Chapter 6
Morgan and Scully worked on their computers all day, going through files and databases trying to find more cases that could be attributed to the Reaper. Since they worked past dinner time they ordered pizza. Scully called it a night at 9:30.
“I’m starting to go cross-eyed. I’m going to head home.”
“See you tomorrow, Dana.”
“You should go too, Jess.”
“I will. I just want to work a few more minutes. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Alright. Good night.”
“Good night.”
***
The next morning Scully was surprised not to find Morgan in her office when she arrived at work. She took her jacket off and hung it on the back of a chair and turned on her laptop. Before it was done booting up Morgan came in – still in the same clothes from the day before.
She arched an eyebrow. “I thought you said you were going to go get some sleep last night.”
Morgan actually blushed a little bit. “I was going to, but I got on the trail of something.”
“Oh? What?”
“Well, we think our guy takes his victims out of their homes, kills them, and then returns their bodies back to their own homes. We’ve been unable to find the primary crime scenes. Right?”
“Right.”
“But with Annie Jensen we saw he simply killed her in her home. He went from the easier scenario to a more complicated one – one where he has to get in and out of their homes unseen twice, increasing the risk of getting caught.”
“Right.”
“Well, I started a new search of bodies found in unoccupied and abandoned buildings. I didn’t find any with the same wounds on the east coast. However, I did find some on the west coast with wounds not exactly the same, but similar. I’ve requested the files on the cases because we can’t be sure it’s our guy until we evaluate the autopsy reports and look at the photos.”
“Okay.”
“That’s not all. I regressed his M.O. back further and ran some more searches.”
“What did you find?”
“Some possible matches in the Midwest from North Dakota down through Texas. If we can connect enough dots, it might be possible to follow his M.O. through the cases back to its origin, and maybe find a live victim. Someone that he assaulted before he crossed the line into murder.”
“That’s if he didn’t start out killing with his first victim,” Scully pointed out.
“I know. And I know it’s going to take a lot of work. The first step is getting a look at those files I requested. They should be here soon.”
***
Scully and Morgan sifted through files and reports all day. When Scully noticed Morgan rubbing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose she spoke up.
“Alright, that’s enough.” Scully stood up and slipped on her suit jacket. She then moved to the other end of the work table where Morgan was sitting. “Come on, Jess.”
“Hmm?”
Scully put her hand on Morgan’s shoulder, startling her. Morgan jumped and whipped her head around, looking up at Scully.
“You need to get out of here, and that reaction just proves it. Now come on.”
“You go, Dana. I just want to check a few more files.”
“Right. I’ve heard that one before. Jess, you’ve been here two days. You’re tired and you need to eat. You’ve been going nonstop for days. You need to get out of here.”
“I need to find this bastard.”
“I know. But you’re not the only one looking for him. It’s not all on your shoulders.”
“I couldn’t have said it better,” said a male voice from the doorway. Both women looked up to see the Director standing there. “Jessica, you’re no good to me, or the victims, if you run yourself into the ground. You have to take care of yourself. I know how hard you push yourself. Go, get out of here, take tomorrow off, and come back fresh.” He held up a finger to quiet her as she started to object. “That’s an order. Agent Scully, I trust you’ll see Agent Morgan follows those orders. I don’t want to see either of you back here until the day after tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir.”
The Director turned and left.
Morgan dropped her head backwards and looked up at the ceiling as she let out a heavy sigh. “You’re right. He’s right. I know it.” She closed her eyes.
Scully smiled. She couldn’t help but draw comparisons between Mulder and Morgan. They were both driven agents. But while Mulder often became obstinate and unreasonable, Morgan was stubborn but listened to reason.
“How long has it been since you’ve had a home cooked meal?”
“Almost as long as it’s been since I’ve had an orgasm.” Morgan’s eyes popped open and her head snapped upright. “Oh shit. I said that out loud, didn’t I? I’m more tired than I thought. Sorry, Dana.” She stood up. When Morgan turned to get her jacket from the back of her chair she saw Scully standing there holding one hand to her lips, her face pink and her body shaking from her silent laughter. Well if Dana was laughing at her, then she hadn’t offended or embarrassed her, so Jess relaxed. She smiled. “I’m so glad you’re amused,” she said in a beleaguered tone.
Scully smiled. “Come on, let’s go. I can at least do something about one of those,” she said chuckling. When Morgan reached for her briefcase she stopped her. “Nope. No work, Jess.”
Morgan looked at her a couple of moments, as if she was going to object.
An auburn eyebrow arched.
Morgan smirked. “Alright. But don’t think that look is always going to work.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Scully replied as she lightly pushed the other woman towards the door.
“You know, you’re a bossy woman, Dana.”
“Keep moving.”
“See?”
***
After stops at Morgan’s hotel so she could take a quick shower and change clothes and a wine store because she insisted on providing the drinks since Scully was cooking dinner, they arrived at Dana’s.
“Make yourself at home, Jess. I’ll just be a minute.” Scully went into her bedroom and changed into a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. She put on some warm socks but didn’t bother with shoes. She then went into the kitchen to start working on dinner.
“Is there anything I can do to help, Dana?” Morgan turned on Scully’s CD player and soft jazz began to play.
“Nope. The lasagna is already made; I just need to put it in the oven to cook.”
When Scully came out of the kitchen she brought a bottle of wine, a corkscrew and a couple of wineglasses. She uncorked the wine and poured them both a glass. Scully sat back as she handed Morgan her glass.
“So, how long has it been... since you had a home cooked meal?” she asked with a smirk and amusement in her tone and shining in her eyes.
Morgan rolled her eyes. “Cute. Let’s just say it’s been a while.”
“Fair enough. So, where do you call home?”
“When?”
“Ah. Army brat?”
“No; but I was born in California, lived in Vancouver until I was four, Texas until I was 12, Massachusetts until I was 16 and England until I was 21.”
“What about now?”
“Now? Well, for the last three years home is whatever hotel I’m checked into.”
Scully’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope. Other than what’s in my suitcases, all my stuff is in storage.” Morgan shrugged her shoulders. “No use having a place when I’m never there. I’m always on the road, working one case or another.”
“Do you always work cases like this one?”
“This – rapes, molestations, kidnappings. Whatever the Director needs me on.”
“I can’t imagine it. Working these kinds of cases day in and day out. Why do you do it?”
Someone has to.” Morgan let out a sigh. “And I’m good at it,” she added softly.
Scully didn’t miss the weariness in the woman’s voice. “When was the last time you had a day off?”
“Does traveling between cases count?”
“No.”
“It’s been several months, almost a year.”
“You’re more than overdue for some time off.”
