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Title: Hunger Summary: '...the girl devouring Mulder's sunflower seeds was obviously delusional...but this was not an X-File' Note: Story takes place in August 2001, after the birth of William. Death in all its shapes is hateful to unhappy man, but the worst is death of hunger. - Homer, 10th-8th C. b.c On her way to the bureau, Reyes had stopped by Scully's apartment to deposit another of her popular vegetarian casseroles. Scully received it graciously, before handing it off to Mulder to be tucked into the 'fridge behind the dinner he'd prepared for just the two of them to linger over that evening, once Will had nursed himself to sleep. They might hope to enjoy up to three hours of gastronomic bliss before Will would awaken for his midnight feeding. Mulder rejoined the two women, both agents, but worlds apart in every other way. Much to Mulder's pleasure, they'd become unlikely friends. Reyes cared for Scully like a sister. And Scully had commented on more than one occasion that Reyes reminded her of Melissa, the sister Scully sorely missed. Mulder was thrilled that Scully had a girlfriend to laugh with again. She deserved the auspices of friendship, especially now that she was a mother. "Any time you want someone to watch Will..." Reyes nodded, widening her eyes emphatically. "Thanks, Monica," Scully smiled. "Scully's interviewing a girl today for some light baby-sitting. From a reputable agency." Mulder was struck by his need to reinforce his concern for Will's safety at every turn. Did all fathers do this? Or was his hypervigilance rooted in old fears? He shook off the thought with a slight twitch of his head. "Of course." Reyes nodded sincerely. "Sometimes I like to get Mulder out of the house and take him someplace nice for dinner," Scully interjected with a wry grin. "I'm feeling really sorry for your fish, Mulder..." Reyes teased. "What? I stop by to feed them." Mulder had picked up on the implication instantly and shrugged defensively, a smile playing at the corners of his mock-pout. "They're coming to live here as soon as he gets one of the Gunmen to help him move the tank." Scully arched an eyebrow Mulder's direction. "Yeah, Frohike's bummed. He knows what it means when a bachelor moves his fish tank to the chic's place..." "That he's going to raise his family in a respectable fashion?" Scully's eyebrow arched higher. "Well, they're keeping my name!" Mulder retorted. "You guys are too much," Reyes laughed loudly. Mulder and Scully smiled, glanced at the floor and cleared their throats in stereo on either side of Reyes, who stepped back slightly as she sensed her intrusion on their game. Obviously, the idea of their living together was too new to suffer much scrutiny. "Well, I'll stop by later, if that's OK. A case we're working has us stumped, as usual, and we'd love your input." Reyes was conscious of using too many "we's," but correcting the last one with "I" would only bring more attention to her error. Doggett and Reyes were a "we" in more ways than she was comfortable betraying, even to Mulder and Scully. As she looked up at the two of them, however, she noticed they seemed once again lost in their own world, telepathing behind the lead door of like minds. "Well, OK, then," she laughed nervously and leapt awkwardly toward the entryway. Scully glanced at her absently, "OK, I'll see you later." As Will fussed from the bedroom, Mulder moved automatically toward his cry. So fatherly, so naturally, Reyes thought. As she closed the door to Scully's apartment, she glimpsed Scully's serene gaze and traced it to Mulder. Their adoration for one another was building a solid foundation for Will. He's a blessed child, she thought. She'd bring him something when she returned with the files, she decided. Scully answered the door with slight hesitation. A stranger. To watch Will. So much about motherhood was only possible to fathom after frequent deep, cleansing breaths. "Hi, I'm Candi. From Play Date?" a voice piped from beyond strawberry soda pop lips. Backing away from the buxom blonde girl, Scully observed her snug-fitting pink mini skirt with a sweater set that also hugged her body fiercely. Realizing she was holding her breath, Scully exhaled and mumbled, exchanging an ironic look with Mulder. "Right, from 'Play Date'... I'm Dana Scully and this is Fox Mulder. Won't you come in?" "Thanks!" Scully shot Mulder another disbelieving look. Amused by the sight of their unlikely guest, Mulder deadpanned to Candi, "You don't mind if we see some I.D...?" "Sure, whatever..." Candi chirruped, thrusting a resume with an 8x11 black and white glossy head shot paper-clipped to the front. She smacked her overwhelmingly watermelon-scented gum animatedly. As Mulder took the photo from Candi, she eyed him flirtatiously. Scully stiffened her neck and sniffed. "Looks like you," Mulder exclaimed, watching Candi in obvious amusement now as he handed the photo to Scully. Without looking up from the resume, Scully motioned to Candi, who sat obediently on the chair across from Mulder and Scully, who seated themselves on the couch. "Hmmm, The Ford Agency...? And mostly people in the world of modeling. You baby-sit for all of these people?" "Um, yeah. You can call them if you want. They'll tell you, kids love me," Candi emphasized. "I'm sure they do," Scully assumed the comfortable role of skeptic, ignoring the smile she could feel emanating from Mulder. He had not lifted his gaze from Candi since she'd walked through the door, and she could tell that Candi was very pleased with his undivided attention. Likely, she expected it. Scully rolled her eyes. Candi preened for Mulder's shameless gawk, as Scully slapped the resume, with its seductive glossy image of Candi serving as a cover letter, onto coffee table. Scully had reached a decision not to hire Candi the moment she'd seen--and smelled--her, well, Candi-ness. "Thank you for coming by, Candi. We'll let you know." "Wow, that's so weird! That's just what they say to you at a audition." "So, you're 'an' actress?" Mulder asked slowly. He was loving this. "A model, really. But I do a lot of commercials. Non-fat Tofrutti Rice Dreamsicle? That was me." "Really? You're the Non-fat Tofrutti Rice Dreamsicle girl?" Mulder raised his eyebrows. "Scully, this is Miss Rice Dreamsicle!" Candi grinned, nodding excitedly at Scully. "Well, in that case," Scully murmured, sarcastically. "Look, I'm going to level with you," Candi intimated with a dramatic sigh, "I am an actress. And a model. And I don't even like kids. I came here to meet with you about another matter--" "OK... Mulder?" Scully intoned tersely, rose, and moved toward the bedroom. She felt panic creeping over her. "I'm just going to check on Will." She was going to check on her son... then get her gun. "My roommate, my best friend, Laurie Selden, is missing," Candi continued, lowering her eyes, then peering up at Mulder, her unnaturally long, ebony eyelashes brushing her brow bone. Scully reappeared, her gun cold at the small of her back, concealed beneath a sweater she'd added. Wordlessly, she took her place beside Mulder, one firmly planted foot touching his, shoulders rounded forward, forearms on her knees. Her position would allow her to quickly gain control of any situation that may arise, she told herself. Taking her cue from Mulder--who also perched artfully at the ready, but wore a countenance of relaxed interest--Scully resigned herself to hearing Candi's story. After a pregnant pause, in which Candi made eye contact with Scully briefly, while tucking her thick wad of fleshcolored bubblegum into a torn-off corner of her fraudulent resume, she continued rapidly, "It's my fault. I killed her." Scully flinched at this disclosure, as Mulder's pupils widened with interest. "I didn't mean to--I was trying to kill myself. But we have this connection. See, Laurie is the reason I'm a success. Or at least she was the reason." Candi brushed away a tear and reached for a fistful of popcorn from the bowl on the coffee table. "Hope you don't mind," she said, her voice muffled as she stuffed her mouth with the entire contents of her hand. "Help yourself," Mulder motioned to the bowl. But Candi was already reaching for Mulder's bag of sunflower seeds. "Hungry?" he asked with a snort. "Ravenous." She nodded, "Always." She swallowed. "And that's just the thing, Laurie was the fat one. She was always on a diet. But I could eat anything I wanted and I'd never gained an ounce. Before Laurie's disappearance, I'd weighed exactly 96 pounds since signing my first modeling contract. "That was around the time Laurie started getting fat... and drinking those diet shakes from the herbologist." "The Mau Huang didn't take?" Mulder mused. "No." Candi reached for another handful of sunflower seeds. "You said, 'before Laurie's disappearance'--?" Scully frowned slightly. "Right. I've gained 35 pounds in the month she's been gone!" Mulder whistled in amazement, but leered at Candi supportively, communicating his approval of all the right places he imagined Candi had added the weight. Candi sighed in practiced angst, her chest rising and falling in sympathy. "Well, it's not so unusual for stress to cause a fluctuation in eating patterns, which can result in weight gain." Scully gave a dismissive blink, attempting to hide her annoyance with Mulder. While she knew his entire display was for her benefit--a playful tease aimed at eliciting marginal jealously--he had underestimated her current level of self-actualization. Although Scully's newly buxom figure excited Mulder beyond what he could verbalize, she remained frustratingly self-conscious. "But I have been eating the same as always." Candi paused to deftly crack another seed. Mulder looked impressed. Candi added the hull to the small pile of debris she'd begun along the edge of the table. Scully itched to remove it. "Besides," Candi continued, "I know why I'm gaining weight." Another dramatic pause. "I could eat anything I wanted because Laurie gained the weight for me." Mulder's mouth formed an intrigued O, as Scully, irritated by the revelation, leaned back against the sofa cushion slightly. She stole a glance at Mulder, who made a point of not looking at Scully. "You pigged out, she porked out... interesting..." Mulder joined Candi in the bag of sunflower seeds. Scully crossed her arms. Mulder chewed thoughtfully. "So she took on your sins... In the obscure medieval ritual of sin eating, the sins of the dead are transferred to a living person, the sin-eater, who releases the souls of the dead." Mulder gestured with a sunflower seed. "The Appalachians practiced sin eating as recently as the 20th century. It's believed to be modeled after Christ. "Then there's motherhood. The mother chows down during pregnancy, gaining weight that nourishes her baby. Later, lactation returns her magically to her pre-pregnancy weight as the baby nurses away those unwanted pounds." "Yeah, we'll see..." Scully mused aloud. Oddly enough, it eased her mind to know that Mulder could still spout arcane knowledge in a crisis. And even manage to annoy her with a few all-toopertinent facts. However, the girl devouring Mulder's sunflower seeds was obviously delusional. There was nothing remotely extraordinary about Candi, except perhaps her imagination. Candi's mind was a horrible waste. But this was not an X-File. "It began when I got the modeling contract, like I said," Candi persisted. "I was discovered in a dance club--just like Claudia Schiffer. I got obsessed with my weight. The camera adds ten pounds, you know? "I've never had any will power, but Laurie found this herb lady who gave her all the supplements I needed to take to maintain my perfect weight. "Laurie said we'd do the program together, but after one day, I was ravenous and gave up. She continued, though. I thought she was trying to set a good example for me. She'd always been supportive of my dreams, ever since I was a little girl." "The wind beneath your wings?" Mulder offered. "Exactly--I love that song! How did you know?" Candi had returned to eating popcorn. "Lucky guess," Mulder shrugged, cutting his eyes to Scully, who stubbornly refused to validate his wisecrack. "Anyway, she stayed on the diet, I scarfed everything in sight; she became 'morbidly obese' and I supported us through a successful career in modeling." Scully had been patient long enough. It was time for a little interrogation. "So, Candi, how did you find us?" "Laurie. She was totally into, you know, the paranormal." Candi turned to Mulder again. "She idolized you, Agent Mulder, after seeing you on some cable show, and read every article you've ever written in all those UFO magazines. I mean, she was practically a stalker." Scully shifted uncomfortably on her cushion, leaning forward again. Dear God, not another one of those, she thought. "After she disappeared, I went through her clippings and came across a birth announcement for your son. It was in this underground magazine... The Lonely Hunter? Beautiful story about the star over William's birthplace and all." Candi batted her eyes at Mulder, who chewed another seed. Scully stiffened at the realization that Candi knew she and Mulder were federal agents, and wondered what other information about Will she had gleaned from the Gunmen's rag. Scully now regretted not actually reading the article. Her handgun was growing warm at her back. Her temples were beginning to throb. Scully was ready to end the interview. "Well, I don't see how we can help you," Scully began. "Oh, but you're the only ones who can," Candi gulped, then spat desperately. "I killed my best friend. Once I figured out she was getting fat because of me, I was so creeped out I tried to kill myself. Then... that's how she died." As Candi momentarily surfaced from her discombobulated explanation, Scully cleared her throat and stared at Mulder, who finally glanced Scully's direction wearing his trademark look of intrigue. Scully took the opportunity to tighten her lips in disapproval. They'd been partners for eight years. They could communicate without words. And, as in so many interviews with suspects through the years, with one look Scully signaled, "she's nuts." Unaware of the exchange between partners, Candi continued, "I took a bottle of sleeping pills during a break in a photo