Behind the Mind Scully stepped outside, to be met by the fresh cool breeze, sprinkling the light rain upon her face. A veil of mist that drifted gently with the breeze lightly covered the road beyond. It was a scene of the ocean, the foam of the breakers furling above the deep blue waters. Scully breathed deeply, taking in the cool air. Mulder soon was standing idly by her side, letting her enjoy the moment. Of which were few, which she had experienced. Without a word, she followed Mulder, letting him lead her to the unknown. "Are you feeling ok?" Mulder asked without passing a glance behind him, believing in his instinct. Scully shook her head slightly in a gesture that spoke 'no'. She felt weak, and afraid. "I'm..ok." Her words were slurred. Mulder turned around, to see Scully shyly staring at the ground, slightly buckling without conscious recognition that she was doing so. "Scully?" Mulder grinned slightly. It was a tad amusing for him to see Scully so slighted. Her bold strong, fearless personality and essence had deserted her, leaving her in the wilderness. As the car pulled up to the supposedly familiar surroundings belonging to Scully's lifetime childhood, Mulder decided to sit in silence for a moment watching the olive green balloons drifting gently to the breeze. "Scully, how do you wish me to go about this?" Mulder asked. There was silence. "I don't know exactly, there will be no doubt, that if you decide to tell me everything straight handed, I will stumble across something unexpected. I don't know Mulder. Perhaps on the way in, just point out my family members. Perhaps I could attempt to get drunk rather swiftly, so as my memory has a reason to evade me?" Scully smiled slightly at the thought, looking at her partner. "Nice try Scully. Look, what ever happens, happens." Mulder shrugged his shoulders before hopping out the car. As they reached the doorway, Mulder halted Scully again. "First things first. Your mother's name is Margaret Scully. She is about…hm..about the same height as yourself and has dark black short hair. Your brother Bill will also be here. He's well…" Mulder paused, as he remembered the last time he had faced Bill. He was almost certain that he would be able to predict the expression on Bill's face when he'd see Mulder walk in through the front door. He turned back to Scully, blocking those thoughts from his mind. "You are open and loving to all of them, usually embracing them. Due to your Catholic religious relations, I am almost certain to be expecting Father McCue to be here tonight, but that's not the point. Just in case. There isn't much else I can say. Try to bluff your way through it if you can." Mulder gave a sigh. Scully hesitated before knocking upon the door. She could here voices and music coming from within the house, before the sound of door being unlatched registered. Then the realisation hit Mulder. He had forgotten to tell Scully some vital information, but the door swung open. Sounds burst out into the night air, startling Scully, as she looked at the person who stood before. "Mom I.." Scully recognised through the descriptions from the figure Mulder gave her. "Dana! I was worried that something had happened to you." Showing her concern, Margaret looked at Scully, before embracing her. "I'm sorry, but there was an incident at the Bureau regarding the latest case…." Scully's muffled voice trailed on as she saw a man walking towards the door, which she presumed was her brother. "Dana! How's my little sis?" He gave a wide grin at her, before throwing his arms around her. "Happy St. Patrick's Day." Scully replied, not knowing what else to say. Mrs Scully looked at Mulder, and smiled. "Hello Fox. Please, come in." Mulder trailed in behind them, noticing the exact expression he had predicted upon Bill's face, before walking into the main living room. The whole household was adorned with green decorations; so much so, Mulder couldn't remember anything being this green before. Green tablecloths upon tables, cutlery, candles, plates, furniture, food (hmm, don't know about that one), all the same colour. People were standing or sitting around the house, socialising, drinking a green beverage of a kind. He watched warily as Bill lead Scully over to a table. "So. How's work?" Bill eyed Scully with a cheeky know all look. Scully began to explain to him about the amnesia cases, as much as she could remember from clues she had picked up, but began to cut off as she noticed Bill's disinterest. "What was the drama the held you up?" He handed Scully a drink. She stared into the