Morgan nodded. “Yeah. So, enough about me. What about you, Dana? Where did you grow up?”
“All over. My dad was in the Navy. He retired a captain.”
“Where do your parents live?”
“My mom lives in Baltimore, but my dad’s gone.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay; it’s been a few years.”
“Any siblings?”
“Two brothers, and a sister who’s gone. You?”
“I was an only child.”
“What about your parents? Are they still in England?”
“Both my parents are gone.”
“I’m sorry.”
Morgan shrugged. “It was a long time ago, and I barely knew them.”
“What do you mean?”
“I was sent to boarding school when I was four. I stopped going home for the summer when I was six after my mother died. I didn’t see my father again until his funeral when I was 14.”
Scully wasn’t sure what to say but was saved by the ringing of her home phone. “Excuse me.” She got up answered it. “Hello.”
“Scully! Where have you been?”
“Working, Mulder.”
“You haven’t been answering my calls,” he whined.
“And yet you keep getting drunk and calling me 15 times a day,” she sighed. “Why don’t you try calling when you’re sober?”
“No reason to stay sober. The OPR suspended me, Scully. A month without pay.”
“You’re lucky that’s all it is. You could be in a jail cell.”
“That fucking freak–”
Scully hung up on him and turned the volume down on her answering machine. She no sooner turned to rejoin Morgan on the couch when her phone rang again. She just shook her head.
***
A few hours and a lot of conversation (not to mention a couple of bottles of wine) later both women were in a state of quiet lassitude, barely able to keep their eyes open. It was a battle they both lost.
It was only an hour or so later when Scully woke up. She woke up slowly, the alcohol in her system, the easy camaraderie of the evening, the physical comfort of her body, and the sense of safety infusing her entire being, all combining and contributing to the languidness. She listened to the steady heartbeat beneath her ear, and the slow even breaths. She felt the warm hand on her waist, where her sweatshirt had ridden up a bit, and the arm around her shoulders, holding her securely but gently.
Without opening her eyes, she lazily thought about the body she was snuggled against, or rather, mostly atop. She calmly wondered who it could possibly be. A part of her said she should be alarmed, and should get the hell out of wherever she was. She never allowed herself to sleep with her lovers – she couldn’t lower her guard enough to do that. She always left after sex or made them leave. She couldn’t let anyone get that close to her, couldn’t be that vulnerable. Not even Daniel. Of course he’d always had his wife to go home to.
But she did not want to leave. She was comfortable and felt... safe, content, peaceful. She felt like she belonged. She took in a long, slow, deep breath let it out with a sigh. The hand on her waist slid to the small of her back, holding her closer. The arm around her shoulders tightened and then a hand slipped into her hair at the back of her head. Fingers lightly massaged her scalp. Lips briefly moved against her crown as soothing words were whispered into her hair.
“Shhh... it’s okay, you’re safe... just a dream...”
Scully recognized the voice. It was Jess. And she didn’t want to move – she was too comfortable. “Mmmm...”
“You okay?”
“Mm hmm. You?” Scully responded, continuing their mumbled conversation.
“Mm hmm.”
“Sorry about falling asleep on top of you.”
“S’kay. Not a lotta room on the couch.” Morgan yawned.
“Could move to be’room.... more room.”
“Means we gotta move.”
“Mm hmm.”
“Hmm... ‘kay.”
Neither moved.
“Guess we should sit up firs’,” Morgan said still mumbling and then yawned again. “On three.”
“M’kay.”
“One... two... three...”
Neither woman so much as moved a muscle.
After a minute Scully broke the silence, “Nigh’...”
“Nigh’...” Morgan mumbled back in response.
Both women were asleep moments later.
*******
Chapter 7
When Morgan woke up in the morning she was still holding Scully who was still mostly on top of her but was cradled by Morgan’s body and the back of the couch. Her face was tucked into Morgan’s neck and the redhead’s right hand was gently but rather possessively holding her left breast. Scully’s right leg was also trapped between her own.
Morgan kept her breath slow and even so she didn’t wake Scully up. She was sure Scully would be more than a little embarrassed to wake up in their current position. Especially to find herself fondling her partner’s breast and teasing her hardening nipple with her thumb. It was definitely time to get up. Morgan very, very carefully eased herself out from under Scully.
***
When Scully woke up she was surprised to find herself without her oh-so-comfortable human pillow. That thought brought her to an immediate stop. Why the hell would she have a human pillow? Morgan! Scully opened her eyes as fractured memories came flooding into her mind. She saw a thermal travel mug with a note taped to it. She slowly sat up and pulled the folded note with her name on it off the side of the mug.
Dana,
Made you some coffee. Thanks for the hospitality. Enjoy your day off.
Jess
She sat up and took the lid off the mug. The coffee was still hot and tasted good. It helped to clear some of the cobwebs. She remembered everything about the evening before, especially how much she liked talking and spending time with Morgan. Scully found the woman pleasant and funny and charming on a personal level; respectful, courteous, and smart on a professional level. And for the life of her, Scully couldn’t fathom the depth of the animosity Mulder had shown for the woman she was working with. While she continued to drink her coffee an idea formed. She had known Mulder for years, but there were others who had known him longer. She came to a decision.
Scully got her phone and called the Lone Gunmen. Once she convinced them to turn off the tape recorder she told them why she was calling.
“Guys, I need some information.”
“About what?” Langly asked.
“What do you guys know about an Agent Jessica Morgan or Agent Toni Jeffers?”
“Jesus, talk about ghosts from the past!” exclaimed Frohike.
“Where did you hear those names, Scully?” Byers asked.
“Just tell me what you know, guys.”
“Well, Jessica was a profiler in the VCU back when Mulder worked there. She was the wunderkind of all time,” Frohike said.
Byers continued, “After Jessica graduated from Oxford she was heavily courted by government agencies both here in the US and in the UK, not to mention civilian employers and think tanks. I heard several universities offered her a professorship.”
“But she signed up with the Bureau and began profiling right away,” Frohike added. “The way she sees into the minds of suspects is unbelievable. Mulder was called Spooky for his ability to profile, but what Jessica could do was downright freaky. And that’s what they called her, the Freak.”
“And with an accuracy/closure rate over 98% she could write her own ticket,” Langly pointed out.
“Especially after she and her partner took down Neil Croskey,” Byers added.
“I got to tell you, Scully, what she went through on that case... well, Croskey just about killed her – cut her bad. But despite being severely wounded Jessica managed to save her partner’s life and that of the Croskey’s last victim. She got some medal of valor for it. Her partner, John Casper, refused to work with anyone else until she was back. I really hated seeing what that case did to her. She was the sweetest kid, but afterwards... well, you could say she lost all her innocence on that case,” Frohike said. “She was only 22 at the time,” said Frohike.
