Chapter 1: Uncovered

1996

Monday.  10:30 PM

Archaeological dig site.

Hampshire, UK.

Christine Curtis sat alone in the small trailer typing details of today’s finds into her laptop computer.  They had found more than they’d bargained for.  There was no electricity in the caravan so the light from the computer screen was supplemented by a small candle. Turning away from the screen, Christine picked up one of the many Polaroid’s they had taken of the finds.  She held it up close to candle and it’s light played over the shiny surface as if the photo was on fire.  Christine’s breath caught in her throat as she looked again at the photograph of a skeleton which was definitely not human.  Her mind boggled at the enormity of what they had found.  Six bodies. So far.

The door was kicked open with a force that shook the entire caravan.  The men strode into the small space filling it immediately with their overpowering presence.  Christine had no time to protest, she was grabbed and her mouth covered with a cloth.  The cloth smelt sweet and her head began to reel.  She tried to hold her breath.  Through a haze she watched as the men, all dressed in black nondescript outfits which let them blend into the night, brought the skeletons in from outside and threw them carelessly onto the floor. The bones cracked and splintered into dusty fragments. 

Christine was manhandled into her chair, half unconscious now, and slumped over the desk.  All the skeletons had been brought in and one of the men poured petrol over them.  He stepped outside the caravan and struck a match.  Christine was barely conscious but she watched in horrified awe as the match arched gracefully through the air and hit the pile of dry bones.  They erupted like a tinderbox and it became irrelevant whether Christine was still conscious or not.

The men climbed into their Jeep and, without even looking back at the burning caravan, drove into the chilled blackness of the night.

XXXXXX

Tuesday.  7 PM

The Carlson house

Hampshire.  UK.

Amanda Carlson sat at the kitchen table.  The wine bottle next to her was nearly empty but her glass was full so she didn’t notice.  Tears streamed down her face.  She touched the Polaroid in front of her.  These were the only two photos left.  The only evidence; them, and the pendant.  She picked up a greenish coloured rock which was fixed to a metal chain.  The rock was inscribed with patterns of lines but none of them made sense. 

Amanda felt a presence behind her but she knew who it was so she didn’t feel threatened.  He took the Polaroid from the table and stared at it.

“They found her body.”  Amanda said quietly in a distinctly English accent.  “She must have fallen asleep.  The police think that the candle she was using must have fallen over and set fire to some papers.” 

Daniel Carlson looked away from the picture at his daughter.  She was so naive and did not deserve all of this.  Why couldn’t she have avoided the site like he told her to! 

“They’ve cancelled the dig. They’ve already started on the road building.”  She continued with a bitter laugh.  “We were even told off for digging away from the site where we were told to dig.  I’ve tried to explain about the skeletons but I can’t get anyone to listen to me.”  Amanda’s voice was full of pain and anger.  “They’re just using Christine’s death as an excuse to get rid of us.”

Her father dropped the Polaroid back on the table.  Amanda looked scornfully at it and took another long drink from her wine glass.  Carlson reached into his pocket and pulled out a passport.  He took a deep, ragged breath and held it out to Amanda.  She put down the glass and took the passport.  It was her face but it was a picture from a party when she’d worn a black wig for a laugh.  The name on the passport was Lynda Wilkes. 

“What’s this?”  she questioned.  When her father spoke it was in a rich American accent.  

“Christine’s death wasn’t an accident.  They killed her so she couldn’t tell anyone.” 

“Who killed her?”  Amanda demanded.  He looked at her gravely.

“You were supposed to die there too.”  Amanda recoiled from him in horror.

“How do you know these things?  Who killed her?”  She gasped.  Carlson drew a deep breath.

“I don’t think I can protect you from them.  You have to leave.  Go to Dana.  She can help you lose yourself somewhere.”

“You want me to go to see Dana on a false passport?”