green liquid, swirling it up in the cup. "I can't remember." She said honestly. "Your funny Dana." Bill smiled, as did Scully, and they decided to drop the topic. "Now don't have too much to drink ok?" Bill nodded towards the glass Scully was holding idly in her hand. "Spare me the lecture. I've already had one from Mulder, which was why I decided to bring him along, to save him the trip up here." Bill followed Mulder with his eyes, as Mrs Scully stood talking to him. People were hustling and bustling around the place, a sudden laughter bursting out every now and then. Scully felt as though things weren't as bad as she had predicted. "Where's Dad?" She looked up at Bill, with wonder. "Dana, how many glasses have you had to drink?" Bill gave Scully a mundane look, before he noticed Mulder pricking up the conversation with a hint of anticipation in his eye. "What? I'm serious. I haven't even had a glass to drink." Scully saw Mulder coming towards her. For the last thirty minutes Mulder had been eaves dropping the conversation, ready to come and rescue Scully at any time. At the moment as he was heading towards her, he had not the faintest idea for his reasons, but she had hit a wrong note. "Hey there." Mulder thought how corny he must have seemed at this moment. He decided that to act stupid, was the only way to cover up a bad situation. He would be kicking himself forever after though. He threw his arm around Scully, and began prattling on about useless nonsense, laughing at his own corny jokes. "Mulder?" Scully cut him short. "Are you feeling ok?" She eyed him suspiciously, unaware of anything. "If you'd excuse me." Bill curtly left the conversation. "You are excused." Mulder quietly hissed, cursing himself at the same time. He gave a protruding sigh "What the hell is the matter with you?" Scully pushed him away. "Scully, come with me." He grabbed her by the arm and began dragging her down the hallway. "There was something I didn't tell you!" He slipped passed people that were walking by. "I was meant to, but you had already knocked on the door. Your father has passed away, a couple of years ago." Mulder shook his head. "Oh." Scully went quiet. "So I guess now I'm not the only one mentally kicking myself now." Mulder turned around and began up the hallway. "Well, are you going to rejoin the party?" He looked back behind him. "Not at the moment. I think I'd like to look around." Mulder nodded, before heading off. Scully found herself sitting in a room by herself. She was half wishing that Mulder was here to explain all these things to her. It was as though she was living someone else's life, filling all the empty spaces, and yet wondering blindly at the same time. "Hey there." Scully looked around, to see Mulder coming through the door. "Thought I might find you here." He gave her a wide grin, before plonking himself beside her. "This is weird Mulder." Said Scully, aimlessly looking around the room. "Now that isn't the first time you've said that, as far as I'm concerned." He said, before being quiet. Scully looked at him, bewildered. She had only met him for the first time on her terms in the last twenty-four hours, and it was already as though she believed she knew him. It was sad to think about loosing what was once there, never to be gained again. "Mulder, did any of the victims like myself, ever have their memory returned?" Scully looked directly at him. Mulder sat there in silence, trying to remember. It seemed like years ago, and miles away that there was a case existing that he had once worked on with Scully, involving all that ..whatever it was. But in actual fact it was only a couple of hours ago. And he had been only minutes behind. Just minutes. "Mulder?" Scully was tempted to shake him. He was not there at the moment. "No." Mulder couldn't bring him to believe the word he had spoken. It seemed harsh. No. Just a simple word. Scully sat there in the room, which was shadowed by the darkness. She could see the outline of Mulder sitting on the bed, dazed off somewhere in his mind. Her mind was concentrating, willing everything to return to her. She was straining hard, trying to remember what everything had been like, and what she may have said in moments like these. Then she noticed that his dark eyes were on her. She recalled her first moments when she came into the world, as she knew it. Lying in the darkness of her mind, to be woken to a voice, shouting a name. Scully. But it brought back no memories to her. She held her head in her hands. How lost Mulder appeared to her when she looked into his eyes