Scully closed her eyes for a moment and thought back to when she was 22 and in medical school. To have to face such a monster as serial killer Neil Croskey at such an early age... somehow it just didn’t seem quite right... or fair. “What about Toni Jeffers?” she asked.
She could hear the smile in Frohike’s voice when he replied. “Jeffers was the best thing that could have happened to Morgan. She took an interest in Jessica, at first professionally, but then it turned very personal. They fell in love with each other. Toni put the light back in Jessica’s eyes.”
“Jeffers also happened to be an old love interest of Mulder’s,” Langly pointed out.
“He mentioned that to me. He said Jess stole Toni from him.”
“Bullshit!” bellowed Frohike. “Look, Mulder’s my friend, but Toni dumped him long before she and Jessica ever got together. Quite frankly, Toni played the field a lot – a regular ‘Donna Juana,’ if you know what I mean. She was nice, but a real free spirit. Mulder just won’t admit he never stood a chance with her; she was way out of his league. But Mulder’s always blamed Jessica because she’s who Toni gave up her footloose ways for and settled down with. He’s full of it.”
“It got worse after Toni was killed,” Byers pointed out.
“What happened?”
“She was murdered in their home. A killer Jessica profiled, Devon Conrad, came after her. She wasn’t home, but Toni was.”
“You don’t want to know what he did to her, Scully,” Byers said in a dark tone.
“And Jessica was the one to find her...” added Langly.
“We all thought she wasn’t going to make it. Losing Toni that way, and finding her body... well, I guess you can imagine,” Frohike continued sadly. “Her partner, Casper, took her in and looked after her for a while. Then the day they nailed Conrad she resigned from the Bureau and up and disappeared.”
There were a few moments of silence.
“Why are you asking about Jessica and Toni?” Byers asked.
She let out a little sigh. “Would you believe I’m working a case with her right now?”
“You mean Jessica?!”
“You’re kidding?!”
“When did she come back?”
“What has she been up to? How is she?”
“We want to see her!”
Scully couldn’t keep from smiling at the affection and caring these guys obviously had for Morgan. That and their version of events led her to be secure in her own instincts regarding the woman. Morgan was definitely one of the good guys, and earned the respect and care of those around her. Scully could only imagine what the young agent had been through.
“She doesn’t know that I called you guys.”
“We want to talk to her, see her, know how she’s doing.”
“She seems to be doing quite well, at least professionally. I only met her last week. I called you because the story Mulder told me and what Morgan told me were different. I wanted your version of what happened.”
“I can’t imagine Jessica would have lied to you about any of it,” Frohike said defensively.
“She didn’t.”
“So Mulder told his warped version,” Langly concluded.
“Yeah. I guess he never got over it. He tried to punch her out the other day.”
“She never deserved any of his shit. He created his own woes. All Jessica ever deserved from anyone was kindness and respect,” Frohike asserted.
“I believe you, guys.”
“Scully, please tell Jessica we asked about her, and let her know we’d love to talk to her or see her sometime,” Byers requested.
“I will.” She concluded her call with the Gunmen.
***
Morgan was working on her laptop at the desk when there was a knock on her hotel room door. She took the pen from between her teeth and stuck it behind her ear as she stood up and walked to the door. She looked through the peephole and saw a certain redhead. She couldn’t help the small smile that graced her lips. She opened the door. Before she could even say hello, Scully marched into the room past her. “Well, come in, Dana,” she said to the redhead’s back and closed the door. She followed Scully and found her looking at her computer.
“Ah ha! Just as I suspected.”
“What?”
“You got up, came straight back here and got to work. You’re supposed to take today off, Jess – that’s what the Director ordered you to do. And he told me to ensure you followed those orders.” Scully closed the laptop and turned to face Morgan. She gave her a once over, taking in her sweats and well-worn t-shirt. “So, get changed. We’re going out.”
Morgan was amused, but she crossed her arms and arched a dark eyebrow. “Actually I came back here, went for a workout in the gym, and then got to work. And just who are you to come in here and order me around, Agent Scully?”
Scully smirked. “Well for the duration of this case, I’m your partner.” Her smirk morphed into a smile. “And after last night, I’d like to think, your friend.”
Morgan held her stern expression for a second longer before finally giving the redhead an amused smirk and a nod. “Alright. Just give me a few minutes to get ready.” Morgan opened a suitcase, grabbed a change of clothes and stepped into the bathroom. She reappeared less than five minutes later, dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt. “So, where are we going?”
“The National Gallery of Art.”
“Mm. I’ve been there. They have some beautiful pieces of art.”
“But have you been to their skating rink?”
“The ice skating rink in their sculpture garden? No, can’t say that I have.”
Scully grinned. “Well you won’t be able to say that after today.”
“Ice skating? Do you know how cold it is out there?”
“It kind of has to be cold for there to be ice to skate on.”
“I’m more of the tropical beach type.” Morgan smirked. “Or at least a hot tub.”
“Well today you’re going ice skating.” Scully pushed her to her towards the door.
“Didn’t I already say something about you being a bossy woman?”
They both chuckled as Morgan put on her coat and they left.
***
Though Morgan wasn’t very experienced at ice skating, due to her athleticism and natural grace, she was able to skate pretty smoothly without falling. However, she was surprised by how well Scully skated – the redhead was a regular speed demon and quite agile. Scully credited it to having grown up with three siblings, two of whom were brothers who knew how to play hockey.
“What can I say? I was a total tomboy.”
“You? With your ever present three-inch heels?”
Scully sped up and did a quick turn in front of Morgan, ending up facing her and skating backwards. “I’m not wearing heels today.”
“True. And was it your sister and brothers that also taught you to be so bossy?” Morgan joked.
“Nope. They teach that in medical school. But you should know that since you went. But maybe you missed that class.” Scully was rewarded with a genuine laugh.
“Actually, in my professional opinion as a psychologist, I think it has more to do with you being a pathologist.”
“What?”
“Well, all your patients are dead, so when you give them orders they never talk back or argue. You’ve gotten used to it and it’s left you with a sense of... expectation, entitlement even. You feel that everyone should just do as you say and shut up about it.”
It was Scully’s turn to laugh, her blue eyes sparkling. “Or it could just be that when I tell you to do something, I’m right!” She swiftly spun around and took off, leaving her companion behind.
***
After having spent most of the afternoon at the ice rink, the two women finally headed back to the car.
“Since you were such a good sport about the ice skating, you get to pick where we have dinner,” Scully announced. “What are you in the mood for?”
“How about Japanese.”
