[Disclaimers in Part One] Games of the Mind (part 13) by Chrstina Shuy cshuy@netcom.com 8 April 1997 California State University, Los Angeles Los Angeles, California 12 midnight PDT They found themselves back on the grounds of Cal State Los Angeles. The moon shone brightly overhead as they all blinked from the brightness. "Are we all still here?" Christina mused, and she felt a gentle kiss on her hair from Chris. It was all she needed to know from him. "I hope so. Was all of that real?" Scully asked. <<>> Lisa mused. Chris' voice echoed in her mind. "It has to have been. Of course, we could have been brainwashed..." Mulder sounded dubious. "Does anyone want to check for the date?" In reply, Scully drew out her cel phone, and her eyebrows rose in surprise. Mulder noted her reaction and checked his watch. "We've been gone for over a *day*?" Christina asked, upon seeing the screen on Agent Scully's cel phone. "Now we know what they meant by 'insatiable curiousity', Christina." Chris said, thoughtfully. "Time really does fly when you're in 'fast learn' mode." He smiled at her, and she grinned tiredly at him. "I don't know about anyone else... but I want to go home." Christina sighed. She leaned into Chris and took several deep breaths. The experience had worn her out and the only thing she wanted to do was to go and sleep.... and be with the one she loved most. After all, they had finally worked through most of the pain between them, and had a lot of catching up to do. "Done. That way we can figure out what to do next." Mulder said. "And we also need both of your statements for our casefile." <<>> Valerie groaned, though there was laughter behind that. <<>> Caitlin asked. <<>> Christina asked. <<>> "Agent Mulder, if you don't mind... I'd like to wait until I get a good night's sleep before any of that happens. "I guess that's fair." Mulder nodded. "You've been through quite a bit lately. We all have." "Then let's go home." Christina sighed. 2030 Del Mar Avenue San Marino, CA 8 April 1997 1:30 am PDT Christina draped a tired arm over Chris' chest, kissing his neck even as his arms wrapped around her. "That was wonderful." she laughed softly. "Yeah... it was." His tone was languid and touched with fatigue. "Wanna do that again?" An impish smile appeared on her face. "You're insatiable, woman." Chris grinned, kissing her forehead. "Can I help it if we have a lot of lost time to make up for?" "You know, we still haven't figured out what to do next... where do we go from here?" "As Robbie Cantor would say: Onward and downward." "I knew there was a reason I always liked Robbie... and Shaun and the rest of them." "Great minds think alike, eh?" "I'm serious. You can't live here anymore... your parents are worse than even *I* remember. Especially your mother." "Hey, you didn't have to put up with her most of *your* life." "True. Right now I'm just wondering how you did..." "Likewise. I forgot exactly how insufferable my mother can be. And I didn't want to live here anymore anyway." "Where are you going to go, then?" "Well, I remember you saying that I could move in with you...." "Glad you remember, but I'm not sure I want to live in Washington anymore." "Fine by me. I don't want to live in Los Angeles for much longer either." "We can go apartment hunting when you get readjusted to missing ten months." "Chris, love, I'm not really *missing* ten months... I'm just feeling like I've been either in prison or something for that length of time. Then again, I can't remember much of anything that happened during that time either, so maybe I still am missing ten months... I don't know anymore." "That confirms it, then. You still need to readjust. And I'm more than happy to help." "Mmmhumm." she answered, pulling him close again. For a while, they didn't talk anymore. Russell's - Old Town Pasadena, California 8 April 1998 9:30am "Thanks for showing up." Mulder grinned, as Christina and Chris walked in the front door about half an hour late. Dana said nothing but took a sip of coffee. Christina blushed and looked over at Chris. They both looked a little dishevled, but neither was apologizing for it. They both had a healthy glow about them and just a look between them would get one or the other blushing. That look was not lost on either agent, and they grinned at each other, noting similarities but saying nothing. "I would have called, but apparently your celphone is dead." Chris said finally. "Wouldn't doubt it. I think I left it on the ship." Mulder grinned. "Did you get enough sleep last night?" <<>> Caitlin's amused voice half-yawned. <<>> Valerie snickered. <<>> Christina's tone was of restrained laughter. <<>> Chris' mental voice laughed. That set both of them blushing again. Mulder led them to the booth in the corner where Scully sat with both laptops, which had been plugged in to the wall to conserve battery power. >From the look of both screens, field reports were already in mid-generation. --- Field Report - Special Agent Dana K. Scully The missing persons case which had been accompanied by several other reportedly unexplained occurances has been resolved, and the missing person, one Christina Shuy, has