Home/QuickSearch :: Advanced Search :: Submissions :: Email Lists :: Gallery :: Contact

Part II

Ch. 12

Monica eased back under the covers that were still warm. Dana stirred and awoke with a start-frantic for some unknown reason. She looked around the dark room, lit only by the light provided by the orange glow of the streetlamps. Monica could see the tension in her face. She leaned close to Dana and spoke near her ear. "Hey, bad dream?"

The warm voice calmed her. "Oh, no, no. The baby."

Monica smiled against Dana's ear and kissed the lobe. "He's been fed and he's out again."

Dana sat up, resting her weight on her elbows. She squinted taking in Monica's soft features and dark hair. "He woke up?"

Monica rested her head on the pillow. "Wailed like a banshee-like some one else I know." She added with a chuckle. Two fingers pinched the skin on her stomach. "Ow! No fair." With a giggle she pulled the red head to her and spooned the pouting woman. "He's fine."

Dana ginned and settled back against Monica. "I can't believe I didn't wake up."

"You were pretty out of it." She said through her yawn. "So, no dreams?"

"Dreams?" she answered with a snort of laughter. She ran a hand through her hair and continued to reach back, until she ran her fingers through Monica's hair. "I don't think my brain has started functioning again." Monica kissed her neck, causing Dana to shiver. She slapped at the wandering hand on her waist. "No way -or I'll never walk again and besides," she shifted so that she faced Monica. "I feel like I've done absolutely nothing and you've done all the work." She pressed a kiss to eager lips.

Monica hummed into kiss and squeezed the woman to her. "Oh no, you've got the hardest job. You just have to lay there and be all pouty and cute."

Dana chuckled. "Shut up." She placed a hand on Monica's breast-exploring the texture of a dark aureole and testing the weight.

"What are you doing?" She smirked.

"Just looking."

"Dana, that's not looking." She grinned and covered Dana's hand. "Dana, I know you're sleepy, you can barely keep your eyes open."

"That's...not true." She said with a timely yawn.

Both women laughed. "Get some sleep-I'm not going anywhere." Her words were soft and tired.

Dana reluctantly rolled over and long arms immediately wound around her waist, securing her in place. In her head the action made sense, they were both beyond sleep and Dana was serious when she said couldn't form a coherent thought. In the hours before she had give up a part of herself to Monica that she'd forgotten she even had. She was vulnerable and open-but mostly safe. That was the one feeling she did understand: safe. As if sensing the woman in her arms had battled her demons and won-for the moment- Monica hugged the red head gently and pressed a kiss to the back of Dana's neck and then drifted off to sleep.

---

A pale arm moved across the bed expecting to come in contact with another body. When Dana felt only space and rumpled sheets she opened her eyes to the unforgiving bright morning light. She sat up quickly in a state of mild confusion. She was still in her room and nothing had changed, but she was naked, so she took that as a good sign. She frowned for a second, thinking that this was some cruel twist of a nightmare. Her heartbeat picked up with worry only to calm at the aroma of coffee and Monica. With a smile all ready on her lips she turned to the door way to find a very naked Monica holding two steaming cups of coffee. Dana tousled all ready unruly hair and blushed for the both of them.

"You weren't supposed to wake up yet." She wasn't really disappointed.

Dana looked up as Monica placed the mugs on the nightstand and attempted to get back in bed. A pale hand against Monica's hip stopped the woman. Blue eyes were fixed on the black ink of a tattoo drawn between the junction of Monica's hip and thigh. Dana smiled slyly up at Monica and then allowed the woman to slip back into the bed. "What's your tattoo mean?" She ran a slender finger over the thick black design and bit her lip as she felt the woman beside her tremble.

"It's a tribal representation of a Mayan goddess."

"What's it mean?" She asked in a soft tone while still trailing her fingers over the design.

Monica closed her eyes to the touch, forgetting for a second what she was supposed to be answering. She looked down at Dana with hooded eyes and could only smile at the pleasure she found in Dana's blue eyes. "She's uh, the goddess of the earth. Also she encourages conscious awareness and thought."

Dana opened and closed her eyes slowly taking in the warm sound of Monica's voice. "I think she suits you."

Monica smiled and covered the fingers caressing her tattoo. "I think she suits you too."

Dana only smiled and nestled into the woman's warmth for a moment. They were quiet for a moment each soaking up the reality of the morning. Both women were a little worried, but neither woman was eager to admit it. Monica oozed confidence, too fearful of the alternative and all Dana could do was smile.

"What time is it?" Dana stretched her arms and then sat up with her back against the headboard.

"Late." She said casually.

Dana looked over at the clock and her eyes opened wide with surprise. "Monica, it's 9:00."

The brunette just smiled as she sat up and sipped her coffee. "I know."

Dana shook her head as she glanced at the calm woman. "Correct me if I'm wrong. You were supposed to be at F.B.I. headquarters an hour ago?" Monica just rolled her eyes in response. Dana smiled and said nothing for a moment. She put her mug down and leaned over, kissing the grinning woman soundly on the lips. She pulled away from the pleasantly surprised woman. "Thank you." She rested her forehead against Monica's letting them both catch their breath.

"For what?"

"For staying."

Monica smiled. "I'd be crazy not to." She lightly kissed the woman once and then twice on the lips. By the time she kissed her for the fourth time, the kisses had grown longer and were aided by roving hands. Dana's heartbeat was just picking up when William's cry ripped through the building passion. They both laughed.

"Does he have the best timing or what?" Dana grinned and stole one more kiss before grabbing her robe and leaving the room.

When the red head was gone from the room, Monica collapsed onto the pillows, licked her lips and then smiled like she had just won the lottery. She felt like laughing only because she knew she was going to be smiling like this for the rest of the day-hell, the rest of her life. She hadn't been nearly this high ever in her life. Even the first time she had smoked pot- when she thought the clouds were talking to her-it was nothing like this. She hated to leave this place, but she was out of time. She groaned, realizing she had a flight to catch in a little less than three hours. Monica cursed under her breath and sprang out of bed, headed for the bathroom. She borrowed a towel and new toothbrush from Dana and proceeded to make herself slightly presentable for the ride home.

Dana settled William into his bassinet and gave the boy a kiss on the forehead as she heard the water running in the bathroom. She sat the baby down on the couch as she bent down to pick up the strewn clothing on the floor. She smiled at the memory as she grabbed Monica's shoes and belt buckle. Dana stood up straight as she heard a key hit the lock to her front door. She looked at the kitchen clock that read 9:30 and then slapped her palm against her forehead as a memory came to her. "My mother. Fuck!" The red head was a flurry of motion as she bent down and swept up the clothes and tossed them through her bedroom door. She shut the door and scanned the rest of the living room. She was tucking a sock under the couch with her foot when the door finally opened.

"Mom!" she said a bit too loud.

Margaret Scully was taken aback by her daughter's chipper mood. "Dana?"

"You're early."

Margaret raised an eyebrow. "Dana, it's 9:30." She eyed her daughter and then added, "you forgot about today." Dana's look said it all. "I thought we were going to the mall, but if you don't want to go." She said with a sigh.

"Oh, no, no, no. We can go, I, uh, just got a late start." She shook her head and smiled. A loud thud came from inside her room.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" She kept a straight face and played dumb. "Keep an eye on William, I'll be right back." Margaret just picked up her grandson and watched Dana scamper off.

Dana entered her bedroom to find Monica standing by the dresser holding her foot in her hand.

"I stubbed it." She said in a half-whisper.

"I heard." She looked sorry. Dana looked the woman up and down and saw that she was half dressed, with only the buttons on her shirt needing to be buttoned. She openly looked at the sheer of Monica's bra and reflexively licked her lips.

Monica smirked. "Your mother's in the living room Dana."

She blushed and went pale all in the same moment. "Shit. Um, uh.."

Monica closed the distance between them and kissed the fumbling woman. "Go distract her."

Dana blinked. "Okay, I can do that." Monica gently guided her to the door. She stepped into the hallway and shook her head until she had come out of her momentary daze. "Mom, you want some coffee?"

Margaret was all ready in the kitchen. "As soon as I find a mug." William was resting on her shoulder as she looked through the cabinets. Dana looked confused and then realized that the last two clean mugs were in her room. "I thought I left two clean ones last night." Margaret mumbled to herself.

"It doesn't matter, have some juice, it's better anyway." She spoke quickly. She grabbed a hard plastic tumbler and opened the fridge.

"So did Monica stop by last night?"

The mere mention of Monica's name made the woman lose sense of herself. The plastic cup clattered to the floor and Dana nearly lost her grip on the orange juice. She recovered and placed everything on the table.

"Her mother looked at her with real worry. "You okay honey? You seem edgy."

Dana took a deep breath and put on a dry expression. "I'm fine, just overslept."

"Bad dreams again?"

Dana chuckled recalling the last conversation she had about dreams. "No, no dreams." She smiled a bit wider than she had intended to but the happy action seem to placate her mother.

"Whose keys?" Margaret looked towards the keys on the end of the couch.

Dana wanted to crawl into a hole, but she kept a straight face. "Monica's." She shrugged it off.

"Well where is she?" She smiled in anticipation.

"Gone." She replied too quickly. "She's gone." She looked anywhere but her mother's eyes.

"Well, does she know she left her keys?" She asked with a laugh.

"She just left, because she stopped by before work, so she probably hasn't realized it yet."

"Oh okay." Margaret seemed satisfied.

"And you know what, I should go and call her, right now." Dana turned and walked to her bedroom. She opened the door to an empty room. Dana searched the room, but Monica was gone. She was staring into her closet when her mother entered.

"Dana?" The red head nearly jumped out of her skin. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She chuckled and pulled herself together. "I'm good Mom. Fine, really. Absolutely wonderful." She smiled. A knock at the door preempted any response from her mother. Dana practically ran from the room, snatching Monica's keys off the couch along the way and opened the front door. She stepped out into the hallway, leaving her hand on the nearly closed door. "Your keys." She dangled the keys in front of the grinning woman. "I'm so sorry-I completely forgot my mother was coming." She shook her head in embarrassment. "Oh God, did you do what I think you did?"

Monica grabbed her keys and just smirked. "It's okay. And hey, it was kind of nice to sneak out of a bedroom using the fire escape, brought back good memories." She laughed and Dana blushed.

"I feel awful."

She caressed Dana's cheek. "It's okay. You can make it up to me when I get back."

"Back?" She furrowed her brow and then her shoulders sagged as she remembered. "New Orleans, I completely forgot."

"Your brain's still off line, huh?" Her voice was soft.

Dana sighed and looked at Monica with a gleam in her eye. "I can't imagine why."

"Dana? Is that Monica?" Margaret called from behind the door.

Dana paled at the sound of her mother's voice and Monica just tried not to laugh out loud. "I'll call you when we get there." Monica whispered.

Dana just nodded, all the while wishing the building would just collapse on her head all ready. The brunette cupped her cheeks and leaned down to kiss the flustered red head. The kiss settled Dana's frayed nerves, but did well to stir up images and tastes and sounds that she had experienced hours before. Dana breathed in the scent of sex on Monica's rumpled clothes. She smiled dreamily.

"Bye Dana." Monica said softly with a warm smile. She kissed her once more quickly and then disappeared down the hall.

A smiling Dana entered her home and closed the door with a soft click. "Dana, everything okay?" Her mother asked from the kitchen.

Dana toned down her large grin and joined her mother in the kitchen. "Yes, Monica just picked up her keys.

"Oh, she did." Margaret sounded a little disappointed.

"She did say hi. She had to leave to catch a flight." Dana looked down at the ground and sighed to herself. "Um, I'm going to grab a shower and then we can go." She glanced at her mother for a second and then headed for the room

Margaret Scully just watched her daughter with a questioning eye. "Hmm." She kissed William's head and looked at the wide eyed boy. "I think your mom needs a date William." She grinned and took his spit bubbles as agreement.

---

Ch. 13

Doggett shouldered his own duffel bag and grabbed the handle on Monica's suitcase. He watched his partner as she met him at baggage claim. The woman was curiously amused, even though nothing eventful had happened on the flight. The barely even talked, which was a little unusual for the normally ready-to-chat Agent Reyes. He grinned at her. "Are you going to tell me what's got you in such a chipper mood?"

Reyes turned to her partner and grabbed her bag. She tried to tone down her obvious grin. "It was a nice flight." She shrugged her shoulders. "It's a nice day-I don't know. And besides, I've got a feeling this case might be over in 48 hours."

Doggett nodded. "Okay, Agent Reyes, I'll hold you to that." He chuckled and they headed for the rental car.

Reyes was all ready swatting mosquitoes and dodging Palmetto bugs by the time they rode up the gravel dive to the Parish Church. A handsome middle-aged priest with a well-trimmed goatee and bright eyes waved to them from the steps of the church. He waved them towards the door once they were out of the car.

"Why don't you folks come on in out of this heat." His accent was obviously southern, but it was clearly rounded out by some time spent on the east coast.

