The Mouth is Mightier than the Sword

Sara B. 03/07

Scully sat in the chair in front of Mulder’s desk.  She was rubbing her temples to try and relieve the headache from escalating; it wasn’t working.  Mulder paced back and forth ranting.

It had started as one of their usual disagreements over a case but somehow it changed and Mulder started venting randomly.  Suddenly the cause of the disappearance of Marta and Miguel Torres wasn’t as important as every character flaw Scully possessed; and some she didn’t but Mulder discussed them anyway for reasons Scully was only beginning to understand.

Mulder’s tirade had gone on for over twenty minutes and Scully’s self esteem had taken a beating.

“I just don’t understand you, Scully.  You hold onto your science like a lifeline.  I just wish that you’d believe me for once.”

Hearing Mulder say that caused the dam to burst in Scully, “enough,” she said but Mulder continued denigrating her.  She stood and braced her arms on the desk, “I – said – ENOUGH!”  Mulder was so stunned by the force of her words that he caught on his word and stumbled.

“Enough, Mulder!  I’ve sat here listening to you tell me everything that you find wrong with me in the most cruel and hurtful language and I have not said a thing.  But when you question my belief in you I can’t remain silent.  I’m sorry, Mulder, I was trained to research things before I entertain a conclusion.  And let me remind you that my research has supported your position on many occasions.  When it didn’t support your ideas it led us into a different path that caused us to find the answers we needed.” 

While she spoke she was gathering her things.

“All I’m saying, Scully, is I’d really like to be given the benefit of the doubt.  That you would believe me without evidence.”

“I can understand that, Mulder, I really can.  Do you know why?”  She was at the door, “because in all these years YOU have never once taken my word on anything without me providing you with evidence.”  Scully opened the door and walked through it but turned back before closing, “and sometimes even then you don’t believe me.”  She closed the door and was gone.

Mulder stared at the door as if he expected her to return.  Her parting words stung but she was right.  Slowly he gathered up his things to leave for the night.  On the desk was the casefile that had started the whole thing.  Mulder picked it up and reread Scully’s synopsis and by the time he finished he realized her suppositions were compelling and the evidence sound.  He read his own and found it lacking.  It was disjointed and lacked any convincing argument.

He sat back in his chair to think.  Scully used evidence as a tool not a weapon.  She used it to guide and support. 

Mulder was stricken with shame over his earlier rants.  He wasn’t even sure what had set him off and he didn’t even remember what he’d said.  He only had a vague sensation that he’d said some really ugly things to Scully; and she’d just sat there taking it.  She hadn’t argued or defended herself until he questioned her belief in him; belief in each other was not something they should ever question.  The worst part was that it really wasn’t her he was mad at.  Mulder got up and left.

~

Scully got home and tore her clothes off and donned jeans and a tee-shirt then headed out for a walk.  She got to the lobby door when Mulder walked in.  “Go away, Mulder.”

“No, Scully, we need to talk and…”

“Mulder, I think you’ve impugned my character enough for one evening.  I’d like to take my walk to clear my head and then get something for dinner.”

“Fine, we’ll walk.”

“You weren’t invited.”

“I invited myself, come on.”  Mulder tugged her arm.

Scully sighed loudly but Mulder knew she was resigned to him joining her.  Getting her to listen to him would be another matter.

They’d covered three blocks when Scully broke the silence, “why are you here, Mulder?”

“I needed to come and apologize for earlier.  I never meant to say all those hateful things.  I need you to believe that, Scully.”

“I believe you.  I believe you never meant to say those things to me but that doesn’t mean you don’t think them and it doesn’t mean you don’t believe them.”  The pain in Scully’s voice was Mulder’s undoing.

He grabbed her arm to stop her.  “That’s just it, Scully; I don’t think that way about you.  I was just ranting, I was out of control and mad at the world and I took it out on you; the one person I shouldn’t.”  Mulder lifted her chin to make her look at him and see his sincerity. 

She scanned his face and smiled.  “Mulder, I kind of got a clue when you complained about being blinded by the light ricocheting off my bald head.  You had a run in with Skinner didn’t you?”

“Yeah, he read me the riot act over the Stephen’s case.  Told me the report sounded like something I pulled out my ass after a night of eating baked beans.”

“Mulder, why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Because you warned me and, once again, I didn’t listen.”

“Yeah, well, you made me miss out on a big “I told you so,” and I might never forgive you on that one.”

Mulder broke out laughing.  “We okay?”  He asked her solemnly.

“Not quite there but headed that way.  I have to think about some of the things you said.  They hit pretty close to home.”

“Scully, whatever I said didn’t mean anything and if they do describe something about you I just have to say that I wouldn’t change anything about you.  You’re my Scully in all your skeptical glory.”

“And you’re my Mulder, believer extraordinaire.” 

Mulder’s arm went around her shoulder and hers snaked around his waist.  “An unbeatable pair if ever there was one!”  Mulder said as he pulled her a little tighter as they continued their walk.

End