“Sushi?”
“No, hibachi.”
“Sounds good. There’s a place not far from here.” Scully put the car into drive.
“By the way...”
“What?”
“I know you pushed me into that snow bank on purpose.” Morgan paused. “And I’ll get you back.”
Both women were smiling as they continued on their way.
***
Scully and Morgan had a good time at dinner. Since Scully had cooked dinner the night before, Morgan had insisted on paying for dinner. It was still rather early when they arrived back at Scully’s. They had stopped on the way to rent a movie. However, when they got out of the car to go in, the movie was left in the car, forgotten in the midst of their conversation. Just as they neared the door to the apartment building Scully remembered.
“Oh! The movie!”
“Give me the keys to the car and I’ll get it. You go on in,” Morgan volunteered. She accepted the car keys and headed back to the parking lot. She was only about halfway to the car when she was suddenly, and very unexpectedly, smacked in the back of the head with a projectile. Morgan stopped dead in her tracks. Cold, wet snow began to fall in clumps from her hair and icy cold drips ran down her neck and back. She reached up, unbelievingly, and brushed the clinging splatters from the back of her head. She slowly turned around and just looked at the redhead. “Did you just...”
Scully’s expression was a mixture of feigned innocence and smug guilt. And she was already preparing another snowball.
Morgan held up an index finger and slowly wagged it her partner. “You don’t want to do that.”
“Oh, I’m pretty sure I do,” the redhead replied with an evil glint in her eyes. Just as Morgan opened her mouth to reply Scully let loose with her second snowball, nailing her partner in the ear as she turned away.
“Now you’re going to get it!” Morgan shoved the car keys in her jeans pocket and took off chasing Scully, scooping up some snow on the way. She had excellent aim and splattered the collar of Scully’s coat at the back of her neck.
An all out war had begun.
*******
Chapter 8
Both women were wet and freezing as they finally made their way inside Scully’s apartment.
“We need to get out of these wet clothes. Come on.” Scully led Morgan to her bedroom where she pulled out an oversized sweatshirt and a pair of sweats. “The sweats belonged to my sister so they should fit you. And here are some socks,” she said as she added some athletic socks to the pile. “Just leave your clothes in the bathroom and I’ll put them in the dryer after you change.”
“Thanks.”
Morgan headed into the bathroom to get out of her wet clothes. When she came out, Scully was already changed and had just started a fire in the fireplace.
The redhead looked over her shoulder. “Better?”
“Much.”
“Well, come and sit in front of the fire and get warmed up.” Scully dropped a blanket around Morgan’s shoulders as she sat on the floor in front of the couch. “I’ll be right back.” She grabbed the wet clothes from the bathroom and put them in the dryer. Then she went to the kitchen and made a couple of mugs of hot chocolate. “Here.” She handed Morgan her hot chocolate, then sat down next to her and wrapped a blanket around her own shoulders. “Hot chocolate and a gas fire. It’s the best I can do since I don’t have a hot tub or a tropical beach handy.”
Morgan chuckled. “It’ll do.” She took a sip of her hot chocolate and sighed. “I can’t remember the last time I actually did something just because it was fun or silly.” She looked at her companion. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Are you always so impulsive and carefree?”
Scully almost choked on the sip she’d just taken. She managed to swallow it without making a mess. “Hell no! The last time I did something impulsive was two years ago. I got drunk, got a tattoo, and almost got stuffed into a furnace.”
“What?”
“Long story. Suffice it to say, you hang around headquarters long enough and you’ll hear a few nicknames I’ve been christened with – Blue-eyed Bitch and Ice Queen being the most popular. That and Mrs. Spooky.”
“Blue-eyed Bitch and Ice Queen? I don’t see it. I only met you a week ago, but I’d never say you were cold, just professionally dispassionate – something you have to be to do what we do. But Mrs. Spooky – unfortunately that kind of stuff is everywhere. There was a lot of speculation about John and myself, even after Toni and I got together.” She paused as she took another sip of her hot chocolate. “So what prompted today’s impulsiveness?” Morgan was surprised to see Scully’s cheeks suddenly color with embarrassment. “What is it?” she asked.
“It’s my birthday,” was the soft reply.
Scully wouldn’t look at her, so Morgan bumped her shoulder against her companion’s. “Hey.” She waited until their eyes met. “Happy Birthday.”
“Thanks.”
“Not that I’m complaining, but why not spend your birthday with your family?”
“My brothers are both stationed in California and I talked to Mom earlier today. But the truth is, I spent the day exactly how I wanted to, Jess. And I did so for the first time in a long time, longer than I care to admit.” That there was a hidden depth to her words was not lost on either woman. Scully felt her throat tighten and the backs of her eyes sting as they filled with unshed tears. She wasn’t about to let them fall though. Unfortunately, a rogue tear defied her will and spilled down her cheek. She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth in an effort to make sure it was the only one. Tender fingertips wiped it away for her.
“I understand.” Morgan slipped her arm around Scully’s shoulders and gently pulled the redhead closer.
Scully resisted at first. She hated being seen as weak. But for some reason she believed Morgan did indeed understand, and her better instinct won out. She accepted the offered shoulder, burying her face against it, and letting the silent tears go as Morgan’s other arm came up and completed the embrace.
After a few minutes Scully pulled back, wiping the tears from her face. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I get the feeling you’ve been holding those in for a while.” She paused. “I also think there’s a whole lot more that need to be let go,” Morgan said gently.
Scully shook her head and sniffled as she wiped her face again. “Not tonight.”
Morgan nodded in understanding. “But keep in mind if you don’t let them out they can build up until you drown.”
“How much for the session, Dr. Morgan?” Scully quipped defensively.
Morgan let out a sigh. “I’ve simply been speaking from personal experience, as one friend to another.” She paused a moment. “But if you would really prefer, I can do the psychologist bit.”
“No... I wouldn’t prefer that,” the redhead said quietly.
“Good. Because I’d much rather be your friend than your therapist.” Morgan bumped her shoulder against Scully’s. “It’s alright. I’d prefer you to be my friend rather than my pathologist, so it’s only fair,” she said with a small smile. She got the response she was hoping for when Scully smiled.
“I should hope so!”
The buzzer from the dryer sounded, startling both women.
“Well, on that heart-stopping note, I think I shall use your bathroom.”
“Down the hall, on the right,” Scully told her as she also stood.
“I remember.”
“I’ll check your clothes.”
After Morgan finished in the bathroom she opened the door and found Scully waiting with her clothes, fresh from the dryer.
“Here you go.”
“Thanks. I’ll just be a sec.” She retreated into the bathroom and changed into nice and warm clothes. When she came back out Scully was in the kitchen.
“Did you want some more hot chocolate, Jess?”
“Actually, I think I’ll call it a night.”
“It’s still early.”
“I know. But I think you might have been a good influence on me today.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. I might try to get a good night’s sleep for a change, since it’s back to the grindstone tomorrow morning,” she said with a small smile.
“You mean you’re not going back now so you can work this evening?” Scully challenged.
“Nope. I’m going to make a couple of calls – to friends – and get some sleep.”
“Well... in that case I’ll let you go.” Scully smiled. “Let me get my keys so I can drive you back to your hotel.”
Morgan was waiting by the door by the time Scully grabbed her keys and got her shoes and coat on. She stopped the redhead as she reached for the doorknob. “Dana, I want you to know I really did have a good time today.” She dropped her eyes, a little embarrassed. “And it’s been a very long time since that’s happened.” She looked up into bright blue eyes. “I know today was your birthday, but you gave me a gift today. Thank you,” she finished softly.
Touched, Scully gave the woman a hug. “And you made this one of my best birthdays in a really long time, so thank you, too.”
***
After returning home from taking Morgan to her hotel, Scully turned on some music, put in a load of laundry and sat down to take care of some correspondence. Despite the brief incident of tears, she really was feeling good and had had a wonderful day... with Jess.
She had just gotten her laundry from the dryer and started folding it when there was a knock at her door. She looked through the peephole and saw Mulder. He at least looked reasonably sober so she opened the door. Before she could even say hello, he pushed in past her with a six pack in one hand and a pizza box in the other.
“Happy Birthday, partner. I bring food and drink,” he said with a grin as he passed her in the doorway and headed to her kitchen. He proceeded to prepare two plates and opened two beers. He then went into the living room and set everything down on her coffee table before plopping down on her couch. “Come and get it, Scully.”
Scully continued to fold some of her laundry. “Have at it, Mulder. I’m not hungry.”
“But I got your favorite, pepperoni and anchovies.”
“No, that’s your favorite. I hate anchovies. Besides, I already ate, Mulder. Jess and I had an early dinner, a very nice dinner in fact.”
His mood immediately changed at the mention of Morgan’s name. “How is the Freak?” he sniped.
Scully threw down the shirt she had in her hands and glared at him. “She’s just fine, Spooky.”
He glared at her.
“You know what, I don’t like this side of you. Take your pizza and leave.”
“You don’t know what she’s capable of! You don’t know what she did!”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You see I did some checking of my own. Toni Jeffers may have dumped you but she didn’t do so because of Jess. In fact Toni was quite the player from what I hear – she dated a lot of people.”
“So that’s the fiction she’s been telling you?!”
“No. That’s what the Lone Gunmen told me. They said Toni had no interest in anything serious with anyone... until Jess.”
“Toni’s dead because of her!”
Scully shook her head. “No. She’s dead because some mad man murdered her.” He started to say something but she cut him off. “You tell me it’s not my fault Missy was killed in my apartment, in my place.”
“Of course it isn’t!”
“Then how is it Jess’s fault that Toni was killed – simply because she was home and Jess wasn’t?”
“That’s different!”
“No, it’s not.”
“Morgan was warned to back off of that case! She knew about the threats against her! Toni’s dead because of Morgan’s refusal to back off, because of her god damn pride and drive to close the case!!”
“And how many people are dead because of yours?! How many more bodies are going to be sacrificed in the name of your personal quest?!” Scully knew as soon as the words were out of her mouth that things would never be the same between her and Mulder again. Something had snapped, broken, never to be repaired.
Mulder glared at her. “You’ll see I’m right. You’ll see I know what I’m talking about when it comes to Morgan.” He marched out, slamming her front door behind him.
Scully closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. She threw the pizza away, poured the opened beers down the drain and washed to the two dishes. She poured herself a glass of wine and sat on the couch, drawing her legs up under her. Her day had been so good... but it was ending so badly.
She felt torn. Over five years of her life had been spent working with Mulder. He had saved her life more than once... but then again, most of those times, her life wouldn’t have needed saving if not for him. The truth was out there, he said. But her truth... was that she couldn’t take it anymore. So when that ‘something’ between her Mulder broke, she felt the loss... but she also felt relief.
She had just turned 35 and what did she have to show for it? She knew she was a good agent and a skilled pathologist. She didn’t regret joining the FBI – what was inside her that had prompted her to join in the first place, was still there. Granted, it had gotten a bit buried under the crap of the last few years... but it was still there.
But what else did she have? She was missing several weeks of her memory; her sister was dead – murdered in her place; she had cancer – in remission for the time being, but who knew for how long; she had a dead daughter, conceived from her stolen ova; and she was barren. All of which could be tied to a cabal of powerful men that would never have perpetrated any of these things if she wasn’t mixed up with Mulder and his never-ending quest for ‘The Truth.’
Oh, and she had a tattoo.
She shook her head. How many times had Mulder ditched her? How many times did she have to go chasing after him to save him? How many things did he keep secret from her? He didn’t even tell her things she more than had a right to know! Like the knowledge that her ova had been taken when she’d been abducted. He kept that secret – from her! Only her discovery of, and subsequent application to adopt, Emily dragged that information out of him.
Mulder didn’t want her as a partner when she was assigned. But over time they got past his initial paranoia of her motives, and they became friends.
But did real friends treat you the way he treated her?
Mulder constantly took her for granted; expected her to be at his beck and call, day and night. He was quick to believe any and every quack that crossed their paths with a ghost or UFO story, but scoffed at her faith. He said he trusted her, but he didn’t even trust her with information about her own body. That particular betrayal, though a year old, still burned deep and hot.
Scully closed her eyes and counted to ten... then she counted again, taking slow breaths. She didn’t want to delve too deep in that particular well this evening.
She opened her eyes and watched the flames of the gas fire. A small smile formed as her thoughts turned to her temporary partner. There were definitely some similarities between Mulder and Morgan. Perhaps the traits they had in common were what made them good profilers. But there were some stark contrasts between the two. Despite the circumstances of the case itself, it had been a pleasant change working with Jess. She finished the wine in her glass and got up from the couch.
“Maybe change is just what I need.”
*******
Chapter 9
Scully and Morgan arrived at work early in the morning and started reviewing some of the case files that Morgan had requested after she’d run her searches. They read several faxes and printouts of emailed reports, sorting them into piles – one pile for possible Reaper cases and another for the cases they had eliminated. After an hour or so Morgan tossed a folder down in frustration. She got up, walked to the window and looked out. Scully finished what she was reading and looked up at the other woman. Morgan was clearly agitated.
“What’s wrong, Jess?”
Morgan rubbed her face with her hands before turning around. She shook her head. “We can sit here and read these damn files for weeks, but it’s not going to tell us what we need to know. We don’t even have crime scene pictures.” She sighed. “How are you doing with the autopsy reports?” she asked in a calmer tone.
“Well, there are some similarities certainly, as you know. But without the bodies, or good pictures of the wounds and their placement, it’s hard to be sure.”
“That settles it. We go.”
“Alright. But you have to know redoing autopsies on bodies this old...”
“Yeah, I know. But we can at least get access to the original files and photos, and check out some of the crime scene locations.” Morgan walked over to her desk and picked up the phone. She started making travel arrangements.
They were on a flight to San Diego, CA by noon.
***
The two women spent the next four and half days visiting various cities on the west coast, liaising with the local police and sheriff departments, reading and evaluating case files, and looking at crime scene locations. Then they got a phone call.
“Morgan.” She stepped away from Scully and the detective she was talking with.
“Agent Morgan, it’s Ben Taylor.”
“Yes?”
“We’ve got another one – Wilmington, Delaware.”
She closed her eyes and sighed. “It’s been 13 days since the last one. He’s still not sticking to any pattern in frequency.”
“That’s not all.”
“What is it?”
“There’s a note... and it’s addressed to you.”
“What?!”
At Morgan’s exclamation Scully glanced over at her partner with concern.
“It was mailed to the office. The envelope was addressed to ‘Reaper Taskforce Leader.’ But the note inside was addressed to you by name.”
“What did it say?”
“‘You look for me high and low. How far are you willing to go? Are you ready for the Reaper? To find me you must dig deeper.’”
“I assume you had forensics check the note and envelope out.”
“Too many hands on the envelope for prints to do any good. And no prints on the note. Both the envelope and paper are too common to trace.”
“Alright. We’ll get a flight to Philadelphia as soon as possible. Obviously you can’t leave the body at the scene in the meantime, so make sure they take a lot of photos of the scene and the body before they move it.”
“Already got them working on it.”
“Good. And send the note to the Philadelphia field office. I want to see it. I’ll call you with our flight information so someone can pick us up.”
“You got it. Talk to you later, Morgan.”
“Bye.” Morgan put her phone away and rubbed her temples.
Scully finished up with the detective and approached her partner. “What’s going on, Jess?”
“We’ve got another one.”
“Damn.”
“Yeah. We’ve got to catch the next flight to Philadelphia. Let’s go.”
***
On the flight from Portland, OR to Philadelphia, PA Morgan was lost in thought. The note really threw her, for more than one reason. Most obviously because it had been addressed to her personally. She hadn’t been on the press’s radar so there hadn’t been any TV or newspaper reports that mentioned her. So how did the Reaper even know she was working the case? And after what had happened with Toni... having a serial killer know who she was, that she was hunting him, brought up some bad memories.
Then there was the note itself. It simply made no sense. The wording was banal and seemed... forced. Not something she expected from the mind of the killer she had profiled. In fact, sending a note at all just didn’t appear to fit with the person who committed so many murders without leaving any useful forensic evidence. The kind of person who would plant a hair from a previous victim on another victim just wasn’t the kind to write such a note. It lacked... intellectual elegance.
It was 9:00 at night when they landed in Philadelphia. An Agent Erik Bowman was waiting for them as they came off the plane.
“Agent Morgan, Agent Scully?” the young man approached them. He looked barely old enough to shave and was obviously fresh out of the Bureau academy.
“Yes?”
“I’m Agent Bowman, Erik. I have a car to drive you to Wilmington.”
“Good. Let’s go.”
When they got to the car Bowman scurried to put the senior agents’ bags in the trunk. Scully and Morgan exchanged an amused look. He even opened the passenger side car doors for them. Morgan got into the backseat leaving the front for Scully. Bowman hurried around to the driver’s side. He started the car, allowing it to warm up. He pulled a legal size envelope from a valise and passed it back to Morgan.
“Assistant Director Taylor sent this for you, Agent Morgan.”
“Thank you.” She opened the envelope and took out the contents. She looked at the note that had been addressed and sent to her. Morgan stared at the block printed message, trying to make sense of it.
“Jess? Jess.”
“Huh? What?”
“Agent Bowman asked if you wanted to go by the field office before heading to the crime scene.”
“No, no,” she answered distractedly.
Bowman put the car in gear and they were on their way. For the entire hour’s drive, Morgan sat in the dark of the backseat, staring at the note. Her thoughts raced, between the current case and the past.
***
Scully had to prompt Morgan out of her mental wanderings again when they arrived at the crime scene. Sensing something was wrong, other than a new victim, Scully kept a concerned eye on her partner as they entered the house. It was because she was watching her partner that Scully caught the involuntary breath Morgan sucked in with a slight hiss. And something... happened with her eyes... didn’t it?
“Are you alright, Jess?”
“I’m fine. Let’s get to it.” Morgan moved past Scully, pulling on her gloves.
Scully arched an eyebrow as her partner passed, but she didn’t voice her doubts. They had a job to do.
***
Due to the late hour, it was decided Scully would do the autopsy in the morning. Even though it was after midnight when they got checked into a motel it felt earlier since they had started their day on the west coast. Scully changed and immediately knocked on their adjoining door.
“It’s unlocked,” came from the other side.
Scully opened the door. She stood in the doorway leaning against the jamb with her arms crossed. Morgan was sitting in one of the chairs, facing the window. Her feet were propped up on the table, crossed at the ankles. Scully waited silently for an entire minute. Finally she spoke.
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on, Jess?”
“What do you mean?”
Scully shook her head and uncrossed her arms. She walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, close to Morgan’s chair, but still to her back. “Look, I’ve only known you for two weeks, but we’ve spent a hell of a lot of time together during these past two weeks, on and off duty. You’ve not been yourself since this morning. What’s wrong?”
Morgan took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Maybe I’ve been doing this too long.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because I’m confused.”
“About what?”
Morgan didn’t say anything, but after a moment she got up and retrieved the envelope from her briefcase. She handed it to the redhead. Scully opened the envelope and pulled out the note while her partner began to slowly pace. She read the note and frowned.
“How did he know you were working the case?”
“I don’t know. But that’s not what I’m confused about.”
Scully reached out and gently grabbed Morgan’s arm as her pacing brought her near. “Sit down here and talk to me, Jess.” Morgan sat down next to Scully on the bed with a sigh. “What are you confused about?”
“The note itself. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. The profile I did... he just wouldn’t do this. And if he did, it sure as hell would be more elegant. It doesn’t fit.” She sighed again and shook her head. “Unless I’m really off with my profile. In which case, I don’t know where to go from here.”