the time before. What was it? What had there been before? The lost connection she had seen. It was still there. His dark eyes filled with desperation, as he shook her in vain. As if doing that, to bring every thing back. She felt a hand touch her arm, gently pulling her away from her thoughts. She slowly raised her eyes to meet Mulder's. Something stirred deep within her, layers under her mind. She couldn't place exactly what it was, but the more she tried, the more it slipped away. She felt the whole world coming to a halt. Who was Mulder? Did she really believe that she knew? For all it was worth, this could be a lie. Anyone could tell her anything, leading her to believe in something false. How could she know? It was a lie she was lead to believe that led her to her downfall. She had not doubt in that. Anger was building inside her, furling around, as it grew, coursing through her body. She returned her look into Mulder's eyes, seeing him for the first time. And then she knew. She could feel Mulder's grip tightening on her, and inexplicable tension was building. Her mind opened up to him, and she knew for the first time, the reasons behind Mulder's sadness. Light burst into the room, as the door swung open, and she knew the thoughts were gone. Mulder and Scully turned around to face the intruder, to see Bill facing them. Uneasiness filled the room, as there was a moment of silence. "Dana." Bill began, startled. "Mom's been looking for you all over the place for you." Scully nodded quietly, and then exited the room. Mulder sat there for a moment, and then began to get up. "What the hell is the matter with her?" Bill demanded towards Mulder. "What do you mean?" Mulder began casually. "Don't give me that crap. Something is not right, and I would like to know." Mulder looked at Bill, and then headed towards the hallway. "You know, don't you?" Bill caught up to Mulder. "She isn't herself, and she seems to have a bad lack of memory!" Mulder turned to face Bill, caught up in his thoughts. "What happened to her?" "You seem to have proof to assert and justify your claims?" Mulder said, questioning Bill accusations. "She seemed so out of it, so lost, confused. She thought her Father was alive for Christsakes!" Bill stood in front of Mulder, blocking him as to emphasis the point. "What right have you, that allows you to believe that I should earn such criticism?" Mulder said solemnly, looking straight into Bill's eyes. Bill stopped short as he saw Scully standing behind Mulder, who was not yet aware of her presence. She gave him a disdainful look of betrayal and realisation, for she had witnessed the whole scenario. "Dana I…" Bill moved towards her, as she took a step towards Mulder, as Mulder spun around to face her. "I should have seen it before." She looked up at Mulder sadly. "Mulder, I'd like to leave now ok?" She walked out of the hallway willingly, leaving Bill to stare dumbfounded and angrily at Mulder, as he too, followed after Scully. As the car travelled along the road, the white lines flowing over and over through the eyes of Scully, as she sat watching the, letting the silence sink in. "Mulder, I'm sorry." She said at last. Mulder shook his head. "It's ok Scully." And then the silence returned, as Scully followed the lines along the road again. Scully walked along the corridor, unable to raise her face from staring down at the floor, as she listened to the quiet footsteps of Mulder, who was lagging behind her. What a bastard Bill had been. And yet she barely knew him. However, it's true what they say, first impressions last. Regretfully, she repeated the whole scene in her mind. Until she returned to the darkness in her bedroom. "Scully?" Mulder called after her, before she realised she had passed her apartment door. She slowly turned around, to face Mulder. She looked up at him finally, seeing the distress within him, that was as equal in comparison with her own. There were many loose ends left open, unfinished. "It's hard for me you know, to see people again for the first time, only to realise the reality of it all, and what they are really like deep inside. I may never know what they were, what may once have been Mulder, but I know now, and my judgement remains unsettled upon everyone." Scully concluded her thoughts aloud. Mulder returned his gaze towards her."I was once again standing in the hallway, yet now Scully's not my own. And for the second time, she was gone from me, signing her self into resignment of all the problems yet to be faced. And it was at these times that I wanted nothing more