Title: Minds in the Waters Authors: Kirsten Wahlquist and Liz E-mail: dkscully@softhome.net and Xmulder002@aol.com Rating: PG Category: TR Spoilers: Blessing Way/Paper Clip, FTF, General season 7 Keywords: Mulder/Scully Romance, Disclaimer: You see, it's all very simple: We don't own Mulder. We don't own Scully. They belong to Chris Carter, 1013, and FOX. We don't own SeaWorld. We don't own Shamu. He/she belongs to Anheuser-Busch . "Amazed" belongs to Lonestar. Heather, Jeff, Josh, and Michael are our creations. Summary: In a search for the truth, for the love of one woman, an adventure unfolds, through the minds of the whales. Author's Notes: - I know, keeping the whales straight is kinda tough, so we set up a page where you can reference information about the individual whales, and other general Sea World stuff. It's at http://keikolover.tripod.com/fanfic/minds.html. There's even pictures of each whale! -This story can be found in its entirety at Kirsten's fanfic site at http://keikolover.tripod.com/fanfic/index.html. -Okay, shameless plug time : if you love whale/dolphin fanfic, or just animal fanfic in general, visit The Animal Files at http://animalfiles.freeservers.com. -Pllllllease send feedback!! We'd love to hear what you thought about the story!!!! E-mail us at: Kirsten - dkscully@softhome.net Liz - Xmulder002@aol.com Liz: Hi all!! My name is Liz, and as you can tell, I'm a major shipper as well as a whale lover. I live in Salt Lake City, Utah, and hope to someday train orcas. For now, I just watch X-Files, read fanfic and play on the net. I love all watersports and outdoor activities. I've always had a special fascination with orcas. Their beauty, power, intelligence and trust captured me at an early age, and helped me decide what career I wanted to look into. I've only been watching the X-Files for about three years now, and so I'm always up late on Saturday nights recording the earlier episodes. ;) I have to thank Kirsten, my loyal e-mail pal, for writing this story with me. I couldn't have done it without her! It's taken a lot of time and dedication to finish this project, but now, it's finally here!! She helped a lot with the little tid bits that I had no clue about. She also came up with a lot of the great ideas that were put into the final version of this story. Thanks Kirsten-you're the best!! Now comes the little dedication thing, I guess. This story goes to anyone who is as obsessed with orcas as Kirsten and I. As well as all those shippers out there, who time and time again, watch the TV on Sunday nights, waiting for their favorite agents to light up the screen. Also, to Kirsten, who told me about Career's Camp, and without her, I wouldn't have ever known about it. Where would I be now? ;) Anyway, this is for you guys, thanks. -Liz- No one can find the truth alone. Kirsten: Wow, what a labor of love! We started this a few months ago, with the idea of writing a short story where Mulder and Scully visited Sea World. As we started writing, it grew...and grew...and grew... Anyway, I've been obsessed with killer whales ever since I saw the movie Free Willy. In case anybody's wondering, yes, I was the one that wrote the X-Files/Free Willy crossover. ;) Yes, I even went and saw Free Willy 3 in the theater. I've since become totally hung up on becoming a killer whale trainer. Last summer, I went to Sea World San Antonio's Careers Camp, and got to spend a week behind-the- scenes at the park, learning how they operate, and what trainers do every day. It's a lot more work than I expected!! It was a blast, though, and I got to talk to the trainers and hear some of their stories. A huge thank-you to Liz, who made the months of writing this story extremely enjoyable! I've never been to the Sea World San Diego, and she helped me with the layout of the park, the stadiums, that kind of thing. Oh, and she e- mailed me all sorts of really cute pictures from Sea World to keep me going. A big thank you to Rosemary for editing this whole thing!! Also, thank you to Genevieve, who gave some feedback in the early stages of the first draft. This story is for all the animal trainers and keepers out there who spend so much of their time loving these animals and taking care of them. And to Liz, who spent countless hours writing and putting up with my questions about the park. Okay, I get it. You're bored now. ;) Enjoy the story!! Minds in the Waters Scully's Apartment January 23, 2000 5:00 AM *Scully closed her eyes as she let the warmth of the sinking sun hit her face. She smiled to herself and she stared at the ocean. Deep, endless, mysterious. A sudden whoosh made her scan the horizon. Off in the distance, a dorsal fin broke the stillness of the crystal water. The orca was there and gone in a matter of seconds, before resurfacing once again. Scully's grin widened at the sight. The salty, ocean breeze blew her hair every which way, tangling and twisting it all about. She continued to watch the sea, mesmerized by it. The waves were softly rolling on the shore. The sky, dashed with pinks and yellows. She could stay there forever...* “…gonna be a sunny day, a very welcome change from all this winter weather…” Scully hit her alarm clock as the radio abruptly stopped playing. She rolled over to the side of her bed, letting her feet dangle to the floor. After gaining some strength, she trudged to the bathroom, turning on the shower to get the warm water running. The rushing water felt good against her bare skin; almost refreshing. At the slight touch of it, she remembered her dream. She couldn't remember the last time that she had dreamed of whales. She had forgotten them, long ago. Pulling on a tight shirt and some jeans, Scully headed to the kitchen for some coffee. It was a beautiful Saturday morning, and she had the whole day to herself. No conspiracies, no aliens, no flukemen or Big Blue; it was just herself today, and no one was going to ruin that, not even Mulder. Opening the blinds, she noticed a small picture in a gold frame on her mantle. She picked it up, looking closely at the faces. It was a picture of her and Mulder that was taken about a year ago. They were both smiling widely, like little kids. Mulder had his arm around Scully, with a smile worth a million dollars. Scully loved that picture. They were both relaxed and having a good time. It was a picture she treasured. Turning back to the kitchen, Scully gathered her things, grabbed her cup of coffee, and headed out the door. Once outside, she opened her car door and drove away, hoping that she would get to the beach in time to see the sunrise. Haudi Beach 6:14 AM The air at Haudi Beach was crisp and cool when Scully arrived. There were already people there for the new day. Couples walking hand in hand, dogs running with sticks in their muzzles, seagulls flying here and there. Scully walked down to where the sidewalk met the sand. Kicking her shoes off, she dug her feet into the cool, damp sand, and then sat right down in it. Watching the sunrise at the beach was something that she always loved. There was something about it that was so magical, special, and breathtaking. She turned her head just in time to see a figure about to fall right onto her. There was a small yelp as the woman toppled onto Scully. "Oh, gosh. I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going, until the last minute. I feel so stupid, are you okay?" the woman asked. Scully turned to answer when her eyes met the woman's. Her jaw nearly hit the sand. Suddenly, the woman started screaming and hollering, and pulled Scully up with her. "Dana! Oh my gosh!! I haven't seen you forever!" she yelled, hugging Scully. "Heather? Hey! It's great to see you!" Scully replied, hugging her back. "What are you doing in Maryland?" Heather asked, still hugging Scully. "I live near here, actually. I just live over in Georgetown. What about you? What are you doing here? Do you still live in California?" Scully asked. "Oh, yeah. You know me. Still living in San Diego. I love it there, it's my life," Heather said. She stood back, looking Scully over. "So, what are you doing in Maryland?" "You remember my sister, Kat? Well, she just lives south of Arlington. I was just visiting her, and I'm here till the middle of next week," Heather answered. "Oh, well, I still can't believe it's you. I haven't seen you for years. "So, what are you doing?" Scully asked. "Well, I'm a whale trainer, at Sea World. Remember how we used to pretend that we were trainers when we were kids?" Heather asked, nudging her shoulder. Scully chuckled. "Yeah. That's what I wanted to do for years, but somehow I ended up studying medicine," Scully said, shrugging. "Oh, so you're a doctor?" Heather asked. "Oh, no. Well, I guess. I'm a doctor, just not in practice. Actually, I work for the FBI," Scully said proudly. Heather started laughing, wildly. She stopped when she realized Dana was not laughing with her. "Oh my gosh. You're serious," was all she could say. "What's so funny about me working for the FBI?" Scully asked, folding her arms. "I don't know. You're too laid back, Dana. I just couldn't ever see you working at such a serious job," Heather replied, looking at the sand. Scully smiled at this. She only wished that Mulder had been there to hear someone say that she was laid back and not serious. "Well, that's kind of changed since I've had this job," Scully replied, smiling. "So, you actually got a job as a trainer?" she asked, changing the subject. "Yeah! I love it! We definitely had an idealistic view of it as kids, thinking that it was all just playing with the whales." Heather crinkled her nose slightly. At Scully's curious glance, she continued. "There's lots of other stuff that goes on besides working with the whales - lots of dirty grunt work. It's all worth it, though!" "You are so lucky," answered Scully breathlessly. "Well, what is it like working at the FBI?" asked Heather. Scully thought for moment before replying. "It's different. I work in the smallest division in the Bureau, just my partner and me." "Wow! What division would that be?" Hesitating, Scully replied, "The X-Files division." Heather frowned; she'd never heard of such a thing before. Scully continued. "It's a small division looking into so- called 'paranormal' crimes." She intentionally left out the part about a shadowy government conspiracy. "That sounds like something your sister would do," Heather giggled. Scully sobered instantly. "What?" asked Heather, noting Scully's reaction. "Missy, uh, passed away a few years ago," she replied quietly. Heather's face fell. "Oh, I'm sorry, Dana..." "It's okay," Scully reassured her. "You couldn't have known." Scully and her friend ambled down the beach. They began to reminisce, bringing back memories of their adolescence. "You remember the first time we visited Sea World? I told you that the water at the new killer whale stadium was really warm, 'cause I thought it was like the dolphin pools?" Heather recalled. They had only been seven, but the memory had stuck with them. Scully laughed. "How could I forget? You dragged me to the front row, where I was doused by sixty degree water! I was freezing cold for the rest of the day!" "You loved it Dana, come on, admit it!" Heather replied, lightly smacking her friend on the arm. "You've got to get back to San Diego, and come see me and the whales." Scully cocked her head to the side. "Well, Bill is stationed out there now," she answered slowly. "There you go! Visit your brother and take a trip to Sea World!" crowed Heather. She paused. "I can get you a chance to meet the whales..." Scully had to fight the urge to run to the nearest phone and book a flight. "I'll see what I can do," she replied cryptically. A huge smile broke out on Heather's face. They continued to talk for some time, retelling old stories and bringing each other up to date on what had happened since high school. "Hey, you want to swing by my place and grab some coffee or something like that?" Scully offered. "It's right on the way back to Arlington." "Sure!" answered Heather, following Scully towards the parked cars. "I'll follow you there." Scully gave Heather quick directions in case they got separated, then they headed out. Scully's Apartment 10:32 AM Scully unlocked the door to her apartment and stepped inside, followed by Heather. "Hey, nice place," Heather complimented. "Mine is usually cluttered with dive gear and books and stuff." "Well, you did catch it at one of its better times," Scully answered. She headed into the kitchen to whip up two cups of coffee. Moments later, the phone rang. "Hello," she said into the receiver. "Hey, Scully, it's me." Scully groaned loudly. "What, am I that bad?" Mulder asked good-naturedly. "Mulder, it's Saturday!" she replied. "That's never stopped me before." "Don't I know it," mumbled Scully. Louder, she said, "So what is it this time?" "I was just going to let you know I'll be out of town for a few days, and ask you to feed my fish," he finished. "Something came up back on the West Coast that I have to go look into." Scully thought with a smile. "Well, all right," she agreed. "Just *be careful*!" Mulder gasped in mock indignation. "I would never endanger myself, Scully!" "Yeah, whatever." Scully looked up and saw Heather watching her with a smile. "I'll talk to you later," she replied. "Okay, bye." Scully hung up the phone and turned her attention back to Heather. "My partner," she said, by way of explanation. "I guessed." Scully sighed loudly and handed Heather a cup of coffee. "He's just leaving town for a few days, and I'm sure he'll come back with a gunshot wound or something like that. He seems to naturally gravitate towards the emergency room." "What do you mean by that?" Heather asked, sipping her coffee. "Every time that he goes off on his little adventures, he always comes back hurt, and I always end up worrying about him...." Scully started, but was stopped by a grin coming from Heather. "What?" Scully asked, hands on her hips. "You never told me that you and this Mulder guy were an item," Heather replied, taking another sip. "That's 'cause we're not," Scully said, emphasizing the last word. "Then what was that all about?" Heather asked, gesturing with her hands. "Nothing," Scully replied, simply. "Yeah whatever. You like him, don't you?" Heather pried. "Not in the way that you're thinking. He's my partner, nothing more, and nothing less. He's my best friend, and I'd die for him; but we're not involved in the way that you're thinking. It's a special kind of relationship," Scully explained, taking a sip. "So.....you love him," Heather blurted out. Scully thought for a long moment, "Yeah, I guess I do." "Well, why haven't you done anything about it?" Heather demanded. "Things are complicated. I don't think that he shares the same feelings that I do, and I would never want to ruin what we have now. I just could never picture my life without him," Scully answered truthfully. "That's what you need to tell him," Heather said, setting down her coffee. "I don't know. I don't want to think about it right now. Let's talk about us," Scully smiled, and then added, "and the whales." Heather smiled as well, as they began talking. "So, how long have you worked at Sea World?" Scully asked. "Ever since I graduated. Well, I guess it was a little after, because I had to work hard on my swimming," Heather answered. "Do you work with all of the whales, or just one in particular?" Scully asked, placing an elbow on the table. "You work with all of the whales. You aren't assigned to one at all, like some people think. Sometimes you are drawn to specific whales, though. There are ones that you really click with," Heather answered. Scully smiled, and then stood up. "What are you doing?" Heather asked, raising an eyebrow. "Getting stuff together. Let's go see those whales," Scully said, smiling from ear to ear. Scully's Apartment January 26 8:45 PM The next few days went by quickly. Heather and Scully caught up on old times, and packed for their trip to the West Coast. It was the day before they were leaving. "You all packed, Dana?" Heather asked, eating out of a carton of ice cream. "Yeah, just about. Except for my toothbrush and stuff, but everything else is ready," Scully called from her room. "Good, cause our plane leaves bright and early tomorrow morning at 6:30, sharp!" Heather yelled, with her mouth full of ice cream. "I don't know why you had to book our flight so early," Scully said as she walked into the living room. "All the more time to play with the whales," Heather replied, with a spoon in her mouth. "Well, I better get some shut eye, if I'm going to be presentable to the world tomorrow," Scully said, smiling. "Okay, Dana. I'm just going to finish your ice cream here, and then I'm hitting the sack too. See you in the morning!" Heather called. "Good night," Scully said, softly. Somewhere over the United States 7:36 AM, Pacific Standard Time The next morning was busy with Heather and Scully trying to share one bathroom. After much deliberation and rushing, they were off to the airport. The flight was long, and boring. The pair entertained themselves by throwing popcorn high in the air, and then attempting to catch it in their mouths. Scully couldn't remember having this much fun, especially on a airplane. She was usually scared of flying. "Hey, when we get to San Diego, we need to go right to Sea World. I have to talk to Josh and see how he's doing. You don't mind do you?" Heather asked, breaking Scully's thoughts. "No, not at all. Who's Josh?" Scully asked, smiling like a little girl. "My boyfriend. We've been dating for over a year, now. It just so happens that he has a similar fascination with whales. When we first met, we were just friends, but it turned into romance soon after," Heather informed her. "Oh, cute. I'd like to meet this guy that stole your heart," Scully said, playfully hitting Heather in the arm. "You will. Hey! Look out the window, we're landing here in a sec," Heather pointed out. After explaining to Heather that she wasn't going to look out the window if her life depended on it, Scully buckled her seat belt for the incoming landing. Sea World 11:03 AM The park was crowded. Children dashed between the plethora of tanks and rides, while their parents exhaustedly tried to keep up. Scully looked around in wonder, not having been to Sea World since she was a teenager. "*That* is fun," Heather commented, pointing to Shipwreck Rapids. The ride looked like a river raft ride to Scully. "Not as wet as the killer whale show, but it definitely cools you down, especially if you're the one who ends up under the waterfall." They headed through the park, joking and laughing, toward Shamu Stadium. "So, how many orcas are here now?" asked Scully. "Nine," Heather replied. "Soon to be only six. Three of them are going back to Sea World in Ohio." "Wow, that's a lot for one park," Scully pointed out. Heather nodded. "Yeah, I think tensions in the tank will go down a bit when they all have more space." As they approached the viewing area, a huge grin broke out on Scully's face when she saw a dorsal fin cut through the water. She hurried to the glass windows, watching intently as a huge killer whale with a bent fin approached. She giggled at the sight: his dorsal was flopped over halfway from the top, like the hat "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." "That's Ulysses," Heather explained. "He's a sweetie!" Ulysses squawked at Heather. Other guests began to crowd around, unaware that Heather was one of the trainers. Heather led Scully out through the crowd toward the show pool. A young orca, still retaining a slight orange tint to his skin, swam up to them. "Hey, Sumar!" Heather called. She turned to Scully. "He's the 'baby' around here - very, very playful!" She led Scully behind the scenes in the stadium, with Sumar following close