Title: 14. Dragons of The Faith
Author: Sheryl Martin 
http://www.reocities.com/Area51/Chamber/7976/StG--1-AADragon.html

All Characters copyright of TenThirteen Productions and Chris Carter. No
infringement intended on any part...I like being poor, really...
The character of Jackie St. George belongs to me though...

Summary: A visit to the Scully's church proves to be a haunting experience...

*********************

She ran out of the basement screaming, her crazed eyes telling the shock of
what she had seen. Collapsing in front of the altar, she prayed hastily,
mumbling over and over...

*********************

"Devil to pay, on Judgment Day..." Jackie St. George sung softly along with
the stereo as she pondered her hand. "Will Jesus strike me down, if I should
pray..." A grin hit her face. "This Cowboy Song... full house." 

"Full house... aces high." Dana Scully scooped the pile of loose change
towards her. Fox Mulder shook his head.

"I'm afraid to ask what else your father taught you." He threw his cards into
the centre of the table. "You must be psychic to be so good..."

The phone rang. Leaning over, Dana turned the stereo down as she picked it
up. "Hello... Mom!" She listened. "Of course I remember Father O'Reilly...
well, I could make Mass tomorrow..." Her eyes shot to the pair at the table.
"Yes, they're here.. they'd love to come."

"Why does this sound bad?" Jackie whispered to Fox. He shrugged.

"How bad could it be?" He casually began to shuffle the cards.

"Mass tomorrow at noon." Dana pronounced, watching their faces drop.

"You asked..." Jackie took a sip of her drink. "Still got time for a
refill..."

******************

"Do you have a cheat sheet for this?" Jackie whispered to Dana as the trio
approached the church. She stopped, staring up at the decade-old stone
steeple and exquisitely carved gargoyles. 

"Just relax." Dana saw her mother approaching, a grin on her face.

"Jaclyn... Fox... Dana." She hugged them all warmly, nodding with approval at
their attire. Mulder had decided to just play it safe with his suit, while
Jackie and Dana had decided on skirts and blouses. Actually it had been Dana
-- Jackie looked extremely unhappy at havving to get out of her jeans and
combat jacket.

"You can sit with me -- Fox, you can go in with Dana." Margaret Scully took
St. George's arm, leading her inside. Offering his arm to her, he escorted
Dana into the church.

****************************

Father O'Reilly wiped his hands on a towel in the small office, his jolly
eyes greeting them. "Dana Katherine Scully!" He hugged her close. "It's been
too long since I've seen you at service."

"Father O'Reilly, this is Fox Mulder, and Jackie St. George." He shook their
hands warmly, motioning them towards the chairs.

"Yes, Margaret told me all about you." He seated himself behind the old oak
desk. Putting his hands on the desktop, the elderly priest stared up at the
cross on the wall for a minute. "I asked your mother to have you come here,
because I don't know what else to do." He took a deep breath. "the church
recently inherited a stained-glass panel from Mrs. Henderson when she passed
away a month ago."

"Old Widow Henderson?" Dana bit her tongue, seeing the smile on O'Reilly's
face.

"Yes, 'Old Widow'. She never did forgive you for ruining her rose bushes."
Jackie looked at Fox who looked at Dana, smiling. She shot back a glare that
peeled the paint from the walls.

"The window was being stored in the basement until we found a proper display
position for it. But last week one of the cleaning women came screaming out
of the room, yelling about some demon at the top of her lungs. Her story made
absolutely no sense, but it was enough to scare the people who heard it."

Fox leaned forward. "What's the history of the panel?"

"We don't know." He pursed his lips. "Quite frankly, the feeling I get from
it is one of confusion... not of evil. But I can't just dispose of it on that
basis. And the women are very frightened."

"So what do you want us to do?" Dana asked.

"I need you to watch it for one night." He smiled. "I know it sounds silly,
but the parish needs to have independent confirmation that the panel is safe
and non threatening. Your presence is neutral, but official enough to do the
trick. These rumours are driving me crazy."

"Why us?" Fox interrupted.

