Title:     Phoebe Greene's Last Laugh

Author:    FatCat (FatCat33047@yahoo.com)

Rating:    PG (some language and implied sex)

Category:  MSR, Vignette

Spoilers:  Thru season 6

Summary:   Phoebe Greene has the last laugh after all.

Disclaimer:  Thanks to CC, FOX, 1013, GA, DD, and all 
those others who actually own the show and produce the 
wonderful characterizations.  They own everything but 
the ideas squiggling around in my brain and flowing out 
on the Internet. 

Archive:  Just keep my name with it and let me know 
where to go visit.

Dedication:  To Frohike.  I couldn't do it without you!  
Thanks again! 


PHOEBE GREENE'S LAST LAUGH

Dana Scully was running away from home.  She smiled as 
she finished stuffing her purse and made one more trip 
through her apartment to make sure everything was set.  
Ten days, ten glorious days in Ireland!  No worries, no 
cares, just ten glorious days of freedom.  No X Files, 
no Skinner, no Diana, and NO Mulder to ruin her 
vacation.  Only her mother knew she was going to be out 
of the country.

She had been listening to the Guys spout their theories 
about how to disappear for so long she decided to test 
their ideas and had made all her arrangements.  She had 
gone to the airport in Philadelphia and purchased her 
ticket three weeks ago.  She used her cousin's credit 
card and had reimbursed her in cash.  She was flying out 
of New York's La Guardia Airport under her cousin's 
name.  She had her cousin, Mary Patricia's passport and 
identification; they looked so much alike, it would be 
impossible for anyone to tell from the pictures that she 
wasn't truly Mary Patricia Connor.

She had purchased all new clothes and cosmetics at the 
King of Prussia Mall outside Philadelphia, Pa.  She made 
all her purchase for cash, and kept the totals to a 
maximum of $100.00 per store in order to maintain a low 
profile.  She had purchased new luggage from an outdoor 
vendor at a street fair and, after packing them with all 
her new purchases, had kept them in her trunk, gift 
wrapped as if they were a wedding present for a friend.

She had a relatively small amount of cash on her but was 
carrying a large amount in traveler's checks, also 
purchased by her with her cousin's identification.  She 
had made the arrangements with the landlord of the 
cottage she rented over three months ago, also as Mary 
Patricia Connor.

She had arranged for two weeks off right after their 
office had been burned.  The stench of smoke lingered in 
her nose and her dreams.  She thought she would go mad 
if she didn't get away.  The fact she already had her 
vacation planned was sheer serendipity.  Mulder had 
remained incommunicado for the first three days of their 
forced leave.  It helped her to not surrender to 
temptation and let him know where she was going.

She checked the lock on her gun box and hid it in its 
regular spot in the closet.  She picked up her purse and 
walked out the door.  Her reversible coat, neutral black 
slacks and white blouse were as nondescript as she could 
make them.  She wore no jewelry.  She carried only her 
purse and her workout bag.  She had a change of shoes 
and purse in the bag.  The shoes and purse she wore and 
the bag would be stored at the bus station.  She was on 
her way to New York.

She drove her car to her mother's house and parked it in 
her garage.  Her mother dropped her off at the bus line 
to the Greyhound Station.  She was determined to 
disappear without a trace.  She once again instructed 
her mother about what to tell Mulder.

"Yes, Dear, I know what to say. 'Dana has decided to 
take a short vacation and will be back in 12 days.  
She's left you a note, but thinks the cost of finding it 
will be too expensive for you.'  Isn't that what we 
rehearsed, Sweetie?"  Maggie Scully was intrigued by her 
daughter's need to be secretive, but was willing to wait 
until she returned to find out what this was all about.

"That's perfect, Mom.  I know this is hard on you, but I 
promise to tell you everything when I get back."

"Have fun, dear, wherever you're going."  Maggie hugged 
Dana tightly.

Scully's well-laid plans went like clockwork.  Within 14 
hours she was in Ireland and sitting in front of the 
fire in her cottage's living room.  The quiet of the 
room was soothing.  She could feel every cell in her 
body relax.  She knew she had done the right thing.  She 
decided she was not going to be Scully for the next 10 
days.  Here she was Dana.  She had left Scully in the 
States.

The days passed quietly and quickly.  Long walks, 
reading by the fire, new foods and new places made for a 
picture perfect vacation.  She realized that she had 
only thought of Mulder a few times each day.  Mulder and 
his relationship with Diana had destroyed her serenity 
for far too long.  She had needed to rebalance her life 
and this vacation was just what she desired.  She had 
even come to a few conclusions about her relationship 
with Fox Mulder, but wasn't sure how he would react to 
her decisions.  After she made up her mind she set it 
aside and continued to enjoy her holiday.

On day nine, she decided to do a little shopping and 
ventured into the small village near her cottage.  She 
strolled down the streets, enjoying the atmosphere, 
shopping for her mother a thank you gift.  She couldn't 
believe her ears when she heard a gasp and then a snort 
from behind her.

"Agent Scully?  What are you doing here in Ireland?"  

Scully knew the voice before she turned around.  Just 
what she needed to ruin her vacation, Phoebe Greene.  
She slowly turned and it was her turn to gasp.  The 
voice was the only thing familiar about Phoebe.  She was 
in a wheelchair, pushed by a handsome, strapping young 
male nurse.  She had always been slender, but now she 
appeared skeletal.  Her skin color was yellow, her hair 
was almost non existent.  Her eyes were no longer held 
the snapping wit nor her mouth the pitying sneer she had 
shown Scully when last they met.  It was clear that 
Phoebe was dying.

"I'm here on a short vacation, Ms. Greene.  I am staying 
"at Shannon Cottage," Dana said, finally able to answer.
What brings you to Ireland?"

"Let's not dance around it, Dana, I came here to die."  
Phoebe still liked to shock people.  "My grandparents 
left me an estate here and there is a very fine facility 
for us modern-day lepers nearby.  I have AIDS."

