From Beyond (8/11) by Bonkersfm EMAIL: bonkersfm@yahoo.com CATEGORY:MSR CASEFILE SPOILERS: Starts after IWTB RATING: NC17 sex and violence SUMMARY: Mulder and Scully's relationship is put under strain when a casefile leads to some bizarre behaviour on Mulders part DISCLAIMER: mine? If only! CHAPTER 8 He wasted no time in getting to Washington, calling Skinner en route to ensure he had adequate security clearance. He knew that soon the detective would be back with evidence from his computer. Not enough to arrest but enough to give them reason to watch him closely. He planned to make use of his freedom, by tracking the girl. It was difficult to know where to start without a name or date of birth. Skinner had thought it absurd, and had told him as much. She had to be somewhere in a database, possibly as a Jane Doe, yet to be identified. Firstly he'd skipped through photos of Jane Does from the last few days and weeks. If Monica was correct, then the girl's death should have coincided with his hypnotism. Monica could have been wrong of course, but it would make more sense if she were correct, and that the girl's spirit had been trapped in the crossfire. Now he tried missing persons, thinking it might be worth a shot before he trawled through more Jane Does. Bingo! There she was. Della Greenberg. Reported missing only yesterday by her mother after she failed to come home that night. However, the girl in the dream looked a great deal more dishevelled then the girl on the photo. The girl in his dreams did not wear make up, and her skin always seemed greyed and swollen. The girl in his dreams looked desperately sad; the girl in the photo had not a care in the world. He copied down the name and address of the mother. Even though it would be far too late to visit now, he could make arrangements for tomorrow. -x- "Scully?" He pushed at the front door. With no sign of her in the living room, he wandered into the kitchen where he found her sitting quietly at the table. "Scully, I know what time it is and I'm sorry. I'm going to tell you where I've been but I just need you to listen to . . ." He trailed off. The detective had taken residence in the kitchen, several photographs spread in front of him. Mulder didn't need to see them to know what they were. "Mr. Mulder, glad you could join us. I 'd like to discuss a few things with you." Taking a seat, Mulder looked across at Scully, noticing the pained look across her face. "Now, tell me this." The detective continued. "How is it that you came to have these photographs stored on your computer?" "I can't tell you." "You can't tell me or you won't tell me?" "I can't tell you. Someone must have put them there, or they came through with the reply email. I can tell you I did not murder that woman." "Then you won't mind giving us a DNA sample?" "No I don't mind." He looked across at Scully trying to catch her eye but failing. "I can do that right now." -x- He had told Scully to stay home, that he would be no longer then an hour. They had taken a saliva sample and he had gladly helped them, knowing that there was no way he could have been connected with the crime. Had he slept, he may have worried that he had been at the scene in his sleep, but he knew that had not been possible. He had however, been warned by the detective that they knew all about his recent hospital admission and that just because he couldn't be placed at the crime scene did not rule him out entirely. He walked into the living room now, and failing to find her, sought her company in the kitchen. She sat very still at the table. As he had taken the seat opposite her, the mass of strawberry blonde had ceased to hide the look of anxiety on her face. "What? What is it?" "Bill had a stroke. He was driving Daniel home from school at the time. I have to go to San Diego." He reached out and put an arm around her shoulders. She didn't shrink away, but at the same time she didn't respond with any kind of warmth. "Bill's main injuries are from the stroke itself, he came out of the wreck virtually unscathed. Daniel's in the IC unit and it doesn't look good." Her manner had seemed cold and clinical, but he knew the raw emotion that surged beneath the exterior. She loved that kid. "When did you find out?" He asked, deciding to ignore her signals and move even closer. "Couple hours ago." "Then I'll go with you. . ." He started. "No. I'm waiting for Mom to call me back, and then I'm going to meet her. She doesn't want to drive." "Then I'll drive you both. . ." "No." She said again. She could tell she'd hurt him. The truth was that during the worst times in her life he had been a rock of support and it was a role that he fulfilled willingly. She sighed, thoughtfully choosing how to explain her feelings. "Mulder, I can't deal with everything at once. Not at the moment. Anyway, you know you can't go anywhere at the moment; they're watching you. I'm going to pack; I'll be back in a while." She got up and left. He remained at the table, his brain mulling over how little contact she'd had with her family over the last few years. She didn't want him to go with her, not that he blamed her. He knew her reason for not wanting him there was not simply about his relationship with her family over the last few years. He'd had a few warm exchanges with her mother and fewer less comfortable instances with her brothers. She said she had known Bill would never change, but she'd felt disappointed that Charlie had seemed happy to disappear from her life altogether, save for a phone call every few months. No, it wasn't just that. He knew that she was finding his current predicament a struggle and the humiliation of today had made things worse. He thanked God for her good grace and endless patience that had stopped her reacting like another woman might. Maybe she needed the time away from him; he only hoped she'd be ready to come back to him and that she wouldn't rediscover the comfort of a large family who lived a normal life - whatever that was. -x- He could count on one hand the nights he had spent in this house without her. Sometimes she would have to take her turn on night shift at the hospital, but he would usually wait up for her, dozing off occasionally in front of the television, then following her to bed for a few hours when she returned. Tonight was very different, however. She was hundreds of miles away, visiting the brother that she fought with and the nephew that she hardly knew. And the mother. The mother who had doted on her. The mother that she had left behind to start this new life with him. What if she decided to stay? What if she realised what she was missing out on? It hadn't exactly been easy over the last week or so for either of them. He was sure she'd stand by him through anything, even at the expense of her own happiness. That was what he dreaded sometimes; that she wasn't happy. Maybe they'd had it too easy for too long? The nature of her work would mean that she seldom came home elated, but it rarely made her miserable. They lived a relatively uncomplicated life, both willing to make sacrifices for the other. In truth, they lived much the same as they had worked, with the same occasional bickering, but without the boredom and resentment that could seep into the closest of marriages. He grabbed for the phone as it began to ring. "Scully?" He sounded desperate. "Mulder, I'm so sorry. When we got to the hospital I meant to come out and ring you but . . ." She trailed off quietly. He understood. "How are they?" He asked gently. "Bill looks awful. The stroke paralysed his left side and he's finding it near impossible to speak. Daniel is looking better today. The swelling on his brain has subsided; they might even move him from ICU tomorrow." "Good, that's good. You okay Scully?" "I'm fine . . ." she began before going quiet. He could hear the shaking of her breath. "Scully?" He waited for her to speak again, hating how sad she seemed. "It's alright, Mulder. Its weird being here, that's all. I haven't seen anyone in so long, I feel like an outsider." "You've always said that. That's how you felt when you were a kid." He said. "I know." She half laughed, astounded that he could recall the most far back conversations. "It's different now." "Well, maybe it's good that you're there now. How's your mother?" "She's okay. I mean, I need a little more time with her, but I think she's coming round." He knew that Scully and her mother hadn't fallen out, but they hadn't stayed close either. "How did it go with detective Rollinson?" She asked, breaking the silence. "He basically told me I did it. Look Scully,I know I never said this before but, you didn't have to lie about my whereabouts – I didn't do it." "That's why I lied,Mulder." They both fell silent, feeling in that moment, the bond between them more then ever. "I love you, Scully." "I know." She answered. "What are you doing tonight?" "I'm going to Monica one last time. I just need one more time to try and understand this." "Mulder . . ." She started, before giving a lengthy pause as she tried to put her words into place. "I think you should come up here with me." "I thought you didn't want me there." "I'm afraid that you're alone. Do me a favour, stay with Monica and John. At least that way you can't come to any harm." His silence told her that he thought the idea to be a bad one. "Mulder, please promise me." "Okay." He agreed. "I'll come up tomorrow, if it's okay with your mother." "It will be." He could hear her smiling on the other end of the phone. "She's mad with me, not you. She still thinks the sun shines out of your ass." He grinned as he replaced the receiver, letting the negative thoughts drift out of his head. He then began to dial a different number. Continued in Chapter 9