"I'm liking 'mom' more and more," said Mulder as he took the key from the clerk. Unfortunately for Mulder, the room was a suite and had two separate bedroom. Close, but no cigar, he thought.

Scully quickly excused herself and went into the bathroom to take a shower. When she came out in her pajamas, robe and a towel on her head, Mulder was on the couch flipping through the channels and mumbling something about Canadian television.

"Your turn," said Scully as she made her way to her bedroom.

"Might as well, nothing good on." Mulder turned off the set. On his way to the bathroom he stuck his head into Scully's room. Scully was in bed, reading.

"Night partner. What time do you want to leave tomorrow?"

"About eight. I figure with the house being closed for so many years, it could take awhile to clean it up."

Mulder groaned, but nodded. "Fine. Night," he said again.

"Night," said Scully, and shut off her light as Mulder closed her door.

3

That night, the nightmares returned, almost as if on some kind of schedule.

Lately, the dreams had changed. They were no longer only of Sam, but Scully as well. His typical nightmare was first. At least the same sense of despair followed when he awoke, since he could never really remember the specifics of them. He was standing at the base of the staircase in his house.

A bright light flooded the house and filtered through every crack in the house. His sister Samantha was calling for him.

"Fox! Help! FOX!" her cries echoed through his head. He had wanted to help her, but was frozen in spot, by absolute fear. Mulder woke up in a sweat. He got up and went to the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face. He decided to watch TV and crashed on the couch. He managed to find a channel showing the original 'Flash Gordon' movies. He couldn't help but laugh as their 'rocket ship; blasted off. After half-an-hour, Mulder had fallen back into a fitful sleep. This time, he found himself on a hill.

He was a grown man, not a twelve-year-old boy. Scully was standing a few feet away from him staring off into space. She was dressed in a simple white gown and her hair was down around her shoulders, blowing in the gentle breeze. Suddenly, a bright light filled the sky, turning night to day.

Scully looked at Mulder, her face full of fear. Mulder tried to move but found he couldn't. This time though it wasn't fear, but an external force.

Scully reached out towards him as she was slowly lifted off the ground.

Mulder could do nothing. A single tear rolled down his cheek, as he watched his partner, his friend, his confidante, disappear into the light.

Mulder woke up, his face wet. Not with sweat, but tears. Every time this happened, he had the urge to call Scully and make sure she was really back. A few times he had called with some lame excuse, sometimes he waited until he heard her voice, and hung up. Tonight, he got up from the couch, turned off the tv, and crept down the hallway to her room. He slowly opened her door, and there she was. Not in bed, like he had expected, but standing at the window.

"Scully," he whispered, not wanting to startle her.

"Hmm?"

"It's Mulder. You okay?"

"Yes. It's so nice to be back." She turned around, smiled at him and walked back to her bed and lay down. Mulder wondered what that was all about, and decided to ask her tomorrow. He silently closed her door and went back to his room.

"Morning Mulder," said Scully as her bushy-haired partner stumbled out of his room. He grunted a response and made his way to the bathroom. After a shower and shave, he felt much better. He left the bathroom and found Scully sitting on the couch, sipping coffee.

"Better?"

"Yeah. Morning Scully."

"There's a cup for you on the counter." Mulder walked over and got his cup of coffee. He took a large sip and made his way over to Scully and sat in the armchair next to the couch.

"So," Mulder began, "I thought you had never been to the house."

"What?"

"I thought you said that you had never been to the family house."

"I haven't," Scully answered, a confused look on her face.

"Well, last night you said that it was nice to be back."

"When did I say that?"

"Around two this morning, when I came into your room."

"Mulder, the last time I talked to you last night was just before your shower. And what were you doing in my room at two in the morning?"

Mulder looked down at his coffee, remembering the need to check on his partner. "I thought I heard something and wanted to check. Do you really not remember last night?"

Scully shook her head.

"Do you sleep walk?"

