House of Cards - Chapter 7 By Jennifer T. Brooks E-Mail: Jenntou@excite.com ****************************************************** Flashbacks, Circle Centre Mall Indianapolis, Indiana December 17, 1998 2:30 am Mulder was getting tired of watching Dana Scully dance with one loser after another. He wanted to do nothing more than to go back to the hotel and sleep but every time he asked her if she was ready to leave, she told him to leave without her. He was tempted but knew that in her state of inebriation she was likely to end up going home with some homicidal maniac who would kill her. He was also mad because when he told Natasha he would call her after they got back, he wasn't counting on Scully wanting to stay out until 3 am. She looked more like the two dances and one beer type of girl. He had lost count of how much she had to drink and how many men she let dance with her suggestively. He finally got fed up with waiting for her and went to get her. "Scully, we're leaving now. Say goodbye to your little friends," Mulder said as he grabbed her arm and started pulling her off the dance floor. "Okay, okay. You really need to learn to have some fun Muldy. I gotta go pee first." Mulder patiently waited outside of the bathroom while Scully was took care of her business. Inside the restroom as Scully was washing her hands she saw two young women smoking a joint. The older one of the two who identified herself as Lindsay approached Dana. "You rock lady. The way you moved out there was pure magic. Would you mind teaching me a few moves?" "Sure, no problem. I'll demonstrate on your friend and you watch, okay?" Dana said to the brunette. Dana showed the girl a few moves but felt odd dancing with a woman. As a token of gratitude Lindsay offered Dana a toke on her joint which Dana gladly accepted. "I'm going to get into so much trouble," Dana laughed between tokes. Soon Dana Scully wasn't only drunk but was high. "Listen ladies, thanks for the smoke. Keep working on those moves. I gotta go or Muldy will be mad. He always wants to ruin my party," Scully told her new friends. At that moment Mulder walked into the bathroom to catch sight of his partner Dana Scully holding a joint. He was absolutely livid. "Scully, we're leaving now!" He said while dragging her out by the arm "Bye girls, nice meeting ya," Scully called out to her new friends. Mulder didn't say anything to Scully as he dragged her outside of the nightclub and down the escalator to the entrance of the mall. Once outside of the mall Mulder began yelling at Scully. "What the hell were you thinking Scully. What are you, an idiot? What the hell possessed you to smoke pot in the restroom?" He said screaming at her. "I sorry Muldy," Dana Scully said as she started to cry. "Don't cry Scully. I'm sorry I yelled at you. Lets get you back to the hotel," Mulder said immediately regretting that his harsh words had caused her to cry. "Okay. I'm tired. Can't walk no more. So tired. Need rest," Scully said while staggering around on the sidewalk. "Don't go to sleep Dana. The cab will be here in a minute," Mulder said while trying to keep her balance. At that moment a cab pulled up in front of the mall and drove Scully and Mulder back to the hotel. Once at the hotel Mulder checked the front desk for messages. He had four messages. One from the field office in Indianapolis asking them to be there at 7:00 am instead of 8:00. Another message was from Skinners' secretary Kimberly informing them that Skinner would be on his way out to Indianapolis tomorrow. Another message was from someone named Dr. Lowenstein for Scully. Dr. Lowenstein? He had never heard about her talk about Dr. Lowenstein before. He wondered if she was hiding something from him again. Was she sick again? He would have to see what he could get out of her tonight while she was still drunk. The last message was from Diana making sure that her agents got to Indianapolis safely. After getting his messages he looked over to see Dana lying on the lobby couch in most unladylike manner. He went over to retrieve her, not meaning to notice that she was wearing green underwear, and took her up to his room. Once inside in his room, she collapsed on his bed. "Oh no Scully. You aren't sleeping in my bed. You are going to your own room. Come on, lets get you up," Mulder said pulling on her arms. "Too tired Muldy, can't move. Let me be," Dana pleaded barely awake as she flopped back down on his bed.. Mulder wasn't sure what to do with her. He tugged of her arms to try to get her to sit up in bed when he noticed that she had passed out. He then picked her up, carried her into her room and placed her on the bed. He then contemplated what to do about her clothing. He knew that she shouldn't sleep in her dress, but he did not want to have to be the person to take it off of her. He debated which would make her more mad in the morning, her being left in the dress or waking up in something she knew that she could not have possibly put on herself. He decided for the latter, it was her own fault she got so drunk. He carefully tried to