Disclaimer: if I owned anything I wrote about, I wouldn't need a disclaimer. I do own Frank miller though, and I choose to make all Scully's boyfriends evil or assholes!! MUAHAHAHA!! (Except Mulder, duh) and I just found out frank miller is like, a producer for the spirit or something. No association intended.
Story summary: an assignment pushes Mulder and Scully closer together than they realise, Scully considers her personal happiness with her new boyfriend Frank miller and things fire up at the firing range. One of the more complicated stories I have written so far.
Chapter summary: Skinner is requested to supply field agents for a rescue and raid operation on a cult community. Scully muses on her relationship with her to-good-to-be-true boyfriend Frank miller. Mulder is sent on a little guilt trip.
A/note: parts of this story came from an idea that I randomly wrote before I published 'birthday cookies' or '2012- the return', although those were my first published stories, this was something I scribbled down in my note book before that. I've never done multiple story plots before, but I hope its firm, interlocking structure will save me. This story only goes for seven chapters, one for each day of the week; initially I intended to publish them out of order, but figured it might be too complicated.
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CHAPTER ONE- MONDAY
Overcast mornings were the worst.
Skinner flipped on the light switch as he passed through his office door. Normally, the natural light that shone through the large window behind his desk was sufficient enough to light the room. It was these muggy, overcast days that made him tire quicker than normal. Working in an artificially lit office reminded him of late nights, and he became easily sleepy.
He deposited his heavy briefcase next to his desk with a small thump. He fell into his prestigious leather chair with uncharacteristic laziness. He removed his glasses and began rubbing a smudge away with his handkerchief.
"Arlene? When you get the chance; can you bring me a really big cup of coffee?" he yelled through his open office door to his assistant/ secretary, Arlene.
She came and leaned into the office by the door frame. "Black with one sugar?" she said rhetorically.
"I think it's early enough to warrant that" he said nodding, as he straightened himself up in his chair.
How he took his coffee or tea was entirely dependent on either the weather, or his mood, the content of his schedule or the amount of hours he had worked. Luckily Arlene quickly learned exactly how and when he needs one. Sometimes she would walk in with one just as he was about to ask for it.
She deserves a raise.
He replaced his glasses and started sifting through the pile of folders and documents that had seemingly accumulated overnight on his desk. There was one from the cult and ritualistic crimes department marked 'urgent' that caught his attention. He scanned the document on the first page.
"Agents requested for assistance... possible hostage situation in cult establishment... experienced field agents preferred... man power for raid and rescue operation..." he mumbled occasionally as he read the minute before him.
He shut the folder and stared into the open space in the middle of his office.
"Arlene? Can you send for agent Mulder and agent Scully as soon as they arrive?" he said dismissively his secretary as he put the folder at the bottom of the pile.
"I'll place a call to their office at nine Sir." She said from her desk.
Skinner raised is eyebrows. That's right; not only had she virtually memorized his itinerary for each day, but she knew what time all his agents arrived and left work. Even if he carried around a personal organizer, he could never compete with her.
She deserved a very big raise.
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Scully briskly climbed the steps in front of the J Edgar Hoover building, her windbreaker billowing at her sides in the stuffy breeze.
She didn't often use the front door, but Frank had dropped her off this morning and his car didn't have the clearance for the underground car park. 'I guess it's the thought that counts' she thought without conviction. She had only been seeing Frank for about two months now and his attentiveness was considerate. She felt a little uncomfortable with him attending to her all the time; it occasionally became a bit much. She got enough worry and attention from Mulder, but at least he knew what she meant when she said 'I'm fine.'
She frowned as the tailwind pushed her hair all around. She tried to push it back into place. She took the opportunity to properly fix it when she put her briefcase down and walked through the metal detector. The guard picked up the detector wand as soon as he saw her come through the main doors.
She passed through the metal detecting archway. It beeped. As it always did.
She and the guard sighed simultaneously and he ran the wand over her, finishing his sweep over her neck. The wand beeped once.
"Morning agent Scully. You can head on through." The guard said, handing her briefcase.
"Thanks Jeremy. You have a good morning too." She said in her repetitive monotone.
They were used to this routine. The security were informed that Scully had a medical implant that would set off the detectors, which they assumed was a pin in her collar bone. For her it was a sorry reminder of those days she spent in hospital thinking she was going to die. The days were she was actually, really dying inside.
It was the day the metal detector didn't go off she feared the most.
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Dammit. She did it again.
