Title: Beauty X
Author: Lone Gunwoman #6
Category: Beauty and the Beast/X-Files crossover
Written: 14 August 1995
Disclaimer: The X-Files and the characters of Mulder and Scully are the property of the Brilliant Chris Carter, Fox Broadcasting and Ten Thirteen Productions. No Copyright infringement intended. All characters and references to Beauty and The Beast belong to Ron Koslow, and Republican Pictures.

Summary: Mulder and Scully investigate some mysterious slasher killings occurring in New York.

I got this idea of an X-Files/Beauty and The Beast crossover. I hear it's been done, but I just couldn't help myself. BTW, I have never been to New York (or Washington DC) so forgive any messes I make. PLEASE! This story has mild language, but nothing you haven't heard before.


August 7, 1995
J. Edgar Hoover Building; Basement
8:00 a.m.

"Morning Mulder," Agent Dana Scully said as she walked into the basement office early one Monday morning. It was another hot day in August, and even though it was only 8:00 in the morning, Scully's glance at her partner told her he had been there for a while. He had that droopy, wilted look about him, but where anyone else would be short tempered in this kind of heat, Agent Fox Mulder was still mild, and easy going.

"Scully, what are your views on The Lost City of Atlantis?"

Scully, on her way to her computer stopped and looked at him. "I haven't even had a cup of coffee yet today," she said rolling her eyes to the ceiling.

"It's too hot for coffee, and besides, I've noticed you get rather uptight when you have too much caffeine."

"Why are we having this discussion first thing on a Monday morning?"

"You can't have a discussion if the other person won't answer your questions," Mulder grumbled good naturedly.

Scully plopped down into her chair and glared at him. "The Lost City of Atlantis... I know practically nothing about it, but I think I keep getting it confused with King Neptune, and all those mermaids. Why?"

"Just curious," Mulder grinned. Scully looked around for something to throw. Mulder stood and headed for the door.

"Where are you going now?" Scully asked.

"Skinner called just before you got here, looks like we have a new case."

"An X-File? Does it have anything to do with underwater islands?" Scully asked swivelling to face him in her chair.

"Don't know yet," Mulder said walking out the door, then stuck his head back in, "But I wouldn't break out the bathing suit just yet."

Scully shook her head, and got to work.


Mulder was gone for most of the morning, and Scully was beginning to think that he had gone to rent scuba equipment when he walked back into the office just before lunch carrying a big stack of files.

"Our paper work coming back to haunt us?" Scully quipped.

Mulder with uncharacteristic care set the files in his chair, but before Scully could wonder at his unusual display of gentleness, he started shoving things off his desk to make room for the new stack.

"Mulder, you're building a fire hazard," she said watching paper trickle to the floor.

"What do you think of New York?" He asked her.

"It's not as nice as DC in August. Is that what this is all about?" She gestured to the mess he was making.

"What we have here," he said transferring the files from his chair to his now surprisingly clear desk, "is a series of unsolved homicide cases occurring in New York City over the last nine years, with the most recent last night. The frequency in the killings have decreased in the last three years, but each victim dies in the same manner."

"What's so special about them that they need *our* talents?" Scully asked dryly. Mulder handed her the most recent autopsy report and a crime scene photo.

Scully hated it when he was so cloak and dagger, and for immediate answers looked at the photo. It looked, at first glance, that the victims were manipulated by a razor blade, but as she skimmed the autopsy report, she quirked an eyebrow in disbelief. "Mauled by a lion?" She looked at Mulder who was watching her intently. "Do I even dare to ask what you think did this?"

"Let's just say that I have no opinion at the moment, what do you think?"

"Well from what little you've told me, I would say some one with an interesting array of weaponry. Kinda like Freddy Krugar's glove. Animals don't usually turn into serial killers."

"Read the autopsy report again," he told her.

"I didn't read it the first time, just glanced through it," she said, silently cursing his eidetic memory.

"Hair, that appears more animal than human were found *in* the wounds, claw marks on the bones, torn flesh, heavy bruising and bleeding. Okay, nine years, and... about twenty files," she said sizing up the pile, "what's the connection?"

"I thought you would never ask that!"

"Mulder," Scully said totally exasperated with him and reaching for her gun, "I am going to shoot you if you don't start talking and don't stop until you tell me everything about this case."

"Alright, alright," Mulder said getting serious for the first time that Scully knew of that morning. He folded his six foot four frame into the chair behind his desk, pulled out a pad with hand written notes on it and swiveled to face her. "All the victims were male, most with long ugly records. The fact that they were all male, the wounds inflicted on them, and they were all criminals, are the three consistent facts in each case." Mulder looked at Scully, her brow was furrowed in concentration. He continued. "This morning as I went through each file, and ran a check through the computer at Quantico, one name came up several times, maybe not enough for the police to make a connection..."

"But more than once is enough for Agent Mulder," Scully smiled at her partner. "Who's name?"

"Catherine Chandler. She was an attorney with the DA's office."

"Was?"

"She died five years ago. The fact's surrounding her death were unusual. The woman get's kidnapped, and is missing for six months. Then she reappears in her apartment, dead, but was killed somewhere else. Her apartment was on the seventeenth floor, but on one saw or heard any thing."

"New York hasn't changed much," Scully muttered to herself.

"That's just the thing, there's a doorman, and elevator operator, it was a high security building, and no one saw a thing." Mulder was quiet for a minute, lost in thought. "The autopsy showed that she gave birth just before she died. It appears that whoever kidnapped her kept her alive long enough to keep the baby, then killed her. Cause of death was listed as an overdose of morphine."

"Was that case ever solved?" Scully asked feeling sympathy for this woman.

"Sort of; the Detective in charge of the investigation into her death was Diana Bennett." Mulder's mood brightened a little as he related to Scully what he had learned of this woman. "Detective Bennett is with Unit 210, Special Crimes of the NYPD. She only ever works one case at a time, she has a special gift for getting her cases solved. It seems that she is able to get into the minds of her suspects, and understand how they think. She has a high success rate. She was brought onto the case by then Deputy DA Joe Maxwell, who was on suspension. It appears he was too close to act objectively."

"Was the case ever solved?" Scully said again a little more sharply than she intended. Her brow furrowed again in confusion, not understanding the unidentified emotion she was feeling.

Mulder looked over at her quickly, then continued. "The kidnapper/murderer was a man named Gabriel. He was found dead in the nursery of his home, cause of death: a gunshot wound to his chest. He also had three deep gashes on the left side of his face. Diana Bennett pulled the trigger. These killings stopped in October of 1989, but began occurring over a year later once in a while. Again no pattern, especially with Catherine Chandler dead. But now the name that ties some of them together is Diana Bennett."

"The plot thickens," Scully quipped. "So now it's on to New York?"

"We leave at six tonight."


August 8, 1995
Whittaker Inn; 9:12 a.m.

"You have a couple of choices on what you want to do first, we can see Bennett or Maxwell. For some reason the body is unavailable for autopsy until tomorrow." Mulder said the next morning after they had breakfast in the hotel coffee shop, and were strolling back through the lobby.

"Why Maxwell?" Scully asked.

"Didn't you do your homework Scully?" Mulder teased.

"Well if you weren't in such a damn hurry to get here, maybe I would have had time to go through all the files plus do a background check on all the people involved," she snapped.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think of that, or I would have given you my notes," he said beginning to be very concerned.

"I can't read you handwriting anyway," she said with a small smile, and giving herself a mental shake. Snap out of it Scully, you have a job to do.

"Joe Maxwell is now the District Attorney, the former one, John Marino, was killed by our unknown assailant, during the investigation of the Chandler case. It seems that he was dirty and on Gabriel's payroll."

"Then let's go see Joe Maxwell," Scully said as they got to their rental car.


DA's Office
9:48 a.m.

"I'm Special Agent Scully, and this is Special Agent Mulder, we're with the FBI."

"Have a seat," he said after they flashed him their credentials. Joe Maxwell was in his thirties, with curly dark brown hair and a usually friendly face. "What can I do for you?"

"We understand that there have been a series of killings over the past nine years that have gone unsolved. There have been more than twenty deaths," Scully stated.

Joe frowned, "So why are you here instead of at the police station?"

"We were there yesterday after we flew in," Scully said. " The reason we're here is because over a third of these cases were tied to a former employee of this office. Catherine Chandler." Mulder let his partner do the talking.

Joe's frown deepened and his grip on his pen tightened visibly. It was still hard for him to think about Cathy, and what happened. "Catherine Chandler died six years ago."

"We know that," Mulder put in, "but the killings started eight months after Ms. Chandler started working of this office, you were her boss then. John Marino's death was also linked to the killer and Ms. Chandler's death."

"I remember what happened," Joe snapped, he took a minute to calm himself down. "So why bring all this up again? Now?"

"That many deaths, all with the same MO, is usually classified as a serial killer," Scully said. "The most recent killing occurred two days ago, that and the fact that they have gone unsolved for so long caught the Bureau's attention."

"We intend to talk with Diana Bennett," Mulder said when Joe gave no response. This got a small reaction.

"She solved Cathy's murder," Joe said quietly.

"Mostly," Scully said. She had read the file on Catherine Chandler carefully, and was moved by how hard the last ten years of her life had been. "That case got pretty messy."

"I remember," Joe said again. "But unless you have some specific questions for me I don't see how I can help you."

"Do you know who has been committing these murders?" Mulder asked.

"If I did, he would be in jail," Joe said. He suddenly had a very bad headache.

"We have reason to believe that Ms. Chandler knew who the killer was," Mulder said. "If you think of anything that might help, call us." He handed Joe a card with the hotel name and number as well as their cel phone numbers.

"Well that was a bust," Mulder said once they were back in their rental car, and on their way to see Diana Bennett.

Scully remained silent staring absently out the window.

"Is there something about this case that bothers you?" Mulder asked finally.

Scully looked at him startled, "What? Oh, you mean besides the obvious?"

"You just seem to be acting funny," Mulder shrugged.

"I'm fine."

Mulder let it drop and they drove the rest of the way to Detective Bennett's loft in silence.


Diana buzzed the two FBI agents in, and waited impatiently for the elevator to reach the fifth floor. The elevator opened directly into her living room, but that was what a *loft* was, one room with some cleverly constructed walls to enclose her bedroom.


Mulder pulled one of the gates of the freight elevator open and the other one was opened by who he assumed was Diana Bennett. She was a beautiful woman with long red hair, ivory skin, and large blue eyes. She was of medium build, and came up to his chin. Mulder was staring. He pulled his identification out of his pocket and flashed it for her.

"I'm Special Agent Mulder, and this," he stepped aside is Special Agent Scully. We'd like to talk to you about some apparent serial murders, may we come in?"

Diana had compressed her lips into a thin line, then relaxed as she stepped aside to let the two agents off the lift. "Now why would you want to talk to me about it?" She asked leading the way to the couch and motioning for them to sit. She curled up in a chair across from them. "I haven't investigated any of those cases."

Scully looked discreetly around the loft while her partner laid out the facts that they had gathered. The area that interested her the most was where Detective Bennett's computer was located. There was a computer desk with papers stacked haphazardly, and a set of curtains drawn closed on a wall, that obviously had no window behind it. When Mulder said she had a special relationship with the police station, he wasn't kidding, it looked like she worked out of her home. She tuned back into what Mulder was saying.

"...so since you headed up the investigation of Ms. Chandler's death, we were hoping you could help us catch this monster."

Scully glanced at him quickly, was he actually asking her to join them in their investigation? Indignation welled up in her.

"Agent Mulder, when I conclude an investigation, I do my best to completely separate myself from the trauma. If I don't I'll go crazy. This is a lesson that I learned very early on in my career. To be frank, I don't remember much about that case. It happened a long time ago, and I have my hands full with another investigation right now, and the clock is counting down on it."

"Several people died in the course of your investigation of Catherine's death, directly linked to the murderer," Scully said. "Didn't you check that out?"

"The person who killed those men, was not the man--Gabriel, who kidnapped and killed Cathy Chandler. It wasn't my case, so no I didn't 'check it out'," Diana kept her voice even, but her gut was clenching in something she refused to call fear. She suspected that there was something different about the way these two agents worked, but had no idea what it was.

"Through our research, we found out that a few of your cases ended in the deaths of your suspects, all killed in the same manner. Like they were mauled by a lion," Scully said gauging her reaction.

"And you think this was done by the same person?"

"Quite a coincidence, wouldn't you say?" She pressed.

"You don't seem to understand how it is that I work. I take on one case at a time. Once I lose my suspect, for me the case is over. It gets handed over to someone else should something happen to that suspect. After that I have no more contact with that case, I move on." Diana realized that she was beginning to lose her composure. "I don't mean to be rude or uncooperative, but a little girl is depending on me to find her, so if we're finished here, I should get back to work."

Oh oh, Scully thought.

"How old is she?" Mulder asked, his face losing a little of its color.

"Nine years old," Diana said standing up, and I'm losing time just sitting here."

"If you think of anything that might help us, give us a call," Scully said handing her a card. "We'll be in New York for a while it looks."


Once the FBI agents were gone, Diana scribbled a note and left her loft. Several blocks away she donated some cash to a street player as she passed by. There was some white paper sticking out of the folded bill she dropped in the case.


Whittaker Inn
12:30 p.m.

"Well this case is going no where fast." Scully collapsed dejectedly into the only chair of her small hotel room. "So what do you think of your Detective Bennett now?"

"What do you mean *my* Detective Bennett?" Mulder looked at her, then his face lit up. "Are you *jealous*?"

"Jealous of what?" Scully asked, the color creeping up in her face. "My *partner* admiring some pretty detective, who isn't completely honest with us?"

"I thought she was really beauti..." he trailed off seeing storm clouds begin to form over Scully's head. "She was okay, if you like that big eyed red headed type. I hear they have awesome tempers."

"Just keep digging that grave Mulder," Scully warned as the phone began to ring. She snapped it up, "Scully."

"Agent Scully, this is Joe Maxwell."

"Mr. Maxwell, what can I do for you?"

"For starters, you can call me Joe, but the reason I'm calling is an old friend of Cathy's; uh Ms. Chandler's, stopped in to see me today. Funny isn't it? I hadn't seen her in months, anyway, I thought maybe you would want to talk to her. Her name is Jenny Arinson."

Scully grabbed a pen and wrote down Jenny's name and phone number. "Thank you Joe, you saved me alot of digging. I'll be in touch." She hung up the phone, and looked at Mulder.

