From: "Sammi Moch" Subject: AtWitW: Survival (1/2) by Sammi M. Date: Sat, 30 May 1998 08:41:25 PDT All the Wishes in the World: Survival (1/2) by Sammi M. sammi4@airmail.net <---- NEW ADDY!!!!!!!!!! jhourdhaun@hotmail.com s_moch@venus.twu.edu Classification: SA (We've got angst here, but not the festival-o'-angst from before) Rating: PG-13/R for adult situations and other stuff Spoilers: None Keywords: Mulder, rape, surviving Summary: It's one year later and it's time for lives to get back on track ... if they can. ********************************** Archive: Yes ********************************** Disclaimer: I know this means nothing if you were to call me out on it, but it makes me feel better to say that you, Chris Carter, Fox Broadcasting and 10-13 Productions own the main characters. You can have them back just as soon as I write this little piece. First, my apologies. I know this was supposed to have been out a long time ago, but, I started a new job and then life truly sucked for a while so my writing kind of suffered because of it. Even my muse went into hiding because of my moods and that's saying a lot because nothing scares Hunter. I can only hope this appeases those of you who have been patiently waiting ... *and* those of you who haven't. Well, here's the epilogue as promised. Thanks to all who wrote about the first three. It made the writing of this story a little easier and I can honestly say, you guys helped me recover from what orginally started this universe. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check out AtWitW: Incident, AtWitW: Recovery and AtWitW: Aftermath. We're in the home-stretch, People. This is it. We've made it to the end. I can no longer warn you that this is a bumpy ride because .... it's not, really. Yeah, there are still some wounds that need healing and some worries that need alleviating, but, for the most part, this is all about surviving. Weeeelll, .... maybe not. I'm so excited! I can finally say this. In this story, there is still no romance, *but* there is finally lots of comfort and barely any hurt. Still no fairy tale - not really a happily ever after, but I think they'll all make it. For a while, at least. Sexuality will be addressed in this one, but not in a romantic way. That's not what this is about. This is the epilogue. This is the end. There will be no more parts. None. Nada. Zippo. If you like how this ends, thank Shirley Smiley. My original plan was to leave Mulder with an uncertain fate. Shirley gave me the idea of this ending and the rest is history. Much appreciation, Shirley! ************************************************** Dedicated to a lost man who just happened to be an officer in the wrong place in time. And also to a brave lady who has the courage to keep on Surviving. Oh yeah, and this is also for my own special Counselor. Lots of hugs! ************************************************** Feedback will be welcome and this can be discussed on fictalk. ************************************************** All the Wishes in the World: Survival by Sammi M. "I owe you one." Fox Mulder sat at his desk at Quantico thinking about that one phrase. Over the past year, it had come to mean so many different things. Some good. Some not-so-good. And, some were just down-right bad. But through it all, no matter what it meant, he'd survived. He knew he could face everything that was coming over the next few days. Everything. "Buck-fifty for your thoughts," Dana Scully intoned from the doorway. "Or at least that's what it takes to get it out of my Godson." Mulder chuckled, something he'd been doing a lot over the last few months. "I've heard of inflation, but that's ridiculous." He gestured for his partner to enter and grab a seat. "I figured you'd be up here about this time." Looking at her. "We still have a few more minutes." "I know. I just wanted to make sure I was here in plenty enough time. And, ..." Scully pulled a wrapped bundle from her lab coat pocket. "I wanted to make sure you had lunch. I know how this waiting causes you to forget everything else and I don't want a repeat of last time." "Sheesh. You faint one time after getting overly-excited and not having eaten in a couple of days and no one lets you forget it." Grabbing his sandwhich. "So, how goes it in the bowels of our esteemed building? Read any good corpses lately?" "Funny you should mention that. I just ran across my first dung death." Choking. "Your first, what?" "Dung death. Elephant dung, actually. A zookeeper was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He never knew what hit him." "You're serious, aren't you?" Scully pulled out another package and laid it on her partner's desk. "Completely. The animal had just completed a series of treatments to clean him out and had