Disclaimer: X-Files and its characters belong to C.C. and 1013 Productions. No copyright infringement intended, no money be made.

A/N1: Some dialogue taken directly from the show. Although I do a bit of research for my stories, I’ve never been a cop, doctor, herbalist, psychologist, or theologist.

A/N2: Special thanks to sinadino for the German translations, and to xhuggles and ivy_wang for the Chinese translations.

A/N3: All mistakes are my own. Special thanks to oxfordshoes2 for the beta. Feedback is welcome.

Dana’s Malakim

Part 1

FBI Headquarters

Washington, DC

Tuesday, May 20^th, 1997

She should have.

It had only been the previous weekend that Mulder had allowed a quack to drill a hole in his head and took ketamine – a powerful hallucinogen. He had brandished his weapon at her, then turned it on himself before she managed to talk him down. That was only a week ago. So why didn’t she anticipate he would actually do it? Clearly, Mulder was unstable. She should have done something. She should have had him committed. She should have–

She could drive herself crazy with ‘should haves.’

Scully closed her eyes and took a deep breath. With a heavy sigh she opened her eyes and turned on the water in the bathroom sink. Wetting a paper towel she wiped her face, clearing away the tear stains and the remnants of her makeup. She had a meeting to get to.

~~~

She walked into the conference room. The four men seated at one end of the table wore dour expressions.

“Agent Scully, please have a seat,” said Blevins.

She took a seat at the opposite end of the conference table.

“Agent Scully, we've had a brief discussion. Will you restate the matter we’re here to put to rest?

“Yes, sir. Four years ago, Section Chief Blevins assigned me to a project you all know as the X-Files. As I am a medical doctor with a background in hard science, my job was to provide an analytical prospective on the work of Special Agent Fox Mulder, whose investigations into the paranormal were fueled by a personal belief that his sister had been abducted by aliens when he was 12. I come here today, four years later, to report on the illegitimacy of Agent Mulder’s work. It is my scientific opinion that he became, over the course of these years, a victim. A victim of his own false hopes and of his beliefs in the biggest of lies.”

“Agent Scully, I presume you have a basis for this break from Agent Mulder.”

“Yes, sir. Recent events have shed new light on the factual and physical evidence that would serve to prove the existence of extra terrestrial life, which was the foundation of Agent Mulder’s consuming devotion to his work.”

“What factual evidence?”

“Agent Mulder was recently contacted by a man whose pursuit of this evidence seemed to coincide with his own. In his intense desire to believe, Agent Mulder was duped by this man. He was fooled by an act of scientific sleight of hand calculated to perpetuate false truths, a larger lie. I am here today to expose this lie. To show the mechanism of deception that drew him, and me, into it. And to expose Agent Mulder’s work for what it is.”

~~~

Scully sat at the desk in the office she used to share with Mulder. Her gazed drifted around the room, taking in ‘Mulder’ touches; the ‘I Want To Believe’ poster, the slide projector, and the pencils stuck in the ceiling tile above his chair. A sudden knock on the door startled her.

“Scully?”

She looked over and saw Assistant Director Walter Skinner standing in the open doorway. “Sir?”

Skinner moved into the office and stood in front of the desk. “How are you doing?” he asked gently.

Scully sighed. “Identifying Mulder’s body wasn’t exactly how I expected to start my day.”

He nodded. “You should go home.”

“What’s going to happen now?”

“Your report effectively ended the Bureau’s investigations into UFOs and alien abductions.”

“So, no more X-Files.”

“On the contrary.”

“What?”

“The division will remain; the only difference is there won’t be any investigations into UFOs or abductions. There are still unusual and hard to solve cases to be investigated.” He paused. “You don’t have to decide now, but I’ve recommended you as the new division head.”

Scully didn’t know what to say or feel.

“Go home, Scully. Come back in a week.”

She nodded silently.

~~~

Home of Margaret Scully

Baltimore, MD

She didn’t remember making the decision to drive to Baltimore; she moved on autopilot until she parked her car in front of her mother’s house. She had a key, but didn’t think to use it. She rang the doorbell. The door opened.

“Dana? What’s going on? Why didn’t you use your key?” Margaret Scully took a hard look at her daughter, noting the exhaustion in her eyes. She reached out and pulled Dana into a hug. “What’s wrong, honey?” she asked softly.

Scully tightened her arms around her mother as silent tears started rolling down her cheeks. Maggie guided her inside, closing the door behind them. They sat on the couch where Scully laid her head on her mother’s shoulder and cried herself to sleep.

~~~

Coffee. Hot, strong, black coffee... it was a nice aroma to wake up to. Without opening her eyes, Scully drew in a deep breath, taking in the pleasant aroma of fresh coffee. She opened her eyes as she sat up.

“Here you go, Dana.”

She accepted the mug her mother held out to her, taking a tentative sip. “Mm, thank you.” She took another sip of the hot liquid, willing the caffeine to clear her muddled thoughts.

“Feel any better?”

“Yeah.”

“Can you tell me what’s wrong?”

She took a slow breath before responding. “Mulder’s dead, Mom.”

“What?!”

“He killed himself. He used his service weapon and shot himself in the head.”

“Oh, Dana. I’m so sorry.” She paused for a couple of beats. “I wish I could say it was a complete surprise.”

Scully whipped her head around to look at her mother. “You’re not surprised?”

“Let’s face it, dear, Fox had a lot of demons. I don’t think he ever really knew peace of mind.”

