From: RayRobin13579@aol.com
Date: Sat, 06 May 2000 21:41:56 -0000
Subject: xfc: GOLD 1/1 -- by RayRobin
Source: xfc

GOLD  
By RayRobin

Category: MSR
Spoilers: None
Archive: Xemplary, Ephemeral and Gossamer, fine. Everybody else just ask.

"I hate this Scully. Tell me again why I let you talk me 
into this?" Mulder said as he slid into the very restricting 
bumper car. 
"Look I told you, that the we needed some time off from work. 
I for one really do not want to kill you. Although the thoughts 
are rather tantilizing. If we do not have a little fun and 
relax some, one of is going to get hurt. Now follow doctor's 
oders and ... BUMP ME NOW!" Scully smiled wickedly with that 
last remark. 
Mulder was captivated. 'No wonder I love her. I could just stare 
at her for hours.' 
"HEY!" 
Crash. 
Bump. 
"HEY! Back off." 
"Oh, come on you big baby!" She smacked into him one more time 
before she took off in the other direction. "Can't catch me!" She 
shouted over her shoulder, with her firey hair blowing in the 
breeze. 
"That's it your mine!" Mulder chased after her laughing hardly. 
Damn it she was right. As usual. They did need a little fun. 
************************* 
Later, after three chilli dogs, two cokes and a really big order 
of onoin rings they walked up the levee towards the river. 
"See Mulder, I told you so." 
"Yea you were right. It did clear my mind. I'm also not 
inclined to strangle you anymore either." Mulder said just as 
they topped the levee. "Hey it is beautiful up here." 
Locating a bench they took up residents and just watched the 
stars for a while. 
"Mulder, I'm getting a little chilly. Let's start back." Scully 
rose first and wrapped her arms around her self. 
"Sure , we have to get back so we can pack to go back to D.C. 
anyway." Mulder wrapped his arm over her shoulder and they strowed 
to the hotel. 
It had been a really trying case. They both had been on edge or for 
several days. The park had been a great idea. 
It was a short walk to the hotel. It was nicer then the usual. 
Scully had booked the arrangements. The case had 
been a simple murder case in the begining. Ofcourse nothing 
ever stayed simple when Mulder got involved though. She had 
even made a comment to the fact on the plane. It had turned out 
that the killer was a woman. Which was very unusual for a 
serial murder case. thus, causing stress on Mulder and Scully's new 
found intanglement. Mulder had to be used for bait. Which Scully 
had not liked one bit. More over it was a very pshycotic woman. 
She been grinding her victims hands into ground round for several 
weeks and selling them to the local butcher. The whole town was 
sick. 
    
"Mulder, do we have to go back just yet?" 
Mulder did a double take looking at Scully. "Nn..nno?" Now what on 
earth caused 
her to say that? "It's friday, we could stay for the weekend." Mulder 
crossed 
his fingers behind his back. 
"Sure." she replied. 
Mulder's eyes almost crossed. "Great." 
They walked in silence trying to ignore the fact that their bodies 
were 
touching, and they both just agreed to stay the weekend together. 
"You know it is only 8:30pm. Still pretty early. This town 
doesn't have to much to do." Mulder said as they walked in 
to the lobby of the hotel. "I'm just not ready to chase 
tv stations yet." He looked at Scully hoping for any thing. 
'I just do not want to be with out you yet. I like being 
this close to you.' He thouhgt as he held the elevator for 
her. 'Ummmm ... she smells inviting.' Scully had walked 
very close to him. There were passengers exiting, so she had 
to squeeze right by him. 
The elevator emptied over the next 2 floors. "Mulder 
I do not really think that going out tonight would be 
in our best interest. I'm really looking forward to a 
hot bath and curling up with a good book." She saw 
his face drop. "If you want we could watch a movie togather 
or play cards or something. I think it would be nice to 
just be alone ... " She lowered her eyes then looked back 
up at Mulder. " ... With you." Mulder's heart skipped a beat. 
"Scully it sounds very nice to me as well." he pulled her 
a little closer to him, and tightened his grip on her 
waste. "I think I would even consider a chick flick for 
you." He laughed under his breath. 
Scully rolled his eyes and chuckled. 
Mulder walked her to her door. "I'll just be a few minutes." He 
unlocked 
her door, kissed her forehead, and she left him in the hall. 
'Mulder went to his room opened the ajoining door. I have to tell her 
soon. She has to know how I feel.' Mulder thought as he picked up the 
room service menu. 
Scully started the water running, added her bubbles, and went back 
into her room. 'Ummmm ... a movie. That means that I do not have to 
dress so formal.' She chose a pair of jeans that she bought 3 weeks 
ago in Denver. She had bouhgt them on a whim. She had never spent so 
much on one pair of jeans in her life. She also chose a cream sweater 
with a lace collar. It was a little old maidish, but she really liked 
it. 
She padded back into the bathroom and slid into the tub. She let the 
water ingulf her senses. She could feel her mucles relax. This is 
what I needed. 
Mulder ordered some hot chocalate, popcorn, and 'Mickey Blue Eyes'. 
"I think I can handle this one. A little action and mush all in 
one." Mulder rapped on the ajoining door. "Scully the movie starts 
in 20 minutes." He walked into his bathroom and decided he needed a 
quick shave. 
Scully meanwhile was just finishing blowing her hair dry. "I know I 
love him. He loves me too. I'm sure of it. Why doesn't one of us just 
say something. The past month has been great. It just grabbed us one 
day. No words were spoken. I had felt it coming on all day. That 
morning I woke to a frieghtening calm. I walked into the office my 
heart started skipping beats and I finally admitted to myself how 
I felt about him. I relized as the day progressed that he loved me 
too. I could tell just by everything. The looks, touches, sharred 
thoughts, 
and his eyes. I guess that is what really did it. There is nothing in 
this world like Mulder's eyes. I just do not understand why I can not 
bring my self to say the words.' 
Scully finishes dressing. Making sure everything is just right. 
'Things have been totally different since that day. I actually do not 
mind when he offers to carry my bags anymore. I know he is doing it 
cause 
he wants to. Not because he thinks he has to protect me. I love him. 
I 
know He loves me. I have to tell him.'
 
Mulder cut himself shaving twice. "DAMN." He said aloud. 
'I have not done that since college. Well I guess I'm 
just a little nervous.' He turned around and looked at 
the ajoining door. He walked out of the bathroom and over 
to the phone. "Room serivce please." ... "Yes, this is 
Fox Mulder In room 313 ... Yes I want to place an order for 
one single cream rose ... Yes I want it delivered to 315 in 
about an hour ... Place it on the pillow of the right side 
of the bed with this note ... I LOVE YOU ... Yes that's all 
... thank you very much." Mulder smiled at his brillance.  
    
Mulder started thinking to himself as he looked out of 
the window to the street lights below. 'I know I love 
her. I know she loves me. Why have neither of us said 
so? About a month ago I woke up in the morning with my 
stomach tied in nots. Serval nots actually. I arrived at 
the office as normal. But when she walked into the room 
everything just calmed down, and this peace flowed over me 
like nothing I had ever felt before. That's when I knew I 
loved her. As the day went on I began to believe she loved 
me as well. It was everything and nothing. The way she cruved 
her mouth when she smiled at me. The look of no fear in her 
eyes. The way she let me touch her back as we walked out of 
Skinner's office. I just knew. Before we left the office that 
day I had to mark it some how, just seal the day. As I helped her 
on with her coat I turned her to face him. Bent my face near hers, 
cupped her checks in my hands, and kissed her tenderly. Just a 
small kiss that's all nothing more. But she did not fight me. She 
placed her hands on mine and let me kiss her just like she wanted 
it as well. I know I love her, and she loves me too. I have to 
say something tonight. 
Mulder heard a knock on his door. When he tried to wipe the shaving 
cream off 
his face, it got on his shirt. He looked for the closest thing he 
could find.. 
next to the sink was a kleenex box. He pulled a handful out. 
"Damn!" 
He turned on the faucet hearing the door knock again, thus causing 
him to 
overturn the tap to full and blasting himself with water. Mulder's 
body slumped 
in surrender and he shook his head, eyes to the ceiling. 
"Mulder? It's me. Are you here?" Scully's voice rang through Mulder 
and he 
scrambled to turn the faucet off. He looked down to his clothes, his 
shirt was a 
mix of a sloppy, foamy goo. 
"Yeah, " Mulder voice was flustered and irritated. "Give me a 
second." he yelled 
through the half open door. He unbuttoned the wet shirt, peeling it 
off his skin 
and slung it into the tub. He looked around for a real towel. Looking 
behind him 
he found one and quickly tried to dry off. 
Scully peeked around the door suprising him into a yelp. "What's...." 
Scully stared evenly at Mulder, distracted to find him shirtless. He 
was holding 
a towel to his stomach. Without realizing, she looked over his chest 
and arms, 
mesmorized by the muscle and colors of his skin. She gazed at the 
muscle of his 
neck and followed it up into his face, only to realize he was 
watching her watch 
him. 
Scully flushed and laughed nervously. "SS..sorry Mulder, you sounded 
like you 
needed help." She quickly retreated behind the door, leaving Mulder 
speachless.
 
Mulder stood there for a few moments. 'I have to tell her.' 
Scully could feel the blush on her cheeks. 'He is even 
more then I dared dream.' Scully tried to calm, but to 
no avail. Just then there was a knock at the door. 
"Room service." A female voice said. 
Scully opened the door just as Mulder came out of the 
bathroom. He still had no shirt on. The closet being by the 
door, he had to walk past Scully to get one. Scully saw the 
eyes of the young woman roam over Mulder's features and did 
not like it at all. 
"Yes, may I help you?" She said in a very taught manner. 
"Oh, yes ma'am. You ordered room service. The young woman 
wheeled the cart into the room. "Where do you want it, sir?" 
Turning her eyes back to Mulder as he buttoned his shrit. 
"Over by the window is fine." He tipped the young woman and 
closed the door.
 
"So what did you order?" Scully moved to the cart. "Oh you got 
me hot chocolate and popcorn." She lifted the video box. "Mickey 
Blue Eyes, this is supposed to be pretty good. Can you make it 
thru with no little green men?" Scully teased as she headed to 
the VCR.  
    
Mulder leaned against the wall and drank her in as she moved. 
'It was wonderful to watch. He loved the jeans. They fit 
perfect.She really needed to wear them more often. The 
sweater was very pretty. Dainity, just like her. The way the lace 
at the collar moved as she turned her head as just ...' 
Scully could feel the heat from his eyes caressing her petite 
frame. She liked it.
 
Mulder snickered watching Scully fumble with the vcr. "I hate 
hotel 'home 
theatre equipment'." She smacked the side of the machine, "Mulder put 
it on 
channel three...no *THREE*," She sighed in frustration. "Just give me 
the darn 
thing." Mulder's body shook from laughing. "Why isn't it 
working...what channel 
did you put this thing on?" Scully picked up the machine to get a 
better view of 
the back. "Oh jeez, Mulder? There isn't a cable connecting...why are 
you 
laughing at me?" Scully had turned to see Mulder holding his stomach. 
He couldn't hold back any longer. "Tisk, tisk agent Scully, you 
really must keep 
your wits about you, or someone could sneak up and get ya when you 
least expect 
it." 
She laughed realising she *had* become obsessed with a damn 
machine. "Oh shut up 
Mulder." and waved him away. 
Sitting down on the bed, Mulder did what she told him. 
Scully stared at him. He back was slumped slightly, likely from 
exhaustion from 
the case. He was rubbing his arm and suddenly Scully felt 
nervous. "I'll call 
and get the cable sent up..." 
"No," Mulder whispered. "don't do that." He looked up at Scully. "I 
think I 
would rather sit here and talk to you for the rest of the night." He 
sheepishly 
grinned. 
Scully became vulnerable with his gaze, "Okay." She sat down next to 
him on the 
bed. She held his look, feeling the warmth of him even though he 
wasn't touching 
her...but he was touching her! She felt his fingers on her hand. Felt 
him 
rubbing her arm, her shoulder, but she couldn't tear herself from his 
eyes. 
Chills spilled through her body in response to his caresses. His 
fingers were on 
her neck. On her jaw, <Oh my>. Her eyes closed and her body swayed. 
Mulder sucked in his breath at her reation to him. <I'm not talking 
to her, I 
have to tell her!> 
"Ahem," Mulder coughed. "Scully?" 
Her eyes opened. She stared at him, waiting for him to continue. 
Seconds passed and they kept staring at each other. 
Scully couldn't take it any longer. She inched herself closer to 
Mulder, her 
face brushing his neck. "What did I tell you Mulder?" 
"To shut up?" Mulder couln't stand her breath on his neck, it was 
overpowering 
him. He wanted to talk, not just attack her. 
Instead, he closed his eyes. 
Scully kissed his neck gently. 
Mulders eyes popped open, "Scully..wait, is this real?" 
She laughed into his throat and then delicatly kissed the vein that 
formed from 
his tension. 
Mulder gave up. His body could not stand fighting her. He rolled his 
head 
backwards to look at the ceiling. 
Scully got up on her knees, holding his face and looked into his 
beautiful eyes. 
"Hold me tonight Mulder." She tenderly kissed his full lips. Brushing 
them 
softly with hers, teasing him by taking one lip then the other. His 
arms slid 
around her waist and held her close to him. Crushing her to him. 
Scully lifted 
her mouth and smiled. 
Mulder laid her down on the bed, never losing his grip. He stroked 
her hair 
behind her ear, then gently played with her jaw and cheek. He brought 
his face 
to hers for a single kiss, held long enough to promise her more. She 
smiled 
again and touched his lips with her fingers. 
Mulder held her. 
When Scully's breathing changed and Mulder knew she was asleep, he 
then decided 
to close his eyes. "I love you Scully." he breathed and soon fell 
asleep. 
Scully woke in Mulder's arms. The sun had began to trickle 
in thur the blinds. She slid from underneath his arm and 
headed to her room. Scully did not close the door between 
the rooms. She wanted him to know that she had not gone far. 
Mulder smiled to himself that she left the door open. He 
climbed out of his bed quitely and peered around the coner. 
She had gone straight into the bathroom. He glanced towards 
the bed where the rose layed waiting to be discovered. He 
smiled again.
 
Scully removed her jeans and sweater. She wrapped her 
robe around her and headed into the bedroom. She chose 
her navy pj's and headed back to the bathroom. 
Mulder sighed heavily. "Damn, when is she going to see the 
rose." He mumbled to himself. Just then Scully opened the 
door and stuck her head out looking at the bed. She walked 
over to the rose, picked it gingerly, and smiled. 
Mulder's heart beat quickened as she reach for the note. 
"I LOVE YOU." 
That's all she read. Her eyes began to tear and she raised 
the rose to her nose. She breathed it in deeply. Then kissed it 
tenderly. "I love you too, Mulder." She smiled and turned towards 
the door. 
As she turned she saw Mulder smiling at her with tears in 
his eyes. 
RING ... RING ... RING... 
They both just stood there for a moment not wanting to 
loose the precious second in time. 
RING ... RING ... 
"I'll get it." Mulder said finally. "Mulder ... Yes ... 
I understand ... Yes, I'll tell her ... We will be there 
momentarily ... Goodbye." He turned to her with a look of 
regret on his face. "Oller made bail. We have to go to 
the police station." He walked over to her. "I do love you 
Scully." He kissed her gentally and went to change clothes. 
Scully was speechless. She did not know what she wanted to do. 
'Rather to run to him and forget the case or ... Now stop that 
you know you have time for that later.' She began to get dressed. 
 