Again, Scully shook her head. "There you go Mulder," she said and smiled, "I promised you an X-File. 'Mystery of the Walking Partner'." She then hummed the 'Twilight Zone' theme. Mulder smiled back, and filed the piece of information for a later date.

"I'm hungry. Ready for breakfast?" asked Scully. Mulder nodded, downed the last bit of his coffee, and followed Scully out the door and to the dining room on the lower level of the bed and breakfast. After a satisfying homemade breakfast of eggs, bacon, pancakes and hashbrowns for Mulder, and a bran muffin and a soft-boiled egg for Scully, the agents set off for the Scully summer home.

The house was about an hour's drive out of town, in a fairly deserted area.

A long driveway, covered by huge trees, lead up to the house. Scully drew a deep breath when she saw the house. It was probably the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. The house had two levels; the lower level had a porch which wrapped around the entire outside of the house, the second story was comprised of three dormer windows. The front door had a stained-glass window which was a kaleidoscope of colors. Amazingly, the white paint which covered the house looked new. The lawn was trimmed and neat, and the bushes around the front steps were neatly hedged.

"Scully, I though you said this house had been closed up for fifty years."

"That's what mom said. Maybe Aunt Dana decided to have someone take care of the exterior to deter thieves."

"Maybe."

Scully and Mulder got out of the car and walked up the steps. Scully reached under the banister railing near the steps.

"What are you doing?" asked Mulder.

"Looking for the key. Ahh, got it," Scully said as she found the little trap door her aunt had described in her letter. Scully slid the door and the key dropped into her waiting hand. As Scully unlocked the door, Mulder inspected the banister railing. "That's neat! I gotta do that at my place."

"You need a railing first Mulder."

The door opened easily, as though it had just been used. The house was covered in white sheets and a few cobwebs had formed in various corners.

Scully shrugged off her jacket and hung it on the door handle, rolled up her sleeves and turned to Mulder.

"Come on, let's get started."

They started by opening all of the windows. These too opened as if the fifty years of non use had only been a few days. Together Scully and Mulder went about gently removing sheets from furniture, paintings and floors, going outside to the driveway and shaking them out, folding up the sheets and placing them on a swing that was on the front porch.

They finished one room in only one hour and moved onto the next. Mulder pulled a sheet off a painting that was a little too height for Scully to reach.

When the painting was exposed, Scully gasped. Mulder looked up and could have sworn he was looking at his partner. The only difference between the woman in the picture and the one standing next to him were the clothes. He read the nameplate at the bottom of the picture aloud.

"To my faithful husband, Jack Dennis Scully, love your wife forever, Dana Katherine Scully, June 20, 1895. Scully, you're named after your great great great Grandmother. You also look like her." Mulder turned to his silent partner.

"Mom always said that I looked like 'a Scully', but I didn't know this is what she meant."

"Scully, look at the date. Today is June 19, that picture was painted one hundred years ago tomorrow. I wonder what the occasion was."

"It was for our fifth anniversary," Scully said softly.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

Mulder could have sworn Scully had said '*our* fifth wedding anniversary.' he thought, "Come on, let's go shake this out." Mulder headed for the front door and Scully followed.

By around seven that night, all the sheets had been removed and neatly folded. Surprisingly, very little dust had gotten through the sheets, making the job easier. Mulder had volunteered to go back into town and check out of the bed and breakfast, get some groceries and some take-out for that night. Scully had made Mulder a shopping list, knowing that he would have come back with sunflower seeds and frozen pizzas. She had also suggested a mini gas stove and a small ice chest, since there was no electricity in the house. On the way out of town, Scully had noticed a camping supply store. Mulder left and Scully was alone in the house. She decided to scout around for some candles and holders, and found some in what she figured to be the dining room. She also found a few hurricane lamps. She lit one of these and decided to explore her new home.

