Title: “Freedom of the Heart” Author: Little Albatross (admin@littlealbatross.com) Archive: XFMU, Don't Not Believe. Anyone else, please ask. Rating: PG Beta: Cassie Spoilers: Empedocles, Existence, 4-D, Release, William, Sunshine Days, The Truth Category: post-“The Truth”, DR Friendship, DS UST, DSR, DR"R", FRR Summary: After the events of “The Truth”, Doggett discovers that Mulder and Scully are no longer safe from those they trust. He and Reyes go to warn them, only to discover that they are too late! Or are they? Disclaimer: I do not own John Doggett, Monica Reyes, Dana Scully, Fox Mulder, Walter Skinner, Alvin Kersh, Shannon McMahon, Knowle Rohrer, Billy Miles, Brad Follmer, Luke Doggett, Nicholas Regali, Barbara Doggett. They belong to Chris Carter, Ten-Thirteen Productions and 20th Century FOX Broadcasting. Date: June 29, 2004 Author’s Note: This story was written for the May- July 2004 SHODDS Fan Fiction Challenge, in which I -- a non-DRR supporter -- had to write Doggett and Reyes in a relationship. A challenge indeed. This story is filled with several of my theories on what happens after “The Truth”. This just happened to be one version of my theories. I’ve got a ton. I hope you like it! Enjoy! 67 BENNETT AVENUE WASHINGTON, D.C. 4:05 A.M. A loud pounding on the door startles Monica Reyes awake. She glances at her digital alarm clock on her nightstand and turns on a lamp. The loud pounding comes again. She quickly gets out of bed and makes her way to her bathroom. She grabs her dark red robe off the hook on the back of the door, throwing it over her silk black nightgown. She makes her way into her living room, turning on lights as she goes. The knocking continues. “Who is it?” She asks. “John Doggett.” He sounds frantic. Monica quickly unlatches her door. John doesn’t miss a beat as she opens the door. “We’ve got to find them, Monica.” John says as he pushes his way into Monica’s apartment. He looks into her deep brown eyes. “John, you can’t just barge in here. Do you have any idea what time it is?” Monica says, still tying her red robe around her body. “What’s going on?” “Dana and Mulder. We have to find them. They’re in trouble.” “John we don’t even know where they are.” She looks into his blue eyes, knowing it’ll be impossible for him to listen to her. “They’re gone, and there’s nothing we can do that’s going to change that.” He goes up to Monica and puts his hands on her shoulders, holding her firmly. He’s determined. “If we don’t get to them…” John’s eyes fill up with tears as fear strikes him. “If we don’t find them, Monica, they’ll die.” “What’s happened, John?” Monica asks, she senses the urgency in his voice. He lets go of her and turns around, not sure how he should proceed with this. “I don’t know how to say this…” He starts. “A.D. Skinner… he’s… he’s not who we think he is. Same as our Deputy Director.” He turns to face her. “What are you talking about?” “They’re aliens, Monica.” John says. “They’re tracking down Dana and Mulder right now.” “What do they plan to do?” “I don’t know.” John answers. “We’ve got to find them before anyone else. We’ve got to warn them, Monica.” John looks into her eyes. Begging her to help him. Monica looks down for a moment, collecting her thoughts. Collecting everything he’s told her. “How do you know, John? How do you know Skinner and Kersh are aliens? You don’t even believe-“ “-I believe in my own two eyes.” John says sternly, staring deep into her eyes. “I saw what Shannon McMahon had on her neck. Those bumps. The same Knowle Rohrer had. They were on Skinner.” She looks up at him. “I know you’ve seen ‘em too, Monica.” John continues. “When you were with Dana a year ago, to help her deliver her baby. You saw ‘em, on Billy Miles.” He stares at her. “Now you can’t tell me they’re here to be peaceful. You know that’s not true.” John says. “So what do we do?” Monica asks. “Last we saw, they were heading south, right?” John asks. Monica nods her head. If Scully and Mulder are in trouble, she wants to help them too. “Let me get dressed.” Monica says, as she turns and heads into her bedroom. ========================== EL PASO, TEXAS FOUR DAYS LATER John Doggett sits behind the wheel of his silver Chevy Silverado pickup truck, wearing a white cowboy hat on his head and a black T-shirt. He drives down the dusty old road, heading out of El Paso and towards Mexico. He’s in complete concentration. Ever since he and Monica left Washington, D.C., his mind has been on Dana Scully. He never liked the idea of her leaving without so much as a goodbye or