From: "Lindsay Carpenter" Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2000 18:40:41 PST Subject: fanfic: With Hope There is Truth Source: direct Title: With Hope there is Truth Author: Lindsay Carpenter E-Mail: Linz1013@hotmail.com Rating: PG for language Category: X Spoilers: Amor Fati, Small Potatoes Keywords: Mulder/Scully romance, M/S/Sk friendship Summary: When a young woman, with the ability to read minds, finds herself being hunted by a mysterious government agency, she steps into the lives of Mulder and Scully and the shoes of an FBI agent. Disclaimer: Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, Walter Skinner, and all locations revolving around the show do not, in anyway, belong to me, but to Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, and Fox Entertainment. I am simply using them to create a story out of my own mind. . . and since Carter can't get the picture, I'm gonna do some drawing. Any minor characters you do not recognize belong to me. Author's Note: This one was created on a whim. I don't know where it came from but I've had the idea for a long time. Bear with me, it's not a ditzy story. I tried to use locations I could work with and knew so I came home to Philadelphia, and used some of Washington DC as well. Dedication: Susan, you have been with me since the birth of this story and I owe you so much for doing all my edits. Thank you SOOOOO much! And Emily, I couldn't get through the week without knowing that you're always there for me. I love you like you're my sister. Finally, all my friends in "the Valley", thanks for being there when I need you and thank you for everything. Send all comments and constructive criticism to: Linz1013@hotmail.com With Hope there is Truth By, Lindsay Carpenter prologue Acme Shopping Center; Philadelphia, PA November 19, 1999 4:54 pm "Why are we here Anne? Is there a point you're going to prove?" The young man asked his friend as they wandered up and down the aisles of the familiar grocery store. "Yes, Mark, I am trying to prove something to you. See that man over there?" She pointed to a man with ash blond hair with jeans and a black T-shirt on. Mark nodded. "He's an FBI agent from the Philadelphia field office. And the man by the pudding is one too. There are five of them here all after one man. Follow me." Anne Taylor took her friend by the hand. She lead him down aisle 15 to where a man was looking at the label on a bag of Sun-Chips. "What about him? He's looking at some chips, big deal." Mark Douglas was not impressed. He continued to hold her hand, running his thumb in circles over the back. "He's a criminal. A serial rapist who's traveled all the way from Philly to avoid the Feds. He has no idea they're here." Anne picked up a bag of Fritos, acting casual. "How do you know this? Where did you read that?" Mark was now intrigued. "I didn't read that in the papers. Where did you hear that?" "I told you: I can read minds. That FBI agent to the left of me "told" me everything. Watch, he's going in for the hit," Anne put down the chips. "Get down, Mark!" she shouted. Before Mark could react, Anne dragged him to he floor and covered her head. The five FBI agents appeared in the aisle with their guns aimed at the rapist. The rapist pulled a gun and, in less then a second, three of the agents fired their guns at him. There were screams echoing in the store and Mark grabbed hold of Anne, shielding her from the gunfire. "It's all right! Everything is under control," One of the agents announced to the frightened crowd. "Everyone, please exit the store, and stay calm. We have everything under control." The store emptied and Mark and Anne stood up. "Are you two all right?" A female agent stepped up to them as did two other agents. "Yeah, we got down before the shots were fired. Thanks to Anne here, who told me to get down." "Why did you tell him to get down?" The one male agent inquired. "Oh, well... something just didn't feel right. Come on, Mark. Let's get out of here," Anne took Mark by the hand and lead him out of the Acme. As Anne stepped outdoors into the sunlight, she felt an ominous presence. She turned to her right and saw a man puffing on a half smoked cigarette. She arched an eyebrow and listened to his thoughts. 'She can't know... dangerous to the project... what will happen to the X-Files... Oh, young Anne, if we could only spare you... We can't let you get to Mulder... he cannot know...' His thoughts were all jumbled together. Anne shook her head, did he want her dead?! She walked over to Mark. "Hey cutie, you OK? You look a little shaken up." He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Yeah. Yeah Mark, I'm fine. Hey, have you ever heard of the X-Files?" Mark shook his head, a confused look on his face. Then Anne took his hand and they walked out to his car. The man smoking a cigarette pulled out a cell phone. "We need to hold a meeting in New York. No, tonight; it's an emergency. Miss Taylor may know everything." With that, he put back the cell phone, lit another cigarette and walked into the crowd of people and disappeared. X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X part 1 FBI Headquarters; Washington, DC December 3, 1999 11:21 am "Got any fours?" "Nope. Go Fish." "Oh, man! Don't you have ANY cards, Scully?!" Fox Mulder reached over the desk and drew a card. "Sure I have cards, Mulder. Just not the ones you want. Now, do you have any nines?" Dana Scully smiled as Mulder grumbled and passed her a card. It had been a long week for the two FBI agents. They had just returned from a long trip to Nowhere, Iowa, had recently finished an expense report for AD Skinner, and now they were relaxing and waiting for their next assignment. "Gee Scully. Are you hustling me here? Did you minor in 'Go Fish' in medical school?" Mulder pulled from the pile as he guessed wrong again. "No actually in med school I minored in 'poker'. I minored in 'Go Fish' during my pre-med studies," She took another card from Mulder and laughed. "I win again." She pushed back her seat and kicked her feet up on her desk. Mulder got up and walked over to his desk, shuffling through some papers. "Think Skinner will give us a new assignment today?" "Probably not Mulder, we were bad remember. I mean, come on not only did you lose your own cell phone; you put a bullet in mine. I don't think we get to out and play again for awhile." Sighing, Mulder sunk into his chair and closed his eyes. "Wake me up when things change." X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X Philadelphia University 2:32 pm December 3, 1999 "Anne, come on! You're not serious are you?! You can't just run off to Washington DC because you think some weird men from the government are after you. Your mom will blow a fuse if you don't come home for her birthday!" Lucy Carl kept in stride through the massive halls with her friend. "Lucy, I don't want to hear it anymore. I've already told Mom I'm driving to my Aunt Mary's for the weekend, and that I'll see her when she gets there on Sunday. That gives me two days to find this Mulder and get some protection. Trust me OK? I know you're scared, I can feel it, and I am too, but I'll be OK." Anne reached her purse and grabbed her keys, and headed for the door. "What about Mark? He's gonna want to know where you are." Lucy ran to catch up with Anne. "Mark thinks like Mom... he thinks I'm headed to Mary's. Trust me, please?" "OK, well how do you plan to fix this?" Lucy opened the door and stepped into the unusually warm December air, heading for hers and Anne's cars. Anne thought for a minute and smiled. "I have it taken care of. I'll call you on Monday." She gave her friend a quick hug, climbed in her car and peeled out of the parking lot. "Good luck, Anne. Good luck." Lucy called to her softly, then drove home for the weekend. X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X 4 hours later; 6:35 pm FBI headquarters, outside AD Skinner's office December 3, 1999 Anne strode through the halls of the FBI building with no troubles. After separating from her tour group, she caught an elevator to the fifth floor. She took a quick look at a receptionist there, read a few thoughts, smiled and headed down the hall to AD Skinner's office. 