As they pulled into the police station Mulder finally released 
Scully's hand. "I have to learn how to drive with on hand again. 
I haven't done it since high school." Mulder said with a smirk on his 
face. "I like the idea." 
Scully smiled. "You know we are going to have to keep this quite. 
Skinner would have our heads and badges." Scully climbed out of 
the car and closed the door. She slipped into professional mode. 
"Let's go Mulder." 
He noticed the change in her demeanor and followed suit. 
"So why do you think the judge lowered her bail? I did not think 
they would ever let her out." 
Mulder opened the door to the police station, and escorted 
her in with his hand on the small of her back. Scully could 
feel her tempeture rise. She looked at Mulder, and he released 
her. He could tell what she wanted. His tempeture had risen 
at the touch as well. 
They were greeted by Detective Bougeious. He was a tall thin 
man with graying hair. He spoke with a thick creole accent and 
walked with a musical step. "Agent Mulder ... Agent Scully. 
I'm glad you are here." 
"I hate to bother the both of you so late at night, but when I heard 
they had 
realeased her, you were the first in my mind." 
Detective Bougeious led them down the hall into a small conference 
room. "Her 
lawyers wanted to speak to yall when you got here. They'll be here 
soon. Have a 
seat." He turned to leave, "Oh, there's some coffee behind you if ya 
want." He 
pointed to a tiny table behind them. 
"Thank you detective." Scully replied. 
After he left, Mulder started to feel woozy and decided he needed 
some coffee. 
"Scully?" He eyeballed the coffee urn. 
She nodded. 
As Mulder poured the coffee he noticed his cup becoming fuzzy. He 
shook his head 
trying to rid himself of the feeling. It only made it worse. He 
suddenly felt 
pain shooting through his body causing him to drop the cup of coffee. 
"Sssc...cullllly...." he couldn't hear his voice but he felt like he 
was 
screaming. 
Scully turned to see Mulder falling to the floor. Raw adrenaline 
flowed through 
her veins as she tried to catch him. "Mulder, what's wrong?" she 
asked, his body 
was heavy. "Tell me what's wrong. MULDER!" she screamed hoping 
someone would 
come to help her. She gently lowered him on the floor. "MULDER!!" 
Scully felt his pulse, it was there but it was low. "Hold on baby, 
I'm here for 
you." she held his head, rubbing his hair back from his face. He was 
unconscious. 
"SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!" Scully screamed fighting tears back. "SOMEBODY 
HELP ME 
PLEASE!!" 
Detective Bougeious burst into the tiny room. "What is going 
on?" When he saw Mulder laying on the floor, he called over 
his shoulder, "Get an ambulance now." He tried to calm Scully. 
"What happened in here. Do not worry I'm sure he will be fine." 
The detective felt for Mulder's pulse. It was low, and faint; 
but beating very fast. He looked at Scully with a very worried 
expression. 
Scully bent down and brushed her lips across his forehead. Then 
whispered in his ear. "Mulder, Mulder please. Not now. Do not 
leave me now." It was all she could do to fight back the tears 
in her eyes. 
She looked back up at Detective Bougeious. "What is taking so 
long." Just then she heard the sirens and squeezed him to her 
tighter. 'Hold on baby. Their coming.' She thought to herself. 
 
Scully shifted into clinical mode. As the EMT's entered the room, 
she calmed completely. They started checking him over instantly. 
"This is Agent Fox Mulder of the FBI. He collasped about 7 minutes 
ago. His pulse is fast and eratic, very short of breathe, and cold 
and clammy to the touch." Scully's voice craked at the thoughts of 
his body being cold. 
They nodded and started a line. "D5 ringer's lactate. I'll start 
the heart monitor. Let's go Hammond." The female said to the 
other one. They stabilzed Mulder and rushed to the hospital. 
Scully sat very still on the ride to the hospital. 'What 
am I thinking.' A sigle tear fell down her cheek. She did 
not try to hide it. 
"I'm sure he will be fine, Agent Scully." Hammond replied 
to her tear. 
"We have been through alot." Was all Scully could say. She 
shifted in her seat and stared at the monitor. His pulse had 
slowed slightly. But was still beating much to fast. 
She heard the driver radio in to the hospital. "We have a 
possible heart attack ... male ... late thrities ... difficulty 
breathing ... have the cardiac team stading by ..." She looked 
over her shoulder at Scully. "His name is Fox Mulder ... an FBI 
agent." 
"Ok we copy ... Nason. What is you ETA?" 
"2 minutes out." Nason replied.
 
When they arrived at the hosiptal, the cardiac team took Mulder to 
the back of the emergency room. Hammond showed Scully to the waiting 
room Where she sat quitely. 
"Run a blood chemistry,cardiac enzymes, and the abg's.I want 
a read out from the EKG. Start a morphine drip." Dr. Labadie 
barked his orders. 
"Yes sir." Said Nurse Stevens, the head ER nurse. 
"Sir, he is regaining consciousness." Nurse Stevens said excitedly. 
"Scully, Sc ...ully," Mulder started reaching for her. 
"Calm down Agent Mulder. She is here. You are in the hospital. 
Please calm down." Dr. Labadie had changed his voice. 
He turned to Nurse Stevens, "I think he is going to be fine." 
"His EKG shows ..." 
Meanwhile out the waiting room. "Yes Sir ... soon as I know something 
... No I'm fine ... No Sir ... I can handel it. Will you call his 
mother? ... Thank you Sir ... I will ... Goodbye." Scully hung up the 
phone with AD Skinner. She looked down at it and dialed her mother. 
"Mom, I'm at the St. Francisville Hospital. No i'm fine, but it looks 
like Mulder has has some kind of cardiac episode ... 
No I do not know ... Mom I'm scared." She started to cry a little. 
Her mom 
had known how she felt about Mulder for years. They had never talked 
of 
it. It was just understood.
 
"Ummmmmmmm ... Well according to his test results ... It 
looks like just a mild cardiac episode. I'm going to go tell 
his partner. Keep him comfortable and move him to a private room 
immidately. I do not want him disturbed." Dr Labadie galnced 
at Mulder one last time and left the room. 
 
When the doctor approached Scully she was still on the phone with her 
mother. 
She raised her finger to him asking him to give her another minute. 
He nodded in 
agreement. 
Scully turned from him, swiping the tears from her face. "yes..." she 
nodded 
listening to her mother. 
"Dana, I love you." her mother said. She felt her daughter's silent 
tears from 
where she sat. "Will you do something for me tonight?" she asked. 
"Yes." 
"Will you tell him how you feel?" 
Scully stood still listening to her mothers breathing over the phone. 
She 
started shaking her head in realization that her mother was reading 
her mind. 
Scully smiled. "I had already planned on doing just that... if he 
woke up." 
Scully hesitated thinking of what she had just said. She checked over 
her 
shoulder towards Mulder's door. 
"Mom the doctor's here, I'll call you later." After she waited a few 
seconds, 
she added, "I love you too." 
She hung up the phone. 
Scully replaced the phone back into her jacket and walked over to 
Mulder's 
doctor. "Okay?" she held her breath. 
"He's going to be fine, looks like he had a mild cardiac arrest, 
probably from 
an over-absorbtion of tramatic stress. 
Scully exhaled and partly smiled. "Yeah...I'd say that would put 
things in 
perspective." 
 "He is asking for you. We gave him a seditive. I want him to 
rest for the next couple of days. He is going to have to 
start taking it easier. I know there is a lot of stress as an 
FBI agent, but he has to. His body is warning him. Next time 
he may not be so lucky. You can go see him now, but I want him 
to remain calm." Dr Labadie showed Scully to Mulder's room. 
Nures Stevens had just finished getting him comfortable. "He has 
been asking for you ma'am, but fell asleep about 5 minutes ago." 
"Thank you Dr. Labadie. Thank you Nurse Stevens." Scully said 
as they left the room quitely. Scully pulled up a chair near 
Mulder's bed. She bent down very close to his face. She 
did not touch him. "I'm here Mulder." She whispered. Then 
touched his hand and setteled back into the chair. 
*************** 
Nurse stevens returned about 10 minutes later. Scully had feel 
asleep in the chair holding his hand. She left the room and 
retrived a blanket. After covering Scully, she adjusted Mulder 
again and left them there togather. 
 
Mulder began stirring about 6 in the morning. 
"Scully ..." he squeezed her hand. "What happened?" 
Sculy woke instantly. She smiled widely at him. "The doctor says 
you have had a mild cardiac episode. He said that 
it had been caused by extreme traumatic stress." Scully smiled. 
Mulder laughed quitely. "Ummmmmm ... what ever gave him that idea." 
"Well I am glad to see you in such good spirits." said Nurse 
Stevens as she entered the room. "Agent Scully I hope you are not 
to sore from that chair. I need to take your vitals before I leave 
Agent Mulder." 
"Thanks for the blankets. I'll be right back." Scully said as she 
rose from the chair and entered the small bathroom.
 