The Agents followed him into the church and Reyes immediately let out a grateful sigh at the temperature change. The church was rather small, but the one level building was probably more than enough for the community. The two air conditioning units on opposite sides of the church, kept is as cool as an icebox.

"This weather is crazy I know." The priest spoke through a smile and then gestured towards a pew. "Can I offer y'all some water or tea or something?"

Reyes and Doggett both sat down. Reyes looked the priest in the eye as she spoke. "Water would be great Father Turnley."

Father Turnley began speaking as he moved near the vestibule and retrieved a pitcher of water and some glasses. "So, I really appreciate y'all coming all the way down here." He pronounced his t's like d's. "It's just a bad time for me to leave and all."

"It's okay Father, it gave us an excuse to escape D.C."

Father Turnley smiled at the dark haired woman as he handed the Agents their water and sat down in a pew in front of them and turned to face them. "So, I 'spose y'all are hoping that I can help."

Doggett furrowed his brow on the verge of erupting into a fit full of frustration. Reyes could easily read her partner's expression. She sat forward placing one hand on the wood of the pew in front of her. "Is there some reason why you can't help us Father." She shared Doggett's frustration, but she had a little more patience.

Father Turnley looked surprised. "Oh," he looked down at the floor and then back up. "Look, things tend to be a little different down here. Now, I don't mean that to say we're ass backwards hillbilly's or something, but we do have a way of doing things."

"Father Turnley, I assure you we're aware of the way things work down here. Besides I spent 2 years working here-so I know this way." She smiled. "We want to understand which is why we came to you."

He sat up straighter at her words. He brushed a lock of unruly black hair out of his eyes and adjusted his position in the pew. He scratched at his goatee in thought and looked at the two Agents very carefully-sizing them up. "Now Agents, I want you to know that Sister Arneux was an amazing woman who did her job well."

Doggett did not curb his sigh. "No disrespect Father, but I've heard all about how good Sister Arneux was-we don't doubt that." He grinned tying to take the bit out of his words. "But it's obvious that everything was not all right. And let's be honest, she wasn't always a nun?"

He nodded and leaned against the pew. "To be truthful, I always knew Valerie, was in some kind of trouble. I remember when she first got here it was like she had been running for miles on end and then just stopped. I can't tell you what was chasing her, only cause I don't know." He shrugged a shoulder, " 'spose I could speculate."

"I wish you would." Doggett was eager.

He grinned. "I always thought she was caught up in the drug trade and she just needed a hiding place. Some of the clergy thought she'd been a prostitute and was looking for salvation. But, I don't know if ever bought those-she was just always too scared." He stopped to sip his water. "Now, we did out share of talking over the year and if you ask me, I think she was just trying to get right with her soul and get right with God." He put down his glass and spoke his next words soft severity. "Whatever had her on the run had no earthly bounds And being in this here place, I can understand that."

"Are you competing with Voodoo practitioners?"

"I don't really think we're competing, more like co-existing. Go to a church services on Sunday then head to a ritual on Monday. I guess its which ever way works better. I'd like to tell you faith is enough, but sometimes folks crave magic."

Doggett eyed the priest. "Do you believe in Voodoo Father?"

The man grinned. "Agent Doggett, I believe in God. I believe in the Father Almighty, creator of the universe." He paused and met their eyes. He added in a voice just above a hush, "And I've seen some crazy shit. In fifty years, I've seen stuff that would make your hair turn white and shake you to the core. Don't let anybody try convince you that there is no Devil-it's a lie."

Both Agents were a little shocked, not by his candor, but his revelation that he was fifty. Father Turnley ran a hand across his smooth cheeks. "Agents, magic is a part of these people's lives-and you may not believe in it, but you have to respect it."

"Did Sister Arneux respect it?"

"I think she did. All though I think fear always had a hold of her. But she did love her job." He smiled at some unvoiced memory.

"Father, what about the time she was attacked?" Reyes looked the priest in the eye.

He avoided her gaze and nodded as he rubbed his hands on his pants. He pursed his lips and stood abruptly. "You all mind walking. Take the water with you if you want."

Reyes and Doggett looked at one another with question, but they quickly followed the priest who was all ready walking out of the front doors. Once outside, Reyes immediately eased out of her jacket, thankful that she had wore a sleeves dark blue v-neck shirt. She draped her black jacket over her arm as she followed after the priest up the gravel walkway to a large garden area. The sun peaked in and out of the large Magnolia's and Cypress trees that provided a little shade. They all sat down on a pair of stone benches, Reyes and Doggett facing Father Turnley.

"She was up at the Manor house when it happened." He pointed to a one-story house on a hill 500 yards away. "It's a little meditation room we built a few years back. She left two days later. All though in hindsight, I'm surprised she didn't leave before." Reyes leaned forward listening intently. "The two before, I think she knew them." He took a breath.

"You think Father or you know?" Doggett didn't mind pressing the priest for information.

"It's possible they grew up together." He looked up at the trees as if he was expecting something.

Reyes followed his line of sight. "Father, are you looking for someone?"

He shook his head and smiled weakly. "Nothing, just get the willies sometimes." He smiled with more confidence. "That's really all I know. I'm not sure if it meant anything, but you know." He shrugged. His tone was off the cuff, but his eyes were serious.

Reyes fixed brown eyes on the priest. His sudden change in demeanor worried her. "Father, I sense you're uncomfortable."

"Oh, I am." He said with honestly. "These stone seats are pretty to look at, but woo! If they don't cause piles."

The comment made them all laugh. "Maybe we should walk then." Reyes offered. She nodded to Doggett who took her hint.

"Reyes, I'm going to drop my coat off in the car, I'll catch up."

Reyes and the priest watched Doggett walk off in the opposite direction. "Did I upset your partner?"

"Nah, he just likes to get to the point."

Father Turnley chuckled and clasped his hands behind his back as they began a leisurely stroll to nowhere in particular. "I want to get to the point, but it's not that easy, you know." He glanced at the brunette, looking for understanding. Reyes nodded. "We're a small parish," he continued. "Everybody knows everybody, Agent Reyes. There are at least three sets of eyes on us right now." He said the words so calmly that Reyes wasn't sure if he meant it. She eased her hand towards her holster all the same. "No need for that, nobody means any harm. I'm just saying it's hard to keep secrets here."

She moved her hand. "Except from outsiders." She grinned knowingly at the priest.

He grinned. They stopped near a large Magnolia. It's blooms filled the area with its flowery aroma. "I think sometimes you live a happier life like that."

She looked at the priest with concern. "But Father, doesn't she deserve justice?"

He ran a fair hand through his hair. "Depending on who you talk to-perhaps she got it." The statement was quiet.

Reyes creased her brow. "Do you believe that? Is that God's justice?"

He shook his head in anger, directed mostly at himself. "Course not-but like I said, everything goes together here. It all weaves in and out." He laced his fingers together in demonstration.

"I don't think you believe that Father."

He grew quiet for a moment as they walked a few more feet. "I don't know what to believe Agent, but I know three good women are dead. And more will die."

Reyes stopped walking and touched the priest, causing him to stop. "What do you mean more?"

With a sigh he began, "before she left, Valerie talked about the " rest of us". That's what she told me."

"What did she say?"

"That there would be nothing left."

"Do you know who she was talking about?"

He shook his head. "She never said. Only 'us.' I never knew and I never asked. When Marjorie Salvo [JpM12]died she almost left. Actually, she disappeared for a couple of days and then came back. She seemed okay and then a month later Samantha Terry was killed."

"I know Valerie went to St. Francis Day School. Is that where they all met?" He shrugged. Reyes looked at him and could tell he was being truthful. "Father, is there anything else you're not saying. Any reason why her death was justified? I keep hearing that and no one will tell me why."

"I hear rumors." He said after a deliberate pause. "Rumors she conjured up something she shouldn't have."

"Do you know what it was?" Reyes was almost frantic. The priest shrugged. "Father please." She said calmly.

He took a breath as if he was in the process of speaking and then a rush of sound surrounded them as a flock of birds took that moment to leave from the tree they were standing under. Father Turnley stepped back and looked around nervously. Reyes look at the man and knew she had lost him. The priest rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, Agent Reyes, I uh, need to head back. I'm s-sorry I can't be of help." He was walking away. "Make sure you two get out to see the quarter." He added as if she were a tourist. Reyes just waved and met Doggett on the gravel path heading back to the car.

"What happened?"

Reyes sighed. "He got spooked." She got into the car. "I'll explain on the way. We need to head to the Day School."

---

The Agents retreated to the air conditioned car after a useless trip to the Day School. The instructors were extremely tightlipped and suspicious. It was only their natural southern charm that kept them balancing on the line between politeness and arrogance. Doggett pulled into a gas station and Reyes' eyes lit up at the 7-11 sign.

"Ooh, a Slurpee."

Doggett laughed at the woman who sprang out of the car. "Get me one too."

Reyes was on the verge of a brain freeze from sucking the slushy thick cherry red liquid through a too thin straw when her phone ring. She juggled the two cups and picked up on the second ring. "Monica Reyes."

"You sound happy."

Dana Scully's voiced warmed the agent in a good way. "Hi." Reyes smiled hard and handed over her money to the cashier. "Did you get my message?"

"I did." Scully smiled into the phone. "Thank God my mother was gone."

Reyes chuckled. "Sorry."

Scully grinned as a light blush touched her ears. "It's okay." Her voice cracked at the memory of the suggestive message. "It's fine." She cleared her throat. "Anyway, how are things?"

"Going okay." Reyes sat Doggett's drink on the hood of the car and walked off away from the gas pumps. "Did you just call to check up on me?"

"No-not really. Actually, this is official F.B.I. business."

"Oh I'm sorry, let me put on my professional hat. How may I be of service to you Agent Scully?" She was all business.

The red head blushed in the safety of her office hearing the double meaning in the other woman's words. "I've got a few ideas."

"Oh really."

Scully blew out a breath realizing she was completely off track. "But, I do have news for you, so let me finish."

"Go ahead."

"Agent Jones ran Valerie Arneux's prints. She was a ward of the court from 85' to 88' She also did a stint in Juvenile hall in 89'."

"Shit." She said with wonder.

"I'm not done. Valerie is also 22 years old or at least she would be if she hadn't died when she was 10 in 1989."

"What!" She nearly choked on the Slurpee. "I thought our Valerie was 27."

"She is. Also, and maybe this is something you can fix on your end. The other two women were conveniently missing prints. We ran their names and popped up in juvenile hall as well."

"They met in juvey, not school. Damn."

"Huh?"

"Long story. So who the hell is our Valerie."

"Our best bet is Josephine Arneux, Valerie's older sister by five years. Last record of her is a year before Valerie's death when she popped up in family court for a misdemeanor."

Reyes looked over at Doggett who was on his phone and waving her over to him at the same time. "Um, I need to go, I think Doggett's got something."

"Well, okay."

"Can I call you back in a few minutes." She sounded rushed.

"You don't have to, I'll just talk to you if something changes."

"Hey, Dana?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks. Thanks for calling back and everything."

She wasn't sure what to say. "Okay."

Reyes hung and met Doggett at the car. The engine was all ready running when she got in. "Where's the fire?"

"Another dead body."

"Where we headed?"

"St. Charles." He peeled out of the station.

"Another woman?" she asked as she put on her seat belt.

"Yep. Who was on the phone?"

"Da--," she started. "Scully. She called to say that they had the prints back. Also, they left the other prints out."

"On purpose?" Reyes shrugged in answer. "Maybe we should get Scully down here, you think?"

On the inside Monica Reyes was giving Doggett a high give, grateful that she didn't have to conjure up some lame excuse to the red headed doctor down to New Orleans. She kept a straight face and nodded. "I guess we could."

"We'll check it out. What else did she say?"

"Our Valerie isn't Valerie, she's Josephine?"

"Jose-what!?" He made a quick turn.

"Go left at the next street, it's quicker." Doggett made the turn and Reyes used the remainder of the drive to fill Doggett in on what Scully had told her.

---

The Agents had no time to admire the scenery as they pulled up to a Tudor all ready surrounded by police and onlookers. They pushed through the gathering of people and made their way to the front walkway of the Law Offices of Danner and Beecham. A thin white man wearing a New Orleans police uniform held up his hands in front of the Agents. "Sorry, going to have to ask you folks to step back." He smacked on his chewing gum.

Doggett tried not to roll his eyes as both he and Reyes flipped open their badges. "F.B.I.", he read the man's name tag. "Officer Pul-let." He mangled the man's name on purpose.

The man furrowed his brow. "It's Poulet." He said through gnashed teeth.

Doggett played coy. "My mistake. Will you let us pass please?" The man grumbled and then let them go by.

Reyes tapped Doggett on the shoulder. "Pul-let?" She grinned. They encountered another officer on the steps and Doggett sighed. Reyes stepped in front of him. "Officer Rowly, how are you doing? It's Monica Reyes, is Lieutenant Caffery around?'"

