Date: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 09:47:10 -0330 (NST) From: Jaime Michelle Brazil Subject: A Chance Encounter I : Eighteen by JM Brazil (fwd) TITLE: A Chance Encounter I : Eighteen AUTHOR: JM Brazil EMAIL ADDRESS: x59jmb@morgan.ucs.mun.ca DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT: Do not archive at ATXC SPOILER WARNING: Small Small Potatoes spoiler RATING: PG-13 CONTENT WARNING: Mulder/Scully Romance CLASSIFICATION: SR, Pre-XF SUMMARY: Dana travels to England on her Senior Class trip, and meets a young Oxford student. DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters portrayed in this story, and I am most definitely not making any profit from this. This whole fanfic thing is simply for fun. I don't mean to tread on anyone's toes. AUTHOR'S NOTES: This story is based on my own Senior Class trip to England to the extent I went to Stratford-upon-Avon, stayed in a B&B, and saw a Shakespearian play. Everything else is my imagination. I have been told that my characterization is not very good. I write them the way that I want them to behave. Not the way CC, DD and GA do. That is just a warning to those of you who have a thing for characterization. Criticism is welcome, as long as it's constructive. I live for feedback - that and shoes. Either are gratefully accepted. A Chance Encounter: Eighteen by J.M. Brazil Dana Scully sat in the window seat of the plane, staring out through the glass. Excitement coursed through her body just as the blood pumped wildly through her veins. It wasn't the first flight she had ever been on, but it was her first trip out of the country - and off the continent, for that matter. It was the senior class trip. A group of fifteen students and two teachers were traveling to England and touring the country. It had taken quite a bit of rationalizing on Dana's part to convince her parents to let her go. She had approached her mother first, hoping that the easier of the two would give in. Maggie Scully's answer was a flat out, 'No!' "But mom. Just think of it. It's the opportunity of a lifetime for me. We're going to visit all of the old Cathedrals, see a Shakespearean play, visit Stonehenge..." "Yes Dana. I know all of that, but where are we going to get the money?" "It's only six hundred dollars." "Dana, your father and I simply don't have that kind of money lying around. And even if we did, it would seem unfair to your brothers and sister. I'm sorry." Bill Scully entered the kitchen, and saw his daughter standing there with a large scowl on her face. "I'm sorry, what? Is there something going on here Maggie that I should know about?" He looked to his wife, and then back at his daughter, who continued to sit there with a frown staining her expression. "What's wrong, Starbuck?" he asked. Maggie looked over at her husband. "Dana wants six hundred dollars so she can go to England." Dana's father noticed the tears in his little girl's eyes, and felt his heart begin to break. Despite his disciplinarian nature, he found it difficult to deny this particular child anything. "It really means that much to you?" The tiny red-head nodded, her curls bouncing off her shoulders as she did so. "Yes daddy. Both Ellen and Cathy are going. I don't want to be left out of everything." Captain Scully wrapped his arms around his small daughter. "Okay Dana. We'll find the money for you to go. However, you'll have to find a job to help pay for the expenses." Within a month, Dana had been hired at a bookstore part time. When the trip came around six months after that, her parents had somehow managed to find the money she needed to pay for the trip." As the plane began its descent into Heathrow, Dana reached over and grabbed Ellen's hand. For her, that was the most dreaded part of the flight - the landing. She hated the bounce of the plane as it hit the runway repeatedly in its attempt to land. Ellen looked over at her friend and smiled. "It's almost over, Dane. Don't worry." "I'm not worried. What makes you think I'm worried?" she asked in a clipped tone of voice. She clutched at the armrest with her free hand to keep it from shaking. "Besides, what business is it of yours?" "Well, Dane, let's see," she replied wryly. "You have crushed my hand to the point where I'm not sure if I'll be able to write for the next week. I think you are worried, and the fact that you're holding my hand makes it my business." She raised her eyebrow at her friend, trying not to smile at her and make the situation worse for her. "I'm sorry, Ellen. I didn't mean to snap at you." "Don't worry about it. I don't mind." xxxxxxxx It was three days later when they arrived in Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare and the location of Oxford. Once they were settled into their room at the bed and breakfast, Dana, Ellen and Cathy asked one of the teachers if they could walk around the small town. "Sure, girls. I don't see why not. Just be back here at six o'clock. We're having dinner before we go to the theater." Dana nodded. "Yes, Mrs.McGill. I'll make sure that we're not late." With that, the three girls took off out through the doors, unsure of exactly where they were going. After walking for half-an-hour or so, they found a small park and selected a bench to sit on. There, they sat and talked, and laughed. Until Cathy stopped them. "Dane. That guy over there is staring at you." Dana looked around, a slight blush on her cheeks, unsure of exactly who it was that Cathy was talking about. "Which one?" Ellen spoke up. "That one over there with the white shirt, and beige pants. He's looking at you. He's been looking at you for the past five minutes." She finally spotted him, and couldn't help but smile. He was beautiful. Tall, lean, with longish chestnut brown hair. As a reflex, Dana straightened her skirt and sweater. "How do I look?" Her friends responded in unison, "Just fine." "Good." The red-head stood up and crossed over to the young man who was leaning against a tree. "Hi there." "Hello." A puzzled look crossed Dana's face when she heard the American accent. "You're not..." She didn't have the chance to finish the sentence. "-British. No, I'm not." He politely cut in. "My parents sent me here to go to Oxford. I'm William." He offered the young girl his hand. Dana took it and shook it gently. "I'm Dane," she responded, using the nickname given to her by her grandfather, and used by her friends. She herself was unsure of exactly why she had used it. "So what are you studying at Oxford?" William slid down the tree and sat on the ground. Dana followed suit. "Psychology, although I think I'd much rather be doing English." Looking into his clear, hazel eyes, Dana noticed a sadness there. Something wasn't right - something inside her told her that he had lost someone close to him, and he had never quite gotten over it. It wasn't exactly something she could talk to him about - not yet anyway. "So why don't you change? Do English instead." "I'm halfway through the degree. Why change now and waste two years?" "I suppose that's one way of looking at it. I'm still undecided yet as to what I'm going to study in school - medicine or music." "Music?" William questioned, a confused look on his face. "I play the violin. Every teacher I've had has told me that I should do music when I get out of school. I want to do medicine." William smiled. "I'd love to hear you play. Unfortunately, I've never had any musical talent of any kind. In school, the choir director would always make me lip-sync." Dana smiled. "Well, I didn't bring my violin to England, so I guess you're not going to hear me play. At least not now." She looked at her watch. "Uh oh. We're supposed to be back in 15 minutes." She stood up and brushed off her short denim skirt. The young man followed suit. Taking her hand, William started to lead her back over to where her friends were. "Why don't I walk you back." "I'd like that." Ellen and Cathy were still sitting on the bench where Dana had left them. "William here has offered to walk us back to the bed and breakfast." "Who are your friends, Dane?" Dana blushed. "I'm sorry." Indicating the tall girl with dark brown hair, "This is Ellen," then pointing to a shorter girl with curly blonde hair, "This is Cathy." William put out his right hand to each of the girls in turn, keeping Dana's clutched in his left. "It's nice to meet you both." As a group, they walked back to the bed and breakfast, Ellen and Cathy in front, Dana and William in the rear. When they finally reached the bed and breakfast, Mrs. McGill was waiting at the gate, a frown darkening her face. "Girls, you're late." Before the girls had a chance to explain, William spoke up. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I was the one who kept them. I'm kind of lonely being one of only a few Americans living around here - I just wanted their company. Someone who could tell me how the Yankees are doing. Please forgive me." Mrs.McGill looked at the young man, and her face softened. "That's all right. I understand." She pointed at Dana. "Could I please talk to you for a second?" Dana reluctantly dropped William's hand, and walked through the gate. The older woman led her aside, and spoke in a hushed tone. "He seems to be quite a nice young man, Dana." Bracing herself for a talking to', Dana bit her lip. "Yes, Mrs.McGill. I think he is." "Well. I'm going to do you a favor. James has come down with the flu. He won't be attending the play with us this evening. Why don't you ask your friend if he would like to join us for dinner, and then accompany us to the theater." Dana met her teacher's eye, and noticed something of a mischievous gleam there. Breathing a sigh of relief, the young girl smiled. "Thank you. I'd