Every time he touches her-- every time he shows that he wants to-- it heals something in her, a twisted wound that's barely had time to scab over. Losing a limb might have been easier than losing Mulder.

"By the time I realized you were in danger in Oregon it was too late," she says, because to her it seems the obvious place to start. "Those first days are a bit of a blur. There was a task force-- Agent Doggett was assigned to lead. I, uh. Didn't trust him at first. Skinner and I followed some leads on our own but--"

She swallows hard. "Obviously it wasn't you. The Bureau decided, after finding out about your neurological issue, the matter was as good as closed."