The man eyed her for a moment, then looked at Doggett and back to the smiling brunette. "Sure, y'all come on in. Be careful where you step."

"Thanks a lot." Reyes said as she pulled out a pair of latex gloves. Reyes spotted a middle-aged man wearing a bad suit and a loose tie. "Caffery!" she called out.

The weary looking man looked up at the sound of his name and saw the brunette. He smiled and it lifted the lines in his face making him look almost 10 years younger. "Well I'll be a pig rooting in shit. As I live and breathe, it's Monica Reyes." He shook the woman's hand vigorously. "What are you doing back?"

"Caught a case?"

"This one." He noticed Doggett looking over his shoulder. "Who's your friend?"

"Caffery, this is John Doggett."

The men shook hands. Doggett liked the man's grip. "Don't mean to step on your toes Lieutenant, but we think this woman is a part of our case."

"Did they bag her yet?"

"Nah, she's still out back. Come on." He walked though the bedroom to the balcony and pointed.

Both Agents kept straight faces as they saw the form of a woman impaled on the white slates of a picket fence. She laid face up, arms outstretched, head dangling at an awkward angle and the white point of a fence protruding out of her sternum.

"That's Simone Danner. Her partner found her about an hour ago."

"How long has she been dead?" Doggett asked as he stepped away from the balcony.

"M.E. said this morning. Let's walk." They followed the man out of the room and outside, via the backdoor.

Reyes looked the body over, taking note of the bite marks around her shoulders and neck "Caff, does she have all her organs?"

He looked at Reyes oddly. "Uh-we won't know 'till we get her in the cooler." They followed him back inside the house.

"So how'd you get this case?" His eyes moved quickly between the two Agents.

Reyes looked at Doggett. If she didn't know better she was sure that Caffery was nervous. "A woman was attacked in D.C. and it led us here."

"D.C. huh? So, that's where you ran off to." He winked at her as if they shared some in-joke.

Reyes just shrugged. "A change you know. Anyway, " she continued before the man had a chance to reminisce. "This is the same it seems."

"Do you mind if we look around the house?" Doggett asked.

"Nah, go ahead."

Doggett nodded at Reyes and walked off. Reyes turned big brown eyes on Caffery and smiled. "Okay, Caff what aren't you saying?"

The man groaned and started walking out of the house. When he reached the back porch he lit up a cigarette. He offered one to Reyes who hesitated for only a split second before accepting it. "So what do you know?" she asked.

He took a long drag. "I should probably ask you that." He exhaled. "Somebody just handed me this case. Deveraux's not around, so I got stuck."

"Who's that?"

"Hot shot from Baton Rouge. The other two women were his too."

"So you know about the other women?"

"Hard not to around here."

"I take it there are no leads?" She was trying not to sound disappointed.

"Fraid not." He answered a little too quickly.

She let it go and took a drag off her cigarette. "You mind if I bring somebody down her to look at the body?"

Caffery sighed and scratched his scalp. "I can't stop you anyway." His tone was forlorn.

"Would you try?"

He smirked. "You know I love you Mon and it's good to see you, but maybe you should just let us wrap this up."

Reyes tossed out her half-smoked cigarette. "It's my job Caffery. But hey, maybe it'll lead to a dead end and I'll be on my way home."

He shrugged. "Maybe." He squeezed the woman's shoulder. "You know where she'll be." Reyes nodded. Caffery shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at Reyes with sad eyes. "Good to see ya kiddo."

"You too Caff." She folded her arms across her chest and watched the man walk off. When Doggett found her she was watching the coroner cut Simone Danner away from the fence.

"How'd it go?"

Reyes was so deep in thought she jumped when Doggett spoke to her. "Shit." She chuckled. "Considering I learned absolutely nothing, I actually learned a lot."

"What's that mean?"

"Let's go."

Back inside the car, Reyes took a sip of her watery Slurpee. "I think we need our own M.E."

Reyes had read his mind. "Think so?"

"Caff said he was given this case. It belongs to some hot shot named Devaraux. Then he not so subtly said we should back off."

Doggett turned to her with surprise. "Let's head to the field office. You tell Caffery that the body better be in the morgue no later than tomorrow morning."

---

"Scully."

"It's Monica Ryes." She held in her laughter.

"Monica Reyes is it." She teased. "Hold on for a sec."

Reyes covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hide her smile. She sat on the edge of an empty desk with her back to Doggett. She could hear Scully speaking to someone. "We'll talk tomorrow." Scully closed the door to her office. "Sorry. I didn't expect to hear from you."

"Yeah, well I wish it was for pleasure." She said quietly.

Scully blushed. "And here I was all excited. What do you need?"

"Believe it or not a medical examiner."

Scully smiled, but tried to keep the happiness out of her voice. Secretly she had been hoping the Agents needed her to come down. "Well I could give a few names."

"Well Doggett thinks it should be you."

"He does. What do you think?"

Reyes ran a hand through her hair, wondering why the hell she had to be having this conversation amidst her colleagues. "You don't want to know." She chuckled. "But seriously I need a pair of unbiased eyes.

Scully sobered. "Is there a problem?"

"I'm not sure how big it is at this moment but we're at the field office right now."

"Okay. Why don't I catch the next flight out and meet you guys at the field office."

Ryes couldn't hold back her smile. "Thank you."

Scully shrugged it off. "Don't you know this what I live for." She said it dryly causing Reyes to laugh. "Did I tell you about the Vampire that delivered pizza?"

"No, what?" She said with a snicker.

"Later then. I'll see you in a few hours."

"Bye Dana." She said the words quietly and then hung up. Reyes looked up to find Doggett looking at her with the silliest of grins that she realized matched her own.

"What's so funny?"

"Uh, a vampire that delivered pizza." Doggett looked confused. She shook her head and hopped off the desk. "Never mind. What do you have?"

"Louis Deveraux, a sergeant at 15th precinct. Got a couple of citations for excessive force. No charges were ever filed. Looks like he caught some high profile cases. Nothing exciting about him until two weeks ago when he went missing. Nobody's seen him for two weeks."

"When was Sister Arneux killed?"

"It's been a little more than a week." Doggett nodded in agreement, sensing the path they were both on. "We should be able to get access to Deveraux's notes right?"

Doggett nodded. "I got a feeling they'll give us a hard time, but I'll ask I.A. too."

She chewed on her bottom lip in thought. "See what you can find at I.A. and the 15th. I'm going to make a phone call and see if I can get the juvenile hall records." She paused and then finished her thought. "You think Simone Danner was in Juvey too?"

"There's a list somewhere that someone is working off of."

"But who's got access to that list? Juvenile records aren't released until death."

"In theory, only law enforcement officers would have access."

She nodded. "I bet our missing detective might have had a list."

Doggett nodded and tapped her bare shoulder. "Tell you what, just so you don't ruffle any feathers, I'll head to the 15th and see what I can grab. You beat up I.A. and make your calls. I'll call you when I find something or you call me."

Reyes grinned but not too widely as to seem inappropriate. She watched Doggett leave and then picked up a pencil to gnaw on as she made her way to an empty desk and a phone.

---

Ch. 14

Three hours later Dana Scully had all ready peeled off the black three-quarter length jacket she was wearing and she was just about ready to jump out of her slacks by the time she reached the N.O. field office. She laid her jacket over her carry-on and shouldered her bag as she walked into the air-conditioned building in a huff of air. She easily found Monica Reyes sitting at a back desk, one leg braced against the desk while she reclined in the padded chair. Once again white teeth dug into the wood of a pencil as she held a phone to her ear.

Dana Scully watched as Reyes rolled brown eyes, obviously annoyed at the person on the other end. Reyes hung the phone up and growled. Scully stood rooted to the spot, watching bare arms stretch above the woman's head. Scully licked her lips and then realized she was staring directly at the woman's breasts and then her hands as they rubbed the back of her neck and next her fingers as she ran them across her lips. Scully squeezed her eyes shut tight, willing herself to snap out of her sexual fantasy. She had been eager to do this, but now it seemed like an ill-timed notion.

It was too soon and Scully still didn't know where this was all headed. All she was sure of was the fact that she now had to change her underwear and it had nothing to do with the humidity. The red head opened her eyes and found dark pools of brown staring directly at her, mirroring the same lust she was trying to let go of. Scully rubbed her face removing the grin that was tugging at the corners of her mouth. She approached Reyes and sat her bag down with a thud.

"Agent Reyes." Her voice was tense.

"Agent Scully." She answered flatly. Reyes did her best to be as stoic as Scully, but it still unnerved her that the woman could turn her emotions off and on at the drop of a hat. "Was that fast or have I been on the phone that long?"

"Just good timing." She pulled up a chair. "Got something you might want."

Reyes bit her tongue and just grinned. "I'm sure it's not a pack of cigarettes right?"

Scully conveniently looked down in her bag, careful to avoid Reyes' eyes or she would burst into a fit of giggles. She handed Reyes a folder. "That's the original Valerie Arneux. She died as ward of the state of Louisiana in 1989." Reyes read while Dana talked. "Says here she was separated from her sister when she was six and then later."

"Josephine did a month at a girl's boot camp. She got out on good behavior, but Valerie had all ready been killed."

"It was ruled an accident." Reyes looked up at Scully.

"That's what it says. She fell out of a three story building to the concrete, all though it looks like she got a running start." Scully leaned forward onto the desk, stretching the fabric of her white shirt against her breasts as she flipped through the pages of the file.

Reyes was trying to look at the pictures, but the smooth skin that peeked out from in between the buttons of Scully's shirt were much more interesting. Scully followed her eyes. She smirked and tapped the photos. "Picture's down here Monica."

Too embarrassed to meet Scully's eyes she looked down at the photo and quickly focused. "She's a little far away from that window."

"About 10 feet too far. Also there were a few defensive wounds on her arm."

Reyes shook her head. "Who the hell found her?"

"Um, some patrol man-

Reyes read the information. "Son of a bitch. Louis Deveraux." She flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for. She dropped the folder with a sigh. "Douglas Caffery was the investigating officer."

A red eyebrow arched. "I take it you know these guys?"

Yeah, I saw Caffery today." She paused. "Shit." She tapped the desk and then stood. "I'm hot are you? I need another Slurpee."

"Slurpee?" Scully dropped her usual mask to grin.

"Doggett should be back in a few. We should all go eat. I'm starved how about you?" She was talking fast. Scully actually smiled. "But it's so cool in here."

"We've go a.c. in the car. C'mon, I'll call Doggett and tell him to meet us in the Quarter." Reyes took a deep breath as she gathered herself and then picked up Scully's bag, despite to the shorter woman's protests. She put Scully's bag in the trunk and silently prayed that she would be able to sit next to the red head in such close quarters without trying to jump her.

---

Between the fans in the top of the open-air caf, the shade from the large umbrellas around the table and the large ice-t, the three Agents were all a lot cooler. Doggett bit into an ice cube as he spoke. "The judge should be calling me back with the warrant in a few."

"So there was nothing at the station?" Reyes adjusted her sunglasses.

"If there was, I have a feeling they were watching his back. Everything you got there," he pointed towards the accordion folder on the table. "Is all a matter of public record."

"Does anyone know where Derveraux is now?" Scully asked as she sipped her drink.

"No one knows. Apparently he up and left. His captain swears he's own some kind of sabbatical, but he didn't file for anything. He just disappeared." He looked at Reyes. "What about I.A.?"

The brunette rolled her eyes. "They've been investigating him for about three years, but haven't done a damn thing about it." She rubbed her forehead in obvious frustration. Scully cut concerned blue eyes at her. "The Caffery thing bothering you?"

Reyes huffed in response.

"It could be nothing you know."

She turned to Scully. "I want to believe that, but you didn't hear him today. He's up to his ass in this."

Doggett opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when his phone rang. The two women were silent as they watched Doggett. He said yes a couple of times and his brow remained creased until he hung up. "You ladies ready." Reyes smiled with relief and threw a couple of bills down on the table.

---

The three Agents stepped onto the long and wide porch of Thomas Deveraux's three-story home, located in the historic St. Charles neighborhood. "Nice house." Scully mumbled and glanced at Reyes who nodded in agreement. Reyes turned and peered through the bay window. Doggett lifted the brass knocker on the door and dropped it two times. They waited silently for a moment and then Doggett tried the lock. He cracked a smile when it didn't budge and pulled out a set of lock picks from his coat pocket. Moments later the three Agents moved into the foyer of the house, their hands on their weapons, fingers at the ready.

"Sergeant Thomas Deveraux, you here!" Doggett called out into the quiet house. "F.B.I. Sergeant. We've got a warrant to search the premises!" They all moved about the first floor as Doggett spoke, moving through the living room, parlor, and dining room to find nothing. Reyes moved into the kitchen. "I think it's empty guys." She looked into the sink to see that it was bone dry. She took her hand away from her gun and met Doggett and Scully at a staircase.

