Dana's Malakim Pt 2/32
Title: Dana’s Malakim
Author: dhamphir
Fandom: X-Files
Pairing: Scully/OFC (Logan)
Rating: NC17
Summary: Scully must identify Mulder’s body after his suicide. Dying of cancer, she now faces an uncertain future, a crisis of faith... and a new partner. Little does she know the extraordinary and incredible things she’s seen while with the X-Files are nothing compared to what’s to come.
Time line/Spoilers: AU. Starts immediately after S4E23 Demons.
Disclaimer: X-Files and its characters belong to C.C. and 1013 Productions. No copyright infringement intended, no money be made.
A/N1: Some dialogue taken directly from the show. Although I do a bit of research for my stories, I’ve never been a cop, doctor, herbalist, psychologist, or theologist.
A/N2: Special thanks to sinadino for the German translations, and to xhuggles and ivy_wang for the Chinese translations.
A/N3: All mistakes are my own. Special thanks to oxfordshoes2 for the beta.
Dana’s Malakim
Part 2
FBI Headquarters
Friday, May 30th, 1997
Logan had purposefully remained silent as she read case files for the almost three days. She knew her presence was more than a little uncomfortable for Scully and she didn’t want to do or say anything to make it worse for the grieving woman. However, as Friday morning turned into Friday afternoon, she felt it was time to break the ice.
Logan turned around in her seat and looked at the redhead a few moments as Scully worked intently. “Agent Scully.”
Scully startled at the sound of her officemate’s voice. Logan had been silently reading for the past three days. It had been almost easy to willfully forget she was even there. Scully was almost completely caught up with the paperwork backlog; if they didn’t get a case soon she’d have nothing to occupy her time... or her mind. She took a steadying breath.
“Yes, Agent Logan?”
“Will you have dinner with me tonight?”
That was the last thing Scully expected Logan to say and she couldn’t keep the surprise off of her face. “Uh... I don’t think...”
“I’ve been here three days and we haven’t spoken more than a dozen words to each other. I know what it’s like to lose a partner, Agent Scully. Neither of us chose to be in this situation, but here we are. We’re going to have to trust each other to have each other’s back. I believe sitting down and talking would be a good start... and a little easier in a neutral setting.”
Scully hesitated before answering. Logan’s soft spoken words were reasonable and made sense. Even when Mulder suspected her of being nothing more than a spy he was more welcoming to her than she had been to Logan. Trust was a long way off - Logan would have to prove she was trustworthy. In the meantime it probably was a good idea to get to know her... coworker. She couldn’t bring herself to say ‘partner’ yet, not even mentally.
Finally, Scully’s posture eased just a little as she made her decision. “Okay. What did you have in mind?”
“Do you like Italian?”
~~~
Rinaldo’s Italian Restaurant
Georgetown
Scully had followed Logan to the restaurant in her own car. Rinaldo’s was a small, cozy place with seating for only about 20-25 people, but the food was better than excellent! She still didn’t have much of an appetite, but she couldn’t resist the creamy Shrimp Alfredo she’d ordered. Scully was surprised she’d never known or heard about Rinaldo’s before, especially since she lived in Georgetown and not more than mile away from the restaurant.
Scully had also been surprised when Logan ordered their meal, and a bottle of wine, in Italian. The waiter had asked her a question, also in Italian, and smiled broadly at her response before going to place their order in the kitchen.
“So, you speak Italian, and quite well from our waiter’s reaction.”
Logan smiled. “I’ve spent a lot of time in Europe. It pays to know a little of the language of the people you have to deal with.”
“Your last assignment was in Romania, does that mean you speak Romanian as well?”
“Well enough to get by. I have an ear for languages; I pick them up fairly easily.”
“I can see where that would be helpful considering your postings.”
“What about you, do you speak any other languages?”
“An der Uni habe ich Deutsch belegt,” she replied. [I took German in college.]
“Deine Aussprache ist ziemlich gut. Warst du schon einmal in Deutschland?” [Your pronunciation is pretty good. Have you ever been to Germany?]
“Nein.” [No.]
“Es is ein sehr schönes Land.” [It’s a beautiful country.]
~~~
Their conversation was interrupted by the waiter bringing their after dinner drinks - coffee for Scully and tea for Logan.
