From: kiwiclan2@aol.com (Kiwiclan2)
Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative
Subject: NEW: Things Beyond the Pale
Date: 5 Oct 1995 17:25:22 -0400


   Well, after being inspired by Sheryl Martin's "Dragons: Interlude III"
I figured I had to write my own welcome back to Mulder and Scully.  So
enter "Catching Up," where MacNeill and Raynes fly back to D.C. to see
everyone.
   Rosie, Jackie St. George, and Marty belong to Sheryl Martin (mucho
thank youse kiddo)!
   Andrew MacNeill and Nicole Raynes belong to me, Carol Ann Raines, and
Rosie Passanisi collectively.
   I know, the timeline of this and a previous story "Army of Me" don't
really match, but I don't really care.  So don't really worry about it. 
Let it stand on its own.
 Just a quick word on the title.  It's taken from the recent People
Magazine interview and essentially means "Stuff that isn't normal."  And
for what our heros have been through lately, this is certainly beyond the
pale. 
 Anyway, Mulder and Scully belong to CC,1013,FOX <--Navajo code for "The
Best Show Around."  And as always no infringement is meant.  If you wanna
sue, try.  But I'll warn ya, I'm a broke, engaged college student.
 Okay, last words before I letcha go, comments are loved, but don't bother
flaming because I've sealed myself in a buried box car with a bunch of
dead test subjects....
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Things Beyond the Pale
by Taylor Nelson
Kiwiclan2@aol.com
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 They heard.  They heard from a friend of a friend in Washington.  It was
the only way to get the word out.  When the fire and smoke had cleared
enough, they came.

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

 Jackie St. George sat with Mulder and Scully in the rather unspacious
basement office of the J. Edgar Hoover Building.
 "Y'know, Scully, as much as we've been away, I kinda missed this office,"
said Mulder.
 <I thought you were sent here to spy on me.> Scully smiled slightly
silently in remembrance.
 St. George, on the other hand, stood up and stretched until she heard the
familiar sound of her back cracking.  "Man, I'm just getting used to
having you two back.  And Mulder, "he looked her way, "if you *ever* get
yourself into trouble like that again, I'm gonna have to whip you with a
real wet noodle."
 "Throw in some Alfredo sauce and you got a deal," he said adding his wry
smile.
 "Promises, promises," she retorted.
 A few seconds later there came a knock at the door.
 Scully's brow furrowed, "Who could that be?  We've hardly gotten back."
 "It's open!" called Mulder.
 "Noooooobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!!" Special Agent Andrew
MacNeill shouted as he burst into the room followed by his fiancee and
partner, Nicole Raynes.
 A series of hellos and how are yous along with big hugs and strong
handshakes were exchanged.
 "So what are you doing in town?" asked Scully.
 Andrew shrugged, "HQ wanted us to come in and learn some new procedures."
 "More importantly, we wanted to see how you all were doing after the past
couple of weeks."
 "But how did you hear about it?" asked the Canadian.
 "For that answer, you really should have a talk with your assistant about
e-mail usage," answered Andrew.
 "Rosie?!  I'll give her more than a talking to!  They were probably
monitoring everything!"
 Nicole held her hand up, "Wait a sec, we had already worked out a system
to get around that."
 "What?" Everyone was interested now.
 "Stories," they said together.
 "Stories?  Fiction?" St. George asked disbelievingly.
 "Yep.  Changed all your names and the situations slightly," Andrew said.
 "I don't believe it.  Remind me to give her a raise."
 "Well, you'll certainly have the chance because we want to take all of
you out to dinner tonight," Nicole said.
 "All of us?" asked Scully.
 She nodded, "And Rosie and Marty, of course."
 "How can we pass it up if we're not paying," said Mulder.

