Thanks for filling my prompt! I enjoyed this, and I'm left wanting to know more about what's going on here. I'd especially like to know what exactly Mulder's "place in the Project" is. I love speculating about what CSM and his guys had planned for Mulder, because you know they must have had something planned.

Mulder's behaviour rang true to me, the way he avoided a painful situation by immersing himself into his work, yet still remained hopeful -- or, perhaps, in denial? -- that things would eventually work out ("This isn't the end. You'll be back, Diana.").