Title: Come Back To Me IV: A New Life Author: mulder42 E-Mail: mulderfortytwo@hotmail.com Rating: PG (unless otherwise specified) Category: MSR, Torture, Angst, told from both Mulder & Scully's POV's Spoilers: A little bit of this & that--all the way up to Season 7 (and parts of Season 8!), where this story takes place. Summary: Mulder & Scully have admitted their true feelings to one another and embarked on a romantic relationship. But soon after they become lovers, Mulder disappears, the apparent victim of an alien abduction. How far will Scully go to get her partner, best friend, and soulmate back? Disclaimer: Mulder & Scully don't belong to me--they belong to each other! I have no right to keep them apart...Legally, they belong to Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions, and 20th Century Fox Television. Author's Notes: I got so much great response from "The Distance Between Us", that I decided to write a sequel of sorts. You don't necessarily have to read the first story, but if you would like to know how M&S got to where they are in their relationship, then by all means do! If you're reading this, you should've previously read "Come Back To Me I/II/III", right? You haven't? What are you waiting for? Dedications-- To lbjeffries & TAG: My two biggest supporters when "Distance" was originally posted at the FANDOM messageboard. Your endless feedback to me after every part was a really great motivator. Thanks so much, ladies! To Susan Frankovich: My fanfiction goddess; the queen of the vignette, and accomplished M&S dialogue writer. What would I do without your beautiful works? Thank you. AND especially... To Nancy: What can I say? When I first met you online in August 1999, I felt I had met a kindred spirit. We could discuss anything and everything X-Files. As a fellow Mulderist, I can always count on you to have a good chat about 'all things' David. Talking with you for the last 2+ years has been a lot of fun, and very enlightening to my life. Hang in there, and "never give up on a miracle." Thank you for being my friend. :) ============================== Look at this face I know the years are showing Look at this life I still don't know where it's going I don't know much But I know I love you And that may be all I need to know... --"Don't Know Much" by Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville And death shall have no dominion. Dead men naked they shall be one With the man in the wind and the west moon; When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone, They shall have stars at elbow and foot; Though they go mad they shall be sane, Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again; Though lovers be lost love shall not; And death shall have no dominion. --"And Death Shall Have No Dominion" by Dylan Thomas ============================== COME BACK TO ME IV: A NEW LIFE By mulder42 PART TWENTY-TWO: HAS ANYONE EVER WRITTEN ANYTHING FOR YOU XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Has anyone ever written anything for you In all your darkest hours Have you ever heard me sing Listen to me now You know I'd rather be alone Than be without you Don't you know Has anyone ever given anything to you In you darkest hours Did you ever give it back Well, I have I have given that to you If it's all I ever do This is your song And the rain comes down There's no pain and there's no doubt It was easy to say I believed in you everyday If not for me Then do it for the world Has anyone ever written anything for you In your darkest sorrow Did you ever hear me sing Listen to me now You know I'd rather be alone Than be without you Don't you know So if not for me, then Do it for yourself If not for me then Do it for the world Poet...priest of nothing Poet...priest of nothing... SCULLY'S APARTMENT 1:35pm I'm still here, sitting on her bed, afraid to move. This is all my fault. If I hadn't been such a jerk to her, she'd still be here. I got up. I had to find her, so I started looking around the room. Nothing really looked out of place. Her luggage was missing, of course, along with a few of her clothes. I picked up the picture, bracelet, and earrings, and put them on her nightstand. The top drawer was slightly ajar, so I opened it. The Apollo 11 keychain that I gave to her for her birthday all those years ago was lying on top of a book. I opened it. It was filled with romantic poetry. I flipped through the pages, until one particular page, where a pressed flower fell out. I picked it up. It was the purple tulip I gave to her last year, our first day back in the office from our vacation. It had to be. I read the poem. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breath and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of Being and ideal Grace. I love thee to the level of everyday's Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight. I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God chose, I shall but love thee better after death. I put the flower back in the book, and closed it. Damn it, this is all my fault! If I hadn't pushed her away that night... I sat back down on the bed, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. She's okay. She has to be. She just needed to get away for a few days--away from me. I put the book and keychain back in the drawer, and was about to shut it, when I saw another book in the back. It was her bible. Did she read this while I was missing, praying for my safe return? She had it bookmarked on the Book of Psalms. I knew which one she probably read for me: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. There was something else in the drawer, so I pulled them out too, and put her bible back. It was two notebooks with clear covers and pink pages. I saw Scully's familiar handwriting, in purple ink. It seems she has written me letters, starting late last year, while I was gone. I took the notebooks to her living room, and sat down to read them all. It looked like she wrote me everyday, but a few of them really stood out. Wednesday, October 4th, 2000: Dear Mulder, After catching myself talking to you out loud way too many times, I've decided to put my thoughts on paper. I felt a little silly, that's why I thought you might like reading how I'm doing. For what it's worth, I'm doing as well as expected. My mother prays for you everyday. I know you're out there, and that one day you'll get to read these letters. One of many more to come in the future, I'm sure. Maybe even everyday. I just hope you don't get bored with my rambling. I'll try to make these as brief as I can. I love you, Mulder. That will never change. Dana P.S. Just so you know, I'll be signing all my letters to you as 'Dana'. Though I know I'll just break down that first time I hear you say, 'Scully'. In that sexy voice I love so well. Friday, October 13th: Dear Mulder, Happy Birthday, darling! I was hoping I could throw a little party for you today. I'll make it up to you--don't worry. I've got your presents all ready. And one present-- this is the most important one of all. I didn't want to tell you like this, but I've got no choice now. Remember that first night we spent together? I mean, 'really' together? You're not going to believe this, but I got back from a doctor's appointment today. I had still been having those dizzy spells, and he told me I was seven weeks' pregnant! I know, I know, you're saying how this could be. I don't know, and I don't care. I just know that I have our child growing inside of me--'our' child, Mulder. A child we created together. I love you so much. I wish you were here right now. I'd give anything to see the look on your face. Dana Thursday, October 26th: Dear Mulder, You told me they would do it again this year, and you were right. The Yankees win the World Series! Sorry to ruin the surprise for you, but don't worry. I recorded all the games, and we can watch them together. You bring the pizza and beer (I'll drink water!), I'll supply the popcorn, and we'll make a Date of it. Sound good? Great. I love you, but you already knew that, right? Dana Tuesday, November 7th: Dear Mulder, I went to your apartment today for the first time since you've been gone. I had put it off long enough. Don't worry, your rent has been taken care of, and your fish are being fed. I've just been really scared to go there. Once I did finally go, I felt you everywhere. Sounds kind of silly, since it is your place, but I don't know how else to explain it. I looked at all of your things, and I ended up falling asleep in your bed. I got a call from Skinner, telling me that the gunmen had a lead. We went to Oregon to look for you. We heard a humming, and saw bright lights in the sky, but found nothing. I felt you close, though. I knew that you were nearby, and I prayed for your safety. I hope that I won't have to pray for you too much longer. I'm so tired, Mulder. I miss you so much. Dana Thursday, November 23rd: Dear Mulder, Thanksgiving Day. I wanted to spend it alone since I didn't feel very thankful. My mother invited me over for dinner, and she invited Skinner over as well. I think they got along fine. We had a great time, and we talked about you. It felt strange at first, but eventually, I got comfortable with it. I promise, when you get back, I'll fix you a Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings. Whatever you want. That will be a day to give thanks. Dana Thursday, November 30th: Dear Mulder, I think I'm at my breaking point. In the office today, I almost put your nameplate in your desk drawer. I'm so ashamed of my behavior! Mom called me, and invited me to stay with her a few days. I gladly took her up on the offer. Each day that passes now, it's so hard for me. I feel myself slipping away from you. You've been gone two months now. I try to think about the good times--the way you used to hold me when we were alone together. I miss your body next to mine. I sure hope you're okay, wherever you are. I love you, Mulder. Dana Monday, December 25th: Dear Mulder, Christmas Day, and I spent it quietly at home. My mother tried to get me to spend the day with her, but I refused. I've got your presents wrapped and waiting for you. I can't wait to see you again. The baby and I, in case you were wondering, are doing fine. I'd like to introduce you sometime to our little miracle. We'll have a little celebration when you get back. I'll love you forever. Merry Christmas! Dana Monday, January 1st, 2001: Dear Mulder, Happy New Year! I've got a millennium kiss waiting for you. And it is the 'true' new millennium this time. I can still hear you saying to me, "No one likes a math geek, Scully." I can hear you speaking to me a lot these days. Things have definitely changed. I think something big is going to happen. I can't put my finger on it--I just have this overwhelming feeling. Can you hear me, Mulder, wherever you are? Dana Thursday, January 11th: Dear Mulder, We found you yesterday. Actually, I should say that Skinner found you, with a few agents from the local Seattle field office. When I saw you there on the ground, lying there naked in the cold snow, in that old barn, it was my worst nightmare coming true. Until I felt that faint pulse and you called my name. How overjoyed I was at that moment! You were alive, and I would do anything to make sure you would survive. When you dropped the cross in my hand as the ambulance was taking us to the hospital, I almost lost it. I didn't really lose it until hours later, when I put the cross around your neck. I want you to keep it for me. When the time is right, you'll know when to give it back. Mom is here with me, and you should've seen the look on her face! She was so relieved. You're going to be okay, Mulder. I know it now. Nothing will take you away from me again. I just need for you to open your eyes. Dana Wednesday, January 17th: Dear Mulder, I almost fainted today. Dr. Collins and I were outside your room, and I felt lightheaded. She made an appointment for me to see a doctor. I told her about the baby, and she seemed pleased. After getting checked out, I went back to the hotel, where I got some needed rest. My mother stayed with you. Can you hear her when she talks to you? I hope you can. She worried just as much about you, if not more. I'm getting tired of waiting, Mulder. Please, just open your eyes and let me know you're still here. Dana Wednesday, January 24th: Dear Mulder, Today, you opened your eyes. I'm so happy! You were really anxious to speak to me, weren't you? What surprised me the most was that you cried. You've never cried like that in front of me before. You told me that you missed me and that you loved me. I feel like screaming at the top of my lungs! Now I can breathe again. Dana Sunday, January 28th: Dear Mulder, It's been four days since you woke up. I could tell you were getting frustrated about what happened to you. I tried to avoid your questions, but I promised to answer them tomorrow. Dr. Collins is finally going to let you get out of bed and eat real food. I know you'll really enjoy that. I just don't want you to be upset, Mulder. You've gone through so much. I also told you that I had something to tell you that's totally unrelated to your disappearance. I believe that this will be the hardest part of our conversation. Dana Monday, January 29th: Dear Mulder, I told you today, face-to-face. I told you about the baby. I wasn't sure how you would take it, and I was very nervous before I told you. You seemed to take it all in stride. You were surprised, but happily so. You introduced yourself, and I laughed, which totally made the situation more comfortable. I think I loved you more at that moment. We 'are' going to be great parents, Mulder. Dana Tuesday, January 30th: Dear Mulder, Dr. Collins let you eat real food today, and I didn't want you to have hospital food--not that it isn't good, but I thought we should celebrate right. You'll have to wait a little longer for the greasy cheeseburger, though. I went to a deli not too far from the hospital and got you some things I knew you would like, and I was right! I just loved sitting at the table with you as you took that first bite of turkey sandwich. The look on your face--its hard to describe. I could imagine you as a little boy getting a gift that you really wanted. Later, after we went back to your room, and finished the fruit, I felt strange. I felt shy for some reason. I got up to look out the window, and you came over and put your hands on my shoulders. You were using 'that voice,' the one I hadn't heard for so many months, and I got