Scully sighed. “I know you’re right. I should have seen it coming. I should ha–”

“Don’t,” Maggie said forcefully, cutting her daughter off. “Don’t you dare blame yourself, Dana. You are not responsible for his actions.”

~~~

Memorial Cemetery

Martha’s Vineyard, MA

Saturday, May 24^th, 1997

Maggie sat next to her daughter holding her hand, trying to lend her daughter the strength she seemed to be lacking. She was very concerned about Dana. Her daughter seemed to be missing a measure of the calm steeliness that had gotten Dana through so much. In its place was a frailty that felt so out of place.

They sat silently through the small funeral service, and gave their condolences to Teena Mulder afterwards.

Scully, her body worn out from the cancer and radiation treatments, her emotions raw, slept on the flight back to Baltimore. Maggie watched over Dana as she slept, full of worry. She couldn’t help but notice how gaunt her daughter looked. Dana had lost weight – too much weight. Her daughter hadn’t said anything to her, but Maggie was fearful that the radiation treatment Dana was undergoing was having no effect on the cancer that was ravaging Dana’s body. She was heartsick at the thought of having to bury her second daughter. Losing Melissa had been bad enough, but to have to bury two of her children was absolutely devastating. She closed her eyes and prayed for her daughter’s life to be saved.

Despite her mother’s invitation to spend the night Scully drove home to her apartment in Georgetown.

~~~

Nothing.

“It’s time to release her, to let her get on with her life. Mulder is dead and Scully has officially debunked his work. His suicide was the finishing touch in making him the pathetic laughingstock he was. The X-Files are no longer a threat to our interests.”

The Leader nodded thoughtfully. “I don’t see why not. It was never about her anyway; the objective has always been about stopping Mulder from getting in our way. Besides, Scully’s smart and more than capable; she could be an asset in the future.”

A hand moved from the shadows and crushed a cigarette out in an overflowing ashtray. “That would be a mistake.” The speaker’s deeply lined face was momentarily illuminated as he lit another cigarette. “Agent Scully has a will that cannot be bowed. Any attempt to bring her into our cause would be futile... and ultimately dangerous. If we were to attract her attention in any way she would focus her exceptional skill and intellect on stopping us,” concluded the Cigarette Smoking Man.

All present turned to The Leader, awaiting his judgment.

After several moments of silence, The Leader spoke. “Very well.”

~~~

FBI Headquarters

Tuesday, May 27^th, 1997

Scully arrived at work early. It wasn’t that she was looking forward to clearing Mulder’s things out of their– her office, it was just because she hadn’t sleep well. She awoke before dawn, sick to her stomach from the radiation treatment she’d had the afternoon before. After emptying the meager contents of her stomach she knew she wouldn’t get any more sleep.

She placed an empty box on the desk and looked around. Sunflower seeds, a basketball, and a green alien bobble-head... She was supposed to box up his things and send them to his mother. Fortunately she didn’t have to take care of his apartment, although she did go by and remove his porn collection. Scully didn’t feel it was necessary for his mother to know about his predilections.

She looked up at the knock on the door and saw a woman standing in the darkened doorway. Scully couldn’t make out her face in the shadows.

“Can I help you?”

“I hope so. I’m looking for Special Agent Scully.” The woman spoke softly but clearly. There was a strange lilt to her voice that seemed foreign yet familiar.

“I’m Agent Scully. And you are?”

The woman took a step forward. “I’m Special Agent Nicole Logan... your new partner.”

All the air seemed to be sucked out of the room. Scully couldn’t breathe.

“And from the expression on your face I’d say you had no idea I’d been assigned to the X-Files.”

Scully finally managed a deep breath. “Come in, Agent Logan.” As the woman entered the room Scully took a moment to size her up.

Logan wore a tailored suit that spoke of good taste. She was blonde and had a fair complexion, though for some reason Scully thought with some sun it would take on a nice tan, rather than burn like most people with such coloring. She was about 5’8” and her blonde hair was short. She was of medium build, with an athletic gracefulness that indicated coordination and strength beneath her frame.

Then there were her eyes. They were dark green – nothing extraordinary about that. However, Scully got the feeling that those eyes saw things others didn’t – things below the surface. She felt a momentary shiver along her spine as she imagined those eyes piercing her façade and knowing her heart and soul. As disconcerting as it was, she mentally shook herself and tried to calm her jangled nerves.

A forced smile graced her lips. “It’s nice to meet you, Agent Logan. And no, I wasn’t aware of your assignment.” She paused for a beat. “I’ve just returned from a short leave.”

“I’m sorry about your partner. It’s not an easy thing to have to deal with.”

Scully felt the backs of her eyes sting as a lump formed in her throat. Before she could say anything, Logan continued.

“Look, I can see you have some things to...” Logan’s eyes took in the half-filled box on the desk, “deal with. There are a few things I need to take care of as well. Why don’t I go and come back tomorrow? If that’s okay with you.”

Scully nodded. “Yeah,” she managed to croak around the lump in her throat.

“Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow. I look forward to working with you, Agent Scully.” Logan turned and left.

Alone again, Scully dropped into the chair. She felt completely unnerved. There was something about Logan that... She sighed. She wondered if she should just go to Skinner and tell him she didn’t want the job. Her cancer had metastasized; she could go on medical leave, collect her salary and not worry about anything but herself.

Scully closed her eyes. No, she’d be miserable with nothing to do. But now she was faced with a new partner she knew nothing about, although she had no doubt the blonde had been sent by the Consortium. She didn’t know if she had it in her to deal with–

The phone rang.

“Scully.”

“Agent Scully, this is Kimberly. Assistant Director Skinner would like to see you immediately.”

“I’m on my way,” she told the AD’s assistant.

As she closed and locked the door to the office, her eyes traveled over the name plate holders. Mulder’s name plate had already been taken down. Her name plate was the only one adorning the doorframe. God, she felt so alone.

~~~

AD Skinner’s Office

“Have a seat, Agent Scully.”

“Sir.”

“As you know, the X-Files Division is remaining open and you are now the head of the division. While you will not be investigating any alleged UFO sightings or alien abductions, there are still quite a few cases that fall into the purview of the X-Files. Also, you’ll be assigned a new partner.”

“I know.”

Skinner eyed her. “You know?”

“Yes. I’ve already met my new ‘partner.’ She came by my office this morning.”

“I see.” He paused. “I wasn’t aware. Agent Logan wasn’t due until tomorrow.”

“Just when did the Bureau begin to partner women together, sir?” she asked evenly, holding her emotions in check.

Skinner nodded. “I understand your reticence, but Logan is an extremely competent field agent with an exceptional intelligence. She’s very... perceptive.” He locked eyes with Scully. “You can trust her,” he said in a deliberate tone.

Scully’s expression hardened. “I can’t trust anyone... sir.”

He sat back in his chair with a heavy sigh. “I know you believe that, but you can trust me and–”

“With respect, sir, I know you are sometimes... not the one in charge.”

Skinner again nodded. “That has been true... but things change.” He tossed a file onto the desk in front of Scully. “In the meantime, that’s Logan’s personnel file. If you don’t have any other questions you’re dismissed.”

Once Scully left a connecting door opened and Logan entered. She moved from the shadows and looked at the door Scully had just exited through. Skinner looked up at her profile. He wanted to tell Scully everything, or at least what little he knew, but he couldn’t. It wasn’t his place. Besides, she’d never believe him. He was still struggling to believe it himself.

“You’re a good man, Walter, but good men don’t necessarily live easy lives. You’ve chosen a difficult path.”

He felt a lump grow in his throat and a stinging in his eyes. For the first time in longer than he could remember his soul felt clean. “At least it’s my choice. I thank you for that.”

She turned her head and gave him a slight smile. “Free will, Walter. As I said, you’re a good man. Your decisions are your own again. Not everyone gets a second chance.” With that Logan left.

~~~

A Jet Somewhere Over the Atlantic Ocean

One Week Earlier – Tuesday, May 20^th, 1997

She was close to pinpointing the location of the safe house. Once she did, it would be only a matter of some recon to make sure all the members of the pack were there. This pack was as good as extinct.

But then she got the emergency signal. Almost before she knew what was happening, she was on a flight back stateside – without benefit of a shower or change of clothes. She was given a file and told to know everything in it by the time they landed. She was more than a little irritated, but she knew she wouldn’t have been pulled out without good reason.

She opened the file and began. Ah, the Consortium again. They were a thorn to be sure... but they were human. She preferred going after the non-human ones. She read about the latest schemes and activities: old, avaricious, power-hungry men and their manipulative efforts to advance themselves at the cost of any and everyone else.

She raised an eyebrow when she got to the other players involved. This was not the kind of assignment she liked. She preferred straight forwardness and she preferred to be on the offensive. It wasn’t that she couldn’t do subtle, she just didn’t like to take the time. But again, she wouldn’t be sent without a good reason.

When she finished the file she knew there were still pieces of the puzzle missing. That could mean a few things – she wasn’t supposed to know, she didn’t need to know, she didn’t need to know yet, they didn’t know, or any combination of the above. So, a bit of mystery to go along with this assignment.

She closed her eyes and started making a mental list of things she needed to get done to start her assignment – including finding a place to live and contacting people she hadn’t seen since her last time in the States.

~~~

Walter Skinner’s Apartment

(Hours after Mulder’s suicide)

Skinner knew he wasn’t going to get any sleep. If he hadn’t needed to change clothes he might have headed into his office and spent the rest of the night there. Things weren’t going to get any better when the sun came up, but he could at least get some work done before his lousy day officially began.

He couldn’t believe Mulder had eaten his service weapon. He felt like he should have seen it coming... should have prevented it. But Mulder had always been ‘out there.’ Even so, Mulder and Scully did get results. They closed cases, maybe not how others wanted them to, but they closed a lot of cases. His head hurt as he thought about the upcoming meeting called by Blevins in the morning. Scully was to present her findings and answer questions.

Scully.

He closed his eyes. Scully, the voice of reason in the X-Files Division... he was going to lose her, too. He knew she was battling the cancer, but also knew she was losing that battle. It was only a matter of time. How much time, he had no idea. With Mulder’s suicide perhaps she would decide to leave now. He hoped not. He genuinely liked her and cared about her. He silently hoped she could fight the cancer until some doctor could find a way to save her.

He opened his eyes, poured himself a stiff scotch, and went out onto his balcony.

“Are you a good man, Walter?”

His heart leapt into his throat and his glass of scotch shattered as his hand flew to his waist to grab at... nothing! He had already removed his gun and holster, setting them down on the counter before he poured his drink. The low voice unnerved him – not just for its unexpected location in the shadows on his own balcony, but for how it seemed to cause his spine to shiver in harmony with its underlying rumble.

“Who the hell are you?! How did you get up here?!”

The owner of the voice shifted toward him and out of the shadows a bit. “We need to talk, Walter.”

His spine stiffened. “Who are you?” he demanded.

“Maybe your second chance.” She held out a hand, indicating for them to go inside. “Let’s talk.”

Skinner was not at all comfortable about letting this woman in his home, but being several floors up, he didn’t see the alternative. He walked back inside his own home and marched directly to his weapon. He unholstered and cocked it as he turned back to her... only she wasn’t there. He swung the gun around in an arc, covering the entire room. He eased his way to the still open balcony door. Gun at the ready, he turned on the balcony light – no one was there.

He closed and locked the balcony door. He then cleared each room of his apartment and found no one. The front door was still locked and the chain was still in place. He took a couple of deep breaths to clear his head and slow his pulse. There was no one in his apartment.

“I must be losing it,” he said softly to himself. He once again poured himself a drink. He took a big swallow. When he turned around he damn near dropped his drink again.

There she was, sitting on his couch, looking at him with a slight curl on one side of her mouth. She was wearing snug leather pants, a black pullover shirt, a black cap, a long leather coat, and black leather boots that laced and buckled up to her knees. Despite the lighting in the room, it was as if the shadows made themselves a part of her and obscured her features.

“We need to talk.”

His head hurt a lot now. He momentarily entertained the thought of just shooting her.

She arched an eyebrow as if she knew what he was thinking. “I’m not armed.”

Perhaps she did know.

“Who are you?” he asked in a resigned tone of voice as he set his weapon down.

“That depends.”

“On what?” He hated cryptic answers.

“On the answer to my question. Are you a good man?”

He looked at her like one of them was nuts, and he wasn’t sure which one it was.

“If you are, then I’m a friend. If you aren’t...”

“Then what?”

“Be glad I’m just here to talk.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Not at all.”