She started upstairs in the bedroom to the right of the stairs. It was tastefully decorated in peach satin and lace. First she inspected a night stand on the far side of the room. Al she found was an old Bible. She read the inside cover where an inscription had been written in delicate script: To our daughter, Dana Katherine Moore on her wedding day to Jack Dennis Scully, June 20, 1890

Love, Mother and Father

Scully gently placed the Bible back into the drawer. Next, Dana inspected a chest near the door. Here she found blankets and an extra pillow for the bed. A sachet had been placed in the chest and could still be smelled.

Finally, there was a free-standing wardrobe with two doors. Behind the left door was a beautiful dress made of cream satin and lace. thought Scully. A delicate cameo pin accented the neck of the dress. Directly below the dress, on the floor of the wardrobe were a pair of granny boots, made of leather in the same cream color as the dress. Scully pulled them out and carefully pulled them on.

They were a perfect fit. She held the dress up against her and inspected herself in a full-length mirror, standing in the corner of the room. She realized that this dress was the same one worn by her great great great Grandmother in the portrait. Scully was mesmerized by her reflection.

Slowly, the room began to change. It was day, there were fresh flowers in the room and a gentle breeze blew through the open window. Scully was wearing the dress and could hear a man's voice from downstairs.

"Dana?" the voice was familiar, "Dana are you ready?" It was that of her husband Jack.

"Coming!" she called out. With a final glance in the mirror and a smile of satisfaction, Dana walked out of the room.

Dennis was standing at the base of the stairs, looking as handsome as ever.

His eyes were hazel pools which she had easily lost herself in many times.

He was much taller than her 5'2'', but she had loved that. As she walked down the stairs another name popped into her head, 'Fox'. That's a rather odd name, she thought. She tried to focus on the thought but suddenly felt light-headed and pitched forward down the stairs...

Mulder caught his partner as she fell. He had already been gone for a few hours, and managed to pick up everything. He had come through the door and put his purchases and their suitcases down on the floor. He was about to call his partner, when he noticed her slowly walking down the stairs.

The lamp she had been holding had lit up the stairwell. Mulder looked at Scully and noticed a faraway look in her eyes. He was about to say something when he noticed her sway and suddenly pitch forward. He ran forward and somehow managed to not only catch her but the lamp as well.

He gently set the lamp down on the table and carried Scully to the couch.

"Dana, Dana wake up."

"Jack?" Scully asked without opening her eyes.

"Dana, it's Mulder."

His partner opened her eyes and found two hazel one's full of confusion staring back at her.

"Mulder? What are you doing back? And why am I down here?"

"Scully, I've been gone for three and a half hours. I've already bought everything and got some take-out." Scully look at her partner in disbelief, and followed his gaze towards the front door. There she say bags and their luggage. "As for you being on the couch, when I came in you were walking down the stairs. You fainted, I caught you and carried you here."

"Mulder that's impossible! You just left!"

Mulder could see that she was becoming a little agitate. "Scully, maybe you fell asleep. Tell me what you did after I left."

Scully took a deep breath to calm herself, and started. " I watched you from the doorway as you drove down the driveway. When I couldn't see the car anymore, I started looking for candles. I found these," she said, pointing to the candles, holders and lamps on the coffee table, "in the dining room. After bringing them all here, I found a lighter in my purse and lit one of the lamps. I decided to explore the house and started in the peach bedroom upstairs. I found a Bible given to my great great great Grandmother by her parents for her wedding. In a chest I found some blankets and a pillow. Finally, in the closet I found a dress, like the one in the painting, and some granny boots. I put the boots on, held the dress against myself and looked in the mirror. Then..." Scully stopped, trying to remember. She couldn't. "I don't know. The next thing I remember is waking up down here. Mulder, what happened to those three hours?"

"I'm not sure. Let's go upstairs and see what we can find." Scully nodded and followed her partner. He stopped to pick up the lamp and headed upstairs to the bedroom. The dress and shoes were back in the closet, and the extra pillow was on the bed. "Look, the pillow has been used. The bed is also a little dishevelled. See, I told you, you probably fell asleep."

"So why was I on the stairs?"

"Sleepwalking."