The upstairs bedroom had the same neat look as the first floor and even the bathroom appeared spotless. Scully's lips were pursed in thought as she moved through the guest bedroom. "Does this look too clean to you?" She asked as she stepped out into the hallway meeting Doggett. He nodded in response.

"I think I found your mess." Reyes nodded towards the doorway she was standing in. Scully and Doggett both looked towards the woman and then stepped into what was left of the detective's office.

"I didn't realize tornados were this accurate." Doggett made the comment as he stepped over a broken chair.

Reyes sighed, all though it wasn't out of frustration but more at the mess on her hands.

"Okay." She clapped her hands together. "How about I take the pile off to the right, Doggett you can handle the left, and Scully you get the desk area in the middle there."

Scully arched an eyebrow and looked at the brunette with the slight pout that she always wore. "Since half of the desk is on Doggett's half does that still count."

Reyes rolled her eyes. "Funny." Her shoes crunched against the strewn pages as she cleared a spot on the floor and sat down.

The Agents worked quietly for a good ten minutes, until Doggett grunted and stood up. "God, I think my eyes are going to fall out of my head. Tell me something Reyes, you think this just happened or did Deveraux do this himself?"

Reyes looked up from the neat piles she had formed and shrugged. "Well nothing was missing from the bathroom and his room was neat."

"If you're leaving in a hurry who needs deodorant and toothpaste, you just buy it on the road."

Scully leaned back and supported herself on her arms. She looked over at Reyes. "Maybe the maid came through and cleaned up."

Brown eyes passed between Scully and Doggett. "You think Caffery sent somebody through here don't you?" She didn't want to believe what she was saying.

Scully felt for the woman as she locked eyes with Reyes for longer than appropriate. "You know it's possible. He told you to back off and he knew you were on the way." Reyes took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair, breaking her stare with Scully. The red head could see the turmoil on the brunette's face and she wanted to do all she could to comfort her. Scully looked up at Doggett. "Maybe check downstairs, see if somebody did get in here before us." Doggett nodded and walked out of the room. Scully got up and walked over to Reyes were she kneeled down beside the woman. She placed a small hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

"Monica, people get backed into the corner all the time."

Brown eyes looked up meeting Scully's concerned blue eyes. She grinned. "I know, but Caff's a good guy."

"I'm sure he thinks he's doing the right thing. He probably thinks he's protecting you."

Without hesitation she ran her fingers though dark brown hair and let her fingers trail along the woman's cheek. "And you know I can't fault him for that."

Reyes kissed the red head's palm and smiled. "I understand that, but seriously, there are four women dead and there will be more. I don't care what hell he's found himself in, those women didn't deserve that."

"We'll figure it out. We'll go down to District Court and see who we can muscle for some records, we'll get a subpoena, whatever needs to happen." The shared a small hug.

"You think I'm overreacting don't you?" She asked as they moved apart.

"No way." Scully stood and looked down at the brunette with a warm smile. "I just think you feel everything-take it all in." She chuckled. "There's nothing wrong with that. I kind of miss it to be honest."

Reyes knew exactly whom Scully was referring to. "I'm sorry I never met her."

Scully wanted to be surprised that the woman knew where her thoughts had been, but she was beginning to expect nothing less from the Agent. "You two would have been trouble." She grinned. She shook her head, using the physical action to change the subject. "You want to head downstairs?"

Reyes stood. "Indulge me for two more minutes and then we're gone." Scully nodded. She walked out of the office and headed towards the bedroom. "When you were younger where did you hide all your personal stuff?"

Scully looked up in thought. "I hid my diary and my candy stash in between my mattresses." Reyes smirked. "That's where I hid my weed."

Scully lightly slapped her shoulder as if she was horribly shocked. "I knew you were a pot head." She laughed as she walked to the end of the bed.

Reyes chuckled with her as they lifted the top of king sized mattress. It hit the floor with a thud. Both women peered down at the gauzy material over the boxspring. For a moment Reyes was ready to groan in frustration when something caught her eye in the left corner. "Mierda." She said quietly under her breath and then pulled out a pocket knife. When Doggett made it into the bedroom he saw Reyes slicing into the material with one long stroke.

"What the hell?"

Scully looked at Doggett. "A hunch."

Reyes pulled out a bulky envelope and moved off the bed. She spilled the contents onto the box spring. There amidst a wad of cash, a plastic baggie full of jewelry, receipts, was a photograph. Reyes reached down and turned the photo over, revealing a black and white photo. At first glance it looked like a class picture. 14 girls lined up on bleachers, all wearing the same outfit and staring straight ahead into the camera. At first glance it could have been anybody's school photo. All three Agents peered down at the photo, taking in the sight of the young girls all dressed in the same gray pantsuits with nametags across their right breast. Scully pointed a slender finger at the stamp on the bottom that read property of the State of Louisiana, ward 9, Department of Corrections.

"There's our girl." Doggett pointed at the face of 'Valerie' Arneux.

Reyes read a few of the name tags, looking for the names of Simone, Marjorie., and Samantha. "The others are here too. How many of these women are dead and we don't know it?"

"Let's go." Doggett's words came right before the sound of thud on the roof. All three Agents drew their guns. "The roof. Meet me downstairs."

Scully and Reyes headed down the steps and Doggett headed back to the office hoping climb out of the window and head up to the roof. Scully burst out of the front door first, into the dusky sky of late afternoon, her gun drawn, eyes scanning the area. Reyes was at her back. They moved out onto the lawn and looked up at the roof, hoping to see something. Doggett stuck his head out of the window and withdrew it quickly as a bat swung down at his head. He fired twice up at the roof and heard footsteps move away. Doggett climbed out of the window and pulled himself onto the roof. Down on the ground Scully and Reyes moved as they heard the shots. Both women watched as Doggett pulled himself on to the roof. Scully aimed her gun towards the roof, providing the man with cover.

"John, you okay?" Reyes called out.

"Yeah. Other side."

Scully took off around the side of the house and immediately saw a dark figure crouched beside the chimney. "F.B.I. Don't move!" The figure turned towards Scully and stood up. Scully put her finger on the trigger and looked down the sight getting a clear shot of the figure's shoulder. "Put your hands on your head!" Scully almost couldn't believe her eyes as she saw the figure start to jog towards the end of the roof. "I said don't move!" She practically swallowed her words as the figure leaped from the roof, arms out wide as if there was a large pool of water waiting below. The body met the earth with a crack and a sick sounding slap as the body crashed through the wood of the deck to the hard earth below.

"Reyes! We need an ambulance!" Scully glanced to her side and saw Reyes standing there slack jawed.

"What the hell happened?"

"He jumped." With her gun drawn Scully walked towards the body. As she walked closer she could see it was a man, with close-cropped sandy brown hair. He lay face down on the ground, with his right arm at an odd angle. Scully felt for a pulse and pulled back with a bit of wonder. "He's alive."

"You okay?" Doggett called down from the roof.

"He's alive." Reyes answered as Scully began to examine the man as best she could without turning him over. Doggett nodded and made his way down from the roof.

The three Agents stood around the man as they waited on the ambulance. They didn't say a word to one another as the ambulance and police cruiser showed up. The moved the necessary formalities with slight annoyance and then headed to the car.

"Did you see his eyes?" Doggett asked as he started the car. Scully nibbled at her lip and nodded her head, but didn't answer. "It was like they had been painted over, just like the guy from the garage." Reyes answered, referring to the white cowl that covered his eyes. "I wanna fax this photo back to D.C. and then," she paused, "I need the largest beer I can find." Doggett and Scully grunted in agreement and then the sedan pulled out into early evening traffic.

---

Ch. 15

The Agents returned to the field office, where Doggett found himself watching the two women as they attended to faxes and phone calls. Doggett just killed time examining the brown tile on the floor and trying to wrap his mind around the fact that this case was getting weirder and weirder by the moment. Reyes joined Doggett as she leaned against the desk.

"Everything's faxed. I told Terry to give me a call when he gets a hit." Doggett just nodded. Reyes folded her arms across her chest and looked at her partner with concern. "You okay John?"

He met her eyes and grinned. "Yeah, I am." He rubbed his neck in a sign of weariness. "Just not real sure where this is all going, especially with people jumping off rooftops."

Reyes nodded in agreement. She looked up and saw Scully moving towards them as she hung her phone up. "That the hospital?" Scully nodded.

"Right now our jumper's got no i.d and he's unconscious."

"Is he going to wake up?" Doggett asked as he stood up straight.

Scully half shrugged. "They ran a tox-screen on him. He's got at least two different toxins running through his systems along with a cache of herbs."

"What kind of toxins?" Reyes asked the question like she knew the answer. Scully looked at her with curiosity. "Pufferfish and porcupine to start." Reyes nodded and Doggett furrowed his brow.

"Porcupine?"

"It puts the person into a form a respiratory distress and induces a coma-like state."

Both Scully and Doggett looked at Reyes who had given the answer. "You don't seem surprised?" A hint of a grin tugged at the corners of Scully's mouth.

"Poudre Zombi." The words rolled off her tongue with practice ease. "Sometimes called ti bon ange. And I bet it's the same thing they found in the guy from the garage." Scully was impressed and it showed in her eyes. Reyes looked down at the ground avoiding the red head's appreciative gaze.

"Somebody gonna' translate for me?"

Both women looked at Doggett, suddenly remembering he was in the room. Scully answered first. "It's a mix of toxins Bokur's make to create zombies. The victim appears to be dead, but they can still feel and hear everything. More often or not they are usually forced to endure some ludicrous horror to teach them a lesson. The most common lesson is to be buried alive." Reyes did not curtail her smile as she looked at Scully. Scully winked at the smiling woman. "You're not the only one who does their homework Agent Reyes." Reyes nodded.

"So, without all the mumbo jumbo, you're telling me this guy was hopped up on some kind of PCP or something."

Reyes turned to Doggett. "Sure."

"So tell me this, is this something we can trace back to a dealer?"

Reyes was quiet in thought. "Maybe." She sounded hopeful.

"You think you can pinpoint it?" Scully asked.

"I don't think it will be as hard you think. Whoever's doing this is powerful-their will is awesome. This goes beyond a simple mix of toxins." She looked at both Scully and her partner. "I think we'll have a very short list."

"But are they going to give that list up?"

Reyes grinned at Doggett and moved away from the desk. "That's going to be the hard part."

"Well all those in favor of doing that in the morning after a little beer and a little sleep, raise their hands." Two hands quickly joined Doggett's in the air.

They had made it all the way to the car when Reyes' phone rang. She groaned and answered it as she opened the car door for Scully and then stood in front of the back door. She put her hand on the back door handle as she spoke.

"Monica Reyes." Scully sat in the passenger seat and looked up at the brunette as she spoke into the phone. "Slow down Father Turnley....Who?....Well, wait, where...where does she know her from?" Brown eyes grew wide. "Don't let her leave Father we're on our way."

"What's going on?" Doggett asked as she hung up.

"Head towards Xavier, Turnley's there with Clara Williams."

Doggett pulled out of the parking lot headed towards Canal street. "Who the hell's Clara Williams?"

"She was in juvey with Sister Arneux and Simone. A girl named Alice was supposed to meet Turnley at a coffee shop up by the school. She doesn't show, he goes to check on her, finds Clara standing in a pool of Alice's blood white as a sheet. He ran her out of there and now there sitting tight in a Motel 4 or whatever."

"I told you Father Turnley knew more than he was saying." Doggett made a sharp turn and found the first parking spot he could locate.

Reyes filled Scully in on her conversation with Father Turnley by the time they found the Motel. Whether Doggett's abrupt stop on the asphalt alerted the priest or he was watching out of the window, Father Turnley stuck his head out of a door and waved them over. The worry lines etched in his forehead seemed to make the priest look closer to his age. His eyes moved over Scully with question.

"This is Agent Scully Father, may we come in?" Reyes gave the man a weak smile.

The man nodded and shook his head removing the dazed look. "Sorry, come in."

The Agents filed in and found Clara Williams standing in the farthest corner of the room, arms wrapped around herself, head hanging low. The young woman had smears of blood all over her clothing and she shook so hard they could all see it. Scully moved towards the woman, slowly. She stopped when Clara looked at her with watery eyes that were filled with fear.

Dana Scully gave the woman a smile. "Clara," her voice was soft. "Clara, my name's Dana and I'm a doctor." She tried to make eye contact with the woman but she only hung her head. Scully turned to the priest. "Do you know if she was hurt at all?"

Father Turnley stood between Doggett and Reyes and shrugged. "I don't think she was."

Scully nodded and turned back to Clara. "Clara, I just want to take a look at you and make sure you're not hurt. Is that okay with you?" Scully stood a little less than an arms length away from the woman. The woman was taller than the agent, but the way she slouched against the wall put them on equal footing. "Clara can I see your hands for a second?" Scully held out her hands. "I promise I won't hurt you." Clara looked at the small redhead through the curtain of stringy brown hair. Scully smiled.

