Title: Empty Hearts Can’t Be Broken

Author: Angel

Rating: NC-17

Type: MSR, Angst, Smut, you know…the usual.

Spoilers: Um… I guess 6/7 season type of stuff. Nothing major though.

Disclaimer: Not even close to being mine. The X-files and all characters associated are property of Chris Carter, Fox and 1013 productions. No infringement intended, no money made.

Author’s note: I never thought I would write such a thing… but I’ve said that before huh? Oh well. This is without a doubt going to be a series! I have a lot of ideas in this head of mine. So if you want to read the sequels email me your email and I’ll send it right to ya when it’s done. Or you can just check back here and as soon as its done I will put the address at the bottom of the screen. By the way… PLEASE SEND FEEDBACK!!! I thanks yee muchly!

EMPTY HEARTS CAN’T BE BROKEN

Scully stretched in her bed. She slowly opened her eyes and looked out the window. Last night’s heavy rainstorm was this mornings drizzle. ‘That was a great nights sleep.’ She thought happily as she stared out the window for a few more minutes. She slowly rolled over to check the time.

"Uh oh." She was greeted by a blinking red 12:00. "Battery backup my ass." She spoke to her room as she reached for her watch. 8:43. ‘Well that is just a great way to start off on a Monday.’ She threw herself from the bed got ready to go to work.

Scully walked down the quiet basement hallway to the office door. She grabbed the knob and almost slammed her body into the door when it didn’t open. ‘Why the hell is it still locked it’s almost 10 in the morning… Oh god if we got called to a meeting with Skinner Mulder will kill me.’ She pulled out her key and fumbled with the old lock for a moment. Kicking the door open when it finally gave she was presented with an unlit office. Mulder usually left the lights on when he left the office but was going to return. She walked over to his desk. Everything was the same as last she saw it; his coat wasn’t on the rack either.

Scully smiled. ‘I bet he slept in too. Mulder doesn’t usually sleep late; he doesn’t usually sleep much at all. But irony has a way of doing things like this to him.’ Scully pulled out her phone and dialed his home number. She was trying to fight the smile she had from being able to call and wake up Mulder. It rang and rang.

"You’ve reached Fox Mulder. I can’t-"

‘Must have left his house already… Where the hell is he?’ She dialed his cell phone.

"The cellular customer you-"

"What the hell?" She asked the empty office. Scully’s gut was twisting more and more with every passing second.

She reached for the phone again and dialed AD Skinner’s number.

"Assistant Director Skinner’s office how may I help you?" Kimberly answered politely.

"This is Agent Scully I need to speak with him, it’s very important."

"I’ll see if he is available to take your call." She replied unruffled.

"This is Assistant Director Skinner." Skinner’s rough voice came through the phone.

"Sir, this is Agent Scully."

"What can I do for you Agent?" Skinner’s voice softened at the familiar Agent’s urgent tone.

"Sir…Have you heard form Agent Mulder this morning?" Scully was trying to keep the shaking from her voice.

"No, no I haven’t spoken with him since our meeting last week… Agent Scully has something happened?"

Scully swallowed hard. "Um…He isn’t answering his phone. Maybe he has over slept or something. I’m going to…going to see if he is home still."

"Ok Agent Scully…. Let me know if something has happened." He sounded as worried as he ever let himself sound.

Scully tried to smile and force away her dread. "I’m sure he has just over slept, Sir. Maybe he left his cell phone at home and has left his apartment already. I’m sorry to bother you."

"No bother Agent Scully. I’ll speak with you later." Skinner hung up the phone.

‘Ok. He has just slept in and was in a hurry to get to work. He forgot to pick up his cell phone, I almost forgot to grab mine in my rush this morning.’

Scully left the office untouched and drove with as much restraint as she could to Mulder’s apartment.

She stepped out of the elevator at his floor and slowly walked towards his door. She reached her hand up and knocked lightly. The door creaked and swung open. ‘No. No way. This is not happening.’ Scully had to fight the bile that was rising in her throat as she took sight of the room before her. Papers were strewn about the floor; lamps were on their sides, books and files knocked to the floor. And blood. A light trail of blood coming from down the hallway. Scully fought the urge to sit on the floor and cry as she followed

the trail into Mulder’s bedroom. The bed was unmade and slept in. Blood stained the dark blue sheets. His phone, gun and ID were sitting on his bedside table next to his watch.

Scully pulled her phone from her pocket.

"Assistant Director Skinner’s office, may I help you?"

"Its Agent Scully again. I need to speak with him immediately."

"Of course." Scully’s shaking voice immediately panicked Kimberly.

"Agent Scully?"

"Sir…Sir I need you to come to Mulder’s apartment…please." Scully choked on every word as she fought tears.

"Scully? What happened?"

"Mulder is gone! Please Sir I need you to come here. He’s gone…" She barely swallowed the sobs.

"I’ll be right there." Skinner hung up the phone without another word.

Scully, phone still in hand, looked around his room in awe. There was nothing amiss in here. The mess in the other room must have been from a struggle. She fought the urge to sit on the bed. She didn’t want to touch anything. She could smell Mulder. The sent she had grown to know. Sweet and manly. She loved that smell. Whenever he spent long enough on her couch it would smell like him; she would always spend the following night sleeping there. Basking in his warm sent. But this time his aroma was mixed with the bitter smell of blood. ‘There’s not a lot of it.’ She tried to assure herself. 'It might not even be his blood. Maybe he put up a fight… Of course he put up a fight! This is Mulder. Mulder never makes anything easy.’

"Agent Scully?" Skinner called form the doorway. ‘How long have I been standing here?’

"Sir…I’m in here." She didn’t move. She didn’t trust herself to move. She might fall apart at any second.

"Oh my god…Agent Scully what happened?" Skinner was trying to take in his surroundings but his eyes locked on the trial of blood and followed it all the way to the bed and stayed there for a moment until meeting her eyes.

"He’s gone." She whispered. "He’s gone." She barley heard Skinner make phone calls. She barely saw the team that came in and took fingerprints and blood samples. She barely heard the questions she was asked. She barely forced out the repeated answer of "I don’t know." But the whole time she held her tears. Even when Skinner came up to her hours later telling her to go home and get some rest. Telling her there was nothing else she could do. Nothing anyone could do. The house was clean, the blood was his. They had nothing. ‘Nothing is a strong word.’ Scully thought on her drive home. ‘Nothing is nothing. Nothing is no memory, no feelings. I have memory. I have feelings. All for Mulder. The man that they had nothing for.’

Scully sat heavily on her couch. She was tired and weak from not eating all day. She wasn’t hungry. She was numb. Her eyes ached from the tears she wouldn’t let fall just yet. ‘Crying means excepting this. Crying means mourning. I’m not mourning Mulder… Not yet. He is still alive. I know that. I know. I can still feel him with me.’ She blindly reached for the phone. She had calls to make. She had her own way of figuring things out. Mulder’s way actually.

"Talk to me." Frohike’s voice called through the phone.

Scully struggled to speak but nothing happened.

"Hello? …. How am I supposed to change my long distance plan if you don’t tell me about it?’ Frohike joked, Scully could here Langly and Byers laugh in the background.

"Frohike…" Scully managed.

"Agent Scully…is something wrong?" He lost the leer in his voice when her tone registered.

"Mulder…he is gone. Someone took him last night." Her voice was flat with control.

"What?! Who took him? Who?"

"I…I don’t know. There is no evidence of who it was in his apartment. There is sign of a struggle, and blood, Mulder’s blood…. Nothing else." She was going to lose it any moment, she knew that. "Frohike I have to go now." She rushed out.

"Ok. Scully we will find out what we can. We have Mulder’s files, we’ll see if he found anything out that would get him in so much trouble. We’ll find him. We will." He tried to reassure her.

"Thank you." She hung up the phone quickly.

Scully sat in silence for some time before she made her next call. She knew making this call would mean losing her control. She was ready to. If she didn’t soon she was just going to lose her sanity.

"Hello?"

"Mom…" Scully choked out.

"Dana. Honey what’s wrong?"

"Mom. Mom I need you to…to come here. Please?" She didn’t fight this time; she let the tears slide silently from her eyes.

"Dana what’s wrong?" Her mother was panicking.

"Mulder…he’s gone Mom. Mom I just need you to come here please." She was racking with sobs she wouldn't let escape all the way, barely able to breathe.

"Dana. I’ll be right there. I’ll leave right now honey hold on." Her mother hung the phone up in a rush.

"Hang on?" Scully asked her empty apartment. ‘What for? No! No Mulder is still alive I know he is! I won’t think like that, not yet. Not while he is still alive.’

Scully sat with more silent tears. She sat there while she heard her mother open the door with her key after repeated knocking and calling out. Scully couldn’t get up. She could only sit there and cry to herself.

"Dana? Oh Dana…" Her mother sat beside her and pulled her into a hug.

"Mom…Mom he’s gone and I don’t know how to find him." She finally admitted that fact. Her dark secret. ‘I didn’t know how to find him, there was no way to find him. These people knew what there were doing. There isn’t going to be any clues. There won’t be any ransom letters. There won’t be anything but my mind fighting itself. I have to look for him. It was the only thing to do. But I have no where to look. Nothing dangerous was happening that I know of. He hadn’t mentioned anything, hadn’t acted like anything was going on. No where to begin. No ideas.’

"But you have hope honey." Her mother answered, Scully realized she has said it all out loud. "I know you have hope. I can see it, I can feel it. You wont give up on him, I know you wont. You love him too much, and he loves you too much to give up so easy." Margaret was crying also. For her daughter, for the man that felt like a son to her, for the only man who could ever have Dana’s heart. For the only man that she wanted to have her daughter’s heart. For the man she knew who’s only hope was her daughter.

"He’s not dead Mom." Scully whispered. "I can feel him still. I know he isn’t dead…" tears she couldn’t fight any longer silenced Scully. Real tears, hard tears. Tears that showed her pain, her struggle, her love and her hope. She wouldn’t give up on him, even if she never found him. She couldn’t live without him. Excepting his death would mean she would die too. And she wasn’t ready to die. Not until she found him dead would she die. But he wasn’t dead. She knew that. He was alive she just didn’t know where.

Scully woke in her bed. She didn’t know how she got here. She hoped for a moment that everything that had just happened was a dream. But she looked down to see she was still wearing her suit. She knew it wasn’t a dream by her heart anyway. It felt empty. She could still feel him with her but it sill felt empty.

She forced herself from bed. Her body felt heavy. Her mind felt drained and her heart felt so empty. She walked into the kitchen to see her mother sitting on the phone, speaking softly. Margaret turned when she heard her daughter.

Putting her hand over the receiver. "Honey its Mr. Skinner."

Scully nodded and took the phone from her mother. "Hello Sir."

"Agent Scully. I was calling mainly to tell you to not come in for a few days."

Scully interrupted him. "Sir I think I am gong to request a leave of absence."

"Agent Scully are you sure that is a good idea?"

"Sir I cant work the X-files alone. Mulder and I have discussed it before, neither of us can work without the other." She took a deep breath to control herself. "I don’t believe I will be working again until I find Mulder. I think I need to devote all my time to that."

"Agent I understand your loyalty that you feel towards Mulder. I commend it. You two were the best team I-"

"We are Sir. We are the best team you have worked with. Mulder is not dead, do not speak of us as past tense. I know there is no information to lead us. But I’m not going to not look. I have to find him Sir. Whether he is alive or not, I have to find him." She dropped her commanding tone at the last line and switched to pleading.

"Scully…I believe you are the only one that can find him. I will help you however I can. But you must understand you cannot go on an extended leave of absence without someone else taking over the X-files. You need to be aware of that."

"Sir, you and I both know that no one else will take over, no one wants it. I will look for Mulder, if I fail at that I will not let his work fail also. I can’t do that. I can’t."

Skinner sighed. "Ok Agent Scully. I will stop all case referrals for the time being. Again if I can help you in any way let me know."

"I will, good bye Sir."

The next week went by in a haze for Scully. Her mother stayed with her. Trying to make her eat and sleep like she needed to. Reminding her she needed to shower and bringing her the phone whenever the Lone Gunman or Skinner called. Scully only left the house once, and that was to go to Mulder’s apartment. The testing was all done. The place was covered in finger print dustings. They were all Mulder’s and a few of hers. When she was told that by Skinner on the phone she burst into tears and didn’t stop of hours. The thought that only her and Mulder’s prints were in his apartment reminded her how close they are Thinking about it she realized the other her mother and hers, Mulder’s would be the only finger prints in her home also.

Scully and her mother cleaned what they could of Mulder’s invaded apartment. The bed was striped, the sheets thrown away. The few dishes in the sink were done. The little food in the refrigerator was thrown out before it rotted. Scully picked up his dry cleaning and put everything away in more order then it had ever been. This made Scully feel better, knowing that the day Mulder came home it would all be waiting for him as neat and clean as he could imagine. Being next of kin to him she had all his mail forwarded to her house. She started to pay his bills before her own. She had his laptop sitting on her desk, waiting for the day she would brave it. She knew the Lone Gunman had most of his files. But she also knew Mulder kept a log on his laptop. A dairy almost. She caught him writing in it once. He told her he had been keeping it ever since she disappeared. It had made her smile to hear that. It just confirmed to her that he had feelings that he couldn’t share with her. And for some reason that made her feel good, knowing that there were still things that they didn’t talk about, knowing that what they didn’t talk about were the feelings they had about each other. She felt better knowing for sure she wasn’t the only one who had those feelings. She knew she shouldn’t read them, but she had to. ‘What if there is something that will help me find him?’ The thought ran through her mind constantly. Until she decided one morning to try and figure out his password.

She sat, leg crossed, laptop in her lap on her couch. Mug of tea in one hand she started to enter what ever she could think of. It had to be eight letters, which was some comfort to her. She had some starting off point. She tried the obvious ‘trustno1’ ‘believes’ ‘foxmulder’ ‘d_scully’ ‘x-files1’ ‘x-files2’ she tried everything she could think of. Her mother sat of the other end of the couch blurting out anything eight letters long that made her think of Mulder. They sat for hours, through the night until Margaret fell asleep. Scully sat there with the heat of the laptop warming her legs. ‘lovesam’ ‘flukeman’ ‘secrets!’. Scully sat there through the morning. Through her mother scolding her for not sleeping. Through a call from the Lone Gunman saying they couldn’t find anything. They had no idea what to do next, but they wouldn’t give up. They assured her that. And Scully believed them. But still she sat there. She knew reading these may not answer any of her questions. But it gave her something to do. And it gave her the chance to see inside Mulder’s head a little more. ‘area5454’ ‘54area54’ ‘ilovexf’ ‘vineyard’. All access denied.

Two days later Scully was still thinking of passwords. He mother had basically ripped it from her hands the night before and made her sleep for six hours. Despite her mind flying with ideas she fell asleep in a matter of seconds after lying down. When she woke she lay awake in her bed for awhile. Starring at the ceiling, thinking to herself. ‘Where the hell did you go Mulder? Who did this to you? How can I find you?’ Her mind reeled with thoughts she wished she had answers to. Questions she wanted to ask him, question she asked herself. ‘Why didn’t I ever tell you I love you? I know you love me. I think you know I love you. But I never said it to you. I never outright told you. But then again you never told me. I never said to you I love you Fox Mulder. And you never said to me I love you Dana Scully.’ Her mind came to a halt. She could almost smell the burning rubber of the wheels in her head stopping and focusing on one little rat running in a wheel. She flew out of bed and stumbled down the hallway to the couch.

"Dana! Are you all right?" Her mother stared at her in shock as she threw her body on the couch.

She flipped up the monitor on the laptop and clicked it on. "Come on you fucking thing!" She screamed at the machine as it booted up.

"Dana?" She ignored her mother as she clicked to the password screen. She stared for a moment. Recounting the words over and over in her head. Then with slow deliberate strokes she typed her idea.

‘Access granted’ the computer told her.

"Oh Mulder…I love you too." She said crying. Crying for happiness not sadness for the first time in a week and a half.

"Dana! You got it! What was it?" Her mother asked over her shoulder.

Scully turned and looked up at her smiling softly. "I love DS."

Her mother returned her smile. "I don’t know why I didn’t think of that."

Scully sat for another week reading the entries. Many made her cry as he told her his true feelings in letters on a hard drive not in spoken words. But many also made her laugh. It felt so good to laugh. Especially because she was laughing with Mulder. She could hear his voice reading his entries to her in her head. Each entry was talking to her as if she was standing right in front of him. They were wonderful, Mulder’s true feelings. Words he only knew how to write not speak.

"One day Scully I am going to walk up to you and just kiss you. Like I have always wanted. No promises it won’t be in front of Skinner or someone just so you know. Because one day I’m not going to able fight it anymore. Maybe in an elevator. Would you like that? On our way down to that office of ours? Just pull you to me and kiss you? Or would you like me throw you up against the wall? Probably not, you like to be in control. Well you can throw me up against the wall anytime you want to G Woman!"

Scully read her mother parts of the ones that made her laugh or cry the most. But mostly she sat quietly on her couch and read. With every entry it felt like she was gaining a little more of Mulder each time.

"You know Scully, I cant live without you. I cant. Its that simple. You make me a complete person. You really do. In every single way. I swear every time I see you my brain tells me "There she is. The one person that can figure me out!" My body calls to me "There she is! The one I want more then anything in the whole world. But I can’t have her because I might screw it up. Then I would lose you…. Then I would die." My soul sees you and tells to me "There she is… the one that makes me count. Makes me something that other people can deal with. Without her I am nothing more then Spooky Mulder, never taken seriously." But over all other parts of me Scully I hear my heart the most. My heart speaks the loudest when you are near. "There she is! The one that fills me. The one who kicked out the ghost that sat in me and took over. The one who made me grow. As a agent, as a person, as a man, in every way." Every time I see you baby my heart screams. Just screams at me to not let go. To run up to you and hold on for dear life. Because you are the only thing keeping me alive. I look at you and my whole body and spirit comes alive. Do you feel the same way? Do I do any of these things to you? Is it possible for someone’s existence to revolve around one person? Mine does so it must be possible. Do other people feel the same way about the person they love? I don’t see how it could be possible…I don’t understand love. I really don’t. I don’t understand why one moment it makes me feel like a real person and the next like a lonely worthless dog. But I only feel that way when I’m not with you. I don’t know how to not be with you. You know I count the hours every weekend, I don’t let myself call you every hour like I want to. I don’t let myself spend as much time with you as I want. I’m scared. I’m scared if I did you would push me away. Then I would have nothing. Nothing at all. I wouldn’t have a mind; a body, a soul and I wouldn’t have anything close to resembling a heart. As long as we aren’t really truly together I think I am safe. But I don’t want to be safe anymore. Scully you are my life. My world. Why don’t you know this? Why cant I just tell you?! Why can't I just let you fill my heart like I want! In a complete way, I don’t want to be empty anymore. I don’t."

Scully cried until she feel asleep after reading that one. She awoke much later to the sight of Mulder’s screen saver; she was flying through space. She stared at the screen imaging Mulder doing the same. She knew why she picked this one. It was very relaxing, so easy to lose oneself in the stars. Like watching Star Trek, the captain standing on the main bridge looking out at the universe in front of them. Having control of life, of their future. So easy to dream of such a thing when watching the stars fly by.

Scully barely moved from the couch as she read through the last few years of Mulder’s life.

"Damn Scully you have the most beautiful smile! It’s addictive. That’s the only reason I make all those smart-ass comments I want you to know. Just get a smile, even a little one. You think I don’t see you when you smile at them. You think you are hiding your face enough. But you aren't. I love that. I wonder if you are ticklish…. People can’t help smile when being tickled. Even if they are screaming at someone to stop they still smile. Trust me I know. I used to tickle Sam all the time. Just to make her smile. Man she hated that. I bet you would too. Just because you wouldn’t be in control. I cant hear it now ‘Mulder! Stop it right now!’ And I would just laugh because you would be smiling. I love that smile. It would be worth the physical harm you would cause me once I did stop. And I bet you would kick my ass too. I think I would let you. I bet Bill used to tickle you. I KNOW Bill would kick my ass if I tickled you. It would still be worth it. It would be fun. Kinda kinky. If I told you that you would really kick my ass!"

Scully read that one to her mother. Who just laughed and agreed with Mulder that Bill would kill him.

It was early Sunday morning, still dark out, when she came to Mulder’s last entry. It was written the day he was taken. Three weeks tomorrow. Scully was amazed it had been that long already. It had all gone by in a blur. She couldn’t tell one day from the next. All she did was sit on her couch reading and drinking tea. Nodding to her mother who would set food down in front of her, taking a bite or two then forgetting about it. Sleeping when her eyes just wouldn’t stay open any longer and bathing when her mother dragged her into the bathtub. Part of Scully didn’t want to read that last entry. She knew that she would have to start looking some where else. And she was scared to death because she didn’t know where to start. She clicked onto the last file entry and stared at the screen unseeing for quite some time before she bothered to focus.

"Scully do you feel that same thing I do? Do you feel it? When we are together. The way we don’t have to talk. We just know. Do you see the looks people give us? When we are standing some where and I just look at you, and you just look at me and know what the other is thinking. It’s amazing. I’ve never thought much about it before. It was just one of those things that we have always had. But I am thinking about it right now, I have been for a long time now. Hours. I want to say it is a physic connection of some kind. But I know you would just raise your eyebrows at me and throw a whole bunch of technical mumbo gumbo into the conversation. But I honestly think if you opened your mind to the idea it would be so much more between us. Sometimes I have this feeling; I don’t know how to explain it. Just this feeling about you. And then a few minutes later you will call, or you will walk into the office when you should be home. There is so much more between us then the eye can tell. If we could just break down that wall. What we have right now is amazing. The trust, the friendship, the platonic love. But if we could just get past this one thing…. We would have something phenomenal. I have opened my mind to it Scully. I have opened my mind to you all the way. I swear to you not a thing stands between us on my end. But how can I explain it to you that you need to open your mind to me. All the way. I know you trust me. But I don’t know how to explain to you what I mean by this. But you must have felt it by now. The way we look at each other. I don’t how else to explain it. I just wish I knew how to tell you about it. That it could be more. We could have so much more. I want in Scully. I want in that complex mind of yours. It amazes me from the outside; I can’t even fathom what it is like on the inside. Please let me in Scully. Please take down that wall that you don’t even know is there. Just let me in. God Scully it could be amazing. Just let me in. Please baby."

‘God Mulder. Of course I felt it. How could I not have? I’m all yours. You can have it all. If I knew how I would let you in the rest of the way.’ Scully turned off the computer and lay down on the couch, pulling a blanket around her. ‘I’m tuning into you Mulder. I don’t sleep, barely eat. I’m obsessed with finding you, but I have no clue where to start. No one does. Is this how it was when I was gone? I just sit here Mulder. On my couch living in my mind. I haven’t left in over a week. I don’t want to leave. If I stay here I don’t have to see all the happy people out there. I don’t know what to do Mulder. Please tell me what to do. Help me so I can help you. So I can bring you back to me. I need you…’ Scully thoughts were blocked out by her crying. She slowly drifted into sleep.

When Scully woke she was cold. Chilled to the bone. Shivering she reached out for her blanket but couldn’t find it. Too sleepy to open her eyes to look she tried to burrow into the couch. But it was cold and hard. Surprised Scully’s eyes flew open and she sat upright. She looked around herself. She was in a dark building; cold concrete surrounded her on all sides. She leaned up against the wall behind her let her eyes adjust to the darkness. She could hear voices. They echoed off the walls. Slowly she stood. She walked down a hallway towards the voices. She gasped as she walked through an open door and into a large room; two men sat a table in the center playing cards and laughing. She knew they could hear her gasp echo off the walls but they didn’t look up at her. They just continued their game. Slowly she walked closer to them; her foot falls loud on the concrete. Still the men paid no attention.

"Scully!"

"Oh my God Mulder! Where are you?" She could hear his voice slightly muffled. She looked quickly at the men who went on playing. Not listening to her yelling.

"Scully I’m over here!" She looked in the direction of his voice and saw a wooden door on the far side of the room. She went quickly to it.

"Mulder I’ll get you out." She reached for the knob but her hand slipped off. She tried again and again and again. "Mulder! I cant! I can’t open the door!"

"Its ok Scully. Its ok…" He whispered. He sounded so tired so drained of life.

"No Mulder I have to get you out of here!" She desperately pounded on the door.

"Scully stop. It’s ok." She heard through the door.

She crumpled to the floor leaning her weight against the door. "I can’t get you out…"

"Yes you can Scully. You have to find me." His voice was calm but firm.

"Mulder I did find you I am here now!" She yelled against the wood.

"No Scully. No you didn’t. You aren’t really here."

"I…but I…oh God I’m dreaming…" Logic flooded her unconscious.

"Scully you need to find me. I cant be here much longer Scully…. I’m dying."

"No!" She started to pound on the door again "Mulder I don’t know how to find you! I don’t…" She broke off into sobs.

"Yes you do baby. You do."

"Mulder I don’t! All I think about is trying to find you. But I don’t know how. Tell me where you are Mulder! Tell me and I will come to you." She pleaded with him banging her fist against the wood wishing this were real so that she could feel the pain it should be causing.

"I cant Scully. I don’t know where I am. I don’t even know how I got here. But you can find out where I am. You just have to look in the right place. You have to look to the right person. The person you find comfort in but the person I cant…It’s all I know to tell you. I’m sorry…I have to go Scully. I am so tired. I can’t do this anymore…" His voice started to fade.

"No! No Mulder, please don’t leave me! I need you…I need you. I love you Mulder…" Once again her tears cut her off.

"I love you too Scully. You have to go now. You have to go to bed Scully. You have to. Now. Don’t let her stop you. Don’t believe her baby. Trust me."

"I do Mulder. I trust you." She reached to place her hand on the door but it fell right through, she felt is land on her thigh. She sat up straight on her couch. She was awake.

‘Oh my God. That didn’t just happen. That was just a dream. That was just my mind playing tricks on me. Letting me see what I wanted to. Oh God…I have to go to bed. Why did he say that?’ She stood on shaky legs and walked to her bedroom door. Looking in she saw her mother asleep in her bed. ‘I seek comfort in my mother.’ She thought thinking back to her dream. ‘But Mulder doesn’t seek comfort in his mother. I’m not supposed to believe her. Who? Mulder’s mother…what does she have to do with this?’ Scully’s mind was working overtime as she sank to the floor in the doorway. She sat thinking about what little Mulder had told her about his mother over the years. ‘What am I supposed to ask her Mulder?’ She leaned her head back against the doorframe. Suddenly she jumped up and started pulling off her sweatpants and pulling on jeans. The motion in the room woke Margaret.

"Dana, what are you doing?"

"I have to go Mom." She stated determined.

Margaret jumped from the bed and went to her daughter who was pulling on a sweater. "Dana? You have to go where?"

Scully stopped and turned to her mother looking at her thoughtfully. "Mom when you spoke with Mulder’s mother what did she say to you?"