"I'm very sorry to hear that Phoebe."  Dana took her cue 
from Phoebe.  "I'm sure Mulder will be too."

"Ever the proper lady, eh Dana?" Phoebe jibed.  She 
seemed to shrink as she said, "Mulder isn't here is he?"

"No, I'm alone," Dana was forced to admit.

"Good, good."  Phoebe seemed to take a moment to gather 
strength and then added, "Would you like to join me in a 
cup of tea, Dana?  Roger here would be glad to push me 
over to the shop across the street and take a break.  
Wouldn't you sweet Roger?"

The young man behind Phoebe made no comment and 
maintained a bland expression.

"Of course, dear Roger wouldn't say shit if he had a 
mouthful about anything I do.  For the wages he's paid, 
he damn well better keep his mouth shut."  Phoebe was 
becoming quarrelsome.  "I used to be able to attract a 
man with just a glance, now I have to pay a male nurse 
to be my only companion.  Well, are you going to join me 
or not?" she snapped.

"I think I should be getting back, I have to start 
packing to leave tomorrow and you know how it always 
seems that you have more to take home than you brought."  
Dana tried to tactfully decline.  Phoebe just stared at 
her.

"Oh, horseshit, Scully.  I need to talk to you.  It's 
about Mulder, indirectly," Phoebe finally said.  A tone 
of pleading crept into her voice.  "Don't you want to 
know when my disease started?  Don't you want to know if 
Mulder is in danger?"  Phoebe's words turned into a 
harsh laugh, then broke off in a fit of coughing.  "Or 
are you afraid you'll get AIDS from breathing the same 
air as I do, just like my parents and ex-friends?"

Dana admitted to herself that she was curious as to 
Phoebe's reason behind the invitation.  She changed her 
mind and decided to join her.

"All right, Phoebe.  I'll meet you as soon as I pay for 
these."  

Moments later the two women sat across a cozy pot of tea 
and cakes and sized each other up.  Phoebe's 
conversation was a puzzle to Dana.  She made a small 
illusion to Mulder, but the bulk of the conversation 
seemed to be directed towards questions about Dana.

"Phoebe, why don't you tell me what this is all about?" 
she asked.  Dana felt she had spent as much of her 
vacation time on Phoebe Greene as courtesy demanded.

Phoebe stared at her for a long moment and finally came 
to the question she really wanted answered.  "Is it true 
you are sterile?  You cannot have children?"

Dana sucked in her breath as the pain that question 
inflicted shot through her.  She quietly began to gather 
her things and started to rise. 

Phoebe's claw like hand shot out and grabbed her arm.  
"Answer my question, Agent Scully.  Think of it as a 
dying woman's last request," she cackled.

Dana sank down on the chair again, but did not release 
her grasp on her bags.  She stared into Phoebe's eyes 
for a moment trying to decide how to answer her.  She 
did not see the vindictiveness she had anticipated.  She 
did not see triumph or defeat.  There was a burning need 
in Phoebe for the truth and Scully found that she 
couldn't deny her this last wish.

"Yes, I am sterile.  Between my abduction and the cancer 
treatments I underwent, I am incapable of bearing a 
child.  If that answers your question, Ms. Greene, I'll 
bid you adieu."  Dana rose to leave.  "I'll let Mulder 
know where to reach you, Ms. Greene."

"God no!" Phoebe barked.  "Knowing that piteous fool 
like I do, he'll just think up some reason my illness is 
his fault.  Don't speak a word of our meeting to Mulder, 
if you know what's good for him."

Dana nodded her head and took one step away.

"One more question, Dana."  Phoebe's grasp tightened 
again, turning Dana to look directly in her eyes.  "Do 
you want children?"

The unasked question hung between the two women.  'Did 
she want Mulder's children?'  Tears gathered in Dana's 
eyes, but did not fall.

"Yes."  She stared defiantly at Phoebe for a moment and 
then shook off her hand and walked away, not looking 
back.

Dana made her way back to the cottage.  She still 
noticed the bright day and the beautiful countryside, 
but the enjoyment of the day had been diminished by her 
unexpected encounter with Phoebe.  She had not said 
Mulder was not at risk outright, but Dana Scully knew 
his health history and had seen his blood work for the 
last several years.  If he had been exposed to AIDS by 
Phoebe, it would be evident by now.

Dana remembered how she had felt when she thought she 
was going to die.  She had been surrounded by her loving 
family and friends but had still felt so alone and 
frightened at times.  Phoebe had no one but a paid 
companion as her support system.  And, thought Dana, 
Phoebe being Phoebe, her companion probably only put up 
with her because she was paying him extremely well.  As 
evening fell, Dana sat on the front porch and enjoyed 
the sunset.  The lack of metropolitan sprawl encouraged 
an ink black sky with stars scattered like diamonds 
across it.  

Dana prayed a short prayer for Phoebe.  She had hated 
the woman when she first met her, and was ashamed now of 
her previous thoughts.  She was sure that Phoebe was no 
more loveable now than she had been years ago, but Dana 
knew it was not her place to judge others.  God would be 
the ultimate judge of Phoebe Greene.  Dana prayed for 
Phoebe, asking the Lord to ease her heart and allow her 
peace.  It probably was futile, but she felt it was 
needed.

The next day passed quickly and before she knew it she 
was landing in New York.  She retraced her route home, 
stopping to pick up her bag at the bus station before 
taking a cab back to her Mother's for her car.  She 
spent the night with her mother, catching up, telling 
her all about her wonderful vacation.  For some reason, 
she felt compelled to discuss Phoebe with her.

"Dana, it's obvious she has regrets about her life and 
wanted to know what choices you had made differently.  I 
know she's probably as wretched a person as you remember 
her, but you always were a soft touch for the sick and 
wounded.  If her isolation bothers you so much, you 
could send her a card.  If she rebuffs your effort, you 
don't have to try again."