"What. Is he sending a backhoe?"

She resisted the urge to whip the pen at him. "No, he just gave us our first lead of the day. An old friend of Catherine's. She might be able to tell us something."

"Why don't you go see her," Mulder said.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to check with the officers that Diana's cases were passed to."

Scully made arrangements to meet with Jenny that afternoon in her office. She flashed the secretary her credentials upon arrival at the book publishing firm where Jenny worked. Jenny came out to meet her. She was a petite, fragile looking woman with fine features, and stylish, short brown hair.

"Agent Scully," she shook Dana's hand, "we can talk in my office."

Once they were seated Scully began what she was starting to think of as a standard disclaimer. "Is there anything you can tell me that might link Catherine with this person?"

"God, I can't believe that Cathy even knew such a horrible person." Jenny said shaking her head.

"Well there are some unusual contributing factors. We have reason to believe that Ms. Chandler knew this person, and he never harmed her."

Scully consulted her notes. "Did you know that just before Catherine died, she gave birth to a child?"

Jenny nodded sadly, "Joe told me. Why do you ask?"

"Well whoever killed her apparently kept her alive long enough to get the baby. The logical assumption would be the father, do you know who he was?"

"Cathy was seeing a man for about the last two years of her life," Jenny's face was a mask of concentration, "I never met him, but I think his name was... Vincent. Yes that was it."

"No last name?" Scully asked.

"I don't remember one, didn't Joe mention him to you?"

"No he didn't, do you know where I could find Vincent?" Scully asked, writing his name down.

"I don't know, like I said, I never met him, you might try Joe again."

"I will, thank you Ms. Arinson, you've been very helpful."

Scully checked her watch, if she hurried she should be able to catch Joe Maxwell before he left his office.


Scully rapped on his office door. "Come in," Joe barked.

"Working late?" She asked as she walked in.

"Agent Scully, long time no see."

Scully winced at the old cliché and smiled slightly. "I spoke with Ms. Arinson, and she mentioned a name, I thought I would run it by you. Did you know a man Catherine was seeing, his name was Vincent." Scully stopped when she saw the flash of pain in his eyes. It looked like he felt more than friendship towards his former co-worker. An annoying thought started to nag its way into her brain, but she pushed it away.

"I remember this Vincent."

"Do you know where I can find him?"

"No one does."

"Excuse me?"

"When Cathy died, Diana was looking for Vincent, she had this wild theory for a time that he was her protector, and some how knew when she was in trouble and would come to rescue her." He gave a bitter laugh, "If that were true, then she would still be alive today, as far as I know, no one ever found him."

"Thanks again Joe," Scully said heading out the door once again. "Oh, one question, did they ever find her baby?"

"No," Joe said softly, "Gabriel was dead in the nursery, but it was empty."

Scully nodded and left quietly leaving Joe to his thoughts.


Central Park
10:50 p.m.

It was dark by the time Diana made her way down through Central Park, into the drainage tunnel. He was waiting for her.

"Your note said it was urgent," a deep smooth voice said quietly.

"I had a visit today from two FBI agents, they are looking into some unusual deaths that have occurred in the city over the last ten years," Diana said with carefully chosen words.

She didn't have to elaborate, he knew what she was talking about. "Why now?" He asked moving deeper into the shadows.

"Probably because of the last time you saved my life. It made the papers, even though I tried to keep it out. It caught someone's attention. I'm worried Vincent," she said sighing heavily. "This on top of Sandy Cooper's kidnapping is almost too much."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" He asked, his deep voice rumbling in his chest.

Diana smiled warmly at him, "I think you had better keep a low profile until they leave for DC. There's something different about these two, I don't know what, but I don't want to take any chances with yours or Jacob's safety."

At the mention of his son, Vincent stood a little taller, "How much do they know?"

"Nothing about you as far as I know, I did my best with the files six years ago, but..." she didn't want to continue, but he must know what was happening if he was to stay safe. "They are talking to everybody. Someone might remember your name."

Vincent put his hand on her shoulder for reassurance, the moonlight glinting off some very lethal looking nails. Diana covered it with her own. "How is Jacob?"

Vincent smiled, knowing there was nothing else she could tell him or do for him for the time being, "He's fine, and rowdy as any six-year-old. He keeps asking for his Diana."

She smiled, "Tell him I'll be down to see him as soon as I can get away. I'd better go, I'll be in touch as soon as I know anything more." Diana gave his hand a squeeze, and swiftly made her way out of the tunnel back to the park.

"Don't you know it's dangerous to walk in Central Park after dark?"

Diana spun around her hand automatically drawing her gun.

"Woah," Mulder raised his hands.

"I guess no one told you not to sneak up on people in Central Park," Diana said holstering her gun. "A little late for a stroll isn't it?"