"But I've never done that in my life."

"That's what you said after the episode in the hotel. Look, you're pretty stressed right now. You just lost your aunt. There are a lot of cases of people sleepwalking for a few nights after a traumatic or upsetting event."

Scully looked at Mulder, and could tell that he really didn't believe this theory. But she didn't have the energy to put up with his real theory. The one that she could see formulating in his mind. The one his eyes reflected.

"Maybe," was all she said.

"Come on, I got Chinese. We should eat before it gets cold."

4

After a quiet dinner Scully went up to her room. Mulder cleaned up the containers from the Chinese and decided to go upstairs. Mulder had been working all night on a theory about Scully's 'sleepwalking'. He had an idea of what was going on, but didn't want to believe it. He needed more proof.

In order to get that proof, he needed to keep a close eye on his partner. He decided to camp outside her bedroom door, hoping to catch Scully sleepwalking. He saw the dim light of the hurricane lamp go out and heard Scully shifting in the old bed. Mulder got comfortable and waited.

After a few hours he was rewarded.

Scully had been quiet during dinner, and felt tired. Mulder had volunteered to clean up, and she didn't argue. She went upstairs and got ready for bed. She thought she might read, but was too sleepy. She heard Mulder come up the stairs and go into his room across the hall. She smiled at herself and was glad he had agreed to go with her. Scully put out the lamp next to her and settled into bed. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

Dana found herself in the bedroom wearing her cream dress, standing in front of her mirror. Jack was downstairs calling her. She called down to her husband, "Coming," and inspected herself in the mirror one last time.

She left her room and started towards the stairs. She thought she saw something by the door of her husband's room and turned back but saw nothing.

Mulder watched Scully as she slowly walked out of her room towards the stairs. He got up to follow but stopped when Scully stopped and turned around. She looked directly at him, and he noticed that same glassy stare as earlier this evening, but she didn't see him. She turned around and continued down the stairs.

"You look beautiful," said Jack as he watched his wife walk gracefully down the stairs. He loved the dress she was wearing and was glad she had worn it in the portrait which was hanging over the fireplace. How he loved her. He was a little older, but she had loved him anyway.

"Come my darling, I wish to say good-bye." He felt guilty for leaving her so soon after their fifth anniversary, but she had insisted. Behind her, Jack saw his son running out after getting dressed. Dana has insisted that he take him. "Jason will be here, if you need anything." Jack completely trusted Jason. He had been a loyal servant and friend to Jack and Dana since their marriage. Jason was closer to Dana's age, but Jack never worried.

Mulder watched as Scully stopped at the bottom of the stairs. He was close behind her, ready to catch her if she fainted again. Slowly, she made her way to the front door and walked outside.

Dana followed her husband outside. As soon as she stepped off the porch, she felt a cool breeze, despite the warmness of the day. Jason was loading the carriage with Jack's luggage. Dana shivered as another gust of wind brushed against her.

"Dana, are you alright?" asked Jack.

"Yes, just a little cold." Dana smiled at her husband. A bird flew over her head and she looked up. The sky started turning black, like night.

Mulder was behind Scully and saw her look up. He followed her gaze, but didn't see anything. Then she started to sway.

"Dana, what's wrong? Dana?!" Jack came up beside his wife. She looked at him with a blank stare.

"Fox?" she whispered.

"I'm here Dana," Mulder said as Scully fainted into his arms. Mulder carried Scully up to her room and placed her in her bed. He sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for her to wake up. After half-an-hour, Mulder decided to bring a chair from the hallway into the room. He pulled a blanket from the chest, and settled into the chair. Within a few hours he was asleep.

5

Scully awoke to the heat of the sun on her back. She had had an odd dream of being outside in her great great great Grandmother's dress.

Mulder had been there, but he wasn't Mulder. As her mind became more alert, the details of the dream faded. She rolled over to look out the window and uttered a gasp of surprise when she saw her partner sitting in a chair next to the bed. She realized the gasp had been louder than she thought when Mulder stirred and finally awoke.

"Morning Scully. How are you feeling?"

"Mulder, why are you in my room?"

"What do you remember from last night?" Scully gave Mulder 'the look'.

"Trust me. I'll answer your question after you answer mine."

"Scully sighed and decided to agree with Mulder, knowing that she wouldn't get anything out of him if she didn't agree. "After dinner I came up here and got ready for bed. I heard you go into your room, I turned off the lamp and fell asleep."

"What about your dreams?"

"Mulder!"

"I'm serious! Do you remember your dreams?"

"I only vaguely remember one. I was in this house, dressed in the cream dress I showed you. It was day. I left the room and was outside, I presume I walked down the stairs. You were there, but you were someone else. I don't remember..."

"Jack."

"Yes, that's it. Wait, how did you know?"

"Last night, when I came back from town, after you had fainted, just before you came to, you called out for Jack."

"What does this all mean?"

"Why don't you get dressed, and I'll explain it over some coffee."

"Mulder, I want the truth this time."

Mulder nodded. She had meant it.

They met downstairs in a few minutes. When Scully came down, Mulder was in the kitchen boiling the water for coffee.

"And I thought you couldn't cook," said Scully, smiling.

"This is my limit. Actually, I'm really pushing it," said Mulder, returning the smile.

Scully sat down at the kitchen table, serious. "Okay Mulder, let's hear it."

"I think your house is possessed and the spirit of your great great great grandmother is haunting this place."

"Well, that's a new one. I was expecting some government experiment or something in the water."

"Listen, something traumatic happened in this house. We have to find out what."

"Why can't it be a simple case of sleepwalking? Why does everything have to be an X-File? I've already been an X-File! I don't want to be another one!"

"Fine! You asked for my honest opinion and I gave it to you. If you don't want to listen then why did you ask?" With that, Mulder stormed out of the house. Scully heard the car start and drive off down the driveway.

"Damn! You know Dana, sometimes you can be such and idiot!" Scully said to herself out loud. "You should have expected that. Hell, you saw it a mile away, and don't deny it!" Scully sighed and got up from the table.

She turned off the heat under the water. She wasn't in the mood for coffee anymore. She fished her cell phone out of her purse and tried to call Mulder, but his wasn't on. She didn't even know if he had it with him.

She decided to leave hers on, in case he tried to call.

She went back upstairs to make her bed and try to continue exploring.

6

Mulder drove away, swearing to himself. "She's right. I'm always making an X-File out of everything. But this time I think I'm right. I need proof."

He decided to check at the local library for clues, maybe some old newspapers or something.

When he asked the librarian for some information on the Scully house, he received a folder full of clippings, starting in 1895. He soon found what he was looking for and called Scully, hoping her cellular was on. He was in luck.

"Scully."

"Hi Dana, it's me."

Oh-oh, she thought, he's using my first name. "Hi Mulder. Listen, about this morning..."

"No, it was my fault. I didn't have any proof. But I found something at the library. I'm on my way back, and should be there in about forty-five minutes."

"I found something too. I'll see you soon."

Mulder could 'hear' Scully's smile, and Scully could 'see' the twinkle in her partner's eyes. They were on to something. Scully ended the call and turned back to the diary she had found.

Her great great great Grandmother had started the diary the day of her wedding and had written in it about once a week. Scully had managed to get through most of it during the hour-and-a-half that Mulder had been gone. The diary had been in one of the drawers behind the second door in the closet.

From what Scully could ascertain, Dana hadn't really loved her husband. It had been an arranged marriage and Dana was depressed. Jack thought his wife was upset over his constant trips and hired Jason to do things like cooking, some cleaning (although his wife usually did that to keep busy), and take care of the grounds. Jack had hoped that Jason would keep Dana company. And he did, but not the way Jack thought. Two years into the marriage, Jack had gotten ill and Dana had taken care of him. Through this, Dana had grown closer to her husband and soon became pregnant.