"Thanks Mom, that's what my heart was telling me I 
should do.  No one should die without support."  Dana 
hugged her mother and left for home.

She hadn't been home more than fifteen minutes when she 
heard Mulder's knock on her door.  She really wasn't up 
to facing him right now, but decided he wouldn't give up 
until she responded.

"What do you want, Mulder?" she asked as soon as she 
opened the door.  She did not step aside to allow him 
entrance.

"Scully, where have you been?" he asked immediately.  
Mulder looked like hell.  He looked as if he hadn't 
slept in the entire twelve days she had been gone.  He 
pushed by her and spun to face her again.  "What the 
hell were you thinking, taking off like that?  No one 
could find you.  No one, not even your mother, knew 
where you were.  The guys were worried sick!  They 
haven't slept any more than I have.  And what was that 
bull about a note?  There was no note, Scully."  He 
looked as if he wanted to shake her.

Dana took a deep breath, trying to decide if she wanted 
to get into this now.  She sighed through pursed lips 
and straightened her shoulders.

"Why don't you come in, Agent Mulder?  And hello to you, 
too.  It's good to see you after so many days."  Her 
eyebrow rose with each sarcastic remark.

"Scully ..."

Dana's hand shot up, palm facing him, to stop him.  
"What time is it Mulder?"

Mulder gave her a puzzled glance but answered her.  
"It's 9:30 AM, Scully."

"Thank you.  And what day is it?" Dana asked.

"It's Saturday, but what does that have to do with 
anything, Scully?"

"By your own admission, it's Saturday at 9:30 AM on the 
last weekend of my vacation.  I am on my own time and in 
my own home.  My name is Dana Scully.  At 8:00 AM on 
Monday, I will once again be Agent Dana Scully.  Right 
now, on my own time, in my own house, I am Dana to my 
friends and to myself.  If you wish to be counted as one 
of my friends I suggest you call me Dana.  If you find 
this too difficult, or unacceptable, you may leave and 
we will talk about anything you feel you need to discuss 
on Monday morning.  After 8:00 AM, you may call me 
Scully, or Agent Scully or Special Agent Dr. Dana 
Scully.  Right now, I am Dana.  Do you understand, 
Mulder?"

Mulder's look of righteous indignation melted from his 
face.  Puzzlement replaced it.  "Okay, Sc ... Dana."

"Thank you.  Would you like a cup of tea while we talk, 
Mulder?  I brought back some fine Irish tea that I think 
you will enjoy."  Dana moved toward the kitchen to start 
the kettle.

"Yeah, I could use something to drink.  I'll just call 
the guys and let them know you're okay while you're 
making it," he said, obviously confused.

Dana smiled to herself as soon as her back was to 
Mulder.  That went easier than she had expected.  He 
must be even more tired than he looked.  She thawed a 
loaf of frozen bread and made up several peanut butter 
and jelly sandwiches to go with the tea.  She wasn't 
hungry, but knew Mulder probably was.  He was going to 
need his strength after he heard what she had to say.  
She heard his conversation with the Gunmen end just as 
she had everything ready.

"Mulder, could you move the table away from the couch a 
little?  Thanks."  Dana put the tray down and sat down 
on the end of the couch to pour.  Mulder was standing in 
the exact same spot she had left him several minutes 
ago.

"Why don't you join me, Mulder?  I thought you might 
like a sandwich to go with your tea.  I just got home, 
so I don't have much to offer.  I hope you like PB&J."  
Scully smiled at Mulder as she offered him his mug of 
tea after he sat down in the armchair across from her.

They were quiet for several minutes as Dana sipped her 
tea and watched Mulder gulp his and polish off the 
entire plate of sandwiches.

She refilled his mug again and asked "Better?"

He nodded his head and sipped his tea.  She could feel 
his eyes on her, trying to figure out what was 
happening.  Finally he couldn't take the quiet any 
longer.

"Scu ... Dana, what did you mean about leaving me a 
note?  I looked everywhere and couldn't find one.  It 
made me worry even more.  I thought it was a clue."

"It was a clue, Mulder.  If you had done what you were 
supposed to do you would have found it."  Scully smiled 
secretively.

"What do you mean what I was supposed to do?"  Mulder 
fairly growled.  "I tore up God's half acre trying to 
find you.  There was no note.  I checked your apartment, 
our office, everywhere.  I was sure someone had taken 
you again and I was ready to call Skinner until I called 
your mother and she gave me that enigmatic message.  
'Dana has decided to take a short vacation and will be 
back in 12 days.  She's left you a note, but thinks the 
cost of finding it will be too expensive for you.'  I 
finally asked the guys for help."  Mulder shuddered 
thinking of the past several days.

"You didn't leave a trace.  No credit cards, no plane 
reservations, no bank transactions, and no witnesses.  
Your clothes and luggage were all present and accounted 
for as far as I could tell.  I want you to know, it was 
hard keeping Frohike out of your lingerie drawers."  
Mulder was glad to see the smile that barely lifted the 
ends of her luscious lips.  

"If you wanted to disappear, you certainly did it.  What 
were you thinking?"  This last came out louder as his 
emotions suddenly flared again.

"Mulder, I had to get away.  I followed procedure.  I 
took my two week vacation request to Skinner with all 
the proper paperwork and on a timely basis.  I needed 
some time to think and I knew I couldn't do it if I 
stayed home."

"Couldn't you have done your thinking where I could 
reach you by phone, D..D..Dana?" he stuttered.

"No, Mulder.  I needed time completely alone to work out 
a few things that had been bothering me.  I'm sorry if 
that was hard for you, but staying would have been 
harder for me, and you in the long run.  Besides, you 
were totally incommunicado for three days before I left.  
What was I supposed to do, sit on my couch and wait 
until you decided you wanted to talk to me?  It doesn't 
work like that anymore, Mulder."  Scully's temper was 
rising, but she fought to stay in control.  She had 
thought this out calmly and rationally and wanted their 
conversation to be the same.

