Title: Eyes In The Night
Author: Virtues & Vices (AKA Virtie)
E-mail: virtuesandvices@aol.com
Web Site: http://www.geocities.com/fanficcorner/
Rating: R, for language and sexual situations.
Category: MSR, X-File
Classification: TR - Adventure/Romance
Spoilers: If there are any, they're too tiny to mention.
Archive: Anywhere, just let me know. 
Summary: Sequel to "The Letter". One does not have to read
the first to enjoy the second. Mulder and Scully, having
been separated for more than a year, are reunited on an X
File. "Someday" and "Wambli" are sequels to this one.
Disclaimer: Mulder, Scully & Skinner are not mine! Moira,
Justin & Cat are. I am making no money off any of them! 
The lyrics to 'Breathe' are also used without 
permission; sorry, Faith.
Dedication: This is dedicated to all my friends, equine 
and human, at Double Eagle Stables in Spokane, 
Washington. Especially, the real Virtie: I miss you!

************************************************************

EYES IN THE NIGHT
 
Mt. Spokane State Park 
Eastern Washington State 

The Killer had had a hard night. This victim had fought him
harder than most. But he had prevailed, as usual. Even after
the torture and rape, she had still had the guts to fight
him when he had started to choke her. He'd had to work at
killing her. Yet, because of that, the thrill had been more
intense. Watching the life fade from her eyes had been more
exciting than before. 

Now the Killer tossed the body down the ravine, smiling when
he heard the splash of it hitting the water in the creek
below. There were many people that hiked in this area.
Someone would find the body soon, maybe even tomorrow. Fear
would reign yet again in this town. "The Beast strikes
again." He could just see the headlines. 

The Killer heard a noise. For a second, he felt panic. Had
someone seen him? Had he been made? His eyes scanned the
dark forest. He heard a coyote far in the distance. Then, a
rustling sound. He looked up. It was the sound of a branch
rubbing against another branch, and sitting on it was an
owl. A Great Horned Owl he believed. It sat there, its great
big yellow eyes watching him, almost as if it knew what he
had done. "Stupid bird," he muttered, then turned and walked
away. 

************************************************************
 
Spokane Police Department 
6 A.M. 

A young woman walked in the police station and demanded to
see the officer in charge of "The Beast" case. When
questioned, she simply said she knew where to find the body
of the most recent victim. 'How?' she was asked. 

"Because I saw him put her there." 

************************************************************

5:37 P.M. 
Alexandria, VA 

The first thing Mulder did when he got home was turn on the
computer, letting the hard drive warm up while he changed
from his suit to a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Then he sat
down to check his e-mail. It was the same routine he had
every night. For years, his computer had been simply a tool,
an assistant with work, helping him with research and
writing reports. In the last year, however, it had become so
much more. Now it was his lifeline to Scully. 

For about a month after Scully had left DC for her new job
as ASAC of the Spokane, Washington FBI, Mulder had hardly
heard from her. Depression had set in, and the Bureau's
insistence that he work with a new partner hadn't helped.
But then Scully had e-mailed him about a case she was
working on. Communication had been established, and Mulder
wasn't about to loose it. For the past several months
afterward, they had stayed in constant contact through their
computers. Mulder complained about things like his new
partners, and Scully complained about things like the
weather. 

Now as he called up the message she had left for him, he
felt anticipation run through him. Not unlike going to work
back when Scully had been his partner. It had taken him a
while after she left to figure out that it had not been the
job but her that had made him look forward to every day. 
Today, though, there were just two words from the woman he
would forever consider his partner: "Call Me." 

Mulder was startled, but more than happy to do just that. He
had talked to Scully directly only twice since she had left,
once from work in response to the case she had e-mailed him
about, and once just a few weeks ago, when she had called
him to wish him a merry Christmas. He quickly got off-line
and picked up the phone, dialing a number he had never used
but knew by heart. 

"Scully." Mulder couldn't help but smile at the sound of her
voice. 

"Hey, it's me." The phrase sounded a bit rusty to his ears,
but familiar. He sensed Scully smiling on the other end of
the line. 

"Hi," she said. "You're lucky. I was just about to walk out
the door." 

"Going where?" He looked at his watch. "Don't you still have
a couple more hours to work?" Spokane had a three hour time
difference. 

"I'm going out to interview a possible witness," she
explained. "If she's got what I want, then I may just solve
this case without your help." 