shoot the morning of my discovery. I'd told Laurie over breakfast shakes--hers spirulina, mine Mcdonald's--that I'd figured out the secret, that she was gaining my weight. "She didn't say anything, but I could tell she was disturbed by the news. Later, as it started to sink in, she announced she needed some air. I know she went down to this pier on the river where she always goes to think. "Then when I took the pills and nothing happened, it hit me: I killed her. I attempted suicide, but the pills killed her! She probably fell into the river and drowned once the drug began to take effect." "So, you were in a place with other people, at a photo shoot, when you attempted suicide?" Scully didn't bother to veil the irritation in her tone. "Well, yeah--" "So you knew someone would find you," Scully stated flatly. "Yeah, I mean, no. Not until it was too late. I don't know. I was just upset. Maybe I really wanted to die. I just felt so bad..." "Do the police in..," Scully began again. "New York." "...New York...Ah, you don't really live here... Of course you don't..." Scully muttered under her breath. "Do they know about this? You've filed a missing persons report?" "Yes, and I told them what I'm telling you. But they thought I was crazy." This time, Mulder turned to receive Scully's raised eyebrow. He could see she was fighting interest in the case with all of her strength. But suddenly she was asking a lot of questions. "That's why I knew I had to find you." Candi licked the salt from a sunflower seed before slipping it between her teeth and cracking its shell. "I still don't see..." "You do see!" Candi pleaded, "You see this sort of thing all the time. I know that." "Did Laurie do anything unusual the morning of her disappearance?" Scully persisted in her routine inquiry. "Not really. Aside from throwing up after our little talk... Oh, and she did ask me a strange question out of the blue about whether or not a girl could get pregnant without having a boyfriend. As long as I'd known her, no guy had ever touched her, so I guess this was sort of strange. "But she asked a lot of strange questions about sex. She was pretty naive. So it really wasn't that strange for her." "Was it possible that Laurie was pregnant?" Scully cocked her head to the side as she explored this idea. "No. No way." Candi shook her head vehemently. "Candi, I'm still not clear on how you found us, this apartment," Scully continued carefully. Candi was becoming agitated, and Scully did not trust her. "Easy: You're a working mom. I figured you'd need childcare eventually, and you'd go with a professional service. So I called around. I said there was an emergency and I needed to find my sister who was baby-sitting for you. I had to try three agencies until Play Date spilled the beans." "Trust no one," Mulder reminded Scully in a gutteral whisper. "Then all I had to do," Candi shrugged, "was work up this phony resume and apply. They did a background check, but never called my references." "Really?" Scully narrowed her eyes. Mulder muttered, "Refer to my previous statement." "I got lucky. Call it fate. I do these visualization exercises, too--" "Really?" Mulder munched. "Mulder..." Scully hissed. Scully let out an exasperated sigh. "Look, I don't see how we can help--" "I'm going to get fat! I cannot stop eating..." Candi reached for the popcorn. "Got any butter?" Mulder offered, "Margarine work?" Candi's face soured at the suggestion. Mulder shrugged apologetically. "S'Okay," Candi whined in a small voice. The effect was adorable, but Scully ignored the exchange and insisted, "There are weight loss programs--" "How am I supposed to land modeling jobs? How am I supposed to support myself when I weigh a thousand pounds?" "I am sorry that--" "I killed my best friend. Now I have no one. This thing is ruining my life!" Scully began again, "You keep saying you killed her, but if you really believe that-and if anyone found evidence of that fact... Do you understand that you might go to prison? Not that this case could ever come close to making it to trial, but--" "I don't care about that. I'm handing you the answer. You can solve this case. Just drag the river. I'll show you the pier--" "It's not that simple. We need evidence to justify ordering that sort of--" "I need to be a hero. Heroes can be 'morbidly obese' and they'll still get invited to do talk shows. From there, I might be able to land a local cable show. Hey, I might even interview you guys." Candi gestured to Mulder, who piped up, "That'd be cool." "I need this. Laurie's parents need closure." Scully shook her head slowly, "But this is really up to the Nypd-" "--And I need a cable show!" Silence permeated the apartment for the uncomfortable duration of another dramatic pause. Momentarily, Mulder began munching