Out Of This World (X-Files/Twin Peaks AU)

5. The Plan

Andy stood at Lucy's desk, looking overwhelmingly happy. "I guess love is in the air." Mulder announced, giving Sandra a little smirk.

As they walked up the hallway toward the conference room, Sandra bumped into the body of a man coming from the opposite direction. The papers Hawk held were dropped to the floor as he and Sandra made eye contact. She stooped to pick up his papers for him, handing them back. "Thank you, Agent Flynn." He said cooly, yet knowingly.

"You're welcome, Deputy Hawk." Hawk opened the door to the conference room, never breaking eye contact with Sandra. When she finally did, Mulder cocked his eyebrow at her. She ignored him with a smile playing on her lips.

At the head of the table by the blackboard stood Harry. Hawk took a seat near them, grabbed a donut from the neat pile, and slowly ate it as he continued to stare at Sandra. Mulder leaned in close to whisper to his partner, "what's this guy's deal?" Sandra grinned before whispering back to him.

"No idea."

Waltzing into the room came Agent Dale Cooper. He closed the door behind him. Evidently, Mulder got a few good hits in the night before as Cooper had a bruise on the left side of his jaw. "How are you feeling, Agent Flynn?"

"Ready to get back to work, Agent Cooper." Sandra was truthful, she was ready for work. After the events of the other day, she needed answers for what happened to her.

"What have you got, Agent Cooper?" Mulder asked, his voice velvety smooth. Cooper went up to the blackboard and flipped it around. Hawk finally broke his gaze at Sandra to look at it, which she was grateful for.

The other side of the board was a map of Twin Peaks and the surrounding area. He then grabbed several darts and went to stand at the back of the room behind Sandra. As he moved, he began to mention something involving Tibet, which Sandra had tuned out. By the looks on Harry and Hawk's faces, she knew they'd heard the explanation too many times. Cooper handed her one of the darts after whispering something into it. "Sandra. Throw."

"Excuse me?" She protested. Cooper leaned down to her right ear.

"I told you, you have to get used to my methods. Now, throw." Sandra did as she was told, threw the dart, and it landed in a large field to the West of Twin Peaks. "Excellent." He handed a dart to Mulder. "Throw, Agent Mulder." He rolled his eyes and threw the dart. It also landed in the same field, but further to the West. Mulder looked dumbfounded for the first time since working in the X-Files unit. Cooper did the same with Hawk and Truman, and then finally with himself. Each of the darts landed somewhere in the large western field.

Cooper then grabbed all the darts from the blackboard, flipped it over, and using white chalk he drew a large clock. Once again, he made his way to the back of the room and whispered to the dart in his hand. He handed it to Sandra and without question she threw it. It landed on the 10. He then threw another dart quickly after her that landed between the 7 and 8. "Okay!" He exclaimed. "We have our search spots and our time. We'll come here to reconvene at 10 tonight, then we will make our way to that field. I will need all of you in the search spots you landed on precisely at 10:37pm. Are we understood?" The team all nodded.

Sandra was the last in the conference room. She took a moment to look at the board as the rest of the search team left. She turned and opened the door, but stopped when it was only open a crack. She spied Mulder and Cooper stood by the door. Cooper clapped his hand hard on Mulder's shoulder, holding out his hand for Mulder to shake. As Mulder took it, Cooper pulled him in close. He whispered something to Mulder who gave him an angry look.

Mulder said something in response, but they were too quiet. They then shook hands, and from the look of it they were both fighting for dominance in the handshake. Sandra took the opportunity to fully open the door. They turned to look at her as she crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe.

"Looks like you two finally made up." Sandra said with feigned surprise.

"Yup," Cooper said as he patted Mulder on the shoulder again, a little too forcefully. "Like two old school chums!"

Mulder gave a half-assed laugh and hit Cooper's arm, again a little too forcefully. "School chums." He repeated. Sandra went to exit the station, and both men ran ahead to hold the doors open for her. She just shook her head and left.

Behind them at the desk, Lucy stood next to Andy, her lips parted in awe. Hawk proceeded to join them. "That's one hell of a woman." Hawk stated, shoving another donut into his mouth. Andy and Lucy looked at each other, then back out the doors.

---

10pm.

Mulder and Sandra's rental entered their usual parking spot at the station. Mulder was about to exit the car, but stopped to look at his partner. "How are you feeling?" He placed his hand on her thigh, which he seemed to enjoy doing often.

"Hanging in there." She patted his hand and smiled half heartedly. "I won't lie, Mulder, I'm nervous. This plan is crazy, it doesn't make any sense." She laughed.

"I guess we have no choice in the matter, do we?" Mulder squeezed her hand. "I will be right there with you. Remember that." He leaned in closer to her. "You're my partner at the end of the day, and you will be for a long time. I can feel it."

"Thanks, Mulder. That means a lot." The pair sat like that for a moment, as close as they could get. Sandra felt a compulsion to grab his face and bring it to hers. TAP TAP TAP, came a noise on her passenger side window. Sandra turned to see Cooper. He grinned ear to ear and gave a thumbs up before opening Sandra's door for her. "You are going to be the death of me, Coop." She giggled as she took his extended hand.

"I will make sure that doesn't happen, Sandra Flynn." Cooper, rather boldly, kissed her hand. Mulder slammed the car door shut as he exited.

"Don't want to be late." Mulder stated blandly. The five of them climbed into the police van. Truman drove with Hawk in the passenger seat. Sandra, Mulder, and Cooper all sat on the large bench seat at the back of the van. Sandra bent down to tighten her bootlaces. When she looked back up, Hawk was turned in his seat staring, as were Mulder and Coop. She straightened the v-neck top she wore and zipped up her FBI jacket.