TITLE: Choice III: Our Choice
AUTHOR: Ladyhawk
EMAIL ADDRESS: funger1@hofstra.edu
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT: Anywhere, just tell me
SPOILER WARNING: SR 819, vague from seasons 4 and 5
RATING: PG
CONTENT WARNING: none
CLASSIFICATION: V, A
SUMMARY: Scully ponders the end of SR 819; sequel to "Choice" and "Whose
Choice?"

Author's notes: Thank you Betsey and Barb. Betsey, again your ideas are
priceless. Bless you. Feedback welcome at funger1@hofstra.edu


Our Choice
by Ladyhawk (funger1@hofstra.edu)


What is he thinking? Was all that stuff he spouted at the hospital about
walking the line a lie?
I was shocked by Skinner's attitude today. Doesn't he know that leaving
this alone might kill him? Or someone else? I want to get to the bottom
of this before someone else gets hurt or dies. I've lost my sister and
three months of my life when I joined Mulder's quest for the truth. Now
every stab that Consorium takes at us feels personal. As I walk to my
car in the Bureau parking lot, agitation speeds me up. Right now I'm
just glad this day is over. Maybe a good night's sleep will give me some
perspective and keep me from trying to knock some sense into Skinner.

As I open the car door, I remember the other reason I need a break.
Mulder left an hour ago, claiming he had to meet with somebody. I had to
fill out the damned paperwork for our flight to Montana, to check out
some cropdusters. I know he's looking for information, but from whom?
Senator Matheson? The man we saw on the surveillance camera? I feel like
I've been betrayed by both sides today.

I pull out onto the road, try to concentrate on driving. "Breeeep." As I
stop at a light, I grab the cellphone in my coatpocket.

"Scully."

"Scully, it's me"
-------------------------------------------------------

I put the cellphone away and start out on the road again. Mulder's words
had startled me enough to make me pull to the side of the road. Why are
we meeting at Skinner's house? Has something happened to him? Although I
know Mulder's tenacity would have us back on this case sooner or later,
I doubt Skinner has clues about SR 819 laying out on his kitchen table.

As I drive down the streets of Crystal City, my mind turns back to this
morning's meeting. Mulder didn't react the way I expected when Skinner
refused to let us pursue the case. Although he would pursue it with or
without Skinner's approval, I expected him to try harder to persuade him
out of loyalty and fear for his safety. He had expressed these to me
before we entered Skinner's office this morning. But he barely said a
word. Was the meeting just for show, like Skinner's refusal to help when
Mulder got lost in the Bermuda Triangle?

After Skinner's expressions of guilt three weeks before, I was in too
much shock to try to persuade him to let us keep going with the case. Or
observe either man very closely.

Apprehension freezes me temporarily as I turn off the car in front of
Skinner's building. I don't have any medical supplies. What if the
devices inside him have been activated? And are now working more
quickly? I have to calm down. I take a deep breath and head for the
building's front door.

"Agent Scully?" Skinner's voice answers my electronic hail from the unit
inside the front door. He sounds as strong as he did this morning. I
release a sigh of relief. My voice reflects my confusion that resulted
from my next thought: he was expecting me? "Yes Sir. Agent Mulder said I
should come here."

"Come on up." I follow his direction and mount the stairs. When I reach
Skinner's apartment, the door is open and Mulder is leaning against the
doorjamb.

"He was trying to protect us, Scully." Mulder must have seen the
confusion on my face because he got straight to the point. His next
sentence sent a chill through my body. "Krycek is the man that was
following him."

Krycek? God, this situation is worse than I thought. Mulder leads me
into the apartment and shuts the door.

Skinner gestures for me to sit on his couch with a guilty look on his
face. "I thought I could keep both of you safe if I dealt with Krycek
myself. But I should've known that Mulder would try to protect me by
getting involved. He persuaded me that I'll do more damage to you and
the X-files if I go it alone."

I look at him in amazement. He hadn't lied to me at the hospital. He
simply was doing the same thing I did to Mulder during my fight with the
cancer inside me. He was trying to protect us from the pain and
uncertainty of waiting with him at death's door.

I smile at him in understanding. This was a tough choice for him,
choosing to fight for his life, his beliefs, rather than protecting the
people who have protected him. My choice is easy. I choose to help hold
him up with one hand and my weapon of choice, science, to defend him
with the other.

I reach for the folder Mulder is handing me. The battle has begun.

-------------------------------------------------

That's the end of this one folks. What did you think? I plan to continue
to work on my Conviction series now. I want to torture Skinner a little
while longer. (If you missed that story, email me, and I'll send it to
you.)
Feedback has made this a fun process, so if you want more, speak to me
please!
funger1@hofstra.edu