scared. Not afraid of you, mind you, just scared of my feelings for you. You turned me around, and put your hands on my face. I knew that you were going to kiss me, but you didn't. I think I know why. You're still a little self-conscious of your appearance, but please don't feel that way with me. Mulder, I will love you no matter how you look. Dana Sunday, February 4th: Dear Mulder, We're back at home in DC, but I am alone. I took you to your apartment and everything seemed fine at first. When you were looking at your fish, and grabbed your head, I thought back to the David & Amy Cassandra case, when the exact same thing happened to you. You told me nothing was wrong, and that you wanted me to leave. Mulder, I cannot tell you how much I wanted to stay with you, but I also knew that you needed this time to yourself. I hope that in the future you will come to me if you're feeling troubled. Please don't shut me out now. Dana Monday, February 12th: Dear Mulder, I'm sorry I hung up so quickly with you on the phone, but something you said really touched me. You described the baby as 'our child', and I was speechless. I know we haven't really sat down and discussed this, but we'll have to very soon. I just want you to know that you don't have to worry about me. I'm taking care of myself, and our baby. I want you to take care of yourself. That's what's most important now. I want you to get well, so we can continue to investigate X-Files. Together. Dana Friday, February 23rd: Dear Mulder, Today is my 37th birthday, and I really didn't feel like celebrating--until I got surprised by you and my mother, with cake and balloons. The three of us (the four of us?) had a wonderful time. After Mom left, and we were all alone, I tried my best to get you to open up to me. We got a little carried away with cake, strawberries, and frosting, and it was working, or so I thought, until I got sick. I wished you hadn't seen me like that. You surprised me again with another present of amethyst earrings. When I tried to show you how much I appreciated your gift, you ran away. Why did you do that, Mulder? What's going on with you? Dana Saturday, March 10th: Dear Mulder, We haven't spoken much since my birthday. Today, I went to my first Lamaze class, and you showed up. My mother--what can I say about her? It was her way of trying to get us back together. I think she's got you wrapped around her little finger! I was afraid to ask you after what happened. I know you're going through some things. When you brought me home, we talked about me being pregnant, and how you felt about it. You said I was beautiful, and that you were happy. I'm glad. The baby decided that now was the time to make its presence known. She picked the best time to kick, as I've been waiting for her to do that while we were together. I have a really good feeling that it will be a girl. It was a great experience to share with you. You felt the baby kick for the first time. Later, I thought we'd have a little fun, so I fed you vanilla ice cream, and you reciprocated. You finally opened up, and told me about something that happened to you while you were missing. I'm so proud of you, Mulder. This is a step in the right direction. Dana 4:45pm I read all of Scully's letters over and over, crying. All except one--the last one. I was afraid to. I decided to call Margaret, to see if she'd heard from her. "Fox, I was just about to call you!" "You were?" "Yes. Dana just called me a few minutes ago. She says she's left town for a while. What's going on?" "I'm afraid it's all my fault. I haven't been myself. I pushed Dana away." "Fox, I'm not going to get angry about this, but maybe this is a good thing." "How so?" "Maybe you two need some time apart from each other." "But we've already spent too much time apart!" "I know, I know. Fox, you'll have to give Dana a few days." "OK. I guess you're right. Did you know that she wrote me letters while I was gone, and also after I was found?" "No. She never told me. What do they say?" "It's a day-by-day account of her life--some happy; some sad. I never really knew what she went through until I read them." "Fox, I don't want you to worry. The both of you will come out of this stronger than ever." "I hope so. Thanks, Margaret." I didn't want to put it off any longer. I read Scully's last letter to me. Wednesday, April 4th: Dear Mulder, Well, this is it. I don't know what's happened. I've decided to put some space between us. Things have been really stressful for me lately, so I'm going away for a while to unwind. Please don't try to find me. I need this time to myself. When I get back, maybe we can get together and talk. That is, if you don't push me away again. I can't tell you how much you hurt me, and I refuse to live my life this way, never knowing which mood you'll be in. Like I told you before, I want the old Mulder back. If you can't give that to me, then I see no reason for our relationship to continue. I've been living in limbo for so long now. I just want to get through these last months of my pregnancy without any problems. I don't mean to sound so uncaring, but I don't know where this leaves us. I just wish I could wake up and find out that none of this happened. Scully She signed it 'Scully', instead of 'Dana'. She's so angry with me. I don't really want to be away from her now, but I had no choice. I have no one to blame but myself. *To Be Continued...* The 23rd Psalm is from the Holy Bible. "How Do I Love Thee?" is by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, from Sonnets from the Portuguese. "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You" is by Stevie Nicks, from her album ROCK A LITTLE. COME BACK TO ME IV: A NEW LIFE By mulder42 PART TWENTY-THREE: CAN'T LET GO XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX There you are holding her hand I am lost Dying to understand Didn't I cherish you right Don't you know you were my life Even though I try I can't let go Something in your eyes Captured my soul And every night I see you in my dreams You're all I know I can't let go Just cast aside You don't even know I'm alive You just walk on by Don't care to see me cry And here I am Still holding on I can't accept My world is gone Even though I try I can't let go Something in your eyes Captured my soul And every night I see you in my dreams You're all I know I can't let go Do you even realize the sorrow I have inside Everyday of my life Do you know the way it feels When all you have just dies I try and try to deny that I need you But still you remain on my mind No I just can't get you out of my mind I never can say goodbye 'Cause every night I see you in my dreams You're all I know I can't let you go Even though I try I can't let go of something that I need so badly You're all I know I can't let go... FRIDAY, APRIL 6th 10:13pm The next couple of days were rough. Either I went to the gym to play basketball, or I ran around the park, trying to wear myself out. I didn't want to think about Scully being gone. Now I'm in my car, not really going anywhere in particular, until I wound up at a familiar place... MARGARET SCULLY RESIDENCE "Fox? What are you doing here so late? Is something wrong?" "Hi, Margaret. Sorry to show up at your door at this hour, but I didn't know where else to go..." "You look awful, dear. Come in." "I don't think I can do this, though I know I deserve it." "Please don't say that, Fox. Dana's very confused about things right now. Just give it some time. Would you like some coffee?" "Sure. Do you mind if we have it in the kitchen instead of out here?" "I don't mind. Fox, now is not the time to unravel. You have to be strong for when Dana comes back home." "I know I should be, but..." We sat down at the table after she put the kettle on. I reached for her hand, and she squeezed it. "What is it?" "What if she doesn't want to come back? We don't know where she is. She's pregnant and alone..." "Fox, I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but I think you deserve to know." "Know what?" "Dana's okay. She's been calling me every morning." "What does she say?" "Not much. She's a little miffed at me right now as well. I told her brothers about her being pregnant, and I had promised not to. Bill flew in all the way from California a few days ago to see Dana." "How did that go?" "Well, you know Bill. Let's just say it wasn't a happy family reunion." "And Charlie? Has she heard from him yet?" "No. My youngest son is nothing like Bill. Maybe you'll get to meet him one day." "I'd like that." "Water's ready. Let me get you a cup..." We didn't say much while we drank our coffee. Guess our minds are somewhere else right now. When I finished, I got up to leave. "I've got to go now, Margaret. Thanks for the coffee." "Where are you going?" "Home." "No, I want you to stay here, Fox." "I couldn't. I don't want to impose." "It's not a problem. Come on." She grabbed my hand, and led me upstairs. "This was the boys' room. I want you to lie down, and try to get some sleep." "Thank you. Would it be okay if I stayed in Scully's room?" "Not at all. It's right down the hall on the left, and the bathroom is on the other side. I'll make you breakfast in the morning, and if Dana calls, maybe you can talk to her." "I'd give anything just to hear her voice right now." "Goodnight, Fox." She kissed me on the cheek before going back downstairs. I walked down the hall, and opened the door to Scully and Melissa's room. I sat down on one of the beds, and took off my shoes. I turned on the lamp, and looked around. So, this is where Scully slept. Did she talk about school, boys, and what she wanted to do when she grew up, right here in this room with her sister? I was so tired. I turned out the light, and lay down, hoping I could get some much needed rest. SATURDAY, APRIL 7th 7:59am "Fox? Fox, are you alright?" I woke up to a light tapping on the door. "Come in!" "Fox, good morning!" "Morning, Margaret. I had a dream." "About Dana?" "No, actually it was Melissa. She told me that everything was going to be fine, and that Dana would forgive me for all that's happened." "That's Missy, though it shouldn't surprise me. You were sleeping in her bed." "I was?" "She told me once that you and Dana were linked. I didn't want to believe it then." "When was that?" "After Dana showed up in the hospital, after the Duane Barry incident. I knew you two were just friends at the time. It was still early in your partnership together. I felt something--call it mother's intuition--but I knew you and my Dana were destined to be together." "That sounds like something Missy would say." "I know. Silly, isn't it?" "No, I don't think so." "I always hoped that you two would find your way to each other. I don't want my dream to end now!" "Did she ever talk to you about being pregnant and not married? I know she's not as religious as she used to be..." "No, not once. The day she told me she was going to have a baby, she said it was a gift from God, and that she was getting a second chance. We talked about Emily, and how she wouldn't get to see her baby brother or sister." "I'm sorry." "Don't be. She said that she loved you very much, and that she couldn't live without you." "I'd bet you would like for us to be married." "Fox, as long as the two of you are happy, then I'm happy. Being married is just an extra bonus. I don't want you to feel pressured into marriage. It's not for everybody. Oh, it's 8:15! Get cleaned up, and I'll make breakfast." "Okay." She left. I never thought Margaret and I would talk like this. I really liked it. I felt like I knew her a little bit better now. I went to the bathroom, then met Margaret downstairs in the kitchen. 8:37am "Something smells good!" "You like pancakes, Fox?" "Sure do. I'm really hungry, too. Thanks, Margaret." "For what?" "For all you've done for me." "It's nice to cook for someone else for a change. Dig in!" "Mmm, reminds me of Mom's breakfasts on Sunday morning." "I'm glad." "She would've liked you, my mother. You remind me so much of her, when I was younger." "Fox, finish your breakfast, or you're going to make me cry..." 9:03am "I don't know what happened, Fox. She's been calling me at 9am. I'm sorry." "Maybe she's still sleeping." "You're right. Now is not the time to panic. She'll call." We sat back down and waited. At 9:15, the phone rang. Margaret got up to get it. "Hello, Dana--so nice to hear from you again. How are you, sweetheart?" She motioned me over, so I could listen. "...the baby's a little restless this morning. Sorry I'm late calling..." I closed my eyes. Finally, I hear her voice! But something wasn't right. The tone was different, which told me that she was probably having a hard time about this as well. "How are you, dear--I mean, really?" "I'm okay, but it's hard." "Hard how? When are you coming home?" "I *can't*, Mom. Not now, it's too soon." "Fox is really worried about you, dear." "Please! Don't even say his name. It hurts too much." "That's why you should come home..." "I can't, Mom! Don't you see? That's why I left. It's very hard to let him go, Mom. I can't let him go, and I need to do that." "Dana, don't be angry, but Fox is here with me now. Why don't you talk to him?" "What? Mom--how could you? I can't..." Margaret gave me the receiver. "Talk to her," she whispered. I stared at the phone for a couple of seconds, before putting it to my ear. "Scully? Scully, it's me." "I don't want to talk to you!" "But, Scully, I need to tell you--" "Put my mother back on the phone, or I'm hanging up." "Scully, I'm so--" "No, don't you dare say you're sorry! It's too late for that. Now put my mother back on the phone!" "Scully!" "Damn it! Why won't you listen to me? You never listen! Just ditch me and go off half-cocked to wherever. You tell my mother that if she still wants to hear from me, she won't pull this stunt again. I only called her because I don't want her to worry about me." "But, Scully, *I* worry about you, too." "No! You have no right to worry about me anymore. You gave up that right when you pushed me away last Monday." "Okay, Scully. But I'm telling you now--I'm not giving up on you. I'm not giving up on *us*." I gave Margaret the phone back, and went to sit down in the living room. Scully was really angry with me. xxxxxxx 9:35am "Dana, don't be angry at Fox. He's hurting too." "I don't care anymore, Mom. I can only worry about me and my baby." "You don't really mean that!" "I do. Look, I'll talk to you tomorrow. 