Mulder was trying not to look at the clock too frequently. He'd successfully cut it back to every ten seconds instead of just staring at the red second hand move from 1 to 60 and around again. Scully was officially an hour late to work. Not that he was worried.
He picked up the office phone and dialed her number again.
"The cellular number that you are trying to reach..." He was really beginning to hate that message.
Dialing another number, Mulder waited three rings before getting an answer. "Assistant Director Skinner's office."
"Kim, this is Agent Mulder. I was wondering-"
"Agent Mulder, the Assistant Director was expecting your call. He has some time free right now, if you would like to come up."
Well, now his Spidey Sense was tingling. Standing up and throwing on his coat, Mulder quickly said, "Thanks, Kim. I'll be right there," before leaving the office.
Mulder never realized how long an elevator ride it was up to Skinner's floor, but it was so interminable that it made him wonder if he could climb the elevator cable faster.
When he finally got there Kim gave him a reassuring smile and told him to go right in. Skinner was sitting at his desk looking through some files; he briefly glanced up when Mulder came in. "Agent Mulder, have a seat."
Mulder didn't wait long after he'd sat down to ask, "Sir, I was wondering if you'd heard from Agent Scully today?"
"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about."
Unbidden, an image of Scully standing in the doorway of his apartment saying, "Salt Lake City, Utah. Transfer effective immediately," popped into his head. Was that what she was so upset about last night? Had she been transferred? No... she would have told him that.
"I'm going to ask that you remain calm while I tell you this."
"Where's Scully?" Mulder's voice quavered with barely suppressed annoyance.
"Agent Scully is perfectly safe, and will remain so if you don't do anything stupid."
A jolt of fear coursed through Mulder at his words and he stood up, his voice rising as loud as he could get without actually yelling. "Perfectly safe? What the hell is going on?"
"Sit down, Agent Mulder," Skinner said in a voice he must have learned in the military. He waited until Mulder had grudgingly complied before continuing. "I'm not at liberty to discuss all of the details with you. However, there is some information you may have. Agent Scully has been placed in the witness protection program due to her involvement with the Spilano case."
Mulder felt his panic level rise, along with his blood-pressure. "I begged you not to put her on that case!"
"Don't play Monday morning quarterback, Agent Mulder. You didn't want her on it because you don't like it when Scully works with other people; it had nothing to do with the case itself. She's good at her job and she's trustworthy." He cleared his throat. "Unfortunately, finding a pathologist who was both of those was more difficult than one would have hoped."
Mulder nodded stiffly, but didn't completely stifle his accusatory glare. "Why is she in witness protection?"
"She's a key witness in - "
"No," Mulder ground out, "I mean, why isn't she at a FBI safe house? The FBI looks after their own, right?"
Something in Skinner's expression shifted for a second, but it was gone quickly. "There was some concern that that wouldn't be... completely safe."
"You think they have someone on the inside?"
"There is some evidence of that, yes."
"Jesus.... Sir, why didn't you just tell me? She and I would have gotten on a plane. I would have made sure nothing happened to her."
"You would have stepped in front of a bullet for her and gotten both of you killed. You're too close to this one."
"I would have made sure she was protected! What do you even know about the Marshals that are with her?"
"I know enough."
"Oh, well, okay then," Mulder huffed, throwing up his hands.
"Agent Mulder," Skinner cut in, "I understand that this is frustrating for you, but I would hope that you would remember who you're talking to. I would not knowingly put Agent Scully in danger."
Some of Mulder's anger seeped out of him. He leaned back in his chair, drawing in a deep breath. "Why didn't she tell me? Why am I only learning about this now?"
"That was not her decision, but it was the best way to protect both of you." Skinner let the sympathy show on his face. "Mulder, they are going to be watching you closely once they realize she's gone, if they haven't been already. You cannot have any contact with Agent Scully. It could endanger you both." Watching the younger agent in front of him, Skinner told him, "I promised Scully that I would look after you. I'm a very busy man, so I would appreciate it if you could make that as easy a job as possible."
Mulder felt the right corner of his mouth quirk slightly into something resembling a smile. 'Of course she made him promise that. She's being hunted by mob hit-men and she's worried about me.'
"I'll see what I can do, sir."
"One more thing, Agent. Agent Scully wasn't allowed to bring any personal effects with her." Skinner opened his desk drawer, pulled out an envelope, and handed it to Mulder. "She asked that you keep track of this for her."
Mulder looked quizzically at Skinner, but the AD said nothing else, merely nodding at the envelope. Slitting open the glued down flap, Mulder poured the contents into his hand... and wanted to cry.
Glinting up at him was Scully's cross.