'Skinner, huh? So, he's the big man in charge of the X-Files,' She thought to herself. As the doors opened, Anne smoothed her jacket and fixed her skirt. She wanted to look professional so that on that off chance that he would let her speak, at least she'd look decent. Above a giant double door was the name 'Walter S. Skinner, Assistant Director, FBI'. "Here goes nothing," Anne murmured as she pushed open the heavy doors. Just inside the doors was a woman behind a desk typing on a computer. She looked up and gave Anne a curious look. "Miss, are you lost? Are you supposed..." The woman started. "No, I'm not supposed to be on the tour, I'm here to see Assistant Director Skinner on a personal matter. Is he in his office?" Anne stepped closer to the secretary. "Listen miss, I don't know how you got up here but you need to go back downstairs. This level is off limits to visitors without an appointment." Anne let out a sigh. She noticed the secretary's name plate. "I'm sorry, Kimberly but I have to see Mr. Skinner. This is a matter of life and death on my part. If I don't see him and find out how I can talk to... Agents Mulder and Scully than I may die before this week is out. Now, is the Assistant Director in?" Anne spun on a heel when she heard someone make a noise in their throat. Standing in the doorway to his office was Walter Skinner with a shocked look on his face. "I'm Walter Skinner. How did you get up here..." he gestured with his hands at her. "Taylor, I'm Anne Taylor. Sir, what I have to tell you is nothing short of bizarre, I know but... I may die if I don't get someone to protect me." Anne looked scared and lost. "I should call security on you Miss Taylor, but I've seen stranger things in my days here. Please step into my office." Walter stepped aside for her. "Sir?! Are you sure this is..." Kim launched out of her chair. "I assure you, I mean no harm to Mr. Skinner." Anne called over her shoulder as she entered Skinner's office. Skinner looked at her with wild eyes, wondering what she knew. "Get Mulder and Scully up here right now. It's going to be a long night." Skinner closed the door to his office as his secretary dialed the memorized extension on her phone. X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X Basement office The phone in the office rang waking Mulder. His eyes sprung open and he reached over and picked it up, still sleepy. "Mulder. Oh, really? Why? I see, OK, we'll be right up." Mulder hung up and gave Scully a bright smile. "Let me guess. New assignment?" Scully asked not looking up from her computer. "Nope, even better. Skinner's secretary says there's a young woman upstairs in Skinner's office. She says that, from the way she was acting, it looks like it's right up our alley. Come on, Skinner wants us up there right now," Mulder grabbed his jacket and held the door open for Scully as she curiously headed for the elevator. X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X Skinner's Office "So, let me get this straight Miss Taylor," Skinner said. "Please, call me Anne. Miss Taylor sounds so... not me. Yes, to answer your unasked question I can read your mind and no, I can't explain where it came from or how I control it. It just happens. But, you see, there's more. I'm being followed; someone wants this to stop. A man and his partners want to see this end. I know this because I saw one of his men in my University a week ago and I read his mind. I had seen him once before as I had mentioned. They'll go as far as death to protect their secrets. Mr. Skinner... I don't want to die for this." Anne slouched in her chair, emotionally drained. Skinner seemed to soften at her last statement. This was a young woman scared for her life because she possessed a special power. Mulder was going to love this. "OK, Anne. The FBI is going to everything in its power to see that you stay alive. Right now, I want you to talk to two agents in a special department of the Bureau called the--" Anne cut him off. "The X-Files. You want me to talk to Agents Mulder and Scully, I know," She sat up and Skinner smiled at this amazing girl. "I'll page them to come in here. Kim," he said into the speaker of his phone, "send them in. And hold all my calls." "Yes sir," she replied and waved the two waiting into the office. Skinner stood and Anne turned around as the door to his office opened. In stepped a petite red-haired woman with a tall, lanky man at her heels. He smiled at Anne keeping his hand on the woman's back the whole time. 'Boy, he's possessive!' Anne thought to herself smiling. "Agents I'd like you to meet Anne Taylor, from Philadelphia University. She has an interesting story to tell you. Anne this is..." She held up her hand to stop Skinner. Anne extended her hand to Scully. "Agent Scully, a pleasure to meet you. As well as you Agent Mulder," She shook his hand as well. "You're wondering what I'm doing here and how I even got in here. Well, I'll tell you everything. I can read your minds. I can't even begin to explain it, but I can." Mulder sat on the edge of his chair with a satisfied look on his face, while Scully sat in her chair, hands folded with a poker face. "Well, Miss..." "Anne Please," She smiled at Scully as she looked at Anne with wonder. "Anne, can you tell me what I'm thinking right now?" Scully sat forward a little. "You don't want me to say," Anne pushed back in her seat smiling. "And why is that? I don't mind, please prove what you say you can do is true." Scully pushed this issue but Anne shook he head no. "Look, Agent Scully; I also know you want me to be tested and you can test me in any way you want but I want you to know something. There are men after me. The same men who want to shut you down Agent Mulder," Anne looked into Mulder's eyes, searching his soul. "The same men who hold the MJ Files tape from you," she looked from Mulder and over to Scully, "and the same men who killed your sister and not you." She looked back at Mulder. "They want me dead because I know their secrets. They want me dead because they didn't want me to come to you, Agent Mulder," Anne sighed and looked at Mulder then to Skinner then to Scully and back to Mulder. "They want me dead because they know I can answer all the questions in the X-Files... including Samantha's whereabouts." Mulder looked at Anne as she slumped in her seat her head in her hands softly sobbing. Scully knelt next to her and took her in her arms softly rocking the crying young woman. Skinner motioned to Mulder. They walked into the corner of the office. "Think she's the real deal or should we test her further?" Skinner whispered. "If this is true, Sir, she's the biggest asset in the Bureau," Mulder looked over at Scully holding Anne at arms length talking in hushed voices. "We can't let her die, that's out of the question. But, how can we protect her and still use her abilities?" Skinner shrugged and turned when Scully gasped. Scully got up and walked over to her superior and her partner. "Sir, this is going to sound so bizarre coming from me but..." Scully looked at Mulder with a look of defeat in her eyes. "She's the real thing. She can read my mind like nothing. She's got something not even young Gibson Praise had. He could read words in minds. She can do that and read emotions. I think we have something that can prove to be an advantage and a danger. Mulder, we have to protect her. No one can know about this." Both men looked at her and nodded. They were on a new mission. X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X AD Skinner's office 6:32 am Anne was asleep in her chair while Mulder, Scully and Skinner poured over their latest idea. "Mulder this is nuts! We can't just make her into an FBI agent. Where will she live? She can't work with you two, someone will find out," Skinner got up and paced around the table. "There has to be something else." "She can live with Scully sir," Mulder looked at his partner and she nodded. "I know people who can make up this stuff and make it look like she graduated from Quantico at anytime. You always said the X-Files needed more people. Sir," Mulder got up and stood behind his chair. "This young woman could be the key to everything Scully and I have been searching for in the last six years. Let us try this. Let us protect her." Skinner and Mulder stared each other down while Scully rolled her eyes. She knew Skinner would never go for it even though Mulder knew the Lone Gunmen could make her to an FBI agent. Finally Skinner looked away and silently nodded. "No one knows. You have to make Anne Taylor disappear and someone new come around. I'll help you all that I can Agent Mulder... but it's your hide if it all goes to Hell. Are we clear?" Skinner questioned. Mulder nodded and looked down at Scully in her seat. They both smiled. And Anne smiled in her seat, waking up from her slumber. "Well, come on kid. Let's make you into an FBI agent," Mulder led the two women out of the office and to the garage. Scully took Anne in her