to release some of the pressure, so to speak. Unfortunately, the keeper had forgotten the schedule of the last treatment. He didn't stand a chance. I just finished the report and had to sign off as suffocation due to burial under a mound of elephant manure." Shaking her head. "This was definitely one of my weirder reports and that's saying a lot since I worked with you." "You have got to tell Skinner that one." He wheezed in between laughter. "With his taste in humour, I know he'll get a kick out of it." Over the space of the last few months the friends had discovered a lot of things about each other. One of them had been Walter Skinner's morbid sense of humour that left Mulder's in the shade. "And what makes you think he'll be around to hear the story?" Mulder sobered but he didn't lose his smile. "The same reason how I knew to expect you today." Positive. "He'll be here. It's the last one for a whole year and I know he won't want to miss the celebration." Confident. "And just to show you how sure I am, I'll bet you that he'll show *and* have both of us signed out for the rest of the day." "Damn!" A voice murmured from the doorway. "Am I that predictable?" The agents looked in the direction where their former boss and present friend stood leaning against the frame. Without realizing it, a special smile flowed from one to the other as they quickly fell into the working unit that had kept them all going for months. That smile had bewildered everyone who had witnessed it. Not necessarily because of the ones who shared it, but because behind it, one could easily see the steel and strength. The kind of steel and strength that was only produced from the hottest of fire and flame and survived because it was a part of something bigger. Many a spectator had walked away shaking their heads wanting what those three had, but knowing they couldn't have it because of the cost. A cost that no one would willingly take on, but that the three shared so it wouldn't be too much for the One. The One snickered. "What do you think?" Walter sauntered into the small room, took his seat and grabbed the sandwich Scully had left him. " I think I'd better change the way I do things before you two return to work with me." A startled look. "Walter?" A barely concealed grin. "That's AD Skinner to you, Agent Scully. Or at least it will be when you and Agent Mulder report to Hoover at 9 am sharp Monday morning." Opening the bag beside him and placing sodas in front of the two shocked agents. "Is there a problem?" "No. I mean. No, Sir. I .... just .... I can't believe they're going to give them back to us. I mean, ... I thought this position was going to be permanent and I'd accepted it as long as Scully was here as well. I ... I ...." Skinner stopped the younger man's stuttering by raising his hand. "This was always considered a temporary position dependant on your mental and physical recovery. You've shown such progress, they had to give them back to you." Lowering his hand and opening his soda. "You proved them all wrong, Mulder. They had you down and out and you proved them all wrong." The smile that touched Mulder's face was so blinding in it's joy that Scully and Skinner gasped. Skinner because he hadn't realized how much he needed to see his friend happy and Scully because this was the ultimate reward in his surviving. No more words needed to be said on the subject. No mere words could aptly describe the feelings. "Well, Partner, looks like we have something else to celebrate this weekend. And, I'm sure, come Monday morning, our boss won't begrudge us a little bleary eye." "Since said boss will probably be equally as bleary-eyed due to the festivities, I don't think he'd have a leg to begrudge you on." The phone's ringing interrupted the laughter and snickers which were filtering through the room. As if a switch had been thrown, all sound ceased and every bit of energy focused on the ringing object. The agent nearest to it reached out, lifted the handset and covered the mouthpiece. "I guess there's no time like the present." He took a deep breath and held it. Almost as if choreagraphed, the others inched closer to him as offerings of strength. He released the breath and removed his hand. "Hello." Pause. "This is he. .... Yes, I have my number right ... She wants to talk to me? ....But, I have my num.... Hi, Barbara. ... Yeah, I'm fine ... or at least I was before this." A quick glance. "Yeah, they're here. Why?" A panicked look. "I'm sure one of them would be willing to take me." A panicked breath. "What's going on, Barbara? .... What aren't you telling me? .... That's all? ... There's nothing more? .... Yeah, we'll be there in about an hour. ... I'll be okay.... I promise..... Yeah. Okay. .... See you in a bit." Two pairs of eyes filled