Margaret furrowed her brow at the question, trying to think back to the time when she called her to see how she was handling the news. "Honey I think she was in shock. She didn’t say much really. Just that she was hoping that Fox would come around, what ever she meant by that. Nothing else really, she was in a hurry to get off the phone I think. She didn’t want to talk about it she said."

Scully let out a sound, somewhere between a cry and a laugh. "I can’t believe it…"

"You cant believe what?"

Scully moved over to her dresser and put her holster on taking extra clips. Then shoved her badge and phone into her pocket. Margaret’s eyes bugged out at the sight of her daughter putting on her gun. "Mom I have to go see Mulder’s mother."

"Dana wait! You are in no shape to be going anywhere alone. Let me go with you, it will only take a minute for me to dress."

"No Mom, I have to do this alone. I’m the only one that can." Scully moved out of the room with her mother trailing behind her.

"Why do you need your gun to go see Tina? Dana please answer me!"

Scully turned as she picked up her keys, she stared for a moment at her Apollo key chain. "Mom I don’t know when I will be back. I will call you when I can. But I have to go Mom. I have to go get Mulder."

Margaret had tears falling down her cheeks. "Oh Dana…I cant stop you I know that. But please be careful. I can’t lose a son and a daughter in one month."

Scully’s head shot up when she referred to Mulder as a son. It didn’t shock her; she knew how much she cared for him. She hugged her mother quickly. "I love you Mom. You can stay here as long as you want to. I will get in touch with you when I find him." She kissed her mother’s cheek and ran out the door without looking at her again.

Scully drove in a daze all the way into Connecticut. The sun came up but was unnoticed by her. All she thought about was Mulder, how he said he was dying. How she knew he was dying. His voice was so lost, so strained. ‘Oh Mulder please hold on. For me…I’m trying to find you. I will. I just hope before it is too late.’

Scully pulled into Tina Mulder’s driveway mid morning. She trotted up the front steps not once thinking about what she was going to say. She knocked on the door, loving the fact that she actually felt it.

Tina opened the door and did a double take.

"Mrs. Mulder. I’m Dana Scully. I don’t know if you remember me but I work with your son."

"Yes of course I remember you Miss Scully. What can I help you with?" She made no move to invite Scully in.

Scully decided to just come out and say it. Be as blunt as possible. Mulder warned her not you believe her, Scully just wished she was sure she had the right ‘her’. "Mrs. Mulder do you know where your son is?"

"What?" She looked shocked.

"I asked if you know where Mulder is." Scully was getting angry quickly. ‘God Mulder I hope I am understanding you right or I am about to lose my cool with a woman with heart trouble for no reason.’

"Of course I don’t. He is missing. His boss called me weeks ago to tell me." She said it with little emotion other then annoyance.

‘Don’t believe her baby. Trust me.’ Mulder’s words repeated themselves in her ears. "Mrs. Mulder I don’t believe you." She said with a calm even voice.

"Excuse me?" She paused and just stared at Scully. "Miss Scully I think you should go." She moved to shut the door but Scully pushed her body between it. "What do you think you are doing?!"

"I’m trying to save your son’s life! You know where he is I know you do! He is DYING Mrs. Mulder! I don’t know what you are trying to do to him but it isn’t working. Tell me where he is!"

"Young lady you are way out of line. You are obviously very emotional right now. I think you should leave before I have to call the police."

"No! I’m not going to let you stop me! I don’t believe you! Tell me where he is!" She used Mulder’s words against her. They just stared at each other, neither backing down. Tina not releasing her hold on the door and Scully not moving from between the door and the wall.

Tina suddenly looked down at the ground. "I don’t know where he is exactly." She whispered.

Scully’s stomach dropped to her feet.

"They…they said they would stop him from working on the X-files." Tina continued slowly and hushed. "They said they would convince him to stop. But he won’t. He said he wouldn’t stop. They…they wont tell me where he is. They won’t tell me what they are doing to him. They were just going take him for a little while, tell him it wasn’t worth it. But he won’t stop and they won’t let him go because he will continue as long as he is alive. He has to stop he is ruining his life."

Scully looked at her in disbelief. "You hired someone to stop him?"

"No. They came to me. They told me he was ruining his life but they would make him stop. They lied though. They can’t stop him. No one can. I knew that but I still wanted to try. It doesn’t matter. He wasn’t the son he used to be. He wasn’t the son I wanted. He ruined his life. It’s his fault."

Scully couldn’t talk for a minute. She just stared at Tina. ‘How could a mother do this? How could she not care? How could she talk of him in past tense?’ She took a deep breath to keep under control. "Mulder is an amazing man. He has a beautiful mind. If he dies it will be your fault and I swear to God, I don’t care if you are his mother, I will make you pay." She paused for a moment so that Tina would realize the words were the truth. Scully couldn’t keep the silent tears from running down her face. "Tell me where he is, so that I can save him. He IS dying Mrs. Mulder. Maybe you don’t care but I do."

Tina suddenly looked up. "I do care if he dies." She was crying also.

"Then tell me where he is so he doesn’t have to die…please."

"Somewhere in New Hampshire. By the water. I don’t know anymore."

Scully shook her head. "You know more. Tell me what you know."

Tina looked around nervously then met Scully’s eyes. "I can’t tell you anymore."

"I won’t let you stop me Mrs. Mulder. You have to tell me everything you know or your son will die." It ripped Scully’s heart out to say that. But she knew it was the truth. She had no way of finding where he was. She needed more of a location.

"The only other thing I know is that he WAS being kept in an old government building. That’s all I know." She pushed the door and Scully stepped out of the way and it shut in front of her with a slam. Scully stood there silently for a moment. Processing the information in her head. She couldn’t think of a case from that area. She slowly came around and walked back to her car. She looked up once inside and saw Tina starring out an upstairs window at her. Their eyes locked as Scully started the car and backed out of the driveway. Tina turned from the window when Scully reached the end of the driveway.

Scully drove north for a bit, that was the most logical thing she could think to do. She came to a gas station and pulled in. She sat back in her seat after turning her car off for a few moments. Trying to think of the next logical thing to do. ‘Mulder I don’t know who to trust anymore. I don’t know what to do now…’ She dug her phone out of her pocket and dialed Skinner’s home number which he had given her after Mulder disappeared in case she needed him. Now she did.

"Hello." His voice was softer when not in the office she realized.

"Sir, its Scully. I’m sorry to bother you at home but I need your help."

"Its fine Scully." He answered quickly. "What do you need?"

"Sir I have some information on Mulder-"

He interrupted her. "You do?! How Scully?"

"Sir it’s a long story and I don’t know if you would even believe me, I don’t know if I believe it all yet." ‘Sorry Mulder but its true’ she confessed silently. "But Sir do you know of any federal buildings in New Hampshire, near the water, that are not in use?"

"Not off hand but I am sure I can find out."

"Thank you sir that would be very helpful."

"Agent Scully were are you?" He noticed she was on her cell phone.

"I am in Connecticut, Sir."

"Ok Scully I will get you the information if you do something for me." He said slowly.

Scully’s stomach twisted into a knot. ‘Why is he doing this to me? I thought I could trust him.’ "What Sir?" She said softly.

"I want you to meet me at the 78N interstate rest station, the first in New Hampshire."

"Sir this cannot wait, I have to find Mulder now." She pleaded.

"Scully I am getting ready to leave right now. I will find out what we need to know on the way there… Scully use your head. As much as you want to do this alone you cant. What if you find Mulder and he is hurt? You won’t be able to get him out by yourself."

She thought for a moment. She had no choice then to trust him. He was right. She couldn’t carry an injured Mulder anywhere. Especially now, she was weak and tired from weeks on the couch and little food. "Ok Sir. I will met you there."

"I’m leaving now." He said and immediately hung up.

Scully drove to the station and figured she had a few hours wait, if Skinner drove fast. She parked in the far back and reclined her seat. In a matter of seconds she was asleep.

She awoke leaning against a wooden door. It took her only a moment to realize she was dreaming again.

"Mulder?" she called against the door. She looked over at the men, one was reading a magazine and the other was asleep in his chair.

"Scully…" His voice was weak.

"Oh God Mulder. Hold on. I’ll be there soon. You have to hold on for me. Please Mulder."

"I…I will. I’ll try Scully…"

She leaned against the wood and listened to the shallow breathing on the other side of the door.

"Scully?"

"Mmm?" she was so tired, even in her dream.

"Scully… It was my mother wasn’t it?" His voice was choked with tears.

"She didn’t know what she was doing Mulder… She didn’t mean for this to happen."

He was quiet for some time; Scully just listened to him breath. "Scully?"

"Yes?"

"Scully," He spoke seriously, deliberately. "Scully when the thunder cracks you have to open the door, wait until the thunder sweetheart. You have to wait…"

Scully was about to ask what he meant but was jolted awake by a knock on her car window. She sat up quickly and looked to see Skinner standing outside her car. She slowly opened her door still thinking about her dream.

"I’m sorry I startled you Scully." Skinner spoke softly.

"Its ok Sir. Did you find anything?"

He nodded and opened the door the rest of the way. "I’ll drive. Come on I’ll explain on the way."

Scully pulled herself out of the car and into his. As soon as Skinner was in he restarted the car. "I came across a few federal buildings in the area. But I think our best bet in the one we are going to try first. It was shut down in the 60s when it didn’t pass safety codes, it’s small and away from any other buildings so no one would be just walking up to the door at any time. I think it is our best bet." He turned to look at her.

"I think you are right, thank you Sir."

"Don’t thank me Agent Scully. I owe Agent Mulder a few favors…of course not as many as he owes me but I’ll let that slide for the moment." He smiled slightly at her.

She returned it nodding.

"Why don’t you go back to sleep Scully, we have about a two hours drive ahead of us."

She nodded again and curled up in her seat. She slept soundly with the hope of soon having this living nightmare over with.

Scully awoke as the car rolled to a stop. She opened her eyes to a gray sky and a dry dead field from the winter cold. She looked over at Skinner.

"The building is about a mile that way." He pointed to the right of Scully. "I figure the element of surprise might be helpful."

"Yeah." Scully said as she opened the door. The air was damp and cold and smelled slightly of the sea.

Skinner stepped along side her. "You armed?"

She nodded and moved her sweater so he could see her gun.

"Let’s go then." He said and they started the walk. Scully’s legs felt shaky and her muscles stiff.

They walked in silence until the building came into view. It was definitely supposed to be vacant. The two-story building was dark gray cement. The empty parking lot was cracking, filled with dead weeds and litter. Skinner directed her closer to the deserted road so they could make their way in the ditch. As they got closer Scully’s stomach knotted. "This is it." She said softly to Skinner. He didn’t question but instead pulled out his gun. Scully did the same as the crept up the parking lot keeping low the ground. Light raindrops started to fall from the darkened sky. They came up to the building as thunder rolled in the distance.

"This entrance looks as good as any." Skinner whispered to her and he moved to open a side door of the building. Scully pinned her body against the other side as he opened it. They both listened for a moment for any sign of movement, then Scully moved into the doorway, gun first ready to shoot anyone who wasn’t Mulder. She motioned for Skinner it was clear and they moved slowly into the hallway. Scully thought for a moment, trying to let her gut tell her where to go. ‘Come Mulder tell me where you are.’ They moved down the hallway in silence. Looking for any sign of life. The hallway was dark from the blackened sky outside, the thunder echoed of the old walls. A familiar echoing Scully noticed. This was the place of her dream; she recognized the sounds and the dead cold of a deceased building.

Skinner nudged her slightly and pointed down another hallway. Down at the end there was a faint sliver of light from under a door. She nodded and they made their way down the hallway, guns ready to go up at any moment.

When they came to the door Scully leaned her head against and could hear muffled words. She felt a slight tremor go through her body when she realized she was standing in the hallway of her first dream, only this time the door was closed. She heard a loud crack of thunder go through the building. Mulder’s words came flooding back to her. ‘When the thunder cracks open the door, wait for the thunder to crack.’

She turned to Skinner and leaned in to whisper. "The next loud crack of thunder we open the door. There will be two men sitting at a table in the center of the room." He looked up at her confused but didn’t say anything. "If I have any reason to I will shoot those men without a question. I don’t care what you do." She said in a dead tone.

"I’ll fallow your lead." He stated.

Scully nodded and they each leaned on a side of the door. Skinner had his hand of the handle ready to pull it open the first chance of thunder. Scully plastered her body up against the opposite wall ready to do whatever she had to.

She jumped at a loud crack of thunder and Skinner tore the door open with a loud creak. Scully felt like she stepped out of her body and watched form the corner as she came around the door gun out. The two men she knew would be there jumped up. A look of shock on their faces. They both reached for guns sitting on the small table next to the pack of cards. Scully pulled her trigger aimed at the two men. She could feel more then hear when Skinner came around the corner and do the same. Both men fell to a bloody heap in front of the table, a few shots came from their guns. None of them even close to hitting Skinner or herself. The sound of Scully emptying her clip into the dead bodies echoed off the walls. Skinner stood by silently as she pulled the trigger over and over only making a dull click every time the gun tried to fire from an empty clip. She slowly came back to herself and lowered her gun. Starring blindly at the two dead men.

"Mulder." She said softly shaking herself back to reality. She looked up and just as in her dream there was a wooden door at the end of the room. She ran over, undid the latch that she didn’t see in her dream. She took a deep breath and grabbed for the knob. Tears ran down her cheeks as she turned it without her hand sliding off.

She pulled the heavy door open and fell to the floor limp next to Mulder’s body. Suddenly every sense in her body focused. Her skin was damp and chilled from sweat, her mouth was dry from nervousness, her eyes were barely focusing on the form in front of her from the darkness of the closet, she could smell sweat and dirt, she could hear Skinner near the door giving instructions to police and she could hear her breathing and she could hear Mulder’s slow shallow breath echo louder then every other sound.

