Monday, October 31st 7pm
This is the first time that Scully has allowed for Fox to come into her place; She usually leaves him outside her door after their conversations end or rushes out the car after he drops her off, not wanting to allow him to follow her inside, down the hall, also resulting in her having to leave him outside her door. She's let too many important people disappear from her life after they've gone through that door.
They've been out a few times together, grabbing coffee or lunch but it's mostly just a partner relationship, except the few stares she allows to take at him as she sits across his desk as they both read over a file, or the ones she catches from him when he watches over her autopsies.
Scully sat down on the couch and turned on the television.
He stepped in, viewing the place, and sat down a few inches away from her, his back and shoulders fully resting on the back cushions, while Dana's propped upright and still.
A black and white Halloween movie was playing on the little television.
"Plan Nine from Outer Space?" She asked surprised it was on.
"Yeah. It's the Ed Wood investigative method. This movie is so profoundly bad in such a childlike way that it just freezes up my consciousness...
"How–"
"Forty two." Mulder stated it simply and proudly.
"You've seen this movie forty two times? ...Doesn't that make you sad? It makes me sad." She chuckled a little as Mulder's laugh followed.
"No, I think it is quite empowering to watch the same movie over and over again. Your brain gets used to the events that occur and its almost like a test for your mind, how good you can reenact it in your head before it happens."
Dana was dumbfounded, "I've never really thought of it that way I️ guess." It was quite as they watched a few moments of the movie.
"You know Scully, I hope you don't mind, but I talk about you to my family sometimes. You are one of the closest people to me, and I've had bad things happen to the people close to me before. I guess I'm just afraid that something bad will happen you, and I will never be able to show you off to them."
She thought of it for a moment and realized her face was a little pink,
"I don't mind, I think that is quite...sweet, but you don't have to worry about me, Mulder. I feel bad though, I haven't talked much about you to others much...or at all really." She frowned,
"I would be lying if I said that It's because I️ don't really get out often. But all of my friends have packed up...gone off to other states, with their significant others...off to start their own lives, which I can't help. I've moved around a bit too."
"Well," he smiled sincerely, "If you've went off like everyone else, I wouldn't have a friend here right now helping pass out candy." The doorbell rang.
She pulled a sarcastic frown on her face, but couldn't help smiling through it, "I'm not really helping am I?"
"No, but you got the next one," he chuckled walking towards the door. Dana sprung up and followed behind him.
He pulled the door ajar and rested it on one foot. The loud 'TRICK-OR-TREATS!' began to uproar as Dana pulled the bucket of candy from beside the door.
There had to have been at least a dozen. She passed out handfuls to each, being the child adorer she is, she couldn't resist their cute little faces being so happy. The last two must've been siblings, because the older girl dressed as a cowgirl was holding the younger boy's hand.
"I love your costume!" Scully smiled at the little boy in the Elvis costume.
Her heart filled from cuteness when the little boy rang out, "Tank ya, tank ya very much. Tick-or-Teat!" One of his front teeth were missing which gave him the speech impediment.
The little boy gleamed as he skipped ahead to the next door while opening candy and eating it quickly. His little sister caught up to him and squeezed his hand gently,
"Tucker! You're gonna get a stomach ache if you don't quit it." Dana slowly closed the door behind her after all the kids had left,
"That little boy...was the cutest thing I've ever seen!" Mulder turned to smile at her, and they walked back over to the couch, "You know, I️ saw Elvis in a potato chip once." Dana smiled and he opened his mouth to say something once more but fell short once the screams ringing down the hall were heard.
Dana turned on her heels almost falling, sprang the door open and ran down the hallway to where the crowd of little kids stood.
She pushed through the little kids and found the older girl crying over her brother who was standing against a wall with his face red and wheezing.
"I think he's choking!" She screamed.
"Did you see what he put in his mouth?" She asked getting on her knees to check his airway.
"It was some kind of candy, I️ don't know!" She was sputtering.
Scully spun him around and began the Heimlich maneuver. She gave him three strong squeezes to the chest, it wasn't working.
"Is his mouth open!?"She watched the crowd's reaction as they all shook their heads.
"Okay Tucker, I'm gonna need you to open your mouth."
She gave him another three squeezes, she felt his little hand grab hers and squeeze tightly; She began panicking,
"Tucker! Open!" She gave him another two squeezes and she felt him give way and inhale. He coughed a little bit and spit the jawbreaker into his hand.
He turned around with Dana's hands wrapped around his sides,
"Breathe slowly." He coughed and grabbed at the sleeves on Dana's sweater. After his wheezing calmed down, he grabbed her and held her. she stood up pulling him close, his little arms wrapped around her neck and his head resting on her shoulder.