"I could say the same of you," Mulder said barely containing his curiosity. He had followed Diana into the park from three blocks away, where he was waiting outside her apartment, but lost her when she cut through the park, but after a few minutes of unsuccessful speculating, she had reappeared. A movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, but when he looked at it, there wasn't anything there. "An illicit tryst? A secret rendezvous?"

Diana's insides churned at his very close guesses, but managed to maintain her outward calm. "Where is your partner Agent Mulder?"

Mulder smiled dryly at her refusal to tell him what she had been doing. "Oh she's chasing down a useless lead or two." He fell in step with her as she headed back to her apartment.

"Isn't your hotel on the other side of town Agent?" Diana asked. To anyone who didn't know her, that statement would come across as rude, but Diana was blunt by nature.

"I just wanted to ask you a couple more questions," Mulder smiled his best smile for her.

"It's late, and I'm exhausted, you have my number, call me tomorrow," Diana snapped feeling a twinge of regret as Mulder's smile immediately disappeared. "I'm sorry, it's just been a very long day."

"I understand. If you promise to stay out of the park, I'll leave you alone until tomorrow."

Diana feeling very jumpy, nodded and practically ran home.


Whittaker Inn
11:25 p.m.

Mulder knocked softly at Scully's hotel room door, not wanting to wake her up if she was asleep. He heard movement inside, and the door jerked open.

"Where were you?" She snapped. "How long does it take to check with a couple of officers?" She looked at his surprised face and turned away, walking towards the bed and sitting down. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm just tired."

"I should have left a message for you at the desk, I know how worried we get about each other on cases like this." He closed the door quietly, thinking about how many times bad things have happened to them when they had been separated.

Scully nodded, and went to the table that had her laptop on it along with her notes. "I talked to Jenny Arinson, she told me that Catherine was seeing a man named Vincent for the last two years of her life. I also talked to Joe Maxwell again, he said that Diana Bennett had this theory about Vincent, that he was her protector, and knew when she was in trouble. Funny that she never mentioned this man."

"Well we never asked her about Ms. Chandler's personal life," Mulder felt a need to defend her some how.

Scully ignored him, "We should talk to her again tomorrow. I have this feeling that if we find Vincent, we find our killer."

"What's that, woman's intuition?" Mulder grinned.

Scully glared at him, "I don't knock your hunches." Mulder snorted in disbelief. "That often," she amended.

"I keep getting the impression that you think Diana's the bad guy in all this," Mulder said.

"Why are you so sure she isn't?" Scully challenged.

"My form of woman's intuition?"

Scully smiled, "Go to bed, I'll see you in the morning."


Scully and Mulder had to split up once again. The body was finally available for autopsy, and Detective Bennett was only available for questions that morning. Scully had won the coin toss and was on her way to the coroner's office in their rental car, and Mulder was meeting Bennett via taxi.

On the sidewalk in front of Detective Bennett's, Mulder was late, he was looking up at the building, and was brought back to reality in a hurry as someone crashed into him. He instinctively grabbed ahold of the person, and looked at them.

"Detective Bennett, where are you going in such a rush?"

Diana's head flew back to look up at Mulder's face. She was distracted by his close proximity, and iron grip on her arms supporting her so she wouldn't fall from the force of the collision. "Agent Mulder," she said as she regained her balance, and stepped away from him. Mulder released her arms. "I tried to reach you at your hotel, but you had already left."

"What for?"

"I have to go, I got a lead on my suspect."

"I'll go with you," Mulder said.

"That won't be necessary Agent," Diana said walking past him to her car. "I'll be meeting my back up at the scene."

"We can talk in the car on the way," Mulder said ignoring her.

"Agent Mulder, I don't need this right now. I have to leave, and I have to concentrate, without you distracting me with questions."

"I won't say a word until you're done," Mulder promised.

Annoyed with his persistence, Diana relented, if only to get on with things. "Get in the car."

They drove with flashing lights and much speed through the traffic out of the city. Mulder was glad he didn't have to maneuver the car through the heavy traffic. Diana did it expertly.

"You can relax now," she said once they were away from most of the traffic.

"I'm fine," Mulder lied.

"Yeah? Well try to pry your fingers loose from the dash board," she gestured to his white knuckled grip. He smiled dryly, and relaxed visibly against the seat. "Where are we going anyway?"

"There's an old abandoned warehouse a few miles out of the city, I believe that's where my suspect is holding the victim." At least I hope he is still holding her, she added silently, and pressed a little harder on the gas.

Diana turned off her police light way before she approached the warehouse.

"Look's like we beat everyone here," Mulder said.

"Damn it!" Diana sat for a moment. "I can't wait for them, time is of the essence here." She got out of the car; Mulder followed.

Drawing her gun, she looked at Mulder. "Do me a favour Agent, tell my back up that I'm going to check things out."

"You're not going in there alone," he said.

"I never said I was going in."

