Work Text:
Edward A. Garmond United States District Courthouse
Baltimore, Maryland
February 5th, 1998
1:32 pm
“Agent Scully, could you please review for the jury your involvement in the case?”
“Yes… Agent Mulder - my partner - and myself were asked to consult on the case when the local jurisdiction requested federal assistance. The young girl, Madelyn Greene, had been missing for four days when we arrived.”
“Was there any specific reason you and Agent Mulder were assigned to this case?”
Scully took a deep breath and involuntarily bit her lip before continuing, trying desperately not to appear as nervous as she was.
“While a federal agent, I am also a medical doctor and forensic scientist. Agent Mulder is a profiler. Together, we have a specialized background in solving cases that feature unexplained phenomena.”
The prosecutor drew each question out in a practiced monotone. “And is that what happened here, Dr. Scully? Unexplained phenomena?”
“Yes… and no. I was asked to reexamine the forensic evidence collected from the sexual assault victims when it no longer matched the suspect.”
The prosecutor motioned for her to continue.
“Local PD were reluctant to release Dr. Monroe from custody but felt they didn’t have enough to hold him in custody. Having submitted to an intravenous blood draw, Dr. Monroe did not match evidence gathered from the crime scene.”
“Though Dr. Monroe was the only person on camera in the room with the girls during the time frame.”
“Yes… Dr. Monroe was released and he was involved directly or indirectly in Madelyn’s kidnapping shortly after.”
“And what did you and Agent Mulder ultimately find, Doctor?”
“We were able to determine why Dr. Monroe should have matched the crime scene evidence but did not. While I initially suspected a case of chimerism where a body holds more than one type of blood or cell type, that was not the case here. Dr. Monroe had somehow surgically installed a Penrose drain - a small plastic tube in his arm that he filled with another person’s blood, which led to the false negative. He used the time he was released to abduct Madelyn Greene and murdered her so she couldn’t testify against him.” Scully looked across the room to her partner who silently nodded and encouraged her to continue. Looking at the killer would only make her feel more unsettled than she already was.
“Subsequent supervised hair follicle, saliva, and fingertip prick tests conducted after Dr. Monroe was back in custody all determined that he was the perpetrator both in the original assaults and in the homicide of Madelyn Greene.”
“So it is your professional opinion that Dr. Monroe sexually assaulted both sisters and is responsible for the murder of young Madelyn Greene?”
“Yes, without a doubt.”
“Thank you for your testimony, Dr. Scully. That will be all.”
Scully stared at her steaming mug. Mulder’s mug steamed beside hers on his coffee table, but he didn’t reach for it.
“You took this case too personally.” Mulder immediately realized what he said sounded harsher than he intended and bit his lip as he found something interesting to stare at on the floor.
“Yeah,” Scully replied nonchalantly, “but so did you.”
Because of Emily, because of Samantha, the unspoken words hung there, unsaid but felt.
“It’s not a competition.”
Scully didn’t look up. “No Mulder, it isn’t. That bastard came close to getting away though. He killed that little girl before we could figure out what he did and he would have done it again.”
Mulder nodded in assent. “They should have called us sooner, but what more could we have done?”
Scully fought the strong wave of emotion she felt well up. She thought she might maintain control a brief moment before Mulder reached over and gripped her hand with his. It was too much and she pulled her hands back quickly to cover her face. She stood up quickly, rubbing her eyes furiously beneath her glasses. “I… I should get going.”
Mulder mirrored her movements as she rose and held his hands up, palms out. He hadn’t meant to upset her. He sighed heavily, unsure what he might say to calm his friend.
“You shouldn’t be alone right now, Scully,” he said, following her to the door. “I shouldn’t…” He stopped as she slammed it shut behind her. He bent his head against the door as he heard her heels click onto the elevator, then swore as his fist found the wall.
Agent Karen Kosseff could barely contain the look of shock on her face as Scully entered her office. The latter had been a pale skeletal form of herself the last time they met, and Kosseff had assumed at the time that it would be the last time she would meet the young agent on duty. “Dana, you’re looking well. It’s been a while since we’ve spoken.”
“Thank you. I appreciate you fitting me into your schedule on such short notice.”
“Of course. Please, sit. I am so happy to see that your health has returned. How can I help you today?”
“I’ve... found a new lease on life, but… A lot has happened since then. I’ve been having some difficulty processing things. I’m not even sure where to begin.”
“I take it that your latest case was challenging.”
Scully took a deep breath as she sat and tried to stop her hand from trembling by burying it in her lap. She took a moment to collect her thoughts before she began.
“Yes… In late December, I discovered that I had a daughter. I didn’t give birth to her, but my ova had been used to create her.”
Agent Kosseff’s eyebrows betrayed her surprise, but she stayed silent.
“She was being used in an experimental drug study by a company known as Transgen and other unknown parties. I tried to gain custody of her but she was already very ill and passed away shortly after. I knew her for less than three weeks.”
“Oh Dana, I’m so sorry… It’s been less than three months and you just worked the Greene case. That’s why you’re here.”
“Yes… I never realized how much I wanted to be a mother until I was told that I never would be able… to. Then I met Emily and felt like an unspoken prayer had been heard. That I might be able to raise this beautiful little girl who reminded me so much of my sister Missy... but I lost her. Now I had to watch as this beautiful family was torn apart and destroyed by this sick man - a man who like me took an oath to do no harm.” Scully bowed her head.
