Dumnezeu permite razbunare (8/30) by Bonkersfm E-MAIL: bonkersfm@yahoo.com CLASSIFICATION: MSR casefile SUMMARY: When Mulder starts profiling again, Scully mysteriously disappears. When she is discovered it's a race against time to unravel the events that have taken place, to save the lives of others and salvage a relationship in the balance. RATING: NC-17 SPOILERS: IWTB ARCHIVE: Yes just e-mail me please DISCLAIMERS: Not mine and making no money Chapter 8 Five months later The last five months had been the worst of his life. The FBI had taken over Scully's case once the link had been made between the other abductions, although Kretski had continued his line of enquiry at first, speaking to Scully's co-workers and family as far as he could tell. However after six months now he could not rouse any ill feelings toward Mulder from any source, even Billy Scully. The case had begun to dwindle over the last two or three months, with all leads drying out. He felt as if he were the only one that truly believed she was still alive. He spent everyday going over the case, searching in isolation for the smallest piece of the puzzle. He'd switch between working, sleeping and running. That was his day. This morning however, when he turned the television on, his day changed course remarkably. "You called her mother? You called her mother to identify a body? What the hell were you thinking!" He yelled at Skinner, pushing his way down the corridor that led to the morgue. "When did you find it?" "I didn't call her... There was a mix up at DC. We only found the box this morning. " "Why didn't you tell me they'd found another?" "Because I wanted to make sure first. I wanted to avoid precisely this." Skinner placed a hand on his shoulder, worried for his friend who looked so tired. "Are you gonna let me go?" Mulder shrugged out of Skinner's grasp, taking long strides toward the double doors. He rounded the corner, just in time to see Maggie Scully closing the door on the tiny viewing room, her face stained with tears. His stomach turned. His heart seemed to stop as he felt blood rush to his ears, overwhelming him completely. "Oh God…" He stumbled toward her, choking back tears that fell freely. "It's her isn't it? She's dead…" "No!" Maggie put her hand out to touch his chest. It had been the first time she'd seen him since the police station. "It's not her. I've…I've never seen a dead body before." She wiped her eyes with shaking hands. Mulder took her arm, steadying her as she took a seat in one of the garish plastic chairs. "They called me, to ask me to identify a body. I couldn't understand why they called me? That detective, he's spoken to me three times since at the police station. Even now he thinks I know more than I do. I started to think I was a suspect." "No, that's definitely not the case. He was told to let the case go. I guess he can't." Mulder reassured her. "Let's get out of here. There's a diner over the road. Be nice to talk to someone about Dana for a while?" "Lets go to your house then?" She asked. " I really want to see more of her life over the past few years. Anyway, you look like you need a proper meal." She got up out of her chair and started to walk down the corridor. He followed her, feeling slightly less troubled, but only slightly. "I don't know why I could have thought that she was dead. Not even for a second." He sat at the dining room table, the case spread out as it been for weeks. Skinner sat opposite. "Why?" He asked. "Because we haven't found any recent bodies. The only way I could entertain the thought of giving up on Scully would be if I knew for sure there had been a victim to replace her." "You think this guy replaces them?" "For sure he does. That body in the morgue today was years old. Possibly one of the first victims." "But you still think Alice Homer was the first?" "Certainly. He made mistakes with her; she could've been a catalyst in some way. He also inflicted far less violence on her compared to the others. I mean…" He quietened his voice, aware that Maggie was in the kitchen. "Those other women were covered in marks, but only below their necks. They were burned, scratched and punched. He tortured them. Those girls were sexually assaulted whereas there were no signs of that with Alice Homer. Nor was she pregnant. The only connection is the box. It's the one thing I can't figure out. What do the boxes signify?" He moved the photos around, staring bleakly at the bodies of the tortured women. Skinner read his mind immediately. "Don't think about it." He tried to reassure him. But there was nothing left to say. No 'it'll be okay in the end' or 'that couldn't happen to her.' They sat in silence until the welcome sound of Maggie Scully's voice travelled out of the kitchen and a plate of macaroni cheese was put on the table. "I have more in the kitchen if you want some?" She offered to Skinner, who shook his head. "No, thank you. I need to get back to DC. I'm sorry for what you had to do today." He nodded toward Maggie. "I'll be in touch Mulder." He promised, before closing the front door behind him. "You know I could have made you something a little more nutritious if you had anything decent in those cupboards." She watched as Mulder picked at the food in front of him. It was hard to eat when you had spent the last hour imagining your wife's battered body. "Thank you." He said, patting her hand with his. "This is such a nice house. Dana would go crazy if she saw how untidy you'd let it get. Why don't you let me stay for a while and straighten things out?" He started to shake his head, "You have your life in San Diego…" "They'd understand. John is very understanding. I'd feel useful and…" "You wouldn't want to be around me at the moment. Honestly I appreciate what your trying to do…" "Please!" She cried. "Let me do this place. Let me look after you a little. For when Dana comes home." He understood then. She too felt useless. She too feared that every day that passed, meant there was less chance of seeing Dana again. He nodded rapidly, squeezing her arm, showing how grateful he was to her. "So, tell me about your life here. What happens on a normal day? I know Dana works at the hospital still, but she leaves so much out. I think she imagines I don't approve." That earned her a raised eyebrow. He was questioning whether she did approve or not, although he doubted she would give him an honest answer. She resisted, instead making her way over to the bookshelf, pretending to look through the various titles. Anything to avoid that conversation. She ran her fingers across the titles, as if touching the things her daughter liked would somehow bring her back. He watched as her body stiffened with sadness. "She works days mostly. When she works nights I wait up for her. Sometimes I pick her up and drive her home." He stated loudly. "About a year ago I asked her to work less hours, which she's still deciding. I think she's scared of spending too much time with me." "You work too though. She said you worked for the FBI again?" Maggie took her seat again. "Kind of. I profile for the bureau I guess it's a paid hobby. That's why she was working that night, to make up for the day she missed to be with me. The one night I didn't drive over to pick her up either – because I was working." Now it was his turn for reflection. "I'll never forgive myself for this." Maggie leaned forward and took his hand. "When we find her…you wont have to."