Disclaimer etc. in Prologue...


Menage a trois
By DanaK35


PART SEVEN


Boston, MA.
FBI Field Office
Monday, 7:00 a.m.


Dana Scully reached the office before everyone else. She had been up since five and had finally 
gotten up at 6 a.m., deciding if she couldn't sleep she might as well work. 

Work would save her from going insane. 

She had spent most of the remaining weekend in bed, alternately crying and sleeping fitfully. 
Her dreams were haunted by images of Walter Skinner and Mulder's hazel eyes.

She felt incredibly guilty about sleeping with Mulder. Once she had woken from her own voice, 
whispering Skinner's name. She wanted to be with him. 

Phoebe had knocked on Sunday, insisting she'd come in and after finally convincing Scully to 
open her apartment door; she had tried her best to comfort her friend. Between sobs and angry 
silences she had coaxed the whole story out of her. For once she had been lost for words. She 
felt for Scully being caught in a tragic "Ménage a trois" but her friend didn't want to be 
comforted and so she left after a while.

Scully was going through a stack of protocols, when the other agents arrived. 'Work,' she told 
herself, 'focus on solving this case!'


*******************************


Miami, FL.
FBI Field Office
Monday, 11:30 a.m.


Walter Skinner entered the office that had been assigned to him for the time of his stay and 
slammed the door behind him, shedding his suit jacket. 

Almost immediately the door opened again and Sofia, the admin assistant of the SAC asked 
cheerfully. "Is there anything I can do for you today, Sir?" 

He looked up at her and frowned. Her cheerfulness drove him crazy already. "Yeah, get me the 
latest reports on the Fondevilla surveillance if you don't mind, some Tylenol would be good, 
too!" 

He snapped and switched on his computer terminal. He was hung over and felt exhausted from 
the heat and lack of sleep. The commute from DC to Miami this morning had been an hour late 
and he'd had forgotten to ask to be picked up at the airport. As a result he'd had to get a cab 
and the Mexican cab driver had had no idea of how to get him to the FBI office in North Miami 
Beach. By the time the finally reached it, Skinner had been ready to pull out his gun and shoot 
the guy. 

Sofia came in and placed the reports, the coffee and a glass of water on his desk, dropping two 
tablets next to the clear liquid. 

"Thanks!" he murmured. "Anything else, SIR?" 

"Yes, get me SAC Dana Scully in Boston!" 

Sofia nodded and hurried out of the office. 

Five minutes later she was back. "Sir? SAC Scully is unavailable..." 

He nodded. 'Damn it!' He said under his breath when the door had closed behind Sofia.


**************************


Boston, Ma.
FBI Field Office
Monday, 11:45 a.m.


Scully replaced the receiver and stared at the phone. Her admin had asked if she should put AD 
Skinner's call through and had been more than surprised when she had gotten "NO" for an 
answer. Scully sighed. She wasn't ready to talk to Skinner yet. 

She gathered her folders and got up to join her task force for a status meeting. The phone rang 
again. "Dana Scully speaking."

"Hey Scully, it's me." Mulder.

"Hey!" There was a silence. 

"Ah...Scully, I wanted to tell you that I am sorry..."

"For what?" 

"I shouldn't have taken advantage of the situation." 

"I am an adult, Mulder..." She didn't want to hear another man tell her he was sorry to have 
slept with 
her. 

"And then the call... you shouldn't have left." 

"I wanted to, it was Rachel, wasn't it?" 

There was another uncomfortable silence. "Yes." 

Scully sat back down and closed her eyes. She couldn't believe what she was about to say. 
"Don't tell her, Mulder. If you love her don't tell her about us..." She whispered. 

"Scully, I..." 

"No, listen to me, Mulder, when you came to see me, you said that you had fallen in love with 
Rachel, in spite of your love to me... I think what we have is something much deeper than love, 
deeper than sex... but we also have a history that we can't deny." 

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean that no matter how much we love each other, no matter how great the sex is, that we 
can never be totally at ease, we care too much... we are too afraid to hurt the other because 
of all the pain we have shared." She could hear him exhale. 

"I don't want you to feel used." 



"YOU don't make me feel that way, Mulder." He heard the sarcastic tone in her voice.

"Skinner loves you, Scully." He said simply. 

She laughed coolly. "I don't think so, Mulder, but thanks for trying." 