behind. "Heather! Hi!" One of the other trainers waved to them. They strode over to where the man was waiting with a pail of salmon. "Michael, this is my friend Dana," Heather introduced. Scully shook the man's hand. "Nice to meet you," she said. "Hey, think we could get her a picture with Corky?" Heather asked. Scully's face lit up. "Sure! I don't see why not," replied Michael. He handed the pail to Heather, and the three headed for the side of the pool. Several orcas were waiting, their eyes on the fish. Heather reached out to one whale, and rubbed its nose. "Hey, girl," she cooed. The orca inched up to the side of the tank and peered at the newcomer. "Okay, this is Corky, here." Heather pulled a salmon from the pail and handed it to Scully. "Watch out how you hold that, it's been cut open to check for hooks." Scully turned it slightly, inspecting the slit along the fish's belly. "Okay, just dump that into her mouth, head first." Scully leaned over and cautiously slid the salmon into the waiting orca's mouth. "Straight down," she said with a nervous laugh as Corky opened her mouth for more. Heather rubbed Corky's nose. "All right, just move up here," she instructed. Scully watched Corky warily as she leaned over the side of the tank. "Now just hold your arms out." Scully did as she was told, and suddenly Corky was in her arms. A grin spread across her face, and she wrapped her arms around the orca's huge head. Heather snapped a picture for her, and Scully reluctantly let Corky go. "Wow," was all she could manage. "Isn't that amazing?" Heather asked. "All those times I hoped I could be the one to hug Shamu in the show..." "And you got to! Well, not in the show, but you got to hug an orca!" Heather was beaming. Heather and Scully walked around to the other side of the tank. "I still can't believe it!" Scully exclaimed. "I mean, my whole life I've wanted to touch a whale, and I just did. I think that I'm forgetting what it felt like!" she added. Heather only laughed. "Don't worry Dana, it won't be the last time that you touch an orca," Heather smiled. "I sure hope not. That was so...amazing." Scully searched for the word. "I know. I still can't get over it, and I've been working with them forever!" Heather replied. "This is going to be a vacation worth taking. I can't even remember the last time that I went on vacation. I'm always going places with Mulder, but I really don't consider that vacation. One of us always almost ends up dead," Scully offered, rolling her eyes. "I really want to meet this guy that my Dana has fallen for! But in the meantime, let’s go find Josh, and see what's up with him," Heather suggested. "Okay," Scully said, ignoring the first part of Heather's statement. Heather and Scully walked out of the main stadium, and headed for the dolphin exhibit. "I thought that you said that Josh was a whale trainer?" Scully asked, confused. "I did, but I didn't say that he was a killer whale trainer. He's a pilot whale trainer. The pilot whales perform with the bottlenose dolphins," Heather explained. "Oh, I get ya," Scully replied. "Yeah, he really loves those pilot whales. I'm trying to convince him to transfer over to the killer whale stadium, but heaven forbid he parts from Bubbles and Shadow," Heather said, sarcastically. "Bubbles and Shadow?" Scully asked, raising her eyebrow. "The pilot whales. Cute names, huh?" Heather asked, smiling. Scully smiled and they continued walking. As they neared Rocky Point, Heather walked ahead. Scully followed close behind. She looked at the surroundings-the warm weather, familiar palm trees-it was perfect. While looking around, she didn't see the step up to the pool, and fell flat on her face. Heather turned around just in time to see the fall, and a man close behind. "Are you okay?" A familiar voice asked. Scully looked up into the most beautiful hazel eyes, and then she knew. "Mulder?" Scully asked, dazed. "Scully?" Mulder asked, just as confused. "What are you doing here?" They both asked in unison. Heather laughed, in the back. "Scully, what are you doing here?" Mulder asked, again, helping Scully to her feet. "I'm here on vacation," Scully answered. "What are you doing here?" She asked, brushing herself off. "I'm here on a case. Scully, you're knee is bleeding," Mulder pointed out. Mulder knew her next answer before it was even said. "I'm fine. What are you doing here for a case?" Scully asked. "Well, I heard about this dolphin psychic here at Sea World, so here I am," Mulder said, smiling. Heather coughed, making them both look up. "Oh, gosh, Heather, come here," Scully apologized. Heather walked over to the pair. "Mulder, this is Heather, we grew up together. She's a whale trainer here," Scully explained. "Heather, this is my partner, Fox Mulder," Scully added. Heather stuck out her hand, and Mulder took it. "Nice to meet you, Fox," Heather offered. "Mulder. Nice to meet you too," Mulder corrected. "Sorry. Um...Dana, if you want to talk to Fo..I mean Mulder, I'll be right back. I just need to talk to Josh. Don't go anywhere!" Heather ordered. "I won't. Thanks, Heather," Scully said. "No problem," Heather said, walking away. Scully turned to Mulder who was eyeing her over. "Mulder, what are you doing?" Scully demanded. "Oh, just looking at you. See, Scully, I didn't know that there was anything other than your little FBI clothing, and you look nice in a shirt and shorts," Mulder explained. "Mulder, not that! What are you doing here?" Scully questioned. "I already told you," Mulder pointed out. "A dolphin psychic?" Scully asked, raising an eyebrow. "Sure! It's not without precedent, you know. Some years ago, a man in New Zealand claimed he could talk to the dolphins. He'd take his boat out to sea with a bunch of reporters and cameras, and they'd video tape him as he had the dolphins do tricks for him." Mulder grinned at her. "That'd come in handy in a place like this, you know. Anyway, I haven’t seen any sign of this guy yet." Scully rolled her eyes and glanced at the dolphins chasing each other about the pool. "So what drew you here?" she pressed. "Did this person direct the dolphins to kill? Were they abducted by aliens?" "Scully, you wound me," Mulder whined, placing his hand on his chest. "Call it curiosity." "I thought you said you were here on a case?" He looked her over, ignoring the question. "You're here on vacation, you said?" "Yeah, I ran into Heather on Saturday, or rather, she ran into me. I haven't seen her since I graduated high school. We got to talking, and she invited me down to meet the whales." She grinned. "I figured I could call it a trip to see Bill or something else less frivolous than flying across the country to see orcas." "She works with the orcas?" Mulder asked excitedly. "Yeah, didn't she say that?" "No, she said she worked with the whales. I thought she meant these pilot whales, here." His eyes sparkled. "Heather's always had her sights set on being a killer whale trainer. I'm glad she got the chance," Scully answered with a sigh. Mulder cocked his head slightly. "Do I detect a hint of jealousy?" Scully shot him a look, then gave in and shrugged. "I suppose, yeah. When we were kids, we'd visit Sea World all the time. God only knows how long we spent watching the whales. I was sure that when I grew up, I'd a be a trainer here." "And look where you ended up," Mulder finished, grinning. Scully looked up to see Heather approaching, a Band-Aid in one hand. The woman handed it to Scully, who quickly slapped it on the cut. Heather gestured at the stands, which were rapidly filling with guests. "Josh's got a show to do, you want to watch?" Scully grinned and nodded. Heather glanced at Mulder, offering to let him join them. After a quick look at Scully to make sure it was okay with her, he nodded, and they headed for the bleachers. They chose a spot towards the top of the "splash zone" where they would get wet enough to cool down without getting totally drenched. Scully sat between Heather and Mulder, peeking around the stage at the holding pools. Several dolphins and pilot whales milled around, waiting for show time. As she turned to ask Mulder how long he was planning to stay in the area, she caught him studying her. "What?" Mulder frowned at her and made his best wounded puppy dog face. "You don't have a white t-shirt on," he complained playfully. Scully laughed, and Mulder smiled at the sound. "Sorry, Mulder." The background music faded, and several dark forms darted beneath the surface of the water. The announcer's voice came over the loudspeaker, and four bottlenose dolphins burst from the water in perfect unison. The audience gasped and cheered as they raced around the tank, then skyrocketed into the air again. Three trainers appeared on the stage, waving to the crowd. They introduced the show, and gave a few facts about dolphins. An upbeat song filled the air, and Mulder let out a laugh. "Jeremiah was a bullfrog, Was a good friend of mine..." He glanced mischievously at Scully, who was turning red under his gaze. "What's the matter, Scully? Don't you like this song?" Mulder asked as he playfully tapped Scully on the arm. "Sure I do, but I like this other song better. It's called Walking in Memphis," Scully said, looking at Mulder. Mulder blushed, and they both turned their attention back to the show. Right as they looked, a pilot whale breached and water came flying at them. Scully and Heather screamed at the top of their lungs, while Mulder hid behind Scully to avoid getting wet. "Mulder, you're such a baby," Scully yelled playfully. "Am not!" Mulder replied in defense. The announcer began speaking again, "Okay, guys! Here's the part of the show, where you come and join us! Let's see, who are we going to pick today?" Trainers came out from the stage, running into the audience, looking for someone to pick. A woman walked by the group, and stopped. "Hey you!" She called, pointed to Mulder. "Me?" Mulder asked, pointing to himself. "Yeah, you! Come on!" She offered. Mulder stood up and walked to the bottom of the stadium, while Scully and Heather cheered him on. "Okay, we got our next victim here," The announcer said as the audience laughed. "What's your name?" The trainer asked, on microphone. "Mulder," "Okay, Mulder, have you even seen a pilot whale up close?" the trainer asked. "No," Mulder shrugged. "Well, take a look. This here is Shadow. Let's give him a hello," the trainer offered. Mulder stepped up on the step to get a better look at the whale, then turned to the trainer for instructions. "Okay, why don't you hold out your arms, and wave Shadow a 'hello'?" The trainer asked. Mulder did what he was told, but as he did, a huge wave came over the side of the pool. Shadow was spitting on him! Mulder shrieked and yelled as he jumped off the step, and the audience laughed and cheered. Scully and Heather were standing up and clapping as Mulder returned to his seat. Scully was laughing so hard her side hurt. "Well, thanks for seeing the dolphin show today, folks! We have another show today this afternoon at two o’clock! Have a great day here at Sea World!" The announcer concluded. "Mulder...you...were...so ...funny!" Scully exclaimed between laughs. "Thanks," Mulder replied sarcastically. He was drenched. "Come on," Heather said, "we'll get you some dry clothes. Follow me," She added, smiling. Mulder and Scully followed Heather back to Shamu Stadium. They walked past the viewing tank, where two whales, Orkid and Sumar, watched them closely. Mulder smiled as they walked past the whales. "Hold on a sec here, and I'll get you a shirt," Heather offered. "Okay," Mulder said, "Thanks." "No problem," Heather replied. Heather disappeared behind the stadium, and Mulder and Scully walked back to Orkid and Sumar. Sumar clicked and squealed as her remembered Scully. Orkid looked on in amusement. "Look, Scully. He acts like he knows you!" Mulder pointed out. Scully pressed her face against the glass, and Sumar came closer. Only the glass was separating whale and human. Then Scully turned toward Mulder, who was making faces at Orkid. She giggled. "What?" Mulder asked. "What are you doing?" Scully demanded. "Come on, Scully. I'm interacting with the whales," Mulder replied, trying to sound smart. "Is that what you call it?" She asked, rolling her eyes. Mulder stuck his tongue out at Orkid, who returned the gesture. Scully couldn't help but laugh at the two. "I see you and Orkid have met," called Heather from behind them. Mulder and Scully spun around, and Mulder just caught the t-shirt Heather threw at him before it hit him in the face. "You want a really smart whale, look at her," Heather told them. Mulder looked sideways at Orkid, who rolled onto her back and waved her flippers about. "She does things just to see what reaction she'll get." Scully turned back to the tank, only to find Sumar with his tongue pressed against the glass. She laughed aloud, and the orca called back to her. As quickly as they had come the whales disappeared. Heather led them to a small food stand outside the stadium, and they each grabbed a bite to eat. As they sat down on a park bench, Heather turned to Mulder. "So, how long have you two been working together?" she asked. "About seven years now," replied Mulder, licking a drip on his ice cream cone. "And I'm still waiting for a desk," Scully added. Mulder raised an eyebrow at her. "What about you?" he asked Heather. "How long have you been working at Sea World?" "About sixteen years," Heather answered with a grin. "I got lucky. About a year after high school, I got a job training sea lions. It was tricky to balance with college, but I managed." "What about the killer whales?" Scully queried. "How long have you been working with them?" Heather thought for a moment. "For about six years. I've been through each stadium a couple times. That's the thing about being a trainer here: you get transferred all the time, especially when you're just starting. Once you move up, you get a lot more say in where you go." "Let me guess what you picked," Mulder said with a grin. "Orcas! What else?" She laughed. "I love all the other animals, but the orcas are my favorite. There's just something about being flung into the air by a three-ton whale that entices me." "Doesn't that hurt your ears, diving to the bottom?" asked Scully. Heather shrugged. "Not really. It does at first, but you get used to it." She paused. "Although, I did hear that one trainer in one of the other parks didn't equalize the pressure in his ears when he went down with a whale. He blew out his eardrums when he came back up in a hydro - that's when the orca pushes the trainer in the air." Mulder and Scully winced. "Ouch," Mulder commented. Heather nodded. "It's only about 40 feet, but that's still over two atmospheres of pressure at the bottom." Glancing at her watch, Scully pointed out, "It's 2:45 now. When is the next killer whale show?" "Probably 4:45," answered Heather. "Unless they've changed it today." She grabbed a park map that someone had dropped on the ground. "Yeah, it's at the usual time. Do you guys want to visit Rocky Point?" "What's that?" asked Mulder. "That would be what everyone affectionately calls the 'dolphin-petting pool'," she replied. Scully and Mulder's eyes lit up. "Yeah!" Scully responded enthusiastically. The three got up from their seats and headed towards Rocky Point Preserve. Before they could even see Rocky Point, they heard the dolphins. They could hear the splashes, as they breached through the water. They could hear the familiar whoosh of their blowholes as they came up for air. They could even hear their clicks and buzzes. Mulder and Scully smiled eagerly at one another. "You guys hang tight here, while I go get some fish. You think that you can manage to stay out of trouble?" Heather asked sarcastically. "I don't know. You're talking about Mulder and Scully here," Mulder said with a grin. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Just promise me that I don't have to dive into the bottom of the pool to find you," Heather said smiling. "Cross my heart," Mulder smiled. Heather walked away, shaking her head. Scully turned to the pool just in time to see a dolphin pop its head out of the water, and grin at her. Scully giggled in response. Mulder was busy trying to get a dolphin to come over in his direction, however, the dolphins weren't too taken with him. Scully only laughed harder. She reached out her hand to touch the friendly dolphin. As her hand met the dolphin's rostrum, it made a clicking noise, and moved closer. The dolphin felt just like a wet beach ball. His skin was smooth, and firm. She turned her attention to Mulder, who was splashing away, trying his hardest to make a dolphin come over to him. Scully laughed out loud. He looked like an idiot. You would never think that this man was an FBI agent. "Mulder," Scully said, giggling, "You're going about it all wrong. Don't try to make them come to you, let them come to you. They're curious, and they'll eventually come over, but not if you're splashing around like that!" Scully added, walking over to Mulder. The dolphin followed close behind. "Look, just stick your hand out there, above the water," Scully offered, taking Mulder by the hand, and placing it out over the water. As if on cue, the friendly dolphin came closer. He turned his head, side to side, just to see what Mulder was all about. Scully continued to hold his hand steady over the pool. Finally, the dolphin came up, and nudged Mulder's hand and then took off! "Mulder, he's playing with you!" Scully cried, reluctantly letting his hand go. "Playing? I don't want to play with him, I want to pet him," Mulder whined. "Mulder, grow up," Scully laughed, as she walked to the other side of the pool. "Easy for you to say! The dolphins like you!" Mulder called after, grinning. Mulder turned to see Heather walking toward them with a tray of fish in each hand. "Well, I'm glad to see that you two are still alive," Heather joked. All at once, every dolphin in the tank was drawn to the three at the sight of the trays full of fish. "Yeah," Mulder said, looking at the dolphin, "Now you come over to me." Scully and Heather rolled their eyes, almost in unison. The next hour or so was spent at Rocky Point. Heather filled them in about all the dolphins. They splashed and played with the dolphins, running around the pool with them, chasing them, just like little kids. When the fish were gone and the dolphins began to lose interest, Heather turned to Mulder and Scully. "Come on, guys. Let's head back to Shamu Stadium. I'm working this evening. The show will be starting in a little while here, and I have to get ready. You guys need to go there, so that you can get good seats," Heather pointed out. "Let's go!" Mulder yelled, playfully. "Come on Scully, I'll race you there!" Mulder challenged. "Mulder, you're so....so.....Mulder. You're on!" Scully screamed as she raced past him. They ran the whole way back. "That's not fair," Scully complained when they reached Shamu Stadium. "You've got longer legs!" "Let's not start the name-calling, now," Mulder reprimanded. Heather headed backstage, while Mulder and Scully seated themselves. Several of the whales swam around the show pool, eyeing the park guests. The show began with a splash - literally. The audience screeched as a tidal wave soaked guests a dozen rows up. As the show continued, Mulder and Scully marveled at Heather’s ease with such giant animals. Part of the way through the show, Mulder glanced at Scully. She was gazing at the whales with a dreamy look on her face, as if imagining herself in Heather’s place. Mulder smiled and turned back to the show just in time to see Heather rocketed into the air by a whale. Finally, the show ended, and Mulder and Scully headed down to the side of the pool. Upon spotting Mulder, Orkid hurried to the side of the tank to visit. She pressed her tongue to