been located and reunited with her family. What transpired during her ten month absense is still a subject for debate. The investigation uncovered the fact that she was kept relatively and apparently unharmed during that period. There is evidence to suggest that she was in the midst of doing research for her area of interest similiar to what she was doing the day she vanished from the campus of the California State University she was attending. Her memories of those ten months still have yet to be fully recovered, although flashes of memories have resurfaced. Perhaps the details of her experiences may never be fully recovered. Adding to the difficulty is the manner in which her mind is set up. She is, as has been previously noted, highly dissociative and proved to be a multiple personality, as has been observed by this witness on several occasions. It is said that the phenomenon of muliple personality is rare. The observation from this witness is that perhaps it is only those whose lives are disrupted by it in a severe fashion who are the rare cases. --- Christina and Chris slipped into the half of the booth which was unoccupied. The server appproached with a coffee pot with which she refreshed Mulder and Scully's coffee cups and an empty cup, in case either of the new arrivals wanted coffee. Chris nudged Christina and they traded glances, grinning. "Coffee for him, please." Christina turned to the server. "And water with lemon for me." Smiling, the server set the cup down in front of Chris and he reached for an Irish Creme creamer and two packets of sugar. When his morning coffee was properly mixed, he took a long sip of it, licked his lips, took another sip and then leaned over to kiss Christina, who returned the kiss with fervor, at least briefly. They were, after all, in public. "The *only* way to have coffee." Christina giggled, explaining her actions to the two FBI agents in the seat across from them. "Hey, Scully, maybe we should try that." Mulder grinned. Scully said nothing, but raised an eyebrow at her partner. "Well... I meant the creamer and sugar." He blushed slightly. "I've already tried it, Mulder. You're the only one around here I know of who likes his coffee black." Scully answered, smiling. The server returned and they each ordered breakfast. Mulder and Scully ordered the conventional breakfast, though both of them had discovered Russell's hash browns with cheese and onion from their first morning eating there and continued to order them. Chris and Christina had each ordered pancakes, bacon, and hashbrowns. Russell's was an old familiar place to them both, and they already knew what was good. Once the server left, Mulder and Scully resumed taking down Christina's statement before taking Chris'. Scully typed up the statements while Mulder worked on his field report, pausing to ask questions after reading over what had been answered. --- Field Report - Special Agent Fox W. Mulder I have never had a case quite like this one, where the immediate resolution came from the subject in question walking directly into me. It was a strange missing persons case with the person now back home, though if she has any say in the matter, it seems she will not be living in the family home for much longer. From what I have heard from her and seen of her family, that decision is probably for the best. What followed during the time Agent Scully and I worked to help her resolve exactly what it was that had happened to her is somethign not soon forgotten. Even though I'm still not entirely certain as to what did happen. It may have well been a hoax, or a shared mass hallucination. The only thing I am certian of is that from the time the first bright light flash was seen - apparently taking us away from the campus of the California State University at Los Angeles - to the time a second flash was seen - which returned us to the same place we had been taken from - a period of approximately 30 hours elasped. On a note of personal amusement, I do believe this is the first time I myself have been added into a file I was investigating. As for Scully... I think it's wise that I not bring up the fact that she's in another X-File. Hopefully, this will be something both she and I can look back on and at least smile about. --- The breakfasts arrived quickly, and they started in on eating, though not before the statements were finished. While breakfast was being eaten, they spoke of more mundaine things. Their lives, how they'd even *found* the X-Files, and various other subjects not related to the case at hand. Christina occaionally leaning in to kiss Chris lightly. Soon enough, the field report was finished. Scully closed both laptops with a satisfied *click* before Mulder turned to them. "Now that this thing is done... what do you want to do next?" Christina asked. "I'm going to Disneyland!" Mulder grinned, holding up four passports to the Magic Kingdon. "Wanna come?" They all agreed it sounded like a wonderful idea, and they went. -End of Story- End notes: Okay, it's been a long, crazy ride, and I thank you for having the patience for hanging around. Fire up those email programs and please send feedback!