Mulder sipped his cooling tea some more, thinking about 
what she said.

"All right, where is it?" he conceded.  

Dana grinned and replied, "I left you a note explaining 
everything including my approximate location in the file 
folder on top of your desk at home containing the past 
due expense reports you promised to finish and turn in 
to Skinner over three weeks ago.  All you had to do was 
catch up on that one little piece of paperwork and your 
questions would have been answered."

Mulder's eye opened wide as she spoke.  When she was 
done he burst out laughing.  "You mean, if I did my 
paperwork for Skinner, I could have avoided the twelve 
days of hell I've gone through?"

"Yes."  

Mulder threw back his head and laughed until tears 
rolled down his face.  Slowly the laughter died, but the 
tears continued to build until he was sobbing into his 
hands as if he would never stop.

"Mulder, come here."  Dana opened her arms to him and he 
stumbled from the armchair to the couch to fall into her 
arms.  "Mulder, I'm so sorry you didn't get my clues.  I 
was certain you would catch the words 'expense' and 
'cost' and know exactly where to look."  Dana was 
alarmed by the heartbreaking sobs from Mulder.  Just 
when it seemed as if they would never end, he finally 
began to calm down.

"Don't cry, Sweetie.  I'm so sorry you were worried.  I 
wanted to take a vacation, not scare you to death."  
Scully slowly stroked Mulder's hair as she gently rocked 
him in her arms.  She was surprised to feel his body 
relax into sleep.  She pushed him over and laid him out 
on the couch as best she could.  His arms tightened 
around her and she was pulled down with him.  She 
couldn't get up.  She finally relaxed into his embrace 
and stretched out on top of him.  She kicked off her 
shoes and toed off his, allowing them to fall to the 
floor with a loud kerthunk.  She reached up and pulled 
the afghan on the back of the couch down on them and 
slipped toward sleep folded in his arms.

His breathing had the soft hitching sound of a child 
after a long cry.  Her last thought before sleep was to 
pray that she had enough strength to follow through on 
her chosen course of action.  She could win all or lose 
everything within the next few hours.  It all depended 
on Mulder.

Dana woke several hours later with the feeling someone 
was watching her.  She rubbed her cheek against Mulder's 
chest and smiled.

"How long have you been awake, Mulder?" her voice was 
sweet, like spun sugar to him.

"Not too long.  I was trying to remember what happened, 
how we fell asleep on the couch together.  I can't 
believe my memories, Scully."

"Obviously not, Mulder," Dana said acerbically as she 
climbed off him.  "You can't even remember to call me 
Dana in my own home."

"On you own time, that's right.  Well, if I remember 
that part right, do I have the part about you stoking my 
hair as I bawled like a baby right?" Mulder asked 
quietly.

"You needed comfort, Mulder.  I was sorry I had 
inflicted so much pain on you with my simple plan."

"You called me Sweetie."  Mulder looked at her from 
under his lashes.

'God, does he know how sexy he is when he does that?' 
Dana thought before answering.  "Yes, I did."

"Why?" 

Dana sighed.  "Mulder, I need to go to the bathroom.  
I'll be right back."  She stood and turned to leave the 
room.

"Don't run away from this, Dana!"  Mulder grabbed her 
wrist lightly.

She stopped and looked directly into his eyes.  "Don't 
worry, Mulder.  I won't be the one to run away this 
time.  This is a simple need to go to the bathroom."

"Well, if you insist."  Mulder grinned.

By the time Dana came back Mulder had folded the afghan 
and removed and rinsed the dishes in the kitchen.  He 
walked back into the living room and stood facing her.

"What did you mean, you won't be the one to run this 
time, Dana?" Mulder asked.

"Please, sit down, Mulder."  Scully sat back down on the 
couch.  "I want you to know I didn't mean to scare you.  
I gave that clue to my mother just so that you wouldn't 
worry.  I had no idea you wouldn't pick up on it.  I 
want to apologize for scaring you and I will apologize 
to the guys, too.  I won't, however, apologize for 
taking my vacation."

Mulder looked at her for a moment and then said, 
"Apology accepted.  Why did you feel you needed to get 
away so completely, Sc ... Dana?"

"I'll get to that, but let me tell you this in my own 
way, okay?"  She closed her eyes for a moment, gathering 
her strength for the storm to come.

"Mulder, I know about you and Diana."  Mulder opened his 
mouth to speak, but Dana's next words stopped him.  "I 
know because I had the guys check her out.  I won't say 
I'm not hurt by your omission of facts, but I had 
already figured out that you were closer than you 
admitted the first time I saw you two together.  
However,  that's neither here nor there.  Your personal 
life is your personal life, as is mine."  Scully took a 
deep breath and continued.  "I needed to get away to 
gain some perspective on my life.  I realized I have 
forsaken everything in pursuit of the truth of the X-
Files.  I've lost contact with all my friends, I've lost 
contact with my relatives, with the exception of my 
mother, and I've lost contact with me.  I needed the 
time away to get back in touch with me, Dana Scully.  I 
needed to step back and make sure I was on the right 
path."

"Is this where you tell me about asking for a transfer, 
Scully?"  Mulder growled.

"No, not at all," she assured him.  "The one fact that 
was very clear from the beginning was that I wanted to 
continue working with you on the X-Files.  I enjoy our 
work.  I've gained a great deal of personal satisfaction 
from much of it.  No matter how frustrating or painful 
chasing the truth can be, I don't want to give it up.  I 
won't ask for a transfer, but whether you choose to keep 
me as a partner, now that Diana is back, is up to you."

"Dana, you know I want you as my partner.  No one can 
replace you.  You must know that," he said intently.

Scully tilted her head and stared at Mulder.  "I didn't 
know that, Mulder, but thank you for telling me."

"Scully ..." Mulder began.

