Title: A Matter of Trust (1/2)
by the Jedi Shipper
Rated: PG-13 for cursing
Spoilers: Lazarus, Any episodes with TFO 
Category: MSR, Angst
Summary: Dang, even when she's not around she's causing problems. I'm
talking about Diana of course. My take on the ring issue.
Author's Notes: Part of my series. I am assuming that Biogenesis and
everything that follows it never happened. (Cause I wanna that's why!)
Disclaimer: As much as I wish these people were my creation and I had
millions of dollars and lots of fans, they're not. Surfer dude CC owns 
them as well as Fox, 1013,DD, GA, whoever else
you want to credit. I am getting no money for this story yadda yadda
yadda.

	Scully remembered a time when she didn't like weekends. Weekends used
to mean she'd be home alone, doing not much of anything except for cleaning her 
gun or watching the Exorcist again.
	But that had all changed. Now she spent weekends with Mulder. It was
the only time they could be like a real couple. Now she enjoyed every minute of her
weekends.
	This particular morning she was hanging the clean clothes in the
closet. It felt comfortable, she realized. She was hanging both hers and 
Mulder's clothes. Comfortable, strangely domestic.
	Well, she thought raising an eyebrow at Mulder's Marvin the Martian
boxers, as domestic as they could get.
	She finished hanging and sat, cross-legged to fold the rest of the
clothes. As she did something caught her eye in the very, very back corner 
of the closet. Behind his shoes, gathering dust, was an old shoe box. Suddenly 
curious, Scully dug it out.
	She opened it to find Diana's face staring back at her. She frowned.
Well she'd known that they were together, they had to have some pictures. A lot 
of the pictures were singles of either Diana or Mulder, but there were several of 
them in intimate embraces. She reached down for more pictures, but her hand touched 
something familiar, yet foreign.
	It was a ring.
	A man's wedding ring.
	At first she didn't comprehend exactly what she was seeing, but then
she saw it.
	A marriage certificate.
	Fox William Mulder and Diana Joan Fowley.
	Scully's heart constricted in her chest. Suddenly, it was as if the
walls were caving in on her. It hurt so bad that she could hardly breath.
	Quickly she got up, pain and shock, turning into anger. She had to get
out of here. Where the hell were  her keys?
	"Hey Scully," came Mulder's voice approaching her, "Look at this,"
	Grabbing her keys Scully practically ran past Mulder slamming the door
to the bedroom and then the front door as she did.
	She ran down the stairs, not wanting to slow down enough to take the
elevator. She ran out the door and to her car. It wasn't until she was sitting in 
the car, putting the keys into the ignition that she realized she still had the 
ring pressed in her hand.
*		*		*
	"Hey Scully. Look at this," Mulder said looking at the newspaper. But
she shoved by him, not saying a word but slamming the door behind her. A second 
later the front door slammed.
	"What the hell?" he said to the suddenly empty apartment. What was
wrong with her?
	Then he saw the old shoe box. 
	"Oh shit," he said to himself numbly.
	In her haste Scully had dropped it and it's contents had spilled over.
	His mind sped up. Maybe she hadn't seen it. Maybe she had just seen
the pictures.
	But then why would she have rushed out of the apartment like that?
	He snapped out of it and took off running. He was out the door and
down the stairs just in time to see her car speed out of the parking lot, tires 
skidding on the pavement.
	"Shit, dammit!"
	He ran for his car and was soon following her.
*			*			*
	Scully's hands were gripped tightly around the stearing wheel.  Her
rearview mirror confirmed what she already suspected, Mulder was following her. 
She mused with the possibility of evading him. She knew how, problem was, he knew 
how too. It wasn't any use, he'd catch up with her anyway, sooner or later.
	And then suddenly she was crying. Crying, Dana Scully didn't cry. Not
over another woman. Definatly not over something like this.
	But as much as she hated to admit it, Diana had always made her unsure
of herself. Even before. She felt she was in constant competition with Diana, first 
as Mulder's partner, then as his lover. 
	Scully wiped away at the tears angrily. Furious with herself for
getting so upset over Diana Fowley of all people, furious with Mulder for not 
telling her.
	How dare he.
	Her eye fell on the beautiful diamond engagement ring on her finger.
That was something she thought she had over Diana. It had given her that power over 
Diana.
	Scully laughed bitterly. Not now.
	She had an engagement ring. Fowley had a wedding ring. 
	By this time Scully had reached her apartment. She pulled in and got
out, barely remembering to lock the door. Mulder pulled up right behind her.
	"Scully wait,"
	Scully continued stalking across the parking lot.
	Mulder grabbed her arm. "Scully,"
	"Get away from me. Let me go," she demanded, trying to pull her arm
away. He held fast.
	"Let me go," she repeated under her breath.
	Mulder flinched. Her eyes had turned to pure ice and she was starring
daggers at him. He loosened his hold on her and she yanked her arm away. She spun 
and continued towards her apartment. Mulder followed her.
	"Get out Mulder," Scully said, an edge in her voice.
	"No,"
	"Get out!"