take the dress off her and laughed when he noticed that she was wearing padded seat and hip briefs. No wonder she had more curves than he thought she normally did, they weren't hers. He was astonished to see how much weight she had lost since he had last seen her naked in Antarctica. As he removed her bra he noticed how each of her ribs poked out angrily. He wondered to himself as he traced each of her ribs across her skin. He then noticed how her hips jutted out unnaturally. She was unhealthily thin. He thought as he carefully dressed her in a T-shirt he found in her suitcase and carried her to her bed. "Good night Scully," He whispered as he kissed her goodnight on the forehead. The next morning Dana Scully woke to the worst hangover of her entire life. "Oh God," She muttered as she stumbled out of bed and staggered to the bathroom. She never noticed her partner, Fox Mulder, sitting in a chair in the corner of the room. She immediately threw up all the contents of her stomach in the toilet. After flushing the toilet she stood to wash her hands. It was then that she noticed Fox Mulder standing in the doorway to the bathroom with a look of concern on his face. "Oh!" Was all she could say upon seeing him. "Scully..." Mulder began. "Mulder, don't even say a thing. I feel like shit and don't want to hear a thing from you right now," Scully replied shortly. "Dana, I'm concerned." "What is there to be concerned about? I went out last night and had some fun. End of story." "Scully, you weren't just out having fun. You were smoking pot to have fun. As a law enforcement officer you should be well aware of the criminal consequences for possession and consumption of illegal narcotics." "Just what I needed to make my day complete, a lecture from you," She said as she washed her face. "If you would behave like a rational adult I wouldn't have to lecture you." "Like you've any right to question me. Do I lecture you on your extra curricular viewing habits?" "My habits aren't illegal Scully." "Okay, fine. I did something illegal, big deal. You gave me the lecture, told me what a bad girl I was to appease your conscience, now get over it." "Scully, what are you going to do if you get called in for a random drug test?" "Why would they test me? I'm the by-the-book-always-in-control FBI-agent-pathologist. They aren't going to suspect me of anything." "You know that's not how the random test works Scully." "Look, if I get tested I'll deal with it then. Right now it isn't an issue." "It is very much an issue. How often do you use pot? Is marijuana the only illegal drug you are using or are there others?" He asked her. "What I use and if I even use at all is none of your damn business," She said defensively while trying to exit the bathroom. "Bullshit, it's not my business. I don't want someone covering my back who is all strung out on coke or who knows what else," He said while blocking the door. "Oh, so now I'm a coke head?" "I don't know, you tell me. It sure would explain your irrational psycho behavior of the last three months. If it's not drug you sure as hell have some kind of mental problem," He said to her rudely. "Look I don't have to put up with this verbal abuse from you. As for my behavior, if anyone has acted like a psycho it is you. I'm just doing the job that I'm paid to do. What I do in my personal life is my own business, not yours. If I wanted a complete psychological analysis from you I would have asked you. I would like to get ready. Would you please leave my bathroom?" She asked him. Mulder knew that she was trying to end the conversation about her behavior but getting her to talk was the only way he could figure out what was causing her seemingly irrational behavior, he decided to try a new approach. "Who is Dr. Lowenstein?" Dana's face paled once the words left Mulder's lips. "Who told you about Dr. Lowenstein, Mulder? Did Agent Fowley tell you?" She asked defensively. Mulder was perplexed. "Scully, you would tell me if your cancer was back, wouldn't you?" "My cancer is still is remission, not that my current health is any of your business, and you still have not answered my question. Who told you about Dr. Lowenstein?" "No one told me about the good doctor. This Lowenstein character called you last night and left a message at the front desk. Why would Diana have told me about it?" "Could it be that you are so chummy with her." "I'm not chummy with her." "I know that you had a relationship with her Mulder, no use trying to deny it." She needed to get the topic off of Dr. Lowenstein and Diana was an easy target. "I worked with her before you even graduated from medical school, Scully. How would you know if I had a relationship with her?" "I've heard the rumors and I can tell Mulder, by the way you look at and talk to each other that it is obvious that the two of you were once more than just acquaintances." "So now you are listening to the rumor mills. This is a first. Are you also listening to the rumors that the two of us have been having a clandestine affair for more than five years. Or have you also