"What kind of help will you need if she doesn't?" 

He heard her sigh. "Mulder, I think I have an X-File." 

************************************************************

US Federal Building 
Spokane, Washington 

It turned out that Scully's witness wasn't very credible. A
quick call to Mulder that evening confirmed that he (and his
partner) would be on a plane to Spokane the next morning.
Scully's nerves were hopping. It had been a little over 13
months since she had seen him. God, she had missed him.
Still did if the truth be told. Now was a chance to work
together again. 

How had he changed? she wondered. And would he see the
changes in her? She had grown her hair out a bit, often
wearing it in a French twist or a bun. And she had loosened
up a bit. She went out with a couple of new friends on
occasion, and had even dated a time or two. But nothing
serious in either romance or friendship. There was no one
she could confide in like she could Mulder. Her computer had
become very important to her as of late; it was her contact
to her best friend. Then why was she so nervous about seeing
him again?

Well, she was his superior now. He and his partner were
coming at her official request to the Seattle Field Office.
Would he treat her differently now? Would he become distant
because of her position? Or less, because of that kiss?
Sure, it had been over a year, but Scully had never
forgotten that kiss. She had never really believed Mulder
looked at her in a romantic, sexual way; she had always
believed that he thought of her as a little sister, a
replacement of sorts for Samantha. But that kiss had changed
things, at least for her. 

The phone rang and she picked it up. "Scully." 

"Agent Scully, it's Monroe." Justin Monroe was one of the 10
agents assigned to Spokane. "We found another body. It's
pretty old, but it looks like it's 'The Beast's' handiwork."
'The Beast' is what the Spokane press had dubbed the serial
killer that had been stalking the city for the past five
years. She and Monroe were the only federal agents on the
task force set up to catch him. Scully was the only one on
the team of city, county and federal officers that had any
experience with serial killers. She had only been working on
the case for the last 6 months, when the locals had given in
and called the Feds for help. 

Scully got the directions to the body from Justin, then left
a message with her assistant to let Mulder know where he
could meet her when he got in. Excitement at his impending
arrival still high, Scully set out to do what she did best:
catch the bad guy. 

************************************************************

Spokane, Washington 
Heading north on Division 

Mulder had called the federal office right after he and Cat
disembarked, learning that Scully was at a crime scene north
of town. Now in his rental car, he drove through Spokane,
following the directions given to him by her assistant.
 
He glanced over at Cat. Mulder had gone through three
"partners" after Scully had left. None of them had stood him
for long. But Cat had been with the X Files for four months
now, and they had developed a good working relationship.

Catherine O'Neil was young and ambitious, a typical agent,
Mulder supposed. She had a great sense of humor, and was at
times very chatty. Standing 5'8" in her bare feet, in heels
she stood almost as tall as Mulder. She wore her brown hair
short, like a boy's, and rarely wore skirts. At 30 years of
age, she was a self-confessed tomboy. Even though she never
worked on her looks, she still managed to look beautiful,
and people, especially men, quickly warmed up to her. Her
open mind was a plus. She was a good agent and a good
partner...but she wasn't Scully.
 
Today, Cat was unusually quiet, fiddling with the file in
her lap. "Something wrong?" Mulder asked.
 
Nervous, brown eyes looked over at him. "How can you ask
that?" She said with a smirk. "We just traveled across the
U.S. for a case we know nothing about." 

He nodded to the file on her lap. "You've got the case right
there." 

"This is not an X File," she held up the folder. "It's a
serial killer. Sick, but nothing paranormal." She looked out
the passenger side window. "There must be more." 

"I'm sure there is," Mulder responded dryly. Scully wouldn't
have told him there was an X File if there wasn't. "Just as
I'm sure that that's not what's really bothering you." She
was so easy to read, unlike Scully. 

Cat sighed. "I'm just a little nervous about..." 

"About?" 

"About meeting Scully." 

Mulder glanced at her, a bit puzzled. "Why?" 

"Oh, come on." Cat turned to him again. "Mulder and Scully,
together again. You two are only the most legendary pairing
in FBI history!" 

"I wouldn't go that far," Mulder insisted. "Besides, you
weren't nervous when you first met me." 

"Like hell I wasn't," Cat murmured, then nodded to a road
sign up ahead. "Colbert Road. Isn't this where we turn?" 

