Please Archive... grin... All Characters copyright of TenThirteen Productions and Chris Carter. No infringement intended on any part... go ahead, take me to court... I'm using the insanity defense... heh, heh, heh... Comments, complaints and just plain talk to sheryl_martin@goodmedia.com Summary: Scully ponders a few things on the way to the Ivory Coast... Spoilers: Biogenesis, natch... Rating: G, Vignette.... Flying Blind (1/1) by Sheryl Martin "... and we hope you enjoy your flight..." The low voice droned over the intercom system as the lit seat belt sign went off; prompting a muted sigh of relief among the passengers. Unbuckling her belt Scully made her way over the two empty seats beside her into the aisle, heading for the washroom at a quick pace. Once inside, she locked the door and turned the water on; dipping her hand into the cool stream and splashing it over her face. This was insanity. This is not what she should be doing. She should have stayed in Washington; discussed Mulder's diagnosis with the doctors and had it out with both Skinner and Fowley; got Mulder out of there. Instead she was on a midnight flight across the Atlantic to find God knows what. Except she didn't know if God knew. Lifting her face from the narrow steel basin she stared at herself in the small mirror; shocked at the dark circles under her eyes and the scared expression that lay within. Grabbing at a paper towel she dried her face off and unlocked the door. Too much work to do. Too much for just her. But there was no one else to save them this time. The plane was half-empty; the last one out for that day. She had dashed home and grabbed her overnight bag; slapped down her credit card at the ticket counter and flashed her badge as often as she could, not caring if Skinner found out. If any of them found out. She didn't care. She had to find out what the truth was. Even if it wasn't what she wanted. Her row of seats was empty, putting her at an advantage. Her briefcase sat on the center seat. Sitting by the window she placed the familiar case on her lap and opened it. The rubbing lay on the top of the files, the light charcoal outline staring at her as if to demand an answer. Picking it up slowly Scully stared at it. Flipping it over she reread the scratched letters as if seeing them for the first time. It didn't make sense. It couldn't make sense. As she dropped the thin paper down on the files her hand brushed against something cool; making her jerk the rubbing up and away from her. Placing the cryptic image on the empty seat cushion beside her Scully reached down into her briefcase and stroked the rosary. Mentally she rationalized and justified it's presence; her fingers running over the cool black beads as they rolled across her skin. A quick brush across the cross and her touch returned to the beads; rubbing them between her fingers as she looked at the rubbing beside her. And what did it mean if Mulder's theory was true? Turning to one side she stared out the window. Beneath her lay a thick layer of clouds; above them the sun. Sister Mary Katherine had smiled at her when one Sunday after Mass she had demanded that an angel appear to her here and now; prove that they existed. Prove that they cared when Mike tugged on her curls during Sunday School and Melissa had gotten the higher mark on the test. Stamping polished black shoes on wooden floors the red-haired girl had asked angrily how Sister knew they existed when Sister herself had admitted that she had never seen one. "Faith, Dana. You have to believe some things on faith. And sometimes that's the hardest thing you'll ever do." Staring out the plane window at the white and cream-colored clouds as they sped over them Scully sighed, still rubbing the rosary. Her eye landed on a wispy thread of a fatter entity; stretching out into the blue sky. The answer came back to her with a startlingly clearness; shocking her with the clarity of the thought. A thin smile crossed her face as she slipped the rosary back into her briefcase; the warm metal comforting to the touch. Her fingers latched onto another small item at the bottom of the case. Lifting it up, she stared at it. A sunflower seed. A single sunflower seed. Scully paused for only a second before popping it into her mouth; feeling the saltiness invade her mouth. Rolling it around with her tongue, she grinned as she cracked it expertly with her teeth. <"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there; and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."> Her eyebrows rose as she stared out at the clouds below them. ********* Come visit The Dragon's Lair at http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Chamber/7976!!! *************************