Reunited Fox Mulder was too busy thinking about his FBI partner Dana Scully to see the thing lying on the path he was jogging along. He tripped over it and landed flat on his face. He sat up and muttered, "What did I ever do to you?" He turned to see what he had tripped over and was suddenly overcome by sadness. A little bundle of fluff was crumpled in a ball. When Mulder picked it up, he discovered it was an adorable poodle puppy. "Well, now. Where did you come from? Where's your owner?" Silly question. The pup just looked at Mulder with its dark brown eyes. "Looks like you're coming home with me. Come on. I can daydream about Scully anytime." Mulder had to admit; he'd never considered owning a dog before. Until now! He rang Scully to tell her the news, but got her answering machine: "Hi, this is Scully. I'm either not in, that reason being I'm chasing an X File, or just can't be bothered answering the phone! Talk after the beep!" "Yeah Scully? I want you to come over as soon as you get in! I need you to see something. You'll love it!" Someone picked up the phone. "Mulder? How many times have I told you to talk after the beep? Now, what is it that's so important?" "It's a surprise. I want you to come now!!" There was a long silence, then a sigh. "Oh, alright Mulder. I'll be there as soon as I can." 5 Minutes Later "Now you be a good boy while Scully's here. You are a boy, aren't you?" Mulder checked (by lifting the poor dog over his head and, well, checking!) "Good, I'm glad. I wasn't ready yet to share my apartment with a girl. Except Scully!!" Mulder laughed. Mulder had given the pup a bath and knew he was a gorgeous dog! "What am I going to call you, my friend?" Mulder was only answered by a bark. "Woof? What kind of name is that? No, I'm sure Scully and I will figure something out." The pup barked again. "Hey! What are you doing in there?" Mulder went into his kitchen and saw his new pet barking at his reflection in the oven. "That's you, you twit! Now quit it! I want you to be a surprise." He picked up 'no name' and opened his fridge to get out a packet of sunflower seeds. "Huh? What the.?" he didn't get a chance to figure it out because Scully arrived, knocking on the door. The dog barked. "Shhhh. I told you to be quiet," Mulder whispered. He went to open the door, but had to look back at his fridge. "Scully. You're here! There's somebody I'd like you to meet." Mulder held up his companion. One look at the gorgeous dog and Scully squealed. "Mulder, he's so cute. What's his name?" She tried to pat him, but he snapped at her. "Well, he may be cute, but needs to be taught some manners. What's his name?" Scully asked again. "That's just it. He doesn't have one. Yet. I thought you could help me?" Mulder begged. "Okay then. How about we do it the way they did on that movie, Beethoven? You know, draw the names out of a hat. Have you seen that movie?" "Yeah, but I didn't like it. Too much drool for me thanks! But if you think it would work then sure!" They spent an hour thinking of names, such as: Cu Jo, ET (Mulder's choice), Ripper, Sarge, Oz, Pauly, Tooms ("no thanks, I don't think so," Mulder said after Scully's suggestion), Rupert, J.J. ("Dynomite!!"), even Skinner! While they thought of names, the subject matter was lying on the floor watching them. "I think that's enough now. The container is almost full. Now all we have to do is pick one. You can do the honours." Before Mulder could put his hand in, the pup jumped on the couch, where they were sitting, and stuck his nose in the container. "I guess he wants to pick his own name!" Scully laughed, while Mulder looked on in horror. "Mulder? What's wrong?" Mulder looked at Scully the way he does when he needs to tell her something important. "What is it?" Scully prompted. "I want to show you something. It's left me a bit baffled." He lead her into the kitchen. "Look." He opened the fridge. Scully did what she was told. She looked and laughed. "Mulder. All I see is a fridge full of food." "That's just it, Scully! My fridge has never been full. Ever!! But how do you explain that!" Mulder was practically beside himself with confusion. "Mulder, stop being so paranoid. Maybe you forgot you went out and brought a tonne of groceries? Not possible? Well, how am I supposed to know? Mulder.don't even think about giving me that look!" "What look?" Mulder asked. "The look you get when you think we've found an X File. Let's think. Maybe someone was feeling generous and decided to give you a fridge full of food. Or how about it's not even your fridge? Yeah, maybe wants you to look after it." "Do you know how ridiculous that sounds? No Scully. There's something going on. I just can't figure out." Mulder was interrupted by a nudge on the leg. It was the dog. He