From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Skinfull?= <skin_full@yahoo.ie>
Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 02:18:36 +0100 (BST)
Subject: Best Things In Life by Skinfull
Source: direct

TITLE: Best Things In Life

Author: Skinfull

Rating: PG 13

Classification: S/R

Spoilers: None (Nothing major only minor references to Unnatural)

Keywords: USUAL MSR Shipper Alert so if you don't think it should be
so look away not today Disco Lady!!!

Summary: Mulder looses his memory and figures out what freedom tastes
like.

Feedback: skin_full@yahoo.ie Love all feedback. Thanks in Advance!

Best Things In Life 
by Skinfull
16-9-03

 
           Dana Scully pushed the heavy gym door open
and 
stepped cautiously inside.  The room was littered with
various 
agents exercising in different ways but she spotted
him 
immediately.  The t-shirt he wore was soaked and clung
to his 
body, the cuff of it jumping up from the top of his
shorts.  
He was running laps around the makeshift basketball
court 
bouncing the ball rhythmically in front of his feet as
he 
went.   Every time he came near the hoop he sprinted
over and 
tried for a shot.  The noise level was all but
deafening as 
the numerous stereos blasted out different music and
the metal 
weights clanked together from the agents exercising.  

Although he seemed unaware of the noise as he ran with
his 
Walkman, as if he was the only one in the room.
 
He spotted her when he turned the opposite corner of
the room 
and smiled in her direction.  She stood just inside
the doors 
by the stands.  Her arms were folded across her chest
and her 
skirt and blouse made her stand out, amongst the other

casually dressed, agents.  He noticed some of the men
watching 
her and smiled to himself wondering if she knew the
power she 
possessed.  Slowing down he walked over to her and
pulled the 
earphones out letting them fall to his chest as he
stood 
before her, the ball still bouncing.  
"Hey Mulder."
"What's up?"
"New case.  Skinner wants us to start immediately."
"What is it?"
"Come down and see."
"Do you wanna go one-on-one before we go?" he said
shuffling 
around her, bouncing the ball just out of her reach.
"And embarrass you in front of all your friends?" she
said 
snatching the ball away from him.
"Dinner says you couldn't make the shot from there."
 
The smile she gave was soft and sweet and he frowned
as she 
pushed him behind her, out of her way.  He stood there

whistling and waving his arms around her body, not
touching 
her, but she ignored him.  She stared at the hoop and
wished 
she'd been in front of it instead of at this 45°
angle.  
Mulder was standing closer to her now so she jerked
her elbow 
back and connected with his ribs.  The groan he let
out 
satisfied her and she concentrated.  Holding up the
ball she 
lined the shot and bent slightly at her knees. 
Jumping up she 
released the ball with a flick of her wrist.  Mulder
stepped 
up beside her and watched the ball arch towards the
rim.  It 
bounced off it and hit the backboard before falling
down 
through the hoop.  She pulled down the front of her
blouse and 
turned to him smiling, reveling in the look of shock
on his 
face.
"You owe me dinner."  She walked away without another
word 
leaving him to collect the basketball and shower in 
bewilderment.
 
The smile wouldn't leave her lips as she stood against
his 
desk, with her back to the door, the file open but
unread in 
her hands.  It was all she could do not to jump up and
scream 
when she saw the ball falling through the hoop, but
she knew 
the subtle approach would have more of an affect on
him, so 
she just smiled as if she had no doubt it would go in.
 
Shaking her head in an effort to rid herself of the
laughter 
that bubbled beneath her surface she looked down at
the file 
and began to read.  Skinner had seemed insistent when
he was 
dropping it by earlier and she wasn't sure why he was
pushing 
for herself and Mulder to take it.
"Gallery Theft is a Federal Offence Agent Scully," he
had 
said.
"Yes sir, but there are numerous agent capable of
handling 
this case."
"I have it on good authority that yourself and Agent
Mulder 
are the only qualified agents for this case."
 
Without elaborating he left, so she followed Mulder
down to 
the gym to get started.  Reading it now she couldn't
seem to 
find anything unusual.  Just then she heard a ball
bouncing 
towards the office from the hallway and again she
found a 
smile tugging on her lips.  He came into the room and
dropped 
his sports bag next to her feet and the ball onto his
desk.  
Sitting down heavily he looked up to her and caught
the hidden 
smile.
"So what have we got?"  His hair was damp and ruffled
and she 
silently urged him to brush it off his face.  The
deodorant he 
wore was tickling her senses deliciously as she tried
to read 
from the file.
"Theft from the International Gallery...or rather
attempted 
robbery."
"Here in Washington?" he took the file she offered and
began 
to skim through it.
"Yes, it's down by Lafayette Park."
"I know where the gallery is.  Why us?"
"I'm not sure.  Skinner was insistent," she came away
from the 
desk and took a chair across from him.
"A Van Gough was disturbed. But nothing taken," he
read from 
the file.
"It's the same M.O. as a theft from the Guggenheim in
New York 
last month.  Two works of art were stolen on separate
nights.  
No prints, no alarms triggered, no point of entry
could be 
devised."  They both exchanged glances as an image of
Eugene 
Tooms flashed between them, but Scully broke the
contact and 
took the file from him.
"So he'll be back to the gallery to try again."
"We should go down and check it out."
 
 

 
The gallery was bustling with lunchtime viewers.  They
were 
met by the curator who proceeded to give them a full
tour of 
the building including a commentary on the art and
it's price.  
Finally they reached a small room that had been
cordoned off 
from public viewing.  Scully noticed his reluctance to
enter 
the room.  
"This is where the Van Gough had been disturbed," he
said 
through a choked voice.  "It's on loan to us from the
Louvre 
in Paris, it would have been a travesty had it been
taken."
 
Two large windows that almost reached from floor to
ceiling 
adorned the back walls, showering the room in a
magnificent 
sunlight.  Yellow police tape marked off the picture
and the 
dusty remains from the finger print kits was spread
around the 
room.
"These windows were locked?"
"Yes both of them.  But the first one," he said
pointing to 
the one nearest Mulder, "was found unlocked, but
closed."
 
Mulder tore away the police tape and pulled the window
up 
leaning out over the ledge.
"A hell of a climb," he said looking at the street
below.
"The cops checked for prints and crane tracks on the
street 
but found nothing," Scully said reading the police
report from 
the file.
"I wonder if the hotel has external security cameras,"
he 
mused.
 
Scully walked over to him and saw him pointing to the
Marriott 
Hotel across the street.
"The car park too," he added.  "Mr. Wilson, this
painting is 
obviously a target.  He'll be back for it.  I want
this room 
opened for the public again and-,"
"But it's from the Louvre?" he argued as if it were
enough.
"He will be back, he could be in the gallery right
now."  
Wilson's face showed his discomfort at the thought of
loosing 
the painting.
"Mr. Wilson," Scully began her voice soft and calming.
  
"We'll set this place ready to trap him.  He wont get
away."  
He seemed to take some refuge at her words and his
shoulders 
visibly relaxed.  "Is there a room we could use as a
control 
centre?"
"Yes, we have a storage room over here, by the roof
access."
 
Scully looked over at Mulder and he saw the small nod
before 
she followed Wilson out of the room.  He reached for
his 
mobile and called the headquarters for a surveillance
team.
 
  ***
 
 
Scully stretched her arm up high to shield her eyes
from the 
unrelenting sun.  The heat was stifling made no easier
by the 
insulated FBI windbreaker she wore.  Standing on the
roof of 
the two-storey gallery she looked longingly at the
people 
sunbathing in Lafayette Park and eating in a near by
pubs beer 
garden.  Hearing footsteps behind her she turned to
see Mulder 
walking towards her.  His tie had been loosened and
his top 
button opened.  He carried a small brown paper bag and
was 
smiling.
"Hey Scully see anything?"
"Only normal people enjoying this beautiful Friday
evening."
"Oh Scully, you'd be bored within a week."  He sat on
the 
roofs ledge and patted the area beside him.  Sitting
next to 
him she rested back on her hands letting the sun
caress her 
face.  The rustling of the paper bag made her look
over to 
Mulder and she saw him pulling out a sandwich and a
bottle of 
water.  He held them out to her and she took them,
letting the 
cool bottle dampen her forehead before unwrapping the 
sandwich.  
"I hope you don't think his counts as the dinner you
owe me."
"Let's just call it an appetiser."  She smiled at him
and bit 
into the salad sandwich.  The city seemed so quiet
from up 
here and neither of them wanting to disturb it they
ate in 
silence.  
 
The evening passed without incidence and the bright
sunshine 
finally gave way to a cool twilight.  Mulder found it
harder 
and harder to reign in his frustration.  The heat had
cooled 
considerably and Scully found herself wrapping up
tighter in 
her windbreaker.  She watched him pacing the length of
the 
building and listened to his ramblings as he revised
the 
profile aloud.
"It's all about a challenge Scully, the art is merely
a 
bonus..."
 
She didn't reply knowing he would answer his own
questions 
without her help.  It was a trap she often fell into. 
The 
argument he instigated to reassure himself that his
profile 
was right.  She tried before to reassess it with him
but he 
always argued his doubts away.  Watching him now his
footsteps 
small, his stride slow, she knew he was nearing the
end of his 
indecision and action would soon follow.
"He's not coming." He stopped suddenly in his tracks. 
"He 
knows we're here.  We need to get this place cleared
out and 
get a bit more stealth into the operation."
"Isn't that a bit like locking the door after the
horse has 
bolted?"  Mulder gave her a strange look and started
towards 
the door.
"We need to regroup and set up again."  
 
They entered the control room and Mulder quickly
scanned the 
television screens that had been set up for the
cameras.  When 
he saw nothing he turned to Agent Whyte who had been
operating 
the system.
"I want the team recalled and set up for night watch. 
I'll 
need two people in the control room and two on each
side of 
the building.  With us scattered around like this he'd
be-,"
"We have a visual on the north face of the building
repeat a 
visual on the north face."
 
Scully glanced at Mulder who couldn't hide his
surprise.  He 
grabbed the active radio and called for the agent to
confirm 
the sighting.
"Yes Agent Mulder, he's leaning out a window on the
second 
floor on the north face.  Third window from the edge
of the 
building"
"That's the room next to the Van Gough." Scully
started to 
leave with the other Agents when the radio crackled to
life 
again.
"He's heading for the roof...the fire escape...oh My God..."
 
The exclamation stopped her in her tracks and she
turned to 
see Mulder running for the roof door.  She followed
quickly 
and caught him as he bounded out the door slamming it
into the 
wall as he ran.
"What? What's goin on?" she heard him shouting into
the radio 
as he ran.
"It...it looks like he's walking on the wall..."
 
They exchanged a quick glance before slowing their
run.  
Mulder pulled out his gun and motioned for Scully to
circle 
closer to the wall to cover the other end of the
building.  He 
listened for the creaking sound of the moving fire
escape but 
heard nothing.  Cautiously he stepped up to the roofs
edge and 
leaned out over the metal frame.  Scully stood behind
him her 
gun held rigidly by her side.
"You see him?" she asked.
"No..."
 
But before he could step away from the edge a hand
reached out 
from behind the fire escape, pulling Mulder forward
and off 
the roof.
"Mulder," Scully yelled as she ran over.  He hung from
the 
frame his gun dropped below.  A small man stood by his
hands, 
smiling up at her.
"Freeze...put your hands on your head and interlock your

fingers."  The stranger did as she said, stepping back
and 
standing heavily on Mulder's fingers.  Mulder yelled
and 
reached up and squeezed the stranger's ankle.  Scully
pulled 
out her radio but before she could call for back up
two agents 
ran up to them.  One of them jumped down and pushed
the 
suspect up to the other where he was cuffed and led
away.  He 
bent down and reached to grab Mulder's forearms.
"Hang on Mulder," he urged.  Distant sirens could be
heard and 
she hoped they would arrive in time. 
A small crowd had gathered below and Scully watched as
the FBI 
cleared them away, throwing cardboard boxes into a
pile in 
case he fell.
"I'm slipping..." Mulder yelled as his hands started to
loose 
their grip.
 
Agent Watters who was struggling to keep hold of him,
his face 
red and strained, shouted for Scully to grab some rope
or 
something but as he yelled at her he lost his grip. 
Mulder's 
hands slipped out of his reach and they watched in
horror as 
he fell as if in slow motion to the ground below. 
Scully 
called out his name and thrust her hand forward as if
she 
could catch him.  She saw him landing and winced at
the 
awkward angle of his left arm.
 
Jumping up she ran to the street below, followed
closely by 
Agent Watters.  She dropped to her knees by his head
and 
quickly checked for a pulse.  It was weak but she was
just 
happy to feel the soft throb in his neck.  She draped
her 
windbreaker over his body to keep him warm.  Rubbing
his hair 
she noted with surprise that her hand came away
bloodied.  As 
she checked more carefully she saw a deep cut that ran
just 
over his ear to the back of his head, bleeding slowly.
 
Thinking quickly and silently thanking god that she'd
worn her 
bullet-proof vest she pulled off her blouse and
bunched it up 
pressing it firmly against his head.  
 
A cold threatening wind curled around her shoulders
but she 
didn't even seem to be aware of it or of the other
agents that 
formed a protective circle around them as she
whispered for 
Mulder to hold on.  

**I hope this doesn't read like a day time soap opera,
but I'm 
going somewhere with this...I promise!!!**
 
The waiting room was cold.  She sat on a chair, her
head 
resting heavily in her hands.  A nurse had given her
some 
medial clothes to change into when she'd arrived in
the back 
of the ambulance with Mulder, but they offered little
heat and 
no comfort as she spotted her own bloodied blouse on
the next 
chair.  Watching the clock above the door she saw it
move 
slowly and monotonously through two cycles.  Her cries
of 
medical qualifications went unanswered as they pushed
her 
towards the waiting room and now two hours later she
sat 
alone, a cold cup of coffee in front of her, and she
waited.  
It was then that Skinner arrived, his steps slow and
small he 
walked towards her.  He sat on the low table in front
of her 
and waited for her to look up from the floor.
"Agent Scully..." he urged.  "How is he?"
"No news yet, he's still out of consciousness and has
lost a 
lot of blood.  He sustained a massive trauma to the
left side 
of his head, which could induce a coma.  There's no
telling 
how it will end up."
"Have you spoken to the doctors?"
"Briefly.  It's been a little over two hours since I
spoke to 
anyone."
 
Skinner stood up and walked over towards the window. 
Looking 
out at the city below, he couldn't help but notice the
silence 
that rang around the room shouting out her despair. 
Knowing 
he was about to add to it he took a deep breath and
slowly 
turned to face her.  Her hands had slipped into her
hair, her 
fingers meshing with the thick red locks.
"Agent Scully...The suspect.  He's escaped."  She
whipped her 
head around and fixed him with a glare.  
"Escaped? How?"
"He was being transported to the holding facility and
the van 
was held up at gunpoint.  He escaped and Agent Burns
was shot, 
wounded shoulder, not fatal.
"It could have been fatal.  They didn't want to kill
him," she 
said almost to herself.
"Yes, that's what Agent Watters said.  He's taken lead
of the 
case.  It seems he has a gang who knew he'd been
captured.  
Like he lured us into a trap."
"We have prints though."
"Yes and visual footage.  We'll catch him."
 
The door opened slowly and a young nurse stepped in. 
She 
glanced between the both of them and seemed unsure
whether to 
interrupt but Scully spotted her and stood up. 
Without 
another word to Skinner she followed the nurse out of
the 
room.
"He's still unconscious but the doctor said to call
you when 
he got back from the ICU."  The nurse opened another
door and 
led her into Mulder's room.  "It looks pretty gruesome
but 
he's had a terrible fall..." the nurse began to explain
but her 
words faltered when she spotted Scully's eyes.  She
left 
silently and Scully stepped closer to his bed.  
 
The first thing she noticed was the hospital gown.  He
always 
complained that they made him itch.  His head lolled
to the 
side exposing a thick white bandage that lined the
side of his 
head.  Strapping on his left shoulder was keeping it
from 
moving and it was wrapped against his chest.  As she
sat next 
to him she could see a small stain of dried blood that
ran 
down his neck.  Grabbing a small tissue and soaking it
in the 
bathroom she gently dabbed it and washed it away.
"It's getting to be where I can't take you anywhere,
Mulder," 
she quipped almost expecting him to turn towards her
with a 
crooked smile playing on his lips.  
 
She pulled a chair closer to the bed and took his
hand.  
Looking into his face she found it to be totally
relaxed and 
void of any strain.  She thought of how rarely she'd
seen him 
so.  Even when he slept she knew of the nightmares
that 
tormented him and his face always displayed his
distress.  She 
remembered one time when they travelled back from a
case.  For 
once she had been driving and it wasn't long before
he'd 
fallen asleep beside her.  As she pulled up outside
his 
apartment she looked over at him and caught him
wincing as if 
in pain.  She reached over to wake him and he mumbled
softly.
"Leave her alone, leave her alone..."
Squeezing his shoulder he jerked awake his eyes
darting around 
wildly but he finally relaxed when he saw her.
"Bad dream?" she asked willing him to talk but he just
smiled 
weakly, collected his coat from the back seat and
left.
 
Looking at him now, his features unmoving, his eyes
still and 
his breathing even she held tighter on to his hand. 
The soft 
metallic sound of the artificial breathing brought
little 
relief as she sat back into the chair.  A nurse had
implored 
her to go home as midnight approached but it was
closer to two 
am before she left.  Her apartment was cold as she
entered and 
her large bed seemed too far so she lay on the couch
intending 
only to rest.  When she woke at seven am she showered
quickly 
and hurried to the hospital, determined to see him
before her 
meeting with Agent Watters and AD Skinner.  She found
Mulder 
in the same position, his vitals unchanged.  The
nurses 
watched her silently giving her hopeful smiles and
assuring 
winks as they passed her.  But all too quickly the
time came 
when she had to leave.  
 
Ignoring the glances as she walked through the FBI
halls, 
staring straight ahead but seeing nothing she managed
to make 
it to their basement office.  Stopping abruptly as she
opened 
the door she was met by a strong aroma of his
deodorant and 
aftershave remembering how he'd sprayed some after his

exercising yesterday she took a deep breath.  His
basketball 
lay in his in tray and his jacket was hung over the
back of 
his chair.  She lifted a folder from the desk.  A
small post 
it told her that Agent Watters had left it for her to
sign.  
Reading through it she relived the moment of Mulder's
fall and 
the image replayed so clearly in her mind that she
quickly 
dropped the report, letting it fall to the floor. 
Without 
picking it up she left the room, rushing up to start
the 
meeting in Skinners office.
 
***
 
 
He woke up slowly.  The darkness was silent and
unending, 
pierced by a blinding flash of white light.  The pain
creased 
through his head sharply but slowly began to recede. 
The 
light flashed quicker and quicker until finally the
pain 
became bearable and he held his eyes open.  As the
sound 
suddenly swirled around him, the soft hiss of the
ventilation 
system broke through and caused him to turn his head,
bringing 
with it it's own throb of pain.  A small attempt to
sit up 
pushed him heavily back to his pillow.  His head ached
and it 
was then that he noticed his left arm was tied to his
body, 
wrapped around his chest.  Struggling to move it he
winced as 
his shoulder flared up a painful heat rushed down his
arm.  
His throat felt hot and dry and he tried to cough to
clear it.
"Hello..." he croaked.  The curtain that had been pulled
around 
his bed blocked his view of the door.  "Hello..." he
called 
again this time louder.  He heard footsteps and felt
relief at 
the sight of the shadow that turned towards him.
"You're awake!" a nurse exclaimed, her smile wide and
warm as 
she stood next to him.  "That's wonderful."  He
fidgeted on 
his bed but she stilled him firmly.  "No don't try to
move, 
Dr. Macey will be here shortly.  How do you feel?"
"Sore...heavy, a bit...confused."
"Well that's to be expected.
"What happened?" he asked as she took his temperature
and 
blood pressure.
"You hit the ground pretty hard.  Luckily it was only
two 
floors or you might have been killed."  Her words made
no 
sense to him and he frowned, the ache in his head
arching to a 
higher pitch.
"I fell off a building?"
"Yes, the museum.  Yesterday.  Gave us all quite a
scare.  
Don't you remember?"
"No, I don't.  I don't remember anything," his face
was full 
of the anguish he was feeling and the nurse froze. 
She slowly 
turned to face him her pen hovering over the
clipboard.
"Anything?" she asked.
"No...nothing."
"Your name?"
 
