From: Kim Knight Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 00:20:58 -0800 (PST) Subject: " The Bends" - revised Source: revision Title: The Bends Author: KimK Feedback: Yes please! k_nig_it1013@yahoo.com Rated: R-ish . . . Due to disturbing material and some very mild sexual content ( and by mild, I mean mild . . . but better safe than sorry.) Spoilers: All Things and Per Manum and Millennium and En Ami and several episodes from the past . . . basically, if you watch the show religiously, you should know. It's tiny stuff, but hey. ;) Summary: Some physical and traumatic healing for Scully from a case brings on some added emotional awakening for both Mulder and Scully. Disclaimer: No, they are not mine. Don't sue please. They belong to the one and only Chris Carter and to 1013 and all that jazz. There are, however, characters that do in fact belong to me. It should be obvious who they are. Author's Notes: Alright, so I didn't do the traditional post All Things story, but I am ok with that and I love the ones that do. I just had all these ideas for several stories but not enough for each idea to make 20 stories, so I just built them all in one fanfic and picked the best episode for it all to happen after. I'll have a more notes when the story is finished. Enjoy! ********* If you call I will answer and if you fall I will pick you up and if you court this disaster I"ll point you home ********* XxX FBI Headquarters 4:53 pm Mulder threw the file on his desk, startling Scully out of her bored daze at the computer screen. " Thank God, something to do." Scully reached for the folder and immediately started looking it over. " It's not even an X-File, Scully. It's just some case they are assigning us because we have nothing better to do." Mulder sat on the corner of the desk and looked down at Scully. " That's fine with me. I just need out of here." " Getting sick of me already?" Mulder grinned and then focused on the file. " No, Mulder. I'm fine with you, it's the office I'm sick of. We have been sitting here doing nothing the past week. I just need to feel like I am accomplishing something." " I agree. But you would think they could give us something better than this." " Well, looks pretty interesting to me." She took her eyes off the information and looked up at Mulder, " In the non-paranormal way that is. I mean, several similar deaths to investigate aren't a complete waste of time." She began to observe the folder again. " Ok, ok. Anyway, they assume it is one person. They seem to choose arson as their murder tactic. Three homes in the last three days have been set ablaze. They all took place in the morning hours." He stood up and placed one hand on the desk and one hand on the chair as he looked over Scully's shoulder. " Why are they already suspecting it was murder? Fires do tend to happen accidently." She turned to look at Mulder and found her face uncomfortably close to his. Ever since she had stayed the night at Mulder's, the night she had concluded the Daniel Waterston encounter, he had started to invade her space more. For it to be called invading her space wasn't really the right term, because she enjoyed it. More than she should. Mulder smiled, sensing the tension and then slowly rose to stand straight. " True, but there was no evidence to point to an accidental fire. No misplaced cigarette. No burner left on. No leaking gases. The fires were too planned and timed. It all pointed to arson. However, they can't seem to find how the fire started at all. That is where we come in. I guess. They want us down at the last victim's home." Scully looked over the file to check that victim's information. " Benjamin Reynolds. Married. Forty-seven years old. Two kids, both in college. His wife has been out of town the entire week. The fire was early this morning, around 6:00 a.m. " She closed the file, turned off the computer and got out of the chair. Mulder walked to the door and opened it. " After you." He motioned for Scully and she began to exit. Mulder placed his hand on the small of her back, a common gesture towards her, and guided her out the door. XxX Benjamin Reynolds Residence Arlington, Virginia 6:01 pm Mulder and Scully stood outside the home. " Well, at least it's still standing." Mulder optimistically observed the house and started walking towards a local fireman. Scully followed slowly, studying the home. Mulder extended his hand to greet the examining official. " Good evening, I'm Special Agent Fox Mulder," he shook the man's hand as he pulled out his ID, " and this is my partner Special Agent Dana Scully." She nodded and continued to observe her surroundings. " I'm Captain David Marshall. What can I help you with?" The man was in his mid-forties with scattered grey hairs. He had small scars from his fire fighting battles, but they hadn't worn on his appearance. He had crows feet at the corner of his eyes, proving he smiled and laughed despite the daily dragon he encountered. His stature was strong and unwavering. He was a focused man and seemed to hold much pride in his job. Mulder proceeded to ask routine questions as Scully walked closer to the house. Not everything was burned. The fire was centered in what seemed to be the master bedroom from a distance. The flames had touched every angle of the house, however. The master bedroom's side of the house was the most damaged and the side she was currently on was still pretty sturdy, so it appeared to be. Scully turned to walk and went over to Mulder and the captain. " Sorry to interrupt, but where is the body?" The captain took his attention away from Mulder and looked at Scully. " It's already been wrapped and sent to be autopsied." Scully nodded. " I see. Do you mind if Agent Mulder and I take a look around inside?" "Scully, are you sure that's a good idea?" " Well, there is only way to find out. Captain?" " Let me ask Mark, he's already been inside and knows the risks." He skimmed the area and called to Mark. Mark looked up from whatever he was inspecting and trotted over to David. He was covered in soot and still fully dress in his protective uniform. He stopped abruptly and acknowledged the two strangers before him. " Yes, sir." " Mark, this is Agents Mulder and Scully with the FBI." David motioned to the two agents. " They want to inspect the inside of the house and I wanted to make sure it was safe." " Yes sir, it's safe. We got to the fire soon enough before it caused much damage to the flooring. Just as long as you walk softly and avoid soft spots, it should be ok." "You're sure?" Mulder asked from beside Scully. " Oh yeah, I wouldn't let you go in if I wasn't sure." Mark smiled. " However, take a flashlight, it's pretty dim in there." Scully smiled back at Mark and then lightly grabbed Mulder's arm to let him know she was ready to get down to business. She looked at the two other gentlemen, " Thank you for your time, we'll see what we can find." As they headed up the steps, Mulder stopped Scully before entering." Scully? Do you have a flashlight?" Scully whipped out a flashlight from beside her gun holster. " I'm always prepared, G-man." He smiled. " Good to know one of us is." He then began to follow behind Scully as they headed into the house. It smelled like any burned house should smell. Wet, charred and acrid. Scully's nose crinkled as the sudden aroma filled her senses. " Remind me to get this scent for your mother for Christmas, Scully. It's absolutely divine." " Oh yeah, Mulder, I am sure that will keep her love for you ever-flowing." Mulder laughed. Margaret Scully loved Mulder as if he were her own son. He cherished that love. His mother had loved him, yes, but Margaret was less discreet in expressing it towards him. " Do you want to split up? I'll take the upstairs and you take a look down here?" " Actually, Mulder, would you mind if I take the upstairs? I'm very curious as to what the bedroom looks like." " Yeah. Sure. I think I may take a look in the office we passed." "All right. I'll meet you back here in . . .10 minutes?" " Okay. Be careful." He locked eyes with her to let her know his concern for her safety. She smiled at his concern. It wasn't something new. At times she may have even seem annoyed by it, but in all reality she appreciated it. Scully turned toward the stairs and slowly began to ascend. She stepped gingerly on each step. The stairs were hardly harmed by the fire, noticeably grey but nothing to really worry about. However, she didn't feel the need to take any chances. When she finally reached the top, she took in that the upstairs was considerably more black than the downstairs and proceeded with caution towards what she had identified as the master bedroom. The door was wide open and it was obvious her observations had been correct. This was where the fire had originated. She began thinking to herself that she should probably have asked some questions before deciding to investigate so quickly. She didn't want to find something they already knew. After looking over the room, she herself couldn't seem to discover how the fire could have possibly been started. Scully decided she better head back downstairs and talk to Mulder, considering he had talked to the captain more than she had. While leaving the room, she heard a slight creaking and rustling further into the dark hallway. She moved to turn on her flashlight, but realized that replacing the batteries would have been the smart thing to do. It's weak beam wouldn't do her any good. " Hello? Who's there?" She walked carefully, heeding the small noises. As she got closer, she was startled by something leaping at her. She blocked her face before it hit and discovered that it had already hit the ground. She opened her eyes to a cat, who then began to hiss at her. She sighed in relief and realized she needed to get it out of here. She did not need a cat disturbing the scene. " Mulder! There's a cat trapped up here!" " What?" He shouted from downstairs. She moved to the top step and began to step down, on a recognizably soft part of the wood. " There's a ca-" The wood gave an explosive break and she fell into darkness. End part 1 ********* Bring me to life. . . Wake me up inside, wake me up inside, Call my name and save me from the dark ********* It was pitch black. She had landed on her back and on something sharp at that. She struggled to breath, her vision began narrowing and the shock had begun to envelope her completely. She was impaled on something. She could tell it had missed her lung, but it didn't make it any easier to breath. Her chest hurt from the agonizing pain. " Scully!" Mulder ascended up the stairs, not even realizing that the top was missing. " I found a flashlight in one of the desk drawers in the downstairs office and--" He discovered, when he had reached the middle step, that the stairway did not look to be complete. " Scully? Scully! Where are you?" He was panicking. She heard his worried yells as she lay in the remains of the flooring. Clouds of billowing ash settled on her face, smothering her, making it even harder to breath. " Mulder." It was a faint whisper and she was surprised he had heard it. His light beamed through the hole, making ash particles even more apparent, and finally settled on her face. He lowered himself carefully into the hole and began working himself through the debris. He set his flashlight down into a crevice and began throwing the shattered debris and the broken stair step off of her body. As she lay there, he paused briefly and she noticed him flinch. He took off his jacket and tie, then tore off his shirt, buttons flying. " Keep breathing Scully, just hold on." She couldn't get enough air, she had to know what she landed on. " Mulder. . . what. . .land on?" He remained silent. It must be bad. She shivered and then her vision went black. XxX Arlington Memorial Hospital 6 Days Later 6:37 pm Ow. That was the first thought that came to mind when Scully finally woke up. She had just woken up from the longest, most painful sleep she had ever had. She knew she had been here for a long time, for she had woken up periodically throughout her stay but only able to stay awake for minutes at a time. She had no idea why she was here. Wherever she was. Moving was a struggle. She worked to move her head, just to see what her surroundings were. Obviously she was in a hospital, the noise and smell gave that away. Her side hurt, around the ribs. She spotted Mulder, sitting in the corner. Asleep. "Mulder." She whispered, hoping that if he had heard her in the house, he would hear her now. What had happened to her back there? All she remembered was darkness and Mulder. She saw him move and his eyes opened. He jumped up not too long after the peaceful wake. "Scully. You're awake." He moved to her side. "You're quick, Mulder." She gave a small smile, scared that even moving her mouth would bring more pain to her stomach. " Can I get you anything?" He set his hand sweetly on hers and brushed it ever-so carefully. " Water, and an explanation as to why I feel like I have been violently speared." Her voice was hoarse and worn. The ashes had damaged her voice slightly and the pain in her side didn't help much either. Mulder moved to the side-table with a smile and poured a glass of water for Scully. " How you feel is not too far from the truth." He shortly laughed out, helping her as she sat up and handed her the glass. " Scully, you fell through the stairs and landed on a joist rebar. Had it been two inches to the left, you would be paralyzed and three inches higher, you would be dead. It did more damage than a bullet. Your ribs are displaced." He dragged the chair he had been sleeping in and set it directly beside Scully. " That explains it. " She moved too quickly and caused the sharp pain to return. " Ow." " Are you okay? Do I need to get the Doctor?" There he went with the concern again. It made her laugh. " Mulder, no it's ok. Just don't make me laugh." " Oh well, then I guess I won't be able to see you for quite some time if you expect to keep from laughing around me." He winked with a smile and settled back into his seat. " Don't give yourself so much credit." She coughed from the strain on her voice, then grabbed her side. " Damn it, I might as well be paralyzed if moving only causes me pain." She started to tear. Mulder gingerly picked up her hand and kissed it. He moved an errand hair from her eyes and wiped the lonely tear. " Shhh. Scully, I am going to get the Nurse. You need to sleep." He stood up, opened the door and stepped out for a moment. When he returned, she looked up at him, the frustration gone, and smiled. " Mulder?" He turned to look at her after he shut the door and the smile she gave relieved him more than she realized. " Yeah?" " How long am I in for?" He gave a crooked smile and sat back down. " Believe it or not, you've been here six days already." Her eyes widened. "You were in intensive care for a few days. You lost a lot of blood and then there was the surgery. You should be out in no more than four days." " What have you been doing?" " I've been staying up here every night. You came to a few times while in intensive care, but you were under so many pain killers that you probably didn't have a conscious thought in that pretty little head of yours." " Thank you, Mulder. For staying with me." " I can't think of any other way I would have liked to spend my time." They locked gazes for a few seconds, until Scully broke it with an arched eyebrow and a concerned look. " What is it, Scully?" " What about the case? What happened?" " Oh that. Well, after you were brought in they took us off the case. Or, should I say, they took me off the case. They felt that they could handle it and said they would call me if they needed anything. The local police are taking over for now." " Did they ask family or witnesses about any suspicions or anything?" " There were no witnesses, which is odd considering it happened in the morning, and the family has no idea who could have done it and why." The nurse came in and injected the pain killers. She nodded at them both with a smile and then left. Mulder continued when the nurse left. " However they did find traces of Mogadon, an illegal tranquilizer, in all the victims, which makes it more obvious to be murder." " So somehow he slipped the drug to his victims and then he set their homes on fire. 