|
Mulder and Mulder or Neither
Author: Pattie
Summary: According to Mulder and Scully, it's
both of them back at the Bureau or neither of
them.
Rated: G
Category: Vignette, Post-Series, AU.
Spoilers: Read Author's Notes.
Feedback: patfiler2016@outlook.com
Archive: Gossamer, Ephemeral. I'll take care of
the others. Ask and ye shall receive.
Disclaimer: Mine? No. Sadly untrue. Chris Carter,
Ten Thirteen Productions and Fox Studios still
own the copyright to the original X-Files
characters and the title. Why, they even own the
characters' homes and clothes! I intend no
copyright infringement. The made up characters are
mine. Take THAT Mr. Carter. I flip zingers as much
as I can.
Author's Note: *Refer to the story, This Is A
Wonderful Day to experience that first day back
at the office.
~~~~~~~~~
Previously in this particular writer's XF Universe:
JOURNEY TO THE DISTANT SHORE:
PART 13: BY THE SEA, THE BEAUTIFUL SEA
Summary: At Mulder's father's home in West Tisbury,
Mass., memories are stirred and some things stored
are unearthed.
Their digging yielded quite the cache of files,
pictures, documents from various government
departments, and files that Mulder and Scully had
duplicated and hidden many times to preserve their
work from fires, floods, Kryceks and aliens. Statements
from abductees, on tape and transcribed, computer disks,
even Mulder's regularly up-dated duplicate hard drive
all neatly hidden away until this time. A time when
they would need them.
~~~~~~~~~
AFTER THE RUN:
PART 7: I BELIEVE IN YOU
"There's a meeting of the U.N. General Assembly on
Monday,"Doggett informed him. "There's also an all-
departments meeting at the FBI on Wednesday, if you'd
like to attend, and the White House and several other
governments will be regrouping to take a look at the
situation."
~~~~~~~~~
"Maybe we should drop in on the Bureau," Scully
suggested, kicking away long-dead leaves. "For old-
times sake?"
"I don't THINK so!" Mulder was appalled. "After all
that's taken place I'd rather be here and I'd rather
you were safely here with me. I have had enough of
the FBI for a lifetime!"
"Mulder, that's not you speaking. Tell me it's not,"
Scully whispered. "You built up seniority there.
You saved the damn place, even if it DID bite you in
the ass. Admit it just this once: Fox Mulder wants to
go back to work for the FBI."
"No," Mulder said softly. "No."
~~~~~~~~~
AFTER THE RUN:
PART 8: EPILOGUE: YES, WE'LL RETURN:
Summary: Mulder and Scully are offered jobs at the FBI.
Even after having been honored, decorated and
celebrated, will they take up the offers?
"... Scully, we have another request to accept
reinstatement with full seniority and benefits back at
the Bureau. I said to him no, no, no. Time and time
again, I refused this and so did you. The last time we
talked about it, you know what I said. I know you think
I secretly can't wait to get back there, but I already
have better things to do."
~~~~~~~~~
AND NOW...
The X-Files Office had been reopened, and Mulder and
Scully were set to take their rightful places back in the
mildew mausoleum in two weeks.
A married couple and a team. That's what they were, and they
were determined to work together. It had been damn hard work
getting all the evidence and convincing scientists, Kersh,
Skinner, Doggett and Reyes that all they had would lead to
the prevention of Colonization and war. Well, they did it.
The scientists came through for everyone, and Mulder and
Scully had been through hell and high water to find the
knowledge needed to do that. The heartache over finding
William and regaining custody had taken its toll on them as
well.
As much as Mulder enjoyed his career as a Criminology
professor, he had always harbored that secret longing for
his paranormal phenomena and the unknown. Scully knew that,
and it took her to convince him to take up the offer from
the Bureau to return to their jobs.