She saw Fox in the corner of her eye and looked at him with a frightened face. His eyes held a friendly emotion, and he walked over to the older girl,
"What's your name?"
"My friends call me Sam."
"Hi Sam, I'm Fox. I'm gonna have you call your parents to come pick you up, okay?" She nodded her head slowly still watching Dana and her brother closely.
"Okay," and he offered his hand that she gently took hold of. They began down the hallway and the crowd dispersed. Dana followed with Tucker.
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Monday, October 31st 9pm
Sam called her mom a few minutes ago. Her mother sounded distraught until Fox talked to her and told her that everything was alright.
Dana sat on the couch with Tucker in her arms still. She felt him shaking and grabbed a little blanket to pull over him.
"Okay Sam you can sit next to Dana if you'd like," Fox offered. Sam pulled herself onto the couch and sat right next to her, still sobbing.
"You know Sam?" Mulder began. She raised her eyebrow and set her head on Dana's arm, fiddling with the cross necklace that dangled around Dana's neck.
"Well Sam, I had a sister a long time ago. Her name was Samantha too. Being the older siblings we have to be the stronger ones right?" She nodded once and her eyes began to close. Dana looked down at Tucker who's eyes were already closed.
He talked slow and gently, "Well, you did a really smart thing tonight. You were really brave and I hope you always stay strong for your brother, because I remember not staying strong for my sister once and she got taken from me."
Dana looked at Fox with kind eyes and she remembered reading his file, it talked a lot about his sister and his persistent search to find her. She looked down at Samantha who softly nodded her head and began snoring quietly, then at Tucker who was sleeping soundly.
"Well, the kids love you Dana," Fox whispered.
"Yeah," Dana yawned, "your story must've bored them." She smiled at him playfully, "How have you not written a book yet?"
"A book? That's actually a pretty good idea."
She paused and thought for a moment, "Why have you never talked to me?"
"It's a touchy subject, I guess."
"But you'll talk to kids about it?"
"I don't know, it's just easier with kids, because they don't make you feel like you're crazy."
"What about your story makes you believe...you know..."
She looked at him intensely waiting for an answer.
"...That she was...abducted by aliens?" Dana looked at him plainly, a small smile peaking at the corner of her lips.
"See!" He realized he shouted a little and began back in his soft tone, "See, I knew you would do this."
"You're crazy, Mulder, but I don't mind it." Quiet snores broke the silence that edged its way into the room.
She whispered gently as she rubbed Sam's back, "Mulder I can't say I believe you and I can't say I don't believe you. My belief as a Catholic is faithful and honest, but as a scientist, my belief is based off hard facts and evidence. Now on the topic of extraterrestrial life, both of our beliefs could have counter arguments, but I don't like to ponder on it to much. I don't enjoy the questioning and I don't enjoy the feeling of my faith being tested."
Fox was silent, "You haven't seen what I've seen."
"And until I do, I would like to quit talking about that topic."
"Okay."
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Monday, October 31st 9:30pm
Dana was asleep with Tucker in her arms and Sam on her side. The door was silent the rest of the night, no more kids came by. The only knock left was their mother's.
Fox sat staring at Dana, she was quite beautiful. Her hair had fallen over her face just a little bit. He jumped when he heard the doorbell, as well as Sam.
Fox got up and opened the door, Sam came running,
"Mom!" And she clasped her arms around her mother's waist.
"Hi," she said releasing one arm from her daughter's hold to shake Fox's hand.
"Rebecca," she smiled. Her curly, blonde hair swayed around her.
"Mulder." She crouched down and looked at Samantha,
"Where's your brother Sam?" Sam grabbed her sleeve and walked her over to the couch. Dana was standing and passed Tucker to his mother.
"Oh my little boy," she cooed softly, curling him her arms.
"Thank you so, so much. I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner, I had to check out of the hospital." Dana looked down and saw her pink scrubs.
"Oh, you're a nurse?"
"Yep. There dad isn't around so life is really hectic with my late shifts and babysitters. I don't know, I really didn't want to make them stay home on Halloween, It's probably the first year Tucker will actually be able to remember Halloween."
"I understand."
"Oh do you two have a kid?," she questioned walking back towards the door.
"I don't know what I would've done without a couple like you."
"Oh no we-" "We're not a-"
They both tried letting out but was cut off by Sam,
"Mom, it was great! We got a lot of candy!"
They began walking off and Fox let the door shut. They went back and sat down on the couch and Dana let out a relieved sigh.
"Forty three," Fox said pointing at the television playing 'Plan Nine from Outer Space'. Again.