“If you don’t they WILL kill you.  They’ll try no matter where you go but this way you have a chance…” 

XXXXXX

Wednesday.  11PM

Dana Scully’s apartment.

Scully adjusted her glasses so that they rested more comfortably on her nose.  She put down the piece of paper she had been reading and looked over at Mulder. He was sat on the floor reading through some papers.  Things had been so awful between them lately.  They were always sniping at each other these days, as if their relationship had become a battlefield.

“What’da you think?”  She asked him – talking about the case they were working on.  He glanced up in her direction – she loved the way he looked when he was wearing his glasses. 

“I think Scully . . .”  He began, for the first time in weeks his eyes were soft.  There was a soft knock at the door. 

Mulder opened the door and was surprised to see a young woman standing there.  She looked a lot like Scully but her hair was black and fell in long waves down her back.  She looked nervous, her feet shuffled back and forth.

“I’m looking for Dana Scully.” She stated in a nervous voice with a pronounced English accent.  Scully appeared behind him and Mulder turned at her loud gasp.  She peered closely at the girl, whose face broke into a wry smile.

“Amanda?”  Scully questioned.  The smile widened.

“Hi Dana.”  Mulder watched as the two women hugged enthusiastically.

The three of them moved inside and Scully introduced them.

“Amanda this is my partner Fox Mulder,” She leaned closer to Amanda “It’s safest just to call him Mulder.”  Mulder turned his eyes skywards and Amanda smiled a genuine smile.

“Sure thing Dana, but he needn’t be worried.  I may be English but I’m not into fox hunting.” 

“I’m grateful.”  Mulder murmured with a sardonic twist of his lips.

“Mulder.  This is my cousin Amanda Carlson.”

“An English cousin Scully?  I learn something new about you everyday.”

“Wait till you see tomorrow’s surprise.”  Scully teased.

“Ooh, I can’t wait.” Mulder returned with a lecherous smile.

Amanda stood quietly watching the little performance they placed out and, for a moment, she forgot her owns problems.  She didn’t think that she had ever seen a more perfect couple.  They teased each other all the way back to the door and Scully was trying desperately not to smile as she pretended to shut the door in her partner’s face.  The last thing Amanda saw was Mulder’s surprised expression as the door closed.  Scully turned back to her.

“I’m glad you finally found someone Dana.”  Amanda told her with sincerity.  Scully appeared genuinely shocked.

“What?  Mulder?  No, he’s just a friend that I work with.” 

“I’m sorry Dana.  You seemed so close.  I just assumed.” Scully laughed lightly at Amanda’s apologies.

“We’re just friends.”  Amanda saw then that her cousin really believed that.  <What a shame.>

“Anyway Amanda, what are you doing here?”  Scully asked as she sat down on the couch, tucking her legs under her.

“I just needed to get away for a while.”  Amanda told her truthfully as she too sat down. “A bit of a holiday really.”  She lied, unsure now what exactly to tell her cousin.

XXXXXX

Thursday.  10 AM

FBI Headquarters.

Mulder took careful aim with the screwed up piece of paper.  The bin was within his sights.  He took aim and threw . . .  The door opened and Scully strode in.

“Mulder, I’ve been thinking . . .”  The ball of paper hit her in the stomach.  Mulder looked at her resentfully, but she just cast him a Scully-patented curl up and die look.

“I’m glad you’re keeping busy Mulder.”

“You just ruined a truly great throw Scully.”

“I do apologise.”  She stated in a voice that suggested the opposite. 

“What was it you were thinking?”  He asked.

“It was just about Amanda.”  Scully began.  “I wondered what your impressions were?”

“Are you asking me to compile a profile on her?”  He asked sarcastically and Scully just ‘looked’ at him.  A wide smile broke out on his face and he gave in with a slight shrug.  “Well – on the basis of one meeting I can’t say much but I’d say she was very nervous about something.”  He replied seriously.