Mulder didn't dwell on the change of subject. He was about
to see Scully again. He couldn't wait.

************************************************************

County Road 12 
Outside of Colbert, WA 

When Scully saw the rental car pull up, her heartbeat got
faster. 'Calm down, girl,' she told herself. She rose from
the squat she had been in to examine the remains and walked
towards the car. A tall, leggy brunette stepped out of the
passenger side. Cat O'Neil, Scully presumed; and Mulder
isn't letting her drive. Some things never change! Then her
eyes zeroed in on the tall man exiting the driver's side.
 
Though it was February, the day was unusually sunny, and
Mulder had his sunglasses on. He took them off when he
spotted her and a slow smile spread across his face. She
couldn't help but smile back. 'God, he's beautiful,' she
thought. As they walked toward each other, Scully looked him
over carefully; he hadn't changed a bit, and she was glad.
 
Mulder stepped in front of her, his eyes bright. "Agent
Scully." His voice was low, and Scully knew he was trying
his hardest to stay professional in front of the other
agents and officers. She, too, tried to act normal. He
gestured to the woman behind him. "My 'partner', Catherine
O'Neil." 

O'Neil stuck her hand out. "Pleased to meet you." 

Scully shook O'Neil's hand, noticing how the agent's palm
seemed a bit damp, despite the 30 degree temperature. 'She's
nervous', Scully realized, startled. "And you," she replied.
"I've heard a lot about you." She glanced at Mulder. "Mostly
good, amazingly enough." 

O'Neil blushed and also gave Mulder a sidelong glance.

Mulder looked surprised, as if he never knew his partner
COULD blush. Then, looking at Scully again, he nodded to the
barely visible corpse behind her. "The latest victim?" 

"Actually, no." Scully started to explain. "Not the most
recent. These remains appear to be about 6 to 8 months old.
But it does look like 'The Beast's' work." The three started
toward the body. Mulder's arm brushed Scully's. She wondered
if it was deliberate. She wished O'Neil and the others were
gone, so she could say 'hi' to Mulder the way she really
wanted to. She satisfied herself with taking a deep breath
inward. He still wore the same cologne. 

Scully introduced them to Agent Monroe and the other
officers, then detailed 'The Beast's' work. It was thought
that the man had been killing hookers in this Spokane area
for more than five years. His MO had rarely changed; rape,
torture, then death, usually strangulation with an article
of the woman's clothing. The body was then dumped away from
the scene of the crime, usually north of town in the
mountains, or sometimes in the Spokane River which ran
through the city.
 
Seventeen dead prostitutes in the last five years. Eight
other unsolved cases could very well be his work, too. If
any woman had survived one of his attacks, she wasn't coming
forward. 

After the woman's remains had been bagged and taken away,
Scully had the forensics officers set out to comb the
surrounding area for clues. She wasn't expecting them to
find anything, but she never gave up hope that the killer
might make a mistake. She turned back to meet Mulder,
O'Neil, and Justin back at Mulder's car. 

Mulder was leaning against the car, his sunglasses on once
again. Though she couldn't see his eyes, she felt his gaze
on her. "Fascinating case, Scully." She stopped in front of
him, and O'Neil and Justin, who had been talking small talk,
turned toward them. "But where's the X File?" 

Scully's mouth twisted into a small smile. "Would you
believe that I'm having so much trouble with this case that
I just wanted your help and knew you wouldn't come without
promise of an X File?" She heard O'Neil gasp lightly, but
ignored her. 

Mulder shook his head and said without hesitation, "No, I
wouldn't." 

"Would you believe I just wanted an excuse to see you?" she
asked tentatively. 

Mulder opened his mouth as if about to answer, then closed
it and shook his head again. "No. You'd never let your
personal wants get in the way of work." She could tell he
liked the idea, though. 

"O.K." she said finally. "Follow us," she nodded to Justin.
"We'll take you to meet her." 

As she got into her car, she heard O'Neil ask Mulder, "Her?" 

************************************************************

Black Hawk Stables 
North Spokane 

Mulder and Cat followed Scully and Monroe through the scenic
neighborhoods of North Spokane. Lovely houses, most with
several acres of land, stood sentinel along the banks of the
Little Spokane River. Eventually, they drove into an area
that had more pastureland than houses. Horse country. They
pulled off the blacktop onto a gravel drive, passing a sign
that read "Black Hawk Stables-Lessons-Training-Boarding".
Paddocks with Thoroughbred and Warmblood horses lined the
drive. The agent's cars stopped in front of a small house
sitting next to a large indoor, riding arena. 

