Ares, Titan & Me II: Healing by Jason Cleaver (argo@easynet.co.uk) An X-Files/Highlander: The Series Crossover Disclaimer: The X-Files and Melissa Scully belong to Chris Carter, 1013 & Fox. Highlander: The series belongs to Rysher, I think. Eve Mallory is mine, and anyone else belongs to the universe. Classification: C, S Spoilers: Umm.. none really. This is the second chapter in an on-going saga. I have no idea how many chapters it's going to run to, and I have only the vaguest idea of a plot, but I'm having fun so why stop now? Comments, suggestions etc can be sent to I would very much like to know what you think of this. ************************************************* The headache finally broke through the layers of cotton wool that protected her from the outside world. The pain driving her into wakefulness, bringing her into a sitting position with a gasp of agony. Eventually, the pain died down, allowing her to open her eyes to the faint light of the room. It was plain; a bed, cupboard, mirror and bedside table were the only furnishings to be seen. Even the wallpaper and curtains seemed to be a single shade. Light did come through the curtains, but it was muted. And she didn't recognise any of it. After a moment of staring at unfamiliar surroundings, she climbed out of bed, and stood looking around. She was dressed in a t-shirt, pants and socks. The T-shirt had a picture of a cartoon-style bird on it. It was too large for her, reaching almost to her ankles. She didn't recognise it. She stirred from contemplating her clothes, and caught sight of herself in the mirror. Tall, fit, longish red hair, nice face. A stranger. <> She thought. <> Fear had began to rise within her like a tide, but it receeded when she heard the sound of music being played somewhere close. She turned and opened the door; there was someone else here and they must know who she was! The corridor was filled with light, coming from a window at one end. She realised that the curtains in her room must be very thick to have blocked out so much of the light. There were stairs leading down at the other end. The music was flowing up from the stairwell. She followed it down into a much wider area filled with several plush couches, and various pieces of furniture. The walls were bare, except for several pictures. Hanging from a rack by one of the two doors, were a collection of coats, all the same size. There was a fire-place at one end of the room, filled with wood, but not lit. The music came from the other door, and she followed it down a small corridor, into another room, that turned out to be a well- equipped kitchen. There was another woman here, medium height, long brunette hair pulled back from her face, revealing strong features in a dark complexion. She was cutting tomatoes with a sharp knife, moving so quickly that hand and knife were almost a blur. As she entered, the woman looked up, and smiled. "Hello," She said, turning back to her work, "How are you?" "Who am I?" The red-head asked coming forward. The woman stopped chopping and turned. Her expression was closed, guarded, her bright blue eyes showing nothing. "You don't remember?" She asked, recieving a shake of the head. "Your name is Melissa," She continued, "Melissa Scully. Ring any bells?" //Openingdoorbrightpainfalling// Melissa gasped, the pain in her head returning full force. She staggered, almost fell. The other woman was by her side in an instant, helping her back out to the other room, where she sat her down on one of the couches. Melissa lay back, pain her entire world, filling it up, the beginning and end... Darkness. She opened her eyes, looking around the unfamiliar room. A woman was crouched down beside her, holding a glass of water and two pills. She sat up, looking around, the headache behind her eyes making her wince. "Where am I?" She asked, staring panic stricken at the woman before her. "Who are you? Who am *I*?" She could feel the fear building inside, and tried to calm down, succeeding only partially. The woman handed her the pills and the water. She look them, put the pills in her mouth, washed them down with water. "Your name is Melissa Scully," The woman said quietly, "You are at my cabin. My name is Eve Mallory." "How did I get here?" Melissa asked. She was beginning to feel tired, hardly able to keep her eyes open. After several seconds she stopped fighting it, and drifted into sleep. Eve watched silently, hearing the breathing slow. She stood up, began to walk away towards the front door. The sound of Melissa's breathing falter and stop halted her progress. She turned and waited. The sound of breathing starting up again turned her around and out the door. She walked to the far end of the veranda and leaned against the ] wooden pillar, allowing the anger and despair to rise up and take her. After a moment, she opened her eyes, and with a smooth motion kicked one of the sturdy railings, which snapped with a crack. <> Eve stared out at the view, hardly seeing it, immersed in her own private vision. <> "What the hell do I do *now*?" She asked aloud. "Stop worrying." Eve turned around, at the sound of the familiar voice. The younger one was lounging against one of the posts, and the other two nearby. The elder was sitting in a rocking chair that hadn't been there a second or so earlier, knitting. "Stop worrying?" She said. "She woke up too soon! She's still got some sort of brain damage; can't remember what her name