'Bye, Mom." I hung up. I can't believe she would put him on the phone! I got dressed, while the baby fussed a little more. I placed my hand on my stomach. "Come on, sweetie. Calm down. Let's go for a walk, okay? We can't worry about him now. We've only got each other..." 11:05am After I got back, I laid down for a nap. I don't know why I'm so tired now. I don't seem to have any energy. I turned on the radio and closed my eyes. Hopefully, my ever- growing daughter will let me get some sleep. I woke up hours later from a dream. Melissa was trying to tell me to forgive him but I could not. I don't think I ever could. The pain is still too fresh. I didn't want to feel like this. I should be happy at this point in my life, but I'm not. I'm miserable. "So, sweetie, ready for dinner? You are? Me too. I'll order us something good..." It was going to be a long night, I thought, as I looked out the window. Just one of many more to come. xxxxxxx TUESDAY, APRIL 10th 7:30am I woke up earlier than usual. I kept hearing Scully's voice during the phone conversation with her mother. Not now, it's too soon. Don't even say his name. It's very hard to let him go, Mom. I can't let him go... She can't let me go--that was the one chink in her armor. I wanted to break down her defenses, but how could I do that when she won't even talk to me? I decided I could wait it out. I had to be patient. We were on opposite ends of a long rope, Scully and I. I had to wait until we could meet up again. I went out for a run, to clear my head, and to remember the way it used to be between us. I could only hope that one day, Scully would come back to me. *To Be Continued...* "Can't Let Go" is by Mariah Carey, from her album EMOTIONS. COME BACK TO ME IV: A NEW LIFE By mulder42 PART TWENTY-FOUR: MOMENTS IN LOVE XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX TUESDAY, APRIL 24th SCULLY'S APARTMENT 5:18am "Scully!" I jumped out of her bed quickly, running to the window, trying to catch my breath. What a nightmare! Scully was at the end of a long hallway. I was on the other end. She had her hands protectively on her stomach. She smiled at me, then turned around, walking away. I tried running after her, but it was useless. She was gone. All I heard was her voice, saying, 'Goodbye, Mulder.' I had been staying at her place for the last two weeks. Eight months. She's eight months pregnant today. And here I sit, still not knowing where she is. OK, Mulder, what are you going to do about it? I took a shower and headed for the office. 6:50am Once I got here, I really didn't know what to do. I sat at her desk, and looked inside the top drawer. Nothing out of the ordinary here--pens, pencils, paper clips--just your regular office items. Except for one thing--her picture of Emily. It was under a few blank pieces of paper, like she was trying to hide it. Would she look at it during the day, when we were here, arguing over the latest expense reports? I remember the first time she showed me the picture. It was after Emily's memorial service. I had brought flowers for her, placing them on the small, white casket. When she went to open it, to get one last look at her, I had to turn around. I couldn't look, so I stared up at the ceiling of the church. I heard a faint whimper from Scully a couple minutes later. "She's gone..." I turned around and went to her. She was holding the cross she gave to her. I looked inside, only to find bags of sand. "She's gone, Mulder." "I'm sorry, Scully." "My Emily's gone!" Her legs gave out on her, and I held her, walking her over to the front pew. She leaned into my embrace. I knew she was at the breaking point. She hadn't cried yet, not once. I told her it was okay to let go. That's when she pulled Emily's picture out of her jacket pocket. "This is all I have left of her, Mulder..." "It's alright, Scully. In the short time that you knew Emily, I know you two made a connection." "How could we, Mulder? She didn't know me--I hardly knew her..." She didn't say anything else. We just looked at Emily's picture. Later, I drove her home, but when I tried to come in, Scully told me she wanted to be alone. I stayed by her door for a few minutes, until I heard it. She was crying. I wanted to go inside, but I didn't. I was angry and happy at her at the same time. Angry that she was continuing to shut me out, and happy that she had finally let go of her emotions. I went home. We hadn't talked about Emily again until a year ago, when Scully invited me over for dinner. We danced, and I asked her if there was a specific reason why she had asked me over. She got upset, running away from me. She wouldn't look at me, and then I heard her sniffle. She was looking at that same picture of Emily, and one of her sister Melissa. She cried, unashamedly, in front of me. I led her over to the couch, and I held her. That's when she apologized to me, for not letting me help her during the whole ordeal. A year ago. I didn't want this to happen again. I went to Skinner's office. 7:32am "Sir? May I come in?" "Sure, Agent Mulder. What can I do for you? Ready to come back to work?" "Not just yet. I came here to ask you about Scully. Do you know where she is?" "No, Mulder. I told you before--she asked for time off. What've you done this time?" "Sir?" "You must really be in the doghouse if you don't know where she is." "OK, I admit it. I said some awful things to her, so she ran away from me." "You're a fool, Mulder." "Excuse me?" "You heard me. If I had someone like Dana, someone who truly cared about me...the way I know she cares about you, I might still be married." "Sir--about earlier this month--I'm sorry. It's just that when I saw you two together, I got...I got..." "Jealous, Agent Mulder? Dana's a strong woman--a good FBI agent, and an even better friend. Do you know what she went through while you were gone? Everyday was a struggle for her. Yeah, we got close the three plus months you were missing, but it was nothing but professional." "Sir--" "No, let me finish. You're back. I had you pegged as a dead man when we found you in that barn in Seattle. But, you persevered. You survived. You went through something awful, but *she* did, too. Now, I want you to get off your ass, and go find her. That's an order, Agent. Dismissed." I got out of my chair to leave. "Thank you, sir." "Let me know when you find Dana." "I will." I left. It was time to get serious about this, and I knew exactly where to start. LONE GUNMEN HEADQUARTERS 9:00am "Come on, fellas! I know you're here! Let me in!" "Hold your horses, I'm comin'!" "Thanks, Frohike. There's no time to waste. I need your help." "And good morning to you, too, Mulder." "Yeah, hey, Byers." Langly said, "Yeah, Fro tells us that Scully's got a bun in the oven. You sly devil you, Mulder!" "Langly! Scully told you?" "No, she told Frohike, and he told us." "Congratulations, Mulder. It truly is a miracle." "Thanks, Byers. Do any of you know where she is?" "No, Mulder. Isn't she with you?" "No, Langly. Why do you think I'm here? I have to find her..." "You two have a fight, Mulder?" "Yeah, Byers, you could say that. I haven't seen her for three weeks." "That long? It must be very hard for you, Mulder." Frohike had a sly grin on his face, but Byers and Langly looked totally confused. "OK, Frohike--I think we need to have a talk--man-to-man." "Sure. No problem, buddy." "Well, I guess that's our cue to leave. Talk to you later, Mulder." "Yeah, later Byers." "Yeah, later, dude. We need to get together soon, Mulder. You've really missed out on some things." "It might be a little while longer, Langly, but I'll give you a call." They left. "So, Mulder--beautiful day, isn't it?" "You know where she is, don't you?" "Why would I know where Scully is? She tries her best to avoid me like the plague!" "Tell me where she is!" "Can't help you. Look, Mulder, just because you two had a lover's spat, don't come to us with your problems." "*My* problems? Scully is out there, by herself. She's eight months pregnant, Melvin. If you know something, please tell me." "She's my friend, and I won't betray a confidence." I was starting to get very angry. He really wasn't going to tell me! "Please--I need to know." "Mulder, I know you're worried, but Dana can take care of herself. You're going to be a father soon, and that's some big shoulders to fill. Don't worry. She would've called me if anything was wrong." "OK. You're probably right. She's been calling her mother everyday, and she says she's fine." "There, I told you. She'll be home soon. I don't think she'd want to have the baby out of town, do you?" "I don't know. She's really angry at me." "But she still loves you. I *know* that." "I hope you're right. Thanks, Frohike." "You're a lucky son-of-a-bitch, Mulder, but if you hurt Dana again, you'll have me to deal with!" "I'll keep that in mind. Talk to you later." I got back in my car. That's Frohike for you--always so protective of Scully. I'll never forget that time he came to the hospital in a suit no less, bringing flowers for her after she had been found. I started driving. What did he say? I replayed the conversation in my mind. You're going to be a father soon, and that's some big shoulders to fill. Big shoulders? Surely she couldn't have gone there? Why didn't I think of that! I went to my apartment to pack, then I called the airline. A flight would be leaving in 90 minutes. I called Scully's mother before I left for the airport. 11:07am "Margaret, I know where Scully is." "You do? Where?" "I don't want to say, just in case I'm wrong. Are you okay?" "I don't know, Fox. I'm trying not to worry." "Why? What's wrong?" "You know Dana's been calling me everyday..." "Yes?" "Well, she hasn't called today, and I'm scared." "Don't be. Do you want me to come over?" "No, just find her." "I will. I'll call you when I know more." "Okay. Goodbye, Fox." "'Bye, Margaret." I quickly drove to the airport. In a few hours, I'll see Scully for myself. 4:30pm Finally, I make it here. We had a slight delay, but everything went okay. I didn't bother checking into the airport motel this time. There was no time to waste. Besides, if I was wrong, I didn't want to stick around. I got in a cab, and we went to that familiar address... SHERATON CHICAGO HOTEL & TOWERS 301 E. NORTH WATER STREET CHICAGO, IL 5:18pm I've been up 12 hours, but it feels like 12 years. I went inside, and straight to the front desk, placing my bag on the floor beside me. I asked the clerk to ring Scully's room. She told me there was no Dana Scully checked into this hotel. That's when I went into full Mulder mode, flashing my badge at her, asking to see the sign-in book. She looked a little scared, but she brought it over, then went to answer the phone. I turned back a few pages to April 4th, the date of her last letter to me. The clerk was right--no Dana Scully. I looked over the page again, and that's when I saw it. I grabbed my bag, went to the elevator, and punched the button for the 17th floor. I knew I was right! She even got the same room. I walked down the hall, and stood at the door. I hesitated before knocking. What would I say to her? How do I apologize after all that's happened? I was about to knock, when I saw a housekeeper coming out of a room down the hall. I ran to her. "Excuse me, ma'am? Could you let me in to room 1735? I told my partner to expect me at five o'clock, but she's not answering. I just want to make sure she's alright." "I don't know, sir. It's against hotel policy to let--" I stopped her before she could finish. I showed her my badge, and she relented, unlocking the door for me. "Thank you, ma'am. Here's a little something for your trouble," I said, handing her a five-dollar bill, and reading her name embroidered on her uniform. "Oh no, sir, I can't accept this!" "Of course you can--Mary. Sometimes you have to break the rules." I winked after saying her name. She smiled. "Anything to help a gentleman. Have a good day, sir." "You too." I went inside. Her room was dark, the draperies shut. I could hear music softly playing. It was coming from the bedroom. I walked to the door, where it was half-closed. I opened it, and stepped inside. The lamp was on, and Scully was lying on the bed, her back to me. She must be asleep. I walked over to the other side of the bed. She had both hands covering her stomach, protectively covering our child. She was frowning, and there was a light sheen of sweat covering her forehead. She must be having a bad dream! I slipped in the bed next to her, pulling her body close to me. She didn't wake up. xxxxxxx I was having that same nightmare I've had for the last week- -always the same. I was in a dimly lit room with him. He was lying on a table, strapped down. His eyes were closed, like he knew what was about to happen. Then 'they' came in, and started to wheel him out of the room. I ran after them, but I couldn't catch up. I'm pregnant, and I can't run as fast as I used to, but I keep trying, clutching at my stomach, as I felt the baby kick. It's no use, and I scream at them for taking him away from me. "Please don't take him! Please! Don't hurt him! Please don't hurt him, I'm begging you..." That's when I wake up, disoriented, only something was different. Someone was shaking me, calling out my name. Surely it couldn't be him? He doesn't know where I am! I opened my eyes. "Scully, please wake up!" "Okay, I'm awake. How'd you find me?" I backed away from him, kicking the sheets off me, and wiping my forehead with the sleeve of my robe. The very robe I stole from this room, almost a year ago. It fits over my bulging stomach, much better than it did before I was pregnant. He looked at me strangely, so I asked him again. "How did you find me?" "Come on, Scully! That name you used--Georgette Hale? I used the name 'George Hale' when I went to Puerto Rico all those years ago. Frohike didn't tell me right out, but he did drop a hint about big shoulders, and I figured this is where you'd come." "Sometimes you're just too damn smart for your own good, you know that?" "So, shoot me." "I've already done that. It's not an experience I care to repeat." "Scully, I know I've said some things to you, and that you're angry at me..." "*Why* are you here?" "Scully, I'm trying to apologize! I'm sorry for the way I acted. I've been going through things since I woke up in that hospital in Seattle--things that I've been trying to hide from you. That was a mistake. I knew you were trying desperately to help me, and you did, but of course, it wasn't enough. I didn't want you to know about the pain I suffered while I was gone." "Why wouldn't you talk to me? I wanted to know what you went