Author: Folieadeux
Rating: R for language
Category: Vignette, Sk POV, Missing scene
Feedback: Hell yeah.
Distribution: Okay. Keep headers in tact and drop me a note.
Spoilers: Grotesque
Disclaimer: Not mine - too bad. No money made.
Notes: In response to Haven's "510 word bitchfest" challenge. My
chosen ep was 'Grotesque' this scene would be after Patterson
leaves Mulder in the library studying gargoyles.
This isn't beta'd - I apologize for any errors.

xXx

"I don't know what the hell I was thinking. He's fucking useless."

Patterson paced furiously before Skinner's desk, his voice
pinging off the walls like a pinball machine gone tilt.

"He's sitting at the library reading history books! What the hell
was I thinking? He was always an insolent child, hell bent on
making everyone look stupid while he showed off for the crowds."

Walter Skinner watched the man with increasing annoyance. As an
individual who prided himself on maintaining his composure, no
matter what. He loathed such ridiculous displays of anger.

"If I'm not mistaken, Mulder's discovery of your suspect's hidden
room was more than a little helpful."

"Bullshit." Patterson turned from his frenzied pacing to focus
his rage on Skinner. "At least when he was my agent I had some
sort of control over him. If I had known that your management of
Mulder was to let him waste Bureau time and resources in pursuit
of his inane theories I would never have requested him!"

A gale force urge to strike Patterson started in the soles of
Skinner's shoes and burnt up through his body like a brushfire.
Keeping an ironclad grip on the edge of his desk he slowly raised
himself to his feet, never taking his eyes from the other man's
face. Attempting to keep his voice under control he pushed his
words through clenched teeth.

"You listen to me you conceited jackass. You can scream and rant
all you want but I'm not one of your wet behind the ear groupies
so don't bullshit me. You asked me to keep your request for
Mulder's help under the radar and I did. But don't you stand in
my office and insult my intelligence or my agent's when we both
know who needs who in this investigation."

Patterson stood stalk still, his stunned face still twisted in a
purple fury, but unsure of his next move. Skinner watched the
internal struggle play across the man's tired features: a wrestle
between ego and truth, pride and duty. Then his face seemed to
slam shut and a veil of something savage took its place. The hair
on the back of Skinner's neck tingled and he wondered briefly if
he would need to physically defend himself against this man's
rage.

"You're so pathetic, Skinner. You think I don't know how you got
dealt the Mulder card? Because you're going nowhere, that's why.
The fast track to irrelevance and you know it."

"Enough!" Skinner's voice thundered loudly. No longer concerned
with professionalism he stormed around his desk, causing the man
to inadvertently take a few steps toward the exit. Digging his
hands into his hips Skinner leaned forward into the man's
personal space.

"Everyone knows that Mulder was so far beyond you even then, you
were lucky he ever pretended you mattered. Now, you have about 30
seconds to get out of this office before I remove my agent from a
case you've managed to completely louse up, leaving your arrogant
ass twisting in the wind! Am I making myself clear?"

"Perfectly."


The End

:didn't ya just want someone to ream this guy?: