Title: Tangency Author: Heather B Spoilers: Paper Clip Keywords: Mulder/other romance. Summary: A woman from Mulder's past, who happens to also be a friend of Melissa Scully's, comes back into his life years after their last encounter, with a surprise for Mulder. Good Morning Mr. Phelps... this is your story should you choose to read it. This is my second story, I wrote it a while ago so it's probably not perfect. Thanx mucho to all those who e-mailed me about the first one! :) I was asked why I kept jumping around when I write..it's just how I think. There's gaps in this one, some spanning several years, so please bear with me. Also, I've never been to Oxford, I have no idea what it looks like or how they run things there, so I apologize for any inconsistencies in that department. This message will self-destruct in 30 seconds. *KABOOM* DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Chris Carter (aka God), 10-13, and Fox. Lisa Brown is a friend of mine, I hope she won't kill me for using her name... Jennifer and Betty are mine. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* September, 1979 Oxford, England "Name?" "Fox Mulder." "Mulder...Mulder..." The young woman rifled through a box jammed with folders. "Ah. Fox Mulder. Everything is there: schedule, dorm room, fees, and the like. Welcome to Oxford." Mulder looked at his schedule. How the hell had he ended up in Introduction to Culinary Skills 101? He had no cooking skill whatsoever. He planned on living on takeout and TV dinners for the rest of his life. Making his way back outside, he didn't notice a woman approaching him. Their bodies collided with a soft *thud* and sent each other's books and papers flying. Mulder and the woman just sat there for a minute, stunned. Then they both burst out laughing. "I'm so sorry," he said, picking up part of the mess. "I should have looked where I was going." "Don't apologize," she said. "I'm not exactly cooridinated myself." She retrieved a few lost papers, stacking them neatly. Mulder couldn't help noticing her features: golden blond hair, blue eyes, the face of a model. She was wearing cutoff shorts, a little loose, and a green t-shirt. And no accent! She was American, or Canadian at least. Finally, the clutter was reorganized. Mulder stuck his hand out. "Fox Mulder." She shook it. "Betty Andrews. Hey you're not English--where are you from?" "Martha's Vineyard." "Cool! I'm from Baltimore. What's your major?" "Psychology...but somehow, I got stuck with some cooking class." Betty laughed. "They did that to you too? What period?" "3rd...what about you?" "Same...I don't really have a major yet, just kind of looking around." Mulder picked up his books. "Hey where's your dorm?" Betty looked at her map. "It's--" she double-checked-- "right there! How about that!" "Mine's not far. I'll walk you." Betty and Mulder walked to their dorms, talking the whole way. Mulder told her about his sister, Betty told him about her bizarre best friend. When they reached Betty's dorm, she pulled a small crystal on a chain from her pocket and gave it to Mulder. "What's this?" he asked, studying the rock. "I don't remember the name, but Melissa said it's supposed to symbolize friendship. She said the person I give it to will remain forever linked with me, in some way or another." "She is bizarre." Mulder turned it over in his hand, amazed. "Thanks...you want to do something later?" Betty smiled. "I'd like that. Nice meeting you, Fox." "You too." Betty closed the door to her room, leaving Mulder standing in the hallway. Normally, he would have killed someone for using his first name. But there was something different about Betty. He really liked her. A lot. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* May, 1980 "Flight 529 from Baltimore...on time." Mulder squinted at the tiny lettering on the Arrivals screen. "That's good," Betty said. "I think you two will get along very well." Mulder took Betty's hand, leading her toward Gate 31. "I hope so. So tell me, what's Melissa like?" "I told you before, she's into New Age stuff. And she believes in the paranormal. Just like you." "Cool. How old is she?" "Just turned 18...Why?" "I don't know, just curious." "I hope you're not looking for another girlfriend already," Betty teased. Mulder laughed. He really enjoyed having her around, being so far from home. Their relationship had moved along swiftly, now they shared a flat. They weren't sleeping together, though. Well, not yet. Mulder smiled to himself. Yet. "Here they come!" Betty said excitedly. The throng of passengers moved towards them. Mulder had no idea what kind of a person Melissa would be. He expected the worst: a real bitch. He hoped for someone like Betty. Betty's blue eyes searched the crowd. "There she is!" Mulder turned to see who "she" was. Red hair, blue eyes, average height. She wore a long, hippie-type skirt and a plain shirt. She had at least 3 necklaces on, tons of bracelets, a ring on every finger. She smiled when she saw Betty. "Melissa!" "Betty!" Melissa ran over to them. She and Betty hugged. "Melissa, this is Fox Mulder. Fox, Melissa Scully." "Nice to meet you," Melissa said. "Betty told me quite a bit about you over the phone." "I've heard a lot about you too," Mulder said. Melissa gave him a mysterious smile. "Good or bad?" "Well...a little bit of both, actually." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Melissa and Betty spent the drive back to the flat catching up on things. "Oh Betty, Dana says hi," Melissa said. "Who's Dana?" Mulder asked. "My sister. She really looks up to me, even at 16. She can be kind of a pest, though. Her and Charlie, my younger brother. My brother Bill is at NYU. You have any siblings, Mulder?" Mulder concentrated on the road. "A sister...well I *had* a sister. She disappeared seven years ago." "I'm sorry..." Mulder always got upset talking about Sam. Where was she? Was she OK? Was she alive? He put the last question out of his mind as he pulled the car into their parking space. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* May, 1981 Betty hung up the phone. This was not happening. It had to be a dream. It just *had* to be! She pinched her arm. It hurt. No, this was not a dream. A living nightmare was more like it. What was she going to do? She was 20, working as a waitress, still in school. How could she support a child? What would she tell Fox? Betty thought of her boyfriend. He was in the top 5% of their class. He had already decided to become a psychologist. He was truly dedicated to his work. At the moment, he was at some seminar in Wales. No. She couldn't tell him. He could never know. She had to leave, and fast. Two days later, Mulder returned. "Betty! I'm back!" The flat was silent. But something on the kitchen counter told him otherwise. It was a note. Mulder picked it up. Fox, I am crying as I write this. As much as I am in love with you, I can never see you again. I don't want you to understand why, the reasons are much too deep. Please do not contact me. Someday, maybe we will meet again. I love you. Betty A lump formed in Mulder's throat. Gone, just like that. "Why, Betty?" he whispered. "What went wrong?" Mulder closed his heart to love after that, save for one Phoebe Greene. He didn't know what do do with himself. He wandered through school, through life, zombie-like. When he lost the crystal, he knew it was over. He forgot about Melissa Scully and her rocks. He forgot what it was like to have a real relationship. Eventually, Betty Andrews was no more than a tiny flicker in the back of his mind. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Betty, however, could not forget about Fox. Jennifer Christine Andrews was born December 10, 1981. Betty wanted her daughter to have as normal of a life as possible. She moved back in with her parents and took some night classes. Five years later, she had a teaching degree and an apartment of her own. Whenever Jennifer asked about her father, Betty said he had died in a car accident. She did, however, fill Jennifer in on what he was like. But someday, the truth would have to come out. As the years passed, Betty found herself wondering what had happened to Fox. Where was he now? Her question was answered on chilly spring day. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* March 6, 1992 *rrring* Betty picked up the phone. "Hello." "Hey Betty, it's Melissa." "How are you?" "I'm just great...Dana got a new job today." "Doing what?" "She was kind of vague, something in the FBI called the X-Files. But get this: her new partner's name is Fox Mulder." "You're not serious..." "I am. I asked her what he was like, and she said: 'He's a psychologist. Oxford graduate. He's like you, Missy. Believes in everything. I think he has a few screws loose.' In those exact words." Betty was speechless. Here he was, working right across town. After all these years... "Betty? You alive?" "Oh...sorry. It's just...I'm really shocked." "I didn't think much of it at first. But when she got to the Oxford part, it sounded familiar. Then I remembered, so I called you." "How do you know it's the same guy?" "I don't. But as soon as I know, I'll tell you." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Two months later, Betty recieved a letter from Melissa. Not a real letter, actually. A photograph, a short note, and a telephone number. Fox Mulder. Betty looked at the photo. Definitely him, no doubt about it. And there was his phone number, right there. But something held her back. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* November, 1994 *rrring* "I'll get it, Mom!" Jennifer called from the bedroom. Seconds later, "It's for you." Betty picked up the cordless. "Hello." "Betty! They found her! She's alive!" "Melissa, that's great! How is she?" "Hanging on, barely. She almost died, the doctor said. But the weird thing is, she just kind of turned up in the hospital. Nobody knows who brought her there. But I don't care. As long as she's OK." "That's wonderful." "And guess who was there?" "Are you serious?" "Yeah...funny thing, though, he didn't recognize me. I even introduced myself. But he doesn't remember." "Oh no..." "You mean you haven't called him yet?" "No...I don't know why. I'm afraid...what if...he doesn't remember me either?" Melissa sighed. "That's a risk you're going to have to take." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* September, 1995 *rring* "Hello..." "Betty." "Hi, Mrs. Scully. How are you?" "Not so good...Betty, Melissa died this morning." "Oh God..." "She came to Dana's apartment a few days ago. She was shot accidently. They put her in an induced coma, and...she left us a few hours ago." Betty tried to choke back her sobs. "I...don't know what to say..." "Neither do I, Betty. It came as a blow to all of us." They hung up soon after. Then the floodgates opened. Betty cried like never before. Melissa, her best friend, was gone. Forever. Melissa's death brought Betty face to face with the facts: she had to call Fox. As soon as possible. But again, she held back. Whether it was fear, or pain, or anticipation, she could not say. For a year and a half, she managed to avoid contacting him. Then, on a spur-of-the-moment decision, she made the call. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* May 9, 1997 Mulder was packing up the last of his papers when the phone rang. He was alone, Scully had just left. She wouldn't call so soon. Or would she? "Mulder." "It's me." "Scully?" "No, Betty...Betty Andrews." Mulder was about to say "who are you" when something clicked. He remembered. "Oh God, is it really you? I've been waiting 16 years for this call! What the hell happened to you?" Betty took a deep breath. "Fox, I didn't want to tell you this, but we have a daughter." "WHAT?!?! We? We as in you and me?" "Yes." "Are you sure? How do you even know she's mine?" "She was the reason I dropped out...I didn't want you to know. You had such high ambitions...I didn't want to spoil your dreams." They sat in silence for several minutes. Finally, Fox spoke. "What does she look like?" "She has long hair, your color. She has my nose, thank God. She's rather tall. And your eyes. Oh God, she has your eyes. And your attitude. You two are so much alike it's scary. Christ, every time I look at her I think of you." Mulder didn't know what to say. After all these years...it was unbelievable. But at the same time, it made perfect sense. "I'd like to see the two of you sometime," he finally said. "That's what I was thinking. Do you have any plans for next weekend?" "Next weekend? That's kind of soon..." "We can wait a while if you want..." "No, no that's fine...next weekend is OK...this is just..." "Incredible?" He laughed. "Something like that." "Jennifer's working Friday night...How does Saturday sound? We can all do something fun." "Great! I can pick you up around noon." Betty gave Fox her adress, and they hung up. Jennifer stumbled in the door a few hours later. "How was practice?" her mother asked. "Hell on earth! I can't wait till the tournament's over tomorrow. I'm sick of softball." Jennifer grabbed a soda from the fridge. Her mother had that look on her face. Like she was hiding something. "What is it, Mom?" Betty sighed. This was going to be harder than she thought. "I spoke to your father today." "How? He died before I was born." "Jennifer...I've been lying to you about your father." "Why? What really happened? Was I a one-night stand? What?" "Sit down." Jennifer did so. "I met your father in college. We were both