Dana Scully quotes from The X-Files

I figure I got better things to do with my fertilizer than going around blowing government buildings sky high.

Scully

Yeah. Well, as we said, sir this is just routine.

Mulder

(quietly to Scully) So routine, it numbs the mind.

Scully

(firmly) Mulder, we're not going to Nevada.

Mulder

Come on, Scully. Just one quick side trip.

Scully

No. Sorry, Mulder. We have a whole new assignment.

Mulder

Running down people that buy fertilizer? This is scut work, bozo work - the FBI equivalent of being made to wear an orange jumpsuit and pick up trash by the side of the highway. They mean to humiliate us.

Scully

Look, Mulder, like it or not, humiliated or not, we're on domestic terrorism now and, yes, this is... This is a punishment, but if we want to get back to where we want to be we have to follow orders. We can't freelance.

Mulder

You saw that news report. What did you make of that?

Scully

I think that the obvious assumption is that the woman was shot, regardless of what the police say. Maybe it was a sniper.

Mulder

In the words of their captain, "she just sort of popped." And what about this guy who supposedly tried to take her hostage, her husband? Looked to me like he was trying to warn the cops before she died. Now, the sun will rise in America tomorrow regardless of whether or not we're at yet another farm investigating yet another enormous pile of doo-doo. We can be in and out in a day. Nobody has to know.

Scully

Lieutenant Breil? My name is Dana Scully. I called in regard to the electrical equipment the Navy is maintaining in the town of Montello.

Right. I don't know if there's been some miscommunication between you and your Washington office, but, uh...

Scully

My Washington office?

Yeah. I was under the impression that I'd explained this to the FCC's satisfaction.

Scully

Oh, I'm... I'm so sorry to make you run through it again, uh... For my official report to the, uh... To the FCC.

Scully

(on phone) Mulder, are you okay?

Mulder

(on phone) Yeah, aside from terminal cell phone withdrawal... That, and I got to pee.

"Justice department jet: 2.6 turbine hours round trip at $1,400 an hour. Car rental - over-mileage, out-of-state use penalties: $346. Compensation to one Walter R. Duncan for unauthorized use of his 1968 Caprice station wagon: $500."

Mulder

Why don't you bill me?

I'll bill your partner instead. You too obviously relish the role of martyr.

Mulder

Okay. So are we done here? Back to the bozo work investigating huge piles of manure?

You can always quit.

Scully

Sir, Agent Mulder has been through a lot.

And you apologize for him a lot. I've noticed that about you.

Scully

I'm not apologizing for this. Because of his work, the DOD is shutting down their antenna array in northeastern Nevada. Our participation in this case has saved lives.

I don't see you proving that. The Department of Defense admits no culpability whatsoever. Furthermore, they say the closing of the facility was coincidental.

Scully

("yeah, right" tone) Right.

Don't misunderstand me, Agent. I don't care if you and your partner saved a school bus full of doe-eyed urchins on their way to Sunday Bible camp. You no longer investigate X-Files. You are done and the sooner you and Mulder come to recognize that, the better for both of you.

Scully

(mutters angrily as she leaves) Big piles of manure.

Scully

What are you guys doing here?

Frohike

Mulder's in trouble.

Langly

Big trouble.

Scully

What do you mean?

Byers

Let's take a walk.

Scully

Okay, where are we going?

Frohike

The walls have ears.

Scully

(impatient) I have ears. Will you tell me what's going on?

Scully

Sir, I couldn't waste time explaining myself to your assistant.

Skinner

Tell me what is so urgent.

Scully

It's about Agent Mulder. He's done something incredibly rash.

Skinner

I can't.

Scully

He may be lost at sea.

Skinner

I can't, Agent Scully.

Scully

You can't what?

Skinner

I can't help you. There's nothing I can do.

Scully

This isn't for me; it's for Agent Mulder.

Skinner

My hands are tied. I'm not your direct superior any longer.

Scully

Don't you want to know what this is about?

Skinner

No, I don't. I don't even what to hear it.

Scully

(pleading) Sir, this is about a man's life.