“Yeah.”  Scully answered thoughtfully.  “She said she was here on a holiday, but . . .”

A knock on the door stilled her train of thought. 

“Yeah?”  Mulder called.  The agent who opened the door actually looked scared as he stepped inside.  Mulder resisted the urge to smile.  This guy was fresh out of the academy, and someone had obviously been telling tales of Spooky Mulder and Ice Queen Scully.

“Um…Agent Scully.  Assistant Director Skinner sent me to find you to tell you that he wants to see you ASAP.”

“Thanks Peterson.”  Scully answered.  Peterson nodded and left quickly.

“I see you have another fan Mulder.”

“Hey, it was *you* he was scared of.”  Mulder retorted.  Scully picked up the piece of paper from the floor as she crossed to the door.  Mulder tried not linger on the way the slim cut trousers hugged her figure as she bent down.  When she got to the door she turned around and threw the paper ball.  It landed squarely in the bin.  She smiled at Mulder’s incredulous expression.

“Fluke.”  He said quietly as she left the room.

XXXXXX

10:10 AM

Scully’s apartment

Amanda splashed water on her face.  Her hair hung in wet strands around her shoulders.  She’d had it tucked up into that wig for the greater part of two days and it had felt really gross.  Now that Dana had gone to work she thought that it would be safe to wash it.  Amanda knew that she would have to tell Dana the truth, but how to tell it so that it actually sounded believable.  She had chickened out last night but the people chasing her would trace her here without too much difficulty.

She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror.  It was basically the same girl who had looked out at her two days ago but so much had changed since then.  The rock pendant hung around her neck outside of her T-shirt as if to remind her why she was in this mess.  She couldn’t bear the sight of it, so she tucked under her top.

She left the bathroom and began to hunt around.  If she knew her cousin as well as she thought she did then Dana would have a gun tucked away somewhere in the apartment.  She began to look, but something stopped her and she looked cautiously out of the window. 

The street outside was empty, except for a black car.  Huddling behind the curtain Amanda tried to get a better view.  She thought that she could see a someone in the car, but she was on the wrong angle for a clear view.  She decided that she needed to find that gun.

XXXXXX

10:20 AM

Skinner’s Office

Scully walked into Skinner’s office with no idea as to why she had been summoned. 

“Sit down Agent Scully.”  He ordered with barely an attempt at civility.  Scully complied. 

“I have been asked to question you regarding the whereabouts of an Amanda Carlson, whom I am informed is your cousin.”

“Amanda?”  Scully questioned.

“I have been informed that she has some items in her possession which are very dangerous to her well being. Certain parties are anxious for these items to be recovered.”

“I haven’t seen my cousin for years.”  Scully lied smoothly.

“You wouldn’t lie to me, would you Agent Scully?”

“Of course not sir.”  Scully lied, but something in Skinner’s expression told her that he knew she was lying.  Scully saw suddenly that he was warning her, rather than interrogating her. 

“If your cousin attempts to contact you, you will inform me straight away.”

“Of course.”

“That’s all Agent Scully.”  Skinner returned his attention to his paperwork.  Scully stood up to leave but stopped when Skinner looked up.  He smiled a half-smile and Scully smiled back.  Then she left.

XXXXXX

12:37 PM

Scully’s apartment.

Amanda sat on the couch with Scully’s gun by her side.  She was watching a game show and it had just occurred to her that it was some kind of re-run.  <What half serious TV station shows re-runs of game shows?>  She was marvelling in the idea of it when she heard the sound of people in the hallway.  She turned off the TV and grabbed the gun.

Standing some way away from the door she took aim.  The door opened.

XXXXXX

Mulder and Scully stepped into the apartment.  Years of training took over as they saw the strange woman with the gun.  Instinctively they drew their weapons too and the two of them stood with their guns trained on her.

“Put the gun down.”  They called out together.

Scully recovered first.

“Amanda?”  She questioned.