“I read your personnel file the other day,” Scully said after the waiter left.
“And?”
“What exactly happened at the attaché’s office the day you returned to work?”
Logan took a slow breath before answering. “I coldcocked Agent Duvaul.”
“I gathered that much. I’m asking why?”
“Duvaul was a misogynistic asshole who didn’t know when to shut up. Rishka, the Bucharest police officer who was my contact when I went undercover, was a good friend. I was unable to save her. She didn’t deserve what was done to her or Duvaul’s disrespect.” The blonde stared at a spot on the wall. “Rishka was an extraordinary person. Losing her was difficult,” she said softly. “I was deep undercover, but somehow my cover had been blown. Only Rishka and the legal attaché’s office knew about my assignment... there had to have been a leak.”
“And you think it was Duvaul,” Scully concluded.
“I don’t know who it was, but I know it wasn’t Rishka.” She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Logan was startled when Scully spoke.
“I’m sorry.”
“Thank you.” She paused. “So, can I ask you a question?”
Scully nodded. “Go ahead.”
“I’ve read the files; you’ve worked a lot of... interesting cases.”
“Is that a question?”
“No. Agent Mulder clearly embraced the paranormal, believed in the fantastic. What about you?”
Logan’s gentle tone kept Scully from immediately jumping to Mulder’s defense with a sharp retort. Something in the blonde’s manner let her know Logan wasn’t being judgmental, simply curious.
“I believe in science. A lot of our cases, no matter how much they appear to involve the paranormal, can actually be explained scientifically.”
One corner of Logan’s mouth curled slightly. “I could tell that from your reports.”
“I won’t deny I’ve seen things that I can’t explain, cases that remain unsolved.”
“Unsolved, meaning you couldn’t find a scientific explanation?”
“Yes.”
“The things you’ve seen, things you’ve experienced and can’t explain, have you accepted any of them on faith?”
Scully frowned slightly. “Do you mean faith as in an ‘act of God’?”
“That’s one possibility, but I was thinking more along the lines of belief in something despite no logical or scientific proof. Do things exist that can’t or never will be measured or quantified by man... or woman?”
Scully shook her head. “If I can see it, I want to investigate it, test it, define it.”
“And if you can’t?”
She shrugged. “That’s why some cases are unsolved for me.”
“And that cross around your neck?” Logan asked softly.
In an unconscious movement Scully’s hand went to her cross. She hesitated as she fingered it, weighing her thoughts. “I was raised Catholic.” She paused for several moments, trying to find the right words. “I guess it would be accurate to say that I don’t not believe, but... I’ve turned to science for my answers.”
Logan nodded in understanding. She was surprised Scully had been that forthcoming.
“What about you, Logan? What are your thoughts about the paranormal?”
“I’m Saxon-Celt and have Druids at the roots of my family tree,” she replied with a soft smile. “I’ve always been interested in things that couldn’t be explained, the unusual, and the fantastic. Events may take place that defy normal wisdom or scientific explanation. Maybe that’s because they are truly paranormal, mystical, or magical. And maybe it’s because science simply hasn’t evolved sufficiently to provide the answers.”
“And what of... faith? I know you have a PhD in theology.”
“I think that our creator has been known by many different peoples, and has been called by many different names. I think almost all religions have a lot more in common with each other than they have differences... a lot more than most people are willing to admit. So, personally, I don’t think it matters in what manner or method a person believes as long as the result is they try to be a good person.”
Scully didn’t know why, but she was surprised by Logan’s answer. And she liked the blonde’s answer.
~~~
FBI Headquarters
Monday, June 2nd, 1997
Only an hour into the day Logan announced she’d finished reading all the files as she returned the last one to the file cabinet.
Scully couldn’t keep from shaking her head. “What did you do, get a degree in speed reading?”
Logan smiled as she closed the file drawer and leaned against the cabinet. “Actually, it was a breeze.” She smirked, “I just skipped over all the science and medical gibberish.”
Scully blinked and her mouth actually opened in surprise. She had not expected the teasing barb. Even more surprising was the fact that she kind of liked it. Before she could come back with a snappy reply the phone rang.
“Scully... Okay. Thank you, Kimberly.” She hung up and looked at the blonde. “Skinner wants to see us.”