As if the thought just occurred to him her frowned and
paused 
in thought before slowly shaking his head.
"No...I don't know."
"Okay, don't worry," she slipped his chart back into
its 
place.  "You took quite a fall and the trauma was
pretty 
heavy.  Just relax and I'll call Dr Macey."  With a
slight 
frown that she tried to hide she left he room.  Mulder
turned 
to face the wall, his mind racing with questions but
void of 
answers.
 
***
  
Scully listened as Agent Watters and AD Skinner spoke
about 
the surveillance the day before.  She offered her
input but 
found it hard to keep her thoughts on the case.   She
sat at 
the large conference table unaware of the glances that
were 
shared by the other two men, as they seemed to share a
private 
conversation about her.  The file sat in front of her
barely 
touched.  A fast knock on the outer door of the office
brought 
her back to the room and she looked up to see whom
Skinner had 
beckoned to enter.  Agent Reilly bustled quickly
through the 
door holding a video and a pile of photos that he
handed out 
to Skinner.
"AD Skinner, sorry for the intrusion but this is
really 
important.  Yesterday Agent Mulder sent us 15 hours of

security footage from the Marriott Hotel and its car
park that 
are both found adjacent to the Museum.  Well we've
been 
through the whole lot and today one of the guys picked
this 
up...may I?" he indicated towards the VCR as he slipped
the tape 
in.  "That's him," he pointed to a small object that
moved 
across the grainy screen.
"Who?" Skinner asked looking down at the photos for
the first 
time.
"The suspect."
"How can you tell from there?" Watters asked.
"We blew it up and it's defiantly him...the problem is
we can't 
figure out how he got from the window to the fire
escape."
"He could have had a safety rope rigged up."
"We thought that at first but the angle of the arc he
takes 
across to the fire escape doesn't fit a rope or any
kind of 
fastenings.  We'd like to send out a forensics team to
see if 
we can find any friction marks at the scene."
"Of course, straight away."  Skinner passed the photos
around 
to the other two agents who looked at them intently. 
Scully 
turned the photo in her hand as she tried to make
sense of it.
"It's like he's walking on the wall," she said
suddenly 
remembering how one of the agents had said that
yesterday.  
Another knock this time softer and coming from the
other door 
made her look up.  Kimberly, Skinners assistant
stepped in and 
glanced at her.  
"Mr Skinner... the hospital called.  Agent Mulder has
woken up."  
She looked again towards Scully who stood up from her
chair 
and slipped on her jacket.
"Call me when you have news Agent Scully," Skinner
called 
after her as she made her way to the hospital.  
 
 
***
 
 
Mulder sat up in the bad as the doctor examined him. 
The cold 
metal instruments made him twitch as they were placed
against 
his skin.  His headache had diminished to a dull throb
but his 
arm was still raw.
"I want you to answer these questions quickly without
thinking 
about the answers," Dr Macey said as he looked into
his eyes 
and listened to his heart.  "Where were you born?"
"Eh..."
"What's your mothers maiden name?"
"Dunno about that one..."
"7 times 7?"
"49."
"Capital of Italy?"
"Rome."
"What age are you?"
"34."
"What's your full name?"
"Eh..."
"How do you feel?" Mulder frowned at him but he only
smiled 
back.  "I mean now, how are you feeling?"
"A little lost, confused."

"The trauma you sustained has caused some swelling in
your 
brain.  The coma you've been in, is your bodies way of

shutting down to let your brain recuperate, letting it
rest 
until the swelling goes down."  Mulder listened
intently and 
his eyes widened in shock as all the information sunk
in.  "To 
be brutally honest, we didn't expect you to wake up
for 
another day or son until the swelling had reduced.  It
is 
possible that this is what is causing your memory loss
and it 
will more than likely return in a day or so. 
Relaxation is 
the key."
"A day or so? Relax? Are you kidding?"
"No...and the less we tell you about your life the
better for 
you.  The more you immerse yourself in familiar
environments 
the more likely it is that your memory will return."
"Can you at least tell me my name?"
"Yes...It's Fox Mulder."  The doctor smiled a little at
him and 
sat down on the edge of the bad.  "I know it's tough
to be in 
your position.  Your shoulder will need another day of

complete rest but we can free it tomorrow and after
more x-
rays to check you swelling," he tapped the side of his
head.  
"You should be able to go home in a couple of days."
"Home? Where is that?"
"A psychiatrist will be by shortly to go through an
evaluation 
with you but from what I can tell, you seem to have
lost 
minimal neural memory, I anticipate no difficulty in
its 
recovery."
 
Mulder seemed to take some comfort in his words and
watched as 
the doctor stood to leave.  Macey walked out of the
room and 
was met by Scully at the door.
"Ms Scully?"
"Yes, how is he?"
"He's awake.  But the trauma he sustained has caused a
memory 
lapse.  The frontal lobe on the left side of his brain
is 
swollen.  I can only imagine that he turned in an
effort to 
save himself and ended up hitting his head first."
"Amnesia?" she said quietly, afraid to say it out loud
in case 
it was true.
"Retrograde amnesia.  More common than you'd think. 
He has 
full motor skills and general information.  He has
also retain 
minimal personal information but his identity is
gone."
"How long could it last?"
"Again like the coma we have no way of telling.  I'm
not an 
expert but this seems to be a mild case and with the
swelling 
still visible it shouldn't be long.  Once he gets
himself 
immersed into a familiar environment and relaxes it
should all 
come back."
 
Scully listened to the doctor but his words flew right
past 
her.
"Can I see him?"
"Of course.  But to warn you again he has lost his
memory...he 
has been told nothing of his life so don't be upset if
he 
doesn't remember you."  She nodded and urged the tears
to stay 
away as she walked into the room.
 
From his bed Mulder could see the doctor talking to
someone 
outside the door through the small window.  He could
see the 
top of a head and a small hand that absently ran
through its 
red hair.  He couldn't hear what they were saying but
was sure 
it was about him.  When the door opened slowly a
petite woman 
with vibrant red hair stepped cautiously towards him. 
He 
watched her steps and knew instantly that the smile
she wore 
wasn't entirely felt.  She stood next to his bed and
took his 
hand in hers.  He was surprised by the simple gesture
and 
couldn't help but smile at her.  Her eyes were a
strange blue 
that shimmered and turned a light grey. 
"Hey, how are you feeling?"
"Spaced...strange."
 
Without thinking she reached up to his head and gently
pushed 
his hair aside, leaning in closer to check his
dressing.  His 
breath caught in his throat trapping a delicious smell
of her 
perfume.
"They stitched you up well.  Does it hurt?"
"Only when people poke at it."  She smiled and sat on
the bed 
next to him, a faint blush creeping into her cheeks.
"I'm sorry but I have to ask...but who are you?" He
didn't want 
to say it unsure of how she would react.
"Oh sorry."  She dropped his hand and stood up from
the bed.  
"Dana Scully."
"Hi Dana...Fox Mulder." He held out his hand and she
took it 
with a sad smile.
"Are we...I mean...do we...?" he stammered
"Spit it out Mulder?"
"I mean I know we're not married..." he wiggled his
empty ring 
finger on his left hand.  "But are we-,"
"No, no we're not."  She smiled at his discomfort. 
"We work 
together.  We've been partners at the FBI since 1991."
"FBI? Wow."
 
A silence fell between them and she avoided his
watchful gaze.  
He tried to catch her wandering eyes but he couldn't. 

"So none one around here will tell me anything.  I
don't 
suppose you'll fill me in?"
"What would you like to know?"
I want to know why the urge to kiss you is all but
over 
whelming and yet you maintain we only work together? I
want to 
now how your skin feels beneath my hands? To see if it
feels 
as familiar as I hope it should? His mind screamed.
"I guess we can start with the easy stuff...like who I
am? He 
said aloud.
"For starters, that is not an easy question.  You are
a very 
complicated man."
"Is that a good thing?"
"It can be."  He smiled at her vague answers and
wondered if 
she was always so closed off.  "You are the best
investigator 
I've ever worked with," she added.
"We make a good team..." he said and she wasn't sure if
it was a 
question or not so she said nothing.  When her mobile
rang she 
reached quickly for it and walked away from the bed
towards 
the window.
"Scully."
"Agent Scully, it's Agent Watters.  We have the prints
and a 
match.  We're setting up a meeting in one hour in the 
bullpen."
"I'm on my way."
"How is Agent Mulder?"
"He's awake," she glanced at him and caught him
staring after 
her following her movements as she paced the small
room.  
"He's getting better."
"Great, well I'll see you later."
"Work?" he asked after she put the phone away.
"Yeah, I have to get back." She sat next to him and,
silently 
damming the consequences, she took his hand and held
it in 
hers tightly.  "Will you be okay?"
"Yes."  He smiled.  "I'll be bored but I'll be okay."
"I'll come by and see you later.  Give me a call if
you need 
anything."
"Okay.  Thanks Dana."
 
His use of her first name stung more than she thought
it would 
but she pushed it away.  Standing up she curled her
hair 
behind her ears and turned to face him.  He noticed
her eyes 
had gone back to a bright blue.
"I'll see you later.  Try to get some rest."
"Bye."
 
She cast a final glance at him and walked out of the
room.  He 
watched her leave and not for the first time since she
entered 
the room a strange feeling passed through him.  His
smile 
slowly faded as he lay back into the bed.  His head
ache 
forgotten he tried to think of his past but images of
the 
mysterious Dana Scully plagued him.  Wondering idly
whether he 
was imagining them or remembering them he decided not
to worry 
and let them play through his mind.
  
***

As she made her way through the bullpen she spotted
agent 
Watters sitting at the centre table with three other
Agents.  
He beckoned her over and pulled out a seat at the
small table.
"How is Agent Mulder doing?" he asked immediately.
"He's awake, but he's sustained considerable trauma to
the 
left side of his head, resulting in amnesia."  Her
words 
stunned and silenced the other men.
"How bad is it?"
"He has retained full working knowledge but no
specific 
personal facts.  Like I'm sure he'll be able to
continue 
profiling, but he couldn't tell you his address."
"How long will it last?"
"It's difficult to tell.  It could be a few days, a
week...a 
year."
 
She reached up and brushed her hair away from her
face, her 
tiredness showing through.  She expected the questions
but 
didn't expect it would be so hard to talk about. 
Agent 
Watters noticed her discomfort and began to shuffle
the papers 
in front of him.  The others got the silent message
and 
abruptly busied themselves looking for the
ever-elusive page.  
Scully silently sighed, relieved to be away from their

scrutiny.  
"The match came through about an hour ago," Simpson
began.  
"Michael Carson, Aged 38 resides...or rather resided in
Ohio, 
Columbus Ohio.  Student Housing.  We have no current
address 
yet."
"How did you get the match?" Scully asked.
"It seems that he gave blood, prints and DNA sampling
to a 
University program.  He shouldn't be too hard to
track.  Any 
hospital visits or traffic tickets, anything like
that, should 
highlight his location."
"We found something at the scene," Agent Reilly said
quickly, 
eager to share his information.  The mixture of wonder
and 
excitement on his face made her think of Mulder but
she pushed 
it away and tried to concentrate.  "There was no trace
of any 
rig set up or any protection he might have wore.  The
friction 
on the roof or from the windowsill would have been
evident had 
a rig been set up.  But we did find this..." He passed
around 
photos of the wall with prints clearly marked from the
window 
to the fire escape.  "It's like he walked on all fours
to get 
across the wall."
"How is that possible?" Watters asked.
"I don't know..." they all turned to Scully.  
"If Mulder was here he'd make some joke about
Spiderman," she 
said, unaware that she'd said it out loud until she
heard the 
ripple of laughter chorus around the table.
"He was a science Student majoring in Microbiology,"
Simpson 
added as if for an explanation.
"Could he have developed...some sort of..." Watters began
but his 
words faded out. 
"The two assailants were identified by Agents Burns
and Doyle.  
They are John Markus and Mike Lennon."  Agent Salmon
stood to 
hand out the profiles.  "Both of them served time on
Rikers 
and we're searching for a connection to Carson.  John
Markus 
was arrested for illegal genetic testing and Mike
Lennon was 
in for gun smuggling."
"That doesn't seem to be a great match," Simpson said.
"Depends on what you're planning."
"No weapons have been used in any heist by Carson,"
Scully 
said
"None that we know of.  Not yet."
"I have a team ready to go tonight on a suspected
location of 
these two." Agent Salmon slapped the pages in front of
him and 
turned to Watters.  "All I need is your GO sir."
"You got it.  What team did you pick?"
"I got Agent Doyle's team, less Agent Burns."
"How is he doing?"
"Bad shoulder injury, looks like he'll be taking desk
duty for 
a while after he gets out."
 
A sombre silence fell around them and Scully's
thoughts 
displayed an image of Mulder lying on the hospital
bed.  She 
couldn't imagine him filling in a desk position
happily but 
with the state he was in at the moment she couldn't
imagine 
him filling in any position at the FBI.  Her thoughts
came 
crashing back to the present as she heard them talking
about 
the raid that would take place that night.  Her
annoyance at 
not being asked to participate was dissolved when she
felt a 
dull throb start in her head.  Any idea she had about 
involving herself died.  Suddenly the four men stood
and began 
to gather their papers.  She slowly fixed the profiles
she'd 
been handed and fit them into her briefcase.  As the
other men 
left Agent Watters sat back down.
"Agent Scully," he said softly.  "I was speaking to AD
Skinner 
and he asked me to give you some time away from the
case.  But 
I thought you'd rather decide that for yourself.  The
raid is 
leaving the south garage at 10pm if you want to join
them give 
Agent Salmon a shout."
"Thank you Agent Watters." 
"If you want to drop the case at any point, please
don't 
hesitate to talk to me."
"I'll be fine."  She smiled at him grateful for the
equal 
treatment he extended to her.  She worked so hard for
it that 
when it was handed to her she really did appreciate
it.  "I'll 
be working with Agent Simpson on the background
search."
 
***

"Fox Mulder, FBI," he said not for the first time to
the 
ceiling.  He'd been lying in the bed all day, alone,
save for 
the few nurses that checked his vitals, more out of
curiosity 
as to who he was rather than necessity.  His headache
had 
subsided enough for him to sit up out of the bed and
stagger 
over to the bathroom.  Leaning against the sink and
staring at 
his own strange reflection, he pulled at his face as
if it 
were a new suit.
"FBI Freeze," he said to the mirror.  With a little
laugh he 
made his way back to the bed, thankful for the private
room, 
as his hospital gown was surely covering nothing.  
It had been hours since Dana Scully had breezed in and
he 
still found it hard not to think about her.  Maybe it
was 
because he had so few memories he told himself.  The
image of 
her standing in front of him when she'd brushed aside
his hair 
was flashing constantly before him and he made no
effort to 
remove it.

The door opened slowly and he watched a tall man
enter, a 
small smile on his face.  He approached the bed and
placed a 
bunch of flowers on the table beside it.
"Hello, I'm Walter Skinner."
"Fox Mulder."  He stuck out his hand and the stranger
looked 
at it for a minute before shaking it. "Are you from
the FBI?"
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"A guess."
"I'm your boss."
"My boss? Visiting me in hospital? I must have been
good at 
what I did."
"You were...you are." Skinner struggled to speak to him.
 "How 
are you feeling?"
"Confused.  A little worried but they told me not to
think 
about it.  It should all fall back when I least expect
it."
"You don't believe them?"
"I'm trying to but you know...it's hard."  Skinner
watched him 
for a minute and saw so little of the Mulder he'd
worked with 
for the past four years. 
"Well there will be a place for you at the FBI whether
you 
regain your memories or not."
"Will there?" Mulder was more than surprised.
"Of course you'll need to go through requalification
tests but 
from what Agent Scully has said that shouldn't be a
problem."
 
At the mention of her name another flash burned into
his eyes 
and he suppressed the smile his face itched to break
into.
"Mr. Mulder?" A nurse walked in pushing an empty wheel
chair.  
Skinner took a step back and allowed her to stop the
chair by 
the bed.
"It's good to see you Mulder, I'll see you soon."
Skinner 
turned and left as the nurse came over to him.
"Now Mr. Mulder..."
"Please call me Fox."
"Well Fox, we have an appointment down in Neurology
for a CT 
Scan."  She unfolded the blue blanket from the seat
and urged 
him to sit into it.
"Cant I just walk?"
"No," she said flatly.  He managed to step out of the
bed and 
with only one hand found it hard to keep his gown
closed.  
"Come on now, it isn't anything I've not seen before!"
 With 
an increasing blush he sat into the chair and took the
blanket 
she laid over his lap.
"So how are you feeling?"
"Still a bit confused."
"Hopefully you'll be right as rain in a few days."
"Yeah...hopefully."  He mirrored her words but felt none
of her 
optimism.
 
***
 
"Excuse me miss, but visiting hours are over." 
Scully had hoped to walk by without being noticed but
the 
night nurse at the station seemed to have little to
do.
"I know but I have been working all day and haven't
had a 
chance to get in to see him."
"I understand but the rules are there for the patients

benefit.  It's half ten."
"Do you mind if I just drop some things in?" she held
up a 
small bag she'd been carrying.
"To who?"
"Mr Mulder in room 219"
"Oh Fox.  Of course you can.  But you mustn't stay
long."
"Thank you." 
 
Scully walked on quickly and wondered briefly at the
nurse's 
use of his first name.  As she came to his room she
opened the 
door slowly and noticed how dark it was in side. 
Giving her 
eyes a second to adjust she closed the door behind her
and the 
click seemed to resonate loudly around the room.  She
could 
see him laying still on the bed his outline clear in
the 
moonlight that shone through the half closed blinds. 
His 
breathing was undetectable so she gently laid the bag
on the 
end of the bed and sat down into the chair.  Her
evening had 
been spent with Agent Simpson who left with the raid
at 10pm.  
She had gone down to the garage and seen the team off
but 
opted not to join them as her aching limbs screamed
for some 
attention.  Resting her elbows on he thighs she let
her head 
fall into her hands, her hair falling around them. 
She didn't 
hear the soft rustle of the sheets until a hand
reached out 
and touched the back of her neck.  Long strong fingers
gently 
rubbed its base and she revelled in their touch.
"Bad day?" he said softly and she almost let him
continue 
before she sat up causing him to drop his hand onto
his lap.  
He switched the bedside lamp on that showered them in
a soft 
light.
"Yes, a long one."  She stood and collected the bag
from the 
end of the bed.  "I got you some things from your
apartment."  
 
Mulder took the bag and looked in to see some
toiletries and a 
blue pair of pyjamas.  He wasn't sure which pleased
him more, 
the sight of comfortable bedclothes or the thought
that she 
had a key to his apartment and obviously knew his
sleeping 
habits enough to know what he'd like to wear.
"Thanks, this gown is killing me."  He stood shakily
and 
carried the pyjamas into the bathroom.  The warm
feeling of 
relief that washed over her as he walked across the
room 
surprised her.  Happy that he was awake, delighted
that he was 
walking.
"So were you busy at work?" he called through the
still open 
door.
"Yeah. A lot of research needs to be done to see if we
can 
locate the guy that...the suspect."
 
He emerged from the bathroom barefoot wearing only the
pyjama 
bottoms, with one side of them pulled up higher than
the other 
and carrying the top in his good hand.
"It's good to see you walking."
"I got too bored to lie about."  He held his free hand
up high 
through the sleeve and tried to drop the top over his 
shoulders.  He struggled for a while leaning back into
the 
bed.
"Here," Scully stepped over to the bed and found
herself 
standing between his legs.  "Let me."
 
He let his arm drop and sat forward suddenly realising
how 
close she was standing to him, she tried to ignore the
caress 
of his breath against her neck as she reached around
his back 
to grab his top.  With his left arm still fixed to his
chest 
she gently covered it and started to button it up.  
"Thanks," he murmured, his eyes fixed on the spot
where her 
neck met her shoulder.  "I had a CT Scan today," he
blurted 
out, eager to relieve the tension that had suddenly
risen 
between them.
"Oh? Any news?"
"Dr Macey says that the swelling has gone down a lot. 
He said 
that I should be fit to go home by Monday."
"Monday? So soon?"
"Yeah."
"How does that make you feel?"
"You sound like a psychologist," he joked.
"No, just a friend."
"I guess it makes me feel scared.  I don't even know
where I 
live."  He reached down and fiddled with the last
button on 
his top.
"I'll take you."
 