"She has been here all night. You too must be very close." Nurse 
Stevens said as she finished with Mulder. 
"Yes we have to depend on one another for alot. Some times we 
are all the other has." Mulder replied. 
"Well Dr. Labadie will be in to see you soon and Nurse Bell will 
take good care of you for me today. I'll be back this evening." 
Nurse Stevens left the room and waved on her way out.
After Scully returned from the bathroom she sat down on the side of 
Mulder's 
bed. 
"Mulder how do you feel? The truth. I do not want you to lie to me 
either. 
You know I'll tell." 
"Ok, I fell like my chest is in a vice. My heart is pounding because 
you are so 
close to me. I'm getting light headed. Help me doctor." Mulder pulled 
her closer
to him. 
Scully lifted her eyebrow, "I don't think your telling me the truth, 
agent 
Mulder." 
Mulder smiled up at her. Wincing, he moved his arm around Scully's 
waist. He 
then gently laid her down next to him, pulling her back close to his 
belly, his 
arm cradling her head. She felt his chest rise and fall though her 
blouse and 
found herself relaxing. 
Mulder rolled his head close to Scully's hair and kissed the top of 
her head. "I 
was scared Scully..." he said softly. 
"I was scared too Mulder." She shifted and pulled her feet up off the 
floor. She 
saw the sunlight spilling through his hospital window and it fell on 
their 
bodies. His arm crushed her windpipe... 
"Roll over Scully...I want to see your face." 
She immediatly did what he asked and found herself face to face with 
him. 
Mulder smiled and nodded his thank you to Scully. Hugging her tightly 
he closed 
his eyes and soon fell back asleep. 
xxxxxxxxxx 
Scully awoke several hours later finding Mulder snoring softly in her 
face. As 
easy as she could, she manuvered out from his grip and got out of his 
bed. She 
turned, grabbed her jacket and left the room. As she headed down the 
hall her 
phone rang. 
"Scully." 
"Scully," It was AD Skinner. "You and agent Mulder have been 
officially pulled 
from this case due to your partner's health." 
Scully stamered to reply but Skinner didn't allow her, "Now agent 
Scully, this 
case has been decided, it's not an x-file. Your investigation was 
over when that 
was established. I've sent a replacement team to relieve you, debrief 
them when 
they arrive. They should be there within a few hours. I have granted 
leave for 
agent Mulder for his recovery and would consider permission from you 
to allow 
the same." 
Scully waited before answering him. "Fine." 
Skinner's voice went soft. "Bring him home agent." and he hung up. 
The plane ride home was silent between Mulder and Scully. Neither one 
wanted to 
speak of the events that had occured. Scully never told Mulder how 
she felt and 
when she found herself close to him, he pulled her next to his body. 
The new 
sensations of him being so near tore the words out of her mouth. 
Scully could 
only gaze at his face and pray he would kiss her again. 
His body was still weak from his heart, so Scully had called AD 
Skinner and 
requested leave for herself to care for Mulder. Skinner was glad she 
had 
accepted his offer. 
She glanced over to see Mulder asleep in his seat. Scully smiled and 
then 
frowned with worry. 
"What's going to happen now?" she whispered. 
 
Mulder dreamed of Samantha. It was a nice dream. The first good 
dream of her he had since they were children. He dreamed first 
of as a cheerleader in high school. Then a college grad with 
diapolma in her hand. Then he saw her in a brides maid dress 
at a family wedding. He could not tell who's wedding it was 
at first. Then he saw the brides dressing room. Trough a full 
length window, he saw Samantha helping to adjust a veil. As 
she moved to the side, he saw Scully. She looked so happy. He 
had never had a dream with Scully and Samantha both happy. He woke 
still on the plane. "Hi." Scully smiled. 
"Hi." Said Mulder as a single tear slide down his face. 
"Is something wrong?' Scully asked with worry in her voice. 
"I was dreaming. That's all." He raised her hand to his lips and 
kissed it lightly. "I think Samantha approves." He smiled at her and 
she did not question him any more. 
"It will be dinner time when we get back to DC. Do you have anything 
at your place to cook, or do we need to stop at the market?" Scully 
asked 
as she put her book away. 
"Well Scully, I really ..." Mulder stopped. 'I want you to stay with 
me. I do not want to be with out you. How can I tell you.' 
"You don't have to tell me anything Mulder, I already know what you 
want." 
Scully smiled at him slightly. 
Mulder gazed at Scully with concern. <Something's wrong with her.> 
Her face was 
hiding something, her skin tense around her mouth and the corners of 
her eyes. 
He patted her leg and turned in his seat away from her, allowing her 
to continue 
reading her book. Mulder believed she wouldn't be able to read any 
further 
though. In confirmation, he heard her drop the book between their 
feet and sigh. 

<Yeah, we need to have a long talk.> he thought and closed his eyes, 
not looking 
forward to the future deed. Mulder felt his chest hollow out and a 
lonliness 
made him shudder, <This is gonna end badly.> Mulder tried not to 
think about it, 
but didn't succeed. 
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Six hours later 
Scully helped carry Mulder's luggage to his apartment. After entering 
he turned 
nervously to her, "Scully?" 
She was lugging the bags into his bedroom. "Mulder." Her voice was 
strained from 
the weight she carried. 
Mulder moved into his doorframe, trapping her inside. 
"Scully, you don't have to stay if you don't want. I'll be fine. I'm 
sure you've 
got things you need to do, things to catch up?" He moved his arms to 
each side 
of the framing, leaning to support himself. 
Scully dropped the suitcases, loudly. Her shoulders slumped and her 
head dropped 
to her chest. In frustration she turned to look at Mulder. 
"Mulder I simply do not understand you sometimes." She sat down on 
the side of his bed. " I know you want me to stay. We can probably 
get by with it for a few days too. What do we do after that." She 
looked up at him again. "I want to stay with you. I need to take care 
of you, but I am affaird of losing myself in you." Scully continued. 
She had been feeling these things for a long time. Now they just 
seemed 
to be flooding out of her mouth. Almost faster then she could speak 
them. "Sometimes I look at you and feel myself getting lost in your 
beliefs. I know I am my own person, but ..." 
Mulder crossed the room and sat down 
beside her. 
Scully took a deep breath. " I think things might be moving to 
fast." 
Mulder just looked at her for a few minutes. "Moving to fast ... 
Scully it has been seven years. Scully listen to me. I know exactly 
how you feel." 
Scully rolled her eyes and gave him one of her looks she had 
developed just for him. 
"I do. Scully, I wish you could look into your own eyes. They 
are so deep and full of such mystery. Yes, I do know you better 
then anyone else, but there are parts of your soul that you do 
not let me into. When I find myself getting lost in you, that is 
where I find myself trying to go. I want to feel you. All of you. 
Your mind I know very well. I even know some of your heart and a 
little of your soul; but not all of them. I have seen most all of 
your 
body. Not the way that I really want to though Scully. Please let 
me in."
 
He got Scully by the hand. "Come with me. I want to show you 
something." He took her to the window on the other side of his 
bedroom. "Look." He showed her the window. He pulled her to where 
she was directly infront of him. "What? I do not see anything out of 
place." Scully said after she looked down to the street and up to the 
stars. 
"Neither do I Scully." He adjusted her face so that she saw thier 
reflection 
in the window. " We-Belong-Togather!" He pulled her tighter to him 
and 
lowered his head to her shoulder. "I do not want to lose you. Even to 
myself. Scully I love you the way you are. Please do not change 
to 'FIT' 
me." 
All Scully could do was squeeze his arms. A tear fell down her 
cheek. "Mulder I ... love you." "Shhhhhh ... later. Right now we 
need food. I vote for Chinese. You game?" Mulder hugged her tightly 
and let her go. 
She stood there for a minute. 'Wait why did he run away from 
me when I told him that I loved him?' Scully thought to herself.
 