"Margaret seems to feel this is a task best suited to you three." He stared
at them. "I trust her instincts on this."

"Well..." Fox started, looking back at the pair.

"I'm up to it." Jackie said. "A fast call to the embassy and I'm clear."

"Let's go see this picture." Dana got to her feet, making a mental note to
talk to her mother about what exactly she was telling people about her and
Fox.

*********************

The stained glass window filled up one entire wall of the small room, six
feet by six feet in a large square. The red and yellow squares and triangles
formed three shapes; a sword, a cup and a sun face. The wrought-iron border
held the old glass securely in place. Jackie stared at it intently.

"I know what he means. It gives me the willys..."

Fox studied it intently, making notes in his journal. "It's dated to the 16th
century..."

"How do you know that?" Dana demanded. "Take this at Oxford?"

"The date's scratched in the reverse side of the metal here." He showed it to
her, enjoying her embarrassment. "And I took a lot more that that at
school..." He met her eyes, making her blush and break the stare.

"I don't know why my mother had the idea to call us..." She sputtered.

"Do-do do-do-do do-do... who ya going to call?" Jackie joked, resting her
hand on the frame. "Ah!" She yanked her hand away, looking down at her palm.
She stared up at them, showing the red welt across her left hand.

************************

Jackie flinched as Dana sprayed the Bactine on the burns. "I take that back.
I want to go home now." Margaret brought in two mugs of tea, passing one to
St. George. Taking it with her good right hand, she nodded in thanks. 

"I've got all the guest rooms set up. And dinner's in an hour." She patted
Jackie's shoulder. "Rice pudding for dessert." She walked out. Dana shook her
head, laughing at her friend's expression as she dropped two aspirin in her
outstretched hand.

"She's taken to you, I think." Throwing back the pills, Jackie smiled.

"Your mother's into hard-luck cases. First Mulder, then me." Jackie sighed.
"But if you ever come across a clone of her, let me know."

"Jackie..." She snapped the first aid kit shut, biting her lip. "What
happened to your mother?"

"She died of a heart attack when I was nineteen, six months before my da."
Her eyes met Dana's. "She saw a Dragon one night..."

*******************

"That was wonderful, Margaret." Fox put his cup of coffee down, patting his
stomach. "I should come here more often." He ignored Dana's smart-ass smile.

"Fox, you know you're welcome here anytime. You all are." She passed the
sugar to Jackie. "How did your research on the glass go?"

"No history of this panel exists." He put his elbows on the table, pulling
back as he saw her disapproving look. "As far as it goes, it just appeared in
her attic one day."

"Well, Widow Henderson did have some dark secrets... just rumours, mind you,
but Dana and Melissa kept bugging her something awful." She smiled. "One time
they dug up all her rosebushes because Dana had heard that the roots were
magical -- if you took them all and tossed them into the lake they would
spell out your true love's name." Blushing, Dana poured out another cup of
tea for herself, avoiding their eyes.

"Three letters... a small furry animal... Ouch!" Jackie glared across the
table, not sure who had kicked her.

"Some things you just do on faith, Jaclyn." Margaret's eyes sparkled. "Faith
is what's left when you have nothing else." She reached over, taking Dana's
hand. "And that's been proven to me again and again."

"We should get ready to go stay with the picture." Fox cleared his throat.
Jackie nodded, tugging at the bandages on her palm.

"And I forgot my gloves..." She stared at Dana. "I'm going to staple them to
my jacket soon."

*************************

"Your mother sent all this?" Mulder stared at the picnic basket. "We're only
going to be here for eight hours, not eight days." He started to unpack the
sandwiches and coffee, smiling. "And she included those cookies..."

Jackie stared at the picture, pacing back and forth in the small room. Taking
one of the three folding chairs, she put it directly in front of it, seating
herself. The rest of the room had been emptied out by the Father, leaving
nothing else for them to look at. A standing desk lamp in the far corner cast
long shadows across them, reflecting off the panel and back at them,
illuminating the room in red and gold hues..