the glass and twirled around, showing off. Mulder laughed aloud, and started copying her. Scully laughed and snapped a picture just as Heather appeared behind them. "Say, what do you guys think about coming with me and meeting all of the whales back stage. Dana, you've only really met Corky, Orkid and Sumar. What do ya say we go have a look at the rest of the gang?" Heather offered. Scully's face lit right up, and she grabbed Mulder's arm as she pulled him backstage with her. Heather led Mulder and Scully over to the haulout, where buckets of fish were waiting. Several orcas followed them over. "Well," Heather said, bending to over to the fish buckets, "you got to hug an orca, now how would you like to ride on one?" Heather asked with a grin. “I can give a signal for one of them to come up here on the stand, and then you can hop on its back, and I can snap a picture," Heather explained. "That would be awesome!" Mulder replied. "Yeah!" agreed Scully, beaming. "Okay then," Heather said, eyeing each orca that was present, "I think we'll have...Takara come up this time." Heather signaled the other whales away to another trainer, while Takara waited patiently. "Okay, so here's what happens. You pull off your shoes, and I'll give Takara the signal, and when she comes on the stand, just go and climb on top of her. She's very affectionate to most everyone, so don't be afraid. I'll stand back and take a picture of you guys, and then you can pet her until she wants to go back in. Got it? Oh, and be sure that you don't sit over her blow hole," Heather warned. Mulder and Scully nodded and pulled off their shoes. Heather walked onto the platform, with Mulder and Scully close behind. She first rubbed the orca's nose, and then stood up, waving a signal. Takara instantly went into action. She completely submerged herself, before throwing her massive body onto the stand. Mulder and Scully splashed through the ankle deep water over to Takara. Heather stood back, finding a good position to take the picture. Scully ran her hands over Takara's smooth skin, then threw her left leg over the other side of Takara, and pulled herself on top. "Hey, Scully, I didn't think that you could get your little legs over the whale," Mulder joked as he climbed on right behind her. Mulder finally managed to get one leg on each side of the whale. He slid up closer to Scully, who was near Takara's head, but not on the blow hole. Scully rubbed the whale's back. Her head nearly spun with exhilaration as it finally hit home that she was astride a killer whale. It was a life-long dream, realized. Mulder grabbed Scully's arms and held them in the air, as they both smiled widely for the camera. Heather took the picture quickly, then walked over to join them. Mulder was the first to dismount. Mulder took Scully’s hands, and helped her slide off Takara's back. Heather walked over to them, noticing Mulder's small gesture. Takara squawked, as if in approval, still on the stage. With a bit of help from Heather, Takara slid back into the water, still chittering away at the two FBI agents. She downed the reward given to her, then immediately opened her mouth wide for more. When none came, she rolled onto her side and made a noise not unlike human flatulence. Mulder and Scully hopped down from the side of the tank, and pulled their shoes back on. Heather handed them each a bucket and led them to the small building behind the pools. "Now, your payment," she snickered. "I got you on this one: you have to help me wash buckets." January 27 6:45 AM Mulder quietly snuck into Scully's room, all the while smiling. He tiptoed over to her bed, and leaned over. Then with everything that was inside him, he yelled, "WAKE UP!" Scully flew up from her position, eyes wide. She turned to see Mulder, bouncing on her bed, laughing like a little kid. Her eyes narrowed, as she went in for the kill. Scully flew from her spot, and tackled Mulder to the bed. Mulder was laughing hysterically. Scully, on the other hand, was not so happy. When she finally decided that he had received enough torture, she reluctantly let him up. "Mulder," she complained. "I was sleeping." She rubbed her eyes. "I know. But I thought that if we were going back to Sea World, we better get a move on,” replied Mulder. “But it’s not even seven in the morning!” Mulder shrugged. “The early bird gets the worm!” "Well, I better get ready," Scully said, standing up. "Why bother? You're going to get really wet anyway," Mulder pointed out. "I don't care. I'm going to look decent," Scully said as she walked to the bathroom. "Come back in an hour, and I'll be ready," she added. An hour later, Mulder walked up to Scully's hotel room, ready for the day. He was wearing a Sea World T-shirt that he had bought the day before, and a pair of long khaki shorts. He knocked on the door, waiting for Scully. A few moments later, Scully appeared at the door, ready to go. She, too, was wearing a Sea World shirt, and a pair of board shorts. Mulder looked Scully over with a gleam in his eye. "Don't even say a word," Scully warned. Sea World 8:01 AM They drove to Sea World in silence, but once they got there, it was another story. “Hey, Scully, what are we going to do about this whole psychic guy thing?” Mulder asked. Scully shot him a look. “We? I’m on vacation!” Rolling his eyes, Mulder replied, “Okay, what am *I* going to do about it?” “Have you looked for this person?” Mulder shook his head vehemently. “Scully, this park is huge. That’s a needle in a haystack.” “Well, not if you think about it,” she replied. “I mean, this person is most likely hanging out around dolphins or whales, right? And how many places in the park are there that have dolphins? Four, maybe?” She paused. “Unless you’re making this whole thing up to write off travel expenses…” Mulder looked at her in feigned shock. “Would I ever do that, Scully?” As if by magic, Heather appeared in front of them. She was soaked from head to toe. "Looks like someone had a run-in with a whale," Mulder commented dryly. Heather laughed. "Yeah, that's pretty accurate. Actually, the whales had some help." Raising an eyebrow, Scully said, "I'm almost afraid to ask." "I got cornered by the other trainers this morning. They had the hose, I had nothing. After being chased outside, I ended up between them and the tank." She wrung the water out of her hair. "So, what are you guys planning to do today?" "Oh, I called my brother, and he and his family are coming to the park," Scully replied. Mulder groaned loudly. Scully shot him a look of pity. "Ah, another day at Sea World," Heather said proudly. "Well, that is what I came here for, right?" replied Scully. Shifting uncomfortably, Mulder broke in. "Why don't I go ask around a bit more? Maybe I can find out more about this rumored dolphin psychic?" Scully knew exactly what he really meant - "can I go do something else to stay away from Bill?" Instead of pointing it out, she simply nodded. Mulder headed for the dolphin stadium, leaving Heather and Scully behind. “What’s up with him?” Heather asked, confused. Scully explained to her Bill’s intense dislike of Mulder. “Ohhhh,” Heather said slowly. “Go figure. Bill does tend to piss other people off, huh?” Scully nodded grimly. “At least he doesn’t chase us down the street with worms anymore,” she replied with a small smile. Heather laughed, remembering how Bill had annoyed them as children. Then her smile faded, and she let out a dramatic sigh. “Well, I got to get back to work,” she announced. “I’ll see you two later!” She trotted off toward Shamu Stadium, leaving Scully to wait for her brother and his family. Dolphin Stadium 9:41 AM Mulder wandered around the stadium, watching the playful dolphins. A pilot whale raced by, sending a wave over the glass. "Oh, no you don't!" Mulder called. "Not again!" A couple of kids nearby giggled, and Mulder smiled at them. Another man stood nearby, intently watching the dolphins. One of them stared straight back at him. He seemed to be deep in concentration. Even as the dolphin raced away, the man's expression did not change. The dolphin flew from the water, then landed with an immense splash. It was joined by another dolphin, then another. They flew through the water in what seemed like a carefully orchestrated dance. Everyone in the audience was laughing and cheering - all except the man. He still sat, watching the water in deep concentration. "Excuse me," Mulder called. The man did not move. Mulder called again, louder, but still got no response. He walked cautiously toward the man. When he reached a hand out, the man started. "Sir, are you okay?" Mulder asked concernedly. The man nodded brusquely. "Yes, yes, I'm fine." He seemed rather irritated that he had been disturbed. "Well, it's just that it seemed like there was something wrong," Mulder tried. "Well, there isn't. Why do you care about me anyway?" The man asked, rudely. "Sorry. I was just wondering. You seemed pretty engrossed in the dolphins." Mulder commented, making conversation. "Dolphins are my life," the man replied, turning his gaze to the water. "How's that? Do you work with them?" Mulder questioned. "I've studied them all my life. I did some work over by the Florida Keys with wild dolphins. They talk to me," The man added. "The dolphins talk to you?" Mulder asked, taking a seat by him. "I talk to them too. People don't believe me, and they don't have to. It's not my problem," The man said, looking for a dolphin to appear. "Well, I believe you," Mulder said, looking for the dolphins. The man turned to Mulder and said nothing. "Why would you believe me, when you don't even know me?" The man asked. "I believe in things that people usually don't. I know what it's like. Some of the people who are closest to me don't really believe me," Mulder pointed out. "Like who?" The man asked, turning to Mulder. "A ...friend. Although, I think that she is starting to see what I do. She's more open to the things that I say, now," Mulder replied. "People don't have to believe you. It's what you know that matters," the man stated. "My name is Mulder," Mulder said sticking out a hand. "Jeff," the man said, returning the gesture, "Nice to meet you," he added. "Hey, I need to go talk to a friend of mine, are you going anywhere?" Mulder asked. Jeff laughed softly. "I suppose I’ll be heading over to Wild Arctic. I haven’t spent time with the belugas for awhile." Mulder jogged away from dolphin stadium. He needed to find Scully. Shamu Stadium 10:34 AM Matthew giggled at the killer whales as they drifted around the tank. Scully looked lovingly at her nephew, then back at Orkid, who had taken to goofing off in front of the ever-growing crowd. The whale spun in stationary circles, waving her flippers about. Bill put a hand on his sister's shoulder. "You sure know how to pick 'em, Dana!" he laughed. She raised an eyebrow at him. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked playfully. "Let's just say you need this vacation from that partner of yours, before you get yourself killed!" he chastised her with a smile. Scully bit her lip and looked about uncomfortably. "Dana...?" "Hey Scully, check this out!" Bill spun around, a dark expression forming on his face, only to see Mulder jogging up behind him. Mulder smiled nervously at Bill, then turned to Scully. "I just talked to this guy who claims he can talk with dolphins," he bubbled. "Really?" Bill asked sarcastically. Scully shoot her brother a look of ice, then grabbed Mulder's arm and pulled him away. "Sorry to interrupt you guys," Mulder said sheepishly. Scully shook her head. "No, no that's fine. What's up?" "Well, I was at the dolphin stadium , and there was a man there, who claims he was talking with the dolphins." Raising a skeptical eyebrow, Scully replied, "Talking *with* the dolphins? Not to?" "With, Scully. As in, having a two-sided conversation," Mulder answered with a grin. "What did the dolphins say? Feed me fish?" she asked dryly. Mulder ignored the statement. "He didn't tell me. But he had the dolphins doing a dance!" Scully tried to keep from laughing. "Seriously! You should've seen it! This guy is the real thing." He frowned at her when she didn't respond. "Anyway, he said he was headed for the Wild Arctic exhibit. I’m gonna go talk to him some more. I think this is the guy I’ve been looking for!" As he jogged away, Scully watched him go with a mix of exasperation and curiosity on her face. Then, she turned back to Bill, Matthew, and Tara. "What was that all about?" asked Bill. "I thought you were on vacation!" Scully nodded slowly. "I am. It just so happens that I ran into Mulder here." "Dana, You know he probably followed you out here," warned Bill. "Bill! Stop it! He left long before I did. I hadn't even decided to visit here yet." She grew defensive. "Besides, at least he's covering me in case something happens," she finished lamely. "What's gonna happen?" Bill's expression changed to one of worry. "Nothing's gonna happen!" "Then why do you need him following you around?" Scully sighed loudly and shook her head. "Come on," she said, turning back to the tank. She turned around just in time to see a huge wave crash over the side of the tank, soaking her and Bill. Bill and Scully shook themselves off, hoping that the California sun would help dry them. Bill turned to Scully. "You know Dana, I just don't know what you see in that Mulder," he confessed, honestly. "Bill, you don't know Mulder like I do. You don't see him the way that I do. He has saved my life so many times, that I can't even count anymore. He's very protective, and I think that sometimes, too protective. You just have to learn to understand where he's coming from. When I first met him, I thought that he was crazy. Now, I even believe him once in awhile, when there's enough scientific proof," Scully explained. "So, you believe that there is a guy over there that talks to dolphins?" Bill asked sarcastically. "Well, if Mulder says that there is, then I think that there might be. I trust him Bill. I trust him with my life. I have to, otherwise, we both would have been dead a long time ago. It's the trust that keeps us going; that keeps our relationship going," Scully added. "And what exactly is that relationship?" Bill asked, emphasizing the last word. "I don't know, really. It's hard to explain. But Bill, promise me that you'll treat Mulder with respect no matter what happens. He doesn't hate you. To tell you the truth, I think that he's a little bit afraid of you," Scully said with a laugh. "That's 'cause he knows I could kick his butt," Bill snorted. "Please Bill, just give him a chance. I think that if you really got to know him, that you'd like him," Scully pleaded. Bill’s eyes narrowed skeptically. “How could I? He got Melissa killed. He nearly got you killed!” Shaking her head vehemently, Scully answered, “He didn’t, Bill. None of that was his fault. I’m in this by choice. Mulder has been there for me, he’s saved my life. If anything you could at least be civil to him.” “I can’t, Dana,” Bill replied, his voice low. “I just can’t accept what he’s caused.” Scully’s jaw tightened in anger, then she turned and left. Wild Arctic 11:39 AM Scully got off the introductory ride, and looked around at the exhibit before her. Two polar bears paddled around the pool, pushing a bright orange ball between them. Scully glanced about, but couldn't see Mulder anywhere. She wandered into the next room, where she was greeted by the sight of beluga whales. The room was surprisingly empty, save for one or two visitors - and Mulder. Crossing the room, Scully stopped next to Mulder, who was intently watching the belugas. "Hey," she said gently. "Hey." He looked down at her with a smile. "Are they talking to you yet?" Scully asked teasingly. "Nah, they seem to ignore me. They're more interested in each other." Scully smiled shyly. "It is that time of year for them..." Mulder couldn't help but laugh. “So, did you get to talk to this psychic guy?” Scully asked. Mulder shook his head. “He was gone when I got here.” He looked at Scully for a moment. “So I guess Bill was pretty pissed off that I was here?” “Yeah,” Scully said softly. “He’s just so…stubborn.” Mulder let out a low laugh. “And I’m not?” Scully smiled, and turned to look at the beluga whales milling around. Mulder watched her intently, admiring the way her eyes glittered as she gazed at the graceful animals. Seeing the beluga whales, inhabitants of polar regions, reminded Mulder of something. He took a deep breath, then spoke. “Hey, Scully, you remember when we were in Antarctica, out on the ice?” Scully nodded. “Of course.” “When I woke up and found you holding me, keeping me warm, I…I realized how lucky I am to have you as a friend, a best friend.” A small smile cross Scully’s features. “I’ve thought that myself, several times, how lucky I was to have *you* as a best friend.” Mulder shook his head. “But then I realized it was more than that.” He took another deep breath, then let it out slowly. "Scully...Dana." Her head snapped up at the use of her first name. "I've been meaning to tell you something for awhile now." She gazed up at him, curiosity flooding her features. "I..." He trailed off nervously, then reached out to take her hand. The butterflies in his stomach flitted anxiously. "I love you," he said finally. Scully's mouth hung open. Mulder studied her face intently, looking for any hint of her emotional reaction. "I'm...