From: lizbethb@ix.netcom.com (()) Date: 30 Aug 1995 03:50:48 GMT Subject: NEW:"For a Moment"-(1/1)-Short short Hi, all. Okay, so here's my second contribution to this wonderful group. This is more of a little "happening" than a story, just something that popped into my head. And since everyone was so kind in responding to my first post, I worked up my nerve to post this second one. There's no M&S romance (in case that offends you:)), just a tiny bit of friendly bonding.:) Hope you like it! DISCLAIMER JAZZ:"The X-Files" and its characters are the creations and property of Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen Productions and Fox Broadcasting. I am, of course, using them without permission. No copyright infringement is intended. All other concepts or ideas herein are mine. FOR A MOMENT by Elizabeth Boyd "Please, Daddy, just one more time around before we go!" The pretty red-haired girl couldn't have been more than eight years old by Scully's estimation. Yet she rode the massive animal like a seasoned professional. The little girl's father smiled and waved to his daughter to go on with her ride. Scully had overheard part of their earlier conversation as she stood alone in the muddy field, awaiting Mulder's return. It was the little girl's birthday, and the horse was a birthday gift. Scully leaned her forearms on the top rung of the riding yard fence and narrowed her eyes against the building wind. The early morning's drizzling rain had finally ceased. The sun was peeking out every now and then, but the sky was still dominated by the deep grey clouds that had hovered overhead throughout the agents' three day stay in the Great Northwest. Scully watched the little girl. The wind lifted the child's auburn hair into a silken stream as she rode. Her eyes shown with unbridled excitement. Her smile seemed untouchable, as if for that moment in time her world was perfect, and the sheer gift of life constituted the ultimate joy. Dana drew a soft breath. How long had it been since she had felt a moment like that in her own life? She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to remember, tried to recapture the imprint of a feeling deep within her memory. And gradually, it swept over her. She was lying on the warm white sand of a northern Florida beach. She had just graduated from Quantico--she had made it through despite her family's discouragement, and her feminine sex, and her diminuitive height. And the whole adventure of her life stretched out before her. A soft, warm breeze caressed her bare neck and shoulders and toyed with her sea-dampened hair. The clear blue water waved and rippled and reached on forever. And Jack Willis lay quietly beside her, his fingers intertwined with hers. A lover's touch. The touch of someone who knew something inside her that the outer world could never see--and who could talk to her without needing words. Someone who looked beyond Dr. Scully and Special Agent Scully, and saw only Dana. *Too long ago...* A familiar voice jarred her from her reverie. "Scully...Scully?" She turned, squinting up at her partner's clear grey eyes. Mulder was holding out his pocket notepad as if to question her about something in its contents, yet he seemed to have forgotten that subject already. His brow was knitted in concern. "You okay, Scully?" She nodded, her expression unchanged, unrevealing. "I'm fine." She glanced toward the case pad still hovering between them. "What'd you find out?" Mulder took a beat to respond--he wasn't ready to shift the subject. "Um...oh, I didn't get much," he said distractedly. "The rest of the family claims they didn't hear or see anything." He shrugged. "We'll see." Scully nodded and stole another glance at the little girl and her raven black steed. Mulder flipped his case pad closed with a sharp snap, and Scully continued to gaze out across the yard, following the little girl's progress on the far side of the track. Mulder shifted position beside her. He followed Scully's gaze to the young rider, then he turned back to study his partner's expression. He cleared his throat. "Dana...?" he said softly, gently. Scully's gaze jumped to meet his. Mulder lifted his hand slightly, touched her forearm through the thin cloth of her trench coat. He lifted his eyebrows silently, reiterating his initial question. Scully nodded, offering what she knew was an almost imperceptible smile of reassurance. "I'm fine," she said again. "Come on, let's go check out the crime scene." She turned away from the fence, her attention already focusing on the stables. As she stepped past Mulder, she reached up and gave his arm a gentle squeeze. *Not so very long, Dana*, she thought comfortably. Then she pulled her own leather covered case notepad from her coat pocket and flipped it open. THE END -- ***************************************** Beth -- lizbethb@ix.netcom.com X-Phile, GA List, Loyal a.t.x.c.-er, PTDS Scully: "Mulder, you are jeopardizing my stakeout!" Mulder: "Seeds?" --"Squeeze" *****************************************