even a thank you for helping. Dana changed so much when Mulder came back. She wasn’t her usual self that he had gotten to know and love for the two years he worked with her. Something was very suspicious about her relationship with Mulder. John got the feeling that Dana felt an obligation to be with Mulder and his quest for the truth. Whatever is going on with Mulder and Dana, John doesn't like it. Mulder has put Dana’s life in danger. Monica looks over at John. She’s never seen a man so determined. He hasn’t been this determined about anything since Luke disappeared in 1993. Monica lowers her eyes. John’s been through so much pain in his life. The fact that she never solved Luke’s case bothered her. She would sometimes get the feeling that John, in some way, had a resentment towards her because she didn’t solve the case. Luke was the hardest case she ever had to work. Every aspect was hard, all the way to the end. When she found out how it all unraveled, her heart was shattered. Brad Follmer, the man she loves, had taken bribes from Nicholas Regali, the man who killed John’s son. Monica shuts her eyes, remembering the night Brad told her what went down. Everything was so unexpected as she stood in her living room listening to him. She could hardly believe a word of it, but every word he said was true. He hated himself for the mistakes he had made in his past. He told her that he wished he never took those bribes. If only he’d known years ago that Regali was involved. So much pain and mental anguish could’ve been spared, not only for John and Barbara, but also for himself and Monica. As Brad held her in his arms, tears streamed down her face. He had told her that he made negotiations with the Federal Witness Protection Program and the Department of Justice. If he testified in court against the mob in New York, he’d be able to start a new life. He knew that La Costa Nostra was after him for breaking their omertà - the trust they put in him. He was only loyal to them for so long because they threatened people close to him. They threatened Monica the most. The only reason he was still involved was to keep her safe. She wanted to go with him. If he was leaving to start a new life, she wanted to be with him. He told her that he didn’t want her to suffer or pay for his mistakes. Monica takes hold of a small golden ring that hangs around her neck. The ring belonging to Brad, the only symbol of their love she had left was his wedding ring. They were married on a quiet night in Los Angeles while she was working on an x-file involving the “Brady Bunch” house. On Monica’s first night in Los Angeles, she got an anonymous letter handed to her in her hotel room. She knew is was from Brad. He had been transferred to testify against another mob family in Los Angeles and the next day he would disappear and no longer be called Brad Follmer, but by some other name. Monica often thinks about where he is and what he’s doing. The ironic part of everything was that now she could be putting herself into danger with aliens. She much preferred to be in danger with earthly creatures like La Costa Nostra. The fact that Regali knew her was enough to scare her. She often wondered if she was still being watched and if one day the LCN might come to get her as a way to lure Brad out of hiding. “Monica, you okay?” John asks, interrupting her thoughts. “Yeah, why?” Monica says, quickly realizing that tears have fallen down her cheek. She quickly wipes them away. “Are we almost there?” “Yeah.” John says. “So really, John,” Monica says. “How do you know where they are?” There is a moment of silence before John answers her question. “I got a phone call from Dana when she and Mulder arrived at their final location.” John says. “She called you?” “She thought someone should know where they are just incase something were to happen.” John answers. ========================== NORTHERN CHIHAUHAU, MEXICO A FEW HOURS LATER John’s truck pulls onto a dirt road, making it’s way to a small house in the middle of nowhere. The isolated house looks haunting. The surroundings are silent, as if no one has been out here for a long time. Monica gives John an unsure look as he continues the drive up to the small house. “Doesn’t look like anyone’s home.” Monica says. John stops the car in front of the house and gets out. Monica follows him. “Dana?!” John shouts out, hoping to hear a response. He goes up to the house and knocks on the door, it creeks open on it’s own. “Hello?” John says, making his way into the house. “Dana? Mulder? You guys