"He does, Scully, he is just scared. I don't think he has ever let go enough."

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. "I've got to go. Take care, Scully."

"Take care." She hung up and swallowed hard. 

Then she got up and finally joined the meeting, her thoughts in turmoil.


***********************


Boston, Ma.
Dana Scully's residence
Saturday, 09:30 a.m.

Scully had spent long hours at the office each day to avoid the lonely nights. Now, as she sat 
on her couch, coffee mug in hand she felt drained. The investigation was still going slowly. 
Skinner's team in Miami wasn't doing any better. They couldn't prove Fondevilla's involvement, 
hadn't found any conclusive evidence for his bribes to the bankers and senators. Senator 
Adams' confession was not enough. 

A knock on the door interrupted her brooding. 

She got up and opened the door to find Phoebe standing there. "Hey, Dana, home for a 
change?" She pushed past Scully and went directly into the kitchen. "OK, Dana, I've got muffins 
from Annie's and lattes from Starbucks..." 

She handed Scully a Styrofoam cup and placed two gigantic blueberry muffins on a plate. They 
sat down on the couch, facing each other. 

Phoebe took a bite from the cake and asked. "So...what's been going on?" 

Scully took a sip of her latte and raised one eyebrow. "What do you mean?" 

"Have you spoken to either one of them?" 

Scully nodded. "I have spoken to Mulder, we had a good talk... I can't believe that I have said 
the things I said." She told Phoebe about the conversation with Mulder. 

"What about Skinner?" 

Scully frowned. "He has been calling a couple of times at the office but I couldn't speak to him. 
It hurts too much..." 

"You love him, don't you?" 

Scully nodded, tears threatening to overflow again, then she cleared her throat. "I had thought 
that... oh I don't even know anymore, Pheebs, remember you telling me to have some 
hormones? It seemed so easy... make love to a sexy, interesting man... sure, easy to do. The 
problem is I have fallen in love with him; It's not as easy anymore... I love him and he 
doesn't...he has risked so much for me but still... I can't make him love me..." Scully hid her 
face behind her hands and wept silently, her friend took her into a tight embrace, whispering 
words of comfort. 




After a while Phoebe jumped off the couch. "You know what, we should go out, shopping, to 
the hairdresser something...get your mind off things..." 

"I don't know..." 

"Yes, you do, get dressed, I'll pick you up in half an hour. I still haven't told you about Robert, 
he's soo yummy." With a wicked grin she closed the apartment door behind her. 

Scully shook her head and got up to shower and change. 'I have lived without Walter Skinner 
for 35 years'; she thought resolutely, 'I will certainly manage the next 35.'


********************************


Boston, MA. 
FBI Field Office,
One week later, Tuesday, 3:50 p.m.

"I have got it..." Agent Gallagher slammed down his fist on the desk and looked up triumphantly. 

Scully rushed to his side. "What have you got?" 

"I found the accounts on the Cayman's, I have decoded their security-code." He handed her a 
printout. 

'This is it,' she thought and picked up the phone, placing a call to Miami. Agent Montgomery 
picked up almost immediately. 

"We've got it, we found the connection..." 

"Conclusive evidence?" 

"Proof." 

"Do you want me to get AD Skinner on the line?" 

"No, I am flying down on the next shuttle?" 

"Sure, Agent Scully." 

"OK, I see you here in a few hours." 

She boarded a plane to Miami an hour later, after hastily packing a suitcase.


************************


Agent Montgomery picked her up at the airport and took her straight to the FBI office. "You 
sure you don't want to go to your hotel first?" 

She shook her head. "I am fine." 

She got off the elevator nervously and looked around. "They're waiting in conference room 
four." 

She left her suitcase with the receptionist and followed Montgomery into the conference room. 
To her relief, Skinner wasn't present. She sighed inwardly and put down Gallagher's printouts on 
the table.

"Okay, people, we finally got evidence that could convict Fondevilla." She explained what they 
had found, when the door opened behind her. 


Without turning she knew it was him. His presence was overbearing. Her heart started beating 
wildly. She knew he would be wearing a dark suit and crisp white shirt; his tie would be 
conservative, his gaze cold, his face like stone. 

"And what do you suggest, Agent Scully?" His voice send a shiver down her spine. 

"I think now it's time to pick him up, Sir." She replied equally as cold. 

"Yes, I think that's how we should proceed. Jennings, Montgomery, you'll come with me, 
Hagans, Miller, Lutz, let's go...and someone call the MPD" The Agents got up. 

"I'm coming with you." For the first time Dana Scully looked up in Skinner's face. 

His dark eyes didn't betray his feelings; his mouth was set in a thin line. He started to speak 
but her icy gaze stopped him. "Suit yourself, Agent Scully!" 

*****************************

Twenty minutes later they reached Fondevilla's office building. Skinner ordered Hagans and Lutz 
upstairs, Jennings and Montgomery to the front entrance. 

He motioned for Scully and Miller to follow him to the underground parking garage. Hiding behind 
a car facing the two main doors, they waited. Skinner glanced at Scully and tried to get his 
wildly beating heart under control. He looked away and concentrated on the observation. 

After a couple of minutes the door opened and two of Fondevilla's bodyguards stormed in, 
weapons drawn. When they determined the garage to be safe, one of them motioned his OK. 
Fondevilla and another bodyguard entered quickly, looking around nervously. 

Skinner got up and yelled. "Federal Agent, freeze!" His gun raised, he slowly came round the 
car. 

Miller and Scully followed. One of the bodyguards immediately opened fire and hit Miller squarely 
in the stomach. 

Skinner's shot hit the shooter in his upper thigh and Fondevilla began to run. "FBI, drop your 
weapons!" 

The other bodyguard fired and both Agents dived for safety. "Are you OK, Scully?" She nodded 
and they got up again, following Fondevilla and the remaining bodyguards between the cars, 
Skinner at her heels. 

They never saw the door open. 

Skinner heard the click of the semi-automatic weapon and spun around. 

Then everything happened in seconds. The man fired directly at Scully's back and Skinner 
threw himself in the line of fire. "Scully!" His own scream was the last thing he heard before the 
bullet hit his chest. 

Then darkness fell upon him. 

Scully raised the weapon and fired her entire magazine at the shooter. The man fell on his 
knees, weapon still in hand. 

"DROP THE GUN!" Scully yelled. "Walter,NO!" 

The gun clattered to the floor. The man dropped forward, his body hitting the ground with a 
low sickening thud, just as Skinner's had only moments before. 

Scully rushed to the AD's side. He was lying on his back, eyes wide open, breathing shallow. 
"Skinner!" 

Blood was seeping from a wound in his upper chest. The door opened and Scully raised her gun 
again, still kneeling on the floor beside the wounded AD. When she saw that it was Hagans she 
yelled. "Get an ambulance! Two Agents down!" Laying her SIG to the side she placed his head 
on her knees, gently touching his cheek. "Hold on, Skinner, please, look at me, focus..." 

His eyes turned up as he tried to focus. "Dana..." His voice was barely a whisper.

"Please, don't let go, please..." 

"Ma'am!" Dazed, Scully looked up into the face of an EMT. "Would you please move away, 
Ma'am so we can take care of him..." 

She watched them dress the wound, place an oxygen mask on his face and pick him up, laying 
him down on a gurney. 

"Where are you taking him?" 

"Miami General!" 

"I'm coming with you, I am a medical doctor!" 

The EMT opened his mouth to protest but shut it quickly when he saw the determination in her 
eyes.


************************


Thursday, 5:30 a.m.

Fox Mulder got out of the taxi and hurried up the stairs of the hospital. Pushing open the door 
to the waiting room he saw Scully sitting on one of the chairs, staring at a cup of tea in her 
hand. 

She looked up. "What are you doing here, Mulder?" 

Mulder crossed the room and took her in his arms. She looked tired, eyes red, auburn hair 
disheveled. She'd obviously not slept at all. "Agent Montgomery told me when I called to 
congratulate you..." Scully nodded. "Any news?" She shook her head.

"What happened?" 

She bit her lower lip, her forehead creased. "We were picking up Fondevilla... he took a bullet 
for me... I don't even know whether we arrested that son-of-a-bitch..." Her jaw clenched and 
she swallowed hard, tears were brimming in her eyes. "I can't believe he did that..." she 
whispered.

Mulder was silent.

"Dr. Scully?" A doctor had appeared. 

"How is he?" 

"Mr. Skinner has survived the surgery, but he is very weak, if you'd like you can see him now, 
but only for a few of minutes!" The doctor led her to the recovery room explaining what they 
had done during the 5 1/2 hours of surgery. 