freshmen at Oxford." "I didn't know you went to Oxford." "Now you know. At the end of our sophomore year, I was pregnant. I didn't know what to do. I was working at a low-paying job; I was almost totally dependent on your father. So I just left." "Just like that?" "Just like that. I didn't want to burden him with a child. He deserved better. I stayed with your grandparents for five years, going to night school. Five years ago, Melissa called me, saying her sister had been assigned to work with your father. I got his office number shortly thereafter." "So why didn't you call him then?" "It's complicated, Jen. The only man I had ever really loved, whom I hadn't seen in years, was just a phone call away. It seemed too...easy." Jennifer nodded. "I think I understand." Betty continued. "Good. Well, when Melissa died two years ago, it really depressed me. I wasn't whole anymore; I had lost my best friend. I needed something, *someone* to fill that empty space. It wasn't until today that the healing began. I called your father." "And?" "His name is Fox Mulder. He works for the FBI in a section called the X-Files. They're cases involving unexplained phenomena. He's coming here next weekend." Jennifer took a minute to let it all sink in. Suddenly, she was furious. "Why did you lie to me for so long? So I wouldn't be illegitimate? Why didn't you just tell me the truth? Why did you wait till now?" "Jennifer, I already explained--" "You call that an explanation? You got knocked up and left my father in England, probably worried sick? I'm sorry, but I can't say any more." Jennifer bit her tongue to keep her foot out of her mouth and stormed off to her bedroom, slamming the door. She collapsed onto her bed, sobbing. Sure, she was happy to finally meet her father. But the way her mother had manipulated her all those years...it just didn't balance out. Some time later, there was a soft knock at the door. "Jennifer, can I come in?" It was Betty. "I guess..." Betty slipped into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry, Jen. I shouldn't have lied to you about your father. I still feel guilty about leaving him. I thought it was for the best. I was wrong." Jennifer sat up. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have blown up at you." "Don't be sorry. You had every right." They hugged. "So..." Jennifer began. "What's he really like?" Betty laughed. "Glad you asked. Tall, dark, and handsome. Same hair and same eyes as you. He has an offbeat sense of humor. And he shares your belief in ET's. From what I've heard, he's a real workaholic, just throws himself into everything he does." "How come?" "I really don't know. But part of it may be because of his sister. She disappeared in 1973. They never found her." "Any other siblings? What about my other grandparents?" "Just him and Samantha. According to Melissa, your grandfather was murdered two years ago. I don't know about your grandmother, though. I suppose we'll find out soon enough." "Mom?" "What?" "Would you have married him if he asked you?" Betty thought for a while. She had never considered what would have happened if she had stayed in England. Would Fox have left her? No. He would never do that. Or would he? "I don't know, Jen. Probably, if it meant a better life for you." Jennifer held that thought for a minute, then pushed it to the back of her mind. She was finally going to meet her father! Unfortunately, things didn't work out. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* May 15, 1997 11:30 PM Jennifer stood outside The Odyssey with her best friend Lisa Brown. They'd had the pleasure of closing up the under-21 club that night, and were all too happy to do so. It had been a very long night. The owner had managed to find the worst band this side of the Mississippi. A small crowd had started to cause troube, and the police had to be called. Thank God there was no school tomorrow, there was no way either of them could have made it. Jennifer was *really* looking forward to Saturday. She had told Lisa everything. "So are you nervous about meeting your dad?" Lisa asked. "Are you kidding? I'm terrified! What if I hate him? A million things could go wrong..." Jennifer trailed off. "But my mom has said I'm a lot like him." Lisa was about to say something really stupid when Betty pulled up. "So how was work?" she asked. "Horrible," Jennifer grumbled, getting in the car. "I can't wait to get home." Betty laughed. "That good, huh?" The drive back was rather uneventful; they exchanged some light conversation. Soon, Lisa fell asleep, and the car was quiet. Suddenly, the car swerved violently. Lisa sat bolt upright. "What happened?" she asked, petrified. "I--I don't know," Betty stammered, the color draining from her face. For a moment, the car was silent with fear. Then they swerved again, heading straight for a large tree on the side of the road. The last thing Jennifer remembered seeing, out of the corner of her eye, were the headlights of an oncoming car. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 11:51 PM "She's still alive!" Ben Taske was confused. How could there be a survivor? He made his way to the passenger seat. Sure enough. "Help me get her out!" he shouted to his partner. Using a small saw and their own strength, the two men pried the teenage girl out of the passenger seat. A third man ran over with a stretcher. The girl was unconscious, but in great shape compared to the other victims. She had a second-degree burn on her left arm, multiple cuts and bruises, probably a concussion. But that was it. Never in his 10 years as an EMT had Ben seen someone so lucky. The fire had apparently started when the second car smashed into the first, which had run into a tree. When they had arrived, both cars had been completely engulfed in flames. Ben had seen fires like that before; there had been nothing left of the car afterwards. As the other two loaded the girl into the ambulance, Ben noticed something. The girl's seat was burnt to a crisp, like the rest of the car. He got one last look at her before the ambulance door was closed. he thought. Then he remembered what the dispatcher told him the man on the phone had said. "There's...a halo of light...it looks like...like some sort of eerie glow...I can see it now...it seems to be...around the passenger side of the first car..." Ben looked at the car again, it was still charred horribly. What had happened to that girl? ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* May 17, 1997 9:22 AM Dana Scully opened the door to the basement office she shared with Fox Mulder. The air conditioning in her apartment had died sometime during the night, so this was the only place she could finish her report in peace. Not even Mulder would voluntarily come to the office on a Saturday morning. Scully noticed somone had left a new file on her desk. That was odd, everything they worked on came to Mulder. She skimmed through it. She immediately dialed Mulder's number. *rrring* *rrring* *rrring* *rrring* "This is Fox Mulder. I'm not here. Please leave a message after the beep." *BEEP* "Mulder it's me..." Mulder picked up the phone. "Scully?" he said in a groggy voice. "We have a new case, Mulder. Meet me at Georgetown University Medical Center at 10:00." "What case?" "Just be there." "This one better be quick, because I have plans." "You have *plans*?" "Yeah...I'll see you at 10." He hung up. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 9:58 AM Scully walked down the hallway of the hospital, chart in hand. 15-year-old Jennifer Andrews had survived a fatal fire with only a second-degree burn on her left arm, a minor concussion, and a few cuts and bruises. Everything around her had been charred. The girl's mother and best friend had died in the fire. It sounded like something the local police could cover, until you got to the interesting part. A motorist half a mile down the road reported a bright light, almost a halo, at the scene of the accident. He said it looked as if it were in the first car, on the passenger side, where Jennifer had been sitting. Scully decided she wasn't going to wait for her partner and knocked on the door of the girl's room. "Jennifer?" "The door's open." Scully walked in. Jennifer stood by the window, her back facing Scully. "I'm Dana Scully with the FBI. I'd like to ask you a few questions about what happened Thursday night." "What else is there to say? I've said it a thousand times: my clothes weren't fire redartant, I don't have superpowers, and I don't know why I'm still alive. That's it." "Actually, I came to ask you about the light." "What light?" "A man half a mile down the road saw a halo of light at the scene of the accident. He said, when he got closer, it appeared to be around you." "What are you talking about?" "I wish I knew." Then, under her breath, she muttered, "If he ever gets here, maybe Mulder can tell me." Jennifer's ears perked up. Had Scully just said what she thought she said? "What did you say?" "I said if Mulder, my partner--" In a split