here?” Monica follows behind John. “Dana?” Monica says, turning into the kitchen. Her eyes widen with horror. “Oh my God! John!” John quickly comes up behind her to see what she’s looking at. “Holy god…” John says with absolute horror, as he sees Mulder and Scully dead on the ground. They’re bodies lay in a pool of stale blood. “What the hell happened here?” Monica asks with disgust. John is speechless. They are too late. Whatever the aliens wanted with them, or from them, they got it. Tears well up in John’s eyes. He shuts his eyes, not wanting to believe what he sees. ========================== FBI HEADQUARTERS - COUNTERTERRORISM DIVISION WASHINGTON, D.C. FIVE MONTHS LATER John Doggett returns to his desk in his small cubical. He’s still getting use to working with the Counterterrorism Division. He’s been with them a month, having just been re-assigned from the Criminal Investigative Division. Working to uphold the United States’ security and safety from terrorist has suited him better than working with violent crimes, fraud, or corruption, and especially aliens. There’s a small knock on his cubical. He looks up to find Monica Reyes. “Hey.” John says. “I was just finishing up.” “Been busy?” She asks. “A little.” John says. “But I can’t wait to get out of here and enjoy a nice weekend at the lake.” He looks up at her with a smile. “Me too.” Monica replies. “I think it’s something we both need.” John closes his brief case and turns off the lamp on his desk. “Ok.” He says with a smile. “I’m done thinking of work until Monday morning.” “Sounds good.” Monica walks with John out of the office. He takes hold of her hand and smiles at her. Having found Dana Scully and Fox Mulder killed in Mexico five months ago, John found comfort in Monica to help him get over Dana. The comfort soon became the two month young relationship that they are at now. Deep down, John can’t help but think that the only reason he’s with Monica is to help him deal with the most recent loss in his life: Dana Scully. His relationship with Monica helps to keep his mind off of other things. Even though every night he’s alone, Dana Scully drifts into his mind. He’ll lay awake at night staring up at the ceiling wondering where he went wrong. Or how he should’ve trusted his instincts and never let her run off with Fox Mulder. Guilt is a common thing for him to put on himself. He did the same thing with Luke’s case. He put guilt on himself for his disappearance, and up until the case was solved. Unlike Luke, John didn’t have anything that belonged to Dana. Only the memories that were made during the time that he knew her. Memories he hopes will never fade. Maybe one day he’ll learn to love Monica, which is exactly what he is working at now. ========================== DOUTHAT STATE PARK MILLBORO, VIRGINIA SATURDAY, 9:20 P.M. Monica stares into the bathroom mirror, looking deep into her own eyes as she combs her wet hair. The humidity in the air starts to fog up the mirror again, and she wipes it away with her hand. This weekend has been wonderful so far, and she finally feels that she and John are starting to progress in their relationship. She never thought it possible before, but she thinks she’s falling in love with him. She’s always had an attraction to him in the past, but she always thought that was one-sided. Before now, she never saw herself in a long term relationship with John Doggett. This weekend has proven to her that she does indeed love this man. What’s not to love? He owns this peaceful cabin that’s a little over three hours away from the busy life of Washington, D.C. He’s honest, comfortable to be around, charming, and not to mention those wonderfully toned arms. Monica smiles to herself, recalling the events from earlier in the day. They had gone fishing at the lake, and John had to help her reel in a large one. His toned muscles surrounding her, as she fell back into his muscular upper body. What had taken her so long to fall for him? There's a knock on the door. “Monica?” His voice came through the door. “Yeah?” “You almost done in there?” “I’ll be out in a moment.” Monica replied. A few minutes later she steps out of the bathroom to find John waiting for her on the couch with a bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. “I thought you fell asleep in there.” John jokes. “Almost.” Monica smiles, as she sits down next to him on the couch. He puts his arm around her and she leans back onto him. “So what movie are we watching?” Monica asks. “A classic.” John says, hitting ‘play’ on the remote. “Spencer