"You didn't have to. I'm going with you." Diana opened her mouth to argue. "Time is of the essence; remember?" He said drawing his own gun.

Tight lipped Diana led the way.


August 9, 1995
ME's office

Scully stripped off her gloves and gown, rotating her stiff neck. She had finally finished the post mortem on the victim, and was glad. She had never seen anything quite like this before. She had sent the samples to the lab, and wouldn't have the results at the earliest tonight, but more realistically tomorrow.

"Agent Scully."

Dana turned to see one of the young male trainee's approaching her. She kept her irritation to herself, the only thing she wanted to do was get out of there. But some how, she got roped into letting trainees observe her preforming the autopsy.

"I just wanted to thank you for letting us watch today. It was a real treat to see a pro in action."

Scully just managed to refrain from rolling her eyes, she wasn't in the mood to be hit on by someone so obvious. "Surely that wasn't the first time you have attended an autopsy, I'm sure your professor would concur," she said glancing over his shoulder to Dr. Evers who was coming up behind his student. He was a tall man in his early forties with fashionably cut light brown hair, and a commanding presence.

"Yes, well our prof is hardly as lovely to watch as you," he oozed and offered his hand to her, "we haven't been properly introduced, Jay Lament."

"Dr. Evers clamped a strong hand on his shoulder, "Well next time I'll be sure to wear my best lab coat just for you. Now stop bothering Agent Scully and find the rest of you classmates," he instructed.

Jay slunk off as Scully smiled at Dr. Evers, "Thanks," she said as they walked to the front desk.

"Actually I wanted to talk you for letting my class observe, I realize you're in the middle of an investigation."

"It was no problem," she said politely as they arrived at the front desk, and she inquired about her messages.

"No Agent Scully, there aren't any messages for you."

"Are you sure?" She asked, Mulder should have had something to report by now.

"Positive," the receptionist gave her a *look*.

"Were you expecting a call?" Evers asked as Scully grabbed her cellular and punched Mulder's number.

"My partner," she said absently listening to the phone ring.

Scully paced a little waiting for Mulder to pick up. When she received no answer she dialed the police station. "This is Agent Scully, I'm trying to locate Agent Mulder, has anyone seen him?" She turned her back on Evers as she listened to the officer on the other end of the line. "He's WHAT? Where?" She listened for a moment, "With no back up? Shit! I'm on my way," she started for the door.

"Do you need a ride Agent?" Dr. Evers called after her.

She stopped abruptly, and turned to face him, "No, I have a car, I have to go," and kill my partner, she added silently, and practically ran for her car.


Three miles outside New York City
11:45 a.m.

Mulder and Diana circled the warehouse from a distance first, they found a car parked behind it away from the main road. "Looks like somebody's home," Mulder remarked.

"I need to get closer," Diana said.

"You mean *we*."

"One is less conspicuous," she argued.

"Is there a specific reason you don't want me with you?" Mulder queried.

Diana clenched her jaw in frustration. She didn't expect to see Vincent here, but half the time he appeared out of no where, and it was a chance she didn't want to take. "Someone has to wait for the backup," she said, desperately grasping at straws.

"They'll know where to look," he said staring her down.

"Let's go," she said tightly.

Staying low, they sprinted across the open area to the door of the warehouse. "You going to tell me what this guy looks like so I don't shoot the wrong person?" Mulder asked checking his clip. He knew they were going in, even though she hadn't said anything about it yet.

Diana gave him a swift description of the suspect while checking her own gun.

"How do you want to do this?" Mulder asked in a low voice, thinking for a moment about Scully, and how easy this always was with her, and their unspoken communication, and also realizing with a pang of guilt, that he hadn't called her to let her know what was happening.

"We go in quiet, I don't want to scare him into harming the girl." If he hasn't already, she added silently. After finding the door locked, no surprise there, she set to work picking it.

"I see you've had a squeaky clean childhood," Mulder quipped.

Diana couldn't help the smile as she heard the tumbler click. "Ready?"

Mulder nodded, she went in first.


A Freeway
11:30 a.m.

Scully was thanking God that she had spent a period of time in New York as a teenager, and therefore was able to plot out the fastest route to get to where Mulder and Detective Bennett were. They had no back up, and none was forthcoming since that demonstration got out of hand across the city; except for her. Rush hour was over and that she was managing to weave in and out of the light traffic on the freeway at a very scary speed. Of course there's never a cop around when you need one.


Twenty minutes later she pulled up behind Diana's car and jumped out. She scanned the area searching for Mulder, so frustrated that she wanted to stamp her foot like a little kid. She jogged over to the warehouse trying to estimate where they might have gone in. There was a door wide open on one side of the building, she headed for that one. When she heard a gunshot, and a roar and snarling come from inside she broke into a dead run, drawing her gun.