car. She was taking her to get her new clothes and new hairstyle. Mulder was headed to the Lone Gunman's office to create a new FBI agent. Mulder looked Anne over and his eyes landed on a small medallion hanging from her neck. He reached over and held it up in his hand. The small silver medallion had a tiny diamond chip in it with the word "Hope" engraved in it. "What..." "Hope in life, love and everything I believe it," Anne responded to the unasked question. Mulder nodded and got in his car. Scully shut her door and looked at Anne. "Back in the office you read my mind and you told me what I was thinking. That has to stay between us, OK?" Scully pulled out of the parking garage as Anne smiled. "OK, but maybe you should say something. I read his mind too you know." Anne simply left it at that. end part 1 X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X part 2 Scully's apartment 1:15 pm December 4, 1999 Anne stared at the reflection in the mirror. She had transformed from a blonde with hip length hair to a brunette with shoulder length curls. She sighed on the verge of tears. This was not what she had planned to happen when she came to Washington. She just wanted protection, not a new life. Scully emerged from the bathroom with a small mirror and a bag of new make up. Hanging from the door was a navy blue pants suit and a dark burgundy blouse. They had been all over town looking for something Anne could wear that would be appropriate for the Bureau. "Sit on the edge of the bed and we can try out this new make up. Mulder wants me to make you look old enough to get into the Bureau," Scully smiled remembering when she entered the Bureau. She continued with the applications. "You mother and father are going to be looking for you soon won't they?" Anne nodded. "They think I'm in Arlington with my aunt. They'll know by Sunday that I'm not. It'll be a few days before Agent Mulder releases something to the press though right?" Anne closed her eyes as Scully worked on eye-shadow. "He says he'll wait a week before he does anything about that. Let the local police do some investigating then we'll step in and tell them there was an unfortunate accident," Scully saw a sad look on the young woman's face. "Is there someone you miss back home?" She nodded in affirmative. "My best friend, Mark. He's going to be devastated. I've known him for over fifteen years. My "death" will hurt him so much," She opened her eyes and looked at Scully. "Agent Scully--" "Dana please," Scully said as she lightly put on some blush. "Dana, how long will this have to go on?" She knew the answer and even though she wanted it to end, it didn't have to come to that. "Well, until we can stop them or, until those men are dead," Scully handed her the mirror and smiled. "Mission accomplished," Anne looked at her new face and smiled. She did look older. "It's not too hard so you should be able to do it every morning." She went back to the bathroom when the phone rang. Scully went into the living room while Anne closed the door to change into her new clothes. The other five outfits were in the other room where she would be sleeping. "Hello," Scully answered. "Scully it's me," Scully smiled at the sound of Mulder's voice. "I think we're on a roll over here. Meet me back at the office around say 2 and we can get the approval from the director then go see Skinner?" "Sounds good. I just finished with her wardrobe and make up. All I need now is a name for her. Are her parents looking for her yet?" "No, not yet. She's of legal age so it will be a few days before her parents go looking," Mulder told her. "Yeah, she told me something about her parents coming to Arlington on Sunday, so we have three days to think of something to tell the papers and the police. Her poor parents," Scully shook her head. "Well, we'll see you in about an hour, OK?" "OK," Mulder disconnected and turned to the Gunmen. "How we doing?" He looked at the monitor at the face of an older looking Anne Taylor. "Almost done, Mulder. We just need a name here and she's done," Byers looked up at Mulder. "I'm still thinking. This looks pretty through. Thanks a lot guys, I really owe you." Langly came up next to Mulder. "What is this all about though, Mulder? Why protect the kid?" "I can't explain it, but I know she's the real thing. Even Scully can feel and see it." Frohike was taken aback. "The enigmatic Dr. Scully believes it?" Mulder smiled and nodded. "Wow, then it for real, isn't it, Mulder?" "Yeah, I think it is; even more then the Praise kid. Listen, I need that file transferred into the Bureau permanent records now." "I need a name Mulder," Byers said. Mulder closed his eyes for a moment. Then he smiled. X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X AD Skinner's office 3:34 pm December 4, 1999 'Well, I'm surprised to hear that the director has approved this so quickly and even more surprised that she's out in the hall as an Agent.' Skinner thought to himself. "Kim, could you send in Agents Mulder and Scully and their new co-worker," Skinner said into his intercom. He stood up as the door opened and in walked Scully with Mulder at her heels. "Sir," Mulder began. "I'd like you to meet the newest addition to the X-Files: Special Agent Hope Carter," Mulder motioned at the door and she stepped into the office. Skinner's jaw dropped a little at the sight of the woman. He could not believe they had pulled it off. She stood about 5'7" in heels and she wore a simple dark blue pants suit, similar to something Scully would wear. Her hair was impeccable half clipped up. She carried herself well and yet he had to remember that she was not an FBI agent, but a 20 year old college student. But the thing that shocked him the most was when she spoke. "Good morning, Mr. Skinner, as Agent Mulder said I am Hope Carter and I have been brought in on the X-Files from London," She spoke with a soft and accurate British accent, making her sound older. "I am extremely impressed Agents. You have worked wonders in such little time. It's a shame you can't be commended," Scully smiled and Mulder looked at their creation. Hope looked at Skinner and gave him a satisfied look. "Agent Carter, I would like to give a debriefing of some procedures, if you'd like." Skinner said. "That would be wonderful, sir." Hope said. She learned quickly that even in closed rooms, Anne did not exist anymore. Skinner slid a driver's license, social security card, badge and gun across the table. "Under no circumstances are you to fire this weapon. You do not yet know how to handle it. Agent Scully is one of the best marksmen in the Bureau, you will learn from her. Until I get the OK from her, you are not to take the safety off of it. Do we have an understanding?" "Yes, I believe we do sir." Hope replied. "Agent Mulder will tell you more of the role later this evening. What would you like us to do until you're done with her tour, sir?" Scully inquired. "Well, you both did have the day off, considering the phones you broke, Mulder," Mulder shrank in his chair. "There is no new case as of now, so you two can get out of here. Agent Carter will have a Bureau car by the end of the day as well as her own phone." "Which I'm sure I will take better care of than Agent Mulder does," Hope threw him a glance and he groaned. "Great, another sarcastic G-Woman with me. I feel so out numbered with these two women." Mulder rose from his chair and headed for the door. Scully smiled and handed Hope a slip of paper. "These are my cell phone and home numbers plus directions back to my apartment in case you get lost." "Thank you, all of you. So, how about that information?" Skinner smiled. "How about lunch Scully?" Mulder yelled as he exited the office. He looked back to see her nodding and smiling. It was going to be an interesting next few weeks with their new agent. end part 2 X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X part 3 Scully's apartment 9:16 pm "She'll call if she gets lost. Mulder you have to calm down. I'm sure Anne-- I mean Hope is fine," Scully was seated on her couch nursing a half bottle of beer. Mulder was holding his own bottle and pacing around the room. "She doesn't know her way around Washington and we have no idea to know where she is." Mulder took his seat next to Scully and stretched out his feet. "If you had stayed in the office a little longer, you'd have known that I gave her my cell phone number and directions back to my apartment just in case she got lost. She is 20 years old you know," Scully smiled as Mulder swung his head to look at her. They looked into each other's eyes for a few moments till Scully broke the silence. "What is it, Mulder?" She remembered what Anne had said earlier about how she had also read Mulder's mind in Skinner's office. Mulder looked her face over and smiled his lopsided smile at her. "Have I ever told you that I think you're beautiful, Scully?" Scully was taken aback. 