than to hold her closer, to feel her heart against mine, beating to the same rhythm of earthly existence. Again I found my self wondering the realms of reality, to reach out to Scully, to tell her how I feel. But she knows. I can see it in her eyes." Mulder moved towards her, until he could feel her cool breath breathing slightly. She was afraid. He embraced her, engulfing all of her fears, as they melted away. He ran his fingers through her red hair; it seemed to burn like fire within his grip. Scully pulled away slightly, enough to let all the events sink in to her. Her mind was whirring, willing her to remain where she was. It was changing, the locked doors behind her, bursting at the seams. Something was adrift, and it was pulling her along. She reached up and touched his face, as his hand tightened on her neck. He dipped his head down, to meet hers, grazing her lips. Scully dared to breathe, as a wave of calmness washed over her. Their lips met. The whole world slipped away from beneath her, as she kissed him harder. Something from deep with in her erupted. A powerful surge of energy came forth and gripped her mind, and over came her. She felt feint, yet again as her mind was taken from her grasp. Scully felt herself falling from Mulder as they came apart. "Mulder.." She managed to whisper, through short breaths. Finally she collapsed in his arms. "Dana!" Mulder quickly turn his head towards the voice that seemed to erupt from nowhere. "You sorry son of a bitch!" Bill came charging down the hallway, slowing down towards where Mulder was looming over the limp body of Scully, who lay deathly still upon the floor. "What the hell have you done to her?" Bill flared angrily. "Too many times you have taken her from me, and this will be the last!" He shouted. Bill raised his fist towards Mulder, but Mulder swiftly moving to one side, effectively knocking Bill from his balance, as he let his anger flow. "No. You don't get it do you?" Mulder said advancing towards Bill. "And you never will." Those were the last words that Bill heard, before he was knocked out by a sharp blow from Mulder. With a soft thud, he fell to the floor. Mulder immediately leaped to Scully's side, yet again experiencing the thought of whether she would awaken or not. And for the second time, I awoke, only to find myself staring into the dark eyes of man. Yet this time, it was not into the unknown. "Mulder." He awoke to the sound of his own voice, spoken by the woman of whom it had been pressed deeply into the ends of her mind for so long. "Scully?" An unexplained tension flared, long forgotten, repressed from my memories. Acting on some unseen force, not thinking just committing on impulsion. Scully reached up for Mulder, as he felt for her. And for the second time as he lent over her, grazing her lips, he was awoken by the sound of the elevator doors bursting open. "Scully down!" Mulder forcefully pressed Scully to the ground, as he recognised the emerging figure of the Assistant Director. "Breathe!" Mulder began performing Expired Air Resuscitation upon Scully, in order to hide the real picture. He pressed his lips against hers, holding her head back pretending to breath into her. She coughed back, and sat up in alarm. "Mulder…?" She was still uninformed of the situation. "Scully, can you breathe?" Mulder spoke with false alarm in his voice. "What happened here?" Skinner asked, eyeing the situation as he hastily strode over. "Omigod Mulder! What happened to Bill?" Scully exclaimed in alarm as she saw Bill lying sprawled along the ground. "Sir, call an ambulance immediately, and inform them we have an unconscious person down!" Mulder picked up Scully. "Due to what?" Skinner demanded as he reached for his cell phone. "An unexplained phenomenon." He began leading Scully towards the elevator. "Where are you going?" Skinner called after them. "We've got a suspect to chase!" Mulder yelled, before pushing Scully back into the elevator, hiding the smile across his face. "Scully! What happened?" Mulder was frantic, and practically shook Scully. "I don't know Mulder." Scully looked at Mulder coyly. "I believe however, that in the universe of unseen forces…" Scully began. "Quit with the Science trash, do you know…" Mulder cocked his head to one side. Scully smiled at him sheepishly. "Mulder, where ever I was, it has gone. You have unlocked my mind…" But before Scully could finish her sentence, Mulder wrapped his arms around her, and pressed his lips against hers. Startled, Scully accepted him, returning the kiss, holding closer to him. Erotic passion