again. Scully excused herself to check on Will. Let Mulder handle the nut case drama queen. His interest in her was waning, anyway. The cogs of his brain were turning over the mysterious aspects of the case, while Scully could not shake the disgust that a sociopath had entered her home under the guise of potential caregiver for her son. She just wanted Candi Bart gone. And Mulder was not cooperating. Interrupting the shuffling and rustling of the munchies Candi continued to enjoy, someone knocked at the door. Scully leapt with a mixture of relief and alarm. She addressed Candi hurriedly, "We'll see what we can do. We'll talk it over and call you. Is that your real number?" Scully motioned to the resume. Candi nodded and stood up, smoothing her pink mini skirt, which had left a dusting of angora fuzz on the chair. "Thanks, you guys," she squeaked hopefully, offering a hand to Mulder and gazing one last time into his expressive eyes. "Alright," Scully answered politely, hoping to affect a finality in her tone. She sounded like her mother, she thought. Authoritarian as a warning bell, yet warm and unduly friendly. Opening the door, Scully closed her eyes, thankful for the deliverance of Reyes' presence in the doorway. Reyes shot her a quizzical look, as Scully motioned her inside. Impulsively, Reyes reached for Candi's hand, holding it affectionately for a moment, beaming in her sunny way, "Hello," Reyes spoke at last. "Um, hello, I was just leaving," Candi retracted her hand, staring at Reyes with a slightly pinched expression as she backed out of the apartment. Scully groaned in relief. "She's a friend of yours?" Reyes inquired. "The agency sent her over," Scully threw up a hand in apathy. She waved away further explanation, exasperated. "Oh, she get the job?" Reyes giggled. "No, I don't think so," Mulder answered definitively. "Oh, too bad. Did she tell you when she's due?" Reyes asked earnestly. Mulder and Scully exchanged puzzled looks. Then Scully succumbed to a satisfied smirk. "No, I don't think so," Mulder stated obliquely. A few days later, as Mulder lounged at the breakfast table, Will in the crook of his arm, the newspaper before him, Scully poured him another cup of orange juice, then paused. "Oh, guess who called me at the office yesterday?" "Hmmm?" Mulder looked up and tucked his finger playfully into her suit pocket. Scully took his hand and gazed into his eyes, batting her own, "Candi Bart. Turns out Reyes was right. She's due in April. Case closed." Scully's lip turned up slightly as she smiled. Mulder's eyes went soft with adoration. "She's naming the baby after Laurie--Laurie or Lawrence," Scully continued, "And she's gained 10 more pounds. She's actually happy about it, now that she knows she's eating for two. Apparently, Laurie was like a mother to Candi and Candi's finally ready to follow Laurie's example. Whatever that means." "Means this is going to be one huge baby!" Mulder quipped. "Well, I took pity on her and invited her to dinner Tuesday night. Reyes was intrigued by Candi's story and wants to bring over a casserole and join us." "Better tell her to super-size it," Mulder replied in his trademark monotone, then kissed Will's bald spot, breathing his sweet cornbread baby smell, and returned to reading the paper. A moment later, he exclaimed, "Well, break out the scalpel, Scully." "Why, what--?" "The body of Laurie Selden was found in the East River last evening." "No friggin' way..." "Cause of death still unknown, but presumed an accidental drowning." Mulder paused. "You think maybe Laurie knew about the baby? Maybe she was having the morning sickness for Candi... Maybe she made the ultimate sacrifice of motherhood. By some twist of fate--or shamanism--the circle is completed with the baby: Now that the sin of gluttony is paid in full through Laurie's death, Candi can enjoy a normal pregnancy complete with baby fat, maternity mini skirts and sweater sets with nursing slits." Scully rolled her eyes. "Mulder, can you get through one day without mentioning nursing clothing?" "No." His fingers brushed her blouse roguishly. Will grunted and chewed on his fist. " --And this is an X-File after all." Mulder licked a bit of orange pulp from his upper lip. "Mulder, I don't think..." Mulder grinned impishly at Scully. "Oh, alright. I'll check it out. You're just not happy unless I'm slicing and dicing!" Scully grumbled, as she dissected a grapefruit with an emphatic whack of the butcher knife. Mulder smiled contentedly, turning his attention to Will, and sang in a child-like voice reserved especially for his son--a voice that turned both Will and Scully to mush--"If we can't go to The X-Files, The X-Files will come to us." END reyesfan@auburnished.com
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