Seven Year Itch part 1/3
by Rose Campion

Part 3
See part 0 for header information.


"Is there anything that would make you divorce, I mean leave him?" Lyddie 
asked. 

"I can't think of anything."

"Not even if you found out he was a murderer?"

"Lyddie. I once watched him put a bullet into the brain of a man at close 
range. That man was a feral dog and needed to be put down, for the better 
good and he was ready to kill one of Walter's agents." Mulder didn't 
mention that the agent in question had been him. 

"That's not the same. It was in the line of duty. Deadly force is a regrettable 
but necessary choice sometimes. How many times have you said that?"

"Walter's a better shot than I am. He could have easily managed a shoulder 
take down, especially at that range. He chose not to. Murder one, plain 
and simple. And I saw it happen. And I still fell in love with him. My hands 
were not exactly clean either, Lyddie."

They were sitting at a row of connecting laminate tables with attatched 
stools, hidden somewhat among the plastic plants, this truck stop was just 
like any other truckstop you could imagine. Once upon a time, Mulder had 
been in far too many of these kinds of places and he still hated them. The 
floors were beige ceramic tile, slightly grubby, the laminate was fake wood 
grain and sounds echoed muted and loud at the same time. They both 
hushed as one of the ducklings approached with a tray covered with 
french fries and one of the non dairy 'milkshakes' that the chains sold. 
David. "Hi, Fox. Lyddie. Mind if I sit with you?"

Fox smiled, pleased that one of his students sought his company when 
they could have each others. And it was a convenient out to his difficult 
discussion with Lyddie. He looked up and saw that Cassie, Holly and 
Thomas were not far away. "Of course." he said, as he smiled. "If it's all 
right with you Lyddie."

Holly said as she sat down, "Fox, do you know you still have your ankle 
strap thing on?"

He shrugged and reached down. He tore apart the velcro of the strap and 
shoved the flourescent thing into his pocket. "After a while you just get 
so used to them, you forget they're there." He explained. Like so many 
things in life.




### The End ###