is, has seizures, and forgets everything again! And you tell me not to worry." "Exactly." The young one said, smiling. "So what should I do?" The Elder looked up from her knitting. "Think." Eve sighed. "About?" The Mother smiled. "For one so old, you would have thought that you would have learned patience yet." "I have. Think about what?" "Thought and Memory." The Maiden said. Eve blinked. "Sorry?" "Which came first?" The Mother asked. "Did Thought create Memory?" The Elder commented "Or Memory Thought?" Eve frowned. She'd had this discussion several centuries previously.. "Thought creates Memory." She replied. "Are you sure?" The Maiden came away from the post. "Yes." "Could another's Thoughts return lost Memories then?" The Mother reached down and cut off the thread the elder was knitting. Eve stared at them, as realisation hit. "But that's dangerous! It could kill us both!" The Elder put aside the old pattern and began a new one. "Is that a Memory, or a Thought?" "I..." "We have helped you in the past," The Maiden said. "Why would we lead you false now?" The Mother asked. Eve sighed. "I only hope I can remember how to use it." "You will," The Elder replied. "In this case, Memory will come before Thought." Eve stood on the empty veranda a moment longer, then re-entered the cabin. She walked into the corridor leading to the kitchen, stopping beside a closed door. She produced a key, slid it into the lock. It resisted a moment, then turned. Taking a breath, she opened the door. Behind it were steps leading down in a circular pattern, lit by fittings on the wall. She followed them down, to a metal door at the bottom which gleamed dully in the light. She reached out to place her hand on the surface and it flowed open at her touch. The room beyond was filled with crates and boxes; the detrious of thousands of years of living. She walked through, to the other door, and it opened at her touch. This room was larger, with three carved stone pillars forming a triangle, with a thick stone plinth that came up to her waist in the centre. On it lay a small metal chest with no apparent lock. Eve took a deep breath and opened it. The light spilled out, illuminating the chamber as bright as day. Carefully, she reached in and removed the contents. As she closed her hand around it, the bright light almost seemed as though it was illuminating the bones in her skin. She murmured something in her native tounge, almost a prayer. Then closed the chest, and made her way upstairs to the couch on which Melissa slept. She reached out and touched it to Melissa's forehead, and focused her mind, gently reaching out to the younger woman with her thoughts.... * * * * * Melissa swam up through layers of sleep to wakefullness. Gently she opened her eyes, and looked at the ceiling. And sat up in shock. The room was dimly lit, but there was enough light to see the room she was in. It was plain; a bed, cupboard, mirror and bedside table were the only furnishings to be seen. Even the wallpaper and curtains seemed to be a single shade. Light did come through the curtains, but it was muted. And she didn't recognise any of it. After a moment of staring at unfamiliar surroundings, she climbed out of bed, and stood looking around. She was dressed in a t-shirt, pants and socks. The T-shirt had a picture of Tweety Bird on it. It was too large for her, reaching almost to her ankles. That at least was familiar. As she looked around, trying to remember how she got here, a memory almost slammed into the forefront of her mind. Dana's appartment. Pain. Hospital. Darkness. The car and the woman. Immortal. As Melissa stood there, immersed in the memories, she heard the sound of music being played somewhere close. She turned and opened the door, stepping out into the corridor The corridor was filled with bright sunlight, coming from a window at one end. She realised that the curtains in her room must be very thick to have blocked out so much of the brilliance. There were stairs leading down at the other end. The music was flowing up from the stairwell. She followed it down into a much wider area filled with several plush couches, and various pieces of furniture. The walls were bare, except for several pictures. Hanging from a rack by one of the two doors, were a collection of coats, all the same size. There was a fire-place at one end of the room, filled with wood, but not lit. The music came from the other door, and she followed it down a small corridor, into another room, that turned out to be a well- equipped kitchen. Someone was bent over a huge chest freezer, rummaging about inside it. As she entered, the woman looked up, and smiled. She was of medium height, brunette, with a tanned complexion and eyes of the strangest shade of blue that Melissa had ever seen "Hello," She said, turning back to her work, "How are you?" Melissa smiled back. "Fine, Thanks. But I don't know your name." "Eve, Eve Mallory," was the reply. "I'm just making lunch. Are you hungry?" TO BE CONTINUED in Ares, Titan & Me III: Discovery argo@easynet.co.uk naXis#002 (The Brain), M&S, Dragon Posse, EMXC, XFF, Melissketeer I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it! "The Truth is out there - and it's got bloody great teeth!" "Do not worry about the bullet that has got your name on it. It will hit you and it will kill you, no questions asked. The rounds to worry about are the ones marked: TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN."