Title: Spaceman- WIP- 3
Rating: (part 1) G, (over all) NC-17
Category: casefile, MSR
Spoilers: none- this fic is totally self-contained
Archive: feel free, just let me know where it ends up
Summary: A new drug leads Mulder and Scully on an investigation of abductions, overdoses and familiar foes. While discovering the root of this new evil, they find the truth between them as well.
Feedback: please- oh pretty please... send mail to xenoprobe@hotmail.com

Disclaimer: Not mine, never were- make no profit, have no money- do not sue.

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay on part three folks. Sometimes life gets in the way of the important things- like writing and/or posting X-Files fanfiction. I promise to be more vigilant with the rest of the story. My many Thanks to everyone who sent me feedback... this is an important story to me and your kind words really gave me the fuel to proceed.

*~*~*~*

The phone was ringing. Then it stopped. Scully sat up in bed, waiting for the beep of her answering machine but it never came. Instead she could hear the lower bass of a male voice mumbling elsewhere in her apartment. She slipped into her robe and padded out into the living room where Mulder had just laid the phone back on its cradle.

"That was Dr. Howson, he says Grant Ellis has suffered brain damage from the extended lack of oxygen to his brain combined with exposure to the combination of LSD, Heroine, rat poison and something he called 'MDAX' that was discovered in the toxicology." He stopped and grinned at her. "...And good morning Scully."

"Mulder." She nodded, acknowledging him, but she was distracted by the wafting scent of fresh brewing coffee. "Did you make coffee?" She smiled widely.

"I was just too tired to make the drive to Alexandria last night so when you drifted off last night, I put you to bed and I crashed on your couch. I felt bad for imposing so I made coffee and breakfast. Hope you like French toast."

Her mouth hung agape at his declaration. She took a seat at her kitchen table and grinned at the plate Mulder presented before her.

"For you Mam'selle" He exaggerated the gesture as he bent at the waist to make his offering of a steaming cup of coffee. On her plate sat two slices of French toast in maple syrup, a slice of cantaloupe and two fat juicy strawberries. The smell of coffee blended with the warmth of the food and the sweet morning scent drifted between Mulder and Scully's plates. Scully took a forkful of toast and closed her eyes in satisfaction.

"Like?" Mulder grinned at her blissful expression.

"You can stay for breakfast anytime." Her eyes smiled as she continued to eat.

The pair exchanged glances over their food, eating in silence. Scully cleared the plates but Mulder washed them as she went to shower and get ready for the day.

Mulder stood at the counter, drying a mug with a tea towel; lost in thought. It seemed so normal to be doing dishes, making breakfast, making Scully smile. At home his dirty dishes had dust on top of the caked-on grime.

"Earth to Mulder."

"What- oh... Sorry I was daydreaming."

"I'll say, I called your name three times, hope it was a good one..." She began to help put things away in the upper cupboards. She stretched on tiptoes to place a platter high up on a shelf, making little grunting noises from her efforts.

"Let me do that Scully." He offered.

"S'okay." She leaned into the countertop and reached as far she could. "I. Can. Do. It." Sure enough the platter slid into place with her last little push. Mulder's smile turned to laughter and she turned to him, her cheeks flushed. "I dare you to tell me what's so funny Mulder."

"Ah Scully... who needs TV when you're around to entertain." She swatted his arm and he feigned a pouty, hurt face.

They both took a seat on her couch, facing each other; Mulder's arm was stretched out along the back and his fingers played at her shoulder. They discussed the case, the need to locate a reliable dealer to track the source and the likelihood of going back to the clubs to further their efforts.

Despite it being the weekend, they concentrated their energy towards a resolution. Mulder plucked away at Scully's computer, forming a profile on the supposed pusher. Scully went over the toxicological and prior autopsy reports- looking for more.

"Blood from a stone." She muttered, frustrated with the lack of direction the science offered.

"What's that Scully?" Her partner looked up from the screen.

"I don't understand the chemical composition of this narcotic. I've never seen anything like it. I know MDA, it's very close to Ecstacy but MDAX is something altogether foreign."

"It that what you thought was the base chemical combination, the MDA?"

"Yeah, but it turns out to be nothing like it. I mean, the basics are there- heroin, rat poison... but this compound... the only thing that even comes close to having a similar composition is-" Scully shook her head disapprovingly.

"What... what is it Scully."

"It reminds me of the chemical sequencing I found in purity control." She exhaled heavily and Mulder crossed the room quickly.

"That would certainly explain a lot." He said, excitedly. "I mean, if the drug itself is of alien origin, it would explain the serious adverse reactions and the visions while under the influence. My God Scully, what if the hallucinations are real and the drug is just a pretense for abductions and tests."

"I knew you'd react this way... slow down Mulder." She grabbed his arm and stilled him from his pacing. "I'm not saying it is of alien origin, I'm saying it is vaguely similar to something we could not categorize as human. Before you go off theorizing about abductions and green goo, please just let me get to the lab to do some more work on the toxicology."

"Ok... ok Scully... you go into work and I'm going home to change and shower. I'll meet up with you in the office later this afternoon- I want to go over some past cases that might shed some light on this."

In his haste to leave, Mulder grabbed his jacket from the back of Scully's couch and leaned in quickly and absentmindedly kissed his partner's cheek. The front door had already closed behind him and Scully's jaw still hung agape. A smile tugged at her lips.

*~*~*~*~*

The door to the basement office opened wide as Scully made her way in with an armful of folders and paperwork. Mulder sat at his desk, cast in a blue glow from the computer screen. His desk was strewn with files and he was chewing on a pencil.

"Come look at this." He didn't even look up at her. Scully deposited her armload and came around the desk. She was staring at a colour enhanced DNA strand, but not a regular one. She took in a deep breath at the sight.

"Where did you find this Mulder?" He glanced at her and smiled.

"In the X-Files." His expression changed quickly. "It's yours."

"Mine, how? I don't understand."

"When you were returned, when we found you in the hospital after your abduction, your blood sample produced this- this very page here is my only documentation." His hand closed over hers gently. "I had the Lone Gunmen analyze it, they called it branched DNA."

"But it isn't active in this form."

"No. Whatever had caused this alteration in your system, it was long over by the time your blood was taken."

"I know. I just found this same thing in Grant Ellis' blood work-up. I was coming down to show you." She dropped her head, seemingly confused. "Something in this chemical has acted like a virus or infection- it actually affects the DNA. I have Agent Wills searching through Kristin Halley's samples right now. I don't know what it will do to corroborate the samples but any evidence is better than speculation."

"Indeed Scully."

She sat against his desk just as a low noise grumbled in her tummy. She smoothed her hand over her stomach.

"You haven't eaten have you." He rested a hand on her thigh as she shook her head 'no'. "It's getting late- especially for a Saturday. Why don't we go eat somewhere."

"I have a fridge full of groceries. Wanna just take this stuff back to my place? We can eat and go over these files again." He nodded, stood and arranged the paperwork into a small stack. They each scooped up their belongings and made to leave. With his hand at her back, Mulder flicked off the office lights.

*~*~*~*~*

Part four coming soon...