He looked up and saw her concerned look.  She was
smiling but 
he could tell she didn't feel like it.  She looked
tired he 
thought and wished he could help her relax.  But he
didn't 
know anymore what would make her relax, what would
stop her 
thinking about the trying day she'd obviously been
through.  
She noticed his silence and felt his stare.
"Everyone at work sends their wishes." He knew she was
trying 
to change the subject so he didn't push. 
"So are you working tomorrow?" 
"I have an early morning meeting but after that no."
"Working on a Sunday, this FBI job sounds better and
better 
the more I hear about it."
"It's a case, on a case you work until it's solved. 
Then you 
get your rest.  After all the reports have been
written and 
approved."
"So what kind of cases have we solved?"
"It's hard to describe...unusual cases.  We work on
something 
called the X-files.  Any unexplainable phenomena that
crops up 
usually ends up one way or another in our office."
"Unexplained? Like what?"
 
Despite herself Scully smiled.  The conversation was
mirroring 
one she'd had with her father shortly after her
assignment to 
the X-Files.  It was hard to explain the hard work
they went 
through case after case to someone who would see it as
only 
chasing little green men.
"Well..." she hesitated, not sure how he would take it. 

"Anything involving the paranormal like telekinesis,
psycho 
kinesis, telepathy unexplained disappearances, genetic

mutation...pretty much anything you can think of.  We've

probably got a case on it somewhere."  Mulder's face
froze and 
his eyes widened as she went through the list.  
"Are you kidding?"

"No. No I'm not."  Scully watched him closely but saw
only 
shock.  Not sure whether she wanted to laugh or cry
she tried 
to keep her emotions at bay. A soft knock at the door
made 
them both turn to see a nurse step in.
"I'm sorry but you had better leave."
"Of course." She stood and stepped away from the bed. 
Turning 
to him she found him watching her, a sad smile tugging
on his 
lips.  "You okay?"
"Yeah...just...it doesn't matter..."
"What is it Mulder," she reached over and took his
hand in a 
gentle squeeze.
"Thanks for coming by."
"It's no problem.  I'll see you tomorrow around lunch
time." 
She paused for a moment and he wondered what thoughts
were 
flying through her mind.  Rummaging in her pocket she
pulled 
out a business card and a pen and quickly jotted
something 
down.  Holding it out to him he took it and saw two
phone 
numbers.  "That's my home and mobile numbers, you can
call me 
anytime you need me.  Okay?"  
"Thanks."

She took his hand again and gently rubbed her thumb
over the 
middle of his palm send tingling sensations ripple
through his 
arm.  With a small smile he lay back in to the pillows

watching as the nurse lead her away.

***
 
The large conference room was big enough to sit over
fifty 
agents but with only half that present it seemed all
the 
bigger.  Slides were displayed on the furthest wall
from the 
thick double doors and the commentary washed over an
exhausted 
audience sternly.  Scully sat with Skinner near the
back of 
the assembled group.  She caught his curious glance as
she 
took her seat earlier but he said nothing.  The raid
the night 
before had been fruitless ending in a bloody shootout.
 With 
two agents' shot and one of the suspects killed the
other one 
managed to escape in the chaos.  Agent Watters paced
the top 
of the room berating the carelessness that had taken
place and 
Scully was thankful again not to have been present. 
Guilt 
washed over her as she thought that she could have
helped and 
possibly changed the outcome of the raid, but was
quickly 
pushed aside when she knew there would have been
nothing she 
could have done.
 
Her night had consisted of a quick shower while
longing for a 
bath and a restless nap while longing for a deep
uninterrupted 
sleep.  The alarm clock jolted her up and she dragged
her 
uncooperative body into the cold Sunday morning.  A
soft frost 
covered the windows and she shivered before throwing
her robe 
on.  Thoughts of Mulder swayed around her as she went 
wordlessly through her morning routine of coffee and
showers, 
before dressing and rushing out the door for the
Sunday 
conference.  Skinner had called her last night to tell
her 
about the raid so she knew the agents that had been
there 
would feel her presence as support.  Watters afforded
her an 
uneasy nod as he entered the full room but his eyes
stayed 
away from hers during the meeting.  Finally the room
filed out 
in an eerie silence.  Skinner stood up beside her and
placed a 
heavy hand on her shoulder. 
"How is he?"
"Much better...physically.  Looks like he'll be home by 
tomorrow."
"Then what?"
"Well then he'll have to recuperate..." she let her eyes
fall 
down to her hands that rested interlinked on her lap. 
"And if 
he doesn't, he'll have to adjust...we all will."
 
He squeezed her shoulder and without words of
condolences or 
useless smiles he simply left.  Scully stood to fix
her jacket 
that lay perfectly against her slim body.  She spotted
Watters 
hovering by and wanted to give him the chance to
approach her 
before she left.
"Agent Scully...I wanted to talk to you for a minute."
"What is it?"
"Well firstly I wanted to apologise for the disastrous
raid 
that happened last night."
"You don't need to do that-,"
"No, Please, if anyone else needs this case solved
quicker 
than you or Mulder it's me."  She knew exactly what he
meant 
and again the slow motion image of Mulder falling from
the 
roof played before her eyes.  "Anyway you know as well
as I do 
that once an Agent is down a case becomes so much more

urgent."
"Agent Mulder is not the only one who's been injured
here," 
she said trying to keep the anger from her voice.
"No, but he was the first... and excuse me if I feel a
little 
blame."
"Blame? You didn't drop him," she reached out and
touched his 
arm, her voice soft and low.
"No, but I didn't hold on either."  Before she could
utter 
another word he walked by her and out of the room. 
She 
imagined he wanted to slam the door but with the
control arms 
closing it slowly, it simply closed with a soft thud. 

She found herself back in her apartment.  The suit she
wore 
was tossed in favour of more casual clothes as she put
on a 
pair of black jeans and a light blue short-sleeved top
with a 
low v-neck.  As she walked to her car a cool wind
gently 
caressed her shoulders.  The sun shone brightly
mocking her 
sombre mood as she drove to the hospital.  The halls
were 
alive with visitors and she entered Mulder's room to
find 
Frohike its only occupant.
"Frohike? Where is Mulder?" she said startling him
from his 
reverie out the window.
"Langly and Byers took him down to the canteen to
prove some 
sort of conspiracy theory."
"What?
"Something about drugs in Jell-O to placate patients
while 
tests are being done."
"Of course, what else." She sat heavily onto the bed
emitting 
a sigh louder than she would have liked.
"Tired?"
"Long morning."
"Worried about Mulder?"
 
She didn't reply.  She didn't need to.  Frohike took
the seat 
beside the bed and looked up at her, waiting for her
to look 
back.  Finally she looked up from the floor and found
him 
smiling oddly.  He nodded his head a little and she
couldn't 
help but smile at his clumsy attempt to comfort her
and yet 
suddenly she was comforted.  Suddenly she wasn't the
only one 
who knew Mulder well enough to realise how bad this
could be, 
suddenly she wasn't the only one who knew how bad this
was for 
her.
 
A loud ruckus from the hallway broke their silent
exchange and 
they both watched the door as the noise got louder. 
The door 
swung open, only the stopper on the floor saving the
wall 
behind it.  Langly roughly pushed Mulder into the room
in a 
wheelchair his glare still staring out the door behind
him he 
didn't see her.  Mulder did.
 
He caught the subtle essence of her perfume as soon as
the 
door was opened and was pretty sure it wasn't
Frohike's.  He 
saw her sitting on his bed and smiled.  She returned
the smile 
but he knew it wasn't one of her best.  He'd only
known her 
for a day or so but he imagined she had better, warmer
more 
intimate smiles than the ones she had shown him and he
was 
going to make it his mission to seek them out.
"Scully, hey!" Langly exclaimed abandoning the
wheelchair in 
the middle of the room he approached her. For a second
she 
thought he was going to hug her before he held on to
her arm 
and leaned in closer to her.  "I was monitoring some
seriously 
suspicious activity in the canteen you might want to
take a 
look," he whispered to her, his eyes darting around
the room.
"You write me a report and I'll see what I can do."
 
As Byers entered the room his usually impeccable suit
a little 
awry she had to hold back a small laugh.  He tugged at
his tie 
and straightened it.
"We have to leave gentlemen.  Apparently we are
causing a 
scene."
 
Mulder stood from the chair and ambled slowly over to
the bed, 
sitting in the space that Scully had occupied only
moments 
earlier.  They said their goodbyes and left amid words
shouted 
down the hallway, leaving them alone in the small
room.  
Mulder looked at her in her street clothes and liked
what he 
saw.  The sun beamed in through the large windows as
Mulder 
lounged back on the bed.  He rested both his hands
behind his 
head interlocking his fingers.  It was only then she
noticed 
he was without his sling.
"Your arm, it's free!" she walked over to him and he
sat 
forward, extending his arm for her to examine.  Her
medically 
trained fingers ran the length of his arm.  "Does it
hurt?"
"Not really.  I was told to take it easy for a week or
so."
 
She slipped her hand in under the collar of his pyjama
top and 
gripped his shoulder firmly while bending and rotating
his 
arm.
"The muscle is still very tight.  Did they show you
the 
exercises you need?"
"Yes Doctor!" he quipped but what he meant as a light
joke 
stung her.  She released him but before she could pull
away he 
grabbed her wrist.  "Dana...sorry." 
She wouldn't meet his eyes but he held on to her and
continued 
regardless.
"I don't know what type of person I was before
Saturday 
morning but lying on this bed all day and lying awake
all 
night is driving me crazy.  The only other thing
that's worse 
is the incessant questions about how I'm feeling."  He
smiled 
a little hoping she'd look up and catch it, maybe even
return 
it, but her eyes stayed away.  "Mostly though, I can't
help 
but think about you."  She looked up a frown creasing
her soft 
brow.
"Me?"
"Yeah you."  His grip on her wrist slackened and he
rubbed her 
palm with his thumb mimicking her gesture from the
night 
before.  "Everyone keeps asking me how I'm feeling. 
I've lost 
my memory...lost who I am...Fox Mulder.  But so have you,
Dana."  
He paused catching and holding her gaze.  "How are
you?"
"I'm fine," she answered quickly, too quickly he
thought.
"I'm pretty sure the old me wouldn't let you away with
such an 
irreverent answer, so I sure as hell wont."
"Really Mulder, I'm fine."
 
For a minute he said nothing, releasing her hand he
sat back 
into the bed and watched her.
"Why do you do that?"  Surprised she looked up.  
"Do what?"
"Right now Dana, you are the only friend I've got.  I
know 
I've forgotten everything that was... special between
us," he 
sat up letting his legs fall over the edge.
"Mulder-,"
"Why are you closing me off? Now? When I need you the
most? 
When I need you open? When I need you honest?" his
words 
spilled out quickly his face a picture of anguish and
misery.
 
She watched him silently for a minute before stepping
closer.  
Without explanation or without the need to she wrapped
her 
arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight
embrace.  He 
shifted his legs so they hung either side of her and
cuddled 
her closer, his hands clasped behind her back.
 
For a moment he thought she was crying but when she
pulled 
away her eyes were clear and her cheeks dry.
"I'm sorry Mulder.  I guess I was trying to handle
everything 
myself."
"Well don't."
 
A soft cough by the open door made them both turn to
see Dr 
Macey approaching them.  Reluctantly Mulder let his
hands fall 
from her waist as she stepped out of his embrace.
"Mr Mulder, I got your CT Scan results from this
morning."
"What's the verdict?"
"Again I see remarkable recovery.  The swelling has
decreased 
again.  Your shoulder should be fully healed in a week
or so, 
if you stick to the routine the physio gave you."
"All I need now is the all clear from the shrink,"
Mulder said 
with a wry smile.
"Well I spoke to Dr Gavin this morning and she agrees
with my 
opinion that you are ready to be released."
 
Mulder's face froze.  As much as he wanted to leave,
all he 
knew was this room, this hospital.  "Today?"
"Well officially the paperwork wont have gone through
until 
tomorrow morning but I see no reason that you cant go
home 
today."
"That's...great," he said, refusing to meet Scully's
gaze.
"If you could set up some more appointments with Dr
Gavin, or 
should you prefer an FBI counsellor.  Either way I
strongly 
recommend that you continue the sessions.  For your
own 
benefit, your own peace of mind."
"What's left of it," he murmured.
"I've booked you in for another scan next Friday so we
can 
monitor your progress. So I'll see you then."
 
Mulder took the hand he extended and shook it firmly.
"Thank you."  When he left Mulder finally turned to
Scully who 
was watching him closely.  "I guess this is it.  Home
time."
"You okay?"
"Yeah...I'll grab my things."
 
He walked over the bathroom and collected what little 
possessions he had.  He returned to find Scully
gathering his 
stuff and putting them into the bag she'd brought
yesterday.  
She had taken his suit out of the tall locker and left
his 
trousers and shirt out on the bed.  He pulled off the
pyjama 
top over his head and gently slipped into the white
shirt.
"I can't believe I'm going home."
"Are you nervous?"
 
He stopped doing up the buttons and turned to her.
"I've been lying here wondering about who I was and
where I 
might live.  I just...I dunno," he turned away and
grabbed the 
trousers off the bed.  Without hesitation he pulled
off his 
bottoms revealing the pair of black boxers she'd
packed for 
him.
"Just what?" she said her voice displaying none of the

surprise she felt.
"Just now that I'm going to be faced with the
mysterious Fox 
Mulder, I can't help but feel intimidated."
 
Finally he pulled up his trousers and belted them
loosely 
around his hips.  He half tucked his shirt in having
trouble 
reaching all the way round with his injured arm.
"Don't worry so much. It's you.  Everything you'll see
will be 
you.  Not something you have to live up to but
something you 
already are.  It's just a matter of letting go and
turning 
over to instinct."  Hearing her own words she couldn't
help 
but smile sadly.  Knowing that usually Mulder would
make a 
joke at her if she suggested he follow his gut
feelings.  
 
They packed the rest of his belongings in silence and
with one 
final look to make sure nothing was forgotten they
left.
 
He stared out the window watching the streets he
imagined 
should be familiar, stream by.  They blurred into one
long 
street of buildings and trees.  He could feel her
occasional 
gaze fall on his when her eyes strayed from the road
but he 
made no move to force out a smile.  As she pulled up
outside 
his apartment he continued to stare out, unaware the
car had 
stopped.
"Mulder, we're here."  She reached over and gently
squeezed 
his arm.  Slowly he turned to her and she saw how pale
he was.  
"Are you okay?"
He nodded wordlessly and pulled himself out of the
car.  He 
waited for her as she walked around to him and
followed her up 
to the door.  As she searched for the key he saw his
name next 
to the number 42 on the residents list.
"Apartment 42," he said absently as if saying it aloud
would 
help him remember.
 
He stood half a step behind her in the elevator
watching the 
numbers count up to the fourth floor.  When the doors
slid 
open she looked up to his strained face and tried to
smile 
reassuringly at him.  Taking his hand she led him to
the 
apartment and after unlocking the door she stood by to
let him 
enter first.
 
Tentatively he stepped in, still holding her hand. 
His grip 
tightened as he surveyed the room that stood before
him.  A 
low black leather couch lay against a wall and a
shelving unit 
beside it strained under the weight of a large fish
tank and 
he guessed over three hundred videos.  His gaze fell
on the 
desk that sat beneath the window holding his computer
and 
cluttered with open files, a few cups and he was sure
that was 
a pizza box.  The TV stood to his left between two
chairs and 
the floor beside it was littered with videotapes.
 
With both of his hands clasped behind his back, he
still held 
hers as he made his way into the kitchen.  He found it
to be 
clean, functional and barely touched.
"I guess I'm not the entertaining type," he joked but
she 
heard the disappointment in his voice and placed a
hand on his 
back.  He liked the way she rubbed him gently offering
her 
support and turned back to the living room.
 
The bathroom door was open and the floor strewn with
towels.  
He shook his head laughing softly as he walked by it
to what 
he presumed to be the bedroom door.  He opened the
door and 
smiled at the sight of the large bed and almost as big
TV.  
She leaned against the doorframe as he walked around
the room 
and fingered the objects he left lying around.  A Tom
Clancy 
book lay open on one of his pillows and a box of
headache 
pills sat beneath his lamp on top of the alarm clock. 
He 
pushed the bed and laughed out loud when it swayed
around the 
swirling water.
"A Water bed? I think this is my favourite room!"
"You know you used to have mirrors up there."  She
pointed to 
the roof over the bed smiling.
"What happened?" delighted that she'd been in his room
before, 
possibly in his bed.
"You said you kept waking up to find someone staring
at you so 
you got rid of them."
"Afraid of my own reflection? Talk about manly!"
 
His mood dropped low again and his smile faded.  He
sat onto 
the bed and laid back, a long low shuddering breath
escaped 
past his lips and he closed his eyes.
"You okay?"
"Yeah...I guess I was expecting something to happen."
 
She said nothing knowing her words would do nothing to

alleviate his worries.  Suddenly he sat up and managed
to get 
off the still moving bed.  He walked over and stood in
front 
of her.  Taking both of her hands in his he smiled
weakly.
"Thanks...for coming.  For taking me."
"No problem."  A silence fell between them and he
continued to 
watch her.  "Are you hungry?"
"Yes.  I am.  But I need a shower."
"You take a shower and I'll see what I can make."
 
She returned to the living room and collected the cups
from 
the desk.  She could hear the shower running as she
put them 
into the sink and opened the fridge.  Inside she found
a 
carton of Orange Juice, a few beers and a packet of
peanuts 
but little else that could be described as food.  She
cleaned 
out the cups and put them away.  Back on the couch she
could 
hear him moving around in his bedroom and tried to
imagine 
what it would be like to arrive at her apartment with
no 
memory.  How would she cope?
 
Mulder stepped out of the bathroom with the towel
wrapped 
around his waist.  He could see her standing by the
sink 
washing the cups and wondered how often he'd seen that
image 
before.  He wondered if he felt the same warm feeling
of 
protection before as he felt right now.  Turning he
went into 
the bedroom and rummaged through his wardrobe.  He
found five 
Knicks t-shirts and multiple plain ones.  Opting for a
plain 
black he threw it onto the bed behind him.  Pulling
out a pair 
of black jeans he quickly dried off and dressed.  He
entered 
the living room carrying his socks and boots, to find
her 
resting back on the couch her feet up on his low
table.  He 
took in the picture for a moment before she looked up
and 
smiled.
"I'm afraid lunch is off," she said.
"Why?" he replied trying not to show his
disappointment as he 
sat next to her.
"Well the only edible thing in your house is nuts."
"Oh, sorry!"
"We could go out and get food or even go back to my
place."
"Sure."  He reached down tying his boots.  "This
apartment is 
getting to me," he added almost as an after thought.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I'm sitting here surrounded by all this stuff
that's 
supposed to be my home and I'm a complete stranger to
it all."
"Give it time."
"I know I know...give it time, relax, it'll all come
back."  His 
voice was harsher than he would have liked but he
couldn't 
help it.  He rubbed his face vigorously with both
hands and 
let them brush through his hair.  "Sorry but I feel
like I'm 
being tested and I don't even know the questions."
"Come on.  Lets get out of here and get you relaxed."
 
He smiled at her and even raised his eyebrow a bit in
that all 
too familiar gesture.  A low burning blush crept past
her neck 
and flamed into her cheeks but before she could look
away he 
caught her chin and turned her to face him fully.  He
didn't 
move or say anything but the smile he wore spoke
volumes to 
her only deepening her blush.  A million thoughts
whirled 
through her head but before one of them could be
developed 
fully he released her and stood.  Extending a hand out
to her 
she allowed him to pull her up and they left.
 
***
 
Skinner sat at his desk.  Sunday morning work had
turned into 
Sunday lunchtime.  A small radio on his desk softly
read the 
football scores into the otherwise silent room.  His
glasses 
rested on the table between his elbows, his head hung
in his 
hands.  Rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands
he sat 
back into his chair blinking rapidly until the room
focused 
again.  
 
Slipping on his glasses he picked up his pen and
tapped it 
rhythmically on the edge of the table.  A soft and
surprising 
knock made him look up to the opening door in time to
see 
Agent Watters stick his head around.
"Sir?"
"Agent Watters, you're still here?"
"Yeah, my wife is going to kill me."
"What can I do for you?"
"Well sir I wanted to talk to you about the Carson
case."
"Go on."  Skinner nodded towards the chair and Watters
quickly 
passed through the room barely sitting on the edge of
it.  
Skinner noticed how he was ready to bolt for the door
and a 
sheen of sweat covered his brow.
"I don't think I can continue with point..."
"Why not?"
"Sir I worked very closely with Agent Mulder when he
was 
devising his profile.  I arranged the surveillance of
the 
gallery..."
"If you're trying to convince me that you're not
capable then 
you're going the wrong way about it."
"No sir, It's just that the fall..."
"Have you spoken to the counsellor?"
"Yes sir."
"Agent Watters," Skinner stood up from his chair and
walked 
around the table.  Leaning against it he let his arms
cross 
his chest. "I understand you are going through some
problems 
and in a perfect world we could let you go, take some
time 
off.  We are already three men down because of this
dammed 
case and I'm not about to loose another one.  You said
it 
yourself, you worked closely with Mulder for this
profile so 
you know you're the best man to take over."
"Agent Scully-."
"Agent Scully is working on research and will still be

available but having just...lost her partner I think we
can 
afford to give her some room."
"I spoke to her this morning," he said softly.  "She
seems 
some what determined to be fully involved."
 
Skinner smiled.  Having worked with her for over five
years he 
knew she would.  He tried to get Watters to give her
less work 
but he knew she wouldn't hear of it.  She was always
obstinate 
when it came to her work and now with Mulder's
injuries she 
became even more so.
"Agent Watters, go home.  Spend the day with your
family and 
come back ready for the meeting in the bullpen
tomorrow 
morning."
"Yes sir."  He stood and walked out of the room.  A
young 
officer already in a position of power.  Skinner
wondered if 
he made the right decision and returned to his desk
and the 
files waiting patiently for his attention.
 
***
 
Scully gently folded the omelette over in the pan and
shook it 
tenderly making sure it wasn't stuck.  They had driven
to her 
apartment, in silence, a little over an hour ago.  He 
immediately started to look around, a strange smile on
his 
lips.  She wandered into the kitchen to make some
lunch, 
letting him explore by himself.  He walked slowly
around her 
front room and let his fingers gently brush the spines
of the 
books on her shelves as he read the titles, trying
desperately 
to decipher any information he could about her. 
Mostly they 
were medical publications with a few magazines, but
one title 
caught his eye and he pulled it off the shelf.
"The Thief of Always by Clive Barker," he said to no
one.  
 
Leafing through the small book he paused at each of
the 
illustrations and thought how strange it was for her
to have 
this book stacked with her research files.  On the
inside of 
the cover he found an inscription.  Looking up he saw
her 
still in the kitchen reaching into a high cupboard for
plates.  
The cuff of her top rising above the rim of her jeans
gave him 
a glimpse of her skin that yelled to be touched.  He
focused 
back on the book and read the inscription.
"Scully, Fears we face are fears we control, Love
Mulder."
 
For a long moment he stared at the words, allowing his
fingers 
to brush over the lettering.
"You gave me that about two months ago."
 
Her voice so close startled him.  She stood beside him
looking 
down at the book in his hands a sad smile tugging on
her lips.  
Without realising it he was matching her expression.
"What does it mean?" he asked showing her the
inscription.
"It's a long story."
"I'm not going anywhere."
"I'll tell you about it over lunch, which by the way
is 
ready."
 
They sat at her kitchen table eating in silence for a
while.
"So tell me," he urged.
"We were on a case out in Maine," she began.  "We had
followed 
a suspect out to his home and settled in for a long
stay.  The 
stakeout started at around eleven and I guess I fell
asleep at 
maybe two AM."  
 
She paused long enough to take a bite of her omelette
and a 
sip of water.  He had cleared his plate and refused
another.  
Contentedly he sat and watched her eat, listening
avidly to 
her story.  She remembered the night well and thought
of it 
often.
 
***A miserable rain fell against the window she rested
her 
head on and lulled her into a restless sleep. For a
while 
Mulder had continued to speak not realising she had
fallen 
asleep.  Turning down the radio he leaned back into
his chair 
and watched the dark windows for and sign of movement.
 She'd 
been asleep for almost an hour before she started
talking.  At 
first he thought she was snoring and he couldn't help
but 
chuckle.  But then he heard her words.
"No...I'm not afraid."
 
Leaning in closer he could see a soft sheen on her
cheek from 
tears that had managed to break free from her thick
lashes.  
He reached out to her hands and found them cold and
trembling.  
The car heating was on enough to fog the windows so he
pulled 
his trench coat from the back seat and draped it over
her 
small body.  She turned into his heat and one cold
hand 
reached out to gripped his suit jacket.
"No...don't leave...I am afraid," she murmured.
"Scully?" he called her name.  He knuckles were white
from the 
tight grip he had on him. But suddenly she dropped it.
"Scully?" he called again.
 
Her eyes fluttered open and she frowned at the sight
of him 
leaning so close over her.
"I think you were dreaming." He sat back into his own
chair.
"Was I?" she sat up and rubbed her face with her
hands, 
surprised to find her cheek dampened from what few
tears had 
fallen.
"You were talking in your sleep."
 
Her hands stopped and she let them fall onto her lap. 
Facing 
him she saw nothing but concern in his eyes and tried
to smile 
for him.
"If it was a bad dream I cant remember it."
 
He didn't believe her but he let it slide deciding not
to 
push.
"Well you're in the right place for nightmares."
"What? In a cold car? On a rainy night? With you?" she
said 
pleased that he changed the subject.
"In Maine.  Stephan King country."
"King didn't scare me."
"No? Who then? Who kept you awake at night one hand on
the 
torch the other on your heart?"  His voice had lost
all its 
tension and he pushed his words out in a whisper a
faint 
impression of Vincent Price clinging to them.  She
smiled 
letting his good mood embrace her.
"Clive Barker.  One of his books I read when I was
young."
"Aww Scully, you're still young!"
"Thanks Mulder."
"Which book?"
"I'm not sure of the title, but it was about bored
children 
that were lured away to this house where they could do
what 
they liked, but it was basically a prison.  For some
reason it 
chilled me to the bone.  The thought of it still
does."
"The Thief of Always.  Barker did the illustrations as
well."
"Have you read it?"
"Yeah.  Scared the hell outta me too!"
 
They shared a smile.  It was one of his favourites. 
She 
looked at him from under her lashes, her eyebrows
arched 
slightly in the middle and her lips curved invitingly
at their 
edges.  She snuggled deeper under his coat and tried
not to 
enjoy being wrapped in his smell too much.***
 
"Shortly after we got back from Maine you gave me that
book."
 
He didn't say anything and he watched her squirm under
his 
scrutiny.   She stood and took his plate.  Dropping
them into 
the sink.  He helped her clear everything away and
stood next 
to her drying the dishes in companionable silence.
"I get the feeling that I don't usually call you
Dana," he 
said suddenly.
"What do you mean?"
"Well every time I say it you get this look in your
eyes."
"What look?"
"Kind of confused...a little sad."
 
She busied herself scrubbing the pan, avoiding the
gaze that 
she could feel on her face.
"So what do I usually call you?"
"Scully. You always called me Scully."
"Would you prefer I called you Scully now?"
"I preferred you called me whatever you felt
comfortable 
with." She dropped the pan onto the draining board and
turned 
to face him fully, her fingers covered in suds.  
"Well...if you'd like me to call you Scully I will."
"No really Mulder, what ever you want."
"And you call me Mulder?"
"Yeah."
"I suppose I insisted on that one."
"Yes you made it very clear."
"With a name like Fox can you blame me?  My parents
must have 
been insane."
 
She smiled a little wiping her hands on a towel she
stood in 
the kitchen for a moment looking down at her feet. 
Unsure of 
what to do now she just waited.
"Would you like a cup of coffee?" she asked.
"Yes.  But you go in and sit down, I'll make it."
 
He ushered her out of the room and she sat into the
soft 
couch.  Picking up the book he'd left on the table she
read 
the inscription.  He made a lot of noise in the
kitchen 
opening and closing cupboards as he searched for what
he 
needed.
"Do you need a hand?"
"No, stay there."
 
She curled her feet up under her and listened with a
smile as 
he stirred the coffee.  Carrying the two cups in he
placed 
them both on the table.  He reached into his pocket
and pulled 
out a bag of sunflower seeds.
"I was looking for biscuits...but this was all I could
find," he 
said as he opened the bag and placed them between the
two 
cups.  She watched him sit back and examine a few
seeds in his 
hands before tentatively popping one in his mouth. 
His 
eyebrows shot up in surprise and he smiled.
"You like them?"
"Yeah.  Strange taste, but from what I can
gather...that's me 
all over."  He noticed she wasn't eating any.  "Don't
you like 
them?"
"No.  I really can't stand them."  Her words were
serious but 
they came out wrapped in laughter.  
"Why do you buy them if you don't like them?"
"I didn't.  You left them here last weekend."  Her
laughter 
was gone and he missed it already.
 
He munched away on the seeds leaving a small pile
beside his 
coffee.  She rested her head back against the couch
and was 
surprised to find herself nodding off.
"Are you tired?" he whispered.
"I guess.  I'll be fine."  She forced herself up a bit
and 
sipped her coffee.  
"Why don't you take a nap?  I can leave..."
"No, don't go."
"To be honest with you I'd rather not go.  I feel like
my 
apartment is waiting there ready to mock me."
"Here," she passed him the TV remote.  "Let TV mock
you for a 
while."  He smiled at her smirk and switched it on
knowing 
she'd be asleep in minutes. 
 
The day passed quietly.  She had fallen asleep soon
after she 
finished her coffee.  After a valiant effort made to
try to 
stay awake her weariness won and she gave in.  He
watched a 
Washington Wizards game and realised that he didn't
just 
collect Knicks t-shirts but he really enjoyed the
game.  He 
refilled his coffee cup twice now and still he was
looking at 
it empty.  The TV was boring him now but he felt like
he 
couldn't move, needing to stay close to her.

Switching it down low he turned to her.  Her feet had 
stretched out a bit and were closer to him.  She had
been 
inching across the couch taking up more room, every
time he 
left to get more coffee.  Watching her now her
features still, 
her face relaxed, he couldn't help but like her.  From
the 
moment she walked into the hospital room and took his
hand he 
knew he'd like her.  She was strong, intelligent,
independent 
and so beautiful.  He couldn't imagine working with
her all 
day and not touching her.  Even during the past two
days he 
would reach out to touch her arm, or her back without
need 
save for his own wanting.
 
The day's light had disappeared and he found them
sitting in 
the dark, the room lit only by the eerie glow from the
telly.  
He stood to switch on a lamp and as he did her feet
stretched 
to their full length taking up his space.  Her arms
reached 
above her head and she emitted a soft moan that curled
in her 
throat.  Standing by the floor lamp his finger
hovering over 
the switch not wanting to break the spell and wake her
fully.  
But then her eyes blinked slowly and he watched her
search the 
room.  They stopped on him and her face changed
slightly. 
Was she blushing? He thought.
"Mulder..."
 
He let his fingers press the switch and the room was
bathed in 
a soft light.  She pulled herself up on the couch and
rubbed 
her fingers through her hair.
"How long was I asleep?"
"Two and a half hours."
"Oh god...I'm sorry."
 
She stood and brushed her front down.  He resumed his
seat on 
the couch and opened his mouth to speak when the phone
rang.  
She gave him a small smile and reached to pick up the 
receiver.
"Hello?"
"Dana. Hi."
"Mum, hi. How are you?"
"Good.  Any news on Fox?"
"Yes, he was released today.  He's doing much better,"
she 
glanced at him and found him still watching her.
"Any sign of his memory returning?"
"No, but it's only been a day."
"Is he there?"
"Yes.  We came over for lunch."
"Can I speak to him?"
"Mum I-," she hesitated
"Dana, let me speak to him," her mothers voice was
stern and 
she knew there was no escape.  She covered the
mouthpiece with 
one hand and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear with
the 
other.
"It's my mother.  She wants to speak to you."
 
Without hesitation Mulder stood and walked over to
her.  He 
took the receiver and cautiously said hello into it.
"Fox, How are you feeling?"
"Not too bad...eh Mrs Scully."
"Good.  You had me worried for a while.  I just wanted
to let 
you know I was praying for you and I will continue to
do so 
until you get back to 100%."
"Thank you Mrs Scully."
"Now don't let Dana boss you around, you just relax
and 
concentrate on healing."
"I will Mrs Scully."
"Tell Dana goodbye from me and you two have a nice
evening."
"Okay I'll tell her. Goodbye."
 
He replaced the phone and turned to her unable to hide
his 
smile.  The thought that her mother was on friendly
terms with 
him brought a warm feeling over him and he basked in
its glow.  
"What did she say?"
"Just that she was glad I was out of the hospital and
I wasn't 
to let you boss me around," he said with a playful
smile.
"Okay I'll do my best."
 
He was quiet for a moment as he stood next to her. 
She had 
taken her shoes off when the first sat down and he was
only 
now realising how small she was.  Her head was inline
with his 
chest and he thought how easy it would be to pull her
into a 
hug.  But before he could move his arms she stepped
away as if 
guessing his intention and resumed her seat on the
couch.
"How's your head?"
"Not too bad," he dropped down beside her heavily
letting out 
a deep sigh.
"Knowing you it's probably pounding.  Would you like
me to get 
you something for it?"
"Please."
 
She returned from the kitchen with a glass of water
and a 
small pill that he took quickly.  Grimacing he rested
his head 
back against the couch and closed his eyes.
"Tired?"
"Frustrated."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Talk about what? I don't remember anything."  His
voice was 
harsh but he couldn't help it.
"So what do you remember?"
"That the cheetah is the fastest land mammal.  That I
once 
broke my leg jumping off a cliff into a lake a quarry.
 That 
Capricorn One is one of my favourite movies."
"Well it's a start."
"It's nothing.  I don't even know that movie.  It's
like I've 
never seen it."
"Look Mulder, You have to relax-,"
"If I relax any more I'm going to keel over dead.  I
need to 
do something.  I need to be busy."
"You have to take it easy.  Your shoulder is still
raw, your 
head can't take it."
"I don't care but this sitting around waiting for
stuff to 
happen...I cant do it."
"You never could."
"Come on Dana, you have no idea how frustrating it
is...I have 
this vacuum in my brain, it's void of all my thoughts,
my 
memories."
"I do know how it feels."
 
He shifted his head on the couch so he could see her
and 
looked at her oddly.  She was fiddling with a bit of
fluff on 
her jeans, avoiding his gaze at all costs.
"What do you mean?"
"A couple of years ago I was abducted...I was missing
for three 
months.  I have no recollection of what happened.  I
doubt I 
ever will."  Her voice was low and as she spoke he sat
up to 
look at her fully.  His body turned towards her and
one of his 
arms rested along the back of the couch.  His finger
brushed 
against her shoulder and she looked up to him.  He was

surprised to see a cluttering of tears collecting in
her eyes 
and she blinked quickly to get rid of them but the
fell 
regardless.
"Dana...I'm sorry..." He rested his hand fully on her
shoulder and 
reached over to dry her tears with his thumb.  She
brushed his 
hand away and rubbed her face with both of her hands. 
But he 
moved closer on the couch and placed his arm around
her 
shoulders fully, pulling her against him.
"We're some pair," he said squeezing her closer still.
 She 
couldn't help but laugh with him.  Letting her go, she
sat 
back into the couch, lifting her feet onto the table. 
He 
copied her movements and the shared a quick smile.
"I don't know about you but I could do with a drink,"
he said.
"You probably shouldn't until the medication washes
from your 
system."

"Surely with my Dr Scully right here beside me there'd
be no 
problem? Beside I get the feeling that I'm the type of
guy who 
enjoyed playing doctors and nurses!"
"I suppose one glass of wine wouldn't do any harm." 
She 
retrieved a small bottle of white wine from the
kitchen and 
two glasses.
"So tell me about our lives..." he said as he poured the
wine.
"Yeah...that should be easy."  She took the glass and
sat back 
again.
"Come on surely you have some good stories for me."
"One or two."
 
***
 
Agent Simpson spotted her as she climbed the steps
into the 
FBI headquarters.  He hurried after her and called out
her 
name, catching her attention as she stood by the door.
"Good morning Agent Simpson."
"You know I've been working at the FBI for over
twenty-three 
years and I'll never get used to people calling me
Agent 
Simpson.  Call me Jack."  He held the door open for
her and 
she swept by with a smile.  Closer now he could see
that she 
looked tired but having survived a twenty-year
marriage he 
knew better than to comment.
"How is Mulder doing?"
"He was released yesterday but he is still struggling
with his 
memory."
"I can only imagine how difficult it is for him.  Mind
you 
after the weekend I just had a little memory lapse
wouldn't 
hurt."
"Tough one?" she asked smiling as they stepped onto
the 
elevator.  She liked Agent Simpson and relaxed in his
company.  
He had worked with Mulder in the VCU and held no water
to the 
gossip, having dealt with him on a first hand basis. 
He 
respected Mulder for the work he had done and the
ability he 
had proven.
"I guess I brought too much work home with me and I
still kept 
rushing back here.  Let's just say my wife didn't
appreciate 
it.  You're one of the lucky ones Ms. Scully, having
escaped 
that particular trap."
 
They stepped off the elevator and made their way to
the centre 
table of the bullpen where Agent Watters was waiting
for them.  
His suit was somewhat dishelved and his face unshaven
but 
neither of them commented.
"Agents Reilly and Salmon are at Rikers trying to see
if any 
other connections can be made from that angle."
 
Scully and Simpson exchanged a quick glance before
sitting at 
the table.  Watters remained standing his hands
gripping the 
back of a chair tightly as he leaned over it.
"I think I may have found something."  Simpson
rummaged 
through his case as he looked for the right files,
muffling 
his voice as he did.  "Professor Mark Wilde from C.S.U
was 
arrested in 1963.  He was head of the Biology
department at 
the time. And would have been one of Carson's
Lecturers."
"What was he arrested for?" Watters asked impatiently.
"Miss appropriation of funds."
"How does that come into it?"
"He had been using the money to support a private lab
that had 
been researching genetic manipulation.  It is reported
that he 
was working on a hybrid technology that could remove
the 
powerful or defensive attributes of one animal and
grow them 
on another."
"What do you mean?" Scully asked.
"Venom sacks from a rattle snake on a tiger."
"In 1963 our knowledge of genetic material and makeup
was no 
way near that advanced," she countered.
"It still isn't," Simpson finished for her. "What has
this to 
do with Carson?"
"Sir we have a DNA sample from Carson dated 1961.  And
with 
hair that was found in the police vehicle on Friday we
could 
compare them.  We found a huge discrepancy."  He
passed out 
the two files he had been nervously shuffling from one
hand to 
the other.  Holding up his own chart so they could see
where 
he was pointing he continued.
"There are numerous differences in the makeup.  Our
DNA is 
like a fingerprint sir, it's cannot change unless put
through 
some sort of mutation or combined with another."  He
looked at 
them both.  "But as I said earlier this is not
possible on a 
genetic level.  While donors can be found compatible
for 
organs from complete strangers, DNA is so much more 
complicated."
"What is the other DNA?" Scully asked her anxious
voice 
betraying her cool exterior.
"Amphibian."
"What? Amphibian?" she exclaimed.
"I had them do it over and over but always the same
results."  
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair as if unsure he
wanted 
to continue.  "I think the boys in the lab thought I
was 
pulling a fast one."
"What does this mean?" Watters asked his head swirling
around 
the medical words, unable to believe what he'd just
heard.
"It means that with help from Professor Wilde and with
the use 
of other Genetic specialists-,"
"John Markus," Scully interrupted.
"We could have found a conceivable explanation as to
how 
Carson managed to gain entry to the galleries."
"I don't understand..."
"One of the technicians at the lab spoke last night
about how 
this amphibian DNA could give Carson the ability to
cling to 
objects by the use of gripping muscles on his fingers
and 
knees."
 