~~~
AD Skinner’s Office
Skinner stood as the two women entered his office. “Agent Scully, Agent Logan, please have a seat.” He retook his seat as they sat in the two chairs in front of his desk. “I have a case for you.” He handed a file to Scully, which she opened and skimmed. “The office in Chattanooga, Tennessee has received some anonymous calls from a woman claiming to have information about some recent murders.”
“And they need us to track down an anonymous caller?” asked Scully, irritability coloring her tone.
Skinner let her tone slide without comment. “The calls were made before each murder took place.”
“So she’s involved.”
“The calls were traced to a payphone in Albuquerque, New Mexico.”
“Are you saying the caller’s psychic?” Logan asked.
“I’m not the one saying that. The Albuquerque office is expecting you first thing in the morning.”
“Yes, sir,” Scully answered for both of them.
~~~
As the two agents rode the elevator back down to the basement, Scully mapped out what needed to be done. “I’ll call the airport and book us a flight. You go on home and pack a bag. I’ll meet back up with you here at 4:00.”
“Okay. Do you want me to book a hotel?”
“If you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.”
~~~
Washington Memorial Hospital
Oncology Department
“Ms. Scully? You can come on back now.” The nurse led Scully back to an examination room where she took her vitals and drew a couple of vials of blood. “The doctor will be with you shortly,” the nurse said as she left the room, closing the door.
The door reopened several minutes later. “Hello, Ms. Scully. What can we do for you today?” asked Dr. Munson.
“I have to go out of town for work and I won’t be able to keep my appointment tomorrow. So I wanted to come in today for my treatment.”
The doctor nodded. “We can do that. How long are you going to be out of town?”
“I don’t know.”
“You do know that maintaining your treatment schedule will yield better results.”
“I know,” Scully sighed. “But right now work is the best thing for me. If I’m out of town too long, I’ll... get treatment out there.”
Dr. Munson hesitated before replying. “Alright. Make sure you have your copy of your medical record with you. I tell Lisa to make a copy of today’s visit so you have it. If necessary have someone contact me to verify things.”
“Thank you.”
~~~
Days Inn
Albuquerque, NM
Scully met up with Logan at the office as planned. When they left for the airport they went in Scully’s car. Their flight left at 6:50 and landed over four hours later at 9:05 pm local time. Not wanting to rely on airplane fare, Logan opted to eat at the airport while they waited for their flight. Scully passed on dinner, both at the airport and on the plane, since she was feeling queasy... as usual.
They checked into the Days Inn in midtown. Scully changed into her pajamas and was about to go to bed when there was a knock on her door. She looked out the peephole and saw Logan. She opened the door, and was surprised to see the blonde in skimpy shorts and a tank top.
“Logan?”
“I just wanted to let you know I’m heading down to use the fitness room. I’ll have my cell with me if something comes up.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Scully couldn’t help but notice the blonde’s shapely, and clearly well toned, legs as Logan turned and walked away. Scully felt a little jealous. Before she’d gotten sick she would have gladly welcomed a workout at the end of a slow day, but she no longer had the energy for anything beyond just getting through each day. Not for the first time that day she wondered why she was even bothering with staying on the job.
With a heavy sigh she crawled into bed and turned off the light.
~~~
Tuesday, June 3rd, 1997
Logan wasn’t sure what woke her up. She looked at the clock radio - 4:27 am.
Then she heard it.
Logan got out of bed and walked to the door that separated her room from Scully’s adjoining room. “Agent Scully?” She knocked on the door. “Agent Scully, are you alright?” She got no answer. “Scully! If you don’t answer I’m coming in!”
When Logan still didn’t receive an answer she gripped the locked doorknob and forced it to turn. She then put her shoulder against the door and pushed until the slide latch gave. She rushed into Scully’s room and found her weakly holding onto the toilet bowl and vomiting. Logan knelt next to the redhead and gently rubbed her hand across the sick woman’s back, taking note of how prominent her shoulder blades and spine were.
Scully moaned as her vomiting turned to dry heaves.
“Breathe easy, Scully.”
The redhead laid her head down on her arm across the toilet bowl when the dry heaves finally abated. Logan stood and wet a washcloth in the sink, returning to gently wipe the perspiration from Scully’s face.
