TITLE: When Leaving’s Best

AUTHOR: Gabi Fisher

SPOILER WARNING: none

CLASSIFICATION: VA

SUMMARY: Scully finally gets fed up with Mulder and the outcome is disastrous.

Skinner handed Mulder the folder. The case was on a missing woman. She was in her mid-thirties, single, and sharing an apartment with one other woman. Her roommate could not find any recent pictures of the woman, Sheryl Baker, so the picture in the file was from college. She was a beautiful woman, both Mulder and Scully noticed, with long, dark blonde hair and hazel eyes.

"Sir, why did Scully and I get this case? It has nothing to do with the paranormal," Mulder asked.

"Because you two are my best agents and Sheryl’s boyfriend is my nephew and he asked that I look into it," Skinner replied. "I knew that you would be best for this assignment. Will you take it?"

"We’ll do our best, sir," Scully said, before taking Mulder’s elbow and leading him out of Skinner’s office.

"Why are you agreeing to this case, Scully?" Mulder asked as soon as they were out of Skinner’s hearing range.

"As a break. Normal sounds really good. And it says that Sheryl lived-lives in Maine, and I love Maine," Scully responded.

"Ok, sounds pretty boring, but let’s do it," Mulder said. "You know what time the plane leaves?"

"Yeah, it leaves at…" Scully looked at the file. "Three this afternoon. I’m going to go to my apartment and pack. I’ll pick you up at yours at one?"

"Fine. See you then."

* * *

The trip to the airport and then into Maine was uneventful. Mulder and Scully took turns reading over the file, and then Scully looked up Baker’s apartment’s address on a map.

When they arrived at the apartment, Mulder pulled out his badge wallet and knocked on the door. "Ms. Canifer?"

The woman who opened the door nodded tentatively. "Y-yes? And you are?"

"Special Agent Mulder, FBI and this is Special Agent Scully," he said, nodding his head toward Scully, "I’m here to look into the disappearance of Sheryl Baker, your roommate. May we come in?"

"Sure, let’s go into the living room," she said.

Scully followed Ms. Canifer’s lead and sat on the couch while Mulder went over to the mantel over the fake fireplace. He looked at the array of pictures that littered its top. He froze when he saw the picture of two nine year-old girls. Scully was talking to Ms. Canifer and wasn’t paying any attention to Mulder. He picked up the photograph and showed it to Ms. Canifer.

"Is this Sheryl?" he asked.

"Yes, that is her on the left and me on the right. Her adoptive family moved next door to mine when we were both nine, and have been friends ever since," she said, trying to prevent crying. "I miss her so much."

Scully looked at the picture and wondered why Mulder had asked. She figured she’d ask him about it later. She turned toward Ms. Canifer and shook hands. "Thank you for your time. We’ll do all we can to find her. If there is anything else you can think of, please call me. My number is on the card."

Ms. Canifer thanked the agents and showed them out. As soon as they reached the car, Scully looked at Mulder expectantly. "What was that about the picture? What does it matter who was in the picture? We are looking for a woman in her mid-thirties, not a nine year-old child…"

Mulder sighed before looking at Scully. "That nine year-old is Samantha, Scully."

"What?! What are you talking about, Mulder? How could she be Samantha?" Scully asked.

"Think about it, Sheryl is in her mid-thirties now, which would mean she is about the same age that Samantha would be. If she was adopted when she was nine, that would be right after the time Samantha was taken. It all works out," Mulder answered.

"Why does every single thing you do have to do with Samantha? Not every missing woman or girl has to do with Samantha! You can’t even work on a regular case without somehow linking it to your sister!" Scully yelled.

"Because this time it is and I will do everything in my power to find her," Mulder answered her, and drove back to their hotel. Neither of them spoke on the drive to the hotel or when they go there.

The first time Scully spoke to Mulder was after she heard his phone ring. She poked her head in Mulder’s room, "Who was on the phone?"

"No one, it wasn’t important," Mulder answered.

Scully shrugged and went back into her room.

As soon as Scully had shut the connecting door Mulder put his coat and went out to the car.

* * *

The next morning Scully stood outside their rooms, their bags next to her feet. She was impatiently tapping her foot waiting for Mulder to return. He hadn’t been in his hotel room the night before and he hadn’t returned by check-out time.

Half and hour later he finally drove up. He popped the trunk and then opened her door. When she had gotten he said, "Sorry."

He offered no reason for his being late or leaving in the first place. Scully didn’t have to ask to figure that it had something to do with Samantha. Tension filled the air on the drive to the airport and was almost louder than the silence between the agents.

Scully barely spoke to Mulder for the next couple days save for when it was necessary. Three days after arriving back in D.C. from Maine, Scully was late and had figured that Mulder would have arrived first. Surprisingly, he wasn’t. She called Skinner, and was told that Mulder had taken sick leave for the day.

Scully wondered what that was about, but did the work that she could. When Mulder said nothing about his disappearance the next day, Scully knew something was up. When she questioned him about it, however, he denied that anything was going on.

Over the next several weeks Mulder had frequent sick days. When he ran out of sick days, he took vacation days, and then just took days with no pay. When he did show up at work it was usually in obviously worn clothing and he spent most of his time dozing off at his desk.

Skinner had called Mulder into his office one afternoon to tell him that he would be in serious trouble if he didn’t start showing up for work everyday. Two days after that Mulder left again. He was gone for five days that time.

* * *

When Mulder returned, he barely noticed that Scully was no longer at work. Her absence first registered with Mulder several days later when he found an envelope addressed to him on his desk. His name was written in Scully’s handwriting. He was too tired to even think really clearly, so figured that he’s just glance at the letter now and deal with whatever she wanted later.

Scully

Mulder had to reread the letter a few times before he was sure of what it said. He collapsed into his chair when he finished reading it. His knees just gave out. He felt sick. It was because of him that Scully was gone. This time it wasn’t Donnie Phaster, Cancer Man, or anyone else. This time, he was the reason Scully was no longer there help him get through long, late night stake outs, constant travel, and rough times or even just getting through the day. After that thought, Mulder cursed himself for being so selfish

The pain of Scully being gone was almost too hard to handle, especially knowing that he was the cause. When he was finally found the strength to stand up, he headed straight towards Skinner’s office.

"What did Scully say to you?" he asked Skinner quietly, his voice incapable of yelling, even if he had tried.

"I had talked to her, told her that both of your careers were in jeopardy because of you, and asked her to talk to her since you weren’t listening to me. The next day she had come to talk to me and told me that she knew that you wouldn’t listen and asked for a transfer. She said that she couldn’t just stand by and watch you flush away your career any longer," Skinner told Mulder.

"But why did you let her go like that? I would have listened if I knew what the stakes were!" Mulder argued.

"No, Mulder, you wouldn’t have. Not in the long run. You don’t follow anyone else’s rules. I let her go because I knew that it was the best choice for her. I was surprised it took her so long to make that choice. I wasn’t about to fight her. She knows what is best for her, Mulder. Trust her."

"Trust is not something I give out easily," Mulder muttered before leaving the office. He was defeated. Scully had left and there was nothing he could do. Not even Skinner could do anything. He felt like he had been run over a bus. Repeatedly.

He no longer felt whole with out Scully. It was almost like he had lost a heart. …because he had.

The only thing he had left was work, and now that Scully was gone, though he probably wouldn’t even have that for too much longer. He sighed, defeated. He didn’t know where to go from there. ‘Things can’t get any worse’ Mulder thought as he gathered his files, the top one containing some possible leads on Sheryl, possibly Samantha, and headed for home.

TITLE: When Leaving’s Best

AUTHOR: Gabi Fisher

SPOILER WARNING: none

CLASSIFICATION: VA

SUMMARY: Scully finally gets fed up with Mulder and the outcome is disastrous.

Skinner handed Mulder the folder. The case was on a missing woman. She was in her mid-thirties, single, and sharing an apartment with one other woman. Her roommate could not find any recent pictures of the woman, Sheryl Baker, so the picture in the file was from college. She was a beautiful woman, both Mulder and Scully noticed, with long, dark blonde hair and hazel eyes.

"Sir, why did Scully and I get this case? It has nothing to do with the paranormal," Mulder asked.

"Because you two are my best agents and Sheryl’s boyfriend is my nephew and he asked that I look into it," Skinner replied. "I knew that you would be best for this assignment. Will you take it?"

"We’ll do our best, sir," Scully said, before taking Mulder’s elbow and leading him out of Skinner’s office.

"Why are you agreeing to this case, Scully?" Mulder asked as soon as they were out of Skinner’s hearing range.

"As a break. Normal sounds really good. And it says that Sheryl lived-lives in Maine, and I love Maine," Scully responded.

"Ok, sounds pretty boring, but let’s do it," Mulder said. "You know what time the plane leaves?"

"Yeah, it leaves at…" Scully looked at the file. "Three this afternoon. I’m going to go to my apartment and pack. I’ll pick you up at yours at one?"

"Fine. See you then."