Tracy, ‘Bad Day at Black Rock’, 1955.” John smiles at her. “A western?” Monica cringes at the idea. “What, you’re not a fan of westerns?” John asks, appauled that she’s not a fan. “No, I prefer the psychological thrillers.” She smiles at him. “You mean all that ‘new age’ stuff?” John asks. “Not all psychological thrillers are new age, John.” “Yeah, well… they all deal with that paranormal hocus-pocus you love so much.” “That’s why I like them.” She smiles as the movie begins. “You know, this movie is a thriller too.” John says. “Doesn’t look like one.” Monica says, eyeing him doubtfully. “This town has a secret and this guy doesn’t know it. They’ll even kill to keep it a secret too.” John adds. “What’s the secret?” Monica asks. “You’re kidding, right? I’m not going to spoil the movie for you. No way.” John says. A knock on the cabin door interrupts them. Monica looks up at John. “Expecting someone?” She asks. “No.” John says, as he gets up from the couch. “You didn’t order polish sausage from M Street, did you?” Monica jokes. John opens the cabin door to reveal two people wearing hooded sweatshirts to conceal their identities. “Can I help you?” He asks, trying to figure out who they are. “I hope so.” Came the voice of Fox Mulder from underneath one of the hooded sweatshirts. John stands in shock for a moment before saying anything. “Mulder?” John asks. The second hooded person steps forward, much shorter than Mulder. “John, we need your help.” Came the voice of Dana Scully. Awestruck, John moves to the side to allow them entrance into his cabin. Monica looks back from the couch and stands when she sees who is there. Mulder and Scully remove the hoods from their heads. “Is this place secure?” Mulder asks. “Yeah.” John says, still in a state of shock. “My god, we thought you were dead. We saw the bodies. How the hell…” “They were placed there to throw you off, John.” Scully explains. “We were taken.” “Taken by who?” Monica asks, joining the conversation. “It’s better if you don’t know.” Mulder answers vaguely. Mulder gives Monica a harsh look, daring her to continue with her questions. Since the moment he came back into their lives during the military trial, Monica’s had an uneasy feeling about him. Something wasn’t right, especially the way Scully acted around him. Mulder changed Scully when he came and Monica didn’t think it was for the better. He seemed to have broken her down so she would be more willing to go with him on his search for the truth. “How about you guys have a seat. I’ll get you something to eat.” John says. “Something warm please.” Scully replied. John nods his head and goes into the kitchen. “What kind of help do you guys need?” Monica asks Scully. “Just a place to stay for the night.” Mulder replied for Scully. “I didn’t know you knew about John’s cabin.” Monica states. “He told me about it before we left.” Scully replies. Monica nods her head. “Have you found what you’ve been looking for? Is that why you’re here now?” Monica asks Mulder. “We’ve found it.” Mulder replies. “And…” Monica says, encouraging him to continue. Mulder looks into her eyes. Once again letting her know that the less she knows the better. “I’m going to see if Doggett needs help in the kitchen.” Scully says, getting up from the couch. Monica looks at Mulder suspiciously as Scully leaves the room and enters the kitchen. John is at the stove, stirring warm chicken soup. “John?” Scully says softly upon her entrance. John turns to face her, and smiles. Tears come to her eyes as she approaches him. He sets his spoon down and hugs her. Tears continue to silently fall down Scully’s cheeks. “It’s okay.” John says softly. He pulls away from her slightly and kisses her on her forehead. “I never wanted to leave you, John.” Scully whispers. “Mulder, he… he’s just so determined and after everything we’ve been through, I felt I had to be with him.” John looks into her eyes and listens carefully. He senses her fear to continue on with Mulder’s quest for the truth. “You don’t know what it’s like, John.” Scully continues to whisper. “To live a life on the run. To never be able to stop and settle down with someone you love and be safe. To feel safe in someone’s arms.” Scully wipes away tears. “I’m sick of this life.” Scully continues. “I don’t know how to tell him. He’s so stuck on finding the truth that he’s blinded to my own feelings.” Scully starts to cry again. John takes her into his embrace and holds her close to him. For too long she’s been without the kind of love and comfort John Doggett could bring to her life. Life