Disclaimer:  Fox Mulder, Dana Scully, the X-Files, and associated
 characters are property of David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Chris Carter,
 Ten-Thirteen Productions and Fox Broadcasting Corporation.  They are used
 without permission and no copyright infringement is meant.

 Any elements not recognized as being taken from the show copyright
 Christina Shuy.

 Comments and other things sent to cshuy@netcom.com are much appreciated.

 Rating:  PG (language), Story (part of a series)
 Spoilers:  "Demons"
 Summary:  After the events in "Demons", one old friend calls another.

 Conversations Between Old Friends:  "Demons"
 by Christina Shuy
 cshuy@netcom.com

      "DCI Jensen."

      "Victoria?"

      "Dana?  What's wrong?"

      "Can you fly over..."

      "What did Mulder do this time?" The question was almost a sigh.

      "He..." the rest of the answer was choked off.

      "...Had holes drilled into his head, was injected with a
 hallucinogen, and then was subjected to electrical stimulus."

      *audible sigh*

      "Damnit... Mulder knows better than that!"

      "Apparently not."

      "I know, Dana.  I know.  Where are you right now?"

      "Still in Rhode Island.  At the old Mulder family summer house."

      "Right.  I'm sure that's not the way you wanted to see the summer
 house."

      "Victoria... as to why I called..."

      "Mulder asked you to, and you agreed since you didn't know what else
 to do."

      "That's true."

      "And you're afraid he was going to shoot you the way Amy Cassandra
 shot her husband and then herself."

      "How do you know this?"

      "As I often tell Mulder when he asks, I can't explain how I know...
 I often just know."

      "Victoria?"

      "Yes, Mulder, it's me.  What the bloody hell happened to you this
 time?"

      "I... I don't know."

      "That's not good enough, Mulder.  You're a trained psychologist as
 well as a person with more common sense than that.  What posessed you...
 no, never mind.  I know what posessed you."

      "And what's that?"

      "Guilt.  For both Dana and Samantha."

      "That's not fair, Victoria."

      "Neither is your guilt complex.  What if Dana hadn't been there for
 you?  What would you have done then, Mulder?  How do you think she would
 have felt had you either died or been put into prison?  You of all people
 know you look bloody awful in those orange prison jumpers."

      "Oh, come on!  They're dayglo orange! No one-"

      "You're missing the point, Mulder."

      "What was the point?"

      "That you would have been sent to prison, where you more than likely
 would not have been allowed to continue your search for Dana's cure, or
 even your sister.  Ever."

      "Victoria?"

      "Yes, Dana?  What happened to Mulder?"

      "I don't know.  He handed me the phone and then curled up in a
 little ball on the sofa."

      "Apologise to him for me, please, Dana.  I'm afraid I was reading
 him the riot act."

      "Someone has to, though I think you may have also hit a nerve."

      A sigh.  "I hope he doesn't do anything stupid...  Handcuff him to
 the sofa and keep an eye on him if you have to."

      "Okay.  If that's the case, I have to go.  Thanks, though."

      "You're welcome.  Do take care."

      "I'll try."

      *click*

 -The End.-

 "The Truth is Out There.  Trust No One."- from "The X-Files"
 Pursuing a BS (Electrical Engineering)-Spring Quarter 1998(Phys203,Engr210)
 Looking for work and a place to live... somewhere in the SanFran Bay Area.
 "Now you're ready to fly up and begin to know the meaning of kindness and
 of love."-"Jonathan Livingston Seagull","The Bridge Across Forever"
 "I was merely extending a professional courtesy." "Oh, was *that* what
 you were extending?"-FBI Special Agents Mulder and Scully(The X-Files:"Fire")