His words were met with silence.  Scully had been in
many of 
these silences, usually after Mulder had explained one
of his 
theories to a crowd.  But by Simpson's small
uncomfortable 
movements she could tell he wasn't use to being the
lead in 
such unbelievable concepts.
"Well..." she watched Watters mind go through the
possibility of 
signing a report to that affect and his frown
deepened.  "If 
we can talk to this professor we'll be a lot further
on."
"I have an address for him.  He is living here in
Washington.  
Arlington road to be exact."
"Okay, report back as soon as possible." 
Watters turned and all but ran from the room as Scully
and 
Simpson gathered their files.
"I'd like to accompany you out to Arlington."
"You don't need to do that."
"No, I'd like to.  Keep busy, you know?"
"Of course.  Lets go then."
 
***
 
Mulder lay stretched out on his couch.  His bare feet
hung out 
over the edge of the armrest.  The TV silently flooded
the 
room with pictures of an old war movie, but his eyes
were on 
the basketball that he threw repeatedly into the air
catching 
it against his chest as he tried to ignore the pain in
his 
head.  She had invaded his dreams and his thoughts and
he made 
no effort to evict her, relishing the exquisite
mixture of 
pain and pleasure she brought to him.
 
They had talked throughout the whole night as she
regaled him 
with case stories, some of which he couldn't believe, 
finishing off one bottle of wine and opening another. 
She 
ordered Chinese food and they sat and ate in silence
in her 
living room.  He sat low to the floor by her legs as
she 
rested her dinner on her knees.  He managed to rest
his 
shoulder against her leg during the meal and scorned
himself 
for acting like a teenager with a crush.
 
After she stifled another yawn he stood, declaring it
was time 
for him to leave.  She protested but he insisted.  A
decision 
he later came to curse.  She offered him the couch but
again 
he declined, knowing he had to face his apartment
sooner or 
later.  Another decision he later cursed.

Standing in her doorway he couldn't help but pull her
into a 
tight embrace.  With one hand holding her head to his
chest 
the other held her body close to his.  Her arms
reached up his 
back and she held him too.  He kissed the top of her
hair 
unaware of how often he'd made that exact same gesture
and 
walked away.  That final decision he cursed the most. 
 
Now lying in the stranger's apartment he wondered
where he 
might get some breakfast.  He'd dashed into his
bedroom 
through the dark last night unable to face the
apartment he 
was supposed to call home.  But with the brightness of
day 
came the harshness of his situation.  The cupboards
were bare 
and he was hungry.  
 
He dressed quickly and searched for money or keys.  A
small 
dish by his PC held both.  Sitting on his bed as he
tied his 
laces he found his FBI badge and looked longingly at
the 
picture.  It was all beyond his reach.  Throwing the
badge 
across the room he stormed out of the building, with
only a 
slight hesitation as to which direction to take he
walked on, 
hoping he'd remember his way back.
 
Hours later as he slipped his key into his apartment
door he 
couldn't hold back the huge smile that covered his
face.  A 
swell of pride washed over him as he stepped inside
but it was 
all too quickly dispelled when the silence that met
him became 
plain.
"Good one Fox, you went shopping," he admonished
himself. 
He pulled the fridge open and placed the groceries in
without 
unpacking, his appetite gone, he made his way back to
the 
couch and resumed his earlier position.  He wanted to
call her 
but he knew she'd be working.  He wanted to talk to
her but he 
knew she'd be busy.  He wanted to hold her but he
knew...he knew 
he didn't usually so he probably shouldn't.
"Dana Scully," he said aloud. "Fox Mulder...you fool."
 
***
  
The interrogation seemed fruitless and both Simpson
and Scully 
were silent on the drive back to the head quarters. 
He 
glanced over at her but with her elbow resting on the
door 
holding her head he left her to her thoughts. 
Travelling 
through the city in this rush hour traffic gave him
plenty of 
time to watch her.  He'd worked with her on different
cases 
and had never seen her so down hearted.  He knew of
her 
reputation as a pathologist and had experienced her 
investigation skills first hand but here she seemed
beaten.  A 
bad sign for an agent so young.  He'd seen it before
in older 
agents who didn't leave the VCU in time and he could
see it, 
although more pronounced, in Agent Watters.
"I guess we are no closer now than we were this
morning."
"No." Her voice was as distant as her thoughts so he
gave up.  
 
As they walked into the bullpen Agent Salmon who was
loaded 
down with pizza boxes met them.  Simpson took a few
from him 
and followed him to the table.
"Taking in an all nighter?" Simpson asked
"We have a list of names longer than the inquisition,"
Reilly 
said as he took a bite.
"I'm sure a lot of them are just time wasters but you
know 
that way it is.  The ones you don't check will end up
being 
the ones you need to check again!"
"Do you guys need a hand?" Scully asked.
"No don't worry about it.  I heard you guys had a
terrible 
time up in Arlington today."
"Okay, well don't work too hard," Simpson said with a
wave as 
he left the room.
"Go on Agent Scully," Reilly said as he noticed her
hesitation 
to leave.  "Take yourself home and we'll see you
tomorrow."  
She forced a smile and left.
 
In her apartment she found the mess she hoped would
magically 
have been cleared had been left for her.  Tiredly she
recycled 
the empty wine bottles and threw away the Chinese
rubbish 
before slipping into the shower.  She thought of
ringing 
Mulder but decided to give him some room.  Maybe he
needed to 
reacquaint himself with his surroundings before she
trespassed 
all over them.  Her fingers rinsed through her hair as
she 
lathered in the shampoo and she could feel her body
relaxing 
against the hot downpour of water.  Dressed in a pair
of 
cotton pyjama bottoms and an old Knicks t-shirt Mulder
had 
given her one night for a change of clothes after
getting 
soaked by the rain, she sank low into the couch
sipping on a 
hot cup of milk.  Her laptop lay unopened on the
coffee table 
but she was refusing to answer its call.

The doorbell rang loudly and unexpectedly, although if
she was 
honest with her self she had been secretly hoping it
would all 
night.  Her body had become lazy and with some effort
she 
padded barefoot to the door.  A quick look through the
spy 
hole showed her Mulder standing there, anxiously
looking up 
and down the hallways outside her apartment.  She
opened the 
door and smiled.
 
When he saw her standing there in a large Knicks
t-shirt that 
he somehow knew had once belonged to him, his heart
stopped.  
Her hair was falling around her face, the tips of it
still wet 
and leaving small drops on her shoulders.  For a
moment he 
stood there saying nothing and she opened the door
wider to 
let him in.  He stood awkwardly in side the door
unable to 
take his eyes off her.  A faint smell of soap and a
sweet 
perfumed moisturiser clung to her and he inhaled
deeply, 
trying to get closer.
"Hey," he said his eyes travelling unashamedly over
her body.
"Hi Mulder.  I was just sitting down with some hot
chocolate, 
would you like a cup?"
"Sure."  He sat on the couch managing to pull his eyes
away 
and waited for her to return.  She held out the cup
and he 
took it, leaning back for her to step over his legs
and fall 
in beside him.
"So how was your day?" her tiredness forgotten she
tried to 
stop smiling but found that she couldn't.
"God awfully boring. You?"
"Pretty useless."
"Case not going well?"
"It's just we seem to be running into a lot of dead
ends. And 
today Agent Simpson talked about this theory...I'm
sorry, you 
don't want to hear about that."
"No really, I don't mind."
"No, it's okay.  I'd rather forget about work anyway. 
So what 
did you do all day?"
"I went out and did a bit of shopping.  I snooped
around my 
apartment trying to find out about the real Fox
Mulder."
"Find anything interesting?" she heard the light tone
in his 
voice but she could feel the tension in his body.
"Interesting, no...confusing, yeah."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know but I guess I felt weird about going
through 
this guys...my stuff.  Recognising nothing, feeling
nothing.  In 
the whole place I found only two photos.  That's one
of the 
reasons I stopped by.  I hope you don't mind."
"Of course I don't.  You are welcome here any time."
"Thanks Dana."  Their eyes met for a second and Mulder

wondered if that spark was in them when she looked at
him 
before the accident.  "This one...well I know it's you
and me!" 
 
He passed her a photo of the two of them standing
against the 
Washington monument.  Both of them were dressed
casually and 
she was laughing.  Her head was thrown back in that
carefree 
gesture that she usually reserved for family only. 
His arm 
was lightly draped around her shoulders and he was
smiling 
triumphantly.  Both of them were unaware that a photo
was 
being taken, as if only they existed.
"We were on a stakeout would you believe," she said
smiling 
softly, her fingers brushing over the two happy
figures.  
"Undercover watching someone who was allegedly selling

information to Middle Eastern spies.  I can't remember
what 
you had just said," she lied, "but this guy took our
picture 
and sold it to you for $5."
 
He didn't speak enjoying the array of emotions that
played 
with her face.  Her smile was broad and a quiet
bubbling laugh 
escaped before she could stop it.
"What about this one?"
 
He passed her the photo she'd known he would.  It was
him and 
Samantha.  Leaning against a tree that he said had
been 
outside his parent's summer home.  Both young children
unaware 
of the horrors that were about to ruin their lives. 
Scully's 
smile faded and she turned to Mulder who was watching
her 
expectantly.
"That's you and your sister, Samantha."
"My sister?" He took the photos back and looked
closer.  
"Jesus I never thought about my family.  Where is she?
Can we 
go see her? What about my parents?"
 
She reached over and took his hand.  Holding it firmly
she 
took a deep breath before continuing.
"Your parents are dead.  Your father was shot three
years ago 
and your mother died last summer."
"Oh my god...what about Samantha?" The shock on his face
was 
immeasurable.  
 
Unsure of how to continue Scully faltered.  The words
escaped 
her.  She saw the expression on his face and she knew
he was 
waiting for an answer but it wouldn't come out.
"Back in 1991 I was assigned to you by AD Blevins, to 
undermine your work.  Your believe in extra
terrestrial life 
forms was some what a joke in the bureau and basically
they 
wanted me to debunk your work so that you'd leave."
"Yeah Dana, you told me this story..."
"Well when I first met you, you were the most arrogant
and 
self important person I'd known and you didn't seem to
care." 
Her words seemed harsh but she said them with a smile.
 "We 
were investigating the deaths of these teenagers who
all 
shared these marks on the lower part of their backs. 
Later 
that night I was taking a bath and I found some...these
two 
small lumps right there," she put her hand around to
her back 
to show him where.  "I went in to show you and they
turned out 
to be mosquito bites."
"Mosquito bites?"

"I must have been bitten while we were out in the
woods.  It 
was a bit embarrassing really.  I was so scared." This
time 
her voice tried to be light but its slight quiver rang
in his 
ears.  "I practically ran into your room and stripped
in front 
of you to show you what I'd found."  A blush crept up
into her 
pale cheeks and he smiled, wishing he could remember
that 
particular night.

"Well I was really scared and you invited me to stay a
while, 
so while we were talking I must have answered all your

questions right because you told me the story about
Samantha."  
She paused.  His eyes were half closed and he looked
at her 
from beneath his thick lashes.  He was sure the story
wasn't 
going to have a happy ending or she would have told
him 
straight instead of buttering him up like this.
"What happened?" his voice was low but he needed to
hear it.
"The summer when you were twelve, your sister and you
were at 
home alone.  Someone...something attacked the house. 
You said 
that you remembered a bright light and something
pulling your 
sister from the room.  You tried to get your fathers
gun but 
you couldn't.  You were twelve and scared out of your
wits.  
You froze and they took your sister.  You haven't seen
or 
heard from her since."
 
As she explained about the FBI search for Samantha and
how no 
contact for ransom was ever made his eyes widened, at
first 
showing astonishment them reverting into anger. 
Scully tired 
to explain the impact it had on his life and how it
tore his 
family apart but the details all seemed so trivial
when they 
were void of the tormented emotions he usually
displayed when 
talking about it.
"Oh my god..." He sat forward on the couch and held the
photo 
out in front of him so he could see it better in the
dim 
light.
"Mulder, are you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine.  Just a bit...shocked."
 
She sat forward with him and placed a hand on his back
making 
small circular motions from the base of it and
carrying it on 
up to his shoulders.  He leaned into her hand and
enjoyed the 
gentle sensations.
"I know I should be feeling something but...I got
nothing.  I 
don't remember any of this.  I don't feel a loss or
anything."
"And that's making you angry," she said matter of
factly.
"Yes." 
 
He stood up and began to pace the small room making it
feel 
even smaller.  His hands naturally found his hips as
he walked 
and she could almost imagine he was back.  With one
hand 
reaching up into his hair he slammed his fist down
onto the 
tabletop wincing as a sharp pain ran up into his
shoulder.
"Dammit," he muttered grabbing it and flexing it
around.
"Mulder," she stood up and walked over to him.  "Why
don't you 
come into the office tomorrow?"  His eyes shot down to
hers.  
She stood in front of him barefoot and again he
marvelled at 
how small she was.  Again the urge to grab her into a
hug 
rippled through him but he stepped back and leaned
against the 
table. 
"Do you think I should?"
"Would you rather spend the day at home waiting for
your 
memory to return?"
"No...but I don't know if I'm ready."  She rested
against the 
table beside him.
"Well the office does seem kind of big without you.  
Cleaner...but defiantly bigger!"  Nudging him with her
shoulder 
he smiled.
"Tomorrow...yes, I think I would like to go in." 
"Great.   I'll pick you up at 7.45am."
"Damn, that is early.  I'd better get going," he said
but he 
made no move to leave.  Looking down at her slim body
leaning 
against the table, her arms folded across the chest
and 
watching him back he couldn't move.  Her smile faded
when she 
saw the look in his eyes.  She couldn't breakaway but
she knew 
she had to or...or something was going to happen.  She
thought 
that if he didn't make it then she probably would.
 
He nudged her back and watched her blue eyes darken.  
Shimmering like a pool in the moonlight he decided it
was 
time.  He leaned in closer his eyes flicking to her
lips as 
her tongue darted out to lick them and her breath
caught in 
her throat.  He glanced at her eyes and saw a brief
wave of 
fear spark into them.  The motion that he had been
making for 
her lips diverted slightly and he kissed her cheek. 
Catching 
the edge of her mouth he pressed his lips lightly
against her.  
Her eyes fluttered closed and she was sure that he
could hear 
her heart beating; it's erratic sound screaming in her
head.  

When he pulled away a cold breeze of air rushed across
her 
face.  He smiled at the sight of her with her head
slightly 
bent and her eyes closed over.  They opened slowly and
she saw 
him watching her.  A little cough to clear her throat
did 
nothing to dispel the heat she could feel on her
cheeks. But 
he looked away affording her the small amount of
privacy he 
could.  She reached up and pulled her hair out of her
face, 
looked down to her feet.
"I better go.  Early start."
"Okay," she said still not looking up.  When he didn't
move 
she glanced up and their eyes locked.
"Thanks Dana.  For talking.  For telling me the
truth."
"No problem."  Her voice was barely a whisper but he
could 
feel her discomfort so he walked over to the door.  As
he 
opened it he turned and was surprised to see her
standing so 
close, her footsteps unheard.
"Goodnight." 

Without a second thought he hugged her tightly and
kissed the 
top of her head.  Stepping out of the apartment he
clicked the 
door closed behind him and leant against it.  His
headache was 
pounding but it did nothing to chase away the elation
that 
coursed through him.  When he kissed her he could feel
the 
electricity.  Even though their bodies hadn't been
touching 
and at the last minute he strayed away from her lips
he felt 
her quiver against him and all it did was make him
want more.

On the other side of the door Scully rested her head,
thoughts 
of his kiss cycling around in her head.  She could
still feel 
heat on the spot where his lips had pressed onto her
face.  
Her fingers strayed up to touch it and she smiled. 
She was 
sure he was going to kiss her and wondered why he
settled for 
her cheek.  Her blush rose again as she walked into
her 
bedroom and climbed into the bed.  Checking that the
alarm was 
set properly she snuggled deeper and let out a
contented sigh.
Back to work with Mulder tomorrow she thought.  It
won't be 
long now.
 
***

The impressive Hoover Building loomed over them as
they drove 
by in the slow morning traffic.  His sleepless night
had been 
racked with thoughts of their almost kiss as he
relived the 
soft caress of her breath on his cheek and the
expression on 
her face when he watched her for a moment with her
eyes 
closed.  When he opened the door to her this morning
he had to 
busy himself with his tie to keep himself from pushing
her 
against the wall and completing the move he began the
night 
before.
"Having trouble?" she said as he struggled to fasten
an 
acceptable knot in the dark red tie.
You have no idea, he thought but looked up and said,
"The damn 
thing won't bloody work."
 
She stepped closer and pushed his hands down.  Her
fingers 
slid around his collar to lift it high and she
straightened 
the tie before pulling it into a perfect knot.  After
fixing 
his shirt she stood back to admire her work and
smiled.
"Perfect."
"Where did you learn that?" he asked loosening it a
bit and 
slipping on his suit jacket.
"Two brothers and a father, not to mention a childhood
in 
catholic schools with uniforms."
"You in a school girls uniform? Now that I'd like to
see!"
"In your dreams..."
"So, how do I look?" he asked and twirled in front of
her.  He 
was wearing a black suit with a crisp white shirt and
a plain 
deep red almost wine tie.
"Like an FBI Agent."
"Dammit, I was going for CIA!"
 
His humour disappeared with the clear roads as they
quickly 
became encased in rush hour traffic that seemed to be
sucking 
all the good thoughts from him.  He glanced over at
her to see 
her calmly watching the road waiting for the cars to
move.  He 
liked what she was wearing, black trousers with a pale
blue 
short sleeved blouse.  He noticed her jacket was hung
up 
against the back seat window but he couldn't help but
picture 
her in nothing but his old Knicks t-shirt.  Her hair
was still 
down and he wondered what it would feel like to run
his hands 
through it.  Looking into her face he saw that she was

watching him and he'd been caught studying her.
"Is the traffic always this bad?" he asked looking
away and 
loosening his tie even more, opening the top button of
his 
shirt.
"Sometimes."
"I'm beginning to think I should have stayed at home."
 
The car park was below the building and he looked
around in 
wonder at the rows of matching cars.  She parked the
car 
quickly and they both stepped out.  As she fit on her
jacket 
and fastened her badge to the breast pocket he fixed
his tie.
 
The elevator ride to the ground floor was quick and he

followed her down the hall towards the security check.
 He 
copied her as she held out her badge for inspection.
"Hey Mulder, did you catch the Wizards game on
Sunday?" one of 
the guards called as he stepped through the metal
detector.  
Mulder turned to see and older man smiling at him,
obviously 
unaware of his situation.
"Yeah, quite a score."
"Do you wanna let it ride?"
"What?"
"The $20 you owe me, you know the Knicks are coming to
town 
next weekend!"
"Sure...let it ride.  With the Knicks in town I'll get
it back 
twice over."
"Yeah Mulder, that's why I like betting with you," the
guard 
turned away laughing heartily.
 
Scully watched the exchange carefully, ready to step
in if he 
needed her to but he handled it fine.  He turned back
to her, 
the smile still on his face.
"That was weird," he said.
"No Mulder, you always loose money to Gerry.  And with
the 
Knicks...you'll loose more."
 
He caught the gleam in her eyes and loved to see it. 
Her easy 
mood and playful banter calmed his nerves as they made
their 
way to the south elevator.  
"Basement office?" he said smiling, as she pressed the
floor 
button " I thought you said they didn't like me?"
 
She knew he was making jokes to calm his nerves and
his hands 
wouldn't stay still.  They danced from his hips to his
hair 
and to his pockets.  As she unlocked the door to the
office 
she stood back to let him enter first.  One hand
rested on his 
hip while the other rubbed the back of his neck.  
"Ready?" she asked.
"Yeah, let's do it."
 
He pushed open the door and fumbled for the light. 
The first 
thing he saw was the huge poster that was tacked to
the wall 
behind his desk.  A wide smile spread across his face
as he 
walked closer and saw all the cut outs and photos that
were 
stuck to the notice board.  His desk was, much like
his one at 
home, a clutter of papers files and his PC was covered
in 
yellow post it notes reminding him to collect lunch or
pick up 
Scully at the morgue.  
 
