From: "Kayla Ariev" 
Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2000 15:19:07 PDT
Subject: Dissecting Lizards by Kayla Ariev
Source: direct

Title: Dissecting Lizards
Author: Kayla Ariev
Spoilers: none
Note: Partly pre X-Files, kind of Alternate Universe, I wrote their past how 
I wanted it to be, not how it was.  Kind of a "what if" piece.  It gets a 
little heavy later on when the two universes (mine and the existing one) 
meet.  Just some heavy mind-candy on the behalf of my lengthy dialogue.  
Very shippy.
Rating: Probably PG-13 for language

On with the show...

***
Friday, April 29, 1978
Chilmark, Massachusetts

"Oh my god, did you see Bobby Simmons in that red shirt today?  He was –so- 
hot in it!"  Claire ran a hand through her straight blonde hair while she 
spoke with her four other friends.

"David Anderson is so much cuter than him, though," replied another girl, 
Kallie.

"No, no, no," said a third girl, Julia, "I've got you all beat.  The 
–hottest- guy is Fox."

"What?!" exclaimed the fourth girl.  "My older brother?  Are you nuts?!"

"If he wasn't your brother, Samantha," replied Julia, "you'd think so too."

The first three girls agreed and sighed while Samantha rolled her eyes and 
the last girl snorted in disgust.  Dana Scully had never enjoyed discussing 
boys, not even at the age of fifteen.

"Come on, Dana.  Admit it.  He's hella hot."

"I never said he wasn't.   I am merely disgusted that you three ponder, 
argue, and discuss boys' appearances 24/7.  It doesn't interest me."  Dana 
looked out the window in Samantha's room.  "It's still light out.  You guys 
wanna go see if we can find any dead lizards?  I think I can get all the 
organs out without damaging them."

As Dana finished her sentence and the other girls made noises of disgust, 
Samantha's older brother walked by.  He wandered in, his dark physiognomy, 
tall height, and lanky stride caused Claire, Kallie, and Julia to sigh.

"Without damaging what?" he asked Dana.

"Oh, hi Fox," she replied.  The two were good friends, having lived next 
door to each other almost all their lives.  "I was talking about the organs 
of a lizard."

"You serious?"  Dana nodded.  "Well let's go find one."  Dana got up, the 
other girls, save Samantha, looking rather jealous as Fox put his hand on 
the small of Dana's back and led her downstairs.  They looked out Samantha's 
window as Fox and Dana came outside together.

"So, you can really get all the organs out without damaging them?" asked Fox 
outside.

"I think so.  I've been practicing and I just got a new dissecting tool set. 
  I've been saving up my money and it came in the mail last week.  I haven't 
been able to find something to cut up, yet.  My mother gets worried about me 
and my sister thinks it's disgusting, but I like it.  I want to be a 
doctor."

"Yeah, I remember."

"Yeah," she said.  "Let's go get my kit, it's in my room."  He agreed and 
they took off towards her house, jumping the fence as they had done times 
before.

Meanwhile, the three girls looking outside Samantha's window got curious and 
even more jealous.

"Samantha," said Kallie, "why are Fox and Dana going over to her house?"

"I don't know," shrugged Samantha.  "Probably to get something.  She always 
comes over to visit with me but ends up hanging with Fox.  He just gets on 
better with her than I do.  They're into the same stuff."

"She's into nasty stuff," said Claire, wrinkling her nose.

"No," said Samantha, "just different stuff.  Guy stuff, kind of."  She 
shrugged.  "They're both into science, they both like running around outside 
and getting into stuff, they like the same music, same movies, same books.  
They just argue about the legitimacy of things. Dana is very scientific and 
Fox is into the paranormal.  But they like having their arguments.  Their 
little discussions are so confusing, though, because they mention past 
things and inside jokes and they understand it, but no one else can.  It's 
like a code."

Julia groaned.  "I swear to God, if he asks her to the Spring Prom, I will 
find a gun and shoot him!  Or her, if I have to."

"It's only two weeks off," said Claire.  "How long is he gonna wait to ask 
someone?"

"Fox is a procrastinator.  He'll ask a girl a day or two before and have 
himself a date."  Samantha shrugged again.  "And Claire, I wouldn't get your 
hopes set too high on him asking you."

"And why not?  He almost always hangs out with us when I come over."

"Fact check!" replied Samantha.  "He hangs out with us whenever Dana is 
over.  I would place money on their going together.  Besides, sophomores 
hardly ever get asked to the Spring Prom."

"I'll just have to put my moves on him when they get back.  Then we'll see 
who he asks," Claire retorted.  Samantha just shook her head and turned back 
to the yearbook they had been mooning over.

Over at the Scully residence, Fox and Dana entered her room.  She motioned 
him to sit on the bed and he did, but only momentarily.  As she was looking 
through her things for her dissection kit, he casually meandered around the 
room, looking at the things on her dressers and the pictures on her walls.

Dana's room had always been different than other girls' rooms that were her 
age.  Rather than clipping pictures of the latest Hollywood hunk for her 
wall, she would paste pictures of places she wanted to visit, astronomy 
pictures, offbeat medical charts, and other pictures she would find in 
magazines that she liked.

The ceiling and walls behind the pictures were painted a bright, sky blue.  
She also had a big bulletin board on one wall were she pinned letters or 
notes from special friends, one of them from Fox, pictures of friends and 
family, report cards, news clippings, and ticket stubs from events she had 
enjoyed.

All the while Dana searched for her kit, Fox perused these and the things 
adorning her dresser tops.  He picked up one picture that sat in a silver 
frame and fondled the figures in it.  They were himself and Dana from that 
past summer, in their bathing suits, grinning like fools.  Samantha had 
taken the photo.

"Got it," said Dana, spinning around to see Fox fondling the photograph.  
"What are you looking at?"

"This," he said holding it so that she, too, could see it as she peered over 
his shoulder.  "Us."  She nodded and looked at the photo as well.  "I always 
thought we looked nice together."  Dana's face took on a quizzical 
expression and one of slight concern.  "Dana," he said, setting down the 
photo.  He took both her hands in his own.  "I think I've fallen in love 
with you."  With those words he leaned down and kissed her, ever so gently 
and ever so lightly.

Dana was not sure what to make of his words or his gesture at first, but 
shortly after their lips first brushed she was sure that she was in love 
with him, too, and pressed her mouth harder against his and opened it when 
his tongue prodded her lips.

After what seemed like hours, they broke apart, each breathless.

"Wow," said Dana.

"Yeah.  Best kiss I ever had."

"Only kiss I've ever had," Dana retorted.

Fox blushed.  "We should get back.  My mom will be done with dinner soon and 
then the other girls will want to watch the movies."

"Watch them with us?"

"I am totally crashing Sam's slumber party tonight."  Dana grinned and the 
two ran back to his house, just like they always had as friends.

As they entered the downstairs and came into the kitchen, the other four 
girls were retrieving their dinners from Mrs. Mulder.  Dana and Fox also 
retrieved theirs.  The four girls sat down and, after exchanging a glance 
with Fox, Dana joined them.  Fox took his meal and ran off somewhere, the 
eyes of Claire, Kallie, and Julia following him out.

"So," began Kallie, "were did you and Fox go?"

"To look for dead lizards."

"That's not what we saw," Julia returned.  "We saw you two going over to 
your house."

"Oh, that," replied Dana.  "I had to get my dissecting kit and by the time I 
found it, Fox decided we should get back because his mom would have dinner 
ready and that we'd find a dead lizard tomorrow."

"So you two went into your room?" asked Claire.

"What is this?  Twenty questions!?" exclaimed Dana.  "Yes, we went into my 
room.  We are good friends, I wish you guys would quit getting so jealous."

This exclamation calmed the girls and no more questions were asked aloud, 
although each of the three continued to ponder the events in their own 
minds.

About a half-hour later, when the girls had finished dinner, the moved into 
the living room and unrolled their sleeping bags and got themselves settled 
in for the night.  They had some movies lined up that would keep them awake 
till far past midnight.  They changed into their sleep clothes and came back 
down to see Fox sitting in the armchair, watching a basketball game on TV.