“Well, we start with the body tomorrow morning.”
“I’m not holding my breath that we’ll find anything new.”
“Then we continue what we were doing.”
“But that’s just it. I don’t know if what we were doing is the right thing to be doing. If my profile is wrong then...”
“Then what, Jess? Then you’re wrong?”
Morgan gave Scully a look. “Don’t you get it? If I’m wrong... then people die.”
“That’s a risk we all accept when we put on the badge. Lives depend on the decisions we make and the actions we take. Jess, you’re an excellent profiler and investigator, but everybody makes mistakes – we’re human. All anyone can do is do their best.”
Morgan still looked full of doubt.
“Come on, let’s go.” Scully stood and pulled the other woman up as well.
“Go?”
“To get something to eat.”
“At 1:00 in the morning?”
“You skipped lunch and didn’t eat dinner on the plane either.”
“I think I’ll just go to bed.”
An auburn eyebrow arched disbelievingly. “As tightly wound up as you are? I don’t think so. You need to eat something and relax a bit.” She gently pushed Morgan towards the door. “Let’s go.”
“What did I tell you about being bossy?”
“And what did I tell you about me being right?” Scully retorted.
Morgan shook her head and opened the door.
***
First thing in the morning Scully and Morgan went to the morgue. Needing to focus her mind on something other than the note and crime scene photos, Morgan also changed into scrubs and planned to assist Scully.
Per the FBI’s request, the body had been bagged at the scene and then left alone. So the two agents removed the body bag from the cooler. Scully unzipped the bag. They carefully removed the bag and then began their examination, starting with her clothes.
When Morgan took one of the hands in her own to scrape under the nails she paused. She lifted the hand and sniffed at the wrist. She then reached across the body and did the same with the other wrist. Scully saw her actions and raised an eyebrow in question. Before Scully could give voice to her question Morgan spoke.
“Dana, could you toss me the evidence bag with her shirt, please?”
Scully grabbed the bag and tossed it to her partner.
Morgan took the shirt out and sniffed the material at the collar. She handed the shirt to the redhead. “Do you smell that?”
Scully sniffed the collar, but the scent wasn’t as apparent to her less sensitive senses. “Perfume of some kind?”
“Mm hmm. It’s Estée by Estée Lauder; fragrance spray, $20-$25 a bottle depending on where she bought it. I knew someone who wouldn’t wear anything else.” Morgan bent down and sniffed again, this time at the victim’s breastbone and then her knees. “And she was looking forward to a romantic night.” She took hold of a wrist and brought it up, bending the elbow and sniffing the victim’s wrist once again. “And her date brought her a gift.”
Scully was confused. “What?”
“Take a sniff.”
Scully bent down and sniffed the proffered wrist. She frowned. “It smells different.”
Morgan nodded. “Joy – about $400 an ounce.” She gently placed the arm back down on the table. “I’ll have someone run a check on purchases. No telling when or where he bought it, but it’s worth a try.”
Scully nodded in agreement.
*******
Chapter 10
After finishing up the autopsy Scully and Morgan went to lunch. They had to decide what their next move was going to be. They agreed that the best thing to do was head back to DC, so after lunch they packed up and drove out to the Philadelphia airport.
Back in Washington they returned to the Hoover building. At the end of the day they went their separate ways, Scully to her apartment and Morgan to her hotel room. But there was a surprise waiting for Morgan.
Morgan opened the door to her room and knew instantly that something was wrong. She didn’t need to look to know someone had been in her room while she’d been out of town, she could smell it – the blood. She dropped her bag and pulled her weapon. Not bothering to turn the light on she inched into the room, all her senses on high alert. Only after satisfying herself that there was no one present did Morgan put her weapon away. She stood and stared at the words on the wall, words written in blood.
Roses are red, violets are blue.
You don’t see me, but I see you!
Morgan pulled out her phone and called AD Ben Taylor. “Yes, it’s Morgan. I need a forensics team to come to my hotel room... Yeah, someone’s been here; left a message on the wall in blood... Alright. See you soon.” She hung up. She then called down to the front desk. She requested the on-duty manager come up right away. Morgan then left the room and waited in the hallway.
When the manager arrived Morgan explained that someone had been in her room. She wanted a list of all the employees who had access and who had been responsible for cleaning rooms on her floor that day. They were still talking when Ben Taylor arrived with some agents and technicians in tow.
An agent was sent down with the manager to get employee names, and talk to on-duty personnel. Morgan let the others into her room. The technicians got to work taking pictures, dusting for prints, and taking samples of the blood. Taylor asked Morgan if anything else in the room was disturbed or missing.
She went in and looked around. It didn’t look like anything was missing, but her things had definitely been rifled through. Morgan and Taylor went back into the hallway.
“I don’t like that this guy knows you’re working the case and now obviously knows where you’re staying. He’s making this personal.”
Morgan’s eyes flashed. “You think I do?! It’s my things he went through!” she snapped uncharacteristically. She lowered her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Sorry.” She took a deep breath and let it out. Morgan looked at Taylor again. “But the on the up side, this could be a blessing in disguise.”
“How the hell do you figure that?”
“If he’s fixated on me, maybe he won’t go after another woman. Or maybe he’ll get sloppy.” She gestured towards the room door. “This goes beyond leaving misleading clues and sending us on wild goose chases. Leaving a message written in blood on my wall is a blatant ‘fuck you.’ It’s not at all subtle or nuanced. He could finally be so damn arrogant and full of himself he’ll be making some mistakes.”
“Or he could come after you.”
“Possibly,” she conceded.
At that moment Scully arrived. She was still in her car when Taylor had called her as soon as he’d gotten off the phone with Morgan. Heavy traffic had delayed her arrival at the hotel. “Are you alright, Jess?”
Morgan turned and saw her partner. She nodded. “Yeah. Just had a nice little present waiting for me when I got here.” Morgan nodded at the open door to the room. “Go on and take a look.”
Scully went into the hotel room and stopped when she saw the writing on the wall. She shook her head and stepped back out, out of the way of the people processing the room.
***
It had taken some convincing, but finally Scully, with the help of Taylor, convinced Morgan to go home with her for the night. Even though Morgan had been quiet on the way to her apartment, it was obvious to Scully that the woman was wound up tighter than a spring. She understood all too well the feeling of invasion and violation that came from someone breaking in and going through her things.
Once they arrived at Scully’s they went inside. Scully told Morgan to make herself at home as she went into her bedroom to change clothes. She checked her messages on the answering machine when she came back out. Morgan came out of the bathroom after having changed clothes as well.
“I don’t feel like cooking tonight but we can have something delivered. So what do you feel like having for dinner?”
