Title: Sliding Doors
Author: Katherine Scully
Email: musetails@yahoo.com
Rating: PG
Series: the X-Files
Disclaimer: The X-Files and all related characters are property of Chris Carter and Ten Thirteen Productions. No copyright infringement is intended. The title and story idea are borrowed from the movie "Sliding Doors."
Summary: What if Mulder had never been abducted?
Note: this will seem a little confusing, so I'll try to help. "Track A" is basically the alternate reality, if Mulder had never been abducted. "Track B" is the show's reality. It may still seem confusing… but the movie that I got the idea from was confusing too! Hope this helps a little. Also, I really have no idea what time the subway stops for the night, or *if* it stops for the night, in D.C., so I've put it at one a.m. It's probably later if it stops at all, but for this story it's one a.m

Sliding Doors
By Katherine Scully

Track A

It had been the day from hell, and it was raining. Carrying a file nearly overflowing, Dana Scully ran for the subway, lugging her suitcase. She missed it by a few seconds.

"Damn it!" she cursed. It was the last train of the night, too. She'd have to take a cab home. Her car was in the shop. Again. She had returned a day early from her trip to an FBI training seminar in New York and so far everything was going wrong. Her plane was delayed and Skinner had given her hell when she had finally gotten back to the Bureau. He'd also told her there was a possibility she could be transferred off the X-Files. To make matters worse, Mulder was supposedly off on another one of his damned tail chasers, as she had started to call them. Basically that's what she and Mulder ended up doing most of the time-chasing their tails and getting in trouble for it. Wearily, she climbed the stairs back to street level, and shivered in the cold early March rain. It was nearly sleet. Washington, D.C. in March could still be bitterly cold.

She stuck out her arm to hail a cab and was rewarded with cold wet slush spraying on her new suit as the cab went sailing past. She cursed again and stuck out her arm. It took her three more tries and she was soaking wet before a cabbie finally took pity on her and pulled over.

"Where to, ma'am?" She gave him Mulder's address and the cabbie happily took off... happily, because it was across town and it would be a fairly decent fare before he headed home to a nice, warm bed. Scully shivered.

"So, what were you doing on that corner at one o'clock in the morning?" he asked kindly.

"Car's in the shop. I had to work late, missed the last subway.

"That's rough," the cabbie said sympathetically. They drove the rest of the way in comfortable silence and she gratefully paid the fare, then walked into the apartment she was now sharing with Mulder. He was already asleep-she hadn't really expected him to wait up for her, but it would've been a nice surprise. And, she was a fool to even think it might happen. As usual. Then she stepped in something and looked down. It was a silk blouse. As if on cue, she heard a decidedly female voice moan from the bedroom...

Track B

Dana Scully ran down the stairs and caught the doors before they slid
closed. Forcing them open again, she darted onto the train, thanking God or whatever power might be up there that she'd happened to catch the last train of the night. The last thing she wanted was to have to hail a cab at one o'clock in the morning. She couldn't wait to see him.

She stepped off the subway a few minutes later and into John Doggett's arms. He kissed her soundly.

"I missed you," he murmured in her ear. "I missed you so damn much it hurt.  How did the meeting with Skinner go?"

"Not well. He wasn't happy."

"He'll get over it," Doggett said, smiling.

"I hope so," she said, then she linked her arm through his and they walked
back to his car.

Track A

Scully threw open the door to their bedroom and was appalled at the sight
that met her eyes. For a moment she did not move or speak, merely stared at Mulder-amidst the mass of the blond hair of, of all people, A.D. Skinner's secretary!-without a word. Then she abruptly turned and left the room, still lugging her suitcase.

She ran out the door, back out onto the street and, to her amazement,
managed to hail another cab. She went to her mother's.

"Mom, I'm so sorry to arrive so late," she said when her mother let her in.

"Of course, Dana! What's happened?!"

"It's Mulder. He's been having an affair! I caught him in bed with our
boss's secretary tonight."

"I'm so sorry, my dear," her mother assured her, hugging her. Dana sobbed
quietly into her mother's shoulder for a long moment, then went into her old room and lay across the bed, still in the rumpled suit she'd been wearing all day. It was an hour before she moved from the bed and pulled on her nightgown, then went straight to bed and cried herself to sleep.

Track B

The lovemaking had been wild and wonderful. Scully lay, perfectly at peace, in Doggett's arms, as he held her tightly. She had missed him so much! She did not want to sleep yet… the moment was just too perfect. At length, long after he had started snoring lightly, she drifted off too, and dreamed of him.

Track A

Morning, when it came, wasn't much better. She awoke early, around six
a.m., showered, changed, had breakfast and some strong coffee that her had mom made, then went to work. Mulder brushed past her in the hallway without so much as a hello, didn't even look in her direction. Sighing, finding herself fighting tears, she continued on her way. She walked into Skinner's office and noticed that Mulder was sitting as far away from her chair as he could without being impolite.

"Agents, I'm not quite sure how to tell you this, but I've been told I need
to temporarily transfer Agent Scully to the field office in New York,"
Skinner said. "I've fought this every way I can, agents, but it's official
as of this morning. Agent Scully is to report to SAC Martin in New York
first thing Monday morning. I'm sorry, Scully." Skinner did indeed seem to
be genuinely sorry, and Scully nodded.

"I understand, Sir," she said, not looking at Mulder. "I think maybe this
transfer is just what I need right now."

"It's only temporary, Scully," Skinner told her. "Probably a month or two
at most, but they need your assistance on a case."

"Yes, Sir. I understand that," she told him. Skinner nodded and shook her
hand.

"I'll look forward to seeing you in a month, Scully."

"Yes, Sir." She walked out of the office without looking at Mulder.

Track B

She opened her eyes slowly and stretched luxuriously, then reached for
Doggett. Her eyes flew open when she realized he wasn't beside her, then
she found a note and a thornless red rose on her pillow:

Last night was wonderful. Welcome home, my love.
Thought I'd let you sleep a bit, there's some strong
Coffee made and breakfast on the stove. I
Made you some lunch, too, it's in the grocery bag
On the second shelf in the fridge. Enjoy, see you
At the office.

Love,
John

Scully smiled, then stood, showered and ate the breakfast he'd left for her.
After cleaning up, she grabbed the lunch he'd made and headed for the office.

Track A

Scully stepped off the plane and was met by a tall man in a suit, with an
FBI windbreaker draped over his arm. He was tall, handsome, with piercing
blue eyes.

"Hi, I'm John Doggett, your new partner," he said, sticking out a hand...

~Finis~