Wambli-Part 15/18 Summary and disclaimers in Part 1 ***** "I found his story compelling. But then again, I believe the Warren Commission." Episode 4x16-Unrequited ***** Near Willow Ridge, Kentucky 7:29 A.M. When Mulder and the others got to Willow Ridge, it was overcast and chilly. It hadn't started raining yet, but the clouds looked ready to open up at any moment. The kid that had given them directions had done a good job and they found the cabin almost immediately. Unfortunately, it was abandoned. Or so they thought. Once they entered the little building, they heard music. Cat walked over to the little clock radio sitting on an old table by the front door. It was playing a local country music station, and it had been turned up quite loud. But there was no sign of anyone around. It was obvious the radio had been forgotten, probably in someone's haste to leave. "Look around," Mulder said, his voice gruff. "Maybe they left something behind that will tell us where they were taken." The four of them split up and began searching. Mulder wandered into one of the two small bedrooms, not quite sure why he felt the need to look there first. The bed had been slept on. On, not in. The covers were still in place, but they were mussed and the pillow had the dent from someone's head on it. A pair of folded, flannel pajamas sat on the old dresser, untouched. So they had been here at least one night, he thought. Had they been moved, or had they gotten away? That was the question. He turned to leave when a flash of light on metal caught his eye. He walked over to the small table that sat next to the bed. His breath caught in his throat the minute he saw what lay there. Scully's cross. She never took it off, and the chain wasn't broken, so she must have left it there for him to find. She had known he would eventually find the cabin, and she had decided to leave him the only message she could. Quickly, he scooped up the tiny chain and pendant, then walked back out into the main room. "They got away," he said without preamble. Justin looked up from his search of the few kitchen counters. "How do you know?" Mulder simply held up the necklace. "If they had been moved, she wouldn't have had time to take this off and leave it in there. She might have left it out here somewhere, but she didn't. They planned to get away, and apparently, they succeeded." "So where would they go from here?" Cat asked, watching as Mulder untangled the necklace and put it around his own neck. "Good question," Mulder said softly. "They would have to find a way out, first." "Willow Ridge," Skinner said. "The next closest town is over 20 miles away." "Let's check out Willow Ridge, then," Justin remarked. When they reached the tiny village three miles up the road, it began to rain. The town consisted of a post office, a small market, two bars and a gas station. There was little to no traffic, and the only person out and about in the rain was the old man that ran the gas station. He was watching the four of them approach in their two cars with a curious and wary expression on his face. Mulder pulled into the station and stepped out of the car, Skinner following close behind. "Mornin'," Mulder said with a nod as he joined the man underneath the overhang in front of the station. "Mornin'," the old man replied. "You all look a little lost." Mulder smiled. "Well, not really. We're actually looking..." He was interrupted as the phone just inside the station began to ring. "Excuse me," the old man said with a grimace. He stepped inside and answered the phone. Mulder and Skinner waited with hidden impatience as Cat and Monroe joined them under the overhang. Mulder felt his leg twitch in nervous anticipation; he was nearly tapping his foot, for crying out loud! Finally, the old man hung up the phone and came back outside, his brow furrowed with worry. "Sorry about that. Now, what can I do for you?" Mulder sighed. "We're looking for a couple of women who might have passed through here recently..." Again, he was interrupted, this time by the old man himself. "A red-head?" he asked. Mulder felt his heart began to beat faster. "Yes! Have you seen her? She might have been traveling with..." "A tall brunette," the old man finished. "Yeah, they came through last night around 8 o'clock. I let 'em borrow my pickup because their car had broke down." "Where...?" "In fact, that was just the red-head on the phone," he said, interrupting Mulder yet again. But this time, Mulder didn't mind. "Just now?" The old man nodded. "She told me they couldn't get the truck back to me. She said I would have to pick it up." He shook his head. "You guys aren't cops, are you? 