Skinner downed his scotch and poured himself another one. Before capping the bottle he looked at her, the question obvious.

“No thank you.”

He capped the bottle and took a seat facing her. “So talk.”

She did. It wasn’t long before Skinner was wishing he either hadn’t had the second scotch, or had finished the bottle instead. This woman knew things about him that he didn’t tell anyone.

“H-How do I know you’re not with them?” He imagined he could almost smell the cigarette smoke.

“I can break the hold they have on you, Walter. It’s your choice now. Either stay on the path you’re on, or choose to change it. This is your second chance.”

She sat in silence as Walter Skinner turned inward, reviewing his life, his choices, his regrets, his past, his heart and soul. She waited patiently. She knew he had to come to the decision on his own. He was not a coward, merely a man who had faltered under a great burden. She could hear his heartbeat as it settled into a strong, even rhythm. He opened his eyes.

“What do I have to do?”

“Trust me,” she responded in that same soft but even tone.

Skinner looked her in the eyes. Somewhere down in his soul he felt it... then he saw it in her eyes. “Okay.”

They talked. When they were done, she stood and made her way to the balcony door. She unlocked it and slid it open, stepping out. She turned back to look at him once again. “See you soon, Walter.”

His eyes widened as feathered wings, black as coal, extended from her back and then carried her up into the night sky.

~~~

FBI Headquarters

Tuesday, May 27^th, 1997

When Scully returned to her office she sat at her desk and opened her lunch bag. She took out her turkey sandwich and then opened the file Skinner had given her.

Nicole Amber Logan: Badge #JTT0330703

Date of Birth: FEB XX, 19XX in XXXXXXXX

Why the hell was the date and place of birth redacted? Scully had never seen a file like that.

Height: 5’6”

Eyes: Green

Hair: Blonde

Mother: XXXXXXXX – Deceased

Father: Unknown

Siblings: None

Marital Status: Single

Children: None

Logan’s mother died when she was ten years old. She then went to live with her grandmother in Europe. She excelled in school, graduating from high school and college early. She held a doctorate in both Theology and Philosophy – not exactly common areas of study for a law enforcement officer.

She placed first in her class at Quantico, and upon graduation was offered her choice of position in the Violent Crimes Unit or a teaching position at the Academy. She turned down both and requested a field posting in Europe, which she was given.

From what Scully could glean from the file Logan often worked in cooperation with the local law enforcement agencies and officers, her looks and skills allowing her to work undercover in order to set up deals for weapons, drugs, miscellaneous contraband... and people. Her assignments overseas were interspersed with occasional assignments stateside. She didn’t seem to spend too much time in one place. However, it was rather hard to judge since none of the assignments, reviews, or commendations listed in her file included any dates.

The only dates provided were for the most recent entries. According to the official report in Logan’s file, the agent had recently spent two weeks in a hospital in Bucharest, ending a deep undercover assignment. She suffered from major head trauma, a broken clavicle, three broken ribs, several lacerations... and a drug overdose.

Scully shook her head. Logan had been through the wringer. She took a deep breath and continued reading the report.

In her statement, Logan said she never saw her abductors’ faces. She initially had been struck in the back of the head sufficiently hard enough to knock her out for some time. They kept her blindfolded and gagged the whole time. Based on things she remembered hearing, Logan said her cover had been blown by someone either at the Bureau or the Bucharest Police Department. She said they had injected her with something more than once – the first time just as soon as she regained consciousness. They had dumped her bloody, beaten, and drugged body, and that of a Romanian police officer, not expecting either of them to live. The Romanian officer did­n’t.

Logan briefly returned to work at the FBI’s Legal Attaché office in the American Embassy six weeks after the leaving the hospital. On her first day back, however, she was suspended for assaulting a coworker, and was placed on indefinite leave. She hadn’t worked actively for the Bureau since. This was her first assignment back.

Scully raised her eyebrow at this. Logan’s statement about the incident was in the file, but it, too, was heavily redacted and didn’t shed any light on what exactly had happened. So, she had a partner with a shit load of emotional baggage and could fly off the handle... just like Mulder.

She closed her suddenly stinging eyes and took a deep breath. Why did she have to have another partner like Mulder? She turned and opened her eyes, looking at that damn poster on the wall. It would be so easy to give in... to give up. She could go on medical leave and forget everything having to do with the X-Files. This was Mulder’s crusade, not hers.

She let out a heavy sigh as she slumped in her chair and pinched the bridge of her nose.

~~~

FBI Headquarters

Wednesday, May 28^th, 1997

It was almost 9:00 when Agent Logan showed up to work. She wanted to make sure Scully was already in before she arrived. Besides, she was more of a night person anyway.

Scully looked up at the knock on the open door. “Come in, Agent Logan.”

“Good morning.”

Scully gestured toward the small work table in the corner – her former work area. “You can take that area over there. We haven’t been assigned any new cases and I’m finishing up some leftover paperwork. In the meantime you need to familiarize yourself with this division and the kinds of cases we work. You should review the case files,” she said with a wave at the file cabinet.

“Alright.”

Logan set her briefcase on the work table and moved to the filing cabinet. She opened the top drawer and rifled through the files. She already knew what kinds of cases the X-Files Division worked, but it was still interesting to see the labels on dividers in the drawer – astral projection to zombies, and everything in between. She pulled out a few that piqued her interest then opened the second drawer. Logan wasn’t looking for anything in particular as she scanned the files, but stopped when she came to one bearing the name Dana Scully.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw that Scully was silently working. Before pulling the file she took another look through the files, and found a second one with Scully’s name on it. She pulled both of the files and added them to her pile. Logan had already reviewed Scully’s personnel file. She had also spoken with Walter, but she was still curious about the small, red-haired woman with steely eyes.

As she went through the rest of the drawers she noticed the obvious absence of any files about UFOs, alien abductions, or extraterrestrial biological entities. She wondered if Scully had taken them out, or if they had been removed during Scully’s recent leave. She picked up her pile and moved back to the table.

She spent the entire day quietly reading. At 5:00 they called it a day and went their separate ways.