* * *

The trip to the airport and then into Maine was uneventful. Mulder and Scully took turns reading over the file, and then Scully looked up Baker’s apartment’s address on a map.

When they arrived at the apartment, Mulder pulled out his badge wallet and knocked on the door. "Ms. Canifer?"

The woman who opened the door nodded tentatively. "Y-yes? And you are?"

"Special Agent Mulder, FBI and this is Special Agent Scully," he said, nodding his head toward Scully, "I’m here to look into the disappearance of Sheryl Baker, your roommate. May we come in?"

"Sure, let’s go into the living room," she said.

Scully followed Ms. Canifer’s lead and sat on the couch while Mulder went over to the mantel over the fake fireplace. He looked at the array of pictures that littered its top. He froze when he saw the picture of two nine year-old girls. Scully was talking to Ms. Canifer and wasn’t paying any attention to Mulder. He picked up the photograph and showed it to Ms. Canifer.

"Is this Sheryl?" he asked.

"Yes, that is her on the left and me on the right. Her adoptive family moved next door to mine when we were both nine, and have been friends ever since," she said, trying to prevent crying. "I miss her so much."

Scully looked at the picture and wondered why Mulder had asked. She figured she’d ask him about it later. She turned toward Ms. Canifer and shook hands. "Thank you for your time. We’ll do all we can to find her. If there is anything else you can think of, please call me. My number is on the card."

Ms. Canifer thanked the agents and showed them out. As soon as they reached the car, Scully looked at Mulder expectantly. "What was that about the picture? What does it matter who was in the picture? We are looking for a woman in her mid-thirties, not a nine year-old child…"

Mulder sighed before looking at Scully. "That nine year-old is Samantha, Scully."

"What?! What are you talking about, Mulder? How could she be Samantha?" Scully asked.

"Think about it, Sheryl is in her mid-thirties now, which would mean she is about the same age that Samantha would be. If she was adopted when she was nine, that would be right after the time Samantha was taken. It all works out," Mulder answered.

"Why does every single thing you do have to do with Samantha? Not every missing woman or girl has to do with Samantha! You can’t even work on a regular case without somehow linking it to your sister!" Scully yelled.

"Because this time it is and I will do everything in my power to find her," Mulder answered her, and drove back to their hotel. Neither of them spoke on the drive to the hotel or when they go there.

The first time Scully spoke to Mulder was after she heard his phone ring. She poked her head in Mulder’s room, "Who was on the phone?"

"No one, it wasn’t important," Mulder answered.

Scully shrugged and went back into her room.

As soon as Scully had shut the connecting door Mulder put his coat and went out to the car.

* * *

The next morning Scully stood outside their rooms, their bags next to her feet. She was impatiently tapping her foot waiting for Mulder to return. He hadn’t been in his hotel room the night before and he hadn’t returned by check-out time.

Half and hour later he finally drove up. He popped the trunk and then opened her door. When she had gotten he said, "Sorry."

He offered no reason for his being late or leaving in the first place. Scully didn’t have to ask to figure that it had something to do with Samantha. Tension filled the air on the drive to the airport and was almost louder than the silence between the agents.

Scully barely spoke to Mulder for the next couple days save for when it was necessary. Three days after arriving back in D.C. from Maine, Scully was late and had figured that Mulder would have arrived first. Surprisingly, he wasn’t. She called Skinner, and was told that Mulder had taken sick leave for the day.

Scully wondered what that was about, but did the work that she could. When Mulder said nothing about his disappearance the next day, Scully knew something was up. When she questioned him about it, however, he denied that anything was going on.

Over the next several weeks Mulder had frequent sick days. When he ran out of sick days, he took vacation days, and then just took days with no pay. When he did show up at work it was usually in obviously worn clothing and he spent most of his time dozing off at his desk.

Skinner had called Mulder into his office one afternoon to tell him that he would be in serious trouble if he didn’t start showing up for work everyday. Two days after that Mulder left again. He was gone for five days that time.

* * *

When Mulder returned, he barely noticed that Scully was no longer at work. Her absence first registered with Mulder several days later when he found an envelope addressed to him on his desk. His name was written in Scully’s handwriting. He was too tired to even think really clearly, so figured that he’s just glance at the letter now and deal with whatever she wanted later.

Scully

Mulder had to reread the letter a few times before he was sure of what it said. He collapsed into his chair when he finished reading it. His knees just gave out. He felt sick. It was because of him that Scully was gone. This time it wasn’t Donnie Phaster, Cancer Man, or anyone else. This time, he was the reason Scully was no longer there help him get through long, late night stake outs, constant travel, and rough times or even just getting through the day. After that thought, Mulder cursed himself for being so selfish

The pain of Scully being gone was almost too hard to handle, especially knowing that he was the cause. When he was finally found the strength to stand up, he headed straight towards Skinner’s office.