"No Mulder, I'm not hungry." Scully snaped at him. She walked towards 
him and 
got in his way as he tried for the door. "Mulder, what are you doing 
to me? You 
tell me you need to know me, need to know *everything* about me, then 
drop the 
subject when I tell you I LOVE YOU!" She slapped his face with a 
force to cause 
him to stammer. "Damn you!" 
She turned and opened his door to leave. 
Mulder fiercly grabbed her back in his arms. His face buried in her 
neck. Scully 
fought him, pushing his arms off her body, squirming to release 
herself from 
him. 
Mulder finally relented his grasp and allowed her to leave. With a 
cold glance 
over her shoulder, Scully slammed his door, leaving him alone. 
Mulder starred at the door. "Why did I push her away? She finally 
says she loves me, and I ask if she is hungary. I am so stupid." 
Scully sat in her car on the verge of tears. "What does he 
want from me. I am so tired of thinking. I need some peace." 
Scully started her car and headed for home. "I need to make a 
stop first. She turned onto 5th avenue. Father Mulldoun can listen."
One week later 
Scully walked into the office noticing Mulder wasn't there, but his 
jacket was. 
He had recuperated for the past week at home and without her help. 
She pushed 
the memory out of her mind as she moved to the back of his office. 
Mulder came through the door and saw Scully bent down searching for 
something 
unknown. He moved around his desk and sat down, trying not to disturb 
her. Just 
then the phone rang. 
"Mulder. Yes sir, we're on our way." he hung up the phone. 
"Scully, Skinner wants to see us." Mulder was emotionally distant 
when he spoke 
to her. Scully appreciatied the business attitude, however she 
resented the 
behavior. 
She walked slowly behind him creating a gap that purposely said 'I 
don't want to 
be near you'. He had to check over his shoulder to find her. 
Mulder felt the heat rise in his collar, and tried to ignore the fact 
that she 
was annoying him. His face flashed anger the last time he looked back 
to her. 
Looseing his tie, he turned away from the elevator and slammed the 
fire door 
open. 
Scully waited by the elevator doors patiently, tapping her fingers 
against each 
other as they lay across her waist. 
Scully shook her head, "That went well." 
 
kinner opened his office door just as Mulder arrived, his face was 
slightly 
flushed 
"Agent Mulder." Skinner said, as he moved to the side to allow Mulder 
to pass. 
Mulder entered the office to see that Scully was already seated in 
front of 
Skinner's desk. She ignored him. Mulder stopped and stared at Scully, 
his 
shoulders slumped. His head fell to his cheast as his hand rubbed his 
forehead. 
With a loud sigh, Mulder looked around the room spotting Skinner's 
couch. He 
backed up and sat down there instead of near Scully. 
Knowing what Mulder had just done, humiliated Scully. She tried to 
ignore the 
sting but her face flushed, and her mouth opened to suck in air. She 
brought her 
hand up to try to cover her reaction. 
Skinner witnessed the scene, understanding only the fact that he now 
knew why 
Scully had come back early instead of resting with Mulder. They were 
having a 
problem. 
Skinner stood with his feet apart, his hands grabbing his desk and 
leaned 
towards the agents. His voice pierced the tension with authority. "I 
hope that 
this personal problem between the two of you will be settled. 
Appropriatly and 
quickly...OUTSIDE the bureau." Skinner was commanding, not asking. 
Mulder and Scully hesitated, then nodded to him. 
AD Skinner's eyes narrowed and only then did he sit down. 
It was a typical video of a kidnapped victim. A blond woman, showing 
all the 
signs of tramatic shock was speaking to the camera. The room was 
white with no 
discriminating marks. She spoke that she had been held for three 
days, her 
captors demanding a ransom for her return. The date in the corner of 
the screen 
showed 02.14.00. 
Scully looked at AD Skinner, "Sir? Why are we watching this? This 
case shows no 
evidence of being an x-file." 
Skinner threw another folder across his desk. "Agent Scully, that 
woman has been 
identified as Lauren Howards..." He looked at Mulder. "She's been in 
a coma for 
approximatly four weeks."
Scully and Mulder drove to the hospital that admitted Lauren Howards, 
just north 
of Richmond. Scully wanted to talk with the doctors and to examine 
her. 
When they arrived, Lauren's doctors were no where in sight. Scully 
poked 
Mulder's side and pointed to the room. A nurse exited, almost running 
into 
Mulder. 
"Can I help you?" she asked. 
Mulder grabbed the nurse's arm, pulling her away allowing Scully to 
walk inside 
unnoticed. 
"My name is agent Mulder with the FBI. I need the medical history of 
a patient, 
the name Lauren Howards...no, I need to speak with her doctor. " 
Scully could hear him in the distance. "Well call him up and tell him 
the FBI 
said it's important....Lady? Do you want me to flip my badge at you?" 
Walking into Miss Howard's hospital room, Scully was taken aback 
seeing the 
patient. Her body was bruised, purple and black markings were all 
down her neck 
and arms.
 
Mulder approached behind Scully as she was examining the woman. 
Scully was 
holding Lauren's arm and searching the inside, rubbing the skin. 
"Mulder, her blood vessels are broken. Look." she turned and moved 
out of the 
way so he could see. 
Mulder turned the woman's head away from him to investigate her 
throat. 
"Scully...what could cause this to happen to a woman who hasn't moved 
for 
weeks?" he looked at Scully. 
"Well to start with, I would look to find puncture wounds...just like 
these..." 
Scully pointed to Laurens neck. 
Mulder noticed the small pinhole. He glanced back at Scully. 
She continued. "A blood vessel can burst if punctured with a large 
needle." 
"Certainly any medical staff personal would not do this? 
Why?" Mulder asked more to himself then to Scully. The 
site of this womans bruised body was really unstabbling. 
She obviously had been in the comma for a while. How could 
some one purposly hurt her like that when she could not defend 
herself. 
"Mulder ... ummmmm ... look at this. Her muscles are tight. 
Much tighter then is normal. She still has good muscle tone. 
After a month of a comma she should be showing signs of weeking. 
She looks like she has kept her daily appointment at the gym. 
There is most assuredly something going on here." Scully said as she 
examined the body completely. 
"May I help you?" The nurse entered the room. 
"Yes, you may." Scully spun around. "I am Agent Dana Scully, of the 
FBI. I want 
to see this woman's doctor 'Immidately'. If he is 
sleeping wake him now." Scully said with her best harsh voice. 
She was going to find out what had happened to this woman and 
now. "Mulder I want to post guards outside of her room." 
Mulder got his phone out of his pocket. "This is Agent Fox Mulder 
of the FBI. I need two uniforms over at the hospital to guard a 
patient. Now." He nodded at Scully as the doctor entered the room, 
still adjusting his clothing. 
Scully arched her eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. 
She did not trust this guy from the sight of him. She glanced at 
Mulder, he sharred her opion. Robin
 
"Hello, I'm Dr. Steel. May I ask what is going on here?" 
He was very indignet. He was a tall thin man with graying 
hair. His eyes looked very tired and his steps were slow. 
He walked over to the bed and glarred at his patient. "What 
do you people want here? She is not involved in a case to my 
knowledge. It was a simple car accident that put her here." 
Scully was getting very tight lipped as Mulder saw her watching 
this guys every move. "That maybe, but look at her now. She has 
been her for a month her bruising should be gone. These bruises 
are not the same ones. They are fresh and from needles. We ask 
'YOU' what is going on here?" Mulder moved closer to him. As 
he spoke the man had quickly moved to where he was trapped 
along the wall.
 
Dr. Steel held up his hands in surrender to Mulder "Wait a minute..." 
his eyes 
suprised. "WAIT!" 
Mulder didn't hesitate, his voice rising. "Explain this." as he 
pointed to the 
woman. 
The doctor stuttered, "I...I t.tookk a f..ffew blood samples," he 
straightened, 
"She had lost a lot of blood in the accident, we needed to match her 
for a 
transfusion." 
Mulder just nodded at him, pressing his lips together and narrowing 
his eyes. 
Scully pushed Mulder out of the way so she could look Dr. Steel in 
the eyes. 
 
