TITLE:  Simple 
AUTHOR:  Marlen
EMAIL:  crmv@aol.com
RATING: G
KEYWORDS:  Mulder/Scully romance
CLASSIFICATION: Vignette, Scully Angst, Post-ep
SPOILERS:  Roadrunners Post-ep
SUMMARY:  Scully should have known that nothing is as simple as it seems.
DISTRIBUION:  Gossamer, Xemplary, Ephemeral okay.  Any others please ask 
permission before archiving.
DISCLAIMER: The characters of The X-Files belong to CC, 1013 Production, 
and FOX.  No infringement is intended.  This is just for fun, baby!
STORY NOTES:  As much a lot of people would like to just see Scully in the 
coming episodes, she definitely needs someone to watch her back.
FEEDBACK:  Pretty please???  marlen1013@hotmail.com
WEBSITE:  http://marlensxfiles.homestead.com 

Special thanks to Georgia and Lenore!:)



Simple
By Marlen
November, 27, 2000


It was simple.  

There was a crime committed and I was there to solve it.  I didn't need 
anyone's help.  I especially didn't want that so called partner of mine 
with me.  I am fully capable of handling it on my own.

Or so I thought.

When I encountered the substance in the desert, an old case Mulder had 
mentioned a while back came to mind, but for the life of me, I couldn't 
remember the specifics.

How I wish I had Mulder's photographic memory at that moment.  It would've 
saved me a lot of trouble.  I had to concede and ask Doggett for help, but 
my cell didn't work.  

I found a phone booth nearby and called the office.  I didn't stop to 
think about why there was one in the middle of nowhere.  I didn't need 
help from Doggett.  But since he was there and had gone to the trouble of 
reading through all of the cases in our files, I might as well put him to 
some use.

I was running low on gas, and I knew that luck was on my side once again 
when I spotted a gas station.  I would just fill up the tank and be on my 
way.  The gas attendant was even nice enough to fill my tank.

But then my car stopped running.  I was puzzled and had to walked back to 
the gas station.  It turned out that the idiot gas attendant put water in 
my tank instead of gas.  I guess ignorance will do that to you.

I needed a phone so I could get someone to look at the car or get a 
replacement, but his phone wasn't working -- so he said. 

He suggested I go see Mr. Milsap.  That he might have a phone I could use. 

I got creeps as soon as I entered his home.  I should've listened to my 
instincts and gotten the hell out of there.  And I was prepared to do 
that, when I saw a woman walking towards her house.  I ran towards her, 
hoping she would have a phone I could use.  

I yelled for her, but she did not listen.  I knocked on her door, but no 
one answered.  I peered in a side door and my fears were confirmed when I 
saw people surrounded in a circle looking as if they were in a trance.  It 
was similar to the typical cult ritual.

At that moment, I knew was in deep.

I had a feeling that Doggett might be concerned and come looking for me, 
but that didn't make me feel any better.  I needed to get out of there, 
but my rational side, the one that reminds me to eat and rest, reminded me 
that I was in no condition to travel by foot.

This was not simple anymore, not by a long shot.

Mr. Milsap gave me a room to stay in, but there was no way I was going to 
let my defenses down and sleep.

I was prepared for the worst when he knocked on my door.

But I was wrong; the worst was yet to come.

He led me to a sick young man the community wanted me to care for.  I felt 
like I had walked straight into The Twilight Zone when I saw the hole in 
the man's back.  I knew he had to go to the nearest hospital or he would 
surely die.

I backed myself into a corner when I gave my gun to the enemy.  There was 
no way out when I was surrounded by them.  I fought with every ounce of 
energy I had, but it wasn't enough.  I pleaded with them not to hurt me 
for the baby's sake, but they didn't care.  My closely guarded secret 
revealed and no one so much batted an eye. 

Nothing prepared me for what happened next.  I was sure my baby and I were 
going to be dead within hours if Doggett hadn't arrived when he did.  
Everything was a blur after that.  All I remembered was the pain and 
panic.  That *it* was going to penetrate my brain and then I would never 
get the chance to hold my baby and see Mulder again.  I yelled at Doggett 
to pull it out.  He was reluctant, but he did it and I must have fainted 
from pain and shock, because next thing I remember was waking up in the 
hospital.

I can't handle it on my own and that is the hardest thing to accept.  I 
may not trust Doggett, but I respect him and know that if he were with me, 
it might not have gone as far as it had.  

I need someone to cover my back.  

It's as simple as that.  

I wish it was Mulder, but until I find him, Doggett will have to suffice.


~End~

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