'Course, there is always suicide." " No, I don't think that would be it. I mean, why would three people kill themselves the exact same way and have it happen so close to the same time?" " True." " Actually, they have a suspect for the drug situation. There is a small possibility he is the man they want for arson too, but all we do know is he is one of the few dealers who deal Mogadon around here. There is not enough information on him, however, to do anything. So they are still open to ideas." " So they already have a suspect. That's good. Ow." She grabbed her side, again. " Yeah, but we are off the case now, so don't worry about. Just focus on healing for now and when they find something they'll contact us." " So what have you been doing during all of this?" Her voice had weakened more and she could barely get out a whisper. " Well, I left here for a couple hours when they suspected a drug-dealer was who we were looking for. We narrowed down suspects and then I came back." He smiled and grabbed her hand. " Where have you been sleeping?" Her eyes began to get heavy from the drugs and she was beginning to give up trying to keep them open. " Here. That chair gets rather comfortable after six nights. Well, actually, when you were in intensive care and I refused to leave, they brought me a cot." " Mmm, how sweet . . ." She closed her eyes in defeat and her hand relaxed in his. " Good night, Scully." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. Her forehead crinkled slightly at the unexpected contact, then her face relaxed into a soft smile. He set her hand down and settled into his chair. He thought to himself how beautiful she looked. They had been able to clean her up, they had to for the surgery, so she looked as if nothing had happened. Other than the small cut across her cheek, her bandaging wasn't noticeable and her few bruises were hidden well, so she looked peaceful. He couldn't even imagine how that must have felt. More damage than a bullet? Something he would never want to experience and yet he would experience it all just for her. He didn't like seeing her in pain and he knew she hated him seeing her in pain even more so. However, she would much rather him see her in physical pain than emotional. She had been opening up more to him lately, though. Ever since Daniel was officially cast out of her life, she was more open with her feelings and less hesitant on accepting any comfort. She was still Scully though, with her stubborn mind and strong personality. The walls were breaking down more and more each day. She had stayed over that night. She fell asleep on the couch, legs on his coffee table and her face towards him. He wanted to say something more along the lines of all his paths leading to her, but she was long gone before he could even get passed what she had told him. Therefore, he covered her with an afghan and moved her hair from her face with a caress. A kiss wasn't far from his mind, but he refrained. She had left early that morning and their work days continued as usual. It was almost back to normal. Almost. The flirtation between the two of them had become more intense and he found himself wanting to be close to her more often and interestingly enough, she was letting him. He smiled at that last thought and found himself drifting. His head fell back against the head rest of the chair and he slept. End Part 2 XxX ********* Though I know I'll never lose affection For people and things That went before I know I'll often stop and think about them In my life I love you more ********* Scully's Apartment 4 Days Later Noon Mulder held her up as she used the assigned cane to get up the stairs. The pain had died a little but any subtle movements caused her to flinch and sometimes she would whisper an expletive under her breath. Mulder smiled each time. Not at the fact that she was hurting, just at the fact she was trying to make it seem she was fine, as usual. " You doing ok?" " Yeah, I'm fine. All I know is that I am never going to complain about it being boring around the office again." Mulder laughed at that. They reached her door and he opened it for her. Her voice was almost healed. It would occasionally get raspy, but she talked with more ease, at least. "Thank you, Mulder." He guided her to her couch and helped her sit down, taking her cane and leaning it on the coffee table. " Do you want me to get you something to eat? You haven't had lunch yet. Not to mention you have been stuck with hospital food for almost two weeks." " Actually, I would love a pizza." She gave a big grin and he chuckled as he grabbed for the phone. " What do you want on it?" " Extra cheese and sausage." " You've got it." Scully searched for her remote in the couch as Mulder ordered. The search failed, so she took the stereo remote from the side-table and hit the power button. The music of Van Morrison filled the air. Mulder hung up the phone and set himself beside Scully. " It should be here in about 25 minutes." " Mmm, good." " So how are you really, Scully? You haven't been saying much the last few days. I mean, I don't expect you to be overly talkative, considering what happened to you, but you have been in a bit of a daze. Is it the case or something? 'Cause I promise you, they have it covered." He placed his hand on her shoulder. " Oh it's nothing, Mulder. I have just been wondering about some stuff. I mean, I hate to bring it up again, but we all know where I stand in my journey of self-discovery, but I have been kind of wondering about how you feel. Where do you see yourself?" That was only some of the truth. She had been thinking about their relationship and where they stood. She had been thinking about the fact that she loved the life she had chosen from the simple fact that it involved him. However, she wondered if he was satisfied with is life. His sister had been found, more or less, yet he was living life the same way. Always searching. She wondered if he would ever really find what he was looking for or if he would continue in circles because it was all he had come to know. Mulder crossed his arms and a thoughtful expression came across his face." I'm not quite sure what you mean." " Well, ok, for example . . . ", Scully searched her mind for something to aide Mulder. "The people in your life. Had you not included them, would your life be much more different? Had I not come along, would we have met eventually by an act of fate or would we have lived our lives entirely different without each other." Mulder positioned himself to where he was looking directly at Scully's face. " All I know is that I'd be dead, if I hadn't met you. And I'm just being honest. I'm not trying to escape a profound conversation, I'm just telling you the truth. Meeting you is the greatest thing that ever happened to me." He smiled and cupped Scully's left cheek. " I see." She smiled back at him and then took on a serious expression. " What about the other women in your life? His hand dropped and a look of puzzlement came over him. " Well, had you not included Phoebe or Diana in your life, or for that matter stumbled upon Detective White or Bambi, what would have happened?" " Scully, where is all this--" " Mulder, if you don't want to talk about it, I am ok with that. You asked what I was thinking so I told you. I should have moved on from all this by now, anyway. Just forget about it." Scully positioned herself more comfortably on the couch and began to play with the remote in her hand. " Scully. I am more than willing to answer. I was just going to ask why you have suddenly started thinking about my life so much. That's all." She glanced at him quickly, then went back to tearing the sticker from the side of the remote. " I'm just curious." " Oh. Well in that case." He cleared his throat and looked at Scully until she focused her attention back on him. " Phoebe was a fling. She didn't have any real effect on my life other than making it complicated. She was so fickle in everything she did, it was hard to tell what she wanted. I think without her, my life would have just been more boring. I mean at one point I thought I loved her, but she saw it all too much like a game." Scully nodded for him to continue. " Now, Diana. I don't regret ever working with her or becoming so close with her, but I do regret ever trying to start anything. She was a fast mover that one. I remember in our second month of dating, not too long into our partnership, I told her I wanted to discuss something with her and that I was taking her out to dinner. I think when she realized all I wanted to do was resurrect an old case, instead of a proposal, she got pretty miffed. I didn't even realize, until after the date, that she had been expecting a marriage proposal. We were on and off from then on, until she finally left. Dating her was a wrong choice. I will always have strong feelings for her, because when we had worked together she was there for me. And I also know that some point in time I loved her, but I was never in love with her." " You were never in love with Diana?" She didn't want to feel as if she were prying, but she needed to know. She had always thought that they seemed to have something special and she hated it. To discover what the truth behind it all was . . . a relief. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. " No, Scully, I was never in love with Diana." For some reason she felt as if he were reassuring her. Which he was. He had never meant for Scully to get the impression that Diana must have left about their past relationship. He didn't want her to feel so threatened that she would never try to pursue anything with him. He wanted something more and he wanted Scully to know that it was ok for her to want more too. Scully smiled and then urged him with her eyes to continue. She wanted to get to the bottom of whatever he had felt for Bambi and Detective White. " As for Detective White and Bambi." Mulder chuckled slightly. " I don't even know why you are asking about them. I mean that's been a while. But, um, Bambi was merely eye candy. She was intelligent and I respected her, but just not someone I would start anything serious with. And Detective White, she . . . she scared me. I had no interest in her whatsoever, although you may think otherwise from the position you found us in. Excuse the pun." He laughed at himself and continued. "You and I both know that something cosmic was going on that night or whatever. She was very aggressive, however, which is sometimes good but other times, very bad. Anyway, I didn't see them as a threat to whatever road I am on now. And I like the road I'm on now." Mulder really wasn't sure why Scully had been so curious as to ask about the two women. They were there and they were gone. That's how he had looked at them in the past and how he had continued to look at them to this day. He couldn't help but see jealousy in her eyes when she had asked about them, however. Now all he saw was relief. It was strange to see any of those emotions come from Scully after this particular discussion. " Eye candy, huh?" Scully arched an eyebrow and flashed a half grin. " Well . . . I mean . . . you know what I mean." Mulder looked to the side in embarrassment and then looked back at her with a grin. " Are you sure you aren't just jealous, because bug-lady chose Dr. Inanov over you?" " Na. The fun facts on roaches got old after a while. Like I said, I hate insects. I'm sure they are having a great time raising their insect loving family anyway." " I'm surprised about your opinion on the detective. Well, not surprised . . . it's just you seemed to enjoy her company." Scully realized the comment could have remained unsaid and stared absently to the side. Scully couldn't bring herself to understand why she had dug up these women from the past. The look into her past and telling it to Mulder must have sparked an interest into any possible women in his past, no matter how brief their role had been. That's the reason she wanted to believe. She knew her true motives were more personal. She wanted a clean slate with Mulder. She wanted to know that if something more were to happen between them, his feelings were pure and that they would not stray to anyone from his past, no matter how brief their visit had been. They both heard a knock at the door, Scully sighed in relief. Mulder pulled out his wallet and went to the door. He came back and set the box down. " I'll grab some plates and napkins." " Mulder, you have no idea how good this smells." " I can only imagine. I bet it tastes even better, though." He set the plates down and opened the box. Scully lunged at the pizza and grabbed three pieces immediately. She bit into her first piece. " Mmm. I don't think I have ever been so happy to eat pizza." Mulder smiled and grabbed a piece for himself. " So is there anything else you wanna know Scully?" She looked up from her pizza and responded to Mulder with a full mouth. " No, not really. We got so in detail about Daniel, I just wanted to know if you were ever in a situation where you considered spending the