Scully had this weird and unnatural (at least it was to Mulder) obsessive desire to pull all the plugs out of the wall at the end of every day. Most days she would fix it for him and he never had to worry about it; today, she was unusually late.
So many damn cords. There was one for his computer, the copier in the corner, the fan by the printer next to the door, the projector, the television, and more importantly, the VCR.
He picked up a random white cord and plugged it into the wall. Jackpot! The computer hummed with electricity. Maybe if he was lucky, he could get the printer in one short too. He picked up a white cord.
Scully came through the office door and walked past the printer and fan on her way to Mulders desk. "Morning Mulder-" she began.
Mulder flipped the switch on.
The fan behind Scully whirled to life and it must have been set to maximum because it sent all the loose paper on Mulders desk clean off.
"Mulder!" Scully yelled. She was incredibly annoyed and Mulder could now see why.
All her glossy red hair had flipped forwards over her face.
Mulder was glad she couldn't see his face; she would have slapped him for his obvious smirk. He turned off the fan and quickly crossed the room to where she was standing. He parted her hair like curtains and saw her frustrated look.
"Morning Cousin It..." he smiled kindly at her. He began carefully running his fingers through her hair until it returned to the back and sides of her head. "There, that's better. Now the whole world can see them beautiful eyes of yours."
She was about to have a go at him for using such a cheesy line, when the phone rang. Mulder left her to answer it.
She went and sat down in his swivel chair at his desk, claiming ownership over it. She didn't listen to Mulder's conversation; she chose to amuse herself by plugging in the printer for him. She couldn't understand why he got frustrated with them. They were all labelled with little white tags.
She heard Mulder hang up the phone.
"Come on Scully. Skinner's got an assignment for us." He said irritably. He preferred choosing his own cases to pursue.
Scully was secretly glad to get out of the office, and being summoned to Skinners office under any pretence other than being in trouble; was blessing enough.
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They proceeded to AD skinners office; they ignored the usual looks they received from their 'fellow agents', the ones that seemed purely reserved for mr and mrs spooky.
Arlene stood up as always to greet them. "Just head on through agents." She said in her usual conversational tone, as she gestured them to the open door that led into skinners office.
She never gave them the look like all the rest of the agents.
Mulder diverted to next to the door and allowed scully to walk in first. He followed close behind. Scully took her place in the right hand chair opposite skinners desk, Mulder sat on the left.
Skinner sat up straighter in his chair before linking his fingers together and resting his elbows on the desk.
"The cult and ritualistic crimes division have been monitoring the activities of a group of religious fanatics living communally in a secure compound north of petersville." He pushed a file he was leaning on across to the left corner of his desk. Scully picked it up and started flipping through the photos.
"Did they find anything they need us to investigate?" Mulder asked with little enthusiasm. Skinner continued.
"Over the last three weeks; the king george PD have been repeatedly meeting concerned families who claim teenage members are being held against their will on the compound."
Mulder's eye twitched. "Teenagers sir?" scully handed him a photo that showed a group of young boys seemingly working some farmland. Mulder wouldn't have considered many of them old enough to be considered teens.
"Unfortunately not all of them. Some of the younger one; as far as we can tell, match some recent missing person's profiles that were made in different parts of the country." He said bitterly. His distaste was purely directed at this group of people, not his agents.
"Who's this sir?" scully held up a photo of a man dressed in a white suit. "He's in several of these, most of which; he is being treated with extreme reverence and worship. And there is several of him hugging children..." scully added some disgust into her last sentence. She quickly handed the folder over to Mulder, as if it was disease ridden.
"Their leader, Jeremiah Turner, lures youths in with the promise of work, support, independent living... and for some of those kids, it looks like a good deal. To the adult, he is a very influential religious leader."
"This doesn't sound like an X File sir." Scully said matter-of-factly.
"True. The agent in charge of monitoring the situation has requested the assistance of some of my best agents to conduct a raid and possible rescue. This is why I am assigning you two."
Scully snuggled into her chair smugly. It was nice to be praised so highly. Mulder jut his jaw to one side.
"Who's the agent in charge sir?"
Skinner bit the inside on his cheek. He sent scully a warning look. She gave a tiny head nod. Skinner raised his chin, "Agent Colton."
"Colton? I thought he was working violent crimes and trying to crawl his slimy rear up the promotion ladder!" Mulder stated without hesitation.
Scully tapped his arm. "Let it go Mulder..." she said wearily. She turned to skinner, "you can count of our cooperation sir."
Without another word; she stood and headed for the door.