	"Scully you're overreacting..."
	That did it.
	"Overreacting?! Mulder I was honest with you about Jack Willis. I told you 
about him because I respected the fact that you needed to know. I always told you.
	"But when Diana walked into MY life, I had no idea who the hell she
was. I had to find out from the Lone Gunmen that you two dated. I was hurt Mulder, 
really hurt,"
	Mulder opened his mouth to speak but she beat him to it.
	"I figured, I was your partner, it's none of my business, I don't need
to know. When you trusted her above me you hurt me again Mulder. I ignored it, I got 
over it.
	"But this Mulder... Did you even think while you were proposing to me
that maybe, maybe, this little bit of information was something that I should know.
Don't you think that I deserve to know that you married her? Did it cross your mind 
even once,"
	Suddenly Mulder was angry. "Would it have changed your answer?" he
shouted back at her.
	"No! That's not the point! The point is that you're not being honest
with me,"
	"You never asked! It never came up."
	"It never came up? Mulder this is just something two people in a
relationship like we are usually share little tid bits like that!"
	"Yes that would have been a good conversation. Hey Scully, you know
that woman that you hate and trust about as far as you can throw her? Well I was
married to her once, nearly a decade ago,"
	"Mulder I have every right to know! You're right, I don't trust her. I
can't even stand the sight of her. I respected the fact that for some reason, you 
think she's not betraying you, but now I can't help but think that maybe there's 
more behind your decisions,"
	"Like what?"
	"Like what? Like maybe you still love her. I saw you holding her hand.
I never told you but I saw you,"
	"You think I still love her? You're getting as paranoid as I am. How
can you possibly think that?!"
	"Because you put this on your finger," Scully shouted holding up the
ring. "Because you trusted her over me. Because when I gave you evidence that she 
was lying to you, you refused to believe it,"
	"Dana-"
	"Don't you Dana me. You never call me Dana unless you're worried about
me or you want to get out of the doghouse,"
	He took a deep breath, calming himself.
	"Scully I don't love her. I'm past that," he gestured at the ring she
was holding, "part of my life,"
	"Mulder people who are 'over' their ex's don't keep their wedding
rings!"
	"Scully I don't love her anymore," he repeated, shouting this time. "
I'm not married to her anymore, I'm married to you!"
	"You're not married to me, you're engaged to me and that can change!"
	"Are you trying to tell me you want out? Is that what this is all
about, because you didn't have to drag Diana into this!"
	Scully stared at him, eyes wide with disbelief at what he was saying.
	"Get out of my apartment!"
	"Fine!"
	Mulder turned and headed out the door.
	"And take your fucking rings with you! Both of them," Scully yelled,
hurling both his old wedding ring and her engagement ring at him.
	She stood staring at the slammed door for several seconds. Then she
leaned against it and slid down to the floor. She wrapped he arms around her 
head and started to cry earnestly.
	What had she done?

Title: A Matter of Trust (2/2)
by the Jedi Shipper
Rated: PG-13 for cursing
Spoilers: Ohh spoilers fly here and there.
Category: MSR, Angst 
Summary: Dang, even when she's not around she's causing problems. I'm
talking about Diana of course. My take on the ring issue.
Author's Notes: Part of my series. I am assuming that Biogenesis and
everything that follows it never happened. (Cause I wanna that's why!)
Disclaimer: As much as I wish these people were my creation and I had
millions of dollars and lots of fans, they're not. Surfer dude CC owns
them as well as Fox, 1013,DD, GA, whoever else you want to credit. I am 
getting no money for this story yadda yadda yadda.

	Mulder stared at the door for several seconds. He reached down and
scooped up the two rings, turning on his heel and walking out the door. He 
got into his car and for a moment just sat.
	Suddenly he started slamming his fist into the dash board cursing up a
blue streak. He cursed at himself for saying something so stupid, he cursed at 
Scully, he cursed at Diana. When he was done with that he cursed at himself again.
	When he was done with his little outburst, his knuckles a little
banged up, he pulled out of the parking lot.
	Mulder's first thought was he needed a drink. In fact, he wanted
several drinks. He wanted to get good and drunk.
	Thankfully his brain caught up with him. He was already in enough
trouble, Scully would be seriously pissed if he showed up drunk.
	That was assuming she would ever want him back.
	He didn't feel like going home, he defiantly couldn't go back to
Scully's yet. Making a decision he headed for the Lone Gunmen's office. A few 
minutes later he was pounding on the door.
	"Coming, coming hold on a minute," Frohike's voice came. Mulder waited
as the thousand or so locks were unlocked.
	"Mulder," Langly greeted, "To what do we owe the pleasure?"
	"And what happened to your hand?" Byers finished.
	Mulder didn't answer right away. Instead he went to the couch and sat
down.
	"I uh-, busted my hand because I kind of slammed it into the
dashboard,"
	The Gunmen looked at each other eyebrows raised, and then back at
Mulder quizzically.
	He sighed and finally said, "Scully found my old wedding ring. She
left the apartment, I followed her, we had a fight, she threw me out, and I beat 
on the dashboard,"
	There was a moment of silence.