She told Jason that the baby was his, to keep him quiet. She gave birth to a son, and named him Michael. Jason could tell that Michael was not his and over a period of three years planned how to win back Dana. Dana found out about this accidentally when she saw an open page of Jason's journal.

Jason had grown mad with jealousy and Dana was afraid for her husband and son. Two days after finding the journal entry, and the day after their fifth wedding anniversary, Dana convinced Jack to take Michael to her mother's for a visit. The last entry in the diary read, "Tonight, it will be all over."

Scully flipped through the rest of the diary but found nothing. Scully looked at her watch, she thought. She got off the bed and put the diary back. The door opened downstairs, She was about to call her partner but he beat her to it.

"Scully?! Scully where are you?!" called Mulder. His voice was full of concern which worried Scully. Scully ran out of the room and appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Mulder, I'm right here. What's wrong?" A wave of relief washed over Mulder when his partner appeared, unharmed.

"Scully, come here." Scully walked down the stairs to see what her partner was looking at. She gasped when she was a pool of dark red liquid at the bottom of the stairs.

"Mulder, that looks like blood. Who's is it?"

"I thought it was yours at first."

Scully bent down and examined the blood. "It's still fresh. Where did it come from?"

"Got me. We should take a sample," Scully agreed and started up the stairs to get her kit. Mulder stood up and turned around to close the front door. When he turned back, the blood was gone. "Scully, don't bother."

Scully had gotten to the top step and turned around to face Mulder.

"What's wrong? We need a sample."

"It's gone."

"That's impossible!"

"Is there any on your fingers?"

Scully looked down at her thumb and forefinger which a minute ago had had trace amounts of blood. They were clean. "No," she looked back at Mulder. "Okay, what the hell is going on?"

"Let's sit down here and tell each other what we found."

Scully came back down the stairs, stopping at the bottom. There wasn't any sign that moments ago there was a pool of blood. She joined Mulder on the couch.

"Ladies first," said Mulder, and gave his partner control of the floor.

Scully described the events that Dana had described in her diary.

"...Finally, Dana needed to get rid of Jason, and tell him that is was really over. The day after their fifth wedding anniversary, Dana convinced Jack to take Michael to her mother's . She said that she was ill and didn't want her son to get sick as well. The last entry in the diary says, 'Tonight it will all be over.' I don't know what happened."

Mulder had been sitting next to Scully as she told part of her family's history. Pieces from that history filled in the gaps from what he had read.

He mentally put the puzzle together before starting. "I found some articles from the mid 1890's. Scully, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your great great great grandmother was murdered, and her husband committed suicide." Scully sat quietly, absorbing the information.

"Did you find out how and why?"

"Yes. The newspaper articles continue from where the diary left off. Jack wrote a letter before killing himself. In it, he says that after dropping Michael off at his mother-in-laws, he decided to go back home and check on Dana. He had only been gone a few hours, but when he got home he found Dana's body, face up in a pool of blood, at the bottom of the stairs.

He saw Jason at the top of the stairs holding a bloody candlestick. Jack lost control and beat Jason to death. He wrote the letter and then hung himself."

"My god. No wonder my family never talked about this house. I'm surprised it has stayed in the family this long."

"I found something else. Remember this morning when you said I was in your dream, but it was Jack?" Scully nodded, and Mulder pulled out a photocopy of one of the articles he had found. "Did I look like this?" He handed Scully the paper. On it was a picture of Jack and Dana Scully.

Scully did a double-take.

"Mulder it's you. You look exactly like Jack."

Scully continued to look between the paper in her hand and her partner, dumbfounded by the similarity. Suddenly, Scully heard laughter. Not joyous laughter, but the ravings of a lunatic. Scully thought that the dreams had turned into auditory hallucinations until Mulder asked her if she could hear it.

"Yes. Where is it coming from?"

"Hell Dana. I knew you'd come back to me," said the voice from nowhere and everywhere.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?"