The next day was spent the same way.

It wasn’t until Friday afternoon that anything changed.

~~~

Part 2

FBI Headquarters

Friday, May 30^th, 1997

Logan had purposefully remained silent as she read case files for the almost three days. She knew her presence was more than a little uncomfortable for Scully and she didn’t want to do or say anything to make it worse for the grieving woman. However, as Friday morning turned into Friday afternoon, she felt it was time to break the ice.

Logan turned around in her seat and looked at the redhead a few moments as Scully worked intently. “Agent Scully.”

Scully startled at the sound of her officemate’s voice. Logan had been silently reading for the past three days. It had been almost easy to willfully forget she was even there. Scully was almost completely caught up with the paperwork backlog; if they didn’t get a case soon she’d have nothing to occupy her time... or her mind. She took a steadying breath.

“Yes, Agent Logan?”

“Will you have dinner with me tonight?”

That was the last thing Scully expected Logan to say and she couldn’t keep the surprise off of her face. “Uh... I don’t think...”

“I’ve been here three days and we haven’t spoken more than a dozen words to each other. I know what it’s like to lose a partner, Agent Scully. Neither of us chose to be in this situation, but here we are. We’re going to have to trust each other to have each other’s back. I believe sitting down and talking would be a good start... and a little easier in a neutral setting.”

Scully hesitated before answering. Logan’s soft spoken words were reasonable and made sense. Even when Mulder suspected her of being nothing more than a spy he was more welcoming to her than she had been to Logan. Trust was a long way off – Logan would have to prove she was trustworthy. In the meantime it probably was a good idea to get to know her... coworker. She couldn’t bring herself to say ‘partner’ yet, not even mentally.

Finally, Scully’s posture eased just a little as she made her decision. “Okay. What did you have in mind?”

“Do you like Italian?”

~~~

Rinaldo’s Italian Restaurant

Georgetown

Scully had followed Logan to the restaurant in her own car. Rinaldo’s was a small, cozy place with seating for only about 20-25 people, but the food was better than excellent! She still didn’t have much of an appetite, but she couldn’t resist the creamy Shrimp Alfredo she’d ordered. Scully was surprised she’d never known or heard about Rinaldo’s before, especially since she lived in Georgetown and not more than mile away from the restaurant.

Scully had also been surprised when Logan ordered their meal, and a bottle of wine, in Italian. The waiter had asked her a question, also in Italian, and smiled broadly at her response before going to place their order in the kitchen.

“So, you speak Italian, and quite well from our waiter’s reaction.”

Logan smiled. “I’ve spent a lot of time in Europe. It pays to know a little of the language of the people you have to deal with.”

“Your last assignment was in Romania, does that mean you speak Romanian as well?”

“Well enough to get by. I have an ear for languages; I pick them up fairly easily.”

“I can see where that would be helpful considering your postings.”

“What about you, do you speak any other languages?”

“An der Uni habe ich Deutsch belegt,” she replied. [I took German in college.]

“Deine Aussprache ist ziemlich gut. Warst du schon einmal in Deutschland?” [Your pronunciation is pretty good. Have you ever been to Germany?]

“Nein.” [No.]

“Es is ein sehr schönes Land.” [It’s a beautiful country.]

~~~

Their conversation was interrupted by the waiter bringing their after dinner drinks – coffee for Scully and tea for Logan.

“I read your personnel file the other day,” Scully said after the waiter left.

“And?”

“What exactly happened at the attaché’s office the day you returned to work?”

Logan took a slow breath before answering. “I coldcocked Agent Duvaul.”

“I gathered that much. I’m asking why?”

“Duvaul was a misogynistic asshole who didn’t know when to shut up. Rishka, the Bucharest police officer who was my contact when I went undercover, was a good friend. I was unable to save her. She didn’t deserve what was done to her or Duvaul’s disrespect.” The blonde stared at a spot on the wall. “Rishka was an extraordinary person. Losing her was difficult,” she said softly. “I was deep undercover, but somehow my cover had been blown. Only Rishka and the legal attaché’s office knew about my assignment... there had to have been a leak.”

“And you think it was Duvaul,” Scully concluded.

“I don’t know who it was, but I know it wasn’t Rishka.” She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Logan was startled when Scully spoke.

“I’m sorry.”

“Thank you.” She paused. “So, can I ask you a question?”

Scully nodded. “Go ahead.”

“I’ve read the files; you’ve worked a lot of... interesting cases.”

“Is that a question?”

“No. Agent Mulder clearly embraced the paranormal, believed in the fantastic. What about you?”

Logan’s gentle tone kept Scully from immediately jumping to Mulder’s defense with a sharp retort. Something in the blonde’s manner let her know Logan wasn’t being judgmental, simply curious.

“I believe in science. A lot of our cases, no matter how much they appear to involve the paranormal, can actually be explained scientifically.”

One corner of Logan’s mouth curled slightly. “I could tell that from your reports.”

“I won’t deny I’ve seen things that I can’t explain, cases that remain unsolved.”

“Unsolved, meaning you couldn’t find a scientific explanation?”

“Yes.”

“The things you’ve seen, things you’ve experienced and can’t explain, have you accepted any of them on faith?”

Scully frowned slightly. “Do you mean faith as in an ‘act of God’?”

“That’s one possibility, but I was thinking more along the lines of belief in something despite no logical or scientific proof. Do things exist that can’t or never will be measured or quantified by man... or woman?”

Scully shook her head. “If I can see it, I want to investigate it, test it, define it.”

“And if you can’t?”

She shrugged. “That’s why some cases are unsolved for me.”

“And that cross around your neck?” Logan asked softly.

In an unconscious movement Scully’s hand went to her cross. She hesitated as she fingered it, weighing her thoughts. “I was raised Catholic.” She paused for several moments, trying to find the right words. “I guess it would be accurate to say that I don’t not believe, but... I’ve turned to science for my answers.”

Logan nodded in understanding. She was surprised Scully had been that forthcoming.

“What about you, Logan? What are your thoughts about the paranormal?”

“I’m Saxon-Celt and have Druids at the roots of my family tree,” she replied with a soft smile. “I’ve always been interested in things that couldn’t be explained, the unusual, and the fantastic. Events may take place that defy normal wisdom or scientific explanation. Maybe that’s because they are truly paranormal, mystical, or magical. And maybe it’s because science simply hasn’t evolved sufficiently to provide the answers.”

“And what of... faith? I know you have a PhD in theology.”

“I think that our creator has been known by many different peoples, and has been called by many different names. I think almost all religions have a lot more in common with each other than they have differences... a lot more than most people are willing to admit. So, personally, I don’t think it matters in what manner or method a person believes as long as the result is they try to be a good person.”

Scully didn’t know why, but she was surprised by Logan’s answer. And she liked the blonde’s answer.