	"She threw this at me," Mulder added holding out the rings.
	Another silence.
	"Mulder you're a damn prick," Frohike said finally. "How could you
have not told her?"
	"We had to tell her about you two being together. We left it up to you
to tell her that you married Diana," Langly joined in.
	"Don't you three start in on me. I've been through this once, I don't
want to do it again. All right, I should have told her but she didn't have to 
leave like that. She could have stayed and talked to me. She overreacted,"
	"She may have overreacted but she had every right to," Byers said
reasonably.
	"How do you figure that?"
	"You really are an asshole you know that?" Frohike said. "This has
been coming to you for a long time. You know, you've ditched her, you've lied to 
her, you've put her through endless amounts of shit and expected her to follow 
you. Through all that she has trusted you above all others and for some reason 
even fell in love with you. But Diana Fowley is the only thing that has ever 
made her doubt your partnership. And never once did you stop to reassure her that 
she means more to you then Diana does, that you trust her, that you love
her. At least I'm assuming that's all true,"
	"Of course it is," Mulder snapped.  He leaned back against the couch
and pulled a hand over his eyes. He sighed.
	"So what do I do?"
	"Begging for forgiveness would be a good start," Langly put in	
	"Let her know that you'll always put her above Diana. That you'll
always trust her first," Byers added.
	"And for the love of God get rid of that ring. Oh and remember
something, you don't deserve her,"
	Mulder half scowled, half smiled at that remark. He left the Gunmen's
office and drove around aimlessly for a couple of hours.
	He ended up on the bench where he and Scully often came way back when
they'd been split up. A long time ago, Mulder thought, even before her abduction.
	He sat and thought rolling both the rings between his hands. Finally he 
flung the old wedding ring into the murky water below and sprinted back to his car.
	Before he knew it he was back at her apartment, knocking on the door.
	Scully opened the door but stood between him and the apartment. Her
eyes were puffy and red rimmed from crying.
	Almost instantly Mulder's heart contracted. He hated seeing her cry
and the thought that he was behind her pain made him even angrier at himself.
	"What do you want Mulder? I don't want to see you right now," Scully
said finally.
	"I came to say I'm sorry. I was wrong, and I don't want to loose you.
Please, let me explain?"
	Scully stared at him for a moment. He could see she was still very
angry. Finally she nodded and stepped aside to let him in.
	"I know I haven't told you the whole truth, but if you'll let me I'll
tell you now," Mulder continued.
	Again Scully just nodded, preferring not to say a word. Mulder
wondered if that was a good or a bad sign. Whatever it was, at least she was 
willing to listen.
	 She sat down on the couch and Mulder sat at the opposite end, not
wanting to press his luck.
	"Scully when I meet Diana, it was right before I found the X-Files.
And after that, no one would believe me. They made fun of me, they laughed at me, 
but she didn't,"
	"I don't want to hear this," Scully said, starting to get up. Mulder
reached out and grabbed her hand.
	"Wait, please, let me finish. Please?"
	Scully hesitated but sat again.
	"She seemed to think like me. I don't even think I really loved her.
It was just, I was young, foolish and she was the only one who believed me,"
	He took a deep breath before continuing, "So one day, we took a trip
to Las Vegas. We were in a shop when she saw the wedding rings. And it was her 
idea, maybe all the chapels around went to her head. Before I really knew what 
was happening, we were married,"
	Again he paused. "But then, something came up. She was offered the job
in Europe and wanted me to go. She wanted me to leave the X-Files and follow her. 
I said I wouldn't. I went to sleep and when I woke up there was a note saying that 
she had gone to Europe, maybe I would change my mind. A couple of months later she 
filed for divorce. It never even got into my files,"
	He found the courage to look up at her then. "But Scully when she
showed up, it never changed anything for me. She may have believed me, but you 
believe in me. When I told you that you're the only one I really, truly trust, I 
meant every word. When I told you, you were my one in five billion, you still are. 
I don't love her, maybe I never did. I love you. I can't imagine my life 
without you,"
	Scully looked at him, her lower lip beginning to quiver. This time it
was not with anger, or hurt, but because his words touched her.
	"Please, please forgive me?"
	In response Scully moved closer and opened her arms to him.
	A wave of relief rushed over Mulder as he held her close, silently
thanking God.
	"I'm sorry too Mulder. I didn't mean to react that badly," she said.
	"Shh. Don't apologize. You had every right," he said, only holding her
tighter.
	He reached up and gently wiped the tears away from her eyes. Then he
reached down and pulled something from his pocket.
	"Do you still want to marry me? One of these days?" he asked gently.
	Then she smiled, a genuine smile, and allowed him to slip the ring
back on her finger.
	"I love you," she said softly.
	"I love you too," he said, leaning down to kiss her deeply.
	Somewhere in the back of his mind he recalled a conversation he'd once
had about make-up sex being great. 
	He decided to test that theory.
_____________________________________
Fini! Nope... still haven't gotten up the courage to do NC-17. Well
what do you think?