Mulder had insisted on one stipulation, however, and it
would be something unorthodox: His wife, Dana Scully-
Mulder would join him in the X-Files Office, and neither
of them were willing to return without the other. They
worked well together. Both had had the experience and
expertise in these matters, and as partners they showed
an excellent record in their investigations. As a matter
of fact, even before they were shut down the last time,
regardless of the kangaroo court and their time fleeing
those who would destroy the world, their department had the
highest rate of resolved cases. Even mainstream cases.
Scully was going to put in part-time hours. After all,
there was William and his sister, Meg. A third child was on
the way. Doggett and Reyes were about to take on a different
department, but would stop in from time to time. Their focus
was going tobe on cases that didn't quite fit the X-Files.
They were freer to travel as well. Mulder and Scully would
not know that for a couple of weeks, though.
As he negotiated with Deputy Director Alvin Kersh, Mulder
held Scully's hand not only to gain strength, but to assure
her they would succeed. "Look, Sir, with all due respect, I
believe we rate an increase in pay as well."
Kersh smiled. "Granted."
"What?"
"We asked you back, remember?"
"I'm sorry. I guess I'm still getting used to the great
treatment we've been getting. Old habits die hard. Now,
there's one thing that I think you need to know: I want
Scully back in the office as well. She's willing to do
part-time for a couple of years, with the children and
another baby to take care of."
Kersh was relaxed and sat with his hands folded. "We can do
that." He smiled.
Mulder hadn't heard the agreement because he had been
rehearsing his deliberation with Kersh for two straight
weeks, and had been used to... well, negative reactions from
his superiors in the past. "... and another thing. It's
Mulder and Mulder, or neither!"
"When can you start, Mulder and Mulder?" This sort of amused
Kersh.
Scully tried hard not to laugh, and Kersh noticed the smirk on
her face, nodding in agreement.
These signals confused Fox Mulder, who looked first at Kersh,
then his wife.
"He wants to know when we can get back here," Scully whispered.
Mulder rolled his eyes and sighed with relief. "Oh! I'm sorry,
Sir. With all the thinking about this and the baby due soon...
Everything we went through in the past, I guess I was
expecting a fight."
"I understand, Agent Mulder. You've got it. The raise, well,
that's going to be reasonable. Most certainly. You have both
earned that. It won't be like winning the lottery, but it has
already been considered, and you do deserve it. I'll have
the papers sent to you later. Both contracts are due in three
days."
"Thank you, Sir! Now, there's just one more thing... "
"If it's possible."
"I know Jeffrey Spender is a relative. Hey, again we come
across the family member thing, but he deserves to earn his
living as he was trained to work here. We're going to need
someone to partner with me when Scully isn't in the office,
and with the caseload increasing, we could use another pair
of hands. Doggett and Reyes have been awfully hard to get a
hold of, and I don't know that they'd want to be in the X-Files
Office permanently. When there's an out of town case, he could
take Scully's place. He is looking a lot better, and there is
no physical or emotional disability."
"Certainly. I believe he should take some upgrade courses, but
I think we can arrange to have him assigned to the X-Files."
Mulder stood and shook Kersh's hand. "Thank you, Sir. Thank
you."
"Mulder?"
"Yes?"
"Relax. Get ready to be here in two weeks. Congratulations.
Now, take care of your partner and that baby of yours."
Scully stood and shook his hand as well. "He will. Thank you.
We won't let you down."
"Take this man home, Scully. He needs a rest. His nervous zest
is obviously a sign he's not himself."
"Yes, Sir. But with all due respect, Sir, it is an improvement
from the rambling, monotonous zest for the unexplained he
exhibited when I first came to work with him."
And so, two weeks later, Mulder and Mulder took the drop cloths
and plastic out of the X-Files Office. On that same day, young
Samantha Ann Mulder was born. It was a wonderful day*, as
Scully would remark a couple of weeks later.
END
Although most of the stories are suitable for many people, read
the ratings, and monitor your children on the Internet.
|
