Rated: PG

Spoilers: Any of the first 7 seasons, but I like to think this
one is set in Season 5. This is a sequel to The Scully
Method.

Feedback: patfiler2016@outlook.com

Archive: Gossamer, Ephemeral. Please ask first if you want it.

J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING
WASHINGTON, DC
OFFICE OF THE X-FILES
OCTOBER 9, 1998
8:45 AM

Scully was busily typing out her final report on the pair's most
recent case when Mulder hurried into the office. "Sorry I'm late,
Scully. Some idiot syphoned off my gas last night. I had to grab
a gallon from the closest gas station and make do until I could
get a full tank. Is that the Quimby report?"

"Yes. I thought I'd get it done so we can hand everything in. Hey,
maybe we should celebrate. This is the first time ever you haven't
been at the office later than you had to be!"

"Kind of throws me off of my routine, but I managed to get my
coffee just the same. I hope fifteen minutes late on the caffeine
dose doesn't screw up the rest of the day." He hung his coat
and took his place at his desk, going through papers.

"Somehow, I think you'll survive, Mulder. You never did tell me
how you traced the phenomenon to Quimby." *I know what I'm going
to hear, but then again, I did indirectly point this out to him.
He just doesn't know it yet,* she thought. *Almost as good
as his pheromone theory.*


Mulder leaned back in his chair and contemplated his latest
accomplishment. "There's a theory that wrong-doers, criminals,
whatever you want to call them, want to be caught. They want
to be stopped. Jim Quimby left too many clues. Some psychiatrists
claim people often leave personal belongings in their offices
because they are leaving a part of themselves with the therapist.
You leave a part of yourself everywhere you go just by shedding
skin cells and hair. Even scent is left behind by many animals
and humans. It's said to be part of a territorial behavior."

"Well, I have heard criminals sometimes neglect to dispose of
all evidence because they want to be caught. Strange how the mind
works." Scully clicked 'Print' and waited for her document. *Well,
he still hasn't clued in, Or has he?*

"By the way, that earring you were looking for. I found it behind
my couch." Mulder dangled the piece of jewellery in front of her.
"I'm sure it... just 'fell' off before we stopped comparing notes
last night."

"Yes, Mulder. It did just fall off. I was wondering where I'd
lost it. Thank you."

"You're welcome." *What's HE thinking, and why that smirk?*
"What?"

"Nothing. I just thought since they were a gift from your mother,
you'd want it back as soon as possible." He returned to his desk
and started typing out his own final notes as Scully stapled
her papers together.

"Okay." She had a feeling there was more to it than what he was
saying, but went about labelling her folder. "Hey. It's your
birthday in four days. Any plans?"

"The usual. Videos, popcorn and beer. And since nobody's
coming over, I'm going to party in my birthday suit."

"Funny. Very funny. Seriously, Mulder. What would you wish for
if you had a cake with all those candles to blow out? I mean
besides finding your sister and the truth."

"I don't know. Maybe a set of cool season tickets to the Knicks
games. Only, we're always so far away from anywhere they play,
as we're on the road so much. Don't get me anything, Scully. We
agreed about things like this."

"Just asking. I'll go get more toner. The photocopier seems to
have run out."

TWO DAYS LATER
12:50 PM

Mulder and Scully were sitting at a nearby diner eating subs when
a young man walked past Scully and accidentally spilled a soft
drink on the floor.

She recognized the blond man immediately. "Cal? Cal Simmons?"

"Hey! Dana Scully. Confirmation class, right?"

"Yeah. I'm with the FBI now. This is my partner, Fox Mulder."

"Hey there, Fox."

Mulder shook the man's hand. "Pleased to meet you, Cal."

"Partner? You're living together?"

Scully laughed. "No, no, no. My FBI partner."

"Oh. Well, you just look like a couple. As a member of the media,
I'm usually good at reading people. Oops."

"So what brings you to Washington?"

"Reporting for a TV station in Omaha, of all places. Look, I'm
on the fly. Catch ya later. As long as Congress sits, I'm on
the run."

"Old boyfriend?" Mulder felt totally left out and it showed.

"No. We just attended the same church at one time. He was the one
kid who always left his Catechism or some other personal belonging
behind. So, it's time to get back to the office, Mulder."