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything," he stammered. Scully just shook her head and smiled. "No, Mulder, don't be sorry," she admonished. "I…love you, too." Relief flooded over him, and he pulled her into a big hug. She smiled into his chest, and remained there for several moments before pulling back. Neither of them noticed the beluga whales that had gathered beside them, watching. Taking her face in his hands, Mulder slowly leaned forward. Scully gasped softly. She gazed up at him in anticipation. Their lips met gently in a simple, soft kiss. Scully melted into him, savoring the moment. Scully pulled away reluctantly, smiling coyly up at Mulder. They glanced at the belugas, two of whom were mimicking the kissing humans. Scully giggled at the sight, and Mulder wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Scully looked up at Mulder, smiling. Mulder gazed into her eyes. They were a deep, endless blue. They looked like the sea after a storm. He had never seen anything as beautiful, and now they were shining with love. "Well, that only took us about…oh…eight years to say," Mulder said, joking. Scully laughed. "Yeah, something like that. I just didn't think that you felt that way about me. I knew that you respected me, and that you were protective, but I never really thought that you loved me," she confessed. “Although, back when we were in Dallas all those years ago, with the bomb at the federal building and everything, when I was supposed to go to Salt Lake, I thought that you did, a little, but I wasn't sure." "Scully, I've always loved you. From the day that you walked into my office, I knew that there was something special about you, and about everything that you did. The way that I saw how strong you were, how you have gone through so much. That's what has helped me realize that...that I loved you," Mulder admitted, still holding Scully. "Well, I'm glad that you told me," Scully said, smiling. They walked closer to the belugas, who were still watching them closely. "They're so cute," Scully said, snuggling into Mulder's chest. Mulder put his free hand onto the glass, as the beluga came closer. "I think that they look like those pilot whales, except for that these guys are white," Mulder observed. "Yeah, they kinda do," Scully agreed. "Hey, listen, Heather told me that there was an employee party tonight. She invited us to come. I was kinda thinking that we could go, you know like a - a…” His voice trailed off. “A date?” Mulder nodded sheepishly. “Yeah.” "Of course!!! Mulder, who would have thought that you were a romantic?" Scully replied with a grin. "I wasn't really, until I met you," Mulder confessed. At this remark, Scully stood on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips. Together, they walked hand in hand out of the Wild Arctic. Dolphin Stadium 12:04 PM Mulder led Scully down the stairs, toward the spot where the self-proclaimed dolphin psychic sat. He was in almost exactly the same position Mulder had left him in some time before. A tight-lipped smile crossed the man's face as a dolphin appeared before him, rolling in the water and chirping eagerly. In a flash, the dolphin took off again, barreling around the tank at breakneck speed. Scully flinched as a wall of water poured over the glass and just barely missed her. The dolphin screeched to a halt beside her, regarded her momentarily, then disappeared again. "You're back," the man stated without taking his eyes off the dolphin. "Yeah. Jeff, this is my friend, Dana Scully," Mulder introduced. They shook hands, and Mulder cringed a bit as Jeff looked Scully over critically. "You've worked with dolphins before," he said flatly. Scully's eyebrows shot up. "Excuse me?" "You have that sense about you, that only someone who's worked with them has," Jeff replied. Scully sighed and looked down. "Well, not really, unless you count a day spent following one of the whale trainers around for a day and dozens of visits to the park," she answered honestly. Jeff laughed. "Well, you've certainly got their attention." Frowning, Scully turned around, only to find herself face-to-face with several curious bottlenose dolphins. "Maybe you would've been better suited to be a trainer," continued Jeff. "In any case," Mulder interrupted, "I wanted to ask you about talking to those dolphins." "Such as?" "Such as how do you do it?" Mulder replied. Jeff laughed mirthlessly. "Does it matter?" Shrugging, Mulder replied, "Just curious, that's all." "Well, they don't think like we do. We think in terms of words. They think in terms of images. Pictures," he explained. "They can have conversations over ten times faster than we can." Scully's eyebrows shot up, but Mulder looked nonplussed. "So they 'talk' in images, too?" asked Mulder. Jeff nodded. "Yeah. Science hypothesized it, I know it." He smiled at them. "You ever hear of Frank Robson?" "Sure," replied Mulder. "He claimed he could communicate with dolphins, and showed the reporters his ability all the time." "Yeah, that's the one. He explained that he could concentrate on an image, and the dolphins would pick up on it. The thing is, his 'gift' is no more special than average psychic ability that's been developed. We can all do it, he just knows how to exercise it." Mulder turned to look at the dolphins, who still clustered around Scully. "Try it," Jeff urged. Scully looked at him skeptically. "Look into their eyes, concentrate on an image in your mind, and see what happens." Scully slowly turned around to face the dolphins. Taking a deep breath, she shut out all other noises and concentrated. Hard. Nothing happened. The dolphins just stared at her as if she were crazy. Scully suppressed a laugh and shook her head. Jeff smiled at her. "You'll get it eventually," he said. Scully looked at him with doubt. "I don't think so," she said as she put her hands on her hips. "Sure Scully, I can see you in a movie about it," Mulder said with a grin. "It'd kinda be like ‘Free Willy’." "Mulder, ‘Free Willy’ was about a killer whale, and about setting him free, not about talking to dolphins. That would be 'The Day of the Dolphin'." Scully explained. "It would be you, Scully, to know all of the little kid movies," Mulder grinned. "The Day of the Dolphin is slightly different than this," Jeff explained. "See, in that show, the dolphins talked back to the trainers in words. That's nothing of how they really do it," he added. Mulder nodded slowly as the dolphins started to click and squeak rapidly around Scully. She reached her hand over the side of the tank and patted one on the top of its shiny, rubbery head. In return it twirled around in circles, showing off. "See, they are communicating with you, I just don't think that you realize it." Jeff observed. "Yeah, but they do this to their trainers all the time," Scully argued. "Yes, but are you a trainer? No. You are a person that they have only seen for a few days, and yet they react to you like they've known you for years," Jeff replied. Scully shrugged and looked to Mulder, who was watching her as well. "Well," Jeff said, standing from his seat, "I'm going to head over to Rocky Point and see what those dolphins have to say to me," Jeff replied. "I'll see you folks later," he added, walking away. Mulder and Scully watched him disappear, and then turned to each other. "So what did you think of him?" Mulder asked as he walked over to Scully, putting his arms around her. "Mulder, all joking aside, I really don't know if he is psychic. I mean, I just think that whole concept is creepy. Do you think that he's faking it?" she asked, looking up at him. "I don't know. Maybe, but then again, maybe not," Mulder replied, smelling the scent of her hair. "What do you say that we go and find Heather? Maybe she knows something about the whole psychic concept, and maybe she's seen Jeff around," Mulder offered. "Sounds good to me," Scully said. Mulder draped his arm around her, and they headed for Shamu Stadium. Shamu Stadium 12:31 PM Back at the killer whale pool, they found that the Scully family had left. A few people milled around, watching the two whales in the main tank. Heather and the other trainers were nowhere to be seen. Scully gazed into the water, watching Corky swim laps around the pool on her back. The whale spotted her, paused to inspect the now-familiar visitor, then continued with her laps. Heather appeared near the stage. "I thought you might be back soon," she said with a smile. "You just couldn't stay away from the whales, could you?" Scully laughed. "No, I guess not. Hey, we've got a few questions for you." Raising an eyebrow, Heather replied, "Like what?" "Have you ever heard of psychic communication with dolphins?" Mulder asked. "You cut right to the chase, don't you?" Heather said. "I've heard claims of it, but I haven't actually encountered convincing proof of it. Not the way I think you're talking about." "How do you think I'm talking about it?" Heather thought for a moment. "Well, you say it like you mean actually having a conversation with them. I've never run into anything like that. On the other hand, I definitely think that we're communicating with them, but on a more basic level. You'd be hard-pressed to find any trainer here who doesn't think we communicate with them emotionally." "Have you ever seen anyone here who was trying to have an actual conversation with the dolphins?" Scully asked. Laughing, Heather answered, "Sure, all the time! It comes out pretty one-sided, at least as far as I can tell." She stopped and cocked her head. "That's not what you mean, though, is it? I did see one guy a few times who just sat and stared blankly at the dolphins. I don't think he even blinked once." "Was he kind of tall? With curly blond hair?" Mulder asked. "Um, I think so," Heather replied, unsure. "It was a long time ago. I remember I asked him what he was doing, and he didn't even look at me. He just said he was talking. We've gotten a lot of strange people around here, so I just left him alone." Scully looked back at Corky, who was still lounging around. The orca rolled onto her side, staring Scully right in the eye. Scully sucked in a sharp breath at the power of the gaze. She remained motionless for several moments before Corky turned and slipped back into one of the holding pools. Suddenly, the possibility of communication didn't seem so far out. Scully continued to scan the water surface to see if Corky would reappear, but she didn't. Scully sighed, then turned back to Heather and Mulder, who were busily chatting. "Heather, could I ask you a favor?" Scully said, looking at the settling water. "Sure, anything," Heather replied. "Could you bring one of the whales up on the haulout for a minute, so that I can try something. Maybe in particular, Corky?" Scully asked, hopefully. "Sure, I don't see why not," Heather said, shrugging her shoulders. She then pulled out a whistle that had disappeared under the safety of the collar of her shirt. She slapped the water lightly, signaling the whales. In no time at all, Corky broke the surface, spraying water all about. Seconds later, she disappeared into the cool waves, and soon after her head popped up, giving a 'hello'. Heather, Scully and Mulder walked over to where Corky waited. Heather knelt down and rubbed her rostrum gently, with a few little pats. Corky, in turn, clicked excitedly. Scully started taking off her shoes and socks, to get onto the ankle deep platform, while Mulder looked on, wondering what Scully was up to. Heather stood, waving her hands over her hand, then quickly moving them to the ground. Corky submerged herself, then threw herself onto the platform, raising her tail as if she was performing. Heather gave her a pat, then stood away to let Scully do whatever she was planning to do. Scully splashed over to Corky, who was opening and closing her mouth with excitement. Scully rubbed her hands over Corky's back, almost as if she was tickling the orca. She then bent down next to Corky's head and their eyes met. Scully breathed in slowly, concentrating with everything that she had inside her tiny body. Corky's small clicks subsided, as she stared at the woman before her. Scully closed her eyes, and pictured the ocean. An ocean that was full of orcas-jumping, leaping and playing, all alongside a setting sun. Without warning, Corky wriggled back into the water and disappeared. Scully stood up frantically, looking for her. She was no where to be seen. Suddenly the waves parted as Corky breached high into the air - flinging herself completely out of the water! She was clicking excitedly, then she hit the water again, creating a small tidal wave. Scully and Mulder looked at each other, without saying a word, while Heather looked at the both of them with questioning eyes. It was unbelievable. "How in the world did you do that?" Heather whispered finally. Scully glanced down at Corky, who had appeared next to the haulout. The orca waggled her tongue at Scully, seemingly urging her to play. "I don't really know," answered Scully. "It just...happened." Heather looked skeptically at her. "Does this have something to do with the guy you were asking me about?" Mulder nodded slowly. "He's here. He told us about what he could do. Theoretically, what we all can do." "Are you telling me that Dana just talked to Corky?" asked Heather. Her mouth formed a perfect 'o.' Scully shook her head vehemently. "No, no, I just...I just...I can't explain it!" she said, frustrated. "I want to talk to this guy," Heather demanded. Nodding, Mulder replied, "He said he was headed for Rocky Point." "Okay, let's go. I want to get to the bottom of this. Whatever he can do, I want to know!" Heather released Corky from the 'session' and pulled her sandals back on. Moments later, they were headed for Rocky Point. Rocky Point 1:36 PM Jeff leaned against the rail, watching the dolphins silently. They sped about the pool, taunting the visitors by swimming just out of reach. From time to time, they allowed themselves to be petted - as long as the person had a fish. On several occasions one or two dolphins would approach Jeff, making the other guests jealous. From the corner of his eye, he saw Mulder and Scully coming his way, along with another woman. A trainer. He bit his lip nervously. "Jeff?" Mulder called. Jeff turned toward them, unsure. "This is Heather, she's one of the trainers here," Scully introduced. "Well, I'm just Mr. Popularity today, huh?" Jeff said dryly. "I heard about what you can do," Heather explained. "I saw Dana do...*something*...something I want to know how to do." Jeff looked at Scully. "So you finally understand?" Scully shrugged. Jeff asked Heather, "How much did they tell you about it?" "Some, but I don't really understand very well. You say you just concentrate on it?" Jeff pursed his lips. "There's more to it than that. It is rather difficult to explain. You have to sort of open your mind." He turned toward the dolphin pool. Three dolphins appeared in front of him, then quickly vanished again. In the center of the pool, they shot high into the air in perfect unison, much to the delight of onlookers. Then they were in front of Jeff again. He gave them each a quick pat, and they disappeared. "How...?" Heather breathed. "It takes practice," Jeff said. "Just like any other skill." "So, in theory, I could get them to do that?" Jeff thought for a moment. "Not per se. It's up to them whether they want to do it or not. You're not telling them to do something, you're asking, really." Heather looked out at the dolphins. They had returned to their play, for the most part ignoring the people. Heather noted that they seemed to visit Jeff more than the other visitors. "Hey, well, you're doing this to dolphins, but I just saw Dana do something to one of my orcas," Heather pointed out. "Orcas are dolphins," Jeff replied, looking out at the water. "I know that. Orcas are more complicated that dolphins. They require something more. It's hard to explain, but I'm sure that you know what I'm talking about. Can orcas understand us as well in the way that you're speaking?" Heather asked, petting a dolphin that came moseying by. "Yes I understand what you're talking about, but I'm not sure about everything on the orca subject. I've mostly been doing this with dolphins - bottlenosed, common, spotted, you know. However, if Dana did whatever she did to that whale, I'm sure that it can be done. I wouldn't doubt it for a second," Jeff said, looking at Heather. "I don't understand how anyone can just do it, though," Heather confessed. "Well, I suppose that not just anyone can do it, but people who work closely with these animals, who understand them, who have spent time with them, they will be the ones that can do it. Obviously Dana can do it and without much practice. Maybe the orcas take to her more than the dolphins do," Jeff said, turning back to the dolphins who were playing a friendly game of tag. "Maybe," Mulder said, after a long pause. "I don't even really know what I did," Scully confessed, leaning over the side of the pool. "I just did it, and Corky responded. I didn't think that she would really do anything, but she did." she added. "Well, maybe Corky was tuned in as well," Mulder chimed in. "What do you mean by that?" Heather asked, her hands on her hips. "Well," Jeff butted in, "The animal has to be willing to work with you. You don't force them to do anything, like I said before. You sort of ask them." "I wonder if the rest of the whales would respond to you, Dana," Heather wondered aloud. "What do you mean?" Scully asked. "Keet, Keto, Sumar, Ulysses, Orkid, Takara, Splash, all of them. I wonder if they would listen to you, too?" Heather replied, naming a few of the whales. "I don't know," Scully replied. "Well, there's only one way to find out. Do you know what this would do for science?" Heather asked, walking away with Scully. Mulder turned to Jeff, "I think that I've walked miles around this park, just from going to Shamu Staduim to here." "I hear you," Jeff smiled. "Thanks for all of your help, and information," Mulder thanked him. "No problem," he said patting a dolphin. Shamu Stadium 2:17 PM Mulder wiped the sweat off his brow as he once again approached Shamu Stadium. The day wasn't particularly hot, but he was getting a real workout. Scully, on the other hand, didn't seem to tire at all. Mulder gazed at her dreamily as she entertained a pair of orcas. Her auburn hair, pulled back in a tight ponytail, made her seem more youthful than usual. To Mulder, she looked like a little kid. She laughed lightly as Orkid sent a wave of water over the glass, soaking her. Heather appeared with a pail of fish, and the whales followed her like a magnet. She waved Mulder and Scully over, and they headed backstage. "Okay, normally I wouldn't be doing this," she explained. "But whatever this talent is, it could be really useful." "Is that your justification for getting out of the grunt work?" Mulder laughed. Heather returned the smile. "Well, let's just say it's this or afternoon breakout." "Breakout?" Scully asked, aloud. "Yeah, that's when we weigh out all the fish for each whale, and put the vitamins in, and put them all on ice for use throughout the day. In the afternoon, we have to get out the next day's load of fish and put them in a tub of water to unfreeze them." She wrinkled her nose. "Anyway, I'm going to call Ulysses over here and see how he responds." Scully nodded and looked around the tank for the oddly- shaped dorsal fin. The sharp whoosh of breath surprised her was Ulysses surfaced right in front of her. Heather reached out and gave him a pat. "Okay, boy," she murmured. "Ready to go?" As if to reply, Ulysses nodded his head. Heather turned to Scully. "We need to set a goal here. I mean, we need to decide what we want him to do, and we can use that as a basis for comparison between what's expected and what actually happens." Scully nodded and looked down at Ulysses. "What should that be?" "Well, we've been working on his backflip. It's a bit complex, but that might give us a better idea of just how well this psychic thing works." Scully raised an eyebrow. "You're really buying into this psychic thing, aren't you?" "Of course!" Heather replied. "You did it yourself." "Maybe Corky was just picking up on body language," countered Scully. Heather thought for a moment. "Maybe. But something like that would take a lot more time together than you and Corky have had." She paused. "All right, let's get this going before we lose his attention." Scully turned back to Ulysses, who was watching them intently. She took a deep breath, then closed her eyes. She recalled Jeff's advice about opening her mind and willed herself to relax. A image formed in her mind of Ulysses soaring through the air on his back. When she opened her eyes, he had vanished. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Suddenly, Ulysses flew from the water, arching backwards and throwing his tail into the air. Scully gasped in amazement as Heather blew the whistle, and the whale raced back to the side of the pool for a reward. Heather plopped a handful of fish into Ulysses' giant mouth. He clicked and rolled over with delight. Heather turned to Scully. "I can't believe this. I mean, we've been working for a long time for him to get this behavior down. He's never done it that well before, and when he did it decently it was only with a lot of persuasion," Heather confessed, looking at Dana in disbelief. "I don't know how I did it," Scully replied honestly, "It just sort of happens." Mulder watched the scene. His arms were folded as he watched Scully do behaviors with whale after whale. It was almost unbelievable. "Okay," Heather said to Scully, "Let's see if we can get Splash over here. He's been having some problems with coming up on the haulout lately. I don't know why, I mean, he's done it a million times before. The last time that he got on the haulout, something must have spooked him, and he doesn't like going up there anymore," Heather explained to Scully. "Is there something kind of spooky over there?" Scully teasingly asked Ulysses. Behind her, Mulder called out in protest. "Okay," Scully said. She turned to Mulder while Heather called for Splash. Mulder winked at her, and Scully smiled back at him. "Okay, here he is," Heather said, interrupting Scully's thoughts. Scully turned to see an average size whale in front of her. Scully bent down, to give him a small pat on the rostrum, and he flipped his fins around with delight. "Just go whenever you're ready," Heather said, standing back. Scully placed her hand back on Splash's smooth forehead, and closed her eyes. She visualized orcas on the hunt, bringing themselves onto the sandbars to catch a nearby seal. She suddenly felt Splash move from under her hand. When she opened her eyes, he was gone. The water was settling. Without warning, Splash pulled himself onto the haulout, lifting his tail up - taking a bow for all to see. Mulder clapped with a grin as Splash took a handful of fish from Heather. She then blew her whistle, and Splash returned to the familiar water. Heather patted his back as he stayed nearby. "I can't believe this. No matter what we tried, we couldn't get him up there. He wouldn't even do it when we were practicing." Scully only looked at Heather, not really knowing what to say. She turned her attention to the bucket, now containing only ice. "Is that just ice?" Scully asked. "Yeah, they love it. They just like chewing on it," Heather explained. "Can I give Splash some?" Scully asked, with hope. "Sure, he deserves a treat," Heather obliged. Scully bent down and grabbed a handful of ice. At the sound, Splash popped up right in front of her, with his mouth wide open. Scully poured all the ice into his mouth, as he chomped away. When he was finished, he opened his mouth again, hoping for more. Instead, Heather moved Scully's hand into the whale's mouth. Scully pulled back nervously, but Heather urged her reach in. Running her hand over Splash's tongue nervously, Scully grinned. She took her hand away, then patted his head. "I still can't believe the way that the whales are all so taken with you," Heather said, in awe. "I don't know about that. Aren't they pretty much friendly with most everyone?" Scully asked. "Not really," Heather said with a grin. "Mostly just with the people that have the fish." Mulder made his way over to the haulout, and knelt down with Scully. He too, gave the whale a pat. At that moment, Bill and his family returned. Matthew giggled and reached for the water, trying to grab the killer whales on the other side. Scully suppressed a laugh. She rubbed Splash's back for a few moments, then helped him slide back into the water. She jumped down from the haulout, back onto the pavement. Slipping her shoes on, she wandered back to her brother. Mulder followed closely behind. "What's up?" she called. Bill turned and smiled at her. "Well, somebody's gotten a bit wet!" he laughed. "Matthew kept calling out for Shamu, so we thought we'd bring him back. Looks like we've got another huge killer whale buff in the family!" "Ooh, a future trainer," Heather broke in. Bill looked up in surprise. "Heather?" he asked incredulously. "I haven't seen you in years!" Heather grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. "I told you I'd be a whale trainer!" she said. Shaking his head, Bill replied, "Well, Dana told me the same thing, but look where she ended up!" "From the look of it, she could've been a great trainer!" Heather said. Scully ducked, her face blushing. "Yeah, she's got those orcas doing her every wish," pressed Heather, elbowing Scully. "Oh, really?" Bill raised an eyebrow at his sister. Orkid and Sumar appeared at the glass next to them, and Matthew shrieked and reached out toward him. Tara laughed and carried him over to the whales. "It seems like she's almost a dolphin psychic," Heather finished. Bill nodded slowly and looked over at Mulder suspiciously. "Don't look at me!" he exclaimed, holding his hands up. "She came to that conclusion on her own!" "Hey, I got a show to get ready for," Heather announced. "See you guys later!" Scully, Mulder, and Bill waved after her, then turned back to the tank. Matthew had captured the attention of the two whales, who were imitating his every move. "Must run in the family," Bill said with a smile. Tara grimaced. "I got to use the restroom," she said. She handed Matthew to Bill. "Be back in a few minutes." Bill nodded as she headed off. Matthew cried out after her, his face scrunching up. When he started to whimper, Bill became uneasy. "Okay, okay," he cooed. "Mommy will be back soon." Matthew ignored him and continued to fuss. Bill shot his sister a pleading look. "All right, Matthew," Scully said, reaching out to take him from Bill. Her brother gratefully handed the upset child over. He silenced immediately and snuggled up against Scully's shoulder. "How do you do that?" Bill asked, shaking his head. "It's a woman thing," Mulder laughed. Matthew rested his chin on Scully's shoulder and looked at the killer whales. "Saamoo," he called, eyes sparkling. "Saamoo!" Scully giggled as Matthew called out for "Shamu". As soon as he called out for the whales, he fell fast asleep in Scully's arms, no doubt tired from the day's activities. Scully walked over to Bill and gently handed Matthew to him. "Here, you think that you can keep him quiet now?" Scully asked, sarcastically. Bill rolled his eyes and looked down at Matthew, who gurgled in his sleep. Scully turned to Mulder, only to find that he and Orkid were spinning in circles. Mulder was laughing his heart out as the whale danced along with him. Scully made her way over to Mulder, and rested her head on his back. "Scully, check it out! Orkid is dancing with me!" Mulder exclaimed, turning around to face Scully. "I saw. It seems that she's the only one who will dance with you," Scully joked, falling into his arms. Bill looked on, his eyes narrowing in anger. "Oh really? Well, what about that party I told you about earlier?" Mulder asked into her hair. Scully stood bolt upright. “Oh, I forgot!! I don’t even have a dress with me to wear!” “I can take you!” Heather jumped in. “Shopping is my specialty!” she said with a grin. "Oh, thanks!! That'll be wonderful! What time are we meeting?" Scully asked, turning back to Mulder. "I'm going to pick you up from Heather's apartment at 6:30," Mulder informed her. "Well, you better go and get a dress. I'll see you in a couple of hours," he added, kissing her lightly on the lips, then turned and walked away with a grin. Heather's Apartment 6:27 PM The next few hours went by quickly. Scully and Heather went to the mall, and picked out a beautiful dress. They got back to Heather's apartment, and the two women began to prepare in earnest. Heather was helping Scully finish her hair when the doorbell rang. Heather walked to the door and opened it, knowing it was Mulder. He was dressed up in a gray suit, and wore a huge smile to go along with it. "Hey F...Mulder! Come in, Dana is still finishing up, but I must say, you look very nice in your suit," Heather said, looking Mulder up and down. "Thanks. It's more of a casual one. See, I think that Scully will be happy, I'm not wearing a tie," Mulder pointed out. Heather laughed, and returned to Scully. Scully was looking in the mirror, fixing the last strand of her auburn hair, as Heather entered the room. "Dana, he looks so good in his suit," Heather said, as she sat down next to Scully. "And you look beautiful," she added. "Oh, thanks," Scully said blushing, giving her friend a quick embrace. "You ready? Remember, I'm going to be down there in about an hour, so I'll see you then," Heather reminded. Scully nodded, and walked out the room to where Mulder awaited. Mulder looked up at the door opening. What he saw was an angel. Scully stood before him in a pale blue dress, that clung close to her body. It flowed all the way to her tiny feet. She looked beautiful. "You're not wearing a tie," Scully observed with a grin. "Just for you, Scully. Just for you," Mulder said, taking her arm. "Well," she laughed, "At least I won't have to be seen with a man wearing a tie with little aliens all over it." Mulder stuck out his lower lip, pouting. "What's wrong with little alien ties?" "Nothing. Never mind," Scully said with a smile. She gestured toward the door. "Let's head out." Mulder nodded, and they headed out the door. Beachside 7:02 PM When the two agents arrived at the party, the music was already playing, and people were milling around. Colorful lights illuminated the sandy beach. Everyone was dressed up nicely, and the scene looked like something out of a romantic movie. Scully looked out to sea, scanning the horizon. Beside her, Mulder chuckled. "Just can't stop looking for whales, can you?" "No, I can't," Scully replied defensively. She smiled up at him. "Besides, I caught you looking for them, too." "Who, me?" Mulder asked in mock indignation. "Never." Scully just smiled and shook her head. Mulder took Scully by the hand and led her over to a table. They sat down, and looked around. The sky was cloudless, and they could see the stars shining above them. Scully gazed upward in wonder, but Mulder's eyes had fallen on her. He watched breathlessly as she gaped at the night sky. Finally, she looked down, only to find him staring at her. She blushed slightly, looking away. A song caught Mulder's attention as it began, and he held out his hand. Scully took it gratefully, and he led her out onto the dance floor. As Mulder pulled her close, Scully relaxed into his arms. She leaned against him, resting her head on his chest. They swayed back and forth to the music, losing themselves in the moment. Scully sighed deeply as she inhaled the scent of Mulder's cologne. She closed her eyes as she took in the words of the song playing. "Every time our eyes meet, This feeling inside me, is almost more than I can take. Baby when you touch me, I can feel how much you love me, And it just blows me away. I've never been this close to anyone, or anything; I can hear your thoughts, I can see you dreams." Scully looked into Mulder's eyes as the music continued to play. They showed truth, trust and love. Scully smiled, as she clung to him, swaying back and forth. "I don't know how you do what you do, I'm so in love with you, it just keeps getting better. I want to spend the rest of my life, With you by my side, forever and ever. Every little thing that you do-baby I'm amazed by you." "Scully?" Mulder questioned, breaking the silence. "Yeah?" "I'm sorry that I waited so long to tell you how I felt," Mulder said, lowering his head. "Mulder, it's just as much my fault as yours. I'm just regretting all that time that we lost," Scully confessed, looking up. In the background, the waves crashed against the shore. "Scully, you're the most amazing person that I have ever met. And I mean that, truly," Mulder said, lifting up her chin. Scully blushed, turning away. "This is all so magical. I'd hate to see this trip come to an end. I've found so much on this trip - Heather, the whales...you. I don't think that I've had a better time in my life," Scully replied, looking up at Mulder. "Yes, and soon enough our slave work will begin again back at the Bureau," Mulder said with a grin. "I wonder what Skinner will think about all this?" Scully asked. Mulder shrugged, "Who cares?" he asked, smiling. Scully shivered in the night breeze. Mulder, without hesitation, gently placed his jacket around her shoulders. He held her close, listening to the music, serenading them into a lullaby. He smiled to himself in the dark night. Scully's Motel Room January 28 7:05 AM Scully woke to an insistent pounding at her motel room door. She rolled over, burying her head under the covers. But the pounding continued, and she finally dragged herself from the bed to answer the door. Mulder stood there, waiting impatiently. He was already dressed, although his hair was still rumpled. "Come on, we gotta go," he said. Scully's mouth hung open for a moment. "Go where?" she finally asked. Jerking his thumb over his shoulder, Mulder replied, "Sea World. They just found a body. Jeff's." Scully nodded quickly, then headed back into her room to change. Dolphin Stadium 7:35 AM Mulder and Scully approached the dolphin stadium, where the body had been found. Police officers and employees hustled about the scene. All the animals had been moved into the holding tanks, and the trainers were busy talking to the officers. "What happened here?" Scully asked a detective as she and Mulder flashed their badges. The man nodded quickly. "Trainer found the body this morning, floating in the main pool. A few of the dolphins were holding the body up out of the water. There's no obvious bite marks, nothing so far to indicate that he was attacked by the animals." "Any idea as to the cause of death?" asked Scully. The detective glanced back at the pool. "From what we've been able to find so far, he drowned." Pointing at the tank, Mulder asked, "Aren't these tanks generally monitored twenty-four hours a day?" The detective shook his head. "I asked about that earlier, and the trainer I spoke to told me that they generally have people here that check on the animals periodically, but no constant monitoring." "And nobody found the body until this morning?" "Nope. He must've either gone in between the last check and the time the trainers arrived, or he was at the bottom of the pool when the checks occurred," answered the detective. "Thank you," Mulder said, and guided Scully past the guard. He led her down to the edge of the tank, then lowered his voice. "I don't think Jeff went in of his own free will." Scully cocked her head. "How did you come to that conclusion? He did have an incredible fascination with them, and someone as obsessive as that could easily become overconfident and think they're invulnerable!" Mulder glanced quickly at the people hustling around the tank. "Mulder, what do you think happened?" Scully asked, stepping closer. Mulder shook his head slowly, "I'm not sure," "You're not sure? You must have some theory by now," Scully pointed out, folding her arms. "Well, I do. I just don't think that you're ready to hear it," Mulder said, not looking directly at Scully. "Mulder, I've been working with you for seven years, and you don't think that I'm ready to hear your theory?" Scully questioned, with a hint of sarcasm. "Okay, but come here, so that no one else can hear," Mulder said, taking Scully's hand, and walking to the other side of the tank. The two sat down on the bleachers, hand in hand. Scully looked at him, waiting for the theory. "Well, I think that the dolphins were trying to summon him," He started, as Scully's eyebrow began to raise. "So, wait, you're telling me that you think that the dolphins somehow said to him, 'Hey jump in the tank and let's see if you drown'?" Scully asked, eyes rolling. "No, that's not what I said. Instead of Jeff thinking of a picture in his head and having the dolphins react to it, I think that one of the dolphins, or all of them, I'm not sure about that yet, thought of a picture, or a thought in their heads and Jeff reacted to it." Scully sat back, pondering what Mulder had just said. It had some logic to it, but still....She wasn't sure. Just as she was about to speak, a familiar figure ran up to them. "Dana!" Heather nearly screamed, as she neared them. "What's going on!?" Scully stood up and began to explain to Heather what had happened to Jeff. "Do they think that the dolphins did it? Because I don't think that they would. I mean, I know that all animals are prone to attack, but these dolphins - some are used for the DIP...they aren't those kind of animals!" Heather exclaimed. "No one is saying that they are," Mulder chimed in, "There is no evidence of bite marks, or anything that the animals attacked him. They think that he drowned." Mulder then turned to Scully, putting both his hands on her shoulders. "Scully, I think that you should do an autopsy, so that we can determine what Jeff really died of." Scully nodded her head reluctantly, and turned back to the scene. Autopsy Bay 1:23 PM Scully tiredly pulled off her latex gloves. With a sigh, she leaned against the counter. "Well?" She looked up at Mulder. "Drowning," she said simply. "No abnormal signs?" asked Mulder. "Actually, yes," she replied. Mulder's eyebrows shot up. "Although, I do not believe that it contributed to his death. I found evidence of a brain injury that, according to his relatives, brought on a condition called aphasia. Usually a side effect of a head injury or stroke, aphasia disrupts the victim's speech ability." "He didn't seem to have any trouble yesterday," Mulder pointed out. Scully nodded. "Exactly. In his case, Broca's aphasia, speaking becomes difficult as the victims frequently leave out words in a sentence. Neither of us saw any of those signs yesterday, although his relatives confirm that he had it." "So..." "So," Scully continued, "I'm wondering just what else this brain injury did to him." Mulder thought for a moment. "Well, didn't he say that dolphins had conversations much faster than humans?" Scully nodded slowly. "What if the shortened sentence made his 'ability' stronger? As if it were more comprehensible to the dolphins?" Raising her eyebrows, Scully answered, "That's kind of a stretch, Mulder. We don't even know for sure that his 'ability' ever existed." "You did it yourself, Scully!" he exclaimed. "Even *you've* got to give some credit to the theory." Scully exhaled slowly, then nodded. "I admit that there's some form of communication going on. Whether it's psychic communication or simply the dolphins reading our body language has yet to be determined. But still, why didn't his condition surface when he talked to us?" Mulder thought for a moment. "Maybe somehow, being around the dolphins alleviated the impairment. Maybe that was the reason he spent so much time around them. They relieved his frustration." "You're serious," Scully said, eyebrows raised. Mulder nodded. A silence hung in the air between them. "You done here?" Mulder finally asked. "Yeah. I just have to clean up," responded Scully. "I want to talk to the park's security, and the trainers at the dolphins stadium," Mulder announced. "I'll meet you back at Sea World?" "Sure." With that, Mulder headed out the door, leaving Scully to finish working in the autopsy bay. Sea World 2:03 PM Mulder pulled up the Sea World employee parking lot. He flashed his badge, and the security guard let him pass. Inside, he parked near Shamu Stadium and got out. Mulder walked in, nodding to the familiar faces that he had met over the last few days. Heather was where he had expected her to be. She somehow looked different; her hair wasn't wet. It was actually a brownish-blond color, as opposed to the dark brown it always seemed when wet. She wore a Sea World polo shirt and khaki shorts. She was bending over, looking at Ulysses. "Hey," Mulder said, walking up toward her. "Hey, yourself," Heather said with a grin. "I thought that I would find you here," Mulder pointed out, and squatted down beside her. "Well, I *do* work here," Heather said sarcastically. "So, did Dana find anything on the autopsy?" "Well, just what we thought she would find. He obviously drowned. But she learned that he had Broca's aphasia, which apparently should have inhibited his ability to speak," Mulder explained. "But we talked to him, how can that be? He didn't seem to have those problems," Heather said, patting Ulysses' rostrum. "I know. That's the part that we don't understand yet. I was hoping to go talk to some of the security guards and dolphin trainers and see if I can get a better idea of what was going on. I was wondering if you would come with me. I think that it would be easier, seeing that you're a trainer and all," Mulder said. He stretched his hand out to pet Ulysses, who in turn clicked with delight. "Okay, I just need to hurry and finish feeding these fish to Ulysses, so they don't rot. I'll meet you at Shamu Close Up, okay? It's right on the way," Heather offered as she walked away, a bucket of fish in each hand. Mulder headed