“Come on, Scully, let’s get you back to bed.”
When the smaller woman was too weak to stand on her own Logan slipped her arm under Scully’s legs and picked her up. She carried her back into the room and laid her on the bed, pulling the covers over her. Scully was disoriented and had trouble keeping her eyes open. She was soon out like a light.
Logan sat on the side of the bed and gazed down at the redhead. She knew exactly where Scully had disappeared to that afternoon; she just didn’t know the side effects of the redhead’s treatments could be quite so debilitating. It was a wonder the woman was still working. She knew she was going to have to find out more about Scully’s illness.
Logan returned to her room and got dressed. She then grabbed her laptop and returned to Scully’s room to keep an eye on her. Over the next two hours Logan learned more about nasopharyngeal tumors than she thought possible.
At 7:00 she called Special Agent Timmons, the agent they were supposed to meet with at the Albuquerque Field Office, and made arrangements to meet with him at the hotel’s coffee shop.
~~~
The Coffee Shoppe
Day’s Inn
“Agent Logan?”
The blonde looked up and smiled at the man. He was 6’ with black hair, blue eyes, and a dark complexion. “Agent Timmons, have a seat.”
He sat across the booth from her.
“I apologize for having to ask you to meet here instead of coming to your office.”
“Not a problem. I hope your partner feels better soon.”
“Oh, I’m sure she will be. I think it was something she ate on the plane.”
Timmons smiled. “That wouldn’t surprise me. Anyway, here’s the file,” he said as he handed it to her. “There’s not much to it.”
Logan quickly skimmed the file. “I see what you mean. Looks like the only way to find out who’s making the calls is to stake out the phone.”
The man nodded. “Yeah, and we were told it wasn’t enough of a priority to commit any manpower. It looks like you and your partner are stuck with a rather boring assignment,” he said sympathetically.
“Sometimes boring can be good,” Logan replied with a small smirk.
Timmons nodded again. “True enough. I’ll be in and out of the office today, but if you need anything here’s my number,” he said as he held out his card.
Logan took the proffered card. “Thanks. And thank you again for meeting me here.”
“My pleasure. Have a good day, Agent Logan.”
~~~
Days Inn
Scully’s Room
Logan returned to her room where, after checking on her sleeping partner, she made a pot of tea in the provided coffeemaker. With a fresh cup of tea in hand, she sat down with the phone book and started leafing through it. When she found what she was looking for Logan placed a call. Once she was sure her request was being handled, she returned to Scully’s room to watch over her. She spent the rest of the morning and the afternoon doing research online.
The blonde startled a little bit when her phone rang. She scrambled to answer it before it disturbed Scully.
“Logan.”
“Agent Logan, this Ted Framingham. I’m just calling to let you know that I’ve completed the job.”
“That’s great. Thank you.”
“All you need is the IP address and you can access the feed.” He gave her the address and then hung up.
Logan pulled up the website and verified everything was working. That done, she wrote a quick note for Scully in case she woke up and then left for a quick dinner.
~~~
Wednesday June 4th, 1998
Scully’s body felt like lead weight when she woke up, and she felt very groggy. It took her a full minute before she was able to lift her arm and turn on the table lamp. The 40-watt bulb painted the room in a dingy yellow cast. It took a few moments for her to gain her bearings and remember where she was. She was tempted to just close her eyes and go back to sleep, but the pressure in her bladder made that impossible.
She took a couple of slow, deep breaths before levering herself up and placing her feet on the floor. It wasn’t until she managed to stand up and turned that she saw Logan slumped in a chair at the small table, asleep.
Logan shot upright at the sound of the toilet flushing. The bathroom door opened.
“Hey. Are you okay?” the blonde asked gently.
Scully sat on the bed. “Yeah. I feel better. How long have I been asleep?”
The blonde looked at her watch. “It almost 3:00 in the morning, so nearly a day.”
“What?! We were due at the Albuquerque field office yesterday morning! How could you let me sleep all day?”