"What did Scully say to you?" he asked Skinner quietly, his voice incapable of yelling, even if he had tried.

"I had talked to her, told her that both of your careers were in jeopardy because of you, and asked her to talk to her since you weren’t listening to me. The next day she had come to talk to me and told me that she knew that you wouldn’t listen and asked for a transfer. She said that she couldn’t just stand by and watch you flush away your career any longer," Skinner told Mulder.

"But why did you let her go like that? I would have listened if I knew what the stakes were!" Mulder argued.

"No, Mulder, you wouldn’t have. Not in the long run. You don’t follow anyone else’s rules. I let her go because I knew that it was the best choice for her. I was surprised it took her so long to make that choice. I wasn’t about to fight her. She knows what is best for her, Mulder. Trust her."

"Trust is not something I give out easily," Mulder muttered before leaving the office. He was defeated. Scully had left and there was nothing he could do. Not even Skinner could do anything. He felt like he had been run over a bus. Repeatedly.

He no longer felt whole with out Scully. It was almost like he had lost a heart. …because he had.

The only thing he had left was work, and now that Scully was gone, though he probably wouldn’t even have that for too much longer. He sighed, defeated. He didn’t know where to go from there. ‘Things can’t get any worse’ Mulder thought as he gathered his files, the top one containing some possible leads on Sheryl, possibly Samantha, and headed for home.

TITLE: When Leaving’s Best

AUTHOR: Gabi Fisher

SPOILER WARNING: none

CLASSIFICATION: VA

SUMMARY: Scully finally gets fed up with Mulder and the outcome is disastrous.

Skinner handed Mulder the folder. The case was on a missing woman. She was in her mid-thirties, single, and sharing an apartment with one other woman. Her roommate could not find any recent pictures of the woman, Sheryl Baker, so the picture in the file was from college. She was a beautiful woman, both Mulder and Scully noticed, with long, dark blonde hair and hazel eyes.

"Sir, why did Scully and I get this case? It has nothing to do with the paranormal," Mulder asked.

"Because you two are my best agents and Sheryl’s boyfriend is my nephew and he asked that I look into it," Skinner replied. "I knew that you would be best for this assignment. Will you take it?"

"We’ll do our best, sir," Scully said, before taking Mulder’s elbow and leading him out of Skinner’s office.

"Why are you agreeing to this case, Scully?" Mulder asked as soon as they were out of Skinner’s hearing range.

"As a break. Normal sounds really good. And it says that Sheryl lived-lives in Maine, and I love Maine," Scully responded.

"Ok, sounds pretty boring, but let’s do it," Mulder said. "You know what time the plane leaves?"

"Yeah, it leaves at…" Scully looked at the file. "Three this afternoon. I’m going to go to my apartment and pack. I’ll pick you up at yours at one?"

"Fine. See you then."

* * *

The trip to the airport and then into Maine was uneventful. Mulder and Scully took turns reading over the file, and then Scully looked up Baker’s apartment’s address on a map.

When they arrived at the apartment, Mulder pulled out his badge wallet and knocked on the door. "Ms. Canifer?"

The woman who opened the door nodded tentatively. "Y-yes? And you are?"

"Special Agent Mulder, FBI and this is Special Agent Scully," he said, nodding his head toward Scully, "I’m here to look into the disappearance of Sheryl Baker, your roommate. May we come in?"

"Sure, let’s go into the living room," she said.

Scully followed Ms. Canifer’s lead and sat on the couch while Mulder went over to the mantel over the fake fireplace. He looked at the array of pictures that littered its top. He froze when he saw the picture of two nine year-old girls. Scully was talking to Ms. Canifer and wasn’t paying any attention to Mulder. He picked up the photograph and showed it to Ms. Canifer.

"Is this Sheryl?" he asked.

"Yes, that is her on the left and me on the right. Her adoptive family moved next door to mine when we were both nine, and have been friends ever since," she said, trying to prevent crying. "I miss her so much."

Scully looked at the picture and wondered why Mulder had asked. She figured she’d ask him about it later. She turned toward Ms. Canifer and shook hands. "Thank you for your time. We’ll do all we can to find her. If there is anything else you can think of, please call me. My number is on the card."

Ms. Canifer thanked the agents and showed them out. As soon as they reached the car, Scully looked at Mulder expectantly. "What was that about the picture? What does it matter who was in the picture? We are looking for a woman in her mid-thirties, not a nine year-old child…"

Mulder sighed before looking at Scully. "That nine year-old is Samantha, Scully."

"What?! What are you talking about, Mulder? How could she be Samantha?" Scully asked.

"Think about it, Sheryl is in her mid-thirties now, which would mean she is about the same age that Samantha would be. If she was adopted when she was nine, that would be right after the time Samantha was taken. It all works out," Mulder answered.

"Why does every single thing you do have to do with Samantha? Not every missing woman or girl has to do with Samantha! You can’t even work on a regular case without somehow linking it to your sister!" Scully yelled.

"Because this time it is and I will do everything in my power to find her," Mulder answered her, and drove back to their hotel. Neither of them spoke on the drive to the hotel or when they go there.

The first time Scully spoke to Mulder was after she heard his phone ring. She poked her head in Mulder’s room, "Who was on the phone?"

"No one, it wasn’t important," Mulder answered.

Scully shrugged and went back into her room.

As soon as Scully had shut the connecting door Mulder put his coat and went out to the car.

* * *

The next morning Scully stood outside their rooms, their bags next to her feet. She was impatiently tapping her foot waiting for Mulder to return. He hadn’t been in his hotel room the night before and he hadn’t returned by check-out time.

Half and hour later he finally drove up. He popped the trunk and then opened her door. When she had gotten he said, "Sorry."

He offered no reason for his being late or leaving in the first place. Scully didn’t have to ask to figure that it had something to do with Samantha. Tension filled the air on the drive to the airport and was almost louder than the silence between the agents.

Scully barely spoke to Mulder for the next couple days save for when it was necessary. Three days after arriving back in D.C. from Maine, Scully was late and had figured that Mulder would have arrived first. Surprisingly, he wasn’t. She called Skinner, and was told that Mulder had taken sick leave for the day.

Scully wondered what that was about, but did the work that she could. When Mulder said nothing about his disappearance the next day, Scully knew something was up. When she questioned him about it, however, he denied that anything was going on.

Over the next several weeks Mulder had frequent sick days. When he ran out of sick days, he took vacation days, and then just took days with no pay. When he did show up at work it was usually in obviously worn clothing and he spent most of his time dozing off at his desk.

Skinner had called Mulder into his office one afternoon to tell him that he would be in serious trouble if he didn’t start showing up for work everyday. Two days after that Mulder left again. He was gone for five days that time.

* * *

When Mulder returned, he barely noticed that Scully was no longer at work. Her absence first registered with Mulder several days later when he found an envelope addressed to him on his desk. His name was written in Scully’s handwriting. He was too tired to even think really clearly, so figured that he’s just glance at the letter now and deal with whatever she wanted later.

Scully

Mulder had to reread the letter a few times before he was sure of what it said. He collapsed into his chair when he finished reading it. His knees just gave out. He felt sick. It was because of him that Scully was gone. This time it wasn’t Donnie Phaster, Cancer Man, or anyone else. This time, he was the reason Scully was no longer there help him get through long, late night stake outs, constant travel, and rough times or even just getting through the day. After that thought, Mulder cursed himself for being so selfish

The pain of Scully being gone was almost too hard to handle, especially knowing that he was the cause. When he was finally found the strength to stand up, he headed straight towards Skinner’s office.

"What did Scully say to you?" he asked Skinner quietly, his voice incapable of yelling, even if he had tried.

"I had talked to her, told her that both of your careers were in jeopardy because of you, and asked her to talk to her since you weren’t listening to me. The next day she had come to talk to me and told me that she knew that you wouldn’t listen and asked for a transfer. She said that she couldn’t just stand by and watch you flush away your career any longer," Skinner told Mulder.

"But why did you let her go like that? I would have listened if I knew what the stakes were!" Mulder argued.

"No, Mulder, you wouldn’t have. Not in the long run. You don’t follow anyone else’s rules. I let her go because I knew that it was the best choice for her. I was surprised it took her so long to make that choice. I wasn’t about to fight her. She knows what is best for her, Mulder. Trust her."

"Trust is not something I give out easily," Mulder muttered before leaving the office. He was defeated. Scully had left and there was nothing he could do. Not even Skinner could do anything. He felt like he had been run over a bus. Repeatedly.

He no longer felt whole with out Scully. It was almost like he had lost a heart. …because he had.

The only thing he had left was work, and now that Scully was gone, though he probably wouldn’t even have that for too much longer. He sighed, defeated. He didn’t know where to go from there. ‘Things can’t get any worse’ Mulder thought as he gathered his files, the top one containing some possible leads on Sheryl, possibly Samantha, and headed for home.