rest of your life with someone or starting a relationship or just anything. Sorry if I seemed nosy or anything, that wasn't my intention. We have just never talked about anything like that and I was curious." " That's understandable. I can understand wanting to know about Diana and Phoebe, but why the other two?" She set her pizza down and gave herself a chance to swallow. " Like I said Mulder, I was just curious." " Hmm, I see.Well, what about Jack and Ed with you? Or for that matter, Pendrall. I have never really known what happened with them." He said it in a way to poke fun, but he really wanted to know more about the men in her past. She figured she deserved the question and he deserved an answer. After all, there really wasn't anything to hide. She set down her plate and gave a short yet a thorough story of what had happened with the two men who had briefly entered her life. " Jack. He was a relationship that I look back on and think to myself 'what was I thinking'. I wanted to have a new start with my life after Daniel. Jack seemed like the way to go, young, good-looking and more than anything he appealed to me. He made me laugh and was occasionally good to talk to, but he didn't like to be wrong and neither did I. That's where all the problems arose. Our personalities clashed and that took a turn for the worst." She cleared her throat, afraid to reveal the next part of her history. " He began to verbally abuse me and then sometimes it would become mild physical abuse." She saw Mulder's face drop. She had been in an abusive relationship? He realized that maybe that was the answer to her constant denial to how she was feeling. When she would answer with a simple 'I'm fine', it was actually just an automatic response to keep from revealing too much. Saying too much had caused her pain in the past, which was unsettling. " Mulder, please, don't worry about it. I had brothers who beat me up as a child. It was never anything I couldn't handle. To make the story even more interesting, he proposed to me at one point. I realized that taking that step could be the end of me, so I left him. Yes, I was afraid that he wouldn't accept me leaving and do something about it. But he let it go. It was the best for both of us and we remained friends, not close ones, but we would talk occasionally. That's what happened with Jack and I. He was a mistake, simple as that, but I forgave him and moved on. Sometimes you just face some bends in the road and you have look past them. As for Ed. He was, as some would say, eye candy." She smiled at Mulder hoping his solemn expression had surpassed and was happy to see a grin follow hers, along with a slight blush. He was still trying to process what had happened between her and Jack. " But nothing ever happened, Mulder. Despite popular belief, I did not sleep with Ed. I will gladly say he made me feel young again and made me do something I never would have done without a little push." Mulder had been told, not too long after that case about her tattoo. She also had it removed not too long after it. It was a painful reminder to her of the events of the case, so the removal was understandable. It was also a shame. Mulder never got to have a fair peek at it. " However, the case was something I regret entirely. Ed broke some of the ice, but that's all I am grateful for from all that. As for Pendrall. Poor guy. I had to give him points for persistence and his small amount of charm, but other than that, he was a friend." " I'm sorry about Jack. I had no idea. And to be honest, I was skeptical to the idea of you and Ed getting involved., ahem, like that." " You, skeptical? Be still my heart." He chuckled and relaxed, slightly relieved the mood had become more carefree. He rarely got to see a relaxed Scully, and what a sight it was. She had a loose pair of jeans on and a simple blue shirt that conformed to her figure nicely. Her hair wasn't styled and she wasn't wearing make-up and she had long ago kicked off her tennis shoes. He had brought the outfit to her, not sure what to bring. He liked what he had picked. She finished off her third piece of pizza and reached for a fourth. " Mulder you have got to stop me, otherwise I will be nothing but fat to look at." " Na, you lost weight in the hospital, putting on a couple pounds won't kill ya. I must say, however, you look great considering what you've been through." Scully felt the color rush to her face and looked to the side in hopes that he had not seen her blush. " Thank you, Mulder." He brushed an errand strand from her face and then grabbed her hand. " It's only the truth." When Mulder let her hand go, Scully set the pizza down on her plate on the table and wiped her hands off. " All right, I think three and a half is the limit for me." " I guess that'll do." Mulder closed the pizza box and cleaned off the table. He then quickly wondered into the kitchen to set it all down and returned. " Well, Scully, I am going to let you get reacquainted with your home again and check on the case." " Mulder, I want to work on the case. For some reason it intrigues me." Mulder looked at her, surprised at the sudden comment. " I'm not sure that's a good idea. You're still healing." " I'm fine, Mulder. I'll just work in the background. I won't even go on the field if you don't want me to go." Now that he had, had a deeper look into her past, the 'I'm fine' response was even harder to accept. However, since when had she been letting him decide what he wanted her to do? She was including him in her life more and it was new to him. " Mulder, please. I don't want to be stuck here wondering what's going on. I'll even look over stuff they have already inspected. Maybe they missed something." How could he say no? He just wanted to make her happy. She loved to work and it made her happy. He smiled at her and ruffled her hair. " Fine, fine. I'll see if they'll let us back on. We'll scrounge up something for you to work on." " Thank you." " Anytime. I have a feeling I will be kicking myself for giving in so easily. The doctor can't find out about this. I'm supposed to be taking care of you." She smiled at the last comment. He was taking care of her. He had been for many years, despite the lies he told himself. She liked to hear him acknowledge his effort. " My lips are sealed. I won't tell if you won't." "Deal." Scully slowly stood up and grabbed her cane as Mulder headed toward the door. She followed him and opened the door for him. " Call me if you need me, okay? I don't mind. It makes me feel special, even if it is 3:00 a.m. Lord knows I'll still be awake anyway." She chuckled." I will." She leaned in and hugged him. He held her lightly, so as not to hurt her. She wished he wouldn't be so cautious about it, but Mulder would be Mulder. " Thank you for taking care of me." She wanted him to know he was doing his job and that he was doing it very well. He kissed the top of her head. " I do what I can. Good night and sweet dreams." They released their embrace and Mulder slowly sauntered down the hall. Scully watched him descend and then shut the door. End Part 3 XxX ********* Until you're safe and sound There's beauty in release There's no one left to please But you and me ********* Monday Morning 7:32 am Scully's Apartment Scully woke up later than expected. After 2 days of being home she felt much better. She hadn't called Mulder the entire weekend, simply because he had worried about her enough and she wanted to try and make it through the weekend on her own. She planned to head over to Mulder's as soon as she was ready, so as to discuss what her involvement on the case would be and to reassure him that she was fine. She put the kettle on the stove and began to make some tea. As she headed back to the bathroom to take a quick shower, someone knocked on the door. She set her cane aside and tightened her robe then padded to the door to see who the unexpected visitor was. She opened the door to see a vase full of orchids on the ground. She picked them up and noticed a small card nestled within the purple foliage. She leaned against the door frame for support and removed the card to read it. 'From Mulder.' That's all it said. That's all it needed to say. She smiled at his thoughtfulness and went back to the kitchen, shutting the door behind her. She set the vase in the middle of the table and then went to get ready for the day. Although it was Monday, Mulder usually got started late. He would run early in the morning, shower and then the rest was slow moving from there. Therefore, she wasn't too worried about her late start. XxX Mulder's Apartment 8:47 am Mulder was able to get them back on the case and assumed Scully would be all right doing small work while he and the Arlington officials focused on the dirty work. He tied the laces to his shoes and then headed to the kitchen to pour his coffee. Scully walked up to his door and knocked, more than ready to thank him for the flowers. The door opened and she was welcomed with a grin from her partner. " Good morning Scully, I was just about to leave to get you." " Thank you." " For what?" " The flowers." " Oh that." He smiled again and Scully couldn't help but notice him flush a little. " You're welcome. I was going to put something poetic for the card, but you know I'm not too good with words." " The flowers were enough." " You want to come in?" " Oh yeah, thanks." He shut the door after she entered and went back into the kitchen. " You want some coffee, I just made some." He poured his coffee and spoke while he poured. " No, I just had some tea, I'm okay for now." Scully stood in the living room until Mulder returned, mug in hand. " How is your stomach? Are you feeling any better after being home? You didn't call, so I am going to assume you feel better. Plus, I notice you have already abandoned the cane." " Oh yeah, I feel much better. Sorry I didn't call, I just wanted to try and heal on my own. I decided to only use the cane mornings and nights, a slow weaning process. But yeah, as long as I stick to strictly elevators and limit my walking or at least walk slower, I 'm good to go." He smiled." Good to hear. Go ahead and have a seat, I'm going to put on a tie and grab my coat." Scully sat down and watched Mulder walk into his room. He had a horrible tie collection. She could swear that he got them at thrift stores for 50 cents. They gave him character though, so she had grown to love them. " Do you want to ride with me? I planned to call or swing by, but you made it here just in time." Mulder shouted from his bedroom as he finished looping his tie. " Yeah, that'd be great. I am going to have you wait on me as long as I can. I might as well use you as a chauffeur." He walked back into the living room, fixing the collar to his coat. " You act like I don't enjoy it." " On the contrary, I'm hoping you enjoy every minute of it." He wasn't used to Scully being willing to accept help. She had always been resistant to the idea, but she didn't seem to mind it lately. He liked it. He liked feeling like he could be there for her without feeling as if he were invading her space. " Come on G-woman, let's try and catch this arsonist in time for me to treat you to dinner." Scully smiled and hoped that they would make it to dinner together. They left Mulder's apartment and slowly made their way to the elevator. When they reached the car, Mulder opened Scully's door and helped her inside. " So Mulder, what do I get to do on the case?" " Well, I managed to get you on the field but only doing outside work really. If we happen to encounter anything dangerous however, you go home." " Fair enough, I guess. So where are we headed?" Mulder pulled out into traffic and began driving to their destination. " Back to Arlington. They figure the arsonist is living there and since that's where the fires happened, it's best to work at the scenes." " Have they cleaned up at all in the 2 weeks I have been gone?" " They left everything pretty much the same, considering the only lead they have is a slim one. Moved debris out of the way but made sure to leave things as they were. They found out how the fire started. Our arsonist used natural gas, which has no scent of course, and started the fire from within in the walls. Using the gas made it spread faster causing more damage to the area it originated in. The base to start the fires was tar, which kept it from being an explosion but having it spread just as nicely. Luckily, as Mark pointed out, they made it on time to stop it from spreading too much more, but of course not in time to save Ben, Carl and Victor." " It has to be murder then. No one would go to these lengths to simply kill themselves. I wonder if he has a purpose or if he just does it for entertainment. Fire should be an accident, not a weapon and these were obviously well planned. He also must have known them personally in order to slip them the Mogadon." " We aren't even there yet and you are already putting it all together." She smiled and focused her thoughts to the window. How were these victims connected? What was the arsonist's purpose for going after these specific people? Or were they just random friends made targets by their ill-minded, pyro-maniac friend? With all the cases she and Mulder had investigated in the past, this one shouldn't be too hard. However, sometimes a man with inner demons could be more dangerous than any other demon ever encountered in the x-files. XxX Arlington Fire Department 9:42 pm " You sure you're up to this?" Mulder walked close to Scully as they approached the double doors of the building. Her slower stride was painfully obvious and Mulder was beginning to rethink letting her out on the field. " I'll be fine, Mulder. Really. I promise I will tell you if it's too much for me right now." She stopped and looked him in the eye to make sure he knew she was making a promise she intended to keep. She was a doctor, she knew when she needed to take it slow. " I'm holding you to that." He opened the door for her and guided her in. They came to the receptionist's desk and Mulder held out his badge to the woman typing on the computer. " Hi, we're Agents Mulder and Scully with the FBI, we are here about the arsonist case. Can we please speak to Captain Marshall?" The woman stood up and pushed her chair in. " Yes, he has been expecting you." "Thank you." Mulder turned back to Scully. " So do you think there is much else to find, Mulder? Or are we just going to be looking at stuff they've already looked at?" " I don't know, Scully. I'm sure they'll have something to keep you busy." He smiled and winked then turned his attention to the approaching David Marshall. " Good morning agents. We don't have much time to talk. He's hit again. This time at a Gary Fremont's home. Same way as the others." Scully was stunned at the timing. She had just been released from the hospital and the killer had already hit again. Scully stepped forward. " Have you found a connection between the victims yet?" Captain Marshall hung his head down. " No. We can't find a connection at all. Do you want to check it out?" " Yes." Scully answered for both of them and then looked up at Mulder. " All right, I'll lead you out there. By the way Agent Scully, pardon my manners. How are you doing?" She smiled at the man's thoughtful question. " I'm doing very well. I heal fast." " Good to see you up and about." " Thank you." " All right, I'll grab my jacket and then we can head out." XxX Gary Fremont Residence 9:57 am Captain Marshall made his way to the front of the house as Mulder and Scully followed close behind. The house was considerably smaller than Ben's, only one floor to it. They had never had the chance to look at the other homes, so there wasn't much to compare it to. Mulder and Scully caught up with Marshall and looked over the house, or what was left, briefly. The fire had apparently just been put out in the last 20 or so minutes, for the ash and smoke was still freely floating around the remains. Scully turned to look up at Mulder. " I wonder why he hits in the morning. I would think the night would be the best time to commit arson, especially when victims are involved." Mulder stared absently at the house then looked down to respond. " Arrogance, maybe? He has yet to be caught, so maybe he is turning it all into a game." " Perhaps." Marshall separated himself from the agents to talk with the on-scene firemen. It was obvious something had been found. Hopefully it was something to tip them on who they wanted to find. " I can't believe we haven't found a motive yet. Almost three weeks and we have no idea what this killer is thinking." " We'll find something." She stroked his arm in reassurance, then peripherally noticed the captain coming back to where they were standing. " Agents they uncovered something. Writing on the floor in the den." Mulder and Scully looked at each other, then followed behind the Captain. " Is it safe to go in? I really don't feel like falling through any more floors." " Don't worry Agent Scully, the floor is concrete. Falling through it would take a lot of effort." " Good." She walked behind the two men and looked around the area. A man with a black sweater and hood was leaning against a nearby tree, observing. She turned her attention away quickly, so as not to draw attention to her suspicion and continued looking ahead. They stepped into the front door then walked over to what used to be a couch. Captain Marshall squat down, then lifted the rug. 'CATCH ME' It was sprayed in black, big and in all caps. It was official. The arsonist had, had access into the home before the fire. It wasn't much, but it was something. " My God." Scully whispered from beside Mulder. Marshall threw the rug back down and slowly stood up. " We are going to see if we can maybe trace it, somehow. Also, we will check the other homes for anything similar. He's challenging us." Mulder looked to Marshall. " Well, lucky for you, we don't back away from challenges." They exited the home and stepped into the now bright sun. " Mulder, I'm going to sit down. You two go ahead and finish looking over the perimeters." Mulder nodded then walked off with Marshall. Scully found an outside bench in the shade and planted herself. The pain was bearable, but she didn't want to strain it any more than she had been doing. As she sat there, she noticed the hooded man was still standing there, watching the firemen. His hood came over his eyes and shadowed most of his face, his thin lips and small chin were the only visible facial features. He made her nervous. She didn't realize she was staring until he shot his attention directly at her. Although his eyes were unseen, his glare was traceable by the intensity of his stance. He made one last glance at the scorched home, looked at Scully again, then slowly turned, his hands in his pockets. His pace quickened as he went down the street, disappearing around a close corner. Was he the killer? Was that the man who was responsible for the series of fires? He had been so interested in the movements of the officials working the scene. The hidden look he gave her showed he was partially threatened by her sudden interest in his presence. She was shaken up by the discovery. Had she just put herself in danger? She had not seen a clear view of his appearance, but he had seen hers. It frightened her. Mulder made his way back to where Scully was resting. While talking to a U.S. Marshal, Hank Singleton, he had noticed the expression on her face. An expression he rarely saw and didn't like to see. She was afraid. As if something had jumped out at her unexpectedly and shocked her. He set his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "Scully? Are you all right? You're pale and by the look on your face, you look as if you have seen a ghost. I could only hope." He smiled, hoping the last comment would bring her back to him, but she continued to stare at the tree in the distance. He followed the direction of her stare. " Scully, what's wrong?" " Mulder . . ." She swallowed. " I think I just saw the killer." End Part 4 ******** Tonight this 'hood will be a pyre I'm gonna set your house on fire I'll dance around the pretty flames Such a wonderful game! ******** Mulder lowered himself down and turned Scully away from her gaze to look at him. " Where? Are you sure?" Scully blinked then took a deep breath. She shouldn't be so shaken up. She had faced killers several times before first hand. But the feeling she received from the hooded man . . . it was the same feeling she got from Pfaster. Chilling. Sadistic. Evil. " He was by that tree." She pointed. " He just stood there, observing, wearing a black hooded sweater and jeans. I couldn't see his face, the hood covered everything but his mouth." She took another deep breath and fought frightened tears. " He was so intent as to what was going on . . . then he saw me. He saw me, Mulder. I could feel his glare." A few tears cut loose and she could no longer speak. He pulled her into him, her head resting on his chest. He kissed the top of her head and lingered there. " Maybe you should go home, Scully. I'll go with you." She tried to regain her composure and pulled herself away from him. " No, Mulder. Maybe I can help with this. I didn't see his face really, but what little I saw could bring us closer to solving this. He enjoys it too much." " I don't know, Scully . . ." He ran his hand through his hair and looked away to the street. She squeezed his shoulder to turn his attention to her. " I can handle it, Mulder. Please." " Scully, what just happened didn't look too much like handling it." He was trying to remain calm but he couldn't risk losing her, again. " I'm fine now. Just let me do what I can and if I fail I will give it up and go home." She gave him a closed, forced smile. He sighed. " Fine. But if I see you react like you just did to anything, you go home." "Okay." She sniffled and stood up. She offered him her hand and he lightly grabbed it and stood up beside her. They had to tell Marshall. XxX Arlington Fire Department 11:17 am They had reported the man to Marshall and he immediately spread the word. He then told Scully and Mulder to come with him back to the station. He had files of arsonists and murderers he wanted Scully to look through. Maybe there was something distinctive about the man she had logged away and a picture would trigger it. It was a shot in the dark but it was something. " Here you go." Marshall threw the files and records of the criminals on the coffee table in the break room. Mulder leaned against the doorway as Scully sat quietly on the couch. " Thanks." " Do you two want some coffee? We have snacks in the kitchen, you can help yourself. Feel free to get lunch or order it in." Mulder stepped fully in and sat beside Scully. " Yes, we'd like some coffee. Thank you." Marshall went to the side kitchen and poured two mugs of coffee and some to go for himself. He came back into the break area and set the mugs down. He smiled. " Thank you Agent Scully. And I am sorry you are the one who has to experience all this." " I'm okay, I just want to do what I can. I want this guy caught." " I'll leave you two here. I need to get back to the scene. Good luck and thank you, again." Mulder and Scully smiled at him briefly then he left the room. " This is going to be a long day, Mulder." " I'm here for ya, we'll pass the time some how." He gave her a huge grin and a quick pat on her knee. She chuckled quietly, then picked up the first stack of files. XxX 6:38 pm Scully's back hurt from sitting so long and she was hungry. The sitting had been good for her wound, but that didn't make up for her sore back and legs. Mulder had ordered in some Chinese food from down the street earlier that day, but it was time for dinner now and she was getting no where. Mulder had stayed with her the entire seven hours they had been there. He had fallen asleep on the love seat across the room, but she didn't mind. He hadn't seen the man so he couldn't offer any help towards her. The fact he had stayed with her warmed her heart. He hadn't said much, afraid to say too much she was sure, so it had been a quiet day. He was now looking at a magazine. Scully threw the current file she had been looking at down beside her and threw her head back in defeat along with it. " Mulder. It's useless. Half of these men have the same mouth and similar height as the man I saw. It's no use." Mulder stood up and walked over to her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her slowly to her feet. " Let's get some dinner then. If need be, we will look through the rest of these tomorrow. Right now, I just want to get you some food and get you home." She gave a weak smile and clasped his hand to pull him toward the door. " I'm game. I need food." XxX Scully's Apartment 8:13 pm They walked into Scully's apartment and Mulder set his coat down on her couch as she headed to the kitchen to make some tea. After she set the pot down on the stove, she went back into the living room. She was walking much better and the pain was dull and not as noticeable. " Thank you for dinner, Mulder." " It was the least I could do." Scully gave a weak smile and Mulder leaned against the couch. " Scully, are you sure you're ok? I know you must be sick of me asking but you really scared me today. I hadn't seen that look on your face since . . .since--" Scully looked up and barely whispered her interruption. " Pfaster." Mulder stood up and took two steps towards her. He placed both hands on her shoulders and tried to look her in the eyes. " Yes, since Pfaster." She bit her bottom lip and looked up at him. He didn't know what to do. She rarely got genuinely frightened during a case and when she did, there had to be a reason. He pulled her into him and she gladly relaxed against him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. " I don't know why Mulder, but he had this presence about him. He had the presence of evil. He was enjoying the panic and work of the officials. Mulder, I didn't even have to see his eyes to get this feeling, but I felt him peering through me. It was like I was just another pawn in this game of his." She looked up at Mulder and took a deep breath. She didn't want to say what she was about to say. It would show her weakness again and she was already so close to tears it burned her throat. "Mulder, I'm so scared." She whispered it and even still her voice cracked. Few people or cases frightened her, but this one did. It had started out so . . . normal. An arson case with victims. Something she thought she could handle. But now. Now it was going to be a struggle to keep her composure. She almost hoped they wouldn't find the man, just so she wouldn't have to see him again. Just so she wouldn't get the sick feeling deep inside of her, again. Mulder ran a hand through her hair and then tilted her head to him to place a kiss across her forehead. He then wiped a tear from her cheek. She hadn't even realized she had been crying. " Scully, do you want me to sleep on the couch tonight? Just so you don't have to be alone. I don't mind, if you don't." " Could you? Normally, I would say I would be okay and send you home, but I really would feel much, um, safer tonight if you would stay." " I'm glad you don't mind, 'cause I would have stayed anyway." He grinned and gave her another brief embrace. " Go sit down. I'll bring you some tea." "Thanks." Before she sat down, she fetched some bedding for Mulder. It wasn't often he slept here, but she was always ready just in case. She sat down and placed the bedding down on the cushion beside her. The last time Mulder had slept here, it hadn't even been at night. It had been a nap. It was the day she went to the doctor to take a chance at having a child. It had been a large request to ask Mulder to be the father of her child. Not just a donor, but a father. She had fully intended to include him in the child's life. But it hadn't worked and it had broken him as much as her. Mulder had offered as much comfort as he could that day, but she didn't offer much of her own towards him. She wanted that day back. Not the disappointment but the comfort after it. Mulder told her to never give up on a miracle. She didn't plan to. That had only been two weeks before the Daniel incident. " Here you go." Mulder handed her the cup, interrupting her thoughts. He sat down with his own cup and leaned forward, deep in his own thoughts. " Mulder." He turned to look at her and she gained eye contact. " You have been very valuable to me lately. I mean, you have always been there for me, but these last couple of months you have gone the extra mile in so many ways. I just hope I have been repaying the same courtesy." He smiled and leaned back more comfortably. " It's not a courtesy, Scully, I want to do it because . . . because you mean the world to me. Plus, I'm paying you back for the countless times you have been there for me." She smiled at his words then went on." To be honest I didn't know if everything would be the same again. That is, after I went on my hellish journey with C.G.B, I wasn't sure if you would ever look at me the way you always had." His smile dropped and an intent look came across his face. " How did I look at you?" " Like you trusted me, like a confidante . . . like your touchstone." She took in a breath and looked down at her tea. She didn't want to say it, but she also knew there was love in eyes. Mulder put his cup down on the table and situated himself closer to her. " I will always look at you like that. That will never change. It hurt me and confused me that you would run off with him, for any reason, but after much thought I realized the desperation that must have driven you to such an act. I was more angry at him than you." She sipped her tea and looked back at him. " You have no idea how much that relieves me." She gave a small smile and dropped it quickly. " I also wasn't sure how it would be after . . ." She sighed. " After the artificial insemination failed. Because I know, in some way, you wanted it to happen as much as I did." She sipped her tea again, not able to think of what else she could say. She waited for him to respond. " Scully. If anything, that day strengthened what we have. Yes, it saddened me that it didn't work, but more so for you than for myself. I know how much you wanted that child, Scully. But that day, I was able to look at you and know that someday, somehow it would happen for you. I will never give up on that possibility." Scully was close to tears when she finally put her cup on the table beside Mulder's. She closed the distance between them with a loving embrace around Mulder. " Thank you for your hope." She spoke it close to his ear and then nestled her head on his chest. " Scully, you're the only thing that keeps my hope going." He brushed his lips on her head and stroked her arm. She sniffled away her tears and sat up slowly, away from him. " I think I should go to bed. I have been off my cane all day and I don't want to pay the consequences in the morning." She stood up and padded towards her room. " I'll see you in the morning. Good night." After she shut her bedroom door, Mulder stared at the closed door, captivated in his own thoughts. Captivated by her. He wasn't sure what to do. At some point he had fallen in love with her. When she had been abducted, he had realized he couldn't live without her. When they discovered she had cancer, he had realized he cared for her unconditionally. When he recognized her love and compassion for what she did and that she would never give up on him or what he believed in, he realized he loved her. Sometime after that, he fell in love with her. Simple kisses and light touches were all he could cherish right now. When the New Year had come he had received a gift. They had kissed. And as chaste as it was it was something that kept his hope alive. She had invaded his heart and he didn't know what to do about it. He finally escaped his reverie and began to prepare for bed. It would be a long night. He had sleeping problems before all this, but this case and Scully would keep him up for even longer. He turned on the television and began channel surfing. He had too much on his mind to sleep. It was going to be a long night. XxX Tuesday 6:35 am Scully woke up to soft rain on the window. She looked over at the clock and was relieved it was an earlier start for her than the previous day. She rolled over and looked outside. The still dawning sun was barely shining through the grey rain clouds. It wasn't a violent storm. As she grabbed her cane and stood up slowly, she remembered the fact Mulder had stayed over. She made her way to the living room and noticed he was gone. Strange. She then noticed a note on her coffee table and picked it up. Scully- I went home to change. Get ready and I will be back by before 8 and we can get some breakfast. -Mulder She wondered if he had slept at all last night. Mulder rarely woke up without any help in the morning. What was on his mind lately? She figured it was the case and his concern for her that made him seem so thoughtful in the last day or two. She set the note back down and went to the door to get the paper. When she opened it there was a box with a ribbon tied around it. More flowers. She smiled and picked up the box and the newspaper beside it. She went back in and opened the flower box, revealing a dozen white roses. Once again Mulder hadn't bothered to leave a note of any kind, just a piece of paper with his name on it. She put the flowers in a vase and took them to her night stand in her room then headed for the shower. After she finished styling her hair and applying her make-up she grabbed a pant suit from the closet and changed. It was raining and she did not like wearing skirts in the rain if she could help it. When she finished changing, she went back into the living room and checked the time: 7:39. She might as well make some coffee. As she walked towards the kitchen, a quick knock was heard at the door. Mulder was early. She answered the door, only to find another flower box. Two bouquets in one morning. Mulder was doing a little over-kill. She picked up the flowers and glanced over the hall for Mulder. He had to be around there somewhere. She went back in and sat down to open the box. Black roses nicely placed in a bed of ashes. A note lay on top. ' It's a game. Catch me!' She gasped in horror and threw the box on the coffee table. He knew where she lived. The killer knew. How? Had he followed Mulder and her last night or did he have an alternative way of finding her? Uncontrollable tears began to fall and her crying was painful and silent. When Mulder finally arrived at Scully's it was 5 minutes until 8 o'clock. He knocked once and heard nothing, so he used his key. When he opened the door, the sight he saw was unbearable. Scully was curled up on the couch and convulsing from her silent crying. He ran to her and touched her shoulder. Scully jumped, then looked up. " Oh, Mulder. . ." Her tears continued to fall. " God, Scully, what happened?" He sat down beside her and placed his hand on her thigh. What he heard from her was a whisper. " He found me. I don't know how, but he found me." She motioned to the box setting on the table and then turned her face back down, trying to stop crying. Mulder picked up the box and looked at its contents. His jaw clenched and his eyes took on a look of anger. He threw the box violently and took Scully into his arms. She clutched onto him and then brought her arms around his neck. He kissed her cheek and stroked her hair. " Scully. We will catch him, even if I have to do it on my own, we will catch him. And soon." She pulled away and looked at his eyes. " God, I never meant for this to happen. Not to you." Mulder pulled away completely and sat with his face in his hands. Scully took his hand from his face and held it as he brought the other down to his side. She stopped her tears as well as she could." Mulder, don't even try to find a way to blame yourself for this. It's not going to work." He shook his head and scoffed. " I shouldn't have allowed you back into this case. It is my fault. I was supposed to take care of you and not even 2 days back into it you're already a victim." " Mulder, I wanted back in. I told you to let me back in. All you did was try to make me happy. There is nothing wrong with that. The only guilty one in all this is the killer. Ok?" He gave a rueful smile and turned to cup Scully's face. " I don't know if I can take you with me." " You better. He knows where I live and I would feel much safer if I were with you. I'm sick of obsessed crazy men getting into my home." He grinned and dropped his hands. " I guess I should stop coming over then." She gave a small laugh and stood up. " Will you throw that box away, I'm going to fix my face and then we can leave." Before she walked away from the couch, Mulder grabbed her hand and swept his thumb over it tenderly. " Are you sure you want to continue with the case? Maybe if you stop now, he'll leave you alone." " No. It has become personal. I want him caught and I want to be a part of his capture." Mulder sighed and let go of her hand. "All right." She made her way to the bedroom and then turned. " By the way, Mulder, thank you for the white roses." He stood up, with the box from the table and looked at her. " You're welcome." He smiled and went to the kitchen to dispose of the box. End Part 5 XxX ********* It's alright just follow the light and don't be afraid of the dark in the moonlight you'll dance til you fall and always be here in my heart ********* 2 Days Later Nothing had progressed in the last two days of investigation. Scully had yet to recognize any of the arsonists on record and no clues, other than the ones purposely left, had been found. Another house had burned, however. Steven Tunnel. 53 and divorced. The only connection seen between any of the victims had been the fact they had all died alone. They were either single, divorced or their family was elsewhere at the time. Nothing much, but Scully was determined to find some small clue in all of it. After the 'gift' was left at Scully's, Mulder insisted on staying the night until they had a better lead. She didn't intend to reject his offer. He brought what he needed to her apartment and camped out on the couch. It was nice to have someone to eat dinner with at night and make breakfast for in the morning. These were habits she didn't want to give up. A lifestyle she had always wanted. A companion she didn't want to be separated from any more than needed. No more lonely nights in her apartment. Someday she would take the next step in to making it no more lonely nights in her life. Lunchtime had approached Friday and still nothing took them any closer to capturing the criminal. " Mulder, there has got to be something to connect all these men." She took a bite of her chicken salad and squinted from the high-noon sun. " Well at least there will be no more fires." Mulder bit into his sandwich then took a sip of his soda. " Why do you say that?" Mulder thought she had been told by someone of the message in the hallway. Mulder had stopped her from following, because of the weak wooden floors, and he had stayed behind when the other officers had left. " I thought someone told you." " What are you talking about?" Scully set her fork down and tensed in her chair. " It's nothing to worry about, Scully. Another message saying 'NO MORE' was found back at Victor's home, along with a trash fire, not too long after the Tunnel fire. We are assuming he is finished using his trigger happy lighter. For now anyway. However, the trash fire completely changed his MO, but I guess it's nothing to worry about. He's right back where he started." Scully let out the breath she had been holding and relaxed in her chair. " I see." " Yeah. Hopefully now we can stop dealing with each new crime scene and focus on finding some sort of connection. I want you to be safe again." He took a drink of his soda and looked down at the leftover crust of his sandwich. Scully smiled and pushed her salad to the side. " Then let's get back, I want this over with as much as you." Which was true, but once this man was caught, Mulder and her would go back to just the occasional dinner and Saturday night movie sessions. She wanted something more to happen. She needed it to. Mulder paid for lunch, grabbed his coat and then helped Scully from her chair. They made their way back to the Fire Department. XxX Arlington Fire Department A large map of Arlington had been pulled from the ceiling and the conference room was filled with only a few officers. Marshall leaned over the table with the remaining officers sitting with files in front of them. They had clearly not taken a lunch break. " Hey fellas, take a break, Agent Scully and I will cover for you." Mulder tried to release the stress with his charming smile and relaxed conversation. Marshall stood up and gave a tired, weary smile. " All right. Let's go guys, they can handle it while we're gone." The men left and shut the door behind them. Scully sat down and stared at the map on the wall then grabbed a file to look over. Mulder reached for a black sharpie lying on the table and walked towards the map. " What are you doing, Mulder?" " I'm just going to draw in the path our killer went in." He began at Victor's home and drew the line to Carl's home, going in the order the killer had hit. Scully watched him as he traced the design and then stood up, realizing something that could very well be the first real clue in this case. " Mulder." Mulder finished the line from Gary to Steven's residences and then turned to Scully. " What?" " Connect the line from Steven to Victor and then step back." Mulder did as she said and stepped away from the map. " A pentagram. The order he hit their homes makes a pentagram." He turned to Scully and she had the look of relief and fear in her eyes. A strange combination, but understandable. They had found a clue, yes, but the pentagram was a cult symbol and not one used lightly. He hugged her and felt her sigh against him. " Oh, Mulder, I want this case to end." " It will. And soon. This clue could be bigger than we think." She pulled away. " Let's tell the others and get to work then." Scully left the room and went straight to the front desk to call the captain. She hated interrupting his lunch, but there was a break in the case and it couldn't wait. She felt herself breaking down more and more and it was too much out of character for comfort. Mulder was finally getting interested in the case. He had already been determined to work on it from the moment it became personal, but now that a cult could be the root of the crime, he was on familiar territory again. He wanted Scully to feel safe again and for this to no longer be a burden in their lives. She already held a scar as a reminder and carried the threat of a man who wanted nothing more than to continue with his morbid game. Scully came back, her expression had relaxed and a look of determination took over. " They grabbed lunch to go and are on their way." Mulder nodded. " I guess we can ask our suspected drug dealer about any possible customers that belonged to a cult. Usually a dealer doesn't look into his buyers lives so closely but you never know. Plus, he is still under mild suspicion for the fires." " I'm sure he'll know something." " What kind of cult do you think it is? Do you think the victims were members or random sacrifices?" " Could be several kinds of cults. Pyro, satanic or wiccan to name a few. And considering the possible encounter between our guy and the victims before the crime, I'm sure they could have been members or involved unknowingly." " I figured as much." " Well, we have the location. Let's head on over there and get to questioning, I don't want to waste any more time than we need to." She had her mind set and nothing was going to get in her way. She walked out the door and told the receptionist where they could be found when the captain arrived. Mulder followed. XxX Hours later they had found nothing on their guy. The suspected drug dealer, Vince, had been no help. He was not the killer, his height had given that away as soon as Scully had seen him. Just as suspected, he never kept track of his customers. They had let him go with a warning, taking his stash, simply because he had helped as well as he could. They had tried other dealers, with the same outcome. Deep down Scully hoped he would strike some place again, to catch him in the act. Until there was a witness or a clue to his whereabouts, there was nothing they could do for now. They all had returned to the station, to discuss whatever came to mind to ease this case along. When it finally reached seven o'clock, they called it quits. The Red Shift should have been off hours ago and they were working overtime simply because the fires tended to occur on their shift. The Gold Shift had only experienced one of the fires. Captain Marshall, unmarried and dedicated, was staying until the case was solved. XxX Scully's Apartment 8:30 pm Mulder and Scully picked up some Chinese and decided to head to Scully's. Mulder set his small carton aside and sighed. He looked up at the ceiling as Scully finished up her wanton chips. " Mulder, if you want to go on back home tonight, you can. This guy hasn't bothered to strike here again since his threat and since we think he is not interested in starting any more fires, I'll be ok for the night." She didn't want to take leave from his company, but she needed to take a couple steps back before she got too far ahead of herself that she had no safe place to turn. " Are you sure? I'm happy to stay as long as you like." " Yeah. I'll be fine. If I need anything, I'll call." " Promise?" " Promise." " All right. I'll get my stuff together." Scully nodded and gathered the trash. After Mulder put everything in his overnight bag, he sat back on the couch. For close to an hour they batted around different ideas on the case and carried casual conversation. Scully was feeling great when it came to the subject of her wound. She just wasn't too sure she wanted him to leave. " Well, I'm going to head on out. I'll come by in the morning and we'll have breakfast." He stood up and headed to the door. He really wasn't ready to leave. Ever. He didn't know it was possible, but during his stay with Scully, he had fallen even more in love with her. She was much more passive in her own home. She also seemed to enjoy having someone to visit with nightly and make breakfast for in the morning. He wanted that life. He wanted to wake up each morning with her in his arms and not have to leave. For some reason he had hope that it would happen. They wouldn't have the conventional relationship, but it would be so solid that it wouldn't matter. " Sounds good." She stood by the open door frame as Mulder began to exit. He looked down at her and an inquisitive expression passed over his face. " Scully? Not to get personal before I leave but. . ." She urged him with her eyes then reached for his forearm, placing her hand on it. " Do you ever think back to New Years?" To seem more naive she threw him off course. " You mean do I ever think about the zombies? No, they don't really do it for me." He laughed softly and took a deep breath. They had never talked about it before. It was always something in the back of their minds. They weren't avoiding it, but they weren't sure if tackling the topic was a good idea. The kiss had been chaste and sweet. The simplicity of it all was more over-whelming than one might recognize. For some reason he just wanted to remind her. " No. I mean the kiss." His faint smile had fallen away. Scully beamed at the strange seriousness of the topic but more so at the memory of the kiss. " Yeah, Mulder, I do." Her smile warmed him in an unexplainable way. He rarely caught a glimpse of that smile and he treasured it. It was a treasure in it's own that the smile had been brought on by the memory of their kiss. "Me too." He wanted to say more, but he hadn't thought about talking about it until now. He cupped her cheek and pulled her head to him and kissed the top of her head, lingering. " Good night, Scully." He walked down the hall, his hands in his pockets. After Scully shut the door, she rested her body against it. She was grateful for the memory Mulder had just brought back to her. In the past, other kisses had almost come to be. Sweet lingering kisses on the cheek, head and forehead had become so familiar over the years. And yet, with each one the tension and questions grew. Would the kisses ever become something more? One near kiss had not been long forgotten. When Mulder's sweet words and gentle expression had been set free one fateful day in his hallway, a more passionate kiss had only been inches away. That day must have not been the time. More tedious and ongoing battles had to be fought before they could comfort themselves in something so tender as a kiss such as that. That moment had never been discussed between the two of them. They had left it unsaid for so long that it was never mentioned. It had not been forgotten, by either one, however. It danced in their memory. The words, the sentiment, the closeness. Maybe a discussion of that day could have led to a more timely embrace. A kiss they both yearned for. Such a kiss could not be too far in the future. They were wearing their hearts on their sleeves and someone would soon erupt with the feelings that dwelled deep inside. End Part 6 XxX ********* 'Cause I hate the way I feel tonight And I know I need you in my life Yes I hate the way I feel inside And I promise to make the sacrifice ********* 1:07 AM She couldn't sleep. She had been laying in bed for close to two hours and she couldn't sleep. She had grown so used to the company of Mulder, not only in the last few days but in the last few years, that being alone was foreign to her now. She was lonely. It was an unavoidable fact that she hated to face. With each passing day it became more apparent. She needed to face the truth between her and Mulder and it had to happen now. Calling him was the only option right now. It was a lonely night and the only way she could rest was to put some issues to rest. She picked up the phone and dialed an all too familiar number. Mulder sat on the couch, watching an old science fiction movie that he had etched into his memory word for word. Sleep was not an option tonight. It rarely was. When the phone rang, he quickly answered it. "Mulder." " Mulder, it's me." Scully sounded close to tears and it tore at him. " Yeah, Scully, what is it? Are you okay?" " No, Mulder. I'm not. Could you come over?" " Yeah, yeah. I'll be right over." Mulder snatched his keys and jacket and went straight for the door. Scully sat in her bed, still fully covered in her blanket. It had started to rain again. The rain had been on and off during the week, but never violent. It relaxed her. She brought the covers back and swung her legs to the side. Some hot cocoa might do her some good. She padded to her kitchen, realizing her injury was hardly noticeable anymore. She was beginning to tear as she heated her water. She'd never thought the longing would become so emotional. She never thought she would need Mulder as much as she did now. In a few moments he would be here and she had no idea what she was going to say. She removed the mug from the microwave and stirred in the instant cocoa mix. She sat down on the couch and wrapped a small blanket around her, enjoying the slight chill in the air and the pitter patter of the rain against her window. Realizing her feelings for Mulder, had come not too long ago but had been ignored as much as possible. So she thought. Throughout the years she had loved him, depending on his friendship. From the beginning she had found him attractive and was drawn to him. His dry humor was comforting and his smile was a relief in the most awkward of moments. She'd grown accustom to his face. The feelings had dwelled within her for who knows how long. It wasn't until the Padgett case, and Padgett's keen observation, that she realized the truth. She was in love with Mulder. There was no one else. There couldn't be. Before then she had always known those feelings, but had never had the courage to tell herself. Now she had to tell him. She finished the last of her cocoa and put the mug on the table. Scully wrapped the rest of the blanket around her and laid her head on the back of the couch. Moments later she heard a knock at the door and a key inserting and turning in the lock. She couldn't tell him. Only seconds before she had finally decided to and she couldn't. What if it changed for the worst? What if, even if he felt the same, he didn't act on those feelings? The door was opening and she was going to have to turn him away. The risk wasn't worth it. She'd gone this many years without telling him, maybe she could make it through a lifetime. "Scully?" Mulder quietly crept in and then spotted her curled on the couch. Scully threw the blanket off and stood up. She quickly wiped her face of tear stains and approached him slowly. " Hi, Mulder." She looked down at the floor and then at him, giving what she could of a smile. " Why did you call me?" He was just going to cut to the chase and find out what the problem was. " Oh, it was nothing, I just got a little spooked. I'm sorry I had you drive all the way over here." " No, it wasn't nothing. You never get spooked over nothing. And the visible fact you have been crying also says something is not right. Now tell me, are you okay?" She turned away and began to walk back to the couch. " Mulder, please, I'm fine. It's nothing." He grabbed her hand before she went any further and graced his thumb over it. " Why do you do that?" She continued to face the same direction as she answered. " What?" " Pretend like nothing's wrong." She sighed and turned to face him, not daring to look him in the eyes. He continued to hold her hand. " It's easier, Mulder . . . it's just . . .easier." " Than what?" " Just forget it. I shouldn't have called you." Scully tried to pull her hand away but Mulder kept his hold and tipped her face to look at him. " What are you hiding from me, Scully?" She gave a frustrated scoff and looked to the side, focusing on some lint on the carpet, then licked her bottom lip. She didn't answer. Mulder stepped in closer, invading her space, and brushed her hair behind her ear, causing her to look at him abruptly. A silent tear fell, startling them both. Mulder let go of her hand took her face between his hands, wiping the tear away with his thumb. " I'm sorry, Mulder, I--" He kissed her. Hard. She was tense at first, then relaxed into it. Her hands slowly came around his neck and the small space between them closed. Scully was the first to pull away and when she did, she took a step back, shocked by the kiss. Mulder had a crooked smile on his face, but it faded fast. He combed his hand through his hair and looked sheepishly to the floor. Scully's head was cocked to the side, studying Mulder and contemplating what to do next. That was no New Year's kiss. They couldn't give each other friendly smiles and forget about it. She was getting close to changing her mind and coming clean with what she felt. Mulder took another step towards her and put his hands on his hips, his eyebrows furrowing in thought. " How do you feel about me, Scully." It was a statement. A command. Anything but a question and it caught her off-guard. She pulled at the hem of her pajama top and let a vague, safe answer escape her lips. " I think highly of you and you mean a lot to me and--." " No. I'm not wanting your thoughts on me, Scully, I want to know your feelings. How do you feel about me?" She nodded her head slightly in understanding and brought her hand to his face, touching his cheek and letting her palm rest against it. " You want the truth?" Mulder nodded and she let the words rush out. " I love your mind. I love your smile. I love your wit and laugh." She slid her hand to the back of his neck. " I love the way you look at me when I disagree with you or when I occasionally agree with you. I love that you listen to me when I have something to say and deal with me when I say nothing at all. I love your passionate eyes, your soft lips and yes, even your nose." She brought his head down and kissed him sweetly on the lips, lingering in its tenderness. After the kiss, she brought her lips to his forehead and then pulled her head back, his arms now around her waist. " I love you, Mulder." She took a breath in after she finally said it, simply because she had said the words she had forbid herself to say. Mulder picked her up and planted small kisses on her face. When he set her down, he cupped her face and kissed her on the lips again. When broken, he took a breath in. " I love you too. God, how I love you." He hugged her and held on tight. She was finally his. " One question still remains, Scully. Why did you call me over here?" She stayed in the embrace and nestled her head closer to his chest, listening to his heart. " I was tired of being alone. Not just alone, but being lonely. I had all this, what just happened, built inside me and I knew I had to tell you. Once you got here, I couldn't. I got scared and convinced myself I could live my life wanting you, loving you, from afar. I was scared to risk anything. I don't want to lose you." He kissed her head and smelled the peach scent of her hair. " Oh." He grinned. " Yeah, my thoughts exactly." " Funny thing is, no matter how much I wanted you to tell me how you felt, I don't deserve you." She smiled against his chest and squeezed his torso gently as she answered. " I know." She lifted her head away from his chest and stood tall enough so as to whisper in his ear. " But, I don't deserve you either." Before he could comment, she kissed him twice as hard as the first. He leaned into the kiss, causing her to stumble backwards and to brush against the couch. She sensed his apology but let the kiss continue. As the kiss deepened, they fell to the cushions of the couch, the jolt breaking the kiss. Mulder slowly opened his eyes and looked down at the woman beneath him. Her short auburn hair spread across the mattress and her piercing blue eyes smiling at him and yet the rest of her face gave a different expression than her eyes. Mulder moved some hair that had fallen across her cheek and his eyebrows scrunched in concern. " What's the matter, Scully?" She bit her bottom lip and gave a brief smile. " Nothing." She pulled his face down to hers and gave him a brief kiss, closing her eyes and keeping them closed even after the contact. Scully slowly opened her eyes to a content Mulder with deep concerned hazel eyes still staring at her. She reached her hand to his face and caressed his cheek. " I'm just tired of being alone." She gave a side grin, knowing that this subject had been covered and partially resolved with his presence. Mulder gave a small chuckle and repositioned himself to take his weight off Scully. He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. " But you're not alone." He kissed the back of her hand and then entwined his fingers with hers. " It may be a while before we can have a life together, a normal, well as normal as we can have, life anyway. But one thing is for sure, I will never leave you. I will do everything in my power to make you happy, despite the damage I have caused in the past." He cast his eyes down to her stomach after the last statement. She unlaced their hands and brought her arms around his torso, snuggling closely to him. " Good to know." She smiled against him and took in a deep breath. " One thing is going to have to change though, Mulder." His cheek was resting on the top of her hair. " Yeah? And what's that?" " You have to stop blaming yourself for every bad thing that happens in my life. In anyone's life. The traumatic things that have happened in my life are not your fault. However, I admire your compassion to think of others ahead of yourself. Just don't do it to the point where guilt consumes you. I hate looking into sad hazel eyes." His chest jumped from a short laugh and he nodded against her head. " I'll try Scully, but that's asking a big change in my character." " Na, you're far too complex for that one thing to change you." " Do I get to change something about you?" Scully's smile dropped and she gulped. " Um, yeah . . . if you want to." " Relax Scully. It's nothing bad." " Ok, what is it?" " I want you to laugh more and show that far too absent smile." " Oh." That caused her to smile in relief and relax into him again. They laid in silence for several minutes, reveling in their closeness and quiet passion. " Mulder?" " Yeah." " Will you . . . " She felt foolish and naive for being too embarrassed to finish the question in one breath. She was a grown woman and this man meant the world to her. She gave a heavy sigh and began her question again. " Will you make love to me?" Mulder lifted his body away slightly and gave her what she called the Muldersmile and identified what some might call a blush. He combed his fingers into her hair, bringing her lips to his. He kissed her long and slowly. When he pulled away, he brushed his nose against hers, then moved to nuzzle her behind the ear. " Is that a yes?" He nodded against her, avoiding verbal communication, then began placing small kisses down her neck. His hand trailed along her silk-covered arm then came to rest on her hip. Mulder gave a nip above her clavicle and then sucked gently. She released a quiet moan then reluctantly stopped his actions. " Not in here, Mulder." " Ok." He removed himself from her and then helped her to her feet. They shared a kiss before she led him to her room. As Mulder shut the door, Scully sat on the side of her bed. Mulder made his way to stand in front of her and slowly began to unbutton her top. He pushed off his loosely tied shoes with ease and felt the gentle unbuckling of his belt. The silk slid gracefully down Scully's milky arms and she sat exposed to Mulder. She stood up and reached for the hem of Mulder's nicely fit grey t-shirt. He raised his arms in anticipation as she pulled the cotton up over his head. He cupped her face and caressed her lips with his. He slid his tongue between her lips and she led them to fall onto the bed, without breaking contact. With the intensity of their bodies coming closer with each movement, the rest of their clothing was removed, revealing every last inch of natural beauty to one another. Mulder's hand made its way down Scully's abdomen then stopped over her wound. He brought his eyes to her face. She nodded, recognizing his concern. He kissed the wound and placed his hand lovingly over it, making his way to her swollen lips. They trailed kisses almost strategically over each other's bodies. Mulder held Scully's small frame against his as she moved her hands through his hair and over his back. The only thing lighting their way was the subtle kiss of moonlight through the glass and their anxious hearts. They made slow, passionate, long-awaited love. End Part 7 XxX ********* If you knew how lonely my life has been And how long I've been so alone And if you knew how I wanted someone to come along And change my life the way you've done It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from ********* 5 Hours Later Scully was the first to awake, her legs tangled strategically with Mulder's. Her arm lay across him, fingers splayed across his chest and her head tucked in the crook of his neck. His arms surrounded her. She rested against one, while his other barely touched her hip. He doesn't snore. He had a heavy breathing habit, a result of relaxation, but no snore. She grinned at the sleeping man who was holding her and nestled as close as she could to him. She closed her eyes as she breathed him in. So this is love. This is what people fight so hard for. And now it was something real to her. Something she could fight for and know that in the end it would be more than worth it. Every relationship in her past had been rushed into and filled with regret. This . . . this was something so much more. Mulder had unspeakable beauty in every aspect. His tormented, deep hazel eyes that left you breathless had haunted her all these years. Her favorite memory of those eyes was when they threw away the past and lit up with happiness. Scully wanted to be the cause of that light each day. Mulder's mind, so open and tenacious and . . . beautiful. His smile, his laugh, his humor and, most of all, the ways he can make her smile the way no one else can. He, in her mind, was as rare as they come. And now he was hers. She brought her fingertips to his face and lightly ran them over each feature. This caused him to stir. She returned her hand to the top of his chest and waited for his eyes to open. " Hi." She welcomed him softly as his eyes finally opened and focused on his surroundings. Mulder looked down and gave a small grin. He moved his hand from her hip, just above her waist, moving his thumb over her skin over and over again. " Hi." She smiled at his mimicked welcome and then kissed his shoulder. He moved to his side and brought his arms completely around her in a loose, soft embrace. He kissed her forehead and then closed his eyes. " What time is it?" She glanced briefly over his shoulder and responded quietly. " Almost 7:15." He moved his face closer to hers and gave her an Eskimo kiss, then rested his head against hers. His eyes opened again and he focused outside. " It's still raining." " Yeah. I don't think it stopped all night." " I love you." Scully smiled at his sudden comment and brought her palm to his cheek. She kissed his lower lip and he welcomed her with a tighter embrace. " I love you, too." She lay her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, and closed her eyes in contentment. Mulder made soothing circles over her back and continued to look at the gray weather in thought. "One question still remains, Scully." " Yeah? What's that?" " Why me?" Scully turned her face into Mulder's chest and chuckled. " You really want to know?" Her question was muffled but coherent. " Mmhmm." She moved away from the comfort of his body and placed herself so that she would be eye level with him. " Mulder, you need to think this through. How could I possibly settle for any other man? We have been through everything possible together, more than any couple or marriage has been through. You've saved my life countless times, and I yours and you've literally gone to the end of the earth for me. We've already grown old together once. I just want it to happen naturally now. We have the whole, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, til death do us part covered. I can't think of any man more perfect for me than you. No man has ever done the things you have done for me. Why should I settle for second best from another man, when I can have you?" Mulder looked to the side, flattered at her words and filled with joy. Tears were threatening to appear, but he returned his gaze to her eyes. " Say no more, I'd hate for you to see a grown man cry." " Yet another thing I have experienced with you." She kissed him sweetly on his lips. Mulder broke the kiss suddenly and focused his attention towards the bedroom door. " Did you hear that?" Scully followed his focus and paused to listen. " I don't hear anything." " I could have sworn I heard something." " I'm sure it was nothing." " I'll check anyway, we can't be too careful right now." Mulder slipped to the side of the bed and picked up his jeans. Scully decided to join him, just in case. Mulder slipped his shirt on and realized he had dismissed the idea of bringing a gun. He ran his hand through his hair and turned to Scully, who stood by her closet. She looked at him, wondering what exactly his hand motions were trying to tell her. A gun. He needed a gun. She smiled at him and pointed to the top drawer of her night stand. He opened it quietly and retrieved the gun. Mulder crept slowly to the door and turned the knob. Behind the door, a very dark room was revealed. With the blinds shut and the dark weather, it gave the illusion of night in Scully's living room. Mulder moved against the wall and peaked behind each corner he encountered. Suddenly he heard the strike of a match. The small light illuminated more than one would think and a figure appeared along with the light in the middle of Scully's kitchen. Mulder raised his gun in defense. A raspy, low voice greeted Mulder. " I see someone else has decided to play my game." Mulder reached swiftly for the nearest light switch and was startled to discover that the power was out. He returned his attention to the still figure and noticed the match was beginning to dissolve as the fire moved closer to its keepers fingertips. The flame died. Strike. " What do you want?" Mulder stepped in closer, trying to catch a glimpse of the intruder. Mulder noticed the man nod towards his back and assumed Scully had exited her bedroom already. She stood in shock at the scene. Her hands began to shake and she tried to move, but was frozen in place. " She's a pretty little thing." Mulder heard the man kiss the air in her direction and she shuddered at the gesture. " Why her? Why not someone else?" Mulder stepped back a few paces, trying to maneuver himself closer to Scully. He sensed her fear and there was nothing he could do but assure her of his presence. " Her acknowledgment of me posed as too much of a threat. I said it was a game, I didn't say it was fair. There will be others, don't worry. It won't end with her." Strike. Mulder gave a silent growl and stepped directly in front of Scully to serve as protection. " It's a shame she couldn't die alone. That completely messes up my, as you feds say, MO. Tsk, tsk. Well, if I am going to travel out of my location of choice I might as well go completely out of character. I guess it makes it all the more interesting, huh?" " Why. . ." Scully whimpered out what she could, but failed to finish her question. Her plea. " Why what? Why fire?" He gave a maniacal laugh and blew out his match. Strike. " Because fire is the devil's only friend! By association I'm an acquittance. It is better to work as the devil's right-hand man than be in the line of his fire." He laughed again. Mulder cocked his gun as the anger began to show in his heavy breathing. This man was a demon. He was crazed and blinded by the ultimate evil. " Uh uh uh. The flick of a freshly lit match in the right direction will set this place ablaze in 2 seconds flat. You wouldn't want that would you?" Mulder tilted his head to the side as he studied the demon in front of him. " What does it matter, you're going to kill us anyway." The man smiled and gave a brief chuckle. " You're right! How 'bout that? Crazy how things work." He blew the match out. Strike. Mulder had only one plan. After this match went out, Mulder would have to shoot direct and fast before another match could be lit. The only problem was that Mulder couldn't see well enough to get a clean target. He would let the match light guide him. Scully gave a heavy sigh and then wiped a traveling tear from her cheek. Why couldn't she move? All she could do was stare blankly at the flickering flame and watch as it reflected off the glass eyes of this mad-man, or what she could see of them. One hand still remained clinched and shaking, while the other lay limp at her side. " All right, well, I can't just have you two standing there when I kill you. I'm really going to need you to set your gun aside, it's giving me the creeps. As for the fiery redhead," he clicked his tongue, "I just need her to have a seat on the couch while I think of what to do with you." The flame was almost out. Mulder began to lower his gun so no suspicions could arise and continued to wait for an opening shot. When the flame began to fizzle out, it was almost as if it were in slow motion. The man shook the match to finalize the extinguishing of the flame and it fell slowly to the ground. Mulder shot at the last thing he saw in the flames final light: the neck. The bullet went slightly lower to the jugular notch and straight to the aorta and the impact of the bullet caused the box of matches to fly in the air. The man fell silently to the ground. His heart stopped instantly. His matches fell freely through the air, covering him like flowers would a grave. It was over. Scully's knees unlocked and she crumbled to the ground in release. Mulder limply dropped the gun to the ground and turned to the small body hiding behind him at his feet. He knelt down and kissed her forehead, then stood back up to check the intruder's body. Mulder approached the body slowly while Scully pulled herself up from the ground. The chill in the air was undeniable. The rain relentlessly beat against the window, almost as if it were begging to be let in. It was so dark to be morning. Mulder stopped only 3 inches from the body, worrying his lower lip with his teeth. Dark, empty, lifeless eyes stared back at him from under the hood and Mulder nudged the awkwardly laid body with his foot. Nothing. Another demon down and several more to conquer. It was a sad thought, but he couldn't pretend to be naive when faced with piles of this kind of evil year after year, week after week. " I'll inform the Captain and call the police." He remained in position as he informed Scully. He continued to stare at the lifeless