“Dana, thank God.”  Amanda cried and lowered the gun.  Mulder took longer to recover.  The young woman, now slumping onto the couch, was the spitting image of Scully.  Her hair, without the wig, was a vibrant red and cut into a style similar to her cousin’s.  As Scully went over to her Mulder thought he was seeing double. 

“What *is* all this Amanda?  Why did I get called into my boss’s office today to be interrogated about your whereabouts?”  Scully asked.

“I’m sorry Dana.  Dad sent me here to you.  He said you’d be able to help me disappear.  I didn’t want to get you into trouble.” 

“Why did you need to disappear?”  Mulder questioned coming over to sit on the edge of the chair opposite.  Amanda looked up at him as he spoke.

“I’m an archaeologist.”  She began, suddenly her hands became very interesting and she looked down at them intently.  Mulder and Scully exchanged a look of concern and curiosity. 

“I got involved with the project via some friends on the Internet.  There was an interesting site near an former US air force base.  The council had acquired the land from the military a few years ago and had plans to build a road there.  There were suggestions that a roman villa had stood on the site once so we asked if we could dig at the site before the road building began.  They gave us four months leeway to dig.  Dad tried to talk me out of it.  He said that I had a great future teaching at a university or something, but I just wanted to get my hands dirty.  We got together a team of young people, mostly students, old friends who didn’t need to get paid.  We turned up nothing for weeks, then one of the team found something.”  She paused and drew a ragged breath.  “The first find was on the edge of the site where we had been given permission to dig. We decided to concentrate the digging around it, although we didn’t have permission.  That find scared us all but we knew we had stumbled onto something big.”

“What did you find?”  Scully asked.  Amanda looked up at her cousin with her heart in her eyes.

“I didn’t tell you last night Dana because I was afraid you wouldn’t believe me.”  At the sound of Mulder’s hollow laugh she turned to look in his direction.

“I get *that* feeling all the time.”  He joked wryly. “I find it’s better to talk, then duck when she responds.”  Amanda laughed, a kind of breaking sound.

“Thanks Mulder.”  Scully responded sarcastically.  Scully looked away and did not see Mulder’s wry smile but Amanda saw it and she smiled despite herself.  <What a shame>

“What did you find, Amanda?” Mulder asked, abruptly returning to the topic.  Amanda gathered herself and looked straight into his eyes.

“A humanoid skeleton.”

“Humanoid?”  Scully questioned.

“Yes.”  Amanda answered.  “But not human.”

“Not human?”  Mulder asked with a rising edge to his voice.

“I’m not an expert but If you wanted me to make a guess as to what it was, I’d say it was not of this planet.  An alien.”  She spoke clearly – enunciating every word.

Mulder froze.  Each word tore at him.  Humanoid.  Not human.  Alien. 

“We carried on digging and we found six of them.  Buried deep but laid out.  Deliberately buried.”  Mulder fought to keep his voice level – years of practice went into his next questions.

“What makes you say that they’re alien?  Could you describe them?” 

“I can do better than that.”  Amanda remarked with a sardonic twist of her lips.  She pulled the Polaroid’s from the back pocket of her jeans.  They were still warm as Mulder took them from her.  He pretended to glance disinterestedly over the pictures.  Inside his blood was screaming through his veins.  The skeletons were similar to the ones he’d seen in that boxcar in New Mexico.  He could feel Scully’s eyes on him, intense, trying to work out his emotions.  No way was he letting her in this time.  He keep his cool exterior as he passed her the photos.

Scully’s eyes widened as she looked at the pictures. 

“Mulder . . .?”  She began, but the diamond-hard look in his eyes stopped her words.  He took the Polaroid’s away from her and looked back to her cousin.  Scully watched as he handed them back to Amanda.

“These could get you killed.”  He told her and she nodded.

“I know. That’s why Dad sent me here.  He said that Dana would know how to help me.  He said I should lose myself.”

