From: Laura Herold <76021.3043@CompuServe.COM> Newsgroups: alt.tv.x-files.creative Subject: Dana and Fox (X-Files/Red Shoes) Date: 28 Sep 1995 03:49:21 GMT The author acknowledges the copyrights of Chris Carter, et al., in association with "The X-Files" and Zalman King, et al., in association with "Zalman King's Red Shoe Diaries." No copyright infringement is intended. This story has two X-Files/Red Shoe Diaries crossover prequels, Dana Meets Jake and Dana's Letter. I've tried to provide enough backstory early on to let this story stand on its own. Despite that, here's a very brief summary: On vacation Dana Scully met Jake from Red Shoe Diaries, and they discussed their lives and agreed to write each other (Dana Meets Jake). Jake received a letter from Scully in which she detailed her return trip to DC. The letter ended with her telling Mulder she was in love with him [meaning Mulder] (Dana's Letter). Be advised: This story contains adult innuendo. Comments are welcome (76021.3043@compuserve.com). Dana and Fox By Laura Herold Jake's letter read: Dear Dana, How nasty of you to just leave me hanging like that! Please hurry and finish the story. As for me, nothing much is new. I'm throwing myself into a big job I just acquired -- designing a new skyscraper for a local corporation. It keeps my hands busy and my mind occupied. I am continuing to put out the Red Shoes advertisement. I'm not really sure why, but the stories give me a connection and keep me grounded. They give me something to look forward to. However, I do look at them a little differently since meeting you. They seem less poignant, less real, less personally involving. I want you to know that I greatly value your friendship. I hope you and Fox find happiness. From what you've told me, it's long overdue. Sincerely, Jake ********* Dana Scully set the letter on her table and sighed. She looked at the clock. It was getting late, and she was tired. The day had been packed with activities, including an autopsy and a confrontation with the Bureau brass. If she had her druthers, she would just as soon go to bed right away rather than prolong this day any further. But it had been over a week since she had received Jake's letter, and she knew she should answer it now while she had a little time. She got up and walked over to the computer, stretching as she turned it on. She watched as the monitor came to life. Finally she took a seat in front of the keyboard. ********* Dear Jake, Thank you for your letter. It's nice to hear that everything with you is going well. Also, thank you for your kind thoughts about me. I was a little disappointed to read that you are still putting out the Red Shoes ad. I understand that it is familiar, comfortable, and safe, and we all need those types of things in our lives. However, sometimes we also need to shake things up and see how they come back together. It may not always be the way that we expect, but at least it's something new and different. If I've offended you or overstepped the bounds of our friendship, I'm sorry. I only wish the best for you. As I said when we first met, I know there's someone out there for you. You just have to have the courage to make the search. So, where did I leave things off? I had returned from the vacation, called Fox, and gone over to his apartment. He and I were sitting on the sofa, and I finally screwed up the courage to tell him I was in love with him. He had responded quite nonchalantly. It went something like this: Me: I love you, Fox. Him: Oh that. I've known that for a while. To tell you the truth, I feel the same way about you. ********* She leaned back and yawned. Closing her eyes she let her mind drift back to that night... ------------------ For a few seconds she sat there dumbfounded, not only by what he had said, but also by how he had said it. Finally she managed to say, "Excuse me?" He got up and walked over to the kitchen. She just watched him in disbelief. "Mulder, what..." He turned to face her. "Mulder?" She smiled. She stood up and walked into the kitchen. "Fox. What you said before.... I don't understand." "You called me out of the blue and then rushed over here. I thought something had happened.... I thought it was bad news." "It's not?" A smile spread across his face and lit up his eyes. "What did you think I would say?" he asked. "I thought you might be... surprised." "I'm not a complete fool, Dana." She liked the way he said her first name. It was strange -- but nice. "I never thought you were a fool," she said. She sighed. "You've always been so wrapped up in the cases and the conspiracies. I just thought..." "...I didn't have any feelings." She shook her head. "No. More like you didn't want to have any. They would get in the way." "They do," he said, "but I still have them." He opened one of the kitchen cabinets. She noticed there wasn't much inside: a box of crackers and a couple of cans of vegetables. She looked around at the barrenness of the kitchen and the rest of the apartment. "I was going to give this to you on your birthday," he said holding a small box in his hand. "But I want you to have it now." He held the box out to her. She took the box and looked at it, not knowing what to expect or how to react. This all felt so alien, like she had slipped into an alternate dimension where everything looked the same but nothing really was the same. She knew he was waiting. She opened the box. Inside it was a necklace, a simple gold chain bearing a pendant consisting of the most beautiful stone she had ever seen -- a large dark blue topaz -- in a gold setting. The gears in her brain screeched to a halt, and she just stared at that stone. "If you don't want it..." he began to say. "It's beautiful," she said, "but it's too expensive." "I don't care about that. If you like it, keep it." "Fox, you shouldn't..." "I love the way you say that." She was taken off guard. "What?" she asked. "That name. *My* name. I never thought I'd want to hear it. I never thought I'd want it back." They