enjoy that, and I'm sure William will love the offer." Mrs.McGill watched as her pupil exited through the gate, and returned to the sidewalk where her friend was standing. She was happy to see that Dana had managed to find a male friend who appeared to respect her. She didn't at all like that Marcus-boy she had been seeing earlier in the year. He had been out for only one thing. She was rather ticked off at the fact that Marcus was on this trip as well. Dana saw William standing on the sidewalk by himself, and frowned. "Where are Cathy and Ellen?" William smiled down at the top of her red head, and reached out to finger a curl. "They went in for dinner." Looking down at the ground, Dana began to kick at a few small pebbles. "Mrs.McGill suggested I ask you to join us for dinner, and then come to the theater. Would you like to?" Moving his hand from her hair to her chin, he tilted her face up so she was looking directly at him. "I'd love to. I guess it's a good thing I didn't change after my class this afternoon, before I went for a walk. At least I'm dressed suitably for the theater." He took hold of her hand once again, and led her through the gate, into the large house. They caused quite a scene when they walked into the dining room, hand in hand. "Ooooh Dane. Who is that?" "So you had to go halfway across the world to find a boyfriend?" Ellen stood up. "Why don't you all just shut up and leave them alone. And you," she pointed at Marcus, "don't know what you are talking about. William is from the States. He's here going to Oxford. So, in other words, he has more brains in his pinky finger than you have in your whole head. And I certainly hope I don't have to point out the fact that he's much better looking than *you* could ever hope to be." Marcus shut-up, as told, a dumbfounded expression on his face. Dana sat next to William at the same table as her two friends, her face almost the same shade as her hair. William just smiled and gently patted her hand - which was still in his. "It's okay Dane. Don't worry about it. I was a lot like him when I was his age." Dana looked up at her new friend. "That's something I don't know about you. How old are you?" "Twenty. Twenty-one in October. As I figure, about two or three years older than you." She nodded. "Yeah. I turned eighteen in February." They finished the rest of their meal in relative silence, talking amongst themselves. Dana left him after their dinner, long enough to change her clothes, and freshen up a little. When she returned, she offered him the use of her bathroom in order for him to clean himself up a little. 'Not that he needs it,' she thought. He took her up on the offer. The group enjoyed the walk, at dusk, to the theater. Dana and William hung behind the rest of the crowd, walking in silence. They needed no words to express how they were feeling. An usher guided them to their seats once they were inside the theater. The new friends took seats at the end of the row, and settled in. Dana placed her head lightly upon his shoulder. Of all the Shakespearian plays that could have been performed that evening, it was Romeo and Juliet. Dana and William sat there, enraptured by the actors' performances, wondering what would become of their relationship when she left the next afternoon. During the walk back to the group's lodgings, they hung back from the crowd once again. Instead of holding Dana's hand, he rested the palm of his hand on the small of her back. They stopped outside the gate and watched everyone else go inside. William reached down, and took hold of Dana's hand. "I love how your hand feels in mine. It's so soft and delicate - yet strong all the same." Dana looked up into his eyes - the sadness she had noticed earlier was still there. "William, I'm glad we met. I don't want to say good-bye right now though. Our group is going on a tour tomorrow morning, before we leave. Would you come with us?" If it was possible, the sadness in his eyes increased in intensity. "I have a class tomorrow morning." Then seeing the disappointed expression she wore, added, "I could skip it though." "Well, meet me here at nine-thirty if you are going to join us. I'll be waiting." Dropping Dana's hand, William cupped her face in his palms. "Good-night." He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. Dana kissed him back, tears rolling down her cheeks. She knew he wouldn't show up the next morning. She pushed away from him gently, and saw that he, too, was crying. Dana reached up and brushed away the tears with her thumb. "Good-bye." She withdrew her hand, and turned on her heel, running through the gate and up the stairs. She glanced over her shoulder as she opened the door to the house. He stood on the sidewalk watching her. Touching her lips, she walked into the hall, and shut the door behind her. A whisper escaped her throat. "Good-bye."