Subject: Crossing the Line 5
Sent: 28/01 11:49 AM
Received: 28/01 9:29 PM
From: Sharon Nuttycombe, avalon@terranet.ab.ca
To: dobbo@c031.aone.net.au
>Crossing the Line 5 - Unforgettable part 1/2
>Sharon Nuttycombe
>celtic@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
>May 21, 1996
>
>************************************************************
> This is part five of an ongoing story arc called "Crossing the
> Line" which is a Scully and Skinner romance. It will probably
> make more sense if you read the previous four first. (These
> should be on the gossamer archive under "Crossing the Line".)
> Also, this takes place in a universe in which Avatar never
> happened. It is not NC-17 (be patient...). There is a GCS
> (gratuitous chest scene) for Mulder fans this time...
>
> I would appreciate any comments or criticism, about story,
> style, or anything else you care to mention. Thank you.
>
> Acknowledgements: Thanks to Linda Campbell, my co-conspirator
> and unofficial, unpaid research assistant.
>
> Disclaimer: Scully, Skinner, and Mulder belong to Chris
> Carter...Do you think if I said copyright infringement was
> intended, the FBI would come to investigate me? Would they
> look like Skinner...?
>
>************************************************************
>
> Crossing the Line 5 - Unforgettable part 1/2
>
>
> Scully's life was becoming a cliche. If it were a book, it
> would be a Harlequin. A bad one. Her mind drifted as she
> pulled her shoes off her aching feet..."The crack FBI agent
> could have had any man, except the one she most desired...the
> man who gave a whole new meaning to 'America's Most Wanted'...a
> sweeping tale of love and lust in the world of espionage and
> intrigue..." She shuddered, half expecting someone to leap out
> from behind a desk shouting "Cliche alert, cliche
> alert...awooga, awooga..."
>
> "I guess it's official," she said to herself, "I've finally
> gone off the deep end." She sat back, staring blankly at the
> shoe in her hand. Still, she did have an excuse. It seemed
> like she hadn't slept in decades. She had spent the night
> tossing and turning, thoughts of Walter Skinner chasing each
> other through her mind. That kiss...and then the anxiety of the
> morning, waiting to confront him...
>
> He didn't remember the kiss. Scully wasn't sure how she
> felt about that. At first the relief had been overpowering.
> But now...He had kissed her, passionately, and he didn't even
> remember. Scully wasn't certain if she should be relieved or
> annoyed. Granted, it had been a while, but she was fairly sure
> that most of the men she had kissed had remembered the
> experience. She herself could remember every detail -- vividly.
> He at least owed her the courtesy of feeling an equal amount of
> guilt...
>
> The phone rang and Scully jumped as if someone had fired a
> tommy gun beside her. She paused a moment, trying to still the
> pounding of her heart, then picked it up with trepidation.
>
> "Hello?"
>
> "Dana?"
>
> "Is that you, Jack?"
>
> There was a tremor in his voice. "I'm at the hospital."
>
> "What's wrong?"
>
> "Celeste's gone into labour."
>
> Scully blinked. "But..."
>
> "I know. It's too early." He gulped audibly. "Look...
> I...can you come?"
>
> "Yes of course. Which hospital?" Scully dropped her shoe,
> grabbed a pencil, and wrote down the location. She muttered
> something reassuring to Jack, then hung up the phone and tried
> to marshall her thoughts. Her oldest friend was going to have a
> baby. Now. Pulling herself together, she scribbled a hasty
> note and dropped it on Mulder's desk, picked up her shoes and
> jammed them back on her feet, then snatched up her purse and car
> keys and left the office.
>
> * * *
>
> Skinner tried to focus on the pages in front of him, but
> they kept blurring annoyingly. Spots danced across his vision
> and somebody kept tightening a vise around his forehead. "This
> is why I seldom drink," he thought, "I can't cope with the
> aftermath."
>
> It was true. He had been surly all day. He had snapped at
> Kimberley when she had offered him coffee and just about taken a
> young agent's head off when the other man had stumbled into him
> in the hallway. As for what he had almost done to the
> photocopier that had dined on his paperwork...well, that was
> what repairmen were for, after all. Eventually people had begun
> to avoid him. Now he felt like a social pariah. His secretary
> cast him reproachful looks every time he ventured from his
> office and people in the hallways had begun to dive around
> corners when they saw him coming.