"Mulder." She whispered and touched his thickly bearded cheek turning his face towards her. His skin was dry and cold; she could feel the weight he lost in his face. Anger surged through her and she settled closer to his body. "Mulder wake up… Please Mulder wake up." She whispered to him.

He didn’t move, didn’t make a sound. She could hear Skinner come up beside her and place his trench coat over Mulder.

She pulled herself to a sitting position and tugged Mulder’s upper body into her lap. He was skin and bones; cloths thin and coated with sweat and dirt from three weeks of wear.

"Mulder? Please wake up…" She cried to him as she started to rock his dead weight.

"The ambulance will be here in ten minutes Scully." She barely heard Skinner’s voice; she focused everything on Mulder.

She rocked slowly as tears fell from her face landing on Mulder’s. "Please, please God don’t take him from me. Please Mulder come back to me. Wake up." She started to sob loudly.

Tear after tear fell from Scully and onto Mulder. "Sc…"

Scully’s eyes flew open and she stopped rocking him. "Mulder! Mulder come on wake up. Please Mulder."

He slowly pulled his eyes open. They looked dead and dull. He struggled to focus in the dull light. "Scully?"

She cried and bent face towards his. Placing her cheek against his. "It’s me Mulder. I’m here."

"Dream?" Mulder managed to force out.

She laughed softly. "No Mulder this time it isn’t a dream. This time its real." She reached for his hand and squeezed it tightly so he would feel it.

His eyes slipped shut as he fell back into unconsciousness. Scully gently rocked them. She ignored Skinner as he told her the paramedics were there. She didn’t want to let go, she didn’t know if she could. Skinner gently pulled her arms away from Mulder. She was too weak to fight so she just let him pull her away from him and she cried. She watched in a cloudy haze of tears as the medics gave him oxygen and IVs. She barely remembered Skinner pulling to her feet and putting her back of a police car. She hardly heard when he told her he would call her mother and meet her at the hospital. She barely felt the needle prick as a nurse put an IV in her because she was dehydrated. She didn’t remember being put in an exam room. All she could think was that Mulder was alive and all she could do was sleep.

Scully stood in a bright field. She looked around for a moment. She saw a figure siting in the high grass starring off in to the distance. She smiled and made her way over to him. She sat down and mimicked his position of his arms wrapped around his legs and starred out at the field like he did. She sat for some time in silence.

Slowly she turned and laid her head on her knees and looked at his profile. Smiling shinning eyes slowly looked back at her as he put his head on his knees.

"Hi." She whispered.

"Hi yourself." Mulder answered.

"What were you looking at?" She asked gesturing with a nod of her head to the empty field.

"The future." He answered simply.

Scully smiled. "What did you see?"

He grinned. "Nuh uh… I can’t tell you, that would be cheating." He winked at her.

"Not even a hint?"

"Nope." He looked back out at the field still smiling.

"Why am I here?" She asked looking straight ahead again.

"Why do you think you are here?"

She shrugged. "Why do you think I am here?"

"I know why you are here… But I can’t tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because this is your head not mine." He turned to look her.

"Who’s future were you looking at? Mine or yours?"

Mulder stood slowly and started walking down the hill; Scully rose and followed him. "Both." He answered when she caught up with him.

Scully moved in front of him and took hold of his forearms with her hands to stop him from moving forward. She looked up at him and smiled. He just looked at her for a moment smiling also. She reached up and touched his cheek lightly. "When will I see you?" She whispered.

"You are seeing me now." He answered in a teasing tone.

She squeezed his arms lightly. "You know what I mean. When will I see you for real?"

He looked away from her and over the horizon. "Soon baby. Soon." He looked down at her again. Then leaned own to her ear. "Soon, I promise. I have to go now." He said sadly.

"No wait. Why do you have to go?" She wrapped her arms around his neck in an attempt to keep him with here. He put his arms around her waist and held her gently.

He laughed lightly. "I have to go because someone is here to see you."

She pulled back so she could look at him. "Who?"

"You’ll see." He whispered and kissed her forehead.

"Dana, honey wake up." Everything went dark as she heard her mother’s voice call to her.

"Mom." She said and slowly opened her eyes. She was lying in a hospital bed with a cloth gown on and an IV in her arm.

"Hi sweetie. How are you feeling?" Margaret smiled down at her.

Scully slowly sat up. "Ok I think." She rubbed her face with her hands and let the memories come back to her.

"You look much better. You’ve been out for three days now, I saw you moving around so I took the chance to try and wake you up."

"Where’s Mulder?" She slid back and leaned against the back of the bed.

"They just moved him from the ICU to a bed on this floor. Down the hall a ways. He hasn’t woken up yet. But he is doing fine. He was malnourished and dehydrated. He had bad cut on the back of his head and concussion. Some bruising; they say he was beaten badly a few times. The doctors say he’s very lucky it made it through that much less the other things. " She took a hold of Scully’s hand and squeezed gently.

Scully nodded and tried to push the thoughts of what could have happened to him. "Mom I’m fine now. I’d like to sign myself out and go be with Mulder." Scully said firmly, a hard voice to use with her mother.

Margaret smiled. "The doctor should be in to check you in a minute, I paged the nurse when you started to wake up. You can sign out then."

Scully nodded and they sat in silence until he walked in. "Miss Scully it’s nice to see you with your eyes open. I’m Dr. Marcus. You are you feeling?" He took her blood pressure.

"I’m ok. I’d really just like to sign out."

He nodded after taking her blood pressure. "Your mother told me when you first came in that was the first thing you would say." He smiled gently at her. "Since you are a doctor I trust your judgement of your health. But you were quite dehydrated when you were brought in. I know you have a friend in the hospital you are anxious to see but I want you to take it easy for the next few days." He started to take the IV out as a nurse brought in the papers for her to sign. "You need to eat well and stay off your feet. Don’t go running around like a crazy women like you did that other day." He smiled again as he handed her the papers.

"Don’t worry I’ll keep an eye on her." Margaret said from her chair beside Scully’s bed.

Dr. Marcus laughed lightly. Then turned to Scully. "You are free to go."

"Thank you Dr. Marcus." She called as he left. She slowly slid out of bed and felt wobbly on her legs.

"I have a change of cloths for you." Margaret said as she picked up a bag off the floor. "Why don’t you go use the shower and get changed then see Mulder."

Scully thought for a minute. She knew the moment she saw him she wouldn’t leave until it was with him. "Ok, you’ll wait here?"

Margaret nodded as Scully went into the tiny shower. The hot water felt wonderful on her tired muscles. She changed into a pair of jeans and a loose sweater. They smelled like home and Scully immediately felt better. ‘Now I just want to see Mulder.’ She walked out of the bathroom to see her mother looking out the window as the street below.

"Ready to go see him?" She asked smiling.

"Yes." Scully grinned.

They walked down the hallway slowly, three days of bed rest made Scully tire even easier then before. They came to the door and Scully took a deep breath. She heard her mother say she was going to get them something to eat and would be back in awhile.

Scully pushed open the door slowly. Mulder was lying on his bed. He was so thin Scully felt nauseous. She walked over to him and pulled a chair up next to his bed. His skin was a much better color then when she first saw him. His head was wrapped with a bandage. There were feeding tubes in his nose and an IV his arm. She reached to the end of the bed and looked at his chart. Her mother was right with everything she said, and he was damn lucky. He was on a ton of antibiotics for his head. Cat scan results showed he was fine. She replaced the chart and looked him over. She started to tuck the sheets around him more. She was doing anything she could but touch him. She wasn’t ready. She needed to be Dr. Scully before she was Dana Scully. She moved around the bed straightening the sheets. She checked the IV, looked at his bandages from a distance.

Finally she sat back down and looked at Mulder’s face. She reached up with a shaking hand and turned his head towards her. She ran the back of her fingers over his cheek. She gently took one of his hands in her other one. She traced his features lightly with her fingertips. The hospital shaved the beard he had grown when he was brought in, light stubble had grown and rasped under her fingers. She ran her fingers over his lips pausing to feel his warm breath. She then moved her hand up to his closed eyes. She brushed over his eyebrows then over his lids. Scully sighed softy then took his one hand in both hers. She bought it to her lips and kissed the back of it lightly.

"Mulder…I don’t know if you can hear me but I’m going to talk to you anyway." She whispered. "I love you Mulder. I wish…I wish I had told you sooner. I wish you had told me everything I read. But wishing doesn’t really help any does it? But I’m going to anyway because I don’t know what else to do. I wish you would wake up Mulder. You promised me you would see me soon, how soon? I want to se you now. Please wake up Mulder…please." Scully closed her eyes and cried into his hand.

"Mmm…" Scully’s head flew up from Mulder’s hand as he groaned.

"Mulder? Mulder wake up. Please…"

His eyes slowly opened and looked unfocused at her face. "Scully?" It came out in a dry whisper.

"It’s me Mulder." She turned his hand over and kissed his open palm.

"I…" He swallowed roughly. "I told you I would see you soon." He managed a weak smile letting his eyes close again.

Scully smiled and moved one hand to stroke his cheek. "You always keep your promises." She whispered. They stayed silent for a long time. Scully holding his hand and stroking his cheek as he struggled to stay conscious.

He slowly turned his head back to her and opened his eyes. She smiled softly at him as he looked at her. His eyes were slowly gaining their shine. Unable to find his voice he mouthed to her ‘I love you.’

She let a few tears fall down her cheeks as she mouthed the words back to him. They just watched each other for a while. Letting their eyes drink in the sight of the others.

Mulder took a deep breath and rolled his head back and closed his eyes. "Tired." He mumbled.

She squeezed his hand and set it down on the bed. "Go back to sleep Mulder. I’ll be here." Ran her fingers over his lips again as he made an attempt to nod. He quickly went into a deep sleep. Scully stayed with him, just watching his chest rise and fall for an hour longer before her mother returned.

Scully turned when she walked in. "He was awake Mom." She choked out.

Margaret set down containers of food and hugged her daughter. "Come on honey I want you to eat something."

Scully watched Mulder the whole time she ate. She watched him for hours after she ate. She watched him after her mother left for her hotel room. She watched as the nurse came in to change the bandage. She watched as his doctor came in to check on him. She watched him until she couldn’t keep her eyes open. Then she laid her head on her arms resting them next to Mulder’s body. His heat quickly lulled her to sleep.

Scully woke to someone touching her hair. It took her a few heartbeats to remember where she was. She slowly lifted her head and the hand fell away.

"Hey." Mulder said in his hoarse voice.

"Hi." Scully reached out and touched his cheek. It was early morning judging by the faint light coming through the window.

Mulder struggled with his arm and lifted to away. "Come here." He whispered looking to the empty spot on the bed under his arm.

Scully smiled at him and slipped off her shoes and carefully climbed onto the bed. She gently settled her body next to his trying not to put any of her weight on him.

"I won’t break." He said as she was settling.

"You sure about that?" She asked with a smile.

"Well…pretty sure." His voice was slowly becoming steady, but it was still dry and hoarse from lack of use.

Once she settled against him with her head on his shoulder she placed an arm over his stomach. She had to hold back a cringe when she ran her hand over his body. She could feel every bone, very rib, and it broke her finally full again heart. "Mulder?"

"Yeah baby?"

Smile against him when he said that. She always thought she would kill any man that called her that but when Mulder did it sent a pleasant shiver through her. "Tell me what happened." She whispered.

Mulder let out a sigh.

"If you are too tired it can wait." She said suddenly.

"I’m tired." He whispered.

"It’s ok. It can wait. Till your ready…" She nuzzled him gently.

"Stay here with me…like this. Ok?" His voice became heavy as he started to sleep.

She just nuzzled him again as an answer.

Scully woke up with a nurse came into to change his bandages and IV bag. She just smiled at Scully as she slipped off the bed.

"Mom. How long have you been here?" Scully asked shocked when she saw her mother sitting in a chair reading a book.

"Hi sweetie. A couple hours. I didn’t want to wake you." She smiled softly. "Come here and eat some breakfast." She motioned towards the bags on the table.

Mulder slept the whole day. Margaret left after bringing dinner and gave Scully her book so that she would something to do. It was becoming very late before Mulder woke.

"Scully?" His voice sounded almost normal.

She looked up from her book and moved over to the bed. "Good morning." She said sarcastically.

Mulder looked out the window and then back at her with a smile. "Come on over here." He said motioning with his arm.

Scully slide in next to him and cuddled against him. He squeezed her as much as he could and then closed his eyes again. After a few moments of silence. "Do you want me to tell you now?"

Scully looked up at his face. "If you can…"

He let out a sigh. "I was sleeping. Really sleeping. I had spent most of the weekend with the Lone Gunman and was tired. I woke up and reached for my gun but it was too late. There were two of them." He stopped. "Scully what happened to them?"

"Skinner and I shot them." She stated simply.

He nodded. "Well I um, sat up I think to reach across the bed for my gun but there was one on either side of me. One of them hit me with something. I don’t know what it was. But I blacked out for a minute then woke when they were dragging me through the hallway. I tried to fight them but they hit me again. My whole body just filled with this pain like I have never felt and it all went dark." He stopped for a minute to search his memory. "I woke up. I don’t know when. How long was I gone for Scully?"

It never occurred to her that he wouldn’t know these things. "Three weeks exactly."

He left out a little puff of laughter. "Wow three weeks gone just like that."

Scully squeezed him lightly.

