three female victims. ***** As Skinner was supervising the loading of the bodies, human and animal alike, into the FBI CSI van for transport to Quantico, Doggett pulled out his cellphone and dialed Reyes' number. There was no answer. He felt anxious but tried to calm himself. He decided to wait a few minutes, then call again. Again there was no answer. Skinner walked back to Doggett and said "We've contacted someone from the aquarium [ www.nationalaquarium.com/ ] to meet us at Quantico. I called Scully, and she says she hasn't been able to draw any conclusions from the evidence she collected." Skinner could tell that Doggett's mind was elsewhere. "What is it?" "I tried to call Agent Reyes, and got no answer. I think I should check on her," Doggett answered. "Want me to go with you?" Skinner offered. Doggett quickly answered, "Oh, no, sir, I'm sure she's just sleeping. I just want to be sure she's okay is all." Skinner nodded. "I'm going with the van to Quantico. I'll let you know what the results are." ***** Doggett raised his knuckles to knock on Reyes' door, and he could hear Mitch barking madly and growling. He pulled Reyes' key from his pocket and raced inside, knowing instinctively that he would find her in the bathroom. She was in the bathtub again, her arms gripping the sides and her legs spread wide. Her face was shiny with a river of tears. She looked up when she heard John enter. "Oh, John, I'm so glad you're here," she said through her tears. John looked at her face, then followed the direction of her eyes, as she looked to the other end of the tub. Doggett was horrified by what he saw. Dozens of tiny translucent octopus babies were swimming out of Reyes' body, and going down the tub drain. He dropped to his knees and put his hand behind her head. "Aw, Mon..." he said, a catch in his voice. Reyes looked into his eyes, her own eyes brimming with tears. "I'm so glad you're here to share this with me. Aren't they beautiful?" She smiled a beaming luminescent smile, and looked again at the creatures swimming out of her body. John looked at Reyes in horror. "Mon, how can you--" he started, but Monica scooped up one of the octopus babies and held it up to him in her cupped hands. He didn't know what to say. She seemed so proud of it. "Yes, Monica, it's beautiful" he said, trying to humor her. She brought the creature to her face, kissed it, then released it back into the water. "Have a happy life, little one," she said as it swam off. She reached for John's hand and he gave it to her. She was all smiles, and he remembered back to Luke's birth, when he saw his wife fall in love with a slimy, purple, squirming, squealing angel. He smiled at Monica, thinking she was a beautiful mother. He knew then that there was no way he could grab one and put it in a ziploc for Scully to dissect. With his thumb, he stroked the palm of Monica's hand as they watched the last of the babies swim down the drain. "Wasn't that beautiful?" Monica asked. And John had to admit to himself that it was. ***** John kissed her hand, and she smiled. They gazed into each others' eyes like lovestruck teenagers for a moment, then Doggett said, "It's all over, isn't it?" Monica nodded. Doggett could see that she was a little sad. "C'mon," he said. "Haven't you spent enough time in there?" He held out his hand and helped her up. He was suddenly aware that she was naked, and quickly grabbed a towel, holding it in front of her. "I'll take Mitch for a walk while you get dressed." Monica nodded again. When Doggett came in from his walk, Monica was sitting on the sofa, her legs tucked under her, and a warmed-up mug of coffee in her hands. She was staring absently into the mug and didn't notice Doggett's arrival. "Mon," he said gently. "Are you okay?" "A.D. Skinner called," she said. She looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes, "John, why didn't you tell me?" "About what we found in the canal? I would have told you eventually. You were" he hesitated for a moment, "busy when I got back." She smiled wistfully and answered, "I want to go with you to Quantico. I need to understand what happened." Doggett didn't think this was a good idea, but he'd come to realize that he had often underestimated Monica Reyes. "Then let's go," he answered, with forced cheerfulness. When they arrived at Scully's lab, A.D. Skinner met them at the door. He looked accusingly at Doggett but addressed Reyes, "Agent Reyes, you really shouldn't be here." "It was my idea, sir" Reyes asserted. "I want to know everything." Skinner looked at her appraisingly, then at Doggett. Doggett's face was impassive. Finally he relented and said "All right then," and he placed his hand on Reyes's shoulder. "But please don't feel you have to stay. We understand." In the lab, the octopus was splayed on a table to the left, and one of the three victims was on a table to the right. Doggett found some consolation in seeing the creature being humiliated and violated. He, Skinner, and Reyes gathered round as Scully and a stranger in a lab coat bent over the creature. Scully straightened when she noticed their arrival, raising her eyebrows at Reyes' presence. Reyes raised her eyebrows back at her in a gesture of defiance. "This is Dr. Whalin, a marine biologist from the National Aquarium," Scully said, and she introduced each of her colleagues individually. The marine biologist was a short, bald, round-faced man with a small mouth and almost ghostly white skin. He thrust out his hand to each of the agents and beamed with excitement. "This is so exciting! This is an entirely new species! I've already invited a colleague from the Pacific Northwest to examine this specimen. It's absolutely amazing." Doggett interrupted, "Well, this exciting specimen has been killing innocent women. It's hardly good news for them." "Oh, yes, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be insensitive. It's just that we so rarely see anything new this far inland." Skinner said, "So what is this thing?" Scully interjected, "It seems to be related to the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus." [link: http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus.html NOTE: This is a hoax! Sasquatch is one of its natural predators!!! LOL! ] "Pacific Northwest?" Reyes asked. "What's it doing here?" Doggett offered, "There's almost two hundred miles of canal. How many others are out there?" "Those, my friends, are the million-dollar questions," answered the marine biologist. "It normally spawns in the Hood Canal, but it lives in the forest. No doubt it was in this canal to mate, but as for how