Clara seemed to move in slow motion as she pried her hands away from her body and held them out to the Agent. Scully looked down at the dried blood on the woman's hands. "Monica, can you get me a wet towel." She kept her eyes on Clara as she heard Reyes move past her towards the sink. "Clara, I'm going to clean your hands off, okay?" The woman gave a little nod.

"Here you go." Reyes handed the towel over to Scully and looked the woman over.

Scully gently cleaned off the blood and found no lacerations. "Clara can you tell me if you were hurt anywhere?" After a moment the woman shook her head no. "No, you weren't hurt or you can't tell me?"

"I'm fine." The words came out in a whisper.

Scully nodded. "How about we sit down and let me just make sure." She grabbed a hold of one of Clara's hands and slowly guided the woman towards the bed in the center of the small room. Scully refolded the towel and used the clean side to wipe away some of the sweat and dried blood from the woman's forehead. "Clara can I get you some water or something?" Reyes was moving towards the sink before Clara even answered.

Clara ran through four glasses of water before she seemed satiated. Scully stood up and gestured for Doggett to come to her. The trio of Agents stood off to the side. "We need to get someone over to Alice's and sit on that body." Doggett nodded. "But no cops." Scully looked at Reyes. "Somebody you trust from the field office, I don't want the police department involved."

Reyes creased her brow in thought for a moment. "I can call Cremens."

"Good." She looked back up at Doggett. "Don't let him leave."

Doggett nodded. "Is she okay?"

Scully glanced at the woman who was still sipping her water. "Physically she seems fine, I think she's just shocked and scared out of her mind. Anything specific I need to ask her?"

"Besides who killed Alice?" Reyes glanced at the woman and then back at Scully. "Ask her why?"

Scully nodded and went back to the bed. "Hey Clara, you feeling any better?" She grinned at the woman hoping to convey an attitude of compassion.

Dull gray eyes met Scully's eyes. "She's dead." Her voice was flat and quiet.

"Alice? Yes, she is." Clara shivered and looked down at her hands in her lap. "Clara do you know what happened to Alice?" Clara's head went up with a snap. Scully could see the fear in the woman's eyes. "It's okay Clara, this is just us talking, you're safe here."

Clara shook her head and looked down at her lap again, despondent. "I'm never safe."

"Tell me why you're not safe. I need to know so I can help you?"

Clara gritted her teeth and grabbed a handful of hair, doing her best to fight off her tears. "You don't understand." Her voice was strained. "He can find me, he found her, and he'll find us all." Her words brought the other Agents closer.

"Clara is Devaraux the one who's after you?" Reyes voice was calm.

Clara looked up at the brunette and laughed. It was an odd chuckle that was on the verge of twisting itself into a sob.

"He's a bootlick, nothing, he doesn't matter."

Reyes moved closer to the bed. "Then who Clara?"

The woman sighed and stood up abruptly moving back to the corner she was once standing in. Hot tears streamed down her face. "Don't you get it?" Her voice strained against her throat. "We fucked up!" She spat the words out with venom. "We fucked up! We fucked up and now we're dead!" She let out a growl of anguish and slammed her elbow into the wall behind her before sliding down to a seated position.

Reyes walked over to the woman and knelt down beside her. "Clara, I need you to look at me." The woman held her head in her hands. "Clara." Her voice was just a tad more forceful. "Clara, look at me. We want to help you, but you have got to be smarter than the rest of them and let us help you."

Clara looked up with angry eyes. "How can you possibly help me?"

"You can tell us why?"

Clara sighed and rested her head against the wall. She chuckled and wiped at her tears. "Why. You want to know why? I want to know why. We did the right thing, but it doesn't matter." She shook her head. "I'm going to die just like all the rest-and so be it."

"Clara are you the only one left?"

She shrugged. "That's here, yeah."

"Who else is there?"

"Well I thought Jo made it, but I guess not."

Reyes fished the picture out of her coat pocket. "Is this all of you?"

After a moment Clara looked down at the black and white photo and smiled weakly. "God the fantastic fourteen." Her voice was sad. "Jo, Simone, Marjorie, Samantha., Alice, Sarah, Selma, Chris, Maggie, and Nadine."

"Who are the other three?"

She pointed to the girls as she spoke. "Candace, Sheila, and Cynthia."

"Do you know there last names?"

Clara looked confused for a moment and then nodded. "Uh, Cyn, um, Daniels. Sheila was something with a K. Um, shit. Krawley. And um, Candace was Williams. You won't find them."

"We'll find them and you're coming back to D.C. with us."

Watery hazel eyes opened wide in horror. "I can't leave, no way no how."

"Clara," Scully walked towards the women. "someone's trying to kill you, you have to leave." She didn't understand why they were even having this conversation.

She looked at Scully. "I have to protect the box, I can't leave. I'm the only one here now." Reyes looked back at Doggett immediately remembering the key. "Who has the key?"

"I don't know."

"Are you sure?"

"We passed it around so no one person ever had it, I have no idea."

"What about the one we found?" Scully asked.

Reyes nodded. "Clara why don't you take us to the box and then we'll take it and you out of here."

Clara shook her head. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Well Clara what do you suggest?" Father Turnley joined the small semi-circle that was beginning to form. "These people might be able to save your life?"

She rolled her eyes at the priest. "Father if it was that easy, then the others would have been safe."

"Is it the box he's after?" Monica asked steering the conversation back to her topic.

Clara nodded. "Among other things."

"Fine then. You don't want to leave, then don't, just tell us where the box is and at least we can keep it safe."

Clara looked straight into the Agents' brown eyes. "You really think you can stop this?"

"Clara I won't run. We'll make a deal if we have to. The box for your life and the others." Clara shook her head as if to say no. Reyes reached out and shook the woman by the shoulders gathering her attention. "You listen to me Clara, ten of your friends are dead and you can't get them back, but you can save yourself and the others. Take us to the box. We'll take it and you out of here and if this man or whatever wants it, he can come find us."

Clara looked down at the floor contemplating.

"Clara, let us help you." Scully looked down at the woman and made eye contact.

Clara let her eyes pass over the people surrounding her and after a long pause she shook her head. "Okay." Monica grinned and stood. She held her hand down and helped the woman up. "We need to go to Cemetery No. 3."

"Father Turnley, I want you to head back to the Parish. As far as you're concerned none of this happened. If we need you will find you." Monica smiled at the man.

Father Turnley nodded. "Y'all be safe." He drew the sign of the cross with his hand.

"Thank you Father." Scully and Doggett said the words nearly at the same time and then Doggett walked the priest out.

"You ready Clara?" Reyes put her hand on Clara's elbow.

"I want to go on record as saying this is stupid and probably won't work." She rolled her eyes as they moved towards the door.

Reyes looked over at Scully and shrugged. "Give us a chance Clara, we can make this work." The woman just grunted and they left the room headed towards the car.

---

Ch. 16

Cemetery No. 3 was like every other cemetery in New Orleans...dank, dark, damp, eerily beautiful and awaiting a Hollywood film unit. A nervous Clara stood between the two women as Agent Doggett reached his hand through the iron gate and unlatched the lock. Scully took out a crudely drawn map that Clara had been carrying around with her, and turned on her flashlight.

"We need to head towards the angel statue and hang a right."

"Scully," Doggett looked at the shorter woman with a slight grin tugging at his thin lips. "There are about a zillion angel statues."

The red head looked up and realized how daunting their task had become. A top many of the above ground plots busts, angels, and large crosses stood watch over the dead. Scully looked at Clara. "A little help Clara."

The woman grumbled under her breath and then pointed off to the right. "It's a black angel-down in the C's."

Doggett took point, since Clara was reluctant to lead, much happier sandwiched between the two women. Their footfalls crunched quietly against a mix of sand, earth, and gravel that made up the paths. As the path narrowed the four people formed a single file line, with Clara behind Doggett followed by Scully and Reyes taking up the rear. While the random candles that burned about the cemetery and the street lights provided illumination Scully reached for her flashlight and pulled out her gun with her other hand. Reyes watched Scully with question as the red head stepped out of line to move behind Reyes.

Reyes slowed her steps until she was walking beside Scully. "What is it?" she asked the question quietly enough, but everyone was so on edge that they all stopped moving.

Instead of answering Reyes right away Scully just peered down the path behind them and shone her light on the tops of some of the mausoleums. She pursed her lips in thought and then looked up at Reyes. "I don't know what it is but let's make this quick." Blue eyes fell on Clara trembling form as she practically clung to Doggett.

As Doggett moved towards Scully, Clara moved with him. "You see something?" He watched Reyes as she drew her weapon and took off the safety. "What's up?" He creased his brow.

Reyes grew tense feeling a shift in the air. "She's right we need to make this fast. There's somebody out here."

Clara let go of Doggett's arm and backed up against a statute. "Fuckfuckfuckfuck. I told you. Just fucking forget it let's go." She moved her hands frantically.

Doggett turned to the woman and placed his hand gently on her shoulder. "Clara, don't fall apart yet. Let's just get where we need to go." His voice was calm. Clara shook her head and avoided his eyes. "Clara look at me." She bit her lip and finally met Doggett's eyes. "Just hang on for a few minutes. Just show us where the building is and we'll walk out of here. Can you do that?" Clara's eyes moved over the faces of the Agents and she finally nodded at Doggett. Doggett smiled at her and they all began moving down the path as it sloped to the left.

The three Agents heard an extra pair of footsteps and they all stopped, guns drawn, searching the dark for their shadow. "Keep moving." Doggett said gruffly and they began again, with quick footsteps that lead towards a small hill. Perhaps

Clara's whimpering kept them from hearing the extra footfalls or they were all over compensating. Whatever the case their shadow swooped down from the top of a crypt tackling Clara and the Agents to the ground in a heap of dust and limbs.

Doggett was up first and immediately grabbed the man bearing down on a screaming Clara. Doggett grabbed the man's tattered shirt and lifted, tossing him back behind them. Reyes helped Clara to her feet and pushed her away from the man lumbering towards them.

"Down on the ground!" Doggett and Scully screamed the phrase simultaneously. Doggett opened his mouth to yell the command again, but stopped short when he got a good glimpse of the attacker. "What the fuck!" he breathed out in disbelief as he laid eyes on what could only be described as a rotting corpse. Pasty skin that was almost green in color, eyes that were white, and flesh that was ripped in jagged in odd places.

The man moved towards them and Doggett fired his gun twice into the man's chest but he continued forward barely fazed. Scully took note of the man's lumbering form and his decayed features and recognized him for what he was. She took aim and pulled the trigger. The bullet drilled a hole through the man's forehead and he dropped to the ground without fanfare. Doggett looked over at Scully with confusion.

"Aim for the head." She said quickly and took off after Reyes and Clara.

Too freaked out to question Scully, Doggett simply nodded and followed. As if she wasn't all ready running fast enough, the sound of gunfire pressed her to go faster. She skirted through two crypts with Doggett at her back and caught sight of Reyes firing at two relentless decayed attackers. Clara let loose a high pitched scream at the feel of a clammy hand digging into her shoulder. Reyes threw a hard elbow into the ashen face of the animated corpse, but he kept pulling at the screaming Clara.

Scully stood a few yards away and stopped in her tracks, raised her gun and fired twice. Two bullets shredded the corpses head and dropped it to the ground. A wide-eyed Reyes turned around to face Scully as she moved quickly towards them.

"Aim for the head."

Reyes just nodded as she knelt down beside a whimpering Clara who had curled into the fetal position. Reyes looked up at Scully with concern. "We have to get her out of here."

Scully reached down and felt the woman's pulse. She cursed under her breath. "What about the box?"

"It's there." Reyes pointed towards a large crypt to the right of a black angel statue. "Why don't you take her back and I'll get it."

A slim eyebrow arched towards the night sky. "I'm not leaving you." She called out to Doggett before Reyes could protest.

Doggett changed clips as he met the women. "We've got lots of company and I'm running low."

Scully felt her hip, feeling for extra clips and counted two. "Okay, Doggett get Clara out. We're grabbing the box and we'll be right behind you."

Doggett wasn't sure if he liked the idea. "Is that really a good idea?"

"What do you suggest?" Scully looked up at the man, honestly hoping he had a better idea. She peeked around the crypt and saw the growing number of walking dead that were surrounding them. She looked back at Doggett with a hint of expectancy in her eyes. He could only half-shrug.

"Well I don't suggest we barricade ourselves in an old farm house." Reyes chuckled dryly at her own joke. "None the less, take her and go. We'll be there."

Doggett nodded. "If you're not right behind me, I'm coming back in her with the shotgun and the car."

"That might not be such a bad idea anyway." Scully stepped from behind the crypt and fired into the small gathering six times thinning the crowd somewhat. She moved back and faced the Agents. "They seem to be in a holding pattern of sorts, so we need to go."

Doggett nodded and hauled a nearly catatonic Clara to her feet. "You ready to run?" He didn't wait for an answer as he grabbed her hand and they started running back towards the gate.