"Dana I'm hurt. It's Jason my love."

Mulder and Scully exchanged looks of confusion.

"That's impossible. You're dead. You died one hundred years ago."

"That's a lie! Jack's been lying to you!"

"Scully," whispered Mulder, "we should leave. This is probably why your aunt left."

Scully nodded and they ran out the door. As they left the house, they could hear Jason's screams.

"NO! Dana! Come back!"

They drove in silence back to town. They got a room at the bed and breakfast and Mulder decided to wait until the next day to go back and get their things. Once in the room, Scully started talking.

"Mulder was that really a ghost?"

"I think so. I don't know what else to call what we just heard."

Scully simply nodded. She knew that there were probably explanations for each of the things that they had seen and heard and experienced, but, and she was surprised to hear herself think this, a ghost seemed like the most likely explanation. As she sat there thinking, Mulder offered to get some pizza from a small pizzeria around the corner. She nodded and continued to think. He had only been gone a few minutes when she heard someone calling her.

"Dana," it was Mulder. Where was he? "Dana I need your help. I'm at the house."

That's impossible, she thought, but she couldn't remember. Her mind grew fuzzy.

"Dana, I need you. Come to the house."

"Coming Mulder," Dana said as she picked up the car keys and headed downstairs. She passed the clerk on the way out.

"Where are you going?"

"Home," was all Dana whispered before she disappeared out the front door.

During the ride to the house, all she could hear were her partner's cries for help.

7

Mulder came back in twenty minutes. He was heading up the stairs when the desk clerk called him.

"If you're looking for Ms. Scully, she left."

"What? Did she say where she was going?"

"Yeah, home. She took the car and left about fifteen minutes ago."

"Thanks. Do you have a car I could borrow?"

"Sure." The desk clerk gave him a set of keys. "Parking spot number 3."

Mulder thanked him and gave him the pizza.

"Enjoy!" yelled Mulder as he ran out the door.

Mulder gunned the engine all the way to Scully's place, desperately trying to fill the fifteen minute gap. He had tried unsuccessfully to reach her on her cellular. He managed to reach the house in fifty minutes, closing the gap by ten minutes. When he pulled up in front of the house, the rental car was there and he discovered that the front door of the house was locked.

"Dana! Are you in there?" yelled Mulder as he pounded his clenched fists on the front door.

"She doesn't want to talk to you Jack." It was Jason.

Oh yeah? We'll see about that! thought Mulder as he pulled out his gun.

He fired two shots at the lock and the door swung open.

"Dana. Where are you?"

"I already told you Jack, she doesn't want to see you!" cried Jason.

Mulder started up the stairs and was knocked back down them by an invisible force. He hit his back against the frame of the open door, momentarily getting the wind knocked out of him. He recovered in a few minutes and started back up the stairs, holding firmly onto the handrail.

He made it up the stairs and tried to open Scully's bedroom door, but it too was locked.

"Scully, if you can hear me, open the door!"

"Jack? Is that you?" he heard the familiar voice of his partner call back.

"Yes. I need to see you. Open the door, please."

"No! Dana, I'm the one who loves you, not him! I've been the one waiting for you to return!"

"Jason? Jack, I love Jason. I'm sorry." Mulder could hear the slight confusion in Scully's voice.

"No, Dana. I love you. Michael loves you too."

"Michael, my son, where is he? Jason, where is Michael?"

"He's here with me Dana. Open the door."

Dana unlocked the door, but couldn't pull it open. Something was blocking it.

"It's a trick Dana. He doesn't have your son," said Jason.

"Dana, go to the window, Michael is there," called Mulder from the other side of the door. Dana walked over to the window, but couldn't see anyone.

Just then, Mulder came crashing through the door. He had caught Jason off guard. Mulder looked up at Scully and gasped. She looked exactly like Dana's picture downstairs."

"Jack, where's Michael?"

"Jack killed your son. Look!" Before Mulder could respond, the dead body of a little boy appeared on the floor between Mulder and Scully. Scully knelt down and started crying hysterically. After a moment she stopped.