Tossing a rolled-up sleeping bag at Mulder, Scully tucked her own under her
shoulders, reaching for a medical journal as she lay on the floor. "Mom has
got to stop doing things like this..." She mumbled. 

"The picture's kinda funny..." Jackie pointed at the glass. "You see here,
where the sword hangs over the sun and the sun over the goblet? They're all
life-size, except for the sun, of course." She turned to see Fox munching
down on a cookie. "Pass me one."

Dana opened her eyes, blinking to clear the fog. It was just past two...
Staring across the room, she saw Fox curled up on the sleeping bag; Jackie
snoring lightly in the chair, still facing the panel. Then she blinked again
-- the picture was vibrating...

"What the..." Dana yelled as the sword flew out of the window, barely missing
Jackie's head by inches. She jolted awake, throwing herself to one side.
Scrambling over to Mulder, Scully watched the blade turn, slicing through the
air as it crisscrossed the room.

"Shit." Jackie crawled over to their pair, her eyes wide with fright. "Oh,
right... we're in a church. Shoot."

"A materialization of a picture..." Fox mumbled, reaching for his gun. "I've
only read about this." He raised his pistol, trying to sight on the
broadsword. "Now if we can only get out of here to write about it."

The thick metal swung back and forth over them, threatening. Licking her
lips, Jackie waited for it to turn away for a second. 

"Jackie!" Dana yelled.

Leaping to her feet, St. George grabbed the handle. With a scream, she let
go, feeling the burns running along her hands and up into her forearms.
Dropping to the floor beside them, she stared at her blistered skin. The
blade swung by them again, nicking Mulder along his right arm as he fired at
it. The thin cut began to bleed, staining his jean shirt as he realised that
his pistol had jammed. Tossing it to one side, he wrenched Scullly's pistol
free of her holster, watching as the blade continued it's orbit around the
room. 

"I'm open to suggestions." He said softly, not complaining that Scully was
leaning against his side, her fingers pressing into his arm painfully.

"Well, if you can't shoot it and we can't touch it..." Dana frowned. "This is
not looking very promising." 

"She can't touch it." He looked at Jackie. "I touched the metal frame and was
fine before." Fox started to get to his feet.

"Mulder!" Scully grabbed him, pulling him back down against the wall. "Don't
do this!" She took a deep breath. "It's not... right."

He smiled, in spite of the danger. "Another intuition?"

Suddenly the room shook again as the sun face moved out of the glass,
blinding them with the brilliance. It moved in an oddly compelling dance with
the sword, rotating around each other as they watched. Mulder and Scully
didn't notice St. George moving off to one side, towards the blade again,
they were so enraptured by the rhythm.

Standing up, she took a deep breath as the blade turned, heading for her
quickly. Fox lunged forward as the sword flew at her, Dana close behind.

The broadsword stopped at her throat, the pinprick of the tip drawing a thin
bead of blood that ran down into her t-shirt. Closing her eyes, Jackie
searched for the power; the static rush that signalled her bloodlust being
released... and got nothing but silence. The pressure on her throat increased
as she swallowed.

The sun charged Fox, knocking him back into the wall in a burst of heat and
pain. Slumping against the cool concrete, he threw up his hands to shield his
eyes as the spinning orb hung before his face.

Dana stood between the pair, unable to move. The goblet released itself from
the panel, moving to stand before her. Suddenly she heard the question in her
mind; the words forming in her soul as she searched for the answer.

"Faith..." Reaching out, she took ahold of the goblet, feeling the heavy
weight in her hand. It flew free, spinning above her. Tilting down, a thin
trickle of water ran over her head and face...

She felt her father's presence; felt his love and caring arms around her. The
warmth ran through her veins, strengthing and encouraging her to go on, to
continue what they had started. Dana shook as the surge of power rode over
her, the sudden rush of inner courage overwhelming her as much as the love
and strength pounding in her heart. Dropping to her knees, she opened her
eyes as it went to Fox, still captured by the orb.

Fox saw her drop; saw the cup heading for him, still frozen in fear at the
burning star in front of him. Then he saw the water fall on him, felt the
droplets on his mouth...