"Fox, what are you doing?" whined Samantha.

"Cool it, Sam, you guys can start your movies, but I'm watching too."

"You're crashing?" she replied.  Fox grinned at her.  She moaned and rolled 
her eyes at her annoying older brother.  The other girls crossed to their 
sleeping bags and as Dana passed, he reached out and pulled her onto his 
lap.  She let out a surprised yelp as he did so, her limbs flailing about.  
The other girls eyed on, jealous and suspicious.

"Fox!  What the hell are you doing?"

"Doesn't my new girlfriend wanna snuggle during the movie?" he whispered in 
her ear.

"Don't you think they'll notice?" she whispered back.

"They will eventually.  Don't worry about them.  Just my parents and your 
parents."

Dana agreed and settled into his lap, resting her head on his chest as 
Samantha started the movie.

Sometime after midnight, on their third movie, Dana and Fox slowly began 
kissing.  It was dark and the other girls were engrossed in the horror movie 
Fox and Dana had seen the previous year in the theaters.  They did not take 
notice of the pair making out until Samantha heard a guttural groan come 
from her brother.  She looked over and was amazed at what she saw.

"Holy shit!" she exclaimed.  "What the hell are you doing, Fox?  Trying to 
swallow her?"

Fox's eyes sprang open at his sister's exclamation and he and Dana looked 
towards the other girls to see amazed, astonished, and slightly angry faces.

"Uh, hi," said Fox.

"What the hell is going on?" said Kallie.

"You were supposed to take –me- to the Spring Prom," said Julia.

"No, I wasn't," said Fox.  "I'm taking Dana."

Dana turned to him now.  "You think you could've asked me before you 
announced it to the world.  What if I said no?"

"Dana, you wouldn't."

"No, but you should still ask me first.  I don't appreciate my life plans 
being told to others before I don't even know about them."

"Sorry," he said and kissed her again.  The other girls gasped and grunted 
noises of exasperation.

"Please," she said after they broke apart.  "My lungs aren't as big as 
yours.  I need air.  I am human."

"If you were an alien, you wouldn't need air."

"Oh, so now you want me to be an alien.  Get over it, Fox.  They don't 
exist."

"1947, Scully, Roswell, New Mexico."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," said Dana.  "Did you just call me 'Scully'?"

"Oh my god," said Fox.  "I did, didn't I?"

"Yes, and I thought we had agreed that those names would not invade our 
normal lives.  Only to be used in written dialogues."

"I know," he defended, "I'm sorry.  I just got swept away by the heat of the 
argument.  It's not exactly the first time, is it?  And you've called me 
'Mulder' plenty of times.  The names almost suit us better."

"I don't think my mother would like it if I suddenly reacted only when 
called 'Scully' and refused to answer by 'Dana.'  She'd freak, Fox.  
Besides, I like my name and I like yours, too."

"I hate my name."

"Why?  Because it's unusual?  -You- are unusual, Fox, and the name suits 
you.  Besides," she said lowering her voice, "Foxes are so much sexier than 
Mulders."

"Oh my god," moaned Julia, breaking the pair from their own world, into 
which dialogue had taken them.  "That's just sick.  Almost sicker than this 
movie.  Dana, why did you bring this one?"

"Because it's my favorite."

Julia groaned and the other girls made slight sounds of annoyance.  
"Goodnight," she said angrily.  "I don't think I want to be up when Fox's 
and Dana's hormones get any stronger."  The other girls readily agreed and 
were all asleep shortly.

"Well," said Fox.  "Looks like its just us."

"Yeah," said Dana, suddenly feeling very nervous.  "We should go to sleep, 
too."  Fox ignored her suggestion and began kissing her.  Hard.  He ran a 
hand down the length of her back, lifting the shirt as he pulled his hand 
back up.  Dana pulled away hastily.  "Fox, no."

"Dana, I love you," he said, kissing her again.

Dana got up now.  "I love you too, but I can't do this.  Not now, with your 
parents, your sister, and her friends so close and because I'm not ready."