"I am a medical doctor. Her bruises would have healed by now. 
That does not explain the bruises about her neck, or her muscles 
being so taught." Scully looked over her shoulder at Mulder. 
"When they get here. I want guards around the clock." Scully 
turned back to Dr. Steel. "I am having guards posted on this 
door. We will learn what is going on." With that, she turned 
back to Mulder and headed to the woman's bedside. 
"I want to see her complete medical file." Mulder said. "Now." 
Dr. Steel walked over to the bedside as well. He touched the woman's 
hand 
gentely. Then left the room. 
"Ummmm ... that was intresting. If he cares so much for his 
patient, why would there not be an investigation currently?" 
Scully had notice the way Dr. Steel touched the woman's hand. 
"Scully, I think the doctor might have something to hide, but I saw 
his eyes. He does seem to care for this woman deeply. There is 
something that we are missing." Mulder said as he sat in a nearby 
chair. 
After the guards arrived Scully and Mulder went to the nurse's 
station. 
"Has Dr. Steel brought the medical file up yet?" Scully asked the 
nurse on duty. 
"Yes ma'am. I do not know what is going on ma'am. Dr. Steel would 
never let anything happen to that patient. It's his wife." The nurse 
said. 
Mulder and scully left the hospital in silence. When 
they arrived at the hotel, Mulder saw Scully to her 
door. "Scully, I think that we have some things to talk 
about. Will you have dinner with me, please?" Scully looked 
at him and raised her eyebrow. "Yes, I said please." 
"Let me change." She unlocked her door and turned back to 
Mulder. "Mulder, I do not really feel like going to the dinner 
can we just order in?" Scully said. ' I just want to get into 
my sweats' She thought.
 
KNOCK ... KNOCK ... KNOCK 
"Just a second, Mulder." Scully slipped her clothes 
back into her suitcase. "I'm coming." Scully opened 
the adjoining door. 
"I ordered pasta. I thought something slightly out of 
the norm would be nice. You look comfortable." Mulder 
said smiling as he crossed the room to the loveseat. 
"Come here. Sit. We have to do this." Mulder 
reached for her hand as she followed him to the sofa. 
"Mulder, what is this about. We are on a case. I do not ..." 
Mulder pulled her to him. "I did want you to stay. I want 
you to stay with me always. I know I should have said something then. 
I just 
didn't. Please Scully. This last week has been 
miserble. I wanted to call, but was afraid you would not talk 
to me." Mulder leaned his face to hers. He rested his forehead 
to her check. 
Silence 
"Scully I love you. I can admit that to you now. It took me a 
really long time, but I can now. I know how you feel about me. I 
do. Really. I just do not want it said aloud. I feel like if you 
did; just the admition would cause me to lose you. I have lost 
everything. Everyone that has ever meant anything to me. Do you have 
to say it for you to know that I know?" Mulder's eyes pleaded. 
"Scully I feel you with every heart beat." 
    
Scully lowered her eyes. Mulder raised her head to look at him 
with one finger. "Mulder ... I ..." RING ... RING ... RING 
They just looked at one another. 
Scully stood and went to answer the hotel phone. "Hello?" She 
listened for a few 
seconds then looked to the ceiling in frustration, "No," she said 
calmly. "I 
wanted an A.M. wake up call..." Scully turned towards the wall. "This 
is the 
most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, who in the hell asks for a 
eight in the 
evening WAKE UP CALL?" She slamed the phone down. 
As she turned back to Mulder she saw a look on his face that looked 
familiar. 
Mulder had a look of concern, his features creased with worry--he 
didn't want to 
be rejected from her, to be away from her anymore... 
Scully remembered their encounter with the doctor. 
"Mulder? Did Doctor Steel seem like he was hiding something?" 
"Of course he was Scully...are you just realizing that now?" 
"I thought he acted nervous when you interrogated him, " she gave 
Mulder an evil 
eye as she spoke the last words. "now I feel that he wasn't 
nervous..he was 
acting guilty." 
"Guilty for putting his wife in the hospital?" Mulder stood up from 
the couch. 
"Maybe we should take a look at the Lauren Howard's accident report."
 
Scully and Mulder drove to the hospital in silence, neither of them 
trying to 
think of the other as they sat inches apart. Scully drummed her 
fingers on her 
door as Mulder chewed his lip. 
When they arrived, the parking lot was crowded, the er of the 
hospital overrun 
with ambulances and emts. Mulder dropped Scully off as he went to 
find a parking 
spot. 
Scully quickly walked inside and entered the elevator. The doors 
opened on the 
third floor and she started down the hallway towards a guard sitting 
in a chair. 
Behind the chair was Lauren's room. 
The guard stopped her as she flipped her badge at him. "I'm sorry 
ma'am, her 
doctor is with her now." 
Scully looked at her watch, it read 10:13. She did a double take, 
oh...it read 
10:15. She raised her badge within inches of the guard's face. "Agent 
Scully of 
the FBI." 
The guard flinched at the nearness of the badge and allowed Scully 
access to the 
room. When she opened the door she saw Dr. Steel hovering over his 
wife. He was 
extracting a syringe from her wrist. 
Scully grabed her gun out from her coat, "FREEZE! Stay right where 
you are Dr. 
Steel! Hands in the air!" 
Doctor Steel straightened, the needle still in his hand. He turned 
around 
towards the door and Scully noticed tears in his eyes. Suddenly, he 
lunged at 
her. 
"Freeze ... Stop ... I will shot you." Scully insisted. She jumped 
to the side as Dr. Steel grabbed for her. He landed with a thump 
on the floor. " STAY DOWN, DR. STEEL." 
Just then the guard burst through the door. He surveyed the scene. 
"Are you alright ma'am?" He pulled out his handcuffs and cuffed Dr. 
Steel. 
"Take him to his office and stay with. I want to talk to him before 
he is taken away." Scully said to the uniformed officer. 
"Yes ma'am." He pickied the doctor up from the floor and they headed 
out the door just as Mulder arrived.
 
"What is going on?" Mulder asked as he went into the 
hospital room closing the door behind him. "Are you 
ok?" He walked over to her and touched her hand. 
"Mulder I am fine. I'm not so frail that I can not 
aprehend a suspect without breaking down or something. 
Is this what I should expect if we were to get involved. 
For you to suddenly start doubting my capibilites." 
She pulled out of his reach and starred coldly at him. She 
holstered her gun and walked right past him for the door. 
"I love you Scully does that not count for anything?" Mulder 
asked still facing the windows. 
"I do think that you are very capable. I just wanted to make 
sure you had not gotten hurt." He turned back to the door and 
walked out first.
 
"I love you too, Mulder." Scully said to the back of 
the door as it closed before her. She took a deep breath and 
headed down the hall. 
***************
"Dr. Steel, Why have you been taking your wife's blood? What 
are you trying to do?" Mulder asked after Scully informed him 
in the elevator of what had happened. Mulder had alot of 
questions for this man. He could see the man's obvious tears. It 
seemed to Mulder that he cared deeply for his wife. Mulder just 
did not understand what the doctor could be thinking. Doctors are not 
suppose to treat family members.
 
Scully watched Mulder's face. 'He knows the minds of mad men 
so well. Why does it look like he doesn't know this guy.' 
Scully thought to herself. Dr. Steel started to speak. 
Then he stopped and started again. "I want my lawyer. I'm 
not speaking without him." Dr. Steel closed his eyes and 
lowered his head. 
Mulder and Scully looked at one another. 
"We are not going to get anything out of him tonight." Scully said 
to Mulder. She turned to the officer. "Take him down town 
and book him on attemped murder. We will be down in the morning 
at 8. Make sure his lawyer is notified." 
The officer escorted the very tired doctor out of his office. 
Mulder looked at Scully. "I'll drive." Then he walked out. 
Scully sat down in a chair as Mulder closed the door behind 
him. She sat there for a few minutes as silent tears rolled 
down her cheeks. She regaind her composer and left the room. 
She waited outside the hospital for a moment when Mulder pulled 
up to the crub she got in the passenger's seat and sat quitely. 
Mulder looked closely at Scully. Her eyes were just a little red 
from crying. His heart broke. He knew why she was crying. 
 