second, Jennifer made the connection. Dana Scully, Melissa's sister! Why hadn't she thought of it before? Jennifer turned around so fast Scully jumped. "*Fox* Mulder?" To say Scully was surprised would have been a gross understatement. "You know him?" "He's my father." Scully almost fell over. She looked at the teenager; the resemblance was certainly there. Tall; dark hair. But the eyes really got her. The same puppy dog eyes that gazed upon her every day with that sad expression were looking down at her now. And his attitude. She definitely had his attitude. Or was he? Normally, Scully would have said "No way" to such a possibility. But this time she wasn't so sure. She was saved by the ring of her cell phone. "Excuse me," she said, taking the call in the hallway."Scully." "It's me." "Mulder, where the hell are you?" "Traffic...four-car pile up a couple blocks ahead. Why? What's going on?" "Maybe you could tell me." "What do you mean?" "I talked to the girl...she claims she's your daughter." "Jennifer Andrews?" "That's her. Why didn't you say anything before?" "It's a long story, Scully. I'm on my way." *click* Scully leaned against the door frame, trying to make sense of what had happened. Mulder, a father? It didn't make sense. Looks like he did more at Oxford than get a degree... A few minutes later, Mulder was running down the hall. "That was fast." "I took a shortcut...Where is she?" "In here. For God's sake Mulder, calm down! She doesn't need anymore problems right now." Mulder opened the door. Jennifer turned to face him. "Jennifer?" She recognized his voice, they'd spoken on the phone earlier in the week. "Dad?" She ran over to him, and they hugged. Mulder was crying, the first happy tears of his life. "Oh God," he whispered over and over. "Where have you been for 15 years?" "Maybe I should ask you the same thing." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* May 20, 1997 Jennifer scattered the last of Lisa's ashes into the Potomac River. Lisa's father had asked her to do it, her mother had just cried. "We want you to do this," he had said. "We're not in shape to do it ourselves." No kidding. They had lost their only daughter, their son was in the Army...it was like having no children at all. But she couldn't blame them. She knew what it was like to be alone... "May you always be at peace," Jennifer whispered, and dropped a single daisy onto the water. She watched it float for a few minutes, then headed up the bank. "Ready to go?" Mulder asked. "I think so." The drive back to Mulder's apartment was silent. Jennifer's case was buried in the X-Files. The man who had seen the halo had left the country, and there were no other witnesses. No one, not the paramedics, not the doctor, not even Mulder, could find an explanation for what had happened. Skinner had been very understanding about the situation with Mulder and his daughter. He had a daughter of his own, he said, and he knew how Mulder was feeling. He'd let Mulder take today off, to "pay your respects." Even Skinner could be compassionate when he wanted to. Mulder was going to fight for custody of Jennifer. Betty had listed her parents as Jennifer's guardians, but that didn't look too good. Betty's mother was paralyzed from a stroke; her father had died several months ago. How hard could it be? But before anything happened, Mulder knew he would have to change. All his "special" videos were gone. He'd have to learn how to cook real food and clean more than once a month. For a brief minute he contemplated leaving the X-Files... But he was going to make an effort to be home a lot more. Mulder glanced over at his daughter. She was leaning against the window, either thinking deeply or sleeping. He wasn't sure which. She was so beautiful. He'd have to watch out for her. And he would. At that moment, Mulder made a promise to himself. FIN ================================================== Feel free to distribute this story, but please do not edit, change, rearrange, mutilate, beseige, kill, or generally fuck up this story. Thank You. Please keep me as the author. Sequel? Fill in the gaps? More detail? You tell me! insane@nomad.net IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN "INDEPENDENCE DAY" DO IT NOW! ================================================== "They are not stars, we are not human I don't know the reason why A firefly is not a candle Not a flower in my eye So a rose is not a rose By that or any other name Things remain Unexplained" --The Meat Puppets, "Unexplained"