~~~

FBI Headquarters

Monday, June 2^nd, 1997

Only an hour into the day Logan announced she’d finished reading all the files as she returned the last one to the file cabinet.

Scully couldn’t keep from shaking her head. “What did you do, get a degree in speed reading?”

Logan smiled as she closed the file drawer and leaned against the cabinet. “Actually, it was a breeze.” She smirked, “I just skipped over all the science and medical gibberish.”

Scully blinked and her mouth actually opened in surprise. She had not expected the teasing barb. Even more surprising was the fact that she kind of liked it. Before she could come back with a snappy reply the phone rang.

“Scully... Okay. Thank you, Kimberly.” She hung up and looked at the blonde. “Skinner wants to see us.”

~~~

AD Skinner’s Office

Skinner stood as the two women entered his office. “Agent Scully, Agent Logan, please have a seat.” He retook his seat as they sat in the two chairs in front of his desk. “I have a case for you.” He handed a file to Scully, which she opened and skimmed. “The office in Chattanooga, Tennessee has received some anonymous calls from a woman claiming to have information about some recent murders.”

“And they need us to track down an anonymous caller?” asked Scully, irritability coloring her tone.

Skinner let her tone slide without comment. “The calls were made before each murder took place.”

“So she’s involved.”

“The calls were traced to a payphone in Albuquerque, New Mexico.”

“Are you saying the caller’s psychic?” Logan asked.

“I’m not the one saying that. The Albuquerque office is expecting you first thing in the morning.”

“Yes, sir,” Scully answered for both of them.

~~~

As the two agents rode the elevator back down to the basement, Scully mapped out what needed to be done. “I’ll call the airport and book us a flight. You go on home and pack a bag. I’ll meet back up with you here at 4:00.”

“Okay. Do you want me to book a hotel?”

“If you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.”

~~~

Washington Memorial Hospital

Oncology Department

“Ms. Scully? You can come on back now.” The nurse led Scully back to an examination room where she took her vitals and drew a couple of vials of blood. “The doctor will be with you shortly,” the nurse said as she left the room, closing the door.

The door reopened several minutes later. “Hello, Ms. Scully. What can we do for you today?” asked Dr. Munson.

“I have to go out of town for work and I won’t be able to keep my appointment tomorrow. So I wanted to come in today for my treatment.”

The doctor nodded. “We can do that. How long are you going to be out of town?”

“I don’t know.”

“You do know that maintaining your treatment schedule will yield better results.”

“I know,” Scully sighed. “But right now work is the best thing for me. If I’m out of town too long, I’ll... get treatment out there.”

Dr. Munson hesitated before replying. “Alright. Make sure you have your copy of your medical record with you. I tell Lisa to make a copy of today’s visit so you have it. If necessary have someone contact me to verify things.”

“Thank you.”

~~~

Days Inn

Albuquerque, NM

Scully met up with Logan at the office as planned. When they left for the airport they went in Scully’s car. Their flight left at 6:50 and landed over four hours later at 9:05 pm local time. Not wanting to rely on airplane fare, Logan opted to eat at the airport while they waited for their flight. Scully passed on dinner, both at the airport and on the plane, since she was feeling queasy... as usual.

They checked into the Days Inn in midtown. Scully changed into her pajamas and was about to go to bed when there was a knock on her door. She looked out the peephole and saw Logan. She opened the door, and was surprised to see the blonde in skimpy shorts and a tank top.

“Logan?”

“I just wanted to let you know I’m heading down to use the fitness room. I’ll have my cell with me if something comes up.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Scully couldn’t help but notice the blonde’s shapely, and clearly well toned, legs as Logan turned and walked away. Scully felt a little jealous. Before she’d gotten sick she would have gladly welcomed a workout at the end of a slow day, but she no longer had the energy for anything beyond just getting through each day. Not for the first time that day she wondered why she was even bothering with staying on the job.

With a heavy sigh she crawled into bed and turned off the light.

~~~

Tuesday, June 3^rd, 1997

Logan wasn’t sure what woke her up. She looked at the clock radio – 4:27 am.

Then she heard it.

Logan got out of bed and walked to the door that separated her room from Scully’s adjoining room. “Agent Scully?” She knocked on the door. “Agent Scully, are you alright?” She got no answer. “Scully! If you don’t answer I’m coming in!”

When Logan still didn’t receive an answer she gripped the locked doorknob and forced it to turn. She then put her shoulder against the door and pushed until the slide latch gave. She rushed into Scully’s room and found her weakly holding onto the toilet bowl and vomiting. Logan knelt next to the redhead and gently rubbed her hand across the sick woman’s back, taking note of how prominent her shoulder blades and spine were.

Scully moaned as her vomiting turned to dry heaves.

“Breathe easy, Scully.”

The redhead laid her head down on her arm across the toilet bowl when the dry heaves finally abated. Logan stood and wet a washcloth in the sink, returning to gently wipe the perspiration from Scully’s face.

“Come on, Scully, let’s get you back to bed.”

When the smaller woman was too weak to stand on her own Logan slipped her arm under Scully’s legs and picked her up. She carried her back into the room and laid her on the bed, pulling the covers over her. Scully was disoriented and had trouble keeping her eyes open. She was soon out like a light.

Logan sat on the side of the bed and gazed down at the redhead. She knew exactly where Scully had disappeared to that afternoon; she just didn’t know the side effects of the redhead’s treatments could be quite so debilitating. It was a wonder the woman was still working. She knew she was going to have to find out more about Scully’s illness.

Logan returned to her room and got dressed. She then grabbed her laptop and returned to Scully’s room to keep an eye on her. Over the next two hours Logan learned more about nasopharyngeal tumors than she thought possible.

At 7:00 she called Special Agent Timmons, the agent they were supposed to meet with at the Albuquerque Field Office, and made arrangements to meet with him at the hotel’s coffee shop.

~~~

The Coffee Shoppe

Day’s Inn

“Agent Logan?”

The blonde looked up and smiled at the man. He was 6’ with black hair, blue eyes, and a dark complexion. “Agent Timmons, have a seat.”

He sat across the booth from her.

“I apologize for having to ask you to meet here instead of coming to your office.”

“Not a problem. I hope your partner feels better soon.”

“Oh, I’m sure she will be. I think it was something she ate on the plane.”

Timmons smiled. “That wouldn’t surprise me. Anyway, here’s the file,” he said as he handed it to her. “There’s not much to it.”

Logan quickly skimmed the file. “I see what you mean. Looks like the only way to find out who’s making the calls is to stake out the phone.”

The man nodded. “Yeah, and we were told it wasn’t enough of a priority to commit any manpower. It looks like you and your partner are stuck with a rather boring assignment,” he said sympathetically.

“Sometimes boring can be good,” Logan replied with a small smirk.

Timmons nodded again. “True enough. I’ll be in and out of the office today, but if you need anything here’s my number,” he said as he held out his card.

Logan took the proffered card. “Thanks. And thank you again for meeting me here.”

“My pleasure. Have a good day, Agent Logan.”

~~~

Days Inn

Scully’s Room

Logan returned to her room where, after checking on her sleeping partner, she made a pot of tea in the provided coffeemaker. With a fresh cup of tea in hand, she sat down with the phone book and started leafing through it. When she found what she was looking for Logan placed a call. Once she was sure her request was being handled, she returned to Scully’s room to watch over her. She spent the rest of the morning and the afternoon doing research online.

The blonde startled a little bit when her phone rang. She scrambled to answer it before it disturbed Scully.

“Logan.”

“Agent Logan, this Ted Framingham. I’m just calling to let you know that I’ve completed the job.”

“That’s great. Thank you.”

“All you need is the IP address and you can access the feed.” He gave her the address and then hung up.

Logan pulled up the website and verified everything was working. That done, she wrote a quick note for Scully in case she woke up and then left for a quick dinner.

~~~

Wednesday June 4^th, 1998

Scully’s body felt like lead weight when she woke up, and she felt very groggy. It took her a full minute before she was able to lift her arm and turn on the table lamp. The 40-watt bulb painted the room in a dingy yellow cast. It took a few moments for her to gain her bearings and remember where she was. She was tempted to just close her eyes and go back to sleep, but the pressure in her bladder made that impossible.

She took a couple of slow, deep breaths before levering herself up and placing her feet on the floor. It wasn’t until she managed to stand up and turned that she saw Logan slumped in a chair at the small table, asleep.

Logan shot upright at the sound of the toilet flushing. The bathroom door opened.

“Hey. Are you okay?” the blonde asked gently.

Scully sat on the bed. “Yeah. I feel better. How long have I been asleep?”

The blonde looked at her watch. “It almost 3:00 in the morning, so nearly a day.”

“What?! We were due at the Albuquerque field office yesterday morning! How could you let me sleep all day?”

“You were quite sick and sleep was the best thing for you. Don’t worry, I met with Agent Timmons and got everything they have – which, by the way, is basically nothing. The only way we’re going to find the caller is to watch the payphone, and I’ve made arrangements for that. Everything is under control; you haven’t missed anything.” Logan stood up with a yawn. “If you’re alright, I’m going to grab a little sleep,” she said as she made her way to the adjoining doorway. “I’ll see you in a little while.”

Scully simply stared at the open doorway, unable to understand why Logan had apparently watched over her for almost 24 hours... and unable to explain why the thought of Logan doing that comforted her more than it disturbed her. Neither could Scully understand why the woman hadn’t even asked her why she was sick. She let out a sigh as she lay back on the bed. Despite sleeping for so long she still felt tired. She set the alarm clock, rolled over, and closed her eyes.

~~~

Days Inn

Logan’s Room

It was 7:30 when Scully tapped on the open adjoining door.

“Come on in.”

She stepped into her coworker’s room and was surprised to find her sitting at the table working on her laptop. Logan appeared to be refreshed, wide awake, and quite intent on whatever she was doing on her computer.

“Good morning.”

Logan looked up and took in her partner’s appearance. The redhead looked rested and her eyes appeared clear. “Good morning. How do you feel?”

“I’m fine.” Scully hesitated a moment before walking over and sitting in the other chair at the table. “About yesterday...”

“Don’t worry about it.” The blonde’s eyes returned to her computer screen.

“I owe you an explanation.”

Logan looked up at Scully again, sitting back in her chair and giving her partner her full attention.

Scully was a little disconcerted to have the blonde’s full attention focused on her. There was definitely something about those dark green eyes... they saw her, really saw her. The walls she’d had meticulously built over the years hid nothing from those eyes.

At least, that’s the way it felt.

She took a deep breath and looked out the window, unable to meet Logan’s eyes any longer. “I’m currently receiving treatment for cancer,” she said softly. I don’t know why I reacted so strongly, but I appreciate your help... and that you covered for me.”

“It’s okay, Agent Scully, we all have bad days. Besides, partners are supposed to watch out for each other.”

Partners. The word reverberated through Scully’s mind, bringing her up short.

She looked back at the blonde. She saw no judgment in Logan’s eyes, only understanding. Could she really trust her new... partner? Scully didn’t know the answer to that question, but Logan had certainly taken a step in the right direction. Only time would tell if the blonde was genuine, or a plant.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Now, how about bringing me up to speed on the case?”

“The local office has basically nothing. All they could provide was the number and location of the pay phone, and they aren’t willing to put any manpower into staking it out, especially since no one knows anything about the caller.”

“We know it’s a woman.”

“Not much to go on.”

“No, it’s not.”

“So I guess we’re stuck with the unenviable task of staking out a pay phone.”

Logan smiled. “Yes, and no. Stuck in a car for hours in the summer in Albuquerque isn’t going to be very fun.”

“No, it’s not,” Scully sighed.

The blonde turned her laptop around so the redhead could see the screen. “But it won’t be so bad from here.”

“How did you...”

“I arranged to have some equipment set up. The camera is transmitting to a secured hard drive which is connected to the internet. As long as we’re logged in we have access to the feed.”

Scully was surprised, and impressed. “What if someone stumbles onto the IP address?”

“Wouldn’t matter. The feed is scrambled.”

~~~

3200 Block of Rosario St.

Thursday, June 5^th, 1997

A call from the satellite office in Chattanooga, Tennessee let the agents know another call had been placed from the same pay phone in Albuquerque. Scully and Logan reviewed the surveillance camera feed on the blonde’s laptop and were able to cross-reference the time of the call to identify the caller... sort of.

The camera picked up what was presumably woman using the phone at the time of the call to Chattanooga. However, due to the angle and the hat she wore tugged down to help hide her face, they had little to go on.

Scully peered at the phone and read the number on the dingy label. “This is it,” she said, scanning the area.

Logan slowly turned in a circle. Through her dark sunglasses she took in the rather busy area: the Starbucks coffeehouse, the national bank branch, the ubiquitous convenience store/gas station, the corner bar, the small shopping center, and the four apartment complexes. The caller could have come from anywhere.

“Well, I suppose we’ll just have to go door to door,” Scully sighed, feeling a little overwhelmed at the daunting task. She looked at Logan who stood motionless, giving no indication she’d even heard Scully speak. The redhead opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by the blonde.

“Or we can go in there.”

Scully looked in the direction Logan was facing. “Where? The strip mall? You think the caller works there rather than lives in the area?” she asked as she made a gesture in the general direction of the apartment buildings. “Come on, let’s get something to eat and we talk about how we’ll get help from the local authorities.”

“Can we go into that store first?” The blonde nodded her head towards a store.

“You mean that one?” Scully pointed.

“Yeah.”

Scully examined the words painted on the store’s plate glass: THE HEALING EARTH. She barely fought the urge to roll her eyes. Why does she have to do something so Mulderesque? Rather than fight it, Scully reluctantly decided to just humor the woman. “Okay,” she sighed, and followed the blonde across the parking lot.

Logan reached for the door but it suddenly swung open. A tall, blonde man came to stop and flashed a bright white smile. “Well, hello.” He held the door open for the women, but his eyes never left Logan’s ass.

Scully rolled her eyes and Logan smirked.

“Don’t mind him; Jason’s harmless,” said the woman straightening out a display. “What can I do for you today?” she asked with a smile.

They both flipped out their badges.

“I’m Special Agent Dana Scully and this is Special Agent Nicole Logan. We’re with the FBI.”

The woman paled, her eyes widening. Short, heavy set with dark hair and eyes, the woman was suddenly a bundle of nerves.

“We’d just like to ask you a few questions.”

“Uh... okay.”

Since it was Logan who’d wanted to come into the store, Scully looked at the blonde, letting her know it was her show.

“What’s your name?” Logan asked with a slight smile, trying to get the woman to calm down.

“Crystal... Crystal Lear. But some people call me CC.”

Logan’s smile widened and she leaned in conspiratorially, speaking softly, “Let me guess, your parents were flower children and your middle name is Chanda.”

To Scully’s dismay, the Miss Lear laughed out loud. “How did you know?”

“A woman named Crystal who sells healing crystals? It just seemed to fit.”

Scully wanted to smack herself – she hadn’t given Logan enough credit. The woman was good, breaking the ice and putting Lear at ease like that. She stood back in amazement as she observed the two women chitchatting about crystals, chakras, auras, and whatnot.

Lear placed a clear crystal in Logan’s open palm, closing the blonde’s hand around the crystal. “Now just relax and clear your mind.”

Logan took a slow, deep breath.

Lear sucked in a soft gasp. “I’ve never seen an aura like yours!”

“What do you mean?”

It took a few seconds for Lear to answer. “It keeps changing, morphing from one color to the next. Deep red, royal blue, violet, gold...” she looked surprised, “and white,” she added.

“And what does that mean?”

“Deep red – strong-willed and survival-oriented; royal blue – clairvoyant and a highly spiritual nature; violet – intuitive, idealistic, artistic, and magical; gold – protection, wisdom, and divine guidance.”

“And white?”

“Spiritual, purity, truth...” she paused for a couple of beats, “and angelic qualities.”

Logan immediately broke out in laughter. “That’s something I’ve certainly never been accused of – especially by my mother.” She opened her hand and held the crystal out to her partner. “Your turn,” she said with an amused smirk.

Scully was taken aback. She had no desire to partake in such nonsense.

“Come on, Scully, what have you got to lose?” Logan challenge with a twinkle in her eye.

Reluctantly, the redhead took the clear crystal. “Why is it necessary that I hold this crystal for you to read my aura?” she asked.

“It’s not necessary, but the crystal helps to temporarily strengthen your aura, making it easier to read. Just relax.”

Scully looked at Logan and sighed, clearly not thrilled or wanting to encourage such silliness, but not giving voice to her objections.

“Oh.”

“What is it?” Logan asked Lear.

“Your aura is mixed, pastels with dark grey, Agent Scully. It shows a need for serenity and...”

“And what?”

“Health problems. Are you currently ill, Agent Scully?”

Scully blanched and practically tossed the crystal back to Logan. “I’ll be outside.” She turned and walked out of the store.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset your partner, Agent Logan.”

~~~

Scully had calmed down a little by the time Logan exited the store. The blonde stood next to her.

“You okay?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m hungry, let’s go get something to eat.”

“Okay.”