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Category: Vignette, a little psychological MT.
Timeframe: Season 7.
Rated: PG
Feedback: patfiler2016@outlook.com
Archive: Gossamer. Anybody else, just ask politly,
please.
Disclaimer: Not mine, no money, don't mean to
tread upon sacred toes. Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen,
Fox Studios, and all those things I usually say.
There's an old saying I heard early in my life. What
comes around goes around. I would like to think I have
treated people as I would wish to be treated. Then
there is another saying: Cast your bread upon the
waters and it will return tenfold. That and the other
saying are supposed to apply to things good or bad.
Lately, I've been wondering what kind of a bad boy I
have been, for the things that have happened to me, as
well as my partner, are things no one should have
visited upon them.
We started out first on our own paths, then Fate
brought us together on what became the same path.
We were the hunters; now we are the hunted. We no
longer have the authority to shout, "Freeze! FBI!"
and apprehend anyone.
We've been suspended for two weeks, yet I feel
someone, or something, is watching us. Watching.
Waiting. As a snake, coiled and ready to spring.
Scully says I'm being paranoid, but I know she can
sense these things, too. She stays quiet about it,
filing misplaced papers and editing out mistakes
in files.
We made a mistake that could have cost innocent
people their lives, and Kersh has come down hard on
us. I can accept that and so can Scully. What I
cannot accept is the nagging feeling of impending
doom.
Scully picks up her purse as I'm reading up on our
last report. "I have a dental appointment, so, I
guess this is it until tomorrow."
"Oh, forgot about that. Go on. There's nothing
happening in these damp, dark, nether-regions of
the Hoover Building. See you tomorrow."
"Yeah, tomorrow. See you." She's standing in the
doorway as if she can't seem to cross an invisible
barrier.
I leave my desk and walk over to her. "Scully, is
something wrong?"
"No, no." That was her mouth. Her eyes don't seem
to agree with the statement. "Um, I'm just going in
for a check-up."
"Scully, if there's something you're not telling
me... "
"No. Really, Mulder. I just..."
"You just... what?"
"Never mind. It's crazy. I've got to go."
"Wait." I grab her arm and make her face me. "You
feel it too, don't you, Scully? You feel that
something's about to happen and you just don't know
when."
She shrugs. "I guess some of your paranoia's rubbed
off on me after all these years," she tries to smile
as she says the words. I know she isn't feeling happy
these days.
"What time's your appointment?" I ask.
"Three fifteen."
"And it's only one. Scully, do you feel like you just
want to run out of here before something or someone
happens to us?"
"Yeah, I do," she says matter-of-factly. "Dumb, huh?"
"No, not dumb. Not at all. I think there's something
going on around here and I have looked all over the
place for bugs, cameras, Peeping Toms and even that
Candid Camera guy. Nothing. The phone's not bugged,
there's no surveillance camera to be found... "
"Are we getting fired, Mulder?"
Where'd she come up with that one? "Not that I know.
Why would you ask that ? They could shut us down, but
I don't think they plan on firing us."
Just then, the phone rings."Hold on. Stay here and
we'll talk about this. Mulder. Yes. Okay Sir. We'll
be right up."
Scully puts her purse into the desk. "What does
Skinner want, Mulder? They pawned us off onto
Kersh."
"Well, I know I'm as much in the dark as you are.
Maybe... maybe they lifted our suspension."
"Oh, joy. Pig manure detail this time," Scully
drones as we walk to the elevator.
I smile to myself once we're in the elevator. I push
the button. "Could be another sighting."
"In your dreams," she sighs. "Maybe it's just another
Homeland Security assignment. Or a kidnapping."
Skinner meets us outside his office. "Come with me,"
he says quietly. We dutifully follow him to the
conference room at the end of the hallway.
"Surprise!" So many of our colleagues shout.
Kersh reaches out to shake our hands. "Happy
anniversary on your partnership. Didn't think you two
would hang on this long."
"Thank you Sir," I say. "If it wasn't for Scully, I
wouldn't be alive today."
"Oh, you can hold your own, Mulder. You're a big boy."
Scully's being modest.
"Seven years as partners in The X-Files," Skinner says
with a raised glass of punch. "A toast to Mulder and
Scully!"
"To Mulder and Scully!" Everyone echoes. I whisper to
Scully, "That feeling of impending doom we were having?
I think this is what we were afraid of."
"Yeah, Mulder. I hate surprise parties, too."
"Hadn't you better get to the dentist?" I ask.
"Next month, Mulder. Let's get some cake. Happy
Anniversary, partner." Scully hugs me. Then she
whispers in my ear...
"Mulder. Mulder? Wake up Mulder."
I open my heavy eyelids and glance up at my partner,
sitting beside me in the car. "Happy Anniversary,"
I manage to say. I don't know why, exactly.
"Happy Anniversary, Mulder. And you didn't think
I'd work with you for seven years. I brought you a
drink and something to eat."
"If there's iced tea in that bag... forget it."
"We have come a long way, Mulder."
"Yes, we sure have." I remember the dream, and then
I recall it so well. The anniversary of our first
case together is tomorrow. I hope they don't give us
one of those parties. This is a better way of
celebrating our anniversary.
END
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