"Dana, please," she insisted.  

"Scully, Dana, what does it matter?  You know who I'm 
talking to!"  Mulder's frustration level was rising.

"It matters a great deal to me Mulder.  You see, I call 
you Mulder because you asked me to.  You apparently have 
a problem allowing me the privilege of using your first 
name, so I have honored your request and called you 
Mulder for years.  I cannot tell you how much it hurt me 
to know that Agent Foley was close enough to you 
personally to call you Fox.  That small privilege is 
what made me start to question a great many things about 
my life.

"I have been so involved with the X-Files that I have 
completely lost touch with Dana, the woman that I was 
before I began working with you.  Oh, I know I can never 
go back to being as green or ignorant of the truth as I 
was prior to 1993.  I can, however, try to regain the 
parts of me, of my life, I have abandoned.  I am a 
living, breathing woman with an absorbing job.  I am not 
a special agent or a doctor or even a partner who 
happens to be a woman.  I am all of the above, but I 
have been working so hard to make it in a man's world 
that I forgot that I needed to put the same effort into 
being a woman.  That has to stop.

"I got the idea of a vacation months ago, and in fact 
booked the cottage in Ireland and cancelled the 
reservation several times.  But after recent events, I 
knew I had to keep my reservation.  I needed time to 
come to grips with everything that has been happening in 
my life."

"What did you decide, Dana?" Mulder asked.  His eyes 
betrayed his fears even if his voice was calm and even.

"I decided that Dana Scully was my new priority.  Oh, I 
certainly will give my all to my job.  You know me 
Mulder, I can't give less than 110%.  But from now on, 
I'm going to take time for me.  That's why the new rule 
about my name.  When we're here in DC, between 8:00 AM 
and quitting time, whatever that time may be, I will be 
Scully.  After work and on the weekends, I am Dana, and 
Dana wants a life.

"I need to develop a social life again, Mulder.  I 
cannot ignore the needs I feel any longer."

"Are we talking about sex here, Ms. Scully?"  Mulder's 
feelings of unease with the direction the conversation 
was taking were displayed by his slide into humor.

"Perhaps; perhaps not.  I do feel the need for male 
companionship, but I have never been able to separate 
sex and love, so I'm not about to try that again.  Ed 
Jerse was proof enough of that for me.  I need a life, 
Mulder.  I want to feel beautiful again.  I want to be 
desired as a woman.  I want to be with someone that is 
able to see me as the woman he could love."  As she 
continued to speak, Mulder's face took on the stoic, 
blank expression he used for his frequent visits to AD 
Skinner's office.

"While I was in Ireland, I also realized something else, 
Mulder.  Something that will be of interest to you, I 
hope.  When I thought about such a relationship, it was 
always your face that I saw in my mind.  I realized that 
I love you; I am in love with you and have been for some 
time.  The fear of being separated by our enemies has 
been the major reason I hid the truth from myself for so 
long.  My love wasn't easy for me to admit to myself, 
let alone to you, especially now with your renewed 
relationship with Diana in the picture."

"Scully ..." Mulder began.

"Please, let me finish," she continued.  "If you don't 
return my feelings, I'll understand.  It will be hard, 
but I can live with that.  I can't live with losing you 
as my partner over this.  Our professional relationship 
has been one of the most satisfying of my entire life.  
I wouldn't want to work with anyone else but you, 
Mulder."

Dana hesitated before going on.  "But you must 
understand.  I can't be the odd man out.  If you want to 
include Diana on the X-Files, I'll bow out now.  I can't 
work with someone I can't trust.  If you are in love 
with her, I can accept it, even though I can't 
understand it.  As long as your personal relationship 
with her does not affect our work, I could bear it.  It 
would be the same with any other woman you fell in love 
with.  Can you understand this?"  Mulder's silence made 
her heart sink.  She was sure he was going to bolt at 
any moment.

Suddenly he asked, "Dana, you love me?  You're in love 
with me?"  Mulder's voice was full of emotion.

"Yes, Mulder, I am."

"Why?"

"Why what, Mulder?"

"Why do you love me?  Scul ... Dana, I'm so--you're so 
... Dana, you've stolen my words."  Mulder let his 
actions speak for him.  He stood and pulled her up into 
his arms slowly lowering his lips to hers.  Their kiss, 
at first, was tentative, but quickly deepened and became 
passionate.  They slowly sank back down to the couch, 
still kissing.  Finally the need for oxygen broke off 
the kiss.

"Dana, I can't believe you didn't realize I love you.  
I've loved you for years."  Mulder kissed her again.

"I asked you to call me Mulder because I didn't want to 
loose myself in you.  Your voice speaking my name kept 
me in a state of arousal that was clouding my ability to 
function.  I knew I was never going to quit wanting you 
and that I had fallen in love with you.  By that time we 
were comfortable with Scully and Mulder, I couldn't 
think of a way to ask you to call me Fox without letting 
you know how much I cared.  I was afraid of rejection 
from you as much as I was afraid of them taking you away 
from me again."  

Mulder punctuated his words with kisses to her face and 
neck.  "I love you Special Agent Doctor Dana Scully.  
And I want to be the man to court you.  I want to be the 
one, Dana, please say yes."

"Yes, Mulder?  Yes to what exactly?"  

"Say yes to a new beginning.  Yes to dinner and a movie 
tonight?  Will you go out with me tonight, Dana?"

"I'd love to go out with you, Mulder, but you must 
realize that we can't allow the change in our 
relationship to be blatant.  We don't want to wave a red 
flag in front of our enemies.  We must maintain our 
professional lives and our personal lives separately," 
Scully warned.

"They've been making bets on the exact nature of our 
relationship for years around work.  We can keep them 
guessing.  We can work this out as we go.  Does 7:30 PM 
sound okay for you, Dana?"  Mulder grinned.