'Cause she sounded like she was in trouble or something." "No, no! We aren't cops," Mulder said, lying through his teeth. "The red-head is my wife. And I think she and the woman she's with are just a little lost." He smiled disarmingly at the old man. "Did she say *where* you could retrieve your truck?" ************************************************************ "Mulder, it's me." "Where are you, Scully?" Episode (insert episode number and name here.) ***** Outside Kansas City, Missouri 8:45 P.M. Scully and Diana made it to the Missouri River before they finally agreed to stay over at a rest stop and sleep. They had swiped a car from the same parking lot they had left the old man's pickup. It was a nondescript, gray Lexus, and with a little Kentucky mud wiped on the license plates, it was easy to miss. They took turns driving, arguing about everything from where to go, what and how to eat, and what radio station they should listen to. Sometimes, it seemed like they argued just for the hell of it. Scully won the debate about where to go. She wanted to go home. South Dakota. She wanted to know her children were okay, and she knew that whoever was looking for her, whoever Spender was trying to 'protect' her from, would never believe she would go back there. It was the last argument that finally won Diana over. Or maybe it was the fact that Scully wasn't about to take no for an answer. By the time they reached Kansas City, their gas was incredibly low, they were hungry and tired, and their voices were sore from the constant exchange of insults. Yet, they never once considered going their separate ways. Like it or not, they knew they needed each other...for now. Scully did her best to ignore the fact that most of their 'discussions' were mere banter; they never really fought. And she was not about to admit that she was almost having fun. The sun had just set, leaving the western sky painted in fiery colors of magenta and burnt orange. Though they were armed with the weapons stolen from their former guards, they still made sure the doors were locked before reclining the car seats back. But Scully still cracked her window. She loved to listen to the crickets at night; they were one of the many reasons she loved summer more than all the other seasons. She was nearly asleep when Diana spoke. "How old are your children?" Scully opened her eyes to see the colors in the west had changed to a dark cobalt intermixed with slashes of plum and lilac. "Fox is four. Marisa is almost seven months." "Only seven months?" Diana asked. "She is still a baby." Scully knew Diana was thinking about what Scully had said to the old man about her baby girl missing her. "Do you really think she's crying herself to sleep?" Scully was silent for a while. "Maybe. But she's probably adjusted to being apart from us better than Fox. He never stopped asking for his father after Mulder left. I can only imagine how bad he feels now that both of us are gone." She sighed. "Neither of us have been away from them this long before." "Really? You never went on business trips or the like?" Scully shook her head, though she was positive Diana couldn't see her. "Nope. Our business was in town. We had no need to go anywhere further than Rapid City." "Yet, Mulder left to help Dawn." It wasn't a question, so Scully didn't answer. "Why?" "Why do you think?" she said softly. "It was an X-File." She couldn't stop the sadness that weighed down her voice. "I'm sorry." Diana's simple reply nearly brought tears to Scully's eyes. She felt herself drift off into sleep. She didn't know how long she slept before the flash of headlights bouncing off the side mirror woke her, and she immediately brought her seat back into its upright position. Diana also woke and sat upright. Two cars were pulling into the rest stop behind them. "What time is it?" Diana mumbled, still half asleep. Scully glanced at her watch, pressing the dial to make it glow. "Almost 3 A.M." She felt stiff and sore, and she did not feel rested. "I don't know if I like the idea of two cars pulling into a isolated rest stop in tandem like that," Diana whispered. "Neither do I," Scully breathed back. "Let's get away from the car." Grabbing her stolen weapon, she stepped out of the car and made her way toward the back of the small building that housed the restrooms. Diana followed, her own confiscated weapon in hand. They tried to avoid the lights as much as possible, but the area was well lit, and they knew that whoever was in the vehicles had most likely spotted them. But hopefully, the people wouldn't be able to identify them. "Who do you think they are?" Diana asked as they ducked behind the building. "Probably just college kids on a road trip or something." Scully began fervently hoping this was true. They stood silent as they heard car doors open and slam shut again. Indistinct voices could be heard. Diana peeked around the corner, and immediately jerked her head back. "They're armed!" she hissed. "What?!" "I could swear that one of them had a gun!" Scully felt her adrenaline level increase substantially, and she breathed in deep. "The rest of Spender's men, maybe. How did they find us?" Diana shrugged. It was silent for a long moment. Then, the sound of a toilet being flushed on the other side of the wall could be heard. Then another. Both women felt relief pour through them. They were just travelers stopping for a break; Diana had most likely imagined a gun. Even if they were Spender's men, it was obvious they didn't know Scully and Diana were there. They listened carefully as more talking could be heard. Scully felt a chill run up her back. She blamed it on the coolness and humidity of the night, but then she heard what sounded like a footstep coming from around the other corner of the building. Quickly and quietly, she moved over to the other corner, her gun ready. A tall man, nothing but shadow, walked past her, heading for the bare lot that sat behind the rest stop. The lights from the front of the building flashed off the pistol in his right hand. Instinctively, Scully raised her gun. "Stop right there," she demanded, using her best cop voice. "And raise your hands slowly." The man had stopped short at the first sound of her voice, and was now raising his