She skidded to a halt in the middle of the room, seeing everything at once. The main floor was open, with a metal staircase going up the catwalk on the second floor. With no equipment to clutter up the ground floor, the place seemed enormous. Off to one side she saw Mulder and Diana laid out on the floor, Mulder was unconscious, and Diana was just coming to. The roar came from the large *man* with long red blond hair, and a black cloak and hood dangling down his back that was just breaking the neck of the last thug.

"Freeze, FBI!" Scully yelled in that voice that demands attention. The man with the long hair dropped the body, and spun towards her, taking a step in her direction. Scully cocked her gun. Her eyes narrowing as she tried to distinguish facial features through his mane of hair that was obscuring it.

"Don't shoot him!" Diana cried.

Vincent's step faltered as he stared at the tiny red head pointing a gun at him. An image of another woman flashed through his mind as he fell to his knees, head bowed, effectively hiding his face once again.

Diana scrambled over to him, "Vincent, you've been shot."

Scully holstered her gun and ran over to the three of them, the doctor in her taking over. She checked Mulder first who was coming around. While Scully helped Mulder into a sitting position, Diana drew Vincent's hood over his head again realizing that Scully hadn't gotten a good look at his face.

Scully decided that Mulder appeared only to have a knock to the head. She moved to Vincent a little uncertainly to check him. "Where have you been shot?" She asked as he tried to move away from her.

"It's okay, I'm a doctor." She looked at Diana who had fear written all over her face. "Where's the girl?" Scully asked.

"Locked upstairs in one of the offices," Diana managed..

"Go and get her out while I check him. Mulder call an ambulance," she ordered as he got unsteadily to his feet.

Shaking her head, and muttering something about amateur night, she pushed Vincent's cloak open, and saw blood coming from a shoulder wound.

"My cel's dead," Mulder announced.

"Get mine it's in the car."

"No ambulance," Vincent rumbled, stopping Mulder in his tracks.

Scully ignored him, intent on checking the wound. "Clean penetration," she probed gently, "it doesn't look like it hit the bone, but I can't tell if it damaged the muscle and tendons."

Vincent grabbed her arm in an iron grip and said more forcefully "No ambulance."

Scully's eyes were fixed on the fur covered, bloodied hand on her arm. Her eyes flew to his face, which was more visible without the hair covering it, and his hood fell back when he grabbed her. Her mouth dropped open as she looked at the catlike features of his face, with very human eyes staring back at her. Pain and panic flickered in his eyes, then died out.

Scully sat staring for a full minute at him, a mix of emotions flooding through her before she recovered her cool FBI exterior.

"I'm sure the girl will need one, if Diana ever goes to check her out," Scully said a little shakily, looking pointedly at Diana.

She nodded convinced that they weren't going to kill Vincent, but refused to leave to check the girl, knowing that once she did there would be no getting away from her to talk to the agents or Vincent alone. "What are you going to do?"

"Bind up the wound, if you'll get my bag out of the car."

"I'll be right back," she said touching Vincent's good shoulder before sprinting out.

"He saved our lives," Mulder said from his position behind Scully.

Scully studied Vincent's face, a million thoughts whirling through her head. She had so many questions and so little time. "You didn't shoot him in thanks did you Mulder?" She asked trying to put Vincent at ease so he wouldn't bolt.

"No, that would be one of those other guys."

"I should go. My Father can take care of my shoulder."

"If you loose much more blood, you won't make it back to your... *father*," Scully told him quietly as Diana returned with her medical bag.

"He needs to be gone before the ambulance gets here. I called from the car. You have twenty minutes Agent Scully. There's an office though there, with a back door that Vincent can leave by. I have to go to Sandy."

Scully looked at Mulder using their silent communication; he reluctantly followed Diana up the stairs. "Can you walk to the office?" she asked Vincent.

He got to his feet, towering over Scully. She led him to the office thinking if he couldn't walk the only use she would be to him is as a cane with his hand on her head.

He perched on the desk that was there. "Maybe you should sit in the chair, I can't quite reach..."

Vincent smiled for the first time, softening his features, and moved to the chair. Scully unfastened his cloak. "Can you take your shirt off?"

"Better not, just cut it open enough to give you access to the wound."

"Alright," Scully got to work. "What are we going to write in our report? Skinner would never believe the truth," she muttered thinking out loud.

Vincent smirked at her tone, "Who's Skinner?"

Scully smiled, "He's our boss. I have so many questions for you." She said deciding on the direct approach.

"Why, if you aren't going to tell your boss the truth..."

"I'm sure Diana can think of something, she's used to this."

"I didn't mean to get her into trouble, I was just trying to help. It seems every time I do someone dies," he said bitterly.

"Agent Mulder and I came here to investigate..."

"Me?"

"I guess so. We specialize in unusual phenomenon. Many of these cases were linked to Catherine Chandler." Vincent flinched as though she hit him. "You were in love with her?" She asked softly.

"Yes," he whispered.

It was apparent to Scully that he still was. "Then it was your child?"