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

 Papa Palmieri's was a small pizza place down the street from Brandy's. 
The decor, very relaxed with old license plates, street signs, and
pictures on the walls.  It reminded Andrew and Nicole of a place they knew
when they began dating back in Northern California.
 The seven of them all squeezed into a large booth with the stained glass
lamp hanging overhead.
 "It's funny," Mulder commented, "I always knew this place was here, but I
never came."
 "Yeah, I've heard about it too," Scully agreed.
 "Well, why didn't you ever tell me?" chimed Jackie.
 Rosie was laughing and nursing her wine cooler, "That's because Marty
always had you tied up or Mulder was doing the cheap pizza and white wine
thing at Dana's."
 "Hey," Marty said in mock defense, "you should've seen us try to get
those fur handcuffs through Canadian customs."  Jackie promptly turned and
smacked him on the arm.
 Andrew finished a sip of his Chocolate Coke and sighed contently, "Ahhh,
it's so good to be with you guys."
 Scully smiled, "It's good to see you guys too.  Been a while since we've
had some friendly faces around."  Mulder nodded in agreement.
 "So Jackie," Nicole started, "have you two set a date yet?"
 Marty looked hesitantly at his fiancee and then back to Nicole, "Uh, no,
not yet."
 "Not yet?  Jackie have you probably haven't even told your folks yet."
 "I have so!  I told them shortly after Andrew to his folks," she said and
took another drink of her favourite, Molson Ice.
 "Well," MacNeill began, "you all have been so busy that we haven't had
the chance to invite you to our wedding."
 Rosie gasped, "When is it?"
 "August twenty-first next year at Lower Yosemite Falls."
 "Cool," remarked Mulder.
 "Yeah, but you'll probably be the only ones wearing suits.  It's going to
be incredibly informal," Nicole added.
 St. George laughed, "Yeah, ours'll probably be 'Hello, Round Table? 
Could you send over twenty deluxes?'"

 An hour later.  The faces in the parlour had changed.  The sun was down
and now the night had begun its reign.  Again, the same seven were in
their booth.
 "No, really, we were checking out these circus freaks in Florida and
Scully actually ate a live cricket!"  The Heineken Mulder was drinking had
really started to relax him.
 Nicole finished her piece of Hawaiian pizza, "You've *got* to be
kidding!"
 "Hey, it's a good source of protein," Rosie pointed out.
 "So I did, big deal.  They were challenging me.  I had to do it."  The
few glasses of wine Dana had had also began relaxing her.
 "What did it taste like?" asked Marty.
 "Didn't taste like much of anything really.  Just a twitch, a crunch, and
that's it."
 A chorus of 'Ewwwww's rose from the table and soon broke into laughter.
 "Yeah, well I remember someone talking about the benefits of Pixy Stix in
slightly more intimate situations," Marty commented.
 Andrew's face suddenly turned red, "Oops.  Did I say that?"
 His fiancee gasped out loud, "Andrew, did you tell them about that!?"
 "Well," he began his defense, "Marty was wondering what he could use to
surprise Jackie with."
 "And, boy, did he!  I think by the end of the night we were red, blue,
orange, and purple!"
 "Oooh, I think I've got an idea for a story," Rosie said as she pulled
her notebook out.
 "Guys, I think we're learning just a little too much about each other,"
Mulder finally said.
 "Yeah, but I honestly don't think we've had this much fun in way too
long," Scully said while trying her best to avoid the memories of what had
happened.
 At this time everyone held their glasses up in toast to good friends and
strong bonds.

 The watch on Andrew's wrist was fastly approaching five in the evening. 
Everyone had taken time off work to see he and Nicole to the airport.
 They all exchanged the same hugs and handshakes they shared when they
arrived.  It had been too long since any of them had taken a break and
relaxed with friends and loved ones.
 "Hey, you guys come back and visit us sometime.  Okay?" said Scully as
she hugged Nicole.
 "I don't know," Andrew began, "you gotta remember we live in the state
where seventy percent of the land is owned by the government.  We just may
be having you visit someday," he said with a knowing smile.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Continued?  Yeah, in some story somewhere someday (soon).
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Taylor nelsoN            ######Kiwiclan2@aol.com######
      @@http://www.wco.com/~nelsnfam/taylor.html@@         
Author, X-Phile, Whovian, Vintage VW Owner (1966 Beetle), 
Member of SYX, BAXFEG, AOLXFClub, Eden Agent, Dragon Posse
Dr. Blockhead: "Did you know that through the protective practice of Tiea
Bu Shan, you can train your testicles to draw up into your abdomen?"
Mulder: "Oh, I'm doing that as we speak..."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~