through! I knew you were hurting. I just needed you to talk to me, and you wouldn't do that!" "I know, Scully, I know. I'm sorry. All the apologies in the world probably won't help." He reached out his hand to me. I hesitated; I wanted so much to hurt him, the way he had hurt me. I touched his hand, and he looked down, away from me. "Mulder, look at me." There, I said it. I said his name out loud for the first time since I had that argument with Bill. He looked straight into my eyes. "Mulder, I still love you. You know that, don't you?" "Yes, Scully, I know. I love you too, Dana. More than anything." We looked at each other, silent now. I squeezed his hand, smiled at him, and he smiled back. "Scully?" "Yes, Mulder?" "I like holding your hand, but can I touch you? It's been so long, and I missed holding you in my arms..." xxxxxxx We sort of gravitated towards one another. I touched her face, Scully sighed, and closed her eyes. I wanted to touch her everywhere. I touched her bare legs, which were peeking out from that too-big robe, which fit her so perfectly now, though her shoulder was still bared, and she didn't bother to cover it. So I decided to do it for her. "You know, Scully, I *love* your shoulder, especially when it's exposed!" I touched it, and she started to tremble. "Scully, I...I..." "Yes?" "This music--what is it? I like it." "It's called Moments In Love." "How appropriate. This is a definite lovely moment." I held her in my arms, but she wouldn't stop shaking. "Scully, what is it?" I looked down at her. She turned away, and started to cry. xxxxxxx I couldn't help myself. I had kept this pent-up rage and sadness inside, and now I let it go. Mulder tried to calm me down. "Scully, it's okay. It's alright." "I know. It's just that...I missed you so much!" "It's okay, Scully. Please don't cry! You're going to make yourself sick..." I continued to cry in his arms. He held me close to his body, until my tears ran out. He soothed me, and comforted me, and I was grateful. "You okay, Scully?" "I am now. Thank you." "No thanks are necessary. I'm just glad you're okay." "I think I want to lie back down. Will you stay with me?" "Of course." I gave him my extra pillow, and we both lay down. He rubbed my back. "Just relax, Scully. Close your eyes. I'm right here..." In a few minutes, I was sound asleep, safe in the fact that the man I love was now back in my life. *To Be Continued...* "Moments In Love" is by the Art Of Noise, from their album THE BEST OF THE ART OF NOISE. Another instrumental, and just as good as Gato Barbieri! Author Notes in Part Twenty-Two. This section is rated R. COME BACK TO ME IV: A NEW LIFE By mulder42 PART TWENTY-FIVE: A LONG WALK XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX You're here I'm pleased I really dig your company Your style, your smile, your peace mentality Lord have mercy on me I was blind but now I see What a king supposed to be Baby I feel free come on and go with me Let's take a long walk around the park after dark Find a spot for us to spark Conversation, verbal elation, stimulation Share our situations, temptations, education, Relaxations, elevations Maybe we can talk about Surah 31:18 Your background ain't squeaky clean Shit, sometimes we all gotta swim upstream You ain't no saint We all are sinners but you put your good foot down to make your soul the winner I respect that Man you're so phat and you're all that plus supreme Then you're humble Man I'm numb yo with feelin' I can feel everything that you bring Let's take a long walk around the park after dark Find a spot for us to spark Conversation, verbal elation, stimulation Share our situations, temptations, education, Relaxations, elevations Maybe we can talk about Revelations 3:17 Or maybe we can see a movie or maybe we can see a play on Saturday or maybe we can roll a tree and feel the breeze and listen to a symphony or maybe chill and just be or maybe Maybe we can take a cruise and listen to The Roots or maybe eat some passion fruit or maybe cry to the blues or maybe we can just be silent Come on come on Let's take a long walk around the park after dark Find a spot for us to spark Conversation, verbal elation, stimulation Share our situations, temptations, education, Relaxations, elevations Maybe we can talk about Psalms in entirety Let's take a long walk around the park after dark Find a spot for us to spark Conversation, verbal elation, stimulation Share our situations, temptations, education, Relaxations, elevations Maybe baby maybe we can save the nation Come on come on... WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25th SHERATON CHICAGO HOTEL & TOWERS ROOM 1735 8:30am I woke up, but I wasn't alone anymore. Mulder was sleeping right beside me. I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. He was really here. I got out of bed, trying hard not to wake him up. I quickly got cleaned up and dressed in the bathroom. I was all set to go for my daily walk, when I thought I should call my mother. I didn't call her yesterday, and she's probably worried. I went to the living room, sat down on the couch, and put the phone in my lap. What would I say to her? I thought, as I dialed her number. It rang three times before she answered. "Hello?" "Hi, Mom, it's me." "Dana? When you didn't call yesterday I got so worried!" "I'm sorry. Look, I don't want to stay on the phone too long, or I might wake him up." "*Him?*" "Mom--Mulder is here with me." "He is? That's great news! He told me yesterday that he knew where you were. Just where are you, anyway?" "Can you believe I came back to Chicago?" "Yes. Yes, I can. There were a lot of great memories there. For you *and* Fox. I'm glad he found you. Are you okay, Dana?" "I am now. I think Mulder wants to start over." "Start over? I don't understand." "He hasn't said it to me straight out, but it's a feeling I have. I'm sure he'll tell me when he's ready." "When are you coming home?" "I don't know. I don't want to rush Mulder. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?" "OK, Dana. Take care of Fox." "I will. 'Bye, Mom." "'Bye, sweetheart." I wrote Mulder a quick note before leaving. xxxxxxx 9:45am "Mmm, Scully. Scully?" I rolled over, but her side of the bed was cold. "Scully? Are you here?" No answer. I got out of bed and looked around. No sign of her. I started to panic. Robe in the bathroom; clothes in the closet. That's good. I went to the living room and sat down. I picked up the phone, and dialed Margaret's number. "Hello?" "Margaret, it's me." "Fox, how nice to hear from you. I already know you found Dana." "You do? How?" "She called me an hour ago. She said you were sleeping, and she didn't want to wake you." "She did? How did she sound?" "She sounded happy, finally for the first time since she left." "Are you sure, Margaret?" "Of course! Is something wrong, Fox? You don't sound yourself." "No, I'm okay. I guess I'm just not awake yet." "Good. Don't you two stay in the Windy City for a whole month this time, okay?" "We won't, I promise. Maybe we'll see you in the next couple of days?" "That would be nice. Take care of Dana. Goodbye, Fox." "I will. Goodbye, Margaret." I didn't want her to worry, so I didn't tell her that Scully wasn't here. I called Skinner, but he wasn't at his desk, so I left him a voice mail message. Now I can concentrate on finding Scully. It had to be a simple explanation. She probably just went out for breakfast. Yes, that's it. She'll be back any minute. I grabbed my bag for a change of clothes. I decided to take a shower. By the time I finish, she should be back. Twenty minutes later, I'm done with my shower, and all dressed--still no sign of Scully. I grabbed my coat. It was time to start looking for her. I was all set to go out the door, when I saw it. I don't know why I didn't see it before. It was a note from her, on the table. Maybe I missed it because it was on top of a magazine. I read it. Mulder, Gone out for some fresh air. Be back soon. Scully Okay, where would she go for this 'fresh air'? It didn't take me long to figure that out. It had to be the one place I took her to last year after she got out of the hospital... MILTON L. OLIVE III PARK 10:57am When I made it to the gates, I saw her standing by the second platform. I hurriedly walked towards her. She never saw me coming. As I got closer, I could see that she had her eyes closed, her face tilted towards the sky. She had one hand on her hip, and the other one on her stomach, moving it slightly up and down, over the material of her coat. She was smiling, and it seemed like she was a million miles away. She still didn't know I was here, so I continued to watch her for a few more seconds, before speaking. "Good morning, Ms. Hale." xxxxxxx I was a million miles away. I didn't hear him approach me. I opened my eyes to a vision. Mulder was dressed all in black--jeans, turtleneck, coat, and sunglasses. My throat decided now was the time to go dry. "M-M-Mulder! Good morning to you, *Mr.* Hale." "Did I startle you?" "Of course not!" "Did I ever tell you how incredibly sexy you look in sunglasses?" "Never, but I don't mind a little flattery. Might I add that you're looking especially gorgeous, Scully." "You're lying, and flattery will get you everywhere!" "Oh no, Scully. This is no lie. Pregnancy seems to agree with you. You're beautiful." He came closer, and put his arms around my waist. "Eight months. Won't be long now." "No, it won't." "Are you cold, Scully?" "No. It's 50 degrees this morning, but I'm fine. Would you like to walk with me?" "Sure. Where to?" "Around the park. Maybe some other places." "Are you up to it?" "Of course. I've been going for walks everyday. Besides, I need the exercise." "Okay, let's go." He took my hand, and we started our walk. xxxxxxx We walked out of the park, then headed toward Lake Shore Drive. We took it slow and easy; there was no need to rush. We enjoyed our view of the lakefront, and about an hour later, we had made it all the way to Oak Street Beach. We sat down on a bench. We hadn't said much on the way here-- just small talk. But I was ready to *really* talk to Scully. We looked at the water. "Scully, I'm ready to tell you now." "Tell me what?" "What happened to me during my abduction." She stopped looking at the water, and looked directly at me. "Are you sure?" "Yes. Here, put your feet up. I want to put my arms around you." "Okay." She turned to the side, and I did too, pulling my right leg up on the bench. I put my arms around Scully's waist, and she leaned against me. "Are you sure you're not cold?" "I'm fine, Mulder! Are you sure you're not stalling?" "Yes, I *am* stalling, but I want you to be comfortable. Guess I'll get started. As you know, I was missing for a few months. Skinner and I went to Oregon looking for evidence of the UFO. We were setting up equipment. I saw a light, and I walked towards it. All the abductees were standing in a circle. Once I joined them, I felt myself being lifted off the ground. We were all floating, and then everything went dark." "You know, Mulder, you really don't have to tell me all this right now. You can tell me when we get back to the hotel." "No, I want to tell you now. I'll feel much better when I do. I woke up in a room, alone. It was dark. I didn't really get a good look at them at first. They would bring me water. I thought it was drugged because I would always wake up groggy and disoriented. I don't know how long I had been there. When they finally let me see them, I found out it was the Alien Bounty Hunter." "Mulder!" She squeezed my hand. I closed my eyes and continued. "Part of this I told you about before. They wheeled a table into the room, picked me off the floor, and took all of my clothes off. They were going to take your cross away from me." "Mulder, I don't mean to interrupt, but you keep saying 'they.'" "Yes, the ABH and the rest of his brothers. They all looked the same, but only one of them spoke. I started to call him #1." "And, somehow you persuaded this '#1' not to take the cross?" "Yes, I begged and pleaded, and #1 let me keep it. Then he and his brothers burned me. I don't know how they did it. All they did was touch me, and I could feel it all through my body." She squeezed my hand tighter. xxxxxxx He continued to tell me everything that happened to him. I had to bite my lip to stop myself from screaming. The terrible things those bastards had done to him. They burned him, hit him in the head, punched and kicked him, starved him, cut him with sharp objects--that must be how he got that huge gash on his chest--the one that was so close to his heart, Dr. Collins said if it was any closer, he would've surely been dead. They basically got their kicks from hurting him. They had used him and the others as guinea pigs. I listened until Mulder was finished. He didn't falter once. "I would always call out for you, hoping that you would hear me, Scully, but...but you never did." "I heard you in my nightmares." "Oh, Scully, I'm sorry." "You don't have to apologize." "I read your letters to me, you know." "You did?" "Yes. If I had known that you were pregnant, Scully, I would've stayed." He whispered in my ear, "I would've *stayed*, Scully." His breath tickled the hairs on the back of my neck, and I shivered. "You okay, Scully?" "Yes! Yes, I'm fine, Mulder." xxxxxxx I didn't really believe her, but I didn't want to press it. She took my hand, and placed it on her stomach. I felt the baby start to kick almost immediately. "That's so amazing." "What is?" "What we did. We created a life...Scully, the only thing that kept me sane up there was the belief that one day I would get to see you again. I didn't think I would make it, and I wanted so desperately to see your face one last time." "Oh God, Mulder, please don't say any more! What you went through..." She brought my hands up to her mouth, and placed a kiss in each palm. "Scully, look at me." "I can't!" "Yes, you can. I want to see your face." She hesitated, but she slowly put her feet on the ground, and faced me. "I wanted to tell you all this now because I didn't want this to linger over us another day. I tried damn hard to hide this from you, and it wasn't fair. I feel so much better now. A big weight has finally been lifted from my shoulders." "I'm glad you're okay, Mulder." She looked away from me, up at the sky. I looked up too, and took off my sunglasses. "Scully?" xxxxxxx "Yes, Mulder?" I was looking up at the sky, trying very hard to hold it together. I looked down at him, just as he was taking off his sunglasses. It was almost