over to the underwater viewing tank of Shamu Close Up. There, Orkid greeted him, along with Takara. He soon recognized Corky, who was swimming playfully around the tank on her back. Orkid turned in circles at seeing Mulder, and clicked with excitement. Mulder smiled back. "Sorry, I don't have any fish for you." "I didn't know that you talked to the animals, Agent Mulder," Heather said smiling as she appeared from the other side of the tank. "You ready?" Mulder asked, stepping up the stairs. "As ready as I'll ever be," Heather replied. Dolphin Stadium 2:17 PM Heather and Mulder arrived at the dolphin stadium, where several police officers still milled around. The dolphins had been let back into the main tank, and were lazily swimming circles around the perimeter. Josh looked up as they entered. He had a tight grimace on his face. "Let me guess what you're here about," he groaned. Heather gave him an apologetic smile. "Just don't trick me into getting one of the pilot whales to soak me," Mulder joked, trying to lighten the mood. To an extent, it worked. Josh cracked a small smile. "I just wanted to ask you a few questions," continued Mulder. Josh nodded. "Have you ever seen that man around here before?" Thinking for a moment, Josh replied, "Yeah, several times. He's always just sitting and watching the dolphins." "Did he ever show signs that he was planning on trying to jump into the pool, or anything like that?" Josh shook his head. "No, I don't remember thinking that. There's quite a few people that I've seen visiting the park a lot. Some people like to visit the park as a hobby, especially for photography. I guess I've never thought they'd try anything rash. They're not those crazy fanatics who'll stalk movie stars or anything, at least not that I know of." Mulder nodded, then continued. "Have you noticed any odd behavior lately on the animals' part?" Josh was about to say 'no.' Then he stopped himself. "Actually, yeah. Usually between shows they're pretty mellow, lounging around the tank. Sometimes they'll play energetically. But lately, they're been performing lots of new behaviors that we've never trained. I just thought that they had found a new game or something. I mean, usually if there's something wrong with the animal, they tend to be more sedentary." "New behaviors?" Heather broke in. "Yeah, seemingly at random they'll start racing around the tank, then do a series of untrained behaviors that seem almost choreographed. Behaviors that would be a real hit in a show. The only problem is, when we start a training session, we can't get the dolphins to repeat them." "Is that out of the ordinary? Not wanting to repeat a behavior, I mean?" Mulder asked. "Not really," Heather said. "When Corky was at Marineland of the Pacific with Orky, they'd create their own routines, practicing them until they had it down perfect, then never perform them again." Mulder nodded, deep in thought. "Okay, thanks for answering my questions. If you remember anything else, let me know," he finished, handing Josh his business card. En Route To the Hotel 5:34 PM Scully drove back to the hotel room. Her feet hurt from standing on them all day doing the autopsy. Suddenly, her cell phone rang. She picked it up and hit the talk button without taking her eyes off the road. "Scully," she said into the receiver. "Hey Scully, it's me," the familiar voice said in return. "Where are you Mulder?" Scully asked, making a left turn. "Oh, I just got off the I-5, and I should be at the hotel in about 15 minutes," He replied. "Yeah, that's where I'm headed right now. So, how was Sea World? Find anything new?" Scully asked. "Not too much. One of the dolphin trainers just said that the animals were acting a little different, nothing more than that," Mulder explained. "Different? Different how?" "Well, he just said that they performed behaviors that the trainers had never taught them, and when they tried to get them to do the behaviors again, they wouldn't," Mulder answered. "Well, Mulder, that's not so strange. Did they consider that the animals were just playing, and that it was a natural behavior?" Scully asked. "Well yeah, but they probably would have gotten them to perform the behaviors again, Scully," Mulder pointed out. "Yeah, well, I don't know what to think, anymore, Mulder. I'm tired, and I'm starting to wonder if this is an X-File," Scully confessed. "What do you mean? There's a death involved that we don't know how it happened," Mulder replied. "Yes, we do, Mulder. He drowned. I'm starting to wonder if we're seeing things that aren't really there," Scully said, quietly. "Scully, you saw those 'things'. I mean, what more proof do you need?" Mulder asked. "I don't know. I'll be at the hotel in five minutes. I'll see you there," Scully said. Scully's Hotel Room 6:12 PM Scully took a long shower, then pulled on a loose pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. She flopped down onto the bed, intending to take a nap. A hard rap on the door interrupted her. She opened one eye, groaned, then rolled off the bed. Opening the door, she found Mulder standing outside. "Feeling better?" he asked. Scully rolled her eyes, then motioned him inside. "You mean after my ten-second nap?" "Sorry. You hungry?" he asked. Scully's stomach growled at her, and she nodded quickly. They headed out to the car. It was a quick drive to Denny's, and they were seated at a table by the window. "So, Scully, why don't you think we should be on this case?" Mulder began. Sighing, Scully took a sip of her water. "It's just...the guy drowned, Mulder. What's so unexplainable about that?" "Why did he drown?" "Because water entered his lungs," Scully replied sarcastically. She sighed again, then shook her head. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm just really tired. I'm not sure why he did it. Maybe he wanted to go out with a bunch of dolphins around. People are strange like that, you know." "I suppose," answered Mulder in a tone that meant exactly the opposite. "Well, what do you think?" Mulder thought for a moment. "I think he was murdered." "Oh? Why?" "Well," Mulder explained. "What if someone knew about his talent, someone who wanted to keep it hidden?" "Like the government." It wasn't a question. "Exactly." Scully sat back, studying his face. "If that is the case, then how are we going to pin anything on the government? We've dealt with these kinds of people before. They're slipperier than Al Capone." "That's true," Mulder admitted. "You wouldn't even be able to pin tax evasion on them." "So, what are we going to do about it? Jeff was the only one who professed anything like that," Scully pointed out. After a moment, Mulder added, "Unless someone at Sea World has picked up on Jeff's talent." "You mean like Heather," Scully realized. Heather's Apartment 7:28 PM The agents drove to her apartment in relative silence, until Mulder expressed his concern. Scully pulled out her cell phone and called Heather’s apartment, with no response. "Scully, you know, if Heather is a target, that means that you could be too. I mean, you were able to do some of the things that Jeff could. You made Ulysses do a back flip, and Splash come onto the haulout. I mean, who's to say they won't hurt you?" Mulder questioned worriedly. "Yeah, but Heather, Jeff, and you were the only ones who knew that I could do it. No one else did, so how could that make me a target? Or Heather, for that matter?" Scully asked, playing with a loose string on her jeans. "I don't know, Scully. I mean, Shamu Stadium is a pretty open area, anyone could have been watching," Mulder offered, as he signaled for the turn. "Yeah, but they would have had to have been watching from a distance, and all that they would've been able to see is you, Heather, and me with the whales," Scully pointed out. "They never would've known what was going on." "But still, Scully. I just think that maybe you....." he started. "Mulder, I really appreciate your concern, but I'm fine. It's okay," Scully said, putting her hand on top of his. He smiled at her as they pulled into the parking space below Heather's apartment. They climbed out of the car, and headed up the elevator to Heather’s floor. She gasped as they arrived at Heather's apartment, only to find the door wide open. "Stand back, Scully," Mulder ordered, standing in front of the door. He drew his gun and slid into the apartment as Scully covered the doorway. Mulder made his way through the dark, until he found the light switch. Mulder motioned for Scully to join him in the apartment. When he turned on the lights, the sight before him made him gasp. The apartment was trashed. Scully stepped inside cautiously. "Heather?" she called. No reply. "Could she be down at the park?" Mulder asked hopefully. "Maybe working late?" Scully tiptoed through the apartment, looking for any sign of her friend. "Heather?" she called again. They searched through the apartment thoroughly, but could find no trace of the suspects. A quick call to Sea World confirmed that Heather had left two hours ago. No one knew where she was. The police arrived some time later. They began to comb the apartment, while one of the detectives questioned Mulder and Scully. "Was there any sign of aggression against her?" the detective asked. Scully shook her head. "No, I haven't seen anything like that." "Anyone following her?" "No," she answered. "When was the last time you saw her?" Scully thought for a moment. "This morning," she replied. "At Sea World." The detective's eyebrows shot up. "What was she doing there?" "She's a trainer there," Scully explained. "My partner and I arrived to look into the death that occurred at the park, and she showed up as we were getting ready to leave." Interested, the detective continued. "What was she there about?" "She said she had heard about the death, and wanted to know what was going on. In the short time I was at the park this morning, I found that nearly all the employees already knew about it. Rumors spread like wildfire in a park like that," answered Scully. The detective nodded. "Did she seem to have any connection with the death?" Scully shook her head vehemently. "No, not at all. I think she was more shocked than the person who actually found the body." "Okay, thank you Agent Scully," he said, moving on. Scully watched him go, then turned to Mulder. "I hope she's okay," she whispered. Mulder put a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get to the bottom of this," he promised. He gave her a reassuring smile, and was relieved when she returned the gesture. En Route To the Hotel 10:19 PM The ride back to the hotel was anything but pleasant. It was quiet, with the exception of Scully's restrained sniffles. Tear trails stained her cheeks from silent crying. "Scully, I'm sure that everything is okay. I just know it," Mulder said, resting his hand on her knee. "Mulder, it's just...Heather and I have been friends since we could ride bikes. She just has...to be okay," Scully said, in between sniffles. "I know, Scully. I understand, I just don't know what to tell you. You'll see, everything will turn out all right," Mulder reassured her. Scully gave a weak smile in his direction, as if to say thanks. Mulder pulled into the hotel parking lot in silence. He got out of the car, and walked around to open Scully's door. She gratefully took the invitation. "Thanks," she said quietly. Mulder put his arm around her and led her to her door. "Mulder? Would you mind if I came into your room for awhile? I just...." "Sure Scully, you don't even need to ask, come on," Mulder said, as he put the key into the door. Scully walked in and plopped onto the bed. "I'll get some hot chocolate," Mulder offered. Scully nodded in return. Mulder quickly made two hot chocolates and sat next to Scully on the bed. He pulled the remote out and started surfing the channels. Scully rested her head on Mulder's chest, closing her eyes for a quick moment. The short rest soon turned into sleep, and Mulder soon joined her, resting his chin on her head. Mulder’s Hotel Room January 29 7:02 AM *Water splashed around her ankles, soaking the booties on her feet. Suddenly, an orca head appeared next to her, squawking. Scully reached down and patted it, then looked back up at the stands before her. The crowd was cheering as one of the other trainers danced with a whale. Taking a deep breath, Scully dove into the water. The orca approached her from behind, placing its nose on the ball of her foot. Then they were off, diving towards the bottom of the pool. Scully cleared her ears quickly. Then, with three taps of her foot, the orca angled up toward the surface. They raced faster and faster upwards. Together, Scully and the orca flew from the water. She was launched high into the air, spreading her arms. Cameras flashed and a cheer rose as she dove back downward into the water. She took hold of the orca's rostrum, and allowed herself to be propelled through the water. With a final burst of speed, human and whale slid out of the water onto the haulout. The crowd roared as Scully draped her arm over the orca and waved to the audience...* Scully awoke with a start, only to find a soft, warm pillow beneath her. She inhaled deeply and smiled, then snuggled closer into the arms that had wrapped around her sometime during the night. Mulder stirred, and tightened his grip around her. Finally he opened one eye, and found Scully looking right back at him with a smile. "What time is it?" he whispered. Scully glanced at the alarm clock across the room. "Seven in the morning." She sighed. "I guess we better get up." Mulder held her tightly. "Just one more minute?" Unable to resist the giggle that bubbled up inside her, Scully acquiesced. She settled back down into his arms and closed her eyes. A moment later, the phone rang. Mulder groaned, then rolled over. "Hello?" Scully watched as Mulder listened to the person on the other end of the receiver. She froze as Mulder clicked the off button on the phone, and looked at her with a dead expression. "They found her," he said plainly. Scully swallowed a lump in her throat and stood up next to him. "Found her alive or dead?" she asked in a whisper. "Alive, but not in good shape,” Mulder confessed. The tears began to well up in Scully's eyes as Mulder took her in an embrace. He held her close, trying to comfort her. Frankly, he couldn't tell if the news the detective had told him was good or bad. "Where is she?" Scully asked, into Mulder's chest. "The detective said for us to meet him down at the hospital," Mulder replied. Scully looked up at Mulder's face, "Give me a minute?" Mulder nodded, and reluctantly let go as she left to get ready. Scully washed up while Mulder threw on a new T-shirt. He quickly brushed his teeth, and looked in the mirror. He shrugged at his hair and walked into the bedroom, pulling on his sneakers. Scully headed back to her own room, then returned a few minutes later in a pale pink shirt, and knee length capri pants. She looked tired. "You ready?" he asked her, as he stood up. She nodded in response as he put his arm around her shoulder, and they walked out the hotel door. Mission Bay Hospital 7:39 AM Scully straightened up as they entered the hospital. She took a deep breath, preparing for the worst. She then pushed open the door, and stepped stoically inside. The detective was waiting for them, grimacing. Scully felt her insides turn to mush. It had to be bad. "Is she okay?" she asked. The detective shook his head. Scully was about to collapse. "No, she's in pretty bad shape," he answered, "but the doctors say she should recover." Scully breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Where is she?" "Right down here." Scully turned and followed the detective, with Mulder close behind. She gasped when she saw Heather hooked up to several machines. She lay motionless on the bed. "What happened?" Scully whispered. The detective followed her inside. "She was attacked. By an orca." Scully shook her head vehemently. "No, that can't be." "Well, another trainer found her in the pool this morning. She had multiple broken ribs, internal bleeding, and several long gashes running down her side. Her lungs also had some water in them. And, uh, the cuts on her side were spaced the same distance apart as the whale's teeth, " the detective replied. Scully's shoulders sank. "The trainers say that the whale they found her with has attacked trainers before," he continued. "Which whale? Do you remember?" Scully asked. "Kasatka, or something like that," answered the detective. "There has to be some kind of mistake," Scully tried, as Mulder put a hand on her shoulder. "I mean, I met the whales, and Heather has been working with them for years, I just don't see how it could happen," Scully added in a whisper. "Well, ma'am, just remember, that's just what it looks like. I think that it's pretty self evident. You can talk to her when she comes to," the detective said, walking out the door. Mulder nodded, in thanks, and turned to Scully, "Do you want me to leave you alone for awhile?" "No, I'm okay. I'd rather you were here," she said with a faint smile. "You know, Mulder, I just don't know how Kasatka could've done that. I mean, we saw her, and there was no abnormal behavior, not that I saw," "Maybe that's not for us to judge, Scully," Mulder pointed out, sitting down. Scully turned to Heather, and pulled back a stand of hair that had fallen on her face. "Mulder, Heather had a love and passion for the whales. She loved them, and they loved her - all of them. It just doesn't all fall together." "I know. You can ask her all the questions that you want when she wakes up. I'm sure that the police are missing something," Mulder offered. Scully only nodded. "I mean, I know that Kasatka is the dominant whale, but…" The tears cut her off. Mulder was immediately at her side, holding her close. She welcomed the comfort, and let the tears flow. It was going to be a long day. 5:26 PM Mulder and Scully woke to the sound of a hoarse cough. Scully immediately leapt to her friend's side. She handed Heather a glass of water. Heather gratefully took a sip of water and lay back on the pillows. "I feel like I got hit by a whale," she said with a weak smile. Scully smiled sadly. "Not too far off," she replied. "Do you remember what happened?" Heather bit her lip nervously. "I - I remember some of it. Kasatka..." Mulder and Scully nodded. "Yeah, Kasatka," Scully whispered. "She...she..." Tears sprung to Heather's eyes. "I don't know how it happened. I don't know how I got into the tank, or what made her ram me," she sniffled. "What do you remember?" asked Mulder gently. "I was at Sea World, in the office, making something to eat, when these guys broke in and attacked me. They hit me over the head with something, and I blacked out." She coughed, then winced. "The next thing I remember is finding myself in the middle of the tank, with Kasatka rushing at me." Scully nodded. "One of the trainers found you this morning in the tank," she informed her. "But I regained consciousness once, and I was on her back," Heather added. "She tried to save me..." Scully placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Get some rest," she said softly. Heather nodded, then closed her eyes. Scully led Mulder out into the hallway. "We need to find out what happened to her while she was gone. That goes without saying," she whispered fiercely. "We have to find out what made Kasatka turn on her." Sea World 6:13 PM While Scully stayed at the hospital with her friend, Mulder returned to Sea World. He flashed his badge and jogged in. Then, he headed toward Shamu Stadium. He passed the underwater viewing area, where he was immediately joined by Orkid and Splash. Orkid squeaked and waved her tail in the air. Mulder managed a faint smile, then walked to the side of the tank. One of the trainers, Michael, was