>
> Skinner wished he could blame it all on somebody else. It
> would be tempting to charge Dana Scully for the sad state he
> found himself in, but that wouldn't be fair. True, he couldn't
> seem to keep his mind off the woman, but that was hardly her
> fault. On the other hand, she had lied to him to protect her
> errant partner. On the other hand (he was beginning to run out
> of hands, he thought confusedly) she had also come to fetch him
> the night before when he had...overindulged (okay -- drank
> himself into a stupor). She had taken him home, tucked him in
> bed, and not mentioned his idiotic behaviour to anyone.
> Definitely above and beyond the call of duty. Now, if only he
> could remember...whatever it was he had forgotten.
>
> Skinner knew he was forgetting something. Something
> important. And it was driving him crazy. When he had awakened
> it had taken him a while to piece together what had happened the
> night before. When he did, he rather wished he hadn't made the
> effort. The memory of singing the Marine Hymn while Scully
> drove him home wasn't one of his happier recollections.
> Nevertheless, there were still some gaping holes in his memories
> that needed to be filled in order to regain his peace of mind.
> For instance, what had happened after he had entered his house,
> and before he had awakened fully clothed (but for his shoes and
> tie) in his bed? And why were echoes of a song chasing each
> other through his aching head? He wouldn't mind so much if he
> knew which song it was, but even that seemed to elude him. He
> sighed. Even his headache was getting a headache...
>
> It had taken him half the morning to gather the courage to
> call Scully up to his office. He had finally decided that he
> needed to know what had happened more than we needed to preserve
> his dignity. If he had to be face her contempt and his own
> embarrassment, well, so be it. Except of course she had been
> kind and understanding, and had even laughed off the singing.
> Singing. Sigh.
>
> The Assistant Director tried to focus once more on the
> hieroglyphics cavorting in front of him, then gave up in disgust
> and rang his secretary.
>
> "Kimberley, could you get me some water and aspirin,
> please?"
>
> "Yes, Sir." Her voice was terse and clipped, and he could
> almost feel the waves of disapproval coming through the closed
> door between them. He grimaced. It was going to be one of
> those days...
>
> * * *
>
> Mulder opened the door to his apartment, dropped his bag in
> the middle of the floor, pressed the rewind button on his
> answering machine, and wandered over to the fish tank, while
> loosening his tie. Wilbur and Orville gazed back at him with
> cold fishy eyes. He half-heartedly sprinkled some food into
> their tank while listening to his messages. A familiar voice
> filled the air.
>
> "Mulder?" the tape said, "Where are you? If you're where I
> think you are, then I hope it's for the hockey, because
> otherwise you're going to get us in a lot of trouble. Call me
> when you get back. No. Scratch that. Call me sooner."
>
> Mulder turned back to the machine as it went dead. She
> sounded cross. And worried. And...something else. Of course,
> given the fact that he had interrupted her in the middle
> of...something...when he called on Sunday, and that he had raced
> off to Canada without her -- well, she probably wasn't in a very
> charitable mood. Scully angry, he could cope with. Scully...
> involved with someone...he wasn't sure how to cope with that.
>
> He had spent the last couple of days going over the
> conversation on the phone. The voice of the man on the other
> end had been familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. Someone
> they worked with...? No. It was no good. Every time he almost
> had it, the recollection skittered back into the corners of his
> mind. Mulder shrugged inwardly. It didn't matter. He would
> remember ...eventually.
>
> The implications, however, were more than a little
> disquieting. His partner was romantically involved with
> someone, and that bothered him. The agent gazed blankly into
> the fish tank, trying to put his thoughts in some sort of order.
> Why? Why did it bother him so much? Scully was a grown woman,
> and he certainly couldn't blame her for having a relationship.
> Hell, he hadn't exactly been a boy scout these past few years.
> Still, his few flings had been short and meaningless. Phoebe,
> Kristin...not exactly epic romances.
>
> Maybe that was it. They hadn't meant as much to him as his
> partnership with Dana Scully. Mulder chewed on his lip and
> paced into the bedroom, pulling off his t-shirt and changing
> into a suit. His thoughts whirled. What exactly was his
> subconscious trying to tell him? He didn't love her...did he?
>
> He paused in the midst of buttoning his shirt, a cool
> draught goosepimpling his chest. That was it. He did love her.
> But it wasn't mere romantic love. She was important to him,
> probably more important than anything else in his life. She was
> his partner, his friend...and more. She was like the other side
> of his soul -- yin and yang, science and supernatural, peanut
> butter and jam...He didn't want to lose her.
