Gaining Altitude (4/?) by Tesla
See previous Parts for disclaimers

Janet was pretty sure that she loved Mulder. However, paranoia breeds more
paranoia: how could she let him know about her feelings without scaring him
off? In fact, now that she considered the matter, she was pretty sure she
adored him. Watch ESPN all night, all weekend? No problem. Let him bring his
laundry over? No problema.  Just as long as he was there.  Just as long as
he came over every evening he was in town. Just don't let him know how much
she doted on his every bizarre utterance, and things would be cool.

And that was another real problem. She was in love with a nut.  A federal
employee, who ( your tax dollars at work)  did quasi-classified
investigations of---liver flukes? UFO sightings? Mysterious cow
molestations? Russian triple agents? Government conspiracies?

And his friends. Frohike: who came by with two gym bags full of electronic
equipment, swept her apartment and car and lobby and mailbox, and found
nothing. Then he took an hour to tell Janet about how dangerous Mulder's
life was. How dangerous his work was. How his wonderful and beautiful
partner was mysteriously infected with cancer and miraculously
recovered-both because of Mulder's work. Byers: who came back with Frohike,
a second time, and spent the entire time giving Frohike warning looks. As a
result, the second time, Frohike had said scarcely a word to her.

Sheesh. You'd think she was sleeping with Prince William of Wales and the
Prince of Darkness-or Bill Gates---considering the level of paranoia and
worship evident in Frohike's tone of voice.  She couldn't wait to meet the
mysterious Dr. Scully-that would be a real trip. What then? More dire words
of warning? Or something more elemental-like, would Scully actually tell
Janet to get away from Mulder, or else?

She felt as though Frohike  had been condescending, making her feel that she
didn't know anything about Mulder, or anything of his six years of
investigations in the X-Files; that she was a fool who couldn't understand
or appreciate Mulder.

That only the wonderful Scully was fit to be his mate.

They didn't seem to get the fact that Mulder didn't want Scully any more.
"I would have done anything for her," he had said. "I probably still would.
But I can't spend my life waiting for her to agree with me. I'm tired of
fighting her."
And that he was so ridiculously pleased to have someone-even the
comparatively unworthy her-to sleep with, and have sex with, and watch
television with, and eat dinner with-his friends didn't seem to understand
that life was what happened between the dramatic moments. And that she didn'
t love the beautiful young man he had been-his ID badge picture was so
young-but the thirty-eight year old man he was now. She loved the tired man
who just wanted to see his sister again.



--
"Some days it doesn't pay to chew through the restraints."---Anonymous