Vincent stared at her, his eyes bright with the pain and memories, and a little bit of awe of the woman fixing his wound. "Yes," he whispered again.

"What happened to it?" She asked as she tied off the stitches and began to bandage his shoulder.

Vincent searched her face, but seeing only caring and compassion there (along with al ot of questions), he decided to answer her. "His name is Jacob, and he is six years old now." Vincent was rewarded with one of Scully's delighted smiles. He couldn't help but smile back. "What's your name?"

She looked surprised for a minute. "Scul... oh, Dana."

"You remind me of her. You have beauty and a strong spirit like she did."

Scully blushed a little as she finished tying off the bandage. "I'm afraid I got a little involved in this case; a thing I am always reminding my partner not to do. The things that she went through," she shook her head. "No one should have to go through that."

"And to ensure that, you became a doctor and an FBI agent."

Scully looked at him with wonder in her eyes at how perceptive he was. "How is it that you were able to save her life and Diana's so many times?"

"Catherine and I had a bond, I knew when she was in danger, I could feel what she was feeling. Before she was kidnapped I was having a difficult time, I almost died," Vincent paused reliving painful memories, and wondering why he was telling her this. "I lost my link to her, and she was taken from me. As for Diana... my friend Mouse has a police scanner, I happened to be with him when we heard that she had no back up, so I came to help. I didn't know that your partner was with her. She's a good friend, she helps us all she can."

"Us?" Scully asked. "Are there more of you?"

"There is no one quite like me," Vincent smiled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean... I just..." Scully stumbled over her words.

"It's where I live, below. Society's outcasts, you could call us. I live there for obvious reasons, the rest..."

"How many are there?"

"Many. I tell you this because I want you to understand why you cannot reveal my presence to anyone. It's not just to protect myself, but the others. And my son. People are afraid of me, but you and your partner are not, why is that?"

"The things we've seen... you are much easier to understand than they are."

He redonned his cloak and drew the hood up. "I must go now."

Scully was reluctant to let him leave. "I don't suppose you would let me drive you somewhere."

Vincent smiled, "I can manage, my shoulder feels as good as new. You have a soft touch. I'm grateful that you did it and not my father, he tends to become irritated with me when I get shot, and isn't so gentle. Only because he worries," he said noting her furrowed brow.

"I'm the same way with Agent Mulder," she admitted.

"Well he's got a bump on the head you should look at," Vincent said.

Dana laughed, he might as well have said *sic 'im*. "Will we see you before we leave for Washington?" She asked already knowing the answer.

Vincent shook his head.

"I had to ask," Scully said apologetically.

He headed for the door, "Thank you for keeping my secret." Then he was gone.


Whittaker Inn
1:30 p.m.

Mulder was pouting. "I'm sorry, but he wouldn't stay any longer, and all the information I could get out of him, I've told you already."

"I wanted to at least get a better look at him, and talk to him."

"I told you everything, he is a very remarkable..." Scully trailed off.

"Exactly," Mulder said smugly.

"Just go and get us a flight out of here. Besides, I'm sure if you were persuasive enough you could convince Diana to get him to talk to you."

"Just how convincing do you thin I would have to be?" Mulder raised an eyebrow suggestively.

Scully tossed a cellular at his head; that he caught; and she began to pack.


In the air
7:28 p.m. AGENT DANA SCULLY
FIELD NOTES: ...upon arrival at the warehouse, both Agent Mulder and Detective Bennett were down. The murder suspect fled the scene. No description other than a man 6'4 in height, weighing around 200 pounds, is available. Suspect wore a hood and cloak. The men who kidnapped Sandy Cooper were dead, both Agent Mulder and Detective Bennett suffered blows to the head, with no lasting repercussions. The case remains unsolved. Dana Scully's Personal Journal:

After meeting Vincent, and speaking with him, as well as the little information that we were able to pry out of Detective Bennett, I have come to the conclusion that this remarkable man is just that. Whatever unnatural occurrence that has made his appearance and partial behavior the way it is, is unknown. Diana told us that he himself doesn't know. I managed to get a little information about Jacob out of her, apparently the boy looks as normal as anyone.

I feel that Vincent was justified in telling us as little as possible about where he lives. As FBI agents we would be required to check out possible leads. He considered us a danger to his way of life, I'm sure he was right.

I shudder to think of what would happen to Vincent were people to know of him. As a doctor I am curious, but after speaking with him and seeing how human he is, my compassion tells me to let him live his life any way he can.


Scully saved her file and closed her laptop. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the uncomfortable airplane seat. Feeling someone staring at her, she opened her eyes and looked at Mulder. "What?" she asked.

"I was just wondering what you really thought of Detective Bennett." He grinned at her, that little boy grin, that said he knew something she didn't.

"We stressed her out a little, but I'm sure she's a lovely person, and a capable detective."

"But didn't you think she was a knock out?"

"She wasn't my type."

"But if you were me..."

"Mulder go jump out a window. Please!"

The End

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