seamed through her mind, as she began to realise that this was her every desire, to be with Mulder, and yet somehow it wasn't right. She pulled away from him, and bit her lower lip in deep thought. "Scully?" Mulder lifted her face to stare into her eyes. "Mulder..I can't do this." Immediately she saw the affect of her words take place within Mulder, she could see it. "Mulder, I don't mean…" He turned away from her, unable to bare this any more. He wanted nothing than to be with her. And now she was turning him away. He felt her hand touch his face, but yet it seemed cold. And awkward. He turned to look at her, and saw the pain in her, which she had given to him. And a sudden anger came from him. The silent type that is unseen yet the most dangerous. He feared to speak at all. And Scully recognized it immediately, withdrawing her hand at the same time. She lowered her head to the ground, and silently prayed that the elevator would reach the ground faster. It seemed like hours. Finally the ping sounded, and the doors slid open. Revealing something Scully was dreading. Walker looked up from the manilla folder, which he seemed to be studying, and gave one of those sleazy grins every time he saw Scully. She just about felt like punching it out, whilst she regretted his presence more on Mulder's behalf than her own. 'Where the hell is Byrnes?' She thought to herself. 'At least that woman has twice as much commonsense than Walker.' Scully felt queasy in the stomach, and feared for Mulder. How could she have been so stupid? "It's amazing how I always seem to catch you the right moment!" Walker began, basically ignoring Mulder, paying all his attentions to Scully. "I have some news that may interest you, but first, if you wouldn't mind, I think that you should head to the Bureau, where Agent Byrnes is. There, I'll show you what I've discovered." On the way to the Bureau, there was nothing but dead silence. Even from Walker. Funny that, Scully thought to herself. Even Walker could feel the bad vibes, and couldn't come up with anything even vaguely corny to say. Mulder continued to look straight ahead at the road, totally oblivious to anything. Walker or Scully could have been doing the limbo for all he cared, and he wouldn't have even realised it. He had never felt so drained away in his whole life. Not even when he was close to death due to his desperate crusades. He would bury himself under his work in order to hide his distress, but it would do him no good. Scully would always find him. God though, he was so angry. And incredibly hurt. Walker sat there in silence, rather confused at the whole situation. Everything was quiet. Far too quiet for his liking. Yet Scully did have nice legs…but that's not the point. Scully flashed a quick glance at her partner, before turning back to her thoughts, wondering exactly where this case could lead to now, and how Bill was doing. Bill! God! She had been so distracted, that it had totally slipped her mind. When the Agents reached the Headquarters, they were met by the Assistant Director, who gave Mulder a stern glance. "Agent Mulder and Scully, I'd like a word with you. Would you please step into my office." Skinner turned around and gestured for them to head through the door. Only yesterday, or the day before that, had Mulder stepped into this office to have a discussion with the review panel, and yet so much had happened in between. "Now I'd like some answers as to why Captain Bill Scully, was knocked unconscious." Skinner passed looks from Mulder to Scully. "Agent Mulder, don't try to deny anything that showed up on the ballistic reports." Mulder retorted showing his ignorance. "He was being an arsehole." Mulder threw his eyes around the room. "How does that give you a reason to knock him out?" Skinner was growing more concerned towards Mulder's attitude than towards anything else. "You wouldn't understand." Mulder looked disdainfully towards the Assistant Director. Scully felt sorry for Mulder, as he really didn't have much support in this discussion. "Though there wasn't exactly a rightful cause for Mulder's behaviour," Scully cut in "Bill did deserve what was coming for him." Scully looked directly towards Skinner, in attempt to protect Mulder, as she was as much involved with his feelings as he was. "And you were a suspect?" Skinner questioned. "Well not exactly, but that's not the point. Bill misinterpreted the situation." Scully took a deep breath before continuing. "I collapsed on the floor, due to my memory re-elapse, and Bill came in halfway through the event, blaming