'It's the beer, it's the beer.' She kept telling herself. "Mulder..." She said softly. That was it, he had crossed the line. No going back. Mulder smiled at her and moved a little closer. "I'm serious, Scully. Why is it so hard for you to believe that I think you are so beautiful?" "Mulder, we're partners in crime. I guess I've never thought about it a whole lot." She didn't lean any closer, but she didn't lean back either. She could remember being in this position once before with a Mulder look-a-like. This was her Mulder though this time. Mulder moved even closer and draped his arm around her on the back of the couch, his face mere inches from hers. "You're afraid "I'm" going to burst through the door any second aren't you?" Scully nodded. "Well, I'm not. I'm right here with my reason for living. I distinctly remember telling this wonderful and beautiful woman, not one month ago, that she was my constant, my touchstone. She means the world to me; I want to love her." Scully felt the heat rise in her cheeks and the tears in her eyes threatening to fall down her face. "And I remember telling that man that he is also mine. I meant every word. He is the only one I trust and I want to love him too." Her tears fell. It took almost seven years, but they were finally there. Mulder's hands came up and framed her face. He leaned close to her face and softly kissed away her tears. He pulled back and looked at her shining eyes. Scully put her small hand on the back of his neck and gently pulled him to her. Their lips met in a soft, almost chaste kiss. They both pulled out of their first kiss and smiled. "I love you, Scully," Mulder whispered to her. Scully smiled and whispered back, "I love you too," He kissed her softly but was stopped when a small screech came from the hall. They both jumped up and Mulder reached for his gun. The door knob turned and in stepped Hope Carter with a grin from ear to ear, knowing exactly what had been going on in the apartment. She strode over to the chair, removed her jacket and crashed on the chair. Mulder stared at her while Scully sheepishly looked around the room. "I love being right. God, seven years huh? That's a long time for best friends not to say those three magic words. It's cool though, Mark and I have known each other practically all our lives and we've never done anything." "Well thank you for your approval on this "Agent Carter". I forgot that I have to deal with Scully and a mind reader now," Mulder went into the kitchen with a groan. "And this was my idea!" He called as he put on a pot of coffee. Both women laughed. "So how did it go?" Scully sat on the edge of the couch, looking at a very tired Hope. "Not as good as things went here I take it," Hope threw her a sly smile. Scully blushed. "But, Skinner is nice. Kinda long winded but he's a good man. He's hiding something, but I'll have to get to that later. I parked the car next to yours. It's the black Jetta. Real nice car. Anyway, I'll leave you two alone, I'm going to bed. We can talk more in the morning." She got up to go to her bedroom to crash for the night. She was half way down the hall when she turned to see Mulder handing Scully a cup of coffee and sitting back down on the couch. "I assume, Mulder, that someone will call you over in the morning... or are you staying here the night?" She winked and ducked as Mulder tossed a pillow in her direction. The door to her room shut and locked, and Mulder moved to put his arm around Scully. She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "She's a piece of work, Scully." "Yeah but she knows us so well already. So, Mulder," she looked up at him staring at her hair. "are you going to spend the night?" She had a gleam in her eyes as he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Yes I am. But, I was planning on curling up on this couch with you and holding you all night long." He grabbed the blanket that was on the top of the couch, covering both their bodies. "That was my exact thought. How ever did you know?" Scully smiled and leaned into his chest. "I think I'm developing Anne's ESP... or I just know you too well," He kissed her head and both agents drifted into a comfortable sleep in each others arms. In the next room, Anne laid in her bed smiling. She grabbed her small medallion. "Hope" it read. She felt a tear run down her cheek and it landed on her pillow. Anne was no more, she was Hope until it was safe to go home. If only she could have told her parents. If only she could see Mark again. In the back of her head, she felt something was wrong. She couldn't place it, but it wasn't good, and she didn't know how to fix it. X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X 8:42 am December 4, 1999 Hope awoke and slowly walked into the living room. Mulder and Scully were no where to be found. She crept back down the hall, and quietly opened Scully's door. Scully was laying on the bed and facing the door. Mulder had his arms around her waist, spooning her body while Scully tightly held his hands. Hope smiled; she had never seen two more content people. She quietly went back into the kitchen and hunted through the cabinets until she found tea bags. She sat at the counter while her water boiled then went and curled up on the couch with a book she found in her bedroom. Ten minutes later, Mulder opened Scully's door and walked into the living room where Hope was reading. "Hey you. Don't you believe in coffee in the morning?" Mulder walked into the kitchen and began to brew some coffee. "No, my parents drink it but I can't stand it." She sipped her tea and laid down her book. She could sense that Mulder wanted to have a talk. He stood and watched the coffee until it was done, then he came in and sat on the chair across from Hope. "So, I'll bet you already know what I want to talk about, huh?" He asked her, sipping his hot coffee and settling into the chair. Hope nodded and set down her mug, ready to talk. "It's hard to pinpoint when it all began, I'm beginning to think I've possessed this all my life. My parents don't know what it is. For the past eleven years my dad has wanted me to go see some sort of doctor, but my mom has refused. The first time I remember reading someone's mind was when I was about five. My mom was pregnant and I was young so I didn't even really know what that meant. It was early in her pregnancy, so she wasn't showing. One day I simply asked her why she was hiding the fact that she was pregnant. I'll never forget the look on her face. She was shocked that I knew, and she asked me if I had been listening to hers and Dad's conversations. From then on out I did it when ever I wanted." Mulder looked at her with amazement. "Did your friends know? I mean did you ever tell them?" "Yeah, but only Mark and my other best friend, Lucy Carl. I've known her for about ten years. Lucy came over the day after I first came in contact with the smoking man. I told her everything and she started remembering times when she thought something was weird with me. I never used it to hurt anyone, it's just there." Hope sipped her tea and switched positions in her chair. "Have any doctors ever been able to explain it?" "No, as I said, Mom would never let Dad take me to a doctor. Mom didn't want to hear that I had brain cancer or something and that I was going to die." Mulder paled as she mentioned the cancer. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize it was such a sore subject. I'm glad that everything worked out for Dana though. She has such a strong soul." Mulder smiled at her. Anne was an amazing woman, who's life was threatened because of a precious gift she possessed. "You knew about--" he gestured to the bedroom. Hope nodded and smiled. "I knew the minute you two walked into Skinner's that something more was there. I could feel it." Hope stopped and looked over Mulder's shoulder. Scully emerged from the bedroom and shuffled into the kitchen without a word. "She's not a morning person I guess, huh?" Hope asked. Mulder began laughing and nodding his head. Scully gave him a smug smile from the kitchen. He leapt up and ran into the kitchen giving her a quick kiss on the cheek and refilled his coffee cup. "I heard you two talking out here. It's an interesting story about the power she possesses. How do you plan to use it to our advantage?" Scully glanced at Hope who was once again engrossed in the book. "Well, she claims to be able to control it so, I was thinking about taking her down to the office today and seeing what we can do." He smiled but Scully groaned. "It's Saturday, Mulder! Skinner's not even in the office. What are we going to do all day in the office?" Scully gulped her caffeine fix down. Mulder gave her a devilish look. "I could think of a few things," He glanced into the living room to see Hope grimacing, then she looked up and smiled. "Don't mind me, I can't really hear you!" Mulder rolled his eyes and put down his coffee cup. "I have to get home. I'll meet you at the office around eleven and we can put her to the test. I'll even take you both out to dinner tonight to make up for it, okay?" He gave Scully his puppy dog look and pouted. "Mulder..." she began but he silenced her by kissing her quickly on the lips and running to the door. "Good day ladies, I shall see you in a while!" And then he was gone. "Man," Hope said, looking at the slammed door. She swung around and looked at Scully. "he has it bad." She smiled and Scully began laughing. "Come on, we have to eat and get ready. Want some eggs?" Hope nodded and came into the small kitchen. "Yes, I do love him," Hope said as Scully went for the eggs. She popped her head up with a confused look. "You were wondering how I felt about Mark, and I love him. I have for years. Ever since we were juniors in high school. I was just too afraid to tell him. Now I may never get to." She sighed and rested her head in her hands watching Scully make the scrambled eggs. "Sweetie, I know it's hard. I mean look at me and Mulder. It took us almost seven years to get this far, and we're adults. Your time with Mark will come. You're his best friend, he just may feel the same way. Here you go." She placed some eggs on a plate and took the seat next to her. "Thanks. And yeah, I like this female bonding thing. I was never close to my mom and you're like the big sister I never had." Hope took a bite of her eggs and looked over at Scully who was smiling brightly. "Melissa, my older sister, died for Mulder's and my cause. I never had a younger sister. Looks like you're gonna make up for that. And I also haven't had a roommate since I went to Quantico, so this is really nice." They both smiled and went about their breakfast, discussing plans for Hope to learn her aim and how Mulder was planning to make Anne Taylor disappear. Two hours later, both female agents were ready to get going. They went downstairs and Scully got her first look at Hope's new car. "Did you say something really nice to Skinner? This car is absolutely adorable!" Hope smiled and slid into the car. "Want to go in one car? I'll drive." "Sure why not?" Scully got into the passenger seat and they headed to the office, and to Agent Carter's first day with the FBI. end part 3 X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X part 4 1:56 pm Basement Office Scully hunted through the fourth filing cabinet while Mulder sat in a chair across from Carter. "If I had you seven years ago, they may have never sent in Scully." He buried his nose back in a file. He suddenly felt something hit his head. Scully had thrown an empty tissue box at his head. "And I'm damned glad you didn't come around till now!" Scully smiled, satisfied. Carter laughed and turned back to the tenth file she was reading. "I cannot believe that there is more then one case about flesh eating ladybugs." "How do you know there are more then one?" Mulder put down his folder and looked at her. "Scully just read about one about ten minutes ago while she was cleaning the cabinets. Didn't you?" Scully nodded as she sneezed from the amount of dust in the room. "She's right," Her eyes were red and watery. "Excuse me, I'll be back in a minute or two." Scully headed for the door and down the hall. "Allergies," Mulder told her. "That's why this place is a mess. She can't do it and I just don't." They both smiled. Mulder put on his glasses and got back to work. Scully came back into the office a few minutes later, concern written all over her face. "Oh, no!" Hope launched out of her chair to face Scully. "Mulder, Skinner just called my cell phone. First off, you must have touched something because there is no phone service in this office," Mulder looked behind the filing cabinet and sure enough, there were three loose cables. He shrugged. "There's more. Skinner just checked in with the DC police. Hope, I don't know what they're going to do, but your parents are already looking for you." "But it's Saturday! This isn't happening." She sat back down, trying to decide what to do. "The police officer who called said that the call came in from Philadelphia from your mother..." Scully looked at Mulder and he knew. "They're on their way down." "The police will turn it over to the Bureau. If we plan this right, Scully, one of us could find the body in a federal building." "Oh, Mulder that's insane. We'd attract too much attention." Scully sat down at her desk, pondering the thoughts. "Yes, but he's on the right track. One of you have to find the body so that it CAN be turned over to the Bureau." She paused and thought about it. Drowning? The Potomac! "Mulder! What if you were going to meet an informant, and you found my drowned body?!" Scully grimaced at the thought of finding her body. "Your parents would want to ID it. How are we going to do that?" "Reconstruction," Mulder said. The other two looked over at him. "If I remember correctly, the body from out last case is still in the morgue. She's a blonde... all we would have to do it make it look like a drowned victim, a little makeup, some ID scar or something and it's Anne Taylor." Scully looked at him like he had grown two heads. "Mulder, that's illegal and immoral." She shook her head. "When can you have it done by Scully?" Mulder crossed the room to the door with his keys. Scully groaned and got up. "I lose again," She followed him out, Carter right behind her. X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X December 5, 1999 midnight Potomac River "We're all in position Carter. You in the car?" Mulder had his new cell phone to his ear as he watched Scully gaze out into the water at the floating body. "I'm here Mulder. I'm gonna move back though, about five blocks. I don't want anyone to see me. Call me when you're ready to get out of there." With that, Carter started the engine, cut the connection and drove down the street. Back at the river, Scully pulled out her cell phone. "Here comes the moment of truth," She dialed 911. "Yes, this is Special Agent Dana Scully with the FBI. I'm near the beltway on the banks of the Potomac with Agent Fox Mulder. Requesting back up on a possible drowned victim," She paused and listened. "About 100 feet out. Agent Mulder is in the water now, swimming out to victim. Yes, I'm a medical doctor. Once the victim is on shore, I'm going to begin CPR. I need an ambulance," She paused again. "You'll see the flares from the road." She disconnected the phone and yelled out to Mulder. "Get her in here Mulder, the paramedics are on the way. Mulder grabbed the body and dragged her to the shore. "Damn, I didn't think such a tiny person would be so heavy!" He pulled out her wallet and keys. "Her other car is around the corner. The whole thing is set up to go," He looked up to see red lights in the distance. "Here they come." "Call Skinner. We're going to need him here." Scully opened her shirt and began CPR. "Sir, it's Agent Mulder. Yes, I know it's after midnight but Agent Scully and I need you down on the banks of the Potomac near the Beltway. I was out here to meet an informant and we found a body in the river, we need you down here. Yes, this is it, sir," Mulder hung up and looked at Scully. "He's on his way." "She's dead, Mulder." She stated this loud enough so that the approaching paramedics could hear. "What happened here?" One young man asked Scully. She could now see that the police had been called. It was exactly what Mulder had wanted to happen. "Drowning, possible suicide. No injuries other than the fact that her lungs are filled up with water. She could have been in the water for a short as three hours and up to four days." A police officer walked over to Mulder as Scully stood up. "I'm Officer Peter Dawson with the DCPD. What happened here?" Mulder pulled out his badge along with Scully. "Agents Mulder and Scully with the FBI. We were following up on a lead, and my partner noticed a strange movement in the water. She was just floating out there." Scully nodded in affirmative to Mulder's story. "I see. Was there any ID?" Mulder turned over a plastic bag with Anne's old wallet, and another bag containing a set of keys. Dawson pulled out gloves and opened the bag and wallet. His eyes got wide as he read the name. "Oh, no. This isn't happening." At that moment Skinner walked up to Scully's side. "I'm Assistant Director Walter Skinner with the FBI, I'm these agents superior. They called me down here to help them out." "Skinner, you say? I spoke to you yesterday about a case from the VCS. Officer Dawson," Skinner nodded in recognition. "About that young woman I told you about yesterday; this is her. Your agents found her drowned in the river." Skinner looked over at the body as it was zipped up in a body bag. "Agents, I suggest you head on over to the Police Department and file a report. I'll handle things from here on out," He turned to leave but looked back. "Where's Agent Carter?" "In the car. She stayed back to watch for trouble, sir." Scully said as she pulled out her cell phone to call her. "Come get us, we have to go to the PD." DCPD 1:15 am December 5, 1999 Carter sat in the waiting area while Mulder and Scully sat in an office filling out a formal report about the incident. 