as if we went back in time to last year, right before Mulder went to Oregon with Skinner. We were in the stairway at the FBI Building. I didn't want him to go, but I didn't want to stop him, either. I gave him my cross. I looked at him, pleading; he looked at me, and gave me a kiss I'll never forget. I wanted to kiss him right now, but I didn't want a repeat of what happened on my birthday. So I asked him a question instead. "Do you still have it?" "Have what?" "My cross." "Of course. I never take it off. It's a constant reminder that you're always here with me, even when you're not, in the physical sense." He unzipped his coat some, and pulled it out from underneath his turtleneck. I touched it for the first time since I gave it back to him in the hospital. "I'm glad you had a little piece of me up there." "I am, too." I got up to stretch my legs. Mulder followed me, grabbing my hands. "Are you okay?" "Yeah." God, I felt like a teenager on her first date! Why am I so nervous? I started to walk towards the sand, but Mulder stopped me. "Hey! Where're you going?" "I want to get closer to the water." "Plan on jumping in?" "No, the water is freezing!" "I'll keep you warm," he said, as he put his arms around me, and then his hands started moving up, onto my arms, my shoulders, and then to my face, where he held me captive. "Do you know how distraught I was when you left?" "No, I didn't. I just knew that I wanted to hurt you." "I know I deserved it." "No, you didn't. I should've been more understanding of what you were going through." "But you *were*, Scully. You were." "We'll just have to try harder to--" I couldn't finish. He was rubbing his fingers over my cheeks. His voice started to lower. "Do you know how much I missed you?" He kissed my cheeks, and I closed my eyes. "Do you know how many times I wanted to get you alone? And then when we *were* alone, I got scared. I don't want to be scared anymore." He kissed my eyelids, and then my nose. His breath was hot on my face, and I could feel my skin blushing. And then his voice got even lower, and I knew what he was going to do--he was going to kiss me. "Do you know how long I've wanted to do this..." His face got closer and closer, and then his lips met mine. It was slow at first, and then more powerful. I brought my hands up to his neck, and pressed myself as close to his body as I could. When we finally broke apart from each other, we were both breathing very hard. My legs felt like jelly, and I grabbed his shoulders, so I wouldn't fall down. xxxxxxx "Hey, Scully, you okay?" "Oh yeah, I'm okay. You really know how to make a girl weak in the knees, Mulder." "I've been wanting to kiss you for so long." "I know," she whispered. She took my hand, and we started walking back to the hotel. I knew Scully was tired, and I kept asking her if she wanted to take a cab back, but she refused. When we finally made it back to her room, it was almost 2 in the afternoon. "You alright, Scully?" "Yes, but I think I want to soak in a hot tub for a few minutes. Why don't you order room service?" "Okay." I watched her walk to the bedroom with a worried look on my face. I should've insisted we take a cab back. She pushed herself too hard. I sat down by the window, opened the drapes, and looked out at the city. I thought back on the kiss we shared at the beach. It was so powerful--so magical. I felt all the passion she still had for me in that one moment. My longing for her got very strong. It had been so long since anything had happened like that between us. It was almost as if an electric current was flowing through both of our bodies. I was too, but not necessarily for food. I went to the bathroom door and knocked. "Scully?" No answer. I knocked again, and put my ear against the door--still no answer. I opened the door and went inside. The lights were off, and she had two candles burning. Her back was to me, so I went to the other side of the tub. She was asleep, of course, and covered up to her neck in bubbles. I kneeled down beside her. "Scully? Hey, Scully, wake up!" "Mmm, what time is it?" "Almost 2:45. What do you want to eat?" "I'm too tired to eat, Mulder. I just want to get out of this tub and lie down for a nap. I'm sorry I fell asleep on you. Guess I pushed it too much on our walk. I don't usually go that far, but having you with me was an incentive." "An incentive? Scully, what am I gonna do with you?" "Help me out of this tub?" "I think I can manage that. Wait a minute. What is that fragrance?" "It's lavender bath oil, for relaxation." "It's nice. I like it on you." "Okay, hand me that towel over there." "Wait. You know, we've never taken a bath together, Scully." "And you won't be doing it now. I'm sure you don't want to smell like this." "And that would be a bad thing?" "Well, *no*. But somehow, I don't think you're the floral type, Mulder." "You're right. Just lean back. I want to look at you." "Mulder..." xxxxxxx "Just close your eyes." "Why?" "*Because*, I asked you." "OK--what are you up to?" I closed my eyes. He put his hand in the water, and started to touch me--from my shoulders down to my toes. "Mulder, what are you doing?" "I'm touching you. Just be quiet, Scully. You might like it more, if you'd just shut up." "Are you ordering me to?" "Yes!" So, he started the process over again, a little more slowly this time. He ran his hand over my stomach, and then cupped both breasts, which completely took me by surprise. I bit my lip, as his hand went down my arms to my hips, and down my legs to my feet. Then it started to slowly go up up up, until it was between my legs. My eyes flew open. "Mulder!" "Shh, Scully. Just let me touch you..." "But...but the water's getting cold. I'm gonna shrivel up here." "Okay, I'll dry you off. Hold on to my shoulders." "Why?" He lifted me out of the tub, and dried me off. "My robe is on the back of the door. Do you mind getting it for me?" I wrapped the towel around me, and walked out of the bathroom, sitting on the bed. I took the clip out of my hair. "You're letting it grow long again." "Yes," I said, as he handed me my robe. I slipped it on, keeping the towel wrapped around me. "This thing just will not stay on both shoulders at the same time." He kissed my bare shoulder. "I love your skin, Scully. It's *so* soft." "Mulder..." "I know--you're tired." "I'm sorry. I felt it too. Maybe some other time?" "Yes, you're right. I wouldn't want you to get worn out any more today." I got up, loosened the towel, and let it fall to the floor. I stepped out of it, and lay down on the bed. Mulder took off his turtleneck and I put both my hands on his chest. "Very soon, Mulder." "I'll look forward to it." I kissed him gently on the lips. "I love you, Mulder. That will never change." "I know." "Hey! You're supposed to say 'Never?'" "I know. I just wanted to see if you were paying attention." He laughed. "Okay, Scully. I love you. That will never change." "Never?" "Not while I'm alive." "Good. Hold me?" "Certainly." He put his arms around me, and we both fell asleep a few minutes later. I dreamed about Mulder and his incredible hands, roaming all over my body. We'll definitely have to take long walks more often... *To Be Continued...* "A Long Walk" is by Jill Scott, from her album WHO IS JILL SCOTT? WORDS AND SOUNDS, VOL. 1. Author Notes in Part Twenty-Two. This section is rated R. COME BACK TO ME IV: A NEW LIFE By mulder42 PART TWENTY-SIX: WRITTEN IN STONE XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX When we kiss that way I search for words that might explain How can a love go so deep Girl, it's in my blood It'll always be a part of me If we stay together Or if we go our separate ways I know...love will last forever The sun may someday lose its light The moon my not shine one night Your heart will always have a home It is written in stone--written in stone Seasons go by and minds have changed But I will never doubt why I feel this way It goes on so strong Like a solid rock Even when the moment's gone Nothing lasts forever But one thing's sure to stay the same Our love...the love is getting better The sun may someday lose its light The moon may not shine one night I know just how the story goes It is written in stone--written in stone True love is timeless and unconditional You don't need to read the writing on the wall I can see the future--happiness won't fade away The sun is in the sky just like it was yesterday Love will last forever The sun may someday lose its light The moon may not shine one night Your heart will never be alone It is written in stone--written in stone True love is timeless It will grow through smiles and sadness Won't you walk with me Our love, it'll be forever I know sometimes you might not believe it But baby I'll do my best to show you, let you see it Time might not be so bad I know we'll come out ahead Love is timeless Timeless and unconditional You don't need to read the writing on the wall It's written in stone Happiness won't fade away... FRIDAY, APRIL 27th 10:13am We spent all day yesterday in her room, watching movies and talking. We only went out once, to Olive Park, which is just where we came from a few minutes ago. "OK, Scully, I don't want to spend all day in your room again. You hungry?" "Yes." "Great! Let's go down to the Riverside CafÄ for a late breakfast." "How about something else?" "Just tell me what it is." "I'm gonna get changed. I have an idea. It's something I've been promising to do." "*And*, you're not going to tell me, are you?" "No. You'll find out soon enough." She went to the bedroom to get changed. I heard her making a phone call, but I couldn't tell who she was talking to. It couldn't be her mother--she talked to her earlier this morning. Ten minutes later, she was ready to go. "Ready, Mulder?" "For what?" "Your surprise." "What surprise? Who were you talking to on the phone?" "Jealous? It was my secret lover." "Scully!" "Boy, can't take a joke, can you? If you *must* know, it was the concierge I was talking to." "Why?" "So many questions, Agent Mulder! You'll just have to trust me. Put your coat on so we can go." I didn't say another word. I put my coat on, Scully grabbed my hand, and we were out the door. We took the elevator down to the lobby, and got in a cab. Where we were going, I had no clue. xxxxxxx We were in the cab, on the way to our destination. I knew Mulder would enjoy my surprise. But he hasn't said one word to me since we left the hotel. I decided to break the silence. "Mulder, I've been meaning to ask you--how was your last doctor's appointment?" "Okay, I guess. My strength is completely back. The scars are almost gone." "What about your weight? How much have you gained?" "At this point, thirty pounds. Why do you ask, Scully?" "I ask because of my surprise. We're almost there." I saw it, and I smiled. "Ready for that greasy cheeseburger, Mulder?" xxxxxxx THE WEINERS CIRCLE 2622 N. CLARK STREET 10:48am "Scully, I suppose the concierge told you about this place?" "Of course. If you don't want a burger now, we can go somewhere else." "No, Scully. This is a great idea. I never did have that greasy cheeseburger you promised me, and the sign here says 'Home Of The Char-Broiled Cheddarburger.' Sounds good. Let's go inside." I had a cheeseburger, and Scully had a hot dog. We split an order of fries, with no salt, per her request. Probably the only healthy thing we had were the pickle slices that came with our orders. "It's delicious, Scully. It's even greasy, too. Here, have a bite." "No, thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying your heart attack on a bun." "I am. Thanks, Scully." I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. When we were finished, I helped Scully off her stool. "You okay?" "Yeah. I'm still getting used to not seeing my feet." "Ready to go?" "Where to?" "Oh, I don't know. I'll think of something..." xxxxxxx GRANT PARK BUCKINGHAM FOUNTAIN 12:08pm "You remembered! Thanks, Mulder." "Of course. Let's go sit down." We walked over to the nearest set of benches, and sat down. I put my arm around Mulder's waist, and leaned my head on his shoulder. "I'm glad you brought me here. This is the most beautiful fountain I've ever seen. When I came back to Chicago, I knew I had made a mistake." "A mistake?" "Yes. I was trying to forget about you, and I knew I couldn't do it here. It's kind of hard to forget the place where a guy tells you he loves you for the first time." "But, Scully--" "I know. I'm not counting when the gunmen and I rescued you from the Queen Anne. How could I believe anything you said then, Mulder? You were drugged!" "I meant it then, you know. And I wanted to tell you again in my hallway, before that damn bee stung you." "Why didn't you?" "I don't know. It seemed like you were giving up on me. I didn't want you going off to some local field office in the boonies. I wanted you right by my side, working on the X- Files." "I know..." "Scully?" "Yes?" "This has all been fun, but do you mind if we go back home?" "No. When do you want to go?" "As soon as possible. I think we need to start fresh, Scully. We've both been through so much..." He squeezed my hand. "Let's walk around the fountain a couple of times. I think we need the exercise after that lunch. Deal?" "Deal." We walked around it four times, before heading back to the hotel. xxxxxxx SUNDAY, APRIL 29th MULDER'S APARTMENT 1:00pm We got home yesterday afternoon. I had been thinking about what I could do to start over with Scully, and I got a great idea. I was going to need Margaret for help with this. I packed some more things, then called Scully. "'Lo." "Scully, I'm sorry--I woke you up!" "That's okay. What time is it?" "It's after one. How are you?" "I'm fine, Mulder. I miss you. Why don't you come over?" "Believe me, you don't know how much I want to right now, but I've got plans to make." "What plans?" "I can't tell you yet. Hey, I want you to pack some things. Do you still have my birthday and Christmas presents?" "Of course. What's going on, Mulder?" "Good. Look, I'll give you a call in a couple of days. Love you!" xxxxxxx "But--" He hung up. I got out of bed to dig Mulder's presents out of my closet. WEDNESDAY, MAY 2nd 9:21am "Hello?" "Dana, good morning!" "Hi, Mom." "How are you?" "I'm good, but I'm worried about Mulder. I haven't heard from him since Sunday." "He's okay, dear." "How do you know?" "I just finished talking to him." "You did? Where is he?" "You'll find out in a few hours. Fox wanted me to check with you, and see if you were ready." "Ready for what?" "Your bags are packed, and you have his presents?" "Yes. Mom, what's going on?" "Can't tell you. I've been sworn to secrecy." "*Mom!