on the run with Mulder isn't how she imagines the rest of her life. What would her family think of her? Of her decisions to continue searching for phantom truths. Working with Fox Mulder over the years, Scully lost her already fragile connection with her family. Her brother, Bill Jr., never approved of her working in the Bureau. Recently she realized that his reasons were because of her partner, “Spooky” Mulder. Bill would never approve of what she’s doing in her life. Especially the fact that she had one lonely night with Mulder and the result of that was an unwanted pregnancy. A pregnancy that would turn into another case file on the X-Files. She gave up her only chance to be a mother because of Mulder’s quest. Scully is thankful that her mother never shut her out of her life. Scully needed her, and at times she believed she was the only person who cared. But that isn't true. John Doggett cares for her. In the past, he always worried for her and was checking on her to make sure she was all right. When Mulder came back all that changed. Mulder was so stuck on him and Scully being the only two working on the X-Files that he never gave John a chance. Mulder disapproved of Scully for working with another agent while he was away. Mulder had been abducted by aliens for cryin’ out loud. John Doggett helped lead the task force to find him. The only thanks John got from Mulder was being told to leave the ruins before they were destroyed in New Mexico. Scully never had the chance to say good-bye, or to thank him for everything he had done for her in the past two years. Without John Doggett, Scully would’ve fallen apart and become even more of an emotional wreck than she already is. She feels the strength John gives her as he holds her close to him. His feelings for her have not diminished over time. She feels that. “I’ll help you, Dana.” John says softly into Scully’s ear. His warm breath hitting her neck, sending chills through her body. John pulls away from her. “You won’t have to go back with him, okay?” John says. “You don’t understand, John.” Scully says, wiping tears away. “He won’t let me stay.” “Why?” “He says I’m the only one who understands him.” Scully explains. “Do you believe him? Do you believe in his quest?” John asks. Scully looks into his eyes and shakes her head “no”. “Then tell him.” John says. “Tell him this is your life.” Scully looks down, wishing it was as easy as John is making it seem. “Tell him that you’d rather spend your life with someone you actually love.” John says. “With someone who loves you in return.” Scully looks into his eyes and knows what he’s saying. Tears well up again as she wraps her arms around him tightly. “I love you, John.” Scully whispers quietly. “I love you, too.” John whispers back into her ear. Scully shuts her eyes, letting the tears fall down her face. As long as she’s with him, she feels the strength to stand up to Mulder, to tell him how she feels. She doesn’t want to live the rest of her life on the run. If Mulder can’t understand that, then he’s more blinded than she originally thought. “John?” Monica says, startling John and Dana. They part from their embrace, and he turns to face her. “Yeah?” “I was just wondering if everything was all right in here.” Monica says, having seen enough with her own eyes to know she’s interrupting something. “Everything’s fine.” John assures her. Monica looks them over, then nods her head and leaves the kitchen to return to the living room. Monica sits down on the couch, leaving a space between herself and Mulder. She is heartbroken having heard John and Dana say their ‘I love you’s'. She tries to hold back her emotions, knowing that what they said was more than just friendship. “Are they coming?” Mulder asks. Monica looks over at him. “Yeah. He said they’d be out in a moment.” Monica says, still hiding her emotions. Why had she been so foolish to think John Doggett could fall in love with her? John always seemed so distant in their relationship. It took him three months to let her in. She wasn’t pushing him into a relationship, not after everything they had both been through. It just happened. The signs were there, but she was blinded. He only needs her to help him get over Dana Scully. Now, Dana Scully was back in his life. Monica sighs, and quickly gets up off the couch. Her foot, however, knocks the bowl of popcorn off the coffee table and to the ground. “Shit.” Monica says under her breath, as she bends down to pick up the mess. “Here, let me help you.” Mulder says, grabbing Monica’s wrist away from the fallen popcorn kernels. Monica eyes him, she doesn't like the way he grabbed her. “It’s okay, I’ve got it.” Monica says, smiling politely at him. “I insist.” Mulder says as he picks up the popcorn kernels. Monica reluctantly stands as Mulder picks up the mess. “It’s not-“ Monica stops mid-sentence when she notices something suspicious on the back of Mulder’s neck. She looks closer and realizes that Mulder has the bumps on the back of his neck. The same bumps that Shannon McMahon, Knowle Rohrer and Billy Miles had. Her eyes widen as Mulder stands up and hands her the bowl of popcorn. She quickly changes her expression to a pleasant smile. “There you go.” Mulder says with an uneasy smile. Monica takes the bowl in her hands. “Thank you.” She says, as she quickly passes him to enter the kitchen. Mulder turns and watches her, feeling that she knows something about him that she shouldn’t. John and Dana walk out of the kitchen, just as Monica enters. “John, I need to talk to you.” Monica says with urgency. “Can it wait?” John asks, her urgency going right over his head. “Dana and I were going to go for a walk.” “I don’t think it can.” Monica says. “Listen, we’ll be back in a few minutes.” John says. “Can you make sure Mulder gets some of the soup I made. I’m sure he’s hungry.” John and Dana pass Monica as they head out the door. Monica sets the popcorn bowl down on the counter, hearing the door shut to the cabin, she knows she is alone now. Alone, and only with Fox Mulder. They must’ve made Mulder one of them. A Super Soldier. Monica shuts her eyes, trying to clear her head about what she should do. “Well, looks like it’s just you and me.” Mulder says behind her with a smug expression. Monica quickly turns to face him, knowing now that he knows she knows what he has become. “Yeah.” Monica says, trying to cover her nerves. “John made some chicken soup.” “They say it’s good for the soul.” Mulder says, his tone making her more and more uneasy. He truly enjoys what he has become. “Would you like some?” Monica asks, making her way over to the hot stove. “No, I’m just fine.” Mulder says, slowly cornering her in the kitchen. “And don’t even think of doing what you are about to do. You already know it can’t stop me.” Mulder smiles at her. “What are you talking about?” Monica bites her lower lip, knowing he knows she wants to toss the hot soup at him. “There’s only one way out of this Ms. Reyes.” Mulder says. “You can’t beat us, so you might as well join us.” Mulder has cornered her. Monica’s hand searches for a weapon on the counter. To her luck, she finds a large knife. “You know, I’d rather not.” Monica says, as she quickly grabs hold of the knife and jabs it towards Mulder’s neck. Mulder’s too fast for her and stops her before she can complete her move. Mulder looks deep into her fearful eyes. “Now that’s not very nice…” Mulder says with a smile, as he twists her wrist painfully. Monica drops the knife to the ground, and sends a painful blow to Mulder's valuables. This startles him for a moment and she’s able to break free of his grasp. She runs out the cabin door. Once outside, Monica frantically looks around to see if she can spot where John and Dana are. She sees them standing on the dock at the lake. She takes off in a fast sprint towards them. “John! Dana!” John and Dana turn to see her coming at them. “What’s wrong?” John asks. Monica reaches them and stops running. “It’s Mulder.” She says, pointing back at the house. “He’s a Super Soldier.” “What?” John asks in disbelief. “Wherever you were Dana, they turned him into a Super Soldier. He tried to get me.” Monica says. John looks back at the house. Mulder is making his way towards them. His manner mimicking that of Knowle Rohrer’s before he attacked the three of them a year ago. “Are you absolutely sure, Monica?” John asks. “I wouldn’t doubt her, John.” Scully assures him. “He hasn’t been the same since we escaped.” Scully picks up a shovel that is lying on the dock and hands it to John. Mulder approaches them with a menacing look. John swings the shovel at Mulder, hitting him right where his head meets his neck. Mulder’s head flies off and lands in the lake water below. His body falls to the ground, becoming motionless. John, Dana and Monica look down in disbelief. Whatever Mulder went through while they were taken, it had turned him into a Super Soldier. Luckily for Scully, they hadn’t gotten to her. The search for the truth had been so strong and dedicated within Mulder, that instead of fighting it, he became it. Whether or not he was