“It doesn’t matter. Whatever you want is fine by me.”
Scully grabbed the menu from a Chinese place and joined Morgan on the couch. They made their selections and Scully called it in. 30 minutes later they were eating. After dinner they cleaned up and Scully opened a bottle of wine.
“Okay, Jess, what are you thinking? What’s going on with this guy?”
Morgan sighed. “As I told Taylor, he’s gone beyond leaving misleading clues. That message was a ‘fuck you.’”
“Not very subtle.”
“Nope. Hopefully it means he’ll be making some mistakes.”
“He knows who you are and where you were staying.”
“As far as him knowing I’m working the case, there are enough people who know that it could have gotten out without anyone realizing it. Something as simple as my name coming up in a conversation about the case. It’s even possible where I was staying got out the same way. Or someone could have hacked into a computer somewhere.”
“Possibly.” Scully paused. “But what I really want to know is how the hell did he know you would be there tonight? I mean he had to have done it today, after housecleaning had already been through, or else they would have seen it. And there was no point in taking the risk of being seen if you weren’t going to be there tonight. Because if you weren’t there, then the hotel could have possibly cleaned it up without you ever knowing.”
“They would have called the police,” Morgan pointed out.
Scully raised an eyebrow. “That would have been the proper thing to do. But you and I both know that’s not always what’s done. There’s a real possibility someone at the hotel could have decided to cover it up, avoid any bad publicity. We didn’t decide to come back to DC until we were at lunch today. We could have gone back out west. So I ask you: How did he know you were going to be there?”
Somehow Morgan wasn’t surprised Scully caught that little tidbit. She was, after all, an excellent investigator. But no one else had thought to ask that particular question. She looked into those intelligent blue eyes. “I don’t know, Dana.”
***
After both women had taken a shower and changed into pajamas, Scully encouraged Morgan to have some wine. She got her talking – about anything but the case. She already knew Morgan well enough that she would not stop thinking about the case and what had happened unless she was distracted from it. Finally Scully saw Morgan’s eyes, and then head, begin to droop.
Scully grabbed Morgan’s hand and stood up. “Come on. No sleeping on the couch this time.”
Morgan’s head snapped up and she opened her eyes. “S’ry,” she mumbled and then yawned.
Scully urged her partner up from the couch and guided her to the bedroom. She got Morgan settled in one side of the bed then crawled in the other. She, too, was soon asleep.
***
She’d had a long day and was looking forward to getting home. Actually it had been a long month. And what she wanted more than anything was to go home, take hot a shower, and crawl into bed with her other half. She needed to feel Toni’s arms around her. She had told Toni she’d be home by 6:00, but then they got a possible lead on the killer they were after. And Jessica was the best interviewer of witnesses and suspects. Even the jerks who resented her presence in the division came to her for the really tough interrogations.
Anyway, after the interview of the reluctant witness she was finally able to call it a night at 10:30. Jessica had to stop and get gas on the way home. When she went inside to pay for it, she bought a small stuffed bear on impulse. She smiled at the little five-inch bear as she started the car and pulled away. Toni had a secret collection of the cute stuffed animals that she’d kill to keep a secret from her fellow FBI agents. It didn’t fit with her tough as nails, no nonsense image. Jessica’s smile widened. Settling down with one person for the last four and half years didn’t fit with Toni’s reputation either. It was the last thing anyone thought Toni would ever do. But that’s how long Jessica and Toni had been together.
Jessica parked the car and picked up the little bear with a smile. “Come on, buddy, let’s go make Toni smile.”
She rode the elevator up to their floor, and had her keys out before she got the door. With a heartfelt smile she unlocked the door and stepped inside, turning on the light in the hallway... and stopped. There was blood on the wall and floor. Her heart dropped like a stone. “Toni... Toni!” she called. She rushed into the living room. “TONI!!”
Jessica dropped to her knees and pulled the lifeless, bloody body of her lover into her arms. The stuffed bear forgotten in a pool of blood. “NOOO!!!”
“NOOO!!!” Morgan cried out and sat up in the bed. Tears rolled down her face and her whole body trembled.
Scully sat up next to her and put her arm around the trembling woman’s shoulders. “Shhh, it was just a dream. It’s okay, Jess.”
Morgan slumped, leaning into Scully, and broke down crying. Scully wrapped her other arm around Jess and held her close as she cried, her own heart hurting for her friend.
After a few minutes Morgan quieted. She wiped her face as she pulled out of Scully’s embrace. “Excuse me.” She got out of bed, left the bedroom, and went into the bathroom.
Morgan washed her face. She stared in the mirror and saw the shadows in her eyes. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Morgan stood there a few moments before turning off the light and returning to the bedroom. She silently slipped back into bed, lying on her back. After several seconds she finally spoke. “Sorry.”
Scully shifted to lie on her side, facing Morgan. She put her hand on the woman’s shoulder. “You don’t have anything to apologize for, Jess.” She paused. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not really.”
“I’m here if you ever do.”
***
Morgan woke up sometime later. She was on her right side... and Scully was spooning her from behind. Scully’s left arm was around her waist and her other arm under her neck. It felt so good to be held. She could feel Dana’s soft breath on her neck. Suddenly, parts of her body were wide awake and begging for attention – attention they weren’t going to get. She tensed, trying to get some control over her body and its reaction to the press of Dana’s breasts against her back.
In her sleep Scully felt Morgan tense up. She tightened her arm around Jess and murmured in her sleep. “It’s okay... just a dream...”
***
Scully woke up before the alarm was scheduled to go off. She was very surprised to find herself curled around the sleeping form of her partner – she was anything but a cuddler. However, she definitely liked the way Morgan felt in her arms. She really wouldn’t mind waking up like that on a regular basis. That thought brought her up short. What was she thinking?
Scully carefully eased her arm from around Morgan’s waist and then carefully withdrew her arm from under her neck. She laid on her back staring at the ceiling. She thought back over the last couple of weeks and how she’d felt drawn to the enigmatic agent. She thought about how much she liked spending time with Jess – both on duty and off.
She enjoyed their working relationship. They worked well together and so easily. There was no constant bickering and fighting; there was mutual respect and consideration. She felt treated as a true equal – it was so different from what she was used to. Of course, the only partner she’d had up until then was Mulder, and God knew what an insensitive, selfish bastard he was.
And she thoroughly enjoyed the time they spent together off duty. In fact, Dana had actually gone out of her way to spend time with Jess off duty. She found her funny, charming, smart, compassionate, and beautiful. It was no wonder she was so attracted to Jess...
“Oh shit,” she whispered.
*******
Weak In The Knees 6-10
