"As you know, my sister was taken when I was 12." Mulder's voice broke
her out of her thoughts and she started concentrating on him again.
"With that my family fell apart. My parents blamed each other and me
for her disappearance. For a while I was even a prime suspect for the
murder of my sister, but the police couldn't find nor prove anything.
Made them quite angry that they couldn't pin it all on me. They were
incompetent, so they tried to pin it on the easiest victim. They still
are like that sometimes. Only about 70% of criminals are convicted and
incarcerated. Ten years back it was only about 40%. The percentage
went up only because of new techniques and technology that law
enforcement has at it's disposal now. You know how useless they are,
they usually just try to find someone they can pin it on so they can
close the case as soon as possible. Samantha's abduction and the
murder investigation sure took care of my social life, completely.
No-one at school wanted anything to do with Fox, who'd killed his own
sister. A few years later my parents divorced and I lived with my
mother for a short time before going to Oxford. I met a girl there
that I will forever regret ever meeting. Her name was Phoebe Greene.
She is one of those that just like to mess with a man's head, screw
him over and then see how many times they can make him come back to
them. I had absolutely no experience with girls at that time. What
girl in high school would want anything to do with the guy who was
accused of killing his own sister... Phoebe was different. Only later
did I realize she didn't care about my history cause she wanted me
just for sex, nothing else. I got out of that 'relationship' with
barely a shred of self-respect and dignity left. Took me a few years
before I could trust another woman, but I've made a mistake again. Her
name was Special Agent Diana Fowley. You know her only by name."

Monica searched her mind for information, the name familiar to her.
Finally she'd found it. "Wasn't she in charge of the X-Files for a
short while? She was killed, I think."

Mulder nodded."Yeah, that's her. We were involved, but then she took a
transfer to Europe. I met Scully a year later and she changed my life.
Because of her I could trust a woman with my heart again. When Scully
was taken I fell off the deep end. Slept with a woman suspected of
vampirism. That was the only woman besides Scully I've been with in 10
years. Diana came back a few years later and it nearly destroyed
Scully's and mine friendship and partnership. Diana was killed because
she helped Scully rescue me when I was held by 'them'. About 1 year
later Scully and I became lovers for that one night and shortly after
that I was taken. You know the rest."

They went silent and Monica rested her hand on his forearm in a show
of support, earning herself a look of gratitude. Finally she couldn't
help herself, the silence too heavy. "Well, it's official now, your
life sucks more."

Mulder looked up at her incredulously, eyes wide and suddenly started
laughing. Large guffaws filled the office, shaking his body violently.
Monica looked at him, but then she couldn't help it, Mulder's laughter
was infectious and she started giggling herself.

"Thank you for that sage assessment, Agent Reyes." he said when they'd
finally managed to calm down.

"Why thank you, Agent Mulder. Glad to be of help." his snort was
interrupted by a loud growling noise.

Mulder looked amused at Monica who blushed deeply and looked away.

He couldn't help but take advantage of it. "Is there are lion in this
room somewhere?"

He was just about to start laughing at the glare Monica had sent him
when another growl was heard. This time it was Monica who laughed,
while Mulder looked away embarrassed.

"What do you say we get some dinner, Mulder? I don't like the idea of
having to explain things to the guards when they come down here,
claiming to have heard lions."

Mulder smirked. "Yeah, good idea. With the reputation that we already
have, it would be better to avoid any more incidents."

They quickly sorted everything out and got ready to leave. Mulder
helped Monica into her jacket and coat, and off they were.

----------------------------