Religion By Drusilla Bell Rating : PG Category : D/S Bonding I suppose. Be wary though; there's a bit of Doggett-bashing in the beginning care of Scully. Distribution Statement : Like always, you'll need to ask. Feedback : Email- loverunderthewater@hotmail.com | Web site - http:// www.envy.nu/beyondthesea Spoilers : Post-This Is Not Happening Summary : "Evening, Dana Scully had once mused to him, was the best time to pray for someone." Disclaimer : If you're reading this then you obviously know who owns The X-Files. No need for me to repeat it. Music-IC : "If I Told You This Was Killing Me, Would You Stop" by The Juliana Theory. Forgive me for I have sinned...no beta-reader was used. --------------------------------------------- Evening, Dana Scully had once mused to him, was the best time to pray for someone. Always true to her word, he found her at Blessed Sacrament sitting silently, hands clasped tightly together, and head bowed so low her chin almost touched her chest. Trying to keep from startling her, John Doggett walked briskly by and eased himself down into the pew in front of her. "I can see why you prefer the evening. Very quiet. Very peaceful." He could almost hear the bones in her neck crack when her head snapped up. "Why are you here Agent Doggett?," Scully hissed through clenched teeth. "You want to comfort me? Tell me he's in a better place now?" He heard her voice crack on that last word, felt her struggle to keep control of raging emotions he knew she could never still. "Neither, actually. A.D. Skinner's pretty worried 'bout you. I told him I talk to you so here I am." Doggett shifted around to face her comfortably, and took in her ragged appearance as he glanced her over. "And you really believed I was just going to open up to you Agent Doggett?" She laughed bitterly, then continued. "That's rather naive, even for you." At this Doggett frowned. He leaned forward and noticed, with slight admiration, she held her ground while glaring daggers at him. "Look Agent Scully, I didn't come here for a verbal bashing." "Then what on Earth did you come here for? Because even if I did tell you how I am, which I'm not, you wouldn't have the faintest clue as to how to help. Simply put Agent Doggett, you can't understand because you've never lost someone who meant the world to you." He didn't reply right away; just regarded her in all her unforgiving anger and bitterness and obvious defeat for a moment. With a heavy sigh and a nagging voice in his head telling him he was going regret his next move, he opened his mouth and spoke: "I never told you, did I Agent Scully? I guess I should have. Maybe then you would have thought that I was an actual human being and not some government pawn out to bury-" Doggett paused and mentally kicked himself for his choice of words. He checked to see if she noticed, but it didn't like it from the impassioned look that had cemented itself upon her pale face. John sucked in a breath and continued slowly. "-end The X-Files. I have lost someone who meant the world to me," he confessed while pulling out his wallet and extracting the small photo. "His name was Luke." Scully took the photo silently and stared at it for a long time, her eyes seeming to focus and unfocus on the image. A pause; a moment that was used by both to collect fleeting thoughts. "How?" It was said so softly John Doggett almost passed over it completely. He blinked, then stood up and moved to sit beside her. She scooted over a bit, watching as he ran a hand through his spiky light brown hair. "Just gone. We looked for four days..." His voice trailed off, and she immediately knew. Doggett nodded at the look of realization that had dawned on her face. "I...I'm sorry Agent Doggett. I had no idea. But I understand somewhat." He tilted his head slightly, as if beckoning her to continue. "Maybe someday Agent Doggett, but not tonight. I'm exhausted and digging up the pain of the past is not something I want to do right now, you understand." He again nodded, then stood slowly. "Come on Agent Scully, I'll drive you home. I think we've done enough talking for one evening." He took her arm and genly helped her up. She let him lead her down the aisle back towards the exit. "Agent Doggett?" He stopped and turned around at the sound of his name. "Yeah?" "...Thank you. For talking." Doggett gave her small, bittersweet smile and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "If you need to ever again, all you have to do is ask Agent Scully. I always be here." She smiled back; an enigmatic gesture that ghosted across her lips. "I know." END --------------------------------------------- "If You Come Softly" By Audre Lorde If you come as softly As the wind within the trees You may hear what I hear See what sorrow sees. If you come as lightly As threading dew I will take you gladly Nor ask more of you. You may sit beside me Silent as a breath Only those who stay dead Shall remember death. And if you come I will be silent Nor speak harsh words to you. I will not ask you why now. Or how, or what you do. We shall sit here, softly Beneath two different years And the rich between us Shall drink our tears. --------------------------------------------- Author's Notes : So it's like this; I felt compelled to give my fellow D/S supporters something not necessarily romance-y, but something good. This is my second D/S story, and as you can see this has a bit more dialogue *winkwink*. It may seem like you've been dropped into the middle of the story, but think of it as a continuation of the events that transpired during "TINH".