Mulder for unduly reasons because he was the only person left standing. I believe that the moment became heated, and well the rest speaks for itself." Scully dared not to look towards Mulder. "So let me get this straight. You can now recall everything, can you not? How did this occur?" asked Skinner. Scully sat in her chair, unable to think of a reason. "I can not recall." Scully spoke coolly. "Then I will have to take all these statements on notice. You are excused Agent Scully. Agent Mulder, would you remain behind." Scully stood up to walk out of the door, feeling her neck prickle up. As soon as she had left, Mulder predicted what was install for him. "What are your reasons…" Skinner began. "I don't know. I'm having a bad day." Mulder shrugged. Outside the room, Walker sat next to Byrnes, watching Scully pacing backwards and forwards, with her head towards the ground in deep thought. She stopped abruptly, looking up to see Mulder slide through the door. Walker and Byrnes stood up, waiting for words to be spoken, but when there was none, they began to continue where they had left off, heading towards the computer laboratories. "What exactly are you going to show us?" Scully asked. "You'll see when the time is right." Walker said teasing. Byrnes opened the door, leading them to a room. "As you had discovered the previous identity of Gyde Saunders, aka Ike Munrow, we ran a check on some background information. We discovered that before Gyde was admitted to Hospital for being terminally ill or requiring psychiatric treatment, the hour before he claims he was abducted, he was attacked within his lodge, situated up near the Montreal woodlands by men in dark suits, and dragged 2 miles along the ground into the forest and left to die." Byrnes explained. "Now, after being isolated and left to perish, people who believe in spirits and souls, always claiming how the gate way to heaven feels, you know?" Walker gestured. "Those people would say, that Gyde's spirit left his body though he was not dead yet, and it was believed that during that time he was abducted. Now don't take me wrong, but I don't believe in this sort of stuff, but this is what we turned up." Walker looked at Byrnes, who handed the papers over to Mulder and Scully. "It was also thought that when his spirit returned to his body, it had enhanced it's form, adapting to the changed conditions within his body, thus being able to travel in and out at times of choosing." Mulder cut in. "Also being able to confuse the minds of others, as they were unaware and unable to have these same abilities." Mulder looked up from the papers. "Let me get something straight." Scully said, a bit bemused by these suggestions. "Are you also saying that now Gyde's soul is out for revenge? Why abductees like himself? Is he trying to take away the pain, causing other people more at the same time because they cannot remember anything?" Scully folded her arms over her chest, placing the papers on the table. "No, perhaps not." Byrnes said. "Maybe this goes back farther than we think. Perhaps he is doing some one's dirty work for them, erasing evidence of the truth." Mulder began. "But have you noticed that he is always taking his victims back to the forest?" Walker pointed out. "Why not me?" Scully asked. "I don't believe that this is the case you have just stated. His mind control abilities are not due to the fact that he was abducted whilst having an out of body experience. It was his reversed brain development." She shook her head. "Whatever the truth maybe, let me tell you this. Every past victim I have interviewed within the past twenty-four hours seems to be disturbed. And it ties up with you Scully. You are the only one who has broken out of the loop. But that isn't all. They now speak of another name, and I'm in no doubt that we ought to find this man. It proved right last time, and we must find him before the next time it's too late." Byrnes pulled out a map. "Where is the nearest forest woodlands from here?" She asked. Scully suddenly felt her mind being torn apart. She felt nauseated as though she was going to fall over. Her hand shot out for Mulder, as Walker came from behind to grab her. "Dana?" He looked frightened at her. Mulder rushed to her side. "Samuel East. You will find him in the Virginia Forests, along the western side. The sun is setting already, and time is passing us by. He needs my help." Scully closed her eyes briefly, and then opened them. Surprised at her own words, not belonging to her. == Fight the Future X Dana Scully X Fox Mulder X Fight the Future