>
> Mulder scowled. This was becoming ridiculous. If Scully
> wanted to embark on an affair with some man, that was her
> business. He had absolutely no say in the matter, and wouldn't
> interfere even if he did. He finished dressing, grabbed his car
> keys and file folders and left the apartment, ignoring the
> voice inside him that told him he was behaving like a fool. The
> door slammed behind him as he left.
>
> * * *
>
> By the time Scully arrived at the hospital, Jack was pacing
> up and down like a caged lion. Or a cliched father-to-be. He
> saw her coming and hurried toward her.
>
> "Jack...?" She touched his arm tentatively.
>
> "It's okay. I think. They said it was just a false alarm.
> They're checking her now."
>
> Scully breathed an unconscious sigh of relief and the
> nervous knot of tension inside her loosened somewhat. She
> peered more closely at the man beside her. "Are you all right?"
> she asked.
>
> "Sure. Yeah. Just fine."
>
> He didn't look fine. Actually, he looked ready to pass out.
> His face was paper white and he seemed rather unsteady on his
> legs.
>
> "Come on," she said, taking his arm. "Sit down."
>
> "Sit. Yeah." Mechanically he sank into an empty chair then
> immediately bounced back to his feet and resumed pacing.
> Sighing inwardly, Scully matched paces with him. "Tell me
> exactly what they said."
>
> "Who?"
>
> "The doctors."
>
> "Oh yeah." He looked down at her, as if truly seeing her
> for the first time. "Sorry. I'm not at my best right now."
>
> Scully smiled. "That much is obvious. Stop a minute."
> Jack came to a halt. "Good," she continued. "Now, take a deep
> breath." He obeyed. "One more." A little of the tension eased
> from his body. Scully gave him another reassuring smile. "Now
> -- tell me what the doctors said."
>
> He did. He repeated the medical terms almost word for word,
> parrot-like, then came to the end of his recital and gazed
> worriedly down at her. She patted his arm encouragingly.
>
> "Don't worry. It's going to be fine."
>
> It was evident that he didn't believe her.
>
> * * *
>
> Mulder stared broodingly at the note on his desk. Rather,
> at the notes -- plural. Scully's hastily written missive lay on
> the top of the pile, half hiding several urgent summons to
> Skinner's office. Even as he read, the phone began to ring
> insistently.
>
> Let it ring. He snatched up the coat he had removed moments
> before, picked up his partner's note, and headed back out.
> Behind him, the telephone continued to ring.
>
> * * *
>
> Skinner glared at the receiver in his hand. Mulder was
> here, he knew. He had expressly ordered security to inform him
> the moment the agent arrived. By now, the man must be in his
> office. So why wasn't he answering his phone? For that matter,
> why wasn't Scully? Finally he gave up, slammed the receiver
> back down and strode to the door. Kimberley looked up,
> startled, as the Assistant Director emerged, waves of annoyance
> rippling around him. She said nothing, but watched cautiously
> as he stalked out of the office.
>
> Skinner descended to the basement, barely noticing as people
> gave him a wide berth, and unceremoniously flung open the
> door...to an empty room. Where the hell were they? His black
> mood grew even blacker. He was turning to go when he noticed the
> note on Mulder's desk:
>
> "Mulder. Gone to Georgetown University Hospital. Celeste's
> in labour. Scully."
>
> Skinner didn't even stop to think of his options. He spun
> on his heel, left the basement office, and set out for the
> hospital.
>
> * * *
>
> Scully had finally made Jack sit down and was bringing him a
> coffee (like he really needs more caffeine, she thought) when a
> doctor emerged from the room behind her. Jack catapulted to his
> feet and shot past the agent, all his attention focused on the
> doctor. Scully just managed to keep the styrofoam cup from
> spilling, then turned and joined them.
>
> "Your wife is doing fine," the doctor was saying. "There
> are a few technical terms for it, but it really was just a false
> alarm."
>
> Jack swallowed deeply. "So she's all right?"
>
> The doctor smiled back at him. "Mother and daughter are
> both doing fine. Mrs. Hastings needs to take it easy, but I
> don't anticipate any more problems." She gave him a sympathetic
> look. "Don't worry. You just have to survive another three
> -and-a-half weeks of this."
>
> Jack sagged in relief. "I...thank you. When can she come
> home?"
>
> "Right away. She's just getting dressed." The doctor
> smiled again, then turned and left.