“Well you’re not safe here.”  Scully said. 

“There’s a black car been parked out front all day.”  Amanda replied.

“We have to get you out of here.”  Mulder cut in.  “To my place for a few days then we’ll work out what to do.”

“Why not just go straight to a motel?”  Amanda asked.

“That’s what they expect us to do.  Even if they do figure out where you are they wont go gunning for you in my apartment.  They might in a motel.”  Scully wondered if Mulder *really* believed what he was saying, after all Melissa had been killed in Scully’s apartment. 

“Oh God this *is* for real.”  Amanda cried, curling over and holding her head.  Scully put her arm around Amanda as she began to cry.  Their eyes meet over the young woman’s head.  What are we going to do? – Scully’s eyes asked.  Everything that we can – Mulder’s replied.

*********

4:05 PM

Scully adjusted the wig slightly before she walked out of the building.  How had Amanda managed to wear it on the plane over?  It itched like hell.  The jeans and T-shirt turned her into the image of her cousin, as long as she didn’t have to talk.

She forced herself to appear relaxed as she walked down the street.  The black car’s engine started with a low roar.  She tensed but carried on walking.  The car followed her, slowly. 

********

4:37 PM

Amanda and Mulder walked out of the building together half an hour after Scully.  They had watched the car follow Scully away down the street.  Mulder was worried.  It shouldn’t be that easy. 

Amanda was wearing the outfit that Scully had on earlier, with a pair of sunglasses she could easily be mistaken for Scully.  She looked just as lovely.  They walked slowly to Mulder’s car and drove off. 

A man watched them leave from a window in Scully’s building – he spoke into a cell-phone.

********

5:15 PM

Scully walked into the cool, bright interior of the art gallery.  Not a lot of people but enough to use to make yourself anonymous.  She wandered, pretending to be absorbed in the paintings and sculptures.  They had some interesting exhibits but Scully could not afford to enjoy it. 

She nearly laughed out loud when she saw the man following her.  Black suit, dark glasses – very inconspicuous.  <Time to ditch him and go home>  She had noted the position of the ladies room when she came in and now she went there.  The man followed but stopped when he saw the sign.  Scully turned in the action of opening the door and caught the man’s eye.  For a moment she held it.  She inclined her head in acknowledgement and he stiffened.  She dived inside the room. 

The ladies room was empty.  Scully dumped her hold-all on shelf by the sink and pulled the wig off, throwing it onto the shelf in disgust. Underneath her hair was knotted on top of her head and damp tendrils clung to her cheeks.  She loosed it and dragged a brush through it.  She changed the T-shirt for a loose fitting shirt and jacket and packed the other clothes back into the hold-all.  The woman in the mirror was a different person from the woman who had entered the room.  She could have gone out of the door and the man would not even realise that it was her, but she had no intention of using the door.  She crossed to the high-set window.  The room was on the first floor but it was still a big drop.  <Not impossible>  The window opened just enough for her to be able to crawl out.  Her feet touched thin air for a few seconds and she landed awkwardly but unseen.

**********

6:03 PM

Mulder drew a deep breath and hit the enter button again.  The computer beeped angrily at him.  He swore at it.  The low laugh behind him came as a surprise.

“The more angry you get, the less it will do.  I read somewhere that some American Indians believe that every object has a spirit.  Maybe your computer’s spirit is pissed off at you.”  He turned to look at her.  The thought of how much like Scully she looked hit him again – right in the groin.  Things had been so bad between him and Scully lately, but it hadn’t stopped him wanting her.

Amanda smiled at the look on his face.  <Oh Dana, how stupid are you?  How can you keep your hands off this gorgeous man?> 

“I don’t like computers.”  He admitted with a smile.  “I had a bad experience with one once.”  Amanda got the impression that there was more to *that* story than the remark implied.  She stepped closer to him.  That cute look of his was to die for.  <How can Dana not fall for it?>

“Let me try.  I’ve got some experience.”  Mulder leant back from the desk and Amanda perched on the arm of his chair. 