"That sounds great Mul ... Fox."  Scully's chin rose in 
defiance as she spoke his name, then she grinned.  "I 
don't know Mulder, I think this 'Fox' thing is going to 
take some getting used to."  She cupped his face between 
her hands and pulled him down for a kiss.  "Until 
tonight."

XXXXX

The next day they decided that their date was a rousing 
success.  Neither one wanted to jump into a physical 
relationship.  They wanted to experience some of the 
normal steps of a relationship, even though they knew 
each other so well.  They both knew where they were 
going, and neither wanted to rush.  The anticipation of 
their first time together was part of the fun.

They laid some ground rules to keep them out of trouble 
at work.  At first Dana had suggested no touching at 
work, but Mulder was quick to point out that that would 
be the biggest clue of all that their relationship had 
changed.  He had always touched her and crowded her 
personal space, and she had always allowed it.  They 
changed that one to no romance at work.  No words of 
love, no covert glances unless they were alone in their 
office, and especially no stolen kisses on the premises 
of the Hoover building or on duty in the field.  They 
decided to let the rest take care of it's self.

They began socializing with others at work, attending 
retirement parties and showers, together, but still not 
blatant about their new relationship.  They couldn't 
make the commitment to join in several sports leagues 
that their fellow agents enjoyed, but did sign up to be 
on the substitute list and played pool, went bowling, 
and in the spring, played softball when they were 
available.  

Mulder was surprised at how these simple changes in 
their lives drastically affected their relationship with 
their co-workers.  The 'Spooky' nickname he used to hate 
was now more a term of respect for his abilities.  His 
friendship outside of work with some of the other agents 
had led them to ask for his help occasionally.  His 
spooky ability to use his eidetic memory and intuition 
to problem solve coupled with his lack of desire for the 
limelight opened the eyes of many of his fellow workers.

Scully was surprised at how many of her fellow agents 
had been put off by her abilities, especially the 
ability to stay cool under stress.  When they witnessed 
first hand what a warm and funny woman she was under her 
professional persona, most were amazed.  Friendships 
blossomed for the FBI's two most unwanted.

As the days, then weeks went by the speculation over 
their relationship changed from one of derision to one 
of genuine support.  Their fellow agents wanted to see 
them happy together.  Their cases were just as strange, 
their solve rate still the highest in the Bureau, but 
the animosity of their fellow agents was a thing of the 
past.

Mulder and Dana were deeply in love and certain that 
nothing could shake their relationship again.  They were 
almost ready to take their romance to the next level 
when their world, as they knew it, ceased to exist.

XXXXX

It began so innocently.  A phone message was left on 
Dana's home machine by an attorney.  He requested her 
presence at his office for the reading of the will of 
one Lady Phoebe Greene on Monday, March 30, 3:30pm.  
Please feel free to bring your own representative.  Let 
us know if you cannot attend, blah, blah, blah.

Dana had played the message as soon as she and Mulder 
came through the door on Friday night.  His shocked look 
matched the look of puzzlement on her face.  Why would 
she have to be at the reading of Phoebe's will?

"Phoebe's dead?  Scully, you don't seem surprised by 
this.  Did you know she was sick?" Mulder questioned. 

"Yes, actually, I did.  I saw her when I was in Ireland.  
She asked me not to tell you.  Mulder, you better sit 
down."  Scully carefully guided Mulder to the couch.  
This was going to be harder on him than she expected.

"She had moved to the estate in Ireland that her 
grandparents left her.  It wasn't too far from the 
cottage I rented when I was there.  Mulder, she had 
AIDS.  Her parents didn't want her around so she moved 
there to be near a private clinic that specialized in 
AIDS research.  I'm surprised she lived this long."  
Dana's voice caressed him as did her arms.  She wanted 
to help him any way she could.

"Why didn't you tell me?  She was a part of my life and 
I had a right to know she was dying.  Why didn't you let 
me know what was happening."  Mulder couldn't understand 
Dana's actions.

"She specifically told me not to tell you when we talked 
in Ireland.  I believe in her own strange way, she was 
trying to be kind," Dana said, trying to explain her 
actions to him.

"Kind?  Finding out like this is so much more kind?"  
Mulder didn't know who he was angry with, Phoebe or 
Dana, but the anger ate at his stomach and boiled in his 
brain.

"Why would she have you at the reading of her will?"  
Mulder finally calmed down enough to ask.


"I don't know.  Why don't you call your machine and see 
if there's a message for you from the lawyer too.  I 
could be just an afterthought."

Mulder quickly dialed his home machine and confirmed 
that there was a similar message left for him.  They 
discussed Phoebe for a few more minutes and then agreed 
to drop the subject.  Until Monday when they would meet 
with the lawyer, there was no way to find out more.

The weekend passed quietly for both of them.  They had 
been gone for two weeks and both felt the need for some 
down time.  They ate dinner together then parted.  Both 
wanted to regroup and prepare for the work week ahead.  
They called each other several times that weekend, 
almost decided to meet, but fatigue and an underlying 
feeling of dread kept them apart.

On Monday they drove to the lawyer's together.  The wait 
in the outer office seemed to be never-ending, but was 
in fact only about ten minutes.  They weren't surprised 
to find themselves in the offices of one of the top law 
firms in DC.  'Only the best for Phoebe Greene, even in 
death.' thought Mulder.

"Ms. Scully?  Mr. Mulder?  Sorry to keep you waiting.  
Won't you step into my office?  Did either of you bring 
your own counselor?"

"No, we didn't see the need to involve a private 
counselor until we knew more about this," Mulder spoke 
for them both.

"I see.  Perhaps you would like to postpone this until 
you both have secured private counsel?" Arthur Jamison 
asked.  He obviously was smooth and covering all basis 
for his firm.

"Mr. Jamison, we need to get back to work.  Could we 
please get to the point here?  Agent Mulder and I are 
educated adults.  We'll be able to decide if we need 
council after we know what this is about," Scully said 
firmly. 

Dana Scully was a formidable woman.  Arthur Jamison 
reassessed his opinion of her once again.  He had 
expected someone more middle aged and motherly when he 
had been contacted by Ms. Greene.  The beautiful, petite 
redhead was not at all what he had expected.  To find 
out she was strong willed and intelligent as well was a 
pleasant surprise.  Perhaps everything would turn out 
for the best.  He turned his gaze to Agent Mulder.

He was also a surprise.  This man did not appear to be 
the emotional deadbeat he had expected.  His devotion 
and deference to Agent Scully was obvious.  His extreme 
good looks fit the image he had drawn, but he was also a 
man of no small intelligence according to the background 
check he'd run on him.  The whole affair was becoming 
more and more interesting.

"Very well, let's begin."  He buzzed his secretary and 
requested that she and the witnesses meet them in the 
small conference room.  "If you will follow me?" 

Mulder and Scully moved as one to follow him from the 
room.  He held back outside the door and watched them 
move together down the hall to the room indicated.  
'More and more interesting,' he thought.

For the next few minutes the introductions and 
preliminaries sharpened Mulder & Dana's sense of 
impending disaster.  As the lawyer read the will, 
Phoebe's last wishes and revelations became more and 
more shocking.  When he was done the two agents looked 
at each other in disbelief.

"Let me get this straight.  I have a six month old 
granddaughter?  How can I have a granddaughter when I 
didn't even know I had a child?"  Mulder was beginning 
to hyperventilate.  "How could I have a child and not 
know it?"  He looked to Scully for help understanding 
what had been said.  "How does ... did she know it was 
mine?" he whispered.

Jamison motioned for his secretary to pass a file to 
Mulder.  It contained a large photograph of a young 
woman, a woman who could be none other than Fox Mulder's 
daughter.  The thick chocolate-brown hair and the hazel 
eyes were obvious, but the lips and the nose were an 
exact copy of Mulder's.  Mulder shoved the file towards 
Scully.  She studied the photograph and then moved on to 
the paperwork enclosed.  It was a detailed report 
identifying the paternity and maternity of the young 
woman in question prepared by one of England's most 
prestigious hospitals.

"It looks as if it's true, Mulder."  Dana was able to 
tell him.  "I'd want to get another opinion, but it 
looks almost as if there is little room for error with 
these tests.  We'll need to cross check that this is 
indeed your DNA, but ..."

"But you believe it?"  Mulder looked again to Arthur 
Jamison.  "Where is she?  What's her name?  Why isn't 
she here?"

"Mr. Mulder, obviously this is a shock to you.  I had no 
idea you were unaware of your child," he hesitated.  
'Damn Phoebe Greene anyway,' he thought.  "I'm sorry to 
have to bring you more shocking news, but I'm afraid 
your daughter is dead."

"What?" gasped Mulder and Dana simultaneously.

"I have a tape that will best give you all the 
information you need.  Miss Waters, if you please," he 
said and motioned towards the small tape recorder at his 
Administrative Assistant's elbow.  The voice of Phoebe 
Greene filled the room.

"Well, aren't we a cozy group, Fox, Dana, and the 
sharks.  Nice of you all to join me.  I'm sure you're 
wondering why I didn't do a video, aren't you, Fox?  
Well, the truth is I am just vain enough to want you to 
remember me as I was last you saw me, not this empty 
shell that betrays me on a daily basis.  I've not long 
for this world, so I want to spread as much cheer as I 
can before I die."

"And I have died, if you are listening to this.  AIDS, 
how fitting, eh Fox?  My evil, promiscuous ways finally 
did me in, so to speak.  Relax Mulder, you have nothing 
to fear.  I know who I got this from and the bloody sod 
is dead.  He came around long after you, so who he was 
is none of your business."  The sound of the tape 
stopping and starting was evident.

"Don't worry Mulder.  This tape is the real thing.  I'm 
not very strong now and can only speak for short 
intervals.  I'm taping this over a several day period, 
so if any of your paranoid little friends want to check 
it, make them aware of that."

"I suspect you want to know about our daughter.  Did you 
really think I would let you know that I was pregnant, 
Fox?  I'd found out two weeks before the little scene I 
set up to drive you away.  You were so sweet, such a 
wonderful lover.  God, you would've wanted to do the 
right thing and I couldn't bear being married so young.  
I think ... I would like to believe we could have been 
happy if I hadn't buggered it up.  But I did, I ran.

"Straight back to Ireland to Gram and Gramps.  I had our 
daughter prematurely.  There wasn't a decent hospital in 
the area and she suffered oxygen deprivation.  She 
looked just like you, Fox, so beautiful, so sweet.  I 
couldn't stand to be near her.  Everything was a 
duplicate of you except for her mind.  As quick and 
sharp as your mind was, hers was empty and slow.  I, I 
was so guilty.  I couldn't tell you how I had lied to 
you and cheated you and then delivered damaged goods.  I 
know it's shallow and vain and horrible, but that just 
about sums up my entire life.

"My grandparents raised her, Brenna was her name, 
Brenna Vixen Mulder.  I made no effort to hide her 
paternity from my family or from her.  She loved you.  
She had a picture of you, Fox, and she kissed it each 
night before bed, just as she kissed mine.  God bless my 
Grandmother's soul."

"Even as slow as she was, she eventually developed into 
a beautiful young woman and rebelled.  I'd come home to 
Ireland to die and she didn't want me here.  My loving 
grandparents had long since died and she'd been living 
like a fairy princess until the cruel mother resurfaced.  
She ran away with a gypsy boy that wanted her body and 
didn't care that she was slow.  His family accepted her 
until they realized there would be no money settled on 
her and she was worthless as a worker."

"They dumped her back on my steps seven months pregnant.  
She delivered a beautiful baby girl; I named her 
Samantha Anne Mulder.  She could have been Brenna's 
twin, except for the spark of intelligence in her eyes 
from the day she was born."  Again the tape stopped but 
began again right away.