*" "Do you know someone named Frohike?" "Yes. Why?" "Fox said that he would pick you up at noon, so wait for him." "Frohike pick me up to go where?" "Don't worry, Dana. Fox will take good care of you. You can tell me all about it when you get back." "But I don't know where I'm going!" "Dana, trust me. Just relax until Frohike gets there, okay?" "Alright. I'd better get changed." "I won't keep you any longer. 'Bye." She hung up. I went to the bedroom, and put on my earrings and bracelet, for the first time since I got home. At 11:55, I heard Frohike honking outside my window. I looked out, and had to smile. He was driving that awful powder blue VW van. He got out, and was on his way up. "Hi!" "Hi, Frohike. Are you going to tell me where we're going?" "Nope. Mulder said he'd kill me if I told you. Let me get your bags, then we can go." I went to the couch to get the bag that has Mulder's presents in it, and grabbed my jacket. "Okay, let's go." When we got inside the van, I asked Frohike, "How come Mulder didn't pick me up?" "He's busy right now. He asked me if I would like to help, and I jumped at the chance. Might I add that pregnancy seems to agree with you, Dana. You look wonderful." "Mulder told me the same thing. Easy for a guy to say--you don't have to carry this child around." "Hey, relax. We'll be there before you know it." "Okay." I readjusted my seat belt, and closed my eyes. Might as well enjoy the ride. Hopefully, this won't be a long drive. xxxxxxx MULDER SUMMER HOUSE QUONOCHONTAUG, RI 1:28pm I waited outside for fifteen minutes, wondering what was taking them so long. They should be here by now! I was about to go back inside, when I saw Frohike pulling that beat-up van to the door. Scully was asleep, her head pressed against the window. That *can't* feel good. I opened the door, and gently shook her. "Scully! Scully, wake up." "Ooh, where am I?" "My summer house." "In Rhode Island?" "Yes. Here, let me help you out." I unbuckled her seat belt, and helped her out of the van. Frohike brought her bags out, then got back in the driver's seat. "Time for me to split. You two lovebirds have fun! Don't do anything I wouldn't do..." "Thanks, Frohike." Scully and I looked at each other as he drove off. "So, Scully, are you surprised?" "Very much so. More like in shock." xxxxxxx He picked up my bags and led me inside. He put the bags down by the couch. "I'll bet you're thirsty. I'll get you some water--be right back!" I just stood there with my mouth open, remembering the last time I was here. Mulder was not himself, and he had a gun-- a deadly combination. And then he pointed the gun at me... Get away! Are you going to shoot me? Is that how much this means to you? Mulder, listen to me. You have been given a powerful hallucinogen. You don't know that these memories are yours. This is not the way to the truth, Mulder. You've got to trust me. Shut up! Put down the gun. Let it go... He shot seven times, as I stood behind him. He broke down and cried, and I held him in my arms, not really knowing what to do, or how to help him. I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. "Scully? Scully!" "Sorry." "I know what you were thinking. Just forget about it. That was in the past. Let's leave it there, shall we?" He gave me the water, and we sat down. I took a long drink, before setting the glass down on a table. "Mulder, what are we doing here?" "I brought you here so we could start over fresh. And so you could relax." "But I can relax at home." "I know. I just wanted to do something nice for you. Relax, Scully. You'll enjoy it. Let's get you settled. Come on, I want you to see our bedroom." "*Our?*" "Well, technically, it was my parents' bedroom. I thought you might be more comfortable there, since the bed's bigger. If you don't want to sleep there, you can stay in my old room." "No, Mulder. It's all right. Lead the way!" "Okay, but first you have to close your eyes. I'll take your bags in first. Stay right here, Scully." "I'm not going anywhere." I got up, and watched Mulder leave with my bags. When he got back, I closed my eyes. "I'm ready, Mulder." He grabbed both my hands, and led me to his parents' bedroom. When we got to the doorway, he walked behind me, and put his hands on my shoulders. "Just a few more steps forward, Scully. That's it. No peeking!" "Okay," I said, as I covered my eyes with my hands. "How long do I have to stand here?" "Just one more step to the right. There! Open your eyes, Scully." I took my hands away from my face. I opened them, looking up, and then down, towards the bed. In the middle of the blanket was a purple teddy bear, with a huge purple bow tied around its neck. Next to the bear were a dozen purple tulips. "Oh, Mulder!" xxxxxxx She sat down on the bed, hugging the bear and smelling the flowers. "He's so cute! Think I'll call him Spooky." "That's not very original." "But you gave him to me, Mulder. Anyway, he looks kind of spooky, with those piercing black eyes of his--in a 'good' spooky kind of way. Thank you, Mulder. I love the room. It's really nice." "Glad you like it. You hungry?" "Not really. Maybe in a few hours." "Good. I'll just pop the food in the oven." "Are you cooking for me again?" "Kind of, with a little help from your mother. Let's go in the kitchen and I'll show you..." I took her to the kitchen, and straight to the refrigerator, opening the door. "See, Thanksgiving dinner. I told you I read your letters, Scully. I know the things you wanted to do for me." "You've got Cornish hens, macaroni and cheese, dressing, rolls, cranberry sauce..." "And, your mother's famous potato salad." "But, Mulder, I should have done all this!" "Margaret didn't mind. In fact, she was tickled pink that I thought up this whole plan all by myself." "Can we eat by candlelight?" "Anything you want, Scully." xxxxxxx I helped him with the food, setting the oven, and putting the hens inside to cook. That gave us some free time to ourselves. "Ready to see your presents, Mulder?" "Sure. Should I open them out here, or back in the bedroom?" "Back in the bedroom. I can relax and put my feet up." We went back to the bedroom. I got the bag, and handed it to Mulder. I sat down on the bed, propping myself up on two pillows. "You comfortable, Scully?" "Yes. Go ahead. See what I got you." I watched his eyes light up as he opened all the presents I got for him. A lavender shirt and tie for his birthday. Cufflinks and a Gato Barbieri CD for Christmas. "This is the one that has Europa on it, right?" "Of course!" "Good. I really like that song, and I haven't heard it in a long time." "One more thing, Mulder." "Another present?" "Yes, its right on top inside my carry-all bag." "I'll get it!" He went to the other side of the bed, knelt down, and unzipped my carry-all. He smiled. "Is this what I think it is?" "Yes--the World Series. All five games are on those three videotapes." "Great! Can't wait to watch them." "It's a date, Mulder." "Thanks for everything." "You're welcome. Oh! I think our daughter wants to say hello." "Well, let's get reacquainted," he said as he sat beside me on the bed, placing his right hand over my swollen belly. We sat there in silence, as I guided Mulder's hand, and she continued to roll around. 3:00pm "Don't you think you should check on the hens?" "You're right. I'll put the macaroni and the dressing in the oven if they're almost done." xxxxxxx 7:30pm Dinner took longer than I thought. Luckily, I managed not to burn the hens. I had the table set, and even managed to find some candles and holders in the house. I lit them, then went to get changed. Scully suggested dressing up, coming out of the bedroom wearing a simple black dress. I hadn't brought any suits with me, so my lavender shirt and tie will have to go with my jeans. I brought the food to the dining room table, and poured us glasses of water. "Scully, dinner's ready!" "Good, I'm starved. You did a good job, Mulder. I'm proud of you." "Here, have a seat. You're glowing, Scully." "It must be the candlelight." I fixed both our plates, then sat down. "Looks and smells delicious, Mulder." "I just hope it tastes good." "My mother can't make a bad meal. It'll be fine." "Wait! I forgot our drinks." "We've got water right here." "I know. I meant our *other* drinks." I went to the kitchen, and returned to the table with a bottle and two glasses. "Mulder, what *is* that?" "Sparkling white grape juice. I had it chill in the freezer for a few minutes." "You've thought of everything haven't you?" I opened the bottle, and poured. "What should we toast to?" "Let me think," I said, sitting back down. "I know--to the new life that will be here very soon, and to you, Scully. For finding me, and bringing me back from the brink of death." We clinked glasses. Scully looked at me, blushing, as she took a sip. xxxxxxx We didn't say much during dinner. And like I told him, it was perfect. Everything was delicious. Afterwards, I helped him clean up. 9:08pm "Let's go sit outside, Scully. It's a beautiful night." "Okay." We went to the back of the house, and sat down in chairs he had set out there. "Guess you had everything planned." "Yes. Sit down, and take a look at that moon." "It looks so bright, but that's probably because we're not in the city." "We used to come out here at night, Samantha and I, and look at the stars." "That must've been nice." "It was. Its times like this, Scully, where I really miss her." I reached for his hand. "Are you okay, Mulder?" "I think so. I can still see her face so clearly, when we were in California, working on the Amber Lynn LaPierre case..." xxxxxxx I was about to lose it. I got up out of my chair, and walked towards the water. Scully followed, putting her arms around me. "Mulder?" "She was so beautiful, Scully. She put her arms around me, just like you're doing now. She looked at me, and held my face in her hands. I hugged her back. It felt so...*she* felt so real." xxxxxxx He started to cry, and then he pulled away from me, but I held him tight. I didn't want him to go through this alone. We sank down in the sand, and I touched his hair, telling him it was okay to let go. "She never got a chance to grow up." "I know, darling, I know. I like to think that Emily and Samantha are always around, watching over us." "You do?" "Yes. I believe in my heart that they are." I wiped his tears away, and kissed both cheeks. "Let's go back inside." "Okay." We got up, and slowly made our way back to the house. "I don't know about you, but I could go for some more potato salad and grape juice." "Okay, I'll get it. You sit down in the living room." He came back with a small bowl, one fork, and one glass. "I thought we'd share." "Good idea. You know what would be nice right now? Music." "You're right. Be back in a minute." He came back with the Gato Barbieri CD, placing it in a portable player that was sitting on the top of the television. "Now I can hear the whole thing!" He sat down, and we fed each other the potato salad, drinking the juice when we were finished. Europa was the third song on the CD, and when it came on, Mulder asked me to dance. xxxxxxx I held Scully close to my body, as we slowly began to move to that haunting saxophone tune. "Thanks for helping me outside, Scully." "You did the same thing for me. I'm just returning the favor. Did you feel that? She just kicked. Guess she's a Gato fan, too." "You may be right. I can't wait 'til she's born..." I looked at her, then leaned down, and gave her a slow, lingering kiss. "I love you, Scully." "And I love you, Mulder," she said, trying to stifle a yawn. "Oh, I'd better get you to bed. I'll take care of this. You go get ready." "Okay, I'll hold a spot for you..." She headed towards the bedroom, and I turned off the CD and the lights, grabbing the bowl, fork, and glass, and taking them to the kitchen. It was just then when I had a flash. Why would I be having them now? I had a drink of water, sitting at the kitchen table. After 15 minutes, I felt good enough to go to the bedroom. I stripped down to my underwear, slipping under the sheets. Scully was already asleep. She was wearing her familiar blue pajamas. I wanted to be close to her, but the flashes started once again. I turned away from her, and took some deep breaths. It was going to be a long night. xxxxxxx THURSDAY, MAY 3rd 10:53am I woke up to Mulder having a terrible nightmare. His body was shaking, and I was having trouble waking him up. "Mulder, please wake up. Mulder!" "Oh! It was a dream." "Yes, but are you okay?" "Of course. I'm fine, Scully. Think I'll go out for a run." He hopped out of bed, grabbing his clothes off the floor. He pulled a pair of shorts and a t-shirt out of a drawer, then went to the bathroom. He came out ten minutes later, all dressed. He reached under the bed for his running shoes and put them on. "Mulder?" "I'm *fine*, Scully!" He didn't say anything else. He walked out, and then I heard the back door close. I changed into my robe, went to the kitchen, and waited for him to come back. xxxxxxx I ran up and down the beach, until my legs nearly gave out. I went back to the house, and stretched a bit to cool down. In my haste to get finished, I twisted my back a little too forcefully. A twinge just shot through my entire body! I slowly made my way up the stairs, and walked inside, where I found Scully in the kitchen, munching on an apple. "You okay, Mulder? I thought I heard you moaning." "Yeah, I'm alright. I twisted a bit too much, now my back is all out of joint. I'm not as young as I used to be. Forty years old this year..." "Where does it hurt?" "Right here," I said, trying to point to the sore spot, which only made the pain worse. "You need to lie down. Take that wet t-shirt off." "Okay." We went into the bedroom. "Lie down on your stomach, Mulder. I'll see if I can get the kinks out." She straddled me, and gently started to massage my shoulders. "Right here, Mulder?" "No, a little lower...right there...that's the spot. Ohhh, that feels *so* good!" I don't know how long she kept it up, but I was in heaven. When she stopped, I asked her to keep going. "Mmm...no, baby, don't stop..." xxxxxxx "Okay, turn over, Mulder." I lifted myself from his body, so he could roll over. I put my hands on his chest, leaned down, and kissed his scar. "It's okay. Let me help you Mulder. I can help you with the flashes." "How did you know?" "You had that same look on your face when I brought you home from the hospital. You