>
> Jack sank back into the chair. Wordlessly, Scully handed
> him the coffee. He drained it with a gulp, barely noticing as
> it burned his throat and tongue. Relief was evident in every
> part of his body. Scully suppressed a momentary flash of
> jealousy. Sometimes she wished she had someone who loved her
> like Jack did Celeste...Enough of that, she sternly told
> herself. Your life is just fine. Don't be greedy...
>
> A tremor suddenly went through her. Something made her look
> up and her mouth went dry. Skinner. He was just emerging from
> the elevator at the end of the hallway. Their eyes met. Even
> from this distance, she found she could read his mood and it
> wasn't good. Irritation and frustration seemed to colour his
> every move as he hurried down the hallway toward her. She went
> cold. Had he remembered...? The annoyance she had felt earlier
> vanished and she knew she really did not want him to remember;
> did not want to have to deal with...everything.
>
> Something, some sixth sense or instinct, made her wrest her
> gaze away from the Assistant Director and look in the other
> direction. Mulder was just rounding the far corner, coming
> toward her. Suddenly, Scully knew what an antelope felt like,
> caught between two stalking lions. It wasn't a pleasant
> feeling. She couldn't deal with any of this right now. Coming
> to an instant decision, she murmured to Jack:
>
> "I'm just going to go see Celeste, okay?" With that she was
> gone, vanishing into the hospital room.
>
> END OF PART ONE
>
> * * *
>
>Crossing the Line 5 - Unforgettable part 2/2
>Sharon Nuttycombe
>celtic@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
>May 21, 1996
>
>************************************************************
> This is part five of an ongoing story arc called "Crossing the
> Line" which is a Scully and Skinner romance. It will probably
> make more sense if you read the previous four first. (These
> should be on the gossamer archive under "Crossing the Line".)
> Also, this takes place in a universe in which Avatar never
> happened. It is not NC-17 (be patient...). There is a GCS
> (gratuitous chest scene) for Mulder fans this time...
>
> I would appreciate any comments or criticism, about story,
> style, or anything else you care to mention. Thank you.
>
> Acknowledgements: Thanks to Linda Campbell, my co-conspirator
> and unofficial, unpaid research assistant.
>
> Disclaimer: Scully, Skinner, and Mulder belong to Chris
> Carter...Do you think if I said copyright infringement was
> intended, the FBI would come to investigate me? Would they
> look like Skinner...?
>
>************************************************************
>
> Crossing the Line 5 - Unforgettable part 2/2
>
> Skinner saw Scully vanish behind a closed door and slowed
> his pace. He reached the spot where she had been at almost the
> same moment as Mulder. They both came to a halt in front of
> Jack, who rose to his feet and looked somewhat confusedly from
> one to the other.
>
> "What are you both doing here?"
>
> There was an awkward silence as the agent and the Assistant
> Director eyed one another. Finally Skinner spoke. "I was
> looking for Agent Scully...and Agent Mulder." The last was said
> directly to Mulder.
>
> At the other man's first words, a chill shot through Mulder.
> Recognition came swiftly on its heels. It was him. It was
> Skinner. He was the one who had answered the phone...For a
> moment Mulder's mind reeled, and he didn't hear what his
> supervisor was saying. He couldn't believe it. Scully
> and...Skinner?
>
> With an effort he dragged his mind back to the present.
> Skinner was politely asking after Celeste. "How the hell does
> he know Scully's friends anyway?" Mulder thought randomly. He
> wasn't coping well with any of this. He kept picturing his
> partner and his boss locked in a torrid embrace, an image his
> mind refused to accept. Scully and Skinner...!? When? How
> long? And why in all the hells, hadn't she told him? A sense
> of betrayal began to grow within him.
>
> Skinner finished speaking to Jack, who wasn't really
> listening anyway, and returned his gaze to Mulder. The agent
> stood rigidly before him, not paying any attention to the
> conversation. Skinner muttered an excuse to Jack, then beckoned
> to Mulder. The agent followed him silently.
>
> Skinner had been keeping a tight lid on his emotions. The
> suppressed tensions and frustrations of the last week had been
> tearing at him, but now he finally had an excuse to let a little
> of it out. Mulder was in the wrong. He had acted contrary to
> FBI regulations (what else was new?) and had forced his partner
> to lie to protect him. At last Skinner had an excuse to vent a
> little of hi
Sharon Nuttycombe
avalon@terranet.ab.ca
--"I have as much respect for the chain of command as the next guy.
--Only if you're standing next to Fletcher Christian." Adderly
--
(
geocities.com/hollywood)