"Brenna was a good mother to Sammy, but she would forget 
her.  I had to hire two nannies, one for days and one 
for nights.  Brenna had your sleep patterns, Fox and 
would get up in the middle of the night to play with 
Samantha and walk away when distracted."

"I thought she had wandered outside to play one morning 
when we got up and she was gone, but I found out 
differently later.  Her gypsy lover had come to claim 
her.  He was truly in love, the stupid young fool.  They 
left the baby because she was only a girl and ran away 
in the night."  Phoebe's voice grew thick with what 
Mulder and Scully could only imagine as tears.

"The constable came around late in the day to let me 
know that they had been killed in a lorry accident.  
Once again I was stuck with an unwanted child, no help, 
and this time with death on the horizon.  I bet you want 
to know how I settled all this, don't you Fox?  How 
about you Dana?  Have you figured it out yet?

"My answer almost fell into my lap.  I had been feeling 
stronger and wanted to get out.  I had Roger take me 
into town to pick up a few things for Samantha.  I 
hadn't involved myself in Brenna's life, but for some 
reason this little one grabbed my attention and my 
heart.  Who did I run into while I was shopping?  Have 
you told him yet, Dana?  Right there in my back yard was 
the answer to my prayers, Dana Scully."  Phoebe coughed 
and took a drink before going on.

"Dana you were too easy.  I found out everything I 
needed to know in a matter of minutes," Phoebe said with 
the old superior scorn in her voice.  She paused for a 
moment before continuing.  

"That brings us to today," she said crisply.  "I have 
made arrangements to give legal custody of Samantha Ann 
Mulder to Dana Scully with two conditions, one that she 
marry Fox Mulder, the child's grandfather within a year 
of my will's probate date; and two, that she quits the 
FBI.  

"If these conditions aren't met, Sammy will become a 
ward of the Crown through the London courts.  I can and 
will do this.  Samantha is actually Lady Samantha to all 
you that didn't know.  She will inherit my title and all 
my properties.  Upon the death of my parents her wealth 
and title will increase.  If the conditions of my will 
are met, all disposable income from my estate will be 
transferred to the happily married couple one year after 
their wedding date and they will be free to adopt 
Samantha.

"Here's you chance, Dana.  Are you woman enough to take 
what you want?

"And Fox.  I know you're furious with me for not letting 
you get to know Brenna.  I did try to tell you, you 
know.  It was on the tape I left you after our little 
escapade with Cecil L'Ivly.  When I didn't hear from you 
right away, I knew you'd not listened to it.  I can't 
say I wasn't glad.  I didn't want to face you then and I 
am glad I don't have to face you now.

"Oh, and Fox ... don't try to break my will.  In order 
for you to claim Samantha without marrying Dana, you 
would have to become a legal resident of England and 
that would take years and would mean you have to give up 
your precious X-Files.  Even then, my old money and 
title would prevent your winning for many years, if 
ever.  Is this such a terrible punishment, Fox?  I know 
you love Dana.  Have you managed to tell her yet?  Sammy 
is ... everything one could want in a child.  Don't hate 
her because of me, Fox.  Give her a chance."  The tape 
ran silent for a moment.

"Dana, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your 
many cards and letters.  You don't know how much your 
little kindnesses meant to me.  I'm not much one for 
sentimentality, but I wanted you to know I'm glad you 
will be raising my little Sammy.  I can't think of 
anyone I would rather have at the job.  Please, don't 
make her hate me."  Once again the tape ran silent for a 
period.

"Bugger!  Enough of this!  There you two have it.  This 
will either give you great joy or great anguish.  I 
can't help hope that happiness wins out!  Raise a pint 
to me, Fox, Dana!  I'm off!  Ta!"

The silence at the end of the tape was broken only by 
the click of the off button on the recorder.

Arthur Jamison cleared his throat and looked to the 
stunned couple before him.  They were holding hands and 
staring into each others eyes.

'Curiouser and curiouser,' thought Jamison.  'These two 
look like they've been down the rabbit hole a time or 
two.  They aren't even speaking to each other, but I get 
the feeling their making up their minds even as we sit 
here.  I wonder how they'll take this next step.'  He 
nodded toward his Assistant and she rose to leave the 
room.  A moment later she returned.

In her arms was Lady Samantha Anne Mulder, all nineteen 
pounds of her.  She was wrapped in a fleecy white 
blanket with only her baby hands sticking out.  The 
secretary walked to Dana Scully and offered her the 
baby.  Mulder, seated next to her, held up his hand to 
halt her.  

"Dana, are you sure you don't need time to think about 
this?  You face the biggest change here."  His voice was 
soft, almost a caress.  

"I'm sure, Mulder.  Are you?" she asked confidently.

Mulder looked deeply into her eyes for a moment.  "In 
that case ..." he rose to stand next to her.  Dana 
turned her chair to face him fully and with all the 
grace of a large, sleek cat he fell to one knee.  He 
took Dana's hand and said, "Dana Katherine Scully, I 
love you.  Will you take me to be your husband?  Will 
you allow me to share the rest of my life with you and 
our daughter?"  He kissed her hands and looked back up 
into her eyes.

"Mulder, I love you.  Yes, I would love to share the 
rest of my life with you and Samantha."  Tears glazed 
her eyes, but did not spill down her face.  They both 
looked to the secretary who was unashamedly crying at 
the touching scene she was witnessing.  She gently 
placed the wiggling bundle in Dana's arms.  Mulder moved 
closer to encircle the two women in his life in his 
embrace.

As the blanket was lifted, they both gasped.  Samantha's 
hazel eyes sparked up at them, a mirror image of her 
grandfathers'.  She smiled and began to laugh when they 
smiled back.  Mulder and Dana swore they could hear 
Phoebe's laughter echoing with Samantha's.  Phoebe 
Greene had the last laugh after all.