hands. But before Scully could do or say anything else, he dropped his gun to the ground and spoke. "You wouldn't shoot an unarmed man, would ya, copper?" Scully's entire body seemed to go limp, as she too dropped her gun to the ground. "Oh, my God!" Her body began to move toward the man, who had turned to face her, bringing his raised arms out to meet her. "Mulder?!" She buried her face in his chest and reveled in the feeling of his arms around her. She heard more voices coming from behind her, but she didn't care who else was there. "How did you find us?" Her voice was muffled because she refused to pull away from him. "By accident!" Mulder said, his voice full of laughter. "We only stopped because Skinner and Monroe had to pee!" Scully finally backed away from him. "Skinner?" She turned to see her former boss standing next to Cat O'Neil. Justin stood a short way behind them, a huge grin on his face. Scully smiled back. "I still don't understand." She looked up at her husband, who had one arm wrapped firmly around her waist. "We met up with an old man in Willow Ridge. He got a phone call while we were there. It appears two women 'borrowed' his truck, but couldn't return it. They left it in Central City, which was east. But I guessed they were heading for South Dakota. So we went west." He shook his head. "It was pure coincidence we stopped here. The car in the lot made us wonder, and when I thought I heard a noise out there..." He nodded his head toward the lot behind them and shrugged. "Where's Charlie?" Scully asked suddenly. "With Wambli." Mulder glanced at Diana, who had been standing quietly in the shadow of the building. "We're not through with that mess, yet." "Well, this mission is accomplished," O'Neil said. "Let's get the hell out of here." "And go where?" Skinner asked. "Home," Mulder and Scully said together. But then they looked at each other, thinking. "We can't, can we?" Scully said softly. Mulder sighed. "Not yet." "Well, then. I guess it's back to DC. Let's finish this." "How?" Justin asked. "We'll find a way," Mulder responded. He waited as the others, including a very silent Diana, turned in the dark to go back to the cars. Then he turned to face his wife. "Let's not leave each other's sight until this is over, deal?" His whisper was husky, filled with both relief and amusement. With a smile, Scully nodded. "Deal." She held out her hand for Mulder to shake on their 'deal'. Mulder looked at it for a moment, then took it firmly in his. But instead of shaking it, he used his grip to drag her toward him, bringing his free arm down around her waist and pulling her tight against him. She went willingly, turning her face upward. He released her hand and cupped her cheek, then lowered his own face to meet hers. The days of tension, the lack of sleep, the confusion about her relationship with Diana...all her worries faded away underneath the ministrations of his lips and tongue. Scully eagerly matched him in his attempt to swallow her whole, standing on tiptoe and pressing the full length of her body against him. When he finally pulled away, she was literally breathless. "Soon," Mulder whispered, shifting uncomfortably away from her. He cleared his throat, glanced warily toward the parking lot, and tried to adjust himself through his jeans. Scully giggled. "Yeah, you can laugh. It's not your problem." "Oh, but it will be," Scully said with a smile. She bent down to pick up the discarded weapons, then she turned away from him and headed for the others. With an exasperated sigh, he followed. ************************************************************ "You know what would really be fun?" Episode 6x05-Dreamland II ***** 4:37A.M. When her husband arrived home from a late day at work, Megan had already been asleep in bed. And Jeremy hadn't awakened her. It was obvious from the stress lines on her brow that she had had a hard day, and he felt she needed her sleep. So he quickly showered, changed into a pair of pajama bottoms (Megan slept in the shirt that matched), and joined her in bed, his own exhausted body falling asleep almost instantly. However, shortly after 4 AM, he woke up to find his wife standing at the bedroom window, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, head resting on the frame. She looked lost and lonely, like a frightened little girl. That was one of the things he adored most about her, her ability to be childlike, even in the most mature circumstances. But tonight, it worried him. She was thinking. Had been thinking for several days now, and she refused to discuss it with him. He knew it had to be something to do with her work, but that was about the only thing he did know. Whatever it was, it was slowly tearing her apart, and that made him angry. Quietly, he slipped out of bed and walked toward her. He felt her jump as he slid his arms around her, but then her body relaxed and she leaned back into his embrace. He was silent for a long moment, and when he finally did speak, it was with a whisper. "Please, Meg. Tell me what's wrong." Megan seemed to recognize the fervent plea in his voice, and she turned to face him. "I've been thinking," she replied softly. "About?" "About Taryn and Carmen and...Wambli." "Your animals?" "That's just it. They're not *my* animals." She pulled away from him slightly and turned back to look out the window. "Oh, how I wish they were." Jeremy was startled by her last statement. He knew she cared a great deal about