"What aren't you ready for, Dana?  We love each other."

"I'm not ready, Fox, because I'm only fifteen.  –You- may be seventeen, but 
I'm only 15, and only by three months.  I need to wait.  Please understand."

"I do."  He stood up and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her once more. 
  "I always understand you.  I trust you, Dana, and I trust no one else."

"I know."  She kissed him once more and then slid into her sleeping bag.  He 
lay his down next to hers and they slept with their arms around each other.

They were awakened the next morning by Kallie's shrieked whispers.  "Ew!  
Did they have sex last night?!  Oh god, that is just so gross!  I would have 
been sleeping here when it happened.  Oh god, don't they have any 
considerations for others.  And what if I'd woken up?  Uck!"

Fox stood up and looked at her with his normal, deadpan, no emotion 
expression.  "Will you cool it, Kallie?  All of you get a grip.  We didn't 
have sex last night.  Jesus, we're both in our own sleeping bags!  Now you 
need to shut the fuck up because if either of our parents found out, we'd be 
dead.  They don't care if we're friends, but they would never permit us to 
go out.  They'd be too possessive.  Right now they don't care where we go."

"Kallie," said Samantha, "he's never gonna go out with anybody else.  Don't 
ruin his life by ruining this."

"You mean he'll never go out with anyone other than Dana?" asked Claire.

"Nope."

"And how do you know this?" said Julia.

"Because he's my brother and I've known Dana almost all my life.  Likewise, 
Fox has known her most of his and he's never been as close to someone as he 
has been to Dana.  It was meant to be, in every life."

"You mean like soul mates?" asked Dana.  All eyes turned to her but she 
ignored them, seeking only an answer from Samantha.

"Yeah."

Dana now looked to Fox, who met her gaze.  An understanding passed between 
them and she nodded.  "Go get dressed.  I'll meet you down here in fifteen 
minutes."  He agreed and ran upstairs to his room.  Dana grabbed her things 
and went up to Samantha's room, followed by the other girls.  As she changed 
they questioned her.

"A couple weeks ago," explained Dana, " we met a psychic in the woods who 
claimed to be able to recognize soul mates.  She told us that we were soul 
mates and we didn't believe her."

"So what now?"

"So we need to go see her again."

"Why?"

"Because she started to tell us something else important but because we 
didn't believe she was real we blew her off and said we had to go."

"What did she start to tell you?" asked Samantha.

"Something about our future, you, another world, and colonization by an 
alien force with help from our government."  The other girls looked on even 
more puzzled as Dana ran out into the hall, met up with Fox coming from his 
room, and ran down and outside together.

"Do you think it could be true?" asked Dana as she and Fox headed out 
towards the woods in the early morning light.

"What?"

"The gypsy lady's story about our future and our other lives in another 
world.  About Samantha's abduction and our working together as FBI agents 
fighting government conspirators who plot with aliens about colonization of 
Earth?"

"I don't know.  If she was right about us we should hear her out."

They walked on a while longer in comfortable silence when Dana spoke up.  
"Fox, do you really think we're soul mates?"

He shrugged.  "I don't know.  I mean, I guess so.  We could be.  Why?"

"Because if we are, Fox, I think we need to talk."

"What about?"

"About the fact that you want to go to Oxford and that I may never see you 
again.  If we are soul mates, I don't want this next year to be our only 
time together."

"But we've had our whole lives."

"Not knowing!  We can have the rest of our lives, too, Fox, and I want that. 
  Don't you?"

"I don't know what I want any more, Dana."  He paused and Dana became 
sullen.  "Except that I want to be with you for the rest of my life."  She 
looked up now and smiled.  She jumped up and kissed him hard.  He kissed her 
back and held her against him, her legs wrapped around his waist.

It was minutes later when they finally broke apart, gasping for air to 
refill their lungs.  Their lips were swollen and their cheeks were flushed, 
but passion flared in their eyes.

"I'm ready," said Dana.  Fox pushed her body against a tree to help him 
support her weight and planted another firm, hard kiss on her lips.

"No you're not," he said between kisses.  After another one he spoke again.  
"You're just full of desire."

"So?" she said as he continued to kiss her.

"So it's a false readiness and you'd regret it after doing it.  We'll wait." 
  Another long kiss.  "Some good masturbation can do the trick for now."

"Can it?" she breathed out.

"It'll have to."  They kissed once more and then broke apart and continued 
on their way.

After about fifteen more minutes of hiking into the woods they came across 
the place where they had first seen the old gypsy lady.  She was nowhere to 
be seen, but there was a note scrawled in fancy penmanship pinned to a tree. 
  Fox pulled it off and held it so that both he and Dana could read it.

"Dear Fox and Dana, soul mates:
     I knew somehow that you both would return here and find me gone.  So I 
have left you this message.  All that I told you was true.  In another 
dimensional universe, your other selves are living a very different life.  
When Fox Mulder of that world was twelve, his sister Samantha was abducted.  
He and the Dana Scully became FBI agents and now work together on cases 
involving the paranormal.  The X-Files, they are called.  They are soul 
mates there, too, the closest of friends and trust only each other.  
However, they continue to deny the love and passion they each possess for 
the other.  It is both your jobs to travel to them in their world and tell 
them what must happen.  Tell them that they must each tell the other what to 
do.  In some cases I might suggest you visit your own selves, but in this 
instance, you must visit the other's self.  Fox must visit Dana's alter 
self.  Dana must visit Fox's alter self.  Travel to the edge of the lake 
here and you will find yourself in their world.  You will return when the 
time is right."

Fox and Dana both new that what the letter said was true and that they 
should visit the other world.  They walked on for five more minutes.  Upon 
reaching the edge of the lake, found themselves swirling through an infinite 
door of lights and darkness and color and bright and dim all at once.  
Suddenly it all disappeared and the stood on the sidewalk of a busy street 
in what appeared to be a big city.  The cars and clothing of the people 
around them seemed different than those of their time.  This was 1999 and 
they were no longer in Massachusetts.  They were in Washington, DC only a 
few blocks away from the FBI building.

***

Friday, April 29, 1999
J. Edgar Hoover Building
Washington, DC

FBI Special Agent Dana Scully made her way through the busy hallways of the 
FBI building towards the ever-popular forensic pathology lab.  She held in 
her one hand the file from the latest case she was working on with her 
partner, Fox Mulder.  She was the doctor of the pair and, therefore, was the 
one who usually, if not always, did the medical research.

She turned down another, less crowded corridor, never slowing or changing 
her pace.  Suddenly, when she thought she was alone, a soft voice came from 
behind her.

"Dana?"

Scully stopped dead in her tracks.  That voice...it was so familiar.  She 
slowly turned around.  She could not stop from staring at the figure in 
front of her.

"I know how awkward this must seem, but-."

"Mulder?"

"No," the young man replied, "not quite.  Well, sort of.  –I- go by Fox.  I 
am 17 and in the universe I come from we, your other self, I mean, only 15 
years old, are dating and in love.  My sister, Samantha, was never abducted. 
  Your other self and I grew up together, you were friends with Samantha, 
too, but always got along better with me.  She and the other girls always 
talked about normal girl things: guys, movie-stars, clothes.  You were more 
interested in dissecting lizards and in climbing rocks and trees.  You 
wanted to see the latest sci-fi or horror film, while the other girls would 
see the new romance.  I was into the same things as you.  I am, actually, I 
should use present tense because it is still true.  But just recently we 
discovered how much in love we are with the other.  We're dating now, I'm 
taking you to the Spring Prom and Samantha's friends are jealous of you.  We 
discovered that we are soul mates, which has brought us to you.  You and 
Agent Mulder.  Dana is with him, and I am here with you.  We must convince 
you both how much in love you are with the other and to confess your 
feelings to the other."

Scully stared at Fox for the longest time before she stepped over and sank 
down into one of the many leather chairs lining the FBI hallway.  "I don't 
believe this."

"You have no reason to," said Fox, "but you must.  I'm not making this up, I 
really am Fox."