The filing cabinets that lined the back wall caught
his eye 
next and he pulled one open to see it lined with
folders that 
had red lined edges.  He moved his fingers through
them and 
removed one at random.
"X-213-0089, Status Incomplete," he read.
"Welcome to the X-Files," she said.
"There are a lot of incomplete files in here," he said
as he 
flicked through more of them.
"They date back to the early 1900's and I've only been
working 
here for a few years!"
 
He laughed out loud.  Loud enough to surprise her but
she 
loved to hear it.  He turned in time to catch her
smile before 
she put it away.  Sitting into her desk she switched
on her 
PC.
"Are you working on the Carson case?"
"Yes.  I've got to be up in Skinners office in half an
hour to 
report progress."
 
She watched him wander into the back room his hands
idly 
running over different objects.  He finally made his
way back 
to his own desk and his long fingers reached out for
the 
basketball that had been staying in his in tray.  A
rustle of 
paper beneath his feet made him look down to see a
folder 
spilled out on the floor.  Picking it up he read the
post it 
asking for Scully's signature.
"Here, did you see this?" he asked as he walked over
to her 
desk holding it out.
"Yeah.  Agent Watters left it for me." She leafed
through the 
small file and set it onto her desk.  "It's a report
on your 
accident last Friday.  He needs me to sign it to
verify his 
account."  Her voice was steady but he could tell she
was 
making an effort to keep it that way.
"Can I read it?"
 
She paused for a moment before handing it over to him.
 He 
returned to his desk and dropped the ball back into
its in 
tray.  From the corner of her eyes she watched him,
his eyes 
moving quickly over the text.  She'd already read it
and 
although it was an accurate account of the accident,
it didn't 
speak of the horror she felt watching him fall, or the
panic 
that rose up in her stomach when she found his blood. 
It was 
clinical and precise making it an excellent report but
void of 
these emotions she thought it would be harder for him
to read.  
He needed to know that he wasn't alone when he lay
bleeding on 
the road, that she travelled with him to the hospital
and 
waited for him.  He needed to know that he wasn't
alone.  
 
Silently she stood away from her desk and approached
him.  
He'd closed the file over as he finished reading and
she 
leaned against his desk, her knee barely touching his.
"You okay?"
"Yeah.  It's strange to read of the account of what
happened 
but having no cognitive memory of the event."
"Not yet anyway."
"Are you always so optimistic?" he said smiling,
bumping her 
leg with his own.
"No, but I have faith.  In you."
"I wish I did."
 
They sat in silence for a moment before she moved
away.  She 
printed off some pages from her PC and gathered them
into her 
case.
"I have to go to the meeting.  Would you like to join
us?"
"No, I'd only be in the way."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes.  I'd rather not speak with anyone right now.  I
don't 
think I could face the questions."
"Okay...well I shouldn't be too long."
"It's okay Dana, don't worry, I have a lot of reading
to get 
through," he said throwing his thumb over his shoulder
to the 
cabinets behind him and wearing a crooked smile.
 
He could hear her heels clicking towards the lift at
the end 
of the hall and even the tinny ding as it arrived.  He
rested 
his hands flat on the desk moving the mouse as he did
and the 
PC screen came to life.  It opened up on his email
page.  He 
clicked on the RECEIVE ALL button and waited for the 5

messages to download fully.  Glancing at the door with
a 
feeling like he was prying he tried to sit still.  Two
of them 
were from the building security about lights that had
been 
left on in the car park.  One was from Scully dated
from last 
Friday about what they were going to do for lunch. 
The last 
two were from anonymous senders with no return
address.  After 
reading through the mails about latest UFO sightings
and Crop 
Circles he smiled at the lone gunmen logo on the
bottom of 
each letter.  A little laugh escaped when he
remembered that 
day when they visited them in hospital.  They had
swept him 
into a chair and brought him down to the canteen
explaining 
about hospital conspiracies along the way.  He could
never 
imagine Fox Mulder, FBI Agent being friends with these
men all 
so different, but Dana had told him stories to the
contrary.
 
Another taste of the unknown.  Guessing wrong about
what type 
of man he was supposed to be.  Trying to imagine how
he was 
supposed to react.  Dana kept telling him to just work
with 
his instincts because he was Fox Mulder and his
reactions 
would be the same.  But it was so hard.  Everywhere he
looked 
he could see reminders of the man he was supposed to
be.  
Accolades on the wall screamed of an education he
didn't have.  
Reports he'd signed held facts he couldn't recall. 
Posters 
and clippings on the wall displayed passions and
beliefs he 
had no convictions in.
 
A sudden ball of anger welled up from the pit of his
stomach 
and before he could stop himself his arm swept along
the 
desktop clearing it of its contents.  He reached for
his 
nameplate and threw it across the room, breaking a
pane of 
glass as it smashed against one of the few windows the
room 
had.  
 
Unable to bear the close confines of the Mulder
infested room 
he bolted.  Curious glances were afforded to him as he
all but 
ran from the building into the cool morning air.  He
needed to 
escape.  Go somewhere he hadn't been before.  With a
laugh he 
realised he had no idea where he had or hadn't been. 
Looking 
around at the traffic at an almost standstill he
quickly 
crossed the road and disappeared in to the morning
crowds.
 
***
 
"No sir," Agent Simpson said, "We had no luck in
Arlington 
yesterday.  He wouldn't speak but I know he was hiding

something.  Maybe if we could get him down here for 
questioning...or get a warrant-,"
"I don't really see any one approving a warrant to
search the 
professor's house when we tell them our theory," Agent
Watters 
all but shouted drawing the attention of the small
crowd.  
Agents Scully, Watters, Simpson, Reilly and Salmon sat
at the 
conference table in Skinners office.  Skinner walked
behind 
them, almost pacing the room.  He was listening to the

progress reports from each individual Agent and was
trying 
desperately to curb his frustration.  
"Agent Watters that is enough," he said sharply.  "I 
understand that Agent Reilly and Salmon have a list of

possible associates." 
"Yes sir," Agent Reilly handed out a copy of the small
list to 
each agent and sat again. "From the list of names that
we 
collected from talking to other inmates and guards,
and 
checking the visitations each prisoner received we
have 
compiled this short list of people that might be
involved."
"Good work."
"We are trying to get locations for them all but so
far we 
have address for only half of them.  Five without even
parole 
officers and the rest we are still working on."
"Good.  Get back in touch with Burns' team and lets
see if we 
can't get this case moving any quicker."
 
The Agents took that as their cue that the meeting was
over 
and stood to leave.  Skinner walked over to where
Scully stood 
fixing her files and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Can I speak with you a minute?"
 
She finished packing her case and sat down again
waiting for 
the room to clear before Skinner could talk.  He
pulled out a 
chair beside her and sat next to her his arms on his
knees he 
sat forward.
"Did I see you walking in with Agent Mulder this
morning?"
"Yes sir.  He came in to take a look at the office to
see if 
it jogs anything."
"Did it?"
"No.  No sir, it didn't."
"How is he coping?"
 
She thought for a moment wondering if she should
honestly 
speak of Mulder's struggle but when she looked up to
Skinner 
she didn't have to say anything.
"How about you?" he asked but before she could reply
with her 
customary I'm fine he continued.  "I understand your
wish to 
continue with this case Agent Scully but it is
obviously 
taking its toll."
"Sir if you're going to ask me to take time off-," she
began.
"No I'm going to advise you.  That's all.  Advise from
a 
friend."
"I appreciate your concern sir, but I'd rather
continue 
working," she said flatly.
"Okay."  He watched her for a minute before standing. 
"That 
will be all."
 
She quickly left and rushed back to the basement
office.  
Finding the door ajar and stepping in she audibly
gasped at 
the sight before her.
"Mulder?" she called tentatively.  She carefully
stepped 
through the mess and put her belongings down on her
desk.  
After lifting a few pages she stood back and heard a
crunching 
under her feet.  The broken glass lay in chunks and
looking up 
she could see the small window he'd broken.  She bent
down to 
pick up a few pieces of glass but dropped them as a
sliver ran 
along the bottom of her palm slicing it up neatly.
"Dammit..." she said aloud.
 
She searched for the first aid kit but the wound
continued to 
bleed telling her a few stitches would be required. 
However 
unlike Mulder she didn't have a medical physician on
hand at 
all times so she resigned her self to a quick trip to
the 
emergency room.  After calling the janitor about the
broken 
window she gathered her things and left.  While stuck
in 
traffic she called Mulder's apartment and left a
message.  She 
knew he wouldn't be there but she just needed to be
sure.
 
The ER was relatively quiet but before she could speak
to the 
receptionist she heard someone calling her name. 
Turning she 
saw Dr Tracy Lawrence approach her a wide smile on her
face.
"Dana, what have you done this time?"
"Hi Tracy.  Just a small cut from broken glass.  A
couple of 
stitches should do it."
"And you came all the way down here?" she said smiling
as she 
led Scully into a small room.  Scully sat on the bed
as Tracy 
located out a suture kit before sitting next to her on
a high 
stool.  "The Dana Scully I worked with would have
tacked this 
together Rambo style and continued about her daily
business.  
Too distracted by that gorgeous partner of yours, I'd
say!"
 
Scully smiled but it was all an effort.  She winced at
the 
sharp pinch from the local anaesthetic.
"Where is he today?"
"Working."
"Ahhh the age of chivalry is dead in today's men. 
Where have 
all the good ones gone Dana?"
"I don't know Tracy, I don't know."
 
Later that day Scully sat in the basement office her
neck 
being caressed by the breeze that came in through the
broken 
window.  One of the janitors had cleared away all the
glass 
and had left the pages piled on her desk in no order. 
She had 
sorted most of them out but she knew she was simply
hanging 
around waiting for Mulder to call her.  Finally at 6pm
she 
couldn't take it anymore and she packed up her case
and left.
 
Sitting in traffic as the anaesthetic started to wear
off she 
could feel the small stinging sensation returning to
her palm.  
She ran her fingers over the small bandage and could
feel the 
stitches.  A loud blare from a cars horn told her the
lights 
had turned green and she took off.  The sight of her
familiar 
building brought more than a little relief.  Having
already 
left two messages for Mulder to call her she struggled
not to 
drive directly to his apartment.  But decided against
it, 
giving him the room he needed.  She often told him he
had to 
be patient and now it was time for her test, a test
she knew 
she would fail if he didn't contact her soon.  
 
She pulled into a space and collected her things from
the back 
of the car.  Juggling her case and coat she managed to
open 
the door to her apartment and immediately dropped them
onto 
her kitchen table.  Her hand reached up to her hair
where they 
pulled her hair away from her face but she froze when
she saw 
the upturned mug on her washboard.  Having rushed out
that 
morning she didn't have time for coffee.  A soft
rustling of 
clothes behind her made her whip round her hand
automatically 
reaching for her gun as she told herself an intruder
would 
have made coffee and certainly wouldn't have cleaned
up after 
it.  As she stepped cautiously into the living room
she 
spotted Mulder lying, asleep on the couch.  
 
Her whole body relaxed and she re-holstered her gun as
she 
stepped around the couch and bent down by his head. 
She could 
see the damp streaks where his tears had fallen and
her hand 
reached out to brush away his hair but she found her
fingers 
gently touching his cheek.  She collected a blanket
form the 
hot press and draped it over him.  Unsure of how he
made it to 
her apartment or how he had gained entry she was just
glad he 
was here and safe.
 
She showered quickly and changed into a pair of soft
cotton 
black trousers and a red top.  He was still sleeping
when she 
brought her coffee into the living room and set up her
laptop 
on the low table in front of him.  Settling herself on
the 
floor by his chest she took another quick look at his
sleeping 
form before getting to work.
 
Later that evening he woke to the rhythmic tapping of
her 
fingers on the keys and his eyes fluttered open.  The
room was 
dark save for the glow from her screen.  He watched
her 
silently for a moment.  He wouldn't be able to watch
her if 
she knew he was awake.  Her hair was up into a high
ponytail 
exposing her long neck and before he could stop
himself his 
fingers reached out and gently touched her neck
causing her to 
jump a little in surprise.
"Mulder...you're awake!" she said, her voice barely a
whisper.  
She turned her head but his hand didn't move and his
fingers 
gently brushed around her shoulder and stopped on her 
collarbone.
"Hi," he said his hand still touching her and his
thumb gently 
rubbing small circles into her soft skin.
"What happened? Where did you go?"  She moved away
from his 
reach unable to concentrate with the sweet sensations
he was 
creating.  She sat on the edge of the low table and
leaned 
forward resting her elbows on her knees.
"I left," he said plainly.  He sat up slowly and
entangled his 
legs in the blanket.  He rubbed his face with both
hands and 
hoped she didn't notice the damp streaks he could feel
beneath 
his fingers.

"Why?" she pushed.
"I couldn't take it Dana.  Sitting in that room,
reading files 
I'd written, looking at things for the first time that
had me 
stamped all over them but...it's not me anymore.  I
can't be 
that Fox Mulder."
"You don't have to be...you only have to be yourself."
"Yeah, follow my instincts? Well I did.  And my
instincts told 
me to get the hell outta there."
"What are you afraid of?" she asked her voice suddenly

becoming angry.
"Afraid? I'm terrified...of failing.  Of not living up
to 
anyone's...to your expectations."
"My expectations are for you to be honest.  That's all
I want 
from you.  And if that means telling me to mind my own

business and leaving you alone-,"
"I'm already alone," his voice was soft and had she
not seen 
his lips moving she might have thought she imagined
it.
"You're not alone."
"From what I can see I have no family left, my friends
consist 
of three men that I would consider institutionalising
and 
you."
"Mulder-," she began but he cut her off.
"I couldn't remember my address."  He pulled the
blanket from 
his legs and piled it on the couch beside him.  "I
couldn't 
remember my address so I came here.  The cab ride cost
€30.   
I was sitting on your doorstep for about an hour
before this 
old guy came."  
 
She watched him speaking.  Not waning to interrupt she
let him 
continue and wondered briefly when he started crying.
"He called me Mulder and asked if you and I had had a
fight," 
he smiled, catching her eyes for a second before they
returned 
to his hands.  "I said I'd forgotten my key and he let
me in.  
He said he was the super and he wasn't supposed to let
people 
into the apartments but because it was me he'd make an

exception."
"Mr Reynolds...you saved his cat last summer, he's taken
a 
liking to you."
"Well I got here about lunch time and I've been
sitting here, 
thinking...I guess I fell asleep.  I didn't think you'd
mind."
 
His voice had become somewhat detached and his eyes
wavered 
from her face to his hands.  His nervous composure
scared her, 
having only seen Mulder like this on very few
occasions she 
wasn't sure how to react.
"Of course I don't mind.  I was worried about you." 
She took 
his hands in hers.  "I was relieved to see you."
"You are the most puzzling one of all," he said
suddenly.
"What do you mean?" her brow furrowed slightly at his
words.
"You are the one that scares me the most."  His hands 
tightened on hers and he looked up at her, a new found
bravery 
welling up inside him as he spoke, "I don't know what
type of 
relationship we had, I don't know what kind of
friendship we 
had but I cant help but feel like I want something
more."
"More?" her mind couldn't process his simple words
quick 
enough and before she could say anything else he
pulled her 
closer still holding her hands between them and kissed
her.
 
Her surprise quickly faded as his warmth sank through
her body 
and exploded in her chest catching her breath.  He
felt her 
move her head to the side and took his cue to deepen
the kiss.  
Letting one of her hands go he reached around her back
to pull 
her closer still but the shrill ring from the phone
cracked 
through their spell.  She slowly pulled away from him
and with 
only a quick glance in his direction she dashed to
catch the 
phone.
"Hello," she said standing with her back to him her
breathing 
uneven.
"Scully, it's Jack Simpson, we have a situation going
on down 
here.  Carson is cornered at the gallery, we need all
units to 
respond."
"I'll be right there."
 
She hung up the phone and turned to see him still
sitting in 
the same position with a small smile on his face.
"I have to go."
"Yeah I heard."
 
Unable to explain and unsure if she wanted to she
dashed into 
her room and changed into a pair of jeans and threw on
a 
jumper.  She carried her boots into the living room
and sat in 
the chair across from him.  He still hadn't moved and
she 
glanced at him as she tied her laces.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay...I'll go-."
"No," she said quickly, "Please stay.  I'll be back as
soon as 
I can."
"Are you sure?" he asked his lips curving into a
smile.
"Yes." 

 
Before rational thought could creep into her head and
wipe out 
all of her impulses she walked over to him and lifted
his face 
up.  She pressed a kiss against his lips and hated
pulling 
away but did so before the hand he reached up to her
waist 
convinced her to stay.  She didn't speak as she
gathered her 
gun and badge and turned to him only as she stood in
the open 
doorway.  His smile was inviting so she left quickly
before 
she answered it.
 
***
  
The blue and red police lights lit up the street
eerily.  
Crowds had gathered but the cops had managed to cordon
off a 
wide area outside the gallery.  She showed her badge
and a 
young officer held up the strip of yellow police tape
to let 
her through.  Looking around the official area she
spotted 
Jack crouched behind his open car door.  She kept down
as she 
rushed over to him.  He saw her approaching and turned
to sit 
down and face her.
"Welcome to the show," he said when she landed beside
him.
"What's going on?"
"Carson has Reilly hostage in the gallery."
"How did that happen?"
"Reilly and Salmon were going through the list of
names and 
they were going door to door.  They knocked on the
right door 
and found the hideout.  Salmon was shot.  In the face.
 Point 
Blank."
"Oh my god..." her hand flew up to her mouth.  "What
about 
Reilly?"
"He's been beat up pretty bad, but he managed to sneak
out a 
call to Watters.  There are four of them.  They're
held up in 
the original room Carson tried to break into but
they've 
covered the windows with paintings."
"No way through?"
"Not without the city getting million dollar bills
from the 
gallery."
"What about weapons?" She couldn't believe what she
was 
hearing.  Twenty minutes ago she was kissing Mulder. 
Kissing 
Mulder.  And now she was ducked behind a grey ford
Taurus 
formulating a plan of attack on a museum with another
agent 
dead.  Not quite the way she thought her first kiss
with 
Mulder would go, but then she should have known that
nothing 
would be simple between them.
"Reilly says they each have semi-automatics, dual
handguns and 
one of them is loaded down with grenades."
"Jesus Christ..."
"No where for that building to go except up."
"What about Watters?"
"Well...that's kind of why I called you..."
"What is it Jack?"
"Carson made a call out to Watters about an hour ago."
"What did he ask for?"
"Mulder."
"Mulder? Why?"
"He says he wants to speak to the Agent that got into
his head 
to do the profile.  He won't talk to anyone else. 
Watters 
wants to bring Mulder in but Skinner wont let him."
"Where are they?"
"Over in the swat van."
 
She saw the tall navy blue van across the road and
rushed over 
to it.  Banging heavily on the door it swung open and
she 
stepped in.  Skinner and Watters stood toe to toe and
turned 
in time to see her step up.
"Scully..." Skinner took a step closer to her.
"You can't do this Watters.  I won't let you." There
was no 
disguising the anger in her voice.
"We have to.  He wont talk to anyone else."
"Skinner you have to tell him.  It's not going to
happen," her 
eyes flared between the two men.
"If we don't let him talk to Mulder he is likely to
blow that 
building and by all accounts this whole block,"
Watters 
shouted.
"I don't give a shit," Scully replied.
"Agent Scully..." Skinner stepped up to her and took her
elbow.  
He pushed her out of the van and followed after her. 
"You 
know as well as I do that Mulder would do what he
can."
"But this is not something he can do.  He has no
memory of his 
training.   No viable ability to take part in a
hostage 
negotiation.  We need to convince Carson that he's
talking to 
the Agent who profiled him and seeing as Mulder has no

recollection of that profile calling him here would be

pointless."
"It would be crazy to put Mulder in this position and
I wont 
do it," Skinner admitted through gritted teeth.
"Thank you sir."
"Agent Watters?" he called into the van and Watters
appeared 
beside them.  "You took part in the profiling cant you
speak 
to him?"
"Well sir I took notes.  Mulder did the work."
"There is no way that Mulder is coming down here.  You
need to 
brush up on your profiling and talk to this guy."
"But sir I already tried that.  Carson knows it wasn't
me."
"I'll do it sir.  I know Mulder's mind.  I'll know
what to 
do."
 
