From: Srpadilla@aol.com
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 1999 22:31:27 EDT
Subject: For the First Time 1/1


For the First Time   V/MSR/UST
Written By: Sarah Rose Padilla
Spoilers: Milagro, Triangle, Dreamland
Summery: Mulder reflects on the moments after Padgett tells him Scully is in 
danger.
Disclaimer:  None of these characters belong to me, and I'm not making any 
money off of this story so don't sue me, I'm just really bored.

Authors Note:  Yeah!!! Writers block begone. 

For the First Time 1/1
Written By: Sarah Rose Padilla

     I just hold her.  For a brief moment in time I am able to comfort her in 
a time of need.  For the first time Scully has let me comfort her without 
trying once to hold me back or push me away.  This time she has grabbed for 
me and doesn't want to let go.  I'll have to admit although Padgett seriously 
affected Scully, it has turned into an emotional release from her that I feel 
I have never seen before.  When she sobs in my arms once again soaked in her 
own blood, I silently weep with her, holding her closer to me with each gasp 
of breath that she takes in.  Finally when her weeping subsides a little, I 
slowly back her away and check her for any serious injury.  From the amount 
of blood pooled at her ivory neck, I am stunned that she is actually 
conscious, but Scully is a fighter, she always has been.  While I swiftly 
check for open wounds, her eyes never leave my face, one hand steadily placed 
on my shoulder for continued support.

     After my survey of her injury, I gently pick her up from the cold floor 
and carry her to my couch.  She sighs taking in a deep breath of air quieting 
her sobs and slowing her body to an adrenaline free mode.  I kneel beside her 
and push the red hair from her eyes a worried look on my face.  Scully closes 
her eyes for a moment and wrinkles her face, I fear that she may begin to sob 
again and immediately gather her back into my arms and sit beside her on the 
couch, gently swaying in a motion that I know seems to calm her.  A motion 
that I have seen her mother unconsciously use whenever she holds Scully for a 
few moments.  From the first moment I met Scully I had never seen her give me 
such an emotional response to an attack.  For the first time, she shows me 
that she is not always as strong as I believe her to be, that she cannot 
always protect herself and that I can be her guardian angel at times.  I am 
relieved that she has finally put so much trust into our relationship that 
she can freely cry in front of me and grasp at my shoulders in an attempt to 
help her back to a safe reality for a short period of time.

     When she is finally able to speak she thanks me for holding her.  As she 
stands she sways and looks back at me.  "Mulder, when Padgett said that I 
couldn't love him, because I love someone else.....I....."

     She has stopped, unable to tell me a truth that in my heart I already 
know.  "Scully, this is the second time I'm going to say this....I love you."

     "I think I love you too Mulder."

     Scully turns and begins to walk towards my room, I don't follow her 
shocked from the fact that she has just told me something I have wanted to 
hear for so long.

     Minutes later she returns from the room, sporting one of my oversized 
t-shirts that swallow her whole.  Her bloodstained shirt wadded into a ball 
held under her arm.  

     Looking at me she begins to walk towards the couch.  Leaning down she 
places a soft kiss on the top of my head...lingering there for a moment, I 
wrap my arms around her waist and place my head at her belly, breathing with 
her, letting her touch my hair and relax.  

     "Maybe I'll be back later, Mulder...I've got to sleep...I can't....."

     "Scully, stay here, you can sleep in my room, I'll take the couch.  I 
don't want you going anywhere for awhile...your still in shock."

     She nods her head and gracefully removes herself from my grasp, slowly 
walking with an even pace towards my room.   I follow her to the bed and make 
sure she settles herself into the waterbed with ease.  Tucking the blankets 
around her I reach for the alarm clock and turn off the alarm.  "Sleep, 
Scully, just sleep."

     I leave the room knowing that for the first time, Scully has accepted a 
place in my heart that I have always reserved for her.  And that this is the 
first step in making that place a permanent residence.