"I know."  Fox became puzzled.  "Of course you are.  Our personas never 
changed, just the events of our lives.  I'm betting that my other self 
becomes a doctor, not an FBI agent, and that you...Lord knows what you'll do.  
You'll probably be a writer.  You have so much going on in that head of 
yours.  You might teach, too.  Because Samantha was never abducted, you'll 
never become as immersed in the paranormal and you'll never go to Oxford and 
you'll never become a psychiatrist or an FBI agent."

"Your Fox Mulder went to Oxford?"

"Yes.  Why?"

"Because until Dana and I confessed our love to each other, I had plans to 
attend Oxford.  It is not that important to me."

"It is so funny how some things can affect certain decisions and choices.  
So many variables."

"I just have one question," said Fox.  "Which of us got it right?"

"Well," began Scully, pausing to think about it.  "In a sense, we both did.  
I mean, if we are soul mates, we both ended up together.  You and your Dana 
sooner than me and Mulder.  But if Samantha was never abducted and you never 
work on the X-Files, colonization will occur much more quickly in your 
world.  Who does your father work for?"

"The State Department, why?"

"Then that event is inevitable in every world."

"What event?" asked Fox.

"Colonization," said Scully, realizing how much she sounded like Mulder, "by 
an alien race, made simpler for them by the US government."

"A conspiracy?"

"A global one, actually, with members in key roles working in a sinister 
group.  Your father is a part of this.  Without you working on the X-Files, 
there is no one to fight the future.  I guess, as far as the Syndicate is 
concerned, you got it right.  But for the whole of mankind, I guess we have 
succeeded, although lost at love.  But we have love, just not romance.  I 
love Mulder with all my heart, I trust him and that is even more powerful.  
I would never want to be with anyone else."

Fox looked at her now in so much care.  This really was Dana Scully.  They 
both sounded alike, even if this one was at least twice his Dana's age.  "Go 
to him, Dana.  Go to him and tell him how much you love him."

"He knows."

"No," insisted Fox.  "He doesn't.  He needs to hear you say 'Mulder, I love 
you.'  Trust me, I know.  Tell him how much you want to be with him and in 
that instant, he will sweep you up in his arms and kiss you with all his 
passion."

"I..." stuttered Scully, "I don't...I can't."

"Yes you can."

"No, I'm not that easy with expressing my emotions."

"Neither is he, Dana.  You know that.  He tried once, didn't he?  You 
laughed at him.  Now it is your turn to tell him."

Scully looked into Fox's eyes and didn't see a seventeen-year-old boy.  She 
saw Fox William Mulder, her partner of six years whom she loved and trusted 
with all her heart and soul.  She knew that there was no denying this 
phenomena she had accepted so quickly.  It was just so close to her heart 
that there was nothing to argue science.

Slowly she got up and headed down the hall, back towards the elevator.  Back 
towards the basement.

Fox took a shortcut his inner voice knew about and met up with his Dana 
outside of Agent Mulder's office.

"Did you tell her?" she asked him.

"Yes.  She is on her way down here.  What about him?"

"He is hard to convince, surprisingly.  He wants to believe and he sees so 
much of her in me, but he is fighting it.  I think he needs to see you and 
he needs to see us together."  Fox nodded and he slowly opened the door.

"Scully, I think I'm gonna go home.  I don't-."  He stopped speaking when he 
looked up to see Fox standing in the doorway, Dana just behind him.  He just 
stared.  "It's true, isn't it?" he asked.  "She never was abducted."

"No, not in my world."

"I was never as spirited.  You have a pink in your cheeks I never had.  Your 
clothes, too, are more vivid than mine were.  Gray and black was all I wore 
and I was always sullen.  It tore apart the family, you know.  Mom had 
something going on with that Smoking Man."

"Christopher?"

"Who?" asked Mulder.

"Christopher Spender.  His son, Jeffery, asked Samantha out once about a 
year ago.  We rarely see Jeffery, though, or Cassandra, his mother.  Just 
Christopher.  He and Dad are friends, I guess, but they always argue and Mom 
always gets upset when he comes over."