with remorse, sorrow, fear and ... unconditional love and support glared into him as he lowered the phone. Scully reached out and put her hand on his - still clutching the offending plastic. "What is it, Partner?" "Ummm." Taking a shaky breath. "I need one of you to take me over to Barbara's lab. I .... ummm .... have to go ... and ...." A beseeching look. "The test came back .... inconclusive. I have to retest. Barbara says she's not worried, but ..." Walter stood and headed for the coat stand. He grabbed the others there and held them out. "Well, then, let's get a move on. The sooner we get there; the sooner we can get down to some serious celebrating." Mulder sent his friend his silent thanks and stood. A small smile graced his face as he rounded his desk. "Yeah. We." _______________________________________ "We'll have you back out in a minute and this time it won't take so long for the results to get back," Dr. Barbara Whitley intoned to the small group. "Jim owes me a favour, so that means we should have the final results by Monday afternoon." "That soon?" "I told you. He owes me one." _______________________________________ "This is my fault." "And, how's that, Dana?" "I should have demanded to do the autopsy on that bastard. I should have ignored what Hennessey's sister believed and left Mulder for a couple of hours and done the damn autopsy!" Pacing. "He wouldn't have to be going through this now." "There was a mistake with the test. There's been no confirmation that he has it." "I know Barbara and rather than her coming out and just saying .... She'd ask to do a re-test. That's just her." She stopped in front of the man who had just as much to lose dependant on the outcome of those tests. "I knew something was wrong when his sister demanded that we not desecrate the body any more than it was and then turned around and had it cremated. But, I didn't want to believe it ... could be ... Not after all he'd been through. I couldn't believe that any god could be that cruel to Mulder." Looking into the man's eyes. "What I forgot was there is no god for Mulder." _______________________________________ As Scully moved towards Mulder's apartment door, she calmly reached into her pocket and pulled out her key. She knew he wouldn't let her in. Same way he hadn't answered the myriad of calls she, her mom, Darren and Walter had left on his machine. *Today was supposed to be such a good day. We had it all planned out. Funny how life can totally screw everything up.* She quietly inserted the key and hoped he hadn't latched it as she turned the knob and pushed. The door swung open with no resistance and Scully looked in on a scene she had hoped was gone forever. Not a single light shone in the aprtment and all of the curtains were drawn. A dank odour hung in the air as if the apartment had been closed up for months rather than only since the day before. Mulder lay on his couch, arms crossed over his eyes, in nothing but a crumpled t-shirt and boxers. Gone was the air of hope and renewal that had hung in this very apartment just a few days before and for weeks past. In its place, a knowledge of despair and acceptance and ... fear. It tore at Scully to see him back to this and she contemplated turning around and leaving since he didn't seem aware of her and he probably didn't want her to see him like this. She reached for the door ... "Are you just going to stand in the doorway all night or are you going to come in and give 43 a reason to claim her bet with 36 about us being lovers?" "The lovers thing is *still* going around? I thought we had moved on to me supplying you government secrets in the dark of night so that your male lover wouldn't know." She closed the door and turned on the entranceway light. "This is so confusing. I think I lost track after the threesome marriage thing. Your neighbors need lives." Mulder sat up and looked over at his partner. "Why? Aren't ours good enough for them?" He moved so that she could have room and patted the space. "So, what brings you all the way over here, Agent Scully?" Eyeing her. "Scared I would revert back to my old ways?" Sitting. "Nope. That thought never crossed my mind." A smile. "I just thought you might enjoy the company of a friend." A touch. "And, since my plans for today were all shot to hell, I thought I might as well come and make your life just as miserable. How's that for friendship?" Seriously. "No one could ask for a better one." Lowering his head. "Especially not now." "Mulder. We don't know what ..." "I think we have an idea, Scully. Barbara wasn't too convincing." Taking a deep breath. "But, you know what's weird? I almost expected it. It's not really a surprise." "I don't understand. How could you ...?" Mulder shrugged. "I can't really explain it, but ... I