Title: Change of Heart
Author: Agent X
Summary: Mulder is back and Doggett feels like he
doesn't belong anymore
Category: post-ep, angst, DSF, a little DSR
Keywords: Scully, Doggett, Mulder's return
Spoilers: Up to DeadAlive
Timeline: After DeadAlive
Disclaimer: The character in this story are the
property of the genius Chris Carter, 1013 and Fox
Archive: anywhere you like, just let me know please
Feedback: Good or bad, to 
aussie_xphile25@yahoo.com.au
. Flames are encouraged - I do love a good fight!
Dedication: This story is entirely dedicated to the
wonderful Robert Patrick, who has inspired me to 
write
this by bringing the character of John Doggett to
life! J Also to my fellow WIB and the crew of the
Doggship - love ya guys!!
Author's Note: at the end
* No beta reader used. Please excuse the typos *

*	*	*

Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste
It all revolves around you
Come What May - Moulin Rouge


*	*	*
Change of Heart

John Doggett closed the door silently, turned away,
and walked off down the hall.

He tried to forget what he had just seen, but the
image was permanently burnt into his brain. That's
what it felt like too; seeing them together. It felt
like someone had just tipped scalding water over his
head... and over his heart.

Until a few days ago, Fox Mulder was a thing of the
past. Dead and buried. Doggett hoped he would stay
that way too, after all the pain Mulder had caused
Scully in the past.

Dana Scully deserved happiness and Doggett was damned
if he wouldn't be the one to give it to her. If only
the man in the grave were dead.

Doggett almost laughed to himself at the
ridiculousness of that thought. Of *course* the man 
in the grave was dead. Why would anyone bury somebody 
who wasn't? Good question. But they did...
As Doggett reached the elevator he turned once more 
to glance back down the hall, hoping that, for some
reason, he would see Scully coming towards him,
begging him not to leave.

The hall was empty.

Sighing, he stepped into the elevator and pushed the
button for the carpark floor. He was going back to 
the motel. With Mulder awake and Scully staying with 
him, there was no reason for him to stick around. 

Besides, his face hurt like hell from his fight with 
Krycek, and he thought he might have broken a few 
ribs. 'That son-of-a-bitch was going to wish he were 
never born when I catch up with him', Doggett thought 
to himself.

Then his thoughts went back to Scully.

That had hurt, seeing her in there, so happy, with 
her head resting on Mulder's chest. It wasn't seeing 
her happy that hurt. God, he'd prayed everyday to see 
that beautiful smile which lit up her face... and his 
life.

He had just hoped that maybe *he*could be the one to
make her smile.

God, he envied Fox Mulder. The guy certainly wasn't
much to look at, that for sure, and he'd certainly 
had more bad luck and loss in his life than anyone 
should have to deal with. But to hold the heart of 
the most intelligent, spirited, *beautiful* woman in 
the world...

God, he was lucky.

Doggett thought back to the day he met Scully, and to
their first conversation. It certainly hadn't been 
the easiest introduction, but from the moment she 
threw her cup of water all over him, he fell 
completely and utterly in love with Dana Scully.
Back to reality, he stepped out of the elevator and
headed for his car. He was just about to get into the
car when he heard someone calling him name. His 
*first* name.

No, I couldn't be her.

"John!"

He turned to see Scully running towards him. Well, as
much as she was able to run in her pregnant state. 
She stopped breathlessly a few feet away from him.

"Agent Scully, is everything alright?" he asked, 
concerned.

"Yes... I mean, no... I..." she had to stop to catch 
her breath.

"Is Mulder okay? Has anything happened to him" 
Doggett asked, worried something had gone wrong.

"Mulder? Oh, he's fine," she replied, so nonchalantly
it surprised him.

Doggett was confused.

"Well," he began. "What brings you down here in such 
a hu..."

He didn't get to finish what he was saying before
Scully stepped forward, reached up and wrapped her
arms around his neck in a tight hug.

Doggett stood there for a moment, stunned, before
gently putting his arms around her waist. She was
shaking.

"Agent Scully, what's happened? What's wrong?"

She murmured something but he couldn't hear because
her face was buried in his jacket.

"What was that?"

She pulled away from his chest and looked into his
eyes. There were tears on her face.

"I said I don't want you to go," she whispered.
Now he was really confused.

"Agent Scully," he said. "I was only goin' back to 
the motel. I thought you should have some time alone 
with Mulder and I didn't want to intrude."

Scully shook her head.

"That's not what I meant," she said. "You're leaving
the X-Files, aren't you? That's what the meeting with
Kersh was about."

It was Doggett's turn to shake his head.

"You're jumpin' to conclusions, Agent Scully. Kersh
called me into his office to tell me his job offer no
longer stands."

She looked at him with wide eyes.

"Really?" she asked quietly.

Doggett looked at the ground and nodded.