don't have to hide this from me anymore." "I know, but--" "Shhh," I said, putting my fingers to his lips. "Just let me do this..." I dipped my hand underneath his shorts, and slowly started to stroke him. He was hard, like steel. His eyes fluttered closed, and I started to rain light kisses on his neck, chest, and face. "I want you, Mulder..." xxxxxxx I looked at her. Her eyes were dark with desire. Her robe had come open, and I could see she was wearing panties and nothing else. "Touch me, Mulder," she said. I reached out to cup her well-rounded breasts. She arched her back, which only pushed her body closer to mine. "I don't want to hurt you, Scully." "You won't. Make love to me. Please..." Her eyes were pleading. She took off her robe, and threw it on the floor. I sat up, and kissed her, plunging my tongue deep into her mouth. "Scully..." "It's okay, Mulder. It's okay. Please--just this one time. I love you so much." She began to touch me again, which really started to get my attention. "Let's take it slow. It's been so long, Scully." "I know," she whispered. xxxxxxx He touched me all over. I had been dreaming of this since the bathtub incident in Chicago. His hands were magical, just as I remembered. It was almost like the first time we came together, except this time our daughter was between us, and I never felt closer to Mulder. I knew at this moment, that I never wanted this man away from my side. xxxxxxx I never felt closer to Scully as I did right now. She was on top of me, and I was inside of her, with our daughter between us. It was an incredible feeling. Much more intense than the first time we were together. I had imprinted myself on her, body and soul. I knew then that I never wanted her away from my side. Afterwards, we lay entangled together, slowly touching an arm here, a leg there. "Scully?" "Yes?" "You think she'll remember what just happened between us?" "I hope not! I'd hate to try and explain to her that she was a participant in our lovemaking session!" "You're right. I don't think I'd want to explain that, either." "Thank you." "For what? For making you happy?" "No. For letting me make *you* happy." "Scully, I love you. You never have to thank me for this. We both needed each other..." She quieted me with a kiss. "Up for a shower, honeybunch?" "Sure, poopyhead. You lead the way." We got out of bed, ready to have a little fun with some soap and water. *To Be Continued...* "Written In Stone" is by Daryl Hall, from his album SOUL ALONE. ============================== It's not what you say Before we start to play It's what you say after That makes me want to stay... --"Twenty Foreplay" by Janet Jackson ============================== COME BACK TO ME IV: A NEW LIFE By mulder42 PART TWENTY-SEVEN: THE GIFTS WE RECEIVE XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX MONDAY, MAY 14th SCULLY'S APARTMENT 3:14am "Oh!" I woke up with a start. Another nightmare. In the dark, I reached across the bed, but Scully wasn't there. "Scully?" No answer. I got out of bed. She's not in the bathroom or the kitchen. I sat down on the couch, wondering where she could be. Got a craving and went out for a midnight snack? Nah. She would've woken me up and asked me to get it for her. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I opened them again, I saw a faint light coming from the hallway. I went to the door and opened. Scully was lying on the floor, her pictures of Emily and Melissa clutched in her hand. The candle she had burning was giving off the little light that was in the room. I hadn't been in here before. There was a crib by the window with the bear I gave her sitting right in the middle. I bent down to wake her up. "Hey, Scully, this can't be comfortable!" "Mmm, Mulder, is that you?" "Who else would it be? Why are you in here sleeping on the floor?" "I woke up at 1am and couldn't get back to sleep. I didn't want to toss and turn, so I got up and came here." "Why didn't you show me this room before, Scully?" "I don't know. It just never seemed to be a good time." "I'm sorry." "No, don't say that! Please, Mulder. No more apologies. It's getting so close now, to when I actually have this baby, and I guess I was just wishing things were different." "Emily and Melissa. It's perfectly okay that they would be on your mind now. They're not here to share this with you." "Daddy, too. I don't know; sometimes it makes me so angry! They should be here with us--your parents, your sister..." I didn't say anything else--I just held her. She looked up at me, put her hand on my chest, then kissed the cross that still hangs around my neck. xxxxxxx He held me, his arms enveloping me in a blanket of warmth. I looked at him, put my hand on his chest, then kissed my cross that he still wears faithfully. "Hey, do you mind if we get off this floor?" "No, but I think I'm going to need some help." "Good! Back in bed where you belong." He helped me up, grabbed my pictures, and blew out the candle. We slowly made our way back to the bedroom. "OK, Scully, no more sleeping on the floor. That can't be good for your back." "I'm fine, Mulder, really." "I hope you're not just saying that." "I'm not. I'm worried about *you*, Mulder. You looked so concerned when we were in the baby's room, and don't tell me it was just because of me!" "Alright, I confess. I had another nightmare. It wasn't too bad this time." "Lie down, Mulder. I want to tell you something." xxxxxxx I laid down, and Scully did too, snuggling as close to my body as she could get. "We've both had our share of nightmares over the years, but nothing could compare to when I saw you in Seattle in January. I almost died there with you that day, Mulder. I saw all my hopes being dashed--no future with you; left all alone, with a baby--*our* baby--to raise. I couldn't go on if you weren't here with me, so I had to do everything in my power to save you. I can't live without you. I'll love you until I take my last breath, Mulder. I thought you should know that..." I went very still. Scully started to make small circles right at the base of my neck, and I wanted to enjoy the sensation. Our daughter decided to wake up and join the party. "Umm, that tickles." "What does?" "She's kicking, and I can feel it on my back." Scully is smiling. I don't have to see her face to know--I can *feel* it. I turned around to kiss her. "Hopefully, Scully, we'll have many more years together. I didn't want to die out there alone..." "Shhh, go to sleep, Mulder." "You too, darling." She closed her eyes, and I watched her until she fell asleep. When she was finally off in dreamland, I placed my hand lightly on her stomach. She was so beautiful, even asleep. When we got back from Quonochontaug a week ago, Scully told me she had a doctor's appointment in a couple of days, and that she wanted me to come with her. When I woke up in the hospital in Seattle, we both had been hurting in our own way. Both of us doing things separate from the other. I didn't want to do that anymore. I didn't want Scully running off somewhere because she was afraid of what mood I'd be in; and I didn't want to suffer in silence alone because I didn't want her to see how much pain I was in. That stops right here. Right now. Scully rolled off her back onto her side. I laid my hand on top of hers. I could never tire of touching her. It's probably one of the things I love most doing with her. I love the way she giggles when I lightly touch her on that spot behind her knee. On the way she sighs when I kiss her on the neck, behind her ear... I managed to gather her in my arms without waking her, before going to sleep myself. xxxxxxx SATURDAY, MAY 19th 4:30pm "Mulder, that was my mother on the phone. She said she wanted to stop by and see us." "Okay." He smiled at me as he came out of the bedroom. And it wasn't one of his regular smiles. I know that look. He's up to something. "You comfortable, Scully? I can get you an extra pillow." "I'm fine, Mulder. You're missing the game." "It's still tied, isn't it?" "Yes." "It's still early. It'll get exciting towards the end..." We were watching the Yankees play on TV. He hadn't watched the World Series tapes yet, so I decided to ask him. "Mulder?" "Yes?" "When are you going to watch the World Series?" "I don't know yet, Scully. When the mood hits me, I'll let you know." My mother arrived at six o'clock sharp, bearing gifts. "Mom, what's all this?" "What does it look like?" "Mom, I told you that you're doing *too* much. You're spoiling this child! You already gave me the bassinet, the hamper, the clothes..." "I know, sweetie. It's the least a grandmother can do. Hi, Fox. How are you?" xxxxxxx I took the boxes from her, then kissed her on the cheek. "I'm great, Margaret. How about yourself?" "I can't complain. I'm so excited! Any day now, Dana--are you ready?" "Yes. I am ready for our daughter to leave my body and take up residence elsewhere." "You two still don't know for sure if it's a girl, do you?" "No, but Scully has me so convinced, I'll be quite surprised if it turns out to be a boy." "So, how long did you keep my daughter in Quono--Quono--in Rhode Island?" "Five days." "You two must have had a marvelous time. I didn't hear from you when you got back, Dana. What did you do?" "We had your dinner, which was delicious, of course." "Yes, Margaret, it was. Thank you for helping me out with that. The next day was even better." xxxxxxxx "Mulder!" He reached for my hand. "Well, it was!" "I understand. I was young and in love once, too." They exchanged glances. I knew something was going on! "So, what did you get, Mom?" "Here, a box for the both of you. Go ahead--open it." We opened our boxes. Inside were bibs--mine, yellow, Mulder's, blue. The words 'Baby Special Agent' were sewn in the middle. "Oh, I love it! Thanks, Mom." "Yes, I do, too. Thanks, Margaret." "Do you have it, Fox?" "What? Oh, yes. *That*. I do. I'll be right back." "What's going on?" "Close your eyes, Dana. One more gift for you." "I'm overloaded on gifts! We opened the ones from Dr. Collins and Skinner two days ago--a black jumpsuit from the doctor--the better for our baby to 'go undercover' with, according to her note; and a mobile from Skinner for the crib." "Oh, good. I suggested it to Walter, but I wasn't sure if he would actually get it for you." "Mom, is there something going on between you two?" "No, dear. We're just friends..." <'Just friends'? Where have I heard that before?> xxxxxxx I had it over at her across-the-hall neighbors' since Wednesday. I didn't want her to stumble on it before today. Margaret and I had planned this little get-together, and it was going along smoothly. "Scully, are your eyes closed?" "Yes, Mulder. What have you two collaborated on this time?" "Something I think you'll enjoy. Okay, you can open your eyes now." She stood up as soon as she saw it. "A rocking chair? I love it! And it's lavender-colored." "I had it painted. I spared no expense." "It's beautiful..." She sat down in it, and closed her eyes. "A perfect fit. Mom, Mulder--thank you." When she opened her eyes, she sighed. "What is it, Dana?" "I was just thinking about Daddy, Mom. I wish he were here right now..." "It's alright. He's always right here, in your heart. I miss him, too." I gave them some privacy, going to the kitchen to get started on dinner. 8:07pm "That was delicious, Fox! I had no idea you were a gourmet chef!" "Funny, Margaret. You know that tomato soup came from a can." "I know, I know. But the grilled cheese sandwiches. That was the best I've ever tasted. You okay, Dana?" "Yeah, Mom. I just think I need to put my feet up." "Okay, I'll help you." She helped Scully over to the couch, while I finished with the dishes. "Think I'll head on home now. Call me if you need anything." "We will, won't we, Scully?" "Yes, Mom. Goodnight." "Goodnight, Dana." "Here, Margaret, let me help you with your coat." "Oh, thank you, Fox. Keep a good eye on her, okay? It's getting really close now." "I know." "You've made me so happy, Fox. I'm glad you and Dana found your way back to each other." "We've been through a rough patch these last few months, but I think we're finally back on track." "I know. Goodnight, Fox." "'Night, Margaret. Drive safely." "I will." Before closing the door, I called her back. "Margaret?" "Yes?" Putting my arms around her and giving her a big hug, I said, "Thanks for being there. For being a mother when I needed one. I love you, Margaret." "And I love you too, Fox." I kissed her on the cheek before letting her go. I saw tears in her eyes. Happy tears. xxxxxxx THURSDAY, MAY 31st 7:15am I woke up with a strange feeling. Mulder was already awake; I could smell the coffee. "Mulder?" "Scully, good morning! How about scrambled eggs for breakfast?" "Sounds good. Oh!" "Scully! Are you alright?" He rushed to my side. "Sit down. You shouldn't be on your feet..." He's been practically smothering me for the last week. Ever since the 24th and the nine-month mark rolled around, he's waited on me hand and foot. 'Scully, did you take your vitamins?' 'Scully, would you like more juice?' 'Scully, do you need an extra pillow?' It's driving me nuts! "I'm *fine*, Mulder!" xxxxxxx Uh-oh. I know that look. That 'Mulder, you're-starting-to- get-on-my-nerves' look. It's just that ever since the 24th, I was expecting Scully to give birth. She reminded me that babies come when they're ready. I don't like the way she's walking around. She looks uncomfortable to me. "I'll get you some water, Scully. Please sit down. You're gonna make yourself dizzy walking in circles like that." "Mulder! Oh, alright." Maybe she'll relax once she's eaten something. xxxxxxx 6:36pm "Okay, Mulder, I'm ready for that last game now." "You sure?" "Of course, I'm sure." "Do you want popcorn again?" "No, thanks." Mulder told me last Sunday that he finally felt like watching the games, so we've watched one game every night. I don't think I've ever seen him so excited. We would sit on opposite ends of the couch, and Mulder would rub my feet. After it was over, Mulder would take me to bed, wrapping himself around my bloated body. God, I feel like a watermelon! I was starting to get restless... "Scully, you alright?" "I'm fi--oh, go down a little lower on my foot, Mulder. Right...there--ummm..." I closed my eyes. "Better?" "Yes, thank you. Don't look at me like that, Mulder!" "Come over here, Scully. I want to hold you." "Oh, alright--anything to get you to shut up, and go back to watching the game." xxxxxxx She scooted over, leaning into me, and laying her head against my chest. This was better. I was still worried about her. A couple hours later, I got my answer. "Hey, Scully--I thought you were asleep." "I was--kind of. I'm just trying to get into a more comfortable position--oh!" "What is it?" "It's nothing. I'm all right. Where are we in the game now?" "The bottom of the seventh inning. We're almost in the home stretch!" "Good." Five minutes. The pain wasn't too bad. After ten minutes, I had to give up. We weren't going to make it to the end of the game. "Mulder, I think you should get my suitcase out of the closet." "What? Oh! Is it time?" "Yes!" "Okay, stay calm, Scully. Just breathe. In and out-- through the nose, and out the mouth..." "Mulder--suitcase!" "Right, I'll get your coat and shoes, too." He quickly came back, helped me into my shoes and coat, grabbing my suitcase, his jacket and car keys, and shuffling me out the door. When we finally made it to the car, I told Mulder to take a deep breath. "Why?" "Because, you need to be calm, too. I need you with me on this, Mulder. Every step of the way." "Wouldn't miss it for the world." Finally! This baby was ready to be born. *To Be Continued...* COME BACK TO ME IV: A NEW LIFE By mulder42 PART TWENTY-EIGHT: ANY WAY AT ALL XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX We never know Where the winds of love will carry Our hearts unfold Into the hands of time Nothing will ever change This love we share No matter what it takes I will be there When the sun don't shine You pray for clouds to break Reach up to the sky And pray for it to rain When the times get hard You rely on your faith We'll be together If there's any way at all If there's any way at all Don't be afraid 'Cause we're in this love together We'll ride the waves 'Til we reach the other side Your love is life to me None can compare Long as I live and breathe I will be there When the sun don't shine You pray for clouds to break Reach up to the sky And pray for it to rain When the times get hard You rely on your faith You know that we'll be together If there's any way at all If there's any way at all If there's any way at all We'll be together baby If there's any way at all We'll be together forever and ever Reach up to the sky And pray for it to rain When the times get hard You rely on your faith We'll be together If there's any way at all If there's any way at all... FRIDAY, JUNE 1st ANNE ARUNDEL MEDICAL CENTER 64 FRANKLIN STREET ANNAPOLIS, MD 1:03am We made it to the hospital a little after 10pm last night. Mulder called ahead of time while we were on the way, letting them know when we'd arrive. Somehow, I managed to convince him not to run the lights, or drive too fast. Everything was going to be okay. When we arrived, my doctor, Eric Randall, greeted us. He and a couple of nurses got me settled, hooking me up to a monitor to keep an eye on the baby. Nothing's happened yet, though I've been lying in this bed for the last couple of hours. Mulder had stepped out of the room for a few minutes, and I waited patiently for him to come back. After waiting 15 minutes, I started to worry. I sat up, trying to reach the call button to ask for a nurse. That's when Mulder decided to come back. xxxxxxx "Hey, Scully, what are you doing?" I ran into the room when I saw her reaching over the bed. "I was ready to send out a search party for you. Where're you been?" "I went to call your mother." "I forgot all about her! What did she say?" "She said that you were in very capable hands, and that I could call her back after the baby's born." "Good. I wouldn't want her waiting around here, too. How do you feel, Mulder?" "How do *I* feel? I should be asking you that question, Scully. Are you okay?" "Yeah. Just wondering how much longer this is going to take." "Don't worry. Everything's all right. Dr. Randall said so." "I know." I sat down next to her, holding her right hand. xxxxxxx I looked up at the clock. It was now 3:30am, and it was time. *Really* time. Dr. Randall was waiting right outside the room, and Mulder called him in. I pulled my legs up, and when the doctor gave me the okay, I pushed. It hurt like hell, but I knew it wouldn't be much longer now. Mulder held my hand, and coached me, giving me words of encouragement. I expected him to be squeamish, but he handled everything like a trooper. When she finally arrived, and I heard her cry, we both had tears in our eyes. Mulder cut the umbilical cord, and one of the nurses wiped her off, wrapping her in a pink blanket, and handed her to me. She had all her fingers and toes, and she was perfect. So perfect. When Mulder and I both looked down at her, he said, "She's beautiful, just like her mother." xxxxxxx I kissed her on the forehead. This was one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments. Here I am, a father when I never thought I'd be one. Our daughter came into the world at 3:47am. I told Scully I would call her mother to give her the good news. "Okay, but hurry back." I stepped outside the room, walking down the hallway to a window. I dug the phone out of my jeans pocket again, and dialed Margaret's number. "Hello?" "Margaret, you're a grandmother again. It's a girl--9 pounds, 8 ounces." "Wonderful! How's Dana?" "Great. A little sore and a little tired, though." "Well, having a baby takes a lot out of you. I should know. I'll come by a little later on today. Have you decided on a name yet?" "No, we haven't. I guess we'll have to discuss that, won't we?" "Yes. Go back to her, Fox. Get acquainted with your daughter." "I will. She's so beautiful, Margaret. I can't wait for you to see her." When I went back to Scully's room, she was all settled, with our daughter laying next to her in her little bed. "Mulder! Did you tell her?" "Yes. She'll be over later. Look at you," I said, reaching down, and picking her up. She looked right at me, her little fists waving in the air. I sat down on the bed, and handed her to Scully. "We have to decide on a name." "I know. Any suggestions?" "No. Wait. How about Sarah?" "Sarah?" "Yes. That was the name of my grandmother on my father's side. Samantha and I spent a summer with her once. She died when I was ten years old." "I think I have the perfect middle name." "You do? What is it?" "Katherine." "That's *your* middle name." "Yes, and it was also the name of my grandmother, on my mother's side. She died when I was fourteen." "Then, it's settled. Sarah Katherine Mulder." "No. Sarah Katherine *Scully* Mulder." "Alright. How do you feel?" "Happy." "Me, too. I feel like going to a rooftop and screaming!" "Thank you, Mulder." "For what?" "For our daughter." "I think you had a hand in this too, Scully." "I know, its just that...I love you so much." "I love you, too. That will never change. You need to rest. Why don't you lie down and try to get some sleep." "Okay." I took Sarah and placed her back in her bed. I kneeled down and just talked to her. I told her that I was her father, Scully was her mother, and that she'd have to get used to her new surroundings now. She gurgled and cooed, looking at me the entire time. I think we really bonded at that moment. "'Night, Mulder." "Hey! I thought you were asleep." "No, I was just listening to you talk to Sarah. That was sweet." "Go to sleep, Scully." "Okay." I saw her eyes drift close once more. After about 15 minutes, both of my girls--Dana Katherine and Sarah Katherine--were sound asleep. A nurse came and took the baby to the nursery. I don't think I could sleep myself right now. I left the hospital and got in my car. I started driving, until I wound up at a familiar place. I just had to tell somebody, or I was going to burst! SKINNER'S APARTMENT CRYSTAL CITY, VA 5:38am "This had better be good, Agent Mulder." "Oh, it's very good news, sir," I said, handing him a chocolate cigar. "Scully had a baby girl a couple of hours ago." "Great! How is she?" "She's fine, and the baby's fine, too." "Come on in--I'll make you a drink." I sat down, and he handed me a glass of scotch. "Drink up, Mulder, and congratulations." "Thank you, sir." "Well, I guess this means that my two best agents will be off-duty a little while longer." "Actually, I was thinking about returning to work. I'm ready to come back, sir." "We don't have to discuss this right now. Come see me in a few days, and we'll talk about it." "Alright, sir. I'd better go." When we got to the door, he shook my hand. "Good job, Mulder. I'm sure you and Scully are very happy." "Yes, we are. Thank you, sir." When I got back in the car, I called the guys. Of course, Frohike would be the one to answer the phone. "Give Scully a kiss for me, will you?" "I will. You know, Frohike, you really should stop lusting after Scully." "Why would I want to do that? A guy can dream, can't he?" When I got back to the hospital, Scully was still sleeping. It was now 7am. Margaret called, and said she'd see us in a couple of hours. xxxxxxx 9:13am I woke up to see Mulder looking at me. He kissed me on the cheek. "That was from Frohike." "Oh, really?" "Really. He sends his love, as well as Byers and Langly. Skinner, too." "I see. You've been busy, haven't you?" "Yes. Margaret should be here any minute. She told me she called Bill and Charlie." "I'm gonna have to talk to Bill. Tell him to treat you nicer." "It's okay, Scully." "No, it's not. He may not like it, but you're part of the family, and he has to quit being a jerk." "I don't want to argue with you about this. Besides, I don't have to see Bill everyday, and that's a blessing in itself." "You're right, Mulder. I want to see Sarah. Can you go get her from the nursery?" We heard a knock at the door, then Dr. Randall came in with the baby. Mom was right behind them. "I guess I'll leave you all alone." "Thanks, doctor." "Yes, thanks, doctor." When Dr. Randall left, Mom came in and gave Mulder a big hug. "Congratulations, my darling boy." "Thanks, Margaret. Want to see your granddaughter?" "Yes, very much." Mulder picked her up, and placed her in my mother's arms. "Margaret, I'd like to introduce you to Sarah Katherine Scully Mulder." "She's so precious--brown hair and brown eyes. And she has your nose, Fox." "I don't know if that's a good thing." "Of course it is! How could it not be? Here, Dana--I'm sure you'd like to hold her now." "Yes, I would. Thanks, Mom." xxxxxxx MONDAY, JUNE 4th SCULLY'S APARTMENT 12:03pm Frohike came over to see us, bringing flowers for Scully, and a rattle for Sarah. "She's a little miracle." Scully said, "That she is. Thanks for stopping by, Frohike. Why didn't Byers and Langly come, too?" "They're working on a story for our next edition of the Lone Gunman. Can't tell you about it yet, Scully. It's top secret." "Since when is anything you publish in that paper top secret, Frohike?" "Just you wait, Mulder..." I talked with him for a few more minutes before he left. When I went back to the bedroom, Scully was gone, so I went down the hall to the baby's room, where I found her, sitting by the window in her rocking chair, with Sarah suckling at her breast. That was a beautiful sight. She had her eyes closed and she was humming something. What, I didn't know, but it didn't matter. I watched them for a few more minutes, before kneeling down beside Scully. "Hey, how's everybody?" "Mmm, Mulder, I didn't hear you come in." "I know. You and Sarah just looked so peaceful that I didn't want to disturb you." "Is Frohike gone?" "Yes, it's just you and me. And Sarah, of course." "Just the way I like it." xxxxxxx My heart was so full. I had Mulder, and I had Sarah, and all was right with the world. She let go of my breast, her mouth making a popping noise when she did. She looked at the both of us, with those beautiful brown eyes of hers, and smiled. "Oh, I guess you've had enough, sweetie," I said, placing her head on my shoulder. Mulder rubbed her back. "Think she knows who we are yet?" "Of course she does! We're her parents, and we love her very much." "Yes, we do. Scully, I'd just like to let you know how happy you've made me. This has all been so incredible. I never thought that I would be a father, and--" "And I never thought I'd be a mother--a *real* mother, anyway. We're both very lucky." "Why do you say that?" "We've gotten a second chance, Mulder--you almost dying, and coming back to me. And me, I can be the mother that I couldn't be with Emily." "Oh, Scully..." "No, I'm okay. When I first found out I was pregnant, I wondered if I'd ever see you again. When I finally did, I worried about how I would tell you. I feared that you would never wake up from that coma." "You don't have to worry about that anymore. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere." Sarah gurgled, and I handed her to Mulder. "She's so amazing. You've given me a wonderful gift, Dana. I love you." "I love you too, Mulder." He looked at me, then leaned over for a kiss, his lips warm and inviting. I put my hand on his arm to pull him closer, careful not to crush Sarah. We were living a new life now, and I wouldn't have it any other way. *END* Wow, I bet you took a LONG time to finish the whole thing! If you stuck around for the entire journey, thank you. Just to let all of you know who enjoyed it--while I was in the middle of writing "Come Back...", I got an idea for another story, so now the adventures of Mulder & Scully is turning into a trilogy! I haven't started writing it yet--just some notes so I wouldn't forget them while I was still writing this one. So, in the very near future, you can expect story #3. AND--in case any of you were wondering about the title of my story... Looking through my old drawer Came across the letter you wrote Said you needed time away That was so long ago All my life I've waited To see your smile again In my mind I hated Not able to let go Come back to me I'm beggin' you please Come back to me I want you to Come back to me I'm beggin' you please Come back to me Lord knows that I have tried To live my life as one Friends tell me to hold on Tough times don't last for long My abandoned heart Just doesn't understand My undying love for you Won't let me wait Come back to me I'm beggin' you please Come back to me I want you to Come back to me I'm beggin' you please Come back to me Please come back to me I miss you so much Wherever you are I love you All my life I've waited To see your smile again In my mind I hated Not able to let go... --"Come Back To Me" is by Janet Jackson, from her albums JANET JACKSON'S RHYTHM NATION 1814 & DESIGN OF A DECADE 1986/1996. "Any Way At All" is by Donna Summer, from her album ENDLESS SUMMER. Send me some feedback! mulderfortytwo@hotmail.com