just knew deep down, it wasn't over." Standing and moving over to the window. "Hennessey had to extract his pound of flesh one way or the other. He's just going to get the long, slow, painful version rather than the quick, easy, messy one." "*He's* not going to get anything because *he's* dead and rotting in Hell." "As if ....," he smirked, "you believed in Hell." In all seriousness. "If it's the most horrific place possible for Hennessey to be consigned to, then yes, I believe in it." Scully stood and moved beside him, threading her arm through his. "I'd believe in anything if it meant you could have some peace." Mulder turned to his partner and friend and wrapped his arms around her kissing the top of her head. As she returned the embrace, tears coursed down both their cheeks at the thought of what was waiting for them on Monday. Neither wanted to let go of their anchor. "Have you ever thought about ... us. I mean there being more of an *us* than there is?" The woman thought for a long moment and it seemed like she wouldn't answer, but that wasn't Dana Scully's style. "I'd be lying if I said I hadn't. There was a time when you factored a great deal in my future plans." "Did the rape and this change that?" "No! No, Mulder, my thoughts changed about what you needed. I realized that right now, you need me as more of friend than a lover." Smiling at him and ruffling his hair. "In the future," she shrugged, "who knows?" "What would you say if I told you I really need you right now in *that* way?" Shaking her head, "Muld..." He turned back to face the window. "If it's a question of me getting you sick, I can promise you I'd do everything in my power to protect you. Everything." Scully quickly moved behind him and snaked her arms through his to clasp them on his stomach. "I know you would protect me; I've never worried about that. What I am worried about is why now? Why the urgency?" "Let's see. A death sentence is waiting for me on Monday, one of the four people that means the most to me in this world is standing behind me, caring for me no matter what." Mulder shrugged as his voice cracked. "And, I need to know that Hennessey didn't take ... *hasn't* taken everything from me." He turned to face her. "I want to really feel alive again, Scully. Even if it's only for a little while." The tears were back ... or had they ever left? "You are alive and you will be for a very long time if I have anything to say about it." Taking his face in her hands. "You know I'd do anything for you, ... but ... this wouldn't be right. Sex isn't what you need. Not now, anyway." She took his hand and placed it over his heart. "Do you feel that? I can feel it and no matter where you are in the room, I can still feel it. Hennessey didn't take this away from you. He didn't have the power - the strength. You survived everything he threw at you and you made it to today and you'll keep making it because that's who you are. You're a survivor, Fox Mulder, and more *alive* than anyone else I know." For several moments, he just stood and watched her. But then, "So, what you're saying is you're not ruling out the possibility of later?" Scully laughed at the twinkle in his eye and hit him. "You are incorrigible. What am I going to do with you?" Hopeful. "Love me?" Without any doubt or hesitation. "Always and forever." _________________________________ Sessions: "Thanks for seeing me today, Darren. I really do appreciate it." "You're one of my greatest success stories ... and you're my friend. There is no chance I would have turned you away and you know it!" "Yeah, but it's always good to hear." Silence. "Umm, Mulder, I take it there's a good reason you dragged me over on a Sunday?" "Yeah, a pretty good one. Tomorrow, I'm going to be diagnosed as HIV positive." "Aren't you jumping the gun a bit. From what I understand, the test came back inconclusive - Barbara's running a re-test. I think your negativity and pessimism are shining through." Shaking his head. "This isn't pessimism; it's something I know. I feel it and I think I've felt it since Barbara took the first test. Something just wasn't right." "So, you're giving up based on a feeling? That doesn't sound like the Mulder I've watched over the last few months." "It's not him. I didn't say I was giving up. I said I know I have it and I was letting you know I accept it." Steepling his fingers. "I have no intention of rolling over and playing dead. I haven't come this far to let that bastard win - not my style anymore." "That's good to hear. So, what are you planning?" "To live another thirty years." He chuckled. "As of today, I'm changing a lot of things. I'm going to eat better, not run myself down so much, actually follow doctors' advice ... and recapture all of the little things that made me