Skinner turned to see her looking earnestly at him. 
In her 
jeans, boots and baggy jumper she looked smaller than
usual 
but her face was stern and her eyes were flashing with
a 
mixture of anger and tension.  
"Okay...what time is Carson calling back?"
"Three minutes," Watters said as he checked his watch.
"Scully, you ready?"
"Yes sir."
"Lets do it.  Set her up in the van."  He turned and
walked 
away shouting at the police to get the area cleared to
a two-
block radius.  His voice brought anger into his orders
and 
Scully had no doubt that they'd be carried out.  One
of the 
tech team members hooked her up to a hands free kit to
talk on 
the phone so she could take notes.  She listened to
the soft 
static and a sudden image of Mulder lying on her couch
flashed 
before her eyes.  Wishing she could be there with him
she 
shook away the distracting thoughts and began to
compile the 
profile as best as she could remember.
 
***
  
Mulder threw his head back against the couch and
listened for 
the slam from the outer door.  He couldn't believe
what had 
just happened.  He couldn't believe he kissed her.  He

couldn't believe she let him.  He couldn't believe she
had to 
go.  His heart was racing and a mixture of excitement
and 
disbelieve swam through him.  When the phone rang he
could 
have happily ignored it but when she pulled away to
answer it 
he let her go.  She avoided his gaze turning her back
to him 
and he had to stop himself from standing up to her and

wrapping his arms around her to feel her lean back
against his 
chest.  Now that she had let him kiss her he wanted to
see 
what else he could do.
 
He stood away from the couch with a sudden burst of
energy and 
walked restlessly around the small room.  She could be
gone 
hours so he tried to settle his nerves.  Sitting here
was 
doing him no good but with no key for re-entry he was
stuck.  
A loud rumble from his stomach argued for food so he
reached 
for the Chinese menu they'd ordered from the other
night.  
After ordering enough for both of them thinking she
might be 
back late but she might be hungry, he switched on the
TV.  
Flicking through many channels he stopped suddenly
when he saw 
Skinner being interviewed.
"...the situation is fully under control and we are only

clearing the area for precautionary purposes," Skinner
said 
clearly uneasy at being in front of the cameras.
"Has the bomb alert been verified?" the interviewer
asked.
"There has been no bomb threat and report of such is
only 
likely to cause panic.  Everything is under control."
"Is it correct that an Agent is being held hostage in
the 
gallery?"
"I'm afraid I can't answer any more questions and if
you'll 
kindly move back to the cordoned line I'll return when
I can 
with an update."
 
As Mulder watched him walk away from the camera crew
his heart 
fell.  Something in his head screamed and he knew that
Dana 
was there.  And from what little he knew of her he
knew she'd 
be volunteering to go in first...if she wasn't already
in there.
"This is Sharon Day for channel 12 news at the
international 
Gallery."
 
Sinking into the couch he held his head in his hands. 
The 
elation he felt earlier had disappeared in a wave of
fear and 
anger.  Hoping that she'd remain on the outskirts but
knowing 
she wouldn't, Mulder waited.  The frustration he felt
over the 
past few days was insignificant to the futility he
felt now.  
He knew that he should be down there and maybe if he'd
been 
working on the case the whole time they might not even
be in 
that situation.  A wave of guilt washed over him and
even 
though rationally he knew there was little he could
have done, 
he let it seep in slowly pushing away anything else.  
 
He thought of going down to the gallery and flashing
his FBI 
badge to gain entry but he knew there was nothing he
could do 
down there except get in the way.  He resigned himself
to a 
long stay watching the news waiting for updates and
hoping for 
a phone call from Dana.
 
***
 
Scully let the phone ring three times, glancing around
the 
rooms for all them to nod before picking up the
receiver.  Her 
tongue darted out and licked her top lip before she
could 
speak.
"Hello."
"Who am I talking to?" the voice commanded.
"This is the profiler," she said her voice
surprisingly calm.
"You? Do you take me for a fool?" the voice sneered.
"Sir, I assure you that I am the profiler.  I have
handled 
over 400 cases in this country alone over the past
five 
years," she looked over to Skinner who nodded his head
slowly.
"400? That's quite a lot."
"What do you want Carson?" she asked anxious to get
the 
conversation moving.
"I wanted to talk to the person who finally managed to
get 
into my head.  See how close you really are!"
"We need to talk to Agent Reilly."
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that.  He's all tied up
and I 
don't wanna have to go through knotting them ropes
again."
"I need a good faith gesture, I need something from
you."
"How about you come in here and see for yourself?"
 
Scully faltered.  She knew she couldn't go in but she
had 
little experience in hostage talks and wondered
briefly how to 
get out of it.
"I don't think that would work."
"Well until you're ready to make it work I'm not
talking."
 
The voice was replaced by a continuous tone when he
hung up.  
She pulled the earpiece out and turned to Skinner.  He
had 
removed his glasses and was rubbing the bridge of his
nose.  
"Sir?"
"You have to go in."  He turned to the swat team
leader.  "I 
want a path cleared for her.  I want men all over that

building and I want surveillance stepped up.  If she's
going 
in I don't want her going in blind," he said calmly
and then 
added, "Lets get moving." 
"Obviously unarmed..."
"Yes, but we'll set you up with a camera and
microphone.  That 
way we'll be able to keep track and talk you through
any 
hassles."  He watched her for a moment and then
stepped closer 
to her.  "I don't like this." 
"No sir, neither do I."
"What you have to do once inside is evaluate the
weaponry-," 
he said.
"Yes sir, I know the steps, I'll clock the weapons,
threat and 
modes of escape."
"Don't let him know you're bugged."
"Keep away from phones," one of the swat members told
her.
 
She lifted her jumper off over her head and held her
arms up 
for them to attach the wires.  Skinner stood next to
her 
telling her the procedures of hostage negotiation. 
She knew 
all the steps but she let him reel them off to help
him ease 
his mind.  He was obviously worried about her going in
to the 
building alone and unarmed but she had talked herself
into a 
corner with Carson and was left with little choice. 
Watters 
sat on a low stool by the van door and watched her get
wired 
up.  His expression was unreadable and she wondered
what he 
was thinking as she pulled her jumper back over her
head.
"This earpiece will let us talk to you."
 
She took the small skin coloured object and slipped it
into 
her left ear.  A small pin in the shape of a clover
was pinned 
onto her collar and twisted until the tech could see
the 
picture clearly on the screens in front of him. 
"Okay, you're ready to go," he declared the smile on
his face 
quickly fading as he realised what he was setting her
up for.
 
She glanced over at Skinner who took her arm and led
her out 
of the van.  A small troop of four swat members was
hunkered 
down by the side of the road and as she and skinner
walked 
over two of them took off and ran towards the
building, 
covering the entrance.  Skinner spoke to her about
keeping 
Carson talking and recommending that he release Reilly
and she 
half listened to him as she tried to think of the
profile her 
and Mulder had gone through the morning of the
accident.
"Don't do anything rash and don't put yourself in a
position 
where-."
"Sir, I'll be fine."  
 
She pulled her hair into a ponytail and tapped the
swat 
member's shoulder.  Skinner watched as she ran towards
the 
building with both of them and finally disappeared
behind the 
large oak doors.  He hurried back to the van to watch
the 
feedback, readying the swat for a raid in case
anything went 
wrong.

Her steps echoed in the empty gallery halls as she
cautiously 
made her way up to the second floor.  Their voices
carried out 
through the open door and part of her wished she'd
brought a 
gun even though she knew they would remove it. 
Pausing a 
minute before entering she took a deep breath and
tried to 
steady her wildly beating heart.
"Come on in," Carson called, "or are you going to stay
out 
there all night?"
 
She stepped through the door and glanced around the
room 
searching for Reilly.  He was tied up to a radiator
his face 
bloody and battered.  His head hung back at an angle
that she 
knew must be hurting and he wasn't moving.
"So you decided to come in...unarmed I assume, save for
the 
repertoire of procedures you law types tend to get
logged down 
in," Carson said his voice sneering across the room
getting a 
laugh out of the others. 
"That's Wright over there," he pointed to the man
without a 
gun, "that's Fergus and that's Mark."
 
Skinner surveyed the room from the swat van and
counted all 
the guns they wore.  One of then stood empty handed
his army 
jacket closed tight showing some unusual bulges in his
chest 
and back.
"What is that guy wearing?" Skinner said pointing him
out to 
the swat leader.
"Looks like he's got strapping on.  Could be a bomb."
"Jesus Christ.  I want the team ready to attack. 
Surely we 
can gain entrance easily enough now that we've seen
the room."
"Sir the paintings in that room are priceless-."
"I don't care if the god dammed Mona Lisa is in there,
they 
are not worth the lives of two agents."
"Yes sir."  The leader took a print out of the room
out to the 
rest of the squad telling them where to go and they
separated 
across the lawn in different directions ready for the
signal 
to enter the building.
"What do you want Carson?" Scully said twisting around
the 
room to make sure they could get a full picture back
in the 
swat van.
"So you're the famous Mulder."
"What?" 
"Mulder...the profiler.  I didn't imagine you to be so
pretty."
"You seem to have imagined yourself into some sort of
position 
of power easily enough," Scully retorted angrily
knowing 
Mulder would return with a smart comment.
 
Carson walked over to her and leaned into her, his
stale 
breath caressing her neck.
"You see I thought you were a guy," he whispered.
"Hey Carson," Wright shouted, "let's get the gear and
get out 
of here."  Scully looked up and saw him walking over.
"I'm trying to get us out of here in one piece,"
Carson 
replied without looking round.
"This is fucking stupid," he shouted again, this time
louder, 
"the bloody FBI is crawling all over the place, there
are swat 
members out side-."
 
Carson turned slowly and faced him fully before
pulling out 
his gun and pulling the trigger.  A loud crack
resonated 
around the room and Wright fell to his knees clutching
his 
stomach.
"The stomach wound...slowest and most painful...a treasure
to 
witness," Carson said.
 
He returned his gaze to Scully but the two other men
were 
getting restless.  Looking at each other with worried
glances 
they didn't want to speak up afraid they'd be next. 
Wright 
lay wounded on the cold floor, his blood pooling
around his 
torso and his moans loud and disturbing.
"Hey Carson...what's the plan?" Mark called out
uneasily.
"Well...firstly we are going to gather the
paintings...then we'll 
get to the roof and this lovely Agent Mulder is going
be our 
insurance for a safe getaway," he said his eyes never
leaving 
hers.
"What about Reilly?" he asked and Scully could tell by
the 
look on his face that he was afraid of the answer
"Reilly?" Carson stepped towards the radiator where
the other 
Agent Lay.  He grabbed a handful of hair and pulled
his head 
up.  Scully could see his face more clearly now and
his eyes 
were open and glazed over.  She couldn't tell if he
was dead 
with out a closer look but she was pretty sure he was.
 Her 
stomach churned at the thought of a wasted
opportunity.  She 
should have known he was dead when they wouldn't let
her talk 
to him.  Her eyes widened as she watched Carson
pullout his 
gun and hold it under Reilly's chin.
"No!" she yelled but her voice was drowned out by
another 
crack of the gun.
 
Mark and Fergus looked away as the blood burst across
the wall 
staining several paintings.  Carson stepped away
rubbing his 
hands on his jeans, his smile wide and repulsive.
"Scully get out of there," she heard Skinner yell in
her ear.
"Let it go Carson...I'm outta here," Fergus said
throwing his 
gun to the floor he made his way out to the door
prepared to 
hand himself in to the FBI.  But before he could make
it out 
of the room Carson lifted his gun and without a word
he pulled 
the trigger bouncing him off the half open door.  His
body 
slammed to the floor forcefully and lay still.  Marks
eyes 
flew from Fergus to Carson and to Scully.  He lifted
his own 
gun and aimed it at Carson.
"Carson, you've gone fucking crazy...CRAZY!!" he shouted
backing 
away from him towards the door.  Carson's smile
widened and he 
turned his gun onto Mark but before he could do
anything Mark 
pulled his trigger hitting him in the shoulder. 
Carson 
staggered but he didn't fall.  He looked up at Mark
this time 
laughing and shot him.  
 
Scully yelled at them to stop but regretted her
decision when 
they both turned their guns on her.  Without thinking
she dove 
for cover sliding across the floor bullets narrowly
missing 
her spraying the wall where she stood before.
"GO IN, GO IN," Skinner voice was loud and she knew he
was 
telling the swat team to charge the building.  

Looking around she saw Marks bloodied body lying on
the floor 
motionless.  From behind the fallen chair she couldn't
see 
Carson but soft moans came from the other side of the
room.
"It's too late Mulder," Carson yelled his voice
choked.  She 
carefully leaned out past the edge of the chair and
she could 
see him lying on his back inching his way towards
Wright's 
body.  "It's too late."
 
His body wrenched as he coughed up a stream of blood
that ran 
down his face and trailed after him.  He tried to
laugh but 
with the blood choking him it turned into a rattling
splutter.
"Don't move," Scully shouted but the gun he held
against his 
chest moved towards her and he pulled the trigger, the
back 
kick hurting him more than he thought.
"Mulder, you should know...I'm not the giving up type,"
he said 
as he continued to move.  "And I do like to go out
with a 
bang."
"Scully that guy is strapped with a bomb. You need to
get out 
of there," Skinner said surprisingly calmly in her
ear.  "I 
can't send the swat team in with that treat.  We have
a bomb 
squad on the way but just get out of there."
 
She watched unable to move as Carson sidled up to
Wrights body 
and ripped open his jacket showing her the plastic
explosives 
he had strapped to him.
"No, Carson...don't."
"Too late Mulder, too late," he said as he reached up
for the 
timing mechanism.
"Shit," she muttered under her breath as she struggled
to her 
feet and ran for the door.  The room was showered with
bullets 
as Carson tried to stop her escape but she managed to
duck 
behind the door.  
"TOO LATE MULDER." 
 
She could hear him shouting as she dashed down the
stairs 
talking them two and three steps at a time.  The blast
shook 
the floor beneath her feet and behind her a warm flash
rose 
getting closer and closer.
 
Skinner watched from behind the swat van as the
explosion 
shattered the gallery's windows, an enormous ball of
flame 
blasting out of the walls.  The feedback from her wire
went to 
static and he could only watch helpless as the
building half 
fell, fires raising from the remains.
 
***
 
Mulder sat on the low table in an effort to get closer
to the 
television, hoping he'd spot her in the crowd as the
camera 
panned around the scene.  The reporter commented on
the swat 
teams that had scattered around the building but he
paid her 
little attention.  Suddenly the blast shook the
building 
almost knocking the cameraman to the floor.
"Oh god..." he whispered his eyes widening
 
The gallery stood as bare remains, fires exploding
across it 
and he looked on in terror.  Inside him fear coursed
through 
his body as he watched transfixed unable to move.  The
TV crew 
scattered and ran towards the fallen building.  But
the police 
held them back.  
"We're not sure what happened or who may have been
involved 
but the explosion has shattered the building, knocking
the 
eastern face," the reporter said into the camera,
"fires have 
already broken out but there seems to be no sign of
any 
survivors."
"Dana..." his fingers reached out and her gently touched
the 
screen.  "Please be okay...please be okay."
 
 ***
 
The blast threw her into the air and she landed on the
ground 
with a sickening thud.  Jack watched her, waiting for
a sign 
of life and before he could think about it too much he
dashed 
out and carried her back to the relative safety,
shielded 
behind the car.  Smaller explosions made him jerk
keeping his 
head low as he held his body over her trying to
protect her as 
best he could.  He looked down at her and gently
touched her 
neck looking for a pulse.
"Scully?" he said when he felt the small beat beneath
her jaw 
line, "Scully?"
 
Carefully he tapped her cheeks with the back of his
fingers 
and smiled when she moaned in protest.
"Hey...Scully...wake up!"
 
Her head rolled to the side and slowly she rolled over
away 
from him and onto all fours.  With her head hung low
she 
carefully sat back onto her heals, her hands reaching
up to 
hold her head.
"Oh my god...my head."  She pushed her hands over her
head and 
looked up to see Jack watching her, smiling.  
Looking up at the remains of the gallery her eyes
widened in 
shock and she leaned out past the edge of the car to
get a 
better look.
"Jesus...what happened?"
"The Gallery, Carson triggered a bomb.  You just made
it out 
when it went up"
"Are you okay?" she asked looking over at him as he
sat 
against the car his face covered in dust and dirt from
lying 
in the ground.
 
He laughed loudly and she frowned.  She had just been
thrown 
clear of an explosion while he cowered behind his car
and she 
was asking how he was.
"You know what Scully? I like you.  And now I know why
Mulder 
keeps you locked up down there," he said standing and
reaching 
a hand down to help her up.
"What do you mean?"  She took his hand and slowly he
pulled 
her to her feet.
"He's afraid we'll take you away and leave him alone
in that 
bloody basement."
 
She laughed and shook her hand through her dusty hair.
 Her 
left cheek had been scraped where she landed on the
ground and 
the stitches on her hand had been ripped open.  She
followed 
Jack over to the Swat team where Skinner was
organising a 
search crew to sift through the rubble.
"Scully, we thought you were still in there."
"No sir, I made it out just in time and Jack helped me
get 
away from the blast."
"Do you think they could have survived?"
"Well Carson was getting pretty trigger happy in there
so it 
was only him and myself left anyway." 
It was then that Skinner noticed the blood flowing
freely from 
the wound on her wrist and ordered her to get checked
out at 
the ambulance.  Jack walked over with her and sat by
her side 
as on of the technicians re-stitched her hand.  
"I can't believe you made it out of there," he said. 
"Mulder 
would be proud."
"I don't suppose you have a phone? I only noticed
those 
cameras and if Mulder saw what went on he'll be
worried."
 
Jack pulled out his mobile and handed it to her.  He
walked 
away leaving her in relative privacy as the EMT
cleaned up her 
wounds.  She dialled her own familiar number and
juggled past 
the EMT to hold the phone up to her ear.
"Hello? Dana?" he answered on the first ring.
"Mulder, hi."
"Oh thank god, I was afraid..." his voice trailed off
still too 
scared to say what could have happened.
"I'm fine a few cuts and bruises.  I just wanted to
ring and 
say I'll be home as soon as I can."
"Okay, I'll see you then."
 
After the EMT had finished with her she walked over to
Jack 
and handed him back his mobile.
"Thanks Jack, for everything."
"Any time Ms Scully.  It was a pleasure to work with
you."
 
She looked out at the fire engines that had arrived
and 
watched as the swat team stood back waiting for the
all clear 
before they could enter.  The firemen sprayed the
rubble and 
already the fires were going out leaving a black plume
of 
smoke to cover the night sky blocking any chance
anyone had of 
seeing the stars.
"Agent Scully?"
 
She turned to see Skinner calling her and excused
herself from 
Jacks side and walked over to him.
"Yes sir?"
"Go home."
 
His face was steady and he frowned deeply, his eyes
never 
leaving hers.
"Yes sir."  Without the energy or the desire to argue
she 
simple agreed.  
"Take some time tomorrow and I'll see you on Friday
morning at 
9am for a report of what happened in there."
"Yes sir, thank you."  She started to turn away but he
caught 
her elbow before.
"You did everything you could in there Agent Scully. 
I saw 
what happened, we all did.  There was nothing you
could have 
done to change any of this."  His arm swept behind him
to 
cover the expanse of the burning building.
"No sir, I suppose not."
"I'll see you Friday morning."  He squeezed her arm
before 
letting it go and walking over to the assembled crowd
of 
Agents.
 
She watched for a minute wondering if she should have
insisted 
she stay, but she saw the determined look in his eyes
and knew 
there would be no arguing with him.  Besides, she
thought, the 
idea of going home and stepping into a hot shower was 
infinitely more appealing than sifting through the
burning 
rubble. 
 
Her car had been moved from where she had abandoned it
and the 
journey through the crowded streets seemed to take
forever but 
finally as she turned onto her street she breathed out
a sigh 
of relief.  Parking the car against the curb she
slowly 
climbed out and made her way up the long path towards
her 
apartment.
 