"When I woke up I knew I had a concussion. It took a long time for me to sit up. Where ever I was it small and cold. I was freezing and my head felt like it would explode any second. I think I passed out again, I don’t really know. But one of the men came in and gave me water and some food. I don’t really remember that either. But I managed to clean my head with some of the water. Everything was really hazy. I think it was a few days before they brought me out into the main room. The Cancer Man was there. I had a hard time talking to him. My head hurt so much and I was so weak. He kept telling me that I had to stop the X-files. It was the only way they would let me go. They wanted me to sign papers to send to Skinner. My resignation and a letter to say to close them forever. Saying that I wanted to start over in life. But I wouldn’t do it. They beat me up; all I could do was lay there. I couldn’t do any more to begin with. They um…said they would stop if I did all this and they would let me go. But I knew they wouldn’t. I knew they just wanted me to sign over everything and they would let me die. I told them I wouldn’t sell my soul to the devil. They threw me back in the closet or whatever that was." He paused to rest his voice. Even though he was speaking slowly it was straining him. He took a deep breath before he started again. "They brought me out a few more times but I never gave in. Then they stopped that. They just left me in that room. Bringing me a glass of water everyday, food once in awhile. But nothing much. I was always so thirsty. Being that thirsty has to be the worst feeling. It’s like your body is tying to absorb itself. Every time they brought me food they would ask if I was ready to sign. I would say no every time. I knew they would kill me the moment I signed. I thought about signing. Just so I would die. Part of me wanted to die, I hurt so much. But then I had that dream I guess we can call it that. That’s when I knew you had read my log. I knew you knew how I felt about you. I knew you felt the same or I wouldn’t have had that dream with you…. How long did it take for you to figure out my password?" His voice caught a curious tone.

"Three days…Without much sleep." She admitted.

"Huh. I didn’t think it would take you that long. Well anyway I had that dream and I didn’t give up. I wouldn’t give up. I knew it was just a matter of time before you figured it out. It was hard for me to talk to you like that. It’s not like sleep I guess. It took a lot out of me. But everything took a lot out of me. Every time I refused to sign they would give me less and less food. Barely any water to begin with. And I used some of the water to wash my cut every time. After a while it stopped hurting. I was just tired. I was numb almost. I don’t know how I knew the things I told you. They just came to me. It’s weird what you think about when you can’t sleep but you aren’t awake. I would just lay there with my eyes closed and sometimes things would come to me. I relived a lot of my life. I tried to remember everything that ever happened to me. I would listen to the men outside once in a while. But it came to be too much work. So I just lay there. I saved all my energy for when they came in with my food and water. Then you came to me. I thought I had finally died. It seemed unreal that I saw you. But you were there. Then you brought me into that last dream. I didn’t do that one. The field. That was your head. It was a beautiful place you brought me to Scully. I love it. I wanted to stay but I couldn’t because you were waking up. That’s when I forced myself to start waking up for when you came to me… And I did." He finished in a whisper.

"Mulder in that last dream, when you said you were looking at the future what did you see?" She had so many questions but that seemed the most important to her.

"I don’t know Scully. I saw it then. But then I couldn’t remember it. I wasn’t supposed to. That’s why I couldn’t tell you. It would be cheating to know your own fate." He said with a smile.

Scully stayed quiet and listened as his rapid breathing from the talk slowed down.

"I don’t want to fall asleep again." He whispered to her. "I’ve slept to much. I want to live again."

"You are alive Mulder." She wrapped her arm around him tighter. "Go to sleep. You need to sleep so I can take you home soon."

Mulder smiled at the thought and fell asleep quickly. Scully lay awake listening to his even breathing until she couldn’t stay awake any longer.

The next week went by the same way. Mulder woke more often and slowly began to feel better. He would sit up and slowly started to walk again. The doctors all warned him to take it slow but he wanted to go back to DC as soon as he could. He never looked happier when they took out the feeding tube and got rid of the bedpan. He complained about them for days. Saying if he survive everything he did he deserved to eat and shit on his own. Scully gave him a scolding look for being rude with the doctors put he just gave her an innocent little boy smile.

One day Scully was sick of listening to him whine about being in the hospital so she spoke to his doctor. "Dr. Roberts I know you are concerned for Mulder’s health. But I am a medical doctor. He will stay in my home until he is well and I will be able to take him to doctor appointments and anything else he needs. I’ll be his own home care nurse." She smiled sweetly at him. ‘Hey I’m a girl I’m gonna take advantage of it. It’s not like I’m rubbing my cleavage in his face.’ After much discussion and a little more batting of her eyelashes she was able to have Mulder released. She sent her mother home ahead of her asking her to move some of Mulder’s cloths into her place and to stock her fridge with food. Her mother insisted of going back to her own house after doing that. She knew better then to invade their space.

The day finally came when Scully could take Mulder home. She had her car dropped off at the hospital and was pulled up waiting for them. The moment the nurse wheeled Mulder out of the front doors he jumped up and ran, well wobbled, into her car. He was grinning like a mad man when Scully slipped in the other side.

"Ready?" Scully asked looking over at him.

"Um…Well…Gee I don’t know. I kinda liked it here, those puréed carrots were wonderful."

"Ok very funny Mulder." She shook her head at him but couldn’t help but smile.

They drove silently for a while, Mulder looking out the window in amazement. "Would you believe I forgot how beautiful the world is?"

Scully just turned to him smiling. He reached over and placed a hand on her knee squeezing gently. He didn’t move his hand once the whole drive back to DC.

They pulled up to Scully’s apartment late afternoon on a bright sunny day. Mulder slowly stepped out of the car with sore weak muscles. Scully walked over to him and took his hand as they walked into the building. Scully opened her door to her impeccably clean home.

"Well looks my mother spent some time cleaning." She said laughing as she pulled a tired Mulder towards the bedroom. "Go lay down before you fall down."

He just grumbled in response. Scully pulled back the covers and pilled the pillows up so he could sit upright. Once he sat on the bed she pulled off his sneakers and jacket.

"Lay down." She commanded. He didn’t argue he just settled himself into the bed. "Good boy." She grinned at him.

"Do I get a treat now?" He asked with closed eyes.

Scully just raised her eyebrows at him as she moved to unbutton his jeans and pull them off, then unbuttoned his shirt and did the same. Once just in his boxers she pulled the sheets and comforter up over him. His eyes were closed the whole time. She sat down next to him and ran her hand through his hair, which was no longer covered in a bandage. "You ok?" She asked worried that they left the hospital too soon.

He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. "Yeah I’m ok."

She nodded a little. "Hungry?"

"I can always eat." He smiled stupidly at her.

"I’ll go make us some dinner." She went to get up but he took a hold of her arm.

"Scully… Kiss me." He looked into her eyes.

"Ok." She said smiling. She leaned forward and placed her lips against his firmly. She could feel his heart is that kiss. Not ready to separate from him completely she pulled her mouth away silently giving them a chance to take a deep breath. She wanted to kiss him again but knew he was weak. She was surprised to feel his hand come up to her neck and pull her back to him. She immediately opened her mouth to him. He ran his tongue along her lips, her teeth, then finally against her own tongue. They kissed gently for a long heartbeat before Mulder pulled away. He breathed heavily and looked into her eyes. They were screaming he wanted more but pleaded to understand he couldn’t. Scully leaned forward and placed a light kiss on his lips once more. "I’m gonna go make dinner. I’ll save it for you if you fall asleep."

He just looked at her for a moment before letting his hand fall away from the back of her neck. He let out a long sigh. Scully didn’t move she just watched him as he mouthed ‘I love you.’ She smiled and mouthed it right back. She leaned in for a soft kiss. The slowly got up and left the bedroom.

Scully made soup and sandwiches with a buzz in her head. She walked back into the bedroom carrying their dinners on a tray. Mulder was leaning back into the pillows, sitting upright. His eyes slowly opened. Scully smiled and sat down the bed tray between them.

Mulder sat up a little straighter as Scully handed him his soup. They ate in comfortable silence. Scully came back after doing the dishes to see Mulder still sitting up, his eyes were closed and the blankets had fallen down to his waist. Scully had to shut her eyes at the slight of his ribs. Shaking her head to get rid of the tears as she moved to change. Pulling off her shirt, jeans, bra and panties she pulled on a pair on flannel pants and a T-shirt. She washed and was ready for bed in a matter of minutes. She jumped when she looked up and saw Mulder’s reflection in the mirror.

He laughed at her response and hugged her lightly from behind, placing his face in her neck. He was silent leaning his weight on her.

"Mulder you need to lay down."

He raised his head and moved away from her. He gave her a little push to the door. "I’ll be right out."

Scully went back to the bedroom. ‘I can’t believe I’m going to bed already. It’s not even 8:00!’ But she was so tired. All she wanted to do was curl up in her own bed, with Mulder. She couldn’t help but smile at that fact.

Mulder wandered in a minute later rubbing his face with his hands. "Oh God I am so tired." He groaned as he lay down.

Scully lay next to him and watched as he settled in cringing every so often as he struggled to find a comfortable position. When he was finally settle he let out a sigh and Scully took that as a sign to move in. She laid her head on his upper arm and took hold of his hand with one of hers and placed the other on his stomach. He reached over and placed his hand over hers. They lay together in the quiet for some time.

"Scully talk to me." Mulder broke into the silence.

"About what?"

"I don’t care baby. Anything. I just can’t stand the silence."

Scully thought for a moment. "I like it when you call me baby."

She could feel him smile. "Good. I like calling you baby, baby."

She laughed against his skin and fell into silence again thinking of what to say next. She couldn’t think of anything so she said; "I love you."

He chuckled. "Is that the best you could do?"

"Uh huh."

He kept laughing. "Ok then. I love you too."

"I know." She said smugly.

He leaned over and kissed her forehead lightly. "Good night baby."

"Good night Mulder."

Scully woke to the phone ringing. She pushed herself over Mulder who groaned at the disturbance in his sleep. Scully was shocked to see it was 10:30 in the morning. ‘Over 14 hours of sleep. When was the last time that happened?’

"Hello." She tried to sound like she wasn’t half-asleep but didn’t do a good job.

"Hey Scully! Your mom called the other day to tell us you would be home today." Scully immediately recognized Frohike’s voice.

"Yeah we are here. You want to talk to him?" She smiled down at Mulder.

"Yeah put that bastard on the phone!" Frohike screamed in her ear.

Cringing from the yell she held the phone from her ear. "Guess who?" She said handing the phone over.

"Are you kidding I could hear him a mile away!" Mulder took the phone from her. "Hey man." He said smiling into the phone.

"What the hell?! You think you can just go off for three weeks and take a little vacation without telling us huh?" Scully hear them yell over the phone line, telling from the static they had him on speakerphone. Suddenly feeling like she was invading she pulled away from the bed but Mulder grabbed her arm and gave her a look that said to stay.

"Well you guys could’ve come with me but I don’t know how much you would have enjoyed it. It was pretty cramped with just me in and there. And the food sucked."

"Nice excuse Mulder!" Langly yelled.

"Why don’t you guys come over here in a bit. This phone thing is gonna get old." He glanced at Scully to make sure it was ok and she nodded quickly.

"Yeah! We’ll bring you guys pizza!"

"Ok guys give me like an hour."

"See ya then!"

Mulder clicked off the phone and smiled at Scully. "Damn good to be back."

Scully grinned and kissed him. She meant for it to be innocent but her pulled her gently to him and it quickly turned passionate. He broke away when he was gasping for breath. "Well you must be feeling better." She whispered against his lips.

"I am. Its amazing what a night’s rest in a real bed will do. I’m even going to go take a shower before the guys get here."

Scully frowned a bit. "Be careful Mulder." She said as she got up and fished cloths out for him.

He slowly slid from the bed and stood slowly. "Yes Mom." He said teasingly.

She smiled at him. "And don’t take too long I want to get there too."

"Yes dear." He said in the same tone.

As soon as Mulder got out of the bathroom Scully ushered him to the couch. He sat down with a sigh and leaned back. She took a hold of his legs and swung them up onto the couch. She threw a fleece blanket over him since he chilled so quickly with no extra body fat. "Take this." She ordered handing him a glass of orange juice and the medicines he was still on.

"Yes ma’am."

Scully sat down on the edge of the couch as he drank his juice. Reaching up she ran her hand threw his hair. He was over do for a trim. "I like your hair like this."

"Good cause I’m not about to drag myself out to get it cut just yet."

She smiled and kissed his cheek as she took his empty glass. "I’ll be out in a bit."

Scully showered quickly and was out with Mulder in no time. He was sitting back on the couch channel surfing. "You know I missed some great games." He gestured towards the basketball game on the TV.

"Oh you poor thing."

"Damn right."

Scully came behind him on the couch and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Damn good to have you back." She whispered in his ear. He turned his face to her and kissed her lightly. Just then there was a knock on the door and Mulder’s face lit up. He was about to get up to open it. "Stay right where you are! I’ll get it. You just relax." He grumbled something and swung is legs around to sit upright.

Scully opened the door and couldn’t help but smile at the three men waiting on the other side. "Hey guys. Come on in."

They practically ran her over. "Hey man!" They hooted.

They all settled themselves around the living room throwing four pizzas on the coffee table.

"Damn you look like hell!" Frohike offered as a greeting.

"Yeah so do you, at least I have a reason." Mulder threw back at him. Frohike’s face dropped for a moment till Mulder laughed. They sat around laughing and talking all at once for some time as Scully busied herself getting drinks and plates for their lunch. She went back in and noticed Mulder already looked slightly pale from all the exertion. She sat down next to him on the couch and handed him a glass of water.

Byers started handing out slices of pizza. "I have to ask Scully how did you find him?"

Scully opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. She looked over at Mulder who looked at loss for words as she was. "It’s a long story." Mulder said simply.

The Lone Gunman stared at him for a moment but when he didn’t offer anything else they went about eating.