Skinner

(louder) I'm not allowed to have contact with you - any contact with either you or Mulder.

She walked right past me, sir.

Skinner

You're out of line, Scully.

Scully

No, sir, you're out of line. I'm sorry, but I'm coming to you for help and I've got nowhere else to go. I would hope that after everything that we have been through that you would at least have the courtesy and the decency and not to mention the respect to listen to what I have to say. Now, all I need is information. (Skinner takes note; glances at it.) You don't have to do anything else. Look, sir, if you know anybody at the Office of Naval Intelligence it would be of great help.

Skinner

(pauses; hands back the note) I could lose my job, my pension, I could even be subject to legal action.

Skinner

Use your head, Scully. It'll save your ass.

Scully

Save your own ass, sir. You'll save your head along with it.

Scully

(direct) I want you to do me a favor. It's not negotiable. Either you do it or I kill you. You understand?

Spender

You okay, Agent Scully?

Scully

No, I'm not. I'm a gun ready to go off so don't test me, Spender. Don't even think about trying to weasel me.

Spender

What is it that you need?

Scully

(writing it down) Navy AWACS SLAR 100 K swath. South-southeast of Bermuda. I am looking for a boat, maybe a ship. 1939 luxury liner.

Spender

1939?

Scully

Don't ask too many questions. I don't care what you do or who you do or who you have to grease, I need that information and I need it now. Are we clear on that?

Spender

Crystal.

Scully

And, Agent Spender... If you're not back in a hurry I am going to hunt you down, and so help me God... (makes a fist)

Spender

Right.

Oh, Agent Scully.

Scully

I was just, uh...

I was sent to come get you.

Scully

Yeah, I was waiting for Agent Spender, he was, uh... I'm supposed to pick up a delivery from him.

Agent Spender is with Assistant Director Kersh.

Scully

(furious) That rat bastard!

Scully

(to herself) Stupid!

Skinner

(joining her in the elevator) I've been trying to reach you. I got the information you needed.

Scully

How?

Skinner

Don't even ask.

Scully

(grateful) Sir, what you've done...

Skinner

Is save Mulder's ass. I know.

Scully

Yes.

Skinner

(sternly) And if you ever ask me to break policy or protocol I will have you written up, wrapped up and tossed out of the FBI for good. Am I understood, Agent Scully?

Scully

Yes. (gets back on the elevator; excited) Yes!

Scully

Mulder? Mulder, it's me. Hmm?

Mulder

(waking) Where am I? (tries to sit up)

Scully

You're in a hospital.

Mulder

Ooooo.

Scully

Lie still.

Mulder

I feel... Like hell.

Scully

I don't blame you. You've been through the wringer, I'd say.

Mulder

What happened to me?

Scully

You did something incredibly stupid.

Mulder

What did I do?

Scully

You went looking for a ship, Mulder. In the Bermuda Triangle.

Mulder

Say that again?

Frohike

Gilligan awakes.

Mulder

You were there.

Scully

Hmm?

Mulder

You were there, Scully.

Langly

(to the others) He's delirious.

Mulder

(referring to Skinner) And he was there, too.

Skinner

(dropping a bouquet of flowers on the nightstand) Right - Me and my dog Toto.

Mulder

No, you were there with the Nazis.

Scully

Mulder, will you settle down? It's an order.

Skinner

Not that he takes orders...

Mulder

You saved the world, Scully.

Scully

Yeah... You're right. I did.

Frohike

What kind of drugs is he on?

Langly

I want some.

Mulder

No, no, no... The Queen Anne- I found it. You were there with Thor's Hammer. I told you you had to turn the ship around and then I jumped overboard.

Scully

Yeah, I bet you did. The boat that you were on was busted into a million pieces. And as for the Queen Anne... it was nothing more than a ghost ship.

Mulder

No, no, no. You and I were on that ship, Scully. In 1939.

Skinner

Get some rest, Mulder, 'cause when you get out of here I'm going to kick your butt but good.

Mulder

I would've never seen you again. But you believed me.