the animals from Project Nihm, but he also knew she kept herself apart from them emotionally. She was a scientist and they were her subjects. That was the way it had always been. He wondered what had happened to change her perspective. "If they were yours, what would you do?" She didn't even hesitate. "Let them go." Shocked, Jeremy grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him again. "What?!" She gave him a sad smile. "I'd let them go. I'd leave them alone to pursue their own lives. To let them live they way they want to live. Like Wambli did so many years ago." "But they have the minds of children," Jeremy argued. Though not an expert on her work, he knew enough about what she had accomplished to argue with her. "Would you just let a group of children loose to live on their own?" Megan laughed. "Oh, Jeremy. Some may have the minds of human children, but some are smarter than me! And even those that aren't still think like the animals they are. Mature, adult animals that can learn and adapt just like others of their kind. Wambli did. She may be able to think like a human, but she has spent the last ten years living like the eagle she is." She moved away from him, walking back toward the bed. "Why are we doing this to them anyway? Because we can? That's the most arrogant, egotistical, pompous reason in the world!" She's really getting worked up now, he thought as she turned to face him, her eyes flashing in the dim moonlight streaming from the window. "You really mean it, don't you?" he asked, his voice rough. "Yes," she said with a solid voice. "Yes, I do." Then she grimaced. "Do you hate me?" Jeremy smiled. The little girl was back. "Are you kidding? I don't think I've ever been more proud of you." She smiled. "Really?" "Really." He walked up to her, grasping her shoulders again. He bent his head and buried his face in her hair, breathing in her scent as if it was an intoxicating drug. His lips found the sensitive spot beneath her ear. Her pulsed jumped and began to quicken, so he touched his tongue to the same spot and was rewarded with a deep moan. He smiled and began to unbutton the pajama top. "You worked so late," she said, her voice more air than anything. "I thought you'd be exhausted." "I am," he mumbled. "But I can't sleep. And obviously, neither can you. I'm sure we can solve that problem with some invigorating, physical activity." His large hands cupped her bare breasts under the now opened shirt. "You know. Tire us out." Megan leaned her head back as he let his lips create a wet trail down her throat, across her collarbone, and down to her right breast. "I could never tire of this," she sighed. She groaned again as he wrapped his lips around her nipple and swirled it around his mouth with his tongue. "Jeremy." Her voice was barely audible as she breathed his name. Slowly, he brought the shirt down over her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor behind her, and then gently pressed her back two steps until she ran into the bed. All without taking her nipple from his mouth. When he finally came up for air, he pushed her onto the bed. He leaned over her, giving her a quick kiss, then slid her panties off. He then began lavish attention on her other breast, caressing the already peaked nipple. She was unable to lie still underneath him, and her wriggles and moans were driving him slowly over the edge. But he became determined to see her go over first. With a patience born from his absolute love and consideration for his partner, he began to work his way oh-so-slowly down her body. He stopped and paid special attention to her bottom rib. Then he moved down to her belly button, making her giggle with delight. He then let his mouth trail leisurely across her lower abdomen, stopping only when he reached the beginning of her curls. With slow deliberation, he kneeled on the floor beside the bed and spread her knees with his hands. She was trembling with anticipation and making small gasping noises. Finally, one of the noises became intelligible as a word. "Please." With a wicked grin, Jeremy lowered his head and kissed her. She nearly jumped off the bed. He laughed softly, then began using his lips, his tongue, and his teeth to drive her mad. She was gripping his hair with two iron fists, trying to push him away and bring him closer to her at the same time, but he managed to keep her from distracting him from his ministrations. She was shouting now, alternately yelling out his name and God's all on the same breath. Just as he felt her body start to vibrate with the beginnings of her orgasm, he pulled back. "No!!!!" Her shout was followed by a whimper. "Jeremeeeeeeeeee." Without pause, he stood, pulled down his pajama bottoms, leaned over her and slipped inside of her. "Yes!" she responded, and quickly brought her legs up, knees bent, gripping his hips tightly with her thighs as he thrust in and out wildly. Her orgasm came in the form of an explosion, the aftershocks of which Jeremy felt flow through her again and again. With a grimace and a groan, he followed, spilling himself into her with a forcefulness that astounded him. It was a long while before they could drag themselves completely on the bed and under the covers. But before she fell into the sound sleep he knew was beckoning both of them, he whispered, "I love you, Megan. And whatever you decide, I'll back you all the way." Megan Northam fell asleep with a smile on her face. ***** End 15/18