blocked those memories out of your head." "How dare you suggest that I'm blocking memories." "What else do you want to call it? Convenient loss of memory? The Bill Clinton Syndrome?" "Grow up Mulder. Just because what I experienced doesn't give you proof of the existence of extra-terrestrial biological entities, doesn't mean that I'm somehow purposely blocking those memories from you. Not everything is about you," She said angrily. "I never suggested that it did." "You have been implying that from day one." "Oh, and please tell me how I have been doing that?" "You have a Ph.D., figure it out for yourself," Scully said as she tried to shut the door on him. "What, are you trying to ignore me now by shutting the door? Closing me out isn't going to solve anything." "I don't intend for it to solve anything, for nothing needs solving, apart for your egotistical megalomaniacal ways," Scully said as she shoved him hard enough where he lost his balance and fell to the ground outside of the bathroom door. She quickly locked it and turned out the shower to drown out the series of cuss words coming out of his mouth. ************************************************ Fox Mulder could not believe that Dana Scully had shoved him so hard out of the bathroom that he lost his balance and fell to the ground. He was now more certain than ever that she was suffering from some sort of mental disorder. He couldn't tell what she was thinking anymore or what was going on in her life. Was she using drugs regularly? Did she go out and pick up men frequently? Was she jealous of him and Diana? Was she starving herself? He wasn't sure about the drug use, although her mood swings might explain it. He didn't know if she went out and picked up men frequently, but what she had told him last night at the club suggested that at one time she did. Was she jealous of him and Diana's relationship? In her questioning of his and Diana's behavior sounded almost jealous. Did it bother her that they may have had a relationship in the past? If it didn't bother her, why would she have asked? Was she starving herself? She sure looked like it to him. He didn't know though, he couldn't be sure. He thought anorexic's never ate and he had seen Dana eat several times. Maybe she was just on a diet. He was sick of her and her attitude. She was once again living in her little world of denial. She had acted like she didn't care about anyone or anything expect work for the last three months. He was tired of her constant negative attitude and the way she hid things from him. He refused to ever try to engage her in a conversation again. He made up his mind to turn in her transfer papers once they got back from Indiana. If she wanted to play bitchy aloof agent, then that was what she was going to get. He walked back into his room and locked the connecting door. Meanwhile, Dana could not believe the nerve Mulder had. She thought that he was the paranoid one with the problem. She didn't understand why he always thought that she was hiding things from him. He needed to grow up and realize that the world was not out to get him. She didn't mean to push him so hard but she didn't know how else she was going to get him to leave. Dana was also confused as to what she felt for Mulder. Yes, she was jealous that he and Diana had slept together. She wanted Mulder, but knew that she could never have him. He had made it clear the night before that he was just not interested in her. Yes, she was stupid to have smoked the pot and gotten caught this time. She couldn't help herself. She was drunk, horny and lonely and the opportunity was there. She wondered if that was what ruined her chance with him. The disintegration of their relationship was partly her fault, she just wasn't sure how to fix it. She decided at that moment that for the rest of the time in Indiana she was going to act ultra professional so that Mulder wouldn't think that she had a serious drug problem. She didn't think that he would turn her in, but she could never be too careful. If she worked long hard hours, people would respect her more as a dedicated agent. Dedicated hard working agents didn't have time to use drugs and wouldn't be under suspicion. She wondered if that approach would restore the rift. She looked at her watch and saw that it was 5:30 am. She really wanted to speak with Susan Lowenstein but knew that she wouldn't be in right now. She decided to take a shower and get ready. ******************************************* Minton Capehart Federal Building Indianapolis, IN December 16, 1998 8:00 am The ride to the FBI office was uneventful. Scully was surprised to see Skinner there. "Sir, I didn't know that you would be joining us," Scully said to Skinner as she got a cup of coffee trying to avoid eye contact with him. "Didn't Agent Mulder tell you that I was coming?" He asked surprised. "No sir, he didn't." "I was called here on other matters involving this office. I was asked to help out with this meeting. I have to fly back to D.C. tomorrow afternoon for another meeting, so my time here is brief. You are