She was there and she was safe and she was going to come back to him. The
promise was made and he felt her arms around him; felt the soft words of the
future when he would complete his task. The surge of willpower took him by
surprise; making his eyes water with the inner strength he was being given.
The orb rose to hover above him, no longer threatening but now somehow
friendly...

Jackie stared up at the goblet; terrified of what it was going to do. The cup
turned, the transparent stream dampening her face and neck, washing the blood
away as it ran down her burnt arms and hands...

It searched her out; found the pain and the fear and the uncertainty of the
future. Enveloping her in a blanket of warmth, she felt it dissolve the past;
promising her a peace that she couldn't see yet but understood. The blood
coursed through her veins, the power suddenly less addictive, less seductive.
She felt control for the first time in her life, then saw it withdraw for the
future, tempting her with promises. The warmth spread to her burns, to the
scars she carried from past battles...

Dana watched as the orb began to spin faster and faster, brightening the room
with its glare until they all had to hide their eyes. Then the darkness
rushed in...

"Dana?" Fox stumbled over to her, rubbing his eyes. "Dana..." He ran a hand
over her cheek, sighing with relief as she opened her eyes. "Are you
alright?"

"Yes..." She sat up quickly, noticing that the panel had returned to its
original form. Slumped by the glass on the floor was Jackie. Rushing over,
she shook her shoulder.

"Jackie." Her eyes fluttered, then opened. 

"What the..." Her gaze shot up to the stained-glass. "Did it..." She licked
her lips. "Tell me it was a dream?"

"I don't know." Fox stood up, staring at the frame. Dana stood beside him,
stretching out a hand to gingerly touch the glass cup.

"Mulder." They looked beside them at St. George. She extended her arms, a
lone tear beginning to roll down her cheek. The perfect skin, unmarred by any
scars or scabs or burns, met their eyes. Silently they turned their gaze back
to the panel.

"Faith." Dana said softly, looking at Fox. Jackie nodded, speechless as she
stared at her hands.

"Faith." He echoed, turning to hug her tightly. "We'll keep the faith."
Putting up a hand, he grabbed Jackie's own, feeling the new skin under his
fingers. 

*********************************

"So there's nothing strange about the panel?" Father O'Reilly watched their
faces. They weren't telling him the whole truth...

"Father, there's nothing dangerous about it. But I do recommend that perhaps
you display it in a private area away from the general public." Mulder
shrugged. "Just my advice..."

*********************************

They stood at the top of the hill, looking down at the slippery mixture of
grass and mud.

"So this is the infamous mudslide, eh?" Jackie tucked her hands in her
pockets, still uncomfortable with the happiness she felt.

"My brothers and I used to come here every day after school -- ruined a lot
of good clothes." Dana looked at Fox, then at Jackie. St. George nodded.

"Hey!" Grabbing Mulder by his sweatshirt, they tossed him down the hill. His
hands shot out, taking them with him as he lost his footing.

They rolled down the incline, turning head-over-heels in the mud and grass.
Finally landing at the bottom, Fox laughed as Dana fell atop him.

"You've got some mud on your face." He commented, lifting a finger to draw a
brown smear down her cheek. Grabbing a handful of mud, she playfully hit him
in the chest. Jackie roared, causing them to turn on her. A sharp tug from
Fox sent her face-first into the puddle, gasping for air when she came up.
Reaching up, she pushed him backwards, helped by Dana wrapping her arms
around his chest. She pulled him back down into the water, rolling atop him
as he squirmed.

"Dana Katherine Scully!" A sharp shout came from the top of the hill. They
froze. "If you think you're coming into the house for lunch like that..." 

Fox snickered at Dana, his mud-smeared face a picture of boyishness. Jackie
threw a handful at him, smacking him in the back of the head. Dana looked up
at her mother, a fearful look on her filthy face.

"And that goes for you too, Jaclyn Amanda St. George; Fox Mulder! No lunch
until you get cleaned up!" Margaret Scully turned and headed back towards the
house. The trio looked at each other, then burst into laughter.

*****************************