The Gunman left after Scully basically had to throw them out. Mulder looked like he may just slip unconscious at any time. Once the door was closed she sat down on the edge of the couch. Mulder was lying back with an arm over his eyes. "Why don’t you go to bed? It’ll be more comfortable."

"Naw. I like your couch. Like old times." He smiled with his arm still over his face.

Scully rubbed his stomach lightly. ‘Gotta get some weight on him and quick.’ "Honey, I’m going to go out. I’ll be back in a little while, ok?"

Mulder moved his arm and Scully saw a look of amusement. "Honey?"

"Huh?"

"You just called me honey." He looked really entertained by this.

Scully blushed. She looked for words she thought he wanted to hear but had no clue what they were. So she offered "Sorry?"

He laughed. "Don’t say you are sorry." He gave her a little push. "Get outa here. Hurry back. Yadda yadda yadda I love you."

She raised her eyebrows at him. "I love you. Now yadda yadda yadda get some sleep."

He nodded as he closed his eyes still smiling.

Scully came back less an hour later with two chocolate milk shakes in her hand and a bag of the highest calorie junk food she could find. She unlocked the door and was greeted by the sound of the TV.

"Hey baby." Mulder called from around the couch.

"I thought I told you to get some sleep." Scully called as she put away the groceries.

"I did, for a little awhile. It was too quiet in here."

Scully nodded noticing the trend of him disliking the quiet. "Were you a good boy while I was gone?" She asked teasingly.

"I don’t know…. What do I get if I was?"

She sat down next to him and he slowly sat up. She handed him the large paper cup and took a sip from her straw smiling. "Milk shake. Great for adding on the pounds." She said gently poking him in the ribs.

"Ah I see." He pulled her against his chest and they drank their shakes together and watched a very old episode of Unsolved Mysteries.

Scully groaned when there was a knock at the door. She slid out from Mulder’s arms to answer it.

"Better be careful Scully I’m getting very used to you waiting on me."

Scully just grumbled at him and opened the door.

"Agent Scully. I hope I am not coming at a bad time."

"No! Sir come on in." She stepped to the side so Skinner could walk by.

Mulder sat up as Skinner came around the corner. "Sir." He said extending his hand.

"Oh cut that Sir crap Mulder. How the hell are you feeling?"

Mulder chuckled at Skinner’s out of character attitude. "Not bad actually."

Skinner nodded. "Good cause I need you two back in the office sooner or later." He looked back and forth the between the two agents. "I hate to admit it but its kind of dull around there without you two causing problems."

"Hey I don’t cause the problems its HIM." Scully said pointing at Mulder.

Mulder turned to Skinner. "I think she just tattled on me." He said hushed.

Skinner looked as amused as Skinner ever has. "Sounds that way. Well I was just stopping by I can’t really stay. But I came to remind you Agent Scully that the meeting about all this is tomorrow morning at 10:00." He shook Mulder’s hand again. "Agent Scully get him going again ok?"

"I’ll be there and I’ll do my best." She opened the door for him and he slipped out without other word.

"Well gosh everyone wants to see me today... What’s this about a meeting?"

"Oh nothing really. Just the usual about why those two men were killed."

"How are you going to explain how you found me?" Mulder looked a little concerned.

"I don’t know I’ll make something up. Won’t be the first time. That’s not really the issue so I wouldn’t worry about it."

He just nodded and sat silently watching TV for a while.

"Ok Mulder time for bed." Scully said walking over the couch and pulling off the blanket.

"But Mom! ‘I Love Lucy’ is on! I wanna watch it." He whined in his best little boy tone then pouted his lip out at her.

"Oh give it up Mulder and get to bed."

"Fine!" He slowly stood. "But I hate you, I’d like you to know." His lip was still pouted out. "And if I could I would stomp my way over the bedroom then slam that door so hard." He paused looking at her. "But I can’t so I’ll just kiss ya." He leaned over to her and kissed her deeply.

Once they broke away Scully looked and gave him a little push towards the other end of the apartment. "Get going big boy, its past your bed time."

He started walking and looked up at the clock. "Scully its nine." He said flatly.

"I know." She matched his tone. And looked away to end the discussion.

Minutes later Scully slid into bed on her stomach in a pair of satin pajamas Mulder slowly turned onto his side he reached a hand out and ran it up and down her back slowly. Scully just sighed her contentment. She tried not jump with surprise when Mulder slid his hand under the top.

"Don’t worry Scully I don’t bite." He said amused she jumped.

Scully just smiled at him with her eyes still closed as he began to run his hand up and down the very center of her back. He put pressure with just the middle finger, letting the others trail loosely after. Scully wasn’t becoming relaxed anymore, she was becoming aroused. She took a moment to collect herself before rolling on her side causing his hand to land relaxed on her waist. "Cut it out before you get us all riled up." Her tone was joking but firm.

Mulder pulled his hand away and lay on his back again. He let out a long breath. "I think I am too tried to get riled up anyway. Don’t think I have it in me. No pun intended." He let his eyes close as he smiled

Scully laughed softly for a moment. "Good. You need to sleep." Scully said softy as she settled herself in the arm that he opened for her.

"Hey Scully?"

"Mmm?" She answered on the verge of sleep.

"Um… Does my mother know I am alive?"

Scully froze; she really didn’t want to deal with this. She didn’t quite know how to deal with it anyway. "I suppose so Mulder. I mean I’m sure the police called her. They must have."

He swallowed hard. "Its just she hasn’t called or anything. I checked my messages today and she hadn’t."

Scully pushed herself up on her elbows. "Mulder I don’t know what to say to you about all this. I mean…. I don’t understand what she was thinking. I’ll be honest with you about that. I don’t understand how she could have said what she…" It hit Scully just then that he wasn’t there to hear what Tina had said at the door way. Scully looked away from him feeling like a deer caught in the headlights of an eighteen wheeler.

"I don’t want to know what she said." He said smoothly. "I don’t. I don’t think I can take it. I know it must have been horrible. I can tell by the look on your face that is was."

Scully just nodded and put her head back down on him. They stayed in silence for sometime. Scully was waiting for him to fall sleep before she let herself go. But his breathing was shaking and his hold on her was tight. His whole body was tense with emotions he didn’t know how to let out. He slowly sat up and Scully moved off of him. "What’s wrong?" She asked softly.

Mulder shook his head for a minute. "I…it’s too quiet in here Scully. It makes me so tense."

Scully slid off the bed and out into her living room. She put a few CDs with what she felt were of smoothing music and hit the repeat button. After adjusting the volume she went back into the bedroom and slipped into bed. She smiled at Mulder. "Better?"

He pulled her back against his chest still sitting upright. "Yeah it is. Thank you baby… Stay up with me for a little while ok?"

She snuggled back against him as an answer.

Mulder slowly started to run his hands over the satin of her nightclothes. Letting his hands rest once in awhile so the heat soaked through to Scully’s skin. His hands began to roam lower. One ran along the inside of one of her thighs while the other held her stomach gently. Scully couldn’t help her breathing as it quickened. She leaned her head back against his chest and he began to gently nuzzle her neck. He slowly slid the hand on her stomach under her top. He spayed his fingers out, some slipping under the band of her pants. He pressed against her firmly, feeling her body shiver in response.

"Scully?" He whispered into her ear sending more shivers through her.

"Yes?" She gasped out. She was desperately trying to control her body’s response but was failing miserably.

"I want to touch you… I don’t want anything in return, I cant yet. But I want, I need to touch you. Feel you. Feel your life." He requested gently.

Scully tilted her head up to look at him. His eyes filled him hope and love. She searched his face for a moment before nodding and leaning her head back. She felt his body immediately relax to her permission. Gently he kissed her ear.

"Take off your cloths." He spoke into her ear.

Scully felt her body tense and excite at the command. She slowly unbuttoned her top and pulled off her pants and panties. She leaned back at against Mulder again as she felt his eyes scan her in the dim light. She felt choked for air realizing how much weight she lost from the time Mulder was gone.

"You’re beautiful." He murmured.

Scully felt herself blush at his compliment. Her body felt like it was humming she was so worked up already. The feel of his naked chest against her back was driving her crazy.

Mulder’s hand began to roam her naked flesh. Over her stomach, down her thighs, up her arms, gently over her breasts. Touching and testing her body for response. "What do you like?" He asked her after many minutes of light caress.

Scully thought for the answer then looked up at him. "You."

He tilted his head to the side thinking about her answer then nodded and leaned down to kiss her. It was gentle and deep. Full of love, full of life. Still kissing her Mulder placed a hand on each of her breasts. He held them lightly before kneading and caressing. Scully felt her body jump in response. He opened his fingers out over her breasts then closed them trapping her nipples between the insides of two fingers. Scully broke the kiss as she gasped. Her heart rate soared as she arched into his hands. A moment later she shuddered as his hands left her breasts and slowly slid downward. Her body moved with his hands until they stopped at her hips. "Relax baby." Mulder whispered. Scully let out a little nervous laugh. His hands slid to the insides of her thighs and gently nudged them apart. He stroked the tender flesh of her thigh with one hand while the other began to run lightly through the red curls. Scully struggled to stay calm. She wanted to flip over and take Mulder, but she couldn’t. She had to let him lead and let him do what he needed and wanted to do. He glided his hand from her curls to her wet folds of skin. Slowly he slipped his fingers over to her swollen flesh. Scully was unable to stifle the moan that rose in her throat. She reached one arm up and wrapped it around his neck and the other interlocked with his fingers that rested gently on her inner thigh. He nibbled and sucked on the skin of her inner upper arm that was under his face. He then gently worked his fingers into the opening of her core. She left her breath catch for a moment as he slipped his middle finger into her deeply. Her inner muscles clenched onto it desperately. He moved his lips from her arm to her neck as her head arched back. He slowly withdrew his finger and reentered with two. He pressed firmly against her bud of nerves with his thumb. Scully moaned loudly and thrust into the slow steady pace his fingers started. She could feel her body already working towards a release. Mulder sensed it too and worked his thumb steadily with his fingers. Scully’s body fought with itself on which sensation to focus on. She felt her whole body tense as she arched up against his hand and came hard. Mulder rode her out gently, adjusting his speed to match her pulsing muscles. Scully slowly came back to herself. She lay limply on Mulder’s chest. Once she had enough focus she turned over and Mulder slid her down on the bed with him. She lay for some minutes just listening to her heart beat and slipped into post orgasmic bliss.

Mulder put his lips to her hair. "You ok? Your hearts beating so fast."

She just nuzzles him to say she was ok. Then placed her hand over his heart to using their own language. * Yours is beating fast too. *

Mulder squeezed her lightly and they both feel asleep listening to the faint music and beating of their hearts.

Scully walked into the apartment after the board meeting and found Mulder doing dishes. He glanced over his shoulder. "Hey."

"Hi." She said as she slumped into one of the kitchen table chairs.

"I didn’t even hear you leave this morning."

"I didn’t want to wake you." Scully laid her head down on her arms and sighed.

Mulder sat down next to her and ran a hand over her back. "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Yeah sure Scully." He wasn’t gong to let her get away with that answer.

Scully turned her head to look at him. "That meeting was just a bigger pain then it should have been that’s all."

"Why so? Thought it was just the standard issue ‘When? Where? Why? How?’ meeting?"

She let out a sigh before explaining. "Well it was. But the ‘Why?" part of it was a little more complicated." She stood up and walked over the refrigerator.

"Go on." Mulder turned in his chair and pinned her with his gaze.

Scully leaned against the counter after closing the refrigerator door with bottled water in her hand. She fiddled with the cap for some time before continuing. "Well I don’t really remember what happened when we found you. I was able to use the excuse that I was dehydrated and overtired after some convincing. But I guess I really lost it when Skinner and I walked into that room. I emptied my entire clip into those two men." She let out in an embarrassed rush of air.

"And judging on my experience with you, you most likely killed them with the first shot." Mulder spoke the words she couldn’t.

She swallowed. "Well each victim had about three ‘fatal’ shots each, so they just wanted to know why I kept shooting when they were down. I blamed it on my condition and Skinner backed me up by saying that they were shooting also." She looked down at the ground.

Mulder nodded as he stood and walked over to her. He placed an arm on either side of her trapping her against the counter. "Scully look at me." She did very slowly. He just smiled at her. He didn’t need to say anything; he just leaned down and kissed her. When they broke away he pulled her gently against him and she laid her head on his shoulder.

"I just lost it Mulder. I barely remember it. I just wanted to kill them, I knew they were dead but I just stood there and fired. I kept firing even when the clip was empty. I felt like I was watching it all happen. Like I wasn’t really there. I-"

"Shh." Mulder cut her off and took her face in his hands to make her look at him. "Stop. You don’t need to explain." He let out a little laugh. "Scully if someone did this to you I probably would have ripped out their heart with my bare hands. Stuffed them and then hang them on my apartment wall."

Scully laughed because it was true. Then just stared at him thoughtfully for a moment. "Mulder what the hell are we doing?" She motioned with a hand between the two of them.

Mulder took a breath and looked away in thought. "Saying screw you to the rest of the world and living our life how we want to." He met her eyes with an amused expression.

"Is that is technical terms?"

"Of course." He silenced her next response by kissing passionately for quite a few minutes.

When they broke away Scully looked at him with raised eyebrows. "You are feeling good today."

He smiled and walked away from her. "I am feeling great. I think I will go for a run."

"Ha ha ha Mulder."

He chuckled at her at response. "Seriously I am feeling good."

"You are looking a lot better." She said and she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Feel better too…as in feel better to touch."

"Miss Scully what ARE you implying?"

She let him go and slapped him lightly on the butt. "Oh nothing…" She walked over to the refrigerator. "So what do you want for dinner?" She asked to change the subject.

"Oh that reminds me! Your mother called and she will be over in…" He looked at his watch. "About an hour with dinner."