looking a little tired Agent Scully. Is everything okay?" He asked. Even though their affair didn't last he still had feelings for her. He even made the deal with the cigarette smoking man for her. He knew that she most likely hated him when he ended their brief but passionate affair. He told her that he was going to go back to Sharon, but that wasn't the real reason. He could never tell her that the real reason he ended the affair was because of her mother. He ran into Maggie Scully in a grocery store in Alexandria. It was good catching up with her and he was more than surprised when she told him upon hearing that he was in the FBI that she had a daughter named Dana who was an FBI agent. He knew at this instant that an involvement between him and Dana was wrong and that she would never forgive him if she found out that he had slept with her mother. Walter Skinner had not seen Maggie Scully in 32 years the day he ran into her in the grocery store. The last time he had seen her was when Mary had been born and he visited her in the hospital. Walter Skinner and Bill Scully were stationed together in Annapolis in 1963. Walter was stationed there working on a top secret project for the Marines while Bill Scully was an officer in the Navy. During their tour there Walter and Sharon Skinner became close friends with Bill and Maggie Scully. He and Bill had gotten along fabulously, having a lot in common. Sharon and Maggie were another story. Sharon was resentful of the fact that Maggie had two beautiful children, little Bill and Melissa, while he and Sharon had none. They desperately wanted children but couldn't manage to conceive one, Sharon blamed Walter saying it was his fault. Although Sharon and Maggie were friendly, for their husbands' sake, there was no love loss between the women. Walter liked Maggie and grew frustrated at his wife's treatment of her. He constantly had to apologize to Maggie for something that Sharon did or said to her. Sharon was fragile and resentful of the time that Walter spent over at the Scully household looking after her and the kids while Bill was at sea. Bill was his best friend and he promised to look out for his family while he was away. Over time he developed more than friendly feelings for his best friends wife. He knew that Maggie and Bill were having marital problems and that Maggie wasn't happy with Bill being gone so often. In a moment of passion, they consummated their relationship. Both immediately regretted what they had done and knew that it could never happen again. Maggie was so guilt torn over her affair that she cut off all contact with him and Sharon. Once Bill returned from sea she confessed her affair to him and they sought marital counseling. Once their daughter Mary was born Maggie and Bill were able to put her indiscretion in the past and go on. Walter visited Mary and Maggie in the hospital before he and Sharon moved from the area to his next assignment. The child had beautiful, gorgeous red hair, so unlike Bill and Melissa Scully. Mary Scully's hair reminded him of his grandmother Skinners hair when he was a child. Years later when he ran into Maggie Scully in Alexandria the reunion was bittersweet. For Maggie it brought up all kinds of memories better left forgotten. But Walter was glad to see the woman he once loved once again. He saw how shaken up she was over seeing him that he didn't have the nerve to ask her about Mary or Bill. He supposed that part of the reason that he made the deal with the cigarette smoking man for Dana's cure was that he felt some kind of obligation to Maggie. "Earth to Skinner, earth to Skinner," Mulder repeated as he waved his hands in front of his boss' face. "What, oh I'm sorry. Just a little tired from the red eye. Please excuse me." Walter Skinner walked away and went to the podium in the front of the room. "Good morning agents, my name is Walter Skinner and I'm an Assistant Director with the Washington office. I have been called her on other matters but have been asked to give this presentation. I'm sure that you are all aware that Indianapolis is facing another year with a record homicide rate. Random killings, that's what is being fed to the press. Most of you know that many of the killings, about 50 so far have been linked. The victims vary across all races, all ages and genders. What links the victims is the manner in which they died. All died on apparent drug overdoses. At first the IPD thought nothing of it, just a bunch of junkies over dosing. It was only after the wife of a city council member died in the same manner that they became suspicious that they had a serial killer on their hands and contacted us. We don't know how the victims are selected. We don't know how the killer or killers gets the victim to inject themselves with the drug. All we know is that the bodies are starting to pile. It is your job to find out what is happening, why it is happening, and how to stop it. You'll notice two new people, Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully have come from the Washington office to assist on the case. They are in charge of all unexplained phenomena cases the bureau comes across. This case is within that jurisdiction due to all the unanswered questions. You will all report to SAC Miller and must turn in daily progress reports. I know, you all don't feel that you should have to and I agree, but we are under immense pressure to catch this person/persons and must show all our effort if the DOJ and Reno calls us on it. You have been given your assignments and are dismissed." "I don't see why we're here, Mulder. This is a waste of time," Scully said to Mulder. "You heard the man Scully, due to the unexplained nature of the crime, they need our assistance. In other words, we need you two out of Washington." He asked not quite sure of the reason himself. He was still bothered by her conduct the night before. "Mulder, you don't really think that do you?" "Why wouldn't I. It is entirely plausible. Lets go get our assignment." He almost called her partner but stopped himself. Mulder and Scully were given the task of re-interviewing family members of three of the victims. It was a shit job and they both knew it. They spent the afternoon fielding questions from nosy neighbors inquiring why the FBI was involved. All the men interviewed asked Scully straight out "what a pretty little thing like her was doing in a man's job." Scully calmly ignored their taunts and questions like a pro. Mulder was amazed that she didn't go off on them. He thought. ****************************************** Indianapolis, Indiana January 2, 1999 What Mulder and Scully thought was going to be a simple one week stay in Indiana turned into the three week and counting assignment from hell. No one could get a grip on what was happening and Mulder missed Natasha so much that he really didn't care if every citizen in the state injected themselves and died. He just wanted this assignment to be over so that he could go home. He had missed Hanukkah and New Years. He certainly didn't want to spend Valentines day in this city. Scully on the other hand didn't seem to care about how long they would be there. She threw herself into the assignment doing all autopsies and a lot of field work. Christmas day came and went without her seeming to notice. Most of the agents that worked with them could not stand Scully. She was too by the book for them. All that seemed to matter was protocol and getting the job done. There was no time for having fun or joking around. Many had voiced their complaints to Mulder as to how he could manage working with her. He wanted to tell them that his request for her transfer was already in place. Diana was just waiting for them to get back to DC before she was reassigned. Since Fox Mulder was the senior agent in the unit and technically her boss he had the authority to reassign her. He knew that she wasn't going to be happy about it, but it really didn't matter at this point in time. "Scully, I'm going back to the hotel. It's 9 pm, we've been at it since 7:30 am," Mulder said while grabbing his coat. "Go ahead Mulder, I want to look into a few more things," She said to him. Normally he would have waited for her but she had been doing this for the last 7 nights and he wanted a break. He didn't function well without adequate mind rest. He went back to the hotel without her and didn't hear her enter her room until 1 am. ******************************************* Minton Capehart Federal Building Indianapolis, Indiana January 5, 1999 8:00 am Mulder and Scully walked into the office to discover that Walter Skinner was in Indianapolis for the day. They were told that he wanted to meet with them immediately. "Agents Mulder and Scully. I know that you two have been invaluable to the IPD and Indianapolis Bureau. However, due to the lack of evidence and the fact that the killings have stopped I can no longer justify the taxpayer expense of your involvement in this case. You will work on the case today, but tomorrow morning travel arrangements have been made for you to go back to DC. I'm sure that Diana Fowley has already informed you of this Agent Scully, you are being reassigned on once you return. That's all agents, meeting adjourned," Walter said as he got up from his chair. Scully thought to herself. Mulder thought, Mulder looked over to see her reaction. He noticed that there was none. He expected her to at least get mad or ask Skinner why she was being reassigned. But there was no emotion. All guilt that Mulder had over having her reassigned was gone. Scully quietly got up from her chair and left the office. She was not going to cry in front of either of them, the two men who systematically were ruining her life. She wasn't going to let them have the satisfaction of seeing her hurt. She quickly made her way down to the front of the building and hailed the first taxi she saw to take her back to the hotel. Once at the hotel she packed her clothing and computer equipment and caught the hotel shuttle to the airport. She was lucky that there was a seat open on the 2 pm flight to Dulles. She sat in the waiting area telling herself that