Mulder closed his door and went into his bathroom. 
Scully went into her room and locked the door behind 
her. She looked at the door to Mulder's room. She 
walked over to it, unlocked hers, opened it, and ran 
her hand down his door. 
Her hand stayed at the small door knob. She heard 
the shower start and walked away from the door. 
Mulder walked out of the bathroom. He went to his suitcase for a 
pair of sweats. He looked at the door to Scully's room. He 
crossed the room and put his hand the knob. "Oh Scully. 
I just want to hold you." As he stated to turn the knob he heard 
the water start to run in Scully's bathroom. He turned and went 
back into the bathroom of his hotel room.
 
Scully poured her favorite bubbles into the tub. She had 
started carrying them with the rest of toilitiers a 
long time ago. She had occassion to use them frequently. Just 
not the time. She made the time tonight. She needed to 
relax. She called room service for a bottle of wine, but since 
it was after midnight they were closed. 
*************** 
Mulder had lingered in the shower longer then he was use to. He 
needed it. He was resting on the bed going over a file when he 
heard Scully moving around. He glanced at the clock. 3:46. He 
had heard her go to bed a couple of hours ago. 
"NO ... NO!!!" He heard Scully screaming. 
Mulder was to his feet in fractions of a second gun in 
hand and at the door. He turned the knob and flung the door 
open expecting to have to break down hers. To his surprise 
hers was already opened. Scully was in the bed sleeping. He 
saw her roll over restlessly. 
"NO ... NO ... Mulder please don't ..." She jerked awake 
to find Mulder with his gun drawn looking at her. "Mulder." 
She jumped from the bed and ran to Mulder. "Oh GOD. Mulder 
I thought you were dead." She was weeping in his arms. 
Mulder tossed his gun over to the chair and picked Scully up 
in his arms. He carryed her back to his room, and placed 
her on his bed. He layed beside her and held her close. 
"Mulder," She looked up at him from under tear soaked lashes. 
"I know you do not want me to say it, but I do love you. 
I'm just as affaird of losing you. To GOD knows what. When 
they took you to the hospital last week ..." She started to 
cry again. "Mulder I love you." 
He pulled her to him. "Scully." He bent down and kissed her on 
the lips fully. He could feel the desire in him running 
rampant through his veins. 
Scully did not fight him. She kissed him thur her tears. Then 
they just layed in one anothers arms. Both falling asleep.
Scully woke first just as the sun shown through the windows 
of Mulder's hotel room. "Ummmmm ... I love this. I love you 
Mulder." She snuggled deeper in to his arms and felt him 
start to stir. She turned in his embrace to face him. She 
kissed his eyes. "Good morning. Shall I order coffee?" Scully 
asked as he opened his eyes and pulled her into him. 
"That would be nice. Some breakfast too. I think I'm 
going to need it." Mulder snirkered. 
Scully turned back to the windows and got the phone. 
"Yes, that's right. Thank you. 20 minutes." Scully hung 
up the phone. "We have to be at the police station in 
about an hour. We better get going." Just then Mulder 
pulled her tighter to him. 
"I'm not ready to get out of this bed yet. I'm not willing 
to go back into professional mode with out something to last 
me until we get back behind closed doors again. Kiss me." He 
layed her on her back and ran his fingers through her hair. 
"I love you, Dana Katherine." He bent his head down to hers 
and kissed her firmly, hungarily. 
She did not fight him. She ran her hands up his back and down 
to his backside. She laced her fingers togather and rested her hands 
on the firm 
muscles. "I love you too. Fox. But we do not 
have time for this now." She kissed his ear. "I really want 
to do this. I just want it to be very special the first time. Not 
rushed because of a case or something." She kissed him on the 
lips fully and pulled from his grasp just as room service knocked 
on the door. She looked at him over her shoulder. "Get that 
H-O-N-E-Y." She winked at him and entered her room to change.
 
At the police station they waited for Dr. Steel's lawyer. He had 
hired a female attorney. Emily Charles was one of the best in 
this small town. Sully was looking forward to meeting her. She liked 
meeting women with strong careers. 
Mulder and Scully watched throught the double glass onto Doctor 
Steel. He was 
pacing around the table in the tiny white room. Video was being 
recorded, Mulder 
had to sidestip the machine as he walked in the door of the room. 
Scully looked 
at Mulder and shook her head, her arms crossed conveying a clear 
message. They 
weren't getting anywhere. 
Mulder stuffed his hands in his pants pockets and allowed Scully to 
leave the 
room first. He looked up to the police detective outside in the 
hallway, "We'd 
like to see the surveilence tapes from the hospital." The officer 
leaded them 
upstairs and inside a room with monitering equipment. The cop sat 
down in a 
chair, "The hospital's security doesn't run continuiosly, it has to 
be set off, 
when theres an emergency, just like a home system goes off when a 
window is 
cracked. When Agent Scully barged in the room, the guard outside 
flipped the 
switch. So the only images we have on tape are what proceeded her 
entry." The 
moniter in front of the detective flickered to life, showing an 
overhead shot of 
the room. Mulder couldn't see the doctor completely, his back turned 
to the 
camera. He could only see Scully as she pointed her gun at the 
doctor. Her lips 
were moving, but there was no volume. Scully approached the doctor 
slowly, her 
actions becoming more severe. After a few seconds Mulder saw it. 
"Wait, go back... There! Scully look at his face." 
Scully squinted as she watched the video. The image showed the doctor 
turn and 
lunge past her. When she moved, he fell to the floor, allowing her to 
place a 
knee to his back as she handcuffed him. 
"I don't see anything." 
Mulder asked again, "Go back. Look at his FACE." 
Scully did as she was asked. This time when the doctor fell to the 
ground, she 
saw what Mulder saw. "Detective? Has anyone else seen this video?" 
"No ma'am. I was told to wait for the FBI before showing to anyone 
else." 
Scully looked at Mulder, "How can this be possible?" 
Mulder headed out of the surveilence control room speaking over his 
shoulder. 
"Scully, maybe you should examine Dr. Steel to make sure he wasn't 
hurt from the 
fall he took..." 
xxxxxxxxxxxx 
An hour later Scully was staring at Doctor Steel, Mulder directly 
behind her 
awaiting her findings. The doctor was dressed in a hospital gown, his 
face red 
from embarrasment. 
Scully was tapping a spot inside the doctor's elbow, her face even, 
not allowing 
the man to become relaxed. 
"Answer me Doctor Steel. Are you diabetic?" She knew his answer. 
"No." the doctor had started sweating, the moisture beaded on his 
forehead. 
"Are you a intravenious drug user?" She tapped the spot on his arm 
again. 
"No." he replied. 
Scully turned to Mulder. "What's your theory Sherlock?" 
Mulder stood in front of Dr. Steel. "I believe our dear doctor and 
devoted 
husband of Mrs. Lauren Howards, is injecting himself with her blood." 
Doctor 
Steel's eyes widened in disbelief at Mulder's words. Mulder 
continued, "Did you 
love your wife Dr. Steel.." 
The doctor sat stunned as his eyes welled with tears. "Of course I 
love my wife. 
She's the only thing that matters to me anymore...I'm nothing without 
her." 
Scully felt a hole in her stomach listening to the doctor as he 
continued, 
"Lauren and I had a fight that morning, we both said some nasty 
things to one 
another--you know how that is, your angry, you just want them to feel 
as bad as 
you do." Dr. Steel stopped talking, tears were rolling down his 
cheeks. 
Mulder put a hand on his shoulder trying to comfort the man, he 
understood the 
pain he was feeling. 
Dr. Steel looked up again to Scully. "She was pregnant. I had done 
the blood 
test, wanting to tell her, but she was in the foulest mood I'd ever 
seen. She 
attacked my intelligence, which is every man's weakness..." The 
doctor stopped 
again and thought of his ugly words he had said back to her, and he 
broke down 
sobbing. 
"What about the hostage tape?" Mulder asked. The doctor had settled 
slightly, 
his body weakened from exhaustion. 
"I don't know how that tape got out...I just did it to see if it 
would work." 
Scully looked at Mulder again, a question in her eyes. 
Mulder nodded in silent understanding. 
The doctor resumed his confession, "When I saw her lying in that bed, 
in a 
*coma*, I wondered if I would ever see her beautiful smile, hear her 
laughter, 
would ever be given a chance to bear a child with her again." 
Mulder looked at Scully, she was shaking her head--Lauren had lost 
the baby she 
was carring. 
"I wanted to have her be apart of me, the only thing I had left of 
her was the 
blood sample. I took the chance, she was worth every chance..." 
Doctor Steel 
stood up from the examining table and walked over to the mirror. The 
image that 
showed was his own, but a hazy impression of his wife floated over 
his body. 
When he smiled, she smiled. He put his fingers on the mirror, trying 
to touch 
the wife that he had lost.
 