"Thanks for telling me." She said with sarcastic annoyance.

"Hey I remembered…just took me a little while." He gave her his lost puppy eyes.

She rolled her eyes at him. "I’m going to go change."

She came back a few minutes later and found Mulder sitting on the couch. He pulled her in to sit between his legs and she settled back into his chest to watch the news on TV.

He gently rubbed the inside of her thigh. "Wanna play?" He whispered into her ear.

She stopped his hand with hers. "Mulder cut it out my mother will be here soon."

"What didn’t you have fun last night?" He asked with a fake hurt tone.

Scully turned her head up to look at him for a second before answering. "I had a hell of a good time…I want you to play too though."

He hugged her gently from behind. "Soon. Not yet, but soon."

"Promise?" She turned back up to him to wait for an answer.

"Promise." He kissed her gently then pulled a blanket down over the two of them and they settled back. Scully started to drift in and out of sleep until she heard a knocking at the door. She thought about getting up but was too comfortable.

"Mom use your key!" She yelled then heard the rattling of keys in the lock.

"Damn woman! Trying to make me deaf?"

She settled herself back against him more. "Oh shut up. And don’t move or I’ll do worse then that to you." She teased.

"You honestly want your Mother to walk in here and see us like this?" He whispered as the lock was turning.

"Yes." She answered simply. "Hi Mom." She smiled over the side of the couch.

"Hi sweetie. Fox how are you feeling?" Margaret smiled at the two.

"Very good. I’d offer to help you with your bags but your daughter threatened my life if I moved."

"Yes, yes I did." Scully admitted and snuggled the blanket around her more.

Margaret laughed. "That’s fine Fox I’ve got it under control." She called walking into the kitchen. "I just have to put the lasagna in the oven and I’ll make the salad when that’s almost done." They could hear the oven opening as Margaret kept talking. "I hope you two are hungry."

"I can always eat." Mulder replied as she walked back into the living room and sat in the recliner.

"Fox I have to say you are looking much better." She smiled softly.

He gave Scully a little squeeze. "I owe that to your daughter."

Scully smiled and tilted her head back and against his chest. "I’m playing doctor."

"Did you find out when you are going back to work Dana?"

Scully turned her head towards her mother. "Well they want me back next week but I told them I would just take my vacation and sick days if I wasn’t ready to comeback."

"You go girl." Mulder interrupted.

Scully gave him an amused look. "So anyway. I renewed my leave of absence for another week and Skinner told me not to worry about it yet. I can always work out home if I need to. Just finish up back work and review files. I told them I wasn’t about to go out on the field before Mulder was ready."

"You go girl." Mulder repeated.

Scully elbowed him lightly in the ribs.

"Ow. Sure beat me up." He said in a sad voice.

Margaret couldn’t help but laugh at the two. "I agree with Fox, Dana. They don’t have any reason to push you into going back to work."

"Well if I want my pay check I should go back at some point."

Margaret nodded. "You don’t need to worry about that yet."

They chatted happily all through dinner and late into the night. Scully tired to talk her mother into staying the night but she gave her a look that said ‘I don’t want to intrude’ and insisted on leaving.

Scully sat opposite Mulder on the couch after showing her mother out the door. Pulling her knees up to her chest she starred at Mulder. He just looked back at her with slight amusement.

"I don’t understand you Mulder." She stated.

Mulder laughed. "Well I’ve got a problem then cause you are the only one that had gotten THIS close to understanding me."

Scully smiled and continued to stare at him. They sat for some time in comfortable silence just watching each other. Having a silent conversation. Finally Mulder broke her gaze and rubbed his eyes. "I’m beat." He slowly stood from the couch stretching his long body. Scully watched still silent as his body moved before her. Mulder turned to her and let out a sigh before kneeling beside her. She eyes never left his face. She knew the expression she worn was slightly sad but she couldn’t help it. Mulder gently reached his hand out and touched her check. Scully closed her eyes finally and leaned into his touch. She could feel the tears fall slightly from her closed eyes. "Scully… Sweetheart tell me what you are thinking." Mulder whispered as he bought his other hand up to cradle her face.

"I’m scared." She whispered, slowly opening her eyes to meet his concerned filled ones.

Mulder nodded and released her face. He gently took hold of her knees and pulled her to face him completely. He positioned her so he kneeled between her open thighs; softly he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into an embrace. Scully buried her face into his neck and breathed in his scent as silent tears continued to fall. He held her for a moment before questioning her previous answer. "Tell me what you are afraid of." He prodded, carefully choosing his tone so not to push her before she was ready to answer. He waited patently and placed his lips to her temple feeling her steady pulse.

She nuzzled him as if to bury deeper into him. Into his soul. "I’m scared of us. I’m scared of what we have." Mulder had to strain to hear her words.

Pondering his thoughts he searched for what to say next. "What makes this so frightening Scully?" She just shook her head against him in her confusion. He let out a thoughtful sigh. "Are you scared of losing me? I’m scared to death of losing you. But not being together doesn’t make that any better." She just sniffled against his neck. "Are you scared of what’s going to happen at work? I’m not, I know we can handle it. We work too well professionally. We’ll do fine. I don’t think they will separate us. If they try to we will just say we have been together for a long time now and it hasn’t effected our work. We solve too many cases for them to just throw us out with the trash." He thought for a moment of the next thing that might be frightening her. Probably the same things that frightened him. But he didn’t know how to put anything else into words. He thought for some time just holding Scully in his arms. "I’m scared of something else too, but I don’t know what it is yet." He pulled away from her and looked her in the eyes. "Do you know what it is?" His voice was barely a whisper.

She looked at him and took a deep breath before nodding slowly. "I’m scared of where this is going…. I can’t go back to how it used to be. And I have NEVER had anything like this before. I don’t know what to do next."

Mulder closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers and let out a long breath. "Me either. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to let fear take this away from us." He pulled away with determination and pleading in his eyes. "Please Scully… Tell me you won’t let that happen. Tell me you won’t let this end. Please."

"I wont, I wont." She said quickly shaking her head in his hand. He moved forward and kissed her hard and desperate. He slowly pulled her back into his embrace. They stayed like that for a very long moment before Scully pulled back and wiped her eyes. She smiled at him. "I’m tired too."

He smiled and nodded. Leaning forward he rubbed his nose back and forth over hers until she laughed and pulled away from his Eskimo kisses. "Let’s go to bed." She said pulling him to his feet.

The next week went by uneventful. Scully started to bring home case files to look through before they started work again. It seemed the only way to stop the Bureau from complaining about having the department closed so long. Not that either of them were worried they could find replacement agents that Skinner would approve of anytime soon.

For the past few hours the two agents were on the couch reading case files. Mulder’s head was in Scully’s lap as he read. Scully idly ran her hand not holding the file over his chest.

"These files are a load of shit." Mulder said tossing the one he was reading over to the coffee table.

Scully glanced down at him from her file for a moment. "I know. I think Skinner is doing it on purpose so we don’t have to rush back."

Mulder didn’t answer. So Scully continued to read the pointless file so she could make up some pathetic reason it was not an X-file for the screening report. She barely noticed as Mulder took her free hand and sandwiched it between her two. "Yours hands are so small." He said as he flipped it over between his two.

Scully realized he had completely lost interest in work for the rest of the night so she tossed her file to where Mulder disposed of his. She sighed and leaned back into the couch absentmindedly running her other hand through Mulder’s hair. He continued to exam each finger. "I don’t understand how you do everything you do with just these hands." Scully didn’t say anything. He wasn’t asking for an explanation he was just stating his thoughts. He let out a long sigh and let her hand fall back to his chest. He rolled slightly to the side and nuzzled her stomach. He continued until he worked the cotton shirt up enough to place his lips to her bare skin. He kissed her gently just below her navel.

Scully couldn’t help but shiver as his breath passed over the delicate skin. Mulder felt it and shifted slightly away. He looked at her for a moment before he sat up and leaned closer to her. He kissed her lightly then moved back.

‘I love you.’ He mouthed to her.

Scully smiled and stroked his cheek and returned his silent words.

Mulder stared at her for a moment before laughing. Scully gave him a confused look. "I can’t believe I’ve turned into a such a sap!"

Scully laughed lightly. "I always knew it was in you."

Mulder kissed her again, but with more passion. Just as he was about to pull away Scully put a hand to the back of his neck and pulled him to her again. His hands slipped under her shirt to her back pressing her body against his. They made out like teenagers for long moments before they both pulled away for breath.

Mulder smiled slyly at her. "That’s not that only thing in me."

Scully starred at him confused for a moment until she put two and two together. She felt a twinge of nervous excitement in her belly.

"If you want to that is…" Mulder said looking at her mouth not her eyes.

"If you can…" Scully starred back at his mouth.

Mulder visibly shook himself out of his trance and met her eyes just as she looked up. He slowly nodded pressing her chest against his again. "I think I can handle it." He moved towards her again and kissed her hard. His hands started to travel around her body when she pulled back breathless.

"Not here. Let’s go to bed."

Mulder had to take a moment to process her words before nodding and pulling her to her feet with him. He quickly brought his mouth back to hers and turned, backing her into the bedroom. Scully couldn’t help but smile against his lips at his tactics.

"What are you smiling about Miss Scully?" He asking between a kiss wearing a smile of his own as they reached the bed.

"You. This. Us. Its amazing." She pulled his shirt over his head.

Mulder copied her movement and pulled her shirt off. "You’re about to see just how amazing we can be."

Scully laughed as Mulder started nibbling and sucking at her neck. "Mulder if you give me a hickey you are big trouble." She tried to sound serious but it was hard.

"I’m already in big trouble." He said wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her against him. Scully gasped as she left his hardness press into her stomach. She immediately pulled away and started to unbutton his jeans with great speed. Mulder laughed. "Slow down Scully. We’ve got all night."

Scully ignored him and pulled his jeans and boxers down in one quick motion. She couldn’t help but stare at him. She always thought men looked amusing when naked but Mulder was astounding. She felt a wave of wet heat travel down her body landing heavily at her core.

Mulder raised her face to his. "Seeing anything you like?" He whispered as his hands slide around her back to undo her bra.

Scully didn’t answer she just slid to her knees in front of him and taking him into her mouth in one smooth motion.

"Oh god Scully." Mulder braced one hand on the bedpost and the other went into her hair. It took all his control not to thrust into her throat. She slowly ran her mouth over his length, her tongue teasing the tip at every pass. She slowly relaxed her throat and took him deeper then she thought she could have. Mulder let out a long low moan at the sensation. Scully continued her slow torture as Mulder started to gently meet each thrust of her throat. He pulled lightly at her hair to get her attention. "Scully… You need to stop." He panted out. She didn’t. Instead she took his hand from her hair and wrapped each of her hands around a cheek of his ass and pulled him against her more. Mulder moaned against and started thrust faster into her mouth. Scully felt his whole body tense as he yelled out her name in a voice she barely recognized and released down her throat. Scully savored his strong bitter taste as it filled her mouth. She teased his relax length for a moment before Mulder pulled her to her feet. She smiled smugly at him.

"Mulder sit down before you fall down." She laughed lightly and turned him around. He sat heavily on the edge of the bed. Scully kneeled over his body, still wearing jeans that were making her sweat more then necessarily. She stroked his cheeks lightly as his eyes refocused on her.

"I don’t want to know where you learned that." He said seriously.

Scully laughed and nuzzled his sweaty neck, licking the salty taste from his skin. "Actually Mulder I have never done it quite like that before." She left a blush rise in her face. But slight embarrassment was better then Mulder thinking she was some kind of slut in college.

"Well feel free to practice whenever you’d like." He tugged at her waistband so she would stand. Scully quickly unbuttoned her jeans and pulled her panties down with them. She went to straddle him again but he stopped her. "Sorry but I’m going to need some recovery time. Lay down." He gestured towards the bed. She lay back expecting some pillow talk before the main show but Mulder immediately started to suckle her breast. Scully gasped in surprise. She felt Mulder smile against her skin. He continues his assault on her for many more minutes before sliding down the length of her body.

"Mulder wait." Scully panted out.

"Mmm?" He lifted his head from her belly and came back up to be even with her.

"Mulder you don’t have to do that. I don’t need it."

Mulder furrowed his brow in confusion. He slowly shook his head completely lost. "What you mean?"

"I… I um don’t need you to do that."

His eyebrows went up in shock. "You don’t like it?" ‘Wow that will be a first’ he thought.

Scully’s cheeks grew red. "It’s never done much for me."

Mulder nodded in understanding. "That must be because who ever has done it before was just trying to get you to loosed up. They didn’t really WANT to do it."

This time Scully’s eyebrows went up. "You WANT to do it?"

Mulder laughed. "More then anything. Come on Scully you are talking to a man with a HUGE oral fixation." He paused to laugh as she did. "If you want me to stop I will. Ok?"

Scully nodded suddenly feeling nervous. "Ok."

Mulder kissed her deeply tasting himself in her mouth. He pulled away. "Relax baby. I’ll stop whenever you want me to. You just say the word and I’ll be right back up here with you."

Scully smiled at him reassuringly. He kissed her again before sliding down her body caressing with his lips and hands the whole way. He nestled himself between her legs and gently nudged her thighs further apart. He slowly nuzzled the patch of curly hair breathing in her deep sent. He moved to kiss her inner thigh, sucking the sensitive skin gently before moving to her center. He felt her body stiffen slightly. He took a long stroke of her opening with a gentle firmness. Scully surprised herself with a deep moan. Mulder couldn’t help but smile smugly. He gently probed his tongue into her opening for sometime until Scully started to trust in time with his movements. He pulled away from her slightly causing a moan of disappointment immediately followed by a gasp of surprise as he pushed two fingers into her body and took her clit into his mouth. Scully yelled out nonsense as he curved his fingers up against her body and sucked strongly at her bundle of nerves. She immediately began to thrust hard in time with his fingers. She screamed his name as she contracted around him. Mulder kept the pace even as her body slowed.

"Mulder… Come here." She breathed out. He slipped away from her and up to her face. She took his head in her hands and kissed him deeply to taste herself in his mouth.

"I think I found G-Women’s g-spot." Mulder said proudly when she pulled away more breathless then before.

"That was amazing." She gasped.

Mulder smiled and started to nuzzle her neck wrapping an arm lazily over her waist.

Scully spoke again after she recovered. "You getting tired?" She asked in an understanding voice.

Mulder pressed his new erection against she side. "Not that tired."

"Good." Scully pushed him gently onto his back and swung her leg over him.

"I love a woman who knows what she wants." Mulder said amused. He pulled her forward slightly and leaned against the headboard so they were face to face.

Scully leaned in and kissed him deeply as she aligned her body over his. She slowly lowered herself over him. She broke the kiss as she head went back in pleasure.

"God Scully." Mulder breathed out.

Scully rocked lightly on him taking him in further and further. "Tell me what I feel like Mulder."

Mulder took a few deep breaths and looked into her eyes. He swallowed before speaking. "Hot. Tight. Simply amazing." He paused for a moment obviously searching for the right word. "Safe." He finished in a whisper.

Scully leaned in to him kissing him lightly as she started to move up and down on his length. "You make me feel whole." She said against his lips.

Mulder nodded and wrapped an arm around her waist. He moved them quickly over, setting himself down over her body. Scully raised her legs around his waist and settled back into the pillows. "You are so beautiful." He whispered and began to move in and out of her deeply. Making long hard thrusts. Scully looked for words but was unable to find them. Her eyes slipped shut as she found Mulder’s rhythm and met him time and again. He gently nibbled her collarbone. Scully’s breath came out in short rasps as she felt her body tense.

"Mulder… I want you to come with me."

He nodded against her neck and pushed faster and deeper. Scully’s head lulled back in pleasure, exposing her neck fully to Mulder as her upper body arched towards him. He leaned down and gently took a nipple into his mouth and suckled. Scully moaned encouragements and shifted her hip drawing him in as deep as possible. Their breathing became short and strained.

Within moments they both screamed out one an others names and came hard and long. Mulder collapsed onto her body in a spent heap. It took several minutes before either of them could hear anything other then their heartbeats. Scully smoothed his sweaty hair away from his face his her palm. Mulder slid out of her body and off to the side so his full weight wasn’t on her. He pressed his face into her neck and kissed gently. He slowly slid a hand down to her belly and rubbed lightly.

He picked his head up and looked at her. "I didn’t hurt you did I?"

"No. I’m fine." She smiled at him, this was one of the only times she said she was fine and meant it.

"You’re so damn small." He whispered as he moved to kiss her. "I forget most of the time." He smiled at her and kissed her deeply again. After a moment he rolled off of her and settled back. Scully cuddled up against his chest pulling the blankets over their sweaty bodies.

Scully started to pull away from him. "I’ll go put the radio on."

Mulder took her arm gently. "No it’s ok."

"You sure? It’ll only take a second."

Mulder pulled her back down against his chest. "I’m sure. I don’t need that anymore."

Scully nuzzled him and felt her eyes slipping shut.

"I love you Scully."

She kissed his skin lightly. "And I love you."

Mulder tightened his grip on her for a moment then fell into a relaxed sleep.

Mulder woke to Scully nuzzling his back. He was lying on her stomach facing away from her. He rolled slowly and met her smiling face.

"Morning." She whispered as he pulled her up against him.

He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to hers. "Morning baby. How do you feel?" There was a slight concern in his voice.

Scully pulled back slightly and ran her palm over his stubbled cheek. "Great. Very… loose." They both laughed lightly for a minute before Scully spoke again. "I hate to ruin this morning but we have a lot of work to do before we go back to the office tomorrow morning."

Mulder sighed. "Nothing can ruin this morning." He stated simply.

Scully smiled and got out of bed pulling her robe on. Mulder slowly sat up with a groan then flopped back down. "I know I’m getting old when I am dead tired after having sex."

"Mulder that was more physical activity then you have done in over a month. It was also quite impressive physical activity." Scully felt a blush rise in her cheek.

Mulder sat up with a stupid grin. "Yeah you weren’t too bad yourself. Come here." He slid over a little and patted the side on the bed.

Scully sat next to him. "I need to get in the shower and get going so I can finish the files." She reached up and tousled his sleep rumpled hair.

Mulder leaded down and nuzzled her cheek with his nose. "No way I can convince you to climb back in bed for another hour or two?"

Scully groaned. "Don’t temp me."

"Did you say temp you?" Mulder grabbed her waist and pulled her into his lap.

"Mulder!"

"Mmm?" He asked with his face buried in her neck.

"Mulder we have to get the work finished today. If we don’t start soon we will be up all night finishing it."

Mulder sighed and rested his chin on her should. "You know Scully, I don’t think we have spent more then a few hours apart since I woke up."

Scully smiled and run a hand through his hair. "I guess we haven’t."

Mulder smiled stupidly. "You getting sick of me yet?"

"Yeah I should have left you that hospital." She said with as much seriousness as she could muster up.

"I could always go back to my place you know." Mulder said with complete seriousness.

"No you can’t"

"I can’t?"

"No… I don’t want you to." Scully felt a little blush rise in her cheeks. Kissing him quickly she stood from the bed. "I’m going to shower. Be a good boy while I am gone." She smiled slyly.

"If I am do I get a treat?" He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"We’ll see." With that she left the room.

"Well Agent Mulder I am happy to see you on your feet again." A.D. Skinner said.

Mulder just nodded. He and Scully had just finished the meeting when Skinner asks Mulder to stay of a moment and dismissed Scully.

Skinner looked nervous, something Mulder rarely saw. "The reason I asked you to stay is because I think we need to discuss your and Agent Scully’s relationship."

Mulder insides did a flip. "Sir?"

"Don’t play dumb with me Mulder." Skinner pointed a finger. "It is obvious that you two…have become… um closer after this little situation."

"Sir, what are you implying?"

"Agent Mulder, you two have always been close. It is technically none of my business if you two get involved, but it is the Bureau’s if it becomes blatantly obvious. I don’t want to get stuck trying to cover your asses over this one."

"Sir the bureau can ask ME any questions they would like to if it comes to that."

Skinner let out a sigh. "Mulder I don’t want to lose the best team of agents I have ever had because of personal involvement. I just want you two to be careful. Suspicion has already rose with you changing your mailing address to Agent Scully’s home. THAT can be explained by your need for medical assistance. But now that you are back to work… It’s not going to be looked over as easily. Now I will do what I can without risking my own job." Skinner paused and took a deep breath. "My point Agent Mulder is I want you to be aware that people are watching. Don’t let this affect you on the field. You have always protected Agent Scully with an impressive amount of exuberance, don’t let is get beyond that. Think about what you are doing. Ask yourself if it is really worth it."

Mulder nodded and stood, Skinner followed. He took a deep breath and leaned over Skinner’s desk slightly. "Sir… Scully is the ONLY reason I am alive today. SHE is worth everything to me."

"I thought you would say that…. You’re dismissed."

"Thank you."

A few minutes later Mulder walked into their basement office to find Scully siting on his desk.

"You want to partake in ‘Sex with Scully Fantasy #421’?" He asked slyly gesturing to the desk.

Scully ignored him. "What was that all about Mulder?"

"Agent Mulder," Mulder did his best Skinner firm voice impression. "I can tell you and Agent Scully’s relationship has grown. I want you two to be careful. You are taking many risks, are they worth it?" Mulder went back to his own voice. "Yeah it is, now mind your own business." Mulder threw his files for the meeting down on his desk then smiled up at Scully. "I guess I’ll have to forego fantasy 421, huh?"

Scully raised her eyebrows and nodded. "Sounds that way… Did he say anything else?"

"Not really." Mulder stretched his arms over his head letting out a long breath.

"You know he’s right Mulder." Scully said softly but firmly.

He nodded. "Yeah we do have to be careful for a few reason. But that is NO reason to stop this."

"I know." She hopped down off the desk and rooted through the files. "Let’s get to work."

ONE MONTH LATER

Mulder walks in covered in sweat from a run. "Hey Scully." He throws his windbreaker over a chair that ends up slipping to the floor and kisses her on her cheek.

"You were gone for a while." Scully crinkles her nose at him, probably do to the sweat Mulder guesses.

"Yeah I was having a good time. I’m gonna jump in the shower."

Once Scully hears the shower turn off she pries her body off of the couch and takes her mug to the kitchen. Walking back she sees Mulder’s coat on the floor. "I swear I spend more time cleaning up after him." She mumbles grabbing the coat off the floor. There is something weighting down one of the pockets. Just as she is about to reach in Mulder wraps his arms around her waist making her jump.

"Whatcha doing Scully?" He whispers in her ear as she blushes.

"Picking up after you as usual."

"Oh really?" He took the jacket from her hands and kisses her neck. "Looks to me like you were snooping."

Scully spins in his arms. "You are such the detective agent Mulder."

Mulder shrugs. "I know." They stare at each other for a minute then Mulder places the back of his fingers on her cheek. "You look tired Scully."

"That because I am."

Mulder spins her around and slaps her of the butt lightly. Mulder laughed at the look Scully gave him. "Go to bed. I can clean up after myself."

Minutes later Mulder flopped down on the bed next to Scully and leaned up on one elbow over her.

"Scully can I ask you something?"

"I don’t know can you?"

"Ha ha…. Am I making you happy?"

Scully smiled. "Yes you are."

Mulder nodded. "You know I love you?"

"Yes…. I thought you were only going to ask one thing." She teased.

Mulder ignored her. "And you love me?"

"Yes very much."

Again he nodded. "So you are in love with me, I am in love with you and we are both happy?"

"Yes it sounds that way." Scully was amused with his seriousness.

"Can I ask you one more question?"

"Yes you can."

"Will you marry me?" Mulder opened his hand in front of her exposing a ring. Simple gold band with a simply cut diamond not to be laughed at, but not so big you couldn’t wear it is public without the fear of someone ripping your hand off for it.

Scully felt her throat close up as she watched Mulder take her hand and slide the ring past her first knuckle then wait. Looking at she expectantly. "Mulder you are feeling alright?" She placed the palm of her other hand over his forehead.

He chuckled. "Nice try Scully but humor is MY way out of things." Scully dropped her hand and just starred at him. Mulder slowly slid the ring from her finger. "You don’t have to answer me now. Just let me know when you want me to ask again. Take all the time in the world." He leaned down and kissed her softly then rolled onto his back placing the ring on the night table. "Goodnight baby."

"Goodnight." Scully managed to choke out. ‘Oh my God! I can’t believe he just asked me to marry him! I can’t believe I didn’t answer him!’ They laid in silence for at least fifteen minutes before Scully cleared her throat. "Mulder… Ask me again." She whispered into the dark room.

She felt Mulder reach for the ring again then resumed his position leaning over her. He took her hand lightly and slid the ring to where it had rested before. "Dana Katharine Scully will you marry me?"

"Yes." The moment she had that word out Mulder kissed her sliding the ring all the way on. He pulled back slightly and smiled at her.

Scully just stared at him for a minute. "So that’s why you were gone so long."

Mulder shook his head. "Actually I have had that ring for about a week. I was trying to think of the best way to ask you. I couldn’t figure any out so I just asked."

"It was perfect." She held her hand in front of her face and got her first good look at the ring. "My god Mulder how the hell did you afford this?!"

Mulder grinned. "I robed a bank the other day then paid cash." Scully gave him the look that told him she wanted the real answer. "Scully in the six years that you have known me can you name on ‘big ticket’ item that I have bought?" Scully thought for a moment then shook her head. "Well I found something I wanted to spend all that saved money on." He kissed her firmly before she could say anything else. He slowly pulled away from her and placed his hand over her heart. "So this is mine?"

"Mulder it has always been yours." She pulled him down to her lips again. They fell asleep in each other’s arms soon after making love.

Scully woke and smiled as she looks out across the field. Mulder turned to her from where he was sitting next to her.

They sat in silence before she asked anything. "Why are we here Mulder?"

He shrugged. "I like it here… And I figured we were long over due for another visit."

Scully nodded and looked back across the field. "Mulder… When we were here that one time you said you saw the future. Was this what you saw?"

"I told you Scully I don’t remember what I saw. But I guess so. Does it matter?"

Scully turned to him and shook her head slowly. "No it doesn’t. All I know is we are here and I like it."

"Why did you take so long to say yes?" Mulder asked softly.

Scully let out a laugh and shrugged. "I was scared I think."

Mulder nodded. "I know why you were scared."

Scully raised her eyebrows at him waiting for an answer.

"You know why. You just wont say it." He smiled teasingly. "So I will say it for you. You are afraid of getting your heart broken." He held up his hand at her when she tried to talk. "I don’t blame you. It’s a defensive thing I think. I mean I am afraid too. Even though I know you won’t do it. It’s one of those things you can’t stop. People aren’t afraid of such a thing when they aren’t committed in love."

"Why do you think that is? Why does it change?"

"I think, for us at least, that we were alone. We had each other but we weren’t together. I like this much better. But there is one thing that is good about being apart."

"What’s that?" She whispered.

"Empty hearts can’t be broken."

Scully nodded and leaned against him as they starred off into the field. "But now my heart is full." Scully whispered.

"Mine too."

Empty Hearts Can't Be Broken 2!