form, his jaw clenched and hands balled into fists. Scully said no words but responded with a nod. She walked to her window and opened the blinds, allowing as much light into the room as the conditions would allow. She placed her palm on the glass in front of her and let the cold, pleading beads of rain cool her hand. Mulder finally pulled himself away from the scene and grabbed the afghan from the back of the couch. He rested his final step behind Scully and draped the fabric over shoulders, letting his hands rest only inches from her neck. Despite the circumstances, his thoughtfulness brought a closed smile to her lips. She turned to him and let his arms engulf her small frame. Without thought he placed a lingering kiss atop her head and mumbled what could only be mistaken as "It's okay". She nodded against his chest and gave a squeeze to his upper body before releasing him to make his calls. Scully stepped away from the window and curled up on the couch. The sky darkened with more clouds and the rain poured. End Part 8 ********* I need to be around you I want to fall into your eyes I love to feel you close to me But there's no peace of mind I live to hear you laughing I long to feel your hands fall down Along the side of me A change of life is hard to find There's no peace of mind ********* 45 Minutes Later- Scully's Apartment Marshall came over to Scully's as soon as Mulder called him. Mulder told him the entire ordeal, while Scully showered. Several minutes later the police had made it to the apartment and Captain Marshall stepped aside, letting them investigate and hopefully identify the body. The electricity came into order not too long after their arrival. Marshall collected what he needed and headed back to Arlington to inform his team of the situation. Thank yous were exchanged between him and Mulder and a feeling of relief began to set in for Mulder. He had done what he promised and Captain Marshall would finally be able to sleep. Mulder stood silently in the corner, waiting for Scully to emerge from her bedroom. Once and a while questions were asked and assistance needed, but Mulder's number one concern was Scully. The bathroom still possessed the scent of shampoo and soap and the steam had yet to fully evaporate. Scully stood transfixed by her own reflection, her robe hanging on her body and moisture sitting on her cheeks. She wanted to believe it was only water, but the sting in her eyes told her otherwise. What was wrong with her? In the several years she had been on the x-files, she had faced cases much worse than this. Unexplainable cases with unexplainable beings. This should have been easy for her to handle. Strangely enough, the more she thought about it the more emotional she became, causing the last couple of hours to fade into the past. It was almost as if the emotion of the aftermath, and its intensity, was overshadowing the cause of it all. Scully took relief in the fact that once everyone left, Mulder would still be there. He would comfort her and soothe her worried mind. She even hoped he would want to talk about it. Taking his mere presence into consideration finally broke her daze. Exiting the bathroom, she picked out some different clothing than earlier and began to dry her hair. One thing was for sure, despite the quick drying her cropped hair allowed her, she wanted what length she had had back. For some reason she suspected Mulder did too. Work would be out of the question today, so she settled for jeans and a pale pink cardigan. Mascara and natural lipstick was her make-up of choice and then she sat on her bed. She had planned to wait until everyone left, but she was now curious to know who the maniac was. With a deep breath and a sigh, she stood up to move to the other room. Mulder leaned against the door frame of the open apartment door, his focus on the relentless storm beyond the window. The click of Scully's door brought him back to reality and he regained his posture as she approached him. " I was getting worried." " I'm sorry, I just needed to stay away from the hassle." She looked to her feet and then returned her eyes to his. " I understand." He gave a sigh and pulled her into a hug. " We're never going to know why he did it all. Why he chose who he chose, the purpose of the pentagram, how he slipped them the drug. It's all just another unsolved case." " Honestly Mulder, I think I'd rather not know. He's dead. That's all I care about right now." Mulder nodded and then pulled away, placing a healing kiss to her lips. An officer caused the kiss to cease with his concerned presence. " Sorry to interrupt, but we have a problem." Scully pulled away to face the officer, but Mulder reached for her hand and held it sweetly. Her eyebrow arched as she waited for whatever needed to be said. Mulder noticed Scully wasn't going to say anything so he spoke for her. " What's the problem?" " Um, it looks like we will not be able to identify the body. He is a John Doe, and from the looks of it, he just might remain only that." " Wha-- how is that possible? What about fingerprints or a possible DNA sample." " Why don't you two come take a look." The officer turned before awaiting confirmation or any further questions. Mulder looked down at Scully for an okay and she nodded briefly, continuing to keep her hand in his. They plodded to the overall undisturbed scene and Mulder knelt down by the officer. This is the first time he had looked at the body since he shot it. The officer handed Mulder gloves and instructed him. " Look at his fingers." Mulder slipped a glove on and lifted the man's hand. He had no fingertips. He had burned each finger to the point where fingerprint identification would be out of the question. Scully's eyes widened and Mulder looked up at her. She knelt down, stretching her hand out to silently ask for a glove. " It's not just his fingertips." The officer took the strain off his knees and stood back up. " He has burn marks all over his body. His head is shaved and burned. The upper part of his face is scalded, leaving him with no eyebrows or eyelashes." As he told them the information, they looked at the man's face, shocked at its mutilation. " That's why he was covered in all the clothing." The mouth and chin were painfully recognizable to Scully, and unharmed by any flames. It would be close to impossible to identify this man. In some twisted way he knew what he was doing when he started these malicious crimes. Now no one would know who the masked man was. Scully sighed heavily and stood up. " Just get him out of here. I don't care who he is or what he is, I just want him out of my home." Mulder joined her at her side and the officer nodded and trotted off. Several minutes later a body bag was brought in. The rest of what could be done finally ended and the team exited Scully's apartment. The Lieutenant apologized and thanked them for their time and effort and told him he would contact them if anything was needed. He gave a gentlemanly nod in Scully's direction and that was that. The scene was cleared, but the memory wasn't. Scully stood, facing her kitchen, with her arms crossed and her brow furrowed. The look slowly began to soften and an unwanted tear trickled down her face, resting just below her bottom lip. Mulder wasn't sure what to do. In the past he would ask how she was and deal with whatever answer she gave him. It was different now. It was personal and impossibly more important to him than ever. " Scully. . ." He walked slowly, almost three paces and stopped. How cautious did he need to be when handling this? " It's ok, Mulder. Ask me anything, just as long as you hold me. Please." Her voice was low and quiet. She turned to him and her eyes were almost pleading for him to help her. " I just. . .I want to know why this case upset you so much. I have been wondering, actually." Mulder dabbed the still present tear from her face then, without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her, protectively. " I've been wondering the same thing and I don't know, Mulder." Sigh. " I think before all this began, even before the accident, I was on the brink of a nervous breakdown. I have had so many things happen to me in the last few months . . . it was getting so hard to handle and understand it all, I guess. I mean you'd think I would be used to all this, but I guess after a while you just have to let it break you down and start over." Mulder stroked her hair and nodded, waiting for the right moment to say something. Even more so, trying to think of what he should tell her. He was officially a part of her now, so his words could make her or break her. " Scully, do you ever wonder if it's worth it?" " What?" " All the loss. You work so hard and do so much, but . . . I'm just tired of you being the victim." Scully fastened her arms around his waist as he continued. " I guess what I am trying to say is, if you ever find yourself wanting to quit the x-files, I'm here for you. I love you, Scully, I just want you to be happy. I want you to have the life you deserve." Shifting her weight, Scully focused her attention on Mulder's five o'clock shadow, then to his eyes. " You never cease to amaze me." She kissed his clavicle and pulled his lips to hers. Their foreheads met and they both closed their eyes. " Mulder, I'm not going to stand here and say that I never stop and count my losses and ask myself if it is worth it, because I do. However, I need you to know that with those losses I have gained something so undeniably important and dear to me. You. You make it worthwhile . . . " Scully looked to the side, returning to him with a grin. " You've kept me honest. You've made me a whole person. I owe you everything, Mulder, and you owe me nothing." Mulder gave a small laugh and kissed her sweetly on her lips, trailing his lips to her forehead. " You stole the words right out of my mouth." " They were good words. And true. I'll be okay Mulder. I will make it to tomorrow and the day after with all this filed away as a memory. As long as you're here with me, I won't lose myself." " Scully, will you marry me?" He felt her body jerk slightly from surprise and he continued so as to clarify. " Not now, but someday. Whenever it is safe and we can take each other in without a care." " Yes, someday." " Even if we're sixty?" " Even if we're sixty." " So what do we do until then?" " We live our lives the same. Almost. Work will go as usual, or as unusual, but at the end of the day we can be together and work on living happily ever after." Mulder nodded. " This may not make sense, but. . ." " We should take it slow." " Ha, yeah. I mean considering we have confessed our love, made love and plan to spend the rest of our lives together, for some reason I think we should pace ourselves. And apparently, so do you." " It's just a precaution. I still love you, that won't change. Ever." She kissed him and pulled away. " We're still going to kiss, right?" " Oh yeah, lots of kissing." She grinned at him playfully and ruffled his hair. " Good." Mulder lifted her off the ground and kissed her fervently. The sun broke through the clouds and shone freely for the first time in days. As their bodies took in the heat of the sun, they took each other in without a care. ********* I want to take it easy, take it slow To catch a fire and let it go I want to give myself to you So we can live like lovers do Like lovers do, I want to feel that way Like lovers do, they lose themselves for days And I need to feel that way I can hear you thinking what I feel I know that what we've got is real And all we need to get us through Is just to live like lovers do ********* The end-It's Over! Author's Notes: First of all I would like to say one thing. Thank God! Wow, this took me forever ( in my mind). I went through a lot of writer's block during this one. I also had to find time. I seriously could have continued writing, but only because I have a tendency to ramble and often have trouble ending my stories. Originally I didn't plan having the case go throughout the story, but I kept getting ideas and getting rid of ideas so that is how it all worked out. Now let's get to the explanation of my story. Number one: the title. At the time I began writing this I was really getting into Radiohead more than usual and so I randomly picked from one of their songs a title. The song has nothing to do directly with the story. I thought of "the bends" as this: life is one long road and in that road we face twists, turns, forks and BENDS. Those bends make life hard, interesting and tricky but eventually we continue to our destination. The bends focused mostly on Scully's road, but I tried to make the story as much Mulder's as hers. The bends that the band speaks of can be considered too. It is a diving reference, meaning, when someone goes too fast to the surface and rushes, lack of oxygen and struggle will occur and this can be very detrimental to the person's life . So if you think real hard that fits too. Number two: topics. I always wanted Mulder and Scully to talk about the past. Other than the obvious things that had happened ( Samantha, cancer, death etc.), that we as viewers even got to witness, they never talked about other things, so I took care of that as well as I could. Also, I tried to fit in the " lonely night" subject that the Shadow man brought up in " Trust no 1" and the story in " Per Manum". And then of course, I figured Scully was due for a nervous breakdown, so it made sense that this case effect her the way it did. Luckily, she never really had it and Mulder was there for her. Awww. Number three: the ending. Yeah, sorry, you don't get to know who did it, how he did it, the more detailed motives and why and how he chose his victims. What kind of x-file gives that away?? It's okay, I don't know the answers myself. As for Mulder and Scully I kinda tried to make it an easy lead into the rest of the season. Usually I am an alternate universe kinda gal and ignore the episodes that follow, but seeing as how I tied in some topics and such, it had to flow. Therefore, they did make love, decide to take it slow and work goes as usual. Works out nice. I used song lyrics for the beginning of each chapter and tried to fit them in with what had happened before or what was going to happen. However, some of them were just too good to leave out. Anyhoo, if you found one that struck your fancy and are curious as to who sings it and what it is called, then feel free to ask me. Other than that, my work here is done. This is my third fanfic and it may be a while before I embark on another. I really hope you enjoyed it and seriously, I want feedback. Good, bad, ugly. . . preferably the first. :) Love! k_nig_it1013@yahoo.com