“You were quite sick and sleep was the best thing for you. Don’t worry, I met with Agent Timmons and got everything they have - which, by the way, is basically nothing. The only way we’re going to find the caller is to watch the payphone, and I’ve made arrangements for that. Everything is under control; you haven’t missed anything.” Logan stood up with a yawn. “If you’re alright, I’m going to grab a little sleep,” she said as she made her way to the adjoining doorway. “I’ll see you in a little while.”
Scully simply stared at the open doorway, unable to understand why Logan had apparently watched over her for almost 24 hours... and unable to explain why the thought of Logan doing that comforted her more than it disturbed her. Neither could Scully understand why the woman hadn’t even asked her why she was sick. She let out a sigh as she lay back on the bed. Despite sleeping for so long she still felt tired. She set the alarm clock, rolled over, and closed her eyes.
~~~
Days Inn
Logan’s Room
It was 7:30 when Scully tapped on the open adjoining door.
“Come on in.”
She stepped into her coworker’s room and was surprised to find her sitting at the table working on her laptop. Logan appeared to be refreshed, wide awake, and quite intent on whatever she was doing on her computer.
“Good morning.”
Logan looked up and took in her partner’s appearance. The redhead looked rested and her eyes appeared clear. “Good morning. How do you feel?”
“I’m fine.” Scully hesitated a moment before walking over and sitting in the other chair at the table. “About yesterday...”
“Don’t worry about it.” The blonde’s eyes returned to her computer screen.
“I owe you an explanation.”
Logan looked up at Scully again, sitting back in her chair and giving her partner her full attention.
Scully was a little disconcerted to have the blonde’s full attention focused on her. There was definitely something about those dark green eyes... they saw her, really saw her. The walls she’d had meticulously built over the years hid nothing from those eyes.
At least, that’s the way it felt.
She took a deep breath and looked out the window, unable to meet Logan’s eyes any longer. “I’m currently receiving treatment for cancer,” she said softly. I don’t know why I reacted so strongly, but I appreciate your help... and that you covered for me.”
“It’s okay, Agent Scully, we all have bad days. Besides, partners are supposed to watch out for each other.”
Partners. The word reverberated through Scully’s mind, bringing her up short.
She looked back at the blonde. She saw no judgment in Logan’s eyes, only understanding. Could she really trust her new... partner? Scully didn’t know the answer to that question, but Logan had certainly taken a step in the right direction. Only time would tell if the blonde was genuine, or a plant.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Now, how about bringing me up to speed on the case?”
“The local office has basically nothing. All they could provide was the number and location of the pay phone, and they aren’t willing to put any manpower into staking it out, especially since no one knows anything about the caller.”
“We know it’s a woman.”
“Not much to go on.”
“No, it’s not.”
“So I guess we’re stuck with the unenviable task of staking out a pay phone.”
Logan smiled. “Yes, and no. Stuck in a car for hours in the summer in Albuquerque isn’t going to be very fun.”
“No, it’s not,” Scully sighed.
The blonde turned her laptop around so the redhead could see the screen. “But it won’t be so bad from here.”
“How did you...”
“I arranged to have some equipment set up. The camera is transmitting to a secured hard drive which is connected to the internet. As long as we’re logged in we have access to the feed.”
Scully was surprised, and impressed. “What if someone stumbles onto the IP address?”
“Wouldn’t matter. The feed is scrambled.”
~~~
3200 Block of Rosario St.
Thursday, June 5th, 1997
A call from the satellite office in Chattanooga, Tennessee let the agents know another call had been placed from the same pay phone in Albuquerque. Scully and Logan reviewed the surveillance camera feed on the blonde’s laptop and were able to cross-reference the time of the call to identify the caller... sort of.
The camera picked up what was presumably woman using the phone at the time of the call to Chattanooga. However, due to the angle and the hat she wore tugged down to help hide her face, they had little to go on.
Scully peered at the phone and read the number on the dingy label. “This is it,” she said, scanning the area.
Logan slowly turned in a circle. Through her dark sunglasses she took in the rather busy area: the Starbucks coffeehouse, the national bank branch, the ubiquitous convenience store/gas station, the corner bar, the small shopping center, and the four apartment complexes. The caller could have come from anywhere.
“Well, I suppose we’ll just have to go door to door,” Scully sighed, feeling a little overwhelmed at the daunting task. She looked at Logan who stood motionless, giving no indication she’d even heard Scully speak. The redhead opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by the blonde.
“Or we can go in there.”
Scully looked in the direction Logan was facing. “Where? The strip mall? You think the caller works there rather than lives in the area?” she asked as she made a gesture in the general direction of the apartment buildings. “Come on, let’s get something to eat and we talk about how we’ll get help from the local authorities.”
“Can we go into that store first?” The blonde nodded her head towards a store.
“You mean that one?” Scully pointed.
“Yeah.”
Scully examined the words painted on the store’s plate glass: THE HEALING EARTH. She barely fought the urge to roll her eyes. Why does she have to do something so Mulderesque? Rather than fight it, Scully reluctantly decided to just humor the woman. “Okay,” she sighed, and followed the blonde across the parking lot.
Logan reached for the door but it suddenly swung open. A tall, blonde man came to stop and flashed a bright white smile. “Well, hello.” He held the door open for the women, but his eyes never left Logan’s ass.
Scully rolled her eyes and Logan smirked.
“Don’t mind him; Jason’s harmless,” said the woman straightening out a display. “What can I do for you today?” she asked with a smile.
They both flipped out their badges.
“I’m Special Agent Dana Scully and this is Special Agent Nicole Logan. We’re with the FBI.”
The woman paled, her eyes widening. Short, heavy set with dark hair and eyes, the woman was suddenly a bundle of nerves.
“We’d just like to ask you a few questions.”
“Uh... okay.”
Since it was Logan who’d wanted to come into the store, Scully looked at the blonde, letting her know it was her show.
“What’s your name?” Logan asked with a slight smile, trying to get the woman to calm down.
“Crystal... Crystal Lear. But some people call me CC.”
Logan’s smile widened and she leaned in conspiratorially, speaking softly, “Let me guess, your parents were flower children and your middle name is Chanda.”
To Scully’s dismay, the Miss Lear laughed out loud. “How did you know?”
“A woman named Crystal who sells healing crystals? It just seemed to fit.”
Scully wanted to smack herself - she hadn’t given Logan enough credit. The woman was good, breaking the ice and putting Lear at ease like that. She stood back in amazement as she observed the two women chitchatting about crystals, chakras, auras, and whatnot.
Lear placed a clear crystal in Logan’s open palm, closing the blonde’s hand around the crystal. “Now just relax and clear your mind.”
Logan took a slow, deep breath.
Lear sucked in a soft gasp. “I’ve never seen an aura like yours!”
“What do you mean?”
It took a few seconds for Lear to answer. “It keeps changing, morphing from one color to the next. Deep red, royal blue, violet, gold...” she looked surprised, “and white,” she added.
“And what does that mean?”
“Deep red - strong-willed and survival-oriented; royal blue - clairvoyant and a highly spiritual nature; violet - intuitive, idealistic, artistic, and magical; gold - protection, wisdom, and divine guidance.”
“And white?”
“Spiritual, purity, truth...” she paused for a couple of beats, “and angelic qualities.”
Logan immediately broke out in laughter. “That’s something I’ve certainly never been accused of - especially by my mother.” She opened her hand and held the crystal out to her partner. “Your turn,” she said with an amused smirk.
Scully was taken aback. She had no desire to partake in such nonsense.
“Come on, Scully, what have you got to lose?” Logan challenge with a twinkle in her eye.
Reluctantly, the redhead took the clear crystal. “Why is it necessary that I hold this crystal for you to read my aura?” she asked.
“It’s not necessary, but the crystal helps to temporarily strengthen your aura, making it easier to read. Just relax.”
Scully looked at Logan and sighed, clearly not thrilled or wanting to encourage such silliness, but not giving voice to her objections.
“Oh.”
“What is it?” Logan asked Lear.
“Your aura is mixed, pastels with dark grey, Agent Scully. It shows a need for serenity and...”
“And what?”
“Health problems. Are you currently ill, Agent Scully?”
Scully blanched and practically tossed the crystal back to Logan. “I’ll be outside.” She turned and walked out of the store.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset your partner, Agent Logan.”
~~~
Scully had calmed down a little by the time Logan exited the store. The blonde stood next to her.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m hungry, let’s go get something to eat.”
“Okay.”
~~~
part 3
part 1|