Skinner was lying beneath white hospital sheets. Monitors beeped and tubes snaked out of his 
nose and arms. He was still intubated and the respirator had taken over breathing for him. His 
face was almost as white as the sheets; his eyes were closed. The image of him, so close to 
death just a couple of months ago, flashed through her mind. Scully sat down beside the bed, 
taking his hand and squeezing it gently. 

"Oh Skinner,.." she whispered. "What were you thinking..." 

She looked down at him for a long time, hoping he would wake, but he didn't stir.



Mulder was waiting for her when she entered the waiting room. "How is he?"

"The bullet has punctured the lung and then got stuck in his back. They've taken it out, but 
he's lost a lot of blood. It was a big caliber weapon. They'd had to defibrillate him twice. He is 
very weak..." Scully explained, her face strained. 

Mulder got up from his chair. "You're staying?" Scully shook her head. "No, Dr. Jackson said 
there are to be no more visitors ..."

Mulder hesitated. "I am supposed to meet someone for breakfast..." Scully nodded and turned 
to leave. "Why don't you join us?" 

Scully looked at him questioningly. "Us?" 

"Yeah, Rachel accompanied me..." He shifted uncomfortably on his feet. 

After a moment she nodded. "I'll be there... I just need a shower first..."


******************************************


The café was crowded when Scully entered and asked for Mulder's table. The hostess led her 
to a table on the veranda and Mulder got up immediately. "Scully, you have met Rachel 
Williams..." 

Rachel gave her a once over and extended her hand. "Pleased to see you again, Dana!" 

They sat down and picked up the menu the waitress had placed on the table. For a moment an 
uncomfortable silence enveloped them and Scully asked herself if she'd made the right decision. 

She forced a smile on her face and asked pleasantly. "How are you, Rachel?" 

She smiled back radiantly. "I am great... I am very sorry about the AD, Mulder told me about 
the shooting..." 

Scully took a deep breath. "Thanks..." She took a deep breath. 

"Will he be OK?" There was true concern in the other woman's voice. 

Scully shrugged. "I hope...I don't know what I'll do if..." 

Rachel reached out and took Scully's hand. "He will be OK, Dana, I am sure..." 

A new trust was established between the two women at that moment and Scully smiled 
warmly. 

"How do you like Miami, Rachel...." she inquired, leading the conversation in a new direction. 


***************************************


Miami, Fl.
FBI apartment
Wednesday, 10:45 p.m.


Dana Scully got up and walked out of the bedroom. In the living room she opened the doors to 
the balcony and stepped out into the humid night air. 

At nine she'd finally given in to exhaustion and went back to the apartment, after calling the 
hospital and checking on Skinner. She'd fallen into a fitful sleep, disturbed by images of him 
stepping into the line of fire; falling to the ground her name on his lips. The way his body hit 
the concrete, his pale face as he struggled to tell her something before falling into 
unconsciousness. Images of them kissing, making love.

Images of herself and Mulder, beautiful bodies joined together. Rachel Williams smiling face, 
telling her how happy she was to be with Mulder. She had woken with a start to the sound of 
the gunshot echoing in the parking garage. She went back inside and got dressed in a simple 
white shirt, which she didn't bother to tuck into her jeans. 

Twenty minutes later, she walked past the ICU-nurse into Walter Skinner's room. The sight of 
his still form connected to numerous high tech machines made her shiver. She pulled up a chair 
and sat down next to him, picking up his hand. His lips were slightly parted and his breathing 
still shallow. 

"Walter..." She whispered. "I am sorry I didn't love you the way you deserve it... I know I 
should love you so much better than this."

Here, in the eerie silence of the hospital only interrupted by the beeps and occasional alarm of 
the monitors, she allowed himself to weep.

Deep, racked sobs shook her as she cried for him, for herself, for them...


*****************************


Three weeks later, Walter Skinner was released from the hospital. He had not spoken to Scully 
and although he knew she had been there almost everyday during his coma, she had not come 
back once he was out of danger. She had wrapped up the case and had flown back to Boston. 

A single rose had been waiting for him on the day he left. And a note. "I'll be there when you're 
ready..." 

He swallowed and stuffed the piece of paper in his pocket.

It was better this way.


End part 7