As she turned her key in the lock the door swung open
pulling 
her inside.  Silently Mulder pulled her into his arms,

slamming the door behind her.   They stood in the warm

protective embrace swaying for a long time before he
released 
her, just enough so he could look down into her face.
"You okay?" his fingers reached up and traced the line
of 
scrapes that marked her otherwise perfect skin.
"Yes, I'm fine.  I'm tired, I need a shower, my head
is 
pumping and I have a ringing in my ears...but I'm fine."
"Is there anything I can do?" he said pulling her head
against 
his chest again.
"No, I'll just go and take a shower.  I'll be right
back."
 
Reluctantly he let her go and watched her back as she
stepped 
silently into the bathroom after pulling a large towel
from 
the hot press.  Her head hung low and her eyes were
full of 
tears but he decided not to mention it hoping she'd
talk when 
she was ready.  Looking around the room he spotted the
takeout 
he'd ordered and left on the table untouched.  He
unpacked the 
dishes and reheated the packs in the microwave,
serving them 
onto two plates.  As she swept through the hallway
from the 
bathroom to her bedroom he carried them both into the
living 
area.  He was returning from the kitchen with a bottle
of 
white wine when she emerged from her bedroom, wearing
a pair 
of black and red pyjama bottoms and a black long
sleeve top.
"Hey," she said as she sat onto the chair and curled
her feet 
beneath her.  "When did this arrive?"
"Hours ago.  I thought you might be hungry when you
got back."
"Thanks."  She took the plate he held out to her and
they ate 
in silence for a while.
"Was anyone killed?" he said softly when he saw her
eyes glaze 
over during the meal.  Deciding not to wait for her to
speak, 
he made the first tentative step.
"Agent Reilly.  And four members of his gang."
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, his
momentary 
bravery disappearing beneath the threat of her tears.
"Not really," she replied her voice barely a whisper.
 
After they finished eating he cleared away the plates
and 
poured out some wine.  Her unfocused eyes stared into
the 
fireplace and she didn't move when he sat down next to
her.  
He made no attempt to speak and simply waited with her
while 
she mulled over the day, letting it all sink in at its
own 
pace.
 
The wine swirled around in his glass as he waited and
he was 
surprised at the touch of her fingers across the back
of his 
hand.  He glanced up and saw her still staring away,
this time 
the tears more than a threat, they fell silently down
her 
face, mixing with the contours of her scraped cheeks.
 
Without speaking he raised his arm over her and pulled
her 
close so that she nestled into his body.  He let his
arm rest 
heavily against her, his hand on her hip holding her
tightly 
against him.  With his other hand he soothed her wet
hair away 
from her face and gently whispered soft words of
comfort 
against the crown of her head.  A tender kiss placed
on her 
forehead made her look up and he smiled sadly down to
her. 

He reached up and cupped her face in his hands and
caringly 
wiped her tears away with his thumbs.  Her eyes still 
glistened with unshed tears as he leaned down and
pressed a 
soft kiss against her lips.  He felt her sigh against
him and 
kissed her again, this time deeper and more urgent. 
If the 
soft touch of her hand splayed out on his chest
surprised him 
he didn't show it.  Her fingers gripped his shirt
pulling him 
closer and needing to feel him alongside her she
shifted 
nearer, until he lifted her small body up and rested
her on 
his lap, their lips still connected.

When he pulled away and looked into her eyes he could
see how 
tired she was and how much she was battling to stay
awake.  
Blinking rapidly she shook her head a little.
"Headache?" he whispered, curling an errant lock of
hair 
behind her ear.  She didn't speak only nodded her
head.  "Why 
don't you go to bed and get some rest?"
"No, I'm fine.  I'd rather stay here with you."
"But you could go get some sleep.  I'll be here when
you wake 
up, I promise."
"No really, lets just lie here.  I'll be fine."
"Okay," he stood and walked away leaving her in
confusion for 
a second before returning with a glass of water and a
small 
pill.  She smiled her gratitude and took it quickly,
returning 
the glass to him when she'd swallowed it.  He rinsed
the glass 
out and left it to dry on the dish rack thinking of
how he had 
just mimicked her gesture when he was ill.  He smiled
and 
returned to see her lying on her side on the couch,
leaning 
slightly forward so he had enough room to slip in
behind her.  
Her eyes were closed and her arm bent under her head. 
He 
grabbed a cushion from the other seat and carefully
stepped in 
behind her holding his head up with the thick soft
cushion.
 
Afraid to move he tried not to nudge against her too
much in 
case she had fallen asleep, but her hand fumbled on
the ground 
for something until finally holding up the remote for
him.
"You'll probably need this," she said.
"Won't it keep you up?"
"No, I'll be asleep soon...I just don't want to be
alone," she 
added softly and he reached out to her, his arm
wrapping 
around her waist pulling her tight against him.  She
took a 
deep breath and covered his hand that rested on her
flat 
stomach with her own to insure that it wouldn't move.
 
The television kept the dark room in a soft glow as he
watched 
an old western with the sound barely audible, his eyes

constantly flickering to her face.  Her breathing had
relaxed 
and become regular in that secure, contented way that
sleep 
induced.  She had turned into his body and slipped her
free 
arm over him and he loved it.  
 
The feel of her pulling him closer and holding him
tightly 
made him smile.  Her head reached up to his chin and
he 
couldn't help but press a few kisses into her hair
every so 
often, inhaling her scent deeply.  Afraid he might
wake her he 
chided himself but didn't care as his lips reached
down for 
another sweet kiss.
 
Her body stirred against him and she moaned into his
chest, 
unknowingly kissing him.  His breath caught in his
throat and 
he froze unable to move in case he took her movements
as 
encouragement.  He closed his eyes to the sight of her
and 
wished her awake but was glad she trusted him enough
to fall 
asleep next to him; or rather against him he thought
smiling.  
He switched the TV off and snuggled lower into the
couch, 
enjoying the warmth she spread into him.   With a
final kiss, 
this time against her temple he closed his eyes and
basked in 
the feeling of her arms around him.
 
***
 
 
Slowly her eyes opened to the sight of her living
room.  The 
curtains were drawn so minimal light seeped over the
rail at 
the top.  A soft snoring alerted her more and she
suddenly 
became aware of an arm around her and a body lying
next to 
her.
 
Her momentary panic subsided when the events of the
night 
before arose giving way to a small smile that caressed
her 
lips and she cuddled her back against his chest
letting the 
warm feeling spread through her for just a few moments
more.  
His breathing stopped and she listened carefully, a
giggle in 
her throat threatening to explode.  
 
He could almost hear her listening and delighted in
the soft 
shaking of her body as a small chuckle escaped.  His
arm 
tightened around her waist and he seemed to pull her
even 
closer, if that was possible.
"You awake?" he asked, even though he knew she was.
"Yes."
 
He leaned up on his elbow and she rested onto her
back.  His 
arm stayed across her body and his warm fingers gently
stroked 
the area of skin than was revealed between her jumper
and 
pyjamas, just over her hipbone.
"How do you feel?"
"Much better.  Thank you, for staying with me.  For
holding 
me," her eyes wandered around the room unable to stay
as 
transfixed as he.
"No problem, I enjoyed it."  He touched a tender kiss
against 
her temple and lifted his head in time to see the
small blush 
creep up her cheeks.  "Agent Scully are you blushing?"
he 
teased.

"I guess I'm not used to waking up on my couch in the
arms of 
a man," she tried to lighten her voice but he caught
her 
unease.  His hand slowly slid across her abdomen and
he 
followed it with his eyes, as if he was trying to
memorise the 
feel of her beneath his hand.  He lifted it off her
before 
placing it at the other side of her head and pushed
himself 
off the couch.  Standing now, he loomed over her as
she sat 
up, pulling herself closer to the edge.
"Hadn't you better be rushing off to solve world
crimes?" he 
said unable to keep the tension out of his voice as he
tucked 
in his shirt and fixed his trousers.
"Actually I have the day off.  Mental fatigue...after
the 
situation last night Skinner told me to take today off
to 
rest."

"So what are you going to do?" he asked turning to her
as she 
stood."
"Well I was hoping to spend it with my favourite
G-Man.  But 
as he's not here you'll have to do!"
"Yeah, funny," he couldn't help but falling into her
shy smile 
and reached out to squeeze her shoulder.  She glanced
up at 
him looking from underneath her brow and saw his
smile.  "But 
I could really do with a shower and a change of
clothes."  
"We can drop by your place after breakfast."
 
She escaped into the bathroom and showered while he
prepared a 
simple breakfast of toast and coffee.  When she
emerged 
wearing a pair of black jeans and a deep red top he
paused the 
toast halfway to his mouth.  
"Setting a trap Mulder?"
"Only for you," he murmured under his breath but she
caught it 
and allowed the smile to take her lips as she poured
her 
coffee.

They ate quickly and she drove them over to his place.
 
Sitting on his couch she listened to him mooch around
his 
bedroom and dash into his bathroom.  She looked around
the 
room and took in the barely personal items that
scattered the 
place.  Work was everywhere for him, with files strewn
all 
over his desk and printouts on his coffee table.  She
wondered 
what would happen if Mulder didn't get his memory
back.  Would 
he be able to continue working on the X-Files? Would
he even 
want to?  

He heard a loud sigh escaping her lips as he stepped
from the 
bathroom and slowly walked to the corner to lean
against the 
wall.  With one towel draped around his hips, he used
the 
other to rub his head.  Peering out from it leaving
his hair 
messed up he smiled at the site of her, sitting
quietly as she 
waited for him.
"Hey...what are you thinking about?" 
 
She looked up and her voice faltered when she saw him
standing 
half naked against the wall.  His hair stood up on all
sides 
and she smiled at his mussed up look.
"You."
"Me?"  He said stepping further around he corner.
"Yeah, you," she smiled a beautiful alluring smile
that she 
allowed to linger on her lips a moment longer when she
caught 
him staring.
"What about me?" he asked his voice telling nothing of
his 
erratically beating heart, he walked over to her and
sat in 
next to her.
"Just worrying about you really.  Hoping everything
works out 
for you."
"Of course it will."
"Isn't that my line?" she said smiling again and
staring at 
his face to keep herself off his inviting chest.
"Well I've been thinking too.  About my memory, or
rather my 
lack of it."  He let his hand fall between his knees
and 
watched the floor for a minute.  "I think it's all
going to be 
fine.  I may have lost my education and my career but
as far 
as I can tell I've gained you...and that's worth a
thousand 
careers."
 
His eyes remained stuck to the floor as she reached
out and 
took his hand in hers.  He glanced at her and they
exchanged a 
quiet smile before she nudged him with her elbow.
"Come on get dressed and we'll get out of here and
start my 
day of relaxation," she said.
 
He grinned and a smart comment rose up to the tip of
his 
tongue but she caught it before he could release it
and shook 
her head slowly.  He let out a short laugh and left to
get 
changed.  While he was gone Scully stood up and
straightened 
her top.  
That was intense, she thought so emotional
 
It wasn't long before Mulder walked in combing his
hair and 
threw the brush on to the couch.  Running his fingers
through 
the dark brown locks, dislodging most of them he
slapped his 
hands together and smiled widely.
"So what would you like to do?"
"Something quiet, relaxing and easy."
"I was hoping you'd say that," he stepped closer to
her and 
took both of her hands.  "I have a surprise.  Will you
come 
with me?"
"Okay, where to?" she asked carefully.
"It's a surprise," he laughed as he led her out of the

apartment and down to the street.
 
He had called a cab and it was outside waiting for
them.  
Holding the door open he gently pushed her in and
jumped in 
behind her.  From his pocket he pulled out a black
cotton 
scarf and held it up.
"Trust me?" he asked.  He tentative nod made him laugh
out 
loud, a deep belly laugh that stopped his motions and
made her 
turn. 
"Couldn't I just close my eyes?" she asked as he
pressed the 
scarf to her face and tied it at the back of her head.
"No, that would be no fun for me."
"Tying up fantasies Mulder?"
"Sounds good to me."
 
His light mood and easy banter half excited her and
half 
saddened her.  The glimpse of the old Mulder showed
her what 
he was missing while this new brave untroubled Mulder
showed 
her a brand new side of him that she always suspected
lived 
inside of him, if only he would give it a chance to
thrive.
 
The cab journey seemed to go on for a long time but
she 
figured it was because of her temporary blindness. 
His hand 
rested on her thigh and it felt warm and heavy, a wave
of heat 
emanating from its centre.  She was surprised when the
cab 
stopped and Mulder squeezed her leg, telling her to
wait where 
she was.  She heard him climb out and soon her door
was yanked 
open.
"Come on Mulder, can't I take it off yet?" she asked
pulling 
at the blindfold.
"No leave it," he replied grabbing her hands and
pushing them 
away.  
 
She could feel him standing behind her the length of
his body 
close to hers, his breath brushing her neck.  He led
her with 
one hand on her shoulder and the other across her
lower back.  
With her sight gone she listened for clues to tell her
where 
she was but the noise level was uncomfortable and she
couldn't 
imagine what would be creating it.
 
Mulder steered her through the crowds and handed over
two 
tickets to the gate attendant.  He slowed their pace
as they 
came to steps and laughed at the curious glances they
were 
getting from the other patrons.
"There are a few steps here Dana," he said as they
stepped on 
to the first one.
"Ohh," she gasped not expecting them but Mulder's grip
had 
tightened and he steadied her as the climbed the
stairs.  The 
noise level rose, as they got closer to the top and
Mulder 
whispered in her ear.
"We're here!"
 
As he pulled the blindfold off her, she blinked
rapidly 
beneath the bright overhead lights and slowly her eyes
focused 
on a huge arena surrounding a basketball court.
"Is this the MCI centre?" she asked her smile wide
when she 
turned to him.
"Yeah I got tickets for the Knicks game."
"Oh my god Mulder," she said laughing now the sound of
it 
caressing his ears.  He took her hand and led her over
to 
their seats.  
"Do you like it?" he held her hand tightly and looked
over to 
her expectantly.
"Yeah Mulder, I do."
"Good," he said before landing a kiss onto her
fingers.
 
The game was fast and exciting and Scully found
herself 
shouting and chanting with the rest of the supporters.
 Mulder 
watched her intently only pretending to watch the
game.  The 
more she got enthralled the longer he could risk
watching her.  
She lurched up when a foul was called against the
Knicks 
shouting her disapproval with the rest of them.  He
laughed 
when she sat down again and she couldn't help but
laugh too.
"I thought I was the b-ball fan?"
"Well it's infectious!"

Finally the whistle blew and the game was over with
the Knicks 
loosing by only three points.  Her heart was beating
like mad 
when they stepped out of the stadium and into the cool
evening 
air.  Her head was spinning from the excitement and
she 
wondered briefly why Mulder had never taken her to a
game 
before.

"Did you have a good time Dana?" he asked as they
wandered 
aimlessly through the streets that were brimming with 
celebrating Wizards fans and a few disappointed Knicks
fans.
"It wasn't the quiet time of relaxation I had planned
on," she 
replied but when she saw his face falling she took his
hand 
and smiled up to him, "but I had a fantastic time!"
"Good.  I always knew you were a closet basketball fan
Scully, 
I just never figured you'd be a Knicks fan."
"I guess you have rubbed off on me." She couldn't seem
to stop 
smiling and he reached an arm around her shoulders
pulling her 
into a soft embrace.
"First it was baseball and then it was basketball,
shall we go 
for a hockey game next?"
"I dunno I'm a pretty good skater."
"Well then maybe you could teach me a thing or two."
"Wait a second Mulder, how did you know about the
baseball 
lesson?" 
 
She stopped them both and he looked down into her
face, 
confusion swimming across his own, unknowingly
matching hers.  
"What?"
"How did you know about the baseball lesson you gave
me? Who 
told you?"
"No one, I was there, remember I called you up and
left a 
message...on your phone from...Fox Mantle?"
 
His words slowed down as he realised what he was
saying and 
this time the confusion was replaced with euphoria. 
He 
laughed out loud and picked her up swinging her around
in his 
arms.
"Oh my god...I have it, it's back...my memory is back."
"What else do you remember?"
"Jesus...so much...it's all muddled up..."
"Relax Mulder Calm down, let it come back at its own
pace."
"This is fantastic...I cant believe I didn't even
realise."
 
He grabbed her face and planted a kiss on her lips but
she 
stiffened in his hands, her lips unresponsive.
"What is it?" he asked softly his voice barely a
whisper as 
all the Scully images he had stored flooded back to
him.
 
...Scully standing in his motel room on their first
case, 
tentatively showing him her bare back...
...Scully walking up to him on the first Annual FBI Gala
he had 
taken her to, her long black dress flowing with it's
tempting 
low cut back...
...Scully lying asleep in the car beside him as they
waited for 
suspects to show up, her mouth open just enough for
her tongue 
to come out and caress her pouted lips...
...Scully bent over a PC her hair tied away from her
face and 
her long fingers gently stroking her slender neck...
...Scully laying in her hospital bed, her eyes sunken
her body 
weak but her smile shining brightly for him...
...Scully throwing her head back with a fitful laugh
when he 
made a joke as they shared a pizza in a motel room...
...Scully lying in his arms on the couch as she woke
from a 
peaceful sleep, her body shaking with mirth as she
giggled...
 
"It's great that you have your memory back," she
whispered, 
her eyes glued to a spot where his shoulder and his
neck met.
"You could say it like you mean it," he joked.
"Oh Mulder, I do.  I really do.  It's great."  She
forced a 
smile and stepped away from him enough to break his
embrace.  
"I've missed you down in that basement.  Now
everything can 
get back to normal," she half turned away from him and
started 
to walk on up the street.
"Normal? Jesus no way!" He grabbed her elbow and
pulled her 
roughly back to him, holding her tightly in place.
 
Her heart skipped when he leant down and kissed her
gruffly.  
She didn't protest and simply let the feeling coarse
through 
her body afraid of when the next one might be, if
ever.  When 
he pulled away he looked down to her face and the
dread that 
she wore ripped through him like he never imagined.
"Scully I can't experience the feelings I have done
over the 
past few days then switch them off all of a sudden.  I

wouldn't want to.  There is no way to explain the
freedom I 
felt, and I can only understand it now when I feel the

restraints of my life pulling me down again."  

His voice was rushed but tender.  His eyes pleaded
with her 
but she tried not to read too much into them only
listened to 
the gentle waves of his words wondering, hoping to
where this 
conversation was leading.
"But the one thing I will not lock down is my feelings
for 
you.  I have felt this way for a long time and I only
did 
something about it when my fear had disappeared.  I'm
glad it 
did," he added softly.
 
He watched her for a moment afraid of her silence,
terrified 
of her stillness.
"Mulder...I..." she stammered still not meeting his
powerful gaze.
"But this has to be two way...I can't take you out on my
own!"  
He tried desperately to make her smile, hoping that if
she did 
he would be able to reach deeper into her and help
them both.
"I know.  I enjoyed it too."
"You enjoyed kissing me as much as I enjoyed kissing
you?" he 
said smiling again this time pulling her fingers up to
his 
mouth, letting her feel his smile in case there was
any doubt.
"Yes," her blush exploded across her cheeks but he saw
no 
shyness in her eyes, only desire and something else he
was 
afraid to hope for.
"So do we have to stop?" he pressed.
"We have to think about work? Our relationship? Our
lives?"
"Scully all I want to do is kiss you and see where it
goes 
from there, It took me long enough to get this far,
I'm not 
about to let you go without a fight."
"Okay...let's see where it goes from there."
 
Slowly she stepped up on to her tiptoes and raised her
face to 
him, her lips pouted slightly as her eyes closed over.
 He 
froze for a second making sure he could store that
image 
before claiming her lips as his own, he hoped for not
the last 
time.
 
FINISHED
By SKINFULL
 
** I'm not sure but I think I created my own favourite
M/S 
moment...it's the final scene.  I may have gone bit over
the top 
with the mush but sure, that's why god invented it!! 
Besides 
here in Ireland with rain practically 24/7 you cant
beat a bit 
of MSR on a rainy afternoon!!! Hope you enjoyed
reading it I 
absolutely loved writing it.  Roll on the next Fic!!**