She looked up at Mulder, with a hatred and coldness he had never seen before.

"You killed our son! How could you?!" Scully picked herself off the floor and reached for a candlestick that was sitting on the night stand, and rushed at Mulder.

"Scully stop!" cried Mulder as he grabbed her wrist. "Scully, it's Mulder!

Not Jack! Michael was your great great grandfather, not your son!"

The anger in Scully's eyes flickered for a moment as her own memories of the present collided with those of her relatives of the past.

"He's trying to confuse you!" yelled Jason. "Dana, you must kill him or we will never be together!"

The anger in Scully's blue eyes returned and she continued to fight with Mulder. As they struggled, they edged out of the room towards the stairs.

Mulder was trying to fight off his partner without hurting her. He managed to force her to loosen her grip on the candle holder and it fell to the floor. He tried to position himself between her and the stairs. He continued to plead with her.

"Scully, remember your mother and brothers and sister. You're not the Dana from 1895, you're the Dana from 1995!"

Again, the anger and hatred in Dana's eyes flickered. "Mel," she whispered. The lies her mind was receiving began to intertwine with the truth already present. She looked right into Mulder's eyes, "Fox."

"That's right!" he cried. "Fight it Scully, fight!"

Behind Mulder, Scully saw the candle holder coming at her partner. In a tidal wave, all of her memories came flooding back. The memories of the past vanished. Without hesitation she managed to spin Mulder around and the candlestick hit her in the head. The force of the blow knocked her unconscious and she fell into her partner's arms. Before Mulder had a change to react, the room exploded in a blinding flash of light, and he put up an arm to block his eyes.

"NO! I've killed her again! NOOOO!" Jason's screams intensified and died with the light. Then he was gone.

Mulder removed his arm and looked down at the limp form of his partner, and was surprised to see that she was no longer in the cream dress, but back in her jeans and sweatshirt. He reached over for the blanket that was still there from the night before and rolled it up into a ball. He gently laid his partner down. When he removed his hand that had been supporting her head, it was full of blood. He pulled out his cellular and phoned for an ambulance.

8

The first thing that Dana heard was the pounding of her blood in her ears.

Then she felt the pain at the top of her head. Finally, bit by bit, sounds of a hospital filtered through and she opened her eyes. She found that her hospital room was filled with flowers, the scent was almost overwhelming.

Through the small window in the door of her room, she could see Mulder packing back and forth, talking on his cellular. When he finally peeked in and saw her smiling at him, he finished his conversation and came in.

"Hi. How are you feeling?"

"It feels as though the entire percussion section of an orchestra is playing in my head, but other than that okay. Who are all these flowers from?"

Mulder gave her the most sincere look Scully had ever seen before answering.

"Me."

"Why?"

"You saved my life. According to the doctor, if that candlestick had hit me, it would have struck right at the base of my skull. The luckiest I would have been was paralysed from the neck down. More than likely I would have been dead."

Scully didn't know what to say. Her first instinct when she saw the candlestick was that it not hit her partner. She hadn't really though about the height difference between her and Mulder. It hit her on the top of the head, causing a mild concussion and a headache.

"I...I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything. Just add this to the number of times I owe you one."

"Well, why is it that whenever you 'owe me one', I wake up in the hospital?

Can't you ever cash in one those IOU's and end up here instead?"

They both laughed and Mulder got up. "You get some rest. I'll be back later." He was looking back at her and not where he was going. Before Scully could say anything, Mulder's head met dead-on with the door which was being pushed open by a burley nurse. Mulder stumbled backwards and tripped over a chair, and sprained his ankle. Scully was in bed, desperately trying to suppress the roaring laughter that was building up.

"Oh god Mulder! I didn't mean for you to take me literally!" Scully managed to say before erupting with laughter. Mulder could do nothing but sit in the chair and join in.

The nurse at the door was seriously considering calling the psych ward upstairs.

The End