Reyes immediately moved to the door and pulled on the bronze handle. She let out a grunt as they nearly rusted hinges of the heavy door strained against the pressure. Scully took one last look after Doggett and joined Reyes at the door. Together they tugged at the door, eventually causing the door to let out a huge sigh as the hinges gave way and the door opened wide enough for them both to fit through. Reyes let go and walked into the musty building, her flashlight illuminating the insides. Scully stood outside the door, gun raised. The sound of rapid gunfire and Clara's shrill scream made her pale.

"Monica! Now!"

Inside Reyes fumbled with the bookbag at the sound of gunfire, but managed to place the metal box in the bag. "I'm right behind you." She said as she exited the tomb just in time to see Scully running up the path after Doggett.

Agent Scully found Doggett alone with his back up against a crypt firing into a group of corpses. Scully took aim and cut a path through the group large enough for the two to pass, before she discarded her clip and reloaded. They moved up the hill, the gates in sight. "Where's Clara?" She took a good look at the man-seeing the tattered material of his shirt across his chest. "You're hurt."

Doggett caught his breath and shook his head. "Can't feel it anyway." Wild eyes darted about and he took a deep breath trying to calm himself. "Where'sReyes?"

Scully showed no emotion as she answered, "behind me." On the inside her heart was beating erratically and the knot in her stomach grew to the size of a boulder.

"Clara ran off." He shook his head with disgust at himself. "They were all over her. I managed to drop a few and then she just started running. I-

He was cut short by the sound of his partner's voice. "Scully!"

The sound of Reyes' voice cut through the red head with such force that she thought she had been punched. She took off without hesitation, not even worried if Doggett would cover her. Doggett followed the red head with his eyes and sniped off anything that moved in her vicinity.

Reyes dropped the bag to the ground as she stood over the bloody and lifeless form of Clara. On instinct, she wanted to take the woman's pulse, but the complete removal of her throat cavity ensured that she would take no such reading. Reyes got down on one knee and closed the woman's eyes that had remained open, no doubt taking in the attack that had seemed so inevitable. Angry that they couldn't protect the woman, Reyes said a silent prayer and a quiet I'm sorry to the dead woman. She pushed up from the ground, barely on her feet when she heard a rush of sound. Reyes just managed to put a hand on her gun as a heavy body slammed into hers and knocked her to the ground.

The stench of decay invaded her nostrils and made her gag as she struggled to keep the thing away from her face. She pushed at the corpses' throat with one hand and gripped her gun with the other. The weight of the body above her threatened to suffocate her if she didn't get out from under it soon. She lost her grip on the corpses' neck and paid for it, as it bit into the flesh of her shoulder. Reyes let out a loud groan and fired her gun four times into the big body on top of her. With her legs and free arm she pushed and struggled with her attacker.

Scully nearly ran past the struggling woman, she was moving so fast, but she managed to stop on a dime and fire three times. The unexpected splatter of blood and tissue that sprinkled her face surprised Reyes as the once animated corpse, dropped lifeless on top of her. With a burst of adrenaline she kicked out from under the corpse. The determined blue eyes of Dana Scully were the first things she saw. Reyes was so happy she wanted to cry, but she willed herself to save her relief and celebration for later. She eagerly took Scully's outstretched hand and got to her feet.

Scully could see the relief in brown eyes, but she didn't let herself travel that road, as she remained stoic and focused. She lifted the ripped material of her jacket and managed to remain calm on the outside as she looked at the bloody imprint of teeth in her shoulder. "We need to get you to a hospital." She carefully avoided the taller woman's eyes, convinced she would break down. "Where's Clara?" Her voice was tight and clipped straining against the deluge of emotions she was holding at bay.

Reyes shook her head. "Dead."

Scully nodded and reached down to pick up the bag. She looked down at Clara's lifeless form and made no comment. "We need to go." Reyes just nodded and they both took off up the hill, making note of their shadows. None of them advanced on the women, instead opting to stare blankly out at the moving women with white eyes. "They're not moving."

Reyes changed clips. "I think they got what they came for." Scully just nodded as they moved along the path.

"Agents we need to move." Two sets of eyes looked up towards the sound of Doggett's voice. They found the man standing atop a crypt with a shotgun at the ready. "Those things seem to be waiting on something and I don't really care to find out what." The man jumped down and joined the women on the path. Together they all ran towards the gate and the car. They all gave one glance back at the cemetery as they safely entered the car. There remained no sign of their attackers.

"Hospital," was the only word spoken. The Agents were all too tense and beleaguered to say much of anything else as Doggett peeled out, leaving black marks on the asphalt.

---

Reyes rubbed at her newly banged deltoid with a grimace-remembering the long needle that injected the rabies shot. The three haggard Agents pulled into the parking lot of their mutual hotel and all let out relieved sighs. Doggett cut the engine and pulled at his tattered shirt where his bandage was peeking through. "I don't know about you all but I'm going to head down the street here, "he nodded towards Bourbon. "And fall into the first bar I find."

"I might beat you there." Reyes said as she exited the car. "But first I have to change this shirt."

"You two do look a little rough." Scully added dryly.

"I bet you didn't even break a sweat, Scully."

She smirked at Doggett's gentle teasing. "Meet in the lobby?" They all nodded in agreement and headed towards the stairs and elevator.

The women rode up to the fourth floor in silence, neither one quite ready to approach the other. In the hospital, Scully had managed to touch Reyes with the clinical manner needed to examine her wounds, but here in the close quarters of the elevator she was desperate to cling to the woman. Good sense deterred her, and the fact that if she made contact with the brunette, she might not let go.

For her part, Reyes made no attempt to approach Scully or even look in her direction. She too was waging her own war with the magnitude of her emotions and the adrenaline coursing through her system. All she felt fit to do at the moment was stand inside her room in the pitch black and tremble. The elevator opened and they walked down the short hallway in the same direction, on opposite sides of the hall, eyes straight ahead and focused. Reyes stopped first as she reached her door. "I'll meet you down stairs." Her words were tight as she disappeared into her room. Scully's only response was a nod of her head as she entered her own room.

With fingers that trembled with too much nervous energy Scully discarded her button down shirt and exchanged it for a soft white cotton t-shirt that fit her snugly without straining the fabric. She put her blazer back on only so she could keep her gun on. She was still decidedly too worried to leave it behind. She left her room and glanced at the door to Reyes room, noticing that the door was ajar. She made a split decision and pushed at the door, entering the darkened room. Blue eyes adjusted to the light before she spoke.

"Monica?" She was surprised at how nervous her voice sounded.

"Hey."

The brunette's quiet voice came to her right and close by. With a startled movement, Scully turned and practically bumped into the woman who stood so close. False light poured into the room from the boisterous street below, making it easy for the women to focus on each other. Scully seemed to look up at Reyes with a bit of disbelief in her eyes, but mostly with relief. The brunette grinned. Scully desperately wanted to say something, but she just didn't have the words-and they weren't what was important at the moment anyway.

The red head rose up on her toes, too impatient for the taller woman to lean down. She cupped all ready warm cheeks and pressed her lips against an eager and pliant mouth. The first kiss was one of reconnection and reality, but the second went on well past the point of what their lungs could handle. They separated with the sloppiness attributed to teenagers, causing both women to laugh as they caught their breaths. Reyes touched her forehead to Scully's and tugged on her shirt. "Cute t-shirt."

The red head looked up and caught the lustful gleam in her eyes. "I thought we were meeting Doggett for beer." Reyes took a sobering breath. "Oh yeah, beer." Her voice was still shaky. She kissed Scully's small nose and then backed away taking the time to straighten out her own shirt and tousle her hair. "Ok, let's go before I lock the door and strap you to my bed."

Scully raised an eyebrow. "Maybe we should just order room service." Reyes grinned as a delicious shiver traveled down her spine and settled in her groan. "Let's go now." She grabbed the door and opened it, grateful for the cool air in the hallway. Scully just smirked and walked out into the hallway, secretly wondering how fast she could drink two beers and then leave.

---

If Doggett noticed that the two women seemed preoccupied he made no mention of the fact. While Scully was content to stare out at the dance floor and tap her foot to the music, Reyes was a ball of energy-bouncing from the dance floor and back taking turns between guzzling water and beer. The three Agents hadn't said much of anything to each other after agreeing to a shot of vodka when the first entered the bar.

A slight glaze touched Scully's eyes as she watched the brunette mesmerize some complete stranger on the dancefloor. Oddly enough she wasn't jealous, just extremely turned on and growing more and more anxious by the moment. She was unaware of the grin that crept to her lips as she followed the sway of Reyes' hips.

"What's got you all in smiles?" Doggett's amused voice came from her right.

Scully looked at Doggett and blinked twice, registering his words a half a beat after he said them. She took a deep sip of her beer and sat the empty bottle on the counter. "Nothing really, just watching Ms. I can't stop my legs out there on the floor."

Doggett looked out at Reyes and chuckled. "I suppose that's one way to cope."

"Yeah that's one." Scully managed to make the comment with a straight face as her mind wandered through a few lascivious ways to cope. She could feel the blush tinting her cheeks and thanked God for the low light and haze of smoke that was protecting her. "Well," she tapped Doggett's knee and got up from her seat. "I'm heading back to my room. I think I'm done."

"Lightweight." He teased.

She rolled her eyes and grinned. "Giving birth will do that to you. Two's my max."

Doggett smiled and nodded. "Want me to walk you up."

"Nah, I think I can make it 50 yards. Besides," she patted her side. "I wouldn't want to meet me in a dark alley right now."

Doggett nodded in understanding. "See you in the morning I guess."

Scully nodded and waved before walking out of the bar. She put her hands in her pockets as she strolled the 50 yards back to the hotel. She gave a quick glance behind her, hoping that Reyes had sense enough not to bolt out of the bar after her.

Dana never doubted the brunette would follow. Even as she tried the lock on the door that separated their two rooms, she instinctively knew it would be unlocked. She walked through the doorway into Reyes' darkened room and dropped her coat on the chair next to the table. She walked towards the French doors and opened them to let in the welcome breeze and the ever present nocturnal and bustling energy of the street below. Dana didn't go out onto the balcony, but stood between the doors holding onto the knobs, eyes closed, and soaking up the feel of the Big Easy. From here she could smell the Mississippi as it mixed with the shellfish from Desire and the coffee from Caf Du Monde. It made for a powerful aroma that seemed to affect her much like the breath of the agent at her back.

If Dana had sensed the woman earlier she played coy. Her ears more open to the magic chaos below, than to Monica's soft footsteps. The warm lips pressing against the back of her neck made Dana shiver with anticipation. She sank back into the taller woman and reached behind her to run her short fingernails along Monica's thighs and buttocks. The brunette smiled against Dana's neck and bit gently into the soft flesh, not to bruise, but only to taste. Dana moaned and rolled her hips, pressing her backside into Monica's crotch.

Monica reached around with hands eager to be filled with the fullness of Dana's breasts. Dana let out a long deep moan as slender fingers trapped her nipples and applied just enough pressure so that only the pleasure was recognized. She gripped Monica's ass tightly, holding the woman tight against her as she pushed back. Monica reluctantly drew a hand away from Dana's breasts only to draw deep grooves through red hair before gripping it tightly and pulling back, exposing a silky pale neck. Monica followed Dana's pulse with her tongue and bent the red head's neck at such an angle that she was able to cover the woman's mouth with her own.

Dana rolled her hips at a faster pace as Monica sucked on her tongue. She fought to control the kiss, but lost it willingly when she felt Monica's hand between her legs. Dana let out a gasp, as Monica cupped her. Dana's body hummed with a sexual electricity that Monica just couldn't get enough of. Her hands were everywhere at once; pushing and pulling at clothes, and caressing the newly exposed flesh left in her wake.

Dana interlaced her fingers with Monica's long fingers as the brunette began to stroke her center once more. The added fingers made Monica's knees buckle, but she stood tall, if only to guide the smaller woman to the bed. She turned Dana around and their lips met for a wet and frantic kiss as they each tugged at belt buckles, zippers, and buttons. Buttons that were too small to fiddle with in the near dark were sacrificed. Dana could only gasp as the cool air hit her flesh. Soon shirts and shoes and underwear were flying before they finally tumbled onto the large bed in a delighted tangle of arms and legs.

Dana felt like she was on fire. Her body melted into Monica's kisses and touches as she worshiped her body with warm wet lips and questing fingertips. The places her fingers and hands did not caress, Monica found them with her mouth. Sucking and tugging and biting where necessary and even when it wasn't. The sensations were turning Dana into a writhing mass of flesh that she realized would peak too soon if she didn't slow down. She reached up and grabbed a handful of dark hair and tugged gently, causing Monica to stop her southward journey.