Scully stared out the window of the airplane, fiddling with the collar of her shirt near her clavicle where her necklace usually rested. She tried to imagine what was going on in DC right now. Mulder was probably way past the point of panicking by now. She hoped Skinner would find a way to calm him down, but she doubted it. Would anyone think to tell her mother before she filed a missing persons report? Would either of her brothers even notice she was gone?
"Pretzel?" Mann offered, leaning from his aisle seat across a disgruntled Shannon.
"No thanks," Scully replied with a polite smile. She wasn't sure she could choke down a pretzel right now. "So, how does this work? You just drop me off at my new apartment, put some money in a savings account, and that's it?"
"Essentially," Shannon said, taking a pretzel out of her partner's hand. "We'll check in with you every now and again, but really it's best for you if you don't see us - that means nothing's wrong."
Two hours later they had landed at SFO. Scully had been given more casual clothes to change into again (at least she was finally able to get rid of the wig), and the moving agency had been called to see if they were on their way.
They drove for about another half an hour, before pulling off Highway 101. Almost immediately, they came across a sign that said 'Welcome to Buena Valle'. Turning onto Redwood Avenue, they stopped in front of a house that looked like it was pulled out of Better Homes. Judging by the moving truck parked outside, this appeared to be their last stop.
"Did you get me roommates as well?" Scully asked, staring at the house in disbelief.
The Marshals glanced back at her. Mann shook his head. "No, this is just for you."
"You're not afraid that there's going to be a revolt against the bourgeoisie and I'll get decapitated?"
"Decapitation rates have gone way down in this town in the last decade or so," Shannon returned with an amused smile.
"Well, that's a relief."
"Are you ready for us to start unloading this stuff now?" one of the movers called from where he and one other man were leaning against the truck.
"Your key is in the purse I gave you," Shannon whispered.
Scully sighed, and called back, "Sure, let's get started."
"Don't you ever just want to stop? Get out of the damn car, and lead something approaching a normal life."
"This is a normal life."
Sometimes Scully was really tired of Mulder being right. As she stood alone in her new house, which was more beautiful than anything she'd ever imagined as a child when she tried to picture what being a grown-up would be like, she felt like those words were mocking her.
She didn't want this. She didn't want the suburban house with four more rooms than she actually required, and nothing but possessions to fill them with. She didn't want to live in a neighborhood where everyone had known each other since they were in diapers.
She wanted to be in her apartment, arguing with Mulder about weather balloons.
Scully'd lived by herself for most of her adult life, but she'd never felt this alone before.
She was sorely tempted to leave all of the boxes until tomorrow, and just go take a bubble bath before going to bed. She knew the boxes would taunt her for the rest of the night, so she grabbed a box cutter one of the movers had left her and started working.
Within a few hours, she had all of the boxes for her bedroom and kitchen unpacked, and was working on the living room when the bell rang.
Instinctively she grabbed for a gun she was no longer allowed to carry -- and came up empty. Instead, she picked up the box cutter, tucking it into the back pocket of her jeans as she went to answer the door.
Looking through the peep hole, all Scully saw was a woman around her grandmother's age. Scully plastered on a smile and opened the door. "Hi."
The older woman smiled back at her. "Hello, dear. My name is Jane Evans - my husband and I live next door. I heard that you just moved in, and I know that the last thing you probably want to do now is cook, so I brought some food." She held up a plate with healthy helpings of lasagna, salad, and a wheat roll.
"Wow," Scully said, taking the plate, "thank you so much. Would you like to come in? The place is a bit of a mess right now, but..."
"Oh, I can't right now, but you are a sweetheart for offering. My Mikey is having a bit of an off day today, and I don't like to leave him alone long. I just wanted to say hello, and let you know that you're welcome to come over whenever you like."
"Thank you, Mrs. Evans." She offered the woman a more genuine smile.
"Don't think a thing of it. I should go... I'm sorry, dear, I didn't get your name."
"Oh, sorry. Laura Williamson."
"Well, welcome to the neighborhood, Laura."
Mulder had trouble falling asleep at the best of times. Around midnight, he decided he was tired of pretending that he was going to get any rest, and got up and put on his running clothes. Maybe if he wore himself out he'd slip into unconsciousness.
All his mind seemed capable of producing were horrific images of Scully murdered. With each new thought he ran a little faster, a little farther, trying to out-run his thoughts.
He wasn't really surprised when he ended up in front of Scully's building. Without thinking, he pulled out his keys and unlocked the door to the apartment building, walking up to her floor.
Halfway down the hallway, he stopped short. Scully's door was cracked open. Pulling out his gun, he inched closer. Pushing open the door the rest of the way revealed that the place had been trashed. Just to make sure, Mulder checked the rest of the apartment. But, as he suspected, there was no one.
Taking out his cell phone, Mulder dialed Skinner's number. "Sir, I think you may want to send some people over to Scully's apartment. It looks like they know she's gone."
Next: Chapter 3