Scully

In your dreams. (as if talking to a child) Mulder, I want you to close your eyes and I want you to think to yourself "there's no place like home."

Mulder

Mmm. (chuckles) [Scully starts to leave; he calls her back.] Hey, Scully. (leans up on his elbow)

Scully

[Comes back and leans close to his face.] Yes?

Mulder

I love you.

Scully

Oh, brother... (turns away and leaves the room)

Mulder

(pointing at a sign) Milepost 134. Two miles to go.

Scully

(dryly) I'm all a-tingle. (they share a look) So, Mulder, this supposed clandestine source who's contacted you how do we know that he's not just another crackpot whose encyclopedic knowledge of extraterrestrial life isn't derived exclusively from reruns of Star Trek?

Scully

Mulder, it's the dim hope of finding that proof that's kept us in this car, or one very much like it for more nights than I care to remember. (Mulder looks at her fondly) Driving hundreds if not thousands of miles through neighborhoods and cities and towns where people are raising families and buying homes and playing with their kids and their dogs, and... in short, living their lives. While we - we - we just keep driving.

Mulder

What is your point?

Scully

Don't you ever just want to stop? Get out of the damn car? Settle down and live something approaching a normal life?

Mulder

(defensive) This is a normal life. [Scully smiles to herself.]

Scully

I'm sorry. Uh, Morris Fletcher?

(quietly) Scully, it's me. It's Mulder. [Mulder closes the door and pulls Scully into the driveway.]

Scully

(nervous) You're, uh... You're the man from the other night? From Area 51?

(yelling from inside the house) Liar!

Scully

You phoned me. Would you mind telling me what this is about?

I'm Mulder. I'm really Mulder. I switched bodies, places, identities with this man Morris Fletcher the man that you think is Mulder, but he's not. (sees his reflection in the car window - of Morris) Of course you don't believe me. Why was I expecting anything different? Your full name is Dana Katherine Scully. Your badge number is... Hell! I don't know your badge number. Your mother's name is Margaret. Your brother's name is Bill Jr. He's in the Navy and he hates me. (no response from Scully) Lately, for lunch, you've been having this six-ounce cup of yogurt, plain yogurt, into which you stir bee pollen because you're on a bee pollen kick even though I tell you you're a scientist and you should know better.

(opens the door and dumps all of Morris' black suits onto the front steps) Cheater!

Scully

Look... Any of that information could have been gathered by anyone.

Even that yogurt thing? That is so you. That is so Scully. Well, it's good to know you haven't changed. That's somewhat comforting.

You don't look too happy. Don't tell me I'm going to have to put two kids through school.

Scully

(hesitantly) That is you in there, Mulder, isn't it? (Mulder nods; Scully folds her arms, hugging herself) I, uh... I just got off the phone with Frohike. They were able to download and analyze the crash data and, yes, there was an anomalous event that night.

And how do I get back?

Scully

(not easy for her to say) Well, that's just it. It's all about random moments in time... About a series of variables approaching an event horizon. And even if we... could recreate that moment if we could sabotage another craft... Mulder, if we were... If we were off... If the event were off by even one millisecond...

I might wind up with my head in a rock.

Scully

Something like that, yeah. (long pause)

(depressed) What about him? I mean, me. Whatever. Whoever he is.

Scully

Agent Mulder has become AD Kersh's new golden boy. He's been tasked with returning the flight data recorder that he and I stole. The son of a bitch confesses to Kersh even more than I do to my priest. I'm just tagging along for the ride.

What do you mean, "just tagging along?"

Scully

I'm out of the Bureau. I've been censured and relieved of my position.

No. You can explain it to them like you explained it to me. You have the data. You can make them understand. You can get your job back.

Scully

(can't help but smile; looks up at him fondly) I'd kiss you if you weren't so damn ugly. (Mulder smiles back)

(honking the horn; yelling out the window) Take a picture - it'll last longer!

(through clenched teeth) If I... shoot him, is that murder or suicide?

Scully

Neither, if I do it first. (Squeezes his arm, then walks toward the car. He stops her.)

Hey, Scully...