“Agent Mulder is still your partner. You spoke the last time we met about what a source of strength he has been for you. Have you spoken to him about this - does he know?”
“Agent Mulder took the red eye flight to San Diego as soon as I called him. I didn’t even tell him why. I think he presumed my cancer had returned. I just said I needed him to come and he stayed with me until after her funeral.”
“He’s a loyal and dedicated friend, your partner. You’ve been through so much together.”
“Yeah… he is.”
“But you don’t feel comfortable talking to him about how this case has made you feel?”
It was subtle, but Scully shook her head no. “Last year, we took a case involving a serial killer who only murdered little girls. Mulder struggled with it… he wasn’t himself. At one point, the killer had Mulder convinced that his missing sister had been one of his victims. I needed to be strong for him. I know he’s struggled with this case, too.”
“And now you feel compromised the same way?”
“I don’t know if compromised is the word. Sensitive... perhaps. We still found the perpetrator and discovered what he did to get free in the first place. We just didn’t get there in time to save Madelyn. She died from her injuries shortly after we found her.”
“Dana, I’ve known you for over four years now. Even veteran detectives with decades on the force struggle when children are involved in abuse and homicide. You’re no different. Frankly, I’d be worried if it didn’t affect you in some way. You’ve met the requirement of your duties and it's unfortunate that your services weren't called upon sooner. Mr. Monroe won’t be getting out of prison anytime soon.”
“Thank you, Karen. I know... I wish that made me feel better.”
“Go home and get rest. A week. Self-care is important. Talk to your partner, Dana. He needs you now as much as you need him.”
Scully went to confession and bought groceries before returning home in the late afternoon. No matter how poorly she felt, life went on and she thought she might be able to distract herself with the routine.
When she came through her front door with an armful of bags, she wasn’t prepared to hear someone get up from the couch. She involuntarily jumped and groceries went flying as she dropped her bags. A jar of alfredo sauce smashed across the floor tile before Mulder leapt up.
“Jesus, Mulder, what are you doing here?” She bent and began gathering items back into the bags, carefully avoiding the spill she’d clean up next. Her partner ran his hand through his messy, spiked hair, still too groggy and intoxicated to string together a proper sentence.
“I’m sorry, Scully, I, uh…” He moved to the sink and grabbed the paper towels before bending down beside her. He fought the roll with a bandaged hand and she noticed, stopping what she was doing to examine it. Mulder winced and protested.
“Mulder, you’ve been drinking. What happened? What did you do?”
“It’s nothing. I… punched a wall. I worried about you. You didn’t answer your phone.”
“I turned it off. I needed to be alone for a while. I went to see Karen and then ran a few errands. How long have you been here?
“I came over once I couldn’t reach you… most of the day? What time is it?”
“Before or after you picked up the bottle?”
Mulder suddenly blushed and looked guilty. “I owe you a bottle, Scully - that’s your Christmas stash.”
“Mulder!” She had never shown Mulder her recently restocked and extremely limited liquor collection. “How did you know?”
“I didn’t, but you’re Irish and I played a hunch. I’m guessing little brother Charlie gave you this, because I know it definitely wasn’t your mother and it's not your usual beverage of choice.” Mulder looked at the mess the sauce made on the floor. He’d come here to help his partner, and was acting once again like a complete and utter asshole. “I’m sorry, Scully. I didn’t mean to upset you earlier, and now I’ve fucked up again. Shit.”
“Stop, Mulder. Unwrap this so I can do it right, and pour me a glass while you’re at it.”
They sat side by side on her couch by the fireplace. Scully was tempted to reach out and assure herself that it really was Mulder sitting beside her but felt confident looking at the three small stitches she had laced into her partner’s hand. He had whined enough until she finally told him to shut up or drink more. Definitely Mulder. Now they watched the fire and sipped their cups. The whiskey bottle sat half-empty beneath them on the coffee table. It was Mulder who finally interrupted the pleasant silence.
“They should have called us sooner.”
Scully nodded in agreement before he continued.
“The jury gave Monroe the death penalty. Skinner called to find out if I had heard while you were out. The jury only deliberated four hours.”
“I shouldn’t be glad for that, but I am. If only it could bring that little girl back to her family…”
Mulder nodded. “I hear you... At least we prevented him from getting to do it to anyone else. He would have gone after the older sister next. Some other girl we don’t know is safe at home with her family right now… I know this case was hard for you. I just wanted to say… that I appreciate that and that I appreciate you. I don’t think that I say that enough.”
“Mulder...”
“Stop - don’t make me stop, not yet. Let me talk while I still have enough liquid courage to get this out... I know you don’t think I notice because I’m so self-absorbed, but I do… just how much you do. Since you’ve been my partner, so many terrible things have happened to you, and yet you’ve been the most loyal… friend I’ve ever had. This case was disturbing on so many levels for everyone involved… but I know it went deeper than that for you. Your own personal abduction… your little girl… your recent illness. You think all the years and all the things you experience would harden you, but if anything, I know it has made me more conscious of the personal toll it takes. The injustice of it all… and we’re left to pick up the pieces and deal with the aftermath.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
Slowly, Mulder reached for his partner’s hand again and gripped it within his. This time she didn’t pull back. It was becoming harder to deny everything this woman meant to him.
“You don’t have to say anything, Scully. I’d just like to try and help you carry the burden, lighten the load. I’m not the most eloquent man, you know… but you don’t have to try and face everything alone. I want to be here.”
Scully softly squeezed his hand in gratitude. “Thank you.”