carrying a bucket of fish backstage. "Excuse me!" Mulder called after him, jogging to catch up. Michael turned around, and smiled at the familiar face, "You're...that one guy that was here with the redhead and ...Heather." Mulder nodded, "Mulder's my name." "Oh yeah," Michael said, nodding. "Look, Michael, is it? I need to ask you a few questions involving the accident with Heather." Michael set the bucket of fish down and put his hands on his hips. "Were any of the whales behaving strangely before the incident?" Mulder questioned. "Not that anyone took note of. The trainers all watch the animal behavior carefully - that's how we determine when they're sick or if something's wrong with them. No one noticed anything that day. But I haven’t been at Shamu Stadium too long, so I really can't judge if something was wrong," Michael said, shrugging. "No one noticed anything unusual about Kasatka?" Mulder asked. "Not that I know of," Michael replied. "Where is she now?" "She's in a holding tank, for the time being. The vets are watching her to see if she's sick, or if it was something provoked by the other whales or whatever," Michael answered. Mulder nodded. "I just find it strange that she showed no signs of abnormal behavior." "I noticed something," a woman said, walking toward Michael and Mulder. Mulder looked up and regarded the woman. "I'm Lindsay. I've worked closely with Kasatka for awhile now, and the other day, she wasn't herself. I've never seen her like that before." "What was she doing that made you wonder about her health?" Mulder asked, stepping closer. "Well, she started swimming laps with Corky, which is unusual, since we've never seen her do it before, and Corky and Kasatka aren't the best of friends. She also seemed aggravated. She was showing aggression towards Takara, her own daughter. I guess I kind of failed to see that there was a true problem," Lindsay confessed. "So, are there any thoughts as to what is wrong with her, or what might have provoked her to attack Heather?" Mulder asked, again. "She's pregnant." Mulder's eyebrows shot up. "Pregnant?" Lindsay nodded. "Word got out about it some time ago." "Would that make Kasatka behave this way?" "It could," replied Lindsay, "although it's not likely. Orcas have a 17-month gestation period, and Kasatka's not too far into that. She may have been more aggressive than normal, trying to protect her baby." "Has she ever acted like this before?" asked Mulder. Shifting uneasily, Lindsay replied, "Well, yes." Mulder urged her to continue. "Last summer, she got upset during a show and grabbed a trainer's leg. Apparently her daughter Takara and another orca were 'bad-mouthing' each other through a gate, and Kasatka got irritated and took out her frustration on a trainer," she answered quietly. Mulder thought for a moment. "Would you consider Kasatka an aggressive whale?" Lindsay nodded slowly. "She's the dominant whale in the tank. She knows she's boss. She makes sure that none of the other whales get out of line." "Okay," Mulder said, taking a deep breath. "Is Heather going to be okay?" Lindsay asked, biting her lip. "Yeah, she'll be all right," answered Mulder. Lindsay breathed a sigh of relief. Mulder headed back out of the stadium, only to find a crowd of people rushing around him. The stadium had reopened. He quickly dodged two running children. Mulder's cell phone trilled in his pocket. "Mulder," he answered. "Mulder, I think you’d better get down here," came Scully's voice. "What's going on?" Scully paused. "Heather's remembering what happened to her," she replied. "Okay, I'll be there soon." He hung up and placed his cell phone in his pocket, then headed for his car. Mission Bay Hospital 8:03 PM Mulder drove as fast as he could to the hospital. He raced to the elevator and went up to Heather's floor. As he walked into her room, he saw her sitting up, propped on pillows talking to Scully. She looked much better than when he had last seen her. "Hey," Mulder said, walking in. Scully looked up and smiled, as did Heather. "What's going on?" Mulder asked. "Well, I think that I'm remembering what happened that night. The drugs must have been messing with my brain, cause everything is coming back to me, like it was just a minute ago," Heather explained. "Would you mind telling me? I was just at Sea World talking to a fellow trainer of yours. She had proof of some sort to put Kasatka as the attacker," Mulder offered. "What proof, and who?" Heather questioned. "Her name was Lindsay, and she said that they thought that Kasatka was pregnant. She also said that Kasatka had been acting strangely a few days before, but that it might be a result of the pregnancy. She didn't really seem too sure of herself," Mulder explained. "Lindsay isn't sure of herself," Heather said, rolling her eyes at Mulder's story, "Yes, Kasatka is pregnant, but that doesn't have anything to do with any of this. See, Lindsay has only been working at Shamu Stadium for about a year. She was just transferred from the dolphin stadium. She thinks that she knows everything there is to know about orcas - their behavior, and each one individually," she added. "Are you saying that she was lying to me?" Mulder asked, raising his eyebrows. "No, not at all. I'm saying that she was probably exaggerating the truth. She tends to do that - especially since she is with the orcas now. At the dolphin stadium, she was kind of the boss there. She had been there the longest, and was used to being in charge and knowing everything. And now that she's with the orcas, she's adjusting to the change," Heather explained, taking a sip of her orange juice. "So, you think that she was making an assumption about Kasatka's behavior?" Scully asked, shifting her position on the chair. "Yes. I'm not saying that she's a liar, or anything remotely like that - she's just...shall we say different?" Heather added. Mulder nodded and sat down, "So would you mind telling me what really happened, now that we know that Kasatka wasn't the culprit?" Heather nodded and began her story. She closed her eyes, remembering everything that had happened. "I had gone to work later that evening to check up on a few things for the next day. I needed to talk to Josh as well. He had mentioned something about one of the pilot whales acting up," Heather explained, taking another sip of her juice. "It was unusually quiet in the park. A stillness that I can't really explain. Usually you can hear the whoosh of the nearby whales or dolphins, and the water moving around them. I heard nothing. When I came out of the stadium's kitchen, the few night lights were on in the underwater viewing tank. I could see, vaguely, a few whales through the glass. They were racing through the water, unlike anything that I had ever seen before, that's when I knew that something was wrong," Heather replied, taking a breath. "So the whales were acting strangely?" Mulder asked. "Yes, all of them. All of the ones that I could see, that is. Then I saw Ulysses, swimming fast, and he slammed into the rock wall, making a booming sound. It echoed through the whole viewing area. I knew that something was definitely wrong, so I decided to go take a look at the whales," Heather said. "Has Ulysses ever done that before, run into the wall?" Scully asked. "No, I really thought that he had hurt himself. He stopped for a second, as if he was in shock, and then he went right on racing through the water. I really didn't have a clue as to what was going on," Heather replied. "Were the other whales doing that?" Scully asked. "No, even though Kasatka is the dominant whale, Ulysses is the protector of sorts, since he's the male. I think that he was warning me that something was wrong," Heather offered. Mulder nodded in response, as Heather returned to her story. "Anyway, as soon as I moved toward the tank, someone conked me over the head." Heather continued. "Did you notice what he looked like?" Mulder asked. "No, he was all in black, with nylons over his face. It was really distorted. Anyway, I came to a few moments later, and I managed to wiggle away and run up the stairs as fast as I could. He grabbed my legs once, and I fell flat on my face, which might explain some of the cuts and bruises on my face. Anyway, I managed to make it around to the side of the tank, when another man jumped from the bleachers, and covered my mouth so that I couldn't scream. He had some kind of stick, or something that he hit me with on my head, probably what he used to knock me unconscious," Heather said, pointing to the growing bump on the back of her head. "I screamed for help, but no one heard me." "Anyway, I bit his hand and he let go, and then began to come after me again. I ran around past back the side tanks where some of the orcas were. I could hear his footsteps coming after me, and finally he got to me, but when he tried to grab me, he slipped, and ended up shoving me. And the next thing I knew, I was hurled into the orca tank, right into Kasatka's path. She didn't even have time to turn away." "How many whales were in the tank? Did you happen to notice?" asked Scully. Heather shook her head. "No, whoever were the last trainers that night shifted them." "Shifted?" Scully asked, raising her eyebrows. "Oh, shifting is when we move the whales into the different tanks.” Heather explained. Mulder thought for a moment. "Do you have any idea why someone would want to search your apartment?" he queried. "What?" Heather's mouth dropped open. Mulder glanced sideways at Scully, who was biting her lip. "We went to your apartment when we couldn't get ahold of you. The place was trashed, as if someone had gone through it. Computer, TV, stereo, all still there." Heather gaped at the agents, then shook her head slowly. "I have no clue." "Do you have any enemies? Anyone who might want to hurt you?" asked Mulder. "No, none that I'm aware of," Heather replied. Mulder sat back in his chair. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Did you tell anyone about Jeff's and Scully's ability?" Heather opened her mouth to reply, then shut it quickly. "Well, yeah," she admitted. "As a trainer, that's one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. Yeah, I talked to a couple of people about it." "Like who?" Scully pressed. "Josh, for one. Also a couple of the other trainers who were working that day." Mulder looked over at Scully, then back at Heather. "Were you able to do it?" he asked. Heather's face brightened. "Yeah, a couple of times!" Her smile turned into a frown when she saw the agents' grim faces. "What? What's wrong?" Mulder spoke slowly. "If Jeff could do it, and he was killed, and you could do it and you were attacked..." Then it dawned on Heather. "Someone wants to suppress this. But why?" Mulder shrugged. "I'm not sure. It seems like the ability to communicate with another intelligent species would be highly beneficial. Like the primates who have learned sign language." "Only this would be the first time anyone could have communicated with a non-terrestrial animal," Heather finished. Scully held up a hand. "Hold on. We can't truly communicate with them like you're talking about. This...gift...whatever it is, it's like having a one-sided conversation," she pointed out. Looking squarely at her, Mulder replied, "Is it such a big step from there to an actual, two-way conversation?" Scully bit her lip, then answered, "So you're saying that whoever is behind this doesn't want us to even have the chance to learn?" Mulder nodded. "Like Heather said, we've never communicated with a non-terrestrial animal before. What if there's something out there that they don't want the whales telling us about?" "Like what? Giant squid?" Scully replied. "And besides, these aren't wild whales. They've been living in captivity." "Not all of them," Heather broke in. "Three of the whales here were taken from the wild, over twenty years ago. In all, Sea World owns seven collected whales. The rest were captive-born." "Where were the three here in San Diego taken from?" Mulder asked. "Umm...Corky is from British Columbia, and Kasatka and Ulysses are from Iceland," answered Heather. "If they do know something that the powers-that-be are trying to hide, why don't they just go after the whales themselves?" Scully asked. "There's too many of them," Heather informed her. Confusion crossed and Mulder and Scully's faces. "I thought you said only three here were from the wild," Mulder said. Heather nodded. "Yeah, but dolphins have been known to teach each other in a captive setting. For example, if we teach a certain behavior to one animal, they will often in turn teach it to the others. The same thing with dialects. Orcas around the world communicate in different dialects. Here at Sea World, since Kasatka is the dominant whale, she makes the rest of the whales in the tank use her dialect. She passed it on to them." "So, theoretically, if even one whale knew whatever secret these people are trying to hide, they all could know it by now," concluded Mulder. "Uh-huh. Not just at this park, but possibly at all the other parks, too. It's not uncommon for a whale from here to be sent to another park for breeding purposes, or to create more space." At that moment, the doctor popped his head in. "I'm sorry," he said, "but it's time for her to get some rest." Mulder and Scully nodded. Turning back to Heather, he asked, "Now who did you talk to, again?" "Josh, and I think Michael," she replied. Nodding quickly, Mulder and Scully said good-bye and headed out the door. As they climbed into the car, Mulder said, "We've got to get to those other trainers and warn them." "Okay," Scully answered. "But I think we'll be hard- pressed to get them to believe our story." "We'll do it," he assured her. Scully sighed and leaned her head against the window. Neither agent noticed the figure who watched them leave, then followed them out of the parking garage. En Route to Sea World 9:37 PM Mulder and Scully spent most of the drive to the park in silence, never noticing the black car that followed them all the way. Finally, Mulder broke the silence, "You know, Scully, because Jeff has been killed, and Heather attacked, there is a chance that something could happen to you too. I mean, you used that gift just as well as Jeff ever did." "I know it Mulder. I'm okay, really. I just want to get to the bottom of this. This case is too personal, and I plan on solving it," Scully stated. Mulder raised an eyebrow, glancing at Scully. "With your help too," she added. Mulder smiled at her, and patted her knee as they drove on. When they reached the park, it was deserted. At such a late hour, all the guests had left. Only a few cars remained. They entered the employee parking lot and pulled up at Shamu Staduim, and walked in cautiously. A black car pulled to a corner of the parking lot in the silence of the evening. "Mulder, there's no one here," Scully observed, as they walked into Shamu Stadium. "Hello? Is anyone here?" Mulder called out, as they walked to the side of the tank. A whoosh came up in front of them, as Ulysses swam close. He lifted his head, and shook it furiously from side to side. "Mulder, something's wrong. He knows it," Scully pointed out, looking at the distressed whale. "I know. Scully, there were cars behind the stadium, but where would the trainers all be?" "I don't know, Mulder. Maybe they all went to another area of the park," Scully offered, bending down to Ulysses. "Yeah, but to do what? All they do is train whales here, nothing else. Where else would they all go?" Mulder questioned. "It's getting dark, the sun will set soon, we better find someone fast." Scully was bent over Ulysses, her hand was on his rostrum. She closed her eyes, and listened to the soft sounds that came from his blowhole. Mulder continued to babble on, and walk around the tank. //What's wrong?// Scully thought to Ulysses, trying to form a mental image to convey her message. //I know that you know. Please help us.// At the last question, Ulysses backed from Scully's reach, and began to chirp and squawk excitedly. He turned in circles and splashed around. He dove under for a second, only to resurface chattering. "What is it, boy? What's going on?" Scully asked aloud. Ulysses submerged most of his body, with the exception of his strong tail, which stuck in the air, thrashing wildly about. His flukes waved wildly at her. "Okay, Dana, you can take a hint," Scully said to herself as she headed to the stairs to the underwater viewing area. She popped out her flashlight, letting its strong beam of light lead her down the stairs. It was dark by now, the only light was the faint glow of the underwater lights inside the tank. "Hello?" Scully questioned, taking out her gun, "Is anyone down there?" When Scully finally reached the bottom of the stairs, she looked around for any sign of what might be going on. She turned to the glass to see Ulysses, swimming in fast circles, making sounds that she had never heard before. They were angry calls, almost threatening. Scully walked further into the viewing area, when a hand covered her mouth, causing her to drop her gun. She had no time to scream for help. Scully kicked furiously at the arms that pinned her. Ulysses thrashed in the water, shaking his head and screeching. Scully was dragged away from the window, toward the exit. She let out a muffled squeal, trying to attract Mulder's attention. She heard him yelling as he rushed toward the underwater viewing area. But as she tried to call out to him, something solid connected with her head, and she slipped into blackness. Mulder raced into the underwater viewing area, only to find it empty. He glanced quickly around. "Scully!" he called. No response. "Scully?" he tried again. Still nothing. And on the floor lay Scully's gun. A flurry of motion caught his eye. He dashed out into the open air, only to see a darkly clad figure slipping through the growing darkness. Over the man's shoulder was Scully. With a gasp, Mulder tore off after the suspect. "Freeze, federal agent!" he called. The man didn't even slow down. All the action sent the orcas into a fit. As a group, they shrieked and splashed violently. Ulysses slid out onto the haulout, his jaws wide open. Mulder quickly gained on the man, who was carrying the added weight of Scully. But the man changed direction with almost impossible quickness. The man dashed to the side, jumping onto the haulout. Mulder cornered him, gun drawn. "Let her go," Mulder ordered. The man growled something incomprehensible. "I said let her go!" The man only shook his head. Mulder didn't have a clear shot and he knew it. If he fired, there was a good chance he'd hit Scully. Thinking quickly, Mulder rushed at him. The man tried to dodge, but was knocked over. Mulder's gun skittered away, leaving the two men to wrestle in the ankle-deep water. Mulder pinned him down, but the man fought back and rolled Mulder off. They came together punching and grabbing. Then the man hit Mulder squarely in the jaw and sent him reeling backwards. Mulder took advantage of the moment to grab his gun. The rounds were hopelessly soaked. Instead, he charged the man, and hit him over the head. A gash appeared at the man's temple as he dropped to the concrete. Breathing heavily, Mulder searched for Scully. She had disappeared from view. "Scully?" he called. "Scully?" Ulysses let out a distressed squawk, then dove underwater. "Scully?" Mulder breathed. Then he saw her - sinking to the bottom of the tank. "No!" he cried, and leapt into the tank. He let out a sharp gasp as the frigid water numbed him. With a deep breath, he dove down toward the bottom. His lungs and ears screamed in protest as the water pressure increased. The water stung at his eyes. He had to struggle to pull himself down to the motionless form on the tank's bottom. As Mulder finally wrapped his arm around her, he felt as if his lungs