"Wait here," Scully told them, then walked inside a little
door in the side of the barn marked 'office'. She came out
with a young woman of about 25 years of age. She had long,
dark blonde hair pulled back into a braid, and pale blue
eyes peered out from behind a pair of wire-rimmed glasses.
Dusty jeans and a well-worn sweatshirt completed the
picture. She looked, Mulder thought, like your typical,
horse-crazy kid who preferred mucking out horse stalls than
dealing with people. Scully brought her over to the other
agents. 

"This is Moira Anderson. She's the assistant trainer here."
She looked at the woman. "Moira, this is Agent O'Neil. And
this is Agent Mulder, the one I told you about." 

Moira shook hands with Cat, and then Mulder. Her hand was
callused from hard work and strong, despite her small
stature. "You're the one who'll believe me?" she asked him. 
Mulder glanced at Scully. "That depends. What is it you want
me to believe?" 

"I saw the 'Beast'." Moira looked at the gravel beneath her
feet. "I saw him when he dumped his last victim." 

Mulder waited. When the obviously shy woman said nothing
more, he tipped his head closer and asked, "Why is that hard
to believe?" 

She sighed. "I wasn't myself at the time. I was..." she
trailed off and looked at Scully who nodded her
encouragement. "I was seeing it through the eyes of an owl.
I watched him drag her body out of his car and then throw it
into a ravine, from the branch of a tree." 

Mulder didn't hesitate. "Could you identify him?" 

Moira looked surprised. It wasn't the question she had been
expecting. "I don't... I don't know." She glanced uneasily
at Cat and Monroe. "Owls see differently than we do. They
can't see color, but they can focus very well, and they see
movement easily. Their night is just a darker version of
their day. I didn't see the car that well, but I can still
see his face. Whether or not I'd recognize it through these
eyes, I can't say." She took a deep breath. "If I can help
catch this guy in any way, I will." 

Mulder looked hard at Moira for a moment, making the woman
shift on her feet uncomfortably. He was positive she wasn't
lying. "Scully, can I have a word with you, please?" 

Scully walked over to the side of the arena building, and
Mulder followed. "You believe her, don't you?" He was amazed
that she would believe something so 'out there'. 

"I didn't want to believe her," Scully smiled tightly. "But
she did know where the body was, and she's very convincing.
It took a long time before she finally told me HOW she 'saw'
him." She looked up at him, confusion in her eyes. "Mulder,
she says she can see through the eyes of any living animal.
That she can transport her consciousness into another living
thing and to see what it sees and feel what it feels!" 

"Can she control the mind of the animal she inhabits?"
Mulder had heard of people who could transfer like this. 

"No," Scully shook her head. "She says she's just 'along for
the ride'. Sometimes she can tweak its curiosity a bit, but
that's all. That's how she got the owl to watch what the
killer was doing. Owls are naturally curious animals." 

Mulder stepped back, an expression of mock amazement on his
face. "Why Agent Scully! You really DO believe her!" 

Scully almost blushed. "Like I said, she's very convincing." 

Mulder looked back at Moira. Cat was talking to her, and she
was gradually looking more relaxed. The tall, blonde and
'handsome' Monroe was looking at the young woman like she
was some kind of freak. Which, Mulder supposed, she was. But
she was also a healthy, attractive woman who seemed much
more comfortable with animals than with people, most likely
due to her 'oddness'. 

"Mulder," Scully moved closer. "Moira has become a friend of
sorts. She wouldn't tell anyone about her ability but me,
and the only one I've told is Justin." 

"Who doesn't believe," Mulder interjected. 

"I requested your help by saying I needed your profiling
expertise. But I really think that with Moira's help, you
can catch this guy." 

"If you believe her, why do you need me?" 

Scully thought for a bit. "Maybe because I really am
uncomfortable doing this sort of thing without you by my
side. An X File is an X File, and you are in charge of the X
Files." She smiled a bit. "And besides, it was a really good
excuse to see you again." 

Mulder felt his expression soften. "It's good to see you,
too, Scully." He nodded toward Moira. "Let's get inside, sit
down and talk with her before Cat talks her ear off. I want
to hear her story."

*****

End of 1/6