had a piece of paper in his mouth. He let Mulder pull it out. "Well, let's see what name he wants." Mulder unfolded the paper, looked at the name and went pale. "Now what is it?" Scully asked and looked at the name written on the paper, "Oh, you didn't write this name down?" Written on the piece of paper was the name SAM. "No I just couldn't. Did you?" Mulder could hardly speak. His voice came out hoarse. Scully shook her head. They stood there in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Scully hated to leave Mulder in this situation, but she had to get home. "Look, I have to go. Poor Queequeg will be wondering where I have got to. I'll see you at work tomorrow Fox." She put on her coat and left. Mulder plommed down on the couch and 'Sam' jumped up too. "She must be pretty worried about me. She called me Fox." Sam's eyes glistened at the sound of his name. "Well, I'm going to have a shower now. If you'll excuse me." Mulder tried to get up, but Sam was reluctant to move. Mulder lifted him up, got up himself, and put him back on the couch. The shower lifted a big weight off Mulder's shoulders. As the hot water fell onto his muscular body, he started daydreaming about Scully again. He knew he shouldn't, it could get him into trouble one day. He didn't know how long he had been in there, but started to get dizzy. Pretty soon, he passed out. When he woke later, he was on the couch. "How did I get here?" He could remember being in the shower and fainting. He realised something was licking him: Sam. "Hey! I'm alright now. Cut it out. Get off me." Sam looked hurt. "I'm sorry. Here, you can share the couch with me." Mulder was surprised when Sam decided to lay on the floor and fall asleep. The next morning when Mulder woke, he found Sam standing on a chair with his front legs on Mulder's desk. He seemed to be lost in thought while looking at Mulder's pictures of himself and his sister Samantha. Mulder went to stand next to the pup. Sam looked up at Mulder and Mulder was so sure the dog had been crying. "That's my sister Samantha." Mulder told Sam. That's all he said because Sam jumped down and walked away as if he didn't want to hear anymore. "How was your night?" Scully asked as Mulder walked into their basement office. "It could've been better," Mulder mumbled. "How? What happened?" Mulder told her about how he had fainted in the shower, but gained consciousness on the couch fully clothed. "How do you explain that?" "I don't now. Could it be possible that? No, that's impossible," Scully shook her head in disbelief. "No! Tell me! It wouldn't be impossible if it was an X File." "Okay, tell me Mulder, has anything else happened between you and whatever his name is." "Sam. That's what I called him. He did want that name after all. Um, strange? Well, there was this morning when I woke up, Sam was looking at my photos which are on my desk. Is that strange? Wait! When he looked at me, I was sure he had been crying. But that's crazy, isn't it?" "Not if I'm right. Look, I don't want to upset you or anything. That's the last thing I want, but do you think it could be possible Sam is a reincarnation of your sister?" Mulder didn't answer straight away. He was wondering if it could be possible. "Of course! She or he, whatever Sam is, has come back to look after her big brother who was devastated by her disappearance. Scully! I could kiss you, but I won't!" He paused, "but what if you're wrong? I can't exactly prove my pet poodle is my sister." "What proof do you need? Look at the facts, Mulder! Somehow, he/she put food in your empty fridge, saved you from nearly drowning in the shower and now she's reliving her memories of the two of you together. And then there's the possibility of her choosing her own name as some sort of clue of who he really is?" Mulder started pacing the small office. "But I think it'll be a little strange having my sister back, don't get me wrong, it'll be great. But as a male dog? Now that's what I can't seem to get into my head!" Mulder returned home that day and got the biggest shock of his life when he walked into the living room and saw what Sam was lying on. It was the game Mulder and Samantha were playing before she vanished. He walked closer and Sam got up and ran to him. Mulder picked up the game and a note fell from it. Fox, We still haven't finished the game we were playing Sam P.S. It's me! Believe it! I'm back! The next thing Mulder did was put the game down on the coffee table, and then bent down to pick up his sister. He held her face to face and said, "Samantha? Are you really in there?" Sam answered by licking his face and then barked. "I take that as a yes! Oh, Sam, I've missed you so much!" THE END Well, that's my story! It does seem a bit sad doesn't it? Love, Stacey