There was a moment of disappointment in brown eyes, but the desire she saw in blue eyes made her forget. She crawled up Dana's body and they shared a rough kiss. Very quickly it was Monica who was on her back, hands pined down and stretched high above her head, lifting, and presenting her breasts. With an impish smirk Dana turned her attention to the woman's breasts- engulfing a dark aureole with her mouth and making the woman beneath her moan in pleasure. Dana's cool tongue on her nipples started the pulling sensation in her groin and the throbbing of her clit, that only became more intense as Dana began her descent down Monica's long body.

Dana stopped to dip her tongue into Monica's naval, pulling a throaty chuckle from the woman. From this point she kept her eyes on Monica's lips as she let her nose lead her. The sweet spice that was Monica was now mixed with the thick aroma of arousal. Dana licked her lips in anticipation. At the feel of Dana's tongue dragging slowly through her slick and fleshy folds, Monica released a flood of wetness and opened her eyes wide with a pleasant gasp. She met curious blue eyes and she knew if she kept watching the red head, this was all going to be over in a matter of seconds. Monica let her head fall back to the pillow and anchored her hand in Dana's hair.

Urged on by the loud moans and random snippets of Spanish, Dana suckled where Monica needed her most. Monica let out a loud cry and pulled tighter on Dana's hair as she began to buck her hips. Dana wrapped an arm around Monica's waist to keep some control. As she eased two fingers deep inside of Monica, Dana was sure she was going to lose that control. She held onto the woman tighter as Monica thrusted into her face. She could feel the trembling begin in the brunette's body just as the walls around her fingers tightened. The sound of her name burst from Monica's lips in a release of air and a long moan. Dana quickened her pace and curved her fingers up into Monica-deep. Brown eyes met blue once more and Monica came undone.

Monica's strong thighs became a vice of flesh, holding Dana's head firmly in place as she drank of everything Monica had to offer. She lingered there between her thighs long after the tremors had subsided. Dana removed her fingers and cleaned them off with her mouth, one by one, much to the satisfaction of Monica, who was quickly aroused again by the sight and sound. Monica let out a raspy laugh as Dana kissed her way up torso; her warm breath tickling her flesh. Dana settled her thigh between Monica's legs, causing the brunette to close her eyes to the pleasant sensation. "You trying to kill me Agent Scully?" Her words came out in a low rumble.

Dana smirked and kissed Monica's damp brow. "What would ever give you that idea Agent Reyes?" She raised her eyebrows and flexed her thigh. Monica sucked in air at the sensation and laughed. "Oops." Dana was far from sorry.

"Feeling playful?" Dana only rolled her eyes. Monica chuckled and lifted Dana's arms, causing her to lose her balance so she easily flip the woman onto her back. A surprised breath escaped Dana's lungs as her back met the bed. Just as quickly Monica straddled the red head and pinned her arms high above her head. Dark brown eyes were glazed over with mischief. Monica licked her lips and Dana's heartbeat picked up in anticipation.

"I suppose I've gotten myself into a little trouble, huh?" Dana struggled a bit under Monica's weight and was rewarded with a roll of Monica's lips. The pressure against the bundle of nerves between her lips caused her to suck in a breath and bite her lip.

Monica just grinned. "There's nothing wrong with a little bit of trouble every now and then." Both women shared a chuckle as Monica released Dana's arms and reached for a piece of material on the dresser. Dana stopped chuckling and eyed the brunette with curiosity and a delicious hint of fear as Monica twisted the thin material in her fists. Monica noted Dana's silence and just grinned. "So let's see, what can't you live without, seeing or touching?"

A slim red eyebrow arched. "Do I get a say in all this?" Monica rolled her hips once more, distracting Dana. Before she could even get out the words, "I guess not", she found her wrists bound by the material and quickly being anchored to the bed post. Dana smirked, knowing this was probably the only moment she had to catch her breath. It was if the energy from the street below had seeped into their pores, fueling them. They welcomed the challenge The Big Easy offered up to them -- it was going to be a long night indeed.

---

Ch. 17

"Massive trauma to the carotid artery and thoracic cavity." Agent Scully looked up from Clara's corpse and rolled her shoulder. She moved away from the table and snapped off her bloodied gloves into the sanitized receptacle. "Probable cause of death is loss of blood, due to the extraction of the heart." She spoke the words into the mike that hung from the ceiling. "The heart muscles was severed by what appears to be teeth and was likely inflicted post-mortem." Scully groaned and shut off the tape just as her phone rang.

"Scully." She spoke her name without enthusiasm.

"Hey, it's me." Reyes' voice was soft.

The red head immediately blushed at the sound of Monica's voice in her ear. She easily conjured up images of the brunette from the night before. "Hi." There was a breathlessness to her voice that surprised even Scully. She leaned back against a counter, just in case her legs so fit to give out on her. "How's it going?"

"It's going." She answered dryly. After a breath she added, "what about you?"

Scully grinned. "I keep asking myself how I got stuck here. I seem to remember my morning starting off in a much more pleasant manner.

Reyes chuckled a bit surprised at Scully's candor, but far from displeased. "So, dead bodies don't do it for you huh?" She spoke the words almost at a whisper, as if she was trying to avoid being heard.

Scully sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Play nice." There was a purr to her voice that was unintentional, but she enjoyed Reyes' reaction just the same.

The brunette let out a small whimper. She wanted to say something more, but her surrounding made it nearly impossible. "I'll just let that slide." She cleared her throat. "So, the cops are not being helpful, but we're going to the Quarter and a few places out in the sticks. I thought you'd like to come along."

"You mean real live people?"

"Oh yeah, they talk back and everything."

Scully laughed. "Then yes please. I'm just finishing up here, so I'll be waiting."

"Okay." Reyes paused. "Well....yeah. We'll see you later."

Scully could tell Reyes was in an uncomfortable spot, but she couldn't resist a little teasing. "Don't make me wait too long Agent." The lust was evident in her voice and she could practically hear Reyes tremble through the phone. Reyes could only cough into the phone-too afraid to speak; knowing nothing would come out except for a squeak. Scully took mercy on the other woman and uttered a quiet goodbye, knowing full well that the dark haired woman was probably standing somewhere in a room full of men, trying desperately to fight off a blush.

"Christ!" Reyes nearly jumped out of her skin when Doggett put his hand on her shoulder. She moved away from her partner and hoped that she just appeared to be spooked and not in a desperate state of arousal. She managed a crooked grin. "You scared me."

Doggett furrowed his brow. "Last night still got you in a state?"

Reyes just nodded and then covered her face with her hand, covering the large grin that was spreading across her face. "Yeah, yeah you know I'm just a little jumpy." She tensed the muscles in her jaw so that she looked serious. "We ready?"

"Yeah. We cleared out Deveraux's stuff and his house is locked up tight."

"Good let's grab Scully and finish up here." She gave one last look to the assembled cops that were staring daggers at the Agents. "I think we've worn out our welcome." Doggett just nodded in agreement and followed her out of the precinct.

---

For Scully and Reyes the morning after had been pleasant and void of the common awkwardness that seemed to be the post-coital ritual. Both women had prior engagements and places to be so there was no time for ill-timed pauses and involuntary blushes. But now, in the heat of a New Orleans afternoon, Agents Scully and Reyes found themselves fumbling for words, losing trains of thoughts and unable to make eye contact. The actions were not made so much out of embarrassment, but the shared knowledge that it would be painfully obvious to any passerby that these women had spent the night together.

Grateful for the car ride, Scully slouched down in the backseat and closed her eyes, waiting patiently for the air conditioner to kick in. "So are where we headed to?" Doggett asked as he got in on the passenger side.

"I figured we'd head out and work our way back into the city. There's this little old lady who lives with her daughter out in the sticks."

Doggett snickered. "Does she have one eye and gnarled hands?" His tone was playful.

Reyes rolled her eyes. "Ha. Ha. Nah, but she might turn you into a toad." Brown eyes glanced up at the rearview mirror, allowing Reyes to steal a steal a look at a very relaxed Agent Scully. As if, sensing the other woman's eyes on her, Scully opened her eyes and easily found Reyes' eyes in the mirror. She couldn't fight the grin that came to her lips. Reyes simply nodded and pulled out into traffic.

---

The three Agents were greeted by a cream colored woman with gray eyes. She smiled at the Agents with impossibly white teeth and waved them inside the quaint one-level cottage with long fingers. "Agent Reyes." Her voice was soft and rich and touched by an accent that none of the Agents could place. Reyes smiled at the woman. "You can call me Monica." The woman nodded. "This way please." She led the Agents into a sunny parlor room, where they sat down in wicker chairs that surrounded a matching table. "Can I bring you all something cool to drink?" The Agents all smiled in response, each one grateful. "Mman will be right out." With those words, the woman seemed to glide away with the soft linen of her outfit billowing out behind her.

Doggett leaned close to Reyes as he looked around the room. "If something freaky happens, you know I'll never forgive you."

Reyes just grinned and jabbed him with an elbow. "Its just information Doggett, not a palm reading."

"Not that he would believe anything I told him anyway."

The three visibly surprised Agents all turned in the direction of a small, unnoticed hallway off to the right, where a small cedar colored woman now stood. Sun-kissed brown dreadlocks were arranged in a ponytail of sorts on top of the woman's head. She moved into the room exuding elegance and took a seat in a larger chair that faced the Agents. She smoothed out her wine colored robe as she sat down and rested her arms on the arms of her chair. Grey eyes stared out at the Agents with equal parts amusement and curiosity. Mman said nothing until her daughter dropped off a tray of drinks and once again left the room.

"Monica Reyes." Her deep voice resonated through all of them. "I'd ask you how you are, but I can see you are quite well." She grinned at the brunette in a conspiratorial way and was amused when the deep red of a blush crawled up her neck. Scully cut her eyes at Reyes and fought off the growing lump in her throat as she felt the older woman's eyes on her. "Cecily didn't lie Agent Scully, your hair is very beautiful." Blue eyes met gray. Scully's face was stone with no hint of surprise. The older woman just nodded. "And you of course are Agent Doggett." Doggett just nodded as he sipped his tea and watched the woman with a skeptical eye.

"So," she entwined long fingers. "What do you need Monica?"

Reyes looked up at the woman. "We're looking for a Bokur?"

The older woman pursed her lips and looked up to the ceiling, not really thinking, just passing the time. "Why waste your time looking. You know he will find you."

Reyes drew her brows together in thought. "He wants the box." The dark woman nodded. Inwardly, Reyes smiled.

"Does it belong to him?" She chose her questions carefully trying to elicit the most information.

Mman laughed. "He wants what's in the box-but it does not belong to him and it doesn't belong in that box."

The old woman was being cryptic on purpose and it unnerved both Scully and Doggett. Doggett cleared his throat. "I'm sorry," he began. "I mean no disrespect, but why don't we just open up the box and be done with it. We can find him with the box, right?"

Grey eyes met Doggett's eyes with amusement. "So impatient, but it's saved you more than once so it doesn't matter."

She held his gaze for a moment and then continued. "Agent Doggett, what's in the box, to simply put it is, power. It was borrowed, then stolen, and finally trapped." She tapped a long finger on the table as she spoke. "You open that box at the wrong moment and no telling what the consequences might be."

Doggett rolled his eyes out of habit. "Well when can we open the box."

She smiled, showing her white teeth. "In time, just not now." She winked at the easily annoyed man. "He'll find you without your help. Only then do you open the box."

Scully spoke before Doggett could come up with something else to say. "So you're suggesting that we sit on the box and wait until he kills another one of those women. If it's okay with you I'd rather not wait on him."

The old woman turned her eyes on Scully and stared hard at the woman. She lost her cocky grin before speaking. "I know you don't want to wait on him, but it's best that you do." She paused for a moment, not breaking her gaze. "Knowing the future won't change what you fear Agent Scully. Only you can decide that."

Scully tried to hold onto the woman's gaze a bit longer, daring herself to see through this woman and the nonsense she was spewing, but it became too much for her. She tensed her jaw and pushed away from the table, suddenly wrack with emotions and on the verge of showing them in front of this strange woman who seemed to look at her with the same force that Reyes did. Scully didn't utter a word as she turned around and left the parlor.

Doggett hopped up from the table prepared to go after Scully, but penetrating gray eyes and a stern voice stopped him.

"Sit down, Agent Doggett." He turned towards the woman, scowl set in place, but as if he had been properly scolded, he sat down. "Let her go, she needs air and we're going to let her have it." She looked at Reyes as she spoke. "You've certainly got your hands full." She grinned. "So what do you want to know about your Bokur. Where he's from, his name and all that?"

It took everything Reyes had to focus on the old woman and not bolt up from the table after Scully. But she trusted this woman's words and remained in her seat. "That would be nice."

Mman shrugged. "I don't know it and it's in my best interests that I don't know." She continued speaking even as Doggett groaned out his displeasure. "He's strong, but it's all borrowed power, just like those girls borrowed. Only, your Bokur found himself a way to bottle up lightning if you will. I suppose if you wait long enough it will just swallow him up." Reyes looked up ready to protest the woman's words. "But," she continued. "You want to save those girls, I know."