she wasn't going to cry. ****************************************** Minton Capehart Federal Building Indianapolis, Indiana January 5, 1999 Mulder could not figure where the hell Scully went. He thought that she went to the bathroom but she had been gone for 20 minutes and no matter what business she was taking care of, it certainly wouldn't have taken twenty minutes. He secretly hoped that she was crying her eyes out. "Skinner, have you seen Scully?" Mulder asked as he spotted the balding man coming out of his temporary office. "No, why. Maybe she's following up some clue. She's your partner, you should be keeping track of her. Listen, I know this is not my place to ask this, but....Why did you ask for her to be reassigned?" Skinner asked. "Personal reasons, you've seen how she has been acting this past year. I got to a point where I could no longer take her mood swings. She's not the same woman she was a year ago. She still does her job well, but the aloofness has really been getting to me. I think she's pissed that she was reassigned. Diana had not yet told her about it. She was waiting for us to get back to DC." "Oops. I had no idea. She seemed to take the news well." "That's what I'm afraid of, she took the news a little too well. I need to talk to her and explain why she's being transferred," Mulder said as he walked away. By 7 p.m. when she had not turned up at the office, morgue or any other location he thought she might be at he decided to check in with the hotel and was informed that she checked out of the hotel at noon and took the shuttle to the airport. "That fucking bitch," Mulder said aloud as he hung up the phone. He was livid. He had spent the last 8 hours searching for her and she acted like a coward and got on the first plane for DC. He had had it with her. She had broken protocol by leaving an assignment early without permission. He decided to call Diana and let her know. Who cares if she get a reprimand. He didn't owe her any more favors. "Diana, its Fox," Mulder told his ex-wife, "We have a problem. Scully found out about her transfer from Skinner and took off." "I know Fox," Diana Fowley said, "She was just in here a little while ago to turn in her badge." "Her badge? You mean she quit," He asked incredulously. "She quit. What he hell went on in Indianapolis, Fox?" "Did she give a reason why she was quitting?" "Not really. She said that you had been nothing but a wonderful agent to work with and that she valued the time she spent as your partner, but it was time for her to move on with her life." _______________________________________________________ Get your free, private email at http://mail.excite.com/ "Diana. Everything is going wrong. This isn't supposed to be happening. I honestly don't know what to do. Skinner sent us home due to lack of progress on the case and she just took off without informing either one of us. This is so unlike her. How did she seem?" "That was the odd thing about it Fox, she was a little to calm and clinical about the whole matter." "What the hell is wrong with me Diana. Am I a sadomasochist or what. She treats me like shit and ignores me. I have told myself time and time again that I'm over her and am not going to care about psychotic behavior and then she does something like this that pisses me off but also makes me concerned for her. I don't need Dana Scully and her baggage. I have Natasha now. Why can't I be satisfied with just her?" "Fox, I think you are happy with Natasha but there's a part of you that will always love Dana Scully no matter what she does. Just so you know, I didn't accept her resignation. I gave her two weeks leave for her to decide what she really wants to do. The reassignment went through so there's nothing that can be done to stop it, but that doesn't mean that she has to quit the bureau." "Do you know where she's being reassigned?" "Well there's good news for her in that department. She will be out under Kersh and back under Skinner in the VCS." "VCS, what the hell are they going to make her do?" "There's an opening for a profiler with her qualifications. It is some new project they are working on. Walter thought that if she couldn't be in the X-Files at least she could be doing something other than teaching." "But the only problem with that's that I'm still going to have to see her almost ever day and she knows that I'm the one that requested her transfer." "Fox, yes you are responsible, but look at how long you put up with her behavior. If I were in the situation I don't know if I would have had her reassigned though. As her supervisor, she was doing her job very well. The only reason I allowed the transfer is because of the obvious problems in the partnership. Even she could see that there were problems and that the two of you no longer worked well together." "I know but it doesn't make it easier. Look I have a few things to wrap up here in Indianapolis. My flight leaves tomorrow morning at 9 am. I'll see you a little after that and we can talk." "Bye Fox. Take care," Diana Fowley said as she hung up the phone. End of chapter 7