were about to burst. He kicked fiercely toward the surface. Suddenly, a monstrous form hung in the water before him. The orca's nose edged underneath Mulder, supporting him. Then, as if sensing the urgency of the situation, the whale pushed them toward the surface. Mulder gripped the whale's nose tightly with one arm, and Scully with the other. As soon as they broke the surface, Mulder gasped for air. He clutched Scully to his chest, and pulled himself toward the stadium's stage. Ulysses surfaced beneath them, carrying them quickly to the stage. As Mulder pulled Scully out of the water, a security guard appeared, shouting. "There's a man by the haulout! Cuff him!" Mulder called. He turned back to Scully. He listened for a breath, but there was none. No pulse, either. "Come on, Scully," said. He moved to her side, and found the point just above the tip of her sternum. He quickly gave 15 chest compressions, then two deep breaths. The security guard dialed 911 as Mulder continued CPR. "Breathe," Mulder hissed. "Scully, breathe, please!" He desperately kept up, knowing full well that every moment she didn't breathe lowered her chances of recovering. Finally, with a cough, Scully's eyes fluttered open. Mulder rolled her onto her side to keep her from choking. She sputtered, water pouring from her mouth. Mulder pushed the wet hair back from her eyes. "It's okay, Scully," he soothed. "It's okay." The coughing subsided, and Scully lay still. For a moment, Mulder was afraid that she'd lost consciousness again. Then, she slowly rolled onto her back, looking up at Mulder. "Wha...?" Mulder gave her a worried smile. "You went for a swim." Scully looked back at the pool. Ulysses was watching her intently. "Thanks," she said softly. Grunting, she tried to sit up. Her ribs screamed in agony. She let out a low groan as Mulder lowered her back down. Scully once again turned to see Ulysses waiting patiently, making sure that she was all right. Orkid had joined him, as well as Takara. "Scully, are you okay?" Mulder asked gently, placing a hand behind her head. "I think so...I don't remember being in the water at all. I must have been totally out," She confessed. "I think you were, otherwise, I bet that you would have been riding on Ulysses' back, or playing on his forehead, or trying to do a hydro or something," Mulder offered with a smile. Scully returned the smile, and patted Ulysses on the rostrum, as a sign of thanks. He graciously accepted, never turning away. "Scully, will you be all right here for a second? I want to go and see who that son of a....who that man is that attacked you," Mulder said. "I'll be fine," Scully said, petting the orca. Mulder got up, and walked over to where the police were questioning a man that he knew all too well. A man that he would like to see hung by his own entrails. "Krycek," Mulder whispered to himself as he approached the officer who was checking Krycek for other weapons on his body. "Mulder," Krycek said solemnly, looking him over. "Who sent you?" Mulder demanded. Krycek shrugged, "I guess you'll never know, Agent," he said with a grin. "Smoking man, is that who it was? What does he know about these whales, and why does he even care?" Mulder stepped forward, growling. "Easy, Mulder. Smoking man is a lost cause. He's dying. He can do no more harm. He's a feeble old man, and he'll die soon enough." "Not before I kill him. What does he care about these whales?" Mulder said, lowering his voice. "Nothing," Krycek replied casually. Mulder grabbed Krycek by the neck, and nearly lifted him off the ground. An officer came to break up the assault, but quickly backed off at Mulder's glance. "You tell me what he knows about these whales, or I will personally throw you in there with one of them, and they can do whatever they want with you. They are 'killer whales', you know," Mulder replied snarling. Krycek nodded, as Mulder set him down, "I'm not sure what it is exactly that he wants. All that he said to me was that the form of communication that is being used to them is the ways that extraterrestrials communicate - the way that they talk. I don't know what it would prove to him, but I guess that he wants that means of communication." Mulder looked at him, trying to decide whether or not to believe the man he who had betrayed him before. "Take him away," Mulder told the officer, then turned back to Scully. She had finally gotten up and painfully moved toward him, shooting him a worried look. "Mulder..." He sighed. "Why would they want to destroy something like this? Why not learn from it?" "Maybe what we’d learn is too dangerous. Too harmful to the men responsible for the conspiracy," Scully replied. Mulder nodded. "But who's to say that just because Krycek is in jail, the attacks will stop?" Scully bit her lip and thought for several moments before she replied. "Maybe he's not telling the truth. But without digging deeper, who's to say he's right or wrong?" With a nod, Mulder fell silent. Then, "You should get checked over, Scully. I know CPR has a tendency to hurt ribs." Scully winced visibly. "Yeah. But it's better than dying." The EMTs looked Scully over, and finally decided that her ribs would be fine. They weren't broken, only bruised. "I suggest you see a doctor to make sure that you don't need anything else," one of the EMTs said. Scully shook her head vehemently. "No, I'll be fine. Really. It doesn't hurt that bad." The EMT nodded slowly, then turned to pack up his supplies. Scully turned to see one of the trainers racing into the stadium. It was Michael, who had gotten word of the attack and rushed to the park. "What happened?" he demanded. Scully and Mulder exchanged a glance. He turned back to Michael and explained what had happened. Michael's mouth hung open. "You're kidding!" At Mulder and Scully's looks, he continued. "These whales have never been trained to interact with newcomers in the water. They would have thought you were nothing but a toy!" "Apparently not," replied Mulder. "Ulysses saved her life." Scully blushed slightly. "He had help." Michael just shook his head. "That's amazing." Just then, Scully shivered involuntarily. "Oh, come on into the office," Michael said apologetically. "You two have got to be freezing. We have some towels and coffee inside." He led the grateful agents toward the office and kitchen area. Once inside, Mulder wrapped a towel around Scully's shoulders, carefully so as not to aggravate her ribs. Michael handed them each a cup of coffee. "You two have obviously got something that these whales don't see in everybody," he said. "In the past, people have been seriously in danger when they fell into orca pools." Mulder took a sip of coffee. "I did hear once that a baby fell into Keiko's pool, and the whale carried him to safety." Michael nodded. "Sure, there are exceptions. There always are." With a smile, Mulder turned to Scully. "I think you missed your calling as a trainer." Mulder's Hotel Room January 30 3:18 AM Mulder and Scully drove back to the hotel rooms in relative silence. Scully walked into her room, and quickly jumped into the shower. She felt really gross, and could feel the salt hardening on her skin from her little swim with the whales. She could taste it in her mouth. Mulder pulled off his jeans and listened to the water run into the tub, before hopping in. The warm water felt good in comparison to the freezing salt water back at Sea World. He closed his eyes as he sank into the soft bubbles... "Mulder?" Scully called, knocking on the door to his room. Mulder's eyes fluttered open, as he tried to remember where he was - the bubble bath. "Yeah?" he called, clearing his throat. "You okay? You've been in your room for a long time, and I haven't heard you moving around for awhile. I was wondering if everything was okay?" Scully asked with concern, leaning on the opposite side of the door. "Yeah, I'm fine, Scully. I just fell asleep in the tub. Hold on a sec. Give me ten minutes and I'll be right over," Mulder offered, hopping out of the tub. Scully smiled at this remark, and plopped down on her bed. A few moments later, Mulder popped his head into the room, and looked at Scully, who was fiddling with her necklace on the bed. He walked over and joined her. "How you doing?" Mulder asked, propping the pillow. "I'm okay. Just a little tired. I guess you are too - falling asleep in the tub," Scully said with a playful smile. Her expression changed as she spoke again. "The hospital called while you were in the tub. They said that Heather's condition took a turn, and now she's not doing so good," "Scully, I'm so sorry. What did they say?" Mulder asked, sitting up straight. "Well, they still think that she's going to be fine, but she'll have to stay in the hospital for a couple more weeks. They let me talk to her, and she asked if I could say 'hi' to the whales for her," Scully explained. "Well, I'm glad that she's going to be all right," Mulder sighed. "Yeah, the hospital also said that Krycek had been admitted. Apparently he was attacked while in custody. They aren't sure if he's going to pull through or not,” Scully added, playing with the cross. "If he dies, we'll never know if he was telling the truth," Mulder said, without expression. Scully looked at him. “I think that was the idea. And anyway, I really don't care if he lives or dies. That man deserves whatever is coming to him." Mulder nodded, feeling his own rage at Krycek build up. Scully sighed. "Neither if us got any sleep," she said. "Might as well catch up on it now." She flopped back down onto her bed. With a smile, Mulder stood. He headed for the door, but before he could even leave, Scully was fast asleep. 2:02 PM Scully awoke to the ringing phone. One glance at the clock told her it was just after two in the afternoon. "Hello?" she answered groggily. "Agent Scully?" replied the voice. "This is Detective Watters from the San Diego PD. I'm calling to inform you that one Alex Krycek is missing from the hospital." "Missing?" repeated Scully. "Uh, yeah, he disappeared about two hours ago." Scully sighed. "Wasn't there a guard posted?" "Of course there was," the detective answered. "So far no one has offered any explanation as to what happened." Scully was silent for a moment. "Okay," she said finally, "I'd appreciate it if you'd keep me posted." With that, she hung up and headed for Mulder's room. "Mulder," she called, knocking on his door. "S'open," came the reply. Scully pushed open the door and slipped inside. Mulder was sitting on the bed, looking over a case file. "Krycek's gone," she announced. "Gone?" "He disappeared from the hospital this afternoon. No explanation. Just gone." She frowned and sat down on the bed. "They took him," Mulder said after a pause. "They didn't want their motives discovered." "But he told us," answered Scully. Mulder nodded. "Yeah, but he didn't give too many details. We both know that Krycek has a history of selling information to the highest bidder. How better to keep him quiet than kidnap him?" "They could kill him," Scully said. Shaking his head, Mulder replied, "Then who'd do their dirty work?" Scully looked down at her lap. She fell silent, thinking. Finally, "Do you think they'll leave Heather alone?" "Yeah," answered Mulder. "Yeah, I do. This whole fiasco has overshadowed the discovery of this new talent." "I sure hope so." She looked up at Mulder. "If she were to be killed..." Mulder shook his head gently. "She'll be fine." He wrapped his arms around Scully, pulling her close. His lips brushed the top of her head. "Hey," he said finally, "What do you say we go see Heather?" Scully smiled softly and nodded. "Okay." Together, they headed out of the motel room. Mission Bay Hospital 3:37 PM Mulder and Scully walked down the hallway to Heather's room. They walked in only to see Heather sitting up looking at a magazine. "Hey," Scully cried, walking over to give Heather a gentle hug, "How are you feeling?" "Better, actually. I had a fever last night, and felt miserable, but right now, I feel all right," Heather replied. Mulder walked up, a dozen roses in hand which he and Scully had gotten on the way to the hospital. "Oh thanks! Those are beautiful!" Heather cried, beaming. "You're welcome. I'm just glad that you are doing better," Mulder said, sitting in a chair. "What are you reading there?" "Oh, just a copy of 'People' magazine. They have this article in here about Discovery Cove," Heather replied, showing Mulder and Scully the picture. "Oh yeah, I heard about that. Don't you get to swim with the dolphins there or something?" Scully asked, taking the magazine. "Yeah, but I think for a half and hour or so. I wouldn't worry, you already swam with the whales," Heather replied, with a grin. "Who told you about that?" Mulder asked, chiming in. "A detective that came here this morning. He was asking me a few questions, and told me the whole story. I really think that the two of you have something. Ulysses could have drowned you in a second," Heather explained. "I think that I want to go and see the whales one more time before we leave," Scully suggested, looking at Mulder. "I agree. Do you care Heather?" Mulder questioned, standing up. "Not at all. If the trainers give you any trouble, just say that I sent you," Heather said with a grin. Scully gave Heather another quick hug, and told her that she would call as soon as they got back to DC. Then the agents headed to Sea World. Sea World 5:09 PM The pair arrived at Sea World as the sun was getting lower in the sky. The clouds were dashed with reds, pinks and oranges. At Shamu Stadium, Orkid and Splash waited for them at the haulout. They clicked and squawked with delight. "I have to say, this was one of our more interesting cases," Scully said, approaching the whales. "Yes it was. But something was missing....oh yes, I know. Aliens," Mulder replied with a grin. Scully looked up smiling. "I'm glad that we came." "Me too. I learned a lot. Mostly, not to let you out of my sight when we're around the whales," Mulder said, giving Scully a playful shove. Scully leaned up and kissed him briefly on the lips. Orkid and Splash tried to mimic them, pressing their tongues against the glass. The two laughed and played in the ankle deep water until the sun sank behind the ocean horizon. When it came time to leave, Scully found it nearly impossible to part with the whales. Michael stood off to one side, watching. He smiled as she patted Ulysses softly. "Bye," Scully whispered as she planted a kiss on Ulysses' nose. In return, the whale rose out of the water and placed the tip of his tongue on Scully's cheek. Mulder cleared his throat jealously, causing Scully to laugh. They stood and wandered off the haulout. In a gesture reminiscent of a Free Willy movie, Ulysses and Corky rolled onto their sides and "waved" good-bye. Michael smiled as the agents pulled their shoes back on. "Now we're going to have to train these animals the real way! No more using you to cheat," he laughed. "Oh, I don't know," replied Mulder. "Heather seems to think she has a few tricks up her sleeve." They said goodbye to Michael, and gave one final goodbye to the whales. As they walked out of Shamu Stadium, Scully could hear the whales surfacing. She had to resist the urge to run back inside to see them again. They got back into the car to drive to the hospital to say goodbye to Heather. They remained silent for some time, until Scully spoke. "Mulder what are we going to do about...about us?" she said softly. Mulder took a deep breath. "Keep going, I suppose. What's to stop us?" Scully nodded. "Okay, but what about everyone else in the Bureau?" "I think they believe we've been involved for quite some time now," he chuckled. "In any case, we just have to keep it a secret for as long as we can." They fell silent again until they pulled into the hospital parking lot. Mission Bay Hospital 8:28 PM "Back again?" quipped Heather as the agents entered. "I feel so popular." Scully smiled at her friend. "We have to head back to DC," she announced. Heather frowned. "Already?" "Already?" Scully laughed. "Believe me, Heather, I would love to stay and hang out with you and the whales. But we need to get back to work." "But you've been doing work all along!" Heather countered. Mulder laughed. "Yeah, but not on the payroll. Got to eat, you know?" Heather sighed loudly. "Oh, well, okay. But I want phone numbers and e-mail addresses!" "I'm sure we can work that out," answered Scully with a smile. She pulled out one of her business cards, and flipped it over to write her home phone number. Mulder did the same. "We'll have to keep in touch this time," said Heather as she took the cards from the agents. "Eighteen years is way too long!" Scully laughed. "We definitely will," she assured her friend. "I want to know everything that's going on with the whales! Oh, and how you're doing, too," she added, smiling. Heather held out her arms. "Come on, Dana, you didn't think I was going to let you go without getting a big hug, did you?" Chuckling, Scully embraced her friend gently. Heather turned expectantly to Mulder. "Oh, I'm not letting you get out of it that easily!" she giggled as he backed away. "I have to hug the man who stole Dana's heart!" Uncomfortably, he allowed Heather to hug him. "You two take care now," Heather said. "I don't want to hear that you're going to the hospital every week! Otherwise I might need to head out to DC and set you straight!" "Okay, Heather, we'll try," Scully answered, elbowing Mulder in the ribs. "You call me, you hear?" Heather ordered, mock sternly. "Okay, okay," Scully laughed. "I will." Heather raised an eyebrow at Mulder. "You too," she told him. "Yeah, me too," he answered with a smile. "Bye," Scully said sadly, giving her friend on last hug. "Bye," echoed Heather. "Goodbye," Mulder said. "Bye." She watched sadly as the two agents headed out the door. As the plane took off the next morning, Scully looked eagerly out the window. Mulder chuckled as he saw her scanning the ground below. "Hey, you never like to look out the window during takeoff," he pointed out. "What gives?" Scully smiled in return. "Just looking for the park." When she didn't see it, she sat back sadly. "Look at it this way," Mulder supplied. "It's not like you're never going to see her or the whales again. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder." "Or worried," added Scully, laughing. "Besides, I think if those whales got any more fond of us, the trainers would be jealous!" "We're definitely coming back here again," Mulder assured her. "You're not the only one who's attached to those whales!" Scully looked back out the window, one last time. Then she looked down at the picture in her hands, of her and Mulder sitting on Takara's back. There was no doubt in her mind that they would be back someday. THE END Well, what did you think!! Pleeeeeeeaaasssee let us know! E-mail us at dkscully@softhome.net and Xmulder002@aol.com For the most part, the information about Sea World presented in the story here is correct, although we stretched a few rules to make it more interesting... okay, we completely bent them out of shape. But it's all in fun! All the orcas here in the story are really Sea World's whales. Most of the behind-the-scenes stories here are true, ones we either heard at camp, or read on the Internet or in a magazine or something. Keet, Keto, and Sumar are no longer at Sea World San Diego, but we loved them so much we decided to leave them in the story. One last note, the references made to Frank Robson in this story are based on his book, "Pictures in the Dolphin Mind." If you love the premise of psychic contact with dolphins, check it out!! It's a really good read!! His other one, which I have not been able to find anywhere, is called "Thinking Dolphins, Talking Whales." These are both out of print, but you can probably find them at your local library.