"You two also have you annual weapons testing on Wednesday. I suggest you take some practice on the range beforehand." Skinner added as he took the folder from Mulder, who was still sitting across from him, fuming at scully.
"Yes sir." With that; scully left Mulder in the office and shut the door behind her.
Mulder paused before rising out of his chair. He almost made it to the door before skinner addressed him.
"Before you go and harass your partner;" Mulder turned back to skinner, "you should be aware she filed a report on Colton's behaviour after the closing of the Tooms case. He was immediately transferred to CRC division and given a desk job." He stood up and crossed the room to where Mulder stood. "Her report was submitted before his was, and she put up one heck of a case."
Mulder simply frowned in confusion.
"She saved your ass. Agent Colton is going to behave himself because he knows that she'll defend you again. He can't afford another blemish on his record... besides; this is the first time he's been put in charge of other agents since his reassignment. I suspect his pride will prevent him from expressing his opinion of you."
Now Mulder fully comprehended this new bit of information. He nodded and went, once again, to leave. Skinner returned to his desk.
"I've booked the firing range for agent scully and yourself for tomorrow. Given your previous scores; you might want to work on your speed, and she'll need to work on her accuracy. I recommend making the most of your time there." He added as he sat down.
Mulder said nothing and left the office.
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Scully stood in front of the black X files cabinet; one hand flicked aimlessly through the red folders, her other fiddled with her necklace.
She had been incredibly distracted over the weekend. She was deciding whether or not to break up with frank. She found him a little too dominant for her independent self. He seemed to expect her to be dependent on him, which she simply couldn't do. She also noticed his temper and stubbornness. Sure, he had a level of respect for her, as she did for him; he just ignored her not-so-subtle hint to back off.
Mulder approached the office; he paused and reflected before he proceeded any further. He quietly opened the door. He spotted scully and felt a sharp pang of guilt.
"You okay scully?" he said with concern. She jumped slightly and shut the cabinet briskly.
"I'm fine..." she said as she walked over to her briefcase. Mulder was unconvinced.
Famous last words. Mulder came around and stood next to her. "Alright. You know that if you need me, I'm all ears." He picked up a folder from one of the piles that covered his desk; then walked out of the room.
"Cheers Mulder." Scully mumbled once he was gone. At least he knew when to let something go, that's one so far.
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At the end of the day, skinner left work earlier than usual.
He stepped out of the elevator, his briefcase in one hand, and his bundle of keys in the other. He graciously accepted the nods of greeting from some of his agents.
He pushed through the main glass doors and out into the horrible muggy weather he recognized from this morning. Having found his car key he swept his gaze across the car park to find his car.
His attention was temporarily caught by the sight of agent scully approaching Mulder at his car. He wouldn't normally have thought twice about the event; Mulder and scully occasionally travelled to and from work in the same vehicle. It was the particular fact that Mulder seemed to greet scully with a kiss that caught skinner off guard.
His eyes glazed over. For a second, skinner did a double take and felt the corner of his lip threaten to rise into a half smile. He reminded himself that he was still in work mode.
By the time his focus had returned; the car had gone. He knew his reputation as an assistant director was partly contingent on his ability to maintain standards and enforce FBI policy on the agents in his division. Mulder and scully knew the rules. True, it wasn't exactly a rule, but it was very strongly discouraged and often damaging to the agents involved in a relationship.
He turned back to the building and briskly headed back inside. He put his keys in his pocket and retrieved his cell phone. He ran down his list of contacts and stopped at the first name out of the two agents concerned: Mulder. He hit the dial button. He stopped in front of the elevator and waited impatiently for it, and for Mulder to answer his damn phone.
"Mulder." The phone finally replied.
"It's AD skinner. I need to see yourself and agent scully in my office immediately." He said boldly.
"Ah... yes sir." Mulder said and hung up.
Skinner pocketed his phone and rubbed his nose. He didn't wanted have to have a go at them, but it was his job.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened.
Skinner looked up and saw none other than Mulder standing in front of him, punching a number into his phone. Mulder didn't notice him yet.
"Mulder?" he said confusedly. If Mulder was here... well, if Mulder didn't kiss scully in the car park, he must have a twin running around DC somewhere.
"Oh, sir. I was just about to call scully in and meet her at your office..." Mulder said, gesturing to his phone.
"wait." Skinner waved his hand dismissively. "There's no need for that agent Mulder. Apparently I no longer need to see either of you." He shook his head with discomfort. "See you in the morning." He half added. He turned on his heel and left very quickly.
Mulder was left a little bewildered.
"Um... okay."