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Ch. 7
1:14 pm

"You work with Fox?"

Scully had been led once again to the kitchen by a very suspicious
David Harrison, who'd lurked by the door until his wife asked him to
leave. Amanda seemed the tiniest bit stronger today, somehow. Maybe
her situation hadn't changed, but she had at least decided to take
control of it.

Scully nodded, stopping herself from the nominal connection she'd so
long made from habit.



"I saw him once before. Did he tell you that?"

Scully nodded again.

"It was right before my father died."

Scully's eyes widened, but she said nothing.

"And now this." She shook her head. "I feel so useless. There's
nothing I can do. I don't even understand who half those people are."
She nodded toward the living room, a low steady hum of noise seeping
beneath the kitchen door.

"I know it can be very overwhelming, but they're all working to find
your daughter."

Scully felt the same sense of irrational anger she'd felt before at
this woman. Why had she summoned her here? Why alone?

"I want her back."

"I know you do," Scully reassured her with all the gentleness she
could muster. But inside her mind was screaming. 

"Do you have children, Agent Scully?"

Scully started, looking away quickly to mask any reaction her face
might have already revealed. "No. No, I don't." An easy answer, maybe,
but not altogether true.

"Do you think she's dead?"  "No, I don't. I
think there's an excellent chance we'll find her." 

"One of the agents out there told me about Fox, Agent Mulder." Her
chin rose slightly, as she waited to be challenged, but Scully waited
patiently.

"He said he worked with Fox before. That if anyone could solve cases
like this it was him. That he might be a little..."

"Spooky?" Scully supplied.

Amanda nodded, surprised. "Yeah, that's exactly what he said. Spooky.
But that he--and you--had an excellent record with cases like this."

Tears welled up in Amanda's eyes again, and Scully handed her a
tissue. "I know Fox is, upset with me. Disappointed. And I know I
don't have the right to ask, but do you think he'd consider..."

Scully felt an urge to reach out to her, taking her hand. "I know
he'll do anything he can do to get Lauren back to you. Believe me.
He's very determined when it comes to the people he loves." Scully
considered her next words. "And he's always loved you."

To her surprise, Amanda didn't draw away, but nodded. "I know that,"
she whispered. "I just can't deal with this right now, not, not now."

Scully rose, opening the door a crack to get another look at the
agents in the other room. She wanted to thank whoever had stood up for
Mulder, add him to the Christmas card list. At the moment it was a
short list.

"Mrs. Harrison?"

"Amanda, please."

"Amanda. Do you mind if I ask who you spoke to about Mulder?"

Amanda shook her head. "I didn't catch his name, but I don't think
he's here anymore." She crinkled her forehead in thought, and the
gesture reminded Scully of her partner. "He was a big man, bald.
Wire-rimmed glasses. Does that help?"

Scully pressed her lips together in a tight smile, and nodded, showing
herself to the front door.