looked at each other in silence. She held the box out to him. "Will you put it on me?" she asked. He took the box, and she turned around and held up her hair. She felt him step up close to her, swing the necklace over her head, and set about doing the clasp. The feeling of his fingers on her neck sent a not unpleasant tingle through her. His hands moved to her shoulder blades. She closed her eyes. "You feel tense," he said, still standing very close to her. "Are you going to give me a massage?" she asked, a smile curling the corners of her mouth. "Do you want me to?" he asked seriously. She turned to face him, looking him in the eyes. He bent down to her, and their lips met softly and gently. She reached out to him and put her arms around him, pulling him close to her. She parted her lips and let her mind drift. Then he pulled away. "Dana, we..." he began. "It's OK, Fox. You don't have to protect me." "I just think we should take this slow. We have time..." "Maybe." "Maybe?" "Who knows what's going to happen? There might be years, or there might just be now." He walked past her out into the main room of the apartment. She just stood there in the kitchen. She walked over to the refrigerator and pulled the door open. It was about as empty as the rest of the place: cheese, milk, strawberries, an open bottle of wine. She pulled out the wine bottle and shut the door. She looked at the label: It was chardonnay. "Are you saving this?" she asked. "No, go ahead." She rinsed out a glass that had been on the counter and emptied the remaining wine into it. "I think I should make you dinner tomorrow," she said, walking back into the main room. "I don't know if..." He was on the sofa. She sat down next to him. "This doesn't have to be painful, Fox. God knows there are plenty of things that already are." "I care about you, Dana. I just want things to be right." She leaned toward him and kissed him, trying to quiet his fears. "Dana..." "Shhh." She knew he had worries, but right at that moment she didn't want to hear him say what they were. Not because she thought they were too much to overcome: She didn't think that was the case at all. It just wasn't the time for reasoning things out and going through the logical paces of an argument. That wasn't what either of them needed. She took a sip of wine and looked at the sofa. "You should get a real bed," she said. "I haven't had much use for one.... I don't sleep much." She offered him the wine, but he just shook his head. "Not sleeping is unhealthy," she said. "I know," he said, taking her hand and kissing the palm. He looked up with a smile. "How about lasagna?" "What?" "Would you make lasagna?" "Lasagna? You want me to make you lasagna?" She shrugged. "I guess I could handle that." He leaned back against the sofa. "I haven't had that in forever," he said. "They sell it ready-made these days." "That's not the same." She just looked at him and smiled. "What?" he asked. "I've never seen anyone get so excited about lasagna." "That's not the reason," he said, moving close to her, kissing her lips and her neck. She ran her fingers through his hair. He pulled back and looked at her. "You know, that looks great on you. Do you want to see it?" he asked. "Sure," she said. He took her hand and led her into the bathroom. She looked at the necklace. It did look great. "I never said thank you." "Yes, you did." She looked at him in the mirror. "Say it." "What?" She turned away, but he grabbed her arm. "I was kidding, I'm sorry." He lifted her chin and looked in her eyes. "Dana, I love you." He kissed her and pulled her into an embrace. She slid her hand under his shirt, moving it along the bare skin. "Not now," he said. "No?" "Tomorrow." "I don't want to wait." "It's one day. If we die tomorrow, what happens tonight won't matter anyway." "It won't?" "Don't be angry." "Fine," she said. She pulled away from him and headed out of the bathroom. "Are you still going to make me dinner?" he asked. She stopped abruptly and turned to face him. "Cut the crap," she said. He leaned against the bathroom doorway. "I'm sorry," he said. "It's a defense mechanism." "I know what it is," she said. "Maybe this was a mistake after all." Her hands went to the back of her neck, and she undid the clasp on the necklace. "Maybe you should take this back," she said, holding it out to him. "I don't want it back. I got it for you. If you don't want it, throw it away." She turned away from him. "Why is this such a big deal?" "You're unsure," she said, turning back to face him. "No. I know exactly what I want." "Then why wait?" "I just want this to work out. I don't want it to be a one-night stand...." She finally understood. "You're giving me time to change my mind." "No. Time to think about..." "I've spent enough time thinking about this, Fox. I've made my decision. Do you want me to change my mind?" "You're sure?" "Yes." "Then no." "No?" "No. I don't want you to change your mind." She walked back over to him. She handed him the necklace. "Will you put this on me?" He did so. "How do you like your lasagna?" "Hot," he said with a smile. "Will you stay?" "Yes." "You're still in love with me?" "Yes." "Why?" "Because I'm nuts." "Good. I didn't want to be the only one who was." "You're not alone anymore, Fox." He moved close to her and took her in his arms. "Neither are you." ------------------ So, Jake, I'm sure you're wondering if I ever made that lasagna. Well, I did, and I must say it turned out rather well. Fox said it was all that he had expected and more. That's about all for now. Best wishes, Dana P.S. I hope you won't mind, but I told Fox about Red Shoes. He said he wished he had thought of it. ********* The phone started ringing. She looked at the clock. 11:21. 11:22. "Hello," she said. "Sorry to call so late," Fox Mulder said. "Is everything OK?" "How are you?" "Fine." "Everything's OK." "I'll see you tomorrow." "Good night, Dana." "Good night, Fox." With a smile on her face she hung up, printed her letter, and went to bed.