"CGB Spender...," mused Mulder.

"Yeah."

"There was something going on between him and my mother and dad and them 
would always argue, especially about Samantha, and sometimes about me.  Then 
one day they came for her and they took her.  I used to believe very firmly 
that she was abducted by aliens.  But now that I know so much more about the 
whole conspiracy I have my doubts.  Either way, I have never seen her 
again."

"Yes," said Fox.  "Your partner mentioned a conspiracy."

"You've talked to Scully?"

"Yes.  About the same thing Dana talked to you about."  Dana stepped up next 
to him now and he gently placed his hand on the small of her back.  "You 
didn't believe her, so I came to talk to you to make you believe.  Love, 
Agent Mulder, was meant to be in every world.  That is how soul mates are."

"You two are...?" he trailed off.

"Yes," continued Fox.  "We are dating.  Dana is a sophomore and I am a 
senior.  I am taking her to the spring prom in two weeks.  We just have to 
be careful to keep it a secret from our parents.  We love each other."  
Mulder was, by this time, standing behind his desk, chewing at his lower 
lip, opening and closing his hands at his sides.  He walked around the young 
couple and out his office door, almost running into Scully.  At the same 
time, the agents blurted out:

"I love you!"  Mulder swept Scully up into a tight embrace and kissed her 
passionately on the lips.

"Mulder, I-."

He hushed her.  "I know, it's okay.  They talked to me, too."

"Mulder, I need you."

Dana and Fox stood in the doorway between the office and the hallway 
awkwardly.  Fox coughed lightly.  The agents turned to them.

"Thank you," said Mulder.  "For all you've given me."

"Our work here is done," Fox replied.  The two began to walk towards the 
elevator when Mulder called out.

"Fox!"  They boy turned around.  "Go with a white tux, black never looked 
good on you in a tux.  And red roses for the corsage, white is what 
everybody gets and she hates being like everyone and she hates pink and 
yellow.  Dana, blue or green.  Those are your colors.  Low cut, too, he'll 
like it."

They both smiled and turned and continued away.

***

A little more than two weeks later, Special Agent Fox Mulder found an 
unmarked envelope slipped under his doorway.  He picked it up and walked 
over to his desk with it.  He sat down and began to open it, thinking it was 
a note from his new clandestine girlfriend, also his partner of six years, 
Dana Scully.

Inside the envelope, however, was no note from Scully.  Just a picture from 
the Chilmark High School Senior Prom of 1978.  It was a lovely young couple, 
the girl younger than her male date.  She was wearing a pale blue, shiny 
dress with a low cut neckline and a corsage of red roses.  Her fiery hair 
was pinned in some places and curled slightly, framing her face nicely.  Her 
makeup was done neatly, with darker eyeliner as was popular for 1978.  The 
young man was wearing a white tuxedo.  Taped on the back was a note.

"Fox and Dana of 1999 and another world-
     Thought you would enjoy this.  The prom was spectacular.  I am forgoing 
Oxford for MIT so I can stay close to Dana.  It is important for us to be 
together.  We don't want to waste time.  I think I may forgo writing and 
teaching, as well.  I want to study psychiatry and you two have inspired me 
to become an FBI agent.  Dana as well, after she has finished medical 
school.  The hard part will be telling her parents.  We think that we will 
be able to work it so we can be partners.
     Thanks for your advice on the corsage and tux, I tried on the black 
one, which my mother wanted to rent, and it was horrid compared to the white 
one.  And Dana loved the red roses and she looked amazing in the low-cut 
green dress she convinced her mother to buy her.
     Good luck to you both!
          -Fox"

Mulder smiled as he looked again at the photograph.  They were so happy 
together.  It would have been nice to have gone to his high school prom with 
Scully.  It looked like the young Fox and Dana would end up investigating 
X-Files, after all.  They would fight the future in their world, as well.  
They had something else to fuel their fight, rather than a sister's 
abduction.  They had an experience of their own, a special knowledge, and 
his and Scully's story to fuel their quest.  The truth was most certainly 
out there.

***
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