happy once." "Definitely sounds like a good plan. Can I help?" "Yeah, you can continue to do what you have been and you can ... go back over that section about sexuality after rape you talked about in group." "You think you're finally ready for that? I still remember the last time and how you totally tuned me out when I just mentioned re-learning your body. This is a big step." Closing his eyes and sitting back. "I asked Scully to sleep with me last night." "What?! You're kidding, right?" "Nope." "So, what happened?" "She, in her infinite wisdom, turned me down flat and in such a way that I still felt good about myself and that left a possible door open. She knew I wasn't ready now and when she finished, *I* knew I wasn't ready. And, I knew I needed to listen so that I could take the steps back to being comfortable with myself first - if that's possible." "It's possible as long as you work at it and believe it and fight for it." Proud. "Wow. I don't think I ever expected to hear this from you, but I'm glad I stuck around so that I could." Standing. "So, you ready to enter the world of 'Your Body and You?'" Also standing. "I think so, but ... I think I already have a copy of that video in my special collection." Shaking his head as they prepared to leave. "I don't think Dana really knows what she's setting herself up for." "Trust me, she knows. &&&&&&& "I wasn't expecting to see you until tomorrow, Darren. What's up?" He sat. "Mulder and I just finished a session and though I can't tell you what we talked about, I can tell you how proud of him I am." Whispered. "He knows he has it, but he's not letting it get him down." "He's being the fighter we knew he was all along. This isn't going to find him broken and wailing against the fates. When it finally winds down to his time, he's going to go out like the survivor he is." "But why does he have to go out because of something like this? Doesn't he deserve something right and good in his life?" "He has us to help him through all the bad stuff." "But we're not enough. As much as we would like, we can't stop what's going to happen to him. There's no enemy to shoot down and there's no wall we have to penetrate. There's no way we can win against this disease." "And that's where you're wrong, Dana. If he's not gonna give up, then we sure as hell can't. It happened, there's nothing we could do about it, but that's where our hands being tied ends. From this point on, we've got be just as strong as he is and when he can't be, then we have to be stronger." A tentative smile. "I think we're all more than up for that job. Wish we weren't, but we all know how much stock to put in wishes." Darren placed his hand on hers. "Better watch out. The cynic in you is rearing it's ugly head." "Then it'll be able to keep the skeptic company." Glancing over at the package the man had left on the table. "Please tell me you're going to be there tomorrow. I'd hate to do this without you." "I'm going to be there - I just might be a little bit late. I only wanted you to take it in for me. Do you honestly think I'd risk the wrath of Maggie, Walter and you by not showing up? Uh uh, no way. I'm not stupid. Two of you people carry guns and the other doesn't have to." "Just checking to make sure." 1/2 All the Wishes in the World: Survival (2/2) by Sammi M. sammi4@airmail.net <---- NEW ADDY!!!!!!!!!! jhourdhaun@hotmail.com s_moch@twu.edu Classification: SA (We've got angst here, but not the festival-o'-angst from before) Rating: PG-13/R for adult situations and other stuff Spoilers: None Keywords: Mulder, rape, surviving Summary: It's one year later and it's time for lives to get back on track ... if they can. ********************************** Archive: Yes ********************************** Disclaimer: See part 1. This is the epilogue. This is the end. There will be no more parts. None. Nada. Zippo. ************************************************** All the Wishes in the World: Survival by Sammi M. _________________________________ Scully had offered to drive she and her partner to the Hoover on their first morning back with the X-Files. Though it was early, neither was upset. This was the return they'd both been secretly praying for and now it was here. At their entrance, several of the security staff welcomed Mulder back and sent winks in Scully's direction. She just nodded and ushered her friend toward the stairs. "Why aren't we taking the elevator? Granted, it's not that far, but it was like a ritual or something." "I want to stop in the breakroom first and it's a straight shot from the stairs rather than having to turn back from the elevator." "Scully, don't tell me you've gotten lazy since you were last here? What's a couple of extra feet?" "Will you stop grousing and go. Geez! You change one