willing to become a Super Soldier, the truth remains unknown. ========================== 67 BENNETT AVENUE WASHINGTON, D.C. TWO MONTHS LATER Monica Reyes stands in her living room taking black and white photographs off her wall. She smiles fondly at one of the photos. The photo is of her as a child with her grandmother in Mexico City. She carefully wraps the framed photograph with brown packing paper and places it gently in a moving box. She looks around her loft apartment. Slowly it’s being packed away into boxes. She sure is going to miss this place. For being located in Washington, D.C. it certainly was nice and quiet. There is a knock on the apartment door. Monica stumbles over boxes and other items as she makes her way to the door. She opens it and smiles as John and Dana stand before her. John has a white paper bag in his hands and a grin on his face. “Hey.” Monica says with a smile. “Come on in.” Monica steps aside as John and Dana enter her apartment. “We thought we’d come over and see if you needed any help packing.” Scully says. “Not really, but I don’t mind the company.” Monica smiles. “I got you something.” John says with a devious grin. Monica looks him over, fearing what’s in the bag. “Since I got you this when you moved in, I thought I’d do the same for when you move out.” John smiles, handing her the bag. “This isn’t going to remind me of the time I was in Gdansk is it?” Monica says, knowing John brought polish sausage from M Street. She opens the bag, and the smell of fresh polish sausage fills the air. “Polish sausage.” She smiles. “And from the street as well. How thoughtful of you John.” Monica jokes. “And I see you’ve packed away your plates.” John smiles as he digs into the bag and retrieves a polish sausage for himself. “I’ll pass on this.” Monica smiles. “I’m on a new diet. I’m trying to cut back on street food.” Scully laughs. “I would say the same thing, but I love these.” Scully says, as she retrieves a polish sausage for herself. “So when do you head off to Charleston?” John asks. “Two days.” Monica says. “Too bad we won’t be able to help you move in.” John says. “Oh, like you helped me move in here?” Monica jokes. John smiles at her. “Got any water?” He asks. “Yeah, in the kitchen.” Monica answers. John goes into her kitchen, weaving through a mess of boxes on the floor. “I hope you have glasses still.” He says on his way in. “So how are you and John doing?” Monica asks. “We’re good.” Dana says. “I hope you’re not bitter about what happened between you two.” Monica shakes her head. “No, I’m not.” Monica says. “John and I… we were both broken and found comfort with one another. Deep down, even when I was with him, I knew he wasn’t over you. It’s just a way to make yourself think you’ve moved on when you haven’t. I’m guilty of the same thing.” “Good. I mean, it’s not good that you two were broken, but it’s good you’re not bitter towards me.” Scully says. “I’ve been afraid to bring it up with you incase you hated me or something.” “I could never hate you, Dana.” Monica says. “Besides, I told John to follow his heart.” Scully smiles. “I’m going to miss you, Monica.” Scully says. “You are a great friend to me.” “I’ll still be a great friend.” Monica smiles. John comes out of the kitchen with a glass of water. “So what will you be doing in Charleston?” John asks. “Violent Crimes again.” Monica says. “Who knows, with all the history down in old South Carolina, maybe my hard work at Brown University will pay off again. Although I doubt anything will top working on the X- Files.” “I don’t think it can be topped.” Scully says with a smile. “Well, I don’t think we should take up any more of your time, Monica.” John says. “Looks like you’ve got a lot of packing to do before you leave.” “Yeah I do.” Monica laughs. “I’ve been procrastinating all day.” “We’ll see you again before you leave, so I don’t have to cry yet.” Scully says with a laugh. Monica smiles. “We’ll see you later.” John says. “All right.” Monica walks John and Dana to the door, and they leave her apartment. Monica shuts the door behind them and looks around. She smiles, as a calming feeling washes over her. A feeling of freedom and moving on in her life. She brushes a strand of hair behind her ear. Her hand making it’s way to her collarbone to where her necklace lays that carries the wedding ring. A small smiles forms on her face as she heads to her bedroom to pack up her belongs, to start her new life journey in Charleston. THE END -------------------- Love it? Hate it? Let me know! admin@littlealbatross.com