<God, she even smells like Scully>  Mulder thought irrationally.  She was practically sat in his lap.  Her hands flew over the keyboard.  It seemed like the problem was fixed in seconds. 

“All done.”  She chirped turning to face him.  He stared at her.  Their eyes locked.  There was a soft knock at the door. 

Amanda jumped at the sound.  Why did she feel so guilty?  Dana had said that there was nothing between her and Mulder.  Of course, Dana *was* lying to herself about her feelings for Mulder – Amanda could see that.  She also saw that Mulder felt the same way about Dana.   

Amanda hid as Mulder went to answer the door.  It was Scully. 

“Were you followed?”  Mulder demanded.  He wondered if he was blushing.  Scully was risking her life impersonating her cousin and he was on the verge of seducing that same cousin.  What the hell was happening to him?

“Yeah, but I lost him.”  Scully answered.  Amanda stepped out from behind a door.

“I’m sorry Dana.  I didn’t want to put your life in danger.” Scully smiled at her.

“Everything’s gonna be fine Amanda.”  Mulder tried not to stare at the two, practically identical, women standing next to each other.  <Scully’s wrong, before this is over I’m going to completely lose my mind>  Some interesting fantasies concerning the two women crept, unbidden, into his head.  <Too many porn films Mulder>

***********

Friday.  10:10 AM

FBI Headquarters

Skinner’s Office

Mulder was shown into Skinner’s office.  Unlike Scully the day before he knew exactly why Skinner had called him in.

“Agent Mulder, your application for vacation time is denied.”  Skinner began without preamble.

“Sir…”  Mulder began, but Skinner cut him off.

“However – Agent Scully has requested time off to visit her family in England who are in the middle of a family crisis.”

“What?  But sir…”

“Mulder.”  Skinner cut in.  “She has a reason to go, you do not.”

“Why did you think I might want to go to England?”

“I have my sources Agent Mulder.  I am aware of the items in Amanda Carlson’s possession,”  He leant towards Mulder and continued in a low confiding tone. “*and* of her location.”  Mulder stiffened.  “That will be all Agent Mulder.”  He said, leaning back in his chair.

“Yes sir.”  Mulder replied through gritted teeth.

***********

10:20 AM

Mulder’s Apartment

Amanda opened up the file and began typing.  She couldn’t touch type but she was a faster typist than most people who could.  Mulder wouldn’t be back for hours but this would take time to sort out.  She paused in her typing and swore quietly.  She’d left her address book in England – she’d have to do this from memory. 

***********

10:25 AM

FBI Headquarters

Mulder was fuming.  He pushed open the office door and prepared for a fight.  Scully was sat at the computer. She looked up when she saw him come in.

“Why didn’t you talk it over with me?”  He demanded.

“I just didn’t get a chance to Mulder.”  Scully began apologetically.

“Were you planning on telling me at all or were you going to run off without me?”

“Me?  Run off without you?  You hypocrite!  How many times have you left me here like a fool when you’ve run off?”  She drew an angry breath.  “It’s not like I’m going to the Arctic or jumping onto a moving train!”

“That was different.”

“How?”  She demanded and Mulder couldn’t think of a thing to answer her with.  “I know why you want to go to England.”

“Who said I wanted to go to England?”  He answered defensively.

“You can’t lie to me Mulder – you *never* could.”  She said regretfully.  Then her face hardened.  “Unless you think that I’m incapable of investigating this on my own?” 

“I know you can investigate alone Scully.  I just don’t like you going off alone, somewhere that I can’t back you up.”

“Are you saying that you want to protect me?”  Scully looked intensely at him, her face softening.  He tried to hide from her probing gaze.