"Yeah. You want anything else?"

"No, except... " She was searching her coat pockets. "I seem to
have misplaced my gloves. It's getting kind of cold out there.
Come to think of it, I didn't have them when I got home last
night."

Mulder just smiled and nonchalantly donned his overcoat, put
his hands into his pockets and produced one pair of black leather
gloves.

Scully stood with her mouth open. "Where did you find them?"

"You left them in my car after we left the Gunmen's place last
night. Maybe you shouldn't have had that second Mexican beer. Or
maybe you were leaving a part of yourself with me." He had that
smug grin.

"Uh huh. Think what you want to, Mulder. I bet they fell out of
my pocket when you slung my coat over one of their chairs and
you grabbed them."

"Honestly, Scully, they were in my car when I left for work this
morning. I meant to give them to you earlier but we got tied up
with that budget meeting. By the way, you left your lipstick on
my desk in plain sight... I think you're leaving parts of
yourself symbollically, to... "

Scully quickly took inventory of her purse. "This one? Nice try."

"Had ya there. You looked. C'mon, back to the salt mines."

She produced a quarter from one of her gloves. "I believe this is
yours, Dr. Freud."

Somehow, Mulder had lost that smug expression he had exhibited
mere minutes earlier.

"Next time, leave a bigger piece of yourself. Say, a fifty dollar
bill."

THAT EVENING
10:33 PM

Over beer and pizza, Mulder and Scully were carrying on a
philosophical debate about the finer points of basketball.
"I still think he should have opted for the right while he had
the chance," Scully insisted.

Mulder shook his head after downing some beer. "Not with a six
foot seven guard, Scully. Now look! See THAT? Now THAT'S the way
to shoot basket."

"Yeah. The good old hook shot. Still, I wonder how much of a toll
that takes on their spines over their careers."

"Dunno. Being an amateur, I guess I'm a lot better off, occupational
hazards aside. Another beer?"

"No thanks. I'm still nursing this one. I'm kind of tired anyway.
What was that call about earlier?" Scully grabbed a handful of
popcorn.

"Somebody's fax modem, I guess. I forgot to check my mailbox. I'll
be right back up." Mulder placed his bottle on the coffee table
and left.

As soon as Mulder was out of the apartment, Scully made herself
a bit more comfortable on her side of the couch and closed her
eyes. She was by no means asleep, however. She had no intention of
falling asleep. She just wanted to see what would happen in the
event she ever did so, and a part of her wanted him to kiss her
awake just as the Prince and Sleeping Beauty interacted.

*Hmm,* Scully wondered. *So what's he going to do next? I've
never fallen asleep here before. This could prove interesting.*

By the time Mulder returned, Scully was fully relaxed, and he
didn't bother to disturb her, so he cleared the bottles and
popcorn off of the table and turned the lights out. The
basketball game was in the fourth quarter, so he sat and watched
until the last whistle sounded. His partner's eyes were still
closed.

*This could be interesting,* he thought. *She's fallen asleep on
planes, inside cars and pretty much everywhere except my place.*

It did seem odd. After all, they'd had plenty of time to catch up
on sleep after the last case, so why was she so tired tonight?
Here?

Scully used all her resolve to keep from opening her eyes, as she
knew he had returned, the basketball game was now over, and it had
been half an hour since she had taken this position. The temptation
to swallow was irresistable, as well. Then, her mind seemed to shut
off like a computer monitor, and there was eight hours of
uninterrupted sleep before Mulder brought her a coffee from the
local coffee shop.

"Good morning, Agent Scully, and congratulations. This time, you
managed to leave yourself behind."

Scully struggled to open her eyes, and slowly sat up. "Oh my God.
Was I here all night? Well, I had you, Mulder. Really had you
going there."

"I don't think so," Mulder chuckled. Even though you've 'had' me
for about the past six years. You fell asleep at about 11:09. At
approximately 11:15, you began to snore, and by 3:05 I gave up
and went to sleep. So, can you tell me why you left yourself here
last night?"

Scully wasn't ready to touch that question just yet. At least,
not for another year or so. She just stared into space trying to
think of what to say. The Scully Method, Part 2, had been found
out, and somehow she knew that even her own subconscious had
betrayed her.


END