She turned away from him and stood there silently for
a moment.

"Look Agent Scully," he began. "I know things aren't
gonna be easy when Mulder comes back to work, and
believe me, the last thing I want to do is get in the
way. I don't belong on the X-Files, you and I both
know that."

He stopped and took a deep breath. He couldn't 
believe what he was about to say.

"I'll apply for a transfer as soon as I can."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Scully
spun around. She came over to him again and grabbed
his hand.

"No,'' she hissed. "You can't go. You can't leave. I
won't let you leave..."

There were tears in her eyes again.

Now Doggett was really confused. Here in front of him
was woman who hadn't bothered to hide her hostility
towards him, a woman who barely acknowledged his
presence on the best of days. This same woman was now
standing in front of him, crying no less, begging him
not to leave. What the hell was going on?

"Agent Scully," Doggett began. "I know this has been 
a tough few months for you, but now that Mulder is 
back, there is no need for me to stick around. I was
assigned to the X-Files to find Mulder. I found him.
There's nothing else here for me..."

*Except the woman I've fallen madly in love with* he
thought to himself.

She looked down at the ground, and then took his 
hand.

"Would it make a difference if *I* wanted you to
stay?" she asked in a small voice.

Doggett didn't bother to conceal the look of shock on
his face when she said that. The way she'd said it;
the tone of her voice could mean only one thing...
When he didn't say anything, Scully turned away,
embarrassed, and began speaking quickly.

"I don't want you to feel like you have to leave just
because Mulder is back. You've done some great work 
on the X-Files. I know you don't believe a lot of 
things in our cases, but it's good to have someone 
always asking questions, having doubts. You've given 
up everything over the past few months to help me 
find Mulder. You've put your life on the line for me 
and asked for nothing in return. You've even given up 
your career for the X-Files and helped me stay sane.
Without your support I don't think I could have made
it through the last few months. You're a good man and
a credit to the FBI."

She turned around to face him again and found that he
had come up behind her, his face inches from hers.

He stared at her for a moment.

"So," he said. "You want me to stay so I can 
infuriate you with questions, eh?"

She gave him a small smile and nodded, mesmerises by
his ice blue eyes that were inches from hers.

He put his hands on her shoulders and felt her body
tense.

"That the only reason?" he asked, hoping like hell it
wasn't.

She stared at the ground for a moment. He put one 
hand under her chin, lifting her face so he could see 
into her eyes. They were spilling over with tears.

"Is that the only reason, Dana?" he repeated.

She shook her head, not daring to look at him.

"I want you to stay... because I need you," she
whispered.

She raised her eyes to see a look of wonder on his
face, like he was seeing the sunrise for the first
time.

"You mean..." he managed to say.

She cut him off by putting her fingered on his lips
for a moment.

She smiled up at him and nodded slowly.

He was so surprised by her admission he couldn't
speak.

"You... I... but I thought..." he stuttered.

"Close your mouth, John," she laughed, lightening the
mood. "You look like a stunned mullet."

He closed his mouth, still looking at her in wonder.
He could hardly believe what he had just heard. This
gorgeous woman, who had stolen his heart the moment
they met, needed *him*. Wanted *him*.

She raised her hand again and ran her fingers gently
down the side of his face. He shivered involuntarily,
then finally worked up enough courage to ask *the*
question.

"What about Mulder?"

She took a step back and leant against the side of 
his car.

"I love Mulder," she said simply.

When she saw the crestfallen look on Doggett's face,
she laughed and playfully slapped his arm.

"Not like that, you nut!" she said. "I love Mulder 
and I always will, but I'm not *in* love with him 
anymore.

In fact I haven't been for a long time. Mulder is my
best friend, but the time when we could have been
together is long gone. He is too dedicated to the 
work and besides, I've fallen for someone else."

She looked at him hopefully.

"I'm only hoping he feels the same way about me."

Doggett could hardly keep the slap-me-stupid grin off
his face. He couldn't believe she felt the same way
about him as he did about her. He turned to face her
and lightly touched her hair.

"Well," he said with a cheeky smile. "I'll have to
think about that."

She laughed nervously, even as tears started spilling
down her cheeks again.

They hugged each other tightly.

"So," she said after a while, pulling back to look at
him. "You and me. Who would have believed it before
now?"

He laughed.

"Certainly not me," he said, then became serious. "To
tell you the truth, after the look you gave me when I
walked into Mulder's room back there, I didn't think
you'd ever want to talk to me again."

"Well," she said, resting her head on his chest 
again.

"I guess I had a change of heart."

The End

*	*	*

Author's note: I know, another post-ep <everyone
groans>. This is just what I wish had happened at the
end of the ep. Hmphh.. fat chance of that with a
shipper-loving producer like CC. Ah well, can't hate
him for a bad judgement call, after all, he gave us
John Doggett so that *definitely* makes up for it. J