'I'm dead,' she thought to herself. 'Anne is no more. What are my parents going to think?' She shifted in her seat. She was so tired. An officer came up to her. She looked up to see him smiling, offering her a cup of coffee. She accepted. "You look like you could use this." He sat next to Carter as she sipped the coffee. She looked at him and smiled; he had brewed it fresh for her. "I'm Kevin Wright, domestic violence." He offered his hand. She shook it and smiled. "Agent Hope Carter, FBI. I'm waiting for my partners to finish filling out a report." "Ah, the ones that found the body in the river, huh? Tough luck for the family." Kevin looked into the office. 'You have no idea Wright.' She thought to herself. He seemed nice, but something was on his mind... "The parents just got here. They're out in the lobby." Wright jumped as she spit the coffee out. "That bad?" He looked at her with wry smile. She stared at him aghast. "The parents are here?! And a young man?" Carter inquired. "The parents are here, did I say there was young man there? Well, there is but I don't remember saying that." He shook his head. "How long have they been here?" "Long enough to ID the body and realize their daughter is dead," He shook his head again. "She was only 20 years old. The young man... I think the mother called him Mark... started sobbing. Poor guy," He looked up. "There are your partners. Maybe I'll see you around, Carter." Wright smiled and left. "Whoa, what happened here?" Mulder walked around the coffee she had spit out. "They're here! My... Anne's parents are here." Carter stood up and looked around, hoping for a way out. "Well then, I guess this is the best opportunity to see how you pass as Hope Carter." Mulder took her by the arm and directed her toward the lobby. "Mulder! She's not ready for this." Scully caught up to divert them. "No, Dana, he's right. It's time." Hope fell in stide behind Mulder, and next to Scully. X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X Out in the hall, Mark Douglas was pacing back and forth in front of John and Elizabeth Taylor. He stopped when he heard the doors close behind the three FBI agents. His eyes swept over the tall male agent and shorter female agent, and stopped on the other female agent, his face going pale as he saw her. "Mr. and Mrs. Taylor?" John nodded as he held his sobbing wife. "I'm Agent Fox Mulder with the FBI, and these are my partners Dana Scully and Hope Carter. I wanted to extend my sympathies toward your loss." Mark kept staring at Hope. She knew what he was thinking. If only she could say something. "Thank you Agent Mulder. I understand it was you that found out daughter." "Yes, Agent Scully tried to revive her, but we were unsuccessful," Scully looked at Mulder as he continued. "Again, I'm terribly sorry Mr. and Mrs. Taylor." Elizabeth looked up for the first time and gasped, looking at Hope. Carter tried to look away but she couldn't. "I'm sorry, but you have a striking resemblance to my daughter." John looked at Hope then back at his wife. Hope couldn't take the pain. An officer came in soaked; this was her opportunity to leave. "I'm going to go get the car, Mulder. It's raining." Hopefully her accent threw them off. As she walked past Mark she stopped and their eyes connected. Her heart began to break and she strode from the Police Department to the car in the pouring rain. She pulled the car up and climbed into the back seat, waiting for Mulder and Scully to come out. She laid her head in her hands and softly sobbed. Five minutes passed and they came out. Mulder got behind the wheel and Scully came into the back seat, instinctively taking Hope into her arms. "He loves me, Dana. He loves me and I didn't get to tell him. I'll never get to tell him!" She sobbed uncontrollably as Mulder drove toward Scully's apartment. She made eye contact with him in the rear view mirror, and Mulder could see the unshed tears in her eyes. Thirty minutes later, Mulder pulled up to her apartment. The rain had stopped. He stepped out and opened the back door, unhooking Hope's belt and taking her sleeping form in his arms. Scully walked ahead of them and opened the door. Once in the apartment, Mulder carried Carter into her room and gently laid her on the bed. Her eyes were swollen and red from crying. He looked her and smiled a sad smile, gently covering her pant suit clad body with a blanket. Scully was standing in the middle of the apartment when he came out. They stood staring at each other for about a minute. Then Scully spoke. "Oh my God, what have we done Mulder?" He could tell that she was emotionally drained as her body began to teeter to one side. In three long strides, he was by her side, his arms around her small frame. She began to sob; sob for Anne, for Hope, for John, Elizabeth and Mark, and for Mulder. He shed his coat and eased hers off her shoulders. Mulder guided her to the couch and sat them down. Scully had stopped crying and looked up at him. "Mulder, I..." He silenced her by placing a finger to her mouth. "Tomorrow, we'll talk about it tomorrow. Just lay your head on my shoulder and go to sleep." With that, she laid back and fell into a deep sleep. Minutes later, Mulder also fell fast asleep, Scully in his arms. end part 4 X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X part 5 10 days later London, England "You think the boy is a threat? Where is your head old man? He means nothing to us." The First Elder sat in a corner watching the Cigarette Smoking Man involved in his favorite pastime. "He is Anne's best friend. And in addition to that he was there when I first realized who she was and what she possessed," he said as he puffed on his cigarette. "Anne is dead," one of the Elders pointed out. The cigarette man turned around, giving him a small smile. "I smell the work of Fox Mulder here. I don't think Anne Taylor is dead. And I won't think it until I put a bullet in her myself," he lit another cigarette and continued. "Now, Douglas is the key to all this. Take him and you find her. She'll go anywhere for him. You know what to do." Another man dressed in dark clothing and dark gloves approached the cigarette man. He took the envelope with Mark Douglas's information in it. "It will be done," and with that, Alex Krycek walked out of the London offices and got into a car for the airport to board a plane to the states; specifically Philadelphia. X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X December 16, 1999 FBI Headquarters, Basement 11:21 am Mulder was coming down the elevator when he heard a crash in the office. He broke into a run and opened the door of the office. He found Scully on the floor in a heap with Carter reaching for her, both women hysterically laughing. "I don't want to know, do I?" he asked them. "She was on the chair... a dusty one... and she fell." Carter told him through gasps for air. "I think I hurt my ego more than my ass. Help me, Carter." Carter helped Scully to her feet and both went back to work on an expense report that Mulder had failed to fill out. Mulder and Scully had gone to Virginia to check out a case on a woman who claimed to be an alien abductee. Carter had told them that it was a hoax, but they went anyway. When they'd returned, three days later, Carter thought they looked... relaxed. She'd groaned loudly when they'd entered Scully's apartment, guilt written all over their minds. "I don't want to know!" She had yelled at them. "You have got to stop getting roommates that can read minds, Scully," Mulder told her, his arm casually around her waist. But now, back in the office, Hope sat in a chair across from Scully, her own mind somewhere else. "Hey, did you mark down the hotel faucet Mulder broke, Carter?" Scully asked her. Hope didn't answer. Scully looked over at Mulder who was now watching her as well. "Yo, Earth to Agent Carter!" Mulder yelled. She looked up, her eyes telling everything. "Something is wrong, I mean really wrong. Skinner is..." there was a knock at the door. "at the door," Carter finished. "Come in, sir," Mulder called. Skinner walked in with a surprised look on his face. He looked over at Carter. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. Both Skinner and Carter's faces went dark. "Agents, I have some disturbing news for all three of you." Mulder got up and stood next to him, listening intently. Scully stood up behind her desk, listening. While Carter sunk down in her chair, wanting to cry all over again. "What is it, sir?" Mulder inquired. "I just received word from a source that flight number 823 from London landed in Philadelphia two hours ago," Skinner explained to them. "The flight was carrying Alex Krycek." Mulder's face darkened and Scully paled. "Are you sure?" asked Scully. "Yes, I'm sure," Skinner responded. "I have sources of my own, Agent Scully." Scully just looked at him suspiciously. "What could that rat bastard want in Philadelphia?" Mulder began to pace the room. "He's after Mark Douglas. And from what I know now, he's already got him." Skinner looked over at Carter who was in shock. "Carter?" "No, no. I'm all right, well not all right, but--" She was at a loss for words. Mulder stopped and looked at Skinner. "Why him? They think Anne Taylor is dead anyway. Why would they want Douglas?" Scully answered for him. "We found her, Mulder. It has our work written all over it. They probably think this is all a cover-up and by taking the one thing that will bring it out away, well," she threw her arms up as in frustration. "Scully is right, Mulder. His plan for killing Anne went wrong, and the smoking man knows that Mark Douglas is her weakness. He wants Anne dead, and you two finding her body wasn't enough," Skinner tried to explain. "Carter, how are you doing?" "Not so good. Will they hurt Mark?" It was the one thing she couldn't allow to happen. She loved him, and he loved her. Having him die would end her world. "I don't know. Probably not right away. They want you," Mulder turned back to Skinner. "What now, sir?" "They'll kill her if they find her, you told me that yourself, Agent Carter. You two should go to Philadelphia and do some looking around," he told them. "Oh no! You go to Philadelphia, and I go with you. You have to take me with you." Carter stood up and walked over to Mulder. "Very well, I'll have Kim book four flights to Philly." Skinner headed for the office door. "Four, Sir?" asked a confused Mulder. "I'm way too involved in this little covert affair not to accompany you and cover all of your asses, Agent Mulder." The trio looked at their superior and could only nod in agreement. X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X 4:32 pm Philadelphia International Airport outside Mulder jumped into the front seat, Skinner in the passenger seat with Carter and Scully in the back with a file. "According to this, Mark was last seen in the parking lot of the University. He was attacked and taken. There is a witness, and the cops are questioning him. No one knew what was going on till it was too late." Carter flipped through the file, worried for her friend. "How do I get to the University, Carter?" Mulder asked. "Just follow Broad till you get to Henry. Take Henry till it crosses School House Lane and you'll be in University Park." Mulder nodded as Hope gave him the directions. They drove in silence, except for the occasional sigh. When they got onto Henry Avenue, Hope's breath caught in her throat. She could feel Mark. He was so close. "He's on the campus! Mulder, they didn't take him far!" "Why wouldn't they take him far? If Krycek took him, he took him farther than the University campus," Mulder argued. "She's right, Mulder," Skinner agreed, "Krycek wants us to think he's taken him off campus. But if he stays nearby, there's less likelihood of him being observed." He rounded the corner and drove down School House Lane to the main complex building. He parked and the four agents walked into the building like four dark angels in trench coats. Skinner reached the information desk first. He pulled out his badge, as did the other three agents. "My name is Walter Skinner, I phoned earlier from the FBI in Washington..." The woman nodded. "Mr. Amend is waiting for you in conference room 215. Go up the stairs and to the right. It'll be the forth door on the left," she smiled politely then went back to her work. Mulder led the way up the stair, Carter in the back, her mind searching for Mark. Once at 215, Mulder knocked and a deep male voice answered. Roger Amend stood and shook each of the agents' hands. He was a tall man with thick gray hair, in his early fifties. "Agents, Director Skinner, I'm glad you got here so quickly. As you can see from the quiet campus, murder followed by a kidnapping is not common." "When did Mark Douglas disappear Mr. Amend?" Scully asked. "His roommates last saw him late Wednesday night. They reported him missing yesterday morning. The police must have contacted you this morning, right Director Skinner?" Skinner nodded in affirmative. "Yes, well, this is not good. His parents are extremely upset and the same goes for the Taylor family. I assume they were close?" Carter spoke with her new English accent, "The Taylor girl and Douglas grew up together. Douglas came to Washington after we found her body." Mulder watched her speak. She was so calm, but he knew that she was not OK. Mulder turned back to Amend. "Can we take a look around campus? We'd like to get an idea of what may have taken place." "Yes, whatever we here at the University can do to help, feel free to simply ask. The Philadelphia Police are in the dorm, they do know that you are interested in the case," He led them to the door. "Thank you again, agents. I do so hope you find the young man." "We'll do everything we can, Mr. Amend," Scully told him. As they walked down the halls, Carter led the way. She felt something no one else could. "What do you feel, Carter?" Mulder asked her. "Mark wasn't taking any chemistry classes this semester, yet..." she stopped and turned around, going down a flight of stairs. "Carter, if this is too much for you--" Skinner told her, but she stopped him by holding up her hand. "No, I have to find him. I don't know who this Alex Krycek is, but he has caused pain to all your lives and now he wants to cause pain to me. I can't let him hurt Mark," she continued down the hall of science labs, Mulder, Scully and Skinner peeking their heads into every room. "Are you sure he's here, Hope?" Scully asked her. She thought she smelled sulfur somewhere, but she couldn't find it. "He's here, and I smell the sulfur too, Scully." Scully whirled around and both women smiled. Carter stopped and turned around slowly. "That one, he's in there." She whispered. Mulder and Skinner both drew their guns. "Carter, no matter what happens, do not pull that trigger. You could kill any one of us," Skinner told her. Carter nodded and peered into the room. One the far end of the room, a bright blue flame was burning on a lab table. Carter and Mulder walked over and looked around it. "What is this stuff?" Mulder asked, inhaling the fumes. "He's burning some sort of sulfur compound," Scully informed him. "Without seeing the chemicals, I can't be sure what though." Skinner nodded to Scully who nudged the door open with her shoulder. 