“You’re my partner,”  He said inadequately, knowing – but unwilling to admit – that there was a lot more to it than that.  Unable to admit his feelings, he struck out instead.  “It’s in the job description.” He said, twisting his face into a sarcastic expression.  “I can’t stop you from going.”  He shrugged, as if he didn’t really care.  Her face had hardened into that expression which had appeared on her lovely face far too often of late.

“You’re damn right you can’t.”  She said angrily, as she stormed out.   

***********

6:59 PM

Mulder’s apartment

Mulder unlocked the door and stepped into his apartment.  The lights were out but the computer was on.  Amanda was no where in sight. 

“Amanda?”  He called softly and a shape stirred in the shadows of the hall.  “What’ve you been doing?”  Mulder asked her, gesturing towards the computer. 

“Nothing much.”  Amanda answered, her face totally concealed by the shadows.  “Browsing on the Internet.”   She’s lying – Mulder thought, but he didn’t press it.

“Scully’s gone to England.”  He said instead.

“She told me that she planned to.”  Mulder smiled bitterly  <I guess I’m the only one she couldn’t be bothered to tell>  “I doubt she’ll find anything.”

“I wouldn’t bet on it.  If there’s anything to find, she’ll find it.” 

From her concealed position Amanda observed him standing in the light from the window.  She wondered if he realised how proud he sounded.  <Tough luck Amanda, this man is spoken for – even if he can’t see it> 

“Now that you’re back you can make yourself useful.”  She told him.  He shot her am inquiring expression and she laughed.  “Call out for pizza.”

“You mean you didn’t cook?” 

“I didn’t fancy mouldy bread and sunflower seeds, there was nothing else in the cupboards.”  He laughed as he moved to the phone.  She’d have to try again tomorrow to find what she was looking for.  She turned off the computer.

*********

Saturday.  6:30 AM

The Carlson House

England

Scully stood outside the familiar doorway.  She had not been here for nearly five years but the house looked just the same.  She was wishing now that she’d rung ahead.  For some reason her logical mind had deserted her today – she hadn’t thought ahead at all.  In fact she hadn’t thought of anything much since that scene with Mulder.  Why was he acting like such an asshole?  Why was *she* acting so defensively?

The flight had been a nightmare and when she had touched down at Heathrow she had suddenly realised that she had no idea how to get to her uncle’s house from there.  She had been met last time she’d been here.  With plenty of time, some dodgy directions from a garage, a newly-bought map and a hastily arranged rental car, she had finally arrived.  The lights were on despite the hour and her knock was met with sounds of movement within.  The man who opened the door was in his late fifties. 

“Hi Uncle Daniel.”  Scully said, feeling very childish.

“Dana?  What are you doing here?”  He looked about behind her in the darkness warily.  “Where’s Amanda?  Please tell me that you didn’t bring her back to England?  Not after all the trouble it took to get her out.” 

“Amanda’s safe, but we should talk about that inside.”  Scully replied stepping towards him.  He blocked her way into the house.

“Wait a minute.”  His voice was authoritative and Scully looked up at him in surprise.  His face cracked into a smile.  “First I want a hug from my little niece.” 

“Not so much of the little.”  Scully remarked as she stepped into his arms.

They moved inside and closed the door.  Immediately Scully turned seriously to her uncle.

“Now I want the truth.  Why did you send Amanda to me?  What do you know about the skeletons?”  He laughed fondly.

“That’s what I love about you Scully women.  Your directness.  Your Aunt Cynthia was the same.  Oh Dana, it’s been tough since Cynthia died.  *She* was the one who wanted us to stay in England after the Air Force base was closed down.  For a long time we were happy, but Cynthia knew that it would end badly.”  He paused and started again on a grave note.  “The Air Force was my life for a long time Dana and I did things for them that you would not believe.  Things that I regret bitterly, because they cost me my wife and now my daughter.”  He paused and glanced at Scully.  He shook himself as if trying to wipe away the memories.  “Have you eaten?” 

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