little thing in five years and somebody darn near has a conniption." They continued down the stairs and into the breakroom where the petite agent started pulling out several trays of fruits, veggies and finger sandwiches." "What is all of this?" Scully glared at him and sighed. "Do you remember Janna Peterson from Fraud, well I got a call last night telling me they were throwing her a shower and that they were going to keep the food stuff down here. They wanted me to bring it up around 9:00 or so and help them set up. I'm just getting everything ahead of time and taking it to the office to cut down on my running around." Nodding toward the trays. "Would you mind?" "I suppose not." He grabbed two of the trays and waited for her to get the door. "How do you get mixed up in this kind of thing your first day back?" She shrugged as they made their way to their office. "Just lucky, I guess. Here, let me get that." She pulled out her keys and opened the door. "After you, Mulder." Ever since they had decided to do this, the four conspirators had worried that the man they were conspiring against wouldn't be able to handle the sudden celebration. They had feared not enough time had passed for him to accept their plans, but, in the hopes that he was finally ready and deserved this, they continued. As everyone else leaped from their spots, four pairs of eyes watched and waited. Choruses of, "Welcome back, Mulder" and "Surprise!," rose up and enveloped the softly shaking man still standing in the doorway. As he slowly perused the office space, his mouth fell open more from astonishment than fear. Several people from various departments that would always greet him no matter what they heard smiled at him and waited for him to join them. In the midst of this group stood Margaret Scully, Walter and Darren ... and, strangely enough, The Lone Gunmen. "What's all this?" He asked as his partner gently nudged him forward. Scully just shook her head as she lowered her tray to the table where the other snacks were. "Using my superior deductive skills, I'd have to say it's a welcome back party. Following my gut instincts, I'd have to take it a step farther and say the party's for you." Walter walked up to his friends and took the trays from Mulder and set them down. He was alarmed at the fine tremble he detected from the agent and turned and whispered so that no one else could hear, "Are you okay? Do I need to get rid of everybody?" "No!" The younger man seemed to be struggling to find the words. "I ... This ... This isn't because of fear. This ... is because nobody's ... ever done ..." The AD nodded and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder in understanding. "I'm glad." Nodding his head toward the three men who didn't quite belong in the picture. "If only because you can't believe the hassle I had to go through to get *them* here." He smiled - something he'd beeen doing a lot lately. "You ready to enjoy your party? Your friends wanted to make today special for you." "Everyday's special *because* of my friends." ______________________________ Three bodies waited silently as the woman sat behind the desk and opened the file in front of her. Three minds considered every last possibility as she turned the pages. Three hearts shattered as she uttered the few simple words. "I'm sorry, Mulder. The test came back positive." _______________________________ ---Laughter.--- ---Wild, maniacal laughter.--- No! You haven't won! I won't let you win! ---Who has the last laugh now, Fox?!--- ---Laughter.--- ______________________________ "So, how do you want to play it, Mulder?" The AD asked as he sat at his desk across from his two agents - his two friends. "How long before I would be required to take a desk position?" "That would solely be up to your and the Bureau's physicians. As long as you were asymptomatic, you could remain in the field as long as certain precautions were taken." The voice of reason went straight to the heart of things. "What about his treatments? Will the Bureau be covering the cost." Stone cold. "I will personally see that they will. Mulder incurred this fate from direct contact with an assigned case. If they so much as balk at an aspirin, I'll hang them out by the balls." Surprisingly, Mulder laughed, startling his companions. "What? I *can* laugh." "No one's saying you can't, Partner, it's just..." "Dana, Walter, I'm not taking on the role of victim here and I refuse to allow you guys to put me there either. If nothing else, this has shown me that life's too short and there is no way I'm going to let a dead man have control over however much time I have left." _____________________________ ---Laughter.--- ---Deep, crazy laughter.--- ---I told you, you were mine. I've got you now, Fox. Right where I want you.