'I see him,' she mouthed to them. Carter nodded. They all sat for a second trying to decide what to do. Then Carter knew what she had to do. She stood and strode over to door. Scully, furious at her stupidity, grabbed her and pulled her back. "What the hell are you doing?!" she hissed at Hope. "He won't kill me, Dana. It's ME he wants. I'm going in." Carter's eyes were serious and determined. Dana shook her head, furious at herself for the decision she was about to make, and pulled Carter's gun out of her holster. "Aim low, the legs if you can. Then we won't have to deal with as much blood." Carter stood up. She knew Skinner was mad at Scully for letting her use the gun, but she had no choice. She strode into the room. Mark was in a chair in the center of the room tied up with his head to his chest. He looked up and gasped. "Good, god... what are you doing here..." Carter cut him off. "Agent Carter, FBI. I need you to be quiet. I'm going to get you out of here." Mark thought he'd seen a ghost, his lovely ghost. He turned around watching her untie him. "He's behind you, you know?" He whispered. "I know," Carter told him. She stood up and turned to face Mark's kidnapper. "So, you're Alex Krycek." "You could say that, Agent Carter. Or is that not your name? I'm a little confused." Krycek said with a smile. Carter shrugged and she shoved Mark into the room to Mulder. "You OK Douglas?" Mark wanted to go back in to hear the rest of the conversation. Why didn't he think her name was Carter? Mark nodded, "I have a few cuts but I'll live. What are you all doing here?" Skinner took him from the room, telling him about how Carter knew he was here. The paramedics were outside, thanks to Scully's cell phone call. Mulder moved in next to her. "How long can we leave her in there with RatBoy?" "I don't know. I don't hear anything though." Carter watched as Krycek pulled out two bottles. "Sulfur and Hydrogen. What happens when they are mixed?" "I don't know. Tell me." Carter felt for her gun. "I don't know either, but I knew the smell would lead you to me... Anne. That is your name, right?" He moved closer to her, and she held her ground. "What do you want with me? My silence? You've got it. My disappearance? I'm as good as gone." Carter threw her arms in the air. "Your death?" Krycek pulled out his gun. "You're as good as dead." Mulder made his move. Krycek made his. "NO!" Carter yelled. Eight bullets were fired then there was silence and a lot of sulfur in the air. There was a thick fog hovering over the lab. As Scully entered, she couldn't see a thing. "Mulder! Where are you? Carter?" Scully stood up, putting her hands in front of her. "Agent Scully..." Krycek came over near her, grabbing a hold of her hand. Krycek threw her against the wall and ran for the door. "Carter, if you're still in here, don't expect to live very long." "I'm going to live as long as I have to," Carter screamed. "As long as it takes for me to find you and kill the man who put me in this Hellhole of a life!" Carter stood and walked to the door. She was inches from Krycek's face. "What are you going to do, child? Kill me? I don't think that would be wise..." "Shut the hell up!" She stepped back and fired her weapon, into Krycek's thigh. "And stop wondering if I'm worried about being thrown out of the Bureau! You're death is worth more than that." He groaned and limped for the door. Carter had kicked his gun across the room and turned to look at him. "This isn't... over," he wheezed. With that he slammed the door and was gone. Police officers yelled for answers as they made their way through the smoke. "Over here! I have an agent down!" Scully was sitting in the corner cradling her head. Mulder rushed over to her and helped her to her feet. "Let's get you to the hospital and check out that head wound." Scully nodded and leaned against his shoulder. Skinner ran back into the room and nodded to his two agents. He walked into he science lab and found Carter sitting on a stool. "You know..." "Mulder didn't do it, sir," Carter anticipated his thoughts. He looked at her curiously. "I shot him. I wanted to kill him, I mean... he made my life Hell. Or, at least he tried." She wanted to cry, but she wouldn't. "We'll discuss this later. You need to go to the hospital and see Mark. He's been asking for you." Skinner laid a hand on his new agent. "If it means anything to you, Hope," he said as they walked out the room. "I think you made a fine FBI Agent." Both smiled and got in the car to head for the hospital. end part 5 X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X Epilogue University of Penn Hospital 11:56 pm Mark was sitting up in his bed, when Carter stepped into the room. She was wearing jeans and a dark green sweater. Her curls were pulled into a ponytail and she was wearing boots. "How are you feeling?" She asked him. "I've been better, but I'll be OK. Thanks for saving my life back there Agent Carter. I heard about Agent Scully, is she OK?" "I don't know to be honest. They were only letting Agent Mulder see her for the time being." She took a deep breath and looked at him. "You look like you want to tell me something, Agent." "I do, and please call me Anne." There, she said it, and Mark went white like his sheets. "Anne? Anne?! That's impossible, you're dead. I saw your body!" He took her hands and brought her to him. "We staged it. I needed protection Mark, and Agent Mulder thought that this would be the best course of action. I was safe from those men, Mark. But when I heard you were in danger, I got back here as fast as I could. I couldn't bare to lose you again." He pulled her to him, holding Anne close to him, her head on this chest. "It feels so good to hold you, cutie. I thought I lost you forever. It hurt SO much." They both cried as he stroked her hair. She pulled away and smiled. "What happened to your hair?" He pulled out her ponytail and looked at her brunette curls. "I love it." They both smiled. Anne looked at him, and she knew he loved her. "Mark, I love you. I always have." "I know, I've known since senior year." "You knew?! Mark Douglas, you knew I loved you and you didn't think to say anything?" He laughed. "At Lucy's eighteenth, you kissed me and I knew." "I never kissed you," she argued. "Yeah you did. That immature game of Spin the Bottle." She blushed remembering. "And I also knew that day, that I loved you more than anything in the world." He pulled her down to him and kissed her softly of the lips. "And I never want to lose you again." "And I never want to lose you again, either," She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him till they she heard him deeply breathing. He was fast asleep. Everything was going to be OK for them. X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X Mulder walked into Scully's room with a bouquet of white and red roses. She smiled and smelled them. "Thank you, they're lovely." He leaned over and softly kissed her. He sat on her bed. "Carter shot Krycek. There was a trail of his blood in the hall, then it stopped suddenly. We won't find him for awhile. OPR is reviewing the case. She's going to be in a lot of trouble." There was a knock at the door then Carter entered. "How are you feeling Dana?" "I'll live, feeling kind of dopey but Mulder thinks that's normal." Mulder just shrugged. "I've got a bump on the head, but the doctors are checking for smoke inhalation. Mulder here checked out normal." "Well, as normal as I get," he joked. Carter's face got very serious. "'Agent Carter' has been relieved of her duties at the FBI." She was grinning from ear to ear. "Skinner told me that he found out that smoking man no longer wants me dead. Krycek must have went to him and told him who I was. The smoking man thought it was too high profile so he called the whole thing off." "How do you know?" Mulder inquired. Carter tapped her temple and they both smiled. "Skinner's going to make sure I get removed. Anne Taylor was found alive last night. I'm going home. I'll just have to learn to live with this gift." "That's wonderful, Carter," Scully smiled. "I mean Anne! You will come and visit from time to time won't you?" "Of course, you're like the sister I never had, remember." She hugged Dana and turned to Mulder. "And you're like the brother I'm glad my mother never had," they all laughed and Anne leaned down to hug him. "You take care of yourself, hear me?" Anne nodded at Mulder. "What are you going to major in now?" Anne smiled, "I don't know. Maybe I'll study Psychology then pull some strings with Skinner. I hear the X-Files are going to need some cleaning in about five years." Scully and Anne laughed while Mulder leaned back into the pillows in mock pain. Things were definitely looking up for everyone. The End Thanks for reading, drop me a note! I want to believe so badly in a truth beyond our own, hidden and obscured from all but the most sensitive eyes... In the endless precession of souls, in what cannot and will not be destroyed. I want to believe that we are unaware of God's eternal recompense and sadness; that we cannot see his truth, that that which is born still lives and cannot be buried in the cold Earth; but only waits to be born again at God's behest, where in ancient starlight we lay in repose. ~Mulder, "Closure"