Mulder could understand how the man felt. He had a sudden heart 
wrenching 
pull to hold *his* Scully. "Dr. Steel, you can get dressed. The 
officer will 
be in momentarily." Mulder escorted Scully out of the room and down 
the 
hall. 
"Mulder I think this case is over. There is nothing else we need to 
know. Everything else is between Dr. Steel and his wife." Scully 
looked tired. 
"Are you ... ok?" Mulder asked a little worried of her reaction 
to his question. 
"I'm fine ..." She stopped. "Mulder I am a little tired. We did not 
get 
much sleep last night. I just want to go home." She really did not 
want 
to think about the case anymore. Just the thouhgts of a child dying 
made 
Scully think of Emily. "Mulder I need to go home." 
"Ok, here are the keys. I'll wrap things up here and met you at the 
hotel. Start packing and I'll get a deputy to drop me off." Mulder 
squeezed her hand and she walked away from him. 
Back at the hotel, Scully hugged her pillow tightly. She allowed a 
few tears to fall from her eyes and then started packing. 
**************** 
Mulder was with Deputy Wiggles. 
"So are you headin' back to Washington now? Asked Deputy 
Wiggles. "I think it would be nice to live in a place where 
it snowed. I've never even seen snow ..." The deputy continued, 
but Mulder was fading out. 
All he could think of was Scully. 'I know there is something wrong. 
She only shuts down like that when she thinks of ... Emily.' Mulder 
sighed. "Exucse me Deputy Wiggles. Could you drop me off around the 
coner there is something I have to do. 
Mulder arrived at the hotel an hour later. He went in to his 
room first and noticed that the adjoining doors were still open. 
His bags were packed and stacked at the foot of the bed. Airline 
tickets on top of them. He put his package in his duffle. "Hey 
Scully you've been busy." He walked into her room. 
Scully was drinking a cup of coffee. "I hope you do not mind that I 
packed for you. I just want to get out of here." Scully said 
from under her lashes. She still had not looked up at him. "Let's 
go." 
Mulder glided across the floor. She rose from her chair to meet 
his gaze eye to eye. Scully I know you do not want to talk about 
Emily." Scully eyes got big. "But I know you have been thinking 
about her today. Probably several days. I just want you to know 
that I love you and I understand that you need to keep her in your 
heart." She smiled at him. "I love you Scully." He bent down 
and kiised her forehead. "Let's go." 
The plane ride was quite. 'A night flight is the nicest.' Scully 
thought. 'So peaceful. And a blanket.' Scully was enjoying the 
blanket particularily because Mulder was holding her hand 
underneath it. As the plane touched ground, Scully's 
heart began to race. She would soon have Mulder behind the closed 
doors 
of her apartment. Her heart fluttered at the thoughts. 
Mulder could hardly wait to get to Scully's place. 'I can not wait to 
see her reaction' He smiled to himself. 
"What is that about." Scully asked cheerfully. Her mood had improved. 
"What are you up to? You look very guilty." 
Mulder gave his best boyish grin. "Who me." He cut his eyes away from 
her. "I love you." He whispered. 
She smiled widely. "I can not wait to get you home." Scully almost 
kissed the words from her mouth to his ears. 
"Scully you are driving me mad." Mulder tightened his grip on her 
hand. 'She can turn me on with a look. Man am I in trouble.' He 
thought to himself. 
Mulder unlocked Scully's door using his key."I htink I'm 
really going to start enjoying this key." He smiled as he 
lowered the bags to the floor. "Come here." He pulled Scully 
into her apartment and slammed the door shut. 
"Hey aren't you hugary? How about dinner and a nice bottle 
of wine?" Scully asked, teasing Mulder just a bit. 
"Scully ..." 
She twisted from his arms and ran to her room. 
"Oh no you don't." Mulder chased her. "Come here." 
Scully wiggled in Mulder's embrace. "Please Mulder let 
me freshen up." 
"Why you smell ..." Mulder kissed her neck. "and taste 
like peaches. What else do you do?" 
"Let me go and find out." Mulder could hear the dare 
in her voice. 
"Fine. Just do not take very long. I have something for 
you." Mulder had that grin on his face again. 
"I'll just be a few minutes." Scully retreated to her bathroom. 
Mulder went to the livingroom to get his surprise out if the 
duffle bag. 
Mulder pulled the package from his duffle. 'I hope she likes 
these.' He heard Scully close the bathroom door. He headed back 
to the bedroom. "Mulder ..." Scully was just 
coming out of her bedroom as he was entering. "Hi." 
"Let's sit down a minute." Mulder backed Scully back 
up to her bed. "Please sit." He sat down beside her and 
pulled the package from behind his back. 
"Mulder you did not have to get me something. All I want 
right now is you." Scully said as tears pooled in her 
eyes. 
"Just listen. I want to do this." Mulder handed her the 
package. She began to unwrap it. "Stop. I want to explain 
each one of these to you. Don't argue with me either." 
Scully opened the first gift. It was a little charm braclet 
ornament. A soild gold tree. She looked at Mulder confused. 
"This is to remind of our case in the Everglades. That is when 
I first began admitting to myself how I felt about you." 
Open the next one. 
She opened the second one. It was a gold X. "Wait, I 
know this one. This is to remind me of the work I do. 
How important I am to your work." 
"No *OUR* work. Continue."
 
The next was a simple gold circle. "What is this?" 
"This is our faith in one another. No end." 
"And this?" Scully said as happy tears began to trickle 
down the sides of her face. "A gold heart with a diamond 
in the center ... This is my heart. You are the only bright 
light I have left." Mulder released a single tear. 
"This is a pearl. This is my hope for our future. I want 
you in my life always. I love you" 
Scully was crying now. Through her tears she said, "I love 
you too."
 
"I already have a cross pendant, Mulder you know that." She said 
as she opened the next box. "This is a good memory of your 
daughter. In the little time that we knew her I loved as mine 
too. I know she would want you to have happy thoughts of her. 
This is to give you the hope to go on and the faith to now she 
is safe."
 
"Mulder I ..." Scully could barely speak. 
"Shh ... there is more." Mulder handed her two more 
boxes.
 
The next box was thin. "This is the bracelet to hold our world. 
On it we will put our life. Piece by piece. This is to 
remind you that you are never alone that I am always with you" 
Mulder shed another tear as handed her last the box. 
 
"This is the last one." I will be back in a second. I want 
you to open this alone." Mulder kissed her forehead and left 
the room. She heard him stop just outside the door. 
She removed the wrapping and lifted the box open. Inside 
the box was a plain gold wedding band. Inscribed on 
the inside were the words ... 
Mulder heard Scully begin to cry again. He walked back in 
to the room. He stood her up. "One day I will put this on 
your finger and it will never come off. The world will know 
how I feel and no one will seperate us." 
Scully slide the ring onto her finger and said, "Tonight I am 
your wife." 
Scully closed her eyes and kissed Mulder tenderly, 
hungarily, passionatly. In her mind she read the word 
again. One word simply ... 
WIFE. 
"I love you Mulder." 
"I love you Dana."
     
Scully pulled back from him. "This is the ... I love you 
Mulder. I want the world to know as well. My heart is 
bursting." She and Mulder sat down on the bed. Mulder was 
crying a few tears. "Mulder, please." She whipped the tears 
from his face. "You are my light in the darkness. I love 
you so much. Make love to me. I want to feel you within me. 
I feel you in my heart, and in my soul. Now I want you in all 
of me." She stood before him and craddled his face in her 
hands. He kissed her like he had missed her all of his life.