Kathleen A. Klatte
kat2000@bestweb.net
kawklatte@aol.com

"Daybreak"

Feedback and commentary are most welcome.

Disclaimer:  The X-Files is the property of Chris Carter, FOX, and Ten
Thirteen productions, et al;  this is a recreational endeavor, no profit is
being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
Tag scene to "Via Negativa"
VA - Vignette/Angst
Rated:  G
******************************************
AGENT DOGGETT'S RESIDENCE

"Agent Doggett, are you sure you're all right?" Scully asked once more.

Doggett was silent for a moment, then shook his head.  "I'm fine," he
repeated, his voice still ragged with the rough edges of sleep.  Realizing
suddenly that there was a lady standing in his room, he struggled to push
himself up to a sitting position.  "Why don't you give me five minutes, then
I'll make us some coffee and we can get caught up?" he suggested.

"Why don't you take your time, and I'll make us some actual breakfast
instead?" Scully countered with a gentle smile.

******

"This is really good.  Thank you," Doggett said politely as he polished off
a plate of scrambled eggs and toast.

"You're welcome.  I got the impression that you hadn't been taking very good
care of yourself these last few days," Scully admonished gently.

Doggett shifted uneasily in his chair.

"And I'm sorry that I couldn't be with you on this one," Scully added
quietly.

"Well, it's not like it was your fault," Doggett replied, "...but you coulda
told me," he added, accumulated stress making his New York accent more
pronounced.

"I'm sorry."  Scully looked away for the space of a few heartbeats, but
there were no answers to be found on the walls, so she turned back to meet
her partner's slightly accusing stare.  "I didn't even tell my mother where
I was."  She bit her lip.  "This whole...situation...has been very
difficult.  It doesn't help much that everyone's talking about it and that
what they don't know, they're making up."

"I've heard a few choice ones, myself.  I can't blame you for being
cautious.  But you're my partner, and I hope, maybe, my friend, and well...I
'm here if you need me, OK?"

"Thank you," Scully answered simply.  "I am sorry that I couldn't be with
you on this one.  I know what you're going through."

"Do you?" Doggett demanded sharply.

"Yes, I do," Scully replied evenly.  "My primary education is as a
physician;  my mind has been trained to look for a logical reason for any
given circumstance.  Seven years ago, I found myself thrust into a situation
where I was seeing and experiencing things that defied immediate logical
explanation.  It was very...disconcerting...to say the least."

"And I've told you before, I think writing off a case as 'paranormal' is
sloppy police work," Doggett retorted.

"In that case, I'll be very interested to read your report of this
 incident."

"There has to be a reasonable, logical explanation for what happened,"
Doggett insisted.

"I'm sure there is," Scully soothed, "but maybe...maybe you shouldn't dig
too deep to try and find it."

Doggett's face darkened with barely suppressed anger.  "I hope you're not
trying to get rid of me.  Because if you are, I can tell you it's not going
to work.  Regardless of whether you or Skinner like it or not, I've been
assigned to this project to find Agent Mulder and that's exactly what I
intend to do."

Scully was slow to answer, and when she did, her voice was heavy with
sorrow. "I don't want to get rid of you...I don't.think I can do this
without you," she admitted.  "But you have to understand...over the course
of investigating the X-Files, both my sister and Mulder's father have been
murdered...I've been abducted, and now Mulder's missing..."  Scully
struggled to get her emotions under control before continuing.  "What I'm
trying to say, is that maybe if you don't pursue this any more than you have
to, maybe you'll be safe."

Doggett stared hard at the slightly battered kitchen tabletop, considering
the nightmare of the last few days.  "I think we both know that I've already
passed the point of no return.  So...I guess we'll just have to watch each
other's back."

Scully nodded slowly. "OK."

A peculiar expression crossed Doggett's face as he looked up to meet Scully'
s level gaze.  "Agent Scully...I'd never hurt you.  You know that, don't
you?"

She wondered again exactly what it was that he'd dreamed that disturbed him
so.  "I know."

"Good," he replied with the ghost of a smile.  After a moment, he seemed to
rally and spoke in a nearly normal tone.  "So tell me, exactly how did you
hook up with those three wackos, anyway?"


Fin.


Copyright (c) 2000 Kathleen Klatte
All Rights Reserved