it got here, and where it feeds..." "Whoa," said Skinner. "Are the victims" he nodded toward the woman on the slab, "his mates?" ***** Scully stepped forward. "The two species are genetically incompatible. Something else is going on here." She pulled half of the tentacles to one side, and half to the other. "These are the classic octopus tentacles, which are extremely sensitive organs, and in this case also very muscular." She pulled two other strands down in the middle and held one up a few inches, then pulled back on it, exposing the creature's underside. She patted some bulbous sacs attached to the strand. "These are testes." She stretched out the strand, and said "and this is its..." "We get the picture, Agent Scully," said Skinner gruffly. She pulled back the other side of the creature's body and patted some other bulbous sacs. "And these are ovaries." She stretched out the other strand, "which makes this..." "A fallopian tube," finished Reyes. Scully looked up. "Yes. This animal is a hermaphrodite." The doctor jumped in. "You notice the color? It's greenish, here" He turned one of the tentacles over. "But it is mostly translucent. This is extremely unusual for a cephalopod." Scully continued, "It's too soon to say, of course, but it's possible that this creature is the result of hybridization between the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus, possibly one that was stranded here after accidentally stowing away on a boat." Scully took a breath and continued," and the naturally hermaphroditic indigenous Lumbricidae, or--" "Earthworm!" finished the doctor. Scully completed her sentence, "yes, earthworm." Doggett and Skinner both showed disgust on their faces, but Reyes was curious. Scully was relieved to see that Reyes was handling this discussion, so she felt comfortable continuing it. "Normally, even a hermaphroditic species requires a second specimen for mating, but this creature's adaptation allows it to lay and fertilize its own eggs. Now, the canal is a hostile environment, so I suspect it uses the uterus of other species as an egg sac, where the young can mature in relative safety. This type of parasitic mating behavior is quite rare, but very effective." At this point Scully looked carefully at Reyes. "Are you okay, Agent Reyes?" she asked. Monica nodded. "Go ahead. I want to know everything." Dr. Whalin continued, "These imperious instincts, to mate, to procreate, and to care for the young, these instincts can't be ignored. When that first specimen was stranded here, these instincts led to what may seem to be strange and bizarre adaptations, but in the context of these all-powerful instincts, it is all very natural, and even beautiful." Scully walked to the table with the victim, and said, "When we examined this victim, we found this in the birth canal." She held up a formaldehyde-filled jar with a translucent baby octopus floating in it. Skinner's face turned a pale green and he looked away. Doggett looked at Monica, gauging her reaction. "Can I see that?" Monica asked. Scully handed her the jar, and Monica cradled it in her hands. Almost immediately she started crying and her hands started to shake. She looked to John in a silent expression of grief, and his eyes told her that he understood. John gently pried the jar away from Monica and handed it back to Scully. He put his hands on Monica's shoulders and bored his eyes into hers. "Monica, don't do this to yourself. You have your answers now. Let's go" Monica smiled weakly through her tears, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, and nodded her goodbyes to the others. Doggett and Scully exchanged a significant look, and he turned to follow Monica out the door. ***** Three weeks later, John Doggett sat at his desk in the basement of the J. Edgar Hoover Building. He had a stack of papers in front of him, and he was trying desperately to focus. He stared at the top page as he drummed a pencil against the desktop. A.D. Skinner knocked on the open door and Doggett jumped in his seat. "Hello, sir. I was just, uh..." He couldn't come up with a good lie at the moment. He wasn't doing any work whatsoever. "Any word yet?" Skinner asked. Doggett looked at his watch. "She should be back any minute." "I'm sure everything's okay," Skinner said reassuringly. "Agent Scully seemed to think there would be no long-term consequences." Doggett nodded. "I know. But I'll rest easier when I hear from Agent Reyes." As if on cue, Agent Reyes stepped through the doorway. She was dressed conservatively, as she had been for the previous three weeks. She took very business-like steps toward her desk, but did not sit down. "Hello, A.D. Skinner. Do we have a new case?" she said cheerfully. Skinner seemed a bit hurt but recovered quickly, "I just wanted to see how you were doing, Agent Reyes." "I'm fine. Really," she said, looking intently at both Skinner and Doggett. "I don't have a note from my doctor," she teased, "but she says that everything is completely normal. Inside and out. Okay?" Skinner and Doggett both relaxed their shoulders and smiled. Skinner said, "I'm glad to hear it, Agent Reyes. Very glad." She smiled at him gratefully, and then he walked out. Doggett walked over to where Reyes was standing. "I'm so relieved, Mon. I was worried about you." "I know," she said. She put the palm of her hand to his cheek briefly, then dropped it. "I'm sorry I haven't been myself lately." "It's understandable," Doggett responded, taking her hand. She smiled graciously. "And you have been very understanding. I appreciate that." She squeezed his hand and said, "It was just a touch of post-partum depression. I'll never *really* be the same, I suppose, but I think I'm back to being myself again." "Yes, I think you are," Doggett answered, looking deeply into her eyes. "Welcome back." Reyes leaned forward and kissed him, tentatively at first, then more passionately as she felt him respond. He inhaled deeply, and luxuriated in the herbal scent of her hair. "Let's lock the door," she said playfully. Doggett pulled away and put his hands on her shoulders. "Not like that, Monica. When I'm at work, I'm at work." He could see the disappointment in her eyes but he was undeterred. "And besides, you deserve better than that." She brightened, surprised by this turn. He continued, "Let's start over. With a date. A real date, away from work, away from the water..." Reyes chuckled. "I'd like that." Doggett smiled. "How about the zoo?" --THE END-- [ NOTE: The National Zoo http://www.natzoo.si.edu/ is THE classic place for a first date in D.C. Been there done that personally!]