--- You have nothing. No power. No control. No life. Nothing. ---No, I have you and we're going to be together for all eternity.--- Fuck you! You. Have. Nothing! So, go to Hell! Oh, I'm sorry. You're already there. Enjoy, cause I have no plans on joining you. Nothing! The laughter stopped. _______________________________ Several weeks later: It was just like old times. The three of them were conferring over the latest case report turned in by the X-Files team. As usual, the file read like either really good science-fiction or extremely bad science-fact. That didn't seem to deter the three though. The discussions were in-depth and demanding and all the players were eating it up like they were starving. This was survival at it's best. The mundane - to a point. The everyday things - for them anyway. It was all returning to normal - or as much as anything could be normal with the trio - which was a good thing considering what the day was. One year ago that day, Fox Mulder's life had changed. Though he knew he'd never be the same as he was before, he knew he'd made it, no matter the obstacles. So, for his anniversary, he had decided to join his two best friends in a wild discussion of their latest findings, after hours of course, and he was enjoying every passing minute of it. He was alive! Nothing could take that away from him! The stench of cigarette smoke alerted them to the man standing in the door. He had been silently watching them for several moments debating on how he should approach. As their laughter and excitement died and their training kicked in, he found himself on the receiving end of three guns. "Please, is this any way to greet an old friend?" "Since when have you been a friend?" He continued into the room holding a file. "Since I came bearing gifts." Mulder rolled his eyes and lowered his gun. "We don't want anything from you. Nothing's worth the price we'd have to pay." "Nothing, Agent Mulder? Considering what you're facing, I'd think you'd have a different attitude." Scully refused to lower her gun and followed his every move. "What do you know about what he's facing?" "I ... know everything." Skinner had lowered his gun and placed it before him on his desk - close. "So, why are you here if you know everything? Come to gloat?" "What happened to Agent Mulder a year ago was ... most unfortunate and I can assure you, if Agent Scully or you had been less than ... thorough in your justice, *I* wouldn't have been." "Like I want you to do me any favours." Ignoring the younger man. "I was able to convince my ... associates it would not be in our best interests to add to Agent Mulder's ... torment. I was successful ... until recently." Scully couldn't resist. "Recently?" "It would seem that some of my associates weren't too pleased with the bond you shared nor with the fact that Mulder was doing so well. They sought to ... avail him of that ... well-being." Skinner's mind suddenly raced with his heart. "Avail him how?" Taking a deep drag and releasing it ... slowly. "By inserting one of their operatives in a lab situation so that certain results could be ... falsified if they didn't turn out the way they hoped." "Omigod!" Didn't matter who uttered it; it was shared by all. Mulder stood and walked to the man until he was barely a breath apart from him. "How do I know you're not lying? How do I know you're not just playing with me like a puppet - pulling my strings?" The man reached around the agent and handed the file to Scully. She quickly opened it and started reading. As the tension grew, her partner refused to back down and continued to hold the dark eyes. At Scully's gasp he turned confused eyes to tearful ones. "Mulder, according to this Hennessey was almost obsessive about getting tested. His last test, only a month before ... He tested negative! Your *real* results are also in here! They say you're negative too! Mulder, you don't have it!" All the colour drained from the man's face as his trembling hands took the file from equally trembling hands. While he read, Skinner moved away from behind the desk to stand behind his agent which was a good thing as Mulder's legs suddenly gave out beneath him. The AD and Scully were both there to catch him and join in his tears and joy. The man silently waited and watched as the three friends celebrated. A part of him wanted to be a part of what he was witnessing. Only a small part. As he turned to leave, Mulder disentangled himself from the arms of his loved ones and with tears still streaming asked, "Why?" He didn't turn back, but he did stop. "I didn't agree with their methods. There are better ways of getting what we wanted." Without thinking, "Thank you." At the door, the man paused. "Don't thank me yet, Fox, because now, ... you owe me one." THE END! 2/2