SEASON 1

SEASON 2

SEASON 3

SEASON 4

SEASON 5

FIGHT THE FUTURE

SEASON 6

SEASON 7

SEASON 8

SEASON 9

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The guard bursts into the room. "This man…this man hit me," Roche whinges. The guard gives him the stink-eye, finally sneering "I didn't see it." Nice cover, dude, after rushing in there to break up the non-fight that you hadn't noticed. Ehh, it's Roche. I'll give it a pass. But Scully won't: the guard steps aside to reveal her standing in the doorway, looking grim indeed. She saw it, she says darkly. Busted.

Moose and Squirrel pedeconference in the hall. Mulder knows that Roche took Samantha, now, he's sure of it, saw him right there in the house. Scully storms after him, all "yo, DREAM." They're really hauling ass down the corridor. Mulder flips the "dream is an answer to a question" line back at her, naturally. I also want to note, here, that Scully is sporting a dark red, wasp-waisted suit that I am mostly sure is gorgeous, but might almost swerve over the line into odd…I can't decide. Oh, Vancouver. I really missed the colored suits, after they moved to L.A. and Scully got all glamorously severe. Scully thinks that Roche just looked up some pertinent Mulderfacts on the Internet, like the rest of us. Mulder's vulnerable, Roche is toying with him, Scully's worrying her ass off, but it was just a dream. "My last dream came true," Mulder points out miserably. "Scully, do you believe that my sister Samantha was abducted by aliens? Have you ever believed that?" Ooh, ouch. Scully, chagrined, can't meet his eyes. "So what do you think happened to her?" Mulder probes. He doesn't know what to believe, any more; he's just desperate to find out. He stalks away. Eventually, huge-eyed and pensive, she follows.

Greenwich, Connecticut. Mulder's klonking around in his mom's basement. He doesn't seem to have announced his arrival, as she calls out to him from the stairs. It's probably like three in the morning, Mulder, damn. Don't make me regret which kid I surrendered to the multinational evil conspiracy! He's sorry for waking her; she's fine but would like to know what the hell he's up to. Mulder whips out the anonymous hearts, but Teena doesn't recognize them, or understand why exactly her son is brandishing them in her face. Her memory isn't what it was, after her stroke. Eventually Mulder stops badgering her and soothes her in a hug. Aw. He's very sweet-faced here. I always thought Rebecca Toolan was remarkably well-cast, too; she really looks like she could be his mom. They share those Slavic eyes. Mulder rubs her back, and has just one more qu estion: "Dad never bought you a vacuum cleaner, did he?" Well, yes. It's in the storage area under the stairs. Mulder gets in there and flings jingly boxes of Christmas décor aside (unless, as some have speculated as to Mulder's religious affiliation, those are actually trimmings for the Hanukkah bush) and pulls out the squat, avocado-green ElectroVac Princess. Shit, shit, shit.

FBI, Skinner's office. Skinman! He's yanked Mulder off the Roche case, for gettin' too close and goin' too far and takin' it too personally and all the other Mulderly behaviors we've come to know and love. Mulder, Scully and Skinner here demonstrate a masterful volley of accusatory glances and excuses and bargaining requests that culminate in Skinner's weary acquiescence. He orders Mulder to tread lightly, and Scully to keep Mulder on a very tight leash. From your lips to God's ear, Scully thinks. You can tell in this scene that Skinner is in one of those cycles where he has frigging HAD IT with the both of them. Just how much hot rogue-agent bickering in his office can one man be expected to take? Lord, beer me strength, Skinner thinks. Actually, beer him a Scotch, if you're getting up…?

Prison interrogation room. Roche demurs; he's not talking if Mulder's gonna hit him again. This time Scully's there at the table, too. If Roche had any sense he'd know who to be more afraid of here, I think. She leads with her right, Roche. Mulder wordlessly slides the two anonymous hearts across the table; when Roche begins fiddling with the baggie zipper Mulder's quick to grab his wrist: "No. You don't get to touch 'em." Damn straight. I shudder some more. Mulder demands names, and Roche dicks around: "I think you know one of them already," he simpers. "Prove it," Scully bites out. Roche smiles slightly, evilly, and starts spooling out details of the night Samantha was taken. He claims to have been watching them from the window. "If that's true, tell me where my sister is," Mulder barely rumbles.