"We do." Reyes almost sounded desperate.

The old woman sighed. "Part of me wants to tell you that you should let this run it's course." "Mman I can't allow that." The strain was obvious in her voice. She nodded in understanding with a grim smile on her face. "I know. Those girls were hurt badly and they just wanted to do what was right. Only sometimes what's right don't have nothing to do with Man's law."

"But your law has consequences?"

She smiled at Doggett. "That it does. Those girls should have finished the job. They didn't and now here we are."

"How do we stop him?" Doggett pressed.

"Probably just a bullet." The words came out with a chuckle.

"Then he is just a man after all." Reyes said the words with a hint of wonder.

Mman grinned. "You've got to catch him first. He wants that box and he needs those girls." Mman looked up at the doorway as if she heard something. She smiled to herself, knowing that the conversation going on in the other room was about to come to a head. "Well Agents, I think our conversation is at an end."

"But Mman?" Reyes was upset, but she knew better than to argue.

She touched Reyes shoulder as she stood. "I think your Agent Scully has had enough excitement for one day."

At that moment the Agents heard the front door slam shut. Doggett was out of his seat first. "I'll meet you at the car."

Reyes just nodded as her partner left the room. She stood up and met the older woman's soft gaze.

Mman smiled at the woman. "Why don't you ask your question before something explodes inside your head, child."

She looked the brunette over once more. "And don't ask me something you all ready know the answer to." Reyes furrowed her brow, at a loss for words. She touched Reyes' cheek with hands that were still surprisingly soft. "How about I tell you something then." She just nodded. "Where she is weak, you must be strong. And when she falters, you just need to be there. And you have to promise to remember to not hang on to your anger-it'll just slow the process."

Reyes followed the woman's vague words, but still felt confused. "But what if I'm not what she wants, what if it doesn't matter?"

The older woman smiled and pressed a kiss to Reyes' forehead. "Child, jealousy and envy will do you in and it will certainly serve you no purpose in the months to come. If you want to hold onto her than you need to put that green eyed monster in its place." She let go of Reyes cheek and stepped back. "You should go now."

Reyes nodded, wanting to ask more questions as she lingered in the doorway. She managed a smile for the older. "Merci, Mman."

Mman just smiled genuinely at Reyes. "Your welcome Monica. Make sure you treat yourself to something nice before you leave-cause the next few days might not be so nice." She nodded and then disappeared down the hallway.

Reyes had half a mind to chase the woman down and ask her what she meant, but the dull pain in her chest reminded her of a fuming red head somewhere off in the distance. When she met Doggett and Scully at the car, the two Agents were quiet and tense. Doggett just shrugged and got in the car. Reyes did her best to grab Scully's attention, but the smaller woman refused to even look in Reyes direction. Reyes chewed her bottom lip with worry, but decided she let the woman cool off for a while.

---

Four hours later, Doggett was the last one out of the office as he locked up and followed the still silent Scully and the confused Reyes to the elevator. Reyes leaned against the back wall and massaged her shoulders. She cut her eyes at Scully, who stood in the far corner next to the control panel. The red head refused to acknowledge the Agents if it wasn't necessary. Reyes just sighed and turned to Doggett.

"I gave the photos and names to missing persons, hopefully in the morning we might know where the rest of the woman are."

"Good. I called the hospital and it turns out our John Doe is Deveraux. On the bad side he's still out cold and took a turn for the worse, he might not make it through the night."

Reyes tapped her head against the wall. "Shit. I want the names of every security guard, janitor, nurse, and groundskeeper that worked at the correctional facility. Somebody knows what happened to those girls and if he can't tell us then we'll find someone who will." Doggett just nodded as the elevator stopped at the garage and opened.

Scully practically pushed out of the doors before they were halfway open. Doggett just looked after the woman oddly. "What the hell is going on?"

Reyes creased her brow, beginning to grow angry. "I'm going to find out. I'll call you in the morning."

Doggett just nodded and watched the woman jog off towards Scully.

"Scully wait, Scully." The red head ignored Reyes' voice and kept her eyes focused on her nearing car. "Dana! Wait." Reyes reached out and grabbed the woman by the shoulder. Dana flinched and Reyes pulled her hand a way with speed. "What's going on?" She tried to keep the tremble out her voice.

Dana looked everywhere but Monica's eyes as she fumbled with her keys. "I have to go, I need to." She managed to glance up at Monica and was immediately sorry she did, as those warm brown eyes were staring down at her with such confusion and hurt.

"But Dana," Monica let out a nervous chuckle. "I mean wait, what happened, what's going? I-I'm a little worried." Her words came out in a jumble.

Dana turned her back to the woman and opened her car door. Monica tensed her jaw in disbelief. She reached her hand out, but brought it back, suddenly unsure and worried of being rebuffed. "Dana, please."

The words were so soft and Dana wanted to just turn around and curl up in Monica's arms, but she had made a decision and she wasn't going to back out now. She took a deep breath and turned around to face the brunette. With courage that she didn't have she met deep brown eyes and kept her face void of all emotion. Her voice was flat. "I need to go. My mother's at the house with William and I need to get back."

Monica almost wanted to laugh out loud at Dana's behavior. "Da-" she started but the next words out of Dana's mouth froze her from the inside out.

"Agent Reyes, I have to leave." Dana tuned away immediately, but not without seeing all the color drain from the taller woman's face. The gathering tears considerably blurred her vision, but she stuck the key in the ignition and pulled out as fast as she could.

Mouth agape, brown eyes wide and sad, clutching at the new found pain in her chest was how Monica stood in the garage. She watched Dana's taillights disappear out of the garage through a haze of hurt and confusion that slowly formed a dense fog of anger and disbelief by the time she made it to her apartment. For the moment she didn't remember Maman's words to her as she moved through her nightly routine on automatic pilot. Eventually she gave up and just collapsed on her bed still in her work clothes and cried and until it hurt too much to cry anymore.

---

Ch. 18

In his time as an officer and as a F.B.I. agent, John Doggett has seen things that had repulsed him, made him angry, made him question God, and sometimes chilled him to the bone. When Reyes walked through the doors of the Hoover building the next morning, Doggett added another thing to the list of things that chilled him to the bone. A cloud of black seemed to follow the woman who was draped in black from head to toe. If possible, it seemed like even her hair was black as well. He could see the tension in her jaw as he waited for her behind the metal detectors. She took her hands out of pants pockets to remove her gun as she passed through the detectors and had her badge inspected and retina scanned. Even Joseph, the security guard, that she normally had a bright smile for and kind word, steered clear of the woman and made no attempt to speak to her or even make more eye contact than necessary.

Reyes adjusted her holster and pulled her hair out of jacket as she adjusted the lapels. Brown eyes bored straight ahead towards the bank of elevators. Reyes barely nodded at Doggett, but he followed nonetheless and they rode the elevator to the basement in complete silence. Even her footsteps seemed tense as they walked to the office and Doggett opened the door, just so he could get out of her way. Reyes strode over to her desk and removed her jacket revealing the soft cotton of a form fitting v-neck long sleeved shirt. She pushed up the sleeves of her shirt to her forearms and Doggett swore he could see every vein and artery the woman had. He wouldn't have been surprised if she bled black if he cut her. She finally acknowledged Doggett with dark brown eyes that cut through him with a lifelessness that worried him.

"Uh," he started and stopped as she looked him in the eye. "Something you want to tell me?"

She arched her brow and folded her arms across her chest. "No." Her tone left no room for question. "Did missing persons come back?"

"I just got here myself, I"

She cut him off with a shake of her head. She grabbed her jacket and put it on. "Then I'll go." She walked to the door.

"I'll give Scully a call."

Reyes stopped in her tracks. She ground her teeth to fight the bile that threatened to rise up in her throat. "She's done with this case."

"What, since when."

"Since now." Reyes turned around and almost dared Doggett to say something else. "She has nothing we need."

Doggett held his tongue and just nodded. "I guess I'll go find those employees." The brunette just nodded and left the room. A moment later, there was a light knock on the door.

"Good lord man." A young agent with sandy blonde hair walked through the door. "Your partner damn near mowed me down. Is that PMS?"

Doggett just threw his hands in the air and shrugged. "Landers if I knew I'd tell you." He ran a hand across his jaw. "What's up?"

"Oh yeah, I got a call from N.O. They said Deveraux's dead."

"Damn it." Doggett rapped his knuckles against his desk. "We knew that was coming. Thanks Landers, anything else."

"Yeah, those employee records you needed got sent over to Quantico."

"Who the hell sent them there?"

"You put Dr. Scully down as a contact and I guess the message got relayed wrong."

"No big deal. Hey, do you know how Deveraux died?"

Landers tossed Doggett an envelope. "Sealed it up for you. I also copied one to Scully, if that was okay."

Doggett let out a small sigh. The young man meant well, but his timing was crap. "It's okay, thanks for your help."

Landers smiled and left the office. Doggett sat down at his desk and pulled out the contents of the envelope. He rubbed his temples suddenly feeling the stress of the palpable tension that still lingered in the room. With a grumbled he picked up the phone to dial Scully, silently praying he could head off the woman and avoid the coming maelstrom.

---

Doggett's phone call had been five minutes too late, but he hoped to make up for the lost time by rushing the red head out of the office. "Agent Scully." His smile was large. "You didn't have to bring these over, I would have come and pick them up." He looked the woman over carefully. Dark circles rimmed her eyes and she seemed more somber than usual, if possible.

"It's okay I was on my way back into town anyway."

"Short day, huh?" He grabbed the folders she held out.

"Something like that." She leaned against the file cabinet and folded her arms across her chest. The expression on her face was as severe as the cut of her suit.

"Well you know, if I'm keeping you from something, I don't want to. I'll give you a call if something comes up."

She arched her brow at Doggett. "Um, o-kay." She looked at with skepticism. "Don't you want to know about Devearaux though?" Her lips formed a small pout as she watched him.

"You didn't put it in there?"

"No time."

"To be honest, Deveraux's the last thing on my mind, I need to find out about these workers." He shook the folder.

She eyed him with curiosity. She knew that she should take the opening he was offering her and just leave. By the grace of God she had managed to avoid Monica and it was probably best if she just severed herself completely from this case. After all, that was the only way she was going to keep the woman safe. However, she wanted to offer some assistance, even if it was indirect. "Well, Doggett there are over 100 names in that folder, I mean I could make a few calls if you want."

Doggett opened his mouth to answer, but he sensed someone in the doorway. He looked up to find Reyes looming in the doorway like a black storm cloud. "We don't need you to baby sit us Agent Scully."

Scully too had sensed the woman, and she knew she was stuck. The anger in Reyes' voice stabbed at her with each syllable. The way she spit out her name, with the same venom that the woman no doubt only saved for criminals tore, through Scully like a lance. Scully squared her shoulders and quickly erected the emotional walls that had become a second skin to her. "It was just a suggestion, Agent Reyes. You could use another set of eyes." She turned around and met the woman's eyes. Blue bored into dark brown.

Reyes scoffed, quietly amused at Scully's ability to appear emotionally barren. "Then we'll find someone else. Besides, I'm sure your students are anxiously awaiting another tale about the intricacies of the human body."

Scully blew out a breath and clenched her teeth. It took everything she had to hold Reyes' angry gaze. Her eyes were so dark it was painful. The deep brown eyes that she had melted into two nights before were glazed over with anger and hurt that she had caused. Scully was suddenly sick to her stomach. She broke her stare with Reyes and turned to face Doggett, who looked just as confused as she felt. "Tell Landers he can stop faxing files to my office."

Doggett furrowed his brow. "Wait a minute." He looked from Reyes to Scully. "Which one of you is going to explain to me what's going on?"

Scully spoke before Reyes could start. "Your partner's right. You don't need my help on this. You're both quite capable and I'm sure I'll only get in the way." Scully turned to leave. She avoided Reyes and stepped around the woman towards the door.

"Get in the way?" Doggett huffed in frustration. "Scully?"

"Let her walk Doggett." She kept her back to the door as she spoke. "We don't need her."

Scully had just made it out into the hallway when Reyes' words made it to her ears. There was nothing she could do to stop the tears. Her brain processed the words for what they were, but her heart only heard the disappointment and disgust in Reyes' voice. They may not have needed her for the case, but Reyes was making it clear that she didn't want her. By the time the elevator closed Scully was sobbing and made no plans to stop as she made her way to her car and finally home.

Doggett walked out from behind his desk and confronted the still smoldering Reyes. "Just what the hell is going on?"

Reyes grinned and took off her jacket and headed for her desk. "Absolutely nothing."

"Bullshit." He leaned down on her desk. "We can use her help."

"Doggett, this is our case, she was just giving us a hand that's all." She rolled her eyes. "There's no need to keep her away from her classes and her family, so just drop it." She failed to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

"I don't like this one bit and I especially don't like being played for a fool."

"John what are you talking about. She just gave us some advice, that's all. She can't be here for every case